🏈 NFL Betting 101: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Bet Types

NFL betting is massive—and it can be overwhelming at first. With dozens of ways to bet on every game, understanding what you’re wagering on is the first step toward betting smarter, not harder.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through every essential bet type you’ll encounter during an NFL season. Whether you want to bet on who wins, how many yards a QB will throw, or if there’ll be a touchdown on the opening drive—we’ve got it all covered.

You’ll learn the most common categories of NFL bet types:

• Standard Game Bets

• Same Game Parlays (SGP)

• Quarter/Half Bets

• Player Props

• Team Props

• Game Props

• Drive/Play Props

  
  

Each section includes a table of bet types with clear meanings, and we’ve added real-world examples so you can instantly see how it works.

Let’s dive in. 🏟️ Standard Game Bets

These are your go-to bets for predicting game outcomes and scores.

Bet Type	Meaning
Moneyline (To Win)	Bet on which team will win the game outright.
Point Spread	Bet on a team to win or not lose by more than the set margin.
Total Points (Over/Under)	Bet if total combined score will be over or under a set number.
Alternate Spread / Total	Choose a custom spread or total with different odds.
Double Result (Half/Full Time)	Bet who leads at half and who wins at full time.
Winning Margin	Predict how many points a team wins by.
Odd or Even Total Points	Bet if final score total is odd or even.
Will Game Go to Overtime?	Yes/No wager.
Race to X Points	Pick the team to reach a set point total first.
Team to Score First / Last	Bet which team scores first or last.
Score First & Win / Lose	Bet if a team scores first and wins or loses.
Score in Every Quarter	Team must score in all 4 quarters.
Exact Winning Margin	Predict exact point difference of winner.

📌 Examples:You bet Bills -3.5 vs. Dolphins. Final score: 28–20 ✅You bet "Race to 20 Points – Chargers." Final: 24–21 Raiders ❌

🕒 Quarter & Half Bets

Focused on smaller segments of the game for faster results.

Bet Type	Meaning
Quarter Winner (Q1–Q4)	Predict which team wins a specific quarter.
1st Half / 2nd Half Result	Pick winner of a half. Spread and totals may apply.
Total Points Per Quarter	Predict total points in a given quarter.
Team Points by Half or Quarter	Bet on how many points a team scores in each half or quarter.
Odd/Even Points in Quarter	Odd or even total points for a specific quarter.
Team to Win Each Half / Quarter	Bet a team wins both halves or all quarters.

📌 Example:You bet "1st Half Total Over 24.5" in Eagles vs. Giants. Halftime: 17–10 ✅You bet 2nd Quarter Winner: Cowboys. Quarter ends 3–3 ❌

🔵 Team Props

These bets are all about team-level performance stats.

Bet Type	Meaning
Total Team Points	O/U on one team's total points.
Team Touchdowns	Predict number of touchdowns a team will score.
Team Field Goals Made	Total field goals made by a team.
Team to Win to Nil	Bet that a team wins and shuts out the opponent.
Team to Score X+ Points	Bet a team scores over a specific number (e.g. 30+ points).
Team to Score in Every Quarter	Team must score in all four quarters.

📌 Example:You bet "Chiefs 3+ Touchdowns" vs. Broncos. Final score: 24–10 ✅You bet "Jets to Score in Every Quarter." 0 points in Q3 ❌

👤 Player Props – QB

Track quarterback stats and call the play before it happens.

Bet Type	Meaning
Passing Yards	O/U on total yards thrown.
Passing Touchdowns	Predict number of TDs thrown.
Interceptions Thrown	How many INTs the QB throws.
Pass Completions / Attempts	O/U on number of passes completed or attempted.
Longest Completion	Bet on the distance of the longest pass completed.

📌 Example:"Mahomes Over 270.5 Passing Yards" ✅"Josh Allen Under 1.5 Passing TDs" ❌

🏃‍♂️ Player Props – RB/WR/TE

Track yards, catches, and touchdowns from skill players.

Bet Type	Meaning
Rushing Yards	O/U on rushing yards.
Rushing Touchdowns	Number of rushing TDs.
Receiving Yards	O/U on receiving yards.
Receptions	O/U on number of receptions.
Longest Reception	Distance of the longest catch.
Combined Rushing + Receiving Yards	Total combined yards.

📌 Example:You bet "Christian McCaffrey Over 100.5 Total Yards" ✅You bet "Tyreek Hill Over 6.5 Receptions" ends with 5 ❌

🎯 Player Touchdown Props

Touchdown-focused bets—high risk, high reward.

Bet Type	Meaning
Anytime Touchdown Scorer	Player scores at any point.
First / Last Touchdown Scorer	Player scores first or last TD of the game.
2+ / 3+ Touchdowns	Player scores 2 or more TDs.
First TD for Team	First TD scorer for their team.

📌 Example:"Stefon Diggs Anytime TD Scorer" ✅"Nick Chubb First TD Scorer" but scores 2nd ❌

🎲 Game Props

Bet on how the game unfolds beyond the score.

Bet Type	Meaning
Total Touchdowns in Game	Combined TDs by both teams.
Total Field Goals Made	Total FGs by both teams.
First Scoring Play Type	TD, FG, or safety.
Last Scoring Play	Type of last points scored.
First Turnover Type	INT or fumble.
Defensive/Special Teams TD?	Bet on a non-offensive TD.
Safety to Occur?	Will a safety happen?
2-Point Conversion Attempt/Success	Will a 2-point try be attempted/made?

📌 Example:You bet "Defensive TD: Yes" and a pick-six happens ✅You bet "Safety to Occur: Yes" and none happen ❌

📈 Drive / Play Props

Incredibly specific bets for die-hard fans and live bettors.

Bet Type	Meaning
Result of Opening Drive	TD, FG, punt, or turnover.
Next Drive Result	How the next drive ends.
First Play Type	Run or pass.
4th Down Conversion Attempt/Made	Will a team go for it and succeed?

📌 Example:"Opening Drive Result: Punt" ✅"1st Play: Pass" but it’s a run ❌

🧩 Same Game Parlay (SGP)

Parlay multiple bets from the same game into one ticket.

Bet Type	Meaning
Any mix of bets (spread, total, player props, etc.)	Combine multiple legs into one high-payout bet. All must hit.

📌 Example:

• Bills -6.5 ✅

• Allen Over 275.5 Yards ✅

• Diggs Anytime TD ✅— SGP ✅ (All legs hit)You miss even one? ❌

🧠 Pro Tip

If you’re new to NFL betting, don’t overcomplicate it. Stick to the basics: Moneyline, Point Spread, and Over/Under are the easiest to understand and the most reliable when learning. These give you a clean view of how betting odds, team performance, and game flow work in real time.

Avoid jumping into exotic bets, parlays, or touchdown scorer props just because the payouts look juicy. Parlays require every leg to hit, and most beginners overestimate their accuracy. Instead, use your first few weeks to track your bets, note what worked, and build a routine. Treat it like a sport—train before going pro.

🔍 Final Thoughts

NFL betting becomes powerful when you mix knowledge, strategy, and discipline. Don’t fall for hot takes or gut feelings—build your picks around stats, trends, and logic. Every dollar you bet is a decision. Make sure it's an informed one.

Learn what each bet type means, review your outcomes, and never chase losses. That’s how people spiral. Stick to a unit system, set limits, and don’t bet just to feel something—bet because you see value.

Betting isn’t about being right all the time. It’s about being right more often than the odds suggest. Play the long game, build confidence, and always respect the grind.

You’re not just betting—you’re building a system.