Online Poker Advice

NFL Playoff Betting Tips

The National Football League, or NFL, is the single most bet upon sports league in the United States. Its season encompasses 17 weeks from early September to early January, with the Super Bowl, or championship game, generally held in the first or second week of February. As we approach the playoffs, it's a good time for a refresher on the basics, as well as to examine some more advanced NFL betting strategy.

Know the Spread

The spread, or the number of points by which the favored team is expected to win, is the most important number in NFL betting. It is typically expressed as a negative number in relation to the favored team. For instance, -8 would indicate that the favored team is 'giving' 8 points to the underdog.

The spread is continuously updated until an hour before the game. Any online sports site will display the latest spread as calculated by the most popular sports books. If you're placing a standard wager on a particular team, the spread is a number you must keep in mind at all times.

Keep Track of Injuries

As the football season winds down, injuries inevitably take their toll on each team. Keeping track of which players are injured and the position they play can go a long way toward making a successful wager.

On offense, the quarterback is generally the most important player. If the starting quarterback is injured, it cannot only affect passing plays, but running plays as well, as he is the player that keeps the entire offense in synch. On some teams, if the primary running back or receiver is injured, their offense can be slowed down tremendously. Lastly, if more than one player on the offensive line is injured, the passing and running games will both suffer. If a team that is particularly strong on offense is missing some of its offensive line, it's probably a good idea to place your wager on another team that week.

On the defensive side, the linebackers, along with the defensive line, are the key positions on the field. The nose tackle is also critical against an opposition's running attack. Injuries to more than one of these players will usually allow an offense to move the ball down the field, even if the safeties and defensive backs are all in good health.

Although these positions are also important, they cannot compensate for injuries to the core of the defense.

Home Field Advantage

In playoff football, the home field advantage becomes more critical than ever. If the game is close, a particularly hostile stadium can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

Hostility does not necessarily imply that the crowd is hostile; in the winter months, weather conditions at northern stadiums can wreak havoc on southern teams that are not used to playing in such conditions. Stadiums in Green Bay, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and New England can be particularly harsh in January, with New York and Philadelphia not far behind.

In some stadiums, the crowd is considered as important as a player on the field is. The Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans is generally considered to be the loudest stadium in the league, with Denver, San Diego, Minnesota, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh also hard on the ears. Other stadiums, such as New England, are not particularly loud, even at full capacity.