If the sportsbook is busy with action, it should be football season. Be it the NFL or NCAA, football betting action is fast and furious during the season. For the newbie sports bettor, it could seem a bit confusing, but football bets really come down to two types-straight bets and parlay bets.

Football Betting – Straight Bets

Here’s the workhorse for just about any winning football bettor. A straight bet simply means you’re betting on one football game. In the event that you bet on several game on the same ticket, it’s a parlay, and we’ll talk about that in a minute.

When you make a straight football bet, you could be betting on a side or total. Simply put, once you bet a side, you “pick a side” in the game. For example, let’s say the New England Patriots are playing the Seattle Seahawks. If you’re likely to bet a side, you’d bet on either the Patriots or the Seahawks.

Every game includes a point total (except NCAA football, which is most games). It is the level of points scored between both teams. Once you bet a total, you’re betting under or higher that total. For instance, suppose the total is 47 and you also take the over. To win, both teams must combine for 48 or even more points (47 will be a push, which means you get your bet back).

Football Betting – Parlays

Okay, so you know about straight bets, which is where you bet on just one thing per ticket. When you wish to bet on more than one thing, it’s a parlay. You can bet on 2 – 20 things (depends upon the sportsbook).

For instance, let’s say without a doubt on the Seahawks and on the total on your ticket. That would be a 2-team parlay (despite the fact that technically there’s only one team on it).

The more items you put on the ticket, the more money you’ll win if they all hit. Naturally, slot online on the ticket, the harder it really is to win.

With parlay bets it’s an all or nothing thing. If one pick fails, the ticket is dead. Some sportsbooks will run specials so you can get close, but that’s very rare.

If you get into making football bets via parlay tickets, you might have a look at “teasers,” which are parlay tickets with added points for you personally. For instance, rather than taking the Packers -10, you might get them at -3. Of course, the payouts are a less since the risk is minimized.

Football betting is a blast and there’s nothing much better than hitting the sportsbook with a large winning ticket. I hit straight football bets and parlays all season long. I anticipate the NFL and NCAA football seasons.