For those who follow the NFL, you’ll know that this year’s Super Bowl was a blockbuster. While many games went under the betting point spread, there were a few notable outliers. One of the biggest games was the New England Patriots versus the Los Angeles Rams. The Patriots opened as 4.5-point favorites over the Rams, and bettors who took the under had massive returns. If you’re looking to bet on the Super Bowl this year, you’ll want to make sure that you understand how to read the game lines before doing so.
How To Read Football Game Lines
Many bettors will tell you that football is the most difficult sport to handicap. This is certainly true when it comes to individual games, but it’s also true when speaking to the general trend of the day. Knowing how to read football lines is crucial if you want to make informed decisions when betting on this dynamic sport.
The key to understanding football lines is to realize that the total number of points will vary from day to day. One of the biggest talking points before this year’s Super Bowl was the fact that the over/under was set at 55 points, yet many playoff games surpassed this number. In fact, only two games did not reach this total: one was the Minnesota Vikings versus the Seattle Seahawks, and the other was the Arizona Cardinals versus the Los Angeles Rams. You’ll see why these two games are interesting in a bit.
A team’s record will also determine the point spread for that game. The Patriots went 12-4 during the regular season and are 2-0 in the playoffs, so naturally they’re going to be the 4.5-point favorites over the Rams. The other two games mentioned above were decided by a field goal, so they’ll be settled at either 7.5 or 10 points, respectively. As you may have guessed, the over/under for last weekend’s Super Bowl was set at 48, and the total was 46. This line change made many people very rich, as the over took in the high teens. Of course, there were also the people who took the under, as the total was just below what was predicted. This is why it’s important to stay abreast of all the changes in the NFL game lines on a daily basis.
Why Only Two Games Ended Under
If you follow NFL news on a regular basis, you know that only two games this year ended under the posted point spread, as none of the other games came close. The aforementioned Minnesota Vikings versus Seattle Seahawks game was a 10-point thriller, while the other was the Cardinals versus the Rams, a 7-point game. These are the two marquee games that determined whether or not you made money or lost money on the under/over, respectively.
The key to understanding these two games and why they were so important is in the nature of the two teams involved. The Cardinals are an excellent team, but the Rams have been playing at a level that is off the charts. This has resulted in a series of upsets, as the spread for the Rams’ games has been much higher than usual. One need only look at the Patriots-Bills and Patriots-Jets games from earlier this year to see that the Rams are not to be trifled with. These are the types of games that could determine the title of Super Bowl LIII.
This is also why only two games this year ended under the number, as the rest of the games were decided by a larger margin. Games against the Seahawks and Bills were particularly close, as each team was only 2.5 points apart in the final score. This closeness caused the point spread to settle in the mid-teens for most of the games. If you’re looking to wager on a game that has a high chance of ending under, you may want to consider the Bills or the Seahawks, as they’re the two premier teams in the NFL this year. These are the two teams that you’ll want to avoid if you’re looking to make a profit on the under.
Reading Football Game Lines Can Help You Win Big
If you use this site on a regular basis, you’ll know that we’re huge proponents of wagering on the NFL. Some of the biggest winners using our info have been members themselves, as the following cases prove:
- Green Bay Packers +5.0
- Chicago Bears -4.0
- Dallas Cowboys +2.5
- New England Patriots -2.0
- Arizona Cardinals +1.5
By analyzing the teams and the spreads before, during, and after the game, we were able to determine the results of these wagers. Obviously, you don’t always need to do this to make money, but it’s a good idea to know how and when to use it.
These are some of the basics on how to read football lines. As you may have guessed, knowing how to read football lines is crucial in order to make informed decisions when betting on this dynamic sport. If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to our live chat representatives at any time, as we’re always available to help.