The NFL point differential system is one of the many strategies betting enthusiast have exhausted over the years in an attempt to pick a winner in a given game. In essence fans average out the total amount of points for and allowed by each team in a matchup and calculate the winner based on the average outcome of the total amount of points prior. When betting on NFL if you enjoy math this can be the system for you. Below is an example of how the system has been used in years past.

In week seven the Denver Broncos will be playing against the Miami Dolphins in Miami. Through the first six weeks of the season the Broncos have scored 104 points and allowed 148 points. After calculating the team’s average points per game by taking 104 and dividing it with six, we get an average of 17.33 points for after doing the same calculation between points allowed and the six games we get an average of 24.67 points.

How the system works?

Step 1: List all of the teams the road team has played in the six weeks prior to facing the Dolphins and record the number of points allowed and scored in each of those six games.

Broncos Opponents:

Week 1: Vs. Vikings 22.33 - 20.5

Week 2: Vs. Saints 18.5 - 20.33

Week 3: Vs Colts 23 - 17.83

Week 4: Vs Bills 18.83 - 17

Week 5: Vs Chargers 26 - 18.16

Week 6: Vs Lions 16.33 - 19.17

Step 2: Add up the totals of points scored and divide by six then add up all the totals for points allowed and divide by six to get the average of points allowed and points scored per game.

Points scored: 22.33+18.5+23+18.83+26+16.33 = 125.17 / 6 = 20.86

Points allowed: 20.5+20.33+17.83+17+18.16+19.17=110.83 /6 = 18.47

Step 3: Divide road teams average points for against the opponents average points allowed.
17.33/18.47= 0.94

Essentially the Broncos offense runs at a 94 percent success rate as to the average of the entire league.

Step 4: Divide road teams average points allowed by their opponents average points scored:

24.67/20.86 = 1.18

This number tells us that if the average NFL defense operates at 1 percent, and Denver’s defense is at 1.18 percent, then they play at 18 percent worse than the norm.

Over the years many betting enthusiasts have had much success and dismay as a result of how they manage their money. In order to have a successful campaign in the online betting world, it is important that you use proper money management, make your picks wisely, do not get emotionally attached and have a realistic belief as to how much you expect to win. Below we further examine each of these successful strategies when managing your money.

1.      Proper Money Management - This may sound obvious, but over the years we have seen many gamblers finish their budget in an hour. Our tip is to follow the parlay bet philosophy in that you spread out your budget over a few hours. Basically, gamble 10 dollars one hour then take a break and come back. By setting aside a budget and schedule how you use it, you can avoid running out of money rather quickly.

2.      Select Your Games Wisely - The majority of new bettors tend to pick everything on the board, with the idea that the winning wagers will balance out all of the losses. Well the cold reality is that this is an illogical way to gamble. Instead you should do your research before hand and select only specific games in which you can almost assure you are the winner. Although this may only be a handful of items on the board, it is still the safest way to wager. You can manage your money by not even spending a lot.

3.      Do Not Get Emotionally Attached - Time and time again we have seen bettors freak out over losing bets. The reasons they do this is because they put down too much money or did not manage their money properly and now are seeing the consequences as a result of believing that ’sure thing’. Instead, use smaller wagers when betting on your favorite team and when you win store your winnings and then re wager with the original buy in. This way you will not become emotionally attached because you will have saved your winnings.

4.      Manage  Your Expectations - One of the oldest tips in the book, look we know you are new to gambling, but keep in mind you will lose some of your bets. Many people go into sportsbooks thinking that because it is them placing bets, their money is invincible and will always be a winner. This is completely illogical, and if you accept that you will lose some of your money, it makes it easier to save your money in your account.

Since the last Super Bowl championship for the Denver Broncos in 1998, fans around the world have continuously tested their hand at NFL betting. For the fan new to football betting we present to you two of the most enjoyable ways to gamble on football.

1.      Parlay Bets - Also known as the accumulator bet, parlays allow for fans to use a single bet to wager on more than one game. For instance, you can place a wager of two dollars and spread it out over eight games. In order to make back your two dollars plus the lines money you win from the betting line, you need each of your games to win. Parlay bets are attractive because of the low buy in fee and high payouts if you win.

2.      Over/Under Totals - This form of wagering allows for fans to bet on whether the total combined points in a single game will be higher or lower than what the bookie is predicting the final combined outcome to be. Here are three examples of the O/U:

Example 1: Total going under

Chargers
Bills
O/U 20
Final Score:  Chargers 10 Bills 7
The projected total by the bookie was 20, however for fans betting on the game going under the total, you were proven right, because the total was 17. In order to win the bet you needed a final score of 19 or lower.

Example 2: Total staying same
Chargers
Bills
O/U 20
Final Score: Chargers 20 Bills 0
The only way both sides lose is if the total of the actual game becomes the total that the bookie predicts. In this case the house collects all of the bets and no payout is given.

Example 3: Total going over
Chargers
Bills
O/U 20
Final Score: Chargers 20 Bills 21
To win in this scenario fans betting the game to go over the total of 20 would need for the outcome to be 21 or more points. As it turns out the total was 41 points.

Sports betting online has grown immensely over the last decade as fans attempt to gamble on their favorite teams. Throughout the decade, online betting sites have come up with 1000s of ways to wager on football. Here are the top five most frequently used gambling techniques.

1.      Teaser bets - This form of betting occurs when fans wager on two or more teams, while receiving lower points then the normal point spread. Essentially if you bet on two teams, the bookie would give you six points in which you could utilize between the two teams. Both teams in your two team teaser bet must win in order for you to become a winner. Another form of teaser is the three team bet in which you are given 10 points to work with. However the same rules apply only with three instead of two teams.

2.      Parlay bets - Essentially, when playing a parlay or accumulator, you have one bet spread out across a group of games. In order to win similar to teasers, you need all of the games to win. In a six team parlay, you would need all six teams to win in order for your bet to become a winner. Further when parlays are successful, bettors are able to make quite a bit of money.

3.      Point Spreads - To make betting lines more even, the point spread wager was designed by bookies, so that even if the underdog lost, you could still make money. How this works is that a bookie will set an imaginary number in which the loser and the winner have to cover by. A favorite in this form of wager is represented by a - sign while the underdog is represented by a + sign. Here is what a point spread bet looks like:
Bills -7
Browns+7
In order for fans betting on the bills to win, they have to defeat the browns by seven or more points. Conversely, the Browns have to either lose by fewer than seven or win the game outright in order for the fans betting the underdog to win.

4.      Money Lines - Rather than using points bettors use extra money to place wagers. For the favorite you have to bet more to get back less, while for the underdog you have to bet less to get back more. Here is how this looks:
Patriots -220
Lions +180
For fans betting on the patriots, they have to put down $220 to get back $100 on a Patriots win. While Lions fans have to put down $100 to get back $180.

5.      Totals Bet- Also known as the over/ under, the total bet is when fans wager on the total amount of points predicted by the bookie. In essence, if a bookie was to predict the total to be 25 and fans bet the total to go over, they would collect if the outcome on a match was 26 or more points. On the other hand, fans betting under the total would wager on the game going under 25 points and would win based on a total of 24 points or fewer.

Suicide pools are one of the more exciting betting techniques in football. Basically in order to win a suicide pool you have to pick one winning team each week. However you cannot pick the same team twice and if you lose you are out. Most online betting sites offer a wide array of suicide pools from small entry fees such as five dollars to rather large entry fees as $100. The winning pot grows with the number of people you have joined. Here are four tips to help you win your next suicide pool.

1.      Trends - Beware and pick wisely, as every team has at least one trend during the regular season. The amazing teams and the teams on the cusp of making the wild card section of the standings have the ability to go on a six or seven game winning streak. As well, the worst teams tend to have losing trends. However, we suggest if you are going to pick a team on a winning trend, to do so between weeks 11 to 14. These four weeks set out which teams are for real and which are grossly overachieving.

2.      Don’t Pick Favorites each week - Do your research, in week one many people in office pools tend to pick last year’s Super Bowl Winner and all the division leaders, not taking into account that all 30 teams have made changes to become better. As a result teams such as the 03 Texans who were terrible the year prior, caused a lot of people to lose their picks in the suicide pools because of their upset over the playoff bound Dolphins.

3.      Road Records - As previously mentioned, teams on the cusp of greatness are just that. In saying that, we suggest looking at a team’s road record, as although some teams may be fantastic at home they could be atrocious on the road and it may be worthwhile to take their opponent over them when they are on the road.

4.      Save the Favorites For latter - When you near the end of the regular season, the good teams in the league tend to play harder in order to lock up division titles and home field advantage. We suggest you bet good teams that are heavily favored in the latter weeks as this can help you move on.

Ever since betting became legal in the early 1930s, America’s greatest game has been wagered on. When the NFL and AFL merged in 1970, betting enthusiasts began licking their lips as the merger provided fans the opportunity to bet on more games and cheer for more players. By allowing more teams to join the NFL, more terminology was created that only the most experienced NFL bettors would understand. To combat that, online sportsbooks have made it part of their business to teach new gamblers the basics by creating glossaries for them to reference.

Today we look at 10 key terms from the NFL betting glossary that will help make you an expert in no time.

A)    Chalk - The favorite in a game.

B)    Bad Beat - a tough loss. This is a term said when your team loses in the final few minutes of the game after giving up a lead.

C)    Cover- Winning by more than the point spread.

D)    Extension - Amount of money the house is willing to lose.

E)     Firing - Dropping a large bet on a team.

F)     Handicapper- A bettor who studies the odds and possible outcomes before they place bets.

G)    Home Field Advantage - The theoretical edge the home team should have against an opponent. In football, a team with home field advantage ideally knows things about the field better then the opponent.

H)    Layoff Bet - When two bookmakers collaborate to make a bet equal by reducing the risks.

I)       Long shot- A huge underdog. For instance when the Super Bowl champion plays the worst place team the following year, the worst place team is seen as a long shot to upset the champions.

J)       Square - A new gambler who knows very little. Usually seen as a derogatory name to call a new gambler.

One of the easiest divisions for NFL betting, is finally becoming more difficult, as the 2010 edition of the AFC East appears to be the toughest division for betting online. Naturally the greatest odds to win the division are with the New England Patriots, however the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins each are making strong pushes for claiming the division title.

While the three teams above look to battle it out for AFC East title, the fourth team in the division the Buffalo Bills, appear to still be a few years away from contending. The Bills led by quarterbacks Trent Edwards, and Ryan Fitzpatrick, have been the laughing stock of the division ever since Drew Bledsoe left the team in 2003. Since then they have gone through numerous head coaches, players and many highs and lows. Although slated for last in the division in 2010, the Bills have always had one of the top five defense’s in the league. The trouble is their offence, as Bledsoe was the last competent quarterback the team had. This past draft, many fans and experts alike figured, the team would draft a quarterback and have him learn on the job. Instead they did not take a quarterback until the seventh round of the draft.

Another plus besides the defense for the Bills is the team’s run game as alongside Marshawn Lynch, the team has drafted the quickest running back since Adrian Peterson, CJ Spiller. Spiller was coveted by many, and if he can live up to his potential, the Bills will look fantastic at the run position for years to come.

For the Patriots to remain as the top dog in the AFC East, they will need star quarterback Tom Brady to return to MVP form, as last year, he looked rather timid while trying to recover from the injured knee two years ago. Further Wes Welker returning off of knee surgery, will hopefully be able to make a strong impact.

Sports betting aficionados, when considering the direction of the NFL’s AFC North Division in 2010, will have a difficult choice to make, that is if they are not watching UFC 116 Betting. Will the Cincinnati Bengals claim the division, or will it be the Baltimore Ravens?

Yes, that question might seem surprising, but at least for 2010, it will be hard to think otherwise. The Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of two of the past five Super Bowl titles, are simply not positioned well for the upcoming campaign, not with the departure of Santonio Holmes and the loss of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for at least one-fourth of the regular season, if not more. The Steelers have a lot of issues and deficiencies to deal with, so the debate in the North concerns the Bengals and the boys from Baltimore.

The Ravens loaded up on defense in the 2010 NFL Draft and are trying to build a unit as nasty as the group that brought the franchise its one Super Bowl title back in the 2000 season. The Ravens didn’t win the North last year (the Bengals did, of course), but they advanced farther in the postseason than any other team from the North. They’ll be very tough to deal with, especially if quarterback Joe Flacco can cut down on turnovers and regain the form he exhibited in his stellar 2008 season.

If Cincinnati is to win the North, NFL betting gurus will need to see one thing in particular from coach Marvin Lewis’ team: a dramatically improved passing game. Despite the presence of Carson Palmer under center, Cincy’s aerial attack really never got going in 2009. In a home-field wild card playoff loss to the New York Jets, the Bengals’ vertical game was nowhere to be found. Yes, the Jets have the league’s best secondary, but Cincinnati’s lack of passing potency still rated as a notable disappointment. If the addition of downfield pass-catching tight end Jermaine Gresham can loosen up defenses, perhaps Cincy will come out on top in the North. The smart money, though, should rest with the Ravens.

Bucs get one-year tender for the Cadillac

Sports betting experts will react differently to various NFL transactions during the sleepy months of Spring. One of the events that might generate at least a little buzz is Tampa Bay’s signing of running back Cadillac Williams to a one-year tender. This happened on Wednesday, May 12. Williams is a rugged and insistent runner. He’s not a breakaway back or a home-run threat, but he runs with tenacity and toughness every time he gets the ball. Yes, it’s true that the Buccaneers are in dire need of a steady and reliable passing game, but the thought of keeping Cadillac around in the backfield is a generally pleasant one for the flagging NFC South franchise. The Auburn product gives Tampa Bay at least one problem for opposing defenses to solve.

Bills sign running back Mendenhall

Another running back firmed up his place on an NFL roster on May 12. Former Pittsburgh Steeler Walter Mendenhall signed with the Buffalo Bills last Wednesday. He walks into a situation where point production has been hard to come by. The Bills sputtered on offense in 2009, particularly in the fourth quarters of games and even against some of the other bad teams in the National Football League. It’s the hope of the new coaching staff, led by freshly-minted head coach Chan Gailey, that Mendenhall - given a change of scenery and a chance to start fresh - will be able to make a positive impact for this AFC East outfit. With the ball-hawking New York Jets lingering in the Bills’ division, it will be important for Buffalo to establish the ground game. There’s no way any AFC East team will want to challenge the Jets’ secondary on a regular basis.

Saints sign wide receiver Billings

NFL betting gurus won’t be drastically altering their Super Bowl odds based on this move, but for what it’s worth, the New Orleans Saints are trying to give even more targets to superstar quarterback Drew Brees. On May 12, the world champions of professional football signed receiver Montez Billings. The Auburn grad impressed coach Sean Payton in tryouts… enough, at any rate, to earn a shot as an undrafted free agent. Billings had academic issues during his senior year at Auburn, which led to a rocky an uneven season plus an expectedly rough time with NFL Draft evaluators. Perhaps, however, this pass catcher will find a way onto an NFL roster. If he can make it in New Orleans, Billings will have a very good situation on his hands. He’ll also have some accurate Drew Brees passes on his hands as well.

It may seem like a day where most people are focused in on horse racing in the sportsbook as the Preakness - otherwise known as the second jewel of the North American Triple Crown but consider this your update from NFLBet, your NFL betting guide (an occasionally college football betting guide).

This week - of all weeks - Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder decided to come out and voice his disappointment for last year’s prized free agent signing, Albert Haynesworth. No kidding. As a matter of fact, who in Washington isn’t disappointed with Haynesworth?

Let’s face it: he’s done as a Redskin. They don’t want to trade him at this point because (a) Snyder has already paid him so much year for just one year of services and (b) because his value is at its absolute lowest point. New head coach Mike Shanahan is a dictator and you don’t mess with this guy. You can rest assured that he is not going to soften his stance for Haynesworth and he’s going to expect he shows up for offseason workouts. If he doesn’t, he’s not going to force a trade this way. Given his track record and the sports betting odds, Shanahan will not be bullied and they will force Haynesworth to sit out on the sidelines until he is either ready to grow up or until the Redskins get fair value.

The Redskins are turning things around but this is one mess from last year that they’ll have to clean up.