If you’re a follower of NFL scores, you may also like to wager on football and you wouldn’t be alone; in North America, football betting is by far the most popular type of wagering and the Super Bowl is the single biggest one-day event in the industry. However, teasers won’t come into effect for the big game, but you can use these tips for next season.

The first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with teasers, and players that work with price per head services fall into two categories: stay away from them, or use them to your advantage. The second option is tough if you don’t know what they are, and they are a multiple-game wager that is similar to a parlay, but you are allowed to buy points to make the outcome more suitable for you. However, by doing this, your potential payout decreases.

Six-point teasers with two games is a popular form of betting among those in the know, and it breaks down like this: you have two matchups, Team A is favored by eight points against Team B, and Team X is a 2.5-point underdog against Team Y. With those six points, you can make Team A a 2-point favorite and Team X an 8.5-point underdog.

Your best bet is to play with the different combinations, not breaking the bank for any wagers until you feel comfortable with teasers because if you play then correctly, they could pay off handsomely. Now, start making those Super Bowl betting picks!

Even if you write a soccer blog, you’ll run across previews for this week’s conference championship games in the NFL and here is a quick look at who we think will book their place in the Super Bowl in Indianapolis.

It begins at 3:00 PM ET in New England, where the Patriots will be favored by 7.5 points by those that work with bookie software, and they’ll bring a nine-game winning streak after their destruction of Denver. Baltimore didn’t look very good at all against Houston, and their defense carried them to the victory. Unless Joe Flacco improves dramatically over the week, even that stout defense won’t help the Ravens, who are 1-4 SU and 1-3-1 ATS in their last five trips to Gillette Stadium. The way that Tom Brady is playing right now, you have to take New England to cover the spread.

The action continues with the NFC at 6:00 PM ET, when San Francisco comes in as a 2.5-point favorite over the New York Giants, who eliminated the defending champions from Green Bay; it was their second playoff win at Lambeau in four years. However, the 49ers’ win over New Orleans was probably a bigger surprise and their defense hounded the Saints into five turnovers, which the offense converted. Both quarterbacks will have a tough time avoiding the pass rush of the opposition, but we like San Francisco’s offensive line to protect Alex Smith. Go with the 49ers at your favorite sports betting websites.

While there are those that will argue in favor of New Orleans Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees and Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning, any discussion about the greatest quarterback in the National Football League has to begin and end with Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. Forget the three Super Bowls and MVP awards from the past, because although those are relevant in terms of his place in history that is not what is being focused on. Two years after suffering what was nearly a career-ending injury Brady is back at the top of his game, and is the best player at his position heading into the next sports betting season whenever it comes.

Brady threw for 36 touchdowns in 2010-11, leading New England to the best record in the NFL. Although the Patriots failed to get the job in the playoffs the fact that the three-time Super Bowl winner threw that many scores while only throwing four interceptions is something that will never be forgotten. It is that efficiency that separates Brady from some of the other top quarterbacks, especially considering that he doesn’t have the pay per head luxury of Pro Bowl wide receivers such as Marques Colston and Reggie Wayne. Wes Welker is a weapon from the slot, but he doesn’t have the stretch-the-field ability of some of his peers, and that puts more pressure on Brady. It will be interesting to see how the Patriots react going forward to next season, but as for now they head into a relatively unknown future with the luxury of having the best quarterback in the game.

Online casino players would probably have an easier time playing the slots than trying to guess what Cincinnati is going to do with their team when the lockout ends, as quarterback Carson Palmer has threatened to retire if he’s not traded. But another pressing issue surrounds receiver Chad Ochocinco, who probably won’t be back for a $6 million price tag, and he’s been battling with coach Marvin Lewis in the media. Someone is going to take a chance on him, and many feel New England could swoop in for the talented, but mercurial, wideout.

Ochocinco had the third-worst season of his career, having to share the ball with Terrell Owens, and it’s not going to get easier for him if Palmer doesn’t come back. It’s probably time for the Bengals and Ochocinco to go their separate ways, and New England is perfect for him. The Patriots handled Randy Moss well for the majority of his time in New England, and Ochocinco has a deep respect for coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Even though he turned 33 in January, Ochocinco still has the speed to be a deep threat, which is something the Patriots have needed since Moss left after Week 4 last year.

The only worry is that Ochocinco makes a fuss if he doesn’t get the ball as much as he thinks he should, but between Belichick and Brady, that is something the Patriots can work with. A one-year contract worth $2-3 million wouldn’t hurt the Patriots, and a motivated Ochocinco would definitely boost their odds for those who are betting online.

Super Bowl betting players, more than ever, are watching out for injuries now, and here is a look at a few that will play a role this weekend.

Ravens-Steelers

Both teams come into this game relatively healthy, which is the way this AFC North matchup should be decided. The bye especially helped Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu (Achilles), who got some much-needed rest.

Packers-Falcons

The Packers may get safety Atari Bigby (groin) back after he missed a couple of games, and fullback Korey Hall (knee) is doubtful. The Falcons are definitely healthy after their bye week in this rematch from a 20-17 win for the Falcons in Atlanta late in the season.

Seahawks-Bears

Linebacker Lofa Tatupu (concussion) didn’t practice, but he’s probably going to play this week in Chicago, while the Bears’ only worry is cornerback Charles Tillman (illness), and he’s likely to suit up on Sunday afternoon.

Jets-Patriots

The Jets suffered the biggest injury of the week as offensive lineman Damien Woody (Achilles) is out for the rest of the season, however long that is for New York. Receiver and special-teams ace Brad Smith (groin) is questionable, which will spell the end of the Jets’ Wildcat packages. For the Patriots, linebacker Tully Banta-Cain (groin) and tight end Aaron Hernandez (hip) are listed as questionable for this AFC East showdown, and Hernandez has played a massive role in the New England offense in his rookie year. However, the Patriots have shown they have enough depth to remain the sports betting favorites here.

Online Sports Betting offers sports fans an exhilarating and secure means to make money and have some fun. Here are a few basic concepts you need to understand before you start making sports wagers online.

Sports Betting 101 - Opening an Account

Now that you have made the decision to wager on sports, like when you play video poker online, you need to create an online sportsbook account. The Internet is littered with sportsbooks looking for new customers. Many, if not all, offer sign-up bonuses and incentives for fresh registrants. Just find a popular online sportsbook, take advantage of their sign-up bonus and you’ll be good to go.

Sports Betting 101 - Depositing Money

It is relatively easy to deposit funds into your online sportsbook account. The most common payment method is the credit card. However, some credit card companies prevent funds from being dispersed in sports book accounts. Other methods include bank wires, Western Union and e-checks.

Sports Betting 101 - Straight Bets

A straight bet is the most frequent type of bet in sports wagering. The potential bettor puts their money on either the favorite or the underdog. In straight bets, you risk $11 to make $10. In basketball and football, the straight bet takes into account a point spread. For example, the Arizona Cardinals are hosting the Seattle Seahawks. You bet on the Cardinals, who were favored by two points. Arizona must defeat Seattle by at least three points in order for you to win the bet.

Sports Betting 101 - Money Line Bets

A money line bet does not factor in the point spread. You bet on either the favorite or the underdog to win. The odds are higher that the favorite will win, so you must risk more money, same as placing your bets in a casino slots online. In contrast, betting on the underdog to win will yield a higher payout because their odds of the underdog winning were lower.

Sports Betting 101 - Betting on the Totals or Over/Under

Betting on the total score of a game between two teams is known as a total or over/under bet. For example, it is predicted that the total points scored in a college basketball game between the Michigan Wolverines and Duke Blue Devils will be 144. If you bet on the under, the two teams would have to combine for 143 points or less for you to win the wager.

Sports Betting 101 - Parlay Bets

The parlay provides potential bettors with an opportunity to earn a huge payout without having to risk a great amount. It involves at least two games and as many as 12. The more games are involved, the lower the odds will be, and higher the payout will be. In the event that one of the games in a parlay is a tie, the payout decreases. If you lose any game in a parlay, you do not win anything.

Those doing NFL betting online will have to check the injury report right up until game time as there are a number of important players who could be in the lineup, or on the sidelines.

Matt Cassel, Kansas City

The Chiefs’ quarterback missed last week’s 31-0 beating in San Diego because of an appendectomy, and Kansas City was terrible without him. He was limited in practice leading up to this week’s trip to St. Louis, and while it’s admirable that he wants to play, Cassel may be restricted, which means Brodie Croyle will get another start and that’s not good news for Kansas City fans.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay

Green Bay’s leader suffered his second concussion of the season in a 7-3 loss at Detroit, which means Matt Flynn will likely make his first NFL start after replacing Rodgers last week. The playbook was severely limited with Flynn, and the Packers could be in a world of trouble heading into New England to face the rampant Patriots.

Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh

Usually when Pittsburgh needs a big play on defense, their all-world safety delivers it, and he was a monster in last week’s 23-7 win over Cincinnati with two picks, including one returned for a score. However, Polamalu had problems with his calf and Achilles this week and is questionable for this week’s visit from the Jets. Polamalu will probably play, but if he doesn’t play, Pittsburgh’s odds will take a late dive in your online sportsbook.

Those doing some NFL betting online have to check the injury reports right up until gametime, and here are the top three we think could affect NFL betting odds, as well as your fantasy lineup.

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota

The Vikings look to be going more towards the run under Leslie Frazier, but they may have to do it without their best running back as Peterson (ankle) didn’t practice, and will likely be held out until just before the Vikings host Buffalo.

Roddy White, Atlanta

White’s(knee) connection with Matt Ryan is a major reason that the Falcons have major aspirations of reaching the Super Bowl, and while he’s expected to play, it has to be worrying that White is banged up ahead of a three-game road trip that could go a ways towards proving that the Falcons can win away from the Georgia Dome. Watch how this plays out before the Falcons head to Tampa Bay in a big NFC South matchup.

Antonio Gates, San Diego

The Chargers have been decimated by injuries this year, especially to their receivers, but losing Gates (toe) may be the biggest one yet. The Chargers keep rolling, but it has to catch up to them soon. Gates returned to action last week after three weeks off (two missed games and a bye), and the Chargers would love to have one of the all-time greats back in the lineup. It would make them even bigger sports betting favorites over Oakland at home.

When it comes to NFL betting one of the more difficult aspects of handicapping is to properly handicap your picks for the week. Whether it is an online betting site or a search engine, football fans from around the world have the ability to play in Pick ‘Em leagues. It is in these leagues that you are simply required to choose which teams you think will win each match. Here are two factors to consider when making your NFL picks.

• Injuries - Each week NFL.com and various other football related websites come out with an injury report, listing each team’s injured players. When handicapping teams for your Pick ‘Em league, you should check the injury report. As teams can be affected by even the smallest of injuries depending on which position the player plays.

For instance, over the last seven weeks no team has gone through more players then the Cincinnati Bengals. The team is currently two and nine, which ranks as the worst in the league. The main area of injuries for the Bengals is to their defense, as the team had to sign 10 players this week alone to have enough members for their game against the Jets.

• Developments - Aside from injury reports developments is perhaps the most pivotal factor to take into account when betting on each game. If a team is undergoing financial difficulty or a player is traded or makes headlines in the news this can cause a ripple effect on the outcome of the game.

For example, in keeping with the Cincinnati Bengals, in the days leading up to their game against the New York Jets, the Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens called the Jets average. As a result, the Jets were more up for the game as Owens comments got them motivated.

One of the biggest misconceptions in the sports betting industry is to handicap college and professional sports in the exact same way. Each level of play for a sport is completely different, consider that there is a ton of adjustment to be made for first year players when transferring their skills from the college game to NFL betting games. The same can be said about handicapping, and today we will look at the three types of handicapping used in football, statistical, situational and technical.

• Statistical Handicapping - Also known as fundamental handicapping is absolutely pivotal to wagering on the NFL. This type of handicapping takes into account things such as power rankings, statistics, and personnel matchups.

As a result of playing far fewer games than any of the other big four professional sports in North America, it is generally expected by many
handicappers that emotion will not play any role in the outcome of an NFL game. In the college game, the personnel matchups are quite pivotal, as the young men that play on each team, are still experienced different levels of maturity. As a result they are less likely to be up for a game against a weaker opponent.

• Situational Handicapping - This type of handicapping is used at the college football level, as we noted due to personnel matchups and players experiencing different levels of maturity. While some teams can go undefeated in a season, most other college football teams are capable of letdown games. Letdown games are those in which good teams over look an upcoming opponent to focus on an opponent down the road. With this in mind, they do not play well against the immediate opponent.

• Technical Handicapping - Another handicapping technique used in both the NFL and College game, but more so in college is that of technical handicapping. In this system, handicappers are taking into consideration the idea of streaks or covering games by fewer points than the listed point spread.