Tips For When To Place Your NFL Bet

Many major betting markets for the National Football League open up for business a week before the games. However, does this mean you should get such an early start, or should you hold off on placing your wager until right before the game starts? Here are a few of the pros and cons of each method to help you make the right decision.

Possible Disadvantages

Getting in on the action early has some disadvantages. The most notable is that this leaves you more vulnerable to last-minute player withdrawals or injuries, which might have drastically changed your entry if you had waited to hear the news. In situations where the weather can play a part in your selection, the news is less reliable for those first entrants. These are some key reasons to hold off before making a final resolution, even if it means fighting crowds later. Individual situations must be taken into account before deciding when to place your NFL bet.

Potential Advantages

A possible major advantage of getting in ahead of time is larger limits. You can also sometimes feel like you're making a safe decision as to player injuries or weather conditions, as well as anything else that could pop up and influence the outcome. When you look at statistics, no one can say there is one perfect time to know when to place your NFL bet. One thing that can help you decide is to go back over the last four seasons' worth of data, studying the results and looking at profits from both methods.

Other Theories

Some feel it is safest to put money on a big favorite as soon as possible, while waiting for later on a big underdog. The thinking behind this theory is that the favorites' price is likely to come down. A case from back in 2009 gives us a good example: the Oakland Raiders lost 11 games but won 5, yet they were a highly profitable team. Each week a $1640 profit was shown for closing odds, with $100 bets, while there was a less profitable $1482 for opening.

The football gambling climate is always evolving, especially with unpredictable conditions like weather and all-too-human players affecting outcomes in potentially drastic ways. Studying past results, staying abreast of insider sports news and taking all possibilities into account can really help you come to more educated resolutions on when to place your NFL bet.