PFF Betting 101: What is a spread? How do I bet it?

Betting Sports

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• Betting the Spread:  In the NFL, there’s no way around it – some teams are simply better than others. With that, sportsbooks developed a point spread to illustrate the gap between superiority and inferiority.
• PFF empowers winning decisions:  Stay tuned for more PFF betting tools soon to be introduced to all PFF+ subscribers.

• Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more!

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The proliferation of sports betting across the United States has taken the NFL by storm. Many are already familiar with the extracirculars, like fantasy football, but fewer understand the vast array of betting opportunities at their fingertips.

Sportsbooks come in all shapes and sizes, but each follows the same principles and terminology that you need to understand in order to fully take advantage. 

So, let’s take a step-by-step approach to how you can get active in the betting markets for the 2025 NFL season.

1. Ensure sports betting is legal in your state and find a sportsbook to bet with

Thirty-eight states allow sports betting through a variety of avenues, 30 of which allow bettors to place wagers directly from their phone. While some states have voted – or have ballot initiatives in the works – they may not yet be active. So, always be sure to confirm through credible sources and the sportsbooks themselves, which will list the states they service. 

Sites like DraftKings and FanDuel have dominated the landscape, but other options like BetMGM, Caesars and ESPN Bet have gained a foothold in the industry.

While it’s easy to pick a single book or app you like the feel of, or one that offers a sizable sign-up bonus, it’s important to know that each site offers a varied assortment of bets, with differing lines and odds.

Having an account at more than one book can allow bettors flexibility when betting, offering more opportunities to find value in the betting market.  

2. Surveying the market for betting opportunities

Sportsbooks offer a huge array of bets that can be targeted, ranging from point spreads and game totals to player props and futures bets. Wandering into the weeds can feel daunting, but this handy guide on key betting terms and wager types should help.

PFF also offers a variety of betting tools and insights to help bettors gain an edge over the market. So, be sure to check it out. 

3. Betting the spread

Point spreads are possibly the most bet-on wager in the NFL, so let’s start there.

In the NFL, there’s no way around it: Some teams are simply better than others. With that, sportsbooks developed a point spread to illustrate the gap between superiority and inferiority.

For a real-world example, let’s look at the first game of the 2025 NFL Season:

Oddsmakers view the Philadelphia Eagles as a far better team than the Dallas Cowboys.

It would be too simple to say the Eagles will win this matchup, so betting the spread entails the Eagles winning by more than the listed point spread – in this instance, seven points.

Betting on the Eagles (-7) would mean they have to win by eight points or more in order for the bet to payout (i.e. cover the spread). 

Should the Eagles win by exactly seven points, the game would result in a “push,” meaning the original amount that was bet will be returned but no winnings.

On the other hand, should the Eagles win by less than seven points or lose the game, any bet on them would result in a loss, along with the wager being lost. Conversely, any bet on the Cowboys in that scenario would win.

4. The hook

When betting the point spread, there will be matchups that list the spread with an additional half point.

The hook is important because, with this, there cannot be a “push” in the game, meaning there will be a definitive result.

While it may seem minuscule, every point matters, and bets frequently hinge on that margin.

5. The Odds

Every bet carries associated odds, generally listed near the line or total being offered. 

The odds are the most essential part of sports betting, as they illustrate how much money you can make on a bet.

Odds are listed and followed by either a “-” or “+”. Indicating the favored side and underdog side, as well as the implied probability of that outcome taking place. 

In the example below, the green numbers listed next to the point spread indicate the odds.

Larger “-” odds point to an outcome that oddsmakers believe is more likely to happen.

• “-” Odds Example: At -450, bettors will need to wager $450 to win $100.

Larger “+” odds point to an outcome the oddsmakers deem less likely to happen.

• “+” Odds Example: At +450, bettors will win $450 when wagered $100.

Here, oddsmakers believe the Detroit Lions are more likely to cover the spread at 1.5-point underdogs (-115) than the Green Bay Packers are at 1.5-point favorites (-105). 

• If betting on the Lions, bettors will need to wager $115 to win $100. 
• If betting on the Packers, bettors will need to wager $105 to win $100.

6. Ready to roll

With that, you’re all set with the foundation to attack the betting markets for the 2025 NFL Season.

At the forefront of where NFL data meets NFL betting, PFF empowers winning decisions, so be sure to check out all of the insight from the entire team all season long. 

Stay tuned for more PFF betting tools soon to be introduced to all PFF+ subscribers. 

This news was originally published on this post .

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