The NFL season is here, and online bookie agents should make more money because of it. Because there are so many weeks left in the regular season, it’s a suitable time for a refresher about how to be a bookie, which means managing NFL action.
By far, players call bookie agents looking to wager on NFL games. NBA basketball, Major League Baseball, a price per head agent’s racebook, and college football don’t generate the betting revenue that the NFL does.
Because the National Football League season is so important, bookmakers, especially Reddit sportsbook agents, must continually keep updated on which teams attract the most action and which NFL stars are blowing up Twitter and Instagram.
But sometimes, when we sportsbook owners don’t pay attention to sportsbook operations, we can harm our bottom line. It’s always a good idea to refresh ourselves regarding the business of oddsmaking and bookmaking.
In this blog, we’ll revisit the top three NFL bets your players are making. We’ll also look at how you can manage NFL action by using PPH sportsbook tools. Then, we’ll dive deep into a couple of price per head platforms that should boost the action your book generates.
Your players make these NFL bets
NFL handicappers who look to a PPH sports platform instead of betting through a more extensive organization make more against the spread NFL bets than wagers on the total or the moneyline.
All three bet types should provide action, though. Let’s revisit the top three NFL betting types.
Against the Spread
How much do bookies make? Against the spread action tells us. NFL bettors place more money behind teams to cover the spread than on any other type of bet.
The difference between money bet on NFL spread lines as opposed to over/under the total or a team to win straight up isn’t close. Even casual bettors wager more against the spread than they do on totals or moneylines.
To ensure we haven’t forgotten what constitutes an against the spread bet, check out an actual NFL line for a game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens.
- Kansas City Chiefs -3 / Baltimore Ravens
The NFL odds imply the Chiefs are three points better than the Ravens. Even though the game happens in Baltimore, KC is the favorite.
Kansas City must award 3 points to Baltimore before the game. The Ravens start the game up 3 points.
Casual NFL handicappers bet by determining which team they think will win. If they love the Chiefs, they will back Kansas City to cover.
If players love the Ravens, they will back Baltimore to cover. By betting on Baltimore, players are taking the points. By gambling on the Chiefs, players are laying the points.
It’s essential to understand the difference between how casual bettors handicap NFL games and how pros handicap contests.
Often, casual players bet regardless of the point spread. If they like the Chiefs, they will bet on the Chiefs no matter the line.
Pro players also start their handicapping by deciding which team they believe wins the game. But instead of blindly backing the team they think will win, pros consider the point spread.
A casual handicapper who liked the Chiefs to win will back Kansas City at -3. But a pro player who likes the Chiefs to win will assess the fairness of the 3-point spread before placing a wager.
A pro player could look at a trend, like Kansas City covering in four of the last five head-to-head, and decide to lay the three. Or a pro could choose to take the 3 points, even though they believe KC wins outright because the game takes place in Baltimore.
Over/Under Total
Betting over or under totals is the second most popular NFL wager. The total comprises points scored by both teams. Check out an example of over/under odds.
- O 53 (-115) / U 53 (-110)
Often, the money a player must lay is -110 on both sides. Sometimes, players must risk more, like -115, to make a bet.
If the two teams score more than 53, over players win their bet. If the two teams scored a combined 52 points or less, under bettors won.
If the two teams scored exactly 53, the bet is a push, which means you, the pay per head agent, don’t collect or make a payout.
NFL Moneyline
In most cases, instead of betting on the moneyline, a pro will buy points on the underdog. So, for example, a pro might decide to buy points on the Ravens at +3 to push the spread to +3.5.
If Kansas City wins by 3, the player wins their wager. Casual players don’t buy points.
Part-time NFL bettors place moneyline bets. In the NFL’s first week in 2021, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Buffalo Bills as a moneyline dog.
Pittsburgh is a popular team. Many Steeler fans bet on Pittsburgh to beat Buffalo straight up.
Bookie software tools and features to manage NFL action
If you’re a PayPerHead agent, you can use the following tools to manage NFL action. Each tool and feature has a specific purpose, but that doesn’t mean each tool exists in a silo.
The tools and features work together to help you keep your sportsbook as profitable as possible. Check out what each tool and feature do and how to use each.
Set bet alerts
You may think you run a sportsbook immune to steam. But steam happens for a betting market.
A steam play can also affect the largest sportsbooks in Vegas, offshore books, U.S.-based books, and, yes, your sportsbook. Even if you provide betting services to six players or less, a steam play can affect your bottom line.
Steam happens once a market mover, often a professional NFL handicapper, wagers on one side of a spread or another. Once that happens, all category of player jumps on the game, creating steam odds.
You can prevent this from happening in your book by setting up bet alerts. Pay per head bookie agents can set up bet alerts for players, subs, or games.
Once you’re alerted to a big bet, do one of the following:
- Use your layoff account – Make the same wager as the possible steam play in your layoff account. Use your layoff account winnings to pay your player. Or if the bet lost, collect from your player and use those funds to pay off your layoff account.
- Don’t accept the bet and take it off the board – Don’t accept the NFL bet. Then, tell the player who wagered you are taking the option off the board. Be honest. Let the player know your book can’t manage the bet. Most players will understand.
- Don’t accept the bet and change the line – Don’t accept the bet. Create a line that you believe is fair. Tell your player NFL oddsmakers created a false line, and so you had to adjust it.
Other NFL action management tips
- Set parlay limits – Don’t allow players to add more than 3 or 4 teams into a single parlay.
- Set parlay betting limits – Keep parlays to $100 to $200 maximum.
- Don’t allow moneylines as a part of parlay wagers – Some players like to add straight-up betting options to juice parlays. So, for example, a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be a -700 favorite to beat a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars. A player might add Tampa at -700 into their parlay. Don’t allow this.
Add Premium Props and promote Live Plus
To manage NFL action, bookie agents must first gain NFL action. If your players don’t make NFL bets, and if they don’t bet enough, there won’t be any action to manage.
PayPerHead agents can quickly boost action by 15% or more. All they must do is add a couple of prime platforms designed for your NFL betting players.
The first is Live Plus. The upgraded in-game betting platform offers players game trackers and video streams.
Live Plus also keeps players on your site longer. The longer a player stays on your site, the more they bet.
The second platform is Premium Props. Players can bet on star game performance, like how many yards, TDs, and interceptions Tom Brady throws.
Prop betting is most prevalent during the NFL season. Offer Premium Props, and you should see a rise in action.
PayPerHead knows how stressful importing players can be, which is why we make the process super easy. All you must do is give us a call, and we oversee importing your players.
You mustn’t worry about a thing. Also, by becoming a PayPerHead agent, you can collect and pay online. If you switch providers soon, you pay $3 per head from the moment you activate your account to Super Bowl 56 on February 13, 2022. Call 1-800-605-4767 for details.
