Safe Ways to Start with NFL Betting Online

By  //  August 16, 2022

For most people trying online NFL betting for the first time, safety is a major issue of concern. Are online betting sites safe? There is no yes or no answer to this question. The best answer is this: the safety of online sports betting is dependent on whether you know how to avoid the inherent risks. 

Placing real-money wagers online involves some degree of risk. However, there are several steps you can take to ensure your online NFL betting safety. This article will expound more on how to bet safely online. 

Join A Trusted Betting Site

One of the most vital steps towards enjoying a safe online NFL betting experience is registering with a reputable and trustworthy betting site. When seeking to establish whether a website is trustworthy, you need to look at factors such as licensing, regulation, safety auditing, and consumer protection laws compliance. 

For any bookmaker to operate legitimately, it has to be licensed and regulated by a recognized gaming control authority. Different betting site operators hold licenses from different gambling commissions. 

Also, compare the best NFL betting sites before you make a decision. Sportsbooks are not created equal. Some of them have bigger bonuses than others. Some have better odds, quicker payouts and faster customer service.

Avoid Overreacting

The regular NFL season has 256 games, and it’s arguably the most covered and talked about sport in the US. Therefore, it is expected that there will be many hot takes every week. You will see this on week one and get reactive point spreads in week two. 

As a rule of thumb, teams that dominate in the first week are not always as good as they appear, and vice versa with teams that get blown out. With the NFL, the gap between a favorite and an underdog isn’t as big as one might think – every team is uber-talented. 

Make use of the many tools and sites that help filter out the noise and adjust your betting strategies effectively. It is also important that you avoid overreacting to your results. You might go 5-0 one week, but that does not mean you have everything figured out to go overboard the following week. 

The same applies when you are having a losing streak. Every NFL bettor has their share of bad days. Don’t over-dwell. Learn to trust the process. 

Don’t Chase Profits and Losses

The NFL sports betting market is pretty efficient, with each point spread on either side offering a somewhat 50/50 proposition. Then one might wonder, how do so many people lose money if anybody can pick 50% in the long haul? Well, it all narrows down to bad bet sizing, cognitive biases, and greed. 

Novice bettors often get in trouble when chasing profits and losses, which happens a lot in the NFL. After a big win, some people tend to bet more in pursuit of more big wins, which, unfortunately, results in more losses. Others will tend to chase losses hoping to make up for that one unlucky loss. 

To avoid making unnecessary and avoidable losses, don’t chase. Having a betting budget will help minimize this risk. 

Shop Around for the Best Odds Offers 

One of the best ways to improve your edge is by signing up with multiple trustworthy betting sites. Different bookies offer varying odds on the same games, and if you want to land the best odds, you might have to create accounts with several of these sportsbooks. 

It will only take you a few minutes to set up an online betting site account. Find newly licensed sites and ensure you are only picking the best odds available. The best sites offer odds across a wide range of betting markets from money lines, to point spreads, totals, and even live bets. 

Sticking with just one online sportsbook means that you are missing out on some of the best odds offers on the market. Wagering on a Steelers moneyline +130 at one betting site instead of betting +135 at another site is a loss in a way. 

Create a Bankroll Management Plan

Online and mobile betting is popular among bettors for many reasons, one of them being the ease and ability to track one’s bets. You can always check your betting site account to see how much you have in your bankroll and its bets equivalent. 

This makes it easier for you to manage your bankroll by sizing your bets and having maximum and minimum daily/weekly/monthly betting budgets. If you do not want to lose money betting on the NFL online, it is important that you track your bets. 

An effective bankroll management plan will help you have more control over your online betting activities. If you are staking huge amounts of money on single bets, chances are that you won’t be around for long. You must come up with a plan that will help you weather the storms of a bad run.

No matter how good of a punter you are, bad days and losing streaks are inevitable, which is why you need a bankroll management plan. As a rule of thumb, you should never stake more than 5% of your bankroll on a single bet. 

Take Up Good Online Safety Practices

Since your goal is to enjoy a safe online NFL betting experience, it is important that you learn the most effective online safety practices. When placing bets online, you will be required to share your personal and financial information with your bookmaker. 

That data is confidential and you will want to make sure that it does not land in the wrong hands. Your money is also on the line, more reasons to prioritize online safety. Therefore, if you are extremely security and safety conscious, it is advisable that you do a bit of research on the best safe internet practices

The most common best practices include using strong passwords, avoiding public Wi-Fi, avoiding using shared devices for online betting, reading website terms and conditions, and using VPNs.

Conclusion 

Technological innovations have greatly changed the sports betting industry, with online and mobile betting having the greatest impact. Today, you do not have to walk into a physical sportsbook to place bets on your favorite NFL teams because you can do it using your phone or PC at home or on the go.

However, online betting poses some risks, which is why it’s important that you take up the safety practices discussed above.