subject: NFL Futures [print this page] The NFL is one of the most popular sports to place wagers on throughout their season, and the forms that NFL wagering can take vary greatly. NFL futures are but one form of wagers that can be placed on NFL games and can be both an exciting and profitable venture for you to look into. Futures bets are actually common in many different sports competitions, including the Stanley Cup and MLB World Series where individual teams may power through a season and become overall champions in their own right. These are single wagers that are placed before the beginning of a season or at any other time futures wagers are offered, as the name implies. Many times a futures wager is done on which team is expected to take home a championship at the end of the season, however other futures wagers can also be placed on various events throughout the season, including specific games or other conditions. Generally, these wagers take one of two forms, either a standard wager with payout odds or a wager that utilizes the money line system that is common in many other types of bets. In a standard wager system using payout odds, the overall payout is set at the time the wager is made, such as odds being set at seven to one of the Packers winning the Super Bowl. This means that for every $1 wagered at the time the bet is made, you will receive $7 in return for a total of $8, (your winnings plus your initial investment) should your wager be successful. A money line bet, unlike a wager utilizing odds, expresses odds for teams, using both positive and negative numbers (for example, -150 or +350.) A team that has been attributed a negative number is considered a favorite to win a match-up, so in order to win $1 on a wager with a money line placed at -150 you would need to wager $1.50 (for a total returned amount of $2.50.) Conversely, a $1 wager placed on a team with a money line set at +350 would net you $3.50 for an overall return of $4.50 (your initial wager plus your winnings.) Because futures bets can be made well in advance, they can have some of the best odds available if made early enough in the season and can net a substantial profit if you place your bets appropriately. As with all bets, however, be sure to carefully consider both the teams you are placing your money on as well as the overall profitability of the wager you may be making. For example, although one team may be highly favored to win at the moment you place your bet, the odds against them might change significantly as a season progresses and you may end up losing more than you would have ever won had you gone for another team with stronger odds against them. Bear this in mind and you should have an enjoyable time with NFL futures bets, as they can easily make an entire season much more interesting and exciting to watch than you may have otherwise guessed.
