NFL Football Handicapping

Football Totals - NFL and College Football Total Bets

Besides the point-spread wager on one team or the other, the other basic even-money bet on individual football games is the "total," or "over/under."

The total is a number, usually between about 30 and 50 in NFL games (but as high as the 70s in college football), that represents the oddsmaker's opinion as to how many points will be scored by both teams together in a particular game. Bettors then have the option of betting that the total number of points scored in a game will either go over the posted total for that game, or stay under.

For example, if the total on a particular game is listed at 45, and the final score is 27-20, the "over" bet is a winner, while any "under" bets are losers. The total points scored in that game, 47, was more than the posted total of 45. If the final score of the game is 20-17, the "under" wager is a winner, while the "over" bet loses, because the total number of points scored in that game, 37, is less than the posted total of 45.

If the final score of that game is 28-17, the bet is a push, or no wager, because it fell right on the posted total of 45.

Points scored in overtimes count toward the game's total.

Totals are basically even-money bets, so they can be parlayed with other wagers, including wagers on a side in the same game.

Many sportsbooks offer not only totals on the final score of games, but also on the quarters and halves of many football games.

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