Gambling enthusiasts who are keen on wagering on football or basketball are perfectly aware of how challenging it is to beat the point spread or the total. Teaser bets are an excellent option NFL bettors should consider when they want to shift the lines to their advantage.

As it turns out, many sports bettors are in the erroneous belief that when they combine two or more selections in a single ticket, they are placing a parlay bet. This will not necessarily be the case as teaser and pleaser bets also consist of several selections, but the way these wager types function is not the same.

The appeal of NFL teaser bets can be ascribed to the fact that punters can make a lot of money off after putting a smaller amount at a stake. As punters might expect, the overwhelming payouts are balanced out by the win frequency of such bets and their payout odds.

NFL bettors who want to improve their strategy and increase their chances to get handsome wins should not rule out any betting opportunity, teaser bets included. Thus, if gambling aficionados want their best chance of getting a fruitful betting session while using this wager type, they should first learn how teaser bets work inside out.

What Are NFL Teaser Bets

When compared to moneylines or totals, for example, teaser bets are a slightly more advanced way of wagering on the NFL, which is the reason why they are mainly preferred by intermediate and seasoned punters. Still, this is not to say that it is out of the question that total novices should not place such bets.

Interestingly, such multi-game bets now account for a constantly-increasing share of the NFL wagers, and they are sure to continue rising in popularity for a reason. Teaser bets are just two or more straight-up bets that are combined into one ticket, where the lines of each selection are moved to favor punters.

Thus, if there is a spread, punters will be allowed to decrease it for the team, which is expected to win the game or increase it for the underdog. When NFL totals are concerned, gambling enthusiasts can decrease the over and increase the under. Punters should keep in mind that when placing a teaser bet, they can only add totals and moneylines, and not prop bets of futures. Another important thing to keep in mind is that, much like with parlays, they will not be allowed to place bets on both sides of a line or lay bets on the same team more than once.

To put it another way, NFL teaser bets are just parlay bets in which modified point spreads are employed. The most widely used modified spread in NFL betting is six, but gambling enthusiasts might come across betting sites that allow them to tease lines by 6.5 or 7 points as well. The most frequently used teaser bets are the two-team ones, and they are considered the most valuable option for punters. Teaser bets are also available while wagering on basketball, and most of the time, punters will be offered four points per game.

Thus, if we assume that NFL bettors are about to place a six-point teaser bet, they will see how the spread value shifts with six points, and if they want to take the Dolphins -8, the line will be converted into -2. If gambling aficionados decide to play the Steelers -2.5, for example, the line will change to +3.5. The same calculations will be made also if the bookmaker has introduced 6.5 or 7 point teasers.

Thanks to the added points, gambling enthusiasts will stand a better chance to make a correct pick and get a payout. As gambling enthusiasts might expect, the enhanced point spread is not given for nothing, and in order to make up for the spread, which is better than the broad offering, the payouts they will be offered will be smaller.

Gambling enthusiasts should not be carried away by the significantly higher payouts NFL parlay bets offer because the probability of making correct picks for all legs will be considerably lower. Many seasoned punters prefer teaser bets over parlays as they are a far more profitable and efficient way to put multiple NFL selections into the same ticket. It is worth noting, however, that as is the case with parlays, teaser bets only bring a payout, provided that they do not contain losing selections.

When compared to NFL pleasers, teaser bets offer payouts more frequently, but the returns will be smaller. What punters should keep in mind is that, unlike straight NFL bets, teasers might come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the sports betting platform punters are betting at.

NFL Teaser Bets Payouts Explained

Before they start placing NFL teaser bets, gambling enthusiasts should know that each sports betting platform has its own rules concerning the placement of such wagers, and examining the fine print with a fine-tooth comb is a must as these terms will have an impact on their potential returns.

It should be pointed out that the more matches punters decide to add to their NFL teaser bet, the heftier the potential payout will be. In addition to this, the more teaser points gambling enthusiasts decide to use, the smaller the rate at which they will be paid will be.

Normally, when punters want to place a two-team NFL teaser and get six points in their favor, the odds at which their bet will be placed will be -110. If they prefer to get 6.5 points, the odds at which they will place their teaser bet will typically bet -120. When seven-point teasers are concerned, however, such bets are most likely to be placed at odds of -130.

Although it is a rarity, NFL bettors should be aware that some bookies offer 7.5-point teasers with odds of -140. Punters should know that most of the time, the payouts that are offered for two-team teaser bets will more or less be the same, but the most significant differences appear when three or more teams are added. Gambling aficionados should know that while betting on sports, they will not only be allowed to buy points but to sell such as well, and such bets are referred to as pleasers or reversed teasers.

As punters add more legs to their ticket, they will notice that the payout odds increase significantly but nailing all the selections they have added to their teaser bets becomes increasingly difficult. It is worth noting that this will not always be the case as some bookmakers prefer to shift the odds depending on the number of points by which the original spread is changed.

  1. Number of selectionsPoints addedOdds
    26-120
    26.5-130
    27-140
    210-250

    In simple terms, the potential payouts of punters will depend on the number of games they have decided to add to their teaser bet and the number of points they will get. The sport on which punters are placing teaser bets also matters, and some bookmakers tend to fine-tune the prices based on the point spreads they wish to change.

  2. Let’s assume that punters want to place a six-point teaser, which covers three teams, and provide an example in order to ensure that things will fall into place.
    TeamsOriginal SpreadNew Spread
    Pittsburgh Steelers to win-3.5-9.5
    Arizona Cardinals to win+2.5-3.5
    New England Patriots to win-6.5-12.5

Thus, if we suppose that the odds are -110, gambling enthusiasts will be required to risk $110 to chase payouts of $100. This will be the case if gambling enthusiasts decide to place straight bets on each of the teams. Yet, if they are eyeing more handsome payouts, they can either bet them together in a parlay or combine them in a teaser bet.

It is also not excluded to come across NFL betting sites that introduce special teaser bets that, instead of providing heftier payouts for each new selection punters will add, they will get to benefit from a more advantageous spread.

Punters should be aware that using teaser bets while wagering on college football is not advisable because of the significantly higher volatility, which is to be ascribed to the wider range of outcomes. Gambling aficionados should act with caution when making NFL teasers, as using totals or too many point spreads will not work to their advantage either.

Common Misconceptions about NFL Teaser Bets

Contrary to what many sports bettors believe, placing a more complex NFL bet does not translate into better chances of winning. Normally, it is just the other way around, especially when it comes to multi-game bets that require all legs to win in order for the bet to hit.

As it turns out, many gambling enthusiasts think that they should only give teaser bets a chance if they already have plenty of experience under their belts. This is easily not a must as such bets are not as complicated as many bettors think. What it takes to place successful teaser bets is simply taking your time to learn the nuts and bolts about the way such wagers and their payouts work.

In addition to this, many gambling enthusiasts prefer not to use teaser bets because they do not consider them a profitable option. Knowledgeable punters will not agree with this statement simply because if they learn how to properly use such bets and place them in the right circumstances, they will stand the chance to turn out a good profit.

Perhaps, NFL bettors might be asking themselves whether teaser bets are a better option than parlays. First and foremost, they should keep in mind that winning an NFL teaser bet is normally easier to attain since the coverage such bets offer is greater when compared to parlays.

In spite of the fact that teaser bets are not always the smartest choice for gambling enthusiasts, on certain occasions, they can be a valuable option, which is to say that punters should not give them a wide berth.

Why Do Teaser Bets Vary

As we said earlier, while placing NFL teaser bets, gambling enthusiasts will benefit from a high degree of flexibility. It is up to punters to decide how many teams they prefer to add to their teaser bets or how many points they will benefit from.

In addition to this, sometimes, NFL bettors will be allowed to decide between progressive and multi-chance teaser bets. When progressive teaser bets are concerned, NFL bettors will get a payout, on the condition that a preset number of their selections hit, which is to say that they will benefit from a certain degree of protection of their stakes. The more correct picks they make, the higher the potential returns will be. Yet, when compared to the standard teaser and parlay bets, their progressive versions offer a reduced payout.

When placing such bets, punters will not be required to get all picks they have added to their teaser bet correctly in order to get a payout. The rules according to which progressive teasers are placed vary significantly from one bookmaker to another, and NFL bettors should know that while some operators will want half of the selections to hit, with others, the share of the winning selections might be reduced to ⅔. No matter how appealing such bets might seem, NFL bettors should bear in mind that progressive teasers are rarely available.

Multi-chance teaser bets work in a similar way to the progressive ones, as once again, NFL bettors will be required to make a preset number of correct picks in order to get paid. Thus, if we assume that punters have placed a seven-team teaser bet and the bookmaker has introduced a threshold of five teams to win, they will only get a payout if they manage to overcome that preset number of games, and, in this case, this means that they need to get it right about at least five games. Unlike progressive teaser bets, with the multi-chance ones, the offered payout does not increase when punters surpass the preset number of correct picks.

Punters should bear in mind that most of the time, when NFL teasers are introduced, the odds at which they will be allowed to make their wagers will be -110. As we explained already, depending on the number of points they will choose to add on their side of the wager, gambling enthusiasts will see that odds will typically range between -110 and -130.

Gambling enthusiasts should take their time to carefully inspect the betting options bookmakers offer before they place their teaser bets, as some bookmakers offer significantly less attractive odds on such wager types.

How Do Ties Affect NFL Teaser Bets

Before they start placing NFL teaser bets, punters should take their time to inspect the terms and conditions of their sports betting site of choice about this wager type. As we mentioned earlier, punters should pay close attention to the odds at which such bets are placed, but they should also look into the way the bookmaker addresses ties. While some NFL betting sites have clear-cut terms about the way ties are handled, others allow their users to decide if pushes will win, lose, or reduce.

Most of the time, when sports bettors want to have pushes handled as wins, they are most likely to get a slightly reduced payout. Thus, if we assume that gambling enthusiasts have placed a seven-team teaser bet, and the outcome of one of the selections is a tie, they will be paid as if all selections have hit.

If punters are looking for the highest-paying option, they should pick ties to lose. It goes without saying that this form is the riskiest and the hardest to win simply because all legs they have added to their teaser bet should be correct in order to get a payout. Even if just one selection does not hit, gambling enthusiasts will lose the staked amount. If all selections are correct, however, NFL bettors will be paid at a higher rate when compared to ones offered when ties win or reduce.

In the event that NFL bettors pick ties reduce, selections that have ended in a push will simply be considered as if they have not taken place. Thus, if we assume that gambling enthusiasts have picked this option and have placed a seven-team teaser bet, if one of the selections ties, they will get a payout as if they have placed a six-team teaser bet.

Numbers to Look for when Placing NFL Teaser Bets

Naturally, when betting on sports, punters want to ensure that they will enjoy a fruitful betting session, and in order to increase their chances to get the coveted payouts, they should know which numbers to look for in the games.

While wagering on the NFL, the numbers punters should keep an eye out for are three and seven because these are the most recurring winning margins. When it comes to high-scoring American football matches, punters are most likely to see bettors buying the numbers 2 through 7, no matter whether the odds have a positive or a negative sign.

If gambling enthusiasts are about to place a standard teaser bet, they will want to see the underdog getting 1.5 through 2.5 points and the favorite laying 7.5 through 8.5 points. What they are not advised to do, however, is to tease through 0 simply because the outcome of NFL games cannot be a push.

The pricing on NFL teaser bets is one more thing gambling aficionados should pay more attention to. Finding -110 on teaser bets is indeed a challenge, and what punters should bear in mind is that even the slightest difference in the odds will have an impact on their breakeven point. Even though some NFL bettors might say that a change in the odds from -110 to -120 is not that significant and is even negligible, this is easily not true, especially if they want to guarantee themselves long-term success.

As for the breakeven point, this is the percentage of the bets punters need to win in order to get a profit. Thus, if gambling enthusiasts place their teaser bets at odds of -110, the breakeven point will be 52.4%. If we move the odds to -105, punters will still be required to win 51.2% of the time in order to reach the breakeven point.

Tips for Placing NFL Teaser Bets

One of the most important things punters should remember about their teaser bets is that crossing the zero is ill-advised. By crossing the zero, NFL bettors will simply give up on too much of their advantage, and as we explained already, the final result cannot be a push, which is to say that they will end up buying points that will not be of any use.

While betting on the NFL, gambling enthusiasts are not advised to tease totals simply because, in American football, the results rarely fall within a specific range. In spite of the fact that there are certain key numbers punters can use while betting over/under, these numbers do not show up often enough to be teased.

No matter if punters prefer to focus only on the NFL or they enjoy betting on other sports and leagues, they should not forget that the price matters. Sometimes, the prices punters will be presented with might be just a little different across the NFL betting sites, which is why picking the betting platform, where the best odds are offered is the key to long-term success.

If punters are about to tease favorites, they are advised to first check what the potential payout for a parlay bet will be. Even though this might not always be the case, on such occasions, parlay bets might be more valuable than teasers.

While making their betting decisions, gambling enthusiasts are advised to pay special attention to low-scoring games. Punters will be more likely to see success if they tease an underdog with a low score than a team with a high total.

Other things NFL bettors should also take into account when placing teaser bets are the couching and the backdoor cover.

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