The Basics Of The NFL Point Spread

By Ross Everett

In order to successfully bet on NFL football its important to start with the fundamentals. Were talking about the fundamentals of understanding the wagering side of the equation. Theres a lot of misunderstanding about what NFL pointspreads mean and how they are set. A firm understanding of the bookmaking concept of setting NFL lines is a prerequisite for any sports betting success.

The general public has a tendency to oversimplify the meaning of an NFL pointspread. The conventional wisdom is that it is simply a prediction of which team will win and by how much. There is a component of that in the NFL bookmaking equation, but theres a lot more to it. In theory, a sportsbooks primary goal is to equally divide the action they take on an individual game. If they do their job right, the outcome of the game is irrelevant to the bookmaker. Youll frequently hear clueless sportscasters make inane comments following a big upset like Boy, the sportsbooks in Las Vegas must have lost their shirts on that one or whoever set the line got this one wrong. Thats something that simply cannot be determined from the outcome of the game alone.

Since a bookmakers primary goal in setting NFL betting lines is to equally divide action, they have to make each side of a wagering proposition attractive to a prospective player. For that reason, its more accurate to say that NFL lines are more of a reflection of the betting publics perception of which team will win a game and by how much than anything else. Some NFL teams are considered public teams due to their popularity and/or perceived qualitative skill. So if the numbers in a hypothetical game between Dallas and Cincinnati indicate that the Cowboys should be a -6 favorite a book may open the game at -7 or -7.

In early season wagering there are a few additional factors at play. A bookmaker may consider a teams NFL preseason record for the simple reason that the NFL betting public gives it undue attention. Sharp players know that there is little correlation between a teams preseason success (or lack thereof) and their regular season performance. Another consideration is a teams performance in the previous season or, in some cases, their historical performance.

Furthermore, its important to understand why NFL lines are moved after the opening numbers are posted. While it may occasionally be due to external factors such as injury or weather, more often than not its a direct result of the money a book is drawing on one side of the proposition or another. The idea is that by moving the line it makes wagers on the side a book wishes to attract money on more attractive.

NFL football betting is a very complex discipline, and many neophytes make the mistake of focusing exclusively on the nuances of the game itself. To successfully bet on NFL football, however, it is important to spend as much time understanding the intricacies of the sports gambling marketplace"and in this regard nothing is more fundamentally important than understanding how NFL pointspreads are made and why they are moved. - 31493

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and a noted authority on sports betting and NFL betting. He is a frequent sports radio guest where he gives advice on how to successfully bet on NFL. He lives in Las Vegas with three dogs and a puma.

Cowboys Slip Past Chiefs In OT

By Ross Everett

The Dallas Cowboys entered Sundays game with the Kansas City Chiefs with a 2-2 record, and may have expected an easy afternoon. The winless Chiefs, however, hung around throughout the contest and forced overtime before a Tony Romo touchdown pass to Miles Austin secured the victory for Dallas by a final score of 26-20. Austin was the Cowboys offensive star, catching two touchdown passes as part of a 250 yard receiving day. Tony Romo played better than he has all year, finishing with two touchdown passes and 351 yards with no interceptions. The Cowboys improved to 3-2 with the victory, while the Chiefs remain winless at 0-5.

NFL betting enthusiasts who took Kansas City as +7 home underdogs enjoyed a profitable day as the Chiefs got the money for the first time in the 2009 season. Kansas City is now 1-4 against the spread, while Dallas dropped to 2-3 against the number. The 46 points went OVER the posted total of 43. The Cowboys have gone OVER in 3 of 5 games this season, while Kansas City now has 3 OVER verdicts in five games with 1 UNDER and a push. 3 of the last 5 meetings between the two teams have gone UNDER the total.

Austin started in place of Dallas superstar receiver Roy Williams, and definitely made the best of the opportunity. His 250 yards on 10 catches broke the franchise record held by Cowboys legend Bob Hayes, who had 246 yards receiving against the Washington Redskins in 1966. Austin could have had an even bigger day, had Tony Romo not overthrown him several times on wide open plays.

Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel had decent numbers in a losing cause, finishing with 253 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Still, the setback just added to the growing sense of futility in the Chiefs camp. Kansas City hasnt won a game in nearly a year (315 days) and is a horrible 2-28 in their past 30 games. There are signs of improvement under first year coach Todd Haley, but theyve yet to translate into victories.

Dallas will be off next weekend and will return to action on October 25th at home against the Atlanta Falcons. Theyll host the Seattle Seahawks at Cowboys Stadium the following weekend. The Chiefs will travel to Washington, DC next Sunday to take on the Redskins before returning home for a game the following week against the San Diego Chargers. - 31493

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published writer and a noted authority on sports betting and NFL point spreads. He is a frequent sports radio guest where he gives advice on how to successfully bet on football. He lives in Las Vegas with three dogs and a dingo.

Which iPhone Football Game Reigns Supreme?

By Eric Meister

With the iPhone and iPod touch gaining popularity by the day and the football season upon us, we thought it would be appropriate to review some NFL video games. As we put together this iPhone Football game roundup, we found three that could just be some of the best apps out there. Let's take a look at EA's Madden 10, Gameloft's NFL2010, and Chillingo's Super Shock Football.

For the past 20 years, Madden has been the king of football games. It is now available in the App Store by game production house EA. iPhone and iPod touch gamers now face a dilemma as to choose between Madden 10 and the earlier released NFL2010 by Gameloft.

From a visual standpoint, Madden delivers, but not exactly with the precision we had hoped for. Everything looks a bit old-school like the graphics of consoles of days gone by. Yet, for the iPhone they look standard. You'll quickly recognize that the original John Madden comments and helmet-to-helmet crash audio effects are all included in this iPhone version of the game. If you don't like the included music tracks, you can play your own selection from your iPod library. All the controls in Madden 10 work great and a variety of options are available on demand.

Hopefully, we the game will obtain multiplayer and roster updates as the title gets successive updates in the App Store. Where it stands today, Madden 10 offers tons of replay ability. Don't forget, this is a Madden football title. Gamers will be playing this feverously until the next Madden title is unleashed. Comparing it to NFL2010, it's a close draw as both offer a slightly different experience. If you like, you may choose to buy both and determine which options you like the best. Madden appears in the App Store at a $9.99 price point. We believe it will remain there for the rest of the season. We give Madden 10 a 4-Star rating that puts it neck and neck with NFL2010.

The first full-featured football game in the App Store was NFL2010 by Gameloft. In relation to Madden 10, NFL2010 looks on-par and, of course, we need to do a comparison. Happily, NFL2010 holds up quite well against its 20-year-old competition and mobile gamers will love it through and through.

Graphically, the game looks gorgeous. This is the closest thing to Madden that we've seen. Sounds are good, with all of the expected football sound effects. Controls work well and are responsive. It just seems that it is lacking some of the functionality necessary to make us feel as if we have control over the plays. Often, it feels like we are simply watching them unfold as we've set them up. In fact, the plays where we felt like we had the most control were kicking plays, which utilize two gauges, one for aiming and one for power. This scheme works especially well.

Gameloft really impresses with NFL2010, their first effort at iPhone football gaming. This will be on our most-played list for some time to come. The $7.99 price is a bit steep, but it is lower than Madden 10 and it's a huge savings when compared to console games. We have to give NFL2010 a 4-Star rating as well.

Chillingo has taken a different approach with Super Shock Football by basing it on the electric football gaming style. It won't replace Madden 10 or NFL2010, but it does present some coolness with vibrating players and other additions that justify it as a worthy contender.

Graphically, the game looks terrific, with 2D men darting around in a 3D world. The view shifts back and forth between top down for setup and on field for close ups of the action during plays. Sounds are great, with the soft hum of vibrating players in the background and football sound effects (like crowd noise, whistles, etc.) in the foreground. Controls are simple touches and can be accomplished with a single finger. Game information (scores, time remaining, etc.) are in tiny print along the screen bottom. While these are a bit difficult to read, they won't detract from the overall gameplay. Several options exist, including quarter length (up to 15 minutes each) and number of men per side (as many as 11, but you can play with far fewer).

Super Shock Football, although not on the same level as its more serious contenders, brings a lot of nostalgia and humorous gameplay to the App Store. Don't take it too seriously and you'll have a ball. Since the outcomes are so random in this title, no two games will ever be the same. Replay ability is very high as a result. At $1.99, Super Shock Football is positioned by Chillingo to be a winner. Surprisingly, we have settled on a 5-Star rating for this little gem of a football game.

In just over a year, iPhone and iPod touch gaming has soared to new levels. As we planned these NFL video games for review, we had no idea they would all perform so well. Madden 10, NFL2010, and Super Shock Football all bring exceptional aspects to the table with the result being a major winner for mobile gamers the world over. These truly are some of the best apps we've come across. - 31493

About the Author:

Learn more about iTouch apps. Stop by Eric Meister's site where you can find out all about free iTouch games and what they can do for you.

Browns Top Bills In Bumbling Offensive Display

By Ross Everett

In a matchup between two of the worst offenses in the NFL, someone had to win. Despite producing only 9 first downs and 193 yards of total offense, the Cleveland Browns got a late game field goal from Billy Cundiff to defeat the Buffalo Bills 6-3 and win their first game of the season. The Bills had the more productive afternoon statistically, with 13 first downs and 288 yards of offense but were undone by three costly turnovers. Both teams are now 1-4 on the 2009 NFL season. Neither team appears to be headed anywhere but down in the NFL standings.

To successfully bet on the NFL, one needs to find opportunities to play underdogs"this is particularly true in games where neither team is expected to put many points on the board. Such was the case here, as Cleveland easily covered the pointspread as +6 road underdogs. Both teams are now 2-3 against the number on the season. The Browns have now won and covered the last three head to head matchups between the teams. The 9 points scored came nowhere near the total of 41 for an easy UNDER.

It was a game without many highlights. The Browns got on the board first with a 24 yard Cundiff field goal in the second quarter, and took that 3-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Buffalo would tie the score in third on a Rian Lindell 36 yard field goal. That would set the stage for Cundiff to nail the game winner from 18 yards out with: 23 left to play. Despite todays victory, Cleveland is averaging a woeful 11 points per game this season.

The real loser in Sundays contest may have been Buffalo head coach Dick Jauron. Many were surprised that he was retained after the Bills third straight 7-9 season last year and things have gone from bad to worse so far in the 2009 NFL season. Buffalo has lost to winless teams in back to back weeks, part of a three game losing streak. Overall, the Bills have wound up losers in 12 of their last 15 games. Not that Cleveland has done much better--the win today ended a 10 game losing streak, one short of the all time franchise record. There are at least a few signs of hope in Cleveland, the same can't be said for Buffalo.

Cleveland will have a tough road assignment next Sunday, heading to Pittsburgh to face the World Champion Steelers. Theyll return home for a game against the Green Bay Packers on October 25th before playing the Chicago Bears in The Windy City the following week. Buffalo will play the next two on the road, heading to the Meadowlands next Sunday for a game against the New York Jets followed by a trip to Charlotte, NC to take on the Carolina Panthers. Theyll return home on November 1st to face the Houston Texans. - 31493

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and a noted authority on sports betting and NFL football betting lines. He is a frequent sports radio guest where he gives advice on how to successfully bet on NFL football. He lives in Las Vegas with three dogs and a dingo.

Vikings Make Short Work Of Hapless Lions

By Ross Everett

The day after his 40th birthday, the Minnesota Vikings' Brett Favre threw for 232 yards and a touchdown against one interception as his team easily beat the pitiful St. Louis Rams by a final score of 38-10. The Vikings are now 5-0 for the first time in six years and Favre is 5-0 for the first time in his Hall of Fame career. The Rams, who've scored only 4 offensive touchdowns in five games this season, dropped to 0-5.

Minnesota had no trouble covering the NFL pointspread as -10 road favorites. The cover improved the Vikings to 4-1 against the spread, while the Rams slumped to 1-4 versus the number. The 48 points scored went OVER the posted total of 44'. The Rams have gone OVER in four of five games this season, while the Rams have gone UNDER in three of their five NFL totals. On one hand, the fact that the Rams haven't gone OVER this year isn't surprising due to their impotent offense but is somewhat surprising in light of their porous defense.

After the contest, Favre talked about the great start at his advanced age:

"I hope there's many more to come. I'd be lying if I said I thought I'd still be playing at 40 and not miss a game at this point. I just hope I can lead this team to bigger and better things."

For the Rams, things can't get much worse. St. Louis guard Richie Incognito surveyed the carnage:

"This is extremely tough. It wears on you, but to be a professional, you don't let it show. You just keep preparing hard to go out and get a win."

St. Louis is almost definitely the worst team in the NFL at this point. They're averaging 6.8 points per game while giving up an average of 29.2 points per game. They've allowed more than 35 points in each of their last three games, they've committed seven turnovers in their past two games.

Minnesota will try to extend their undefeated start this weekend as they host the Baltimore Ravens. The Vikings are a -3 home favorite with the total set at 43'. They'll then face two tough games on the road, starting with the following Sunday at Pittsburgh against the defending Superbowl champion Steelers. A bigger game may loom a week later, as the Vikings will head to Lambeau Field in Green Bay for a rematch against Favre's old team. The Rams will try to put one in the win column as they head to Florida to face the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend. St. Louis is a +10 road underdog with the total set at 42. They'll host the Indianapolis Colts the following Sunday before traveling to Detroit on November 1. - 31493

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a Nevada based freelance writer and a noted expert on NFL football betting. He contributes to a number of online and print publications, covering topics ranging from canine behavior to fine dining to how to successfully bet on NFL football. He enjoys world travel, martial arts and collecting cigars when not working.

Gators Survive Tough Challenge From Bayou Bengals

By Ross Everett

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow shook off the effects of a concussion suffered against Kentucky two weeks ago and returned to lead the #1 ranked Gators to a hard fought 13-3 victory over #4 ranked LSU. Tebow got a good deal of help from a nasty Florida defense, and the largest crowd in LSU history (93,129) left disappointed as the Bayou Bengals offense was almost completely shut down.

College football betting enthusiasts who backed Florida as a -9 road favorite weren't able to breathe easy until the final whistle, but eventually enjoyed a payday with the narrowest of pointspread covers. The Gators improved their ATS record over the past three years to a glossy 22-7 and they've covered 8 of their last 9 on the road.

After the game, Tebow characteristically explained that he tried to play smart but without fear:

"I tried to play smart. I told him, I said, when we were talking to Coach [Urban] Meyer, I said, 'I'm not going to go out there and play tentative or scared. That's not me.' I did try to play smart but I wasn't scared or timid at all."

Tebow was also not the least bit intimidated by the huge crowd of LSU partisans:

"This place is one of my favorite stadiums to play in. It just gets your adrenaline going, then to play against a great defense like that."

Tebow returned to practice earlier this week, but wasn't medically cleared to play until a few hours before gametime. Even then, he was listed as a game time decision. Coach Urban Meyer talked about the difficult decision he had to make:

"It was a tough deal and I kept saying, 'Would I play my son?' You know Tim," Meyer said. "It was, 'Let me play. Let me play.' Nonstop."

Gators safety Will Hill said that the defense knew that they'd have to play well regardless of their quarterbacks status:

We knew Tim would suit up but we didn't know if he would play, but we didn't care. The defense knew what we had to do to come out and win this game."

LSU receiver Brandon LaFell blamed his teams mistakes for the loss:

Those guys have a pretty good defense. We had a ton of chances, then we would get a mistake ... Too many mistakes."

Florida will try to keep their 15 game winning streak going next weekend as they host the University of Arkansas. They'll be on the road at Mississippi State the following weekend before they face Georgia in the game fondly known as The Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party" on October 31. LSU will take a bye weekend before returning to action against Auburn on October 24. - 31493

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published writer and a noted authority on sports betting and NFL point spreads. He is a frequent sports radio guest where he gives advice on how to successfully bet on football. He lives in Las Vegas with three dogs and a dingo.

Falcons Throttle 49ers

By Ross Everett

It's obvious that the San Francisco 49ers are heading in the right direction under Mike Singletary, but you couldn't tell by watching their game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The Falcons scored six touchdowns against the Niners, with running back Michael Turner accounting for three of the scores as Atlanta routed San Francisco by a lopsided 45-10 final score. It was the Niners' worst defeat since a 41-0 loss back in 2006 under former coach Mike Nolan. San Francisco fell to 3-2 with the defeat while the Falcons improved to 3-1.

The NFL betting lines had the game listed as a 'PICK', giving the Falcons the ATS win with their easy straight up victory. It was the 49ers first loss against the spread this season, while Atlanta upped their record to 3-1 to the money.

After the game, the fiery Singletary apologized for a verbal altercation with former 49er and current Falcons' lineman Harvey Dahl:

"I'll put it this way: I wish I had more coaching etiquette. I don't. I love my players and when someone responds about my players in a particular way, I may do some things I shouldn't do. I have to get better at those things as time goes on. Even though the player was talking to me, I should not have said what I said. It wasn't anything bad, it was just something that shouldn't have happened."

Roddy White set a Falcons' record with 210 receiving yards, and was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on his second touchdown of the day. With his team in full control, Atlanta coach Mike Smith had to be amused:

"He didn't hit the landing because if he hits the landing it's not a 15-yard penalty. I told him if he's going to do it, it needs to be Olga Korbut. And he looked at me like he doesn't know who Olga Korbut is. Then I told him, 'Well, maybe Mary Lou Retton.' And then I figure that's '86, he doesn't know who Mary Lou Retton is. It went right over his head and my head."

Smith admitted that he hadn't been in top form so far this season:

"I felt like I haven't been playing well up to this point in the season. Me and coach Smith had a talk. He was like, 'You gotta get back to being yourself again. You gotta go out there and be the old Roddy. No pressure. Just go out there and play.'"

The Falcons will return home on Sunday to host the Chicago Bears, with Atlanta a -3 home favorite and the total set at 45'. They'll play their next two on the road, traveling to Texas for a game against the Dallas Cowboys the following week and to New Orleans to face the Saints on Monday, November 2. The 49ers will have a bye this week before traveling to Houston to play the Texans on October 25. They'll play at Indianapolis the following Sunday before returning home to take on the Tennessee Titans on November 8. - 31493

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a Nevada based freelance writer and a widely published expert on NFL football betting. He contributes to a number of online and print publications, covering topics ranging from canine behavior to fine dining to how to successfully bet on NFL football. He enjoys traveling, judo and collecting cigars when not working.