2025-26 NFL Betting & Betting Odds Online at Stake Sportsbook
It’s one of the most exciting sports on the planet, and now American football offers numerous opportunities to bet on the NFL online. This introduction to NFL betting explains everything you need to know about online sports betting and introduces you to the different NFL betting markets available at Stake Sportsbook .
Millions of fans watch from all around the globe and are tuning into NFL games every week. The American game has enjoyed a boost in its international reputation thanks to broadcasting deals, the International Player Pathway (IPP) program that helps players outside of the USA and Canada get a chance in the sport, and several games played abroad every season.
When deciding how to bet on the NFL online, you have several betting options, from straight-up moneyline bets to player props and multi-team parlays . The possibilities are endless when you bet online with our competitive NFL betting lines and odds.
Discover everything you need to know on how to bet on the NFL online and find the various markets available to you at Stake online sportsbook throughout the American football season.
Divisions of the NFL
There are 32 franchises in the National Football League (NFL), equally split into two conferences of sixteen teams each – the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).
Furthermore, the two conferences are then split into four divisions – East, North, South, and West, with each division in the two conferences consisting of four teams.
The NFL season culminates with the post-season playoffs and the Super Bowl, one of the most-watched sporting events on the calendar, presenting a vast array of betting options to American football fans.
Format of the NFL Season and Playoffs
Since 2021, each NFL franchise plays 17 regular season games. The fixtures are broken up into six games against their divisional opponents, then against the opponents from another division in their conference, as well as four games from a non-conference division.
The remaining three are then two games against other teams from the two non conference divisions and one final game against a non-conference team in a division that the side has yet to play. That final game is scheduled based on division ranking from the previous season and teams alternate the number of games they have home-field advantage for (8 or 9) each year.
In 2007, the NFL added an International Series to its scheduling, meaning that every franchise is guaranteed to play abroad at least once every eight years. As a result of international scheduling, with games played in cities like London, Munich, and Mexico City.
NFL teams can volunteer to play one of their home games abroad if they wish. In 2025, Dublin, Ireland, will host its first ever regular season game at Croke Park. That is because the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose owners trace their heritage back to the island, have chosen to return to their ancestral home and join the NCAA in having an Irish presence in the capital city alongside college football.
Following the end of the regular season schedule, seven teams from each of the two conferences qualify for the playoffs, meaning that 14 teams compete in the playoffs. The number one ranked team in each conference from the regular season will get a bye, meaning they don’t have to participate in the first play-off round, known as the wild-card round.
After that, the teams remaining in the playoffs compete in a knockout format until only two remain, one from the NFC and one from the AFC. The two final teams compete for the Super Bowl, perhaps the single-biggest event in American sports.
The winning team is awarded the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy and cements its place in American sporting history.
History of NFL
The NFL is 125 years old in 2025, having been bonded all the way back in 1920. Since then, it has become the worldwide phenomenon that we know and love today.
The very first team to win the NFL (or APFA - American Professional Football Association) championship was the Rock Island Independents, a side you probably will notice no longer exists.
In fact, the league at that time only included two sides that exist in some form now. That was the Decatur Stanleys, who became the Chicago Bears, and, confusingly, the Chicago Cardinals, who are now the Arizona Cardinals.
The game has also seen plenty of changes, with the introduction of cross-conference play and divisions, as well as climbing from 12 fixtures each, to 14, to 16, and finally, where we are today 17. It has undergone so many rule tweaks, it would be hard to recognise early 20th-Century football.
Interestingly, American Football in the USA didn't always have the same format it does now with a regular season followed by playoffs and the Super Bowl. In fact, the championship game wasn't introduced until 1967, following a merger between the AFC and NFC.
From that point, there have been 20 franchises to see their players claim Super Bowl rings. That does include some now-defunct or relocated franchises, including the Baltimore Colts whose ‘phoenix’ team, the Baltimore Ravens, have yet to put their stamp on the competition despite having such quality players on the roster as Lamar Jackson, Ben Watson, and Derrick Henry in recent years.
Past NFL Super Bowl Winners
The New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers sit as the most successful franchises with six titles each. However, the San Francisco 49ers sit just behind them with five, alongside the Dallas Cowboys. The 2023 and 2024 winners, the Chiefs are just behind with four. Could this year see Josh Allen help the Buffalo Bills overturn their Super Bowl hoodoo and finally win at the fifth attempt?
Who Won the 2025 Super Bowl?
The Kansas City Chiefs were the defending champions when they went into the 2025 final against the Philadelphia Eagles looking to make it three in a row. That achievement was ultimately scuppered as they lost out to the Eagles, who secured their second-ever Super Bowl after they won their first in 2017. It was a comprehensive win, too, at 22-40.
2025-26 NFL Season Schedule
The 2025 NFL season will be the 106th season of the highly regarded American Football competition. The regular season will begin on September 4, 2025, and the Eagles will be the hosts of this year's kick-off fixture.
The regular season will end on January 4th 2026, with the NFL playoffs scheduled to start on January 10th 2026.
When is the Super Bowl 2026?
The 2026 Super Bowl LX is scheduled for February 8th 2026 in Santa Clara, California, at Levi's Stadium.
How to Bet on NFL & American Football Bet Types
When working out how to bet on the NFL online, you will discover that there are various types of American football bets that you can place. Learn more about the wide range of types of bets available:
Outright winner (including overtime): One of the most popular NFL bets is picking the outright winner of a match, sometimes referred to as a moneyline bet or the moneyline odds. Here, your only job is to pick the winner of a fixture, and the margin of victory or the total number of points scored doesn’t come into play.
Handicap: A handicap bet – known in American football as the spread – is a way of levelling the playing field. The favourite is given a handicap, while the underdog is given a head start. If you back the favourite, they will need to overcome the handicap set by the sportsbook for your bet to be successful. However, if you back the underdog, provided that they don’t lose by more than the head start they were given, you will still win your bet.
Over/under points total: If you can’t pick a winner for an upcoming game, you can place a total points bet instead. Here, the sportsbook sets a points line (37.5, for instance), and your job is to bet on whether over or under this number of points will be scored in the match.
1x2: Another popular way to bet on the NFL online is to place a 1x2 bet. The 1 refers to the home win, the X refers to the draw, and the 2 refers to the away win.
Team points total: Another great option for NFL fans is to place a wager on a team’s points total. Here, the sportsbook sets a totals line for a specific team, and you can place a bet on whether you think the team will score more or fewer points than the total given.
Half or quarters: American football is a game of quarters, and you can bet on the outcome of each of the quarters in a fixture. Equally, you can also break the game down into halves, placing a wager on which team you think will win each half of the game.
Player props: Player props are an excellent way to bet NFL online and include things like TD scorer, rushing yards, and the number of sacks, for example.
Specials: In addition to the standard American football bets introduced above, you can also place several special NFL bets throughout the season. These include teasers, parlays, and special bets presented throughout the year by the sportsbook, offering excellent value for money.
Learn more about these types of novelty/specialty bets with our guide .
Bet on NFL Futures
Another excellent way to bet on the NFL online is to place some futures bets at the start of the season. For instance, you can bet on whether you think a particular team will make the playoffs, which is a common NFL market.
Alternatively, you can place a wager on the divisional champions and the Super Bowl winner. While you can place futures bets throughout the season, it’s ideal to place your bets before the action gets underway for the best value futures odds.
Live Stream NFL & American Football Live Betting Options
While many fans place their wagers before the action starts, there are many live betting options for you to consider. Some live options include the next touchdown, the next sack, and the total number of points to be scored in the next quarter. Better yet, you can live stream all the NFL action on your desktop or mobile device right here on Stake.com ! Simply click on the live stream button next to the NFL game, and watch the action unfold for free.
Placing live bets on the NFL is a great way to respond to the action as it’s unfolding, giving you the perfect opportunity to profit from your selections.
NFL Betting Odds & Payouts
NFL odds are typically given as fractions (3/1), decimals (3.0), or American odds (+300). You can decide how you would like to see the odds by adjusting the settings in your Stake.com account. You can expect your NFL winnings instantly thanks to instant deposits and withdrawals, meaning you don’t have to wait several days to access your funds.
American Football Betting Tips, Picks, & Strategies
Betting on the NFL is a fun and engaging way to enjoy football games, but it's important to adopt a strategy to improve your chances of winning. The following betting tips will help you as you find your feet when betting on NFL online at Stake:
Research player stats and football team history: Studying the form, performance and player stats will help you make informed decisions. Research the players on your favourite teams and look out for hot streaks that perform well against certain opponents. You don't have to be the most experienced NFL fan, all you need to know is the basics and keep up to date with our sporting betting tips from our expert analysis and opinions. Also be sure to keep an eye on our NFL picks and predictions to make informed betting decisions throughout the NFL season and help you pick who will win the next Super Bowl.
Consider injuries: Injuries play a big part in a team's success throughout the season, so make sure you check each team's updated injury list before placing a bet. If a star receiver or QB is out for a particular game week, it will negatively affect a team's chance of success out on the field.
Bet on the Super Bowl and other major football games: Betting on the Super Bowl is great, but you don't need to wait for the end of the playoffs to bet on American football. At Stake Sportsbook, you can also bet on football games including the NFL Pro Bow and CFL markets so you can get the ultimate betting experience all season.
Utilise our betting resources and sports promotions: At Stake.com, we offer expert betting tips including our ultimate guide to sports betting to help you devise your strategy. We also offer hot new sport promotions and bet bonuses which are updated weekly! Be sure to take advantage of these when placing your bets.
Keep a keen eye on the fixtures: Bettors who are new to the NFL need to be aware that the fixture schedule is subject to change. Because of the flexible scheduling procedure, fixtures - including those originally scheduled to be played midweek or midday Sunday - can be moved to a prime time slot on a Sunday evening. This can drastically affect your ticket.
Why bet on the NFL on Stake.com?
Stake is the perfect place to bet on the NFL, as you can place a host of bets and access several markets throughout the season. You can get started with NFL betting today by adding units to your Stake.com account and making your selections – it's as simple as that!
An Interesting Fact About NFL Betting
Did you know? When the St. Louis Rams won the Super Bowl in the 1999-2000 season, they started the season with odds of 150/1, making them the longest shots ever to win the biggest prize in American football. So, when placing your pre-season NFL futures bets, don’t solely focus on the favourites!
Stake VIP Club & Responsible Betting
At Stake, we offer more than just great odds. You can find great promotions like rakebacks and reloads , as well as our VIP Club , where players can achieve different levels that grant them access to different rewards , including access to a VIP Host and even Telegram competitions .
We also are proud to offer a wide range of support to our customers, including help with choosing the right crypto , such as Bitcoin , SOL , TRX , and Litecoin , depositing and withdrawing funds , using services like Swapped or Moonpay , and keeping their funds safe in the Stake Vault . However, our strongest support is in our responsible gambling resources.
As part of our Stake Smart initiative , we share tips that can help players who are worried about their gambling or just would like to take a break and establish a healthier relationship with it. It can all be found amongst our support pages .