Football Odds Traps at NFL Football Odds

Football odds have the half point associated with them a lot of the time. You see 2.5, 3.5, 4.5, 7.5, 10.5, 14.5 etc. Many people don't like laying that extra half point, especially when it comes to 3.5, 4.5, 7.5, or 14.5. That fact is not lost on the sportsbooks either. They know that bettors don't like laying that extra half point with these key football odds and very often they are set up that way on purpose. NFL odds have key numbers that everyone knows about.

We stated the four key ones of 3, 4, 7, and 14. You can add 10 in there as well, but you also have numbers like 13, and 17. These football odds are considered key numbers because of touchdowns and field goals and the possibility of games landing on these football odds. What is not said about these numbers is that only one of them actually matter and that is only in NFL odds.

If you were going to buy the extra half point the only number to do it on would be 3, and only with Football odds. Long term studies have shown that buying points on or off or any other number is a loser in college or NFL odds. What does that tell you about those numbers we really hate to bet like -4.5, -7.5, -14.5 etc? It says that those extra half points usually are not going to come into play in NFL odds. What it does say is that the oddsmaker may be adding the extra half point on these numbers because he is trying to attract money to the underdog in football odds. It is much easier to take +7.5 than to lay -7.5. The football odds maker knows this fact too and he plays into the football betting player's psyche. We all just hate to lay that extra half point even though long term studies have shown that it rarely comes into play in football odds. You must always remember that the football odds were set for a particular reason and when you see those half points you should wonder why.

If you were to look at football betting strictly from a football odds perspective you might want to consider laying that extra half point on these key numbers. It is difficult to stomach sometimes, but the goal is to win and doing the opposite of what the football odds maker wants is usually a good way to accomplish that.