Anyone 21 and older and inside state lines can now bet on the NFL in New Jersey.
In fact, NFL betting markets are open at NJ sportsbooks already. That means you’re free to bet on the NFL in the Garden State throughout offseason, preseason, regular season, into the playoffs, and all the way up to and including the Super Bowl.
From moneylines, point spreads, and totals, to parlays and props, retail sportsbooks and NJ sports betting apps truly have the NFL covered.
Read on to see exactly how you can bet on the NFL in New Jersey, both online and off. Plus, discover the latest in NFL betting trends on local teams such as the Philadelphia Eagles, and the New York Giants and New York Jets, who both play home games in New Jersey.
Then dive a little deeper and you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions about NFL-related betting right here in New Jersey.
What are the best NFL betting sites in NJ?
Legal, single-game sports wagering launched in New Jersey in June 2018 when the state’s first retail sportsbook opened its doors. The first NJ sports betting apps went live in August of 2018.
There are now 14 online sportsbooks in operation in the state, alongside 10 on-site books. All the following NJ sportsbook operators are now ready, willing and able to take bets on the 2019-2020 NFL season:
NJ online sportsbook sites
| Online Sportsbook | Land-Based Affiliate | Sports betting partner(s) | iOS app | Android app | Available Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | Resorts AC | Kambi | Yes | Yes | $25 in free bets |
| Betstars | Resorts AC | NA | Yes | Yes | $500 risk-free bet |
| FanDuel | Meadowlands | Betfair/IGT | Yes | Yes | $500 match bet |
| William Hill | Monmouth | NA | Yes | Yes | $50 free bet |
| PointsBet | Meadowlands | NA | Yes | Yes | 2x up to $500 free bets |
| Caesars | Caesars AC | Scientific Games | Yes | Yes | $10 free |
| PlayMGM Sports | Borgata AC | IGT | Yes | Yes | $25 free |
| SugarHouse | Monmouth Park | Kambi | Yes | Yes | 100$ up to $250 |
| Golden Nugget sportsbook | Golden Nugget | SBTech/Scientific Games | Yes | Yes | Up to $50 risk-free bet |
| 888 Sport | Caesars | Kambi | Yes | Yes | $10 free |
| Hard Rock | Hard Rock AC | GiG | Yes | Yes | $100 free bet |
| Resorts | Resorts AC | SBTech | Yes | Yes | Up to $250 match bet |
| BetAmerica | Golden Nugget | SBTech | Yes | Yes | 100% up to $500 |
| Borgata Sports | Borgata AC | GVC | Yes | Yes | Up to $250 risk-free bet |
NJ retail sportsbooks
- Monmouth Park (William Hill)
- Meadowlands Racetrack (FanDuel)
- Golden Nugget (SBTech)
- Tropicana (William Hill)
- Resorts (DraftKings)
- Hard Rock (GiG)
- Ocean Casino (William Hill)
- Bally’s (Sci Games)
- Harrah’s (Sci Games)
- Borgata (IGT)
Is NFL Betting Legal?
It is 100% legal to bet on the NFL at licensed sports betting operators. That includes all retail sportsbooks and sportsbook apps licensed by the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE).
NJ lawmakers have been fighting to make sports betting legal since 2011. In May 2018, the US Supreme Court finally granted the state that right when it struck down the law that governed sports betting across the country (PASPA).
NJ lawmakers quickly passed legislation making it all legal, and the DGE put together regulations to govern sports betting in NJ. This included betting regulations legalizing single-game wagering on NFL games.
The DGE now provides complete oversight on NFL betting in NJ. That means all the bets you see available at New Jersey sportsbooks have been approved by the state regulators.
The state’s first retail sportsbook opened in June 2018. The DGE authorized the first NJ sports betting app to go live in August 2018. It’s now completely legal to bet on the NFL across the Garden State at any one of 14 NJ sportsbook apps and 10 NJ retail sportsbooks.
But legal sports betting has since spread. In fact, there are now 10 states with some form of sports betting that all allow NFL bets. These states are:
- Nevada
- Delaware (June 5, 2018)
- New Jersey (June 14, 2018)
- Mississippi (Aug. 1, 2018)
- West Virginia (Aug. 30, 2018)
- New Mexico (Oct. 16, 2018)
- Pennsylvania (Nov. 16, 2018)
- Rhode Island (Nov. 26, 2018)
- Arkansas (July 1, 2019)
- New York (July 17, 2019)
In the meantime, six other states and the District of Columbia have also passed sports betting legislation and should launch legal sports betting before long. The six states are:
- Tennessee
- Montana
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Illinois
- North Carolina
How does NFL betting work?
NJ sports betting apps are all either run by retail sportsbook operators or run under a retail sportsbook operator’s license.
For the most part, that means the NFL lines you’ll find at either are similar. Despite that, there are several differences between betting on the NFL online versus at a casino or racetrack.
The first and most prominent is that apps are significantly more convenient.
You don’t have to travel to a casino or racetrack to place a bet on the NFL when you do it using an app. Plus, NJ online sportsbooks are available all across the state, 24 hours a day, wherever you can get access to the internet.
Apps and websites are also a little more user-friendly. There’s no need to wait in line or face the intimidation of having to place bets with sportsbook staff who speak a language it seems only pro sports bettors have a good grasp of.
Most NJ retail sportsbooks also use self-serve betting kiosks to help eliminate these barriers to market entry. However, sports betting apps are even easier to use.
Most online sportsbooks also offer a variety of different sign-up bonuses that their retail counterparts do not. That means you can start this NFL season betting for free if you’re doing it online.
Retail sportsbooks might have an edge when it comes to a place to watch games, though. The high-end equipment sportsbooks employ is second to none. Plus, they’ve got the NFL Sunday Ticket TV package giving you access to every game.
Add in great food and beverage service, and there’s no better place to wager on the NFL and sweat your bets. That said, your couch, TV, and your favorite app can provide the kind of privacy you may value over all of that.
How to read NFL betting lines & odds
NFL lines are the different odds you can bet on at sportsbooks. These lines represent the price sportsbooks are offering on a particular bet.
Basic NFL lines available in NJ include moneylines, point spreads, and over/unders (or totals).
The Giants travel to Texas on Sunday, Sept. 8 to face bitter NFC East rival the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season.
Check out a typical NJ sports betting app such as FanDuel Sportsbook and you’ll see lines on the game that include a Giants +7.5 (-110) point spread, Giants +245 (Cowboys -290) moneyline, and 46.5 (O+100/U-120) totals line.
Seeing that plus sign (+) in front of the Giants lines tells you oddsmakers consider New York the underdog in this game. Seeing a plus sign (+) in front of the over also tells you oddsmakers figure this will be a low-scoring affair.
The importance of line shopping
Of course, you might find different lines for the same football game at other betting operators. Since the line is essentially the price you’re getting on a bet, it’s always a good idea to shop around for the best price.
This is called line shopping. Just check the line at more than one NJ sports betting app or retail sportsbook before you book a bet and you’re line shopping.
Look at the Giants/Cowboys game on DraftKings Sportsbook and you’ll see lines that include a Giants +7.5 (-110) point spread, Giants +265 (Cowboys -345) moneyline, and 46.5 (O/U-110) totals line.
As you can see, DraftKings is offering a better price on the Giants moneyline and the under. There is value in line shopping.
What is line movement?
Once you book a bet, you lock in the price. However, these lines are subject to change for a variety of reasons leading up to kickoff.
The typical reasons oddsmakers might move a line include:
Injuries and holdouts: NFL teams release injury reports and a key player being out for a game might be enough to move the line. Same goes for contract holdouts that force sportsbooks to move the lines on the game up or down accordingly.
Bad weather: Weather is a factor on NFL games not played in a dome. Late-breaking news about bad weather could have sportsbooks scrambling to move the lines. Totals lines are particularly affected by weather.
Big bets and lots of them: A big bet or increased action on one side or the other will likely move the lines.
Bottom line, when an NFL line moves, you’re going to want to identify the reason why.
Fading the public
Weather affecting the totals line and injuries or holdouts turning a moneyline favorite into an underdog are one thing. Line movement due to increased action on one side is another completely different one.
The latter usually tells you what the majority of the betting public is thinking about a game. That gives you the chance to adjust accordingly.
Doing so is known as fading the public. Fading the public is basically waiting for public sentiment to move a line and then taking advantage of that.
Sportsbooks set the opening line on an NFL game as a way to attract action. When the lines move, it often indicates most of the public is betting one side over the other.
Taking advantage of a better price, one that has more to do with betting than the actual game, is fading the public.
NFL pre-season, regular season, and playoffs: What’s the difference?
When it comes to betting on the NFL, there are some major differences between the preseason, regular season and playoffs.
Preseason
NFL preseason games are like scrimmages coaches use to evaluate the roster. Most are not trying to win. Starters rarely play more than a quarter. NJ sportsbooks will offer lines on the games, but these are either guesses or standard lines used for almost every game.
The teams aren’t truly competing to win, and the best players spend more time on the sideline than anywhere else, makes it equally difficult to set lines and pick winners.
Regular season
When it comes to the regular season, NFL teams do their best to try to win every game. After all, a team’s regular-season win-loss record determines if they make the playoffs and compete for a championship.
Each team of the NFL’s 32 teams are divided into two 16-team conferences, the AFC and NFC. Each conference features four divisions of four teams each.
Each team plays 16 regular-season games during a 17-week period (allowing for one bye week). After that, the team with the top regular-season record in each division qualifies for the playoffs. They are seeded 1 through 4.
Plus, the two non-division winning teams with the best records in each conference also qualify as wild card teams and are seeded 5 and 6.
NFL Playoffs
It’s win or go home in the NFL Playoffs. In other words, it’s a single-elimination tournament to decide who goes to the NFL Championship game (aka the Super Bowl).
The playoffs begin with the wild card round. The top two seeds get a “bye.” The third-seeded division winner hosts the sixth-seeded wild card team and the fourth seed hosts the fifth.
Winners move on to face the top two seeds in the divisional playoffs. The top seed always faces the team with the worst record. Winners of these games meet in the AFC and NFC Conference Championship games.
The Super Bowl
In the end, the AFC and NFC Conference Champions face off in the Super Bowl. The 2020 Super Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla.
How to bet on football games
There are three basic ways you can bet on NFL games at NJ retail sportsbooks and online betting sites. You can also book futures bets. Here’s a brief explanation of how each of these basic betting formats work:
Moneyline
This is a basic NFL bet allowing you to pick the winner of a game. Moneyline bets are booked at the odds posted at the time you place the bet. Favorites feature a negative (-) number telling you how much money you need to lay to win $100. Underdogs have a positive (+) number indicating how much you’ll win for every $100 you bet.
Point spread
This is a basic NFL bet allowing you to pick the winner of a game with a point spread set by oddsmakers factored into the final score. Point spread bets are booked at moneyline odds that differ from book to book and game to game.
Totals (over/under)
This is a basic NFL bet allowing you to pick whether the total points scored in a game will be over or under a total-score line set by oddsmakers. Totals bets are booked at moneyline odds that differ from book to book and game to game.
Futures
Futures allow you to go beyond a basic NFL bet and bet on a team to win the Super Bowl, conference, or division. NFL futures markets open before the season and odds are adjusted as it continues.
Legal NFL betting sites vs. illegal sites
New Jersey offers legal, safe, regulated NFL betting. Therefore, there’s no reason to risk betting on the NFL with an unregulated offshore operation.
In fact, there are several reasons why betting with legal NJ sportsbooks is better than trying it with illegal offshore operators, including:
Safety and security: If you bet with an offshore operator and your money goes missing, good luck getting it back. With legal sportsbooks you can always take any issue you might have to the DGE, which regulates NFL betting in New Jersey.
Mainstream deposit methods: You don’t have to wire money to some mysterious company or individual on an island in the Caribbean when you bet with legal NJ sportsbooks.
Deposit options include legitimate bank transfers (via ACH or bill pay), third-party payment processors such as PayPal, and well-known and respected credit card companies such as Visa or Mastercard. You can even walk cash up to at an Atlantic City casino cage.
Your money will always be a lot safer using these deposit methods rather than the creative ones offshore operators use to skirt around US law.
Responsible gambling measures: Legal sportsbooks make sure no minors use the service and problem gamblers can get some protection from themselves. Go the legal route and you’ll find deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion. Plus, legal sportsbooks will help set you up with local charities that can assist with problem gambling issues. Go the offshore route and you’re on your own.
Software platform quality: Legal and regulated sportsbooks have partnered with the best casinos, racetracks, and technology partners to put together top-of-the-line products. These partnerships ensure you’re using the best software that includes the best features. Most offshore books use out-of-date software that’s liable to crash at any time.
Promotions and bonuses: Legal NJ sportsbooks are just starting out in a rather competitive market. That means promotions and bonus offers for you.
Alternative NFL betting markets
NJ books also offer a variety of alternative NFL sports betting markets in addition to the basic NFL bets.
That means you can bet on time-specific markets within a game, including first quarter, first- and second-half bets. It also means a variety of alternative lines, including totals and point spreads, available at adjusted odds.
It sounds more complicated than it is. These markets simply offer variations on basic NFL bets for specific time periods within a game, or alternative lines with adjusted odds.
NFL betting tips
You can throw darts at a board, or make football picks based on feel, but the best NFL betting strategies involve gathering as much information as you can and using it to guide you.
In other words, information is the key to the best betting strategies. That means you must do your homework if you want to bet on pro football in NJ successfully.
There’s no substitute for research. So, when it comes time to make your picks, scour the internet and read all you can about the NFL. Then, watch as many NFL games as you can.
Armed with all that information you also need to learn how to be selective when it comes to picking winners. Just because there 16 games on the weekly schedule doesn’t mean you have to bet them all. Look for locks and stick to those games. That means avoiding double-digit game parlays that offer attractive payouts but are only profitable for sportsbooks.
Finally, develop a bankroll management strategy based on conservatism and diversification. The key to a winning NFL betting strategy is making sure you have enough to keep betting through a bad losing streak. You’ve got stay in the game until a winning streak comes around.
Other than that, here’s a look at three obvious betting mistakes you should look to avoid:
1. Chasing your losses
When the losses pile up there’s a tendency to want to chase the money you lost. However, it’s a big mistake to start betting bigger when you’re on a losing streak. That’s a quick way to go broke, not break even.
Proper bankroll management generally involves using the same amount for all bets. You want to take a slow and steady approach to betting on the NFL and stay in the game long enough to take advantage of a time when everything is going right.
2. Betting with your heart, not your head
We get that you love the Giants, Jets, and Eagles, but that doesn’t mean you should focus your betting strategy on the teams you support.
In fact, you should probably avoid betting on these teams altogether because it’s too easy to make the mistake of betting with your heart instead of your head.
Like we said earlier, the best football betting strategies involve using information, statistics, and data to find winners. They don’t involve backing a team simply because of your undying love for them.
As a fan, you’ve probably got enough emotion riding on certain games already. Stick to making picks based on information instead of emotion.
3. Betting too many longshots
Fading the public usually involves betting underdogs as the price on the bet improves. However, that doesn’t mean you should always get behind the underdog. Depending on how a line moves, you might want to back a favorite or two as well.
Beginners often get drawn in by good prices on underdogs and back far too many longshots to make a profit. A sound betting strategy usually involves a good mix of the two, because sometimes you’ve got to lay money to make money.
What is live betting or in-game betting?
Most basic bets are placed before kickoff, but most New Jersey sportsbooks also offer what’s known as live, in-play, or in-game betting.
Just like it sounds, this is live wagering on an NFL game while it’s in progress. Sportsbooks adjust the odds on basic in-game bets throughout and you can bet on them at any time during the game.
The odds are generally based on proprietary algorithms employed by the sportsbooks. But certain props and alternative bets are also available live.
You can’t exactly line up at a betting window to do this kind of wagering. Things change too fast. So, the best way to get in the in-play wagering game is via NJ mobile sports betting.
Things happen fast and players need to focus on the game and the changing odds to get in on bets that may only be available for a few seconds at a time. Since the odds change after almost every play it can add a level of excitement to watching any NFL game, even a blowout.
However, bettors need to be quick on the draw and ready to pounce when the price is right.
How to watch NFL games
Ready to watch a game? Most football games are broadcast on CBS, Fox, and NBC. Monday Night Football is shown on ESPN.
Most games occur on Sundays during the regular season. But there are Thursday night and Monday night games as well.
NFL teams in New Jersey
To be fair, New Jersey doesn’t have an NFL team.
However, the New York Jets and New York Giants both play home games at MetLife Stadium inside the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Plus, the Philadelphia Eagles are practically an NJ team considering the City of Brotherly Love’s proximity to the NJ/PA border.
New York Jets
The New York Jets compete in the AFC East division. The team has been around since 1959 as an original member of the American Football League and joined the NFL in the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The Jets have played play home games at MetLife Stadium since 2010.
The team has just one Super Bowl title from Super Bowl III when they shocked the world by beating the 18-point favorite Baltimore Colts by a final score of 16–7.
New York Giants
The New York Giants compete in the NFC East division. The team has been in the NFL since 1925. The Giants have also played play home games at MetLife Stadium since 2010.
The Giants have won four Super Bowl titles, including Super Bowl XXI (1986), Super Bowl XXV (1990), Super Bowl XLII (2007), and Super Bowl XLVI (2011).
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles also compete in the NFC East division making the Giants a bitter rival. The team joined the NFL in 1933. The Eagles have played home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia since 2003.
The Eagles won their first Super Bowl in franchise history in 2017, defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Biggest upsets in Jets, Giants, and Eagles Super Bowl history
Super Bowl III
The New York Jets entered Super Bowl III as 18-point underdogs to the vaunted Baltimore Colts.
However, three days before the game, Jets quarterback Joe Namath guaranteed victory and backed it up on the field, pacing the Jets to a 16–0 lead. They went on to win 16–7.
Namath was named Super Bowl MVP and went on to fame and fortune. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 largely due to his Super Bowl III performance and the hype surrounding his guarantee.
Super Bowl LII
The Eagles beat the defending Super Bowl LI champion Patriots 41–33, to win their first Super Bowl in this game.
It marked the eighth time, and third in four years, that coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady had taken New England to the Super Bowl.
In contrast, Philadelphia was led by backup quarterback Nick Foles. As a result, New England was favored, and no one gave Foles and the Eagles much of a chance. Foles went on to be named Super Bowl MVP in the Eagles victory.
Super Bowl XXV
Super Bowl XXV was the closest Super Bowl ever as the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills 20–19 to book the win.
It was the Bills high-powered no-huddle offense versus the Giants smash-mouth offense and league-best defense.
Most remember that Bills kicker Scott Norwood missed a last-second field goal, starting a four-game losing streak in the Super Bowl for Buffalo. Many forget that the Bills were also seven-point favorites.
The Giants controlled possession of the ball to overcome an eight-point second-quarter deficit behind the play of running back Ottis Anderson. Anderson carried the ball 21 times for 102 yards and a touchdown, keeping the ball out of the hands of the potent Bills offense on the way to winning the title and Super Bowl MVP honors.
NFL betting FAQ
How does the spread work in the NFL?
NFL point spreads are a handicapping system employed by sportsbooks. It is essentially a way to encourage betting. You bet with or against the spread by picking the winner of a game with a point spread set by oddsmakers factored in. Point spread bets are booked at moneyline odds.
You pick either the point spread favorite, giving away the points, or underdog, taking the points.
What is home field advantage?
Home field advantage refers to the inherent advantage NFL teams enjoy playing at home in front of a favorable crowd. Most of the time, oddsmakers will give the home team a three-point home field advantage when setting the point spread.
What does the term underdog mean?
In the NFL, the underdog is the team not favored to win a particular game. This is the team that’ll be taking points on the spread and paying out positive odds on the moneyline if they can defy the odds and win.
How does the NFL regular season work?
All 32 NFL teams play a 16-game schedule over 17 weeks. The teams are divided into two 16-team conferences, the AFC and NFC. Each conference is divided into four divisions of four teams each. Each team plays each division rival twice.
At the end of the 16-game schedule, the teams with the best win and loss records in each division move on to the playoffs. The two best non-division winning teams also join them there.
When is the NFL Draft?
The 2020 NFL Draft will be held in Las Vegas from April 23-25, 2020.
When does the season start?
The NFL’s 17-week regular season begins on Thursday, Sept. 5. The first game will feature the Green Bay Packers visiting the Chicago Bears.
There are another 13 games on Sunday, Sept. 8. Plus, two Monday Night Football games on Sept. 9.
How many teams are in the NFL?
There are 32 NFL teams.
How many players are in the NFL?
NFL teams can keep 53 players on the rosters. With 32 teams that makes a total of 1,696 NFL players in the league.
How much revenue does the NFL make?
According to most records, the NFL split up $8.1 billion in revenue among its 32 teams for the 2017-2018 season. That represented a 5% jump from a year earlier. The Chicago Tribune reported in January 2019 that revenues hit close to $15 billion this past season and the league is looking to raise annual revenue to $25 billion by 2027.
When do playoffs start?
The NFL Playoffs start with Wild Card Weekend on Jan. 4 and 5, 2020. The Divisional Round will play out Jan 11 and 12, 2020.
Then, the AFC and NFC Championship games are set for Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020. Finally, Super Bowl LIV will be on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida.
Which states don’t have an NFL team?
There are 26 states that don’t have an NFL team. However, the Oakland Raiders are planning to move to Las Vegas in 2020. Plus, the Jets and Giants both play in New Jersey despite being called New York teams. Also, the Washington Redskins play in Maryland and have team facilities in Virginia.
Considering all that, here are the 26 states with no NFL franchise:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Utah
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
What NFL team is the most-watched?
The Dallas Cowboys have long been “America’s Team” and the most-watched. However, the New England Patriots dominance over the past decade has them a close second.
What is the lowest-scoring game in NFL history?
The Detroit Lions and the New York Giants played to a 0-0 tie on Nov. 7, 1963, marking the only scoreless game and lowest-scoring game in NFL history.
What is the highest-scoring game in NFL history?
The Washington Redskins beat the New York Giants, 72-41, on Nov. 27, 1966. The 113 total points remains the most ever scored in an NFL game. In fact, the 100-point mark has only been eclipsed five times in NFL history.