NFL Betting in Pennsylvania

NFL betting is live in Pennsylvania.

In fact, NFL betting markets are already open. So, even in the offseason, you can bet on the NFL in the Keystone State.

From moneylines to point spreads and over/unders, from parlays to props, Pennsylvania NFL betting has it all. Preseason, postseason and, of course, the Super Bowl, PA retail sportsbooks and PA sports betting apps have the NFL covered.

Even as legal sports betting spread across the US in 2018, Nevada sportsbooks set a handle record of $5.1 billion. More than 35% ($1.8 billion) of that money was bet on football. With the NFL’s popularity in PA booming, Keystone State sportsbooks should soon start posting similar numbers.

Read on to see exactly how you can bet on the NFL in Pennsylvania, both online and off. Plus, discover the latest in NFL betting trends on local teams the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Then dive just a little further and you’ll find answers to all questions surrounding NFL-related betting right here in Pennsylvania.

How to bet on the NFL in Pennsylvania

Legal, single-game sports wagering launched in Pennsylvania in November 2018 when the state’s first retail sportsbook opened up.

The first PA sports betting apps went live this summer, and all the following PA sportsbook operators are ready to start taking bets on the 2019 NFL season.

table / CTAs

Betting on the NFL with sports betting apps

PA sports betting apps make betting on the NFL easy.

The first step toward betting on the NFL on your desktop computer or mobile device is choosing the sports betting app that’s right for you. Since the state’s online and mobile sports betting operators are all attached to PA casinos or licensed off-track betting (OTB) parlors, you can go local.

But remember, all PA sports betting apps are also available statewide.

That means your best bet is to choose from more than one app. That way you can take advantage of all the bonuses the operators are offering new players. Once you try them all out, you can make an informed decision as to where you’ll take the majority of your action for the rest of the NFL season.

The next step is to sign up for an account with each betting app. The sign-up process differs slightly with each, but none are very complicated.

It’s usually as simple as clicking a link, entering a few personal details and agreeing to certain terms of use and privacy policies.

Plus, you’ll want to remember to enter the sportsbook-specific bonus code or promo code for each app. You’ll find these in our table above to ensure you get the best sign-up bonus available for each app.

If you’re using a mobile device, you’ll more than likely need to download the app next. You’re sure to be browsing the available NFL betting markets in no time.

Next, you can continue browsing, but before you place a bet, you may want to deposit money on the app.

PA sports betting apps also make depositing funds an easy process.

They do this by accepting everything from major credit cards to a variety of third-party payment processors. Plus, if you did go local with your PA sports betting app choice, you can always head to the casino cage to deposit cash in your account.

At last, it’s just a matter of looking through the NFL betting markets and finding a good bet.

Perhaps the best part of wagering with a sports betting app is it gives you the ability to file many betting options and see the possible outcomes immediately.

However, you will need to confirm a bet first actually to place it. So, don’t be afraid to navigate your way through the betting process a few times to see what the particular NFL bets you’re interested in might pay.

When you find a bet you like that offers a decent payout, confirm it, and you’ll have just made your first NFL bet.

It is that easy.

Is it legal to bet on the NFL in Pennsylvania?

It is 100% legal to bet on the NFL at licensed PA sports betting operators. That means all licensed retail sportsbooks and licensed PA sports betting apps.

Pennsylvania lawmakers actually made sports betting legal in October 2017, but it required a change in the federal law first. That came in May 2018 when the US Supreme Court struck down the law that governed sports betting across the country.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) then put together regulations to govern sports betting in PA. This included NFL betting regulations that legalized single-game wagering on NFL games. That means you can now bet the moneyline, point spreads and over/unders on every single NFL game.

Plus, you can bet on multi-game parlays and combine NFL games with other sports for multi-sport parlays. Also, you can bet on a variety of specific player props.

What you cannot bet on are props on things like the color of the Gatorade or Super Bowl national anthem length. You cannot bet on the NFL Draft in Pennsylvania either. The bets must all revolve around an actual sporting event.

The PGCB will provide oversight to the emerging PA sports betting industry. That means all the bets PA sportsbooks offer still require approval from the board.

The PGCB has a reputation for being a little more strict than other regulators. So, don’t expect to be able to bet on any wild Super Bowl-related props regarding the National Anthem or halftime show.

But, if it’s directly related to an NFL game and its outcome, it’s more than likely legal to bet on in PA.

Pennsylvania launched its first retail sportsbook in November 2018. The PGCB authorized the first PA sports betting apps to go live in the summer of 2019. Now, it’s completely legal to bet on the NFL all across the Keystone State.

How to bet on football games

There are four basic ways you can bet on the NFL at retail sportsbooks and online betting sites in PA. These include:

• Moneyline: A basic NFL bet where you pick the winner of a game and book the bet at the odds posted at the time you place that bet. Favorites have a negative (-) moneyline figure where you must lay money to win money. The negative number indicates how much you’ll need to bet to win $100. Underdogs have a positive (+) moneyline figure. The positive number indicates how much you’ll earn for every $100 you bet.
• Point spread: A basic NFL bet is when you must pick the winner of a game with a point spread set by oddsmakers factored into the final score. Point spread bets are booked at varying moneyline odds.
• Over/under: A basic NFL bet where you choose whether the total points scored in a game will be over or under a total-score line set by oddsmakers. Over/under bets are booked at varying moneyline odds.
• Futures: A basic NFL bet on a particular team to win the Super Bowl, conference or division. NFL futures markets open before the season starts and odds are adjusted as the season and playoffs continue. That means the price for favorites is often better the earlier you book a bet and may get significantly worse on underdogs that surprise everyone by emerging as competitors for a title.

Alternative NFL betting markets

In addition to the variety of basic NFL bets described above, PA sportsbooks also offer a variety of alternative NFL betting markets.

That means NFL bettors can also bet on time-specific markets within a game. This includes the first quarter, first- and second-half bets. It also means adjusted line and totals markets and individual team totals.

It may sound complicated, but it isn’t. These markets are simply variations of the basic NFL bets available in PA for specific time periods or alternative lines with adjusted odds.

NFL live betting

PA sports betting sites and, in some cases, PA retail sportsbooks may also offer live or in play NFL betting. This means betting on lines that adjust throughout an NFL game.

Once again, it may sound complicated, but it isn’t. These markets offer the same basic NFL bets; it’s just that odds adjust according to how the game is playing out.

Oddsmakers will put out up-to-the-minute odds you can bet on throughout an NFL game, which is why this better for PA mobile betting. If you keep your PA sports betting app open during a game and you can see the odds change as the action does.

Betting online vs. a retail sportsbook

For the most part, the NFL lines are the same at PA retail sportsbooks and at their online PA sports betting app counterparts. However, there are several key differences between betting on the NFL at either.

PA sports betting apps own the convenience factor.

There’s no need to travel to a PA casino or off-track betting (OTB) parlor to place a bet on the NFL when you can do it with a PA sports betting app. Plus, PA online and mobile sportsbooks are available statewide, 24 hours a day, wherever you can access the internet.

PA sports betting apps also help eliminate several barriers to NFL betting market entry. There’s no need to wait in line at a sports betting window to place a bet. Plus, the intimidation factor of having to place that bet with sportsbook staff is removed.

In other words, PA sports betting apps take away the need to learn the often foreign-sounding language employed by sportsbook staff and pro sports bettors, including things like the game number.

Although, most retail sportsbooks also employ self-serve betting kiosks, which help eliminate several of the same barriers to market entry as well.

Perhaps the top reason you might want to bet on the NFL at a PA sports betting site rather than a retail sportsbook is that you may be able to do it for free. PA sportsbooks offer a variety of different sign-up bonuses that their retail counterparts do not.

Both retail sportsbook kiosks and PA sports betting apps allow you to freely browse through all your NFL betting options and see the possible outcome of bets immediately.

However, PA retail sportsbooks may have an advantage when it comes to a place to watch the action.

The high-end audiovisual equipment at retail sportsbooks is top of the line.

Add in access to the NFL Sunday Ticket TV package and all the games, plus great food and beverage service, and there’s likely no better place to bet on the NFL and watch the action play out than a PA retail sportsbook.

Unless, of course, you value your privacy over all that. Then, a sports betting site in Pennsylvania and your couch may be your best bet.

What are lines and how to shop for the best lines in Pennsylvania

NFL lines are the different odds you can bet on at PA sports betting apps and retail sportsbooks. Essentially, the line is the price you’re getting on a bet.

Basic NFL lines include moneylines, point spreads, over/unders and futures.

Different PA sports betting operators offer different lines on NFL games. Since the line is essentially the price you’re getting on a bet, smart consumers will shop around for the best price.

This effort is called line shopping. All that’s required is checking the line on a bet at different PA sports betting apps and retail sportsbooks before you book it. This is easy to do online and can make a big difference to your bottom line.

One sportsbook might have the Philadelphia Eagles moneyline at -120 over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Another might have it at -110. Placing the bet with the second book would instantly save you $10 for each $100 you bet, and all you had to do was browse through the NFL lines at a few different PA sports betting apps to earn it.

Line shopping is also important because it keeps the sportsbooks honest. If a particular sportsbook is always more expensive than the competition, and the action dries up. But if consumers are line shopping effectively, books will adjust the lines.

Why lines move

Lines also move for a variety of other reasons. These include:

• Injury reports on key players: NFL teams will publicly release injury reports. Should a key player be out for an upcoming game, sportsbooks will move the lines on the game up or down accordingly.
• Inclement weather reports: Outside of games played in a dome, the weather is a factor on NFL games. A late report of inclement weather for an upcoming game could have sportsbooks scrambling to move the lines.
• Big bets or increase in action: It takes a lot to move a sportsbook’s needle, but a big bet or increased action on one side or another will likely move the lines.

What line movement will tell us

When an NFL line moves, you should immediately look for the reason why.

Bad weather usually results in a low-scoring game so that PA sportsbooks will adjust the over/under. If a key player is out for one team, that might turn a moneyline favorite into an underdog.

If weather and injuries aren’t a factor, line movement is most likely due to increased action on one side. That will tell you what the majority of the betting public is thinking about a particular game and give you the chance to adjust accordingly.

NFL betting tips

How to develop your own NFL betting strategy?

Information is the key to the best NFL betting strategies. That means if you want to bet on the NFL in PA successfully, you have to do your homework.

There’s no substitute for proper research. Scour the internet, read all you can about the NFL and the upcoming games and you’ll quickly go from making picks akin to throwing darts at a board blindfolded to educated and informed picks.

Then, come Sunday, you’ve got to watch NFL games. Nothing will prepare you better for making NFL picks than watching NFL games.

When it comes to betting on NFL games, you’re also going to want to be selective. Just because there are as many as 16 games on the schedule doesn’t mean you have to bet them all. Stick to the picks that look like locks to you. Avoid betting massive double-digit game parlays that offer attractive payouts but rarely come in. In other words, be selective.

Finally, the best NFL betting strategies involve proper bankroll management. Think of betting on the NFL in PA like an investment. That means never having all your eggs in one basket. In other words, diversify. Plus, always making sure you have enough cash in reserve to keep you going through a bad losing streak until one of those beautiful winning streaks comes around.

Betting mistakes to avoid

Chasing your losses

You’re going to want to chase your losses when they start to pile up. But it’s a big mistake to start betting bigger when you’re on a bit of a downswing.

It is a fast way to go broke, not break even. Proper betting bankroll management involves using the same bet amount for most or all of your bets. Slow and steady wins this race and keeps you in the game long enough to enjoy a winning streak or two as well.

Bet using stats or data

Diehard Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers should probably avoid betting on the team they support altogether. That’s because far too many fans make the mistake of betting with their hearts instead of their heads.

The best NFL 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.

The truth is, as a fan, you’ve probably got enough emotional skin in the game already. And you should stick to making educated and informed picks instead of emotional ones.

Focus too much on longshots

While fading the public often involves betting underdogs at improved prices, depending on how the lines move, you might find yourself backing favorites, too. In fact, it’s a good idea to get behind a few favorites sometimes. After all, they are favorites for a reason.

Many novice sports bettors get drawn in by good prices and back far too many longshots to be ultimately profitable. A sound betting strategy often involves betting favorites when they are a lock. The bottom line is that sometimes you’ve got to lay money to make money.

NFL: Betting against the public

Betting against the public, otherwise known as fading the public, is an NFL betting strategy most experts recommend for casual sports bettors.

Simply put, betting against the public means betting on the other side of what the general public has proven it thinks about a particular NFL game.

In this case, the public perception of a game can be defined as the side with the most action.

It’s just natural for sports fans to back winners and home teams. While a side draws action for any number of reasons, this NFL betting strategy depends on the notion that the public mostly bet on home favorites.

Sportsbooks set opening NFL lines as a way to attract bets. When those lines move, it often indicates where the public is betting. If a home favorite becomes an even bigger favorite, it means the public is backing that team. If you book a bet on the road underdog at the improved price, you’re fading the public.

The trick is, you’re getting a better price on the bet by waiting until that line moves.

How the NFL works – preseason, regular season and playoffs

There’s a big difference between the NFL’s preseason, regular season and playoffs.

Preseason

The NFL preseason is just a tuneup. Starters rarely play more than a quarter or a half, and winning does not matter. PA sportsbooks will offer lines on the games, but for the most part, it’s just a guessing game. The teams aren’t truly competing to win, and the best players spend more time on the sideline than the field. That makes it difficult to set accurate lines.

The NFL preseason begins with the pro football Hall of Fame game in August and features five weekends of games.

Regular season

In contrast, NFL teams do their best to try to win every regular season game they can. Although, some teams may not be trying to win once they’ve got a playoff spot locked up. They might be resting starters and trying to avoid injuries for the playoffs instead.

Each team plays 16 regular season games during a 17-week period; essentially, the top teams in each conference move on to the playoffs. The lines PA sportsbooks set on regular season games are well researched and stunningly accurate most of the time.

There are 32 NFL teams divided into two 16-team conferences, the AFC and NFC. Each conference is divided into four divisions of four teams each. The team with the top regular season record in each division qualifies for the playoffs and are seeded 1 through 4.

The two non-division winning teams with the best records also qualify as wild card teams and are seeded 5 and 6.

Playoffs

The NFL playoffs are a win or go home situation. Six teams from each conference make the playoff and face off in what is essentially a single-elimination tournament to decide the NFL Championship. Teams compete at the highest level for this honor.

The playoffs begin with the wild card round where 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.

The next round is the divisional playoffs, where the top seeds face the wild card winners. The top seed always faces the team with the worst record.

The winners of these games meet in the AFC and NFC Conference Championship games the next week.

The Super Bowl

Finally, the AFC and NFC Conference Champions face off in the Super Bowl.

Like the regular season, the lines PA sportsbooks set on playoff games are well researched and accurate most of the time. With fewer games and teams to pay attention to as the playoffs move on, PA sportsbooks get it right most of the time. That makes it tough to find much value without shopping lines.

NFL teams in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles: The Philadelphia Eagles compete in the NFC East division. The team plays home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Every game has been sold out since 1999. The Eagles won the team’s first Super Bowl title in 2017. However, the Eagles have won three conference titles and 10 NFC East titles.

Pittsburgh Steelers: The Pittsburgh Steelers compete in the AFC North division. The team plays home games at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. Steelers games have been sold out since 1972. The Pittsburgh Steelers have won six Super Bowl titles, although the last one was in 2008. The Steelers have also won eight conference titles, 15 AFC Central titles and eight AFC North titles.

Top 5 NFL players from Pennsylvania

Several NFL greats hail from Pennsylvania. Here’s a list of the top 5 NFL players originally from PA:

1. Dan Marino: Marino played quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and is a member of the pro football Hall of Fame. Marino was born in Pittsburgh and attended the University of Pittsburgh. Although he never won the Super Bowl, Marino retired with several quarterbacking records and is recognized as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
2. Joe Montana: Montana played quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs and he is a member of the pro football Hall of Fame. He was born in New Eagle, PA, and grew up just south of Pittsburgh. Montana attended Notre Dame. He is a four-time Super Bowl champion, three-time Super Bowl MVP and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player.
3. Joe Namath: Namath played quarterback for the New York Jets and is a member of the pro football Hall of Fame. He played college football for the University of Alabama. Namath was born and raised in Beaver Falls just northwest of Pittsburgh. He led the Jets to victory in Super Bowl III and won Super Bowl MVP.
4. Tony Dorsett: Dorsett played running back for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos and is a member of the pro football Hall of Fame. He grew up in Aliquippa, northwest of Pittsburgh, and attended the University of Pittsburgh. Dorsett won the Heisman Trophy in college, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1977 and was the top running back on the Super Bowl XII champion Dallas Cowboys.
5. Johnny Unitas: Unitas played quarterback for the Baltimore Colts for most of his career. He is a member of the pro football Hall of Fame and widely considered one of the best NFL players in history. Unitas won the NFL’s most valuable player award in 1959, 1964 and 1967. He is a three-time NFL champion and one-time Super Bowl winner. Unitas was born in Pittsburgh.

How to livestream games in PA

In 2018, the NFL made it possible to livestream games for free in PA via the NFL app. This feature includes local team’s games and nationally broadcast prime-time games like NBC’s Sunday Night Football and ESPN’s Monday Night Football games.

However, it appears you’ll need the Yahoo Sports app, or a cable or online streaming package to stream the NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football game.

You can download the NFL app and Yahoo Sports app for free. However, you should be aware that if you stream the games without a Wi-Fi connection, cellular data charges may apply.

These apps only provide access to in-market games and nationally televised prime-time games. That means you’ll either get Philadelphia Eagles games or Pittsburgh Steelers games, depending on where in the state you are.

If you want access to the entire schedule of NFL games, you can still get it, although you must buy an NFL Sunday Ticket or NFL Game Pass package that allows you to stream live games or replays. This can cost upwards of $300 per season and are available via the NFL itself or your cable provider.

Of course, you can always watch games on TV. Fox (NFC) and CBS (AFC) own the NFL television rights to regional games on Sundays. That means you’re likely to find Philadelphia Eagles games on Fox affiliates in PA including:

• WTXF-TV channel 29 in Philadelphia
• WFXP channel 66 in Erie
• WPGH-TV channel 53 in Pittsburgh
• WPMT channel 43 in Harrisburg
• WWCP channel 8 in Johnstown-Altoona
• WOLF channel 56 in Wilkes Barre-Scranton

It also means you’re likely to find Pittsburgh Steelers games on CBS affiliates in PA including:

• KDKA channel 2 in Pittsburgh
• KYW channel 3 in Philadelphia
• WHP channel 21 in Harrisburg
• WSEE channel 35 in Erie
• WTAJ channel 10 in Johnstown-Altoona
• WYOU channel 22 in Wilkes Barre-Scranton