NFL futures bets are, unsurprisingly, wagers where the outcome is due to be determined at some point in, well, the future. In other words, any bet made before or during the season in advance of an event taking place, such as picking the Super Bowl winner or NFL MVP.
Due to the fact the result of these bets are only known at a later point in time (and thus more variables can impact the outcome during this window), the payouts for NFL futures bets can often be more lucrative than other bet types, such as single game wagers like moneyline, spread and totals bets.
For example, you’ll get bigger odds placing a bet on a team to win the Super Bowl before the first snap of the NFL season, than you will placing that same bet after they’ve already won the Conference title and booked their place in the big dance! For a more a detailed explanation of how NFL betting odds work for futures bets and other bet types, click here.
Futures bets are a great option for those bettors looking for a bit of long shot with a juicy payout or people who want skin in the game, but are looking to spread their bankroll out over the course of the season.
For instance, a $100 futures bet on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl allows your budget to stretch a lot further than betting $100 each week on the Chiefs to win against the spread. Either way, I guarantee you’ll still be rooting hard for the Chiefs to win every time they set foot on the gridiron that season!
That being said, the obvious drawback of futures bets are the amount of time you need to wait for them to payout. If you’re not the patient type, or are looking for instant gratification, then NFL futures betting might not be for you.
Some sportsbooks however, will offer what they call a ‘cash out’ option for your futures bets. Say for example you placed your $100 bet on the Chiefs to win the Super Bowl back in September and they finish the regular season undefeated and are hot favorites going into the playoffs.
The sportsbook you placed your Super Bowl bet with might allow you to ‘cash out’ the bet for a proportionate sum of money to what the current market reflects. Your cash out offer will always be less than the sum you’re in line to win if the Chiefs actually do go on to win the Super Bowl, but it guarantees profit. Now the choice is yours - let it ride or take the money on offer?
One of the great things about futures bets is the plethora of options on offer. The markets tend to focus on either team performance and milestones, or player performance and milestones.
FUTURES BET OPTIONS - TEAMS
Usually within a day of the Super Bowl finishing, sportsbooks are already offering up odds for next season’s winner. Picking the Super Bowl winner is the number one choice of wager when it comes to NFL Futures, but other popular team performance and milestone markets include:
- Conference Winners
- Division Winners
- Regular Season Win Totals (Over/Under)
FUTURES BET OPTIONS - PLAYERS
Placing a futures bet on player performance or milestones will likely end up with you following the fortunes of your chosen NFL athlete as though they were your first-born son. Player performance and milestone futures bets include:
- NFL Awards (MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year etc.)
- Regular Season Stat Leaders (Most Passing Yards, Most Rushing Yards, Most Receiving Yards etc.)
Due to the sheer number of athletes in the NFL, the sportsbook won’t list every player in the NFL for these markets. Instead they’ll offer up a list of the favorites and include a “FIELD” option. If picking the FIELD, you are wagering on none of the names listed (i.e. anyone else).
DID YOU KNOW? / FUN FACT
The biggest futures market long shot to ever win a Super Bowl were the 1999/00 St. Louis Rams. The Rams’ pre-season odds of lifting the Lombardi Trophy were a whopping +30000. However, an unlikely hero in the form of Kurt Warner guided ‘The Greatest Show on Turf’ to a 23-16 over the Tennessee Titans.
To help you find the best odds for your NFL futures bet, the teams here at Bet Basics has compiled a list of our top recommended 100% licensed and regulated legal sportsbooks. We advise signing up to join more than one of these sportsbooks such as BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings and Caesars so you have access to the biggest range of futures markets and best odds available.