Best NFL Betting Sites in Massachusetts

New England Patriots betting partnerships

In September of 2022, the Patriots announced a partnership with Aristocrat Gaming. The partnership was officially announced after Aristocrat Gaming landed a multi-year deal to be able to manufacture and produce NFL themed slot machines.

Tips for those new to NFL betting

For those looking to improve their NFL betting strategy, or those that are new to betting on the NFL, it's essential to consider these few key tips that can help maximize success and minimize risk.

Track line movement: Tracking line movement in the NFL is crucial for any serious bettor. Understanding how the lines move can provide valuable insights into how the betting public, professional bettors and sportsbooks perceive the outcome of the game. By monitoring line movement, bettors can gauge where the money flows and identify potential opportunities. Additionally, tracking line movement allows bettors to capitalize on favorable odds before they shift, maximizing their potential returns. This information is essential for making informed decisions and staying ahead of the public money that typically comes in late in the week before games kickoff.

Follow injury reports: It is crucial to track injury reports when betting on the NFL due to the significant impact injuries can have on the outcome of games. Injuries to key players can drastically alter a team's performance and affect their chances of winning. By keeping a close eye on injury reports, bettors can gain a competitive edge by using the latest news to make decisions on games faster than the general public, which does not stay as up to date with this information. If a key player is out, the sportsbook will already be moving the line based on how the team will perform without that player. However, getting in front of the public money, which typically rolls in if one team or another is playing without one of the key players, is essential.

Don’t bet for the sake of needing a bet: It is essential to be selective when placing bets on NFL games to maximize the chances of success and minimize the risks involved. By carefully choosing which games to bet, bettors can focus on matchups with a greater understanding of the teams and players involved. This strategic approach allows for more informed decision-making and can lead to more profitable outcomes. Additionally, being selective helps avoid impulsive and emotional betting, which often results in losses. By exercising caution and selectivity, bettors can improve their overall success rate and maintain a more sustainable approach to NFL betting.

Reading NFL odds

Understanding how NFL odds work when betting is crucial for anyone looking to make strategic decisions in sports betting. Whether you're a seasoned bettor or new to the world of sports wagering, grasping the intricacies of NFL odds can significantly impact your chances of success.

With a firm understanding of odds, bettors can make more calculated decisions, manage risk effectively, and improve their betting experience. Delving into the fundamentals of NFL odds can also give individuals a competitive edge.

Every NFL game will have moneyline odds, a spread and a total. These are the most crucial odds that bettors must understand as they tell a story of how the sportsbooks think the game will go.

Let's start with the spread. Here is an example from the Patriots' week 18 game last season.

New York Jets +2.5
New England Patriots -2.5

In this example, if you were to bet on the Patriots at -2.5, it would mean you would need the Patriots to win the game by three or more points to cover the spread and win your bet. Whereas, if you were to bet the Jets +2.5, you would need the Jets to win or lose by two points or fewer for that bet to win.

The spread is the sportsbook's way of creating an even or fair game based on their projections. In most cases, the odds on each side of a spread are -110, and in that case, a bettor would have to risk $110 to win $100.

Next is the money line; this is where things can get more complicated when calculating payouts and expected value because you will see a lot bigger variations in the odds. Here is an example from that same Patriots week 18 game.

New York Jets +120
New England Patriots -140

While the odds may be more challenging to understand in this market, it is easier to understand what needs to happen for your bet to win. A money line bet is simply picking which team is going to win. The “minus” odds, which highlight the favorite, show how much you would need to bet to win $100. The underdog’s “plus” odds are how much you could win from a $100 bet on the underdog. In this case, if you think the Patriots are going to win, you could bet $140 to win $100, or if you think the Jets will win, you could place a $100 bet and potentially win $120.

The total (or over/under) is the other market. Totals are a lot like the spread in that the sportsbook makes a projection where they can create a line typically priced around -110 on either side. Then, based on these projections, sportsbooks allow users to bet over or under how many total points will be scored compared to the projection. Let's go back to the example.

Over 28.5 Points (-110)
Under 28.5 Points (-110)

In this game between the Patriots and the Jets, you would need 29 points or more to be scored (between both teams combined) to cover the total and win a bet placed on the over. In contrast, someone who bet the under would need 28 points or less to be scored to win their bet. In this scenario, over and under-bettors must place a $110 bet to win $100.

Calculating your payouts

Understanding how to calculate the payout of a sports bet is essential for several reasons:

It allows bettors to make informed decisions when placing wagers, ensuring they know the potential returns on their investment.
It enables bettors to compare odds across different bookmakers, helping them seek the most favorable terms.
A good understanding of payout calculations can assist bettors in managing their bankroll effectively and making strategic betting decisions based on potential returns.

Overall, knowing how to calculate the payout of a sports bet is essential for anyone looking to engage in sports betting responsibly and profitably.

Let’s go back to the moneyline example from above and talk about how you calculate a payout for both positive and negative odds.

New York Jets +120
New England Patriots -140

New York Jets (positive odds): Calculating positive odds is much easier than calculating negative odds, as with American odds, the odds are already telling you how much you would win off of an $100 bet. In the example from above, a $100 moneyline bet on the New York Jets would payout $120 if the Jets would win the game.

But most people don’t bet $100 per game, so here is the formula for calculating positive odds.

Positive Odds Calculation Formula: Bet Amount * (Odds/100) = Potential Profit

New England Patriots (negative odds): While negative odds are slightly harder to calculate, they are still very easy to understand using round numbers. The negative American odds show you how much money you would have to risk to win $100. In the example above, someone betting on the Patriots to win would have to risk $140 to win $100.

But again, most people aren’t betting hundreds of dollars on a single game, so here is the formula so you can calculate negative odds yourself.

Negative Odds Calculation Formula: Bet Amount/(Odds/100) = Potential Profit

Massachusetts NFL betting markets

In NFL betting, there are several different markets available for wagering. The most common types of bets include moneyline betting, where you pick the team you think will win the game; point spread betting, where you bet on whether you think a team will win or lose by a certain point margin; and over/under betting, where you bet on the total number of combined points by both teams. Prop bets, futures bets, and parlay bets are also available in NFL betting. Each type of bet offers a different way to engage with the game and win money based on the outcome.

Here is a breakdown of the most popular NFL betting markets:

Spread bets

In NFL spread betting, you're not just picking a team to win, but you're also considering the margin of victory. The point spread is a handicap given to the underdog team to make the bet more balanced. If you bet on the favorite, they must win by more than the point spread for your bet to win. If you bet on the underdog, they must either win the game or lose by less than the point spread for your bet to win.

Here is an example:

New York Jets +2.5
New England Patriots -2.5

In this scenario, someone who bets on the Jets +2.5 would need the Jets to lose the game by 2 points or less (or win the game outright) for their bet to win, but someone who bets on the Patriots would need them to win by 3 points or more to cover the spread.

Moneylines

In NFL moneyline betting, you pick which team you think will win the game. There are no point spreads involved. Each team is assigned odds, indicating the payout for a correct pick. Negative odds indicate the favorite, while positive odds indicate the underdog. If you bet on the favorite, you must wager more than the amount you stand to win. When you bet on the underdog, a winning bet yields more than you risked..

Let’s go back to the example above:

New York Jets +120
New England Patriots -140

In this scenario, a $100 bet would payout $120 if the Jets were to win the game. Someone who bets on the Patriots would have to bet $140 to potentially win $100.

Over/unders

When betting on the game total in the NFL, you predict the combined number of points both teams will have at the game's end. You can bet whether the total will be over or under the oddsmakers' set number. You win if the score exceeds the set number, and you bet on the over. If the total score is lower than the set number and you bet on the under, you win.

Time for another example from the Patriots vs Jets Week 18 game:

Over 28.5 Points (-110)
Under 28.5 Points (-110)

In this example, someone who bets on the over would need these two teams to combine for at least 29 points for their bet to win, whereas someone who bets the under, would need 28 points or less to be scored for their bet to cash.

Parlays

In NFL betting, a parlay combines two or more individual bets into a single wager. The appeal of a parlay bet is the potential for a higher payout compared to placing individual bets, as the odds for each bet are multiplied together. However, to win a parlay bet, all of the individual bets included in the parlay must be correct. If even one of the bets loses, the entire parlay is lost. The potential for a more significant reward balances this higher risk.

Many bettors use parlay bets to try and maximize their winnings by combining multiple outcomes, such as picking the winners of several NFL games or combining point spreads and over/under totals. Remember that parlay bets can be more challenging to win due to the requirement of getting every bet correct, so they should be approached with caution.

Teasers

A teaser type of wager allows the bettor to combine two or more bets on different games. The key feature of a teaser bet is that it will enable the bettor to adjust the point spread and/or total in their favor but at the cost of lower odds. Bettors can add points to the underdog's spread or subtract points from the favorite's spread. For example, including a 7.5-point favorite in a 6-point teaser would effectively reduce the spread to -1.5, meaning they would only need to win by 2 or more. This adjustment makes it easier for the bet to win, but it also reduces the potential winnings.

Teasers can be an interesting option for bettors in certain situations who want to increase their chances of winning while sacrificing some possible winnings. Remember that each sportsbook may have specific rules regarding teasers, so it's essential to understand the terms and conditions before placing a teaser bet.

Futures

Future betting in the NFL involves placing wagers on events that will happen in the future, such as which team will win the Super Bowl, which player will win the MVP award, or how many games a team will win in the upcoming season. These bets are typically placed before the season starts and are based on the outcome of events that will occur later. Futures betting adds extra excitement to the NFL season as fans can root for their predictions to come true throughout the year.

Although most of these bets are placed before the season, these markets are available to bet all season long. The odds will change from week to week based on the teams' performances.

Props

NFL prop betting (short for proposition betting) involves wagering on specific events or outcomes within a football game that don’t necessarily include the final result. These can include bets on individual player performances, such as total passing yards for a quarterback or total rushing yards for a running back, as well as team-specific or game-specific events like the first team to score or the total number of turnovers in a game.

Prop bets can add extra excitement to NFL games and allow bettors to explore a wide range of potential outcomes beyond just the final score.

NFL Playoff betting

Betting on the NFL Playoffs is exciting for football fans and bettors. As the regular season winds down, the intensity ramps up in the playoffs, and so does the betting action. From traditional point spread and over/under bets to player prop bets and futures, plenty of options exist for wagering on the NFL playoffs. Whether backing your favorite team or looking for value in underdog bets, the NFL playoffs offer many betting opportunities for fans and bettors to get in on the action.

Remember that it's essential to bet responsibly and within your means as the oddsmakers have tons of data to work with when making these odds in the playoffs making it difficult to find an edge.

Super Bowl betting

Betting on the Super Bowl offers a wide range of unique markets beyond traditional wagers on the game's outcome. Some of these unique betting markets include:

1. Prop Bets: These are wagers on specific events or occurrences within the game, such as how long the national anthem will last, the result of the coin toss, or which player will score the first touchdown.

2. Player Props: These bets focus on individual player performances, such as the quarterback's passing yards, the running back's total rushing yards, or the wide receiver's receptions.

3. Cross-Sport Bets: These bets involve comparisons between Super Bowl events and other sporting events, such as combining the winner of the Super Bowl with the winner of the NBA Finals.

4. Exotic Bets: These are more unusual bets that typically take place off the field of play, whether it is the color of the Gatorade dumped on the winning coach or betting on which song the performer sings first during the halftime show.

While these unique betting markets can certainly add a new level of excitement to your Super Bowl experience, it's crucial to approach them with caution. They come with varying levels of risk, and it's important to gamble responsibly.

NFL live betting

Live betting in NFL games allows fans to place bets on various aspects of the game while it is in progress. This could include betting on markets such as the next team to score, the outcome of the next possession, or even individual player performance. It adds an extra layer of excitement, engagement and strategy to the viewing experience as fans can react to the game developments and rapid odds changes that happen in real time.

Massachusetts NFL TV & Radio coverage

How to watch NFL in Massachusetts

New England Patriots games can be found on TV on any of the following depending on the week:

CBS
NBC
FOX
ESPN
NFL Network / NFL Redzone

You can also stream Patriot games from any of the following…

Official Patriots App
NFL+
NFL Game Pass
NFL Network
Amazon Prime Video (Thursday Night Football)
ESPN
Paramount+
NBC Sports
YoutubeTV (NFL Sunday Ticket)

How to listen to NFL in Massachusetts

You can listen to the Patriots on the radio at 98.5 The Sports Hub, Boston’s home for sports or on Sirius XM and Westwood One

Massachusetts NFL players

The New England Patriots are one of the most successful NFL franchises, but since Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay the team has struggled and has started to go through the full rebuilding process after firing Bill Belichick after this past season.

With a new coaching staff and some new young talent, let’s talk about who will be leading the Patriots in 2024.

Quarterbacks

Drake Maye

The Patriots finally admitted that Mac Jones was not the guy to lead their franchise, trading him to the Jacksonville Jaguars to backup Trevor Lawerence. They then drafted Drake Maye with the third overall pick out of North Carolina. In two years as the starting quarterback at North Carolina, Maye threw for 7,929 yards and passed for 68 touchdowns. It is still unknown if Maye will be the week one starter for the Patriots, but I think it is safe to assume he will take that role at some point this season.

Wide receiver

Ja’Lynn Polk

After drafting Drake Maye, their future quarterback, in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Patriots used their next pick to get Maye an explosive receiver to throw to. The Patriots drafted Polk out of Washington after catching 69 passes for 1,169 yards in his final college season. Polk spent three years with Washington and averaged over 16 yards per reception in all three years. It will be interesting to see if Polk and Maye can become a dynamic duo to help jumpstart this Patriots rebuild.

Running back

Antonio Gibson

Gibson spent the first four years of his career with the Washington Commanders. He has now signed with the Patriots for the next three years. In his first four years in the NFL, he has averaged over four yards per carry in all four years and is a dual threat in the backfield, averaging 7.5 yards per reception for his career. Gibson will be a significant change of pace next to Rhamondre Stevenson in the Patriots backfield.

Greatest Massachusetts NFL players of all time

Here is a list of the top five New England Patriots of all time:

Tom Brady (2000-2019)
Rob Gronkowski (2010-2019)
Julian Edelman (2009-2020)
Ty Law (1995-2004)
Vince Wilfork (2004-2014)

Best NFL Betting Sites in Massachusetts

By Jason Schandl | Aug 23, 2024

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