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NFL Picks & Predictions | NFL Best Bets for 2024 NFL Season

The NFL is the most bet on league in the U.S., with millions of bettors making NFL picks against the spread throughout the NFL season. Those bettors often look for NFL expert picks when making their selections, and our experts provide NFL picks and predictions throughout the remainder of the playoffs. We will also walk new bettors through the various bet types, promo codes and bonuses available and provide tips to make your NFL picks and parlays more successful.
Updated May 7 2024, 09:57AM EDT

Brock Purdy and the 49ers are the favorites in the early 2024 picks at BetMGM. (Cary Edmondson / USA TODAY Sports)

2024 NFL Picks & Predictions

Will the 49ers snap their three-game Big Game losing streak in Super Bowl 59? Can the Chiefs three-peat? Or will a team like the Bills or Lions end generations of frustrations by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy? The Chiefs entered the 2023 season as the Super Bowl 58 favorite in the NFL odds. But they were beaten by the Lions in the opener and never returned to Super Bowl favorite status. They were underdogs in the divisional round, in the AFC Championship Game and in the Super Bowl. 

The 49ers opened as the team team to beat in the 2024-25 NFL season. They are +500 at BetMGM, ahead of the Chiefs (+650), Ravens (+850), Bills (+1200) and Lions (+1200). 

You can already get in on the NFL betting action and can take advantage of some lucrative NFL betting promo codes and bonuses that NFL betting apps are offering while you do. Note that not all of the promo codes allow futures betting. 

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will look to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls next season. (Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY Sports)

Best NFL Bets

NFL picks can include many different types of wagers, with the three primary types being spread, moneyline and over/under. These are far from the only types of wagers you can make, as there are also NFL season predictions that you can bet on, also known as NFL futures.

These are the most common markets you will see when looking to bet on the NFL online.

NFL Moneylines

Moneylines are the NFL betting lines that have become the go-to wager type for NFL picks and parlays, as they comprise the bulk of NFL expert picks and are the most popular bet types among sports bettors. Simplicity is a main reason for this popularity: you just need to pick the outright winner. This makes it easier for bettors to make NFL game picks.

Spreads

The king of NFL betting picks is the point spread, as making NFL picks against the spread is one of the most challenging yet rewarding wager types. In this bet type, you are wagering on the margin of victory.  For instance, the 49ers were 1.5-point favorites against the Chiefs in Super Bowl 58, and since they lost outright, they did not cover the spread. 

Over/Under

Many sports bettors enjoy over/under wagers because they don't require you to pull for a team. Instead, you are wagering that the total points in this game will go over or under a set amount. For instance, if the over/under is 45 points and you bet the over, the combined point total needs to be at least 46 points for your wager to win.

Player Props

Player prop wagers are bets on if a player will reach a particular achievement within a game, such as will a quarterback pass for more than 250 yards or a running back rush for more than 80.5 yards. First touchdown scorer and anytime touchdown scorer are two of the most popular player props to wager in a game and are often part of NFL parlay picks.

Game Props

Game prop bets are when you wager on specific outcomes within a game but not necessarily tied to the outcome of the game. Examples of this include which team will score first or if there will be a safety in the contest. The atypical nature of these bet types is what makes them entertaining.

Parlays

A parlay wager is combining two or more wagers into a single bet. They can be bets from different games - such as backing the Bears, Packers and Vikings to all win - or a same-game parlay (many operators now allow you to build your own same-game parlay). For instance, you could bet on a team to cover the point spread in a game, the QB to pass for more than 300 yards and for a specific player to score a touchdown. You only win if every bet in a parlay is successful, which lowers the likelihood of success, but parlays also generally have the highest payouts.

Futures

Futures are NFL picks for future achievements, such as on Super Bowl odds. These include if a team will win a division title, conference championship or Super Bowl 59. Because this wager type often ties into team success, it's a popular pick for fans wanting to combine their fandom and betting prospects into one.

NFL Live Betting: Make In-Game NFL Picks

Live in-game betting can be an entertaining way to make wagers during a contest. How this works is that during the game, sports betting apps and online sportsbooks will post in real-time adjusted odds on a wide variety of wager elements. For example, a team initially favored but down by seven points after the first quarter might be listed at +5 points in live in-game betting. It's a wager type that offers plenty of quality opportunities for savvy bettors.

Making the Best NFL Picks 

There are many ways for you go make your best NFL picks, including multiple options that can assist in improving your win rate.

Betting Lines

Betting lines are not created equal, as each online sportsbook will compile a set of lines that works well with its customers. This can lead to variances between betting lines, which is why it is important to sign up for multiple sportsbooks so that you can pick the lines that best fit your NFL pro picks.

Promo Codes

There are sportsbook promo codes that you receive for signing up for a sports betting app, but there are also promos and offers that are connected to specific events or games. Keeping an eye out for these before placing your bets can improve your payout and/or offer downside protection for that wager.

Odds Boosts

When making NFL football picks, it's a good idea to see if the online sportsbook you are wagering at has odds boosts for that contest, as tying one of those to your NFL football picks can notably increase your payout level.

Expert Picks

Bookmark this page and come back each week for our NFL expert picks, but you can also find them on every major website that covers the league. There can be wide variances in the long-term win rates of these NFL game picks on moneyline picks, and even more variation in NFL picks against the spread. That means you should take many of these selections with a grain of salt, at least until you get comfortable that these NFL experts can deliver winning selections.

Consensus Picks

Consensus picks are when the betting public and NFL expert picks for a given game pretty much all lean in the same direction. It's an indicator that the favorite is very likely to win the contest, but it also can lead to large point spreads that offer upset potential in many cases. Betting against the consensus when making NFL picks is called fading.

Where to Make NFL Picks

1. BetMGM

The BetMGM bonus code USATODAY gives new customers a first-bet offer up to $1500 if their first bet of $10 or more is a loss. BetMGM is a great place for parlay picks, as it has an Easy Parlay feature that lives up to its name.

2. Caesars Sportsbook

First-time customers who sign up for the Caesars Sportsbook promo code USATODAY1000 receive a first bet worth up to $1,000 on Caesars. If your first bet does not win, your account is credited with a one-time bonus bet worth the amount of your initial wager. Caesars Sportsbook allows bettors to make creative NFL football picks through its wide array of prop bets.

3. Fanatics Sportsbook

The Fanatics Sportsbook promo code gives new customers who establish an active account up to $1,000 in bonus bets – up to $100 a day for the first 10 days after you open your new account. 

4. FanDuel

FanDuel is rolling out a great new offer for bettors who sign up using the FanDuel promo code. Simply make an initial deposit of at least $10 and make a $5 real money wager on any market. If your bet wins, you will be credited with $150 in bonus bets ($300 in MA & OH).

FanDuel is now live in North Carolina and football fans in NC can take advantage of the FanDuel North Carolina promo code for $200 in bonus bets after a $10 or more deposit and a first bet of $5 or more, win or lose.

5. DraftKings

The DraftKings promo code delivers a Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly deal to new customers. 

NFL fans in North Carolina can now grab the DraftKings North Carolina promo code for $200 in bonus bets now that online sports betting is live in the Tar Heel State.

6. BetRivers

There is a built-in bounce back opportunity with the BetRivers promo code, as it has a second-chance bet offer worth up to $500. The amount of the second-chance bet varies depending on your location.

7. bet365

The bet365 Promo Code offers a first bet safety net up to $1,000 deal. Place your first bet up to $1,000 and if the bet loses, bett365 will refund that wager in bonus bets. bet365 has an impressive sports market and wager type selection and thus is a good option if you are looking for an alternate online sportsbook.

How to Bet on NFL Picks

  1. To take advantage of these deals, just click the BET NOW button next to the offer on this page that you wish to sign up for, as this will bring up a sign-up page for that sports betting app.
  2. Fill out the registration information requested by that page, such as name and email address.
  3. Where applicable, put the specific promo or bonus code into the promo or bonus code box, such as the BetMGM bonus code USATODAY.
  4. Go through a quick GPS verification to show you are in a state where that online sportsbook operates, and verify you are legally old enough to place a sports wager in that state.
  5. Make the minimum initial deposit.

Get Started with the Best NFL Bets

Each of the best NFL betting apps and top-rated sportsbooks has advantages that make it a go-to place for particular wager types. This is why it is a very good idea to sign up for multiple welcome offers, as that will allow you to move back and forth between these online sportsbooks and find the best place to make your desired wager type.

NFL Picks & Predictions FAQs

There are many factors you can use to determine which is the best site for NFL predictions today. This includes which NFL experts with a proven track record of success the site has on staff. This element is why Sportsbook Wire and USA TODAY are top options in this area, as they employ some of the best NFL handicappers in the industry.
Moneyline wagers are considered the easiest NFL football bets to win and are typically the best way to go when making NFL betting picks. Pro football games tend to hold to expected form more often than not. Using NFL expert picks to help with your choices can increase your chances of winning.
The top NFL expert picks are selections by pro football analysts with a strong track record of NFL pro picks success. Using these NFL weekly picks can assist with your betting success, especially if the NFL expert has strong insights into particular clubs.
Based on the early odds, the online sportsbooks are figuring on a Super Bowl 58 rematch in the 2025 Super Bowl. The 49ers are the favorites at +500 at BetMGM, followed by the two-time defending-champion Chiefs at +750.
Every wager has some risk, but the safest bet in football is a moneyline wager on a prohibitive favorite. For example, if a team has -400 moneyline odds, it means the online sportsbook thinks that club will win the game 80% of the time.
NFL expert picks are determined via many methods. Some of the best analysts make their NFL weekly picks by gut feel, while others will use statistics and analytics in making their NFL football picks. They also look at value; if an underdog or favorite in undervalued, they will jump on those NFL betting picks.
Most NFL picks are released as soon as the previous week's games are over. They are often adjusted after the injury updates are sent out on Wednesday afternoon and adjusted again after the Friday injury report.
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KC Joyner  for USAToday.com
KC Joyner 24 Articles written
KC Joyner is one of the pioneers of the football analytics movement. He was a Senior Writer for ESPN, covering fantasy football, the NFL, college football, and the NFL draft for 14 years. He has also penned material for The Athletic, The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer. KC’s Scientific Football book series broke new ground in the football analytics world and was purchased by nearly half of NFL teams.