Best Football Betting Sites

Finding quality football betting sites isn't always an easy task, especially when there are so many sites to choose from. We provide our top picks for the best overall betting sites to make the process a breeze. After researching, we found a several safe and reliable websites to help you get started.

Top Rated Football Betting Websites

Rank	Betting Sites		US?	Bonus	Get Started
#1		Bet365		100% up to £200	Bet Now!
#2		William Hill		£25 Free Bets	Bet Now!
#3		888 Sports		£50 Free Bets	Bet Now!
#4		TopBet		50% up to $250	Bet Now!

Football Betting has become quite popular, especially as online sports betting sites have taken off starting in the early 2000s. It seems like there are new betting websites starting up on a regular basis, some seem promising, while others don't. With so many sites to choose from, it's important that you choose a site that is safe, trusted, and reliable. Every football betting site that we recommended meets all three of those requirements with ease.

When you play at the best football gambling websites, you get a better all-around experience. The best football betting sites provide their customers with a safe atmosphere, generous deposit bonuses, lucrative rewards programs and fair betting lines. When choosing NFL betting sites and college football betting sites, people often overlook the importance of getting fair lines.

Is Betting on Football Safe?

NFL and college football betting is very safe as long as you choose a trusted and proven online gambling site, which is the only type of sites you will find recommended here. If you follow the online poker world at all, you know how important it is to bet at safe online gambling sites that will payout your winnings and keep your money secure. Fast and reliable payouts are important to everyone, so make sure to stick to the sites suggested on GamblingSites.org.

The only time we wouldn't recommend you bet on NFL or college football games is if you play in the NFL or have anything to do with a college football team. Betting scandals have rocked the leagues before and they surely will again. One of the primary goals of both leagues is to protect the integrity of the game in order to keep their fans happy.

But as long as you're an average Joe who likes to watch football, you can wager at any of these NFL betting sites without a worry in the world. As long as you stick with safe and reputable betting sites, your money will be in good hands and your winnings will be paid promptly. Millions of people around the world use these football betting websites to add excitement to their favorite matchups.

Bonuses at Football Betting Sites

Every NFL and college football betting site that we recommend offers some sort of signup or deposit bonus. BetOnline for example, offers one of the absolute best bonuses available, a 25% instant bonus on every deposit. That means if you deposit $100, you will automatically get $125 to wager with. That bonus money won't be sitting in some bonus account that you can't touch until you wager a certain amount, it's all yours to bet with.

Basically, any site you choose will offer some sort of bonus and most even offer a VIP or comp rewards program. The VIP or comp programs are another way to earn free stuff from your favorite College and NFL football betting sites. This is just another way to earn extra rewards, which is always a plus regardless of whether you've been winning or losing.

The bonuses offered at the best football betting sites will not make or break you as a football bettor, but they definitely help. Every little bit of money that you get in addition to your winnings increases your long term win rate. So when you sign up at any football gambling site, make sure you make your first deposit count.

Football Betting History

The history of football betting in the United States dates back as far as the sport itself. Americans have never shied away from taking risks and gambling is no exception. For as long as there has been football, there have been people betting money on the game.

The early days of football betting were a far cry from today's sophisticated football betting industry. In the early years, football betting was a local hobby in which football fans met with local bookies, placed their bets and hoped to get paid. This started an entire underground betting industry that was not always the most peaceful industry to be involved in.

Betting on football was a popular hobby, but it also carried certain risks. Local bookies had no legal means to enforce payments on losing bets. They just had to hope their bettors were good for their word. Bookies who didn't get paid often had to resort to intimidation, violence and blackmail. This tarnished the reputation of football betting, but it didn't stop millions of people from participating.

The United States quickly outlawed football betting but that too did little to stop people from betting. The demand for football betting was just too great. Eventually, betting on the sport was banned across the country. Only one city in the entire country managed to escape the criminalization of sports betting: Las Vegas.

Las Vegas thrived as the king of football betting for a long time. Even today, Las Vegas processes billions of dollars' worth of football wagers every year. In more recent times, the internet has become a second mecca for football gambling. Hundreds of football betting sites are now open for business. Nobody knows exactly how much money is made in the online football betting industry, but it is estimated to be in the billions every year. For a full list of US accepting betting sites, make sure to take a look at our US gambling websites section.

Betting Temptation

The NFL has been firmly against sports betting since the beginning. One of the greatest fears of the NFL is the temptation for players, coaches and league officials to place bets on games in which they can control the outcome. The organization places the integrity of its games above all else.

The NFL has managed to avoid major betting scandals so far. There are rumors that early NFL games were the target of point shaving schemes, but nothing was ever proven. Although it's entirely possible that some betting takes place in the NFL, the league has done a pretty good job at keeping a clean house.

You only have to look at the NBA to see how harmful betting scandals can be. As recently as 2007, a referee in the NBA was charged with placing wagers on the outcomes of games that he officiated. It doesn't take much of a leap to imagine how this particular referee could have affected the outcome of an unknown number of NBA games.

NCAA Football Betting History

College football has long been associated with sports betting as well. The popularity of college football and the number of games that take place every year make it an attractive league for sports betting. Just like the NFL, the NCAA takes a strong stance against gambling.

NCAA football has managed to keep its nose relatively clean as well. The most noteworthy NCAA betting scandal occurred in 1996 when Boston College football coach Dan Henning reported that some of his players were betting against their own team. This resulted in 13 players being suspended for the rest of the season, including six who were banned for life.

College football betting websites will accept wagers from anyone over 18, so the NCAA assumes full responsibility for keeping its players and staff clean. We personally have nothing against the best college football betting sites, but we definitely understand the position of the NCAA in this aspect. Let the fans gamble on football all they want, but keep the players, coaches and refs out of it.

Ready to Bet on NFL Football?

If you are ready to give online football betting a try, we highly suggest trying the sites mentioned at the top of this page. They are all excellent College and NFL football betting sites and have been around for a quite a while to prove their reliability. And if you happen to enjoy casino games, online poker, or even horse race betting, you will be right at home as these websites offer a variety of other online gambling options.