The beginning of any professional sports season is a big deal – storylines are established, expectations are high, and fan participation is at its peak. For the National Football League, the most popular of all American pro sports, the start of a new season means big business and lots of media attention.
This year, opening night of the 2014 NFL season drew in an estimated 28 million TV viewers in the USA alone. Popularity like that among the general public means an equivalent interest in wagering on the sport. Betting on the NFL is popular for other reasons – the limited number of games each team plays per season, the large amount of time between games, the vast amount of statistical data making the games easier to handicap – but the sport’s popularity across all social strata in America is a big contributor to the large amount of action on NFL bets.
From die-hard Dallas Cowboys fans laying down $50 a week in hopes that Tony Romo won’t implode to more professional bettors that study rosters and stats year-round, NFL betting is a pastime enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Thanks to the widespread use of smartphones, betting apps designed to help NFL fans place smart bets are commonplace. Whatever a bettor’s bankroll, whether they are a total amateur or a professional punter, using these (often totally free) apps is a convenient way to increase football IQ.
Here are details on the best apps related to pro football betting.
BEST NFL SPORTSBOOK APP - WWW.BOVADA.LV
This year, opening night of the 2014 NFL season drew in an estimated 28 million TV viewers in the USA alone. Popularity like that among the general public means an equivalent interest in wagering on the sport. Betting on the NFL is popular for other reasons – the limited number of games each team plays per season, the large amount of time between games, the vast amount of statistical data making the games easier to handicap – but the sport’s popularity across all social strata in America is a big contributor to the large amount of action on NFL bets.
From die-hard Dallas Cowboys fans laying down $50 a week in hopes that Tony Romo won’t implode to more professional bettors that study rosters and stats year-round, NFL betting is a pastime enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Thanks to the widespread use of smartphones, betting apps designed to help NFL fans place smart bets are commonplace. Whatever a bettor’s bankroll, whether they are a total amateur or a professional punter, using these (often totally free) apps is a convenient way to increase football IQ.
Here are details on the best apps related to pro football betting.
BEST NFL SPORTSBOOK APP - WWW.BOVADA.LV
Bovada (known as Bodog in Canada) are an online bookmaker that welcome sports bettors from the United States. They have designed their betting app so that it is compatible with iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy and HTC One. The app can be installed through the browser of any tablet or smartphone. As you might expect from a U.S. facing sportsbook, a strong focus is put on baseball, basketball, hockey and NFL football. Their mobile app offers live play by play betting, plus lines on NFL first halves, halftimes, quarter lines, player props and team props. A wide variety of betting types are available via the app, including props, futures, parlays and teasers. Create a new account with Bovada and you will receive a 50% free instant bet up to $250 when you make your first deposit. Bet every week on the NFL season and get an additional $250 in cash. >> Read Bovada App Review |
Social betting is a new buzzword in online gaming – at the intersection of professional sports and social media, social betting allows real-money wagers among friends rather than against a centralized house or book. New social gambling applications are popping up all the time, but as of this writing the best of the field is SideDraft. Released by Blue Ox, SideDraft is actually the company’s second piece of gambling-related software. The first, called SideBets, was a more generalized social gambling application, allowing wagers-by-game between friends. SideDraft for iPhone & iPad combines elements of fantasy football with a real-money wagering system. Essentially, players have a fantasy draft (and compete against a different opponent) each week of the NFL regular season. Though SideDraft is in its infancy, the popularity of fantasy sports and social wagers could make this an exciting new way to combine sports gambling with sports fandom. Bettors who already spend all week puzzling over whether to start Russell Wilson or RG3 in their fantasy leagues can combine the two hobbies and potentially earn a little cash at the same time. |
For an example of what a good betting tip application can look like, check out OLBG. This free app is not dedicated exclusively to the NFL, covering sports from all over the world. OLBG’s app lists upcoming NFL games, the relevant odds offered, and (the most important part for pro football bettors) tips from contributors to the site, along with a brief description of why they made their pick. The app even utilizes geo location to display relevant betting tips if you are attending a sporting event. OLBG started out as a traditional forum for sports bettors looking for tips. The new free app does not give users access to the forum itself, but to the matches, odds, and tips. Filters on the app allow users to search by a game’s popularity, by the time it begins, or browse through the special "Hot Tip" section for hot tips on upcoming contests. The OLBG tipping apps is available for download from both the iTunes App Store and Google Play. |
The most basic weapon in an NFL bettor’s arsenal is a solid app that delivers news, statistics, game results, and other updates. If handicapping is all about knowledge, finding an app that can deliver hard data on player performance, roster updates, and league news will make the task more convenient. The NFL is an injury-plagued league, so if for no other reason than to keep up with injury reports, downloading an NFL-specific app that delivers this information is important. The official NFL Mobile app is one of the best in the world for NFL fans. It highlights breaking league news, helps track stats on an individual or team basis, and streams videos and interviews from around the NFL. Users can set push notifications on their favorite athlete, to track how many yards Arian Foster is putting up this week, or track the number of passes thrown by the Denver Broncos’ offense, for example. In-app purchases allow users to watch games live on their phones. The app is free to download for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry. |
HONOURABLE MENTION - SIRI FOR APPLE iPHONE
Siri may be the least-known NFL wagering assistant simply because the program is ever-present. Many fans don’t think about it, but simply asking the Siri program questions about the day’s NFL activity can sometimes lead to surprisingly good – and fast – results. Millions of sports bettors have this tool in their hand and never realize it.
Through Siri, bettors can find out more about player stats, the various betting odds on upcoming games, game schedules and times, even weather reports. All of this data is essential to a smart betting program, and all of it is available free to iOS customers.
The market for gambling-related applications is growing, thanks to increased ownership of mobile technology as well as other X-factors, like the burgeoning social gaming market. As more customers enter the mobile betting market, expect more apps that exit solely to assist punters in their NFL betting hobby.
Siri may be the least-known NFL wagering assistant simply because the program is ever-present. Many fans don’t think about it, but simply asking the Siri program questions about the day’s NFL activity can sometimes lead to surprisingly good – and fast – results. Millions of sports bettors have this tool in their hand and never realize it.
Through Siri, bettors can find out more about player stats, the various betting odds on upcoming games, game schedules and times, even weather reports. All of this data is essential to a smart betting program, and all of it is available free to iOS customers.
The market for gambling-related applications is growing, thanks to increased ownership of mobile technology as well as other X-factors, like the burgeoning social gaming market. As more customers enter the mobile betting market, expect more apps that exit solely to assist punters in their NFL betting hobby.