Best Teams to Cover the Spread in the NFL

With the NFL season in full swing, the football betting landscape is just as popular if not more popular, than last year. Last season alone, conservative estimates said that there was an estimated $350 million per week in handle for NFL wagers in the United States. This season has experts believing that the total handle number could be even higher with more states allowing legal sports betting, both at brick-and-mortar casinos as well as online. The NFL continues to be the number one sport in terms of overall betting action, with just about half of all sports betting wagers on professional football.

A Point Spread Bet

One of the most popular wager types for betting on the NFL is the point spread. Also known as just the “spread,” the point spread is a wager that makes sure that there is action on both sides of the game by handicapping the underdog.

For a reminder, the underdog is the team that is expected to lose the game, while the favorite is the team that is expected to win the game. It’s important to know what teams perform well or perform poorly against the spread to help you make a wager.

Best NFL Point Spread Teams For Last Season

• Dallas Cowboys: Not only did the Cowboys have the best record in the NFC East, but they also had the best win percentage against the spread compared to any other team in the NFL for the 2021 season. They had a winning percentage of 72.2% against the spread with a record of 13-5. While it is true that the better teams in the NFL going against the spread struggled in the previous year, the opposite as well is also true. The teams that have an issue with covering their games in one year usually are able to come back stronger in the next year. The Cowboys went this exact way, from a 31.2% or 5-11 against the spread in 2020 versus the 13-5 record in 2021. 
• Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals threw everyone for a loop during the 2021 season. The surprise team of the year by far, they ended up going 14-7 against the spread, which was good for a 66.7% winning percentage for the year. They also ended up going 10-7 in the regular season, which was good enough to win the AFC North. Their record against the spread was up considerably from last year as well as they’ve struggled for quite a while. One would imagine that the Bengals' luck will halt this year, going against the spread as they were so close to winning the Super Bowl last year. They look to be a team on the rise, which isn’t always good when it comes to going against the spread. 
• Green Bay Packers: Like the Bengals, the Packers also finished with a 66.7% winning percentage against the spread with a record of 12-6. While most good teams struggle against the spread in the following year, the Packers are the exception. In fact, the Packers have gone three straight seasons with winning seasons going against the spread, despite the fact that they are also a top-tier team in the league. They had a lot of success against the spread at Lambeau Field, the Packers’ stadium. At home, the Packers were 8-1 at home against the spread, a league-best. This year could be different as the Packers have continued to solidify themselves as a top team. However, many believe that the end is near for Aaron Rodgers, which could affect the Packers’ against-the-spread record.