Simple Football Betting
Most football bettors are willing to go beyond the norm when it comes to statistics that are used when making a football wager. We calculate yards per point, yards per pass attempt, points per 100 yards and numerous other statistics we believe will give us an advantage over our fellow bettor.
But as the saying goes, sometimes it's better to just "Keep It Simple Stupid," as one of the best long-term handicapping indicators takes just a few seconds per week to figure out and that is simply points scored.
Over the past six seasons, the five highest-scoring teams have amassed a 279-186 record against the point spread (ties excluded), while the five lowest-scoring teams have gone just 202-265 against the number.
Even though the low-scoring teams receive plenty of points from the oddsmakers and the high-scoring teams are generally asked to lay quite a bit of chalk, history has shown that teams aren't penalized enough for offensive ineptitude or offensive excellence.
While there's no guarantee that the highest-scoring teams will continue to cover the spread at a rate of 60 percent or the lowest-scoring teams will keep covering the number at a paltry 43 percent ratio, it is something to keep an eye on in the 2009 season.
