Building the Perfect NFL Sportsbook

If you could build the perfect NFL sportsbook, what would you include? James Bisson is here to share his thoughts on the betting features players shouldn't do without.
Reduced Juice Sportsbooks
Enjoying SBR content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account Add as a preferred source on Google

If you're an NFL fan, you've almost certainly discussed or thought about what goes into building the perfect football player. James Bisson has taken this idea and super-charged it for the sports betting space, taking the top components of each of the best sportsbooks to build the ideal sports betting site for NFL customers.

Just as we lament the fact that the perfect NFL athlete doesn't exist (sorry, Justin Jefferson fans), we can only dream about what perfect NFL betting sites would look like.

Still, dreaming is fun, isn't it? And while we can't get everything we want in one place, there's no limit to how many sportsbooks you can download and use (other than being restricted to betting sites that operate in your state).

Consider this article a guide to which sportsbooks offer the best-in-class experiences based on your list of NFL betting preferences – and a compelling reason why you should definitely use multiple sportsbooks this football season.

The perfect NFL sportsbook

NFL betting layout: bet365

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose*

*Deposit required. Mobile app only. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. New customers only. 21+ Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Referral Codes are used for marketing/tracking purposes only.

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

Many bettors build their list of the best sports betting sites primarily on the interface – and this is where bet365 has a decided advantage over the competition.

No sportsbook does a better job of laying out its exhaustive list of betting markets – a fact that is clearly a source of pride for this global behemoth. Whether you prefer to have all of your NFL betting markets presented in one place, or you favor dropdown menus, bet365 has exactly what you're looking for – making it easy to find your desired bets in a hurry.

DraftKings and FanDuel have strong user interfaces and are also easy to navigate, but there can be only one sportsbook worthy of our perfect iteration – and bet365 is it.

Editor's note: Legal sports betting is coming soon to Kentucky – but you can pre-register now! Check out the best sites for Kentucky sports betting and the best Kentucky sportsbook promos! 21+ and present in KY. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Futures odds: FanDuel

I took a deep dive into the best betting sites for NFL futures odds, and discovered that FanDuel is the winner here (if only by the slimmest of margins over DraftKings).

You'll find that FanDuel has the most consistently solid futures offerings, though it remains to be seen whether that trend will continue once the games start. And while other books might have the "best odds" more often, if FanDuel is the only sportsbook you use, you're getting the best value of any of the major sports betting sites.

Finding a sportsbook that gives you the best payouts for hitting some of the most difficult bets is a definite plus – and it's no surprise that a book as well-respected as FanDuel is the top option here. That said, DraftKings is a worthy No. 2 and is actually stronger in several futures markets.

NFL live streaming: Caesars

Up To $250 Bet Match

New users only. Must use promo code. Min. $10 deposit. Max. bonus is one (1) $250 Bonus Bet. Unused Bonus Bets expire in 30 days. Void where prohibited. Full terms.    

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

The luxury of being able to watch an NFL game you've bet on directly in your sports betting app is the dream of nearly all football bettors – and Caesars has made it a reality.

Caesars allows bettors (under certain conditions) to stream select regular-season and playoff games on the app itself, creating the kind of all-in-one betting and viewing experience that will likely become the norm across all sportsbooks and professional leagues.

In order to use the "Watch and Bet" feature, bettors must have placed at least one wager in the previous 10 months and must have a minimum of $0.10 in their account. The requirements aren't restrictive at all, especially given the players most likely to avail themselves of this feature.

Sportsbooks that boast proprietary features have a massive edge over their competitors – and Caesars being one of the few sports betting sites to boast NFL live streaming is reason enough to have this as one of the best sports betting sites in your collection.

Unique betting markets: DraftKings

Screen Shot 2023 09 05 at 4.36.50 Pm
DraftKings "History" specials menu

Market variety is one of the most appealing qualities of any sportsbook – and when it comes to NFL betting, you'll have a hard time finding a stronger offering than DraftKings'.

In addition to covering all of the major futures and standard single-game markets, DK provides these NFL betting opportunities (and this is only a partial list):

  • A dozen "Team Specials" markets per NFL franchise, with most centered around player or team milestones (with the odd two-outcome parlay thrown in, of course)
  • Division-specific leaderboards (for example, which player will finish with the most receiving yards in the NFC East, or who will lead the AFC South in passing touchdowns)
  • A section titled "Will History Repeat Itself?", in which bettors can wager on whether some of the more incredible (Travis Kelce's 4 receiving TDs in a game) or bizarre happenings (Derrick Henry's passing touchdown) from the 2022 season will occur again in 2023.
  • A collection of markets labeled "Dominance", in which notable players are given odds on how they'll fare vs. division rivals (for example, Jalen Hurts' total TDs vs. Washington)

The level of creativity behind DraftKings' NFL markets is commendable, and should keep bettors of all skill and interest levels captivated throughout the season.

Reduced juice: FanDuel

Bet $5, Win $250 in Bonus Bets

New customers only. Min. first deposit and wager of $5+. Bonus bets are awarded within 72 hours of winning your first wager. T&Cs apply. OR a $2,500 VIP First Bet Offer.

Each product featured on our website has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

It's great to see FanDuel not resting on its considerable laurels.

As the No. 1 sportsbook in North America, FD doesn't necessarily need to provide the best NFL odds in the industry – and yet, it provides enough of an edge over DraftKings in terms of reduced juice on props and live odds to gain that pivotal extra star in our ratings.

Granted, the range of vig on FanDuel's immense number of prop markets is wide – anywhere from 16 to 28 cents on most plays – but depending on which markets you favor, you can actually find plays with lower vig than the much more popular standard markets, which is impressive.

FanDuel's general popularity is reason enough to sign up for this sportsbook – but knowing that you're also getting some of the best prop and live betting prices is a great incentive, too.

Other categories

  • Microbetting: DraftKings, Caesars
  • Parlay options: FanDuel
  • Boosted odds: Caesars
  • In-season bonuses/promos: bet365
  • App reliability: BetMGM

Here are our best NFL betting sites:

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
*
Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Related pages