NFL Betting Tips: NFL Injury Reports For Sports Betting
Where there are contact sports, there are injuries. This could not be more applicable than in a sport such as NFL football, where more than 1,000 injuries with varying degrees of severity are reported each season. That is why all 32 teams are required to file weekly NFL injury reports ahead of their upcoming matchups. Teams are expected to report the injuries for players during practices and ahead of each weekly matchup. When wagering on NFL games, these injury reports can serve as a helpful handicapping tool for your overall betting strategy.
You should always be aware of injury issues that may impact the outcome of the games that you are interested in betting on. Bookmakers are certainly aware, as the absence of a key player will certainly cause the book to move the line for that particular matchup. As a sports bettor, you want to take every advantage you can over the house and using the NFL injury report for sports betting can help give you an edge.
There may have been changes to the policy over the years, but learning how to read and use NFL injury reports for sports betting is simple. We will break down the terms used in the report before discussing how to apply the information to your betting strategy. With the information we provide, you should be able to implement NFL injury reports into your regular routine for New York sports betting.
When using NFL injury reports for sports betting, you will first need to understand exactly how to read it. These reports were first implemented in 1947 by then-Commissioner Bert Bell. The NFL injury reports of this era were quite different than the reports of today, with not nearly as much information as they include today. This is good news for sports bettors, as using the information helps with handicapping.
The current NFL Injury Report Policy breaks down the injury report into three sections – the Practice Report, The Game Status report, and the In-Game Injury report. The first two sections are what sports bettors can take advantage of, with a player’s game status being most important. The designations for injured players for the practice portion are as follows:
- DNP = Did not participate in practice
- LP = Limited Participation in Practice - Less than 100% of a player's normal repetitions
- FP = Full Participation - 100% of a player's normal repetitions
Teams must issue their Game Status report to their opponent, fans, the league, and media by 4:00 PM ET the day before their next game. This is the most important update to the injury report as we can theoretically (you’ll understand this word choice later) get a description of the injuries for each player and learn who will participate in the team’s next matchup. The designations are as follows:
- Out – Will not play
- Doubtful – Unlikely to play
- Questionable – Uncertain if player will play
One common mistake when using NFL injury reports for sports betting is only paying attention to key players. This can be dangerous for two reasons; for one, the betting public will generally start to bet in one direction if say, the star QB for the Giants, is listed on the injury report. A smart bettor will do further research on the nature of the injury to determine if it will actually be impactful, rather than just settling for the shock value. This can be an excellent opportunity to bet on the game as if the player were not injured, allowing you to take advantage of a better price due to the betting public shifting the line.
It’s obvious that most bettors will be looking for skill positions when using NFL injury reports for sports betting, but that is not nearly as beneficial as researching other positions. The general betting public may not realize how the quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers work in conjunction with non-marquee positions. You can look into injuries for a starting right tackle, or a run-stopping veteran defensive end. These impacts can often be greater than just losing the star quarterback.
Recent NFL seasons have also shown the importance of having depth at all positions. Second string injuries are not likely to get as much attention from the average bettor. When using NFL injury reports for sports betting, always take a look at the bench and consider how a team utilizes their backups. If a player that contributes heavily to the offense or defense is out, you can use this to your advantage.
NFL injury reports are meant to provide transparency in terms of every player’s availability, however, it is no secret that this is not always the case. Some coaches are notorious for listing numerous players on their injury reports, including every little ding or bruise that a player has. Others avoid using the injury reports as much as possible, only listing players with serious injuries. Some coaches will post misleading information, such as a back injury versus a shoulder injury so that the particular area will not be targeted by opponents.
Teams realize not to put too much stock into these reports, and so should you when using NFL injury reports for sports betting. You should always use them to gain insight, but the reports should be used as a small piece of your overall betting strategy rather than the only tool. Use NFL injury reports as a guide, paired with other resources. Looking at the practice report throughout the week can be quite telling. For example, in some cases, a player that has missed three practices but is listed as ‘Doubtful’ on the injury report may have greater chances of missing the actual game. BettingNewYork.com knows this, however, is not a rule, as it’s common for veterans to miss practice but still suit up come game day.
Using NFL injury reports for sports betting is all about taking the information with a grain of salt. Looking at the injury report along with other handicapping tools such as researching stats and shopping lines are all part of a smart sports betting strategy.