As the top sports betting niche in North America, it seems like everyday a new system is being created to handicap the NFL. Since the merger in 1970, there has been a plethora of bookie software statistics created for fans new and sharper to utilize, in order to hold an edge of the sportsbooks. However, as luck would have it, the sportsbook always ends up on top. Nevertheless, here is a guide to some of the best stats to handicap football with.

Average yards per attempt, is a major stat used by plenty of bettors. As the name suggests, the stat analyzes a players value based on how many yards they can put up on average per offensive attempt. Meaning to say, if a team’s offense is based specifically around the run game, you may take this stat into account when looking at both the offense and defense. For example, if Adrian Peterson averages five and a half yards per attempt, and the Buffalo Bills defense limits the rush to three and a half yards per attempt, you may want to lay your money with the Bills instead of Peterson’s Vikings.

Another major stat used is called the first half scoring trend. In this scenario, you are looking at which NFL teams provide the most average value for scoring in the first half. While plenty of good team’s start off strong, others notoriously start slow, and enjoy playing catch up before coming away with a victory. A great team, will establish itself early, and go for the crushing blow to start off the second half. For this reason, you may need to handicap a string of games, prior to fully assessing which team is the best at scoring first half points.

Week 14 of the sports betting season was marked by crazy occurrences on the gridiron. Whether you were a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals or Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears, chances are you thought you were being punished for not doing enough good deeds this year. Here is a bookie software examination of the top stories in the NFL this weekend.

The Denver Broncos continue to amaze fans and bookies alike, as they have now gone seven and one under Tim Tebow as starting quarterback. Yesterday, the Broncos managed to win the game on a come from behind drive, thanks to Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber. Barber, who was in for the injured Matt Forte, misplayed the football on two very important possessions, which in turn allowed the Broncos to not only tie the game but also win it all together. Add that victory to the Oakland Raiders getting destroyed by the Green Bay Packers, and NFL fans are now thinking the Broncos could in fact win the Super Bowl this season.

Another big story of the week, took place in a game that most likely nobody was watching. That game? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bucs jumped out to an early 14 to nothing lead, and looked to put the pedal to the medal in a statement win against Jacksonville. Instead, the Bucs defense fell apart, as the Jaguars scored 41 unanswered points to lay the licking the Bucs intended to give them. While Jacksonville does not stand a chance at making the playoffs, the victory allows them to raise their overall average points a game total from 12.5 to 21.

The third biggest story was the play calling of New York Giants Coach Tom Coughlin. In the dying seconds of the game, Coughlin called a game saving time out to prevent the Dallas Cowboys from winning the game. As a result, when play resumed, the Cowboys had their field goal blocked, thus giving the Giants a division-leading win.

The Indianapolis Colts are having the season from hell as NFL betting lines enthusiast have made more money on the team in the first 12 weeks of this season, then they did in the 14 years prior. With only five games left, the Colts could become the second team in the last three years to lose all 16 games of the bookie software season. Still, that would not be as bad as the news we’ll be discussing during this column.

After a disheartening loss to the Carolina Panthers to move the Indianapolis Colts to 11 losses on the season, news broke out late last night, that Peyton Manning has a better then 50 percent chance of retiring due to complications with his neck injury. The aforementioned neck injury has literally kept Manning out for the entire season, and has translated to some of the most embarrassing football Colts fans have ever seen.

Indianapolis is currently on their third quarterback of the season, as management never elected to pickup a possible starter. To be blunt, it is hard to believe that with Peyton Manning out, the Colts would not have taken a flyer on Vince Young this offseason. The oft-criticized quarterback is a career 30 – 17 as a starter. Meaning to say, with the well-documented struggles of the Colts this season and the possibility of an NFL lottery pick, the Colts should have prepared better.

Then again, having Andrew Luck from Stanford takeover for Peyton Manning wouldn’t be such as bad thing would it? While reports surface that Manning may retire, the truth is that as a competitor and former iron man in terms of games played, Manning will most likely be back next season. As a result, fans and media alike can chalk this season up to being an anomaly.

With week 10 of the 2011 NFL season coming to a close tonight, it is time to look ahead to week 11. As the season winds down to the end, there is just as big of a fan base for the last place team as there is for the first place team. Essentially, the former’s fans believe that their team’s suffering will culminate in a much needed top draft pick. For this reason, we’ll be looking at a couple of games that may not be on people’s radar’s this weekend.

Jacksonville Jaguars v Cleveland Browns – If there was ever a game that won’t have much sports betting action on it, this is it. Both Jacksonville and Cleveland have been awful this season, as neither team has scored over 30 points in a single contest. In fact, you could make the argument, that if Jacksonville had no run game and Cleveland didn’t have Colt McCoy as their quarterback, both teams may be searching for a win this season. Cleveland has been in some absolute bookie software stinkers this season, losing nine to six a couple of weeks ago, and 13 – 12 this past weekend. Look for Jacksonville to pull off the win, as they are the best of the bottom feeders.

Carolina Panthers v Detroit Lions – The Lions started hot this season, but now they are lucky if they finish the season with a 500 record. Meanwhile, Carolina, despite not having much success this year, are chomping at the bit to play the Lions, as Cam Newton will be taking on former teammate Nick Fairly. Newton’s struggled as the season has progressed; yet fans and media still believe he deserves the rookie of the year award. In a game against Detroit, Carolina may have difficulty even getting the ball past their own 20-yard line.