Playing the Percentages in Football Odds. In football odds try keeping your percentage small, a losing streak can wipe out a bankroll if you are betting odds NFL with 10% of your bankroll. Football can definitely be wagered on more successfully if you are willing to play the percentages. What exactly does playing the percentages mean in terms of odds NFL? Let’s see. Football lines are just like other sports betting odds. If you want to make a profit and stay in the game you really must control your bankroll. That means playing only a certain percentage of it on your plays. A gambler that is wagering against the football should only wager two percent of his total gambling bankroll on each one of his individual football picks.