By Dave Schwab

Both the NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing and while they present a great opportunity for independent sports bookmakers to bring in some added daily action, there is still some money to be made on the NFL right now with this month’s draft right around the corner.

Sports bettors love to bet on anything when it has to do with the nation’s most popular league and you could be missing out on some added profits if you are not building out your betting board with any number of NFL Draft futures and props. With the help of your Pay Per Head site, you should already be taking advantage of this once a year event with a full complement of betting options. Your price per head bookie software solutions should be able to give you quick and easy access to a wide array of betting lines for anything going on in the world of sports, including futures odds and betting props for the 2017 NFL Draft.

This year’s event is scheduled for April 27-29 in Philadelphia and there are already a number of storylines and subplots that could make Thursday’s opening round one of the most dramatic in recent memory. When the Cleveland Browns do go on the clock in that first round, almost anything can happen given that there is no clear-cut player singled-out as the consensus top overall pick.

Most draft gurus have the Browns taking Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett with that first pick, but you have to still keep in mind that it is Cleveland on the clock. This could open the door to some last minute trades with the Browns looking to move out of that top spot. There are bound to be some more twists and turns as the night wears on leading into the other rounds on Friday night and Saturday.

What this all means for you as a private bookie is that now is the time to get together with your Pay Per Head provider to put together a betting game plan for this year’s draft. The more options the better when it comes to betting opportunities and you should not hesitate to think outside the box when it comes to marketing this unique event to your entire sports betting customer base.

Your goal as an independent sports bookmaker is to constantly level the playing field with the big offshore sportsbooks operating online. Many of these online sports betting outlets have already posted a wide selection of NFL Draft futures and props and you would never want to give even one of your betting customers a reason to go elsewhere to place their bets.

Adding a wide selection of draft futures and props to your betting board can also create a marketing opportunity to attract a few new bettors to the fold. Establishing your bookie business as the place to bet on the NFL Draft can pay some big dividends down the road when these same customers start betting the NFL games on a regular basis.

Nothing is bigger than the NFL when it comes to betting on sports and with the way that the offseason is covered these days on national networks such as ESPN and the NFL Network, it remains front and center with both bettors and fans even though the first game of the new season is still over four months away. Once the draft is over, you will have the opportunity to start adding some 2017 regular season futures and props to the mix such as win total odds and individual player props. The NFL Draft is a perfect way to get things rolling all the way to opening day in early September.