When you make NFL picks for pools, online betting, or other methods, you may often feel drawn to the home team advantage. Home teams will often have the crowds on their side and are used to playing in specific stadiums. Despite some of the preconceived advantages, NFL home teams do not have a guaranteed win when they play.

When you use free NFL picks and expert NFL picks to make game-time decisions, you will see that the home field isn't always the factor. Check out some of the reasons why a home team wouldn't always get a big advantage.

1. Large Tourist Areas

A majority of NFL teams are located in major cities, but some of those cities are bigger tourist attractions than others. For example, the city of Las Vegas is host to the Raiders, but the area is home to millions of visitors each year. NFL fans may pick up tickets to see a game there while on vacation. They may root for the Raiders or a team they like from their home state.

The same applies to other big city teams like the Dallas Cowboys or Miami Dolphins. In the huge tourist areas, crowds may seem more mixed and do not provide the home team with a crowd noise advantage.

2. Close Team Match-Ups

The proximity of other teams could impact the crowds who attend games as well. For example, the New York Giants and New York Jets actually share the same stadium, so fans may include a mix of different options as opposed to one solid fanbase for the team. The same applies to Los Angeles as the Rams and Chargers both play in the same city.

Teams will also play close to each other in the same state. For example, if you attend a Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys game, the crowd could have a mixed selection of fans who root for either side.

3. Recent Performance Factors

Even if a team has a rabid and dedicated fan base like the Green Bay Packers home crowd, the recent performance of the team comes into play. When you read through expert NFL picks, you will gain some insight into how the team has performed lately. In some cases, a lack of talent or a lot of injuries could lead to poor performance.

Reading in-depth news about teams can help you gain insight into whether a team will win or not.

With these reasons in mind, do not always assume the home team will have an advantage in the NFL. Make your picks wisely and do a little research into the match-ups. 

For more information, contact a company that offers free NFL picks.