Betting on American Football in the United Kingdom

Overview of American football rules

As a sport, American football can be swiftly separated into two main gambling categories. When you start to look at some of the many bets that are offered by British bookmakers, you will be able to see both professional leagues and college leagues that you can place bets on. There are quite literally dozens of teams for you to choose from, as American football is one of the most popular sports in North America, far surpassing the likes of basketball and ice hockey.

When it comes to American football, gaining points isn’t always the most important thing that a team has to do. Gaining territory whilst still being able to defend your own territory is something that every player has to consider. When a team has enough territory, scoring a touchdown or a field goal and gaining points for doing so becomes easier.

The team dynamic 

With the National Football League (NFL), each team is only allowed a maximum of 53 players. Naturally, things would be manic if all of these players were on the field at once, so only 11 different players are allowed on the field at any one given time. In a team, there are several different units, they include: 

Defence 

You might think that a team’s offensive team is the most important, but their defensive team has to be of a skill level that perfectly complements the offensive. Otherwise, the team simply won’t work well together. 

If the other team has possession of the ball, then defensive techniques need to be used, and players who specialise in them are the most proficient at using them properly. Some of the most important defensive positions include: 

• Defensive linemen

Defensive linemen are very different from offensive linemen in that they have to try and remove the ball from the other team’s Quarterback before he has the chance to throw it to a Receiver or pass it to a Running Back. This involves running around any tackles that are thrown into the ring by the offensive team. 

• Linebackers

Linebackers are quite unique because they don’t have one specific job. The Linebackers on a team can use their actions to support the linemen, but they are also able to react to the actions of Running Backs and Receivers to support their team. The ways in which they react often depends on the specific play that is in progress. 

Offence

Among the 53 players that can make up an American football team, there will be a number of players who specialise in offensive manoeuvers. This mini-team is in charge of carrying the ball towards the opponent’s end zone, where points can be scored. Just like with rugby, you will see an offensive team throwing the ball between players to try to carry it further. Some of the main offensive positions that you need to be aware of to place smart bets include: 

• Quarterback

Perhaps the only member of an American football team that most British people who don’t even follow the sport will have heard of, the Quarterback is quite literally the leader on the field. His job is to throw the ball to players who are receiving it, or to hand it off to running backs.

• Offensive Linemen 

Naturally, the Quarterback needs to be protected, and that task is seamlessly handled by a team of Offensive Linemen. They provide blocking and protect both their Quarterback and their Running Backs.

• Receivers

The Quarterback has to try to pass the ball to his Receivers. They then have to run to catch the balls that are thrown by the Quarterback and they can either specialise in catching long shots or short ones. You can usually tell which someone specialises in based on their position on the field.

• Running Backs

The other team members who are protected by the Offensive Linemen, the Running Backs have to take the ball from the Quarterback and sprint up the field with it. If you have ever seen a video of an American football player sprinting down the field with a ball, then you have more than likely seen a Running Back in action. 

It’s easy to see how all of these offensive players can work together as a tactical unit, gaining territory and improving their chances of scoring points as they do.

Special teams

American football is more often than not referred to by British people by its lack of actual foot contact, but a whole special team exists to handle a scenario where the football does need to be kicked. This team includes:

• Placekicker

The Placekicker has one of the most important jobs on the field, as their job is to score points by kicking the ball through the goalposts. They also have to kick the ball to the other team after points have been scored, and the way that they do this can really make or break what happens immediately after.

• Punter 

Naturally, sometimes the football can get stuck during an American football match and a team can find it difficult to gain territory and carry it further down the field. In this scenario, a Punter might kick the ball, but this will be a free-kick and where it lands could be questionable. 

• Returner 

Returners can kick footballs incredibly far, so it is only natural that someone is on the field who can then return the ball to where it needs to be. If a Returner plays his cards right, then a player can score a touchdown on the same turn.

Gambling and the team dynamic

Understanding the team dynamic that is involved in American football is incredibly important because you need to be able to research the different players and some of the different plays that teams are known for. This way, you can use your research to try and place bets that have been carefully considered.  You can learn more about betting on American football in the next section.

Conclusion

There you have it, with a thorough understanding of American football and the types of bets that you could potentially place, you are ready to go and start betting on the legendary sport. Make sure that you enjoy yourself, and perhaps take a look at college divisions if you ever grow tired of betting on the NFL.