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The NFL season is now up and running, and interest in American Football continues to grow at quite a pace in the UK, and across Europe, for that matter. The US league has looked to expand its horizons, and the NFL matches that now take place in England are sold out within minutes, proving that there is a substantial market in the sport outside the United States.
That growing interest is further evidenced by the increase in sums wagered at football betting sites in the UK, where bets are placed throughout the season and reach epic proportions by the time the Super Bowl hones into view.
Last season produced something of a shock when it came to the conclusion of the post-season, with the Los Angeles Rams winning their first Super Bowl in over twenty years and second ever, as they overcame the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20.
The Bengals were themselves chasing their first-ever Super Bowl and had surprised many by overcoming one of the hot favourites, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the AFC Championship game.
Similarly, the Rams beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional play-offs, another shock result, and that led to veteran quarterback Tom Brady announcing his retirement, only to then reverse his decision a matter of weeks later.
Who to Back
Well, neither the Rams nor the Bengals are among the favourites this time around, and the usual suspects lead the chase to win Super Bowl LVII.
The Buffalo Bills are narrowly ahead of the chasing pack, with Sean McDermott’s side looking to make it to the playoffs for the fourth successive season. The Bills have never won a Super Bowl but did reach the title game in four successive years between 1990 and 1993 (losing to the Dallas Cowboys twice as well as the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins).
Once again, a lot will be expected of talented quarterback Josh Allen, and the arrival of linebacker Von Miller will add options to McDermott’s already impressive roster.
Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs are second-favourites with most bookies, and then the likes of the Philadelphia Eagles, Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers and Brady’s Buccaneers make up the five big teams in with a good shot of completing a title-winning campaign.
Where to Watch
Watching the NFL in the UK is a whole lot easier than it used to be. Previously access to televised American Football action was few and far between, but the coverage is now wall-to-wall and easy to find.
Sky Sports has its dedicated NFL Channel, showing live games throughout the season, including Monday and Thursday night football. Channel Five, which has always been a great place to watch US sports, broadcasts a Monday night game live.
ITV also has a highlight show that’s very entertaining and will keep you up to date, which in turn will aid your betting plans.
Where to Bet
When it comes to sports betting in the UK, most of the best brands have expansive options for the NFL. That means great outright markets and a bunch of match-day game-specific bets to help sweeten the entertainment of watching the big game.
Here’s a closer look at the best bookmakers in the UK when it comes to their American Football service.
Boyle Sports – These guys offer a wide range of betting opportunities, and they also run regularly updating promotions every week. Their odds are competitive, and they know their stuff.
Grosvenor Sports – Every NFL game is covered extensively. There are literally hundreds of betting lines per game. They also cover CFL and NCAAF, so that’s an extra bonus for real American Football nuts.
Mr Play – Another great option. Mr Play has a strong NFL market which includes all manner of outright bets from Super Bowl winners to backing the player with the most rushing yards in the regular season.
Best Bets
The Eagles are the hottest team right now, with Nick Sirianni’s side being the only franchise with a 100% record after four games, and they can be backed at a rather tempting 7/1 with BoyleSports, which is a great option to consider.
Another great bet from BoyleSports would be to back Tom Brady to pick up the NFL MVP award, with his current odds of 33/1 simply too good to refuse at this early stage of what is likely to be his last season.
A possible long-shot bet to consider might be to back the Jacksonville Jaguars to win the AFC, which at the beginning of the season would have been unthinkable, but the Trevor Lawrence/Doug Pederson combination has helped to make this a relative possibility.
They are currently leading the AFC South, and you can get odds in the region of 28/1 on the Jaguars winning the AFC Championship.
