Football is not only the most popular sport in the world among common fans, but also among the worldwide betting public. Similarly, American Football is both the most popular sports in the U.S. and also the most wagered on sport in the country. While the two sports share the same name they are far different sports, and they also come with their own unique betting protocol respectively.
European football is predominantly a moneyline betting sport, meaning the bettor usually places a wager down on who will win the game outright with the payout depending on the odds of the given play. Players also have the option to place wagers on the total score of the match, just like in American football, however, European bettors have the extra option of placing a wager on a Tie. Given that European football games are relatively low scoring and many times closely competitive, a tie is a relatively regular occurrence in the sport. American football does not have ties as a possible wager because their games go into an overtime period with unique rules from the prior periods of the game. While the chance for a tie does still exist, they are extremely rare, only happening once every so years.
In addition to betting the moneyline on an American football game, you can also place a wager on the point spread. The point spread is a handicap applied to the two teams to offset the talent of the two teams. To better illustrate, take for example if the Baltimore Ravens are -6 against the St. Louis Rams. This means that the bookmakers essentially think that the Ravens are 6 points better than the Rams, and should win by that margin. If you were to pick the Ravens, they’d have to win by 7 points in order for you to win your wager, conversely, if you took the Rams +6, they would simply have win or lose by no more than 5. If the Ravens would happen to win by 6 points, the same number as the spread, the wager would then result in a Push and the player would receive his wager back minus the juice fee paid to the bookmaker.
Apart from the more standard wagers on the point totals, moneylines, and point spreads, many sportsbooks also offer various options for prop bets on both sports. These prop bets can range from things like who scores the most goals in a European football match, or who runs for the most yards in an American football game, and everything in between. Sometime the prop bets can be extremely obscure and particular to each game, which only add to the entertainment and options to make some money off of both sports.
Whether you’re a seasoned bettor on the international scene looking for a new sport to wager on, or if you’re new to the betting community, both European football and American football offer great options for wagering and cashing in on each sport, respectively. With the right information and resources on your side, you can take your sports picks to the international level.