NFL Betting For Irish Players 2024

When it comes to where Irish punters can place wagers on NFL games, the list of available options is almost endless. 

Thanks to the advent of online gambling, Irish punters can conveniently bet on their favourite NFL games right from the comfort of their homes or even while on the go. 

This is because there are hundreds of online bookmakers offering NFL betting services to players in Ireland and beyond, and Irish punters are free to play at any of these sites. 

That being said, our team of betting experts has reviewed many of the best sports betting sites that offer NFL betting to Irish punters. 

You will find the relevant information about these bookmakers above.

Monthly NFL Sportsbooks Picks

Understanding American Football

Although American football has been in the sporting arena of Ireland since 1980, not everyone knows what the game is about or how it works. 

And before you can be an expert at NFL betting, you need to understand all the intricacies of the game. So, we will have a quick look at how American football works.

How The Game is Played

American football is a team sport played by two teams of 11 players on a rectangular field of about 120-yard with goalposts on each end. 

All the players chase after an oval-shaped football during the game to gain possession of the ball. The offence (the team with the ball) attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball, while the defence attempt to stop the offence's advance and gain possession of the ball for themselves. 

American football games are usually divided into four quarters, each running for 15 minutes. If the two teams in a match are tied after the fourth quarter, they will play an additional overtime period of 15 minutes. 

The first team that scores during the overtime win. 

The goal of any game is for one team to acquire more points than the opposing team, and the team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Scoring

There are multiple ways to score in American football, including a touchdown, one-point conversion, 2 point conversion, field goal, and safety. 

The table below shows some details about the scoring system.

American Football in Ireland

American football became well known in Ireland when the American Football Ireland (AFI) was established in 1984. This body is responsible for governing American football in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Although American football is only played at the amateur level in Ireland, the sport is pretty popular with many Irish fans.

Popular Tournaments for American Football Betting

Nothing is more significant than the National Football League (NFL) betting when it comes to American football betting. The NFL, which was founded in 1920, has gone through a lot of instability and competition to be the strongest and most popular American professional football league. The league features 32 teams divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). 

The playoffs between the two divisions in this league culminate into the Super Bowl, one of the world's most-watched single sporting events. Aside from the NFL, there are hundreds of other American football leagues in different places across the globe, especially in the United States of America. This also includes collegiate football, which is primarily dominated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) divisions.

Betting Terminologies in NFL Betting

The key to success in NFL betting is knowledge, and to gain this knowledge, you need to know all the intricacies of the sport. This is why it is essential for any NFL betting enthusiast, especially newbies, to get familiar with some of the terminologies they are likely to encounter when betting on NFL games. 

That being said, we will explain some of the most common terms concerning NFL betting.

• Action: refers to a bet or a wager.

• ATS (Against the spread): refers to the results of a game where the point spread is involved.

• Bad beat: refers to a bet that looks like it will win but ends up losing.

• Bankroll: refers to money a punter deposited to their sportsbook account for sports betting.

• Book (Sportsbook): refers to a place/site that books action on sporting events.

• Chalk: refers to a favoured team.

• Cover: refers to when a punter wins the point spread bet.

• Edge: refers to the advantage a punter has before placing a bet.

• Favourite: refers to the team most likely to win the match.

• Futures: refers to bets placed on outcomes that will happen further in the future, like who will win the next Super Bowl.

• Juice: also known as vig, refers to the commission sportsbooks take to book a bet.

• Oddsmaker: refers to those responsible for setting odds based on key statistics and other factors.

• Parlay: refers to a bet that combines multiple games or markets for a higher payout.

• Props: refers to bets on an outcome within a game that is not directly tied to the overall results of the game.

• Push: refers to when there is a tie, and bettors get back their stake.

• Underdog: refers to the team most likely to lose the match.

Understanding NFL Betting Odds

You will agree that a punter that doesn't understand how NFL betting odds works will find it challenging to be successful in NFL betting. Generally, the odds format widely used by bettors in Ireland is fractional odds, and it displays odds in 5/2, 4/1, 9/2, and so on. Fractional odds succinctly express the ratio between the stake and profit of any given market. 

For example, let's say that an NFL matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Cleveland Browns features a 3/1 odds price for the Cowboys. In this case, for every €1 you wager on the market, you will receive €3 in profit. So, if you wager €100 on such a market, you will receive a €400 return (€300 profit plus €100 returned stake).

NFL Betting Explained

As is the case with most sports betting, there are many markets that Irish bettors can access when betting on NFL games. Every minutest aspect of an NFL game between two opposing teams creates betting opportunities for NFL fans, from which team will win the game to how many points will be scored and so many others. Our team of betting experts at Irish Luck has researched what betting on the NFL looks like for punters in Ireland. So, this guide will look at some of the most popular NFL betting markets that Irish bettors can enjoy.

Match Betting

Match betting, also known as money line in certain circles, is a pretty straightforward betting market and one of the easiest to understand when it comes to betting on the NFL. Here, punters will simply wager money on which team they think will win an NFL match outright. Typically, due to the differences in skills and abilities of the two opposing teams in any NFL matchup, these markets usually come with clear favourites and underdogs. 

The favourite team to win will usually come with pretty low odds, which will require a punter to stake a larger sum of money to earn anything worthwhile from the bet. On the other hand, the underdog markets will usually come with pretty high odds, making punters a sizable amount should the underdog win the game.

In this market, the total number of points scored by the teams, which players score the points, and any other details in the game don't matter. What matters is whether or not your pick wins the game.

Point Spreads Betting

Like most high scoring sports betting, NFL betting also uses the point spread, which is also known as handicap betting in many circles. The spread, or line, is a side bet that levels the playing field by giving the underdog and favourite a virtual advantage and disadvantage, respectively. This is one of the most popular types of NFL betting that everyone, from professional bettors, tipsters, and others, uses to determine both teams' winning chances in a match.

Point spread wagering involves handicappers and oddsmakers giving virtual points to the underdog (an advantage) and removing points away from the favourite (disadvantage) before the start of the game. The line offered for any team in a handicap market will be accompanied by a + or – symbol, which will indicate the favourite and underdog teams. For example, let’s say that the Kansas City Chiefs are playing against the San Francisco 49ers for the super bowl, the point spread for the game would look like this:

• Kansas City Chiefs (-10) - 9/10

• San Francisco 49ers (+10) - 9/10

Here the handicap is set at 10. A bet on the Kansas City Chiefs (the favourite) will only win if the Chiefs wins the game by more than 10 points. Should the Chiefs win the game by exactly 10 points, which makes it a handicap tie, wagers will be returned to the punters in a push result. On the other hand, a bet on the San Francisco 49ers (the underdog) will win if the team manages to win, tie, or lose by 10 points or less.

Total Points or Over/Under Bets

As is the case with most sports, the goal of NFL games is to score more points than the opposing team. That being said, the concept of the total points, also known as the Over/Under market, is quite simple. Punters will place wagers on whether the total number of points scored by either team in a game will be over or under the sports betting sites' predetermined number of points. In this market, it doesn't matter who wins the game. For example, let’s say that a sportsbook set the total at 40 points for a matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

A stake on ‘Over’ wins if the combined scores of both teams after the match is 41 or more. Naturally, betting on 'Under' will only win if the total score is 39 or less. However, if the combined score is 50 exactly, this is a 'push', and most sportsbooks will return the stake to punters. Aside from the total points in a game, there are different avenues in the over/under bet markets, including total touchdowns, total points in the first, second, third, and fourth quarter, etc.

NFL Futures Bets

Asides from betting on individual NFL games, Irish punters also have the option of betting on NFL tournaments as a whole. Future bets are precise as they sound, a wager placed on an event that could happen in the future by the end of the NFL season. The most popular NFL future bet available to Irish punters is "Which team will win the Super Bowl". 

In fact, the NFL future odds for the teams in the Super Bowl are usually released within a week after the end of the previous year's championship. Naturally, future bets are not limited to who will end up as the champion. There are many other NFL futures betting opportunities, some of which includes;

• Division of winning team

• Who will be named MVP

• The team with the most regular-season wins

• Defensive player of the year

Future bets are available at most reputable sportsbooks, but some have a limited selection of open markets for future betting.

Prop Bets

Prop betting is one of the most essential parts of NFL American football betting. This is because punters can generate action and bet on almost anything these days, from how many yards a particular QB will throw to which team will score first and everything in between. All bets like these are called "props" or "proposition bets". Generally, there are two major types of props bets: player props and game props.

Player Props Betting

Players prop bets are markets that directly relate to a player's performance during a match. Player props are pretty popular because they allow punters to bet on specific players and how they will perform instead of betting on a team or game as a whole. Some examples of markets that Irish punters can bet on when it comes to props bets includes:

• The number of completed passes

• The number of touchdowns scored

• The number of tackles made, etc.

Game Prop Bets

Game prop bets are another popular form of prop betting in NFL betting. With game prop bets, punters are betting on the outcome of certain areas in the game that don't necessarily relate to the game's final result. The number of markets available when it comes to betting on NFL games is huge, and some of them include:

• Which team will score first/last

• Which team will win the coin toss

• Will the match go to overtime

• Total number of first-half points scored

• The total number of second-half points scored, etc.

Parlays

To put it simply, parlay bets are the ones that contain multiple picks of markets from the same game or different games but on a single ticket. Parlay bets are pretty popular with punters because their potential payouts are often relatively high compared to regular bets. However, to win with parlay bets, all the individual selections within it have to win.

NFL Live Betting

Another popular form of betting when it comes to betting on NFL and American football, in general, is live betting, also known as in-play betting. Gambling enthusiasts only had the option of placing their wagers on NFL games before kickoff. But that is no longer the case thanks to the live betting feature. In short, live betting is when you place a wager on a game while the match itself is underway. 

This type of betting is perfect for NFL betting as it allows punters to assess how the game is playing out before wagering on any selections. Within this market, punters have access to plenty of markets available in pre-match betting, except that the odds in live betting are not static. Instead, they are regularly updated in real-time based on how things progress on the field during a game.

How to Bet on The NFL

If you are new to the world of NFL betting, you may be wondering how to place wagers on NFL games. 

The good news is that the process is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require any cumbersome effort on your part as a punter. 

In the content below, you will find step-by-step instructions on how to bet on NFL games.

1. Sign up with a sportsbook: Online NFL betting takes place at online betting sites, and as such, you need to have a player account at one of such sites. So, if you don’t already have one, you need to first create an account with a sports betting site of your choice.

2. Fund your account: NFL betting requires you to stake real money on your predictions. So, the next step after successfully creating a sports betting account is to fund the account through any of the available deposit methods.

3. Make your Picks: Here, you will need to navigate to the NFL section of the sportsbook and find the NFL games you want to bet on. Then, you can make your picks of the betting markets that interest you. The selections will automatically be added to your betting slip as you make your picks. We should mention that this is a vital aspect of the NFL betting process, so you need to do proper research and analysis on the games and markets you want to bet on before making your selections.

4. Do a final run-through: Mistakes in the selections of bets in the NFL betting process can be pretty costly, especially when betting on multiple markets. So, before you initiate the bet, do a final run-through to ensure that everything on the betting slip is as it should be.

5. Add your stake: Once you are satisfied with your selections, enter the wager amount you want to stake on the game. This can be in single bets or multiple bets (Accumulator). Once the bet is placed, you only need to sit back and watch the game unfold to see if your predictions are right or wrong.

How Did We Select the Sportsbooks for NFL Betting

As we have mentioned, there is an almost endless supply of online bookmakers providing NFL betting to players in Ireland and beyond, and Irish players are free to play on any of them.

However, you should note that not all sites regarding services and betting experience are the same. 

While some offer an excellent experience to their players, what Irish punters will find on others may be substandard and not worthwhile. 

So, Irish bettors must be selective when choosing which site to bet on NFL games.

Thankfully, our team of betting experts at NFL have experience in this and have helped us create a list of some of the things that they have considered when choosing an online bookmaker.

• Licensing: While it is rare these days, some online casinos and sportsbooks still operate without a valid gaming license. You need to avoid these sites.

• Reputation: The fact is that online bookmakers are no saint, which is why many a time, you will find punters being cheated by their sportsbook of choice. So, before choosing a site, you need to make sure that it has a good reputation in the market.

• Availability of NFL games: Although the NFL is a pretty league today, not all sports betting sites offer it on their platform. So, you need to make sure that your bookmaker of choice offers NFL betting before you sign up.

• Competitive Odds: Odds often vary from one bookmaker to another. So, you want a site that will offer the very best odds.

• Great Market Coverage: The more markets a sportsbook offers, the more betting opportunities NFL enthusiasts will access. So, you want a site that provides plenty of NFL betting markets.

• Live Betting: Live betting allows you to bet on games even while the game is going on. So, you want a site with a top-notch live betting service with many markets.

• Extra Features: Features like live streaming, early cashout, bet builder, and many others add to the overall experience of punters at sports betting sites. So, you should look out for a site that offers many extra features.

• Bonuses and Promotions: Incentives like bonuses and promotional offers give players the chance to have more fun while betting on the NFL. So, if you like taking advantage of such offers, you should keep an eye out for the site that offers great incentives.

NFL Betting Strategies & Tips

You will agree that having consistent success in NFL betting is hard to come by. This is because there is no special strategy or tips that guarantee a win when betting on the NFL. 

Plus, online sportsbooks have gotten eerily good in how they set their markets. However, Irish punters can use certain NFL betting tips and practices when they bet on NFL games. 

Our team of betting experts at Irish Luck has compiled a few NFL betting tips and practices that you should take note of when you bet on NFL games. 

While these tips won’t guarantee you a win, they will improve your chances of winning.

• Understand how everything works: As is with most things, to be successful in NFL betting, you need to understand how everything works. So, if you are not very familiar with how the NFL games, the NFL betting odds, and the NFL betting market works, you need to take time to understand all the intricacies involved.

• Form: The present form of players in a team and the team, in general, can make a difference in whether or not a team will achieve victory in NFL games. So, before placing your wager, make sure that the team you are banking on is in the very best form.

• Other stats: The performance data, previous results, and other team statistics can help you infer what to expect from the team in its next match.

• Bet on quality odds: Every Irish bettor gets tempted by markets that come with big odds. However, often these markets don’t happen. So, stick with quality odds that have better chances of winning.

• Pay attention to the minutest details: Like most sports, the outcome of an NFL game can be influenced by the absence of certain key players. So, make sure to stay tuned to the latest NFL news to be aware of any injuries or suspensions.

• Stick to the market you are familiar with: If you are still a newbie, you should stick with the simple markets that you are familiar with. Once you have more experience in NFL betting, you can then go for the unique and more lucrative markets.

Closing Thoughts

To sum up, this guide to NFL betting covers some of the most important things you need to know when betting on the NFL and other American football games. There is certainly no shortage of options to choose from for the betting market. So, when you have become familiar with the NFL games and how the betting system works, you can go ahead and jump in on the action.

References

• NFL