Know the game: what smart fans need to know about American football

Without a doubt, American football is one of the biggest sports in North America, considered the most popular sport in the United States and a globally recognised sport.

Although the game is played globally, the American professional leagues like the NFL attract the world’s top players. Flag football, a non-contact and accessible variant of American football, is also growing in popularity worldwide.

The pinnacle of American Football is the season-ending Super Bowl that is watched and bet on by millions in the US and around the world.

The history and evolution of American Football

American football’s journey from a college pastime to the most popular sport in the United States is a story of innovation, competition, and cultural impact. The sport traces its roots back to 6th November 1869, when Rutgers and Princeton played the first game, blending elements of rugby and soccer. Over the decades, the game evolved, with new rules and strategies shaping the way football is played today.

The formation of the National Football League (NFL) in 1920 marked a turning point, transforming American football into a professional spectacle. The NFL quickly grew in size and influence, introducing the draft to distribute talent among teams and merging with the American Football League (AFL) in 1970 to create a unified, powerhouse league. Expansion brought the league to its current 32 teams, each competing in regular-season games that draw millions of fans and bettors.

The Super Bowl, the NFL’s championship game, has become a global event, watched by millions and serving as a focal point for NFL betting and sports betting enthusiasts. Today, the NFL is a multibillion-dollar industry, with football games played at every level across the country and the world. The sport’s popularity continues to soar, making American football not only a beloved pastime but also a major force in the world of betting and entertainment.

The aim of American football

American Football is played on a four-sided ground with goal posts at either end. The playing field features end zones at each end, which are the designated scoring areas. The two opposing teams consist of eleven players and are known as the Defence and the Offence.

The offense is the team with control of the ovoid ball (the name of the oval shaped ball, similar to that used in Rugby); its main goal is to advance the ball downfield by either passing or running, and to score points by reaching the opposing team’s end zone or kicking the ball through the goal posts. The defense is tasked with stopping the ball in play, taking control, and then proceeding to move offensively.

The primary objective of the sport is to score points by moving forward and scoring either a touchdown—when the ball crosses the goal line into the opposing team’s end zone—or by kicking the ball through the opposition goal posts for a field goal. Each of these scores contributes to the team’s total points. The rules of American Football govern how the game is played and how points are scored during games. The side with more points at the game’s end wins the contest.

Simple so far?

Team positions in American football

American football teams are made up of 45 players, although only eleven will be on the field at any one time. Each player is a specialist in specific on-field responsibilities, and individual players have a primary role on the team, such as blocking, passing, or tackling. Players range in speed, size and kicking and throwing abilities. Among these, offensive players are those who specialise in advancing the ball and scoring points for their team.

NFL players and an NFL player are examples of top-level athletes in American football, showcasing the highest level of skill and competition in the sport.

On offence, positions include wide receivers, whose primary role is to catch passes; tight ends, who serve as both blockers and receivers; and the offensive line, which is responsible for blocking to protect the quarterback and create running lanes. On defence, the defensive line consists of defensive ends, who focus on stopping outside runs and pressuring the quarterback, and defensive tackles, who line up inside to stop running plays and occupy blockers. Middle linebackers are key defensive leaders, defending the run and coordinating plays. Special teams include the long snapper, who is responsible for accurate snaps during punts and field goals.

Formations are built around the offensive and defensive lines, with each line made up of specialised players. The line of scrimmage is an imaginary line that marks where each play begins, and scrimmage refers to the setup and execution of plays from this starting point.

The team in possession of the ball is on offence, while the other team, also called the opposing team, is on defence, working to stop the offence from advancing or scoring.

The offence

When a team is attacking, they are known as the offence, which is the team with possession of the ball. Key positions on the offence include the offensive line, wide receivers, and tight ends. The offensive line’s primary role is to block defenders and protect the quarterback, while wide receivers have the primary role of catching passes and advancing the ball. Successful catches during passing plays are crucial for gaining yardage and scoring, as each catch can significantly impact the outcome of a drive. Tight ends serve as versatile players, acting both as receivers and blockers to support passing plays and running plays.

The key man to the offensive strategy is called the quarterback.

On the quarterback’s signal, the centre player snaps the ball back between his legs to the quarterback, who will then decide among several options: initiating passing plays by attempting a forward pass, executing running plays by handing the ball to a running back, or choosing a running play by running with the ball himself. In passing plays, the quarterback throws a forward pass to a wide receiver, tight end, or another eligible receiver. A successful play requires the receiver to make a catch, with catching the ball being essential to complete the forward pass.

Quarterback plays seem chaotic yet are typically rehearsed to maximise their teams’ potential goal-scoring potential. Alternatively, if the game plan is evolving, the quarterback will improvise with alternative tactics and plays. A play ends when the ball carrier is tackled, goes out of bounds, or a pass falls incomplete.

The defence

The defence’s role is to stop the offensive team from scoring by hard tackling the ball-carrier—meaning the play ends when the ball-carrier is tackled—or intercepting passes, or causing attacking players to fumble with the ball and drop it for them to scoop up. A tackle is when a defensive player brings down or stops the progress of the ball-carrier, which is a key aspect of both gameplay and safety protocols.

A team’s defensive players are made up of massive, powerful players stopping the offence’s faster and more athletic players running with the ball or intercepting the quarterback’s passes. 

The defensive line, which includes defensive ends on the outside and defensive tackles on the inside, is responsible for stopping running plays, pressuring the quarterback, and occupying blockers. 

Middle linebackers line up behind the defensive line and act as defensive leaders, defending the run, pressuring the quarterback, and coordinating defensive plays. The last line of defence is typically the safeties, who prevent long gains by stopping deep passes and breakout running plays. 

The defence does this by targeting the quarterback before he has an opportunity to throw the ball.

Special teams

These players are utilised for plays that involve kicking or punting the ball, collectively known as kicking plays. The kicking team is responsible for executing these plays, such as punts, field goals, and kickoffs. 

On the other side, the receiving team is the group that receives the ball on kickoffs and punts, aiming to advance the ball downfield or start the offensive drive. A key special-teams role is the long snapper, who is responsible for delivering accurate snaps during field goals, point-after attempts, and punts.

Special teams are also responsible for blocking the opposing team’s kicks and punts, plus attempting to return them as far away as possible in the opposite direction.

The role of downs in American football

This is where American football can become confusing, yet downs are the most fundamental part of the sport. In regular season games, these rules are applied to structure the flow of play.

American football games are divided into four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes in professional play. The offence must move the ball forward in parts of at least 10 yards, which is why the field has yardage markings and various lines, such as the first down line and the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is an imaginary line that separates the offensive and defensive sides and marks where each play begins.

The offence has four chances (or ‘downs’) to gain those 10 yards. These four downs are used to either advance the ball, reset the count by gaining another first down, or make strategic decisions like punting or attempting a field goal. Once the first down is earned, the offence has another four opportunities to advance another 10 yards.

A play ends when the ball carrier is tackled, goes out of bounds, or a pass is incomplete. During passing plays, the ball is thrown forward to a receiver, and if the pass is incomplete, the play ends at that point. If the offence fails to complete 10 yards in four chances, then they lose possession, with the ball usually kicked or punted to the defence on the fourth down.

Whilst most of the points are scored near the defence’s end zone, touchdowns can be scored from anywhere on the field, and on any down during scrimmage plays.

Plays in American football

Every football game starts with a coin toss and a kickoff, setting the stage for the action to follow.

Plays are complicated and chaotic movements involving all eleven players, and you’ll hear shouts of numbers signifying which play the quarterback wishes to execute. Offensive strategies generally fall into two categories: passing plays and running plays. In passing plays, the quarterback throws the ball forward to a receiver, but only if he is behind the line of scrimmage. Only one forward pass can be attempted per down. In running plays, the ball is advanced by running rather than passing, and a quarterback’s run is considered a running play if he keeps the ball and moves forward himself.

Once again it is the quarterback who decides, as he is the attacking lynchpin of the team, and he has 30 seconds to play the ball or attempt to kick a field goal. Watch for how teams mix passing plays and running plays to keep the defence guessing and gain yardage.

The defence also has defensive plays, as they are looking to react to an offensive play mastered by the offence’s quarterback.

Scoring in American football

Whoever has the most points in American football will win the game. Various plays lead to different ways teams can score points:

A touchdown awards six points to a team. Touchdowns are scored by advancing the ball into the opposing team’s end zone, either by carrying it in or catching a pass in the end zone. After a touchdown, the offence has a chance to earn extra points: they can attempt an extra point by kicking the ball through the goal posts for one point, or try a two-point conversion from the 2-yard line, which is a riskier play but can score two points instead.

Field goals are a type of kicking play and can be scored from anywhere on the field at any time, typically when the offence has reached the final down. A successful field goal is made by kicking the ball through the goal posts and scores three points for the offence.

A safety occurs when the defence tackles an offensive player in their own end zone; if successful, the defence scores two points.

Safety and brain health in American Football

As American football has grown into a high-impact, high-stakes sport, the safety and brain health of its players have become central concerns for teams, leagues, and fans alike. The physical nature of football means that injuries—especially concussions—are an inherent risk every time a game is played. The NFL and other leagues have responded by implementing strict rules designed to protect players, such as banning helmet-to-helmet hits and requiring advanced helmets and safety gear.

Despite these efforts, the sport continues to grapple with the long-term effects of repeated head injuries, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and other brain health issues. Critics have called for even stronger rules and more proactive measures from the NFL and other football leagues to safeguard players’ well-being. In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift, with teams investing in better equipment, adopting new protocols, and prioritising player education about injury risks.

The ongoing evolution of safety standards reflects the sport’s commitment to balancing the excitement of the game with the health and longevity of its athletes. As rules continue to adapt and technology advances, the hope is that American football can remain a thrilling sport while minimising risks for all who play.

The Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is often regarded as the most significant sporting event in the US calendar. Although not an official US holiday, more food and drink are consumed on this day than all other US holidays except Thanksgiving. The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League, the premier professional football league in the United States.

Throughout the NFL season, 32 teams compete in a series of regular season games, divided into two conferences of 16, called the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). These conferences are in turn split into eight smaller divisions with four teams each. NFL games are played each week, with NFL players and each NFL player striving to help their team reach the playoffs.

The division champions will qualify automatically for the post-season playoffs, along with two wildcard teams from each conference (the best of the rest on performance) so twelve teams in total.

These twelve teams then face each other in a seeded order yet remain in their AFC and NFC groupings before following a traditional knockout system. In NFL games, the home team is typically determined by the listing order in betting odds or event descriptions, with the second team or the one listed after the ‘@’ symbol being designated as the home team for betting purposes.

The two sides that progress through the Conference Championships become either the AFC champion or NFC champion, a format similar to what happens in baseball for the World Series.

It is these two teams (the AFC and NFC champions) that compete for the prestigious Vince Lombardi Trophy and the right to be claimed as the top American football team in the US. (In reality, considering the USA’s dominance of the sport, the world). These games, especially the Super Bowl, showcase the best NFL players and highlight the global influence of the National Football League.

How to bet on American football: know the game

There is much more to understand in this very chaotic but highly organised game; however, if you master these basics, you’ll be able to follow this tactical game with its rapidly growing global popularity.

If you master the fundamentals of American football—from downs and yardage to penalties and scoring—you’re better prepared to follow the game with insight and intention.

Sports betting, and especially NFL betting, are hugely popular activities for fans of American football. NFL betting lets you place bets on match winners, total points, the margin of victory, and individual player performances. You can also wager on accumulator bets across full weekends or seasons, taking advantage of changing betting odds, lines, and betting markets as the action unfolds. These lines, such as point spreads and handicap lines, are designed to create a level playing field for both teams and bettors, making the market fair and competitive.

Smart fans study more than touchdowns; they focus on form, defensive stats, coaching strategies, and even weather conditions. Understanding how a team handles third-down conversions or red zone plays can make all the difference when deciding how to place your next bet. Always watch for changes in betting lines and odds, as these can signal important shifts in the market or team news.

If you’re still learning the sport, consider checking out expert betting tipsters to help guide your decisions. More seasoned bettors may benefit from arbitrage betting software to compare odds and extract guaranteed value across bookmakers.

Whether you’re enjoying the NFL, college football, or international leagues, knowing the game means betting smarter—not just more. Football isn’t just a physical contest—it’s a tactical battle that rewards preparation, precision, and patience.