NFL Betting Sites - Top American Football Bookies

American Football Basics

The National Football League (NFL) is the professional league for American football in the US. There’s also college football, the top level being the NCAA, which is a big deal in America — you can place sports bets on it at our recommended best betting sites. For each NFL match, you’ll find a wide variety of NFL bets available, including in-play options and live

The vast majority of NFL games take place across the States, though London also hosts a few games each year. The NFL regular season is shorter than most UK sports, such as football or rugby, spanning just 18 weeks from September to December. Don’t worry, though, they pack a massive 272 games into this period, so there are plenty of betting opportunities! betting markets.

NFL League Structure

The league is made up of 32 teams split into two 16-team conferences: the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The two conferences are both made up of four divisions — East, West, North and South — each with four teams. Every team plays 17 games in total, 12 against teams from its own conference and five matches against franchises from the other conference.

Once the regular season finishes, the NFL playoffs take place. This is a single elimination tournament played out between seven teams from each conference: the four division winners and three wild-card teams, which are the three remaining teams with the best record. There are three rounds to the playoffs, and the final round determines the champions of the NFC and AFC.

The season ends with the Super Bowl, which is contested between the NFC and AFC conference winners to determine the NFL league champion. The Super Bowl is the showpiece event of American football, so it’s a big date on the NFL betting calendar for bettors around the world.

For NFL bettors, understanding the schedule is crucial. Factors like short weeks, travel, and key matchups can all influence team performance and, in turn, nfl betting odds. The best NFL betting sites keep you up-to-date with the latest schedules, game times, and matchups, making it easy to plan your bets and spot value in the betting markets.

Whether you prefer moneyline bets, point spread wagers, or creative prop bets, top betting sites offer a comprehensive range of options for every nfl game. Staying informed about the schedule and the latest news can give you an edge, helping you make smarter bets throughout the season. With detailed coverage and a variety of betting markets, the best NFL betting sites ensure you never miss a moment of the action.

The current AFC champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, won the NFL’s grand prize in 2023, following up on their 2020 win by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles. Sitting on six wins each, it’s the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers who top the leadership board. Together, AFC teams have 28 Super Bowl wins.

Watching American Football in the UK

If you’re a fan of American Football – particularly NFL – you’ll want to know how and when you can watch all the live action, particularly if you’re into live NFL betting.

TV Coverage and times in the UK 

Luckily for UK-based NFL fans, Sky Sports has been a big supporter of the world’s most valuable sports league for years now, even boasting a channel that’s fully dedicated to it- Sky Sports NFL-, though some of the games are also shown on their flagship channel: Sky Sports Main Event. 

These are the days and times when you can expect to watch NFL on Sky Sports in the UK: 

• Sunday Games: Usually at 6:00 PM (GMT) and 9:25 PM (GMT). The first game is the early slot, while the second is the late game. Some games might occasionally start a bit earlier at 5:30 PM depending on the week.
• Monday Night Football: This is typically at 1:15 AM (GMT) on Tuesday morning.
• Thursday Night Football: These games are usually broadcast at 1:20 AM (GMT), so again, late in the evening on Friday mornings.

The 2025-26 season will kick off on September 5 when the Dallas Cowboys play current Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. The following day, the Kansas City Chiefs, who lost last year’s Super Bowl to the Eagles, are at the Los Angeles Chargers.

But if you’re not a Sky Sports subscriber and are a Netflix subscriber instead, you’ll be able to watch the first two games of a Christmas triple-header on the streaming site, including the Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings. 

Christmas is always a big time of year for the NFL, as is Thanksgiving, where during the weekend of September 27 and 28 2025, Sky Sports will be broadcasting four matches, including the mouth-watering  Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys. 

Watch the NFL live in the UK and other places in Europe 

This campaign, there are six regular season NFL matches that will be played in Europe, with three of them taking place in London. They are:

When the Vikings play the Steelers at Croke Park in Ireland and then at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later, they will become the first-ever NFL side to have played two official matches in two different countries, other than the US.

Step-by-Step Guide for new NFL bettors 

Once you’re underway, NFL betting will become second-nature to you, but if you’re new to it, here’s how to get started: 

• Read our reviews of the best American Football bookies, and choose one or two that you like the look and sound of.   
• Open an account at those NFL bookmakers by providing all the necessary information and pass your Know Your Customer (KYC) check as soon as possible, which will allow you to withdraw winnings at a later date.  
• Make a deposit. To claim certain welcome offers, you might have to make a minimum deposit (normally £10) or meet a min stake requirement.
  In some cases, you may not be able to use certain payment methods if you want to claim the offer; payment method exclusions apply to some promotions, so read the terms and conditions carefully to check which payment methods are eligible.
• Place a qualifying bet, if necessary, for the bonus to be awarded to you. Note that min odds or min odds evs may be required for your bet to qualify for the offer
• Navigate to the A-Z list of sports on the left-hand menu of the NFL site’s homepage.
• If it’s the NFL you want to bet on, click on NFL. 
• If you want to play long-term markets, click on Outrights, which in the US are known as ‘futures’.
• If you want to bet on a specific match, click on the relevant match.
• Once you’ve chosen the market and the selection within the market, decide what stake you want to place on it and process the bet. If you’re using your welcome offer free bet instead, make sure you know what you need to do so it’s processed as a free bet, rather than you using our own balance. When using bet credits, remember that the bet credits stake is not returned as part of your winnings. 

American Football Betting Options

Picking a winning bet for an upcoming NFL game or tournament is easier said than done. The last ten Super Bowls have been won by eight different teams, so it’s safe to say the league is very competitive and that nothing is guaranteed. That being said, the New England Patriots have put in a particularly strong showing in recent times, bagging the Vince Lombardi Trophy on three occasions in this period. 

Certain teams have stood out in the conferences, with the Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs both enjoying back-to-back AFC titles over the past decade. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks have all bagged multiple NFC victories in the same period. 

NCAA Betting

While NFL betting gets most of the attention, the best American football betting sites also feature a rich array of NCAA markets. College football is a very big deal stateside, yielding the future stars of the NFL, so you can expect to find a host of moneylines, prop bets, and futures to choose from. What’s more, you may be able to place bets on the rounds in which NCAA players will get picked during the NFL Draft. 

NFL Betting Markets Explained

You can find a huge range of American football betting markets at the UK’s top online sportsbooks. Let’s check out just a few of the exciting options on offer.

Match winner – The most straightforward and popular sports bet, this simply involves picking the winner of a match.

In the US, it’s known as the moneyline and, somewhat surprisingly, is far less popular on the other side of the Atlantic than playing the point spread. An important thing to remember about playing the moneyline in the NFL is that there are two options – Team A and Team B – not three, as you’d have in football. 

That’s because there’s no such thing as a draw in the NFL: a match that’s tied in regular time will go to overtime and your pre-match or live bet on the moneyline/winner market will just carry on into overtime. 

Points Spread/Handicap – As per above, this is by far the most popular market to play among US punters.

In the US, it’s always known as ‘the spread’ whereas at UK bookmakers, it’s more often known as the handicap market. 

The idea behind a handicap market is that it makes any game as close to a 50/50 affair as possible. So in the opening match of the 2025/26 season between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles on September 5, where the Eagles are warm favourites,  the handicap line is as follows: 

Dallas Cowboys + 6.5 @ 2.0 

Philadelphia Eagles – 6.5 @ 1.8

As an NFL bettor, you can choose whether you want to side with the favourites (the Eagles) to win by seven points or more. Or with the outsiders (the Cowboys) to win the match, or lose by between 1 and 6 points. 

At the end of the match, the actual score has the handicap applied to it.

So if you backed the Cowboys + 6.5 and the game ended 22-18 to the Eagles, you’d then add the 6.5 point handicap to the Cowboys’ score (18 + 6.5 = 24.5) meaning that their revised, handicap-adjusted total would have beaten the Eagles 24.5-22 and all backers of the Cowboys on the handicap would be winners.  

The reason the half point is there is to ensure there are no ties or dead-heats when it comes to the betting. After all, there’s no such thing as half a point in American Football, so as long as there’s a 0.5 in the handicap line, you can never have a push bet. 

Outright – Outright bets are where you wager on the outcome of a league or tournament, such as an NFL conference or the Super Bowl.

These are the markets that in the US are known as ‘futures’ and will appeal to the punter who prefers to see the bigger picture and focus on season-long performances, rather than just the outcome of one match. Whereas a lot of the money wagered on NFL Outrights is on the Superbowl and Conference winners, other outright markets include: Regular Season MVP, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Player with Most Receiving Yards.

Under/over – Here you’re betting that the total number of points scored during a game will be under or over a set number, such as 57.5. 

Rather like with the spread, it’s a straight two-choice affair: either you go over 57.5, or under. Also similar to the spread, the 0.5 in the line means there won’t be any dead-heated or push bets: the bet will either win, or lose. Points totals markets are also available on a just one team’s points, rather than the total points scored across both teams.  

Factors affecting total points include; the defensive and offensive strengths of the two teams, the absence of key players that can skew average totals, the tactics of the team coaches and weather conditions with snow, rain and wind generally resulting in lower-scoring matches. 

Odd/even – You’re wagering on the total points scored being an odd or even number. Whereas there isn’t a huge amount of science to playing this market, it is one that still sees a good amount of business. 

First/last – The best NFL betting sites offer markets on the likes of first touchdown scorer and the first or last team to score.

Player props – There’s a whole range of player proposition bets on offer, such as number of passing yards, pass completion, rushing yards, receiving yards, tackles and assists. Not to mention, which players might score a touchdown during the match. 

Here’s where that methodical research comes into play because analysis of all those statistics relating to certain players’ numbers and their respective performances can paint a good picture as to what they might do the next time they’re in action. 

Highest scoring quarter – Take a punt on which quarter of a match will see the most points scored. You can also bet on the highest scoring half.

To go to overtime – Fancy a match up to go to the death? If so, you may want to wager on the match going into overtime.

MVP – This is where you bet on which player will receive the Most Valuable Player award in a match or tournament such as the Super Bowl. You can follow the odds for the NFL MVP and see how they develop through the season on our tracker.

Live betting – The best American football betting sites also offer live in-play betting markets, so you can bet live as you watch the action unfold. Keep reading as we explain all you need to know about live betting on the NFL.

NFL Live Betting Guide for UK Bettors

In American Football, every single action can make a big difference to the outcome of the match, meaning NFL betting sites are quick to update their odds after every meaningful event.

So you’ll see those odds changing all the time, providing plenty of opportunities to get great value on the live betting markets for the savvy punter.  

Odds change, sometimes dramatically, on every touchdown, sack, completed pass, turnover or even just after an injury to a key player. 

Live Betting Strategies for NFL

The more experienced NFL bettors may adopt such strategies as knowing that the Green Bay Packers might have a tendency to  go behind early on in the game. before recovering as the game progresses, and acting on that insight. 

For example, they could back the Packers on the moneyline or on the spread when they go 6 points down in live betting at inflated odds. 

Or the punter could know that games between two particular teams tend to be slow-burners and have far more points in the third and fourth quarters than the first two, meaning they might decide to go ‘overs’ on the total points line in live betting. Either at inflated odds in relation to what they were at the start of the game or at a lower points line than what it was to begin with. 

These sort of patterns are worth their weight in gold when it comes to successful NFL betting. You can of course, do all the research yourself but many NFL betting sites these days have pre-match and in-play stats to help, not to mention there are some good NFL tipsters out there who do a good job of flagging up these strategies. 

One thing to remember is that some NFL games broadcast in the UK only start at 1.30 am (UK time) so if you feel tired while watching it, it may not be the best time for you to be making tough decisions quickly in live betting. 

Best sites for NFL Live Betting

Lots of American Football bookies have an excellent in-play betting product with plenty of markets to play, odds updated in double quick time and generous odds on offer, not to mention a good Cash Out product. 

But Bet365 and BetMGM are two of the ones we’d particularly recommend for live NFL betting. Apart from anything else, they both offer live streaming of NFL matches, which is a part of live betting.

NFL Mobile Betting Apps

Most American Football bookies have a stand-alone app and in the vast majority of cases, there will be separate ones for iOS and Android devices. In some cases, the bookie may not have an app but will instead have a version of the site that’s accessed via a customer’s mobile browser and does a similar job to the app. In some unique cases, the bookie only has an app, so the only way to access it is via your mobile, and not a computer.

Some of the things you can do via the NFL app are:  

• Make a deposit. 
• Place single bets. 
• Place Bet Builders and accas, known in the US as parlays. 
• Watch live streaming of NFL matches. 
• Cash out for a guaranteed profit. 
• Receive notifications. 

iOS vs Android

Everyone has their preference for one or the other, but after comparing apps for the two operating systems, we found these to be some of the major differences: 

• Availability: Apple allows real-money betting apps in its App Store in regulated markets such as the US, the UK or Australia. Google also allows betting apps, but with country-specific restrictions. Often the NFL betting site will launch the iOS version first, due to an easier testing environment. 
• Interface and performance: iOS apps often have smoother animations and more consistent design due to tighter control over devices and software. Android apps are also more likely to be glitchy or have other inconsistencies as the quality of the Android phone may vary greatly, while all Apple phones are generally more expensive and recognised as being of a superior quality. 
• Updates- Again, iOS phones tend to outperform Android ones in this regard. Updates roll out in a more uniform way due to fewer device types on iOS, while on Android, updates can be delayed based on device region or Android version. 

Mobile-Exclusive Offers

Some bookies will have mobile-only offers which as the name suggests, means you can only claim the offers – such as free bets, Odds Boosts or deposit bonuses – via your mobile app. 

In most cases, this is done by the bookie as an incentive for customers to download the app, if they haven’t already.

If you want to be aware of any mobile-only bonuses, or all bonuses for that matter, it’s best to keep your notifications on, so you’ll always know what’s on offer. 

Best NFL Betting Apps 

Ideally, you want an NFL betting app that’s easy-to-use, fast, reliable, without glitches and offers you the chance to watch livestreaming of NFL matches without delays or interruptions, all with high-quality pictures. 

Three of the NFL betting apps that tick all those boxes are: 

• Betfred. 
• Paddy Power Sport. 
• Bet365.

NFL Betting Strategies for UK Players

And now let’s look at some strategies you’d be well-advised to use when betting on the NFL. 

Bankroll management 

You’re unlikely to become a millionaire over the course of one day betting on the NFL, unless you bet at huge stakes or have a chunky bet on something at big odds that goes on to win. But you can certainly lose your whole bank in one day if you don’t pay attention to how much your bank is, how much of it you’re betting at any given time or you’re not betting responsibly.  

A good starting point is to set yourself certain rules, like never risking more than 5% of your bank on any given bet or never more than 10% across several bets relating to the same game. 

If you’re really disciplined, you might think about giving yourself a weekly budget for NFL betting to the extent that it will last you for say a minimum of three months. As long as you keep to your budget, you’ll have cash to play with for at least that period and that’s assuming the worst, with far more bets lost than won.   

If you can’t do sensible bank management all by yourself, then the betting site can help you. All NFL bookmakers will have responsible gambling tools that help you control how much you deposit, how much you’ve lost in a particular period, how much time you’ve spent gambling at a time and other things, so make sure you use those tools if necessary. 

Have accounts with at least two different NFL bookmakers

There are three good reasons for this. 

The first is that it means you can always place the bet you want with the bookie offering the highest odds, rather than whichever one is the only one you have an account at. Slightly bigger odds make a huge difference in the long run, so you should always secure the highest you can. 

The second is that not all NFL bookies have all your favourite markets, so it pays to have accounts at several, meaning you’ll always be able to play the markets you want. 

The third is that the more accounts you have, the more bonuses you can receive. And playing with the bookies’ money is certainly preferable to playing with your own.  

Weather impact and injuries 

The weather can have a significant impact on the outcome of the game. Certain teams are better suited to playing in wet, windy or snowy conditions than others, so a good first step is to look at past games played in adverse conditions by the two teams to see how they’ve performed in them in the past. 

Wind over 15 mph can also have a big impact on the respective Quarterbacks’ ability to throw the ball, so this should be taken into consideration both on the spread/money line (some QBs will be better in the wind than others) but also when it comes to points totals, as it’s harder to score points in very windy conditions. 

Injury news is vital, too. It’s impossible to argue that an injury to the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes doesn’t negatively affect their chances of winning the game; so the Chiefs’ price will increase as a result. 

But sometimes markets over-react to team news. If an injury to Mahomes means the Chiefs are 2.2 to win their next game when they were 1.8 before his injury, that may provide a good chance to back a champion team at a great price, albeit without their star man.  

The same goes for more under-the-radar players. A defensive player’s absence may affect them more than the news or odds suggest, so that could provide an opportunity, too. 

Sites like Rotowire, Pro Football Reference, or Twitter/X insiders are always on top of the latest NFL news, so use them to your advantage. 

Look Out For NFL Betting Bonuses

There are plenty of betting bonuses a on offer at online sportsbooks that you can use to bet on American football. Let’s run through some of the most popular types that can enhance your NFL betting experience.

Matched Deposit

Some American football betting sites will match your deposit with bonus credits. This is often seen as a welcome offer on your first payment into your account, though matched deposit deals may also be provided to ongoing members. A typical example might be billed as ‘100% up to £100’. With this promo, if you were to deposit £50, you’d be gifted another £50 to bet with.

Free Bets

Quite often, NFL betting sites will give you a certain amount in free bets if you make a minimum deposit and/or minimum first bet. Rarely, you may be given free bets as a no deposit bonus, just for signing up, but you’re more likely to see a deal like ‘Bet £10 and Get £50 in Free Bets’. By meeting the qualifying conditions, you can go ahead and use these free bet credits to back your favourite teams, from the Dallas Cowboys to the Detroit Lions.

Risk-Free Bets

As the name suggests, risk-free bets work as a form of insurance. Let’s say you’ve put money on a point spread bet involving the Green Bay Packers, but things don’t go your way. With a risk-free bet bonus, you’d get your losing stake back in the form of free bet credits, up to a certain maximum limit. In other words, you’d be able to try your luck again with the same funds.

Early Payout Offers

Due to the popularity of American football, some sites also offer NFL-specific bonuses like early payout offers. You may see these offered alongside Super Bowl odds, for example, with the bookie offering early payouts if your chosen team goes a certain number of points ahead at any point during the big game. Even if they don’t go on to become the Super Bowl winner, you’d still get a payout as if they had done.

Online NFL Betting Payment Methods

Whether you’re looking to place bets on over/under markets, point spreads, or simply want to back the New York Giants to win their next game, you’ll usually need to have funds in your account to do so. We’re glad to say that the best NFL betting sites will support a range of payment and withdrawal methods, so let’s take a look at some of your options.

How We Review Sportsbooks with NFL Betting

Our NFL betting site reviews tell you what you need to know about an online sports betting site before you jump in and put your hard-earned cash on the line. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the most important things we look at when we review an online sportsbook with NFL betting and decide if it counts as one of our top picks. 

Licence and Safety

A Gambling Commission licence tells us plenty of good things about an online sportsbook, but perhaps most importantly that it’s a safe and fair place to bet and that any funny business surrounding payouts is unlikely. The licence status of a site is the first thing we check when we review sites, and you can feel confident that all the top betting sites on Compare.bet have the nod from the authorities to accept wagers from UK bettors. 

NFL Betting Markets

Online NFL betting includes futures bets like will the New England Patriots win the next Super Bowl? Or will Tom Brady be named the next NFL MVP? The best sportsbooks will offer much more than that, however — expect to see an exciting line-up of NFL betting options for every game. Our reviews will always give you a heads up about the depth and breadth of a site’s NFL betting markets. We consider betting odds too, and love to point you in the direction of the most competitive sites. 

Payment Methods

Top online sportsbooks make it easy for bettors to deposit funds to their account. That’s why we swing by the cashier page to ensure that the NFL betting sites we review and recommend offer a range of payment options such as debit cards, e-wallets, Trustly and Paysafecard. Our online sportsbooks reviews also give you the heads up when it comes to withdrawal options and how long you’ll wait for payouts to land in your account.

NFL Betting Bonus

The best NFL betting sites get new customers off to a great start with a generous welcome bonus, such as a free NFL bet or a risk-free NFL bet. Our top betting sites don’t forget about existing customers either, often featuring promotion pages packed with offers for NFL fans. Our sportsbook reviews tell you what to expect when you sign up and when you stick around too. 

Customer Support

We expect top sportsbooks to go the extra mile where customer support is concerned and hope to see detailed FAQs and help pages on the site, as well as plenty of ways to get in touch with a member of the team. Top NFL betting sites offer options such as live chat, email and phone support, and on-site contact forms, with many sportsbook brands also making good use of social media to engage with punters and assist with queries in real time. 

Site Design

Spending time doing a deep dive into how a sports betting site works and what it has to offer gives us an easy opportunity to check out the site’s design and usability. Both of these factors are important to your overall experience, so we review and report back on things like site themes and graphics, how fast the site loads, and how easy it is to navigate, along with details about how sportsbooks will perform on your mobile. 

Are You Ready to Bet on the NFL?

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Bay_Packers 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Bowl_champions 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Lombardi_Trophy 
https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-nfl-titles 
http://www.championshiphistory.com/nfl.php 
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/super-bowl-2022-mvp-rams-cooper-kupp-becomes-eighth-wide-receiver-to-be-named-mvp/ 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Bay_Packers 
https://en.as.com/en/2022/02/12/nfl/1644623231_959471.html