Interest in American football globally and in the UK is significant, and this page will educate you on the best NFL betting sites in the UK. You’ll learn about what you can bet on, how to bet, and where you can pick up some useful bonuses along the way.
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £20 and get it back as cash if it loses
Bet £20 and get it back as cash if it loses
100% Welcome Offer Up To £50
100% Welcome Offer Up To £50
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Football Welcome Offer - Bet £30 Get £30 in Free Bets
Football Welcome Offer - Bet £30 Get £30 in Free Bets
Get Up To £50 Free Bet + £20 Casino Bonus
Get Up To £50 Free Bet + £20 Casino Bonus
Bet £10 Get £10 Free Bet
Bet £10 Get £10 Free Bet
Here we have carefully selected eight of the best American football betting sites for your consideration. Choose any of the following sites for your NFL bets online.
That’s our top eight list of the best bookies in the UK for betting on American football out of the way. Now let’s get to learn a bit more about the best four. If you are looking for NFL sportsbooks then have a punt on these.
As with most sports in the UK that you can place bets on, American football betting is simply better at bet365 than at other NFL sports betting sites. Unfortunately, unlike football and rugby, there’s no early payout for your NFL football bets, but that shouldn’t deter you from placing bets at bet365. In terms of American football, no site has more betting options for both props and individual matches than the UK’s king of betting, bet365.
There are plenty of inventive American football bets at bet365 too, which we really like. As well as betting on the Super Bowl winners, Conference champions and individual matches of course, you can bet on the off-season’s free agents or players to be traded. For example, you can wager on the side the 2024 close season’s most prized asset, Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans, will start the season with.
What We Like:
Room for Improvement:
888 is a global brand and is one of the few brands successful in the UK that has made it in the US too, although mainly for poker as opposed to sports betting. The 888sports betting site has plenty to love in terms of American sports and provides full coverage of basketball, baseball, ice hockey and of course, NFL betting online. When we reviewed the American football section of the site we found plenty of prices for the NFL, but only for the NFL.
If you like a bit of pigskin tossing betting then you are going to be happy at what you find at 888sport. There are odds on all manner of the games plus outrights and futures such as Super Bowl winners, Conference champions and individual division winners. One thing we should really mention is 888sport’s superb betting app, which is available from Google Play or the Apple AppStore. It really does make betting on the NFL on mobile as easy as catching a one-yard pass!
What We Like:
Room for Improvement:
PaddyPower is usually a top betting choice in the UK for any market, and American football is no exception. What you will notice immediately at PaddyPower are ‘Power Prices’, which are enhanced odds deals on specific bets. For example, fwhen we inspected the Paddy Power site or Super Bowl LIX they were offering 7/1 on the Kansas City Chiefs retaining their title. And that price had increased from 13/2.
Most of the gridiron wagering action at PaddyPower focuses on NFL matches. But there are plenty of other markets available including the CFL and NCAA, plus NCAAF awards plus NFL draft markets and NFL player specials. When we reviewed the PaddyPower site, we found options including betting on the NFL Regular Season Coach of the Year, plus the awards for the best defensive and offensive players, and the regular season MVP overall.
What We Like:
Room for Improvement:
10bet is another great UK betting site that we talk about extensively on Safest Betting Sites and with good reason. The site’s football, rugby, horse racing, tennis and cricket options are all excellent, but how do the American football betting options compare? Well, the answer is pretty well considering there are only 32 teams in the NFL playing 17 matches each, with a season that runs only from September to the Super Bowl in February.
There is plenty of stuff to place an NFL football bet on, plus 10bet covers the CFL in as far as you can bet on the winner of the Grey Cup. There’s betting on the NCAAF too – the overall best football college as determined over the college season, plus the winner of the Heisman Trophy awarded to that term’s best college-level football player. You can also bet on individual player props such as MVP and offensive and defensive player of the year. Oh, and for the clipboard-holders, Coach of the Year too!
What We Like:
Room for Improvement:
Below we’ve listed our top ten choices for NFL betting in the UK and picked a few categories you are probably going to be particularly interested in. You can take it as read that all these sites have NFL betting, and live NFL betting. You can though, review this table and pick out the NFL betting site that’s going to suit your betting needs the most.
NFL Betting Site | Enhanced NFL Odds | CFL Coverage | NCAAF Coverage | Virtual American Football |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
|
✅ |
❌ |
❌ |
❌ |
|
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
|
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
|
✅ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
|
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
|
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
|
❌ |
✅ |
✅ |
❌ |
Given that there are dozens of UK sports betting sites available online, how come we have managed to trim that selection down to ten? Well, pull a bud from the cooler and pop it open, as we are about to tell you. Here is what we look for when it comes to betting on American football.
While we must admit that the vast majority of betting on American football is done on the NFL, American football is played all over the globe. However, despite extensive searching, we can only find bets on one non-other US league, and that’s the CFL with a caveat (as you will find out later) that Canadian football and American football have differences. We like to see sites that cover the CFL, and NCAA (college football) too.
Like most American sports, football is a game with a lot of numbers. Any game with a lot of numbers means plentiful betting opportunities. We like to see sites that go beyond the typical NFL moneyline betting sites with points spreads, total points, props and futures limits. How about bets per quarter or half, or time of the first touchdown or field goal or the longest punt or kickoff return? We also like to see NFL live bets such as the number of downs on the next drive, or the result of a forthcoming punt or field goal attempt.
One of the main ‘complaints’ of UK American football fans is that the NFL does not last long at all – just four months if your side doesn’t make the playoffs, and only 17 games per team. If you want to bet on American football, you’ve seven or eight months of the year where you just … can’t. Virtual American football is something that a few UK sports betting sites have been adding to their betting repertoire recently, and while it’s not as good as the real thing, it’s better than having nothing to bet on during those long spring and summer months.
We also look out for specials and bonuses, including enhanced odds for NFL matches, and CFL and NCAA markets if possible. Our site reviewers check for in-play betting options (all of the sites on our ten top UK sports betting selections have them) the markets available, and the availability of cash out. We also check for payment options, the site’s support functions (no bots please!) and plenty more. You can always check out how we rate UK sports betting sites overall. We apply the same criteria when assessing sites for any particular market.
You have to be quick when it comes to NFL football betting offers. As we have already explained, the NFL regular season only lasts eighteen weeks, with another month for the playoffs. Betting sites are only likely to make specific NFL offers during the season, with the most likely offers appearing during the playoffs and the two weeks before the Super Bowl.
Here in the meantime are the welcome offers from our top three picks for the leading NFL betting sites, that you can use for betting on NFL football during the season.
Sign up for an account at our number one American football draft pick bet365 and a 300% first deposit bonus is yours. Just make your first deposit between £5 and £10 (best to use a debit card) and you’ll get three times the amount in bonus funds. Qualifying bets must contain at least one selection of odds at least 1/5 (1.20) or greater. Offer must be claimed within 30 days of opening an account. Bet credit stakes are not returned as part of a winning bet. Other T&Cs apply.
If you are new to 888sport you can claim £30 in free bets using the code ‘30FXS’. Make a £10 deposit using a debit card and then place a minimum £10 bet at odds of at least 1/2 (1.50). Once that bet has settled you will receive three £10 free bets – one for football, one for horse racing and one for in-play betting. All free bets must be used within seven days else they will expire. 888sport often has bespoke deals so check the site during the NFL season for any offers.
For this special deal, place any bet at PaddyPower as your first bet after registering an account (includes American football) using the promo code (YSKAMX) and you will get your money back (up to £10) as cash if it’s a losing bet. Note that your qualifying deposit must be made using a debit card, and your bet must be placed within 90 days of registration. There are some other terms and conditions you need to be aware of in line with this offer, so make sure you check the Paddy Power site for details.
The National Football League is the top-tier American football competition globally, based in the United States. It consists of 32 teams split over two conferences of four divisions each, as follows:
National Conference |
|||
East | North | South | West |
Dallas Cowboys | Chicago Bears | Atlanta Falcons | Arizona Cardinals |
New York Giants | Detroit Lions | Carolina Panthers | Los Angeles Rams |
Philadelphia Eagles | Green Bay Packers | New Orleans Saints | San Francisco 49ers |
Washington Commanders | Minnesota Vikings | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Seattle Seahawks |
American Conference |
|||
East | North | South | West |
Buffalo Bills | Baltimore Ravens | Houston Texans | Denver Broncos |
Miami Dolphins | Cincinnati Bengals | Indianapolis Colts | Kansas City Chiefs |
New England Patriots | Cleveland Browns | Jacksonville Jaguars | Las Vegas Raiders |
New York Jets | Pittsburgh Steelers | Tennessee Titans | Los Angeles Chargers |
Each team plays a seventeen-game schedule over eighteen weeks from September to January. All eight divisional winners advance to the playoffs, as well as three ‘wildcard’ teams with the next-best records in each conference. Playoff games are played until a champion for each conference is determined. The conference champions then meet in the Super Bowl in February each year to determine the overall NFL champion.
The NFL was created in 1920 as the American Professional Football Conference, becoming the NFL in 1922. The first Super Bowl took place in 1967 as a ‘winner takes all’ game between the NFL champions and the winners of the rival American Football League. The NFL and AFL merged in 1970 as the NFL.
The Super Bowl is the most-watched TV event in the United States annually. The 2024 Super Bowl between the reigning Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers drew a TV audience of 123.7 million in the US, the largest TV audience in US history. Around 3.4 million people in the UK watched it on ITV. Some people tune in for the Super Bowl commercials and half-time show (which in 2024 featured Taylor Swift) alone.
It is the culmination of the NFL season in which the NFC and AFC champions face off for the title of World Champions (sic). The record for most Super Bowl wins is six, held by the Tom Brady-inspired New England Patriots (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017 and 2019).
The first NFC Championship (then the American Professional Football Association) took place in 1920 and was won by the Akron Pros. It remained (after being named the NFL) as the top tier of American football until 1970. In 1970, the NFL absorbed the AFL, with the competition being rebranded as the National Football Conference.
Sixteen teams over four divisions compete for the NFC Championship final each season, with the winning team going on to compete in the Super Bowl. Since 1970, the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers hold the record for the most NFC Championship wins at eight each. Prior to the creation of the Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers had the most NFL championship wins at eleven.
The American Football League was established as a rival to the NFL in 1960. The winners of the AFL began meeting the winners of the NFL in 1967 for the Super Bowl. In 1970, the ten teams of the AFL joined the NFL to form the American Football Conference. In its short life, the Dallas Texans (now the Kansas City Chiefs) won the AFL a record three times.
Just as with the NFC, the sixteen teams of the AFC compete to reach the AFC Championship game and then hopefully face the NFC champions in the Super Bowl. The New England Patriots hold the record for most AFC Championship titles at eleven.
Not strictly the NFL, the NCAAF is the American football branch of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. The NCAA is an amateur competition for athletes still at college and covers multiple sports including football, basketball, baseball and athletics. Competitors who do well in the NCAAF often end up being drafted for NFL teams.
The NCAAF is not a national competition, due to the travelling involved at college level. It consists of many regional conferences: the AAC, ACC, the Big 12, the Big 10, CUSA, FBS, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, SEC and Sun-Belt.
NCAAF college teams can also meet in championship games such as the Rose Bowl, which pits the number one college team overall with the fourth-best, which in 2023 was Michigan (13-0) against Alabama (12-1). Michigan then went on to beat the winners of the Sugar Bowl which pitted the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams together (Washington (13-0) beating Texas (12-1)) to win the NCAAF title.
Unlike say, football (we refuse to call it soccer), teams in the NFL are not free to sign promising youngsters as they see fit. As with all American sports, there is a draft system in place, with the draft taking place once per year. For several rounds, the teams are ranked in order with the team with the previous season’s worst record gaining the first pick each round. Teams can trade their picks though, usually as part of player swaps (there are no transfers in the NFL as there are in football).
Players usually in the final year of their college career are scouted and drafted. Each season there is huge interest in the NFL Draft, such as there is in college sports in the United States, with fierce discussions about who will be the overall number one pick (and hopefully go on to be an NFL megastar) and who will be picked up by different sides. We take a look at the last ten number-one picks in the NFL draft, with info about what happened to them.
Season | Player | Picked By | Where are they now? |
2023 | Bryce Young | Carolina Panthers | Carolina Panthers |
2022 | Trevon Walker | Jacksonville Jaguars | Jacksonville Jaguars |
2021 | Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars | Jacksonville Jaguars |
2020 | Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals | Cincinnati Bengals |
2019 | Kyler Murray | Arizona Cardinals | Arizona Cardinals |
2018 | Baker Mayfield | Cleveland Browns | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
2017 | Myles Garrett | Cleveland Browns | Cleveland Browns |
2016 | Jared Goff | Los Angeles Rams | Detroit Lions |
2015 | Jameis Winston | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | New Orleans Saints |
2014 | Jadeveon Clowney | Houston Texans | Baltimore Ravens |
2013 | Eric Fisher | Kansas City Cheifs | No current club |
Nothing to do with American football or the NFL, we have included the CFL Grey Cup here in recognition that other countries beyond America do play American football, or at least some version of it. A form of football is played in Canada that is similar to American football but because of rule differences, it is known as Canadian football. For example, an American football team has eleven players, whereas a Canadian football team has twelve. The playing field is larger, and it’s four downs per play in American football, but only three in Canadian football.
The CFL, which was created in 1958, consists only of nine teams split across two divisions, one of four and one of five. Teams play 18 games with the top three in each division progressing to the playoffs. The CFL Grey Cup (named after Governor General The Earl Grey in 1909) is Canada’s equivalent of the Super Bowl, in which the playoff winners from each division meet. The Edmonton Elks have won the most Grey Cups, at eleven.
So now you should be really keyed up about the NFL, the Super Bowl, and American football as a whole. If you want to bet on the sport, then how? Have no fear as it’s first and ten on the three-yard line and we’re about to go for a touchdown.
When you are NFL online betting, this is the easiest bet of all. Bet on which team is going to win the Super Bowl at any stage of the season (or any time of year). You can also bet on conference champions, divisional winners and playoff qualifiers.
The ‘money line’ is simply what the Americans call odds. Many UK betting sites will ape US-style betting for NFL bets. Typically you will just see odds for a home victory and an away triumph. Betting sites usually do not give odds for a tie as ties in American football are so rare (usually around one or two per season). Check your chosen betting sites’ rules to see what happens if your American football money line bet ends in a tie.
This is another ‘US-style’ bet that’s offered by UK bookmakers and is basically a handicap bet. A points spread line may look like this:
Kansas City Chiefs -3.0 1.90 San Francisco 49ers +3.0 1.90
These numbers are easy to interpret. If you bet on the Chiefs, you get odds of 1.90 but you must subtract three from their final score. If you bet on the 49ers, you also get odds of 1.90 but you get to add three to their final score. This means that a final score of Chiefs 21 49ers 19 would actually mean it’s bets on the 49ers that win.
The final ‘US-style’ bet offered by bookmakers is betting on the total number of points scored during a game. This will be on an over/under basis. If the points total line looks like this …:
O 40.5 1.90 U 40.5 1.90
… then this means you are betting on whether there will be over 40.5 points in the game, or under. The over/under total is decided by the bookies through analysing the teams and is calculated as the most likely points total to give equal odds to both over and under.
In American football teams move the ball forward one of three ways – rushing, passing or kicking. A rush is where the QB hands the ball from the snap to a player who then attempts to make as much yardage past the line of scrimmage before he is tackled, reaches the goalline or is forced out-of-bounds. The yardage of the rush is measured from the line of scrimmage and can be negative if the player is brought down before he has passed it.
You can bet on the total rushing yards on an over/under basis. It can be overall, per team or per player.
During each play or down, the offensive team is allowed one forward pass, usually thrown by the QB. Only successful passes count as passing yards. The total passing yardage is from the point of scrimmage (not from where the QB releases the ball) to the point at which the receiving player is brought down, reaches the goalline or goes out of bounds (not the point at which he catches the ball).
Similar to rushing yards, you can bet on an over/under basis overall or per team/player. As usually it is only the QBs who pass, you will only be able to find passing yards betting options for players in the QB position.
This is another easy bet to explain – it’s a bet on the number of touchdowns scored during a game. It could be overall (both teams), per team or for a specific player.
Prop (‘proposition’) bets are bets on proposed events – an outcome that may or may not happen, such as the QB getting sacked, a team going for two points after a touchdown, or the game being won by a field goal as opposed to any other form of score.
Other prop bets could be alternative point spreads, individual player performances or anything that doesn’t fit into one of the sections that we have already discussed.
Futures is the American term for outrights. Instead of betting on a game outcome, you would be betting on some aspect of the NFL season as a whole.
Examples of futures bets include the outright NFL winner, conference winners, teams to make the playoffs yes/no, regular season wins over/under, which division the Super Bowl winner will come from, and so on. You can also bet on individual props, such as the winners of the offensive player of the year, or Coach of the Year.
Live betting on the NFL is very popular, and American football with its start-stop nature is ideal for live betting, unlike a free-flowing sport such as football. Like all American sports, football games are long and usually last at least three hours. If you are interested in live betting on the NFL, then check out the live betting options available during the NFL season.
One thing you will not find at UK betting sites though is NFL live streaming. The broadcast rights to the NFL are held by Sky Sports which broadcasts three to four games per week, and Channel 5 which broadcasts the MNF game every Monday. Games that are not broadcast live can be streamed via NFL Game Pass which is a subscription service. Because of these deals, UK sports betting sites are unable to stream NFL games.
Are you betting on the NFL and are continually getting sacked in the end zone? Want to improve your skills when it comes to betting on the NFL? Then get ready to spike the ball in the end zone with these Heisman Trophy-winning NFL betting tips and strategies.
Getting the best odds for your NFL bets is important. No matter how accurate your predictions are, you will only get the best returns with the best odds. We have selected our NFL betting sites based on several factors, and the competitiveness of their odds is one of them. If you choose any of the sites on our list, then can be confident of getting the best, most competitive odds.
Just to illustrate this we have taken the odds of two contenders for the 2024 season Super Bowl (which will of course be played in 2025) and listed the odds given by each of our chosen best sites for NFL betting, and the overall best odds overall, as follows (as at 13:45 01/07/2024):
Betting Site | Kansas City Chiefs | San Francisco 49ers |
Bet365 | 11/2 | 11/2 |
888sport | 6/1 | 5/1 |
PaddyPower | 6/1 | 6/1 |
Overall Best Odds | 6/1 | 13/2 |
*best odds
All the online NFL betting sites on our list can be used on mobile. You will find that many of them have apps you can download and install on your mobile devices. If the site itself does not advertise this fact, then head to Google Play or the Apple App Store and perform a quick search. Betting sites for NFL wagers that have apps should be available so you can install the apps and then use them for your American football betting.
Even if a site does not offer a betting app, you can still use it on your phone or tablet. Just pop across to the site using a mobile browser on your device. For future reference, you can add the site to your bookmarks.
US English is English but again, it isn’t exactly English. Unless you are a dedicated American football fan, there will be plenty of terms that you will be unfamiliar with. Why is it even called football in the first place, when most players use their hands? (Answer: because it originates from Rugby football). Below, we explain the American football terms you need to know.
Term | Definition |
Audible | Deciding a play on the line of scrimmage and not a huddle |
Blitz | A defensive play with the sole task of downing the ball carrier |
Center | The offensive player who snaps the ball to the quarterback |
Coffin corner kick | A punt towards a corner of the field |
Cornerback | Defensive players who cover specific opponents or areas of the field |
Flea flicker | An offensive play where the ball is passed by and then returned to the quarterback |
Fumble | To lose possession of the ball while running with it |
Hail Mary | A desperate, long pass into the end zone in the hope it will be caught by an offensive player for a touchdown |
Huddle | The ring of players, pre-play, where tactics for the next play are outlined |
Ice the kicker | Call a timeout before a field goal attempt to try and unnerve the kicker |
Lateral | Any pass sideways or back. Lateral passes are unlimited |
Line of scrimmage | The imaginary line across the field that marks the boundary between each team’s position upon which the ball is placed at the start of nearly all plays. |
Man coverage | A defensive play where defenders are assigned specific offensive players to watch and prevent catching or carrying the ball |
Muff | To lose possession of the ball while attempting to hold it |
O-line | The offensive line of players that line up in front of the quarterback |
PAT | Point after touchdown. A kick through the posts after a touchdown that earns one extra point |
Pick six | An interception that results in a touchdown |
The protective ring formed around the quarterback on passing plays | |
Red zone | Between the end zone and the 20-yard line where scoring plays are the likeliest |
Sack | When the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage |
Safety | When an offensive player is tackled in the end zone, for two points. |
Scramble | When the quarterback runs with the ball instead of passing it |
Shotgun | An offensive formation where the quarterback is positioned a few yards behind the center instead of immediately behind |
Special teams | The players who are only on the field for punts or kicks |
Squib kick | A short low kick designed to prevent defensive yardage gain |
Tight End | Offensive players who are basically utility players |
Touchback | Catching a punt that’s beyond the end zone and then taking a knee |
Two point conversion | An alternative to the PAT. Running/passing the ball into the end zone after a touchdown that earns two extra points |
Wildcat | An offensive tactic where the ball isn’t snapped to the quarterback |
We hope with our help, you’ll be betting on American football and the NFL as easily as Dan Marino once found the end zone. We’ve picked out all the best NFL online betting sites for you, pointed out some special deals and bonuses you can use to aid your NFL betting, and given you plenty of tips to send you all the way to the Wagering Super Bowl. We wish you all the rootin’ tootin’ goddammed luck for your NFL betting in the UK to be successful, and responsible.
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Yep, you sure can, and we’ve helped you out with mini NFL betting sites reviews of five of the top American football betting sites in the UK.
There is no legal reason why you would be unable to bet on the NFL online. Place your NFL sportsbook bets at any of the NFL gambling sites that we have outlined above.
The answer to that question depends upon what you are looking for from a site. It could be NFL live betting, the best NFL sports odds, or the most bonuses and promotions available for use on NFL games.
Go to your NFL sportsbook of choice and peruse the NFL betting options available. Once you have come up with your best NFL bets, add them to your bet slip, set your stakes and hope for the best.
There is a form of American football played in Canada that you can bet on at online NFL betting sites. The only other pro leagues are in Europe and Japan, but most European countries and some Asian and South American countries have semi-professional or amateur American football leagues.
Peter is one of the most well-known and well-respected names working in the field of online sports betting today. Having a Bachelor of Arts degree, Peter has worked for many high-profile publications in the industry, both online and in the real world. He joined the SafestBettingSites team in 2021 and has provided millions of words ever since. When not writing, Peter enjoys performing and writing music, gaming, reading and he is a massive movie buff, with a particular love of Japanese cinema and anime.
Latest Sign-Up Offers