Bet on Sports

football game and bet it all on one play

As the NFL season prepares to kick off, we look at the resources available to the smart football bettor.
If time is money to you and you'd rather spend your time making money than reading this article through to its conclusion, I'll sum things up in a single word for you: Sasquatch!! Just kidding...it's actually "INTERNET". For everyone still reading, here's the detailed scoop:
Before the days of the World Wide Web, bettors lived in isolation. People would get together in bars (well, my friends and I were in the parking lot at the local high school... the only place we could hang out until we hit the magic "18") or cafeterias, lunchrooms and diners, comparing notes on the upcoming weekend games. You'd read the newspaper, and if you were lucky you got ESPN or something like it. Maybe grab a magazine. That, friends, was it.
The utterly devoted were always looking for edges. I'm reminded of an older friend scouring Logan Airport in Boston for out-of-town sports sections of newspapers before he caught his flight home for weekends. Now and then he'd find crumpled papers that let him read what the beat writers in other cities said about their teams. If he won big the week before, he'd blow $5 at the airport kiosk on whole, brand new papers.
Another guy I knew was trying to develop a primitive form of power rating on his computer, a Radio Shack machine he affectionately called his "Trash 80".
Today these people would just seem a little quaint. The Internet and new, sophisticated spreadsheets can do all this work for us. Check out the following:
MEDIA PAGES
Almost every major newspaper in the US has gone online. Further there are collected lists of links of online addresses (BWORLD has such at list...it's at "The Newsstand" off Handicapping Central which is off the front page). Here, in an hour or two, you can read what every beat writer is saying about every team. No lurking around airports either!
There are also many good sites that cover the NFL as a whole. The NFL's official website, nfl , has official injury lists as they become available – but don't expect a weekly column from Mr. Tagliabue saying he "really likes the Eagles plus the points this week". The NFL still officially dislikes gambling, even if that's the reason the TV ratings are so high.
DEVOTED NETWORK PAGES
Of somewhat more use are the dedicated NFL pages off the main pages of the networks that carry the NFL. The best is espn , but foxsports and cbssportsline are also good. ABC, which only covers Monday Night Football and a couple wildcard games, has a ho-hum information site of its own off ESPN.
Where ABC is the equal or the better of its rivals is in its college coverage, particularly in relation to any team with even a remote shot at appearing in a BCS game. ABC "owns" the BCS for the next while, and they cover, in depth, the games for all the marbles (well, last year, it was for all the Tostitos). Find it off abcsports . Fox isn't involved in broadcasting the college game nationally at all.
HANDICAPPING PAGES AND FORUMS
Better still are the web pages devoted to winning money at betting football. These of course vary widely in quality-- from the joker who's eating up perfectly good bandwidth that rightfully belongs to fans of the TV show "Webster", to notch handicappers and handicapping forums.
BWORLD's "Handicapping Central", "Bookies Hell" posting forum, is a great places to look for all the dirt. These information pages and forums, and pages and forums like them elsewhere, are great resources for overall betting strategy (which we'll start discussing next week) and specific info on specific games.
As with anything else on the Internet, be careful about evaluating the information you read. Like picking stocks or forecasting the weather, nobody's right all the time...and some handicappers are far superior to others. (If you think somebody knows his stuff, track his picks.) Even in the better forums, thanks to the democracy that is the Internet, each season without fail a few schmucks will appear and promise to hit 65%, 70%, 80% of their picks against the spread. Well, you know how in "Romeo and Juliet", amongst all the killing and warring, the minstrels or the wet-nurse and Mercutio would show up intermittently to lighten the mood and give everyone a few laughs? Well, this is sort of the same deal. Nobody hits 80% consistently, period.
Which brings us to a related matter: We'll discuss this in-depth later, but for now just take my word for it: DON'T pay for picks. Some pages and many phone services require a fee to get their "information". Leave these scamdicappers to feast on suckers...don't you become one! (There are a few "touts" who do try hard for their clients; there are a few that are not crooks. I respect a couple, but these folks are few and far between.)
ANY OTHER IDEAS?
Well, I do have one non-Internet (but somewhat technological) one that melds nicely with the "guys just sitting around comparing notes" theme:
A group of friends I know have invested in expanded college FB coverage and "NFL Sunday Ticket". Each armed with two VCR's (some are -loading, 40-pound stone-age machines), they divvy up bunches of games to tape. They then watch and analyze the games on Tues./Wed nights. With remote clicker in hand ready to hit fast-forward between plays, the boys can watch a whole NFL game in 40-50 minutes and a college game in 45-60 minutes...less if it's a blowout and the first string leaves.
This whole exercise lets them see, with their own eyes, if a team really did stuff the run last weekend or the other team just chose (or was forced) to be pass-happy. Is the O-line that good or was the defense always dropping eight guys into coverage? These guys know.
(Incidentally, these lads hit 61% in 1996, 53% in 1997, and 59% in 1998...enough to pay the TV bill, buy a drink on Thursdays after making the upcoming week's picks, and take their strangely understanding spouses out to dinner on Fridays.)
ONE FINAL ITEM..."THE SCREEN"
Maybe you've seen the ads on this site or elsewhere for the Don Best Line Service screen. What is this thing, and do you want it?
The Don Best Feed gives your computer live line updates from sportsbooks in Las Vegas, the Caribbean, and Central America. The premium service costs $500 US/mo. While the scaled-back "Island Express" service, which features fewer books, is $99/mo.
This lets you compare odds on the same game at different shops at a quick glance. Like the Giants this weekend and see that WWTS has them at -2.5 where everyone else has them at -3? I know where you're betting! (To take advantage of this, obviously you need accounts at as many of the screen books as you can get.)
It also lets you watch lines move as big action ("steam") on a single game hits the books within a short time period. This is most dramatic in baseball and in hoops totals, a little less so in hoops sides and in college FB, and least in the NFL. But you don't even need accounts at the screen shops to cash in on this:
Suppose you opened this morning's paper, reviewed the lines, and liked the Cornhuskers this Saturday at -2, and you've got a local guy that lets you bet the newspaper line. Well, if you see the line go from 2 to 2.5 to 3 to 3.5 at every shop on Don Best this afternoon, you better get that bet in TODAY before tomorrow's paper shows it to be 3, 3.5, or even 4 points.
Is the steam always "right"? Of course not. Sure, maybe the Cornhuskers will win by 14. They could lose by 7. But in the instance they won by 3, you cashed in largely because of the screen. Similarly, even though you like a team, you could watch the steam come down on the other team–so you'd know to let things settle down before you bet to get the best line possible.
[Check out the Oddswiz Rants & Raves forum and do a search for more detailed discussion of steam. I could go on about it for pages. Weather at ball yards in the first half of ‘99, for instance, was "steamy" indeed.]
Basic BettingSports wagering is a game of skill. The challenge is to gather and analyze as much information as possible, weigh the probabilities, and compare your opinion with the odds maker. Make the right call and win! In our wagering guide, we have compiled all the necessary information concerning the various types of wagers along with detailed examples for specific sports to make you a more knowledgeable bettor. Take the time to educate yourself and watch the winnings role in!
Straight WagersA straight wager, also referred to as a "side", is when you pick the team or person you believe is going to win. The straight or side wager can be governed by a point spread, money line, or sometimes both depending on the sport.
Point Spread Money Line Point Spread with Odds Totals
Point SpreadThe team perceived to have less chance of winning a game is given a handicap of a certain number of points for wagering purposes. This handicap is known as the "point spread," and is sometimes called the "line" or "price." If a team has a greater number of points after the point spread has been factored into its final score, it is said to have "covered the spread."
The favorite is always listed with a negative number. Why a negative number? For wagering purposes, 8 points are subtracted from the favorite's final score. If the favorite still has more points than the underdog after these points have been subtracted, then a bet on the favorite wins.
Conversely, the underdog is given a positive number because 8 points are added to the underdog's final score to determine a wager's winners and losers. If these additional points produce a score higher than the favorite's final score, then a bet on the underdog wins.
These types of bets are common in football, basketball, and some hockey (puck line) wagers. All point-spread bets are 11/10 payouts, or $11 to win $10, unless otherwise noted. For examples check out the individual sport you are interested in wagering on.
Money LineThe money line, also referred to as "odds", lists how much money your wager will return. In most sports "-110" will be offered for all side and total bets. For the moment, we will only discuss this number. Fluctuating money lines will be explained below.
The easiest way to understand the "-110" figure is to consider $110 the price of the bet if you would like to win $100: if you bet $110 and your bet wins, you will receive earnings of $100. Of course you may bet any amount between the minimum and maximum and it is this fraction (110/100 or 11/10) that will always be used to compute your winnings. So, if you bet $11 and your bet wins, you will win $10. If you bet $55, you'll win $50.
The -110 money line is used by the house to guarantee that it receives some payment for its services. If the house offered even odds (1/1) and the "action," or the total of all wagers received, was divided evenly across the two teams, the house would be doing volunteer work: handing all the loser's money over to the winners with nothing left over. This money line comprises, in a sense, even odds with a 10% house commission - sometimes called the "juice," "vigorish," or "vig" - for providing the action.
The types of bets are common in baseball, golf, tennis, horses and futures, but can also be applied to football and hockey on occasion. For examples check out the individual sport you are interested in wagering on.
Point Spread with OddsThis type of wager is used mainly for golf and hockey matchups. This is a combination of the two. The selection must win by the point spread and the payoff is calculated by the odds.
TotalsThe total is the sum of all points scored in the game. Two bets are available on totals: the "over" bet, in which you wager that the combined scores of the two teams will exceed the listed number, and the "under" bet, in which you wager that the combined scores of the two teams will not reach the listed total. The number in parentheses (-110) is the money line, as explained above. If the sum of all points in the game equals the total exactly, it is called a "push" or "no action" and all wagers are returned, no one wins or loses.
ParlaysA parlay is a single bet that links together anywhere from 2 to 6 individual plays. The parlay can be comprised of a series of bets on a team, over/under bets, or any mixture of the two. For the parlay to be a winning wager, every one of its individual plays must win. If any of the individual plays is not a winner, then the entire parlay wager loses.
If, however, one of the individual plays is a "PUSH," or "NO ACTION", then the parlay is still on for the remaining plays. A three-play parlay would become a two-play parlay; a two-play parlay would become a straight bet, with corresponding reductions of the payoff.
Why wager on a parlay and not make several individual bets? The payouts for parlays are significantly higher than for individual bets. But remember, since every one of the individual plays must win, it's an all-or-nothing bet. If you win two out of three plays, the parlay still loses, whereas you would have won those two plays as individual straight bets. You are given better odds because predicting the outcomes of several plays together is significantly more difficult than predicting any individual play.
You cannot parlay circled games.
The risk/win odds for parlay bets is as follows:
TeasersA teaser is a parlay in which you adjust the point spread or total of each individual play.
Like a parlay, a teaser is a single bet that links together several individual plays (from 2 to 8 in the case of teasers). You can combine a series of straight bets, over/under bets, or any mixture of the two. A teaser allows you to "buy points" - adjust the point spread or totals in your favor - on the plays that comprise the multi-part wager. As in a buy wager, adjusting the spread and/or the totals gives you more favorable odds, thus less of a return on your wager.
Teasers are not available for baseball and you cannot mix sports with teasers. Maybe you can mix football and basketball. Teaser points differ for basketball and football. Football teasers are 6 points for full game and 3 points for half-time wagers. Basketball teasers are 4 points for full game and 2 points for half time wager. However, you cannot select different point adjustments for the different plays: the amount of points you buy will be applied to all of the individual plays that comprise the teaser. You cannot buy, say, 4 points on one game and 5 on another.
What are the advantages of playing a teaser rather than a series of individual buy wagers? You receive significantly better odds than you would playing the adjusted money lines of buy wagers. Also, compared to a buy wager, the teaser offers you a greater number of points with which to adjust the point spreads and totals. The disadvantages? As in a parlay, winning two out of three or three out of four is still a loss. If those winning plays had been individual buy wagers, you would have come out ahead. As always, going for a bigger payout entails a bigger risk.
TEASER PAYOFFS BOX # OF TEAMS PAYOFF 23456 10/118/55/24/16/1

Monster TeasersThe monster teaser is our new 3 team, 10-point teaser for football and 3 team, 7-point teaser for basketball. The odds are $110 to win $100.
MONSTER TEASERS - 3 Teams exactly # OF TEAMS TEASER PAYOFF 3 11/10 10 points in Football (NFL, NCAA, CFL, Arena)5 points in Football 1st half and halftime7 points in Basketball (NBA, WNBA, NCAA)3.5 points in Basketball 1st half and halftime ALL TIES LOSE

If Bets"If bets" are used by many players as a method of money management. Like a parlay, an if bet links together 2 or more individual plays. Unlike a parlay, an if bet is not an all-or-nothing wager: the individual plays remain individual wagers and pay at the listed money line if they win.
For purposes of explanation, let's concentrate on an if bet that contains just two wagers. You bet on an initial team or total, if that wager wins then the second wager that you chose will automatically be placed. You should therefore always list the bet you are most confident about first. If your initial bet loses, then the second wager is not placed. The status of the linked bets has nothing to do with the games' starting times or what order they are played; it is strictly a logical relation. Even if the first game in your if bet is played hours after the second one, the status of the second bet must wait for the first game's results.
The amount of the total wager is collected at the time you place the entire bet sequence. All individual wagers that comprise the 'if bet' must be for the same amount. You can only bet the same or less on the following wager. The advantage of playing an 'if bet' is that it reduces your exposure to losses. Since the second wager is placed only if you win, the maximum amount that you can lose is the amount of the first wager. If the first wager wins, then the original stake is used to place the second wager and so on.
If bets can contain up to 6 individual plays, and the process just described continues for each one. If at any time an individual wager loses, then the remaining wagers will not be placed.
Players have an option for choosing the conditions of an if bet: "single action" or "double action." Single action specifies that the remaining bets in the sequence will only be placed if the preceding bet wins. If the preceding bet is a "push" or is cancelled for any other reason, then the remaining bets will not be placed. Double action specifies that the remaining bets in the sequence will be placed if the preceding bet wins, results in a "push" or is cancelled for any other reason. In other words, "double action" means that the remaining bets in the sequence will be not be placed only if the preceding bet loses.

Reverse BetsReverse bets are simply "if bets" that work in both directions. If you aren't familiar with "if bets," please read that section before continuing.
All reverse bets are double action: the remaining bets in the sequence will be placed if the preceding bet is a win, a "push," or is cancelled for any reason. An "if bet" (double action) follows the sequence "if X wins, ties or cancels then Y." Placing a reverse bet will include that sequence and its opposite: "if X wins, ties or cancels then Y" AND "if Y wins, ties or cancels then X." As you can see, reverse bets contain two "if bet" sequences, and you must lay down an equal amount for each one: an if bet for $110 is $220 as a reverse bet.
A reverse bet merely reverses the order of an initial "if bet": if there was a third bet "Z," then a reverse bet would include these two sequences: "if X wins, ties or cancels then Y. if Y wins, ties or cancels then Z" AND "if Z wins, ties, or cancels then Y. if Y wins, ties or cancels then X." It would not, however, include this sequence: "if Y wins, ties or cancels the X. if X wins, ties or cancels then Z." You must specify the exact order of the initial "if bet," and the reverse does exactly what its name implies: it reverses the order of that sequence but cannot shuffle it.
The advantage of playing reverse bets is that you are still able to limit your exposure to losses while expanding the possible combinations that will produce winning wagers.

Round RobinsRound robins are a useful tool to cover your bases when betting parlays. A round robin is not really a wager in and of itself, but rather a method or strategy of making 2 play parlays. (If you are not familiar with parlays, please read that section first). A round robin is akin to "boxing" an exacta in horse racing: you pick 3 or more plays (up to 18) and receive a set of 2 play parlays consisting of every possible combination of those three plays. If any two of the plays are winners, you are guaranteed to have that combination as a parlay.
Because a round robin is in essence a set of 2 play parlays, the payouts and terms of that wager apply: the payout is 5/13 and both plays in the individual parlays must win; if one play loses, the parlay loses (but you may still have other winning parlays in the round robin).
Each of the parlays that make up the round robin is a separate wager, so you must risk the original amount of your wager for each combination you receive in asking for a round robin. For example, a three play round robin has three possible parlay combinations. A $50 round robin would thus require that you wager $50 for each of these combinations, for a total of $150. At a 5/13 payout for each of the parlays, the maximum amount that you could win would be $130 for each, or a total of $390.

FuturesA future bet is a straight bet on an event or outcome that is relatively far off in the future. For example, you can bet that the Minnesota Vikings will win the Super Bowl long before the NFL season even starts, or that Jeff Gordon will win the Winston Cup before the first race in the series has even been run. Check the Futures Bets section to see what bets are currently offered.
Future bets are money line bets and the odds are continually updated during the period leading up to the time when the bets are taken off the board. You receive the odds that are in effect at the time you place your bet. Because circumstances can change so much from the date the bet is offered to the date of the actual event - making predicting outcomes very difficult - futures bets often offer very attractive, high odds to the bettor.
Future bets are always circled (straight bets only).

PropositionsA proposition bet is a very specific bet offered by the house. The individual bets have titles that explain on what event or action or player the wager is placed. Proposition bets are always money line bets: some are totals bets; some are side bets, some utterly unique. Rather than attempt to explain the vast array of proposition bets, we'll give you a sample page that shows just some of the possibilities.
Proposition bets are always circled (straight bets only).

Wagering Limits
WAGER LIMITS PHONE WAGERING Sport STRAIGHT PARLAYS/TEASERS Side Total Min. Max. Min. Football $2,500 $1,500 $50 $500 $50 Basketball $2,500 $1,500 $50 $500 $50 Baseball $2,500 $1,500 $50 $500 $50 Hockey $2,500 $1,500 $50 $500 $50 * All phone wagers must be $50 or over INTERNET WAGERING All Straight Wagers Max. Min. $1000 $5 All Parlays/Teasers Wagers $200 $1 Maximum accumulated winnings on all Future wagers is $10,000

Scored Official for Individual Sports
SCORED OFFICIAL Sport Scored Official After Football 55 minutes of play Basketball (NBA) 43 minutes of play Basketball (College) 35 minutes of play Baseball 5 innings of play (see Baseball for details) Hockey 55 minutes of play Golf 54 holes of play Boxing After opening bell is rung Other Sports For time events, must have less than 5 minutes remaining
American footballFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia• Learn more about using Wikipedia for research •Jump to: navigation, searchFor the playing of football (soccer) in the United States, see Soccer in the United States.For the disbanded American indie rock band, see American Football (band).American football, known in the United States simply as football,[1] is a competitive team sport known for its physical roughness despite being a highly strategic game. The object of the game is to score points by advancing the pointed-oval shaped ball into the opposing team's end zone. The ball can be advanced by carrying it (a running play) or by throwing it to a teammate (a passing play). Points can be scored in a variety of ways, including carrying the ball over the goal line, throwing the ball to another player past the goal line or kicking it through the goal posts on the opposing side. The winner is the team with the most points when the time expires and the last play ends.
Outside the United States, the sport is referred to as American football (or a translation thereof) to differentiate it from other football (soccer) games. In Australia and New Zealand the game is known as Gridiron, although in America the word "gridiron" refers only to the playing field.
Contents [hide]1 Popularity 2 Organization of Football in the United States 2.1 Professional 2.2 University/Collegiate 2.3 High School 2.4 Youth Leagues 3 Football Calendar 4 Outside the United States 5 Rules 5.1 Field and players 5.2 Game duration 5.3 Advancing the ball 5.4 Change of possession 5.5 Scoring 5.6 Kickoffs and free kicks 5.7 Penalties 5.8 Variations 6 Players 6.1 Offense 6.2 Defense 6.3 Special teams 6.4 Uniform numbering 7 Basic strategy 8 Physicality 9 History 10 See also 11 Notes 12 References 13 Further reading 14 External links
Popularity A Colorado State University player carries the ball as an Air Force Academy player lines up a tackle.While baseball is known as America's "national pastime," football is its favorite sport, and has been since 1972, according to the Gallup Poll. Football's popularity continues to grow; the percentage of Americans who say football is their favorite sport to watch (43%) is higher now than at any other time. Football's American TV viewership ratings far surpass those of other sports.[2] The day of the National Football League championship, the Super Bowl, is one of the biggest occasions for social gatherings in the U.S. and is sometimes referred to as an unofficial national holiday.[3]
Organization of Football in the United StatesBefitting its status as a popular sport, football is played in leagues of different size, age, and quality, in all regions of the country. Organized football is played almost exclusively by men and boys, although a few amateur and semi-professional women's leagues have begun play in recent years.

ProfessionalThe 32-team National Football League (NFL) is currently the only major professional American football league. There are no developmental or minor leagues, but the similar sports Arena football and Canadian football are considered lower-level leagues.
University/CollegiateCollege football is also popular throughout North America. Nearly every college and university has a football team, no matter its size, and plays in its own stadium. The largest, most popular collegiate teams routinely fill stadiums larger than 60,000. Four college football stadiums, The University of Michigan's Michigan Stadium, Penn State's Beaver Stadium, The University of Tennessee's Neyland Stadium and Ohio State's Ohio Stadium, seat more than 100,000 fans and usually sell out. The weekly autumn ritual of college football includes marching bands, cheerleaders, homecoming, parties, and the tailgate party, and forms an important part of the culture in much of smalltown America. Football is generally the major source of revenue to the athletic programs of schools, public and private, in the United States.
High SchoolMost American high schools field football teams. Schools that are too small to find the minimum number of players play variants of football that specify six or seven players instead of the normal eleven. High school football is popular, especially in the Southern United States, where many schools regularly fill stadiums holding over 10,000 fans, and can afford artificial playing surfaces.
Since high schools in the United States are tied to the town they are situated in, the football team is often a chief source of civic pride, and football heroes are very well-regarded in their communities.
High school teams generally play only against other teams from their state. Still, some private Christian High Schools play for 'national championships' through organizations like the Federated Christian Athletic Association (FCAA).
Youth LeaguesFootball is played recreationally by amateur and youth teams (e.g., the Pop Warner little-league programs). There are also many "semi-pro" teams in leagues where the players are paid to play but at a small enough salary that they generally must also hold a full-time job.
Due to the speed and violence of the sport, many non-organized football games involve variations of the rules to minimize contact. These include touch football and flag football.
Football CalendarFootball is an autumn sport. A season typically begins in mid-to-late August and runs through December, into January. The professional playoffs run through January.
It is a long-standing tradition in the United States (though not universally observed) that high school football games are played on Friday night, college games on Saturday, and professional games on Sunday. In the 1970s, the NFL began to schedule one game on Monday night on ABC. In recent years, nationally televised Thursday night college games have become a weekly fixture on ESPN.
Certain fall and winter holidays—most notably Thanksgiving and New Year's Day—have traditional football games associated with them.

Outside the United StatesThe NFL operated a developmental league, NFL Europa, with teams in five German cities and one in the Netherlands, but this league folded following the 2007 season. The professional Canadian Football League and collegiate Canadian Interuniversity Sport play under Canadian rules. The sport is popular as an amateur activity in Mexico and American Samoa and to a lesser extent in Japan, Europe, Korea, The Bahamas, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Australia (Gridiron Australia), Israel and the United Kingdom (BAFL).[citation needed] The International Federation of American Football is the governing body for American football with 45 member associations from North and South America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. The IFAF also oversees the American Football World Cup, which is held every four years. Japan won the first two World Cups, held in 1999 and 2003. Team USA, which had not participated in the previous World Cups, won the title in 2007. Despite this, the game has been slow to catch on in most countries.
RulesMain article: American football rulesThe object of American football is to score more points than the opposing team within the time limit.
Field and players The numbers on the field indicate the number of yards to the nearest end zone. University of Southern California football games at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum attract more than 90,000 fans.American football is played on a field 120 yards (109.7 m) long by 160 feet (48.8 m) wide. The longer boundary lines are sidelines, while the shorter boundary lines are end lines. Near each end of the field is a goal line; they are 100 yards (91.4 m) apart. A scoring area called an end zone extends 10 yards (9.1 m) beyond each goal line to each end line.
Yard lines cross the field every 5 yards, and are numbered from each goal line to the 50-yard line, or midfield (similar to a typical rugby league field). Two rows of lines, known as inbounds lines or hash marks, parallel the side lines near the middle of the field. All plays start with the ball on or between the hash marks.
At the back of each end zone are two goal posts (also called uprights) that are 18.5 feet (5.6 m) apart (24 feet (7.3 m) in high school). The posts are connected by a crossbar 10 feet (305 cm) from the ground.
Each team has 11 players on the field at a time. However, teams may substitute for any or all of their players, if time allows, during the break between plays. As a result, players have very specialized roles, and almost all of the 46 active players on an NFL team will play in any given game. Thus, teams are divided into three separate units: the offense, the defense and the special teams.
Game durationA standard football game consists of four 15-minute (typically 12 minutes in high-school football) quarters, with a half-time intermission after the second quarter. The clock stops after certain plays; therefore, a game can last considerably longer (often more than three hours in real time), and if a game is broadcast on television, TV timeouts are taken at certain intervals of the game to broadcast commercials outside of game action. If an NFL game is tied after four quarters, the teams play an additional period lasting up to 15 minutes. In an NFL overtime game, the first team that scores wins, even if the other team does not get a possession; this is referred to as sudden death. In a regular-season NFL game, if neither team scores in overtime, the game is a tie. In an NFL playoff game, additional overtime periods are played, as needed, to determine a winner. College overtime rules are more complicated and are described in Overtime (sport).
Advancing the ball A line of scrimmageAdvancing the ball in American football resembles the six-tackle rule and the play-the-ball in rugby league. The team that takes possession of the ball (the offense) has four attempts, called downs, to advance the ball 10 yards towards their opponent's (the defense's) end zone. When the offense gains 10 yards, it gets a first down, which means the team has another set of four downs to gain yet another 10 yards or score with. If the offense fails to gain a first down (10 yards) after 4 downs, the other team gets possession of the ball.
Except at the beginning of halves and after scores, the ball is always put into play by a snap. Offensive players line up facing defensive players at the line of scrimmage (the position on the field where the play begins). One offensive player, the center, then passes (or "snaps") the ball between his legs to a teammate, usually the quarterback.
A quarterback searching for opportunity to throw a pass A running back being tackled when he tries to run with the ballPlayers can then advance the ball in two ways:
By running with the ball, also known as rushing. One ball-carrier can hand the ball to another player or throw backwards to another player. These are known as as a handoff and a lateral respectively. By throwing the ball to a teammate, known as a forward pass or as passing the football. The forward pass is a key factor distinguishing American and Canadian football from other football sports. The offense can throw the ball forward only once on a play, only from behind the line of scrimmage and only before crossing the line of scrimmage. The ball can be thrown, pitched, handed-off, or tossed sideways or backwards at any time. A down ends, and the ball becomes dead, after any of the following:
The player with the ball is forced to the ground (tackled) or has his forward progress halted by members of the other team (as determined by an official). A forward pass flies out of bounds or touches the ground before it is caught. This is known as an incomplete pass. The ball is returned to the most recent line of scrimmage for the next down. The ball or the player with the ball goes beyond the dimensions of the field (out of bounds). A team scores. Officials blow a whistle to notify players that the down is over.
Before each down, each team chooses a play, or coordinated movements and actions, that the players should follow on a down. Sometimes, downs themselves are referred to as "plays."
Change of possessionThe offense maintains possession of the ball unless one of the following things occur:
The team fails to get a first down— i.e., in four downs they fail to move the ball past a line 10 yards ahead of where they got their last first down (it is possible to be downed behind the current line of scrimmage, "losing yardage"). The defensive team takes over the ball at the spot where the 4th-down play ends. A change of possession in this manner is commonly called a turnover on downs. The offense scores a touchdown or field goal. The team that scored then kicks the ball to the other team in a special play called a kickoff. The offense punts the ball to the defense. A punt is a kick in which a player drops the ball and kicks it before it hits the ground. Punts are nearly always made on fourth down, when the offensive team does not want to risk giving up the ball to the other team at its current spot on the field (through a failed attempt to make a first down) and feels it is too far from the other team's goal posts to attempt a field goal. A defensive player catches a forward pass. This is called an interception, and the player who makes the interception can run with the ball until he is tackled, forced out of bounds, or scores. An offensive player drops the ball (a fumble) and a defensive player picks it up. As with interceptions, a player "recovering" a fumble can run with the ball until tackled or forced out of bounds. Lateral passes that are not caught or caught by a defensive player are considered fumbles. Lost fumbles and interceptions are together known as turnovers. The offensive team misses a field goal attempt. The defensive team gets the ball at the spot where the previous play began (or, in the NFL, at the spot of the kick). If the unsuccessful kick was attempted from within 20 yards of the end zone, the other team gets the ball at its own 20-yard line (that is, 20 yards from the end zone). In his own end zone, an offensive ballcarrier is tackled, forced out of bounds or loses the ball out of bounds, or the offense commits certain penalties. This fairly rare occurrence is called a safety. An offensive ballcarrier fumbles the ball forward into the end zone, and then the ball goes out of bounds. This extremely rare occurrence leads to a touchback, with the ball going over to the opposing team at their 20 yard line. (Note that touchbacks during non-offensive special teams plays, such as punts and kickoffs, are quite common.)
ScoringA team scores points by the following plays:
A touchdown (TD) is worth 6 points. It is scored when a player runs the ball into or catches a pass in his opponent's end zone. A touchdown is analogous to a try in rugby with the major difference being that a try requires the player to place the ball on the ground. After a touchdown, the scoring team attempts a conversion (which is also analogous to the conversion in rugby). The ball is placed at the other team's 3-yard line (the 2-yard line in the NFL). The team can attempt to kick it over the crossbar and through the goal posts in the manner of a field goal for 1 point (an extra point or point after touchdown (PAT)), or run or pass it into the end zone in the manner of a touchdown for 2 points (a two-point conversion). In college football, if the defense intercepts or recovers a fumble during a two point conversion attempt and returns it to the opposing end zone, the defensive team is awarded the two points. A field goal (FG) is worth 3 points, and it is scored by kicking the ball over the crossbar and through the goal posts. Field goals may be placekicked (kicked when the ball is held vertically against the ground by a teammate) or drop-kicked (extremely uncommon in the modern game, with only two successes in the last 60 years). A field goal is usually attempted on fourth down instead of a punt when the ball is close to the opponent's goal line, or, when there is little or no time left to otherwise score. A safety, worth 2 points, is scored by the defense when a ball-carrier is tackled in his own end zone. Safeties are also awarded if the offense fumbles the ball out-of-bounds in the end zone, has a kick blocked out of the end zone or commits certain penalties in the end zone. Safeties are relatively rare.
Kickoffs and free kicksEach half begins with a kickoff. Teams also kick off after scoring touchdowns and field goals. The ball is kicked using a kicking tee from the team's own 30-yard line in the NFL and college football (as of the 2007 season). The other team's kick returner tries to catch the ball and advance it as far as possible. Where he is stopped is the point where the offense will begin its drive, or series of offensive plays. If the kick returner catches the ball in his own end zone, he can either run with the ball, or elect for a touchback by kneeling in the end zone, in which case the receiving team then starts its offensive drive from its own 20-yard line. A touchback also occurs when the kick goes out-of-bounds in the end zone. A kickoff that goes out-of-bounds anywhere other than the end zone before being touched by the receiving team results in a penalty. Unlike with punts, once a kickoff goes 10 yards, it can be recovered by the kicking team. A team, especially one who is losing, can try to take advantage of this by attempting an Onside kick. Punts and turnovers in the end zone can also end in a touchback.
After safeties, the team that gave up the 2 points puts the ball into play with a punt or placekick from its own 20-yard line.
A halfback leads fellow backs through an agility drill at the Air Force Academy PenaltiesRule violations are punished with penalties against the offending team. Most penalties result in moving the football towards the offending team's end zone. If the penalty would move the ball more than half the distance to the defense's end zone, the penalty becomes half the distance to the goal instead of its normal value.
Most penalties result in replaying the down. Some defensive penalties give the offense an automatic first down. Conversely, some offensive penalties result in the automatic loss of a down. If a penalty gives the offensive team enough yardage to gain a first down, they get a first down, as usual.
If a penalty occurs during a play, an official throws a yellow flag near the spot of the foul. When the play ends, the team that did not commit the penalty has the option of accepting the penalty, or declining the penalty and accepting the result of the play.
A few of the most-common penalties include:
False start: An offensive player illegally moves after lining up for the snap. The play is dead immediately. Offside: A defensive player is on the wrong side of the ball at the start of a play. If play has started, the penalty is delayed pending the outcome of the play. Holding: Illegally grasping or pulling an opponent other than the ball-carrier. Pass interference: Illegally contacting an opponent to prevent him from catching a forward pass. Delay of game: Failing to begin a new play after a certain time from the end of the last one. Illegal block in the back: An offensive player pushing a defensive player in the back. Face mask: Grasping or touching the face mask of another player while attempting to block or tackle him. Clipping: A blocker hitting an opposing defender from below the waist from behind
VariationsVariations on these basic rules exist, particularly touch and flag football, which are designed as non-contact or limited-contact alternatives to the relative violence of regular American football. In touch and flag football, tackling is not permitted. Offensive players are "tackled" when a defender tags them or removes a flag from their body, respectively. Both of these varieties are played mainly in informal settings such as intramural or youth games. Another variation is "wrap", where a player is "tackled" when another player wraps his arms around the ball carrier. Professional, intercollegiate, and varsity-level high school football invariably use the standard tackling rules.
Another variation is with the number of players on the field. In sparsely populated areas, it is not uncommon to find high school football teams playing nine-man football, eight-man football or six-man football. Players often play on offense as well as defense. The Arena Football League is a league that plays eight-man football, but also plays indoors and on a much smaller playing surface.
PlayersMain article: American football positions This diagram shows typical offensive and defensive formations. The offense (blue) consists of the quarterback (QB), fullback (FB), tailback (TB), wide receivers (WR) and offensive linemen (C, OG, OT). The defense (red) consists of the defensive line (DL, DE), linebackers (LBs), cornerbacks (CB), strong safety (SS) and free safety (FS). Because teams can change any or all of the players between plays, the number of players at certain positions may differ on a given play. Here the offense is in the Normal I-Formation while the defense is in a 4-3 Normal.Most football players have highly specialized roles. At the college and NFL levels, most play only offense or only defense.
OffenseThe offensive line (OL) consists of five players whose job is to protect the passer and clear the way for runners by blocking members of the defense. Except for the center, offensive linemen generally do not handle the ball. The quarterback (QB) receives the snap from the center on most plays. He then hands or tosses it to a running back, throws it to a receiver or runs with it himself. The quarterback is the leader of the offense and calls the plays that are signaled to him from the sidelines. Running backs (RB) line up behind or beside the QB and specialize in running with the ball. They also block, catch passes and, on rare occasions, pass the ball to others. If a team has two running backs in the game, usually one will be a halfback (HB) or tailback (TB), who is more likely to run with the ball, and the other will usually be a fullback (FB), who is more likely to block. Wide receivers (WR) line up near the sidelines. They specialize in catching passes, though they also block for running plays or downfield after another receiver makes a catch. Tight ends (TE) line up outside the offensive line. They can either play like wide receivers (catch passes) or like offensive linemen (protect the QB or create spaces for runners). At least seven players must line up on the line of scrimmage on every offensive play. The other players may line up anywhere behind the line. The exact number of running backs, wide receivers and tight ends may differ on any given play. For example, if the team needs only 1 yard, it may use three tight ends, two running backs and no wide receivers. On the other hand, if it needs 20 yards, it may replace all of its running backs and tight ends with wide receivers.
DefenseThe defensive line consists of three to six players who line up immediately across from the offensive line. They try to tackle the running back if he has the ball before he can gain yardage or the quarterback before he can throw or pass the ball. In most situations, at least three players line up as defensive backs, which are either cornerbacks or safeties. They cover the receivers and try to stop pass completions. They occasionally rush the quarterback. The other players on the defense are known as linebackers. They line up between the defensive line and defensive backs and may either rush the quarterback or cover potential receivers.
Special teamsThe units of players who handle kicking plays are known as "special teams". Two important special-teams players are the "punter", who handles punts, and the "placekicker" or "kicker", who kicks off and attempts field goals and extra points.
Uniform numberingIn the NFL, ranges of uniform numbers are reserved for certain positions:
1-19: Quarterbacks, wide receivers, kickers, and punters 20-49: Running backs and defensive backs 50-59: Centers and linebackers 60-79: Offensive and defensive linemen 80-89: Wide receivers and tight ends 90-99: Defensive linemen and linebackers NCAA rules specify only that offensive linemen must have numbers in the 50-79 range, but the association "strongly recommends" that quarterbacks and running backs have numbers below 50 and wide receivers numbers above 79. This helps officials as it means that numbers 50 to 79 are ineligible receivers, or players that normally may not touch the ball.
Basic strategyMain article: American football strategyBecause the game stops after every down, giving teams a chance to call a new play, strategy plays a major role in football. Each team has a playbook of dozens to hundreds of plays. Ideally, each play is a scripted, strategically sound team-coordinated endeavor. Some plays are very safe; they are likely to get only a few yards. Other plays have the potential for long gains but at a greater risk of a loss of yardage or a turnover.
Generally speaking, rushing plays are less risky than passing plays. However, there are relatively safe passing plays and risky running plays. To deceive the other team, some passing plays are designed to resemble running plays and vice versa. There are many trick or gadget plays, such as when a team lines up as if it intends to punt and then tries to run or pass for a first down. Such high-risk plays are a great thrill to the fans when they work. However, they can spell disaster if the opposing team realizes the deception and acts accordingly.
The defense also plans plays in response to expectations of what the offense will do. For example, a "blitz" (using linebackers or defensive backs to charge the quarterback) is often attempted when the team on defense expects a pass. A blitz makes downfield passing more difficult but exposes the defense to big gains if the offensive line stems the rush.
Many hours of preparation and strategizing, including film review by both players and coaches, go into the days between football games. This, along with the demanding physicality of football (see below), is why teams typically play at most one game per week.
PhysicalityMain article: Issues in American football#InjuriesAmerican football is a collision sport. To stop the offense from advancing the ball, the defense must tackle the player with the ball by knocking him down. As such, defensive players must use some form of physical contact to bring the ball-carrier to the ground, within certain rules and guidelines. Tacklers cannot kick, punch or trip the runner. They also cannot grab the face mask of the runner's helmet or lead into a tackle with their own helmet. Despite these and other rules regarding unnecessary roughness, most other forms of tackling are legal. Blockers and defenders trying to evade them also have wide leeway in trying to force their opponents out of the way. Quarterbacks are regularly hit by defenders coming on full speed from outside the quarterback's field of vision. This is commonly known as a blindside.
To compensate for this, players must wear special protective equipment, such as a padded plastic helmet, shoulder pads, hip pads and knee pads. These protective pads were introduced decades ago and have improved ever since to help minimize lasting injury to players. An unintended consequence of all the safety equipment has resulted in increasing levels of violence in the game. Players may now hurl themselves at one another at high speeds without a significant chance of injury. Unfortunately, the injuries that do result tend to be severe and often season or career-ending and sometimes fatal. In previous years with less padding, tackling more closely resembled tackles in Rugby football. Better helmets have allowed players to use their helmets as weapons. All this has caused the various leagues, especially the NFL, to implement a complicated series of penalties for various types of contact. Most recently, virtually any contact with the helmet of a defensive player on the quarterback, or any contact to the quarterback's head, is now a foul.
Despite protective equipment and rule changes to emphasize safety, injuries remain very common in football. It is increasingly rare, for example, for NFL quarterbacks or running backs (who take the most direct hits) to make it through an entire season without missing some time to injury. Additionally, twenty-eight football players, mostly high schoolers, died from injuries directly related to football from 2000-05, although many were related to dehydration or other examples of "non-physical" dangers, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research.[4] Concussions are common, with about 41,000 suffered every year among high school players according to the Brain Injury Association of Arizona.[5]
Extra and optional equipment such as neck rolls, spider pads, rib protectors, and elbow pads help against injury as well, though they do not tend to be used by majority of players because of their lack of requirement.
The danger of football and the equipment required to reduce it make regulation football impractical for casual play. Flag football and touch football are less violent variants of the game popular among recreational players.
HistoryMain article: History of American football Frank Dombrowski (left) of the United States and Captain W. Drinkwater of Canada, rival captains of the teams playing in the Canada-United States football game at White City Stadium, London, England, 14 February 1944Both American football and soccer have their origins in varieties of football played in the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. American football is directly descended from rugby football. The majority of the plays in a typical American football game involve handling the ball rather than kicking it.
The origins of American football probably date to the early 1800s when teams from various colleges and secondary schools (necessarily from the Eastern part of the United States because established institutions of learning existed only in that region at the time) met to attempt to move an inflated ball past a line to gain points. This movement was usually achieved by kicking or batting at the ball, as in soccer. The number of men on each side was quite different from the eleven which characterizes the modern game. As to the 'first' game of American football, many "first" American football games have been claimed. However, such games were often played under rules that were so different from today's game as to call into question the veracity of the claims.[6]
It is claimed that Rutgers University and Princeton University played the first game of college football on Nov. 6, 1869 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, won by Rutgers 6-4. However, the viewpoint that this particular game marks the beginning of American football is contested. The English Football (i.e., Soccer) Association rules were followed in the Princeton/Rutgers contest;[7] participants were only allowed to kick the ball; and each side had twenty five men. Some see the Princeton/Rutgers meeting of 1869 as the first intercollegiate game of "soccer" in America, but not American football [8]. Regardless, the 1869 game between Rutgers and Princeton is important in that it is the beginning of intercollegiate competition in any sport. In 1870, Rutgers invited Columbia for a game, and the popularity of intercollegiate competition in football would spread throughout the country.
Dartmouth College students played a football-like game now known as "Old Division Football," to which they published rules in 1871.
The "first" game of American football between two American teams is the contest played between Tufts University and Harvard University on June 4, 1875 at Jarvis Field in Cambridge, Mass., won by Tufts 1-0 [9]. Jarvis Field was at the time located off Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, between Everett, Jarvis and Oxford Sts. which bordered the northern point of the Harvard campus. A report of the outcome of this game appeared in the Boston Daily Globe of June 5, 1875. In the Tufts/Harvard game participants were allowed to pick up the ball and run with it, each side fielded eleven men, the ball carrier was stopped by knocking him down or "tackling" him, and the inflated ball was egg-shaped - the combination of which far more closely resembles the modern American football game than the games of other "firsts". Thus, the Harvard/Tufts game may be regarded as the beginning of football between two American colleges. It should also be noted that a year prior to the Tufts/Harvard game, Harvard faced McGill University of Montreal, Canada on May 14, 1874 in a game under rules similar to the Tufts/Harvard game. This marks the Harvard/McGill game as the first game of football in "North" America. To this day, Harvard, McGill and Tufts continue to field football teams though they no longer play each other.
One of the first egg shaped footballs.Encouraged by Yale University's Walter Camp, the schools began to adopt more standardized rules that would differentiate American football from rugby in the 1880s. The scrimmage was introduced in 1880 and the system of downs in 1882.
By the turn of the 20th century, football had become notoriously dangerous; 18 college players died in 1905 alone. Colleges responded with a series of rule changes to open up the game, most importantly the forward pass, along with outlawing dangerous formations such as the "flying wedge", and introducing and requiring better equipment such as helmets.
The game had achieved its modern form by 1912, when the field was changed to its current size, the value of a touchdown increased to 6 points, and a fourth down added to each possession. Originally dominated by the Ivy League, football soon captured the interest of colleges nationwide. By 1916, when the Rose Bowl game matching eastern and western teams became an annual event, football had developed a national following second only to baseball among team sports. To this day, college football continues to be highly popular and played by teams representing a wide variety of colleges and universities.
Professional football developed in the mill towns of Pennsylvania and the American Midwest in the early years of the 20th century. The NFL was founded in 1920 in Canton, Ohio as the American Professional Football Association; it adopted its current name in 1922. Professional football remained a largely regional sport of secondary importance until after World War II, when television broadcasts boosted NFL football's national appeal. The pro game surpassed both college football and baseball in popularity in the 1960s.[10] The first Super Bowl—between the champions of the NFL and the rival American Football League—was played in 1967, and the leagues merged in 1970.

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