American Football ­­-­ or NFL (National Football League – is one of the United States’ premier sports and also attracts huge interest around the globe.

Its stars are some of the best performing and highest paid athletes on the planet, exhibiting phenomenal feats of prowess every week across the regular season, into the play-offs and, for those lucky enough, the showpiece event of the Super Bowl in February.

And the nature of the game makes it ideal for betting – with plenty of points, phases of action and stats to keep you intrigued as to the many outcomes possible.

The team’s names conjure romantic notions of trophies and glory.

The Miami Dolphins, once led by the legendary quarter-back Dan Marino and resplendent in their aqua and orange uniforms.

The Chicago Bears, the oldest franchise in the NFL, playing at the vast Soldier Field stadium. Their alumni includes greats such as Walter Payton, William ‘The Fridge’ Perry and Mike Singletary.

And who can forget the New England Patriots, with quarter-back Tom Brady who has led them to five Super Bowl titles – one of only two players to achieve that feat and the only man to do it with one side?

Like a game of chess on grass, the action switches momentum as teams attempt to gain a first down and ultimately score a touchdown.

There are special teams used for kicks and punts, and speed merchants partnered with brave blockers to return them in exciting phases of play.

The sport has always enjoyed a huge fan base in the UK, and the recent development of regular games at Wembley Stadium in London has only increased the fervour with which British fans follow their heroes.

You are almost as likely to see a New Orleans Saints shirt as you are to see a Chelsea shirt in the nation’s capital.

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How to bet on NFL

Points spread betting is one of the most popular markets when it comes to American Football, especially where one of the team is a strong favourite to win the game.

It works by giving the less fancied outfit a points handicap start, levelling the playing field and making the experience a real thrill ride of emotions.

It is worth bearing in mind how the scoring system in NFL works as this is key to understanding the opportunities of playing the spread.

Each team gets four ‘downs’, or attempts, to gain 10 yards and a new first down. They use this to make their way up the field and attempt to score a touchdown, worth six points, by safely getting the ball into the ‘end zone’ either with a throw and catch or running it over the line.

That can be added to with an extra point kick, while a field goal – when a team is within range but doesn’t want to gamble on the fourth down or when they are running out of time – gains three points.

There is also the two-point ‘safety’, where the defensive team tackles and offensive player in the end zone.

Understanding this is crucial when approaching the points spread markets as you will often see a large difference in odds between the 6.5 and 7.5 point result margins.

Other betting options include which team will win / be ahead in any of the four 15-minute quarters, half-time / full-time predictions, leading catcher, most running yards and first / last / anytime touchdown scorer.

It sounds complicated but once you have watched a few games it all becomes clear – and very exciting!

And with a host of few bets available to give you a taste of how it all works, there is no reason not to enjoy betting on NFL.

FindBets provides you with all the best odds and tips to make your experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible.