The Super Bowl is here! After three weeks of the 2023 NFL playoffs, the matchup for Super Bowl LVII is finally set. The Kansas City Chiefs will meet the Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Arizona. The game will take place this Sunday, February 12th at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Sometimes, the betting on the Superbowl can seem a bit intimidating for a newcomer, but don’t panic. We have prepared a guide to get you ready for the big game!
What’s the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl is the championship game for the National Football League (NFL). It represents the culmination of a season and is the last professional game played until the next season.
The Game
The objective of American Football is simple: to score more goals than your opponent in a 60-minute playing time frame. The team with the most points at the end of the time period wins the game. It is played by two teams of 11 players each (one on offense the other on defense).
The game begins with a coin toss to decide who gets the ball first. Based on that decision, one team kicks off to the opposing team. The opposing team offenses get 4 chances to move the ball 10 yards forward. Each team gets 4 chances (downs). Once they pass the 10 yards their downs reset and they start again for another 10 yards. After 4 downs have passed and they have failed to make it over the 10 yards required the ball will be turned over to the defensive team. Time is counted while plays are running and sometimes between plays. To keep the game going at a good pace the offense has a limited time (called the play clock) between plays.
The game consists in a full 60 minutes runtime that is split up into 15-minute 4 quarters. Those quarters are split up into two halves of 30 minutes, the first half being the first and second quarters and the second half, the third and fourth quarters.
There is a 15-minute rest period called half-time between the second and third quarters that allows teams to regroup. During the Superbowl, halftime is extended to 25- 30 minutes, and the crowd is entertained by well-known musical acts. This year half time show is Rihanna.
Types of Scoring Plays
Touchdown: (6 points) This Is when a player gains possession of the football in the opponent’s end zone. It is also a touchdown when a runner with possession extends the ball on, above, or behind the plane of the opponent’s goal line; or extends the ball over or inside the pylon or touches the pylon before the player is down by contact.
Try: (1 point Field Goal or Safety – 2 points Touchdown). The offense can try to earn an extra point after a touchdown by kicking the ball above the crossbar and through the uprights from the 15-yard line (1 point), or running the ball across the goal line from two yards out. (2 points).
Field Goal: (3 points). A place kick that the offense attempts from on or behind the line of scrimmage. After the kick, the ball must not touch the ground or any player before it passes over the crossbar.
Safety: (2 points). It is scored when a runner is tackled in possession of the ball in his own end zone. Also, if the offense commits a foul in its own end zone. Or if the offensive team loses control of the ball behind its own goal line.
Football Rules
1. Bets are considered official after 55 minutes of play. If 55 minutes of play is not completed, a bet on the team is treated as no action, and a parlay bet will be reduced accordingly.
Bets on 1st, 2nd halves and all quarters will be considered action upon completion of the period in question.
Bets on spread, money line, totals for the whole game and all bets on second halves always include overtime scoring.
Bets for 4th quarter do not include overtime scoring.
2. Wagers on both whole game and second-half lines always include overtime scoring. However, wagers on fourth-quarter lines do not include overtime scoring.
3. LIVE fourth-quarter wagering DOES include overtime scoring.
4. For any instances not mentioned here, Las Vegas wagering rules apply.
To see our additional rules for football, click the link here.
Football Terms
Line of scrimmage: the imaginary invisible line that extends from an unsnapped ball to the two sides of the field.
Gridiron: a football field; also another term for American Football.
Downs: This is an attempt or play by the offensive team to move the ball downfield. On each down, a play is made. There are 4 downs.
Pass: When the quarterback throws the ball from behind the line of scrimmage to an eligible receiver on the field.
Tackle: When a defensive player stops an offensive player by bringing him to the ground or pushing him out of the bounds.
Assists: Refer to any player on the field who contributed to a point attempt.
Carries: Also known as rushing, this is when an offense is handed the football and attempts of gaining yardage running the ball.
Receptions: When a player catches the ball passed from a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.
Rushing yards: A measurement of how many yards a player or team has gained as a result of rushing plays.
Passing yards: are measured for a given completion as the number of yards from the original line of scrimmage and the point that the player was tackled, forced out of bounds, or entered the end zone for a touchdown.
Receiving yards: the number of yards gained by a receiver on a passing play.
Interception: stealing the ball from the opposite team.
Drive: refers to a series of plays when the offense has the football. It starts with the ball’s possession and ends when a team scores, punts, or turns the ball over.
Punt: This is a kick performed by the offensive team by dropping the ball from the hands and then kicking the ball before it hits the ground in order to move the ball further from the end zone.
End zone: the scoring area on the field.
Fumble: to fumble the ball means to lose hold of it after having grabbed or carried it
Sack: A quarterback is sacked if they are tackled behind the line of scrimmage while still in possession of the ball. An instance of this is called a sack.
Hash marks two rows of lines near the middle of the field that are parallel to the sidelines.
Crossbar: the horizontal bar at the bottom of the goalposts on both ends of the football field.
Offside: If a player from the offense or defense is on the wrong side of the line of scrimmage at the time of the snap. A defensive player can cross the line of scrimmage as long as they get back before the snap, but if they touch an offensive player they can be called for encroachment.
Touchdown: This is a scoring play in gridiron football.