American football is one of the most watched sports in the world. But despite its popularity, it has yet to feature in the Olympics.
Below, we’ll examine the sport in detail. We’ll take a brief look at online sportsbooks and how you can use them to make the likes of New York Jets prop bets or to back the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
We’ll also check out the Olympics and the sports that feature in it. And lastly, we’ll consider whether American football will ever be included in one of the most famous sporting events in the world.
How does American football work?
The sport of American football was first played way back in 1869, making it one of the oldest in the world.
Though it has changed a lot since that first-ever game, it has developed into a much-loved sport, particularly for those in the US.
The most recognizable American football league is the National Football League, also known as the NFL. It’s made up of 32 teams, split evenly between two conferences: the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. This is more to do with geography (due to the size of the US) than any kind of hierarchy.
NFL teams compete in an 18-week regular season to try and finish in the top seven in each respective conference. These top teams qualify for the playoffs, which is like a whole new competition in itself.
Teams battle their way through a series of elimination rounds to get to the conference finals. The winner of each final competes for the most prestigious prize in the sport – the Super Bowl.
Betting on American football
There is a wide variety of bets that can be made on American football. Players can, of course, make simple bets such as backing which team will win, though when backing a favorite, they may be disappointed by poor odds.
To boost those odds, it’s possible to vary bets, such as adding a score handicap. For example, you could bet on the Buccaneers to win by four points.
It’s also possible to bet on specific events that may unfold in the game, such as how many touchdowns will be scored in total.
For higher odds, players can also build accumulator bets. This involves picking the winner in a number of different matches. It’s a lot harder to call the outcome of three games than it is one, so players can usually get better odds for guessing that outcome.
Players should also keep an eye out for any possible welcome bonuses and deals to help get the most out of their bets.
What sports are currently included in the Olympics?
There is a broad range of sports now included in the Summer Olympics lineup, with some surprise additions of late that may give encouragement to American football fans.
One of these surprise inclusions is skateboarding. This new entry to the Olympics features a mix of events for both men and women, and has so far proved hugely popular.
Some of the most popular Olympic sports include:
- Swimming
- Gymnastics
- Football
- Track and field
- Boxing
- Sailing
- Rowing
- Surfing
- Karate
- Judo
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Tennis
- Rugby
- Weightlifting
These are but a handful. In the last Summer Olympics, there were 33 different sports. The Winter Olympics, in comparison, features only seven.
Will American football be included in the Olympics?
Although it’s not currently included in the Olympics, American football has featured before. Back in 1904 and 1932, two demonstration games were played, but they were more for exhibition purposes than anything else.
The International Federation of American Football (IFAF), which looks after an international tournament that’s held every four years, has sought to get the sport recognized and included. They made an effort in 2015 to get the sport featured, but this was declined by the International Olympic Committee.
That hasn’t dissuaded them, however. Another application was made for the 2024 Summer Olympics, albeit with a variation on how the sport is played. Usually, it’s 11 v 11 players, but arguments have been made to reduce it to 7 v 7.
Given the recent introduction of rugby sevens to the Olympics, which debuted in 2016, hope remains as to its inclusion.
If that effort fails, then the NFL and IFAF have another proposal – to include flag football, a non-contact version of the sport, as an event in the Los Angeles Olympics due to take place in 2028. A decision, however, has not yet been made.
