When it comes to the NFL Irish fans are living the high life right now. For the first time they got to see an actual NFL game live on the Emerald Isle as the Steelers and the Vikings did battle at Croke Park, and they have even had a bit of home to cheer in the league back in the USA as Jude McAtamney made his debut for the New York Giants this season.

All in all, it has been a huge year for Ireland and the NFL, and that has been seen in the fact that there are now huge betting markets being offered on the sport by the likes of Irish bookmakers BoyleSports, Betfair and Paddy Power.

Ireland’s Growing Connection to the NFL

Whether it be straight up who beats who, games with teams handicapped, player props, team props — you name it and it is on there — as NFL fans can enjoy picking out their favourite option from team to player.

But it’s not only Irish NFL fans who can enjoy betting on their teams and favourite players this season.

The Explosion of NFL Betting in the USA and UK

In the USA, betting has taken off in a big way, especially on the NFL, and anyone who heads online to social media on a Monday morning after game day will surely meet a load of “the game is rigged” tweets or posts as people complain about their props missing out by one or two yards after a player got pulled, injured, or game scripted out of it.

The USA is the home of the NFL and has a huge gambling market that subscribes to it, as betting matches fantasy football is now one of the main ways neutral fans get involved in matches not including their own teams.

There is also a huge betting market in the UK — and understandably so — as London was home to the international series kicking off back in 2007 and has hosted at least one NFL game every year since then (bar Covid 2020), as the sport has continued to go from strength to strength.

There are multiple NFL spot bet social media accounts that are based in the UK that now mix up their Premier League tips with those on the NFL as the sport rises as one British punters are turning to.

The ability to bet on so much within one game helps that, as every yard gained on the field can be turned into some sort of bet.

It also helps betting in the UK that the NFL is so readily available now. You have got the three games a year that are actually played over here as well as Sky Sports and Channel Five showing the sport every weekend.

Global Growth: From Canada to Brazil and Beyond

It is not just the UK, though, that has an increased interest in betting on the NFL.

Although Canada hasn’t got an NFL team — or NFL game for that matter — it is right on the doorstep of the sport, with the likes of the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks a shorter hop into Canada than it is for most of the USA.

Single-game sports betting, including the NFL, was legalized across Canada in 2021, and it is a popular betting market.

As are the likes of Germany and Spain, both of which have NFL games coming to their country this year.

As did Brazil, which had a divisional match-up between the Chiefs and Chargers earlier this year. Sports betting was recently regulated in Brazil, and thanks to the NFL coming to the country and driving interest, it has now become one of the fastest-growing markets for NFL betting.

Another region which has seen growth is that of Australia.

Sports betting is legal and regulated at the state/territory level, and American football is a key driver of betting activity. It could be helped by the fact that Australia has some NFL interest as well — and high-profile interest at that — as Jordan Mailata is one of the best left tackles in the game and won the Super Bowl with the Eagles earlier this year.

That kind of success brought the game into the screens of Australians across the country and helped bring the NFL into the public domain down under.

The NFL’s Global Ambition and Future Markets

The sport is growing worldwide and commissioner Roger Goodell is aiming to grow the international series to take in the likes of Mexico again, which is also another strong betting base for the sport. And the more the NFL travels, the more the bets will come in.