NFL in London

National Football League in London

2021 NFL London Game

Early SuperBowl Picks

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The 2021-2022 NFL season has yet to begin, but the excitement and anticipation is palpable.
COVID is starting to put itself in the rearview mirror, and all eyes are on the big prize as to who will hoist the Lombardy Trophy next.
To kick off the speculation and potential big bets, we have made some of our Early SuperBowl Picks.

Making early Super Bowl predictions can either make you look like a genius, or a flipping fool, but if you don’t take a chance on the wager, you’ll never know.

Betting

One would think that the big betting companies would have oodles of options and betting possibilities for wagering on who will be in the big game in February 2022…no dice.
Despite NFL fans wanting to start spending their cash, and testing their luck, there aren’t any betting sites where you can input two teams, and find out what the odds of those two teams meeting in LA next year.
Instead, if you want to make a bet on this, you’ll just have to find a friend who is willing to take the odds you give them.
Get it together betting industry!!!

SuperBowl LVI

The big game takes place on Sunday February 13th at the punchy Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles hasn’t hosted a Superbowl since 1973, so this will be a truly glam slam thank you ma’am kind of affair.
Teams who host the SuperBowl have the motivation to make it to the big game and thrive under the spotlight of the home fans, just like the Bucs were able to bask under last year.

Tampa Bay Bucs vs Kansas City Chiefs

Repeat! Repeat!
Despite the overwhelming odds of an unlikely return to the Bowl of the Bucs and Chiefs, both teams are heavily favoured to return to the big game at the end of the season.
The Chiefs (+500) and Bucs (+950) are poised for big things this year again, but will they both have the mustard to be able to make it to the big show after an extra week of regular games.
Injuries were the reigning star of the 2020 season, so it figures that this will have a massive affect on the closing records of both teams.
The Bucs are geared and steered towards a repeat, while the Chiefs will be hungry to avenge the beating that they took in front of the world.
Our odds on this: +2300

Buffalo Bills vs Green Bay Packers

Josh Allen and the Bills are the soft faves of many NFL fans around the world.
Their plucky play, snowy disposition and insane fans make Sundays even more Fundays.
The Bills mafia have put their team at +1200 to make it to Cali in February, which is respectable given their top 4 placing last season.
The Packers (+1200) have one last shot before the franchise goes into hibernation in 2022.
Aaron Rodgers has made it no secret that this is his last year in GB, and the team better do something to make him happy.
There is an even better chance that the soft egos in Lambeau implode before they actually make it to the playoffs, but some fans are wishing and hoping that A-A-Ron can help the fans answer all of their questions ‘Jeopardy-Style’.
Our odds on this one: +3800

Indianapolis Colts vs San Francisco 49ers

The Colts  have Good King Wentz-CilAss  straight trippin’ this year, as Indy fans try to recover from a trip down Philip Rivers last season.
Indianapolis (+2900) has been popping up on computer models in great frequency as of late, due to an impressive D, O-line, and solid running play from Jonathan Taylor.
If the computer says ‘yes’ to them being good this season, why not take a punt on them.
San Francisco (+1400) is another nugget that the computers have been pinging for a post season run.
Whether it’s Jimmy G, or Trey Lance the 49ers are post season faves thanks to a ridiculous defence and solid coaching.
The 49ers have been injury plagued for the past few years, so maybe this is the year where they are able to be healthy enough to make a run.
Indy vs San Fran? Could be a good game.
Our odds on this: +5500

Chicago Bears vs Cleveland Browns

It’s the battle of the working class, as the Brownies look for a chance to make the playoffs, and the Bears hope to be able to win a playoff game.
Chicago (+6000) is on the low, low end of the playoff spectrum, thanks to iffy play over the past few seasons of Mitch Trubisky.
Pace and Nagy bought the farm with Justin Fields, so all hope will rest on the young Buckeyes phenom.
The NFC North is a tough division, but a post season run is not impossible.
Cleveland (+2000) has been putting all the pieces together over the past few seasons, but have yet to get close to solving the puzzle.
The Browns have a serious chance of pushing through their division and potentially taking advantage of injuries from teams like the Chiefs and Bills.
Sure, this is a fan hopeful game, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a far gone conclusion.
Our odds on this game: +9300

LA Chargers vs LA Rams

The Battle for Los Angeles sounds like some sort of post apocalyptic nightmare, or a great title for the upcoming Super Bowl.
The Chargers (+3000) got a hefty dollop of Herbert last year, and NFL fans were treated to a fantasy stud that has all the makings of a quality, career QB.
Despite horrible coaching and injury gaps a plenty, the Chargers looked quite respectable in his debut.
LA Rams (+1300) on the other hand were missing one key piece in their puzzle, that being former Lion tamer Matthew Stafford.
Aaron Donald is a beast of a freak, and should return to causing panic and mayhem on O lines.
With Cam Akers out for the season with injury (don’t draft him) the Rams will need to get a running back if they have any hope of making the post season, but luckily we’re early in in the season.
An LA vs LA Super Bowl in LA?
Damn, that would be one heck of a game!
Our odds on this game: (+4500)

We will be throwing wicked Super Bowl parties this year, so hopefully you can join us for the big game.

Who do you have in the show?

Why not like our Facebook Page while you’re at it?

https://www.facebook.com/nflinlondon

 

 

Sesquicentennial

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Seska what now?
Well, it’s our 150th episode of the podcast, so we thought we would celebrate with our Sesquicentennial celebration.

We’ve been talking NFL BS in London for the past decade, and we’re happy that we have been able to share it with such a great audience as yourselves.

In this episode the guys go off on a bunch of topics.

The Old Sports Bar

Were you one of the first people to join us when we threw NFL parties at the Sports Bar & Grill Marylebone?
It’s been a long time since those days in the musty basement, although we were the ONLY place in London showing NFL games.
We had comedy, Madden tournaments, and some of the craziest fans you’ve ever met.
We’re back with the new and improved Sports Bar & Grill this season, hope you come down and join us.

Tebow

Timmy time is over in Jacksonville, and even God couldn’t save him.
Despite selling mountains of jerseys, his tight end days are over in Florida, so Timmy will have to move on to a new sports at which to be mediocre in.

Hard Knocks

The Cowboys are back and Zak looks brittle.
Every episode is about not hurting Dak, so you wonder what this season is actually going to be like?
Zeke is looking punchy as opposed to paunchy, so let’s see if he can save himself from injuries this year.

London Games

Carolina has announced that fans will be required to wear masks at ALL games, it’s only a matter of time before teams consider the fan options as the impending booster shots of fall loom.
As far as we know, fans will have to provide proof of vax before entering the stadium, but of course everything can change.

We’re back with our season previews and fantasy episodes soon.
We’re also working with DraftKings this season to offer you exciting DFS tournaments all year long.

Here’s the podcast! Enjoy and share!

Why do UK sportsbooks suck at NFL?

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With sports betting exploding around the world, we often get asked ‘what are the best websites for NFL betting’?
Surprisingly, there aren’t very many available to UK fans that actual focus on NFL games, odds and options.
In fact we always find ourselves asking ‘Why do UK sportsbooks suck at NFL’?
There are a few reasons for this, which we will explain, as well as point you in the direction of our Top 3 NFL betting websites. 

Betting Britain

Britain has been betting on sports for decades, so one would assume that the betting product would be sleek, slick and easy to navigate.
Nope.
Betting in Europe is more ‘football focused’ (aka soccer) meaning that many of the betting options and parlays simply aren’t available to the public.
While the NFL betting options accelerated during the 80s’ NFL boom in the UK, it didn’t really translate into dedicated product.
Even as UK sports books increase their offerings in the face of American growth, they still lack the gumption to tailor their products to North American sports. 

Moneyline

One of the biggest issues for NFL betting fans comes down to formatting.
Europe and the UK prefer the use of ‘Decimal Odds’ or 

‘Fractional Odds’ when it comes to setting their weekly lines, whereas North Americans prefer the standard ‘Moneyline.’

For anyone not used to seeing odds formatted in ‘Decimal Odds’ style, it can be a confusing and intimidating style of play.
Many European sports books lazily refuse to add Moneyline odds, which essentially deprives them of a new, hungry audience.
North Americans are new to NFL betting, and intimidating them right off the bat is no way to sign up new customers. 

Options

Any NFL fan who has ever walked into the sports bar of a Las Vegas casino, knows that a magical experience is about to happen.
Not only do Vegas sports bars display countless betting options, the employees who work at sports books are all too happy to help with the numerous different ways you can wager.
UK casinos rarely even sports books, as was the case when we ran events at the Hippodrome in Leicester Square.
Fans who were desperate to wager on games were pointed to the Ladbrokes down the street, which benefited HUGE from the thousands of fans who wanted to throw down money each week.
Betting became so big there, that Ladbrokes employees from down the road would attend viewing parties because they had ‘so many people coming to bet on games’, they wanted to see what it was all about. 

Authenticity

Real NFL bettors usually have a weekend plan for success.
If you know which of the games on Sunday are ripe for betting, you will work out how many parlays, over-unders, and long shots you are willing to make.
Attempting to then make those wagers on a UK betting app then begins the problems.
Not only are the odds radically different from the US, but the ability to make ‘out there’ bets is only possible if you go into a shop, and find a competent worker.
While it is rewarding to burn a lazy bookmaker for not paying attention to NFL news across the pond, it’s frustrating to have to Scooby Doo down all the information from an app. 

Over the years we have tried to discuss the poor NFL betting options with bookmakers, but it has always fallen on deaf ears.
Either they don’t care about making money from a massively untapped market, to they’re just lazy.

So what betting websites would we recommend?
They’re pretty limited, but here you go.

1. Bet365

When it comes to NFL betting in Europe, Bet365 seems to be the only one with their head in the game.
Not only do they offer the best betting options for the NFL, but they also have a wide selection of parlays and novelty bets on offer.
Sure, the layout is a bit laborious, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy to get betting.
You can also switch between betting pricing, allowing players to compare moneyline vs decimal options.
The best past about Bet365 however is the ability to watch the games.
Provided that you have bet on some NFL matches, bettors have the option of being able to stream the game to their phone or device.
With limited viewing options in Europe, this is a ‘MUST HAVE’ feature for NFL fans, as it allows you to watch the game in real time, for no extra cost.
Expats in Europe have been raving about this option for years, as it also extends to MLB, NBA and NHL games, which are hard to find across the pond.
Bet365 has pretty good customer service as well, which is really helpful if you are looking to bet on specific options. 

2. Betway

Second on the list is Betway, which has seen a drop in its NFL product in recent years.
With a very simple and straightforward layout, Betway’s NFL betting is a far simpler option than that of Bet365.
Parlays are quite easy to manipulate, and the overplay is quite crisp and simple.
Betway’s NFL product dropped in quality in 2020, so we are curious to see if they are going to improve on it.
Customer service is slow, but effective once they’re on it. 

3. Paddypower

Remember when Paddypower use to be edgy and funny?
Good times.
The Irish lads have gone corporate, and it shows in their North American sports betting options.
Like Betway, the NFL offerings on Paddy are pretty straightforward.
Nothing too fancy, and there are some muddled parlays and novelty bets in the mix, although they usually look like they were assembled by a soccer fan.
Customer service at Paddy is hit and miss, and on a busy game day, you’re more likely to encounter snark than satisfaction. 

We are still holding out that one day a UK sports book will actually take North American sports in Europe seriously.
With bookmakers on the continent on a frenzied mission to gobble up as many American betting properties as possible, you would think that they would actually look at what is successfully stateside and try to replicate it in Blighty.
 
The NFL is only going to get bigger in Europe, which bookmaker is finally ready to take it seriously?

London Venues

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The 2021 NFL season is so close you can almost smell it, and we’re excited to announce some new London Venues that we are partnering with.

NFL in London is going ‘OG’, as we return to our roots with some wicked NFL parties at the Sports Bar & Grill-Old Street and Clapham.
We are thoroughly looking forward to working with their team again, and offering all the UK fans a great place to watch NFL throughout the season.

COVID has certainly changed the sports viewing landscape in the past few years, and we were pretty nervous as to how late night, live sports viewing would return.

We wanted to make sure that NFL fans in London could have:
-a dedicated venue to showing the NFL games.
-zones where NFL fans could sit outside of football
-open late enough to show the 9pm Sunday games in their entirety
-good sports food
-located to major transit hubs
-a destination for London game after parties.

TVs

There are over 25 TVs in Old Street, and 15 in Clapham-enough to watch all of the NFL games.
The Old Street location also has 8 tables with their OWN TV, so that you and your mates can have the game right at your table.
The bar will also have different viewing zones, so that you can watch the game that you want.

History

Our history with the Sports Bar and Grill goes back to 2008 in the olde Marylebone location, and was the original London venue.
Those who visited us ‘back in the day’ were treated to comedy shows, Madden tournaments, and celebrity appearances.
We are working with some new partners to bring all of that stuff back again!
Just watch this space, and we will let you know the latest news.

Locations

We are proud to be working with the team(s) at the Old Street and Clapham locations, who will be pivoting both branches towards Sunday Funday’s of NFL.
Both bars will be showing loads of NFL games, Redzone, as well as offering burger, wing and beer deals for you hungry fans.
Old Street will be open EVERY SUNDAY for NFL, with a ‘last call’ at midnight, so that you can enjoy the end of the 9pm games (and not get rudely rushed out).
Clapham will not be open late EVERY Sunday, but we will be working with them to create special events, and viewing parties for fan takeovers.
Want to book the joint to watch your team dominate?
Get in touch!

Reservations

If you want to come down one Sunday, or have a particular Sunday in mind, you’re going to need a reservation at one of our London venues.
These help us let the bar know how many people are coming, as well as plan seating, staffing, and in general makes the whole process flow better-so please contact us if you want a table.
Initial bookings should be targeted to us, and we will work with the bar to get you in front of the TVs you are looking for.
You will need to provide the SB&G with a credit card to hold the table, which is standard and fair.

London Games

Yes! We will be going hard for the London games.
Both matches start at 2:30pm GMT (9:30am EST), so we will be offering before and after options for you and your crew.
The Old Street location will be open LATE for both games, so make sure that you get in touch with us so that we can guarantee you a table for all the action.
We will have more information for you over the next few weeks.

We are very excited to be working with the team at the Sports Bar & Grill once again, and look forward to welcoming you to our parties at both Old Street and Clapham.
More exciting news to be announced over the coming weeks, watch our spaces.

 

Rodgers That!

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The ‘what will he do’ moment is now upon us, as the NFL world waits in anticipation for what Aaron Rodgers will finally do.
Will he succumb to the public pressure and return to the Packers training camp on July 28th, or will he flip a cheesy bird to the team, and pursue retirement?
Or will he just do his own thing?
Rodgers That!

The A-aaron drama took an end of July shift, when major sports books finally gave in to the notion that the reigning MVP might not be driving to Wisconsin for the fall.

Westgate Sportsbook has pulled all NFC North odds for the moment, including win totals, playoff odds, and weekly lines.

Other Las Vegas sports books including Bovada & Bet online have changed their prices and odds for the Packers to repeat.
In fact, Circa Sports has released their own new odds, which favours the Minnesota Vikings winning the NFC North, ahead of the Packers.

So what are Rodgers options really then?

Back at Pack

It’s no secret that Rodgers hates Packers GM Brian Gutekunst, he hates him so much-he could actually be family with him.
Aaron had said in the spring that he ‘wouldn’t be back’ so long as Gutekunst was on the team, and yet he’s still there.
Given that AR has been so vocal about his disdain for the leadership of the team, that he would be willing to forgive and forget over a summer of very little contact.

Rodgers (former) teammates were all quite bullish on the prospect of him slinging up for the Cheeseheads in 2021, but that too has started to fizzle out as July has.

With words that Davante Adams is now opting out of renegotiating a new contract, it would seem that even he knows that Rodgers time in Wisconsin is done.

Even if Rodgers were to return to Green Bay at the end of July, would the fans forgive him?
As the only ‘fan owned’ franchise, the Packers are more like a family than a global corporation.
By ‘playing games’ with his future he’s not just fucking with Jerry Jones, he’s trifling with mom and pop America, and they’ve had a rough couple of years.

Even if he were to retire, how much tension is going to fill that locker room?
Too much to fit a championship in there most likely.

Retire

There’s retirement, and then there is retiring for a bit.
Rodgers has too much competition in him left to whomp out of the league for good, but he could take a little break to show them what they are missing.

Having just announcement his surprise engagement, there are rumours that he wants to use this time to get married and enjoy his honeymoon phase before getting back to work.

Sure, he’ll lose some money on the season, but there are plenty of other ways for Aaron to grab some cash.
From appearances at ‘Game of Thrones’ fan expos, judging on ‘America’s Next A Capella Sensation’, our recreating the movie ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ with puppets, with fiancee Shailene Woodley.

It’s no secret that the kid from Chico, California would also LOVE to be the next host of Jeopardy. Given his lack lustre week of hosting this year, that might be tough. If he thinks Packers fans are emotional, wait til he pisses off the elderly nerd crowd.

Family Counsellor

The Rodgers family are a reality show waiting to happen.
Imagine a series where Aaron returns to the homestead to make peace with his religious family, as well as performing a series of pranks on them.
Hilarity ensues.
This would also provide Aaron with the ability to get back at his brother Jordan, who sullied the family name on ‘The Bachelor”.
For shame.

Of course, we won’t know what is really going to until July 28th, when (and if) he doesn’t appear at training camp.

If he’s not there on Wednesday, make sure to check on your Green Bay Packers fans to make sure that they don’t do something stupid.
Like switch to being Buccaneers fans.

What do you think he will do?