Super Bowl / Andy Richmond / 24 January 2009 / Leave a comment

Andy Richmond knows a thing or two about the Superbowl, having watched it and bet on it since the 1980s. So who better to talk you through the basics of the game and the golden betting rules than the man himself...

With the Superbowl - the biggest game in American Football - heading towards us on Sunday 1st February, now is a good time to learn the basics of the game. We'll also take a look at some of the ways that you can have a bet on the game to enhance your enjoyment and experience as the Steelers take on the Cardinals - or perhaps I should say Pittsburgh vs. Arizona.

When I first started watching American Football way back in the early 80's, the only place to watch the Superbowl was at the Leicester Square Odeon in London at a special screening; now coverage is beamed into your living room via SKY Sports. Even the BBC provide live coverage! How we are spoilt these days and the NFL is a great sport to not only watch, but enjoy a wager on too.

There are plenty of places to learn the basics of the game but one of the best for those first tentative steps in furthering your knowledge is to be found at www.nfl.com/rulebook/beginnersguidetofootball.

So having got to grips with the rules, (remember that there is no need to overcomplicate what is in essence like all great games - a simple one) you're ready to start putting some money behind your views.

Now you need not be on your own before placing your bet; there will be lots of advice from many sources, not least on here at betting.betfair.com, where we'll be providing in-depth analysis of the teams, personalities and the markets available on www.betfair.com in the week leading up to Superbowl XLIII.

Once you have an understanding of the game it's time to start investigating the plethora of markets that are available and there's bound to be something that suits your punting taste. From the usual match odds and handicap markets to the more eclectic such as the first team to score ten points in the game - I'll leave you to work out the statistics behind that one. There are currently 47 different Betfair markets so keep an eye out over the coming week as I'm sure more will be added to bring up the half century and beyond.

With this being the biggest game of the year, the markets will be very active and contain plenty of liquidity, but always remember that if you don't like the prices on offer or the market is just getting started, never be frightened to ask for a price and extract a little extra value from the market. Be a price maker not a price taker - you can adjust your offers as the game gets nearer but don't just jump at the first price you see.

The most common markets will feature match odds, handicap and total points - here are a few important points to remember if you get involved in these with particular emphasis on what you should expect from these two Superbowl opponents:

•Team news is vital and after a bruising regular and post season, both teams have injury worries in key positions - make sure you keep up to date with the latest team news; some decisions may not be taken until very near the game and could affect the odds.

•Tactics - Pittsburgh have a bruising defence, whilst Arizona have a far more explosive offence. How effective will be these two styles be against each other?

•Comebacks - beware one team dashing into a big lead, in their NFC Championship game, Arizona led 24-6 against Philadelphia and traded at 1.04 before they were pegged back to 25-24; worrying times then for the 1.04 backers - always be aware of a team that can strike quickly like the Cardinals and one like the Steelers who with their aggressive and dynamic defence, can produce turnovers and points from them.

•Injuries - pay attention to changes in player personnel during the game and react to them accordingly - take on the persona of the Head Coach.

•Field position - This is a big factor to remember when betting in-play. Is a team in field goal range? Are they backed up in their own half? Are they next to the goal line of their opponent? Has the team got the ability to march from one end of the field to the other or defend a good opposition position successfully?

•Momentum - always take into account key events in the game, such as a big stop by the defence, an interception or a big play by the offence when they are in backed up in their own half. All of these can change the ebb and flow of the game. American football provides some wonderful opportunities to trade so take advantage of this to trade the odds and be prepared to be patient - see comebacks above.

•Penalties - watch for flags thrown by the officials - yellow in colour - these denote a foul or penalty on the play and can prove very costly for the penalised team, disrupting momentum and making their job of moving the ball harder. Neither of these two are among the most penalised teams in the league.

So there are some basics for punting before heading into the game and remember that you have over a week to work out which markets are best for you, when you want to play them, what prices you want to take and how your Superbowl strategy is going to shape up.
Remember to keep an eye on betting.betfair.com all week for more advice, news and recommended bets on Superbowl XLIII. It's worth it!