Online Football Betting Guide for Canadians
American Football is one of the world’s leading sports. One reason for this global reach is the popularity of online football betting. This is a sport with a huge range of markets that add interest and enjoyment for gamblers.
On this page, we will take you through:
- How to sign up to a football betting site
- The main competitions to bet on
- What the most favoured football bets are
Top Online Football Betting Sites in 2024
- Games: 700+
- Win Rate: 98.46%
- Payout Speed: 0-1 days
Pros
- Variety of payment options
- 24-hour withdrawals
- 24/7 live chat support
Cons
- High 70x wagering requirement
Payments
- Games: 800+
- Win Rate: 98.65%
- Payout Speed: 0-1 days
Pros
- Wide range of payment methods
- Mobile app for iOS & Android
- 24/7 customer support
Cons
- High minimum withdrawal amount
- No bingo options
Payments
- Games: 4950
- Win Rate: 98.35%
- Payout Speed: 0-1 days
Coming soon
Pros
- Large collection of 9,500+ games
- Live Casino with Game Shows
Cons
- High minimum deposit amount
Payments
- Games: 14000+
- Win Rate: 96.28%
- Payout Speed: 1 day
Coming soon
Pros
- Largest collection of over 14,000 casino games
- Over 1,200 jackpot slots
- Accepts crypto currencies
Cons
- Games lobby not very user friendly
Payments
- Games: 11500+
- Win Rate: 98.76%
- Payout Speed: 1-2 days
Coming soon
Pros
Cons
Payments
- Games: 4,000+
- Win Rate: 96.10%
- Payout Speed: 1-2 days
Coming soon
Pros
- 4000+ games available to play
- $8000 welcome bonus with 500 Free Spins on top
Cons
- Unable to play free demos before registration
Payments
- Games: 10000+
- Win Rate: 96.72%
- Payout Speed: 1-3 days
Coming soon
Pros
- Big game library with 10,000+ games to choose from
- High welcome bonus with 500 Free Spins
Cons
- Famous providers like Evolution and Pragmatic Play are missing.
Payments
- Games: 4,000+
- Win Rate: 97.85
- Payout Speed: 1-3 days
Coming soon
Pros
Cons
Payments
- Games: 3,300+
- Win Rate: 97,66%
- Payout Speed: 0-1 days
Coming soon
Pros
- Fast payout
- Customer service available 24/7
- Low minimum deposit required
Cons
- No app available
Payments
Pros
- Accepts crypto
- World famous ambassadors
- Weekly giveaways
Cons
- No mobile app
Payments
How We Review the Best Football Sites
There’s an amazing number of American football betting sites out there, but our team of experts know exactly what to look for when it comes to finding you the best on the market.
Among the things we check for are:
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Licensing: We look at certification and licensing on sites with SSL encryption
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Security: It’s important to feel assured that you’re using a trustworthy and safe site
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Range of bets: There should be a broad choice of football markets on offer
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Bonuses: We rate those sportsbooks that give extra value to their customers
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Payment options: We look for sites with a range of options – and greater payout percentages
How to Sign Up to a Football Betting Site
- Once you feel confident about wagering on football games, choose which site is best for you.
- Find the 'Register' or 'Sign Up' button, which is always displayed on the homepage.
- Fill in the registration form with your personal details.
- You may need to add a security question for extra protection.
- Decide on a username and password.
- If you have a promotional code, enter it to generate a bonus.
- Confirm your age and accept the site’s terms and conditions.
Popular Football Bets
When you visit a football betting site, you’ll find a dazzling array of different ways to have a bet.
Our Odds Calculator below will help you figure out your profits and offers multiple odds formats depending on what you’re used to, including decimal, American-style moneyline and British fractional odds.
Some of the most popular football bets are:
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The point spread
The most popular way of betting on American football. A sportsbook sets a handicap showing by how many points one side will win, and gives you a 50-50 choice. Then it’s up to you to decide whether you think one side will win – or lose – by more than that margin.
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Moneyline
No handicaps, you simply need to decide which team you believe will win the game.
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Total points – over or under
This is when a sportsbook predicts the combined score of the two teams. The bettor then needs to decide whether the actual score in the game will be higher or lower than the sportsbook’s prediction.
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Outright win
If you fancy your team to win their conference, or even the Super Bowl, you'll be able to bet on them. The earlier in the season you do this, the better your odds will be.
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First scorer
Who do you think will score the first touchdown? Or the first field goal?
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Individual player markets
You can bet on one player's performance, including passing yards, receiving yards or rushing yards.
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Accumulator
Also known as an 'acca', this allows you to combine your bets on more than one game.
Types of Football Betting Bonuses
Sportsbooks are always coming up with new ways to encourage customers to play with them – and to stay loyal to them.
One widespread method of attracting new clients is bonuses, of which there are three different types:
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Welcome Bonus
- This is one of the most common bonuses offered, though it does vary depending on the sportsbook
- Read the T&Cs carefully to check if you really are getting something special
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Enhanced Odds
- When there’s a big game on, It’s worth looking out for enhanced odds offers
- These can be on the result or another popular market
- They’re available to new and existing customers – and stake limits may apply
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VIP Club
- Some sites incentivize regular bettors by inviting them to join VIP clubs
- It’s a way of making you feel special and included – and a way of getting special offers
- Club membership can mean the occasional free bet or enhanced price for the site’s most loyal customers
Main Football Competitions to Bet on
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NFL (National Football League)
The daddy of them all. The pinnacle of American football, with 32 pro teams located across the United States.
Those teams play a 16-game season, then it’s the playoffs and on to the Super Bowl.
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CFL (Canadian Football League)
The highest level of the game in Canada. It has only nine teams, but they’re all pro and play 18 games each season.
Six teams go on to the playoffs and the championship game, the Grey Cup, is in late November.
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NCAA (College Football)
Much older than the NFL, and hugely popular across the United States. This is the stepping stone to the big time.
There are 130 schools in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) of the NCAA, all with busy schedules – and betting on them to match.
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Fantasy Football
A great way to stay close to the real action. Fans pick virtual teams made up of real players and score points based on their actual performances.
Selections are made from the NFL, CFL and college football, and the competition – plus betting on it – is intense.
Mobile Football Betting
Betting sites have moved with the times in recent years to be as mobile-friendly as possible.
Whether you’re an Android or iPhone user, you’ll find today’s betting apps and sites cater to all types of devices, so you can bet quickly and easily as long as there’s a stable internet connection.
Conclusion
Betting on American football in Canada couldn’t be easier. Huge numbers of sportsbooks now exist that give you the chance to get closer to the action wherever you are.
Interested to learn more about sports betting in Canada? Then check out our sports betting guide, which covers everything you need to know.
FAQs
How does betting on American football work?
You use your skill and judgment to decide the outcome of the bet you want to place and invest your money accordingly.
The odds of the bet you place dictate how much you will win when you get it right.
What are the best football betting sites?
All over the internet, with apps to match. Virtually all sportsbooks across the world now offer markets on American football.
Use our guide to help you work out which site or sites are the best for you.
What are football betting lines?
A way of expressing the probability of a particular result happening. Read our guide on betting lines for more information on how they work.
What are the most popular football bets?
The point spread is always very popular among football bettors. This gives you a 50-50 bet against a handicap set by the site.
Total points, where you predict whether the sides combine to record a number greater or fewer than a spread set by the site, is also a very popular way to play.
Is football betting legal in Canada?
Yes, but we recommend using only fully licensed betting sites.
What is football spread betting?
Many of the most popular markets are spreads. Just as in the financial world, you predict whether the result of a particular market will be over or under the spread, and bet accordingly.
But, just like in high finance, while you can win big if you get it right, you can lose heavily if you’re the wrong side of the spread.
What are the main football competitions to bet on?
- The NFL (National Football League)
- The CFL (Canadian Football League)
- US College football
- Fantasy football