American football sweepstakes: what are the most popular options right now?

One of the most exciting developments to happen in America in recent years is the rise of online sports betting.

Ever since the landmark 2018 Supreme Court decision that ended a decades-old federal prohibition on sports betting, a wave of liberalization has gripped many states across the US. In response to this decision, many states have quickly moved to put in place legislative frameworks regulating direct sports wagering.

In addition to opening sports betting in many different states across the US, the creation of this new industry has also triggered a financial boom for these states by creating a new source of tax revenue. Since the Supreme Court ruling in 2018, Americans have bet a staggering $125bn on sports, which has helped to create billions of dollars in state and local taxes.

As of August 2022, there are around 35 states (plus Washington, DC) that have legalized sports betting, with 18 of these permitting online wagers to be placed. The remaining states are more limited and only allow sports bets to be placed in person at designated locations. Additionally, there are also a number of states that are on the cusp of passing legislation that would fully legalise in-person or online sports betting, though it is not clear when these plans will be finalised.

Taken together, this means that just shy of two-thirds of states permit sports betting of some kind, with not all of these necessarily permitting online wagers to be placed.

Although the scale and scope of this wave of liberalization should not be underestimated – indeed, in the space of just a few short years, the activity has gone from being federally prohibited to supporting an industry worth hundreds of billions of dollars – for many Americans, it still leaves a lot to be desired!

In particular, if you are one of the few unlucky residents to find yourself stuck in a state that doesn’t permit sports betting, then you don’t have too many options available to you.

However, one highly unique form of online game gives players the opportunity to work within – rather than to get around – these limitations: American football sweepstakes! But what exactly are American football sweepstakes, and what makes them different?

Sweepstakes: a more accessible form of betting?

For those of you living in a state where placing wagers on the outcomes of sporting events is not a possibility, you still have one really solid option open to you: online sweepstakes casinos.

Sweepstakes games are actually a much older form of competition, with some of the earliest being found in the early 1900s. Back then, sweepstakes competitions were used as an alternative to traditional lottery games in circumstances where local laws prohibited them.

Sweepstakes differed from lotteries in that players weren’t purchasing a ticket directly to take part in the competition. Rather, tickets were given out in exchange for making some other related purchase or making a specific type of charitable donation.

Online sweepstakes essentially adapted this basic game mechanic for the modern era. For example, online sweepstakes have become increasingly popular in recent years as these games combine traditional online casino games with elements of sweepstakes competition.

Sports sweepstakes games are essentially the same thing and give players tickets to participate in large competitions in exchange for something.

American football sweepstakes: what options are there?

Due to their growing popularity, there is now a wide range of different sports-related sweepstakes on offer.

Of the different sports represented in the world of online sweepstakes, it is perhaps little surprise that American football features so heavily. While America’s traditional pastime is often said to be baseball, there is little denying that American football comes out on top in terms of overall popularity!

In fact, Americans are such big fans of football that, according to one poll, around 37% of those surveyed listed it as their favourite sport, compared to 11% who preferred baseball!

When it is in session, the American football season generates a considerable amount of attention in America. This is particularly true of the NFL Super Bowl final, which in 2022 drew in an estimated audience of 112.3 million!

It is little surprise that American football sweepstakes are so popular! But having said that, what options are there?

The NFL itself runs a number of different sweepstakes competitions. This includes the NFL Schedule Release Sweepstakes, as well as the ever-popular NFL Training Camp Sweepstakes. These are particularly popular as they are run through the NFL itself.

The NFL Training Camp Sweepstakes gives those purchasing at least one ticket to an NFL regular-season game during the designated promotion period. Winners will be selected from the pool, with numerous different prizes up for grabs, including a unique promotional football, as well as cash prizes.

Other companies run similar promotions in conjunction with the NFL. For example, Visa ran a sweepstake as a promotion during Super Bowl 50 between the Broncos and the Panthers, which gave entrants the opportunity to win special trips to watch the Super Bowl live and in person, as well as cash prizes.

These are just a sample of some of the most popular sweepstakes competitions that have been run to promote the great game of American football – but there are many more in existence! This includes a popular sweepstakes game run by FOX Sports. Here, players are entered into a sweepstakes game if they correctly predict the outcome of a game.]

Of course, if you are not a fan of American football, there are plenty of other sweepstakes on offer. This includes MLB and NFL sweepstakes, among others.