Sportsbook Bettors Note NFL Overtime Rules Change. The NFL owners passed a rule change for overtime in the playoffs that will give the team that loses the coin toss a possession if the team that wins the coin toss scores a field goal with the first possession. Whether this will ultimately make a difference or not is up for debate at the offshore sportsbook but it will make things in overtime more interesting.
Sportsbook bettors last season saw the New Orleans Saints win the toss in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs and go down to kick that game-winning field goal. Under the new rules, Minnesota would have gotten a possession. NFL owners passed the change to the overtime rules by a vote of 28-4.
Here is exactly what the new rule means when you are wagering on a game at the offshore sportsbook. Both teams will get the ball in overtime unless the team that wins the coin toss scores a touchdown. In that case the game is over. The only real change to the rule comes if the team winning the coin toss gets a field goal on their first possession. In that case, the other team will get a possession and a chance to tie or win. If they get a tying field goal then the game proceeds in a sudden death format with the first team to score winning the game.
There were four teams that voted against the rule change and surprisingly, the Minnesota Vikings were one of those teams. Also voting against the rule change were the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. Commissioner Roger Goodell supported the change in the rule and he got enough support to pass it. “We’ve had this discussion for a number of years,” Competition co-chairman Rich McKay said, “We feel this year’s proposal gave us the opportunity to a pretty good rule. Statistically we felt it needed to be changed. It wasn’t creating the fairest result as far as field goal accuracy field goal distance and drive starts.”
Those betting at the sportsbook better get used to the new rule because it is permanent. It may also be a regular season rule in the near future although probably not for this year although McKay did not totally rule out the possibility.
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