Canadian Football And Its Unique Rules

Recent events in New Jersey have made sports betting a topic of discussion among government figures. This discussion will likely lead to many states legalize sports betting in the coming years. Currently, online casinos such as ComeOn also offer comprehensive sports betting across several leagues and types of sports such as soccer, gridiron football, basketball, and others.

While sports betting is certainly fun and exciting it’s a hobby you want to enter into with a lot of knowledge beforehand. Every sports league is different and this is true even if they play the same sport. One example of this is Canadian Football and the American version of the sport. While you may be familiar with the many rules of professional football in the United States the Canadian equivalent has several notable differences that not only makes the game different but also changes how you would bet on it.

The Differences Between Canadian Football and American Football

As an experienced sports fan, you’ve likely seen the American version of gridiron football and while there certainly are differences between college and the pros the rules largely overlap. However, Canadian football has several different rules that change how it is played, team strategies, and can make predicting scores and winners different as well.

The following are key differences between the two countries’ rule sets.

  • Field Size: the field of play in Canadian football is 110 yards as opposed to 100 yards. Another different in field size is the end one with the endzone under Canadian rules being 10 yards longer (20 in total) resulting in different strategies on long passes when teams are in scoring stations.
  • Number of Downs: one of the most known rule differences is that under Canadian rules team have 3 downs as opposed to 4 under American rules. This has resulted in Canadian games being more pass driven in general and high passing stats from many prominent quarterbacks.
  • Players on The Field: under Canadian rules, there are 12 players on the field as opposed to 11 under American rules. These ‘extra’ players typically line up as extra defensive backs or backfield players. This results in far less use of tight ends and one less strong safety in most formations.
  • Fair Catch Rule: there is no fair catch rule in Canadian football.
  • Points After The Touchdown: after scoring, placekicks/point after the score are from the 25-yard line and 2 point conversions from the 3-yard line. American football is a little closer with 15-yards and 2-yards being the standard rules. · Single Points: a single point (rouge) can be scored by kicking the ball into the end zone and the receiving team not running it out of the end zone. This does not apply on conversions or made field goals.
  • Play Timing: the play clock in Canadian football is notably shorter with only a 20-second timer between plays allowed compared to professional level American football which allows for 40 seconds. Other differences include a three-minute warning at the end of the game and only 2-time outs and both cannot be used during the last three minutes of the game. These differences make running the clock out at the end of a game far more challenging. Because of this and other rule differences comebacks are far more common under Canadian rules.
  • Motion Before The Snap: under Canadian rules all backfield players save the quarterback can be in motion before the snap as long as they stay behind the line of scrimmage. This is chiefly used as a distraction tool by teams to disguise plays and formations.

Final Thoughts

The above are only some of the rule differences between Canadian and American football. Despite playing the same spot both countries have developed notably different approaches to the game. Canadian games have to manage the offense, red zone, special teams, and overall strategies differently than their American counterparts. This results in a unique game that is fun to watch but one must study closely to predict with any accuracy.

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