Key Takeaways
- The 2025 NFL International Series includes seven regular-season games in five countries.
- International games introduce travel fatigue, venue unfamiliarity, time-zone shifts, and variable crowd dynamics.
- Understanding bet types, reading opening odds, studying trends, and managing your bankroll are crucial.
Since its London debut in 2007, the NFL International Series has become one of the league’s biggest steps in globalizing American football.
In 2025, fans will see a record-breaking seven regular-season games played across five countries, with Brazil, Spain, Ireland, Germany, and the U.K. all hosting.
Featuring seven regular-season games spread across five countries, these matchups introduce unique betting dynamics far beyond typical home-and-away contests.
From travel fatigue to shifting odds and unpredictable venues, bettors need a sharper edge to profit in this year’s slate.
The 2025 NFL International Series: What To Know
The NFL International Series has become one of the most ambitious efforts to globalize American football. Since its debut in 2007 (London), it has expanded steadily.
By 2025, there will be seven regular-season international games in five countries: Brazil, Spain, Ireland, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
This means more exposure, travel, ”neutral ground” games, and more variables affecting how teams perform outside the U.S.
For bettors, each international game can have subtle shifts in odds and factors that don’t apply (or apply differently) to regular home and away games in the U.S.
Some factors to consider during the NFL international games are:
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Travel & Time Zone Effects
Teams travelling overseas may suffer fatigue, especially if the schedule around the game is tight. Transaction disruption, acclimatization, jet lag, or unfamiliar time culture can affect player readiness even if it’s not a full intercontinental flight. This becomes especially important if one of the teams participating is playing on a short rest.
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Home & Away Effect
Often, a U.S.-based team designated as home in name may not derive as much advantage. The crowd may be more neutral, or even favor the visiting team if there’s a large fanbase abroad. The usual home-field edge may be diminished or inconsistent.
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Line Movement & Market Reaction
Because international games are more special, public interest tends to be higher. This can lead to heavier betting, early odds movement, more professional money, and perhaps wider spreads than domestic games. Watching initial lines vs. where they settle is valuable.
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Weather & Logistics
The weather may be less predictable in outdoor stadiums in Europe or South America. Field conditions, daylight, rain, humidity, etc., may differ from typical U.S. venues. Also, logistics (travel between hotels & stadiums, practice facilities) might not be what teams are used to.
NFL Betting Basics
Before digging into strategies, you need to know the standard bet types you’ll see for any NFL game, international or not:
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Moneyline: Pick the winner. Simple, but the odds reflect implied probabilities.
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Point Spread (ATS: Against the Spread): One team gives a ”point” (e.g. -7) that must be beaten for a bet on them to win; the other team is ”+7”.
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Totals (Over/Under): Predict whether the combined score of both teams will be above or below a line.
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Prop Bets: Bets on specific events, e.g., ”which player will score first,” ”yards by a particular player,” etc.
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Parlays, same-game parlays, teasers, futures: More complex bets combining outcomes or betting over longer time horizons.
The first game of the NFL International Series was played between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 5. It resulted in a 27-21 Chargers win.
The second game will be played between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers, played in Dublin, Ireland, for the first time.
While there are no betting odds available for the game yet, it is worth mentioning that the Vikings and the Steelers play on Sept. 21, so neither team will have the rest of the advantage going into the Sept. 26 game.
Ireland will be neutral ground regarding home crowd advantage, even though the Vikings are officially listed as the home team.
Hence, it is worth monitoring if the Vikings will receive the usual lower odds given to the home team.
How To Bet Smarter on the NFL International Series
Some of the strategies and tips that take into account the international context can be:
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Watch Opening Lines & Responsiveness
Because the stakes for international games are higher, opening lines might shift notably based on injury news, travel updates, and weather forecasts. If you see a line you believe undervalues a team, there may be value before the public or sportsbooks adjust.
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Value the Underdogs More Carefully
In international games, favorites may be overvalued due to name recognition or assumed home advantage, even when those advantages are weak. Underdogs who travel well or have experienced rosters may offer good value.
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Consider Situational Factors
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Time zone changes and travel fatigue
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Days of rest: Did one team play in the U.S., then fly overseas?
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Whether this is their first international game (or whether the opponent has more experience abroad)
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Crowd support or fan base abroad
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Weather or playing surface adjustments.
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Use Historical Data & Trends
Look for past teams’ performance in international games: How do they perform overseas vs. domestic? Data from previous NFL International Series games helps.
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Watch Prop Markets & Extras
Props often shift much quicker when new information emerges (e.g., a key player is injured, or the weather forecast changes). Because international games are rarer and more ”eventful,” prop lines might offer inefficiencies.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
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Assuming the home field works the same overseas as in the U.S.
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Ignoring travel and rest issues. A team may look better on paper, but that matters if they flew halfway around the world.
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Overreacting to hype (e.g., big names, media buzz). Sometimes sportsbooks build hype into odds.
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Chasing losses or over-betting on ”special” games. The novelty of international games can lure bettors into poor-value bets.
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Not accounting for weather, surface, or venue quirks. Sometimes, even the kickoff time (for local fans) can shift energy or attendance.
NFL Betting
Betting on the NFL International Series adds complexity compared to typical U.S. home/away matchups.
The 2025 slate is the largest ever, with seven international regular-season games across five countries, so there’s more opportunity and more factors to watch.
You can find value if you apply the regular tools of good NFL betting, understand odds and bet types, and study matchups while layering in the international aspects (travel, venue, crowd, historical performance).
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Valdrin Tahiri is a cryptocurrency analyst and reporter at CCN, specializing in technical analysis with a focus on Elliott Wave theory, on-chain metrics, and fundamental research. He brings over seven years of experience in the crypto space as both a trader and writer.
He discovered cryptocurrencies in 2017 while earning his MSc in Financial Markets at the Barcelona School of Economics, which sparked a deep interest in blockchain and market dynamics. Since then, he’s contributed to top crypto outlets like BeInCrypto and CoinGape.
Valdrin also served as Community Manager of BeInCrypto’s Telegram group for three years, helping grow it into one of the largest crypto communities worldwide. His expertise in market structure and price patterns allows him to break down complex trends into clear, actionable insights.
He’s published thousands of articles covering altcoins, Bitcoin cycles, and macro trends.
