NFL

Preseason games come first, usually in August. They are exhibitions, so they do not count in the standings. The regular season runs 18 weeks, and each team plays 17 games. It usually starts in early September and ends in early January.

The postseason is a single-elimination playoff for the top teams in each conference. It usually ends with the Super Bowl in February. The exact dates change each year, so check the league schedule for the season you are following.

A play is one snap: a run, a pass, a punt, a field goal try or a kickoff. Play-by-play lists every play in order, with the game situation.

A touchdown is worth six points. The extra point adds one, and a two-point conversion adds two. A field goal is worth three, and a safety is two points for the defense. For example, a touchdown and an extra point make 7, and a field goal after that makes 10.

An Antic Rating is a player's score for one game on a 0 to 10 scale. It reflects what the player did and how much their plays helped the team win, so it describes that game, not the season.

Above 10 is reserved for outstanding games. Antic also gives each game a game rating, from how much the win chance swung. Ratings describe what happened: they are not picks or predictions.

Player props are bets on one player's stat or event. In the NFL you will see passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards, receptions and the anytime touchdown. Most are over or under a number, and an anytime touchdown wins if the player scores at least once.

Antic never places bets. If betting stops being fun, set limits or call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Polls are predictions on a game. Before kickoff, you can pick who wins and, where there is a spread, who covers it. During a live game, a poll can appear at the end of a quarter, asking who wins the next one. Votes show the split.

Lineups group the roster by unit. Offense has quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, tight ends and the offensive line. Defense has the defensive line, linebackers and defensive backs. Special teams has kickers, punters, long snappers and returners. Each row shows the position, season numbers, rating and injury status.

Standings rank teams by record within each conference and division. Ties are broken in order. The first step is head-to-head results. Next come division record, record against the same opponents, conference record, and how strong the teams beaten and the full schedule were. Point differences come after that, and a coin toss is the final step. The order changes for ties that decide a playoff spot, and the league's rulebook lists every version.