Do you love NFL? Does Sunday Funday get you through the week? Are you living in or heading to London during the football season?
If you answered YES to all of these questions…you need to get your ass to the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square.
NFL is HUGE in London right now, and has been gaining momentum over the past few years. There were 3 games scheduled to play there in 2015, because the demand for it is evident. But, when games are back in the USA, you don’t need your own NFL pass to watch your favourite games. Nope. Wade has you covered. He’s the guy running the show for NFL UK fans and thank god he is! To keep track of the schedule each week, check out the Facebook page ‘NFL in London‘.
Every Sunday there is a massive night in London town at the Hippo. With big screens set up in the theatre, smaller screens in the lounge and quite a few at the bar…the hippodrome have all the action an NFL fan needs to catch their team play. Start times are in the PM for London, due to time difference; so it does make for a late (but so worthwhile) night out. I mean, you haven’t lived if you aren’t catching the night bus home at 2am on a workday! Special thanks to my Canadian pal Shannon on that happening a LOT! 🙂
The 100 Wings Challenge
The food is awesome on this night too, with a menu full of American delights. The hot wings are hands down the best wings any of us (Americans and Canadians included!) have ever eaten-anywhere…I still think about them! A pitcher of beer and 10 wings is the best deal in town for £15!!! But if you’re really feeling up for a challenge…and there is a hot dog challenge as well-you can try to down 100 hot, bastard hot, garlic and dill pickle flavoured hot wings in 30 minutes; otherwise you pay the bargain price of £40 for the lot. (Or share between friends as we usually did and just enjoy them). FYI the bastard hot ones are hardcore. Like literally. Dying. The wings come in a beer bucket too, which makes for an awesome photo op as well!
American Food Deals
There are a lot of cheap food deals on the night with £5 deals on things like wings, jalapeno poppers, nachos, and smothered and covered fries. Onion rings and normal fries are around £2 as well. So if you like to eat…you can easily fill up for £20. The servings are generous for the prices. And everything is really good. There are drink deals too, from beer and cider buckets to pitchers. Value for money is right here.
The Set-Up
The best place to watch is in the theatre. It has booths lining the walls, and chairs and tables in front…with the big screen right there for all to enjoy. It has two levels so there is plenty of room. The key to getting a good spot, is to head over early, approximately 30 minutes before the first game starts, as many American travelers, London locals and people in between do attend the night. On big nights like the Superbowl (which sells out), Thanksgiving and when the London games are playing; it can be really busy, so always get there early if you can.
Meet NFL stars
On some occasions, you can even meet past players (and see a Superbowl ring up close!); as we had the chance when Chicago’s Shaun Gayle was a guest back in January. He was such a lovely guy too. I ended up on the same bus as him when I left in the early hours and had a lovely chat with him on the way home which was really funny.
So, if you are a fan of the sport. If you love Sunday Funday. You need to get to the Hippodrome Casino to have one of the best nights out you can have in London. Whether you are an American, or just someone who enjoys the atmosphere of watching the game.
These nights are the best memories I have from my time living there.
I will head back over to London just to have another Sunday Funday…so save me a seat guys!
I’ll be back soon!