This Credit Card Earns Points Toward Super Bowl Tickets

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NFL superfans can get a super deal, but only if they spend enough.

If you're a football fan, you've probably imagined how amazing it would be to go to the Super Bowl. Whether you get to cheer on your favorite team or not, just being there is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Those dreams usually come crashing back to reality after you look up the cost of Super Bowl tickets -- even the cheap seats cost around $7,000 apiece this year, factoring in the service fees. Unless you've got plenty of cash to spare or you've saved for years, the big game is one you'll have to watch on TV.

There is, however, a credit card with no annual fee that earns points you can redeem for Super Bowl tickets. It's not the best rewards credit card option for the typical cardholder. But if you really want points that can get you to the Super Bowl, the NFL Extra Points Credit Card could be a winner.

How the NFL Extra Points Credit Card works

When you use the NFL Extra Points Credit Card, it earns points you can redeem for cash back or NFL experiences. The biggest, best, and most expensive is two tickets to the Super Bowl. You can typically redeem points for tickets starting in November. As you'd expect, they don't last long.

There's no fixed number of points needed, but here's how many points a pair of tickets cost last year:

• 175,000 points for upper-level seating
• 225,000 for mid-level seating
• 275,000 points for lower-level seating

The card earns 2 points per $1 on NFL and team purchases. That includes qualifying NFL ticket purchases, so you could earn more back if you go to games often. Other purchases earn 1 point per $1. You also get 10,000 bonus points after spending $500 on purchases within the first 90 days.

You'll obviously need to spend quite a bit of money to collect 175,000 points, but getting Super Bowl tickets this way is a fantastic deal. Let's say you use those points for two tickets worth $14,000 total ($7,000 each). You'd get $0.08 per point in value. Considering this card offers $0.01 per point on cash back redemptions, Super Bowl tickets are a great way to redeem points.

More perks for NFL fans

You may wonder if there's any other reason to get the NFL Extra Points Credit Card, or if scoring Super Bowl tickets is the only meaningful perk.

There are two more benefits that football fans could find useful:

• 20% off at NFLShop.com: You'll save on jerseys, hats, collectibles, and any other purchases made on the NFL's online store.
• Special ticket financing: A six-month 0% intro APR applies to eligible NFL ticket purchases.

If you order NFL gear often, that 20% discount could make the card worthwhile. On $500 of purchases per year, you'd save $100.

Ticket financing could also come in handy if you want to go to a game and you're a little short on cash. Even though it's usually better not to finance tickets like this, there are exceptions to every rule. If you're a passionate fan who wants to support your team in person, and you know you'll pay off the tickets within six months, it's nice to have the option to do so without interest charges.

Just remember that after the six-month 0% intro APR offer ends, you'll be on the hook for any remaining balance at the standard purchase APR. That's the danger of 0% intro APR offers. To avoid hefty interest charges, you need to pay off the purchase in full during the 0% intro APR period.

Should you get the NFL Extra Points Credit Card?

I'd only recommend the NFL Extra Points Credit Card to big football fans who plan to collect enough points for Super Bowl tickets.

For everyone else, this card probably isn't the right choice. On standard cash back redemptions, you get $0.01 per point. So, if you use points that way, you effectively earn 2% cash back on NFL and team purchases and 1% on other purchases.

Those aren't good rates, to say the least. You can find top cash back cards offering 2% back on purchases, or anywhere from 3% to 6% back in bonus categories.

If you have your sights set on the Super Bowl, consider getting the NFL Extra Points Credit Card. Otherwise, stick to credit cards with more rewards and versatility.