If the teams are tied after 9 innings, they have as many innings as they need until the other team scores a run. However, if the visitor team (the team that bats first in the inning) scores a run in an extra inning, the home team still gets to bat to try and score a run. Example: 8-8 in the tenth inning. The visitor team scores. The score is 9-8. The home team still gets to bat and if they score a run and tie again, the process is repeated. But if they get two runs and win, no more innings are needed.
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When a regulation game ends in a tie (ie the two teams finish with the same score) the games goes into an Overtime period.
The overtime period is considered "sudden death", meaning the first team to score wins. If no one scores the game ends in a tie.
Overtime period:
The new rule is only in effect during the playoffs. Essentially the only change is that the game cannot end on a field goal unless both teams have had a chance with possession of the football.
So... If the team who wins the coin toss scores a touchdown on their first drive, the game is over. But if they score a field goal, the other team must be given an opportunity with the ball. If the other team scores a touchdown, they win. If they do not score, they lose. If they score a field goal to tie, then from that point on the normal sudden-death rules apply.
If no one scores on the opening drive, then normal sudden-death rules apply.
Under the rules as changed in 2011, each team must receive an offensive possession of the ball unless the team first having the ball scores a touchdown. If the team that wins the coin toss gets only a field goal, the other team is given one possession in which to either tie the game (field goal) or to score a touchdown to win. If the team winning the coin toss does not score, any score by the opposing team then wins (sudden death).
If neither team scores, or the game is tied by overtime field goals, play continues in sudden death. There are as many 15-minute overtime periods as necessary (a game has so far reached a second overtime exactly once).