Top 5 Places to Watch Football in Myrtle Beach

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Are you ready for some football but not sure where to go to watch the big game? Like other sports fans on the Grand Strand, visitors at the Paradise Resort are in luck.

Because of the high number of out-of-town visitors and transplants from other parts of the country, Myrtle Beach caters to a diverse crowd with sports bars that carry all the games. Be sure to choose a place with multiple TVs and the NFL Sunday Ticket to ensure you get to watch your team in action.

A handful of local sports bars are home to fans of specific teams so you can root along with fellow followers. Whether it's college football on Saturdays or the NFL on Sundays, there's a TV showing your favorite teams and a bar stool with your name on it. Here are five great places on the Grand Strand to catch the big game and have a good time, win or lose:

* Broadway Louie's: This Broadway at the Beach is the daddy of sports bars on the Strand. Featuring large screen TVs on the walls and smaller sets scattered throughout the massive bar, fans of all affiliations pack this place on the fall weekends for the hot food, cold beer and the best game-day environment you can get without going to the game. Broadway Louie's sheer size adds to the experience because fans of opposing teams inevitably end up talking some good=natured smack on one another.

* Bumstead's Pub: Located in the downtown district of Myrtle Beach, this small English pub goes all out on game days. Food and drink specials are held throughout the season and private booths contain their own TV screens, so your group can watch your game of choice or change channels to catch multiple games. Bumstead's adjoins Dagwood's Deli, so you can get a sandwich stacked higher than a goal post, and a wide selection of drafts is available. This is a huge Washington Redskins' hangout, so easy on the RG3 jokes.

* Oscar's Food & Spirits: Fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers will feel right at home at this North Myrtle Beach establishment, which the regulars painted black and gold following the Steelers' last Super Bowl victory. The owners are Pittsburgh transplants, as are most of the patrons, which is evident by the Steelers memorabilia hanging on the walls and the black-and-gold clad fans who inhabit Oscar's. The food menu is excellent, featuring many Pittsburgh favorites, and there's lots of ice-cold Iron City beer to wash it down.

* Handley’s Pub: This Carolina Forest hot spot has become the unofficial home for fans and students of Coastal Carolina University, which is located a few miles down Highway 501 and has enjoyed some surprisingly good football fortunes in recent years. The FCS-level Chanticleers have almost every game televised this season, although not necessarily on networks that are featured on all local cable carriers. But you can cheer for the Chants, as well as your other favorite college and NFL teams, at this English-style pub atmosphere. The outdoor patio deck has TVs too so you can enjoy the open-air stadium environment.

* Overtime Sports Cafe: You won't mind spending extra time at Overtime to catch all the action. This two-story sports bar goes all out with plenty of seating that offers excellent views of multiple TVs strategically located throughout the facility. The menu is impressive too, and there's even a sports memorabilia museum displaying valuable keepsakes from sports history. This is a popular 19th hole for groups of golfers.

(posted 8/22/14)
(Photo courtesy: Handley's Pub)