my $url = 'http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/odds/.../1300#J'; # Assigning that url to the scalar url. save_file ($url); # Calling the subroutine while passing the scalar $url sub save_file { # Initiating sub my @game = @_; # Populating an array with all the contents of the arguments that are passed to the subroutine. In this case, just one; $url