Week 1 of the NFL season is prime time for pro football gamblers. Most teams represent unknown quantities entering the season, making it challenging for oddsmakers to get a good read.
This gives online sports bettors an advantage over the books. Since gambling sites don’t have the benefit of hindsight with which to create their betting lines, players like you and me get access to odds that leap off the page a little more than usual.
Here are some Week 1 lines at NFL sportsbooks that caught our attention.
Favorites That Will Cover
We want nothing more than to see an explosive first game out of Indianapolis Colts’ QB Anthony Richardson, but we think the Houston Texans are a full touchdown better than them right now. We believe the Houston offense will outpace the Colts and win by three or more points against Indy.
The -3.5 points that the Miami Dolphins are favored by at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars seems accurate for a mid-season spread. Most of the Dolphins’ offensive fireworks occurred in the early season last year before defenses could strategize and catch up. Don’t be surprised to see MIA win by ten or more in Hard Rock Stadium this Sunday.
The debut of head coach Jim Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers begins with a matchup at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders are a three-point underdog, and we think LA has a great chance of easily surpassing that margin. Las Vegas is a mess, and the Chargers seem to be tightening up, so this early-season game should provide insight into what the AFC West holds this season.
Underdogs With Potential
On Friday, the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers travel out of the country to play their opening game in Sao Paolo, Brazil. By our estimations, the Eagles and Packers are evenly matched on a neutral location, giving Green Bay the betting edge for this Friday’s spread of +2.5.
The Minnesota Vikings are favored by 1.5 over the Giants in Met Life Stadium. New York isn’t expected to do much this season, but we think they have what it takes to defend their home turf in Week 1. We’re betting on the Giants to cover and have confidence they will win.
The Dallas Cowboys are on the road against the Cleveland Browns, where they are a -1.5 underdog. There’s no denying the talent possessed by the Browns’ roster, but there’s no way they beat Big D this Sunday. We are betting on the Cowboys to cover the spread and expect them to win.