We got a small taste of 2024 NFL football at last week’s Hall of Fame game, but in true preseason fashion the game wasn’t played the full amount of time, instead being stopped due to poor weather. This week every team will take the field for Week 1 of the NFL preseason getting fans back to cheering for the favorite team, or against their least favorite, while also sharpening the wagering skills for another successful season at the betting window.
There are positives and negatives when you bet on the NFL using crypto, especially during the preseason. The good is that we are on an even playing field with oddsmakers. The bad is that we have no clue what teams are going to do once they hit the field making NFL parlays a risky adventure. When betting preseason games it’s a good idea to wait and see if any coach reveals some news about his roster. And we did catch a glimpse of the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans in the HOF game potentially giving them an advantage in their Week 1 preseason games.
NFL Preseason Week 1 Betting Odds
It really is a crapshoot when wagering on preseason games. We’ve seen just in the past few years teams not playing starters at all during the exhibition season. It first came to light in 2022 when Sean McVay benched a bunch of his starters and the Rams went on to win the Super Bowl. The NFL is a copycat league so other coaches followed suit. However, with eight new coaches roaming the sidelines this season there is a good chance those guys want to see their team play its best and win. So, doing the best I can with the information available I’m going to work on my NFL parlay picks backing a few favorites and a few underdogs but taking easing my way into the new betting season. The odds will change as we move closer to kickoff, but there’s a full week of NFL action starting with a few games on Thursday, Aug. 8 and ending on Sunday, Aug. 11.
Parlay Card Favorites
Baltimore -3 vs. Philadelphia
Cincinnati -3.5 vs. Tampa Bay
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I have to back the Ravens given John Harbaugh’s record in preseason games. They are expected to contend for a Super Bowl title with a roster having few position battles. Baltimore’s backups are better than a lot of teams regular’s and they should win this game. From 2016 to 2022, the Ravens were a perfect 23-0 in preseason games and Harbaugh has said he wants his teams to practice like they play. what motivates a coach during the preseason is always a sign of how his team is going to play and Harbaugh wants his guys playing hard, no matter who’s playing.
The Bengals are looking to rebound from a season that saw Joe Burrow limited by injuries and one that ended without a playoff appearance. Previous years saw the Bengals not too concerned about preseason results, but this year seems different. A fast start is nearly a must in what is sure to be a congested AFC and the Bengals would like to avoid another slow start, like going 1-3 to open 2023. We probably won’t see Burrow, but we’ll see a sense of urgency from the Bengals allowing them to cover the spread.
Parlay Card Underdogs
Detroit +3.5 at NY Giants
Minnesota +4 vs. Las Vegas
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With a lot of pressure on the Giants to figure out some things with their roster, especially at quarterback, they are expected to trot out several challengers for the starting job. The QB rotation is always something to look at when betting preseason games and you’d expect New York to have a healthy competition. The Lions are among the Super Bowl favorites this season and will look to fine tune their roster. It’s unlikely we see Detroit’s starters and instead catch a number of position battles on a deep roster. Dan Campbell had his first winning preseason ahead of last year and Detroit reached the NFC Championship. That’s a good indication of how the coach wants to play things, so I’m backing Detroit and the points.
The Vikings and Raiders both have a QB competition playing out in training camp and those tend to lead to enhanced offensive output. I’m backing the Vikings and the points because they are the home team and because J.J. McCarthy is going to get some reps. Always overlooked even after leading Michigan to the college football national championship, McCarthy always has something to prove and he’ll do it again in his battle with presumed QB1 Sam Darnold.
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