After being without sports for months, sports bettors have been treated to an insane amount of betting options since the calendar turned to late July with the NBA, NHL and MLB all returning to play out their respective seasons. It’s only going to get better come September 10 when the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs kick-off the 2020-21 NFL betting season. So far, the league has done a fantastic job preventing the coronavirus from taking a stranglehold of its players, coaches and anyone else involved in the day-to-day operations. Here’s to hoping that continues over the next few weeks so sports fans and bettors have something to take their minds off the “New Normal” that’s changed everything as we once knew it. Without further ado, here’s a look at the offerings served up at online sportsbooks for Week 1.
NFL Week 1 Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Houston at Kansas City -9.5, 54.5
Miami at New England -6, 43
Cleveland at Baltimore -8.5, 48.5
New York Jets at Buffalo -6, 39.5
Las Vegas at Carolina +1.5, 47
Seattle at Atlanta +1, 49.5
Philadelphia at Washington +6.5, 44
Chicago at Detroit -1.5, 43.5
Indianapolis at Jacksonville +7, 44.5
Green Bay at Minnesota -3, 46
Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati +3, 44
Arizona at San Francisco -7.5, 47
Tampa Bay at New Orleans -4, 49.5
Dallas at Los Angeles Rams +2.5, 49.5
Pittsburgh at New York +3.5, 46.5
Tennessee at Denver -1, 41.5
All eyes will be on Arrowhead Stadium in the first Thursday Night Football matchup of the season. Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans return to the scene of the crime of last year’s playoff defeat where they squandered a 24-0 second quarter lead and allowed Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to not only come all the way back, but to also cover the closing 10-point spread. Houston really shook things up with its roster in the offseason bringing in guys like David Johnson, Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb while also shoring up its offensive line which is expected to be one of the team’s strengths. The Chiefs more or less locked up their studs to long term contracts and added a huge weapon in the backfield via the draft in the form of Clyde Edwards-Helaire. KC initially hit the board as 9.5-point favorites, and the spread has moved up to 10 and back down numerous times. The total has bounced around between 54 and 55.
As expected, the Miami Dolphins have gotten all kinds of attention for their Week 1 trip to Foxboro. NFL bettors have seemingly lined up in droves to fade “The Hoodie” in his first game without the services of the GOAT otherwise known as Tom Brady. Having a number of New England players opt out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns has also played a role in the betting line falling to -6 after initially opening up -7. But before you login to your favorite online sportsbook and take the points, just know that Miami’s Week 17 win at Gillette Stadium from a year ago cost the Patriots a first round bye in the playoffs. That’s more than likely something Bill Belichick will remind his players of leading up to kick-off.
The Atlanta Falcons were busy in the offseason adding to what already was one of the more lethal offensive attacks the league had to offer. Its main bugaboo however was an inability to run the football. That’s something Matt Ryan and company will hope was shored up with the addition of former LA Rams standout running back Todd Gurley. Though his knees have given him issues the last few seasons, he’s back home in the state of Georgia where he excelled at the collegiate level for three seasons before making bank in the NFL. He’ll no doubt look to put on a show in his season debut at home against a Seattle Seahawks defense that’s fallen off dramatically since the days of the “Legion of Boom.” This lined opened Seattle -1 and hasn’t budged even though seemingly every public dollar thrown on the game is in support of the visitors.
The Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are considered to be the teams to beat in the NFC North this season. Linemakers have the teams neck and neck to take division honors with the former lined at +180 and the latter at +160. Though Green Bay needed to shore up numerous areas on both sides of the ball in the offseason, upper management decided to draft a quarterback and running back instead even though Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones are still on the roster. As for Minnesota, it traded away Stefon Diggs and brought in LSU standout Justin Jefferson to replace him. On top of that, it did little to shore up the defense’s secondary woes though it did draft TCU CB Jeff Gladney. Though the Cheeseheads swept the season rivalry a season ago, they currently find themselves installed 3-point underdogs for this bout and some 3.5s have started to hit the board as well. Someone out there likes the Vikings to hold serve!
Though Joe Burrow will make his debut against the Chargers and the division rival Cardinals and 49ers played to a pair of entertaining games a season ago, all eyes will be on the Crescent City for the afternoon slate when Tom Brady makes his Buccaneers debut in the Superdome against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Sean Payton’s troops have kicked the tar out of the Bucs for the last four seasons in going 5-2 SU and ATS in the last seven skirmishes. The Saints closed as 7+ point favorites on average the last 10 times they hosted this rivalry, but this is a new day and age for Buccaneers football! Tampa Bay is just a 4-point dog for this tilt with the total lined as the second highest of the week. Though the betting line is yet to move, a bulk of the handle currently resides with the Bucs. If you plan on supporting the GOAT in this matchup, you best do it now before more line value is lost!
Mike McCarthy will make his Dallas Cowboys debut under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football versus Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams. Both teams were largely disappointments a season ago, so this should be a competitive match all the way through. LA has been installed home dogs four times under McVay, and they stand 0-4 SU and ATS with the average margin of defeat checking in at a disturbing 26.3 points per game; LA is currently a 2.5-point home dog to Dak Prescott and company. Week 1 closes out with a MNF doubleheader with the Pittsburgh Steelers squaring off against the New York Giants and Tennessee Titans running up against the Denver Broncos. Both home teams are currently being faded by the betting public which comes as a surprise considering how well they’ve performed in this doubleheader the last handful of years - Enjoy Week 1!
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