2024 NFL Preseason Betting
The annual Hall of Fame game kicks off the NFL preseason slate and signifies another season is on its way. Once again in 2024 the NFL will have a preseason schedule consisting of three games with the HOF matchup being a fourth for the participants. This season marks the fourth year of a three-game preseason schedule when the league added an additional regular season contest in time for the 2021 campaign. The NFL desperately wants to increase the regular season to 18 games eliminating the odd number. We’re likely to see that happen in the next few years and would require the elimination of one more preseason match.
In the 2020 pandemic season, the NFL learned something that many observers believed for decades: There is no need for the preseason. That year the NFL went straight to the regular season and nobody could tell the difference. But the preseason brings extra revenue to the NFL clubs from TV deals, ticket sales, and stadium dates. Thus, the preseason goes on.
There isn’t a heavy emphasis on winning in the preseason rather coaches use the games to evaluate talent that sits on the fence to determine final roster spots. Teams also don’t want to expose starters and regulars to injury in a meaningless game, and that’s happened in the past. Famously in 1999 the St. Louis Rams lost QB Trent Green to a knee injury in their preseason game. That actually turned out well for them with a guy named Kurt Warner taking over and guiding the Rams to a Super Bowl win. However, that situation is not the norm
From a gambling perspective it’s difficult to handicap preseason games. Bettors must do their due diligence regarding lineups and playing time, and more importantly who starts and plays behind center. And even then it’s a crapshoot. In recent years live betting has become highly popular in the preseason giving bettors real-time updates on game developments and lineup changes.
The Baltimore Ravens had their record 24-game preseason winning streak end in 2023 and coach John Harbaugh has won nearly 76 percent of his exhibition contests.
NFL Betting Odds
NFL Hall of Fame Game
THURSDAY, AUGUST 1
Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears
The NFL Hall of Fame Game is one preseason tradition. Each year the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, hosts the first preseason game of the year in conjunction with the enshrinement of that year’s Hall of Fame class. The game takes place on Thursday with the induction ceremony following two days later. Though it is an exhibition game with plenty of substitutions and players who won’t be around at the start of the regular season, the Hall of Fame Game attracts a large TV audience as evidenced by its national broadcast in primetime.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8
Carolina at New England
Detroit at NY Giants
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9
Atlanta at Miami
Houston at Pittsburgh
Philadelphia at Baltimore
SATURDAY, AUGUST 10
Chicago at Buffalo
Washington at NY Jets
Las Vegas at Minnesota
Seattle at LA Chargers
Green Bay at Cleveland
Tampa Bay at Cincinnati
San Francisco at Tennessee
Kansas City at Jacksonville
New Orleans at Arizona
SUNDAY, AUGUST 11
Denver at Indianapolis
Dallas at LA Rams
All but two teams will take the field for the first time in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. We rarely see starters play and if they do it’s only for a series or two. The entire exhibition slate is used to evaluate talent and build roster depth, but more so this week. Coaches use this time to assess new plays, strategies, and positional battles, while players aim to shake off any rust and prove their worth. The games may not count towards the regular-season record, but they provide a valuable platform for teams to fine-tune their performance and build momentum for the challenges that lie ahead.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15
Philadelphia at New England
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17
Atlanta at Baltimore
NY Giants at Houston
Cincinnati at Chicago
Detroit at Kansas City
LA Rams at LA Chargers
Minnesota at Cleveland
NY Jets at Carolina
Seattle at Tennessee
Arizona at Indianapolis
Washington at Miami
Buffalo at Pittsburgh
Tampa Bay at Jacksonville
Dallas at Las Vegas
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18
Green Bay at Denver
New Orleans at Francisco
The preseason process got sped up with the elimination of a game a few years ago now making Week 2 an important time. Teams are continuing their preparations for the upcoming season with coaches given valuable opportunities to assess their rosters and fine-tune their strategies while players have another chance to get game-ready. Fans eagerly await the return of star players and prized rookies hoping to catch a glimpse of their potential impact on the field. The games are characterized by a mix of experimentation and intensity as teams work to solidify their lineups and evaluate their depth.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 22
Chicago at Kansas City
Indianapolis at Cincinnati
FRIDAY, AUGUST 23
Jacksonville at Atlanta
Miami at Tampa Bay
San Francisco at Las Vegas
SATURDAY, AUGUST 24
Carolina at Buffalo
LA Rams at Houston
LA Chargers at Dallas
Pittsburgh at Detroit
Baltimore at Green Bay
Minnesota at Philadelphia
Cleveland at Seattle
NY Giants at NY Jets
SUNDAY, AUGUST 25
Tennessee at New Orleans
Arizona at Denver
New England at Washington
Week 3 of the NFL preseason is a crucial time with teams making their final preparations before the games go live. With roster cuts taking place after this game we’ve seen a number of teams more recently electing to rest key players for the entire postseason making this week important to players on the roster bubble. It’s also a time for coaching staffs to make decisions regarding position battles. If starters play in the final exhibition it’s not for long. Every coach has his own strategy on how to best utilize the preseason in order to build a roster that can contend for a playoff berth and shot at the Super Bowl title.
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