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This week marks the eagerly awaited comeback of football as it makes its grand return. The NFL preseason kicks off with all 32 teams, including the Detroit Lions, taking the field from Thursday through Sunday.
Friday night marks the beginning of the Dan Campbell era at Ford Field.
Even if the games don’t have any impact on the standings, anxious football fans might still have the urge to satisfy their betting cravings.
Preseason sports betting: Willing to take your chances?
To begin with, it’s important to acknowledge that placing bets on preseason football is an inherently uncertain endeavor.
Teams often place a significant amount of trust in younger, inexperienced players, while granting their established stars an opportunity to rest.
An unknown player, whose name you may not be familiar with and might not come across again, has the potential to determine the outcome of a bet, resulting in either a win or a loss.
Preseason games are often straightforward for oddsmakers, with the majority of spreads for Week 1 of the NFL preseason falling within the 1 to 3 point range.
Surprisingly, among all the games listed on DraftKings Sportsbook, only one has a point spread exceeding 3.5 points. On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are favored by a margin of 6 points as they play against the Cincinnati Bengals at home.
Typically, totals remain relatively low with most falling within the range of 34 to 37 points. However, this week’s highest total so far, as of midday Wednesday, stands at 40 points, which was scored during the match between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals.
The only preseason match held thus far was the Hall of Fame Game last Thursday, where the Pittsburgh Steelers emerged victorious with a 16-3 score against the Cowboys. Pittsburgh had a 2.5-point advantage as the favored team before the game.
Lions Week 1 NFL Preseason Odds: Detroit a slight underdog
Even in the preseason, the expectations for the 2021 season of the Detroit Lions continue to be low.
At 7 p.m. ET on Friday, the Buffalo Bills will be visiting the Lions, and according to oddsmakers, Detroit is considered the underdog against a team that reached the AFC finals in the previous season.
The Lions are considered underdogs by most oddsmakers, with point spreads ranging from 2 to 2.5 points in favor of the Bills. Detroit is typically listed at +110 on the moneyline. On the other hand, DraftKings Sportsbook views the game as evenly matched and has the Lions at -115 on the moneyline.
The general consensus among most books sets the over/under at 37 points, whereas BetRivers Sportsbook initially set it slightly lower at 36.5 points.
Campbell has previously mentioned his plans to have the Lions starters on the field for approximately one quarter.
Buffalo recently secured quarterback Josh Allen with a new six-year contract extension worth a whopping $258 million.
While it is expected that Allen will not have much playing time, the Detroit team is well acquainted with the Bills’ substitute quarterback. Mitchell Trubisky, who joined Buffalo during the offseason as Allen’s backup, will have his inaugural appearance with the team on Friday.
Detroit Lions still a player in future markets
The lack of favoritism towards Detroit by oddsmakers has made the Lions an enticing option for those looking to place future bets.
During our conversation earlier this week, we focused on the Lions as the team with the highest number of bets placed on them to surpass their 2021 win totals at BetMGM Sportsbook, out of all 32 NFL teams.
According to BetMGM, Detroit is currently the third-most bet team in terms of ticket count to make the playoffs this year. Additionally, the Lions have the highest handle percentage (18.9%) among all teams in the NFC, with odds of +10000, to reach the Super Bowl for the first time. The level of enthusiasm surrounding the Lions is quite remarkable.
However, the Lions currently offer an attractive +700 line to qualify for the playoffs, which has been tempting for sports bettors in search of a generous payout. At BetMGM, only the Denver Broncos (+130) and Washington Football Team (+120) are receiving more bets.
According to BetMGM, 80% of the bets placed on the Lions playoff odds are in favor of them making it, yet this amounts to only 41% of the total amount wagered. Conversely, only 20% of the bets are against the Lions making the playoffs (-1100 odds), but these wagers account for 59% of the total amount wagered.
NFL Preseason promos trickling in
Keep an eye on this space for any exclusive preseason offers from well-known Michigan sportsbooks. However, it’s not surprising that the market is currently quiet due to the uncertain nature of exhibition games.
However, it is important to keep an eye on a few potential long-term developments during the entire month.
- BetRivers is offering a 25% profit bonus on NFL futures bets every Sunday leading up to the start of the season.
- BetRivers is offering an additional promotion for preseason football. By placing four single-bet wagers of $50 or more on NFL preseason games during a weekend, you will be eligible to receive a $25 free bet on the following Tuesday.
- Newcomers to DraftKings can take advantage of an appealing welcome offer with a football focus. Once you make your initial deposit, simply place your first bet on a college or NFL game, and you will be rewarded with $200 in bet credits, divided into eight $25 free bets. It’s important to note that these free bets must be used within one week of receiving them. This offer is available until September 12th.
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