5 Things Bettors Should Watch For This 2017 NFL Preseason

The NFL preseason is a real puzzle for a lot of bettors. The focus for the teams isn’t winning games but instead figuring out which players to keep on their roster and how to fix their offensive and defensive schemes — without giving up too much for regular-season opponents to see on film. However, NFL betting during the preseason can make you a good amount of money, if you know what trends to watch for. Take a look at five factors you should consider before locking in any NFL Preseason betting odds or picks.

5 Things Bettors Should Watch For This 2017 NFL Preseason

34 days until NFL season: Le’Veon Bell has 34 games of 100+ yds from scrimmage in career. Only LeSean McCoy has more in that time (38) pic.twitter.com/N4spnlwtwI

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 4, 2017

Don’t assume the under

The Hall of Fame Game on Thursday featured a combined 38 points from the Dallas Cowboys and the Arizona Cardinals. However, things got off to a start quickly as the teams combined for 21 points in the first quarter before things got mired down, particularly for the Cardinals, on offense. However, the “over” wins more often than not in the preseason as things get out of hand after halftime in many cases. In 2010, the “over” went 37-28 in the preseason. In 2011, that record was 33-30- 1 but improved again in 2012, going 35-28- 2. So if that point total is under 45, consider taking the “over” because teams like to throw the ball in the second half — just to see what those quarterbacks down the depth chart can do.

You’re not the only one betting

The Hall of Fame Game takes in more action historically than any of the Major League Baseball games that take place on the same day. This is true even though the Hall of Fame Game is really in Week Zero of the preseason, and none of the players have gone through all that much work to get ready for it. As we saw on Thursday, teams leave their stars on the bench, far away from the action. But people still bet on it.

Take a careful look at the coaches

If you’re looking at the Seahawks, expect Pete Carroll to take the game seriously. He has the best record against the spread of any coach in the NFL for the preseason. However, you’ll also want to read up on the teams’ comments beforehand. Is the coach focused on sorting out the bottom third of his roster? Then I wouldn’t expect a hard push for a win. But if the coach is talking about team focus and competitive drive? Look for the starters to stay in longer and for the game plan to focus on a win, even if that preseason win isn’t going to produce anything  meaningful in the standings.

Remember the point spreads will be smaller

You’ll have a hard time finding a lot of games with a spread bigger than three or four points. Why? The dominant team is likely to put in their reserves sooner than the team they’re beating, if they don’t put them in at the same time, and so the losing team will tend to catch up. The fact that both teams will be heavy on reserves in the second half often means that games end up quite close. So think about choosing a straight up winner and sticking with that, instead of thinking about a larger point spread. If you do see a larger spread, you might think about playing the point total for that game instead of the head-to- head matchup.

Check those rosters often

Players hold out from training camp and the preseason — and they’re usually the difference- makers. Injuries happen every day in camp — just this past week, the Dolphins saw quarterback Ryan Tannehill (leg) and tailback Jay Ajayi (concussion) go down in the same practice. That will affect preseason outcomes — and most coaches are going to be even more cautious about bringing their top players back for games that don’t mean anything in the standings. Follow those articles about team rosters before placing any bets.