Tips for betting on NFL preseason
LAS VEGAS, NV (The Spread) – The NFL preseason kicks off on Sunday with the Buffalo Bills taking on the New York Giants in Canton, OH for the Hall of Fame Game. Let’s take a look at how bettors should approach preseason.
The NFL preseason is a totally different animal from the regular season and definitely takes a different approach, but bettors can be profitable and shouldn’t avoid it altogether. A good approach is to first take into consideration how many offseason moves a team has made such as free agency and coaching changes. Teams that have made several moves in the offseason may be out of sync early on with limited practice opportunities. Teams that consider themselves Super Bowl contenders will have different goals in preseason compared to teams with a lot to prove.
For example, you wouldn’t want to back the Broncos in preseason based solely on the fact that Peyton Manning lit a certain team up in last year’s regular season. The simple fact is that Manning’s snaps in preseason games will be very limited.
Another factor that you can throw out in preseason compared to regular season is home field advantage. Home field just doesn’t mean as much in preseason due to the fact the teams may have completely opposite goals for that game. The home team may be giving a rookie QB extra snaps, while the away team may have an experienced backup QB, which would give them a slight edge. Don’t even look at a team’s home or away record during last year’s regular season when deciding which teams to back in preseason.
When it comes to NFL preseason betting, I’ve found a big key is to not over think a play or dive too much when it comes to stats. Teams who finished in the cellar last season will probably be out to win more in preseason than teams who finished with winning records. I also find it helpful to watch a line longer before making a play in preseason as compared to the regular season.
I also cut my wagers back on preseason games as you don’t want to dent your bankroll too much if you catch a couple bad breaks during preseason. With that said, throw preseason out the window when the regular season starts as a team’s results can be deceiving. Enjoy preseason and get ready for a MONSTER NFL season.
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