The 2025 NFL season will officially kick off on Thursday with the Hall of Fame exhibition game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Detroit Lions. But how should you go about betting on NFL preseason games?
Bettors will have three straight weeks of warmup games to handicap before the regular season begins during the first week of September, and there are several unique factors they should be considering before wagering on exhibition games.
Here are a few tips that could help you increase your bankroll and get ready for the upcoming season:
- Limit unit size and manage your risk. This is a great time to set your betting expectations and limits for the NFL season. Determine your unit size and set a firm budget that you plan to stick to throughout the season. Understand the preseason is not the time to burn through this budget. Wager smaller amounts and diversify your bets to minimize risk.
- Follow the news cycle. Focus on team news and coaching plans about player usage leading up to exhibition games. Follow the beat reporters on various social media channels or reputable news sites for teams and pay close attention to media sessions involving coaches and players. Coaches typically announce their plans for rotating quarterbacks and other first-stringers on the roster well ahead of preseason games. Pay attention to these developments and bet accordingly.
- Study the depth charts. A quick glance at the depth charts for all of the NFL teams can go a long way in assisting your handicapping process. You’ll notice that several teams are much deeper at key positions, and that means they could have an advantage over their opponents on any given week. Teams will use several more players in the preseason when compared to a regular season NFL game.
- Watch for line moves. Preseason lines tend to be softer due to limited data and starters sitting out, so they tend to be more dramatic. Sharp money can move betting lines, as can new, valuable information.
- Ignore trends. With so many fluctuations in team motivation and rosters, it’s almost useless to refer to the preseason betting trends of years past. Look at each game you intend to bet on individually.
- Experiment with new and unfamiliar betting markets. This is a great time to have a preseason for your own betting preferences and experiment a bit. Venture out from the typical sides and totals wagers and learn something new. Try out some teasers, or player props, ladders, or place a few live bets with a reduced unit size. There are so many fun and engaging ways to bet on the NFL!
- Open new sportsbook accounts. Online sportsbooks will be offering many lucrative bonus and sign-up offers ahead of the new NFL season, so it’s a great time to expand your sportsbook portfolio with a few new accounts. Line shopping is critical to your long-term success as a sports bettor, so open as many accounts as possible to give yourself an edge.