Betting On Week 1 Of The NFL Preseason

• The Washington Football Team is favored to beat the New England Patriots with odds of -115.
• The Atlanta Falcons have -120 odds to beat the Tennessee Titans in their first preseason game.
• The Detroit Lions are favored to beat the Buffalo Bills with -125 odds.

BOSTON—Week 1 of the NFL preseason is set to kick off with slates of games beginning on Thursday night, leading well into the weekend and ending on Sunday night. Preseason is a great time for those looking to get in on early NFL betting action and see how some of the rookies perform, especially with teams that have made notable moves in the offseason.

Between the Thursday and Friday NFL preseason games, there is plenty to look forward to as far as betting and viewing are concerned. Rookies' first games like that of Mac Jones and Kyle Pitts and the emergence of the Tennessee Titans since trading for Julio Jones are all expected to be good games. Online sportsbooks have betting odds for all of these matchups and more to get in on some NFL gambling now.

Thursday Night Football: Washington Football Team Vs. New England Patriots

This Thursday Night Football matchup between the New England Patriots and the Washington Football Team marks the NFL debut of the Patriots rookie quarterback, Mac Jones. Being that starters usually do not play in the preseason, this will be a big moment for Jones to prove he's worthy of being a professional football player as he will be the backup QB to Cam Newton this season. On the other side for the Washington Football Team, it will be a test for their defensive unit which has aspirations of being the top in the league this year.

Looking at the NFL odds, Washington is the slight favorite going into the game because their backups have clocked a lot more playing experience than those on the Patriots side. More specifically, Taylor Heinicke, who is expected to take over the QB1 duties for Ryan Fitzpatrick early on in the game. Based on the experience factor alone, the Washington Football Team would be the safest pick for the sports bettor wagering on this game.

Looking at the point total, this should be seen as easy money if betting on the UNDER. Both the starters and backups on the defense for these two teams are strong forces that can hold off any offense. Each was in the top ten in the fewest points allowed last season and will be looking to make a statement in this opening preseason game.

Friday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons Vs. Tennessee Titans

This game between the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans marks the first game for two very notable players. It is the start for Falcons rookie, Kyle Pitts' career as well as the first game that Julio Jones will be suiting up for the Tennessee Titans.

The Falcons are the slight favorites in this game with a strong case backing up those odds. The Titans have reported that Julio Jones and the rest of the starters will be put to very limited use until the start of the preseason. With both Jones and AJ Brown missing time last year due to injuries, it is hard seeing them play more than a few drives each before the start of the regular season.

Preseason games, in general, are usually low-scoring affairs and in this game, it should be no different. With there being very limited use of starters from the Titans and with the Falcons still having no real direction on their offense, both sides could struggle to get into the endzone making this an easy play on the UNDER bet.

Friday Night Football: Detroit Lions Vs. Buffalo Bills

There is a lot to learn from this upcoming game between the Bills and Lions. On the Bills side of things, the main thing to look at will be the use of their running game. All throughout training camp, it was reported that Zack Moss will lead the way over Devin Singletary with a 60/40 usage split. This will certainly be a game where both backs are competing for usage. As for the Lions, it will be the first time that Jared Goff lines up under center for them and many will be wondering who he will give the bulk of his targets to.

The Lions are favored due to the questions that remain for this game. Their starters may get more of a run than the Bills starters will. That alone deserves some recognition on their odds for this match as they are not that expensive and can still turn a profit.