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If there’s ever any doubt about how much NFL odds captivate the American sports betting masses, that uncertainty is put to rest each May.
The schedule comes out, and eager bettors jump on NFL Week 1 odds, even though the games are 4.5 months away.
Of course, the NFL includes several marquee matchups, which appeal to bettors.
Following the May 14 release of the 2025-26 schedule, one game in particular stands out to Joey Feazel, head of football trading for Caesars Sportbook.
“The Sunday night game, Ravens vs. Bills, is obviously a huge matchup,” Feazel said. “That’s the one that we’re most looking forward to.”
But there are plenty more. Feazel helps dive into very early action in NFL Week 1 betting.
Divisional Drama
The 2025-26 season opens on Thursday, Sept. 4, with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys. Then on Friday, Sept. 5, it’s the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil.
“It’s surprising to see the NFL go with divisional rivalries in these first two games,” Feazel said.
Last year, Thursday’s season opener pitted the Chiefs vs. the Ravens, and the first-ever Brazil game had the Eagles meeting the Green Bay Packers. Two seasons ago, the Chiefs hosted the Detroit Lions in the first game of the season.
This time around, though, it’s divisional matchups. And the prime-time opener is one of the more popular games, with Philly a 7-point favorite.
“Cowboys-Eagles is taking some action on Dallas +7,” Feazel said. “The Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl win, and they lost a couple of players on defense. They also lost offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who’s now the head coach of the Saints.
“So we’re seeing some Cowboys’ money on the spread.”
As for the K.C. vs. L.A. neutral-site showdown, the Chiefs are modest 2.5-point favorites in Caesars’ NFL Week 1 odds.
“We’re getting some Chiefs action, both on the moneyline and on the spread,” Feazel said, while noting Kansas City will be a liability for oddsmakers in several spots this season. “There will be a lot of big decisions betting on the Chiefs this year, because they have eight standalone games. So that’s a lot of sweats for Caesars Sportsbook.”
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Danny Parkins on the 2025 NFL schedule release
NFL Rocks on FOX
Another divisional game that will draw some eyeballs and betting attention: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Cleveland Browns on opening Sunday, Sept. 7. FOX will air this AFC North clash, in which there’s no question that Joe Burrow will be the Bengals quarterback but a lot of questions about who’s under center for the Browns.
Deshaun Watson is recovering from an Achilles tear. Joe Flacco returned this offseason as a free agent and Kenny Pickett arrived via a trade with the Eagles.
From there, it gets much more interesting. The Browns selected Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, then came back and took Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, with the Colorado QB stunningly sliding way down the draft board.
“That’s a QB battle that will be talked about throughout the summer,” Feazel said. “Flacco is gonna be serviceable, and Pickett is a QB they paid for to be a backup.
“It’ll be a fun QB competition. But I don’t expect it to be Sanders or Gabriel. I don’t think they’ll throw either rookie QB out there in Week 1.”
The Bengals are 5.5-point road favorites on opening Sunday.
Another Divisional Duel
The Detroit Lions visit the Green Bay Packers in a Week 1 NFC North battle. Detroit is coming off a stunning upset loss to Washington in the NFC Divisional Round.
That’s not all the Lions lost. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left to take over as Chicago Bears head coach, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn did likewise for the New York Jets.
“There’s still a massive amount of talent on that team. We’ll see how much of an impact Johnson and Glenn had,” Feazel said.
It’s a toss-up of a game at Lambeau Field, with Green Bay a 1-point home favorite.
“There’s not a lot of action yet, and I don’t blame bettors. It’s a very close matchup and should be a very good game,” Feazel said.
Eagles vs. Cowboys will be the NFL season opener
Sunday Night Showdown
As Feazel noted above, Ravens vs. Bills top the NFL Week 1 oddsboard. Buffalo is a 1.5-point home favorite.
“It’s a massive matchup,” he said. “Action-wise, it’s pretty balanced. There’s been a little sharp money on the Under.”
That said, the Ravens-Bills game has the highest point total of any Week 1 game, at 52 points. So, fireworks are certainly expected when the past two NFL MVPs square off. Bills’ QB Josh Allen was named MVP last season, a year after Ravens’ QB Lamar Jackson nabbed his second MVP award.
Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He’s based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas.
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