2026 NFL Odds: Back Cowboys, Chiefs To Win In Week 1

Okay, friends — we're getting closer to football season. The NFL schedule release is a nice little teaser and does just enough to get us excited about what lies ahead. Also, now that we know which matchups we have to look forward to, it's time to put our money where the calendar is. Let's take a glance at the first two games I've got my eyes on. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. COWBOYS @ GIANTSSept. 13 — Week 1 I’m high on the Cowboys this season. Quarterback Dak Prescott seems underrated, despite playing well year after year. The Cowboys' offensive line is outstanding. Their wide receivers are elite. They clearly have things together on offense. Defense was a struggle last season, but they’ve done much to improve it with late, in-season moves last year and free agency this spring. They’ve improved at all three levels, either in the draft with Malachi Lawrence and Caleb Downs, or in free agency with Rashan Gary and Cobie Durant. The Giants also improved with the addition of John Harbaugh as the squad's coach. They had a productive draft by selecting Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa. Quarterback Jaxson Dart will start this season healthy and presumably so will star receiver Malik Nabers. Their defense should be fantastic once again this season with a hellish pass rush. But there's this: The Giants do not have a home-field advantage that’s worth much, in my opinion. That opinion is backed by years of data showing that they don’t cover as often. Part of that is because they've been stinky for years, but also, that stadium provides them no real upside. The Cowboys, on the other hand, have advantages all over the field in this game. They have a returning coaching staff with a better quarterback. Their offensive line can neutralize the Giants' defensive line. The Cowboys' improved defense should play well against a New York offense with that new staff that will be attempting to find its footing early in the season. PICK: Cowboys (-2.5) to win by more than 2.5 points BRONCOS @ CHIEFSSept. 14 — Week 1 I’m prepared to lose money again this season wagering on the Chiefs when the number is under a field goal. Last season was bad. The offense had no rhythm or flow. Nothing easy was designed. Then injuries started to pile up. Receiver, offensive line and eventually, Patrick Mahomes. But now, Mahomes appears healthy, and the offensive line is healthy. K.C. has added Kenneth Walker at running back and have acknowledged it needs to change the offense. Defensively, it always felt like the Chiefs allowed fewer points than their talent. The Chiefs added some young pieces on defense and will need those guys to get up to speed fast. The Broncos made the AFC Championship Game last season in the second year of Bo Nix being paired with head coach Sean Payton. They lost when Nix was out of the lineup. Now, he’s on track to be under center in Week 1. Denver didn’t need to do much this offseason with the roster. It already had a top-notch offensive line and added Jaylen Waddle to the receiving core. The Broncos return nearly everyone from that outstanding defense. It’s a team that feels primed to make another deep playoff run. Honestly, I just won’t ever quit betting on the Chiefs getting less than a field goal at home — especially when there's motivation to start this season much better. They’ve heard all offseason about their demise and how it’s over as currently constructed. Hear me out, though, when I say their roster is much better. They’ve improved their coaching staff and Andy Reid's teams are fantastic in Week 1. I think the Broncos will compete for another AFC West title but will lose in their first game of the season. PICK: Chiefs (-2.5) to win by more than 2.5 points

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2026 Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule: Win-Loss Record Prediction and Full List of Games

The Terrible Towels can officially start waving again as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2026 schedule has arrived. Pittsburgh’s road ahead is finally set, giving fans their first glimpse at the journey to come. Now, the countdown to football season in the Steel City officially begins. Week 1: Sept. 13 vs. Atlanta FalconsWeek 2: Sept. 20 @ New England PatriotsWeek 3: Sept. 27 vs. Cincinnati BengalsWeek 4: Oct. 1 @ Cleveland Browns (Thursday)Week 5: Oct. 11 vs. Indianapolis ColtsWeek 6: Oct. 18 @ Tampa Bay BuccaneersWeek 7: Oct. 25 vs. New Orleans Saints (in Paris)Week 8: Nov. 1 vs. Cleveland BrownsWeek 9: BYEWeek 10: Nov. 15 @ Cincinnati BengalsWeek 11: Nov. 22 @ Philadelphia EaglesWeek 12: Nov. 27 vs. Denver Broncos (Friday)Week 13: Dec. 6 vs. Houston TexansWeek 14: Dec. 14 @ Jacksonville Jaguars (Monday)Week 15: Dec. 20 vs. Baltimore RavensWeek 16: TBD vs. Carolina PanthersWeek 17: Jan. 3 @ Tennessee TitansWeek 18: TBD @ Baltimore Ravens Despite the transition from Mike Tomlin to Mike McCarthy, our Ralph Vacchiano expects a familiar finish in Pittsburgh. He's predicting the Steelers to go 9-8. "So much of the Pittsburgh Steelers' season is riding on the old shoulders of Aaron Rodgers — whether he plays again, or whether he can defy his age for one more season. Whoever their quarterback is will immediately have a tougher challenge if Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow can stay healthy, making the AFC North games much more of a minefield," Vacchiano wrote. The Steelers' projected win total for the 2026 season currently sits at 7.5 wins at FanDuel Sportsbook. Their odds to win the Super Bowl sit at +7500, making them a longshot to win it all. Their odds to make the playoffs are +175. The Steelers’ offseason was highlighted by the hiring of Mike McCarthy and the ongoing question surrounding whether Aaron Rodgers will return to the team this season. Pittsburgh also made upgrades on offense, signing running back Rico Dowdle and acquiring wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. The defense saw improvements as well with the additions of defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day and former Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker. During the NFL Draft, the Steelers continued to bolster the offensive line by selecting Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor and Iowa's Gennings Dunker. Following the draft, our Ralph Vacchiano placed the Steelers at No. 24 in his power rankings. "This draft would’ve looked better if the Eagles hadn’t stolen Makai Lemon from them in the first round," Vacchiano wrote. Pittsburgh's draft haul was one of this year's best, earned a A- grade from our draft analyst, Rob Rang. "Whether [Drew] Allar lives up to his upside or not, this was the kind of draft Steelers fans deserved and it kicks off the Mike McCarthy era in fine form," Rang wrote.

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2026 NFL Schedule Release: Playoff Predictions From Wild-Card Round To Super Bowl LXI

With the 2026 NFL schedule now released, we know what the regular season will look like. But of course, we don’t know how it will end — or which 14 teams will make the playoffs. That’s what I’m here to tell you. And I’m not just here to tell you who will make the playoffs. Let’s also go through the postseason with a Madden-like simulation to imagine what might happen, from the wild-card games to the Super Bowl. I’m going to project the scores in every playoff game, because there’s no detail too small for a way-too-early playoff prediction bracket. This is the fun time of the year, when every team can win the Super Bowl. I’ll take a crack at predicting who will win. And how they’ll do it. AFC Playoff Standings The most obvious omission is superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. And my reasoning is fairly simple. First, Mahomes is coming back from an ACL injury that he suffered in December. Even if he returns in Week 1 (and I’m dubious), he won’t be the same player until late in the year — and maybe even 2027. Second, the AFC West is one of the best divisions in the NFL, especially because the Las Vegas Raiders should improve drastically this year. And third, the Chiefs’ roster sorely lacked talent last year, and you could argue they traded their third-best player, cornerback Trent McDuffie, this offseason. The AFC South feels like a coin flip between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans. I’ll take the Jags, in large part because I trust coach Liam Coen, and because of Texans quarterback. C.J. Stroud's playoff collapse. But Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence and Coen figured something out last year, and I think they can sustain their success. The Bengals, meanwhile, invested in their defense this offseason and should see a real return on that investment. Their schedule is easy. They’ve assembled talent. All they have to do is avoid the slow start that has plagued them seemingly every year under coach Zac Taylor — and I like them to win at least three of their first five games going into their Week 6 bye. Don’t count me as a believer in the Pittsburgh Steelers — or Aaron Rodgers, if he returns. I have even less faith in the playoff-hopeful Indianapolis Colts and Daniel Jones, who's returning from a torn right Achilles tendon. NFC Playoff Standings Every one of my NFC playoff permutations left out an elite team, which made for an impossible decision. In this case, it was the Green Bay Packers who didn't make the cut. It genuinely pains me to leave them out, because they’re as good as any of the other teams in the NFC’s playoff pool. Also left out were the Washington Commanders, a team that, if quarterback Jayden Daniels is healthy, could see a real surge, particularly if all their new defensive pieces come together. Even after making the NFC Championship Game two years ago, they’re somehow a sleeper in their conference. Ultimately, I couldn’t bet against the Chicago Bears — which, admittedly, is a little bit crazy. They won several close games last season to finish at 11-6, and those sorts of teams tend to regress. But over the offseason, I spoke to head coach Ben Johnson about the team’s plan to fend off regression and I came away convinced that Chicago is here to stay. Johnson and third-year QB Caleb Williams should take a big step forward. But most importantly, I think defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s unit will improve drastically, which is what this team really needs in order to finish with a similar record as last season. As for the seeding order, the NFC West is about as hard to predict as can be. The 49ers get the edge because they have a weak schedule and they put together a solid free-agency class, which includes veteran receiver Mike Evans. But the NFC’s top seed could just as easily be the Rams or Seahawks (again). As usual, the NFC South is up for grabs. And as usual, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the consensus favorite. But the Saints have a hilariously easy schedule. In his first season at the helm, coach Kellen Moore got the New Orleans offense humming, admittedly against bad defenses last year. And given all that the Saints did to invest in their continued reboot, with receiver Jordyn Tyson, guard David Edwards and running back Travis Etienne, I think they could find themselves at the top of the division. AFC Wild-Card Round Bye: Broncos NFC Wild-Card Round Bye: 49ers Wouldn’t it be crazy to have a road-team sweep in the NFC? There’s no way the Saints advance. And the Lions will likely have a record that reflects their weak schedule, which could leave them ripe for an upset in Round 1, particularly when matched up against former Detroit OC Ben Johnson, who knows the team's system and personnel inside and out. Even with the Lions executing a pair of 2-point conversions, Dan Campbell can’t take down the coach he mentored. On the AFC side, the Patriots won’t have the same endurance this year — despite getting better over the course of last postseason. They seem like a team that will regress, which will look like a one-and-done playoff appearance. The Bills are going to be a team with a new-ish identity, particularly on defense, and I think that could make them as dangerous as ever in the postseason, even if it means generating the final stop in a shootout with the Ravens. And remember: Josh Allen is 2-0 against Lamar Jackson in the playoffs. The Chargers get an upset, fueled largely by their run game, which new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is going to turn into something special. AFC Divisional Round NFC Divisional Round The Bengals were — just a few years ago — one of the best-built teams in the NFL and a few points away from a Super Bowl win over the Rams. A lot has changed since then. The quarterback, Joe Burrow, has not. This feels like the season when his love for football returns. This feels like the season when the Bengals support him. As a result, Burrow takes Josh Allen down to advance to the AFC Championship Game. In a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game, the Rams get their revenge. L.A. was essentially one play away from beating the Seahawks in Seattle, and I think that the Seahawks would be lucky to see New Orleans in Round 1. Seattle looks bound for a regression year as it restocks the defense. (If the Seahawks saw anyone other than an NFC South team, they’d probably be one-and-done.) AFC Championship NFC Championship If quarterback Bo Nix didn't break his ankle in the divisional round last season, the Broncos would have made the Super Bowl. They might have even made it if that crazy snow storm hadn’t blown into Denver so quickly and intensely. And it looked like, with Nix, the Broncos were the only great team in an otherwise unspectacular conference. So with the AFC still lacking (compared to the NFC), the Broncos get their second chance. And they'll convert on it, taking care of Cincinnati, whose questions at cornerback might prove too severe to make a complete Super Bowl run. The Rams can’t quite make good on their second chance in the conference title game. Instead, Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford watch as the 49ers eke out a win in San Francisco, in part because they have home-field advantage and in part because they earned the NFC bye. The 49ers are a deep team. They have elite players at premium positions. They have a relatively easy schedule outside their division. This could be their year. Super Bowl LXI What a strange matchup of quarterbacks: Nix and Brock Purdy. What a logical matchup of coaches: Sean Payton and Kyle Shanahan. What an excellent matchup of defenses. It feels like Payton and Nix are only coming to understand each other better. It feels like Broncos OC Davis Webb will be the hot head coaching candidate next offseason. And it feels like former Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle is the perfect addition to the Denver offense. (Don’t sleep on rookie tight end Justin Joly either!) That offensive unit proves to be too much against the 49ers, whose age might start to show at this point in the postseason. Running back Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle and receiver Mike Evans might all be among the best at their positions, but they have plenty of wear and tear. That’s how the Broncos find their advantage, with their young and fast defense taking care of Purdy & Co. Payton gets his second Super Bowl victory. And he does it by making Nix look a little bit like Saints legend Drew Brees, including on the game-winning drive when the Broncos convert a two-pointer, rather than settling for a tie (and, likely, overtime).

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2026 NFL Thanksgiving Odds: Lines, Spreads, What to Know for All 4 Games

Fans are gonna get to gobbling up some football during Thanksgiving week. The NFL Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day games have dropped, and there are some bangers. Let's check out the odds for the holiday slate at FanDuel Sportsbook, as of May 14. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. NOV. 25 — THANKSGIVING EVE Packers @ Rams Spread: Rams -3.5Moneyline: Rams -198, Packers +164O/U: 49.5 What to know: The Rams went 12-5 last season (second in the NFC West) and were one win away from the Super Bowl, falling to division rival Seattle in the NFC Championship. Entering this year, they are favored to win it all, after adding Trent McDuffie to the secondary. As for the Packers, they finished second in the NFC North (9-7-1) and lost to division rival Chicago in the wild-card round. NOV. 26 — THANKSGIVING DAY Bears @ Lions Spread: Lions -2.5Moneyline: Lions -126, Bears +108O/U: 53.5 What to know: A classic NFC North rivalry game. Despite the Bears winning the division last season (11-6), and the Lions finishing last (9-8) and missing the playoffs, Detroit did sweep Chicago. The Lions smashed the Bears in Week 2 (52-21) and then closed the regular season with a 19-16 win over Chicago. Eagles @ Cowboys Spread: Cowboys -1.5Moneyline: Cowboys -116, Eagles -102O/U: 49.5 What to know: Arguably the biggest rivalry in the NFL. The two NFC East foes split the regular-season series, with Philadelphia outscoring Dallas 45-44 across the two games. The Cowboys missed the playoffs last year after finishing the regular season at 7-9-1, second in the division. The Eagles (11-6) won the division and were the defending champions entering the postseason, but fell in the wild-card round to San Francisco. Chiefs @ Bills Spread: Bills -2.5Moneyline: Bills -142, Chiefs +120O/U: 50.5 What to know: This one comes down to one thing: How will Patrick Mahomes look? Chances are he will be back on the field for Kansas City after tearing his ACL at the end of last season. But will he be the Mahomes of old? The Chiefs (6-11) missed the playoffs last season for the first time in forever, while the Bills (12-5) lost a heartbreaker to Denver in the divisional round. Josh Allen is 5-1 against Mahomes in the regular season all-time.

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2026 NFL Schedule Release: Inside the Process of Making an Epic Reveal Video

In 2024, when the Los Angeles Chargers created what became their viral "Sims"-themed schedule release video, several members of their social team sat in a room filming the New England Patriots matchup in the life simulation video game. The scene was a retirement home. At some point, something strange started to happen. "One of the Sims peed his pants because I guess we had him standing there for too long," Megan Julian, the Chargers’ vice president of social media and digital marketing, told me. "And then he’d like go take a shower. We were all just sitting there, waiting for this little Sim [character] to go do his thing. Sometimes, this job and this process is such a ridiculous thing. "And then at the end, when everybody gets to see [the video] and my boss is yelling from down the hall, ‘Is it doing well? Do people like it?’" Julian added. "We’re reading the comments out loud. We’re looking at the Reddit threads to see what jokes people picked up on. I think it just brings us together in a really cool way before the season every year." This is just one example of how big the schedule reveal has become in NFL culture. Over the past several years, schedule release day has become known as the Super Bowl for social media teams. Their videos are analyzed and ranked for the quality of jokes, nostalgic nods and pop culture references. Videos like the Chargers’ anime creation in 2022 and the Tennessee Titans’ 2023 reel, in which they quizzed people on Broadway Street in Nashville on the logos of their opponents that year, broke the internet. In 2019, the Atlanta Falcons' schedule release video paid homage to "Game of Thrones" by using the cityscapes and mascots of their opponents. In 2024, the Patriots had Julian Edelman portray the title character in "Good Will Hunting" in a parody of the Oscar-winning movie set in Boston. That same year, the Los Angeles Rams had video game versions of Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and other star players recklessly drive around the cities of the team's opponents in a takeoff on "Grand Theft Auto." Ahead of Thursday’s 2026 schedule release, I spoke to leaders of the Chargers and Falcons’ content teams about what it takes to make a great schedule release video. Both franchises expressed an appreciation for the camaraderie and creative freedom involved. "It’s a chance for creative teams to kind of let their hair down. It’s a chance for all clubs to kind of use its proverbial one night to roast, and they roast and can be roasted and that’s just part of the fun of it," Falcons chief marketing officer Shannon Joyner told me. "These videos really do kind of live on their own. … It’s truly just a creative exploration that doesn’t have any set rules or necessities that go along with it. I think that is what — in a positive way — lends to such a spectrum of 32 amazingly creative ideas that all have their own unique flavor." The Chargers began working on their 2026 schedule release video in late January, not long after their opponents were finalized. Every year, their video and social teams get together for an initial meeting, where "upwards of 100" ideas are pitched, according to Julian. Nothing is ruled out early. This year, the Chargers pared their ideas down to five themes and then examined the constraints and opportunities for each potential concept. "You could almost say you’re burning a lot of time by doing that, but you almost need to be really exhaustive on the pre-production to really know that you’re hitting on the right idea," Tyler Pino, the Chargers’ vice president of production, told me. "And so that process is probably the most painful of all this. "Then there always comes a moment when everyone in the room — you don’t even have to say it — is like, ‘This is it.’ … Then you just take off like a rocket ship," he added. "From there, it’s like a Manhattan Project. The team is like ‘OK, like we gotta go.’" There’s a challenge of being "niche while also being broad" with the project, as Pino put it. The video should speak to your fan base, the NFL at large and broader pop culture simultaneously. Both teams acknowledge that there have been jokes in their schedule release videos that were completely missed. Some jokes, thrown in at the last minute, land better than expected. Others, which took a lot of time, don't land at all. And some things that weren’t even intended to be jokes become ones. "I think that’s just the nature of the beast," Julian told me. The Falcons, who also began their schedule release prep in January, have an initial meeting that is an "organizational open invitation," according to Joyner — employees from the social media team to the stadium tours business participate. This year, Atlanta's creative team involved the franchise’s new football regime — head coach Kevin Stefanski, president of football Matt Ryan and general manager Ian Cunningham. "We do want to use this moment to tastefully call back to things or honor things, or that our fans will react to or that the internet will react to," Ryan Delgado, the Falcons’ director of digital platforms, told me. "It’s important for us to kind of think through that lens, but realizing that everyone has a different version of that and how that comes across is always going to be kind of a challenge for sure. "It’s very difficult to stick to one thing and you put your head down and look up months later and be like, ‘Here it is.’ I mean, that’s just the way the internet works and how quickly things move and whatever the new moments are and if you’re able to integrate those in there, then great." Organizationally, the schedule release video is "really important" to the Chargers, per Julian. There’s an understanding that it can help the team sell tickets and generate excitement. No other creative pursuit in the calendar year takes as much time. "Normally in social and video, we’re going really quickly," Julian told me. The Chargers had meetings on the schedule release video five days per week dating back to February. That doesn’t include all the technical and creative work that employees put in on the project. "It’s like creating a sequel to anything: You want to make it bigger and better and subvert expectations of what people think we’re going to do," Pino told me. "Every year we’re like, ‘How can we do this again?’ When you’re at the bottom of the mountain, it’s pretty daunting, especially when you don’t have the idea yet. You always have doubt of can we actually pull this off again? And then somehow, through us all just kind of being in rooms for hours and hours and hours and banging our heads against the wall, we usually get to a good result. "It’s definitely become a bigger thing than we’ve ever imagined." Joyner called the schedule release "the ultimate brand and business moment." "The floor has been raised so, so high for what clubs are doing and how you show up on this day, how you show up in this moment," Delgado told me. "And you’re naturally going to observe all 32 clubs and kind of see what they did. Learn from it. Try to figure out, ‘How did that happen? How did that come about?' You’re always going to be sort of a fan first or try to walk yourself through this and be able to watch all of them as much as you possibly can." [Ranking the 10 Best Schedule Release Videos of All Time] Pino sees the schedule release video process as rewarding. At no other point in the year are there so many people working on one project. Before publishing their video each year, the Chargers find peace in the answers to a couple of questions: Did we like our process? Did we work as hard on this as we could to make it as good as it could have been? The work on the 2026 schedule release videos is now done. Tonight is the Super Bowl for social teams. "That last 15 minutes before we release the video, there’s always all of us in the room like really nervous," Pino told me. "Like, ‘Oh, I don’t know about this year.’ It happens every year. And then you just have to kind of release it to the world and hope for the best."

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What Is the Point Spread in Sports Betting? What -3.5, -7 and Other Spreads Mean

The point spread is the most widely used bet type in sports betting. It levels the playing field between a strong favorite and a weaker opponent by assigning a margin that the favorite must overcome. Rather than picking who wins, you are betting on whether a team wins or loses by a specific number of points. Spread betting drives NFL and NBA wagering, and it appears across college football, college basketball, and other team sports. Once you understand how to read a spread number and what the attached odds mean, it becomes the most straightforward bet type at any sportsbook. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. What Is the Point Spread? The point spread is a handicap set by oddsmakers to create a more balanced betting market between two mismatched teams. The favorite is assigned a negative number, meaning they must win by more than that amount. The underdog receives a positive number, meaning they can lose by up to that amount and still cover. The goal of the spread is not to predict the exact margin of victory. It is designed to split betting action evenly between both sides. When roughly equal money is wagered on each team, the sportsbook collects its margin on the losing bets, regardless of the outcome. How Does Spread Betting Work? When you place a spread bet, the final score is adjusted by the spread before grading. If the spread is -6.5 for the favorite, subtract 6.5 from their final score. If the result is still positive, the favorite covered. If negative, they did not. The number next to the spread (usually -110) is the juice, or vig. It is the sportsbook's cut. At -110, you must bet $110 to win $100. That small margin is how the book profits over time regardless of which side wins. NFL Point Spread Example The Kansas City Chiefs are -6.5 (-110) against the Denver Broncos, who are +6.5 (-110). A bet on Kansas City wins if the Chiefs win by 7 or more points. A bet on Denver wins if the Broncos win the game or lose by 6 or fewer. NBA Point Spread Example The Boston Celtics are -8 (-110) against the Miami Heat at +8 (-110). The Celtics need to win by 9 or more. The Heat cover if they win outright or lose by 7 or fewer. A final score of Celtics 112, Heat 105 (margin: 7) means the Heat covered. What Is a Push? A push occurs when the final margin exactly matches the spread. If the Chiefs are -7 and win by exactly 7, no side wins or loses. Your stake is returned in full. To eliminate pushes, oddsmakers frequently use half-point spreads (called the hook) such as -6.5 or -7.5. What Is the Hook? The hook is the half-point added to a spread to prevent a push. Buying or selling the hook is a common strategy where bettors pay extra juice to move a spread a half point in their favor. Moving from -3 to -2.5 on a football bet can be worth paying a premium because 3 is the most common margin of victory in the NFL. Point Spread vs. Moneyline The moneyline and the point spread are both ways to bet on the outcome of a game, but they measure different things. The moneyline rewards picking the winner regardless of margin. The spread rewards picking the team that wins by enough, or loses by little enough. For heavy favorites, the moneyline requires a large stake to win a small return. The spread often offers a more balanced payout, but it demands the favorite win convincingly. The right choice depends on how confident you are in the margin, not just the result. How Are Point Spread Payouts Calculated? Most spread bets are priced at -110 on both sides. At -110, you bet $110 to win $100, for a total return of $210. The $10 difference is the vig the sportsbook keeps. Understanding the juice is important because it affects your long-term profitability. Spreads are not always priced at -110. When one side attracts more action, the sportsbook may shade the juice to -115 or -120 on the popular side and +100 or -105 on the other. Always check the price on both sides before placing your bet. Standard -110 Spread Payout Alternate Juice Example To break even on -110 juice, you need to win 52.38% of your spread bets. That is the minimum win rate required before you start showing a profit. At -115, the break-even rate rises to roughly 53.49%. When Does Spread Betting Make Sense? When to Bet the Favorite on the Spread When to Bet the Underdog on the Spread When the Spread May Not Be the Best Option How to Place a Point Spread Bet Spread bets are available on every major sportsbook for NFL, NBA, college football, college basketball, and other team sports. Here is how to get started using one of the best betting apps. Spreads can move between when you first see them and when you place your bet. Line movement happens as new information comes in (injuries, weather, betting volume). Locking in a line early can be an advantage if you expect it to move against you. Common Point Spread Mistakes For deeper strategy on specific bet types, see our guides on how to bet on moneylines, teaser betting, and over/under totals betting. Responsible Gambling Sports betting should be fun. Set a budget before you start and treat losses as the cost of entertainment. If gambling stops being enjoyable or starts affecting your daily life, help is available. Point Spread Betting FAQ What does point spread mean in sports betting? The point spread is a margin set by oddsmakers that the favorite must exceed to win the bet. If a team is -6.5, they need to win by 7 or more for a bet on them to cash. The underdog at +6.5 covers if they win or lose by 6 or fewer. What does -110 mean on a point spread? The -110 is the juice, or vig. It means you must bet $110 to win $100. This is the standard price on most spread bets and represents the sportsbook's built-in margin. Not all spreads are priced at -110; the juice can vary depending on where the action is. What is a push in spread betting? A push happens when the final margin equals the spread exactly. If a team is -7 and wins by exactly 7, neither side wins. Your original stake is returned in full with no profit or loss. Sportsbooks often use half-point spreads to eliminate the possibility of a push. Can you bet the spread on any sport? Spread betting is most common in football and basketball, where scores are high and margins vary widely. In baseball the equivalent is the run line (fixed at 1.5). In hockey it is the puck line (fixed at 1.5 goals). Spreads do exist in other sports but are less commonly used. What is a key number in spread betting? Key numbers are the most frequent final margins in a sport. In the NFL, 3 and 7 are the most important because field goals and touchdowns are the most common scoring plays. Lines often cluster around these numbers and bettors will pay extra juice to land on the right side of them. What does it mean when the line moves? Line movement happens when oddsmakers adjust the spread after it opens, usually in response to betting volume, injuries, or weather. If a line moves from -6.5 to -7.5, it means more money is coming in on the favorite. Sharp bettors often try to anticipate or react to line movement. Is spread betting the same as a parlay? No. A spread bet is a single wager on one game. A parlay combines multiple bets, including spread bets, into one ticket where all legs must win for the parlay to cash. See our parlay betting guide for more. How do I find the best spread odds? Comparing lines across multiple sportsbooks is the most reliable way to find the best spread. Even a half-point difference or a juice improvement from -115 to -110 adds up over many bets. Our list of the best sportsbook promos can help you get started with multiple accounts.

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2026 NFL Odds: Giants Open as Underdogs vs. Cowboys in John Harbaugh's Debut

It is officially NFL schedule release week. On Thursday, fans will finally learn every NFL team’s full 18-week regular season schedule. However, the league has already started unveiling some of the season’s biggest matchups ahead of the official release. The NFL previously announced that the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will meet in the league’s historic first ever game in Australia to open their season. Additionally, the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys are set to face off in the NFL’s inaugural game in Rio de Janeiro in Week 3. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. Now, the league has officially revealed another marquee matchup: the Week 1 Sunday Night Football opener between two of the NFL’s most historic franchises, the Cowboys and New York Giants. With the announcement now official, opening odds for the game have already been posted by DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 11. Cowboys @ Giants (Week 1) Spread Cowboys -1.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)Giants +1.5: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total) Moneyline Cowboys: -130 (bet $10 to win $17.69 total)Giants: +110 (bet $10 to win $21 total) Total O 47.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)U 47.5: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total) The spotlight for this matchup immediately falls on John Harbaugh, who will make his Giants debut in primetime against one of the franchise’s biggest rivals. The longtime Ravens head coach was hired by New York in January after spending 18 seasons in Baltimore and now takes over a Giants team looking to turn the page after back-to-back last place finishes in the NFC East and just seven total wins over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, Dallas enters 2026 with major changes of its own. After allowing an NFL worst 30.1 points per game last season while also ranking last in pass defense and 30th in total defense, the Cowboys completely revamped that side of the ball by hiring former Philadelphia Eagles assistant Christian Parker as defensive coordinator. Dallas also made several key offseason additions, including using its first-round pick on star safety Caleb Downs. Both teams are expected to take significant steps forward in 2026, with the Cowboys’ season win total set at 9.5 and the Giants’ at 7.5. This matchup will mark the eighth time since 2012 that the NFC East rivals have met in a season opener. The Cowboys have dominated those games, winning six of the past seven Week 1 matchups against the Giants. The question now becomes whether John Harbaugh can change that narrative and start his Giants tenure with a statement win. Bettors will have the entire summer to think about it.

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