Bettors are split in their first chance to bet on the 2026 NFL season with the Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.
BetMGM revealed contrasting support on the moneyline and spread for both teams, who are only separated by one point ahead of kickoff.
Key Takeaways
- The opening spread moved from Panthers -1.5 to -1 at BetMGM.
- 82% of the money in the spread market is on the Cardinals.
- Underdogs are 8-2-1 against the spread in the Hall of Fame Game dating back to 2013.
The Hall of Fame Game is the annual standalone preseason opener in Canton, Ohio, the site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This year’s matchup will see the Cardinals against the reigning NFC South champion Panthers, and bettors are flocking to their first opportunity to bet on the NFL since the Super Bowl.
There have been more bets on the Hall of Fame Game than any regular-season MLB or WNBA game on Thursday, BetMGM shared.
BetMGM oddsmakers installed the Panthers as -1.5 favorites. They dropped to -1 despite being responsible for 58% of spread bets, largely because they only received 18% of the handle. That means that a contrasting 42% of tickets and 82% of the pot is backing the Cardinals’ spread.
Updated NFL Hall of Fame Game betting at @BetMGM
— BetMGM News (@BetMGMNews) August 6, 2026
What is your favorite bet tonight? pic.twitter.com/zF9EqPwMEw
The moneyline market – fitting for the unpredictable nature of the preseason – looks the complete opposite. Currently, 47% of bets and 60% of the handle is on the Panthers at -120, which hasn’t moved since opening, and 53% of wagers and 40% of the money is for the Cardinals at +100.
Public bettors are favoring the under, which dropped from 35.5 at opening to 35 at the time of writing. 55% of bets and 59% of the handle is on under, as opposed to 45% and 41% on the over, respectively.
Although this will be the first time that either team will take the field this season, there are numerous Hall of Fame Game betting trends at play, beginning with last year’s showing.
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Hall of Fame Game betting trends
The Los Angeles Chargers were 1.5-point underdogs leading up to their Hall of Fame Game affair with the Detroit Lions last August. Oddsmakers set the projected over/under at 32.5 points, aligning with the theme of preseason games typically producing worse offense and fewer points than regular-season games.
The Chargers destroyed all expectations when they trounced the Lions, 34-7, cashing tickets for their spread and moneyline, along with the over.
It’s fairly common for underdogs to win the Hall of Fame Game. Since 2013, dogs are 7-4 straight-up and 8-2-1 against the spread. Their average margin of victory during that time was 8.3 points.
Betting the over has also been profitable in recent years, cashing in four straight Hall of Fame Game outings. That’s despite an average projected total of 38.5 points – 3.5 above the Cardinals-Panthers line – during that same-four game stretch.
Panthers vs. Cardinals preview
NFL teams rarely give their starters a heavy workload, if one at all, during preseason games. The Cardinals are following that trend and sitting at least 35 players, including starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett and third-overall pick Jeremiyah Love, the Offensive Rookie of the Year odds leader. Rookie third-round pick Carson Beck will lead a group of backups onto the field for the Thursday night kickoff.
Backup Kenny Pickett is expected to split time with rookie Haynes King at quarterback for the Panthers. Coach Dave Canales is also expected to sit nearly, if not all, of his starters, and to use this game to gather more information about his backups and give opportunities to players who are fighting to make the roster.
