The first spread of the 2026 NFL season has been out for several months, but bettors have done little to force oddsmakers' hands heading into Wednesday night.
Key Takeaways
- The spread has moved very little since opening in May.
- The total of 44.5 has been a stagnant number so far.
- Bettors zero in on Jaxon Smith-Njigba to score a touchdown.
The reigning Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, open the year against the same team they beat in the Big Game back in February: the New England Patriots. Every major sportsbook except DraftKings and Caesars lists the home-team Seahawks as a 3.5-point favorite. The other two operators have them at -3 according to the latest NFL odds.
That’s as significant a line move as there has been for a spread that opened -3.5 when the NFL released schedules in May.
“That’s a game that looks like it may get divided,” DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello recently told Covers. “We will need a side, that’s for sure, but from the looks of it, the bettors are making a case for both sides.”
DraftKings saw a clearer sign on Wednesday afternoon, with the operator reporting that the Patriots were getting 58% of the bets and 54% of the handle, but it’s close enough to still go either way before the primetime kickoff.
FanDuel reported a split, with 56% of the tickets on Seattle, while New England took 55% of the money. BetMGM said on Wednesday morning that the Seahawks are getting a much more favorable 71% of the bets and 69% of the handle.
| Weds. Game | DraftKings Splits | FanDuel Splits | BetMGM Splits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots-Seahawks (-3.5) |
NE 58% bets NE 54% handle |
SEA 56% bets NE 55% handle |
SEA 71% bets SEA 69% handle |
Underdog and under?
With such a small spread, bettors seem inclined to back the underdog on the moneyline at BetMGM.
The Patriots (+145) are getting 54% of the tickets, most of any team at this point in Week 1, but there is still 47% of the handle coming in on the Seahawks. DraftKings reported a whopping 72% of the money on the underdog to win outright with odds of +142.
FanDuel had a 50/50 split on moneyline bets, with 61% of the money backing the home team.
Avello said DraftKings has seen “absolutely no movement” on the total of 44.5 points. The operator reported that 57% of the bets and 53% of the handle are on the over.
BetMGM is dead even on tickets, while the under is slightly ahead with 54% of the money. So far, the under is the most-bet total on the operator’s board.
Popular props
Seattle receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba leads the anytime touchdown scorer market by bet count for both FanDuel and BetMGM. Patriots WR Kyle Williams is getting the most money at FanDuel, followed by Smith-Njigba and Seattle rookie running back Jadarian Price.
Williams is second in tickets to find the end zone, with Patriots WR AJ Brown third. The new addition to New England’s offense, and former Eagles star, leads BetMGM’s market to be the first touchdown scorer with odds of +875.
Seahawks running back George Holani’s over 1.5 receptions (-185) is the most-bet player prop at BetMGM. Patriots QB Drake Maye’s over 231.5 passing yards (-120) and Brown’s over 5.5 receptions (+115) are also receiving notable action.
