NFL odds Week 1: Opening lines, sharp money & line movement

Most of the action at PointsBet USA has been on the Tennessee Titans, so the book is rooting heavily for Drew Lock and the Broncos to pull out the Monday Night Football victory.

Patrick Everson
Sep 14, 2020 • 04:38 ET

The NFL Week 1 odds have been open for business since May, when sportsbooks posted opening lines for the 2020 season debuts. 

Week 1 spreads and totals are always unique due to the months of ramp-up taking action. And they're even more unique this year due to COVID-19 canceling the preseason and leaving most teams to play without fans. How will no exhibition games and empty stadiums impact the Week 1 outcomes? 

Well, the early sharp money and line movement could be an indication. Here's a look at the opening lines for NFL Week 1 and how they're being bet.

These are the current NFL Week 1 odds, as of September 13. Click on each matchup in the table below to get updated in-depth information on the opening lines, sharp money, public betting, and odds movement as we get closer to kickoff.

Matchup Time Spread Over/Under
Texans at Chiefs Thurs, 8:20 p.m. ET Chiefs -9.5 53
Seahawks at Falcons Sun, 1 p.m. ET Falcons -1 49
Eagles at Washington Sun, 1 p.m. ET Washington +6 42.5
Packers at Vikings Sun, 1 p.m. ET Vikings -2.5 44.5
Colts at Jaguars  Sun, 1 p.m. ET Jaguars +8 45
Bears at Lions Sun, 1 p.m. ET Lions -2.5 42.5
Browns at Ravens Sun, 1 p.m. ET Ravens -7.5 47.5
Raiders at Panthers Sun, 1 p.m. ET Panthers +3 48
Dolphins at Patriots Sun, 1 p.m. ET Patriots -7 41.5
Jets at Bills Sun, 1 p.m. ET Bills -6.5 39.5
Chargers at Bengals Sun, 4:05 p.m. ET Bengals +3 41
Buccaneers at Saints Sun, 4:25 p.m. ET Saints -3.5 47.5
Cardinals at 49ers Sun, 4:25 p.m. ET 49ers -6.5 48.5
Cowboys at Rams Sun, 8:20 p.m. ET Rams +2 52
Steelers at Giants Mon, 7:15 p.m. ET Giants +6 46
Titans at Broncos Mon, 10:10 p.m. ET Broncos +3 40.5

Odds courtesy DraftKings

Opening line

Chiefs -9.5, Over/Under 55.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 7:50 P.M. ET THURSDAY: Said Eric Osterman, oddsmaker and manager at The SuperBook at Westgate: "We're getting heavy parlay money on the Chiefs spread and moneyline. We have seen some sharp money on Under 53.5, but we are also seeing a lot of parlays with the Over. We will definitely need the Texans to cover, and if they could win outright, it would be a huge win for us. We haven't seen any sharp money on the spread yet."

UPDATE 5:15 P.M. ET THURSDAY: DraftKings was at Chiefs -9.5 a week ago, went to -9 over the weekend, then returned to -9.5 this morning. Kansas City is getting the bulk of tickets and money on the point spread, but not by an overwhelming margin, drawing 60 percent of bets and 65 percent of dollars. The total dropped a point today, from 54 to 53, despite 67 percent of tickets and 65 percent of handle coming in on the Over. 

UPDATE 4 P.M. ET THURSDAY: About 4.5 hours before kickoff, this game is taking on the very-much-normal public betting pattern at PointsBet USA. Eighty-four percent of bets and 80 percent of money on the point spread are going to the favored Chiefs, and 60 percent of tickets and 75 percent of dollars are on the Over. That led PointsBet to bump Kansas City from -9 to -9.5 this afternoon. However, interestingly, the total dipped a point today, from 54 to 53.

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: "Heaviest-bet game of opening weekend so far," said Johnny Avello, director of sportsbook operations for DraftKings. "Although the Chiefs opened a 10-point favorite and have been bet down to 9, the game is fairly balanced, but I’m sure that will change by kickoff."

UPDATE SUNDAY, SEPT. 6: The SuperBook at Westgate opened the Chiefs -10.5, dipped to -10 in July and spent the past week at -9.5. "We had some sharps take the Texans at +10.5 early," SuperBook manager Eric Osterman said. "We have gotten some good public play on the Chiefs, which I'm sure we will be seeing all year." The total has slowly made its way down from 56 to 54. "We have taken sharp money on the Under," Osterman said. "We have seen some public money on the Over, but not a lot. We will need the Texans and the Over."

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT 1: "We opened Chiefs -10.5 and have seen action on the 'dog, which seems to be a common theme so far," said Jeff Benson, sportsbook operations manager for Circa Sports, noting several Week 1 underdogs are getting money. "Currently, we are at Chiefs -10 and need the favorite small for the opening game of the season."

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At DraftKings Sportsbook, the point spread ticked up to Chiefs -10 in June, but there's been no movement since. That's likely a product of two-way action on this game through August 28, with ticket count split almost perfectly at 51 percent Chiefs/49 percent Texans. However, Kansas City is landing more dollars on the spread, at 60 percent. The total dropped a point to 54.5, with ticket count split 50/50, but 80 percent of the money on the Under. That breakdown shows the public really hasn't sunk its teeth into this total yet, as Joe Sixpack loves to bet the Over.

Opening line

Falcons +1, Over/Under 48.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 9 P.M. ET SATURDAY: At FanDuel Sportsbook, Seattle opened -1.5, stood at -2.5 Friday and through much of Saturday, then dipped to -1. The Seahawks are taking 69 percent of bets and 59 percent of money on the spread. The total opened 48.5 and spent most of the week at 49.5 before going to 49 Friday morning. Per usual, the public is on the Over, which is getting 70 percent of tickets and money at FanDuel. 

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There's been no movement on the point spread at DraftKings, but that could change soon. Visiting Seattle is landing 71 percent of tickets and 90 percent of money bet, through Aug. 28.

Opening line

Washington +3.5, Over/Under 45

Why the line moved

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET FRIDAY: PointsBet USA's Patrick Eichner said of the 14 games remaining this week, this one has the most handle, and it's landing on the Eagles, though they are at -5.5 after opening -6. Philadelphia is getting 82 percent of tickets and 64 percent of money on the spread, and on the moneyline, Philly is getting 95 percent of tickets and cash. And the Eagles are a popular moneyline parlay component. Eichner said ticket count on the total (42.5) is dead-even two-way, but 80 percent of the money is on the Over.

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: The Eagles opened -3.5 at DraftKings and are now sitting at -6. Philadelphia is getting the large majority of tickets and money on the point spread, at 85 percent and 78 percent, respectively. The total also dipped from 45 to 43, most of that coming over the past two days, on very interesting betting splits: 51 percent of tickets are on the Over, but 90 percent of money is on the Under.

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Money on the Eagles has added as much as a field goal to this spread, with some books opening as low as Washington +3.5. On top of all the internal issues with the Washington Football Team, bettors are looking at last season's struggles versus Philadelphia.

"The Eagles beat this team twice last year, and the second time was at Washington,” said Johnny Avello of DraftKings, which opened Washington +3.5 and is now +6.5. “Plus, remember we’re in a jurisdiction where we see pretty good Eagles play.”

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Opening line

Vikings -2.5, 46.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 10:45 A.M. ET SUNDAY: BetMGM Nevada's Scott Shelton said there's sharp play on Minnesota and a very close ticket and money count. "The public is really backing the Packers." The Vikings dipped from -3.5 to -2.5.

UPDATE 9 P.M. ET SATURDAY: The Vikings opened 3.5-point favorites at FanDuel, and the line has been at 2.5 since Tuesday. It's two-way action on the point spread, though with a lean toward the road underdog, as the Packers are taking 58 percent of tickets and 52 percent of money bet. The total dropped from 46.5 to 44.5, and the betting splits reflect that, with 61 percent of tickets and 55 percent of cash on the Under.

UPDATE SUNDAY, SEPT. 6: Minnesota opened -3.5 at The SuperBook and is now down to -3 (even), with Pros and Joes backing the road underdog. "We have had sharp play and public play on the Packers," Osterman said. "However, we are getting more parlay money on the Vikings. It's hard to say who we need more at this point, but if the parlay money keeps coming on the Vikings, we will need the Packers."

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Minnesota reached -3.5 on Aug. 28, then dialed back to -3 at DraftKings on Aug. 29, with Green Bay a very popular early play. The Packers are drawing 71 percent of tickets and 88 percent of dollars on the point spread. The total dipped to 46 on Aug. 29, thanks to rather interesting action: 79 percent of tickets are on the Over, but 54 percent of money is on the Under. Early bettors also love the Packers on the moneyline, with 75 percent of tickets and 88 percent of dollars on Green Bay, which moved from +150 to +135 to win this season opener outright.

Opening line

Jaguars +8, Over/Under 46.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET FRIDAY: This line bounced around at PointsBet USA, opening Colts -8, dipping to -6.5, then returning to -8 in the past week. Eichner said Indianapolis is a very popular parlay play and is taking 75 percent of tickets and 77 percent of money on the spread. The total opened at 47 and dropped to 44.5, but it's been stable at 45 since Aug. 31. "About 70 percent of bets and money on the Under," Eichner said.

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: DraftKings opened this game a tick lower on May 7, at Ravens -7.5, but the line is currently -8, with Baltimore getting the bulk of the action. The Ravens are landing 57 percent of bets on the point spread and 62 percent of money. The total also dipped from 49.5 to 48.5 in the past week, despite a lot of the action coming in on the Over – 85 percent of bets and 65 percent of the money.

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Jacksonville is expected to finish at the bottom of the league in 2020 and opened as big as +8 for Week 1. Even with the Colts adding Philip Rivers as their quarterback, sharps are siding with the Jaguars, trimming this AFC South spread to a cool touchdown at some markets.

“We took a few wagers on the Jags +8 from wiseguys looking to get a middle, because some other books opened -6.5 or -7,” said Derek Wilkinson, executive manager of operations at The SuperBook at Westgate. “We still like the Colts, so we’ll stay higher than the market on them.”

Opening line

Lions -1, Over/Under 44.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 9 P.M. ET SATURDAY: FanDuel opened the Lions -1.5 and got as high as -3, before dipping to -2.5 Friday. The Bears, however, are attracting 62 percent of bets and 60 percent of money on the spread. The total opened 44.5 and is down to 42.5, with the Under netting 62 percent of bets and 65 percent of money. 

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Detroit crept to -1.5 in May at DraftKings and stuck there. The Lions are getting 63 percent of point-spread tickets through Aug. 28, but the Bears are landing 60 percent of spread dollars. The total also moved down a tick to 44, with 67 percent of tickets and 87 percent of money on the Under. And the short-dog Bears are a popular moneyline play, taking 77 percent of tickets and 87 percent of money bet in that market at DraftKings.

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Opening line

Ravens -7.5, Over/Under 49.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 10:45 A.M. ET SUNDAY: The Ravens were as high as -9 at BetMGM's Nevada books, but are down to -7.5. BetMGM's Scott Shelton said a $100,000 bet came in Saturday on Browns +7.5. "Surprisingly, we need the Ravens at the moment," Shelton said, despite noting heavy Baltimore interest. "Tickets are 2/1 Ravens, and with parlays, it's five times that."

UPDATE 9 P.M. ET SATURDAY: This line bounced around at FanDuel, opening Ravens -7.5 and stretching to -9, then moving back -7.5 by Friday. But the bettors, surely led by public backers of MVP Lamar Jackson, are on Baltimore, which is taking 72 percent of tickets and 71 percent of dollars on the spread. The total opened 48.5 and got to 47.5 Saturday, despite the Over landing 57 percent of bets and 58 percent of money.

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DraftKings bounced between 7.5 and 8 a couple times since opening May 7, and most recently went to Ravens -8 on Aug. 28. Baltimore is landing 57 percent of tickets and 62 percent of money. The total also ticked down a point to 48.5 on Aug. 28, despite 85 percent of bets and 65 percent of money coming in on the Over.

Opening line

Panthers +1, Over/Under 46

Why the line moved

UPDATE 10:45 A.M. SUNDAY: At BetMGM Nevada, the total dropped from 46.5 to 44.5. But Scott Shelton said there's sharp play on the Over. Further, Las Vegas' new home town team is getting plenty of play in moving from -1.5 to -3 on the road. "Obviously, we're not gonna need the Raiders in their first game. Everyone is on the Raiders," Shelton said. "That'll be one of our bigger decisions of the early games."

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: DraftKings isn't yet available in Nevada, but Avello still resides in Las Vegas, and he noted the new hometown team is drawing plenty of action. "Our Las Vegas Raiders are getting an early push from the bettors, as this line was one of the biggest movers, getting pushed from an opener of Las Vegas -1 to Las Vegas -3.5," Avello said. "Wiseguys were on that one early."

UPDATE SUNDAY, SEPT. 6: The SuperBook opened this game a pick 'em, but it's been all Raiders since, with Las Vegas – yes, they're now the Las Vegas Raiders – a 3-point road favorite. "We don't have a ton of bets on the Raiders, (but) we have been proactive with keeping up with the market," Osterman said. "We expect to see a lot more Raiders money by the time we get to kickoff, and I expect that we will need the Panthers to win outright."

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: This game opened pick 'em at Circa Sports, reached -2 in mid-August and just went to -3 today. "It will be interesting to see if, similar to the Golden Knights, the Raiders are a public play in town here every weekend, and the wiseguys are backing the other side," Benson said. "Not much interest in the total, but some parlay liability on the Raiders, as well."

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In their debut as the Las Vegas Raiders, the road team moved from -1 to -1.5 at DraftKings. Point-spread money actually favors the short-dog Panthers, who are drawing 54 percent of dollars, but the Raiders are seeing 73 percent of tickets. The total moved up to 47 on the strength of 53 percent of tickets and a whopping 95 percent of dollars on the Over, through Aug. 28.

Opening line

Patriots -9.5, Over/Under 44

Why the line moved

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: Although the line at DraftKings Sportsbook dropped from the May opener of Patriots -9.5 to -6.5 more than a month ago, it's not the point spread that has the attention of Johnny Avello, director of sportsbook operations. "The play so far has been on the Dolphins moneyline. That shouldn’t surprise anyone, as the Dolphins have always given the Pats fits," Avello said.

UPDATE SUNDAY, SEPT. 6: Osterman said The SuperBook opened Patriots -6.5 and briefly touched -7, but the number has since settled at New England -6. "Not too much action of interest as far as straight bets are concerned, but we have a lot of parlay liability on the Patriots already," Osterman said. "We will need the Dolphins to cover, and it would be a major bonus if they won outright."

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: On May 8, Circa Sports opened this game significantly lower than the above line, and there's been only a modest move toward underdog Miami since then. "We opened -6.5 on the Patriots, and the number has been in that range all summer," Benson said. "Not much interest in the Patriots here so far, but I’d anticipate that to change as we get closer to the season and bettors maybe have a little more clarity on New England's quarterback situation. Currently, we sit at Pats -6."

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This line has dropped substantially at DraftKings since going up in May. The host Patriots are down to -6.5, thanks to the Dolphins landing 84 percent of bets and 65 percent of handle on the spread, through Aug. 28. And although Over/Under ticket count is running almost dead even (52 percent Under), early money points toward expecting a low-scoring game, with 92 percent of dollars on the Under. The total is down a half-point to 43.5.

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Opening line

Bills -7, Over/Under 41.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 10:45 P.M. ET SUNDAY: This is shaping up to be a big contest at BetMGM in Nevada. The Bills went from -6.5 to -5.5, then back to -6.5. "That's one of our biggest games and the No. 1 game for ticket-count discrepancy. Tickets count is 6/1 on the Bills, and money is in that neighborhood," BetMGM's Scott Shelton said, noting sharps and public are on Buffalo today.

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET FRIDAY: "The moneyline is actually more popular than the spread right now, from a handle perspective," PointsBet USA's Eichner said. "Eighty-five percent of tickets and money on Buffalo." Correspondingly, the Bills moved from -250 to -300 on the moneyline. On the spread, the Bills moved from -5.5 to -6.5 while getting 80 percent of tickets and money. The total dipped from 40.5 to 39.5, with 55 percent of bets and 54 percent of dollars on the Under for the lowest total on the board in Week 1.

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DraftKings moved from Bills -7 to -6.5 in June, and the line has been stable ever since, despite unusual betting splits through Aug. 28. The Jets are taking just 37 percent of tickets, but 84 percent of early money bet on the spread. The total moved from 41.5 to 40.5 a couple days after posting May 8, and it hasn't moved since, although 76 percent of the money is on the Under.

Opening line

Bengals +5, Over/Under 46.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 2 P.M. ET SUNDAY: Heading toward this kickoff, this game is getting two-way action at FanDuel Sports, with the Chargers down to -3 after opening at -2.5. Los Angeles is getting 53 percent of spread tickets, while Cincinnati is landing 53 percent of spread dollars. Sixty-eight percent of moneyline tickets/55 percent of moneyline dollars are on the home 'dog Bengals. And although this total dropped from 45.5 to 41.5, it's two-way action, with 51 percent of tickets on the Over and 56 percent of money on the Under. 

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: Circa Sports opened the Chargers -3.5, but quickly went to -3 and spent all summer there, before ticking back to -3.5 today. "We have seen some action on the 'dog," Benson said of money on the Bengals. "The more interesting thing to me has been a move to the under. We’ve seen the market come down on the total from 45 to 44, and it’ll be interesting to see if that number ticks back up with the news of (Chargers safety) Derwin James and the loss of the signal caller of that defense." Reports Monday stated that James needs knee surgery and is out for the season.

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This total has come down two points, from 46.5 to 44.5 at most books. That strong opinion on the Under has a lot to do with the quarterbacks involved for both teams. Los Angeles is no longer leaning on Philip Rivers and will go with Tyrod Taylor as the expected Week 1 starter. The Bengals debut their No. 1 draft pick at QB, Heisman winner Joe Burrow. Despite his championship pedigree, bettors are buying Burrow to perform like a rookie.

“Chargers-Bengals makes sense when you think about it,” Avello said, noting 81 percent of bets and almost all the money so far is on the Under. “First of all, it’s Week 1 ... Second, you’ve got a rookie QB going against a good Chargers defense, and you’ve got no Philip Rivers throwing interceptions late in the game.”

Opening line

Saints -6.5, Over/Under 49.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 2 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: As is the case at multiple sportsbooks this first NFL Sunday, Saints-Bucs is seeing great two-way action at FanDuel Sportsbook. Tampa Bay is actually getting 55 percent of tickets/55 percent of money on the spread as a 3.5-point underdog. The public is very much on the Over, which is attracting 89 percent of bets and 81 percent of money, although this total opened at 49.5 and is now 47.5.

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: DraftKings opened the Saints -4 and ticked down to -3.5 a week ago. "Tom Brady finds himself as a rare underdog for opening weekend," Avello said. "I expect us to be heavy on the Bucs moneyline by the time this one commences."  The moneyline has already seen a sizable shift at Draftkings, with the Buccaneers opening +198 and now at +148, with the Saints correspondingly going from -240 to -182.

UPDATE SUNDAY, SEPT. 6: The SuperBook opened New Orleans -4.5 and got to -4 pretty quickly in May, and the line dipped to -3.5 in the past few days. "We expected the public to come in hard on the Bucs, and they did not disappoint. Big action on the Bucs in parlays," Osterman said of bettors backing Tom Brady's new team. "Also some parlays coming in with the Over 49.5. We will need the Saints to win and cover."

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: Circa Sports' Benson said the Saints opened -4 May 8, and the line bouned between 4 and 4.5 until this morning, when it ticked down to -3.5. "I think this will be a heavily bet game, in Tom Brady’s first start in a Tampa uniform. I think a lot of the bets in the next week could factor on the availability of (Saints running back) Alvin Kamara, who has missed three straight days of practice." Kamara's holdout is reportedly contract-related.

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With Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski in the fold, the hype around the Buccaneers is building heading into Week 1. Tampa Bay was as big as +6.5 when this line came out in the spring, and immediately bookies took money on the underdog from professional arbitrage bettors taking advantage of the gaps in the opening numbers. This spread is as low as Bucs +3.5.

“The bets we took on Tampa Bay +6.5 and +5.5 were solely because the market opened Saints -4 in other spots. No one with an actual opinion bet these,” Caesars sportsbooks said back in May. “We think the sharper dollars will look to fade Tampa.”

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Opening line

49ers -8.5, Over/Under 45.5

Why the line moved

UPDATE 2 P.M. ET SUNDAY: Arizona is a popular road underdog at FanDuel, drawing 66 percent of bets and 65 percent of dollars on the spread against San Francisco. Back in May, the 49ers were -9, and today they're -6.5.

UPDATE 10:45 P.M. ET SUNDAY: BetMGM in Nevada had a bettor come in Friday night and put $110,000 on Cardinals +7 and another $50,000 on Arizona moneyline +250. So for the moment, the book needs the host 49ers. "I'm sure by 1 o'clock (Pacific), the 49ers are gonna get some love," BetMGM's Scott Shelton said.

UPDATE 9 P.M. ET SATURDAY: Defending NFC champion San Francisco was -9 at FanDuel way back in May, but is now down to -6.5 against Arizona. That's because the Cardinals are taking 71 percent of tickets and 78 percent of money on the spread.

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DraftKings opened the 49ers -8.5 back in May, but the point spread was down to -7 by early August, and in this case, the betting splits tell that story. The Cardinals are getting 58 percent of tickets and 74 percent of money, through Aug. 28.

Opening line

Rams +3, Over/Under 50

Why the line moved

UPDATE 8 P.M. ET SUNDAY: This morning, BetMGM in Nevada needed the Rams. Not anymore. Los Angeles flipped from +2 to -1 against Dallas over the course of the day. "That was gonna be one of our biggest decisions of the day, needing the Rams, but we got flipped on it," BetMGM's Jeff Stoneback said. In the past hour, two $100,000 moneyline bets landed on the Rams, and a Las Vegas customer also put $150,000 on Under 52. "We needed the Over before that. Now we really need the Over," Stoneback said, noting he moved the total to 51.5.

UPDATE 6:45 P.M. ET SUNDAY: The Cowboys were 3-point favorites at FanDuel on Friday, but less than 2 hours before kickoff, it's flipped to Rams -1.5 as sharp play lands on Los Angeles. Still, the bulk of point-spread tickets and money are on Dallas, at 60 and 63 percent, respectively. The total at FanDuel opened at 49.5, reached 52.5 and is now 51.5, with the Over taking 66 percent of bets and 72 percent of money.

UPDATE 5 P.M. ET SUNDAY: The Cowboys-Rams line is on the decline at The SuperBook. After opening Dallas -3.5 and beginning Sunday at -2, the game is now a pick 'em. "Wiseguys keep pounding the Rams. They have all week," SuperBook executive director John Murray said, while noting he still expects the book to be rooting for Los Angeles. "I'm sure we will need the Rams, once we grade all the early games and see all the parlays rolling in to the Cowboys." 

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET FRIDAY: The Cowboys opened -3 at PointsBet USA and are currently -2.5, but getting the majority of interest, at 68 percent of bets and 62 percent of money. Dallas is also getting 75 percent of moneyline cash. The total opened at 50, peaked at 52 and reverted to 51 Friday afternoon. "Same story as Philly-Washington, good two-way from a bet-count perspective – nearly a 50/50 split – but 80 percent of the money is on the Over."

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: DraftKings hasn't budged off Cowboys -2.5 since opening on May 8, despite the overwhelming majority of early point-spread action coming in on Dallas. The Cowboys are drawing 87 percent of tickets and 84 percent of dollars bet.

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Los Angeles opened a field-goal underdog hosting Dallas in the Sunday nighter, and early money likes the value with the points for the host side. That has this point spread down to Cowboys -2.5 in many markets.

“Some sharp money has come in on the Rams,” SuperBook manager Eric Osterman said. “We like the Cowboys this year, and we feel like they deserve to be a 3-point favorite in this spot.”

Opening line

Giants +3, Over/Under 48

Why the line moved

UPDATE 7:45 P.M. ET MONDAY: Obviously, this game kicked off a while ago. But it's worth noting BetMGM in Nevada took a $125,000 bet on Steelers -6 just before kickoff, turning an already decent need on the Giants into an even larger need. BetMGM's Jeff Stoneback said ticket count pre-game was 4/1 Pittsburgh and money was 2/1 Steelers, but that was before the major wager landed.

UPDATE 1:30 P.M. ET MONDAY: PointsBet USA opened Pittsburgh -3.5 and reached -6 Friday, where the line stuck most of the weekend. "We’re seeing heavy action on the Steelers spread, and we also have a good amount of clients cheering on the Steelers moneyline to close out parlays," PointsBet USA's Patrick Eichner said. "The book will be rooting for the Giants to cover. Pulling off the upset would be even better." The total at PointsBet USA opened at 48.5 and is down to 45.

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET FRIDAY: The Steelers opened -3.5 back in May at PointsBet USA and remained in the 3.5/4 range until early September, but have been on the rise since and now sit at -6. Eichner said Pittsburgh is getting 75 percent of tickets and 78 percent of money on the spread, and the Steelers are landing 85 percent of tickets and 90 percent of money on the moneyline, as another popular parlay play. "Interesting split on the total: 69 percent of bets on the Under, but 65 percent of money on the Over." And with the total going from 48.5 to 46, there's likely some sharp play on the Under.

UPDATE 8:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: Pittsburgh moved from -4.5 to -5.5 at DraftKings. "The Steelers are the popular choice this week in the early betting, drawing 75 percent of the tickets and 88 percent of the action on the side," Avello said.

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPT. 1: Pittsburgh moved from -3 to -4 back in May and has been stable since at DraftKings. Pittsburgh is landing 81 percent of both tickets and money on the point spread, for the first game of a Week 1 Monday night doubleheader.

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Early money on the Steelers has added an extra half-point to the spread, pushing it off the key number of a field goal and putting that hook on the home underdogs at +3.5. While New York has some promising young talent, it's the Steelers' veteran quarterback bettors are banking on.

“The Steelers lost three in a row to end 2019 and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, but with 2020 comes the return of Big Ben under center,” PointsBet USA director of communications Patrick Eichner said. “While the Giants are a young team that we expect to get better, we still see them as 3.5-point dogs, given that Roethlisberger will be back on the field.”

Opening line

Broncos -3, Over/Under 42

Why the line moved

UPDATE 9:30 P.M. ET MONDAY: Thirty minues or so before kickoff, the Titans remain -3 at BetMGM in Nevada, but with a little premium at a price of -120, with Denver +3 (even). BetMGM's Scott Shelton said point-spread ticket count is now 3/1 Titans, but "money is neck-and-neck, within a few thousand dollars. we're a small winner both ways on straight bets. We lose to the Titans on parlays, so we will be rooting for the Broncos. It's just a small decision, though."

UPDATE 7:45 P.M. ET MONDAY: It's still a couple of hours before kickoff, but interestingly, BetMGM in Nevada actually needs the Titans for a small decision at the moment. BetMGM's Jeff Stoneback said ticket count is 4/1 on Tennessee, as expected, but point-spread money was actualy running 3/2 on Denver. BetMGM opened Denver -1.5 in May, was at pick before last week's Von Miller injury news, and the game kicked off at Titans -3.

UPDATE 1:30 P.M. ET MONDAY: Denver opened -2 at PointsBet USA months ago, sat at -1 prior to the Von Miller injury news last week, and the line is now Tennessee -3. "We are seeing most of the action come in on the Titans," PointsBet USA's Eichner said. "We opened with Denver as 2-point favorites and saw immediate action from some of our sharpest players on the Titans +2. Von Miller then got hurt, helping the line move 5 points throughout the week. The book is rooting heavy for Denver." The total opened at 42 and is down to 40.5.

UPDATE 1:30 P.M. ET WEDNESDAY: This game is now among the biggest Week 1 movers on the board. Losing a player the caliber of Broncos star linebacker Von Miller will have that effect. Miller suffered a fluke ankle tendon injury late in Tuesday's practice, and he could miss the entire season. Patrick Eichner, director of communications for PointsBet USA, said some alert bettors beat the book to the punch Tuesday night with wagers on Tennessee. "A flurry of action came in on the Titans from about 7:30-8 p.m. ET, as rumblings of the injury picked up," Eichner said Wednesday. "When we took it down last night to re-price, the game was a pick 'em. We went back up this morning with Tennessee as 2.5-point favorites."

UPDATE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6: The Titans landed Jadeveon Clowney on Saturday, signing the defensive end to a one-year deal. But that didn't move the point-spread needle at all at The SuperBook, where the Broncos remained 1.5-point favorites. The moneyline, however, did see a modest adjustment this weekend, from Denver -125/Tennessee +105 to -120/even money. Prior to the Clowney signing, early money was on the Titans, who opened +3 and hit +1.5 on Sept. 2.

UPDATE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1: Denver opened -2.5 at Circa Sports and pretty much stuck there until the past few days, moving down to -1 on Aug. 30. "Almost no interest on the side here, but we saw some bets on the Under at 42.5," Benson said. "I think anti-Bronco sentiment in the futures market and some Titan love has helped to drive this number to where it currently stands."

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This was one of the fastest movers when the NFL Week 1 odds hit the board on May 7, instantly drawing Titans money and chopping this point spread in half. According to The Superbook, that early sharp play was trying to middle varying opening odds at other shops, and despite the adjustment, Superbook oddsmakers still liked the Broncos as home chalk in Week 1 and believe the line will go back up before the Monday night finale.

Where can I bet on NFL?

Whether it’s in Las Vegas or online, every sportsbook under the sun offers Week 1 NFL point spreads, plus a cornucopia of other NFL odds. Week 1 NFL lines tend to be posted shortly after the schedule is released in early May each year and are subject to change right up until September. Check out the NFL football odds at the best sportsbooks available where you live. **video

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