The NFL preseason is just a month away and before you know it, kick-off won’t be far behind. Before you start taking out loans for your preseason betting, here are five tips to get you on the right track.
1. Handicap The Fourth Quarter, Not The First
The biggest debate that NFL betting fans have when it comes to the NFL preseason is which starters will play and for how long. But realistically, the NFL preseason games are won or lost closer to the end of the game and most bettors forget to handicap that aspect.
Take a good look at backups and see who will be playing later in the game as that will be what guides you to the win. A good tip is look for which team has more veteran backups that have seen live NFL action opposed to rookies that are just getting their feet wet.
2. Quarterbacks Are The Key
They say the most important position in the NFL is the quarterback and that rings especially true in the preseason.
The team with the best quarterback rotation is typically the team that is going to win the game.
Make sure you look at each team’s quarterback depth and their expected rotation, and that will give you an excellent insight into who will win. The team with more veteran experienced quarterbacks on their roster is the team you should be betting.
3. Hunger Versus Complacency
Keep in mind that when it comes to preseason betting, there are going to be teams with open competitions across their entire roster and teams who already know who their starters will be heading into the season.
For example, perennial contenders like the Indianapolis Colts don’t necessarily have a lot accomplish in the preseason whereas a team that finished poorly last year, fired their coach and had a roster overhaul, will be fielding plenty of jobs across their team.
The teams that are more hungry are more likely to play like they want it and are more likely to win. It’s a simple fact, but it’s often overlooked.
4. Some Coaches Care, Some Don’t
Building on the last point, coaches can be in a very similar position. Some coaches are very adamant that the preseason is simply an extension of the regular season and they take these contests very seriously and others simply want to get through the exhibition games healthy.
Take a look at previous coaching records to determine who is playing for keeps and who simply just wants to get out of the games alive. The veteran coaches in the league a longer track record and you can definitely discern patterns as to what their goals are in the preseason.
5. Don’t Forget About Matchups
One of the biggest aspects overlooked in the NFL preseason is the matchups. Most people handicap the coaches, the rotations, the motivations but then forget to handicap the thing that you would do first and foremost in the regular season: handicap the matchups.
Online betting handicappers need to make sure that they take into account the matchups as far as offense versus defense, coaching, who’s healthy, just as they would in the regular season.