Sports betting

Preseason NFL, 2010 NFL Pre Season Betting, NFL Preseason Schedule

by Chad Rogers | April 29 2009

As the satellite images from the NFL Network bounced across the country from bar to bar last Tuesday, it was enough to get any football fans juices flowing. It wasn't the playoffs or the regular season and it wasn't the start of preseason either. Hell, it wasn't even Draft Day. All it took to ignite the interest of football fans and bettors was the release of the new NFL schedule for 2009. And if there was one common theme illuminating off the faces of each and every patron, it was one of hope.

In Boston there was optimism that Tom Brady will be back under center when the first play is called for the Patriots' home opener against the Bills. The Pats are currently listed as a 9.5-point favorite in that first game at SPORTSBETTING.COM

In Chicago it was elation that the home team had finally secured the services of a true No. 1 quarterback (hello Jay Cutler) whose rating at least flirted with the nineties.

And in Pittsburgh, well, reports out of Steel Town are that a few of those diehards haven't actually stopped partying since the team hoisted its record-sixth Lombardi Trophy anyway. Some may carry on right up until the city hosts the Tennessee Titans to kickoff the new season and as reigning Super Bowl champs they have every right to do so.

The Steelers are listed at 10-1 in the NFL Future Odds category to win the Super Bowl next year.

Sports bettors have pounced on the new schedules of their favorite teams and already circled key matchups against division rivals along with the marquee games, revenge spots or perhaps a travel situation that could play in a team's favor. (West coast teams playing early in the Eastern Time zones is always popular.)

Most online sportsbooks have posted future odds on which team will be the last one standing after the Super Bowl in 2010 and SPORTSBETTING.COM has the NFL Week 1 lines already up on the betting board. There are 12 home favorites on the early card—half of them by a touchdown or more—and judging by the lines that's probably how things are going to stay.

The NFL has successfully transformed its sport into year-round entertainment for fans and as a handicapper, following it throughout the year can only compliment your skills when it comes time to put your money on the table.

NFL Handicapping in April has a very different meaning from working through the card in the fall. It can be as simple as sorting through the schedule, setting up work pages for each team or division, and taking time to look back on your plays from the previous year.

A lot of bettors like to use systems or profile plays throughout the season and right now is an excellent time to review those angles to rate their effectiveness. If something worked really well for the first half of the season before slipping back to mediocrity, make a note of that and consider turning it into a Week-sensitive play. If an approach seemed to working exceptionally well it could be worth analyzing the results and highlighting certain spots that hit virtually every time, or weeding out the few games that missed.

The biggest advantage of handicapping football in the off-season is time. At this point in the year the only clock that's ticking is the one that the Detroit Lions are on and when you're not sitting right in the middle of the five month grind that is the regular season it can put things into a different perspective. Spend a few hours a week on football without any pressure and you might find it's actually pretty enjoyable.

Draft Day is fast approaching and it won't be long before the King of Sports kicks into high gear. In the fast-paced world of sports betting it's never too early to start gameplanning.

Author: Chad Rogers has been an avid follower and handicapper of North American sports for over 20 years and has written about sports and sports betting for the last decade. Chad specializes in articles focused on the NFL, NFL betting and overall "how-to" handicapping articles.