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When it comes to making wagers on the NFL, the vast majority of sports betting layers choose to place their money on individual games. One of the most popular wagers made each week are over/under picks.
An over/under — also known as a totals bet — is a wager in which oddsmakers have determined the predicted combined score of the two teams slated to play. A bettor then has to decide if the final score will be over or under that total.
For Week 1 in the 2020 NFL season, we’ve picked four games we think will pique the interest of sports betting players.
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. ET, CBS
Over/Under: 48.5
These two teams despise one another, which means it doesn’t matter if it’s a one-sided game or not, the points are going to keep being piled on. With Lamar Jackson leading the Ravens and Baker Mayfield behind center for the Browns, two of the most talented quarterbacks in the AFC will be squaring off. Both teams have offensive weapons aplenty, and both have defenses capable of bringing the ball back for a score if the opportunity arises. This game should be a lot of fun, and we’re seeing the Ravens taking the victory, 34-21, and putting this game over the predicted 48.5 points.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. ET, Fox
Over/Under: 44
The NFC North is going to be a tight race this year, and the Lions and Bears will no doubt be in the mix, depending on how healthy their quarterbacks can stay. Both teams have made improvements on offense and a few adjustments on defense as well. When these two teams meet up, it’s always a classic, but it’s rarely a scorefest. In 2019, the Bears won both matchups, 20-13 and 24-20. In 2018, it was all Bears again, 34-22 and 23-16. The 2017 season found the Lions getting the best of their rivals, 27-24 and 20-10. The two teams split the 2016 season with the Bears winning the first game, 17-14, and the Lions taking the second, 20-17. This year, these games are going to be just as tight, and we’re predicting a final score of 24-16 in favor of the Lions, below the predicted 44 points total.
Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, Sept. 13 at 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS
Over/Under: 44
This is a game about new beginnings. The Chargers have moved on from Philip Rivers. The Bengals from Andy Dalton. New quarterbacks have been tasked with bringing their teams back to postseason berths, and neither of them plan to disappoint. For Cincinnati, Joe Burrow will use the strength of his offensive line to keep the Chargers at bay while he tries to pick apart the secondary. For Los Angeles, Tyrod Taylor will be quick on his feet while using the offensive talent around him to keep the defense off balance. This one could go either way as far as who takes the victory, but we’re predicting a Bengals win at home, 32-27, which will be well over the predicted 44 points.
Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos
Monday, Sept. 14 at 10:10 p.m. ET, ESPN
Over/Under: 42.5 points
Old-school football is going to get underway in Denver on the first Monday night of football of the 2020 NFL season. The Titans will be bringing a heavy running attack led by Derrick Henry, and they’ll be able to keep the Broncos’ defense honest with the renewed passing ability of Ryan Tannehill. Denver, on the other hand, brings one of the most capable defenses in the league, while quarterback Drew Lock has been given plenty of new options to use in the quest to win the AFC West. The surprise of this game is going to be the defensive showdown it could turn into. Both teams will be trying to figure out what works best on offense, all while trying to do so against quality defensive units. We’re seeing a fairly low-scoring game with the Broncos coming out on top, 20-17, just below the predicted 42.5 point total.