The 2020 NFL schedule was released Thursday night and fans and bettors can now start circling the best games around the league in the regular season and planning their viewing schedule. We already knew Super Bowl LV is set for Sunday, Feb. 7, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., but below, we’ll look at the five best regular-season games from a betting point of view.
2020 NFL schedule notes
- The season begins Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:20 p.m. ET with the Houston Texans visiting the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
- Thanksgiving slate (Thursday, Nov. 26): Texans at Detroit Lions (12:30 p.m. ET), Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys (4:30 p.m. ET), Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (8:20 p.m. ET)
- Playoffs to begin the weekend of Jan. 9-10 and will include 14 teams.
- All dates remain subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic possibly delaying the start of the season.
Place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!
2020 NFL schedule: 5 best games for betting
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs
— Week 1: Thursday, Sept. 10, 8:20 p.m. ET
Few games on the NFL schedule draw the same national appeal of the season opener each and every year. With the beginning of the 2020 NFL season offering hope to sports fans going through withdrawals amid the pandemic, this year’s opener means even more than usual.
BetMGM has already posted spreads and moneylines for each Week 1 game, giving bettors something to help them pass the time until the return of the other major sports. The Chiefs open as monster -500 favorites over the Texans (+375) while laying 9.5 points on the spread.
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, May 8 at 2 a.m. ET.
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints
— Week 16: Friday, Dec. 25, 4:30 p.m. ET
The standalone game on Christmas Day will see the Vikings and RB Dalvin Cook looking for a repeat of the wild card-round upset of the Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. With the two teams expected to be in contention for a division title this season, this game could mean even more for bettors holding onto futures tickets.
Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
— Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 18, 4:25 p.m. ET
New Buccaneers QB Tom Brady will go head-to-head with Packers QB Aaron Rodgers for the first time as a member of the NFC. The Buccaneers’ schedule is flush with five primetime games, and Brady will face Saints QB Drew Brees twice as division rivals. But it’s this Sunday afternoon spot against the reigning NFC North champs which could carry the most intrigue.
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
— Week 16: Monday, Dec. 28, 8:15 p.m. ET
This Week 16 battle could prove to be the day Bills fans and Patriots haters have been waiting for since Brady made his first NFL start in 2001. The Bills look to finally overthrow the Pats in the AFC East and this may be their shot at clinching the division crown. Doing so on the road would likely be even sweeter for Bills Mafia.
Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens
— Week 3: Monday, Sept. 28, 8:15 p.m. ET
The only thing this matchup lacks in appeal is the fact it’s taking place so early in the season with playoff seeding in the AFC not yet on the line. The two most recent MVP winners in Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes will be front and center on Monday Night Football. This game is a strong choice to feature the highest Over/Under of the entire 2020 NFL season.
Get your popcorn ready.
Want action on NFL futures betting? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]