2025 NFL Preseason: Betting Tips & Trends

It is NFL preseason, and as most fans dismiss these meaningless games, smart bettors are well aware that they are missing out on some hidden value. The preseason games are unreliable, and the betting angles are also rare, allowing sharp or professional bettors a chance to pounce on information before the sportsbooks catch up.

New rookie QB, altered coaching approaches, and improved team analytics are transforming the preseason betting game in 2025. With an idea of what to observe, August can be a lucrative month before the actual season even starts.

What Makes the Preseason Different?

The preseason is not about wins and losses, but the ups and downs graphs, the development of players, and roster decisions. Starters play a few snaps at most, and coaches are less concerned with the outcome of the game than with the performance. Then it is less about team strength when betting on these matchups and more of a matter of context.

Notable season differences:

• Unstable team: Quarterbacks change every quarter. A good third-string quarterback is a great asset.
• Conservative game strategies: Look forward to downgraded offenses and defensive vanilla outfits, which result in games with low scores.
• Motivation varies: Different coaches have different approaches to motivation; some of them take the preseason as a kind of competitive show, and some use it just to experiment.
  

This leaves the door open to wagering opportunities on the part of those bettors with the dial on coaching behavior, depth chart news, and player use.

Key Coaching Trends

Knowing the coach’s tendencies is one of the best angles to bet on in preseason. Some head coaches have a history of out-marketing the market preseason.

Top NFL Preseason Coaches

• John Harbaugh (Ravens): Harbaugh is known to pay attention to the preseason results. By the year 2024, Baltimore had already won 23 consecutive preseason games under him and an exemplary ATS record to boot.
• Sean McDermott (Bills): Ranks higher than some people in focusing on preseason games, and his success rate indicates that he is focused on getting organized at the beginning of the season.
• Andy Reid (Chiefs): Reid has a history of sitting starters, but his large rosters and continuity of a system usually make the preseason results clean.

The ability to follow coaching pressers, past preseason records, and ATS tendencies can be an extremely helpful tool to get an edge before the lines adjust.

Preseason Betting Guide

Beat Writers and Camp Reports

Local reporters are likely to first break QB rotations, snap counts, injuries, and ascending players. Such insights may be more useful than seasonal analytics.

Bet Early or Very Late

The preseason lines are very fragile. Doing early betting may even be profitable, particularly to those in possession of inside information. Pre-game betting, on the other hand, enables you to take action based on confirmed line-ups or scratches.

Lean Toward the Under

The preseason has a tendency to score less. This can be attributed to backup QBs, conservative game plans, and high substitution rates. Although there are specifics of league-wide winning and losing stats that differ year by year, there has been a trend over the years that the under is profitable.

Ignore the Stars

Superstar players rarely play much in preseason, but what matters more is understanding the deeper trends behind the games. Where teams have a tested reserve, and where it has a good second/third-string line, there will be a good mark.

Watch for Joint Practices

In the case of team practices being intense, the coach normally relegates important players to the game. This may be an indicator of a slow pace and less production during a game day.

Teams Worth Watching This Preseason

Some teams will be especially interesting to watch this preseason because of key position battles and quarterback situations that could lead to breakout stars.

The Chicago Bears have the big storyline of Caleb Williams making his NFL debut, facing a tremendous amount of scrutiny, where some early reports in the camp point to a less-than-stellar performance, but that is still a main storyline this offseason. 

In Denver, a part of the quarterback battle between Bo Nix and Zach Wilson is actively happening, and their employment in the preseason games may define how it will look at Week 1 on the team. 

The Houston Texans are seeking to create early-season rhythm, and C.J. Stroud is trying to find a timing with a retooled passing unit. In the meantime, the situation with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is somewhat different because there is a significant increase in rivalry among the second-level players due to the absence of Baker Mayfield during early workouts. 

Finally, the New York Jets will remove Aaron Rodgers from the bench and focus the attention on Zach Wilson and younger players. These scenarios are a way to gain access to an excellent betting perspective since the deeper and positional conflicts frequently dominate in the preseason as opposed to the stars of the sport.

The Rise of Crypto in Sports Betting

Crypto betting is taking off. An increasing number of sportsbooks accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, and even new crypto-exclusive books are attracting a younger demographic. They are quicker, less expensive, and more confidential than the traditional ones.

A majority of crypto gambling venues stick to slots and casino games, but some are venturing into sports betting using decentralized technology and are generating new opportunities to earn. There are even those that utilize smart contracts and blockchain randomness checking.

The best Solana casinos, with the lowest network fees and ultra-fast transaction speed, have been of concern to the people who have been trying out crypto-based gambling in the emerging platforms. However, since most crypto sportsbooks are live casino-focused, they are entering the world of sports betting, so we might see some exciting new possibilities and ventures in the industry, and new opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Betting on the NFL preseason in 2025 is not just pigging out on football; it is a chance for any bettor doing their homework to cash in. An examination of the historical coaching performance, keeping track of team depth, and keeping up with the movement of the market can all offer true value before Week 1 begins.

Betting during the preseason does not have to be a gamble; with the right preparation and attitude, it can be the 1st win of the season.