The wait is nearly over; the NFL season is so close you can almost touch it. With that brings the immense opportunity to win some money on the numerous NFL betting sites that will be providing NFL Week 1 odds and free bet offers. 

Can the Kansas City Chiefs defend the title they so brilliantly won against the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVII or will one of the preseason darlings be worth a look at NFL outrights with the best UK betting sites? Each team starts the season with the same record, and there will be optimism across all fanbases, even if their prices on betting apps before a game has been played don’t share that optimism. 

NFL Week 1 Betting Offers

NFL Week 1 Schedule and Tips

NFL Week 1 Odds

Kansas City Chiefs vs. Detroit Lions – 1:20am

The new NFL season kicks off with last season’s Super Bowl winners, the Chiefs, hosting one of this coming campaign’s dark horses to do well, the Lions. Patrick Mahomes and co. are likely winners because, well, that’s what they usually do, but the total number is what intrigues us with most NFL betting sites. Both the Lions and Chiefs started the last two seasons with over 60.5 combined points in their openers.

Best Bet:  Over 60.5 points (2/1) at bet365

Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans – 6:00pm

Will this finally be the year that a head coach with the Houston Texans is given time to build something after firing head coaches after one year in each of the last two offseasons? They have their franchise quarterback in place, with CJ Stroud, but it’s a big ask to go to M&T Bank Stadium in your NFL debut and win. Expect Lamar Jackson to put on a show with his shiny new contract now sorted.

Best Bet:  Ravens -10 (10/11) at William Hill

Minnesota Vikings vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 6:00pm

Life after Tom Brady could be pretty tough for the 2021 Super Bowl champions. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are rolling with Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask at quarterback, which is unlikely to strike fear in any opposing defences. The Vikings took a big step last season under first-year head coach Kevin O’Connell and will be eyeing another NFC North title.

Best Bet: Vikings -6.5 (Evens) at Spreadex

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Francisco 49ers – 6:00pm 

Two teams built on defence will meet one another at Lambeau Field on the opening weekend. Can second-year quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Brock Purdy build on the differing success they saw in their rookie years? We’re willing to bet that the defensive lines of each respective teams will be in midseason form for this opener.

Best Bet: Under 40.5 points (20/23) with Betfred

Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals – 6:00pm

The Cincinnati Bengals have a curiously poor record against the Cleveland Browns in recent seasons, with just two wins from their last 10 games. However, the last one came in the home matchup in 2022, with Joe Burrow and co winning 23-10. The Browns will hope for better in year two of Deshaun Watson under centre, but on the road at Paul Brown Stadium is not the place for it.

Best Bet: Bengals -3.5 (6/5) at BoyleSports

Indianapolis Colts vs. Jacksonville Jaguars – 6:00pm

The Jaguars have inflicted two painful defeats on the Colts in the last two seasons. With a playoff spot on the line, the Colts were blown out of the water 26-11 at the end of the 2021 season. Then the Jags blanked the Colts 24-0. With a new quarterback on board in Indy, and not much expected this season, this looks like a Jags win all day long.

Best Bet: Jaguars -4.5 (4/5) at Kwiff

Washington Commanders vs. Arizona Cardinals – 6:00pm

This could well be a game between two of the league’s bottom feeders this season. The Cardinals are working under a new head coach – Jonathan Gannon – after Kliff Kingsbury’s firing last season, while the Commanders are going into the season with an unproven second-year fifth-round pick under centre in Sam Howell. With that said, the Washington defence is legit and will be leaned on heavily this year.

Best Bet: Commanders to win and under 38.5 total points (31/20) at Grosvenor

New Orleans Saints vs. Tennessee Titans – 6:00pm

The New Orleans Saints bet big on Derek Carr this summer following his release from the Raiders. Does he bring enough to put them over the top? Not if most betting apps are to believed. He does, however, give them a much better chance of competing than the duo of Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton. The Titans fell off a cliff last season, losing their last seven to miss out on a playoff spot.

Best Bet: Over 41 total points (10/11) at 10bet

Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers – 6:00pm  

After two losing seasons as head coach of the Falcons, Arthur Smith will feel his seat heating up if wins don’t come early in 2023. They take on a team that was the face of mediocrity last season, which led to a coaching change and them trading up for the first pick in this year’s draft to take Alabama’s Bryce Young. Frank Reich is known for his work with quarterbacks and his teams' disappointing starts to seasons. This should be a high scoring game with questionable defence.

Best Bet:  Over 43.5 total points (11/8) at Coral

New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles – 9:25pm

Jalen Hurts took a huge leap last season and was within a whisker of leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl. He now has 255 million reasons to be very happy with his lot in Philly. The Patriots will be hoping a change of offensive system can spark Mac Jones back into life, and we’re willing to bet it does. Not necessarily enough to beat the formidable Eagles but enough to stay close.

Best Bet:  Patriots +4.5 (4/5) at Ladbrokes

Denver Broncos vs. Las Vegas Raiders – 9:25pm

There wasn’t a more disappointing team in the entire league than the Broncos last season. After trading for Russell Wilson, they were absolutely anaemic on offence. Sean Payton has a brilliant offensive mind, but was Father Time just knocking at Wilson’s door earlier than expected? The Raiders were masters at giving up leads last season but will hope to be much tighter defensively this season. 

Best Bet:  Under 45.5 points (3/4) at Parimatch

Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams – 9:25pm

The Seahawks were really fun to watch last season with Geno Smith having a renaissance year as a full-time starter for the first time since 2014. The Rams were not fun to watch, but with a huge roster turnover and large swathe of rookies set to play, we could be in for some high-scoring games involving the Rams. 

Best Bet:  Seahawks to win and over 46.5 points (173/100) at Karamba

Los Angeles Chargers vs. Miami Dolphins – 9:25pm

Fans of offensive shootouts will likely have all eyes focused on L.A. Sunday night as the Dolphins come to town to face the Chargers. The Dolphins fell away after a brilliant start last season – and are liable to again if Tua Tagovailoa can’t stay healthy – while the Chargers held firm down the stretch to make the playoffs before blowing a 27-point lead in the wild-card round. Defences be damned here.

Best Bet:  Over 50.5 points (17/20) at 888sport

Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers – 9:25pm   

The Bears looked some offensive personnel away from making some noise in the NFC North last year. Justin Fields took a big step forward in midseason, and the front office will hope he continues that development. The Packers start a new era without Aaron Rodgers, who wanted out and was a granted a trade to the New York Jets. It’s Jordan Love’s show now, but he might not have the same hold over the Bears that Rodgers did.

Best Bet:  Bears -2.5 (9/10) at Leo Vegas

New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys – 1:20am    

The Giants surprised many last season by making the playoffs and then winning a playoff game. They responded by throwing the bag at Danny Dimes and letting their best offensive player see out a one-year deal in Saquon Barkley. Will that dynamic hold this season? Will it matter against a Cowboys team fresh from a first playoff win since 2018? Probably not.

Best Bet:  Cowboys to win and under 46.5 points (2/1) at Unibet

New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills – 1:15am

Heading into last season, the Bills were a very popular Super Bowl pick. While they are still among the favourites with most betting sites to win it all, some observers have cooled on them the way Josh Allen did against the Bengals in the divisional round. Can Aaron Rodgers and his old Packers team-mates help push the Jets towards contention. They were a quarterback away last season and now have one of the best to ever do it. It might take a few weeks, though.

Best Bet: Bills -3.5 (31/25) at NetBet