In the global sports betting industry, especially for those sportsbooks that cater to USA clients, the June-August “summer” months are known as the off season. Why? Well, for one, there’s not much to bet on. The NBA finals have concluded, the Stanley Cup has been won, and the Triple Crown horse racing events have all passed. Now it’s just baseball, a few golf tournaments, and a small selection of tennis and soccer events. Overall, most USA sports bettors take this time off, planning out their football season.
If you are an NFL betting fan, we’re happy to announce that pre-season football is only 6 weeks away. The first game commences with the NFL’s “Hall of Fame Week”, beginning on Sunday, August 9. The Buffalo Bills will be taking on the Tennessee Titans at Fawcett Stadium at 8 PM. Check your local listings for the NBC stations that will cover the game.
After this opener, Pre-season week 1 starts on Thursday, August 13, with the headline Super Bowl rematch game of the Arizona Cardinals at the Pittsburgh Steelers. ESPN will be covering this game, which starts at 8 PM Eastern. Coverage for other contests is to be announced. If you have satellite TV, you may find these games on some secondary sports network channels.
FOX will be covering two of the top games of Pre-Season week 2. On Thursday August 20, the Philadelphia Eagles will be taking on the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium at 8:00 PM Eastern. The next day, Friday, August 21, Fox will also host an 8:00 PM contest between the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys at Cowboys’ Stadium in Texas. The finale of Pre-season week 2 is on Monday, August 24, with ESPN covering the New York Jets at the Baltimore Ravens, kicking off at 8:00 PM Eastern.
The beginning of Week 3 pre-season NFL play also signals the beginning of the college football season, with many top NCAA teams getting geared up for action. There may be some minor exhibition games between the second string units of a few college teams. This is a great chance to see a college football game on the cheap if you live near a stadium. Any TV coverage will be sparse, but as always, check you local networks’ websites for a complete lineup. The most anticipated game of NFL pre-season week 3 play will be the New England Patriots at the Washington Red Skins, broadcast by CBS at 8:00 PM Eastern on Friday, August 28.
By week 4, things slow down a bit, as the NFL teams hunker down and get ready for regular season action. There are games on Thursday September 3 and Friday September 4 only. According to the www.nfl.com website, there is no planned TV coverage, although satellite TV owners might be able to catch a game replay during off-hours broadcasting.
And then, seemingly in the blink of an eye, the NFL regular season play begins! Our advice: let the pre-season clench your thirst for action through August, and then rip into the regular season with vengeance in September. We’re confident pre-season action will hold over even the most stalwart of NFL fans.
Between now and Hall of Fame week, you’ll just have to relax and enjoy the dog days of summer. Check back with sportsbetting3.com for all the latest NFL betting news, updates, and happenings.
Good luck and have fun!