Best 2024 NFL Games to Bet: Key Dates & Betting Lines, Including Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
On Wednesday, the NFL unveiled its complete 2024 schedule, prompting us to analyze the NFL odds and identify the top games to wager on during the season.
The 2024 NFL season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 5 with an exciting showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs, a rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game.
But that’s only the beginning of what promises to be a memorable season, with games played outside of North America scattered throughout the schedule. The excitement kicks off in Week 1, when the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles face off at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
This is just a glimpse of the thrilling games ahead, as we focus on the matchups we are most excited about and examine the top odds from our top NFL betting sites. Check out the complete NFL Week 1 odds here.
Week 1
Sunday Night Football season opener (on a Thursday)
The Baltimore Ravens will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday, September 5th at 8:20 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
The 2024 NFL season kicks off with an intense matchup between the Ravens and Chiefs, which we analyzed further by examining the odds and betting lines.
The Ravens are seeking revenge after losing to the eventual champions and favorites for the 2025 Super Bowl in a strange AFC title game. In the game, the Ravens strayed from their usual strong running game, allowing the Chiefs to exploit them with short passes and a dominant ground attack.
What will be Baltimore’s reaction as they return to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City for the second consecutive game? According to our top sports betting sites, the outcome is expected to be similar to the previous match, with the Chiefs being favored by -2.5 to -3 points.
NFL debuts in Brazil
The Green Bay Packers will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday, September 6 at 8:15 p.m. ET at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Less than 24 hours after the season kicks off in Kansas City, the NFL will make history by hosting its first game in South America. The Green Bay Packers will face off against the Philadelphia Eagles at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo.
After a late-season collapse, the Eagles are aiming to bounce back in Week 1, but they will have to do it on a neutral field.
However, they are considered slight favorites on our top sports betting apps as they aim to contain Jordan Love, who displayed a significant improvement in his performance as a quarterback during the latter half of the 2023 season.
Love struggled in the final game of the season, with Green Bay initially dominating the NFC Divisional Round before crumbling in the end against the San Francisco 49ers.
Aaron Rodgers’ return
The New York Jets will face off against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, September 9th at 8:20 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Adding to the excitement of Week 1, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns to the field after recovering from a season-ending Achilles tear in 2023, making his comeback during the team’s first offensive drive.
Nevertheless, the reigning NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers, have welcomed him back and will be eager to channel their frustrations from their heartbreaking overtime loss in the Super Bowl.
Our top sportsbook promotions are acknowledging Rodgers and the Packers by only making San Francisco a 5.5 to 6.5-point favorite at home. Will the Jets pull off a major upset to start the season, or will their fans be left disappointed once again?
Week 5
London Games begin
The New York Jets will face off against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, October 6th at 9:30 a.m. ET at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.
The NFL’s European tour kicks off in Week 5 as Rodgers and the Jets face off against the revamped Minnesota Vikings in London.
Will J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick, be the quarterback for the Vikings, or will Sam Darnold, the offseason addition who is currently listed as the starter on the depth chart in May, perform well enough to compete with the rookie?
Our top sportsbooks are favoring the New York Jets as -3.5 to -4 favorites in this neutral-field road contest, no matter who is playing quarterback for the Vikings.
Is it possible that the London fans will witness a Darnold revenge performance?
Week 6
Action continues at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
The Jacksonville Jaguars will face off against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, October 13th at 9:30 a.m. ET at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.
The second game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in as many weeks will showcase the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are often considered England’s team, facing off against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.
The Jaguars have played so many games in England that they could be considered the home team, and it seems like the top live betting sites are giving them favorable treatment with their early lines.
Jacksonville is slightly favored for this event, possibly because of some uncertainty surrounding Williams and the Bears.
This is a line that you’ll want to bet on soon, as Chicago could become a strong favorite if the rookie quarterback and his talented offensive weapons, including Keenan Allen and D’Andre Swift, DJ Moore, and Cole Kmet, have a strong start to the season.
Week 7
Wembley Stadium showdown
The New England Patriots will face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, October 20th at 9:30 a.m. ET at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
The London games will not only take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but will also move to Wembley in Week 7.
That’s right, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be hosting the New England Patriots in London. This will give Trevor Lawrence and his team a unique advantage as they spend two consecutive weeks in the city leading up to the game.
The edge was probably unnecessary from the start, considering the Patriots are projected to win only 4.5 games this season.
Currently, the Patriots are considered significant underdogs in this upcoming game, and that margin may increase before kickoff.
Week 10
NFL heads to Germany
The New York Giants will take on the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, November 10 at 9:30 a.m. ET at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
For the third consecutive season, the NFL is back in Germany, this time playing at Allianz Arena. The previous two games were held at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt in 2021.
German fans will have the pleasure of witnessing a battle of giants at quarterback between Bryce Young and Daniel Jones. The over/under for the game is set at 42 points, indicating that the sportsbooks are anticipating strong rushing performances from both teams.
This game will showcase two promising first-round wide receiver draft picks: Malik Nabers, selected sixth overall, will aim to impress, while Xavier Legette, the final pick of the 2024 NFL Draft’s opening round, will strive to match his performance.
Week 13
Thanksgiving games
The Chicago Bears will face off against the Detroit Lions on Thursday, November 28th at 12:30 p.m. ET at Ford Field in Detroit.
DraftKings | Caesars | |
---|---|---|
Spread | Lions -3.5 (-110) | Lions -4.5 (-110) |
Total | Over 50 (-108)/Under 50 (-112) | Over 50.5 (-110)/Under 50.5 (-110) |
The first of our typical trio of Thanksgiving games will kick off in Detroit, as tradition dictates. The Lions will take on the Bears just after noon, seeking redemption after a surprising loss to the Packers in last year’s Thanksgiving matchup.
The schedule-makers seem to have strategically set up the Lions to have a better opportunity for revenge by scheduling them against the Bears and placing the Packers in the late game. Currently, Detroit is favored by -3.5 at one top sportsbook for this May game, while they are favored by -4.5 at another.
So, depending on the team you support and the newly released schedule, the decision on which sportsbook to choose is simple.
The New York Giants will face off against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, November 28 at 4:30 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
DraftKings | Caesars | |
---|---|---|
Spread | Cowboys -8 (-110) | Cowboys -9.5 (-110) |
Total | Over 44.5 (-110)/Under 44.5 (-110) | Over 46.5 (-110)/Under 46.5 (-110) |
Dallas fans will get to see their Cowboys dominate another NFC East rival on Thanksgiving after the team crushed the Washington Commanders 45-10 last year.
The New York Giants are this season’s victim, with the Cowboys already being heavily favored by our top two sportsbooks for this game.
You can typically count on the Cowboys to perform well during the regular season, but the playoffs are a different story. This game should be as intense as anticipated.
The Miami Dolphins will face off against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 8:20 p.m. ET at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
DraftKings | Caesars | |
---|---|---|
Spread | Packers-3 (-110) | Packers -3 (-110) |
Total | Over 48.5 (-110)/Under 48.5 (-110) | Over 46.5 (-110)/Under 46.5 (-110) |
The Thanksgiving celebration wraps up at Lambeau Field as the Green Bay Packers host the Miami Dolphins.
As mentioned before, the Packers have been performing well on Thanksgiving, defeating the Lions in Detroit last season. As a reward, they will now play a home game in November against a team that plays half of their games in sunny Florida.
This is probably a major factor in why the Packers have been listed as -3 favorites in what could be considered the Thanksgiving co-main event, alongside the traditional dinner and quality time spent with loved ones.
Week 17
Christmas games on Netflix
The Kansas City Chiefs will be facing off against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, December 25th at 1 p.m. ET at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
‘Tis the season to be jolly, but NFL fans may find themselves in the doghouse with their loved ones this Christmas as they tune in to not one, but two games on Dec. 25, exclusively available on Netflix for the first time.
The initial matchup promises to be captivating, with Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers aiming to contain the Chiefs at their home field.
After their loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in last year’s holiday game at home, Kansas City will have to confront the Ghost of Christmas Past.
If Aidan O’Connell can secure a victory against the Chiefs at home on Christmas, then there’s no reason to doubt the potential success of the Russell Wilson-Justin Fields Megazord. The spread for this game varies widely, with the Chiefs favored by anywhere from 4 to 6.5 points.
The Baltimore Ravens will be facing off against the Houston Texans on Wednesday, December 25th at 4:30 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium in Houston.
If you struggled to persuade your friends and family that “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, just wait until you try to convince them that the Ravens vs. Houston Texans game is too (it’s on Netflix, after all).
This game is conveniently scheduled during dinner time, so you can enjoy a meal and watch in peace once you’re forced to leave the house.
If you manage to find a way to watch this game, you might be in for a pleasant surprise. The top sportsbooks are predicting a close match, with the Ravens favored as slight road favorites.
During this offseason, the Texans have been focused on equipping second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud with the offensive tools needed for a potential Super Bowl push. This matchup may offer a glimpse into what their postseason might look like.
NFL betting odds pages
Here are our best NFL betting sites:
- Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUS1000 | Read our Caesars Review
- BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
- bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
- BetRivers Promo Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetRivers Review
- FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
- DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review
*Bonuses cannot be used in Ontario. If you are over 21 and have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Related pages
- Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Underscoreg Promos (U.S. only)