Best 2024 NFL Games to Bet: Key Dates & Betting Lines, Including Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
The NFL released its full 2024 schedule on Wednesday, and we dive into the NFL odds to find the best games to bet on throughout the campaign.
The 2024 NFL season begins on Thursday, Sept. 5 with a main event-worthy clash between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of last season's AFC Championship Game.
However, that's just the start of what should prove to be an unforgettable season, with games outside of North America sprinkled throughout the campaign. Those special contests will be featured as early as Week 1, when the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles square off at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
That's only a small taste of the many exciting games to come, and we're highlighting the matchups we're most looking forward to and providing a look at the top odds across our best NFL betting sites. We look at the full NFL Week 1 odds here.
Week 1
Sunday Night Football season opener (on a Thursday)
Baltimore Ravens vs. Kansas City Chiefs - Thursday, Sept. 5 at 8:20 p.m. ET from Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.
The 2024 NFL season starts with an absolute slobber-knocker of a game, which we looked at in more detail with our Ravens vs. Chiefs odds and betting lines.
The Ravens will be out for revenge after falling to the eventual champions - and the 2025 Super Bowl odds favorites - in what can only be described as a bit of a weird AFC title game. The Ravens completely abandoned their trademark punishing running game, while the Chiefs picked them apart with short passes and a heavy ground attack of their own.
How will Baltimore respond in a second straight contest at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City? Our best sports betting sites have this game ending in similar fashion to the last one, with the Chiefs serving as -2.5 to -3 favorites.
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NFL debuts in Brazil
Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles - Friday, Sept. 6 at 8:15 p.m. ET from Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Only one day after the season begins in Kansas City, the NFL moves to South America for the first time ever. Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo will play host to this Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles showdown.
Fresh off a late-season collapse, the Eagles will look to rebound in Week 1, though they'll have to do so on a neutral field.
Nevertheless, they serve as small favorites across our best sports betting apps as they look to slow down Jordan Love, who looked like a completely different quarterback in the second half of the 2023 campaign.
Love had a bit of a shaky final game of the season himself, as Green Bay looked in control during the NFC Divisional Round before collapsing late against the San Francisco 49ers.
Aaron Rodgers' return
New York Jets vs. San Francisco 49ers - Monday, Sept. 9 at 8:20 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
If that wasn't enough excitement in Week 1, New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers makes his return following his season-ending Achilles tear during his team's first offensive drive in 2023.
However, he's welcomed back by the reigning NFC champions, the San Francisco 49ers, who will certainly be looking to take out their frustrations following their brutal overtime loss in the Super Bowl.
Our sites with the best sportsbook promos are giving Rodgers and Co. at least some credit, as San Francisco serves as only a 5.5- to 6.5-point home favorite. Can New York start the season with a big upset win, or will it be more sadness for Jets fans?
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Week 5
London Games begin
New York Jets vs. Minnesota Vikings - Sunday, Oct. 6 at 9:30 a.m. ET from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England
The NFL's European tour begins in Week 5 when Rodgers and the Jets challenge the new-look Minnesota Vikings in London.
Will it be 10th overall pick J.J. McCarthy quarterbacking the Vikings at that point, or will offseason addition Sam Darnold - who's listed atop the depth chart here in May - play well enough early to challenge the rookie?
Regardless of who's under center for the Vikings, our best sportsbooks are backing New York in this neutral-field road contest, with the Jets serving as -3.5 to -4 favorites.
Could the London fans be in for a bit of a Darnold revenge game?
Week 6
Action continues at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Chicago Bears - Sunday, Oct. 13 at 9:30 a.m. ET from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium features its second game in as many weeks when the Jacksonville Jaguars - essentially England's team at this point - "visit" Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.
The Jaguars have played so many games in England at this point that they may as well be considered the home team, and it appears our best live betting sites are giving them a bit of that treatment with their early lines.
Jacksonville serves as a small favorite for this affair, though that could also be due to some uncertainty surrounding Williams and the Bears.
This could be one of those lines you want to jump on now, as Chicago might be a significant favorite if the rookie signal-caller and his handful of talented offensive weapons - Keenan Allen and D'Andre Swift join DJ Moore and Cole Kmet to form a legitimately scary attack - get off to a hot start.
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Week 7
Wembley Stadium showdown
New England Patriots vs. Jacksonville Jaguars - Sunday, Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. ET from Wembley Stadium in London, England
The London games aren't limited to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though, as the action moves to Wembley in Week 7.
That's when, you guessed it, the Jacksonville Jaguars will host (actually host at this point, I'm not putting quotes around that) the New England Patriots. That means Trevor Lawrence and Co. will spend two straight weeks in London, giving them an edge in this second contest.
It's an edge that was likely very unnecessary to begin with, as the Patriots own a projected win total of just 4.5 this season.
As it stands, the Patriots serve as near-touchdown underdogs in this showdown, and that number could grow even bigger by the time this game rolls around.
Week 10
NFL heads to Germany
New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers - Sunday, Nov. 10 at 9:30 a.m. ET from Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany
The NFL returns to Germany for the third straight season, with the game being played at Allianz Arena - as it was in 2022 - following two contests at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt last year.
German fans will be "treated" to a clash of titans under center: Bryce Young vs. Daniel Jones. The total for this contest is sitting at around 42 points, so I guess our best sportsbooks are expecting potent rushing attacks from these two teams.
At least this game will feature two exciting first-round wide receiver draft picks, as Malik Nabers will try to put on a show after being selected sixth overall, and Xavier Legette - the final pick of the opening round of the 2024 NFL Draft - will look to keep up.
Week 13
Thanksgiving games
Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions - Thursday, Nov. 28 at 12:30 p.m. ET from 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 usual three-pack of Thanksgiving games, begins, as is customary, in Detroit. The Lions will host the Bears just after noon following a shocking defeat at the hands of the Packers in last season's Thanksgiving game.
It appears schedule-makers wanted to give the Lions a better chance to avenge that loss by pairing them with the Bears and pushing the Packers to the late game. As it stands, Detroit serves as a -3.5 favorite at one of our best sportsbooks offering this game in May but a -4.5 favorite at the other.
Therefore, depending on which team you're backing here with the schedule just released, the choice of sportsbooks is very easy.
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New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys - Thursday, Nov. 28 at 4:30 p.m. ET from 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) |
Fans in Dallas get to watch their Cowboys smash another NFC East rival on Thanksgiving after their team walloped the Washington Commanders 45-10 last year.
This season's victim is the New York Giants, and the Cowboys are already being treated as massive favorites by our two best sportsbooks offering odds on this game.
If there's one thing you rarely need to worry about, it's the Cowboys showing up and showing out during the regular season (the playoffs are a different story, though), so this one should be the bloodbath it's expected to be.
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Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers - Thursday, Nov. 28 at 8:20 p.m. ET from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc.
| 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 festivities conclude at Lambeau, with the Miami Dolphins visiting the Packers.
As previously mentioned, the Packers are on a bit of a roll on Thanksgiving after upsetting the Lions in Detroit last season, and they're rewarded with a home game in November against a team that plays half of its contests in sunny Florida.
That's likely a big reason why the Packers have opened as -3 favorites in what would be best described as the Thanksgiving co-main event (sharing the spotlight with the dinner and time with loved ones and all that, of course).
Week 17
Christmas games on Netflix
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers - Wednesday, Dec. 25 at 1 p.m. ET from Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh
It's the most wonderful time of the year, and the NFL is giving fans the gift of their family members hating them for trying to watch football on Christmas Day. We have not one, but two games on Dec. 25, with both airing exclusively on Netflix for the first time.
The first contest will be intriguing, as Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers will try to slow down the Chiefs, and they'll get the benefit of playing at home.
Kansas City will have to come face to face with the Ghost of Christmas Past after losing last year's festive game at home to the Las Vegas Raiders.
If Aidan O'Connell can beat the Chiefs at home on Christmas, then who's to say the Russell Wilson-Justin Fields Megazord can't also get the job done? The spread for this one is all over the place, with the Chiefs ranging from 4-point to 6.5-point favorites.
Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans - Wednesday, Dec. 25 at 4:30 p.m. ET from NRG Stadium in Houston
If you've ever had a hard time convincing your friends and/or family that "Die Hard" is a Christmas movie, just wait until it's time to tell them that this showdown between the Ravens and Houston Texans is also one (it's on Netflix, after all).
This game is scheduled right at dinner time, too, so you'll be able to both eat and watch in peace when you're kicked out of the house.
If you do somehow finesse your way into watching this game, you could be in for a treat. Our best sportsbooks have this as a very tight affair, with the Ravens serving as small road favorites.
The Texans have spent this offseason providing second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud with the offensive weapons necessary to make a Super Bowl run, and this game could serve as a postseason preview of sorts.
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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
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Related pages
- Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)
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