Tuesday, September 29, 2026
  • -
    days
  • -
    hours
  • -
    minutes
  • -
    seconds

NFL Betting Lines Set Earlier Than Ever

  • NFL betting lines are being set earlier than ever.
  • With sports betting becoming more popular and available, incentives have shifted for sportsbooks.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

The NFL season doesn’t start until September, but you can bet on it now.

Sports betting has gone from niche to mainstream phenomenon practically overnight, as more and more states legalize it. The interest of sportsbooks has shifted from setting a stable and accurate betting line to claiming market share.

Traditionally, sportsbooks would wait at least until after the NFL Draft and the season schedule reveal before setting their lines on team win totals and other wagers. And when Las Vegas was the only real hub of legal sports betting in the U.S., the market size was contained.

Now that people can place sports bets in around half the states in the country, the race for customers is on, and NFL win totals are among the more popular lines to bet on. 

As a result, sportsbooks are embracing earlier-than-ever betting opportunities — with all the increased risk and reward that entails.

The sector, still in its early stages, is poised for huge growth. JPMorgan estimated in February that sports betting will grow sixfold from its $1.5 billion 2020 revenue to $9.2 billion in 2025.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

First at FOS

DHS Leaves Video of Brian Dawkins Up Despite NFL Request

Two posts featuring Dawkins were still up Monday afternoon.

Sunday’s Biggest NFL Games Plagued by Debatable Calls

There’s no obvious solution for judgment calls.
Sep 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; NBC broadcast analyst Mike Tomlin before the game between Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Mike Tomlin Breaks With Coaching Fraternity in Cowboys Analysis

Tomlin questioned the Cowboys’ decision-making in their loss vs. Baltimore.

NFL Dodges Worst-Case Scenario With Brazil Field

The main story was the players, not the playing surface.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

9/29/26 – Giants Land McCarthy, MLB Wild Card Begins, LeBron’s Knicks Dream

0:00

Featured Today

Morishita-Sato-homerun-celebration-at-Meiji-Jingu-Baseball-Staidum-2025

Japanese Baseball Is Fighting Back Against MLB Talent Drain

Nippon Professional Baseball is reimagining how to be a global juggernaut.
Aug 9, 2026; Bedminster, New Jersey, USA; President Donald Trump walks out of the clubhouse during the final round of the LIV Golf New York tournament at Trump National Bedminster.
September 25, 2026

Trump’s Year of Sports Gets Busier With CFB, Presidents Cup

The impact of Trump’s attendance varies across each sporting event.
A Bar of Their Own
September 25, 2026

Women’s Sports Bars: Novelty Has Worn Off, ‘That’s a Good Thing’

They’re leveling up, but sustainability remains the first consideration.
Hot & Social/Mets
September 18, 2026

Sports Teams Are Playing a New Role: Matchmaker

The latest promotion at the stadium? Love.
Exclusive
September 18, 2026

Vicious Infighting Is Jeopardizing the Future of Women’s Baseball

The WPBL’s own CEO admits there’s a “power struggle.”
Asset Class

The Firms That Power Prediction-Market Trades

“Essentially, our role is to help bridge demand across time and space.”
Jason Robins Front Office Sports
September 15, 2026

DraftKings CEO Fires Back at Headline Calling Company ‘Struggling’

“We’re doing great,” Jason Robins said in response to the article.
Apr 1, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) brings the ball up the court against the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Delta Center.
September 22, 2026

Ryan Smith Doesn’t Want Betting to Take Over Sports

“I think we need a little more moderation in all of it.”
Sponsored

Beyond the Scorecard: How Dow Is Putting Purpose at the Center of Women’s Golf

Discover how Dow and the LPGA are building a partnership with lasting impact.
First at FOS
September 15, 2026

WNBA Union Rips NBA for Exclusion From Betting Letter

Five men’s sports leagues sent a memo to regulators about betting-related harassment.
September 14, 2026

Female Athletes Rail Against Sydney Sweeney Nude Novig Ad

Pro and amateur female athletes say the spot sexualizes women in sports.
September 10, 2026

Novig CEO: Sydney Sweeney Ad Puts Us in ‘National Discourse’

Sweeney got equity in the company, and the racy ad went viral.
September 9, 2026

Prediction Market Ad Blitz Gets Backlash

Platforms are trying to capitalize on the start of the NFL season.