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Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 1 NFL Betting Options

by Chris Vasile - 9/9/2021

NFL picks Carson Wentz Indianapolis Colts best basic strategy teasers Week 1

The NFL season is upon us, and bettors everywhere are rejoicing. Depending on when you’re reading this article, the Tampa/Dallas game may be upcoming or in the history books. Either way, I’m hoping that you got off to a winning start in the NFL with your wagers and were able to turn a profit. I’m looking forward to this Sunday when we have 14 games to indulge in, and we only leave the couch during commercial breaks to use the bathroom. If you’re looking for ways to bet and maximize the return on your investments, I present to you this option, the Basic Strategy Teaser. A basic strategy teaser moves a spread through the key betting numbers of 3, 4 and 6, making it a great value play.

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What is a Basic Strategy Teaser?

A teaser bet is similar to a parlay bet in which it is a bet the requires winning two or more games in order to get a payoff. However, the difference between the two is the actual point spread. A straight parlay bet allows you to play only the point spread offered, while a teaser bet allows you to adjust that number for whichever team you favor. There are different types of teasers available, but the most common one is a six-point teaser. For example, if a game has the point spread set at -10 with the total at 51 for the game, your six-point teaser would allow you to tease that spread and get the favorite at -4 or the underdog at +16. This method is also applied to the total as well. Should you like the underdog and the "under", you can add six points to the total, and now you have a readjusted total of 57 with an underdog of +16.

Over the next several months, I will be offering you a “Best Bet” six-point teaser as well as any alternative options to consider playing.

Best Six-Point Teaser for Week 1.

San Francisco -1.5 & Los Angeles Rams -1.5 (-120) 
Risk: $120 to win $100

Since it’s Week 1, let me take a second to explain these spreads. Los Angeles and San Francisco are both 7.5-point favorites against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears, respectively. By combining these two teams and utilizing a six-point teaser, the result would be a ticket that looks like the above.

But enough about logistics, let’s get down to the football business.

The San Francisco 49ers are looking to bounce back this season after finishing with a 6-10 record last year, just a season removed from making an appearance in the Super Bowl. Injuries were the biggest factor last season as the Niners had almost every key player miss extended periods of time, including Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle, and Raheem Mostert. That was pretty much their entire production from the 2019 season. This season, everyone is back and healthy and the defense figures to take a step in the right direction. They travel to Detroit in Week 1 to take on the lowly Lions, who should be in line for a very high draft pick in the upcoming draft. The Niners have the more complete team. And despite traveling across the country for an early start, we see them winning this game outright. Which is why we are going to tease them down from their 7.5-point spread and get them at -1.5. Very rarely do games end with a two-point differential, so we feel comfortable with this selection.

As per your selection on the Los Angeles Rams, they get to open up the season at home against the Chicago Bears. That means the Rams’ vaunted defense will get to feast on either Andy Dalton or rookie Justin Fields. I will take the Rams’ defense in that matchup every single day of the week. Not to mention, the Rams managed to upgrade at the quarterback position with the addition of Matthew Stafford. He knows the Bears’ defense very well, and we expect him to have a great game and propel the Rams to a victory. It’s tough to lay 7.5 points in the NFL, so teasing the Rams down to -1.5 to have them basically win outright is a great play in my book.

Alternative Options

Indianapolis Colts +2 over Seattle Seahawks – There are some spots in which the Colts are +2.5 favorites. Teasing them up with the six-point teaser will take you through the key numbers of three, four and seven. If you like the Colts, that’s a great line to get them at as Carson Wentz will be under center for this game and he should be able to move the ball through the air against a soft Seattle pass defense. Seattle will also be making the cross-country trip, and Seattle at home and on the road are two different teams.

Miami Dolphins +2.5 over New England Patriots – Similar to the above, there are some spots you’re able to get the Dolphins at +2.5. Teasing them up will get you to +8.5. And as we are high on the Dolphins this year, so we won’t be shocked if they win outright vs the Patriots. 

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