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Best NFL Teaser Bets Week 8: Basic Strategy Teasers

by Mike Allen - 10/24/2024

Best NFL teaser bets Week 8 Jalen Hurts Philadelphia Eagles

Entering Week 8 of the 2024 NFL regular season, the public has been in the green for the past few weeks. They are setting themselves up for an all-time terrible day of betting. In response to the public winning, the sportsbooks have raised betting lines on the favorites significantly in hopes of scaring some people off.

There will still be some who will chase double-digit spreads, though, and all you need to do is win one of those, and you hurt yourself. Now, you have the confidence to bet on another one. Then you lose, well, you need to make that money back. So you play another big favorite, and that's how the casinos have golden statues and crystal chandeliers.

Instead of trying to beat the sportsbook, let’s let the betting odds work for us. How do we do that? Well, we can do two-team NFL teasers.

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What is a Teaser?

A teaser is a type of parlay wager where the bettor can move the betting odds a certain amount of points. This, of course, comes at a cost. For example, a two-leg 6-point teaser pays out at (-120). That's a far cry from the (+264) you would get if you parlayed two point spreads at (-110) each. Well, take that far cry and laugh a little bit later on when you cash your ticket. It may only be about ⅓ of the payout, but we have a basic strategy that will have you hitting more teasers than you lose.

What is a Basic Strategy Teaser?

The strategy is to stick to NFL games because there is more parity, and the point totals are lower. The lower the point total in a game, the more your 6 points count. Also, stick to 6-point teasers. They are big enough to move through the key numbers of 3, 6, and 7 but small enough to give you a decent payout. These teasers used to pay out at (-110), but the books were getting their clocks cleaned, so here we are at (-120). Some sportsbooks won't even let you use this basic strategy for a two-leg teaser. They make three legs the minimal selection because they don't want to lose.

To implement this strategy, we search the slate for underdogs of (+1.5) to (+2.5) to tease up through the key numbers over a touchdown to big dogs of (+7.5) to (+8.5). If we want to tease a favorite down, we look for (-7.5) to (-8.5), and after we give them 6, they'll be under a field goal at (-1.5) to (-2.5). Both of the underdogs we teased last week, the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers, easily won outright. This week probably won't be so easy, but we have a couple of good spots.

Potential Week 8 NFL Basic Strategy Teaser Games

Baltimore Ravens (-8.5) at Cleveland Browns Odds (+8.5) Total: 44.5

10/27 at 1:00 PM Cleveland, OH

I had to add in this game at the last minute, and I'm not mad at all. One of those massive spreads we spoke of has been bet down by the sharps, but they don't actually think Cleveland will make this a good game.

Maybe if this wasn't a divisional game, I could see Baltimore looking ahead to next week, but this team is too good.

We have the opportunity here with our basic strategy teaser to get the Ravens under a field goal against one of the worst teams in the league.

Atlanta Falcons (-2.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds (+2.5) Total: 46

10/27 at 1:00 PM Tampa, FL

This line has flipped in favor of the Falcons with the double wide receiver injury game for the Bucs on Sunday. A lot of sharp money still likes this team and feels the 5-point swing is an overreaction. It’s the two top receivers for a team whose strength is throwing the ball. I understand the line moving, but not this much.

Teasing Tampa is tempting, though, even without the two wideouts. Atlanta plays everyone close, and Baker Mayfield has ZERO quit in him.

Chicago Bears (-2.5) at Washington Commanders Odds (+2.5) Total: 43.5 10/27 at 1:00 PM Landover, MD

I am staying away, far away, from a teaser standpoint. The Bears moneyline might not be the worst bet you make this week, though.

Philadelphia Eagles (+2.5) at Cincinnati Bengals Odds (-2.5) Total: 48

10/27 at 1:00 PM Cincinnati, OH

Where's the recency bias with this betting line? After two consecutive underwhelming performances against bottom-feeding teams, the Cincinnati Bengals are betting favorites over the Philadelphia Eagles, who just embarrassed the Giants 28-6.

The Eagles' left tackle is injured, which is huge. However, if Saquon Barkley can run for half the yards he had last week, they can control the ball and keep Joe Burrow off the field.

The Bengals' defense has steadily been shoring itself up. They're now ranked 4th in opponents' yards/pass and 12th in yards/carry allowed.

The Eagles look like a public underdog this week, so a bet on them at (+2.5) may be a trap. However, give'em 6, and I like their firepower on offense to keep this a one-score ball game.

NFL Week 8 Basic Strategy Teaser Pick

Philadelphia Eagles (+8.5) + Baltimore Ravens (-2.5): -120

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