NFL Schedules
Understanding the NFL Schedule
The NFL football schedule is a complex system designed to ensure that all teams play each other at least once every four years while considering factors like bye weeks and travel.
To understand the NFL schedule correctly, it’s important to know that each team plays six NFL games today within its division, four games against another division in its conference, four games against a division in the opposite conference, and two games against teams from the same conference that finished in the same position in the previous season. This structure ensures a balanced and fair competition throughout the season.
This means that there are 256 regular-season games played over 17 weeks, culminating in the Super Bowl.
Flexible scheduling is another key aspect to understand when it comes to the NFL schedule. This system allows for the best late-season NFL matchups to be showcased to the largest audiences. Games scheduled in football weeks 11-18 can be flexed to ensure that the most exciting NFL matchups are aired in primetime slots. Additionally, each team is given one bye week during the season, which allows for rest and recovery.
The NFL regular season schedule starts in September and runs until the mid-January playoffs, culminating in the Super Bowl in February. Compared to other major professional leagues, the NFL season is short and features fewer games. For this reason, and the overall popularity of the league, each game brings a significant handle to the sportsbook.
2024 Football Events
Starting in the 2021 season, the league expanded the schedule to 17 regular-season games, one more than the 16 games used from 1978-2020. The regular season is expected to start in September, the playoffs in January, and the Super Bowl in February. All of these dates are tentative.
A few highlights this season include the NFL International Series, consisting of three games played in London, one in Germany, and one in Mexico.
The XFL is a global professional football league that aims to advance football and expand player opportunities while bringing entertainment to world-class football.
The league is known for its fan-first, fast-paced gameplay and innovative rules, such as using the 30-yard line for kickoffs instead of the NFL’s 35-yard line to encourage more kickoff returns.
The Canadian Football League (CFL) is a professional gridiron football league that was formed in 1956 as the Canadian Football Council. It was created by the Western Interprovincial Football Union (WIFU) and the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union (IRFU), and member clubs played a gridiron style of football, although the IRFU still referred to their sport as rugby football.
The CFL is the highest level of play in Canadian football and currently consists of nine teams. The league’s season typically runs from mid-June to late November and culminates in the Grey Cup championship game.
The United States Football League (USFL) was a professional American football league that played three seasons from 1983 to 1985, featuring 12 teams in major markets in its first season, and expanding to 18 teams in its second season.
The USFL made headlines when it signed college superstars such as Herschel Walker and Jim Kelly, and it even won an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL. However, the USFL eventually folded before the start of the 1986 season.
In 2022, the USFL is set to make a comeback with eight teams, though the league’s ability to compete with the NFL and other developmental leagues in the spring window remains a challenge.
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Tips Before Betting on the NFL
We can give you an endless list of tips for NFL betting, but keep these three in mind above all else:
BET THE ODDS NOT THE TEAM
Look at the odds and the numbers before considering the teams. For starters, this includes checking out the moneyline, the point spreads, and the totals.
CHECK THE WEATHER
Most NFL teams play outdoors, and many late-season NFL games will be affected by weather conditions.
CONSIDER TRAVEL SCHEDULES
The nfl game schedule can impact team performance. Long travel times, especially for back-to-back road games, can cause fatigue. Consider travel demands when making your NFL picks.
DON'T GET SWAYED BY LOCAL TEAMS
This is called “homerism.” As much as possible, avoid wagering on teams for which you have personal feelings.
PAY ATTENTION TO BYE WEEKS
The nfl season schedule includes bye weeks for each team. Teams often perform better after a bye week due to rest and recovery. Betting on NFL teams after their bye week can be advantageous.
FOCUS ON PRIMETIME GAMES
Primetime games feature high-profile NFL matchups that draw public interest. The NFL spreads for these games can be influenced by public sentiment, creating value opportunities for savvy bettors.