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It might not seem like it, but fall is right around the corner. Soon, the leaves will change color, days will get shorter, Spirit Halloween stores will pop up in strip malls across the country, and, most importantly, the NFL will return.
But before then, we have the NFL preseason, which starts on Thursday with the Hall of Fame Game between the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears. Along with serving as the start of the preseason, the Hall of Fame Game also kicks off the weekend’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.
This year’s matchup pits one team with plenty of stake in this year’s induction ceremonies (Andre Johnson is the Texans’ first Hall of Famer) against a team that has a Hall of Fame inductee of its own (Devin Hester) along with plenty of other storylines. Not only did the Bears take quarterback Caleb Williams first overall in April’s NFL draft, but they’ll also be featured on this year’s edition of Hard Knocks.
While the Hall of Fame game is just an exhibition game, last year’s contest drew 6.3 million viewers. After months without football, Americans are eager for their favorite sport to return.
There are also plenty of betting markets for the game at all of our favorite NFL betting sites. Here’s a look at some of our favorite markets from the game along with a preview of the matchup
Texans vs. Bears Preview
Game Details
- Date: Thursday, Aug. 1 (ESPN/ABC/ESPN+)
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, Ohio)
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Texans -130, Bears +110
- Spread: Texans -1.5 (-115), Bears +1.5 (-105)
- Total: Over/Under 31.5 (-110/-110)
Odds are from FanDuel Sportsbook and subject to change.
The Bears opened as moneyline and spread favorites for this game but became slight underdogs on Tuesday after it was announced that Williams and the rest of Chicago’s starters wouldn’t play on Thursday.
Instead, the Bears will start second-year quarterback Tyson Bagent, who threw for 859 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions in five games last season (four starts) while adding two scores on the ground. He’ll get a decent number of snaps, while Brett Rypien and Austin Reed should see some action behind him as well.
The game will also mark the debut of Chicago’s new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. While Waldron won’t empty the playbook, Thursday’s game could provide a limited preview of how his offense will look with Williams under center.
On the other side, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said his starters likely won’t play in the game either, meaning fans will have to wait a little longer to see how C.J. Stroud follows up his record-setting rookie year.
DeMeco hints on @SportsRadio610 with @TexansVoice that starters are likely not playing in HOF game.
He reminds us that we have an EXTRA game.
This is the correct decision. pic.twitter.com/LT9fLQS5Gy
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) July 31, 2024
The big storyline to watch with them is how they’ll manage their unprecedented wide receiver depth. With Tank Dell, Nico Collins and new acquisition Stefon Diggs out, players like John Metchie III, Xaiver Hutchinson and Ben Skowronek should get plenty of touches. Plus, there’s also a chance that veterans Noah Brown and Robert Woods will be out there.
Texans vs. Bears Best Bets
Bears Moneyline (+110)
The reasoning for this bet is twofold.
One, 1-to-3-point underdogs are 158-110 (60%) against the spread in the preseason since 2015. While this is a moneyline bet, the Bears are only 1.5-point underdogs, so it’s not hard to imagine them grabbing a few more points and picking up the win.
The second part relates to the quarterback situation. Bagent is better than most preseason quarterbacks and is coming off a promising rookie year. While he won’t play the whole game, he’ll want to prove that he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL after leading Chicago to a 2-2 record in his starts last season, so I’m expecting him to get off to a fast start.
Over 31.5 Points (-110)
Bagent will likely start against Davis Mills, who threw for over 3,000 yards in 2022. With the Texans needing to figure out their wide receiver depth, I’m expecting them to go to the air early and often, which should lead to plenty of chunk plays.
That, coupled with Bagent’s dual-threat craftiness, should lead to plenty of points. While there’s always the chance that both teams stick to the run to avoid injuries, I’m expecting fireworks.
The Over has hit on this line in three of the last five Hall of Fame Games, so we’re backing that trend to continue.
How to Bet The Hall of Fame Game
Betting on the Hall of Fame Game is just like betting on a normal NFL game. Online sportsbooks will have standard lines like moneyline, spread and total. These bets are all straightforward and easy to understand for newer and casual bettors.
Beyond that, books will have a plethora of prop bets on markets like which team will score first, who will win the first half and what the winning margin will be. These bets are more nuanced and are aimed at serious football fans and sports bettors.
Bettors can combine multiple wagers from the game into a same-game parlay. These bets are riskier and less likely to hit, but they come with higher odds and payouts.
Remember that the Hall of Fame Game is an exhibition contest, so there isn’t much at stake for the players beyond personal pride. Furthermore, the game’s high substitution rate and dearth of stars make it more volatile and harder to predict than a regular-season game.
Accordingly, we recommend limiting your wagers to smaller unit sizes.
