Thursday Night Football Odds Week 3: Giants @ 49ers
The 49ers went from 7.5-point favorites to 10-point favorites against the Giants, who started out the season with a 40-0 blowout loss to the Cowboys before a historic comeback win vs. the Cardinals in Week 3. The 49ers have easily covered the spread in three of the last four times they were favored against the Giants.
The over/under total was also lowered over the last week from 49.5 to 44.5. However, in four of their last five matchups dating back to 2014, these two teams have gone over the projected total.
🎁 MORE: Best Promo Codes & Bonus Codes in Kentucky
TNF Betting Odds: 2023 Schedule Breakdown
It's another very exciting slate of Thursday Night Football matchups. Below we compare the best vs. the worst TNF games to bet on:
Best TNF Matchups Based On Betting Odds
Bengals @ Ravens
These two teams have won the AFC North in four of the last five seasons, so this game will likely be important for both division and playoff standings. Could it have a real impact on the No. 1 seed in the AFC as well? We'll know by this point in the season how the new-look Lamar Jackson-led Ravens offense looks with new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
49ers @ Seahawks
Geno Smith's Seattle Seahawks were one of the NFL's surprise teams last season and lost to the 49ers in the playoffs. With the Rams starting a youth movement and the Cardinals rebuilding, these are likely to be the NFC West's top two teams. Will Brock Purdy recreate last year's magic?
Note: This game is being played on Thanksgiving, technically not under the traditional Thursday Night Football branding.
Worst TNF Matchups Based On Betting Odds
Bucs @ Bills
The Bills should be a Super Bowl contender. The Bucs should be a disaster. The only double-digit spread of the TNF season makes this a little interesting, but Buffalo will probably be able to name its score. Kyle Trask may be starting by this point in the season for Tampa Bay.
🔥 MORE: Latest Super Bowl Odds
Titans @ Steelers
No offense to the Titans and Steelers, they just don't tend to play very exciting games. A lot of running, a lot of inconsistent quarterback play from Kenny Pickett and Ryan Tannehill or Will Levis is likely. And it will probably come down to a late field goal.
Saints @ Rams
A rematch of the extremely controversial 2019 NFC Championship Game, this one will likely be far less interesting. The Rams are rebuilding and it's highly unlikely they'll be in playoff contention at this point, while the Saints will probably be on their way to the playoffs (they're favored in 14 games this season) due to an easy schedule and weak NFC South.
2023 Thursday Night Football Schedule
Mobile Kentucky sports betting apps are launching the same day as Week 4's TNF matchup. Check out the latest odds for every game below.
*Weeks marked with an asterisk are subject to flex scheduling.
In Week 10, No. 1 pick Bryce Young gets to duel with Justin Fields and the Bears, who traded away the top pick and chance to draft Young.
How To Bet On Thursday Night Football Odds
There are a variety of ways to bet on Thursday Night Football, from spread to moneyline to total. There are also player props and live wagers, which allow bettors the ability to bet anytime during a game.
🔥 MORE: Bet TNF Odds with BetMGM Sportsbook in Kentucky
Thursday Night Football Live Betting
Live betting is an exciting way to bet TNF because there is always an option for another bet. Bettors also can use information learned from watching the game to make a more informed wager, or react to an injury that takes place.
🔥 MORE: Live Bet TNF with FanDuel Sportsbook in Kentucky
Bet the TNF Moneyline
Betting on the TNF moneyline means that bettors are wagering simply on which team will win the game. Given the wide range of outcomes for teams on Thursday Night Football with travel, previous opponents, etc., betting on the moneyline can be a good way to make a simple bet.
🔥 MORE: Bet TNF Moneyline with Caesars Sportsbook in Kentucky
Bet the TNF Spread
Betting on the spread on Thursday Night Football is the most popular way that bettors like to wager on the game. Given the wider variety of outcomes of TNF games (versus Sunday or Monday night games), the spread is another good way to bet on the game. The highest-scoring TNF game ever was the Rams beating the 49ers 41-39 in Week 3 of the 2017 season.
🔥 MORE: Bet TNF Spread with DraftKings Sportsbook in Kentucky
TNF Props
There are a wide variety of available Thursday Night Football prop bets, ranging from alternate spreads to player props. Since Thursday night games are separated from the rest of the week, operators offer more markets because there will more betting action on the game. There have been more player props put forth in recent seasons.
🔥 MORE: Bet TNF Props with ESPN BET Sportsbook in Kentucky (formerly Barstool Sportsbook)
TNF Parlays
There are many ways to build parlays around TNF. Parlay wagers are a series of bets which all must win in order for the bet to cash. They can offer a higher payout if the game goes according to the script a bettor believes.
In other words, if in a Lions-Chiefs game, a bettor thinks it's going to be a high-scoring game and Patrick Mahomes will throw for a bunch of yards, he/she can parlay the game total OVER, Chiefs to cover and Mahomes to go OVER his passing yardage prop.
🔥 MORE: Bet TNF Parlays with bet365 Sportsbook in Kentucky
Historical TNF Betting Trends
Just like teams have less time to prep before taking the field on Thursday nights, Kentucky bettors will also have less time to research and place bets. Here are some important factors to remember when betting on Thursday Night Football odds.
TNF Betting Tips
Before placing bets on Thursday Night Football, be sure to do your research. Unders went 11-6 in TNF in 2023, while road teams went 10-7. Be sure to pay attention to injury reports, as players have far less time to recover from the previous weekend's games
No. 1: Do your research
Thursday Night Football is a different handicap than the rest of the week's games. Bettors need to research when/where teams previously played, if they're coming off a bye, potential injuries and more.
No. 2: Monitor the injury report
With only four days before a game instead of seven, there is much less time for players to recover. Players injured the previous Sunday and questionable, or worse, heading into Thursday are a lot less likely to play in a TNF game.
No. 3: When in doubt, lean under
With the reduced rest, players still recovering from last Sunday's games and decreased time to prepare and execute game plans, TNF games can be tough to watch—and low-scoring. Unders were 11-6 last season, including games of 19-3, 12-7 and 12-9.
TNF Most Memorable Games in NFL History
Playing in primetime always raises the stakes in the NFL. Let's take a look back at some of the best Thursday night matchups we've seen in recent memory.
Week 13, 2015: Packers 27, Lions 23
Lions fans, avert your eyes. Green Bay trailed 17-0 in the first quarter and was down 20-0 before Aaron Rodgers led a furious comeback. Rodgers' famous 61-yard looping Hail Mary TD to Richard Rodgers as time expired capped off the all-time classic.
Week 3, 2017: Rams 41, 49ers 39
Jared Goff threw for 292 yards and three TDs, while workhorse running back Todd Gurley II carried the load with 113 yards rushing and two TDs. Both teams had over 420 yards of total offense, as the 49ers came back from down 15 in the fourth quarter, but missed a two-point conversion with just over two minutes left in the game that would've tied it.
This was the highest-scoring game in TNF history.
Week 15, 2018: Chargers 29, Chiefs 28
Down 28-14 in the fourth quarter, it seemed like Patrick Mahomes & Co. were on their way to another win. Instead, Philip Rivers led the Chargers on two TD drives in the fourth-quarter, including one with 4 seconds remaining. Instead of kicking the extra point, the Chargers went for two ... and converted, leading to a 29-28 win. Both teams came into the game 11-3, so it was a big-time matchup.
How To Watch Thursday Night Football in 2023
Thursday Night Football will be available on Prime Video primarily at 8:15 p.m. ET every week, along with NBC for some games. Games are also available with an NFL+ subscription.
Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit will announce TNF for the second straight year.
Final Word on 2023 TNF Odds
Thursday Night Football is the first opportunity each week to bet on the NFL! With expanded legalization of sports betting in the U.S., sportsbooks are offering more spread, moneyline, total and player props on TNF than ever before, which means more opportunities for bettors to win. Be sure to do your research before wagering, and have fun!
Thursday Night Football Odds FAQs
The 49ers are favored to win Thursday Night Football in Week 3 vs. the Giants on Sept. 21. The Niners are 10-point favorites after their 2-0 start to the season. The Giants also announced RB Saquon Barkley is OUT for this matchup.
You can bet on Thursday Night Football at any legal sportsbook in a variety of U.S. states, including wagering on the spread, total and moneyline, along with player props. BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, bet365, Circa Sports and ESPN BET have all applied for sports betting licenses in Kentucky.
In the last five seasons, the home team has won 35 of 67 TNF games (not including Thanksgiving or Kickoff games), a win percentage of just over 52%. The most successful season in the last five years for home teams on TNF was 2018, when they went 10-3.
The NFL team with the most Thursday Night Football wins since TNF began in 2006 has been the Indianapolis Colts with 12 all-time wins. The Cowboys rank second with 11 wins and are also the winningest team on Thursdays overall. The Ravens come in third with 10 wins.
You can watch Thursday Night Football on Prime Video starting at 8:15 p.m. ET every week from Weeks 2 through 17 this season. Thursday Night Football games are also available with NFL+ subscriptions. Al Michaels & Kirk Herbstreit will announce TNF for the second straight year.
The highest-scoring NFL game in Thursday Night Football history was in Week 3 of the 2017 season when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 41-39. Robert Woods & Sammy Watkins combined for 200+ receiving yards and 2 TDs.
Author
Shannon Lane is a commercial editor for Gambling.com Group overseeing BetKentucky.com. She's spent the last decade working in sports media, including at NFL Media in digital content programming and strategy, and as a reporter and fact-checker at Sports Illustrated. She graduated from Northwestern University with a concentration in journalism where she covered football, lacrosse, basketball and volleyball.
