While no one will ever be accused of comparing the NFL Hall of Fame Game to the Super Bowl, the preseason opener always brings some much-anticipated betting enthusiasm.
The Hall of Fame Game represents the official return of NFL football, regardless of how meaningless the results are or how unprofessional the effort may seem.
Let’s be truthful: Most of us bettors are excited about Thursday’s game between the Raiders and Jaguars and most of us will bet it. With that in mind, why not make our best effort to win some money — aided by historical game information that might tip the scales as to which team wins, which team covers and which way the total winds up.
In Point Spread Weekly, out Wednesday for subscribers, the chart that accompanies this report details HOF Game results since 2000, complete with betting lines and totals. Note the three games that were not played: 2020 due to COVID-19, 2016 due to poor field conditions and 2011 because of the lockout. Also, keep in mind that these games are played in Canton, Ohio, on a neutral field, which is one of the reasons the average game line is so small. Starters often play no more than a single offensive series, resulting in lower totals.