For the first time this season, the betting odds NFL have begun to size up some Saturday matchups. Since the college football betting regular season is under wrap, the NFL is looking to snag up those extra TV slots. For this reason, sports betting websites have thrown together some great action for this upcoming Saturday matchup. Let’s take a look at the lines NFL bookmakers have put out for the Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions pairing.
Betting Chicago
The Bears have slumped their way to a 4-9 record that ranks Chicago dead last in the NFC North. It’s been a while since the Bears have delivered a winning season, and it’s too late for them to turn 2017 around. This past weekend, with a 33-7 bombshell upset over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Bears were able to snap a 5-game losing streak. However, despite how impressive that win was, there’s no reason to expect the Bears to upset the Lions this Sunday. The Bears recently suffered a 27-24 loss to the Lions. And although they were competitive in that matchup, they did have the home field advantage. Take that away, and Matt Stafford and the Lions should have no problem running the scoreboard up on the Bears.
US online sportsbook players looking to bet on this matchup should consider wagering on the spread. Since the money line hasn’t come out around most sites, the spread offers the best prediction modes. At the current time, it looks like most NFL betting sites are leading towards a -260 favoritism towards Detroit. Backing the Lions on the spread gives bettors a much better payout. The Lions have a 6-6-1 record against the spread this season, which doesn’t offer a whole lot of confidence. The Bears are 7-5-1 ATS, so Chicago might be the better option on the spread line.
Betting Detroit
The Lions enter this matchup pegged as the US online sportsbook betting favorites. Additionally, Detroit enters this Saturday evening pairing with a 7-6 record that ranks the franchise 2nd in the NFC North. With the 10-3 Vikings currently leading the division, the Lions don’t have much hope for a division title. However, Detroit is still very much alive in the Wild Card race. The Lions will need to put their best foot forward to accomplish that, something they weren’t able to do last season. Top sportsbook sites have no problem recalling what happened at the end of the 2016 season. The Lions had the lead in the North and needed to win a game to claim the divisional title. Instead, Detroit finished the year out on a 3-game losing streak. This might lead bettors to wager against the Lions this Sunday. But that would be ill-advised, considering just how poor of a team the Bears are at the moment.
Considering the statistical advantages that the Lions have over the Bears, Detroit shouldn’t have much of a problem getting the job done this weekend. The Lions have the 5th best scoring offense in the NFL, and the 4th best passing attack. The Bears aren’t nearly as impressive as they rank 29th in scoring, 30th in total offense, and dead last through the air.
US Online Sportsbook Betting Lines:
Chicago Bears +5½ (-110) 44 (-115)
Detroit Lions -5½ (-110) 44 (-105)
Coming to a football field near you.#DaBears pic.twitter.com/1IBSiXqPic
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 12, 2017
