HOF game

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Tyler Everett

By Tyler Everett

Sports Betting Editor

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The 2024 NFL preseason gets underway with an intriguing matchup between the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears on Thursday, August 1.

The battle between 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud and the preseason favorite for 2024 OROY, Chicago QB Caleb Williams, kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

Unfortunately for fans hoping for their first glimpse of Williams in action, neither team is expected to play many of their starters much, if at all. That's always the case for the NFL's annual preseason opener in Canton, but the Texans and Bears have added motivation to keep their starters on the sidelines on Thursday because they meet in Week 2 of the regular season.

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Still, there are plenty of betting options for football fans eager to place their first wagers since Super Bowl 58 last February.

Texans vs. Bears Preseason Betting Odds

The Texans are slight favorites in Thursday's matchup, with most sportsbooks setting the spread at Houston -1.5

Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears Spread Odds

Houston Texans vs. Chicago Bears Moneyline Odds

The Over/Under is set at just 31 at BetMGM (Over -110; Under -110); 31.5 at DraftKings (Over -115; Under -105). Like DK, FanDuel lists the number at 31.5, while bet365 is aligned with BetMGM with the total at 31.

Texans vs. Bears Betting Analysis

Betting on an exhibition game is always a challenge, and things are typically even less predictable in the annual NFL Hall of Fame Game to kick off the preseason.

While 30 of the NFL's 32 teams play three preseason games, and mostly stick to predictable amounts of playing time for their starters in their first, second, and third exhibitions, the HOF Game is a different beast, as both the Bears and Texans will play a total of four preseason games.

Because of that, the vast majority of the players that Houston and Chicago will rely on throughout the regular season will spend most -- if not all -- of Thursday night on the sidelines.

With both teams primarily using Thursday's game to evaluate their backups, the recent history of the annual NFL Hall of Fame Game is worth keeping in mind.

Recent NFL Hall of Fame Game History

Below are the results of the last six installments of the NFL Hall of Fame Game:

Note: the 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It's notable that in four of the last six NFL HOF games, the total reached at least 33 points, including 37 or higher in 2017, 2022 and 2023.

Each of the last four games featured at least one fourth-quarter TD, which is all the more reason to lean toward the over, even if the first two or three quarters of Texans-Bears might be low-scoring.

Texans vs. Bears Best Bets

Given the potential for fourth-quarter trips to the end zone by desperate QBs and WRs in hurry-up mode and matched up against backup defenders in the waning minutes, Over 31 (available at BetMGM, bet365) is the best play for Thursday's game.

For some reason, though, we've rarely seen both offenses come alive in the final quarter of the Hall of Fame Game. In four of the past five HOF Games, only one team scored in the fourth quarter.

That makes Both Teams to Score - 4th Quarter - No (-155 at DraftKings) a worthy play, even at that not-exactly-tempting price.

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