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How To Bet On The Nfl Hall Of Fame Game: Strategy, Trends & Tips

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The first organized football game of the season each year is the NFL Hall of Fame Game, the opener for the league's preseason.

And while it's a game that tends to predominantly feature backups, rookies, and players fighting for roster spots, it's still football, and football is always worth betting on, which is why we're breaking down how to bet on the Hall of Fame Game.

Unlike the regular season, NFL preseason betting isn't about the stars of the gridiron, making your NFL Hall of Fame Game betting strategy all the more important.

Matchup: Panthers vs. Cardinals
Game date & time: Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026 | 8 p.m. ET
Location: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (Canton, Ohio)
Opening line: Panthers -1.5 | Cardinals +1.5

How to bet on the NFL Hall of Fame Game

The Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals kick off the NFL preseason this year, with the teams set to take the field at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET (NBC, Peacock).

To bet on the matchup, you can check out the latest Hall of Fame Game odds at our best betting sites and best prediction market sites and wager on everything from the spread to moneyline to Over/Unders. For this year's game, Carolina opened as and remains a 1.5-point betting favorite.

Given the uncertainty around how teams perform in preseason, especially the Hall of Fame Game, betting the moneyline tends to be the most popular way to wager on the NFL's exhibition games.

When you bet on the moneyline, you're picking a winner straight up, rather than worrying about a team covering the spread when the game inevitably features third- and fourth-string quarterbacks in the fourth quarter.

And while this year's preseason action starts with the NFL Hall of Fame Game, it doesn't end there, with an additional 48 exhibition games being played between Week 1 and Week 3 of the preseason (Aug. 13 to Aug. 29).

You can bet on every preseason game with odds for the moneyline, spread, Over/Under, and more available for every matchup.

NFL Hall of Fame Game betting trends

There are plenty of NFL preseason betting trends to consider before wagering on exhibition games, and that's especially true with the NFL Hall of Fame Game.

Sportsbooks often keep the spread between 1 and 3.5 points and the game total low due to limited starter impact, conservative play-calling, and more vanilla/digestible schemes for lineups consisting heavily of backups, fringe players, and rookies.

Recent history shows that there are several NFL Hall of Fame Game betting trends to weigh before betting:

Since 2013, underdogs are 8-2-1 ATS and 7-4 straight-up
The average winning margin since 2013 is 8.3 points
The Over is 4-0 in the last four Hall of Fame Games
The average combined game total of the last four Hall of Fame Games is 38.5

Expert strategy tips for betting Hall of Fame Game

When betting on both the Hall of Fame Game and the NFL preseason as a whole, it's important to monitor depth charts, backup quarterbacks, news/press conferences/training camp reports, and consider how new staffs (head coaches and coordinators) could impact the game.

Depth charts: Not every team approaches the NFL Hall of Fame Game (or preseason) the same way, with some teams being more willing to play starters/key backups for longer periods and some teams opting to avoid playing starters/key backups at all
Quarterbacks: With it being rare that starting QBs actually see the field in the Hall of Fame Game, advantages can be had when a team has more experienced or more dynamic QB depth; it's often the third- and fourth-string QBs playing the bulk of the snaps
News/press conferences/training camp reports: Being locked in on what coaches are saying and what beat reporters are reporting ahead of the Hall of Fame Game can potentially give you an edge. Maybe the backup quarterback is starting, but the coach has hinted he'll only play a few drives. Or perhaps a late-round rookie who's been shining in training camp is set to be unleashed in the game.
New coaching staff: With this being the very first game of the NFL preseason, it can be a significant adjustment for teams with new head coaches or coordinators, and greater staff continuity can be a significant advantage.

What is the NFL Hall of Fame Game?

The NFL Hall of Fame Game is unique in that it doesn't just begin the NFL preseason, but it's an extra exhibition game for those taking the field in Canton, Ohio, home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

This year's matchup marks the 61st game in league history. The game is held on the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies, and since 2017, it's been held on the Thursday before Hall of Fame inductions on the Saturday.

The game itself is like any other preseason game, but the teams playing in it are selected based on which players are being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame that year. The class of 2026 features former Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly and former Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, hence the selection of Carolina and Arizona for this year's matchup.

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Make smarter NFL bets with Covers. These guides dive into other ways you can bet on NFL action:

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