This is going to be the grandest season of the National Football League ever. Bet on NFL season in Illinois with welcome bonuses by the best sportsbooks like BetMGM Sports, Caesars IL or use Pointsbet offer code.
NFL predictions
The NFL decided to go to a 17-game schedule in 2021, so you will get another week of regular season football, which means more chances to win money betting on the best odds with the sportsbooks of Illinois.
Tampa Bay came into the season as the defending Super Bowl champion, after the Buccaneers routed Super Bowl LIV champs Kansas City in February. Can Tom Brady become the first quarterback since Tom Brady to repeat?
Or will the two prior NFC champions, San Francisco and Los Angeles, get back to the big game? Can the Cleveland Browns’ rise continue under Baker Mayfield?
We shall see.
What to bet this season
I think that this could be a season where you see a lot of lines of a touchdown or more, especially once the first few games shake out which teams might be the surprises. There is a big divide between the teams at the top and the teams at the bottom.
You can make some money betting moneyline parlays with a few big favorites, and also move lines around to get them under a touchdown. One thing you have to watch now, though, is that with more extra points missed, that -6.5 or -6 line is not the same value it used to be when extra points were automatic.
Teams like Kansas City, the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco, and Tampa Bay could be big favorites most weeks. Houston, Detroit, and the New York Jets could struggle.
What can Illinois bettors expect from local teams?
Well, this is a bit of a mixed bag, especially since there are still pockets of fans from all over the Prairie State that support teams other than the Chicago Bears.
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We can start with the Bears, though, and there is some optimism now with this team that went 8-8 in 2020. Justin Fields is going to be the quarterback at some point, even though Andy Dalton starts the campaign under center. While Green Bay should win the NFC North pretty easily, the changing of the guard will come when Aaron Rodgers leaves the Packers after this season, and the Bears will be there to pounce. For 2021, though, I think a 9-8 season might be doable, and possibly a playoff spot, if everything works out well.
The teams around Illinois could all be in for big campaigns. The teams to the East and Southeast, Indianapolis and Tennessee, both have a shot to win the AFC South and maybe make runs in the playoffs. Of course, there are still pockets of support for the Los Angeles Rams, who left St. Louis (after leaving LA). Those fans might have the best season, as the Rams could be primed to win the Super Bowl after picking up Matthew Stafford to add to a phenomenal defense.