The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers will lift the curtain on the NFL campaign in the annual Hall of Fame Game on Thursday evening in Canton, Ohio.
The Panthers are slight 1.5-point favorites, but odds move quickly in the preseason, so keep an eye on the sportsbooks to see where this line is headed.
With the Hall of Fame Game upon us, this is a great time to get up to speed on how to bet on the NFL preseason.
Discover how to place bets on the Hall of Fame Game and check out the best sportsbook promotions and offers for Thursday’s football curtain-raiser.
2026 Hall of Fame Game odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Cardinals | +1.5 (-118) |
| Panthers | -1.5 (-102) |
How to bet on the NFL preseason
The betting market for the NFL preseason operates the same as the regular season; however, it does require a different approach.
In the regular season, bettors, fans, and pundits are familiar with the lineups, and we know who is going to play, for the most part, but that’s not the case in the preseason.
Coaches rotate their roster heavily in the preseason, and several key players sit out multiple games. Knowing who is going to get playing time is critical in helping guide your decisions.
Moneyline
The simplest bet on the board. This wager requires the bettor to pick the winner, and odds are assigned to each outcome.
For example, Arizona is a -120 favorite to win on Thursday. That means you’d need to bet $12 to win $10 on the Cardinals. Conversely, the Panthers are +100 to win. That means a $10 bet would net you $10 if Carolina comes out on top.
Spread
The spread is the projected margin of victory assigned by bookmakers. It’s essentially used to level the playing field between two teams.
The spread for the Hall of Fame Game is Panthers -1.5, meaning Carolina is a 1.5-point favorite.
If you bet Carolina to cover the spread, they’d need to win by at least two points.
If you bet Arizona to cover, you need the Cardinals to win outright or lose by one point.
Over/Under
Also known as the total, this is a projection by the sportsbooks on how many points will be scored by both teams in a given game. Example: If the final score is Panthers 10, Cardinals 7, the total is 17.
The total for the Hall of Fame Game is set at 35.5 points.
If you bet the Over and 35 or fewer points are scored, you lose your bet. If 36 or more combined points are scored, you’d win.
Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps
- Check out the best sports betting sites and apps
Best sportsbook promos to use for the NFL preseason
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Best prediction markets and promos for the Hall of Fame Game
The growing options of prediction markets also provide additional opportunities to place trades on the Cup.
- New users at Kalshi can secure a trade $25, get $500 bonus when they create a new account.
- Polymarket is offering a deposit of $10, get $20 worth of trades promotion.
- Those who make any trade on FanDuel Predicts can score a Sign Up & Unlock Your Offer.
- Rising platforms Novig and Prophet X also have enticing welcome bonuses
- Novig: Spend $25, Get $50 in Novig Coins
- Prophet X: Trade $10, Get $20!
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
