Steve Makinen Examines NFL Preseason Betting Patterns Ahead of 2026 Season

Steve Makinen has compiled extensive historical data on NFL preseason betting outcomes, drawing from recent seasons to identify recurring patterns across teams, and the review arrives as preparations intensify for August 2026 games. The analysis covers straight-up results, against-the-spread performance, and over/under totals while highlighting how these trends might shift under current conditions. Bettors encounter different dynamics this year because many clubs rest starters earlier than in prior campaigns, and betting lines often lack the sharpness seen during regular-season action.

Historical Team Tendencies in Preseason Markets

Buffalo stands out in the data with a 14-5-1 record on the over across recent preseasons, a streak that reflects consistent scoring outputs even when rotations occur. Chicago shows a 9-2-1 straight-up mark paired with a 10-2 ATS figure over the last four preseasons, indicating reliable results whether favored or receiving points. These figures come from aggregated box scores and closing-line data that Makinen reviewed across multiple years, and similar records appear for other clubs when broken down by venue and situation.

Overall trends reveal that certain franchises exceed totals more frequently on the road, while others perform better as underdogs in neutral-site settings. Home/road splits further refine the picture because travel and crowd factors influence scoring margins in ways that differ from regular-season patterns. Favorite versus underdog results add another layer, since teams that enter as short favorites sometimes fail to cover when backups take the field in later quarters.

Factors Shaping 2026 Preseason Approach

Resting starters creates the most noticeable change for 2026 because coaches now limit first-team repetitions to reduce injury risk before the regular season begins. Unfamiliar lines compound the challenge since oddsmakers adjust quickly to new personnel groupings and rule emphases, and this environment rewards bettors who track practice reports rather than relying solely on past totals. Makinen notes that situational spots such as divisional matchups or games following short weeks produce distinct outcomes compared with standard exhibition contests.

Team-by-team sections in the report separate overall records from home and road splits, then isolate performance in specific scenarios like back-to-back games or contests against non-conference opponents. The breakdowns also separate results when a team is favored versus when it receives points, allowing users to compare historical edges against current 2026 line movements. Data indicates that clubs with strong recent ATS marks continue to deliver value in certain venues even after roster turnover, while over/under tendencies remain tied to offensive-line continuity and defensive substitution patterns.

Applying the Data to Individual Matchups

Observers who follow the full report can cross-reference Buffalo's over trend with 2026 opponent strength and travel distance, and Chicago's dual success in straight-up and ATS categories appears most pronounced in home preseason games. Additional clubs receive similar treatment with tables that list four-year aggregates alongside yearly breakdowns, and these figures help isolate whether recent changes in coaching staffs or scheme have altered longstanding patterns. The analysis emphasizes that preseason lines often move less efficiently than regular-season markets, which creates opportunities when bettors combine historical tendencies with updated injury and participation reports.

Research from industry sources such as the American Gaming Association shows that preseason handle remains a smaller portion of total annual volume, yet the concentrated nature of the schedule allows trends to surface more clearly than in a 17-game regular season. Another perspective comes from academic work published by researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which examined how early-season rest policies affect scoring distributions across conferences. Together these resources support the value of granular historical review when constructing preseason positions.

Conclusion

Makinen's compilation supplies bettors with a structured reference that organizes four years of results into venue-specific, situation-specific, and role-specific categories. The data on Buffalo and Chicago, along with parallel entries for the rest of the league, illustrates how past performance can inform decisions even when 2026 conditions include greater starter rest and less familiar pricing. Users who integrate these records with real-time practice updates gain a framework for evaluating August contests without relying on assumptions carried over from regular-season betting.