Best NFL Teaser Bets Week 1: Basic Strategy Teasers

by Mike Allen - 9/3/2025

Best NFL teaser bets Week 1 Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys

Just like that, we blinked and it’s Week 1 in the NFL. We got the earliest Labor Day possible. Summer’s over, ladies and gentlemen. There will be less sunshine and rainbows, of course, but more tailgates, crispy air, turkey legs, and hot chocolate.

Week 1 of the NFL regular season has several key matchups, including a Sunday night showdown in Buffalo between the Bills and Ravens. The Detroit Lions are 2.5-point dogs at Green Bay! From a fan’s perspective, as well as from a betting angle, your wagering options are about as endless as the Cheesecake Factory menu.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

What is a Teaser?

A teaser is a type of parlay wager where the bettor buys extra points from the sportsbook. In return, the books adjust the payouts accordingly. There are different kinds of teasers. We can do a 6-point teaser or even a 10-point teaser. We could also throw in 10 different legs if we wanted to. If only we had a basic strategy.

What is a Basic Strategy Teaser?

Enter the basic strategy teaser. It’s very simple. We tease only two teams, and we use a 6-point teaser. How do we know which teams to tease?

Our goal is to tease through not to the key numbers of 3 and 7. With a 6-point teaser, we identify betting favorites of (-7.5) to (-8.5) and tease them down to (-1.5) to (-2.5). If we're looking for an underdog to tease up, we search for odds ranging from (+1.5) to (+2.5). After giving this team 6 points, we will have betting underdogs of more than a touchdown at (+7.5) to (+8.5).

Potential Week 1 Teaser Games

Dallas Cowboys (+8) at Philadelphia Eagles (-8) Total: 47.5

I think everyone and their stepbrother wants to tease the Philadelphia Eagles down to just 2-point betting favorites. After Dallas traded away Micah Parsons, it's hard to make the argument here for Dallas to keep this one close against the defending Super Bowl Champions.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5) at New York Jets (+2.5) Total: 38.5

Sometimes it's better to let the math do the work for us. It's always better if we can choose a game with a low point total to tease because our 6 points go farther. They account for a higher percentage of the potential final score.

That said, I’m sure Aaron Rodgers will be locked in to potentially pour it on should this one start to get out of hand.

Las Vegas Raiders (+2.5) at New England Patriots (-2.5) Total: 43.5

I love the Raiders' running attack with rookie Ashton Jeanty. If they fall behind early, though, to Drake Maye's arm, the Pats could win by more than a touchdown. We have a relatively low point total, though, so perhaps we can revisit this one.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5) at Atlanta Falcons (+2.5) Total: 47.5

We have a divisional home underdog here, which is a good sign if we’re looking to play off the league’s parity. It is, however, a high point total.

Tennessee Titans (+8) at Denver Broncos (-8) Total: 42.5

We have a fairly low point total of 42.5, as well as a firm home favorite. We can tease down under a field goal. Good luck, Cam Ward, against potentially the best defense in the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers (-2.5) at Seattle Seahawks (+2.5) Total: 43

On paper, this would be a solid selection. Similar to the Atlanta vs. Tampa game, we have a divisional home underdog that we could tease up, and a total 4.5 points lower. There are just other games I like better. The Niners have a lot of frustration to take out.

Detroit Lions (+2.5) at Green Bay Packers (-2.5) Total: 47

Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions is lights out in Week 1 over his career, and this line is off. I understand the absence of Micah Parsons accounting for 2 points in the Cowboys game, but how much will he have learned in just a few days with the team?

Minnesota Vikings (-1.5) at Chicago Bears (+1.5) Total: 44.5

Lastly, we have another division matchup, and I want nothing to do with it. This will be in prime time on Monday night. The Bears could be drastically improved and organized under Ben Johnson.

What do we expect from the Vikings’ new quarterback, J.J. McCarthy?

NFL Week 1 Basic Strategy Teaser Betting Prediction

Denver Broncos (-2) + Detroit Lions (+8.5): -120

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Best NFL Teaser Bets Week 1: Basic Strategy Teasers

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