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Best NFL Teaser Bets Week 9: Basic Strategy Teasers

by Mike Allen - 10/31/2025

Best NFL teaser bets Week 9 Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs

Betting on the NFL is a way for us to make the sport we love that much more interesting, and hopefully, we make some money while we're at it. Maybe we break even over the years and begin to worry that perhaps we're failing at this, but to the contrary, if you can say you've been betting on sports for years and you're not down money, then smile. Gratitude lowers cortisol.

For some of us, though, we want to win. We refuse to accept mediocrity. There aren’t many of us, and that’s why the sportsbooks will always be in business.

So, we’ve talked a big game, but consistently winning more bets than you lose on NFL point spreads and totals at roughly (-110) betting odds from week to week is far easier said than done.

For example, I’m 15-10 on primetime games this year, which is solid, but it’s so close to barely making anything at all. If I were 13-12, I would be down money, in the red.

There are ways to make the parity of the NFL and the efficiency of the betting lines work for us, though, instead of against us.

We can use teasers to boost our return on investment (ROI) because keeping it high with only point spreads and totals is very challenging.

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 can move the betting line in their favor. The sportsbooks, of course, will adjust the payout. We have a well-researched and replicated strategy for betting teasers, thankfully, because without it, these bets can easily get out of hand.

What is a Basic Strategy Teaser?

The basic strategy is to tease through the key numbers of 3 and 7. These are the two most likely point differentials in a given NFL game. We look for betting favorites with odds of (-7.5) to (-8.5) and tease them down to favorites under a field goal of (-1.5) to (-2.5).

Inversely, if we want to tease an underdog, we take them up through 3 and 7 from (+1.5) to (+2.5) to dogs of more than a touchdown at (+7.5) to (+8..5).

Potential Week 9 NFL Teaser Games

Chicago Bears (-2.5) at Cincinnati Bengals (+2.5) Total: 51

This game is a good example of one we should pass on. Joe Flacco and Trey Hendrickson are questionable for Cincinnati. If they're ruled out, this line will move past 3 points, rendering it not applicable for a basic strategy teaser.

Denver Broncos (+1.5) at Houston Texans (-1.5) Total: 39.5

Okay, things are looking better here. Low point totals are definitely a good sign because it means our 6 points go farther. The betting odds say this game is 20-17. It's hard to imagine the Texans winning this one by more than 7 points.

The offense is starting to turn it around for Houston, but the Denver Broncos haven’t shown any sign of slowing down.

They don’t lose by much, either. Going back to Bo Nix’s first start, he’s only lost by more than one score one time, and that came against a healthy, hungry 2024 Ravens team.

Kansas City Chiefs (-1.5) at Buffalo Bills (+1.5) Total: 52.5

We get Josh Allen as more than a touchdown favorite at home? Under Allen, the Bills have lost 4 home games by a combined 11 points since 2021. That said, this total is super high, and the last thing I want to do is get in front of the Chiefs right now.

Arizona Cardinals (+2.5) at Dallas Cowboys (-2.5) Total: 54

Okay, I don't like the total as high as it is, but I love the spot for Arizona this week. I like them to win the game outright. Kyler Murray knows he needs to show up for four quarters against the worst defense in the league to keep his job. I believe that's what he will do.

The Cardinals will probably be overvalued next week because of it, so keep that in mind.

Pick: Arizona Cardinals (+8.5) and Denver Broncos (+7.5): -120

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