NFL Betting trends on Thanksgiving. It’s usually been a public winning day.
Since 2004, favorites on Thanksgiving are 43-8 straight up (SU) and 35-16 against the spread (ATS).
In that span, road favorites are 23-1 SU and 19-5 ATS on Thanksgiving with the only loss coming back in 2009, when the Giants lost to the
Broncos, 26-6.
Betting Thanksgiving in the past has been as easy as following the crowds.
- Favorites with 60%+ of tickets are 20-7 ATS
- Public sides (51%+ of tickets) are 30-17 ATS
- Public sides, who are favorites, are 27-12 ATS
Public sides are .500 ATS or better every year since 2014 and nine of the last 10 years.
+ The over/under for Bills-Lions is north of 50. Totals of at least 50 played on Thursday are 24-14-1 to the under over the last 20 years.
+ Bills road unders are 5-0 this season, going under by 10.8 PPG.
+ The Bills have played twice on Thanksgiving since 2019 with Josh Allen. They are 2-0 SU/ATS, covering by 17.8 PPG.
+ Allen is only 6-6-1 ATS on short rest in his career. He’s 32-23-4 ATS on seven days of rest or more.
- After an eight-point win over the Browns, Buffalo is 0-3-1 ATS in its last four games. Allen has never failed to cover five straight starts.
- Favorites of a TD or more are 12-23-1 ATS this season.
+ The biggest advantage in Buffalo? Might just be the Bills’ second half. Under Allen, they are 46-26-3 (64%) against the second half spread. Scared to ride Buffalo after they lead at the half? Don’t. The Bills are 29-14-1 (67%) against the second half spread when leading at the half.
Detroit’s Struggles on Thanksgiving…
+ Home underdogs are 2-26 SU on Thanksgiving since 2000 and 1-21 SU since ’05.
+ Lions are 3-18 SU, 7-14 ATS as a dog on Thanksgiving in Wild Card era (since 1990).
+ Lions have lost 15 consecutive games SU as an underdog on Thanksgiving.
+ Road favs vs Lions on Thanksgiving since 2005: 13-0 SU, 10-3 ATS covering by 9 PPG.
+ Lions last entered Thanksgiving on a 3-game win streak in 2017 (only other time since 2000).
Best of the Rest…
+ Lions have won three straight games SU for the first time since 2017. They haven’t won four straight SU since ’16.
+ Jared Goff is 2-0 ATS on short rest with the Lions. He’s started one game on Thanksgiving, a 16-14 loss, but covered (+2.5) vs. the Bears last year.
+ Goff is 2-8 ATS in his last 10 starts coming off a double-digit win.
+ The over is 7-3 in the last ten Lions games on Thanksgiving since 2012.
+ Since 2005, teams to win by double-digits the week before Thanksgiving are 18-9 ATS (7-1 ATS since ’16).
+ Giants and Cowboys are both 7-3 SU/ATS this season. This is the first matchup of teams with a 70%+ SU/ATS win percentage in November or later since Panthers/Packers back in 2015, and the only other time since ’12.
+ Giants are TD underdogs this week. In November or later, 70%+ win pct SU & ATS teams who are TD dogs are 10-7 ATS and 3-0 ATS over the last five years.
+ Giants have played twice on Thanksgiving in the last 20 years: 0-2 SU/ATS
+ Saquon Barkley is currently second in the NFL in rushing yards. He was 25-1 to lead the category before the season started.
- Giants are 5-1 SU and ATS as underdogs this season, with their only loss in their last game as a dog in Seattle.
+ Daniel Jones is 4-5 SU and 7-2 ATS on short rest. Since 2020, he’s 7-0 ATS on short rest, the most profitable QB in the NFL.
+ The under is 31-11-1 (74%) in Giants games since the start of the 2020 season, the most profitable team to the under.
+ Giants can go over their preseason win total with a win.
The Giants have been under their win total in five straight years and eight of the last nine, including 9-1-1 to the under since 2011. The streak of five to the under is the longest active streak for any over or under win total.
It’s Not Just A Lions Issue…
+ Dallas is 1-10 ATS in its last 11 Thanksgiving games.
+ Favorites on Thanksgiving Since 2005:
- Cowboys: 5-8 ATS
- All other teams: 28-8 ATS
+ Cowboys have lost five straight 1H ATS on Thanksgiving and they are 1-11 1H ATS on Thanksgiving since 2010.
+ Dak Prescott is just 4-8 ATS on short rest in his career, including 1-4 ATS on Thanksgiving.
Best of the Rest…
+ Over is 8-4 in last 12 Cowboys games on Thanksgiving since 2010.
+ Cowboys as TD or higher favorites on Thanksgiving: 9-1 SU, 7-3 ATS.
+ Cowboys are 10-1 SU, 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games vs. Giants.
+ This is the fifth time Bill Belichick has coached on Thanksgiving: 3-1 SU/ATS (3-0 SU/ATS since 2002).
Only been dog on Thanksgiving once: 2000, +6.5 at Lions, lost 34-9
+ Since 2003, Belichick is 29-15-1 ATS on short rest, including 5-4 ATS without Tom Brady in that spot.
+ Belichick has faced seven teams with a 75%+ win pct on short rest over the last decade: 6-1 SU, 5-2 ATS
+ Belichick ATS last 20 years by over/under:
- Under 40: 35-12-1 ATS (74.5%)
- Under 42: 53-24-2 ATS (68.8%)
- Under 45: 93-54-5 ATS (63.3%)
- 45+: 110-87-5 ATS (55.8%)
+ The Patriots defense has been stout, allowing three points in back-to-back weeks. In the last 20 years, New England is 27-10 ATS the week after allowing fewer than 7 points, including 8-3 ATS since 2018.
+ Patriots unders are 36-21 (63%) on the road dating back to 2016.
+ The Patriots have struggled in the first quarter. They have an NFL-low 15 points in the 1Q all season and the only team with no TDs.
+ Vikings are 3-1 SU/ATS on Thanksgiving over the last 25 years.
Kirk Cousins is 1-1 SU, 2-0 ATS on Thanksgiving in two starts.
- The first team to have a negative point differential with two or fewer losses at least 10 games into the season? The Vikings.
+ The Vikings are 8-2 SU, but have a negative point differential. In the last 15 years, Belichick has faced 11 teams in November or later who are above .500 SU, but have a negative point differential. Those teams are 1-9 SU and 0-10 ATS against the Patriots.
+ Vikings lost 40-3 in Week 11 against the Cowboys. In the last 20 years, teams to lose by 35 points or more are 72-42-5 ATS (63%). These teams are 48-24-4 ATS (67%) in November or later.
+ Vikings are 8-2 SU entering this game against the Patriots. Teams with a 75%+ win pct are 14-1 SU and 12-3 ATS on Thanksgiving since 2005.
+ Since 2015, Kirk Cousins is 33-17 ATS off a SU loss, the most profitable QB in the NFL in that spot.
+ Kirk Cousins at night: 10-18 SU, 11-17 ATS
- 3rd-least profitable on ML at night last 20 years (Stafford/Dalton)
- Ranked 187th of 193 QBs at night ATS
Thursday Night Football Unders:
- 23-16 since 2020 (6-5 this season).
- The under is 17-8 in the last 25 games on Thursday Night Football.
- Thanksgiving night unders are 11-4 (73%), with seven unders cashing in a row.
- On the other hand, the over has hit on TNF in four of the last five weeks.
Thanksgiving Betting Notes
Comebacks Are Rare! - Since 2005, teams who lead at the half on Thanksgiving are 30-16-1 ATS in the second half, including 15-6-1 ATS since 2014.
Pays to Fade The D - Dallas and Detroit are a combined 13-21 ATS on Thanksgiving since 2005.
Public Hates Detroit - Since 2005, the public has faded the Lions ATS 11 times on Thanksgiving (spread % of 51% or more on opponent) — DET is 0-11 SU in those games (2-9 ATS).
Favourites Domination - In the last 25 years, favorites of seven points or more on Thanksgiving are 24-2 SU and 22-4 ATS.
Superlatives - Most Profitable QB ATS on Thanksgiving Last 20 Years 2-0 ATS: Josh Allen, Kirk Cousins, Peyton Manning, Big Ben, Tom Brady
Most Profitable Teams ATS on Thanksgiving Last 20 Years
3-0 ATS: Dolphins
2-0 ATS: Bills, Patriots, Steelers
Divisional Unders: Late in the season, betting divisional unders have been profitable:
- Over/Under: 44.5 to 60
- Postseason or Regular
- Division game
$6,311 WON 228-153-5 RECORD 60%