Data-backed NFL Bets: A top-down approach to beating the market in Week 1

Many NFL bettors start by looking at individual markets — like spreads, totals, teasers or props — and ask, “Which spread looks good?” or “What totals stand out this week?” This is a bottom-up approach, where you focus on specific bets first.

In this space, we’ll take a different approach. Each week, we’ll focus on one game and use a top-down strategy to break it down. This means starting with the bigger picture —how teams, players or trends are performing — and then finding the best ways to apply that information to different betting markets.

While some of our bets may focus on traditional markets, like spreads or totals, we’ll often explore other opportunities to maximize value in the betting markets offered by sportsbooks.