How to Bet NFL Week 2: The Smart Way to Spend $100 This Week

After a thrilling opening week, our guide on how to bet NFL Week 2 focuses on the best ways to managing your bankroll and not chase losses ahead of a loaded slate.

My NFL picks for Week 2 focus on the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams in a strong teaser spot while also betting on a bounce-back performance from quarterback Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals' offense.

Here is how I'd split up a $100 bankroll for Week 2. You can scale these picks to whatever your budget is for all of your NFL predictions for Week 2.

💵 NFL betting guide: Week 2

NFL expert picks for Week 2; check the latest NFL odds for the best odds.

Want to calculate these bets for your own budget? Check out our odds converter to determine the profit for any wager amount.

🪖 + 🐏 Patriots +7.5 + Rams +0.5 (6-point teaser) ($30)

The Miami Dolphins defense was non-existent in their 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, who scored on all seven of their possessions - the first team to score on every possession since 1978. We are getting a great number in the first leg of this 6-point teaser by moving the Patriots’ point spread from +1.5 to +7.5 against those lowly Dolphins.

The second leg of this teaser is essentially a moneyline play on the Rams on the road against the Tennessee Titans (even though we would oddly still cash this play if these teams tie).

If this game turns into a rockfight like we saw in Week 1, the Rams are the most adept team at winning defensive struggles. Los Angeles is 3-1 since the start of last season when scoring 14 or fewer points - the only team with multiple wins in that scenario in that span.

A $30 winning wager at these -125 odds via Caesars would return $24 in profits with a 55.56% implied probability.

⬆️ Bengals team total Over 26.5 ($25)

The Bengals became the first team since 1995 to win a game with fewer than 10 total yards in the second half. But I am chalking up Cincinnati’s surprisingly poor offensive performance to the familiarity of facing a divisional opponent, as the Cleveland Browns are well-versed in the Bengals’ tendencies.

Entering this season, the Bengals had averaged 22.1 points per game through the first five weeks of the season over the last three years, which ballooned to a 26.4 points per game average from Week 6 on. Cincinnati tried to jump-start its offense sooner by playing Burrow in the preseason when it had held him out in the past, and I expect it to reap the rewards of that decision as early as this week in its home opener.

The implied probability for this wager is as high as 56.52% through -130 odds on the high end of the market. But we are getting a much better return through DraftKings’ -112 odds, as a $25 winning wager would return $22.32 in profits.

⬇️ Bills-Jets Under 45.5 ($20)

The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets combined for 73 points in their respective Week 1 games, with each ranking in the top five in the league in scoring. But I am buying Buffalo’s defensive resurgence in the fourth quarter of last week’s win, especially against a Jets team that also features a mobile quarterback.

The Bills held the Ravens to 87 yards and three first downs in the fourth quarter last week, while Lamar Jackson went 2-for-4 for 15 yards and 32 rushing yards over the final 15 minutes. In addition, while Bills quarterback Josh Allen had 100 passing yards and a rushing touchdown in the last four minutes alone to leapfrog Jackson in the NFL MVP odds, the Bills will likely not need a hurry-up offense late if they are winning comfortably.

I am betting this Under at DraftKings, the only one of our best sports betting sites charging less than -110 odds for that side of the total. DraftKings features -108 odds at a 51.92% implied probability that would pay out $18.52 on a winning $10 wager – slightly better than the $18.18 return at -110 odds.

🟣 Vikings ML + Under 45.5 ($10)

The Minnesota Vikings were a dominant home team last year, winning seven of their eight games at U.S. Bank Stadium. I am foregoing their 5-point spread in favor of their moneyline given their rest disadvantage this week, even though they won and covered their only game in that split last year.

The Atlanta Falcons are just 1-3 with Michael Penix Jr. as their starting quarterback. The second-year signal caller did finish last week with a career high in attempts and completions, but he is still a very inexperienced quarterback - which doesn't bode well going up against a Brian Flores-led defense.

I am betting this parlay at FanDuel, the only sportsbook with Minnesota’s moneyline odds shorter than -225. It is also one of the only shops that remained at an O/U of 45.5 (others dipped to 45) while keeping the standard -110 juice on both sides of the total. The combined parlay odds of +172 would turn a $10 wager into a $17.20 profit with an implied probability of 36.76%.

🌵 Kyler Murray anytime touchdown scorer ($10)

The 30.30% implied probability for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to score a touchdown is great value given how porous of a run-stopping unit he'll face against the Carolina Panthers - the second team in the Super Bowl era to allow 200 or more rushing yards in seven straight games.

The Cardinals’ offensive line ranked 16th in Pass Block Win Rate last season and just allowed five sacks in Week 1, so Murray has been known to scramble often. Murray was responsible for seven of the team’s 27 carries last week, so it is not a given that running back James Conner will get the ball in goal-to-go situations.

The best return on this $10 wager comes from bet365. Through its +230 odds, a winning $10 wager would net $23 in profits.

🚀 Jalen Hurts 45+ rushing yards and rushing TD in 1H ($5)

We will always look to a sort of “home run” play to use our remaining $5 of our $100 budget on. This wager would return more than seven times our initial stake in profits ($37.50) and is absolutely feasible for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who ran for 62 yards and two touchdowns last week.

Last year, Hurts led the first Super Bowl-winning team to rush for more touchdowns than it threw for in a season since the 1995 Dallas Cowboys. And in last year’s Super Bowl win over this week’s opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs, Hurts became the first quarterback with 50-plus rushing yards in multiple Super Bowls and second to lead both teams in rushing in a title game.

While the rushing touchdown portion of this wager seems easy after he led all quarterbacks with 14 rushing touchdowns last season, we are just 45 first-half rushing yards away from a big payday through these +750 odds at DraftKings.

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