Detroit Must-Watch Games: Key Matchups for Your Lions Betting Picks

Previous Betting News

The hype is off the charts for the Detroit Lions, who are the only NFC team to never reach the Super Bowl and haven’t won a division title since the early 1990s. It seemed like things were more of the same last year with Detroit getting off to a 1-6 start but the Lions got hot and lost only twice more – nearly earning a playoff spot.

Detroit Lions: Top Games to Bet in Regular Season Week 1-4 | NFL Lines by MyBookie

NFL Regular Season: September 7, 2023 – January 7, 2024

Sportsbooks are taking more money on the Lions to win the NFC North this year than any team is to win any other division in the league. This is the first time the Lions have ever entered a season favored to win the NFC North (since 2002).

Dan Campbell is the favorite for NFL Coach of the Year and also taking huge action there. The Lions are also sudden TV darlings, with five different prime-time games scheduled for 2023, including the season opener against the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs.

The offense should be stellar with a resurgent Jared Goff, a new backfield of David Montgomery and rookie Jahymr Gibbs, two excellent young receivers in Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown and one of the league’s best offensive lines.

“I think as always, the thing that’s gonna worry you is the hype train,” Campbell said recently about all the expectations. “I mean, as with most coaches, this thing is just taking off and it’s out of control right now and that’s fine, as long as we stay focused on the job at hand and the work. I just keep going back to that. We’ve got to put the work in and earn it.”

Do note that Williams is suspended the first six games for mobile betting that occurred at the Lions’ Allen Park facility. That’s now allowed by the NFL even though Williams didn’t bet on the league. He was eligible to participate in all offseason and preseason activities, including preseason games, before the suspension takes effect at the final roster cutdown. Alas, Williams got hurt in Wednesday’s practice so now he’s done for the preseason. St. Brown also got hurt and won’t play in this week’s preseason game but otherwise is fine.

Detroit’s success likely will come down to the defense, which was terrible in 2023 but the team largely focused on that side of the ball in free agency and the draft. Second-year end Aidan Hutchinson could take a leap to superstardom. Hutchinson was the best rookie defensive end among three top-five draft picks at the position. If his 2022 season (53 pressures, 9 1/2 sacks, three interceptions) was his floor, he’s going to be a star.

Here are the Lions’ first four games and their NFL odds in them.

Chiefs (+6.5)

Week 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
When: Thursday, September 7, 8:20pm ET
TV/Streaming: NBC

Detroit plays in the annual season-opening Kickoff Game for the first time and we sure will find out right away if that Lions defense is better when it sees Patrick Mahomes & Co. Under Dan Campbell, the Lions are 23-11 ATS, tied with the Cowboys for the best mark in the NFL over that span. This marks the second time the Lions have opened their season against the defending Super Bowl champions, with their only other occurrence coming in 1967 against the Green Bay Packers, who were coming off a victory in Super Bowl I.

Bet Lions vs Chiefs to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Seattle (-3)

Week 2 Ford Field, Detroit, MI
When: Sunday, September 17, 1:00pm ET
TV/Streaming: FOX

It’s Detroit’s most anticipated home opener in years. The Lions are eyeing double payback here. First off, Detroit lost at home to Seattle in Week 4 last year, 48-45, in one of the wild games of the year. Jared Goff’s fourth touchdown pass went to Justin Jackson with 1:06 left, cutting the deficit to three once again. The Lions’ comeback hopes ended when Seattle recovered the onside kick and Rashaad Penny’s run converted a third-and-5 in their territory. Jamaal Williams ran 19 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit but is now with the Saints. In Week 18, had Seattle lost earlier in the day to the Rams, the Lions would have been the NFC’s final wild card team with their upset of Green Bay later that night.

Bet Lions vs Seahawks to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Falcons (-5)

Week 3 Ford Field, Detroit, MI
When: Sunday, September 24, 1:00pm ET
TV/Streaming: FOX

Atlanta is a solid team but in the midst of a rebuild. Might be a bit of a letdown game for Detroit after playing back-to-back playoff teams in Seattle and Kansas City. The teams last met in Week 16 of the 2021 season and the Falcons won 20-16 at home. The starting QBs that day were Tim Boyle for Detroit and Matt Ryan for Atlanta and both are long gone. The Lions have won the past three at home in the series and should make it four even if they don’t cover.

Bet Lions vs Falcons to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Packers (-1)

Week 4 at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
When: Sunday, October 1, 8:15pm ET
TV/Streaming: Prime Video

Thursday night game. The first division game of the year, and the Lions have to be thrilled they are visiting Green Bay this early instead of when it would be brutally cold. Of course, the Aaron Rodgers era with the Packers ended in Week 18 last year when Detroit was a shocking 20-16 winner. Kerby Joseph picked off Rodgers on his final Green Bay pass. Even with that: Including a 1994 playoff victory, the Packers are 28-4 against the Lions in the state of Wisconsin since 1992.

Bet Lions vs Packers to Win Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

Bet NFL Lines
MyBookie Odds for the Games