Football is a beautiful thing, and the ability to gamble on football year round is even more beautiful! I say that because, after the NFL schedule release back on May 15, the various sports books, online as well as brick and mortar books, had spreads out on the 18 weeks of the NFL season within minutes. The process of scouring through them, for Texan fans in years past, had been quite cathartic. This year, it’s way more fun.
The Houston Texans are on the short list of teams competing for a chance at a Super Bowl ring in 2024, and thus, even against a very difficult schedule, they’re favored far more often than not in 2024. Courtesy of the Sports Gambling Podcast, here are the betting spreads for all 17 Houston Texan games in 2024:
WEEK 1: at Indianapolis -1.5
WEEK 2: vs Chicago -3
WEEK 3: at Minnesota -3.5
WEEK 4: vs Jacksonville -3.5
WEEK 5: vs Buffalo -1.5
WEEK 6: at New England -4.5
WEEK 7: at Green Bay +2.5
WEEK 8: vs Indianapolis -4
WEEK 9: at New York Jets +3
WEEK 10: vs Detroit -1
WEEK 11: at Dallas +3
WEEK 12: vs Tennessee -6
WEEK 13: at Jacksonville +1
WEEK 14: BYE
WEEK 15: vs Miami -2.5
WEEK 16: at Kansas City +4.5
WEEK 17: vs Baltimore +1.5
WEEK 18: at Tennessee -3
A few noteworthy things about this calendar of Texans betting information:
If you liked the drama of 2023, you’re gonna love 2024
In 2023, the Texans had ten games come down to the final minute, including several that came down to the final gun. They finished 7-3 in these games. In 2024, the biggest spread on any Texans game is the Week 12 home game against Tennessee, with the Texans a 6 point favorite. The biggest spread in which the Texans are not favored is Week 16 in Kansas City, a 4.5 point spread. In other words, the oddsmakers see the Texans playing a BUNCH of close ones again. Eleven of the 17 games have a spread of a field goal (three points) or less.
The Texans are set up for a fast start
We know how difficult the back end of the schedule is for the Texans, with five of their final nine games played on standalone, national broadcasts, including three prime time games in a row, in Weeks 9 through 11. It makes it all the more imperative that the Texans get off to a fast start, and to that end, they are currently favored in seven of their first eight games, although only by an average of around 2.5 points.
Here are my three best bets, as of May 23
So if they’re going to give us spreads on which to bet, then I must bet a few of them, right? I mean, that’s what they’re there for! So here are my three best bets, with these current spreads:
Week 2: TEXANS -3 vs CHI
This will be Bears rookie QB Caleb Williams’ first road game, and the Texans’ first true prime time home game since 2019. (I don’t count the mandated Thursday night games the league gave each team prior to 2023.) The atmosphere should be electric.
Week 6: TEXANS -4.5 at NE
I think the Patriots have a fantastic shot at being the worst team in football. I know the Texans rode a rookie QB and first time head coach to a magical joy ride last year, but Drake Maye ain’t C.J. Stroud, and Jerod Mayo ain’t DeMeco Ryans.
Week 9: TEXANS +3 at NYJ
The Texans went up to New York and laid an egg last season. I think they’ll remember that, and get the outright win on Halloween night on their first game on Amazon Prime.
Overall, the Texans are favored in 11 of their 17 games, just two calendar years after being favored in exactly zero games heading into the 2022 season. They’ve come a long way!
Listen to Sean Pendergast on SportsRadio 610 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. weekdays. Also, follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/SeanTPendergast, on Instagram at instagram.com/sean.pendergast, and like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SeanTPendergast.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
