Five Thursday NFL Preseason games hit the board Aug 27. Here are the best spread and total parlay combinations with top odds.
Thursday Night National Football League Preseason Parlay Picks - August 27
Five National Football League Preseason matchups light up Thursday night, running from 8 PM ET all the way through to a late West Coast kickoff. With rosters still being trimmed and starters expected to see limited action, preseason betting is all about reading the lines smart - and tonight's slate offers some genuinely interesting spread and total opportunities worth stacking into parlays.
Note: Since this is the National Football League Preseason, form data for all teams is unavailable - rosters are in flux, starters will be rested, and backup battles are the real story. We're leaning on line value, market movement, and situational analysis to build our picks.
Game-by-Game Breakdown
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills (8:00 PM ET)
The Bills are short -2.5 home favorites in what should be a low-scoring preseason affair. The total sits at a tiny 35.5, the lowest on tonight's slate. With both teams expected to play vanilla, conservative football with backups, the Under 35.5 at -110 (BetMGM) is appealing. Pittsburgh at +2.5 (+107) via Bally Bet also catches the eye - that +107 is a rare positive number on a short spread and represents real value.
New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns (9:00 PM ET)
New England installed as -2.5 road favorites over Cleveland is an interesting line. In a preseason context, the Patriots have historically run disciplined schemes that hold up even with backup personnel. The Browns getting +2.5 at -105 (BetMGM) offers slight value on the home side. The total of 34.5 is the lowest of the night alongside Buffalo - under pressure here makes sense too.
San Francisco 49ers @ Las Vegas Raiders (9:00 PM ET)
This is one of the most intriguing lines of the night. The Raiders are installed as -3.5 home favorites at +100 (theScore Bet) against a 49ers team that enters as road underdogs at +155. A home team being offered at even money on the spread is rare and represents genuine value. The Raiders have something to prove in front of their home crowd, and that +100 line on Las Vegas -3.5 is a standout number.
Minnesota Vikings @ Denver Broncos (10:00 PM ET)
Denver is a chunky -6.5 favorite at home. That's a big number for a preseason game where the result rarely reflects true team quality. The Vikings at +6.5 (-114) via FanDuel is worth a look as a covers-the-number play. The Minnesota moneyline at +205 (FanDuel) is also an eyebrow-raiser for value hunters - implied probability of just 33% on a team facing a 6.5-point spread suggests some upside if things break their way.
Los Angeles Rams @ Los Angeles Chargers (11:00 PM ET)
The LA rivalry closes out the night. Chargers are -3.5 favorites, with the Rams available at +3.5 (-105) via Fanatics. The Rams tend to be well-coached even in preseason situations and getting nearly a field goal on a cross-town rival feels like decent value. The total of 38.5 is the highest on the slate, suggesting books anticipate slightly more offense in this late-night matchup.
Recommended Parlay Combinations
Parlay 1 - Value Spreads Triple (Best Value Play)
- Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5 (+107) - Bally Bet
- Las Vegas Raiders -3.5 (+100) - theScore Bet
- Los Angeles Rams +3.5 (-105) - Fanatics
This three-legger targets spread value across three different games. Pittsburgh at a positive number on a short spread is the headline value. The Raiders at even money on the spread is a market anomaly worth exploiting. The Rams covering as road underdogs in a rivalry game rounds it out nicely. Combined odds come in around +535.
Parlay 2 - Unders Double (Low-Scoring Night Play)
- Under 35.5 (-110) Pittsburgh Steelers @ Buffalo Bills - BetMGM
- Under 34.5 (-104) New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns - FanDuel
The two lowest totals on the board combined into a two-game under parlay. Preseason games featuring backup quarterbacks and conservative play-calling in Eastern time slots historically trend toward low-scoring affairs. Both totals sit under 36, and with neither team needing to show their full offensive hand this late in the preseason, the under in both feels well-supported. Combined odds land around +220 - solid for a two-legger and a great low-risk entry point.
Parlay 3 - Spread + Total Hybrid (Three-Legger)
- Minnesota Vikings +6.5 (-114) - FanDuel
- Las Vegas Raiders -3.5 (+100) - theScore Bet
- Under 38.5 (-110) Los Angeles Rams @ Los Angeles Chargers - BetMGM
A spread-total hybrid targeting the late night games. The Vikings covering a large number in Denver is plausible when starters sit and the game becomes a backup showcase. Raiders covering at home at even money remains the best raw-value spread on the board. The late LA game going under 38.5 makes sense if both coaching staffs are wrapping up roster decisions and pulling key players early. Combined odds approximately +480.
Best Value Flag
The Minnesota Vikings moneyline at +205 (FanDuel) deserves a separate mention as a standalone value play. Implied probability of ~33% on a team that could easily win a preseason game outright when both teams are resting starters feels generous. A small unit moneyline dart on Minnesota could pay well.
Similarly, Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5 at +107 (Bally Bet) - getting paid more than even money on a near pick-em spread - is the kind of inefficiency worth targeting in preseason markets.
Bet responsibly - National Football League Preseason games carry extra variance due to roster turnover, and no current season form data is available for these teams.
