The upcoming Thanksgiving stretch is shaping into one of the most significant betting windows the U.S. sports wagering market has seen, fueled by marquee NFL pairings and expanded legalized sports betting coverage across 38 states. Both sportsbooks and analysts expect exceptional activity on Thursday and Friday, with several matchups aligning in a way that could create record-setting wagering volume.

Momentum Builds Behind Thanksgiving and Friday Matchups

Three NFL contests scheduled for Thursday — followed by a nationally televised Friday game — have aligned to produce one of the most bettor-friendly slates in recent memory. The early window features the surging Detroit Lions hosting the Green Bay Packers, a rivalry meeting that now carries major implications for the NFC North. Detroit has already become one of the most heavily backed teams this season, and betting splits at DraftKings and BetMGM show overwhelming early support for the home side.

According to Covers, Johnny Avello, DraftKings’ director of sports operations, emphasized the magnitude of this year’s schedule, stating: “The pro games are great, and then we have those rivalry games on Friday and Saturday in college, which just makes this one of the biggest Thanksgiving weekends of all time.” Avello added that, with three standalone games on Thursday and another on Friday, combined handle could rival what sportsbooks typically see on a standard NFL Sunday.

A large share of bets will also flow into touchdown-related markets, particularly first and anytime touchdown scorer wagers. Stars such as Travis Kelce, CeeDee Lamb, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Ja’Marr Chase, and Jahmyr Gibbs are all expected to draw substantial action across operators.

Chiefs–Cowboys Could Become Historic Betting Event

The marquee Thanksgiving game arrives in the afternoon slot, where the Kansas City Chiefs visit the Dallas Cowboys in what both sportsbooks and analysts expect to be one of the most-watched regular-season NFL broadcasts ever. Viewership projections vary, but some analysts anticipate numbers exceeding 50 million viewers, driven by the popularity of both franchises and the prime holiday time window.

Fanatics Betting & Gaming trader Ethan Useloff described the matchup’s appeal, noting: “You have, in the Dallas Cowboys, the biggest-market team overall, clashing with the most polarizing team in the NFL… All that is going to feed into the betting allure.” Fanatics’ numbers show a strong early lean toward Kansas City to win outright, while Dallas has attracted significant interest on the spread at +3.5.

Avello echoed the overall sentiment around the game’s importance: “It’s a matchup made in heaven here for two teams that have big followings.” Early bettors immediately backed the Cowboys when the market opened at +4.5, tightening the line to Chiefs -3.5. Despite varied ticket distribution across sportsbooks, operators anticipate heavy late action from recreational bettors once holiday gatherings wind down.

Totals betting has been active as well, with the number rising to 52.5 — the highest over/under posted for any Thursday or Friday matchup. Avello expects Dallas to dictate tempo, remarking that Kansas City tends to “play to the level of competition.”

Burrow’s Return and Bears–Eagles Add More Betting Weight

The Thursday night game brings Cincinnati and Baltimore together in a much-anticipated AFC North showdown featuring Joe Burrow’s first appearance since Week 2. With uncertainty around his readiness having previously pushed the opening line to +10, the spread has since settled at Ravens -7. Bettors have been split across , with BetMGM seeing the majority of early handle fall on Baltimore, while DraftKings resportsbooksps more support drifting toward Cincinnati.

Useloff noted the balancing effect of the orttouchdown spread, explaining that many bettors view the number as generous for a Ravens squad that has played several close games in recent weeks.

The Friday game — Bears vs. Eagles — also carries significant playoff ramifications. Chicago’s recent surge has sparked renewed bettor interest, while Philadelphia continues to draw consistent support as one of the most wagered-on teams this season. Avello anticipates strong action despite the unconventional holiday time slot, saying: “I would expect it to do well even though the time slot is weird.”

Across both operators, Chicago has attracted a slight majority of bets against the spread, while handle favors the Eagles at select sportsbooks.