NFL Pre-Season Games Betting: 4 September 2009

The final three games of the NFL pre-season are played tonight, giving us the last chance to assess teams` strength and weaknesses before the games actually count.

Houston Texas vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs are the three point favorites for tonight`s game, with the under/over set at 34.

Houston lost to the Vikings at home last week 17-10 when three point favorites. In week two they were beaten 38-14 by New Orleans when they were again rated a field goal favorite by the linesmakers. In week one they beat Kansas City 16-10 on the road when they were the 2.5 point underdogs.

Tampa Bay lost 27-20 at Tennessee in week one when 4.5 point underdogs. In week two they won 23-23 at Jacksonville when rated 3 point underdogs and last week they lost 10-6 at home to Miami when the bookies made the two pick `em on the pointspread (ie both teams were offered at -110 with no start on the point spread).

These two teams have met once in the last three years, on 9 December 2007, when they played in Houston and the Texans won 28-14, easily beating the point spread which favored the Bucs by 3. The under/over was 40.

So far 68% of bets on the point spread are on the Bucs, according to figures from one of the leading sportsbook groups.

Dallas Cowboys vs Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are three point favorites over Dallas tonight with an under/over of 36.

Minnesota have won all three of their pre-season games; 13-3 at Indianapolis in week one, 17-13 at home to Kansas City in week two and 17-10 at Houston last week.In all three games they covered the spread and went under.

Dallas were beaten 20-13 at home by San Francisco last week. They beat Tennessee 30-10 in the second week of pre-season and lost at Oakland 31-10 in week one. Dallas covered the point spread once and failed to twice and went under once and over twice.

The teams have met once in the last three season, on 21 October 2007 when playing in Dallas the Cowboys won 24-14, covering the nine point handicap. On that day the under/over was 46.

77% of all bets on the point spread are on the Vikings.

San Francisco 49ers vs San Diego Chargers

The Chargers are favored by four points at home tonight and the under/over is 37.

Last week San Francisco beat Dallas on the road by 20-13, an especially impressive achievement as they were rated seven point underdogs for the game. In week two they beat Oakland 21-20 but failed to cover the 2.5 point handicap. In week one the 49ers won 17-16 but also were not the bettors friend as they were favored by 1.5 points.

The Chargers lost 27-24 in Atlanta last week but bettors got their money back as the Falcons were three point favorites. In week two they won 17-6 at Arizona when the Cardinals were favored by 3. In week one they lost 20-14 at home to Seattle when favored by 3.5 points.

The 49ers have played the Chargers once in the last three years, on 15 October 2006, and the Chargers ran out 48-19 winners in San Francisco, which was not a total surprise as the visitors had been favored by 9 points.

78% of all bets on the point spread are on the 49ers, which is an unusual trend as bettors tend to go for home teams and favorites.