Hopes for the Chicago Bears are up at Halas Hall, and those positive vibes are reflected in the wagering community as well.
DraftKings set odds for all 272 NFL regular-season games after the schedule was revealed Thursday night. The Bears are favorites in six games and short underdog (between +1 and +2) in another six games.
That is a sign of belief in the offseason moves and potential improvement by quarterback Justin Fields for a team that finished 3-14 in 2022 and closed the season with a 10-game losing streak — the longest in franchise history.
“When you look at the schedule itself, it’s not that strong,” said Johnny Avello, the director of race and sports operations for DraftKings. “ They play the AFC West and there are a couple of teams there that are strong. They play the Packers (twice) and they’re losing Aaron Rodgers, but they weren’t that good with Rodgers last year. They have to be better than the Packers you would assume.
“The issue is in the division, the Lions are better and will be playing with more confidence. The Vikings record last year (13-4) was probably better than they actually were. The schedule is not real tough.”
The Bears were favored in only two or three games (depending on the sportsbook) on look-ahead lines last summer. As the season unfolded, they went off as a favorite only twice: 3 points in both the 23-20 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 3 and 31-30 loss to the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field in Week 10.
DraftKings has the Bears as a favorite for five home games and one on the road for the 2023 season: -1.5 for the Week 2 game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bears’ biggest point spread as a favorite is -4.5 over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 16, and they are more than a touchdown underdog for only one game, catching 9.5 points at Kansas City in Week 3.
“We have their season win total at 7 1/2 (-135), which means we project around eight wins,” Avello said. “They could be 2-0. Home against the Packers and I think the Bucs will be terrible this year. They have to go to Tampa and win. That is the kind of start you would like to have.
“In football, it’s funny. If you get a pretty decent start and a little momentum and believe in yourself, it can work,” he added. “I know they’re going to have a better season than last year, that is for sure. We’ve gotten a little bit of action on the over (season win total), so we’ve moved a little bit. The Bears always grab a little play. They’re a popular team.”
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