Legally Betting On Thanksgiving NFL Games

The History Of Thanksgiving NFL Football

Professional football has been played on Thanksgiving since the NFL’s inaugural season in 1920, although the early holiday schedule looked much different from the nationally televised tripleheader fans know today. Several teams regularly played on Thanksgiving during the league’s early decades, and Chicago Bears star Red Grange famously made his professional debut on the holiday in 1925.

The modern tradition began taking shape in 1934, when Detroit Lions owner George A. Richards scheduled a Thanksgiving home game against the Chicago Bears. Richards hoped the holiday matchup and a nationwide radio broadcast would attract attention to a Lions team competing with the Detroit Tigers for local coverage. The plan worked: all 26,000 tickets were sold in advance, although the Bears defeated the Lions 19-16. Detroit continued hosting the game, with the tradition interrupted only from 1939 through 1944.

Dallas joined the Thanksgiving schedule in 1966, creating the familiar early and late-afternoon doubleheader. The Cowboys have played on the holiday every year since then except 1975 and 1977. The NFL expanded Thanksgiving into a three-game event in 2006 by adding a rotating primetime matchup that can involve teams from around the league.

Thanksgiving football has since become one of the NFL’s most recognizable traditions. Detroit generally hosts the opening game, Dallas occupies the late-afternoon window, and the evening matchup allows other franchises to appear on the holiday stage.

Why Do The Lions And Cowboys Always Play On Thanksgiving?

The Lions play every Thanksgiving because former owner George A. Richards viewed the holiday as an opportunity to promote his newly relocated franchise. Richards had purchased the Portsmouth Spartans and moved them to Detroit in 1934, but the team initially struggled to attract the same attention as the city’s established baseball club.

Richards scheduled the defending champion Chicago Bears for Thanksgiving and worked with NBC Radio to broadcast the game across a 94-station network. The sellout crowd and national exposure demonstrated that an annual holiday game could help the Lions establish a distinct identity. Detroit maintained the tradition, and the Thanksgiving home game became one of the franchise’s defining features.

The Cowboys adopted the tradition for similar promotional reasons. In 1966, NFL officials wanted another team to host a Thanksgiving game, but most franchises were hesitant because they feared the holiday would produce weak attendance and television audiences. Cowboys general manager Tex Schramm believed national exposure would benefit the relatively young Dallas franchise and volunteered to host.

Dallas defeated the Cleveland Browns 26-14 in its first Thanksgiving appearance. The game attracted a large crowd and strong interest, encouraging the Cowboys to continue hosting each year. Dallas temporarily surrendered the game to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975 and 1977 but reclaimed its regular place on the schedule in 1978.

The Lions and Cowboys are not required to host by a formal rule guaranteeing them permanent ownership of Thanksgiving. Their annual appearances are longstanding scheduling traditions maintained by the NFL because of their history, television appeal and close association with the holiday.

Tips For Turkey Day Betting

Thanksgiving offers a full day of NFL action, but the compact schedule can encourage bettors to place more wagers than usual. These tips can help you approach Turkey Day betting with a clear strategy.

• Compare Odds at Multiple Sportsbooks - Point spreads, totals, moneylines, and player props can vary between sportsbooks. Comparing several betting sites may help you find a better number, such as +3.5 instead of +3 or a lower price on the same moneyline selection.
• Be Selective With Thanksgiving Parlays - Combining picks from all three games can create a large potential payout, but every selection must win. Limit the number of legs and avoid adding wagers simply because another game is available. A smaller parlay is generally easier to evaluate than a ticket containing numerous spreads, totals, and props.
• Set A Holiday Betting Budget - Decide how much you are prepared to wager before the first game begins. Thanksgiving provides several hours of football and live betting opportunities, so setting a budget can help prevent impulsive wagers or attempts to recover losses later in the day.
• Use Live Betting Carefully - Live odds can create value when the game develops differently than expected, but they also move quickly. Watch the game and consider possession, injuries, field position, and remaining time before placing an in-game wager. Avoid reacting to a single early touchdown without considering the broader matchup.
• Do Not Chase Losses - A losing wager on the early game should not determine how much you bet on the late-afternoon or primetime matchup. Treat each game independently and continue using the same staking plan throughout the Thanksgiving schedule.