NFL Betting Trends: New NFL Stadiums

Tons of new NFL stadiums have opened up in the past 10 years or so. While they tend to drive in tons of revenue for the owner, they’re not exactly great for the team playing eight games a year in them.

These new stadiums have too many luxury boxes and overly expensive seats. Thus, the people who tend to go to the games and sit on the lower level are mostly corporate instead of your Average Joe who gets drunk and yells incoherently.

Opening a new stadium also comes with pressure. All eyes are on the host, and the owner is expecting an immediate return on his investment. Thus, the last three teams to open these new abominations have failed to cover.

Below are each team’s results from Opening Night (since 1997; does not include expansion teams).

Minnesota Vikings (2016)
First Game: Vikings +1.5 over Packers (Win, 17-14)
Win SU, Win ATS
First Year:

New York Jets: New Meadowlands (2010)
First Game: Jets -1.5 over Ravens (Lost, 10-9)
Loss SU, Loss ATS
First Year: X-X SU, X-X ATS

New York Giants: New Meadowlands (2010)
First Game: Giants -7 over Panthers (Won, 31-18)
Won SU, Won ATS
First Year: X-X SU, X-X ATS

Dallas Cowboys: Cowboys Stadium (2009)
First Game: Cowboys -3 over Giants (Loss, 33-31)
Loss SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 7-2 SU, 6-3 ATS

Indianapolis Colts: Lucas Oil Stadium (2008)
First Game: Colts -10.5 over Bears (Loss, 29-13)
Loss SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 6-2 SU, 3-5 ATS

Arizona Cardinals: University of Phoenix Stadium (2006)
First Game: Cardinals -9.5 over 49ers (Win, 34-27)
Win SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 3-5 SU, 4-4 ATS

Philadelphia Eagles: Lincoln Financial Field (2003)
First Game: Eagles -3 over Buccaneers (Loss, 17-0)
Loss SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 6-4 SU, 4-6 ATS

Detroit Lions: Ford Field (2002)
First Game: Lions +7.5 over Packers (Loss, 37-31)
Loss SU, Win ATS
First Year: 3-5 SU, 5-3 ATS

Seattle Seahawks: Qwest Field (2002)
First Game: Seahawks -4 over Cardinals (Loss, 24-13)
Loss SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 3-5 SU, 3-5 ATS

New England Patriots: Gillette Stadium (2002)
First Game: Patriots +2.5 over Steelers (Won, 30-14)
Win SU, Win ATS
First Year: 4-4 SU, 3-5 ATS

Pittsburgh Steelers: Heinz Field (2001)
First Game: Steelers -4 over Bengals (Win, 16-7)
Win SU, Win ATS
First Year: 8-2 SU, 7-3 ATS

Denver Broncos: Invesco Field at Mile High (2001)
First Game: Broncos -7 over Giants (Won, 31-20)
Win SU, Win ATS
First Year: 6-2 SU, 6-2 ATS

Cincinnati Bengals: Paul Brown Stadium (2000)
First Game: Bengals -6 over Browns (Loss, 24-7)
Loss SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 2-5 SU, 4-4 ATS

Tennessee Titans: LP Field (1999)
First Game: Titans -9.5 over Bengals (Win, 36-35)
Win SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 9-0 SU, 7-2 ATS

Baltimore Ravens: M&T Bank Stadium (1998)
First Game: Ravens +3 over Steelers (Loss, 20-13)
Loss SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 4-4 SU, 4-3-1 ATS

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Raymond James (1998)
First Game: Buccaneers -7.5 over Bears (Win, 27-15)
Win SU, Win ATS
First Year: 6-2 SU, 5-3 ATS

Washington Redskins: FedEx Field (1997)
First Game: Redskins -7.5 over Cardinals (Win, 19-13)
Win SU, Loss ATS
First Year: 5-2-1 SU, 3-5 ATS

Here are the important numbers:

Teams opening a new NFL stadium: 9-8 SU, 7-10 ATS

Favorites opening a new NFL stadium: 7-6 SU, 4-9 ATS
Underdogs opening a new NFL stadium: 2-2 SU, 3-1 ATS

Team records in first year of new NFL stadium: 72-45-1 SU, 64-53-1 ATS
Team records in first year of new NFL stadium (excluding opener): 63-37-1 SU, 59-44-1 ATS

What we’ve learned:

Favorites opening up a new stadium face too much pressure and have trouble covering. Conversely, it looks like underdogs tend to get up for the opener.

It may seem interesting that if you take out the first game, teams are 53-42-1 against the spread in their new home. But the Broncos (6-2), Steelers (7-3) and Titans (7-2) really skew that statistic. If you take out those three squads, that number becomes just 34-35-1.

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