It’s a most wonderful time of year!
The 2025 NFL season officially began on Thursday, September 4th, with the Philadelphia Eagles opening as reigning Super Bowl champions defeating the Dallas Cowboys in a marquee NFC East clash at Lincoln Financial Field. The regular season spans 18 weeks, concluding on January 4, 2026, followed by the playoffs and culminating in Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
This was followed by key AFC West contest as Kansas City took on the Los Angeles, Chargers, where else but in Brazil?
Man, the NFL likes to make money while screwing the real fans!
The league is also continuing its global expansion, with seven international games scheduled in 2025—in locations such as Brazil, the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Spain—and a game slated for Australia in 2026.
College Football Season Starts
College football’s Division I FBS kicked off earlier on August 23, 2025, and the regular season runs through December 13. The postseason begins immediately thereafter, leading to the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami
The 2025 football season—on both the professional and collegiate fronts—is a thrilling mix of dynamic matchups, rising international exposure, and record-breaking betting engagement. Analysts watch for momentum from early speculation and public betting trends to inform forecasts. Meanwhile, governing bodies remain vigilant about safeguarding integrity, ensuring that this season brings excitement responsibly.
The Kickoff Issue: 2025 NFL & College Football Seasons Begin
Football is back — and with it comes the energy, the debates, and record-breaking betting slips. Both the NFL and college football have stormed into 2025 with seismic headlines, and we’ve got your all-in-one snapshot of who’s up, who’s down, and where the money’s flowing.
NFL Opening Headlines
- Ravens Rising — Analysts and sportsbooks alike see Baltimore as this year’s most complete roster. Lamar Jackson’s prime and a deep defense make them my pick to win the AFC.
- Parsons Power Shift — Dallas lost its defensive anchor, Micah Parsons, to Green Bay. The trade flips the NFC North, making the Packers a true contender.
- Super Bowl Forecast — Pencil in Ravens vs. Packers, with Baltimore hoisting the Lombardi at Levi’s Stadium this February.
College Football Reset
- New #1: Ohio State vaulted past Texas with a statement win.
- Georgia Steady: The Bulldogs remain the SEC’s gold standard and are my pick to beat Ohio State in the National Championship.
- Heisman Watch: Arch Manning’s stumble gave room to LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik to rise.
CFP dates: Campus games Dec 19–20, semifinals Jan 8–9, title game Jan 19 in Miami.
Gambling Money & Financial Trends
Projected Spending
NFL betting is projected to hit a record $30 billion this season—an approximate 8.5% increase over the previous year’s estimate of around $27.5 billion.
More broadly, through the first eight months of 2025, the legal U.S. sports betting handle has surpassed $70 billion, with sports books generating more than $7 billion in gross revenue, reflecting a rising national “hold” (take rate) of 9.8% vs 9.2% last year.
Prediction Market: College vs NFL
Prediction-market platform Kalshi saw a record $84.9 million in trades during the first college football weekend, generating nearly $914,000 in fees. Of that, $59.8 million came from college football alone—netting roughly $649,000 in fees. With NFL Week 1 trading already showing solid momentum—with contracts roughly 88% more active than college football’s—the platform could see $150–$200 million in trading volume and fee revenue exceeding $1.5–$2 million.
Fan Demographics & Broader Betting Patterns
In 2025, about 20% of U.S. adults placed a sports bet, a sharp rise from 12% in 2023, spending an average of $3,284 annually. Mobile betting dominates (over 80% of total wagers), and parlays account for roughly 27% of all bets.
With legalized sports betting expanding rapidly (now in 38 states plus D.C.), the NFL is ramping up efforts to maintain integrity. They’ve enlisted approximately 20 retired players to help educate current athletes on gambling policies. This initiative follows a successful 2024 roll-out, which saw zero violations after 10 player suspensions in 2023.
Meanwhile, colleges are also stepping up by deploying independent monitors and extensive education programs to prevent athletes and staff from gambling improperly.
| Category | NFL | College Football |
| Season Start | Sept 4, 2025 | Aug 23, 2025 |
| Championship | Super Bowl LX – Feb 8, 2026 | CFP National Championship – Jan 19, 2026 |
| Forecast Highlights | Eagles favored vs Cowboys; Hart picks several early winners | No formal forecasts yet; sharp betting trends forming |
| Betting Handle | $30B projected legal wager | Strong foundation; prediction markets surging |
| Prediction Markets | High volume expected Week 1 | Set a trading record first weekend |
| Integrity Measures | Player education campaign | Monitoring protocols in place across conferences |
What the market’s saying (consensus odds snapshot): preseason futures still cluster around Eagles, Ravens, Bills, Chiefs, Lions at the top of the board.
Biggest shock? Micah Parsons to the Packers on a record deal — a move that flips the NFC North calculus and dents Dallas’ pass rush identity.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR!
- AFC East: Bills — efficiency gains on defense + stable Allen window. (Market has them among top four.)
- AFC North: Ravens — continuity + Lamar’s prime; national previews are heavy on a Ravens Super Bowl arc.
- AFC South: Texans — Stroud’s year-over-year leap plus weapons keeps them a tier above. (Also touted as an “underrated” riser in roundups.)
- AFC West: Chiefs — until proven otherwise; still among the shortest title prices. Wild cards (AFC): Bengals, Dolphins, Chargers.
- NFC East: Eagles — defending champs, balanced roster.
- NFC North: Packers — the Parsons swing tilts high-leverage downs in their favor.
- NFC South: Buccaneers — defense + continuity make them the narrow pick in a volatile division.
- NFC West: 49ers — trench play + scheme stability. Wild cards (NFC): Lions, Seahawks, Rams.
College football: Rankings reality, CFP path, Heisman
AP Top 25 reset after Week 1: Ohio State jumped to No. 1 after beating then-No. 1 Texas; FSU surged after upsetting Alabama.
Heisman board: Arch Manning opened as a favorite but drifted after the loss at Ohio State; Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik are firmly in the mix.
CFP format & dates (12-team): First-round campus games Dec 19–20, quarterfinals Dec 31–Jan 1, semifinals Jan 8–9, title game Jan 19, 2026 (Hard Rock Stadium).
Winners & 12-team CFP projection?
- Big Ten: Ohio State (defense looks championship-grade; résumé already has Texas).
- SEC: Georgia (depth and line play still travel).
- ACC: Clemson (QB stability + defensive ceiling).
- Big 12: Utah (most balanced profile in a parity league).
- AAC, MWC, Sun Belt, MAC, C-USA champions: Tulane, Boise State, James Madison, Toledo (auto-bid pecking order subject to résumés).
At-large pool I like: Texas, LSU, Oregon, Michigan, Penn State, Florida State, Ole Miss.
Title pick: Georgia over Ohio State — Dawgs’ front and late-season red-zone efficiency nudge it.
The money: how much gets bet?
- NFL handle projection (legal books): ~$30B nationwide this season, per AGA (≈+8.5% YoY).
- Overall U.S. sports betting context: 2024 set a record $13.71B in sportsbook revenue on nearly $150B handle; 2025 Q2 handle was $36.05B with a ~10.9% hold, both up YoY.
- College football spend: there’s no official national projection specific to CFB. What we do know: football (NFL+CFB) dominates fall handle across reporting states, and industry trackers consistently describe football as the top bet sport by dollars, with the NFL the single biggest driver. On that basis, expect college football to draw many billions in legal wagers this fall (low-double-digit billions is a reasonable band), with share peaking September–November.
Betting Boom: Records Incoming
- NFL handle: Expected to top $30 billion legally wagered this season — an all-time high.
- College football: No official tally, but industry watchers peg fall wagers in the low double-digit billions.
- Fan habits: 20% of U.S. adults now bet on sports, with the average bettor spending $3,000+ per year.
Winners & Losers?
Winners
- Ravens & Bills (AFC strength)
- Packers (Parsons effect)
- Ohio State & Georgia (playoff locks)
Losers
- Cowboys’ defense (life after Parsons)
- Texas (early stumble dents CFP seeding)
Final Word
This football season isn’t just about touchdowns — it’s about billion-dollar bets, seismic trades, and a playoff format built for drama. Strap in: the road to Miami (CFP) and Santa Clara (Super Bowl) has only just begun!
Yours in Pigskin!
DT
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