NFL Week 1 Odds: Building the Best Parlay for Sunday's Games

There's nothing quite like the first Sunday of the NFL season. It's what football fans have been waiting for all offseason.

Over the course of one day, 14 games will occur: eight in the early afternoon (1 p.m. ET kickoff), five in the late afternoon (4:25 p.m. ET) and a Sunday Night Football matchup featuring an NFC East battle between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants (8:20 p.m. ET).

It's also an exciting time of the year for sports bettors. Placing wagers on contests is a fun way to stay invested in a full day's worth of action (especially if your fantasy football team isn't looking too sharp heading into the season).

So, let's break down a potential three-leg parlay that bettors should consider for this Sunday's opening slate. We'll combine bets from three Week 1 games to create a wager that could end up being profitable. (All odds/lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.)

The oddsmakers seem to be a bit low on the 49ers, a team that went 13-4 last season and made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game. Despite that, San Francisco is only a 2-point favorite for its road matchup at Pittsburgh to kick off the 2023 campaign.

In case you forgot, the 49ers' offense is loaded with playmakers, namely running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. They should get the ball in their hands plenty, as quarterback Brock Purdy showed he could make that happen during his rookie season.

On the other side, Steelers second-year QB Kenny Pickett may have some trouble against a San Francisco defense that has been traditionally strong in recent years. The 49ers led the league in both total yards allowed per game (300.6) and points allowed per game (16.3) last season, and they should be stout again in 2023.

This Week 1 matchup at Acrisure Stadium may not turn into a blowout, but it's hard to imagine San Francisco not winning by at least three points. The 49ers should have no trouble taking down the Steelers for a season-opening victory.

Speaking of lines being a bit too low, how about the Bengals as only 2.5-point favorites for their Week 1 road matchup at Cleveland? Sure, the Browns have the potential to be better in 2023. But Cincinnati is one of the best teams in the NFL, and it has legitimate Super Bowl championship aspirations for the upcoming season.

Of course, the big question mark for the opener had been the status of star quarterback Joe Burrow. The Bengals' franchise QB dealt with a calf injury in training camp, making his Week 1 status uncertain. However, he was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and isn't carrying an injury designation at the moment.

Cincinnati is a strong team, and it may be even better than it was last year, when it went 12-4 and reached the AFC Championship Game. Its high-powered offense fueled by Burrow, running back Joe Mixon, wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and more will be tough for Cleveland to match up against.

Even though the Browns have had the Bengals' number a bit in recent years (five wins in the past six meetings), it's time for that trend to reverse, based on the status of the two teams. Even if Cincinnati doesn't win big, it should easily win by at least three points.

The Packers have won eight consecutive meetings with the Bears, who haven't been victorious against Green Bay since Week 15 of the 2018 season. There's one major difference heading into the first 2023 edition of this NFC North rivalry series: Aaron Rodgers is no longer the quarterback for the Packers.

With Rodgers now playing for the New York Jets, Jordan Love will get his opportunity to be Green Bay's starting QB. He's a wild card at the moment, as the 24-year-old threw only 83 passes over his first two NFL seasons.

Meanwhile, Chicago's quarterback situation is locked in. Justin Fields took huge steps forward during his 2022 sophomore campaign, and the 24-year-old is surrounded by a lot more talent on the Bears' offense for 2023.

Fields is set to power Chicago to greater success this year, which should begin Week 1 at Soldier Field. In what should be a competitive game, the Bears will edge the Packers to set the tone for their upcoming season.

If the 49ers win by three, the Bengals win by three and the Bears win by any margin, then bettors who parlayed all three could turn a good profit. The odds for that wager are +573 (bet $100 to win $573), so it would be a nice way to open the 2023 NFL season.

Cleveland may be the team most likely to prevent this parlay from hitting. So if you're at all concerned about that, you could always change to Cincinnati moneyline (-135). By subbing that into this three-leg parlay, the overall odds only drop to +513.

However, the Bengals should win by three, so there isn't a ton of concern there. Count on them, the 49ers and the Bears to make this parlay a winner in Week 1.

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