Monday night football revolutionized the American sports landscape. Introducing football to the prime-time audience transformed the NFL from a weekend diversion to a National phenomenon.
Since then, the NFL has expanded its broadcast schedule throughout the week. The 2023 season features four doubleheaders, including a couple of late season Monday Night Football broadcasts on Saturday nights (The league is calling it Monday night football, so who are we to argue?).
Week three featured one of those Monday night doubleheaders. The early game was a battle of unbeatens between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it showed why a battle of unbeatens in week 2 doesn’t mean much.
These two teams were equals in record only and it quickly became apparent that the Eagles were a more complete team as they defeated the Bucs easily.
This guide will preview some of the big matchups on MNF and offer some general tips and strategies for betting on MNF and the NFL during the 2023 season.
>> Check out the latest MNF odds
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- Bovada: Best overall
- MyBookie: Top pick for prop bets
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- Sportsbetting: Best football specials
- Betanysports: Best for mobile
- Everygame: Great player props
- BetUS: Excellent football coverage
- Lucky99: Best odds for regular season wins
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Monday Night Football Broadcast Details
- Every Monday Night from Sept 11-Jan 6 (+3 Saturday games)
- Time: 8:15 Eastern (Doubleheaders begin at 7:15)
- Location: Various
- TV: ABC/ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN+
- Best odds: Click here
Monday Night Football History
Monday Night Football was first launched on September 21, 1970, between the Cleveland Browns and the reigning Super Bowl champion New York Jets. The former won the game 31-21, but the game is better known for introducing the Football audience to Howard Cosell, whose name became synonymous with MNF.
Cosell was part of the legendary “original” broadcast team along with Don Meridith and Frank Gifford (Gifford replaced Keith Jackson after the first season of MNF, but you only know that because I told you.)
The MNF booth would be helmed by numerous broadcasting luminaries in its history, including Al Michaels, John Madden, and the current MNF team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman.
Over the years, there have been numerous iconic NFL games and plays on Monday Night Football, including the 1985 Dolphins ending the Bears’ undefeated season, Bo Jackson running over Brian Bosworth, and Lawrence Taylor frantically calling for help after breaking Joe Theisman’s leg.
Since 1970 there have been more than 700 Monday Night Football games played. The Dallas Cowboys lead all teams with 88 appearances.
This season will feature three MNF doubleheaders (Five, if you count the Saturday night/Monday night football broadcasts, it’s all very confusing). The games will be played simultaneously and broadcast on ABC and ESPN.
For the first time, the Monday Night Football Schedule will be eligible for flex scheduling starting in week 12. The scheduled games can be replaced with more favorable network matchups from that week. If you bought tickets to one of those games, I’m sure the NFL will make it up to you.
>> Check out the MNF odds at MyBookie
Monday Night Football Betting Trends
There are some general tips in the next section that apply to Monday night games, but here are a couple MNF specific stats. Last season visiting teams were 10-10 on Monday Night Football, erasing any evidence of a home-field advantage.
Looking over the longer term, since 2010, several teams have excelled in their Monday night football appearances. Amongst teams with over ten appearances since 2010, five have a plus .700 winning percentage. They are…
- Pittsburgh Steelers .823
- San Francisco 49ers .798
- Seattle Seahawks .798
- Kansas City Chiefs .750
- Green Bay Packers .714
Except for the 49ers, all of those teams had a Hall of Fame QB playing for much of that time. Currently, only Kansas City can say that.
If there are going to be Monday Night winners, you can be sure there are losers to balance it out, and these five teams have SUB .300 winning percentages on Monday Night since 2010.
- New York Giants .286
- Cincinnati Bengals .273
- Miami Dolphins .273
- Washington Commanders .235
- Indianapolis Colts .231 (With Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck…What?!)
History tells us not to take the Money line for any of these teams on Monday night.
MNF Betting Tips and Strategies
If you are new to betting on the NFL or just looking to freshen up your approach, we’ve put together some general information and advice about football wagering.
1. Figure out your bankroll
Before the season starts, establish the total amount you have to wager, then divide that total amount by 100. This resulting number is one betting unit. So if you have $1000 total in your bankroll, each unit would be $10. This will be helpful with managing your total bankroll and ensuring you don’t lose too much on one bet.
For example, professional sports bettors rarely put more than 2 or 3 “units” on any one wager. If they don’t, do you think YOU should?
2. Shop around for the best Monday night football odds
There has never been a better time to wager on sports legally. More than 30 states have legalized sports betting, and if you live in one of those states, dozens of safe, reliable online sportsbooks are available to take your wagers.
The best NFL betting sites will often offer different lines for the same event.
If you are signed up at several online sportsbooks, you can shop around in minutes and ensure you get the best odds for your wager. These sites also offer a variety of incredible bonuses, so you can stretch the value of your dollars (or bitcoins or any number of currencies.)
Every Monday Night Football game can be your Cyber Monday, where you get the best price. And it’s much faster than running from sportsbook to sportsbook in Las Vegas.
3. You don’t need to bet on who wins.
Sometimes a game is too close to call, but you know it will be a shootout. Skip the spread and take the over! Multiple bets are available for every game, and just like you should shop around for the best sites, you should also look for the bets that you think are bringing value.
(Just FYI, statistically speaking, you are better off taking the UNDER for NFL games, including Monday Nights. The public loves the OVER, and the linemakers know this. Now you do too.)
4. Do your research
Five minutes of reading up on the game can let you know things like who is injured and out for the game, who is injured and still playing, or who is not injured by not playing because they are suspended. This is all key information that can impact the game.
5. Parlays are easy to lose, and the odds aren’t as good as you think!
Did you know the odds on a five-bet parlay are worse for the bettor (better for the house) than if you divided the wager into five bets? That might be why you see Parlays advertised all the time.
6. Bet Favorites early, Underdogs late
The public tend to love the favorites, and so they move the line during the week, potentially creating value on the underdog right before game time. And while last year seemed to buck the trend, betting on an NFL home underdog is, more often than not, a good bet.
7. Don’t try to win it all back on Monday night!
Don’t try to make up for a bad Sunday by going HUGE on Monday night. One of the benefits of the “Units” strategy is that small bets leave you with something to build back with. A bankroll can bounce back if you don’t panic, and a bankroll can disappear if you do panic. It is a long season. Save some for the playoffs.
Monday Night Football 2023 Season Outlook
The Monday night schedule begins with a bang as the Bills visit the Jets and their new QB Aaron Rogers in week one on September 11. The week 6 Cowboys Chargers matchup looks to be a good one and the final “non-flexible” game in week 11 is a Eagles @ Chiefs Super Bowl rematch that could be the highlight of the entire NFL schedule.
>> Check out the early Super Bowl 2024 betting odds
Monday Night Football 2023 Schedule
*(Weeks 12-18 are eligible to be flexed and could be TBD)
9/11- Week 1: Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets (Jets Win 22-16)
9/18- Week 2: Saints @ Panthers (7:15 EST) (Saints Win 20-17)
Browns @ Steelers (8:15 EST) (Steelers Win 26-22)
9/25- Week 3: Eagles @ Buccaneers (Eagles Win 25-11)
Rams @ Bengals (Bengals Win 19-16)
10/2- Week 4: Seahawks @ Giants (8:15 EST)
10/9- Week 5: Packers @ Raiders (8:15 EST)
10/16-Week 6: Cowboys @ Chargers (8:15 EST)
10/23-Week 7: 49rs @ Vikings (8:15 EST)
10/30-Week 8: Raiders @ Lions (8:15 EST)
11/6- Week 9: Chargers @ Jets (8:15 EST)
11/13-Week 10: Broncos @ Bills (8:15 EST)
11/20-Week 11: Eagles @ Chiefs (8:15 EST)
11/27-Week 12: *Bears @ Vikings (8:15 EST)
12/4- Week 13: *Bengals @ Jaguars (8:15 EST)
12/11-Week 14: *Titans @ Dolphins (8:15 EST)/ Packers @ Giants (8:15 EST)
12/18-Week 15: *Chiefs @ Patriots (8:15 EST)
12/25-Week 16: *Ravens @ 49rs (8:15 EST)
12/30-Week 17: *Lions @ Cowboys (8:15 EST)–This game is on Saturday.
1/06- Week 18 (TBD Doubleheader (8:15 EST)–These games are on Saturday
Monday Night Football Matchup Previews
Week 4: Seattle Seahawks @ New York Giants (8:15 EST- ESPN)
Point Spread: Giants -1.5 (courtesy of Bovada)
Over/Under: 46.5
It’s always dangerous to draw conclusions after only a few games, but after the first three games of the season both of these teams seem to be diminished from last year.
The Giants have played about 12 total minutes of good football so far, and it’s been enough to win one game, but that ratio won’t usually do it. New York has been bad in all three phases of the game, so at least no one can point fingers. Of course this is New York and fingers are gonna get pointed. As is usually the case they are probably going to be pointed at the quarterback, in this case Daniel Jones, who signed a big contract this offseason that the Giants might already be regretting.
In Seattle the team is 2-1, but their defense seems like they can give up 30 points to anyone, even Andy Dalton (no offense, Red-Rifle). Seahawks games should be high scoring and fun to watch this season, as Seattle has plenty of offensive weapons and their defense turns ordinary opponents into the 2000 Rams (that team was very good on offense).
Saquon Barkely is likely to miss this one, which doesn’t make Giants fans feel good, and while we’re here we might as well rip the bandaid off by informing you that Daniel Jones has a 1-11 record in prime time games. That makes Kirk Cousins look like Joe Montana.
Prediction: We think this is a season of regression for Jones and the Giants, and without Barkley we don’t give them much of a chance. We really like the Seahawks +1.5 AND we like the over 46.5 just as much.
Check out the last Seahawks vs 49ers game.
NFL Monday Night Football-Looking Ahead:
Week 5: Packers @ Raiders (8:15 EST)
DaVante Adams can finally get revenge on the Packers for trading him out of Green Bay to Las Vegas, where he signed a huge contract. Maybe Adams should have some gifts ready for his old team when they visit him in the billion-dollar-state-of-the-art stadium he plays in.
Look for a big game from Adams, who probably doesn’t miss catching passes or getting tackled on the “Frozen Tundra”
Want a recap of the Packers vs Bears game?
Week 6: Cowboys @ Chargers (8:15 EST)
The NFL will start hyping this game around week 3. Could this be a preview of the NFL Championship? (we didn’t know how many times we could say Super Bowl).
Possibly. Although the last time both of these teams made it to their conference championships in the same season was 1994, and both teams have only made it that far once in the years since (The Cowboys did it in 1995 and haven’t been back, we promise we aren’t picking on you Dallas.)
Who cares about that, this game could challenge the Monday Night Record for most combined points scored. Is this one of those games where it makes sense to take the Over? Could be. One thing to remember is that the public loves betting on the Cowboys, and the sportsbooks take that into account.
Week 7: 49ers @ Vikings (8:15 EST)
Back-to-back weeks with 2022 playoff teams squaring off. San Francisco folk hero Brock Purdy should recover from his elbow injury by now. Of course, with the 49ers, does it matter? They will be competitive with whoever they have behind the center.
On the other side, Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has a long and checkered past in Prime time games, particularly on Monday Nights, where he has a 2-10 record. That’s very not good.
See how the Vikings did at the last Vikings vs Seahawks match
Week 8: Raiders @ Lions (8:15 EST)
The Raiders make their second appearance on Monday night, and the season isn’t even halfway over! Must be nice.
The Lions haven’t exactly been regulars on MNF for the past…50 or so years, but this seems to be a team on the rise…..what the heck, it might be months and months away but take the Lions and give the points. We smell a BLOWOUT! Or something. It could just be Detroit.
Week 9: Chargers @ Jets (8:15 EST)
What’s that? The NFL can’t flex games until week 12? Are we sure? Oh well, at least the game will be over too late for Jets fans and start too early for Chargers fans. Assuming there are Chargers fans.
Regardless, the battle between the Chargers offense and the Jets defense is worth watching.
For people looking at prop bets, the Over-under on times Joe Buck says “robbed of a dream matchup between past and future” is 4 ½.
>> Find the best over/under odds at BetOnline
Week 10: Broncos @ Bills (8:15 EST)
If Sean Payton still “has it” and can turn Russell Wilson around, this could be another marquee matchup on a Monday night. With a November game in Buffalo, there will surely be a chance of snow, and everyone loves snow games!
This game also features one of the greatest height differences between starting quarterbacks, with the Bills’ Josh Allen standing several feet taller than Broncos signal caller Russ Wilson. Believe it or not, there wasn’t a website that kept track of such things.
Week 11: Eagles @ Chiefs (8:15 EST)
This is the ONE. If you are only going to watch one Monday Night Football game this season, let it be this one.
Two of the top teams in the league, led by two of the most exciting Quarterbacks alive! Bring ALL OF YOUR ROWDY FRIENDS (not you, Philly, that’s TOO rowdy). This game kicks off Thanksgiving week, and hopefully, the game will be good enough that you will still be able to talk about it with your crazy uncle on Thanksgiving instead of listening to him tell you about how he was abducted by space frogs again.
Because the following weeks are eligible for flex scheduling, we’ll be brief with these.
Week 12: *Bears @ Vikings (8:15 EST)
Now that Aaron Rogers is gone, these teams can battle it out for second place behind the Lions.
Week 13: *Bengals @ Jaguars (8:15 EST)
Finally, we will get the answer to the question, “Short hair or Long, which is more handsome on a star Quarterback?”
Week 14: *Titans @ Dolphins (8:15 EST)/ Packers @ Giants (8:15 EST)
AT LEAST one of these games will be flexed. I’ll bet you can even bet on it somewhere!
Week 15: *Chiefs @ Patriots (8:15 EST)
Even if the Patriots are lousy this year, we don’t think this game is a Flex candidate because more people like to watch Belichick lose than win.
Week 16: *Ravens @ 49rs (8:15 EST)
The only MNF game this season where an East Coast team has to travel to the West Coast. Interesting. (Is it?)
Week 17: *Lions @ Cowboys (8:15 EST)–This game is on Saturday.
Remember, everyone loves to bet on the Cowboys, and no one loves to bet on the Lions.
Week 18: Saturday Doubleheader Teams and time TBD:
How powerful is the NFL? They can call a Saturday night a Monday night, and we just go along. If these aren’t good games, the NFL has no one to blame but themselves!
MNF Recaps:
Week 1: New York Jets defeat Buffalo Bills 22-16 (OT)
The first Monday night game had it all. Months of Anticipations, dramatic pregame introductions, season ending injuries, just a few plays into the game. There was also some football played!
Josh Allen went on a turnover spree that kept the Jets in the game and then in overtime, the Jets Xavier Gibson took a punt all the way back for a walk off win that ALMOST made Jets fans forget that their season is essentially over.
Week 2: New Orleans Saints defeat Carolina Panthers 20-17
The Monday night debut of #1 overall pick Bryce Young probably wasn’t all he had hoped it would be. Especially after being outplayed by the Saints Swiss-Army Knife QB Tasom Hill.
Hill had 75 yards rushing and made a bunch of key plays for New Orleans in this divisional win.
Week 2: Pittsburgh Steelers defeat Cleveland Browns 26-22
The Steel Curtain defense came to play in this game, scoring more points than the Steelers offense.
The Browns lost running back Nick Chubb for the year and quarterback Deshawn Watson doesn’t look like he’s capable of doing it all by himself. Could be a long year in Cleveland.
Week 3: Philadelphia Eagles defeat Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-11
These teams both came into the game 2-0 but no one thought that they were evenly matched. It turns out everyone was right and Philadelphia had a pretty easy time of it.
The Eagles look like they might have avoided the “curse of the Super Bowl loser” and they seem hungry to get back to the big game. The Buccaneers look like…Tom Brady doesn’t play for them anymore. That said, they still might win the NFC South.
Week 3: Cincinnati Bengals defeat Los Angeles Rams 19-16
This game was a rematch of the 2022 Super Bowl. And while it lacked the stakes of that game, it was an entertaining watch with the outcome up for grabs right up until the last minute of the game.
The Bengals couldn’t afford to drop to 0-3 and Joe Burrow was clearly playing hurt. It paid off with this victory but it remains to be seen if it will affect Burrow’s health going forward. Something to keep our eye on.
Review the NFL Draft Betting Odds
Where to Bet on Monday Night Football
Football is one of the most popular sports, and there are lots of online bookies that allow you to place a bet or two on your favorite teams, but we like these top football betting sites because of their competitive odds and generous bonuses.
- Bovada – Up to $750 crypto sports bonus
- MyBookie – 50% match deposit of up to $1,000
- BetOnline – Sports welcome bonus of up to $1,000
- BUSR – 100% match bonus of up to $1,500
- Sportsbetting – 50% sports welcome bonus of up to $1,000
These football betting sites have earned a reputation for being some of the most trusted sportsbooks online. But aside from their stellar record as sports betting platforms, here are other reasons to bet on your favorite sport at these online bookies:
- Maximum convenience: You can get the most up-to-date lines anytime and shop for the best odds at the top sportsbooks with just a few clicks.
- Excellent sports incentives: From welcome offers to parlays, odds boosters, sports reloads, and crypto bonuses – you have the best sports promos to choose from on any of these sites.
- Plenty of betting opportunities: Aside from the moneylines and point spreads, these top sportsbooks have plenty of other betting opportunities.
Why Bet on Monday Night Football?
Monday Night Football is not only one of the NFL’s iconic properties, but it’s also one of the most iconic Television programs in the history of the medium. There’s no higher praise in America.
MNF has been must-watch TV for more than half a century, and now that the late-season schedule is flexible, we’ve assured some heavyweight matchups on Monday nights in 2023. Here are a few more reasons why betting on Monday Night Football represents unique value:
- Star QBs: Josh Allen, Aaron Rogers, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow, and Patrick Mahomes are all scheduled to play at least twice on MNF. Why not put your money on a future Hall of Famer? They tend to perform when the lights are brightest.
- Make a Good Weekend Better: A few paragraphs ago, we discouraged the practice of getting risky or laying a huge bet on Monday night to salvage a lousy betting weekend…but if you are riding a hot streak, it could be an opportunity to make a Monday night “heat check” prop bet.
- It’s the only game on (usually): Keeping track of your bets or your fantasy team during the early Sunday games can be a dizzying experience. On Monday nights, it’s just one game (…except for those pesky doubleheaders, but still, it’s only two, and they are staggered by an hour).
Anyway, you can focus on the game, and when you are just keyed in on one game, you might spot an in-game wager on one of the Online Sportsbooks with “value” written all over it. An informed bettor makes better bets!
>> Grab BUSR’s welcome bonus of up to $1,500 for Monday night football betting
Guide to Monday Night Football Betting
What Is Monday Night Football?
Monday Night Football has been a weekly, Nationally Televised NFL game since 1970. It is always the last game played on the weekly schedule.
When Is Monday Night Football On?
Monday Night Football begins on Sept 11, when the Buffalo Bills visit the New York Jets at 8:15 Eastern Standard Time. From that week on, there is at least one NFL Monday night football game every week until the last two weeks of the season. On weeks 17 and 18, the Monday Night Football Games will be played on Saturday. Times TBD.
Where Can I Watch Monday Night Football?
All Monday Night Football Games are televised on ESPN. The November 20 (Eagles vs Chiefs) game will also be available on ABC. On the weeks where there are two Monday Night Football games, ABC will broadcast one game starting at 7:15 EST, and ESPN will broadcast the other at the usual 8:15 EST time.
Read before you go:
Ready to Get Cozy for Monday Night Football?
Yes, there is now Sunday night football, Thursday night football, Saturday night football, and, who knows, maybe Wednesday night football pretty soon. However, Monday Night Football proved that America had an appetite for football during the week and at night.
From the legendary broadcasters, guest appearances, and memorable NFL moments, Monday Night Football is truly an American institution and a defining part of American culture.
We’ll watch all the MNF games this season and hope all your wagers cash!
Good luck, and remember to bet responsibly!
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