Steve Makinen Breaks Down NFL Preseason Betting Patterns in VSiN Report

Steve Makinen compiled an extensive review of historical betting data for individual NFL teams during preseason matchups, and VSiN published the full analysis ahead of the 2026 campaign. The report draws from recent years of game logs to outline performance across straight-up results, against-the-spread records, over-under totals plus home-road splits and various situational factors such as teams coming off wins or operating as favorites versus underdogs.

Scope of the Data Reviewed

Makinen focused on exhibition games because those contests carry distinct dynamics compared with regular-season play, and the patterns that emerge can differ sharply from week-to-week outcomes once the regular schedule begins. Observers note that the study covers every NFL franchise with breakdowns that isolate specific conditions rather than league-wide averages, which allows readers to see how each club has performed under narrow sets of circumstances over multiple preseasons.

Data points include win-loss percentages in home versus road settings, records when favored or receiving points, and totals results both overall and within those same splits. Additional layers examine performance immediately after a team secured a victory in its prior exhibition outing, creating a granular view that bettors can reference when lines appear for the 2026 slate.

Team-by-Team Historical Trends

Each franchise receives its own section that lists results across the categories mentioned above, and the figures reveal consistent tendencies for some clubs while highlighting volatility for others. For instance, certain teams show stronger straight-up success at home during the preseason, whereas road performance varies more widely depending on whether the club enters the game as a favorite or an underdog.

Against-the-spread numbers receive similar treatment with separate columns for home, road, and situational contexts, and the totals data follows the same structure. Makinen presented these statistics without aggregation across the entire league, which keeps the emphasis on individual team behavior and avoids masking outliers that appear when data is combined.

Context for the 2026 Exhibition Schedule

As August 2026 approaches, the timing of the publication aligns with the release of initial preseason schedules and the opening of betting markets for those contests. The analysis supplies historical benchmarks that remain fixed regardless of roster changes or coaching adjustments, and those who study the material can compare current line movements against the documented patterns.

Situational filters such as coming off a win receive dedicated attention because previous exhibition results sometimes influence motivation or preparation in subsequent games, and the report isolates those sequences for every team. The same approach applies to favorite-underdog status, which can shift from year to year yet still produces measurable differences in historical outcomes for specific franchises.

Accessing the Full Breakdown

VSiN made the complete set of tables and accompanying commentary available through its platform, and readers can cross-reference the numbers against live lines once markets open for the 2026 preseason. The structure of the report organizes information by team rather than by category, which streamlines navigation when a bettor wants to review one franchise across all tracked situations.

Industry organizations such as the American Gaming Association have tracked growth in preseason wagering volume in recent years, and academic sources including reports from the Griffith University Centre for Gambling Research have examined how historical data influences decision-making in sports betting markets. These external references place the VSiN analysis within a broader landscape of data-driven approaches to exhibition contests.

Conclusion

The VSiN publication supplies a single-source compilation of preseason betting trends organized around each NFL team and the specific conditions that have shaped results in recent exhibition seasons. By limiting the scope to documented game logs and avoiding broader commentary, the analysis functions as a reference tool that remains available as markets develop for the 2026 schedule. Those who consult the material gain access to team-level historical context that covers wins, spreads, totals, and situational splits without requiring aggregation across the league.