NFL Preseason Betting Trends Detailed by VSiN Analyst Steve Makinen for 2026 Tracking

Steve Makinen, a VSiN analyst, has outlined prominent team-by-team betting trends drawn from recent NFL preseasons, and observers note these patterns emerge under conditions that set preseason games apart from regular season play. Resting starters and unfamiliar offensive lines contribute to the differences, while historical records spanning recent years form the basis for overall, home and road, situational, and favorite versus underdog categories across multiple teams. The analysis arrives positioned for ongoing tracking throughout the 2026 preseason, which begins in August.

Core Factors Shaping Preseason Outcomes

Preseason contests differ significantly from regular season games because coaches often rest starters after limited snaps, and backup players fill roles that rarely appear during the regular campaign. Unfamiliar lines further complicate execution, and data shows these elements produce results that diverge from what bettors expect in September through January. Makinen's review compiles records that isolate these variables so trends stand out clearly when viewed across several seasons.

Breakdown of Team Trends by Category

Overall trends capture each club's full preseason record without splitting by venue or situation, and home and road splits reveal whether performance changes when a team plays in its own stadium or travels. Situational trends examine results that follow a win or loss in the prior game, while favorite and underdog records track how teams perform when oddsmakers install them on one side of the number. These four lenses apply to multiple clubs, and the compiled figures allow direct comparison year over year.

Analysts have observed that certain franchises post stronger marks in one category yet weaker marks in another, and the patterns hold steady enough across recent preseasons to warrant attention. Makinen presents the information without projecting future results, instead supplying the historical baseline that bettors and oddsmakers can reference once 2026 games begin.

Application During the 2026 Preseason Window

August 2026 marks the start of the next evaluation period, and the outlined trends supply a ready framework for monitoring whether past tendencies repeat. Each week's results can be measured against the established baselines, and deviations or continuations become visible when tracked consistently. The approach keeps focus on measurable records rather than narrative expectations.

Those who follow the data note that situational splits sometimes shift when a team enters a game on a short streak, and home versus road distinctions can widen or narrow depending on travel distance and roster depth. Makinen's compilation supplies the numbers that make such comparisons possible without requiring separate calculations by individual observers.

Historical Records as the Foundation

Records drawn from recent years supply the sample size needed to identify reliable tendencies, and the analysis covers enough seasons to smooth out single-year anomalies. Multiple teams appear in the review, and each receives treatment across all four trend types so readers obtain a uniform view. The method avoids speculation by anchoring every observation to documented outcomes.

Figures reveal that some clubs maintain consistent results when favored yet show different patterns when installed as underdogs, and the same holds for home and road environments. Because the data set spans several preseasons, the trends carry weight for anyone examining similar conditions in 2026.

Conclusion

The VSiN analysis compiled by Steve Makinen delivers a structured set of preseason betting trends organized by overall performance, venue splits, situational context, and favorite-underdog status. Grounded in historical records from recent years, the information stands ready for reference once August 2026 games commence. Observers can apply the same categories to new results and determine whether established patterns persist or change under the unique circumstances that define NFL preseason play. The single source link remains available at VSiN for direct access to the full team-by-team breakdown.