In my years of handicapping the NFL Pre-Season, I have found some key elements that can yield profits throughout the month of August. If you can recognize these three areas, you may find profitable situations in which you will want to place a wager on a particular team.

1. The Coach: One of the first things I look at is each coach’s record during the pre-season. Some coaches completely shrug off exhibition games as they deem as completely meaningless. Their poor record will be indicative of their attitude toward pre-season games. I want my money on a coach who wins in the pre-season and who wants to win in the pre-season. Another thing I have found is that new head coaches or coaches on the hot seat are more likely to win in the pre-season because they want to send a message early on to their team, their fans, and their ownership that they can win. These coaches have something to prove and don’t want to wait until the regular season starts. They want to win and win now.

2. Depth at the Skill Positions: I have already mentioned in a prior article how teams who are in the midst of a quarterback controversy can be extremely profitable teams to bet on during the pre-season. This is because both guys will see extended action at the position with the rest of the starting offense. However, I also look for depth at the quarterback and running back positions. A team that has quality back-ups at the quarterback position can be dangerous because that quality player is going to be playing against 3rd and 4th string defensive players who are just trying to make the team. Depth at the running back position is another added plus because teams with good back-up running backs will also be facing reserves deep into the ball game. I want my money on teams who have depth at these two key positions.

3. Staying Away from Teams with Established Starters: Teams with established starters are usually the top teams from last season who went to the playoffs. These can be dangerous teams to bet on because their depth charts are already set. So why would the coach risk injury to players that he already knows he can count on? Teams with no real competition going on for starting positions, particularly at the skill positions don’t have a lot of incentive to play a large part of the ball game. These players will likely sit most of the game as reserves battle for roster spots.

If you pay attention to these three main concepts, you can find situations that will ultimately lead to a profitable pre-season.