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Detroit Lions odds

This page contains single-game and season-long Detroit Lions betting odds and other helpful information for making wagers on the team.

Dan Bradley By: Dan Bradley
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The Detroit Lions have been the lovable losers of the NFL for years, but with a talented roster and capable coaches in place, the future is brighter for the Motor City Kitties than it has been in years. An impressive run to an NFC North title and an NFC Championship Game appearance during the 2023-24 season marked the Lions’ most successful season in more than 50 years; Detroit is near the top of the odds table to win the NFC during the 2024-25 campaign.

On this page, you’ll find the latest single-game and season-long Detroit Lions betting odds, as well as other helpful information as you prepare to make your wagers. We’ve also included viewing and ticket information and a brief history of the franchise.

How to wager on the Detroit Lions on a sports betting app in Michigan

You can wager on the Detroit Lions on a sports betting app in Michigan by following these steps.

  1. Read about which sportsbooks are available: The team at MIBetting.com has worked hard to prepare detailed, informative reviews of all licensed Michigan sports betting sites and betting apps, highlighting the unique features, mobile app performance, banking options, promo offers, and welcome bonus codes where applicable.
  2. Decide where to play and get registered: Once you’ve determined your preferred sportsbooks to use, you can use the links at the top of our sportsbook and complete your account signup. The process takes roughly 5-10 minutes per sportsbook, and having a couple of betting accounts in your repertoire will help you when it comes to odds shopping (more on that in Step 5).
  3. Download the mobile app: While most betting operators have a singular app for all states where they hold a license, some will have state-specific mobile apps. In the sportsbook reviews mentioned above, we’ll include details if you need to look for a Michigan-only betting app.
  4. Make a real-money deposit: While betting bonuses are one of the biggest draws for new betting registrations, you will need to make a real-money deposit (and in some cases place a real-money wager) before you can claim the promo funds. A full list of banking options is available in each sportsbook review.
  5. Keep researching wagers ahead of gameday: Throughout the week, the Detroit Lions odds will change based on betting action, injury reports, and a multitude of other factors. As you research, keep an eye on line movement and check around to see which sportsbooks are offering the most favorable lines for the wagers you want to make (this is called “odds shopping” and will help you make a larger profit on winning bets).

Ways to watch or stream the Detroit Lions in Michigan

You’ll be able to watch most Detroit Lions games on FOX, though throughout the year, they will also play a few games on CBS, NBC (for Sunday Night Football), and ESPN/ABC (for Monday Night Football).

Thursday Night Football games stream on Amazon Prime, though there will also be a local channel that airs Lions games if Detroit is playing that week.

Which types of wagers are there for the Detroit Lions?

Football is the top dog of the U.S. sports betting landscape, meaning there will be plenty of types of wagers available throughout the year for Detroit Lions betting. Here are some of the most popular markets among Michigan bettors.

  • Spread bets: Moneyline wagers aren’t as common in the NFL as the betting value isn’t usually there. Instead, bettors like to focus on the point spread, often shortened to “the spread.” Acting as a handicap for the underdog team, the spread acts as an anticipated point differential between two teams, allowing the underdog to “cover” by keeping the score close and the favorite to cover by surpassing the spread in their margin of victory. For example, if the Detroit Lions are 5.5-point favorites against the Chicago Bears, Detroit must win by at least six points for a spread bet on the team to win. If Chicago wins or if the Bears lose by fewer than six points, they will have covered and the Lions spread bet would be scored as a loss.
  • Over/under wagers: Instead of picking winners outright or against the spread, you can choose to focus on the total number of combined points between the two teams. Also called “totals” wagers, over/unders require you to analyze the theoretical combined point total listed by the sportsbook and decide whether the final combined score will go over or under that mark.
  • Prop bets: Player and team props are a betting favorite and are frequently discussed in the pregame shows, and you can find them for nearly every potential outcome. Some examples of Detroit Lions props could include whether Jared Goff will throw for over or under 220.5 passing yards, if Sam LaPorta will score a touchdown at any time, how many tackles Aiden Hutchinson will make, or whether Detroit will have the lead at halftime.

Do the Detroit Lions have any partnerships with sportsbook sites?

Yes, the Detroit Lions have WynnBET Sportsbook as their official sports betting partner after striking a deal in July 2021. WynnBET has opened a sports bar at Ford Field and has prominent signage and advertising around the building.

Where do the Detroit Lions play their home games?

The Detroit Lions play their home games at Ford Field in downtown Detroit. The complex is adjacent to Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Tigers) and Little Caesars Arena (where the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons play). The venue also hosts Michigan’s high school football state championships and will be home to the 2027 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four.

Ford Field opened in 2002, replacing the Pontiac Silverdome. As part of the stadium build and area renovation, Detroit became the only U.S. city to have four major league sports teams housed in the city’s downtown area.

How can I see the Detroit Lions play live?

You can buy single-game tickets to see the Detroit Lions play live by purchasing them through websites like Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek and Vivid Seats. Lions tickets are fully digital, meaning you must have a mobile device that can be scanned at the gate for admission.

Season tickets may be available as well, but you’ll need to be added to the waitlist before you can purchase a plan. You’ll need to go to the Lions’ team website to submit your information and a non-refundable $100 deposit to secure your place in line on the waiting list.

Yes, betting on the Detroit Lions is legal in Michigan. Bettors in the Great Lakes State were first able to place wagers on the Lions in person in March 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state accelerated the Michigan online sports betting launch, with the first online sportsbooks accepting wagers in January 2021.

History of the Detroit Lions

The history of the Detroit Lions is yet to showcase the elusive Super Bowl win, and as most fans will tell you, the team has seen more lows than highs. However, sticking with the team through the bad times will make the good times even better. Here are some of the key moments to know through the Lions’ franchise timeline.

  • 1928: Before the team became the Lions, they existed as the Portsmouth Spartans, playing their games in Portsmouth, OH as an independent team.
  • 1930: The Spartans joined the National Football League.
  • 1933: After amassing a 28-16-7 record in three seasons, the team moved to Detroit and rebranded as the Lions. Owner George A. Richards chose the name because he wanted the team to be “Kings of the NFL” the same way lions are referred to as the “kings of the jungle.” He also wanted to have a tie-in with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball.
  • 1934: Richards brokers a deal with NBC to air the team’s Thanksgiving games across all affiliate stations. The Lions have hosted a Thanksgiving game every year since, save for a span during World War II (1939-44).
  • 1935: Detroit wins the NFL Championship Game, defeating the New York Giants 26-7. The win coincided with the Detroit Tigers winning the 1935 World Series and the Detroit Red Wings winning the 1936 Stanley Cup.
  • 1942: In the middle of a decade of futility, the Lions finished the season with an 0-11 record, scoring five touchdowns the entire campaign, were shut out five times, and didn’t score more than seven points in a game the entire year.
  • 1943: On November 7, the Lions ended a game against the Giants with a 0-0 final score. This is the most recent scoreless tie in NFL history.
  • 1944: Halfback Frank Sinkwich wins NFL MVP honors as the Lions finish the season with a 6-3-1 record.
  • 1950: The Lions trade for quarterback Bobby Layne, who would lead the team to three championships over the next decade.
  • 1952: Detroit wins its second NFL Championship with a 17-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns.
  • 1953: The Lions go back-to-back as NFL Champions, this time with a 17-16 win over Cleveland. During the regular season, Detroit had a 10-2 record, seven players were named to the Pro Bowl and eight players were named All-Pros.
  • 1954: For the third time in as many years, the Lions and Browns met in the NFL Championship game. However, Cleveland got revenge this time around with a 56-10 victory over Detroit.
  • 1957: If you guessed this year saw another Detroit-Cleveland Championship Game, you guessed correctly! Detroit atoned for the 1954 embarrassment with a 59-14 win. Head coach George Wilson was named Coach of the Year.
  • 1958: The Lions trade Bobby Layne to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Following news of the trade, Layne reportedly said the team wouldn’t win a championship in the next 50 years. This came to be known as “The Curse of Bobby Layne,” as Detroit won one playoff game between 1958 and 2022.
  • 1963: William Ford Sr. purchased the team and would retain ownership until his death in 2014.
  • 1970: Following the AFL-NFL merger, the Lions moved to the NFC Central Division, joining the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Minnesota Vikings.
  • 1971: Lions wide receiver Chuck Hughes suffered a massive heart attack during a November game against the Chicago Bears and collapsed on the field. Hughes was transported to a nearby hospital and was pronounced dead later in the afternoon, becoming the only NFL player to die on the field.
  • 1989: Detroit selects running back Barry Sanders with the third overall pick in the Draft. Considered one of the most talented running backs in NFL history, Sanders set team records for career rushing yards (15,269, which is fourth in league history) and rushing touchdowns (99, 10th in NFL history). He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004.
  • 1991: The Lions host their first home playoff game since 1957, beating the Dallas Cowboys 38-6. However, they lost the NFC Championship Game against Washington 41-10, thoroughly crushing their title hopes.
  • 1997: Barry Sanders becomes the third running back to amass 2,000 rushing yards in a season, finishing the year with 2,053. Detroit lost to Tampa Bay in the first round of the playoffs.
  • 1998: After a disappointing 5-11 season, Barry Sanders announced his retirement. Sanders was fully healthy at the time of his retirement, and after the team filed a lawsuit to recoup some of the salary paid to the player, Sanders said he would return the full amount if the Lions traded his rights to another team or released him from his contract.
  • 2001: The Lions hire Matt Millen as team president and CEO. In the Matt Millen era, the Lions totaled a 31-81 record (.277 win percentage), the lowest win percentage in a seven-year span for any NFL franchise.
  • 2007: Detroit selects wide receiver Calvin Johnson with the second overall pick in the Draft. Nicknamed “Megatron,” Johnson would go on to set many Lions receiving records, including receptions (731), yards (11,619), and receiving touchdowns (83). In 2021, Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
  • 2007-08 season: After an 0-3 start, the Lions fired Matt Millen, but his dismissal was only the tip of the iceberg for the miserable season. Detroit finished the year with an 0-16 record, becoming the first NFL team to go winless in a 16-game season (the Cleveland Browns would later tie the dubious accomplishment).
  • 2009: Detroit selects quarterback Matthew Stafford with the first overall pick. Stafford holds nearly every passing record in team history, including yards (45,109), touchdowns (282), and quarterback wins (74).
  • 2021: The Lions trade quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams for quarterback Jared Goff, first round draft picks in 2022 and 2023, and a third round pick in 2021. The trade was considered a success for both teams, as Stafford would lead the Rams to a Super Bowl win in his first season with the team while the Lions used the picks to draft wide receiver Jameson Williams (12th overall in 2022 via trade with Minnesota) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs (12th overall in 2023 via trade with Arizona). Williams and Gibbs are expected to be key players in the offense for the foreseeable future.
  • 2023: Detroit ends its streak of playoff losses with a pair of postseason wins, beating Stafford and the Rams 24-23 in the Wild Card Round and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23 in the Divisional Round. In the NFC Championship Game, the Lions held a 24-7 halftime lead over the San Francisco 49ers, but several untimely turnovers and failures to convert crucial fourth down attempts let the Niners back into the game. San Francisco would win 34-31, tying the record for the largest comeback in NFC Championship history.

FAQ

How can I find reliable betting tips for Detroit Lions games?

You can find reliable betting tips for Detroit Lions games by referencing the game previews on MIBetting.com. Our pages will list the latest betting odds, matchup insights, injury reports, and more to help you make more well-informed wagers.

What are the common betting mistakes to avoid with the Detroit Lions?

Some of the common betting mistakes to avoid with the Detroit Lions are wagering too much on poor moneyline odds, betting beyond your financial means, and live-wagering on the team while not watching the game. You should always practice responsible gambling when making your bets!

Where can I find the most updated Detroit Lions injury reports for betting?

You can find the most updated Detroit Lions injury reports for betting purposes at MIBetting.com. Our weekly previews will contain injury updates as well as betting odds, matchup analysis, line insights, and more!

How does the Detroit Lions' home field advantage impact betting strategies?

Historically, playing at home hasn’t been a strong advantage for the Detroit Lions. However, recent performances have far exceeded past results. Detroit had winning records at home in 2022 (5-3) and 2023 (6-2), representing the first time the Lions posted back-to-back seasons with home records over .500 since the 1994 and 1995 seasons.

What are the best online sportsbooks for betting on the Detroit Lions?

Each bettor will have their own definition of what constitutes the “best” sportsbook for betting on the Detroit Lions, as bookmakers will all feature different betting lines, aesthetics, performance speeds, loyalty programs/bonuses, and more. However, we can confidently recommend WynnBET, bet365, DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetMGM as quality sportsbooks to use for Lions betting.

How can beginners start betting on Detroit Lions games?

Beginners can start betting on Detroit Lions games by researching the features of Michigan betting sites, registering for sportsbooks accounts, making deposits, and researching the matchups and betting markets. MIBetting.com has thorough betting guides available for each licensed operator as well as guides walking you through how to bet on the team.

Author Details

Dan Bradley

Dan Bradley

Dan Bradley, a researcher and betting specialist at MI Betting, has over a decade of experience as a hockey commentator for junior teams across Illinois, Minnesota, and Ohio. When he's not engaged in writing or co-hosting his NHL-themed podcast, 'Pod Snipe Celly', he's likely to be found at the hockey rink.