Colts Have Been a Terrible Week 1 Bet for the Past 16 Years

The Colts are 2-13-1 in Week 1 dating back to 2008.

Aug 22, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first half at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

We are just days away from the first NFL Sunday of the season and people are rushing to the sportsbooks to place their Week 1 bets.

There is one bet in particular that if history repeats itself, you should stay far away from. That's betting on the Indianapolis Colts, who have been cursed in the opening week of NFL seasons for over a decade.

Over the past 15 seasons, the Colts are 2-13-1straight up and 1-14-1 against the spread in Week 1 dating back to 2008.

.@Colts against the spread in Week 1 since 2008

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Indy is 1-14-1 ATS in Game 1 per @Bet_Labs ❌

Colts +3 vs. Texans pic.twitter.com/71IuY9Y1Db

— John Ewing (@johnewing) September 3, 2024

This streak goes so back so far that Peyton Manning was their starting quarterback at the beginning of it. He and the Colts would finish with a 12-4 record in 2008, but they lost to the Bears by a score of 13-29 in the opening week.

The list of Week 1 starting quarterbacks for the Colts since 2008 includes Manning, Curtis Painter, Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan, and Anthony Richardson. Their only wins in that period were in 2009 against the Jaguars and in 2013 when Luck and the Colts beat the Raiders.

Can they put in end to this terrible stretch of Week 1 performances? Let's take a look at what the oddsmakers think.

Texans vs. Colts Week 1 Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

• Texans -2.5
• Colts +2.5

Moneyline

• Texans -152
• Colts +128

The Colts are 2.5-point home underdogs against the Texans on Sunday. At +128 moneyline odds, they're being given a 43.86% chance of winning their Week 1 game.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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