Bears vs. Bengals Prediction and Odds for Aug. 22: Bengals Offer Plus-Money Value
The Chicago Bears and Cincinnati Bengals both enter this NFL preseason matchup with some momentum after winning their preseason openers last week. That makes this an interesting contest between two teams that have already shown they have enough depth on the roster to win games even when many of their primary starters aren't playing significant snaps.
That depth is also what makes preseason betting so unpredictable. Once the starters come out, these games can become toss-ups pretty quickly, and that's why I'm looking more at where the value sits than trying to decide which roster is definitively better. For this Bears vs. Bengals prediction, that points me toward Cincinnati at plus money while also expecting a relatively low-scoring game.
New DraftKings Customers: Spend $5+ Get $150 in Bonus Bets *Paid Within 14 Days Bears vs. Bengals Betting Odds
The Bears vs. Bengals odds have Chicago as a slight favorite, but there really isn't much separating these two teams.
- Spread: Bears -1.5 | Bengals +1.5
- Moneyline: Bears -122 | Bengals +102
- Total: Over/Under 36.5
Chicago being favored by only 1.5 points on most betting sites shows how close this game is expected to be. In the preseason, I don't put much weight on such a small spread because so much of the outcome will be determined by backups, younger players, and guys fighting for roster spots.
That's why the plus-money price on Cincinnati stands out. If we're talking about a game that's already close to a coin flip, I'd rather take the side that's giving me a little bit more value instead of laying -122 moneyline with Chicago.
All odds via DraftKings.
Bears vs. Bengals Prediction
The biggest reason I'm taking Cincinnati is pretty simple. Preseason football is unpredictable, and I don't see enough separation between these teams to justify laying the juice with the Bears.
Both teams won last week, so we've already seen that each roster has enough quality beyond the starters to finish out a preseason game. Cincinnati's defense was especially encouraging in its opener, holding Detroit to just 14 points. That's the type of performance I'm willing to trust in another game where depth is going to matter quite a bit.
There are obviously going to be stretches where starters play, but preseason games are often decided by players deeper down the depth chart. Rotations change, quarterbacks come in and out, and the guys taking snaps late in the fourth quarter may not even have meaningful roles once the regular season begins.
Because of that, there's no reason for me to overthink the side here. My Bears vs. Bengals prediction is Cincinnati to win outright at +102. I don't think there's enough value in simply taking the 1.5 points when the moneyline already gives us a plus-money return.
Best Bet: Bengals Moneyline (+102) via DraftKings
Bears-Bengals Total (Over/Under) Prediction
I'm also taking the Under 36.5 in this matchup. It's a relatively low number, but preseason offenses can be inconsistent when personnel changes throughout the game, and Cincinnati already showed last week that its defense can keep points off the board.
Preseason games can absolutely have stretches where points pile up quickly. Defensive breakdowns happen, missed assignments can turn into chunk plays, and turnovers can suddenly give an offense a short field. But on the other hand, preseason offenses can sputter for long stretches because there just isn't much continuity.
Quarterbacks are rotating, offensive lines are changing throughout the game, and skill players who haven't taken a ton of live reps together are being asked to sustain drives. That can lead to stalled possessions, penalties, and missed opportunities.
With Cincinnati allowing only 14 points last week and neither team needing to push its primary offensive players for four quarters, I'm comfortable betting on more offensive inconsistency than explosive scoring. The second part of my Bears vs. Bengals prediction is taking the Under, despite the relatively low total.
Best Bet: Under 36.5 via DraftKings
Final Bears-Bengals Best Bets
This is the type of preseason matchup where I'm more interested in finding value than in making a strong statement about which team is better. Chicago is the slight favorite, but with both teams coming off wins and so many backups expected to determine the outcome, Cincinnati at +102 makes the most sense, especially if you can get even better odds on betting apps.
The Bengals moneyline and Under 36.5 are the two bets I'm backing here. Once player props become available, we'll add three more plays to round out the card.
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