What’s home-field advantage worth in pro and college football in 2025?
In an annual exercise, Steve Makinen, VSiN’s master of power ratings, updates his numbers for how many points a team’s home-field advantage is worth.
Long gone are the days when one would just make it three points across the board.
Steve has developed a methodology to come up with a number specific to each team. Here are a few nuggets:
In the NFL, the Lions have the best home-field advantage at +6.4 points. The worst? The Commanders at -1.7.
Among 136 FBS teams, Jacksonville State has the best home-field advantage at +9.5 while Charlotte is at the bottom with -5.4.
👉 Steve’s NFL insights with HFA numbers for every team.
👉 Steve’s college football insights with HFA numbers for every team.
Stroud ruled out
The Texans ruled out C.J. Stroud (concussion) for Thursday’s matchup vs. the Bills. With Davis Mills as starter, the line drifted up to Bills -6 by the end of the day.
👉 If you want to get ahead on TNF handicapping, here is Zach Cohen’s preview.
Everything we post on NFL Week 12 will be here.
Gill Alexander and Kelley Bydlon, as they do every Wednesday on A Numbers Game, sort through the Survivor options.
MAC’s back
I think my inMACtuation with these mid-week games is fading, but not for Adam Burke.
He has plays on both of tonight’s games:
Miami (-1.5) at Buffalo (7 ET, ESPN2)
Central Michigan (-8) at Kent State (7 ET, ESPNU)
More CFB resources
Everything we post on CFB Week 13 will be here, including Makinen’s Analytics Report, which has some system matches for tonight’s games.
Still time to get in Average Joe Contest
We crowned another weekly winner in the EdgeBoost Average Joe Contest. (Congrats to Anthony Yantosca.)
Don’t get left out of the action. Enter the free EdgeBoost Average Joe Contest here.
The rules couldn’t be easier:
>Pick 7 NFL and/or CFB games each week
>Finish first in any week and win $500 (secured in an EdgeBoost account)
>Already have a free EdgeBoost account? Your prize doubles to $1,000
So make sure you have your EdgeBoost account set up here — and don’t forget to use promo code VSiN.
Today in college basketball
Greg “Hoops” Peterson has his picks for today’s college basketball menu.
Greg also posts daily handicapped lines and handicaps every game every day during the season on the Coast-to-Coast Hoops podcast.
Adam Burke will offer his college basketball Best Bets Monday-Saturday. You can find them on our college basketball page mid-morning.
Get real-time steam alerts from the DonBest Screen. Sign up now for a 7-day free trial at go.donbest.com. Use the promo code VSIN10 for 10% off your initial subscription.
Quick Hits
NBA: We have relaunched the Hardwood Handicappers podcast, hosted by Zach Cohen. He will keep it tight (~20 minutes) and do it Monday-Friday. Look for the YouTube video here and the podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Here is Apple link.
Zach’s Best Bets column and Steve Makinen‘s Analytics Report will hit around mid-morning on our NBA page. Our Opta AI NBA player props projections are here.
NHL: VSiN hockey analyst Jonathan Davis will post his Best Bets around mid-day.
Golf: Wes Reynolds handicaps the PGA stop in Sea Island, Ga.
Wes, Matt Brown and Kelley Bydlon share their plays on a new episode of the Long Shots podcast. >>Watch. >>Listen.
Horse Racing: “Mr. Ed” Sehon and 1/ST BET handicapper Jeremy Plonk have picks for the opening day at Tampa Bay Downs. Ed says it’s one of his favorite tracks.
1/ST BET is built for bettors who demand more. Their AI-powered handicapping tools deliver Win, Place, and Show probabilities for every runner—helping you find value and bet smarter. Right now, new users can get up to a $250 sign-up bonus. Use promo code VSIN250 and sign up today.
