Chicago Bears odds explained
All IL online sportsbooks will feature Bears odds for every game of the season. Listings will generally have the road team on top and the home team on the bottom. However, there’s occasionally a neutral-site game. A typical Bears betting line looks like this:
Next to the two team names are the odds and lines for the three main pregame bets: moneyline, point spread, and totals. These are the most common bet types across all sportsbooks, and you can trace the subtle shifts in these numbers throughout the week leading up to the game. Here’s how the wagers work.
Bears moneyline
A moneyline bet is the most basic type of wager: Pick the team you think will win the game. The favorite will be represented by the team with the negative number. In this case, the Packers are the favorite.
The number after the team is the team's odds, represented in the United States by a number signifying how much you would wager or win in relation to $100. When a negative sign appears before the moneyline number, it indicates the amount of money you would need to wager to win $100. When a positive sign precedes the number, it indicates how much money you would win if you bet $100.
- Green Bay Packers: -240
- Chicago Bears: +190
It’s a simple and straightforward wager with a cut-and-dry result. Moneyline is a great starting point for new bettors, but there’s an appeal for those with experience too.
Bears point spread
The spread adds an entirely new wrinkle to the equation. Oddsmakers set a number that needs to be accounted for. Do you like the favorite minus the points or the dog plus the number?
- Green Bay Packers: -5 (-110)
- Chicago Bears: +5 (-110)
The side you roll with has to cover the spread for the bet to be a winner. For example, at -5, the Packers need to win by more than five points for you to win the bet. On the other side, the Bears are given five points, or the Bears can lose by up to 4 points and you would still win the bet.
The numbers in parentheses function the same as they do on the moneyline. They represent how much money you would need to wager ($110) to win $100.
Bears over/under
The over/under bet is all about how many total points the two teams will score. Sportsbooks release an estimated number for bettors to weigh in on with odds attached.
- Over 48.5 (-110)
- Under 48.5 (-110)
Also known as totals betting, the winner or loser of the game is irrelevant. The goal for bettors is to decide if the combined points will be Over or Under the listed number.
Betting on Bears futures and props
You aren’t limited to just betting on whether the Bears win any game. There are many more opportunities to explore on the betting menu. Two of the most popular areas are futures and props.
Bears futures bets
Futures are bets you can place on how you think the season as a whole will play out. Odds for the top markets will be released in the offseason and shift through the year. Here are some of the top offerings that you’ll see.
- Bet on the Bears to win the Super Bowl.
- Team to win division or conference.
- Over/under on Bears’ regular-season win total.
- Bears player to win awards — MVP, Rookie of the Year, etc.
Bears prop bets
You can find prop bets by clicking through on the game listings. Oftentimes, you’ll see a link that’s labeled “more wagers.” Once you click on it, you’ll see the list of offerings for the current game. Here are a few examples of what you might see.
- How many receiving yards will DJ Moore have — over/under 79.5?
- Will Keenan Allen score a TD in the game — yes/no?
- Which player will have more sacks plus tackles — Montez Sweat or DeMarcus Walker?
There will also be props that revolve around team or game circumstances, such as which team will have more total rushing yards and whether or not there will be a return TD in the game.
For regular props, sportsbooks attach odds immediately, and they may shift based on betting action. The same holds in the futures market. As bets begin to come in, there’s often movement based on where the betting action is going.
To find the best prices, it’s always a good idea to shop around on both futures and props. For futures, don’t forget that you can check back constantly to see what the market has to say.
Chicago Bears QBs since 2000
The Bears have had some trouble finding stability at the QB position through the years. Consider this: Jay Cutler holds a number of the team’s passing records, and his tenure with the club only lasted from 2009-16.
Caleb Williams, considered by most a "generational talent," will look to put an end to the Bears' QB woes.
Let's look at the players who started as QB for the Bears since 2000:
- 2023: Justin Fields — 13 games. Tyson Bagent — 4.
- 2022: Justin Fields — 15 games. Nathan Peterman — 1. Trevor Siemian — 1.
- 2021: Justin Fields — 10 games. Andy Dalton — 6. Nick Foles — 1.
- 2020: Mitchell Trubisky — 9 games. Nick Foles — 7.
- 2019: Mitchell Trubisky — 15 games. Chase Daniel — 1.
- 2018: Mitchell Trubisky — 14. Chase Daniel — 2.
- 2017: Mitchell Trubisky — 12. Mike Glennon — 4.
- 2016: Matt Barkley — 6. Jay Cutler — 5. Brian Hoyer — 5.
- 2015: Jay Cutler — 15. Jimmy Clausen — 1.
- 2014: Jay Cutler — 15. Jimmy Clausen — 1.
- 2013: Jay Cutler — 11. Josh McCown — 5.
- 2012: Jay Cutler — 15. Jason Campbell — 1.
- 2011: Jay Cutler — 10. Caleb Hanie — 4. Josh McCown — 2.
- 2010: Jay Cutler — 15. Todd Collins — 1.
- 2009: Jay Cutler — 16.
- 2008: Kyle Orton — 15 Rex Grossman — 1.
- 2007: Rex Grossman — 7. Brian Griese — 6. Kyle Orton — 3.
- 2006: Rex Grossman — 16.
- 2005: Kyle Orton — 15. Rex Grossman — 1.
- 2004: Craig Krenzel — 5. Chad Hutchinson — 5. Jonathan Quinn — 3. Rex Grossman — 3.
- 2003: Kordell Stewart — 7. Chris Chandler — 6. Rex Grossman — 3.
- 2002: Jim Miller — 8. Chris Chandler — 7. Henry Burris — 1.
- 2001: Jim Miller — 13. Shane Matthews — 3.
- 2000: Cade McNown — 9. Shane Matthews — 5. Jim Miller — 2.
Best head coaches in Bears history
The history of the Chicago Bears is long, stretching back to the franchise's days as the Decatur Staleys in 1920. Since that time, only 17 men have led the way as head coach.
The legendary George Halas was in charge for much of the early going, winning five championships in the days before the AFL-NFL merger. Franchise legend Mike Ditka helped the club recapture its past glory in the 1980s, winning the team's only Superbowl in 1985.
Since 1999, just six head coaches have stalked the sidelines in Chicago. Here’s a look at the records for each of them.
Eberflus is back for year three, and he did well to more than double the team's win totals from 2022 to 2023. He made that happen despite a lackluster 2023 season for Justin Fields. Looking at the 2024 schedule, the Bears have a shot at 10 wins and a playoff berth. It would be the team's first since 2020.
Chicago Bears home games