The Cincinnati Bengals are set to have a bye week at 3-2. Here’s what the betting landscape looks like from Scioto County.
Football fandom is woven into the fabric of the region. Portsmouth, Ohio, was even home to an NFL team back in the 1930s; Spartan Stadium’s revival is bringing that history back into view. On Sundays, though, this burg of the Buckeye State belongs to the Bengals.
A 2-2 start was followed up by a much-needed victory in Miami. Now Zac Taylor’s charges get to take a breath before heading to Baltimore on October 25. If you bet on the Bengals, the bye is a good opportunity to assess the situation.
Where the Bengals Stand After Five Weeks
Sunday’s 31-24 win in Miami was a largely comfortable affair. Joe Burrow threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions, while Jordan Battle picked off Malik Willis twice in the second quarter. Evan McPherson added his name to the highlight reel with a late field goal, a club-record 22nd in a row.
What many bettors will remember, though, is the finish. Cincinnati opened up a 13-point lead at 31-18 after Jonathan Allen recovered a Miami fumble with 2:34 remaining. The Dolphins responded by scoring a touchdown in the final minute. Most lines were set at around seven points, meaning that late score turned a cover into a push – or a loss if you’d laid the extra half-point.
The two previous weeks’ setbacks were similarly tight: 30-27 in Pittsburgh, then 22-17 at home to Jacksonville.
How the Preseason Numbers Look Now
Oddsmakers had the Bengals’ win total at 10.5 heading into the season. With a 3-2 start, they need eight wins from their last 12 games to clear the marker. That’s a 67% success rate. It’s achievable as long as Burrow stays relatively healthy – but there’s not much room for error.
Preseason betting odds had the Bengals favored in 15 of 17 games, with only their trips to Houston and Baltimore as exceptions. They were 3.5-point underdogs for the Ravens game.
Injuries are another factor to consider. Ja’Marr Chase (concussion) and Tee Higgins (adductor) were both uncertain for Miami until late in the week. In the event, both ended up playing, and Chase even scored a touchdown from 45 yards out. The injury report can affect lines greatly, so check the final version before you bet.
Making a Welcome Offer Work Around the Bye
If you’re opening a new sportsbook account during the Bengals’ bye week, the fine print on welcome promotions is worth a closer examination. The FanDuel welcome offer at the time of writing, according to Covers, allows new customers in Ohio to bet $5 a day for five straight days. Each of those bets earns $50 in bonus bets (win or lose) for a total of up to $250.
The page details the inner workings of the offer, such as the $5 minimum deposit and the seven-day expiry on bonus bets. If a bonus bet wins, you keep the profit, but the stake is not returned. The page also compares it with other major welcome bonuses, so you can judge if this offer suits you.
Further down, Covers lists weekly NFL promotions. For Week 5, that meant a promotion that refunded your stake on a player prop or parlay if a first-quarter injury ruined it (a 3% fee applied). That may be a valuable safety net after Week 4’s receiver injuries.
Timing matters too. With no Bengals game until October 25, a five-day run starting today would mean placing your qualifying bets on other sports. Start a few days before the Ravens game instead. That way, some of your bonus bets could go toward the Bengals’ return.
Dates Worth Circling
Four games stand out once the Bengals return to action:
- October 25 at Baltimore: a division game after a 3-2 start, with a high-stakes feel.
- November 8 against Atlanta: a 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff in Madrid, so don’t forget to put your alarm back on.
- November 15 vs. Pittsburgh: Sunday Night Football, against the side that toppled the Bengals 30-27 in Week 3.
- December 31 vs. Baltimore: a New Year’s Eve rematch on Thursday Night Football.
Prime-time games draw bigger national audiences, and lines can be swayed as the week wears on.
Know Ohio’s Rules Before You Bet
Ohio’s sports betting market is a big one. Around $10.3 billion in bets was placed here in 2025, according to Ohio Casino Control Commission figures. Sportsbooks pay a 20% tax on revenue.
To bet, you must be at least 21 and physically present in the state.
Player props on college games have been banned in Ohio since 2024. This will become increasingly relevant as Shawnee State’s NCAA move paves the way for a football program by 2028.
The regulator has been busy, too: in early October it ordered 10 prediction market platforms to cease offering sports contracts in Ohio. This followed a federal appeals court win for the state. It has also taken steps to remove credit cards as an approved deposit method. In short, stick with licensed apps. And of course, if sports betting ever stops being fun for you, the Ohio Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-589-9966) provides help around the clock at no cost.
The Ravens kick off at 1 p.m. on October 25. That gives you plenty of time to study up.
