Sunday Night Football opens Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season on September 13, when the Dallas Cowboys travel to MetLife Stadium to face a New York Giants team debuting new head coach John Harbaugh. Below, find the latest odds for that Cowboys-Giants matchup, the full 2026 SNF schedule, and everything you need to know about betting on the league’s Sunday night showcase all season long at betting sites.
The 2026 season doesn’t wait until Sunday to get going, though. The New England Patriots visit the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of last season’s title game to open the year on Wednesday, September 9, airing on NBC and Peacock. The next night, the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia for the NFL’s first game ever played in Melbourne, streaming exclusively on Netflix.
Week 1 Sunday Night Football odds: Cowboys at Giants
Dallas is a 2.5-point favorite on the road, with the Cowboys’ moneyline sitting at -140 and the Giants at +120. The over/under for the game is set at 48.5. Expect these numbers to shift some between now and kickoff, so check back for updated lines before placing a bet.
There’s plenty of intrigue here beyond the numbers. Harbaugh makes his regular-season debut as Giants head coach after leaving Baltimore for New York this offseason, taking over a team looking to bounce back from a 4-13 finish in 2025. Across the field, the Cowboys are coming off a 7-9-1 season of their own. New York’s plans could hinge on Malik Nabers: the star wide receiver has been working back from a torn ACL all offseason, and while Harbaugh called it reasonable in late August to assume Nabers would be ready for the opener, the coach has since said the team is preparing for every scenario, from a full workload to no snaps at all. Second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart opens his first full season as the starter either way, and how much of Nabers he has to throw to could go a long way toward deciding this one, especially against a Dallas defense that finished last in the league against the pass in 2025.
2026 Sunday Night Football schedule
| Week | Date | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 13, 2026 | Cowboys at Giants | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 2 | September 20, 2026 | Colts at Chiefs | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 3 | September 27, 2026 | Rams at Broncos | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 4 | October 4, 2026 | Lions at Panthers | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 5 | October 11, 2026 | Ravens at Falcons | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 6 | October 18, 2026 | Cowboys at Packers | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 7 | October 25, 2026 | Chiefs at Seahawks | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 8 | November 1, 2026 | Eagles at Commanders | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 9 | November 8, 2026 | Buccaneers at Bears | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 10 | November 15, 2026 | Steelers at Bengals | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 11 | November 22, 2026 | Vikings vs. 49ers (Mexico City) | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 12 | November 29, 2026 | Patriots at Chargers | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 13 | December 6, 2026 | Texans at Steelers | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 14 | December 13, 2026 | Bills at Packers | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 15 | December 20, 2026 | Lions at Vikings | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 16 | December 27, 2026 | Jaguars at Cowboys | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 17 | January 3, 2027 | Eagles at 49ers | 8:20 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 18 | January 10, 2027 | TBD at TBD | TBD | NBC/Peacock |
Sunday Night Football player props
Every Sunday Night Football game comes with a full slate of player prop markets at NFL sportsbooks, covering passing, rushing, receiving and touchdown props, among others. For the Week 1 opener, that includes props on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb, along with Dart and Giants receiver Malik Nabers, who is working back from a torn ACL and remains a game-time watch for the opener. Use the bet finder tool below to search by player.
Other ways to bet on Sunday Night Football
Beyond the point spread, moneyline and total, there are several other ways to get in on Sunday Night Football action all season long. Here are some popular options from our NFL betting guide:
Same-game parlays: Combine multiple picks from the same game onto a single ticket, such as a spread, a total and a player prop, for a bigger payout. Every pick has to hit for the parlay to cash, so a single wrong leg sinks the whole ticket.
In-play betting: The betting doesn’t stop once Sunday Night Football kicks off. Live odds shift throughout the game based on what’s happening on the field, and sportsbooks offer new spreads, totals and props in real time as the action unfolds.
Alternate lines: Move off the main spread or total to find a number you’re more comfortable with. Alternate lines run from a half-point up to double digits, and the payout adjusts based on how much risk you’re taking on or off the standard line.
You can also work Sunday Night Football into bigger parlays across the week’s slate, tying it to the early Sunday games or pairing it with Thursday Night Football and Monday Night Football for a full-week ticket.
Top sportsbook promos for NFL Sunday Night Football
Pair your Sunday Night Football bets with a welcome offer from a top sportsbook. Fanatics, DraftKings and BetMGM all run sign-up bonuses and ongoing offers built around NFL matchups, and you can find the latest deals on our NFL betting promos page.
Sunday Night Football FAQ
NBC is the broadcast home for Sunday Night Football. Viewers can also catch the action on the streaming service Peacock or the NBC Sports app.
NFL schedule makers do their best to put the most compelling games in front of the biggest primetime audience. Sunday Night Football tends to serve as the showcase game of the week, and the league can flex games in or out as the season goes on to keep the most interesting matchups in that slot.
Sunday Night Football became a regular part of the NFL schedule with its first game on Nov. 8, 1987, broadcast by ESPN. The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-10.
Two games share the record at 83 combined points. In 2009, the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New York Giants 45-38, and in 2018, the New England Patriots beat the Kansas City Chiefs 43-40.
Plenty of online sportsbooks offer promo codes for Sunday Night Football, including a BetMGM bonus code, DraftKings promo code, bet365 bonus code, FanDuel promo code, Caesars sportsbook promo code and Fanatics sportsbook promo. These offers change often, so check each sportsbook’s site for the most current terms and eligibility requirements.