The Pro Football Hall of Fame Game kicks off the 2026 NFL preseason on Thursday night. It’s the Carolina Panthers vs. Arizona Cardinals from Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, with coverage on NBC at 8 p.m. ET.
While stars will be kept under wraps on both sides, the return of live NFL action brings the countdown to the upcoming campaign into the spotlight.
Prediction markets are ready, with trading open and active from the Hall of Fame Game straight through to Super Bowl LXI.
Panthers vs. Cardinals prediction market odds and probabilities
Here’s how pricing stacks up at Kalshi and Polymarket for the 2026 NFL Hall of Fame Game.
| Outcome | Kalshi | Polymarket |
|---|---|---|
| Panthers win | 53%/53¢ | 53%/53¢ |
| Cardinals win | 49%/49¢ | 48%/48¢ |
| Panthers win by over 1.5 points | 47%/47¢ | 50%/50¢ |
| Over 35.5 points scored | 48%/48¢ | 48%/48¢ |
The return of real, live football action always sparks intrigue, but this won’t be a full-on look at what both squads are bringing to the table for the 2026 NFL season. Starters and key players will be taking the night off. Rookie Carson Beck will be under center for Arizona, while veteran Kenny Pickett gets the start for Carolina.
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What to expect from the Panthers and Cardinals this season
Looking back to last season, it played out in a vastly different fashion for the two squads. The Panthers were the surprising winners of the NFC South, edging out the Buccaneers and Falcons on tiebreakers as all three clubs finished at 8-9. They hosted the Rams in the wild card round and gave the visitors a scare before falling short in a 34-31 defeat.
The Cardinals had a season to forget, finishing 3-14 in the basement of the NFC West, inspiring changes. Mike LaFleur, former offensive coordinator for the Rams, is the new head coach. Kyler Murray is off to Minnesota, with veteran Jacoby Brissett penciled in to take over for an offense in transition.
Arizona had the third overall pick at the NFL Draft, and spent it on Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love. While the rookie won’t see the field on Thursday night, hopes are high that he’ll quickly become a focal point on offense. In preseason pricing to win the NFC West, the Cardinals are priced for last place and trading at 2%.
The market for the NFC South suggests that the Panthers have their work cut out for a repeat. They’re currently priced third on the board at Kalshi at 23%, ahead of the Falcons (19%), but behind the Buccaneers (31%) and Saints (30%). Bryce Young is entering his fourth season as a starter, and hopes remain that his upward trajectory will continue.
Hall of Fame Game history and trends
Traditionally, the Hall of Fame Game amounts to a battle of backups and rookies. A look back at the recent results provides some perspective on the potential for scoring and margin of victory.
- 2025: Los Angeles Chargers 34, Detroit Lions 7
- 2024: Chicago Bears 21, Houston Texans 17
- 2023: Cleveland Browns 21, New York Jets 16
- 2022: Las Vegas Raiders 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 11
- 2021: Pittsburgh Steelers 16, Dallas Cowboys 3
Preseason games can be challenging to forecast. Factors to consider include the uncertainty over playing time for starters, the approach that individual head coaches use for preseason games, and figuring out which rookies are ready to shine on the big stage.
NFL markets to watch during the preseason
The preseason kickoff accelerates the countdown to NFL Week 1, which opens on September 9. Trading volume will continue to steadily increase on each game right up until kickoff, making now a great time to start comparing prices. The same holds true across key NFL futures markets, as interest will keep climbing for the rest of the summer.
The 2027 Super Bowl market remains the headline attraction, but activity will continue building across NFL futures and individual game markets as the preseason unfolds. Next week, preseason games kick off on Thursday and conclude on Saturday. In between, all 32 clubs are in action, potentially inspiring even more prediction market trading interest.
