Free Sports Picks for Thursday, August 13, 2026

Thursday’s free sports picks are dominated by a six-game NFL preseason slate, with additional MLB, PGA Tour and soccer betting selections. The NFL card includes multiple handicappers targeting the Packers-Steelers, Lions-Bengals, Chargers-Texans and Titans-49ers matchups.

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Calvin King: Detroit Lions +7 vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Pick: LIONS +7

Calvin King takes the points with Detroit in Thursday’s NFL preseason opener against Cincinnati. At this stage of the preseason, depth and extended playing time for reserves can make a full touchdown particularly meaningful. King makes the Lions his 1% free play.

Max Chase: Packers-Steelers OVER 39.5

Pick: OVER 39.5

Max Chase attacks the total in Green Bay-Pittsburgh. His free NFL preseason selection calls for enough production from the quarterbacks and reserve offenses to push this matchup beyond the posted number.

Juan Carlos Flores: Beitar Jerusalem +190 vs. Austria Wien

Pick: BEITAR JERUSALEM +190

Juan Carlos Flores goes to the soccer card for a sizable underdog, backing Beitar Jerusalem at plus money against Austria Wien. The substantial return makes the outright victory the target rather than taking protection through another market.

Ricky Tran: Minnesota Twins -108 vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Pick: TWINS -108

Ricky Tran backs Minnesota in Thursday night’s showcase game against Philadelphia. The matchup features Taj Bradley against Aaron Nola, with the Twins installed around a short favorite in what amounts to a near pick’em matchup.

William Burns: Phillies-Twins OVER 8.5

Pick: OVER 8.5

William Burns goes over the total in the Field of Dreams matchup. Aaron Nola enters at 3-9 with a 5.47 ERA, and while his recent work has improved, he has continued to allow multiple runs with regularity. Burns also notes Nola recently dealt with a knee injury.

Taj Bradley brings the stronger overall numbers at 9-4 with a 3.76 ERA, but Burns points out that Bradley allowed three runs in each of his first two August outings and surrendered four runs, three earned, in his previous start against Philadelphia. Burns projects a 7-4 Phillies victory.

Oliver Smith: Chargers-Texans OVER 36.5

Pick: OVER 36.5

Oliver Smith makes the Chargers-Texans OVER his 3-star free selection. The relatively modest preseason total creates a path to the over without requiring an offensive explosion, particularly if both teams get competent quarterback play from their second and third units.

Black Widow: Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5 vs. Green Bay Packers

Pick: STEELERS +2.5

Black Widow takes Pittsburgh as a home underdog against Green Bay, labeling the Steelers a free Wiseguy play. The handicap is based on a combination of situations, trends, statistics and injury information.

Bobby Conn: Lions-Bengals OVER 36.5

Pick: OVER 36.5

Bobby Conn expects more scoring than the market in Detroit-Cincinnati. With the total sitting in the mid-30s, Conn backs the reserve offenses to generate enough production to get the game over 36.5.

Jimmy Boyd: Chargers-Texans OVER 36.5

Pick: OVER 36.5

Jimmy Boyd agrees with the over in Los Angeles-Houston. Boyd’s selection is generated through a machine-learning handicapping approach and targets OVER 36.5 as his Thursday NFL preseason free pick.

Info Plays: Pittsburgh Steelers +2 vs. Green Bay Packers

Pick: STEELERS +2

Info Plays joins the Pittsburgh side of one of Thursday’s most heavily represented games. Getting points with the Steelers at home against Green Bay is the free selection.

Steve Janus: Indianapolis Colts -2.5 vs. New England Patriots

Pick: COLTS -2.5

Steve Janus lays the short number with Indianapolis in New England. The Colts are his free sharp play on Thursday’s NFL preseason card.

Rob Vinciletti: Titans-49ers OVER 40

Pick: OVER 40

Rob Vinciletti expects Tennessee-San Francisco to produce points. His case starts with Tennessee’s intention to use its starters, followed by a deep quarterback rotation. He also highlights Cam Ward and rookie Nick Singleton among the Titans’ offensive weapons.

San Francisco should have opportunities to contribute at home, with Mac Jones expected to receive quarterback work. Vinciletti also cites a preseason situation in which Week 1 road favorites of at least four points have gone OVER in six of seven games, with those contests averaging more than 45 points.

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Hunter Price: Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5 vs. Green Bay Packers

Pick: STEELERS +2.5

Hunter Price adds another vote for Pittsburgh in Thursday’s preseason matchup. His free selection takes the Steelers plus the points at home against Green Bay.

Alex Smart: Packers-Steelers UNDER 37.5

Pick: UNDER 37.5

Alex Smart takes a different route into Packers-Steelers by attacking the total. Smart cites a long-term preseason tendency toward UNDERS when totals reach 37 or higher, along with Pittsburgh’s particularly strong history of low-scoring home exhibition games.

He also points to the modern decline in preseason snaps for Week 1 starting quarterbacks. More possessions are now controlled by backup and developmental quarterbacks, often accompanied by conservative play-calling and less offensive continuity. Smart believes those factors outweigh the possibility of additional scoring from veteran participation.

Sean Murphy: San Francisco 49ers +3 vs. Tennessee Titans

Pick: 49ERS +3

Sean Murphy believes the market has moved too far toward Tennessee. The Titans have an appealing preseason quarterback room, but Murphy sees enough depth behind Brock Purdy—including Mac Jones, Kurtis Rourke and Adrian Martinez—to question whether Tennessee deserves to lay a field goal on the road.

San Francisco’s training-camp injuries have contributed to negative sentiment, but Murphy does not believe the personnel gap is large enough to justify the price. He makes the 49ers his 8-star free selection.

AAA Sports: Philadelphia Phillies +100 vs. Minnesota Twins

Pick: PHILLIES +100

AAA Sports backs Philadelphia in the Field of Dreams game. Aaron Nola comes off an outing in which he suffered an injury but still made enough quality pitches to provide encouragement.

Philadelphia enters on a two-game losing streak but has actually produced a better road record than home record this season. AAA Sports also points to Taj Bradley’s less impressive results away from home and Minnesota’s recent slide, with the Twins losing seven of their previous 11 entering the matchup.

Andrew Gold: Los Angeles Chargers +1 vs. Houston Texans

Pick: CHARGERS +1

Andrew Gold takes the small number with Los Angeles against Houston, making the Chargers his 1% Gold Rush selection.

ProSportsPicks: Tennessee Titans -5 vs. San Francisco 49ers

Pick: TITANS -5

ProSportsPicks lands on the opposite side of Sean Murphy in Tennessee-San Francisco. The handicap is model-driven, with the Titans identified as the value side.

ProSportsPicks cites Tennessee’s 5-3 ATS mark across its previous eight games and San Francisco’s 2-3 ATS record in the previous five head-to-head meetings with Tennessee. The Titans are the 1-star data-driven selection.

Tom Macrina: Sam Burns +105 over Xander Schauffele

Pick: SAM BURNS +105

Tom Macrina backs Sam Burns in his matchup with Xander Schauffele at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Burns enters with an impressive string of results that includes third at The Open, second at the U.S. Open and fourth at the Memorial.

Macrina particularly likes Burns’ putting advantage and comfort on Bermuda greens. Burns also owns strong history in this event, including a runner-up finish in 2021 and fifth-place result in 2024. Schauffele carries the superior long-term ball-striking profile, but Macrina gives Burns the edge based on current results, putting, Bermuda experience and course history.

Joe Duffy: Arizona Cardinals +1.5 vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Pick: CARDINALS +1.5

Joe Duffy backs Arizona as a small road underdog despite acknowledging that Las Vegas owns the more attractive disclosed personnel information.

The statistical case for Arizona is substantial. Road underdogs of 2.5 points or fewer are 84-43 ATS (66.1%) since 2015, while preseason underdogs between +1 and +3 are 190-128 ATS (59.7%) over the same span.

The counterargument is Las Vegas’ rotation. Raiders coach Klint Kubiak has indicated that starters will participate and quarterback Fernando Mendoza will receive significant repetitions. That conflict between favorable Arizona historical systems and positive Las Vegas personnel information keeps the Cardinals in free-play territory rather than elevating the selection to premium status.

Thursday’s Free Picks at a Glance

NFL Preseason

Calvin King: LIONS +7
Max Chase: Packers-Steelers OVER 39.5
Oliver Smith: Chargers-Texans OVER 36.5
Black Widow: STEELERS +2.5
Bobby Conn: Lions-Bengals OVER 36.5
Jimmy Boyd: Chargers-Texans OVER 36.5
Info Plays: STEELERS +2
Steve Janus: COLTS -2.5
Rob Vinciletti: Titans-49ers OVER 40
Hunter Price: STEELERS +2.5
Alex Smart: Packers-Steelers UNDER 37.5
Sean Murphy: 49ERS +3
Andrew Gold: CHARGERS +1
ProSportsPicks: TITANS -5
Joe Duffy: CARDINALS +1.5

MLB

Ricky Tran: TWINS -108
William Burns: Phillies-Twins OVER 8.5
AAA Sports: PHILLIES +100

PGA Tour

Tom Macrina: SAM BURNS +105 over Xander Schauffele

Soccer

Juan Carlos Flores: BEITAR JERUSALEM +190 vs. Austria Wien

These free sports picks represent the individual opinions of the credited handicappers. For additional daily free sports picks, NFL preseason predictions, MLB picks, totals and underdog selections, visit Picks Depot Free Picks.

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