The Las Vegas Raiders travel to face the Houston Texans on Thursday, August 20, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. ET at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Kalshi's market has Houston priced at 57% and Las Vegas at 45%, as of this writing.
Houston finished 12-5 last season and reached the divisional round before losing to New England, while Las Vegas finished 3-14 and used the No. 1 overall pick on quarterback Fernando Mendoza. First-year coach Klint Kubiak is using the preseason to evaluate Mendoza behind veteran starter Kirk Cousins, while Houston continues rotating its own lineup as it builds toward a third straight playoff push under DeMeco Ryans.
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice. See full disclaimer below. Kalshi is not affiliated with the NFL.
Snapshot
Matchup: Las Vegas Raiders vs. Houston Texans
Kickoff: Thursday, August 20, 2026, 8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Reliant Stadium, Houston, Texas
Watch: ESPN (national); FOX5 Vegas (regional)
Kalshi's current number: 45% Las Vegas Raiders / 57% Houston Texans, as of this writing
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Houston Texans, Thursday, August 20, 2026
Houston has held a steady lead over Las Vegas through most of the trading window, with the market now pricing the Texans at 57%. Tight end Michael Mayer returned from a nose injury this week for Las Vegas, while tight end Carter Runyon has missed multiple practices for an undisclosed reason. Houston's Nico Collins has said he is healthy entering camp, though wideout Tank Dell remains unlikely to be a full participant as he continues working back from a 2024 injury.
Mendoza's first preseason outing was uneven. He completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards against Arizona but struggled under pressure, going 2-for-6 for 11 yards with a 42.4 passer rating and a sack on pressured dropbacks. Thursday marks his second look with the second unit. Houston enters riding a run of preseason success under Ryans, who has posted a winning preseason record each of the past three years, going 7-3 over that stretch.
Margin of Victory
Kalshi's market has Houston at 48% to win by more than 1.5 points, as of this writing.
Point Total
The total is priced at 53% to go over 37.5 combined points, as of this writing.
AFC West Division
Kalshi traders have Las Vegas at 6% to win the AFC West, the lowest number among the division's four teams as the Raiders begin their first season under Kubiak.
AFC South Division
Kalshi traders have Houston at 44% to win the AFC South, the top number in the division.
The Takeaway:
Kalshi markets now predict:
When is Raiders vs. Texans? Thursday, August 20, 2026, with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Where is the game? Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.
How can I watch? Nationally on ESPN, and regionally on FOX5 Vegas.
What is Kalshi's current number? Houston is a 57% favorite over Las Vegas, as of this writing.
Houston enters as the favorite at home while Las Vegas focuses on developing Mendoza behind veteran starter Kirk Cousins.
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