Best Bets NFL: Week 18 Edition

 Better late than never! In the final week of the regular season we are starting a series of weekly articles that should continue throughout the playoffs of 'best bets'. What this means is we point out some of the best betting odds/spreads to take advantage of in the given week to try and make some money in sports betting. It's a huge deal right now and so getting involved with the sports betting area is something we want to do! 

Odds via Purewage.com

LA Chargers @ LV Raiders

Chargers -3: To start out, we really like the Chargers -3 vs the Raiders. While I could see this game going to OT, I can't really see the Chargers losing. If the Chargers win, there's really no chance that it's going to be by less than 3 points. This game should be fun to watch and high scoring, but I can only see the Chargers blowing out the Raiders and not vice versa. These two teams met earlier in the season and it was an absolute blowout with the Raiders on the losing side. 

Chargers moneyline (-160): If the -3 still feels too risky, Chargers ML should not. For those who are unfamiliar with betting, moneyline (or ML) just means picking a team straight up to win, forgetting about points or anything like that. The Chargers ML means we think they will win straight up and if they do, the bet would hit. Well obviously alone betting -160 odds wouldn't make you a ton, it is a great spread to pick to add to a parlay to help make you so big time money. 

Over 49.5 points: This game has so much opportunity for good bets, and the final piece that we like is over 49.5 points. This game has the feel of a shootout to it, and if both teams score 25 points each, that would obviously hit the over. I can't see a scenario where this is a low scoring game at all and so we think that over 49.5 points is a great bet that can be added into a parlay for serious cash-out. 

SF 49ers @ LA Rams

49ers ML (+180): A standalone really good bet that we like in this game is the 49ers to win straight up. This is the classic slight underdog that we see every few weeks that just has the feel of an upset. The Niners are hungry to make the post-season but likely won't if they lose this game. They crushed the Rams even as heavy underdogs earlier in the season and with Matt Stafford sputtering on offense for the Rams, the Niners could take full advantage and win this game. At +180, you could put serious money on the Niners to win this game and cashout big-time or even add this spread to a parlay to increase the cashout by a lot. A 10$ parlay (for example) with a few favorites along with Niners +180 could cash out nicely. Even if you like the Rams, this is a good bet.

Matthew Stafford prop bet, INTs thrown (over 0.5): A prop bet that I LOVE this week is Matt Stafford throwing more than .5 INTs. This means if he throws 1 or more INTs, the bet hits. The odds vary greatly from site to site so I didn't include the odds but some sites even have Stafford throwing a pick at + odds which feels like free money. Stafford has been really off lately as he's thrown at least 1 INT in each of the past 3 games, including 2 terrible ones last week and then a whopping 3 the week before. The last time he played the Niners, he threw 2 as well. The Rams are going to be trying to help Cooper Kupp break the single-season receiving yardage record and so Stafford should be throwing the football a lot. It feels almost guaranteed to me that he throws one or more. Depending on the odds, this is a great bet, especially if your site has him at + odds for this prop.

IND Colts @ JAX Jaguars

Jaguars ML (+565): This bet is for those looking for a big upset to yield them big winnings. This one is for the risk takers out there. Of all of the heavy underdogs this weekend, the Jags feel like the one with the biggest opportunity to pull off a stunner. For starters, the Colts have not come into Jacksonville and won since 2014. That is just crazy. There's a chance this is the worst Jags team during that stretch but you also have to realize that the Jags have been terrible almost every year since 2014 while the Colts have been deep playoff contenders in most of those years, so this stat isn't something to brush off. The Jags also played the Colts incredibly well when they met in November and almost beat them if not for a special teams TD from Indy. I'm not saying by any means that the Jags will beat the Colts and knock them out of the playoff race, but +565 odds is amazing for risk takers that want to win big. These odds make it tempting to make this bet.

Jaguars +15.5: Now if you want something a lot less risky that could be a great leg to add to a parlay, bet on the Jags at +15.5. For amateur bettors, this means that if the Jags lose the game by 15 or less, you’re bet hits. This feels a lot safer than straight up betting that the Jags will win which feels very unlikely. Sure, the Jags have been terrible of late and allowed the Pats to drop 50 on them last week, but the Colts are a divisional rival that they have played close almost every time over the past few years regardless of the records at hand. Even if they lose, I can't see it by being by more than 16. This is a great bet to make, feels like free money.

NY Jets @ BUF Bills

Jets +16.5: Similarly to the Jags above, the Jets at +16.5 feels like free money. While they are not a good team (just like the Jags), they aren't playing terrible football lately. Everyone knows this by now but the Jets came pretty much as close as possible to beating Brady and the Bucs last weekend. Now they have the Bills who have been turning the ball over a lot and aren't as dominant as we've seen from them in the past year or so. While the Jets won't win this game, it's tough to convince me they will lose by more than 16 points. Again, for this to hit, the Jets just need to lose by less than 16, which I see happening. This is a good straight up bet and an even better leg to add to a parlay.

KC Chiefs @ DEN Broncos

Chiefs -11.5: A heavy favorite that I think should easily cover its spread this weekend in the Chiefs. They will be playing with serious hunger after losing barely in Cinncy last week. Whenever the Chiefs meet with the Broncos, it seems as if the Chiefs can be stopped by no one. This game has the feel of a major blowout to me and so picking the Chiefs to win by at least 12 feels like a good bet to me. 

SEA Seahawks @ ARI Cardinals

Seahawks (+220): Our final best bet of the week comes to the Seahawks. Just like the Niners who we discussed above, we like the Seahawks as upset winners this week. This one is definitely riskier than the Niner bet, as you can tell with the odds, but still feels very plausible. The Hawks found some serious rhythm last weekend when they dropped 50+ points and are coming in hot. They face the Cards who have a great record but aside from a lucky win last week, have been bad of late. I think this opportunistic Hawks' defense will get the best of Kyler Murray and co. and pull off a big upset in the desert this weekend. The Hawks haven't been swept by the Cardinals in years, and this still doesn't feel like the year it will happen. This is a really good straight up bet for risk takers and a fun one to add to a parlay to drastically increase the potential winnings.