The New Orleans Saints are still favored to beat the San Francisco 49ers, but oddsmakers expect a razor-thin finish in a low-scoring game.
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All eyes from around the NFL world will be focused on the Mercedes-Benz Superdome this Sunday, when the New Orleans Saints host the San Francisco 49ers for a game with tremendous implications for the NFC playoff picture.
With a Saints win, the road to Super Bowl LIV is all but guaranteed to run through New Orleans. But if the 49ers prevail, well, things get interesting in the NFC West. It’s a fair bet that they would compete with the Seattle Seahawks all the way down the stretch for the first seed, with the loser falling to the fifth seed — guaranteeing their playoff journey starts on the road. Incidentally, the 49ers will visit the Seahawks in the regular season finale in Week 17.
Per updated odds from BetMGM, the Saints are still favored to defeat the 49ers, but only by 2.5 points. With an over/under of just 44.5, that implies a final score somewhere in the neighborhood of Saints 24, 49ers 21. If this game were played on a neutral field, it would be even more of a toss-up. In other words: even the oddsmakers don’t know who might win this one.
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The Clemson Tigers (12-0) are trying to remain unbeaten this weekend, as they take on the Virginia Cavaliers (9-3) in the ACC Championship game. It’ll be held at Bank of America Stadium and will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the …
The Clemson Tigers (12-0) are trying to remain unbeaten this weekend, as they take on the Virginia Cavaliers (9-3) in the ACC Championship game. It’ll be held at Bank of America Stadium and will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the Virginia-Clemson odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Virginia at Clemson: Three things you need to know
1. Virginia’s offense is ranked only 34th in the country in scoring, but it’s seventh in time of possession. That could be a factor in this one as the Cavaliers try to keep the Clemson offense off the field.
2. Clemson is 6-4 in its last 10 games against Virginia, averaging 26.9 points per game to the Cavaliers’ 18.3. The Tigers are 6-4 against the spread in those 10 games, too.
3. Clemson’s narrowest margin of victory this season was by one point over North Carolina. Otherwise, it won every other game by at least two touchdowns.
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Virginia at Clemson: Odds, betting lines and picks
The Tigers are clear favorites in this one and as a result, the moneyline (-3334) isn’t very appetizing for bettors considering Clemson. There’s little upside to taking them, given how much you’ll have to bet just to make any significant profit.
Pass on the moneyline here and instead consider wagering on the spread.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Clemson to win returns a profit of $0.30.
Clemson is used to being a big favorite, so the 28.5-point spread is nothing new. The Tigers have been good at covering the spread this season, too, going 9-3 ATS. They’re 5-1 ATS in their last six games on a neutral site as a favorite.
This is too large of a margin to take the Tigers, though. Virginia will keep it within four touchdowns and cover the spread. Bet VIRGINIA (+28.5, -110) to cover.
The projected point total of 54.5 should be surpassed fairly easily. Virginia’s defense is nothing to write home about, and Clemson boasts the fourth-best offense in the country. The total has gone Over in four of Virginia’s last five games against ACC opponents.
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The New Orleans Saints have great odds of winning Super Bowl LIV, with their chief competition coming from the AFC’s Ravens and Patriots.
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The New Orleans Saints are serious Super Bowl contenders. They currently own the first seed in the projected NFC playoff picture, ahead of competitors like the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, and San Francisco 49ers. And the Saints have built around a strong, young core that’s won 36 of their last 48 games, logging plenty of playoffs experience with four postseason games the last two years. Of course oddsmakers like their chances, especially if New Orleans can hold onto that top seed.
Per the latest Super Bowl odds from BetMGM, just two teams have better chances of going all the way than the Saints (at +500): the New England Patriots (+350) and Baltimore Ravens (+260). New Orleans is the odds-on favorite in the NFC. Here is how the top ten shakes out:
Baltimore Ravens, +260
New England Patriots, +350
New Orleans Saints, +500
San Francisco 49ers, +700
Seattle Seahawks, +900
Kansas City Chiefs, +1000
Green Bay Packers, +1400
Houston Texans, +2200
Dallas Cowboys, +2800
Minnesota Vikings, +2800
That’s a clear edge for the Saints in a crowded field of Super Bowl contenders, and bettors probably love to see it. There’s just four weeks left in the regular season, and then things get very interesting, very quickly. As the Saints know very well, the playoffs are a whole new ballgame.
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The New Orleans Saints are narrowly favored over the San Francisco 49ers for their Week 14 game inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
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The New Orleans Saints are a week away from hosting the San Francisco 49ers in their Week 14 kickoff from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and the opening line slightly favors the home team. According to the latest odds from BetMGM, the Saints are 3.5-point favorites to win, with an over/under of 45.5. That suggests a final score in the neighborhood of Saints 25, 49ers 21 — hardly a decisive outcome. New Orleans’ recent streak of victories and home-field advantage could be giving them an edge in the oddsmakers’ eyes.
New Orleans is fresh off the heels of a dominant (if at times sloppy) win over the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving, in which their defense sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan nine times. Six of those sacks came from starting defensive ends Cameron Jordan (four) and Marcus Davenport (two).
Things aren’t nearly so positive for the 49ers. They took the Baltimore Ravens down to the wire on a muddy field but couldn’t close the deal. Inexperienced quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo conducted the offense well, but the 49ers run defense was kept on their heels by Ravens phenom Lamar Jackson. Expect the Saints to target that same vulnerability with Taysom Hill, who has seen his involvement (and effectiveness) rise as the season has wore on.
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Our weekly NFL underdog betting staple continues into Week 13 where Ken Pomponio features three teams likely to upset their underdog odds
We’re past Thanksgiving, so the real NFL season is underway.
At least that’s how the saying goes.
In this space, we’re bringing a 21-15 overall record into the closing stretch after going 2-1 last week. I was on pair of underdogs who covered in straight-up losses (Colts +3.5 against the Texans and Cowboys +6.5 vs. the Patriots) and another (Packers +3.5 at the 49ers) that most definitely did not.
Now, with the trio of Turkey Day games already in the Week 13 books, we’ll have to come up with three underdogs from the rest the card, utilizing, as usual, Wednesday’s posted point spreads from BetMGM.com. Here goes …
Tennessee Titans (+2.5) at Indianapolis Colts
(Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports)
These two AFC South foes met back in Week 2, and the visiting Colts came away with a 19-17 road victory for their 19th win in the last 23 meetings with the Titans since the start of the 2008 season.
But it’s been the Titans who have since undergone the greatest transformation, winning four of five games since Ryan Tannehill replaced the scuffling Marcus Mariota as the starting quarterback in Week 7. Tannehill has been much more than just a fill-in, throwing for 10 TDs and rushing for three more while throwing only four interceptions.
Indy, meanwhile, is trending in the opposite direction, having dropped three of four since Week 9 with QB Jacoby Brissett missing two of those losses with a knee injury.
Brissett has been back for the last two games, but two of his top weapons will missing Sunday as tight end Eric Ebron has been placed on injured reserve list and No. 1 wideout T.Y. Hilton is sidelined after suffering a setback with his nagging calf injury in practice this week.
That’s more than enough to tilt the balance in favor of the red-hot Tannehill and the Titans if you weren’t leaning in that direction already.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars
(Photo Credit: Jason Getz – USA TODAY Sports)
This matchup of 4-7 Florida foes also is a meeting of two teams headed in opposite directions of late as the Bucs have won two of their last three while the Jags have dropped three straight, losing by at least 20 each time.
Tampa quietly owns the league’s No. 3 scoring offense at 28.4 points per game, and only the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, with 3,788 in 12 games, has thrown for yards than the Bucs’ Jameis Winston (3,391 in 11). Winston also ranks fourth with 22 TD passes but, of course, the problem is interceptions as Winston has tossed 20 — six more than any other QB in the league.
Meanwhile, QB Nick Foles is back at the helm in J’ville, but he’s guided the Jags to only 33 points in his last two starts.
Foles has a capable sidekick in running back Leonard Fournette, but (again) the Bucs quietly own the league’s No. 2 defense against the run. Jacksonville doesn’t have cornerback Jalen Ramsey anymore to help deal with Tampa’s standout WR duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, who have both already eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards on the season and have combined for 16 scoring receptions.
Look for the Bucs to prevail in a shootout.
Minnesota Vikings (+2.5) at Seattle Seahawks
(Photo Credit: David Berding – USA TODAY Sports)
It’s another intriguing Monday night matchup as the NFC’s two current wild-card front-runners put their superb records on the line.
Both teams feature QBs (Russell Wilson, Kirk Cousins) playing at elite levels, and well-rounded, top-10 offenses going against shakier-than-most-expect defenses, particularly against the pass, so there should be some back-and-forth action on the scoreboard.
Despite their 9-2 record, though, the Seahawks are stunningly 0-5 ATS against the midweek lines at home this season while the 8-3 Vikings have covered and won in three of their last four road contests.
Take the Purple and the points.
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The Arizona Wildcats (4-7, 2-6 Pac-12) and Arizona State Sun Devils (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) wrap up their regular season schedules with a rivalry game to determine who gets to take home the Territorial Cup. The game kicks off at 10 p.m. ET Saturday at Sun …
The Arizona Wildcats (4-7, 2-6 Pac-12) and Arizona State Sun Devils (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) wrap up their regular season schedules with a rivalry game to determine who gets to take home the Territorial Cup. The game kicks off at 10 p.m. ET Saturday at Sun Devil Stadium. We analyze the Arizona-Arizona State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Arizona at Arizona State: Three things you need to know
1. The Sun Devils are coming off a 31-28 upset win over No. 6 Oregon last week. Freshman QB Jayden Daniels threw for 408 yards in the win.
2. The Wildcats have lost six games in a row.
3. Arizona State overcame a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter last year to beat Arizona on the road.
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The Sun Devils are almost a slam dunk bet on the moneyline, but it won’t earn you much money. The line for Arizona State is -556. A bet on the Wildcats at +375 could be a big winner but they haven’t played well enough to take that bet.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Arizona State returns a profit of $1.80.
The Sun Devils are big favorites at -12.5. They are coming off a big win against the previously sixth-ranked Oregon Ducks. Arizona State has covered the spread in only four games this season but the Wildcats have covered only twice.
Arizona State has covered six of the last 10 games against Arizona but only one of the last three.
Arizona State should win easily. Take the SUN DEVILS and give up the points (-12.5, -121).
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The Washington State Cougars (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) and Washington Huskies (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) face off in the Apple Cup, one of the oldest rivalries in college football history. The game will kick off Friday at 4 p.m. ET at Alaskan Airline Field at Husky …
The Washington State Cougars (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) and Washington Huskies (6-5, 3-5 Pac-12) face off in the Apple Cup, one of the oldest rivalries in college football history. The game will kick off Friday at 4 p.m. ET at Alaskan Airline Field at Husky Stadium. We analyze the Washington State-Washington odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Washington State at Washington: Three things you need to know
1. The Huskies have won the last six matchups between the two teams. This will be the 112th game between the two schools.
2. Washington State QB Anthony Gordon had 606 passing yards and six touchdown passes in a win over Oregon State last week.
3. Washington gained only 238 yards of offense in a loss to Colorado last week.
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AVOID. Washington is likely going to win, even with a close game. However, there is no value to take the Huskies at -304. Washington State is an incredible value at +240 but its better to go with the spread in this rivalry game.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Washington returns a profit of $3.29.
Washington is favored by 7.5 points. Washington State is not a reliable pick against the spread looking at the whole season, covering the spread in four of 11 games. However, they have covered the spread in three of their last five, while Washington has covered in only two of six.
Washington has a top defense and Washington State has a high-flying offense. In this rivalry game, it should be close. Take WASHINGTON STATE(+7.5, -110) to cover.
The total is set at 63.5 points. The Cougars can move the ball and score points. The Huskies have struggled offensively but have a top-30 defense in the country. Games featuring Washington State have gone over the point total in seven of 11 games, while the Huskies have hit the over in six of 11 outings. This game will be really close to the projected total. Both teams will score point but the total will come just short. Go with the UNDER (-115).
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The opening Week 13 NFL odds favor the visiting New Orleans Saints over the hosting Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving, but that means little.
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The New Orleans Saints are headlining the NFL’s scheduled games for Thanksgiving with a rematch against the NFC South-rival Atlanta Falcons in prime-time, at 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC. That tense matchup follows earlier games hosted by the Detroit Lions (against the Chicago Bears at 11:30 a.m. CT) and Dallas Cowboys (with the Buffalo Bills at 3:30 p.m. CT). And according to the opening line from BetMGM, the Saints-Falcons kickoff is expected to be the day’s barn-burner, with the highest over/under of the day.
The Saints-Falcons game has a projected over/under of 49.5, with New Orleans favored by 6.5 points — nearly a full touchdown. That’s higher than what the Cowboys-Bills game is expected to put up (44.5) as well as what the Lions-Bears tilt (39.5). That over/under also projects a final score of Saints 29, Falcons 21.
Saints fans learned that the projected odds mean little the last time these two teams squared off. The Saints were 11.5-point favorites over the Falcons coming out of their bye week, but Atlanta shocked the Saints by sacking Drew Brees six times and holding the New Orleans offense without a touchdown on the day. The Saints have had time to improve since then, but this will obviously be a big test no matter what each team’s record looks like.
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The Detroit Lions (3-7-1) host another Thanksgiving game. This year, they take on the NFC North rival Chicago Bears (5-6). The game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. ET Thurday at Ford Field in Detroit. Bears at Lions: Week 13 preview, betting trends and …
The Detroit Lions (3-7-1) host another Thanksgiving game. This year, they take on the NFC North rival Chicago Bears (5-6). The game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. ET Thurday at Ford Field in Detroit.
Bears at Lions: Week 13 preview, betting trends and notes
The Lions have lost four straight games and are winless in the division this season.
Ten of the Lions’ 11 games this season have been decided by one score.
The Bears have given up fewer than 20 points in four of their last five games.
Chicago averages only 1.9 touchdowns per game.
Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky has only 10 touchdown passes this season.
Lions QB Jeff Driskel has four touchdown passes and four interceptions in three starts.
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Bears at Lions: Key injuries
The Lions will be without starting QB Matthew Stafford (back). His replacement, QB Jeff Driskel (hamstring) has missed practice time. DE Trey Flowers (concussion) and WR Marvin Hall (foot) could miss the game.
Bears TE Ben Braunecker (concussion), WR Taylor Gabriel (concussion), RT Bobby Massie (ankle) and LB Danny Trevathan (elbow) could miss the game.
Bears at Lions: Odds, betting lines and prediction
With the Lions having lost four in a row and with Driskel playing quarterback, it doesn’t make sense to take them at +115, even though it is a better value than the Bears. The BEARS have been disappointing this season but they should be a slam dunk for the win at -139.
A $10 bet on the Bears will net $7.19 in profit with an outright win.
The Bears are favored by 2.5 points. The Lions are guaranteed to be in a close game, but they have not been a good bet, having covered the spread in only four of 11 games this season. The Bears haven’t been much better, covering only three times. That said, the Bears have covered in seven of the last 10 games against the Lions. They have the defense and the Lions have a backup quarterback. Take the BEARS ( -2.5, -115).
The total is set at 39.5 points. In 11 games this season for the Bears, the total has hit the Under in eight. It is a short week. The Lions will struggle against the Bears defense. and the Bears offense is bad. Take the UNDER 39.5 (-121).
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The New Orleans Saints were already favored to beat the Carolina Panthers, but the updated point spread has risen further in their favor.
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The New Orleans Saints have to like their chances against the Carolina Panthers. Carolina is reeling, with Cam Newton lost for the year and his promising backup, Kyle Allen, trying to recover from a four-interception meltdown versus the Atlanta Falcons (a game the Panthers lost 29-3).
According to updated odds from BetMGM, the Saints have risen to 9.5-point favorites over the Panthers, but the over/under has dropped to 46.5. That projects a final score of Saints 28, Panthers 18, which would be their fourth consecutive double-digit victory (a Week 10 loss to those same surging Falcons notwithstanding). When the Saints give opponents their due diligence and execute well, there isn’t a team in the NFL that should scare them.
Trouble comes when New Orleans either underestimates their opponent or makes too many mistakes on game day. The Saints have generally made smart preparations this year (again, that Falcons upset is glaring) but they have been prone to in-game errors, especially holding penalties on offense.
If the Saints start off on the wrong foot and let Carolina hang around in this game, the Panthers have enough talent to give them trouble. Playing divisional opponents — who have the benefit of extended previous experience and familiar knowledge of play-calling tendencies — is almost always a tall order. Here’s hoping that Falcons loss helped galvanize the Saints and gave them ample motivation to push towards the playoffs.
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