Tag: NFL futures odds

Carolina Panthers playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Carolina Panthers making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Carolina Panthers make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, May 22 at 11:15 a.m. ET.

Will the Carolina Panthers make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +400 | No: –556

The Panthers are coming off a last-place finish, going 5-11 in 2019. They have a new coach in Matt Rhule and a new QB in Teddy Bridgewater. A big problem is that they are in a division with the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, two of the three top favorites to win the NFC. Carolina still looks like a last-place team in the NFC South. The best bet, even though there is no value to it is, to go with NO (-556).

New to sports betting? A $10 bet at -556 only profits $1.80 if the wager wins.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NV, NJ, and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Carolina Panthers win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +210
5-8 Wins -250
9-12 Wins +1200
13-16 Wins +200000

If you are looking at their schedule, you can probably pencil in two wins in the division. They will win one they probably shouldn’t, because this is common in the NFC South. They have winnable games against the Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos. All are at home except the Redskins. The Panthers can probably split those games. That puts them at five wins just splitting those winnable games and not stealing any wins against teams they aren’t expected to beat.

Winning 0-4 games will be tempting with the value, but the most likely outcome is 5-8 (-250) for a $4 profit on a $10 bet.

How many games will the Carolina Panthers win in 2020? Exact number

The shortest odds for exact wins are five (+265) and six (+270). As mentioned before, getting two wins in the division is likely. Splitting the six “winnable” games is reasonable. The best bet here is FIVE (+265), but four (+375) and six (+270) are also worth looking at.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @senorjessroot on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Buffalo Bills playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Buffalo Bills making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Buffalo Bills make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Thursday, May 21 at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Will the Buffalo Bills make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: -176  | No: +145

The Bills are one of the biggest winners from the 2020 offseason. Not only did they add proven veterans in the offseason such as WR Stefon Diggs, DE Mario Addison and DE Quinton Jefferson, but Tom Brady also left the division. While Brady clearly is in decline, the New England Patriots don’t appear to be as strong as they were for most of the century. That opens up a lane for the Bills to take the AFC East for the first time since 1995.

Buffalo has made the playoffs in two of the last there seasons, but it hasn’t won a playoff game since  1995. That could change this season as head coach Sean McDermott enters his fourth season with the team.

The Bills had the league’s No. 2 ranked scoring defense last season, allowing just 16.2 points per game. They will bring back 10 of their 11 starters from last season and even added more depth including CB Josh Norman, DT Vernon Butler and LB A.J. Klein. It’s also worth noting they spent their first draft choice on Iowa DE A.J. Epenesa, who had 22 sacks over the last two seasons.

The biggest story surrounding the Bills will be their offense. QB Josh Allen improved his completion percentage (58.8%) and yards per attempt (6.7) in his second season, but both of those numbers need to continue to improve for the Bills to make the next step. The hope is Diggs will help make Allen’s job a little bit easier as he is one of the best route runners in the NFL. Pairing him with the likes of John Brown and Cole Beasley gives Buffalo one of the best receiving corps in the NFL.

The Bills have one of the best overall rosters in the NFL, a head coach who knows how to get the most out of the talent and a fairly easy schedule. Expect them to make the playoffs (-176) and potentially win the division in 2020.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Buffalo Bills win in 2020? Bands

0-4 Wins: +6500

5-8 Wins: +125

9-12 Wins: -154

13-16 Wins: +2500

There is some decent value available on the Bills to win between 9-12 games (-154) this season. McDermott has guided the Bills to a winning season two of the last three years. The only season (2018) when that didn’t happen was when Allen missed five starts due to an elbow injury. The team failed to win a game without him on the field (0-5) as their backup quarterback situation just wasn’t up to par.

Consider Buffalo a lock to win at least nine games during the 2020 season.

How many games will the Buffalo Bills win in 2020? Exact number

BetMGM‘s win total for the Bills in 2020 is set at 8.5. Not surprisingly, 8 wins (+300) and 9 wins (+275) are the exact win totals with the lowest odds. While both of those present decent value, the best bet on the board is 10 wins (+325).

The Bills won 10 games last season and just one of their six losses was by more than seven points. Buffalo has a really strong defense which will allow them to keep games close.

Given their relatively easy schedule, look for the Bills to win either 9 and 10 games in 2020 as they look to overthrow New England and win the division.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Marcus_Mosher on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 AFC West Division Predictions: Best bets for who will win and exact standings

Looking at the NFL betting odds to win the AFC West Division in 2020 and predicting the exact order of the standings.

The Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC West Division in 2019 en route to a Super Bowl LIV title, but will they be able to repeat? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds for the AFC West Division in 2020 and make our best bets for who’ll win the division title and predict the exact order of the division standings.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Monday, May 18 at 10 a.m. ET.

2020 AFC West Division bets: Who will win?

The Chiefs are huge -455 favorites to retain the AFC West crown for a fifth straight season. They haven’t finished worse than second since a 2-14 2012 campaign under then-head coach Romeo Crennel.

We’ll avoid the chalk of a $10 bet returning a profit of just $2.20 and back the DENVER BRONCOS (+900) for a 9-1 return on our investment. QB Drew Lock went 4-1 as the starter after replacing veteran Joe Flacco as a rookie in 2019.

His supporting cast has been improved with the free-agent addition of RB Melvin Gordon and first-round draft selection of WR Jerry Jeudy. The defense, fronted by LBs Bradley Chubb and Von Miller remains one of the NFL’s more formidable units.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

2020 AFC West Division bets: Who will finish second?

As noted above, the Chiefs are highly unlikely to finish any worse than second in the division. There’s great value at +320 odds for them to finish in exactly that position in 2020. A $10 bet will return a profit of $32.

2020 AFC West Division bets: Who will finish third?

Betting on a Super Bowl hangover to hit the Chiefs in 2020 and result in a third-place finish carries odds of +1800, but it would require Mahomes to miss a considerable amount of time.

The safer play is to back the LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (+200) to repeat their third-place result from 2019. Head coach Jon Gruden enters his third season with the team and they improved by three wins from 2018 to 2019.

2020 AFC West Division bets: Who will finish fourth?

The LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (+235) enter the 2020 season with placeholder QB Tyrod Taylor set to mentor No. 6 pick Justin Herbert. While Taylor spent the 2019 campaign behind QB Philip Rivers and enjoyed a successful three-year run as the starter for the Buffalo Bills from 2015-2017, he has started just three games over the last two years.

Only the Chiefs (+17500) carry higher odds for a last-place finish.

2020 AFC West Division bets: Exact order of standings

Following the above picks, predicting a finish of Broncos-Chiefs-Raiders-Chargers carries +2500 odds for a $250 profit on a $10 bet. I like this as the primary play while placing a smaller wager on a Chiefs-Broncos-Raiders-Chargers finish at +625 as a hedge.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 AFC South Division Predictions: Best bets for who will win and exact standings

Looking at the NFL betting odds to win the AFC South Division in 2020 and predicting the exact order of the standings.

The Houston Texans won the AFC South Division in 2019, but will they be able to repeat? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds for the AFC South Division in 2020 and make our best bets for who’ll win the division title and predict the exact order of the division standings.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Wednesday, May 20 at 1:20 a.m. ET.

2020 AFC South Division bets: Who will win?

Here are the odds for first place in the division.

  • Indianapolis Colts +130
  • Tennessee Titans +160
  • Texans +280
  • Jacksonville Jaguars +1400

The Texans took a step back by trading WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals. Houston did not have a first-round draft pick, but added WR Brandin Cooks in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams. However, the Colts made an upgrade at the most important position, signing QB Philip Rivers. They already have a talented defense, solid receivers and now have a one-two punch at running back with Marlon Mack and Jonathan Taylor, a 2020 second-round pick out of Wisconsin. The Titans re-signed QB Ryan Tannehill after he helped them catch fire late in last season. However, Rivers makes the Colts a complete team. Take the COLTS (+130) to win the division.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Colts to win the AFC South will return a profit of $13 if they do so.

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2020 AFC South Division bets: Who will finish second?

Here are the odds for second place.

  • Colts +180
  • Titans +180
  • Texans +220
  • Jaguars +900

The division should be competitive between three teams. For second place, do you take the Titans and believe in Tannehill or trust Deshaun Watson to carry the Texans? The feeling is that Texans coach Bill O’Brien is trending downward with his roster decisions. Tennessee is trending up. Take the TITANS (+180) for an $18 profit on a $10 wager.

2020 AFC South Division bets: Who will finish third?

Here are the odds for third place.

  • Texans +155
  • Titans +250
  • Colts +255
  • Jaguars +500

With the Colts and Titans already pegged to finish in the top two, this decision is easy. The Jags look like they will be perhaps the worst team in the league. Take the TEXANS (+155) for a $15.50 profit on a $10 bet.

2020 AFC South Division bets: Who will finish fourth?

Here are the odds.

  • Jaguars -385
  • Texans +525
  • Titans +1000
  • Colts +1100

This decision is a lock. It won’t profit much, but the best bet is the JAGUARS (-385) where a $10 bet would profit $2.60.

2020 AFC South Division bets: Exact order of standings

With the exact standings finishing Colts-Titans-Texans-Jaguars, the prop is +400 – where a winning bet pays 4 to 1.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @senorjessroot on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Baltimore Ravens playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Baltimore Ravens making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Baltimore Ravens make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Monday, May 18 at 8:45 a.m. ET.

Will the Baltimore Ravens make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: -833 | No: +550

PASS.

The Ravens made the playoffs each of the last two seasons while winning back-to-back AFC North titles. A star-studded roster fronted by MVP QB Lamar Jackson and 11 other Pro Bowlers was only strengthened this offseason by the acquisition of DE Calais Campbell and draft selections of LB Patrick Queen and RB J.K. Dobbins.

The division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers should be much better this season with the return of QB Ben Roethlisberger, and the Cleveland Browns should show some improvement, as well. The Ravens are still the heavy favorites to win the division (-200) and would be the pick to make the playoffs as at least a wild-card team if not for the heavy chalk involved.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Ravens to make the playoffs would return a profit of $1.20. It just isn’t worth the risk.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

How many games will the Baltimore Ravens win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +250000
5-8 Wins +1800
9-12 Wins -238
13-16 Wins +185

While we’re trusting the Ravens to return to the playoffs for the third straight year in 2020, there’s little value in betting them to win nine or more games. While Jackson has proven to be a durable and elite NFL starter, disaster is always just an injury away and it’s tough to envision backup QB Robert Griffin III leading this team to the postseason, even with an excellent supporting cast on both sides of the ball.

Hedge against the threat of injury and place a small wager on the 5-8 wins band at +1800. A $10 bet will fetch a profit of $180. Backing the Ravens to win 13-16 games is a safer play returning a profit of $18.50 on a $10 bet.

How many games will the Baltimore Ravens win in 2020? Exact number

The Ravens went 14-2 last season while going 5-1 against the disappointing AFC North. The division was expected to feature a three-team race with the Steelers and Browns contending. Better things should be expected from both of them this season and the Cincinnati Bengals will be stronger behind No. 1 pick QB Joe Burrow.

Outside of the division, the Ravens will play just five games against 2019 playoff teams. Factor in some regression in divisional play and add home losses to the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys and bet the Ravens to win exactly 11 games at +270 for a $27 return on a $10 bet.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Atlanta Falcons playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Atlanta Falcons making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Atlanta Falcons make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday, May 19 at 10:30 a.m. ET.

Will the Atlanta Falcons make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +225  | No: -286

The Falcons will bring back one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL in 2020, led by QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones. Unfortunately, it’s not their offense that has been a problem. In 2019, the Falcons ranked fifth in yards per game, but 20th in yards allowed. Even worse, they finished 23rd in points allowed last season, giving up nearly 25 points per game.

For the Falcons to make the playoffs in 2020, the defense will need to improve dramatically. While they did make a few small changes, including signing DE Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency and drafting CB A.J. Terrell with the No. 16 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, their defense still has a long way to go to contain with the top offenses in the competitive NFC South.

And there lies another problem for the Falcons. The NFC South appears to be stronger than ever. The Saints won 13 games last season despite QB Drew Brees missing a good chunk of time. Their roster might be the best in the league and it only got better this offseason. Tampa Bay made the biggest splash in free agency, signing QB Tom Brady to a two-year deal.

Given how talented the rest of the teams are in the division, the best the Falcons are looking at is a wild-card spot. With the NFC being highly competitive, that doesn’t feel likely, either. Look for Atlanta to be a better team in 2020, but don’t count on them making the playoffs.

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How many games will the Atlanta Falcons win in 2020? Bands

0-4 Wins: +1400

5-8 Wins: -223

9-12 Wins: +185

13-16 Wins: +12500

The safe bet here is to pick the Falcons to win between 5-8 games (-223) as they are still one of the more talented offenses in the NFL; however, the best value bet might be to pick the Falcons to win between 0-4 games (+1400).

While that does seem somewhat unlikely, they have a brutal start to the season as they will face the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers early on. The schedule gets easier in the middle, but Atlanta finishes the season with two games against the Buccaneers with a trip to Kansas City sandwiched in between.

If this Atlanta team struggles on offense at all, it could be a really rough season for the Falcons. Expect them to win between 6-8 games, but prepare for a pretty low floor given how old their offense is.

How many games will the Atlanta Falcons win in 2020? Exact number

According to BetMGM, the most likely outcome for the Falcons in 2020 is 8 wins (+280), but it isn’t the best value bet currently on the board. The Falcons winning 6 games (+400) seems like the right play given the odds and their schedule. It’s likely they are competitive in nearly every game this season, but don’t expect them to win many close games as their defense is still far too young.

If you believe there is a chance the bottom could fall out as mentioned above, exactly 4 wins (+1600) is an intriguing bet. With Ryan in his mid-30s and Jones (31) now in his 30s as well, the wheels could come off at any moment should one of these players miss time. The Falcons rely so heavily on those two players to carry them that even the slightest injury could spell massive trouble.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Marcus_Mosher on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 AFC North Division Predictions: Best bets for who will win and exact standings

Looking at the NFL betting odds to win the AFC North Division in 2020 and predicting the exact order of the standings.

The Baltimore Ravens won the AFC North Division in 2019 but will they be able to repeat? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds for the AFC North Division in 2020 and make our best bets for who’ll win the division title and predict the exact order of the division standings.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday, May 19 at 3:25 a.m. ET.

2020 AFC North Division bets: Who will win?

Here are the odds for first place in the division:

  • Baltimore Ravens -200
  • Pittsburgh Steelers +320
  • Cleveland Browns +500
  • Cincinnati Bengals +2500

After winning the division with a 14-2 record last season in which QB Lamar Jackson broke out and was a unanimous MVP, the Ravens are still the favorites. They improved even more on defense this offseason. This is an easy call. Take the RAVENS (-200).

New to sports betting? A $10 bet the Ravens to win the AFC North will return a profit of $5 if they do so.

Place your legal NFL bets in CO, IN, NJ and WV at BetMGM. Bet now!

2020 AFC North Division bets: Who will finish second?

Here are the odds for second place:

  • Steelers +140
  • Ravens +205
  • Browns +225
  • Bengals +1200

With the return of QB Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers should be in a position to make it back to the postseason after narrowly missing in 2019. The defense is still solid and they will have better play at quarterback. The Browns are tough to trust with a shortened offseason and a new head coach. Take the STEELERS (+140).

A $10 bet would profit $14 here.

2020 AFC North Division bets: Who will finish third?

Here are the odds for third place.

  • Browns +105
  • Steelers +170
  • Bengals +525
  • Ravens +800

The Bengals still can’t be trusted to be anything more than last in the division. That leaves the Browns, who were 6-10 last season. They added protection for QB Baker Mayfield, so they should be at least as good as last year. Take the BROWNS (+105).

A $10 bet profits $10.50 if the Browns finish third.

2020 AFC North Division bets: Who will finish fourth?

Here are the odds for last place in the division.

  • Bengals -556
  • Browns +500
  • Steelers +900
  • Ravens +8000

The Bengals will have a rookie quarterback. While they were the worst team in the league last year, they improved this offseason, but in a division that seems to be easy to predict. This bet earns you virtually nothing, but the only bet you should make are the BENGALS (-556).

A $10 bet only profits $1.80.

2020 AFC North Division bets: Exact order of standings

For predicting the exact outcome of the division, this isn’t a big value, but it is pretty safe. Take the combo of the Ravens-Steelers-Browns-Bengals at +190 and expect to win at the end of the season. A $10 bet would profit $19.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @senorjessroot on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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2020 AFC East Division Predictions: Best bets for who will win and exact standings

Looking at the NFL betting odds to win the AFC East Division in 2020 and predicting the exact order of the standings.

The New England Patriots won the AFC East Division in 2019 but will they be able to repeat? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds for the AFC East Division in 2020 and make our best bets for who’ll win the division title and predict the exact order of the division standings.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Monday, May 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

2020 AFC East Division bets: Who will win?

Here are the odds for each team to win the division:

  • New England Patriots +115
  • Buffalo Bills +135
  • New York Jets +700
  • Miami Dolphins +800

The Patriots still being the favorites is very surprising, considering they lost QB Tom Brady, DT Danny Shelton, LB Kyle Van Noy and LB Jamie Collins. It appears Jarrett Stidham will start at quarterback.

The Bills won 10 games last year and gave QB Josh Allen more weapons, including WR Stefon Diggs.

The Dolphins and Jets just aren’t there yet. The best bet is to take the BILLS (+135).

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Bills to win the AFC East will return a profit of $13.50.

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2020 AFC East Division bets: Who will finish second?

  • Buffalo Bills +145
  • New England Patriots +150
  • New York Jets +450
  • Miami Dolphins +650

This is where things get interesting. Having picked the Bills to win the division, the Pats seem like the logical choice, but between losing three key pieces to one of the best defenses in football and losing Brady, it is uncertain how good they will be. The Dolphins have the next best quarterback in the division in Ryan Fitzpatrick, and they spent a lot of money in free agency on defense. Their defense should be better and the offensive line is better as well.

Taking the Patriots at +150 might look like the best bet, but here I like the Dolphins to be surprisingly okay and give a payout. I’m taking the DOLPHINS (+650).

2020 AFC East Division bets: Who will finish third?

  • New York Jets +155
  • Miami Dolphins +225
  • Buffalo Bills +350
  • New England Patriots +400

I’ve already got the Bills and Dolphins finishing 1-2 in the division. Now, it is about the Jets and Pats. The Jets are the favorites for third place and were sneaky okay a year ago. However, if there is anything we can take from head coach Adam Gase‘s time in Miami, he suppresses talent.

Too many players have left the Dolphins and flourished. If you have to pick between the Pats and the Jets to be the better team, even with Stidham at quarterback, you trust the coaching of Bill Belichick over Gase. The winning bet here is to take the PATRIOTS (+400). That makes two big potential payouts for these picks.

2020 AFC East Division bets: Who will finish fourth?

  • Miami Dolphins -145
  • New York Jets +140
  • Buffalo Bills +1400
  • New England Patriots +1800

The Pats are a team to watch at +1800 because they could be in a tank season with salary cap problems and the potential to select Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence in the 2021 NFL Draft. Since I already have the Pats finishing third, the JETS (+140) are the best to finish last.

2020 AFC East Division bets: Exact order of standings

Based on the best bets for each place in the division, you can go all in and a big payout for a Bills-Dolphins-Pats-Jets finish at +1800. Anything that puts the Bills at the top is the best start to the combination.

Want action on NFL futures betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @senorjessroot on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Arizona Cardinals playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Arizona Cardinals making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Arizona Cardinals make the 2020 NFL playoffs? Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds and make our pick. We also predict their exact win total for the upcoming season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Monday, May 18 at 10:15 a.m. ET.

Will the Arizona Cardinals make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +275 | No: -358

The 2019 Cardinals were one of the league’s most fun teams, despite finishing just 5-10-1 and fourth in the NFC West. They started their season off with a tie against the Detroit Lions and nearly beat the Baltimore Ravens on the road in Week 2.

With new head coach Kliff Kingsbury and rookie QB Kyler Murray, the offense got off to a bit of a slow start. The Cards averaged just 14.8 points per game over their first four contests, but in their final 12 games, they averaged nearly 24 points per game and the offense was becoming even more lethal in the final month of the season.

The Cardinals have had a fantastic offseason, adding All-Pro WR DeAndre Hopkins and DT Jordan Phillips. In the draft, they were able to add Mr. Versatile in LB Isaiah Simmons and a potential left tackle of the future in Josh Jones.

But can they make a run to the playoffs in the NFC? The NFC West remains one of the toughest divisions as the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have proven to be among the elites in the NFL. The Los Angeles Rams are retooling, but head coach Sean McVay has yet to have a losing season in LA.

It’s probably a smart bet to AVOID betting on the Cardinals to make the playoffs in 2020, but there isn’t much value in betting “NO” either. Instead, look at the win totals instead for this young, fast Cardinals team.

Place your NFL futures bets at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

How many games will the Arizona Cardinals win in 2020? Bands

0-4 Wins: +750

5-8 Wins: -286

9-12 Wins: +310

13-16 Wins: +25000

While it may not be a smart bet to think the Cardinals will make the playoffs in 2020, don’t be surprised if this team is right on the edge of getting into the postseason.

Over the last decade, wild-card teams in the NFC routinely have 10 or more wins. And in some seasons, 10 wins doesn’t even qualify. That’s just how competitive and deep the conference has been over the last 10-12 years.

So, if you are looking for value, bet on the Cardinals to win 9-12 games (+310). They clearly will have one of the best offenses in the NFL and they have several big-name stars on defense like Chandler Jones, Patrick Peterson, and now Simmons. The defense likely won’t rank inside the top-10, but they will be good enough to get important stops. I like the Cardinals to win somewhere between 8-10 games in 2020.

How many games will the Arizona Cardinals win in 2020? Exact number

While many expect the Cardinals to be much better in 2020, predicting the number of wins can be awfully difficult; however, there are a few bets that do present a ton of value for bettors.

The first is 8 wins (+325) as that seems like a logical and realistic goal for Kingsbury in Year 2. Given the strength of the division and the conference, improving by 2.5 wins would certainly be a step in the right direction.

If you believe this team is going to make an even bigger leap than most expect, 9 wins (+500) is where the value really starts to happen. If Murray can take a leap as a passer as many expect (+2500 to win the NFL MVP), then it seems like this team could make a legitimate push for the playoffs. Given they played in a ton of one-score games last season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see two or three of those games go in their favor this season.

Any bet with the Cardinals winning, 8, 9 or 10 (+1000) games in 2020 presents a ton of value. Don’t be afraid to be bullish on the Cardinals this season.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Who will start at QB for the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1?

Projecting the Week 1 starting quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Los Angeles Chargers have a veteran quarterback on their roster in Tyrod Taylor, and they drafted their quarterback of the future in Justin Herbert with the sixth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. They will enter the 2020 season with someone other than Philip Rivers as their starting quarterback for the first time since 2005.

Below, we focus on which quarterback will be the Chargers’ Week 1 starter tied around NFL futures betting odds from BetMGM sportsbook.

Los Angeles Chargers: QB depth chart

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday, April 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

The Chargers have three quarterbacks on their roster. Here are their odds of starting in Week 1.

  • Tyrod Taylor -278
  • Justin Herbert +220
  • Easton Stick +4000

Free-agent QB Cam Newton is also listed as a possibility at +2200.

Place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Los Angeles Chargers’ Week 1 starter: Best bets

Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn has been public in his support of Taylor. He was with the team last season and knows the offense; however, the Chargers did use the No. 6 pick in the draft to select Herbert, and he is expected to be their quarterback of the future.

With the league expected to have a shortened offseason with much fewer reps on the field, it’s becoming more likely Herbert will be eased into a starting role as the season progresses. While Kyler Murray was given the starting job from Day 1 for the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, other young quarterbacks have eased into their jobs.

Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins started on the bench in 2019 for the New York Giants and Washington Redskins, respectively. Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield, Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, then-Cardinals QB Josh Rosen and Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen took over later in the 2018 season.

While there isn’t much value in the bet, betting TAYLOR (-278) will take the first snap of the season for the Chargers is the best play. Don’t waste time with Stick or Newton. With both Herbert and Taylor, the Chargers won’t even consider a free-agent addition.

Want action on NFL futures betting? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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