Tag: NFL playoffs betting

Miami Dolphins playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

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

Will the Miami Dolphins 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 Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. ET.

Will the Miami Dolphins make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +500 | No: -715

The Dolphins were the laughingstock of the NFL in the first few weeks of the 2019 season, not only losing, but getting blown out by giant margins. It prompted the books to set huge, double-digit lines, including one which saw Miami as an underdog as high as 22 points. Some books even offered a prop of “Will the Dolphins finish 0-16?”

However, as the season went along, the Dolphins started to pull themselves together a bit. They become more competitive, and eventually were able to tick off a few wins. They appeared to be headed for a winless season after an 0-7 start, but in the final nine games they actually had a winning record at 5-4, including one loss by just one point. That finish, along with a bevy of free agents and draft selections has the Miami fanbase thinking big heading into 2020. While the division rival New England Patriots are expected to be much weaker, the Buffalo Bills are the favorites in the AFC East. Miami still has a ways to go before taking that next step to the postseason, but it’s not as far as some think.

The pick here, however, is NO (-715), but there is no way to justify eating that kind of chalk. A $10 winning bet only returns a profit of $1.40.

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

How many games will the Miami Dolphins win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +300
5-8 Wins -304
9-12 Wins +800
13-16 Wins +50000

The BetMGM book has the sweet spot for the Dolphins in the 5-8 WINS (-304), and rightly so. First off, that’s where they landed last season after their slow start. A jump into the 9-12 (+800) wins area seems unlikely given their schedule.

While the Patriots are expected to be a little worse during the post-Tom Brady era, a Week 1 road assignment in New England is a tough road to hoe for the Fins. A visit from the division favorite Bills will be a tall order for the home opener in Week 2, also. While a trip to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars in Week 3 looks like Miami’s best bet for a first win, it’s a quick turnaround with it being Thursday night, and that could be an unexpected challenge, albeit a short hop from Miami via the air. After that, it’s a pair of NFC West foes with the Seattle Seahawks visiting, and a trip to meet the NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. As you can see, the early schedule is daunting, and a bet of YES (+500): TEAM TO START 0-4 might be worth a small-unit wager.

There are some midseason opportunities for wins, but late-season home games vs. the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and Patriots, as well as a total of four road games to either the Mountain or Pacific Time Zones will be rough. A January game in Buffalo looks unwinnable, too.

A $10 bet on 5-8 WINS (-304) fetches a profit of only $3.29.

How many games will the Miami Dolphins win in 2020? Exact number

The Dolphins have improved their overall personnel. They drafted the quarterback of the future in QB Tua Tagovailoa, and they have a capable veteran in QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to show him the ropes until he is ready. Miami also has plenty of skill position depth and some decent defensive pieces. However, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Dolphins win the same amount of games as they did in 2019, only because the schedule is so tough from top to bottom.

Target 5 WINS (+300) as the play on exact victories, as you can triple up on your initial investment, and maybe hedge with exactly 6 WINS (+265) in case they overachieve a little. Still, they won’t win many more than that.

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 @JoeWilliamsVI 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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Los Angeles Rams playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Los Angeles Rams making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Los Angeles Rams 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, June 4 at 2 p.m. ET.

Will the Los Angeles Rams make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +165 | No: -200

Let’s rip expectations and emotions out of projecting the 2020 Los Angeles Rams. They fell well short of their preseason hype in 2019, but they weren’t that bad. A 9-7 record, but in an insanely difficult NFC West. They went 10-5-1 against the spread (meaning they surpassed bookmakers’ expectations on a weekly basis given the situation), had a plus-0.6 yards per play differential and could’ve snuck into the playoffs had they not gone 1-2 in the final three weeks. So one could argue Yes (+165) for the Rams making the postseason being great value.

The biggest question for this Rams team is how can they regain offensive dominance while parting ways with RB Todd Gurley III? Gurley’s disappointing 2019 campaign, where he went from MVP-caliber production to a mediocre 857 rushing yard and 3.8 yards per carry, directly relates to the Rams missing the playoffs for the first time in head coach Sean McVay’s three-year tenure. McVay’s coaching results thus far are impressive but the reason why I’m staying away from this action is based on my take of QB Jared Goff.

In 2019, Goff was Pro Football Focus’ 20th-graded quarterback. He ranked 22nd in QB Rating and 28th in touchdown percentage. Outside of a couple of draft picks, the Rams didn’t go out of their way to get him much help and the Rams have the 28th toughest schedule in the NFL this season (according to SharpFootballAnalysis.com).

I think the jury is still out on Goff but because I believe in McVay’s abilities. The value on No (-200) is terrible given the Rams head coach. I’ll PASS on betting if the Rams make the playoffs in 2020.

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

How many games will the Los Angeles Rams win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +3000
5-8 Wins -120
9-12 Wins -105
13-16 Wins +4000

Successful gamblers don’t like this angle very often but let’s side with the market and bet the 5-8 Wins Band (-120). The Rams aren’t chumps but their first three games of the season are among the league’s toughest and their division is the best in the NFL. Los Angeles will win games, just not that many.

For the 0-4 Wins Band ticket to cash, a combination of bad breaks and a cluster of injuries would have to befall the Rams. The 9-12 Wins band (-105) is pretty good value but Yes (+165) to make the playoffs is better and if we thought they’d win that much we’d take the bet in the section above. A 13-plus win season is the biggest long shot for a reason: It ain’t happening.

How many games will the Los Angeles Rams win in 2020? Exact number

It’s too hard to stick the landing on this wager so I’ll PASS ON EXACT NUMBER OF WINS. Some strategy that may be profitable would be betting money on exactly 5 wins (+1400), exactly 6 wins (+650) and exactly 7 wins (+375). If any of those tickets cash you’ve profited on the Exact Wins action.

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 @Geoffery_Clark 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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Los Angeles Chargers playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the Los Angeles Chargers making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers 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 Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Will the Los Angeles Chargers make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +180 | No: -223

The Chargers officially cut ties with longtime QB Philip Rivers this offseason, as he left via free agency to join the Indianapolis Colts. QB Tyrod Taylor will serve as the ‘bridge’ quarterback, holding down the fort until 2020 first-round draft pick QB Justin Herbert is ready to be trusted with the keys to the car in either 2020 or 2021. Taylor has been in this spot before.

The Chargers also bid farewell to RB Melvin Gordon, who signed a two-year deal in free agency with the division-rival Denver Broncos. So it’s a bit of a transition season for the Bolts, who will move into their new shared home with the Los Angeles Rams, SoFi Stadium.

The best bet here is NO (-223) where a $10 winning bet returns a profit of just $4.50.

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

How many games will the Los Angeles Chargers win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +1400
5-8 Wins -209
9-12 Wins +185
13-16 Wins +10000

The BetMGM bookmakers expect this to be a losing season for the Chargers, as do most talking heads. There isn’t a lot of faith in Taylor turning this club into a winning team, and the schedule doesn’t set up very well for them, either.

We’ll learn a lot about the Chargers in Week 1 when they travel to meet the Cincinnati Bengals. It might be their most winnable road game on the entire schedule. A loss there would get them off on the wrong foot. They travel to the Eastern Time Zone for four of their eight road games this season, and of course, they will have to face the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs twice.

The Bolts will welcome the new-look New England Patriots to town, as well as traveling to battle the New Orleans Saints on Oct. 12 in their only scheduled Monday Night Football appearance. It’s an ugly schedule for a Chargers team likely to endure a second straight losing season.

The Chargers are worth a small-unit bet at 5-8 WINS (-209), although it will cost you. They’re not going to be a winning team, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see even fewer than five wins with this mishmash roster.

A $10 bet on 5-8 WINS fetches a profit of only $4.80.

How many games will the Los Angeles Chargers win in 2020? Exact number

It’s expected the Bolts will be swept by the Chiefs, while perhaps splitting with both the rival Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. Road trips to Cincinnati and Miami are very winnable, but outside of those games it’s unlikely the Chargers will return home with many road victories.

Looking at the home slate, a win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 is certainly very possible, and it might be their first in their new digs. Games at home against the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars shouldn’t be terribly daunting, either.

Target 6 WINS (+400) as the play on exact victories, and you can quadruple your investment if they’re to suffer double-digit losses yet again in 2020. UNDER 7.5 WINS (-115) is a very good bet, too.

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 @JoeWilliamsVI 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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Pittsburgh Steelers playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

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

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers 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 29 at 6;20 a.m. ET.

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: -115 | No: -105

The Steelers lost QB Ben Roethlisberger to a season-ending elbow injury in Week 2, and they just weren’t the same team. Coach Mike Tomlin got the most out of his replacements, challenging for a playoff spot late into the season, but the combination of QBs Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges just couldn’t get Pittsburgh quite over the hump. Heading into 2020, Big Ben is back, so will the Steelers be back in the postseason, too?

Tomlin always seems to get the most out of his teams, and tossing a future Hall of Fame signal caller back into the mix should help immensely. While it’s unlikely they have enough heat to overtake the rival Baltimore Ravens and MVP QB Lamar Jackson, the Steelers should be right there challenging for the division and a playoff spot.

The best bet is YES (-115), although a $10 winning bet returns a profit of $8.70.

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

How many games will the Pittsburgh Steelers win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +5000
5-8 Wins +135
9-12 Wins -167
13-16 Wins +2000

The schedule is a little on the soft side, as they face just five playoff teams for a total of six games – they play the Ravens twice. That means 10 of their games are against teams that watched the playoffs on television last year. That’s what the Steelers were doing, too, but they’ll be much improved and should reach double-digit wins as long as Big Ben doesn’t have a recurrence of the elbow issue that forced him to the sidelines.

The Steelers are a good bet at 9-12 WINS (-167), as they’re expected to be a contender again after a lost 2019 season.

A $10 bet on 9-12 WINS returns a very nice profit of $5.99.

How many games will the Pittsburgh Steelers win in 2020? Exact number

As mentioned, the Steelers have 10 games against non-playoff teams from 2019. That will help them take a big leap in the standings, from outside the playoffs to a contender. They should get off to a quick start, as they face rather soft competition early on, and their toughest games in the first six weeks will happen at home on Heinz Field turf. They usually battle the Ravens tough, and could split with them, and they’re likely to be favored in both games against the Cincinnati Bengals, and perhaps both meetings with the Cleveland Browns. Four wins inside the division is a fair prediction.

Looking at the non-division schedule, they should be able to rack up wins at home against the Denver Broncos and Washington Redskins, and on the road at the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New York Giants. A win over the Indianapolis Colts late in the season is also a good bet, especially if fans are back in the stands, making it a true home-field advantage.

Target 10 WINS (+300), as you can triple up if they simply gain two wins in the standings from a year ago. With Big Ben back under center, that should be easily attainable. OVER 9 WINS (-115) is also worth a small-unit play.

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 @JoeWilliamsVI 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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Jacksonville Jaguars playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

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

Will the Jacksonville Jaguars 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 29 at 9 a.m. ET.

Will the Jacksonville Jaguars make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +800 | No: -1429

On paper, the Jaguars look like one of the worst teams in the NFL. They’ve made moves this offseason that suggest they don’t plan to compete much in 2020, trading CB A.J. Bouye and DE Calais Campbell, while also shopping RB Leonard Fournette at one point.

The AFC South may not be strong, but the conference as a whole will keep Jacksonville out of the playoffs – even with an additional postseason berth available in 2020.

The Jaguars are not going to make the postseason unless QB Gardner Minshew or Fournette has an MVP-type season, which is highly unlikely. Bet NO (-1429) on them making the playoffs, but a $10 bet will return a profit of just $0.70. There is much better value with our suggested bets mentioned below.

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

How many games will the Jacksonville Jaguars win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +100
5-8 Wins -125
9-12 Wins +2200
13-16 Wins +100000

The Jaguars are fortunate to have the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins on their 2020 schedule, but all of those teams should be much-improved since last season. None of them are surefire wins for Jacksonville, nor is any other game on the schedule.

The Jags won five and six games in the last two seasons, which seems to be a reasonable prediction for the upcoming campaign. I’m torn between 0-4 wins (+100) and 5-8 wins (-125) because their most likely range is 4-5 wins, making this a tough bet.

I’ll put some faith in Minshew and suggest 5-8 WINS, hoping Jacksonville can take care of the easier portion of its schedule. The same $10 bet on this win band will fetch a profit of $8.

How many games will the Jacksonville Jaguars win in 2020? Exact number

Unsurprisingly, four and five wins have the same odds at +255, the favorites of any exact win total. It’s hard to decide between the two but since we went with the 5-8 win band, we’ll take 5 WINS (+255) here for a profit of $25.50 on a $10 bet.

The Jaguars can find wins on their schedule, but it’s going to be a matter of stealing a win or two in the division, and beating the bad teams they’re set to face in 2020.

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 @camdasilva 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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Philadelphia Eagles playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

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

Will the Philadelphia Eagles 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 29 at 5:25 a.m. ET.

Will the Philadelphia Eagles make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: -200 | No: +165

The Eagles outlasted the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, winning the NFC East with a 9-7 mark and securing the No. 4 seed in the playoffs. They were quickly dispatched by the Seattle Seahawks by a 17-9 score at Lincoln Financial Field. Now, the Eagles have to play a first-place schedule for the 2020 regular season.

The Cowboys should be able to leapfrog the Eagles for the divisional crown in 2020. While the New York Giants and Washington Redskins aren’t expected to be much better this season, this will still be a competitive division with tough games seemingly coming each week for Philly. The Eagles were the only NFC East team to make the playoffs last year. Expect the same in 2020 with the division getting just one team into the postseason, however, that representative won’t be from Philadelphia.

The best value bet is NO (+165) where a $10 winning bet returns a profit of $16.50.

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

How many games will the Philadelphia Eagles win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +8000
5-8 Wins +195
9-12 Wins -223
13-16 Wins +1200

The BetMGM book envisions the sweet spot for the Eagles in the 9-12 wins (-223) band, but that’s not going to be the case. The second-place team in the NFC East last season, the Cowboys, finished 8-8. You can expect more of the same in 2020, and that second-place team will be the Eagles. Their schedule isn’t terribly daunting early on, but back-to-back road games at the San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers to kick off October, followed by a home game with the Baltimore Ravens will kick off their slide. They also have three road games in four December outings against playoff-hopeful teams in the Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers, as well as against the rival Cowboys. Not good.

The Eagles are a strong value at 5-8 WINS (+195), as you can nearly double up if they’re a .500 club or slightly worse.

A $10 bet on 5-8 WINS returns a very nice profit of $19.50.

How many games will the Philadelphia Eagles win in 2020? Exact number

It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Eagles rattle off at least three victories inside the division. A split with the Giants is likely, and a sweep of the Redskins is very possible. On paper, the Cowboys are much more talented, and the Eagles might take a goose egg against them, which would be the difference for first place in the competitive NFC East.

The Eagles have a winnable home game against the Cincinnati Bengals in late September, and a road trip vs. the Cleveland Browns in late November could be another victory. Other than that, there aren’t many games you can look to on Philly’s schedule and say it’s an automatic “W.” It’s going to be nip and tuck all season.

Target 8 WINS (+375) as the play on exact victories as you can nearly quadruple your bank roll if the Eagles are mediocre again, and just one game worse than 2019. UNDER 9.5 WINS (-110) should be a slam-dunk play, too.

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 @JoeWilliamsVI 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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New York Jets playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the New York Jets making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the New York Jets 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 28 at 11:25 p.m. ET.

Will the New York Jets make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +450 | No: -625

This is as good an opportunity as the Jets have had to make the playoffs in a long time. With future Hall of Fame QB Tom Brady out of the division, the door is wide open in the AFC East. The New England Patriots are still a threat and the Buffalo Bills are on the rise, but the Jets have a legitimate chance to compete for the division title.

However, there are still too many question marks when it comes to this team. There aren’t enough playmakers on offense, the offensive line is unproven and the defense is lacking talent at cornerback and edge rusher.

The Jets will improve on last season’s disappointment, but not enough to make the playoffs. I’d bet NO: (-625) here. However, a $10 winning bet will only profit $1.60.

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

How many games will the New York Jets win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +525
5-8 Wins -323
9-12 Wins +440
13-16 Wins +20000

The Jets have only finished above .500 once since 2011 and they’re not expected to eclipse that mark this season, either. They’ll win more than four games, but it’ll be hard for them to win more than eight games.

They have to face the NFC West, which is daunting, and two games each against the Bills and Patriots will be no gimme, either. While the -323 LINE on 5-8 WINS doesn’t look all that appetizing, it’s the MOST LOGICAL BET HERE.

How many games will the New York Jets win in 2020? Exact number

Second-year coach Adam Gase has a lot riding on this season, as does QB Sam Darnold. If the Jets falter again, both of them could be looking for jobs next offseason. That’s less likely for Darnold, but Gase is certainly on the hot seat.

New York doesn’t have the talent to contend for a Super Bowl and even making the playoffs will be a challenge. The more likely scenario is the Jets finish a game or two below .500.

That being said, I’d go with 6 WINS (+280) for the Jets in 2020, simply because of the uncertainty surrounding Darnold and the lack of talent around him.

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 @camdasilva 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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Houston Texans playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

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

Will the Houston Texans 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 29 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Will the Houston Texans make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +150 | No: -182

How can you not BET YES for the Texans to make the playoffs at plus-money (+150)? Head coach Bill O’Brien should go full Rodney Dangerfield but O’Brien the general manager probably deserves a good roasting. O’Brien has led the Texans to four AFC South titles and four playoff berths in his seven seasons as head coach.

WR DeAndre Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals in a move for which O’Brien received plenty of criticism, but the Texans acquired WR Brandin Cooks, RB David Johnson, and invested heavily in the offensive line, including making LT Laremy Tunsil the highest-paid left tackle in the NFL. Like all truly elite quarterbacks, Deshaun Watson should be able to make up for a lot of roster blemishes.

What’s most concerning if you’re betting the Texans to make the playoffs is their strength of schedule and question marks on defense. According to SharpFootballAnalysis.com, the Texans have the 21st easiest schedule and their first four games are insanely tough. If they can pick up a win or two in those games they’ll be in good shape to at least rundown a seven seed in the AFC. There were no major upgrades made to a defense which ranked 26th in defensive DVOA in 2019, according to Football Outsiders.

Watson is the best quarterback in the AFC South and O’Brien is the division’s most accomplished head coach, and that’s enough for me to take them to return to the playoffs at plus-money.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Texans to make the playoffs returns a profit of $15.

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

How many games will the Houston Texans win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +1600
5-8 Wins -182
9-12 Wins +155
13-16 Wins +6000

I could copy and paste the handicap above for my rational behind taking the Texans to win 9-12 games (+155). If they are going to make the playoffs, it would be highly unlikely they get in with fewer than nine wins.

Even if you don’t like them to make the playoffs and are projecting a down year, the value of the 5-8 Wins Band (-182) is terrible. If you are nervous about them losing a playoff tiebreaker with nine wins, then I recommend hedging your playoff wager with a bet on the 9-12 Wins Band.

How many games will the Houston Texans win in 2020? Exact number

If you have paid attention to my other NFL team playoff posts you’ll notice a common take in this section. It’s incredibly difficult to cash one of these tickets and a buckshot approach is the best strategy. I do not see value in betting a couple of these in hopes of an overall profit. PASS ON THE EXACT NUMBER OF TEXANS WINS.

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 @Geoffery_Clark 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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Washington Redskins playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

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

Will the Washington Redskins 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 28 at 4:10 p.m. ET.

Will the Washington Redskins make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +900 | No: -1667

The NFC East may not be the best division in football, but that’s partly because the Redskins are one of the worst teams heading into the 2020 campaign. They’re going to have a hard time even approaching .500, with the playoffs almost certainly out of sight for Washington.

That being said, neither line warrants a wager. Washington is too much of a long shot to bet YES (+900), while the line of -1667 on NO doesn’t leave enough room for reward compared to the risk.

I’ll PASS on this one.

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

How many games will the Washington Redskins win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +120
5-8 Wins -159
9-12 Wins +2000
13-16 Wins +100000

Clearly, oddsmakers don’t think the Redskins will win more than eight games. The favorite is for them to finish with 5-8 wins, which is on par with their last four seasons – all of which have ended with eight wins or less.

Much of their 2020 season hinges on the play of QB Dwayne Haskins, who struggled as a rookie in 2019. But there are some winnable games on the out-of-division schedule, including games against the Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions.

Washington won’t go on to win 10 games, but with a defense that should be improved and an offense that has enough playmakers to be competitive, the Redskins should finish with 5-8 WINS, so that’s my pick here at –159.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on 5-8 WINS (-159) returns a profit of $6.29 if it hits.

How many games will the Washington Redskins win in 2020? Exact number

The Redskins only won three games last year, but they added Ohio State DE Chase Young with their first-round pick (2nd overall), signed LB Thomas Davis and drafted RB Antonio Gibson (Memphis) in the third round, bringing some more explosiveness to the offense.

WR Terry McLaurin is also a budding star and RB Derrius Guice is finally healthy again. They are two good playmakers for Haskins to work with.

That being said, I’d wager on SIX WINS (+320) for Washington in 2020, just based on the expectation that Haskins will improve and the fact that there are some easier games on the schedule. A $10 winning bet would profit $32.

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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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New York Giants playoff odds and predicted total wins: NFL futures picks and best bets

Assessing the betting odds of the New York Giants making the 2020 NFL playoffs and predicting their exact win total.

Will the New York Giants 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 28 at 5:35 a.m. ET.

Will the New York Giants make the 2020 NFL playoffs?

Yes: +300 | No: -385

The Giants managed just four victories last season, going 2-6 at home and 2-6 on the road. They also ended up scratching out two victories in their six games in the NFC East, while going 3-9 against NFC teams. Even if they were somehow able to miraculously double their win total and get to .500, that still is unlikely to be enough to qualify for the postseason.

The best bet is NO (-385), although a $10 winning bet returns a profit of only $2.60.

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

How many games will the New York Giants win in 2020? Bands

BAND ODDS
0-4 Wins +380
5-8 Wins -323
9-12 Wins +600
13-16 Wins +30000

The Giants have a very, very difficult home schedule, which should keep them from making any serious improvement on last season’s record. They open with the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, visit the Chicago Bears and then they host the San Francisco 49ers in their first three games. Along with welcoming QB Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a Monday night home game Nov. 2, their other homes games are against the Arizona Cardinals, the Cleveland Browns and their three division rivals. It will be a tall order if they can go 3-5 at home. Road trips to meet the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in addition to their three divisional games will do them no favors, either.

Take 0-4 WINS (+380) band, as the G-Men aren’t likely to make much of an improvement in the standings, and their out-of-division schedule is brutal.

A $10 bet on 0-4 WINS returns a healthy profit of $38 if it hits.

How many games will the New York Giants win in 2020? Exact number

You have to figure the Giants will be able to get at least one or two divisional victories, while grabbing at least one win in their four tries against AFC North teams, perhaps two. The rest of their schedule features just too many tough tests, and they do not have enough offensive firepower to make much of an improvement on their 2019 total, if any.

The best bet is to take the Giants to win 4 GAMES (+575) for a strong return on investment. As such, betting the UNDER 6.5 WINS (-130) prop should be a slam-dunk play.

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 @JoeWilliamsVI 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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