Tag: Week 1 picks

Seahawks vs. Colts: Most experts picking Seattle for Week 1 matchup

The experts are also leaning towards the Seahawks heading into the weekend.

The Seahawks are about to kick off another season, beginning with a road trip to play the Colts in Indianapolis. The oddsmakers are favoring Seattle, with Tipico Sportsbook giving them a 2.5-point edge. The experts are also leaning towards the Seahawks heading into the weekend.

Here’s a review of who they’re picking for Week 1.

NFL.com: Seahawks

First up, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com is picking Seattle to win by a score of 23-17.

Sporting News: Seahawks

Bill Bender at Sporting News also has the Seahawks winning, 30-20.

ESPN: Seahawks

10 of 11 experts at ESPN are picking Seattle, with Emmanuel Acho the lone holdout for the Colts.

USA TODAY: Seahawks

It’s a sweep at USA TODAY, with all seven national NFL writers picking the Seahawks.

CBS Sports: Seahawks

Will Brinson is predicting a 24-17 win for Seattle.

MMQB: Seahawks

It was a little bit closer here, but MMQB’s panel of experts picked the Seahawks 3-2.

This kind of consensus usually gives us pause, but given Indy’s opening-game losing streak (seven years running) we feel pretty confident in the road team. Seahawks 23, Colts 20.

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Experts mostly picking Raiders over Panthers for Week 1 matchup

Eight out of the 10 experts on ESPN’s expert panel are picking the Raiders.

The Panthers are three-point underdogs this week as they host the Raiders in their first game of the 2020 NFL season. Here’s a review of the expert picks.

ESPN: Raiders

Eight out of the 10 experts on ESPN’s expert panel are picking the Raiders.

CBS Sports: Panthers

Will Brinson at CBS Sports is predicting a shootout. He has Carolina winning 35-31.

Sporting News: Raiders

Tadd Haislop at Sporting News has Las Vegas winning 27-24.

MMQB: Raiders

All six writers at MMBQ are picking the Raiders.

Yahoo Sports: Raiders

Frank Schwab at Yahoo Sports says Carolina will have the worst defense in the NFL this year. He’s also going Raiders.

USA Today: Raiders

Five out of the seven national writers at USA Today are also going with Vegas.

Normally we like to buck the trend when it’s a close spread and everybody else is going the other way. However, it’s tough to pick the Panthers this week given their lack of experience at this level and how little of an offseason they had to work with. We’re predicting Raiders 31, Panthers 27.

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NFL Week 1 Bets: 4 best moneyline bets to make

Looking at the early betting lines for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season and higlighting four moneyline bets to make.

We take a look at four NFL Week 1 moneyline bets you can make at BetMGM following the release of the 2020 NFL schedule. Get an early edge on the betting odds and lines before rosters begin to finalize.

Also see – Week 1 NFL betting lines up at BetMGM: Chiefs, 49ers among biggest favorites

Las Vegas Raiders (-106) over Carolina Panthers (Sunday, Sept. 13 at 1 p.m. ET)

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Sunday, May 10 at 8 a.m. ET.

One of the strangest lines for Week 1 has the Panthers (-115) favored over the Raiders (-106). While the Raiders were just a 7-9 team in 2019, continuity is going to prove pivotal early in the 2020 season with abbreviated offseason programs around the league. Las Vegas added a ton of talent over the offseason, including wide receivers Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards in the 2020 NFL Draft.

With the Panthers not only bringing in a new coaching staff, but also a new quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater with essentially a whole new defense, don’t be surprised if the Panthers get off to a rough start. Their secondary is also one of the worst units in the league and look for Raiders head coach Jon Gruden and QB Derek Carr to take advantage of the young group. I like the RAIDERS (-106) to win in Carolina.

Place your Week 1 NFL bets at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Los Angeles Rams (+120) over Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, Sept. 13 at 8:20 p.m. ET)

The Rams will open the season in their new stadium as they play host to the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Despite the home advantage, the Rams are underdogs in this matchup. LA finished the 2019 season slow, but they are still one of the most talented offenses in the NFL and have arguably the best player in the league in DT Aaron Donald on defense.

With Dallas having a new head coach (Mike McCarthy) for the first time since 2010, the Cowboys will need some time to adjust. For that reason, they may look a little sloppy on both sides of the ball until they learn their new schemes. Take the RAMS (+120) and the value here in Week 1.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rams to beat the Cowboys outright will return a profit of $12.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-176) over New York Giants (Monday, Sept. 14 at 7:15 p.m. ET)

The Steelers will play on the road in Week 1 for the sixth straight year, but they will open with a fairly easy opponent as they will face the Giants (+145). New York has a new coaching staff with Joe Judge, so don’t be surprised if it takes them a while to get up to speed.

Pittsburgh is bringing back nearly its entire starting lineup, including QB Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers also have one of the best defenses in the NFL, as they created a league-high 38 turnovers in 2019. They return 10 of 11 starters and should start the season off strong. This should be a fairly easy win for Pittsburgh in New Jersey.

Denver Broncos (-154) over Tennessee Titans (Monday, Sept. 14 at 10:10 p.m. ET)

The Broncos will play the second Monday Night Football game to open the season as they host the Titans (+130). If you know anything about the Broncos early in the season, they are nearly impossible to beat at home. Since the merger, they are 51-9-2 at home during the first two weeks of the season. Teams just aren’t conditioned enough to play in the thin atmosphere of Denver in September.

While the Titans were able to make it to the AFC Championship in 2019, expect them to start the season 0-1.

Want action on the Week 1 NFL betting lines? Sign up and place your legal sports wagers online at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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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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NFL Week 1 Bets: 5 best ATS bets to make

Analyzing the early sports betting odds and lines for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season, picking the 5 best bets against the spread.

With the recent release of the 2020 NFL schedule, BetMGM posted lines for Week 1. Here are five of the best bets – vs. the spread – to make for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Sunday, May 10 at 1:50 a.m. ET.

Best bet 1: Miami Dolphins (+6.5) at New England Patriots

Sunday, Sept. 13 (1 p.m. ET)

The Dolphins went out in the offseason and spent a bunch of money in free agency and also added talent in the draft. They still have a productive veteran starting quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick, while the Pats have lost many key players; most importantly, QB Tom Brady. The Dolphins aren’t as bad as they were a year ago and the Pats are not going to be as good.

Best bet 2: Arizona Cardinals (+8.5) at San Francisco 49ers

Sunday, Sept. 13 (4:25 p.m. ET)

The 49ers lost a key offensive weapon in WR Emmanuel Sanders and traded away DL DeForest Buckner. Even in their 13-3 season a year ago, they failed to cover the spread in both games vs. the Cardinals. Arizona added WR DeAndre Hopkins and upgraded its 31st-ranked defense from 2019.

Place your Week 1 NFL bets at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Best bet 3: New Orleans Saints (-4.5) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sunday, Sept. 13 (4:25 p.m. ET)

The Bucs might have Brady at QB, but with a shortened offseason and a new offense that traditionally takes a few games for quarterbacks to adjust to, expect New Orleans to come out on fire. The Saints added another big weapon in the passing game in WR Sanders, while they still have QB Drew Brees, RB Alvin Kamara and WR Michael Thomas.

Best bet 4: Tennessee Titans (+2.5) at Denver Broncos

Monday, Sept. 14 (10:10 p.m. ET)

The Broncos added young receivers in the draft but the Titans were one of the hottest teams in the NFL after Ryan Tannehill took over at quarterback. Tannehill returns as does RB Derrick Henry. Tennessee will beat Denver, especially with Drew Lock at QB for the Broncos.

Best bet 5: Pittsburgh Steelers (-3.5) at New York Giants

Monday, Sept. 14 (7:15 p.m. ET)

The Steelers get QB Ben Roethlisberger back. The Giants still have questions around their defense. New York QB Daniel Jones has more protection, but the lack of an offseason with a new head coach will show in Week 1.

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.

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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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NFL Week 1 Bets: 4 best total bets to make

Looking at the early betting lines for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season and pick four total bets to make.

The 2020 NFL schedule is out, laying out all 16 games for each of the 32 teams. The Week 1 slate is filled with intriguing matchups, ones that also offer some promising wagers on the Over/Under. Here are four of the best total bets to make for Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.

Also see – Week 1 NFL betting lines up at BetMGM: Chiefs, 49ers among biggest favorites

Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Rams: O/U 50.5

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Friday, May 8 at 5 p.m. ET.

Cowboys-Rams is one of the best games of the opening weekend, pitting two of the best offenses against each other in primetime on Sunday night. It’s also the first regular-season game ever at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, so anticipation will be even higher for this matchup.

At least one of these teams has scored 30 or more points in their last eight meetings, so offense is almost never hard to come by. Add in the fact the Rams will be trotting out a new defense under first-year coordinator Brandon Staley, and the fact Dallas’ secondary could start two rookies, and this has the makings of a shootout.

Take the OVER 50.5 (-110) in this game.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints: O/U 49.5

The Saints and Bucs played in Week 1 two years ago and lit up the scoreboard, scoring 88 total points. That probably won’t happen again, but never doubt the abilities of QBs Tom Brady and Drew Brees – especially in a dome.

The Over is a perfect 3-0 in the Saints’ last three Week 1 game, and New Orleans has scored the second-most points in season openers in that span. This should be a high-scoring affair between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks and two offensive-minded coaches.

Bet the OVER 49.5 (-110) and expect to see a lot of points on the board.

Place your Week 1 NFL bets at BetMGM, or play in their online casino. Bet now!

Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs: O/U 55.5

The highest point total of Week 1 belongs to the Texans and Chiefs at 55.5, which shouldn’t be a surprise. The Chiefs can easily put up 35 points on a Houston defense not exactly flush with talent, and QB Deshaun Watson can score in a hurry for the Texans.

It’s a lot of points to cover, but the Chiefs have scored more Week 1 points than any team in the NFL since 2017 and the Over is 3-0 in such games. Houston is 10th on that list.

Bet the OVER 55.5 (-110).

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions: O/U 44.5

It’s not yet clear who will be the Bears’ starting quarterback, but neither Mitchell Trubisky nor Nick Foles is a great option. Either way, their offense shouldn’t be all that explosive. Detroit still has QB Matthew Stafford and WR Kenny Golladay, but the Bears defense is fearsome.

I’m taking the UNDER 44.5 (-110), even with a lower point projection. There’s just too much uncertainty with the Bears on offense and Detroit’s offense could have some trouble against Khalil Mack and Co.

Want action on the Week 1 NFL betting lines? 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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