NFL Week 1 Best Bets!
It’s finally time for some football! There is nothing more exciting than Week one of the NFL season when most NFL fan bases still have hope that this will be a good season for their favorite team. What’s even more exciting than watching football? Betting football. That’s right, it’s time to lock in our best bets and use that bankroll you have been building up for football season.
I will be doing a betting article every week and keeping track of my record (Good or Bad!). With Week 1 games, don’t go too crazy. We are still figuring out and learning what these teams will be like this season. Lots of players are on new teams, head coaching and coordinator changes etc. I always recommend easing your way into NFL betting. Ok, you all aren’t here to read my intro. It’s all about the bets, so let’s dive in:
Austin Ekeler Anytime TD (-135)
This one is a little juicy at -135, but it’s still great value! Ekeler scored 4 TD’s against the Raiders last season with 2 in each game. We are getting one of the elite running backs in the league and only need him to score 1 TD at -135? Don’t over think this one and lock it in before the odds go up! The beauty of Ekeler is that he can do this rushing or receiving as he is a weapon in both the running and passing game for the Chargers. He had 911 yards rushing with 12 rushing TD’s last season while adding a cool 647 yards receiving and 8 TD’s. This guy is a beast and loves playing against the Raiders. I look forward to cashing this one in the 1st half, then moving on to another bet.
Teaser parlay of 49ers -1 & Ravens -1
If you don’t know what a teaser is, then let me fill you in. With a teaser bet, you benefit by taking the line down or up 6 points in your favor. In this case, the 49ers and Ravens actual spread is -7. Take that down 6 points and join them together to make -120 odds. The key with these teasers is finding spreads that cross key numbers. In football, that means 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 etc. Let’s first start with the 49ers:
The 49ers play the Chicago Bears. The Bears are a mess this season with a depleted defense from years past and a lack of weapons to help out 2nd year QB Justin Fields. Their offensive line is going to have a tough time slowing down Bosa and company in this one. On the flip side, the 49ers finally get to unleash their new toy in Trey Lance. His escapability will be tough for the Bears to game plan for since there isn’t a lot of tape on him yet. To go with a mobile QB, the 49ers have a great running game with their RB’s and Deebo Samuel. I expect the 49ers to win the line of scrimmage all day long in this one and leave Chicago with an easy victory, but all I need is a 2 point victory for this leg of the teaser!
It’s the same story for the Ravens. They are by far the more dominant team in this one. Harbaugh is money when it comes to having extra time to prepare for a team. Also, did I mention it’s Joe Flacco starting for the Jets? Lamar is out to prove he deserves a big contract after this season and the Ravens are much healthier than they have been in a while as they ranked dead last on team health last season. This is another one that I think should be pretty easy to cover the small spread of -1. I expect this to be a no-stress bet all the way until the finish (Nothing weird ever happens in NFL games, right?)
Vikings ML (+100)
We finally have a plus money bet now. This is just too good to pass up. I am getting a much improved Vikings team at home as an underdog! Sorry, I have to make this bet. My hands are tied here. The Vikings were 5-3 last season at home, which is pretty good for a team that finished under .500. The Packers have owned this division for years as everyone knows, but I don’t think it will be that easy this season. The loss of Davante Adams is huge and I can’t stress that enough. That was his go-to guy in any situation. Now he has to count on a mix of declining veterans and a couple young players at the WR position. Could a former MVP in Rodgers figure that out? Of course he can, but I expect it to take some time with his receiving core.
On the other side, the Vikings have improved their roster and coaching staff. They brought in a more creative offensive mind in Kevin O’ Connell. He is going to use the passing game more, which is good news for Vikings fans when you have a guy like Justin Jefferson lined up on the outside! They also helped their pass rush by stealing former Packer Za’Darius Smith. This will be a new look Vikings team that may finally live up to their expectations for the 1st time since Cousins arrived… plus this isn’t a prime time game so it’s ok to bet on Cousins.
Good luck on your bets!
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1 Comment
Thanks for the info! Can’t wait to see what next week has to offer.