Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson dives into the end zone for a touchdown against the Green Bay … [+]
The Week 17 odds and playoff scenarios make for more interesting games and betting situations as the New Year begins with 14 NFL games on Sunday, Jan. 1. Desperation and ‘must win’ games are the buzz words as many teams fight for a post season spot and higher position, and playoff pressure builds. Key match-ups of such teams in Week 17 include:
- Carolina at Tampa Bay (-3.5) – Both teams are alive for the division title. A Buccaneers win clinches the NFC South.
- Cleveland at Washington (-1.5) – Commanders clinging to final No. 7 NFC seeds.
- New Orleans at Philadelphia (-6) – Saints barely alive and Eagles current No. 1 NFC seed. One more win clinches the NFC East division, a first-round bye and home-field advantage.
- Chicago at Detroit (-6) – Lions need win to stay alive as current No. 9 NFC seeds.
- Miami at New England (-2.5) – Dolphins current No. 7 seed AFC, Patriots no. 8.
- New York (-1.5) at Seattle – Jets current No. 9 seed in AFC, Seahawks No. 8 NFC.
- Minnesota at Green Bay (-3) – Vikings current No. 2 seed NFC, Packers no. 10 with two wins and a Commanders loss getting Green Bay into the playoffs.
- Pittsburgh at Baltimore (-2.5) – Ravens current No. 5 and in the AFC playoffs, Steelers No. 10 and a long shot to reach the postseason. A Ravens win or Bengals loss Monday night sets up the AFC North title game in Week 18.
- Buffalo (-1.5) at Cincinnati – Two division leaders. Bills current no. 1 AFC seed and Bengals no. 3.
Game odds from FanDuel Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Types of bets and how to read the odds
Playoff Elimination Betting Tips
The Action Network and research team provided some against the spread (ATS) situations for NFL teams on the brink of elimination in the final two weeks of the regular season.
- Eliminated teams playing teams that need to win over the final two weeks of the season have gone 95-57-4 ATS (62.5%) since 1990.
Eliminated teams in that positive 62.5% ATS role in Week 17 include: Bears, Browns, Texans, Colts.
- In the last two weeks of the regular season, teams with a win pct of 40-69%, who have a +5% to +35% win pct differential vs. their opponents are 57-88-5 ATS (39.3%) in the past 20 years.
Teams in that negative 39.3% ATS situation in Week 17 include: Commanders, Ravens, Bucs, Dolphins, Giants, Lions, Jaguars, Chargers.
NFL underdogs have been good for us with winning picks this season. But after going 85-62-3 (57.8%) ATS through the opening 10 weeks, underdogs are just 45-43-2 ATS since, according to Action Network betting stats (betting lines move and ATS data can vary slightly).
Legal Sports Betting in Ohio for Monday Night Football
The playoff picture will be clearer following Sunday’s games ahead of the huge Monday Night Football game Jan. 2 between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. And on Jan. 1, 2023, legal sports betting begins in Ohio with more money being bet on the Bengals.
“January 1 will represent the largest expansion of gaming in Ohio’s history and the largest ever simultaneous launch of sports gaming in the United States,” the Ohio Casino Control Commission says on its website.
How to bet on sports online in Ohio
Week 17 will provide plenty of drama as the key games unfold for playoff spots and positions. And as betting in the Buckeye state begins to kick off the near year, big games for the Ohio State Buckeyes and Cincinnati Bengals will create additional excitement for two strong teams in the underdog role pushing towards a championship.
You can bet on it.
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