Are you looking for a vote of confidence when picking spreads, money lines and over/ unders in the NFL? Let me be that football wizard who has seen the prophecies of victory and has the ability to put your precarious souls at ease. 18 years of sports wagering experience is proudly listed on my resume, as well as currently playing in my 21st season of fantasy football(definitely a self-proclaimed pioneer). But enough about Cool Hand Luke. In this weekly column, I'll briefly recap some of the past week's sportsbook outcomes, moods and reflections, as well as offer words of advice and knowledge on betting strategies. Additionally, for every game, I'll have my picks for the spread, moneyline and under/ over ready to go. And if you're good(or I just happen to be feeling generous), I'll offer up one of my tantalizing, high-odds 'Nicks Picks', a ticket too good to be true. Anyway, if for some reason any of Nick's Picks let you down, I'm cool with you telling your bookie it was all my fault. Yeah... right.
'SONIC THE HEDGING HOG' - Sometimes there is a week in the NFL schedule that have match-ups and lines that may spook you out a little... or a lot, depending on your current streak and budget. Well, if you come across one of those weeks and are feeling some uncertainty, there is a safer route you can take when making your tickets. 'Hedging' is a method of wagering which involves betting on the opposite outcome of a ticket already placed. This will almost guarantee(not every time) a minimum amount of winnings if you're looking to score a low-risk, yet low profit, payout. Two team parlays are my favorite way to go when hedging. The chances of hitting are reduced, but if you find the good lines of the week, they're worth the risk. Remember, when trying out a new 'system', always wager modestly until you feel you can make the 'method' work for you more times than not.
I want to throw a shout out to New England, Detroit, Oakland, Buffalo and Arizona for their futility in allowing me to win me big mutuals last week. Yeah, right. Other than winning anything substantial, last Sunday's results were actually not that bad. I guess you can't be upset if you finish in the black and have cookies in the jar for the coming week's games.
NICK'S PICK OF THE WEEK - 2 GAME PARLAY | GBP -3 | HOU -10
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES @ CAROLINA PANTHERS - CAR -3 | CAR -148 | OVER 44
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS @ NEW YORK JETS - NEP -9.5 | NEP -400 | UNDER 47.5
GREEN BAY PACKERS @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS - GBP -3 | GBP -157 | OVER 46.5
DETROIT LIONS @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS - DET +4.5 | DET +185 | OVER 50
CHICAGO BEARS @ BALTIMORE RAVENS - CHI +6.5 | BAL -272 | OVER 39.5
CLEVELAND BROWNS @ HOUSTON TEXANS - HOU -10 | HOU -385 | OVER 47
SAN FRANCISCO 49ers @ WASHINGTON REDSKINS - WAS -11 | WAS -505 | OVER 46.5
MIAMI DOLPHINS @ ATLANTA FALCONS - MIA +13 | ATL -685 | UNDER 46
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS @ ARIZONA CARDINALS - TBB -1 | TBB -116 | OVER 45.5
LOS ANGELES RAMS @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS - JAX -2.5 | JAX -140 | UNDER 42
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS @ OAKLAND RAIDERS - BETTING ON HOLD DUE TO INJURY
PITTSBURGH STEELERS @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS - KCC -4 | KCC -210 | OVER 47
NEW YORK GIANTS @ DENVER BRONCOS - DEN -11.5 | DEN -565 | UNDER 38.5
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS @ TENNESSEE TITANS - BETTING ON HOLD DUE TO INJURY
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:
SPREAD 8-4
MONEYLINE 6-6
TOTAL O/U 6-6
YTD RESULTS:
SPREAD 38-36
MONEYLINE 44-30
TOTAL O/U 36-38
