The Future is Now - Week 13 NFL Futures Betting and Strategy
Mixed bag last week. Tampa Bay somehow coughing up that game to Cleveland really hurt the Browns’ win total bet. Under 6.5 definitely feels uncomfortable.
But the Jets! We wanted to wait for a quarterback change and Robert Saleh came through. Mike White’s best attribute is not being Zach Wilson, which is enough to back the Jets to make the playoffs now (-105 on PointsBet).
Bet This in Week 13: Cincinnati Bengals to Win the AFC North (+240 on FanDuel)
Cincinnati vs. Baltimore to win the division hinges on remaining schedules. Both teams are 7-4, but the Ravens have the easiest second half schedule in the league. The Bengals face several difficult tests, including hosting the Chiefs on Sunday.
The odds reflect the scheduling mismatch. Baltimore is -250 or worse to take the division crown at every major book. But these two teams are moving in different directions.
Cincinnati came out of their bye week with two good road wins at Pittsburgh and Tennessee. Baltimore stumbled against Jacksonville last week after barely beating Carolina in Week 11.
What if the Bengals stay hot and the Ravens drop a couple more easy games? Cincinnati could certainly knock off Kansas City at home and the Denver defense could do enough to drag Russell Wilson past Baltimore. Like getting on this one before the lines reflect how these squads are playing.
Don’t Bet This in Week 13: Washington Commanders or New York Giants to Make the Playoffs
This is more of a philosophical one. The Commanders and Giants face off this week in a matchup with huge playoff implications. Both teams have 7 wins and are currently holding down the last two Wild Card spots in the NFC.
The result this week will drastically shift the playoff odds toward whoever wins. Both moneylines are better than the playoff odds so makes more sense to go that route if you like one of the teams.
Washington is -152 to make the playoffs on FanDuel but -136 on the moneyline this week. New York is at +110 and +116. Not a massive difference, but might as well get a little extra value.