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Week 17 NFL Odds - Lookahead Lines - Picks & Best Bet Predictions

by Mike Allen - 12/18/2024

NFL Week 17 lookahead lines and odds Travis Kelce Kansas City Chiefs

Welcome to another edition of our lookahead lines picks and best bets. You're probably used to betting on the current week's games. You may think, hey man, it's hard enough to pick these games right before kickoff when we have all the available information.

I agree it’s hard. Yes. With all due respect to those soaring through the Alps in a squirrel suit, winning money in the long-term betting on the NFL is one of the hardest things to do in the world.

Having the final injury report from one of the pretty sideline reporters moments before kickoff is helpful but at that point, guys, it's already baked into the line. If you don't have an FBI-level confidential informant, the sportsbooks know what's up before you do.

If you want to bet on the game just before it begins, use the basic strategy for your Wong teasers. At that point, you don't want to beat the book. You're just lengthening the point spread and playing the middle, essentially teasing through the key numbers of 3, 6, and 7.

Conversely, a near-surefire way to beat the betting odds is to place a wager on the lookahead lines the week before the game. This is a violent sport, and unexpected injuries happen all the time. However, more often than not, a smart lookahead bet will net you positive expected value.

After a 2-2 stretch over the past couple of weeks, we went 2-0 on last week's lookahead lines best bets. We took the Bengals (-4). They closed at (-6) and won by 10. Our other play was the Arizona Cardinals (-6) vs the Pats. I didn't foresee the Cardinals continuing to slump, so we didn't gain any positive EV. It did change the spot for Arizona, though, turning their matchup with the Pats into a get-right game. The Cards won 30-17.

Doc’s Sports offers NFL expert picks for every game on our NFL predictions page.

NFL Week 17 Lookahead Lines Best Bets

Las Vegas Raiders (+2.5) at New Orleans Saints (-2.5) Total: 40.5

(Dec 29th at 1:00 PM New Orleans, LA)

Our first lookahead line best bet for Week 17 will be the New Orleans Saints on the moneyline. I'm still getting the hang of gaining positive EV on an underdog. We've done it a couple of times. However, primarily, we've hunted betting favorites, and they've usually been very public plays.

You can find a good pros vs joes side and take what they're giving you. Fading the public isn't a bad strategy, but neither is getting several points of positive EV and letting the numbers work for you instead of against you.

I'm not too fond of the Raiders on the road in the second to last week of the season. It doesn't appear they've packed it in just yet, especially the defense. They're playing super hard.

It's not likely the Giants will lose, and the first pick in the draft becomes available, but the Raiders are in sole position of the 2nd pick with only two wins on the season. Several teams are sitting with just three wins, and I think Vegas wants to avoid getting into a tiebreaking mess, potentially slipping several spots down the board.

Take the Saints. And since the spread is under a field goal, play the moneyline in case something crazy happens.

Pick: Saints Moneyline (-145)

Kansas City Chiefs (-2) at Pittsburgh Steelers Odds (+2) Total: 42.5

(Dec 25th at 1:00 PM Pittsburgh, PA)

The Christmas morning/afternoon matchup between the Steelers and the Chiefs may be the most bet-on game this season besides the Super Bowl for several reasons. Not only do we have two of the most popular teams in the league playing on Christmas Day, but the betting odds are under a field goal.

On top of that, we have two of our favorite NFL betting trends in opposition to one another. Do you want Mike Tomlin as an underdog? How about a home underdog? Maybe Patrick Mahomes, as less than a field goal favorite, is more your cup of tea.

Tomlin is 20-6-3 as a home underdog straight up and 21-8 against the spread in his career. That's a hard one to go against, but the Chiefs, as underdogs or favorites of a field goal or less, play their best ATS. That's when they show up and the 4th quarter cheat code of Mahomes becomes a real problem. I'm assuming he'll be back, but Mahomes hasn't had his best year, and Carson Wentz may have the offense clicking for a bit IF he starts.

I'm reading that Steelers star wide receiver George Pickens could have a grade 2 strain on his hamstring and be out longer than expected. I'm still accounting for him. However, if they rule him out, best believe this line will rise above 3. That's when all the experts will tell you, well, if I had KC under a field goal, I would take them. Well, you have your chance right now.

Pick: Kansas City Moneyline (-135)

More NFL Odds - Week 17 Lookahead Lines

Baltimore Raven (-3) at Houston Texans Odds (+3) Total: 47.5

(Dec 25th at 4:30 PM Houston, TX)

Seattle Seahawks (-1.5) at Chicago Bears Odds (+1.5) Total: 41.5

(Dec 26th at 8:30 PM Chicago, IL)

Los Angeles Chargers (-6) at New England Patriots Odds (+6) Total: 40.5

(Dec 28th at 1:00 PM Foxboro, MA)

Denver Broncos (+3) at Cincinnati Bengals Odds (-3) Total: 47.5

(Dec 28th at 4:30 PM Cincinnati, OH)

Arizona Cardinals (+3) at LA Rams Odds (-3) Total: 49

(Dec 28th at 8:30 PM Inglewood, CA)

Tennessee Titans (+1) at Jacksonville Jaguars Odds (-1) Total: 39.5

(Dec 29th at 1:00 PM Jacksonville, FL)

New York Jets (+9.5) at Buffalo Bills Odds (-9.5) Total: 48.5

(Dec 29th at 1:00 PM Orchard Park, NY)

Carolina Panthers (+8.5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers Odds (-8.5) Total: 47.5

(Dec 29th at 1:00 PM Tampa, FL)

Green Bay Packers (+1.5) at Minnesota Vikings Odds (-1.5) Total: 48.5

(Dec 29th at 1:00 PM Minneapolis, MN)

Indianapolis Colts (-6.5) New York Giants Odds (+6.5) Total: 40.5

(Dec 29th at 1:00 PM East Rutherford, NJ)

Miami Dolphins (-3) at Cleveland Browns Odds (+3) Total: 41.5

(Dec 29th at 4:05 PM Cleveland, OH)

Dallas Cowboys (+11) at Philadelphia Eagles Odds (-11) Total; 44.5

(Dec 29th at 4:25 Philadelphia, PA)

Atlanta Falcons (+3.5) at Washington Commanders Odds (-3.5) Total: 46

(Dec 29th at 8:20 PM Landover, MD)

Detroit Lions (-3) at San Francisco 49ers Odds (+3) Total: 51.5

(Dec 30th at 8:30 PM Santa Clara, CA)

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