Parlays

Both New Orleans and Atlanta have played well down the stretch although each of these NFC South rivals are eliminated from playoff contention. The Saints (6-10) are riding a 4-game winning streak, coming off a 34-26 victory at Tennessee. New Orleans grabbed its 3rd victory in the last 4 tries away from the Superdome after starting 0-4 on the road. The Falcons (7-9) have avoided its 10th loss for 3 consecutive weeks, beating the Buccaneers, Cardinals, and Rams. Atlanta jumped out to a 21-0 lead over Los Angeles before holding on for a 27-24 triumph on Monday night as 7-point underdogs.

In the first matchup in New Orleans back in Week 12, the Falcons took care of the Saints, 24-10 as 2-point underdogs. Veteran Kirk Cousins made his first start of the season in place of the injured Michael Penix, Jr., throwing for 199 yards and a pair of scores. The Saints couldn’t get any offense going with their lone TD coming on an interception return. New Orleans missed a pair of field goals and turned the ball over twice, as the Falcons seek back-to-back wins over the Saints for the first time since 2016-2017.

Atlanta has struggled in its last two opportunities as a home favorite, losing to Miami (34-10) and Carolina (30-27). The Saints began the season with a 3-8 ATS record, but stormed back with 5 consecutive covers. Shough has put together back-to-back 300+ yard performances against the Jets and Titans, but posted a 74.1 passer rating in the first matchup with Atlanta. Both teams want to finish the season with a nice winning streak going into the offseason, but let’s back the Saints with the points here to capture their sixth straight cover.

Saints vs Falcons prediction: Saints +3.5 available at time of publishing. Playable to +3.

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The 2025 NFL season will come to an end for the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders when these 2 AFC West foes clash in Week 18 on Sunday afternoon. Neither team is going to the playoffs — not even close. Even against a team playing as poorly as Kansas City is right now, Las Vegas is pretty much an automatic fade. When the Raiders are getting less than a touchdown, it’s a can’t–miss opportunity — regardless of the opponent. My Chiefs vs Raiders pick is for the visitors to win and cover. Las Vegas was awful even when it was trying to win games earlier in the season. Now head coach Pete Carroll’s club is making no secret about its disinterest — and perhaps even its desire to lose. In Week 17, the Raiders faced the Giants in what was a battle for a stranglehold on the #1 pick in the 2026 draft. Having already shut down their 2 best players — defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers — for the season, Las Vegas unsurprisingly got clobbered by New York 34-10. That’s right; the Raiders lost to the other worst team in football by 24 points. 
 
Kansas City may be wrapping up a horrendous season, but at least you can count on it playing hard through the finish line. The Chiefs lost to the Broncos by only 7 points on Christmas in a game that was competitive from start to finish. Their offense is obviously a problem with Patrick Mahomes sidelined, but it doesn’t have to be very good to comfortably beat Las Vegas. Moreover, head coach Andy Reid’s squad is essentially playing on a mini-bye. Give Reid extra preparation time — even for a meaningless game — and good things usually happen. I’m backing K.C. with confidence.

Kansas City Chiefs vs Las Vegas Raiders prediction: Chiefs -5.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -6.

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This spread has dropped massively with the news that Josh Allen may miss this matchup, but it feels like a huge overreaction, and it’s worth jumping all over the Bills to beat the woeful Jets by at least a touchdown. Allen’s potential absence would be a blow for Buffalo, but this Jets defense has completely collapsed in recent weeks, giving up 34, 48, 29 and 42 points across its last 4 games. In fact, New York has lost each of those games by at least 23 points, and if Tyler Shough and the Saints can inflict that sort of damage on the Jets, I have full confidence that Mitch Trubisky can do the same at a rowdy Highmark Stadium.

While the Bills are already locked into a Wild Card spot, they can still improve their seeding, and we should still see a spirited effort from Sean McDermott’s team. They had won 4 straight prior to last week’s setback against the Eagles, and Buffalo will no doubt want to gain some momentum ahead of their playoff journey.

As for this Jets team, it’s unbelievable how much they’ve fallen apart in recent weeks. Brady Cook is once again slated to start under center, and while he hasn’t been completely terrible, putting him in a potential snow game in sub-zero temperatures in Buffalo is just asking for trouble. With 10 points or fewer scored in 3 of their last 4 games and the defense set to break all sorts of records by not recording a single interception all season, there’s nothing promising for the Jets here. Even if the Bills do shut down some of their starters for this one, expect them to still pummel New York by at least a touchdown.

Jets vs Bills best bet: Buffalo Bills -6.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 9.5.

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The UAB Blazers will travel to Tampa Bay on Sunday for an American Conference game against the South Florida Bulls. Both teams will look for their first conference win of the season with a victory here. UAB lost by five to Wichita State in their American opener while South Florida has yet to play a league game. The Bulls are coming into the game on a two-game winning streak, and I expect them to keep the momentum going here.

South Florida is currently -6.5 and that is my best bet of the game. I like the Bulls to cover in this one because they have been the better team over the past month. South Florida lost just one game in the month of December while UAB lost to Middle Tennessee, Troy and Wichita State last month. The Bulls are ranked as the #34 team in the country on Bart Torvik since December 1^st. Since December started, they are ranked #7 in offensive rebounding percentage, #39 in offensive efficiency and #52 in defensive efficiency. UAB is ranked outside the top 100 in both offensive and defensive efficiency since December 1^st, so I do not see them keeping this game within the number. Take South Florida here.

South Florida -6.5 available at time of publishing. Playable at -7.5

Sunday afternoon takes us to the AAC as the Florida Atlantic Owls travel to face the Tulane Green Wave. Both are off to a respectable start to the season, with Tulane at 10-4 and FAU at 9-5, and both winning their conference opener. Expectations at the start of the season were for both teams to end up in the middle of the pack in this conference though, and that is probably still my expectation. Thus far though, FAU has looked like the better team, and they rank some 100 spots higher in ratings systems like KenPom and Torvik, and I am going to go with that as we take the Owls -4.5.

The problem for Tulane is that, despite their good record, they have yet to step outside of the mid-major level of competition. Moreover, they are dropping games to the better mid-major teams. Tulane’s primary warts are that they are one of the worst rebounding teams in the country, both offensively and defensively, and that they both shoot and defend the 3 poorly. That’s not going to produce sustained success. FAU is not what they were a few years ago, obviously, but they are at least middle of the pack in those places where Tulane struggles. I look for FAU to be the better team here, and I will take them to cover.

Florida Atlantic vs Tulane Prediction: FAU -4.5 (-115) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

UConn will look to continue its dominance against Big East opponents as they get ready to take on Marquette on Sunday. The Huskies are 3-0 in conference play and are coming off a dominant 90-67 win over Xaiver on New Year’s Eve, shooting 53.2% from the floor. Marquette is 0-3 in conference play this season and they continue to struggle, dropping five straight games while averaging just 68 points per game in that span. The Huskies are hefty favorites in this matchup, but I don’t think they’ll have any issues covering this spread and here’s why. 

The Huskies are loaded with talent on both ends of the floor, and this could be a long afternoon for the Golden Eagles. UConn is averaging 79.3 points per game while allowing 61.5 points per game compared to Marquette who is averaging 76.6 points per game and allowing 77.4 points per game. While UConn may not be known for an explosive offense, its aggressive, physical defense has frustrated opponents, something that will likely frustrate Marquette in this matchup. Marquette has already not fared well against elite competition, suffering lopsided losses to Indiana by 23 points, Wisconsin by 20, Purdue by 20, and Creighton by 21. Outside of Purdue, this will be one of the toughest tests the Golden Eagles have faced, and it’s hard to see them finding much success offensively. Marquette shot just 36.5% from the field against Seton Hall in its last game, and that trend is unlikely to reverse against UConn’s defensive pressure. Look for the Huskies to control this game from start to finish and roll to another convincing Big East win, making UConn my best bet of the day. 

Marquette vs UConn prediction: UConn -20.5 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable up to -21.5. 

The Colorado Avalanche improved their winning streak on Saturday to 10 games. They will be putting it on the line Sunday as they are in south Florida to take on the Panthers. The Panthers are coming off a loss to the New York Rangers in the winter classic on Friday night. The Avalanche can’t be stopped right now. They have only lost two games in regulation time all season long. Nathan MacKinnon has four consecutive multi-point games, and he has back-to-back four-point games. He is leading the NHL with 74 points. As a team they are averaging 4.08 goals on the season, which is best in the NHL. Not only are they impressive offensively, they are the best defensive team in the league as well. They are averaging 2.18 goals against per game.

The Panthers will need to tap into their Stanley Cup winning ways to take down the Avalanche. However, without Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov in the lineup, I don’t think they have what it takes to beat the Avs. Give me the road team in this one.

Avalanche vs. Panthers prediction: Avalanche ML (-130) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Vegas Golden Knights are travelling to Chicago to face the Blackhawks for the first time this season. Currently, the Golden Knights are on a four-game losing streak and are eager to get back into the win column. In those games, they have allowed at least four goals, highlighting the need for improvement in goaltending. On a positive note, Jack Eichel has returned to the lineup, so health is no longer a concern. Ultimately, this game will come down to execution, and the Golden Knights must start performing better.

Chicago enters this matchup having won two consecutive games, but their recent success is unlikely to continue indefinitely. They are missing two key players, Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, yet they manage to score just enough goals to push games beyond 60 minutes. Tonight’s game is part of a back-to-back series, making it their third game in four nights, so fatigue will likely set in. Arvid Soderblom is expected to start in goal, but his performance this season has been subpar, with a goals against average (GAA) over 4.00 and a save percentage (SV%) of .873. If Vegas can get shots on goal early and often, they stand a good chance of winning this game.

Golden Knights vs Blackhawks Prediction: Golden Knights -1.5 (+100) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The Carolina Hurricanes are travelling to New Jersey to face the Devils for the second time this season. In their first meeting in October, the teams combined for 9 goals, with the Hurricanes winning 6-3. This time, however, we may not see as many goals, as the Devils are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league. Despite this, they still have a chance to win the game.

The Hurricanes have lost three consecutive games, including a 5-3 defeat to the Avalanche, during which they squandered a 3-1 lead going into the third period. In their last three games, they have allowed a total of 17 goals. This is a team built from the back end, so when neither goalie can make saves, winning becomes a daunting task. On the other hand, the Devils have won two in a row and will be relying on Jake Allen, who has performed well this season. Brandon Bussi is expected to start for Carolina. Although he has an impressive record of 13 wins, 2 losses, and 1 overtime loss, his save percentage is only 0.900. If the Devils create scoring opportunities and Allen effectively shuts down the Hurricanes, they stand a good chance of winning.

Hurricanes vs Devils Prediction: Devils ML (+100) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The Minnesota Timberwolves will travel Sunday night to take on the Washington Wizards. The Timberwolves have a record of 22-13, and they are 10-7 on the road this season. Minnesota has won two of their last three games, with their last win coming Saturday afternoon against the Miami Heat 125-115. Anthony Edwards led the team with 33 points and 5 assists, while Naz Reid contributed 29 points in the victory. The Wizards have a record of 9-24 this season, and they are 5-11 on their home court. Washington has won four of their last five games, including their 119-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets last Friday night. Justin Champagnie led the team in scoring with 20 points, and Alex Sarr added 19 points and 5 rebounds. 

This will be the second time this season these two teams have faced off against one another. The Timberwolves defeated the Wizards 120-109 back on November 9th. Since the defeat, the Wizards have found a bit of a spark and are playing better basketball. Center Alex Sarr has been the player that has mainly stepped up for the Wizards. In his second year in the NBA, he is averaging 17.7 points and 8 rebounds per game. Sarr draws a tough matchup tonight against the four time defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert. Another improvement for Washington has been their depth. In the Wizards last ten games, Justin Champagnie has averaged 9.8 points and Bub Carrington has averaged 13.1 points. Both totals are well above these players’ season averages. Unfortunately for Washington, Minnesota also boasts a deep bench that is led by Naz Reid. Reid has averaged 16.5 points in his last ten games. While the Wizards have been hot in their last five games, the Timberwolves have shown consistency all season long. I believe the Timberwolves have the pieces to slow down the Wizards tonight.

Timberwolves -9.5 is available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Miami Heat fell at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves last night and now find themselves on the back end of a back-to-back set as they welcome the New Orleans Pelicans. Both teams here head into the game with injuries to key cogs in their offences. The hosts look to remain without Tyler Herro and will also be missing Jaime Jaquez Jr. Both players are capable playmakers and without them, the hosts should find it harder to create. The visitors have Derik Queen and Trey Murphy III listed as questionable while Saddiq Bey and Herbert Jones both missed their last game. If they are all out, it will allow the Heat to focus in on Zion Williamson defensively.

The Pelicans are 2nd in the league in points in the paint this season but up against a frontline with the size of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware, those points should be more of a struggle. Over the last 10 games the teams are 7th and 8th in pace, respectively. However, with the hosts being fatigued, do not be surprised to see them slowing the tempo down tonight. Neither team has been efficient, ranking 21st and 24th respectively in true shooting percentage during that time. As a result, with fewer possession, these sides should struggle to combine for over 243 points.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Miami Heat prediction: Under 243.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to under 242.5.

The return of Giannis has sparked a run of 3 wins in 4 games for the Bucks, but on Sunday they head to Sacramento with their superstar questionable to play. The Greek Freak is dealing with a calf issue, which has been a league wide problem this season. Knowing what’s at stake for Milwaukee here, it would be foolish to risk the health of their best player, so I do not believe we will see Antetokounmpo out there on Sunday. This makes it difficult to recommend backing the Bucks to cover here, especially since we know they are just 1-6 ATS in 7 games vs Western Conference opponents.

Sacramento knows a thing or two about injuries, they’ve been derailed by them for the last month or so with Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis both being out. There is good news on the horizon though as LaVine has been upgraded to a game-time decision, his presence would drastically improve the Kings offense. Defensively, this team just doesn’t have it regardless who is out there on the basketball floor. The last 5 games have seen them allow 120+ points, they are the 4th worst team in defensive efficiency this season allowing 117.1 points per 100 possessions.

With us not knowing exactly if Giannis or LaVine will play here, it’s hard to get a good read on the outcome here. Instead, I feel like backing the points is the way to go. This has been a lopsided game in terms of points scored lately, an average of 251.7 points per game has been scored in the last 10 meetings with the over cashing 8 times. Do not expect a lot of defense to be played here, take the points.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Sacramento Kings Predictions: Over 228.5 is available at time of publishing. Playable up to Over 231.5