NFL Picks & Previews
At ScoresandStats, we cover the NFL season each and every week, providing you with predictions and matchup breakdowns in our blog section. Every user has access to these picks, regardless of your subscription status.
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Latest Picks and Predictions
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Denver Broncos Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
Seattle Seahawks vs Miami Dolphins Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
Indianapolis Colts vs Chicago Bears Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
Arizona Cardinals vs Detroit Lions Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
Pittsburgh Steelers vs L.a. Chargers Chargers Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
Dallas Cowboys vs Baltimore Ravens Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
L.a. Rams Rams vs San Francisco 49ers Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
Atlanta Falcons vs Kansas City Chiefs Picks and Predictions September 22nd 2024
N.y. Jets Jets vs New England Patriots Picks and Predictions September 19th 2024
Free NFL Picks for Today
There are a total of 544 games played throughout the regular season of the NFL. While not every matchup makes for an exciting watch, NFL games are always packed with a ton of valuable betting opportunities. In many cases, the most profit can be found on underwhelming team performances.
Here are some of the free picks for NFL games this week: movement.
How to Choose a Handicapper: What to Look For in a Professional
When choosing an NFL handicapper, it’s essential to understand the qualities that separate an effective, trustworthy professional from the rest of the field. A good handicapper provides consistent value by delivering well-researched picks, maintaining transparency, and offering insights that go beyond the surface. Here are several key factors to consider when selecting the right handicapper for your betting needs.
Proven Track Record and Consistency
One of the most important aspects to evaluate when choosing a handicapper is their track record. A good handicapper should have a documented history of success, showing not just big wins, but consistency over time.
While occasional losses are part of sports betting, a competent professional will demonstrate long-term profitability with a clear and honest presentation of past performance. Look for handicappers who provide transparent records of their picks and results, ideally over multiple seasons, rather than cherry-picking only the good results.
In-Depth Analysis and Research
A reliable handicapper doesn’t rely on gut feelings or trends alone. Instead, they base their picks on thorough research and in-depth analysis of statistics, matchups, team dynamics, injuries, and betting market trends. They should have a clear process for evaluating games and providing well-thought-out predictions.
A great handicapper will also explain the reasoning behind their picks, helping you understand the logic and data driving their decisions. This is a sign that they put genuine effort into their work, rather than offering quick, uninformed guesses.
Transparency and Accountability
The best handicappers are transparent with their clients. This means being upfront about both wins and losses, providing detailed explanations for each pick, and never overpromising. If a handicapper claims they are guaranteed to win a certain percentage of the time or promises huge profits without any risk, that’s a major red flag.
A legitimate handicapper understands the volatility of sports betting and communicates realistic expectations to their clients. They should also be willing to answer questions about their methods, share their approach, and stand by their results, whether positive or negative.
Industry Expertise and Specialization
It’s important to choose a handicapper who specializes in the sport you’re betting on. In this case, for NFL picks, you’ll want someone with specific expertise in football. Handicappers who spread themselves too thin by offering picks in every sport may not have the time or depth of knowledge necessary to make high-quality NFL predictions.
A good NFL handicapper stays up to date with the latest team news, coaching strategies, player performance trends, and key betting market movements that affect the outcome of games.
Realistic Expectations and Money Management
Lastly, a good handicapper promotes responsible betting and realistic expectations. They should provide advice on money management, guiding clients on how to bet within their means and maintain a healthy approach to bankroll management.
Rather than encouraging reckless betting or chasing losses, a responsible handicapper helps their clients see the bigger picture of long-term profitability.
Our Best NFL Handicappers
ScoresandStats has an excellent selection of NFL handicappers to follow. With over 20 to choose from, there is endless value to be found in their predictions. Below is a look at the top handicappers for the season so far:
For more in-depth analysis of each handicapper, you can visit their profile to see which wagers they’ve won and lost. Here’s a look at the recent NFL stats for Sports Central:
Sports Central is off to a great start on the season for NFL spread betting. If you’re a fan of betting the spread or moneyline, this would be an ideal handicapper to follow. Across all sports, Sports Central has a 62% win rate!
Sniper Wes is another NFL handicapper who is off to a good start on the NFL season. His recent bets are below:
Wes has been providing a mix of spread and totals bets, and is hitting 60% on the NFL so far this season.
How Handicappers Find NFL Value: Key Factors in Making Predictions
NFL handicappers rely on a combination of data, trends, and market analysis to find value and make their predictions. The goal is to identify situations where the betting line doesn’t accurately reflect the likely outcome of a game, giving bettors an edge. Here’s a deeper look into how handicappers uncover NFL value and the specific tools they use to make informed picks:
Advanced Statistics and Metrics
Handicappers analyze a wide range of advanced statistics to gauge team performance beyond just wins and losses. These metrics offer deeper insights into the underlying factors driving a team’s success or struggles. Key stats include:
- Yards per Play (YPP): Measures offensive and defensive efficiency by tracking how many yards a team gains or allows per play.
- DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average): An advanced metric that evaluates a team’s performance compared to the league average, adjusting for opponent strength.
- EPA (Expected Points Added): Tracks the impact of each play on a team’s chances of scoring, providing insight into offensive and defensive effectiveness.
These metrics help handicappers identify teams that may be over- or under-performing based on more traditional stats like win-loss records or point differentials
Recent Trends and Form
While season-long performance matters, handicappers also pay close attention to recent trends that could indicate a shift in a team’s form. For example, a team that started slow but has been performing better in recent weeks might offer value if their improvement isn’t fully reflected in the betting lines. Trends to watch include:
- Recent game performance: How well teams have played over their last few games, particularly against similar competition.
- Injuries and player returns: The impact of key injuries or players returning from injury, which can dramatically affect team performance.
- Coaching adjustments: Mid-season changes in strategy or personnel can lead to improved (or worsened) performance.
Public Betting and Line Movement
Understanding public betting behavior is a key part of finding value. Handicappers often analyze how the public is betting and how the sportsbooks are adjusting the lines in response. This can lead to opportunities where the betting line moves in a way that creates value for sharp bettors.
- Fade the Public: Handicappers sometimes identify value by betting against popular public picks, especially when the majority of bets are placed on one side, which can inflate the betting line.
- Sharp vs. Public Money: Following where the sharp (professional) money is going can help indicate the “smart” side of a game, especially if the line is moving against the majority of public bets.
Situational Handicapping
Handicappers also consider specific situational factors that might impact a game’s outcome. These are often less obvious but can have a significant effect on performance. Examples include:
- Home-field advantage: Certain teams perform significantly better or worse when playing at home or on the road.
- Travel and rest: Long travel distances, short weeks, or playing back-to-back road games can lead to fatigue and affect performance.
- Weather conditions: Weather can influence the outcome of outdoor games, particularly heavy rain, snow, or wind, which tend to favor teams with strong running games and solid defense.
Market Inefficiencies and Overreactions
NFL betting markets are not always perfectly efficient, and handicappers look for opportunities where the lines don’t accurately reflect the true odds of a game. This can happen due to overreactions to a recent game or media narrative, creating opportunities for value bets. Key points here include:
- Overreactions to key injuries: If a star player is injured, betting lines might overreact, especially if the team’s depth is underrated.
- Recency bias: The betting public often overvalues recent performances, leading to inflated lines after a big win or loss.
- Undervalued teams: Sometimes teams with bad records are improving in ways that aren’t immediately reflected in the betting market.
By combining these tools and strategies, NFL handicappers find value in games where the odds don’t align with the true probabilities, allowing them to offer valuable picks to their clients
NFL Picks Consensus
The NFL consensus data is some of the most beneficial information you’ll have access to with our premium subscription. This consensus data is pulled from partner sportsbooks and helps identify where the public is betting. This is great for identifying smart money opportunities.
Below is a look at consensus data for an NFL game:
Each NFL game will have consensus data pulled together like the one above, saving you hundreds of hours every season from having to collect the data yourself. These are updated in real time, so you can always get an accurate view of where the majority of bets are going.
NFL Odds and Prices
Another element of the SAS membership that NFL bettors can benefit from is the odds and prices on games. When you log into your account, you can find this information by selecting “Scores and Odds” from the menu on the left side.
This information and data is pulled from our partner sportsbooks and averaged out to show you the current odds and picks for spreads, total, and moneyline bets.
The Scores and Odds feature is available for both free and paid memberships.
Win More NFL Bets this Season
NFL handicappers are already making thousands of dollars from the season. Sign up today and join the action so that you can profit from your favorite sport. Simply create your account, choose your membership, and start following from our selection of expert handicappers.