Top betting events for the weekend include the MLB playoffs and NFL football best bets



Top games feature the NFL in London and a look at the undefeated Arizona Cardinals, but until Sunday, MLB playoff betting takes center stage.

Hot games and best bets for the weekend of 10/8

The king of all sports betting, NFL football, has been good for the sportsbooks so far. The upsets, including the Jets having been sinking bettors all season long. The MLB playoffs are underway and after the two Wild Card play-in games, the Division Series are being played on a daily basis.

NFL Football Betting

NFL London Jaguars FalconsIt all starts with two bad teams playing in London at 9:30 in the morning on the East Coast. The New York Jets face the Atlanta Falcons in a "battle" of two 1-3 teams. This is the first game in England since 2019 due to the pandemic and it's bound to be a snooze fest. But there are some pretty significant trends for the U.K. NFL games. 

Favorites have gone an impressive 21-6-1 straight-up and 18-10 ATS in the 28 games played in U.K. stadiums since the start of all  this back in 2007. The games tend to lean towards the Under (15-13). Atlanta is a 2.5 point favorite at the top online sportsbooks and the total for the game is 45. 

Line Movements

Several games on the NFL betting board have seen pretty significant line movements. The Patriots opened as 7.5 point favorites vs. Houston in Las Vegas, but that number has risen to 9 at BetUS, while still sitting at 8.5 at many mainstream sportsbooks. The Cardinals opened at -2.5, jumped almost immediately to 4, shot up to 5 and is now Arizona is favored by 4.5, and all of the point-spread jockeying makes sense.

San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, 10/8 at 4:25 PM ET
Line: Arizona (-4.5) at BetOnline.ag

Cardinals 49ers betting predictionCardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has been putting on quite a show through the first four games, posted a 120.3 passer rating in the Cardinals 37-20 win against the previously unbeaten Rams, and Arizona is now the only undefeated team left in the NFL. They are 3-1 against the spread and many believe that that they are in for a letdown this week.

However, the reason the number shot up on the Cardinals was the news that 49er QB Jimmy Garoppolo  has a a calf injury and is now listed as questionable for this weeks' game. Add to that TE George Kittle, CB Josh Norman and RB Elijah Mitchell are all listed as questionable. Sure, the 'questionable' tag usually means that players will play, but it's still another banged up Niner squad versus a very tough opponent. Take the home team to cover 5 points as our best NFL Best Bet of the Week.

MLB Playoff betting

The  AL got started last night with both home teams winning by 5 runs. Tonight the NL starts and all eyes are on the Dodgers/Giants series where the two best teams in baseball face-off. The series betting odds have the Dodgers as -160 favorites at BetAnySports and the road team is favored tonight at -120 with Walker Buehler on the hill. 

LA Dodgers at San Francisco Giants

Friday, 10/08 at 9:37 PM ET
Line: Dodgers (-120) / Total 7.5

NLDS betting adviceThe Dodgers come off an emotional win over St. Louis on Wednesday and needed that win despite 105 others during the season to get into the NLDS. They have reeled off eight straight wins and won 22 games this season when Buehler has started. The Giants send their top pitcher to the hill in Lance Webb. He was outstanding during the regular season with a 6-0 record at home. Both pitchers sport ERAs under 3 and WHIPs around 1. 

Every MLB game on the board today had the total at 7.5 or 7 and the two games last night ended with the totals of 7 and 5. The first playoff game of any series is new territory and this game features very good starting pitching. Take Under 7.5 runs tonight in the City by the Bay.

Boston Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays series
 
Current Line: Tampa Bay (-375) at GTBets

This series has all the makings of a sweep by Tampa Bay. They put up 101 wins during the regular season and shut out the Sox last night 5-0. They went 12-8 against Boston this season and have won more games against the Sox for three straight years. 

Rays red Sox betting adviceThe Red Sox best shot to win a game comes tonight with Chris Sale starting just his 9th game of the season due to injuries. Still, Boston is 7-2 in his starts and he has pitched well, but has not gone deep into games, generally getting yanked before the 6th inning. Boston's bullpen blew 26 saves this season and will be required to do more heavy lifting again tonight. If the Rays can get past Sale tonight, a sweep seems quite achievable.

Though we are not fans of giving away big odds, the Rays will win this series. BetOnline has props for every ALDS scenario and the Rays to sweep is +240. However, the bet we are looking at is Tampa to win the Series 3 games to 1, with a price of +230. We are happy to give away 10 cents for one Boston win.



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