The NFL in Week 17 is mayhem, with teams fighting for playoff positioning, bubble teams that are in danger of being eliminated, and still others anxious to wrap up a division title to cement the all-important first-round bye.
Sports bettors aren't the only ones watching games and checking their free NFL picks. Even the players admit to "scoreboard watching", keeping an eye on important games that could help them in the standings. This creates an incredible array of scenarios surrounding the betting numbers.
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Why Use NFL Week 17 Picks
All these swirling scenarios test the knowledge and discipline of serious sports bettors. Just because a team "has to win" to keep their season alive doesn't mean they will. They might even play poorly. Some quarterbacks fold when the pressure is on submitting their worst game of the year when the team "has to win."
And just because a team has lost five in a row doesn't always mean they've packed it in. There are situations in Week 17 they'll I'll get into where they might be primed for a huge effort. It's all about collecting the right information and applying it correctly in relation to the odds.
Remember to take look at the NFL week 16 picks from last week.
Betting Value in NFL Week 17 Picks
As the long season winds down, some teams have their emotional or physical tanks empty. You can see this watching the first half of a game where the intensity and effort aren't there. It can provide wagering value going against that team in the second half. One Week 17, the Vikings were in a terrible situational spot with a losing record and stuck with a backup QB at first-place Green Bay.
The Vikings were down 20-3 at the half, then got outscored 17-7 in the second half. In addition, bad teams winding down lost seasons can actually be worth a play if Week 17 is their final home game. With a road game on deck in week 18 NFL picks, the team can give it their all to try and give the home fans a victory in their last home contest.
Wunderdog NFL Week 17 Picks
NFL Week 17 is a tornado of information and expectations. The best bet is to gather as many facts as you can, including getting free picks and information from betting pros who have experienced the turbulence of Week 17 many times. I'm doing NFL handicapping homework each day to unearth winning advantages.
Sometimes the total is the best way to wager on an event, other times it's the first half, and still others a parlay in the right spot. I have 20+ years of expertise in the business to link the softest odds with the most important data.
Free NFL Week 17 Picks vs. Premium Picks
Free NFL Week 17 Picks Pros:
- Adding layers of daily insight builds your short and long-term handicapping knowledge
- Grasping the ins and outs of line movement
- No costs to tap insight from a successful professional bettor
Free NFL Week 17 Pick Cons:
- The mechanics of odds, information, and placing NFL picks can get confusing
- Be skeptical of services advising to parlay often
- Not all websites that offer free information are from documented experts
Premium NFL Week 17 Pick Pros:
- Demand advice on the correct money management for each play. It's essential for successful long-term winning
- The best bets on the board with a multitude of winning angles, situations, and reasons attached to them
- Key game information and line movement is often available to a select few
Premium NFL Week 17 Pick Cons:
- You may get caught wagering more than your bankroll can handle
- No reasons given for the play
- No information about the handicapping source and their record
How To Win With Free NFL Week 17 Picks
The ultimate goal is to cash winning sports betting tickets on a regular basis with an activity that you already do for fun: watching sports.
This is accomplished by examining information on a particular matchup, identifying where the wagering value is (and there might not be any), then deciding how much to put down. It is a long-term enjoyable and winnable process if you follow the right steps armed with knowledge, discipline, and a flexible/workable bankroll.
Free NFL Week 17 Betting Strategy
Final Home Game
If a team with a losing record is playing its final home game in Week 17, they're often an under-the-radar play. Teams about to end a losing season can end on a high note with an upset of a division rival or a team that's headed for the postseason. One season, the New York Jets were near the end of a losing campaign as a big home NFL underdog against Tampa Bay.
As a 13-point home dog, the Jets gave the Bucs all they could handle in a 28-24 nailbiter. That same day, the Bears played their final home game against the Giants and won easily, 29-3. The following week in the finale, the Bears were on the road...and couldn't care less in a 31-17 loss at Minnesota. Chicago's last home game in Week 17 turned out to be its last best effort of the season.
Totals
Week 17 is wintertime with many games played in cold, windy conditions which for bettors means at UNDER the total. If you add to that a matchup with a pair of Week 17 teams that are great defensively it increases the chances of a game with more field goals and punts than TDs.
One Week 17, two of the top six run defenses squared off in frigid Baltimore. With a total on the game of 47, it sailed way UNDER in a 20-19 Rams victory. That same day San Francisco used defense and a powerful running game (175 yards) to shut down Houston, 23-7, easily cashing tickets for UNDER bettors.
Second Half Wagers
After watching the first half of NFL games, you can wager at halftime on what you think is going to take place in the second half. Week 17 bad teams that are getting blowout out at the half on the road often don't even show up for the second half.
Other times, you can play a second-half total bet when a team that is good at running the football has a big halftime lead. The premise is that the team with the big lead doesn't have to score much and is content to run the pigskin a lot in the second half.
That will keep the clock moving with an edge toward the second half going UNDER the total. In the previously mentioned Giants/Bears game, Chicago led 22-3 at the half and there were just 7 total second-half points scored.
Free NFL Week 17 Picks Subscription
You can begin that journey into the winner's circle by acquiring my free releases to expand your handicapping insight. Combine these plays with games you like or start digging deeper into the reasons why the line offers wagering value.
The oddsmakers get a lot of numbers spot on - but not all of them. Consistently beating the books is a step-by-step process that takes time, patience, effort, and ultimately experience. Start building your sports handicapping acumen (and your betting bankroll) by signing up for my free releases through a subscription service.
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