Tag: Gambling

2018 NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Week Six

Jake Benaquistio with his Best Bets for the NFL heading into week 6…

I went an abysmal 0-5 against the spread on my ‘best bets’ last week. I may need to go see a witch doctor or something to get myself out of this funk. Luckily, I love my picks this week and can already feel a hot streak coming. Here are some takeaways from an NFL weekend that cost me a lot of money:

  1. Sam Darnold and the Jets bounced back in a big way against Denver last Sunday. Not only did Darnold throw three touchdowns and make a few mesmerizing throws, but the Jets defense played lights out compared to their effort against Jacksonville.
  2. The Giants are a circus and I am 100% here for it. OBJ and Saquon are promising building blocks, but the fact that Eli is still starting under center is both confusing and hilarious.
  3. One of the teams that I loved going into this season was the Falcons, which now looks pretty foolish. No one could have predicted the injuries they’ve had on defense, but that team has looked lifeless. 

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2018 NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Week Five

Jake Benaquisto with his week 5 NFL Best Bets…

My picks are off to a very mediocre start in 2018, as I went 2-3 against the spread again last week. Here are some takes before I look to bounce back in week five:

  1. Does Todd Bowles even have a pulse at this point? I took the Jets last week and they looked uninterested in playing football against the Jaguars. If they have another embarrassing loss against Denver on Sunday, I don’t see a scenario where he returns as the head coach. 
  2. Baltimore at Cleveland might be the game I’m most excited to watch this week. I think the Ravens are legitimate contenders, and I can’t wait to see how Baker plays against their defense.
  3. It’s pretty safe to say that the Falcons’ season could be over if they don’t win in Pittsburgh. I don’t feel great about their chances, especially with the Steelers coming off a tough loss on Sunday Night Football. 

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2018 NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Week Four

Jake Benaquisto with his NFL Best Bets for week 4…

Week Three was about as unpredictable as it could have been, but I was still able to go 3-2 on my best bets. I’m not sure why I thought it’d be a good idea to pick against the Rams, but I know it looks pretty stupid in hindsight. Here are some random NFL thoughts as we head into week four:

  1. Could this finally be the year that the Patriots stink and their dynasty ends?! I wouldn’t bet on it, but a loss against the Dolphins this week would be catastrophic. 
  2. I think I’m ready to have the way-too-early Jared Goff MVP conversation. You can point to how much talent he has around him and the fact that Sean McVay is calling plays, but the guy was dropping dimes against the Vikings on Thursday night. 
  3. Speaking of potential MVPs, I can’t wait to see how Pat Mahomes looks against the Broncos on Monday night. The Chiefs offense looked unstoppable again last week, but playing in Denver is a tough environment for a young QB.
  4. One pick that I like but didn’t put in my best bets is Atlanta -4.5 vs. Cincinnati. This Bengals team is better than I thought they’d be, but I don’t see the Falcons losing two games in a row at home. I could see Cincinnati getting a backdoor cover, but Atlanta should score enough to win by a touchdown.

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NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – 2018 Week Three

Jake Benaquisto with his best bets for week 3 of the NFL season

I went 2-3 last week and got burned by Ryan Fitzpatrick. What a cruel world. Here are some week two observations:

  1. I got to suffer through not one, but two horrible, gut-wrenching losses by the Jets this past week. These losses will come with a 21 year old rookie quarterback, but they still hurt.
  2. It’s early, but Jacksonville looks to me like the best team in the AFC. Well-coached, defense is legit, and Blake Bortles can make plays when they need him to. I’m still not sure I’d bet on this team to beat New England in the playoffs, but they pretty much have the AFC South already locked up.
  3. Chicago’s defense is really, really good. The thought of this team drafting Pat Mahomes instead of Mitch Trubisky would give me depression if I was a Bears fan.

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2018 NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Week Two

Jake Benaquisto with his best bets for week 2 of the NFL season…

Week One of the NFL Season is in the books and we got off to a hot start. Not only did the Jets absolutely humiliate the Lions, but I went 3-2 on my Best Bets and got to watch a lot of great games. Before I give my picks for this week, here are some of my observations from the first weekend of NFL action:

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2018 NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Week One

Jake Benaquisto with his week 1 NFL Best Bets…

Welcome back football! After a brief summer hiatus, I’m ready to get back on the gambling wagon. Last season, my best bets went 54-40-2 against the spread and I’m ready to do even better in 2018. 

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NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Super Bowl 52 Edition

Jake Benaquisto with his best bets for the Super Bowl…

Conference Championship Recap: I went 0-2 on these picks, and could not have been more wrong on the Vikings/Eagles game. With only one game left in the NFL season, my record stands at 53-40-2.

In honor of Super Bowl Sunday, I’m going to give my three favorite prop bets as well as my pick against the spread for the game. Thanks to everyone who followed along this season! 

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NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Conference Championship Edition

Jake Benaquisto with his NFL Best Bets for Championship Weekend…

Divisional Round Recap: I went 2-1-1 on my picks last week, which puts my record for the year at 53-38-2. I thought for sure I was going to go 3-1, but then the Miracle in Minneapolis happened. 

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NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Divisional Round Edition

Jake Benaquisto with his NFL Best Bets for Divisional Weekend….

Wild Card Weekend Recap: I went 1-3 ATS, which puts my record at 51-37-1 for the season. Watching the Chiefs blow a 21-3 lead was probably an indicator that I was due for a rough weekend, but in my own defense, even the experts in Vegas could not have predicted all four underdogs covering their spreads. 

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NFL Best Bets Against the Spread – Wild Card Weekend Edition

Week 17 Recap: Another week of just barely missing perfection, as I went 4-1 against the spread. I was able to end the regular season on a positive note and my record improved to 50-34-1. The NFL playoffs are practically a holiday for degenerate gamblers such as myself, and I’m ready to dive into these Wild Card Weekend games. 

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