Wednesday’s Best NFL, College Football, MLB & NHL Bets (10/18)

by BettingPros Staff |
Oct 18, 2023

No matter your sport of choice, there's always sports betting action to be had. We'll have you covered each and every day with our daily best bets. Here are all of our best bets across each major sport in action today.

Today's Best Bets

Here are today's best bets.

NFL Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

NFC Wildcard Seed: Seattle Seahawks (+170)

Found Under Futures > Wildcard Seed Market

The 49ers' recent loss at Cleveland is creating a bit of value in this market, as this price is much juicier than the current odds for the Seahawks to make the playoffs at -125. I think it's fair to assume that the Seahawks will not catch San Francisco for the division, leaving the Wild Card as the only route for them to make it for the postseason.

The NFC North and NFC South both currently have just one team each over the 0.500 mark, giving Seattle a leg up on the teams that do not win those divisions. Additionally, the favorite in the South is the Saints - not the Buccaneers - so oddsmakers are expecting some regression from that division leader.

Seattle's offense is squarely in the top half of the league, ranking in the top 10 in a few categories, including points per possession, percentages of drives ending in a score and first downs completed. Their defense isn't a liability either, ranking No. 1 in the NFL in yards allowed per rushing attempt and ranking in the top half in net yards allowed per pass attempt.

Their schedule still includes two matchups against the Cardinals, and they catch some tough opponents like the Browns and Eagles at home. Nine wins should be good enough for an NFC Wild Card spot, and I think the Seahawks have the goods to get there.

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College Football Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Duke Blue Devils @ Florida State Seminoles

I'll get straight to the point: QB Riley Leonard of Duke is day-to-day. If I were a betting man (hold for laughs), I would bet he plays in this primetime matchup. It's no longer a secret how effective Duke has been the last two years with Leonard running the offense. They're one fourth-and-16 conversion from Notre Dame away from being 6-0, but they still are undefeated in the ACC.

Last week, Leonard was out, but that didn't stop the Blue Devils. They held NC State to just three points and scored 24 by moving the ball on the ground with relative ease. Florida State's biggest weakness defensively is stopping the run, as their EPA per play run defense is 111th in the country. This strong Duke run game should be able to move the ball and even control possession when they have the ball.

On the other side, I like this Duke defense. They've shown up big time in big games. They were able to stymie a strong Notre Dame offense for much of the game and made Clemson look largely incompetent. They haven't played a murderer's row of offensive powerhouses, but they haven't allowed more than two touchdowns to any team this season. If they can keep Florida State out of the endzone and control the ball on the ground offensively, this game could be another huge upset on head coach Mike Elko's belt, no matter who is playing at quarterback.

Bet: Florida State ML (+480)

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MLB Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Houston Astros @ Texas Rangers

Pitching matchup: Cristian Javier vs. Max Scherzer

This Rangers team is hot, and now they get some home-cooking as the ALCS shifts over Arlington, Texas, where the Rangers look to keep their flawless 7-0 postseason record alive.

Max Scherzer is making his first start since suffering a muscle strain in his throwing shoulder in early September. Since being acquired by the Rangers, Scherzer is 4-2 with a 3.20 ERA and a .96 WHIP. This is the exact situation why the Rangers went out and made the trade for the veteran right-hander.

Scherzer has plenty of experience in the postseason, going 7-7 with a 3.58 ERA in 27 starts. But his last playoff start with the Mets in 2022 wasn't pretty. Scherzer was shelled by the Padres, giving up seven runs on seven hits, including four home runs.

Adding to any doubts, his last start against the Astros may be the cherry on top. Scherzer faced the Astros once since joining Texas, which ended poorly. He lasted just three innings, giving up seven runs on six hits, including three home runs. I don't know what to expect with Scherzer, but I think he struggles in what could be a high-scoring game.

Current Houston players have a combined 157 at-bats against Scherzer and have a .287 batting average, with 10 doubles and seven HRs. Combine the possibility of a rough outing from him and the hot bats of the Rangers offense, and this is an excellent spot to take the YRFI.

Bet: YRFI (-125)

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NHL Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Pittsburgh Penguins @ Detroit Red Wings

The Penguins are coming off a win against the Flames. Pittsburgh defeated Calgary 5-2 on Saturday night, marking their second straight victory. Detroit enters this nightcap having won two straight games, defeating the Lightning (6-4) and Blue Jackets (4-0). This Eastern Conference showdown is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.

It's already confirmed that Ville Husso will get the nod in net for the Wings tonight. The 28-year-old comes into this one at 1-1-0 with a 3.57 GAA and .863 SV%. I'll gladly lay the juice with the Penguins against those numbers - especially considering they're an offensive-minded team. There are still too many question marks with Detroit's roster, like whether some of the depth players can step up and lead the way.

Those questions do not exist with Pittsburgh. You could almost argue that they're too top-heavy. However, in a matchup against a Detroit organization that seems to be in hockey limbo, I'll lean on the veteran experience to come away with the win tonight. Give me the Pens on the moneyline as short favorites.

Bet: Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline (-125)

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