5 Bets to Make this Week
With Wild Card weekend on tap for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, we take a look at a game on each day, as well as a PGA Tour event and a UFC Main Event kicking off their 2023 season.
It is Wild Card Weekend for football and the NFL has games on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and 5 Bets couldn’t be more excited. We take a look at a game on each day and offer our predictions. We are leaning towards the underdogs in two of the games we offer a pick on.
The PGA Tour starts its first full event of the year with the Sony Open. It’s a tournament that doesn’t get a lot of star players but that might open the door for someone to get their first PGA Tour victory. There’s one golfer we have our eye on.
The UFC kicks off the new year with UFC Vegas 67. The Main Event is a battle of ranked middleweights and we’re backing the favorite in this bout.
5 Bets to Make this Week
- LA Chargers -1 over Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2.5 over Dallas Cowboys
- Minnesota Vikings -3 over NY Giants
- Maverick McNealy +700 Top 5 Sony Open
- Imavov -230 over Gastelum UFC Vegas 67
Giants Shown Door Early
The New York Giants haven’t made the playoffs since 2016 and just getting to the postseason was reason for celebration. Unfortunately, the revelry will be short lived.
The Giants have to travel to US Bank Stadium to face the Minnesota Vikings and go in as three-point underdogs.
Minnesota defeated the Giants in Week 16, 27-24. The Vikings won an NFL record 11 games by one score or less this season. This should be another tight one that the Vikings should be able to win.
Prediction: Vikings -3 over Giants (-110 at Unibet)
Watch: Sunday, Sunday, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FuboTV
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Chargers Upset Jaguars
The Los Angeles Chargers haven’t been that impressive this season but they were also fighting injuries it seemed like all year. The Jacksonville Jaguars have been tough as of late and get this Wild Card matchup at home.
When the two teams met in Los Angeles in the third week of the season, the Chargers lost convincingly, 38-10. Los Angeles was without wide receiver Mike Williams and defensive end Joey Bosa.
Though Williams tweaked his back last week, he should be ready to go on Saturday when the two teams meet in north Florida. If Williams is at full strength, the Jags don’t have anyone that matches up well against him.
Bosa is a beast on the other side of the ball. Again, Jacksonville will have trouble keeping him out of the backfield.
I like the Chargers to pull off the victory on the road.
Prediction: Chargers +1 over Jaguars (-110 Caesars)
Watch: Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC, FuboTV
Tampa Bay Stuns Dallas
It seems like the Dallas Cowboys got into this situation last year. They were hosting the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card and were favored. Then they left AT&T Stadium with a 23-17 loss and a lot of head scratching.
Monday, they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a Wild Card game. This time they’re on the road, but are once again the favorite.
The Buccaneers defeated the Cowboys in the opening game of the season, 19-3. It’s hard to take much from that game since the first contest for any team tends to be a little clunky.
Both teams are coming off losses in their last game of the regular season but the Bucs rested a lot of their starters. That could be a definite advantage when they host Dallas.
Prediction: Buccaneers +2.5 over Cowboys (-105 at BetRivers)
Watch: Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN, FuboTV
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McNealy Ready for Breakthrough
Maverick McNealy is one of the better players on the PGA Tour not to win a tournament. The 27-year-old has definitely been in the hunt, but has just been unable to seal the deal.
That could happen this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. McNealy has had a strong Fall, finishing with three Top 10s and two other Top 20s. In fact, he has only missed one cut in seven starts this season.
He is long off the tee, averaging 308.4 yards in driving distance. That will be an advantage at the Par 70, 7,044-yard Waialae Country Club. McNealy also has the advantage of a weaker field.
McNealy finished tied for 27th last year and he should definitely improve on that showing. I’m not ready to take him to win, though the +4000 odds are tempting. I’ll stick with +700 to have him finish in the Top 5.
Prediction: McNealy Top 5 Sony Open (+700 at BetMGM)
Watch: Thursday-Sunday, various times, ESPN+, Golf Channel, FuboTV
Take Streaking Imavov over Gastelum in UFC 67 Vegas
It is the first UFC event of 2023 and the Main Event of UFC Vegas 67 featuring two middleweight contenders. Nassourdine Imavov is facing Kelvin Gastelum.
The two fighters seem to be going in different directions. Imavov has won his last three fights, while Gastelum has dropped five of his last six bouts.
Gastelum’s form seems to have been missing the last couple of fights. Imavov has shown that he has few flaws in his style. I like the Frenchman to win in a decision.
Prediction: Imavov over Gastelum (-230 at Caesars)
Watch: Saturday, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN+
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