Intro by Doug Kezirian
With New Year's Eve visitors and college bowl games peaking on Friday and Saturday, the Week 17 NFL card could produce the highest betting handle of the entire season. Sportsbooks are certainly bracing for it.
"We just have a lot of people in town and everyone is football-crazy right now. You also have that big slate on Sunday," South Point casino sportsbook director Chris Andrews told ESPN, referencing the 15-game day since the NFL did not have a Thursday night game this week. "I hate to make that prediction [of the season's largest handle] but I think it's going to be really, really strong."
The Dallas Cowboys (-6) host the Arizona Cardinals in the afternoon's marquee game, but the matchup has lost some luster. The Cardinals have lost three straight and are currently a 5-seed, while Dallas has won and covered four straight.
"The Cowboys looked fantastic last week but they've had their ups and downs," Andrews said. "The Cardinals are definitely on a downward trend but I think they'll attract some money. And I think we'll have some Arizona people in town too."
The Cowboys own the top cover percentage at 12-3 ATS.
Every Friday during the season, betting analysts Doug Kezirian (16-26-2, 0-1 last week), Tyler Fulghum (25-27, 0-0), Joe Fortenbaugh (47-42-1, 4-2), Anita Marks (278-241, 18-23) and Erin Dolan (3-4, 1-2 last week), fantasy and sports betting analyst Eric Moody (132-126, 14-9), ESPN Stats & Information's Seth Walder (60-54, 1-4) and Mackenzie Kraemer (7-14, 0-0), sports betting deputy editor David Bearman (29-28-1, 1-2) and Football Outsiders' Aaron Schatz (54-42, 4-2) will provide their top plays across the NFL landscape. (Records through Week 15.)
Here are their best bets for Sunday's Week 17 games.
Note: Lines from Caesars Sportsbook as of Wednesday (unless otherwise indicated).