The college football regular season is entering its critical final weeks, and NFL teams are preparing for the stretch run.
As the weather starts to get colder, online sports betting is heating up at BetMGM.
NFL
Steelers at Browns
Sunday, Nov. 19 | 1 p.m. ET | CBS
The AFC North has a well-established reputation for high-quality, rough-and-tumble football, but it’s really outdone itself this year. Through 10 weeks of 2023 NFL competition, the division leads the league with 24 total wins. No other division has more than 20.
Every team can – and has – beaten up on the other three. Cincinnati, which has appeared in two straight AFC championship games, is currently in last place. With a winning record!
All four teams are competing for postseason berths, which is why head-to-head divisional games matter so much. And this Sunday, NFL fans will be treated to another black-and-blue game between the epic defenses of the Steelers and Browns.
Pittsburgh is 6-3 despite being outgained in all nine of its games so far. If the playoffs started this weekend the Steelers would be the No. 5 seed in the playoffs.
The Browns would be right behind them as the No. 6 seed. Cleveland has dealt with quarterback uncertainty for much of the season, but has still earned wins over some of the top teams in the league, including San Francisco and Baltimore.
The Steelers and Browns played in Pittsburgh in Week 2, with the home team earning a tight 26-22 victory.
On Thursday, after quarterback Deshaun Watson was placed on injured reserve, the game was a pick ’em at BetMGM, with the Browns getting a slight nod with -115 moneyline NFL betting odds.
College Football
No. 5 Washington at No. 11 Oregon State
Saturday, Nov. 18 | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
The Pac-12 has produced incredible games all season, and it feels like there’s yet another one on tap for Saturday’s Week 12 schedule. The Washington Huskies are 10-0 with a real shot at the College Football Playoff, and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. has been in the mix in the Heisman odds market all year.
Thus, it’s very interesting to see that BetMGM’s college football odds list Oregon State (8-2) as a short favorite over Washington.
This is hardly Washington’s first tough game of the season, but so far, the Huskies have been favored in every game so far in this 2023 campaign. The trip to Corvallis marks a departure from that, with DJ Uiagalelei and a tough Beaver defense ready to knock Washington from the ranks of the unbeaten.
Uiagalelei (82.7) ranks 11th in FBS college football in QBR. Penix Jr. (85.1) ranks fifth.
NHL
Avalanche at Stars
Saturday, Nov. 18 | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN+
The young NHL season gets a potent showdown on Saturday night, as the Stars and Avalanche will meet in Dallas for a Western showdown. The NHL betting market will take notice.
So far, the NHL points leaders are Boston (26), Vancouver (25), and defending Stanley Cup champion Las Vegas (25). But Dallas (23) and Colorado (20) look to be the class of the West’s Central division, which means Saturday’s result could matter down the line.
Goals may be hard to come by if both teams play their top netminders. Colorado’s Alexandar Georgiev leads the NHL with nine wins in net, allowing just over three goals per game.
Dallas’ Jake Oettinger is right behind him with eight wins. His 2.26 GA/G ranks 10th in the league, as does his .926 save percentage.
Both Colorado (2022) and Dallas (2020) have won the West across the last four seasons.