NFL 2022 Thanksgiving Picks: How to Pay for Black Friday
It’s almost that time of year again.
When you take on insane travel schedules, avoid politics and certain family members as discourse is dished up at the dinner table, and finally wonder if you packed enough reserve booze in your suitcase to get through the rest of the exhausting evening before sleeplessly preparing for a brutal return to your happier environs.
If you’re among those dreading the day, there’s always a TV to sit in front of and football to watch– and also “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” – as ad after ad reminds you of that Black Friday thing … well, it really started for you last Friday or Tuesday, whatever, didn’t it? And you’re gulping at the credit card amounts you’ve already racked up – or are about to.
We’re here to offset some of that debt by betting on holiday football.
The odds you’re about to contemplate are courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. If you're looking for a sportsbook promotion, they have one of the best offers in the country: Bet $5, Win $200 (for first-time players).
But don’t forget about all the other great gambling options available in your state including, FanDuel, BetMGM and more.
Also, be sure to check out our guide to online casinos, from Michigan to New Jersey. You can place all your NFL future bets there.
As of this writing, there are 19 states, and also D.C., that offer online sports gambling, with more to come in 2023, just in time for Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12., 2023, in Glendale, Ariz.
Finally, if you’re a newbie to sports betting, but want to get in on the action, no problem. We’ve got you covered with our two handy cheat sheets: Sports Betting Basics and How to Bet on Sports Online.
Now let’s talk turkey and win some dough, yo. Here we go …
LIONS (+9) vs. Bills and UNDER 54 points
Detroit has won three straight games after defeating the Giants 31-18 last Sunday, but they’ve lost five consecutive Thanksgiving games at home.
As for the Bills, they snapped their two-game losing streak on Sunday with an eight-point win over the Browns in Detroit. So in a weird bit of fluky scheduling, Buffalo turns right around and heads back to the Motor City where they’ll try to make it two wins in a row on the road.
The Lions are finally starting to roar and have smartly relied on breakout star running back Jamal Williams. The sixth-year pro leads the NFL in total touchdowns with 12 and I’m certain he’ll be on my list of players to bet on for an anytime touchdown, which will be posted later this week.
For the Bills, their offense finally came back to life against the Browns last Sunday. Buffalo’s defense, meanwhile, has remained solid all season long. The Bills allow only 17 points per game; the Lions a league-worst 28. Detroit will grind it out offensively and will score on the ground (Williams) while trying to control the time of possession.
Nine seems like too many points by about two so let’s call it Bills by six and the total just barely under.
Giants at COWBOYS (-9) and UNDER 45 points
Another niner that may seem too high, but I think this one has merit. Dallas destroyed the Vikings in shocking fashion last week and I believe that’s the blowout game the Cowboys needed to remind themselves they are that good when they put all facets of the game together.
Not an ideal situation for the Giants coming off a rough home loss to the aforementioned Lions. I think that exposed the G-Men as what they are: overrated.
Over the last four weeks, New York has lost to Detroit, barely beat Houston at home, lost to the Seahawks, and then just outlasted Jacksonville 23-17.
I think it’s going to be a long day for QB Daniel Jones, who’s coming off a two-interception game against the Lions. Dallas leads the league with 42 sacks and Jones will be rushed, hurried, and sacked whenever he goes to pass. Which is why the Giants will turn to Saquon Barkley. Seems like a smart plan until you recall that the Lions’ 30th-ranked rushing defense held Barkley to 22 yards on 15 carries last Sunday.
Eek.
Scoring is going to be a problem for New York.
The Cowboys are still eying the Eagles in the race to win the NFC East. A win over New York – which would be Dallas’ second over the Giants this season – helps mightily.
Finally, the Cowboys want to impress Odell Beckham Jr. The free-agent wide receiver, who played for the Rams last season and was injured in their Super Bowl victory, reportedly will visit both teams after Thanksgiving.
OBJ has made it clear he wants to win another championship ring and a solid Cowboys romp over the Giants might convince him playing in Dallas is the way to do it.
