Not enough football gamblers use the best betting sites for the NFL to place early wagers. Most wait until the week of the action to submit their investments. Unlike other professional sports leagues, though, NFL betting odds are usually posted in advance. We're not just talking about betting on the Super Bowl, either. NFL game betting lines are usually up with a 14 or more days to spare. You can sometimes bet up to three weeks ahead of time.
Granted, there is some risk involved here. Lots can change in the NFL over the span of a couple weeks—particularly now with the league laboring through a surge in COVID-19 cases. But wagering in advance allows you to capitalize on more drastic moneylines. And that's what we're going to do for our Week 17 picks, in which we've billed our best NFL bets as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs and Tennessee Titans.
Here's a look at the latest NFL Week 17 betting odds:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia Eagles | -142 | +117 | Washington Football Team |
| New Orleans Saints | -319 | +249 | Carolina Panthers |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -567 | +406 | New York Jets |
| Tennessee Titans | -191 | +156 | Miami Dolphins |
| New England Patriots | -1200 | +700 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Indiapolis Colts | -346 | +268 | Las Vegas Raiders |
| Kansas City Chiefs | -211 | +171 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Chicago Bears | -210 | +165 | New York Giants |
| Buffalo Bills | -820 | +540 | Atlanta Falcons |
| San Francisco 49ers | -1150 | +675 | Houston Texans |
| Los Angeles Chargers | -261 | +208 | Denver Broncos |
| Baltimore Ravens | -164 | +135 | Los Angeles Rams |
| Seattle Seahawks | -435 | +325 | Detroit Lions |
| Dallas Cowboys | -142 | +117 | Arizona Cardinals |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | -128 | +105 | Cleveland Browns |
Please note we are posting these NFL odds as Week 16 of the 2021 regular season is other way. All of our predictions are based on what we've seen as of Thursday, December 23. Make sure to double-check all NFL betting odds before settling on any Week 17 NFL picks, as they will change between now and the opening kickoffs.
Also be sure to go through all of our detailed reviews of the best online sportsbooks so you can figure out which of the best NFL betting sites are the right fit for you.
2021 Week 17 NFL Predictions
Another thing to keep in mind before cannonballing into our 2021 Week 17 NFL predictions: Players are constantly entering and exiting the league's health and safety protocols these days. Our NFL Week 17 betting picks were cobbled together looking at Week 16's active rosters and weighing which teams might rest players with the 2021 season nearing a close.
Be on the lookout for any major player absences entering Week 17, especially at quarterback, as they can fundamentally shift odds on the NFL.
Embrace Arizona Stealing One from Dallas
Taking Arizona on the road against the Cowboys is a risk. Their offense has sputtered in recent weeks.
But that's precisely why we like them. You can't hold back an offense piloted by Kyler Murray forever.
Moreover, the Cardinals may be facing a shorthanded Cowboys team. Dallas will have the NFC East title sewn up by Week 17 and doesn't have a chance to secure a first-round bye. Expect Dak Prescott and other key players to log only two quarters or so of action.
OSB Prediction: Arizona Cardinals (+117)
Bucs will Bulldoze New York Jets
The Jets have no hope against the Bucs in a vacuum. Dig deeper into the context of this matchup, and you'll love Tampa Bay even more.
Though Week 17 could've seen the Bucs already have a first-round bye on lock, the egg they laid in Week 15 against the New Orleans Saints puts them in a position where they need two wins to assure themselves of top seeding. Tom Brady and the rest of the offense should be at full bore, which is bad news for a New York team that can't hold a candle to Tampa Bay's offense in the first place.
OSB Prediction: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-567)
Colts Pry a Victory Out of Las Vegas
Indiana has been one of the very best teams in the NFL since beginning the season 1-4. There's no reason to believe they cannot dispatch the wildly inconsistent Raiders.
Running back Jonathan Taylor's health is all that matters for the Colts. They will have something to play for, unlike Las Vegas, in Week 17. Taylor is the engine that has carried them to a top-five offense. If he's available, this is an easy bet to make.
OSB Prediction: Indianapolis Colts (-346)
Kansas City's Offense Bests Cincinnati's Defense
Roughly a month-and-a-half ago, you might've considered taking the Bengals to beat the Chiefs. Kansas City's offense was in a lull, mostly because Patrick Mahomes wasn't himself under center. Their product was ugly.
Not anymore.
Led by Mahomes, the Chiefs are averaging 32.8 points over their past five games and haven't lost since Week 7. Even if Cincinnati's defense makes life tough for them, Kansas City's defense has made the big plays necessary in the secondary and within the front seven to win a slog.
OSB Prediction: Kansas City Chiefs (-211)
Tennessee Adds to Miami's Problems
The Titans are on a bit of a cold streak at the moment, having lost three of four games. Fortunately for Tennessee, they get to line up against the Dolphins.
While Miami flirted with fringe-playoff contention for a while, they are officially out of the 2021 NFL Wild Card race. Their next few weeks will be spent experimenting with inexperienced players and plumbing the depths of their playbook. That should allow the Titans to pick up a double-digit victory.
OSB Prediction: Tennessee Titans (-191)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your NFL betting:
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