Sports Betting
NFL Wild Card Odds: Spread and Total for Every First-Round Playoff Game
Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies. When Jack isn't writing about sports, he's watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He's also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.
Get to know Jack Dougherty betterPublished08 Jan 2023
The 2022-23 NFL regular season has officially concluded, and the six wild-card playoff games for next weekend are now set. The Baltimore Ravens will run it back against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals, the Jacksonville Jaguars will host the Los Angeles Chargers, the Buffalo Bills will settle their season split against the Miami Dolphins, the Dallas Cowboys will go on the road to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Minnesota Vikings will host the New York Giants for the second time in four weeks, and the San Francisco 49ers will host the Seattle Seahawks.
With the wild-card matchups set, let’s check out the opening spreads and totals for every playoff game this weekend.
NFL Wild Card odds: Spreads and totals for every game
All betting odds courtesy of FanDuel as of 1/8.
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals
Spread: Bengals -6.5
Total: 43.5
There’s nothing better on wild-card weekend than a rematch between divisional rivals. The Bengals just handled the Ravens, 27-16, with Baltimore resting most of its key players. If Lamar Jackson is able to suit up for this game, it should be a thriller. If not, well…
Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Spread: Chargers -1.5
Total: 47
Our first home underdog of the 2023 NFL playoffs. The Jaguars squeaked out a victory against the Tennessee Titans in Week 18 to secure the AFC South title and the No. 4 seed, but they weren’t all that impressive this season with their 9-8 record. Doug Pederson has been here before, though, and we all know how that turned out.
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
Spread: Bills -10.5
Total: 43.5
This spread is the most likely line to move throughout the week as we learn more about Miami’s quarterback situation. If Tua Tagovailoa is healthy enough to play, the Dolphins will have enough firepower to possibly pull off an upset. But if it’s Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson under center, the Bills should roll.
Dallas Cowboys at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Spread: Cowboys -3
Total: 45.5
Tom Brady is a home underdog in the playoffs? Yup, you read that right. The Buccaneers finished with an 8-9 record and only made the playoffs because of the woeful NFC South. Meanwhile, the Cowboys went 12-5 and have been a better team all season long. If this is a repeat of Week 1, though, Dallas will be going home early.
New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings
Spread: Vikings -3
Total: 48.5
Oddsmakers continue to discredit Minnesota’s 13-4 season by making the Vikings just three-point favorites at home against the mediocre Giants. New York took this team to overtime just a few weeks ago in the same building, so this one could be closer than many expect.
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Spread: 10
Total: 42.5
The Seahawks snuck into the playoffs with some help from the Detroit Lions on Sunday night, but their reward is another date with a loaded 49ers team on the road. In two games against San Francisco this season, Seattle managed only one touchdown on offense. This could be a blowout.
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