The first Thursday in December is here, bringing the start of Week 14 in the NFL and a pivotal NFC matchup between two teams fighting for a playoff spot. Across the NBA and NHL, key games are also on tap as both leagues continue to shape what should be an action-packed weekend of sports. Here are tonight’s best bets brought to you by BetOnline.ag. Click here to join. All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets.
First Pick: Under 5.5 Goals
Rundown: The Los Angeles Kings (12-7-7) continue their four-game homestand tonight as they host the Chicago Blackhawks (11-9-6) at Crypto.com Arena.
Chicago enters the matchup searching for answers, having dropped six of its last seven games. The Blackhawks are coming off a 4–3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, a game they led with under three minutes to go until Vegas rookie Braeden Bowman sent the crowd into a frenzy and the game to overtime with a late goal in the third period.
The Kings, meanwhile, sit at an exact goal differential, scoring and allowing 68 goals this season. Both clubs have leaned on strong defensive play, ranking inside the top 12 in scoring defense (Chicago 12th, Los Angeles 4th). Total trends have split sharply. Four of Los Angeles’ last five have gone under 5.5 goals, while Chicago’s last four games have all sailed over the projected total. Expect that streak to come to an end in what figures to be a physical, low-scoring Western Conference clash.
Second Pick: Raptors Moneyline
Rundown: The Los Angeles Lakers (15-5) travel north of the border without the NBA’s leading scorer Luka Doncic to square off with former Laker Brandon Ingram and the Toronto Raptors (15-7) in a battle from the Scotiabank Arena.
Los Angeles enters tonight’s matchup seeking a response after its most lackluster outing of the season. A flat, 17-point home loss to the Phoenix Suns marked by minimal defensive resistance and little energy left Laker nation stunned on Monday. Bouncing back becomes significantly more challenging without Doncic (35.5 PPG), who will miss the contest due to personal reasons.
Toronto, meanwhile, has been one of the league’s most reliable teams when favored. The Raptors have won 11 of 14 such games and are 10–1 when favored by at least -131 on the moneyline. Riding an eight-game home winning streak, Toronto appears well-positioned to extend that run to nine in front of its home crowd.
Third Pick: Over 54.5 Points
Rundown: The Dallas Cowboys (6–5–1), fresh off back-to-back wins over the last two Super Bowl champions, travel to Detroit for a pivotal Thursday Night Football showdown with Jared Goff and the Lions (7–5) in a matchup loaded with playoff implications.
Both teams enter Week 14 just outside the NFC postseason picture, each chasing the 7-seed San Francisco 49ers (9–4) in a tightly packed conference race. Thanksgiving told two very different stories for these clubs. Dallas surged past Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, while Detroit stumbled at home in a costly loss to the division-rival Green Bay Packers.
Offense has been the calling card for both sides, with each averaging more than 29 points per game. Third-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs has developed into one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers, eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards and scoring 10 touchdowns in 12 games. His presence becomes even more crucial with star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown listed as questionable due to an ankle injury.
The Cowboys have struggled defensively this season, ranking second-worst in the league in scoring defense at 28.5 points per game. Despite that, trade-deadline additions Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson have provided a much-needed spark to a unit still feeling the absence of former Cowboy Micah Parsons. On the other side of the ball, Dak Prescott continues to led the offense in his 10th season, tossing 25 touchdown while leading the NFL with a 75.3 QBR.
With both seasons hanging in the balance, expect an aggressive game plan from each sideline and a high-octane shootout in primetime.