Monday night brings a blend of physicality and pressure as the Indianapolis Colts and San Fransisco 49ers take center stage under the lights while the NHL delivers a full slate of matchups across the ice. From primetime football to late-night faceoffs, tonight’s board offers no shortage of opportunity for bettors looking to start Christmas week strong. 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: Ducks -1.5
Rundown: The Anaheim Ducks (21-13-2) host the Seattle Kraken (13-14-6) in a pacific division clash at the Honda Center.
Anaheim comes in with one of the strongest offensive units in the NHL, ranking among the league leaders with 124 goals scored (3.4 per game). The Ducks have been effective when they score three or more goals, posting a 20–5–1 record in those games. Defensively, Anaheim has struggled to lock down opponents this season, ranking 29th in goals allowed through 36 games.
Seattle, meanwhile, sits near the bottom of the league offensively, with just 83 goals on the season (2.5 per game), the lowest scoring mark in the NHL. The Kraken have also endured inconsistency, posting a 2-9-1 record in their last 12 contests and a goal differential well below Anaheim’s. A 4-2 win over San Jose snapped a four-game losing streak for Seattle, but overall struggles persist for a team unable to generate success on the offensive end.
With Anaheim’s offensive depth and Seattle’s ongoing scoring challenges, expect the home team to control the pace and cover in a decisive home-ice performance.
Second Pick: Over 5.5 Goals
Rundown: The Los Angeles Kings (15-10-9) host the Columbus Blue Jackets (14-15-6) in a matchup of two teams trying to right the ship after losses in four of their five games.
Los Angeles comes in with elite defensive numbers, allowing just 2.50 goals per game, tied for second-fewest in the NHL, but the Kings have struggled to consistently put the puck in the net themselves, ranking near the bottom of the league in scoring. Columbus has its own offensive issues, but high goal totals have not shied away from the Blue Jackets with 22 of 35 games this season exceeding the 5.5 goal mark.
Additionally, both teams have shown tendencies to give up chances that translate into scoring opportunities. Los Angeles’ 30th ranked power play has not prevented high combined totals in past matchups, and Columbus’ scoring inconsistencies have led to games where end-to-end play drives up the shot and goal counts.
Given Los Angeles’ ability to find the back of the net in spurts and Columbus’ bottom five scoring defense, this matchup sets up favorably to clear the projected total.
Third Pick: 49ers -5.5
Rundown: The San Fransisco 49ers (10-4) travel to square off with Phillip Rivers and the Indianapolis Colts (8-6) on Monday Night Football.
San Francisco enters Monday Night Football playing its best football of the season, winning four straight games and control their destiny in the NFC West. The 49ers have been consistent on both sides of the ball, averaging 24.6 points per game while allowing just 20.9. San Fransisco's consistent play has translated to the spread, where they have covered in nine of 14 matchups (64.3%). The health of star running back Christian McCaffery has been a major factor to the success of Kyle Shanahan's offense, leading the team in rushing and receiving yards.
Indianapolis returns to Lucas Oil Stadium looking to keep their playoff hopes alive and stop a late-season slide after dropping four of its last five games. The 44-year-old Rivers is set to make his second start since coming out of retirement and signing with Indianapolis' practice squad on Dec. 9. Despite Rivers tossing his first touchdown since January 2021, the offense failed to consistently generate plays down the field and convert in critical situations in a crushing 18-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Expect the 49ers to control the game and cover the 5.5 point spread on Monday night.