The beginning of a new week brings a blend of primetime action on the gridiron and a packed slate across the ice, creating a board full of opportunity. With playoff implications looming in Atlanta under the lights of Monday Night Football, every snap is key. The NHL schedule features 11 games across the league, presenting bettors with value at every turn. 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: Rams -7.5
Rundown: The Los Angeles Rams (11-4) are set for their last road game of the regular season as they meet the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) on Monday Night Football at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Los Angeles enters Monday Night Football following a devastating 38-37 overtime loss to the division-rival Seahawks, a swing that saw the Rams tumble from the NFC’s No. 1 seed to No. 6 in a matter of moments. The Rams looked in full control midway through the fourth quarter, holding a 30-14 lead with under nine minutes remaining in regulation. Seattle would storm back, force overtime and steal a crucial victory in one of the best games of the NFL season.
The Rams will look to bounce back and get back on track against an Atlanta team who has dropped four consecutive home games. Despite holding third place in the NFC West, Los Angeles has been one of the most consistent teams in the league on both sides of the football. Los Angeles enters Week 17 ranking inside the top 10 in scoring offense (No. 3) and scoring defense (No. 7). Matthew Stafford, one of the league’s premier quarterbacks, has emerged as the odds-on favorite for the MVP award after throwing 40 touchdowns against just five interceptions across 15 starts. His precision at the quarterback position has translated to success in contests with sizable point spreads, with Los Angeles covering three of five games when favored by 7.5 points or more.
Despite being eliminated for playoff contention, Atlanta can still make a major impact in the postseason picture. A win tonight, combined with a victory next week against New Orleans and a Tampa Bay win over Carolina in Week 18 would create a three-way tie atop the NFC South, with each team finishing the regular season at 8-9. In that scenario, the Panthers would win the division and earn a home playoff game in January.
Atlanta’s offensive struggles continue to raise questions about the franchise’s long-term outlook at quarterback, despite a heavy investment in skill-position talent through the draft. Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts have each been selected in the first round since 2021, yet the Falcons still own the NFL’s 26th-ranked scoring offense, averaging 20.5 points per game.
These two franchises made waves in April when they executed a trade that enabled Atlanta to move back into the first round in the 2025 NFL draft and select James Pearce Jr., a top-rated defensive end out of the University of Tennessee. In return, Los Angeles received Atlanta’s first-round pick in 2026. Pearce Jr. has been a bright spot for Atlanta in his rookie campaign, totaling 8.5 sacks and one forced fumble this season.
A victory for Los Angeles would not only boost confidence heading into a potential playoff run, but also improve their positioning for next year’s draft. After a mini-bye, expect the Rams to play with heightened urgency, setting the stage for a convincing road win.
Second Pick: Under 5.5 Goals
Rundown: The two best defenses in the NHL collide in Denver as the Colorado Avalanche (28-2-7) host the Los Angeles Kings (16-12-9) at Ball Arena.
Colorado enters tonight’s matchup as the undisputed best team in the NHL, posting the league’s top-rated scoring offense (3.97 goals per game) and defense (2.19 goals allowed per game), leading to just two regulation losses in 37 games this season. Nathan MacKinnon has demonstrated his ability to put the puck in the net this season, totaling 64 goals – second most in the NHL. They come into Monday’s contest winners of seven straight, averaging 4.28 goals over that stretch. In 17 home games this season, Colorado has posted a remarkable 15-0-2 record, proving to be a dominant force on home ice.
On the other side, Los Angeles looks to build on an impressive 6-1 win over Anaheim, a game highlighted by a fast 4-0 start in the first period. The Kings boast the league’s second-best defense, allowing just 2.49 goals per game. Offensively, however, they have struggled, ranking 29th in the NHL with only 2.59 goals per contest. The prominent defense and lack of sustained success on the offensive end has led to just 15 of 37 games (40.5%) exceeding the 5.5 goal mark.
With the league’s best defenses and a Los Angeles attack that has struggled to consistently generate scoring chances, this matchup favors a low-scoring game that fails to reach the projected goal total.