Monday Night Football in Week 14 features a marquee matchup, as the Houston Texans travel to Foxborough to face the New England Patriots. This matchup hearkens back to old days, when the league’s marquee matchup took place on Monday night. This game features plenty of opportunities to impart some sports gambling strategy and make some cash for the holidays.

The Patriots are up to their usual tricks in 2012, having already wrapped up the AFC East. In perhaps the best testimony to the Patriots’ dominance this year, the team’s three losses have come by a combined four points. However, the Pats have played the league’s easiest schedule; of their four games against current playoff teams, they’ve gone just 2-2. This game against the Texans, owners of the league’s best record, on Monday night is a great test of their true ability.

New England is favored by 3 in this game, which in football gambling terms the game would have an even spread on a neutral field. It’s tough to tell which team is actually better, given that the Texans have played just as weak a schedule as the Patriots. The Patriots have scored 100 more points than the Texans, but they have also allowed 40 more points. Houston does have a better defense and running game, but the Patriots’ running game has been a vast improvement over recent years. This may give the Patriots the edge they need to cover the spread against a great Texans team.

If you believe Houston will cover the spread, you may as well also take the +160 money line. This is tremendous value when you consider that you’re getting +160 on an 11-1 team. The Patriots money line of -190 isn’t too appealing when you can get -110 odds on the spread by laying just three points.

The over/under is 51, the second-highest line on the board in Week 14. The best sportsbook will adjust the line as bettors wager on either side of the line, so it could go up or come down as the game approaches. As it stands now, the line is right in line with what you might expect, but add in a cold and rainy environment on Monday night and it looks like the under is a better bet.

SPREAD OF THE WEEK
New York Jets (-3) at JACKSONVILLE. Clearly the Jets are awful, but with Mark Sanchez getting what is likely his last chance at keeping his starting job with the Jets, he is sure to put forth his best effort. That might not mean much normally — again, the Jets are awful — but the Jaguars, even with Chad Henne at the helm, are even more awful. The Jets are technically still in the playoff hunt and will have to win this one to stay alive, so look for the Jets to show some life for once and cover.

MONEY LINE OF THE WEEK
WASHINGTON (-140) vs. Baltimore. Two factors at play here. First, it’s a trap game scenario for Baltimore, as they have a critical matchup looming against Denver next weekend. Second, and most importantly, the Redskins are riding high after sweeping through the NFC East in their past three games. Everyone knows about RG3’s dominance of late, but Washington is getting it done on the defensive side of the ball as well. Your best sportsbook for this game is one that sets a money line closer to -120, which could happen if the Ravens see a lot of action at +120.

OVER/UNDER OF THE WEEK
Kansas City at CLEVELAND (under 37). They can’t set the line low enough for this one. The Browns haven’t cracked 20 points in nearly two months, and the Chiefs were in the same boat before scoring 27 last weekend against Carolina. The Browns have been playing much better of late, and there’s no telling what kind of mental state the Chiefs will be in on Sunday, but 37 points out of these two teams would be tantamount to an offensive explosion that’s just not going to happen.

The NFL’s slate of Thursday Night Football games have been often derided for their low quality, but they’re still fun for football gambling purposes. This week, the Oakland Raiders face the Denver Broncos, who have already clinched the AFC West.

Despite the Raiders being the home team, Denver is giving ten points. Under normal circumstances this is an absurd amount of points, but given the difference in terms of quality between the two teams the line seems about right.

Both teams have something to play for on Thursday night. For the Raiders, it’s a chance to rally behind coach Dennis Allen. Not only is Allen on the hot seat as a result of Oakland’s poor performance in 2012, but he lost his father earlier this week. Perhaps this will give the Raiders a reason to band together and put forth a great effort. On the other side, the Broncos will try to win out in an attempt to gain a first-round bye in the playoffs. If the season ended today, Denver would be required to play a wild card game, something the Broncos desperately want to avoid.

The Raiders will likely have running back Darren McFadden back in action on Thursday night, but Oakland has been woeful on offense as of late. The Raiders have averaged less than 15 points a game over their past three games, something which does not bode well for their chances to cover. Oh, and their defense is awful, too. Therefore, your sports gambling strategy has to be to take the Broncos, even with the massive point spread.

The over/under for this game currently sits at 48, which seems a little high given the Raiders’ offensive woes. However, given the Raiders’ ineptitude on defense, to say nothing of Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ aerial attack, 48 points in certainly within the realm of possibility. The best sportsbook for this game is the one with the highest over-under total. If the line is around 50, you’d be wise to bet the under. At 48, though, it’s a tough call. Only two Thursday night games have seen a point total higher than 48 this season, so you should feel confident betting the under at 48, but the higher the line, the better your chance of cashing in.

With five games left in the 2012 NFL season, there’s a lot up for grabs. The biggest question, though, is which team will end up holding the Lombardi Trophy as Super Bowl champions. Not only is the Super Bowl the biggest sports day of the year, but it’s the biggest sports gambling day of the year. And there’s nothing better than getting in on the sports gambling fun like betting on the eventual winner of the big game.

Bovada’s sports gambling odds give only a handful of teams a real shot at winning the Super Bowl. Nine teams have odds of 12:1 or better, then all remaining teams have odds of 33:1 or worse. As tempting as it is to take a long shot and dream about the potential reward, the teams with the longest odds face an uphill climb to even make the playoffs. So save the teams like New Orleans and Seattle for someone who enjoys losing money.

Instead, you want to pick teams that have a good record, but haven’t really hit their stride just yet. For instance, the Green Bay Packers have 10:1 odds and are one game off the pace in the NFC North, yet they haven’t had any stretches of dominance this season. And that might make the Packers the most dangerous team of them all.

Once upon a time, teams with bye weeks in the playoffs had an overwhelming advantage. They played at home with plenty of rest and cleaned up against inferior competition. Those days are long gone. In today’s NFL, the team that wins a road wild card game is the most dangerous opponent in the playoffs. This team is in peak condition, has mental toughness and has plenty of momentum. It’s much easier to feel good about this type of team than your typical 1 or 2 seed that rests its starters in Week 17, spends a bye week doing nothing and then has to play at a high level in the divisional round.

Take note of this trend and pick accordingly. Find teams that will likely end up playing wild card weekend that will get hot at the right time. The Packers are one such team. The Giants, at 9:1, also appear to be capable of once again making such a run. In the AFC, Denver will probably end up hosting a playoff game in the first round, but at 11:2 odds their potential return isn’t that great.

Week 13 of the 2012 NFL season promises to be an interesting week for football gambling. With plenty of divisional games with playoff implications, a smart fan can clean up by making the correct football gambling picks.

SPREAD OF THE WEEK
MIAMI (-7.5) vs. New England. This game has all the makings of a trap game for the Patriots, coming off a Thursday game and looking ahead to a big Monday night showdown with the Texans in Week 14. New England should be worried about a Miami team that has looked surprisingly decent, including a win over Seattle last weekend. Now, there’s very little chance of Miami winning the game, but they should put forth a decent showing as they try to keep their playoff hopes alive.

MONEY LINE OF THE WEEK
Jacksonville (+210) vs. BUFFALO. Don’t look now, but the Jaguars might actually have a quarterback worth watching. Chad Henne has been great in his two games under center for Jacksonville, and he doesn’t exactly face a tough matchup in Buffalo. The Bills have a great running game, but the Jaguars did hold Chris Johnson relatively in check last weekend. If they can shut down CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson, Henne should be able to do enough to win the game and send some football gambling winnings your way.

OVER/UNDER OF THE WEEK
Arizona at NY JETS (Over 36). Make no mistake about it, both of these teams are absolutely atrocious. But the Jets do tend to score points in bunches, and if they have any pride, they’ll come out firing after the Thanksgiving night debacle against New England. Meanwhile, if Cardinals rookie QB Ryan Lindley can’t get going against the Jets, he can’t get it going against anybody. While the game should be a disaster, there should be enough sloppy plays on defense for both teams to score some points.

Thursday Night Football takes a NFC South flair in Week 13, as the New Orleans Saints travel to the Georgia Dome to face the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta is favored by about a field goal, although the exact line depends on where you place your bet. Your best sportsbook for this matchup is the one that gives you the best odds for your desired wager.

All wagering sites claim that they have the best sportsbook anywhere. Some try to become the best sportsbook by giving generous bonuses, while others give free plays. Regardless of how much you like one site over another, you need to look carefully at the line for this game.

What’s the difference between 3 and 3.5 points? Potentially, the difference between making money and kissing it goodbye. Therefore, if you’re taking the Saints, the best sportsbook is the one that gives the Saints the most points. The Saints are getting as many as 4 points in some areas, but most sites are offering 3.5 points. That’s the line you want to take for the Saints. This way, if the Falcons win with a last-second field goal, you’re covered. Given the high-scoring nature of this game, that’s a very good approach to this game. Also, the Falcons have won by more than a touchdown just once since Week 3, so you have to figure the Saints will at least keep the game close.

The over/under in this game is around 55.5 points, which is one of the highest we’ve seen on a Thursday night. With both defenses sure to be tired after playing four days ago, there should be plenty of opportunities to score. Look for the over to hit in this one.

The money line for the Falcons is -180, while the Saints money line is +160. Both teams struggled last weekend, so this is a tough call. The Falcons surely want their revenge on the Saints, the only team to beat Atlanta so far in 2012. On the other hand, the Saints need to run the table to have a shot at making the playoffs. Will the Saints keep their season alive, or will the Falcons essentially clinch the NFC South on their home field? Look for the Falcons to win another close one and continue their march towards home field advantage in the NFC playoffs.