Thanksgiving Day Picks, Black Friday Football Predictions & Basketball Odds: The Ultimate Betting Weekend

Sports fans have plenty to be thankful for this weekend with a cornucopia of games and tournaments to feast on.

The celebration begins on Thursday with a tasty NFL triple-header, featuring several teams with genuine Super Bowl aspirations, plus a high octane AAC grudge match between Memphis and No. 20 Tulane — you'd be a turkey to miss out on the action!

Have room for more? Friday is stuffed full of high-profile college football games as well as the second annual Black Friday NFL game featuring a pair of familiar foes in the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs.

"The Game" takes centerstage on Saturday as Michigan faces No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus in a matchup with College Football Playoff implications. 

The celebration concludes on Sunday with a pulse-pounding F1 race on the other side of the planet, a smattering of NFL Games, a pinch of NBA and NHL action, and a dollop of college hoops.

It’s a lot to consume, and we won’t judge you if you need a nap trying to track all your betting picks — so let us help out this weekend with the highlights and insights for the Ultimate Sports Betting Weekend in 2024.

Thanksgiving Day picks, predictions, odds

It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the Lions. Detroit has played on Turkey Day every year since 1945, compiling a 37-45-2 record on America's favorite feasting day.

Jared Goff & Co. enter Thursday's matchup with the Bears as big 10-points favorites and are widely expected to roll to their NFL-best 10th win in a row. 

League	Matchup	Time (ET)
NFL	Bears vs. Lions	Noon
NCAAB	Battle 4 Atlantis Semifinal: Louisville vs. West Virginia	Noon
NCAAB	Battle 4 Atlantis Semifinal: Indiana vs. Gonzaga	2:30 p.m.
NFL	Giants vs. Cowboys	4:30 p.m.
NCAAF	Memphis vs.  Tulane	7:00 p.m.
NFL	Dolphins vs. Packers	8:15 p.m.

Best bets for Thanksgiving

Bears vs. Lions: D'Andre Swift Over 13.5 receiving yards (-113 )

D'Andre Swift has been a fixture in the aerial attack and recorded 22 or more receiving yards in seven of 11 games for an average of 2.8 receptions and 25.3 yards per contest. 

With the Chicago Bears double-digit road underdogs, I expect them to be in a lot of passing situations against the Detroit Lions.

The Lions also have the fourth-highest quarterback pressure percentage and PFF pass-rush grade, so QB Caleb Williams turning to Swift multiple times through the air is a means to help mitigate the Detroit pass rush.
-Neil Parker

Dolphins vs. Packers: Josh Jacobs Over 89.5 rushing + receiving yards (-114 )

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has recorded 90 or more yards from scrimmage in nine of 11 games for an average of 102.7 per, and he’s handled double-digit carries in all but one game this season. 

Add Jacobs coming off a rested effort with his second-lowest snap share (52%) while also posting his highest PFF rushing grade of the season, and I’m anticipating another busy and productive night for the go-to rusher.

It’s also a short week with Travel for the Miami Dolphins defense, and while it's a stop unit trending in the right direction, the Pack are an uptick in class. 

Miami is expected to be without starting inside linebacker Anthony Walker (hamstring), too, and the Dolphins posted their second-lowest PFF tackle grade last week against the basement-dwelling New England Patriots to drop to the third-lowest mark for the campaign.
-Neil Parker

Black Friday picks, predictions, odds

Thanksgiving may be done, but there's still another appetizing spread available when the Raiders visit the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Sure, KC may be 10-1, but Andy Reid's squad has won eight of those games by one touchdown or less and has shown an unnerving penchant for playing down to the competition. Expecting the Chiefs to cover a massive 12-point spread may be unreasonable, especially on a short week.

Add in the fact the Chiefs are just 5-6 ATS this season and it's easy to see why 57% of Covers users are siding with the Raiders.

League	Matchup	Time (ET)
NCAAB	Battle 4 Atlantis Final	11:00 a.m.
NCAAF	Oklahoma State vs. Colorado	Noon
NBA	Knicks vs. Hornets	Noon
NHL	Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Chicago Blackhawks	2:00 p.m.
NFL	Raiders vs. Chiefs	3:00 p.m.
NCAAF	Mississippi State vs. Mississippi	3:30 p.m.
NCAAF	Georgia Tech vs. Georgia	7:30 p.m.
NBA	Clippers vs. Timberwolves	7:30 p.m.
NBA	Thunders vs. Lakers	10:00 p.m.

Best bets for Black Friday

Oklahoma State vs. Colorado Over 65.5 (-110 )

OK State doesn’t play sound defense. The Cowboys surrender a whopping 503.3 total yards per game on 6.8 yards per play. The advanced metrics aren’t any better — the Pokes rank 132nd in both EPA per play and explosiveness, failing to stop the run or the pass. 

They get no push up front, don’t get into the backfield, and don’t rush the passer. Combine that with an inability to blanket opposing receivers, and it’s no mystery why this defense has been lit aflame with regularity. 

Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, and this Buffs offense should have a tremendous day offensively. Colorado averages 6.1 yards per play and has two potential Top 5 NFL Draft picks leading the way, and it hardly requires that level of talent to put up a crooked number against the Pokes.
-JD Yonke

Check back soon for more best bets and analysis for Friday's top Games.

Picks, predictions, odds for Saturday, November 30

Still craving more football? You're in luck! There are 50 NCAAF games on tap on Saturday including intense grudge matches between Florida State and Florida, Auburn and Alabama, and Michigan and Ohio State.

"The Game" may not have the same luster as 2023 when the Wolverines and Ohio State were both Top 3 teams, but make no mistake about it, all eyes will be on Columbus when these storied programs hit the field. The Wolverines have won each of the last three iterations of this heavily-hyped matchup, but the Buckeyes are coming in with added motivation as a win will send them to Indianapolis to face Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game.

League	Matchup	Time (ET)
NCAAF	Florida State vs. Florida	TBD
NCAAF	Michigan vs. Ohio State	Noon
NHL	Canadiens vs. Rangers	1:00 p.m.
NCAAF	Auburn vs. Alabama	3:30 p.m.
NHL	Maple Leafs vs. Lightning	7:00 p.m.
NCAAF	Texas vs. Texas A&M	7:30 p.m.
NBA	Warriors vs.  Suns	9:00 p.m.
NBA	Mavericks vs.  Jazz	9:30 p.m.
NCAAB	TBD - Players Era Tournament Championship	9:30 p.m.
NHL	Oilers vs. Avalanche	10:00 p.m.
NCAAB	New Mexico vs. Hawai'i	11:00 p.m.

Best bets for Saturday

Check back soon for our best bets and analysis for Saturday's top games.

Picks, predictions, odds for Sunday, December 1

Feathers will fly on Sunday when the Eagles tangle with the Ravens. Baltimore is riding high following an impressive 30-23 win over the Chargers on Monday Night Football, while Philly is looking for its eighth win in a row behind the dynamic duo of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley.

The All-Pro running back is coming off a record-setting 255 yard performance against the Rams and is on pace to become the Eagles' single-season rushing leader. Oddsmakers have set his rushing total at a reasonably modest 92.5 yards, but that number is ticking upwards quickly.

League	Matchup	Time (ET)
EPL	Liverpool vs. Manchester City	11:00 a.m.
F1	Qatar Grand Prix	Noon
NFL	Steelers  vs. Bengals	1:00 p.m.
NHL	Canadiens vs. Bruins	3:00 p.m.
NFL	Eagles vs. Ravens	4:25 p.m.
NHL	Jets vs. Stars	4:30 p.m.
NBA	Celtics vs.  Cavaliers	6:00 p.m.
NFL	49ers vs. Bills	8:15 p.m.
NBA	Spurs vs. Kings	9:00 p.m.
NBA	Nuggets vs. Clippers	10:00 p.m.

Best bets for Sunday

Check back soon for our best bets and analysis for Sunday's top games.

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