Steelers -3.5 (-110) over Browns
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- Pittsburgh has won five games in a row coming into this AFC North matchup.
- The Steelers pass rush will get pressure on Jameis Winston, which will mean plenty of bad decisions from the Browns quarterback.
The start of each week of the NFL is Thursday Night Football and with that comes opportunities for bettors to get their first wagers in and build their bankroll for the rest of the games. Each and every week through the NFL season ATS will provide you with its Thursday Night Football best bets.
TNF Best Bets For Week 12
Steelers -3.5 (-110) over Browns
The Thursday Night Football matchup in Week 12 of the NFL regular season will pit the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Cleveland Browns in an AFC North rivalry game at Cleveland Browns Stadium. In that game, we will go with the Steelers to win and cover the spread on the road. They have won five games in a row and should be able to take advantage of the fact that Jameis Winston is not a very good decision maker while under pressure, pressure the Steelers defensive front is very good at generating.
Thursday Night Football Best Bets Every Week
Our team of NFL betting experts goes through each game during each week of the NFL season to find the best bets on the board. That includes Thursday Night Football, as we look to provide the best bets for Thursday Night Football action. Looking at the first game of the week in-depth allows us to maximize our chances of delivering you profitable picks on as many Thursday night games as possible.
To get our Thursday Night Football picks, bettors can simply come back to this page on a weekly basis, as this page will be updated with picks for each TNF game. Be sure to bookmark this page or save it however you care to in order to get our TNF best bets.
Differences Between Thursday Night Football and Other Games
Thursday Night Football can be unique from some of the other games on the NFL schedule each week. That can impact betting on Thursday night games in ways that need to be taken into consideration. Fortunately, our NFL handicappers have considered the following ways that Thursday Night Football bets differ from other football wagers, among many other factors.
Shorter Rest Period
The most important factor to consider when betting on Thursday Night Football is that teams have less time to recover from their previous game than usual. Most teams played on the Sunday before their Thursday night games, which means only three days of rest before another game. There are many situations where this can make a huge difference for one team or another, which factors heavily into our best Thursday Night Football bets this week.
For example, a team that is dealing with a ton of injuries is already at a disadvantage in NFL games. But that disadvantage can really grow when Thursday Night Football is involved, as the healthy portion of the roster is at less than 100% with less recovery time.
Less Preparation Time
Along with a reduction in recovery time, there is also a reduction in preparation time going into Thursday Night Football. NFL coaches typically have a week to put their gameplan into place from one game to the next. But they only have a few days to do so ahead of Thursday Night Football, and less practice time than usual to practice the elements of that gameplan.
This type of adverse situation can be a great test of coaching ability, giving an advantage to teams with better coaching situations. While this is not a guarantee that the team with a better coach will win, it can certainly come into play in some situations.
Less Time For Market Movement
Thursday Night Football is a game where there is less time for betting markets to move than usual. Those who wish to wait for line movements to chase steam in the NFL have less time to observe those line movements. Typically, our best Thursday Night Football bets are placed early, before lines move too significantly, but for bettors whose strategy revolves around waiting for movement, this is something to consider.
Strategies For Betting On Thursday Night Football
Bettors should always have a strategy when they bet on sports, and Thursday Night Football is no exception to that rule. Our NFL betting experts have several strategies that they employ to give you the most profitable Thursday Night Football picks. Below are some of those strategies that can be used to help you with your own handicapping on Thursday nights.
Understand Travel Circumstances
With short weeks being a huge part of the Thursday football landscape, understanding how travel can impact betting on these games is very important. Figuring out how far teams have to travel, what their travel time looks like, and how the weeks before and after factor into the equation are all important factors when betting on TNF. Naturally, the more travel involved, the tougher things will be for the visitors in these games.
No Requirement To Bet
Bettors should also remember that there is no requirement to bet on Thursday Night Football. Many bettors will force a play in standalone NFL games such as Thursday and Monday Night Football, because that’s the only football game on the schedule. But bettors should make sure to only place bets on games when they have found value in the betting markets after performing their handicap of each game, just like we do here.
Money Management
Whether you are betting on Thursday Night Football, a regular Sunday afternoon game, or any other football game, managing money is the key to success. Bettors should set a budget, stick to it, and not chase any losses when betting on the NFL. Pro football is already the hardest market to beat in sports betting, and failure to exercise smart bankroll management protocols will only make it tougher.
Find More Picks On ATS.io
Here at ATS, we offer best bets on so much more than just Thursday Night Football. Click the links below to get our picks for the rest of the week of NFL action, from straight bets to props, parlays, and more.
