Best bets today: NFL, MLB, NCAAF, WNBA, NHL picks for Thursday

A look at some best bets and betting lines across the sports betting landscape for Thursday, October 10th.

As it does on most Thursdays, the NFL takes center stage in the sports viewing and betting world tonight. However, there’s plenty of other games for fans across the sports landscape. Not only does Week 6 of the NFL season get underway, but we also have college football action, as well as the MLB, NHL, WNBA and even preseason NBA action. 

Here’s a what’s going on in the sports world tonight, along with some “best bets” you can make with the best sportsbooks available.

Best NFL bet and odds for Thursday

Week 6 of the NFL season gets underway on Thursday night with the San Francisco 49ers visiting the Seattle Seahawks. Despite being the road team, San Francisco is favored by 3.5 points at Fanatics Sportsbook. Oddsmakers are expecting an exciting, high-scoring game with the total currently being set at 49.5 points. Both of these teams are coming off outright losses as sizable favorites in Week 5. 

NFL bet of the day: Kenneth Walker III 20+ receiving yards (-130, Fanatics)

Since coming back from injury two weeks ago, the Seahawks have eased Kenneth Walker back into the rotation by limiting his carries while increasing his volume in the passing game. With this being a short week, it’s hard to envision that game plan changing much. Walker has had just 17 carries compared to 13 targets in the passing game. In the last two games, he’s posted receiving totals of 36 and 57 yards, and San Francisco gives up over 40 receiving yards per game to the running back position. The stage is set for Walker to eclipse that 20 yard mark for a third straight week.

Best MLB bet and odds for Thursday

It was another wild day of action across the MLB on Wednesday as the New York Mets punched their ticket to the NLCS, while the Los Angeles Dodgers forced a Game 5 against the San Diego Padres. Those teams won’t play that decisive game until Friday. 

However, in the AL, the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees are both on the brink of advancing to the ALCS. They can secure their spot in the League Championship Series with a win on Thursday. Here are the betting lines courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook:

• Cleveland Guardians (-116) vs. Detroit Tigers (-102) | Total: 6.5 (-114/-106)
• New York Yankees (-156) vs. Kansas City Royals (+132) | Total: 7.5 (-122/+100)

MLB bet of the day: Yankees vs. Royals First 5 Innings Over 3.5 runs (-150, FanDuel)

Game 4 of the ALDS between the Yankees and Royals features a rematch of the pitching matchup we saw in Game 1; a back-and-forth 6-5 affair that saw neither starting pitcher record an out in the sixth inning. Gerrit Cole gave up four runs (three earned) over 5+ innings, while Michael Wacha allowed three runs over four innings. 

While Wacha has been solid this season with a 3.35 ERA, considerably better than the league average of 4.08, he’s not necessarily an intimidating pitcher. He’s outside the top 50 pitchers in strikeouts, and hitters have a .300 OBP against him. Cole missed the start of the season due to injury and hasn’t returned in quite the Cy Young winning form we saw last season. His league leading 2.63 ERA from last year is now at 3.41 in 2024. The Royals also had a large disparity in their home OPS (.741) compared to their road OPS (.679) during the regular season, which makes one believe they’re even more comfortable batting at home.

Best NCAAF bet and odds for Thursday

There’s usually some Thursday night college football action offered alongside the primetime NFL main course, and this week is no different. In total, there are three matchups taking place at the FBS level. Here are the college football betting lines courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook:

• Coastal Carolina vs. James Madison (-9.5) | Total: 60.5 points
• Middle Tennessee vs. Louisiana Tech (-4.5) | Total: 49.0 points
• UTEP vs. Western Kentucky (-19.5) | Total: 57.0 points

NCAAF bet of the day: Western Kentucky Team Total over 38.5 points (-110, Caesars)

Under Tyson Helton, Western Kentucky has been an offensive dynamo. While that might not be on full display yet this season, they’ve certainly shown flashes, like when they dropped 49 points on Middle Tennessee. Thankfully for the Hilltoppers, they get a UTEP defense that ranks 99th against the rush and 105th against the pass. They can’t stop either particularly well, which will make things easier for Western Kentucky to get the offense moving. 

Best WNBA bet and odds for Thursday

The WNBA Finals will get underway on Thursday, as the New York Liberty is a significant favorite to lift the trophy against the Minnesota Lynx. The Liberty are 6.5-point favorites in Game 1 on their home court at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. 

WNBA bet of the day: Minnesota Lynx +6.5 (-110, BetMGM)

These teams met four times this season, and Minnesota won outright in three of those meetings. Minnesota brings a disruptive style that forces nearly 16 turnovers per game. Creating that many mistakes against the Liberty will help them keep the game close. 

Best NHL bet and odds for Thursday

We’re only a few days into the NHL season, but Thursday features our largest slate to date. Nine games means 18 teams are in action, and for a lot of those teams, it’ll be our first opportunity to see them this season. Let’s take a look at Thursday’s NHL betting lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook:

• Los Angeles Kings (-112) @ Buffalo Sabres (-108) | Total: 6.5 (+105/-125)
• Florida Panthers (-135) @ Ottawa Senators (+114) | Total: 6.5 (-105/-115)
• Montreal Canadiens (+210) @ Boston Bruins (-258) | Total: 6.0 (-112/-108)
• Toronto Maple Leafs (+130) @ New Jersey Devils (-155) | Total: 6.5 (-125/+105)
• Utah Hockey Club (+130) @ New York Islanders (-155) | Total: 6.0 (-102/-118)
• Columbus Blue Jackets (+195) @ Minnesota Wild (-238) | Total: 6.5 (+105/-125)
• Dallas Stars (-118) @ Nashville Predators (-102) | Total: 6.0 (-120/+100)
• Pittsburgh Penguins (+114) @ Detroit Red Wings (-135) | Total: 6.5 (-115/-105)
• St. Louis Blues (-162) @ San Jose Sharks (+136) | Over 6.0 (-110/-110)

NHL bet of the day: Toronto/New Jersey over 6.5 goals (-125, DraftKings)

The Toronto Maple Leafs were shut out in their season opener on Wednesday night. It might sound ridiculous to say one game into the season, but they are due some positive regression as they scored 0 goals on 48 shots. The team is littered with offensive talent in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and company. New Jersey is another team with way more question marks on the defense. Last season they gave up the sixth most goals per game in the league.