The Motivation Factor: How to Bet on NFL Week 18
Many people say that Week 18 of the NFL is the trickiest to bet on of the season due to not knowing how teams will handle it.
Will playoff teams rest their starters? If so, for how long? Do non-playoff teams care enough to put up much of a fight? What's their motivation level like?
WynnBET has odds set for all 16 Week 18 games, including four different double-digit spreads. How should we handle betting on those as well as the rest of the slate? Let's dive into it.
How to Bet on NFL Week 18
Motivation Levels
In terms of motivation, I don't recommend trying to include it in your process when deciding who to bet on.
Let's not forget, that winning and losing isn't the only thing that players and coaches are competing for. Most players are playing for their next contract. There are only a small handful of players in the NFL who can take a game off and feel comfortable that they'll still get a massive contract next time they're free agents.
Next, let's not forget about incentives. Plenty of players of incentives tied to their season performances. More stats equals a better chances of reach those incentives, which means more money in their pockets.
Finally, let's remember how competitive these guys are. I don't know about you, but I could be playing tiddlywinks in my backyard against my Uncle with nothing on the line and I'd still be trying my absolute hardest to win. It'd be rare to find a professional athlete that will just give up on a game just because his team can't make the postseason anymore.
How Much Rest Will Players Get?
The other thing that we need to consider, is just how much coaches will rest their players. The best way to find an indication of how much starters will play, is to look at how much playing time that coach has given his starters in the final week of season's past.
For example, in last year's Week 17 game, Bruce Arians played Tom Brady for the entire game against the Atlanta Falcons. Brady threw 399 yards and four touchdowns, completing 26-of-41 passes. Meanwhile, Andy Reid sat Patrick Mahomes for the whole game in Week 17 last season, so don't expect him to stay in for long on Saturday if the Kansas City Chiefs get out to an early lead against the Denver Broncos.
Week 18 can certainly be tricky, but it's best not to overthink your bets. Don't get yourself confused trying to figure out who is motivated and who is not. Handicap your games just like you do any other week, but pay attention to how coaches have dealt with similar situations in previous season.