NFL best bets: Pro sports bettor likes these 5 season win totals

Todd Dewey, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Sep 2, 2025

Published in Football

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LAS VEGAS — Based on NFL regular-season win totals, the Saints (4 1/2) will be the worst team in the league this season, followed by the Browns (5 1/2), Giants (5 1/2) and Jets (5 1/2).

But professional sports bettor Jeff Whitelaw and Westgate SuperBook oddsmaker Ed Salmons believe the Giants’ number is too low. They made New York one of their best bets to go over their win total, partly because of an upgrade at quarterback after the departure of Daniel Jones.

“Daniel Jones was really bad for them. I don’t like Russell Wilson, but he’s an upgrade over Daniel Jones,” Salmons said. “Malik Nabers can be a top-10 or top-five receiver in the whole league and I think the kid from Penn State (rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter) is going to be a monster this year. They have some really nice pieces on defense.

“The Giants are kind of flying under the radar right now and you’re only asking them to go 6-11. They have way too much talent not to.”

Whitelaw, recently inducted into the Sports Gambling Hall of Fame at Circa, agrees that Wilson is an improvement over Jones. Whitelaw is also high on rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.

“I think Dart will eventually be the starting quarterback,” he said. “I just see them winning at least six games.”

Here are two other common win total best bets from Whitelaw and Salmons:

Panthers, over 6 1/2 (-130)

Carolina, which surpassed 6 1/2 wins only once in the last six seasons, won two of their final three games last year behind revitalized quarterback Bryce Young.

“You could see him grow back into the player we’d seen in college (at Alabama),” Salmons said. “They drafted the Arizona receiver (Tetairoa McMillan). That’s a big get. The team is trending in the upward direction, plus they have two games against the Saints.”

Said Whitelaw: “They had a good draft. Their quarterback has matured. They’ve got a good running game now. They’re also in a soft division. They’ve improved a lot. I really like them over.”

Seahawks, over 7 1/2 (-155)

Seattle went 10-7 last season in Mike Macdonald’s first year as coach. The Seahawks replaced quarterback Geno Smith with Sam Darnold this offseason and added veteran wide receiver Cooper Kupp and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence.

“They won 10 games last year and I think they’re better this year than they were last year,” Whitelaw said. “And all they’ve got to do is win eight games this year.”

Salmons is a big fan of Macdonald.

“He was the Ravens defensive coordinator a couple years ago when they had that great defense,” Salmons said. “He’s a really good coach. It looks like their offensive line is the best they’ve had in a long time and between (running backs Kenneth) Walker (III) and (Zach) Charbonnet, they have a chance to run the ball really good.”

“The receiver from Ohio State (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) is now the No. 1 guy. They have some really nice pieces there. A lot of people are dismissing the signing of Darnold … but I think Darnold’s going to be good there.”

Whitelaw also bet the Jaguars and Bears to go over their win totals.

Jaguars, over 7 1/2 (-130)

“Last year, it was 9 1/2. We get a lot of value with that if (quarterback Trevor) Lawrence can stay healthy,” Whitelaw said. “He missed a lot of time last year and there’s value going over that.

“They’re in a soft division and they’ve improved themselves a lot. They had a good draft and they’ve got a good coach (in former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen).”

Bears, over 7 1/2 (-130)

Chicago hasn’t won eight games since 2020, but Whitelaw expects it to win at least eight games in its first season under coach Ben Johnson, the former Lions offensive coordinator.

“I like their new coach. He’s a genius offensively. I think he’ll have a really good impact on (Caleb) Williams at quarterback,” Whitelaw said. “Even though they’re in a really tough division, they’ve improved a lot.”