With the NFL season not even a day old, the urgency to remain competitive in the NFC West is already mounting.
Such is the reality in professional football’s most elite division—a group boasting the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, the highly favored Los Angeles Rams, a battle-hardened San Francisco 49ers squad, and, of course, the Arizona Cardinals. Seattle protected their turf on Wednesday evening, kicking off the league’s schedule with a tight 13-10 win against New England in a repeat of the previous season’s title game.
Come Thursday evening, either San Francisco or Los Angeles will match Seattle at the top of the division standings as they square off in Melbourne, Australia. This matchup marks the season debut for the Rams, who bolstered their defensive unit over the spring and summer by acquiring Trent McDuffie, Myles Garrett, and Aaron Donald. However, Donald will remain sidelined on Thursday as he continues his transition back from retirement. On the other side, the 49ers kick off their campaign following a chaotic offseason marked by the arrest of team owner Jed York and an automobile accident involving head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Holding +500 futures betting odds to capture the championship, Los Angeles enters the matchup favored by 3.5 points on the point spread betting line against San Francisco.
Although the showdown between the Rams and 49ers takes center stage tonight, sports bettors have plenty of other opportunities across a slate that features five Major League Baseball games. Here is an overview of key events to monitor and wager on using the best sports betting apps for Thursday, Sept. 10. All times listed are Eastern.
Top NFL Wagers and Broadcast Details
Rams vs. 49ers
Kickoff: 8:35 p.m. | Venue: Melbourne, Australia | Broadcast: Netflix
SportsLine Selection — Computer: Rams -3.5 | Analyst: Rams -3.5 (Mike Tierney)
The contrasting travel schedules of both franchises heading to Australia have sparked considerable discussion. The 49ers landed in the southern hemisphere nearly a week ago, whereas the Rams did not touch down until Thursday morning in local time. Though Los Angeles’ approach raised some eyebrows, head coach Sean McVay boasts a flawless 3-0 record in international contests. Additionally, the Rams have taken four out of the last five meetings against their division rivals. Analyst Mike Tierney shared with SportsLine that McVay holds a 7-2 straight-up record in opening games, noting his strategy of resting starters during the preseason to ensure they begin healthy. This trend is backed by the SportsLine Projection Model’s 10,000 game simulations, which project a 57% probability of the Rams covering the spread, labeling Los Angeles -3.5 with a ‘B’ grade as a premier NFL betting selection.
Key MLB Matchups and Betting Outlines
Rangers at Mariners
First Pitch: 4:10 p.m. | Site: Seattle | Television: MLB.TV | Live Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Choice — Computer Model: Mariners -128
The final clash of the season between Texas and Seattle takes place this afternoon at T-Mobile Park. Set to take the mound for the Rangers is Jacob deGrom (10-9, 3.96 ERA), whose performance away from home (3-7, 5.86 ERA) contrasts sharply with his dominant home record (7-2, 2.46 ERA). Texas has struggled overall as visitors this year, posting a 32-42 road record. Conversely, Seattle’s Cal Raleigh is finishing the season strong, hitting .351 with three home runs and driving in seven runs over his previous ten appearances. According to the SportsLine Projection Model, Seattle carries a 55% win probability, earning a ‘C’ grade on the Mariners’ money line betting line of -128.
Rockies at Yankees
Game Time: 7:05 p.m. | Venue: New York | TV: MLB.TV | Streaming: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Forecast — Model: Rockies +240 | Expert Pick: Max Fried to earn the win +102 (Prop Bet Guy)
In the Bronx, New York aims to sweep their three-game series against Colorado this evening. Left-hander Max Fried (4-4, 2.73 ERA) will take the hill for his third appearance since returning from the injured list after recovering from a bone bruise in his elbow. Prop Bet Guy highlights that Fried reached a 72-pitch count in his previous outing, which should allow him to pitch deep enough to earn a victory against a struggling Colorado lineup that has dropped four of its last five matchups and 16 of its last 21 overall. Expressing confidence in the home team’s relief pitchers, Prop Bet Guy noted that with David Bednar and Brent Headrick fully rested, the bullpen should secure the lead to cash his prop betting ticket. However, the computer simulation disagrees, finding that the Rockies possess a 29.0% likelihood of an upset, which warrants a ‘C’ grade for the Colorado money line at +240.
Pirates at White Sox
Start Time: 7:40 p.m. | Location: Chicago | Broadcast: MLB.TV | Online: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Projection — Simulation: White Sox -109
Highly touted prospect Hagen Smith (3-1, 0.56 ERA) will step onto the mound for his inaugural Major League start as Chicago hosts Pittsburgh. Taken with the fifth selection in the 2024 draft after setting a historic collegiate strikeout record of 17.3 punchouts per nine innings with Arkansas, the 23-year-old rookie has been lights-out in relief duties. Tonight, he gets the nod against a Pittsburgh lineup that has foundered against lefties all season, posting a collective .685 OPS that places them 25th in baseball. The simulation model indicates Chicago has a 50% probability of securing the win, assigning a ‘B’ rating to the White Sox money line at -109.
Upcoming Action
NCAA Football: No. 23 Missouri at Kansas
Kickoff: 8 p.m. Friday | Venue: Lawrence, Kan. | Network: FOX | Streaming: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine Pick — Computer: Kansas +5.5
For the first time since 2005, Lawrence will play host to the Missouri Tigers as the long-standing Border Showdown rivalry is renewed. Each program enters the matchup following decisive victories over FCS opponents last weekend. Tigers signal-caller Austin Simmons recorded more scoring throws (four) than missed targets (two) against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but his history during his tenure at Ole Miss indicates difficulty handling defensive pressure. On plays where he faced a heavy rush, Simmons completed only 4 of 10 passes, recording a single touchdown alongside three interceptions for a dismal 54.2 passer rating. This could play into the hands of the Jayhawks’ defense, which hurried the opposing quarterback on half of their defensive snaps against LIU. The SportsLine computer model projects a 67% likelihood of Kansas staying within the spread, designating a ‘B’ rating to Kansas +5.5.
