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Articles by Nick Kostos
Seahawks vs. Broncos odds, picks, predictions for Thursday Night Football
Much is made of short weeks in the NFL: Teams that play on Sunday the week before have only three days of rest before taking the stage in primetime — but it hasn’t been much of an issue for the teams starring in the Week 6 edition of Thursday Night Football. The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos are tied for the longest active win streak on a short week with each having won four straight games on fewer than six days of rest, per TruMedia, but (presumably) only one can extend that run.
NFL spread, straight-up picks: Rams, Chiefs, Colts top Week 6 confidence rankings
Now that’s more like it. After getting my lunch handed to me (and it wasn’t an especially tasty mid-day treat) in Week 4, I bounced back in Week 5 with a winning group of selections. I went 8-6-1 both on straight-up picks and against the spread (ATS). Although, I have to say, I will not be sending Sean McVay a Christmas card after he and the Rams blew it on Monday night against the Bills.
In the early days of my show “You Better You Bet,” my old co-host Ken Barkley coined a term that referred to picking winners and betting against the spread in the National Football League: the knife edge. The knife edge basically means that, at the end of games, there’s a razor-sharp line between winning and losing and it’s usually one or two plays that end up deciding the outcome. Sometimes, the knife edge is kind. Sometimes, it’s… not so kind. To put it, well, kindly.
NFL picks, predictions: ATS bets, trends, more for every Week 5 game
One month into the NFL season and the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants lead their divisions, 38-year old Kirk Cousins is tied for the league lead in touchdown passes and expected preseason contenders Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans have no wins. Just what we thought would happen, right? Can the San Francisco 49ers take control of the NFC West and stay unbeaten with a big road win against the Seattle Seahawks?
NFL spread, straight-up picks: Cowboys, Bengals, Texans top Week 5 confidence rankings
In the early days of my show “You Better You Bet,” my old co-host Ken Barkley coined a term that referred to picking winners and betting against the spread in the National Football League: the knife edge. The knife edge basically means that, at the end of games, there’s a razor-sharp line between winning and losing and it’s usually one or two plays that end up deciding the outcome. Sometimes, the knife edge is kind. Sometimes, it’s… not so kind. To put it, well, kindly.
NFL spread, straight-up picks: Vikings, Bills, Ravens top Week 4 confidence rankings
Editor’s note: Nick Kostos has upgraded the confidence in his Patriots-Bills pick and re-affirmed the rest of his selections based on injury statuses that have come into focus since this story was originally published on Wednesday. His additions are italicized and labeled “Sunday morning update.” In the classic Seinfeld episode “The Opposite,” Kramer refers to Jerry as “Even Steven” because everything for him always evens out.
NFL Week 4 picks, predictions: ATS, over/under expert bets for Sunday’s schedule
Three weeks into the NFL season, we have five teams with perfect 3-0 records, and five teams still searching for win No. 1. That creates interesting matchups for Week 4, including 3-0 Minnesota hosting 0-3 Miami and a battle of unbeatens between Kansas City and Las Vegas. Can the Raiders improve to 4-0 for the first time in 24 years? Will any of the winless teams pull a shocker? And which early-season trends are worth trusting three weeks in?
NFL spread, straight-up picks: Vikings, Ravens, Bills top confidence rankings for Week 4
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NFL spread, straight-up picks: Vikings, Ravens, Bills top confidence rankings for Week 4
In the classic Seinfeld episode “The Opposite,” Kramer refers to Jerry as “Even Steven” because everything for him always evens out. In real life, that doesn’t sound so bad! But when it comes to picking straight-up winners and betting games in the NFL … to quote former New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi’s famous catchphrase: “It’s not what you want.” After going 12-4 in Week 1 then 9-7 in Week 2, I went 8-8 picking winners in Week 3. Just call me Even Steven. It’s time for another winning week.
NFL spread, straight-up picks: Vikings, Ravens, Bills top confidence rankings for Week 4
This week has seen football shaken to its very core by the revelation that Manchester City have been found guilty of all 115 financial breach charges …
NFL picks, predictions: Expert ATS, over/under bets for Week 3
NFL scoring crashed down to Earth last week after a historic opening slate. What will Week 3 have in store? Sports betting analyst Nick Kostos has straight-up picks for every game to go with nine against-the-spread bets. The Athletic’s Austin Mock has also identified five totals he likes on the board. Let’s run through the 15 games to round out the week, with some help from researcher David Bearman who has key stats and trends for every game.
NFL spread, straight-up picks: Chiefs, Seahawks top confidence rankings for Week 3
Last week, I wrote that we should all imitate Bart Simpson on the chalkboard, writing “I will not overreact to Week 1” over and over again until the message sunk in. Well, the message didn’t sink in for yours truly! I regret to inform everyone (mostly myself) that I did, indeed, overreact. I went 9-7 picking straight-up winners, and just 4-6 with wagers that made my betting card. I probably need to go to wagering detention. Alas, this is real life, not school. We trudge forward to Week 3.
If only every week could be like Week 1! The first edition of my NFL confidence picks here went well … shockingly well. We went 12-4 picking straight-up winners, 11-5 against the spread (ATS) and 8-2 with wagers that made my betting card. Not to brag, but that’s pretty damn good! (To be clear, I am bragging. It was awesome, and I’m reveling in it.) But I’ve been doing this long enough to know how it works: Week 2 is an entirely different beast.
NFL Week 1 ATS confidence picks: Giants, 49ers and Patriots among our best bets
Football fans: Our long national nightmare has finally reached its conclusion. The National Football League is back — and not a moment too soon. “What’s up, everybody, Nick Kostos here” — picture this being said in my best radio voice, as you can hear me say every morning while hosting “You Better You Bet” on Westwood One Sports — and it is amazing to be writing for The Athletic this season.
Nick Kostos on X: "John Strong and Stu Holden are MAGNIFICENT in the booth for Fox"
John Strong and Stu Holden are MAGNIFICENT in the booth for Fox
Betting on the Super Bowl 101
By Nick Kostos, host of You Better You Bet So, you want to bet on the Super Bowl. First off, welcome to the party! It’s great to have you! The Super Bowl is the premier betting event of the year, with a menu so expansive it’d make the Cheesecake Factory blush. The options can be a little overwhelming, so I’m here to help guide you in the right direction.
Nick Kostos on the Yankees fate, where the Giants will finish, Week 1 NFL lines & adding teams to the 'No Playoffs' list on Apple Podcasts
Dave Dameshek, Eddie Spaghetti and special guest Nick Kostos are here for a brand new Minus Three Podcast! The show starts off with Shek adding a team to his 'No Playoffs For You' list. Next, Nick joins the show and makes the claim that the Yankees won't win the World Series, the Giants will be very average and helps Shek add athletes to the Hall of All. Then, with Week 1 of the NFL approaching they review some of the early lines & Nick tells Shek who definitely won't make the playoffs this year.
The Taekcast: A (mostly) Sports Podcast: Ep. 242
56 min Davis Mattek is joined by Nick Kostos from You Better You Bet to discuss the industry of sports wagertainment, why this NFL season has been so brutal and the sweeping wave of positive COVID tests in the NFL. www.patreon.com/taekcast 56 min
Minus Three: Better 5 year outlook between the Jets & Giants, Russell Wilson to the Saints, will Tom Brady win back to back Super Bowls & will Lamar Jackson ever find postseason success with Nick Kostos! on Apple Podcasts
1 hr 13 min Dave Dameshek, Eddie Spaghetti and special guest Nick Kostos are here for a brand new edition of the Minus Three Podcast presented by FanDuel! The show starts off with Shek and Spaghetti recapping Sunday's games and Spaghetti's experience at SoFi and their picks for Thursday Night Football between the Chiefs and Chargers.
Nick Kostos' NFL Best Bets: Championship Round
About Nick Kostos Nick Kostos hosts You Better You Bet, which airs weekdays at 4:00pm ET on Radio.com. Kostos also hosts You Better You Bet's Countdown to Kickoff on Sundays from 9:00am-1:00pm ET.
Nick Kostos' NFL Best Bets: Divisional Round Saturday
About Nick Kostos Nick Kostos hosts You Better You Bet, which airs weekdays at 4:00pm ET on Radio.com. Kostos also hosts You Better You Bet's Countdown to Kickoff on Sundays from 9:00am-1:00pm ET.
Nick Kostos' NFL Best Bets: Divisional Round Sunday
About Nick Kostos Nick Kostos hosts You Better You Bet, which airs weekdays at 4:00pm ET on Radio.com. Kostos also hosts You Better You Bet's Countdown to Kickoff on Sundays from 9:00am-1:00pm ET. Each week, he will reveal his favorite bets here on BetQL! Continue reading to see his Week 16 selections! Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints (-3, 52) I know a lot of people will be rushing to back the Saints on Sunday afternoon against the Bucs.
Nick Kostos' NFL Best Bets: Wild Card Sunday
BAL Ravens Today, 6:05 PM TEN Titans BAL -3.5 O/U 54 CHI Bears Today, 9:40 PM NO Saints NO -10.5 O/U 48.5 CLE Browns Tomorrow, 1:15 AM PIT Steelers PIT -5.5 O/U 47.5 NFL The RDC Sports & WFAN host reveals his favorite NFL bets of the week By Nick Kostos - Jan 9, 2021, 6:13pm About Nick Kostos Nick Kostos hosts You Better You Bet, which airs weekdays at 4:00pm ET on Radio.com. Kostos also hosts You Better You Bet's Countdown to Kickoff on Sundays from 9:00am-1:00pm ET.
Nick Kostos' NFL Best Bets: Wild Card Saturday
About Nick Kostos Nick Kostos hosts You Better You Bet, which airs weekdays at 4:00pm ET on Radio.com. Kostos also hosts You Better You Bet's Countdown to Kickoff on Sundays from 9:00am-1:00pm ET. Each week, he will reveal his favorite bets here on BetQL! Continue reading to see his Week 16 selections! Los Angeles Rams (+3) at Seattle Seahawks I know many will be rushing to back the Seahawks, at home, in January, against (presumably) Jared Goff at less than 100% with his injured thumb. Not me.
Nick Kostos' NFL Best Bets: Week 16
Nick Kostos hosts You Better You Bet, which airs weekdays at 4:00pm ET on Radio.com. Kostos also hosts You Better You Bet's Countdown to Kickoff on Sundays from 9:00am-1:00pm ET. Each week, he will reveal his favorite bets here on BetQL! Texans (-7) vs. Bengals Kudos to the Cincinnati Bengals for taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night. No, seriously. They deserve it. It was as impressive an upset as...
Nick Kostos' NFL Best Bets: Week 15
Nick Kostos hosts You Better You Bet, which airs weekdays at 4:00pm ET on Radio.com. Kostos also hosts You Better You Bet's Countdown to Kickoff on Sundays from 9:00am-1:00pm ET. Each week, he will reveal his favorite bets here on BetQL! 49ers (-3) at Cowboys There are few things I love more than exploiting a big-time coaching mismatch in the NFL for my financial gain -- and we'll be able to do that in the 49ers/Cowboys game in Dallas on Sunday.
NFL Week 8 odds: Expert picks five locks to cover the spread
Nick Kostos is the host of Sports Illustrated’s “The Line” as well as the host of the Radio.com Sports original “You Better You Bet,” a sports-gambling and fantasy-centric show. Nick also spent time hosting, writing and producing sports-gambling content for CBS, Bleacher Report and SiriusXM. Here, Nick gives all his NFL picks against the spread — including his five best bets.
2018 World Cup bracket predictions: Russia 2018 expert picks and knockout stage upsets by CBS Sports experts
The 2018 FIFA World Cup group stage is finally behind us, which means only 16 nations in the world of soccer remain in Russia with one common goal: Hoisting that beautiful golden trophy depicting two humans together holding the globe. The latest odds and betting lines have Brazil and Spain as the heavy favorites.
2018 World Cup predictions: Russia 2018 brackets, favorites, expert picks and upsets by CBS Sports experts
The 2018 FIFA World Cup gets underway on June 14, as the top nations in the world of soccer touch down in Russia with one common goal: Hoisting that beautiful golden trophy depicting two humans together holding the globe. The latest odds have Brazil, Germany, Spain and France as the heavy favorites. In fact, eight teams sit ahead of Euro 2016 champs Portugal. But as we all know, the tournament never plays out the way we see it on paper. There are always surprises.
NFL Free Agents 2015: Highlighting the Biggest Impact Player at Every Position
The 2014 NFL season is drawing rapidly to a close, with Super Bowl XLIX serving as the final game on the league's calendar. That means the business season is right around the corner, and with 30 teams eliminated from contention (this is where you smile, Patriots and Seahawks fans), work has already begun in earnest on the upcoming free-agent class. And speaking of that free-agent class, this year's is loaded, with studs at nearly every position.
Players Who Could Be Dealt During the 2015 NFL Draft
While the vast majority and intrigue surrounding next week's NFL draft (rightly) centers around the top prospects and what each team will do, there's another layer of the onion to pull back that's juicy in its own right: star veteran players that are available via trade. In this column, we'll assess the situations of six big-name players that could be on the move during next week's draft. Some are coming off poor seasons, while others are clearly disgruntled with their current team.
NFL Rumors: Latest Draft and Trade Talk from Around the League
The 2015 NFL draft is less than two weeks away, and the gossip, hearsay and scuttlebutt is reaching levels of untold proportion. In addition to rumors floating around about draft-eligible prospects, there are also two marquee NFL players—San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers and Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson—that could very well find themselves on the trading block. Plus, there's the usual speculation as it concerns many of the draft's top prospects.
Oakland Raiders on Their Way to Returning to Glory Days
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (at least that's what it feels like), the Oakland Raiders lived by several tremendous mantras. Pride and poise. Commitment to excellence. And, of course, the gold standard, courtesy of the late, great Al Davis: Just win, baby.
Best Remaining 2015 NFL Free Agents at Every Position
It's been about a month (March 10) since the NFL's free-agent period opened, and while many of the marquee names have long been snatched up, a veritable cavalcade of serviceable players still remain on the market. In this column, we'll examine the best remaining options at each position—and in doing so, we'll determine why they remain unsigned. We'll discuss their past performance, age, injury concerns and recent run of form. Here are the best remaining 2015 NFL free agents at every position.
Tennessee Titans Have Chance to Reshape Franchise in 2015 NFL Draft
The Tennessee Titans are the most nondescript team in the National Football League. This point is not up for debate. Can you name five or more players on the Titans? Seriously. Without the aid of Google, could you really run down a number of notable contributors on Tennessee's roster? If the answer (and let's be honest, it is the answer) is no, it's because the Titans have no juice. The Titans have no sizzle. As of right now, the Titans have zero identity on either offense or defense.
Ravens LB Pernell McPhee the Hidden Gem of the 2015 NFL Free-Agent Market
When one ponders the 2015 NFL free-agent class, there are names that likely supersede all others and pop to the forefront of the mind. Players such as Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and New England Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis (among others) have dominated discussions and invaded the consciousness and with good reason—all are elite players capable of elevating a franchise.
Predicting Where the Top NFL Free-Agent Quarterbacks Will Land
The 2015 free-agent class at quarterback is spearheaded by Mark Sanchez. In a related story, the 2015 free-agent class at quarterback is a sham wrapped in a mockery, sprinkled with the tears of crestfallen football fans. Last season, Sanchez went 4-4 as the starter in Philadelphia, tossing 14 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions.
NFL Conference Championship Picks and Predictions: The Ultimate Bettor's Guide
When the line for the NFC Championship Game was released (Seattle -7), I didn't wait. I couldn't wait. Like an especially hungry cheetah, I pounced, grabbing the Seahawks with the points. And at the time, I couldn't have been happier with myself. After all, everyone knows that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers—who is currently nursing the world's most famous calf injury isn't operating at 100 percent capacity.
NFL Picks & Predictions Week 14: The Ultimate Bettor's Guide
After taking a beating last week (6-10 against the spread), your boy—the esteemed captain of #TeamDegenerate I wrote in last week's intro that I didn't feel particularly good about my picks, and my fears were realized. I've been suffering from a gambler's worst nightmare: being on tilt and fearing that every bet I make will lose for the sole reason that I made it. Every gambler has gone through it —where you feel like you have cosmic sway over the results of a particular game.
Midseason Super Bowl Odds for Every NFL Team
We've already reached the midway point of the NFL season, which once again proves the age-old axiom that time flies when you're having fun. Well, at least some teams are having fun. Others are floundering and have no hope of reaching the Super Bowl. But there are organizations that can legitimately claim to be Super Bowl contenders and that are currently in position to make a run.
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