NFL Week 1 Picks: Best-Bet Parlay Includes Ugly 49ers-Bears Clash In Chicago

Playing parlays every week isn’t exactly the best way to turn a profit when it comes to betting the NFL — but it sure is fun.

Parlays are fun because the potential for a massive payout is always there. Oddsmakers aren’t just giving away that money, though, and there’s a very clear reason why many sharp bettors think parlays are sucker bets: They rarely win.

But for a little bit of spare change every week, hitting every so often can certainly pad the bankroll. Throughout the entire NFL season, we’ll cap the workweek by trying to put together our own best-bet parlay for the NFL.

Here’s Week 1:

San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears UNDER 40 (-105)
Hat tip to NESN.com’s Ricky Doyle on this week’s episode of “The Spread” for this one. We are not getting the best of this number; in fact, this total has dipped by almost a field goal since opening, but let’s roll with it anyway. The Bears might be the NFL’s worst team, and a lot of it is because of the offense. Chicago’s offensive line is as bad as it gets, and now it has to deal with Nick Bosa and potential breakout pass-rusher Samson Ebukam. If there’s any solace for the Bears, it’s that new head coach Matt Eberflus should improve the defense, and if that unit is going to show out, Week 1 would be a good time to do just that. Kyle Shanahan eventually will have the 49ers offense rolling, but it’s possible they stumble a bit out of the gate before Trey Lance finds his footing. This has 24-10 written all over it.

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(-3.5, -110) Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders
We’re not going to let the hook scare us here. The Chargers are the better team (considerably better, perhaps?) with the better quarterback and a potentially elite — and still healthy — defense. They’re also motivated; the last time these two teams played, the Raiders snatched away LA’s potential playoff berth. The Chargers are probably also sick of hearing how new and improved the Raiders are and would like to remind Vegas and the rest of the NFL why they’re a trendy Super Bowl pick.

Kansas City Chiefs (-248) moneyline over Arizona Cardinals
This thing opened Kansas City -3 and has been bet all the way up to a touchdown with the public heavy on the Chiefs. The Cardinals offense is still too explosive to feel great about laying the points with KC when the backdoor could be open late into the game. But Andy Reid, whose prowess off bye weeks is well known, is also great in Week 1. That makes sense, too, considering it’s basically the ultimate bye week. Reid is 16-8 for his career in Week 1 and is 8-1 since taking over the Chiefs. KC finds a way to get this done, style points be damned.

Payout: 1 unit to win 4.23 units