San Francisco 49ers vs Las Vegas Raiders

The San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders used to be just across the Golden Gate Bridge from one another, before the Niners moved to Santa Clara and the Raiders moved to Las Vegas. In Week 17 of the NFL schedule, these former regional rivals will face off with one another with the potential for this game to have a huge impact on the playoff races in both the AFC and NFC. Here, we will examine the 49ers vs Raiders odds for this contest and what bettors should consider before placing their bets.

Rivalry History

With the 49ers and Raiders being so close together geographically, one would think that they would have played one another frequently over the years. However, previous 49ers vs Raiders stats would say otherwise. These two teams have played in just 14 NFL matchups all-time heading into this game, all of which took place in the regular season, with each team winning seven of those games.

Since the Niners are members of the NFC, and the Las Vegas Raiders are members of the AFC, these teams now play just once every four seasons. In the five meetings between them from the 2002 season to the 2018 season, the Niners have won four of the last five games they have played against the Raiders. Two of those four wins by the 49ers have come by double figures over that time period.

Matchup Trends

While looking at past 49ers vs Raiders stats can be useful in handicapping the history of this matchup, bettors should also be sure to evaluate these teams in the present day. To do so, bettors can look at this season’s NFL stats and betting trends. WIth this game taking place in Week 17 of the season, there should be enough data available on both teams to get a good idea of what their strengths and weaknesses are.

The first thing that bettors should look for on both sides is the record of the 49ers and Raiders against the spread and on the over/under lines. This will give bettors a good idea as to how each team is performing relative to the expectations set by bookmakers. From there, bettors can look at data specific to each offense and defense to identify mismatches, which is where the value lies when making NFL picks against the spread.

Venue Information

This game will be played at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the home of the Raiders. The Raiders are one of the latest NFL teams to relocate and get a new stadium, doing so around the same time as the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers. With the Raiders becoming one of the first major professional sports teams in Las Vegas, they have become even more of a marquee attraction in the league than they were in Oakland.

Betting Tips for San Francisco 49ers vs. Las Vegas Raiders

The NFL odds for this matchup will depend largely on the health of both teams, as NFL injuries have already impacted the San Francisco 49ers this season. The Niners lost their starting quarterback, Trey Lance, just two weeks into this season and will hope that Jimmy Garoppolo can get them through the season in his place. Both of these teams have aspirations to finish in a position in the NFL standings to make the playoffs again this year after making them last year, but how viable that goal is will have a lot to do with their health.