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Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) signals after a first down as we make our anytime touchdown scorer predictions for MNF.
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) signals after a first down. Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images.

Amid a seemingly lost season, the Dallas Cowboys can claim bragging rights in their home state when they host the Houston Texans for the 8:15 p.m. ET Monday Night Football kickoff on ESPN at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Texans are favorites of 7 or more points by the Monday Night Football odds across our best NFL betting sites.

Yet, our Mike Spector is backing the injury-ravaged hosts with his Texans vs. Cowboys prediction for MNF.

My anytime touchdown scorer predictions hunt for a bigger payday from our NFL prop betting sites.

Anytime touchdown scorer predictions for Monday Night Football: Texans vs. Cowboys

Texans anytime touchdown scorer pick: Nico Collins, WR ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +125 via DraftKings | Implied probability: 44.44%

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Our Phil Wood is calling for a big day from Collins in his return to the lineup with his Texans vs. Cowboys MNF prop bets, and I can get behind that.

Collins was running away as the NFL Offensive Player of the Year odds favorite before suffering an injury early in Week 5. He returns for the first time - with 567 yards and three touchdowns this season - with the Texans as 7-point road favorites against a Cowboys team that has given up 138 points over an active four-game losing skid.

The timing couldn't get much better for Houston. The Texans dropped back-to-back games and haven't scored more than 24 points since Week 6, though they remain rather safely atop the AFC South standings. They need a statement win to remain contenders in the Super Bowl odds.

Tank Dell and John Metchie III have struggled to fill the void left by Collins and veteran Stefon Diggs, and reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud has often looked lost under center without his favorite target.

Count on Collins to get involved early against a Cowboys defense with nine touchdowns allowed to receivers before this one fades into blowout territory. A winning $10 bet at DraftKings' +125 odds would net a $12.50 profit, while BetMGM has this prop set at -150 and returns just a $6.67 profit on the same bet.

Cowboys anytime touchdown scorer pick: Jalen Tolbert, WR ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +600 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 14.29%

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We're taking advantage of an outlier price from FanDuel. These +600 odds would return a $60 profit if he reaches the end zone tonight while DraftKings offers odds of just +350 for a $35 profit on the same bet.

Tolbert already has career highs in targets (48), receptions (33), and yards (367). His third touchdown of the season was scored two weeks ago, though that was with Dak Prescott at QB for Dallas.

I value the increased opportunity over the downgrade in quarterback play with this pick. The Texans have allowed 15 touchdowns to wide receivers, despite holding the position to a 55.9% catch rate and a (somewhat) modest 1,462 yards through 10 games.

The 7-point spread suggests Dallas will play from behind for much of the game, and Tolbert stands to benefit in combination with our CeeDee Lamb MNF player prop bets.

How to bet on touchdown scorer predictions

Types of touchdown scorer markets

In American football betting, predicting the player who will score a touchdown is one of the most popular markets, and there are several different types of bets you can make:

Anytime touchdown scorer

This is a bet on a player to score at least one touchdown during the game, regardless of when it happens.

Example: Let’s say you bet on a wide receiver like Tyreek Hill (Miami Dolphins) to score at any time during the game.

  • Odds: +200
    • This means if you bet $100 on Tyreek Hill to score a touchdown and he does, you’ll win $200 (your $100 bet plus $200 in profit).

First touchdown scorer

This is a bet on the player who will score the very first touchdown of the game.

Example:

  • You bet on Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens) to score the first touchdown.
  • Odds: +500
    • If Derrick Henry scores the first touchdown, you’d win $500 for every $100 you bet. These odds are typically higher for first touchdown scorer bets because it's harder to predict.

Last touchdown scorer

This is a bet on the player who will score the last touchdown of the game.

Example:

  • You bet on Aaron Jones (Minnesota Vikings) to score the final touchdown.
  • Odds: +400
    • If Aaron Jones scores the last touchdown, you’d win $400 for every $100 wagered.

Multi-touchdown scorer

This is a bet on a player to score multiple touchdowns during the game, such as two or more.

Example:

  • You bet on Davante Adams (New York Jets) to score two touchdowns.
  • Odds: +800
    • If Adams scores two touchdowns, you win $800 for every $100 wagered.

Understanding American Odds

In sports betting, American odds can appear as either positive (+) or negative (-), and they represent how much you can win based on a $100 bet.

  • Positive odds (+200, +500, etc.):
    • This shows how much you would win if you bet $100.
    • +200 means for every $100 wagered, you will win $200 in profit if the bet is successful.
    • +500 means you would win $500 in profit for a $100 bet.
  • Negative odds (-150, -200, etc.):
    • This shows how much you need to bet to win $100 in profit.
    • -150 means you need to bet $150 to win $100 in profit. If you bet $150 and the player scores, you would win $100 in profit (your bet is included in the return).

Example Using American Odds:

  • If Tyreek Hill (as mentioned earlier) has odds of +200 to score a touchdown, a $100 bet would win you $200 in profit (total payout $300: your $100 bet plus $200 in profit).
  • On the other hand, if Davante Adams has odds of -150 to score a touchdown, you would need to bet $150 to win $100 in profit (total payout $250: your $150 bet plus $100 in profit).

Touchdown scorer bets in in-play markets

Some sportsbooks also allow in-play betting, which means you can place a bet on a player to score a touchdown after the game has started, typically at changing odds based on game events.

Factors that affect touchdown scorer predictions

  • Player role: You want to bet on players who are heavily involved in the offense, such as running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends who are key red-zone targets.
  • Matchup: Strong offensive players going against weaker defenses will have better chances of scoring touchdowns.
  • Game script: If the game is expected to be high-scoring or close, the chances of multiple touchdowns increase. Teams that are expected to run the ball more (e.g., leading teams or teams with a dominant running game) may give running backs better chances of scoring touchdowns.

Sample bet scenarios

  • Scenario 1:
    • Player: Travis Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs)
    • Market: Any time touchdown scorer
    • Odds: +150
    • Bet Amount: $50
    • Potential Payout: $50 bet + $75 in profit = $125 total if Kelce scores a touchdown.
  • Scenario 2:
    • Player: Alvin Kamara (New Orleans Saints)
    • Market: First touchdown scorer
    • Odds: +700
    • Bet Amount: $25
    • Potential Payout: $25 bet + $175 in profit = $200 total if Kamara scores the first touchdown.

That’s the general idea behind touchdown scorer bets and how American odds work. It's a fun and often high-reward type of bet, but the odds can vary depending on the player and the game’s circumstances. Always make sure to check the odds, the player's role, and the matchup before placing your bet.

NFL betting odds pages

Here are our best NFL betting sites:

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