Each day, one of our experts will offer up a best bet (or two or three) that mobile sportsbooks are offering. It might be a traditional spread bet, a player prop or one of the various odds boosts that books offer.
Here is our best bet for Wednesday, Nov. 9:
TOP PLAY
The play: NBA, Pelicans money line over Bulls
The odds/bet: -130 ($39 to win $30)
The book: Caesars Sportsbook
Time: 8:10 p.m.
Our take: This road trip clearly has been a struggle for the Pelicans, as they have lost four of their past five games away from the Smoothie King Center on the way to a 5-5 overall record. However, the team heads home after this one, and that has to be a big relief for them.
As poorly as New Orleans played at Indiana on Monday, it came after another brutal overtime loss at Atlanta. With a day to rest and lament about a mediocre start, one can expect Coach Willie Green to have his team fully focused and ready to go.
Meanwhile, the Bulls had one day off after a back-to-back against Toronto, and overall they have lost two of their past three.
It could be a big night for CJ McCollum, who has averaged 21.5 points per game against Chicago in his career, and has scored 54 combined points in his last two matchups against them.
MATT McMAHON DEBUT AT LSU
The play: College basketball, Kansas City +23 over LSU
The odds/bet: -110 ($11 to win $10)
The book: Caesars Sportsbook
Time/TV: 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
Our take: It’s the debut for new coach Matt McMahon, and one has to think with a new coach and a vast new roster (only Mwani Wilkinson, who averaged 4 points per game in 2021-22, returns) that could take some time to formulate chemistry.
Meanwhile, the Kangaroos already have played a game this season, albeit in a loss. However, this team fared very well ATS last year away from their home court.
This spread has risen a tick, which suggests the bets that are coming are coming in on LSU, which seems logical. Let’s fade the public and take the giant spread on the visiting dog – something we likely won’t do as LSU begins to feel its way later in the month or in early December.
HOW WE’VE FARED
College football: Ball State +11 over Toledo (WON $30)
College football: Ohio – Miami over (WON $10)
Tuesday’s profit/loss: +$40 (2-0)
Total for the week: -$5.10 (2-2)
Total for November: +$122.80 (10-6)
Total for 2022: +$139.10 (289-312)
NOTE: If a line or odds are minus, it considers the juice one must lay to place the bet. Ex: Team A is -160 on the money line, one would have to bet $160 to win $100 (or $16 to win $10). OR Team B is a 5-point favorite at -110, one would have to bet $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10.)
Conversely, on positive lines, if Team C is +140 on the money line, a $100 would bring in $140 (or $10 to win $14).
