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 are our best bets for Monday, Jan. 23:
TOP PLAY
The play: NBA moneyline, Hawks over Bulls
The odds/bet: -104 ($31.20 to win $30)
The book: FanDuel
Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. (NBA League Pass)
Our take: Throw out the loss to the Charlotte Hornets two nights ago, and Atlanta has been super impressive for more than a week, winning five previous games in a row, including against the Knicks, Heat and at the Mavericks and Raptors.
Meanwhile, the Bulls have won two straight against the lowly Pistons and the Warriors, who sat many of their key starters. And this came following losses to Oklahoma City at home, the Washington Wizards and by eight at Boston.
Also, Trae Young is due for a big game, as he has scored in the high teens to mid-20s for four straight games after averaging just shy of 30 points in the four previous contests. (See below.)
Although there is plenty of time remaining in the season, this could be one that shapes playoff seeding later on, as Atlanta currently is eighth in the East, while Chicago is 10th, two games behind.
IT’S GOOD TO BE YOUNG
The play: NBA player prop, Hawks’ Trae Young to score more than 26.5 points
The odds/bet: -105 ($10.50 to win $10)
The book: DraftKings
Our take: As we told you, Young is due for a big game, and in two of his past three games against the Bulls, he has scored 34 and 39 points. In fact, some of the best games in his career have come against Chicago, including a 49- and 42-point effort.
In a key contest for both teams, expect Young to be on his A game, and for the Hawks to win a tight one.
HOW WE’VE FARED
Sunday’s best bets
NFL playoffs: Bengals +6 over Bills (WON $30)
NFL playoffs player prop: Cowboys’ Tony Pollard over 19.5 receiving yards (LOST $11.70)
Sunday’s profit/loss: +$18.30 (1-1)
Final total for the week: -$168.70 (3-10)
Total for January: -$45.80 (20-22)
Total for 2023: -$45.80 (20-22)
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).
