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 Thursday, March 9:
TOP PLAY
The play: SEC men’s basketball tournament, LSU +4.5 over Vanderbilt
The odds: -115
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: 9:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
Our take: Wednesday night’s game for the Tigers as a favorite against Georgia – following a 1-17 stretch – should have been an instabet on LSU. Now, they’re stepping up in class against the 6 seed, and are only 4½-point dogs, and 4 at several other places?
Another one that seems like the line isn’t nearly enough. Look a little deeper, and for those who haven’t paid attention, one of LSU’s two wins in SEC play came at home against Vandy only a couple of weeks ago – and that was as a 2½-point dog. The Tigers have played much better as of late, and it’s easy to see KJ Williams isn’t ready to end his college career.
To add more emphasis to the Commodores’ loss, it is the only defeat they have suffered since falling by 57 to Alabama on Jan. 31.
GOING LOW IN DETROIT
The play: NBA, under 225 in Pistons-Hornets game
The odds: -110
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. (NBA League Pass)
Our take: The Pistons have played a little better as of late, but they have been back and forth when it comes to totals. Meanwhile, one cannot say the same for Charlotte, who is also now without star LaMelo Ball after he fractured his ankle a little more than a week ago against this same Detroit team.
One thing that’s clear is the Hornets play a ton of unders, and that should continue now that Ball is out. Not only have they gone under in eight consecutive games, but have done so in their last two games against Detroit. They also have gone under in 14 of their past 16 games dating back to Jan. 31.
We’ll take a shot at the streak continuing.
HOW WE’VE FARED
PGA: The Players Championship, Jason Day to finish in the top 20 (PENDING $30 to win $40.50)
PGA: TPC, 4-leg parlay, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley all to make cut (PENDING $10 to win $12.40)
Wednesday’s record: (0-0, 2 pending)
Total for the week: 3-1, 2 pending
Total for March: 10-4, 2 pending
Total for 2023: 42-44, 2 pending
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, $100 would bring in $140 (or $10 to win $14).
