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, April 6:
TOP PLAY
The play: NBA money-line parlay, Magic over Cavaliers and Thunder over Jazz
The odds: -152
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: Magic-Cavaliers at 7 p.m.; Thunder-Jazz at 9 p.m. (Both on NBA League Pass)
Our take: What it comes down to is Cleveland will be resting quite a few of their starters, and the Thunder need this game in the worst way against a Utah team that has nothing to play for.
Orlando has played hard down the stretch in trying to set the tone for next season, and as we said, the list of those not playing for the Cavaliers is extensive, including Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and four others.
Meanwhile, the Thunder are fighting tooth-and-nail with Dallas for that final play-in spot in the Western Conference and are on a three-game losing streak against Golden State, Phoenix and Indiana. Utah has lost seven of their last eight games, including six by eight points or more.
WHIFF-O-RAMA IN ATLANTA
The play: MLB single-game parlay, Padres’ Blake Snell over 6.5 strikeouts and Braves’ Spencer Strider over 7.5 strikeouts
The odds: +247
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: 7:20 p.m. (MLB Extra Innings)
Our take: This seems like we’re betting with the public kind of play, but how can you not think both will go over their strikeout totals? Snell had nine in his first start against the Rockies last week, and he did it in just 4.1 innings.
Meanwhile, Strider is a strikeout machine, having struck out at least as many as innings pitched in 27 of his last 31 appearances.
If Snell can get into the sixth and Strider into the seventh, this should be one of the easier parlays we have put together as of late.
HOW WE’VE FARED
The Masters: Cam Smith to finish in top 20 (PENDING)
NBA: Pelicans -5 over Grizzlies (WON)
Wednesday’s record: 1-0, 1 pending
Total for the week: 4-1, 1 pending
Total for April: 5-4, 1 pending
Total for 2023: 70-74, 1 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).
