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 Thursday, July 20:
THE PLAY
The play: MLB money line, Astros over Athletics
The odds/bet: -200 ($30 to win $15)
Time/TV: 9:40 p.m. (MLB TV)
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Our take: Rarely do we make a play on a team with 1-to-2 odds on a MLB money line, but in the absence of a large evening schedule, there seems to be little question this one has the best value.
Houston is ready to break a streak of eight consecutive games in which they have alternated wins and losses, as they won the finale of a two-game set in Colorado on Wednesday night.
With less than 2 weeks left in July, the Astros are getting into must-win territory against teams such as the lowly Athletics, as they now are 4.5 games behind the AL West-leading Texas Rangers. Is this when the defending champions make their move?
Meanwhile, Oakland is coming off a rare series victory – at home against the Boston Red Sox – which followed an eight-game losing streak. The A’s have no home-field advantage, where they have been equally as bad as they have been on the road.
HOW WE’VE FARED
British Open: Jordan Spieth to finish in the top 20 (PENDING)
British Open: Rory McIlroy to win (PENDING)
Wednesday’s record: 0-0, 2 pending
Total for the week: 1-3, 2 pending
Total for July: 13-18, 2 pending
Total for 2023: 163-181, 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).
