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 Sunday, July 23:
TOP PLAY
The play: The Open Championship, Jason Day to finish top five
The odds: +170
Time/TV: Day, Rozner tee off at 8:55 a.m. (USA from 5-7 a.m.; NBC at 7 a.m.)
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Our take: It’s been a topsy-turvy league year for Jason Day thus far. The Open Championship is the 20th event he’s played in since September of 2022. He’s missed the cut six times and finished inside the top 10 the same number of times. Day does have one victory (AT&T Byron Nelson), but his performances at majors have left him disappointed thus far.
He’s been abysmal in major events. The 35-year-old missed the cut in the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. Day’s best finish at a major this year was tied for 39th at The Masters. That is likely to change in a few hours.
Day’s been one of the most consistent performers thus far at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Despite harsh conditions at The Open Championship, he’s kept his head above water and stayed in contention.
Brian Harman (-12) seemingly has the event locked up with a five-stroke lead heading into the final round. However, Day is sitting pretty (-5) in a five-way tie for fourth. If he can keep up his consistent play in the fourth round, Day is poised for his best finish at a major tournament this year.
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP SPREAD
The play: FIFA Women’s World Cup, Jamaica +3.5 vs. France
The odds: -135
Time/TV: 6 a.m. (Fox)
The book: Caesars Sportsbook
Our take: Nine games have been completed by the time of publishing at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, and they’ve told a peculiar story. None of the nine games have seen both teams score and only one team has scored more than three goals (Japan 5-0 Zambia). This includes heavy hitters who have already played like England, Spain and the United States.
Suffice it to say teams have found it incredibly difficult to score a plethora of goals in one sitting thus far. This should come as no surprise considering the opening match is all about keeping the goal difference manageable for hefty underdogs like Haiti, Costa Rica and Vietnam.
Jamaica is in the same boat. If the Reggae Girlz want any shot at getting out of Group F, they need to limit the damage done by France. Les Bleues will likely be without Selma Bacha and a couple of other regular starters too; not to mention the fact that Jamaica has a sneakily talented and experienced squad.
The Reggae Girlz have lost by four goals or more just once in 10 matches since their 5-0 defeat to the United States in July 2022. France isn’t exactly firing on all cylinders either as it has struggled to break down the defenses of Australia, Denmark and Norway this year.
We’re not getting burnt again by predicting another goal-fest in the opening round of games — we like Jamaica +3.5 goals.
HOW WE’VE FARED
• FIFA Women’s World Cup, Denmark money line over China (WON)
• FIFA Women’s World Cup, Signe Bruun anytime goalscorer vs. China (LOST)
Saturday’s record: 1-1
Total for the week: 4-5, 2 pending
Total for July: 16-20, 2 pending
Total for 2023: 166-183, 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).
