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, August 13:
TOP PLAY
The play: EPL, Chelsea vs. Liverpool UNDER 2.5 total goals
The odds: +134
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: 11:30 a.m. (Peacock)
Our take: The last six matches between Chelsea and Liverpool have ended in a draw (excluding penalty results). The heavy turnover in each squad and the Blues’ coaching change means we’ll stay away from predicting a full-time result, although a draw is always a safe bet when these two rivals get together.
Instead, we’ll play the total goals line. Under 2.5 goals has a plus sign next to its name at DraftKings Sportsbook, which offers some fantastic value if history has taught us anything. Chelsea and Liverpool have met 10 times since 2020, and in those 10 matches, the Blues and Reds have combined for 3+ goals just twice.
Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp have also gone to battle with each other 11 times with five of those matches seeing the ball rattle the back of the net less than three times. It’s worth noting Pochettino’s Tottenham teams were also far more attacking than his Chelsea team appears to be at the moment. The Reds were also at the peak of their powers as arguably the world’s best attacking unit.
Both teams still have holes to fill in the starting XI and neither will want to start the season off on the wrong foot. Therefore, expect a nervy, low-scoring affair in front of a sold-out Stamford Bridge crowd.
SON TO SCORE FOR SPURS
The play: EPL, Son Heung-Min anytime goalscorer vs. Brentford
The odds: +210
The book: FanDuel Sportsbook
Time/TV: 9 a.m. (Peacock)
Our take: Son Heung-Min is the new captain of Tottenham Hotspur after club-record scorer Harry Kane departed for Bayern Munich yesterday. Son will need to step up in Kane’s absence — as will Richarlison — but the odds are slightly better on the South Korean to score.
Son has scored or assisted goals in Tottenham’s last two opening Premier League matches. Spurs will look to be a lot more attack-minded under new manager Ange Postecoglou than they were under Antonio Conte. Therefore, expect the former Celtic coach to lean on his new captain against Brentford.
HOW WE’VE FARED
NFL: New York Jets first half +2.5 at Carolina Panthers (WON)
EPL: Bournemouth-West Ham OVER 2.5 goals (LOST)
Saturday’s record: 1-1
Total for the week: 5-6, 2 pending
Total for August: 11-14, 2 pending
Total for 2023: 185-208, 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).
