Andrew Ortenberg
Show Bio
The NFL playoffs are winding down and the Super Bowl is rapidly approaching, but basketball and hockey are in full swing and baseball is right around the corner. It’s a lot, and we’re grateful for it. There are some big contests coming up, which always create some big public sides. Let’s take a look at where the public money is going as bettors once again try to beat the ‘books, with the Warriors leading the way on Monday.
NBA: Warriors -12 @ Thunder
Every season there are a few NBA teams that the public latches onto and rides seemingly every game, and the Warriors are certainly back to being one of those teams. Golden State is once again one of the best teams in the league, and bettors are lining up to back them on Monday. A total of 89 percent of the bets and 96 percent of the public money are coming in on the Warriors as a big favorite over OKC, per DraftKings’ internal numbers shared with us.
If there’s one thing the public isn’t afraid to do, it’s lay double digits in the NBA. The Thunder are playing without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and are coming off a double-digit loss to the Kings, so this one isn’t too hard to understand. I’ve got this game as part of my Monday NBA mega parlay (+1321 odds!)
NBA: Heat -5.5 @ Wizards
Shifting our attention to the Eastern Conference now, there’s another big public side brewing in the nation’s capital. A total of 80 percent of the bets and a near unanimous 97 percent of the public money are laying the points with Miami over Washington. That 97 percent figure means that the large volume bets have been coming in almost exclusively on the Heat as well.
This might be even more of a fade of the Wizards than it is an endorsement of the Heat. Washington is starting to come apart at the seams, and they’ve now lost seven of their past eight games. Be sure to check out our free picks on the side and total for every NBA game on Monday.
NHL: Hurricanes @ Maple Leafs over 6.0
Thankfully the NHL is finally back in action after a handful of days off due to the all-star break. The action will resume with two interesting matchups on Monday, and by far the best one is this showdown between the Hurricanes and Maple Leafs. Anytime two top teams get together the public is going to want to root for excitement, and that’s certainly the case here.
A total of 70 percent of the bets and 92 percent of the public money are coming in on the over 6.0 here. This one is interesting since Toronto and Carolina have had two of the best defenses in the league this season, but their offenses are no slouches either. Head over to our NHL tab to see our picks for both of today’s games.
NCAAB: Kansas -1 @ Texas
Wrapping things up back on the hardwood, this time with some college hoops. The Monday NCAAB slate isn’t massive but there are some marquee matchups, including this Big 12 showdown between Kansas and Texas. Oddsmakers have this game as virtually even, but bettors sure don’t see it that way.
A total of 78 percent of the bets and 81 percent of the public money are taking the Jayhawks as the shortest of road favorites. Kansas is coming off a dominant 24-point win over a highly ranked Baylor team, which could have a lot to do with these splits. We’ve hit our NCAAB parlay on four of the past six days, so make sure to check out our college hoops parlay for Monday’s action!
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