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Welcome to divisional-round weekend of the NFL playoffs! The four-game slate today kicks off with the Tennessee Titans hosting the Cincinnati Bengals before the nightcap pits the Green Bay Packers against the San Francisco 49ers in the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field. But don’t forget about all of the basketball, hockey, soccer, and tennis action that is also taking place.
It’s a jam-packed Saturday in the world of sports, so let’s not waste any time and get right to making your next bet better. Here is our latest installment of Wise n’ Shine!
About Last Night
Big results in the Big Ten
Maryland picked up a much-needed win by taking advantage of a 17th-ranked Illinois squad that was without Kofi Cockburn, prevailing 81-65. No. 14 Michigan State went on the road to defeat No. 8 Wisconsin 86-74. Our NCAAB experts nailed the over in both of those contests.
Curry cooks Rockets at the buzzer
Stephen Curry sank a 20-foot step-back jumper at the buzzer to send Golden State past Houston 105-103. The Rockets may not have pulled off an outright upset, but they covered for us in convincing fashion as +11 underdogs.
Big NHL night for Pickswise
We went 6-2 on sides in the NHL on Friday, cashing a +425 parlay that included a successful play on the Wild -1.5. They easily covered the puck line with a 5-1 rout of the Blackhawks. Our best bet of Penguins ML was also a winner, as they clobbered the Blue Jackets 5-2.
Today’s Slate
We are most definitely talking about playoffs
We’re talking about playoffs?!?! You bet we are. They continue on Saturday, with the Titans, Bengals, Packers, and 49ers ushering in the divisional round. Be sure to read all of our NFL previews and picks.
Three-game slate in the NBA
A small 3-game slate in the NBA tips off with the Cavaliers hosting the Thunder on NBA TV. The Bucks and Suns — last year’s finalists – are also in action. Head over to our NBA picks page to see all of our previews and predictions.
Fifteen top 25 teams in action
Saturdays are almost always for college basketball this time of year, and this one is no exception. A total of 15 teams ranked in the top 25 are taking the floor. There are two all-ranked showdowns on the schedule, both in the SEC: Auburn vs Kentucky and Tennessee vs LSU. Check out all of our CBB picks.
Also some hockey, soccer, tennis, and UFC
Saturday offers 5 games in the English Premier League and 11 in the NHL (Canucks vs Capitals). Meanwhile, the Australian Open is just about at the halfway point. Our tennis best bets have been red hot, so be sure to read our Day 7 preview and picks. Saturday’s sports schedule will be capped off by an intriguing UFC card that includes a heavyweight title fight between Francis Nganu and Cyril Gane.
Best Bet of the Day
NFL: Green Bay Packers -6 over San Francisco 49ers
8:15 pm ET, FOX
The 49ers were one of our best bet winners last weekend, with both Jared Smith and Ross Tucker cashing in on San Francisco’s victory at Dallas. This time around, however, both Jared and Ross are finding the Niners. A test at Green Bay just isn’t the same as what head coach Kyle Shanahan’s team faced last weekend. Plus, San Fran did its best to blow the game against the Cowboys and Jimmy Garoppolo started to melt down late. The 49ers’ QB is now dealing with a shoulder issues on top of his injured thumb. Garoppolo said earlier this week that his shoulder is affecting his throws, and now he is going into a cold-weather environment that he’s not used to. That could be a recipe for disaster. On the other side of the ball, Aaron Rodgers should be able to exploit the 49ers’ weak cornerback group. It’s also a short week for the Niners, whereas the Packers are fresh off a bye. Read our full game preview for San Francisco 49ers vs Green Bay Packers.
Must-watch
Don’t miss the divisional round episode of Pickswise Playbook with Ross Tucker, Chris Rose, and Jared Smith as they aim to pinpoint the best bets for all 4 of this weekend’s NFL playoff games.
You can also check out our daily show Let’s Bet It! on our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/c/Pickswise every day starting at 10:00 am ET. Settle in with Jared Smith, Alex Glaze, and Mark Zinno as they identify the best bets for Saturday’s NFL games as well as for the NBA, NHL, and college basketball slates before ending with their Plays of the Day. Don’t miss it!
Must-read
With so much NFL content available, we created a hub with our wild-card weekend betting guide where you can access all of our picks, parlays, same game parlays, TD scorer prop picks, other prop bets, and much more! Don’t forget to check out Jared Smith’s best bets, our NFL mega parlay, and PropBetGuy’s top prop plays.
Visit the Analysis tab for even more great sports betting content.
Stat of the Day
NFL quarterbacks making their first road playoff start have gone just 6-15 SU and 9-12 ATS. That is what Joe Burrow will be doing at Tennessee, and 3 of his 4 lowest yards-per-attempt numbers this season have come on the road.
Boost of the Day
Both Ja’Marr Chase and AJ Brown to record at least 70 receiving yards
Boosted to +220 with FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbook has bumped up the odds on both Ja’Marr Chase and AJ Brown to reach the 70-yard mark in receiving during the Bengals vs Titans game from +160 to +220.
Pickswise is the home of free sports picks, news, and best bets. Check out our expert NFL picks, NBA picks, NHL picks, and Soccer picks for the latest game picks.
