Parlays
Luka Doncic to score 30+ points (-104)
Luka Doncic has settled in with his new team quite well over the last 10 games, at least from a numbers perspective. The Lakers are just 3-7 SU during this stretch, but Luka’s numbers show averages of 31.4 points, 8.9 rebounds and 8.7 assists. Most importantly for our Lakers vs Pacers Same Game Parlay pick though, he has the ultimate green light on offense under head coach JJ Redick. Luka is attempting nearly 22 shots per game, including 10.8 threes per game on 4.6 makes. Interestingly enough, his three-point percentage is actually higher than his overall field-goal percentage during this stretch, so things can only trend upwards in my opinion.
The Pacers have been one of Doncic’s favorite opponents over the years – he’s averaging an efficient 30.2 points per game in the last 10 games against them. Indy’s defense has looked really solid over the past 3 games, but 2 of those games were against the struggling Nets so I wouldn’t put too much weight into their numbers. This season, the Pacers allow the 7th-most points per game to opposing point guards. LA needs a big-time performance from Luka to get away with a win here and that’s what I expect them to get.
Tyrese Haliburton to record 10+ assists (-154)
One of the main reasons for this recent uptick in wins for the Pacers has certainly been the play of Tyrese Haliburton. Ever since getting called out by Miami Heat legend Tim Hardaway, the Pacers point guard has stepped up his game, primarily in getting his teammates involved. He is now on a streak of double-digit assists in 11 straight games while averaging 12.1 per game. Against a Lakers team that allows opponents 27.2 assists a night, ranking just 22nd in the NBA, Haliburton should be able to get his numbers.
Giving me more confidence in this pick for our Lakers vs Pacers Same Game parlay is the fact that he’s also averaging 5 assists per game in the last 5 meetings with the Lakers, clearing this line 3 times. As good as Luka Doncic is on offense, he is not nearly as good of a player on the other end, and opposing point guards are making the most out of that. LA allows the 12th-most threes per game to point guards this season, so I’m expecting a big-time performance from Haliburton here.
Pascal Siakam to score 20+ points (-160)
Similar to Haliburton, Pascal Siakam has also been on a tear over his last 10 games, averaging 22.4 points per game on over 53% from the field and a respectable 33% from three. If it wasn’t for that one bad game he had against Brooklyn where he scored 6 points, his averages would be even higher. I really like his matchup against LeBron James here.
As we all know, the King is no longer the defensive player he once was and opposing wings are making the most out of that this season. The Lakers allow the 8th-most points to power forwards this season and facing a player like Siakam should be problematic. He’s scored 20+ points in 4 straight meetings, and over his last 10 against the Lakers he’s averaged 25.3 per game, dating back to his glory days at Toronto. We’ve seen LA struggle with opposing power forwards quite a lot this season and I expect that trend to continue against an All-Star like Siakam. Let’s back him to get an easy 20 here and hopefully land our Lakers vs Pacers Same Game Parlay.
The Vancouver Canucks make the fourth stop on a 6-game road trip against the New Jersey Devils. The road trip has had mixed results, going 1-1-1 in 3 games with a 4-3 shootout victory over the New Jersey Devils on Monday night. The over has cashed in all 3 games and each of the past 4 outings overall. The total has gone high in 7 of the past 8 games, too. In fact, Vancouver’s offense hasn’t been the issue — going for 3 or more goals in 4 straight and 6 of the past 7. However, the goaltending and defense has been a little suspect, allowing 30 goals in the past nine contests (3.4 per game).
The Islanders — just like the Canucks, actually — are just on the outside of the race for the wild-card in their conference. In fact, the Isles are just a point behind the Montreal Canadiens for the final card in the Eastern Conference with 12 games to play. So this is an ultra-important game for both sides, with Vancouver 5 points back of the St. Louis Blues but with 2 games in hand. Like Vancouver, though, it’s been all about the over lately — cashing in 5 straight games. The offense has 3 or more goals in each of those outings, averaging 3.6 goals on offense while allowing 3.0 in the 5-game span. The Isles are a solid 3-0-3 in the past 6 games, but let’s focus on the over since it has been strong for both of late.
Canucks vs Islanders prediction: Over 5.5 (+115) available at time of publishing. Playable to -110.
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The New Jersey Devils and Chicago Blackhawks hit the ice on Wednesday night in the NHL. Part of a 4-game slate, these teams play for the second and final time this season. New Jersey has owned Chicago with a 4-2 victory this season and 7 wins in the last 8 matchups dating back to 2019. How will this battle of play out? Here is a Devils vs Blackhawks prediction.
Chicago is just coming off a win that ended a 7-game losing streak, while New Jersey is on a 3-game losing streak and has lost 4 of its past 5 overall. Neither team is necessarily rolling, but one is much stronger and has much more to play for, and that is New Jersey. The Devils have been in playoff contention for the whole season, but a 20+ game stretch of mediocrity has gotten them nowhere. However, I think they will dial in and get the job done against Chicago. The Devils need to treat every game like a playoff affair, and doing that against a bottom-feeding opponent should result in a win. New Jersey features many elite players and boasts much more depth than a young, rebuilding Chicago team. Even with the recent struggles, it is no surprise the Devils are in a playoff spot and competing. I think they will show dominance and grab the win as they should in desperate times. For this Devils vs Blackhawks prediction, let’s take New Jersey to win in regulation.
Devils vs Blackhawks prediction: New Jersey 3-way ML (-140) available at time of publishing. Playable to -160.
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The Dallas Stars are in Edmonton to take on the Oilers in a Wednesday night battle. The Oilers enter this contest coming off a 5-4 win over the Kraken this past Saturday. That win marked the first time that Edmonton won a game without both Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the lineup. It was definitely a feel-good result for the Oilers, but it came against a Kraken team that is not in the playoff picture and is near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. Playing without McDavid and Draisaitl again on Wednesday could be a more difficult task as the Stars come to town.
Dallas’ 94 points are tied for the second-most in the Western Conference and with odds of +600 (DraftKings), head coach Pete DeBoer’s squad is the current Stanley Cup favorite. The Stars possess arguably the best forward depth in the league, which could play a huge role going up against a depleted Edmonton team. Dallas already boasts the league’s top penalty kill unit at 85%, and life should be a bit easier not having to worry about McDavid or Draisaitl. All in all, Edmonton could have trouble keeping up in this one. Consider backing the Stars on the road.
Stars vs Oilers prediction: Dallas ML (-155) available at time of publishing. Playable to -165.
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Phoenix Suns ML over Boston Celtics (+160)
The Phoenix Suns have been on a roll of late, making a push for the play-ins. They have won 4 straight games including wins over Eastern Conference powerhouses the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks. They can extend that streak tonight against the Boston Celtics. The Suns are strong at home, with a 23-13 record. Over the last 5 games they are 6th in the NBA in net offensive and defensive rating. While the Celtics rank a couple of spots higher, they will be playing on the road tonight. Over the last 10 games the Suns are 2nd in the NBA in 3-point percentage an are one of the few teams who can match the Celtics from beyond the arc. They are good value to keep their win streak going tonight.
Kevin Durant over 25.5 points (-120)
Kevin Durant has been able to hit the over on this line in 3 straight games, and is currently averaging 35.3 points per game over the last week. He has also been averaging 28 points per game when playing at home this season, so it is hard to see a drop off from him here tonight. In 2 games against the Celtics last season, he averaged 32.5 points per game. Considering the visitors have the same core of players on the wing as they did then, nothing should change from that here. The visitors are likely to utilize the likes of Jayson Tatum and Derrick White against him, but Durant will have a length advantage over them both. With no issues getting his shots off, look for him to continue his recent hot scoring run.
Devin Booker over 2.5 made threes (-115)
Over the last 2 games Devin Booker has struggled from the perimeter, making 1 of his 9 3-point attempts. This could be a great spot for him to bounce back in. Over the last 10 games the Celtics have been in the bottom half of the league in opponent 3-point attempts and opponent 3-point percentage. Despite his struggles, Booker is still making 35% of his attempts from beyond the arc in March. With Bradley Beal remaining out, Booker should continue to see increased usage so he should see no shortage of opportunities. With Durant playing at the high level he has been showing of late, it should help the Suns guard act as a floor spacer tonight. He is more than capable of taking advantage of this.
Baseball fans can finally celebrate as the MLB season kicks off on Thursday and we have a New York Yankees vs Milwaukee Brewers prediction right here. Both teams have had some big changes in the offseason, and only time will tell if they’re for better or for worse. The Yankees lost Juan Soto to the Mets and Nestor Cortes to the Brewers in exchange for Devin Williams. Despite losing Soto, the Yankees called up Jasson Dominguez and signed Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt to strengthen their lineup. As for the Brewers, they didn’t make too many changes in the offseason — opting to bring back most of their team from last year that helped them win the NL Central.
Typically, this would be a game where Gerrit Cole would start for the Yankees. However, with their ace sidelined due to Tommy John surgery, Carlos Rodon gets the nod to start Opening Day. Rodon struggled in spring training, going 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA and striking out 10 in 10.0 innings pitched. Last season Rodon went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA, striking out 195 batters in 175.0 innings. On the mound for the Brewers will be Freddy Peralta, who also had a rough spring — compiling a 1-2 record with an 8.56 ERA in just 13.2 innings pitched. Last season he posted a 11-9 record with a 3.68 ERA and struck out 200 batters in 173.2 innings. While the Yankees will be without Soto, all eyes are on Cody Bellinger — who has been on fire this spring, hitting .423 with 4 home runs and 8 RBIs. The Brewers’ lineup is well-rounded, featuring hitters like Chourio, Yelich, Hoskins and Frelick, so Rodon will need to be careful when facing them. This Brewers team has speed and talent, but so do the Yankees.
I think this game is going to come down to pitching, and even though it’s hard to gauge how a team is going to perform on opening day, the Yankees have the advantage of being at home. Rodon has pitched slightly better than Peralta this spring, and that could be the difference maker. Plus, the Yankees boast a stronger bullpen — which can shut things down if they’re in the lead. All things considered, I’m taking the Yankees on the money line for their home opener.
Brewers vs Yankees prediction: New York ML (-150) available at time of publishing. Playable to -160.
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In this matchup we will see the Los Angeles Angels travel to Chicago to take on the White Sox for opening day of the MLB season. Starting on the mound for this game will be Yusei Kikuchi for the Angels and Sean Burke for the White Sox. Kikuchi was acquired from the Houston Astros in the off season and will make his Los Angeles debut to open the season. To close the year for the Astros, Kikuchi pitched in 10 games and the Astros were able to win 9 out of 10 with Kikuchi pitching a minimum of 5.1 innings throughout. In those games, Kikuchi averaged 1.8 earned runs per game. On the other hand, Sean Burke for the White Sox pitched a total of 4 games last year and posted a 2-0 record with a 1.42 ERA. The downside is that those 4 are the only games he has pitched in his MLB career. If these pitchers follow similar form on the closing performances of last year, you can expect that both pitchers will be able to control the mound.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the hitting of these 2 squads. Last season was rough for both of these teams, with the Angels averaging 3.92 runs per game and the White Sox at 3.13. If we dive a little deeper into the statistics in order to find a potential edge, we come across the RBI numbers for these 2 teams. The Angels accrued a total of 596 RBIs last season while the White Sox totaled 485 RBIs. Given the difference in hitting potential through the history of RBIs and the experience difference among the starting pitchers, we may have found our edge.
Angels vs White Sox prediction: Los Angeles ML (-150) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.
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The Dodgers have already played 2 games this season in Japan against the Cubs, and the reigning champs have already shown they will be tough to beat. The Tigers are ready to kick things off on Thursday and will send ace Tarik Skubal to the mound. Skubal was fantastic in 2024, going 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and striking out 228 batters. He has been solid this spring, going 2-0 with a 2.33 ERA and striking out 24 in 19.1 innings pitched. The Tigers are hungry to win the AL Central this year, but do they have what it takes to start off the season 1-0 against the reigning World Series champs?
The Dodgers will be sending Blake Snell to the mound after he went 5-3 last season with a 3.12 ERA with the Giants. Snell didn’t pitch much in spring training, throwing just 4.2 innings in 2 starts, posting a 7.71 ERA. The Dodgers are loaded with talent, and last year, this team was first in OPS (.795) against left-handed pitching, something Skubal should keep in mind when facing hitters like Ohtani, Smith and Muncy if they all get the nod to start on Thursday. The Tigers made a few notable moves in the offseason, which included signing infielder Gleyber Torres and outfielder Manuel Margot. They also strengthened their bullpen by acquiring Tommy Kahnle, adding to their already talented roster. Detroit boasts one of the best high-upside rotations in the American League, if they remain healthy, but their one concern will be their lineup. The Dodgers have a significant advantage in hitting in Thursday’s matchup, but the Tigers will have an edge with pitching. Overall, it’s hard to go against the reigning champs — especially when they have already played 2 regular-season games. All in all, give me the Dodgers to win their home opener.
Tigers vs Dodgers prediction: Los Angeles ML (-150) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.
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The Nationals are playing at home on Opening Day, but that may not make much difference. They were a horrendous 33-48 at Nationals Park last season. Washington also has to go up against a familiar NL East foe in Zack Wheeler, which is obviously more bad news. Wheeler went 16-7 with a 2.57 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 2024. Unsurprisingly, the right-hander completely befuddled a weak Washington lineup last season to the tune of a 2-0 record, 2.29 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 19.2 innings of work across 3 appearances.
The Nats are countering with MacKenzie Gore, who is a solid pitcher but on almost any other club would not be an Opening Day starter. It goes without saying that Philadelphia also boasts a much more potent lineup, led by Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber. I am more than happy to back the visitors to win by multiple runs.
It is true that Atlanta has Chris Sale on the mound, but I was still surprised to see San Diego as an underdog. The Padres have Michael King on the mound, just as they did for Game 1 of the wild-card round against none other than the Braves in 2024. King turned in a dominant performance, firing 7.0 innings of shutout baseball while striking out 12 batters that set the stage for a San Diego sweep. A late bloomer at 29 years old, the right-hander was effective from start to finish last season – winning 12 games and compiling a 2.95 ERA with 201 Ks in 173.2 innings.
King will face an Atlanta lineup that does not yet have Ronald Acuna Jr. at its disposal on the heels of last year’s torn ACL. Sean Murphy is also sidelined for a couple of weeks. Sale should be good once again, but it’s a big ask for him to duplicate his 2024 Cy Young success. Give me the Padres as small home underdogs.
The Cubs are in sole possession of last place in the MLB standings after losing both games of the Tokyo Series against the Dodgers. That certainly isn’t worth overreacting to given how good the Dodgers are, but it’s still not a great start. Chicago will look to right the ship with Justin Steele toeing the rubber on Thursday in Arizona. Steele predictably took a step back last season, when his strikeouts-to-walks ratio dipped from 4.9 to 3.6. The southpaw got pummeled by L.A. in Tokyo, giving up 5 earned runs on 2 homers in just 4.0 innings.
Zac Gallen gets the ball for the Diamondbacks after averaging more than 14 victories over the past 3 years. Arizona has the better pitcher, the better lineup and is playing at home for its season opener. I’ll take the Snakes by multiple runs.
The first game of the Sweet 16 takes us to the East Region in New Jersey for a BYU Cougars vs Alabama Crimson Tide prediction. The Crimson Tide are part of the SEC’s steamrolling of the tournament, and they got here with wins over Robert Morris and St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s is a slow, defensive-minded team, but the Tide will have to change gears completely when planning for BYU. The Cougars dispatched VCU in the opening round before outgunning Wisconsin in round 2 via a 91-89 decision. These 2 teams are probably going to blow out the lights on the scoreboard. My BYU vs Alabama prediction, however, is for the Tide to ultimately win and cover.
Alabama plays at the fastest tempo in the country. Head coach Nate Oates’ method of basketball is straightforward: do something fast, and operate in volume. The Tide will shoot 3s or layups and little else. They also pressure the ball defensively and get a lot of transition looks. BYU shares some similarities. The Cougars do not play as fast, but they are one of the most prolific 3-point shooting teams in the nation. You know the modern basketball axiom: 3 points are worth more than 2 points, and both teams like to prove it true. Here’s the decisive factor for me, though: the Tide defend the arc at an elite level. They chase teams off the line, and they make those outside looks tough. I think that is the difference in the game. If BYU has a downturn in its ability to hit 3s, as I expect it will, Alabama should eventually pull away. I like the Tide to win and cover.
BYU vs Alabama prediction: Alabama -5.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.
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The Terrapins have had their fair share of tough beats this season, and what seemed like another heartbreaking defeat turned into a thrilling win when freshman Derik Queen took the ball with just 3.7 seconds left and scored the game-winning layup to defeat Colorado State. The Terrapins aren’t the only ones who were lucky to be moving on, as the Gators had a tough time against the Huskies in the second round, winning by just 2 points despite shooting 46% from the field. Can we say both teams are lucky to have made it to the Sweet 16? Absolutely. However, it shouldn’t be considered a fluke that they’ve made it this far based on their performances all season long.
According to KenPom, the Gators are ranked 2nd in adjusted offensive efficiency, while Maryland sits at 22nd. On the defensive end, KenPom has Maryland ranked 6th in defense where the Gators are close behind at 11th. The Terrapins likely would have earned a higher seed in this tournament if it weren’t for their buzzer-beater losses to Michigan State and Michigan, as well as a heartbreaking three-pointer by OSU with just a few seconds left. This Maryland team is loaded with talent, with all 5 of their starters averaging double digits this season.
The same can be said about Florida, with 4 of their starters averaging double digits, but I think the big difference here is each team’s ability to shoot the ball from beyond the arc. Florida loves to shoot the three-ball, hitting 35.6% of their shots from deep and holding their opponents to just 29.3%. As for Maryland, they don’t shoot it as much as Florida, but they’re shooting 37.5% from deep while holding their opponents to just 30.2%. I think this game is going to be a close one, but I believe the Gators have the advantage in rebounding the ball along with their ability to shoot the ball from deep. Give me the Gators to cover and march on to the Elite 8.
Maryland vs Florida prediction: Florida -6.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.
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We’ve got a massive matchup on our hands in the Sweet 16 on Thursday, as the Arizona Wildcats will square off against the #1 seed Duke Blue Devils in the East Region. Arizona is fresh off a hard-fought victory over former Pac-12 rival Oregon, but it sure wasn’t easy, as the Wildcats needed to rally from an early double-digit deficit and hit all of their free throws late to secure a berth in the Sweet 16. As for Duke, it was business as usual for the Blue Devils in a dominant victory over Baylor on Sunday. Duke has undoubtedly looked like a juggernaut in this tournament, which has inflated this number a bit in the market. While the Blue Devils are the deserving national title favorite heading into this game, it’s important to remember that this will be the toughest matchup this team has faced in the postseason by a considerable margin.
On paper, this Arizona team has the athletes to compete with the Blue Devils’ elite talent at all positions, and while that is easier said than done, the Wildcats also have the advantage of clicking at the right time heading into this contest. Following the win over Oregon, head coach Tommy Lloyd’s team has now won 4 of their last 5 games, while also playing some of their best defense of the season in that span. Compared to what Duke faced in the lowly ACC this season, the cumulative wear and tear of a full Big 12 conference slate has seemed to strengthen the resolve of this Arizona team and given it some much-needed belief heading into this game. The Wildcats should be able to hang in this game thanks to their top-10 offense (Barttorvik), excellent offensive rebounding profile (15th in OREB percentage) and another good game from Caleb Love, who is known to be inconsistent. With that said, if Arizona can get second chance points and get to the line consistently, the Wildcats will have a chance to win this one outright.
On the other side, Duke is obviously a complete team, one that certainly looks like the best in the nation. However, the big unknown in this game is how Jon Scheyer’s team will adjust to finally playing a top 15 caliber team. It’s hard to account for the step-up in competition that the Blue Devils will see in this game, as the last time Duke played a team that was anywhere near Arizona’s weight class from a talent and/or statistical perspective, it lost outright to Clemson back in early February. While I don’t expect Duke to slip up and lose outright, Arizona is certainly a live underdog and should do enough to keep things close on Thursday.
Arizona vs Duke prediction: Arizona +9.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 9.
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There are 7 Sweet 16 teams from the SEC, but only 2 are going head-to-head. The Tennessee Volunteers and Kentucky Wildcats will be facing each other for the 3rd time this season when they battle for a spot in the Elite 8 on Friday night at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Outside of the top teams in the nation, whom Tennessee obviously won’t run into as a #2 seed until at least the Elite 8, Kentucky is the last opponent the Volunteers would want to face at this stage. The Wildcats swept the regular-season series with a 78-73 road win followed by a 75-64 victory at Rupp Arena. Are those results repeatable? Probably. Kentucky held Tennessee to a combined 14-for-61 (23 percent) shooting from three-point range in those 2 contests. That is nothing out of the ordinary for the ‘Cats, who are 24th in the nation in three-point defense (30.6 percent).
Kentucky is better than its 24-11 (10-8 SEC) record suggests. Former San Diego State guard Lamont Butler missed 9 games due to injury but is looking better by the day. After doing nothing in Round 1 against Troy, Butler delivered 14 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds and 3 steals during an 84-75 victory over Illinois. Tennessee, which ousted Wofford and UCLA in the first 2 rounds, is also playing well. However, this is clearly a matchup the Vols do not love. Is Kentucky going to beat conference rival Tennessee for the 3rd time this season? Maybe, maybe not. But getting 4.5 points, the value is definitely with UK.
Kentucky vs Tennessee prediction: Kentucky +4.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable to +3.5.
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It was a wild weekend for the Michigan Wolverines. They nearly blew a double-digit lead to UC San Diego on Thursday, scoring just 27 second-half points and ultimately winning by only 3. Then in the round of 32, the Wolverines faced a 10-point second-half deficit against Texas A&M before going on a torrid run – scoring 46 points in the final 15 minutes of the game while outscoring the Aggies 30-16 over the final 10 minutes. Head coach Dusty May and his squad now advance to the Sweet 16 in Atlanta to play the #1 overall seed Auburn Tigers less than 2 hours up I-85 from their own campus. While Michigan’s fanbase tends to travel well, I’m expecting there to be a heavy Auburn contingent at State Farm Arena. Michigan typically overpowers its opponents with size in the front court thanks to its dueling 7-footers in Danny Wolf and Vlad Goldin, but Auburn has the size to match the Wolverines in the post. Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell are 2 of the better post defenders in the country, both boasting top 50 marks in KenPom’s block rate out of 2,300+ Division 1 players. Head coach Bruce Pearl will also likely use Chaney Johnson on Wolf for a bit, as Johnson has freakish athleticism that would be well-utilized against the versatile Michigan big man.
The Tigers have the advantage in this matchup when it comes to reliability from the 3-point line and in the turnover department. While Michigan has been a little bit better at taking care of the ball in the postseason, the Wolverines are still 324th in turnover rate this season, and their 14 turnovers against the Tritons in the first round almost cost them the game. Moreover, the Wolverines only have 2 real perimeter threats in Nimari Burnett and former-Tiger Tre Donaldson. On the other end, Auburn simply doesn’t give the ball away. In fact, the Tigers are pretty much the polar opposite of Michigan, as they turn the ball over on less than 14 percent of their possessions – which is 5th nationally. The Tigers also have 4 shooters that knock down at least 38% of their perimeter shots on at least 135 attempts. I see a path to success here for the Wolverines, but it would require an uncharacteristically good shooting night in combination with one of their lowest turnover rates of the season. That is a lot to ask against a deep Auburn team that gets it done on both ends of the floor and has been playing together for a couple years. Give me the Tigers to win by 10+ and advance to the Elite 8.
Michigan vs Auburn prediction: Auburn -8.5 (-112) available at time of publishing. Playable to -9.5.
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The Midwest Region has almost gone all chalk to this point, which sets up a very intriguing matchup between the Houston Cougars and Purdue Boilermakers in the Sweet 16 on Friday. These teams have taken very different paths to get to this point, with Purdue knocking off a couple of double-digit seeds in High Point and McNeese State, while Houston had to go through a dramatically under-seeded Gonzaga team in the Round of 32. The Cougars are certainly the more battled-tested team to to this point, and Gonzaga even profiles as a significantly better team than Purdue according to the predictive metrics. I’m certainly inclined to agree with the likes of KenPom, BartTorvik, EvanMiya and others, which certainly doesn’t hurt my handicap for this game. Given that this contest is being played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, this is something of a home game for Purdue, a rare sight for the lower seed in a second weekend tournament game. However, that doesn’t dissuade me from backing the much better team, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, in a game where Houston’s physicality, coaching and dominance on the glass should win out.
Purdue was able to systematically break down its first couple of opponents in the tournament with an excellent offensive gameplan, something that Matt Painter has excelled at over the years. However, Purdue was fortunate enough to get great matchups against defenses that were willing to give Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn plenty of space to get off the shots they were most comfortable with. While the Boilermakers’ offense is excellent, this Houston defense is the best in the nation by any metric, and they are not one to make things easy on their opponents. Not only will this easily be Purdue’s stiffest test yet, but the Boilermakers will be in trouble on the other side of the ball as well. This Purdue defense is possibly the worst unit remaining in the tournament, particularly when it comes to defending the rim (341st in two-point defense per BartTorvik). That doesn’t bode well against a Houston team just got a terrific effort from J’wan Roberts in the paint against a better Gonzaga defense. Ultimately, Houston should establish itself as the better team over the first 20 minutes and go on to win this one comfortably in the second half.
Purdue vs Houston prediction: Houston -7.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to 8.
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Free Picks and Parlays
Here at Pickswise, we are the experts of all things picks and parlays. Parlays are a type of sports bet in which you combine multiple selections into one single bet. This means every leg of your parlay must win for your ticket to cash, even one losing leg is enough for the parlay to lose. This adds a layer of difficulty with each pick added to your parlay, but this also sees the odds of your parlay bet increase. You can combine many different types of bets into a parlay such as Money Line, Spreads, Totals or even Player Props and Team Props. The combinations are endless, and our experts find there best picks from various sports to combine our best picks and parlays today. Check out today’s Pickswise Picks and Parlays right here, every day, with full analysis and the latest best odds from the leading online sportsbooks.
When Do You Post Your Parlay Picks?
Here at Pickswise, out expert handicappers are always working to find you the best free parlays picks. With a plethora of sport played on any given day, any time of the year, we post our daily picks and parlays, well, daily. You can find all of our parlay picks, right here on the designated Pickswise parlays page every morning. All of our Parlay picks come with expert analysis and the best-combined parlay odds from the top online sportsbooks. Check out today’s Parlay picks, now.
How Do I Read And Bet On Your Picks and Parlays?
Each of our Parlays will be listed here on the Pickswise Parlays page. Each Parlay will display the matches, the start time, the markets and the picks as well as the combined parlay odds. You can also use our handy parlay bet slip to calculate how much you’ll win if the parlay hits at each of the leading online sportsbooks. You can also hit the ‘reasoning’ button next to any leg of our parlay to find the full reasoning and analysis for that particular pick. We also have a ready-made bet now button where you can click through to place your parlay wager with your preferred online sportsbook of choice.
Free Parlay Picks, Strategies, Guides, and Must-knows
Here at Pickswise, we’re so much more than just a team of expert handicappers that give out free parlay picks, and analysis across a plethora of sports. We’re also hugely motivated to make people Bet Better! And as such our experts are sharing all of the tips, tricks, strategies, and lessons they’ve learned in the sports betting world over the last few decades. Check out the most useful parlay pages and guides below.
- NFL Parlays
- NBA Parlays
- MLB Parlays
- NHL Parlays
- College Football Parlays
- College Basketball Parlays
- Best Online Betting Sites for Parlays
- Parlay Betting Explained
- Sports Betting Glossary