Category: Sports

MLB Betting Preview for Saturday, April 6 (Afternoon Games)

By Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

[1:10 p.m. EST] Washington Nationals at New York Mets  – Total: 7
WSH: Patrick Corbin – L (0-0, 3.00 ERA)
NYM: Steven Matz – L (0-0, 1.69 ERA)

The total of seven is quite interesting in this game, as both pitchers haven’t had too much success against each of these teams. Matz is 1-5 with a 3.93 ERA in 10 career starts against the Nationals, while Corbin is 1-4 with a 4.86 ERA in nine starts (10 appearances) against the Mets. Not to mention, both teams had a day of rest yesterday, while the Mets’ bullpen has a 5.21 ERA this season and the Nats’ bullpen has an MLB-worst 10.38 ERA.

It should be no surprise that I’m rolling with the over in this game…

* Final Score Prediction: Washington Nationals: 5 – New York Mets: 4

[2:05 p.m. EST] Minnesota Twins at Philadelphia Phillies (-150) – Total: 8
MIN: Michael Pineda – R (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
PHI: Jake Arrieta – R (1-0, 1.50 ERA)

Arrieta struggled with some control issues in his season debut but still managed to wiggle out by giving up only one run. It’s the offense behind him, though, that makes the Phillies such an appealing bet. After all, they have scored at least eight runs in all but one of their six games this season.

Those bats will need to be sharp today against Pineda, who is a very talented pitcher but also has a tight leash as he eases his way back to a normal workload after missing nearly a year and a half.

All in all, the Phils are a more talented team and should take over late when these teams end up going to their respective bullpens.

* Final Score Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies: 5 – Minnesota Twins: 3

[2:10 p.m. EST] Seattle Mariners (-110) at Chicago White Sox – Total: 8.5
SEA: Mike Leake – R (1-0, 3.00 ERA)
CHW: Lucas Giolito – R (1-0, 2.70 ERA)

In yesterday’s preview for this matchup, I mentioned the White Sox defense could be in serious trouble with eight errors (fourth-worst in MLB) over five games. Well, it ended up being the Mariners’ defense that cost their team the loss, with three errors, now totaling an MLB-worst 16 of them in nine games.

So, two teams that have been terrible on defense… what could go wrong? Everything, and that’s why I’m going with the over once again in this matchup. Six of Seattle’s nine games have gone over the total, while five of Chicago’s six games have done the same. Not to mention, a few of these White Sox hitters have hit Leake well when they’ve seen him.

* Final Score Prediction: Chicago White Sox: 7 – Seattle Mariners: 5

NBA Betting Preview for Friday, April 5

By Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

Get ready for another exciting night of NBA hoops! The Spread Knowledge top value plays of the night are listed below. However, because they are such heavy favorites on the moneyline, we’re only advising you to take them as an extra caveat to add to your parlays:

  • Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers (-667 ML)
  • New York Knicks at Houston Rockets (-2500 ML)

[7:10 p.m. EST] Under 226.5 – Atlanta Hawks (+342 ML) at Orlando Magic

There’s no getting around it, but the Orlando Magic need to win, as they currently sit in the final spot of the Eastern Conference playoff race. This is the final time that Orlando will have a regular season game on its home court, so the level of importance doesn’t even need to be described.

However, the SK value system loves the moneyline number on the Atlanta Hawks, who have been quite pesky down the stretch with outright wins over the 76ers (twice), Bucks and Jazz. Hawks point guard Trae Young is still trying to make one last heroic attempt at winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award and he can certainly make life difficult on the Magic defense.

While it is true that Orlando hit four straight overs, 216 has been the highest total over that stretch. Granted, Atlanta’s NBA-leading pace and lackluster defense are the reasons we see a 226.5 total tonight, but that just lends more optimism that the Hawks come in and pull off the upset win. In fact, two of the three Hawks-Magic matchups have gone under tonight’s total.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Under 213 – Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers

These two teams just faced off last Friday and now they’ll do battle once again. The term “battle” is an understatement, as they both have the same record and find themselves jockeying for homecourt advantage in their eventual first-round playoff matchup. The Boston Celtics do hold the head-to-head tiebreaker but a win for the Indiana Pacers would be monumental here.

The one lean the SK value system has is Under 213 points in the game, mainly because of the importance of defense in this matchup, as Indiana ranks third in defensive efficiency and Boston ranks sixth. Not to mention, the two teams just saw each other and will likely have their best defensive efforts on deck.

[10:10 p.m. EST] New Orleans Pelicans (-130) at Phoenix Suns

The SK value system has quite the knack for pointing out these late-season NBA games that have absolutely no meaning whatsoever in the standings. However, the amount of key players the Phoenix Suns are missing is just too large to ignore. Granted, the New Orleans Pelicans will be missing Anthony Davis but that seems like a blip on the radar, consider the Suns are missing Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and T.J. Warren.

Look for the Pelicans B-team to get the win over the Suns C-team.

[10:40 p.m. EST] Portland Trail Blazers (+236 ML) at Denver Nuggets

In what would be a dazzling upset win, the SK value system loves the Portland Trail Blazers to go on the road and get the outright W over the Denver Nuggets. The Trail Blazers have won 11 of their 13 games while the Nuggets have been a very Jekyll-and-Hyde sort of team, going 3-4 over the last seven. Denver has won each of the previous two meetings versus Portland this season by a combined four points. Not to mention, these two teams will face each other in their next game on Sunday – time for the Trail Blazers to get busy and even the score.

MLB Betting Preview for Friday, April 5 (Afternoon Games)

[2:10 p.m. EST] Seattle Mariners (-130) at Chicago White Sox – Total: 8
SEA: Yusei Kikuchi – L (0-0, 2.53 ERA)
CHW: Reynaldo Lopez – R (0-1, 9.00 ERA)

The Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox are two teams heading in opposite directions to start the 2019 campaign. Seattle has been absolutely raking, scoring 56 runs over the first eight games this season. On the other hand, Chicago cannot seem to get out of its own way, committing eight errors over the first five games.

To me, this one is simple, as the Mariners and their offensive ways should be able to put plenty of pressure on the White Sox defense and continue their suffering. Not to mention, Mariners’ starter Yusei Kikuchi is legit, and there’s not much tape on him. Expect the White Sox offense to struggle quite a bit seeing him for the first time in regular season action.

Seattle moneyline is the play here…

* Final Score Prediction: Seattle Mariners: 9 – Chicago White Sox: 3

[4:10 p.m. EST] Los Angeles Dodgers (-129) at Colorado Rockies – Total: 10.5
LAD: Kenta Maeda – R (1-0, 4.05 ERA)
COL: Tyler Anderson – L (0-1, 9.00 ERA)

Speaking of offenses that are clicking, the Los Angeles Dodgers have been rockin’ and rolling with 55 runs scored through the first seven games – unsurprisingly, Dodgers’ games have gone over the total in six of those seven. Justin Turner is 13-for-28 with four extra-base hits (1 HR) against today’s Colorado Rockies’ starter Tyler Anderson, so hopefully, his scouting report will give an upper-hand advantage to the rest of his Dodgers’ teammates — not that they really need it nowadays.

After posting six runs in each of their first two games, the Rockies have only scored five runs in their last five. We can attribute that to some very solid pitching performances from the opposition and possibly being out of that Rocky Mountain environment for too long. Well, now the Rockies are heading back to the high altitude where the team is much more comfortable. If Colorado can get Kenta Maeda out of the game early, its offense can take advantage of a Dodgers bullpen that has not been great early on, allowing the fourth-most runs in MLB so far this season.

Typically, offenses don’t bode well at Coors Field in the first month of the season, but today’s environment should play more like a game in May or June. Temperatures are expected to be damn-near perfect in the upper 60s for baseball today in Denver.

Over 10.5 is the play here, with the Dodgers swinging hot bats and the Rockies coming back to Denver for some home cooking on the offensive end…

* Final Score Prediction: Los Angeles Dodgers: 8 – Colorado Rockies: 7

[4:15 p.m. EST] San Diego Padres at St. Louis Cardinals – Total: 7.5
SD: Nick Margevicius (0-1, 1.80 ERA)
STL: Jack Flaherty – R (0-0. 8.31 ERA)

St. Louis Cardinals’ starter Jack Flaherty has a very bright future ahead of him, but proving that in the season debut was a lot tougher against a potent Milwaukee Brewers lineup. Today, he’ll go head-to-head with San Diego Padres’ little-known rookie Nick Margevicius, who had an impressive debut, albeit, against a weak San Francisco Giants’ lineup. It’s too early to pinpoint the outlook on Margevicius, considering he has only made two starts above the Single-A level – one in Double-A, one in MLB – but it is worth noting that his control has been quite magnificent early on in his minor-league career.

With all that being said, the moment of the Cards’ home opener at Busch Stadium could prove to be too much for the young lefty. Not only that, but Flaherty should improve greatly from his season debut and have a great performance against a Padres’ lineup that hasn’t been that impressive on offense.

Cardinals on the moneyline is the play here…

* Final Score Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals: 5 – San Diego Padres: 2

[4:35 p.m. EST] Tampa Bay Rays at San Francisco Giants – Total: 7
TB: Tyler Glasnow – R (1-0, 1.80 ERA)
SF: Dereck Rodriguez – R (1-0, 3.60 ERA)

This is an excellent matchup of young hurlers taking place at Oracle Park today, between Tyler Glasnow of the Tampa Bay Rays and Dereck Rodriguez of the San Francisco Giants. Not only that, but neither team’s offense has really gotten off to a great start either.

It may be simple, and it may be short, but there is just one trend in this game that you can’t ignore. Especially, when the game is being played in San Francisco – a place where offense go to die.

That trend, you were asking for? All seven of the Rays’ games have gone under the total, while five of the seven Giants’ games have suffered the same fate.

Under seven runs is the play here, and I’ll give the Giants the win in their home opener. What a nice guy I am…

* Final Score Prediction: San Francisco Giants: 4 – Tampa Bay Rays: 2

MLB Betting Preview for Afternoon Games on Thursday, April 4

Welcome to a beautiful Thursday afternoon of MLB action! We’ve got four games on the early slate to break down, so without further ado…

[1:05 p.m. EST] Kansas City Royals (-105) at Detroit Tigers – Total: 8
KC: Jakob Junis – R (1-0, 4.76 ERA)
DET: Spencer Turnbull – R (0-1, 5.40 ERA)

Junis has absolutely owned the Tigers over the course of his career, going 6-1 with a 3.12 ERA in seven starts (eight appearances) – he went 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA in five starts against them last season. That should be enough confidence, but you have to think this Tigers squad is a bit too giddy after taking the last two games of their series with the Yanks in New York.

Turnbull is still looking for the first win of his MLB career and he’ll have a tough time doing it against a speedy KC bunch. Being mostly a sinker-ball pitcher, Turnbull could get chipped away at in the cold Detroit weather by a lineup that can put a lot of pressure on the Tigers’ defense.

KC’s bullpen has the fourth-worst ERA (7.27), but the Tigers’ bats aren’t doing much damage either, with only 12 runs over the first seven games. It’s time for the turnaround!

Also, the wind will be blowing in at 9 mph from left field, so that should keep the ball in the park a bit more.

* Final Score Prediction: Kansas City Royals: 4 – Detroit Tigers: 3

[1:10 p.m. EST] Washington Nationals at New York Mets (-128) – Total: 6.5
WSH: Stephen Strasburg – R (0-0, 6.00 ERA)
NYM: Noah Syndergaard – R (0-0, 6.00 ERA)

This is a starting pitcher’s rematch from the second game of this season, as the Mets got the 11-8 victory the first time around. Strasburg (8) and Syndergaard (7) had a combined 15 strikeouts in six innings apiece last Saturday, but they also gave up four earned runs each in the process.

Vegas has certainly left its mark on this game with a 6.5-run total, and you have to think we’re heading for a pitcher’s duel. The Nationals will be without one of the best base-stealers in the game, Trea Turner, and that should alleviate a great deal of stress that Syndergaard might have about keeping runners on base. In fact, April has been one of the better months over his career, allowing only one homer in 82 2/3 innings since 2016.

The Stras hasn’t been quite as good as Thor in the month of April, but it is worth noting that he does have a 24-5 record with a 2.52 ERA in 34 road starts since 2016.

All in all, we should look for both pitchers to rebound and put on quite the performance. But we’re giving the Mets the win, given their recent hot streak to begin the 2019 campaign.

* Final Score Prediction: New York Mets: 3 – Washington Nationals: 2

[3:05 p.m. EST] New York Yankees (-200) at Baltimore Orioles – Total: 8
NYY: James Paxton – L (0-1, 1.59 ERA)
BAL: Alex Cobb – R (Season Debut)

It seems like the remaining healthy players on the Yankees’ roster should be sporting bubble-wrap because they could be the next ones to land on the Injured List (it’s still the Disabled List, I don’t care what anyone says). Those remaining Yanks will head to Baltimore to face the Orioles, who are playing the home opener. Typically, this is a place that New York has gone in and dominated, especially in the crowd, but the start to this season has been anything but typical for the Evil Empire.

Alex Cobb was supposed to take the mound on Opening Day for the O’s before a minor injury negated that opportunity. After a dreadful start to the season, Cobb had some good performances down the stretch, but I don’t think we should be looking for more of the same today. And perhaps, it’ll do the Yanks some good to get away from their anxious fans in the Bronx.

James Paxton will take the mound to do what the Yanks paid him to do – win ball games. He wasn’t bad at all in his season debut against this same O’s squad, allowing four hits, one walk and two runs (one earned) over 5 and 2/3 innings while striking out five.

Neither team has been crushing the ball to start the season, but I do think it’ll do the Yankees some good to hit the road and get their minds right. Look for them to get to Cobb early en route to the victory.

* Final Score Prediction: New York Yankees: 8 – Baltimore Orioles 3

[3:37 p.m. EST] Boston Red Sox (-114) at Oakland Athletics – Total: 8.5
BOS: Eduardo Rodriguez – L (0-1, 10.38 ERA)
OAK: Brett Anderson – L (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

The Boston Red Sox capped off a thrilling win on Wednesday night with a three-run ninth inning, and the hope is that they take this momentum into today’s game against Brett Anderson and the A’s bullpen. And Lord knows, the defending champs need to get back on the good foot, with only two wins in their first seven games of the season.

The Red Sox pitching has finally settled down a bit, allowing only four runs in the last two games. This comes after they allowed 41 runs over the first five games of the season — Yikes!!! That trend should continue, as today’s starter Eduardo Rodriguez has a 2-1 record and 2.33 ERA in four career starts against the A’s, including a 1-0 record and 1.69 ERA in two starts at Oakland.

I don’t think the Red Sox pitching woes are fully solved in the bullpen, though. After all, there should be some fatigue after playing all these extra playoff games over the last few years, including the World Series run last season. However, this is a desperate Boston team and they get the bats going today.

* Final Score Prediction: Boston Red Sox: 7 – Oakland Athletics: 4

NBA Betting Preview for Wednesday, April 3

NBA Betting Preview for Wednesday, April 3, 2019

[7:05 p.m. EST] Over 226 – Chicago Bulls at Washington Wizards

Both teams are mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, so we should see a very fun and loose style of play from the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards tonight. After all, both teams (CHI: 26th, WAS: 27th) rank in the bottom-five of the NBA in defensive efficiency. The last two times these teams played the totals were 259 and 246, so the SK value system likes there to be more of the same this evening.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Charlotte Hornets at New Orleans Pelicans (+145 ML)

The Charlotte Hornets are still mathematically alive in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, but the proverbial heart was ripped out of the chest multiple times already on this current West coast trip. SK’s value system loves the Hornets’ suffering to continue, especially with Cody Zeller and Marvin Williams officially ruled out. Charlotte’s key to suffering has been its defense, which has allowed an average of 125.7 points per game during this current road trip. Not to mention, the Hornets are 2-6 in their last eight road games, with one of those wins coming in Toronto on a bizarre half-court shot from Jeremy Lamb at the buzzer.

[10:40 p.m. EST] Under 229 – Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers (-115 ML)

The SK value system has a nice double-play to cap off the evening, giving the advantage to the LA Clippers and the total going under 229 points. The Houston Rockets just put up a nice performance in Sacramento last night so there could be some level of fatigue for them here in the final month of the regular season. While the Rockets want to clinch the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference, the Clippers are trying to jump up a few spots and possibly sneak into the No. 4 seed for home-court advantage in the first round. The Clippers have won each of their two meetings against the Rockets this season.

There’s plenty of motivation for Houston and LA to get the win, so we should see a valiant effort on the defensive end from both sides. After all, 16 of the Rockets’ last 21 games have gone under the total and they do run the NBA’s fifth-slowest tempo. On the back-end of a back-to-back, they could very well take even more time on their possessions.

NBA Betting Preview for Tuesday, April 2

Be sure to check out Spread Knowledge writer Al Walsh on SB Nation’s NBAyd with Gary Ayd tonight at 9:25 p.m. EST.

NBA Betting Preview for Tuesday, April 2

Houston Rockets (-5/-215 ML) at Sacramento Kings – Total: 226

The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings just squared off three days ago, with the Rockets taking the upper hand, 119-108. Typically, in these home-and-home sets, the team that lost the front-end usually comes back to win the back-end.

Not so fast, my friends!

The SK system is a big fan of the Rockets, who are looking to propel themselves back up to the No. 3 seed of the Western Conference playoff picture momentarily. After all, they are 9-1 against the Kings over the last 10 meetings. Not only that but Houston’s star player, James Harden, will look to make one of his last gasps at the NBA’s MVP award after Giannis Antetokounmpo had another memorable performance against the Brooklyn Nets last night.

SK’s system also likes the total to go under 226, as 16 of Houston’s 20 games have suffered that same fate since the All-Star break – the same can be said about Sacramento, which has done the same in five of its last seven. The Kings are tied for the second-fastest pace in the NBA, but Harden and the Rockets will slow it down with the league’s fifth-slowest tempo.

Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors – Total: 219.5

The Golden State Warriors had a long string of games hitting under the total during March, but this game, which could ultimately determine the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, should have them clicking on all cylinders against the Denver Nuggets. Both teams (GS: #1, DEN: #8) find themselves in the Top-10 of the league’s offensive efficiency ranking, and two of the three games between the teams have gone well over the 219.5 total we’ll see tonight. While Denver has struggled a bit on offense of late, we’ll look for Golden State to lead the way and take us to the promised land. After all, the Warriors have netted at least 120 points in three of their last four games.

NBA Betting Preview for Monday, April 1

Happy April Fools Day, everyone! Don’t worry, no lame jokes about getting fooled here today — just straight 🔥🔥🔥 from the Spread Knowledge system once again.

Make sure you follow us on Twitter (@SKSportsBets) and sign up for our 🚨Live Pick Alerts🚨 under Membership in the upper right-hand corner!

NBA Betting Preview

[7:10 p.m. EST] Detroit Pistons at Indiana Pacers (-5.5/-230 ML)

The SK system is showing a lot more favoritism towards the home team Indiana Pacers, despite them losing seven of their last eight games. We can attribute that to a brutal West coast road trip and when they returned home the schedule didn’t get much easier. It’s certainly worth noting how big of a favorite the Pacers are on the moneyline – tied for fourth-highest on the slate. This is also the front-end of a home-and-home series between the two teams, and that usually bodes well for the home team on either end. Look for the Pacers to get back on the good foot tonight, and then we’ll likely have a nice lean on the Detroit Pistons when the two teams meet again on Wednesday.

[7:40 p.m. EST] Chicago Bulls (+3.5/+144 ML) at New York Knicks

Yikes! If this game was played in the 90s, we might have more interest in putting this game on our TVs. However, it’s the 2019 version of the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks – essentially two G-League teams going at one another. While Chicago hasn’t been winning a lot of games lately, that’s because they have been playing some stiff competition. Not tonight, though, as the Bulls will be taking on the Knicks, who own the NBA’s worst record and find themselves in prime position for Zion Williamson with the No. 1 pick. New York has lost 14 of its last 15 games, so the SK system likes the Bulls to keep this one competitive and even get the win tonight.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Portland Trail Blazers (-3.5/-164 ML) at Minnesota Timberwolves 

A lot of people, including myself, had written off the Portland Trail Blazers when Jusuf Nurkic suffered that horrific tibia and fibula injury. Well, Portland has now won two of the last three games, with the only loss coming on the back-end of a back-to-back on Saturday night against the Detroit Pistons. The Minnesota Timberwolves have been mathematically eliminated from the playoff race and don’t have much to play for here in April. On the contrary, the Trail Blazers currently sit in the No. 4 spot of the Western Conference and could move to No. 3 with a win tonight because of their head-to-head tie-breaker over the Houston Rockets. The SK system’s top value play of the night is Portland getting the win outright, with the second-best being them covering the 3.5-point spread. How’s that for conviction?

[9:10 p.m. EST] Charlotte Hornets at Utah Jazz (-11.5/-650 ML)

The Charlotte Hornets came out to the West coast with hopes of staying in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, but things have suddenly gone awry and their defense is mostly to blame. In Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers they allowed 129 points while allowing another 137 in a 47-point loss to the Golden State Warriors last night. Congratulations, Charlotte – now you get to face the Utah Jazz in one of the toughest road environments in the NBA. The SK system and anyone who has ever watched basketball know the Jazz are a solid play against the spread tonight. Utah has won nine of its last 10 games, including each of its last five at home by an average of 15.6 points.

College Basketball and NBA Betting Preview for Saturday, March 30

It’s Saturday night and I know that you’re feeling alright! There are two pivotal games in the Elite 8 tonight for college basketball but don’t you forget about those professional ballplayers now, ya hear? Plenty of matchups on the Saturday docket with playoff implications on the line. Let’s take a look at what the Spread Knowledge system likes above all…

By the way, don’t forget to sign up for our 🚨Live Pick Alerts🚨 sent directly via or email or text!

COLLEGE BASKETBALL BETTING PREVIEW

[6:10 p.m. EST] Gonzaga (-4) vs. Texas Tech

The Gonzaga Bulldogs bring the nation’s top offensive efficiency rating into today’s Elite 8 matchup and the Texas Tech Red Raiders will be waiting there with the nation’s top defensive efficiency rating. Defense might win championships, but the SK system doesn’t think it’ll win this game between the two heavyweights. This is Gonzaga’s third trip to the Elite 9 in the last five seasons and they have a defense that can be quite daunting at times as well. All in all, that will be the difference in the Bulldogs getting the win and covering the spread.

[8:50 p.m. EST] Virginia (-4.5) vs. Purdue

Defense must be the theme of the evening as UVA Cavaliers take on the Purdue Boilermakers. The SK system likes UVA to overcome its first-round misfortunes from last season and move on to the Final Four. The Cavaliers have held their opponents to an average of only 52 points per game during the NCAA Tournament and tonight’s main task will be suffocating Purdue’s Carsen Edwards and Ryan Cline. Look for UVA to get the job done and do so in convincing fashion.

NBA BETTING PREVIEW

[6:10 p.m. EST] Under 228 – Sacramento Kings at Houston Rockets (-526 ML)

The SK system gives us one of its famous double-dips again with the Houston Rockets and under the total of 228. These Rockets are absolutely rolling at the moment, winning 15 of their last 18 games, and will have a chance to move up to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. As for the under in this game – well, you’re in good hands there. Houston games have gone under the total in 15 of its last 19, and as the Rockets start inching toward the playoffs, defense is the one thing they’ll be focusing on more than anything. Look for the Rockets to win this game while keeping the Kings off the scoreboard.

[7:10 p.m. EST] Under 204.5 – Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers

This is a big game for both sides here as the Orlando Magic hit the road to take on the Indiana Pacers. Th Magic are a half-game behind the Miami Heat for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Pacers would love to crawl back to the No. 4 spot with a win and a Boston Celtics’ loss tonight. Magic games have gone under the total in 12 of the last 16 games, while the Pacers played a tough game in Boston last night. Look for the pace to be slowed down a bit and a lot of energy put on the defensive end for both sides in such an important game.

College Basketball and NBA Betting Preview for Friday, March 29

Welcome back for a fantastic Friday night of hoops in the college and pro games! Just as we said yesterday, it’s a great night to put a butt groove in your favorite seat.  Here’s what the Spread Knowledge system has in store for our fanbase tonight!

College Basketball Betting Preview

[7:09 p.m. EST] Michigan State Spartans (-6) vs. LSU Tigers – played in Washington, DC

The Michigan State Spartans are back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015 and they’ll take on an LSU Tigers squad that had to squeak by in each of their first two games of the tournament. The SK system thinks the Tigers’ luck runs out tonight against Sparty, with Tom Izzo and the boys moving on to the Elite 8. LSU failed to cover the spread in those two games and now face a much stiffer test. Michigan State ranks highly in a number of different statistics, including field goal percentage, 3-point percentages, free-throw percentage, offensive rebounding and blocks, so look for them to have a well-rounded performance against LSU en route to victory.

[7:29 p.m. EST] Auburn Tigers (+5.5/+204 ML) vs. UNC Tar Heels – played in Kansas City, MO

It should be a fun night in the CBS studios with Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith having their alma maters matched against each other. But, on the court is where the real action is. The Auburn Tigers got lucky in an opening round win against the New Mexico State Aggies but parlayed that good fate into a second-round clobbering of the Kansas Jayhawks. The SK system likes Auburn to move on to the Elite 8 with an upset win over the North Carolina Tar Heels – as always, if you feel like that’s too much, take the Tigers with the 5.5 points they’re getting. One big loss for UNC could be Nassir Little, who is a true game-time decision with an illness.

Bettors will certainly want to keep an eye for our Live Picks alert during this game, as both teams can put up points in a hurry. If the game gets off to a slow start, you might get a much lower number on the total to take the over. Once again, sign up here for Live Pick alerts!

[9:57 p.m. EST] Kentucky Wildcats (-141 ML) vs. Houston Cougars – played in Kansas City, MO

The Kentucky Wildcats may have P.J. Washington back for this game and would welcome him back with welcome arms. With Washington in the lineup, Kentucky’s offensive metrics are through the roof compared to when he’s absent. Granted, there could be some problems integrating him back into the offense, but it was clear that the Wildcats missed the versatility that Washington brings to the team in their second-round win against Wofford. Kentucky will especially need his presence to improve its 3-point shooting against a Houston Cougars team that defends the arc as well as any team in the nation. All in all, the SK system is in favor of a well-rounded Kentucky team, on the moneyline, that could potentially have its best player back in the lineup.

NBA Betting Preview

[7:10 p.m.] Under 213.5 – Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics

It’s a HUGE matchup tonight as the Indiana Pacers travel to Beantown for a date with the Boston Celtics. Currently, the Pacers have a one-game lead on the Celtics, and this is the first of two meetings between these two teams in a span of eight days. It’s also worth noting, Indiana games have gone under the total in 11 of its last 13. The SK system likes another under, in what should be a hard-fought game between two teams playing for home-court advantage in a series that’ll likely be against each other.

[8:10 p.m.] Under 228.5 – Golden State Warriors (-9.5/-500 ML) at Minnesota Timberwolves

This is a nice combo-play that the SK system loves tonight with the Golden State Warriors over the Minnesota Timberwolves and the under in the game. The Warriors actually just played in Minnesota 10 days ago and won by 10 with the total falling at 224, which resulted in the under hitting. These T-Wolves are well out of the playoff race while the Warriors have a No. 1 seed to clinch. Look for Golden State to take care of business tonight and put its competition out of commission early.

[10:40 p.m.] Charlotte Hornets (-135 ML) at Los Angeles Lakers

In what is SK system’s top pick of the night, the Charlotte Hornets are in an advantageous position against the uninspired Los Angeles Lakers. Charlotte has made an incredible run down the stretch and now find themselves only 1.5 games away from the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets certainly need this game considering their schedule is quite brutal down the stretch, while the Lakers have no interest in winning whatsoever.

Spread Knowledge Live Picks Have a 65 Percent Success Rate

The Spread Knowledge Live Picks are quickly becoming the preferred method of betting for our customers. And for good reason, as these picks are hitting in the NBA, NCAAB and NHL at an absurd rate of about 65 percent.

In fact, the system is doing so well that it caused one of our customers in the United Kingdom to get his account shut down! Before you panic – don’t. This customer, who we’ll keep anonymous, is a successful well-known member of the betting community, so these books are looking for any reason to keep him away from their money.

Recently, this customer reached out to us to give thanks for the picks and offer some advice to help the public better understand our product.

His advice was excellent, especially in basketball, where the game flow can change at a moment’s notice. It is probably the only sport, besides American football, in which 10 points can be scored in a span of 60 seconds. Because of this, bettors need to be on their toes when they see an advantageous spot in the game to be had. But this is where the SK system comes into play, taking most of that guesswork out of the equation.

Don’t miss out on the great success of these Live Picks. Sign up today at SpreadKnowledge.com and get them sent directly to your phone or email.