The PointsBet Hustle® is a newsletter spotlighting our biggest bets, juiciest promos and strongest insights to get you ready for the best betting stretch of your life.
IN THIS ISSUE
PLAYS ON THE PLAY-INS: Can the Bulls pull off another upset?
EXPERT PICKS: BAM! We’ve got NBA & MLB player props and more
Jimmy Butler will try to save the Heat's season. (AP Photo)
Why wait till Friday tipoff? We’re diving in on these Play-In plays now:
[$40] Bulls +5 @ Heat: The Bulls are 3-0 against the Heat this year with all three ‘dubs’ coming by 8+ points – including both games in Miami. Also give the moneyline (+185) a look.
[$25] Bulls-Heat Over 209: Their three regular-season matchups averaged 217.3 points, and Zach LaVine is soaring.
[$20] Thunder +4.5 @ T’Wolves: The Thunder will exploit a reeling Timberwolves team that fell apart at the end of the Lakers game and has lost seven of its last nine home games.
[$15] Race to 10 Points: T’Wolves (-120): With an extra day of rest, Minnesota will come out firing.
EXPERT PICKS
We've got MLB plays (from Ariel Epstein), NBA Futures (from Kazeem 'Kaz' Famuyide), and NBA 'currents' (from Daniel Parisi). It's quite the buffet.
THE PROP QUEEN
Red Sox Team Total over 2.5 runs (-140) @ Rays [1:10 p.m. ET]
“Rays lefty Jeffrey Springs mixes 4-seam fastballs with changeups, and the Red Sox feast on that combo. Also, the Rays might be without two of their top relievers.”
Jays’ Chris Bassitt over 5.5 Ks (+105) vs. Tigers [7:07 p.m. ET]
“Last season he had 6+ Ks against nine of the 13 high-strikeout rate teams he faced. Tigers have the MLB’s sixth-highest K rate versus RHP in 2023.”
THE NBA HOST
Western Conf winner: Suns (+175)
“Phoenix’s lack of depth doesn't worry me because teams shorten up their rotations in the playoffs. Whatever questions you have about Phoenix all lead back to a very simple answer: a healthy Kevin Durant.”
NBA title winner: Bucks (+275)
“The Bucks are deep and well coached. Plus they have the ultimate outlier in Giannis.”
THE POINTSBET ANALYST
Bam Adebayo over 18.5 points (-125) vs. Bulls [7 p.m. Friday]
"I expect Bam to play 40+ minutes in a win-or-go-home game. He will be ultra aggressive and work Nikola Vucevic over in transition for easy buckets."
Trae Young under 25.5 points (-115) @ Celtics [3:30 p.m. Saturday]
"Boston's ability to switch multiple agile guards on Trae will make life hard on the road."
PointsBet is giving away $100 million of Bonus Bets through May 30. So make sure to check your account during every Power Hour (6-7 p.m. ET) for a new Bonus Bet!
The credit is good for all states but NY. See Promotions page in the PointsBet app or website for full promotional Terms & Conditions.
What will lucky Day 13 bring you?
Today’s recommended SGP (+1100): Phillies ML (+115) + Kyle Schwarber HR (+340) + Bailey Falter Over 4.5 Ks (+105)
KEY FACTS: The Sixers swept the season series (4-0), beating the Nets by 29 in the finale. This will be James Harden’s fourth time facing his old team, and his point total has increased each game (11 ↗️ 23 ↗️ 29). Brooklyn’s Jacque Vaughn has never won a playoff game as a head coach while Philly’s Doc Rivers has the fourth-most playoff wins all time (104).
TRENDING: The Sixers are 25-16 ATS at home, but the Nets finished strong on the road (7-2 ATS). The time off before G1 should translate to more points, as the Over is 5-2 in Brooklyn’s last seven with 3+ days off and 13-6 for Philly.
Days from the onset of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, we asked PointsBet client and sharp-as-a-blade Qordaseus “Q” Alexander some pucks questions:
Q: How does playoff hockey differ from the regular season?
A: Overtime periods are 20 minutes, teams are at full strength and there’s no shootout. Last year the Penguins beat the Rangers in triple overtime. From a bettor’s perspective, totals tend to be lower. Defenses “tighten up” and become more conscientious about committing penalties, yielding fewer scoring chances.
Q: Is Boston (+300 to win the Cup) clearly the best team?
A: Yes, and it’s remarkable that they were +2800 before the season. Racking up the most wins (and points) in NHL history, the Boston Bruins went from “washed up and unsure” to one of the best regular-season teams of all time.
Are they invincible? Absolutely not. In the first round they will likely draw the Islanders, which could prove to be problematic. At +300, I feel like all the value is gone.
Q: If not Boston, who?
A: Edmonton (+800). I am always a bit hesitant to back really good power play teams during the playoffs, but PP or not, the Oilers have the NHL’s top two point scorers in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. On any given night, it’s hard to bet against those two.
Getting Jeremy Roach to stay another season would be a big win for Jon Scheyer and Duke.
Who will cut down the nets next April? Here are teams leading the way in PointsBet’s 2024 college basketball title futures.
Duke (+1000): Will Jon Scheyer break through in year two? The Blue Devils have a stacked incoming freshmen class that features five five-star recruits.
Connecticut (+1000): The Huskies opened at +9000 to win the title last year, and those days are long gone.
Kentucky (+1200): The Wildcats have the best freshmen class in the country, thanks to master talent compiler John Calipari landing the two top recruits (Justin Edwards and D.J. Wagner).
Kansas (+1500): The Jayhawks are only one season removed from a national title, but we don’t envy anyone who has to go through the Big 12 gauntlet.
Marquette (+1500): The Big East champs emerged as one of the best teams in the country with Shaka Smart at the helm and Tyler Kolek running point.
Purdue (+2000): The only other No. 1 seed that lost to a No. 16 seed won the national championship the following season. Just saying …
Alabama (+2000): Alabama isn’t just a football school anymore, but just how much will the Crimson Tide miss projected top-5 pick Brandon Miller?
Houston (+2000): The Cougars have been analytical darlings, as they’re the only team to finish in KenPom’s top-5 ratings in each of the past three campaigns.
Michigan State (+2000): Fade Tom Izzo at your own risk. The longtime coach has taken his Spartans to a record 25 straight NCAA tournaments.
Editor’s Note: Looking for a juicy longshot? Colorado is slated to bring back two All-Pac-12 players (Tristan da Silva, KJ Simpson) as well as add a top-10 recruit (Cody Williams) and impact transfer (Eddie Lampkin). That’s easily worth the gamble at +10000.
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Teddy G
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