Best Bets for This Weekend - May 15-16, 2021
The variety of sporting events being played this weekend should catch bettor’s eyes. In addition to the usual - MLB, NHL, and NBA - there is UFC 262 and the second leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.
There’s plenty of action to find this Saturday and Sunday. Here’s a look at the best bets for this weekend.
Hornets-Wizards
A Washington victory over Charlotte on Sunday could have the potential to shake up the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. The Wizards are currently 10th while Charlotte is eighth.
Charlotte and Indiana, which is ninth, have the exact same record (33-36) and both are just one game ahead of Washington.
The Hornets have lost three of their last four games and they have given up 120 points-plus in two of those games.
Washington’s Russell Westbrook has been on fire recently with five straight triple-doubles. He picked up some of the slack when Wizards leading scorer Bradley Beal was out for a few games. Beal scores 31.4 points a game.
Here’s the deal. Charlotte will likely be favored as the Hornets have beaten Washington twice so far this season. But, the Wizards have won 13 of their last 17 games. In those 17 games, they are 13-3-1 ATS. Expect the Hornets to be favored at around -2.5. Play the Wizards to cover.
Click here to see our best bets for last weekend.
Preakness Stakes
The second leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown takes place on Saturday. The Preakness Stakes will be run at 6:50 PM ET.
The favorite is Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit, who is in some hot water after testing positive for a steroid. Trainer Bob Baffert said the steroid was in an antifungal ointment that he applied to the horse.
Regardless, Medina Spirit will run the Preakness and will start in post No. 3. The Kentucky Derby winner is given odds of +180 to win. With a victory, Medina Spirit would become the 37th horse to win both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes.
It’s about as sure a bet as you can get. Concert Tour is listed at +250 and Midnight Bourbon checks in at +500.
The weekend is just to busy to get you a hockey prediction. But did you check out the updated NHL Stanley Cup futures.
UFC 262
Charles Oliviera, winner of his last eight fights, will battle for the lightweight title against Michael Chandler. Chandler is a former Bellator fighter who signed with UFC just last year.
Chandler won his first UFC fight, a first-round knockout of sixth-ranked Dan Hooker.Chandler was an underdog in that fight too. He is given +105 odds to win on Saturday. Chandler has only won five of his fights by decision.
Oliviera, who is listed at -125, is the UFC’s all-time submission leader. He has won 14 of his fights by submission more than any other UFC fighter. Riding an eight-fight win streak, it’s hard to bet against Oliviera.
Here are some of the first things you need to know about starting your own online sportsbook.
Lakers @ Pelicans
These two teams have split two games this season. The home team has won both times. New Orleans will likely be eliminated from the play-in tournament prior to this game on Sunday.
The Lakers may need a win to move into sixth-place and avoid the play-in tourney. What that is going to lead to is a barrage of points. Expect the Pelicans to jack more three-pointers than they usually do (30.6 per game). With nothing to lose, New Orleans, which is eighth in the league in scoring, will look to pad its stats.
L.A. will have to keep up and with Anthony Davis and LeBron James most likely in the lineup together, expect plenty of points from the Lakers.
The game total will most likely be right around 220. Take the Over all the way up to 221.5.
