Spencer Closs

Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.

EPL Matchday 1 odds, schedule and betting notes: Chelsea hosts Crystal Palace, Arsenal clashes with Manchester United

EPL Matchday 1 odds

We’re quickly approaching the start of the 2025-26 EPL season.

Today’s MLB narrative: The action will begin this Friday with reigning champion Liverpool taking on Bournemouth. For the final match of the opening weekend, two powerhouses meet when Arsenal visits Manchester United.

Check out the latest EPL odds for Matchday 1 below.

EPL odds and betting insights

  • Liverpool dominated English football last season. It won the trophy with a league-best +45 goal differential. Bournemouth was surprisingly good, finishing ninth in the EPL. However, it would be a huge upset if the Reds lost at home to start the season.
  • Aston Villa and Newcastle United take part in an underrated Matchday 1 fixture. Villa finished sixth in the Premiership last season while Newcastle finished just ahead in fifth. The sides tied on points (66), but the Magpies held a better goal differential (+22).
  • Tottenham finished one spot off relegation (with a 13-point cushion) but have a good shot as a heavy favourite to get off on the right foot. The Spurs will get the first look at newly-promoted Burnley.
  • Chelsea has more momentum than any other team heading into Matchday 1. The London club won the FIFA Club World Cup, stifling PSG, 3-0, in the final. Crystal Palace has finished near the middle of the table for a handful of seasons in a row and should be a tough out again this year.
  • Arsenal saw its most recent title push ruined by injuries, and the hope is that a fully healthy, more experienced squad can overcome the hump that is winning an EPL title. Manchester United have all the name value but finished 15th last season.
  • The Red Devils’ newest signing, Bryan Mbeumo, adds a dangerous attacker to the mix. He scored 20 goals and gave 7 assists in the EPL last season for Brentford.

Go to full EPL betting markets.

EPL Matchday 1 odds

Liverpool (-334) vs. Bournemouth (+750)
Aug. 15 3:00 p.m. ET

Aston Villa (+125) vs. Newcastle United (+210)
Aug. 16 7:30 a.m. ET

Brighton (-106) vs. Fulham (+285)
Aug. 16 10:00 a.m. ET

Sunderland (+220) vs. West Ham (+130)
Aug. 16 10:00 a.m. ET

Tottenham (-250) vs. Burnley (+700)
Aug. 16 10:00 a.m. ET

Wolves (+550) vs. Manchester City (-200)
Aug. 16 12:30 p.m. ET

Chelsea (-167) vs. Crystal Palace (+450)
Aug. 17 9:00 a.m. ET

Nottingham Forrest (+115) vs. Brentford (+255)
Aug. 17 9:00 a.m. ET

Manchester United (+275) vs. Arsenal (+100)
Aug. 17 11:30 a.m. ET

Leeds United (+155) vs. Everton (+190)
Aug. 17 3:00 p.m. ET

EPL odds as of 4:42 p.m. ET on 08/14/2025.

EPL Matchday 1 odds, schedule and betting notes: Chelsea hosts Crystal Palace, Arsenal clashes with Manchester United

EPL Matchday 1 odds

We’re quickly approaching the start of the 2025-26 EPL season.

Today’s MLB narrative: The action will begin on Friday with reigning champion Liverpool taking on Bournemouth. For the final match of the opening weekend, two powerhouses meet when Arsenal visits Manchester United.

Check out the latest EPL odds for Matchday 1 below.

EPL odds and betting insights

  • Liverpool dominated English football last season. It won the trophy with a league-best +45 goal differential. Bournemouth was surprisingly good, finishing ninth in the EPL. However, it would be a huge upset if the Reds lost at home to start the season.
  • Aston Villa and Newcastle United take part in an underrated Matchday 1 fixture. Villa finished sixth in the Premiership last season while Newcastle finished just ahead in fifth. The sides tied on points (66), but the Magpies held a better goal differential (+22).
  • Tottenham finished one spot off relegation (with a 13-point cushion) but have a good shot as a heavy favourite to get off on the right foot. The Spurs will get the first look at newly promoted Burnley.
  • Chelsea has more momentum than any other team heading into Matchday 1. The London club won the FIFA Club World Cup, stifling PSG, 3-0, in the final. Crystal Palace has finished near the middle of the table for a handful of seasons in a row and should be a tough out again this year.
  • Arsenal saw its most recent title push ruined by injuries, and the hope is that a fully healthy, more experienced squad can overcome the hump that is winning an EPL title. Manchester United have all the name value but finished 15th last season.
  • The Red Devils’ newest signing, Bryan Mbeumo, adds a dangerous attacker to the mix. He scored 20 goals and gave 7 assists in the EPL last season for Brentford.

EPL betting markets.

EPL Matchday 1 odds

Liverpool (-315) vs. Bournemouth (+750)
Aug. 15 3:00 p.m. ET

Aston Villa (+128) vs. Newcastle United (+215)
Aug. 16 7:30 a.m. ET

Brighton (-104) vs. Fulham (+300)
Aug. 16 10:00 a.m. ET

Tottenham (-265) vs. Burnley (+800)
Aug. 16 10:00 a.m. ET

Sunderland (+220) vs. West Ham (+135)
Aug. 16 10:00 a.m. ET

Wolves (+525) vs. Manchester City (-195)
Aug. 16 12:30 p.m. ET

Chelsea (-165) vs. Crystal Palace (+450)
Aug. 16 3:00 p.m. ET

Nottingham Forrest (+110) vs. Brentford (+280)
Aug. 17 9:00 a.m. ET

Manchester United (+280) vs. Arsenal (+102)
Aug. 17 11:30 a.m. ET

Leeds United (+155) vs. Everton (+195)
Aug. 17 3:00 p.m. ET

EPL odds as of 4:21 p.m. ET on 08/14/2025.

UFC 319 predictions, odds and fight card: Best bets for Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, Murphy vs. Pico

UFC 319 predictions

At long last, Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight title.

The pre-fight narrative: The 185-pounder is undefeated as a martial artist and he is currently a sizeable favourite to win the belt. The champ, Du Plessis, has overcome underdog status before, though, and looks for his third title defence.

Check out the odds, fight card and my UFC 319 predictions for the Aug. 16 event in Chicago.

UFC 319 predictions

Best bet: Any fighter to win by submission (+104)

Chimaev is +135 to win by submission, so I’m happy taking the small hit to include Du Plessis as well.

After all, the champ does have two wins by submission in his last six fights. He’s known for his striking, but he’s an underrated wrestler who’s slick when he gets his opponent’s back.

When he defended his belt against Israel Adesanya, he hurt the former middleweight king on the feet before chasing his back and finding a rear-naked choke.

Do I expect Du Plessis to sub Chimaev? No, but it’s within the realm of possibilities, and the insurance is worth the price.

Now, let’s dive into Chimaev, who is 9-0 in the UFC with four submission victories.

He is relentless in chasing takedowns and needed less than five minutes to submit Robert Whittaker his last time out.

Chimaev averages 4.3 takedowns per 15 minutes and 2.4 submission attempts. Even in his draw with Kamaru Usman, the 31-year-old has the former champs back for the entirety of the first round before gassing out.

Usman is a much better wrestler than Du Plessis, and that was Chimaev’s first bout back after a long layoff due to injuries.

The champ has faced three straight strikers (Sean Strickland twice, Adesanya), so he was able to avoid the wrestling. But he was taken down at least once in three straight fights before.

Du Plessis is a great scrambler, but his 50% takedown defence is worrisome in this matchup.

Key stat: Chimaev has attempted a submission in seven of his nine UFC bouts. One of the fights in which he didn’t was a 17-second knockout over Gerald Meerschaert.

Fight card and odds

FighterOddsWeight classOddsFighter
Dricus Du Plessis (C)+195Middleweight-240Khamzat Chimaev (3)
Lerone Murphy (6)+140Featherweight -182Aaron Pico
Geoff Neal (11)+190Welterweight-264Carlos Prates (12)
Jarred Cannonier (9)+155Middleweight-209Micheal Page
Tim Elliott (11)+250Flyweight-350Kai Asukara (15)

Click link to add selection to betslip. Note: Lines have changed/market no longer available if grey.

UFC 319 odds as of 3:52 p.m. on 08/14/2025.

See all UFC 319 betting lines

UFC best bet

Murphy to win (+134): This line feels off to me.

  • Murphy is 8-0-1 in the UFC and undefeated overall as a martial artist (14-0-1)
  • His draw came in his first bout with the organization before the Englishman rattled off eight straight wins over some of the division’s toughest competitors.
  • Pico is a 13-4 fighter who spent most of his time in Bellator and, more recently, the PFL.
  • His only defeat in his last 10 bouts was due to Pico getting injured and the fight ending prematurely.

But I cannot get behind his record against non-UFC competition. He faced a lot of lower-tier fighters, with his best win coming over a 38-year-old Henry Corrales (21-7).

Murphy, on the other hand, is coming off a dominant decision win over the ever-dangerous Josh Emmett.

In fact, that’s five consecutive decision wins for Murphy, as he uses his great wrestling (54% takedown defence) and elite striking defence (61%) to pull away on the judges’ scorecards.

It’s also worth noting that fighters who recently moved from other top promotions have struggled in the UFC.

Both Patricio Pitbull and Kai Asukara were champs in Bellator/ONE before being dominated in their UFC debuts by ranked fighters.

UFC 319 predictions, odds and fight card: Best bets for Du Plessis vs. Chimaev, Murphy vs. Pico

UFC 319 predictions

At long last, Khamzat Chimaev will challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight title.

The pre-fight narrative: The 185-pounder is undefeated as a martial artist and he is currently a sizeable favourite to win the belt. The champ, Du Plessis, has overcome underdog status before, though, and looks for his third title defence.

Check out the odds, fight card and my UFC 319 predictions for the Aug. 16 event in Chicago.

UFC 319 predictions

Best bet: Any fighter to win by submission (+104)

Chimaev is +135 to win by submission, so I’m happy taking the small hit to include Du Plessis as well.

After all, the champ does have two wins by submission in his last six fights. He’s known for his striking, but he’s an underrated wrestler who’s slick when he gets his opponent’s back.

When he defended his belt against Israel Adesanya, he hurt the former middleweight king on the feet before chasing his back and finding a rear-naked choke.

Do I expect Du Plessis to sub Chimaev? No, but it’s within the realm of possibilities, and the insurance is worth the price.

Now, let’s dive into Chimaev, who is 9-0 in the UFC with four submission victories.

He is relentless in chasing takedowns and needed less than five minutes to submit Robert Whittaker his last time out.

Chimaev averages 4.3 takedowns per 15 minutes and 2.4 submission attempts. Even in his draw with Kamaru Usman, the 31-year-old has the former champs back for the entirety of the first round before gassing out.

Usman is a much better wrestler than Du Plessis, and that was Chimaev’s first bout back after a long layoff due to injuries.

The champ has faced three straight strikers (Sean Strickland twice, Adesanya), so he was able to avoid the wrestling. But he was taken down at least once in three straight fights before.

Du Plessis is a great scrambler, but his 50% takedown defence is worrisome in this matchup.

Key stat: Chimaev has attempted a submission in seven of his nine UFC bouts. One of the fights in which he didn’t was a 17-second knockout over Gerald Meerschaert.

Fight card and odds

FighterOddsWeight classOddsFighter
Dricus Du Plessis (C)+195Middleweight-240Khamzat Chimaev (3)
Lerone Murphy (6)+135Featherweight -167Aaron Pico
Geoff Neal (11)+195Welterweight-250Carlos Prates (12)
Jarred Cannonier (9)+155Middleweight-195Micheal Page
Tim Elliott (11)+230Flyweight-305Kai Asukara (15)

Click link to add selection to betslip. Note: Lines have changed/market no longer available if grey.

UFC 319 odds as of 1:29 p.m. on 08/14/2025.

See all UFC 319 betting lines

UFC best bet

Murphy to win (+134): This line feels off to me.

  • Murphy is 8-0-1 in the UFC and undefeated overall as a martial artist (14-0-1)
  • His draw came in his first bout with the organization before the Englishman rattled off eight straight wins over some of the division’s toughest competitors.
  • Pico is a 13-4 fighter who spent most of his time in Bellator and, more recently, the PFL.
  • His only defeat in his last 10 bouts was due to Pico getting injured and the fight ending prematurely.

But I cannot get behind his record against non-UFC competition. He faced a lot of lower-tier fighters, with his best win coming over a 38-year-old Henry Corrales (21-7).

Murphy, on the other hand, is coming off a dominant decision win over the ever-dangerous Josh Emmett.

In fact, that’s five consecutive decision wins for Murphy, as he uses his great wrestling (54% takedown defence) and elite striking defence (61%) to pull away on the judges’ scorecards.

It’s also worth noting that fighters who recently moved from other top promotions have struggled in the UFC.

Both Patricio Pitbull and Kai Asukara were champs in Bellator/ONE before being dominated in their UFC debuts by ranked fighters.

Cincinnati Open women’s round of 16 picks and predictions: Best bets on Seidel vs. Grecheva, Kudermetova vs. Linette

Cincinnati Open predictions

The women’s round of 16 goes down at the Cincinnati Open on Thursday.

The pregame narrative: Ella Seidel and Varvara Grecheva have little separating them and a long gruelling match should be expected between the two overachieving competitors. Later on, Veronika Kudermetova and Magda Linette face off for the last spot in the quarterfinal.

Check out my top Cincinnati Open predictions for the round of 16.

Cincinnati Open predictions

Best Bet: Kudermetova -2.5 games (-118)

Linette made a statement in the round of 32, beating No. 4-ranked Jessica Pegula. But I still can’t get behind her recent results.

  • She’s lost five of her past eight matches.
  • Her opponent covered this spread in all five losses.

Since the start of last season, Linette is 25-26 on hardcourts. Her 21-19 overall record in 2025 is nothing special either.

On the other hand, Kudermetova is 31-19 in 2025 and 18-10 on this playing surface.

The Russian has also been much better at holding serve, showing how hard she’s been to break.

Key stat: Kudermetova has held 83% (29/35) of her service games at the Cincinnati Open compared to Linette who has a 76% hold rate (19/25).

Full tennis betting markets

Seidel vs. Gracheva best bet

Over 21.5 games (-120): Seidel has been relentless at this event, putting away back-to-back top 40-ranked players.

She did need all three sets in each match, however, and overall has gone the distance in four of her five wins at the Cincinnati Open.

Her opponent in the round of 16, Gracheva, has also needed all three sets in two of her past three wins.

While both players are rolling, neither has won more than 56% of their total games at the Cincinnati Open, making it difficult for either player to pull away in their matches.

The 20-year-old German has been extremely resilient at this event and I expect that to continue as she searches for her first WTA Tour title.

I also want to note that this is a lower total that these players can go over in two close sets.

Cincinnati Open predictions made at 12:28 p.m. on 08/14/2025.

Cubs vs. Blue Jays SGP predictions Aug. 14: Back Toronto behind offensive surge from Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Cubs vs. Blue Jays predictions

The Toronto Blue Jays have the chance to win their series with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

The pregame narrative: Max Scherzer looks to continue his strong string of starts for the Blue Jays. He’ll take the mound opposite Chicago’s Matthew Boyd. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been tearing the cover off the ball in the second half of the season and has another Grade-A matchup to take advantage of.

Check out my Royals vs. Blue Jays same-game parlay predictions for Aug. 14, featuring Guerrero and Davis Schneider.

Cubs vs. Blue Jays predictions

Parlay: Blue Jays ML | Guerrero over 1.5 bases | Schneider over 0.5 hits (+390)

Blue Jays ML (-109): A few things are working in favour of the Blue Jays, and it starts with the pitching matchup.

  • Scherzer has been dealing over his past three starts. He has a 2.84 ERA with 21 strikeouts over 19 innings of work.
  • The Cubs’ offence has a .207 career average off Scherzer with a 31.4% K rate.

Left-hander Boyd gets the start for Toronto and in a small 16-plate-appearance sample size, the Jays have six hits (.375 BA).

That includes Bo Bichette and Guerrero going a combined 3-for-4 off Boyd. It’s also worth noting that none of those 16 plate appearances ended in strikeouts.

The lefty has given up eight earned runs over the past three starts (19.0 IP), and his 3.82 xFIP is worse than his actual FIP (3.13) and much higher than his ERA (2.45).

It feels like Boyd will continue to regress after a spectacular start to the season, and I want to take advantage by backing Toronto as a pick’em.

Embed: #117140

MLB SGP legs

Guerrero over 1.5 bases (+110): I want to focus back in on Toronto’s top slugger.

Let’s start by highlighting his stats vs. left-handed pitchers:

  • .306/.409/.481 slash line
  • 11-of-33 hits have gone for extra bases (four home runs).

On top of that, Boyd throws a four-seam fastball or changeup over 65% of the time. Guerrero has a .300 xBA or better against both of those pitches.

He notably crushes fastballs, slugging .606 and batting north of .330 off the offering.

Finally, Guerrero has been on a heater since all-star break. In the 25 games since, the slugging first baseman has a .376 average with a 1.131 OPS. Both numbers would lead MLB over the full season.

In that span, he has 69 total bases and is 15-10 against this wager.

Schneider over 0.5 hits (-134): In recent days, Schneider has worked himself into the top of the Jays’ order when a lefty is on the mound.

And it’s worked wonders. He is batting .344 over his past nine games with just seven Ks. That’s a positive for Schneider, who has a season-long 26.4% K rate.

He has at least a hit in seven of his past nine starts and is once again in the leadoff spot with Boyd on the mound for Chicago.

That means Schneider should have as many at-bats as anyone in this game.

Boyd has a 91st percentile walk rate (5.4), per Baseball Savant, so there should be lots of action over the plate, and Schneider has been hot at the dish.

Cubs vs. Blue Jays predictions made at 11:21 a.m. ET on 08/14/2025.

Cincinnati Open women’s round of 16 picks and predictions: Best bets on Seidel vs. Grecheva, Kudermetova vs. Linette

Cincinnati Open predictions

The women’s round of 16 goes down at the Cincinnati Open on Thursday.

The pregame narrative: Ella Seidel and Varvara Grecheva have little separating them and a long gruelling match should be expected between the two overachieving competitors. Later on, Veronika Kudermetova and Magda Linette face off for the last spot in the quarterfinal.

Check out my top Cincinnati Open predictions for the round of 16.

Cincinnati Open predictions

Best Bet: Kudermetova -2.5 games (-113)

Linette made a statement in the round of 32, beating No. 4-ranked Jessica Pegula. But I still can’t get behind her recent results.

  • She’s lost five of her past eight matches.
  • Her opponent covered this spread in all five losses.

Since the start of last season, Linette is 25-26 on hardcourts. Her 21-19 overall record in 2025 is nothing special either.

On the other hand, Kudermetova is 31-19 in 2025 and 18-10 on this playing surface.

The Russian has also been much better at holding serve, showing how hard she’s been to break.

Key stat: Kudermetova has held 83% (29/35) of her service games at the Cincinnati Open compared to Linette who has a 76% hold rate (19/25).

Full tennis betting markets

Seidel vs. Gracheva best bet

Over 21.5 games (-117): Seidel has been relentless at this event, putting away back-to-back top 40-ranked players.

She did need all three sets in each match, however, and overall has gone the distance in four of her five wins at the Cincinnati Open.

Her opponent in the round of 16, Gracheva, has also needed all three sets in two of her past three wins.

While both players are rolling, neither has won more than 56% of their total games at the Cincinnati Open, making it difficult for either player to pull away in their matches.

The 20-year-old German has been extremely resilient at this event and I expect that to continue as she searches for her first WTA Tour title.

I also want to note that this is a lower total that these players can go over in two close sets.

Cincinnati Open predictions made at 9:54 a.m. on 08/14/2025.

Cincinnati Open round of 32 picks and predictions Aug. 11: Best bets for Fonseca vs. Atmane, Mannarino vs. Paul

Cincinnati Open predictions

The round of 32 starts at the Cincinnati Open on Monday.

The pregame narrative: Tommy Paul has only played three matches since the start of July, but he looked good in the round of 64 and gets another soft matchup against Adrian Mannarino. Before that, Joao Fonseca looks to build on his strong year vs. Terence Atmane.

Check out my top Cincinnati Open predictions for Aug. 11.

Cincinnati Open predictions

Best Bet: Fonseca under 12.5 games won (+105)

This is my way of backing the Brazilian teenager to win in straight sets while avoiding his -138 pricetag. If you want to go that route, I support it, but I’m confident he can win comfortably.

  • Fonseca is 30-12 this season (17-4 on hardcourts).
  • He is 28-8 on the playing surface in his career.

It’s far and away his best court type, and I want to take advantage.

Fonseca has a much tougher task in the round of 64 against a red-hot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who was 6-2 in his last eight before that with two wins over top 10 opponents (Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton).

He did need some luck in that match, as Davidovich Fokina retired in the second set, but the games won were even to that point, and Fonseca was holding his own.

On Monday, Fonseca takes a step down in competition, taking on Atmane (No. 136). The Frenchman is 22-13 on hardcourts in 2025 but played most of his time on the Challenger Tour.

Key stat: This is the first time Atmane has advanced past the second round at an ATP event this season. Four of his last five losses have come in straight sets.

Full tennis betting markets

Mannarino vs. Paul best bet

Paul -1.5 sets (-150): Several things are working in favour of Paul in this matchup:

  • Paul is the better player, ranking No. 16 on the ATP Tour, with a 27-11 record this season.
  • Mannarino is No. 89 in the world and holds a 25-27 record in 2025 (8-11 on hardcourts).
  • Since the start of last season, he’s 17-28 on the surface.
  • Finally, the 38-year-old has played three more matches than Paul to this point. That’s equated to more than four extra hours of tennis for Mannarino.

For much of the summer, Paul was dealing with lingering injury issues that culminated in him being upset in the second round at Wimbledon after suffering a ruptured tendon in his foot.

The American decided to take some much-needed time to recover, and he looks rejuvenated ahead of the final stretch of the season.

Paul is coming off a dominant straight-set win over Pedro Martinez Portero (No. 66) in the round of 64 (6-2, 6-2).

Cincinnati Open predictions made at 3:03 p.m. on 08/10/2025.

Cincinnati Open round of 32 picks and predictions Aug. 11: Best bets for Fonseca vs. Atmane, Mannarino vs. Paul

Cincinnati Open predictions

The round of 32 starts at the Cincinnati Open on Monday.

The pregame narrative: Tommy Paul has only played three matches since the start of July, but he looked good in the round of 64 and gets another soft matchup against Adrian Mannarino. Before that, Joao Fonseca looks to build on his strong year vs. Terence Atmane.

Check out my top Cincinnati Open predictions for Aug. 11.

Cincinnati Open predictions

Best Bet: Fonseca under 12.5 games won (+120)

This is my way of backing the Brazilian teenager to win in straight sets while avoiding his -150 pricetag. If you want to go that route, I support it, but I’m confident he can win comfortably.

  • Fonseca is 30-12 this season (17-4 on hardcourts).
  • He is 28-8 on the playing surface in his career.

It’s far and away his best court type, and I want to take advantage.

Fonseca has a much tougher task in the round of 64 against a red-hot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who was 6-2 in his last eight before that with two wins over top 10 opponents (Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton).

He did need some luck in that match, as Davidovich Fokina retired in the second set, but the games won were even to that point, and Fonseca was holding his own.

On Monday, Fonseca takes a step down in competition, taking on Atmane (No. 136). The Frenchman is 22-13 on hardcourts in 2025 but played most of his time on the Challenger Tour.

Key stat: This is the first time Atmane has advanced past the second round at an ATP event this season. Four of his last five losses have come in straight sets.

Full tennis betting markets

Mannarino vs. Paul best bet

Paul -1.5 sets (-143): Several things are working in favour of Paul in this matchup:

  • Paul is the better player, ranking No. 16 on the ATP Tour, with a 27-11 record this season.
  • Mannarino is No. 89 in the world and holds a 25-27 record in 2025 (8-11 on hardcourts).
  • Since the start of last season, he’s 17-28 on the surface.
  • Finally, the 38-year-old has played three more matches than Paul to this point. That’s equated to more than four extra hours of tennis for Mannarino.

For much of the summer, Paul was dealing with lingering injury issues that culminated in him being upset in the second round at Wimbledon after suffering a ruptured tendon in his foot.

The American decided to take some much-needed time to recover, and he looks rejuvenated ahead of the final stretch of the season.

Paul is coming off a dominant straight-set win over Pedro Martinez Portero (No. 66) in the round of 64 (6-2, 6-2).

Cincinnati Open predictions made at 3:03 p.m. on 08/10/2025.

Best WNBA prop bets Aug. 10: Expect A’ja Wilson to feast vs. Connecticut

WNBA prop bets

There are two late-night games on the WNBA schedule for Sunday, and I’ve got one prop pick from each.

The latest: Three-time MVP A’ja Wilson has the opportunity to show out against one of the league’s worst defensive teams. Elsewhere, Skylar Diggins has taken her playmaking to the next level and is worth backing against the Los Angeles Sparks.

Check out the best WNBA prop bets for Aug. 10.

WNBA prop bets

Best bet: Wilson over 21.5 points (-124)

The Las Vegas Aces forward probably won’t be adding a third MVP to her resume this season, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been cooking.

  • Wilson ranks second in the WNBA with a 21.8 points per game average.
  • She’s averaged 23.5 PPG over her last 11 games and scored 24+ in six of those contests.

And now she plays the Connecticut Sun, who rank tied for last in points allowed per game (87.7).

Wilson takes over 15 field goals per game and shoots 48.8%, giving her one of the highest scoring floors in the WNBA.

Key stat: Wilson is 2-1 against this line vs. the Sun this season, shooting 52.4% from the field.

Full WNBA betting markets

Best WNBA picks

Diggins over 5.5 assists (-120): I love the value here with how Diggins has been playing.

She hasn’t been shooting that well, but it’s only forced her to lean on her court vision to be effective.

  • Diggins averages the fifth most assists per game in the WNBA (5.8)
  • She’s 4-1 against the wager over her last five, averaging 6.8 assists.

When she played the Sun recently, Diggins dished out 11 assists. The correlation here is that the Sparks are the team tied for most points allowed per game (87.7).

The assist opportunities should be plentiful against the Sparks, who allowed 91.3 PPG over the last six games.

Diggins is 2-0 against this wager vs. L.A. this season.

WNBA prop picks made at 1:47 p.m. ET on 08/10/2025.