Contributing Writer

Best MLB prop bets May 25: Back Acuna Jr. and Harper at the dish on Sunday

Three star players are the target on my MLB prop bets for Sunday.

Today’s MLB props narrative: Ronald Acuna Jr. is back, healthy and on a tear to start his season. His Atlanta Braves have a chance to win their series against the San Diego Padres this afternoon.

Check out the best MLB prop bets for May 25, featuring predictions on Bryce Harper and Bobby Witt Jr.

MLB prop bets

Best Bet: Acuna Jr. over 1.5 total bases (+115)

It’s easy to buy into the hype of a returning player, but Acuna is a legit top-five talent when healthy.

He’s been quick to remind us after hitting home runs in back-to-back games to start his 2025 campaign.

On Sunday, Acuna faces Dylan Cease, who’s capable of shutting down any offence on any day. But I like this matchup for Acuna, so I’ll back him in a market that relies solely on his bat.

Acuna is 3-for-4 in his career vs. the right-handed hurler with two walks. The walks don’t help with this pick, but they demonstrate his ability to see the ball out of Cease’s hand.

The Braves’ superstar bats in the leadoff spot, so that’ll maximize his at-bats in this game, giving him ample opportunity to cash this over for a third straight time.

Key stat: In Acuna’s last healthy season (2023), he led the league with 386 total bases.

Best MLB picks

Harper over 0.5 RBI (+115): The Phillies have the benefit of facing a rookie starter today.

The Oakland A’s send Gunnar Hoglund to the mound for his fifth start in the majors. He’s struggled so far, posting a 5.06 ERA and 1.41 WHIP while giving up nine earned runs over his last two starts (9.3 IP).

That brings me to Harper, who’s on a tear over his past 18 games:

.348 BA
.999 OPS
14 RBI (11-7 vs. this prop).

Trea Turner bats leadoff for the Phillies, right in front of Harper, and he ranks 10th in the MLB with 58 total bases over the last 30 days.

If Turner can reach base, his 14 stolen bases also come in handy.

The one-two punch should continue rolling in a soft matchup against an inexperienced pitcher.

Witt Jr over 1.5 total bases (-106): Let’s finish with an early-afternoon pick on a big-time slugger.

Witt is a true five-tool player who can hit for power and use his speed effectively on the basepaths.

He ranks 12th in MLB with 105 total bases.

He’s gone over 1.5 bases in 29 of 54 games played this season (54.7%).

The other thing working in Witt’s favour is the matchup on Sunday. He faces Bailey Ober for the Minnesota Twins and is 11-for-22 against the righty.

In that 22-at-bat sample, Witt has only struck out twice.

He sees Ober very well, and I want to back him in a market that’s completely in his control.

MLB prop picks made at 10:05 a.m. ET on 05/25/2025.

Best MLB prop bets May 25: Back Acuna Jr. and Harper at the dish on Sunday

Three star players are the target on my MLB prop bets for Sunday.

Today’s MLB props narrative: Ronald Acuna Jr. is back, healthy and on a tear to start his season. His Atlanta Braves have a chance to win their series against the San Diego Padres this afternoon.

Check out the best MLB prop bets for May 25, featuring predictions on Bryce Harper and Bobby Witt Jr.

MLB prop bets

Best Bet: Acuna Jr. over 1.5 total bases (+110)

It’s easy to buy into the hype of a returning player, but Acuna is a legit top-five talent when healthy.

He’s been quick to remind us after hitting home runs in back-to-back games to start his 2025 campaign.

On Sunday, Acuna faces Dylan Cease, who’s capable of shutting down any offence on any day. But I like this matchup for Acuna, so I’ll back him in a market that relies solely on his bat.

Acuna is 3-for-4 in his career vs. the right-handed hurler with two walks. The walks don’t help with this pick, but they demonstrate his ability to see the ball out of Cease’s hand.

The Braves’ superstar bats in the leadoff spot, so that’ll maximize his at-bats in this game, giving him ample opportunity to cash this over for a third straight time.

Key stat: In Acuna’s last healthy season (2023), he led the league with 386 total bases.

Embed: #114137

Best MLB picks

Harper over 0.5 RBI (+115): The Phillies have the benefit of facing a rookie starter today.

The Oakland A’s send Gunnar Hoglund to the mound for his fifth start in the majors. He’s struggled so far, posting a 5.06 ERA and 1.41 WHIP while giving up nine earned runs over his last two starts (9.3 IP).

That brings me to Harper, who’s on a tear over his past 18 games:

.348 BA
.999 OPS
14 RBI (11-7 vs. this prop).

Trea Turner bats leadoff for the Phillies, right in front of Harper, and he ranks 10th in the MLB with 58 total bases over the last 30 days.

If Turner can reach base, his 14 stolen bases also come in handy.

The one-two punch should continue rolling in a soft matchup against an inexperienced pitcher.

Witt Jr over 1.5 total bases (-110): Let’s finish with an early-afternoon pick on a big-time slugger.

Witt is a true five-tool player who can hit for power and use his speed effectively on the basepaths.

He ranks 12th in MLB with 105 total bases.

He’s gone over 1.5 bases in 29 of 54 games played this season (54.7%).

The other thing working in Witt’s favour is the matchup on Sunday. He faces Bailey Ober for the Minnesota Twins and is 11-for-22 against the righty.

In that 22-at-bat sample, Witt has only struck out twice.

He sees Ober very well, and I want to back him in a market that’s completely in his control.

MLB prop picks made at 10:05 a.m. ET on 05/25/2025.

PSG vs. Inter Milan Champions League final best bets: Back Lautaro Martinez in Munich

It all comes down to one final match between PSG and Inter Milan for this season’s Champions League trophy.

The pregame narrative: Both sides were undoubtedly two of the strongest throughout this entire competition. They meet on neutral ground to decide who will be crowned Europe’s best.

Check out my PSG vs. Inter Milan best bets for May 31, featuring Lautaro Martinez.

PSG vs. Inter Milan best bets

Under 2.5 goals (-120): These two offences can net goals, there’s no denying that, but there are a few reasons to like the under when they meet in the final:

Inter has built its identity on defence, conceding a measly 0.8 goals against per game in this competition.

PSG ranks just behind with 0.9 goals conceded per match.

Inter has kept a clean sheet in over half of its Champions League games this season (eight of 14).

In a winner-take-all final, neither team should look to take any risks when in possession.

That’s been the case over recent years, and I don’t expect two defensively strong sides to break the trend.

Key Stat: The past six Champions League finals have stayed under this total with an average of 1.3 goals per match.

Go to full Champions League betting markets.

Quick pick

Martinez anytime goalscorer (+210): I love the value here on one of the competition’s top scorers.

The Argentine striker ranks fifth in the UCL with nine goals in 13 matches.

He was amazing in the knockout stages, scoring four goals and going 4-1 against this wager.

Martinez went without a goal in the first leg of the semifinal against Barcelona, but he only played 45 minutes in that match.

He played 70-plus minutes in the other four games and found his way onto the score sheet against some of the world’s best teams (Barcelona, Bayern Munich).

Martinez hasn’t played since the second leg of the semifinal on May 5 and should be fit and ready to play the full 90 in the most important game of Inter’s season.

PSG vs. Inter Milan best bets made at 4:16 p.m. on 05/24/2025.

PSG vs. Inter Milan Champions League final best bets: Back Lautaro Martinez in Munich

It all comes down to one final match between PSG and Inter Milan for this season’s Champions League trophy.

The pregame narrative: Both sides were undoubtedly two of the strongest throughout this entire competition. They meet on neutral ground to decide who will be crowned Europe’s best.

Check out my PSG vs. Inter Milan best bets for May 31, featuring Lautaro Martinez.

PSG vs. Inter Milan best bets

Under 2.5 goals (-127): These two offences can net goals, there’s no denying that, but there are a few reasons to like the under when they meet in the final:

Inter has built its identity on defence, conceding a measly 0.8 goals against per game in this competition.

PSG ranks just behind with 0.9 goals conceded per match.

Inter has kept a clean sheet in over half of its Champions League games this season (eight of 14).

In a winner-take-all final, neither team should look to take any risks when in possession.

That’s been the case over recent years, and I don’t expect two defensively strong sides to break the trend.

Key Stat: The past six Champions League finals have stayed under this total with an average of 1.3 goals per match.

Go to full Champions League betting markets

Quick pick

Martinez anytime goalscorer (+215): I love the value here on one of the competition’s top scorers.

The Argentine striker ranks fifth in the UCL with nine goals in 13 matches.

He was amazing in the knockout stages, scoring four goals and going 4-1 against this wager.

Martinez went without a goal in the first leg of the semifinal against Barcelona, but he only played 45 minutes in that match.

He played 70-plus minutes in the other four games and found his way onto the score sheet against some of the world’s best teams (Barcelona, Bayern Munich).

Martinez hasn’t played since the second leg of the semifinal on May 5 and should be fit and ready to play the full 90 in the most important game of Inter’s season.

PSG vs. Inter Milan predictions made at 2:34 p.m. on 05/24/2025.

Stars vs. Oilers prop picks Game 3: Bet on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on Sunday afternoon

The Edmonton Oilers return home after shutting down the Dallas Stars in Game 3.

The pregame narrative: Edmonton battled hard for a 3-0 win to even the Western Conference final. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had two points in that matchup and should continue producing for the Oilers.

Check out my Stars vs. Oilers Game 3 prop picks on Nugent-Hopkins and Mikael Granlund for May 25.

Stars vs. Oilers picks

Best Bet: Nugent-Hopkins to score a point (-129)

I made this pick on Friday and Nugent-Hopkins came through, recording a goal and an assist to bring his playoff point total to 13 in as many games.

He’s normally the third-line centre, but Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch moved him to the first line at the start of the playoffs. So now, Nugent-Hopkins skates on a wing with Connor McDavid.

In Game 2, though, Nugent-Hopkins who was stuck on the ice with the third line when he created a scoring opportunity that was finished off by Connor Brown to put the game out of reach.

The makeshift winger is a talented player in his own right, but joining McDavid’s line is just another reason to get behind this pick.

Nugent-Hopkins also skates on the top power play. He scored his goal with the man advantage on Friday.

Finally, the former No. 1 overall pick has been an incredible playoff performer during his time in the NHL.

Key stat: Nugent-Hopkins has 74 points in 87 career postseason games.

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Game 3 prop prediction

Granlund over 1.5 shots (-114): Dallas’ top line is made up of Roope Hintz and two midseason additions.

The more notable one is Mikko Rantanen, but Granlund has also been super effective since being acquired at the deadline.

The Finn is constantly a threat in the offensive zone, cashing this wager in eight of his past 10 playoff games. That dates back to the series with the Colorado Avalanche.

He’s attempting 3.8 shots per game over that span and has seven shots on goal in two games of this series.

Stars vs. Oilers prop picks made at 1:49 p.m. ET 05/24/2025.

Best MLB prop bets May 24: Target Ward and Hernandez at the plate

Three sluggers have my attention in the late-night MLB slate on Saturday.

Today’s MLB props narrative: Taylor Ward has been hot at the dish during the longest winning streak of the Los Angeles Angels’ season. Tonight, he has the edge once again, facing a struggling starter on the mound.

Check out the best MLB prop bets for May 24, featuring predictions on Ward Teoscar Hernandez.

MLB prop bets

Best bet: Ward over 0.5 runs (-106)

Ward doesn’t hit for average, but he’s been one of the best power bats this season.

He ranks 13th in total bases (101), 29th in runs (30), and he’s tied for 5th with 15 home runs.

He’s scored 11 runs in his last seven games and is 7-0 against this wager.

That success is owed to the Angels’ current eight-game winning streak. They’ve scored 7.63 runs per game over that time, which is the second most in the majors.

On Saturday, Cal Quantrill starts for the Miami Marlins, and the righty has been horrible to start 2025.

He has a 6.37 ERA and 1.54 WHIP across nine starts. His advanced analytics don’t do him any favours, either.

According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 10th percentile or worse for xERA (5.66), xBA (.304) and pitching run value (-7).

The Angels should have a field day, and Ward hits third in the order. He’s red hot at the dish with a soft matchup to take advantage of.

Key stat: Ward is 5-for-9 (.556) in his career off Quantrill.

Best MLB picks

Hernandez over 0.5 RBI (+140): Hernandez ranks sixth in MLB with 41 RBI thanks to hitting fifth in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup.

He has been very productive despite missing 14 games with injury.

David Peterson is having a good season for the New York Mets (2.86 ERA), but his xERA (3.99) ranks in the 44th percentile.

On top of that, the Dodgers, especially those hitting in front of Hernandez, have a good history against Peterson.

Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith have a combined career batting average of .447 off Peterson in 47 at-bats.

Hernandez has notched an RBI in 12 of his last 16 games, totalling 24 runs driven in during that time.

MLB prop picks made at 1:53 p.m. ET on 05/24/2025.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks Game 3: Target Evan Rodrigues during hot streak

The Carolina Hurricanes head to Florida down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference final.

The pregame narrative: The Panthers look dominant and are on track to roll through another opponent in the East. Carolina must turn things around on the road after being outscored 10-2 across two home games.

Check out my Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks on Evan Rodrigues and Andrei Svechnikov for Game 3.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers picks

Best bet: Rodrigues to score a point (+115)

The first-line winger is coming alive as the postseason progresses.

7 points in his last 5 games

4 assists through 2 games vs. Carolina

Rodrigues has done most of his damage in this series on the power play. Three of his points have come with the man advantage.

He normally plays on the second unit, but he replaced Sam Reinhart with the first group after Reinhart left with an injury in Game 2.

Reinhart’s status for Saturday is in question, but if he’s out, Rodrigues could be in line for more ice time and offensive opportunities.

He cemented himself as one of Florida’s most important players in the 2024 playoffs.

As this postseason continues, Rodrigues has elevated his game once again and is worth wagering on at this price.

Key stat: The 31-year-old has 15 points in his last 19 playoff games.

Game 3 prop prediction

Svechnikov under 2.5 shots (-130): Earlier in the playoffs, Svechnikov was playing like one of the best offensive forwards in the NHL. Now, like other good players, he’s run into the Panthers.

He has one shot through the first two games.

He went under 2.5 shots in all three regular-season meetings vs. Florida.

It’s not bad luck, either. Svechnikov’s 3.0 shot attempts per game in this series are a lot lower than his 8.1 average through the first two series.

Florida is simply the best at shutting down the opposition, and Svechnikov is feeling the full effects of that in the Eastern Conference final.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks made at 9:48 a.m. ET 05/24/2025.

Best MLB prop bets May 24: Target Ward, Greene and Hernandez at the plate

Three sluggers have my attention in the late-night MLB slate on Saturday.

Today’s MLB props narrative: Taylor Ward has been hot at the dish during the longest winning streak of the Los Angeles Angels’ season. Tonight, he has the edge once again, facing a struggling starter on the mound.

Check out the best MLB prop bets for May 24, featuring predictions on Teoscar Hernandez and Riley Greene.

MLB prop bets

Best bet: Ward over 0.5 runs (+100)

Ward doesn’t hit for average, but he’s been one of the best power bats this season.

He ranks 13th in total bases (101), 29th in runs (30), and he’s tied for 5th with 15 home runs.

He’s scored 11 runs in his last seven games and is 7-0 against this wager.

That success is owed to the Angels’ current eight-game winning streak. They’ve scored 7.63 runs per game over that time, which is the second most in the majors.

On Saturday, Cal Quantrill starts for the Miami Marlins, and the righty has been horrible to start 2025.

He has a 6.37 ERA and 1.54 WHIP across nine starts. His advanced analytics don’t do him any favours, either.

According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 10th percentile or worse for xERA (5.66), xBA (.304) and pitching run value (-7).

The Angels should have a field day, and Ward hits third in the order. He’s red hot at the dish with a soft matchup to take advantage of.

Key stat: Ward is 5-for-9 (.556) in his career off Quantrill.

Embed: #114121

Best MLB picks

Hernandez over 0.5 RBI (+143): Hernandez ranks sixth in MLB with 41 RBI thanks to hitting fifth in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup.

He has been very productive despite missing 14 games with injury.

David Peterson is having a good season for the New York Mets (2.86 ERA), but his xERA (3.99) ranks in the 44th percentile.

On top of that, the Dodgers, especially those hitting in front of Hernandez, have a good history against Peterson.

Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith have a combined career batting average of .447 off Peterson in 47 at-bats.

Hernandez has notched an RBI in 12 of his last 16 games, totalling 24 runs driven in during that time.

Greene over 0.5 RBI (+148): Let’s end with another plus-money pick on a big hitter.

Greene is having a career year, batting .280 with 12 homers and 34 RBI in the first third of the season.

When facing right-handed pitching, that average jumps to .328 in a 134-at-bat sample.

That brings me to Cleveland Guardians starter, Luis Ortiz. The righty is a big strikeout arm, but his 4.66 ERA and 1.39 WHIP are less than impressive.

He has also struggled mightily against this current Tigers lineup. As a whole, they are 12-for-27 (.444 BA), and Greene is 3-for-4.

There’s an argument to be made that taking the over on his total bases (+120) is the better call, but I expect a lot of action on the base paths, and Greene has the matchup to cash runners out of the heart of the Tigers’ order.

MLB prop picks made at 9:35 a.m. ET on 05/24/2025.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks Game 3: Target Evan Rodrigues during hot streak

The Carolina Hurricanes head to Florida down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference final.

The pregame narrative: The Panthers look dominant and are on track to roll through another opponent in the East. Carolina must turn things around on the road after being outscored 10-2 across two home games.

Check out my Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks on Evan Rodrigues and Andrei Svechnikov for Game 3.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers picks

Best bet: Rodrigues to score a point (+100)

The first-line winger is coming alive as the postseason progresses.

7 points in his last 5 games

4 assists through 2 games vs. Carolina

Rodrigues has done most of his damage in this series on the power play. Three of his points have come with the man advantage.

He normally plays on the second unit, but he replaced Sam Reinhart with the first group after Reinhart left with an injury in Game 2.

Reinhart’s status for Saturday is in question, but if he’s out, Rodrigues could be in line for more ice time and offensive opportunities.

He cemented himself as one of Florida’s most important players in the 2024 playoffs.

As this postseason continues, Rodrigues has elevated his game once again and is worth wagering on at this price.

Key stat: The 31-year-old has 15 points in his last 19 playoff games.

Embed: #114119

Game 3 prop prediction

Svechnikov under 2.5 shots (-115): Earlier in the playoffs, Svechnikov was playing like one of the best offensive forwards in the NHL. Now, like other good players, he’s run into the Panthers.

He has one shot through the first two games.

He went under 2.5 shots in all three regular-season meetings vs. Florida.

It’s not bad luck, either. Svechnikov’s 3.0 shot attempts per game in this series are a lot lower than his 8.1 average through the first two series.

Florida is simply the best at shutting down the opposition, and Svechnikov is feeling the full effects of that in the Eastern Conference final.

Hurricanes vs. Panthers prop picks made at 9:48 a.m. ET 05/24/2025.

French Open first-round Canadian men’s predictions: Best bets on Shapovalov, Auger-Aliassime and Diallo

The round of 64 at Roland-Garros begins on Sunday with three Canadians in action.

The pregame narrative: Felix Auger-Aliassime is the highest ranked of the bunch, but he’s been struggling lately despite a semifinal appearance at the Hamburg Open. Denis Shapovalov looks to get his season on track, and Gabriel Diallo will participate in his second Grand Slam major.

Check out my top French Open predictions for the men’s tennis matches on May 26.

French Open predictions

Best bet: Matteo Arnaldi to beat Auger-Aliassime (+105)

Both players took part in events earlier this week. As mentioned, the Canadian had a deep run at the Hamburg Open, while Arnaldi lost in the quarterfinal of the Geneva Open.

Auger-Aliassime had a good year on clay in 2024, posting a 17-8 record. But his 3-5 start to this season shows regression over improvement.

His Italian counterpart made a run at the Madrid Open, beating Novak Djokovic and Frances Tiafoe in straight sets before being eliminated by a red-hot Jack Draper.

Arnaldi looked primed for another run in Geneva before running into Djokovic once again and losing this time around.

Those are acceptable losses to two top-10 players and don’t take away from his successful month.

The 24-year-old went 115-45 on clay between 2021-23. He had a tough 2024 due to injury and a slow start to this season, but he appears to be finding his form again.

On the other side, Auger-Aliassime has never been amazing on clay. Plus, he hasn’t been playing well over the past couple of months.

Key stat: Auger-Aliassime has a 4-8 record since March 1, with six of those losses coming against opponents ranked outside of the top 20.

Full French Open betting markets.

Fade the Canadians

Pedro Martinez +1.5 sets vs. Shapovalov (-112): Neither of these players has been impressive to start 2025.

Shapovalov is 13-10 overall but 1-4 on clay, which is what’s important heading into Sunday.

His opponent hasn’t been any better, as Martinez has a 6-10 record on the red dirt.

If we scope out, though, and look at their careers overall, Martinez is an experienced player on clay. He has a 360-198 career record on the surface.

Since the start of 2022, Shapovalov is 13-17 on clay. During that time, the Argentine is 100-74.

He doesn’t have to win, but I like Martinez’s chances of keeping this match close enough for this wager to cash.

Francisco Cerundolo -2.5 sets vs. Diallo (-112): There’s little room for error with this pick, but I also see value in this line.

Diallo won their first career matchup back in October, but it was on a hardcourt surface, and Cerundolo is nothing short of a clay specialist.

The 26-year-old’s 274-118 (69.9% win rate) rivals the best in the world. It also dwarfs his 41-37 record on hard surfaces.

He has a 19-8 record on clay in 2025, including two wins over No. 3-ranked Alexander Zverev.

Diallo has a 7-6 record on clay this season (16-14 overall). I’ll happily find a way to back the experience of Cerundolo at plus money.

French Open predictions made at 4:47 p.m. on 05/23/2025.