Contributing Writer

A +340 Super Bowl SGP featuring an O/U pick and DeVonta Smith

I’m siding with the strong defence displayed by both the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in this +340 Super Bowl same-game parlay recommendation.

The pregame narrative: The Chiefs and Eagles were among the NFL’s top defensive teams, so I’m expecting some big stops on Sunday. In addition to an over/under play, I’m adding prop bets on a pair of Eagles receivers (DeVonta Smith and Jahan Dotson).

Check out my predictions on Smith and Dotson and the Super Bowl 59 O/U pick below.

Super Bowl O/U pick: Take the under

Parlay: Under 51.5 points | Smith over 3.5 receptions | Dotson over 2.5 receiving yards (+340)

Embed: #108704

Under 51.5 points (-167): I know everyone wants to see as much offence as possible in the Super Bowl, but the fact is these are two elite defensive teams.

Kansas City allows the fourth-fewest points (19.2) and eighth-fewest yards per game (335.4).

Philadelphia allowed the second-fewest points (17.8) and fewest yards per game (296.3).

These two can score, no doubt, but with the bright lights of the Big Game, I’m predicting at least a slow start.

A lot of running should be expected early as the Eagles continue to heavily involve stud tailback Saquon Barkley, and no one can blame them.

On the other side, Philly had the best pass defence this season, which means the Chiefs may also start by testing out the run game.

Running the ball means a running clock, which would be good for the under as long as there are limited chunk plays in the early going.

An extra week of scouting and scheming for each defence doesn’t hurt either.

Other parlay picks

Smith over 3.5 receptions (-235): This is a number Smith has had success against for a good part of this season.

4+ catches in 13/16 games
4+ catches in eight straight games

Smith landed on exactly four receptions in five of his past eight games, but his floor has been consistent all year long.

When these teams met at Super Bowl 57, Smith led all pass catchers with seven receptions and 100 yards.

In fact, the wideout has excelled in every career outing against the Chiefs to this point, having at least six catches and 99 yards in all three games.

Dotson over 2.5 receiving yards (-117): This is a strange line but I couldn’t move past it.

One catch is very likely all that’d be needed for Dotson to cash this bet.

He had a reception in 11 of 14 regular season games and cleared this yardage total each time. After starting the postseason hot with a touchdown versus the Green Bay Packers, Dotson fell short of this mark in back-to-back games.

The good news is that Dotson finished with a snap count above 50% in all three playoff games, so he’s on the field enough to get attention from Jalen Hurts.

Dotson played more than 40% of offensive snaps every game this year outside of Week 6. That’s a good chunk of opportunities even though Philly is a run-first offence.

Picks made at 2:35 p.m. ET on 02/05/2025.

NHL prop picks Feb. 5: Take overs for Draisaitl and Marchand

There are only three games on tap in the NHL on Wednesday but I found a pick from each that’s worth sharing.

The pregame narrative: The Boston Bruins are on a midseason tear and an uptick in production from Brad Marchand is a big reason why. I’m backing the Bruins captain to get on the score sheet with another pick on Leon Draisaitl.

Check out my NHL prop picks for Feb. 5.

NHL prop picks

Go to full NHL betting markets.

Best bet: Marchand to score 1+ points (-125)

In early December, something switched on for the 16-year NHL veteran.

Oct. 8 – Dec. 1: 26 games, 17 points
Dec. 3 – Feb. 4: 29 games, 25 points

Marchand is now on pace to score his fewest points in a decade, but that speaks more to his consistency as a hockey player than a poor season.

A 60-point campaign is far from a bad year and Marchand can achieve that for the 10th straight time if he keeps playing well.

A few months ago, the New York Rangers would’ve been a tough matchup, but things have gone south in the Big Apple.

After starting the season 12-4-1, New York has been 13-19-3 since then and is at risk of missing the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24.

The Bruns took advantage of the spiralling Rangers on Feb. 1, winning 6-3 and furthering the gap in the wild-card race.

Key stat: In that contest, Marchand had two assists.

Quick picks

Draisaitl to score 2+ points (-112): This is quite the juice for anyone to score two-plus points but it needs some context.

Draisaitl is on a monumental tear. Over the past 28 games, he has 47 points to catapult himself into second in the NHL in scoring (79). He’s also the favourite to win the Hart Trophy.

In that 28-game stretch, Draisaitl recorded 16 multi-point games. So he’s a strong threat to cash this prop against anyone, and I haven’t even mentioned the matchup.

The Chicago Blackhawks allow the third-most goals (3.4) and shots (31.5) per game.

Draisaitl has been held scoreless in just nine of 53 games this season. His floor is extremely reliable, and I like his chances of doing extra damage vs. the Blackhawks.

Montreal allows the fifth-most goals (3.3) per game.

Picks made at 9:30 a.m. ET on 02/05/2025.

Suns vs. Thunder prop picks Feb. 5: Fade Booker in tough matchup, back Hartenstein for OKC

The Phoenix Suns look to claw into a playoff position against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

The pregame narrative: Devin Booker became the Suns’ all-time leading scorer on Monday but I’m fading Phoenix’s star guard on Wednesday. My best bet, however, is on Isaiah Hartenstein to record a double-double.

Check out my Suns vs. Thunder prop picks for Feb. 5.

Suns vs. Thunder prop picks

Go to full NBA betting markets

Best bet: Hartenstein over 22.5 points/rebounds (-125)

To start, Hartenstein is averaging a double-double this season, scoring 11.5 points and grabbing 12.5 rebounds a night.

He’s the most reliable big man on the Thunder’s roster as Chet Holmgren continues to nurse a hip injury.

Hartenstein has 10-plus rebounds in nine of the last 10, so I have little concern about that portion of the wager.

The part that worries me slightly is the points, as the centre finished with less than 10 in six of the last 10.

It’s worth noting that Phoenix has struggled to protect the rim all season, though. Opponents take more shots there than anywhere else on the court and shoot an above-average 57.3%, per 3stepsbasket.com.

Knowing that, who better to bet on than Oklahoma City’s only healthy 7-footer?

Key stat: The Suns give up the fourth-most points to centres per game (25.0).

Quick pick

Booker under 27.5 points (-112): Booker is listed as a shooting guard but plays the point guard role in the Suns’ offence.

That is important because the Thunder allow the fewest points (22.0) per game to opposing PGs, per Fantasy Pros.

Phoenix’s newly minted all-time leading scorer has been productive lately, clearing 26.5 points in four straight games, but OKC is the toughest matchup in the league regardless of position.

The Thunder have the NBA’s best defensive rating (105.4) and concede the fewest points per game (104.4).

Booker has fallen short of this total in three straight meetings with OKC, averaging 16.0 PPG in those games.

There’s potential for a blowout, too, as the Thunder are 12.5-point favourites and lead the league with an average scoring margin of +12.1.

Picks made at 1:07 p.m. ET 02/05/2025.

Suns vs. Thunder prop picks Feb. 5: Fade Booker in tough matchup, back Hartenstein for OKC

The Phoenix Suns look to claw into a playoff position against the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

The pregame narrative: Devin Booker became the Suns’ all-time leading scorer on Monday but I’m fading Phoenix’s star guard on Wednesday. My best bet, however, is on Isaiah Hartenstein to record a double-double.

Check out my Suns vs. Thunder prop picks for Feb. 5.

Suns vs. Thunder prop picks

Go to full NBA betting markets

Embed: #108614

Best bet: Hartenstein to record a double-double (-125)

To start, Hartenstein is averaging a double-double this season, scoring 11.5 points and grabbing 12.5 rebounds a night.

He’s the most reliable big man on the Thunder’s roster as Chet Holmgren continues to nurse a hip injury.

Hartenstein has 10-plus rebounds in nine of the last 10, so I have little concern about that portion of the wager.

The part that worries me slightly is the 10-plus points, as the centre fell under that mark in six of the last 10.

It’s worth noting that Phoenix has struggled to protect the rim all season, though. Opponents take more shots there than anywhere else on the court and shoot an above-average 57.3%, per 3stepsbasket.com.

Knowing that, who better to bet on than Oklahoma City’s only healthy 7-footer?

Key stat: The Suns give up the fourth-most points to centres per game (25.0).

Quick pick

Booker under 26.5 points (-115): Booker is listed as a shooting guard but plays the point guard role in the Suns’ offence.

That is important because the Thunder allow the fewest points (22.0) per game to opposing PGs, per Fantasy Pros.

Phoenix’s newly minted all-time leading scorer has been productive lately, clearing 26.5 points in four straight games, but OKC is the toughest matchup in the league regardless of position.

The Thunder have the NBA’s best defensive rating (105.4) and concede the fewest points per game (104.4).

Booker has fallen short of this total in three straight meetings with OKC, averaging 16.0 PPG in those games.

There’s potential for a blowout, too, as the Thunder are 12.5-point favourites and lead the league with an average scoring margin of +12.1.

Picks made at 11:40 a.m. ET 02/05/2025.

NHL prop picks Feb. 5: Take overs for Doughty, Draisaitl and Marchand

There are only three games on tap in the NHL on Wednesday but I found a pick from each that’s worth sharing.

The pregame narrative: The Boston Bruins are on a midseason tear and an uptick in production from Brad Marchand is a big reason why. I’m backing the Bruins captain to get on the score sheet with other picks on Leon Draisaitl and Drew Doughty.

Check out my NHL prop picks for Feb. 5.

NHL prop picks

Go to full NHL betting markets.

Embed: #108566

Best bet: Marchand to score 1+ points (-124)

In early December, something switched on for the 16-year NHL veteran.

Oct. 8 – Dec. 1: 26 games, 17 points
Dec. 3 – Feb. 4: 29 games, 25 points

Marchand is now on pace to score his fewest points in a decade, but that speaks more to his consistency as a hockey player than a poor season.

A 60-point campaign is far from a bad year and Marchand can achieve that for the 10th straight time if he keeps playing well.

A few months ago, the New York Rangers would’ve been a tough matchup, but things have gone south in the Big Apple.

After starting the season 12-4-1, New York has been 13-19-3 since then and is at risk of missing the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24.

The Bruns took advantage of the spiralling Rangers on Feb. 1, winning 6-3 and furthering the gap in the wild-card race.

Key stat: In that contest, Marchand had two assists.

Quick picks

Draisaitl to score 2+ points (-108): This is quite the juice for anyone to score two-plus points but it needs some context.

Draisaitl is on a monumental tear. Over the past 28 games, he has 47 points to catapult himself into second in the NHL in scoring (79). He’s also the favourite to win the Hart Trophy.

In that 28-game stretch, Draisaitl recorded 16 multi-point games. So he’s a strong threat to cash this prop against anyone, and I haven’t even mentioned the matchup.

The Chicago Blackhawks allow the third-most goals (3.4) and shots (31.5) per game.

Draisaitl has been held scoreless in just nine of 53 games this season. His floor is extremely reliable, and I like his chances of doing extra damage vs. the Blackhawks.

Doughty to score 1+ points (-114): Doughty recently made his season debut for the Los Angeles Kings, and he wasted no time getting up to speed.

He’s averaged 25:17 of ice time through three games, tallying his first point of the season in L.A.’s Feb. 1 matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Doughty has reclaimed his place on the top power-play unit, too.

The Montreal Canadiens offer up a bad defence and Doughty will be on the ice a ton. At the very least, he should be in all the right spots to contribute on offence.

Montreal allows the fifth-most goals (3.3) per game.

Picks made at 9:30 a.m. ET on 02/05/2025.

Senators vs. Predators props Feb. 3: Bet on Tkachuk to stay busy in offensive end

The only NHL game on the schedule on Monday is between the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators.

The pregame narrative: Nashville can be vulnerable to shots on target and Brady Tkachuk is one of the best in the game at peppering goaltenders. I’m taking the over on his shots prop while backing Filip Forsberg to score a goal at a nice price.

Check out my Senators vs. Predators props for Feb. 3.

Senators vs. Predators props

Go to full NHL betting markets.

Best bet: Tkachuk over 3.5 shots (-130)

I keep coming back to this line but I can’t help myself when exploring Tkachuk’s production.

The Senators’ captain ranks second in the NHL, taking 4.04 shots per game so I’m certainly not intimidated by this line.

Tkachuk’s cashed this wager in three straight matchups and in 29-of-52 games (55.8%) this season.

This is a nice spot for a volume shooter like Tkachuk to make his mark, too. Nashville allows the 11th most shots on goal (29.2) per game.

In his one game vs. the Predators this season, Tkachuk had five of the Senators’ 30 shots and the history doesn’t end there.

Key stat: Dating back to 2022, Tkachuk has cleared this line in five straight games against Nashville.

Quick picks

Forsberg anytime goalscorer (+125): It’s about time Forsberg gets back on the wagon.

He was tearing up the NHL earlier in January, scoring in seven straight games between Jan. 7 and Jan. 23. He’s gone scoreless in the four games since.

Forsberg went scoreless in a 13-game stretch between November and the beginning of that run in January.

I’m confident Forsberg, who scored 48 goals last year, can avoid another scoring slump.

It’s also promising to see the winger be more productive at home this season because that’s where Monday’s contest takes place.

He has 13 goals in 24 home games, compared to just five in 27 games on the road.

Picks made at 10:10 a.m. ET on 02/01/2025.

Senators vs. Predators props Feb. 3: Bet on Tkachuk to stay busy in offensive end

The only NHL game on the schedule on Monday is between the Ottawa Senators and Nashville Predators.

The pregame narrative: Nashville can be vulnerable to shots on target and Brady Tkachuk is one of the best in the game at peppering goaltenders. I’m taking the over on his shots prop while backing Filip Forsberg to score a goal at a nice price.

Check out my Senators vs. Predators props for Feb. 3.

Senators vs. Predators props

Go to full NHL betting markets.

Embed: #108392

Best bet: Tkachuk over 3.5 shots (-118)

I keep coming back to this line but I can’t help myself when exploring Tkachuk’s production.

The Senators’ captain ranks second in the NHL, taking 4.04 shots per game so I’m certainly not intimidated by this line.

Tkachuk’s cashed this wager in three straight matchups and in 29-of-52 games (55.8%) this season.

This is a nice spot for a volume shooter like Tkachuk to make his mark, too. Nashville allows the 11th most shots on goal (29.2) per game.

In his one game vs. the Predators this season, Tkachuk had five of the Senators’ 30 shots and the history doesn’t end there.

Key stat: Dating back to 2022, Tkachuk has cleared this line in five straight games against Nashville.

Quick picks

Forsberg anytime goalscorer (+140): It’s about time Forsberg gets back on the wagon.

He was tearing up the NHL earlier in January, scoring in seven straight games between Jan. 7 and Jan. 23. He’s gone scoreless in the four games since.

Forsberg went scoreless in a 13-game stretch between November and the beginning of that run in January.

I’m confident Forsberg, who scored 48 goals last year, can avoid another scoring slump.

It’s also promising to see the winger be more productive at home this season because that’s where Monday’s contest takes place.

He has 13 goals in 24 home games, compared to just five in 27 games on the road.

Picks made at 10:10 a.m. ET on 02/01/2025.

Rockets vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions Feb. 3: Fade New York but back Towns at +300

The Houston Rockets and New York Knicks take part in a marquee cross-conference matchup.

The pregame narrative: The Rockets are a well-oiled machine that continues to be competitive night in and night out. I like them to cover an alternate spread mixed with player props on Dillon Brooks and Karl-Anthony Towns in this +300 SGP.

Check out my Rockets vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions for Feb. 3.

Rockets vs. Knicks predictions

Go to full NBA betting markets

Parlay: Rockets +9.5 + Brooks over 13.5 points + Towns over 0.5 blocks (+300)

Rockets +9.5 (-195): Houston continues to be one of the best away teams in the NBA.

The Rockets have an incredible 17-7 road record and have covered this teased-up spread in 12 straight away games.

They have the league’s best ATS record as an underdog on the road (7-2-1), per Team Rankings. In late January, the Rockets beat both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics in their home arenas.

Houston has been a hard team to beat big all season and I expect that to be the case again on Monday.

Other SGP legs

Brooks over 13.5 points (-118): The Canadian is playing a ton of minutes for the Rockets and he’s scoring with great efficiency right now.

Brooks plays 32.0 minutes per game this season so it’s worth backing him when he’s on a hot streak.

He’s cleared this line in three of his past four games, including a season-high 36 points on the road against the Celtics on Jan. 27.

In those four contests, Brooks is scoring 21.3 points and shooting 51.4% on 8.8 three-point attempts per game.

And now Fred Van Vleet is sidelined with an injury opening up more touches for Brooks. I really like his floor tonight as a scorer.

Towns over 0.5 blocks (-235): Towns is in a major scoring slump right now but I’m backing the over on a defensive prop for the big man.

This leg is juiced considering Towns isn’t known for his rim protection but it brings the SGP from +160 to +310 and there’s some solid supporting data.

He has a block in 24-of-44 games this season (54.5%) which isn’t anything crazy but the Rockets have allowed the second most blocks to centres (2.7/game), per Fantasy Pros.

In his first meeting against the Rockets back on Nov. 4, Towns recorded a block in the loss.

Since Jan. 1, the Rockets allowed a block to 14-of-15 centres who started against them.

Picks made at 11:45 a.m. on 02/03/2025.

Rockets vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions Feb. 3: Fade New York but back Towns at +310

The Houston Rockets and New York Knicks take part in a marquee cross-conference matchup.

The pregame narrative: The Rockets are a well-oiled machine that continues to be competitive night in and night out. I like them to cover an alternate spread mixed with player props on Dillon Brooks and Karl-Anthony Towns in this +310 SGP.

Check out my Rockets vs. Knicks same-game parlay predictions for Feb. 3.

Rockets vs. Knicks predictions

Go to full NBA betting markets

Embed: #108339

Parlay: Rockets +9.5 + Brooks over 13.5 points + Towns over 0.5 blocks (+310)

Rockets +9.5 (-235): Houston continues to be one of the best away teams in the NBA.

The Rockets have an incredible 17-7 road record and have covered this teased-up spread in 12 straight away games.

They have the league’s best ATS record as an underdog on the road (7-2-1), per Team Rankings. In late January, the Rockets beat both the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics in their home arenas.

Houston has been a hard team to beat big all season and I expect that to be the case again on Monday.

Other SGP legs

Brooks over 13.5 points (-105): The Canadian is playing a ton of minutes for the Rockets and he’s scoring with great efficiency right now.

Brooks plays 32.0 minutes per game this season so it’s worth backing him when he’s on a hot streak.

He’s cleared this line in three of his past four games, including a season-high 36 points on the road against the Celtics on Jan. 27.

In those four contests, Brooks is scoring 21.3 points and shooting 51.4% on 8.8 three-point attempts per game.

And now Fred Van Vleet is sidelined with an injury opening up more touches for Brooks. I really like his floor tonight as a scorer.

Towns over 0.5 blocks (-215): Towns is in a major scoring slump right now but I’m backing the over on a defensive prop for the big man.

This leg is juiced considering Towns isn’t known for his rim protection but it brings the SGP from +160 to +310 and there’s some solid supporting data.

He has a block in 24-of-44 games this season (54.5%) which isn’t anything crazy but the Rockets have allowed the second most blocks to centres (2.7/game), per Fantasy Pros.

In his first meeting against the Rockets back on Nov. 4, Towns recorded a block in the loss.

Since Jan. 1, the Rockets allowed a block to 14-of-15 centres who started against them.

Picks made at 11:06 a.m. on 02/03/2025.

Grizzlies vs. Bucks same-game parlay predictions Feb. 2: Giannis Antetokounmpo has the right matchup to shine

The Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks headline Sunday’s five-game NBA slate.

The pregame narrative: I’m having a hard time picking a side between these two so I’ll take three player props in this SGP instead. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Desmond Bane and Luke Kennard are featured in this +375 ticket.

Check out my Grizzlies vs. Bucks same-game parlay predictions for Feb. 2.

Grizzlies vs. Bucks predictions

Go to full NBA betting markets

Embed: #108302

Parlay: Antetokounmpo over 31.5 points + Bane over 21.5 points + Kennard over 12.5 points (+375)

Antetokounmpo over 31.5 points (-159): Giannis is listed as probable on the NBA injury report so I’m expecting him to play.

The ‘Greek Freak’ is firing on all cylinders right now, finishing seven of the last nine games with 32-plus points.

He’s averaging 33.1 points and shooting an other-worldly 63.8% from the field during that time.

The total for this game is the highest of the day, being set at 247 points. Memphis plays at the fastest pace in the league (103.7 possessions/game) which leads to inflated scores.

If this game finishes anywhere close to that lofty total, Giannis should see more than enough volume to clear this hefty total.

Other SGP legs

Bane over 21.5 points (-141): In my NBA props bets today, I took Bane to go over 28.5 points/assists but I’ll resort to this line for an SGP.

The Milwaukee Bucks allow the second-most points to opposing point guards (26.4), and with Morant trending towards missing his second straight game, PG would be the position Bane takes on.

And the guard has been on a tear since Dec. 21:

21.4 PPG
53.4 FG%
43.8 3PT%

In his last game without Morant, Bane scored 24 points on 11-of-24 shooting. It was a below-average shooting night and he still managed to cash this wager.

Kennard over 12.5 points (-141): Kennard has seen success starting in Morant’s absence.

In his three starts since Jan. 17, Kennard is averaging:

22.0 PPG
65.7 FG%
63.2 3PT%

He may not be able to match that production against the Bucks, but he doesn’t have to.

This line is well within Kennard’s reach even with an average shooting night with more minutes and an uptick in volume.

Picks made at 1:54 p.m. on 02/02/2025.