Joe Williams

Pickswise Expert

Joe has been submitting plays for Pickswise since 2022, but he has been working in the sports industry since 1999. Joe has been handicapping professionally since 2009, and has most notably appeared on USA Today’s SportsBookWire and VegasInsider.com, finishing as the top handicapper in multiple sports over the years. His favourite wagers are totals, particularly for college football and hockey. For Joe Williams media enquiries, please email contact@pickswise.com.

Live Picks 3

Live Parlays 0

Weekly News Articles 0

Location

Raleigh, North Carolina

Favorite Sports

Favorite Teams

Greatest Betting Win

It was Super Bowl XXXIII, and the Atlanta Falcons were playing the Denver Broncos. With Denver already up 17-6, Terrell Davis was tackled at the 1-yard line. My buddy and I made the maximum live bet with, uhh, our bookie, taking the Broncos -½ point on the fourth quarter line. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Howard Griffith punched in a 1-yard touchdown run. John Elway scored a few minutes later, but it was still a nail-biter, as Tim Dwight ripped off a 94-yard kickoff return to make things interesting. After a Jason Elam field goal made it 17-7 for the quarter, Terrance Mathis had a touchdown grab with 2:04 left, with a 2-point conversion no good. The Falcons were unable to recover the onside kick, and we survived, and learned a valuable lesson that nothing is a given in sports wagering.

Greatest Achievements

Overall money leader in the NHL in 2011 at VegasInsider.com Money leader in several sports over the years at VI Went on a 14-0 MLB run in 2019

Education

Joe attended Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla., and worked for the College Sun newspaper covering the team’s first Atlantic Sun Tournament championship and first NCAA Tournament appearance in Greenville, SC. He never thought he’d see the day the Owls would appear in the Final Four, as FAU did in 2023.

Experience

40+ years betting experience 25+ years as a sports journalist 13+ years as a sports handicapper As a kid, Joe used to play the football cards his dad would bring home from work. He has been hooked on sports and wagering ever since, especially after hitting a 7-team parlay back in the 1980’s. It was likely highly illegal, and against school rules, but Joe ran his own football pool in high school in the early 1990’s.

Favorite betting market / type

Money lines and game totals.

Favorite bookmakers

Joe's Picks

Money Line Pick

Arizona State Win(+125)

Reasoning

The Santa Clara Broncos and Arizona State Sun Devils meet at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nevada on a neutral floor. The Broncos are looking to bounce back following a 98-71 loss at New Mexico as a 1-point underdog, and Santa Clara has dropped two of the past four games, while going 1-2-1 against the spread in the span. The Over has cashed in 3 in a row, too, if you’re interested in a Same Game Parlay. The Broncos’ defense has struggled, allowing 71 or more points in 4 consecutive outings — including 98 points last time out against UNM.

The Sun Devils dropped Northern Arizona last time out 73-48, covering as a 16-point favorite. The Sun Devils, runners-up at the Maui Invitational, have won 6 of the past 7 games, while covering 5 of the past 6 outings. Arizona State is 7-2 ATS in the past 9 games, too. On a neutral floor, Sparky has won and covered in 3 of 4 games Arizona State is a strong play in Henderson against a Santa Clara team playing poor basketball of late. I’m backing the battle-tested Sun Devils to get the job done outright.

Arizona State vs Santa Clara prediction: Arizona State ML (+125) available at time of publishing. Playable to +110.

You can bet on our Arizona State vs Santa Clara pick at DraftKings Sportsbook, which has thousands of betting options available and a great new customer offer where you can get $200 in bonus bets instantly AND $200 off NFL Sunday Ticket! Click here 👈🏼 to sign up for a DraftKings account now.

BET -145 NOW WITH

Joe Williams

Money Line Pick

Kansas Win(+125)

Reasoning

The Kansas Jayhawks head to the Triangle to battle NC State, and it is listed as a road underdog despite being ranked inside the Top 25. Kansas is coming off an impressive 80-60 rout of rival Missouri at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City last time out, and KU has managed victories over the likes of Tennessee, Syracuse and Notre Dame so far this season. While Kansas hasn’t had a lot of road against teams from Tobacco Road, losing 87-74 at North Carolina at the Dean Dome on Nov. 7 as a similar 2.5-point underdog, and 78-66 to Duke at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 18, back the Jayhawks to top NC State.

Will Wade’s NC State Wolfpack just crushed Liberty 85-45 last time out on Wednesday as a 12.5-point favorite, snapping an 0-3 ATS skid. Against power conference teams so far this season, NC State has proven it isn’t quite ready for primetime. It lost 83-73 at Auburn on Dec. 3 as a 6.5-point underdog, and it fell 102-97 against Texas at the Maui Invitational. The Wolfpack have won seven of 10 games so far, but the jury is still out if NC State is legitimate, or if it has just beaten up on the weaklings, while getting outclassed by actual competition. This is a measuring-stick game, and how things have unfolded to date, bet against the Wolfpack.

Kansas vs NC State prediction: Kansas ML (+125) available at time of publishing. Playable to +110.

Now you can bet any of our Kansas vs NC State predictions at FanDuel Sportsbook, which has a great new-customer offer to take advantage of. If you sign up for FanDuel right now, you earn a welcome bonus worth up to $300 if your first $5 bet wins! Use this link 🔗 to join FanDuel right now and learn more.

BET +125 NOW WITH

Joe Williams

Point Spread Pick

Pittsburgh +10.0(-110)

Reasoning

The Pitt Panthers make the trek across the Keystone State to battle the Villanova Wildcats looking to turn things around. Pitt suffered an 80-73 loss at home against Hofstra as a 9-point favorite, going 1-4 straight up and against the spread in the past five games. As an underdog, Pitt is 1-2 ATS this season. However, in this series, the Panthers have not only won each of the past six meetings in this series since Feb. 21, 2010, but the Panthers are 5-1 ATS in that span, too.

For Villanova, it heads in looking to redeem itself after an ugly 89-61 beatdown from Michigan last time out on Tuesday. That halted a seven-game win streak for the Wildcats, although they’re just 3-3 ATS in the span. Villanova is just 3-2 ATS in the past five games as a double-digit favorite, too. The Wildcats have managed 80.7 PPG, while hitting 46.8 percent from the field, while going 36.5 percent from behind the three-point line. Defensively, Villanova has managed to allow 69.0 PPG, although teams are hitting 44.8 percent against them, while the Wildcats have one of the worst defensive three-pointer percentages at 39.8 percent. Look for Pitt, who hits at a 34.3 percent mark from downtown, to stay in the game and cover thanks to its perimeter shooting.

Pittsburgh vs Villanova prediction: Pittsburgh +10 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to +8.5.

Bet like a Caesar with this AMAZING new customer offer from Caesars Sportsbook. If you bet just $1, you’ll receive DOUBLE YOUR WINNINGS on your next 20 bets! Become a Caesars member 👥 using the Caesars promo code PWCONTENT20X, where you can bet on our Pittsburgh vs Villanova picks.

BET +10.5 NOW WITH

Joe Williams