Andrew Ortenberg
Show Bio
The NFL playoffs are winding down, but basketball and hockey are in full swing and baseball is right around the corner. It’s a lot, and we’re grateful for it. There are plenty of crucial contests coming up, which always attract some big public sides. Let’s take a look at where the public money is going as bettors once again try to beat the ‘books, with the Nuggets leading the way on Tuesday.
NBA: Nuggets -7 @ Pistons
Every NBA season there are going to be a few top teams that the public latches onto and rides. And then there are also teams the public likes to fade each and every night. The Pistons are one of those second kind of teams. So it’s not too surprising that 64 percent of the bets and 77 percent of the public money are laying the points with Denver on Tuesday, per DraftKings’ internal numbers shared with us.
This one is a bit interesting since the Pistons have been playing a little better than usual lately. And these teams just played each other two nights ago in Denver, and the Nuggets only won by six. Check out our full game preview for Nuggets vs Pistons to see what side we’re on.
NBA: Lakers -3 @ Nets
This one is worth talking about. There aren’t too many heavy public NBA sides on Tuesday, and this one has an interesting dynamic. 62 percent of the bets have come in on the Nets, but 83 percent of the money is on the Lakers. That kind of massive split means that there have been some very large volume bets on Los Angeles.
Clearly there are some deep-pocketed bettors out there who think Anthony Davis’ return to the lineup is going to fix what ails the Lakers. The general public is a lot less sold. Just because more of the handle is on the Lakers doesn’t mean they’re the ‘sharp’. side. More money doesn’t mean respected money. The way to tell whether oddsmakers respect the large volume bettors making those plays is to see if they change the line or not. Be sure to take a look at our free picks on the side and total for all the NBA games on the docket today.
NHL: Panthers ML (-155) @ Jets
Turning our attention to some hockey now. We’ve got a solid NHL slate on Tuesday with eight games, and there are a couple of big public sides. One of them is brewing here in this showdown between the Panthers and Jets. Ninety-two percent of the bets and 90 percent of the public money are taking Florida’s money line at -155.
The Jets have lost four in a row, and there’s nothing the public loves more than to bet based on momentum. Florida is 6-2 in their last eight, so this one isn’t too hard to understand. We have a play on this game as part of our Tuesday NHL parlay, so you won’t want to miss it.
NCAAB: #10 Michigan State +5.5 @ #24 Illinois
Now here’s something we don’t see every day”: a public underdog! As we wrap things up with some college basketball, the public is pounding the ‘dog in one of the slate’s marquee matchups. A total of 82 percent of the bets and 84 percent of the public money are grabbing the points with the Spartans for this Big Ten rivalry game.
The public saw the #10 ranked team catching this many points against the #24 ranked team and didn’t need to see much else. One interesting factor here is the status of dominant Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn, who appears to be a game-time decision. Perhaps the public is trying to get out ahead of that news, knowing the line will come crashing down if Cockburn is ruled out. If you’re looking to bet some college basketball, we have a three-star best bet on the Big 12 battle between Kansas State and Baylor.
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