Matthew Lowrimore
After a wild Sweet 16 weekend, it is time for the Elite 8. This means it is time to have some fun and look for some of the best bets across all the different sports and pile them into one parlay. We’ve put together a four-pick cross-sport parlay which will take you right through the day, including action from the NHL, NBA and college basketball.
Each pick is taken from a different sport with a second pick from the NCAA Tournament. A winning ticket gives us a nice payout with odds at +1026 with FanDuel — more than 10/1! Let’s break down each of these four plays. Remember to gamble responsibly.
Best College Basketball Pick: Oregon State vs. Houston Cougars -7.5 (-116), 7:15 p.m ET
Oregon State has looked impressive this tournament, but it is hard to see their 38.9 percent three-point shooting continuing against Houston’s elite defense. Houston holds their opponents to 29 percent from downtown. Normally holding teams to under 30 percent from three would suggest some good luck, but Houston has ranked inside the top 70 in three-point percentage defense each of the last six seasons. Look for Houston’s defense to put the clamps on the Beavers, and for Houston to win this game by double-digits.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for this matchup. You can also read the rest of our college basketball picks and predictions, as well as our parlays and best bets.
Best NBA Pick: Toronto Raptors -3.5 (-114) vs. Detroit Pistons, 8 p.m ET
The Pistons have the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Injuries are not helping either, as Dennis Smith Jr and Jerami Grant are questionable. This Pistons team is so limited that it is hard to like them even when they are at full strength, let alone shorthanded. Toronto is in an urgent and revenge spot in this one. They are more than capable of beating the Pistons by double this spread if they play to their potential. With a rather short line, we like the Raptors to keep any playoff chances alive tonight.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for this matchup. You can also read the rest of our NBA picks and predictions, as well as our prop bets, parlays, and NBA Best Bets.
Best NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks vs. Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (-152), 9 p.m ET
The Anaheim Ducks will be on the second half of a back-to-back going up against one of the best teams in the league. This is a worst-case scenario for them. They are near the worst in the league in goals allowed and near the bottom in goals scored–a tough combination. It is unclear at this time who will start in goal for the Ducks, but I do not believe it really matters against this Avalanche team. No need to overthink this one; Avalanche on the puck line is the play.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for this matchup. You can also read the rest of our NHL picks and predictions, as well as our prop bets, parlays, and NHL Best Bets.
Best College Basketball Pick: Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Baylor Bears -8 (-106), 9:57 p.m ET
The Arkansas offense hasn’t looked fluid at all, and I don’t think their defense will be able to slow down this Baylor backcourt with Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell. Everybody talks about Baylor’s offense, but their defense hasn’t been getting nearly enough credit. They just held Villanova to a meager 51 points and limited Wisconsin to 63 in their game before that. I think Baylor wins by double-digits once again.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for this matchup. You can also read the rest of our college basketball picks and predictions, as well as our parlays and best bets.
