Wise n' Shine: What you need to know to bet better on Monday, April 4

The big day is here. In a matter of hours we will know if the Kansas Jayhawks or North Carolina Tar Heels will be the 2022 NCAA Tournament champions. Also, congratulations to the South Carolina Gamecocks, who won the women’s title last night with a 64-49 win over the Connecticut Huskies. The professional basketballers of the NBA are taking the day off to allow the college stars to shine today, but we do have NHL and soccer action. Let’s get straight into making your next bet better!

About Last Night

Thunder stun the Suns
It was a busy Sunday in the NBA with 12 games, and the Pickswise team landed 2 of our 3 Best Bets, with Spurs -14.5 and over 222.5 in Wizards vs Celtics both cashing — the Celtics seemed to be on a mission to clear that total on their own, winning 144-102. The big upset of the day saw 14-point underdogs the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the league-leading Phoenix Suns by 21 points.

NHL totals heater continues
Our golden run on NHL totals continued on Sunday, as we went 6-2-1 on totals, taking our record on hockey totals over the last 4 days to an amazing 24-8-2! The Red Wings lost their 6th straight game, 5-2 at the Ottawa Senators, while the Golden Knights won their 5th in a row, beating the Canucks in overtime.

Today’s Slate

Jayhawks and Tar Heels battle for the title
Only 2 teams who began March Madness are still standing and the Jayhawks and Tar Heels will fight it out at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans at 9:20 pm ET on TBS. Read our preview of today’s big game.

Maple Leafs vs Lightning on NHL Network
There are just 4 NHL games today, but NHL Network is showing a good one at 7:30 pm ET as the Maple Leafs take on the Lightning, and there’s an interesting nightcap between the Kings and Flames at 10:30 pm ET on ESPN+. Check out our previews of today’s NHL games.

Best Bet of the Day

Kansas Jayhawks -4 vs North Carolina Tar Heels
9:20 pm ET, TBS

Kansas was impressive in its win over Villanova in the Final Four and this game will likely be played at a pace with which the Jayhawks are comfortable. The Jayhawks have an elite transition offense, scoring more than 1.1 points per possession, which figures to be a big advantage against North Carolina, which ranks in the 27th percentile when defending in transition this season. Kansas can limit North Carolina’s fast-break points and win the championship. Take Kansas. Check out our full preview of Kansas vs North Carolina.

Must-watch

Start your week the right way by watching our daily sports betting show Let’s Bet It!

Lauren Jbara and Jared Smith are your hosts today, and they’ll be joined by Dan Servodidio, lead college basketball analyst for Fantasy Alarm, to discuss all betting angles for the men’s college basketball National Championship game.

They will also give out their picks for today’s NHL games, and their Plays of the Day. Check it out at 10:ooam ET on our YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/c/Pickswise

Must-read

All our coverage for tonight’s big basketball game can be accessed from our March Madness Hub, including the best prop bets and thoughts on what the Jayhawks and Tar Heels need to do to win.

We have Monday’s best NHL player props, and if you’re starting to turn your attention to the MLB season, don’t forget we have our thoughts on this year’s MVP race, and a host of division previews available, including the AL West and NL West.

Be sure to head over to the Analysis tab for even more great betting content.

Stat of the Day

The over is 9-3 in North Carolina’s 12 games as an underdog this season.

Boost of the Day

There’s an EPL soccer game on the schedule today (3:30 pm ET, USA Network), as Arsenal plays Crystal Palace, and FanDuel Sportsbook has enhanced the odds of Arsenal winning with both teams scoring in the game from +330 to +430.

Pickswise is the home of free sports picks, news, and best bets. Check out our expert NBA picks, NCAAB picks, NHL picks, Golf picks and Soccer picks for the latest game picks.