Tag: PNC Arena

Colorado Avalanche at Carolina Hurricanes odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Colorado Avalanche at Carolina Hurricanes sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Colorado Avalanche (37-18-7) continue their road trip against the Carolina Hurricanes (35-23-4) Friday at PNC Arena at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Avalanche-Hurricanes sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Avalanche at Hurricanes: Projected starting goalies

Pavel Francouz vs. Anton Forsberg

Francouz has been tremendous since stepping up in place of the injured Philipp Grubauer, and the rookie has a 17-5-3 record, 2.26 goals against average and .927 save percentage for the season. He’ll be looking to help the Avs to a revenge win over the Canes after Carolina won 3-1 Dec. 19 in Denver.

Forsberg has yet to appear in a game this season for the Hurricanes. He went 10-16-4 across 30 starts and five relief appearances with the Chicago Blackhawks last year, posting a .908 SV% and 2.97 GAA.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Avalanche at Hurricanes: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Avalanche 3, Hurricanes 2

Moneyline (ML)

The AVALANCHE (-106) are slight dogs on the road, but they’re a good play against the banged-up Hurricanes (-115). Carolina is experiencing adversity in the form of injuries, and it will be interesting to see if the Canes have a little pride Friday night at PNC.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Avalanche ML returns a profit of $9.50 if they win, while a $10 wager on the Hurricanes ML results in a profit of $8.70.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

This one should be a nip and tuck game, as the Avalanche (+1.5, -278) are grinding out a road trip and might have some tired legs, and the Hurricanes (-1.5, +225) are a little desperate at the moment. Look for a lot of tight-checking. AVOID.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 5.5 (+115) at plus-money is worth a roll of the dice. The Under has cashed in 10 of the past 11 games overall for Colorado, including each of its last five road outings. The Under is 6-1 in the Avs’ past seven against the Eastern Conference, too. The Over is 9-3 in Carolina’s past 12 overall, and 5-1 in its past six at home; however, look for the Canes to circle the wagons and give a spirited defensive effort in this one in front of a fourth-string goaltender.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New York Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Rangers at Hurricanes NHL matchup, with NHL betting odds, picks and best bets

The New York Rangers (31-24-4) head south to meet the Carolina Hurricanes (34-21-4) Friday at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. at 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Rangers-Hurricanes sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Rangers at Hurricanes: Projected starting goalies

Henrik Lundqvist vs. James Reimer

The Rangers’ three-headed goaltender logjam is likely to be busted up in the coming days with the NHL trade deadline. It’s hard to believe King Henrik could be moved, but you never know. Lundqvist is 10-11-3 with a 3.12 goals-against average and .907 save percentage. He has been a thorn in the side of Carolina all season, going 3-0-0 with a 2.33 GAA and .947 SV% against the Hurricanes. That includes an impressive 45-save performance in the second game of a back-to-back in this very building.

With Petr Mrazek going 0-2-0 with a 3.10 GAA and .860 SV% in his two starts against the Rangers, it’s fair to expect head coach Rod Brind’Amour to see what Reimer can do against the Blueshirts. Reimer is 4-2-2 with a 2.56 GAA and .914 SV% in eight starts at home.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Rangers at Hurricanes: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Friday at 12:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Rangers 3, Hurricanes 2

Moneyline (ML)

The RANGERS (+135) have been kryptonite to the Hurricanes (-162), and New York is the value play on the road in snowy Raleigh (no, really!). The Rangers have won six straight overall on the road, and they’re 40-14 in the past 54 meetings overall in this series — including 4-1 in the past five trips to North Carolina.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Rangers to win returns a profit of $13.50, while a $10 wager on the Hurricanes results in a profit of $6.17.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Rangers (+1.5, -189) aren’t worth this kind of juice if you feel the need for insurance. Just roll with the Blueshirts on the moneyline. If you are on the Hurricanes (-1.5, +155), feeling they’ll avoid the four-game regular-season sweep at the hands of the Rangers, they’re a much better value here.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 5.5 (+125) is where it’s at, cashing in four of the past five meetings in this series. The under is also 5-2 in the past seven overall for the Rangers, while going 7-1-1 in the past nine against Eastern Conference foes. While the over is 7-2 in Carolina’s past nine overall, and 4-0 in the past four at home, look for the under to cash in Raleigh based on Rangers and series trends.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Duke at NC State college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Wednesday’s Duke Blue Devils at NC State Wolfpack sports betting odds and lines, with college basketball betting picks and tips.

The Duke Blue Devils (22-3) visit the Atlantic Coast Conference-rival NC State Wolfpack (16-9) for a 9 p.m. ET tip-off Wednesday at PNC Arena. We analyze the Duke-NC State odds and betting lines, with college basketball betting advice and tips around this matchup.

Duke at NC State: Three things you need to know

  1. NC State hosts Duke after wrapping up a three-game road trip where the Wolfpack were 2-1. They lost their previous two home games to the Louisville Cardinals Feb. 1 (77-57) and the North Carolina Tar Heels Jan. 27 (75-65).
  2. Duke has won seven straight games and is currently atop the ACC standings with a 12-2 conference record.
  3. The point guard matchup should take center stage in Duke-NC State. Duke sophomore Tre Jones has the most assists per game, and NC State senior Markell Johnson has the second-most, for an ACC player. 

Get some action on this college basketball matchup or others by placing a legal sports bet at BetMGM! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions.

Duke at NC State: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Duke 74, NC State 71

Moneyline (ML)

As per usual, Duke is stacked with talent; the Blue Devils have eight of RSCI’s Top-100 recruits on their roster. NC State hopes its experience makes up for the talent discrepancy versus Duke. The Wolfpack only have two top-100 RSCI recruits on its roster—one of which is starter F Manny Bates—but there are four upperclassmen in their starting five.

I am going to PASS ON A MONEYLINE bet because Duke -278 is too chalky and NC State (+220) is a live dog but not getting good enough odds to bet. I’d back the Wolfpack if they were between +300-350 on the money line since NC State has a 3-2 record in its last five home games against Duke, two victories were by double-digits.

Against the Spread (ATS)

TAKE NC STATE +6.5 (-115) because of its recent success against the spread when facing Duke. The Wolfpack have won five straight ATS versus Duke and, for whatever reason, play really well on Wednesdays. NC State is 5-0 straight up and ATS in Wednesday games. Plus, the underdog is 5-0 ATS in the last five meetings. 

Over/Under (O/U)

On one hand, six straight Duke-NC State games have gone Over the projected total by an average of 15.8 points per contest. On the other hand, this season’s trends for both teams point to the Under. NC State has a 3-11 Over/Under record at home this season and Duke has a 5-3 O/U record in away games. Also, the Under is 4-0 in the Wolfpack’s last four games as a home underdog and 10-1 in the Wolfpack’s last 11 games following a straight-up loss. 

BET UNDER 152.5 (-115).

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Vancouver Canucks at Boston Bruins odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Vancouver Canucks at Boston Bruins sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Vancouver Canucks (30-18-5) and Boston Bruins (31-10-12) will lock horns at TD Garden in Boston at 7:00 p.m. ET. We analyze the Canucks-Bruins sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Canucks at Bruins: Projected starting goalies

Jacob Markstrom vs. Tuukka Rask

Markstrom heads into Beantown with a 20-13-3 record, 2.70 goals-against average and .917 save percentage with one shutout. While the All-Star has had solid overall numbers, his road record is just 10-8-1 with a 2.93 GAA and .909 save percentage away from home. He’s also just 2-3-0 with a 3.74 GAA and .876 save percentage in five starts against Atlantic Division teams this season.

Rask has a sparkling 18-4-6 record, 2.23 GAA and .927 save percentage across 29 outings this season. He has been especially impenetrable at home, going 10-0-6 with a 2.20 GAA and .926 save percentage with each of his two shutouts coming at TD Garden in 16 starts.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Canucks at Bruins: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Bruins 4, Canucks 2

Moneyline (ML)

The Bruins (-223) are heavy favorites at home despite the fact they’re facing a fellow first-place team in the Canucks (+180). However, Vancouver has managed a 1-4 record in their past five against Atlantic Division foes, and they’re 2-5 in the past seven games in the third game of a 3-in-4 (three games in four days) situation. Still, this is a tad bit too much chalk to eat, so look to the puck line.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Bruins to win returns a profit of $5.50, while a $10 wager on the Canucks results in a profit of $15.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The BRUINS (-1.5, +130) are a better value on home ice where Rask has been particularly outstanding. Conversely, the Canucks (+1.5, -154) have struggled against Atlantic Division foes, and Markstrom’s record on the road and against Atlantic teams is documented above. All trends point to a B’s uprising at home.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (-129) is the play here, although I wouldn’t go crazy straight up. However, a nice parlay with the B’s on the puck line and the over will fetch a tidy little return. The over has cashed in six of the past seven meetings in this series, and four straight at TD Garden. The over is also 8-2 in the past 10 games for the Canucks on the road and 5-0 in the past five vs. Eastern Conference teams. The over is 5-2-1 in the past eight against winning teams, and 5-0-1 in the past six when working on two days of rest.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Vegas Golden Knights at Carolina Hurricanes odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Vegas Golden Knights at Carolina Hurricanes sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Vegas Golden Knights (25-20-7) and Carolina Hurricanes (29-18-3) tangle at PNC Arena in Raleigh at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday. We analyze the Golden Knights-Hurricanes sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Golden Knights at Hurricanes: Projected starting goalies

Malcolm Subban vs. Petr Mrazek

Starter Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to serve his one-game suspension due to his decision to skip the All-Star Game, so Subban should get the nod in Raleigh. He is 6-7-3 with a 3.04 goals against average and .898 save percentage. Subban has dropped each of his past two starts, and four of his past six assignments. Fleury is expected to return Saturday in Nashville.

Mrazek has registered an 18-12-2 record with a 2.59 GAA and .905 SV% in 31 starts and 32 appearances overall. The Czechoslovakia native has been even more impressive in Raleigh, going 14-6-0 with a 2.35 GAA and .910 SV% with two shutouts across 20 starts at PNC.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Golden Knights at Hurricanes: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Hurricanes 5, Golden Knights 2

Moneyline (ML)

The HURRICANES (-133) entered the all-star break with back-to-back wins against the New York Islanders and Winnipeg Jets, holding each team to just one goal. Over their past seven games the Hurricanes have yielded just nine total goals or 1.3 goals per game, so they’ve certainly been stingy lately. They also luck out not having to face ‘Flower’.

The Golden Knights (+110) enter this one with 3.0 goals per game, ranking 17th in the NHL, and they’re 15th in the league with 3.0 goals per game allowed. In other words, VGK has been nothing special this season, and the Knights are a dismal 19th on the penalty kill at 79.5 percent.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Hurricanes to win returns a profit of $7.50, while a $10 wager on the Golden Knights results in a profit of $11.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The Hurricanes (-1.5, +195) are a tempting play at this price, but goals should be at a premium in this battle between two sharp and rested goalies. The Golden Knights (+1.5, -238) are a better play on the moneyline if you like them, as they’re just too expensive at this price. AVOID.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (-133) is the way to go. While, yes, Carolina has allowed just nine goals in its past seven games, as mentioned above, remember their all-star netminder is going to be wearing a ball cap while serving his one-game penalty for skipping the ASG. Carolina should be able to piece together some nice offense against P.K.’s brother.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN+ 24: Jordan Espinosa vs. Alex Perez odds, picks and best bets

Jordan Espinosa and Alex Perez battle during UFC on ESPN+ 24; we look at the fight odds and betting predictions around the matchup.

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Jordan Espinosa and Alex Perez square off in a flyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. Saturday evening. To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

Espinosa (14-6-0) heads into this one at 1-1 since signing with the UFC. He picked up a victory against Eric Shelton by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night in Nashville on March 23, 2019, before being submitted by Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night in Newark on Aug. 3, 2019. This will be a battle between two Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu style fighters, so look for plenty of upright action, especially on Espinosa’s part. He has solid significant strike accuracy at 58.04% to 48.17% for Perez. Both land plenty per minute, too, as Espinosa is at 4.52 significant strikes landed per minute, and Perez lands 4.68 per minute.

Want some action on Jordan Espinosa vs. Alex Perez? Place a legal sports bet at BetMGM on this fight or other UFC on ESPN+ 24 matchups. Bet now.

Perez (22-5-0) is at a four-inch disadvantage in terms of reach (69.5″ to 65.5″), but what he lacks in that department he makes up for in terms of experience. He has five UFC fights under his belt, and he is 4-1 since joining the big time, including a win over common opponent Shelton back on Feb. 24, 2018. He is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Mark De La Rosa on March 30, 2019 on the Barboza-Gaethje card. Over his career he has won by a multitude of ways, picking up wins at the hands of the judges, with plenty of submissions and knockouts along the way. He also has been submitted on a handful of occasions, including twice by the guillotine. He might want to keep this one upright, but he can go to the mat, posting a 3.13 takedown average with a 47.62% takedown accuracy and 1.25 submission average.

Also see:

Jordan Espinosa vs. Alex Perez betting odds

Per BetMGM, Perez (-278) is the heavy favorite, mainly due to his experience and overall success in the UFC. Espinosa (+200) has rather limited success, and he cannot be trusted on the 2-way line. He has just one path to victory, a knockout, while Perez can do it with his hands in an outright brawl, technical aspects to wow the judges if it goes the distance, or he can do it in the ground game. The possibilities are just more for Perez. Toss him in a two- or three-fighter parlay to get a better return, even if you bet the chalk in a few bouts.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Perez to win the fight returns $3.60 in profit. A $10 bet on Espinosa returns a profit of $20 with an upset victory.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN+ 24: Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz odds, picks and best bets

Arnold Allen and Nik Lentz fight at UFC on ESPN+ 24, with UFC betting odds, picks and best bets

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Arnold Allen and Nik Lentz will fight in a preliminary featherweight match at UFC on ESPN+ 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. Saturday evening. To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

Allen (15-1-0) was expected to tussle with Josh Emmett, an up-and-comer who is ranked in the Top 10 in his weight class. However, Emmett was forced to pull out due to an undisclosed injury, so Allen and Lentz will be paired together.

The Briton enters this fight on a seven-bout winning streak, and he is actually fairly lucky that Lentz’s opponent pulled out, too, putting these two together. Lentz is in the twilight of his career, but still a tough veteran who can give Allen another feather in his cap if he can pick up the win. The southpaw Allen holds a huge advantage in takedown accuracy at 56.25 to 34.69 percent for Lentz. He also holds a two-inch reach advantage (70″ to 68″) over Lentz. He’ll be looking to take Lentz to the mat and keep away from the veteran’s significant strike advantage.

Want some action on Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz? Place a legal sports bet at BetMGM on this fight or other UFC on ESPN+ 24 matchups. Bet now.

Lentz (30-10-2) was expected to square off with Nad Narimani, but he also pulled out due to an undisclosed ailment. While Allen had the misfortune of a better opponent bailing on him, Lentz actually gets a higher-profile matchup as a result of the situation. While Lentz is a little longer in the tooth, and he has a slight disadvantage in reach, he does get to tap into a portfolio of experience, and he also holds an advantage in significant strike accuracy, and a slight advantage in significant strikes landed per minute. He’ll look to keep Allen upright and try to wail on him, but if he is forced to the mat he does hold a 1.27-0.53 submission average, too.

Also see:

Arnold Allen vs. Nik Lentz betting odds

Per BetMGM, Allen (-334) will force you to risk more than three times your return on investment, while Lentz (+230) is a rather heavy ‘dog on the 2-way line. I’ve been suggesting to many interested in the favorite, and in this particular fight that is the way to go, find at least one or two other fights to pair with this in a two- or three-fighter parlay to minimize your risk.

Are you new to sports betting? A $10 wager on Allen to win returns $3 in profit. A $10 bet on Lentz returns a profit of $23 with an upset victory.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN+ 24: Rafael dos Anjos vs. Michael Chiesa odds, picks and best bets

Rafael dos Anjos vs. Michael Chiesa fight at UFC on ESPN+ 24, with MMA betting odds, picks and best bets

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Rafael dos Anjos and Michael Chiesa fight on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. Saturday evening. To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

dos Anjos (29-12-0) faces Chiesa in a battle of southpaws, and he is at a disadvantage in terms of height and reach. Chiesa towers over dos Anjos at 6’1″ to 5’8″, with a 75.5″ to 70″ reach. However, dos Anjos outclasses Chiesa in the significant strikes per minute category at a 3.57 to 2.28 clip.

While dos Anjos will want to stay upright and land haymakers, trying to work over Chiesa in a toe-to-toe battle, Chiesa will be trying to get him on the ground.

Want some action on this fight? Place a legal sports bet at BetMGM now!

Chiesa (16-4-0) was in attendance at Tuesday’s NHL game between the Winnipeg Jets and Carolina Hurricanes to sound the siren and pump up the crowd. As mentioned, he towers over dos Anjos and he has a tremendous reach advantage, although he’ll likely be wanting to get his opponent to the mat rather than exchange clouts horizontally. Chiesa has a solid 48.15 takedown accuracy percentage with a 1.23 submission average. After his loss to Anthony Pettis at UFC 226, when the tables were turned and he was submitted, he bounced back with a Round 2 submission win over Carlos Condit before a unanimous decision win last time out on July 6, 2019 against Diego Sanchez.

Per BetMGM, dos Anjos (-304) is very heavy favorite against Chiesa (+215) on the 2-way line. It’s a good idea to bet the favorite in this one, but you’re going to want to include RDA in a parlay with another fight or two. For instance, if you were to take RDA in a three-fighter parlay of favorites with Curtis Blaydes (-250) and Lucie Pudilova (-176), you can still double your money if all three fighters come through with a win.

Are you new to sports betting? A $10 wager on dos Anjos to win returns $3.30 in profit. A $10 bet on Chiesa, the underdog, returns a profit of $21.50 with a victory.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Also see:

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN+ 24: Curtis Blaydes vs. Junior Dos Santos odds, picks and best bets

Curtis Blaydes and Junior Dos Santos battle during UFC on ESPN+ 24; we look at the fight odds and betting predictions around the matchup.

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Curtis Blaydes and Junior Dos Santos will square off on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 24 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. Saturday evening. To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

Blaydes (12-2-0) heads into this one on a two-bout win streak, rebounding nicely after his victory Francis Ngannou at UFC Fight Night on Nov. 24, 2018. He rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Justin Willis, and a second-round TKO of Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 242.

He’ll be working to get JDS on the ground, as he owns a 7.05 takedown average and a 60.0 percent takedown accuracy mark. However, if this fight is more upright, he has the ability to go toe-to-toe and hold his own. He has a strong 51.68 significant strike accuracy percentage, while racking up 3.69 significant strikes per minute.

Dos Santos (21-6-0), like Blaydes, has a recent loss in Ngannou. In fact, JDS lost to Ngannou last time out, June 29 at UFC Fight Night, getting knocked out in Round 1 in just 71 seconds. Even though he is 6-5 across his past 11 bouts, he has losses to Ngannou, Stipe Miocic in a title bout, Cain Velasquez in a pair of title bouts and a knockout at the hands of Alistair Overeem. That’s nothing to be ashamed about, as that’s a who’s who of the weight class, and he did briefly hold the title when he beat Velasquez in the first of their trilogy back on Nov. 12, 2011.

Want some action on Blaydes vs. Dos Santos or other MMA fights this weekend? Place your legal sports bets at BetMGM now!

Per BetMGM, Blaydes (-250) is a rather heavy favorite over the aging Dos Santos (+180) on the 2-way line. Blaydes, 28, is on an upward trajectory, but Dos Santos has never lost back-to-back bouts in his professional career. The Brazilian veteran is a great value at this price level.

Are you new to sports betting? A $10 wager on Dos Santos, the underdog, to win returns $18 in profit. A $10 bet on Blaydes returns a profit of $4 with a victory.

If you want some action on this mixed martial arts bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Also see:

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s New York Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes sports betting odds, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and best bets.

The Carolina Hurricanes (27-18-3) host the New York Islanders (28-15-4) at PNC Arena for a 5 p.m. ET puck drop. We analyze the Islanders-Hurricanes odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Islanders at Hurricanes: Projected starting goalies

Thomas Greiss vs. James Reimer 

The Islanders are sending out backup netminder Greiss who has won back-to-back games, including an impressive 34-save effort in an 8-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday. The win moved Greiss to 13-7-0 on the year with a .921 save percentage and 2.54 goals against average.

Between the other pipes is Hurricanes No. 2 Reimer, who is sporting a 10-6-1 record with a .919 SV% and 2.56 GAA. Reimer has been good lately—winning two of his last three starts—but dropped his last game 2-1 in overtime against the Anaheim Ducks.

Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.

Islanders at Hurricanes: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Islanders 3, Hurricanes 1

Moneyline (ML)

Let’s live a little on this glorious Sunday and BET ISLANDERS (+150). Sure, the Hurricanes have owned the Islanders recently; Carolina has won six straight against the Islanders, including last year’s second-round playoff series, but they can’t beat the Islanders forever, right? The Islanders are 6-1 in their last seven Sunday games and the Hurricanes have struggled in the Metropolitan Division lately—they are 2-11 in their last 13 vs. Metropolitan opponents.

The ISLANDERS (+150) are offering just too much value for a team who has to be ultra motivated for revenge.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Neither team’s puck line record inspires confidence in a wager; the Islanders are 21-26 against the spread and the Hurricanes are 21-27. The dog has held an edge in the Islanders-Hurricanes recent history. The underdog is 10-4 in the last 14 meetings so there is prudence in an Islanders +1.5 (-189) bet. Also, New York is 11-11 ATS on the road and Carolina is just 11-13 ATS at home. Between the Hurricanes’ recent success versus the Islanders and the heavy vig attached to the New York side, I recommend a PASS on the puck line.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 5.5 (-121) is the only play that makes sense here. The Islanders-Hurricanes combined Over/Under record is 41-52, both are below average in total goals scored per game (Hurricanes rank 23rd and Islanders rank 26th) and both backups have a lower GAA than the regular starting goalies. BetMGM knows the Under is the better side hence the -121 pricepoint.

New to sports betting? Bet $121 on Under 5.5 total goals in the Islanders-Hurricanes game to earn a profit of $100.

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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