- Iowa is a two point underdog to Illinois in college basketball action.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers are one point road favorites over the New York Knicks.
- The Chicago Blackhawks have +110 odds to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets.
LAS VEGAS - Welcome to this Friday edition of the Daily Sports Betting Preview!
Today’s Preview kicks off with a look at the matchup between Iowa and Illinois in NCAA basketball action. Then, the Preview examines some of the best games on Friday’s heavy NBA betting slate.
Finally, the Columbus Blue Jackets take on the Chicago Blackhawks in NHL action.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
NCAA Basketball Betting
Iowa enters this matchup as the third ranked team in the country according to the AP Poll, but Illinois is a very credible threat to them.
Illinois may be ranked 16 spots below Iowa by the AP Poll, but they are very much in this matchup.
In fact, they are the favorites, given they are playing at home against the mighty Iowa.
Iowa vs. Illinois Spread
- Iowa +2.0 (-110)
- Illinois -2.0 (-110)
Iowa’s 12-3 straight up record is impressive, but what might be more impressive is their 10-5 ATS record so far on the season. However, only four of their games have taken place on the road - and they have a 2-2 ATS record in those games.
In other words, Iowa has performed admirably against the spread this season, but the sample size on the road is low and not encouraging.
Illinois, meanwhile, performs at expectations against the spread at home. They have an 8-6-1 overall ATS record, with a 4-3-1 home record. The line for this matchup has actually moved towards Illinois over the course of wagering, although not too much.
Most online sportsbooks opened the line at Illinois -1.5, and it has been bet to the point that the Fighting Illini are now the favorites.
This matchup should be a very compelling one for NCAA basketball betting enthusiasts.
NBA Betting
In other basketball betting news, the NBA has a very full slate of games on Friday night, but two stick out as intriguing.
First, the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the New York Knicks, and then, the Dallas Mavericks battle the Utah Jazz.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks Spread
- Cleveland Cavaliers -1.0 (-105)
- New York Knicks +1.0 (-115)
This is a matchup between two teams that have a lot to prove in a season like this, and both are performing far better than expected.
The Cavs are sitting at sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-9 record and some high profile wins over teams like the Nets. The Knicks are sitting in eighth place, with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett sitting in the top six of the NBA’s minutes leaders.
The Cavs enter this game on a solid ATS win streak, covering the spread in five of their last six games. However, they have not been a great team historically when favored on the road, with a 6-16 record against the spread in their last 22 games as road favorites.
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Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz
The Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz were tipped to fight for one of the playoff spots in the Western Conference before the season, but their fates have diverged significantly since then.
The Jazz are atop the Western Conference with a 14-4 record, and have won their last ten games in a row after starting the season 4-4. The Mavericks, meanwhile, are out of the playoffs right now, with an 8-10 record.
Despite this, the online sportsbooks don’t seem to want to favor the Jazz too heavily in case this is the game where they come back to earth.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz Spread
- Dallas Mavericks +3.5 (-110)
- Utah Jazz -3.5 (-110)
The Mavericks are only 3.5 point underdogs, reflecting the general belief that they are in a slump, but that they are better than their performance so far this season.
The line actually moved towards the Mavs over the course of betting, with Utah opening as a -4.5 favorite. The Jazz are 9-0 ATS in their last nine games as favorites, and 10-1 ATS in their last 11 games overall.
The Mavs, meanwhile, enter this game with a 2-5 ATS record in their last seven games, and are perhaps favored more than they should be.
NBA betting fans have a golden opportunity to get in on an underrated team on a hot streak with these Jazz odds.
NHL Betting
The NHL only features one game on Friday night, and it sees the Columbus Blue Jackets taking on the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks have not had an inspiring season, and enter this matchup with a record of 2-3-2-1. However, their opponents have not been all that much better, as the Blue Jackets have racked up a record of 3-2-2-1.
With teams that are performing this similarly over the course of the season, home/away could play a big role.
However, expectations are higher for the Blue Jackets than they are for the Blackhawks, and that leads to them being favored on the road in this matchup.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Chicago Blackhawks Moneyline
- Columbus Blue Jackets -130
- Chicago Blackhawks +110
The matchup is still a close one, but the Blue Jackets are -130 favorites on the road after the game opened as a pick ‘em on many sportsbooks.
Evidently, NHL betting enthusiasts have been wagering heavily on the Blue Jackets, as the lines have moved a whole 20 points.
Neither of these teams is particularly inspiring as far as trends go, although it’s worth noting that the Blackhawks are 6-1 in their last seven home games. Similarly, in the last 12 times these teams have faced off in Chicago, the Blue Jackets have only won two of them.
The market has moved towards the Blue Jackets, which means there could be value in taking the other side of the bet.
Good Luck!
Maxwell joined the USAOnlineSportsbooks team in 2019. He focuses on creating sports betting content that informs and educates. He focuses on the NBA, the NFL, College Football and Basketball, and whatever else comes across his desk.
