- Rutgers enters a matchup against Michigan State as a slight road underdog.
- The Utah Jazz have -205 odds to defeat the Brooklyn Nets.
- The finals of the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships pit the USA against Canada.
LAS VEGAS - Welcome to this Tuesday edition of the Daily Sports Betting Preview.
Today’s Preview starts out with an examination of the matchup between Rutgers and Michigan State, a solid college basketball matchup.
Then, in the NBA, the Utah Jazz take on the Brooklyn Nets in what should be Tuesday's best game. Finally, the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships finishes up today as the US takes on Canada.
There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!
College Basketball Betting
Today’s matchup between Rutgers and Michigan State looks to be quite a competitive event.
Rutgers is ranked 15th by the AP’s Top 25 rankings poll, while Michigan State clocks in at 23rd in the nation.
The matchup between the two teams is remarkably even, according to the sportsbooks.
Rutgers vs. Michigan State
- Rutgers +100
- Michigan State -120
Rutgers, despite being higher ranked, is on the road in this matchup, and that seems to be enough to give Michigan State a slight edge.
Rutgers vs. Michigan State
- Rutgers +1.5 (-115)
- Michigan State -1.5 (-105)
The spread of Michigan State -1.5 doesn’t even perfectly account for the gap between the two teams, with Michigan State -1.5 having shading of -105 on it.
This matchup projects to be remarkably close, however, the betting trends seem to favor Rutgers a bit.
Michigan State enters this matchup with a 2-8 record against the spread so far this season. At home, their ATS record is even worse, percentage-wise. They have a 1-5 ATS record at home so far.
In the last four matchups between Rutgers and Michigan State, the road team has covered the spread. Similarly, in the last five matchups between the two teams, the underdog is 4-1 against the spread.
College basketball bettors will have to figure out which direction they want to go, because many of the betting trends are pointing Rutgers’ way.
NBA Betting
The return of the NBA has been a remarkable event so far, with a lot of surprises right out of the gate.
However, the Utah Jazz sitting at 4-2 is not a surprise. The Jazz have been playing good basketball recently, anchored by Rudy Gobert on a new contract.
The big surprise, between the two teams in this matchup, is that the Brooklyn Nets are sitting at 3-4.
The Nets were up there among the early title favorites out of the Eastern Conference - in fact, they still are, with +240 odds to win the conference.
Their record belies their talent - nobody wants to bet against Kevin Durant.
However, anyone backing the Jazz in this matchup won’t actually have to do so.
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Durant will not be playing tonight after being exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Without Durant, the Nets are much less threatening, especially to a team like the Jazz who are anchored by a relatively immobile rim protector.
Durant will miss at least four games, a timeline that could be extended if the Nets star ever tests positive for COVID himself.
His absence is enough to swing this matchup towards Utah.
Utah Jazz vs. Brooklyn Nets
- Utah Jazz -205
- Brooklyn Nets +175
The Jazz sit as -205 moneyline favorites, and it’s possible that the line on this matchup continues to move.
The news of Durant’s quarantine broke at around 5:00 p.m. EST on January 4th, so it should be full public information by now, but it takes time before news like this has its influence fully felt on the betting lines.
Utah Jazz vs. Brooklyn Nets
- Utah Jazz -4.5 (-125)
- Brooklyn Nets +4.5 (+105)
Looking at the spread, it certainly seems as though there will be continued movement over the course of the day, with both teams having a lot of shading on their lines.
NBA bettors can look for the opportune time to get in on each of these teams as the lines continue to move.
2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Betting
The 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships are set to come to a close, and the finals are exactly as expected - Canada vs. the USA.
These two teams tore through the group stages, both with double-digit goal differentials, and were both dominant throughout the tournament.
The US, it’s worth noting, was pushed hard by Finland in the semifinals, and only managed to win that matchup 4-3. Canada, on the other hand, dominated Russia to the tune of a 5-0 victory in the semifinals.
The two leading scorers in the tournament are Canada’s Dylan Cozens and the USA’s Taylor Zegras.
Cozens has racked up eight goals and eight assists, while Zegras has put 10 assists and six goals on the board.
Each of these players will be looking to make the difference for their respective teams in the finals today.
2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Finals
- USA +300
- Canada -400
Despite the two teams having relatively comparable records throughout the tournament, Canada enters this matchup as a serious favorite. Even the 1.5-point spread on the puck line at online sportsbooks is not enough to make this an even matchup, although it does help.
2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships Finals
- USA +1.5 (+105)
- Canada -1.5 (-125)
This matchup looks to be a solid one for bettors, who can either back the underdog at solid odds or go with the favorite.
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.
