Betting news, trends, odds and predictions for Thursday, December 21th, 2017 from various handicappers and websites
Brad Diamond
Dec 21 '17, 1:00 PM in 2h
NCAA-B | South Alabama vs Tulane
Play on: Tulane -10 -108
Doug Upstone
Dec 21 '17, 8:00 PM in 9h
NCAA-F | Temple vs Florida International
Play on: OVER 57 -115
Play Over on teams like FIU when the total is between 56.5 and 63, who are averaging 390 to 440 YPG, against a defense that allows the same (390-440 YPG) after 7+ games, after allowing 6.75 or more yards/play in their previous game. (32-6, 84.2%, L10Y)
Scott Spreitzer
Dec 21 '17, 7:05 PM in 8h
NHL | Blue Jackets vs Penguins
Play on: Penguins -148 at betonline
I'm recommending a play on the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. The Pens aren't having a great December, but can turn things around with a win against the Blue Jackets tonight. Pittsburgh's power play has failed them of late but still ranks 4th in the NHL. They'll face a Columbus team that doesn't score a lot of goals and struggles on the road. The Blue Jackets have won just one of their last five road games, scoring a total of just seven goals in the four losses. The Pens lost 4-2 at Colorado three nights ago and few teams bounce back better in this spot as Pittsburgh is 21-4 at home off a road loss going back to last season and 12-1 if the road loss came by at least two goals. And finally, the Pens have captured six of the last seven home meetings with Columbus. The Jackets look to be "just what the doctor ordered," to us, and I'm recommending a play on Pittsburgh on Thursday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.
Hunter Price
Dec 21 '17, 1:00 PM in 2h
NCAA-B | Liberty vs IUPU Ft Wayne
Play on: Liberty -1½ -110 at betonline
1* Free Pick on Liberty -1½ -110
Mike Lundin
Dec 21 '17, 7:05 PM in 8h
NHL | Blue Jackets vs Penguins
Play on: Penguins -152 at BMaker
#NHL FREE PICK FROM MIKE LUNDIN
The Pittsburgh Penguins have won only one of their last five games, but I think they'll get back on track here in the opener of a three-game homestand. "We need to find a way to put some wins together," Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby told reporters. "You look at the division, how tight things are, these are big games. We need the points and we want to make sure we finish strong before the Christmas break."
The Pens will host a Columbus Blue Jackets team that had lost back-to-back games on the road (at Carolina and Boston) before notching a 4-2 home victory against Toronto last night. The Pens meanwhile are well rested and 8-3 in their last 11 games playing on two days rest.
The Blue Jackets have lost four of their last five on the road and five of the last six meetings with Pittsburgh.
The Blue Jackets have struggled on defense lately and Sergei Bobrovsky has given up 18 goals through his last four contests. The Pens are averaging 3.31 goals per game home at PPG PAINTS Arena and should get the better of the visitors tonight.
My free pick is on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Jimmy Boyd
Dec 21 '17, 11:00 PM in 12h
NCAA-B | Kansas vs Stanford
Play on: Stanford +15 -113 at BMaker
Free Pick on Stanford +
Dustin Hawkins
Dec 21 '17, 10:00 PM in 11h
NCAA-B | Gonzaga vs San Diego State
Play on: Gonzaga -4½ -110 at Bovada
Free Play on Gonzaga -4½ -110
Jim Feist's Comp Pick, Thursday, December 21, 2017
12/21 05:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET
CF (215) TEMPLE VS (216) FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL
Take: over
Reason: Your free play for Thursday, December 21, 2017 is in the College Bowl game between Temple and Florida International. Another Bowl game that slightly favors one team as this game being played at St Petersburg, FL and Florida International from Miami. Slight edge to FIU. Temple comes South and will play on artificial turf. FIU played well on the fake stuff, going 8-2 S/U and 6-3 ATS. I give an edge here in coaching to FIU who has Butch Davis while Temple has first year coach Geoff Collins. Temple has been scoring good amount of points lately and that has resulted in 5-0 O/U in their last five games. In addition, the Owls are 11-5 O/U their last 16 vs a teams with a winning record. The Golden Panthers have also been a good over team of late, going over in their last four games. I think we'll see plenty of points scored in this one tonight. Play the OVER.
Gonzaga (-4) at SAN DIEGO STATE
By Jack Brayman
I can't begin to tell you how many people I've heard say "this is the year St. Mary's gets Gonzaga." That tells me this is the year Gonzaga continues to dominate the West Coast Conference. Tonight the 12th-ranked Bulldogs will dominate the San Diego State Aztecs.
There is always a non-conference scare for the top teams in the nation, as we saw last night with Wofford topping North Carolina. Unfortunately for San Diego State, the Bulldogs already received their scare, last week when a 30-point underdog with a 251 RPI and an iota of a chance to win - according to computer analytics - took the Zags to overtime before losing.
Kudos to you North Dakota, you've awoken the giant.
If there is a team out of the west that is going to experience a down year, based on standards set from previous seasons, it's the Aztecs. And now they host a Gonzaga team that owns the nation’s best road winning percentage over the past decade.
I know Gonzaga allows 13.4 points more per game than last season and opponents are shooting nearly 10 percentage points higher beyond the 3-point arc, but North Dakota was the right wake-up call just before this game.
The Aztecs, on any other day, could challenge the Bulldogs. But tonight, Gonzaga will be more than prepared to win and cover.
1* GONZAGA
Chicago (+10') at CLEVELAND
By Tommy Brunson
Thursday comp play is the points and the Bulls as they play in Cleveland tonight against the Cavaliers.
Chicago is just 10-20 on the season, but guess what? After defeating Orlando last night, the Bulls winning streak is currently at 7 in a row straight up! They have also covered 8 straight dating back to December 6th.
Cleveland is off a loss to Milwaukee earlier this week to snap a 5-game winning streak, but the Cavaliers have had a harder time of it against the spread, as they enter play tonight at just 1-4 their last 5, and only 3-8 their last 11. True, one of their covers in that stretch came against the Bulls, but Chicago had cashed in 8 in a row ATS versus Cleveland prior to that early December against the spread setback.
Have to grab the points with the red-hot Bulls to at least stay inside of this big impost.
2* CHICAGO
Boston at NEW YORK
By Joey Juice
The Celtics, even though they play their second game of a back to back, are an offensive machine who seems to thrive in these situations.
New York has shown the ability to score big points at home this season, which will works in our favor here. Having Porzingis back will help push the offense and bolster the Knicks confidence. Beasley has been sharp as well in his absence.
The Celtics do play extremely tough defense, which makes life difficult for opposing offenses, but Porzingis and the Knicks will get points at home.
The over is 4-0 in the Celtics’ last 4 overall, 5-1 in their last 6 games playing on 0 days rest, 9-2 in their last 11 road games and 4-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
New York has seen the over go 5-1 in the last 6 overall and 4-1 in their last 5 against the Eastern Conference.
This one is going over!
2* BOSTON-NEW YORK OVER
Memphis at PHOENIX (204)
By Chris Jordan
My free winner for Thursday night is on the Over in the Memphis Grizzlies-Phoenix Suns clash.
I realize Memphis is averaging a rather low 93 points per game in December, but if the Grizzlies want to contend, they're going to need to step offensively. And I think they'll be looking to avenge last night's dismal showing in Oakland, where they lost 97-84 to the Golden State Warriors.
The Suns, meanwhile, have had a couple of nights off from scoring in triple figures, splitting at Dallas (won) and at the Clippers (loss). Tonight they'll get back into the 100s against a dismal Memphis team that can't seem to stop anybody.
Truly, what we have, are a pair of bad teams. Phoenix ranks at the bottom of the league in allowing 113.3 points per game, while the Suns have scored 106 points per game at the other end. With this one being played in the desert, Phoenix will dictate an uptempo game that Memphis will adhere to.
Play this one high.
5* OVER Grizzlies-Suns
Mike Wynn
Free Play: Free Pick DePaul -12 Over Miami-Ohio
Jeff Allen Sports
Thursday's Free Selection is on the San Jose/Vancouver Under