Sunday Fun Day a Sports Smorgasbord

Memphis at UAB
Minnesota at Phoenix

I have the day off – no work to do, no appointments, no errands to run. It’s just me, the TV, the remote control, my online betting accounts, and sports.
And some comfort food – buffalo wings and pizza.

I’m treating myself to a Betting Buffet, a full day of wagers, with bets in college and pro basketball and a little NASCAR action mixed in.

Let’s get started with some college hoops.

Memphis at UAB, 1 pm PST, ESPN

The Memphis Tigers are the number 18 team in the country. They have a one game lead in the AAC, with North Texas and today’s opponent UAB just one game back. With weak opponents in South Florida and UTSA as the only teams left on their schedule, Memphis can win the conference today with a win over the Blazers.

The Tigers have won 10 of their last 11 while the Blazers have won four straight and 8 of their last 10.

The Tigers, small Favs of -1′ today are 18-3 as Favs while the Blazers are just 2-3 as Dogs.

In their meeting earlier this year Memphis scored a decisive win on the road by 23 points.

The Tigers score 80 PPG and give up 73, a differential of seven, which is plenty enough to cover the small spread in this one.

My Play: Memphis -1

Next, let’s look at the big boys and head off to Phoenix where the 32-29 Minnesota Timberwolves are in town to take on the 28-32 Phoenix Suns in some Western conference action.

Minnesota at Phoenix, 6:30 PST, ESPN

There’s still plenty of games left in the second half of the season but right now the Suns are on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture. If the season ended today, they’d miss out on the postseason. They’ve lost three of their last five games and seven of their last 10.

Minnesota’s position isn’t much better when it comes to the playoffs, tied for last place/last team in with the Mavs. The T’wolves are also playing poorly as of late, losing six of their last 10. But they have one both previous meetings between these two this season, a three-point home win back in November and an eight point road win back in January.

The Wolves also qualify in one of my WF systems. WF1 says Minnesota should be the favorite in this game. WF1 is 38-33 overall, nothing significant there but road teams like Minnesota tonight are 30-20, a 60% play.

The Timberwolves are just 16-15 ATS on the road, not great but still a winning record and it looks even better when you match it up against the Suns who are just 9 -19-1 ATS at home.

Minnesota’s not too healthy with Gobert definitely out and Randall unlikely to play. Kind of makes the Suns seem like the obvious play and I like going against the obvious.

My Play: Min +2

Next, I’m heading off to Echo Park in Texas for a little NASCAR matchup fun.
Our resident racing expert, Ms. Virginia Vroom, says she likes Chase Elliott to win this one, so I went looking for matchups with him at our sponsors.

Bookmaker is offering Elliot at -110 over Larson -120 and I took it.

V also recommends not underestimating Gisbergen based on his last race here, when he had some bad luck, getting tagged with a speeding violation on pit row and a lost gear. She has him as her dark horse choice.

Our sponsor Bovada is offering Giz head-to-head vs. Reddick at -115 each.

V likes Reddick as her mid-range pick, and since bad luck tends to follow drivers around, I’ll look for Gisbergen to have a little bit more of it today. I’m taking Reddick to win the head-to-head.