Action in Illinois-Kansas, MLB pick: Best Bets for Sept. 8

Each day, one of our experts at Bet.NOLA.com will offer up a best bet (or two or three) that mobile sportsbooks in Louisiana are offering. It might be a traditional spread bet, a player prop or one of the various odds boosts that books offer.

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Here are our best bets for Friday, Sept. 8:

The play: NCAAF, Kansas -3 vs. Illinois

The odds/bet: -105 ($31.50 to win $30)

The book: DraftKings Sportsbook

Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Our take: The Kansas Jayhawks are getting their first true test of the 2023 season this evening as the Illinois Fighting Illini stroll into David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Lance Leipold has Lawrence excited about the future of its program and for good reason after finding success last year.

The Jayhawks started the season with an incredibly efficient 48-17 win over Missouri State in Week 1. The hosts scored on eight of their 10 true drives (excluding half- and game-ending possessions) with a backup quarterback at the helm. Now, the Jayhawks get star signal caller Jalon Daniels back healthy for this early-season test against Illinois.

The Fighting Illini looked shaky against a solid Toledo squad, and they required a last-second field goal to win in front of their home fans. Illinois was let off the hook last week on numerous occasions due to the Rockets' offensive ineptitude in the red zone. Unfortunately for Bret Bielema's boys, Kansas doesn't have those same issues.

The Jayhawks know how to score early and they know how to score often, officially with Daniels under center. This is why we like Kansas to cover the three-point spread in front of its home fans.

HOT HANDS IN HOUSTON

The play: MLB, Astros money line over Padres

The odds/bet: -125 ($12.50 to win $10)

Time/TV: 7:10 p.m. (Apple TV+)

Our take:What happens when a very stoppable force meets an easily movable object? We're going to find out this evening. We've tweaked a famous phrase just a tad to properly fit the mood for tonight's San Diego Padres at Houston Astros matchup at Minute Maid Park.

While the Astros have been on a historic tear lately — hanging up 39 runs in a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers — they have been atrocious at home. Houston hasn't won a game it hosted since August 22 against the Boston Red Sox. Dusty Baker's squad is 2-8 in its last 10 games at home.

Gabe, why are you making the Astros one of today's best bets to win outright if that's the case? San Diego has been equally as bad on the road. The Padres are 2-9 in their last 11 games away from home.

While they'll have National League Cy Young favorite Blake Snell (-220) on the bump, Houston traditionally hits well against star pitchers. The Astros have been seeing beach balls when hitting the last few days, so we'll take them to keep adding to the win column during a tight race atop the American League West.

HOW WE’VE FARED

NFL: Kansas City Chiefs -4.5 over Detroit Lions (LOST $33)

NFL: Patrick Mahomes OVER 2.5 passing touchdowns (LOST $10)

Thursday's profit/loss: -$43 (0-2)

Total for the week: +$82.50 (6-2)

Total for September: +$69 (9-5)

Total for 2023: -$523.70 (210-236)

If a line or odds are minus, it considers the juice one must lay to place the bet. Ex: Team A is -160 on the money line, one would have to bet $160 to win $100 (or $16 to win $10). OR Team B is a 5-point favorite at -110, one would have to bet $110 to win $100 (or $11 to win $10.)

Conversely, on positive lines, if Team C is +140 on the money line, $100 would bring in $140 (or $10 to win $14).