Astros-Red Sox play, MLS scoring prop: Best Bets for Aug. 30
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 Wednesday, Aug. 30:
TOP PLAY
The play: MLB, Astros-Red Sox over 10 total runs
The odds/bet: -105 ($31.50 to win $30)
The book: BetMGM
Time/TV: 3:10 p.m. (MLB TV)
Our take: The Houston Astros are making noise as one of the league's hottest teams right now. They've scored six or more runs in each of their last four games — all of which were wins. Dusty Baker's bunch is averaging 12 runs per game in their last three contests, so it goes without saying the bats are hot.
While it's tempting to take Houston money line (-135) or on the -1.5 run line (+120), we're going to play it a bit safe here. The Astros have only swept two teams on the road this season and Boston isn't an easy place to come in and dominate a three-game set.
Furthermore, nine of Houston's last 11 games have seen 10+ runs put up on the board. The Red Sox are in a similar boat having seen double-digit runs scored in nine of their last 10. As good as the two starting pitchers have been throughout the season, the bats on both sides have been scorching since the All-Star Break.
The play: Both teams to score in Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC
The odds/bet: -135 ($13.50 to win $10)
The book: Barstool Sportsbook
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. (Apple TV+)
Our take: It goes without saying that Inter Miami has completely changed since the arrival of Lionel Messi. The Argentine superstar has turned the Herons into one of the MLS' best sides, as evidenced by their triumph in the Leagues Cup.
Messi has scored in every game he's played for Inter Miami but one — when he had two assists — and sportsbooks are starting to reflect that reality in their lines. You can't find any value in the 36-year-old to score with most books heavily juicing to line to at least -200.
While Messi to score is being dubbed the 'safest bet in sports' right now, we're going to have to swerve and go in a different direction.
The Herons have only kept a handful of clean sheets in the league this season. The last time these two sides met in the aforementioned Leagues Cup final just 11 days ago, penalties decided their fate after a 1-1 draw in regular time. There have been goals by each team every time they have squared off this year, so we'll take both to find the back of the net again this evening.
HOW WE’VE FARED
- MLB: Mariners -1.5 over A's (LOST $39)
MLB: Rays money line over Marlins (WON $15)
Tuesday's profit/loss: -$24 (1-1)
Total for the week: +$16 (3-1)
Total for August: -$110.20 (25-35)
Total for 2023: -$627.70 (199-229)
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).
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