Phillies-Rays, Rangers-Red Sox MLB plays: Daily best bets
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.
A reminder for those who haven’t signed up yet: New users can get a risk-free bet at Caesars Sportsbook, meaning that if your first bet loses, you get a bonus bet for the same amount up to $1,250. New users also get 1,000 Caesars Rewards points to redeem for hotel or casino credit.
Here are our best bets for Thursday, July 6:
TOP PLAY
The play: MLB: Phillies at Rays OVER 9.5 runs
The odds/bet: -105 ($31.50 to win $30)
The book: Caesars Sportsbook
Time/TV: 5:40 p.m. (MLB Extra Innings)
Our take: Both the Phillies and Rays have plenty of firepower throughout their lineups, and we’re banking on the bats being alive tonight in what appears to be a favorable matchup for offense.
The Rays are shorthanded on starting pitching with ace Shane McClanahan on the IL, so the Phillies should have plenty of opportunity to thrive against their bullpen that’s been used heavily recently, and the Rays lineup should also do well against inexperienced Phillies starter Christopher Sanchez.
These teams normally have quality starting pitching to complement their lineups, but we’re taking the over since the pitching staffs appear overmatched.
RANGERS RUN LINE
The play: MLB, Rangers (-1.5) over Red Sox
The odds/bet: +115 ($10 to win $11.50)
The book: Caesars Sportsbook
Time/TV: 6:10 p.m. (BSSW)
Our take: The Rangers have been in a slight rut recently, but their last 12 victories have been by multiple runs to where we feel confident in taking them on the run line tonight since we see a bounce back on the horizon.
Nathan Eovaldi has stepped up as the ace of the Rangers pitching staff, and he’ll be going against his former team in the Red Sox in which he should have extra motivation to pitch well being that the Red Sox let him walk in free agency this offseason.
The Red Sox have a strong lineup, but the Rangers lineup should lead them to victory even if Eovaldi slips up some since they’re so dominant from top to bottom.
HOW WE’VE FARED
• MLB: Tigers (-1.5) over Athletics (LOST $34.50)
• MLB: Cardinals at Marlins OVER nine runs (WON $10)
Wednesday's profit/loss: -$24.50 (1-1)
Total for the week: +$21.50 (3-3)
Total for July: +$61.50 (6-3)
Total for 2023: -$287.25 (156-165)
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).
