Suns, Heat to cover as home favorites: 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 free 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 Tuesday, Jan. 24:
TOP PLAY
The play: NBA: Suns (-6) over Hornets
The odds/bet: -110 ($33 to win $30)
The book: Caesars Sportsbook
Time/TV: 8 p.m. (NBA League Pass)
Our take: The Suns had been in a tailspin after dealing with several injuries, and while they’re still without Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton, they've played much better as of late with Chris Paul back healthy.
The return of Paul and Cameron Johnson has helped spark a three-game winning streak for the Suns, two of those coming against elite teams in the Grizzlies and Nets, and they’ll be back at home tonight against a struggling Hornets team that will be without their top scorer in LaMelo Ball.
The Suns have been at home during their past three wins, and they’re set to deliver another commanding victory in the desert tonight against one of the NBA’s worst lineups.
HEAT TO COVER
The play: Heat (-4.5) over Celtics
The odds/bet: -110 ($11 to win $10)
The book: Caesars Sportsbook
Time/TV: 6:30 p.m. (TNT)
Our take: The Heat have played much better at home this season than on the road, which explains why they’re favored against a Celtics team with the best record in the NBA.
The Celtics are one of the top road teams though as evidenced by their excellent record, but they’ll be at less than full strength with several key players set to sit out tonight, including one of their go-to scorers in Jaylen Brown.
It’s tough betting against the current best in the business, but the Heat are fully healthy heading into tonight and should be able to perform well enough to cover considering how well they’ve been at home.
HOW WE’VE FARED
NBA: Hawks (money line) over Bulls (LOST $31.20)
NBA player prop: Trae Young OVER 26.5 points (LOST $10.50)
Monday’s profit/loss: -$41.70 (0-2)
Total for the week: -$41.70 (0-2)
Total for January: -$87.50 (20-24)
Total for 2023: -$87.50 (20-24)
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, a $100 would bring in $140 (or $10 to win $14).
