Betting Lakers vs Warriors: NBA Odds, Lines, Prediction and Preview
Both the Lakers vs Warriors made blockbuster trades at the deadline that have already taken their franchises in different directions.
The Lakers sent Anthony Davis and Max Christie to Dallas as part of a three-team deal that brought Mavericks star Luka Doncic to Hollywood.
Since that trade, the Lakers have gone 19-10 – and also had to go through a couple of stretches without Doncic on the floor, as the increasingly injury-prone scoring phenom deals with lower-body issues.
The Warriors brought famous discontent – but elite offensive presence – Jimmy Butler out west from Miami. The Warriors won 13 of their first 15 games with Butler on board and now have a 17-4 record since he joined the team.
Butler has done well at each of his prior NBA stops – but then has turned into a chemistry nightmare for each team when things haven’t gone his way.
The Lakers have moved up to third place in the Western Conference and the Warriors to fifth; both are looking to avoid the play-in tournament, with the possibility of home field advantage if they beat Denver.
Let’s take a closer look at this Western Conference showdown from an online betting perspective.
Betting Lakers vs Warriors NBA Odds, Spread and Totals
NBA Lines: Lakers -1.5 / O/U 229.5 When: Thursday, April 3, 2025, 10:00 pm ET Where: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles TV: TNT / TruTV Radio: No National Broadcast Live Stream: Max
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This game is the end of a six-game road trip for the Warriors; so far, they have gone 3-2 straight up (2-2-1 against the spread), but they have won their last three – beating New Orleans by 16, San Antonio by 42, and Memphis by nine.
In that win over the Grizzlies, Stephen Curry dropped 52 on Memphis, knocking down 12 of 20 shots from behind the arc and also posting 10 boards, eight assists, and five steals. As a team, the Warriors made 22 three-pointers and went a perfect 28 of 28 from the charity stripe.
The Lakers have won three of the first four games in this series this season and look to sweep Golden State for the first time since the 2019-20 season. These teams have only played once since the trade deadline – back on February 6, when the Lakers rolled over Golden State at home, 120-112, covering a 4 ½-point spread.
The Lakers have gone 3-2 over their last five games (2-3 against the spread) but have won their last two. They finished a road trip last Saturday in Memphis, taking down the Grizzlies by seven. On Monday, they opened a three-game homestand by beating the Houston Rockets by six despite shooting just 39.3% from the floor.
The Lakers made 16 three-balls (to just 10 for Houston) and only had 11 turnovers. Gabe Vincent, Luka Doncic, and Dorian Finney-Smith each put up 20 points, and LeBron James added 16 points and eight boards. The Lakers are still without Maxi Kleber, who came out west with Doncic as part of the trade, but that’s their only injury.
This game should turn into an exciting duel between two of the league’s elite scorers, as Curry and Doncic are both capable of putting the team on their backs and carrying them.
The Lakers were able to beat a playoff-bound Houston team on a night when their shots weren’t falling, which is a testament to their ability to find other ways to win.
The Warriors are a little more centered around one main scorer (Curry) while the Lakers also have LeBron as a secondary scoring option.
I see the Lakers winning this one, 132-128 – and I see this game hitting the over as well.
With major seeding implications on the line, it’s a star-studded Western Conference showdown in LA tonight as the No. 3 Lakers (nearly identical win % to 4th place DEN) host the No. 5 Warriors (0.5 games ahead of 6th place MIN) at 10:00pm/et on… pic.twitter.com/pVcdvAGK5u
Bet On NASCAR, Xfinity Series and F1 this Weekend full of Motorsports bets
Let’s see what’s coming next in the World of Motorsports Bets: NASCAR and Formula 1. Going into the Japanese Grand Prix, the Red Bull team has made a change, demoting Liam Lawson and bringing up Yuki Tsunoda, who will join defending F1 champion Max Verstappen on the senior team on the Suzuka Circuit.
Tsunoda is just over four seasons into his career as an F1 driver, and after Lawson took two disappointing results, the team showed little patience.
In the Japanese capital, over 5,000 fans turned out to cheer on this rising Japanese driver about to make his debut in his home country.
Driving the RB 7 challenger, which Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel used to win world titles in 2011, he showed massive speed on the straights, was aggressive in the hairpin turns and then hit the gas on the exits, building excitement in the crowd.
Could he get a race win in his debut? That’s just one question we’ll try to answer in this week’s motor racing sports betting preview.
Motorsports Bets: Auto Racing Events and Top Picks for the Week – What events are happening?
NASCAR Weekend: Darlington Raceway
Xfinity Series: Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200, Saturday, 3:30 pm ET Cup Series: Goodyear 400, Sunday, 3:00 pm ET
It’s Throwback Weekend at Darlington Raceway, which means that racing fans will get to see all kinds of retro paint schemes on their favorite drivers’ cars.
The track itself runs 1.366 miles, and the oval has a unique egg shape. The racing surface is challenging because of its narrowness, which is why it has the nickname “Too Tough to Tame.”
Cup Series Last Race Review
Last week, Denny Hamlin raced to victory in the Cup Series at the Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway. He hadn’t won at this track in a decade, but once he took the lead in Lap 126 of 400, he didn’t look back. He led 274 of the last 275 laps, with Lap 326 getting credited to pole winner Christopher Bell, who was side-by-side with Hamlin after the last restart on that lap. Hamlin ended up beating Bell by a whopping 4.617 seconds.
Hamlin has now six wins at Martinsville, the most among active full-time drivers. It was his first win in 2025 and the 55th in his career in the Cup Series. Bubba Wallace finished third for the second race in a row, falling out of second after the final restart. Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Last Race Review
In Xfinity action last week, Austin Hill won the U.S. Marine Corps 250, also at Martinsville. The win gave him some payback after Martinsville denied him a place in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 in 2023.
Hill got around three wrecking cars in the last corner of overtime and beat Sheldon Creed by 0.190 seconds. Yes, that’s Sheldon Creed, coming in second yet again.
The last stage of the race was marred by multiple cautions, and Hill was able to snatch victory after he hit Justin Allgaier, sending him into Sammy Smith, and then crept by on the bottom, with Creed behind him.
Allgaier recovered and finished third, but Hill got the victory despite leading the race for less than a quarter-mile. Brennan Poole and Sam Mayer rounded out the top five.
The Suzuka Circuit entered the Formula 1 rotation in 1986 and immediately became one of the drivers’ favorites. Historically, the Japanese GP has come near the end of the calendar to make the race more important in the final drivers’ standings, but in 2024, Formula 1 decided to regionalize its calendar and so this race made a more logical fit early, coming after the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix.
It’s the only figure-eight circuit, with a track running 5.8km. Because barriers, gravel and grass are so close to the racing surface, even small mistakes can have major consequences. Because of the high-energy loads, tires go through a wringer – and so Pirelli has nominated its hardest compounds. This means grid position (and access to clear air) is important – as does the narrow track at Suzuka, which limits passing opportunities.
At the Chinese Grand Prix, McLaren continued its new-found dominance of Formula 1 as Oscar Piastri took first and teammate Lando Norris took second. Piastri led the 56-lap race from wire to wire. Much of the drama of the race centered on whether drivers would pit once or twice, and the top five drivers only needed one stop. George Russell of Mercedes came in third, ahead of Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Esteban Haas rounding out the top five.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari had finished fifth and sixth, respectively, but the Ferrari drivers were disqualified. Leclerc’s was disqualified because it had raced below the minimum of 800kg of weight. Hamilton was racing with a skid block that was thinner than the minimum requirement. And so Hamilton’s F1 misery with his new team continues.
The NASCAR races and the Formula 1 event will all show up on just about all sports books, although some may not carry the Xfinity Series event. There are a variety of props that you will find, including the top driver in each race, using a moneyline. You will also find odds for drivers to finish in the top three and top five at some books, as well as head-to-head props. For example, you might find a head-to-head prop between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, you would simply choose which driver is going to finish ahead of the other, so your payoff would depend on your choice beating the other driver no matter where they finish in the overall standings.
It’s important to remember that wagering on auto races brings in a lot of variables that are unique to this sport. You can have accidents and pile-ups, particularly in NASCAR, that draw in cars that weren’t part of the original collision and shake up the running order. You can have technical violations, such as what disqualified the Ferrari team from the Chinese Grand Prix, and those can influence your payouts. So there are some more external risk factors in this sport than what you see in some others.
This just makes it important to remember to manage your betting on these events. Once you have your bankroll established – the money you can stand to lose without affecting any of your personal finances – then cap each wager at 1 to 3 percent of that amount. So if you have $5,000 set aside for wagering, don’t wager more than $150 (3%) on any prop, even if it looks like a guarantee – because it is those huge bets on seeming sure things that end up causing problems for bettors.
What are the Winning Picks – now that I know how to bet?
NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400: Top 7 Drivers Odds
Motorsports Bets: Kyle Larson +440
Denny Hamlin +610
Tyler Reddick +680
Ryan Blaney +710
William Byron +720
Christopher Bell +1175
Briscoe +1375
Kyle Larson
Larson now has four top-ten finishes in a row after coming in fifth at Martinsville last weekend. He sits in second place in the driver standings. He also has three top-five finishes in those four races – including a win at Homestead-Miami at the Straight Talk Wireless 400. Larson’s career at Darlington includes a win, seven top-five finishes, nine top-ten finishes, and an average finish of 10.8 over 14 starts.
This is the second-best average finish among the field for Sunday. Last year, he did crash out of this race, but he won the Southern 500 (the fall Darlington race) in 2023 and came in fourth at the 2024 Southern 500.
Denny Hamlin
Hamlin comes in hot after ending a streak of about 30 winless races at the Cook Out 400 last week. His last win came in April 2024 at Dover. He has moved up to sixth place in the 2025 driver standings and has led more laps than any other car in the 2025 Cup Series season. He has cracked the top five two weeks in a row and three times in the last four races.
In 25 races at Darlington, he has four wins, 13 top-five finished, 18 top-ten finishes and an average finish of 8.2. He is the top active driver in all of those categories. In his last five races at Darlington, he has three top-seven finishes, including the last two in a row. He has led laps in 10 straight races here.
Ryan Blaney
Blaney continues to struggle in 2025. He didn’t make it into the top ten in Martinsville last week and sits in tenth place in the driver standings. It’s hard to see things improving much this week as Darlington has historically been a tough place for Blaney. In 16 starts here, he has an average finish of 19.6 and just three top-ten finishes. He has two DNFs – and those came in the last two races here. Even getting into the top ten might be a stretch. Unless you’re finding him in a head-to-head prop wager, I’d stee
McLaren has two wins in two races. So you have to have both Piastri and Norris on your wager cards again this weekend. Verstappen faces a considerable amount of pressure to get Red Bull back into contention. It’s way too early to rule anyone else out, but Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes are all foundering right now. Mercedes is second in the Constructors’ Championship, but it’s a distant second given that we have seen just two races.
What about the rest of the odds table?
An interesting dark horse might well be Liam Lawson – the Red Bull driver who just got sent down to the second-tier Racing Bulls.
He’ll be in this race, and Verstappen made some interesting remarks after the Chinese Grand Prix, indicating that he thought the Racing Bulls car was actually simpler to drive and that Lawson might do a better job in their car than in the RB21.
If Lawson can show Verstappen was right, that could lead to an anomaly for F1 – a significant upset on top of the podium (or just on the podium at all).
When will Lewis Hamilton show up? Yes, he did win the Sprint pole and race in Shanghai. However, the debacle at the Sunday race, with both Hamilton and Ferrari teammate Leclerc getting disqualified, highlighted the frustration that the all-time great has to be feeling.
CONCACAF Champions Cup Quarterfinals Odds, Betting Predictions and Preview for the Leg 1
Let’s take a look at the CONCACAF Champions Cup odds, quarterfinal schedule, as well as each team’s chances to win the whole thing, as you plan for your soccer sports betting this week.
We’ve had a couple of weeks since the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, but now that the international break is over, it’s time for the quarterfinals. MLS has four teams left, the same number as Liga MX.
CONCACAF Champions Cup Odds, Betting Quarterfinals, Leg 1 Schedule with Predictions
The quarterfinals consist of two legs, and now that we’re down to the last eight, the Cinderella teams have all been sent home.
All eight remaining teams have made deep runs in this tournament before, and each of them would love to add this cup to their trophy racks.
Club America (+113) vs Cruz Azul (+232) (Draw +244)
When: Tuesday, April 1, 9:15 pm ET Champions Cup Pick: Take the draw
These teams also squared off in the semifinals of Liga MX’s Apertura playoffs in December. Club America picked up a 4-3 nailbiter on aggregate. They also look like a smart pick in the 2025 Clausura season after rolling over Tigres UANL, 3-0, on Saturday. They have a six-match unbeaten streak in Liga MX play (4 wins, 2 draws) since they lost to Club Necaxa, 3-2, in February. Club America already sent one Liga MX side home in the round of 16 after stopping Guadalajara, 4-1, on aggregate.
Cruz Azul have their offense rolling in the knockout rounds. In the round of 32, they routed Haitian side Real Hope, 7-0, and then they stopped the Seattle Sounders, 4-1, on aggregate in the round of 16. They beat Guadalajara, 1-0, in Liga MX play on Saturday and are in fifth in the Clausura table – but just five points back of first-place Club America. A win here would make a significant statement. Club America have just lost once in their last eight home matches, with five wins and two draws. However, Cruz Azul have just lost once in their last 15 matches, home and away, across all competitions, with 10 wins and four draws.
LA Galaxy (+165) vs Tigres UANL (+155) (Draw +244)
When: Tuesday, April 1, 11:15 pm ET Champions Cup Pick: Tigres UANL to win
LA Galaxy’s struggles in 2025 continue. In MLS, they have yet to win a match in six tries (two draws and four losses). They lost to Orlando City SC on Sunday, 2-1, and now they have permitted 12 goals while scoring just five. In the CONCACAF Champions Cup round of 16, they took on Costa Rican side Herediano and advanced, 4-2, on aggregate.
Tigres UANL look to bounce back from that 3-0 whipping they took from Club America on Saturday. That ended a three-match winning streak in Liga MX play in which they scored six goals while posting two clean sheets. They narrowly beat Real Esteli in the round of 32 and then sent MLS team FC Cincinnati home in the round of 16, winning, 4-2 on aggregate. Given the struggles that LA Galaxy have shown when playing quality opposition, this is frankly a surprising moneyline.
Vancouver Whitecaps (-103) vs Pumas UNAM (+265) (Draw +260)
When: Wednesday, April 2, 9:30 pm ET Champions Cup Pick: Vancouver to win
Vancouver is the unlikely leaders in the MLS Western Conference table after posting 13 points in six games. They show an intrepid defense, solid chemistry, and real finishing ability. They beat Monterrey away, tied them at home, and advanced on the strength of away goals. With Ryan Gauld on the shelf, the offense is starting to take on water, but Brian White has stepped in, with three goals in four matches.
Pumas are one of the storied teams in Liga MX, with seven league titles and a roster filled with talent. However, they are just in 10th place in the Clausura table, taking 17 points out of 13 games. They did stop LD Alajuelense, 3-1, on aggregate in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16, and they did stop third-place Leon in Liga MX play this weekend. Those are signs that Pumas could be rounding back into form, but Vancouver has earned respect in this home fixture.
When: Wednesday, April 2, 11:30 pm ET Champions Cup Pick: Take the draw
Inter Miami decisively defeated Jamaican side Cavalier 4-0 on aggregate in the round of 16, clinching both matches 2-0 without Lionel Messi. In March, they enjoyed a perfect record, winning all six competitive fixtures and earning points in eight of their last nine games, with the only blemish being a 2-2 draw against New York City FC. Last year, they exited the quarterfinals to Monterrey but have never lost a CONCACAF Champions Cup tie against MLS teams, having also eliminated Sporting Kansas City and Nashville SC.
LAFC sent Columbus Crew home in the round of 16, winning 4-2 on aggregate. That was particularly satisfying as the Crew sent LAFC home from the last Leagues Cup and kept them from winning their second straight MLS Cup in 2023. However, in MLS play, LAFC have dropped four of five, including a 3-2 home loss to San Diego FC on Saturday. They have yet to lose at home in CONCACAF Champions Cup play. They have a 2-1 all-time record against Inter Miami, although they haven’t beaten them at home since 2020.
In 2025, the LA Galaxy became the first reigning MLS Cup champion to start a season with six winless matches. Lacking roster strength, chemistry, and health, the team’s chances for success seem bleak, raising doubts about their dignity in the quarterfinals.
7. LAFC
The Black and Gold come in the wake of a 3-2 loss to MLS expansion team San Diego FC. Because of injuries to Olivier Giroud and Jeremy Ebobisse, they had to move attacker Denis Bouanga to the center instead of out on the wing, which took away from his usual offensive contributions. Getting a tie with Inter Miami brings MLS’ top team right now in at the wrong time.
6. Pumas UNAM
This is a team that has coasted through a favorable draw in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Beating Canadian Premier League team Cavalry in the round of 32 and Costa Rican side LD Alajuelense was expected, but now they head to Vancouver to take on a team that is playing with house money, on the rise in MLS.
5. Vancouver Whitecaps
The Whitecaps began their MLS season by winning four straight games. Although they have slowed their pace, they eliminated Monterrey in the round of 16 with an alternate team. Midfielder Ryan Gauld is injured, but is expected to return. If they advance to the semifinals, they could spring a surprise.
4. Tigres UANL
Juan Brunetta has six goals in 13 games in Liga MX Clausura play. Tigres will also benefit from having a lot of their own fans when they play at Dignity Health Sports Park. LA Galaxy shouldn’t be a problem for Tigres to get by – but what will happen when they see Club America or Cruz Azul in the semis?
3. Cruz Azul
The quarterfinal tilt with Club America is a significant test. But Cruz Azul have been hot since the calendar turned to 2025. If they can get through, they’d have to be a solid co-favorite to win the whole thing.
2. Club America
This side lead the Clausura standings with 30 points in 13 standings. Victor Davila, Alejandro Zendejas and Alvaro Fidalgo have led the team with five goals, and Luis Angel Malagon has been a brick wall in goal. Club America have seven CONCACAF Champions Cup titles and have the experience and roster to win an eighth.
1. Inter Miami
The Herons beat the only other elite Eastern Conference team in MLS when they stopped Philadelphia, 2-1, this past weekend. Lionel Messi will be back for this trip with his team, although given Inter’s likelihood of stopping LAFC, he may not play. Just having him on the bench will boost his team.
Florida vs Texas Tech Odds, March Madness Predictions & NCAA Elite Eight betting
NCAA Elite Eight betting: The first ticket to the 2025 Final Four will be punched in San Francisco on Saturday evening, as the Florida Gators will square off with the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the home arena of the Golden State Warriors.
Florida has waited 11 years since their last Final Four visit but looks like a solid candidate after taking down 4-seed Maryland, 87-71.
The Red Raiders have only been to the Final Four one other time – back in 2019 – but that year they made it all the way to the national championship game, where they fell to Virginia.
They were down 16 to 10-seed Arkansas in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night but roared back to win in overtime.
The last time these teams met was in 2018, when Texas Tech beat Florida in the second round of the Big Dance.
Which team should you pick if you add this matchup to your sports betting? Read on to get our prediction before you lock in your wagers.
Florida vs Texas Tech Odds, NCAA Elite Eight betting
When: Saturday, March 29, 2025, 6:09 pm ET
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco
TV: TBS / TruTV
Radio: No National Broadcast
Live Stream: Sling TV
March Madness Odds: Florida -6.5 / O/U 157
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Why should you bet on the Gators?
The most impressive part of the Gators’ win over Maryland was their domination of the boards. The Terrapins had one of the best rebounding teams in the Big Ten this season, led by future NBA player Derik Queen and Julian Reese, but the Gators outworked the Terrapins, getting 42 boards to just 20 for Maryland. That gap played a significant role in Florida’s 16-point win. Ball security was a problem for the Gators, but they still dropped 87 on Maryland, led by 15 points from Will Richard.
Richard is one of the best in a group of wing scorers that key the Florida offense. He has nailed 76 three-balls and averages 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Walter Clayton Jr is the team’s best outside shooter and made First Team All-SEC after nailing 108 three-pointers (38.6%) and scoring 17.7 points per game. He only had 13 against Maryland, but he had 23 points in each of the first two rounds of the tournament.
Alijah Martin puts up 14.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a guard. Their top inside player is Alex Condon, an All-SEC forward who chips in 10.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He did roll his ankle against Maryland but came back to complete the game. KenPom has Florida ranked second overall, including second in offensive efficiency and ninth in defensive efficiency.
With 10 minutes left in the Red Raiders’ Sweet 16 game against the Arkansas Razorbacks, it looked like the 10-seed Hogs would push their Cinderella story on to the next weekend. Texas Tech trailed, 61-45, but then John Calipari’s Arkansas side just fell apart. The Red Raiders came all the way back to force overtime and then get a two-point win. They had three players score for over 20 points, including J.T. Toppin, who had nine boards to go along with his 20 points. He was the Big 12 Player of the Year as Texas Tech finished as Big 12 runners-up behind Houston. He led the team with 18.2 points and 9.3 rebounds per game as a sophomore forward. He had a 25-12 night in the Red Raiders’ first-round win over Drake.
Another key contributor was Darrion Williams, who also dropped 20 on the Razorbacks. The junior forward averages 14.8 points, 5.5 boards and 3.7 assists per game. Against Drake, he had 28 points. The top scorer against Arkansas was freshman guard Christian Anderson, who had 22 on the night after averaging just 10.8 points per game on the season.
He leads the team with 71 makes from behind the arc. KenPom has Texas Tech ranked ninth overall, including fifth in offensive efficiency and 39th in defensive efficiency. They will need to hit the boards against Florida if they want to have a shot at another upset.
Final Score and Prediction Florida vs Texas Tech: NCAA Elite Eight betting
Florida was able to win and cover against Maryland, but we don’t know how Alex Condon’s ankle will respond two days after that injury. The Gators will have to deal with Toppin on the boards.
They were able to handle the Maryland rebounders, but with Condon more limited, Toppin could have room to feast. Florida turned the ball over 17 times against the Terrapins, and the Red Raiders will make them pay for that kind of ball security. I think the Gators can pull it out, but this spread is too large. Florida 78, Texas Tech 75.
Moreno vs Erceg Odds, Betting UFC Fight Night Prediction for Main and some Prelims
UFC heads south of the border this Saturday night as Arena CDMX in Mexico City will host UFC on ESPN 64 Moreno vs Erceg Odds. This is the seventh trip UFC has made to Mexico City and the first since February 2024.
The headliner is a bout between two-time former UFC Flyweight Champion Brandon Moreno and former challenger Steve Erceg. The co-headliner pits Manuel Torres against Drew Dober in a lightweight tilt.
Let’s take a look at the full fight card, as well as our sports betting predictions on some of the card’s more intriguing showdowns.
Betting UFC Fight Night Main Card: Moreno vs Erceg Odds, Prediction
Main Card (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Brandon Moreno vs Steve Erceg (Flyweight)
Manuel Torres vs Drew Dober (Lightweight)
Kelvin Gastelum vs Joe Pyfer (Middleweight)
Raul Rosas Jr vs Vince Morales (Bantamweight)
David Martinez vs Saimon Oliveira (Bantamweight)
Ronaldo Rodriguez vs Kevin Borjas (Flyweight)
Preliminary Card (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Edgar Chairez vs C.J Vergara (Flyweight)
Jose Daniel Medina vs Ateba Abega Gautier (Middleweight)
Christian Rodriguez vs Melquizael Costa (Featherweight)
Loopy Godinez vs Julia Polastri (Women’s Strawweight)
Brandon Moreno (22-8-2, 10-5-2 UFC, -238) vs Steve Erceg (12-3, 3-2 UFC, +195)
This is a main event designed to showcase one of the big names in Mexican MMA. Moreno took a while to emerge as a top UFC fighter – his early success was interrupted by two tough losses just as UFC was thinking about getting rid of the flyweight division altogether.
Brandon Moreno’s journey included a title fight against Deiveson Figueiredo that ended in a draw, followed by an upset win in the rematch. After losing to Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval, he took a mental break. Returning after eight months, he defeated Amir Albazi but aims for another title shot.
Erceg joined the UFC from Australia in 2023, showcasing a unique grappling style and surprising striking skills. After three impressive wins, he quickly earned a title shot against Pantoja due to a challenger shortage, making his rapid rise from debut to contender in just 12 months.
In the fifth round of a close fight, a takedown attempt was unsuccessful for Erceg, who has faced tough matchups, including a knockout from Kai Kara-France. His technical skills and reach pose a challenge for Moreno, but the former champ is expected to win by submission.
Manuel Torres (15-3, 3-1 UFC, -125) vs Drew Dober (27-14, 13-10 UFC, +105)
Dober, a dramatic UFC fighter, evolved from a volume striker to showcase power in 2019. Notably, he suffered an unexpected knockout loss to Matt Frevola in May 2023 and has lost two of three recent fights, facing significant punishment.
Torres plans to test Dober’s chin, leveraging his aggressive style. After three KOs and a loss to Bahamondes, Torres must improve defense, while Dober’s resilience will influence the fight. Dober to win via knockout.
Joe Pyfer (13-3, 4-1 UFC, -310) vs Kelvin Gastelum (19-9, 13-9 UFC, +250)
This is Pyfer’s first shot at reversing an unpleasant 2024. Way back in 2020, he went on Dana White’s Contender Series but ended up with an unsettling compound fracture of his arm, which led to a shutdown of over a year. When he came back in 2022, he won the Contender Series to get a UFC contract.
He then spent about a year and a half working his way up the middleweight ladder. In 2024, he got a main event with Jack Hermansson in which he started well but just couldn’t come up with enough new ideas. He stayed tough as the fatigue set in. He did run over Marc-Andre Barriault in his next tilt.
In 2013, Gastelum claimed victory in “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 17 as an underdog, showcasing his toughness and aggression, hinting at a potential welterweight title run. However, struggles with weight led him to middleweight, where he benefited from facing declining former champions.
He performed well against Israel Adesanya in a 2019 interim title match, but later faced a tough stretch, losing four out of five fights. After a brief return to welterweight, he was easily outmatched by Sean Brady and opted to return to middleweight, though signs of wear are evident. Pyfer to win via submission.
Edgar Chairez (11-6, 1-2 UFC, -278) vs C.J. Vergara (12-6-1, 3-4 UFC, +225)
These guys are both gatekeepers in the flyweight division, at least for now. Chairez came into UFC in 2023 despite a loss on the 2022 edition of Dana White’s Contender Series. He’s a tougher fighter than his record indicates; he has a lot of size for this division and uses it well.
He sends single shots from range that can cause problems; when opponents try to get close enough to neutralize that punch, he can grapple well. Furthermore, he beat Daniel Lacerda and fought Tatsuro Taira and Joshua Van hard in losing efforts.
Vergara entered UFC and started to build out a spot as a prospect-tester. He doesn’t have a lot of explosive athleticism, but instead likes to bring pressure and use his durability, hoping that the former will lead to an early finish and the latter will help him stack up points all the way to the end.
I see Chairez hanging back and doing damage to Vergara at range. Chairez to win via decision.
One more prelim
Loopy Godinez (12-5, 7-5 UFC, -238) vs Julia Polastri (13-4, 1-1 UFC, +195)
Godinez should seize this opportunity to pursue a title shot. Her striking prowess can be a valuable asset for her wrestling, often leaving opponents at a disadvantage. However, if she fails to gain an early advantage, her performance suffers.
Though competent on her feet, she tends to become hesitant. This was evident in losses to taller opponents like Jessica Penne and Luana Carolina. In 2024, she didn’t secure a victory but faced elite fighters like Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba.
Polastri began her career at atomweight, considering herself a bully who likes to maintain pressure on opponents. Despite a loss in her UFC debut to Josefine Lindgren Knutsson, she rebounded with a win against Cory McKenna. However, Godinez is still favored to win. Godinez to win via decision.
Who will dominate the Sweet 16? Let’s see the March Madness Betting Lines on this Bracket full of Challenge
If Sweet 16 is part of your March Madness betting, then you’ve already seen plenty of turmoil in this year’s bracket.
Thursday night marked the first half of the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA men’s basketball championship bracket, and while 1-seed Florida and 2-seed Alabama rolled over their competition easily, there was plenty of intrigue in the last two games.
Duke, also a 1-seed, led Arizona by double digits most of the night before Caleb Love put the Wildcats on his back and forced the Blue Devils to double down to get the win.
Love finished with 35 points, while Duke’s Cooper Flagg dropped 30 points, seven assists, six boards and three blockers on Arizona.
Texas Tech, a 3-seed, came back from a 16-point deficit to knock off 10-seed Arkansass in an 85-83 overtime blockbuster.
March Madness betting: Sweet 16 Friday Preview
Let’s look to Friday night’s contests ahead of the Elite Eight games set for Saturday and Sunday.
Ole Miss (+8.5) vs Michigan State (O/U 134.5)
March Madness Prediction: Michigan State to win and cover
Michigan State makes its 23rd Sweet 16 appearance, while Ole Miss reaches this stage for only the second time, last doing so in 2001. The Spartans secured victories over 15-seed Bryant (87-62) and 10-seed New Mexico (71-63). Known for their strong offensive efficiency and top-ranked defense, Michigan State’s guards, including Jaden Atkins, Tre Holloman, and Jase Richardson, excel in quick transitions, passing, shooting, and perimeter defense.
Ole Miss defeated 11-seed North Carolina by seven and upset 3-seed Iowa State by 13, advancing in the tournament. Guard Sean Padulla, the Rebels’ leading scorer, has consistently scored 20 points in both games. However, Ole Miss struggles with size, ranking 226th in defensive rebounding percentage and 313th in offensive rebounding percentage. If Michigan State can effectively box out and apply pressure on Padulla, they are likely to secure a victory against Ole Miss.
This season marks the third clash between Tennessee and Kentucky in the SEC, with Tennessee advancing past Wofford and UCLA, despite Kentucky winning both regular-season games against them.
Kentucky began their tournament by defeating 14-seed Troy, 76-57, followed by a solid win over 6-seed Illinois, 84-75, despite the absence of second-leading scorer Jaxson Robinson, who was lost for the season in February. The Wildcats also bested Tennessee twice, winning by five on the road with Kobe Brea scoring 18 points. At home, they triumphed by 11, led by Ansley Almonor and Otega Oweh, who both contributed 13 points each.
Robinson did not play in the game. The Wildcats have excelled in three-point defense, limiting Tennessee to 22% shooting from beyond the arc, significantly lower than their average of 34.5%. Tennessee’s leading scorer, Chaz Lanier, averages 18.1 points per game but struggles against Kentucky, scoring only 12.5 points per game with 29.6% shooting. The Volunteers need a resurgence from Lanier, raising questions about the Wildcats’ ability to dominate again.
Auburn, the tournament’s top seed, continues its winning streak, having decisively defeated 16-seed Alabama State 83-63 and 9-seed Creighton 82-70. Johni Broome, Auburn’s standout player, averages 18.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, making him a contender for National Player of the Year. Although facing strong Michigan big men, Auburn’s performance against larger teams suggests they can successfully meet this challenge.
Michigan defeated 12-seed UC-San Diego in the first round and then secured a notable 12-point victory over 4-seed Texas A&M, relying on their strong frontcourt of Vlad Goldin (7’1″, 16.8 PPG) and Danny Wolf (7′, 9.8 RPG). If they can excel while containing Broome, Michigan stands a chance, though their backcourt lacks the speed to match Auburn’s.
The Houston Cougars lead the nation in defensive efficiency and rank 10th offensively, per KenPom, with a 15-game winning streak since February 1. Fifth-year senior guard L.J. Cryer is their standout, averaging 15.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, including a 30-point performance against Gonzaga. He shoots nearly 43% from three-point range and excels defensively. Houston can exploit Purdue’s weak interior defense, permitting the 341st lowest two-point shooting percentage, while their strong ball control minimizes turnovers, placing them in the nation’s top 25 for turnover rate.
Purdue reached the national championship game last year, losing to UConn. Their offense ranks seventh in efficiency, while their defense is at #55. Junior guard Braden Smith leads with 16.0 points, 8.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, shooting 38% from three-point range. With Houston’s strong defense, the question remains if Houston can cover the spread after the line opened at Houston -8.5.
Underdogs to Watch: Teams that Could Pull Off Upsets in the Sweet 16
The likeliest teams to pull off upsets on Friday night are Purdue and Kentucky. As we pointed out earlier, it’s odd that Tennessee is a 4 ½-point favorite after losing to Kentucky both at home and on the road earlier this season. The fact that Kentucky was able to beat Tennessee after losing their second-leading scorer for the season tells you about the competitive balance here. I think Kentucky could not only cover this spread but could also send the Volunteers home early from the Big Dance.
The other upset I see looming will come between Purdue and Houston. Both of these teams are elite programs, with top coaching and offensive firepower. The Cougars have a significantly better defense than Purdue does, but if the Boilermakers can get things going on the inside, the Cougars could struggle. I think Kentucky is more likely to pull off the straight-up upset than Purdue is, but I do think the Boilermakers could cover this spread very easily.
Expert Analysis: Insight from March Madness betting Experts on Sweet 16 Matchups
Joe Lunardi, the pioneer of Bracketology, favors Michigan State in this matchup due to their experience and high expectations. Their guard trio poses significant challenges defensively and offensively. While Ole Miss showcases perimeter speed and talent, they lack in rim defense and rebounding. As pressure escalates and misses occur, the team that excels in securing rebounds will capitalize on second-chance opportunities and potentially exhaust their opponents.
ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum doubts Kentucky can defeat Tennessee for a third time, citing the Volunteers’ talent and Lanier’s prowess. While he finds the Volunteers deserving favorites, he questions the 4 ½-point spread, considering it excessively high.
Joe Lunardi
Lunardi commented on the Auburn-Michigan game, noting Auburn’s backcourt advantages leading to turnovers and fast-break points, which big men struggle to counter. He also highlighted Auburn’s effective outside shooting, capable of mitigating any interior advantages.
Paul Finebaum
Finebaum considers Houston the most vulnerable 1-seed. They convincingly defeated SIU-Edwardsville, allowing only 40 points and showcasing strong rebounding and turnover advantages. In a narrow second-round match against Gonzaga, Houston led by just one point late, ultimately winning 81-76. This close call raises doubts about their capability against a strong opponent like Purdue.
Consensus Picks: What Are the Most Common Predictions for the Sweet 16?
The consensus favors Michigan State over Ole Miss, as the Spartans, led by Tom Izzo, have a strong track record. Ole Miss’s 10-8 SEC record doesn’t reflect their potential, making the 3.5-point line seem minimal.
Kentucky-Tennessee
Some experts note that the Wildcats shot 50% from downtown in both of their wins over Tennessee, a number that will be tough to accomplish during a third game.
However, these are SEC rivals who know each other well. So there really isn’t a consensus here. The point spread gives Kentucky more value in what should be an intense rivalry game.
Auburn-Michigan
Experts note Auburn’s lackluster performance before the Big Dance, losing three of four games, struggling against Alabama State, and trailing Creighton at halftime. Although they improved after the break, opinions are split in the sports betting community about their chances.
For Houston-Purdue, the Cougars are basically playing a road game as their date with the Boilermakers is set for Indianapolis. They also had to take on an unusually tough 8-seed last weekend in Gonzaga (unless you think that Gonzaga is a bit overhyped this season). As we mentioned earlier, this line has already dropped a point since it opened.
Racebook Betting for the Top Stakes Races for the Weekeend
We’re less than six weeks until May 3, when the Kentucky Derby will get underway for the 151st time at Louisville’s Churchill Downs, and we are ready with our Racebook Betting.
We are currently in the elite qualifying races for the 20 Kentucky Derby slots. The Championship Series features 16 races that award the highest points, with recent 100-point qualifiers being the Louisiana Derby and Jeff Ruby Steaks.
The top five finishers earn points towards Derby qualification: 100, 50, 25, 15, and 10. Tiztastic, winning the Louisiana Derby with Joel Rosario, leads qualifiers with 119 points, following a 2 ¼ length victory over Chunk of Gold.
Chunk of Gold ranks third with 75 points on the leaderboard, while Instant Replay (24th) is below the cut line. John Hancock (fourth) is 15th, and Built (fifth) is 13th. Final Gambit, winning the Jeff Ruby Steaks, now has 100 points and sits second, beating Flying Mohawk by 3 ½ lengths, who earned 50 points.
Maximum Promise (third) now has 33 points, which is good for 16th, and Poster came in fourth and sits in 18th on the leaderboard. This weekend, the Curlin Florida Derby (Grade I) and the Arkansas Derby (Grade I) will provide more opportunities for points.
Racebook Betting: Top Stakes Races for the Week
Let’s look at your best sports betting options for those races.
It is the son of Gun Runner and won the Grade III Street Sense as a two-year old and then won at the Fountain of Youth, picking up 60 Derby points, charging up late to take the lead and win in both races. His regular jockey, Junior Alvarado, has a shoulder injury, so Manny Franco is filling in. Even though he’s under a different rider this week, he’s still the favorite for a reason.
Disruptor
This horse had his debut at Gulfstream in January, but despite entering as a heavy favorite and setting the pace to start, he ended up in third place. On March 1, he was again the heavy favorite and won by more than nine lengths. This will be his first two-turn race, but he’s also a smart pick.
Neoequos
After dumped his rider in his Gulfstream debut, he broke his maiden just one start later. Since then, he’s finished in the top three in every race. He finished his juvenile season by coming in second in two Florida Stallion Series stakes. He opened this year with an allowance score against horses bred in Florida. Likewise, he came in third at the Grade II Fountain of Youth, picking up 15 Deby points. He’s an interesting pick but might be a better choice lower down the exacta or trifecta.
Looking for a sleeper?
Take a look at Jimmy’s Daily. Irad Ortiz had been his rider, but he decided to switch to Disruptor, so Joel Rosario will step in. He only needed three starts to break his maiden, which was Disruptor’s debut. He went two turns in February in an allowance and came in second behind Indecisiveness.
Tappan Street
This is another potential sleeper. He hasn’t raced as much as some of his competitors, but he did win his debut near the end of last year in Gulfstream, a seven-furlong sprint. He also raced well in the Holy Bull Stakes five weeks later. He came back from sixth to take the lead while out wide on the far turn, clinging to that lead until the last 1/16 of a mile, when Burnham Square, with much more race experience, chased him down and then zipped to a 9 ¼-length win, but Tappan Street held onto second.
Excited to see @ljlmvel and Cornucopian from the outside 9 hole, represent @BobBaffert and the Avengers next Saturday in the $1.5 million Arkansas Derby. This impeccably bred colt may be light on experience, but he has earned his place in this race with a great work tab and… pic.twitter.com/h8nGoL5WM9
It has the best odds on the list. He’s in Bob Baffert’s training stable, and historically his name has been associated with winners. He’s only started one race (at Oaklawn), and he ran away from the rest of the field, winning by almost six lengths over six furlongs in a field of ten horses. He’s a smart pick, but is he the best pick? Furthermore, he hasn’t raced through two turns yet, so let’s look at a horse that has won on that type of course already…
Coal Battle
This one has won four stakes in a row, and the last three were part of the Kentucky Derby prep series. When he was two years old, he won the Springboard Mile and now already has 70 points after winning the Smarty Jones and the Rebel, so he’s pretty much a lock to get to Churchill Downs. He generally starts slowly and then comes on strong at the end, but he has also taken the lead from start to finish. He offers slightly more value than Cornucopian, and he’s stacked up a better list of wins.
Sandman
It has fairly short odds as well. He had his debut in June at Churchill and picked up his first victory at Saratoga. After that he hopped on the Kentucky Derby qualification train and came in fifth at the Iroquois (Grade III), third in the Street Sense (Grade III), second in the Southwest and third in the Rebel. He has 29 Derby points and needs some more. He won for a second time in an allowance at Oaklawn between the Derby prep races. I like him in a trifecta or superfecta, but I’m not sure if he will finish higher than that.
Speed King
As far as sleepers go, let’s look at it. He broke his maiden at Churchill Downs in a 12-horse field, paying on 22/1 odds. Then he started chasing a spot in the Derby and entered the Springboard Mile, where he got out to the early lead before settling for second behind Coal Battle. He won the Southwest but then fell off the table at the Rebel, coming in 10th. He has 25 Derby points. Based on that Southwest win and that early start at the Springboard, he’s an interesting value pick here.
But what about Publisher?
Those odds aren’t particularly long, but he’s still a maiden after entering four maiden special weights and two Kentucky Derby qualification races. He came in sixth at Southwest (Grade III) and fourth in the Rebel (Grade II), and he now has 10 Derby points. Given the fact that he’s still looking for that first win and hasn’t been that close in Derby qualifiers so far, I’d pass on this one.
Bet On the Best Basketball Game today with Xbet: Warriors vs Heat NBA Betting Odds
Read on to get our NBA betting odds and insights on this showdown. For the first time since the Miami Heat traded disgruntled Jimmy Butler to the Golden State Warriors on February 6, the two teams will square off in front of the Miami faithful.
The Warriors shipped Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson, and a protected top-ten first-round pick in the 2025 draft for Butler, and Davion Mitchell also came south from Toronto as part of a three-team trade.
That ended a period of turmoil between the team and Butler, who had requested a trade.
The team had suspended Butler three times (seven games, then two games, and finally five games) for various violations (including for walking out of practice before the third suspension) before trading him.
Butler won’t stay at the team hotel during the Warriors’ four-day sojourn down to South Beach so that he can see his three young children, an arrangement that caused friction between Butler and teammates when he was with the Heat.
What kind of drama will ensue on Tuesday night? The Heat have dropped nine out of ten and sit at 30-41, but they still lead Toronto by 5 ½ games for the tenth seed in the East – and a spot in the play-in tournament.
The Warriors, by contrast, have won eight of ten and now sit in sixth in the West, which would guarantee them that seed in the playoffs if the season ended today.
Betting Warriors vs Heat NBA Betting Odds, Spread and Totals
NBA Odds: Golden State -5.5 / O/U 216.5 When: Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 7:30 pm ET Where: Kaseya Center, Miami TV: TNT Radio: No National Broadcast Live Stream: Max
Curry is listed as questionable for this game with a pelvic contusion, but the Warriors could use him back in the lineup as soon as possible so they can hold on to that sixth spot in the West and avoid the dangers of a play-in tournament. The Warriors lost on Saturday to Atlanta, 124-115, despite entering as a 2 ½-point favorite. Even with that loss, though, they remain a half-game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West and seven games ahead of Dallas to stay at least in the play-in field.
Halftime
Against Atlanta, they were down 17 after the first period and never could come all the way back. They got the deficit down to six shortly after halftime, but they couldn’t get any closer. The Warriors shot 46.4% from the field and went 16 of 38 from behind the arc, but the Hawks shot 57% on the night. The top scorer for the Warriors was Butler, who had 25 points as well as eight assists.
The Golden State offense has been average this season as they rank 18th with 113.4 points per game. Their rebounding (45.6 per game) and assists (29.1 per game) both rank fourth in the NBA. Their scoring defense is above average, ranking eighth, as they permit 110.9 points per game. Butler has moved into the second-leading scorer role, putting up 17.3 points, 5.6 boards and 5.5 assists per game.
Curry leads the team with 24.2 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game, while Draymond Green averages 6.2 rebounds. Other notable scorers include Hield (11.2), Podziemski (10.5), Looney (10.0), and Moody (10.0). The team shoots 45.0% overall and ranks fourth in three-pointers made.
The Heat snapped a 10-game home losing streak with a 122-105 victory over Charlotte, covering a 7½-point spread. Despite trailing by six after the first quarter and by as much as twelve before halftime, they surged with a 22-2 run to lead by ten at halftime. They maintained control, finishing with 57.3% shooting and forcing 19 turnovers.
Andrew Wiggins dropped 42 points and five assists on Charlotte in the win. The Heat won the first matchup with the Warriors this season, 114-98 out in the Bay Area, but Jimmy Butler was wearing a Miami uniform back in January when they met.
On the season, the Heat is struggling to score, putting up just 109.2 points per game, which ranks 26th. Their rebounding ranks 24th (42.9 per game). Their scoring defense is fairly solid, limiting opponents to 110.6 points per game, which ranks seventh. The top scorer is Tyler Herro (23.5 points per game), and he also puts up 5.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Top Players
The top rebounder is Adebayo (9.7), and the other double-digit scorers are Wiggins (18.4), Terry Rozier (11.2), Duncan Robinson (11.0), and Nikola Jokić (10.7). They rank 19th in field goal shooting (46.0%) and 17th in three-point shooting (35.9%). They make 13.5 three-points per game, which ranks 12th. The biggest name on the injury list for the Heat is Robinson (back), but he’s a game-time decision (to consider in the NBA betting odds).
Since Butler went west, Golden State has gone 16-4 – and the Heat have gone 5-17, falling all the way down from first place in the Southeast Division to the last spot in the play-in tournament.
Curry is still questionable, but the Warriors have a ton of depth. Yes, the Heat just ended a 10-game skid, but Charlotte is one of the league’s worst teams, and Miami fell behind by a dozen before waking up. At home, Miami is just 16-19. Golden State to win and cover.
Check out our Soccer betting Tips for this Weekend! Liga MX Betting Odds Matchday 13
Let’s look the Liga MX betting odds for some of the top matches of the week, as well as some sports betting thoughts about which team will end up winning the Clausura half of the season.
Cruz Azul midfielder Erik Azul has become a fan favorite and a regular in the XI. He’s also contributed mightily for El Tri in international competitions
However, he’s also drawn interest from such European first-division sides as AZ Alkmaar of the Netherlands and Sporting Braga of Portugal.
Liga MX Betting Odds: Top Games to Win in the Matchday 13
He has also said that, after 128 matches played with Cruz Azul, he wants to bring home a tenth star for his Liga MX team before he considers a move to Europe.
This week, Cruz Azul visit Guadalajara as part of Matchday 13 of the 2024-25 Clausura campaign.
Toluca (-127) vs Pachuca (+295) (Draw +290)
Liga MX Prediction: Take the draw When: Saturday, March 29, 7:00 pm ET
Fourth-place Toluca welcome seventh-place Pachuca in this matchup. Pachuca needs to climb into sixth place to have a better shot at making it into the playoffs after Matchday 17, and they got all over bottom-feeders Club Tijuana on Sunday. Santiago Homenchenko opened the scoring for the hosts in the 26th minute, and then John Kennedy made it a 2-0 lead justs seven minutes later.
Ten minutes after the intermission, Salomon Rondon made it 3-0. Jose Raul Zuniga Murillo ended the clean sheet for Club Tijuana with just a minute remaining in regulation, but then Juan Alexander Sigala Garcia restored the three-goal lead in injury time, leading to a 4-1 final. Pachuca controlled possession (57%) and outshot the visitors 20-5 (5-2 on target) while forcing nine corners to just four for Club Tijuana.
Toluca also had a big last weekend, going to Puebla and dealing out a 3-0 lesson. Jesus Gallardo tallied first for the visitors in the 15th minute. Paulinho doubled Toluca’s lead in the 57th minute, and then Alexis Vega finished the scoring from the spot five minutes later. Puebla actually outshot Toluca, 12-9, but Toluca had more on target (7-6) and dominated possession, holding the ball for two-thirds of the match. This will be an interesting matchup as both teams have plenty of offense to keep things moving. Pachuca need these points more than Toluca, but Toluca have what it takes to keep Pachuca on their heels.
Club America (-124) vs Tigres UANL (+330) (Draw +250)
Liga MX Prediction: Club America to win When: Saturday, March 29, 9:05 pm ET
Club America lead the Clausura table and kept the pressure on the rest of the field last week as they rolled over Atlas, 3-1, on the road. Rodrigo Aguirre got Club America on the board just two minutes after the intermission, breaking a scoreless tie, and Cristian Calderon made it 2-0 just three minutes later.
Uros Durdevic brought the hosts within a goal in the 65th minute, but then Aguirre finished his brace in the 74th minute, the same time that Atlas player Jose Hernandez was shown a red card. Atlas actually outshot Club America 22-19 (8-6 on target), but the visitors had a slight edge (54%) in possession. The game featured 32 fouls, five yellow cards and that red, so it was a physical matchup.
Tigres also put up three goals in a win last week, taking down Santos Laguna at home, 3-0, on Saturday. The first half didn’t feature any scoring, and then Tigres benefited from an own goal in the 49th minute. Juan Brunetta followed that up with a Tigres tally ten minutes later, and then Santos Laguna provided another own goal in the 71st minute. So even though Tigres outshot Santos Laguna 21-7 (7-1 on target), Santos Laguna actually made more goals for Tigres than Tigres did for themselves. Tigres dominated possession (68% of the match) and forced nine corners to zero for the visitors. While Tigres were able to dominate Santos Laguna, though, Club America are good enough to get this win at home.
Guadalajara (+206) vs Cruz Azul (+131) (Draw +222)
Liga MX Prediction: Cruz Azul to win When: Saturday, March 29, 11:05 pm ET
Guadalajara had a disappointing 1-1 tie at Juarez on Saturday. The hosts went up early as Angel Zaldivar netted a goal for Juarez in just the sixth minute, but then Miguel Alejandro Gomez Ortiz brought the visitors level in the 80th minute and held on for the draw. Juarez outshot Guadalajara 10-6 (4-2 on target) despite the fact that Guadalajara possessed for 66% of the match.
Cruz Azul rolled over San Luis at home on Saturday, 3-0. Angel Sepulveda only needed 13 minutes to post a brace, and then Andres Montano added the insurance goal just two minutes before full-time. Cruz Azul possessed for 53% of the match but turned that into a statistical domination, outshooting San Luis, 21-10 (10-2 on target) and forcing 11 corners to just 8 for the visitors. Cruz Azul must now go on the road to face Guadalajara, but they look a lot more like they know what they want on the pitch right now.
Unlike European soccer, Liga MX doesn’t award its season title to the winner after the regular season. Instead, the top ten teams in the standings advance to a knockout tournament, called the Liguilla. The top six go right to the quarterfinals, while the seventh through tenth place teams enter a play-in round to figure out the seventh and eighth seeds. From that point on, each round takes place as a two-leg tie, and the winner on aggregate goal total advances. The final consists of one winner-take-all game.
Club Leon
They won seven of their first nine matches and moved into the early lead over Club America, but then they started to take on some water, and Club America moved into the lead in the Clausura table. Club Necaxa also got off to a hot start, as striker Diber Cambindo scored nine goals in the first nine games of the Clausura – more than he scored in the entire Apertura in the fall of 2024.
Play-in Tournament
After 12 matches, only four points separate first-place Club America from fourth-place Toluca, so plenty of movement in the seeding is still possible. The four play-in teams right now would be Pachuca, Monterrey, Juarez and Guadalajara, but tenth-place Guadalajara is only five points out of sixth place with five matches left on the schedule.
Top 5 Analysis
Third-place Tigres UANL have the longest current winning streak in Liga MX, at three games. Club America and Cruz Azul (fifth place) are the only teams without a defeat in their last five games. Toluca lead Liga MX with 30 goals scored, but they’ve also permitted 15 – almost twice as many as the eight that Club America have allowed. With the playoffs coming up, that means that defensive performances will tend to become more valuable as the quality on the field improves.
I would tend to prioritize teams that have allowed fewer goals and that remain hot down the stretch. Club Leon, an interesting value pick as they are just in second place, but they’ve dropped two in a row and have a reputation for flailing in the playoffs. Cruz Azul also represents decent value here and may start to see those odds shorten as they continue to pick up points each week.
Betting World Cup Qualifying: CONMEBOL Games Picks & Standings for Matchday 14
Betting World Cup Qualifying CONMEBOL is the confederation of the South American national soccer teams that will compete for qualification in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The confederation has 10 teams, and the top six will advance directly to the World Cup. The seventh-place team will go into an inter-confederation two-leg playoff to advance.
CONMEBOL has one of the longer qualification processes; with 18 matches to play over a matter of over two years, it is truly a gauntlet.
After 13 of the 18 matches, Argentina leads the table with 28 points out of a possible 39, with nine wins, a draw and three losses.
If qualification ended today, Bolivia would head to an inter-confederation playoff, and Venezuela, Peru and Chile would be on the outside looking in.
Betting World Cup Qualifying Round 14 & Current Standings
Read on to get the full table as well as top sports betting picks for Matchday 14 and our thoughts on which teams will end up advancing.
CONMEBOL Qualifying Table (after 13 matches)
RK
Team
GP
W
L
D
PTS
GF
GA
DIFF
1
Argentina
13
9
3
1
28
22
7
+15
–
–
2
Ecuador
13
7
2
4
22
13
5
+8
–
–
3
Brazil
13
6
4
3
21
19
12
+7
–
–
4
Uruguay
13
5
3
5
20
17
10
+7
–
–
5
Paraguay
13
5
3
5
20
9
7
+2
–
–
6
Colombia
13
5
4
4
19
16
12
+4
–
–
7
Bolivia
13
4
8
1
13
14
30
-16
–
–
8
Venezuela
13
2
5
6
12
12
17
-5
–
–
9
Peru
13
2
7
4
10
6
16
-10
–
–
10
Chile
13
2
8
3
9
9
21
-12
–
–
*-would advance to CONMEBOL inter-confederation playoff
World Cup Qualifying Pick: Bolivia to win When: Tuesday, March 25, 4:00 pm ET
Uruguay face a significant away disadvantage this week as they head to the high altitudes of Bolivia. Uruguay have not done well since the fall in the qualification process, but they should have enough of an edge to get through. Bolivia are glad to return home after taking a 3-1 beating in Peru last week – a Peru team that had been in the basement of the qualification table and had just managed three goals in their first 12 qualifying matches.
They did win in Chile back in September, ending a 67-game away losing streak in World Cup qualifiers. They’ve lost ag Argentina, Ecuador and Peru since that win, and they also failed to beat Paraguay in their last home qualifier, so their chances of getting to a World Cup final for the first time since 1994 are getting slimmer. The last time Uruguay came to Bolivia, they lost, 3-0, back in 2021.
Uruguay are taking on water, with just one win in their last seven qualifiers. Their November was outstanding as they defeated Colombia and got a draw at Brazil. It’s likely that they could get locked into the top six with one more win, but if they can’t beat Bolivia, they would only lead La Verde by four points.
World Cup Qualifying Pick: Take the draw When: Tuesday, March 25, 8:00 pm ET
The fifth- and sixth-place teams in the qualification table meet in Bogota. Colombia lost, 2-1, at Brazil in their last qualifier, while La Albirroja shut out Chile, 1-0. That allowed Paraguay to move up past Colombia into fifth. Colombia have not made a World Cup final since 2018, but they have a solid chance here – even though they have lost three qualifiers in a row after getting at least one point out of each of their first eight matches.
They still lead Bolivia by six points for the last direct qualifying spot in the table. Interestingly, they have dropped five points in qualifiers when they have scored first, but they’ve scooped up four points in matches when their opponents tallied first. They have 19 points with 13 coming at home. In their last six dates with Paraguay, they are undefeated.
Just as Colombia’s qualification momentum has stalled, Paraguay’s has taken off, with a seven-match unbeaten streak going in qualifiers. They brought in Gustavo Alfaro as manager after crashing out of the group stage in Copa America last year, and this streak has them looking at their first World Cup finals since 2010. Their defense is their strength as they have permitted the second-fewest goals in the qualification matches to this point. They also are tied for the second-fewest goals scored, so their defense has had to stand tall. They drew Colombia on the road in 2021 and won here in 2017.
World Cup Qualifying Pick: Take the draw When: Tuesday, March 25, 8:00 pm ET
A win for Argentina would lock them into a spot in the World Cup finals. They lead the table with 28 points, seven ahead of Brazil as the Selecao are in third place. Argentina beat Uruguay on Friday despite missing Lionel Messi due to injury. Brazil have never failed to make a World Cup final, although this qualification campaign started slowly, as they lost four of their first six matches, getting just a win and a draw in the other two. Since then, they have a five-game unbeaten streak that includes wins over Chile and Peru back in October.
However, they only picked up draws against Venezuela and Uruguay in November before picking up a mammoth home win over Colombia on Thursday. The match was tied at 1-1 until Vinicius Jr nailed a goal from distance in the 99th minute to get Brazil’s latest game-winning goal in a match since 2021, when Casemiro ended Colombia’s hopes as well in the 2021 Copa America. Brazil have only won once in their last road qualifiers, along with a draw and three losses, and they haven’t beaten Argentina anywhere since 2019, when they took them down in 2-0 fashion in the Copa America semi-finals.
Lionel Messi
Messi injured an adductor with Inter Miami, which left him on the shelf against Colombia. Paulo Dybala (AS Roma) and Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) are also on the shelf for this match, and Nico Gonzalez will have to serve a one-game ban after he took a straight red card near the end of the win over Uruguay.
However, Rodrigo De Paul got to rest against Uruguay and could be available this time around, a move which would send Leandro Paredes down to the bench. Brazil will not have goalkeeper Ederson or forward Neymar because of injuries. Bento will start in Alisson Becker’s absence. Because of Argentina’s greater attrition due to injuries, as well as Brazil’s comparative need for a win, I’m not sure Argentina can prevail here, even at home.
Some separation has definitely developed between the top six and the rest of the table. That six-point gap between sixth-place Colombia and seventh-place Bolivia is not insurmountable, but there are only five matches left, and Bolivia has lost three and drawn one over their last four. Without a win this time around, their chances of escaping an inter-confederation playoff will just get longer and longer.
Can Venezuela catch and pass Bolivia?
They’re only a point behind them in eighth. While they have only scored 12 goals, they’ve only given up 17. Bolivia have scored 14 goals – but given up a table-worst 30. The next highest total for goals conceded is 21, and that dismal number belongs to last-place Chile.
So if anyone’s defense is ripe for an upset, it’s going to be Bolivia’s. Of course, with just 12 goals in 13 qualification matches, it’s not like Venezuela is going to explode on anyone, either.
Colombia have struggled lately, but it would take a fairly major collapse at this point to send them down past either Bolivia or Venezuela. Uruguay are also sliding, but their early wins make them seem safe.
If you’re wondering why Ecuador only have 22 points when they should have 25 (seven wins, four draws), they took a penalty for having an ineligible player in their last qualification cycle. Either way, they’re safely ensconced in second place in the table.
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