The Daily Sweat: Arizona basketball has been incredible to bettors this season
The Arizona Wildcats are a proud program that was supposed to finish maybe third in the Pac-12. Nobody figured on them being above Oregon or UCLA. It was between USC and Arizona for the third spot.
After nine games, Arizona looks like it might be one of the top three teams in the nation.
Arizona has been one of the biggest stories of the first month of the college basketball season. It is 9-0 and that should improve to 10-0 on Wednesday night against Northern Colorado. Arizona is a 25.5-point favorite at BetMGM.
Any bettor who caught on early to Arizona is appreciative. It is 8-1 against the spread, with the lone loss coming when it won but failed to cover a 9-point spread in overtime against Wichita State. The Wildcats have won and covered against Illinois and Michigan already. They're up to No. 8 in the AP poll and that seems a bit low based on what they've done. The only team ahead of Arizona in the poll that is also undefeated is No. 1 Baylor. Everyone else from No. 2 to No. 7 has a loss.
Arizona not exploding to the top of the polls might not the worst thing for bettors. Maybe the Wildcats can be a little under the radar and profitable for a little while longer. Arizona has had breakouts from athletic guard Bennedict Mathurin (18.4 points per game), Kerr Kriisa, who has answered a big question at point guard, and 7-foot-1 center Christian Koloko. New coach Tommy Lloyd, a longtime Gonzaga assistant, has been a remarkable hire. He upped the tempo for the Wildcats and they've taken to it immediately.
Yet BetMGM's championship odds aren't sold. Arizona is +2500, tied for 10th with six other teams. That's not bad value for a team whose only real flaw is preseason predictions for them were too low. It's not too late to get a ticket on a team that looks like it has national title potential.
Here's the first look at the sports betting slate for Wednesday:
Lakers, Mavs lead NBA slate
ESPN's first game on Wednesday night is between two teams that had high hopes but are struggling to stay above .500.
The 15-13 Los Angeles Lakers travel to face the 14-13 Dallas Mavericks. Unfortunately for ESPN and everyone else, Luka Doncic will be out with an ankle injury. For the Lakers, Anthony Davis is questionable and they have a few players in health and safety protocols.
It says something about the state of the Lakers that they're just 1.5-point favorites against a Doncic-less Mavs team. That does seem like the right side, but it's hard to trust the Lakers.
What about the rest of the NBA?
There are 11 games in all. Giannis Antetokounmpo is out for the Bucks due to COVID-19 protocols, which takes a lot out of what could have been a fun Bucks-Indiana Pacers matchup. Milwaukee is a 1.5-point favorite.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz play the late national TV game. The Jazz are very good at home and it's hard to go against them, even as 8.5-point favorites.
What else is on the schedule?
There isn't too much. There are three not-so-great NHL games. Four top-25 teams play in college basketball and all are huge favorites against overmatched teams. There are four English Premier League matches in the afternoon.
What's the best bet?
Let's take the surprising Memphis Grizzlies as 1.5-point favorites at the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland is coming off a rough overtime loss to Phoenix last night, and Memphis has been the better team this season.
