Sometimes in sports betting you can ride a hot athlete for weeks at a time. Even if they don’t win every week, they finish first often enough to make it worth your while. For that reason, I’m going with Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton in this week’s 5 Bets.
Add a golfer on a hot streak, too. When it comes to futures, I’m leaning on a tight end to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. My last two picks are an underdog to defeat the No. 1-ranked FCS team, and a Premier League team that saw the line move in its favor.
This Week’s 5 Bets
- Lewis Hamilton +120 to win Spanish Grand Prix
- Sam Houston +1.5 over James Madison
- Kyle Pitts to win Offensive ROY
- Tottenham +115 over Leeds +220
- Tony Finau to finish in top 5 (+500) at Wells Fargo
Best Bet: Hamilton Holds Off Verstappen
Betting on Formula 1 Racing seems to be an easy way to make money. In three races so far this season, two drivers—Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen—have won them all. Hamilton racked up two victories, including last week’s Portuguese Grand Prix.
I’ll bank on Hamilton getting ahead of Verstappen again this Sunday at the Spanish Grand Prix. He’s the favorite, sporting +120 odds to Verstappen’s +140.
The defending champion and his Mercedes have been the fastest so far this year. Hamilton should easily win two in a row, and three out of four. He belongs in your 5 Bets lineup.
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Sam Houston State Wins Nail-biter
The semifinals of the NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) are this weekend and one of the games features the James Madison Dukes against Sam Houston State Bearkats on Saturday in Huntsville, Texas. I like the underdog Bearkats +1.5 at home to win what should be a really close game.
Both teams are undefeated, and they have no common opponents, so it’s tough to measure them. James Madison is ranked No. 1 in the FCS Coaches Poll, while Sam Houston is No. 4.
The Dukes played a strong game last week, handling the North Dakota Fighting Hawks, 34-21. They’ll have to have another near-flawless performance if they’re going to advance to the finals.
The Bearkats looked a bit shaky against defending champs the North Dakota State Bisons, but still managed a 24-20 victory. One issue for Sam Houston State is turnovers. If the Kats can keep hold of the ball, they should be able to pull off the upset.
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Pitts Pulls Off Upset in Rookie of the Year
Everyone who’s seen Kyle Pitts play raves about the former Florida Gator tight end. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has openly gushed about Pitts, and the Atlanta Falcons made Pitts the No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft.
Pitts should make an immediate impact with the Falcons, and that’s why I pick him over the four players ahead of him to win 2021 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
It’s not surprising that three of the four players in front of him on the board at BetMGM were selected ahead of him in the draft. Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields was the only one picked after Pitts, and at +500 I’m not in love with those odds. Same for Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (+275) or NY Jets QB Zach Wilson (+700) and San Francisco 49ers QB Trey Lance (+700). I think they’ll all need a little bit of time to adjust.
Pitts, on the other hand, has +1000 odds. And that, to me, is worth the money, and the TE’s inclusion in 5 Bets. He’ll plug right into Atlanta’s offense, and should thrive right away. If Pitts can make a splash early in the season, it might not matter what the others do. 5 Bets potential.
Best Bet: Tottenham to Take Care of Leeds U
When the odds were released for Saturday’s Tottenham–Leeds United soccer match, Hotspur was a +130 favorite over Leeds, at +190. Sharps pounced on the game and drove the odds down to +115 for Tottenham. Conversely, Leeds jumped up to +220, and even +240 at one sportsbook.
Leeds United’s last match was a loss to Brighton, and they’re still without Liam Cooper (suspension), and Adam Forshaw and Raphinha (injuries).
Tottenham comes off a 4-0 drubbing of Sheffield United. Gareth Bale had three goals in the contest. This should be an easy one for Tottenham.
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Finau Hunts for Win
Tony Finau started the season red hot, posting three Top 5 finishes in his first four events of the year. Then the 31-year-old seemed to cool off a bit, missing two cuts and finishing 28th going into the Masters Tournament.
I think it’s time for Finau to heat up again. He tied for 10th at the Masters, and that should carry over this week at the Wells Fargo Championship.
He ranks 11th in the all-around ranking, which will serve him well at Quail Hollow, and fit his eye nicely. But I’m hedging here. I don’t predict Finau to be victorious. I’ll take him to finish in the Top 5 at +500. Good enough for 5 Bets.
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Every week, iGamingPlayer’s John Reger puts his money where his mouth is. Tune in for more betting tips and tricks.
