NBA Championship Odds by the Top Five US Sportsbooks

With three quarters of the regulars season gone in the NBA, you can look at five teams that are making plans for the postseason. Also, the top five US sportsbooks are busy setting odds for winning the 2023 NBA title.

The Boston Celtics are favored to win the Eastern Conference at +115 odds. However, the Milwaukee Bucks are second-favorites at +200. The Phoenix Suns are favored in the West at +225 with the Denver Nuggets at +325 as runner ups. 

Doc's Sports Service takes a look at five teams that can make some noise in the playoffs with winning a title with the post The Top Five US Sportsbooks Set Odds on the NBA Championship.

Five Best Horses for the Rebel Stakes This Saturday

Here are my top five horses in the Rebel Stakes at Oaklawn Park as well as my percentage to win the race.

Giant Mischief

This Kentucky-bred colt is trained by Brad Cox and raced at Indiana Downs, Keeneland and Remington Park as a two-year old. He placed second in the Remington Springboard Mile on Dec. 17. Wildatlanticstorm won that event with Echo Again coming in third. Giant Mischief will be making his three-year old debut at Oaklawn Parks in the Rebel Stakes starting at No. 5 with jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.

Sired by Into Mischief, he was bred to go more than a mile on dirt with speed on the backstretch. Giant Mischief has raced for Spendthrift Farm, Stonestreet Stables and Steve Landers Racing.

Odds of Winning: 40%

Reincarnate

Trained by Tim Yakteen and ridden by jockey John Velazquez, Reincarnate is starting in the No. 6 gate at Oaklawn for this race. On Jan. 8 at Santa Anita Park, he won the 2023 Sham Stakes in one mile by posting a time of 1:35.87 over Newgate and National Treasure. Reincarnate has finished first or second place in his early career. He raced at Del Mar and Santa Anita in California before coming to Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.

His races have all been a mile or over on dirt and turf since he place second at Del Mar in a one-mile Maiden Special Weight event. Reincarnate has the pedigree to be one of the leaders in the backstretch in the Rebel Stakes this Saturday.

Odds of Winning: 35%

Confidence Game

With Keith Desormeaux as trainer and James Graham as the jockey in the No. 7 gate of the Rebel Stakes, this three-year colt has a chance to finish in the money. Confidence Game was third in the 2023 Grade 3 Lecomte Stakes at Fair Grounds behind Instant Coffee and Two Phil’s on Jan. 21. He won his last race as a two-year old at Churchill Downs in a 1 1/16 miles Allowance on Nov. 26.

As a son of Candy Ride, he has gone 1 1/16 miles in his last four races. Confidence Game also should be one of the leaders down the stretch in the Rebel Stakes.

Odds of Winning:: 15%

Powerful

The colt was also bred in Kentucky and he raced for Cortlandt Farms (Donald Adam). He finished first at Churchill Downs on Nov. 26 in the ungraded Ed Brown Stakes after taking 11^th in the Grade 1 Breeds’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 8. Powerful is posted at No. 2 for the Rebel Stakes in his first race of his three-year career. Steve Asmussen in the trainer and Isaac Castillo is the jockey.

Odds of Winning: 5%

Verifying

Breaking in the No. 1 gate, Verifying is trained by Brad Cox and ridden by jockey Florent Geroux. Sired by Justify, he won his first race as a three-year old in a one mile Allowance at Oaklawn on Jan. 14. He finished six in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Keeneland on Nov. 4 after placed second in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Aqueduct on Oct. 1. Verifying has a chance to finish in the money in this race if he gets off to a good start.

Odds of Winning: 5%

 Previously posted at Doc's Sports Service

Penn Entertainment Completes Purchase of Barstool Sportsbook

On Friday, Feb 17, Penn Entertainment completed  the acquisition of Barstool Sports in a deal worth $551 million. The Pennsylvania-based gaming company paid $163 million to acquire 36% of Barstool Sportsbook in 2020. Penn just purchased 64% of the company for $388 million to own 100% of Barstool Sportsbook on its own.

CEO and President of Penn Entertainment Jay Snowden commented:

"We are extremely pleased to welcome Barstool Sports fully into the PENN Entertainment family. Barstool is a proven, powerful media brand with an authentic voice and vast, loyal audience that provides us with a strong top of funnel for new customer acquisition and organic cross-selling opportunities across our growing interactive division."

Doc's Sports Service has the full details in the blog post Penn Entertainment Buys the Remaining Share of Barstool Sportsbook.

Thursday's Memphis Grizzlies at Philadelphia 76ers Betting Lines and Odds

This Thursday in Philadelphia, the Memphis Grizzlies will be on the road as 3.5-point road underdogs against the 76ers. The total line is 228.5 points and the 76ers are -169 favorites on the money line odds.

The Grizzlies are averaging 166.11 points a game verse Philadelphia's 114.29 points. Memphis is shooting 47.17 points per game while Philadelphia has a 48.24 field goal percentage. Defensely, the Grizzlies are allowing 112.23 points per game and the 76ers are giving up 110.43 points.

The figures on recent betting trends have Memphis 4-10 SU in its last 14 games and the total has stayed UNDER in 10 of 13 games. The Grizzlies are 0-7 SU in they last seven games on the road. 

The Sixers are 13-3  SU in their last 16 games overall and 5-1 ATS in their last six home games against Memphis. The total has gone OVER in seven of the last 10  games overall against the Grizzlies. 

The 76ers' center Joel Embiid is averaging a team-high 33.1 points and 10.2 rebounds this season while James Harden and Tyrese Maxey are combing for 41.2 points a game.  Ja Morant is leading the Grizzlies in points (27.3) and assists (8.3). According with the stats, facts and betting trends, Philadelphia should win this game both SU and ATS.

The 2023 Kentucky Derby Futures Odds

Here are odds of winning the Kentucky Derby (as of Feb. 18)

Forte +700

Arabian Knights +800

Victory Formation +1600

Tapit Trice +1800

Cave Rock +2500

Instant Coffee +2500

Verifying +2500

Litigate +2500

Faustin +2500

Hejazi +2800

Hit Show +2800

Extra Anejo +3300

Giant Mischief +3300

Blazing Sevens +3300

Disarm +3300

Hoosies Philly +3300

Rocket Can +3300

Geaux Rocket Ride +3300

Chase the Chaos +3300

National Treasure +4000

Signator +4000

Kingsbarns +4000

Loggins +5000

Super Chow +5000

Tapit's Conquest +5000

Expect More +5000

Reincarnate +5000

Banishing +5000

Harlocap +5000

Gulfport +6600

Practical Move +6600

Crupi +6600

Point Proven +6600

New York Thunder +8000

Wildatlanticstorm +8000

*posted by BetOnLine.com

The $400,000 Risen Star Stakes at Fair Grounds

 

Here are my top five horses in the Risen Star at Fair Grounds along with the morning line odds and my percentage to win.

Victory Formation (3-1)

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by jockey Flavien Prat, he is positioned at the No. 13 gate for this race. Victory Formation won his three-year old debut on Jan. 1 in the Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park. He completed the one mile on dirt in 1:38.14 over Angel of Empire and Denington.

Victory Formation also won at Keeneland in the 6 ½-furlong sprint and Churchill Down in a six-furlong sprint as a two-year old. Sired by Tapwrit, he was bred to go over a mile on dirt as one of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby Trail.

Odds of Winning: 45%

Tapit’s Conquest (6-1)

This Kentucky-bred colt raced for LaPenta, Robert V., e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and Madaket Stables. Also trained by Brad Cox, he will start at the No. 8 gate with jockey Florent Geroux. After taking second in a seven-furlong sprint at Saratoga, Tapit’s Conquest closed out his juvenile campaign with a victory in 1 1/16 miles on dirt at Churchill Downs.

As a three-year thoroughbred, he finished second at Fair Grounds in a 1 1/16-miles Allowance race on Jan. 21. Tapit’s Conquest does have the speed and power to compete with Victory Formation to win this race.

Odds of Winning: 35%

Curly Jack (8-1)

As one of the legitimate contenders trained by Thomas Amoss, Curly Jack should place in the money in this race. Sired by Good Magic, he has finished first or second place in four of six raced as a two-year old. He is making his three-year old debut in the Risen Star at Fair Ground after racing at Churchill Downs, Saratoga and Keeneland in his juvenile campaign.

Placing second at Churchill Downs in the 2022 Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes on Nov. 26, Curly Jack has the stamina to keep up with the favorite in the Risen Star.

Odds of Winning: 10%

Angel of Empire (8-1)

Also a third-favorite at 8-1 odds, Angel of Empire is positioned at the No. 6 gate with Luis Saez as his jockey. He is trained by Brad Cox and raced for Albaugh Family Stables LLC. Bred in Pennsylvania, he finished first or second in three out of four events in his racing career. Angel of Empire made his three-year debut in a second-place finish at Oaklawn Park in the Smarty Jones Stakes.

Odds of Winning: 5%

Silver Heist (12-1)

This Kentucky-bred colt finished third in his three-year old debut in a 1 1/16-mile Allowance race on Jan. 21 at Fair Grounds. He started off at this track as a two-year old with a victory in a six-furlong sprint on Dec. 26. Silver Heist is trained by Steven Asmussen and ridden by Cory Lanerie out of the No. 11 gate in this race. He is priced right as a 12-1 longshot in this field.

Odds of Winning: 5%

Previously posted at Doc's Sports Service

Futures Odds for the 2023 NBA Season

 Odds to Win the 2023 Eastern Conference

Boston Celtics +150

Milwaukee Bucks +245

Philadelphia 76ers +425

Cleveland Cavaliers +700

Miami Heat +1800

Atlanta Hawks +4000

Brooklyn Nets +4000

Toronto Raptors +5500

New York Knicks +8000

Chicago Bulls +15000

Indiana Pacers +20000

Washington Wizards +20000

Orlando Magic +50000

Charlotte Hornets +75000

Detroit Pistons +100000

 Odds to Win the 2023 Western Conference

Phoenix Suns +240

Denver Nuggets +375

Los Angeles Clippers +650

Golden State Warriors +700

Dallas Mavericks +750

Memphis Grizzlies +800

Los Angeles Lakers +1400

New Orleans Pelicans +2000

Sacramento Kings +5000

Minnesota Timberwolves +10000

Portland Trail Blazers +12500

Utah Jazz +20000

Oklahoma City Thunder +25000

Houston Rockets +100000

San Antonio Spurs +10000