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UFC 261 will be a monumental moment in the world of sports. Not only are there three title fights, but the first indoor sellout crowd for a sporting event since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold will be on Saturday at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

We’ve got one perspective on the main event matchup between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal from Charles Jay, but now we’ll take a look at that fight and a few others on the April 24 fight card. There are a number of intriguing matchups, but the top three are the ones that everybody seems to be most focused on.

We’ll use the odds from <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betonline"><strong>BetOnline Sportsbook</strong> </a>to find some bets and some betting value for the UFC 261 pay-per-view event.
<h3><strong>Jorge Masvidal (+350) vs. Kamaru Usman (-450); Total: 4.5 (-180/150)</strong></h3>
The first matchup went as a lopsided unanimous decision for champion Kamaru Usman, who won 5-0 in the eyes of two judges and 4-1 in the eyes of another for a couple of 50-45s and a 49-46 in the fight at UFC 251. Based on the betting odds for both the side and total, it doesn’t appear as though a different outcome is expected.

Usman nearly tripled Masvidal in strikes in the first fight. Credit to Masvidal for staying up and not getting knocked out, but it was clearly a one-sided affair. Masvidal has only lost via stoppage three times in his 14 career losses over a total of 49 fights. Hence the -180 and the big favorite number for Usman.

You can cut into the juice with Usman by decision, but it is worth noting that the champ has a couple of knockouts in his most recent scraps. He knocked out Gilbert Burns, who was thought to be a legit contender for the throne in the welterweight division. He also knocked out Colby Covington the fight prior to his win over Masvidal.

We don’t really have any reason to believe that Usman loses this fight. The question is whether or not you bet him straight or look for a prop, like a method of victory or something.

Under 4.5 makes some sense here. Masvidal is not going to beat Usman with a decision. He’ll have to catch a lucky shot or maybe catch Usman in a prone position on the ground to win. Usman’s most likely method of victory is a decision, but a KO is very possible, too.
<h3><strong>Rose Namajunas (+175) vs. Weili Zhang (-205); Total: 4.5 (-135/105)</strong></h3>
There are two burning questions for the Women’s Strawweight Championship bout between Rose Namajunas and Weili Zhang. The first is about the challenger. Namajunas has had a couple of lackluster performances of late. She lost the championship to Jessica Andrade in 2019 and then got a measure of revenge with a win in 2020, though the title was already in the hands in Zhang by that point.

Maybe that was a #1 contender match for a chance at belt, so Namajunas earned her chance to get back on the mountaintop. Zhang beat Andrade and then followed it up with a split-decision with over Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Given that Zhang knocked out Andrade just 42 seconds into the fight, it is fair to wonder how things would have gone if the fight had gone longer.

With Jedrzejczyk, Zhang really struggled to secure takedowns. Strike numbers were about even. It truly was a split decision at 48-47 on all three scorecards. That performance wouldn’t inspire much confidence from me in backing her as more than a $2 favorite against a former champion with a higher pedigree. She did what she needed to do to gain the judges’ favor against JJ, but what about here against Namajunas?

Rose should be the aggressor here and fortune often favors the bold. I think the +175 is very much worth a look.
<h3><strong>Jessica Andrade (+375) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (-500); Total: 4.5 (-105/-125)</strong></h3>
Jessica Andrade tried and failed to get the belt back in the strawweight division. She’s now in the flyweight division. That is where longtime champion Valentina Shevchenko resides. It remains to be seen if it was in Andrade’s best interest to move to flyweight, but one thing we know for sure is that it should be in the UFC’s best interest. Shevchenko has not had a legitimate challenger.

Whether or not Andrade is that worthy challenger, we don’t know. The price implies that she won’t be. Until we see otherwise, I couldn’t bet on anybody against Shevchenko. That makes this write-up pretty easy.
<h3><strong>Anthony Smith (+180) vs. Jimmy Crute (-210); Total: 1.5 (-200/160)</strong></h3>
In this fight, we’ve got an accomplished, well-known name in Anthony Smith against a prospect in the light heavyweight division in Jimmy Crute. Crute is only 25 and he’s got some serious potential. Smith is only 32, but he has really struggled lately. He’s lost three of his last five fights and there were some questions about his motivation and focus level to keep going in UFC.

In this matchup, with three title fights, a full crowd, and all the pay-per-view buys, this feels like a spot where the UFC is trying to build up Crute with a “name” win. A victory over somebody that has done some good things in the UFC. A guy that actually went the full 25 during a title shot with Jon Jones.

We’ve seen the UFC do this before and sometimes you can look at the matchmaking strategies for context clues and I think we have quite a few here. Crute is a guy that the promotion thinks highly of and so he gets a headline type of match, but one against a guy that seems to be on the backside of his career already.

Crute is definitely a pick for me and could be a useful parlay piece with Usman if you wanted to go that route.

UFC 261 Betting Odds, Picks, & Predictions

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Major League Baseball (MLB) might not be the most popular sport in the world to wager on, but it still presents a really good betting option. MLB betting comes in many different forms, and this is a season that presents plenty of betting opportunities as well.

Major League Baseball was founded all the way back in 1876, but the league has obviously gone through some major changes since that time. Most of the major rules are still in place, but the way that the game is played is now much different.

There are currently 30 teams in MLB, and every team plays 162 games during the regular season. MLB games typically start at the end of March, or early April, and the World Series wraps up during the first week of November.

MLB teams are split up into leagues and divisions, but there is now more crossover games than ever before. The American League and National League now operate under the same basic rules, and that keeps things similar regardless of what league you are looking at.

Knowing the best MLB betting sites &amp; sportsbooks is also important if you plan to bet on MLB, and this article will explore that as well. By the time you are done reading this article, you should be ready to bet on baseball.
<h2 id="h-where-to-bet-on-major-league-baseball" class="wp-block-heading">WHERE TO BET ON MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL</h2>
Here is a look at some of the best MLB sportsbooks that are out there in the industry:

Best MLB Betting Sites & Sportsbooks

<p>The Bears and Catamounts are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Catamounts will host the game at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, VT. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 134 points, and Vermont is favored by -5.5 at home against Brown.</p><h3>BROWN BEARS VS VERMONT CATAMOUNTS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Vermont Catamounts -5.5</p><p>This game will be played at Patrick Gymnasium at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, December 3rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE VERMONT CATAMOUNTS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 79-67 in favor of the Catamounts.</li><li>Not only will Vermont pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 134 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.</li></ul><h3>Can Brown Pull Out the Win as Road Underdogs?</h3><h3>Brown Bears Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Brown improved to 4-4 on the season with a 77-54 win over Stony Brook on Wednesday. The Bears, playing at home, were -9.5 point favorites and covered the spread.</p> 

<p>Brown took control early, leading 43-24 at halftime. They outscored Stony Brook 34-30 in the 2nd half. The total points for the game were 131, under the pre-game O/U line of 142.5.</p><p>Brown's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, shooting 50.9% from the field and hitting 39.4% from beyond the arc, finishing with 13 made threes. Their effective field goal percentage was an impressive 63.2%, thanks in part to their 66.7% shooting on two-point attempts.</p> <p>Ben Wight was perfect from the field, going 7-for-7, while Aaron Cooley hit 7 of 9 shots, including 2 threes. Joe Octave led the team with 24 points, despite missing all 4 of his three-point attempts. Brown also dished out 20 assists in the game.</p><p>Brown's defense gave up 54 points, with their opponent shooting 50% from the field, hitting 29 of 57 shots. Inside the arc, they allowed 16 of 24 shooting for 66%.</p> <p>From three-point range, Brown's opponent made 13 of 33 attempts, shooting 39%. They also went 6 of 11 from the free-throw line, hitting 54%. Brown allowed 7 offensive rebounds.</p><h3>Pressure Builds for Vermont as Home Favorites</h3><p>Vermont evened their record at 4-4 with a 68-64 win over Northeastern on Saturday. The Catamounts, who were -4 point favorites, pushed against the spread, while the game’s total of 132 points went over the 129.5-point line.</p> <p>Vermont led 35-22 at halftime but allowed 42 points in the 2nd half, scoring 33 of their own to hold on for the win.</p><p>Vermont's offense put up 68 points in their last game, shooting 48.8% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.8%. They connected on 56% of their two-point attempts and 38.9% from beyond the arc, hitting 7 threes on 18 tries. At the free-throw line, the Catamounts made 19 of 26 attempts, good for 73.1%.</p> <p>Rashad King led the way with 27 points, shooting 11 of 20 from the field, though he missed both of his three-point attempts. TJ Hurley added 23 points, hitting 3 of 6 from deep, while Jace Roquemore contributed 13 points, knocking down 2 of 3 three-point attempts and shooting 80% overall.</p><p>Vermont's defense gave up 64 points, with their opponents shooting 48% from the field, including 56% on two-pointers (14/25). From beyond the arc, Vermont allowed 7 threes on 18 attempts, a 38% shooting rate.</p> <p>At the free-throw line, Vermont's opponents went 19/26, hitting 73% of their attempts. Vermont also gave up 8 offensive rebounds in the game.</p>

Brown Bears vs Vermont Catamounts NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/3/24

<p>Planning on watching today's Black Knights and Dolphins game? Catch the action at Ted Grant Court in Syracuse, NY, as the Dolphins hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on NEC. Army is favored by -1 in this non-conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 143.5 points.</p><h3>ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS VS LE MOYNE DOLPHINS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Le Moyne Dolphins +1</p><p>This game will be played at Ted Grant Court at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, December 3rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE LE MOYNE DOLPHINS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-72 in favor of the Dolphins.</li><li>Not only will Le Moyne pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +1.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.</li></ul><h3>Can the Black Knights Lock in a Win at Syracuse?</h3><p>Army's season record dropped to 2-3 after a narrow 80-79 loss to Manhattan on Friday. The Black Knights, who were -1.5 favorites, failed to cover the spread in this one.</p> <p>Army trailed 39-38 at halftime and both teams scored 41 points in the 2nd half. The total points for the game reached 159, surpassing the O/U line of 139.</p><p>Army's offense put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 49.2% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 57.4%. They connected on 52.6% of their three-point attempts, going 10-for-19 from deep, while hitting 47.6% of their two-point shots.</p> <p>Jalen Rucker led the way with 20 points, hitting 4 of 7 from beyond the arc. Army dished out 24 assists, with Jaden Winston and Josh Scovens each contributing 5. AJ Allenspach was nearly perfect from the field, going 6-for-7 and grabbing 13 rebounds.</p><p>Army's defense gave up 80 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 44% from the field. They allowed 31 made field goals on 70 attempts.</p> <p>Inside the arc, Army's defense allowed 23 two-point baskets on 46 attempts, a 50% shooting rate. From three-point range, they gave up 8 threes on 24 attempts, a 33% shooting percentage. At the free-throw line, opponents hit 10 of 13 for 76%.</p><h3>Will the Dolphins Secure A Victory as Home Underdogs?</h3><h3>Le Moyne Dolphins Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Le Moyne improved to 2-3 on the season with an 81-77 win over Manhattan on Friday. The Dolphins, who were +6 point underdogs, not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.</p> 

<p>Le Moyne led 38-26 at halftime but allowed 51 points in the 2nd half while scoring 43 of their own. The game’s total points reached 158, surpassing the O/U line of 147.</p><p>Le Moyne's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 81 points and shooting 60.4% from the field. They were especially effective inside, hitting 71.8% of their two-point attempts, while their effective field goal percentage stood at 64.2%.</p> <p>The Dolphins struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 28.6% of their threes, and their free-throw shooting was also subpar at 61.9%. They dished out 22 assists, with Ocypher Owens contributing 6, along with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Dwayne Koroma was nearly perfect from the field, hitting 8 of 9 shots for 17 points.</p><p>Le Moyne's defense gave up 77 points, even while holding their opponent to 36% shooting from the field. They allowed 15 two-point field goals on 32 attempts, a 46% success rate.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Le Moyne's defense limited their opponent to 8 threes on 31 attempts, a 25% shooting performance. However, they sent the other team to the free-throw line 28 times, where they converted 23 free throws, shooting 82%.</p>

Army Black Knights vs Le Moyne Dolphins NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/3/24

<p>Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Hatters and Bulls. The game is starting at 7:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Bulls at Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this game is set at 151 points, and South Florida is favored by -16 against Stetson in a non-conference matchup.</p><h3>STETSON HATTERS VS SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Stetson Hatters +16</p><p>This game will be played at Yuengling Center at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, December 3rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE STETSON HATTERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Bulls.</li><li>Even though we have South Florida winning straight-up, we like Stetson at +16.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 151 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.</li></ul><h3>Can Stetson Stun the Crowd at Yuengling Center?</h3><h3>Stetson Hatters Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Stetson fell to 4-3 on the season after a 92-77 home loss to La Salle on Saturday. The Hatters entered the game as +11.5 underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 169, surpassing the O/U line of 146.5.</p> 

<p>Despite leading 41-40 at halftime, Stetson struggled in the 2nd half, scoring just 36 points while allowing 52.</p><p>Corey McKeithan's 27 points and 5 made threes at 62.5% shooting led the way for Stetson in their last game, as he finished 8 of 15 from the field. Mehki Ellison added 20 points, hitting 4 of 7 from deep, while Andrés Marrero and Jahlil White each contributed 13 points.</p> <p>Stetson shot 42.2% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 46.9%, and made 7 of 19 threes (36.8%). They were strong at the free-throw line, hitting 16 of 18 attempts (88.9%), and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds, with Mac Etienne pulling down a team-high 9 boards.</p><p>Even with Stetson holding them to 42% shooting, this team managed to put up 92 points. They shot 44% from inside the arc, hitting 20 of their 45 two-point attempts.</p> <p>From three-point range, they went 7/19, good for 36%. They also made the most of their trips to the line, knocking down 16 of 18 free throws for 88%.</p><h3>Can the Bulls Lock in a Home Win?</h3><h3>South Florida Bulls Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>South Florida finally got their first win of the season, edging out Wright State 73-72 on Sunday. The Bulls, who were -3 favorites, didn’t cover the spread, but they’ll be happy to get a win after starting the season 0-6.</p> 

<p>South Florida was down 34-32 at halftime but managed to outscore the Raiders 41-38 in the second half. The total points for the game were 145, falling short of the O/U line of 154.5.</p><p>South Florida put up 73 points in their last game, shooting 52.7% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 58.2%. They hit 60% of their two-point attempts, going 24-for-40, while connecting on 5-of-15 from beyond the arc, shooting 33.3% from three-point range.</p> <p>Jack Doumbia led the way with 18 points and 10 rebounds, hitting 9-of-11 shots. Solomon Callaghan added 15 points, making 3-of-5 from deep, and Jayden Reid contributed 14 points, hitting both of his three-point attempts.</p><p>South Florida's defense gave up 72 points, with the opposing team shooting 43% from the field on 27 of 62 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 19 of 38 shooting for 50%.</p> <p>From three-point range, the Bulls' defense saw the other team hit 8 of 24, or 33%. They also sent them to the line 13 times, where they made 10 free throws, shooting 76%. South Florida allowed 9 offensive rebounds.</p>

Stetson Hatters vs South Florida Bulls NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/3/24

<p>First pitch for Saturday's Yankees vs. Padres interleague matchup is set for 9:40 PM ET from PETCO Park in San Diego. The Padres are favored on the money line (-119), while the Yankees are the slight underdog (+100). The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs.</p>

<p>New York will be looking to extend their three-game winning streak, and they are 36-17 this season. The Padres are 3rd in the NL West with a record of 27-27. Marcus Stroman is starting for the Yankees, and he is facing off against Dylan Cease for the Padres. This one will be televised on YES.</p><h3>SAN DIEGO PADRES VS NEW YORK YANKEES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: San Diego Padres Moneyline -119</p><p>This game will be played at PETCO Park at 9:40 ET on Saturday, May 25th.</p><h3>HOW TO BET THE YANKEES VS PADRES:</h3><ul><li>We have the Padres winning by a score of 6 to 5</li><li>If you're looking for a run line pick, we also like the Padres to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 11 runs and like the over</li></ul><p>New York cruised to an easy 8-0 win over the Padres in the most recent game of this series. The Yankees had a huge 3rd inning, scoring five of their eight runs. As for the Padres, they had their best chance to score in the 6th, but could only muster three hits and left six runners on base.</p>

<p>Carlos Rodón started for the Yankees and picked up the win, going six innings and not giving up a run. He finished the game with just two strikeouts but induced three double plays. On the other side, Yu Darvish got the start for the Padres and took the loss, giving up seven earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work.</p>

<p>Juan Soto and Giancarlo Stanton each homered for the Yankees, while Aaron Judge went 1/4 with two RBIs. Gleyber Torres also had a two RBI game at the plate.</p><h3>Yankees Records & Stats</h3><p>The Yankees are 36-17 overall and lead the AL East by three games over the Orioles. New York has taken the first game of their series vs. the Padres and have an overall series record of 12-2-2 this year. The Yankees have won three straight games, and they are 8-2 over their last 10 games overall.</p>

<p>At home, the Yankees are 18-8 this year, and they have gone 18-9 on the road. New York has been really good in day games this year, going 16-6. As the favorite, the Yankees are 27-13 this year, and they are 9-4 as the underdog. New York's road win streak is currently at five games.</p><p>When the Yankees are on the road, they have been a good bet against the run line, going 17-10. They have won five straight run line bets on the road and are 10-3 against the run line as the underdog. Their average run margin in winning games is 3.8 runs per game.</p><p>The New York Yankees are on the road today against the San Diego Padres. The over/under line for the game is set at 7.5 runs, which is lower than their season average of 8.1 runs per game. The Yankees' over/under record for the season is 23-28, and their over/under record when the line is set at 7.5 runs is 2-4. So far this season, 84.9% of their games have had higher over/under lines than 7.5 runs.</p><p>Marcus Stroman is getting the start for the Yankees today as he faces the Padres on the road. He has made 10 starts this season and has a record of 3-2 with an ERA of 3.05. Stroman's WHIP for the season is currently 1.30. The right-hander has turned in four quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he went 7 1/3 innings, giving up just one earned run. Stroman didn't give up a homer in that outing, but in the two starts before that, he had given up a homer in each outing. So far, he has allowed eight homers this season.</p><p>So far this season, the Yankees are the league's top home run hitting team and also lead the league in on-base percentage, slugging, and OPS. They are also one of the league's top-scoring offenses, averaging 4.9 runs per game. New York's offense is also near the top of the league in batting average and have the 2nd best isolated power figure in the league.</p>

<p>Over his last nine games, Juan Soto has gone 12/35 with five homers and nine RBIs, while Aaron Judge has also been swinging a hot bat, going 11/28 with five homers in this stretch. Judge is also on a three-game hitting streak. Anthony Volpe comes into the game on a 17-game hitting streak and has gone 12/37 in his last nine games.</p><h3>Padres Records & Stats</h3><p>With an overall record of 27-27, the Padres are 3rd in the NL West, trailing the Dodgers by 6.5 games. San Diego lost the first game of their series vs. the Yankees and are 10-6-2 in series this year. On the road, the Padres have been good this year, putting together a record of 17-10, but at home, they are just 10-17.</p>

<p>As the underdog, the Padres are 11-12 this year and 16-15 as the favorite. San Diego has dropped four straight at home, and they are just 1-6 as the home underdog. Looking at their overall record, the Padres are 5-5 over their last 10 games.</p><p>So far this season, the Padres have been a solid bet to cover the run line, going 29-25 overall. They have been especially good on the road, going 21-6, but have struggled at home, going just 8-19. They have been a better bet as the underdog, going 15-8 against the run line, compared to 14-17 as the favorite.</p><p>Today's over/under line of 7.5 runs for the game between the San Diego Padres and New York Yankees is the lowest line of the season for the Padres. San Diego games have averaged 8.8 runs per game, and the Padres are 29-24 on the over/under for the season. In games with an over/under line of 7.5 runs, the over has hit in 9 of 17 games, and the over has hit in each of the last three games for the Padres.</p><p>Dylan Cease will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Braves, as he finished with a no-decision in that start. Cease gave up five earned runs in just four innings of work vs. the Braves. Before that outing, Cease had put together three straight starts without giving up a homer. His ERA for the season is 3.05, along with a record of 5-3. Cease has made six appearances on the road and is 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA in those outings. At home, he is 1-3 with a 4.03 ERA.</p>
<p>Over his last six games, Luis Arraez has been on fire for the Padres, going 14/27, including one home run and three RBIs. Jurickson Profar and Jake Cronenworth have been the team's most consistent power threats, with each player having eight homers. Cronenworth's 34 RBIs are 1st on the team and 11th in the league, while Profar's 32 RBIs are the 2nd most on the team and 13th in the MLB.</p>

<p>San Diego's offense has been good at avoiding strikeouts this season, and they are near the top of the league in batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging. Overall, they are 11th in the league in scoring at 4.5 runs per game. The Padres have been even better on the road this season, averaging 5.1 runs per contest.</p>

New York Yankees vs San Diego Padres Betting Pick & Prediction 5/25/24

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