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<p>The Penguins and Predators are set to face off at 8:00 ET on ESPN+. The Predators will host the game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN. The over/under for this game is set at 6 goals, and the Predators are favored by -1.5 vs. the Penguins in a non-conference matchup.</p><h3>PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS NASHVILLE PREDATORS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Nashville Predators -1.5</p><p>This game will be played at Bridgestone Arena at 8:00 ET on Thursday, December 19th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS:</h3><ul><li>Our projections indicate that the Predators should come out top with a projected score of 4-2.</li><li>Take the Predators on the moneyline</li><li>The Predators should also cover at -1.5</li></ul><h3>Can Pittsburgh Pull Off A Win at Bridgestone Arena?</h3><p>With a 3-1 victory over the Canadiens, the Penguins evened their record at 14-14-5. Pittsburgh, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line with the win. The total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.</p> 

<p>Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, while Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter to seal the win. The Penguins kept the Canadiens scoreless until the third period, when Montreal cut the lead to 2-1 before Lizotte’s goal.</p><p>Sidney Crosby led the way for the Penguins with two goals, bringing his season total to five. He opened the scoring at 4:03 in the first period and added another on a power play at 1:20 in the second.</p> <p>Blake Lizotte netted his second goal of the season on an empty net with 45 seconds left in the game. The Penguins took 24 shots on goal and recorded 14 giveaways.</p><p>The Penguins' defense will look to build on a strong performance in their previous game, where they allowed just one goal to the Canadiens. Alex Nedeljkovic posted a 96.2% save percentage with 25 saves, and the defense added 5 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goal they gave up came at the 5:32 mark of the 3rd period.</p><h3>Can the Predators Live Up to the Hype at Home?</h3><p>With a 5-2 win over the Avalanche, the Predators improved to 9-17-6 this season. Nashville covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5.</p> 

<p>All five of Nashville’s goals came from different players, and they trailed 1-0 before Steven Stamkos tied it up in the second period. The Predators added two empty-net goals in the third period to seal the victory.</p><p>Nashville’s offense found the net five times in their 5-2 win over Colorado, with five different players scoring. After a scoreless first period, Steven Stamkos netted his second goal of the season on a power play, while Colton Sissons added his first goal. Roman Josi also scored his first goal, which came on another power play.</p> <p>Filip Forsberg picked up his seventh goal of the season, and Gustav Nyquist added his fourth, both on empty nets. The Predators took 25 shots on goal and recorded 15 giveaways. Nashville also tallied seven assists in the game.</p><p>Juuse Saros recorded 29 saves with a 93.5% save percentage, helping the Predators secure a 5-2 win over the Avalanche. Nashville's defense also contributed 4 takeaways and 23 hits. The Predators allowed the first goal at 17:06 in the 2nd period and another at 17:43 in the 3rd.</p>

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Nashville Predators Betting Pick & Prediction 12/19/24

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<p>Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Tar Heels and Seminoles. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN, and it's hosted by the Seminoles at Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, FL. Get ready to place your bets! North Carolina is favored by -6.5 in this Atlantic Coast conference matchup the against Florida State. The over/under for the game is set at 153.5 points.</p><h3>NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS VS FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Florida State Seminoles +6.5</p><p>This game will be played at Donald L. Tucker Center at 2:00 ET on Saturday, January 27th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 74-68 in favor of the Seminoles.</li><li>Not only will Florida State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +6.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 153.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 142 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the North Carolina Defense Show Up on the Road?</h3><p>North Carolina is 16-3 overall and 8-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The Tar Heels have won nine straight games and are 15-2 when favored this season.</p>

<p>On the road, North Carolina is 5-2 this season with an average scoring margin of +6.1 points per game. The Tar Heels have won their last five road games and are 7-3 in their last 10.</p><p>North Carolina has an ATS record of 12-7 this season and they are 11-6 vs. the spread when favored. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Tar Heels have gone 7-3 vs. the spread.</p><p>Today's over/under line of 153.5 is similar to the average over/under line in North Carolina games this season (153.7). So far, 10 of their games have finished with more points than today's line, including two of their last three. Over their last three games, the average scoring total is 148 points compared to their season average of 152.6.</p><p>The North Carolina offense is coming off a game in which they scored 85 points vs. Wake Forest. Overall their field goal percentage was 52.5% while connecting on 5 threes. The team's top scorer is RJ Davis, who enters today's matchup with an average of 21, while Armando Bacot also carries a PPG average of 14.1 into the game.</p><p>The Tar Heels' defense is presently ranked 95th nationally, allowing an average of 69.1 points per contest. On average, opposing teams are hitting 6.6 threes per game vs. Florida State. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 27.6%.</p><h3>Can the Seminoles Pull Off a Home Win?</h3><p>Florida State enters this game as a 6.5-point underdog, and they are 5-3 when they are the underdog this season. At home, the Seminoles are 8-4 this season, and their average scoring margin at home is +6.2 points per game.</p>

<p>Over their last 10 games at home, Florida State has gone 6-4, and they are coming off an 85-69 win over Syracuse. So far this season, they have gone 12-7, including a 6-2 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference games.</p><p>As the underdog, Florida State has a solid ATS mark of 6-2 this season. They are 11-7-1 overall vs. the spread in 2019-20. At home, the Seminoles have gone 6-5-1 vs. the spread this year and their last 10 ATS mark as the underdog is 7-3. In their last 5 games as the underdog, FSU is 4-1 vs. the spread.</p><p>Florida State's over/under record for the season currently sits at 11-7-1, and today's over/under line of 153.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games this season (150.7). So far, 10 of their games have finished with more points than today's line, including two of their last three matchups. In their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1.</p><p>Florida State finished with 85 points in their game against Syracuse. This total surpasses their season-average of 77 points per game. Jamir Watkins was the leading scorer for the Seminoles, putting up 27 points. In addition, Amir Spears contributed 13 points.</p><p>At present, the Seminoles' defense is nationally ranked 194th, allowing 73.3 points per game. In today's game vs. North Carolina, the Florida State defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Florida State made 22 free-throws vs. the Seminoles.</p>

North Carolina Tar Heels vs Florida State Seminoles Betting Pick & Prediction 1/27/24

<p>The key race on the <a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/horse-racing/">Road to the Kentucky Derby</a> takes place at Gulfstream Park this weekend, as the G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes is the 14<sup>th</sup> race on a busy card in Florida. Big clues could be on offer with the opening leg of the Triple Crown in mind, with the field set to compete over 1 1/16 miles for their share of the $400,000 purse.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-race-information-amp-history">Race Information &amp; History</h2>



<p>The Fountain of Youth Stakes has been held annually since 1945, with the Grade 2 open to horses aged three. It is the final race before the Florida Derby, which has historically been a vitally important race with the Kentucky Derby in mind. As such, this race has produced five winners of the big race at Churchill Downs.</p>



<p>The most recent of those was Orb in 2013. Forte landed the Fountain of Youth in 2023 to become the Derby favorite, but was ruled out of the Classic on medical grounds.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betonline/">Bet with BetOnline!</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-leading-contenders">Leading Contenders</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dornoch">Dornoch</h3>



<p>Danny Gargan’s leading contender for the Derby this year will be looking to showcase his talents at Gulfstream Park this weekend. The three-year-old was an excellent winner of the G2 Remsen Stakes in muddy conditions in December, and that form has been franked following Sierra Leone’s excellent win in the G2 Risen Star.</p>



<p>Dornoch has previous winning experience over this distance after breaking his maiden over 1 1/16 miles at Keeneland in October. However, the one concern would be that he could have something to find on ratings this weekend.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-locked">Locked</h3>



<p>Todd Pletcher has an excellent record in the Fountain of Youth after winning the race on four previous occasions. A fifth win in the contest could be on the cards this weekend with the talented Locked. The three-year-old will be making his long-awaited return to the track for the first time this year after previously finishing third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.</p>



<p>He was a high class performer as a two-year-old last season, which included a stunning victory in the G1 Breeders’ Futurity over 1 1/16 miles. Once again, he holds extremely solid claims this weekend.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-speak-easy">Speak Easy</h3>



<p>Todd Pletcher’s best chance in the race this weekend could come in the form of the unexposed Speak Easy. Irad Ortiz takes the ride on the talented three-year-old, who has made just one career start to date.</p>



<p>However, it was hard not to have been taken by that victory after he got the better of Victory Avenue over seven furlongs at Gulfstream, recording a speed rating of 114. Those two will once again do battle this weekend, and both will have leading claims of victory in this key trial for the Derby.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fountain-of-youth-stakes-prediction">Fountain of Youth Stakes Prediction</h2>



<p>A typically wide-open renewal of the Fountain of Youth is set for this weekend, with Pletcher holding the keys. Speak Easy looks primed for an improved effort over this extended trip, and he looks a solid play for exotics.</p>



<p>As does Locked. We are happy to fade Dornoch this weekend, as there is a belief that he is major player on slower ground. Victory Avenue could have the most upside over this extended distance as a son of Arrogate. He was held by Speak Easy over a shorter distance, but we could see a huge performance from him over 1 1/16 miles on Saturday.</p>



<p><strong>Pick: Victory Avenue</strong></p>



<p><strong>Exacta Box: (1) Speak Easy/ (3) Victory Avenue/ (8) Locked</strong></p>

Gulfstream Park- G2 Fountain of Youth Stakes Preview &amp; Prediction

<p>At 10:00 ET, the 76ers (-399) will travel to Portland to take on the Blazers (+310) at the Moda Center. Philadelphia is favored by 9 points and the over/under line is 224.5. The 76ers have lost two straight and are 29-15 on the season, while the Blazers have dropped two in a row and are 13-33.</p>

<p>This non-conference matchup will be shown on NBCS.</p><h3>PHILADELPHIA 76ERS VS PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Philadelphia 76ers -9</p><p>This game will be played at Moda Center at 10:00 ET on Monday, January 29th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE PHILADELPHIA 76ERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 117-105 in favor of the 76ers.</li><li>Our projections have Joel Embiid finishing with Joel Embiid points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the 76ers finishing with a field goal percentage of 48.3% and knocking down 11 threes.</li></ul><h3>Do the 76ers Have What it Takes to Win as Road Favorites?</h3><p>Philadelphia's ATS record for the season is 29-15, and they are 13-8 ATS on the road compared to 16-7 ATS at home. Today, they are favored by 9 points and have an ATS record of 24-10 as the favorite.</p>

<p>The 76ers have a 3-game losing streak as the favorite, and they are 27-7 straight-up when favored. In those games, they have outscored opponents by an average of 10.8 points per game.</p>

<p>For the season, the 76ers have an O/U record of 26-18, and 31 of their games have had higher over/under lines than today's line of 224.5. The average O/U line in their games is 230.2, and their games have averaged 231.5 points.</p>

<p>In their last game, the 76ers lost to the Nuggets by a score of 111-105. Philadelphia covered the spread as 13-point underdogs, and the game finished with a combined scoring total of 216 points.</p>

<p>The 76ers are currently 3rd in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-15. In the Atlantic Division, they are in 2nd place. In non-conference games, they are 10-4 and 19-11 against other Eastern Conference teams.</p><p>So far this season, the 76ers are 6th in the NBA in scoring, averaging 119.5 points per game. Interestingly, they have actually scored more points on the road (117.8 PPG) compared to at home (121.0 PPG).</p>

<p>When it comes to pace, Philadelphia is 16th in the league, averaging 98.8 possessions per game. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 12th in the NBA at 47%.</p>

<p>When it comes to three-point shooting, the 76ers are 27th in the league in made threes per game (11.5) and 17th in three-point shooting percentage (36%). However, they are 1st in the NBA in both free throws made and attempted per game.</p><p>On defense, the 76ers come into the game ranked 9th in the league in points allowed at 112.0 per game. Over their last three games, the team is allowing 122.7 points per contest (19th). When it comes to defending inside the arc, the 76ers squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 54.1% inside the arc, and they're also giving up 33.9% from downtown.</p><h3>Can the Trail Blazers Offense Score Enough at Home?</h3><p>Portland is 13-33 this season and are currently in 14th place in the Western Conference. In games against other Western Conference teams, they are 6-26 and 1-7 against teams in their division.</p>

<p>As the underdog, the Trail Blazers are 12-30 this season and have an ATS record of 20-22 as the underdog. Today, they are getting 9 points against the 76ers and have lost their last two games as the underdog.</p>

<p>In their last game, Portland lost to the Bulls by a score of 104-96. The O/U line for that game was 222 points, and the Trail Blazers were 5.5-point underdogs going into the game.</p>

<p>This season, Portland has an average scoring differential of -5.2 points per game at home. Their ATS record at home is 9-11 compared to 12-14 on the road. On the road, their average scoring differential is -12.2 PPG.</p>

<p>The Trail Blazers have gone under the O/U line in their last two games and have a season record of 19-26-1. Today's O/U line is set at 224.5 points, and their games this season have averaged 224.8 points.</p><p>When playing at home, the Trail Blazers have scored 110.2 points per game, which is 28th in the NBA. Overall, they are 29th in scoring at 107.8 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage, Portland is 30th in the league at 43%. In terms of pace, the Trail Blazers are 17th at 98.7 possessions per game.</p>

<p>So far this season, the Trail Blazers have outscored the NBA scoring average in just 23.9% of their games. In terms of assists, Portland is 30th in the league at 22.5 per game. When it comes to three-point shooting, the Trail Blazers are 24th in the NBA at 35%.</p>

<p>When playing at home, the Trail Blazers have scored 110.2 points per game, which is 28th in the NBA. Overall, they are 29th in scoring at 107.8 points per game. In terms of field goal percentage, Portland is 30th in the league at 43%. In terms of pace, the Trail Blazers are 17th at 98.7 possessions per game.</p><p>The Trail Blazers' defense is presently ranked 19th in the league, allowing an average of 117.0 points per contest. When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Trail Blazers squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 59.0% inside the arc, and they're also giving up 34.2% from downtown.</p>

Philadelphia 76ers vs Portland Trail Blazers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/29/24

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