First-Round Betting Picks for Stanley Cup Playoffs

by WagerHome Blog on July 30, 2020

When the NHL drops the puck on Saturday for the start of the run for the Stanley Cup, it will be 143 days since the season was paused in March. The league has added a new team since then – the Seattle Kraken – but they haven’t played a single minute of meaningful hockey.

Give yourselves a round of applause for surviving this long, and for the absolute treat that is in store for us in the coming weeks. Not only do we get August hockey for the first time ever, but the Stanley Cup Playoffs – always one of the best events on the sports betting calendar – is going to be bigger and better than ever.

We currently have 24 total teams, eight qualifying series, and for the first time, a round-robin between the top four in each conference to determine seeding.

Minnesota Wild (+110) over Vancouver Canucks

While the rest of the skaters will be working to get back their legs, goaltending will have the advantage in the early stages of this tournament. It’s always key anyway (see: St. Louis Blues 2019 Stanley Cup Champions), but this year even more so.

Minnesota has the better goaltending, and, just as important, more defensive control of their back zone. This is a close matchup – maybe even a tossup – which means the smart money is on the positive number, which is the Wild.

Pittsburgh Penguins (-230) over Montreal Canadiens

It takes a lot to recommend putting money down on a -230 bet. But “a lot” is exactly how to describe the talent disparity between these two teams. A bad patch in early March is the only reason Pittsburgh is even stuck in the qualifying round.

On the other side, Montreal is ranked 24th out of the 24 teams still alive, and they finished the season in March with just four wins in 14 games.

If you like easy money, you like Pittsburgh.

Round Robin Odds

Both conferences will see four-team round-robin battles for the top seed.

Eastern Conference

  • Boston Bruins +140
  • Tampa Bay Lightning +185
  • Philadelphia Flyers +550
  • Washington Capitals +550

Western Conference

  • St. Louis Blues +175
  • Colorado Avalanche +225
  • Las Vegas Golden Knights +300
  • Dallas Stars +550

Boston is on a revenge tour after losing Game 7 in the Finals last year. The layoff helps their legs immensely, and they are a safe bet to emerge as the No. 1 seed.

stanley cup

The Blues are the defending champions and the favorites in the West. But at +225 a little money on the Avs feels like a good value bet.

Pay Per Head Software

With five games on Saturday, five more on Sunday, and another six on Monday, NHL betting is going to be on fire. To manage the rush and make the most of your profit opportunities, independent bookmakers really should be partnered with a pay per head software provider.

The top PPH companies, like WagerHome.com, handle all of your administrative needs, allowing you to spend your time growing your client base. Get a free PPH demo and four weeks to test it out at WagerHome.com.

read more
WagerHome BlogFirst-Round Betting Picks for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Opening NBA Action: Best Bets of the Weekend

by WagerHome Blog on July 28, 2020

In NBA betting, the general rule is the more that is known, the harder it is to find good value. If Team A is exponentially better than Team B, the lines reflect it.

But if that rule is true, then the opposite must also be true. The less that is known, the more volatile the line, the more the public is off, and the greater chance that you can find a line with good value.

Well, never in the history of basketball has there been less known about what is going to happen in Orlando. No home courts, no fans, and everyone living under one bubble. Trying to parse what will happen based on where things stood in March is a fool’s errand.

LA Clippers (+4.5) vs. Los Angeles Lakers – July 30

That takes us to our first best bet this weekend. Are the Lakers really 4.5 points better than the Clippers? Four months away from competitive basketball makes it impossible to say. This feels like too big of a line for these two very evenly matched teams.

Also, it’s important to remember that this is just a seeding game, and the Lakers are already going to be tough to catch atop the West. The Clippers have a much greater incentive when they take the floor.

Orlando Magic (-6.5) vs. Brooklyn Nets – July 31

No NBA team has less to play for than the Nets, and no team is headed to Orlando with fewer of its star players. No Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, and with no real incentive to win, means that the Nets will be treating the Orlando bubble like a training camp for next season.

The Magic, on the other hand, can pass the Nets in the standings with this one win and move into a better seed. Being the only true home team for the restart may also aid the Magic a bit, but really it’s the tattered shape of the Nets roster that makes this a strong bet to make.

Oklahoma City Thunder (-1) vs. Utah Jazz – Aug. 1

These two teams are right next to each other in the standings, making it an even matchup on a regular day. But this is Utah’s second game of the restart after taking on New Orleans Thursday night. Considering no one has played competitive basketball in four months, turning around and playing again on Saturday will take its toll.

nba

When things shut down in March, Oklahoma City was playing some of the best basketball in the league and was particularly good at winning close games – which is what will happen here.

Pay Per Head Software

The NBA is back, the NHL is just around the corner, and Major League Baseball is now in full swing. If you have your own bookmaking business that made it through the sports downturn, you absolutely must get partnered with a pay per head service today.

You are about to become very busy, so let PPH software help out by doing the heavy lifting. WagerHome.com offers a demo on how you and your clients will benefit, plus they give you four weeks to try it free.

read more
WagerHome BlogOpening NBA Action: Best Bets of the Weekend

MLB Opening Day Betting Previews

by WagerHome Blog on July 22, 2020

It is finally here. Nine months since the end of the 2019 World Series, Major League Baseball’s Opening Day 2020 is happening this week. Yes, it’s okay to be a little teary-eyed.

It will be a season unlike any other. We have 60 games and a set of rules to accommodate the risks of the coronavirus and the limited resources each team has with no minor league season.

If anyone tells you they know what to expect, they’re lying. No one can really know in such a small sampling of a regular season. It’s like picking a game-winner after three innings.

The unknowns, however, will also make this one of the most exciting betting seasons we’ve ever had. And on Opening Day, we get treated to two nationally televised matchups packed with wagering intrigue.

New York Yankees at Washington Nationals

  • NY Yankees -1.5 (+125)
  • Washington +1.5 (-148)

The Nationals are, of course, the defending World Series champions, but if the 2019 season had only been 60 games, they wouldn’t have made the postseason. Meanwhile, the Yankees are hands down considered the best team in the league and will be starting their new acquisition, Gerrit Cole. Washington will counter with three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer.

Scherzer makes his third straight Opening Day start for the Nationals. Cole is the new $300 million man and was an obvious choice to start on Opening Day. The last time he had that honor was 2017 with the Pirates.

San Francisco Giants at Los Angeles Dodgers

  • San Francisco +1.5 (+114)
  • L.A. Dodgers -1.5 (-132)

If the National League has its version of the Yankees, it’s the Dodgers. Offseason acquisition David Price has opted out of the season, which diminishes their dominance just a bit, although, in the National League West, they are clearly the class of the bunch.

The Dodgers are -715 to win the division for the eighth straight season. The Giants, on the other hand, pay +8000 on a bet to win the NL West. In short, the Giants are not going to win the NL West this season.

Starting for the Giants will be Johnny Cueto, who made a successful return to the mound last September after Tommy John surgery. In four Opening Day starts, Cueto is 1-1 with an ERA of 0.64.

opening day

Clayton Kershaw makes his ninth career Opening Day start for the Dodgers. He is 5-1 with a 1.05 ERA in the previous eight starts.

Pay Per Head Software

You’ve made it. You survived the downturn in sports betting, and your bookmaking service is still alive. Now is the time to make it thrive by creating a new partnership with a top pay per head service.

Just as James Earl Jones said in Field of Dreams, people will come. And with baseball now on the menu, they will most definitely come

Be ready for the rush with your own website, client reports, and automated odds, and all for a small price per head. See a pay per head software demo today at WagerHome.com.

read more
WagerHome BlogMLB Opening Day Betting Previews

3M Open PGA Betting Preview

by WagerHome Blog on July 21, 2020

The world of golf has a new No. 1 player, and it is much deserved. Jon Rahm only shot a 75 on Sunday at Muirfield, but considering what everyone else was doing, that was an impressive number and good enough to secure his first PGA win of the season.

The Memorial had a major championship-caliber field, and it ended up playing just like a major championship.

Now, after two straight weeks in Ohio, the tour makes the trip up to Minnesota for the 3M Open, and the quality of the field takes a bit of step back after everyone played The Memorial.

The 3M Field

Compared to what we’ve seen in the last few weeks, this field will be the weakest since the restart. But even so, there are still 10 of the world’s top 60 golfers playing this weekend, and three of those golfers shot 62s at this event last year – Scott Piercy, Matthew Wolff, and Lucas Glover.

The favorites in the field look like this:

  • Dustin Johnson +1000
  • Brooks Koepka +1200
  • Tommy Fleetwood +1200
  • Tony Finau +1200
  • Paul Casey +2000
  • Harris English +2700
  • Bubba Watson +2900
  • Matthew Wolff +2900
  • Lucas Glover +3100
  • Russell Henley +3100

Not showing up on this list but currently ranked 29th in the world is Bernd Wiesberger, who can be found on the betting board at +8000. He’s struggled in this most unusual of seasons, but the Austrian did win three times last year. With a fairly wide-open field, the +8000 number seems like really good value.

Dustin Johnson opens the week as the favorite, although he just missed the cut badly at The Memorial. But of the top favorites in the field, keep an eye on Tommy Fleetwood.

3m

This is his first tournament since play resumed last month. The 12th-ranked golfer in the world has been with his family in England since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March but is finally back to play in the 3M Open.

Pay Per Head

This is shaping up to the biggest week of sports since the Super Bowl, as not only do we have golf, NASCAR, and UFC – which have become regulars since reopening in June – but we also have the start of the 60-game Major League Baseball season.

If you own your own bookmaking business, now is the perfect time to supercharge the offerings to your clients by joining forces with a top pay per head software provider. You will get a completely customizable website that is yours to own and keep.

You will have access to detailed client reports so that you can better gear your business to meet those clients’ needs. And your clients will have access to a comprehensive list of sports from around the world, and the most up to date odds anywhere in the business.

If you’ve never seen pay per head software in action and need a demo, WagerHome.com has you covered. See how it works, try it free for four weeks, and make sure when the wave of new sports betting hits this week, your business is ready to capitalize.

read more
WagerHome Blog3M Open PGA Betting Preview

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Betting Preview

by WagerHome Blog on July 16, 2020

With the most NASCAR of names – Cole Custer – and the most NASCAR of finishes – a four-wide battle of cars on the races final lap – the racing last weekend in Kentucky turned in our first rookie winner of the season and provided one of the best finishes we’ve ever seen.

It’s also a reminder of how anything can happen in these races, and nothing is set in stone. Custer entered the race ranked 25th in points, and now he is in the playoffs.

NASCAR moves on to Texas for another week of “anything can happen” racing. One thing we do know will happen is that fans will be in the stands.

The infield is off-limits, and masks are required for everyone over 10 years old if social distancing isn’t possible. Souvenir stands will not be open, and concessions must be purchased with a credit card.

But despite those requirements, the racing in Texas will have a much more normal feel now that it comes with a cheering crowd.

Odds for the Field

For the first time since NASCAR instituted the rule that 40 cars could race without qualifying, we had 41 entries for Texas. By draw, the No. 90 car will not compete. As for the rest of the field and the favorites to take the race, here are their odds to win.

  • Kevin Harvick +300
  • Kyle Busch +600
  • Martin Truex, Jr. +800
  • Ryan Blaney +1000
  • Joey Logano +1000
  • Chase Elliott +1000
  • Brad Keselowski +1000
  • Kurt Busch +2500
  • Aric Almirola +2500
  • Alex Bowman +3000
  • Erik Jones +3000
  • Matt DiBenedetto +3000

Two of these lines are of particular interest. Aric Almirola led for 128 laps at Kentucky and won the first stage of that race. Coming off a good performance, the +2500 feels like a value play. Last year at this race, he finished seventh.

nascar

Matt DiBenedetto was one of the four cars battling for the win on the final lap last weekend. He’s another driver coming off a top performance, and another line at +3000 that feels like really good value.

Pay Per Head Software

Be it this race in Texas over the weekend, The Memorial golf tournament in Ohio, another weekend of UFC, or the march to the return of baseball, the NBA, and NHL, the sports calendar is heating up here in July. Is your bookmaking service keeping pace? Do you have the best bookie software helping to power your business?

If not, why not? You can get a pay per head demo right now at WagerHome.com, where signing up is free, your first four weeks are free, and it’s only a small price per head after that. You get a customizable website and detailed client reports, while those clients get access to the best sports and odds from across the world and 24/7 customer service.

Everyone in business knows you have to spend a little to make a little. With a top pay per head software provider as a bookmaking partner, you end up spending a little to make a lot.

read more
WagerHome BlogNASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Betting Preview

The Memorial PGA Betting Preview

by WagerHome Blog on July 14, 2020

The PGA Tour has been back for more than a month, and fans have been treated to some of the most competitive golf in years. But something’s been missing. As good as it’s been, there is just one more thing that could make this golf even better.

Tiger Woods.

Not only is Tiger playing in his first tournament since February, but The Memorial is easily one of his favorite tournaments. He’s won on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course a record five times and finished top-10 a total of nine times.

Packed Field

Of course, Tiger isn’t the only top golfer playing this weekend. This loaded field features each of the top nine players in the world, with Brooks Koepka being a late addition in the week.

Overall, 26 of the 30 golfers who played in last year’s Tour Championship are playing this weekend, which is the most since the tour restarted play in June. And along with Woods and his five wins are the 2018 champion – Bryson DeChambeau – and the current defending champion – Patrick Cantlay.

With a win at Muirfield in 2018 and four top-10 finishes in four starts since the PGA resumed in June, DeChambeau comes into The Memorial as the favorite.

Odds on the field:

  • Bryson DeChambeau +1000
  • Justin Thomas +1100
  • Rory McIlroy +1400
  • Patrick Cantlay +1400
  • Dustin Johnson +1600
  • Viktor Hovland +2200
  • Jon Rahm +2200
  • Collin Morikawa +2200
  • Hideki Matsuyama +2500
  • Brooks Koepka +2500
  • Webb Simpson +2800
  • Xander Schauffele +2800
  • Tiger Woods +2800

Bets to Watch

It’s a rare confluence of events to have the previous tournament also take place at Muirfield. How that will influence the scoring at The Memorial – which will play a little shorter, but with thicker rough – remains to be seen. But Collin Morikawa just came away a winner on this course last weekend, and at +2200, he might be worth the value.

pga

It’s tempting to jump on Tiger as a five-time champion at +2800. But it is worth remembering that despite his great history at The Memorial, he last won here in 2012. And other than his charity round with Phil Mickelson, Tom Brady, and Peyton Manning, he hasn’t played competitively since February.

Because of the way this event plays, approach shots are more important than driving. One name that stands out when considering strokes gained on approach and quality approach shots is Webb Simpson. He is one of the best in the world, and great value at +2800.

Pay Per Head

This is one of the best fields of golfers you’ll ever see outside a major championship. If you are taking bets on this event, you absolutely must give your bookmaking service the advantages it deserves.

That means partnering with a top bookie software provider, which gives you a customizable website, detailed client-specific reports, and access to complete and automatic lines on all golf events worldwide. For a pay per head software demo you can sign up at WagerHome.com right now and get four weeks free to give it a test drive.

read more
WagerHome BlogThe Memorial PGA Betting Preview

UFC 251 Betting Preview

by WagerHome Blog on July 9, 2020

Leaving Las Vegas for the weekend, the UFC heads to Abu Dhabi for what it is calling Fight Island. This is the first of four fight cards in 14 days, and what may be the best fight card of the year so far.

Kamaru Usman is the headliner, but it was just a few days ago that his opponent, Gilbert Burns, had to withdraw because of a positive COVID-19 test. So in steps Jorge Masvidal, a BMF champion, and the full card gets that much better.

And in case that wasn’t enough intrigue for you. Masvidal passed his own COVID test in Las Vegas and flew immediately to Abu Dhabi.

But he’ll have to fight this weekend without one of the main components of his corner, coach Mike Brown, who tested positive for the coronavirus.

Thus is life hosting international sporting events in the face of an ongoing pandemic.

Full Fight Card

  • Martin Day (-190) vs. Davey Grant (+150)
  • Vanessa Melo (+185) vs. Karol Rosa (-240)
  • Raulian Palva (-190) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (+150)
  • Marcin Tybura (-112) vs. Maxim Grishin (-112)
  • Leonardo Santos (-190) vs. Roman Bogatov (+150)
  • Makwan Amirkhani (-215) vs. Danny Henry (+170)
  • Elizeu dos Santos (+100) vs. Muslim Salikhov (-124)
  • Volkan Oezdemir (-177) vs. Jiri Prochazka (+140)
  • Amanda Ribas (-835) vs. Paige VanZant (+525)
  • Jessica Andrade (+162) vs. Rose Namajunas (-200)
  • Petr Yan (-250) vs. Jose Aldo (+200)
  • Alex Volkanovski (-230) vs. Max Holloway (+185)
  • Kamaru Usman (-265) vs. Jorge Masvidal (+210)

Masvidal has been hugely entertaining in his recent fights, and we expect more of this same this weekend. But the fact is that Usman has beaten the better fighters. If you are looking for an upset on this card, the headlining event isn’t likely to be it.

ufc

The Alex Volkanovski-Max Holloway tilt is a rematch of their title fight last December. Holloway seemed to struggle with motivation when the two fighters met seven months ago, but that shouldn’t be an issue this time around, now that he’s the ex-champ. This fight is a toss-up, which makes the +185 on Holloway an intriguing bet.

On the preliminary card, Danny Henry is someone to keep an eye on. This is another very evenly matched fight, and the +170 on Henry is an excellent number to play.

Pay Per Head Bookie Software

Four UFC fight cards in 14 days. The PGA Tour is playing every week. NASCAR is running its full schedule. MLB has reopened training camps. The NBA and NHL playoffs are coming.

If you are running your own bookmaking business and want to look, feel, act, and profit like the pros, you need the advantage that a pay per head software partner provides. You get a fully customizable website, access to sports and odds from around the world, and all for just a small price per head.

For your pay per head demo and four free weeks to try it out, sign up with WagerHome.com today. Sports are coming back, and with a front line pay per head partnership, you will be ready to maximize the moment.

read more
WagerHome BlogUFC 251 Betting Preview

PGA Workday Charity Open Betting Preview

by WagerHome Blog on July 7, 2020

When you began this week looking ahead at the upcoming sports betting calendar, you probably didn’t recognize the PGA Tour stop called the Workday Charity Open. That’s because it is a first-year replacement for the John Deere Classic that was canceled due to the coronavirus.

The John Deere Classic will return next year, but for this week, the Workday Charity Open should definitely be on your radar.

Played on the same course, Muirfield Village Golf Course, as The Memorial – which will follow next week – this event will feature three of the top five players in the world, including the return of Brooks Koepka, who withdrew from the Travelers Championship after his caddie tested positive for COVID-19.

The Odds

After his incredible performance over the weekend in which he finished first in driving distance, first in putting, and first on the leaderboard, Bryson DeChambeau is going to sit this weekend out. He won The Memorial in 2018 and will return to the field for that event on July 16.

This week he likely would have been the odds-on favorite, had he decided to play. So with DeChambeau out, here is how the favorites shake out.

  • Justin Thomas +1100
  • Patrick Cantlay +1400
  • Hideki Matsuyama +1600
  • Jon Rahm +1600
  • Brooks Koepka +1600
  • Xander Schauffele +1800
  • Viktor Hovland +2200
  • Justin Rose +2200
  • Patrick Reed +3000
  • Rickie Fowler +3000

Patrick Cantlay won at Muirfield last year. For The Memorial, this course runs a bit shorter and with higher rough. But even with the slight changes to the course for this tournament, Cantlay is an obvious top pick.

Justin Thomas, the top name on this list, has a pair of top-10 finishes since golf resumed in June.

pga

Hideki Matsuyama is the surprise on this list. Ranked 23rd in the world, he’s played in two PGA Tour events since play resumed. He missed the cut at the RBC Heritage and finished tied for 21st at last weekend’s Rocket Mortgage Classic, though he did finish sixth at The Memorial last year.

Bookmaker’s Advantage

If you are one of the lucky few that have been running your own bookmaking business since sports started back up, and have been able to take advantage of a wide-open industry, congratulations. And now is the perfect time to up that advantage even more by becoming partners with a top of line pay per head software provider.

Get a fully customizable website, detailed client reports, access to sports offerings from across the world, and automatic odds updates. If you need a pay per head demo, WagerHome.com has it covered. Try out the service for free for the next four weeks, and after that, it’s just a small price per head to continue the partnership.

With baseball, basketball, hockey, and MLS set to return – plus the full NASCAR, golf, and UFC schedules already in place, don’t let another weekend pass without the power of the best pay per head bookie software on the market helping to make you money.

read more
WagerHome BlogPGA Workday Charity Open Betting Preview

Brickyard 400 Betting Preview

by WagerHome Blog on July 2, 2020

Nothing says American racing like the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. So how American is it to have a full July 4th weekend of racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?

The Indy cars will race the road course early on Saturday in the GMR Grand Prix. NASCAR’s Xfinity series takes the same course later on Saturday afternoon for the Pennzoil 150.

Then the big event comes on Sunday, when NASCAR’s Cup series hits the main track for the Brickyard 400.

There won’t be fans in the stands, but you can be sure that people at home having their summer barbecues will be tuning into the entire weekend of racing.

Brickyard 400 History

On the schedule since 1994, the 400 at the Brickyard has gone through several name iterations. This year, as a sign of the times, it is officially called the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400.

More important are the names taking home the checkered flag. Jeff Gordon won here five times, including the inaugural race in 1994. Jimmie Johnson has finished first four times, all within a span of seven years. Kyle Busch has a pair of wins, as does last year’s winner Kevin Harvick.

Even the great Dale Earnhardt notched a win at this Mecca of American sports racing, taking home the checkered flag in 1995 and recording what still stands as the 2nd fastest time ever run at this event.

It’s worth noting that it is the first time the Brickyard 400 will be raced on July 4th weekend.

Brickyard 400 Odds

The pair of two-time winners – Busch and Harvick – headline the list of favorites for this Sunday’s race.

  • Kevin Harvick +400
  • Kyle Busch +500
  • Denny Hamlin +600
  • Brad Keselowski +650
  • Joey Logano +650
  • Ryan Blaney +1100
  • Martin Truex, Jr. +1100
  • Chase Elliott +1200
  • Clint Bowyer +2200
  • William Byron +2200

brickyard

Since NASCAR restarted its season, Kyle Busch has been the odd man out, having failed to win any of the races since May. On the other hand, Kevin Harvick has three wins, Denny Hamlin has three, and Brad Keselowski has two wins. Keselowski also won the Brickyard 400 in 2018.

If you’re looking for betting deals, you aren’t going to find them here. Of the 11 Cup series races run since things began again on May 17, only six different drivers have claimed wins. Chase Elliott, at +1200, has the longest odds of anyone who has a recent victory.

Pay Per Head Service

Each and every week, NASCAR has given us great sports betting action. And with golf in full swing, European soccer going strong, and the NBA, NHL, and Major League Baseball all set to resume, if you aren’t using a top bookie software provider to enhance your bookmaking business, why not?

For a small price per head, you get your own website while your clients get access to sports and updated odds and lines all across the world. And right now, if you want to see a pay per head demo, sign up at WagerHome.com and get four weeks free of charge.

read more
WagerHome BlogBrickyard 400 Betting Preview