With March Madness approaching, West Virginia sportsbooks offer a wide range of betting options to keep you entertained until then.
Before the NCAA Tournament begins, both the NHL and NBA offer a wide range of exciting markets and matchups to place bets on.
Due to a rescheduling of the Big Dance, the commencement of this year’s first round has been pushed back to Friday, March 19.
This grants ample time for bettors residing in the Mountain State to place their bets in other places. Two favored choices include hockey and basketball.
The NBA has recently concluded its short All-Star break, and the NHL is also approaching its halfway point. In this season, NHL teams will only play a total of 56 games.
So far, Pittsburgh has participated in 26 matches and accumulated a total of 33 points. At present, they are trailing Washington by three points for the second position, while they are five points behind the New York Islanders who are leading the league.
Next Tuesday night on NBCSN, the Penguins, who are currently one of the league’s top-performing teams, will face the Boston Bruins. They have recently won their last four consecutive games.
There are a few intriguing games scheduled on the basketball court. The Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks will face off in an exciting matchup on Monday night in Brooklyn. Additionally, New Orleans and Portland will have a meeting on Tuesday.
We will analyze these games and examine the current NHL odds offered at WV online sports betting apps.
Betting on Penguins hockey
Pittsburgh appears to have hit its stride, winning five out of the last six games and displaying exceptional efficiency in scoring.
Since their 2-0 shutout against the Isles, the Penguins have scored a total of 26 goals in their past six games.
Currently, they are situated smack dab in the center of the East Division. Despite their favorable standing, a handful of teams are hot on their heels.
Boston trails by only one point, whereas Philadelphia is within striking distance with 29 points.
On the team, there are three players who have scored a minimum of 20 points. Sidney Crosby stands out as the leader with 25 points, and he is also tied for the team’s highest goal tally.
Jake Guentzel, a left-winger, has accumulated 23 points, while Evgeni Malkin follows closely behind with 21 points.
Goalie Tristan Jarry appears to have overcome his earlier struggles as he has found his rhythm. In the month of March, he boasts a commendable record of 4 wins and only 1 loss, with a goals-against average of 2.61. Additionally, his save percentage for the month stands at an impressive .917.
Opposing teams should be concerned if Pittsburgh can achieve consistent results from both Jarry and backup Casey DeSmith.
While every game holds significance in this condensed season, the upcoming series against the Bruins stands out as particularly crucial for the playoffs. It seems that both teams will fiercely compete for favorable positions throughout the remainder of the year.
The odds for this match have not yet been posted by WV sportsbooks, but it is expected that they will be closely contested.
In late January, the Pens suffered defeats in both previous matches against the Bruins. However, this week, the game will take place at home for the Pens, which could potentially make a significant difference.
At home, Pittsburgh boasts an impressive record of 11 wins and 2 losses, while Boston has a relatively average record of 7 wins, 4 losses, and 3 ties on the road.
Bettors may hold an advantage in the second matchup as both teams will meet on Monday night and there is a chance that both backup goalies will be chosen to start.
In any case, the Penguins are likely to have a slight advantage while playing on their home turf, and it is anticipated that the total number of goals scored in the game will be no less than six.
NBA markets at WV sportsbooks
Knicks vs. Nets
Don’t miss out on the thrilling showdown in New York this Monday night. Tune in to ESPN at 8 p.m. EST to catch all the action.
For distinct reasons, these two teams could easily be considered among the most surprising in the NBA this season.
Brooklyn has surprised many with its potential to become the favored team this summer, currently holding the second spot in the Eastern Conference, trailing only a half game behind the 76ers.
The Knicks, despite having lower expectations, have shown their own impressive performance this season. With a 19-19 record and currently holding the sixth spot in the conference, they have proven themselves to be a formidable team.
The issue lies in the fact that New York has surpassed expectations, while Brooklyn has barely begun to explore its full potential.
The Nets have been patient in bringing back their star player, Kevin Durant, who has been absent for some time. However, whenever he steps onto the court, Durant’s performance is nothing short of spectacular. This was made possible by the arrival of James Harden, giving the team the luxury of allowing Durant to return at his own pace.
If he gets the chance to play, their starting lineup could potentially be the strongest in the NBA. Additionally, Kyrie Irving, the talented guard, is also excelling alongside other prominent players.
Brooklyn successfully handled the situation and emerged victorious by a seven-point margin in their initial encounter away from home.
There is a possibility of a larger margin in Monday’s game.
At their home court, the Nets boast a remarkable 14 wins and 6 losses, while the Knicks struggle on the road with a record that falls four games below the .500 mark.
Even though West Virginia sportsbooks have yet to release odds for this particular game, it is highly likely that Brooklyn will be the favored team. According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, they have an 81% probability of emerging victorious.
Pelicans vs. Blazers
Zion Williamson and the New Orleans team will be visiting Portland for a late game on Tuesday. The match is scheduled to start at 10 p.m. EST and will be televised on TNT.
In contrast to the first game, the initial halves of these two teams were completely opposite from each other.
Despite numerous injuries, the Trail Blazers have managed to maintain a commendable record of 21-15, securing a promising position for the postseason. Conversely, the Pelicans have underperformed and face a considerable amount of work to improve their standing.
They embarked on this campaign with hopes of making it to the playoffs, but they will require a substantial winning streak to achieve their goal.
The current record for New Orleans is 15 wins and 22 losses, placing them 4.5 games behind the team holding the No. 8 seed.
Williamson may not be achieving the desired amount of wins, but he is consistently dominating the stat sheet on a nightly basis.
This season, the second-year forward is maintaining an average of more than 25 points per game, with a shooting percentage of approximately 62%.
Additionally, Portland showcases the exceptional skills of their guard, Damian Lillard. In the course of 35 games, he is consistently averaging close to 30 points and contributing eight assists per game.
Bettors should anticipate Portland being favored, although the point spread may not be significant. The Blazers have a record of 5-5 in their previous 10 games, leaving them vulnerable to a subpar performance.
According to ESPN’s BPI, the Pelicans are currently favored to win, with a probability of approximately 53% in Tuesday night’s game.
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