BaseballBasketballFootballHockey

Thursday June 20 Best Sports Betting Picks & Predictions For MLB & WNBA

Mike SullivanMike Sullivan|published: Thu Jun 20 2024 14:14
PHOTO USA Today Sports Images

Playing a game at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama to honor the Negro Leagues was a great idea. But the death of legendary Willie Mays at age 93 earlier this week has turned the pregame festivities into must-watch TV.

Mays played for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1948 and later spent most of his 24 major league seasons with the San Francisco Giants. Considering all of Mays' accomplishments and stature in the sport, he'd be making upwards of $50 million a season in today's landscape. Let's bet on this game and check out the entire slate.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS VS. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

It will be an emotional game for both teams but especially so for the Giants due to their attachment to Mays. Once the tales of Black baseball history conclude and the ceremonies are over, then two teams below .500 will take the field.

The Cardinals might be without third baseman Nolan Arenado after he was drilled in the right elbow by a pitch during Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Miami Marlins. Arenado only has six homers this season but he loves San Francisco pitching -- his 33 long balls against the Giants are his most against any team.

San Francisco doesn't have a single hitter with 10 homers and they would collectively cringe to hear that Rickwood Field's dimensions were 405 feet to left and 470 to center before being modified. Nobody can be sure how the ballpark will play.

San Francisco's Keaton Winn has a horrific 6.66 ERA and has been torched for 27 runs and 28 hits -- including five homers -- in 18 2/3 innings over his last five starts. Andre Pallente (4.61) is no Bob Gibson but the Cardinals certainly look like the better pick.

Cardinals -1.5 spread, +164 (DraftKings)

Stake SportsBook Bonus

$100,000 Daily Race

$100,000 Daily Race

Sign up now to claim

For help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG - (1-800-522-4700)

Play now


MILWAUKEE BREWERS AT SAN DIEGO PADRES

San Diego is stoked to be back home and not just because of its "America's Finest City" moniker. The Padres ended a nine-game road losing streak with Wednesday's 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies so if the SD stood for South Dakota, even that would suffice.

The Padres are below .500 with the season nearly at the midway point. Still, San Diego thrives in its home ballpark atmosphere and the Brewers (22-18 on road) will be looking to spoil the fun after they took two of three from the Angels in nearby Anaheim.

Milwaukee has won four of its last five games and is in control of the National League Central. Willy Adames (12 homers, 52 RBIs) is the most productive run source -- funny if you remember his 8-for-59 postseason for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020.

Bryse Wilson pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings for the Brewers in his last turn. The pitcher who will decide this game is Adam Mazur, who pitched great in his major league debut and struggled in his last two. A good outing gets the Padres a win.

Padres money line, -105 (DraftKings)

Stake SportsBook Bonus

$100,000 Daily Race

$100,000 Daily Race

Sign up now to claim

For help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG - (1-800-522-4700)

Play now

NEW YORK LIBERTY AT LOS ANGELES SPARKS

New York had its eight-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with a 99-93 road loss to the Phoenix Mercury. The Liberty matched the WNBA record of 18 3-pointers but Phoenix made 15 of its own in a high level display of long-range shooting.

New York returns home for a two-game set against the Sparks, who are 0-4 to start a seven-game road trip. Not only is Los Angeles one of the worst teams in the WNBA but it lost promising rookie Cameron Brink to a season-ending ACL tear in Tuesday's 79-70 loss to the Connecticut Sun.

Not having Brink sinks any chance of the Sparks pulling off an upset and it is highly doubtful Los Angeles can stay close. Dearica Hamby is the Sparks' top player and she has scored just eight and 10 points -- her two lowest outputs of the season -- in the past two games.

Breanna Stewart and the rest of the Liberty are certainly salivating over what is shaping up to be an easy night. If New York plays the way it has most of the season, count on this game being decided by more than 20 points. 

Liberty -14.5 spread, -108 (DraftKings)


Stake SportsBook Bonus

$100,000 Daily Race

$100,000 Daily Race

Sign up now to claim

For help with a gambling problem, call or text the NCPG - (1-800-522-4700)

Play now

home › thursday-june-20-best-sports-betting-picks--predictions