🏇 Kentucky Derby: Final prep
I love the Kentucky Derby. I went to three in a row (2010-12). My streak was broken when my pre-VSiN life required my presence at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — same amount of drinking, not nearly as much fun.
If you’re like me, you want to have a game plan by Friday night. The mint juleps on Saturday tend to cloud my judgment on bankroll management.
So let me give you the tour of our Derby weekend coverage.
One note: We had another scratch on Thursday. Fulleffort (20-1) is out; Ocelli (50-1) is in.
VSiN Kentucky Derby Betting Guide: Managing editor Adam Burke updated the guide late Thursday to reflect the scratches and a new superfecta strategy from Mike Somich.
👉 VSiN Pros can download the updated guide here →
👉 Get the Triple Crown Special for $14.99 →
VSiN At The Track podcast: The latest episode has Derby picks from Mike Somich and Aaron Halterman.
👉 Watch VSiN At The Track →
👉 Listen to the podcast →
More Derby opinions: Peter Fornatale, Chris Fallica, Eddie Olczyk and more have weighed in this week — with more to come.
👉 Watch all Derby clips in one place →
Oaks Day: The Kentucky Oaks goes off tonight at 8:40 ET (NBC), nearly three hours later than usual. Churchill Down has lights!
👉 Oaks Day picks, Derby analysis and more →
If you’re like me, you want to have a game plan by Friday night. The mint juleps on Saturday tend to cloud my judgment on bankroll management.
So let me give you the tour of our Derby weekend coverage.
One note: We had another scratch on Thursday. Fulleffort (20-1) is out; Ocelli (50-1) is in.
VSiN Kentucky Derby Betting Guide: Managing editor Adam Burke updated the guide late Thursday to reflect the scratches and a new superfecta strategy from Mike Somich.
👉 VSiN Pros can download the updated guide here →
👉 Get the Triple Crown Special for $14.99 →
VSiN At The Track podcast: The latest episode has Derby picks from Mike Somich and Aaron Halterman.
👉 Watch VSiN At The Track →
👉 Listen to the podcast →
More Derby opinions: Peter Fornatale, Chris Fallica, Eddie Olczyk and more have weighed in this week — with more to come.
👉 Watch all Derby clips in one place →
Oaks Day: The Kentucky Oaks goes off tonight at 8:40 ET (NBC), nearly three hours later than usual. Churchill Down has lights!
👉 Oaks Day picks, Derby analysis and more →
🏀 NBA Playoffs: ‘Drunk’ 1st round
The Knicks built the largest halftime lead in NBA playoff history (47 points) and rolled to a 140-89 win over the Hawks. New York is on to Round 2 and will face the winner of Sixers-Celtics, which is now headed to Game 7.
Friday brings three more Game 6s.
Friday’s NBA menu:
Pistons (-3.5) at Magic, 7 ET (Prime). Total: 209.5. ORL leads 3-2.
Cavs (-4.5) at Raptors, 7:30 ET (Prime). Total: 219.5. CLE leads 3-2.
Lakers (+3.5) at Rockets, 9:30 ET (Prime). Total: 206.5. LAL leads 3-2.
AI Best Bets from Steve Makinen’s Analytics Report:
• Lakers +3.5
• Cavs-Raptors Under 219.5
👉 More trends, systems and power ratings from Steve →
👉 NBA player prop projections from Opta AI →
👉 Check standings & picks in the VSiN / KillerSports Challenge →
Friday brings three more Game 6s.
Friday’s NBA menu:
Pistons (-3.5) at Magic, 7 ET (Prime). Total: 209.5. ORL leads 3-2.
Cavs (-4.5) at Raptors, 7:30 ET (Prime). Total: 219.5. CLE leads 3-2.
Lakers (+3.5) at Rockets, 9:30 ET (Prime). Total: 206.5. LAL leads 3-2.
AI Best Bets from Steve Makinen’s Analytics Report:
• Lakers +3.5
• Cavs-Raptors Under 219.5
👉 More trends, systems and power ratings from Steve →
👉 NBA player prop projections from Opta AI →
👉 Check standings & picks in the VSiN / KillerSports Challenge →
🧠 Zach Cohen’s NBA Report: Thursday night stunners
I was listening to The Zach Lowe Show on Thursday afternoon, and Kirk Goldsberry referred to this first round as one of the “drunkest” in recent memory. If that was true before Thursday night, these playoffs are officially in need of detox.
The Knicks were just 3.5-point favorites in Atlanta and took all of six minutes to show how little that number mattered. New York rolled to a 140-89 win in one of the most lopsided playoff games you’ll ever see, setting a postseason record with a 47-point halftime lead. One encouraging sign for the Knicks: Mikal Bridges, who had been struggling, erupted for 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting.
Celtics-Sixers tipped shortly after, with Boston favored by 6.5 and expected to end Philadelphia’s season. Instead, the 76ers looked like the better team for the second straight game, cruising to a 106-93 win behind 53 combined points from Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Suddenly, this is the most fascinating series in the playoffs. Boston has been the East favorite for months, but now the Celtics need to survive a Game 7 at TD Garden against a No. 7 seed that looks a lot more dangerous than that label suggests.
Then came the nightcap. Denver went to Minnesota as a 6.5-point road favorite against a depleted Timberwolves team missing Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo. A lot of sharp bettors — myself included — doubled down on the Nuggets in this spot. Instead, Minnesota punched back with a 110-98 win, outworking Denver from the opening tip and winning nearly every hustle possession on the floor. Jaden McDaniels was brilliant, finishing with 32 points in 45 minutes while doing all the usual dirty work defensively.
At some point Friday, we’ll have a Spurs-Timberwolves series preview up on the site. Let’s hope Edwards is back early in that series, because it has a chance to be a fun one.
Friday night
This slate has a tough act to follow, but Friday brings three massive Game 6s.
The Magic, still without Franz Wagner, can close out top-seeded Detroit in Orlando. Cleveland will try to keep Toronto from forcing a Game 7. And in the late game, the Lakers will try to avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead when they visit Houston.
👉 Zach’s Best Bets →
The Knicks were just 3.5-point favorites in Atlanta and took all of six minutes to show how little that number mattered. New York rolled to a 140-89 win in one of the most lopsided playoff games you’ll ever see, setting a postseason record with a 47-point halftime lead. One encouraging sign for the Knicks: Mikal Bridges, who had been struggling, erupted for 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting.
Celtics-Sixers tipped shortly after, with Boston favored by 6.5 and expected to end Philadelphia’s season. Instead, the 76ers looked like the better team for the second straight game, cruising to a 106-93 win behind 53 combined points from Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Suddenly, this is the most fascinating series in the playoffs. Boston has been the East favorite for months, but now the Celtics need to survive a Game 7 at TD Garden against a No. 7 seed that looks a lot more dangerous than that label suggests.
Then came the nightcap. Denver went to Minnesota as a 6.5-point road favorite against a depleted Timberwolves team missing Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo. A lot of sharp bettors — myself included — doubled down on the Nuggets in this spot. Instead, Minnesota punched back with a 110-98 win, outworking Denver from the opening tip and winning nearly every hustle possession on the floor. Jaden McDaniels was brilliant, finishing with 32 points in 45 minutes while doing all the usual dirty work defensively.
At some point Friday, we’ll have a Spurs-Timberwolves series preview up on the site. Let’s hope Edwards is back early in that series, because it has a chance to be a fun one.
Friday night
This slate has a tough act to follow, but Friday brings three massive Game 6s.
The Magic, still without Franz Wagner, can close out top-seeded Detroit in Orlando. Cleveland will try to keep Toronto from forcing a Game 7. And in the late game, the Lakers will try to avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead when they visit Houston.
👉 Zach’s Best Bets →
🏒 NHL Best Bets
The Wild beat the Stars 5-2 to advance to the second round against Colorado. Minnesota is a +170 underdog vs. the Avalanche (-205).
Anaheim also advanced past Edmonton and will meet the winner of Golden Knights-Mammoth.
Jonathan Davis will post his top plays for these games later this morning.
Friday’s NHL menu:
Lightning (-115) at Canadiens (-105), 7 ET (ESPN2). MTL leads 3-2.
Sabres (-118) at Bruins (-102), 7:30 ET (ESPN). BUF leads 3-2.
Golden Knights (-115) at Mammoth (-105), 10 ET (ESPN). VGK leads 3-2.
👉 JD’s NHL picks →
Anaheim also advanced past Edmonton and will meet the winner of Golden Knights-Mammoth.
Jonathan Davis will post his top plays for these games later this morning.
Friday’s NHL menu:
Lightning (-115) at Canadiens (-105), 7 ET (ESPN2). MTL leads 3-2.
Sabres (-118) at Bruins (-102), 7:30 ET (ESPN). BUF leads 3-2.
Golden Knights (-115) at Mammoth (-105), 10 ET (ESPN). VGK leads 3-2.
👉 JD’s NHL picks →
⚾ MLB Best Bets
I saw this on X and thought it was a good reminder of why first-5 wagers have become so popular.
How often pitchers go 7+ innings:
1988: 48%
2026: 9%
👉 See the year-by-year numbers →
Greg Peterson has your first MLB card of the day.
👉 Greg’s MLB Best Bets →
Adam Burke and Josh Appelbaum will file this morning, along with Steve Makinen’s Analytics Report.
👉 More MLB coverage →
👉 MLB player prop projections from Opta AI →
How often pitchers go 7+ innings:
1988: 48%
2026: 9%
👉 See the year-by-year numbers →
Greg Peterson has your first MLB card of the day.
👉 Greg’s MLB Best Bets →
Adam Burke and Josh Appelbaum will file this morning, along with Steve Makinen’s Analytics Report.
👉 More MLB coverage →
👉 MLB player prop projections from Opta AI →
