I hope you’re reading this Sunday before 8:10 a.m. ET — because that’s when the puck drops for the USA-Canada Olympic gold medal final.
For my West Coast friends, maybe I’m catching you before you go to sleep.
Indeed, on the 46th anniversary of the Miracle on Ice, the only miracle today will be if I am up in time for the first period.
As of Saturday evening, Circa Sports listed Canada as a -120 favorite, with the USA at +108. The biggest storyline: Canadian captain Sidney Crosby, who missed the semifinals with a lower-body injury. His status remains TBD.
VSiN hockey analyst Jonathan Davis offers his analysis:
This game is a “coin flip” in my eyes, so strictly from a value standpoint, there is value on the USA at plus money. When it comes to the total, shop around. If you like the Over 5 goals (as I do), FanDuel offers Over 5 at (-140). If you like Under, then shop around for the best price, as the “juice” varies from book to book. I decided to play Both Teams to Score 2 goals (-120) instead of playing the Over five goals and reduce “the tax.”
JD also has 13 player props for your consideration. 👉Go here.
And in case you were wondering where the public stands: it’s stars and stripes. Well, the American public. The USA is drawing more than 85% of both bets and handle on the moneyline at DraftKings.
Quick Hits
College Basketball: Greg “Hoops” Peterson will post his Best Bets for Sunday here.
Get real-time steam alerts from the DonBest Screen. Sign up now for a 7-day free trial at go.donbest.com. Use the promo code VSIN10 for 10% off your initial subscription.
NBA: Zach Cohen‘s Best Bets and Steve Makinen‘s Analytics Report will hit around mid-morning on our NBA page.
NASCAR: Qualifying for Sunday’s NASCAR race in Atlanta was rained out, so the lineup was set by last week’s Daytona results. Steve Makinen has updated his race simulation and shared his picks:
🏁 Top 5: Chase Elliott (+900), William Byron (+1400), Joey Logano (+900), Ryan Blaney (+900), Brad Keselowski (+1500)
🏁 Top longshots (+2000 or higher): Tyler Reddick (+2000), Chris Beuscher (+2500), Chase Briscoe (+2000), Alex Bowman (+2200)
🛑 Favorites to struggle: Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson
Soccer: Nigel Seeley has plays for the EPL card this weekend.
Horse Racing: Congrats to “Mr. Ed” Sehon, whose $.50 Pick 4 at Gulfstream paid $1,191 on a $48 ticket. DRF’s Brad Free has picks for today’s Santa Anita card.
