Category: Betting from A to Z

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The Utah Jazz (48-32) seek the momentum and protect the No.5 seed in the Western Conference as they host the league-leading Phoenix Suns 63-17) at the Vivint Arena in Utah on Friday. In today’s game, the Jazz are 3-point favorites against the Suns. See more predictions in the Phoenix Suns vs Utah Jazz odds and picks in FBR’s NBA Predictions series.

BEST ODDS TO BET ON:

• Underdogs: Suns +3 (-110)
• Suns vs Jazz Over/Under: 226 points

For the best odds for today’s games, check out Cyber.bet!

The Suns (43-37 ATS) are 15-5 SU in their last 20 games on the road and are 6-2 ATS in their last eight against the Jazz. The total has gone UNDER in five of Phoenix’s last six games, even as the Suns are 3-10 SU in their last 13 outings when playing on the road against the Jazz.

The Jazz (32-45-3 ATS) are 10-3 SU in their last 13 matches when playing at home against the Suns but are just 1-7-1 ATS in their last contests. Utah has won three of its last four outings, including a 137-101 blowout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday to keep a half-game edge over the Denver Nuggets (48-33) for the No.5 seed in the Western Conference.

Phoenix has already secured the best record throughout the season and has also tied a franchise record for most wins in a season, as it has lost three of its last four games, including a 109-113 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. The Suns are pacing their players for the players, as they might sit out All-Stars Chris Paul (thumb) and Devin Booker (back), while Jae Crowder (ankle), DeAndre Ayton (ankle) and Dario Saric (knee) are also nursing injuries.

Final Predictions and Picks:

• Spread — 111 Utah Jazz – 105 Phoenix Suns
• Over/Under — OVER 226 points

A look at last time’s predictions: 

Philadelphia 76ers vs Toronto Raptors Odds and Picks

Pascal Siakam tallied 37 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds on a triple double performance, while Gary Trent Jr scored 30 points to help the Toronto Raptors stop the Philadelphia 76ers from boosting their chances for the No.2 seed in the East with a 119-114 victory for their second-straight win with only two games left in the regular season.

Memphis Grizzlies vs Denver Nuggets Odds and Picks

Nikola Jokic collected 35 points, 116 rebounds and six assists to become the first player in NBA history to log 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season by leading the Denver Nuggets to a 122-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies to officially lock in the No.6 seed and claim an outright playoff berth.

For more predictions, check out our predictions series where FBR covers the biggest games of major sports!

The choices one makes in placing money for a certain team in a sports event often define what kind of a bettor he is. There are no physical stereotypes on what kind of a bettor is, so the only way to spot what level a punter is described by observers in the industry – even on those who bet online – can only be gauged on what patterns or trends (if any) he or she is using.

If a newcomer in any sports team is often called a rookie, or “rook,” and fresh drivers as novices, upcoming punters are called “squares.” A square is an inexperienced player who is incapable of thinking outside the box in placing his or her bet.

For punters who are looking at their sports betting career on a long-term basis they begin their journey as novice bettors, or squares, before evolving into sharp bettors sportsbooks will eventually look up to.

CASUAL, SQUARE BETTORS USUALLY LOSE BANKROLLS

One glaring sign of spotting a square is if the bettors place their money on a certain team due to sentiment, knowing that their bet is the home team that they believe can win the game.

The Orlando Magic are hosting the Phoenix Suns in a regular-season NBA matchup, for example, and square bettors place their money on Orlando just because of its home court advantage in the match. Even if the positions were changed and the Magic are the dominant team, the squares hardly consider what the other team has to offer before making their decision.

The novice punter disregards the fact that Phoenix is leading the Western Conference in particular and the entire league in general and is coming into the matchup with a five-game winning streak. This series of trends lures newcomer bettors to take the bait, and before they know it, they stand to lose a lot of funds in their bankroll in just a few days.

NO TIME FOR GUESSING GAMES IN BETTING

Like coaches, seasoned bettors, or sharps, usually employ a system or a scheme that they have mastered through years of playing experience, and their vast knowledge of trends and numbers has earned them the respect of sportsbooks in the long run.

Unlike sharps, square bettors bet for fun without thinking clearly of the consequences of one or a series of losses on wasted bets. They place their money on a whim and hope luck goes their way and earn some easy bucks.

Squares commit the usual mistake of guessing which team to bet for, whereas sharps make their decisions on their bets based on numbers, trends, and data they have studied and researched for a period of time.

SPORTSBOOKS RELISH THE RISE OF SQUARE BETTORS

If bookmakers have their way, they are hoping all novice bettors remain as squares, and for good reason. Every wrong or a lost bet by square bettors leads to more profits earned by these bookies.

Squares simply lack the discipline to control their funds; they place their money without a betting pattern, and if they win on the first bet, they are most likely tempted to double their next bet even if the odds against them seem daunting.

The impulsive habits of these novice bettors empower sportsbooks more, as bookies will no longer feel fear or discomfort about what these squares do. The thinking of squares that betting comfortably in a recreational market like sports betting often spells doom for their bare pockets and bankrolls.

CHANGE NOTHING TO LOSE’ MINDSET

The problem with most square bettors is this misguided notion that they have nothing to lose. This trait can be useful to underdog teams in a do-or-die match against a top-seeded team, but not to punters who stand to lose a lot of money due to their no-care attitude.

Since they are just starting off in their sports betting journey, squares are not conscious of protecting their reputation or any record for that matter. This is unacceptable for sharps, who are often tactical and efficient in making their moves to sustain the stature they have protected and developed through many years.

True, not all square bettors can reach the sharp bettor status even after several years of experience. But the average bettor should at least have that self-respect to develop their betting habits and employ a system that works for them to sustain a long-term sports betting career.