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Best Bets Today: Top Picks, Predictions from Wednesday's Sports Slate

Sportsbook Review

Last Updated: February 22, 2023 3:45 PM EST • 2 min 57 sec read.

We've shopped the odds and lines at our best sportsbooks in search of today's best bets for Wednesday, Feb. 22. Our top picks include offerings from college basketball, the NHL, and MLB.

March Madness looms for college basketball, and the jostling for positions in the NCAA Tournament continues Wednesday. There's also action on the ice, and we're looking ahead to Opening Day for the MLB season.

Read on for today's best bets for Wednesday, Feb. 22, based on the odds from our best sportsbooks.

Wednesday's best bets

  • College basketball: New Mexico +6 vs. Boise State (-105 via WynnBet) ⭐⭐⭐
  • NHL: Jets ML vs. Islanders (+100 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • MLB: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to win AL MVP (+1500 via FanDuel Sportsbook)

Wednesday's college basketball best bet

New Mexico +6 (-105)

New Mexico was fading fast with four consecutive losses, the last two in the absence of second-leading scorer, guard Jaelen House (16.9 points per game). Though House scored only seven points on 3-of-10 shooting in his return in the last game against San Jose State, his return jolted a struggling offense. The Lobos took what was a coin-flip game and made it a rout early, scoring 50 first-half points and finishing with a blistering 1.43 points per possession. 

New Mexico beat Boise State in an overtime classic at “The Pit” earlier this season, as the Lobos overcame 28 points from Broncos leading scorer Tyson Degenhart (14.4 points per game). Outside of Degenhart, the rest of the Broncos shot 2-for-19 from 3-point range. This is a three-star play, as we expect New Mexico to stay close on the strength of a Mountain West-leading 38.7% team 3-point shooting percentage.

WynnBet is the only sportsbook charging less in juice to back the underdogs at +6, while most others are offering +5.5.

College basketball best bets made by Mike Spector.

Check out all of our top college basketball picks, as well as our 2023 March Madness odds and 2023 Wooden Award odds.

Wednesday's NHL best bet

Jets ML (+100)

Elite goaltenders drive the results for both teams – but a major lack of forward depth might very well be the Islanders' undoing in this one.

New York's Ilya Sorokin and the Jets' Connor Hellebuyck rank first and second in terms of goals saved above expected, according to Natural Stat Trick. And their respective teams do them no favors here, with both sides ranking below average in possession league-wide.

Both teams excel while shorthanded, thanks largely to their goalies The Jets (5.29 GAA) rank third and Islanders (5.52 GAA) fourth in goals allowed per 60 minutes of four-on-five play.

The Jets do hold an edge when it comes to the power play: They rank 21st with 6.55 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play, while the Islanders (5.27) are second-last.

Special teams is where the Islanders face an added challenge due to their injuries up front.

Mathew Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck, and Oliver Wahlstrom are all out – and those absences have a significant impact on both sides of the special teams ledger. Pageau, Clutterbuck, and Bailey kill penalties, while Barzal leads the Isles with 19 power play points and Pageau is tied for the team lead with five power play goals.

Those holes are not easily filled with call-ups from the AHL, so Winnipeg has a good opportunity to pick up a road win on Wednesday. I have the game as a pick 'em, so the Jets are offering better value as the underdogs.

Jets-Islanders picks made by Scott Cullen

Check out our latest Stanley Cup odds, Norris Trophy odds, and Vezina odds.

Wednesday's MLB best bet

Guerrero Jr. to win AL MVP (+1500)

It’s easy to forget that Guerrero will only be turning 24 ahead of Opening Day, and he enters his prime with 2,161 plate appearances already on his resume. There was a dose of statistical correction to the second-generation star last season, but with an improved supporting cast, I want him in my betting portfolio and expect Guerrero to be in the MVP conversation all summer.

MLB MVP odds and picks written by Neil Parker

Check out all of our MLB Cy Young odds and MLB Rookie of the Year odds.

Check out our best betting sites:

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Sportsbook Review
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