Weekend Betting Preview – More than Madness this weekend
SATURDAY, MARCH 21
NCAA basketball betting: LSU vs North Carolina (-11.5) at 5:45 p.m. ET
The North Carolina Tar Heels had a fairly easily contest in their opening round against the Big South Champion, Radford, and now they’ll move up a step in competition as they face the regular season SEC Champion, the LSU Tigers.
The key in this game may be the health of Tar Heels point guard Ty Lawson, who missed the opening round contest. The Tar Heels have averaged roughly 12 points per game less when Lawson doesn’t play or has had to leave mid-game.
The good news is that the Tar Heels are playing in the state of North Carolina, where they are 26-1 in the NCAA Tournament.
Pick: North Carolina -11.5
NHL betting: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens at 7:00 p.m. ET
If the Montreal Canadiens fall any further, they will be on the outside of the playoffs looking. The Canadiens, who were at one point considered a contender for the Eastern Conference Championship, have lost four straight games and sit just one point ahead of the ninth-place Florida Panthers. So much for winning a Stanley Cup in their 100th anniversary season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs would love to put another hole in the Canadiens’ sinking ship and, considering they are 10-6-4 since the last time these two teams met on Feb. 7, another Leafs victory would no longer be a surprise.
Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs
SUNDAY, MARCH 22
NASCAR betting: Food City 500 – Bristol at 2:00 p.m. ET
The Bristol racetrack is only half a mile long, which means it is the home of aggressive drivers. Denny Hamlin is a short track specialist and he was well in contention last season until a caution flag ruined his day. Look for Hamlin to have a solid showing and potentially win this race. In six starts, he’s finished out of the Top 14 only once.
Pick: Denny Hamlin
Visit the BetOnline.com Sportsbook for more odds, lines, props and futures.
