The Action Network’s Cash Corner: Looking Back On Last Week’s Bets (April 21-27)

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of the word gamble is “to bet on an uncertain outcome.” 

On the surface this seems like the perfect definition of the word: Simple and to the point. And at the end of the day that’s exactly what we are doing, betting on something that is extremely unpredictable. 

In actuality, the definition does not come close to even scratching the surface of what the word really means. From game to game sports bettors experience every emotion in the book. Words like elation, jubilation, anguish and torture come to mind. And whether we have $10 or $10,000 staked on a game, the sweat that slowly trickles down the forehead is all the same. 

Betting on sports is too unique to replicate and no matter what team, player or sport you are betting on you will never get the same ending twice. As much as we can trust the data, experts or our own conviction behind a pick, we know our bets are going to end in one of two ways: With us cursing at the television set or jumping up and down hugging our best friends like we just won the fifth grade rec league basketball championship.  

That is why after such an intense week of gambling, it is important we look back on the prior week of sports and reflect on the good, bad, ugly and everything in between. 

The must-have app for bettors

The best betting scoreboard

Free picks from proven pros

Live win probabilities for your bets

DOWNLOAD NOW

Last Week’s Big Things 

1. Does UFC Stand for ‘Did U just F*****g C that!?

Kick me, I must be dreaming. Can we please get a slow clap for this past Saturday’s UFC card? 

Few things in life are more satisfying than when a sporting event actually lives up to the hype. Sports fans/bettors have a knack for hyping up the biggest games, only to get left disappointed when it doesn’t live up to its fanfare. cough cough Brady/Mahomes Super Bowl. 

UFC 261 was not one of those circumstances. Kick after kick, punch after punch and fight after fight I found myself having to pry my jaw off the floor so I could get ready for the next bout. I was getting texts from friends who don’t watch UFC, the betting group chat and even my father, all with the same excitement for what we were witnessing.

One Kick is all it takes

All I have to say is people don’t just start calling you ‘Thug’ Rose for no reason. 

Rose Namajunas (+165) reclaimed her title and once again became the Strawweight Champion of the World after one of the smoothest head kicks I have ever seen. It’s one thing to come into a bout as a challenger. It's an entirely other beast to step into the Octagon and knock out the current champ in the first round.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Hang this one up in the Louvre because it’s tough to elicit such a reaction unless we’re talking about a violent sport like UFC.

AND STILL…

Think ‘Thug’ Rose is a cool nickname? How abiout the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’? 

There is absolutely no debating that Kamaru Usman is the undisputed king of the UFC. All the respect in the world to Jorge Masvidal for stepping into the ring with Usman and trying to get redemption after their first fight last June, but Usman showed that he is in a class of his own. 

In front of 15,000 fans, Usman capped the night off in unbelievable fashion. This is what I’d like to call getting BAPTIZED… 

As good of a night you could have had betting, there’s a pretty strong chance this bettor had you beat. 

2. Is it October Yet?

We have yet to enter the dog days of the MLB season where the weather is far too hot and you are questioning why you’ve bet on so many damn games, yet people are already dreaming about a potential Dodgers-Padres playoff series.

If last weekend’s four-game series in LA is any indication of what is to come, bettors should be licking their lips at the prospect of a potential October meeting between the two most exciting teams in baseball. 

• Mookie Betts 
• Cody Bellinger 
• Fernando Tatis Jr. 
• Manny Machado 
• Clayton Kershaw 
• Yu Darvish 
• Blake Snell
• Treveor Bauer 

The list legitimately goes on and on when talking about some of the most skilled players in baseball. 

On one hand, you have the defending World Series champs and perennial winners of the NL West. The Dodgers are clearly the older brother in this rivalry and will do anything to maintain their dominance. Then you have the up and coming, loud mouthed, high-spirited Padres who are trying to dethrone their older siblings to the North.

A special rivalry is forming between these two squads, and the Padres were able to make a statement this weekend when they took three of four. The most noteworthy statement, though, was made by their star play and arguably the most exciting player in baseball. Tatis hit five home runs in three games, all while returning from a recent injury. 

Sunday night, all eyes in the sports world were on these two teams as they met on Sunday Night Baseball to close out the series. Like a slice of New York City pizza at 3 a.m., the game lived up to the hype. The Padres (+110) came all the way back from down 7-1 in the seventh inning, eventually winning the contest in extra innings. 

If you’re trying to get into baseball and need some added excitement, I suggest you wait for the next Dodgers-Padres game, tail @SeanZerillo’s pick and plop down in front of your couch for the next few hours. Between the showboating, trash talk and star players, this rivalry seriously has it all. These are the two teams to watch moving forward, so mark your calendar for when these teams are playing next. 

3. True to the Orange and Blue 

There are two streaks taking place in two of the five boroughs of New York right now that need to be brought to everyone’s attention. 

The first streak is taking place in Manhattan, the center of all things fashion, entertainment, business and, of course, sports. The streak was brought up on last week’s Cash Corner but it’s so impressive that it needs to be resurfaced. 

They say all good things come to and end, but does the Knicks' current streak really have to? The Knickerbockers have covered in 12 straight games and won nine in a row. 

New York is currently sitting in the four-seed in the Eastern Conference, only behind the Nets, Bucks and 76ers. 

One of the most telling indicators of how much the Knicks have surpassed expectations  is that they entered the season with the second-lowest win total in the NBA (O/U 21.5), just ahead of the Thunder. The Knicks have 34 wins and it doesn’t look like they’re stopping any time soon.

Stat to pay attention to: The Knicks are 39-19-2 ATS in the first half this season, the most profitable (+$1,606) mark in the NBA. 

Now onto the borough right on the outskirts of Manhattan. There is a man in Flushing, Queens that has been downright deGrominating.  

Jacob deGrom is starting to make a pretty strong case for why he should win his third Cy Young Award in the last four seasons. 

He is the first pitcher in the modern era with 50+ Ks in their first four starts of a season and is doing it in ways we haven’t seen been done before. 

deGrom has thrown an absurd 37 pitches of 100+ mph this season. All other starting pitchers in the MLB have thrown 17. 

One of the most intriguing parts of deGrom's career so far is the lack of run support the Mets have given him when he is on the bump. Looks like he is fine taking matters into his own hands. 

Current odds at FanDuel to win NL Cy Young 

• +105: Jacob deGrom 
• +450: Corbin Burnes 
• +1000: Trevor Bauer 
• +1500: Aaron Nola 

Let’s just say the award is for deGrom to lose and he can even make a run at a National League MVP award. He currently has the fourth-best odds (+1000) behind Ronald Acuña Jr., Tatis and Juan Soto. It wouldn’t be unheard of to throw some money down on the best pitcher in baseball to take home a MVP award, especially if the Mets can secure a NL East title in the process. 

The Best Thing I saw on The Action Network Twitter Handle

Sometimes, you just have to feed into the status of being the villain. Whether it gets you more publicity or an increase in followers on social media, not many are better at doing that than these two. 

Unless you’re naming pineapple and pizza as a worse duo, you physically cannot come up with a better answer here. 

I am still waiting for the day where I hit a bet like this. Turning $28 into a $10K on a three-leg play prop parlay is just unheard of. I can only imagine this bettors reaction when Andre Drummond pulled down three rebounds in a matter of 90 seconds to get to 16 rebounds and cash this masterful parlay. 

Moose of the Week: Worst Bad Beat  

If you need a reason to never bet the puckline in NHL, look no further than this video. Sidney Crosby threw the puck down the rink and Devils (+1.5) backers watched as it miraculously crossed the line with .1 second on the clock. Excruciating doesn’t even come close to describing what it must have been like for those on New Jersey. But hey, that’s why we call it gambling. 

Notable Events on the Upcoming Sports Schedule  

• Monday, 4/26: Suns at Knicks 
• Tuesday, 4/27: Islanders vs. Capitals 
• Wednesday, 4/28: Avalanche vs. Knights. | Clippers vs. Suns 
• Thursday, 4/29: Brewers vs. Dodgers
• Friday, 4/30: Jazz vs. Suns | Padres vs. Giants   
• Saturday, 5/1: Islanders vs. Rangers | Clipper vs. Nuggets. 
• Sunday, 5/2: Final Round of Valspar Championship | FCS Playoffs | Mets vs. Phillies (Sunday Night Baseball). 

Snippets 

• It’s officially NFL Draft week. Our guys are getting you ready with their analysis and best bets for this Thursday on the Action Network Podcast.
• Lottery ticket or good bet? Two notable bets that came in at BetMGM that were reported on Monday, 4/26:  $10,000 to win $1,500,000 on Atlanta Hawks +15000 to win NBA Championship; $10,000 to win $500,000 on Atlanta Hawks +5000 to win Eastern Conference
• Sports betting is officially legal in the Sunshine State. We broke down what it means for the state of Florida and it’s lucky residents.
• The NFL Draft is right around the corner and we’re pretty sure @MattftheOracle hasn’t slept in the last month. He is breaking down every angle of the draft, placing bets and is constantly updating his mock draft.

The must-have app for bettors

The best betting scoreboard

Free picks from proven pros

Live win probabilities for your bets

DOWNLOAD NOW