Hot Streaks:
4% BEST BETS (All Sports) On FIRE 58-34 63.0% +82.8% ROI
NBA Since 2018 = #1 at WagerTalk +183.6% ROI
NBA = #1 ROI at WagerTalk 2019 & 2020 (+241.5%)
NBA 5% BLUECHIP Releases = 30-11 73.2% since 2014
Last updated Dec 5, 7:47 AM EST
Member Notes
Today’s Free Picks
| Sport | Game Selection | Game Time |
|---|---|---|
| NBA | NBA Future Season Win Total | 2:59am EDT - Jul 1/2023 |
The PLAY: New Orleans Pelicans Over 44.5 Wins (-120)
Expecting a strong season out of HC Willie Green's group now that the entire depth chart is healthy. The return of PF Zion Williamson to the starting lineup is obviously key to this selection, as he adds elite scoring and rebounding punch that the Pelicans didn't have last year. Scoring should not be an issue as New Orleans now features four starters with 20+ points potential in PG C.J. McCollum, SG Brandon Ingram, PF Zion Williamson & C Jonas Valanciunas. Perimeter shooting, mid-range, and at-the-rim scoring are all weapons in the New Orleans arsenal. The emergence of backup PG Jose Alvarado late last season gives the Pelicans a deep second unit capable of scoring and defending. SG Devonte Graham, SF Trey Murphy III, PF Larry Nance Jr. & C Jaxson Hayes round out that group. New Orleans also found themselves a solid “tall trees” style interior defensive trio last year when they went big with Valanciunas & Hayes paired together.
There is no shortage of defensive capability at all three levels on this team, with second-year SF Herbert Jones capable of defending the league's top wings. In all this, a very balanced and flexible basketball that figures to be able to adapt to any opponent. After pushing Phoenix in last year's Playoffs, New Orleans is now confident and cohesive enough to make a deep run. They may not have to rest stars as much as other Western Conference contenders giving them another regular season edge. The Southwest Division is tough, with Dallas and Memphis also in there, but I have to believe the Pelicans are a 46-36 team.
Tweets
Consultant Bio
Rob Veno has been entrenched in the sports handicapping community for 28 years. He was a major component in the success of Sportsmemo from its inception as a daily radio show in 1998. His 20* Bluechip releases have become synonymous with success and he’s carved a place for himself among the nation’s elite handicappers. Rob’s fundamental analysis of football, basketball and baseball on the college and pro levels has him regarded as one of the best in the business at breaking down games. Rob began to make an imprint on the Las Vegas scene in the mid-1990’s with his weekly football and basketball newsletter which contained game selections and analysis. Las Vegas’ Gambler’s Book Club along with sportsbooks on and off the strip carried the publication which expanded his recognition. He was subsequently invited into Las Vegas’ most prestigious handicapping contests of that time, the Stardust Invitational in 1996 and 2004 and the Sunset Station Invitational in 2000. A veteran of sports handicapping radio, Rob began in 1992 by co-hosting a weekly Friday night show at 840 AM KVEG. He went on to do numerous live shows as a guest analyst from casino sportsbooks across the Las Vegas valley working with a litany of respected hosts and the most recognized handicappers in the business. Rob finally settled in as one of the mainstays on the daily Vegas Sportswire betting show which ultimately became the famed Sportsmemo Radio Show and subsequent Podcast. His expertise has been heard on radio stations across the country over the years as he’s done a multitude of guest analyst segments. Rob joined WagerTalk in the summer of 2020 and has quickly become a prominent member of their world class handicapping roster. Rob is a Connecticut native and after spending 11 years in Las Vegas from 1991-2002 he now resides outside of Philadelphia with his wife.