Today’s best bets: Wolves-Thunder, Canes-Panthers highlight top picks from model, experts
The Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves play a crucial Game 4 when the 2025 Western Conference Finals resume on Memorial Day at the Target Center in Minneapolis. The top-seeded Thunder lead the series 2-1, but the Timberwolves blew out Oklahoma City 143-101 in Game 3 on Saturday. The home team has won each of the first three games of the series by an average of 27.7 points. Despite that, the Thunder opened as 3.5-point road favorites for Game 4. The line has since dropped to Oklahoma City -3 on the consensus line, with the public roughly split between Minnesota (46%) and the Thunder (54%).
In the NHL, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers can earn their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Finals when they host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. The Panthers have dominated the first three games of the series, outscoring the Hurricanes, 16-4. Florida has displayed tremendous depth across all lines in the series, with 10 players recording at least 10 points. The Panthers are -193 favorites on the consensus line.
Both the NBA and NHL playoff games are featured in Memorial Day’s best bets at CBS Sports. Also, the MLB slate features Dodgers righty Yoshinobu Yamamoto (5-3, 1.86 ERA) looking for his sixth win of the season, and the horse racing schedule includes three stakes races at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. Plus, we’ll share a few bonus NFL and U.S. Open picks from SportsLine experts as well, along with featured sportsbook promos from some of the best sports betting apps for those who live in states where betting on sports is legal.
Today’s top betting model picks
Parlay odds at FanDuel: +718
After Minnesota blew out Oklahoma City by 42 points in Game 3, the model is backing the Timberwolves to cover in Monday’s Game 4. Minnesota is 15-9-1 ATS in its last 25 games as the underdog and 4-1-1 ATS in its last six games as a home underdog. In Game 3, the Timberwolves showed high-level energy, particularly on defense. They forced the Thunder into 14 turnovers and limited them to 40.7% shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards regained his superstar form in Game 3, scoring 30 points (on 12-of-17 shooting), nine rebounds, six assists and two steals in 30 minutes.
In the NHL, the model is backing the Hurricanes to avoid elimination in Game 4 against the Panthers. While Carolina has been blown out in every game this series, the simulations say the price on the Hurricanes is just too good. The +160 moneyline odds have an implied probability of 38.0%, but the simulations say that Carolina wins 45.0% of the time. Hurricanes center Seth Jarvis has been a bright spot for Carolina, either scoring or assisting on three of the team’s four goals in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Of the 24 starting pitchers in Major League Baseball taking the mound on Memorial Day, Taillon going Under 6.5 strikeouts against the Rockies is the model’s best pitcher strikeout prop. According to the simulations, Taillon (3-3, 4.13 ERA) strikes out 4.6 batters, well under the line of 6.5. He has failed to go Over 6.5 strikeouts in eight of 10 starts this season. When he last faced Colorado, in September, Taillon struck out six in 6.0 innings.
Today’s expert best bets
Bruce Marshall, who is 32-23 with his last 55 MLB ATS picks (+1607), is riding the Bronx Bombers to cover the 1.5-run spread against the Angels. New York has won six of its last seven games and has built a six-game lead in the AL East. On Monday the Yankees will give the ball to lefty Ryan Yarbrough (1-0, 3.38 ERA), who has effectively made the transition from reliever to starter. Over three starts in May, he has a 2.57 ERA. The Angels have struggled against southpaws this season, posting a batting average of .216, seventh worst in the majors.
Alex Selesnick, who is 143-102 over his last 245 player prop picks (+1749.5), is playing Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards to score fewer than 28.5 points. While Edwards is coming off a 30-point effort in Game 3, it required him to shoot 70.6% from the field and 62.5% from beyond the 3-point arc. “For AE to eclipse this line, he’s either going to have to shoot lights out, which is not an easy task, or get there through volume,” Selesnick says.
Meanwhile, in horse racing, Gene Menez is playing the Pick 3 sequence at Santa Anita Park that begins with the Gamely Stakes at 7:08 p.m. ET and ends with the Shoemaker Mile. For the middle leg of that sequence, Menez is using only one horse, Skippylongstocking (1-1). “I’m not sure that Skippylongstocking wants to go this far, but there’s not much in here for him to beat,” Menez says. Menez has been on a roll since the Breeders’ Cup in November and has hit with each of his last four Pick 3-4-5 plays, dating back to Kentucky Oaks day.
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Today’s featured sportsbook promo
New users can take advantage of the BetMGM promo code “CBSSPORTS” to receive up to $1,500 in bonus bets if their first bet loses (only users age 21 and older in a state where BetMGM legally operates are eligible for this offer). The minimum deposit for this offer is $10, but there is no minimum odds requirement for the qualifying wager. Different bonus bet returns apply depending on the size of the qualifying wager, as BetMGM will give back a single bonus bet equivalent to the wagered amount on qualifying wagers of less than $50 but five bonus bet slips of equal value for qualifying wagers of $50 or more.
In addition, users will get a $50 bonus bet regardless of the outcome of the wager, but other bonus bets are only issued if the user’s first bet loses. Bonus bets, which expire seven days after they are issued, cannot be cashed out or withdrawn. New users who place a wager using bonus bets receive the winnings if the bet wins but not the stake back.
See other promos that the other top sportsbooks are offering.
