We've all got shopping to do this time of year, but for most folks, valuable betting lines are not at the top of those lists. Sharps wouldn't be considered "most folks," though.
In fact, it may only be Christmas Eve, but they've already targeted a couple of matchups offering value on the 5-game Christmas Day slate.
Odds as of Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET. Check out PointsBet, where Action Network users can access an exclusive promotion to get a 200% deposit match (deposit $50, bet with $150).No strings attached. No rollover required.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ers
2:30 p.m. ET | ABC
You've probably heard the saying, "sharps bet numbers, not teams," at some point in your betting career. If not, allow the two-way sharp action taking place in this matchup to serve as a perfect example of what it means.
If you're surprised that the Bucks are only 2.5-point favorites against a team 5.5 games back in the standings, you'll be even more surprised to learn that it was actually the 76ers who opened as 1-point favorites at the earliest books to market.
According to sharp bettors, that number was giving a bit too much credit to the Sixers and their home-court advantage, as three Sports Insights Bet Signals — which track and record instances of market movement that reveal sharp action — hit the Bucks early, sending this line all the way up to Milwaukee -4.5.
But while the early line may have been skewed too far in Philly's direction, the adjusted one was deemed as having gone too far the other way, as pro bettors quickly hit the Sixers, triggering another two Bet Signals and sending the line back the other way to a settling point (for now) of Bucks -2.5/3.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 88% of both bets and money are landing on Milwaukee, so it's easily possible that this line has yet to see the end of its journey.
Sharp angles: Bucks (initially moved from +1 to -4.5), 76ers (moved from +4.5 to +2.5)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
8 p.m. ET | ABC
Much like in the game above, both teams have seen a minus sign in front of their spread at some point since the line opened. In this case, though, the side landing the brunt of the smart money has been a bit more consistent.
Opening numbers ranged depending on timing, but for any book that was listing spreads around noon ET on Tuesday, the Clippers were given a consensus 1.5/2-point edge. And while most early bettors (74%) have sided with the Clips, that edge is no longer in their favor.
In fact, despite their minority backing, the Lakers have flipped from their high mark of +2 to -2 thanks to some professional action.
Two SI Bet Signals (at +1 and -1.5) have hit the Lakers, driving the number up to its current spot, and some books have even extended the movement to -2.5.
It's also worth noting that the over/under has fallen a bit from its opening number despite neither bet attracting an overwhelming majority. The 51% of under bettors, though, have been of the much bigger variety (usually also an indication of sharper bettors), generating 88% of actual money.
Another Bet Signal on the under has also helped bring the total down from as high as 224.5 to 222.5.
Sharp angles: Lakers (moved from +2 to -3), Under (moved from 224.5 to 222.5)
