Best Bets Today - Betting Picks for April 22, 2026
If you're searching for the best bets today, you've come to the right place. The Stat Salt team has broken down several top matchups across MLB and NHL to identify where the value sits on today’s board. Below, we highlight three strong plays backed by pitching edges, offensive trends, and recent team performance.
Whether you're a seasoned bettor or just getting started, these selections provide a clear edge before placing your next wager. Let’s dive into best bets for April 22, 2026!
Best Bet No. 1: Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 vs. San Francisco Giants (-122)
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The Dodgers run line stands out as one of the strongest bets on the board because this matchup checks nearly every box you want when laying a number with a favorite. Start with the pitching matchup: Shohei Ohtani entered this game at 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 18 strikeouts, and no home runs allowed in 18.0 innings, while Tyler Mahle came in at 0-3 with a 7.23 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, and 6 home runs allowed in 18.2 innings. That is a massive edge at the most important position in the game. Then you add in the lineup gap, and it becomes even more attractive. Los Angeles brought a .286 average, 134 runs, 42 home runs, .362 OBP, and .494 slugging percentage into the matchup, while San Francisco sat at .250, 78 runs, 13 home runs, .293 OBP, and .360 slugging. The Dodgers simply have more ways to create crooked numbers, especially against a struggling starter who has already been vulnerable to walks and long balls. Andy Pages and Max Muncy provide real middle-order damage potential, and even with injuries, the Dodgers still have more than enough offensive depth. In a rivalry game, laying a run line can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but this is the kind of matchup where the favorite has separation in both starting pitching and lineup power. My projected outcome was Dodgers 8, Giants 2, and that makes Los Angeles -1.5 the best play.
Best Bet No. 2: Los Angeles Angels moneyline vs. Toronto Blue Jays (-154)
The Angels moneyline was one of the clearest pitcher-driven bets from the full card because Jose Soriano had been lights out and Toronto was handing the ball to a starter who had not shown the same level of stability. Soriano entered at 5-0 with a 0.28 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, 39 strikeouts, and only 11 hits allowed in 32.2 innings, which is ace-level dominance by any measure. On the other side, Eric Lauer carried a 7.13 ERA and 1.47 WHIP through 17.2 innings, and that is a dangerous profile against an Angels lineup that had already hit 34 home runs and scored 119 runs. The Blue Jays did have the better recent form in that series, but this was the type of spot where the starting pitching edge could overwhelm those short-term trends. Mike Trout and Jorge Soler gave Los Angeles legitimate power threats against a pitcher who had already allowed four home runs, and even though Toronto had quality bats of its own, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. alone is not always enough to overcome a severe disadvantage on the mound. The injuries on both sides mattered, but the biggest takeaway remained the same: Soriano gave the Angels the most trustworthy starter in the game, and that is often the cleanest path to a moneyline win. My projected score was Angels 5, Blue Jays 3, and that made the Angels one of the strongest sides of the day.
Best Bet No. 3: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Under 5.5 (-102)
Not every best bet has to come from baseball, and this was one of the cleaner totals on the entire schedule because the series script had already established exactly how these teams wanted to play. Through two playoff games, the Flyers had won 3-2 and 3-0, which meant the first two contests produced only eight total goals combined. That is exactly the kind of playoff trend worth respecting when the style of play is clearly being dictated by structure, physicality, and limited space. Pittsburgh had the better regular-season offensive average at 3.54 goals per game, but that edge had not translated in this series because Philadelphia had turned the matchup into a lower-event game. The Flyers were comfortable slowing pace, protecting the middle of the ice, and making the Penguins earn every clean chance. On the offensive side, Philadelphia did not need to push tempo either, because it had already proven it could win with disciplined, tight-checking hockey. Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson always give Pittsburgh upside, but the overall flow of the series suggested that explosive offense was not likely unless special teams or turnovers created it. Even with a few Philadelphia depth injuries, the stronger angle was still the total rather than the side. My projected final was Flyers 3, Penguins 2, and with that kind of expected game state, Under 5.5 was absolutely one of the best bets to target on April 22, 2026.
