Best Bets Today - Betting Picks for March 17, 2026
If you're searching for the best bets today, you've come to the right place. The Stat Salt handicapping team has broken down several key matchups across the NBA and NHL to highlight where the betting value may lie. Below you'll find a handful of strong wagering opportunities backed by matchup trends, statistical edges, and situational angles that could shape the outcomes.
Whether you're a daily bettor or just looking for a few solid plays before placing a wager, these insights can help give you an edge. Let’s take a look at some of the top betting opportunities on today’s slate.
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Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks
Best Bet No. 1: New York Knicks -16.5 vs Indiana Pacers
Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick's Day against the most depleted roster in the Eastern Conference is about as clean a spot as the Knicks are going to find all season. Indiana is 0-13 straight-up since the All-Star break, and the lone ATS cover in that 13-game stretch came against New York — in a 101-92 loss last Friday where the Pacers at least kept it within the number. Tonight, the situation for Indiana is significantly worse.
Pascal Siakam has now missed four consecutive games, and the Tuesday injury report is a nine-player questionable list that includes Micah Potter, Obi Toppin, Ben Sheppard, Quenton Jackson, T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, Ivica Zubac, and Aaron Nesmith. When nearly every rotation player is in doubt, the idea of keeping a game within 16.5 points against a rested, motivated Knicks team at home borders on impossible. The Pacers are also on the front leg of a back-to-back, traveling home to host Portland on Wednesday — which adds a minutes-management concern that makes covering a large road number even more difficult.
New York is coming off three consecutive wins, including a remarkable comeback from 21 points down to beat Golden State on Sunday. The Knicks do not play again until Friday, and their next two opponents after tonight are the Nets and Wizards. There is no look-ahead spot, no back-to-back fatigue, and no reason for New York to hold anything back. This is exactly the kind of game a team circles to make a statement and erase bad memories — and the Knicks have plenty of motivation to bury an opponent that has given them problems in recent years.
100 percent of tracked spread money and tickets have been placed on New York. The spread moved from -17.5 at open to -16.5, giving Knicks backers a full point of cushion compared to the opening number. With Jalen Brunson listed as questionable but capable of sitting for rest purposes, the New York depth is more than sufficient against this Indiana roster. Take the Knicks to cover on a green beer-fueled Tuesday night at MSG.
Philadelphia 76ers vs Denver Nuggets
Best Bet No. 2: Denver Nuggets -15.5 vs Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are navigating one of the most severe injury stretches any contending team has faced this season, and Tuesday night in Denver is precisely the wrong time to be shorthanded. Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, Kelly Oubre Jr., Jabari Walker, and Johni Broome are all unavailable — that is the Sixers' entire core rotation missing from a road game against the hottest offense in the Western Conference.
Denver has won each of the last four meetings in this series and returns home to Ball Arena with an extra day of rest following Saturday's loss to the Lakers. More importantly, the Nuggets' offense has found a different gear in recent weeks. The over is 16-6 in Denver's last 22 games — a record that reflects sustained offensive dominance across a meaningful sample. Four of Denver's last five games have gone over the total, and with only Peyton Watson listed on the injury report, the Nuggets are as healthy as they have been at any point this season.
Nick Nurse is a quality head coach who understands what his team can and cannot do on a given night. Against Denver's current offensive form, trying to slow the pace and turn this into a grind is a losing strategy for a roster without its top three players. The Sixers' best chance is to release the reins, let Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe run, and hope the pace keeps the game within range. That strategy — while entirely reasonable for the circumstances — is exactly what points to Denver covering a large number against a team playing on fumes.
The total climbed from 232.5 at open to 235.5 by Tuesday morning, a three-point move that confirms the market's recognition of Denver's offensive form. The spread has held firm at -15.5 with 100 percent of tracked money on Philadelphia — sharp counter-action that has not moved the number, reinforcing confidence in the Denver side. The Nuggets are also on the front leg of a back-to-back with a trip to Memphis on Wednesday, but the talent and health gap is severe enough to cover comfortably while managing minutes.
🏒 NHL Best Bets Today
Best Bet No. 3: Over 6.5 — San Jose Sharks at Edmonton Oilers
Tuesday night's Pacific Division matchup between the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers is the strongest total play on the NHL side of the slate, and the market has been signaling the over since the number first posted. The over has attracted 100 percent of tracked money and tickets across every recorded interval — a unanimous sharp and public lean that has held firm through multiple line updates from Sunday into Tuesday morning.
The offensive ingredients in this game are legitimate. Edmonton is averaging 3.50 goals per game and boasts the league's number one power play at 31.9 percent — the most dangerous man-advantage unit in hockey walking into a game against a San Jose team that is allowing 3.51 goals per contest. The Sharks closed a demanding five-game road trip by giving up seven goals in Ottawa on Sunday. That is not a defense that is going to tighten up and hold Edmonton under on short rest in a hostile building.
The season series between these two clubs has already produced the kind of back-and-forth scoring that supports the over. Edmonton won their first meeting 4-3 in overtime on January 29, and San Jose answered with a 5-4 home win on February 28. Both games cleared six goals, and both were decided by a single goal in the final minutes. The history between these teams points directly to a high-event game where neither defense is able to fully contain the other's offense for a full 60 minutes.
San Jose is closing a road trip that has worn down its rotation, and Yaroslav Askarov's day-to-day status introduces genuine goaltending uncertainty for the Sharks against an Oilers team that generates high-danger looks in bunches. Connor McDavid comes in with 114 points and 77 assists — the most dangerous playmaker in the game operating at home against a fatigued opponent. The total opened at 6.5 with the over juiced between -130 and -148 throughout the movement history, confirming the market's consistent lean. Back the over before puck drop in Edmonton.
Where to Find More Free Betting Picks Today
The selections above highlight several attractive opportunities across today’s NHL and NBA board, but they represent only a small sample of the analysis available.
Stat Salt provides daily predictions, matchup breakdowns, and betting insights covering multiple sports including NHL, NBA, College Basketball, and more. If you're looking for additional angles before placing your wagers, you can explore the full lineup of expert selections.
👉 Browse all of today’s free picks and expert betting insights at Stat Salt.
