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Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Wednesday. Munaf Manji and Uncle Dave Essler came ready to work on the March 25th edition of Cash That Ticket, rolling through three sports with sharp opinions and sharper picks. The NBA led the charge, with Boston hosting Oklahoma City in what Munaf called a potential Finals preview between two of the three true title contenders in the league alongside San Antonio. The Celtics entered as 2.5-point home underdogs with a total of 218.5, and both hosts landed on Boston, with Dave targeting the Celtics team total over 108.5 at DraftKings as the cleanest angle in the game. The reasoning was airtight. In the previous meeting, Boston shot just 40 percent from the field, got out-rebounded, and still hung 102 points on Oklahoma City, all without Jason Tatum and Derrick White. With both players back in the lineup and Nikola Vucevic the only notable absence on the Boston side due to a right ring fracture, even a modest shooting improvement pushes the Celtics comfortably past that team total. Dave noted he had personally bet Boston the day prior at plus 3.5, a number that had since moved to 2.5, and while he acknowledged the rematch rarely produces the same result, he could not argue against the value Boston represented at home. Munaf was equally firm, backing the Celtics outright and noting their defense would keep Oklahoma City in check on the other end. The Friday Sweet 16 card came next, and the hosts worked through all four matchups in order. Duke opened as a 6.5-point favorite over St. John's with a total of 141.5, and Dave made the case for the Blue Devils while freely admitting a Red Storm victory would not shock him at all. His reasoning centered on Jon Shire's year-over-year improvement at Duke, a neutral-site resume that included wins over Kansas, Arkansas, and Florida, and the fact that St. John's only loss since January came to UConn, a team that plays a style nearly identical to Duke. Rick Pitino received full credit as perhaps the best in-game coach in the sport, but Dave believed Duke gets it done. Michigan State and UConn served up the most creative betting strategy of the episode, with the Huskies laying 1.5 points on a total of just 135.5. Dave went two-part, backing UConn in the first half and the first-half under, then floating the idea of grabbing Michigan State at an improved live number at halftime. Both teams ranked in the top 13 nationally in defensive efficiency, and Dave was emphatic that fading Tom Izzo in the final minutes of a close game is simply not something he is willing to do. Munaf liked Michigan State for the full game and agreed that patience at halftime represented the sharpest path to the number. Iowa State laid 4.5 against Tennessee with a total of 138.5, and both hosts landed on the Cyclones despite the number feeling short. The case against Tennessee was statistical and pointed. The Volunteers turned the ball over more than every SEC team except one, struggled to score consistently, and were poor from the free throw line. Iowa State led the entire Big Ten in turnovers forced, and the teams that beat Tennessee this season did exactly what the Cyclones do best. The Josh Jefferson injury loomed over the entire conversation, but even accounting for his potential absence, neither host could build a convincing case for Tennessee covering. Alabama and Michigan closed the college card with the biggest total on the board at 174.5 and Michigan laying 9.5. Dave went Alabama with the points, crediting the Crimson Tide for handling better tournament competition than Michigan despite missing their suspended star Holloway, while questioning whether the Wolverines had truly been tested after wins over Howard and St. Louis. The MLB segment landed just as the season officially opened, with both hosts aligned on the Boston Red Sox at plus 320 in the AL East, pointing to Garrett Crochet as a Cy Young candidate and the division's best overall rotation. The AL Central produced a split, with Munaf backing Detroit at plus 110 and Dave preferring Kansas City at plus 225 behind Bobby Witt if not the Tigers. Both agreed Seattle wins the AL West at even money, with Dave pitching a creative parlay structure combining the Mariners and Tigers with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Blue Jays for returns between 11-to-1 and 16.5-to-1. The best bets closed the show cleanly. Dave went Auburn minus 9.5 over Nevada in the NIT, citing 12 wins over top-20 opponents for Auburn against a Nevada team whose last true road win came January 17th at Air Force, the 345th-ranked program in college basketball. Munaf laid the big number with San Antonio minus 16.5 against Memphis, pointing to four recent Spurs wins by margins of 28, 1, 15, and 25 points, three of which featured 130 or more points scored, against a Grizzlies squad getting blown out by 39 and 23 in back-to-back outings. Dave endorsed the pick and suggested 16.5 might actually be light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin Warner talks betting for Wednesday. Griffin Warner opened his March 25th episode of What I Bet on the Pregame.com Podcast Network by reporting a 4-1-1 record over his last six plays, with the push coming from a Tulsa bet that held a 16-point first-half lead in Tuesday NIT action but failed to cover after Wichita State reached the number late. Warner then broke down his Wednesday NIT quarterfinals, starting with Illinois State as 7.5-point underdogs at Dayton, total 139.5, tipping at 6 p.m. Central. He praised coach Ryan Piton for rebuilding the program and retaining talent in a transfer-heavy Missouri Valley Conference, but flagged Chase Walker, the preseason Player of the Year, as a major liability due to recurring foul trouble. Walker projects at roughly 6-foot-8 against Dayton's 7-foot-1 center Latong, a length mismatch Warner called a serious structural problem. He leaned Illinois State as a value play with 7.5 points of cushion but stopped short of a firm bet given the home crowd advantage Dayton carries, which he called among the most valuable in college basketball. The second NIT game featured Nevada as 9.5-point underdogs at Auburn, total 154.5, at 8 p.m. Central. The line opened at Nevada plus-10 before moving a half-point toward the Wolf Pack. Warner identified Auburn point guard Pettiford, a McDonald's All-American, as the best player in the game and noted Auburn finished around 17-16 under a first-year coaching staff after Bruce Pearl retired. He highlighted Nevada guard Corey Kamper Jr., coming off a triple-double, as the key player to watch in late-game fouling situations. Warner called Nevada his bigger NIT interest but held reservations on both games. For the Friday Sweet 16, Warner addressed Duke minus-6.5 over St. John's, total 142, in Washington D.C., stating that Duke point guard Caleb Foster would not play. He credited Rick Pitino as a major coaching edge over Jon Scheyer and noted the line dropped from St. John's plus-7 to plus-6.5 without significant Duke money arriving, calling that movement rare and meaningful. His official best bet was Alabama plus-10 against Michigan in Chicago, total 174.5, where he called the number disrespectful and backed the Crimson Tide to stay competitive through perimeter shooting despite Michigan's dominant interior led by 7-foot-3 center Adai Mara. Warner also noted Michigan State as a straight-up win candidate against UConn despite being plus-1 to plus-2 underdogs, and favored Tennessee plus-4 against an Iowa State team likely missing star Josh Jefferson due to a high ankle sprain. The episode closed with promo code SPRING25 for twenty-five dollars off at Pregame.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Tuesday. Munaf Manji and Uncle Diamond Dave Esler roll through a multi sport betting card on Tuesday March 24 2026, starting with the final MLB season win total in their run and ending with Sweet 16 Thursday leans and two best bets, the MLB focus is the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers at 102.5 wins, with Munaf recapping last seasons 93 win profile plus a strong run differential and Dave centering the handicap on one key question, whether a loaded roster stays locked in across the regular season, the discussion turns into practical futures logic around pitching depth, lineup protection, and how a team with elite talent can survive injuries and variance, both hosts ultimately lean to the Dodgers over despite acknowledging it feels like the obvious side, then the show pivots to March Madness with Dave explaining why he prefers betting the second weekend when matchups are clearer and situational factors matter more, on Thursdays Sweet 16 slate Dave leans Texas plus 6.5 against Purdue and also sees a path to the over 148.5, citing free throw rate and defensive concerns, he follows with Iowa versus Nebraska where Nebraska is a small favorite at minus 1.5 and the total sits low at 133.5, Dave cautions against overreacting to recent results, sticks with his pre tournament view, and leans Nebraska with interest in the over because close games can turn into late free throw scoring, the best bet segment closes the episode with Dave taking St Josephs versus New Mexico under 152.5 in the NIT based on pace control expectations perimeter defense turnovers and free throw limitations, while Munaf stays in the NBA and plays Hornets team total over 123.5 versus the Kings by targeting a matchup where he expects Charlotte to keep scoring against a defense that has been giving up points Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin Warner talks betting for Tuesday. Warner delivers a college basketball only episode built around immediate NIT betting and an early market read on Thursday Sweet Sixteen lines, he opens by recapping a four and one run over the last five and sets the goal of adding another winner on Tuesday night, the first handicap focuses on Wichita State at Tulsa in a rematch scenario where he expects Tulsa to play sharper at home and prefers laying four instead of paying up for the half point, he then breaks down St Josephs at New Mexico and explains why the number feels larger than expected even while respecting the challenge of playing in The Pit, the show pivots into a Thursday preview where he notes the Texas line move versus Purdue but remains skeptical about matchup scoring and late game separation, he follows with Iowa versus Nebraska in Houston and argues the game profile points toward a slower tighter contest that makes underdog and under logic connect, the late window includes Arkansas versus Arizona where he emphasizes perceived market disrespect and the importance of key numbers in late foul sequences, and Illinois versus Houston where he questions crowd dominance and leans toward taking points in a game he expects to stay close, he shares promo code Spring twenty five for twenty five dollars off purchases on Pregame dot com good through March thirty, and he closes with the official best bet for Tuesday, Tulsa minus four in the NIT. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Thursday. On the Thursday March 19 2026 episode of Cash That Ticket on the Straight Outta Vegas AM feed Munaf Manji and Uncle Diamond Dave Esler set the table for a massive sports day as the NCAA Tournament officially tips off and they remind bettors that if today feels busy the prep was done wrong They open with a best bets recap including a push after late injury news and a win on Illinois State then shout out listener Kelvin Welch for tracking the shows results with the updated best bets mark sitting at 46 31 1 and up 10 point 8 units while hitting 59 point 6 percent From there the NBA talk starts with a major update on Cade Cunningham as the Pistons star is expected to miss extended time due to what is being described as a mild collapsed lung and the guys discuss the immediate ripple it creates in the MVP futures market The first handicap targets Suns at Spurs with San Antonio laying a big number as Dave digs into market movement and why the total may be more mispriced than the side while Munaf leans into the Spurs season profile as an elite defense paired with top tier offense and looks to Spurs scoring including the team total over They then turn to Lakers at Heat with uncertainty around who plays for Los Angeles on a back to back and with travel details noted after a late night arrival into Miami the angle centers on Miami pace and team totals with both hosts looking for ways to attack Heat scoring and Dave adding a Tyler Herro points rebounds assists over look After a quick reminder about pregame dot com the March Madness contest format and the LUCKY25 promo code the show shifts to MLB season win totals for the two New York teams Munaf and Dave break down the Mets at 90 point 5 as a talented but volatile roster in a competitive division and land on the under then move across town to the Yankees also at 90 point 5 focusing on pitching health offensive regression risk bullpen questions and the reality that public teams often get shaded high with both hosts again siding with the under The episode closes with best bets as Dave goes to the NCAA Tournament with Gonzaga team total over 87 point 5 projecting a fast paced scoring script and Munaf stays in the NBA with the Miami Heat team total over 122 point 5 tied to pace travel and matchup dynamics with final reminders to enjoy March Madness bet within your means and avoid chasing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Wednesday. Munaf Manji and Dave Esler open the March 18, 2026 Cash That Ticket episode by talking through the reality of betting variance, how quickly public reaction swings after a bad day, and why long term results matter more than short term noise. They move into the Friday college basketball slate with a breakdown of Utah State versus Villanova, including market movement, rest, pace control, and the three point dependency that can decide a one game setting, with Dave ultimately leaning Utah State for added margin for error. Next they dig into Iowa versus Clemson, a slow paced defensive matchup with a very low total, and the discussion expands into one of the most actionable segments of the show, first half under logic, why end of half possessions can suppress scoring, and how live second half over numbers can become valuable after an early cold shooting stretch. The Friday card wraps with Missouri versus Miami Florida, where they separate trend driven narratives from matchup specific issues like turnovers, free throws, and perimeter defense, and again emphasize late game variance as a reason to consider first half angles. The conversation then shifts to MLB win totals, starting with the Philadelphia Phillies at 89.5, where they question repeat dominance, point to bullpen uncertainty and roster aging pressures, and lean under, followed by the Seattle Mariners at 89.5, where elite pitching upside is weighed against lineup inconsistency and a home run heavy profile that can lead to feast or famine stretches, producing another under lean. The episode closes with best bets, Dave on Illinois State laying points against Kent State based on conference strength and motivation, and Munaf on Naz Reid over 14.5 points with Anthony Edwards out, citing the expanded scoring role and matchup opportunity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin Warner talks betting for Wednesday. Griffin Warner drops a Wednesday edition of What I Bet with a full board across Champions League second legs, the NIT, and the First Four for March eighteen, he opens in Europe with Barcelona hosting Newcastle, recaps how the first leg swung late into a one one draw, and explains why the aggregate situation changes the second leg tactics, he leans Newcastle plus one and talks through the risk of a fast swing if Barcelona score first, then he turns to Liverpool hosting Galatasaray, explains why he is watching for the price to reach a key number, and lays out why Galatasaray can stay dangerous even in a tough road spot, he adds quick notes on Bayern versus Atalanta after a six one first leg, and on Tottenham versus Atletico with the advance market implying the tie is close to done, then he moves to college basketball with a run through First Four and NIT matchups including Kent State at Illinois State, George Washington at Utah Valley, Dayton at Bradley, Sam Houston at New Mexico, SMU versus Miami Ohio, and more, he shares the Dream Bracket promo code DREAM sixty for sixty dollars off on Pregame dot com, and he closes with his best bet for the night, Utah Valley minus two at home against George Washington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Tuesday. Munaf Manji and Uncle Diamond Dave Esler tee up March Madness with early Thursday game breakdowns, covering TCU versus Ohio State, Hawaii versus Arkansas, and St Louis versus Georgia, with sharp talk on matchups, tempo, turnovers, coaching edges, and how to time live overs after early jitters, then they shift to MLB season expectations with win total debates on the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs, and close with Tuesday NBA best bets featuring a Tyler Huerter points prop and a Pacers plus points play against the Knicks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin Warner talks betting for Tuesday. Griffin Warner breaks down the Tuesday March 17 slate across Champions League and college basketball, he explains how second leg aggregate situations shape spreads and totals, he runs through Sporting Lisboa versus Buduglimpt, Arsenal versus Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea versus PSG, and Manchester City versus Real Madrid, then pivots to the First Four and NIT board with quick matchup notes and market reactions, and he closes with his best bet for the episode, Texas as a pickem over NC State, plus a quick mention of the DREAM60 code tied to the Dream Bracket with RJ Bell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Friday. Friday’s Cash That Ticket episode on the Straight Outta Vegas AM feed moved across several betting markets, with Munaf Manji and Dave Essler touching on college basketball, MLB futures, NFL offseason movement, and Friday best bets. The tone opened with some frustration after both hosts dropped their Thursday selections, but they framed it as a bump in a strong recent run and turned quickly toward Friday’s card. Essler also shared details from a long volunteer shift at The Players Championship, describing the physical toll of a full day on his feet in the rain, while also reflecting on the contrast between players who treated volunteers and fans with appreciation and those who did not. He highlighted Ben Griffin and Eric Cole for thanking volunteers, and noted Patton Kizzire and Nicolai Hojgaard for handing balls to kids during tournament play. On the betting side, the MLB discussion centered on the Toronto Blue Jays. Manji noted Toronto’s 94 win season, AL East title, strong home record, World Series appearance, and current win total in the 87.5 to 88.5 range. Essler said he was higher on Toronto than the market, arguing the club had strengthened its pitching despite losing Chris Bassitt, pointing to additions including Dylan Cease and other offseason moves. He questioned why the team was being priced several wins lower than last season and said he liked the over on the win total. Manji agreed, citing Vladimir Guerrero Jr., roster depth, front office aggression, and the organization’s willingness to spend and make in season upgrades. He said Toronto could reach 90 wins again and backed the over 88.5. The conversation then shifted to NFL win totals and quarterback changes. Atlanta drew attention after Tua Tagovailoa joined the Falcons on a one year deal. Manji framed the move as a fresh start for a quarterback whose availability has been a recurring issue, and asked whether Atlanta could clear a 7.5 win total with new coach Kevin Stefanski, Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts in place. Essler was skeptical, raising concerns about Tagovailoa’s durability, Atlanta’s ceiling at quarterback, and whether Stefanski’s reputation exceeds the results. He said everything would need to break right for the Falcons to get to eight wins, though he conceded the division leaves room for a team to outperform modest expectations. Manji leaned under 7.5, saying the number likely comes down to health and whether Tagovailoa can hold up for a full season. The Minnesota Vikings were also discussed after signing Kyler Murray. Manji argued that Murray was an upgrade and could benefit from Kevin O’Connell’s offensive approach, even if the fit still comes with questions. Essler pushed back harder, saying Arizona’s willingness to move on spoke loudly and questioning whether Murray matches what Minnesota wants to do offensively. He also noted uncertainty at quarterback overall and said the Vikings’ finish last season looked less impressive under closer inspection. Both hosts leaned under Minnesota’s 8.5 win total, with Essler saying the team was still moving in the wrong direction from where it stood a few years earlier. To close the show, the hosts gave out Friday best bets. Essler went with the under in Timberwolves Warriors, saying recent high scoring Minnesota games would drive an overreaction in the market and create value on a lower total in a matchup he expected to play slower. Manji backed the Pacers plus 13.5 against the Knicks, citing Indiana’s recent competitiveness in the series and what he described as a growing rivalry between the teams. Essler also added a bonus bet on Kennesaw State plus 3.5. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin Warner talks betting for Friday Griffin Warner opened the latest episode of What I Bet On from Dallas, running through a Friday card that featured soccer across Spain, Italy, France and Germany, along with an early look at college basketball. He noted that the show entered the night on a two game best bet winning streak after cashing Iowa under on March 5 and Northwestern plus five against Indiana on March 11, and said the goal was to make it three in a row. In Spain, Warner broke down Deportivo Alaves as a home underdog against Villarreal and said his strongest interest was the under two and a half goals, pointing to Alaves ability to dictate tempo and turn games physical. In Italy, he discussed Torino against Parma and leaned toward a low scoring match as well, saying he preferred waiting to see Parma rise to a larger underdog price while also liking the under with the extra quarter goal. In France, he focused on Auxerre as a road underdog at Metz and said he expected a competitive match, with interest in Auxerre plus one and a half if the market moved there by kickoff. In Germany, he highlighted Borussia Monchengladbach against St. Pauli and said the under two and a quarter goals stood out most because he did not trust St. Pauli to score. Warner also promoted Pregame s Madness 2026 contest, describing it as a free college basketball competition that runs through the national title game on April 6, with prizes for the top 10 finishers based on net profit. Turning to college basketball, he opened with George Washington against Saint Louis in the Atlantic 10 and said the number showed respect for George Washington, especially with the lower seeded team already having played on the neutral court. He then looked at Ohio State against Michigan and argued that 13 points was too large, citing Ohio State s game under its belt and the possibility of a respectable close loss carrying value. In the SEC, he evaluated Kentucky against Florida and said 10 and a half points felt too high for a neutral court rivalry game, even while acknowledging Florida s strength inside. He also pointed to Wisconsin against Illinois as another game where the underdog deserved attention, saying eight points was a significant number for a Wisconsin team that had already played on site and recently beaten Purdue on the road. Warner closed by promoting the code dance20 for 20 percent off at Pregame through March 23 and made Wisconsin plus eight his best bet, saying he expected the number to fall and viewed the matchup as a close game, with an added suggestion to split the wager between the first half and the full game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji talks betting for Thursday. Munaf Manji opened Thursday’s Cash That Ticket podcast with a recap of a dramatic win on the Knicks, who fell behind Utah by 15 after one quarter before roaring back to cover as 13.5 point favorites. New York outscored the Jazz 108 to 76 over the final three quarters and won 134 to 117, giving Manji a best bet winner. Uncle Dave was less fortunate, as Montana led at halftime but could not hold on late. Through the week, the pair stood at 3 and 1 on best bets. Manji also ran through Wednesday’s other NBA results, including Orlando’s 128 to 122 win over Cleveland, Denver’s 129 to 93 blowout of Houston, and the Clippers’ 153 to 128 victory over Minnesota behind 45 points from Kawhi Leonard. Turning to Thursday’s card, Manji focused first on Denver at San Antonio. Despite the Nuggets playing the second leg of a back to back, he noted their starters logged modest minutes in the win over Houston, which should help on the quick turnaround. Even so, he leaned Spurs minus 5.5, provided Victor Wembanyama suits up, citing San Antonio’s recent form on both ends of the floor. Over the last 10 games, he said the Spurs ranked fourth in offensive efficiency, fifth in defensive rating, and owned the league’s second best net rating. He also liked the Spurs team total over 122.5. In Boston at Oklahoma City, Manji saw value with the Celtics plus 6.5. He pointed to Boston’s consistency, strong road record, and defensive profile, while also noting that Oklahoma City had been just 10 and 11 against the spread in non conference games. He expected Boston to have enough defensive options to make life difficult for Shai Gilgeous Alexander and keep the game tight. Still, he stopped short of making it an official best bet because Jayson Tatum and Derrick White were listed as questionable. In Milwaukee at Miami, Manji liked the over 234.5 and made it his best bet. His reasoning centered on Miami’s pace and Milwaukee’s defensive struggles. He noted that the Heat have played fast all season and ranked second in pace over the last 10 games while sitting third in offensive efficiency over that span. The Bucks, meanwhile, had slipped badly on defense, ranking among the league’s worst recent units and allowing 129 or more points in three of their last four games. He said that trend made both the full game over and the Heat team total attractive looks. Uncle Dave’s best bet for Thursday came from college basketball, with Houston minus 10 against BYU. Manji added that he also liked the Cougars team total over, pointing to the rest advantage and Houston’s typical strength in March under Kelvin Sampson. He closed by highlighting Pregame’s March Badness 2026 contest, a free college basketball contest running through the national title game, and reminded listeners about a 20 percent discount code for Pregame subscriptions. His final card featured Spurs minus 5.5 and Spurs team total over 122.5 as leans, Celtics plus 6.5 as a conditional look, Houston minus 10 as Uncle Dave’s best bet, and Bucks Heat over 234.5 as his official play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Griffin Warner talks betting for Wednesday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Tuesday. Cash That Ticket opened Tuesday’s show with a full sports slate, from conference tournament college basketball to MLB win totals, NBA matchups and early NFL free agency. Munaf Manji and Dave Essler quickly moved into the NBA, starting with Boston at San Antonio, where both leaned toward the Spurs in what Munaf called a strong measuring stick game. He also preferred the under, pointing to both teams ranking among the league’s best in defensive rating and Boston’s season long tendency to play at the slowest pace in the NBA. Essler agreed San Antonio’s form and motivation made the favorite appealing, especially if Boston were short handed. The second featured game was Minnesota at the Lakers. Essler liked the under and said the Lakers can still bring a strong defensive effort without LeBron James, while also noting Austin Reaves becomes more aggressive in that setup. Munaf took the Timberwolves side, arguing the Lakers had benefitted from a softer stretch and adding that Anthony Edwards looked live for a big scoring night, with his preferred prop range around 29.5 to 30.5 points. From there the show shifted to baseball and continued its season win total series. On Baltimore, both hosts landed on under 85.5 wins. Essler said the lineup should still score, especially with Pete Alonso added to the middle of the order, but he remained unconvinced the Orioles solved their larger pitching problems. Munaf agreed, saying the offense was good enough on paper but the rotation still lacked the frontline reliability needed in a difficult AL East. Detroit brought a different conclusion. Both hosts backed the Tigers over 85.5 wins, largely because of a rotation headed by Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez. Essler said Detroit may have the best pitching staff in the American League on paper and believed the club could push toward 90 wins or more if it stayed healthy. Munaf echoed that view, pointing to the bullpen, managerial stability under A.J. Hinch and the possibility that either Jack Flaherty or Casey Mize could emerge in a big way behind the front end of the staff. The conversation then turned to a listener question about five players who could hit 30 home runs this season. Essler said the obvious names were easy enough to find and suggested looking for value with less obvious sluggers. Munaf highlighted Kyle Tucker at minus 120 and Jose Ramirez at plus 110, citing lineup context, durability and prior production. Essler later called Hunter Goodman of the Rockies his favorite value play at even money after a 31 homer full season. They also discussed Mike Trout as a high upside but health dependent option. For best bets, Essler went to college basketball and took Detroit plus 4.5 against Wright State, citing momentum, matchup history and possible fatigue on the other side after a high tempo game. Munaf stayed in the NBA and made Suns Bucks over 217.5 his top play, saying the number looked light given Milwaukee’s recent defensive issues and the offensive talent expected to be on the floor. The show closed with another reminder about Pregame’s current promotion, where ten dollars buys fifty bulk dollars under the site’s special discounts section, with the credit available immediately and not expiring. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji talks betting for Friday. Munaf Manji wrapped the week on Catch That Ticket with a solo Friday episode focused on recapping Thursday’s results and breaking down a short NBA card for March 6, 2026. The show finished 1 and 1 on official plays from the previous night. Uncle Dave’s Arkansas State ticket fell short in an outright loss to Georgia Southern, while Manji cashed with Pistons Spurs under 228.5, surviving a tense finish that included several missed free throws in the closing minutes. Manji called it a fortunate result after a rough Wednesday card and said he hoped to build on that momentum heading into the weekend. The first game on his radar was Dallas at Boston, with the Celtics installed as a heavy favorite. He highlighted Cooper Flagg’s return for Dallas after a nine game absence, noting the rookie logged 26 minutes and scored 18 points in Thursday’s one point loss to Orlando. On the Boston side, Manji focused on the expected return of Jayson Tatum, who was listed as questionable but widely anticipated to play. He said the Celtics had managed a strong season without Tatum and argued that even a limited return over the final stretch could be a major boost, though he also cautioned that reintegrating Tatum might briefly disrupt Boston’s offensive rhythm. Rather than laying the full game number, Manji said Dallas could be the better first half look, with Boston more appealing in the second half if fatigue set in for the Mavericks on the back to back. Manji’s second featured matchup was New York at Denver. He backed the Knicks, citing their recent improvement after the All Star break and especially their rise on the defensive end. He acknowledged being wrong about New York earlier in the season and said the healthier lineup had changed the team’s profile. He also pointed to Denver’s uneven home form against the spread and the possibility of tired legs after the Nuggets leaned heavily on Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Christian Braun in Thursday’s win over the Lakers. While waiting on the injury report, Manji said New York had the profile to win the game outright. He also touched on the rest of the board, including Portland at Houston, New Orleans at Phoenix, the Clippers at San Antonio, and Indiana at the Lakers. On Pacers Lakers, he leaned toward Indiana plus 9.5, citing the back to back spot for Los Angeles, the possibility of rest or reduced workloads, and his general distrust of the Lakers in that setup. Late in the episode, Manji addressed growing excitement around Charlotte futures in the Eastern Conference. He praised the Hornets for surpassing expectations, credited head coach Charles Lee and the organization’s recent drafting, and said the franchise finally appeared to be building a real foundation. Still, he warned that talk of Charlotte winning the East was premature, especially given the lack of deep playoff experience on the roster. He said he planned to revisit that topic with Uncle Dave on Monday. Manji also promoted a Pregame offer that gives 50 bulk dollars for a 10 dollar purchase, describing it as a rare chance for listeners to sample daily, weekend or longer subscriptions at a significant discount. His best bet for Friday was Jayson Tatum over 6.5 combined rebounds and assists. Manji said he expected Tatum to play around 20 to 22 minutes and believed the Celtics star would ease back in by facilitating and rebounding rather than forcing offense. With Dallas allowing assists at a high rate, he projected a path for Tatum to clear the number even in a limited return. He closed by saying the weekend sports calendar was packed and that he and Uncle Dave would return Monday to break it all down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Munaf Manji and Dave Essler talk betting for Thursday. Cash That Ticket returned Thursday, March 5, 2026, with Munaf Manji and Dave Esler recapping a Best Bet win on Arkansas over Texas and pivoting to Thursday night picks across the NBA, plus two MLB win totals. Manji said his prior play, 76ers Jazz over 237.5, missed badly, while Esler noted Arkansas delivered without stress. In the NBA, they opened Pistons at Spurs, with San Antonio favored by 3.5 and a 228.5 total, and both teams largely healthy. With the clubs meeting recently in Detroit, Esler framed the matchup as a Pistons revenge spot and questioned whether the Spurs were becoming overvalued, leaning Detroit plus the points and the under, expecting a tighter, playoff type game. Manji agreed on the under and said Detroit’s season long defensive profile supported another lower scoring result, while suggesting a better Pistons number could appear closer to tip. Esler also highlighted Jalen Duren points and rebounds over 29.5, and Manji backed it with Duren’s production in recent Spurs matchups. Next was Lakers at Nuggets, with Denver favored by 5.5 and a 240.5 total. Manji cited a clean Lakers report aside from Maxi Kleber questionable and noted Denver’s report included Cam Johnson questionable, Spencer Jones and Peyton Watson out, and Aaron Gordon not expected back yet. Esler said the rising total was the most notable market feature and leaned Lakers plus the points, including a first half look, along with the over. Manji also leaned Lakers and the over, pointing to Denver’s recent defensive issues and shaky home cover results. The show then promoted a pregame.com special, described as $10 for $50 in bulk dollars, limited to one per person. On MLB win totals, Esler and Manji both leaned under 83.5 on the Rangers, citing injury concerns and rotation uncertainty, and both leaned under 84.5 on the Brewers, citing rotation questions and a step back expectation. For Best Bets, Esler played Arkansas State minus 7 or 7.5 over Georgia Southern in the Sun Belt Tournament, while Manji made Pistons Spurs under 228.5 his Best Bet, and both closed with caution on conference tournament betting volatility. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices