Thursday brings a loaded sports betting menu to ProCappers, with MLB and WNBA action leading into a six-game NFL preseason slate tonight. The CFL is also on the board, soccer has Leagues Cup action, and the FedEx St. Jude Championship gets underway in Memphis.
As always, shop around for the best number. Sportsbook lines can move substantially throughout the day, particularly with preseason football where starting-player announcements and playing-time expectations can change quickly.
TODAY'S TOP FREE PICKS
MLB — Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline
PICK: Pittsburgh Pirates ML
The Pirates are our favorite MLB side today.
Pittsburgh gets Miami in the afternoon, and the pitching matchup gives the Pirates an interesting edge. Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft has posted a strong 3.32 SIERA with a 26.6% strikeout rate this season, while Miami starter Tyler Phillips has a 4.66 SIERA and 17.5% strikeout rate. The Marlins bullpen has also been vulnerable to the long ball recently.
The market has Pittsburgh around the short-favorite range, making this a much more attractive moneyline than laying a heavy price with one of the day's bigger favorites.
FREE PICK: PIRATES ML
Confidence: 8/10
MLB - Phillies vs. Twins
PICK: Trevor Larnach to Hit a Home Run
This is our long-shot MLB prop of the day.
Philadelphia and Minnesota meet in the Field of Dreams Game, and Trevor Larnach offers an interesting matchup against Phillies starter Aaron Nola.
Nola has struggled against left-handed power this season, with lefties producing a .372 wOBA against him and generating significant home-run production. Larnach has a .360 wOBA with the platoon advantage and has already shown legitimate power this season.
This is obviously a much higher-variance wager than a moneyline, but the available price around +560 makes it an attractive small-stake lottery ticket.
FREE PICK: TREVOR LARNACH HR
Confidence: 5/10
Best used as: Small-stake prop / parlay piece
MLB - Rangers vs. Angels
PICK: Walbert Urena OVER 4.5 Strikeouts
Texas has been one of the better strikeout matchups on today's board.
The Rangers have posted a .277 wOBA over the past 30 days while striking out at a 24.7% rate during that span. Urena has also been considerably better at home, where he has recorded a 25% strikeout rate.
He has reached at least five strikeouts in three of his last four starts.
FREE PICK: URENA OVER 4.5 Ks
Confidence: 7/10
WNBA PICKS
The WNBA has three games on Thursday's schedule, with Atlanta, New York and Las Vegas all entering their respective matchups as favorites.
Atlanta Dream vs. Connecticut Sun
PICK: Allisha Gray 20+ Points
Gray has averaged 19.6 points over her last 10 games, and Connecticut has been allowing 86.8 points per game while opponents are shooting 46.2% from the field.
That combination makes Gray's scoring prop one of our favorite WNBA angles.
FREE PICK: ALLISHA GRAY 20+ POINTS
Confidence: 7/10
Los Angeles Sparks vs. New York Liberty
PICK: New York Liberty -8.5
New York enters at 20-14 and has won seven of its last nine games. The Liberty are also 11-5 at home and have won four straight at Barclays Center.
Los Angeles is 12-20 and has dropped nine of its last 11.
The previous meetings were competitive, but this game moves to New York, where the Liberty have been substantially stronger.
FREE PICK: LIBERTY -8.5
Confidence: 8/10
Washington Mystics vs. Las Vegas Aces
PICK: Las Vegas Aces -6.5
This is a rematch from Tuesday, when Las Vegas defeated Washington 86-76.
A'ja Wilson produced 26 points and 13 rebounds in that game, while Jackie Young added 25 points and eight assists.
The Aces were able to pull away in the fourth quarter, and now they get Washington again at home only two days later.
FREE PICK: ACES -6.5
Confidence: 7.5/10
NFL PRESEASON PICKS
Football is officially back in a big way.
Thursday's NFL preseason schedule features six games:
- Lions at Bengals
- Packers at Steelers
- Colts at Patriots
- Chargers at Texans
- Cardinals at Raiders
- Titans at 49ers
The six-game slate begins tonight, with the first games kicking off at 7:00 PM ET.
Remember: NFL preseason betting is fundamentally different from regular-season betting. Playing time, quarterback rotations and fourth-quarter depth can be more important than the difference between the teams on paper.
Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals
PICK: Detroit Lions +7
This is one of our favorite preseason spread plays.
Cincinnati is currently laying roughly a touchdown, but Bengals starters aren't expected to play enough to justify treating this like a regular-season matchup.
Even if Joe Burrow and Cincinnati's offensive weapons get a couple of series, the Lions should have plenty of opportunity to make up ground against the Bengals' reserve units.
FREE PICK: LIONS +7
Confidence: 8/10
The market has been sitting around Bengals -6.5 to -7, making +7 the preferred number.
Green Bay Packers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
PICK: OVER 39.5
This is our favorite NFL preseason total.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur has indicated that healthy players should be prepared to play, creating the possibility of meaningful snaps for Jordan Love and Green Bay's passing attack.
The total is sitting around 39.5, which is high for a preseason game, but the expected participation makes this one of the more interesting offensive matchups on the board.
FREE PICK: OVER 39.5
Confidence: 7/10
Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots
PICK: Colts +1.5 / Moneyline sprinkle
This is one of the games where we're more interested in the underdog than laying points.
With preseason rotations difficult to predict, taking a small position on the dog can provide better value than paying a premium for a favorite.
FREE PICK: COLTS +1.5
Confidence: 6/10
Arizona Cardinals vs. Las Vegas Raiders
PICK: OVER 40.5
This game offers another opportunity to target a preseason total rather than trying to predict which team will win.
Quarterback and reserve-unit rotations can create scoring opportunities late, particularly when defensive depth becomes an issue.
FREE PICK: OVER 40.5
Confidence: 6.5/10
Tennessee Titans vs. San Francisco 49ers
PICK: Titans +3
We're taking the points here.
The 49ers are favored by roughly a field goal, but preseason football is particularly dangerous when laying significant points.
Take the points and let the depth chart work in our favor.
FREE PICK: TITANS +3
Confidence: 6.5/10
CFL PICK
BC Lions at Calgary Stampeders
PICK: BC Lions +5.5
Calgary is currently around a 5.5-point favorite, but this is a matchup where the underdog has enough offensive potential to remain competitive.
Nathan Rourke gives BC legitimate upside, and several CFL analysts are also backing the Lions as the underdog in this matchup.
FREE PICK: BC LIONS +5.5
Confidence: 7/10
CFL Total
The total is around 64.5, so we're staying away from the full-game total and taking the points instead.
SOCCER - LEAGUES CUP
Club América vs. Austin FC
PICK: Club América Draw No Bet
Club América comes into Austin with an unbeaten record in all competitions, while Austin has been much less convincing away from home.
The market has Club América around the favorite range, with Austin priced as the underdog.
Rather than needing América to win outright, the safer angle is Draw No Bet, which protects against a regulation draw.
FREE PICK: CLUB AMÉRICA DRAW NO BET
Confidence: 7/10
Higher-Risk Soccer Play
Club América to Win
For bettors willing to accept more risk for a better return:
FREE PICK: CLUB AMÉRICA ML
PGA - FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP
The FedEx Cup Playoffs begin today at TPC Southwind in Memphis with the FedEx St. Jude Championship running August 13-16.
Tournament Pick
PICK: Sam Burns - Outright Winner
Sam Burns is one of the strongest course-fit candidates on the board, and Golf Digest has highlighted him as an outright selection at approximately 22/1.
TPC Southwind rewards players who can combine accuracy, approach play and strong putting, making Burns an attractive outright option at a much bigger number than the shortest favorites.
FREE PICK: SAM BURNS TO WIN
Confidence: 5/10
Remember that outright golf wagers are inherently high variance. This is a small-stake value play, not a primary bankroll selection.
TODAY'S BEST BETS
If you're looking to narrow today's massive board down to a handful of wagers, these are our favorites:
BEST BET
Pittsburgh Pirates ML
SECOND BEST BET
New York Liberty -8.5
THIRD BEST BET
Detroit Lions +7
VALUE BET
BC Lions +5.5
WNBA PROP
Allisha Gray 20+ Points
MLB PROP
Walbert Urena OVER 4.5 Strikeouts
LONG SHOT
Trevor Larnach HR
GOLF LONG SHOT
Sam Burns to Win FedEx St. Jude Championship
TODAY'S FREE 3-TEAM PARLAY
For those who want a traditional three-leg parlay:
Pittsburgh Pirates ML
New York Liberty -8.5
Las Vegas Aces -6.5
This is our preferred conservative-style parlay because all three selections are favorites with strong matchup reasons behind them.
PLUS-MONEY PARLAY
Looking for a bigger payout?
Detroit Lions +7
BC Lions +5.5
Club América ML
This ticket is built around three underdog/value-oriented positions rather than simply stacking heavy favorites.
EXOTIC BET OF THE DAY
MLB NRFI Parlay
The No Run First Inning market is particularly interesting today.
One widely highlighted NRFI board includes:
Pirates vs. Marlins — NRFI
Guardians vs. Tigers — NRFI
Rangers vs. Angels — NRFI
NRFI wagers are high variance, so consider using them as a small-stake exotic rather than a major straight wager.
BANKROLL STRATEGY
Thursday is a perfect example of why bettors should avoid treating every pick equally.
Our suggested approach:
2 Units
- Pirates ML
- Liberty -8.5
1 Unit
- Lions +7
- Aces -6.5
- BC Lions +5.5
- Urena OVER 4.5 Ks
½ Unit
- Allisha Gray 20+ points
- Packers/Steelers OVER
- Titans +3
- Club América ML
¼ Unit
- Trevor Larnach HR
- Sam Burns outright
The long-shot bets are designed to provide upside without putting the day's bankroll at unnecessary risk.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thursday's betting slate is all about selectivity.
MLB provides the largest number of individual betting opportunities, while the WNBA gives us several strong favorite and player-prop angles. The NFL preseason brings six games tonight, but bettors should remember that preseason football is heavily influenced by playing-time decisions and late-game depth.
Our strongest positions are Pirates ML, Liberty -8.5 and Lions +7.
For bettors looking for additional value, BC Lions +5.5 and Walbert Urena Over 4.5 strikeouts are worth a look.
And if you're hunting for a lottery-ticket payoff, Trevor Larnach to homer is the long-shot MLB prop we like today.
Good luck, bet responsibly, and remember: there are no guaranteed winners in sports betting.
Odds mentioned in this article are representative of lines available when researched on August 13, 2026 and can change before game time. Always verify the current number before placing a wager. This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only.