Best NBA Betting Picks and Parlay Today - Wednesday, October 19, 2022

It's the first loaded NBA slate of the 2022-23 season and we have three picks and a parlay to get things started on the right foot.

You're just not a basketball fan if you're not sitting down and soaking in some of these games, so why not get some action on them in the process? Not only are we confident in our ability to deliver winning picks, but we also have risk-free sportsbook promos that can get you some free money. Make sure you also check out our NBA Player Prop Bets for Wednesday, October 19, 2022.

As always, we've simulated all of the night's NBA games 10,000 times each to determine where the value lies for sports bettors across the United States. It's the first loaded NBA slate of the 2022-23 season and we have three best bets to get things off on the right foot. 

Find out how you can turn a $10 bet into $200 of FREE CASH if ANY player in the game you bet on hits a three. This promo is only available at BetMGM. You're not going to beat that type of offer anywhere else, as it's as close to a risk-free offer as you can possibly get. Simply click ➡️ here ⬅️ or tap the yellow button below to claim it. 

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Best NBA Bets Today

Washington Wizards vs. Indiana Pacers, 7:00PM ET

The Wizards opened as 2.5-point favorites and have been getting a majority of the spread bets in this one, yet the line has moved down. That's generally a sign that the sharp money would be on Indiana. 

We mentioned it in our team totals predictions before the year, but this Pacers team is just not going to be outright tanking for Victor Wembanyama or Scoot Henderson at the start of the year. That's not the way that Indiana owner Herb Simon likes to go about his business, and he'll be expecting his team to be somewhat competitive from the jump — whether it's realistic long term or not is a whole other story. 

This matchup with the Wizards is one that the Pacers will definitely feel good about. Indiana has Isaiah Jackson to cover Kristaps Porzingis, which is a good start when looking at the on-court stuff. The Pacers also have enough firepower in their backcourt to match the offensive output of Bradley Beal, as Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Chris Duarte and rookie Bennedict Mathurin can all feast when their numbers are called. 

Indiana also happens to have some of the best fans in the entire league, and we think the energy of a home opener will propel this young team in what is a fairly even matchup. The Wizards were just 13-26-2 against the spread on the road last year. This spread is more or less a pick'em, so we think the Pacers win outright — but will gladly take the super-close game insurance. 

BET: Pacers +1.5 (-115) with BetMGM ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Wizards vs. Pacers Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Wizards vs. Pacers

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Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors, 7:30PM ET

Since the start of the 2020-21 season, the Under is 38-23 when the Cavaliers have played as road underdogs. The Under is also 9-6 in that span when Cleveland is playing in a game with a line between +3 and -3. So, while this team added a lot of firepower in trading for Donovan Mitchell this summer, that doesn't exactly mean that they'll play high-scoring games right off the bat. 

These teams both happened to be in the top 10 in defensive rating last year, which is something else to consider in this matchup. The Cavaliers could slip back a bit from their fifth-best mark in that category, as Mitchell is a really lousy defender at his position. But Cleveland should still be right around the top 10 this season. Also, only three teams played at a slower pace than the Raptors last year, while only five played slower than the Cavaliers. 

All in all, this is just a game in which both teams will want to be getting things done in the half court, and it'll be somewhat difficult with so many rangy, lanky defenders on the court at once. That's why we're rolling with the Under here. 

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BET: Under 214.5 (-110) with BetMGM ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Cavaliers vs. Raptors Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Cavaliers vs. Raptors

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Charlotte Hornets vs. San Antonio Spurs, 8:10PM ET

Whereas the Pacers don't really want to tank for the top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Spurs absolutely do. However, the reality here is that Gregg Popovich is still one of the brightest basketball minds in the game, and the team he's putting on the floor tonight is more talented than the depleted version of the Hornets we'll see until LaMelo Ball returns from injury — and the Miles Bridges situation resolves itself. 

The Hornets still have Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward right now, and both players will be looking to keep Charlotte afloat in the opening month of the season. But San Antonio has some really impressive two-way players in Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson on the wing, and they're going to be hounding the Hornets all night. The Spurs also have a really underrated one-two punch at center, as Jakob Poeltl and Zach Collins are both good in their roles. 

It can be easy to count San Antonio out because of the current state of the team, but we'd be surprised if the team didn't win this one. The tanking can commence on Friday. 

BET: Spurs +1.5 (-120) with BetMGM ➡️ here ⬅️.

🏀 Hornets vs. Spurs Predictions
📈 Betting preview: Hornets vs. Spurs

Your game not here? Find out who we're betting on for every basketball game on Wednesday via our NBA Bet Hub, where we deliver you NBA predictions and suggested bets, or check out the NBA Betting News section.

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Best NBA Parlay Today

There are numerous different ways you can wager on NBA games in 2022, such as the moneyline, spread, total, player and team props, and, of course, parlays. While we normally suggest taking our picks on their own, we recognize the need to service a parlay-loving audience! With that said, check out the fat payout you can get by throwing all of our best bets together tonight. 

🔥 Pacers +1.5 (-115)
🔥 Cavs-Raptors Under 214.5 (-110)
🔥 Spurs +1.5 (-120)

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*All odds and lines correct at time of publishing