Get ready for a weekend of exciting sports action, with picks that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the Premier League to the NBA, we have a combination of predictions to help you make the most of your weekend and decompress after grueling midterms. Whether you are rooting for Bournemouth’s counter-attacking flair, Manchester City’s tactical evolution, or Liverpool’s dominance at the top of the table, we have the analysis you need to make your picks. Plus, we have a couple of solid NBA bets to round out your weekend sports plan. As the season winds down, now is the time to get your picks in before teams start benching their stars and throwing off your sports betting calculus.
English Premier League
Bournemouth: +120
After a solid performance in the FA CUP Quarter-Finals, Bournemouth is our favorite to beat West Ham this weekend. Despite bad results against Brentford, bottom-table Wolves, and table-leaders Liverpool, they have been in great form the past two months with a phenomenal showing against Nottingham Forest and Newcastle. Their direct play style has been exciting, with Antoine Semenyo and Dango Ouattara quick to counter-attack at every opportunity. Bournemouth is swift to switch its tactics against mid-to-low-table teams. They dominate possession while looking for balls to their overlapping wing-backs, Ola Aina and Neco Williams.
Moreover, West Ham has been struggling to return to form, particularly with the depth of injuries. Over the past year, West Ham has struggled to fill the No. 9 role (center forward) and looked to Niclas Füllkrug, the former Borussia Dortmund striker, to do so. However, Füllkrug’s hamstring injury and Michail Antonio’s broken leg have forced Tomáš Souček and Lucas Paquetá to play out of position and Jared Bowen and Mohammed Kudus to cover these gaps. The lack of a true nine has negatively impacted West Ham’s output as they have only scored two or more goals in three of their last 16 matches. Kudus or Bowen will not break down Bournemouth, and West Ham’s five-back will not withstand Bournemouth’s constant pressure in build-up play or counterattack.
Manchester City: +105
The victor is obvious for this weekend’s Manchester Derby. Despite City lacking the dominance they have displayed since 2012, their recent win over Bournemouth in the Quarter-Final of the FA Cup was necessary for their return to form. Manchester United has also been severely weakened by the injuries of Amad Diallo, United’s second goal and assist leader, and Kobbie Mainoo, who dominates possession in the center of the pitch. Moreover, Omar Marmoush, the recent transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt, has added more variety to City’s attacks, relieving the burden on Erling Haaland.
This season, Haaland isn’t running past defenders as often as he used to, leading to criticism that he is becoming too easy to defend against. This transition in his movement is Haaland trying to conform to City’s possession-dominant playstyle, but his runs in behind are when he is the most threatening. Marmoush has often been making the first deep run to stretch defenders, allowing Haaland to make the second run and not being marked by both center-backs. This small change has allowed Haaland to return to his preferred playstyle, which Manchester United’s back line will be unable to keep up with.
Liverpool: -120
Sitting comfortably at the top of the table, Liverpool is our clear favorite with only one loss and seven draws the entire season. Although Liverpool drew against Fulham at Anfield in December of 2024, Andrew Robertson received a red card in the 17th minute, forcing the Reds to play defensively. Moreover, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, the league’s goal and assist leader, has dominated all season; no team has been able to shut him down. Arne Slot’s flexible tactics have decimated the league as Liverpool sets up in a 4-2-3-1 but changes formation depending on the opponent’s press, looking to create overloads throughout the pitch to maintain possession.
NBA
Boston Celtics: -250
The last time the Celtics met the Suns, Boston came away with a dominant 132-102 win without the help of their star player, Jayson Tatum. Kristaps Prozingus led the way for Boston with 30 points and eight rebounds. The Celtics shot 22 for 55 from the distance with an overall field goal percentage of 50.6%. With Jayson Tatum back on the court, Phoenix will have an even harder time defending the reigning champions. The Suns had 13 turnovers in their last matchup and shot just 31% from beyond the arc. With Tatum’s length and elite defensive skills, Boston should be able to put more pressure on Durant, who led the Suns with 30 points last time, while alleviating stress for Holiday and Brown on the defensive end. That’s money in the pocket.
Denver Nuggets: -140
The upcoming Nuggets vs Warriors game will be a good one. The Nuggets lead the season series 2-0 this year: edging out Golden State 119-115 on their home court in early December, and securing a definitive 114-105 victory in the Chase Center on March 17. While the Warriors have been the better defensive team this year, allowing just 110.7 PPG compared to Denver’s 116.7, the box scores suggest the Nuggets have found a strategic advantage. Notably, MVP contender Nikola Jokić was not playing the last time these two met on the Warriors’ home court. Jokić is averaging a triple-double on the season, at 29.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. Without a stellar defensive performance from Draymond Green, this week’s game looks more like a beatdown than last time.
This weekend’s clashes offer a fascinating look at how form, injuries, and strategy collide to shape outcomes. Whether you are looking to unwind after midterms or gear up for Yardfest, let this slate of bets guide your way to a winning weekend. What ties these games together is not who wins or loses—it is how teams evolve. These storylines remind us that betting smart is not about chasing odds but about reading the game beneath the scoreline. That is what makes a weekend like this not just one for fans but for students of the game.
Alejandro Sanchez ’26 (alejandrosanchez@college.harvard.edu) is a Cityzen eager to watch United get destroyed. Andrew Morrissey ‘26 (ajmorrissey@college.harvard.edu) loves watching the Celtics in their peak form.