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Sports bettors will need to show some patience on Friday, as after a week with some earlier start times with 2025 MLB playoff action or the NHL opening slate of games, there aren't many online sports betting options until later in the day. But one of the biggest baseball games of the year takes place on Friday when Tarik Skubal, the likely soon-to-be back-to-back American League Cy Young winner, starts for the Detroit Tigers against the Seattle Mariners in a winner-take-all Game 5 at 8:08 p.m. ET. 

However, the SportsLine model is showing the best value from this matchup comes with fading arguably the best pitcher in baseball, with the Mariners at +113 odds to win being one of its Friday best bets. The model and a SportLine expert also see value in the Friday college football slate, including backing North Texas to win at 7:30 p.m. ET in its Friday best bets. 

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Whether you're looking into MLB betting, NFL betting, college football betting, or anything else on the Friday sports schedule, there are a number of online sports betting options, and our team can help point you in the right direction. Our computer model and experts will weigh in on all of the biggest events every day, and they're offering their top sports betting picks right now.

Here's what we're betting today

Tigers vs. Mariners best bets

  • Game: Detroit Tigers vs. Seattle Mariners, ALDS, Game 5 (Friday, 8:08 p.m. ET)
  • The Pick: Mariners to win (+108)

There's no debating Tarik Skubal's greatness, but the Mariners have already won one game that the elite arm has started in Seattle this series, and the model likes the value on the Mariners to do so again. Seattle also hit Skubal well during the regular season, scoring four runs over his five innings in a 12-3 Mariners win in July, so a Seattle offense with stars such as Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodriguez shouldn't be intimidated on Friday. Mariners starter George Kirby held the Tigers to two runs in five innings with eight strikeouts in Game 1. The model projects the Mariners to win in 60% of simulations.

More MLB best bets

Friday college football best bets 

  • Game: South Florida vs. North Texas (Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET)
  • The Pick: North Texas (-110)

"While USF has just as much talent on both sides of the ball, the Mean Green has greatly improved since last season, especially defensively," said SportsLine expert Bob Konarski, who is 4-1 (+275) over his last five college football money line picks. "Their level of competition hasn't been as strong as USF and the defense has limited their opponents' passing attack to less than 150 yards per game so far. Drew Mestemaker has thrown 11 touchdowns and has yet to throw an interception. USF's offense can also go stagnant at times."

  • Game: Rutgers vs. Washington (Friday, 9 p.m. ET)
  • The Pick: Under 60.5 (-110)

Rutgers and Washington combined to go Over this number in five of their first six games, but those were non-conference matchups against inferior opponents where each team dominated offensively. That hasn't been the case over the last two weeks in Big Ten play, combining to go Under this total in three of their four contests. They also went well Under this total in last year's meeting, resulting in a 21-18 Rutgers victory. The model expects the Under in Big Ten games trend to continue, projecting the Under to hit in 63% of simulations.

More college football best bets