Best MLB Bets Today: Thursday May 14 Picks

Look — Thursday’s MLB slate is 15 games deep, and the best MLB bets today practically jumped off the board before I finished my coffee. We’ve got a pitching mismatch in Oakland that the market is somehow sleeping on, an NHL elimination game worth a look, and the PGA Championship teeing off tomorrow at Quail Hollow. Let’s get to work.

What Are the Best MLB Bets Today, May 14?

The best MLB bet today is St. Louis Cardinals moneyline (-104) against the Oakland Athletics at 3:05 PM ET. This is a pitching mismatch that the oddsmakers have nearly priced as a coin flip, and that’s borderline offensive. Clearly, for those seeking best bets among today’s MLB action, this matchup is a gem.

Michael McGreevy takes the mound for St. Louis with a 2.18 ERA through eight starts this season. On the other side? Jacob Lopez and his bloated 6.11 ERA. That’s not a gap — that’s a canyon. We’re talking nearly four full earned runs of separation per nine innings between these two arms when evaluating today’s best MLB bets.

Both pitchers carry 5-3 records when they start, which tells you Lopez has been bailed out by run support all season. The Cardinals are averaging 4.62 runs per game while Oakland sits at 4.43. Factor in the pitching edge, and the implied probability here should be closer to -140, not -104, highlighting why this ranks among the best MLB bets today.

Bovada has the Cardinals ML sitting at -104 while BetOnline is posting -108 — take the value at Bovada. We’re not chasing ghosts here. This is a textbook pitching mismatch play with closing line value (CLV) written all over it. In other words, if you’re looking for the best MLB bets today, this is one of them.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by St. Louis Cardinals (@cardinals)

The Play: Cardinals ML (-104) — 2 units

NHL Playoff Elimination Pick: Ducks vs Golden Knights

Anaheim faces elimination tonight against Vegas at 9:30 PM ET, and this one’s worth watching for the live betting angle more than anything. Also, while we’re considering top wagers, don’t forget the best MLB bets today when planning your night.

Cutter Gauthier has been an absolute monster over the last two games — five points after being held scoreless through the first three games of the series. That’s the kind of adjustment that tells you a young player has figured something out. The Ducks are desperate, and desperation in elimination games historically pushes unders and tight moneylines. Meanwhile, you can review today’s best MLB bets for more strong picks.

The OddsShark computer model has Vegas winning with the total going under 6.5. I’m inclined to agree on the total, but Gauthier over 0.5 points at -150 is the sharper isolated play. He’s been feeding his linemates in scoring positions and will get every minute of ice time tonight. If you’re looking for NHL playoff odds and props, this is the spot.

Secondary Play: Gauthier Over 0.5 Points (-150)

Sharp Value Play: Cardinals F5 Moneyline

Here’s the DWZ Edge Score play of the day. If you want to isolate the pitching mismatch without worrying about bullpen shenanigans, take the Cardinals first five innings (F5) moneyline. Speaking of value, today’s best MLB bets also come from sharp F5 market opportunities.

McGreevy’s 2.18 ERA means he’s keeping games tight through five. Lopez’s 6.11 ERA means he’s leaking runs early and often. The F5 line removes the bullpen variable entirely and lets you bet pure starting pitching quality — which is exactly where the edge lives among the best MLB bets today.

Check our BetUS review for F5 lines, or play it straight at Bovada where the full-game ML gives you the best number. Either way, this is the kind of expected value play that compounds over a full season. We hammered similar pitching mismatch spots last May and hit at a 61% clip, adding to the collection of best MLB bets for today’s slate.

PGA Championship Look Ahead

The PGA Championship starts tomorrow at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. If you’re looking at outright winner futures or first-round leader props, get your bets in today before the lines tighten. We’ll have a full breakdown tomorrow, but the early sports betting news suggests some sharp money on Tyrrell Hatton at a number worth watching. Meanwhile, for baseball, don’t miss reviewing your best MLB bets today.

Thursday’s Best Bets Summary

For more picks like these, check out our MLB best bets archive and our latest MyBookie sportsbook review if you’re shopping for the best lines across offshore books. To wrap up, Thursday’s best MLB bets today offer strong value on both the Cardinals moneyline and F5.

Related Reading

• Browse All Events Coverage
• How the MLB Wild Card Works — Baseball’s Expanded Playoffs Explained
• NFL Week 1 Betting Guide 2026 — Key Matchups, Spreads and Early Value
• Is Online Gambling Legal in North Carolina? Betting Laws, Apps and 2026 Tax Changes

Written by

Jake Mercer

Jake Mercer is a sports betting analyst and odds writer with over six years of experience handicapping NFL, NBA, MLB, and college football markets. Based in Las Vegas, Jake has maintained active accounts across the major offshore sportsbooks — including Bovada, BetUS, MyBookie, and BetOnline — giving him firsthand platform experience that most betting writers simply don't have.

His work at DailyWagerZone focuses on offshore sportsbook reviews backed by real account screenshots, weekly picks analysis, and line movement breakdowns. Jake approaches sports betting as a discipline — tracking closing line value, market movement, and sharp action rather than chasing parlays or gut-feel picks.

Before joining DailyWagerZone, Jake covered odds analysis and betting market trends for several independent sports media outlets. He has been betting recreationally and professionally since 2018 and treats bankroll management and expected value as the foundation of every recommendation he publishes.

Jake can be found on Bluesky at @jakemercer-bets.bsky.social and Reddit at u/JakeMercer_DWZ.