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Regardless of your go-to winter sport, the Thursday sports calendar has you covered, and the current DraftKings promo code gives new users $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins as one of the best ways to begin online sports betting. With 30 of the 32 NHL teams in action, plus an eight-game NBA schedule and heavy college basketball slate, sports bettors have plenty of  Thursday options. The SportsLine Projection Model is targeting a New York vs. New York rivalry matchup for one of its Thursday best bets at DraftKings Sportsbook, backing the Islanders to defeat the Rangers at -142 odds.

The model has also locked in its NBA best bets, taking Over 224.5 points in Rockets vs. Hawks. One of SportsLine's top experts has locked in a college basketball bet on Oral Roberts vs. South Dakota State at 8 p.m. ET. Claim the latest DraftKings promo code, where new users get $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins: 

Check out our DraftKings promo code review for full details.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model enters Week 15 of the 2025-26 NBA season on a sizzling 37-16 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Thursday best bets at DraftKings Sportsbook

  • Islanders (-142) vs. Rangers
  • Rockets vs. Hawks: Over 224.5 total points (-112)
  • South Dakota (-4.5) vs. Oral Roberts (-112)

Combining the three picks into a Thursday parlay at DraftKings would result in a payout of +510 (risk $100 to win $510). Bet it at DraftKings here: (Odds subject to change)

Islanders (-142) vs. Rangers

The Islanders may be the perceived "little brother" in this New York rivalry, but little brother is dominating big brother this year. The Islanders are 3-0 against the Rangers this season, outscoring the Rangers 12-2 in those contests. The Islanders defeated the Rangers, 5-2, at home on Wednesday and will travel to Madison Square Garden on Thursday, but home ice has't exactly been an advantage for the Rangers this season. They are 6-13-4 at home this season, while the Islanders are 14-10-3 on the road. The Islanders have a 13-point lead on the Rangers (63-50) in the standings, and the model projects value in the Islanders at these odds for Thursday NHL bets. The model projects the Islanders to win in 63% of simulations, compared to the implied odds of 58.7%. Bet the Islanders to win at DraftKings here:

Rockets vs. Hawks: Over 224.5 total points (-112)

The Rockets and Hawks are both playing in the second half of a back-to-back, and fatigue can favor the offense, with teams sometimes playing with lackluster defensive intensity on tired legs. The Hawks are seventh in the NBA in scoring (117.7 points per game) and 25th in team defense (118.4 ppg allowed), which has resulted in the Over hitting in 25 of 49 games. The Rockets are 15th in scoring at 116.3 ppg, and with a superstar like Kevin Durant in the lineup, they are always capable of a high scoring total. The model projects the Over to hit in 62.6% of simulations. Bet the Over to cover at DraftKings here:

South Dakota (-4.5) vs. Oral Roberts (-112)

"They could use another miracle at Oral Roberts as this season has gone off the rails and the Big Dance bids under Paul Mills seem like a dream," legendary SportsLine expert Bruce Marshall said. "Mills, of course, headed off to Wichita State a few years ago, and the Golden Eagles have since sunk to the bottom of the Summit, and not within single digits in their last five losses. Among the many problems is ranking a poor 306th in rebound margin. Meanwhile, the host Coyotes have at least won some games in the Summit, and even minus top scorer Isaac Bruns beat Omaha and pushed top contender St Thomas last week, with EKU transfer guard Jordan Crawford assuming go-to duties, scoring at a 24.3 pg clip the past three." Bet South Dakota to cover at DraftKings here:

Want more NBA, college basketball and NHL picks for Thursday?

You've seen some of the model's Thursday best bets. Now, get against the spread, total and money-line picks for all games, including NFL, NBA, college basketball, NHL, and more, all from the model that's simulated every game 10,000 times.