See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bets

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Ben Burns - 12/18/2014 2:09 PM

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you're betting. Whether it's a team looking past this week's opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots. Expert Ben Burns points out his favorites:

Lookahead spot

The Toronto Raptors aren't home for the holidays this season, kicking off a six-game road trip that extends into the New Year in Chicago Monday. The Raptors play the Bulls, then have some time off for Christmas before picking back up in L.A. on December 27. But before Toronto escapes the cold Canadian winter for stops in Los Angeles, Denver, Portland, Golden State and Phoenix, it hosts the New York Knicks at the Air Canada Centre this Sunday.

It's a tough spot for the Dinos, who not only look ahead to Monday's date in the Windy City, but will undoubtedly have plenty of players trying to organize their holiday plays before this home game. Toronto plays in Detroit Friday then has a day off before Sunday's contest against the Knicks - not a lot of time to fit in family and basketball.

Letdown spot

You've done it. You've made the grade and been rewarded with a nice year-end bonus and a bowl game. The UTEP Miners are enjoying this warm fuzzy feeling for the first time since 2010, snapping a five-year bowl drought with a spot in the New Mexico Bowl against Utah State on Dec. 20 - the opening weekend of college football's bowl season.

The Miners are 10-point underdogs - one of three double-digit bowl dogs - and for good reason. Texas El Paso, which scrapes in bowl season on a 7-5 SU record (9-3 ATS), is 1-5 SU away from home and went 3-3 ATS on the road, compared to a perfect 6-0 ATS mark at home. The Miners punched their ticket to the postseason with a thrilling 3-point victory over Middle Tennessee in the season finale and may be just happy to be bowling come Saturday.

Schedule spot

The St. Mary's Gaels are putting some miles on their frequent flyer card this month. The Gaels just returned from Omaha, Nebraska with an OT win over Creighton and host Northern Arizona in Moraga Tuesday before jumping on other plane, crossing the country for a showdown with the St. John's Red Storm in New York City Friday.

St. Mary's is scheduled to play the Johnnies at Carnesecca Arena for a 7 p.m. ET start - 4 p.m. back home in California. The Gaels have played outside of the Golden State just once this season - at Creighton - and only went as far East as Minnesota last season, losing to the Golden Gophers in the NIT. The Red Storm are one of the hottest teams in college hoops and will have a heavy home-court edge Friday.

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