If you’re looking for the classic daily wager espn picks for today, you probably noticed things look a little different on your TV guide. Honestly, the sports betting landscape just got hit with a massive earthquake. As of January 15, 2026, the show we all knew as Daily Wager (which later became ESPN BET Live) is currently in a state of flux.
ESPN recently nuked its massive partnership with PENN Entertainment and jumped into bed with DraftKings.
What does that mean for your picks? It means the "official" televised show is currently on hiatus while they rebuild the studio and rebrand the whole experience. But the experts haven’t disappeared. They’ve just scattered across the ecosystem, dropping their 2026 divisional round locks and NHL insights in new places.
Where the Daily Wager Experts are Hiding Today
You can't just flip on the 6:00 PM Eastern broadcast right now and see Joe Fortenbaugh's whiteboard. That sucks, I know. But if you've been following Tyler Fulghum, Erin Dolan, and the rest of the crew, they are still grinding out numbers.
For today, January 15, the big focus isn't just on the upcoming NFL Divisional Round—though that's where the heavy money is moving—it's about a sneaky Thursday night NHL slate and a weirdly thin NBA schedule.
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- Erin Dolan’s Prop Strategy: She has been leaning heavily into the "Points + Rebounds" markets for stars like Kawhi Leonard lately, especially with the odds shifts on DraftKings.
- Joe Fortenbaugh’s Take: Look for his picks to surface during SportsCenter segments rather than a dedicated betting show. He’s been eyeing the home favorites in the NHL today, specifically the Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers matchup.
- The Hockey Angle: The Penguins are currently sitting at -152 on the moneyline. Most of the old Daily Wager regulars are seeing a nearly 80% win probability for Pittsburgh at home at PPG Paints Arena tonight.
Daily Wager ESPN Picks for Today: The 2026 Divisional Round Fever
The NFL playoffs are basically the Super Bowl for betting analysts. This weekend's Divisional Round is where the "sharp" money is separating from the "public" money.
The Buffalo Bills vs. Denver Broncos matchup is causing a lot of heated debate in the Bristol offices.
A lot of the analysts who used to populate the Daily Wager desk are split. Some are riding the Bills' momentum, but the "dogs" are barking in Denver. We’re seeing a lot of interest in the Under for the San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks game too. It’s expected to be a muddy, defensive slog. If you’re looking for daily wager espn picks for today that involve long-term value, the "Seattle to cover" narrative is starting to gain a lot of steam among the insiders.
Why the ESPN-DraftKings Shift Matters for Your Bets
It’s not just a name change. When ESPN moved from PENN to DraftKings in late 2025, the actual odds you see on your screen changed.
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The "L-Bar" (that ticker on the side of the screen) now feeds directly from DraftKings' servers. This is huge because DraftKings often has different "boosts" than what we saw back in the PENN era.
"The integration is going to be deeper than just a logo," says one industry insider. "We're talking about one-click betting from the ESPN app."
Basically, if you’re following daily wager espn picks for today, you need to make sure you’re comparing those picks against the live DraftKings lines, because that's what the analysts are looking at when they give their "locks."
The College Hoops Under-the-Radar Plays
Thursday night is always a weird one for college basketball. You've got these mid-major games that nobody watches but the sharps love.
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Specifically, keep an eye on the Big West. Analysts like Bruce Marshall, who often appeared in these betting circles, have noted that the Big West is becoming the "upset league" of 2026. CS Northridge at UC San Diego is the one to watch tonight. Most of the model-based picks are leaning toward the underdogs in these scenarios because the lines haven't fully adjusted to the January fatigue factor.
- Check the injury reports early. In 2026, the NBA "load management" has evolved into "injury maintenance," and it's killing parlay bettors.
- Watch the line movement. If the Penguins move from -152 to -165, the value is gone.
- Follow the individuals. Since the show is on hiatus, follow the analysts' Twitter (X) and Instagram accounts for their "unofficial" daily wager espn picks for today.
What's Next for the Betting Show?
ESPN has confirmed that a "reimagined" version of the betting show will return later in 2026. They’re building a high-tech studio that supposedly uses more augmented reality to show things like "projected paths" for field goals and player movements.
Until then, your daily wager espn picks for today are going to be found in 60-second SportsCenter hits and digital-only podcasts. It's a bit of a scavenger hunt, but the data is still there if you know where to look.
To get the most out of your wagers right now, shift your focus to the DraftKings integrations within the ESPN app. Monitor the specific "Insider" columns on the website, as that's where the deep-dive statistical analysis from the old Daily Wager crew has migrated while the TV show is in the shop for repairs.
Check the latest NHL puck lines for the Penguins game before the 7:00 PM ET puck drop, as the "home favorite" trend is the strongest statistical signal for this Thursday slate.