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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and MLB Previews and Odds - 03/28/2024

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and MLB action.The National Basketball Association has two games on its docket. The Boston Celtics travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 16-point road favorite, with the total set at 227.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Milwaukee Bucks play in New Orleans against the Pelicans at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The National Hockey League has 14 games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Florida Panthers host the New York Islanders as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Philadelphia Flyers are in Montreal to play the Canadiens as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Ottawa Senators play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins are at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Washington Capitals as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes play at home against the Detroit Red Wings at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. Three NHL games drop the puck at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild are at home against the San Jose Sharks as a -375 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The St. Louis Blues host the Calgary Flames as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Winnipeg Jets play at home against the Vegas Golden Knights as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two more NHL games start at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the New York Rangers as a -162 money-line favor with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Los Angeles Kings as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Nashville Predators visit Arizona to play the Coyotes as a -170 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Seattle Kraken play at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars play in Vancouver against the Canucks as a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The college basketball schedule has the first four games in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament. Arizona battles Clemson on CBS at 7:09 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 152.5. Connecticut faces San Diego State on TBS at 7:39 p.m. ET as an 11-point favorite with an over/under of 136.North Carolina challenges Alabama on CBS at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 173.5. Iowa State plays Illinois on TBS at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5. The domestic Opening Day card in Major League Baseball has 13 games on its schedule. The Baltimore Orioles are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 3:05 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Eight MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Cincinnati Reds host the Washington Nationals as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Miami Marlins are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins travel to Kansas City to play the Royals as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Detroit Tigers play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -185 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Houston Astros host the New York Yankees as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres play at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres are at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the St. Louis Cardinals as a -230 money-line favorite, with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Chicago Cubs on ESPN at 7:35 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cleveland Guardians are in Oakland against the A’s at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two more games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Boston Red Sox as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Arizona Cardinals host the Colorado Rockies as a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.

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MLB 2024: AL West Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

AL West Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Houston Astros – 93.5 projected wins. Last season 90 wins. Astros looks so strong with the big acquisition of star closer Josh Hader. That means rock solid Ryan Pressly can be the setup man. One concern for the Astros is other injuries impacting the pitching staff heading into the season and some guys will be out multiple months. The Rangers have similar issues though so this division should be a 3-team race with the Mariners also in the mix. Los Angeles Angels – 72.5 projected wins. Last season 73 wins. Considering Trout having health issues last season and the fact that Ohtani is now in Dodger blue, I just can’t trust Trout to stay healthy all season and carry this team. Though the win totals in the marketplace are in the low 70s, just like last season’s final tally for LA, I just can not see them getting there. They have been struggling in recent seasons and now lost Ohtani. That also hurts their rotation too. This team has a respectable bullpen but I don’t trust their lineup and their pitching rotation seems top-heavy. The Angels struggle again this season. Oakland Athletics – 57.5 projected wins. Last season 50 wins. This organization is a mess and the move to Las Vegas has this team struggling bad in Oakland. It is such a bad situation and this will again be the worst team in the league this season. An unimpressive lineup, a bullpen that is also a weakness, and a starting rotation that has some talented arms but will those guys be traded away before the trade deadline? The A’s are truly just a mess right now and in for another long season. Seattle Mariners – 87.5 projected wins. Last season 88 wins. The Mariners have a solid pitching rotation and they did make some quieter pick-ups in the off-season but they are additions that could pay dividends quicker than people think. One of the keys is that they added some veteran guys with post-season experience and that can pay dividends for a team battling closely with the Astros and Rangers again this season in this division. Julio Rodriguez is a rising star in Seattle too! Texas Rangers – 88.5 projected wins. Last season 90 wins. Scherzer and Mahle and deGrom all have injury issues that are long-term. They are all expected back by mid-season but at varying times and, of course, nothing concrete when it comes to injuries. This team can hit so well however and coming off the huge post-season leading to the title and this team looks similar in strength to the last season with a solid lineup again. 

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MLB 2024: AL Central Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

AL Central Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Chicago White Sox – 61.5 projected wins. Last season 61 wins. There is just not much here with this team and they were near the bottom of the league across the board for most statistical team categories last season. They just do not have the talent in pitchers, relievers, or the lineup. They need to rebuild. Cleveland Guardians – 79.5 projected wins. Last season 76 wins. This team is so bad offensively and did not address that. For that reason I will be surprised if this team tops last season’s 76 wins. Keep in mind, the Tigers have been improving and the Royals look much improved this season. This Guardians club could struggle again. They are decent pitching-wise but will Triston McKenzie be back and pitching the way he use to?Detroit Tigers – 80.5 projected wins. Last season 78 wins. I like rooting for dogs and the Tigers have come a long way from a tougher period in recent seasons. That said, the Tigers could even challenge the Twins in this division. Detroit has a decent lineup. Not great but scrappy and should do enough here to keep them in most games. That’s because their pitching looks quite solid with decent starts and Casey Mize is back in the rotation and is showing glimpses of his 2022 self. Kansas City Royals – 74.5 projected wins. Last season 56 wins. Maybe expecting a 20-win improvement is too much but this team did improve the pitching quite a bit as they re-worked both the rotation and bullpen. Also, the fact the lineup looks mostly the same in terms of position players will at least lead to projected continuity for this group. KC was not a great hitting team last season but they were at least middle of the pack for batting average. In a weak division, they could surprise here. Minnesota Twins – 86.5 projected wins. Last season 87 wins.  Not a great team but strong enough for this division! The Twins took advantage last season of playing in a division in which two of the other 4 teams averaged just 58.5 wins. They have a solid guy at the top of rotation in Pablo Lopez but I don’t trust their other guys too much outside of Joe Ryan. This team has a solid lineup at the top but again it really is questionable at the back. They are the top team in the Central but will not dominate.

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MLB 2024: AL East Division Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

AL East Division Preview for MLB 2024First number is the estimated projected wins per sportsbook odds while the second number is last season’s win total. This is followed by quick information on each team that likely impacts their season.Baltimore Orioles – 90.5 projected wins. Last season 101 wins. Many were down on the Orioles coming into 2023 and saying they overachieved in 2022. In my season preview last year I referenced this and also stated I did not agree at all. Baltimore went on to have a huge season again! Now again they are being projected to regress but this still looks like the team to beat in the East and they added a key starting pitcher in Corbin Burnes. Overall, this Orioles team remains quite loaded with youth and talent.Boston Red Sox – 77.5 projected wins. Last season 78 wins. Bad breaks continue for this once-proud Red Sox team. They signed Lucas Giolito this offseason and then found out their prized starting pitcher acquisition will end up missing this season due to injury. The Red Sox already have an injury issue in the bullpen too. Look for overs with this team in the right situations as Boston a decent lineup – particularly with some big sticks in the middle of the order. So with suspect pitching an issue again, this team could be involved in quite a few slugfest games. New York Yankees – 91.5 projected wins. Last season 82 wins. It is already starting. Another season possibly impacted by significant injury issues. LeMahieu may not be back very soon, but will he be 100% or could this work into a longer-term thing? Also, Cole is a longer-term thing for sure and losing a key starting pitcher like that for at least a couple months (most likely) can really hurt a team’s season! I know the Yankees are projected to contend for the AL East title but this team so often underachieves!Tampa Bay Rays – 84.5 projected wins. Last season 99 wins. As you can tell by their projected win total, this team has really regressed. They will likely struggle to reach a .500 season after winning nearly 100 games last season. Keep in mind, the Rays went only 48-41 their final 89 games of the season. Tyler Glasnow now is gone. Of course the team had the Wander Franco disaster last season and his huge production is now gone forever from MLB as he has huge legal problems in the Dominican Republic. The Rays still have a solid lineup but their pitching has taken massive long-term injury hits too in addition to losing Glasnow. McClanahan out for season and Springs and Rasmussen already set to miss significant time. This team, especially being in the tough AL East, looks like they will fall short of this projected win total this season. Toronto Blue Jays – 86.5 projected wins. Last season 89 wins. The loss of Matt Chapman hurts this lineup and, of course, the AL East is considered by most to be the toughest division in baseball. This is still a solid bullpen and their starting rotation helped carry the team last season. Though strong through the first 3 guys in the rotation they drop off toward the back, especially with Mahoah struggling again this spring. Both he and Gausman are dealing with shoulder issues. It is a concerning start to the season with more injury issues. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/27/2024

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2024

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has 12 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 10.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 206.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Orlando Magic host the Golden State Warriors as a 6-point favorite, with an over/under of 218. The Brooklyn Nets play in Washington against the Wizards as a 3.5-point road favorite, with a total of 224. Three NBA games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Hawks play at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 215.55. The Los Angeles Clippers are in Philadelphia to play the 76ers on ESPN as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 218. The New York Knicks visit Toronto to play the Raptors as a 13-point road favorite with an over/under of 208.5. Four NBA games begin at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Indiana Pacers play in Chicago against the Bulls as a 2.5-point road favorite, with a total of 234. The Los Angeles Lakers are in Memphis to play the Grizzles as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 220.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves are at home against the Detroit Pistons as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 215. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Houston Rockets as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 230.5. The Utah Jazz play at home against the San Antonio Spurs at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 230.5. The Denver Nuggets are at home against the Phoenix Suns on ESPN at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 226.5. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The Buffalo Sabres host the Ottawa Senators at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning play at home against the Boston Bruins on TNT at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The college basketball schedule has four games on its schedule. The championship game of the College Basketball Invitational with Seattle University battling High Point on a neutral court at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. ET. The Redhawks won for the third straight time with their 75-58 victory against Fairfield as a 6.5-point favorite yesterday. The Panthers won for the third time in their last four games with their 81-80 victory against Arkansas State as a 1.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Seattle University is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 151. The College Insider Tournament championship game has IUPUI-Fort Wayne playing at Norfolk State at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Mastodons won for the fifth time in their last six games with their 73-72 upset win at Tarleton State as a 6-point underdog on Monday. The Spartans won for the fourth time in their previous five games with their 84-66 victory against Alabama A&M as a 9-point favorite on Saturday. Fort Wayne is a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.5. The quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament conclude with two games on ESPN2. Seton Hall is at home against UNLV at 7 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 141. Utah hosts VCU on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5.

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The NBA's Home Stretch

by AAA Sports

Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024

There are still a few weeks to go in the NBA regular season and no one knows how things are going to shake down, but the league is starting to confront the possibility that one or two of its legacy franchises could be knocked out before even getting to a 7-game series or – horrors – not even qualify for the Play-In Tournament.At this writing, the Lakers and Warriors are squeezed into the Western Conference 9 and 10 spots, respectively, and if the playoffs started tonight they would play a one-and-done NCAA Tourney-type game in Los Angeles for the right to play another team and get to the actual first round.And as if contemplating the playoffs without LeBron James or Steph Curry isn’t stomach-turning enough for the league and its TV partners, a red-hot Houston Rockets team has come out of nowhere with nine wins in its last 10 games, and could replace the Lakers or Warriors before the post-season even gets rolling.For Warriors fans, who are not used to living on the verge of the lottery, the odds are a bit numbing. Basketball Reference’s Playoff Possibility Report gives GS a 25 percent chance of getting to the playoffs proper (88 percent to get to the Play-In).As for the Lakers, more than a few eyebrows were raised on Sunday night when LA lived at the free throw line (43 FTs) and put a 150 spot in a must-have win over the Pacers (16 FTs). James & Co. start a 6-game road trip Tuesday night and have only three more games at home, including an April 9 battle against Golden State that looks like it will have playoff implications.Houston, meanwhile, seems undervalued with just a 6.3 percent chance of getting to the Final 8 in the West.---Caleb Williams appears locked in as the overall No. 1 pick in next month’s draft, but there might be a curveball at No. 2. For a few months the Mocks have had Washington taking Jaden Daniels or Drake Maye, but there are reports that the Commanders came away impressed with J.J. McCarthy after his pro day. The Patriots, drafting at 3, were believed to be turning aside all trade offers, but new coach Jerrod Mayo was quoted as saying that they would consider moving down. If Washington does taking McCarthy second, that might allow the Pats to move down in the first round and STILL get Daniels or Maye. Or not. For the record, FanDuel still has Daniels at -180 going to Washington.---What did Shohei Ohtani know and when did he know it? That’s the big question in MLB these days. Was he ripped off by his interpreter or (yikes) was the interpreter laying bets for Ohtani? The player claims it’s the former and that he never bet on sports, and that his interpreter was taking money – which raises the question as to how his former BFF got access to Ohtani’s ample bank account. Seems like there’s more to this than is now public. But none of this seems to have affected Ohtani’s MVP odds, which opened at +1000 and now rest in the +750 range in most books.---Joe Biden is back on top – barely – in wagering at the Predictit.org website, with the numbers pretty much reflecting a rash of recent polls that show him narrowly ahead of Donald Trump. There has been minimal movement at Predictit, and the only interesting aspect is that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is even with gadfly candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. in a distant tie for third.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/26/2024

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 26, 2024

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has four games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Bucks host the Golden State Warriors on TNT as an 8.5-point favorite, with the total set at 233.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Golden State Warriors travel to Miami to play the Heat as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 217. The Oklahoma City Thunder play in New Orleans against the Pelicans at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 224. The Sacramento Kings play at home against the Dallas Mavericks on TNT at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 1-point favorite with an over/under of 236.5. The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Washington Capitals are at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Florida Panthers host the Boston Bruins as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Rangers play at home against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Carolina Hurricanes are in Pittsburgh to play the Penguins as a -192 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs are at home against the New Jersey Devils at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Nashville Predators host the Vegas Golden Knights as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Edmonton Oilers visit Winnipeg to play the Jets as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Calgary Flames play in Chicago against the Blackhawks at 8:37 p.m. ET as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Colorado Avalanche play at home against the Montreal Canadiens at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -410 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games begin at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Arizona Coyotes are at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Seattle Kraken hosts the Anaheim Ducks as a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Dallas Stars are in San Jose to play the Sharks at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -425 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has four games on its schedule. The quarterfinals of the National Invitational Tournament begin with two games on ESPN. Ohio State plays at home against Georgia at 7 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 150.5. Indiana State is at home against Cincinnati at 9 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 154.5. The semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational take place on a neutral court at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, on ESPN2. High Point battles Arkansas State as a 2.5-point favorite at BetOnline. Seattle challenges Fairfield as a 6-point favorite at BetOnline. 

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NHL Off the Post: March 25th

by Sean Murphy

Monday, Mar 25, 2024

We're less than a month away from the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here's a quick look around the league at some of the key battles for playoff positioning entering the stretch run.Blues in the greenThe St. Louis Blues were an afterthought in the Western Conference playoff race just a few weeks ago but they're firmly in the mix now thanks to a 6-1 surge highlighted by an incredible six upset victories (closed as +110 or higher underdogs in all six wins). They'll begin a critical four-game homestand on Tuesday as they host the Vegas Golden Knights. The Blues are currently four points behind the Knights for the final Wild Card spot in the West but Vegas has a game-in-hand. St. Louis doesn't realistically have enough runway left to catch the Winnipeg Jets for third place in the Central Division (Winnipeg sits 14 points ahead of St. Louis with 11 games remaining). Three's a crowdThere are currently three teams vying for top spot in the Western Conference with the Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars separated by just a single point. The Canucks and Avs figure to have a slight advantage having played one less game than the Stars. Of course, top spot may not be an enviable position given the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights are the most likely team to earn the final playoff spot in the West. A first-round date with supremely-talented Vegas might just be the worst-case scenario for the three front-runners.Metro boomin'Just one point separates the New York Rangers from the Carolina Hurricanes at the top of the Metropolitan Division standings. New York has reeled off four wins in its last five games and will have the benefit of playing at home in seven of its final 11 regular season contests. Note that the Blueshirts won't face the Canes again in the regular season. Carolina has just 10 games left on its regular season schedule with six of those coming on the road. It does have the benefit of closing out the season with a manageable two-game road trip to Chicago and Columbus to face two of the league's weakest teams.Capital punishmentIt seemed as if Alex Ovechkin's chase of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal-scoring record would be the only reason to pay attention to the Washington Capitals down the stretch but instead they've gone on a remarkable run to put themselves in Wild Card position with 12 games left to play. The Caps are 12-6 over their last 18 games to push a single point ahead of the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff spot in the East. Up next is a date with, you guessed it, the Red Wings in the Nation's Capital on Tuesday. The Caps will also travel to Detroit to face the Wings one final time in the regular season on April 9th. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/25/2024

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Mar 25, 2024

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has 11 games on its docket. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Charlotte Hornets at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 12-point favorite, with the total set at 205 (all odds from DraftKings). Three NBA games tip off at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks as a 12-point road favorite with an over/under of 226. The New York Knicks play at home against the Detroit Pistons as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 207. The Brooklyn Nets play in Toronto against the Raptors as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 215.5.Three NBA games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Chicago Bulls are at home against the Washington Wizards as a 13-point favorite with a total of 225. The Houston Rockets host the Portland Trail Blazers as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 221. The Phoenix Suns are in San Antonio to play the Spurs as a 12.5-point road favorite with a total of 233. Two NBA games begin at 9:10 p.m. ET. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 213.5. The Dallas Mavericks visit Utah to play the Jazz as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 234. The Sacramento Kings are home against the Philadelphia 76ers at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 219. The Los Angeles Clippers host the Indiana Pacers at 10:40 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 233.5. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The Vegas Golden Knights play in St. Louis against the Blues as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Vancouver Canucks play at home against the Los Angeles Kings at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5.The college basketball schedule has five games on its schedule. Four games take place in the quarterfinals of the College Basketball Invitational taking place at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. High Point battles Cleveland State at noon ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 155. Arkansas State plays Montana at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. Fairfield battles Chicago State as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143.5. Seattle University goes against Evansville at 6:30 p.m. ET as an 8-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Tarleton State faces IUPUI-Fort Wayne at 7 p.m. ET in the semifinals of the College Basketball Invitational. The Texans won for the third time in their last four games with their 86-59 victory against Abilene Christian in the opening round of the CIT as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday. The Mastodons won for the fourth time in their last five games after their 77-75 victory at Bowling Green in a pick ‘em game on Wednesday. Tarleton State is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 151.5. 

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Copa Libertadores Group Betting Futures (2024 Season)

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Sunday, Mar 24, 2024

The Copa Libertadores group stage is back and will be starting on Tuesday, April 2nd for the 2024 season. This competition has a rich history of Argentinian clubs dominating with 4 of the 5 most winningest clubs being from the country, but in recent years Brazil has begun to dominate with Brazilian clubs winning the last 5 straight as well as 6 of the last 7 titles. Despite having just 3 different teams win the title in the last 5 years, there is still a lot of value to be found in the group betting as there have been many good teams from different countries, other than Brazil and Argentina, who have made it through the group stage and caused some problems in the knockouts as well. With the group stage now just around the corner, it is time to see who has some value to make it out of the group stage. Group Winners Group B: Group B is the group consisting of Sao Paulo -275, Talleres de Cordoba +400, Barcelona Guayaquil +550, and Cobresal +3300. Sao Paulo is the clear favorite to win this group at -275 but they are not a very dominant team so this is a steep price for them to win this group. Sao Paulo does have a very good defense that does not concede many goals, but their attack struggles to score goals, especially away from home. Leaning on their defense may be enough to qualify but they are going to struggle to pick up the points needed to win this group with that weaker attack. They won their group in Copa Sudamericana last season but they are going to be playing with much stronger competition here. Talleres has been on the rise recently as they finished in 2nd place last season in Argentina, behind River Plate who won the title, and they have a very good attack that is going to be able to bail them out of tight situations. Their defense has not been great to start the season but they did have one of the best defenses in their domestic league last season so they are going to be a very dangerous team in this group once they tighten up their defense. Talleres is a real threat to win this group with the talent they have and there is a lot of value in them here, Talleres to win Group B at +400. Group C: Group C is the group consisting of Gremio -175, Estudiantes +250, The Strongest +600, Huachipato +2000. Gremio is coming into this competition as the favorite to win their group, but this is not the same team that did so well in the Brasileirao Serie A last season. Gremio came up from Serie B last season and made an immediate impact in Serie A as they acquired some big names including stars like Luis Suarez. They came close to winning the domestic league last season and did finish in the top 3, but now Suarez has left for Miami as well as some of their other talented players leaving and they are not going to be as good as they were last year. This club is due for some regression after performing so well in their 1st season up from Serie B and they are going to regress this year with the talent they lost. They are also going to have the added challenge of having to play extra midweek matches in this competition which is not something they had to do last season, usually focusing on just 1 match per week. They do not have the depth to dominate in this competition while also maintaining standing in the domestic league. Estudiantes has been improving in Argentina over the last year as they finished 5th in the domestic league last season and they also performed very well in their Copa Sudamericana group. They finished in 2nd place of their Copa Sudamericana group last season, but they were actually unfortunate as they were tied for 1st with 14 points but lost the group on goal differential despite scoring 14 goals and allowing just 1 in their 6 group matches. Estudiantes is going to be focused on this competition as it has been a very long time since they last won it, last winning the title in 2009, and they have had success in this competition since they are 5th on the all time list with 4 titles. Estudiantes has the talent to win this group with Gremio due for some regression this season, Estudiantes to win Group C at +250. Group D: Group D is the group consisting of Botafogo -125, LDU Quito +150, Junior Barranquilla +800, and Universitario de Deportes +2000. Botafogo is the favorite to win this group and for good reason as they were one of the best teams in Brazil last season, coming very close to winning the title. They were a very good team and were leading the domestic league for most of the season, but in the final weeks of the season they really cracked under the pressure and blew their massive lead. They have a lot to focus on this season as they are going to be trying to recover from that monumental collapse at the end of last season while also trying to focus on going deeper into this competition. They have the talent to do well in this group but they do not have a lot of depth as they showed last season when they started to pick up injuries. They have not been in this competition in years either as the last time they were in Copa Libertadores was back in 2017 so there is a good chance the pressure will get to them once again. They do not have a walkover in this group either since they are in a group with LDU Quito who has a very good team. LDU Quito actually has more experience in this competition recently than Botafogo as their last appearance was back in 2021, but LDU Quito are also the defending champions of Copa Sudamericana as they won that competition last year. LDU Quito knows the grind of this competition much better than Botafogo does right now and that is going to help LDU Quito get through this group and even win it. LDU Quito to win Group D at +150. Group Qualification Group B: One team that has a lot of value to qualify from this group is Talleres at -138. Talleres was mentioned earlier as a potential threat to win this group outright so -138 is not a bad price at all for them just to qualify even in 2nd place. Talleres to qualify at -138. Group C: One team that has a lot of value to qualify from this group is The Strongest at +175. The Strongest is a club that has been very consistent over the last few years. They have not made it out of the Copa Libertadores group stage in the last 3 years, but they have made it to the Copa Libertadores group stage the last 3 straight seasons. Last season they finished last in the group but they are going to have a group with some weaker competition this time. Huachipato is a team they will have no problems with and even Gremio as well as Estudiantes could easily be defeated as they have not been dominant teams in recent times. The Strongest also has a huge advantage in their home matches since they are from Bolivia so teams have to play in a very high altitude that they are not used to, usually leading to weaker squads traveling for these matches. The Strongest to qualify at +175. Group E: One team that has a lot of value to qualify from this group is Bolivar at +100. Bolivar returned to Copa Libertadores last season after missing the year prior, but they surely made an impact as they qualified from their group in 2nd place. They have been a very dominant team in their domestic league over the last year and they managed to get out of a very tough group last season, even pulling off a win over Palmeiras, the group winner. Bolivar also has a big advantage in their home matches as they play in Bolivia in a very high altitude so teams that come to visit do not usually do well, just as Palmeiras lost there last year. Their strong home advantage gives them a big edge over the other teams in this group as those will be precious home points that will be very tough for even the best team in the group to take from them. Bolivar to qualify at +100. Group G: One team that has a lot of value to qualify from this group is Penarol at +100. Atletico Mineiro likely has this group locked up but the 2nd place spot is up for grabs as there is no clear 2nd best team in this group. Rosario Central has slightly better odds to qualify from this group, but they are not a very dominant team in their domestic league and they have a very weak attack that struggles to score goals as well. Penarol may play in a weaker domestic league but they dominate that league with a very potent attack that finds the net often. They also have a very good defense that does not concede many goals and that will take them far in this group stage when fighting for 2nd place. This is also a competition that Penarol will be highly focused on since they missed Copa Libertadores last season and they have had a lot of success in the competition as they are 3rd on the all time list with 5 titles as well as 5 times being the runners up. Penarol to qualify at +100.

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Copa Libertadores Futures (2024 Season)

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Sunday, Mar 24, 2024

The Copa Libertadores group stage is back and will be starting on Tuesday, April 2nd for the 2024 season. This competition has a rich history of Argentinian clubs dominating with 4 of the 5 most winningest clubs being from the country, but in recent years Brazil has begun to dominate with Brazilian clubs winning the last 5 straight as well as 6 of the last 7 titles. Fluminense are the defending champions from the 2023 season and now with the 2024 season right around the corner, it is time to see who has the best chance of winning the title this year. To Win Outright Flamengo +350: Flamengo is coming into this season as the team with the best chance to win the title according to the oddsmakers. Flamengo is always a threat to win this competition as they have been one of the powers in Brazilian football over the last few years. Last season, they finished in 4th place in the Brasileirao Serie A, but they fizzled out of this competition in the Round of 16 against Olimpia. That exit has definitely left a bad taste in their mouths and they will be pushing to win this competition once again, making a much deeper run this season. Flamengo has been very good in the Copa Libertadores over the last 5 years as they have won the title 2 times and were the runners up 1 time in that span. This will be a competition they are focused on winning this year as they last won it in 2022 and they have not lost much talent from their team last season. They have actually improved in some key areas as their defense needed help and they have brought in some solid defenders in Leo Ortiz and Matias Vina to provide some depth when their squad is thin. They also picked up a defensive minded midfielder in Allan from Atletico Mineiro, as well as bringing in central midfielder Nicolas de la Cruz from River Plate. This Flamengo team already has a lot of potent attacking talent as well and they added to it with a young star in Matheus Goncalves. Flamengo struggled with their form last season to stay consistent but with the additions they have made for this season, they have been playing much better as they are ending their Carioca season very hot and great on defense, going into the Brasileirao in great form to start the season. Flamengo is going to be one of the dominant clubs in South America this season once again and they are a real threat to winning this title.  Palmeiras +400: Palmeiras is coming into this season as the team with the next best chance at winning the title according to the oddsmakers. Palmeiras is another team that is always a threat to win this competition as they have been one of the powers in Brazilian football over the last few years. Last season, they won the Brasileirao Serie A Title but they fell short in the Copa Libertadores semi final against Boca Juniors. Palmeiras is going to be more focused on this competition this season after getting so close last year, especially since they won the league title last season as well. They have the talent on their team to make a deep run here, but their depth will be an issue as they get deeper into the competition. They did add some depth in the transfer window but they did not bring in any talent that is going to have a big impact on the pitch for them. They are also going to lose one of their star players midway through the season as Endrick will be leaving for Real Madrid in July. Palmeiras has been in good form in their Paulista Serie A1 as the season is coming to an end soon, but their defense has been allowing quite a few goals in their matches. This defense has regressed from last season and although Palmeiras has the talent to get them deep into this competition, their defense is what will be their dagger when they go up against a stronger team with a good attack and better defense. There are better options in this competition this season as it is not going to be Palmeiras’ year to win the title.  Fluminense +600: Fluminense is coming into this season as the team with the next best chance at winning the title according to the oddsmakers. Fluminense finished last season in 7th place in the Brasileirao Serie A but they did go on a run in this competition out of nowhere, beating Boca Juniors in the finals and winning the Copa Libertadores Title. Their run last season did not really come out of nowhere as they were the best team in the Carioca that season and came into the 2023 season playing in such great form that it translated throughout the season, especially in this competition, but they are nowhere near that form coming into this season as they have been awful in their Carioca. It is also going to be very hard for them to repeat as champions since Palmeiras was the last team to do it in 2021-2022, and it does not happen often as the last team to do it prior to Palmeiras was Boca Juniors back in 2000-2001. Furthermore, that title win last season was the only Copa Libertadores Title that Fluminense has ever won in their club history. Fluminense did bring in a lot of players in the transfer window to try and keep their success this season, but a lot of the players they brought in were either older players past the age of 30 or very young players under 20 who do not have much experience playing at this level. It has really shown in the way they have been playing in the Carioca this season and their defense is simply not up to the same standard as it was last year which was good enough to get them to the finals. Fluminense is not going to have a lot of success in this competition this season and they are not going to repeat as champions this year. River Plate +600: River Plate is coming into this season as the team with the next best chance at winning the title according to the oddsmakers. River Plate was the best team in Argentina last season by far as they won the Liga Profesional de Futbol Title with an 11 point lead over 2nd place. They did not have a lot of success in Copa Libertadores though as they were knocked out by Internacional in the Round of 16. River Plate has had a lot of success in this competition in their club history as they are the 4th winningest club of all time, winning 4 Copa Libertadores Titles as well as being the runners up 3 times, but the last time they won the competition was back in 2018 as the Brazilians have been dominant in recent years. River Plate was actually the last non-Brazilian club to win the competition, but this is not the same team that won the domestic league last season. River Plate lost some major talent in the transfer windows and it has really reflected in the way they have been playing in the Copa de la Liga Profesional. They lost 2 key pieces in their attack with the departures of central midfielder Nicolas de la Cruz and center-forward Lucas Beltran. They also lost a lot of other talented players which they did not replace with players nearly as talented. River Plate is still going to a force in Argentina this season as they always are, but they do not have the talent to take on some of the stronger teams in this competition. River Plate does not have a good chance at winning the Copa Libertadores Title this season.  RecommendationThere are plenty of teams on the list to win this competition but Brazil has the strongest clubs in all of South America right now and with the recent domination of the competition by Brazilian clubs, in reality, these are the 4 best clubs with a real shot at winning. Of these 4 clubs, there is only 1 that is clearly above all others and they are going to have the motivation this season after missing out on winning any trophies last season. This team is refocused this season, they have the talent, they have the depth, and they have won the competition twice in the last 5 years. Flamengo at +350 is the best option to win the 2024 Copa Libertadores Title.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/24/2024

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Mar 24, 2024

The Sunday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. The New Orleans Pelicans travel to Detroit to play the Pistons at 3:10 p.m. ET as a 12-point road favorite, with the total set at 213.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Los Angeles Clippers host the Philadelphia 76ers at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 214.5. The Miami Heat play at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers at 6:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 203.Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Bucks are at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Golden State Warriors as a 3-point favorite, with a total of 219. The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Indiana Pacers at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 241.The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. The Winnipeg Jets play in Washington against the Capitals at 12:37 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche play at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins on TNT at 2:07 p.m. ET as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Islanders are at home against the New Jersey Devils at 5:07 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Three NHL games drop the puck at 6:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes host the Toronto Maple Leafs as a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers are in Ottawa to play the Senators as a -192 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Florida Panthers visit Philadelphia to play the Flyers as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Dallas Stars play in Arizona against the Coyotes at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Tampa Bay Lightning are in Anaheim to play the Ducks at 8:37 p.m. ET as a -225 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Seattle Kraken play at home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Buffalo Sabres visit Calgary to play the Flames as a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has 17 games, with 13 contests on national television. The second round of the NCAA tournament concludes with eight games on national television. Marquette is at home against Colorado on CBS at 12:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 147.5. Purdue hosts Utah State on CBS at 2:40 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 149.5. Duke plays at home against James Madison on CBS at 5:15 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 148. Baylor is at home against Clemson on TNT at 6:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.Alabama hosts Grand Canyon on TBS at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 169. Connecticut plays at home against Northwestern on truTV at 7:45 p.m. ET as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Houston is at home against Texas A&M on TNT at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 10-point favorite with a total of 134.5. San Diego State hosts Yale on TBS at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 129.The second round of the National Invitational Tournament concludes with five games. Indiana State plays at home against Minnesota on ESPN2 at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 163. Wake Forest is at home against Georgia on ESPN2 at 4:00 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 157.5. South Florida hosts VCU on ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 143. Utah plays at home against Iowa on ESPN2 at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 166. UNLV is at home against Boston College on ESPNU at 9:30 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 144.

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