Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/22/2025

Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Detroit travels to Pittsburgh with the Tigers sending out Casey Mize to pitch against the Pirates’ Mitch Keller. The Tigers are a -149 money-line road favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). Cleveland hosts Baltimore with Joey Cantillo getting the ball for the Guardians to face Brandon Young for the Orioles. The Guardians are a -143 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. San Diego plays in Miami with the Padres, tapping Stephen Kolek to take on the Marlins’ Edward Cabrera. Two MLB games start at 6:45 p.m. ET. Philadelphia plays at home against Boston on TBS/truTV/Max with Cristopher Sanchez taking the mound for the Phillies to battle Richard Fitts for the Red Sox. The Phillies are a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Cincinnati is in Washington, with the Reds turning to Chase Burns to go against the Nationals’ Brad Lord. The Reds are a -136 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays are home against the New York Yankees at 7:07 p.m. ET. Max Scherzer takes the mound for the Blue Jays to challenge Cam Schittler for the Yankees. Toronto is a -131 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets host the Los Angeles Angels at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Mets turn to Frankie Montas to pitch against the Angels’ Kyle Hendricks. New York is a -176 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the San Francisco Giants at 7:15 p.m. ET. Davis Daniel takes the mound for the Braves to face Landen Roupp for the Giants. Atlanta is a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are home against the Chicago White Sox at 7:35 p.m. ET. The Rays tap Drew Rasmussen to battle the White Sox’s Davis Martin. Two MLB games begin at 8:05 p.m. ET. Chicago hosts Kansas City with Matthew Boyd getting the ball for the Cubs to take on Rich Hill for the Royals. Texas plays at home against the Athletics, with the Rangers sending out Jacob deGrom to challenge the Athletics’ J.T. Ginn. The St. Louis Cardinals visit Colorado to take on the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. Erick Fedde gets the starting assignment for the Cardinals to face Bradley Blalock for the Rockies. St. Louis is a -157 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 12. Two MLB games start at 9:40 p.m. ET. Houston plays in Arizona, with the Astros tapping Framber Valdez to pitch against the Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez. The Astros are a -126 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Seattle is home against Milwaukee with Logan Gilbert taking the ball for the Mariners to go against Jacob Misiorowski for the Brewers. The Mariners are a -1267 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Minnesota Twins at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers tap Yoshinobu Yamamoto to take on the Twins’ Simeon Woods Richardson. Los Angeles is a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with its first semifinal match in the knockout stage. England battles Italy on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/21/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 21, 2025

The Monday sports card features MLB action. Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled.Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Cleveland hosts Baltimore with the Guardians sending out Tanner Bibee to pitch against the Orioles’ Tomoyuki Sugano. The Guardians are a -138 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Pittsburgh plays at home against Detroit with Paul Skenes taking the ball for the Pirates to face Jack Flaherty for the Tigers. The Pirates are a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Miami is at home against San Diego with the Marlins tapping Eury Perez to take on the Padres’ Randy Vasquez. The Marlins are a -136 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games start at 6:45 p.m. ET. Philadelphia hosts Boston with Zack Wheeler taking the hill for the Phillies to challenge Walker Buehler for the Red Sox. The Phillies are a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Cincinnati travels to Washington with the Reds turning to Brady Singer to pitch against the Nationals’ Jake Irvin. The Reds are a -137 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The New York Yankees play in Toronto against the Toronto Blue Jays at 7:07 p.m. ET. Carlos Rodon grabs the ball for the Yankees to battle against Kevin Gausman for the Blue Jays. New York is a -119 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Mets play at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Mets turn to Kodai Senga to go against the Angels’ Tyler Anderson. New York is a -197 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves are home against the San Francisco Giants at 7:15 p.m. ET. Bryce Elder takes the hill for the Braves to face Hayden Birdsong for the Giants. Atlanta is a -131 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Chicago White Sox at 7:35 p.m. ET. The Rays send out Shane Baz to challenge the White Sox’s Sean Burke. Tampa Bay is a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games begin at 8:05 p.m. ET. Texas plays at home against the Athletics with Jack Leiter getting the starting pitcher assignment against Jacob Lopez for the Athletics. The Rangers are a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Chicago is home against Kansas City, with Ryan Brasier getting the ball for the Cubs to take on Noah Cameron for the Royals. The Cubs are a -144 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The St. Louis Cardinals are on the road against the Colorado Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Cardinals tap Michael McGreevy to battle against the Rockies' Austin Gomber. St. Louis is a -149 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 11.5. Two MLB games start at 9:40 p.m. ET. Arizona hosts Houston with Zac Gallen taking the mound for the Diamondbacks to pitch against Colton Gordon for the Astros. The Diamondbacks are a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Seattle plays at home against Milwaukee with the Mariners tapping George Kirby to face the Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff. The Mariners are a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against the Minnesota Twins at 10:10 p.m. ET. Shohei Ohtani takes his turn in the Dodgers' starting rotation to challenge David Festa for the Twins. Los Angeles is a -207 money-line favorite with a total of 9.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 07/20/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 20, 2025

The Sunday sports card features MLB and CFL action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Toronto Blue Jays host the San Francisco Giants on Roku at 12:05 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays send out Jose Berrios to take the mound to pitch against the Giants’ Robbie Ray. Toronto is a -115 money-line favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 12:10 p.m. ET as a -127 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Four more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates are home against the Chicago White Sox as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Los Angeles Angels as a -187 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the New York Yankees as a -132 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The San Diego Padres travel to Washington to take on the Nationals as a -117 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Three MLB games start at 1:40 p.m. ET. The New York Mets are home against the Cincinnati Reds as a -156 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cleveland Guardians host the Athletics as a -139 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals play in Miami against the Marlins as a -127 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Boston Red Sox are in Chicago to face the Cubs at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The Minnesota Twins visit Colorado to take on the Rockies as a -257 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. Three MLB games begin at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals as a -144 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against the Milwaukee Brewers as a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Seattle Mariners host the Houston Astros as a -119 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN features the Detroit Tigers playing in Texas against the Rangers at 7:10 p.m. ET. Tarik Skubal takes the ball for the Tigers to face Jacob Latz for the Rangers. Detroit is a -194 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. Week 7 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are on the road against the Ottawa Redblacks at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Tiger-Cats are on a three-game winning streak after their 23-20 victory at home against the Redblacks as a 5-point favorite last Saturday. They are in second place in the East Division with a 3-2 record, trailing the 4-2 Montreal Alouettes by a half game. Ottawa is on a three-game losing streak, and they are tied in last place with Toronto in the East Division with a 1-5 record. Hamilton is a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 54.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/19/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

The Saturday sports card features MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The San Francisco Giants travel to Toronto to play the Blue Jays at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The New York Mets host the Cincinnati Reds as a -181 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals play in Miami against the Marlins as a -121 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5.The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 6:05 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates are home against the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres are in Washington against the Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -145 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games start at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Rays are home against the Baltimore Orioles as a -121 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Texas Rangers host the Detroit Tigers as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Athletics at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Three MLB games begin at 7:15 p.m. ET. The New York Yankees visit Atlanta to take on the Braves as a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two more MLB games are featured on Fox’s regional coverage. St. Louis plays in Arizona with the Cardinals sending out Sonny Gray to pitch against the Diamondbacks’ Ryne Nelson. The Cardinals are a -119 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Chicago is home against Boston with Shota Imanaga taking the ball for the Cubs to face Bryan Bello for the Red Sox. The Cubs are a -151 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Minnesota Twins are in Colorado to take on the Rockies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -187 money-line road favorite with a total of 11.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers at 9:10 p.m. ET as a -136 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the Houston Astros at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -123 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Week 7 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The British Columbia Lions are home against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 52.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with its final quarterfinal match in the knockout stage. France challenges Germany at the St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland, on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET. Les Bleus are a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/18/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 18, 2025

The Friday sports card features MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball returns from the All-Star break with 15 games scheduled. The Chicago Cubs host the Boston Red Sox at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -136 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -163 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres travel to Washington to face the Nationals as a -157 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays host the San Francisco Giants at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three more MLB games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Athletics as a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets are home against the Cincinnati Reds as a -164 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Kansas City Royals play in Miami against the Marlins as a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees are in Atlanta to take on the Braves at 7:15 p.m. ET, with both teams priced as -110 money-line favorites. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles at 7:35 p.m. ET as a -124 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Detroit Tigers visit Texas to challenge the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET as a -121 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -172 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line favorite. Two more games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Seattle Mariners are home against the Houston Astros as a -144 money-line favorite. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers as a -194 money-line favorite. Week 7 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play at home against the Calgary Stampeders on the CBS Sports Network at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Blue Bombers had won three games in a row before their 37-16 upset loss on the road against the Stampeders as a 5-point favorite on July 3rd. Calgary won for the fourth time in their last five games in a 24-10 upset victory at Saskatchewan as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Winnipeg is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5.The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with its quarterfinal match in the knockout stage. Spain plays Switzerland on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -2.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: CFL and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/17/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025

The Thursday sports card features CFL and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Week 7 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Montreal Alouettes host the Toronto Argonauts on the CBS Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Alouettes are on a two-game losing streak after their 21-10 upset loss at home against British Columbia as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. They are tied with Hamilton in first place in the East Division with a 3-2 record. The Argonauts lost for the fourth time in their five games this season in a 51-38 loss at home against Hamilton as a 4-point underdog last Friday. Their 1-4 puts them in third place in the East Division.Montreal is a 10-point favorite with the total set at 50.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with its second knockout stage in the Round of 16 on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET. England takes on Sweden at the Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich. The Lionesses come off a 6-1 victory against Wales on Sunday in their final group stage match. They finished in second place in Group D with a second victory against the Netherlands following their opening 2-1 loss against France. They scored 11 times and conceded only three goals. The Blues and Yellows won all three of their matches in the group stage after a 4-1 victory against Germany on Saturday. They also beat Poland and Denmark to win first place in Group C. They have scored eight times and allowed just one goal. England is a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/16/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features WNBA and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.The WNBA has five games on its slate. The Atlanta Dream travels to Chicago to play the Sky at noon ET. The Dream have lost two games in a row with five losses in their last seven games after a 79-72 loss at New York against the Liberty as a 6-point underdog on Sunday. They are in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-9 record. The Sky had won two games in a row before a 91-78 loss against Minnesota as an 11.5-point underdog on Monday. Chicago is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 7-14 record. Atlanta is an 8-point road favorite with the total set at 158.5.The Minnesota Lynx hosts the Phoenix Mercury at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Lynx have won two of their last three games and five of their last seven contests after their win against the Sky on Monday. They have the best record in the WNBA with a 19-4 mark. The Mercury are on a three-game winning streak with nine victories in their last 11 games after a 78-77 upset victory at Golden State as a 1.5-point underdog on Monday. Phoenix is in second place in the Western Conference with a 15-6 record, trailing the Lynx by three games. Minnesota is a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 158.5.The Seattle Storm play at home against the Golden State Valkyries at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Storm lost for the second time in their last three games with a 74-69 upset loss against Washington as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday. They are in third place in the Western Conference with a 13-9 record. The Valkyries have lost two games in a row and four of their last five games after their loss at home to the Mercury on Monday. Golden State is in a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference with a 10-11 record. Seattle is a 5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. The New York Liberty are home against the Indiana Fever at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Liberty won for the third time in their last four games with their victory against the Dream on Sunday. Their 14-6 record puts them in first place in the Eastern Conference. The Fever are on a two-game winning streak with five wins in their last seven games after a 102-83 victory against Dallas a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. They are in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-10 record. New York is a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 164.5. The Las Vegas Aces play in Dallas against the Wings at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Aces ended a two-game losing streak with a 104-102 victory against Golden State as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Their 10-11 record leaves them in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Wings are on a three-game losing streak after their loss on the road against the Fever on Sunday. They are in last place in the Western Conference with a 6-16 record. Las Vegas is a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 171.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland by beginning its knockout stage with one match in the Round of 16 on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET. Italy takes on Norway at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

2025 Haskell Stakes Preview

by Al McMordie

Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

The majority of American Sports fans only care about three horse races in any given calendar year, and those are the three that make up the Triple Crown. These dirt races for three-year-old horses make up the great majority of the year's TV audience and sports wagering dollars when it comes to the "Sport of Kings". But there are Derbies -- races for 3YOs -- that continue throughout the summer long after the Belmont Stakes is over. And some of these can be very compelling and exciting as well as great wagering opportunities. The biggest one of these is clearly the Travers Stakes held at Saratoga Race Course and dubbed the "Mid-Summer Derby" (even though it occurs usually on Labor Day weekend). But right behind it -- and possibly a more appropriate use of the term "Mid-Summer" -- is the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park race track in Oceanport, New Jersey. This year, we've seen more front-page stories in the often-forgotten sport of horse racing than usual. From the Kentucky Derby return of Bob Baffert to the passing of perhaps the greatest of all trainers in "The Coach" -- D. Wayne Lukas -- 2025 has already seen more thoroughbred headlines than any year in recent memory. We also have perhaps the most compelling head-to-head rivalry of two three-year-olds than perhaps the days of Affirmed and Alydar. Bill Mott's Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont while Michael McCarthy's Journalism took the Preakness and finished second to Sovereignty in each of the other two. This sets up a potentially exciting showdown in a couple of months at the Travers. We won't see that showdown this weekend in the Haskell as Sovereignty is skipping this race to focus on the Saratoga route (likely the Jim Dandy, then Travers) but Journalism will be here and he is the strong favorite (4-5 morning line odds) to add Haskell hardware to his collection. But despite the absence of his chief rival, the field this Saturday that is set to go at 5:45 pm ET for the $1 million purse is still loaded with some very good horses. Here is a look at some of the contenders: #1 Bracket Buster is an improving colt by red-hot sire Vekoma. He is trained by the capable Victoria Oliver and will be ridden by veteran jockey John Velazquez who is no stranger to victories in million dollar races. A longshot on the board at what will likely be odds of 10-1 or higher, Bracket Buster has the added attraction of having won a stakes race at this track as he took the Pegasus Stakes here in his last race defeating five other horses, including two who are in this field. He is a live longshot and, if nothing else, should be considered in the exotic wagers. #4 Burnham Square is the only other horse in this field besides the favorite that ran in the Kentucky Derby. The Ian Wilkes-trained son of Liam's Map has had one race since his solid 6th-place finish on the first Saturday in May. In the Grade 3 Matt Winn stakes on June 8 (also at Churchill Downs), Burnham Square finished a hard-charging second to winner East Avenue. That performance would seem to set him up perfectly for what his connections are hoping will be a top comeback effort this Saturday at odds of what should be 5-1 or higher. He should be an attractive alternative for those who don't think Journalism will fire. Regular rider Brian J. Hernandez Jr. will be aboard. #6 Gosger is the horse who looked like a winner down the stretch in the Preakness before Journalism pulled off his incredible come-from-behind finish. The lightly-raced son of 2016 Kentucky Derby Winner Nyquist has been patiently handled by trainer Brendan Walsh who had Gosger on the Kentucky Derby trail until his plans changed. If you believe that the Triple Crown races have taken too much out of Journalism (who is the only horse to have run in all three) then Gosger might be the horse you want to get behind as they were only separated by a half-length at the finish of the Preakness. Luis Saez will once again be the jockey here, and Gosger could be sitting on a huge effort. #8 Goal Oriented is trained by Bob Baffert who has won this race a record nine times, beginning in 2001 with the great Point Given. This son of Not This Time was beaten by both Journalism and Gosger in the Preakness in his last start (he finished fourth). But he was bumped and had to check at the top of the stretch and many have pointed to those problems as a legitimate excuse in that race. On the other side however is the fact that Goal Oriented has only won his first race as a maiden followed by his first allowance condition and so he simply has never proven himself at the Stakes Level, let alone in one of the biggest Graded Stakes on the calendar. But Goal Oriented shows a series of very fast workouts at Santa Anita in preparation for the Haskell so those who believe this race will be won on the front end may want to take a shot with him on Saturday at odds likely around 4-1 come post time. Top rider Flavien Prat adds to his appeal.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and MLB All-Star Game Previews and Odds - 07/15/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features WNBA action and the MLB All-Star Game. The WNBA has two games on its slate. The Indiana Fever travel to Connecticut to play the Suns on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Fever have won two games in a row and five of their last seven after a 102-83 victory against Dallas as a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. They are tied for third place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-10 record. The Suns lost for the second time in a row and for the 12th time in their last 13 games after a 92-88 loss at Los Angeles as a 10.5-point underdog on Sunday. Connecticut is in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-18 record. Indiana is a -15.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 165.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Washington Mystics play in Los Angeles against the Sparks at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Mystics are on a three-game winning streak with six victories in their last eight contests after a 74-69 upset win at Seattle as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday. Their 11-10 record puts them in a tie with the Fever in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Sparks won for the second time in their last three games with their 92-88 victory against the Suns on Sunday. Washington is a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 164. The 95th Major League All-Star Game takes place on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Braves Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, hosts the spectacle. The American League rebounded from a 3-2 loss in 2023 with a 5-3 victory at the Texas Rangers Globe Life Stadium in Arlington last summer. The National League had lost nine Midsummer Classics in a row before that triumph two years ago. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is the skipper for the National League. He tapped the Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Skenes as their starting pitcher. New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone will send out American League Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal as his starting pitcher. The National League will be without pitchers Chris Sale, who is on the injured list, along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Freddy Peralta, and Robbie Ray, who pitched on Sunday. Zack Wheeler and Matthew Boyd opted out after being named to the roster. Andrew Abbott, Trevor Megill, Jacob Misiorowski, Adrian Morejon, David Peterson, and Robert Suarez were added to the roster to take their places. Clayton Kershaw was added to the roster as a "Legend's Pick." The American League will be missing Hunter Brown, who started on Sunday along with starting pitchers Garrett Crochet, Jacob deGrom, Max Fried, and Yusei Kikuchi from their initial roster. Casey Mize, Drew Rasmussen, Carlos Rodon, and Joe Ryan were added to the pitching staff given those absences. The National League is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 7.

Way-Too-Early NCAAF Predictions & Future Bets to Make

by William Burns

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

It's never too early to start thinking about football and I'm just as excited as anyone for it to be back, especially NCAAF. After a winning season in 2024-25, I'm expecting to dominate more than ever this season. Here are my "Way-Too-Early NCAAF Predictions & Future Bets to Make:" on this upcoming campaign. What I Expect From Certain Teams This Season: Oklahoma Sooners (6-7 in 2024-25) - While they do have one of the toughest schedules imaginable, the Sooners are a team that I expect to be much better and competitive in the big games this season. They've got so much talent across the board including a new QB in John Mateer (from WSU) who might just turn out to be one of the best in the country this season.Projected Record in 2025-26 // 8-4. Clemson Tigers (10-4 in 2024-25) - I expect Clemson to win the ACC without much trouble this season. Last year, the Tigers still weren't at their best as they were getting used to their rebuild roster. This season, they should be fully motivated to accomplish big things and I believe that they will be in the early-mid stages of the season at the very least. They've got Cade Klubnik back at QB and won't have to worry about teams like Miami (no more Cam Ward) and SMU hasn't improved much if any. Projected Record in 2025-26 // 13-2. Florida State Seminoles (2-10 in 2024-25) - Coming off an absolutely disastrous season (after an undefeated year without a playoff berth) I expect much better from the Noles this season. Yes, it was kind of expected that this team would be a lot worse with all the guys that left to join new schools after they didn't make those playoffs. As a matter of fact, FSU was one of my expected "teams to fall off" in last year's article. But, nobody knew it was going to be that bad. With Tommy Castellanos at QB this season, the Seminoles should be back in a bowl game and maybe even more. Projected Record in 2025-26 // 7-5. Alabama Crimson Tide (9-4 in 2024-25) - I don't think that the Crimson Tide are the same without Nick Saban. However, they are still named Alabama at the end of the day and he couldn't coach forever. A 9-4 season in Kalen DeBoer's first year wasn't the worst in the world. However, some of the losses that Bama had could have definitely been avoided. The Tide should roll a lot more this season and I expect them to be in the playoff contention this season. They will be great again.Projected Record in 2025-26 // 12-3. Boise State Broncos (12-2 in 2024-25) - Losing Ashton Jeanty to a "slightly above average" Group Of Five school isn't going to help the Broncos at all. I think that Boise State will regress quite a bit. Not saying that the Broncos can't have similar production from the rest of the crew this season and win the Mountain West again. But, it's definitely going to be harder for this team to win 12 games and make it to the playoffs, not having Jeanty to rely on. Projected Record in 2025-26 // 9-4.Burns' Top 10 Heisman Trophy Candidates Arch Manning (+650)LaNorris Sellers (+1600)Cade Klubnik (+950)Jeremiah Smith (+1100)Garrett Nussmeier (+850)John Mateer (+2500)Jeremiyah Love (+4000)Julian Sayin (+1600)Gunnar Stockton (+3500)Drew Allar (+1600)While I do believe that Arch Manning is the favorite and for good reason to win the Heisman Trophy this season, there's definitely room for some of the other players to make some noise as well. I'm very high on South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers this season. He finished the year with a bang and could very well lead this Gamecocks side to the CFB Playoffs this season. Don't sleep on Jeremiyah Love either, sitting at +4000. I believe that he's the best running back in the country and we all saw how close Ashton Jeanty was last season. Love could be on the verge of similar things with the schedule that ND has this season. Heisman Prediction: Arch Manning (+650)Five Futures Bets to Make: 1. ) Texas Longhorns - To Win the National Championship - YES (+550)2. ) Texas - Regular Season Wins Over 9.5 (-170) Last season, I successfully predicted the winner of the 2024-25 Championship Game (Ohio State) in the same kind of article that I wrote a year ago. This time around, I believe that Texas is the best team in the country and will reach the promised land come the end of the season. A lot of top teams are in the midst of having a new QB start this season and that's let Arch Manning cook with this offense. Getting into some of those games a year ago will really help him settle in. He's already got the name of fame. Expect great things from Texas this season. 3. ) Oklahoma - Regular Season Wins Over 6.5 (-170) Like I mentioned earlier, I'm quite high on the Sooners this season. I'm predicting them to win eight of 12 games this season and they could easily win a couple more if they play their cards right and upset a team or two. However, even if they lose an extra game that I don't see them losing, it would still be enough to get "over" this mark on the season. 6.5 is way too low even with the hard schedule. 4.) Notre Dame - To Make Playoff (-190) Not being in a conference really helps Notre Dame get the easiest schedule in my opinion. It's rough for some of the other teams that need to play four or five top 15 teams in the country every season. But, Notre Dame gets another "cupcake" schedule and I expect them to be great once again. If you remember, the Fighting Irish lost a game to Northern Illinois in the early weeks of last season. They still went on to finish 12-1 with the #7 in the playoffs. I expect them to have a similar record, if not go undefeated in the regular season this year. That should guarantee them a playoff spot. This steep line is worth the risk. 5.) Jeremiah Smith - To Lead Big 10 in Receiving Yards - YES (+500) While the big names don't always lead the league/country in stats, I fully expect Jeremiah Smith to dominate this season. Probably my favorite player to watch in College, he's going to be in line for an even bigger role in this offense this season with the departure of Emeka Egbuka. Yes, he's got a new QB. But, that shouldn't stop the absolute stud of a wideout here in 2025-26. Burns' Very Early National Title Game Prediction: Texas vs. Ohio State.28-17 Texas. (will update closer to season start)

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and MLB Home Run Derby Previews and Odds - 07/14/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

The Monday sports card features WNBA action and the MLB Home Run Derby. The WNBA has two games on its slate. The Minnesota Lynx travel to Chicago to play the Sky at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Lynx lost for the second time in their last three games with an 87-81 upset loss at Chicago as a 12-point favorite on Saturday. The Sky have won two games in a row after their upset victory. Minnesota is a 10.5-point road favorite with the total set at 161.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Golden State Valkyries host the Phoenix Mercury at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Valkyries lost for the third time in their last four games in a 104-102 loss at Las Vegas as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Mercury won for the eighth time in their last ten games with a 79-71 upset victory as a 7.5-point underdog against Minnesota on Wednesday. Golden State is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 158.5. Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby takes place on ESPN at 8 PM ET at the Atlanta Braves Truist Park. There were several changes to the format two years ago. Eight competitors will take part in an opening round with the top four scorers advancing to the semifinals seeded based on the results. Ties are resolved by the longest home run from the competitors in question. A competitor’s round ends after either three minutes or 40 pitches. Each hitter gets to use one timeout. Competitors are then awarded three bonus outs. A fourth out is earned by a home run of at least 425 yards in length. The top four scorers advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals and finals, a competitor’s round ends after either two minutes or 27 pitches. Each hitter gets to use one timeout. Competitors are then awarded three bonus outs. A fourth out is earned by a home run of at least 425 yards in length. If there is a tie in the semifinals or finals, then a 60-second “swing-off” will commence. If there is still a tie after that, then there will be a three-swing “swing-off” to determine a winner. The field consists of seven first-time participants in MLB’s Home Run Derby. Cal Raleigh is the favorite to win at +295 (all odds from DraftKings). The Seattle Mariners’ catcher leads MLB with 38 home runs this season. Oneil Cruz is listed at +320 odds. The Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder has 16 homers this year. James Wood has +475 odds to win this year’s derby. The Washington Nationals outfielder has 24 home runs this season. Matt Olson is posted at +800 odds. The Atlanta Braves' first baseman has 17 homers this year. He is a late replacement for Ronald Acuna who bowed out of this competition after experiencing some back tightness. Brent Rooker is listed at +850 odds. The Athletics’ outfielder has 19 home runs this season. Bryan Buxton has +950 odds to win the Home Run Derby. The Minnesota Twins’ outfielder has slammed 20 home runs this year. Jazz Chisholm Jr. is listed at +1100 odds. The New York second-baseman has 17 homers this season. Junior Camineiro rounds the list of competitors at +1200 odds to win. The Tampa Bay Rays’ third baseman has clubbed 23 homers this year.

MLB Home Run Derby Wagers

by ASA, Inc.

Sunday, Jul 13, 2025

Home Run Derby Champion 2025 - Byron Buxton (+900)The former number two overall pick makes his first Derby appearance while also earning the honor of his second All-Star team selection. Cal Raleigh (+270) is the favorite to win but the field is wide open, illustrated by the fact that no player’s odds are remotely close to even. Buxton has the power to crush homers as good, if not better than anyone else in the league, hitting a 479ft nuke back on June 11th, which is the farthest ball hit amongst the field. He is fresh off a flawless game on Saturday, going five for five with a homer in a dismantling of the Pirates. One thing that allows Buxton to hit for power and contact is his bat speed, which ranked in the 90th percentile according to Statcast. He also ranks in the 96th percentile when it comes to hard hit percentage. Any way you slice it, Buxton crushes the ball at an elite rate, making him a prime candidate to provide a sizable return at his price.To Make Semifinal round - Matt Olson (-114)Olson takes Acuna’s place as the home team representative for the Braves who are hosting the festivities at Truist Park. Even as a late replacement, Olson is no slouch, mashing 54 home runs for Atlanta in 2023, setting the franchise record. The Braves faithful will no doubt bring Olson some extra juice. Another advantage is that Olson is a lefty, allowing him to possibly sneak a few extra homers out of the closer right field wall (325ft to right vs 335ft to left). He remains one of the best power hitters in the game and ranks in the 98th percentile when it comes to exit velocity according to Statcast. Olson seems a solid pick to deliver early, but will need to use his energy efficiently to make a deep run. 2025 Total Home Runs Hit - Under 240.5 (-113)There were 225 home runs hit in last year's Derby, and there have not been any significant rule changes from last year's format. It's never fun to root for the under, especially in a fan favorite event, but in order to hit the 241 mark, some massive performances would have to take place. There is a lot of firepower in the field, it just does not seem likely we add 16 more dingers to the event in 2025 vs last year. There were 341 home runs hit in 2023, but that was before the rule changes to emphasize efficiency over volume.

2 3 4 5 334 › »

Articles

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/22/2025

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 07/21/2025

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 07/20/2025

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/19/2025

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/18/2025

Big Al's Daily Angle: CFL and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/17/2025

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/16/2025

2025 Haskell Stakes Preview

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and MLB All-Star Game Previews and Odds - 07/15/2025

Way-Too-Early NCAAF Predictions & Future Bets to Make

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and MLB Home Run Derby Previews and Odds - 07/14/2025

MLB Home Run Derby Wagers

Home

Links

Picks

Big Al's Sports Picks Info