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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/27/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Sep 27, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Chicago to play the White Sox at 2:10 PM ET. The Diamondbacks send out Brandon Pfaadt to take the mound to face a White Sox pitcher yet to be named. Arizona is a -175 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Miami Marlins play in New York against the Mets in the opening game of their doubleheader at 4:10 PM ET. Braxton Garrett takes the ball for the Marlins to face a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Mets. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:10 PM ET. Cleveland hosts Cincinnati, with the Guardians turning to Shane Bieber to pitch against the Reds’ Andrew Abbott. The Guardians are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Tampa Bay plays at Boston, with Tyler Glasnow taking the ball for the Rays to battle Bryan Bello for the Red Sox. The Rays are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the Washington Nationals at 6:35 PM ET. The Orioles send out Grayson Rodriguez to duel against the Nationals’ Patrick Corbin. Baltimore is a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.Two MLB games start at 6:40 PM ET. Detroit is at home against Kansas City, with Tarik Skubal getting the ball for the Tigers to face Jonathan Bowman for the Royals. The Tigers are a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Philadelphia hosts Pittsburgh with the Phillies tapping Ranger Suarez to go against the Pirates’ Johan Oviedo. The Phillies are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees are in Toronto to play the Blue Jays at 7:07 PM ET. Gerrit Cole takes the mound for the Yankees to face Jose Berrios for the Blue Jays. Both teams are priced at -110 with a total of 7. The Marlins visit the Mets at 7:10 PM ET in the second game of their doubleheader. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the Chicago Cubs at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves send out Darius Vines to pitch against the Cubs’ Jameson Taillon. Atlanta is a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Two MLB games start at 7:40 PM ET. Minnesota is at home against Oakland, with Pablo Lopez taking the mound for the Twins to battle against Joey Estes for the A’s. The Twins are a -265 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Milwaukee hosts St. Louis, with the Brewers sending out Wade Miley to face the Cardinals’ Zach Thompson. The Brewers are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers are in Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET.  Emmet Sheehan takes the hill for the Dodgers to duel against Noah Davis for the Rockies. Los Angeles is a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 11.5. The Texas Rangers visit Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. The Rangers turn to Dane Dunning to pitch against the Angels’ Griffin Canning. Texas is a -168 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Houston Astros play in Seattle against the Mariners at 9:40 PM ET. Framber Valdez takes the ball for the Astros to go against Bryce Miller for the Mariners. Houston is a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The San Francisco Giants play at home against the San Diego Padres at 9:45 PM ET. The Giants tap Sean Manaea to face the Padres’ Matt Waldron. San Francisco is a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.

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VW's Weekly Recap: Bounce Back Week Starts With WNBA Top Prop

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, Sep 26, 2023

Time for the weekly recap, as I take a look back at the week that was.Since last Tuesday, I'm on a 5-7-2 roll in every sport and am down -$2,550. Complete transparency, right? It is what it is.That said, I went 5-4-2 in both college and pro football since last Tuesday, and even further, was 1-1 with a win on my NFL Game of the Month (Chiefs) and a loss on my NFL Total of the Month (Bills-Commanders Over).The latter was troubling for me, considering Eric Bienemy is the offensive coordinator for the Commanders and he couldn't get anything going when he'd done just fine with Kansas City's offense in years past against the Bills.I went 1-2 with College Conference Games of the Month, hitting Utah out of the Pac-12.Overall, College Football continues to be impressive since Week 0, as I'm enjoying a 15-8-1 run for +$6,220 net profit since Aug. 31. For the season (L30 days on the leaderboard), I'm ranked No. 1 in net profit ($4,240) and win percentage (65.2%).Breaking down favorites and dogs, I've hit two of the three underdogs I've released and am 12-5-1 with favorites.Sitting at 10-6-2 in the NFL, I'm now 4-1 with underdogs - all four victories winning outright.As for MLB action, a 0-1 week didn't help the profits I've built in football. Good news is, that losing streaks don't last and things are setting up nicely for a huge comeback this week - beginning with Tuesday's Interleague Monster Mismatch.The WNBA is in the semifinals, and while we have a pair of Game 2s tipping off tonight, I like one particular player prop for Tuesday night.Do yourselves a favor and grab my WNBA Player Prop of the Year.Be sure to check back Wednesday for my College Football observations and Thursday for my NFL Power Rankings.Let's gear up for a big week of action.

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2023-24 NHL Preview: Atlantic Division

by Sean Murphy

Tuesday, Sep 26, 2023

The NHL preseason is underway and the puck drops for real on the 2023-24 season in two weeks. As we march toward Opening Night on October 10th, I'll run through quick previews of all 32 teams, beginning with the Atlantic Division.Odds to win division courtesy Draft Kings.Toronto Maple Leafs (+200)Yet another disappointing season is in the books for the Maple Leafs but here they are as the favorite to win the Atlantic Division once again, priced almost identically to what we saw at this time last year. We witnessed a sea change of sorts in Toronto during the offseason with GM Kyle Dubas shown the door. Brad Treliving seemingly has a much different vision in Toronto, bringing in a number of sandpaper guys including Tyler Bertuzzi, Ryan Reaves and Max Domi. There's no denying the Leafs are a much deeper team than they were last season but the jury is out as to whether they've accumulated any more talent. While the addition of John Klingberg to the blue line was a step in the right direction, Toronto will undoubtedly be looking to add a piece or two in that department as the season goes on. Joseph Woll stepped up and performed admirably between the pipes down the stretch last season and should push veteran Ilya Samsonov. Boston Bruins (+350)It's the end of an era in Boston as long-time captain Patrice Bergeron announced he was hanging up his skates this Summer. He is one of nine regulars that will need to be replaced this season although none of the other departures will have nearly the same impact. The good news for the Bruins is that they still boast top-end talent led by superstar David Pastrnak and newly-named captain Brad Marchand along with a steady if not spectacular defensive corps. The last line of defense for the B's is a bright spot as well with the duo of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman returning after a tremendous regular season but disappointing playoffs. Head coach Jim Montgomery is in his second year with the team and that should prove impactful. Florida Panthers (+400)The Panthers enjoyed a Cinderella run all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last June but are being priced as the third-best team in crowded Atlantic Division for a reason. Florida will be forced to start the season without two of its best defensemen in Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. It also lost a mountain of a man on the back-end in Radko Gudas to the Ducks. That matters on a roster that isn't blessed with a ton of depth on the blue line, even with a number of offseason additions including veteran Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Up front the Cats will once again be led by Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Again, it's the depth, or lack thereof, that concerns me. In goal, Sergei Bobrovsky regained his form as the playoffs went on before faltering in the Final. He's not getting any younger and next in line is Spencer Knight, who missed last season after entering into the NHLPA Assistance Program, and Anthony Stolarz, who has yet to prove he can succeed at the big league level. Tampa Bay Lightning (+600)It's jarring to see the Lightning this far down the pecking order in the Atlantic Division. The salary cap hasn't been kind to the Bolts as they've been forced to move on from a number of key contributors in recent years, all but ending their chances of a true dynasty in South Florida. Again this offseason Tampa Bay lost a number of key cogs including Alex Killorn, Ross Colton and Ian Cole. The Lightning's list of additions features a number of workman-like players including veteran Conor Sheary. Of course, there's still plenty of reason for optimism as Tampa Bay remains star-studded, if not aging, up front and has a pair of defensive standouts in Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev. Unfortunately injuries have cost that blue line duo a number of games recently and keeping them healthy will be paramount this season. You have to figure goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is in for a strong bounce-back campaign after wearing down last season. Buffalo Sabres (+900)Keeping in mind, the Sabres were priced at +5700 to win the Atlantic Division at this time last year, perhaps they're poised to take a step in the right direction in 2023-24. The needle is definitely pointing up for this team offensively after a breakout year from the likes of Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens last season. With a nice mix of youth and experience on the blue line, including sophomore Owen Power who by all accounts is ready for a breakout season of his own, there's reason to be optimistic that Buffalo can at least contend for a playoff spot this season. Goaltending remains a big question mark with unproven talent between the pipes including prospect Devon Levi who the Sabres are hopeful can take hold of the starting gig. The biggest obstacle for Buffalo might just be the ultra-competitive nature of the Atlantic. Ottawa Senators (+1100)Alex DeBrincat's time in Ottawa was short-lived and as a result the Senators will be looking to replace a good chunk of offensive production from last year's team. Veteran Vladimir Tarasenko was brought in following a failed experiment in Manhattan but it appears he doesn't have a ton of tread left on his tires and I question how long he'll remain happy in Ottawa, especially if the team isn't winning. Much like the Sabres, there is a lot to like when it comes to the Sens with Brady Tkachuk coming off a superstar-caliber season and Jakob Chychrun one of the more underrated defenseman in the entire NHL. Joonas Korpisalo will be tasked with the starting job between the pipes - a position that has proven to be a revolving door in Ottawa in recent years.Detroit Red Wings (+2500)GM Steve Yzerman made a splash by acquiring Alex DeBrincat in the offseason but apart from that, he mostly made minor moves to improve the Red Wings perhaps only marginally this season. Few teams in the league boast less top-end talent than Detroit. It almost seems as if Dylan Larkin's time in the Motor City has been more or less wasted as he's in the prime of his career. There's no question Yzerman will eventually build a winner, just as he did in Tampa Bay, but it's going to take some time. Unless Ville Husso is able to pull a rabbit out of his hat in goal and the Wings blue line ends up over-achieving, this team will be hard-pressed to push for a playoff spot in the Atlantic as there just isn't enough firepower up front. Montreal Canadiens (+20000)The price says it all as the Canadiens are unlikely to climb the ranks in the Atlantic Division this season. The time will come where the Habs are once again considered a contender in the Eastern Conference but it's still likely 2-3 years off. Guys like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield will make Montreal a fun team to watch once again but there are a number of holes in the lineup that need to be plugged. I really like Martin St. Louis as a head coach and believe he's in it for the long haul. Unfortunately he's likely to see a number of key veterans dealt away over the course of the season as the Habs continue their rebuild. I do think we saw some addition by subtraction in the offseason with guys like Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Drouin moving elsewhere. Drouin in particular was never a fit in his home province. Expect plenty of wild, high-scoring games involving Montreal this season with the biggest question marks lying in its own end of the rink. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/26/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Sep 26, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in Colorado against the Rockies in the opening game of their doubleheader at 3:10 PM ET. Neither team has yet to name their starting pitcher.The Cincinnati Reds travel to Cleveland to play the Guardians at 6:10 PM ET. The Reds send out Hunter Greene to pitch against the Guardians’ Lucas Giolito. Cincinnati is a -112 money-line road favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). The Baltimore Orioles host the Washington Nationals at 6:35 PM ET. Kyle Bradish takes the ball for the Orioles to pitch against Josiah Gray for the Nationals. Baltimore is a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Kansas City Royals play in Detroit against the Tigers. The Royals turn to Zack Greinke to face a Tigers starting pitcher yet to be named. The Pittsburgh Pirates are in Philadelphia to play the Phillies. Aaron Nola takes the ball for the Phillies to pitch against a Pirates’ starting pitcher yet to be determined. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the New York Yankees at 7:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays tap Kevin Gausman to battle against the Yankees’ Michael King. Toronto is a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 7. Two more MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. Tampa Bay plays in Boston with Zach Eflin taking the ball for the Rays to pitch against the Tanner Houck for the Red Sox. The Rays are a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Miami is at New York with the Marlins turning to Braxton Garrett to duel against the Mets’ Joey Lucchesi. The Marlins are a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the Chicago Cubs on TBS at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves tap Bryce Elder to face the Cubs’ Justin Steele. Atlanta is a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Four MLB games begin at 7:40 PM ET. Arizona plays in Chicago with Zach Davies taking the mound for the Diamondbacks to pitch against the Cubs’ Jose Arena. The Diamondbacks are a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. Oakland plays in Minnesota with the A’s yet to name a starting pitcher against the Twins’ Bailey Ober. Milwaukee hosts St. Louis with Adrian Houser going to the mound for the Brewers against Zack Thompson for the Cardinals. The Brewers are a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Dodgers play on the road against the Rockies in the second game of their doubleheader at 8:40 PM ET. Los Angeles taps Bobby Miller to duel against a starting pitcher yet to be named for Colorado. The Los Angeles are at home against the Texas Rangers at 9:38 PM ET with Reid Detmers on the mound for the Angels against a Rangers’ starting pithcer yet to be named.The San Diego Padres travel to San Francisco to play the Giants at 9:45 PM ET. The Padres tap Seth Lugo to duel against the Giants’ Kyle Harrison. San Diego is a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners plays at home against the Houston Astros on TBS-TV at 10:05 PM ET. George Kirby takes the hill for the Mariners to face Cristian Javier for the Astros. Seattle is a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.

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Around The Horn

by AAA Sports

Monday, Sep 25, 2023

Each season some of the surviving members of the NFL’s last and only undefeated (including playoffs) team, the 1972 Dolphins, get together and toast each other with champagne when the final unbeaten team takes a loss. In an ironic twist, this year the Old-Timer Dolphins – Bob Griese, Mercury Morris, Marv Fleming, and the like – may be rooting for the present-day Dolphins to lose.The current iteration of the Fins is 3-0, in first place in one of the best divisions in the NFL, and is fresh off putting a 70-20 hurting on the defenseless Broncos. They have it all going as they head into Week 4’s matchup at Buffalo in what will be the most anticipated game of the first quarter of the season.Miami’s offense has been so dominant that the Dolphins scored more points in the Denver game than 17 other teams have scored in three games total this season. Tua Tagoviloa has offensive weapons everywhere he turns, and if he can stay concussion-free (no guarantee there, to be sure), the Fins could have a playoff berth banked by mid-November. Oh, BTW, Miami is also a perfect 3-0 ATS.The Bills, meanwhile, are one team that doesn’t figure to be intimidated by the Dolphins’ flashy offense and numbers. After slipping up in a Week 1 loss to the Jets, the Bills have laid the wood to Las Vegas (38-10) and Washington (37-3). They’ll be ready.Buffalo is a 3-point favorite, with the O/U set at a healthy 49.5.INDUSTRY IS HITTING IT BIGJust a few years removed from Covid lockdowns and closed casinos, the gambling industry has come roaring back in a huge way.Numbers released recently by the American Gaming Association show that commercial casinos just enjoyed their best July ever, with a fat profit of $5.4 billion. That’s not all. The industry is poised to enjoy its best year ever. The black number through seven months was $38 billion, a full 11 percent better than in 2022 and virtually assuring that the number will eclipse last year’s.Why?Two reasons are the American public which is traveling again, plus the opening of several bricks-and-mortar casinos. Increased sports betting also provided a strong wind to the industry’s back, with a mammoth 28 percent jump in revenue over the previous July. Even wagering on baseball, the poor cousin to football and basketball wagering, showed a large boost.The only states that reported declining casino revenues were Mississippi, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, and Louisiana.PENNSYLVANIA TARGETS CASINO SMOKERSIn Pennsylvania, a bill to eliminate smoking in the state’s 18 casinos is winding its way through the state legislature. Currently, a loophole in the state’s 15-year-old Clean Indoor Air Act allows patrons to light up, producing second-hand smoke levels more than five times greater than in smoke-free gambling houses. National studies show that only 11 percent of Americans still smoke.NBA CRACKS DOWN ON LOAD MANAGERSThe NBA’s new policy on load management, which will limit the amount of time teams can rest their star players, should have an interesting impact on gambling lines. Sitting stars to keep them rested for the playoffs (Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James are obvious examples) can be killers for both the oddsmakers, who set lines based on full participation; and for bettors, who cringe when they have put down cash but then see their team’s best player in street clothes. One thing is certain – the gambling industry will be demanding that teams announce well in advance if a player will be sitting. But even that might not be enough for punters to keep their sanity.NEWSOM INCHES UP A BITGavin Newsom’s increased national profile is starting to show up on the PredictIt betting market. Newsom is now getting action at 18 cents on the stock market-style website, which seems low but is a bit higher than Ron DeSantis’s 14 cents. The California governor is not a declared candidate but would vault toward the top of the Democratic list if President Joe Biden elects to not run in 2024.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and NFL Previews and Odds - 09/25/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Sep 25, 2023

The Monday sports card features NFL and MLB action.Week 3 in the NFL concludes with two games. The Philadelphia Eagles travel to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers on ABC-TV at 7:15 PM ET. The Eagles have won their first two games of the season after their 34-28 victory as a 6-point favorite back on September 14th. The Buccaneers are unbeaten in their first two games of the season after their 27-17 victory against Chicago as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. Philadelphia is a 5-point road favorite with the total set at 45 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cincinnati Bengals host the Los Angeles Rams on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET. The Bengals are winless in their first two games of the season after their 27-24 upset loss to Baltimore as a 3-point favorite last Sunday. The Rams are now 1-1 after their 30-23 loss to San Francisco as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday. Cincinnati is a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Major League Baseball has four games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to New York against the Yankees at 1:05 PM ET. The Diamondbacks have won six of their last seven games after their 7-1 victory against the Yankees yesterday. The Yankees had won two games in a row before their loss on Sunday. Merrill Kelly takes the ball for Arizona to pitch against Clarke Schmidt for New York. The Diamondbacks are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Texan Rangers play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. The Rangers are on a five-game winning streak after their 9-8 victory against Seattle on Sunday. The Angels lost their third game in their last four games in a 9-3 loss at Minnesota on Sunday. Jon Gray takes the ball for the Rangers to pitch against Patrick Sandoval for the Angels. Texas is a -185 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the Houston Astros at 9:40 PM ET. The Mariners are on a three-game losing streak after their 9-8 loss at Texas yesterday. The Astros have lost five of their last six games after a 6-5 loss to Kansas City on Sunday. The Mariners tap Luis Castillo to face the Astros’ Justin Verlander. Seattle is a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Diego Padres visit San Francisco to play the Giants at 9:45 PM ET. The Padres won for the ninth time in their last ten games with a 12-2 victory against St. Louis on Sunday. The Giants lost for the fifth time in their last six games on Sunday after a 3-2 loss on the road in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. Blake Snell takes the ball for the Padres to go against Logan Webb for the Giants. San Diego is a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 09/24/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Sep 24, 2023

The Sunday sports card features NFL, MLB, and EPL action.Week 3 in the NFL continues with 13 games. Nine NFL games kick off at 1 PM ET. The Minnesota Vikings host the Los Angeles Chargers as a 1-point favorite, with the total set at 54 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Green Bay Packers plays at home against the New Orleans Saints as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 42. The Jacksonville Jaguars are at home against the Houston Texans as a -7.5-point favorite with a total of 44. The Cleveland Browns host the Tennessee Titans as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 38.5. The Baltimore Ravens play at home against the Indianapolis Colts as an 8-point favorite with a total of 43.5. The Miami Dolphins are at home against the Denver Broncos as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. The New England Patriots travel to New York to play the Jets as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 36. The Buffalo Bills play in Washington against the Commanders as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 43. The Detroit Lions host the Atlanta Falcons as a 3-point favorite with a total of 46.5. The Seattle Seahawks play at home against the Carolina Panthers as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 42. Two more NFL games kick off at 4:25 PM ET. The Dallas Cowboys play in Arizona against the Cardinals as a 13-point road favorite with a total of 43. The Kansas City Chiefs are at home against the Chicago Bears as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48. Sunday Night Football on NBC features the Las Vegas Raiders playing at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers at 8:20 PM ET. The Raiders are a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 43. Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Philadelphia Phillies host the New York Mets at 1:05 PM ET as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:10 PM ET as a 118 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. The Washington Nationals are at home against the Atlanta Braves in the opening game of their doubleheader. The Boston Red Sox host the Chicago White Sox as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Arizona Diamondbacks visit New York to play the Yankees. Three MLB games start at 1:40 PM ET. The Milwaukee Brewers play in Miami against the Marlins as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Baltimore Orioles are in Cleveland to play the Guardians with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 8. The Pittsburgh Pirates play in Cincinnati Reds. Two MLB games begin at 2:10 PM ET. The Kansas City Royals travel to Houston to play the Astros. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs are at home against the Colorado Rockies at 2:20 PM ET as a -258 money-line favorite. The Texas Rangers host the Seattle Mariners at 2:35 PM ET as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Detroit Tigers play in Oakland against the A’s at 4:07 PM ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The San Diego Padres are at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 4:10 PM ET as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Braves are on the road against the Nationals in the second game of their doubleheader at 6:35 PM ET. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN has the Los Angeles Dodgers playing at home against the San Francisco Giants at 7:10 PM ET. Matchweek 6 in the English Premier League concludes with five matches. Four matches start at 9 AM ET. Arsenal hosts Tottenham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Brighton and Hove Albion play at home against Bournemouth on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Chelsea is at home against Aston Villa as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3. Liverpool hosts West Ham United as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Newcastle United visits Sheffield United on the USA Network at 11:30 AM ET as a -1 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 09/23/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Sep 23, 2023

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, CFL, and EPL action.The fourth week in NCAAF college football concludes with 58 games between FBS opponents. Seven NCAAF games are on national television at noon ET. Texas A&M hosts Auburn on ESPN as an 8.5-point favorite, with the total set at 51 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Oklahoma visits Cincinnati on Fox as a 14-point road favorite with an over/under of 57.5. Troy plays at home against Western Kentucky on ESPNU as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 57. Marshall is at home against Virginia Tech on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 41. Northern Illinois hosts Tulsa on the CBS Sports Network as a 4-point favorite with a total of 54.5. Florida State is at Clemson on ABC as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 55. TCU plays at home against SMU on FS1 as a 6.5-point favorite, with a total of 63.5. Toledo plays at home against Western Michigan on ESPNU at 1:30 PM ET as a 21.5-point favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Seven nationally televised NCAAF games start at 3:30 PM ET. Oregon is at home against Colorado on ABC as a 21-point favorite with a total of 70. Miami (FL) visits Temple on ESPN2 as a 23-point road favorite with an over/under of 45.5. Kansas hosts BYU on ESPNU as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 54.5. Maryland plays at Michigan State on NBC as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 52.5. Duke is at Connecticut on the CBS Sports Network as a 22.5-point road favorite with a total of 45. Alabama plays at home against Mississippi on CBS as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 56. Utah is at home against UCLA on Fox as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 52.5. Two NCAAF games on national television begin at 4 PM ET. Iowa State hosts Oklahoma State on FS1 as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. Rice travels to South Florida on ESPNU as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 57. Wake Forest hosts Georgia Tech on The CW at 6:30 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 58.5. Three nationally-televised NCAAF games start a 7 PM ET. Oregon State plays at Washington State as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 57.5. LSU plays at home against Arkansas on ESPN as a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 55. Wyoming is at home against Appalachian State on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with a total of 44. Five more NCAAF games are on national television at 7:30 PM ET. Georgia hosts UAB on ESPN2 as a 40.5-point favorite with an over/under of 55. Texas is at Baylor on ABC as a 17-point road favorite with a total of 48.5. Ohio State visits Notre Dame on NBC as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 55.5. Missouri plays Memphis on a neutral field at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis on ESPNU as a 7-point favorite with a total of 51.5. Penn State is at home against Iowa on CBS as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. Three more NCAAF games on national television begin at 10:30 PM ET. USC plays at Arizona State on Fox as a 34.5-point road favorite with a total of 62. Fresno State hosts Kent State on the CBS Sports Network as a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5. Washington plays at home against California on ESPN as a 20.5-point favorite with a total of 57.Major League Baseball has 14 games on its schedule. The New York Yankees are at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 1:05 PM ET as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Minnesota Twins host the Los Angeles Angels at 2:10 PM ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Chicago Cubs play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 2:20 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the New York Mets at 4:05 PM ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Detroit Tigers travel to Oakland to play the A’s at 4:07 PM ET. Three more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers play in Miami against the Marlins as a -118 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Boston Red Sox are at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Baltimore Orioles play at Cleveland against the Guardians at 6:10 PM ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Pittsburgh Pirates are in Cincinnati to play the Reds at 6:40 PM ET. The Texas Rangers host the Seattle Mariners at 7:05 PM ET as a -125 money-line favor with an over/under of 8.5.The Kansas City Royals play in Houston against the Astros at 7:10 PM ET.  The San Diego Padres are at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 8:40 PM ET as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the San Francisco Giants at 9:10 PM ET. Week 16 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. The Montreal Alouettes visit Calgary to play the Stampeders at 4 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 47. The Toronto Argonauts are at home against the Hamilton Tigers-Cats as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 49.5. Matchweek 6 in the English Premier League begins with five matches. Three EPL matches begin at 10 AM ET. Crystal Palace hosts Fulham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Wolverhampton plays at Luton Town as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester City is at home against Nottingham Forest on the USA Network as a -2 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.Brentford hosts Everton on NBC a 12:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester United is at Burnley at 3 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.

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NCAA FB: 4 Unbeaten ATS Teams Who Might Be Overrated Now

by Kyle Hunter

Friday, Sep 22, 2023

I always like to look at perception of teams and gauge when might be the time to sell high or buy low. Today, we’ll take a look at four teams who are unbeaten against the spread so far this year in college football. I think there are signs these teams could be a bit overvalued at this point. Let’s find out who they are and what makes them look overvalued. Indiana Hoosiers (3-0 ATS) Indiana is 3-0 ATS after outperforming expectations against Ohio State, Indiana State, and Louisville. The Hoosiers hasn’t given up big plays, but I’m concerned by their #105 defensive success rate rating out of 133 teams in the country. Indiana also isn’t explosive at all on offense. They are 101st in the nation in explosiveness. The Hoosiers have been big dogs twice, but now they are favored against Akron on Saturday. Indiana then goes into a very rough part of their schedule. They’ll play at Maryland, at Michigan, vs. Rutgers, at Penn State, and vs. Wisconsin. That’s a brutal stretch for any team. Indiana doesn’t have the depth you would want to have heading into that kind of slate.  Arizona Wildcats (3-0 ATS) I think Arizona is well coached, but the Wildcats have a few major weaknesses. First, Arizona has a terrible secondary. The Wildcats haven’t played anyone who can take advantage of that weakness. That is about to change! After a game at Stanford- Arizona will go to USC and Washington State. They then play Oregon State, UCLA, and Colorado. The Pac 12 is very tough this year (a shame they are breaking up after this season), and I think Arizona will have a hard time beating those more talented teams. Jayden De Laura is a QB I like, but he has thrown 5 interceptions already this year and he does take too many chances. The defense has allowed only 33% on third down conversions this year. I don’t think that can continue.  UNLV (3-0 ATS) UNLV is -1.17 yards per play margin on the season. Michigan hasn’t been running up scores the way some expected (they were without Harbaugh) and Vanderbilt is far worse than people expected. UNLV only has 4 sacks in three games. The Rebels have to be able to generate more of a pass rush to hide their major weakness in the secondary. UNLV is 114th in opposing QBR allowed. Their offensive line ranks 119th in havoc allowed. This isn’t the profile of a team that will just keep covering spreads.  Sam Houston State (2-0 ATS) In two games against BYU and Air Force, Sam Houston is averaging just 2.62 yards per play. That is just brutal. BYU and Air Force are decent defenses, but they aren’t that good! The Bearkats of Sam Houston have only been into the red zone one time all season. Though their defense is very solid, it is going to be hard for them to keep covering spreads without any help from the offense. They want to run the ball, but the offensive line just isn’t good enough. They are averaging only 1.37 yards per carry. 

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Wayne Allyn Root Week 3 NFL Top 10

by Wayne Root

Friday, Sep 22, 2023

Reminder; On any given Sunday…1. Dallas Cowboys (2-0)  Wow. Jerry has to be pleased. Still America's Team and they’re just the fifth in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to score at least 70 points while allowing no more than 10 points collectively in its first two outings. They effectively defeated the overmatched Giants and post-Rodgers Jets. Let’s see how they do this week as a -12.5 road favorite against a undermanned Arizona team.  2. San Francisco 49ers (2-0)  So talented, so impressive, so consistent and cannot do better than winning your first two games on the road. The 49ers are home the next three weekends and are very likely to be 4-0 heading into a must watch Week 5 Sunday nighter against Dallas. It’s anybody’s guess how their home game against the NY Giants will unfold this Sunday.   3. Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)  They’re repping last years team so far. Philadelphia is a consistent power franchise. The Eagles that started 8-0 on the way to the NFC crown in 2022 could well match that with the Bucs, Commanders (twice), Rams, Jets and Dolphins ahead of a huge division game in a Week 9 visit from Dallas. They are playing on the road in Tampa this week on MNF.  4. Miami Dolphins (2-0)  Overlooked in the offseason, they might be really good. QB Tua Tagovailoa wouldn't mind playing New England every week, improving to 5-0 against Bill Belichick. With two road wins in the bank the AFC East is theirs at this time. They should be 3-0 after their home game against the Broncos.  5. Baltimore Ravens (2-0)  Emerging as early favorite in AFC North as expected by many. They have their team off to a hot start ny benefitting from a scalding defensive pace as Baltimore's D is allowing 23 yards in the first quarter this season. New OC Todd Monken's offense has made QB Lamar Jackson look much better in Week 2. He has an easy game at home as an -8 favorite against the Colts coming up.   6. Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)  The Chiefs avoided a 0-2 start as the reigning champs retain top billing amid AFC teams that have generally sputtered out of the gate. No one says it’s easy to defend their crown but they got an important win on the road against Jacksonville. However, the 1-1 looks pretty good with TE Travis Kelce and DT Chris Jones back and performing well. They should be OK after knocking off the Bears on Sunday.   7. Buffalo Bills (1-1)  Josh Allen got it right in a big way in Week 2 and his team now has a +22 points differential. The clean turnover sheet for QB Josh Allen is great with no red zone nightmares last game. But how encouraging is the offensive balance with RB James Cook setting career highs Sunday with 17 carries and 123 yards? They have ground to make up and play an improved Commanders team on the road this Sunday.  8. Detroit Lions (1-1)  Detroit is just a play or two from 2-0 and must not let the Seattle OT loss get in their heads. Hopefully Sunday's loss to Seattle won't be as penal as the 2022 defeat that cost Detroit a playoff berth. They are tied with Green Bay but that slick information is only needed for motivation as the rest of the NFC North also lost in Week 2. They have another home game this week they can win.  9. Atlanta Falcons (2-0)  The Falcons are 2-0 in two home games and some wonder how. Undefeated Atlanta is running more than 56% of the time … and why not with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, arguably the league's top RB tandem? It’ll be interesting to watch the NFC South as there are three teams at 2-0. The other interesting watch is playing on the road against an angry Detroit Lions  team.  10. New Orleans Saints (2-0) An unimpressive 2-0 is still a 2-0. One nugget is the defense looks to be in midseason form, having held 10 consecutive opponents to 20 points or fewer since last season. The offense does not, but QB Derek Carr is still acclimating and awaiting Alvin Kamara's return – which could be key given New Orleans' depleted running back room. Carr couldn’t win in Vegas because he had no defense. Well he finally has one now. So far your “Carr” has been a Plymouth and it’s time to step up to a Rolls! 

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Wayne Root's Top 10 College Football Poll: Week 4

by Wayne Root

Friday, Sep 22, 2023

One thing is for certain, there’s no unanimous No. 1 team in college football right now. On any given Saturday, one of the best teams in college football can lose.  1. Georgia  One more poor performance by Georgia and they will be bounced down; win or lose. Georgia bounced back from an abysmal first half against South Carolina, rallying from an 11-point deficit at halftime (their biggest in three years) to win 24-14. Yes, Georgia is still undefeated and its national championship odds should still be high. However, it’s also evident this team isn’t nearly as good as it was the last two years. 2. Michigan Following the Week 3 victory, Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh can return to the sideline. Based on how players reacted to the program, Harbaugh’s return will provide an additional shot in the arm for an undefeated team. The tune-up for Big Ten play was anything but for Michigan, which needed 17 points in the third quarter to pull away from the middling MAC team down to their third-string quarterback. 3. Texas A week after thumping Alabama, the Longhorns sleepwalked through most of the game, struggling to produce explosive plays, failing to convert on third down and committing ill-advised penalties. They needed 21 points in the fourth quarter to turn a 10-10 game against a Wyoming squad playing with a backup QB into a 31-10 “easy” win. Quinn Ewers (just 11 of 21 for 131 yards and three total touchdowns) never really had it, but a 44-yard score to Xavier Worthy, who turned a short throw that looked like nothing into a majestic, tight-roping run down the sidelines for a long touchdown, seemed to wake up Texas. The Bulldogs, Seminoles and Wolverines also allowed their opponents to keep the game close so the Longhorns are not punished this week.  4. Florida St Florida State was just 1 of 9 on third down and had just 340 total yards. The ‘Noles benefitted from a litany of self-inflicted mistakes by the Golden Eagles, who set a school-record 18 penalties for 131 yards, missed an extra-point and two-point conversion spoiling their upset opportunity. With a monster date with Clemson looming, the Seminoles survived an injury scare to quarterback Jordan Travis and a flat performance by the entire team, escaping Boston College with a 31-29 win in the Red Bandanna Game. We’re not high on Clemson, but a similar effort like this one from Florida State will result in a loss to Dabo Swinney. 5. USC After playing in Week 2, the Trojans were idle Saturday. They start Pac-12 play this week against Arizona State. They are a 33.5 favorite with a Heisman hopeful at quarterback. A bad Saturday for the Bulldogs and Seminoles opened the door for the USC Trojans to move up a few spots in the college football rankings. Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley provide Southern Cal with all it need to have a shot at the CFB Playoff. 6. Penn St Old-school football fans have to love how the Penn State Nittany Lions are winning right now. The Nittany Lions took advantage of five turnovers (including four picks) to win at Illinois in Drew Allar’s first-career road start.Allar to settle in as the starter, but he will need to prove himself with the game on his shoulders at some point.Their defense, which also added three sacks, seven tackles for loss and four PBUs, really carried the day on an afternoon when the offense had very little rhythm.  7. Ohio St Behind a 35-point second-quarter explosion, Ohio State’s offense looked like an Ohio State offense for the first time of the 2023 season — rolling past Western Kentucky 63-10. Recently-named QB Kyle McCord had his first 300-yard passing game of his career, going 19 of 23 with three scores. Marvin Harrison Jr. once again proved why he’s one of the best players in college football and this Buckeyes’ offense is looking far more consistent. The drawback, for now, is our skepticism of Ryan Day and quarterback Kyle McCord in a big game.  8. Washington  Michael Penix Jr. is throwing fireballs so far this season, recording his third straight 400+ yard performance with a 473-yard, four-touchdown afternoon in Washington’s 41-7 splattering of the Michigan State Spartans. They had nine plays go for at least 30 yards and were up 35-zip at halftime, effectively running out the clock the last 30 minutes of the game.  Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is writing his own lengthy Heisman Trophy candidacy script right now and added more highlights with 473 passing yards and four touchdowns. He's up to 1,332 yards, 12 touchdowns and just one pick for the year now. The Pac-12 is deep and strong this year, but it's possible Washington is the best of the bunch.  9. Oregon  In their final tuneup before Pac-12 play, the Ducks cooly dispatched Hawaii 55-10, jumping out to a 34-3 lead at halftime before emptying the bench. Bo Nix accounted for over 250 total yards and three scores, while Oregon rushed for 210 yards at a-that’ll-do 7.0 per carry. The stage is set for what will be one of the last must-see games in PAC-12 history. While the Oregon Ducks haven’t played their best football this season, this is an experienced roster with far more than than the Colorado Buffaloes have faced this year. They opened as a 21 point favorite.  10. Notre Dame The stage is set for the best college football game in 2023 to this point. Ohio State vs Notre Dame Saturday. The Irish were sloppy at times Saturday, not tackling particularly well and getting flagged eight times for 72 yards — one of which negated another 70-yard touchdown run by Estime. Notre Dame was down several starters defensively but it still held down a CMU offense. In the upcoming game with Ohio St, the quarterback advantage leads us to believe Notre Dame wins and eventually moves up even further in the college football rankings.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 09/22/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Sep 22, 2023

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and CFL action.The fourth week in NCAAF college football continues with four games between FBS opponents. Wisconsin travels to Purdue on FS1 at 7 PM ET. The Badgers raised their record to 2-1 with a 35-14 victory against Georgia Southern as a 21-point favorite last Saturday. The Boilermakers fell to 1-2 on the season after a 35-20 loss to Syracuse as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. Wisconsin is a 6-point road favorite, with the total set at 53.5 (all odds from DraftKings). North Carolina State plays at Virginia on ESPN at 7:30 PM ET. The Wolfpack improved to 2-1 this season with their 45-7 victory against VMI as a 43-point favorite last Saturday. The Cavaliers remained winless this season after three games in their 42-14 loss at Maryland as a 15.5-point underdog last Friday. North Carolina State is a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 48. Two more NCAAF games kick off at 10:30 PM ET. Air Force is at San Jose State on FS1. The Falcons are unbeaten in their first three games after a 39-21 victory against Utah State as a 9.5-point favorite last Friday. The Spartans fell to 1-3 this year after a 21-17 loss at Toledo as an 8.5-point underdog on Saturday. Air Force is a 6-point road favorite with a total of 45.5. Boise State visits San Diego State on the CBS Sports Network. The Broncos ended their two-game losing streak to beat North Dakota, 42-28, as a 14.5-point favorite for their first victory of the season last Saturday. The Aztecs are on a two-game losing streak after their 26-9 loss at Oregon State as a 24.5-point underdog on Saturday. Boise State is a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 46.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Chicago Cubs host the Colorado Rockies at 2:20 PM ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates play in Cincinnati against the Reds. The Milwaukee Brewers are in Miami to play the Marlins. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Three MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the New York Mets as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Atlanta Braves are on the road in Washington to play the Nationals as a -258 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The New York Yankees host the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two more MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The Baltimore Orioles play in Cleveland against the Guardians as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Seattle Mariners at 8:05 PM ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Two more MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Houston Astros host the Kansas City Royals as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -258 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games begin at 9:40 PM ET. The San Diego Padres are at home against the St. Louis Cardinals as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Detroit Tigers travel to Oakland to play the A’s as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Francisco Giants play in Los Angeles against the Dodgers at 10:10 PM ET. Week 16 in the Canadian Football League begins with two games. The Saskatchewan Roughriders are in Ottawa to play the Redblacks on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Roughriders are on a two-game losing streak after their 36-27 upset loss to Edmonton as a 3-point favorite last Friday. The Redblacks lost their seventh straight game in a 41-37 loss at British Columbia as a 9.5-point underdog on Saturday. Saskatchewan is a 2-point road favorite with a total of 45.The British Columbia Lions visit the Edmonton Elks at 9:30 PM ET. The Lions are on a two-game winning streak after their win against Ottawa last week. The Elks have won four of their last five games after their 36-27 victory against the Roughriders last week. British Columbia is a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 50.

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