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

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Sep 09, 2023

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and CFL action. Week 1 in NCAAF college football concludes with 19 games on national television between FBS opponents. Seven nationally televised NCAAF games kick off at noon ET. Colorado hosts Nebraska on Fox as a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 58.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Virginia Tech plays at home against Purdue on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. Utah travels to Baylor on ESPN as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 46. Notre Dame is at North Carolina State on ABC as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 49. James Madison plays at Virginia on ESPNU as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 40.5. Kansas State is at home against Troy on FS1 as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49. Three NCAAF games on national television start at 3:30 PM ET. Texas A&M visits Miami (FL) on ABC as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 51. Iowa plays at Iowa State on Fox as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 36.5. Michigan hosts UNLV on CBS as a 37-point favorite with a total of 57.5. Marshall is at East Carolina on ESPNU at 4 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Pittsburgh plays at home against Cincinnati on The CW at 6:30 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 45. Three nationally televised NCAAF games begin at 7 PM ET. Houston travels to Rice on the NFL Network as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 52.5. Central Florida plays at Boise State on FS1 as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 58.5. Oregon is at Texas Tech on Fox at 7 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 69. Three more NCAAF games on national television start at 7:30 PM ET. Maryland is at home against Charlotte on NBC as a 24.5-point favorite with a total of 50. Wisconsin plays at Washington State on ABC as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 58.5. UCLA is at San Diego State on CBS as a 13.5-point road favorite with a total of 48.5. Air Force travels to Sam Houston State on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as a 13.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 37. Three more games on national television conclude the NCAAF card. Auburn plays at California on ESPN as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 55.5. USC hosts Stanford on Fox as a 29.5-point favorite with an over/under of 69.5. Oklahoma State is at Arizona State on FS1 as a 3-point road favorite, with a total of 53.5.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The New York Yankees plays at home against the Milwaukee Brewers at 2:05 PM ET as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Minnesota Twins are at home against the New York Mets at 2:10 PM ET as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs host the Arizona Diamondbacks at 2:20 PM ET as a -142 money-line favorite. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Kansas City Royals at 3:07 PM ET. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Seattle Mariners on FS1 as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Washington to play the Nationals as a -205 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Boston Red Sox host the Baltimore Orioles at 4:10 PM ET as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Miami Marlins at 6:05 PM ET as a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Chicago White Sox are in Detroit against the Tigers at 6:10 PM ET. The St. Louis Cardinals play in Cincinnati against the Reds at 6:40 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5.  The Texas Rangers are at home against the Oakland A’s at 7:05 PM ET. The Houston Astros host the San Diego Padres at 7:10 PM ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:20 PM ET as a -278 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the Colorado Rockies at 9:05 PM ET as a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cleveland Guardians are in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Week 14 in the Canadian Football League concludes with three games. The Toronto Argonauts host the Montreal Alouettes at 1 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with a total of 52.5. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play at home against the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 4 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48. The Edmonton Elks are at home against the Calgary Stampeders at 7 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 48.5.

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NFL Season-Opening Division Dilemma

by Tom Stryker

Friday, Sep 08, 2023

Getting out of the gate in the NFL is never easy.  Teams in the league and their corresponding talent levels change on an annual basis and it takes a few games to see if this year’s squad can get after it or not. Season openers can be really tricky, too.  Several NFL teams don’t show very much in the preseason and tend to flip the switch when the contests count for real.  Since everyone is highly motivated in their first regular season battle, you’ll find that division wars carry additional meaning.  Old rivalries never die, and teams locked into division matchups in openers can provide us with some really nice investment opportunities. With the help of my NFL football database, the same one that was featured in the December 13th, 2010, issue of the ESPN Insider magazine, I’ve been able to isolate and profit from a number of incredible technical situations.  My “NFL Season Opening Division Dilemma” system is one that has made my clients and I a great deal of money over the years.  It kind of goes against the grain.  The result I expected was the opposite of what really transpired.  Take a peek at this beauty: Since 1981, PLAY AGAINST any season opening home favorite priced competitively at -5 or less provided they were a losing team a year ago (won/loss percentage less than .500) if their opponent owned a team won/loss percentage less than .560 last season.  42 Year ATS Record = 44-25-1 ATS for 63.8 percent  This Week’s PLAY ON Teams  = CAROLINA, TENNESSEE, GREEN BAY, and LAS VEGAS  Surprisingly, this short, hungry home favorite that was a stone-cold loser a season ago just isn’t ready to lay a small number into an opposing team that is starved for respect as well.  There is one special tightener that can be added to this technical situation that really makes it pop.  If our “play against” side is matched up against a division foe, this game one angle crashes to a horrible 4-16 ATS.  The Falcons, Bears, and Broncos are locked into this negative wagering parameter. Good luck with the Panthers, Packers, and Raiders on Opening Day!

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Betting Notes on NFL and College Football

by Wayne Root

Friday, Sep 08, 2023

It’s time for FOOTBALL 2023.  Let’s get ready to WIN!! If you’re a serious college/NFL bettor or sports investor, it’s important to use all the tools at your disposal – including the right sports betting software and systems to help you optimize your bets. You need tools like real-time line moves, public betting percentages, bet signals and breaking injury alerts and that’s what Wayne Root is here to assist. Wayne’s proprietary software provides live NFL odds including sports point spreads, totals/moneylines, market bet signals, historical odds, betting trends & percentages, line moves, line predictions, value ratings and more. I mention this because one needs to understand that there’s a huge difference between studying and guessing. The NFL and college football is the most heavily bet sport that we cover, and betting against the public is a strong strategy to use. The more bettors that we have access or the more amateur or “square” bettors we have, we can use that to our advantage and get that information to you within our selections. Most weeks on Wednesdays, Wayne provides members a unique “insider” perspective on the weekend’s biggest early matchups with an advance play. Hopefully, our clients bet before the lines reset on game day. Read the vital news and information that shapes the sports betting industry from us weekly. Wayne has earned the respect of leading online sportsbooks and sports fans in his efforts to break down the barriers to winning in the sports betting marketplace. This is Wayne Root’s 38th year in handicapping the Vegas lines. Every week we analyze the sports betting marketplace to pinpoint which games the public are chasing and which the sharps are pounding.The goal of our weekly betting write ups are to highlight games that offer true line value. Often if a line looks too good to be true, there is a reason. You’ll occasionally need the worst teams on the board to come through. We typically buy on bad news and sell on good. We takes teams the public refuses to bet. After 38 years of observation, we know that the oddsmakers are not your friends and will jack up the point spread on public teams.  Last year, our College best bets won at an incredible rate. We identify them as a MAXX BET PINNACLE. They finished at 11-1, 92%. Remember that our plays are independently monitored. Again,  by taking teams that the public refuses to touch, we make a bundle year in and year out. The college football season starts August 26th.  Good luck and great wagers.  Wayne Allyn Root 

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Hedging NFL Futures and In-Game Bets.

by Wayne Root

Friday, Sep 08, 2023

The purpose of hedging NFL futures is to set up a two way middle for the playoffs.  Let’s say you bet Kansas City to win the Super Bowl. The possibility of them reaching the playoffs and having home field advantage is not an uncommon prediction. The Chiefs are + 550 right now to go all the way. In their first game of the playoffs we do not have to lay points. That a huge advantage for us; obviously.  Let’s say their first opponent is Miami Dolphins. The line could be Chiefs -7.5. Here’s our game situation. We have the Chiefs at Even for $550 and then we bet the Dolphins at +7.5 for $550.  Our goal is the middle the bets and win both. If the final score is: Chiefs 27-Miami 20, (or anything in between), we win the Miami money for $550 and our Chiefs bet moves on and we do the same thing in our second playoff game having the Chiefs.  Hedging bets is something that is talked about more than it is understood. It’s also a concept that can be very profitable because it can easily be used in ways that correctly  impacts your bottom line.  As far as NFL futures, I’m recommending a few bets that as division winners, should have home field advantage(s). It’s not impossible to imagine these teams in the playoffs and having home field.  Chiefs +550 Bills +800 Philadelphia +600 San Francisco +800 We should be able to hit middles with these as they most likely will have home field advantage of which we have all four team at pick ‘em. Additionally, as you begin to understand the concept then you also can see that you could do the same thing by betting on a game and hedging the bet with in-game betting. The opportunity to make a guaranteed profit happens surprisingly often, and even if that doesn’t work out quite right you can often limit the size of your loss by hedging. So, with hedging we can limit our losses and often guarantee a profit. Sounds perfect, doesn’t it? Well, since it seems to good to be true there are obviously some downsides to hedging.  The first is that you often have to act fairly quick to be sure to get the right price. Hedging can be a bit confusing to think about when you are first doing it, so it is easy to make a mistake when you are working fast. And you must work your bets in a fast quick time element on game days.  Hedging and in-game betting is very popular but especially for Super Bowl futures. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 09/08/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Sep 08, 2023

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and CFL action. Week 1 in NCAAF college football kicks off with one game between FBS opponents. Kansas hosts Illinois on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET. The Jayhawks won their opening game of the season with a 48-17 victory against Missouri State as a 32.5-point favorite last Friday. The Fighting Illini started 1-0 this year after their 30-28 victory against Toledo as a 7.5-point favorite on Saturday. Kansas is a 3.5-point favorite, with the total set at 57.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Apple TV+ as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. The Detroit Tigers are at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners play in Tampa Bay against the Rays, with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 7.5. Three MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. The New York Yankees host the Milwaukee Brewers as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Washington to play the Nationals as a -175 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Miami Marlins as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays are at home against the Kansas City Royals at 7:07 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Baltimore Orioles play in Boston against the Red Sox at 7:10 PM ET as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. The Atlanta Braves host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:20 PM ET as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Oakland A’s at 8:05 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two more MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Houston Astros are at home against the San Diego Padres on Apple TV+ as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets are in Minnesota to play the Twins as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Cleveland Guardians travel to Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants host the Colorado Rockies at 10:15 PM ET as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Week 14 in the Canadian Football League begins with one game. The Ottawa Redblacks play at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on the CBS Sports Network at 7:30 PM ET. The Redblacks are a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 47.5.

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NFL Week 1: VW's Power Rankings

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, Sep 07, 2023

Football is back!And every week you'll be able to find my personal NFL Power Rankings, ranking the league from best to worst.I've scoured every media outlet, read most beat writers, and familiarized myself with every team after six weeks of practice and the few exhibition games we've seen.Where did it all leave me? Dazed and confused, of course.And if I thought the past several weeks were bad, wait, the league turns my rankings on its head and has me baffled every week.We have to start somewhere, and with the season getting underway Thursday, let's get to it:THE UPPER TIER1. Kansas City - Until I am proven otherwise, the reigning champs deserve the top spot in Week 1. The Chiefs addressed issues on the offensive line, they've bolstered the wide receivers' room and, in two words: Patrick Mahomes2. Philadelphia - The reigning runner-up Eagles made headlines with their draft selections, and figure to be better than last season. Everyone is excited to see Jalen Hurts, but I can't wait to see defensive lineman Jalen Carter.3. Cincinnati - I keep hearing chatter about Joe Burrow's extension and this being Tee Higgins' final year. But is anyone taking in consideration both those things in a positive light? Both will be at their best, proving their worth for obvious reasons.4. San Francisco - A healthy Brock Purdy will go a long way this season. The fact the 49ers felt comfortable in shipping Trey Lance to Dallas, not to mention them returning a stellar defensive unit now that Nick Bosa agreed to terms, tells me they're ready to overtake the NFC and return to the Super Bowl.5. Buffalo - The Bills will always get their respect because of Josh Allen, who has the offensive weapons to keep this team relevant. That said, I want to see Monday's game vs. the Jets and Aaron Rodgers, as it wouldn't shock me if I swapped these two next week.6. Dallas - It's now or never. If the Cowboys aren't in must-win mode this season, meaning "Super Bowl or Bust," owner Jerry Jones needs to be questioned. There is pressure on everyone to produce, and if Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy can't deliver, it'll be time to move on.7. Baltimore - The only question I have with the Ravens is how long it'll take to move them up the ranks, since I fully expect Lamar Jackson to jell nicely with like Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers. If there's immediate chemistry, the rest of the AFC North will be contending to earn a wild-card berth.8. Miami - The Dolphins' season hinges on a healthy Tua Tagovailoa. If he plays the entire season, the Fins are a Top 10 team and will challenge for the AFC East title. We'll also need to see an immediate impact with Vic Fangio serving as defensive coordinator.9. N.Y. Jets - The team I had the biggest struggle with comes in ninth, as this is another team that I need to see in action, with chemistry the biggest question, before I turn in a firm verdict. Something tells me Rodgers will have things shaken up - in either a good way, or bad.10. Jacksonville - Remember when the Jaguars were the doormat of the league? Now they've crept into the Top 10, and they're a candidate to move up the rankings since they'll face the Colts and rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson in Week 1.11. L.A. Chargers - The only reason I'm giving the Bolts this much respect, this early on, is because they've finally bolstered their offensive line, which will help keep Justin Herbert upright. Since arriving in the NFL, Herbert ranks ninth in being sacked 101 times - one of nine quarterbacks who have been sacked at least 100 times.12. Detroit - An upset in Week 1 would catapult this team into the Top 10. Can the Lions pull off an upset of the Chiefs? Hey, anything is possible. And we're talking about one of the most anticipated teams in franchise history, all due respect to some talented teams that included Barry Sanders.13. Seattle - Were the Seahawks expected to make it to the postseason in 2022? Not by many. Yet there they were, creeping into the postseason thanks to Geno Smith's career revival. Coach Pete Carroll has a nice blend of experience and youthful exuberance making up a talented roster.14. Cleveland - Not the Browns sneaking in higher than the Steelers. But yes, I think this team has the potential to challenge for a playoff spot. If, and it's a big IF, quarterback Deshaun Watson can be better than we've ever seen from him. If not, disappointing quarterback play won't cut it and they may want to switch to Dorian Thompson-Robinson.15. Minnesota - If there is one team I think could see a drastic decline, it's the Vikings. Last year's 13-win season was a facade behind a rather easy schedule. This year's slate is much tougher, so this is another team the verdict remains out until I can see how competitive they are against tougher competition.16. Pittsburgh - I'm a big believer in Kenny Pickett, and with the right protection, I can see him and tight end Darnell Washington having immediate chemistry. Pickett showed poise last season, but with the blueprint out, any skittish moments can be calmed with Washington in his sights.THE LOWER TIER:17. N.Y. Giants - Two words: Darren Waller. Get him involved immediately.18. New Orleans - Is Derek Carr poised for a career year just to spite the Raiders?19. Green Bay - Jordan Love has been waiting for this moment. Will he make the most of it?20. New England - JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ezekiel Elliott are in Foxborough. Problem might be, so is Mac Jones.21. Denver - If Sean Payton can revive Russell Wilson, look out.22. Washington - The Commanders need to improve on the offensive line most of all.23. Atlanta - The Falcons did some good things in building their roster with stout offensive linemen and top defenders. Now if only Desmond Ridder proves critics wrong.24. Carolina - Bryce Young will either make or break this team.25. Chicago - It's a make-or-break season for Justin Fields. We need to see the kid who was highly regarded out of high school.26. Las Vegas - Poor Raiders fans, the last thing coach Josh McDaniels needed was media leaks that he's begun losing the locker room.27. Tennessee - The Titans ranked last in the league last season with their PFF pass-blocking grade (53.7) and allowed the fifth-most sacks in the league (33). That will be an issue.28. Tampa Bay - Baker Mayfield has thrown the most interceptions (64) in the NFL since 2018. Let's see how his tenure in Tampa starts out.29. L.A. Rams - Don't be surprised if Aaron Donald is shipped out at some point, to a contender that needs a defensive menace. The Rams aren't going anywhere they'll need him.30. Indianapolis - Let the Anthony Richardson era begin. May the growing pains be minimal.31. Houston - The good news is, the Texans aren't the worst team in the league anymore. That's it, there is no other news.32. Arizona - I actually feel bad for Kyler Murray. It'll be a long season in Glendale.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL and MLB Previews and Odds - 09/07/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Sep 07, 2023

The Thursday sports card features NFL and MLB action. The 2023-24 NFL season begins with the NFL Kickoff Game on NBC and Peacock, with the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Detroit Lions at 8:20 PM ET. The Chiefs won their second Super Bowl in the last four seasons with their 38-35 victory against the Philadelphia Eagles last February. The Lions come off a 9-8 season last year. Kansas City is a 4.5-point favorite, with the total set at 53 (all odds from DraftKings).Major League Baseball has six games on its schedule. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Seattle travels to Tampa Bay, with Luis Castillo getting the ball for the Mariners to pitch against Zack Littell for the Rays. The Mariners ended a three-game losing streak with their 8-4 victory on the road against the Reds on Wednesday. The Rays won for the third time in their last four games in a 3-1 win at home against Boston yesterday. Seattle is a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Los Angeles plays in Miami, with the Dodgers tapping Ryan Pepiot to face the Marlins’ Braxton Garrett. The Dodgers lost for the fifth time in their last six games in an 11-4 loss on the road in Miami yesterday. Miami has won six games in a row. Los Angeles is a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The New York Yankees are at home against the Detroit Tigers at 7:05 PM ET. The Yankees are on a five-game winning streak after their 4-3 victory at home against the Tigers last night. The Tigers have lost two games in a row. Carlos Rodon gets the ball for New York to battle against Eduardo Rodriguez for Detroit. The Yankees are a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.The Atlanta Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves are on a three-game losing streak after an 11-6 loss at home to the Cardinals on Wednesday. The Cardinals have won five of their last seven games. Atlanta turns to Max Fried to take the mound to duel against St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright. The Braves are a -298 money-line favorite with a total of 10.5. The Chicago Cubs play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks at 7:40 PM ET. The Cubs are on a four-game winning streak after their 8-2 victory against San Francisco yesterday. The Diamondbacks won for the second time in their last three games with their 12-5 victory at home against Colorado on Wednesday. Javier Assad gets tapped to pitch for Chicago to go against Ryne Nelson for Arizona. The Cubs are a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Cleveland Guardians visit Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. The Guardians ended a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win at home against Minnesota yesterday. The Angels are on a six-game losing streak after a 10-3 loss at home against Baltimore on Wednesday. Cleveland sends out Cal Quantrill to face a Los Angeles starting pitcher yet to be named.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/06/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Sep 06, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features MLB action. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Milwaukee Brewers travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 12:35 PM ET. Freddy Peralta takes the ball for the Brewers to pitch against Colin Selby for the Pirates. Milwaukee is a -190 money-line road favorite at BetMGM, with the total set at 8.5. The Minnesota Twins play in Cleveland against the Guardians at 1:10 PM ET. The Twins tap Joe Ryan to face the Guardians' Gavin Williams. Minnesota is a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5 (all other odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Chicago Cubs are at home against the San Francisco Giants at 2:20 PM ET. Jordan Wicks goes to the mound for the Cubs to face Alex Wood for the Giants. Chicago is a -155 money-line favorite at BetMGM with a total of 10.5. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Oakland to play the A’s at 3:37 PM ET. The Blue Jays turn to Hyun Jin Ryu to duel against the A’s J.P. Sears. Toronto is a -170 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Colorado Rockies at 3:40 PM ET. Zach Davies gets the start for the Diamondbacks to battle against Chris Flexen for the Rockies. Arizona is a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies play in San Diego against the Padres at 4:10 PM ET. The Phillies turn to Zack Wheeler to pitch against the Padres’ Michael Wacha. Philadelphia is a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Los Angeles is in Miami, with Lance Lynn getting the ball for the Dodgers to face J.T. Chargois for the Marlins. The Dodgers are a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Tampa Bay plays at home against Boston, with Tyler Glasgow taking the hill for the Rays to pitch against Nick Pivetta for the Red Sox. The Rays are a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Seattle visits Cincinnati with the Mariners sending out Logan Gilbert to battle against the Reds’ Lyon Richardson. The Mariners are a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. Two MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. New York is at home against Detroit, with Clarke Schmidt taking the ball for the Yankees to go against Matt Manning for the Yankees. The Yankees are a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. New York plays in Washington, with the Mets tapping Jose Butto to face the Nationals’ Joan Adon. The Mets are a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. The Atlanta Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:20 PM ET. Spencer Strider goes to the mound for the Braves to duel against the Cardinals Dakota Hudson. Atlanta is a -285 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Chicago White Sox at 7:40 PM ET. The Royals tap Jordan Lyles to face the White Sox's Touki Toussaint. Kansas City is a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Houston Astros at 8:05 PM ET. Max Scherzer takes the mound for the Rangers to battle against Justin Verlander for the Astros. Texas is a -118 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Baltimore Orioles travel to Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. The Orioles send out Kyle Gibson to face the Angels' Patrick Sandoval. Baltimore is a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5.

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College Football Observations from Week 1

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, Sep 05, 2023

Welcome to a new football season ladies and gentlemen, and a brand new content format from yours truly, as I unveil the weekly plan to bring you informative articles leading up to a new week of action.Starting next Tuesday there will be a weekly recap, giving you the digs on the plays I released the previous week - both winners and losers - with a brief discussion on some of the games that may have shocked me or some that provided no surprise at all. I won't go over every game, but more so the water-cooler conversational contests that deserve a follow-up.On Wednesdays, you'll get the same type of article you're seeing today, beneath this introduction to my new content schedule, with College Football Observations. Things that stood out to me the week prior - some betting-related, others not-so-related - but let's be real, everything is betting-related this time of year. Thursday we'll talk NFL, as you'll get my league rankings based on the previous week's observations, while I may add a few betting tidbits that might assist you with the upcoming week.Those are the articles you can count on, but don't be surprised if I throw something in here and there.For now, here are my College Football Observations after Weeks 0 and 1:PRIMETIME BUFFS - As if this wasn't everyone's observation, right? Colorado scored six touchdowns in its season opener at TCU, resulting in a 45-42 upset as a 21-point underdog. Make note with this reinvigorated offense, the Buffaloes didn't score their sixth touchdown until the fifth game of the season last year.Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of coach Deion, threw for 510 yards in the Buffs' season opener, and make note Colorado didn't reach 500 yards passing on the season until the second quarter of its fourth game last year.Also impressive for the Buffs was Travis Hunter who was in for more than 110 snaps, playing on both sides of the ball. He finished with 11 receptions, 119 yards receiving, one interception and three tackles.The Buffaloes, who are favored (-3) in their home opener against Nebraska, haven't been a favorite since Week of the 2021 season, when the laid -6 to Arizona and won, 34-0.HEISMAN REPEAT - Two games into the season for USC's Caleb Williams, and I'm ready to hand him the Heisman Trophy for a second straight year. At the Pac-12 Media Day, he vowed to come into this season with a chip on his shoulder, after the way 2022 turned out. He and the Trojans were destined to make the College Football Playoff, but a hamstring injury in the conference championship led to a loss to Utah.The revenge season is underway.After throwing for 278 yards and four touchdowns in a Week 0 win over San Jose State, the reigning Heisman winner fired more touchdown passes (five) than he did incompletions (four) during the first half of the Trojans' 66-14 demolition over Nevada. He finished the game by torching the Wolf Pack for 18-of-24 passing and 319 yards to go along with his five TD tosses.FLORIDA STATE DUDES - There's something to be said about having bonafide college football players, or having some downright dudes. If you know, you know. And what we saw during a dominating 45-24 win over LSU is Florida State chock full of talent that is laced with "them dudes" every roster should have.Rewarded for their outstanding performances, Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis, wide receiver Keon Coleman and offensive lineman Bless Harris were named ACC Players of the Week.Travis completed 23 of 31 passes for 342 yards and a career-high four touchdowns, including three to Coleman. Travis added a touchdown and 38 rushing yards on the ground to become the only quarterback in the country over the last 10 seasons with four passing and one rushing touchdown against a Top 5 team in the regular season. Thus far, he's the only quarterback with that stat line against an FBS opponent this season.Coleman caught nine passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns, the most for a Seminole in his FSU debut, and the most for any Nole since the 2017 Independence Bowl. What was most impressive, and what reverberated with immediacy, was when Coleman slipped a tackle on his first catch and darted 40 yards for a touchdown to give the Noles a 7-0 lead. He tacked on a 21-yard touchdown to tie the game in the second quarter, and extended Florida State's lead with a 7-yard score in the fourth quarter.Harris was impressive in his return from a season-ending injury against Duquesne in the 2022 season opener by playing 55 snaps off the bench. Harris was PFF's highest-graded offensive lineman for the Noles as FSU extended its streak of 35 points to seven games, the longest active streak in the country. Impressively, the Noles did not allow a sack against the Tigers for the second consecutive season.The Seminoles, who are -29.5 in this week's home opener vs. Southern Miss, are on a 4-0 ATS roll when laying 18 or more to FBS foes since Week 8 of the 2021 season.TOOTHLESS TIGERS - One of my best plays this past week came Monday night, when I loved Duke plus the big number against Clemson. Something tells me the Tigers have a long road ahead, after seeing their stagnant offense.The Tigers, who get quite the reprieve this week against Charleston Southern, fell 16 places from No. 9 to No. 25 after their 28-7 loss to the Blue Devils.I don't want to take anything away from Duke's defense, because it did stand tall against the Tigers when they pushed inside the 10-yard-line - as far as the 1 on two of those occasions - and held them scoreless.It was Clemson's first game under new offensive coordinator Garrett Riley, after coach Dabo Swinney fired close friend and former OC Brandon Streeter back in January after just one season. Riley was hired away from TCU, where he served in the same capacity through the Horned Frogs' embarrassing 65-7 loss to Georgia in the National Championship.It was a questionable move considering the Tigers improved from 5.2 yards per play, 26.3 points per game and 2.0 points per drive in 2021 to 5.6, 33.2 and 2.5, respectively, in 2022.Again, it's not to take away from an experienced Duke team that brought back a wealth of its starters, but could be alarming when the Tigers have a guy like Will Shipley in the backfield.HOPSCOTCH - Remember the days of drawing a hopscotch court on the playground? Big pieces of chalk to create the court, and you had to make your way through the lined course without stepping on a line.Sort of feels the same way when maneuvering your way through college football's hopscotch course of favorites - ahem, chalk - without stepping out of bounds with any of the lines.First of all, AP Top 25 results through Week 1 find teams 24-3 SU and 17-10 ATS, with the following breakdown:Week 0: 2-0 SU, 1-1 ATSWeek 1: 22-3 SU, 16-9 ATS (one game involved two Top 25 teams)As for point-spread breakdowns, every week I'll update you with regular board games (no FCS or added), broken down into different point-spread ranges.Through Week 1, favorites are 26-26 with the following breakdown:1-3 1/2 ............ 3-34-7 1/2 ........... 4-58-10 1/2 ......... 2-311-14 1/2 ........ 4-415-19 1/2 ........ 2-320 and up ... 11-8

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/05/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Sep 05, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians host the Minnesota Twins at 6:10 PM ET. Tanner Bibee gets the ball for the Guardians to pitch against Sonny Gray for the Twins. Both teams are priced at -110, with the total set at 8  (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Milwaukee Brewers travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET. The Brewers send out Corbin Burnes to face a Pirates starting pitcher yet to be named. Caesars lists the over/under at 10. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Los Angeles plays at Miami, with Clayton Kershaw going out to the mound for the Dodgers to go against Jesus Luzardo for the Marlins. The Dodgers are a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Seattle visits Cincinnati, with the Mariners turning to Bryce Miller to battle against the Reds’ Connor Phillips. The Mariners are a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10. Tampa Bay plays at home against Boston, with Zach Eflin being tapped by the Rays to go against Sutter Crawford for the Red Sox. The Rays are a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 8.The MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. New York is at home against Detroit, with the Yankees sending out Gerrit Cole to duel against the Tigers’ Alex Faldo. The Yankees are a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. New York plays in Washington, with Jose Quintana getting the start for the Mets against Patrick Corbin for the Nationals. The Mets are a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The St. Louis Cardinals are in Atlanta to play the Braves at 7:20 PM ET. The Cardinals turn to Miles Mikolas to face a Braves starting pitcher yet to be determined. Two MLB games begin at 7:40 PM ET. Chicago hosts San Francisco on TBS, with the Cubs sending out Kyle Hendricks to pitch against the Giants’ Ryan Walker. The Cubs are a -148 money-line favorite, with Caesars listing the over/under at 9. Kansas City plays at home against Chicago, with Brady Singer taking the ball for the Royals to go against the Dylan Cease for the White Sox. The Royals are a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Houston Astros travel to Texas to play the Rangers at 8:05 PM ET. The Astros tap Framber Valdez to battle against the Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi. Houston is a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Baltimore Orioles play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. Dean Kremer goes to the mound for the Orioles to face Reid Detmers for the Angels. Baltimore is a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Three more games complete the MLB card at 9:40 PM ET. Arizona is at home against Colorado, with the Diamondbacks turning to Brandon Pfaadt to duel against the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland. The Diamondbacks are a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Toronto visits Oakland with Chris Bassitt taking the mound for the Blue Jays to face Ken Waldichuk for the A’s. The Blue Jays are a -185 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Philadelphia plays in San Diego, with the Phillies sending out Michael Lorenzen to go against the Padres’ Pedro Avila. The Phillies are a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.

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NFL Rookie of the Year Predictions

by ASA, Inc.

Monday, Sep 04, 2023

Offensive Rookie of the Year - Anthony Richardson (+800)Standing 6’4 and weighing 245 lbs, the 4th overall pick is comparable to Cam Newton and may have an even stronger arm than the latter. At Florida, Richardson struggled with accuracy and decision making, yet NFL scouts were willing to overlook those aspects and bet on arm talent. Josh Allen was once in those same shoes. Richardson is in a better team situation than the other QBs taken ahead of him with the Colts sporting more weapons than the fully rebuilding Panthers and Texans. Indianapolis also has the third easiest schedule. Jonathan Taylor continues his feud with the Indy front office, which puts more pressure on the rookie QB to carry the offensive load. Fortunately, dual threat QBs have done very well in years past (Jackson, Hurts, Fields) and Richardson has a solid WR1 in Michael Pittman to rely on. Bijan Robinson (+250) is favored to win this award, however, running back is the most injury prone skill position. Jaxson Smith-Njigba (+2000) underwent wrist surgery and will possibly miss the first few weeks, seeming to open the door further for Richardson.  Defensive Rookie of the Year - Will Anderson (+500)Being the highest picked defensive player in the draft put hefty expectations on 21 year old Will Anderson. At 6’4 243, he ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, justifying such draft capital on a physical specimen. Make no mistake, Houston will be awful, likely having one of the worst defenses in the NFL no matter how well Anderson plays. With it being hard for average fans to name more than a few defensive starters, Will Anderson will be the lone bright spot for the Texans and benefit from ample opportunity to accumulate a nice rookie statline. He averaged nearly a sack a game while at Alabama, even while having multiple other pro players on the roster. The race for DROY is very wide open entering the year, with multiple DBs looking to follow Sauce Gardners rookie winning performance. Other defensive lineman could win the award as well but Anderson has the most solidified workload of any Rookie and being such a notable pick gives him a headstart on the rest of the field even before the season has begun. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 09/04/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Sep 04, 2023

The Monday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and CFL action. Week 1 in college football concludes with one game. Clemson travels to Duke on ESPN at 8 PM ET as a 13-point road favorite, with the total set at 55.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Major League Baseball has 11 games on its schedule. The Kansas City Royals host the Chicago White Sox at 2:10 PM ET. Cole Ragans goes to the mound for the Royals to pitch against Jesse Scholtens for the White Sox. Kansas City is a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Chicago Cubs play at home against the San Francisco Giants at 2:20 PM ET. The Cubs turn to Justin Steele to face the Giants’ Logan Webb. Chicago is a -142 money-line favorite. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Houston Astros at 4:05 PM ET. Andrew Heaney gets the ball for the Rangers to battle against J.P. France for the Astros. Texas is a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play on the road in Oakland against the A’s at 4:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays tap Jose Berrios to go against the A’s Ken Waldichuk. Toronto is a -198 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 PM ET. Arizona hosts Colorado, with Merrill Kelly taking the mound to battle against Paul Lambert for the Rockies. The Diamondbacks are a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Tampa Bay plays at home against Boston, with the Rays sending out Aaron Civale to pitch against the Red Sox’s Brayan Bello. The Rays are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Seattle travels to Cincinnati with Bryan Woo pitching for the Mariners against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Reds. The Minnesota Twins play in Cleveland against the Guardians at 6:10 PM ET. The Twins turn to Pablo Lopez to dues against Lucas Giolito for the Guardians. Minnesota is a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Milwaukee Brewers are in Pittsburgh against the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET. Corbin Burnes takes the mound for the Brewers to face a Pirates starting pitcher yet to be named. The Philadelphia Phillies are in San Diego to play the Padres at 6:40 PM ET. The Phillies send out Taijuan Walker to duel against the Padres’ Rich Hill. Philadelphia is a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Baltimore Orioles travel to Los Angeles to play the Angels on FS1 at 9:38 PM ET. Grayson Rodriguez gets the ball for the Orioles to face Kenny Rosenberg for the Angels. Baltimore is a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Week 13 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games on the CBS Sports Network. The Toronto Argonauts play in Hamilton against the Tiger-Cats at 3:30 PM ET. The Argonauts are a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 50. The Calgary Stampeders are at home against the Edmonton Elks at 7 PM ET. The Stampeders are a 4-point favorite with a total of 46.5.

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