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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/08/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Aug 08, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Washington Nationals in the opening game of their doubleheader at 4:05 PM ET after their Monday game got rained out. Zack Wheeler gets the ball for the Phillies to pitch against Trevor Williams for the Nationals. Philadelphia is a -278 money-line favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Tampa Bay plays at home against St. Louis, with the Rays tapping Zack Eflin to take the mound to face the Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas. The Rays are a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Miami travels to Cincinnati with Braxton Garrett taking the hill to pitch for the Marlins to pitch against the Reds’ Luke Weaver. The Marlins are a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. Minnesota is in Detroit, with the Twins sending out Sonny Gray to battle against the Tigers’ Eduardo Rodriguez. The Twins are a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. Houston plays at Baltimore with Framber Valdez getting the ball for the Astros to go against Grayson Rodriguez for the Orioles. The Astros are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Atlanta is at Pittsburgh, with the Braves turning to Yonny Chirinos to take the mound against the Pirates’ Mitch Keller. The Braves are a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10. Four MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The Phillies play the Nationals in the second game of their doubleheader, with Ranger Suarez getting the starting assignment for Philadelphia to pitch against Josiah Gray for Washington. Philadelphia is a -198 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Boston hosts Kansas City, with the Red Sox tapping Kutter Crawford to battle against the Royals’ Brady Singer. The Red Sox are a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. Chicago visits New York, with Jameson Taillon getting the start for the Cubs to pitch against Carlos Carrasco for the Mets. The Cubs are a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. Toronto plays in Cleveland, with the Blue Jays sending out Yusei Kikuchi to face the Guardians’ Tanner Bibee. The Blue Jays are a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. New York is in Chicago, with Clarke Schmidt taking the mound for the Yankees to pitch against Touki Toussaint for the White Sox. The Yankees are a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Milwaukee plays at home against Colorado, with the Brewers turning to Wade Miley to duel against the Rockies’ Kyle Freeland. The Brewers are a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants travel to Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. Lucas Giolito gets the call to pitch for the Angels against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Giants. Three more games conclude the MLB card at 9:40 PM ET. Los Angeles plays in Arizona, with the Dodgers giving the ball to Julio Urias to go against the Diamondbacks’ Brandon Pfaadt. The Dodgers are a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Texas is in Oakland, with Max Scherzer taking the hill for the Rangers to battle J.P. Sears for the A’s. The Rangers are a -238 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Seattle is at home against San Diego, with the Mariners tapping Logan Gilbert to face the Padres’ Nick Martinez. The Mariners are a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5.

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College Football 2023: Mountain West Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Monday, Aug 07, 2023

College Football 2023: Mountain West Conference It is early in the month of August 2023 and, as always at this time of year, excitement is building for the coming Football season. That includes NFL and College Football. Most every sports bettor is quite familiar with the NFL as it is certainly the most popular among sports betting markets. Additionally, when it comes to College Football, many sports bettors are quite familiar with the Power 5 Conferences. The “Power 5” Conferences include the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. Those major conferences in College Football along with the 32 teams in the NFL dominate the attention of most everyone this time of year and heading into the football season. That said, my focus heading into the new season is covering the “other 6” which is the “Group of 5” Conferences as well as the small group of Independents. These less popular teams which comprise the “other” conferences absolutely deserve some attention and yet many sports bettors are the least familiar with these smaller conferences. That is even with the best value often being found where others just do not focus the attention. That said, I feel there is value in at least giving a “quick hitter” preview at these teams heading into the 2023 season. Mountain West Conference:Air Force – Disciplined team. Value on teamwork and it works for this program year in and year out almost without exception. Should challenge Boise State for the top spot in the conference and, if they get solid QB play, they could win the Mountain West! Boise State – The outlook here is very similar to that of Air Force. Should be between these Broncos and the Falcons for the top spot. Boise so tough on the ground and it they can get the deep ball going in the aerial attack on offense they will be very tough to beat. Another play on team when the value is there with the line. Colorado State – The Rams are young but dangerous so they could improve as the season goes on. However, this is still a bit of a transition year so they are likely to finish around .500 in MWC action for the year. Early on could struggle but as they jell as the season goes on they will likely be tough.  Fresno State – Well coached but lost a lot on offense. The Bulldogs could struggle but yet their defense could carry them. That should be enough to help them finish near the top 3 to 5 teams in the league but I just can not trust the Fresno State offense. Might be a good under team on a regular basis. Hawaii – The Warriors will likely again be one of the worst teams in the conference. They just keep going through so much roster turnover and a lack of continuity. Is impossible to maintain a consistent program that way. Nevada – Very young team. Like Hawaii, this Wolf Pack team likely to struggle this season. Just too much inexperience and absolutely in a rebuild. I will look to fade them in the right situations. New Mexico – Lobos could be worst team in this conference. Their defense is actually respectable but the offense just  does not seem to have anything going for it. Will have to look for unders involving this team when the line value is there. Solid defense but just a very plain vanilla pedestrian offense that will not be able to challenge any half-decent defense. San Diego State – Solid defense so if they could put the offense completely together they could challenge for the top of the conference. But the Aztecs just can not seem to get the offense going. They have been trying to throw more and get away from just being such a run-heavy team but it has not worked out. Keep an eye on unders for this team as well. San Jose State – Generally speaking, I like the Spartans for overs. They lost quite a bit on defense but have a solid looking offense and this team can put pressure on teams with the offense. The defense lost too much experience and just will take a while, and possibly another season even, to return to a solid level.UNLV – Maybe an over team. Too much turmoil in coaching to trust this team to be much more than a .500 team but their offense could surprise some people as they added some key weapons on that side o the ball. The defensive line is a concern in my book though and this team could struggle to stop people. Utah State – Lost quite a few players but did add some solid talent and size on the defensive side of the ball in particular. This looks like a middling season though for this team as losing both the offensive and defensive coordinators will challenge this team to say the least. The Aggies, overall, lost quite a few starters too on both sides of the ball.  Wyoming – The Cowboys are a scrappy and physical team. Playing in Wyoming is never easy for opponents either. However, the concern for the Cowboys is the passing attack on offense. This is a very solid team on defense and they can run the ball on offense but they must get stronger with the aerial attack to keep opposing defenses off balance. I will look for unders with this team as the D is deep and talented and experienced. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and Women's World Cup Previews and Odds - 08/07/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Aug 07, 2023

The Monday sports card features MLB and Women’s World Cup action.Major League Baseball has 12 games on its schedule. The San Diego Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers at 4:10 PM ET. Seth Lugo takes the ball for the Padres to pitch against Tony Gonsolin for the Dodgers. San Diego is a -120 money-line favorite, with the total set at 9.Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Philadelphia plays at home against Washington, with the Phillies tapping Ranger Suarez to face the Nationals’ Trevor Williams. The Phillies are a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. Miami travels to Cincinnati with Eury Perez getting called back up from Double-A for the Marlins to pitch against Brandon Williamson for the Reds. The Marlins are a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. Minnesota plays at Detroit, with the Twins sending out Pablo Lopez to go against the Tigers’ Joey Wertz. The Twins are a -166 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves are in Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 7:05 PM ET. Spencer Strider takes the mound for the Braves to face Osvaldo Bido for the Pirates. Atlanta is a -290 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Three more MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. Boston is at home against Kansas City with the Red Sox turning to Brayan Bello to duel against the Royals’ Cole Ragans. The Red Sox are a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. New York hosts Chicago with Kodai Senga pitching for the Mets against Drew Smyly for the Cubs. The Mets are a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Toronto visits Cleveland, with the Blue Jays tapping Hyun Jun Ryu to face the Guardians’ Gavin Williams. The Blue Jays are a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Milwaukee plays at home against Colorado, with Freddy Peralta taking the ball for the Brewers to pitch against Peter Lambert for the Rockies. The Brewers are a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. New York is in Chicago, with Gerrit Cole pitching for the Yankees against Dylan Cease for the White Sox. The Yankees are a -166 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Francisco Giants play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 PM ET.  The Giants send out Logan Webb to battle against the Angels’ Patrick Sandoval. San Francisco is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Texas Rangers are in Oakland to play the A’s at 9:40 PM ET. Dane Dunning gets the start for the Rangers to face Ken Waldichuk for the A’s. Texas is a -225 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia continues with the final seventh and eighth matches in the round of 16 knockout stage on FS1 and Peacock. Colombia plays Jamaica at 4 AM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2. France faces Morocco at 7 AM ET as a -2 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3. 

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Are Celtics the Favorites After Record-Breaking Deal For Brown?

by AAA Sports

Sunday, Aug 06, 2023

If you had seen Jaylen Brown play in only one game this past season, Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against Miami, you would have declared the Boston Celtics certifiably insane for a month later gracing Brown with the richest contract in league history -- $304 million over five years.Brown dribbled the ball as if he were a football, committing turnover after turnover as his Celtics were booed off their home court and deprived of an opportunity to get to the Finals for the second straight year and a chance to make amends for their equally awful performance in elimination Game 6 against Golden State in the 2021-22 season.But the No. 1 sin for an NBA front office is to let talent walk out the door for nothing, so for the time being Brown – who never seems to be able to bring himself to say that he actually likes being in Boston – and the Celtics are in what has been described as a marriage of convenience.Will Brown staying, at least for the time being, in Boston do much to increase the Celtics' odds at finally breaking through and winning NBA Title 18, which would be their first since the Garnett-Pierce-Allen alliance got them over the hump in 2008? Not so much. The Celtics (+450, Barstool) are in the mix along with the 2021 Champion Bucks (+700) and the defending champion Nuggets (+500) – all pretty much where they were before Brown signed his deal.As to individual props, consider this: Barstool thinks so little of Brown’s chances of winning the MVP Award that 35 players are given better odds. Nikola Jokic (+400) is a solid favorite, while Brown is at +7500 along with such luminaries as Cade Cunningham, Desmond Bane, and Mikal Bridges.Part of Brown’s problem is that for the last five years, Jayson Tatum (+900 to win MVP, behind only Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Joel Embiid) eats first, and then Brown. The addition of big man Kristaps Porzingis, who also can score, makes things even more problematic for Brown at the stats dinner table.Of course, Brown’s sticker-shock paychecks will be the biggest only until the next NBA player takes advantage of the NBA’s maze of rules regarding how salaries can be allocated and manipulated. And the Celtics have to be wondering if Brown will sleepwalk through a season or two and then decide that it might be fun checking out the climate in Dallas, Atlanta, or Miami. Stars merely have to say the word. (Privately, now, since Adam Silver wagged his finger at Damian Lillard’s agent for telling the world that Lillard might not give his all if he has to wear any uniform that doesn’t say Miami or Heat on the front.)Comparing the salaries of NBA players to those in baseball, football, and hockey is as Apples-to-Oranges as you can get, but just for fun here are a couple of . . .  comparisons:***Aaron Judge, in the early stages of a 9-year, $360-million contract that expires in 2030, has limped through 2023 – missing 54 of the Yankees’ first 101 games. He had two singles in 16 at-bats since returning.***Connor McDavid, the NHL’s best player, is working on an 8-year, $100-million deal with Edmonton. The Oilers got taken out of the playoffs in the second round this past season.***Then there’s Patrick Mahones, the best quarterback on the best team in the NFL. He shows game in, game out that he is worth every bit of his $45-million-a-year deal.Which road will Jaylen Brown, now the richest player in an NBA that has included the likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Bill Russell, take? The jury will have its verdict next spring.

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College Football 2023: MAC Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Sunday, Aug 06, 2023

College Football 2023: MAC It is early in the month of August 2023 and, as always at this time of year, excitement is building for the coming Football season. That includes NFL and College Football. Most every sports bettor is quite familiar with the NFL as it is certainly the most popular among sports betting markets. Additionally, when it comes to College Football, many sports bettors are quite familiar with the Power 5 Conferences. The “Power 5” Conferences include the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. Those major conferences in College Football along with the 32 teams in the NFL dominate the attention of most everyone this time of year and heading into the football season. That said, my focus heading into the new season is covering the “other 6” which is the “Group of 5” Conferences as well as the small group of Independents. These less popular teams which comprise the “other” conferences absolutely deserve some attention and yet many sports bettors are the least familiar with these smaller conferences. That is even with the best value often being found where others just do not focus the attention. That said, I feel there is value in at least giving a “quick hitter” preview at these teams heading into the 2023 season. MAC (East listed first then West):Akron – Should be respectable on offense including getting some solid QB play but this team looks very weak on defense. They will likely be battling to stay out the basement in the MAC East and I will be looking for overs involving the Zips. Bowling Green – This is basically a middle of the pack type of team. Nothing stands out to be with this team on either side of the ball. By MAC standards, they are decent on defense and decent on offense and their best spots to play on or to fade will likely to come down to situational aspects. Buffalo – The Bulls are heading the right direction but just not quite there yet. They could surprise based on the respectable talent level they do have. But unless things really jell for this team, they are likely to have a season similar to last year.  Kent State – If this was basketball I would have more positives to express about the Golden Flashes. But in football, this team is just bad bad bad and has trouble to recruit strong players here. It will be another tough season at Kent State. Miami (Ohio) – If the QB play is solid (could have a healthy Gabbert back), the Redhawks could challenge for the East Division. But the defense, young last year, will have to show that the experience from last year has paid off. That plus the health on the offensive side of the ball will key things in Miami, Ohio. Ohio University – The Bobcats should challenge for the East Division title. Quite a balanced team but my concern on offense is the offensive line. However, other than that, I really like this Ohio U team and if the line jells on offense, the Cats are going to be very tough to beat. Solid on both sides of the ball and well-coached. Ball State – Hard to gauge this Cardinals team. But like coach Neu and if the QB transfer Hatcher pans out, this Cards team could be dangerous. Still a middle of the pack finish is the likely ceiling in Ball State this season. Central Michigan – The Chippewas look better on defense than offense so maybe looking for some unders here. They need to get the QB position pushing out solid production. Head coach McElwain needs to make sure he is getting more out of this offense this season.  Eastern Michigan – The Eagles are a hard-fighting team. I like what their long-tenured coach, Creighton, has put together here. These players give strong effort for him. That goes a long way with a team and I like Eastern Michigan as a scrappy team that way. Not the most talented team but a tough team that could challenge in the West Division for sure. Northern Illinois – If QB Lombardi is healthy, this team could be tough this season but I am not a fan of coach Hammond and certainly was not shocked by the disappointing 3-9 campaign last season. The Huskies were fortunate, to say the least, in 2021. Look for 2023 to be better than 2022, but only slightly unless Northern Illinois gets stellar QB play which I doubt based on health concerns. Toledo – The best team in the MAC and I really like their defense too. Their offense might seem unspectacular at times but, based on points scored, Toledo still ranked as one of the best last season. The Rockets should finish as the top of the MAC West and I will look for line value situations to play on this team. Western Michigan – They hired former Louisville offensive coordinator Taylor to lead the way in Western Michigan. The Broncos will have some growing pains. They lost some key players in the trenches on defense and overall this is a rebuilding period for Western Michigan and this season will be a challenge. The future looks bright but the key word there is future! 

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My Big Play Taken By Storm; Update on Daily Recap

by Vegas Writer

Sunday, Aug 06, 2023

I planned on releasing my new and improved "Daily Recap" with the arrival of preseason football, giving you the template of what you can expect as we head into the best time of the year.But after the way the Phoenix Mercury lost to the Seattle Storm last night - my Western Conference Game of the Year - I felt I owed you a personal message.Honestly, I don't know what was more disappointing, watching USA bow out the way it did to Sweden in the World Cup, or seeing how the Mercury lost.I don't like to point fingers at teams or players, but the loss of Shey Peddy at the end of the second quarter was damn near fatal for the second half.You can not have one of your best playmakers off the court when you're trying to defend a lead against a team that is playing for as much pride as you are.When Peddy took an accidental elbow to the back of her head by Storm forward Jordan Horston at 1:34, the scene that unfolded had to be a bit traumatizing for Peddy's teammates, as she was taken off on a stretcher."Whenever you see someone go out in a stretcher, it’s terrifying. Especially Shey, who is such a warrior and always puts everything out there," Diana Taurasi said.Thus, the Storm turned back a nine-point halftime deficit and outscored the shaken Mercury 27-15 in the third quarter.You can't handicap injuries, and you certainly cannot handicap fluke injuries.Nobody take a loss harder than yours truly, so gear up for a big bounce back on Sunday, as I continue this incredible MLB run.I'm on an overall 52-39 roll since June 13, including a 45-26 MLB run for a net profit of $19,340.Over the last seven days, I'm No. 1 on the leaderboard with $5,450 net profit. And over the L30 days I'm No. 2 on the leaderboard with $6,000 net profit.In baseball the L60 Days, I'm No. 1 on the leaderboard with $16,310 net profit, No. 1 the L30 days with $7,850 net cash flow, and No. 2 the L7 days with $4,700.I hit the Minnesota Twins Run Line (+130) over the Diamondbacks on Saturday, and today I'll deliver the goods with another winning day on the diamond.Stay tuned this coming week, as I unveil my new-and-improved Daily Recap that will be a must read this football season.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL and Women's World Cup Previews and Odds - 08/06/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Aug 06, 2023

The Sunday sports card features MLB, CFL, and Women’s World Cup action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians host the Chicago White Sox on Peacock at 12:05 PM ET. Xzavion Curry gets the start for the Guardians to pitch against Jesse Scholtens for the White Sox. Cleveland is a -142 money-line favorite, with the total set at 9 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Boston to play the Red Sox. The New York Yankees are at home against the Houston Astros as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Baltimore Orioles host the New York Mets as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games start at 1:40 PM ET. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Washington Nationals as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 11. The Tampa Bay Rays are in Detroit to play the Tigers as a -198 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Two more MLB games begin at 2:10 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play on the road in Minnesota against the Twins as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Milwaukee Brewers are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Colorado Rockies visit St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 2:15 PM ET. The Atlanta Braves are on the road against the Chicago Cubs at 2:20 PM ET as a -122 money-line road favorite. The Texas Rangers host the Miami Marlins at 2:35 PM ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games start at 4:07 PM ET. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Seattle Mariners as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The San Francisco Giants are in Oakland to play the A’s as a -198 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and ESPN2 features the Los Angeles Dodgers playing in San Diego against the Padres at 7:10 PM ET. The Dodgers turn to the recently acquired Lance Lynn to battle against the Padres’ new hurler from the trade deadline, Rich Hill. Los Angeles is a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Week 9 in the Canadian Football League concludes with one game. The Ottawa Redblacks travel to Saskatchewan to play the Roughriders on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Redblacks had won two games in a row before their 16-12 upset loss at home as a 1.5-point favorite last Friday. The Roughriders are on a three-game losing streak after a 31-13 loss on a neutral field to Toronto as a 10-point underdog last Saturday. Ottawa is a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 44.5. The Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia continues with the fifth and sixth matches in the round of 16 knockout stage on FS1 and Peacock. England plays Nigeria at 3:30 AM ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Australia faces Denmark at 6:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2. 

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College Football 2023: Independents Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Saturday, Aug 05, 2023

College Football 2023: Independents It is early in the month of August 2023 and, as always at this time of year, excitement is building for the coming Football season. That includes NFL and College Football. Most every sports bettor is quite familiar with the NFL as it is certainly the most popular among sports betting markets. Additionally, when it comes to College Football, many sports bettors are quite familiar with the Power 5 Conferences. The “Power 5” Conferences include the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. Those major conferences in College Football along with the 32 teams in the NFL dominate the attention of most everyone this time of year and heading into the football season. That said, my focus heading into the new season is covering the “other 6” which is the “Group of 5” Conferences as well as the small group of Independents. These less popular teams which comprise the “other” conferences absolutely deserve some attention and yet many sports bettors are the least familiar with these smaller conferences. That is even with the best value often being found where others just do not focus the attention. That said, I feel there is value in at least giving a “quick hitter” preview at these teams heading into the 2023 season. INDEPENDENTS:Army – The Black Knights are trying to go to a new offensive scheme instead of being run-heavy through the triple-option. Of course there are going to be some growing pains trying to make such a change. But this defense does look respectable and they will be a bit of a tough team to play but only once the offense catches up with the defense! Connecticut – Huskies made it to a bowl last season and certainly showing improvement under coach Mora. However, this UConn team still ranks as one of the weaker teams in the nation and likely will struggle to get to .500 again this season. More respectable offense than seasons past but hard to trust this defense. Keep an eye on them early this season. Massachusetts – The Minutemen were improved on defense but were so anemic offensively. They are trying to improve and become more competitive but this offense still has a lot of work to do and their defense can only hold out so long. At some point the offense has to help out but this team just not there yet and really not close. Again will be one of the worst teams in nation. Notre Dame – Of course this team is the powerhouse of the independents and the Fighting Irish look strong again this season. This is a Top 25 team this season and they look strong defensively. Of course it is easy to like Hartman at QB but will he have enough weapons. This is a different situation than what he was running at Wake Forest and there will be some growing pains. Just different level of wide receiver talent for sure. Very strong program of course but not elite because of concerns about weapons in the offense. Look for very strong defense however. 

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College Football 2023: Conference USA Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Saturday, Aug 05, 2023

College Football 2023: Conference USA PreviewIt is early in the month of August 2023 and, as always at this time of year, excitement is building for the coming Football season. That includes NFL and College Football. Most every sports bettor is quite familiar with the NFL as it is certainly the most popular among sports betting markets. Additionally, when it comes to College Football, many sports bettors are quite familiar with the Power 5 Conferences. The “Power 5” Conferences include the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. Those major conferences in College Football along with the 32 teams in the NFL dominate the attention of most everyone this time of year and heading into the football season. That said, my focus heading into the new season is covering the “other 6” which is the “Group of 5” Conferences as well as the small group of Independents. These less popular teams which comprise the “other” conferences absolutely deserve some attention and yet many sports bettors are the least familiar with these smaller conferences. That is even with the best value often being found where others just do not focus the attention. That said, I feel there is value in at least giving a “quick hitter” preview at these teams heading into the 2023 season. CONFERENCE USA:FIU – Solid coaching staff but concerns on offense after losing some key pieces, including on the offensive line, in the transfer portal. Should be a respectable defense and they are well-coached but concerns loom with this offense. Jacksonville State – The Gamecocks can score well, generally speaking, but there are real concerns about this defense. This is particularly true as they adjust to playing in a tougher conference. Look for overs involving this team. Liberty – Flames just so strong on both sides of the ball. Solid program that keeps reloading and will be right up there again this season with Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee. Louisiana Tech – Bulldogs another team to keep an eye on in terms of overs. They should have a respectable offense with Bachmeier at the controls and you know coach Cumbie wants to get a strong air attack going here. This team has a lot of new faces (and question marks) on defense however. Middle Tennessee – This team has a veteran coach and plus a defense that lost practically no one so they will be the favorites in this conference. They have one of the best rosters and are well-coached. New Mexico State – Jerry Kill did a great job with the Aggies last season and look for New Mexico State to build off that momentum here. This team does not have the most talented roster but they play hard and that effort counts for a lot in this day and age! They outwork opponents.  Sam Houston – Having lived in Texas for many years, I still can not even believe the Bearkats are at this level of College Football. The fact is they still do not belong! They will likely be in the cellar of this conference and their only hope is a solid defensive front. I will give them that but the rest of this team, including the entire offense, is just not ready for Group of Five football just yet. UTEP – The Miners got a big return on offense when Tyrin Smith decided to remain with the team instead of transferring to Texas A & M. That said, this is a respectable offense and if the defensive jells as the season goes on, this team could be dangerous in this conference. They could surprise for sure if they stay healthy on offense. Western Kentucky – Definitely a strong team and expected to battle it out with Liberty for the top spot in this conference. However, their defense could have some growing pains early in the season. The offense looks strong again and is expected to be pass-happy so looking for overs with this team could be a good idea…especially until the defense catches up as the season goes along. Hilltoppers should end up solid again this season. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL and Women's World Cup Previews and Odds - 08/05/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Aug 05, 2023

The Saturday sports card features MLB, CFL, and Women’s World Cup action.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Houston Astros travel to New York to play the Yankees at 1:05 PM ET as a -130 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play in Detroit against the Tigers at 1:10 PM ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Atlanta Braves are in Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. The Texas Rangers host the Miami Marlins at 4:05 PM ET. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 PM ET. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Washington Nationals as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Toronto is in Boston on FS1, with Jose Berrios taking the mound for the Blue Jays to face a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Red Sox. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Kansas City Chiefs at 6:05 PM ET as a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the New York Mets as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The San Francisco Giants visit Oakland to play the A’s at 7:07 OM ET as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Three MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins are at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Colorado Rockies at 7:15 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers on FS1 at 8:40 PM ET. The Padres send out Blake Snell to face a Dodgers’ starting pitcher that has yet to be named. The Seattle Mariners play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:07 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Week 9 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Montreal Alouettes are in Hamilton to play the Tiger-Cats on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Alouettes ended a three-game losing streak with a 25-18 victory against Calgary as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Tiger-Cats won for the third time in their last four games with a 16-12 upset victory at Ottawa as a 1.5-point underdog last Friday. Montreal is a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 45. The Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia continues with the third and fourth matches in the round of 16 knockout stage on Fox and Peacock. The Netherlands play South Africa at 10 PM ET as a -2 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. The United States face Sweden at 5 AM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.

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College Football 2023: American Conference Preview

by Scott Rickenbach

Friday, Aug 04, 2023

College Football 2023: American Conference PreviewIt is early in the month of August 2023 and, as always at this time of year, excitement is building for the coming Football season. That includes NFL and College Football. Most every sports bettor is quite familiar with the NFL as it is certainly the most popular among sports betting markets. Additionally, when it comes to College Football, many sports bettors are quite familiar with the Power 5 Conferences. The “Power 5” Conferences include the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and SEC. Those major conferences in College Football along with the 32 teams in the NFL dominate the attention of most everyone this time of year and heading into the football season. That said, my focus heading into the new season is covering the “other 6” which is the “Group of 5” Conferences as well as the small group of Independents. These less popular teams which comprise the “other” conferences absolutely deserve some attention and yet many sports bettors are the least familiar with these smaller conferences. That is even with the best value often being found where others just do not focus the attention. That said, I feel there is value in at least giving a “quick hitter” preview at these teams heading into the 2023 season. AMERICAN CONFERENCE:Charlotte – New head coach and that means it takes time to rebuild.  Working in a lot of new transfers. East Carolina – Trying to continue the momentum here but now shifting more to a ground attack. Lost some significant skill position players including at wide receiver. Ground game will be key here. Florida Atlantic – Exciting times for the Owls as Tom Herman is now the head coach. FAU will see improvement but it will take time yet I do expect a bit of an immediate positive boost too. Memphis – Losing some skill guys again yet this is such a dangerous offense and yet generally struggles defensively. Again looking for great spots with overs involving this Tigers team this season.  Navy – Opposite of Memphis. Might keep an eye on unders with this team. The Midshipmen now coached by a defensive coordinator plus their offense goes as their QB goes and that is a bit of a concern entering this season. North Texas – Offense should be solid but defense is changing to a new alignment and also has some personnel question marks. That coupled with a new head coach coming from a smaller school, Incarnate Word, means we could see some high-scoring games involving this team early this season. Rice – Should be heading the right way and have a solid QB coming from West Virginia but can the defense properly complement the offense at Rice? That is still a question mark the way I see it but this Owls team better than past versions for sure. SMU – Made some key transfers on defense but will take awhile to work those guys in and have everyone on the same page. At the same time, this SMU offense looks very explosive once again. Another team to watch for overs this season is this one! Temple – This team got surprisingly solid QB play last season but this Owls team still tough to trust the way I see it. The Owls just do not have the talent level of most of the other teams in this conference. Tulane – With some of the top teams like Cincinnati and UCF and Houston having gone to the Big 12, the Green Wave certainly appear to be one of the favorites in this conference. I like their chances to duplicate last year’s big success. Tulsa – This offense looks improved and they should thrive under new head coach but I can not trust this defense even though their secondary might be respectable. Opponents might run all over this defense. UAB  – New head coach in Trent Dilfer but hard to trust him with coming from high school level and this Blazers team was already in a bit of a rebuild mode. They just can not get to a consistent level and it will take time now with a former NFL QB leading the charge as their new head coach. USF – This team is so bad and it will be another long season in South Florida. If the offense can be decent, look for overs with this team as their defense was awful last season and it looks like they will struggle badly again.  UTSA – The Roadrunners very likely to challenge Tulane for the top spot in the conference. The Runners are well coached and have nearly the entire offense back from last season plus a respectable defense. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL and Women's World Cup Previews and Odds - 08/04/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Aug 04, 2023

The Friday sports card features MLB, CFL, and Women’s World Cup action.Major League Baseball has 14 games on its schedule. The Atlanta Braves travel to Chicago to play the Cubs. Max Fried takes the ball for the Braves to pitch against Kyle Hendricks for the Cubs. Atlanta is a -166 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. Cincinnati hosts Washington, with the Reds tapping Graham Ashcraft to pitch against the Nationals’ Patrick Corbin. The Reds are a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Tampa Bay plays at Detroit, with Zack Littel taking the hill for the Rays to battle against Reese Olson for the Tigers. The Rays are a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Three MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. Baltimore plays at home against New York, with the Orioles sending out Dean Kremer to duel against the Mets’ David Peterson. The Orioles are a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Houston is in New York, with Hunter Brown getting the start for the Astros to face Luis Severino for the Yankees. The Astros are a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Philadelphia is at home against Kansas City, with the Phillies tapping Aaron Nola to battle against the Royals’ Jordan Lyles. The Phillies are a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. Boston hosts Toronto, with James Paxton pitching for the Red Sox to go against Alex Manoah for the Blue Jays. The Red Sox are a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 10. Cleveland plays at home against Chicago, with the Guardians sending out Logan Allen to duel against the White Sox’s Mike Clevinger. The Guardians are a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Miami Marlins at 8:05 PM ET. Jordan Montgomery makes his debut for the Rangers facing Jesus Luzardo for the Marlins. Texas is a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two more MLB games start at 8:10 PM ET. Minnesota hosts Arizona, with the Twins turning to Bailey Ober to pitch against the Diamondbacks Merrill Kelly. The Twins are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Pittsburgh, with Colin Rea getting the ball for the Brewers to pitch against Quinn Priester for the Pirates. The Brewers are a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home against the Colorado Rockies at 8:15 PM ET. The Cardinals send out Adam Wainwright to face the Rockies’ Chris Flexen. St. Louis is a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. The Seattle Mariners visit Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. Luis Castillo gets the ball for the Mariners to pitch against Reid Detmers for the Angels. Seattle is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in San Diego against the Padres at 9:40 PM ET. The Dodgers turn to Bobby Miller to battle against the Padres’ Yu Darvish. Both teams are priced as a -110 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.Week 9 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Toronto Argonauts travel to Calgary to play the Stampeders at 9 PM ET. The Argonauts remained unbeaten this season with a 31-13 victory against Saskatchewan as a 10-point favorite on Saturday. The Stampeders are on a two-game losing streak after a 25-18 loss at Montreal as a 1.5-point underdog on Sunday. Toronto is a 9-point road favorite with a total of 51. The Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia continues with the first two matches in the round of 16 knockout stage on FS1 and Peacock scheduled for Saturday AM ET. Spain plays Switzerland as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Japan faces Norway as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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