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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 05/23/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and MLB.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the Miami Heat hosting the Boston Celtics on TNT at 8:30 PM ET in the fourth game of the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat took a 3-0 lead in this series with a 128-102 upset win as a 4.5-point underdog on Sunday. Miami is a 1.5-point favorite, with the total set at 216 (all odds from DraftKings).The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Dallas Stars playing at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on ESPN in the third game of the Western Conference finals. The Golden Knights have a 2-0 series lead after their 3-2 win in overtime on Sunday. The Stars are a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Tuesday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians are at home against the Chicago White Sox at 6:10 PM ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Texas Rangers travel to Pittsburgh Pirates at 6:35 PM ET as a -165 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Three more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays as a -130 money-line favorite. The St. Louis Cardinals play in Cincinnati against the Reds as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Two MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. The New York Yankees are at home against the Baltimore Orioles as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Diego Padres visit Washington to play the Nationals as a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Atlanta Braves host the Los Angeles Dodgers on TBS at 7:20 PM ET. The Dodgers won the first game of this series, 8-6, on Monday to end a two-game losing streak. The Braves lost for the second time in their last three games. Atlanta is a -210 money-line favorite with a total of 8.Four  MLB games begin at 7:40 PM ET. The New York Mets play in Chicago against the Cubs as a -115 money-line road favorite. The Detroit Tigers are in Kansas City to play the Royals. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Houston Astros are in Milwaukee to play the Brewers as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Miami Marlins travel to Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 11. The Boston Red Sox play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Oakland A’s at 9:40 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 22, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Monday, May 22, 2023

Let's start off the week by talking a little WNBA, as the first weekend came to a close.My immediate thoughts are that the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky have something to say about the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics being the Eastern Conference favorites this season.Both the Sun and Sky opened 2-0, while the Mystics and Liberty are both 1-1.While the Mystics knocked off the Liberty, the Sun then beat the Mystics on Sunday to send a statement.DeWanna Bonner scored 21 points, Alyssa Thomas had 14 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and three steals to lead the Sun back from a 12-point deficit to beat Washington 80-74.Bonner and Thomas are holdovers from last year's team that went to the WNBA Finals, and have looked just fine without Jonquel Jones and Courtney Williams. We're going to see just how good they are this week, as they now go to Washington for a return engagement with the Mystics, and then face the Liberty in New York on Saturday.The Sky, meanwhile, opened with an 11-point road win over Minnesota Lynx on Friday before going into Phoenix and ruining Brittney Griner's home debut with a six-point win over the Mercury on Sunday.The Sky and Sun are tied atop the league leaderboard with the No. 1 scoring defense among those teams who've played twice, allowing just 67.5 points per game.Chicago has been fueled on offense by Kahleah Cooper, Elizabeth Williams and Alanna Smith, while the addition of Williams has given the Sky a feasible replacement for Courtney Vandersloot, who is now in New York.No games on the card tonight, as the WNBA returns to action on Tuesday.In the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights earned their eighth come-from-behind win of the postseason.Another overtime winner for Vegas, which is now 3-0 in OT games, as it beat the Dallas Stars 3-2.Dallas was pretty good for 50 minutes on Sunday, and led Vegas 2-1 in the final minutes. Then the Golden Knights remembered how good they can be.Goals from Jonathan Marchessault with 2:22 left in regulation and Chandler Stephenson 1:12 into overtime put Vegas in a superior position as the series heads to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.NHL Notes: Road teams are 43-34 in the postseason. Underdogs are 37-39 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1200. The Over is 40-36-1, but the Under has cashed 27 of the last 47 games. There have been 22 overtime games, and road teams are 15-7 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-32 on the puck line this postseason after Carolina's loss on Saturday. In the NBA, I went 1-0 with the Miami Heay pushing the Boston Celtics to the brink on Sunday.Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 29 points, Duncan Robinson chipped in with 22 and the eighth-seeded Heat cruised to a 128-102 win over Boston. Miami leads the series 3-0, and can finish off the sweep on Tuesday night at home in Game 4.The Celtics have failed to cover four of five Conference Finals games, and are now mired in a 2-5 ATS slide. Miami has covered 10 of its last 12 and seven of its last eight at home.The Heat were my NBA Side Winner # 29 of 44. I'm on an 83-65-4 overall run for $14,240 net profit since 4/17, including a 42-24-3 NBA run for $15,550. And part of that NBA win streak is a 29-15 run with side selections. Tonight I'm in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals with my NBA SIDE WINNER # 30 of 45.On the MLB diamond, three of the 16 underdogs won Sunday, as the favorites dominated the day. No doubt about it the most notable was the Baltimore Orioles at +165 (DraftKings), as they crushed the Toronto Blue Jays, 8-3. The Blue Jays have lost four in a row, as they've averaged just 3.0 runs per game since Thursday, while the pitching staff has been tagged for 24 runs (6.0 per game) in that same stretch while allowing seven home runs. The staff ERA the last four days is 4.85 ERA while the opposition is hitting .263.On Saturday, I delivered my A.L. East Total of the Month, with the Orioles and Jays going Over the posted number. Tonight I have another DIVISION TOTAL OF THE MONTH, and I'm bundling it with TWO BONUS WINNERS. In addition to a very easy OVER in what might be the highest-scoring game of the night, I have a bonus total and a bonus side winner for you. Grab this DIVISION TOTAL OF THE MONTH with TWO BONUS WINNERS.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, EPL and MLB Previews and Odds - 05/22/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, May 22, 2023

The Monday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Denver Nuggets on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET in the fourth game of the Western Conference finals. The Nuggets took a 3-0 lead in this series with their 119-108 upset win as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Lakers are a 3-point favorite with a total of 224.5.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Florida Panthers playing at home against the Carolina Hurricanes on TNT in the third game of the Eastern Conference finals. The Panthers took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 2-1 victory on Saturday. Florida is a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Monday card in Major League Baseball has 12 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians are at home against the Chicago White Sox at 6:10 PM ET. The Texas Rangers play at Pittsburgh against the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Three more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The St Louis Cardinals play in Cincinnati against the Reds as a -190 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Toronto Blue Jays as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 7:20 PM ET as a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Three more MLB games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Kansas City Royals host the Detroit Tigers as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros travel to Milwaukee to play the Brewers as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.The Minnesota Twins play at home against the San Francisco Giants on FS1-TV at 7:40 PM ET as a -150 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Twins have lost three of their last four games after their 4-2 loss on the road against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. The Giants have won five of their last six games after a 7-5 win against Miami yesterday. Minnesota is a -150 moneyline favorite with an over/under of 9.  The Miami Marlins play on the road against the Colorado Rockies at 8:40 PM ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 11.5. The Los Angeles Angels are at home against the Boston Red Sox at 9:38 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Seattle Marines host the Oakland A’s at 9:40 PM ET as a -315 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Matchweek 37 in the English Premier League continues with Newcastle United hosting Leicester City on the USA Network at 3 PM ET. The Magpies are a -1.5 goal-line favorite at Bet MGM with a total of 3.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 21, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Normally I would start with one of the daily sports we're watching, recapping the previous day's events, but Sunday I am going to have to start with boxing.Let's call it what it was - a shame. Vasiliy Lomachenko outclassed Devin Haney last night, but it was the younger undisputed lightweight champion who retained his belt with a unanimous decision.Unreal.Haney was about -260 when the fight started, but by mid-fight, DraftKings have shifted the in-fight line to Lomachenko -120.A shocking decision saw Lomachenko in tears in his dressing room, and Haney wearing sunglasses to hide his battered face and swollen eyes.Looking ahead, whenever it may be, mark my words that either Shakur Stevenson or Gervonta Davis will destroy Haney in a matchup of pound-for-pound contenders.Let's move on to the WNBA.The defending champion Las Vegas Aces destroyed the Seattle Storm, who showed signs of how things could be all season now that legend Sue Bird has retired, and with Breanna Stewart playing in New York.I'll be interested to see the number when the Aces face the Sparks in Los Angeles next week, because that will be a much better test.Also winning was the Dallas Wings, scoring the win and cover against the Atlanta Dream. It was a statement win, to be quite honest, as the Dream are on some peoples' bingo card for Eastern Conference contender.Another split for the home teams, while both games went over the posted number. Totals are 3-3 after the first two days fo the season.Three games on the card for Sunday and I love one of them. Friday I opened the season with my WNBA Western Conference Game of the Month winner on the Sparks. Today I am back with my Eastern Conference Game of the Month with a heavyweight battle between Washington and Connecticut. I'm on an 82-65-4 run for $14,340 net profit since April 17, and over the L30 Days I'm No. 2 in NET$. Today I add to the bankroll with my WNBA CONFERENCE GAME OF THE MONTH.In the NHL, it's becoming redundant so I'll just give you two words: Florida Panthers.Another overtime winner for the Cats, who will take a 2-0 series lead back to Sunrise, Florida after Matthew Tkachuk played the role of hero again, with the game-winner in the extra frame. He did the same in Game 1.Today, it's Game 2 between the Golden Knights and Stars, as puck drop is at 3 pm eastern, less than 48 hours after Vegas scored a 4-3 overtime win in Game 1.NHL Notes: Road teams are 43-33 in the postseason. Underdogs are 37-38 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1300. The Over is 40-35-1, but the Under has cashed 26 of the last 46 games. There have been 21 overtime games, and road teams are 15-6 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-32 on the puck line this postseason after Carolina's loss on Saturday. In the NBA, I went 1-0 with the Denver Nuggets pushed the Los Angeles Lakers to the brink on Saturday.Jamal Murray scored 37 points, Nikola Jokic added 24 points and eight assists and the Nuggets cruised to a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals with a 119-108 victory over Los Angeles.Denver squandered a 14-point lead, but made up for it with a decisive 13-0 run in the fourth quarter en route to snapping the Lakers' nine-game home winning streak dating back to  March 26.The series continues Monday in Los Angeles, where the Nuggets can earn their first trip to the NBA Finals.The Nuggets were my NBA Side Winner # 28 of 43. I'm on an 82-64-4 overall run for $14,340 net profit since 4/17, including a 41-24-3 NBA run for $14,550. And part of that NBA win streak is a 28-15 run with side selections. Tonight I'm in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals with my NBA SIDE WINNER # 29 of 44.On the MLB diamond, six of the 14 underdogs won Friday, with one game being postponed. No doubt about it the most notable was the Miami Marlins at +140 (DraftKings), as they beat the San Francisco Giants, 1-0. The Marlins have now won five of six, and are hitting .255 during the win streak. They're averaging a mere 3.5 runs per game during the run, but they're getting stellar pitching via a 2.38 ERA.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/21/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, May 21, 2023

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the Boston Celtics traveling to Miami to play the Heat on TNT at 8:30 PM ET in the third game of the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat took a 2-0 lead in the series with a 111-105 upset victory as a 10-point underdog on Friday. The Celtics are a 3.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 213.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Vegas Golden Knights hosting the Dallas Stars on ABC at 3:05 PM ET in the second game of the Western Conference finals. The Golden Knights won the first game of this series with a 4-3 victory in overtime on Friday. Vegas is a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Sunday card in Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The New York Yankees visit Cincinnati to play the Reds on Peacock at 11:35 AM ET as a -150 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Four more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. The Washington Nationals play at home against the Detroit Tigers as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in Pittsburgh to play the Pirates as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners play in Atlanta against the Braves, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles at 1:37 PM ET as a -190 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more MLB games start at 1:40 PM ET. The New York Mets play at home against the Cleveland Guardians in the opening game of their doubleheader as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Milwaukee Brewers as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games begin at 2:10 PM ET. The Houston Astros host the Oakland A’s as a -350 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -185 money-line favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 9.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 2:15 PM ET as a -150 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Colorado Rockies at 2:35 PM ET as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.The San Francisco Giants host the Miami Marlins at 4:05 PM ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the Minnesota Twins at 4:07 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Boston Red Sox at 4:10 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN has the Mets host the Guardians in the second game of their doubleheader at 7:10 PM ET. New York is a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.Matchweek 37 in the English Premier League continues with three matches. Leeds United plays at West Ham United at 8:30 AM ET in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2.5 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Brighton and Hove Albion is at home against Southampton as a -2 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Manchester City hosts Chelsea on the USA Network at 11 AM ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.

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How to Maximize MLB First Five Innings Bets

by Oskeim Sports

Saturday, May 20, 2023

One of the best methods to uncover value in baseball betting is wagering on the First Five innings.  It’s the equivalent of betting on the NFL’s or NBA’s first half. Bettors can more accurately forecast potential outcomes because it lowers the number of variables that can impact the game’s conclusion. Simply put, first five innings bets allow you to disregard any game developments that take place after the fifth inning. How can you maximize those bets?Types of First Five BetsMost bookmakers allow you to wager on the first five innings in the same ways that you may on the entire game. These include straight-up moneyline wagers, run line wagers (point spread), and totals wagers on the combined run totals for both teams.When computing odds for the First Five, also known as F5, there are fewer factors to consider. It makes sense that betting on the F5 will typically offer less favorable odds than betting on the full game. When there are concerns about a team’s bullpen, betting on the First Five is frequently the wiser course of action. More on that in a moment.Examples of First Five BetsFirst Five Innings wagers are rather simple when compared to full game wagers. Let’s look at an example. Here’s a look at a Phillies-Marlins game. The odds for an entire game are listed first. The First Five Odds are listed next.Phillies             -125     -1.5 (+145)      O 7.5 (-105)Marlins +105    +1.5 (-170)      U 7.5 (-115)Phillies             -120     -1.5 (+120)      O 4.5 (-105)Marlins +100    +1.5 (-140)      U 4.5 (-115)The final innings of a game are frequently when a team’s advantages start to matter more. That should be reflected for bettors in correctly constructed odds. Favorites will have a bigger advantage in whole game wagers than in first five inning wagers. While placing a complete game wager will normally yield a higher return on investment, it is not always the optimum bet.The First Five Is All About PitchingEven though baseball is a team sport, the pitcher is the one who has the most impact on the game. It’s like the goalie in hockey. A starting pitcher in MLB is good enough to go five innings. The best MLB pitchers frequently go six or more innings.Because you just need to consider the relative strength of the starting pitchers and not the bullpen, the first five innings of a game are often simpler to handicap than the entire game. The effect of relief pitchers in a game is far less predictable. Betting the First Five takes the bullpen out of the equation. Strong pitching ultimately has a big effect on F5 betting.Because of schedule variance, there are times when a team’s No. 1 starter will go up against an opponent’s No. 5 starter. Think of Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, or Sandy Alcantara going up against a lesser-known fifth starter. How about those pitchers against a team that pitches a bullpen game?When you have high confidence in the starting pitcher’s relative strength, it makes sense to consider the First Five wager.Top Heavy LineupsA head-to-head analysis of the relative strengths of each team’s starting pitcher is definitely the most important factor in handicapping for the First Five innings bet. However, bettors shouldn’t stop there.A comparison of the batting lineups for each club would be part of a more thorough analysis. Bettors should focus on where the power hitters are in a lineup. Typically, you’ll find those hitters in the No. 3, 4, and 5 slots in the batting order. If a team has three solid hitters batting at the top of the order, that helps the First Five bet. Those hitters will usually get an extra at-bat by the fifth inning.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 20, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Let's tip off Saturday's Daily Recap with the WNBA.A split for the home and road teams, while three of the four games stayed under the posted number.Let's start with one of the league's preseason favorites, as the New York Liberty went into the nation's capital and got smacked around by the Washington Mystics in an 80-64 loss.Natasha Cloud and Ariel Atkins each scored 14 points in the win, while it seems New York coach Sandy Brondello has plenty of work to do in blending personalities with three new additions in Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot. The Liberty started the game making just 5 of 23 shots and finished the first half shooting 27%. It was a clear sign that it'll take time before the Liberty can figure out who should get the offense flowing, especially with prolific scorer Sabrina Ionescu in the lineup.The defending Eastern Conference champion Connecticut Sun went into Indianapolis and beat the Fever by nine points, 70-61, spoiling the debut of No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston, who finished one rebound shy of a double-double (15 points, 9 rebounds). The Fever, last year's cellar dweller in the league, did some impressive things late and got as close as five points, but couldn't quite complete the comeback.The new-look Chicago Sky got the best of the Minnesota Lynx, 77-66. Kahleah Copper had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Alanna Smith added 15 points to lead the Sky. Chicago outscored the Lynx 22-3 in the second quarter to take a 17-point lead into the locker room at the break.The Los Angeles Sparks spoiled the much-ballyhooed return of Brittney Griner, as crushed the Phoenix Mercury, 94-71. Nneka Ogwumike scored 17 points and rookie Zia Cooke chipped in 14, as the Sparks got the win and cover in my Western Conference Game of the Month.Two games on the card for Saturday, as the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings tip at 1 pm eastern, and the defending champion Las Vegas Aces open defense of their title in Seattle against a Storm team that will open their season without Sue Bird for the first time in 20 years.In the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights took a 1-0 series lead over the Dallas Stars with a 4-3 overtime win, when Brett Howden's shot off the back of netminder Jake Oettinger found its way in the net just 1:35 into the extra period.The Golden Knights looked like the better team from the jump, skating furiously while the Stars lacked the energy coach Pete DeBoer hoped to see after being taken to seven games by the Seattle Kraken.The two resume their series Sunday at 3 pm eastern.Tonight, it's Game 2 between the Panthers and Hurricanes, as puck drop is at 8:05 pm eastern, less than 48 hours after that marathon 4OT thriller on Thursday.NHL Notes:Road teams are 42-33 in the postseason.Underdogs are 36-38 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1200.The Over is 40-34-1, but the Under has cashed 25 of the last 45 games.There have been 20 overtime games, and road teams are 14-6 in those games.NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-31 on the puck line this postseason.In the NBA, I went 1-0-1 with the Miami Heat winning outright again, and the total finishing as a push.Boston's Grant Williams didn't do his team any favors by going forehead-to-forehead with Jimmy Butler in a short dust up. Butler hit back-to-back buckets to tie the game and give Miami the lead, finished with 27 points, and the eighth-seeded Heat left Boston with a 111-105 victory and a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.Butler contributed nine points during a 23-9 run that turned a nine-point deficit into a 105-100 lead, and the Heat never looked back.The series shifts for Games 3 and 4, to Miami, where the Heat have covered six of seven.Went 3-2-1 on Friday, including the Miami Heat outright. I'm on an 80-63-4 overall run for $13,790 net profit since 4/17, including a 40-24-3 NBA run for $13,550. And part of that NBA win streak is a 27-15 run with side selections. Tonight I'm in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals with my NBA SIDE WINNER # 28 of 43.On the MLB diamond, five of the 14 underdogs won Friday, with one game a pick. No doubt about it the most notable was the Pittsburgh Pirates at +150 (DraftKings), as they devoured the Arizona Diamondbacks, 13-3. The Pirates have now won three of four behind an offense that is hitting .293 and averaging 6.2 runs per game since May 14.Friday, I hit my MLB Blank Check Winner # 5 of 7 on the Giants. I'm on an 80-63-4 overall run for $13,790 net profit since 4/17. And since the start of the MLB season, I've hit five of my first seven BLANK CHECK releases. Tonight I've isolated one specific game for you, and you have my permission to fill in the blank. Whatever you want to put on this game, feel free. It's my MLB BLANK CHECK WINNER # 6 OF 8.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/20/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, May 20, 2023

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the Los Angeles Lakers hosting the Denver Nuggets on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET in the third game of the Western Conference finals. The Nuggets have a 2-0 series lead after their 108-103 victory at home against the Lakers as a 5.5-point favorite on Thursday. Los Angeles is a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 222.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Carolina Hurricanes playing at home against the Florida Panthers on TNT at 8:05 PM ET in the second game of the Eastern Conference finals. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the series with a 3-2 victory in four overtimes on the road on Thursday. The Hurricanes are a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Saturday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Chicago White Sox are at home against the Kansas City Royals at 2:10 PM ET as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles at 3:07 PM ET as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Five MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 PM ET. The Texas Rangers play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -190 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Washington Nationals are at home against the Detroit Tigers as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the Miami Marlins as a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Four MLB games start at 4:10 PM ET. The Cincinnati Reds host the New York Yankees. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Milwaukee Brewers on FS1 as a -210 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Mets are at home against the Cleveland Guardians as a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Houston Astros host the Oakland A’s as a -295 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games are on Fox regional coverage at 7:15 PM ET. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the Seattle Mariners. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 9.5. The Los Angeles Angeles are at home against the Minnesota Twins as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres host the Boston Red Sox at 10:10 M ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8.Matchweek 37 in the English Premier League begins with six matches. Tottenham plays at home against Brentford on the USA Network at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Four EPL games begin at 10 AM ET. Manchester United visits Bournemouth on the USA Network as a -1 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3. Crystal Palace plays at Fulham in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool is at home against Aston Villa as a -1 goal-line favorite with a total of 3. Wolverhampton is at home against Everton in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal travels to Nottingham Forest on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -1 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 19, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Friday, May 19, 2023

How many of you were able to last the entire Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final? Quite a marathon that lasted nearly a full four overtimes, save for about 15 seconds.Nevertheless, the Florida Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the series against the Carolina Hurricanes, when Matthew Tkachuk beat Frederik Andersen in the final seconds of the fourth overtime to deliver a 3-2 victory.It was the sixth-longest game in NHL history.Florida won its seventh straight road game in these playoffs and improved to 5-0 in overtime.Carolina, which is in the Eastern final for the second time in five years, its ninth straight game in the conference-final round dating to 2009. The Hurricanes' losing streak in the NHL semifinals dates to Pittsburgh’s sweep of the Hurricanes in 2009.NHL Notes: Road teams are 42-32 in the postseason, the most wins by visitors at this stage of a postseason (74 games played) in league history. Underdogs are 36-37 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1300. The Over is 39-34-1 after the first two rounds, but the Under has cashed 25 of the last 44 games. There have been 19 overtime games, and road teams are 14-5 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-31 on the puck line this postseason. Game 1 of the Western Conference Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars is tonight, and I have the total available as part of a three-pack of totals that includes an MLB Division Total of the Month and Game 2 of the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals.In the NBA, I lost by a half-point when the Denver Nuggets managed just a five-point win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.While everyone had their eyes peeled for Nikola Jokic, it was Jamal Murray scoring 23 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter, to lift the Nuggets to a 108-103 come-from-behind win over Los Angeles for a 2-0 lead in the series.Anthony Davis and LeBron James were a combined 13 of 36 from the floor.The series shifts for Games 3 and 4, to Los Angeles, where the Lakers have covered six in a row.Despite last night's setback by one-half point with the Nuggets, I'm on a 77-61-3 overall run for $12,890 net profit since 4/17, including a 39-24-3 NBA run for $12,550. I'm in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final tonight with my NBA SIDE WINNER # 27 of 42.On the MLB diamond, five of the six underdogs won Thursday. No doubt about it the most notable was the St. Louis Cardinals at +130 (DraftKings), as they stroked seven home runs en route to a 16-8 victory over Los Angeles. The Redbirds have now won nine of 11 behind an offense that is hitting .281 and averaging 7.8 runs per game since May 7.Since the start of the MLB season, I've hit four of my first six BLANK CHECK releases. Tonight I've isolated one specific game for you, and you have my permission to fill in the blank. Whatever you want to put on this game, feel free. It's my MLB BLANK CHECK WINNER # 5 of 7.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 05/19/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, May 19, 2023

The Friday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and MLB.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue the conference finals, with the Boston Celtics hosting the Miami Heat on TNT at 8:30 PM ET. The Heat took the opening game of this best-of-seven series in the Eastern Conference finals with a 123-116 upset win on the road as an 8.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Celtics are a 9-point favorite, with the total set at 215.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue the conference finals, with the Vegas Golden Knights playing at home against the Miami Heat on ESPN at 8:35 PM ET in the opening game of the Western Conference finals. The Golden Knights beat the Edmonton Oilers in six games with their 5-2 victory on the road on Sunday. The Stars come off a 2-1 win against Seattle in the seventh game of their series on Monday. Vegas is a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Friday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET as a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Milwaukee Brewers play in Tampa Bay against the Rays as a -165 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Two MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. The Detroit Tigers are in Washington to play the Nationals as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Baltimore Orioles on Apple TV+ at 7:07 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets play at home against the Cleveland Guardians at 7:10 PM ET as a -150 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the Seattle Mariners on Apple TV+ at 7:20 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Texas Rangers host the Colorado Rockies at 8:05 PM ET as a -210 money-line favorite with an over/under 9. Two more MLB games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Houston Astros play at home against the Oakland A’s as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Chicago White Sox are at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 8:15 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins play in Los Angeles against the Angels as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres host the Boston Red Sox at 9:40 PM ET as a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants play at home against the Miami Marlins at 10:15 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 19, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, May 18, 2023

The NBA Playoffs continued last night, with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tipping off in Boston.And the Miami Heat certainly made the statement I thought they would, winning outright as an 8-point underdog.Jimmy Butler scored 35 points, including 20 after halftime, and Miami came from behind in the second half to upset the Celtics 123-116.Surprisingly, The betting market moved the number from -8 to -8.5, and the Heat made their backers happy with an outright win. Those cashing the moneyline were ecstatic with a +310 closing price at Draft Kings.Game 2 is scheduled for Friday.I'm now 77-57-3 for $16,090 since 4/17, including an NBA run of 39-23-2 for $13,600. Riding a 26-14-1 run with SIDE WINNERS in the NBA, and tonight I jump back into the Western Conference Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. My NBA LINE MISTAKE awaits.On the MLB diamond, only four of the 15 underdogs won Wednesday. No doubt about it the most notable was the Kansas City Royals at +230 (DraftKings), as they won in San Diego, 4-3. They've now won two straight after a four-game skid and have the day off before finishing their road trip playing at division-rival Chicago. And make note, KC just took three of four from the White Sox earlier this month (May 8-11).I'm offering is another DIVISION TOTAL OF THE MONTH. On Monday you got my NL East Total of the Month on the Mets-Nats OV. I'm on a 21-13-1 roll with ALL TOTALS from every sport. I make it 22 of 36 tonight with my DIVISION TOTAL OF THE MONTH.The NHL Playoffs are back tonight with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final starting in Raleigh, North Carolina.Numbers to keep in mind: Road teams are 41-32 in the postseason, the most wins by visitors at this stage of a postseason (73 games played) in league history. Eight of 12 series-clinching wins have been claimed on the road. Underdogs are 35-37 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1200. The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are averaging 6.4 goals-per-game, the highest rate at this stage of a postseason (73 GP) since 1995. The Over is 39-33-1 after the first two rounds, but the Under has cashed 24 of the last 43 games. There have been 18 overtime games, and road teams are 13-5 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-31 on the puck line this postseason. I couldn't be any happier about the conference finals getting started, as I've had my eye on this game since the TOTAL came out. I'm on a 91-79-2 roll in the NHL all season ($15,350), and 15-11 in the postseason ($5,130). I also come into Thursday on a 21-13-1 roll with ALL SPORTS TOTALS - including a 4-2 run with NHL Playoff totals. Tonight I make if 5 of 7 with NHL Playoff totals with my CONFERENCE FINAL TOTAL OF THE YEAR.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/18/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, May 18, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue the conference finals, with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET. The Nuggets took a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven series with a 132-126 victory as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Denver is a 5.5-point favorit,e with the total set at 227 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The National Hockey League playoffs return with the beginning of the conference finals, with the Carolina Hurricanes playing at home against the Florida Panthers on TNT at 8:05 PM ET. The Hurricanes come off a 3-2 victory against New Jersey last Thursday that ended that series in five games. The Panthers beat Toronto, 3-2 in overtime on Friday, to complete that series in five games. Carolina is a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Thursday card in Major League Baseball has six games on its schedule. The Baltimore Orioles are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 12:35 PM ET. The Orioles turn to Tyler Wells in their starting rotation to pitch against the Angels’ Tyler Anderson. Baltimore is a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 PM ET. The New York Mets host the Tampa Bay Rays, with Tylor Megill taking the mound for the Mets to battle against Taj Bradley for the Rays. The Mets are a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Miami Marlins play at home against the Washington Nationals, with Eury Perez pitching for the Marlins against Trevor Williams for the Nationals. The Marlins are a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago White Sox are at home against the Cleveland Guardians at 2:10 PM ET. Dylan Cease takes the hill for the White Sox to duel against Logan Taylor Allen for the Guardians. Chicago is a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Yankees at 7:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays tap Jose Berrios as their starting pitcher to go against the Yankees' Nestor Cortes. Toronto is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 7:45 PM ET. Julio Urias pitches for the Dodgers against Adam Wainwright for the Cardinals. Los Angeles is a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Matchweek 36 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Newcastle United hosts Brighton and Hove Albion on the USA Network at 2:30 PM ET. The Magpies last played on Saturday when they settled for a 2-2 draw at Leeds United. The Seagulls won for the third time in their last four matches with a 3-0 victory at Arsenal on Sunday. This game is a rematch of a 0-0 draw between these two teams at the American Express Community Stadium in the opening week of the 2022-23 EPL season on August 13th. Newcastle is a -0.5 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with a total of 3.

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