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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 10, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Room service continues to serve postseason guests well in the NHL and NBA's respective postseasons. The road teams went 3-1 in four playoff games on Tuesday, splitting out in the NBA and sweeping the board in the NHL.Carolina was dominant in its Eastern Conference semifinal in New Jersey, pushing the Devils to the brink of elimination with Game 5 back in Raleigh.It's no shock to me, as the Hurricanes, who are now up 3-1, were the preseason favorites in the Eastern Conference, as I told you yesterday with my complimentary winner.It only took a five-minute span in the season period last night, for the Canes to establish their presence - and dominance - in the 6-1 win. The Dallas Stars also looked like their usual selves, as they dispatched the Seattle Kraken, 6-3. An empty-net goal provided the final margin, as the Kraken did look competitive during the final stretch of the third period.Joe Pavelski scored his sixth goal of the series as part of a four-goal second period for Dallas, which takes the series home with home ice tilted in its favor and this now a best-of-three set.With the two road wins in Tuesday's playoff games, road teams improved to 38-26 in the postseason. And, underdogs are now 31-33 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1000.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after Tuesday's totals both ran north of the posted numbers, the under is now on a 19-15 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 35-28-1.The overall tally for overtime games sits at 16 this postseason. Road teams are 12-4 in those games.I've zeroed in on the TOP TOTAL for the SECOND ROUND OF THE NHL PLAYOFFS. I'm 3-0 with my Second Round Plays of the Year already, and tonight I have the BEST OVER/UNDER for the 2nd Round. Remember, I'm 89-77-2 for $15,350 NET$ since the start of the season. I'm 13-9 in the postseason for $4,950 NET$. Tonight I make it four straight Plays of the Year in the conference semifinals with my 2ND ROUND CONFERENCE TOTAL OF YEAR.In the NBA, we had two games, with the Philadelphia 76ers making a statement with a 115-103 win at the Boston Celtics, and the Denver Nuggets re-establishing its role in the West with a 118-102 win over the Phoenix Suns.Nikola Jokic was brilliant last night, scoring 29 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists for his 10th career playoff triple-double in the 16-point win over the Suns. The Joker drained five 3-pointers. The home team is now 5-0 in this series. If we end up back in the Mile High City for Game 7 on Sunday, keep in mind the Nuggets own the NBA’s best home record at 39-7, including 5-0 in the playoffs.In the earlier game, Joel Embiid scored 33 points as Philadelphia made it look easy in taking a 3-2 lead in the East semifinals with its 12-point win in Beantown. The 76ers led by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter, home fans booed the Celtics, and now the series can come to a close Thursday in Game 6 in Philly, where the Sixers have covered 27 of 40.I'm riding a 67-45-2 run for $16,700 NET$ since 4/17 into tonight. And part of that run is a 37-19-2 showing for $16,000 NET$. Huge game in the Big Apple tonight, as the Miami Heat and New York Knicks return to Madison Square Garden for Game 5. The Heat look to close things out, and the Knicks look to stay alive. BLANK CHECK WINNER # 31 OF 53 is an NBA LOCK.On the MLB diamond, seven of the 15 underdogs cashed tickets. The most impressive pups coming from the National League with the Colorado Rockies (+150 at DraftKings) crushing the Pirates in Pittsburgh, 10-1, and the Cincinnati Reds (+140 DKS) at home in a 7-6 win over the New York Mets.I'm taking baseball off with a slew day games highlighting the full card.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 9, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, May 09, 2023

The Edmonton Oilers had the deadliest offensive threat going for them, as Leon Draisaitl scored six goals in the first two games of the Western Conference semifinal against the Vegas Golden Knights.It appeared Vegas could be doomed with the series heading to Edmonton, and all the momentum like oil in Draisaitl and his teammates' direction.As Lee Corso will soon say on College Gameday: "Not so fast my friend!"The Golden Knights skated through and around the Oilers on Monday, stealing back home ice, and making a statement with a 5-1 victory.Jonathan Marchessault scored his first goal of the postseason, and then added a second for good measure. Jack Eichel continued to impress during his first-ever postseason appearance, and suddenly the West's overall No. 1 seed has life.A scary moment occurred when starting netminder Laurent Brossoit was helped from the ice, but you could hear fans exhaling when Adin Hill stymied the Oilers by stopping all 25 shots he faced.With the win in Monday's playoff game, road teams improved to 36-26 in the postseason. And, uderdogs are now 30-32 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of more than $900.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after Monday's total stayed south of the posted number, the Low choice is now on a 19-13 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 33-28-1.The overall tally for overtime games sits at 16 this postseason. Road teams are 12-4 in those games.I'm passing in the NHL tonight, although I am offering a free play on the Hurricanes-Devils game to follow up on the complimentary winner I gave you on the Knights-Oilers Under on Monday.In the NBA, we had two games, including my Second Round Dog of the Year and took the push with Golden State (+3).It amazes me how the focus in the Eastern Conference has been on the Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics all season, but here we are staring down the barrel of another Miami Heat gauntlet.Jimmy Butler had 27 points and 10 assists, Bam Adebayo finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds as Miami moved one win away from its third trip to the Eastern Conference finals in the last four years. Can you imagine, this is the same Miami team that was roughly three minutes from being eliminated in the play-in tournament but is now one win from the conference finals? That's called experience, and the Knicks are feeling it. Miami has covered seven straight now, and will bring a 4-1 ATS road win streak into Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.In the late game, we're all still enamored by the Los Angeles Lakers, right? First they dominated the Memphis Grizzlies in the opening round. Now they have the defending NBA champs on the brink of elimination. And while LeBron James and Anthony Davis will always get the glory and immediate praise, this has been a win-by-committee effort with the Purple and Gold. Last night it was Lonnie Walker, who scored all of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers rally late to take a 3-1 second-round series lead. Los Angeles improved to 6-1 ATS in its last seven meetings with the Warriors, and will be playing for the series on Wednesday.I''m now on a 67-44-2 run since April 17 for $20,200 NET$, including a 37-17-2 roll ($18,200) in the NBA. Over the L7 Days, I'm No. 1 in NET$ with $6,200 in the bank thanks to a 16-9-2 run (64.0%) that has me No. 2 in WIN%. Tonight I'm ready to deliver NBA SIDE WINNER # 19 of 25, as I'm focused on the Eastern Conference. I'll add the Western Conference total as a bonus. Let's make some money with a 2-0 NBA SWEEP.On the MLB diamond, six of the 11 underdogs cashed tickets. The most impressive pup cashing a big ticket was the Washington Nationals (+190 at DraftKings) beating the Giants in San Francisco, 5-1.Speaking of underdogs, I delivered my A.L. West Dog of the Month with the Angels getting it done over Houston on Monday. Tonight I love ONE MLB GAME, and it's the biggest of the month from the junior circuit. Cash in right here with my  MLB AMERICAN LEAGUE GAME OF THE MONTH. A full slate of action in MLB tonight.

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MLB Early Season MVP Value

by ASA, Inc.

Tuesday, May 09, 2023

It's hard to believe we are already almost a quarter done with the MLB season. All future bets are still wide open, but a few MLB players have set themselves up to have a great season so far. Looking at last year's MVP’s, Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt, both finished last season with at least 115 RBI’s, hit over .310, and had an OBP of .400+. The only other players that were close in those categories were Yordan Alvarez and Freddie Freeman who both finished top four in voting. It is not an exact science, but using those metrics, we will show who is currently undervalued for the rest of 2023. American LeagueRandy Arozarena (+3500)  Tampa Bay has been the best team in baseball this season and it is due in large part to their emerging star. Arozarena is fourth in the AL with 30 RBI’s, he is hitting .328, and his OBP is .400. He is currently 10th in AL MVP odds which seems grossly low considering how well the Rays are doing and how popular Randy is becoming. At 29-7, Tampa Bay surely cannot keep up their current pace, but an AL East crown will allow Arozarena to be in the MVP conversation come year end. Brent Rooker (+20000)Rooker is a name even hardcore baseball fans probably are not familiar with, yet MLB is so heavily based in statistics that he is our “Moneyball” value pick that would make Billy Beane proud. Rooker is seventh in the AL with 26 RBI’s, he is hitting .319, and his OBP is .441. The A’s Left Fielder currently leads all of baseball in slugging percentage as well at nearly .700. One major downside is Oakland has the worst record in baseball, yet they have made historic turnarounds in the past.  National League Sean Murphy (+4000)Atlanta has a host of MVP candidates including Ronald Acuna, Matt Olson, and Austin Riley, all which have led them to the second best record in baseball. While all those players have higher odds to win MVP, the one with the best value is Sean Murphy. Murphy is leading the team with 28 RBI’s, hitting .282, and has a OBP of .426. The NL MVP has no clear front runners as of yet but Acuna is the favorite. Watch out for Murphy to outproduce Acuna mainly in RBI’s which could check all the boxes for MVP voters. Nick Castellanos (+9000)The Phillies Right Fielder is the only player within the top 15 of the AL RBI leaders to be hitting over .300. He has 22 RBI’s, is hitting .304, and has a OBP of .356. Castellanos will need to pick it up in the HR category but has shown the ability to hit the long ball when he had 34 in 2021. In the NL it is difficult to find players that are on pace to match what Goldschmidt did last year, but Castellanos has shown the consistency to put together solid statistical years, and is on pace to do so again in 2023.  

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

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, May 09, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and UCL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Boston Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 PM ET. The 76ers evened this series at 2-2 with their 116-115 win at home against the Celtics in a pick ‘em game on Sunday. The Celtics are a 7.5-point favorite, with the total set at 213.5. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Phoenix Suns at 10 PM ET. The Suns evened this series at 2-2 with their 129-124 win at home against the Nuggets as a 1.5-point favorite on Sunday. Denver is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with two games in the conference semifinals on ESPN. The New Jersey Devils are at home against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7:10 PM ET. The Devils won their first game of this series with an 8-4 victory against the Hurricanes on Sunday. Carolina has a 2-1 lead in the series. New Jersey is a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars travel to Seattle to play the Kraken at 9:40 PM ET. The Kraken took a 2-1 lead in this series with a 7-2 victory on Sunday. The Stars are a -140 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Tuesday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians host the Detroit Tigers at 6:10 PM ET as a -200 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games begin at 6:35 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Rays travel to Baltimore to play the Orioles as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two more MLB games start at 6:40 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home against the Toronto Blue Jays as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets play in Cincinnati against the Reds as a -195 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The New York Yankees host the Oakland A’s at 7:05 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the Boston Red Sox on TBS at 7:20 PM ET as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Four more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:40 PM ET. The Chicago Cubs are at home against the St. Louis Cardinals as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago White Sox play in Kansas City against the Royals as a -145 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Minnesota Twins are at home against the San Diego Padres as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Milwaukee Brewers as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Los Angeles Angels host the Houston Astros at 9:38 PM ET as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two more MLB games start at 9:40 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the Miami Marlins as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Texas Rangers as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The San Francisco Giants host the Washington Nationals at 9:45 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5.The first leg of the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on CBS at 3 PM ET. Manchester City travels to Real Madrid as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 8, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Monday, May 08, 2023

I'm not sure who made a bigger statement on Sunday, the New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers or the Seattle Kraken.The Devils are suddenly alive in their Eastern Conference semifinal after smacking the Carolina Hurricanes in an 8-4 win, while the Panthers have the Toronto Maple Leafs on the brink of extinction for the summer after winning in overtime and taking a 3-0 series lead.The second-year Kraken, meanwhile, dominated the Dallas Stars and normally stalwart goaltender Jake Oettinger in the nightcap.Imagine the oddity in saying the home teams swept the card on Sunday, but it's true - all three hosts won on the ice.Road teams dropped to 35-26 in the NHL Playoffs, and considering how well the Edmonton Oilers played in Vegas on Saturday, I don't know if the Golden Knights can win on the road in tonight's lone game.With the Panthers and Kraken winning - I gave you both, by the way, along with a loss on Carolina - underdogs are now 29-32 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $750.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after Sunday's totals finished 2-1 to the high, the Low choice remains on an 18-13 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 33-27-1.The overall tally for overtime games is now at 16 this postseason. Road teams are 12-4 in those games.After hitting my Second Round Eastern Conference Dog of the Year on the Panthers on Sunday, I'm passing tonight. I do have a free play on the Knights-Oilers total available in the appropriate section of the site.In the NBA, we had two games and both home teams got it done, again.The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics battled to overtime in Game 4, and it as James Harden playing the role of hero. First it was Harden's floater with 16 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, and then it was his go-ahead 3-pointer with 18 seconds left in the extra period to lift the 76ers to a come-from-behind 116-115 victory over the Celtics. Philly has now covered eight of 10 overall and roll to Boston for Game 5 riding a 5-1 ATS road win streak.In the late game, it was the Phoenix Suns pulling even with the top-seeded Denver Nuggets behind the scoring prowess of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Both scored 36 points as the Suns registered a 129-124 victory, marking the fourth time in the last five meetings the teams have gone over this season. The series shifts to the Mile High City, where the Nuggets have covered six of their last seven.I'm on a 65-43-1 run ($19,080) since 4/17, including an NBA run of 36-17-1 ($17,200) in the same span. And when it's come to this second round, though, I'm a perfect 4-0 with my Conference Semifinal Plays of the Year after hitting my Second Round Conference Total of the Year on the Celtics-76ers Over. Tonight I have two winners from the NBA card, including my SECOND ROUND DOG OF THE YEAR, and it's bundled with a bonus winner from the other game.On the MLB diamond, eight of the 15 underdogs cashed tickets. The most impressive pup cashing a big ticket was the Colorado Rockies (+170 at DraftKings) beating the Mets in Queens, 13-6.Tonight I'm playing two baseball games, BOTH UNDERDOGS, including a DIVISION DOG OF THE MONTH.There's abbreviated action for baseball on Monday with 11 games on the card, including a huge National League showdown in Milwaukee, where the Brewers open their series with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/08/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, May 08, 2023

The Monday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Miami Heat host the New York Knicks at 7:30 PM ET. The Heat took a 2-1 lead in this series with their 105-86 victory at home against the Knicks as a 4-point favorite to take a 2-1 series lead on Saturday. Miami is a 4.5-point favorite, with the total set at 206.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Golden State Warriors at 10 PM ET. The Lakers took a 2-1 series lead with their 127-97 win at home against the Warriors as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. Los Angeles is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with three games in the conference semifinals. The Edmonton Oilers are at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on ESPN at 8:40 PM ET. The Oilers evened this series at 1-1 with their 5-1 victory on the road against the Golden Knights on Saturday. Edmonton is a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Monday card in Major League Baseball has 11 games on its schedule. The Cleveland Guardians host the Detroit Tigers at 6:10 PM ET as a -195 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:35 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Rays travel to Baltimore to play the Orioles as a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The New York Yankees are at home against the Oakland A’s at 7:05 PM ET as a -215 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Three MLB games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Chicago Cubs host the St. Louis Cardinals as a -145 money-line favorite. The Chicago White Sox visit Kansas City to play the Royals as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers are in Milwaukee to play the Brewers, with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Two more MLB games begin at 9:40 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the Miami Marlins as a -215 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Texas Rangers as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Francisco Giants host the Washington Nationals at 9:45 PM ET as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League concludes with three matches on the USA Network. Leicester City plays at Fulham at 10 AM ET in a pick ‘em contest with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion are at home against Everton as a -1.5 goal-line favorite at 12:30 PM ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3. Nottingham Forest plays at home against Southampton at 3 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 7, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Sunday, May 07, 2023

After the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 and the way the Eastern Conference semifinals started out with both series, the betting market shifted quickly on the Stanley Cup favorite. Suddenly, the Knights were on everyone's radar.Now, after Saturday, the Oilers might be the team to watch from the West, as they're looking ready to roll with the series going back to Edmonton, with a potential collision course with the Carolina Hurricanes.The Oilers destroyed Vegas in Game 2, and it wasn't just the 5-1 final that was impressive, it was the way they dismantled the Knights on their ice, dictating the pace and creating opportunity after opportunity with every shift.Only one game last night, so road teams head into Sunday's slate on a 35-23 roll in the NHL Playoffs.With the Knights losing, underdogs are now 27-31 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $600.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after the total stayed Under last night, the Low choice remains on a 17-11 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 31-26-1.The overall tally for overtime games is still at 15 this postseason. Road teams are 12-3 in those games.I'm on a 61-40-1 run since April 17 for $18,680. Part of that run is an NHL Playoff mark of 11-8 for $3,600 NET$. It's been a profitable season, as I'm 87-76-2 overall with $14,000 NET$. I'm 2-0 with my 2nd Round Plays of the Year, hitting my EC Game of the Year (Carolina 5/2) and EC Total of the Year (Carolina/NJ OV 5/5). Part of a 3-0 SWEEP from every game today, I have my SECOND-ROUND CONFERENCE DOG OF THE YEAR.In the NBA, we had two games and both home teams got it done.The Miami Heat smacked the New York Knicks around in a 105-86 win, improving their current run to 7-3, during which their once-stagnant offense has turned in 116.9 points per game. Miami star Jimmy Butler is averaging 24.1 points during the 10-game stretch. Bam Adebayo continues to complement Butler, averaging 16.9 points, 8.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists for the Heat.Los Angeles negated all the Golden State Warriors talk, as the Lakers rolled with ease in a 127-97 blowout on Saturday night. All the conversation of Anthony Davis being a no-show in Game 2, and the veteran showed up with 25 points. The stars are aligning for the Lakers at the right time, as LeBron James is averaging 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.8 assists while Davis is averaging 20.7 points over the last 10 games for Los Angeles. And suddenly, the Warriors are 7-9 against Pacific Division opponents.I'm on a 61-40-1 run ($18,680) since 4/17, including an NBA run of 33-16-1 ($15,300) since 4/18. And when it's come to this second round, though, I'm a perfect 3-0 with my Conference Semifinal Plays of the Year. You got my WC Total of the Year (Suns/Nuggets OV, 4/29), my EC Dog of the Year (Heat, 5/2), and my EC Game of the Year (Celtics, 5/5). Today I have my SECOND-ROUND EASTERN CONFERENCE TOTAL OF THE YEAR. I also have my NBA SIDE WINNER # 18 OF 24.On the MLB diamond, seven of the 14 underdogs cashed tickets, with one game being a pick'em. Once again, one of the biggest underdogs on the schedule cashed with the Tigers (+160 at DraftKings) beating San Francisco, 6-5.Tonight I'm playing two baseball games, bundled together or an MLB Double Play.Full slate of action for baseball on Saturday.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/07/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, May 07, 2023

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on ABC. The Boston Celtics travel to Philadelphia to play the 76ers on ESPN at 3:30 PM ET. The Celtics took a 2-1 lead in this series with their 114-102 victory on the road against the 76ers as a 2.5-point favorite on Friday. Boston is a 2.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 214.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Phoenix Suns play at home against the Denver Nuggets on TNT at 8 PM ET. The Suns won their first game of this series with a 121-114 victory against the Nuggets as a 4-point favorite on Friday. Phoenix looks to even this series at 2-2 as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with three games in the conference semifinals on TBS. The New Jersey Devils are at home against the Carolina Hurricanes at 3:40 PM ET. The Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead in this series with their 6-1 victory at home against the Devils on Friday. Carolina is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs visit Florida to play the Panthers on TBS at 6:40 PM ET. The Panthers have a 2-0 lead in this series after their 3-2 win on the road against the Maple Leafs on Thursday. Toronto is a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play in Seattle against the Kraken at 9:40 PM ET. The Stars evened this series at 1-1 with a 4-2 win at home against Seattle on Thursday. Dallas is a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Sunday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Atlanta Braves host the Baltimore Orioles on NBC and Peacock at 11:35 AM ET as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 PM ET. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Boston Red Sox as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Three MLB games begin at 1:40 PM ET. The New York Mets are at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -210 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Minnesota Twins play in Cleveland against the Guardians as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees visit Tampa Bay to play the Rays as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Oakland A's play in Kansas City against the Royals at 2:10 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home against the Detroit Tigers as a -195 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Miami Marlins are in Chicago to play the Cubs at 2:20 PM ET as a -125 money-line road favorite. The San Francisco Giants host the Milwaukee Brewers at 4:05 PM ET as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Texas Rangers at 4:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Three more MLB games start at 4:10 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Washington Nationals as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners host the Houston Astros as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Chicago White Sox as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN has the Los Angeles Dodgers playing in San Diego against the Padres at 7:10 PM ET. Both teams are priced at -110, with a total of 8.5.Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League continues with two matches. Arsenal plays at Newcastle United on the USA Network at 11:30 AM ET in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Manchester United is at West Ham United at 2 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 6, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Saturday, May 06, 2023

Can we all agree if there is one team in hockey that's been doing what it's supposed to, it's the Carolina Hurricanes?They were favored to win the Eastern Conference when the season started, and they've been dominant this postseason in eliminating the New York Islanders and now taking a 2-0 lead on the New Jersey Devils.The Hurricanes won 6-1 last night, as Jesperi Kotkaniemi led Carolina with two goals.The problem they may encounter is that this is nothing new for the Devils, who fell behind the New York Rangers 0-2 in the opening round and responded by winning the series in seven games.This series is far from over, as New Jersey is 52-22-8 overall with a 22-11-2 record in Metropolitan Division games. The Devils have also gone 50-7-6 in games they score three or more goals, and I would think they'll get their offense going the next time out.Carolina is 52-21-9 overall and 25-8-1 against the Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes have allowed 210 goals while scoring 262 for a +52 scoring differential.Only one game last night, so road teams head into Saturday on a 34-23 roll in the NHL Playoffs.With the Devils losing, underdogs are now 27-30 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $700.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after the total went Over last night, the Under remains on a 16-11 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 31-25-1.The overall tally for overtime games is still at 15 this postseason. Road teams are 12-3 in those games.In the NBA, only one game on the card and it was the Boston Celtics dismantling the Philadelphia 76ers for an easy win and cover as Jayson Tatum led the way with 27 points. Joel Embiid scored 30 points for the 76ers, but it wasn't enough.Boston's offense continues to be impressive, as it's now averaging 119.7 points, 44.6 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 6.2 steals and 6.5 blocks per game over its last 10 games. During that stretch, the Celtics are shooting 50.3% from the field while holding opponents to an average of 111.7 points.Went 3-1 on Friday, including a 2-0 sweep in the NBA with the Celtics smacking Philly and the Nuggets/Suns sailing Over. Now 60-38-1 since April 17, for a NET$ of $19,880, including a 32-15-1 NBA run for $15,400 of NET$. Check the leaderboard, not only the L7 Days, but the L60 Days to find consistency with NET$. You'll find yours truly. Tonight I have two more winners, the East SIDE and the West TOTAL. Another NBA PLAYOFF 2-0 SWEEP bundled in a 2-FOR-1 SPECIAL.On the MLB diamond, eight of the 15 underdogs cashed tickets, including the second-biggest on the schedule with the Tigers (+205 at Circa) beating San Francisco, 5-4.Tonight I'm playing just one baseball game, another DIVISION SHOWDOWN where we're getting off cheap with this pitching matchup. Part of a 5-0 day that includes NBA and XFL action to go along with tonight's MLB DIVISION GAME OF THE MONTH.Full slate of action for baseball on Saturday.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NHL, NBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/06/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, May 06, 2023

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby headlines the sporting events of the day. The Run for the Roses is the 12th race at Churchill Downs with a start time of 6:57 PM ET.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on ABC. The Miami Heat host the New York Knicks at 3:30 PM ET. The Knicks evened this series at 1-1 with a 111-105 victory at home as a 9-point favorite on Tuesday. The Heat are a 4-point favorite, with the total set at 209 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Golden State Warriors at 8:30 PM ET. The Warriors made this a 1-1 series with their 127-100 victory at home as a 7-point favorite on Thursday. The Lakers are a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Edmonton are on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights at 7:10 PM ET. The Golden Knights took a 1-0 series lead with their 6-4 victory on Wednesday. The Oilers are a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Friday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home against the Detroit Tigers at 2:15 PM ET as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs host the Miami Marlins at 2:20 PM ET as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 PM ET. The New York Mets play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the New York Yankees as a -190 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins visit Cleveland to play the Guardians at 6:10 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite. The Toronto Blue Jays play in Pittsburgh against the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Cincinnati Reds host the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 PM ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Oakland A’s at 7:10 PM ET as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. Three more MLB games begin at 7:15 PM ET. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the Milwaukee Brewers as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Saturday night regional coverage on Fox features two games. The Atlanta Braves host the Baltimore Orioles as a -240 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Boston Red Sox as a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Washington Nationals at 8:10 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers at 8:40 PM ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Texas Rangers at 9:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Houston Astros at 9:40 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Matchweek 35 in the English Premier League begins with five matches. Four matches start at 10 AM ET. Chelsea travels to Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Manchester City hosts Leeds United on the USA Network as a -2 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Tottenham plays at home against Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa plays at Wolverhampton in a pick ‘em matchup with a total of 2.5. Liverpool is at home against Brentford on the USA Network at 12:30 PM ET as a -1 goal-line favorite with a total of 3. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 5, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Friday, May 05, 2023

The Toronto Maple Leafs we've come to appreciate have reared their choking heads.After making the second round for the first time since the 2012-13 season, the Maple Leafs find themselves down 0-2 in their Conference Semifinal against the Florida Panthers, who took Game 2 with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory.Fact is, Florida goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has been the better netminder in the series, and if the Maple Leafs can't solve him in Sunrise, Fla., this series isn't going back to Toronto.With Dallas beating Seattle 4-2 to knot their series 1-1, road teams head into Friday on a 34-22 roll in the NHL Playoffs.Florida has been one of the most impressive road teams in the postseason, including three victories at the Presidents' Trophy-winning Boston Bruins. Now 5-0 on the highway, the Panthers find themselves on the other side of the docket, having to defend home ice. Game 3 on Sunday. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday.With their win, the Panthers helped improve underdogs to a 27-29 mark in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $800.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, but after the totals split last night the Under is now on 16-10 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now at 30-25-1.Neither game on Thursday went into overtime, leaving the overall tally at 15 overtime games this postseason. Road teams are 12-3 in those games.In the NBA, only one game on the card and the defending champion Golden State Warriors made the Los Angeles Lakers look their age in a 127-100 victory to salvage the two-game set in San Francisco.The series now shifts to Los Angeles for the weekend, with the Lakers hoping to push the champs to the brink.Two games on the card today, with the Boston Celtics visiting the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets in the Valley of Sun to play the Phoenix Suns,.On the MLB diamond, six of the 10 underdogs cashed tickets, including one of the biggest on the schedule with the Red Sox completing the sweep of the Blue Jays.Boston's offense has come to life at the right time, as they head to Philadelphia to face the defending National League champion Phillies, who return after a West Coast road trip.Full slate of action for baseball on Friday.

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

by Big Al Staff

Friday, May 05, 2023

The Friday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and MLB.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with two playoff games in the conference semifinals on ESPN. The Philadelphia 76ers host the Boston Celtics at 7:30 PM ET in the third game of their best-of-seven series. The Celtics evened the series at 1-1 with their 121-87 victory at home as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday. Boston is a 2-point road favorite, with the total set at 214 (all odds from DraftKings). The Phoenix Suns play at home against the Denver Nuggets at 10 PM ET in Game 3 of their best-of-seven series. The Nuggets took a 2-0 series lead after their 97-87 victory at home as a 4-point favorite on Monday. The Suns are a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with one game in the conference semifinals on TNT. The Carolina Hurricanes are at home against the New Jersey Devils in the second game of their best-of-seven series. The Hurricanes have a 1-0 lead in the series after a 5-1 win in the opening game. Carolina is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Friday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Chicago Cubs host the Miami Marlins at 2:20 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 6:35 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Chicago White Sox play in Cincinnati against the Reds, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the New York Yankees as a -190 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillis host the Boston Red Sox at 7:05 PM ET as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The New York Mets play at home against the Colorado Rockies as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins visit Cleveland to play the Guardians as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:20 PM ET as a -200 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals host the Oakland A’s at 8:10 PM ET as a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Detroit Tigers at 8:15 PM ET as a -230 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Texas Rangers are in Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. Two MLB games start at 9:40 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the Washington Nationals as a -195 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in San Diego against the Padres as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners host the Houston Astros at 10:10 PM ET as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Milwaukee Brewers are in San Francisco to play the Giants at 10:15 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.

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