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MLB Season Money Leaders & Money Burners- Where From Here?

by Kyle Hunter

Thursday, May 25, 2023

The MLB season is a couple months old now. I wanted to take a look at a couple teams who have been great to bettors so far this season and a couple teams who have been burning up bettors money thus far. Are they sell high or buy low candidates? Why or why not?Season to Date Through May 24th Money Leaders ($100 per game bettor figures) Moneymakers Baltimore Orioles (+$1,197) The Baltimore Orioles top the charts having helped bettors make a mint so far this year. They are second in the highly competitive American League East. Baltimore sits only three games behind Tampa Bay even with the Rays amazing start to the season. Yennier Cano has been the best reliever in baseball so far this year. The Orioles are second in baseball in bullpen ERA at 2.98. They do also have the second best FIP. The bullpen looks legitimately very good. Baltimore is just 17th in the majors in batting average on balls in play offensively. I think this is a good team. They won’t be as easy to make money from as early this year, but I wouldn’t straight fade them either. Texas Rangers (+$801) Texas has made bettors a lot of money as well. Can they keep it up? There are some concerning signs in my opinion. Texas has the highest batting average on balls in play in the majors at .324. The offense isn’t as good as they have looked so far this year. Opponents also have the seventh lowest batting average on balls in play against Texas pitching. The Rangers have won a lot of close games so far this year. The schedule gets tougher for them in the coming weeks too. This is a team I’ll look to fade in some spots. Money Burners Oakland Athletics (-$2,393) I don’t have anything good to say about the Athletics. They are moving to a new city. Oakland has a negative home field advantage if anything at this point. There just isn’t any passion. Oakland also happens to have the least talented roster in the majors. They at least have a pulse against left handed pitching, but against righties this lineup is brutal. The Oakland bullpen is worst in the majors by nearly a full run in FIP. Yikes. I’m not backing this team. St. Louis Cardinals (-$912) A very different case than the Oakland A’s. The Cardinals were the favorites in the NL Central. St. Louis started the season terribly, but they have been playing much better of late. The good news for them is no one is running away with the NL Central by any means. Can bettors make money from them going forward? Cardinals pitching has allowed a batting average on balls in play of .325 which is second highest in the majors. That’s a sign of bad luck. The Cardinals are one of the most power filled lineups in the majors, and hitting dingers is always a good thing. I think this team is too talented to not at least make a run here. I’ll look for spots to back them and betting on them to win the NL Central at a nice plus money price isn’t a bad idea either.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, EPL and MLB Previews and Odds - 05/25/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, May 25, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the Boston Celtics hosting the Boston Celtics on TNT at 8:30 PM ET in the fifth game of the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics kept their season alive with a 116-99 upset win on the road as a 1.5-point underdog on Tuesday. The Heat hold a 3-1 series lead. Boston is an 8.5-point favorite, with the total set at 215.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Dallas Stars playing at home against the Vegas Golden Knights on ESPN at 8:05 PM ET in the fourth game of the Western Conference finals. The Golden Knights took a 3-0 series lead with a 4-0 victory on Tuesday. The Stars are a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Thursday card in Major League Baseball has ten games on its schedule. The St. Louis Cardinals travel to Cincinnati to play the Reds at 12:35 PM ET. Miles Mikolas gets the start for the Cardinals to pitch against Luke Weaver for the Reds. St. Louis is a -165 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Toronto Blue Jays at 1:10 PM ET. The Rays tap Zach Eflin to duel against the Blue Jays’ Alex Manor. Tampa Bay is a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Miami Marlins play in Colorado against the Rockies at 3:10 PM ET. Braxton Garrett gets the ball for the Marlins to face off against Kyle Freeland for the Rockies. Miami is a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The San Diego Padres are in Washington to play the Nationals at 4:05 PM ET. The Padres turn to Blake Snell in their starting rotation to battle against the Nationals’ Jake Irvin. San Diego is a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Chicago White Sox visit Detroit to play the Tigers at 6:40 PM ET. Lucas Giolito gets the assignment for the White Sox to go against Alex Faedo for the Tigers. Chicago is a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The New York Yankees host the Baltimore Orioles at 7:05 PM ET. The Yankees will pitch Clarke Schmidt against the Orioles’ Kyle Gibson. New York is a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies play in Atlanta against the Braves at 7:20 PM ET. Aaron Nola takes the hill for the Phillies to battle against Dylan Dodd for the Braves. Philadelphia is a -115 money-line favorite. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:40 PM ET. The Chicago Cubs play at home against the New York Mets as a -115 money-line favorite. The Cubs send out Kyle Hendricks to make his season debut after recovering from a strained right shoulder to face the Mets’ Carlos Carrasco. The San Francisco Giants are in Milwaukee to play the Brewers, with Scott Alexander pitching for the Giants against a pitcher yet to be named for the Brewers. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Oakland A’s at 9:40 PM ET. The Mariners turn to Logan Gilbert to battle against the A’s J.P. Sears. Seattle is a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 8.Matchweek 37 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Manchester United hosts Chelsea at 3 PM ET as a -1 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 24, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

The Vegas Golden Knights are on the brink of making the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in six seasons - their first six in the NHL - after dominating Game 3 on Tuesday in a 4-0 win over the Dallas Stars.The Golden Knights took an early 3-0 lead in the first period, made it 4-0 in the second, and never looked back as goaltender Adin Hill looked sharp in registering his first playoff shutout.Game 4 is on Thursday in Dallas, where the Knights can complete the sweep.Tonight it's the Panthers looking to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 27 years, as they're holding a 3-0 series lead against the Carolina Hurricanes and host Game 4 tonight.Carolina has won 37 of its last 45 against Eastern Conference foes, but has also failed to win five of seven against Atlantic Division teams. The Panthers, meanwhile, have won 10 of 11 and are on a 17-5 roll in games that follow a victory.NHL Notes: Road teams are 44-35 in the postseason. Underdogs are 38-39 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1400. The Over is 40-38-1, but the Under has cashed 29 of the last 49 games. There have been 22 overtime games, and road teams are 15-7 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-33 on the puck line this postseason after Dallas' loss on Tuesday. On the MLB diamond, nine of the 15 underdogs won Tuesday, as the sun continued to shine on the pups this week. The most notable underdog victory had to be the Los Angeles Dodgers (+175 Caesars) in their 8-1 win over the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers continue to look good, as they've won 18 of 24 since April 28, and are scoring an average of exactly 6.0 runs per game. During the 24-game span, the Dodgers have smacked 36 home runs - more than one per game. Also in that span, the Dodgers' staff has a 3.77 ERA.Last night my big DOG SHOCKER was my huge dog was on the Dodgers getting there easily. I'm now on an 88-68-4 roll since April 17 with $16,740 net profit. And over the L30 Days, I'm 2nd on the Leaderboard in NET$. On tonight's light card, I've got three baseball winners, including TWO UNDERDOGS, and they're bundled in one package. Don't miss this 3-0 SWEEP from the late card, my MLB TRIPLE PLAY.In the NBA, Jayson Tatum had 33 points and 11 rebounds, Jaylen Brown chipped in with 17 points and the Boston Celtics staved off elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals by dominating the second half to beat the Miami Heat 116-99 in Game 4 on Tuesday night.Balance was the name of the game last night, as Derrick White scored 16 points, Grant Williams had 14, Al Horford added 12 and Marcus Smart scored 11 for the Celtics.Game 5 is scheduled for Thursday in Boston.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/24/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Florida Panthers hosting the Carolina Hurricanes on TNT at 8:05 PM ET in the fourth game of the Eastern Conference finals. The Panthers took a 3-0 lead in this series with their 1-0 win on Monday. Florida is a -120 money-line favorite, with the total set at 5.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Wednesday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Texas Rangers travel to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at 12:35 PM ET. Martin Perez pitches for the Rangers against Johan Oviedo for the Pirates. Texas is a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Philadelphia against the Phillies at 1:05 PM ET. The Diamondbacks turn to Zac Gallen to pitch against the Phillies’ Ranger Suarez. Arizona is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 PM ET. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the San Francisco Giants. Joe Ryan takes the ball for the Twins to battle against Anthony DeSclafani for the Giants. Minnesota is a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Houston Astros are in Milwaukee to play the Brewers. The Astros tap Brandon Bielak to duel against the Brewers’ Adrian Houser. Both teams are priced at -110, with a total of 9.5. The Cleveland Guardians are at home against the Chicago White Sox. Cal Quantrill is the starting pitcher for the Guardians to go against Michael Kopech for the White Sox. Cleveland is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games start at 6:40 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays send out Shane McClanahan to battle the Blue Jays’ Yusei Kikuchi. Tampa Bay is a -215 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The St. Louis Cardinals visit Cincinnati to play the Reds. Steven Matz pitches for the Cardinals against Ben Lively for the Reds. St. Louis is a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:05 PM ET. The New York Yankees play at home against the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees turn to Nestor Cortes as their starting pitcher to face the Orioles' Tyler Wells. New York is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres are in Washington to play the Nationals. Ryan Weathers pitches for the Padres against Trevor Williams for the Nationals. San Diego is a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 7:20 PM ET. The Braves send out Bryce Elder to duel against the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin. Atlanta is a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Chicago Cubs host the New York Mets. Marcus Stroman starts for the Cubs against Kodai Senga for the Mets. Chicago is a -115 money-line favorite. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the Detroit Tigers. The Royals turn to Zack Greinke to duel against the Tigers’ Matthew Boyd. Kansas City is a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Miami Marlins travel to Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET. Sandy Alcantara takes the hill for the Marlins to pitch against Karl Kauffman for the Rockies. Miami is a -165 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The Boston Red Sox play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 PM ET. The Red Sox turn to James Paxton to battle against the Angels’ Tyler Anderson. Boston is a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Oakland A’s at 9:40 PM ET. Bryce Miller gets the start for the Mariners to face off against Ken Waldichuk for the A’s. Seattle is a -275 money-line favorite with a total of 8.Matchweek 37 in the English Premier League continues with Manchester City visiting Brighton and Hove Albion on the USA Network at 3 PM ET. Man City is a -0.5 goal-line road favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 3.0.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 23, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Think about this, we're in the conference finals of the NBA and NHL, and the overall record for the series leaders is 12-0.The Denver Nuggets have swept the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-0.The Miami Heat are up on the Boston Celtics, 3-0The Florida Panthers are up on the Carolina Hurricanes, 3-0.And, the Vegas Golden Knights are up on the Dallas Stars, 2-0.I haven't decided if this is an amazing storyline, or if the fans have been hoodwinked by fraudulent semifinalists who aren't living up to expectations.Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, to lead the Nuggets past the Lakers and into the NBA Finals for the first time in team history after Monday's 113-111 victory. It was Jokic's eighth triple-double of the playoffs. Jamal Murray scored 25 points for the top-seeded Nuggets, who overcame a 15-point halftime deficit.Looking ahead to the NBA Finals, make note, Denver hasn't trailed in any series, and is 8-0 at home in the playoffs - 10-0 since March. The Nuggets are 12-3 overall in the postseason.I had your NBA winner AGAIN last night, my NBA Side Winner # 29 of 44. I'm on a 43-24-3 NBA run for $16,550 since April 17. And part of that NBA win streak is a 29-15 run with side selections. Tonight I'm in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals with my NBA SIDE WINNER # 30 OF 45, and it's my CONFERENCE FINALS GAME OF THE YEAR.In the NHL, the mystique of Sergei Bobrovsky continued for the Panthers in their 1-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Bobrovsky stopped 32 shots for his first playoff shutout, and pushed the Panthers to the brink of their first trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 27 years.The Golden Knights will look to match Florida's 3-0 series lead when they visit Dallas for Game 3 tonight.Vegas has won six straight vs. Central Division foes, and has won five of its last six on the road. The Golden Knights have also won 26 of their last 35, and are a remarkable 14-3 when limiting an opponent to two or fewer goals in their previous game.Dallas rolls into Game 3 on a 5-1 mark at home, and 11-3 when playing on one day of rest. Flipside of Vegas' record after a stingy allowance, the Stars have won seven of nine after scoring two or fewer thier last time out.The home team has won five of the last seven meetings.NHL Notes: Road teams are 43-35 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 40-37-1, but the Under has cashed 28 of the last 48 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. On the MLB diamond, nine of the 12 underdogs won Monday, as the sun was shining on the pups to start the week. The most notable underdog victory was the Arizona Diamondbacks (+185 DraftKings) in their 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. The Snakes have now won eight of 10 while averaging 5.5 runs per game since May 12. They're hitting .250 and slugging .445 in that span, and 42.5% of their basehits have gone extra (21 doubles, 1 triple, 15 home runs).Part of a 3-1 Monday was my fourth MLB side winner in six releases. I'm on an 86-66-4 overall run for $16,140 net profit since 4/17 and I'm No. 2 on the Leaderboard for NET$ the L30 Days. Tonight I have another DIVISION GAME OF THE MONTH, as I've zeroed in on a team looking for revenge after losing on Monday. I love the price I'm getting for another MLB SIDE WINNER # 5 OF 7 cashes in with this MLB DIVISION GAME OF THE MONTH.Also, I delivered my A.L. East Total of the Month on Saturday with the Orioles and Jays going Over the posted number. Last night it was my NL Central Total of the Month on the Reds-Cardinals Over. Tonight I have my NATIONAL LEAGUE TOTAL OF THE MONTH, as I've zeroed in on what might be the highest-scoring game of the night overall. I love the number I'm seeing for my NATIONAL LEAGUE TOTAL OF THE MONTH.

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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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