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NHL Hockey Futures Bet: Toronto Maple Leafs to Win 2022 Stanley Cup

by Al McMordie

Friday, Oct 08, 2021

The 2021-22 NHL season starts next week.  So, it's time for my preseason forecast of the eventual Stanley Cup champion.  This has become one of my popular columns, in large part due to the spectacular success I've enjoyed on my futures predictions over the years.  Last year, we hit the basketball "daily-double" with Baylor (at 12-1 odds) and the Milwaukee Bucks (at 13-2 odds) winning their respective championships.  And that was the 2nd straight NCAA Basketball season we cashed our preseason ticket, as we had Virginia (at 22-1 odds) in the 2019 season!  Also in 2019, I predicted the Washington Nationals (at 18-1 odds), and followed that up in 2020 with the Los Angeles Dodgers (at 4-1 odds).  But, to show I can be dead wrong on occasion, I fell way short with my 2021 MLB prediction on the Minnesota Twins (at 22-1 odds).  Still, I've hit three of the last five MLB futures, as I also had the Houston Astros in 2017 (at 10-1 odds).  And other winners have been the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 (at 7-1 odds), the San Antonio Spurs (2014, 14-1 odds; 1999, 11-2 odds), Golden State Warriors (2016, 5-1 odds; 2018, -160 odds), and Green Bay Packers (2011, 10-1 odds).For this upcoming hockey season, I'm going to turn to a team which has had nothing but heartbreak over the last 54 seasons:  the Toronto Maple Leafs.  But the current odds are quite attractive, as I just took them yesterday at 15-1 odds at William Hill Sportsbook in Las Vegas.  And they're also 14-1 currently at BetAnySports.eu.  The Maple Leafs may have finally found their man in goal.  After a variety of goaltenders led to some pretty mediocre net-minding numbers over the past several years -- annual team GAA of 2.77, 2.84, and 3.04 leading up to last season -- the Leafs turned to veteran Jack Campbell in the latter part of last season with very good results.  Campbell was brought on at the end of the short 2020 season, but he became the Leafs full-time goalie in the final quarter of last season and posted a 17-3-2 record with a sparkling 2.15 GAA and .921 saves pct.  The Leafs are comfortable enough with Campbell being their guy going forward that they let Frederik Andersen go to the Hurricanes by way of free agency in July.  The Leafs and Canes basically swapped net-minders as Petr Mrazek comes to Toronto from Carolina and will serve primarily as Campbell's back-up.     The Leafs' offense didn't see very many changes in the off-season and that's a good thing for a team that finished sixth in Scoring last season with 184 goals in 55 games.  There will be Salary Cap challenges going forward NEXT season, but this is not a team that is trying to build for later.  This is a team which believes it has the talent to win it all this season.  Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares all return to lead the offense that should be better than it was a year ago.  Young Defenseman Rasmus Sandin (Toronto's first round pick in 2018) should be ready to break out on the blue line with substantially more ice time.  If he does, then the Leafs' defense could be much improved.  The window of opportunity is open for the Leafs to win their first Cup since 1967, but it could close quickly after this season given their Cap situation.  Take Toronto at 15-1 odds to win the 2022 Stanley Cup.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

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Wilder/Fury III 

by Ben Burns

Friday, Oct 08, 2021

On Sunday, Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury will fight for the third time. It's been roughly a year and a half since Fury dominated Wilder. Their first meeting, back in December of 2018, resulted in a draw. Wilder was a fairly big favorite for that first fight. However, Fury is an even bigger one for Saturday night's bout. Let's take a closer look. Wilder/Fury IWilder was favored in the -180 to -200 range. The judges scored it 115–111 for Wilder, 114–112 for Fury and 113–113; a split draw. However, when 27 boxing journalists were polled, fifteen gave the fight to Fury and only three had it going to Wilder. Nine scored it a draw. These two had been talking trash about each other for years. Fury confronted Wilder after he won a fight in 2016 in NY and said: "any time any place anywhere when you're ready, I'll fight you in your back garden like I did Klitschko I'll beat you, you bum! You're a bum!" Wilder responded: "I don't play this, you can run around like you're a preacher and all that but I promise you when you step in this ring I will baptize you!" The fighters had a combined 67-0 record when they finally met. Fury weighed in at 256 1/2 pounds. Wilder was 212 1/2. Afterward, both fighters claimed to have won. Each called out Anthony Joshua after that fight. In an interesting twist, Joshua recently lost and now Fury has offered to train him for his rematch against Usyk.Wilder/Fury IIThe odds were closer for the rematch but the fight was not. Hyped as "Unfinished Business," it appeared clear that things had been settled. The odds opened more in the pick'em range but Wilder closed as a -140 favorite. That didn't phase Fury. He took it to Wilder, knocking him down twice before Wilder's corner eventually threw in the towel, in the seventh round. While Wilder would go on to fire the cornerman who threw in the towel, he was getting pummelled. Wilder won't go away though. Back with a new trainer, he insists that things will be different. He's got a huge ego and has all sorts of excuses for why he lost. One has to wonder what his confidence will be like though. Deep inside, he knows that he lost. Not surprisingly, Fury is now the significant favorite. He's currently laying close to -300. Takeback is roughly +240 with Wilder. With the recent trend of "YouTube stars" fighting over-the-hill fighters, it will be good to see a couple of legitimate heavyweights. Enjoy the fight! 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB, CFL and WNBA Previews and Odds - 10/08/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Oct 08, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in NCAAF, MLB, CFL, and the WNBA.Week 6 of the college football season continues with three games between FBS opponents. Charlotte visits Florida International on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The 49ers fell to a 3-2 record with a 24-14 loss at Illinois as a 10-point underdog on Saturday. The Golden Panthers dropped to 1-4 with a 58-21 loss at FAU as a 10.5-point underdog last week. Charlotte is a 3.5-point road favorite with the total set at 60.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Cincinnati hosts Temple on ESPN at 7 PM ET as a 29-point favorite with an over/under of 54. The Bearcats remained undefeated after their 24-13 win at Notre Dame as a 2.5-point road favorite on Saturday. The Owls have won two in a row after their 34-31 upset victory against Memphis on Saturday. Cincinnati is a 29-point favorite with an over/under of 54. Arizona State plays at home against Stanford on ESPN at 10:30 PM ET. The Sun Devils have won two in a row after their 42-23 upset win at UCLA as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. The Cardinal has won three of four after their 31-24 win against Oregon in overtime as an 8.5-point underdog. Arizona State is a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 51.Four games take place in the MLB divisional playoffs. Houston hosts the Chicago White Sox on the MLB Network at 2:07 PM ET. The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the series with a 6-1 victory on Thursday. Houston gives the ball to Framber Valdez to face Lucas Giolito. The Astros are a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Atlanta on TBS at 4:37 PM ET. The Brewers have lost four in a row after a 10-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Milwaukee pitches Corbin Burnes against the Braves Charlie Morton. The Brewers are a -155 money line favorite with a total of 7. Tampa Bay is at home against Boston on FS1 at 7:02 PM ET. The Rays come off a 5-0 victory in the opening game of this five-game series. Tampa Bay pitches Shane Bay against the Red Sox’s Chris Sale. Tampa Bay is a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the San Francisco Giants on TBS at 9:37 PM ET. The Dodgers have won eight in a row after their 3-1 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League wild-card game on Wednesday. The Giants have won eight of nine after an 11-4 loss to San Diego on Sunday. Los Angeles is a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 7. Week 10 of the Canadian Football League continues with Winnipeg hosting Edmonton on ESPN+ at 8:30 PM ET. The Blue Bombers have won five in a row with their 30-9 victory at British Columbia as a 2.5-point favorite last Friday. The Elks come off a 34-24 upset loss at Ottawa as a 9-point favorite on September 28th. Winnipeg is a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 42.5. The semifinals of the WNBA conclude with the fifth game of the series between the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces on ESPN2 at 9 PM ET. The Aces forced a final game with a 93-76 upset win in Phoenix as a 1-point underdog on Wednesday. Las Vesag is a 5.5-point home favorite with a total of 169.

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Ness Notes (NFL): 4 Games Complete; A Baker's Dozen To Go

by Larry Ness

Thursday, Oct 07, 2021

The NFL's first-ever 17-game schedule (18 weeks) is 64 games into the 2021 season after four weeks. Home teams went 132-123-1 two seasons ago (2019), the worst record since the advent of the 16-game schedule. Then, in 2020, home teams had a losing record for the first time in history, going 127-128-1.One could argue that empty and partially-empty stadiums played a role in that. However, that situation no longer applies in 2021 and after four weeks, home teams are just 30-33 (.476) SU and even worse ATS, going 28-35 (44.4%). You may be wondering about that 64th game but back in Week 1, the Saints had their home opener against the Packers moved to Jacksonville, creating a neutral-site situation.What's also notable is how almost each of the four weeks have been so similar. Home teams were 7-8 SU (6-9 ATS) in Week 1, 8-8 SU (7-9 ATS) in Week 2, 8-8 SU (8-8 ATS) in Week 3 and 7-9 SU (7-9 ATS) in Week 4. How are home dogs doing? They've gone 8-14 SU but are small winners ATS, going 12-10. For over/under bettors, there have been 26 overs and 38 unders. The 64 games have averaged 47.0 PPG. Again, check out the consistency. Week 1 games averaged 46.6 PPG and Week 2 games 45.5 PPG but then Weeks 3 and 4 saw exactly 768 points in the 16 games, averaging 48.0 PPG. The highest scoring game of the current season occurred in Week 1, when San Francisco won 41-33 at Detroit for a total of 74 combined points. There have been three other games in the low-70s. The lowest scoring game of the season came last Sunday, when Cleveland won 14-7 at Minnesota (21 points). Some AFC random thoughts: The Bills are 3-1 and the class of the AFC East. After a 4th-quarter collapse in Week 1 at home to Pittsburgh, Buffalo has won three straight (3-0 ATS), scoring 118 points while allowing 21. Buffalo has two shutouts (35-0 at Miami and 40-0 at home to Houston) in its first four games. The last team to do that was the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 (note: Baltimore won the Super Bowl that season). The AFC North and AFC West have three-way ties at the top. The Bengals, Browns and Ravens are 3-1, with the Steelers sitting in last-place at 1-3 in the North. As for the West, the Broncos, Chargers and Raiders are 3-1, while the five-time defending AFC West champs (Chiefs) are in last-place at 2-2. The South looks like it will be the weakest division in the AFC, as Tennessee leads at 2-2, while Houtson (1-3), Indy (1-3) and Jacksonville (0-4) are a combined 2-10. The Jags are the lone winless team in the NFC and one may ask, "How are you liking the NFL these days, Urban?"Some NFC random thoughts: The NFL's lone unbeaten team is the 4-0 Arizona Cardinals (I bet most people called that!), who play in the highly competitive NFC West. The Rams are 3-1, while the Seahawks and 49ers are 2-2. The defending Tampa Bay 'Bradys' sit atop the NFC South at 3-1 but two of those wins have come via a made FG vs Dallas in Week 1 and a missed FG by New England in Week 4, both on the game's final play. Hence, Tampa Bay's 1-3 ATS record. Can you say, "the Bradys are lucky to NOT be 1-3?"Joining Tampa Bay at 3-1 in the NFC South is Carolina, which is also 3-1 ATS (who wouldn't take Darnold over Brady?). The Saints, without Drew Brees, are averaging 144.0 YPG passing (31st) and sit at 2-2. The Falcons are 1-3 and may just ask for 'asylum' after Sunday's game with the Jets in London. The Packers lead the NFC North at 3-1 (3-0 SU and ATS after that debacle at Jacksonville against the Saints in Week 1). I doubt the Packers will be tested this season, as the Bears are 2-2, the Vikings 1-3 and the Lions 0-4, joining the Jags as the NFL's only two winless teams. Let's NOT forget about the division that earned the moniker NFC 'Least' in 2020.  Washington won the division last season at 7-9 and are 2-2 to open 2021. However, both wins have come via 'miracles' (see the ending of the team's games against the Giants and the Falcons!). Speaking of the Giants, they are 1-3 and the Eagles are also 1-3, 0-3 since beating the Falcons in Week 1. However, "How 'bout dem Cowboys!" Dak is healthy and so is Zeke. Dallas lost on the game's final play at Tampa Bay in the 2021 Season Opener but has then ripped off THREE straight wins and is currently the NFL's lone unbeaten ATS team (4-0). I'm sure most came into the season thinking, "I'm gonna bet on Dallas in every game, it's a "sure thing!" And so it goes...Good luck...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB, and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 10/07/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Oct 07, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, and MLB.The fifth week in the regular season of the National Football League kicks off with the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Seattle Seahawks at 8:20 PM ET. The Rams fell to 3-1 on the season after a 37-20 upset loss at home to Arizona as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Seahawks evened their record at 2-2 with a 28-21 upset victory at San Francisco as a 2.5-point underdog on Sunday. Los Angeles is a 2.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 54.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Fox and the NFL Network have the broadcast.Week 6 of the college football season begins with two games between FBS opponents. Houston travels to Tulane on ESPN at 7:30 PM ET. The Cougars raised their record to 4-1 with a 45-10 upset victory at Tulsa as a 3.5-point underdog last Friday. The Green Wave dropped to 1-4 on the season after a 52-29 upset loss at East Carolina as a 3-point road favorite on Saturday. Houston is a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 59.5.Coastal Carolina goes on the road to play Arkansas State on ESPNU at 7:30 PM ET. The Chanticleers are 5-0 this season after their 59-6 victory against UL-Monroe as a 33.5-point favorite last Saturday. The Red Wolves fell to 1-4 on the year with a 59-33 loss at Georgia Southern as a 2-point underdog on Saturday. Coastal Carolina is a 19.5-point road favorite with a total of 73.5. The playoffs continue in Major League Baseball with the opening games in both American League Division Series on FS1. The Houston Astros host the Chicago White Sox at 4:07 PM ET. The Astros have won three of their last four games after beating Oakland, 7-6, last Sunday. They finished the regular season with a 95-67 record. Lance McCullers takes the ball for Houston in the opening game of this best-of-five series. The right-hander had a 13-5 record with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in 28 regular season starts. The White Sox were on a six-game winning streak before getting beat by Detroit, 5-2, on Sunday. Chicago ended the regular season with a 93-69 record. Lance Lynn takes the mound for them after posting an 11-6 record with a 2.69 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP in 28 starts. Houston is a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.Tampa Bay plays at home against the Boston Red Sox at 8:07 PM ET. The Rays had won two in a row before losing in New York against the Yankees, 1-0, last Sunday. They ended the regular season with a 100-62 record, the best record in the American League. Tampa Bay pitches Shane McClanahan tonight. The rookie left-hander has a 10-6 record with a 3.43 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in 25 starts. The Red Sox have won four in a row after beating the Yankees in Tuesday's American League wild-card game, 6-2. They finished the regular season with a 92-70 record. Eduardo Rodriguez toes the rubber for them tonight. The left-hander has a 13-8 record with a 4.74 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in 31 starts and 32 overall appearances. Tampa Bay is a -160 money line favorite with a total of 8.

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NFL Stock Rising and Falling: Week 5

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Oct 06, 2021

After a week that was highlighted by Tom Brady's return to Foxborough, Week 5 kicks off with an NFC West showdown between the Rams and Seahawks on Thursday night. Here's our weekly look around the league at two teams whose stock is on the rise, and two that are on the way down in this edition of NFL Stock Rising and Falling.Stock risingCleveland BrownsIt hasn't been pretty, but the Browns are off to a solid 3-1 start to the season after a surprisingly low-scoring 14-7 win over the Vikings in Minnesota last Sunday. Now comes Cleveland's toughest test since Week 1 against Kansas City as it stays on the road for a matchup against the red hot Chargers in Los Angeles. With a depleted receiving corps, the Browns would be well-suited to once again lean on their ground attack against a Los Angeles defense that has been soft against the run, allowing right around five yards per rush this season. If it wasn't clear heading into the season, it is now; the Browns have an elite defense. How they hold up against an improving Chargers offense remains to be seen. Note that Los Angeles is just 1-8 ATS after outgaining its previous opponent by 100 or more total yards over the last three seasons, as is the case here. Arizona CardinalsRiding high off an upset win over the previously undefeated Rams, the Cardinals will return home in a favored role against the 49ers this Sunday. Everything is working for the Cardinals offense right now with QB Kyler Murray looking like an MVP candidate four weeks into the season. Against a banged-up 49ers secondary we can anticipate the Cards leaning heavily on their aerial attack again this week. Defensively, Arizona has forced a whopping nine turnovers through four games. Interestingly, the Cardinals are a miserable 13-26 ATS the last 39 times they've played at home following two or more straight wins, a situation they find themselves in this week. Stock fallingDenver BroncosDespite their impressive 3-1 start to the season, I'm worried about the Broncos. They roared out of the gates with three straight wins but those came against the likes of the Giants, Jaguars and Jets. Last week, Denver received a wake-up call in the form of a blowout home loss against the Ravens. Now it heads back on the road to face what is sure to be a desperate Steelers squad that did show a bit of push-back in last week's loss in Green Bay. Few teams have been bitten as hard by the injury bug as the Broncos this season, on both sides of the football. Denver is a long-term loser after winning two of its last three games, posting a long-term 59-86 ATS record in that spot. Miami DolphinsIt's difficult to envision the Dolphins turning things around with a punchless offense that will have to wait at least another week to get QB Tua Tagovailoa back on the field. The good news is, the Fins schedule will ease up beginning next week when they travel to face the lowly Jaguars. After that comes another winnable game at home against the Falcons. Before that though, they'll go up against Brady and the Bucs in Tampa this Sunday. On a positive note, Miami has generally gotten better as the season has gone on in recent years, posting a flawless 8-0 ATS record in Weeks 5 through 9 over the last two seasons, outscoring opponents by an average margin of 6.0 points. If it's going to hang with Tampa on Sunday it will need to come up with a big bounce-back performance defensively after allowing Colts QB Carson Wentz to throw for 228 yards and two touchdowns last week. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, WNBA and CFL Previews and Odds - 10/06/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 06, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in MLB, the WNBA, and the CFL.The National League wildcard playoff game has the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the St. Louis Cardinals on TBS at 8:10 PM ET. The Dodgers have won seven games in a row with their 10-3 victory against Milwaukee on Sunday. Manager Dave Roberts taps Max Scherzer as his starting pitcher. The right-hander has a 15-4 record with a 2.46 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP in 30 starts this season. Scherzer has a 7-0 mark in 11 starts with the Dodgers with a 1.98 ERA and 0.82 WHIP since the team acquired him at the trade deadline from Washington. Scherzer last pitched on Wednesday when he allowed 11 hits and six runs (five earned) in a start at home against San Diego. Los Angeles has a 3.97 ERA and a .131 WHIP this season. The Dodgers are averaging 5.1 runs per game with a .244 batting average, .321 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .749. The Cardinals have lost two in a row after a 3-2 loss at home to the Chicago Cubs. Those weekend setbacks cam3.1 e after a 17-game winning streak which clinched their wildcard spot. Manager Mike Shildt pitches Adam Wainwright for this game after he posted a 17-7 record with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 32 starts this year. The right-hander gave up two earned runs in six innings of work at home against Milwaukee last Tuesday. St. Louis' bullpen has a 3.15 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. The Dodgers are averaging 4.4 runs per game with a .243 batting average, .305 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .717.Los Angeles won the regular-season series, 4-3. The Cardinals won the last meeting between these teams, 2-1, at home on September 9th, The Dodgers are a -225 money line favorite with the total set at 7.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The semifinals of the WNBA playoffs continue with two Game 4s on a doubleheader on ESPN. Connecticut plays at Chicago at 8 PM ET. The Sky took a 2-1 lead in this best-of-five series with their 86-83 upset win at home as a 4-point underdog on Sunday. The Sun is a 4.5-point road favorite to even this series at 2-2 at Play MGM with the over/under at 155.5. Las Vegas is at Phoenix at 10 PM ET. The Mercury took a 2-1 lead in this best-of-five series with their 87-60 upset win at home on Sunday. The Aces are a 1.5-point road favorite to even this series at 2-2, with the total at 171.5. The 10th week of the Canadian Football League begins with Toronto hosting Ottawa on ESPN+ at 7:30 PM ET. The Argonauts improved their record to 4-3 with their 30-24 victory against Montreal as a 2.5-point underdog on September 24th. The Redblacks ended a five-game losing streak with a 34-24 upset win against Edmonton as a 9-point underdog on September 28th. Toronto is a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 47.

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NFL Week 5 Breakdown

by Will Rogers

Tuesday, Oct 05, 2021

BEST GAME – Buffalo at Kansas City (-2.5)Who knows what these two teams will look like three months from now, but at the moment this one has the feel of a second straight AFC Championship match. The Bills have shaken off whatever problems they had in the opening game against the Steelers, and have taken to ripping the hearts out of their opponents. Their D now has two shutouts in the last three games (Miami, Houston), and is peaking at exactly the right time. Kansas City, meanwhile, has its offense in gear, scoring 30 minimum in every game and erasing concerns about its shaky defense that has made the Chiefs a weak (1-3 ATS) cover team. Bookmakers like this as essentially a field goal game, and early bettors have taken one look at the Bills through four games and many have decided to grab the points even after the number dropped from 3 to 2.5.WORST GAME – New England Houston (+9)The Patriots descend from best game (Week 4 vs. Bucs) to worst (Week 5) as two 1-3 teams go at it. The only interesting subplot to this is Mac Jones’s rapid development as a legit NFL quarterback and so far the best of the five rookie first-rounders. A slip here and Bill Belichick would walking a steep incline trying to make the playoffs, even with an 17th game on the schedule and an expanded playoff field. The line opened at 7 or less but jumped to 9.5 before falling a half-point. Patriots backers could pump it back up when bettors consider Houston’s 40-point shutout loss to the Bills and New England’s near-victory against Brady and Tampa Bay.BIGGEST SPREAD – Miami at Tampa Bay (-10.5)After taking a beating at the hands of the Rams on the West Coast and barely surviving against the Patriots in the Northeast, the Bucs will be glad to get home. And it will be a soft landing against a Dolphins team that is sucking serious wind after three straight losses in what is shaping up as a season to forget. It looks like Jacoby Brissett will be at QB again before Tua Tagovailoa returns the following week in London. Among Miami’s many problems is an offensive line that refuses to get better. Should be a long day for the Fins and some big numbers on the board for Brady and the Bucs. Expect heavy money on TB in this one.SMALLEST SPREAD – Cleveland at Los Angeles Chargers (PK)Several tight lines this week, including Rams/Seahawks and Broncos/Steelers, but the early books have the Browns and Chargers as a PK though some now list it as LA -1. The Chargers are off to a curious start – 3-1 SU and also 3-1 ATS, but with just a so-so offense that has driven Over bettors crazy. None of their four games have beaten the number. Cleveland fans will be keeping a close eye on QB Baker Mayfield, who was awful in the Browns’ skim-of-their-teeth victory over the Vikings.BIGGEST TOTAL – San Francisco at Arizona (53.5)Cheating a tad here as Buffalo/Kansas City (56.5) is mentioned above. Raise your hand if you figured Jimmy Garoppolo would be injured and out before Halloween. The inevitable happened early on Sunday, and now the Niners get to play with their new toy – Trey Lance. And Lance gets to do it on the road against the only undefeated team in the NFC. Welcome aboard, kid, and you had better be able to move the chains because the Cardinals are the highest-scoring team in the NFL through the first month of the season. Kyler Murray is making life miserable for defenses – and did we mention that SF’s D has given up the most points in the NFC West this season?SMALLEST TOTAL – Denver at Pittsburgh (40.5)Soul-searching time in western Pennsylvania, where the Steelers are 1-3 in a division where everyone else is 3-1. Ben Roethlisberger has dropped to 28th in the league QB rankings in what is almost guaranteed to be his final season. And now Ben gets to go up against what many believe is the league’s best defense. So far the offensively-challenged Broncs are hanging in in an AFC West where nobody is under .500. Interesting note: Every game both teams have played this year have gone Under.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Preview and Odds - 10/05/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 05, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features the American League wildcard playoff game in Major League Baseball. The New York Yankees visit the Boston Red Sox on ESPN at 8:08 PM ET in this single-elimination playoff game. Both teams clinched their wildcard spots by winning games on Sunday.The Yankees got a one-out base hit by Aaron Judge in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat Tampa Bay, 1-0. The victory raised their record to 92-70 for the regular season. New York averages 4.4 runs per game with a .237 batting average, a .317 on-base percentage, and an OPS of 723. Judge his hitting .287 with a team-high 39 home runs and 98 runs batted in. Giancarlo Stanton has a .273 batting average with 35 home runs and 97 RBIs. Gleybar Torres has added nine homers and 51 RBIs to go along with his .259 batting average. Manager Aaron Boone tapped Gerrit Cole as his starting pitcher for this game. The right-hander gave up five earned runs in six innings of work in his last start at Toronto last Wednesday. Cole has a 16-8 record, with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP in 30 starts. The Yankees' bullpen has a 3.50 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. D.J. LeMahieu was placed on the disabled list over the weekend due to a hernia. He was hitting .268 with ten home runs and 57 RBIs. The Red Sox got a two-run homer from Rafael Devers in the top of the ninth inning to break a 5-5 deadlock at Washington to defeat the Nationals, 7-5, on Sunday. The win kept Boston on pace with the Yankees for second place in the AL East with their 92-70 record. They average 5.1 runs per game with a .261 batting average, .324 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .773. Devers leads the team with 38 home runs and 113 RBIs to accompany his .279 batting average. Hunter Renfroe has 31 homers, 96 RBIs, and a .259 batting average. Xander Bogaerts is hitting .295 with 23 home runs and 79 RBIs. Nathan Eovaldi is the starting pitcher for manager Alex Cora. The right-hander pitched six shutout innings at Baltimore in his last start on Wednesday. Eovaldi has an 11-9 record with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. The Red Sox bullpen has a 4.00 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP this season. Cora may be without outfielder J.D. Martinez who injured his ankle on Sunday. He is hitting .286 with 26 homers and 99 RBIs.Boston won ten of the 19 regular-season meetings between these two teams. The Red Sox won the opening seven games against the Yankees before New York won the last six contests, including a three-game sweep last month that concluded with a 6-3 victory in Fenway Park on September 26th. DraftKings lists the Yankees as a -125 money line road favorite with the total of 8.5. The winner of this game plays at Tampa Bay on Thursday in the opener of the best-of-five American League Division Series. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL Preview and Odds - 10/04/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Oct 04, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the National Football League. Week 4 in the NFL concludes with the Los Angeles Chargers hosting the Las Vegas Raiders on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET for Monday Night Football.The Raiders improved to 3-0 with their 31-28 win in overtime against Miami as a 4-point favorite last Sunday. Las Vegas spotted the Dolphins a 14-0 lead before scoring the next 25 points to take an 11-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Miami responded with a field goal before Jacoby Brissett led a final touchdown scoring drive and rushed for the two-point conversion to force overtime. The teams traded field goals before Daniel Carlson converted a 22-yard field goal to win the game. Derek Carr completed 26 of 43 passes for 386 yards with two touchdown passes and an interception in leading Las Vegas to the win. Nine different targets caught passes in the game six players catching at least five balls. Carr leads the NFL with 1203 passing yards this season. He is averaging more than 400 passing yards per game, and he has passed for at least 325 yards in five straight games going back to last season. The Raiders have a 3-0 record to start the season for the first time since 2002. They have overcome two-touchdown deficits twice already. Their two victories were at home against Baltimore (the first Monday night game this season) and at Pittsburgh. They are averaging 30.0 points per game and giving up 24.0 points per game. After ranking 30th in the league last year with opponents converting 48.8% of their third downs, new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s defense is holding their opponents to a 33.3% success rate on third downs. Their defense has a 44% pressure rate on the quarterback despite blitzing at a league-low 9% of passing downs. Max Crosby leads the NFL with 25 pressures on opposing quarterbacks. Running back Josh Jacobs is questionable tonight with an ankle injury. Peyton Barber rushed the ball 23 times for 111 yards and a touchdown as the primary running back last week. Los Angeles comes off a 30-24 upset win at Kansas City as a 6.5-point favorite last Sunday. The Chargers raced out to a 14-3 lead at halftime, but the Chiefs responded with two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 17-14 lead going into the final 15 minutes. Los Angeles outscored Kansas City, 16-7, in the fourth quarter for the victory. Justin Herbert completed 26 of 38 passes for 281 yards for four touchdowns and no interceptions in leading the Chargers to the victory. The second-year quarterback is fourth in the NFL with 956 passing yards. Since Week 2 of last season when Herbert took over as the team’s starting quarterback, he has passed for 5292 yards which is the third-most in the league during that span. His ten games passing for at least 300 yards is tied for the second-most in the NFL since Week 2 last year. Rookie left tackle Rashawn Slater has not allowed a sack in 150 snaps. Los Angeles is scoring 22.3 points per game and giving up 20.0 points per game. The Chargers opened the season with a win at Washington before losing at home to Dallas. They have won six of their last seven games going back to last season when they closed the year winning four straight games. Rookie head coach Brandon Staley has some injuries on defense. Kenneth Murray injured his ankle in practice on Saturday. He is questionable to play tonight. Cornerback Chris Harris is questionable with a shoulder injury. Defensive tackle Justin Jones is out with a calf injury. These two teams split their two meetings last season. Las Vegas beat the Chargers in Los Angeles, 31-26, in the first game on November 8th in a pick ‘em contest. Los Angeles defeated the Raiders in Las Vegas, 30-27, as a 3-point underdog on December 17th.DraftKings lists the Chargers as a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 51.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB, WNBA and EPL Previews and Odds - 10/03/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Oct 03, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, MLB, WNBA, and the EPL.Week 4 in the National Football League continues with 16 games. Nine games kick off at 1 PM ET. Miami hosts Indianapolis as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 41.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Buffalo plays at home against Houston as a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 47. Dallas is at home against Carolina in the primary national game on Fox as a 4-point favorite with a total of 51.5. Tennessee visits the New York Jets as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 44. Cleveland travels to Minnesota as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 51.5. Washington plays at Atlanta as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5. Kansas City is at Philadelphia as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 54. Chicago hosts Detroit as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 41.5. New Orleans plays at home against the New York Giants as a 7-point favorite with a total of 42. Four games take place in the second-afternoon window. Two games start at 4:05 PM ET. The Los Angeles Rams are at home against Arizona as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 54. San Francisco hosts Seattle as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 51.5. Two games begin at 4:25 PM ET. Baltimore visits Denver as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 44. Green Bay is at home against Pittsburgh in the CBS national game as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 45. Tampa Bay travels to New England for Sunday Night Football on NBC at 8:20 PM ET as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 50. The regular season of the MLB season concludes with 15 games. Five games start at 3:05 PM ET. Boston plays at Washington. Texas hosts Cleveland as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 7.5. Tampa Bay plays in New York against the Yankees. San Francisco is at home against San Diego. Cincinnati is at Pittsburgh as a -160 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Baltimore plays at Toronto at 3:07 PM ET. Seven games start at 3:10 PM ET. Colorado plays at Arizona as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 9. The Chicago White Sox are at home against Detroit as a -320 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota is at Kansas City as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 10. The Los Angeles Dodgers host Milwaukee on TBS. Houston is at home against Oakland as a -180 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Philadelphia plays at Miami as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 7. St. Louis is at home against the Chicago Cubs at 3:15 PM ET as a -180 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Atlanta plays at home against the New York Mets as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 9.The semifinals of the WNBA continue with Game 3 in both best-of-five series. Connecticut plays at Chicago on ESPN at 1 PM ET. The Suns evened their series with Chicago at 1-1 with their 79-68 victory at home as an 8-point favorite on Thursday. Connecticut is a 4-point road favorite at Play MGM with an over/under of 153.5. Las Vegas is at Phoenix on ABC at 3 PM ET. The Mercury made this 1-1 series after their 117-91 victory as a 6-point underdog on Thursday. The Aces are a 2-point road favorite with a total of 172.5. Four matches conclude Matchweek 7 of the English Premier League. Three matches begin at 9 AM ET. Leicester City travels to Crystal Palace on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham plays at home against Aston Villa as a -0.25 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. West Ham United hosts Brentford as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City visits Liverpool on the NBC Sports Network at 11:30 AM ET as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.75.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 10/02/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Oct 02, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in NCAAF, MLB, CFL, and the EPL.Week 5 in college football concludes with 57 games between FBS opponents. Seventeen games kick off the card in the noon to 2:30 PM ET window. Six games are on national television at noon. Wisconsin hosts Michigan on Fox as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Texas travels to TCU on ABC as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 65. Georgia plays at home against Arkansas on ESPN as a 17-point favorite with a total of 48.5. North Carolina is at home against Duke on ESPN2 as a 20-point favorite with an over/under of 72.5. Western Michigan visits Buffalo on the CBS Sports Network as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 59. Memphis plays at Temple on ESPNU as a 10-point road favorite with an over/under of 60. Cincinnati travels to Notre Dame on NBC at 2:30 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. Twenty-three games have start times from 3:30 PM ET to 6:30 PM ET. Six games are on national television at 3:30 PM ET. Oregon visits Stanford on ABC as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 51.5. Oklahoma plays at Kansas State on Fox as an 11.5-point road favorite with a total of 53.5. Alabama hosts Mississippi on CBS as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 80. Boise State plays at home against Nevada on FS1 as a 5-point favorite with a total of 59.5. Central Florida is at Navy on the CBS Sports Network as a 16.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 52. West Virginia is at home against Texas Tech on ESPN2 as a 7-point favorite with a total of 55. SMU is at home against South Florida on ESPN at 4 PM ET as a 21-point favorite with an over/under of 68. Florida travels to Kentucky on ESPN at 6 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 56. Air Force visits New Mexico on FS2 at 6:30 PM ET as an 11.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 46. Seventeen games conclude the college football card beginning at 7 PM ET. Three games are on national television with 7 PM ET kickoffs. Oklahoma State hosts Baylor on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 47. UAB plays at home against UAB as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. Iowa State plays at home against Kansas on FS1 as a 34-point favorite with a total of 57.5. Two games are on national television at 7:30 PM ET. Penn State plays at home against Indiana on ABC as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Vanderbilt is at home against Connecticut on ESPNU as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 51. LSU plays at home against Auburn on ESPN at 9 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 57. UCLA hosts Arizona State on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 56.5. Fresno State travels to Hawaii on the CBS Sports Network at 11 PM ET as an 11-point road favorite with an over/under of 65. Fifteen games are on the MLB docket. New York is at home against Tampa Bay at 1:05 PM ET as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 9. Toronto plays at home against Baltimore at 3:07 PM ET as a -240 money line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two games start at 4:05 PM ET. Boston plays at Washington as a -165 money line road favorite with a total of 9.5. San Francisco is at home against San Diego as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Philadelphia plays at Miami at 6:10 PM ET as a -115 money line road favorite with a total of 8. Cincinnati is at Pittsburgh at 6:35 PM ET as a -180 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Cleveland plays at Texas at 7:05 PM ET as a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Three games start at 7:10 PM ET. Houston is at home against Oakland as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Chicago White Sox are at home against Detroit as a -275 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Minnesota is at Kansas City as a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two games begin at 7:15 PM ET with the Fox national broadcast offering regional coverage. St. Louis is at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 9. Atlanta plays at home against the New York Mets as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 9. Arizona hosts Colorado at 8:10 PM ET as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two games conclude the MLB card at 9:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against Milwaukee as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 7. Seattle is at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Canadian Football League concludes their ninth week in the regular season with two games on ESPN+. Hamilton hosts Montreal at 4 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48.5. Saskatchewan travels to Calgary at 7 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 48.Matchweek 7 in the English Premier League begins with six matches. Manchester United hosts Everton on the NBC Sports Network at 7:30 AM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Four games start at 10 AM ET. Burnley is at home against Norwich City as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Chelsea plays at home against Southampton on the USA Network as a -1.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.75. Leeds United is at home against Watford on the NBC Sports Network as a -0.75 goal line favorite with a total of 2.75. Wolverhampton plays at home against Newcastle United as a 0.75 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal visits Brighton and Hove Albion on NBC at 12:30 PM ET in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2.25.

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