Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Articles

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/07/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Mar 07, 2022

The Monday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. Two games tip-off the card at 7:05 PM ET. Atlanta visits Detroit as a 7.5-point road favorite with the total set at 227.5. Philadelphia plays at home against Chicago as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 230. Miami is at home against Houston as a 16-point favorite with a total of 225.5. Minnesota hosts Portland at 8:05 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 235.5.Two more NBA games begin at 8:35 PM ET. Dallas plays at home against Utah as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 217.5. San Antonio is at home against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 232.5. Denver hosts Golden State at 9:05 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 223.5. Sacramento plays at home against New York as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 229.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:08 PM ET for three games. Boston is at home against Los Angeles as a -190 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Florida visits Buffalo as a -280 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Toronto plays at Columbus as a -240 money line road favorite with a total of 7. Colorado travels to New York to play the Islanders at 7:38 PM ET as a -210 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Calgary plays at home against Edmonton as a -190 money line favorite with a total of 6.5.The college basketball card has ten games in conference tournament action. The Colonial Athletic Association semifinals take place at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington DC on the CBS Sports Network. Delaware plays Towson State at 6 PM ET. The College of Charleston goes against UNC-Wilmington at 8:30 PM ET. The Summit League semifinals are on ESPN+ at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. South Dakota battles South Dakota State at 7 PM ET. Oral Roberts faces North Dakota State at 9:30 PM ET. The championship game of the Southern Conference tournament takes place at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville, North Carolina. Furman battles UT-Chattanooga on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Sun Belt tournament champion gets decided at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida. Louisiana-Lafayette plays Georgia State on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET. The Horizon League tournament semifinals tip-off at 7 PM ET at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Cleveland State playing Wright State on ESPNU as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 147. Northern Kentucky plays IUPU-Fort Wayne on ESPN2 as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 136. The West Coast Conference tournament semifinals begin at 9 PM ET at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Gonzaga goes against San Francisco on ESPN as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. Saint Mary’s plays Santa Clara on ESPN2 as a 5-point favorite with a total of 139. Matchweek 28 in the English Premier League continues with Tottenham hosting Everton on the USA Network as a -1 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 2.5.

Read more

NBA Awards Odds Update

by AAA Sports

Monday, Mar 07, 2022

Homestretch in the Association, and as time runs short here’s a look at the who, what, when, where and why for the leading contenders for individual awards. Odds are current.MVPJoel Embiid -115Nikola Jokic +300Giannis Antetokounmpo +550Embiid seemed giddy after his Sixers sent out non-participant Ben Simmons and role players for James Harden, and indeed Harden’s arrival in Philadelphia may have come too late in the game to disrupt the narrative that Embiid is going to win it after carrying the team on his back in a much-stronger Eastern Conference.  What could deny Embiid the trophy is a 76er slump over the final few weeks – and the schedule appears daunting – that could drop them two or three spots in the cramped East and created doubts in the minds of the voters. Jokic’s odds seem a little skewed considering Denver has slipped to 6th in the West, chances of a repeat MVP sliding along with the team. Antetokounmpo’s brilliance could produce a third MVP, were it not for the fact that Embiid’s relatively good health and Philly’s sustained strong play in the absence of Simmons has kept the spotlight on the Philly center. Ja Morant and DeMar DeRozen could break into the top 3, but Boston’s Jayson Tatum is surging too late after mediocre play for the first two-thirds of the season.MOST IMPROVEDJa Morant  -1100Miles Bridges +900Darius Garland +1500Morant might be in the MVP discussion were it not for the fact that his Grizzlies played well even when he was out injured, but he’s had the MIP Award locked up since the holidays. As Larry Bird said at the All-Star Game 3-point contest way back when, “Which of you guys is playing for second place?” Morant’s numbers are up across the board (his scoring average jumped more than 8 points over last year), and more importantly Memphis is getting long hard looks from pundits who think that the young Grizzlies can win a few playoff rounds in a diminished Western Conference.  Bridges has been a solid contributor in his first year as a starter for Charlotte and Garland has thrived in Cleveland with Collin Sexton out, but this hardware will belong to Morant.ROOKIE OF THE YEAREvan Mobley -650Scottie Barnes +500Cade Cunningham +600Hard to see Mobley NOT becoming the third Cavalier to win the Rookie of the Year trophy (after LeBron James and Kyrie Irving). The big man can do a lot of things that today’s big men are asked to do, and he’s had a huge impact on the team’s success. Mobley had 20 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocks and 4 assists this past weekend as the Cavs ended a 6-losses-in-7-games skid by beating Toronto. If Cleveland has a half-decent finish to the season and stays clear of the Play-In tournament, Mobley should have more than enough solid play in the bank to hold off Barnes. Cunningham is the future in Detroit, and he has the Pistons finishing strong, but the No. 1 overall draft pick was hurt early and struggled mid-season. If the team improves and he stays healthy, he will be a MIP candidate in 2022-23.SIXTH MAN OF THE YEARTyler Herro -2500Kelly Oubre +2500Kevin Love +2500Herro put this one to bed early on, being a 20-ppg scorer off the bench (and sometimes starter; he averages 33 minutes) and a key cog in Miami’s system of interchangeable parts. It doesn’t hurt that the Heat control the East and barring a bad run should have home-court advantage for the first three playoff rounds. Oubre (Hornets) and Love (Cavaliers) are long shots at best.DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEARRudy Gobert -150Giannis Antetokounmpo +425Jaren Jackson Jr. +900Yes, the Jazz have slipped and yes there’s probably something to the talk about discord in Salt Lake City. But the chalk right now is Gobert, and strange things would have to happen down the stretch for Gobert not to win this award for the fourth time. East big men Bam Adebayo (Miami) and Robert Williams (Boston) are laying the groundwork for runs at this award when Gobert starts to run out of gas.COACH OF THE YEARMonty Williams -300J.B. Bickerstaff +375Taylor Jenkins +650Williams clinched this award when Phoenix took complete control of the West with an 8-game winning streak in February, and the Suns can spend the rest of the year getting its Chris Paul / Devin Booker backcourt healthy for the post-season. Another Finals trip is definitely possible for Williams. Bickerstaff will get some love from the voters, for sure, but the Cavs’ struggles of late will cost him at the ballot box. Likewise with Memphis’s Jenkins. Boston’s Ime Udoka (+5000) is out the running, but the Celtics are scorching hot and talk of him being on thin ice is now off the table.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, EPL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/06/2022

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Mar 06, 2022

The Sunday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. Boston hosts Brooklyn in the opening game of a doubleheader on ABC at 1:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Milwaukee plays at home against Phoenix in the second ABC game at 3:40 PM ET as a 7-point favorite. Washington is at home against Indiana as a 2.5-point favorite. Two NBA games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Memphis visits Houston as an 11-point road favorite. Utah is at Oklahoma City as a 12.5-point road favorite. Toronto plays at Cleveland in the opening game of an evening doubleheader ESPN at 7:40 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite. Denver hosts New Orleans at 8:10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite. The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against New York in the nightcap on ESPN at 10:10 PM ET as a 4-point favorite. The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. The puck drops for two games at 1:08 PM ET. Los Angeles plays at Buffalo as a -170 money line road favorite with the total set at 6. St. Louis visits New Jersey as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Minnesota plays at home against Dallas on TNT at 4:08 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Three NHL games begin at 7:08 PM ET. Winnipeg is at home against the New York Rangers as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Carolina hosts Seattle as a -320 money line favorite with a total of 6. Tampa Bay travels to Chicago as a -230 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Vegas plays at home against Ottawa as a -350 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Anaheim is at home against San Jose as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Sunday college basketball card includes 11 games on national television. Two games start at noon ET. Houston plays at Memphis on CBS as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 138.5. Winthrop plays Longwood on ESPN2 in the championship game of the Big South conference tournament. Ohio State hosts Michigan on Fox at 12:30 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 144. Three more televised NCAAB games tip-off at 2 PM ET. Central Florida visits Tulsa on ESPNU as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 139. Loyola-Chicago plays Drake on CBS in the championship game of the Missouri Valley conference tournament. Lehigh goes against Colgate on the CBS Sports Network in the first semifinals game in the Patriot League conference tournament. Two televised NCAAB games start at 4 PM ET. Watford plays Chattanooga on ESPNU in the semifinals of the Southern Conference tournament. Navy battles Boston University on the CBS Sports Network in the semifinals of the Patriot League conference tournament as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 127. Michigan State hosts Maryland on CBS at 4:30 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Samford goes against Forman on ESPN in the second semifinals matchup in the Southern Conference tournament on ESPNU. Illinois plays at home against Iowa on FS1 at 7:30 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. Matchweek 28 in the English Premier League continues with two matches. Arsenal travels to Watford on the USA Network at 9 AM ET as a -1 goal line road favorite at PlayMGM with a total of 2.5. Manchester City is at home against Manchester United on the USA Network at 11:30 AM ET as a 1.5-goal line favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 3.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/05/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Mar 05, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. Dallas hosts Sacramento at 5:10 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with the total set at 241 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Charlotte is at home against San Antonio at 7:10 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 241. Three more NBA games tip-off at 8:10 PM ET. Philadelphia visits Miami as a 1-point road favorite at BetRivers. Memphis plays at home as a 15.5-point favorite at BetRivers. Minnesota hosts Portland as a 13-point favorite. Golden State travels to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on ABC at 8:40 PM ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 224. The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. St. Louis plays in New York against the Islanders at 12:38 PM ET as a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Philadelphia is at home against Chicago on ABC at 3:08 PM ET as a -130 money line favorite with a total of 6. Ottawa visits Arizona at 4:08 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Florida plays at home against Detroit at 6:08 PM ET as a -295 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Edmonton is at home against Montreal as a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Toronto hosts Vancouver as a -255 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Washington plays at home against Seattle as a -250 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Boston travels to Columbus as a -185 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Nashville plays at San Jose as a -160 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Colorado hosts Calgary at 10:08 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Saturday college basketball card includes 30 games on national television. Four televised games begin at noon ET. Villanova visits Butler on Fox as an 8.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 128. Tennessee plays at home against Arkansas on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 139.5. LSU is at home against Alabama on CBS as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 152. Virginia plays at Louisville on ESPN2 as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 125.5. Dayton is at home against Davidson on the USA Network at 1 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 131. Syracuse hosts Miami (Florida) on ESPNU as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 154. Three televised NCAAB games start at 2 PM ET. Kentucky travels to Florida on CBS as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Purdue plays at home against Indiana on ESPN as a 10-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Florida State is at home against North Carolina State as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145.5. Three more NCAAB games tip-off at 2:30 PM ET. Rhode Island visits St. Joseph’s on the USA Network as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 132.5. Notre Dame hosts Pittsburgh on ESPN News as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Creighton plays at home against Seton Hall on Fox as a 1-point favorite with a total of 133.5. Wichita State is at home against East Carolina on ESPNU at 3 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 136. Loyola-Chicago battles Northern Iowa on the CBS Sports Network at 3:30 PM ET in the first semifinal game in the Missouri Valley conference tournament.Three NCAAB games start at 4 PM ET. Kansas hosts Texas on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 138. Washington State is at home against Oregon on CBS as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 138. St. Louis plays at home against VCU as a 2-point favorite with a total of 134.5. Connecticut hosts DePaul on Fox at 5 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Three more NCAAB games begin at 6 PM ET. Baylor is at home against Iowa State on ESPN2 as a 12-point favorite with a total of 132. Duke hosts North Carolina on ESPN as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. Drake faces Missouri State in the second semifinals game in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament on the CBS Sports Network. Xavier plays at home against Georgetown on FS1 at 7 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Two televised NCAAB games start at 8:30 PM ET. Colorado State hosts Boise State on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 133. Morehead State goes against Murray State in the championship game of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament on ESPN2. Marquette is at home against St. John’s on FS1 at 9 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 160. Utah plays at home against Colorado on ESPNU as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 139. UCLA hosts USC on ESPN at 10 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 136.5. Two more NCAAB games begin at 10:30 PM ET. San Diego State travels to Nevada on the CBS Sports Network as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 133. BYU battles San Francisco on ESPN2 in the West Coast Conference tournament. Portland faces Santa Clara in the second West Coast Conference tournament game on ESPN2 at 12:30 AM ET.Matchweek 28 in the English Premier League begins with seven matches. Leicester City is at home against Leeds United on Peacock at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3 (all soccer odds from PlayMGM). Five games start at 10 AM ET. Southampton travels to Aston Villa on Peacock in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea visits Burnley on the USA Network as a -1 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion play at Newcastle United on Peacock in a pick ‘em contest with an over/under of 2.5. Norwich City hosts Brentford on Peacock in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2. Wolverhampton plays at home against Crystal Palace on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2. Liverpool is at home against West Ham United on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/04/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Mar 04, 2022

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Indiana travels to Detroit as a 4-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Philadelphia is at home against Cleveland as a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 219.5. Atlanta plays at Washington as a 3-point road favorite. Two more NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. Toronto hosts Orlando as an 8-point favorite. Milwaukee visits Chicago in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN. The Bucks are on a two-game winning streak after a 120-119 victory against Miami as a 4.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Bulls lost their second game in a row in a 112-99 setback at Miami as a 4.5-point underdog on Monday. Milwaukee is a 3-point road favorite. Two NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Utah plays at New Orleans as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 228. Minnesota is at Oklahoma City as a 7.5-point road favorite. Two games conclude the NBA card at 9:10 PM ET. Denver hosts Houston as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 233.5. Phoenix plays at home against New York in the second game of the ESPN doubleheader. The Suns ended a two-game losing streak with a 120-109 victory as an 11-point favorite on Wednesday. The Knicks lost their sixth straight game with a 128-108 loss at Philadelphia as a 10.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Phoenix is a 6-point favorite. The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate. Five games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Minnesota visits Buffalo as a -195 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Tampa Bay plays at home against Detroit as a -340 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers are at home against New Jersey as a -165 money line favorite with a total of 6. Carolina hosts Pittsburgh as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Los Angeles travels to Columbus as a -145 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Dallas plays at Winnipeg at 8:08 PM ET with both teams priced as a -110 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Vegas is at Anaheim at 10:08 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5.The Friday college basketball card has five games on national television. The first game of the day tips off at noon ET in the quarterfinals of the Big South conference tournament at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Longwood plays North Carolina A&T as a 7.5-point favorite at William Hill with an over/under of 137. Kent State hosts Buffalo on ESPNU at 6 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 145.5. Toledo plays at home against Bowling Green on the CBS Sports Network at 6:30 PM ET as a 16-point favorite with an over/under of 165. St. Bonaventure is at home against Richmond on ESPN2 at 7 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 137.5. The quarterfinals of the Ohio Valley conference tournament conclude with the final two contests on ESPNU at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. Southeast Missouri State plays Murray State at 8 PM ET. Morehead State plays Belmont at 10:30 PM ET.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/03/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Mar 03, 2022

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. Chicago plays at Atlanta at 7:10 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with the total set at 231 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Three games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Miami visits Brooklyn as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 221. Toronto hosts Detroit as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 216. Memphis is at Boston in the opening game of a doubleheader on TNT as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 224.Two more NBA games begin at 8:40 PM ET. Golden State is at Dallas as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 218.5. San Antonio hosts Sacramento as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The Los Angeles Clippers is the technical home team against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in the nightcap on TNT at 10:05 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 218.5. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Four games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Tampa Bay is at home against Pittsburgh as a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Florida hosts Ottawa as a -390 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Minnesota travels to Philadelphia as a -210 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Carolina plays at Washington as a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 6. The New York Islanders are at home against Vancouver at 7:38 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Edmonton visits Chicago at 8:38 PM ET as a -155 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Three games conclude the NHL card at 9:08 PM ET. Calgary is at home against Montreal as a -400 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Colorado travels to Arizona as a -380 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Vegas hosts Boston on ESPN as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.The Thursday college basketball card includes 11 games on national television. The first game of the day tips off at 12:30 PM ET in the first game of the Sun Belt conference tournament taking place at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Florida. Louisiana-Lafayette plays Texas-Arlington as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 135.5. Four NCAAB games start on national television at 7 PM ET. Ohio State hosts Michigan State on ESPN as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. SMU plays at home against Cincinnati on ESPNU as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Houston is at home against Temple on ESPN2 as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 131.5. Illinois hosts Penn State on FS1 as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 131.5.Four more televised NCAAB games start at 9 PM ET. Arizona plays at home against Stanford on ESPN2 as an 18.5-point favorite with an over/under of 148. Memphis travels to South Florida on ESPNU as a 12.5-point road favorite with a total of 135.5. Michigan hosts Iowa on FS1 as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 156. UTEP is at home against Rice on the CBS Sports Network as a 6-point favorite with a total of 144. Three televised NCAAB games conclude the card at 11 PM ET. Washington State plays at home against Oregon State on FS1 as a 15-point favorite with an over/under of 142. San Diego State hosts Fresno State on the CBS Sports Network as an 8-point favorite with a total of 116. Cal-State Fullerton is at home against Cal-Riverside on ESPNU as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 134.

Read more

2022 NHL Stretch Run Home/Road Values: Eastern Conference

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 02, 2022

2022 NHL Stretch Run Home/Road Values: Eastern ConferenceEntering March 2nd action, the NHL is about 2/3 of the way through the season and this final upcoming 2 month stretch of regular season action encompasses the final 1/3 of the schedule and is the stretch run for the playoffs. This far into the season some strong home/road patterns have emerged so below I am taking at look at where to keep an eye out for value with FIVE Eastern Conference teams the rest of the season:Atlantic Division:TAMPA BAY – The Lightning are a strong team and 2-time defending Stanley Cup Champs so of course it makes sense they have a great home record but usually they are priced out of a lot of home games. However, did you realize Tampa Bay has won an incredible 17 of 26 road games this season? Value potential on the road!FLORIDA – When you can get a manageable price keep an eye out for the Panthers at home but also considering fading them on the road in the right situations. Florida is a fantastic 23-6 at home but is only a .500 team when on enemy ice!MONTREAL – Like Buffalo, the Canadiens are overall a bad team struggling both home and away. But, unlike the Sabres, the Habs have actually been noteworthy in just how unbelievably bad they have been as travelers this season. Montreal has won just 5 of 28 road games on the season!Metropolitan Division:PITTSBURGH – Just behind Carolina in the standings and, unlike the Hurricanes (good everywhere) there is something noteworthy about the Penguins this season for sure. Pittsburgh has lost nearly half its home games this season but the Pens have been fantastic on the road with wins in 18 of 27 games!WASHINGTON – This is another team with a surprising discrepancy as the Capitals have lost 16 of 28 home games but have won 16 of 27 road games this season and this type of knowledge can work in your favor because home ice is often “baked” into the lines and sometimes this leads to value in going against the “baked in” price.

Read more

2022 NHL Stretch Run Home/Road Values: Western Conference

by Scott Rickenbach

Wednesday, Mar 02, 2022

2022 NHL Stretch Run Home/Road Values: Western ConferenceEntering March 2nd action, the NHL is about 2/3 of the way through the season and this final upcoming 2 month stretch of regular season action encompasses the final 1/3 of the schedule and is the stretch run for the playoffs. This far into the season some strong home/road patterns have emerged so below I am taking at look at where to keep an eye out for value with FIVE Western Conference teams the rest of the season:Central Division:MINNESOTA – Of course a team at the top of the division like Colorado is strong everywhere and has a dominant home record. However, just a little further down in the standings you have a team like Minnesota that has won 16 of 22 home games but has lost about half its road games! The Wild are a team to keep an eye on fading on the road but backing at home when the pricing is right because of their strong home/road dichotomy.  DALLAS – The Stars are another team, like Minny, that has a respectable overall record yet has shown a strong variance in hosting versus visiting. On home ice Dallas has won 19 of 27 games yet on the road they have won only 40% - 10 of 25 games – on the season!  WINNIPEG – The Jets are decent, yet unspectacular team on home ice with a 14-10-1 record. However, when away from Winnipeg, the Jets have been scary bad with just 10 wins in 29 games!  Pacific Division:VEGAS – The talk about the Golden Knights use to be about protecting the “fortress” here at home (Vegas my home too) and how hard it was for teams to win here. That is no longer the case though as Vegas has won only half its games as a host this season! However, the Knights are a fantastic 15-8-1 on enemy ice so keep this in mind going forward for this stretch run of the season.  LOS ANGELES – The Kings are right behind the Flames at the top of the division but, unlike Calgary, Los Angeles has struggled to win at home just like Vegas has. LA has won only half its home games on the season! One thing to keep an eye on though is that this Kings team is 15-6-5 on enemy ice. Note that having only 6 regulation losses on the road this season puts Los Angeles as the only team in the Western Conference (Penguins the only other team in the entire league) with just 6 regulation losses on enemy ice this season. If the Kings can avoid those dreaded SO or OT losses on the road look out! They have played well away from home! 

Read more

"No Deal!"

by Ben Burns

Wednesday, Mar 02, 2022

As you may have heard, baseball's latest deadline has come and gone. The earliest which the regular season can begin is now April 7. Spring Training will begin no earlier than March 12. Needless to say, I'm not happy. Nobody is. Commissioner Rob Manfred had this to say: "We worked hard to avoid an outcome that is bad for our fans, bad for our players and bad for our clubs. I want to assure our fans that our failure to reach an agreement was not due to a lack of effort on the part of either party."Manfred went on to say: “The clubs and our owners fully understand just how important it is to our millions of fans that we get the game on the field as soon as possible. To that end, we want to bargain and we want a deal with the Players Association as quickly as possible."Manfred concluded a letter to the fans by stating: ".... We played without an agreement in 1994 and the players went on strike in August, forcing the cancellation of the World Series. It was a painful chapter in our game’s history. We cannot risk such an outcome again for our fans and our sport. The Clubs and our owners fully understand just how important it is to our millions of fans that we get the game on the field as soon as possible. To that end, we want to bargain and we want a deal with the Players Association as quickly as possible."The players are singing a considerably different tune. MLBPA executive Tony Clark commented: "Today is a sad day. We came to Florida to navigate and negotiate for a fair collective bargaining agreement. Despite meeting daily, there is still significant work to be done. The reason we are not playing is simple: a lockout is the ultimate economic weapon. In a $10 billion dollar industry, the owners have decided to use this weapon against the greatest asset they have: the players."An MLBPA statement included the following: "Rob Manfred and MLB's owners have cancelled the start of the season. Players and fans around the world who love baseball are disgusted, but sadly not surprised .... What Rob Manfred characterized as a "defensive lockout" is, in fact, the culmination of a decades-long attempt by owners to break our Player fraternity. As in the past, this effort will fail. We are united and committed to negotiating a fair deal that will improve the sport for Players, fans and everyone who loves our game."Remembering 1994Some of you may not remember the 1994 season. In a strike which lasted 232 days, more than 900 games were missed. While that was the only time (since 1904) that there was no World Series, it actually marked the eighth work stoppage in MLB history. At the time, it was baseball's fourth "in-season work stoppage" in 22 years. It was also the longest strike in pro sports history. (Later, in 2004/05, hockey would break that record.) So, unfortunately, this has happened before and it doesn't always end quickly. What Next?So far, only the first two series from each team will be missed. I think everyone can live with that. There won't be any meetings again today but they'll be back at it again really soon. Apparently, the league's last ditch proposal "wasn't that far off." Manfred's words certainly sounded hopeful. I'm going to choose to remain optimistic. I'll keep you posted about the baseball. For now, however, I'm looking forward to enjoying a profitable March Madness. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/02/2022

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Mar 02, 2022

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has eight games on its docket. Two games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Cleveland hosts Charlotte as a 3.5-point favorite (all odds from DraftKings). Orlando is at home against Indiana as a 2-point favorite, with the total set at 232. Philadelphia plays at home against New York in the opening game of a doubleheader on ESPN as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223. Three more NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. Utah visits Houston as a 13-point road favorite with a total of 232. New Orleans is at home against Sacramento as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 235. Milwaukee plays at home against Miami as a 5-point favorite. Denver hosts Oklahoma City at 9:10 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite. Phoenix is at home against Portland in the nightcap on ESPN as a 13-point favorite with a total of 226.5.The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:35 PM ET for two games. Toronto plays at home against Buffalo as a -425 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. St. Louis travels to New York to play the Rangers in the first game of a doubleheader on TNT with both teams priced as a -110 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Dallas is at home against Los Angeles at 8:35 PM ET as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Nashville visits Seattle in the second game on TNT at 10:05 PM ET as a -165 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Wednesday college basketball card includes nine games on national television. The first game starts at 11:30 AM ET in the Big South conference tournament at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, with Radford playing North Carolina A&T as a 2-point favorite and an over/under of 131. St. John’s hosts Xavier on FS1 in the opening televised game at 6:30 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 154.5. Three televised games tip-off at 7 PM ET. Western Kentucky travels to Marshall on ESPNU as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 154.5. Notre Dame plays at Florida State on ESPN2 as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 139. Seton Hall is at home against Georgetown on the CBS Sports Network as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147. Connecticut visits Creighton on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 135.5. Three more NCAAB games begin at 9 PM ET. Marquette plays at DePaul on the CBS Sports Network as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 147. Wichita State is at Tulsa on ESPNU as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 136. Arkansas hosts LSU on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. UNLV plays at home against Wyoming on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 139.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 03/01/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 01, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. Washington hosts Detroit at 7:10 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Toronto is at home against Brooklyn as an 8.5-point favorite. Boston plays at home in the opening game of a doubleheader on TNT as a 6-point favorite. Two more NBA games start at 8:40 PM ET. The Los Angeles Clippers visit Houston as a 7-point road favorite with the total set at 229.5. Golden State plays at Minnesota in a pick ‘em matchup. Dallas travels to Los Angeles to play the Clippers in the nightcap on TNT at 10:10 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 217. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. The puck drops at 7:05 PM ET for three games. Tampa Bay plays at home against Ottawa as a -340 money line favorite with a total of 6. Edmonton is at Philadelphia as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Columbus hosts New Jersey as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Carolina visits Detroit at 7:35 PM ET as a -220 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more NHL games begin at 8:05 PM ET. Minnesota plays at home against Calgary as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Winnipeg is at home against Montreal as a -215 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Columbus plays at home against the New York Islanders as a -290 money line favorite with a total of 6. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:05 PM ET. Vegas hosts San Jose as a -230 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Boston travels to Anaheim as a -200 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Tuesday college basketball card includes 12 games on national television. Two games tip-off at 6:30 PM ET. Villanova plays at home against Providence on FS1 as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Richmond is at home against Dayton on the CBS Sports Network as a 2-point favorite with a total of 133. Three more televised NCAAB games start at 7 PM ET. Oklahoma hosts West Virginia on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. South Carolina is at home against Missouri on ESPNU as a 7-point favorite with a total of 136.5. Kentucky plays at home against Mississippi on ESPN as a 16.5-point favorite with an over/under of 142. Two more televised NCAAB games begin at 8:30 PM ET. Michigan is at home against Michigan State as a 4-point favorite with a total of 142.5. VCU hosts St. Bonaventure on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Four televised NCAAB games start at 9 PM ET. Houston plays at Cincinnati on ESPNU as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 135.5. Virginia Tech is at home against Louisville on ESPN2 as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132. Boise State hosts Nevada on FS2 as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5. Purdue visits Wisconsin on ESPN as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 144. Arizona travels to USC on ESPN at 11 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 150.5.Matchweek 27 in the English Premier League concludes with one match at 2:45 PM ET. Leicester City plays at Burnley on Peacock in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2.5.

Read more

The Underrated Cincinnati Bengals

by Team Del Genio

Monday, Feb 28, 2022

Cincinnati lost the Super Bowl to the Los Angeles Rams, yet better game management by the head coach Zac Taylor could have made the difference in the Bengals pulling the upset and lifting the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. Running back Joe Mixon was not on the field for both of Cincinnati’s failed fourth-and-one opportunities. In hindsight, this looks like an inexplicable failure on Taylor’s part to put his best players in a position to succeed. Taylor would later say that Samaji Perine “deserved” the opportunity to be on the field in those situations. The Bengals’ players and fans (and bettors) deserved to have their best running back in Mixon be given the opportunity to get the one-yard necessary to continue the drive. Mixon averaged 4.8 yards per carry in the Super Bowl but was only given 15 rushing attempts in the game. Perhaps it is understandable why Taylor kept Perine on the field for their fourth-down attempt in the first quarter given his ball-catching skills. But for Taylor to not use a timeout to get Mixon into the game when the Bengals had a fourth-and-one on their final drive and about ten yards away from getting into placekicker Evan McPherson’s field goal range for a potential game-tying kick was simply inexcusable. That mistake might have cost Cincinnati the Super Bowl. Neither of the Super Bowl teams had impeccable credentials entering this game, yet observers that were discounting Cincinnati’s chances made a mistake by not focusing on their most recent run of games. After an embarrassing 41-16 midseason loss at home to in-state rival Cleveland, the Bengals followed that up with a hard-fought 26-23 loss at home to San Francisco. Cincinnati’s prospects did not look promising at that point, despite not many appreciating how impressive the close loss with the 49ers would like in hindsight. Since that loss to the eventual loser in the NFC championship game (who had beaten the Rams twice this season), the Bengals won six of seven games. The play of their defense has improved as they held five of those seven opponents to 21 or fewer points. They stymied Kansas City to just a field goal in the second half in both weeks 17 and in the AFC championship game. In the playoffs, Cincinnati had six interceptions going into the Super Bowl. Their defense then faced Matthew Stafford who threw 17 interceptions this season with four returned for touchdowns. While much of the conversation in the two weeks before the Super Bowl included a coronation of Stafford in his first year out of Detroit, what was being forgotten is how different he would be treated if the Bengals had not dropped his errant pass midway through the fourth quarter in the NFC championship game which should have been his 18th interception of the season. Sean McVay only had Stafford throw 17 passes in their opening playoff game against Arizona. If Stafford had finally solved his interception problem, McVay did not seem to be convinced of this just a month before the Super Bowl. The Bengals found success in the second half against the Chiefs in the AFC championship game by relying on a three-man pass rush which allowed them to use eight defenders in pass coverage. One of the advantages of a pass defense like this is that it takes the power out of offensive head coaches like Andy Reid and now McVay since it is difficult for these masterminds to simply scheme out of the challenge. These defenses can be beaten, but it requires the quick-thinking skills of the quarterback. This had not been a strength for Stafford in his career.Joe Burrow, on the other hand, was playing with the utmost confidence and seemingly pressure-free with his career still ahead of him. Cincinnati is well ahead of its rebuilding plan. Isn’t it interesting that six of seven-run going into the Super Bowl was about eleven months after Burrow suffered his season-ending knee injury last season? Burrow worked himself to be available to begin the year, yet doctors often claim it takes a full twelve months to fully recover from injuries like that. The Bengals' late-season surge coincides with that timeline. Cincinnati covered the point spread in nine of their eleven games against winning teams this season, with eight of those nine covers occurring in the second half of the season. The Rams covered the point spread in just three of their nine games against winning teams this season. Considering that the underdog has covered the point spread in eleven of the last eighteen Super Bowls since 2003, we expected that dog trend to continue with this improving Bengals team. Cincinnati was in a position to win the Super Bowl if only had Taylor better managed those final moments. Now the Bengals will go from the hunter to the hunted next season. Defending their AFC North title will be a challenge with four games against two of the best and most consistent franchises in the league in the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers with another two games against the very talented Cleveland Browns. Dan Marino made the Super Bowl in his second year in the NFL but was never able to get his Miami Dolphins back in the big game. Could Burrow suffer the same fate?Good luck - TDG.

Read more

Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Links

Big Al's Sports Picks Info

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2025 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.