Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

NFL Midway MVP Thoughts

Wednesday, Nov 10, 2021

Coming off one of the most bizarre weeks in the NFL we find ourselves about halfway through the 2021 season. Tom Brady and Josh Allen are dead even atop most of the MVP odds. Brady fresh off a bye week and Allen trying to figure out how Urban Meyer’s Jags held his offense to 6 points. If either regress (similar to Russell Wilson in 2020) or have injury trouble, there is value in a few other names. Josh Allen +325Tom Brady +325Kyler Murray +700Matthew Stafford +750Lamar Jackson +1000Aaron Rodgers +1200Dak Prescott +1200 Buy: Mathew Stafford had one of his worst games of the season in a surprising loss to the Titans. Two “Carson Wentz” like picks left a bad impression for viewers on Sunday night, yet Stafford still has 23 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions. This puts him on pace to finish with 43 TDs and 11 INTs. Those numbers would be good enough to win previous MVP’s depending on what year you look back at. Brady in 2017 threw for 32 TDs and 8 INTs. Lamar in 2019 threw for 36 and 6. If Stafford can keep the interceptions to a minimum, the Rams will be in prime contention come playoff time. Big touchdown numbers and a high seed are a great formula for MVP. Buy: Dak Prescott is in a very similar situation in a loaded NFC. Dak missed a game and already has his bye week behind him putting him on pace for 41 TDs and 12 INTs. We are going to chalk up the Bronco’s loss to the week 9 craziness that happened all around the league. It may all come down to who wins out in the NFC with Brady, Murray, Stafford, Rodgers, and Prescott all very much alive to claim the top seed. Sell: Kyler Murray is banged up and struggled mightily last year when not fully healthy, while Rodgers may be in the media doghouse for the year, maybe life. Lamar currently has 13 TDs with 7 picks so it is hard to see him making a push no matter how much he runs for. A small dip in production, or a few games out due to injury open the door wide open for Stafford and Prescott.

NHL Off the Post: November 10th

by Sean Murphy

Wednesday, Nov 10, 2021

As I do each and every week, I'm taking a look around the NHL to uncover some current trends and angles that you need to be aware of.With over a month of data to work with, this is the time of year when we can really exploit some weaknesses in the hockey betting marketplace. Here are four situations to keep an eye on in the days ahead. Sleepless (away from) SeattleThe Kraken got their inaugural campaign off to a competitive start by collecting at least a point in two of their first three road games. Since then, the bloom has come off the rose, so to speak, as they've now dropped six straight games away from home, failing to manage even a point in their last five road tilts. The good news is, Seattle will be back in the Emerald City for its next six games before heading back on the road at the end of the month. The Kraken are hemorrhaging goals right now, having given up a whopping 16 in their last four contests. Not surprisingly, the 'over' has cashed in each of their last four contests heading into Thursday's home date with Anaheim.Quack, QuackFew expected much of the Anaheim Ducks heading into the season with most projecting them to hold down one of the bottom three spots in the Pacific Division. A much different story has unfolded so far as Anaheim sports a 7-4-3 record, having won each of its last five contests following Tuesday's overtime win in Vancouver. With that being said, the Ducks will face the Kraken in Seattle on Thursday having gone a miserable 4-22 in their last 26 games following a one-goal victory over the last two-plus seasons, outscored by 1.5 goals on average in that situation. Of the Ducks last five victories, only one came away from home. Return to Glory?It's been a number of years since the Detroit Red Wings were relevant. A picture of consistency in the 90's and early-00's, the Winged Wheel has fallen on hard times. This season has been different, though, at least in the early going. Detroit has won each of its last three games and has surprisingly won more games than it has lost 13 contests into the campaign. Perhaps the Wings youth movement is finally paying off. Rookie Lucas Raymond looks like the real deal and is an early front-runner in the Rookie of the Year race. If captain Dylan Larkin can stay healthy (that's been a knock on him throughout his career) there's reason to believe that Detroit can sustain something positive for a change. The Red Wings will get two more home games against Washington and Montreal before heading on the road for a tough four-game western road trip. Baby, it's a Wild WorldSave for a brief 1-3 lull in late October, the Minnesota Wild have gotten off to a flying start this season. Heading into Wednesday's matchup with the lowly Coyotes in Arizona they've reeled off three straight wins, scoring a whopping 15 goals in the process. Perhaps we should pump the breaks a little, however, noting that Minnesota has been winning in spite of its goaltending tandem rather than because of it. Cam Talbot has posted a .904 save percentage while handing the lion's share of the action with nine starts in 11 games. Backup Kaapo Kahkonen had a miserable preseason and has picked up right where he left off during the regular season, recording a .860 save percentage while allowing seven goals in only two games. While the offense is more than capable of shouldering the load, there's no question the Wild are operating with a rather thin margin of error given their inability to keep pucks out of their own net. Keep an eye on the back-to-back set on Wednesday-Thursday this week as Kahkonen is likely to be in goal for one of those games.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 11/10/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Nov 10, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.Week 11 in the college football season continues with three games in the Mid-American Conference. Two games kick-off at 7 PM ET. Ball State visits Northern Illinois on ESPN2. The Cardinals won their fourth game in their last five with their 31-25 win at Akron as a 20-point road favorite on Tuesday last week. They are 5-4 this season. The Huskies ended their five-game winning streak with a 52-47 loss at Kent State as a 3.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Northern Illinois has a 6-3 record. Ball State is a 2.5-point road favorite with the total set at 61.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).Toledo travels to Bowling Green on the CBS Sports Network. The Rockets have lost three of their last four games after their 52-49 upset loss to Eastern Michigan as a 9-point favorite on Tuesday of last week. They are 4-5 this season. The Falcons had their four-game losing streak end with their 56-14 victory at Buffalo as a 13.5-point underdog on October 30th. Bowling Green improved to 3-6 on the year. Toledo is a 10.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 49.5. Central Michigan plays at home against Kent State on ESPNU at 8 PM ET. The Chippewas have won three of their last four games after their 45-30 upset win at Western Michigan as a 9-point underdog on Wednesday. They are 5-4 this season. The Golden Flashes won their fourth game in their last five after a 52-47 victory against Northern Illinois as a 3.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Kent State is 5-4 this season. Central Michigan is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 75.5.Thirteen games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Two games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Washington plays at Cleveland as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 211.5. Brooklyn visits Orlando as a 9.5-point road favorite with a total of 210.5. Three more games start at 7:40 PM ET. Boston is at home against Toronto as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 210. New York hosts Milwaukee as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 215.5. Houston plays at home against Detroit on ESPN as a 1.5-point favorite. Three games in the NBA begin at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago is at home against Dallas as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 213. Memphis hosts Charlotte as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228. New Orleans plays at home against Oklahoma City as a 4-point favorite. San Antonio is at home against Sacramento as a 1-point favorite with a total of 220.Two NBA games tip-off at 9:10 PM ET. Phoenix plays at home against Portland as a 6.5-point favorite at BetRivers. Indiana visits Denver. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. Golden State is at home against Minnesota as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. Miami travels to Los Angeles to play the Lakers on ESPN as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 214.5. Three games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Toronto travels to Philadelphia at 7:38 PM ET as a -130 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Dallas hosts Nashville at 8:38 PM ET as a -145 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Minnesota visits Arizona on TNT at 10:08 PM ET as a -205 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two games are on FS1 in college basketball. Seton Hall hosts Fairleigh Dickinson at 7 PM ET as a 20-point favorite at BetRivers with a total of 150. DePaul plays at home against Coppin State as a 24-point favorite with an over/under of 148.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NCAAB, NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 11/09/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Nov 09, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.Week 11 in the college football season begins with three games in the Mid-American Conference. Miami (Ohio) plays at home against Buffalo on ESPNU at 7 PM ET. The RedHawks had their two-game winning streak end with their 35-33 upset loss at Ohio as a 7-point favorite on Tuesday. The Bulls had their two-game winning streak end after a 56-14 upset loss to Bowling Green as a 13.5-point favorite on October 30th. Miami (Ohio) is a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 57 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).Western Michigan plays at home against Akron on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Broncos have lost three of four after their 45-30 upset loss to Central Michigan as a 9-point favorite on Wednesday. The Zips have lost there in a row after a 31-25 loss to Ball State as a 20-point underdog on Tuesday. Western Michigan is a 26-point favorite with an over/under of 61.5.Eastern Michigan is at home against Ohio on ESPN2 at 8 PM ET. The Eagles have won two in a row after their 52-49 upset win at Toledo as a 9-point underdog on Tuesday. The Bobcats ended a three-game losing streak with their upset victory against Miami (Ohio) last week. Eastern Michigan is a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 60.Three games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Milwaukee visits Philadelphia on TNT at 7:40 PM ET as a 6-point road favorite. Utah plays at home against Atlanta at 9:10 PM ET as a 7-point favorite. The Los Angeles Clippers are at home on TNT at 10:10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 220.5. Ten games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Four games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Boston plays at home against Ottawa as a -290 money line with a total of 5.5. Montreal is at home against Los Angeles as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Florida travels to New Jersey as a -145 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Tampa Bay hosts Carolina as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Edmonton visits Detroit at 7:38 PM ET as a -210 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. St. Louis plays at Winnipeg at 8:08 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Pittsburgh travels to Chicago at 8:38 PM ET as a -130 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Calgary plays at home against San Jose at 9:08 PM as a -205 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:08 PM ET. Vancouver is at home against Anaheim as a -145 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Vegas plays at home against Seattle as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The college basketball season tips off on Tuesday with nine games on national television. Villanova hosts Mount St. Mary’s on FS1 at 4:30 PM ET as a 24.5-point favorite with a total of 131.5. Ohio State plays at home against Akron on ESPN2 at 6 PM ET as a 16.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145. FS1’s Big East Opening Night Tipoff features four games with rolling coverage. Connecticut is at home against Central Connecticut at 6:30 PM ET as a 32.5-point favorite. Providence plays at home against Fairfield at 7 PM ET as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 132.5. Xavier hosts Niagara at 7:30 PM ET as a 16.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Creighton is home against Arkansas-Pine Bluff as a 33.5-point favorite with a total of 139.5. The State Farm Champions Classic doubleheader at Madison Square Garden on ESPN tips at 7 PM ET. Kansas plays against Michigan State as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143. Duke plays Kentucky at 9:30 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with a total of 148.5. Marquette hosts SIU Edwardsville on FS2 at 8:30 PM ET as a 19.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 11/08/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Nov 08, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, and the NHL.Week 9 in the National Football League concludes with the Pittsburgh Steelers hosting the Chicago Bears on ESPN at 8:15 PM ET for Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh has won three games in a row after their 15-10 upset win at Cleveland as a 5.5-point underdog last Sunday. The Bears have lost three in a row with their 33-22 loss to San Francisco as a 4.5-point underdog last week. Pittsburgh is a 7-point favorite with the total set at 40 (all odds from DraftKings). Eight games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. New York travels to Philadelphia at 7:10 PM ET. The Knicks have lost three of their last four games after a 126-109 loss to Cleveland yesterday. The 76ers have won six in a row with their 114-105 win at Chicago on Saturday. New York is a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 213.5.Two games tip-off at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago plays at home against Brooklyn. The Bulls have lost two in a row after their loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. The Nets have won five in a row with their 116-103 victory at Toronto yesterday. Chicago is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 216. Memphis is at home against Minnesota. The Grizzlies come off a 115-87 loss at Washington on Friday. The Timberwolves have lost four in a row with their 104-84 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. Memphis is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 217.Dallas hosts New Orleans at 8:40 PM ET. The Mavericks have won two in a row after their 107-104 win against Boston on Saturday. The Pelicans have lost six in a row after their 126-88 loss at Golden State on Friday. Dallas is an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 214.Miami visits Denver at 9:10 PM ET. The Heat have won six of their last seven games after their 118-115 win against Utah on Saturday. The Nuggets ended a two-game losing streak with a 95-94 win against Houston on Saturday. Miami is a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 205.Two games in the NBA begin at 10:10 PM ET. Golden State plays at home against Atlanta. The Warriors have won four straight after a 120-107 win against Houston yesterday. The Hawks have lost three in a row with their 121-117 loss at Phoenix on Saturday. Golden State is a 3-point favorite with a total of 222.5. Phoenix travels to Sacramento. The Suns have won four in a row after their 121-117 win against Atlanta on Saturday. The Kings had their two-game winning streak end with their 94-91 win against Indiana yesterday. Phoenix is a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 225.5. The Los Angeles Lakers host Charlotte at 10:40 PM ET. The Lakers have lost two in a row after their 105-90 loss at Portland on Saturday. The Hornets have lost four in a row with their 120-106 loss at Los Angeles against the Clippers yesterday. Los Angeles is a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 227.5. Three games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Two games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. The New York Rangers play at home against Florida. The Rangers have lost three in a row after their 6-0 loss at Calgary on Saturday. The Panthers have won two in a row after a 5-2 win against Carolina on Saturday. Both teams are priced as a -110 favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Washington is at home against Buffalo. The Capitals have lost three in a row after their 2-1 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. The Sabres have lost four in a row after their 4-3 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. Washington is a -260 money line favorite with a total of 5.5.Toronto plays at home against Los Angeles at 7:38 PM ET. The Maple Leafs have won five in a row after their 5-2 win against Boston on Saturday. The Kings have won four in a row with their 3-2 win against the Devils on Friday. Toronto is a -275 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.

NCAA Basketball Futures Wager: Gonzaga Bulldogs to Win 2022 Championship

by Al McMordie

Sunday, Nov 07, 2021

This season, the Final Four tournament will be back to normal. Fans will be in the stands, and the games will be played across the country, rather than confined within the state of Indiana, like in 2021. The city of New Orleans, Louisiana will host the Final Four, on April 2 and April 4, while the regionals will be played in San Antonio, San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia.Last season, I achieved the quite rare Basketball "Daily Double." I predicted the winners of each of the NBA (Milwaukee Bucks @ 13-2 odds) and the NCAA (Baylor @ 12-1 odds) Basketball championships prior to the start of the season. Faithful followers know that my futures predictions are among the best (if not THE BEST) in the business. Let's review some highlights just in the past few years. As I mentioned, in 2021, both my NBA (Milwaukee Bucks @ 13-2 odds) and College Basketball (Baylor @ 12-1 odds) futures bets came home with the $$$$. And, since we had no winner in College Basketball in 2020, that was the 2nd straight NCAA Basketball season I hit my futures ticket, as I had Virginia (at 22-1 odds) in the 2018-19 preseason (Virginia was my favorite Futures Wager of All-Time)! Also in 2019, I hit cashed a major longshot in Baseball on the Washington Nationals (at 18-1 odds), and followed that World Series winner up in 2020 with the Los Angeles Dodgers (at 4-1 odds). Among my other recent preseason winners were the Houston Astros in 2017 (at 10-1 odds), Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 (at 7-1 odds), 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).So, will we do it again? For 2022, I'm going to look back to the Title game played last April between Baylor and Gonzaga. The Bears defeated the then-undefeated (31-0) Bulldogs, 86-70. And the game wasn't even that close, as Baylor streaked out to a 29-10 lead (on 5-for-5 shooting from long distance), and coasted the rest of the way. Immediately after the game, I was chatting with my friend Chris, and our attention (of course) turned to next season. I told Chris right then that I was actually going to take Gonzaga to win the 2022 Title. They were expected to snag Chet Holmgren, who was the #1-ranked high school recruit (and they did). So, I really liked the combination of what they had returning, with the new players who would be brought into the mix. And, of course, I loved that they almost (but not quite) won the title last season, as that pain will no doubt serve them well this upcoming season. After I hung up with my friend Chris, I bet on Gonzaga at 7-1 odds (and those odds still exist today at Bet365.com).It's true that the Bulldogs lost Jalen Suggs and Corey Kispert from last year's finalist team. But the cupboard is far from bare. Indeed, the Zags will be ranked #1 to start the season. They return one of the best big men in the nation, in Drew Timme, who will be favored to win the John Wooden Award, as well as Andrew Nembhard and Anton Watson. They'll also feature Rasir Bolton, who transferred from Iowa State, Nolan Hickman, Hunter Sallis, and the aforementioned Holmgren, who likely -- despite his string-beaned appearance -- will be the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA draft. I watched Holmgren play in Gonzaga's "Blue and White" intrasquad scrimmage game a few weeks ago and, even though he struggled with turnovers, the 7-footer impressed me with his ball-handling skills, and his rim protection. Gonzaga will improve as the season goes along, especially as Holmgren gets experience, and coach Mark Few's team better learns how to play together, and to each individual's strengths. Finally, Gonzaga will do what previous incarnations failed to do, and that is to cut down the nets. Gonzaga is currently listed at 7-1 odds at Bet365. Take the Bulldogs. Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL and EPL Previews and Odds - 11/07/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Nov 07, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and the EPL.Week 9 in the National Football continues with 12 games. Eight games kick off the card at 1 PM ET. Dallas hosts Denver at 1 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite, with the total set at 49 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Las Vegas visits the Meadowlands to play the New York Giants as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 46.5. New Orleans plays at home against Atlanta as a 6-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Buffalo travels to Jacksonville as a 14.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 48.5. New England visits Carolina as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 41.5. Baltimore is at home against Minnesota as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. Cincinnati hosts Cleveland as a 2-point favorite with a total of 48. Miami plays at home against Houston as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 47.Three games take place in the second window of games. The Los Angeles Chargers travel to Philadelphia at 4:05 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. Two games begin at 4:25 PM ET. Kansas City hosts Green Bay as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48. San Francisco is at home against Arizona as a 3-point favorite with a total of 45.The Los Angeles Rams play at home against Tennessee on NBC at 8:20 PM ET for Sunday Night Football. The Rams are a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 52.5.Eight games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Brooklyn visits Toronto at 3:40 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 209. Four more games tip-off at 6:10 PM ET. New York plays at home against Cleveland as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 209.5. Utah travels to Orlando as a 9.5-point road favorite. Milwaukee plays at Washington as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 222. Sacramento is at home against Indiana as a 1-point favorite. San Antonio travels to Oklahoma City at 7:10 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 210.5. Golden State hosts Houston at 8:40 PM ET as a 13-point favorite with a total of 220.5. The Los Angeles Clippers are at home against Charlotte as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 222.5. Five games are on the slate in the National Hockey League. Vegas visits Detroit at 6:08 PM ET as a -145 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Nashville plays at Chicago at 7:08 PM ET, with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 5.5. Two games drop the puck at 8:08 PM ET. Minnesota hosts the New York Islanders as a -125 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. St. Louis visits Anaheim as a -165 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Dallas plays at Vancouver at 10:08 PM ET as a -120 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5.Matchweek 11 in the English Premier League concludes with four matches. Three games start at 9 AM ET. Arsenal hosts Watford on Peacock as a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3. Tottenham visits Everton on the NBC Sports Network in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2.5. Leicester City plays at Leeds United on Peacock in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 3. Liverpool travels to West Ham United on the NBC Sports Network at 11:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 3.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, CFL, EPL and Breeders' Cup Previews and Odds - 11/06/21

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Nov 06, 2021

The Saturday sports card features action in NCAAF, NBA, NHL, CFL, EPL, and the Breeders' Cup.The second day of the Breeders' Cup takes place at the Del Mar Racetracks in Del Mar, California. The first of 12 races starts at 1:15 PM ET. The NBC Sports Network has the broadcast until 8 PM ET when the coverage moves to NBC for the headlining Breeders' Cup Classes that has a post time of 8:40 PM ET. Week 10 in the college football regular season concludes with 51 games between FBS opponents. Sixteen games kick off the card from 11:30 AM ET to 3 PM ET. Army plays Air Force on a neutral field at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas on CBS at 11:30 AM ET. The Falcons are a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 37.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Seven games are on national television at noon ET. Ohio State travels to Nebraska on Fox as a 14-point road favorite with an over/under of 67.5. North Carolina plays at home against Wake Forest as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 76.5. Georgia hosts Missouri on ESPN as a 39.5-point favorite with an over/under of 59.5. Minnesota is at home against Illinois on ESPN2 as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 44. SMU visits Memphis on ESPNU as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 70.5. UAB plays at home against Louisiana Tech on the CBS Sports Network as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 49. Kansas State is at Kansas on FS1 as a 24-point road favorite with an over/under of 55.5. Twenty-four games take place in the 3:30 PM ET to 6 PM ET window. Eight games begin on national television at 3:30 PM ET. Baylor visits TCU on Fox as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 58. Michigan State plays at Purdue on ABC as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 53. Notre Dame plays Navy in South Bend, on NBC, as a 21-point favorite with a total of 47.5. Texas A&M hosts Auburn on CBS as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 50. Oklahoma State plays at West Virginia on ESPN as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 49. Cincinnati hosts Tulsa on ESPN2 as a 22.5-point favorite with an over/under of 56. Penn State travels to Maryland on FS1 as a 10-point road favorite with a total of 56.5. Colorado State is at Wyoming on the CBS Sports Network as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 40. Central Florida plays at home against Tulane on ESPNU as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 59.Seventeen games complete the NCAAF card from 7 PM ET to 11 PM ET. Three games kick off on national television at 7 PM ET. Alabama plays at home against LSU on ESPN as a 28.5-point favorite with an over/under of 67. Kentucky hosts Tennessee on ESPN2 in a pick ‘em game with a total of 56.5. Fresno State is at home against Boise State on the CBS Sports Network as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 61. Four more games are on national television at 7:30 PM ET. Iowa State plays at home against Texas on FS1 as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 60. Michigan hosts Indiana on Fox as a 20-point favorite with an over/under of 51. Oregon travels to Washington on ABC as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 49. Houston is at South Florida on ESPNU as a 13-point road favorite with an over/under of 53. Nevada plays at home against San Jose State on FS2 at 10 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. UTSA visits UTEP on ESPN2 at 10:15 PM ET as an 11-point road favorite with an over/under of 53. Arizona State hosts USC on ESPN at 10:30 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 61. San Diego State plays at Hawaii on FS1 at 11 PM ET as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 44.5. Six games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Denver hosts Houston at 5:08 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 217. Utah plays at Miami at 7:40 PM ET. Chicago is at home against Philadelphia at 8:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 211.5. Boston visits Dallas at 8:40 PM ET. Phoenix plays at home against Atlanta at 10:10 PM ET as a 5-point favorite with a total of 22.5. The Los Angeles Lakers play at Portland at 10:40 PM ET. Twelve games on the slate in the National Hockey League. Tampa Bay plays at Ottawa at 2:08 PM ET as a -200 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Florida is at home against Carolina at 6:08 PM ET as a -125 money lien favorite with a total of 6. Seven NHL games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Minnesota visits Pittsburgh in a game where both teams are priced at -110 with an over/under of 5.5. Washington plays at home against Philadelphia as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6. Colorado travels to Columbus as a -170 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Winnipeg is at home against the New York Islanders as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Toronto plays at home against Boston as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Montreal hosts Vegas as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Two games start at 10:08 PM ET. Seattle plays at Arizona as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Calgary is at home against the New York Rangers as a -145 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. San Jose hosts New Jersey at 10:38 PM ET as a -145 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Week 14 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games on ESPN+. Toronto plays at Ottawa at 4 PM ET as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 46. Winnipeg is at home against Montreal at 7 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite with an over/under of 45. Matchweek 11 in the English Premier League continues with five matches. Manchester City plays at Manchester United on the NBC Sports Network at 8:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 3 (all soccer odds from Play MGM). Four games start at 11 AM ET. Brentford is at home against Norwich City on Peacock as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea hosts Burnley on Peacock as a -1.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Wolverhampton visits Crystal Palace on the NBC Sports Network in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2. Brighton and Hove Albion plays at home against Newcastle United on NBC at 1:30 PM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5.

Motivated Game 9 College Money-Maker

by Tom Stryker

Friday, Nov 05, 2021

We’ve reached the stretch run of the college football season and there are some teams out there that need to make a serious move. The goal of every program is to qualify for a postseason bowl game. Those extra practices at the end of the year really help with the development for the next football season. With that thought in mind, I turned to my database to see what I could find. It takes six wins to be considered for a bowl game and I immediately took a look at those squads that were at the .500-mark through nine games. At 4-4 SU and with four games remaining, it was my belief that a victory in this spot was extremely important. Thankfully, my thought process was right on the money and my college football database didn’t let me down. Take a look at this awesome fast-developing discovery: Since 1993, PLAY ON any game nine host that holds a 4-4 SU record provided their opponent arrives off a straight up loss and carries a pointspread won/loss percentage of .501 or better. 28-Year ATS Record = 36-10 ATS for 78.2 percent This Week’s Plays = MEMPHIS and WYOMING The Tigers and Cowboys hold 4-4 SU marks through eight games and both schools are lined up against an opponent that enters off a straight up loss. Memphis is playing an SMU team that just got beat at Houston while Wyoming is battling Colorado State bunch that just got smacked by Boise State. The Mustangs hold a pointspread won/loss percentage of .545 and the Rams hold an ATS mark of .571 which means all of the needed criteria has been met. Good luck with Memphis and Wyoming on Saturday!

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NHL, NBA, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 11/05/2021

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Nov 05, 2021

The Friday sports card features action in NCAAF, NBA, NHL, CFL, and the EPL.Week 10 in the college football regular continues with two games between FBS opponents. Virginia Tech visits Boston College on ESPN2 at 7:30 PM ET. The Hokies ended a three-game losing streak with a 26-17 upset win at Georgia Tech as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. The victory raised their record to 4-4. The Eagles have lost four in a row after a 21-6 loss at Syracuse as a 6.5-point underdog on Saturday. Boston College dropped to 4-4 with the loss. Virginia Tech is a 3-point road favorite, with the total set at 47.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Utah travels to Stanford on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET. The Utes have won four of their last five games with their 44-24 victory against UCLA as a 6.5-point favorite on Saturday. They improved their record to 5-3. The Cardinal have lost three in a row after a 20-13 upset loss to Washington as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Stanford fell to 3-5 with the setback. Utah is an 8.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 54. Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Brooklyn plays at Detroit as a 10-point road favorite with a total of 212. San Antonio is at Orlando as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 211.5. Washington hosts Memphis as a 1-point favorite at BetRivers. Two games begin at 7:40 PM ET. Toronto plays at home against Cleveland as a 6-point favorite at BetRivers. Milwaukee is at home against New York on ESPN as a 5-point favorite at BetRivers. The Los Angeles Clippers visit Minnesota at 8:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point road favorite at BetRivers. Three games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. Golden State plays at home against New Orleans on ESPN as a 9-point favorite at BetRivers. Portland is at home against Indiana as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 222.5. Sacramento hosts Charlotte as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 226.The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. Winnipeg is at home against Chicago at 8:08 PM ET as a -175 money lien favorite with a total of 6. Edmonton plays at home against the New York Rangers at 9:38 PM ET as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two NHL games drop the puck at 10:08 PM ET. Vancouver hosts Nashville as a -120 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Anaheim is at home against Arizona as a -175 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Los Angeles plays at home against New Jersey at 10:38 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Week 14 in the Canadian Football League begins with two games on ESPN+. Hamilton is at home against British Columbia at 7 PM ET. The Tiger-Cats have won two in a row after a 39-23 victory at Edmonton as a 6-point favorite on Friday. They have a 6-5 record. The Lions have lost five in a row after a 31-29 loss in overtime at Toronto as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. British Columbia has a 4-7 record. Hamilton is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Saskatchewan travels to Edmonton at 9:45 PM ET. The Roughriders have won two in a row with their 19-14 victory at Montreal as a 1-point favorite on Saturday. They improved their record to 7-4. The Elks have lost six in a row after their loss to the Tiger-Cats last week. With a 2-8 record, Edmonton is eliminated from the playoff race. Saskatchewan is a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 46.5. Matchweek 11 in the English Premier League begins with one match. Southampton hosts Aston Villa on Peacock at 4 PM ET. The Saints are a -0.5 goal line favorite at Play MGM with an over/under of 2.5.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA and NHL Previews and Odds - 11/04/2021

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Nov 04, 2021

The Thursday sports card features action in the NFL, NCAAF, NBA, and the NHL.Week 9 in the National Football kicks off with the Indianapolis Colts hosting the New York Jets on Fox and the NFL Network at 8:20 PM ET. The Colts had their two-game winning streak end with a 34-31 upset loss in overtime as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Their record dropped to 3-5 with the loss. The Jets ended their two-game losing streak with a 31-24 upset win against Cincinnati as an 11.5-point underdog on Sunday. New York’s record improved to 2-5. With rookie quarterback Zach Wilson still out with a knee injury, Mike White is the Jets starting quarterback for the second straight week. Indianapolis is a 10.5-point favorite, with the total set at 46 (all odds from DraftKings). Week 10 in the college football regular continues with one game between FBS opponents. Louisiana-Lafayette plays at home against Georgia State on ESPN at 7:30 PM ET. The Ragin’ Cajuns won their seventh straight game with their 45-0 victory against Texas State as a 21-point favorite on Saturday. They are 7-1 on the season after their opening week 20-point loss at Texas. The Panthers have won three in a row with their 21-14 victory at Georgia Southern as a 6-point favorite on Saturday. Georgia State has leveled its record at 4-4. Louisiana is a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Five games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Philadelphia visits Detroit at 7:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite. Two games start at 7:40 PM ET. Utah travels to Atlanta as a 1-point road favorite. Boston plays at Miami as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 214. Phoenix is at home against Houston at 10:10 PM ET as a 10-point favorite. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against Oklahoma City at 10:40 PM ET as a 12.5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Six games have the puck drop at 7:08 PM ET. Boston hosts Detroit as a -265 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Toronto plays at home against Tampa Bay as a -130 money line favorite with a total of 6. The New York Islanders travel to Montreal as a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Vegas visits Ottawa as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Florida is at home against Washington as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Pittsburgh plays at home against Philadelphia as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 6. Calgary is at home against Dallas at 9:08 PM ET as a -145 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Seattle hosts Buffalo at 10:08 PM ET as a -160 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. St. Louis visits San Jose at 10:38 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5.

NFL Week 9 Breakdown

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Nov 03, 2021

BEST GAME -- Tennessee at Los Angeles Rams (-6.5)Tennessee -- 6-2 SU, 6-2 ATSLos Angeles – 7-1 SU, 4-4 ATSJust when things were about as good as they can get for the Titans, word is out that they may have lost the NFL’s top rusher, Derrick Henry, for the season with a foot injury. On the plus side, Tennessee may have already locked up the weak AFC South. Houston and Jacksonville are already playing out the string, and second-place Indianapolis is three back in the loss column with two losses to Tennessee. So we’ll see how hard the Titans go after the Rams this coming Sunday night. LA needs this one badly to keep pace with 7-1 Arizona, and the Cardinals have a soft November schedule before the two teams meet in mid-December in what could be the deciding game in the NFC West. That might account for the somewhat heavy 6.5 number.WORST GAME -- Houston at Miami (-7)Houston 1-7 SU, 4-4 ATSMiami 1-7 SU, 2-5-1When a team with playoff expectations loses seven straight games and is out of the running before Thanksgiving, critics use one eye to look at the coach and the other on the quarterback. So it is in south Florida today, where Brian Flores and Tua Tagovailoa both have to wonder if they’ll be around next season when the Fins try again to turn things around. Miami’s offense struggled for four quarters this past Sunday against the Bills, setting up a Week 9 battle in a game that has implications for the No. 1 draft choice next spring. Despite Miami’s issues, early bettors still like the Dolphins at -7.BIGGEST SPREADBuffalo at Jacksonville (-14)Buffalo 5-2 SU, 4-2-1 ATSJacksonville 1-6 SU, 2-5 ATSYou figure that the Jags would have shown a little more fight in their 24-points loss to Seattle, what with coming off a bye week and their first win of the year – and the Seahawks forced to use Geno Smith at QB. But it all fell apart early, and now Jacksonville’s mediocre offense has to face the best defense in the NFL. Not many takers for the Jaguars even at +14 and playing at home, even against a Bills team that had trouble moving the ball for three quarters against the Dolphins before breaking it open late. With New England starting to make some noise in the AFC East, the Bills need to maintain focus.SMALLEST SPREAD – Cleveland at Cincinnati (-2.5)Cleveland 4-4 SU, 4-4 ATSCincinnati 5-3 SU, 4-4 ATSWeird season so far in the AFC North, the land of tight betting lines and where no one seems to be able to dominate. Neither the Browns not the Bengals will be devastated by a loss, but a division win is a division win. The Browns will spend the week trying to repair an offense that sprang numerous leaks in an odd 15-10 loss to Pittsburgh this past Sunday, in some way screwing up nearly every offensive possession. Don’t expect much sympathy from the Bengals, whose problems were on the defensive side of the ball in a loss to the Jets and backup QB Mike White.BIGGEST TOTAL – Green Bay at Kansas City (55.5)Green Bay 7-1 SU, 7-1 ATSKansas City 4-4 SU 2-6 ATSThe Chiefs are trying desperately to battle their way back into contention. A .500 record heading into the second half of the season at least keeps them alive although maybe not kicking, and they’ll be emptying the playbook against the Packers in a game that could make or break their season. Green Bay, meanwhile, has been a crummy Over team. In fact, five straight games have gone Under, and the Pack have been unable to break 30 points since the end of September.SMALLEST TOTAL – Chicago at Pittsburgh (40)Chicago 3-5 SU, 3-5 ATSPittsburgh 4-3 SU, 3-4 ATSNo one figured that scoring points would be THIS much of an issue in Chicago, especially after drafting Justin Fields. But here we are, eight weeks in the books, and the Bears have scored more than 20 points only twice this season. The Steelers, who will be on the lookout for a QB of their own when the season in all likelihood ends Ben Roethlisberger’s career, haven’t had a breakout offensive game of their own. It all adds up to a 40-point total on the books – a rarity in today’s NFL.

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