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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/09/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 09, 2023

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The college football schedule has one game between FBS opponents, with Army playing Navy on CBS at 3 PM ET on a neutral field at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts. The Midshipmen are a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 28 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The National Basketball Association has one game on its docket with the conclusion of the In-Season Tournament with the championship game. The Los Angeles Lakers battle the Indiana Pacers on ABC at 8:30 PM ET on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 241.The National Hockey League has 12 games on its slate. The Boston Bruins host the Arizona Coyotes at 1:07 PM ET as a -238 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 4:07 PM ET. The New Jersey Devils travel to Calgary to play the Flames as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars play at home against the Vegas Golden Knights as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 6.Four NHL games start at 7:07 PM ET. The Buffalo Sabres are at home against the Montreal Canadiens as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Detroit Red Wings host the Ottawa Senators as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Nashville Predators as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers play in Washington against the Capitals as a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Los Angeles Kings are in New York to play the Islanders at 7:37 PM ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The St. Louis Blues visit Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 8:07 PM ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the Philadelphia Flyers at 9:07 PM ET as a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning play in Seattle against the Kraken as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are in Vancouver to play the Canucks as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has 11 games on major national television. Syracuse travels to Georgetown on Fox at 11:30 AM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 153. Two more NCAAB games on major national television tip-off at noon ET. Kentucky faces Pennsylvania on ESPN2 on a neutral court at the Wells Fago Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 154.5. Tennessee hosts Illinois on CBS as a 7-point favorite with a total of 145.5. Purdue goes against Alabama on Fox at 1:30 PM ET on a neutral court at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Canada, as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 161. Auburn battles Indiana on ESPN2 at 2 PM ET on a neutral court at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 147. Arizona plays at home against Wisconsin on ESPN at 3:15 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145. Arkansas plays Oklahoma on ESPN2 at 4 PM ET on a neutral court at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 147. Kansas is at home against Missouri on ESPN at 5:15 PM ET as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 144. Villanova hosts UCLA on Fox at 7 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 128. Marquette plays at home against Notre Dame on Fox at 9 PM ET as a 20.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138.5. Gonzaga is at Washington on ESPN2 at 11 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 160.Matchweek 16 in the English Premier League begins with six matches. Liverpool visits Crystal Palace at 7:30 AM ET as a -1 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Four more EPL matches start at 10 AM ET. Brighton and Hove Albion is at home against Burnley on the USA Network as a -1 goal-line favorite with a total of 3. Manchester United hosts Bournemouth as a -1 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3. Brentford plays at Sheffield United as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Wolverhampton is at home against Nottingham Forest as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal is at Aston Villa on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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NFL Top 10 Poll - Week 14

by Wayne Root

Friday, Dec 08, 2023

There is no drama at the top of these rankings. As the power rankings continue to show every week, there's not a lot you can trust in this league. Thank goodness for the 49ers, who just might be the only exception right now. After yet another easy win over a strong team, the 49ers are clearly the best squad in the NFL right now and have a great chance to go all the way if they stay healthy. Things are getting interesting behind them, however. The supposedly elite teams in the AFC can’t stop losing, the race for the final Wild Card spot in both conferences is on, and the NFC South exists. As for everyone else, it's starting to look more and more chaotic as we get closer to the end.   1. San Francisco (9-3)With that thumping of Philly, it's easy to argue the Niners have the two most impressive wins of the 2023 season. The Eagles and Cowboys were pounded by a combined score of 84-29. The offense is a four-headed monster, and Brock Purdy is steady at the controls. Through 12 games, Purdy leads the NFL in QBR (75.6), completion percentage (70.2%) and yards per attempt (9.6), among other key categories. Purdy hasn't just picked up where he left off, he has been better and helped elevate the Niners' offense to heights it hasn't previously reached since coach Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2017. The defense is dominant once again. Few teams have as good a resume, and no one has as much talent. Deebo Samuel talked so much trash about the Eagles leading up to the game of the year and then he backed it all up. The dude put on a show. Their show this week is a home game against Seattle. 2. Baltimore (9-3)There's no need to move the Ravens during a week off, but all five of their remaining games are against teams in the playoff race. That gives them plenty of time to grab the top spot; or less. The Ravens got to watch both the Chiefs and Jaguars lose during their bye week. Not a bad vacation. Baltimore has nothing but tough games left, starting with the Rams this week, but they have an open path to the No. 1 seed. Their game against the Dolphins in Week 17 could go a long way in deciding that. Ravens fans like being on Miami’s radar and the Phins are coming up on New Year's Eve. Circle that one on the calendar. That’s clearly the path they have to be thinking at this time. Might be easy to overlook the Rams this week coming off their bye.3. Dallas (9-3)Simply put, Dak Prescott is playing the best ball of his career right now. However, there’s others responsible for their success. Who else could it be? CB DeRon Bland leads the NFL with eight interceptions, and his five pick-sixes are a single-season NFL record. All this while filling in for Pro Bowl CB Trevon Diggs, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee in a Week 3 practice. But there's more work to be done with the Eagles on deck, and Thursday's scintillating performance against Seattle was a hell of a start to the home stretch. If he manages to beat Philly, I think he'll be the MVP front-runner the next time I write this blurb. Last week, Dallas was pushed all the way by the Seahawks, but they held on for the win in yet another good performance from Dak Prescott. Suddenly only one game back from the visiting Eagles, the Cowboys have a chance to make a play for the division at home this week before a tough run of games against the Bills, Dolphins, and Lions from Week 15 to Week 17. Dak Prescott for MVP. Somehow, his detractors would still be mad he won. No QB is under more scrutiny. 4. Philadelphia (10-2)Philly got punched. Hard. In the face. How will they respond? Probably pretty well. Even with a humbling loss to San Francisco, the Eagles still have more wins than any other team. As much as they're probably hurting right now, they can put a stranglehold on the division with a big road win in Dallas this weekend. Just try not to let the Niners loss beat you twice by sucking this weekend. The Eagles' special teams group turned from a weakness in 2022 to a strength this season. Philadelphia entered Week 13 with the No. 1 special teams ranking in the NFL. This time of the stretch run is all about defense and special teams. 5. Miami (9-3) Tyreek Hill will benefit from the 17th game that was added to the schedule in 2021 as he vies for the NFL's first 2000-yard receiving season. But even still, he's averaging one yard more per game than Calvin Johnson did in 2012, when he set the NFL's single-season receiving record. If he stays as hot as was in Washington, he's got a shot at setting the record in 16 games. So much focus on Tyreek, but Tua is playing as well. He makes that offense go. The Dolphins beat the stuffing out of another bad team and currently sit as the No. 1 seed. It is what it is at this point. Miami has two more easy games before finishing with the Cowboys, Ravens, and Bills.6. Kansas City (8-4)The Packers are surging, but Kansas City still shouldn't be losing games to a .500 team. The Chiefs probably should be lower given what we have seen from them recently, but there is no one to drop them below due to the Lions’ recent struggles and the quarterback injuries. Doth mine eyes deceive, or are the Chiefs somewhat vulnerable? The Chiefs' offensive issues are real, regardless of whether they want to blame officiating. Rashee Rice, the Chiefs' 2023 second-round draft pick, has been the team's best wide receiver so far this season. He leads the Chiefs' wideouts by significant margins in catches (52), yards (591) and touchdowns (five). Will they be real enough to waste the best defense to ever complement Patrick Mahomes? We'll see in early 2024 during the playoffs. 7. Detroit (9-3) The last three weeks have been troubling for the Lions’ postseason outlook, especially with how strong the top three teams in the NFC have looked. The Lions will get to test themselves against the Cowboys in Week 17. Meanwhile, the Lions have guaranteed themselves a winning record with a month still to play, and that's very fun. But you have to be concerned about this defense. When the New Orleans Saints are flirting with 30 points against you, it's a pretty clear indicator you've got problems. Sam LaPorta is s breath of fresh air. Nine catches for 140 yards on nine targets and LaPorta is that something else. There were obviously season turning expectations for the Lions rookie after being selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft out of Iowa, but LaPorta has been better than advertised. His NFL career is off to a great start with the third-most catches (64) and fourth-most receiving yards (679) through the first 12 games of a tight end's career in NFL history. 8. Houston (7-5)This is where the league starts to get very confusing. It sounds strange to say, but among a bunch of .500 teams, I think I trust the Texans the most especially after their defense pulled some of the weight Sunday against Denver. It is disappointing the Texans allowed themselves to get into a close game with the Broncos, but they came out on top and are suddenly in a much better position in the division given the injury to Trevor Lawrence. A game against the Jets this week and then two against the Titans in the three weeks after that helps their case. Hate to see what happened to Tank Dell breaking his leg. Nola Brown now enters the picture at wide receiver. 9.  Buffalo (6-6)The good news is the field did not run away from the Bills during the bye week. The bad news is they still get the Chiefs and Cowboys over the next two weeks and then finish the season against the Dolphins. They probably need to win two of those games to make the playoffs… more realistically, all three. What a fascinating stretch this is going to be for the Bills. They'll play back-to-back games against the Chiefs and Cowboys next. Those could re-announce them as a contender or sink their season. I know Buffalo is the AFC No. 10 seed, but I just can't count them out. Note to Josh Allen: It’s your turnover’s that’s causing so many losses so what’s your plan?10. Jacksonville (8-4) The Jaguars could not slow down the Jake Browning-led Bengals and then lost Trevor Lawrence to what could be a multi-week ankle injury in the upset Monday night defeat. Riding high after their win over the Texans, the Jaguars now face an uncertain path to the postseason. Getting the Browns and Ravens over the next two weeks does not help matters. As of this writing, it's unclear how severe Trevor Lawrence's ankle injury is. Regardless of that, the Jags' typically stout defense has some soul-searching to do after allowing 491 yards to the Jake Browning-led Bengals. There are multiple reasons to be concerned in Jacksonville. Gotta feel for Trevor Lawrence. Injuries are just the absolute worst.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/08/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Dec 08, 2023

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAA action. The National Basketball Association has 13 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Orlando Magic host the Detroit Pistons as an 11.5-point favorite, with the total set at 229. The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Atlanta Hawks as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 241.5. The Toronto Raptors travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5. Two more NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Boston Celtics are at home against the New York Knicks as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 220. The Brooklyn Nets host the Washington Wizards as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 239.5.Three NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers play in Miami against the Heat as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 218. The Minnesota Timberwolves are in Memphis to play the Grizzlies as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 214.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder play at home against the Golden State Warriors as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 236. The Chicago Bulls are in San Antonio to play the Spurs at 8:40 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 225.5. Two NBA games begin at 9:10 PM ET. The Denver Nuggets are at home against the Houston Rockets as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 219.5. The Sacramento Kings visit Phoenix to play the Suns as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 234.5. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Clippers play in Utah against the Jazz on ESPN as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Dallas Mavericks are in Portland to play the Trail Blazers as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The St. Louis Blues travel to Columbus to play the Blue Jackets as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Florida Panthers host the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers play at home against the Minnesota Wild at 9:07 PM ET as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has ten games involving Division I team tha all start at 7 PM ET. Duquesne is at home against Saint Peter’s as a 14.5-point favorite with a total of 130.5. Boston College hosts Holy Cross as a 22-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Rider plays at home against Stonehill as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5. Manhattan is at home against Fairleigh Dickinson as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 151. Yale hosts Colby-Sawyer. Harvard plays at home against Army as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 133.5. High Point is at home against North Carolina A&T as a 20-point favorite with an over/under of 159. Oakland visits Eastern Michigan as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 139.5. Illinois-Chicago plays at Jacksonville State as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 131. Quinnipiac hosts Navy as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/07/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Dec 07, 2023

The Thursday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. Week 14 of the NFL regular season kicks off with one game. The Pittsburgh Steelers host the New England Patriots on Amazon Prime at 8:15 PM ET. The Steelers are an 6-point favorite, with the total set at 30 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The National Basketball Association continues its In-Season Tournament with the two semifinal games on a neutral court at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Milwaukee Bucks play at home against the Indiana Pacers on ESPN at 5 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 254.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on TNT at 9 PM ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 230. The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. Four NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Boston Bruins host the Buffalo Sabres as a -270 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Detroit Red Wings play at home against the San Jose Sharks as a -298 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings travel to Montreal to play the Canadiens as a -230 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in Ottawa to play the Senators as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Islanders host the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7:37 PM ET as a -205 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.Two more NHL games start at 8:07 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning play in Nashville to play the Predators as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Dallas Stars visit Washington to play the Capitals on ESPN as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Anaheim Ducks are in Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 8:37 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Three NHL games begin at 9:07 PM ET. The Arizona Coyotes play at home against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Carolina Hurricanes play in Calgary against the Flames as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the Winnipeg Jets as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Vancouver Canucks host the Minnesota Wild at 10:07 PM ET as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils play in Seattle to play the Kraken on ESPN at 10:37 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Matchweek 15 in the English Premier League concludes with two matches. Newcastle United is at Everton at 2:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5 (all soccer odds at BetMGM). Tottenham is at home against the West Ham United on the USA Network at 3:15 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/06/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Dec 06, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The National Basketball Association has 11 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Orlando Magic as a 4.5-point favorite, with the total set at 222.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Memphis Grizzlies travel to Detroit to play the Pistons as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 219. The Philadelphia 76ers play in Washington against the Wizards as a 10-point road favorite with a total of 239. Three more NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Toronto Raptors are at home against the Miami Heat as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 218. The Atlanta Hawks play at home against the Brooklyn Nets as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 242. The Minnesota Timberwolves are at home against the San Antonio Spurs on ESPN as a 12-point favorite with a total of 226.5. Two NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Chicago Bulls host the Charlotte Hornets as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 220. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in Houston to play the Rockets as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 226.5. The Dallas Mavericks play at home against the Utah Jazz as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Golden State Warriors are at home against the Portland Trail Blazers as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 225.5. The Los Angeles Clippers host the Denver Nuggets on ESPN as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Florida Panthers play at home against the Dallas Stars on TNT as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Tampa Bay Lightning are at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights visit St. Louis to play the Blues at 9:07 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Edmonton Oilers host the Carolina Hurricanes on TNT as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has six games on national television. Two NCAAB games tip off at 7 PM ET. St. John’s plays at home against Sacred Heat on the CBS Sports Network as a 21-point favorite with a total of 159. Memphis is at VCU on ESPNU as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 142. Marquette is at home against Texas on FS1 at 8 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5. Two NCAAB games start at 9 PM ET. Dayton hosts UNLV on the CBS Sports Network as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Pittsburgh travels to West Virginia on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 140.5. Washington State plays at home against UC-Riverside on FS1 at 10 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 135. Matchweek 15 in the English Premier League continues with six matches. Four matches start at 2:30 PM ET. Brighton and Hove Albion are at home against Brentford as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Crystal Palace hosts Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Fulham plays at home against Nottingham Forest on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Liverpool is at Sheffield United as a -2 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Two more EPL matches begin at 3:15 PM ET. Manchester City visits  Aston Villa as a -0.5 goal-line road favored with a total of 3. Chelsea plays at Manchester United in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 3.

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Where Will Shohei Ohtani Land Next Season?

by Oskeim Sports

Tuesday, Dec 05, 2023

If you had to piece together the perfect baseball player, how would you do it? Maybe take the speed of Elly De La Cruz, combine it with Pete Alonso’s strength, a little of Mookie Betts’ intangibles, and a dose of Ronald Acuna Jr.'s hitting ability. That just might be the perfect MLB player. Or, you could just clone Shohei Ohtani. There hasn’t been a talent like Ohtani in well, maybe, never. He has elevated his game to one where he is continually in the running for the AL Triple Crown. He can hit for power. He can hit for average. Then, there is his pitching ability, which will take a break in 2024 as Ohtani recovers from surgery on a torn UCL.  This baseball offseason, Ohtani will be the most sought-after free agent in all sports. It will be similar to the summer of 2010 when LeBron James was a free agent and wound up in Miami with a giant contract. It’ll be the same for Ohtani.  Believe it or not, there are odds on the size of Ohtani’s next contract. You can bet the Over at $500.5 million at -125 odds. Or, you can bet Under $500.5 million at -105 odds.  The Angels star is one of the finalists for the AL MVP. The elbow injury was thought to be a detriment to Ohtani commanding $500 million, but he is a once-in-a-lifetime player. He has said he will pitch in 2024, which is why the Angels will do their best to keep their star. Staying in LA  Ohtani is likely to stay in Los Angeles…just not with the Angels. The Dodgers are the current betting favorites to land Ohtani’s services. The Dodgers cleared enough payroll space to add a superstar like Ohtani. They may have done so just to get him. Ohtani has expressed his desire to play for a team that can get to the World Series. The Dodgers certainly meet that criteria. The only problem is that they could use a pitcher right now more than a hitter. As it stands, the Dodgers are still the overall favorite to land Ohtani at +115.  Up the Coast If not LA, Ohtani could end up in San Francisco. The Giants are on the betting board at +1100 to snag Ohtani. The Giants were in the thick of the NL playoff race until late in the second half of the season when it all fell apart. They could use a power hitter like Ohtani and have enough quality pitching to get them through 2024.  Other Contenders The Chicago Cubs hold the second-best odds to land Ohtani at +350.  The Texas Rangers have the third-best odds to sign Ohtani (+650) after holding the sixth-best odds (+900). The Toronto Blue Jays have the fourth-best odds (+700) after previously being tied for 11th (+2000).The Yankees (+1200) and Mets (+900) missed the postseason last year. The Mets did it after going wild in last year’s offseason but their spending didn’t pay off.  Will they be more cautious this time around? The Yankees already have some of the top sluggers in baseball. It’s well-known that the Yanks don’t care about spending. They routinely have one of MLB’s highest payrolls. Imagine a lineup with Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Ohtani. Longshot It would be a big surprise if Ohtani remains with the Angels. Still, the Halos are given +2000 odds to keep him. He’d return with Mike Trout, but the Angels are still searching for a new manager to replace Phil Nevin. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/05/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 05, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The National Basketball Association continues its In-Season Tournament with the final two games in the quarterfinals on the Tournament Night docket on TNT. The Milwaukee Bucks host the New York Knicks at 7:30 PM ET as a 5-point favorite, with the total set at 225.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Los Angeles Lakers play at home against the Phoenix Suns at 10 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 228. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Los Angeles Kings travel to Columbus to play the Blue Jackets as a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Rangers play in Ottawa against the Senators as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 7:37 PM ET. The New York Islanders are at home against the San Jose Sharks as a -278 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Detroit Red Wings are in Buffalo to play the Sabres as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Nashville Predators visit Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 8:37 PM ET as a -185 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 9:07 PM ET. The Minnesota Wild play in Calgary against the Flames as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Colorado Avalanche host the Anaheim Ducks as a -310 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils play in Vancouver against the Canucks at 10:07 PM ET, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 7.The college basketball schedule has 11 games on national television. Two NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 6:30 PM ET. Florida Atlantic battles Illinois on ESPN in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York, as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. Xavier plays at home against Delaware on FS1 as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 148. Three more nationally televised NCAAB games start at 7 PM ET. Oklahoma plays at home against Providence on ESPNU as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Michigan State is at home against Wisconsin on Peacock as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 131.5. Villanova is at Kansas State on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 142. Butler hosts Buffalo on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 23-point favorite with a total of 149. Five NCAAB games on national television begin at 9 PM ET. Connecticut faces North Carolina on ESPN in the Jimmy V. Classic as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under 152.5. Baylor plays at home against Seton Hall on ESPN2 as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 150. San Diego State travels to Grand Canyon on ESPNU as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 143. Michigan is at home against Indiana on Peacock as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 146. Oklahoma State visits Southern Illinois on the CBS Sports Network as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 132.5.Matchweek 15 in the English Premier League begins with two matches. Wolverhampton is at home against Burnley on the USA Network at 2:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Arsenal plays at Luton Town at 3:15 PM ET as a -2 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/04/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 04, 2023

The Monday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action. Week 13 in the NFL concludes with one game for Monday Night Football. The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Cincinnati Bengals on ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN2 Manningcast at 8:15 PM ET. The Jaguars won for the seventh time in their last eight games with a 24-21 victory at Houston against the Texans as a 1-point favorite last Sunday. Jacksonville has an 8-3 record. The Bengals are on a three-game losing streak after their 16-10 loss at home against Pittsburgh as a 2-point underdog on Sunday. Cincinnati has a 5-6 record. The Jaguards are a 10-point favorite, with the total set at 40 (all odds from DraftKings). The National Basketball Association continues its In-Season Tournament with the first two games in the quarterfinals on the Tournament Night docket on TNT. The Boston Celtics travels to Indiana to play the Pacers at 7:30 PM ET. The Celtics have won three games in a row, along with 10 of their last 12 contests, after their 125-119 victory against Philadelphia as a 10-point favorite on Friday. The Pacers ended a two-game losing streak with a 144-129 upset victory as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Boston won the last meeting between these teams on November 1st in a 155-104 victory at home as a 13-point favorite. The Celtics are a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 241.The Sacramento Kings play at home against the New Orleans Pelicans at 10 PM ET. The Kings won for the third time in their last four games with their 123-117 victory against Denver as a 3.5-point favorite on Saturday. The Pelicans were on a two-game winning streak before a 124-118 upset loss at Chicago as a 3-point underdog on Saturday. New Orleans won the previous meeting between these teams on November 22nd by a 117-112 score as a 1.5-point underdog. Sacramento is a 4-point favorite with a total of 235.The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Pittsburgh Penguins play in Philadelphia against the Flyers as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars are in Tampa Bay to play the Lightning as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games start at 7:37 PM ET. The Carolina Hurricanes visit Winnipeg to play the Jets as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Seattle Kraken play in Montreal against the Canadiens as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Arizona Coyotes are at home against the Washington Capitals at 9:07 PM ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Vegas Golden Knights host the St. Louis Blues at 10:07 PM ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The college basketball schedule has ten games involving Division I teams. None of these games are on national television. 

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NBA: What Happened To The Defense?

by Will Rogers

Sunday, Dec 03, 2023

I'm dating myself but it doesn't seem like so long ago that NBA totals were regularly in the 180s. Sometimes, scores were a lot lower than that. Companies used to do promotions where they'd give away something free, like a slice of pizza, if the local team would reach 100 points. Those days are long gone. This season, totals are regularly in the 220s and 230s. I  recently saw one in the 250s. Even that still wasn't nearly enough. That game finished with 309 points! Are all the high scores leading to more games going over the total than normal? Let's check it out. If it feels like games have been flying over the total, it's because they have been. Through nearly 300 games, there has been 159 overs compared to 131 unders. That's almost a 55% to 45% split. These things tend to even out. Lines will continue to creep up and eventually the unders should close the gap. Remember last year's gamesFittingly, the 309 point game mentioned above featured the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers. It should come as no surprise that the Pacers and Hawks were involved. Not only are the Pacers scoring the most points (128.98) in the league, they're also allowing (125.94) the most. Their games average nearly 255 points. The Hawks rank #2 in scoring and are 4th worst in scoring defense.  Top 10 Over TeamsIndiana 16-2Phoenix 14-6Dallas 13-6San Antonio 13-6Milwaukee 13-7 Charlotte 12-6Philadelphia 12-6-1 Atlanta 12-7Washington 12-7OKC 11-8Even the best defenses in the league, teams like the Knicks, T-Wolves, Rockets and Celtics are allowing more than 105 points a game. Scoring was way up last year but both the Cavaliers and the Knicks managed to allow less than 100 points a game. The Clippers and Rockets are a pair of teams which are bucking the over trend. They are 11-6 and 12-7 to the under. I've taken a cautious approach out of the gate with my NBA totals. I've only played five of them, winning three. I was 2-1 with overs and 1-1 with unders. Rest assured, I'll be playing a lot more of them as the season progresses. Again, I look for the unders to even out a little bit. I'll check back a bit later in the season to see if that was the case. Unless they change the rules, I guess we will have to get used to it. Players are more skilled. The officials seem to give them more space than ever. Call me old-fashioned but I miss seeing the occasional 84-80 game! 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/03/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 03, 2023

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. Week 12 in the NFL continues with 11 games. Six NFL games kick off at 1 PM ET. Seven NFL games kick off at 1 PM ET. The Atlanta Falcons travel to New York to play the Jets as a 2-point road favorite, with the total set at 33.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Miami Dolphins play in Washington against the Commanders as a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 49.5. The Detroit Lions are in New Orleans to play the Saints as a 4.5-point road favorite, with a total of 47. The Los Angeles Chargers visit New England to play the Patriots as a 5.5-point road favorite, with an over/under of 39. The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Arizona Cardinals as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 41. The Houston Texans play at home against the Denver Broncos as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 47. The Indianapolis Colts are in Tennessee to play the Titans as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 42. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are at home against the Carolina Panthers at 4:05 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. Two more NFL games start at 4:25 PM ET. The Los Angeles Rams host the Cleveland Browns as a 4-point favorite with a total of 40.5. The San Francisco 49ers play in Philadelphia against the Eagles as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5.Sunday Night Football on NBC has the Kansas City Chiefs traveling to Green Bay to play the Packers at 8:20 PM ET. The Chiefs are a 6-point road favorite with a total of 47.5.The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the Chicago Blackhawks at 2:07 PM ET as a -270 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers are at home against the San Jose Sharks at 6:07 PM ET as a -470 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Boston Bruins host the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -298 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Buffalo Sabres play at home against the  Nashville Predators as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against the Colorado Avalanche at 8:07 PM ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has three games on national television. Auburn plays at Appalachian State on ESPN2 at 1 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 142.5. Missouri hosts Wichita State on ESPN2 at 3 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 143.5. Creighton is at Nebraska on FS1 at 4 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 148.5.Matchweek 14 in the English Premier League concludes with five matches. Four matches start at 10 AM ET. Aston Villa visits Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Chelsea plays at home against Brighton and Hove Albion on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3. Liverpool is at home against Fulham as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. West Ham United hosts Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester City plays at home against Tottenham at 11:30 AM ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5.

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NFL MVP Race

by ASA, Inc.

Saturday, Dec 02, 2023

Dak Prescott (+800)Dak currently ranks second in both Passing TDs (23) and Passer Rating (107.4), while also ranking sixth in Passing Yards (2,935). Jalen Hurts is the favorite to win MVP as it sits, but this year's race is wide open with six weeks left in the regular season. No quarterback has separated themselves statistically and with the mix of rushing stats in today's NFL it is tougher than ever to determine MVP. Players like Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen bring more than just passing to the equation. However, from a passing standpoint, Prescott has been arguably the best QB in the NFL this year. Not only has Dak been very efficient, but he has also taken care of the football, only throwing 6 INTs. Voters love to see low turnover values as 5 of the last 7 MVP winners have thrown single digit picks in their seasons. A huge game awaits in two weeks as Dak could become the odds on favorite if the Cowboys can beat the Eagles on Sunday Night Football. That game will be in Jerry World and will have massive playoff and MVP ramifications. CJ Stroud (+2500)Houston has been the surprise of the season in the AFC, mainly propelled by Stroud’s asstounding rookie season. It has been quite some time since a rookie QB has burst onto the scene, especially considering the lack of roster talent the Texans had to start 2023. An overachieving offensive line paired with explosive young skill positions has led Stroud to second in Passing Yards (3,266), and sixth in Passer Rating (100.8). Also sporting a 19/5 TD/INT ratio, CJ is right in the mix for MVP candidacy. With Houston at 6-5, Stroud will have to boost his stats to end the year in order to make up for the lack of winning. Every single MVP winner since 2013 has won their division, showing how much team success does determine this award. Yet, Stroud has the highest ceiling of any QB this year throwing for 470 yards and 5 TDs three weeks ago.Tyreek Hill (+5000) Looking back, it is astonishing that Tyreek was not drafted until the 5th round in the 2016 draft. He has evolved into the most explosive, unguardable receiver in the league. Not only is he faster than everyone, his route running and short burst speed is arguably better than any receiver ever. The single season NFL receiving record is held by Calvin Johnson at 1,964 yards. Hill is on pace for 2,046 if he maintains his per game yardage to end the year. Hill will have one more game than Calvin however. Still, if Tyreek were to eclipse 2k yards while having 15+ TDs, it is hard to award the MVP trophy elsewhere. If a QB does not separate themselves from the pack statistically, Hill will have an outside chance to make history as the first receiver to win MVP in the modern era. Currently no QB is on pace to surpass 4,800 yards and no QB is on pace to throw for more than 36 TDs, leaving the door wide open for Hill. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL, EPL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/02/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 02, 2023

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. The 13th week in college football concludes with 49 games between FBS opponents. Seven nationally televised NCAAF games kick off at noon ET. Louisville hosts Kentucky on ABC as a 7.5-point favorite, with the total set at 49.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Central Florida plays at home against Houston on FS1 as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5. Michigan is at home against Ohio State on Fox as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 46.5. LSU hosts Texas A&M on ESPN as a 13-point favorite with an over/under of 66. Miami (OH) travels to Ball State on the CBS Sports Network as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 35. SMU plays at home against Navy on ESPN2 as a 19-point favorite with an over/under of 45.5. Troy is at Southern Mississippi on ESPNU as a 17-point road favorite with a total of 48. Syracuse is at home against Wake Forest on The CW at 2 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Seven NCAAF games are on national television at 3:30 PM ET. Alabama visits Auburn as a 13.5-point road favorite with a total of 47.5. Liberty plays at UTEP on the CBS Sports Network as a 17-point road favorite with an over/under of 55.5. Appalachian State hosts Georgia Southern on ESPNU as a 10-point favorite with a total of 63. James Madison is at Coastal Carolina on ESPN2 as an 8-point road favorite with an over/under of 50.5. Oklahoma State plays at home against BYU on ABC as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. Wisconsin is at Minnesota on FS1 as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 44.5. Arizona travels to Arizona State on ESPN as a 13-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. Washington is at home against Washington State on Fox at 4 PM ET as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 66. Three NCAAF games on national television begin at 7 PM ET. West Virginia plays at Baylor on FS1 as an 11.5-point road favorite with a total of 54.5. South Alabama is at Texas State on the NFL Network as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 58. Florida State visits Florida on ESPN as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 49. Three more nationally televised NCAAF games start at 7:30 PM ET. Georgia plays at Georgia Tech on ABC as a 24-point road favorite with an over/under of 59.5. Kansas is at Cincinnati on ESPN2 as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 58. South Florida hosts Charlotte on ESPNU as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 57. Kansas State plays at home against Iowa State on Fox as a 10-point favorite with a total of 45.5. Wyoming travels to Nevada on the CBS Sports Network as an 11-point road favorite with an over/under of 41.5. Two more NCAAF games are on national television at 10:30 PM ET. Fresno State plays at San Diego State on FS1 as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 46.5. UCLA is at home against California on ESPN as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 51.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Philadelphia 76ers are in Oklahoma City to play the Thunder as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 231.5. The Brooklyn Nets host the Miami Heat at 6:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 218.5. The Atlanta Hawks visit Washington to play the Wizards at 7:10 PM ET as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 248.5. The Cleveland Cavaliers play at home against the Los Angeles Lakers at 7:40 PM ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 225. The New Orleans Pelicans are in Utah to play the Jazz at 9:40 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 233.5. The Dallas Stars play in Los Angeles against the Clippers at 10:40 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The National Hockey League has eight games on its slate. The Boston Bruins travel to New York to play the Rangers at 1:07 PM ET as a -118 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Los Angeles Kings are at home against the Montreal Canadiens at 4:07 PM ET as a -270 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The New Jersey Devils host the Buffalo Sabres as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play in Pittsburgh against the Penguins as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Islanders are at home against the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:37 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 PM ET. The Vancouver Canucks are in San Jose to play the Sharks as a -245 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Arizona Coyotes as a -238 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Colorado Avalanche play at home against the Calgary Flames as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has four games on national television. Georgetown hosts Jackson State on FS2 at noon ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 150. Two more NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 7 PM ET. St. John’s plays at home against Holy Cross on FS2 as a 21-point favorite with an over/under of 152.5. Ohio State battles Santa Clara in the Emerald Coast Classic at the Raider Arena in Niceville, Florida, on the CBS Sports Network. DePaul is at home against Northern Illinois on FS2 at 9 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 153. Matchweek 13 in the English Premier League begins with seven matches. Manchester City hosts Liverpool at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Five more EPL matches start at 10 AM ET. West Ham United visits Burnley as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Crystal Palace plays at Luton Town as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite, with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea is at Newcastle United in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion are in Nottingham Forest on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Bournemouth visits Sheffield United as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Arsenal plays at Brentford on the USA Network at 12:30 PM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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