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UEFA Champions League: Quarterfinals Preview and Odds - 04/07/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Apr 07, 2021

The quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League continue on Wednesday with the two remaining first-leg matches at 3 PM ET. Both games are on Paramount (formerly CBS All-Access).Bayern Munich hosts Paris Saint-Germain at their Allianz Stadium. The Bavarians advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 second-leg win against Lazio on March 17th, which secured a 6-2 aggregate score victory. Bayern Munich has won 18 of their last 19 matches in the Champions League. Hansi Flick’s team comes off a 1-0 win at RB Leipzig on Saturday. The victory improved the Bavarians' first place lead over the Red Bulls to seven points in the Bundesliga. Bayern Munich will be without striker Robert Lewandowski who suffered a knee injury during the international break. The Polish star has 42 goals in 36 matches across all competitions. Paris Saint-Germain advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League after a 1-1 draw against Barcelona gave them a 5-2 aggregate victory against the Catalan giants. The Parisians pulled off a surprising 4-1 win at Camp Nou in the first leg of that showdown to give them a commanding lead heading into that second leg. Manager Mauricio Pochettino’s men come off a 1-0 loss at home to Lille in Ligue 1 action on Saturday. The loss dropped PSG into second place in the French top flight, three points behind Lille. The Parisians did get Neymar back on the pitch on Saturday after the Brazilian star was out with an injury for two months. But PSG will be without injured midfielder Mario Verratti. This showdown is a rematch of the last year’s Champions League Final, which Bayern Munich won, 1-0, on August 23rd. BookMaker lists Bayern Munich as a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total set at 3.Chelsea plays FC Porto in the second quarterfinals match today. While Porto is the technical home team today, both legs of this matchup are in Seville, Spain, to accommodate COVID travel restrictions. FC Porto advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Juventus via the road goals scored tiebreaker. After winning the first leg at home by a 2-1 score, the Dragons lost at Juventus, 3-2, on March 9th, but advanced by scoring that second goal away from home. Manager Sergio Conceicao’s side has won three straight matches in the Portugal Primeira League after a 2-1 victory at home against Santa Clara. The Dragons have not lost in the Portugal top flight since October yet remain in second place behind Sporting. Chelsea defeated Atletico Madrid by an aggregate 3-0 score in the Last 16 round, after a 2-0 win in the second leg on March 17th. Six of their last eight matches across all competitions have been clean sheets. The Blues did drop their first match under new manager Thomas Tuchel in a 5-2 upset loss at home to West Brom on Saturday. Chelsea was leading by a 1-0 score before Thiago Silva was issued a red card at the 29th minute of that match. The Baggies took advantage of the Blues playing with only ten men by scoring five unanswered goals. Chelsea had given up only two combined goals in their previous 14 matches under Tuchel since he took over for Frank Lampard in January. Chelsea will be without American midfielder Christian Pulisic and French midfielder N’Golo Kante who are both injured. BookMaker lists Chelsea as a -0.75 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.25.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 04/07/2021

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Apr 07, 2021

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the UEFA Champions League.The NBA has nine games on the docket headlined by a doubleheader on ESPN. New Orleans visits Brooklyn in the opening ESPN game at 7:30 PM ET. The Pelicans have lost three of four games after their 123-107 loss at Atlanta as a 3.5-point underdog on Tuesday. The Nets have won five of their last six games with their 114-112 win against New York as a 6-point favorite on Monday. Utah travels to Phoenix in the nightcap on ESPN at 10 PM ET. The Jazz had their nine-game winning streak end with a 111-103 upset loss at Dallas as a 5.5-point favorite on Monday. The Suns won their sixth straight game with a 133-130 victory at Houston as a 14-point favorite on Monday. Utah is a 2-point road favorite with the total set at 225 (all odds from BetOnline).Five games are on the NHL schedule. A doubleheader on the NBC Sports Network begins at 5 PM, with Edmonton playing at Ottawa. The Oilers have lost two of three after their 3-2 defeat at Montreal on Monday. The Senators have lost three of four with their 4-3 setback at Winnipeg on Monday. Edmonton is a -183 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Toronto hosts Montreal in the second game on the NBC Sports Network at 7:30 PM ET. The Maple Leafs won their fourth in a row with their 5-3 win at Calgary on Monday. The Canadiens have won four of five after their victory against Edmonton on Monday. Toronto is a -140 money line favorite with the total at 6.Fifteen games are on the MLB slate. Atlanta plays at Washington in the opener of their seven-inning doubleheader at 12:05 PM ET. Max Fried pitches for the Braves against the Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg. The MLB card concludes at 8:40 PM ET with Colorado playing at home against Arizona. The Rockies send out Antonio Senzatela to face the Diamondbacks’ Madison Bumgarner. Colorado is a -110 money line favorite with an over/under of 11.5.The first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals continues with the final two matches at 3 PM ET. Bayern Munich is at home against PSG. The Bavarians advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Lazio by a 2-1 score to secure their 6-2 aggregate victory on March 17th. The Parisians earned a 5-2 aggregate score victory against Barcelona in the Final 16 round after a 1-1 draw on March 10th. Bayern Munich is a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 3.Chelsea visits FC Porto. The Blues defeated Atletico Madrid, 2-0, on March 17th to secure a 3-0 aggregate victory in the Final 16. Porto advanced over Juventus from the road goals tie-breaker after a 3-2 road loss on March 9th. Porto won the first leg at home, 2-1. Chelsea is a -0.75 money line road favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Paramount (formerly CBS All-Access) broadcasts both matches.

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UEFA Champions League: Quarterfinals Preview and Odds - 04/06/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Apr 06, 2021

UEFA Champions League Tuesday: Quarterfinals PreviewThe quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League begin on Tuesday with two first-leg matches at 3 PM ET. Real Madrid hosts Liverpool at their Alfredo di Stefano Stadium. Los Blancos advanced from the Final 16 by defeating Atalanta at home by a 3-1 score on March 16th. They bested Atalanta by a 4-1 aggregate score after winning 1-0 on the road in the first leg of that matchup. Real Madrid was sluggish in the group stage of the Champions League, winning just three of their six matches, but they still finished in first place in Group B. Los Blancos come off a 2-0 victory at home against Eibar. Zinedine Zidane’s men have won four straight matches across all competitions. They have not lost since January 30th with eight wins in their ten matches since that setback in all competitions. Real Madrid has won 11 of their last 16 games in the Spanish top flight, putting them three points behind Atletico Madrid for first place. Zinedine will be without captain Sergio Ramos who is dealing with a calf injury. The 35-year old defenseman has only played in 15 matches this season due to injuries. Liverpool advanced from the Final 16 stage with a 2-0 win against RB Leipzig on March 10th. That victory matched their 2-0 result on the road against the Red Bulls in the first leg to give them a 4-0 aggregate win. The Reds have taken a step back this season in the defense of their English Premier League title. They are in fifth place in the EPL table, three points behind West Ham United for fourth place, which is the final qualifying spot for next year’s Champions League competition. Jurgen Klopp’s side has won three straight matches in all competitions after their 3-0 victory at Arsenal on Saturday. Diogo Jota scored twice in that match to jumpstart a stagnant offense that was missing his contributions with him being out for the last few months. Liverpool has endured several crushing injuries this season in addition to Jota being on the shelf. Klopp has lost his top three center backs to injury, with Virgil Van Djik, Joel Matip, and Joe Gomez all out the season. These losses have impacted the Reds’ ability to deploy their high press since the center backs become the sole line of defense. Klopp has adapted by engaging a more conservative approach on the attack, and they have registered three straight clean sheets. This showdown is a rematch of the 2018 Champions League final, which Real Madrid won by a 3-1 score. BookMaker lists this match as a pick ‘em with the total set at 2.75.Manchester City hosts Borussia Dortmund in the second quarterfinals match today. Man City has won five straight games across all competitions with their 2-0 victory at Leicester City on Saturday. The triumph against a Foxes’ team in third place in the EPL was their fourth straight clean sheet. Man City has allowed six goals in their last five matches at home at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola’s group advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League after their 2-0 win against Borussia Monchengladbach on March 16th. They defeated Monchengladbach by a 4-0 aggregate score after winning 2-0 on the road in the first leg of that matchup. Man City has registered seven straight clean sheets in the Champions League. Man City is cruising to their second English Premier League title in the last three seasons. They are up 14 points in the EPL table over Manchester United. Their 66 goals are eight more than Man United who has scored the second-most goals in England’s top flight. They have allowed 21 goals which are nine fewer than the 30 goals that Chelsea has given up. Guardiola has yet to win a Champions League trophy in his coaching career which includes previous stops at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Man City is attempting to pull off the rare quadruple by winning the EPL, Champions League, Carabao Cup, and FA Cup titles.Borussia Dortmund advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League with a 2-2 draw at home on March 9th against a Sevilla side that is fourth place in La Liga. The Black and Yellow won the aggregate score, 5-4, after a 3-2 victory at Sevilla in the first leg. Edin Terzic’s men limp into this match with two losses in a row. They have won just once in their last five games across all competitions. They last played on Saturday, where they lost at home to Eintracht Frankfurt, 2-1. Borussia Dortmund is in fifth place in the Bundesliga. They are 21 points behind Bayern Munich for first place, and they trail Eintracht Frankfurt by seven points. Led by Erling Haaland, the Black and Yellow are second in the Bundesliga with 55 goals. They have only blanked once when playing on the road across all competitions this season. Haaland has scored in six straight Champions League matches, which have helped his team score at least two goals in seven of their last seven matches in the European competition. Terzic will not have Jadon Sancho who has been out since early March with a torn thigh muscle. The 21-year old midfielder has scored eight goals with 12 assists in 27 matches this season. BookMaker lists Man City as a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3. Both of these quarterfinal matches are on Paramount (formerly CBS All-Access).

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 04/06/2021

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Apr 06, 2021

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the UEFA Champions League.The NBA has eight games on the docket headlined by a doubleheader on TNT. Philadelphia visits Boston at 7:30 PM ET. The 76ers have lost three of five after getting upset at home to Memphis as a 3.5-point favorite on Sunday. The Celtics have won four of six after their 116-86 win against Charlotte as a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. Philadelphia is a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 223 (all odds from BetOnline). The second game on TNT features Milwaukee visiting Golden State at 10 PM ET. The Bucks have won three in a row with their 129-118 win at Sacramento as a 3-point favorite on Saturday. The Warriors have lost seven of their last eight after a 117-111 loss at Atlanta as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. Nine games are on the NHL docket. Seven games begin the card at 7 PM ET. The New York Rangers host Pittsburgh on the NBC Sports Network. The Rangers had their two-game winning streak end with their 3-2 loss at Buffalo on Sunday. The Penguins’ five-game winning streak ended with their 7-5 defeat at Boston on Sunday. New York is a -118 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.The NHL card concludes at 10:30 PM ET with San Jose playing at home against Anaheim as a -170 money line favorite with the total at 5.5.Fourteen games are on the MLB slate. The card begins at 1:10 PM ET, with Minnesota playing at Detroit. The Twins send out J.A. Happ with the Tigers countering with Casey Mize. Minnesota is a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The New York Mets play at Philadelphia on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Phillies improved their record to 4-0 with their 5-3 win against the Mets on Monday. That was New York’s first game of the season after their games last week got postponed due to a COVID outbreak in the Washington Nationals clubhouse. The Mets are a -133 money line road favorite with the total set at 9. The Quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League begin on Tuesday with two first-leg matches. Liverpool plays at Real Madrid on Paramount at 3 PM ET. Liverpool advanced from the first knockout stage on a 4-0 aggregate against RP Leipzig after a 2-0 win at home on March 10th. Real Madrid advanced from a 4-1 aggregate after their 3-1 victory against Atalanta on March 16th. This is a pick ‘em match-up with an over/under of 2.5.The second match has Manchester City hosting Borussia Dortmund on Paramount at 3 PM ET. Man City won a 4-0 aggregate against Borussia Monchengladbach after a 2-0 win against them on March 16th. Borussia Dortmund won by a 5-4 aggregate score against Sevilla after a 2-2 draw against them on February 9th.

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NCAA Basketball: Gonzaga/Baylor Preview, Odds and Prediction - 04/05/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Apr 05, 2021

NCAAB Monday CBS Preview: Baylor versus Gonzaga. The National Championship showdown between the two teams generally considered the cream of the crop for the entire season was made official with the Final Four results on Saturday. Baylor plays Gonzaga in a battle of the top two teams in the Associated Press poll on CBS with a tip-off time of 9:20 PM ET.Baylor had it easy in their 78-59 win against Houston as a 5-point favorite in the first Final Four game on Saturday. The Bears raced out to a 45-20 going into the locker room at halftime. Jared Butler scored all of his 17 points in those first 20 minutes. Five Baylor players scored in double digits. Butler is the team’s leading scorer with a 16.6 points-per-game scoring average. The junior adds 4.7 assists per game. Senior MaCio Teague contributes 15.8 points per game. Davion Mitchell scores 14.0 points per game, with the junior leading the team with a 5.5 assists per game average. Scott Drew's deep rotation features eight players averaging at least 15 minutes per game. Six players returned from the Bears' rotation that finished 26-4 last year.Baylor ranks second in the kenpom ratings with a 27-2 record. They finished 13-1 in the Big 12 regular season before getting upset in the conference tournament semifinals to Oklahoma State, 83-74. Baylor has wins against Illinois, Texas Tech (twice), Wisconsin, Villanova, Arkansas, and Houston, who all rank in kenpom’s top-twenty. The Bears’ two losses were against Kansas and the Cowboys. Baylor is second-best nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to kenpom. They lead the nation with a 41.2% shooting percentage from 3-point land. They rank sixth in offensive rebounding by grabbing 36.9% of their missed shots. Drew’s team is the 27th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They force turnovers in 24.6% of their opponent’s possessions, ranking third nationally. If there is a weakness to this team, it is with their defensive rebounding. Baylor allows their opponents to rebound 30.9% of their missed shots, 280th in the nation. The Bears do not get many freebies on the charity stripe, given a free throw rate that ranks 295th nationally.Gonzaga defeated UCLA in the second Final Four game on Saturday with Jalen Suggs’ 40-foot buzzer-beater in overtime, lifting them to a 93-90 victory as a 14-point favorite. It was never easy for unbeaten Bulldogs, who withstood 19 lead changes and never held a lead of more than seven points against the Bruins. All five of the Bulldogs’ starters scored in double-digits Drew Time led the team with 25 points. The sophomore is scoring 19.2 points per game and averaging 7.1 rebounds per game. Junior Joel Ayayi added 22 points to improve his 12.2 points-per-game average. Suggs contributed 16 points, six assists, and five rebounds. The freshman is scoring 14.1 points per game and averaging 5.5 rebounds per game and 4.6 assists per game. Corey Kispert scored 15 points with five assists and five rebounds. The senior averages 18.8 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game. Junior Andrew Nembhard scored 11 points to go with his 9.2 points-per-game mark.The Bulldogs are the last remaining undefeated team in the nation with a 31-0 record to accompany their number one ranking and top-rating at kenpom. They have rattled off 35 straight victories going back to last season, and they have won 28 in a row by double-digits. Gonzaga played a rigorous non-conference schedule that included powerhouses in Kansas, West Virginia, Virginia, and Iowa. The Bulldogs defeated Norfolk State, Oklahoma, Creighton, USC, and then the Bruins in the NCAA Tournament.Gonzaga has the country's top adjusted offensive efficiency number according to metrics at kenpom. Their effective field goal percentage of 61.1% is tops nationally. The Zags are eighth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They limit their opponents to rebound 23.1% of their missed shots, 18th best in the nation. If there is a crack in the armor, it might start with their half-court defense. Their opponents have an effective field goal percentage of 47.5%, which is only 55th nationally. Mark Few returned three players from his seven-man rotation that finished 31-2 last season and looked poised to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament as a number one seed. This group may be Few’s most talented roster in his 22 seasons as the Gonzaga head coach. Lucas Oil Stadium is the site. BetAnySports lists Gonzaga as a 4.5-point favorite with the total set at 159.Computer prediction:  Gonzaga 82 Baylor 76

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NFL Draft Betting

by Will Rogers

Monday, Apr 05, 2021

Less than a month to go until the Great Quarterback Draft of 2021. Trade rumors, actual trades, disinformation campaigns, a suspected second-round talent may be going in the top 3. And a prop betting market that will be centered around who will be the SECOND quarterback off the board.Some things for bettors to ponder:1.      WHAT WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN – Barring injury or illness, Trevor Lawrence will be under center when his Jacksonville Jaguars travel to Cincinnati in Week 1. It will be a battle between back-to-back overall No. 1 picks, assuming the Bengals’ Joe Burrow continues to make progress rehabbing his ACL-damaged left knee; surgery took place on Dec. 2, which would make the recovery approximately eight months. Pushing it a bit, but Burrow is reportedly running and ahead of schedule. There is no money to be made on Lawrence; the former Clemson is -10,000 at most books to go No. 1 overall. Passing on Lawrence would set up Urban Meyer as the guy who didn’t draft the NFL’s version of Michael Jordan.2.      THE FUN STARTS AT NO. 2 – The Jets had Lawrence in the palms of their hands last December but messed things up by beating the Chargers just before Christmas and the Browns just after – gift-wrapping him and giving him to the stunned but appreciative Jaguars. So the Jets have to settle, and the betting favorite is BYU’s Zach Wilson, who is listed at about -500 to New York in many books. There are reports that the Jets, who look ready to part ways with 2018 No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold, are locked in on Wilson.3.      WHITHER THE 49ERS AT NO. 3? – If the 49ers are trying to confuse everyone, they’re doing a great job of it. Through a trade with the Dolphins (who are now committed 100 percent to Tua Tagovailoa), Frisco is now in a position to jettison injury-in-waiting Jimmy Garoppolo and draft his successor. The question now is who gets to wear that 49ers baseball cap on April 29? If we knew a month ago that SF would somehow swipe No. 3, we would have figured Ohio State’s Justin Fields would be gold at +2000. But now word out of the Bay Area is that Alabama’s Mac Jones is the guy. Sports Betting Dime lists Jones now at +125 to San Francisco. The big question with Jones: Are his college stats a mirage because Alabama’s receivers were so good, or are the receivers’ stats so impressive because Jones is so accurate?4.      WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE FIELDS? – Say hello to the Atlanta Falcons, who could throw a grenade into the draft by moving down and out of the No. 4 spot and opt to build around veteran Matt Ryan. Might be tempting for the Falcons to move down in the first, take impact TE Kyle Pitts, and add draft capital in the process. That scenario gained some steam this past week when questions arose about Fields’s alleged poor work ethic. Denials poured in soon after, but the balloon might have already been popped. You can get Fields at +180 at No. 4, though.5.      IF NOT ATLANTA, THEN WHO? – If Fields is still on the board after Atlanta picks, the next three teams (assuming no trades) up are Cincinnati, Miami, and Detroit – all of whom are set at the QB position. The spotlight then shines on Carolina. Most mock drafts don’t see the uber-athletic Fields dropping past the Panthers, but North Dakota State’s Trey Lance is a possibility if the Fields rumors gain some traction over the next few weeks.6.      WHO ELSE IS HUNTING FOR A QB? – Denver at No. 9 looks ready to go big for a quarterback and trade talk is swirling in Colorado, though it appears their hope that Jones would fall to them appears dim. The 800-pound gorilla in the room, though, is New England. Bill Belichick has famously never drafted a QB in the first round, but there is talk about the Patriots breaking precedent and actually moving up for a QB. Belichick was present for Jones’s Pro Day workout, and the team ignored Fields’s session that was held the same day. That could be just a misdirection play called by the Pats. Whatever the strategy, everyone will be keeping a close eye on New England as the draft nears.7.      THEN THERE’S THIS – Only twice before have QBs gone 1-2-3 in the draft. Tim Couch, Donovan McNabb, and Akili Smith were the first three off the board in 1999, with only McNabb finding success. This year’s teams are hoping for something like the 1971 draft, when Jim Plunkett, Archie Manning, and Dan Pastorini were first, second, and third. History tells us it is likely that at least a few teams picking QBs early this time will be asking themselves, five years down the road, “What were we thinking?” No one wants to be remembered as the guy who drafted the next Couch, Heath Schuler, Akili Smith, Ryan Leaf, JaMarcus Russell, Andre Ware, or Johnny Manziel – picks that set their franchises back for years. Caveat emptor.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NCAA Basketball, MLB, EPL and NHL Previews and Odds - 04/05/2021

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Apr 05, 2021

The Monday sports card features action in NCAA basketball, NBA, NHL, MLB, and the English Premier League.The college basketball National Championship Game tips off on CBS at 9:20 PM ET. Baylor has won five games in a row with their 78-59 victory against Houston as a 5-point favorite in the Final Four on Saturday. Gonzaga outlasted UCLA, in overtime, 93-90, as a 14-point favorite in the second Final Four game on Saturday. Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is the site. The Bulldogs are a 4.5-point favorite over the Bears, with the total set at 159.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Seven games are on the NBA docket. Six of the games start at 7 PM ET. The final contest on the card begins at 8 PM ET, with Phoenix playing at Houston.Six games are on the NHL slate. Two games begin the card at 7 PM ET. The schedule concludes at 10 PM ET with Arizona playing at Los Angeles. Fourteen games are on the MLB card. Four of the games are on ESPN. Minnesota travels to Detroit on ESPN at 1 PM ET. The Twins have won two of their first three games after their 8-2 win at Milwaukee on Sunday. The Tigers had their two-game winning streak end yesterday in a 9-3 loss to Cleveland. Minnesota sends out Matt Shoemaker, and Detroit counters with Jose Urena. The Twins are a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Cleveland hosts Kansas City on ESPN at 4 PM ET. The Indians ended a two-game losing streak in their victory against Detroit yesterday. The Royals fell to 2-1 on the season with a 7-3 loss on Sunday to Texas. Cleveland sends out Logan Allen with Kansas City using Danny Duffy. The Indians are a -114 money line favorite with a total of 8.5.Tampa Bay visits Boston on ESPN at 7 PM ET. The Rays saw their two-game winning streak end in a 12-7 loss at Minnesota on Saturday. The Red Sox lost their third in a row with an 11-3 defeat at Baltimore yesterday. Tampa Bay will debut Michael Wacha as their starting pitcher to face Boston's Nick Pivetta. The Rays are a -122 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.5.The Chicago White Sox play at Seattle on ESPN at 10 PM ET. The White Sox have lost three of four games after their 7-4 loss at Los Angeles against the Angels on Sunday. The Mariners have won three of four after their 4-0 win against San Francisco yesterday. Carlos Rodon is the starting pitcher for Chicago as he faces Seattle's Justus Sheffield. The White Sox are a -121 money line road favorite with the total at 8.5.Matchweek 30 of the English Premier League concludes with two matches on Peacock. Everton hosts Crystal Palace at 1 PM ET as a -0.5 money line favorite with an over/under of 2.25. Wolverhampton plays at home against West Ham United in a pick ‘em matchup with a total of 2.

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NFL - How Adding an Extra Game May Change History

by ASA, Inc.

Sunday, Apr 04, 2021

With the NFL Draft less than a month away, we take a look at the NFL's decision to add an extra regular season game beginning next year.  With the addition of an extra regular season game this year (and no extra bye week), we are in for some big changes moving forward in 2021. One extra game may not seem like it would have a big impact, but the statistical metrics, record books, and the way we view players will all be different from ever before. Milestones like 1,000 rushing or receiving yards will not mean as much since it would take less than 59 yards per game to now reach. Single season records will surely be in jeopardy and some of the game’s greatest players and seasons will not hold the place in history that they should.  Records that will broken: Receiving yards: Calvin Johnson 1,964 Receiving TDs: Randy Moss 23 Rushing Yards: Eric Dickerson 2,105 Passing TDs: Peyton Manning 55  The validity of anyone that breaks these records will now be questioned. The league is only getting more talented by the year, which means that these records will eventually fall sooner than they should. There will be an asterisk in the history books to mark whether a historic season had 16 or 17 games in it. Players have a hard enough time making it through 16 games already, and a 17th feels like a money grab by the already rich NFL owners.  Alvin Kamara along with others have already voiced their displeasure with the additional game. The change in the season does hurt one position group more than others. Running Back. Maybe the hardest position to remain healthy, running backs will only be used more heavily and have an even shorter shelf life. Due to the 4 year rookie contacts that most players get out of college, many running backs are easy to replace by the time they reach their second deal. This is for good reason when looking at players like Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, and Ezekiel Elliott who all are on massive running back contracts yet struggled to return value to their teams this season. In a few years players should see the benefit of larger contacts and an increased salary cap, unfortunately for some current players this might be too late. Tainted records and player safety will be under close watch to see how much the 17-game season affects them.  

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NHL Hockey: Stars/Hurricanes Preview, Odds and Prediction - 04/04/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Apr 04, 2021

Sunday NBC Sports Network Preview: Dallas versus Carolina. The Dallas Stars play at Carolina against the Hurricanes on the NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET in a rematch of their encounter on Saturday.The Stars won their second straight game for the first time in over two months with their 3-2 victory yesterday. Tanner Keno scored the winning goal at the 2:35 minute mark of the third period. Andrew Cogliano and Jamie Benn also scored goals. Jake Oettinger registered 41 saves in the victory. The 22-year old rookie has a 6-3-6 record in 18 games (16 starts). He has posted a 2.32 goals-against-average with a .913 save percentage. Oettinger may play again tonight with Anton Khudobin’s status is in doubt after he tested positive for COVID. There is hope in the Dallas camp that this was a false positive result since Khudobin has already experienced a bout with COVID in the offseason. Head coach Rock Bowness’ team finds themselves in sixth place in the Central Division with 36 points. The Stars are five points behind Nashville for the fourth and final playoff spot in the division. Center Joel Pavelski leads the team with 34 points from 15 goals and 19 assists. Defenseman John Klingberg has six goals with 19 assists. Left winger Roope Hintz has 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points. Left winger Jason Robertson has contributed eight goals with 16 assists for 24 points. Dallas is dealing with some injuries. Both Hintz and defenseman Joel Hanley were scratches on Saturday with lower-body injuries. Center Jason Dickinson only played seven minutes before skating off the ice with an injury. Carolina has lost two of their last three games after the loss on Saturday. They have still won four of six games. Dougie Hamilton and Hayden Fleury scored in the losing effort. Alexander Nedeljkovic stopped 22 of 25 shots. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour may use today’s rematch to get Petr Mrazek back on the ice. The veteran goaltender has not played since January 30th with a thumb injury. Mrazek was a healthy scratch yesterday after completing a conditioning stint in the minors. He has only played in four games this season with a 2-1-0 record, 0.99 goals-against-average, and a .955 save percentage. The Hurricanes are in third place in the Central Division with 51 points. They are three points behind Tampa Bay and Florida, currently tied for first place, and they are ten points clear of the Predators for the last playoff spot. Right winger Sebastian Aho leads the team with 33 points from 15 goals and 18 assists. Defenseman Dougie Hamilton has added four goals and 26 assists. Centers Martin Necas and Vincent Trochek have contributed another 28 points apiece. Necas has nine goals and 19 assists, and Trocheck has scored 14 goals with 14 assists. Three of the five meetings between these two teams got decided by one goal. BookMaker lists Carolina as a -165 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5.Computer prediction: Hurricanes 4 Stars 2

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/04/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Apr 04, 2021

The Sunday sports card features action in the NBA, the NHL, MLB, and the English Premier League.Seven games are on the NBA docket. The card tips off a 2 PM ET with Brooklyn playing at Chicago. The Los Angeles Clippers are the technical home team against the Los Angeles Lakers on ABC at 3:30 PM ET. The Clippers have lost two in a row after their 101-94 upset loss at home to Denver as a 2-point favorite on Thursday. The Lakers have won three of four after they upset Sacramento, 115-94, as a 4.5-point underdog on Friday. The Clippers are a 10.5-point favorite with the total set at 215 (all odds from BetOnline). The NBA card concludes with Orlando playing at Dallas at 10 PM ET. Six games are on the NHL slate. Tampa Bay hosts Detroit on NBC at noon ET. The Lightning defeated the Red Wings, 2-1, on Saturday. Detroit has lost three in a row. Tampa Bay is a -365 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Carolina plays at home against Dallas on the NBC Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Stars have won two in a row after their 3-2 win at Carolina on Saturday. The Hurricanes have lost two of their last three games. Carolina is a -160 money line favorite with the total at 5.5. The NHL card concludes with two games at 9 PM ET. Toronto plays at Calgary as a -153 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Arizona travels to Anaheim as a -127 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.The MLB card has twelve games on the schedule. Atlanta plays at Philadelphia on ESPN at 1 PM ET. The Phillies defeated the Braves by a 4-0 score on Saturday. They send out Zach Eflin to face Ian Anderson. Atlanta is a -121 money line road favorite with a total of 8.The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Chicago White Sox on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET. The Angels defeated the White Sox by a 5-3 score on Saturday. They turn to Shohei Ohtani to face Chicago’s Dylan Cease. Los Angeles is a -117 money line favorite with an over/under of 9.Matchweek 30 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Southampton hosts Burnley on NBC Peacock at 7 AM ET as a -0.5 money line favorite with a total of 2.25. Tottenham visits Newcastle United on the NBC Sports Network at 9:05 AM ET as a -0.75 money line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa is at home against Fulham on the NBC Sports Network at 11:30 AM ET as a -0.25 goal line favorite with the total at 2.25. Manchester United plays at home against Brighton and Hove Albion on the NBC Sports Network at 2:30 PM ET as a 0.75 money line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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NCAA Basketball: UCLA/Gonzaga Preview, Odds and Prediction - 04/03/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Apr 03, 2021

NCAAB Saturday CBS Preview: UCLA versus Gonzaga. UCLA plays Gonzaga in the second Final Four game on CBS with a tip-off time of 8:34 PM ET.The Bruins advanced to the Final Four with their 51-49 upset victory against Michigan as a 6.5-point underdog on Tuesday. Johnny Juzang put his team on his shoulders with 28 points. The sophomore leads the teams with a 15.5 points-per-game scoring average. UCLA joined VCU as the only other team in tournament history to advance to the Final Four after playing in one of the First Four games. They won their play-in game, 86-80 in overtime, against Michigan State before defeating BYU and Abilene Christian to reach the Sweet 16. The Bruins needed overtime to advance to the Elite 8 in their 88-78 win against Alabama. The Bruins rank 15th in the kenpom rankings with a 22-9 record. They are 13th nationally in adjusted offensive efficiency using the kenpom metrics. They make 36.9% of their 3-pointers, ranking 44th nationally. The Bruins are 45th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They limit their opponents to rebounding 25.2% of their missed shots, ranking 70th nationally. UCLA has an opponent’s effective field goal percentage of 49.9%, which is the 166th worst mark in the nation. The core group of players is not the same from which Mick Cronin started the season. Chris Smith suffered a season-ending torn ACL in late December. The 6’9 senior was scoring 12.6 points-per-game while adding 6.4 rebounds-per-game. Jalen Hill is not with the team in the Indianapolis bubble for reasons listed as personal. The 6’10 junior was averaging 6.1 points-per-game and 5.5 rebounds-per-game. Cronin still has plenty of talent available to him on his roster, as evidenced by their four wins in the tournament. The Bruins returned all five starters plus most of his bench players from the team that won eleven of their last fourteen games last season. Juzang joined the team from Kentucky in the offseason. Gonzaga advanced to the Final Four with their 85-66 win against USC as a 12-point favorite on Tuesday. Drew Timme paved the way with 23 points. The sophomore scores 19.2 points-per-game and averages 7.2 rebounds-per-game. Jalen Suggs added 18 points, ten rebounds, and eight assists. The freshman is scoring 14.0 points-per-game and averaging 5.5 rebounds-per-game and 4.5 assists-per-game. Corey Kispert contributed 18 points and eight rebounds. The senior averages 18.9 points-per-game and 5.0 rebounds-per-game.The Bulldogs are the last remaining undefeated team in the nation with a 29-0 record to accompany their number one ranking and top-rating at kenpom. They have rattled off 34 straight victories going back to last season, and they have won 27 in a row by double-digits. Gonzaga played a rigorous non-conference schedule that included powerhouses in Kansas, West Virginia, Virginia, and Iowa. The Bulldogs defeated Norfolk State, Oklahoma, Creighton, and then the Trojans in the NCAA Tournament.Gonzaga has the country's top adjusted offensive efficiency number according to metrics at kenpom. Their effective field goal percentage of 61.0% is tops nationally. The Zags are fifth nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency at kenpom. They limit their opponents to rebound 23.0% of their missed shots, 18th best in the nation. If there is a crack in the armor, it might start with their half-court defense. Their opponents have an effective field goal percentage of 47.0%, which is only 41st nationally. Mark Few returned three players from his seven-man rotation that finished 31-2 last season and looked poised to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament as a number one seed. This group may be Few’s most talented roster in his 22 seasons as the Gonzaga head coach. Lucas Oil Stadium is the site. BetAnySports lists Gonzaga as a 14-point favorite with the total set at 145.5.Computer prediction:  Gonzaga 80 UCLA 64

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2021 NCAA Tournament: An ATS Review of the First Four Rounds

by Al McMordie

Saturday, Apr 03, 2021

The 2021 NCAA Basketball Tournament has been the most predictable, and least predictable at the same time.  On the most predictable end of things, it is no surprise that the two best teams - Gonzaga and Baylor - are in the Final Four, and rank as the favorites to be playing on Monday in the championship game.  On the least predictable side of things, this tournament has had 14 upsets by a team seeded at least 5 spots worse than its opponent, which is the most such upsets in the history of the tournament.  Likewise, this tournament has had the most wins by teams seeded 10 (or worse), as there have been 16 (not including the four "First Four" games).One of those double-digit seeds, #11 UCLA, has reached the Final Four, along with #1 seeds Gonzaga and Baylor, and #2 seed Houston.Let's take a look at first four rounds of this tournament, from a point spread perspective.  We'll not include the First Four games in this analysis.  And the other thing to take note of is that the 1st round game between #7 Oregon and #10 VCU was cancelled due to COVID-19, so there have been 59 games played, rather than the usual 60.Notwithstanding the fact that the double-digit seeds have done well, underdogs have only gone 30-29 ATS in this tournament, overall (34-29 ATS if you include the First Four games).  Here is a breakdown by seeds:#1 seeds:  12-2 SU, 10-4 ATS#2 seeds: 7-3 SU, 3-7 ATS#3 seeds: 5-4 SU, 3-6 ATS#4 seeds: 3-4 SU, 2-5 ATS#5 seeds: 5-4 SU, 4-5 ATS#6 seeds: 4-4 SU, 4-4 ATS#7 seeds: 2-4 SU, 2-4 ATS#8 seeds: 4-4 SU, 4-4 ATS#9 seeds: 1-4 SU, 1-4 ATS#10 seeds: 2-3 SU, 3-2 ATS#11 seeds: 6-3 SU, 6-3 ATS#12 seeds: 3-4 SU, 5-2 ATS#13 seeds: 2-4 SU, 3-3 ATS#14 seeds: 1-4 SU, 2-3 ATS#15 seeds: 2-4 SU, 5-1 ATS#16 seeds: 0-4 SU, 2-2 ATSAnd here is a breakdown of point spread ranges:Underdogs of +3.5 or less:  7-6 ATSUnderdogs +4 to +7.5:  10-15 ATSUnderdogs +8 to +11.5:  8-2 ATSUnderdogs of +12 or more:  5-6 ATSThe games have tended to go under the total, as the unders are 34-24-1 through the first four rounds (37-25-1 if you include the "First Four games).Let's take a look at some other point spread situations:Teams that won their conference tournament (against foes that didn't win their conference tournament):  17-12 ATSTeams off a straight-up loss (against foes not off a loss):  9-9 ATSTeams off back-to-back losses (against foes not off back-to-back losses):  3-0 ATSTeams off ATS loss (against foes not off an ATS loss):  12-11 ATSTeams off back-to-back-ATS losses (against foes not off back-to-back ATS losses):  10-3 ATSTeams off back-to-back ATS wins (against foes not off back-to-back ATS wins): 20-13 ATSTeams off 3 SU/ATS wins (against foes not off 3 SU/ATS wins):  15-7 ATSTeams playing with revenge:  2-3 ATSGood luck, as always...Al McMordie 

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