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Ness Notes: Tuesday, Oct 6

by Larry Ness

Tuesday, Oct 06, 2020

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."The NFL concluded its Week 4 with a MNF doubleheader as the Pats/Chiefs game, postponed from Sunday to to COVID-19 issues, joined the regularly scheduled MNF game between the Falcons and Packers. New England played without Cam Newton but gave KC fits most of the way (trailed just 13-10 in the 4th quarter), before Mahomes' second TD pass and a "pick-six" by Tyrann Mathieu (just NINE seconds apart), led KC to a 26-10.Green Bay beat Atlanta 30-16, as Aaron Rodgers threw for 327 yards with four TDs. The Chiefs and Packers are both 4-0, joining the Bills and Seahawks as the NFL's lone 4-0 teams. The Steelers and Titans are each 3-0 but had their game postponed Sunday. The Falcons' MNF loss dropped them to 0-4, joining the Giants, Jets and Texans. The Jets and Titans are also both 0-4 ATS, while the Falcons are 1-3 and the Giants a 'giddy' 2-2! Houston, which won the AFC South last season for the FOURTH time in the last five seasons, have seen enough of Bill O'Brien. He was not only head coach but was also the team's GM. He was fired Monday afternoon with associate head coach Romeo Crennel named as the team's interim head coach. Now that's the 'ticket!' Crennel's record as an NFL head coach is 28-55 (.337) in five-plus seasons with the Browns and Chiefs!Home teams went 2-0 SU and ATS on Monday night, after opening the week going 4-9 SU and 2-10-1 ATS. Week 4's first 13 games averaged 54.2 PPG but with totals being adjusted higher, saw six games go over, five go under and two fall "on the closing number." Both Monday games went under. Home teams are barely over .500 SU on the season at 25-22, while going just 20-25-2 ATS (Home dogs are 4-13 SU and 7-8-2 ATS). Overs still lead unders at 26-19-2 (57.8%). NFL Week 5 kicks off Thursday night when the 3-1 Bucs (what a comeback by Brady on Sunday when he threw five TD passes!) visit the 3-1 Bears, whose options at QB are either Foles or Trubisky.NBA Finals: The Miami Heat reached this year's NBA Finals as the East's No. 5 to face the LA Lakers, the West's No. 1 seed. Miami is the first team seeded fifth or lower to reach the NBA Finals since the eighth-seeded New York Knicks lost to San Antonio in 1999. The last team seeded fifth or lower to win an NBA title was Houston in 1995, when it beat Orlando as the West's No. 6 seed. The Lakers rolled in Game 1 by the score of 116-98 and took Game 2 by 10 points (124-114), as Miami was with Dragic and Adebayo. Despite playing without those two starters in Game 3, Miami's starters outscored the Lakers' starting five 89-51 and Jimmy Butler played "the game of his life," with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. Butler became the 21st player to have a triple-double in the NBA Finals but it was just the third 40-point triple-double in Finals history. LBJ played a typical game in Sunday's loss (25-10-8), as he's averaging 27.7-10.7-9.0 through three games. However, the Lakers committed 10 turnovers in the first quarter alone in Game 3, one more than they had total in Game 2. They finished the contest with 20, James being responsible for eight and Anthony Davis five. Davis, after scoring 34 and 32 points in the first two games, took just NINE shots and finished with only 15 points. LA's other three starters (Howard, Green and Caldwell-Pope), combined for a pathetic11 points on 3-0f-13 shooting (23.1%).Do we have a series now? We'll find out in tonight's Game 4, where the Lakers are 7 1/2-point favorites. The Heats are 13-5 SU this postseason (14-4 ATS), while the Lakers are 14-4 SU but 10-7-1 ATS. Playoff numbers to-date: Favorites are just 40-38-2 ATS , while the under has cashed in 46 of the 80 games (57.5 percent). For those following the "Zig-Zag" Theory (that means playing "on" the SU loser of the previous game), they've gone 30-32-2 ATS (45.6%) or minus-5.1 net units.MLB Playoffs: The AL gets things going on Monday. The A's got the better of the Astros 7-3 in the season series but fell in Game 1 of the ALDS, 10-5. The teams combined for six HRs (three each) but the Astros out-hit the A's 16-8, overcoming a 5-3 deficit to score the game's final SEVEN runs from the 6th-inning on. Game 1 between the Yankees and Rays was expected to be a pitchers duel between Cole and Snell. That wasn't the case. Cole was solid but hardly spectacular (6 IP/ 3 ERs / 8 Ks) and Snell had a less-than-impressive outing ( 5 IP / six hits, including 3 HRs / 4 ERs). It was 4-3 Yanks into the 9th when New York broke the game open on the strength of Stanton's grand slam. The Yanks would score FIVE runs in the top of the 9th for a 9-3 win and a 1-0 series lead. The Bronx Bombers became the first team in American League history to hit a grand slam in back-to-back playoff games, while setting a franchise record by hitting at least three HRs in three consecutive postseason games. New York's goal in Game 2, after recording 31 runs and a major league-record 11 HRs in their first three postseason contests. It's Valdez (Hou) vs Manaea (Oak) in Game 2 and the game is a pick-em and the total is 9. The Yankees send rookie Garcia up against the Rays Glasnow, with the Rays favored (-125) and the total set at 8.The NL 'joins the party' on Tuesday with Miami vs Atlanta at 2:08 ET from Houston. The second-seeded Braves did not surrender a run in their two-game sweep of Cincinnati over 22 innings, while the sixth-seeded Marlins allowed just ONE while sweeping the Chicago Cubs *Chicago batted .145 in the two games). Miami lost 105 games in 2019 and became the first team to reach the playoffs after a 100-loss season. The Marlins finished second in the NL East at 31-29 being beset by a virus outbreak early this season that forced 18 players from the field following the opening series and prevented them from playing for more than a week. Remember, the only other times the Marlins have reached the  postseason in their history, they won the World Series (in 1997 and 2003). It's Alcantara for Miami and Max Fried for Atlanta. Fried has made 12 starts in 2020 (including Game 1 of the wild card series) and the Braves have gone 11-1. It's no surprise that Atlanta is favored (-1950 in Game 1, with a total of 8.The teams with the two best records in the National League open tonight in Arlington at 9:38 ET, as the Dodgers, owners of MLB's best record (43-17) face the Padres, whose 37-23 record was second-best in the NL. The Dodgers won six of the 10 regular season matchups and will turn to Walker Buehler in Game 1, while the Padres have yet to announce a starter for Game 1. Top San Diego starters Mike Clevinger (elbow) and Dinelson Lamet (biceps/elbow) are still being considered for the NLDS roster after not participating in the wild-card round. The Padres pitched Chris Paddack and Zach Davies in the first two games of their series with the Cards but both 'flopped." The Padres then used NINE pitchers to craft a shutout in a deciding Game 3. The current odds have LA favored (-170) and the over/under at 8. BetAnySports has the Dodgers (-120) as significant favorites to win the NL pennant, followed by the Braves (+355), the Padres (+370) and the long-shot Marlins (+876).Good luck...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 06, 2020

The NBA Finals and the MLB Divisional playoffs feature on the Tuesday card.Game 4 of the NBA Finals take place at 9 PM ET after Miami won their first game in this series on Sunday with their 115-104 upset victory the Lakers as a 9-point underdog. Jimmy Butler put his team on his shoulders by scoring 40 points while adding 13 assists and 11 rebounds for his first triple-double in the playoffs in his career. That was a throwback performance for Butler when considering that none of his points came from a made 3-pointer. The Heat won that game despite not having the services of Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo. Dragic remains doubtful for tonight with his foot injury, but Adebayo has been upgraded to questionable. Adebayo was claiming that he wanted to play on Sunday despite his neck injury, but the Miami staff decided against it. With another two days of rest and healing, Adebayo may return to the court tonight. It remains uncertain for how long he will play along to what level of effectiveness he can perform. ABC has the broadcast. The Lakers are 7.5-point favorites with the total set at 218.5 (all lines from BetAnySports).The first of four MLB playoff games start at 2:08 PM ET with the Miami Marlins playing the Atlanta Braves in the opening game of their best-of-five series. The Marlins send out Sandy Alcantara as their starting pitcher with the Braves countering with Max Fried. This series takes place in the National League bubble at Minute Maid Park in Houston, with Atlanta designated the technical home team who will bat last. The Braves are -192 money-line favorites with the total set at 8. FS1 has the broadcast.The Houston Astros look to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five series at 4:37 PM ET against the Oakland A’s. The Astros won the Game 1 of this series yesterday with their 10-5 victory. Houston will use Framber Valdez as their starting pitcher with the A’s countering with Sean Manaea. This series will be played in the Los Angeles bubble at Dodgers Stadium, with Oakland batting last as the home team. The A’s are -107 money-line favorites with the over/under at 8. TBS has the broadcast. The second game of the New York Yankees/Tampa Bay Rays series tales place at 8:10 PM ET. The Yankees won Game 1 last night with their 9-3 victory. They will use Deivi Garcia as their starting pitche, with the Rays giving the ball to Tyler Glasnow. Tampa Bay is a -124 money-line favorite with the total set at 8. The Rays are the home team tonight playing in the San Diego bubble. TBS has the broadcast.The final MLB game tonight takes place at 9:38 PM ET in the opening contest of the San Diego Padres/Los Angeles Dodgers series. The Dodgers send out Walker Buehler with Padres’ manager Jayce Tingler finally settling on Mike Clevinger as his starting pitcher for this game. Los Angeles is the technical home team, with this game being played in the Arlington, Texas bubble.  The Dodgers are a -151 money-line favorite with the total set at 8 runs. FS1 will televise the game. 

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What is a Prop Bet?

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 06, 2020

What is a prop bet? Sports betting is a fun activity for many, as it should be.  Some go too far and take unnecessary risks, yet most bettors know their limits and know how to enjoy themselves.  Whether you're placing a moneyline bet on the Patriots, a point spread bet on the Golden State Warriors, or whatever your bet might be, the essential factor is whether you enjoy yourself.  Enjoyment, after all, is what started sports betting in the first place.One of the most entertaining forms of wagering is utilizing prop betting, short for proposition betting.  A prop bet is a wager based on occurrences and non-occurrences during a sporting event.  That ranges from wagers on individual players, referees, team milestones, or completely irrelevant events.  Anything that you could think of in a sporting event can be wagered on.  We'll dive into some examples of very exotic, and seemingly absurd bets, on which thousands of bettors will lay money.Prop betting is especially for those who do not take sports betting too seriously but are willing to take a risk now and then.  Nevertheless, some severe sports bettors see prop bets as a form of serious handicapping which could lead to a nice payout.  In this betting guide, we'll show you the ins-and-outs of prop betting! What kind of proposition bets are there? Short answer:  a lot of them!  When the Super Bowl became more popular over the years, prop bets gained traction simultaneously.  The first major explosion in popularity of proposition bets happened in Las Vegas -- the Westgate Superbook to be precise.  The Westgate was the first sportsbook to offer a large number of prop bets for the Super Bowl.  Soon thereafter, all Las Vegas sportsbooks offered hundreds of prop bets.  Now, prop bets are so popular that they’re offered on all the other major leagues like the NHL, NBA, MLB; and in the regular season, too.Prop bets can be created for any non-game related event in a sporting event.  That means things apart from which team wins an individual game, such as: Will the Los Angeles Lakers make the playoffs? Will Mike Trout be voted as the MVP this year? Will Alabama have more than five players selected in the 1st round of the NFL draft? Besides that, there are more serious bets like the number of rushing yards, passing yards, touchdowns or field goals scored by an individual player; which team scores first; or whether there will be a score in the final two minutes.  There are many bets you can make, and bookmakers know this and will attempt to offer as many bets as possible.  Some bookmakers, like MyBookie and Xbet, even allow their bettors to create and customize their own prop bets on a player’s performance!  All you need to do is choose your bet type, player, and statistic, and the odds for your bet are calculated.Exotic prop betsWhen we take it up a notch, we arrive at the exotic prop bets.  These are the bet types that sometimes do not even have anything to do with the actual sporting event, but they are enjoyable to wager on anyways.  Some examples could be: The length of the national anthem during the Super Bowl The result of a coin toss What color of Gatorade will be poured on the winning team’s coach? Who will be the first MLB coach fired during the season? But these are all still sports-related.  Exotic prop betting goes further than sports.  What about betting on who will be the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee in 2020 (I bet on Kamala Harris at +150 at Bovada), or which color dress a person wears during a Royal Wedding, or which actor will play the next James Bond.  You name it, and people will be wagering. ​How to get started with prop betting With all of the different bet types, it might feel a little overwhelming.  There are so many opportunities, and online sportsbooks add new prop bets daily.  So where do you start, how do you get good at prop betting, and should you implement prop betting in your sports betting strategy?  That's totally up to you as it isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.  But if it is, we'll show you how to find the best prop bets, and make the most money.When you are orienting yourself about the possibilities of prop betting, you should keep in mind that prop betting offers another avenue when you're unsure about the final outcome of a matchup.  Imagine a thrilling matchup between the Rockets and the Knicks.  You're uncertain what the final outcome will be, and you don't dare to bet the point total, but you're convinced about one thing:  James Harden will torch the defensively-challenged Knicks.  That means you could wager on Harden being the top scorer in the match.Individual player props are bets that might seem easy to wager, but they're difficult to predict.  Some prop bets require substantial knowledge of the matchup, while others have a pure 50/50 chance of success.  With any prop bet, look at your chances to see if the odds are worth it.  Then, you'll notice that a prop bet is made in the same way as any other bet.  Here’s an example of an NFL Super Bowl 54 prop bet at BookMaker:Tyreek Hill total passing yards in Super Bowl 54 Over 75.5 Yards -110 Under 75.5 Yards -110 How to read proposition bet oddsTo display the way proposition bet odds work, we'll show you another example of a traditional prop bet in the NFL.  Let's say your bet shop offers the following betting lines:First touchdown scorer in the Packers/Eagles matchup: Davante Adams +350 Aaron Jones +400 Zach Ertz +650 Miles Sanders +1100 As you can see here, the odds for this type of prop bet can be rather long.  That's because the chance to make the correct prediction is far less.  To illustrate how big your payout might be, we'll use two examples from this prop bet: When you wager $100 on Davante Adams, and he scores the first touchdown, you earn $350 on top of your initial stake of $100, for a total payout of $450. When you wager $100 on Miles Sanders, and he scores the first touchdown, you earn $1,100 on top of your initial stake of $100, for a total payout of $1,200. The odds are not that different from any other bet apart from the fact that they are bigger and more substantial than a regular moneyline wager.  However, they also work with the American odds, similar to any other wager type you might already know. Proposition bets vs. futures bets Often proposition bets are confused with futures bets, as they are very similar.  However, a futures bet is a bet on an event which will occur later in time, with intervening events scheduled between the present time, and the date of that future event.  So, other competitions yet to be played could impact a futures bet.  A classic example would be to pick the winner of the Super Bowl or World Series prior to the start of the regular season.A proposition bet, in contrast, is not impacted by another competition.  It’s on an event which is already scheduled, with no other game for its participants between the time of the bet and the event date.  Because futures bets can be greatly impacted by other events that have yet to take place, they will have relatively longer odds, since the chance of success is typically smaller than with a prop bet. What is the best sportsbook for prop bets? You might be convinced when you place your prop bet that you cannot lose.  And that’s part of the fun.  We know it from our own experience.  Sometimes, however, you might be sure that something was going to happen, but you didn’t know where you could bet on it.  If that’s ever been your situation, we’re here to help.  The competition in the sports betting industry is no doubt intense.  There are hundreds of sportsbooks, so it might be challenging to find the right place to wager.  You don't want to settle for the first sportsbook that you see when searching your way around the web -- that's not smart.  We want to help you find the right sportsbook with the following steps: Search for the available sportsbooks.  There are lots of them, so don't settle for the first one you see.  We have a ton of reviews on reliable and trustworthy sportsbooks that will lead you in the right direction.  However, it doesn't mean these sportsbooks are the right fit for you, so continue with the following step. When you arrive at an online sportsbook, do a quick check of its user interface to see how you feel.  Is it well-designed, modern and intuitive?  (Bovada and MyBookie are quite good in this regard.) After you’re comfortable with a sportsbook’s website, check to see if it has a generous welcome bonus, and other good customer rewards like reload bonuses.  We particularly like BetNow’s sign-up and reload bonuses, as they’re the best in the industry. If you’re particularly interested in prop bets, then head over to the section where the prop bets are to see what’s on offer.  Are there enough options for your needs?  Can you find the matchups that you're interested in?  And, maybe most important of all, how are the odds?  Without a doubt, the best sportsbook for prop bets is BetAnySports (which also is our current #1-rated sportsbook), as its menu is the most extensive, and its odds are the very best, as well.   Rounding out the Top 3 sportsbooks for prop bets would be Bovada and MyBookie. Once you’ve picked your sportsbook, then head over to its deposit section to search for your preferred banking methods.  Then nothing is stopping you from placing that first wager! There's always more to look at when analyzing sportsbooks, but our most significant advice is simply to try your options.  Additionally, it doesn't hurt to have multiple accounts.  Having multiple accounts will allow you to shop around for the best odds, which is always smart!  Even though the odds on prop bets are usually very welcoming, shopping for the best ones will increase your profit!We've shown you all it takes to start pursuing your career as a prop bettor. It's fun, so go ahead and place your first prop bet.  Who knows -- you might turn out to be an oracle who predicts the next President, which celebrity will kick the bucket next, or which team will win next year’s Super Bowl!

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Oct 05, 2020

Two NFL games along with the two opening games of the MLB American League Divisional Series feature on the Monday card.The New England/Kansas City game in the NFL was moved to Monday when both teams had a player test positive for COVID-19. No further positive tests have taken place so this game will kick off at 7:05 PM ET on CBS.The Patriots enter this game following their 36-20 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders last week. They will be without Cam Newton who was the player who tested positive for COVID on Saturday. Brian Hoyer will be the starting quarterback for New England. Kansas City takes the field again after their 34-20 upset win at Baltimore on Monday Night Football. The Chiefs are 12-point favorites with the total set at 48.5 (all odds provided by BookMaker). The Monday Night Football matchup on ESPN this week features two teams that have already broken NFL records this season. Green Bay is the first team in NFL history to score at least 35 points in their first three games of the season without turning the ball over once. The Packers come off a 37-30 upset victory at New Orleans in last week’s game on Sunday Night Football.Atlanta’s new NFL record is too reminiscent of the epic collapse in the Super Bowl in 2017 where they squandered their 28-3 second-half lead to the New England Patriots. The Falcons have become the first team in NFL history to surrender leads of at least 15 points in the 4th quarter in two straight games. Two weeks ago, Atlanta raced to a 20-0 lead in the opening quarter in Dallas and held a 39-24 lead with less five minutes to go in the 4th quarter. Yet a series of blunders that including a pineapple onside kick and a time-expiring successful field goal left the Falcons with a 40-39 loss. Atlanta responded last week by racing out to a 26-10 lead at home against Chicago before allowing 20 unanswered points in the final 6 1/2 minutes of that game to lose to the Bears by a 30-26 score. That loss leaves the Falcons winless on the season and desperate to avoid an irrecoverable 0-4 start to the season. Injuries will play a significant role in this game. Atlanta expects wide receivers Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley to play tonight. But the Packers’ star wide receiver Davante Adams will not take the field tonight despite taking part in the last two team practices. The Falcons’ secondary is ravaged with injuries with Ricardo Allen, Keanu Neal, A.J. Terrell, and Darqueze Dennard all out for this game. Green Bay has a host of injuries as well with wide receiver Allen Lazard going on injured reserve this week. Linebacker Christian Kirksey was the 6th player to go on IR this season. A handful of players remain questionable on game day. With the move of the New England/Kansas City game to Monday night at 7:05 PM ET, kickoff for this game has been moved back to 8:50 PM ET. BookMaker has the Packers as 5-point favorites with a total of 56.5. ESPN has the broadcast.The American League Divisional Series begins on Monday with the Houston Astros playing the Oakland A’s. This game will be played on a neutral field at the Dodgers Stadium in the Los Angeles bubble for AL teams. The Astros swept the Minnesota Twins in the AL wildcard playoffs. They send out Lance McCullers as their starting pitcher. The right-hander had a 3-3 record with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. Oakland outlasted the Chicago White Sox in three games to advance to the ALDS. They will counter with Chris Bassitt who was 5-2 with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. The A’s are priced as a -123 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5. TBS has the broadcast with the first pitch at 4:07 PM ET. The nightcap game on TBS has the New York Yankees playing the Tampa Bay Rays at 8:07 PM ET. The Yankees swept the Cleveland Indians in the wildcard round. They give the ball to Gerrit Cole who was 7-3 with a 2.84 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in twelve regular-season starts. The Rays swept the Toronto Blue Jays to reach the ALDS. They send out Blake Snell who was 4-2 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in eleven regular-season starts. New York is priced as a -152 moneyline favorite with the total set at 7.

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Ness Notes: Monday, Oct 5

by Larry Ness

Monday, Oct 05, 2020

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."NFL Week 4 concluded with an unexpected MNF doubleheader. 2-1 New England and 3-0 Kansas City were scheduled to play Sunday but Patriots QB Cam Newton and Chiefs practice squad QB Jordan Ta'amu were added to the COVID-19 reserve list this weekend. The status of the game was "up in the air" but thankfully, further testing showed none of their teammates were infected with the virus. Therefore, the game will be played Monday night 7:05 ET (CBS). The regularly scheduled MNF game featuring 0-3 Atlanta and 3-0 Green Bay has been bumped back 45 minutes and will now kick off at 8:50 on ESPN. The Chiefs are favored by 10 1/2-points (were about a TD favorite against Cam) and the Packers are favored by 6 1/2-points. Complete NFL Week 4 recap with Tuesday's notes.NBA Finals Update: Do we have a series? The Lakers routed the Heat in Game 1 (116-98) and then took Game 2 by the score of 124-114, as Miami's Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo both sat out with injuries. Dragic and Adebayo did not play in Game 3 either but Jimmy Butler played "the game of his life," with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, as the Heat beat the Lakers 115-104 last night to get within 2-1. Miami's starters outscored the Lakers' starting five 89-51. Butler became the 21st player to have a triple-double in the NBA Finals but it was just the third 40-point triple-double in Finals history. BTW...LBJ has a Finals-best 10 triple-doubles. Game 4 is set for Tuesday night but unlike in Games 2 (LA closed as a 10 1/2-point favorite) and 3 (LA - 9 1/2), the early line has LA favored by 7  1/2-points. More on the NBA in Tuesday's Notes.MLB: All SEVEN Central Division teams lost in the wild card round, going a combined 2-14. No team was more disappointing than the Twins, who have now lost an incomprehensible 18 consecutive postseason games with a total of seven rounds lost. However, the Twins weren't alone, as two NL Central teams gave pathetic offensive efforts. The Cubs (NL Central champs) lost 5-1 and 2-0 to the Marlins, batting .145 as a team. Chicago saw Javier Baez, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo combine to go 0 for 12 Friday's loss, finishing the series 1 for 24. The trio is 19 for 142 (.134) with 52 strikeouts and six walks in the postseason since the 2016 World Series title as Chicago has lost nine of 13. Not to be 'outdone,' the Reds were swept by the Braves, scoring just ONE run over 22 innings of two games, batting .194 as a team. Good Riddance Central division teams.All four Division Series feature matchups between division rivals. The AL teams open Monday, with Houston and Oakland playing at Dodgers Stadium (4:07 ET) and the NY Yankees and Tampa Bay playing at Petco Park in San Diego (8:07 ET). The NL 'joins the party' on Tuesday, as Miami and Atlanta hook up in Houston and San Diego and the LA Dodgers meet in Arlington.AL preview: The Houston Astros opened the 2020 season off three straight seasons of 100-plus wins (101, 103 and 107), making the World Series in 2017 and 2019 (won the first, lost the second). The team's season figured to be marred by criticism of "sign stealing" but COVID-19 pushed all other storylines to the 'back-burner.' The Astros opened 15-10 but would go 14-21 the rest of the way and became one of two teams to make the 2020 postseason field with a losing record (29-31). The Astros drew a great wild card matchup in Minnesota, whose postseason 'nightmare' continued. Houston eliminated the Twins 2-0, as the Twins have now lost an incomprehensible 18 consecutive postseason games with a total of seven rounds lost. Houston manager Dusty Baker, who took his fifth different team to the playoffs with the Astros, advanced for the first time in seven rounds since winning the 2003 NLDS with the Chicago Cubs. The Oakland A's won the AL West in 2020 for the first time since 2013. The AL West champions lost the opener of its wild card series 4-1 to the White Sox but then won on consecutive days at home in Games 2 and 3 (5-3 and 6-4), advancing to an ALDS against the rival Houston Astros. Oakland snapped a NINE-game losing streak in winner-take-all postseason games, a major league record that dated to the 1973 World Series. The A's had lost six straight playoff series since sweeping Minnesota in the 2006 ALDS, starting with when Detroit swept Oakland in that year's ALCS. It was a humongous relief for a club that won 97 games each of the past two seasons only to lose the division to Houston and then the AL wild card game both years. The A's got the better of the Astros 7-3 in the season series but it should be noted that they had the advantage of getting eight of the 10 games at home. Lance McCullers (3-3, 3.93 ERA in the regular season) gets the start for Houston and Chris Bassitt (5-2, 2.29 ERA) for Oakland. The A's are -135 and the total is 8.I don't want to compare the Yankees/Rays rivalry with the Red Sox/Yankees but the disdain the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees share for each other is hardly a secret. Tampa Bay claimed its third-ever division title by winning EIGHT of 10 regular season meetings, outscoring the Yankees 47-34. Tensions boiled over in the ninth inning of New York's 5-3 win back on Sep 1 at Yankee Stadium, when closer Aroldis Chapman threw a 101 mph fastball up and in at infielder Michael Brosseau's head, nearly prompting a benches-clearing incident. Now, after some hostile moments in the regular season, the stakes are significantly higher in this five-game ALDS. Petco Park has been known as a pitchers' park and it seems only fitting that the team's two aces will square off. Gerrit Cole (7-3, 2.84 ERA in the regular season) takes the mound for New York, while Tampa Bay counters with Blake Snell (4-2, 3.24 ERA). The Yankees are favored in Game 1 (-145) and the total is 7. BetAnySports has the Yankees as a slight favorite to win the AL pennant (+187), followed by Tampa Bay (+197), Oakland (+375) and Houston (+432). NL preview on Tuesday.A typical Monday would feature a recap of the CFB weekend but I'll combine that recap with my upcoming CFB weekend preview in Thursday's Notes.Good luck...Larry

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NBA Finals Report: Can History Repeat Itself?

by Ben Burns

Monday, Oct 05, 2020

We've got a series! I really didn't think that the Heat would go down without a fight. Jimmy Butler made sure that they didn't. All Butler did, in willing his team to victory, was put up the third 40-point-triple-double in NBA Finals history. Butler would finish with 40 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. The series now sits at 2-1. Game 4 goes Tuesday. So, what should we expect? Can Jimmy Buckets and the Heat do it again? History hasn't been kind to teams that go down 2-0 in the Finals. However, the Heat have their own history. Think back to 2006. Facing Dallas, as they did against LA, the Heat lost the first two games by double-digits. Then Dwayne Wade came to life. Miami eked out a 2-point win in Game 3. Then, the Heat blew out the Mavericks in Game 4. It was their only lopsided victory of the series. Wade and co. would complete the improbable comeback by winning Game 5 and Game 6 by a combined four points. Can history repeat itself? Are there any similarities between this year's team and that 2006 squad? The big one is that Wade and Butler both went to Marquette. Both the former Golden Eagles are players who refuse to "go down easy." As for history repeating itself, the problem with that is that these Lakers are arguably much better than the 2006 Mavs. Regardless of what happens, with the Heat now "believing that they belong," the series has sure gotten a lot more interesting. 

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NFL Monday Night Football: Packers/Falcons Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Oct 05, 2020

The Monday Night Football matchup on ESPN this week features two teams that have already broken NFL records this season.Green Bay is the first team in NFL history to score at least 35 points in their first three games of the season without turning the ball over once. The second-year of the collaboration between head coach Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers has produced an offense that is scoring 40.7 points per game while averaging 459.7 yards per game. Not only are the Packers leading the league in scoring but they also lead the NFL by averaging 6.9 yards per play. Rodgers may be playing behind the best offensive line in his career. He has been sacked just twice in his first three games on only 1.9% of his dropbacks which is the 2nd lowest mark in the league. LaFleur has helped Rodgers expand his passing game by committing to a rushing attack that is averaging 31 attempts per game which so far is resulting in 177 rushing yards per game. Atlanta’s new NFL record is too reminiscent of the epic collapse in the Super Bowl in 2017 where they squandered their 28-3 second-half lead to the New England Patriots. The Falcons have become the first team in NFL history to surrender leads of at least 15 points in the 4th quarter in two straight games. Two weeks ago, Atlanta raced to a 20-0 lead in the opening quarter in Dallas and held a 39-24 lead with less five minutes to go in the 4th quarter. Yet a series of blunders that including a pineapple onside kick and a time-expiring successful field goal left the Falcons with a 40-39 loss. Atlanta responded last week by racing out to a 26-10 lead at home against Chicago before allowing 20 unanswered points in the final 6 1/2 minutes of that game to lose to the Bears by a 30-26 score. That loss leaves the Falcons winless on the season and desperate to avoid an irrecoverable 0-4 start to the season. Matt Ryan is doing his part on offense. He has thrown for 961 passing yards this year which is the 3rd most in the NFL. He has 7 touchdown passes along with two interceptions. Rodgers has 887 passing yards with a 67% completion percentage with 9 touchdown passes and no interceptions. He should have success throwing against a Falcons pass defense that is 31st in the NFL by allowing 350.3 passing yards per game. But the Packers defense has been accommodating to opposing quarterbacks this season as well with the 3rd highest opponent passer rating of 113.4 in the league. Injuries will play a significant role in this game. The good news for both teams is that Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Green Bay’s Davante Adams seem likely to take the field for this game after both did not play last week. Adams took part in the team’s last two practices so he should play. Jones took part in limited practices this week but given the desperation, the Falcons face in this game, expect him to give it a go. Yet Atlanta has wide receiver Calvin Ridley questionable for this game with an ankle injury. Ryan will likely need Ridley since the Falcons’ secondary is ravaged with injuries with Ricardo Allen, Keanu Neal, A.J. Terrell, and Darqueze Dennard all out for this game. Green Bay has a host of injuries as well with wide receiver Allen Lazard going on injured reserve this week. Linebacker Christian Kirksey was the 6th player to go on IR this season. A handful of players remain questionable on game day. With the move of the New England/Kansas City game to Monday night at 7:05 PM ET, kickoff for this game has been moved back to 8:50 PM ET. BookMaker has the Packers as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 56.5. ESPN has the broadcast.

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What is Sports Handicapping?

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Oct 05, 2020

What is sports handicapping?Sports fans worldwide find joy in getting together to watch their favorite team.  You might have watched your first game when you were a little kid, but when you grow older, that fascination turns into a genuine passion.  You start to go to the games more often and decide it's time to get familiar with everything behind the sports.You get familiar with the statistics and see the business side behind each club.  Simultaneously, you get familiar with the sports betting industry, and all of a sudden, you're hooked.  Any sports fan out there must be intrigued by the possibility to earn money through his sports knowledge.  It must be exciting to know that, the more you watch sports, the more you read about the leagues, and the more research you do, the more money you can make.  That's how sports bettors are born.After wagering with some small bets here and there, you'll immediately notice there's more to it than just trying your luck.  When you want to become a serious bettor, it's necessary to develop a sustainable strategy which doesn't entirely depend on luck.  One term that's familiar to those who bet on sports is handicapping.  Handicapping is the method to calculate a team’s scoring advantage (or disadvantage) in order to project by how much a team might win (or lose).  Once the scoring differential is calculated, then one can assess the point spread and/or moneyline odds to determine whether a side has value.In this betting guide, we'll take you through everything there is to handicapping.  It's possible to become a handicapper yourself, and we'll have a look at some of the expert handicappers out there.  Whatever you do, stick to your plan and never wager more than you're comfortable losing. How to get started with handicapping To get your handicapping career started, it's essential to paint a clear picture of handicapping.  The definition as given by multiple sources is the following:  "the practice of assigning advantage through scoring compensation, or other advantage given to different contestants, to equalize the chances of winning." It should be clear that handicapping is a widespread term that's thrown around the industry a lot.  You have handicappers, handicapping services, 'cappers, you name it.  Indeed, you’ve probably heard the term “handicap” in sports as disparate as horse racing and golf.  In horse racing, a “handicap race” is a race in which horses carry different weights, allocated by the handicapper.  A better horse will carry a heavier weight, to give it a disadvantage when racing against slower horses.  Thus, the chances of the horses are equalized.  Likewise, in golf, a handicap is a numerical measure of a golfer's potential which is used to level the playing field so lesser golfers can compete against better players.  As you can see, there's a lot to explain about handicapping, but we'll focus merely on sports handicapping.Handicapping is done by oddsmakers in many sports:  the professional sports leagues like the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, but also college football, college basketball, horse racing, golf, bowling, and many other sports.  Indeed, in any sport where one contestant has an advantage over another, oddsmakers will come up with a solution to give bettors on both sides a relatively equal chance to win. Handicapping example When referring to handicapping in sports betting, we're usually referring to handicappers who focus on major sports like the NFL or the NBA.  After the oddsmakers assign a point spread, handicappers will research the matchup to determine on which (if any) side the value lies, with respect to the point spread, or moneyline.  In theory, each team will have a relatively equal chance to cover the point spread.  But, based on one’s handicapping, that might not be the case.Let's take an example of an NFL match between the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys.  This sporting event was supposed to be a close contest, but let's say the Cowboys lost their two most talented players to an injury.  You're now sure the Patriots will win the game in a blowout, but the -450 moneyline odds are prohibitive, so you don’t want to lay the big number.   It doesn't make sense to bet on the Patriots, straight-up.  But there’s another option offered by the bookmakers, and that’s the point spread bet.  Here, the Patriots are the favorite, while the Cowboys are the underdog.  Your betting lines could look something like this: New England Patriots -10 Dallas Cowboys +10 With a point spread bet, the chance to win is relatively equal on both ends.  Since the -450 moneyline odds would have been too risky, it might make sense to lay 10 points with the Patriots, at -110 odds.  That's where handicapping comes in.  How to become a sports handicapper When you're serious about sports betting and want to go beyond betting moneyline wagers or trying an occasional parlay wager, you're up for handicapping.  It takes a while to become a professional handicapper, but it's certainly possible.  To get you started the right way, here are a few steps you can take; Dive into the statistics The most critical factor in handicapping is to immerse yourself in statistics.  When you're predicting which team will win a specific game, you can always make a proper guess, and get lucky.  With handicapping, however, a lot more skill and effort is required.  In essence, the handicapping industry is all about the bettors against the sportsbooks.  Note that sportsbooks are often referred to as 'Las Vegas' since there's a large concentration of different sportsbooks located in that city.When you start with your research, it might feel a bit overwhelming at first.  To give you a better handle, try to review some of the following statistics first: Team stats for the season Player stats for the season Home and away records Matchup history Against the spread records Recent form Individual positional matchups Scheduling advantage/disadvantage Coaching changes and strategy for the game This is a great starting point to making your analysis for any sporting event.  By doing all of this research, your goal is to find something the oddsmakers might have overlooked, in order to get an edge. Understand what value is when you see it When handicapping, you're betting against Las Vegas, which means you are against the sportsbooks.  With any matchup, there could be a difference between how you view it and how the sportsbooks see it.  There are a lot of games every single week.  On a Saturday in November, you might have eight NBA games, 9 in the NHL, 55 in College Football, and over 100 in College Basketball.  When you're not bound to one specific sport, there are an awful lot of possibilities.  And that's why you don't want to settle for the first matchup you come across.When you’re a serious handicapper, you’re looking for the best bets only.  Of course, anyone wants the best bets, but not everyone finds them.  You're here to manage your bankroll the right way and go for a sustainable betting career, so don't settle for the first bet you see.  Scroll through the statistics, and wait until you see a perfect fit.  Keep track of all the data, and wait for the perfect moment to dive in.  It might require some patience but, to keep a healthy bankroll and stay at this for a long time, it's essential only to bet the best bets.  Shop around for the best lines When you're an experienced gambler, you fully understand you're betting against the house, and that the house -- via the standard -110 odds -- has a built-in advantage.  But there are ways to chip away at the disadvantage conferred by the -110 odds.  The easiest way to do this is to bet at an online sportsbook which offers reduced juice.  Our current #1-rated sportsbook is BetAnySports, which offers -105 odds on football and basketball games, rather than -110.  That is a huge advantage for a gambler.  You might ask why BetAnySports chooses to reduce its juice (and, thus, its profit).  It’s because there are hundreds of sportsbooks that are out there.  And all of these sportsbooks compete with each other to attract you as a bettor.  So, you can use this competitive behavior to get the best odds.  Similarly, sportsbooks also offer different lines on a game.  One might have the Steelers favored by 7 points over the Browns, while another sportsbook might set the line at minus 6.  When you’re a professional gambler, it’s imperative to have accounts at multiple (at least three) sportsbooks to shop for the best number, which increases your profit.  In addition to BetAnySports, other sportsbooks that have unique odds, and are great for shopping lines include BetNow and Bovada. What is a handicapping service? When you're betting on sports, you'll likely come across professional handicappers.  These are people who research sports events, and publish their advice.  These publications are called sports picks, and they are sold all across the internet.  It might seem appealing since you don't have to put in the long hours of doing the research yourself, but be careful to only work with a reputable handicapper.  How to select a handicapping service When considering working with a handicapping service or trying out an expert's picks, be smart and do your research.  There are many things to consider, of course, but here are some of the most important: How long has the handicapper been in business?  The longer, the better. Does the handicapper have bona fides?  Are his career achievements noteworthy? Is the handicapper’s analysis logical and sound?  Or is his reasoning faulty? Does the handicapper admit to having a losing day?  Honesty is paramount. The bottom line is that it’s important to work with the best people in any field.  And when you find a handicapper you can trust, it will be worth a fortune. After reading this article, you now know anything there is to handicapping.  The one thing that's left is for you to gain experience.  We're here to provide you with any tips and advice you might need when it comes to sports betting, but it's you that needs to dive in to start wagering.  Have fun and enjoy the ride, because it can be a fun and profitable one!

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, EPL and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Oct 04, 2020

The Sunday features 12 games in the NFL, along with the NBA Finals and six games in the English Premier League. The NFL had to cancel two games given COVID-19 precautions impacting the Pittsburgh/Tennessee and New England/Kansas City contests. The NFL card kicks off at 1 PM ET with eight games. The national game on CBS features the Los Angeles Chargers traveling to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is a 7-point favorite with the total at 42.5 (all odds provided by BetOnline). The national game on Fox has the Cleveland Browns traveling to Dallas to face the Cowboys. Dallas is a 3.5-point favorite with the over/under set at 56.The second window of afternoon games begins at 4:05 PM ET with the New York Giants traveling to Los Angeles to play the Rams. Three more games kick off at 4:25 PM ET with the nationally televised game on CBS being the Indianapolis Colts facing the Bears in Chicago. This game was scheduled for 1 PM ET but was moved to this spot to replace the postponed New England/Kansas City game that was to be featured. The Colts are 3-point road favorites with the over/under at 43.Sunday Night Football features the Philadelphia Eagles traveling to the San Francisco 49ers. Philadelphia settled for a 23-23 tie last week at home against Cincinnati rather than attempt a long field goal with under a minute left in overtime. The Eagles are now 0-2-1 with games with Baltimore and Pittsburgh on deck after this game in San Francisco. The 49ers enter this game with a 2-1 record after their successful road trip to New Jersey over the last two weeks, where they defeated the Jets by a 31-13 score before blowing out the Giants last week at MetLife Stadium by a 36-9 margin. Both teams have been hit hard by injuries, with a handful of players status for this game in question. San Francisco is 7.5-point favorites with the total set at 45. NBC has the broadcast at 8:20 PM ET.The NBA playoffs continue on Sunday with Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead in this series on Friday with their 124-114 victory over Miami. The Heat’s Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic did not play in Game 2 with their shoulder and foot injuries. Miami’s second and third-leading scorers are questionable for tonight’s game. The Lakers are 9.5-point favorites with the total set at 219. ABC has the broadcast starting at 7:30 PM ET.The English Premier League has six fixtures scheduled for Sunday, with two matches starting at 7 AM ET. Two more matches begin at 9 AM ET featuring Fulham’s trip to Molineaux to face Wolverhampton to be broadcast on the NBC Sports Network. The Wolves are -1 goal-line favorites with a total of 2.25.Tottenham travels to Old Trafford to face Manchester United at 11:30 AM ET. Man United are -0.5 goal-line favorites with the total set at 2.5. The NBC Sports Network broadcasts the game.Gameweek 4 of the EPL concludes at 2:15 PM ET with Liverpool’s trip to Aston Villa. The reigning English Premier League champions are -1.5 goal-line favorites with the over/under at 3.

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NFL Sunday Night Football: 49ers/Eagles Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Oct 04, 2020

Week 4 of the NFL season has the Philadelphia Eagles traveling to the San Francisco 49ers. This game looked like a potential preview for the NFC Championship Game at one point. The complexion of this contest has changed after a disastrous start for the Eagles along with a rash of injuries impacting both teams.The stakes for Philadelphia for this game are high. The Eagles settled for a 23-23 tie last week at home against Cincinnati rather than attempt a long field goal with under a minute left in overtime. Philadelphia is now 0-2-1 on the season with tough games with Baltimore and Pittsburgh on deck after this game in San Francisco, so an 0-5-1 start has become a significant possibility for this team. After taking a 17-0 lead in their opening game against Washington, the Eagles were outscored by an 87 to 42 margin. Injuries have ravaged Philadelphia. Offensive tackle Jason Peters became the sixth player they put on injured reserve on Saturday. The Eagles have four other players out indefinitely while cornerback Trevor Williams, wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and cornerback Avonte Maddox are out for this game. Running back Miles Sanders and safety Rudy Ford were upgraded to probable for this game. Sanders has rushed for 190 yards in the last two games while averaging 5.0 yards-per-carry. His presence in the backfield will help quarterback Carson Wentz who is amidst the worst slump of his career. Wentz has a passer rating of 63.9, which is worst in the league of all qualifying quarterbacks. His 59% completion percentage is 28th for qualifying QBs this season. He is not getting much help from his offensive line, whose injuries have only worsened from Brandon Brooks being lost for the season in August to the move to put Johnson on IR on Saturday. Wentz still lacks a credible deep threat at wide receiver, which is the reason why they drafted Jalen Reagor out of TCU with their 1st round draft pick. Yet Reagor is one of their players on IR as he deals with a thumb injury. Wentz has been sacked 11 times, and he leads the NFL with seven turnovers, with six being interceptions. San Francisco is also dealing with a host of injuries, but they enter this game with a 2-1 record after their successful road trip to New Jersey over the last two weeks, where they defeated the Jets by a 31-13 score before blowing out the Giants last week at MetLife Stadium by a 36-9 margin. The 49ers have nine players on injured reserve, including cornerback Richard Sherman. Star defensive end Nick Bosa is out the season with a torn ACL. Another five players are out indefinitely. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, running back Raheem Mostert, and cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley and Akhello Witherspoon are unavailable for this game. The good news for Niners fans is that tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and running back Jerick McKinnon have been upgraded to probable to play in this game.These injuries did not slow down the San Francisco offense last week against the Giants. They gained 420 yards while controlling the time of possession for just under 40 minutes. Nick Mullens completed 25 of 36 passes for 343 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. Mullens is proving himself to be one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL. In his nine career starts, he has passed for 2620 yards. BookMaker has the 49ers as a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 45. NBC has the broadcast at 8:20 PM ET.

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What does ATS Mean in Betting?

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Oct 04, 2020

What does ATS mean in betting? Sports betting has been around for centuries and dates back to the old Chinese and Roman empires.  The moment sports became more organized, people started wagering on the matches, and sports betting flourished.  Throughout history, people have bet on everything from cockfights to gladiator matches, and everything in between.Nowadays, sports betting is a multi-billion dollar industry with bettors all around the globe wagering every single day.  With the industry growing, the types of bets grew as well.  Sportsbooks became more creative and looked beyond a simple moneyline wager.  The result is that sports bettors now have the opportunity to make moneyline bets, over/under bets, point spread bets, parlays, teasers, prop bets -- you name it -- if an oddsmaker can calculate the probability, you can likely bet on it.In this betting guide, we'll dive into point spread betting and especially the question:  what does ATS mean in betting?  It's a term that's thrown around the statistics board a lot, but what does it mean, and how can you use it when betting on sports.  Don't worry, we'll guide you through and get you started as an actual sports bettor! What is a point spread? Before we dive into the meaning of the term ATS, let's paint a clear picture of what point spread betting is.  You might not believe it, but it was a former math teacher named Charles McNeil who is credited with conceiving point spread betting.  He loved to wager on basketball and football games.  But in the 1920s and 1930s, gamblers were limited to just moneyline wagers.  So, bookmakers might install Notre Dame as a 4-1 favorite over Army, or USC as a 5-2 favorite over Stanford.  At that time, McNeil created a point system to determine, for example, by how many points USC might defeat Stanford.  And from his point system, he would decide whether or not to make a moneyline wager.  But McNeil also recognized that moneylines stifled gambling.  Many bettors didn’t want to risk $400 to win $100 on Notre Dame against Army.   He correctly deduced that a point spread betting system would be more popular with gamblers, so he opened his own bookmaking shop in Chicago in the 1940s.  He called it “wholesaling odds,” and would rate the two teams to come up with an estimate of the final margin of victory.  Bettors could choose either team, based on McNeil’s estimated number, and either take the points with the underdog, or lay the points with the favorite.  Chicagoans loved the new form of betting, and his bookmaking operation was wildly successful.  McNeil retired from bookmaking in 1950, but the point spread grew to become the dominant way Americans wager on sports.Today, oddsmakers publish point spread odds on all kinds of sports.  The most popular sports are still football and basketball.  However, bettors can now make run-line bets in baseball, puck-line bets in hockey, and goal-line bets in soccer. How to bet against the spread The point spread came into play to give both sides of a wager an equal playing field.  With a regular moneyline wager, the odds might be prohibitive in matchups between two unequal teams.  Gamblers are not fond of having to wager $900 dollars to win $100 on an NFL game.  However, if the point spread in that game was 13.5 points, and a gambler would only have to risk $110 to win $100, then the wager would be appealing. To illustrate further, let's look at the betting lines of an NFL match between the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. New England Patriots -5.5, -110 Pittsburgh Steelers +5.5, -110 With a point spread wager, you have a favorite and an underdog, similar to a moneyline wager.  However, you're wagering on the difference in points with the final score of the match.  That means there are two scenarios of how this bet can play out: To cover the spread, the New England Patriots need to win by more than 5.5 points. To cover the spread, the Pittsburgh Steelers need to win the game outright OR lose by less than 5.5 points. When either of these teams covers the spread, it means they would be assigned a win “against the spread” -- in short ATS.  If it was the first game of the season, then their ATS record would be 1-0 ATS, which means they covered the spread once and never failed to cover the spread.  You will see season records like 7-2 ATS for a specific team, like a college football team, in the statistics.  During the season, such a college football team would have covered the spread 7 times, and failed to cover the spread two times.Point spread betting in other sportsIt’s true that point spread betting is most popular in football and basketball, primarily because they’re the highest-scoring major sports.  In contrast, there aren’t a lot of runs scored in a baseball game, or goals scored in hockey or soccer games.  So, against the spread betting is actually less popular in those sports than moneyline wagers.  Still, in any sport where you have two teams competing against each other, you'll be able to bet the spread.  But they’re called “run-lines,” “puck-lines,” and “goal-lines” in those other sports, rather than point spreads.  The mechanics of betting the spread, though, in these sports is identical.  Typically, bookmakers will install the favored team as a 1.5-run favorite in baseball, or 1.5-goal favorite in hockey or soccer, and then adjust the moneyline odds from there.How to read point spread betting oddsWith most bet types, the odds are what it all comes down to.  You want to shop around for the best lines, and you also want to make sure the odds are the best you can get.  With a point spread, the betting odds are usually (but not always) -110.  A typical example of betting odds for a football game between the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers: Carolina Panthers -4.5 (-110) Green Bay Packers +4.5 (-110) The betting odds are the same (-110) for both teams.  Thus, there are two components of point spread betting odds. There’s the actual point spread (e.g., +4.5) and the moneyline odds (e.g., -110).  When betting on sports, you’ll notice that sportsbooks move their lines now and then in reaction to, and in anticipation of, bets placed by sports gamblers.  The numbers are in constant flux, and different sportsbooks will have different odds.  As a gambler, you always want the most favorable odds. That's why it's critical to have accounts at multiple sportsbooks.  Our advice is to have at least three sportsbooks to give yourself a good opportunity to get the best number.  And, ideally, you want accounts at sportsbooks that post unique odds -- that is, they’re not “followers” -- they don’t copy odds from other sportsbooks.  The best sportsbooks in this regard are BetAnySports, BetNow, Bovada, BetOnline, and BookMaker.How to calculate your point spread payoutFor many, ATS betting is something done for entertainment purposes.  However, we're betting to make some dollars here, so let's get down to business.  When you're comparing the odds at separate sportsbooks, you need to determine which sportsbook has the best odds for your particular wager.   To calculate your payout, we'll provide you with a short example to illustrate: Tampa Bay Buccaneers -6.5 (-115) San Francisco 49ers +6.5 (-105) In the betting lines above, you can see that the Buccaneers are the point spread favorite, while the 49ers are the underdog.  However, the odds for both teams are slightly different, as the sportsbook has moved the moneyline odds away from the standard -110 odds to try to attract more money on San Francisco.  This leaves you with two possibles outcomes of this game: You wager $115 on the Buccaneers to cover the spread.  The final score is 24-13 in favor of the Buccaneers, which means they cover the spread.  You win $100, and your total payout would be $215. You wager $105 on the 49ers to cover the spread.  The final score is 20-19 in favor of the Buccaneers, which means the Buccaneers failed to cover as a 6.5-point favorite. This means the 49ers cover the point spread, and you win $100. Your total payout would be $205. What are the terms you have to know in spread betting? When you're scrolling around social media or various sports betting portals, you will see many gambling-related terms.  It might feel a bit overwhelming at times since you're not entirely sure what they all mean.  You could call up your buddy who knows every term or head to google to get familiar.  We've constructed a short list of all the terms you should know when ATS betting. Against the spread (ATS):  This refers to the statistic that shows the ATS record of a particular team.  The ATS record is made up of the win/loss record in the games where the point spread was available. Cover the spread:  A team covers the spread when their margin of victory or defeat in the game was better than that predicted by the oddsmaker’s point spread. Handicapping:  Handicapping is the method to calculate a team’s scoring advantage (or disadvantage) in order to project by how much a team might win (or lose).  Handicappers are those bettors who engage in the process of handicapping. Half-point: The number of points for a point spread can be either whole or half-point numbers.  The use of half-points is a means to balance out the action, done by oddsmakers.  An additional benefit for the sportsbook is that half-points take away the possibility of a bet resulting in a push (tie), which sportsbooks prefer since they cannot earn their vigorish on bets that tie. Line moves:  The moment a game becomes available for wagering, you'll see a point spread for both teams.  Over time, as bettors put money on one team or another, or significant players are ruled out of the game due to health, the line can change. This movement of numbers is called line movement. Pk'em:  When two teams are so close to each other that there's no clear favorite or an underdog, you end up with a Pk'em game, or PK, for short.  In such games, whichever team wins straight-up will cover the point spread. Push: When a wager, after the application of the point spread, ends up as a tie, your bet will push.  This means that neither team covers the spread, and you will get a refund of your stake. Now that you’ve finished this betting guide, you have everything it takes to figure out what ATS means in sports betting and how to place your first point spread wager.  Any team has its own ATS record, but what will be your record?  Let's see how you will perform and know where you stand in comparison to other handicappers!  As always, happy betting!

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, EPL and Preakness Stakes Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Oct 03, 2020

College football dominates the Saturday card with the NBA Finals getting the day off and the MLB playoffs beginning the AL Divisional Series on Monday. 27 games between FBS teams make up the CFB card with 18 ranked teams in action. Seven games kick off the college football action at Noon ET. ABC televises Baylor traveling to West Virginia to face the Mountaineers. The Bears are 1.5-point favorites, with the total set at 54 (all college football odds from BookMaker). TCU travels to Texas in another Big-12 matchup to face the Longhorns. Texas is 10.5-point favorites against the Horned Frogs, with a total of 62.5. ESPN has Florida hosting South Carolina with the Gators 17-point favorites with a total of 57. Arkansas State travels to Coastal Carolina to face the Chanticleers on ESPN2. The Red Wolves are 3-point favorites with the total set at 65.Another nine games take place at the 3:30 PM ET-4 PM ET window. The premier game is on CBS in one of the two contests on the Saturday schedule featuring ranked opponents with 13th ranked Texas A&M traveling to Tuscaloosa to face the 2nd ranked Crimson Tide. The Aggies struggled last week in barely getting by a suspect Vanderbilt team by a 17-12 score. Alabama cruised to a 38-19 victory over Missouri in their opening game last Saturday. The Crimson Tide are 18-point favorites with a total of 54. North Carolina travels to Boston College to face the Eagles for the 3:30 PM ET game on ABC. The Tar Heels are 14-point favorites with the over/under at 54. Kansas State hosts Texas Tech on FS1 with the Wildcats a 1.5-point favorite coming on the heels of their upset victory over Oklahoma last week. The total is 63.5. ESPN2 has Memphis traveling to SMU with the Mustangs a 1-point favorite with the over/under at 76. Oklahoma State travels to Kansas to play the Jayhawks for the game on ESPN. The Cowboys are 23-point favorites with the total set at 54.5. At 4 PM ET, ESPN-U has FAU hosting Charlotte. The Owl are 6-point favorites with the over/under at 60.Ten games make up the final slate of games starting with Navy’s visit to the Air Force at 6 PM ET. The Midshipmen are 7-point favorites with the total set at 47.5. The CBS Sports Network broadcasts the game. Oklahoma looks to rebound from their upset loss to Iowa State last week when they travel to Ames to play Iowa State. The Sooners are 7.5-point favorites with the total set at 63. ABC has the broadcast. The marquee game on the card is the other game featuring two ranked teams. 7th ranked Auburn travels to Athens to face Georgia in the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. The 4th ranked Bulldogs are 7.5-point favorites with the total set at 44. ESPN has this battle of SEC rivals. The English Premier League begins their fourth week of the 2020-21 season with four matches on Saturday. Everton hosts Brighton at 10 AM ET with the Toffees a -0.75 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5 at BetOnLine. The NBC Sports Network broadcasts that game. The 12:30 PM ET game on NBC features the promoted Leeds United hosting Manchester City. Man City are -1.5 goal-line favorites with the over/under of 3.5 at BookMaker. The 145th Preakness Stakes will race on Saturday at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. Traditionally the second jewel in the Triple Crown, the rescheduling of the spring racing schedule has the Preakness as the final leg for the unique 2020 season. Tiz the Law spent most of the year as the Triple Crown favorite with those expectations intensifying after winning the Belmont Stakes. But Authentic upset Tiz the Law at the Kentucky Derby to spoil those plans. With Tiz the Law bypassing the Preakness Stakes without the Triple Crown at stake, Authentic is the clear favorite with the Bob Baffert-trained horse listed at 9-5 morning line odds. Art Collector is the second-favorite at 5-2 morning line odds in the horse’s debut in a Triple Crown race after a strong summer. Swiss Skydiver and Thousand Words are the two other single-digit favorites at 6-1 morning line odds. The Preakness Stakes remains a 1 3/16 mile race even though it is replacing the Belmont Stakes as the final Triple Crown leg which is traditionally a 1 1/2 mile challenge. NBC has the broadcast with post time set for 5:45 PM ET.

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