Articles

How does Sports Betting Work?

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Oct 15, 2020

How does sports betting work?People have been gambling in one way or another since societies have formed.  You could say being a bettor is one of the oldest professions of humankind.  In this day and age, the sports betting business has turned into a multi-billion industry which blankets virtually every single country on the planet.  Millions of people across the globe visit their bookies, whether it's online or offline, to place their bets.  And the industry is set to grow even bigger with the legalization of gambling in the United States.When you work with the right strategy, sports bettors can earn lots of cash.  But how does it work?  You came to the right place.  We'll teach you everything about sports betting there is to know.  From horse racing to vigorish -- all the terms and all the rules -- you need to be aware of to succeed as a sports bettor. What is a sportsbook? The hub of sports betting is the sportsbook.  You might have seen the word bookie, bet shop, betting site, or bookmaker pass by; it's all the same.  They indicate the business at which you can place bets on your favorite matchups.  Now, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different sportsbooks.  Prior to the internet, you would have to visit one of the counters at grand casinos, bet shops, horse tracks or arenas to place a bet.  These days, you have hundreds of online sportsbooks that you can access without ever having to leave your home.How to find the right sportsbookAs mentioned before, there is a huge variety when it comes to sportsbooks, both online and brick-and-mortar.  It might be hard to find your way in picking the right place for your bets.  The thing is, you should ask yourself what kind of bettor you want to become.  Do you want to bet every now and then for fun, or are you chasing a professional career as a sports bettor?  That might vary for some, but here are some general rules to determine whether a sportsbook is the right fit: Does the bookmaker offer a nice sign-up or re-load bonus? What are the wagering limits? Does the bookmaker have easy methods to deposit and withdraw money? Does the bookmaker offer competitive odds on parlays, teasers, and straight bets? Is the bookmaker’s website satisfactory -- is it modern, and easy-to-use? You should know that there is not a single bookie that has everything you are looking for.  BetAnySports is known for offering the best odds, as it has reduced juice (-105 odds rather than -110 odds).  But if you want the most modern website interface, then Bovada could be your choice.  One thing we can recommend is to keep an eye open for all the juicy bonuses and promotions.  Whenever an online sportsbook offers a lucrative promotion, don't hesitate to move your betting there to benefit straightaway!  And if that’s your #1 criterion, then consider joining BetNow or BetUS. How to place bets Now that you’ve found your sportsbook, made your first deposit, and are itching to place your first bet, you should be aware of a couple of things: Research:  You need to do a lot of research.  Before you place a bet, you should really feel confident that your bet will be successful.  The more you know, the better. Bankroll management:  When you are ready to place your bet, and you feel confident It will be a success, you should always be aware of the possibility of losing.  No matter how bad or good a team is, they can always have a day where things do not go as planned.  When you place a bet, never bet your entire bankroll but decide beforehand how much you will risk per individual bet.  This way, your losses will always stay in control. Betting lines:  Make sure you find the right betting odds.  There are thousands of places to bet, so make sure you find the place that offers the most competitive betting lines.  It might be hard to find at first, but once you find some trusted bookies, it'll start to feel like common sense. These three factors will guide you in the right direction as a bettor.  The more you know, the better.  Never stop learning as a bettor.  And even when you think you have an edge against the house, there's always more to learn. What are the most common bets? Whether you're betting on college football or the NFL, there are a dozen different bets that you can make.  For every sport, there are slight differences, but for most sports, there are two teams that play against each other with the outcome based on the amount that each of the two teams score. This gives you the ability to make three bet types: Moneyline bet -- Pick the winning team Point spread bet -- Pick the winner with the point spread factored in Over/under bet -- Pick whether the final score will be over/under the set number of points There are hundreds of other bets you could make.  These vary from betting on multiple matchups in the form of parlay bets to picking the winner of the entire NFL season, without any football games played yet in the form of a futures bet.  The more time you spend as a sports bettor, the more experienced you get, and the more you will start to experiment with these more advanced bets. How do betting odds work? Before we dive further into the way to place bets, you should be aware of the betting odds.  These are the numbers that relate to an outcome of a sporting event.  All over the world, there are different kinds of ways to display betting odds: In England, the fractional odds are the most used.  These odds show with the use of a hyphen or a slash, that could look like this:  7/1 or 7-1.  This dates back to the early horse racing days as one of the most traditional ways to display odds.  So, if you bet on a horse which is 7-1, and it wins, then your profit would be 700 dollars on a 100 dollar wager. In Europe, Canada, and New Zealand, the most common way to display odds is decimal odds.  The odds work in a formula which simply involves the multiplication of your stake.  So, if your odds are 5.44, then to arrive at your potential winnings, first multiply 5.44 times your stake, then subtract your stake, and that would equal your profit. Now, since we are in the United States, we'll use the moneyline odds, also known as the American odds from now on.  What are American odds?You might have seen those giant tote boards at the casinos in Las Vegas where the odds continually change.  Among the odds listed on the tote boards are moneyline odds.  The American odds work using the plus (+) sign and the minus (-) sign.  The oddsmaker decides which team is the favorite and which team is the underdog for every single matchup.  The favorite holds the negative number, the minus sign, and the underdog holds the positive number, the plus sign.  To illustrate this, we can take the moneyline odds in an NFL match between Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams: Arizona Cardinals +245 Los Angeles Rams -333 In this matchup, the Cardinals are the underdog as they hold a positive number.  The Rams are the favorite as you can notice the negative number on their side.  With moneyline odds, you can see which team is favored to win, and you can also understand the probability of that event happening.  Always keep that in mind before making a bet.How to place a moneyline betThe moneyline bet is one of the easiest and most comforting bets you can make.  You simply pick which team ends up with the highest score at the end of the game -- thus which side wins.  It does not matter by how much your team wins -- so long as they win, you win.  Outside of horse racing, for example, there are generally two teams:  the favorite and the underdog.  This is best explained with an example.  Let's take an NBA match between the New York Knicks against the Detroit Pistons.  The odds could look like this: New York Knicks -250 Detroit Pistons +200 In this example, the minus sign shows that the Knicks are the favorite while the Pistons (at +200) are the underdog.  To calculate your payout you can use these rules: To win $100 on the New York Knicks, you need to stake $250.  If the Knicks end up winning, you profit $100 above your initial stake of $250.  Your total payout would be $350. When you bet $100 on the Detroit Pistons, you profit $200 above your initial stake of $100.  Your total payout would be $300. How to place an over/under betThe next step in your sports betting adventure is the over/under bet.  In this bet, you predict the total points scored throughout the match.  The oddsmaker will set an aggregate number of points, and you have to predict whether both teams will collectively score over or under that amount.  To give you an example, we’ll take Super Bowl 54. The over/under at BookMaker sportsbook was set at 53 total points, and the odds looked like this: Over: +104 Under: -126 In this example, the more probable (to win) bet is the under bet, which indicates that the oddsmaker expects the final score to be less than 53 points. The over bet is slightly less probable to win, and thus carries the plus sign. To calculate your payout, you can use these rules: When you bet $100 on the over bet, and win, you profit $104 above your initial stake of $100. Your total payout would be $204. To win $100 on the under bet you need to stake $126. If the final score is more than 53 points, you profit $100 above your initial stake of $126. Your total payout would be $226. How to place a point spread betThe point spread bet is a little more advanced.  Also known as spread betting, you bet on the difference of points between the two teams at the end of the match.  You place your money on which team will cover the spread -- thus which team will have the highest score after the set number of points (of the point spread) are added (or subtracted) to its actual score in the match.  Now, this might sound a little vague at first, but an example will paint a clear picture.  Let's take an NBA match between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets: Los Angeles Lakers -13.5 +110 Brooklyn Nets +13.5 -137 In the matchup above, the Lakers are the favorite, and they would have to win by more than 13.5 points for your point spread bet to cash.  The Nets are the underdog, and all they need to do is make sure they either win the game outright or lose by 13 points or less to cash your point spread bet.  To see how big your payout can get, you can use the following rules: When you bet $100 on the Lakers point spread bet, you profit $110 above your initial stake of $100 if they cover the spread.  Your total payout would be $210. To win $100 on the Nets point spread bet, you need to stake $137.  If the Nets manage to cover the point spread, you profit $100 above your initial stake of $137.  Your total payout would be $237. How to be successful at sports betting With this guide, you have all the steps to take you from a novice bettor to a person who's ready to lay his hands on the betting stencils.  But, there's one question that might remain unanswered -- how to become a professional?  All we can say is that experience is essential here.  Through experience, you will learn what the best sports are, which sportsbook you should choose, and what types of bets work best for you.  You will fall, and it might seem hard at first, but with a proper strategy and the right mindset, you can achieve everything you could dream of.  Before you know it, you could just be living off your sports betting habits!

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NFL MVP Futures Wager

by Doc's Sports

Wednesday, Oct 14, 2020

To say the NFL is a quarterback’s league would be a massive understatement. The quarterback is the single most important position on the team. And if you go back through the years and look at Super Bowl-winning teams, you’ll notice that about 95 percent of the winning teams have a quarterback that is either elite or really good. With the exception of Nick Foles in 2017, the list of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks is as follows: Mahomes, Brady, Manning, Wilson, Flacco (he was good back then), the other Manning, Brees, Roethlisberger, Warner, Elway, Favre, Aikman and Young. The only two guys that stand out as not elite are Trent Dilfer in 2000 and Brad Johnson in 2002. What’s my point? Well, quarterbacks are extremely important. And in terms of the MVP Award, they get shown the most love as they are the vital cog to their team’s success. For those of you interested in getting a futures bet or two down on the NFL’s MVP, there are a few things you should know before doing so. For starters, quarterbacks are far and away the most important position on the field and as such have been rewarded with top honors plenty of times. Since 1980, when the NFL MVP was changed from an AFC/NFC recipient to a “league-wide” winner, signal callers have won the award 29 times. Leading the way with MVP awards is Peyton Manning with five, while Tom Brady and Brett Favre have three apiece. Wide receivers get very little love, with Jerry Rice the only receiver to win the award in 1987 and 1990. Running backs have seven awards, with the last one coming in 2012 by way of Adrian Peterson. This year, we have a group of quarterbacks that are above any competition from any other position on the field. To be exact, 12 of the top 13 odds belong to the QBs, with Derrick Henry checking in at 13th (+8000). I’ll break down each of the top candidates and give you my thoughts on if they are worthy of laying down a bet on. The Favorite: Russell Wilson, Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks Odds: +100 If the Seattle Seahawks had any other quarterback under center, they would likely be a borderline .500 team, if not well below. Russell Wilson must have heard the offseason talk about how he hasn’t received a single MVP vote in his career despite being the face of the franchise and leading his team to two Super Bowls and coming within a single yard of winning another one. Through five games, Wilson has been the team’s best player and has led them to a 5-0 record and top spot in the NFC West. On an individual basis, Wilson ranks second in passing yards (1,502) but first in touchdowns by six (19) over a few guys we’ll talk about later on in this piece. It’s not only the stats that Wilson is putting up, it’s mostly about the “it” factor that he brings to each and every game. Wilson has manufactured game-winning drives in two of the last three games. And if you saw the Monday night game against the Vikings, I would say that only one or two other quarterbacks would be able to drive the team 94 yards, in the rain, with under two minutes left and one time out. At his current price, I would jump on it as after his bye week in Week 6, he faces the Cardinals, Niners, Bills, Rams and Cardinals again. If he can continue to cook and win his team at least three of those games, he’ll be a decent-sized favorite for the latter part of the season. The Contender: Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Green Bay PackersOdds: +300 Aaron Rodgers took the Packers’ decision to draft quarterback Jordan Love as a sign of disrespect. I understand that the NFL is a business and it’s important to have an heir apparent at the quarterback position and that Love could learn plenty from a guy as gifted as Rodgers. However, Rodgers wanted reinforcements on the offensive side of the ball and never got it. So, what has he done through five games this year? Well, he has yet to throw an interception this season and has 1,214 passing yards under his belt. He ranks tied for second in touchdown passes with 13 and leads the NFL in QBR at 92.6. He’s essentially on an “EFF YOU” tour and has obliterated every defense he’s come up against to date; the Packers are averaging 286 passing yards per game and 38 points per game. With the upcoming schedule (potential shootouts) and the likelihood of the Packers winning the division over the Bears, I could see Aaron Rodgers grabbing his third MVP title at the end of the season. The Darkhorses:Patrick Mahomes, Quarterback, Kansas City ChiefsOdds: +550 It’s hard to believe that I mentioned two quarterbacks before I even got the $500-million man and defending Super Bowl champion, Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes has taken the league by storm over the last two seasons, and he’s off to a solid start this year. He ranks third in passing yards with 1,474, second in touchdown passes with 13, second in interceptions with just one, and third in QBR at 86.1. So why is he so far down this list? We’ll because we have been treated to outstanding play after outstanding play over the last two years and he’s only had one or two of those plays through five games this year. We’ve grown accustomed to it and we expect it, but unfortunately, winning games is all that matters to Mahomes and he has his Chiefs sitting at 4-1 and he’s distributing the ball amongst his receivers. He is the team’s MVP, but he’s not done enough (yet) to be on the Wilson/Rodgers’ level this season.Josh Allen, Quarterback, Buffalo BillsOdds: +1600 This paragraph was supposed to be extremely positive and talk about all the things Josh Allen has done well through five games of the season. After last night’s performance, the odds of Allen winning the MVP have plummeted (down from +700), and we don’t see him making up any ground on the guys above. Prior to last night’s debacle, Allen sat T-2 in Interceptions thrown with just one but went on to throw two to push him back to T-9. He did take over second place on his own in touchdown passes with 13 and moved into second in yards thrown with 1,589. It’s not right to blame Allen for the Bills’ performance yesterday given the fact they had to wait around for Tennessee to sort out their COVID issues. But in a league driven by QB play, he certainly got outplayed by Ryan Tannehill, and that’s something that can’t happen when you’re trying to assert yourself as an elite level QB.

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Ness Notes: Wednesday, Oct 14

by Larry Ness

Wednesday, Oct 14, 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 5 recap: Week 5 concluded a day later than usual as Tuesday featured a matchup of unbeatens, the 4-0 Bills at the 3-0 Titans. Tennessee was not able to practice since the team shut down operations back on Sep 29, after 24 players and team personnel members tested positive for COVID-19 since Sep 24. The Titans were finally able to return to their facility on Saturday and had three days of walk-through practices to get ready for Buffalo. The Titans entered the game 3-0 but also 0-3 ATS but with only three practices in 16 days, routed the previously unbeaten Bills, 42-16.The Titans got some players back in time for Tuesday's game, but they were without starting receivers Corey Davis and Adam Humphries. However, QB Ryan Tannehill finished with 21 completions on 28 attempts for 195 yards with three TDs and zero INTs (129.3 QB rating) plus ran for a TD. Buffalo QB Josh Allen had his worst game of the season (26 of 41 for 263 yards  with two TDs and two INTs / 77.6 QB rating) and the Tennessee defense forced three TOs and held a Buffalo team to just 16 points (Bills had averaged 30.8 PPG in their 4-0 start).Home teams ended the week 9-5 SU but 6-8 ATS (home dogs were 2-2 SU & ATS). Home teams are now 40-36-1 SU (.526) Y-T-D, while going just 33-42-2 ATS (44.0%) with home dogs going 6-18 SU and 10-12-2 ATS. NFL games had averaged a combined 51.3 through the first four weeks of the 2020 season, the highest since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Week 5 games averaged 51.8 PPG but over/under numbers have been adjusted up, as seven games went over and seven stayed under. Peering a little closer, let me note that the seven games which went over averaged 62.9 PPG, while the seven that went under averaged just 40.7 PPG. After five weeks, there have been 42 overs, 33 unders and two 'pushes.' There is no Thursday night game in Week 6 but we will have another MNF doubleheader. Friday's Notes will feature a Week 6 preview.MLB Playoffs: "Something had to give" in Game 1 of the NLCS, as the Braves and Dodgers were both 5-0 this postseason and the pitching matchup featured Fried (Braves were 12-1 in his starts in 2020) vs Buehler (Dodgers were 9-1 in his starts). Game 1 entered the 9th tied at one-all when Austin Riley hit a solo shot to put the Braves up. An Acuna double, an Ozuna single and an Albies HR, all, like Riley's hit, coming after 0-2 counts, gave the Braves a 5-1 win. Game 2 was expected to see Ian Anderson go up against Clayton Kershaw. Anderson made his MLB on August 26 and in six regular season starts, posted a 1.95 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and .172 BAA. He'd won BOTH postseason starts, pitching 11.2 scoreless innings with a 17-3 KW ratio. However, Kershaw was scratched with back spasms. Gonsolin was an under-appreciated hurler for Dave Roberts' squad this season. However, the jury is still out on how he will fare in his first postseason appearance.<p>Here's the answer. Anderson allowed just one hit and struck out five in four scoreless innings but his outing was cut short after he gave up five walks and threw 85 pitches. As for Gonsolin, he was fine through three innings but then allowed a two-run HR to Freddie Freeman in the 4th. He was chased in the 5th inning, when Atlanta added FOUR more runs (Gonsolin was charged with five ERs in 4.1 innings). The Braves extended the lead to 7-0 in the top of the 7th but Corey Seager hit a three-run HR in the bottom of the 7th. It was 8-3 entering the bottom of the 9th when the Dodgers scored FOUR times, before Cody Bellinger was left on third base when A.J. Pollock's groundout ended the rally. The Braves are now 7-0 this postseason and lead the Dodgers 2-0. Game 3 is set for 6:05 ET on FS1. Kershaw is still unavailable so it's Jose Urias and Atlanta's Kyle Wright. The Dodgers are favored (-180) and the over/under is 9 1/2.Over in the ALCS, the Tampa Bay Rays keep giving us more reasons to believe the City of Tampa is this year's "chosen city." The Lightning won the Stanley Cup and the Rays are now just ONE win away from making the franchise's second-ever World Series appearance (Rays lost to the Phillies in the 2008 Series). Jose Altuve's first-inning throwing error opened the door for Tampa to take 3-0 lead in Game 2, as Tampa's 4-2 win gave the Rays a 2-0 lead in the series. Altuve's sudden case of the yips has come to exemplify an ALCS in which the Astros can't seem to catch a break. Altuve's FOURTH throwing error of the postseason and THIRD of the ALCS played a big part in Tampa's five-run, sixth-inning rally. The Rays' 5-2 victory gives them a commanding 3-0 lead as the team's get set for Game 4 (8:40 ET on TBS). Tonight's pitching matchup features Tyler Glasnow and Zach Greinke. The Rays have won each of Glasnow's last 11 starts (including 3-0 this postseason) and while the Astros are 2-0 in Greinke's two starts this postseason, he had little to do with Houston's 11-6 series-clinching Game 4 win over Oakland (4 ERs allowed over 4.2 innings), after pitching four innings and allowing one run in the team's 4-1 Game 1 win over Minnesota in the wild card round. The Rays are favored (-140) and the over/under is 8.The CFB week gets off to an early start with a Wednesday night game between two unbeaten Sun Belt schools. The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers are 3-0 and visit Cajun Field in Lafayette, La to face the 3-0 ULL Ragin' Cajuns. UL-Lafayette is ranked No. 21 in the latest AP poll, one of FOUR Group of 5 schools currently ranked. ULL opened the 2020 season by winning 31-14 at Iowa St as a two-TD underdog. That victory is arguably the biggest win in school history, as ULL beat a top-25 opponent on the road for the first time, having previously gone 0-26 against ranked foes away from home. ULL's only other win over a top-25 team was in 1996 at home against Texas A&M. However, the Rajin' Cajuns have 'escaped' with wins vs Ga State (34-31) and Georgia Southern (20-18), since. Kickoff is 7:30 ET on ESPN with ULL favored by 7 1/2-points.Note: I'm featuring a doubleheader of Game of the Year plays on Wednesday, my SBC 10* Game of the Year in tonight's CFB and my LCS 10* Game of the Year in MLB. Any takers? Good luck...Larry

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The NFL Landscape After Week 5

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Oct 14, 2020

To say this is a "strange" season for everyone involved in sports would be a bit of an understatement. The same could be said for bookmakers, who are struggling to adjust to the circumstances as much as their clientele.NFL Week 5 is now in the books after a rare Tuesday night game which saw the Titans destroy the now 4-1 Bills at home by a score of 42-16. Despite the loss though, the Bills are still in the driver's seat in the AFC East with a 4-1 record (note they have a tough upcoming matchup at home vs. the Chiefs this weekend). The AFC North is the most competitive, with Pittsburgh at 4-0, but with Cleveland and Baltimore sitting just behind at 4-1. Tennessee moves to 4-0 and is tops in the AFC South, with the Colts behind at 3-2 now. The defending Champs are 4-1 and No. 1 in the AFC West, but they come in off their first loss of the year at home to the now 3-2 Las Vegas Raiders. I have played the "under" on the Chiefs season win total and posted that exclusive article on this site a couple of months ago. The NFC East is another very interesting division, as Dallas leads at 2-3, but must now move ahead with Andy Dalton directing the show. Green Bay is getting an exemplary performance from Aaron Rodgers so far this year, as the veteran QB has his team sitting at 4-0 and No. 1 in the NFC North, followed closely by the Bears at 4-1. It's a log-jam in the NFC South, with Carolina, Tampa Bay, and New Orleans all at 3-2 (the lowly Falcons are at 0-5.)The NFC West is always competitive as well and so far the Seahawks are No. 1 at 5-0, followed closely by the Rams at 4-1. A Closer Look At Week 5 ATSFaves went 6-8 overall.  Home faves were 4-6.  Faves -2.5/less went 1-1.  Faves -6/more were 5-5.  Double-digit faves were 1-1.For The Season ATSFavorites have gone 38-38-1. Home faves have gone 24-29. Favorites of -2.5/less are 3-9. Faves of -6/more are 20-15-1. Double-digit faves are 3-2-1A Closer Look At Week 5 O/U StatsO/U went 7-7 in Week 5.  Divisional contests saw the O/U go 2-3.  1 pm games saw the O/U go 2-5.  4 pm game saw the O/U go 3-0.For The Season O/UAll O/U's are 43-33-1.  Divisional games have seen the O/U go 13-7.  1 pm games have seen the O/U go 30-12.  4 pm games have seen the O/U go 5-11-1 this season.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and NCAA Football Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 14, 2020

The Wednesday card features a college football showdown between two undefeated teams from the Sun Belt Conference along with games in the American League and National League Championship Series.Atlanta took a 2-0 lead in the NLCS on Tuesday with their 8-7 victory over Los Angeles. Kyle Wright will be the Braves starting pitcher in Game  3 with his 2-4 record in 38 innings in the regular season along with a 5.21 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP. The Dodgers will counter with Julio Urias, who was 3-0 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in eleven regular-season appearances (ten starts).The NLCS is taking place at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. Atlanta will be the designated home team batting last in this game. The Dodgers are a -168 moneyline favorite with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from BetAnySports). FS1 has the broadcast with the first pitch scheduled for 6:05 PM ET. Tampa Bay has a 3-0 lead in the ALCS after they defeated Houston by a 5-2 score on Wednesday. The Rays turn to Tyler Glasnow, who was 5-1 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 11 starts in the regular season. The Astros pin their hopes to stave off elimination by giving the ball to Zack Greinke. The veteran right-hander had a 3-3 record with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in twelve starts in the regular season.The ALCS takes place at Petco Park in San Diego, with Houston designated as the home team for Game 4. Tampa Bay is a -136 moneyline favorite with the over/under at 8. TBS has the broadcast with the game starting at 8:40 PM ET.The only Wednesday night college football game of the month takes place tonight with Coastal Carolina visiting Louisiana-Lafayette in a battle of unbeaten teams from the Sun Belt Conference. ESPN has the broadcast starting at 7:30 PM ET.Coastal Carolina did not play last week after upsetting Arkansas State at home by a 52-23 score as a 3.5-point underdog. The Chanticleers opened their season by upsetting Kansas on the road for the second straight time by a 38-23 score after pulling off that feat last year as well in Lawrence. The Chanticleers followed that up with a 43-21 victory over Campbell.  Louisiana returns to the field for the first time since their 20-18 victory at home over Georgia Southern as an 11.5-point favorite on September 26th. The Ragin’ Cajuns opened their season with a big update victory at Iowa State by a 31-14 score as a 13-point underdog before following that up the next week with a 34-31 win at Georgia State.Coastal Carolina sees this contest as a benchmark game, as they lost at home to Louisiana by a 48-7 score in their meeting last season on November 7th. But the Ragin' Cajuns view this game as a unique opportunity themselves to flex their muscles with the spotlight of this nationally televised midweek game. Louisiana wants to be considered the best non-power five team in the nation. The Ragin' Cajuns are a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 58.5.Coastal Carolina did not play last week after upsetting Arkansas State at home by a 52-23 score as a 3.5-point underdog. The Chanticleers opened their season by upsetting Kansas on the road for the second straight time by a 38-23 score after pulling off that feat last year as well in Lawrence. The Chanticleers followed that up with a 43-21 victory over Campbell. Third-year head coach Jamey Chadwell returned 13 starters from the team last year that finished 5-7. It appears very likely that Chadwell’s team this season will shatter the record of five victories as an FBS program they set last year. Coastal Carolina is scoring 44.3 points per game while holding their opponents to 22.2 points per game. Louisiana returns to the field for the first time since their 20-18 victory at home over Georgia Southern as an 11.5-point favorite on September 26th. The Ragin’ Cajuns opened their season with a big update victory at Iowa State by a 31-14 score as a 13-point underdog before following that up the next week with a 34-31 win at Georgia State.Third-year head coach Billy Napier has high expectations for his team that returned 14 starters from the 11-3 squad last year that defeated Miami-Ohio in the Lending Tree Bowl by a 22-17 score. Coastal Carolina sees this contest as a benchmark game, as they lost at home to Louisiana by a 48-7 score in their meeting last season on November 7th. But the Ragin' Cajuns view this game as a unique opportunity themselves to flex their muscles with the spotlight of this nationally televised midweek game. Louisiana wants to be considered the best non-power five team in the nation. With Napier having served as the offensive coordinator for Dabo Swinney at Clemson before coaching the wide receivers at Alabama under Nick Saban from 2013-17, he is one of the hottest young head coaches in the nation. Speculation was that he turned down a power-five head coaching job in the offseason to return to the Ragin’ Cajuns for this season.  Louisiana is a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 58.5.

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NCAA Wednesday Night Football: Coastal Carolina/Louisiana-Lafayette Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 14, 2020

The only Wednesday night college football game of the month takes place tonight with Coastal Carolina visiting Louisiana-Lafayette in a battle of unbeaten teams from the Sun Belt Conference. ESPN has the broadcast starting at 7:30 PM ET.Coastal Carolina did not play last week after upsetting Arkansas State at home by a 52-23 score as a 3.5-point underdog. The Chanticleers got an outstanding performance from redshirt freshman quarterback Grayson McCall who completed 20 of 29 passes for 322 yards with four touchdown passes and just one interception. The dual-threat quarterback added another 44 rushing yards on 17 carries. McCall is completing 66.7% of his passes this season while averaging 11.6 yards-per-attempt for 728 passing yards. He has thrown 11 touchdown passes with only that one interception against the Red Wolves. McCall has been sacked just once behind a veteran offensive line featuring three seniors and four returning starters. He has also rushed for 139 yards with another two touchdowns. Coastal Carolina opened their season by upsetting Kansas on the road for the second straight time by a 38-23 score after pulling off that feat last year as well in Lawrence. The Chanticleers followed that up with a 43-21 victory over Campbell. Third-year head coach Jamey Chadwell returned 13 starters from the team last year that finished 5-7. It appears very likely that Chadwell’s team this season will shatter the record of five victories as an FBS program they set last year. Coastal Carolina is scoring 44.3 points per game while holding their opponents to 22.2 points per game. Louisiana returns to the field for the first time since their 20-18 victory at home over Georgia Southern as an 11.5-point favorite on September 26th. The Ragin’ Cajuns opened their season with a big upset victory at Iowa State by a 31-14 score as a 13-point underdog before following that up the next week with a 34-31 win at Georgia State.Third-year head coach Billy Napier has high expectations for his team that returned 14 starters from the 11-3 squad last year that defeated Miami-Ohio in the Lending Tree Bowl by a 22-17 score. Louisiana’s chief target is Appalachian State that has beaten them four times in the last two seasons, including in both Sun Belt Conference championship games. This showdown was supposed to be the Wednesday night game on ESPN last week before the Mountaineers had an outbreak of COVID-19 within the football program. That game will tentatively take place in December.The Ragin’ Cajuns are led by senior quarterback Levi Lewis who is a two-year starter with the program. Supported by one of the best offensive lines from a non-power five program, Louisiana is averaging 5.1 yards-per-carry. They are scoring 28.3 points per game while allowing 21.0 points per game. The front seven is a concern as they have only registered three quarterback sacks while allowing their opponents to average 191 rushing yards per game. Despite the 3-0 start, this program has been hit hard with injuries along with a handful of COVID cases. Having last played 18 days ago, this could be the closest Napier has had a team at full strength all season.Coastal Carolina sees this contest as a benchmark game, as they lost at home to Louisiana by a 48-7 score in their meeting last season on November 7th. Lewis passed for 296 yards in that game with three touchdowns while leading an offense that averaged 7.73 yards-per-play. But the Ragin' Cajuns view this game as a unique opportunity themselves to flex their muscles with the spotlight of this nationally-televised midweek game. Louisiana wants to be considered the best non-power five team in the nation. With Napier having served as the offensive coordinator for Dabo Swinney at Clemson before coaching the wide receivers at Alabama under Nick Saban from 2013-17, he is one of the hottest young head coaches in the nation. Speculation was that he turned down a power-five head coaching job in the offseason to return to the Ragin’ Cajuns for this season.  BetOnline lists Louisiana as a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 58.5.

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What do the Plus (+) and Minus (-) Signs Mean in Sports Betting?

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Oct 14, 2020

What do the plus (+) and minus (-) signs mean in sports betting?As a sports bettor, you probably have seen loads of different ways to display odds.  And it varies country-by-country.  In American sports betting, the industry standard is the use of the plus sign and the minus sign.  These signs can tell a bettor a lot about the outcome of their bet, but that's just a little teaser.  There's way more to take into consideration as a sports bettor.  In this article, we'll guide you through the ins and outs of sportsbooks, betting lines, and ways to optimize your payout! What kind of odds are there? Let's start by recounting all the possible ways to display odds.  Bookmakers across the world use the following types of odds: Fractional odds Decimal odds American odds The fractional odds use either a slash or a hyphen to display their odds: 4/1 or 4-1.  The decimal odds show the number that you can use to calculate the total amount of money you win:  for example, 4.98.  Since our focus lies on the meaning of the plus sign and the minus sign, we focus on the American odds.  These are also called the moneyline odds, as lots of sports bettors use this odds type for their moneyline bets.In every matchup, there are two teams:  the underdog and the favorite.  Let's take the most crucial match in the NFL -- the Super Bowl -- to illustrate.  In 2020, the San Francisco 49ers played against the Kansas City Chiefs.  This NFL game was the final game of the season, and there was no clear favorite.  Still, the oddsmakers have to choose which party is the underdog, and which is the favorite.  The moneyline odds for Super Bowl 54 at BookMaker sportsbook looked like this: San Francisco 49ers +111 Kansas City Chiefs -130 In this example, the 49ers carried the plus sign and were, therefore, the underdog.  The Chiefs took the minus sign and were, hence, the favorite.  Since both numbers behind the plus and minus signs were close to 100, you could tell that both teams were a close match for each other.  With odds like this, you could have expected a game full of fireworks. What kind of bets can I make with American odds? Once you understand the meaning of the signs that you see a lot across the sports betting landscape, it's time to dive into practical matters.  It should be clear that with the American odds, you can make way more bets than simply the moneyline bets.  We want to show a few of the most popular examples and point out how to calculate your potential payout.  The kind of bets you can start wagering on today are: Moneyline bet Point spread bet Over/Under bet Other types of bets How to make a moneyline bet with American oddsWe slightly went into the moneyline bets already, but we want to provide a deeper understanding of this type of bet.  To calculate your payout for a moneyline bet, you should know that the holy number is 100 dollars.  To show this in practice, we'll take an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors.  Let's imagine Bill from Las Vegas wants to place a bet on this match.  The odds are as follows: Los Angeles Lakers -250 Golden State Warriors +210 In this example, the Los Angeles Lakers are the favorite, while the Warriors are the underdog.  Now, if we want to calculate our winnings, let’s use the assumption that our bet is 100 dollars.  If you bet $100 on the Warriors, you profit $210 over and above the initial stake of $100.  If you bet $100 on the Lakers, you profit $40 over and above the initial stake of $100.  So, to actually PROFIT $100 with the Lakers bet, you would need to wager $250.When is a moneyline bet straight up?In moneyline betting, two terms are prevalent:  a bet can be straight up, or you can make a straight bet.  Straight bets are types of betting wagers on a single sporting event that carries a point spread, the final score of a game, moneyline, run line or puck line.  You might wonder, doesn't that cover basically all games?  The difference here is that a bet is only straight up when it regards a single sporting event -- the bet should not cross multiple games.  This term is very common across moneyline bets as they always regard a single game.How to make a point spread bet with American oddsThe point spread bet is there to give bettors the possibility to bet on any kind of match, no matter the skill difference between the two teams.  You bet on the difference in the number of points between the two teams.  For example, let’s use an illustration of an NBA game between the San Antonio Spurs against the Philadelphia 76ers.  The odds might look like this: San Antonio Spurs +1.5 Philadelphia 76ers -1.5 In this example, the negative number indicates the favorite, while the positive number indicates the underdog.  Let's say you bet on the Spurs to cover the spread.  For your bet to be successful, the 76ers need to win by at least 2 points.  If not, the gamblers who bet the point spread on the Spurs would win.  The plus and minus sign are predictive of which team is more likely to win the game, straight-up.  Of course, when the point spread is taken into account, the favorite and the underdog will each have close to a 50% chance of covering the spread.How to make an over/under bet with American oddsThe over/under bet is very easy to explain.  Sports bettors put their money on the final score of the match.  Let's take an NFL match between the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions.  The American odds could look like this for this game: Over 45 +130 Under 45 -150 In this case, it's favored that the final score of the match will be less than (“under”) 45 points.In this case, you should look out for the relative offensive and defensive capabilities of both teams.  This is one of the most straightforward bets to understand, but it can be tough to predict.How to make a parlay bet and a prop bet with American oddsAnyone who places sports wagers now and then is open to taking a risk.  You are wagering your money on the outcome of an event that's insecure.  But some bettors take on more risk than others.  For example, a single bet generally has a greater probability of success than a parlay bet, which offers higher payouts for the additional risk.  To show a couple of examples, this is what a parlay bet could look like using American odds: Match 1: LA Rams -109 Match 2: LA Kings +104 2-team Parlay odds: +292 Let's say you place a wager of $100.  Your potential payout would be $392 based on the odds of the two individual wagers.  It's a risky situation as both your bets need to be successful, but it could bring you big rewards in return.  With parlay bets, you should always be cautious of not betting on too many matches at once.  It’s one thing to have success predicting two or three matches, but to try to predict four out of four (or more) is quite a longshot.  Still, if you enjoy parlay bets, then you should join BetAnySports, as its parlay and teaser odds are the best in the online sportsbook industry.  Now, there are other types of bets that are available for those who enjoy taking risks.  Two examples could be: Proposition bets -- You wager on the probability that Stephen Curry makes more than five three-point goals Futures bet -- You wager on the New York Jets to win the Super Bowl before the start of the season What is the best sportsbook for American odds? No matter where you are in the United States, there are dozens of sportsbooks out there ready to take your bets.  You could choose to go for brick-and-mortar bookies or pick one of the many online options.  Don't forget about the in-game betting option, also known as live betting.  It allows you to bet on outcomes in sporting events throughout the game, not just before it starts.  To pick your favorite sportsbook, we have a short checklist to use: Which bookmakers offer a nice welcome bonus? Which bookmakers have the highest wagering limits? Which bookmakers have the best deposit and withdrawal methods? Which bookmakers offer the best odds on straight bets, parlays and teasers? Which bookmakers deliver a smile on your face in terms of user experience? As you can see, there are a lot of factors, and not every factor is important to every bettor.  If you want a great sign-up bonus, then you might go with BetNow or BetUS.  For the best odds, you would choose BetAnySports, as you'll only lay -105 on every football and basketball game.  But if you want to bet $10,000 on an NFL game, then BookMaker should be your sportsbook.  And if you’re looking for the best user experience, then Bovada would be your best choice.  Of course, most gamblers join multiple sportsbooks so they can shop the lines, and win even more money.  When you find a sportsbook that best suits your needs, you’ll have nothing that's holding you back from making some incredible bets!  Do your research and, as always: happy betting!Special Offer:  Join BetAnySports and we'll give you a FREE WEEK of service of any of the 20 champion handicappers at Bigal.com.  Just call or email us after you've joined BetAnySports.

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Ness Notes: Tuesday, Oct 13

by Larry Ness

Tuesday, Oct 13, 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: The Saints overcame a 20-3 deficit to 'escape' with a 30-27 OT win last night over the Chargers. Drew Brees completed 33 of 47 passes for 325 yards (one TD / one iNT) and ran for a TD. He drove the 3-2 Saints to a tiebreaking 36-yard FG by Wil Lutz on the first possession of overtime and then watched as Justin Herbert's five-yard completion to Mike Williams came up a yard short on fourth down at the Los Angeles 49 to end the game. The 1-4 Chargers lost their FOURTH straight game since Herbert, the overall No. 6 pick in the 2020 draft, took over for Tyrod Taylor as the starter. However, it's hard to blame Herbert. He completed 20 of 34 for 264 yards with four TD passes and zero INTs (122.7 QB rating). The rookie is completing 68.8% for 1,1195 yards with nine TDs and three INTs (QB rating of 107.1) in his four starts. He looks like 'a keeper!' In a normal season, MNF concludes the NFL week but we are all WELL aware that 2020 is no 'normal' year. The Titans had their Week 4 game with Pittsburgh postponed and Tennessee's Week 5 game with Buffalo (set for Sunday) was pushed back to Tuesday. The good news is, the 4-0 Buffalo Bills and 3-0 Tennessee Titans will proceed as scheduled after all of the Titans' coronavirus tests from Monday came back negative. It marked the second straight day that the Titans had no new positive COVID-19 tests. Tonight's game features two QBs off to excellent starts. Buffalo's Josh Allen is completing 70.9% for 1,326 yards with 12 TDs and one INT (122.7 QB rating) in four games, while Tennessee's Ryan Tanehill is completing 67.3% for 809 yards with six TDs and one INT (105.8 QB rating) in three games. Both teams are unbeaten but while Buffalo is 3-1 I'll have my  NFL Week 5 recap on Wednesday's Notes.ATS, the Titans are 0-3 ATS, due to just a plus-6 point differential margin. Buffalo is favored by 3 1/2-points and the over/under is 51 1/2. I'll feature my NFL Week 5 recap in Wednesday's Notes.MLB Playoffs: The Tampa Bay Rays eked out a 2-1 win in Game 1 on Sunday night and then came back with a 4-2 victory in Game 2, late Monday afternoon. A two-out throwing error by Astros second baseman Jose Altuve brought Manny Margot to the plate with two on in the bottom of the first and he hit Lance McCullers second pitch over the fence in center to give Tampa Bay a 3-0 lead, one which the Rays never relinquished. Margot then made the "catch of the postseason" in the top of the second, when Houston's George Springer came up with two outs and runners on second and third. Springer hit a fly down the right field line that kept drifting into foul territory toward the wall but Margot made the grab as he hit the wall and then he went over it and fell face first to the concrete below, quickly getting up to hold up his glove, displaying that he made the catch. Tampa Bay is looking like a team of destiny and manager Kevin Cash has masterfully used his deep and talented bullpen. That said, the Astros have had their chances. They left seven runners on base over the first four innings in Game 2 and for the series, the Astros have scored just three runs but left 21 runners on base while losing the first two games. Meanwhile, the Rays are up 2-0, with a modest 10 hits (team BA of .169). The pitching matchup is Ryan Yabrough for Tampa Bay (making his first career postseason start) and Jose Urquidy for Houston. Not exactly a Gibson/Koufax showdown. Game 3 (8:40 ET on TBS) is a pick'em and the over/under is 8 1/2.The NLCS got started last night and "something had to give" in Game 1. The Braves and Dodgers were both 5-0 this postseason and the pitching matchup featured Fried (Braves were 12-1 in his starts in 2020) vs Buehler (Dodgers were 9-1 in his starts). We now know the answer. The lone unbeaten in the 2020 postseason is Atlanta. The game entered the 9th tied at one-all  when Austin Riley hit a solo shot to put the Braves up. An Acuna double, an Ozuna single and an Albies HR, all, like Riley's hit, coming after 0-2 counts, gave the Braves a 5-1 win. The Dodgers owned MLB's best record at 43-17, EIGHT game better than Atlanta's 35-25 mark, but now enter Game 2 (6:05 ET on FS1) looking to bounce back from the team's first loss since Sep 23 (almost THREE weeks ago!). Ian Anderson starts for Atlanta and Tony Gonsolin for LA. Anderson made his MLB on August 26 and in six regular season starts, posted a 1.95 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and .172 BAA. He's won BOTH postseason starts, pitching 11.2 scoreless innings with a 17-3 KW ratio. Gonsolin was an under-appreciated key hurler for Dave Roberts' squad this season. However, the jury is still out on how he will fare tonight, given it's his first post-season appearance. The Dodgers are favored (-135) and the over/under is 8.Final NBA thoughts: Let's hear it for Adam Silver. He was the first to shut down the season (all sports followed) and he worked with the players to pull off a 'bubble' in Orlando which went off with barely any missteps. When the Lakers took Game 6 from the Heat 106-93, it capped the longest season in NBA history. Three-hundred fifty-six days after the season began, the Lakers won the 2019-20 NBA championship, the franchise's 17th all-time (matching the Celtics for most-ever). Individually, LBJ won his fourth title and was named 2020 Finals MVP for the fourth time, as well. He previously won Finals MVP in 2012 and '13 with the Heat and in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, making him the first player in NBA history to win the award with three different franchises. Winning his fourth Finals MVP moves him out of a tie with Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal and into second all time, trailing only Jordan, who won the award six times. He also became the second-oldest player to win NBA Finals MVP (35 years, 286 days), behind only Kareem (38 years, 54 days in 1985). A final 'shout out' goes to Jeanie Buss. She took over the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017, as controlling owner after a legal battle with her brothers. She is now the first female controlling owner to lead an NBA organization to a championship.The Lakers won the title but the Heat were the NBA postseason "ATS champs." The Heat finished 14-7 SU this postseason but 16-5 ATS (76.2%). In comparison. the Lakers went 16-5 SU but 11-9-1 ATS. With no homecourt edge, I guess it should be no surprise that favorites were only 41-40-2 ATS. The under has cashed in 48 of the 83 games (57.8 percent). For those following the "Zig-Zag" Theory (that means playing "on" the SU loser of the previous game), they finished 32-33-2 ATS (49.2%) or minus-4.3 net units.Good luck...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 13, 2020

The Tuesday card features a rare NFL contest on a midweek night along with games in the American League and National League Championship Series. The NLCS continues at 6:05 PM ET with Game 2 of the Atlanta/Los Angeles series. The Braves won the opening game of this best-of-seven series last night with a 5-1 victory. They give the ball to Ian Anderson tonight, who was 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in six regular-season starts. The Dodgers hoped to counter with Clayton Kershaw, but the veteran lefty came down with back spasms, so Dave Roberts will hand the ball to rookie Tony Gonsolin, who was 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP in nine regular-season appearances (eight starts). Los Angeles is a -135 moneyline favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from BookMaker). This series is taking place at Global Life Park in Arlington, Texas, with the Dodgers the designated home team in Game 2. FS1 has the broadcast. Tampa Bay took a 2-0 lead in the ALCS yesterday with their 4-2 victory over Houston. Ryan Yarbrough is the Rays’ starter for Game 3 in a rare appearance where he will not have an opening pitcher before he comes in to pitch bulk innings. The left-hander was 1-4 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 55 2/3 innings during the regular season. The Astros counter will give the ball to Jose Urquidy, who was 1-1 with a 2.73 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in five regular-season starts. The Rays are a -109 moneyline favorite with the over/under at 8.5. The ALCS is being played at Petco Park in San Diego, with Houston now the designated home team for Game 3. TBS broadcasts the game starting at 8:40 PM ET.The NFL contest features two of the remaining five unbeaten teams in the league in the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans. The COVID outbreak in the Tennessee Titans organization caused the postponement of their game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Continued positive tests last week prompted the league to delay this scheduled game from Sunday until Tuesday. Presuming that there are no further positive tests in the Titans organization on Tuesday, this game will finally take place. Tennessee will not have played football in seventeen days since September 27th when they defeated the Vikings in Minnesota by a 31-30 score to raise their record to a 3-0 mark. Since that game, over twenty players and organizational staff members have tested positive for COVID.The Titans re-opened their practice facility on Saturday, which has afforded the team two practices before this game. Their preparation is similar to what they would have received if playing on a short week on a Thursday night. The team has conducted zoom meetings to prepare for the Bills. Players also got together at a local private high school for informal workouts (violating league policy), for what that is worth. Buffalo has had a relatively normal week of preparation in comparison after their 30-23 victory in Las Vegas on October 4th against the Raiders. The Bills are now 4-0 on the season.  Buffalo is a -3.5-point favorite with the total set at 51.5. CBS has the broadcast starting at 7 PM ET. 

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NFL Tuesday Night Football: Bills/Titans Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 13, 2020

The NFL will have a rare game on a Tuesday night, which will feature two of the remaining five unbeaten teams in the league. The COVID outbreak in the Tennessee Titans organization caused the postponement of their game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Continued positive tests last week prompted the league to delay this scheduled game from Sunday until Tuesday. Presuming that there are no further positive tests in the Titans organization on Tuesday, this game will finally take place. Tennessee will not have played football in seventeen days since September 27th when they defeated the Vikings in Minnesota by a 31-30 score to raise their record to a 3-0 mark. Since that game, over twenty players and organizational staff members have tested positive for COVID. The following Titans players are currently on the Reserve/COVID-19 list: Khari Blasingame (FB), Beau Brinkley (LS), Kamalei Correa (LB), Corey Davis (WR), Kristian Fulton (CB), Adam Humphries (WR), DaQuan Jones (DL), MyCole Pruitt (TE), Jeffery Simmons (DE). The absence of wide receivers Davis and Humphries, along with Simmons at defensive end would be the most impactful for this team. Tennessee has also listed left tackle Taylor Lewan and wide receiver A.J. Brown as questionable with injuries from their Saturday injury report. The extra days of rest may aid their ability to play on Tuesday. The Titans re-opened their practice facility on Saturday, which has afforded the team two practices before this game. Their preparation is similar to what they would have received if playing on a short week on a Thursday night. The team has conducted zoom meetings to prepare for the Bills. Players also got together at a local private high school for informal workouts (violating league policy), for what that is worth. Buffalo has had a relatively normal week of preparation in comparison after their 30-23 victory in Las Vegas on October 4th against the Raiders. The team is scoring 30.8 points-per-game with the elevation of play from quarterback Josh Allen. The third-year pro has thrown 12 touchdown passes with just one interception this season. Allen is completing over 70% of his passes for 1326 passing yards, which is the second-most in the league. Allen is averaging 332 passing yards-per-game in this suddenly powerful passing attack. The offseason addition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs not only gave Allen a legitimate number one target but also allowed John Brown to shift into a complementary role as a second option where he has thrived. Allen ranks second in the NFL with a 9.0 yards-per-attempt passing average. His twenty-one completions over at least 20 yards is also second-most in the league. He is being helped by an offensive line that is providing him 3.04 seconds to throw the football, which is the third-best mark in the NFL. Allen is handling the blitz better this season after completing only 52% of his passes while posting an 81.3 Passer Rating in those situations last season. He has a 117.1 Passer Rating against blitzes this season while completing 61% of his passes. Allen is also completing 77% of his passes with five touchdown passes on third down with a Passer Rating of 146.6. Of the Bills’ 24 first downs this season, 20 have come from Allen throwing the football. Allen completed only 56% of his passes on third down last season. BetOnline has Buffalo as a -3.5-point favorite with the total set at 51.5. CBS has the broadcast starting at 7 PM ET. 

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How to Read Las Vegas Odds

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Oct 13, 2020

How to read Las Vegas odds As a sports fan, you have probably seen one of these giant display boards showing all the odds of your favorite games at Las Vegas sportsbooks.  To some, these boards might convey the needed information with the blink of an eye.  To others, it's like walking into a giant maze and not knowing where to search.  In this article, we want to describe how one can get started in the sports betting world, and educate you about betting odds.  We'll guide you through, so you can have a deep understanding!How do odds work?To answer this question, the definition of odds must be clear first.  Odds are a way to display the chance of an outcome of a sporting event.  The odds can provide you with a lot of information about the match:  who is the favorite, who is the underdog, will this be a competitive match, and whether the payout will be large or small?  There are tons of questions that might pop up when looking at the odds that bookies provide.  Now, when you fully understand the difference between several kinds of odds, you will have most of these questions answered before they even pop up.  We want to give you all the information you need in your sports betting career, so let's dive right in.What kind of betting odds are there?Let's start by distinguishing among the different types of odds.  Since we're focusing on Las Vegas (or American) odds in this article, it makes sense to point out that other parts of the world favor different types of odds.  In the United Kingdom, and throughout Europe, odds can be different than in Las Vegas.  The following odds are the most commonly used: American odds Fractional odds Decimal odds It should also be emphasized that the differences among types of odds is a completely separate issue from the different types of bets that one can make (e.g., straight bet, parlay, teaser).How to read American odds?The main type of odds that Las Vegas sportsbooks use is American (or moneyline) odds.  These odds show you straightaway which team is the favorite, and which team is the underdog.  The favored team will have a minus symbol in front of a number, while the underdog will have a plus sign.  Keep it as a rule that the negative number is the team that's most likely to win.  Also, the number alongside the plus or minus sign relates to either winning $100 (if you're betting on the favorite) or losing $100 (if you're betting on the underdog).  To show this in action, we can take a typical NFL game between the New York Giants and the Carolina Panthers. New York Giants +210 Carolina Panthers -250 In this example, the betting lines show that the oddsmaker favors the Carolina Panthers to win the game over the New York Giants.  To calculate your winnings, you can use the following formulae: If you bet $100 on the New York Giants and they win, you profit $210 above your initial stake of $100 If you want to win $100 by betting on Carolina, then you need to stake $250.  If the Panthers win, you profit $100 above your initial stake of $250 How to read Fractional odds?The fractional odds are the oldest type of odds.  They originated with horse racing in Great Britain, which is why this type of odds is still popular in the United Kingdom.  The signs for the fractional odds are either a slash (/) or a hyphen (-) -- for example, 4/1 or 4-1.  This shows that, for every dollar that you wager, you win 4 dollars over and above the already wagered dollar.  As these types of odds are very popular in countries like England, we'll illustrate them with a Premier League soccer example.  A match between Manchester City and Arsenal could look like this: Manchester City 7/5 Arsenal 4/7 You can use these odds to calculate the amount of money you win at the end of your winning bet. The examples above would look like this: 7/5 - every $5 you bet would earn you 7 dollars in return.  Your total return would be $12 including your initial stake of $5. 4/7 - every $7 you bet would earn you 4 dollars in profit.  Your total return would be $11 including your initial stake of $7.  How to read Decimal odds?Another way to display odds is in decimal form, which is commonly used by sports bettors in Europe, Canada, and New Zealand.  This type of odds can give you an indication of the chances of a team to win its game, so the decimal odds are probably the easiest to understand.  Where the fractional odds and the American odds require some quick mathematics -- including your initial stake -- the decimal odds are pretty simple to calculate.  When looking at the NBA, for example, we can put the decimal odds into an example.  First, let's take the formula that you can use to calculate your total returns:Your stake x decimal odds = total returnTo determine the profits you make, the formula is:(decimal odds x stake) - stake = profitWhen we take a look at what the Preseason odds were for three teams to win the NBA Championship in 2020, we can show the exact earnings per bet.  The odds on each team were: Los Angeles Lakers - 5.44 Houston Rockets - 7.39 Philadelphia 76ers - 15.13 Now, this is where we take the formula and fill in the empty spots to calculate our earnings per bet.  In this example, we'll bet $10 per match on a specific team: Los Angeles Lakers - 5.44 = (5.44 x $10) - $10 stake = $54.40 - $10 = $44.40 profit Houston Rockets - 7.39 = (7.39 x $10) - $10 stake = $73.90 - $10 = $63.90 profit Philadelphia 76ers - 15.13 = (15.13 x $10) - $10 stake = $151.30 - $10 = $141.30 profit What are the most common bet types?In the sports betting world, there are not only different types of odds, but also different types of bets.  Here, we will take you through the most common bet types and the most lucrative bet types.  After all, you're wagering here to make some money. Parlay bet Moneyline bet Over/under bet Point spread bet Parlay betWith a parlay bet, you do not bet on one single match, you bet on multiple games.  Your bet only succeeds when every single team wins (or pushes), and not a single match loses.  Because the odds of winning a parlay bet are often very small, you could make giant amounts of money.  A 3-team parlay, for example, usually pays 6-1 odds.  And that is why parlays are always a popular betting option.  As we all know, each sporting event is different from the other.  And even a game which might seem predictable can result in a completely unexpected outcome.  A nice example of the possible profit you could make with a parlay bet occurred in France.  A bettor made a parlay bet that stretched out over 21 games.  For each of the first 20 games, the bettor's chosen team won, which got the attention of the bookmaker.  So, for the 21st (and final) game of the parlay, the bookie invited the bettor to attend the event at the stadium.  After a thrilling match, Bayern München won 2-0, to reward the bettor with a $452,152,96.59 payout, on an initial bet of $565.  Parlay odds can be long, but if you manage to win, you win big!Moneyline betThe moneyline bet is one of the most popular bet types that's available in sports betting.  It's one of the most simple bets you can make as it's nothing more than betting on which team will outscore its opponent to win the match.  Many people call this handicapping -- simply picking the winner of the game.  You either bet on the favorite or the underdog to win the game.  To explain this, let's take Super Bowl 54 with the odds that were available at BookMaker: Kansas City Chiefs -130 San Francisco 49ers +111 As you can see, the Chiefs carried the negative odds, so they were the favored team.  The 49ers carried positive odds, which meant they were the underdog in that game.  With a moneyline bet, you only win if your team triumphs at the end of the match.Over/Under betWhen you become adept at diving deep into the analytics of a sporting event, you might gain an interest in an over/under wager.  With a moneyline bet, you only try to predict the ultimate winner of the game.  But with the over/under bet, you have to analyze the ability to score and/or play defense for both teams.  Thus, you're betting on the final score of the match to be either over or under the amount given by the oddsmakers.  For example, let's once again review Super Bowl 54.  The over/under at BookMaker was set at 53 points, and each side of the wager also had different moneyline odds attached. The odds were: Over 53 -126 Under 53 +104 In this example again, the minus sign indicates the favored outcome, while the positive odds indicate the less probable outcome.  Since we're betting on the final score of a match, you have to pay strong attention to the relative offensive and defensive strengths of each team.  Make a good analysis of the number of points each team might score, and tally it up to determine whether the game will be high-scoring or low-scoring.  When your research is thorough, you can make a bet with confidence.Point spread betOne of the popular bets in sports betting is the point spread bet.  It's one of the bets that might seem a little difficult to grasp at first, but it can be really exciting.  In point spread betting, you are wagering on the difference of points between the two teams at the end of the game.  Oddsmakers provide this type of bet to make betting on both teams interesting, regardless of the skill difference between the two teams.  As an example, let's take an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons.  The odds could look something like this: Detroit Pistons +14.5 (-110) Los Angeles Lakers -14.5 (-110) In this example, the Lakers are the favored team to win the match, but they will have to win by more than 14.5 points for your point spread bet to cash.  If the Detroit team wins straight-up, or loses by less than 14.5 points, your point spread bet on the Pistons would cash.  When you are betting on the spread, there's a chance (if the point spread is a whole number) that the game would end up in a tie.  In this case, the bookmaker would refund your stake.How to use Las Vegas odds to get better at sports bettingOne thing any sports bettor wants is to get better, win more often, and eventually bring in more dollars.  When you manage to work with the odds the right way, you can rapidly predict how oddsmakers and sportsbooks will set (and move) the numbers.  Sometimes, the odds might look deceptively easy for one team.  However, don't be suckered into betting on that enticing side.  Always remember that the bookmakers probably know more than you do.  Perhaps a critical player might be injured, or there are internal problems within the team, or some other unknown factor might be affecting the odds.  Always do your own research before you place a bet. If the odds look too good to be true, they probably are!What are rotation numbers?Since we are writing this article for all the Las Vegas sports bettors out there, we can't leave out the rotation numbers.  The rotation numbers are the numbers that are attached to a specific team in a specific game.  The numbers are displayed to the left of the team name on the tote board, or in a printed schedule.  Visiting teams would have odd numbers; home teams would be exactly one number higher, and be even numbers.  They're designed for sports bettors to make a quick bet at their favorite sportsbook.  You simply walk to the betting window, and provide the rotation number, team name, bet type, and amount of money to the ticket writer, and your bet is placed.  A couple of examples of the use of rotation numbers are: "451 - Houston Texans - moneyline - $150" "478 - Los Angeles Rams - point spread - $50 The above examples both refer to individual teams in a specific game.  The number 7 might be associated with a road team in an NHL Hockey game, while 102 might be the rotation number of a home team in an NFL game.  If you want to bet fast and efficiently, you should learn how to use rotation numbers!What is the best way to read Vegas odds?After reading this article, you have all the information you need to get started with your sports betting career.  All that's left for you to do is to find the right place for your bets.  Either you choose a physical sportsbook in your city, or join any of the available online sportsbooks.  Our current #1 sportsbook is BetAnySports -- primarily because it offers reduced juice.  So, you can lay -105 on a football or basketball game rather than -110.  But if you’re looking to bet $50,000 on an NFL game, then BookMaker would be your best option.  Or, if you’re looking for the best sign-up and reload bonuses, then BetNow would be a top choice.  The next steps after this are different for any bettor out there, but to get you started we would like to suggest our game plan: Pick the sporting event of your preference Do a full analysis of the home team and the away team See which online sportsbook offers the best odds Pick your bet type:  moneyline, point spread or over/under Make sure your analysis is thorough Place your bet and expect to win more than you lose That's how we approach sports betting and how you should approach your future bets.  Now, get started, and bring in the big bucks!

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Don't Forget About Defense

by Ben Burns

Monday, Oct 12, 2020

"Chicks dig the long ball." Remember that Nike commercial? It was on the air back in 1999, so perhaps not. It featured Glavine and Maddux, a couple of Cy Young pitchers, trying to learn to hit like Mark McGwire, in order to get noticed by women. Google it.While that commercial aired more than 20 years ago, home runs remain the current rage. That's because teams which hit more "long balls" than their opponent have won nearly every game this postseason. While hitting home runs is clearly very important, it doesn't mean that teams can forget about the little things. Like playing defense. That was evident when watching Game 2 of the ALCS. I had liked what I'd seen defensively, from the Rays, in Game 1. In Game 2, the Rays took their defense to another level. Margot's highlight reel catch was only one of many high quality defensive plays. On the other side, Altuve's mindless throwing error extended Tampa's first inning. (Gurriel was originally given the error but they changed it and gave it to Altuve, who would go on to commit another.) The Rays made the most of it, their next batter (Margot) making the Astros pay with a 3-run home run.   Remember, home runs may get you noticed. But pitching and defense still win ball games. 

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