Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Articles

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/25/2024

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Sep 25, 2024

The Wednesday sports card features MLB action. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Seattle Mariners travel to Houston to play the Astros at 2:10 p.m. ET. Yusei Kikuchi takes the ball for the Astros to face George Kirby for the Astros. Seattle is a -135 money-line road favorite with the total set at 7 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia Phillies host the Chicago Cubs at 6:05 p.m. ET. The Phillies tap Cristopher Sanchez to take the mound to pitch against the Cubs’ Javier Assad. Philadelphia is a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Three more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Detroit plays at home against Tampa Bay with Keider Montero getting sent to the mound by the Tigers to challenge Zack Littel for the Rays. The Tigers are a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Cleveland is home against Cincinnati with the Guardians turning to Joey Cantillo to go against the Reds’ Jakob Junis. The Guardians are a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Milwaukee plays in Pittsburgh with Freddy Peralta taking the hill for the Brewers to battle against Luis L. Ortiz for the Pirates. The Brewers are a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Kansas City Royals are in Washington to play the Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Royals send out Michael Lorenzen to duel against the Nationals’ D.J. Herz. Kansas City is a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Yankees hosts the Baltimore Orioles at 7:05 p.m. ET. Nestor Cortes, Jr. gets the ball for the Yankees to pitch against Zach Eflin for the Orioles. New York is a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Boston Red Sox at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays send out Kevin Gausman to pitch against the Red Sox’s Richard Fitts. Toronto is a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the New York Mets at 7:20 p.m. ET. Chris Sale gets the start for the Braves to go against David Peterson for the Mets. Atlanta is a -185 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Two more MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. Minnesota hosts Miami with the Twins tapping Simeon Woods Richardson to challenge the Marlins’ Edward Cabrera. The Twins are a -185 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Los Angeles visits Chicago with Jose Suarez taking the mound for the Angels to duel against Davis Martin for the White Sox. The Angels are a -118 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Cardinals tap Erick Fedde to battle against the Rockies’ Austin Gomber. St. Louis is a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Two MLB games begin at 9:40 p.m. ET. Arizona plays at home against San Francisco with Zac Gallen getting the ball for the Diamondbacks to pitch against Mason Black for the Giants. The Diamondbacks are a -225 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Texas is in Oakland with the Rangers turning to Cody Bradford to face the A’s' Brady Basso. The Rangers are a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the San Diego Padres at 10:10 p.m. ET. Jack Flaherty takes the mound for the Dodgers to challenge Dylan Cease for the Padres. Los Angeles is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.

Read more

NCAA Football: Early Season Hype vs Reality

by Wayne Root

Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024

Here’s some matchups that has a lot of hype leading into the weekend. Oklahoma St vs Kansas StLouisville vs Notre Dame Arkansas vs Texas A&MGeorgia vs Alabama Illinois vs Penn StThese are just a few big games set for Saturday, September 28. How do you separate the hype from the past reputation to new players from the portal?We’re at the time of year in college football where hype is out of control surrounding some teams. Football teams that have gotten out to hot starts – whether expected or not – can do no wrong in the eyes of the media and the betting public. I love to note teams I think are good but started the season 2-1 or 1-2 and the oddsmakers will over adjust the lines in October. But the public will have it in their mind to bet against them from what they have seen. Look at what Texas did to Michigan. Then Michigan turned around the following week and defeated USC. As you know if you have spent any time at all watching sports, though, not all teams live up to their early season hype. Some don’t live up to it in truly spectacular fashion. Our job as sports bettors is to try to tell the difference between the teams that are as good as advertised, and the ones that have sucked people in only to eventually break their hearts.Here are five questions to ask yourself as a football bettor as you try to determine which teams are which:1. Who have they played? This is the biggest trap that sports bettors fall into. They get all excited because a team gets off to a hot 3-0 start and pile up a bunch of points or play stellar defense, but they forget to consider who the opponents were. I try to throw out stats of the one sided games from week one and week two so I have a clear picture for the rest of the year. Maybe those wins came against a hopelessly outmatched opponent. Or maybe they were against good teams, but ones that don’t play well on the road. Or maybe the opponents were suffering from injuries to key players, or were adjusting to new football coaches or new schemes. The actual final score in a game tells very little of the story of what has gone on, and until you plunge deeper and get a sense of what has actually happened you just aren’t working with enough information to know if a team should be hyped or not.2. Were the matchups particularly favorable? Further to the last point, what you really need to look at is the matchups in the early games. Is the hyped team a pass-heavy team that was facing a team with a defective pass rush or an inexperienced secondary. Are they a football team with a large defensive line that was able to contain and control the opposing undersized offensive line and running backs? Do they have a relentless blitzing approach that rattled a young opposing quarterback? If there is a matchup issue that clearly contributed to the hot start and therefore the hype then it is crucial that you identify it. If the mismatch is one that is likely to continue then the team might be worthy of the attention. If it’s just a quirk of scheduling that positioned the game or games that best suit their style early in the schedule, though, then you might have spotted a situation where the sports betting public’s affection is unwarranted.3. Has the hype been fueled by one player performing extraordinarily well? Be sure to check out the play of a Heisman hopeful. Did he carry the team or did the coach help pad his stats. The less a hot start is built around one player, or even just a couple, the more likely that it is sustainable. Look at Colorado’s QB,  Shedeur Sanders. He’s a prime example of the public betting on him and the excitement his dad, the coach, brings to the media. 4. What’s the coaching status? There is always new optimism around a new hire, so that combined with a hot start can get hype running at high levels. More often than not, though, that hot start can’t be sustained. Changing systems and approachss isn’t easy and growing pains are inevitable. If the hype is surrounding a team with a new coach I am always skeptical, and my skepticism is rarely unfounded.5. How do they differ now from preseason perception? Every so often a team in College goes from worst to first in a single year. Or a semi-miraculous climb in the standings. the media and the public love those stories – so much so that they want to see them happening all the time. The problem, though, is that a majority of the time a football team that was bad last year and hasn’t done much about it isn’t likely to be great this year – no matter how they do in their first couple of games. If a team was pretty universally viewed to be an also-ran before the season but then they pick up a couple of impressive early wins you need to be especially sure in your football handicapping that the current reality differs in a meaningful way form the preseason perception of the team before you get too excited and buy into them. Because UNLV was good last year, especially versus the spread at 9-2, their 3-0 start may show that they are really good and a team the oddsmakers or public haven’t caught up with. And they’re ranked #23 in the Coaches poll. Unprecedented. 

Read more

NFL Week 3 Observations

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024

Week 3 is in the books, and here are some NFL observations from Week 2:Six teams – the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants – earned their first win of the season in Week 3. Only two teams remain winless, both of Monday's losing squads: Cincinnati and Jacksonville. Not good considering only six teams since 1979 have made the playoffs after starting 0-3, including just one since 2000, and none have won a Super Bowl.Five teams – the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills – improved to 3-0.The Vikings are 3-0 for the first time since 2016 after a balanced effort on both sides of the ball in their 34-7 win over Houston, getting five sacks from the defense while wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jalen Nailor recorded a touchdown reception.The Vikings registered five sacks in Week 1, six sacks in Week 2 and five sacks in Week 3. They're the third team since 1990 with at least five sacks in each of their first three games of a season.The Steelers are 3-0 for the first time since 2020, and appear to have regenerated the days of their Steel Curtain on defense. They allowed 10 points in Week 1, six points in Week 2 and 10 points in Week 3. They're the fifth team since 2000 to win each of their first three games and allow 10 or fewer points in each wins.The Green Bay Packers went into Nashville and routed the Tennessee Titans, 30-14, as quarterback Malik Willis was brilliant against his former team, totaling 275 yards (202 passing, 73 rushing) and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) with a 120.9 rating, Packers safety Xavier McKinney registered his third-consecutive game with an interception to begin the season.On the ground, the Packers have 612 rushing yards to become the fifth team with at least 600 yards rushing in their first three games of a season since 1990.Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley totaled 156  yards on offense (147 rushing, nine receiving) and two rushing touchdowns while tight end Dallas Goedert hauled in 10 passes for 170 yards in the Eagles' 15-12 win at New Orleans.New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers continued the impressive start to his career as he recorded eight receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s 21-15 win at Cleveland. Nabers has 23 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns this season. He is the first player in NFL history with at least 20 receptions and three touchdown catches in his first three career games.Veteran running back Derrick Henry totaled 174 scrimmage yards (151 rushing, 23 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns in the Baltimore Ravens' 28-25 win over Dallas. Henry now has 12 career games with at least 150 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy passed for 292 yards with three touchdowns and a 137.1 rating in Week 3. On Monday, it was revealed Purdy will undergo an MRI for a sore back.Carolina wide receiver Adam Thielen registered his 60th career touchdown reception and became the third undrafted player in the common-draft era with at least 60 career touchdown receptions.Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey continued to delight Fantasy owners, as he booted a 65-yard field goal in the first quarter, the second-longest made field goal in NFL history. After a preseason game in Las Vegas, Aubrey told media members that he's kicked 70 yard field goals at practices.

Read more

2024-25 NHL Preview: Metropolitan Division

by Sean Murphy

Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024

The puck drops on the 2024-25 NHL season in less than two weeks as the Sabres and Devils play a two-game set at O2 Arena in Prague. Here's a preview of the eight teams that reside in the Metropolitan Division, in no particular order.Pittsburgh PenguinsThere were whispers regarding Sidney Crosby's future in Pittsburgh leading up to the trade deadline last March. Crosby doesn't seem to have any interest in playing anywhere other than Pittsburgh, however, as he re-upped with the Penguins during the offseason. A rebuild never seems far off in the Steel City even if pieces of the original core (Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang) remain on board. There weren't a ton of big offseason moves, although the draft day deal to acquire Kevin Hayes and signing of Matt Grzelcyk could pay dividends. A time-share isn't off the board in goal with the capable duo of Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic. Depth remains thin across the board for the Pens and another campaign on the edge of postseason play is the most likely outcome.New York RangersThe Blueshirts fell two wins away from the Stanley Cup Final last Spring, bowing out at the hands of the eventual champion Panthers. As expected, the Rangers more or less stood pat during the offseason, feeling that keeping the core together was the best path forward to another run at the Cup. Alexis Lafreniere took a big step forward last season and especially in the playoffs and New York is hoping Kaapo Kakko is next in line to blossom in 24-25. You'd be hard-pressed to find many holes in this roster and with all-world goaltender Igor Shesterkin once again serving as the last line of defense, the Rangers should be top of conversation when it comes to Stanley Cup contenders.Columbus Blue Jackets Perhaps no team will be playing with heavier hearts than the Blue Jackets following the tragic death of Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew in late-August. The hockey community as a whole is hurting. Columbus had a fairly productive offseason, dealing away troubled veteran Patrik Laine to Montreal in exchange for blue-line prospect Jordan Harris. Sean Monahan and James van Riemsdyk were added to provide some veteran leadership. This is still a very young team with the hope being that Adam Fantilli, who had his rookie campaign cut short by a freak injury, and Kent Johnson take another step forward. The Jackets boast an underrated defensive corps led by Zach Werenski and fast-improving David Jiricek. It's going to be difficult for Columbus to gain much ground in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan but any move northward from last place would be considered a positive.Carolina HurricanesThe Hurricanes seem to be stuck in a bit of a 'groundhog day' cycle, re-living the same season (and playoff exit) over and over again. Changes were needed in the offseason and as a result, this is a new-look team entering 24-25. Gone are the likes of Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Stefan Noesen and Antti Raanta. While big name signings weren't in the cards, the Canes did add quality depth pieces including William Carrier, Jack Roslovic, Tyson Jost and Shayne Gostisbehere among others. Few teams are deeper than Carolina - a big reason it was able to let so many players walk in the offseason. In goal, the Canes are depending on the healthy of Frederik Andersen who is likely to be pushed by backup Pyotr Kochetkov. New Jersey DevilsThe Devils were a massive disappointment last season after making such great strides the year previous. Shoring up their goaltending situation was job one over the Summer and New Jersey did just that by acquiring Jacob Markstrom in a trade with Calgary. The Devils are hoping some of the Hurricanes past success can rub off with the arrival of Brett Pesce and Stefan Noesen. However, Pesce will start the season on the shelf, as will young blue line standout Luke Hughes. There's no question New Jersey is still counting on plenty of young players to lead the charge but that has worked in the past. The injury bug bit the Devils hard last season but if their key cogs, particularly up front, can stay healthy they could turn out to be a Metropolitan Division sleeper. New York IslandersPatrick Roy will get his first full season behind the bench with the Islanders following a third-place finish in the Metropolitan last season. The offseason losses were minimal, but so were the additions. New York did do some tinkering, most notably adding Anthony Duclair, who it hopes can provide a scoring boost. Many of the familiar faces including Mat Barzal, Bo Horvat, Anders Lee and Brock Nelson will be asked to shoulder the load offensively. The blue line is solid led by the terrific Noah Dobson. In goal, a bounce-back campaign should be in order for Ilya Sorokin who was once thought to be one of the best in the NHL but had a down 23-24 season. He did undergo offseason back surgery so we'll see if he's ready for puck drop in October. Semyon Varlamov serves as a capable veteran backup.Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia isn't exactly known for having a patient fan base so it's understandable that the Flyers are in win-now mode under the guidance of head coach John Tortorella. If nothing else, the Flyers should be exciting to watch with Matvei Michkov coming over from Russia after being drafted in June 2023. There's plenty of talent behind Michkov, at least in the top-six. After that, offensive production wanes. Last season's big move was the trade of Cutter Gauthier to Anaheim in exchange for Jamie Drysdale. Drysdale will be asked to take on a more prominent role on the blue line this season, likely eating 20-25 minutes per game. Philadelphia has a crowded crease with no fewer than four goaltenders capable of earning time. The duo of Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov are most likely to stay on with the big club come October.Washington CapitalsThe Capitals were one of the biggest surprises to reach the postseason last Spring and much like the Penguins, made moves to bolster their roster rather than begin a rebuild in the offseason. Veterans T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom won't be on the ice any time soon and could miss the entire season. That makes the acquisition of guys like Pierre-Luc Dubois and Andrew Mangiapane all the more important. In a quiet trade that could pay big dividends, Washington added Jakob Chychrun from Ottawa after the defenseman struggled to fit in north of the border. In goal, Darcy Kuemper was dealt while Logan Thompson was added by way of Las Vegas. Thompson could earn a time-share with Charlie Lindgren, who put forth a terrific 23-24 campaign. The main reason to watch the Caps this season will be to see if Alex Ovechkin can hunt down Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal-scoring record but don't be surprised if they earn playoff-viewing as well. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/24/2024

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Detroit Tigers host the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:10 p.m. ET. The Tigers tap Tarik Skubal to take the ball to face the Rays’ Ryan Pepiot. Detroit is a -185 money-line favorite with the total set at 7 (all odds from DraftKings). Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Milwaukee travels to Pittsburgh with Tobias Myers taking the mound for the Brewers to pitch against Bailey Falter for the Pirates. The Brewers are a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Cleveland plays at home against Cincinnati with the Guardians turning to Tanner Bibee to go against the Reds’ Jakob Junis. The Guardians are a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Chicago plays at Philadelphia with Justin Steele getting the ball for the Cubs to challenge Tanner Banks for the Phillies. The Cubs are a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals are in Washington against the Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Royals send out Cole Ragans to battle against the Nationals’ Mitchell Parker. Kansas City is a -170 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The New York Yankees are at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:05 p.m. ET. Clarke Schmidt takes the mound for the Yankees to duel against Dean Kremer for the Orioles. New York is a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays tap Bowden Francis to pitch against the Red Sox’s Brayan Bello. Toronto is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the New York Mets at 7:20 p.m. ET. Spencer Schwellenbach gets the ball for the Braves to face Luis Severino for the Mets. Atlanta is a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two more games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. Los Angeles visits Chicago with the Angels sending out Jack Kochanowicz to challenge the White Sox’s Jonathan Cannon. The Angels are a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Minnesota is at home against Miami with Bailey Ober getting the ball for the Twins to go against Ryan Weathers for the Marlins. The Twins are a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.The Houston Astros host the Seattle Mariners at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Astros turn to Framber Valdez to duel against the Mariners’ Logan Gilbert. Houston is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The St. Louis Cardinals play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. Michael McGreevy takes the mound for the Cardinals to battle against Ryan Feltner for the Rockies. St. Louis is a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. Two MLB games begin at 9:40 p.m. ET. Texas is in Oakland with the Rangers sending out Nathan Eovaldi to face the A’s Mitchell Spence. The Rangers are a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Arizona plays at home against San Francisco with Brandon Pfaadt getting the ball for the Diamondbacks to go against Logan Webb for the Giants. The Diamondbacks are a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the San Diego Padres at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers turn to Landon Knack to challenge the Padres’ Michael King. Los Angeles is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8.

Read more

5 NBA Teams Who Will Go Under The Posted Win Total

by AAA Sports

Monday, Sep 23, 2024

The NBA regular season starts on October 22nd. That's less than a month away! A couple of weeks ago, we looked at five teams which we felt were set to outperform expectations. Now, we will take a look at five NBA teams which may have trouble hitting their projected win total. We're not making wagers on these plays yet, just getting the conversation started. We understand that these are some good teams but these are also some high totals. If you do play on any of them to go under their respective totals, if possible, make sure to shop around for the best lines. These can vary quite a lot from book to book. The lines can also move quickly. The ones we are using were taken from Draft Kings on September 23rd. BOSTON CELTICS (58.5) So much went right for the Celtics last season. Jayson Tatum gave up some scoring and became an undisputed top 8 player in the league. Jaylen Brown showed that he could play despite the expectations that come with being the league’s highest-paid player. Newcomers Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were perfect fits. Even the maligned bench wasn’t a drain. All good. But the injury-prone Porzingis will be on the bench for several months and is no cinch to STAY healthy.  The veteran backcourt of Holiday and Derrick White put some miles on their odometers playing in the Olympics (Tatum, not so much). To get to 59 wins the Celtics will need to keep Al Horford healthy and monitor his minutes, plus get improvement from one of their other emerging bigs – Neemius Queta or Xavier Tillman. Toss in improvement from Eastern rivals, and it looks like an under play is warranted.DENVER NUGGETS (51.5) What you see is what you get from the Nuggets, whose core of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. will basically determine, again, how high they finish this season. The only significant moves the team made in the off-season were allowing Kentavius Caldwell-Pope to walk (to Orlando) and bringing on Russell Westbrook, and that means that the Nuggets will remain talented but not deep – and in the uber-talented Western Conference that’s a huge red flag for totals players. It’s not hard to see the Nuggets going into Heat Mode, kissing off the regular season, and resting the Core Four to keep them ready and healthy for the playoffs. Oddsmakers have already baked a six-game slide into the cake, but if Jokic gets dinged or Murray doesn’t emerge from whatever it was that caused him to stink out the joint in the Olympics, the decline could be even greater.PHOENIX SUNS (47.5) OK, an under play could go sideways really fast if Bradley Beal somehow manages to stay healthy and competes in the neighborhood of 65 to 70 games. The Suns would then finally have the Big Three that new ownership had to have – and handsomely paid for. What team wouldn’t want Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant on the court at the same time? Last season, with Beal on the sidelines most of the time, Booker and Durant combined for nearly 55 points a game. The problem was, that head coach Frank Vogel could never quite get the boys to buy in on the defensive end, so he was replaced by former Bucks HC Mike Budenholzer – who was fired in Milwaukee for pretty much the same reason. Durant, Beal, and Booker are a combined 93 years old, and it will be interesting to see where Phoenix is come mid-March and how important it is for the Suns to finish with a top 4 or 5 seed.LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (40.5) Either Kawhi Leonard finally enjoyed good health or the NBA’s decision to make players take the court 65 times out of 82 in order to qualify for post-season awards had a huge effect. At any rate, Leonard played in more games (68, just above the minimum) than in any season since he started to play his way out of San Antonio in 2016-17. Same with James Harden, who suited up 72 times – the most since 2018-19 with Houston. This year? Who knows? But they’ll have to stay on the court as much, or even more, since running-mate Paul George has flown to coop to Philadelphia. The Clippers chose financial flexibility over star power as they move into their new arena in Los Angeles. The ifs and buts are stacked up like cordwood, and a .500 season that would cover the winning title could be quite a reach.MILWAUKEE BUCKS (50.5) They won’t admit it, of course, but if the Bucks could turn back the clock it’s debatable whether they would do the Jrue Holiday-to-Portland-for-Damian Lillard trade all over again. Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo never really got things together, but they’ll have to do it all over again this season. The Bucks are hoping against hope that Doc Rivers can figure things out with a full training camp after a disastrous 17-19 record as Adrian Griffin’s replacement. For the record, under Griffin the Bucks were on a pace to win 57 games; they ended up with 49. So much of this season depends on the health of Khris Middleton, who hasn’t played as many as 70 games in a season since 2018-19. The title window appears to be closing on Milwaukee, with Lillard in his mid-30s, Antetokounmpo hitting the Big 3-0 in a few months, and Middleton 33.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL and MLB Previews and Odds - 09/23/2024

by Al McMordie

Monday, Sep 23, 2024

The Monday sports card features NFL and MLB action. Week 3 in the NFL concludes with two games. The Buffalo Bills host the Jacksonville Jaguars on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Bills are 2-0 on the season after their 31-10 upset victory at Miami as a 2.5-point underdog on September 12th. The Jaguars are winless after their first two games after an 18-13 upset loss at home to Cleveland as a 3-point favorite on Sunday. Buffalo is a 5.5-point favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Cincinnati Bengals play at home against the Washington Commanders on ABC at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Bengals have stumbled out to an 0-2 start after their 26-25 loss at Kansas City as a 6.5-point underdog last Sunday. The Commanders evened their record at 1-1 with a 21-18 victory against the New York Giants as a 1-point favorite last week. Cincinnati is a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5.Major League Baseball has four games on its schedule. The Philadelphia  Phillies are at home against the Chicago Cubs at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Phillies lost for the fourth time in their last five games after their 2-1 loss in New York against the Mets last night. They are in first place in the NL East with a five-game lead over Atlanta entering the final week of the regular season. The Cubs won for the third time in their last four games with their 5-0 victory at home against Washington on Sunday. They have been eliminated from the postseason. Aaron Nola takes the ball for Philadelphia to pitch against Nate Pearson for Chicago. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Boston Red Sox at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays are on a four-game losing streak after their 4-3 loss at Tampa Bay yesterday. They have been eliminated from the American League playoff race. The Red Sox are on a two-game winning streak after an 8-1 victory against Minnesota on Sunday. They remain technically alive in the AL wildcard race but need to make up six games. Toronto taps Chris Bassitt to face Boston’s Tanner Houck. The Red Sox are a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 8.The Houston Astros play at home against the Seattle Mariners at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Astros’ three-game winning streak came to an end on Sunday after a 9-8 loss at home to the Los Angeles Angels. They are in first place in the AL West with a five-game lead over the Mariners. Seattle is on a two-game losing streak after their 6-5 loss at Texas yesterday. Hunter Brown gets the ball for Houston to challenge Bryce Miller for the Mariners. The Astros are a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Arizona Diamondbacks are at home against the San Francisco Giants at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks have lost two games in a row after their 10-9 loss at Milwaukee yesterday. They are tied with the New York Mets for the final two spots in the NL wildcard race with a two-game lead over Atlanta. The Giants have won four games in a row and six of their last seven contests after their 2-0 victory at Kansas City on Sunday. They have been eliminated from the postseason. Arizona sends out Eduardo Rodriguez to battle San Francisco’s Hayden Birdsong. The Diamondbacks are a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 9.

Read more

UFC Fight Night Preview and Picks

by Will Rogers

Sunday, Sep 22, 2024

UFC Fight Night Moicano vs. Saint-Denis  Saturday, September 28thAccor Arena - ParisThe UFC returns to Paris for the third straight September on Saturday. MMA wasn't legalized in France until 2020. So, the French have a relatively short history of fights here. The first time the UFC came here was in September of 2022. That inaugural event saw French heavyweight Cyrl Gane defeat Tui Tuivasa. Last September, the UFC returned. Once again, Gane was the headliner. Once again, he came through for the home faithful, defeating Serghei Spivak. Gane isn't part of this week's card. Instead, France's Benoit "God Of War" St. Denis, an exciting lightweight will face Brazil's Renato "Moicano" Carneiro. Let's take a closer look at the two biggest bouts. The Main Event  Moicano vs. Saint-Denis Saint-Denis -2752.5 under -155As one can tell by the odds, Saint-Denis is expected to win this fight. The 28-year old "God of War" has a 13-2 record. He was last seen getting KO'd by Dustin Poirier this past March. Prior to that, he'd won five straight. Saint-Denis can win in a variety of different ways. One of his recent victories was a head-kick KO. Two were TKO's by punches. One was a face-crank submission while another was a rear-naked choke submission. One thing all six of those fights had in common was that none of them made it past the second round. As a matter of fact, only one of his 15 fights, one of the two losses, ever went to the judges. At 35 years old, "Moicano" has been around for a while. He fought recognizable names like Brian Ortega, Cub Swanson and Jose Aldo back in 2017-2019 but has been matched up against lesser known opposition of late. He is 3-0 his past 3 fights though, a TKO, a decision and a submission. Prediction: Inspired by the French fans, Saint-Denis is going to be too much for the older Brazilian. Though warranted, the heavy price tag is too much for my taste. Instead, the play is on the Under 2.5 rounds. Moicano has been stopped four times and none of Saint-Denis' 13 victories have gone past the second round. Play on the Under. The Co-Main Event  Allen vs ImavovImavov -2102.5 over -200American middleweight Brendan Allen (24-5) takes on France's Nassourdine Imavov (14-4) in the (3-round) co-main event. Though not quite as expensive as Saint-Denis, the French fighter is again a fairly steep favorite. Since losing a decision to Sean Strickland, Imavov is undefeated. He's very skilled but Allen also comes in full of confidence. The American is 7-0 his past 7 fights and 9-1 his last 10. In his last fight, Allen defeated Chris Curtis, the last fighter to have beaten him. (Imavov and Curtis also fought once but it was declared a no contest due to a clash of heads.) Prediction: This one will likely go the distance with Imavov winning by decision. Unless the price comes down, I'm unlikely to be involved. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 09/22/2024

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Sep 22, 2024

The Sunday sports card features NFL, MLB, and EPL action. Week 3 in the NFL continues with 13 games. Seven NFL games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Denver Broncos as a 6-point favorite, with the total set at 41 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Houston Texans travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 46. The Pittsburgh Steelers play at home against the Los Angeles Chargers as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 34.5. The New Orleans Saints are at home against the Philadelphia Eagles as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. The Tennessee Titans host the Green Bay Packers as a 3-point favorite with a total of 37.5. The Cleveland Browns play at home against the New York Giants as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 38. The Indianapolis Colts are at home against the Chicago Bears as a 1-point favorite with a total of 44. Five NFL games start during the second window of afternoon games. Two NFL games begin at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Seattle Seahawks host the Miami Dolphins as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 41.5. The Las Vegas Raiders play at home against the Carolina Panthers as a 6-point favorite with a total of 40. Three more NFL games start at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Baltimore Ravens play in Dallas against the Cowboys as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 47.5. The San Francisco 49ers are in Los Angeles to play the Rams as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 43.5. The Detroit Lions visit Arizona to play the Cardinals as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 51.5. The Kansas City Chiefs play in Atlanta against the Falcons on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET for Sunday Night Football. The Chiefs are a 3-point road favorite with a total of 46.5. Major League Baseball has 16 games on its schedule. The Minnesota Twins are in Boston against the Red Sox in the opening game of their doubleheader at 12:35 p.m. ET as a -125  money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates travel to Cincinnati to play the Reds at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Baltimore Orioles are at home against the Detroit Tigers at 1:35 p.m. ET. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:40 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays. The Atlanta Braves play in Miami against the Marlins as a -198 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Three more MLB games begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Brewers play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros are at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -285 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants are in Kansas City to play the Royals as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Cleveland Guardians at 2:15 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Chicago Cubs play at home against the Washington Nationals at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners travel to Texas to play the Rangers at 2:35 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The New York Yankees play in Oakland against the A’s at 4:07 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -325 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies as a -345 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Red Sox play at home against the Twins in the second game of their doubleheader at 5:35 p.m. ET, with both teams priced at -110 at BetMGM with a total of 8. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN has the Philadelphia Phillies in New York to play the Mets at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Phillies are a -155 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7. Matchweek 5 in the English Premier League concludes with two matches on the USA Network. Brighton and Hove Albion is home against Nottingham Forest at 9:00 a.m. ET is a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester City hosts Arsenal at 11:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 09/21/2024

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Sep 21, 2024

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, CFL, and EPL action.Week 4 in NCAAF college football continues with 50 games between FBS opponents. Nine of these NCAAF games kick off at noon ET, with three games on major national television. Florida travels to Mississippi State on ESPN as a 6.5-point road favorite with the total set at 58 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Ohio State hosts Marshall on Fox as a 39.5-point favorite with an over/under of 52.5. Clemson plays at home against North Carolina State on ABC as a 19-point favorite with a total of 44. Sixteen NCAAF games between FBS opponents start in the 3:30 pm ET to 6:30 pm ET window. Four college football games on major national television at 3:30 p.m. ET. USC plays at Michigan on CBS as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 44. Auburn is at home against Arkansas on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 56. Notre Dame hosts Miami (OH) on NBC as a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. LSU plays at home against UCLA on ABC as a 21-point favorite with a total of 56. Utah is at Oklahoma State on Fox at 4:00 p.m. ET as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Nineteen NCAAF games between FBS opponents begin at 7:00 p.m. ET or later to complete the Saturday football card. Miami (FL) visits Souter Florida on ESPN as a 17-point road favorite with a total of 65. Two college football games on major national television begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. Iowa plays at Minnesota on NBC as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 35. Tennessee is at Oklahoma on ABC as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 57.5. Colorado is at home against Baylor on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 51.5. Kansas State travels to BYU on ESPN at 10:30 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 49.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Cincinnati Reds host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs play at home against the Washington Nationals at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite.The Baltimore Orioles are home against the Detroit Tigers at 4:05 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Four more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Toronto Blue Jays as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies play in New York against the Mets with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins are in Boston to play the Red Sox as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Atlanta Braves travel to Miami to play the Marlins as a -258 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Kansas City Royals play at home against the San Francisco Giants at 5:10 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers are home against the Seattle Mariners at 7:05 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros play at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -250 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cleveland Guardians play in St. Louis Cardinals at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Diego Padres are home against the Chicago White Sox at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -278 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The New York Yankees are in Oakland to play the A’s at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies at 9:10 p.m. ET as a -285 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Week 16 in the Canadian Football League concludes with two games. The Montreal Alouettes visit Ottawa to play the Redblacks at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 50. The Edmonton Elks play at home against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at 7:00 p.m. ET in a pick ‘em game with a total of 49.5. Matchweek 5 in the English Premier League begins with eight matches. Chelsea plays at West Ham United on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Six more EPL matches start at 10:00 a.m. ET. Aston Villa is at home against Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Newcastle United is at Fulham as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Leicester City hosts Everton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Liverpool plays at home against Bournemouth on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Southampton is at home against Ipswich as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham hosts Brentford as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Manchester United visits Crystal Palace on NBC as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Read more

2024-25 NHL Preview: Atlantic Division

by Sean Murphy

Friday, Sep 20, 2024

The puck drops on the 2024-25 NHL season in just a couple of weeks as the Sabres and Devils play a two-game set at O2 Arena in Prague. In this preview, we'll take a look at the eight teams that reside in the Atlantic Division, in no particular order.Montreal CanadiensMake no mistake, the Canadiens remain in full rebuild mode, even after landing a big fish in Patrik Laine over the Summer. The needle is certainly pointing up after an injury-plagued 30-win campaign but it's going to be difficult to gain much ground in the ultra-competitive Atlantic. The Habs are brimming with young talent led by the likes of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield who are fast-entering their prime. Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook are two key pieces up front that return healthy. The biggest issue for Montreal could be between the pipes where a lot is asked of the lower-tier tandem of Samuel Montembault and Cayden Primeau. With plenty of youth behind veterans Mike Matheson and David Savard on the blue line, Habs goaltenders figure to get peppered on most nights. Boston BruinsThe Bruins enter the season as a big of a wild card following a second-place finish in the Atlantic in 2023-24. There was a massive roster overhaul during the offseason with familar faces like Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk and Linus Ullmark moving on. Face of the franchise Brad Marchand isn't getting any younger and required multiple offseason surgeries leaving many to wonder how much he will be able to contribute. The addition of Elias Lindholm should provide a spark up front and certainly boosts the ceiling of likely linemate David Pastrnak. Between the pipes the number one job will belong to Jeremy Swayman. We've seen a time-share between Swayman and Ullmark in recent years but the former is undoubtedly ready to take the next step.Toronto Maple LeafsContract issues swirl around Mitch Marner as training camp opens this week. The Maple Leafs did make a number offseason personnel changes but elected to keep the so-called 'Core Four' intact. Little was done to bolster the blue line and that's a concern. Christopher Tanev will provide some depth but he's by no means a game-changer. Anthony Stolarz was brought in to provide backup relief to starting netminder Joseph Woll who has yet to really prove himself as a true number-one option. You have to think this will be the last ride for this particular era of the Leafs if they fall short of expectations (again).Detroit Red WingsBy all accounts, general manager Steve Yzerman has done a solid job of improving the roster, largely by building from within with a host of young talent. With that being said, the Red Wings missed the playoffs last season and for a fan base that's desperate for a winner, patience is starting to run thin. Vladimir Tarasenko was the big add in free agency. Patrick Kane was re-signed as well. You do have to wonder how much either player has left in the tank at this stage of their respective careers. The blue line lacks depth as far as offensive production goes. Moritz Seider is a stud but the rest of the D-corps is average at best. The Wings are hoping one of Cam Talbot, Ville Husso and Alex Lyon will rise up and take hold of the starting goaltender role. Three might turn out to be a crowd in this particular case. Buffalo SabresThe Sabres were thought to be a possible sleeper team in the Eastern Conference last season but fell well short of expectations. Their roster is filled with familiar faces - few teams stood pat the way Buffalo did in the offseason. Whether that's a good or bad thing is up for debate. There's no question the Sabres boast plenty of top-line talent, both up front and on the back-end. Guys like Dylan Cozens, Zach Benson and John-Jason Peterka appear ready to take a step forward. Veterans Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch should chip in as well. Defensively, you'd be hard-pressed to find a stronger trio than Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Bowen Byram. In goal, there's depth but also not a lot of reliability. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen figures to hold down the number-one job. Ottawa SenatorsThe Senators always seem to make a splash in the offseason and this year was no different as they acquired goaltender Linus Ullmark from the Bruins via trade. Goaltending has been an issue in Ottawa for years so the addition of Ullmark should provide some stability. There's reason to question how much patience Brady Tkachuk will have if this team struggles again. A player like Tkachuk who is on the verge of superstardom could certainly benefit from moving to a bigger market and whispers of that have already begun. Aside from Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle is really the only forward that moves the needle. This is a team that will need to be better as a sum of its parts rather than relying on its limited number of top-end superstars. Florida PanthersLike most Stanley Cup winners, there is plenty of roster turnover for the Panthers to deal with as they begin defense of their title. Their blue line depth will be tested after Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson exited in the offseason. Up front, the top six are set but again depth could become an issue should injuries arise. Starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky proved he still has plenty left in the tank during Florida's championship run and will be back between the pipes. Chris Dreidger and Spencer Knight will battle for the backup job after Anthony Stolarz left for Toronto. Defending a championship is never easy but the Panthers should once again find themselves near the top of the Atlantic.Tampa Bay LightningIt's the end of an era in Tampa with Steven Stamkos packing his bags for Nashville in the offseason. A lot will be asked of Nikita Kucherov but he'll have plenty of support with Brayden Point remaining in the fold and Jake Guentzel brought over from Carolina. Defensively, Mikhail Sergachev is a key loss. Victor Hedman showed tremendous durability last season, appearing in 78 games and contributing 76 points. He was named team captain earlier this week. The Bolts are set in goal with Andrei Vasilevskiy still one of the best netminders in the world and backup Jonas Johansson capable of taking on a 25-30 game workload.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 09/20/2024

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Sep 20, 2024

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and CFL action. Week 3 in NCAAF college football continues with three games between FBS opponents. Syracuse hosts Stanford on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Orange come off a 31-28 upset victory against Georgia Tech as a 3-point underdog on September 7th. The Cardinal beat Cal-Poly by a 41-7 score as a 34.5-point favorite two Saturdays ago. Syracuse is an 8.5-point favorite, with the total set at 56.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Nebraska plays at home against Illinois on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Cornhuskers have won their first three games after a 34-3 victory against Northern Iowa as a 30-point favorite last Saturday. The Fighting Illini are also 3-0 after their 30-9 victory against Central Michigan as a 21-point favorite last week. Nebraska is an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 43. Washington State is at home against San Jose State on the CW at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Cougars have won their first three games after their 24-19 upset win against Washington as a 6-point underdog on Saturday. The Spartans are also unbeaten after their first three games after their 31-10 victory against Kent State as a 16.5-point favorite on Saturday. Washington State is a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Chicago Cubs host the Washington Nationals at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -165 money-line favorite at BetMG with an over/under of 9. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Toronto Blue Jays at 6:50 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Baltimore Orioles host the Detroit Tigers at 7:05 p.m. ET. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Twins travel to Boston to play the Red Sox, with both teams priced at -110 with a total of 9. The New York Mets host the Philadelphia Phillies as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Atlanta Braves play in Miami against the Marlins as a -205 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Texas Rangers are home against the Seattle Mariners at 8:05 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Three more MLB games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Kansas City Royals host the San Francisco Giants as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Houston Astros play at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -265 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in Milwaukee to play the Brewers as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The St. Louis Cardinals are home against the Cleveland Guardians at 8:15 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Two MLB games begin at 9:40 p.m. ET. The New York Yankees visit Oakland to play the A’s as a -198 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The San Diego Padres host the Chicago White Sox as a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 10:10 p.m. ET. Week 16 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with two games. The Toronto Argonauts are home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 53. The Saskatchewan Roughriders play in Calgary against the Stampeders at 9:30 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 51.

Read more

Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Links

Big Al's Sports Picks Info

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2024 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.