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ATP Australian Open Futures 2025

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024

The New Year is here and with that comes the start of the new ATP season for 2025. The 1st major of the year is the Australian Open and it all starts on January 11. 2024 was a big year for the men as some of the younger players are starting to assert their dominance in the sport with the old guard starting to phase themselves out with age. With the start of the Australian Open just around the corner now, it is time to see who has the best chance of taking home the title this season.  To Win Outright Jannik Sinner +150: Jannik Sinner is the player with the best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Jannik Sinner really emerged as a dominant player in 2024, now ranked number 1 in the world. Sinner dominated the hardcourt in 2024, going 53-3 on the surface with 7 titles. He won both major tournaments on hardcourt in 2024 as well, taking the US Open and the Australian Open. Sinner is the defending champion of this tournament and he has been in great form coming into the new year, winning his last 18 straight matches and winning his last 9 straight without dropping a set. He has been on fire all year and is clearly the player to beat in this tournament, but he has also been dealing with a doping scandal over the last year and it is currently in an appeal so that decision is still looming over him and could have a negative impact mentally. There is a lot to love about Sinner coming into this tournament, but +150 is not a great price and he does have a kryptonite that could give him some trouble if he runs into that player.  Carlos Alcaraz +333: Carlos Alcaraz is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Carlos Alcaraz is currently ranked number 3 in the world and he has been emerging as a dominant young player over the last 3 years. He has won at least 1 major title in each of the last 3 years, but he has not won a major on hardcourt since winning the 2022 US Open. That US Open win is his only hardcourt major title in his career, but he was still a dominant player last season as he won 2 majors. He took the French Open as well as Wimbledon, but he is going to be focused on this tournament as this is the only major he has not won in his career. A win at this tournament would mean completing the career Grand Slam for him, and he was the 2nd best hardcourt player on the tour last season, going 29-8 with 2 titles. He did not end the year in great form, but he was also dealing with an injury that he picked up and the time off he has had will help get him to 100% for this tournament. He has also been the kryptonite to the current number 1 as Sinner only lost 3 matches on hardcourt in 2024, and 2 of those 3 losses were to Alcaraz. Alcaraz has also bested him on the surface throughout their careers as Alcaraz is 5-2 H2H against Sinner on hardcourt. Alcaraz is coming off of a great season and the focus is going to be there with this being the only major he has not won. He also has the quality to beat the player that has seemed unbeatable recently so there is some good value in Alcaraz at this price.  Novak Djokovic +350: Novak Djokovic is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Novak Djokovic has been a dominant player on the tour over the last few years, currently ranked number 7 in the world. He was ranked number 1 in the world for a while and had a dominant spell from 2021-2023, but his age is starting to catch up to him as he went from winning at least 1 major title in 6 straight years to going empty handed in the 2024 season. 2023 was a massive year for him as he almost completed the Grand Slam, winning 3 of the 4 majors, but he did not have the gas last year. Playing in the Olympics also took a toll on him and he has been dealing with injuries that did not have him at 100%. He is a very decorated player in this tournament as he has won 10 Australian open Titles in his career, his last coming in 2023, but he did not play many hardcourt matches in 2024. He went 16-5 on hardcourt in 2024, but he won no titles and has struggled to compete with the top players in the world recently. Djokovic has had a great career and only got better after hitting the age of 30, but now he is 37 and his age has been catching up to him as he is past his prime. A year without winning a major will surely spark something in him this year, but he is not the same player as he was from 2021-2023 when he really peaked and he does not have a lot of value at this price to win this tournament.  Alexander Zverev +1000: Alexander Zverez is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Alexander Zverev is currently ranked number 2 in the world and he has battled back over the last 2 years after suffering a devastating ankle injury. It was tough for him to come back at first, but he ended last year playing very well and is starting to regain his form prior to that injury. He is still looking for his 1st ever major title and this was the closest he came last season as he made it all the way to the Semi Final, losing to Medvedev in a 5 set thriller. He will be looking to repeat that performance this year as he searches for his 1st major title, and he was very good on hardcourt in 2024 with a 40-13 record on the surface with 1 title. He ended the year playing very well as he won the Paris Hardcourt Indoor Tournament back in November and then played well after that in the ATP Finals, losing to Fritz in that tournament, but now he has been ramping himself up in the United Cup and is going to be a very dangerous player in this tournament. He certainly has the talent to go far and he has had success against the top 2 players in the world on this surface, going 3-0 H2H against Alcaraz and 2-1 H2H against Sinner on hardcourt in his career. Zverev went deep in this tournament last year so he is going to be focused on doing that again as he is hungry for his major title, and there is a lot of value in him at this price to be a dark horse in the tournament.  Daniil Medvedev +1400: Daniil Medvedev is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Daniil Medvedev is currently ranked number 5 in the world, but he is not the same player he was just a few years ago. The last major title he won, which is also the only major title he has won in his career, was the 2021 US Open. Medvedev was one of the best in the world during that time, flirting with the number 1 rank and being the 1 rival to Djokovic in that span, even preventing Djokovic from completing the Grand Slam with that US Open win, but he has really fallen off the map over the last year. Hardcourt has been his best surface, but he was not a top 5 player on hardcourt in 2024. He made it to the Final in this tournament last year, losing to Jannik Sinner, but 2024 was not a great year for him as he struggled in the other majors. He made it to the Semi Final at Wimbledon, but he saw some early exits in the French Open, the US Open, and even the Olympics. He did not end the year playing well either, getting knocked out in the first round of both tournaments, the Six Kings Slam and the Paris Hardcourt Indoor, and he also went to the ATP Finals where he lost 2 of the 3 matches he played. Medvedev did not have a good 2024 and he has only got worse with his form to end the year. He had success in this tournament last year, but he has struggled against the top players when he has had to face them and it is very likely that he will run into someone in this tournament who will get the best of him. There is no real value in Medvedev to win this title.  RecommendationThere are a lot of quality players coming into this tournament, but only a handful have a realistic shot at winning the title. It is very rare that an unexpected player wins a major on the men's side as the last 16 straight major titles have been won by top players in the world, and only 5 different players have won in that span as well. Carlos Alcaraz has really emerged as a dominant force in the sport and he has a lot of value at +333 to win the title as he will be focused and there has not been a repeat winner of the Australian Open in the last 3 years, Djokovic being the last to do it when he won the titles from 2019-2021. Zverev at +1000 also has a lot of value as a dark horse since he has battled back to be the number 2 player in the world and has a very good record on this surface against some of the top players in the world. Carlos Alcaraz at +333 is the best option to win the 2025 Australian Open followed by Alexander Zverev at +1000 as a dark horse. 

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WTA Australian Open Futures 2025

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024

The New Year is here and with that comes the start of the new WTA season for 2025. The 1st major of the year is the Australian Open and it all starts on January 11. Aryna Sabalenka is the defending champion from last season, and she has won the last 2 straight Australian opens. There has been a few times where the tournament has been won by the same woman 3 straight years, but the last woman to do it was Martina Hingis from 1997-1999, so it is going to be tough for Sabalenka to do what has not been done in the new millennium. With the start of the Australian Open just around the corner now, it is time to see who has the best chance of taking home the title this season.  To Win Outright Aryna Sabalenka +225: Aryna Sabalenka is the player with the best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Aryna Sabalenka is currently ranked number 1 in the world and she had a great 2024. She won both of the hardcourt majors in 2024, winning the Australian Open as well as the US Open, and she has won the last 2 Australian Open Titles as well. She also ended the year playing in great form as she won the Wuhan Open after winning the US Open, but she did fizzle out in the WTA Finals. No one has been better on hardcourt over the last year than Sabalenka, but she could be due for some regression after such a dominant year. Her 2 losses in the WTA Finals came against Gauff and Rybakina who are both top 6 players in the world right now and the motivation for her might not be as strong due to being the B2B defending champion. It is going to be very tough for her to win it again as there are many talented young women who have been improving over the last year, so there is not a lot of value in Sabalenka at this price.  Iga Swiatek +400: Iga Swiatek is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Iga Swiatek is currently ranked number 2 in the world and she has been having a great 2024. She was ranked number 1 for quite a while before Sabalenka dethroned her, but a lot of Swiatek’s dominance has come on the clay surface. She is the 3 time defending champion of the French Open coming into this year, but the last time she won a major on hardcourt was in the 2022 US Open. That is also the only major title she has ever won on hardcourt in her career. She only made it to the Quarter Final of the US Open last year and she was even worse in the 2024 Australian Open, getting knocked out in the Round of 32. This has also been her worst major by far as she went to the Semi Final in 2022, but other than that, she has failed to make it past the Round of 16 in 5 of the last 6 years. Swiatek is one of the best players in the world and is the best on a clay surface, but she has struggled more on hardcourt and has not had a lot of success in this specific tournament either. There is no real value in Swiatek to win this title this year.  Coco Gauff +400: Coco Gauff is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Coco Gauff is currently ranked number 3 in the world and she has had a lot of success on the tour considering her age. She is only 20 years old but has already emerged as a dominant force on the WTA Tour. She won her 1st and only major title on hardcourt at the 2023 US Open, but her career is only getting started and she will be looking to take a big step this year. She did not win a major tournament last year, but she finished the year with the 2nd most wins on the WTA Tour, going 54-17 in 2024. She may not have won a major tournament in 2024, but she ended the year playing very well with a title win at the Beijing Open and she also won the WTA Finals, beating Sabalenka in that tournament as well, so she is coming into this year with a lot of confidence. It is only a matter of time until Gauff has a breakout year, and this could be the year that she has it. She has the energy with her age and is already very accomplished for 20 years old. She actually lost in the Semi Final of the Australian Open last year, losing to eventual champion Sabalenka, and after a disappointing exit at the US Open in the Round of 16, she is going to be focused on starting the year off with a win in this tournament. There is a lot of value in Gauff to win the title at this price.  Elena Rybakina +700: Elena Rybakina is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Elena Rybakina is currently ranked number 6 in the world, but 2024 was not a great year for her. She has only won 1 major title in her career and that was the 2022 Wimbledon. She did not do well in this tournament last year as she was knocked out in the Round of 64, and she has been dealing with some injuries recently as well. A back problem kept her out of the US Open as well as the Olympics, and she did not play any tournaments after the US Open leading up to the WTA Finals. She was awful in the WTA Finals as well, losing 2 of her 3 matches in the tournament. She has not really been playing well leading into this tournament and she has not been a dominant player in the sport either. She has gone on a few runs where she went deep into tournaments, but 2024 was not a year she played well in for most of it and dealing with a back problem is not ideal coming into this major. Rybakina is a good player, but she is not a great player, and there are far better options to make a deep run in this tournament this year. There is no real value in Rybakina to win the title. Qinwen Zheng +1600: Qinwen Zheng is the player with the next best chance at winning the Australian Open Title this year according to the oddsmakers. Qinwen Zheng did not win any major tournaments in 2024, but she did take home the gold medal at the Olympics. She is currently ranked number 5 in the world and is a young player at 22 years old who has been emerging as a force on the WTA Tour. She played well at the WTA Finals but lost to both Sabalenka and Gauff. Prior to that, she did win the Tokyo Open. She went far in the Wuhan Open as well, but lost to Sabalenka in the Final, and that is not the 1st time she was bested by Sabalenka in 2024 as Zheng also went to the Australian open Final and lost to Sabalenka there. Zheng has some consistency issues, but she has been playing very well coming into this year. The biggest knock on her is her inability to beat the world number 1. Sabalenka is the B2B defending champion of this tournament and if Zheng runs into her at any point, she could be in a lot of trouble as she is 0-4 in her career against Sabalenka on hardcourt. Qinwen Zheng has the potential to be a dark horse in this tournament as she did go to the Final last year and has been in great form recently, Sabalenka is her only real kryptonite though so she will have to avoid a matchup with her. If Sabalenka gets knocked out and Zheng can avoid her in the tournament, Zheng could have a real chance at winning the whole thing. There is some value in Qinwen Zheng to win the title at this price.  RecommendationAryna Sabalenka is the clear favorite in this tournament for a reason as she is the B2B defending champion and has been so good on hardcourt over the last year. There are some talented young women starting to come up though and they have been making names for themselves, they are going to have the hunger to make a run in this tournament as they try to have a breakout year. Sabalenka is obviously going to be a threat in this tournament, but Coco Gauff at +400 has the best value with the way she has been ramping up for this tournament and playing so well over the last few months. Qinwen Zheng at +1600 also has some value as a dark horse as she has a real chance to go deep in the tournament if she can avoid the defending champion. Coco Gauff at +400 is the best option to win the Australian Open followed by Qinwen Zheng at +1600.

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NFL 2024/25 Season: Final Push/Way-Too-Early Playoff Projections:

by William Burns

Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024

What has happened leading up to now in the NFL:  We are now coming down the final stretch of the NFL season and things are shaping up to be really good in this year's playoff race. Not only do we have just a couple of teams pulling away from the other. But, we've got a massive group of teams that could go far in the postseason. Looking at what has happened so far, Kansas City leads the way as the favorites once again. Not only are the Chiefs the defending two time champs. But, they also have the top record in the entire NFL at 15-1 through week 17. The Vikings keep creeping up the rankings for top odds and the rest of the NFC looks to take down the current NFC favorites in Detroit. Cincinnati, a team you'd expect to be in the playoff race, still has a glimmer of hope after beating Denver last weekend in overtime. But, they need the Broncos to lose once again as well as a couple of other key things to happen to get in.  Who are the Top Contenders?: As mentioned earlier, the Chiefs own the best record in football with just one loss in the regular season. That puts them just above Detroit at +350 to win the Super Bowl. This is a big chance for them to win a third consecutive title and show the world how dominant they really are. This would also put Mahomes in the GOAT conversation already (in my opinion) with many years still left - hopefully. My top team coming in right now is the Buffalo Bills. Buffalo has had some poor moments this season, but has mostly been outstanding. Now only is the defense playing extremely well now, but Josh Allen looks like the best Josh Allen that we've ever seen before. The Bills are real contenders and getting in on them now before their odds get worse is the right thing to do.You can't have a list of contenders without the like of Detroit in their. Currently the favorite to win the NFC by quite a bit, the Lions have an absolutely stacked roster even without some of their top guys. The way they are playing this is a team that could very well win the whole thing. People say that they could possibly get Aidan Hutchinson back for the Super Bowl as well. Although they haven't performed well in the postseason in recent years, the Baltimore Ravens must be mentioned in this list with how great Lamar Jackson is playing with Derrick Henry to his side. Baltimore's defense has been their liability at times though. Not saying the Ravens can't go far, but Lamar/Henry will need to be at their best in order for them to have a chance. Finally, I'm going to include the Philadelphia Eagles in this list. Saquon Barkley stands just 101 yards away from breaking the single season rushing record. Only time will tell if he's going to be put out there in a meaningless game. However, it's not so meaningless for Saquon. This is against his former team. The Eagles rely on Saquon a lot now that they have him. Their offense needs to perform if they want a chance as well.  Odds to Win the Super Bowl as of December 31st. (Top 5 in both AFC & NFC):  Kansas City Chiefs (+350)Buffalo Bills (+600)Baltimore Ravens (+650)Los Angeles Chargers (+3500)Pittsburgh Steelers (+5500)Detroit Lions (+400)Philadelphia Eagles (+750)Minnesota Vikings (+850)Green Bay Packers (+1500)Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3000) Playoff Predictions/Potential Matchups to Watch out for:  Baltimore/LAC - Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh rematch incoming? With the current standings, we'd see a Baltimore/LAC matchup in the first round. This would be another all-time matchup with two of the best coaches in football going at it once again. Earlier this season, the brothers met up with each other in what was a great 30-23 matchup. It's definitely possible that we see another one in these playoffs. Buffalo/Kansas City - This has been the rivalry of the playoffs in the AFC for a while now. It's essentially turning into an Allen/Mahomes rivalry though. Buffalo. wins the regular season matchup while Kansas City wins the playoff matchup. I'm expecting something different this year with the Bills not taking any more of these games for granted. They will give KC everything they have. Beware of the upset.  Burns' Super Bowl Prediction as of today: Buffalo Bills (31) beats Detroit Lions (24). 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 12/31/2024

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 31, 2024

The Tuesday New Year’s Eve sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB. The college football postseason continues with five bowl games. Alabama challenges Michigan in the Reliaquest Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on ESPN at noon ET. The Crimson Tide are a 15.5-point favorite with the total set at 44.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Louisville plays Washington in the Sun Bowl at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on CBS at 2:00 p.m. ET. The Cardinals are a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. South Carolina battles Illinois in the Citrus Bowl at Camping World Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on ABC at 3:00 p.m.  ET. The Gamecocks are a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 49.5. Baylor goes against LSU in the Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Bears are a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 62.The quarterfinals of the college football playoffs kick off with one game. Penn State faces Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on ESPN and ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Nittany Lions are an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 54.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 3:10 p.m. ET. The Indiana Pacers host the Milwaukee Bucks as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Boston Celtics play at home against the Toronto Raptors as a 17-point favorite with a total of 233. The San Antonio Spurs are home against the Los Angeles Clippers at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 216.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 216. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 9:10 p.m. ET. The Phoenix Suns play at home against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 236. The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Los Angeles to play the Lakers as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 228. The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. The Washington Capitals are home against the Boston Bruins at 12:37 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the New York Islanders at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Vegas Golden Knights play at home against the Montreal Canadiens at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The St. Louis Blues play in Chicago against the Blackhawks on TNT at 5:07 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Seven NHL games drop the puck at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Carolina Hurricanes are in Columbus to play the Blue Jackets as a -230 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils visit the Anaheim Ducks as a -250 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Dallas Stars are home against the Buffalo Sabres as a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Minnesota Wild host the Nashville Predators as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Philadelphia Flyers play in San Jose against the Sharks as a -180 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Colorado Avalanche play at home against the Winnipeg Jets as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two more games complete the NHL card at 9:07 p.m. ET. The Calgary Flames are home against the Vancouver Canucks as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Utah Hockey Club as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 33 games between Division I opponents. Three games are on ESPN2. Virginia plays at home against North Carolina State at noon ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 121.5. Wake Forest is at Syracuse at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 2-point favorite with a total of 137.5. BYU is home against Arizona State at 4:00 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145. 

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January NBA Schedule Outlook – West Contenders

by Nelly's Sports

Monday, Dec 30, 2024

Oklahoma City Thunder: There is little reason to expect that the Thunder will slip from the top spot in the Western Conference standings in January with a healthy lead as 2024 winds down. January will provide a few significant tests however as the Thunder face Cleveland, New York, and Dallas twice each, while also playing Boston in early January. Only seven of 15 January games are on the road, but the Thunder will face three back-to-back set-ups in the month.   Memphis Grizzlies: It has been a great comeback season for the Grizzlies, currently the NBA’s top scoring team. Memphis has delivered a fantastic December, but January’s path will be challenging. Six of the first eight games in January for Memphis are on the road including trips to Golden State, Minnesota, and Houston for a collection of tricky games. Memphis will play Houston three times in January in a key Southwest division series. Memphis plays the Wolves twice and the Spurs twice plus a trip to New York as well the January path doesn’t include the very top elite teams, it will be a grueling run for the Grizzlies.   Houston Rockets: After a strong start last season the Rockets faded late in the season. January will test Houston’s staying power again as the Rockets draw several difficult games in the next month. Houston plays Boston and Cleveland twice each in January while also playing the Grizzlies three times. January also includes games with the Mavericks, Lakers, Hawks, and Nuggets, as Houston will have one of the most difficult January schedules in the league.    Dallas Mavericks: Following a slow start to the season in defense of its Western Conference title, Dallas has been playing well in recent weeks even with injuries impacting the lineup. Dallas will play only seven road games in January as most of the toughest games will be at home. There are elite teams visiting Dallas in January however with home dates vs. Cleveland, Oklahoma City, and Boston, plus two home games with Denver. Dallas will work in games vs. some of the lesser teams in the league in January as well but Dallas will get a significant boost to its strength of schedule in January with the recent rise built on a favorable path.   Los Angeles Lakers: Los Angeles is currently #5 in the West standings, but it is a crowded picture with positions #5 to #11 separated by only three games. The Lakers have played more road games than home games at this point in the season for a relatively difficult schedule at this point in the season compared to many of the top teams in the standings. January should offer a great opportunity for the Lakers to move up from the pack in the Western Conference standings. The Lakers have nine of the team’s first 12 January games at home. The Lakers do play Boston at home in late January but that is the only elite team on the path plus back-to-back games with Houston and Dallas. Overall, the Lakers have one of the most friendly schedules in the NBA in January and will need to take advantage of it given how close the final positioning in the West could be.  Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers are a top six team in the West at this point, with expected contenders Denver, Minnesota, and Golden State lurking close behind. Los Angeles has enjoyed a schedule with more home games than road games so far and the Clippers are 11-6 in the new arena as 2024 winds down. 2025 will start with a challenge as the first four games are all against quality teams including road games at Oklahoma City, Minnesota, and Denver. The middle of the month offers a stretch of games with seven of eight at home, but the Lakers, Celtics, and Bucks will be visiting before a road trip to close the month. Los Angeles should stay relevant this month but there are enough challenging games to consider the possibility that the Clippers could fall out of the top six by the end of the month. 

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January NBA Schedule Outlook – East Contenders

by Nelly's Sports

Monday, Dec 30, 2024

Cleveland Cavaliers: Cleveland is off to an amazing start to the season but the schedule grades as one of the weakest in the NBA. Through December 31 the Cavaliers will have played just nine games vs. Western Conference teams but they have seven such games in January alone including two games with the Thunder and Rockets plus games with Dallas and Minnesota for a daunting path in the next month. Cleveland has eight of 15 January games at home as it will remain a home-heavy path for the Cavaliers before a long stretch of mostly road games in late February and March.   Boston Celtics: The defending NBA champions will open 2025 with an incredibly difficult road trip facing Minnesota, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Denver all on the road in the span of six days. There is another four-game road trip vs. quality Western Conference teams in late January ahead for Boston as well with 10 of 16 January games on the schedule away from the Garden. Boston isn’t going anywhere as a top Eastern Conference contender, but it is unlikely that the Celtics will close the gap on the Cavaliers in January.   New York Knicks: The Knicks have played 18 of the team’s first 32 games on the road and have kept pace, sitting third in the Eastern Conference standings, just behind Boston. New York has a favorable January schedule as the Knicks will play only four of 15 January games on the road and one of those games is just across town in Brooklyn. The Knicks do face home and road games vs. the Thunder plus home dates with the Magic, Bucks, Timberwolves, and Nuggets as there are challenging games ahead but all-in-all the Knicks may have a chance to move up with a strong month of January. The Knicks have three remaining games with the Celtics after January and will face a daunting road schedule in March as now is the time to shine for New York to solidify a top four spot in the East standings.   Orlando Magic: The Magic have navigated injuries to maintain a solid position in the Eastern Conference heading into 2025. January should provide the return of Paolo Banchero and given the path ahead, the Magic may need a boost with a challenging January schedule. The Magic have eight road games in January including games in New York, Milwaukee, and Boston. The Magic have home games with the Timberwolves, Bucks, and Nuggets as well. Orlando will play Detroit and Toronto twice each, but the month will end with the start of a six-game road trip into February.   Atlanta Hawks: After making a nice run in the NBA Cup Tournament, The Hawks have proven to be an upstart in the Eastern Conference race. January’s schedule will greatly test the staying power for the Hawks however with eight of the team’s first 10 games on the road including several tough draws with a five-game west coast trip plus road games in Boston and New York. The month will close with the start of a four-game road trip including the first two stops being Minnesota and Cleveland. Atlanta has only five home games in January so it won’t be a shock if the Hawks slip below .500 by the end of the month despite a solid start to the season.  Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks have shaken off a 2-8 start to the season and are playing like a true contender. The NBA Cup title was a galvanizing moment and while the overall ledger is uneven, Milwaukee has a chance to continue a positive trajectory into January to climb higher in the Eastern Conference standings. The Bucks have eight road games in January but four of those will be at the end of the month in a west coast trip and the matchups aren’t overly daunting. The Bucks will only play three games all month vs. the five teams ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings and none of those will be against the Celtics or Cavaliers. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 12/30/2024

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 30, 2024

The Monday sports card features NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. Week 17 in the NFL concludes with one game. The Detroit Lions travel to San Francisco to play the 49ers on ABC and ESPN at 8:15 p.m. ET. The Lions are a 3.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 50.5.The college football bowl season continues with one bowl game. Missouri battles Iowa in the Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Tigers are a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 40.5. The National Basketball Association has seven games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Chicago Bulls travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 227.5. The New York Knicks play in Washington against the Commanders as an 11.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 230.5. The Los Angeles Clippers are in New Orleans against the Pelicans at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 221. The Denver Nuggets visit Utah to play the Jazz at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 240. Three more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia 76ers play in Portland against the Trail Blazers as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5. The Cleveland Cavaliers are in Golden State to play the Warriors as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Sacramento Kings host the Dallas Mavericks as a 4-point favorite with a total of 231.5. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. The Florida Panthers play at home against the New York Rangers at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the Nashville Predators at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Utah Hockey Club travels to Seattle to play the Kraken at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 26 games between Division I opponents. Three games are on major national television. Cincinnati plays at Kansas State on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 140.5. Arkansas hosts Oakland University on ESPN2 at 8:00 p.m. ET as an 18.5-point favorite with an over/under of 143. Iowa State is at Colorado on the CBS Sports Network at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 10-point road favorite with a total of 146.5. Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League continues with three matches. Two EPL matches begin at 2:45 p.m. ET. Aston Villa plays at home against Brighton and Hove Albion as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Chelsea visits Ipswich Town as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5. Newcastle United plays at Manchester United on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Blackhawks-Blues: NHL Winter Classic By The Numbers

by Vegas Writer

Monday, Dec 30, 2024

The Chicago Blackhawks renew one of their oldest rivalries this year in the Winter Classic, as they'll face the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field. . The two previously met in the Classic in 2017 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, as the Blackhawks lost 4-1.Some reports tell us weather conditions suggest a potential date change, but until then, we're counting on the game taking place on New Year's Eve.Here's a glance inside some of the Winter Classic numbers:3 – The Winter Classic will be the third outdoor NHL game for the Blues, who are 2-0-0 in previous outdoor game contests.4 - The Blackhawks come into the Winter Classic on a four-game skid.4 - The Blues have scored at least four goals in 10 of their last 16 meetings with Chicago.6 - The Blackhawks entered the week allowing 3.32 goals per game, tied for sixth-most in the league.7 – The Winter Classic will be the seventh outdoor NHL game for the Blackhawks, the most among NHL teams. The Blackhawks are 1-5-0 in previous outdoor game appearances.13 - The Blues have won 13 of the last 16 meetings.16 - In playing 21 games away from their barn, the Blackhawks have lost 16 of those contests, going 5-14-2.31 - For the month of December, the Blackhawks rank 31st in allowing 3.93 goals per game this month.332 -- The Winter Classic will mark the 332nd time the Blackhawks and Blues have faced off in regular-season games since 1967. Chicago holds a 356-334 edge in points over the Blues. In 12 playoff series, the Blackhawks have won eight.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, EPL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/29/2024

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 29, 2024

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action. Week 17 in the NFL continues with nine games. Six NFL games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Eagles host the Dallas  Cowboys as a 7.5-point favorite with the total set at 38 (all odds from DraftKings). Las Vegas travels to New Orleans to play the Saints as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 37.5. The Buffalo Bills play at home against the New York Jets as a 10-point favorite with a total of 46. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are home against the Carolina Panthers as a 9.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48. The Indianapolis Colts play in New York against the Giants as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 40. The Jacksonville Jaguars host the Tennessee Titans as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 39. Two NFL games start during the second window of afternoon games. The Miami Dolphins are in Cleveland to face the Browns at 4:05 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 34. The Minnesota Vikings play at home against the Green Bay Packers at 4:25 p.m. ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 49.  The Washington Commanders are home against the Atlanta Falcons on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET for Sunday Night Football. The Commanders are a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 46.5.The National Basketball Association has six games on its docket. The Orlando Magic host the Brooklyn Nets at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 206. Two more NBA games tip off at 6:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Celtics play at home against the Indiana Pacers as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 233.5. The Atlanta Hawks visit Toronto to challenge the Raptors as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 237.5. Two NBA games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Oklahoma City Thunder are home against the Memphis Grizzlies as a 7-point favorite with a total of 228. The Houston Rockets host the Miami Heat as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 216.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves play at home against the San Antonio Spurs as a 6-point favorite with a total of 214.5. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. The St. Louis Blues are home against the Buffalo Sabres at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers play in Anaheim against the Ducks at 4:07 p.m. ET as a -285 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 5:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Montreal Canadiens as a -270 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Washington Capitals are in Detroit to play the Red Wings as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Pittsburgh Penguins play at home against the New York Islanders at 5:37 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.Two NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild are home against the Ottawa Senators as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Calgary Flames as a -245 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Dallas Stars travel to Chicago to play the Blackhawks on ESPN at 8:37 p.m. ET as a -250 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Los Angeles Kings play at home against the Philadelphia Flyers at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The NCAAB college basketball schedule has 43 games between Division I opponents. Four games are on major national television. Penn State is home against Pennsylvania on Peacock at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 25-point favorite with a total of 150.5. Northwestern hosts Northeastern on Peacock at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 136. Two more NCAAB games are on major national television at 3:00 p.m. ET. Temple plays at home against Buffalo on ESPNU as a 15-point favorite with a total of 150. Washington is home against the New Jersey Institute of Technology on Peacock as a 23-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Matchweek 19 in the English Premier League begins with six matches. Manchester City plays at Leicester City at 9:30 a.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5. Four EPL matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Crystal Palace hosts Southampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Everton plays at home against Nottingham Forest on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of an over/under of 2.5. Fulham is home against Bournemouth as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Tottenham hosts Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Liverpool is at West Ham United on the USA Network at 12:15 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5.

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The Second Half Turnaround of the Baltimore Ravens Defense

by Hollywood Sports

Saturday, Dec 28, 2024

The Ravens held the Steelers to just 315 yards of offense last week as they continue to play much better on the defensive side of the football. I was worried about Baltimore’s defense heading into the season because of the brain drain from the coaching staff with whiz-kid defensive coordinator Matt Macdonald taking the head coaching job in Seattle along with assistant coaches Anthony Walker and Dennard Wilson getting promoted to coordinator jobs at Miami and Tennessee. Former Baltimore Pro Bowler and linebacker coach Zachary Orr took over defense — but the 32-year-old had never called plays. Their defense last year was highly dependent on Macdonald’s schemes. They ranked seventh in disguised coverage schemes out of their base two-high safety shell — and despite relying on four or fewer rushers nearly 80% of the time, MacDonald’s disguised pass rush plays generated a league-leading 60 sacks. Predictably, things started slow for the Ravens' defense especially when defending the pass. Dak Prescott threw for 361 yards against them in Week Three. Two weeks later, Joe Burrow tore them up for another 359 yards. That’s when the ever-savvy John Harbaugh brought back the forever-young Dean Pees out of retirement (something he has done several times in his career) to serve as a senior advisor on defense for Orr. That helped. And after Burrow torched them for another 421 passing yards in Week Ten, Pees’ fingerprints were probably all over the decision to move safety Kyle Hamilton from strong safety often playing inside the box against the run to free safety dedicating himself to pass coverage. Since then, Baltimore is only giving up 174.8 passing Yards-Per-Game going into Week 17 — and the 5.4 Yards-Per-Attempt they are giving up is far below their season average of 7.0 YPA by their opponents against them. From Week One to Week Nine, the Ravens ranked 28th in Opponent Expected Points Added per dropback Allowed. Since then with Hamilton moving to free safety, they lead the NFL in that metric. So just citing Baltimore’s second-to-last pass defense giving up 259.4 passing YPG raw numbers does not capture what this unit is doing now.Not surprisingly given Harbaugh’s penchant for making positive changes as the season moves on, Baltimore had played 20 of their last 32 games Under the Total in Weeks 16 and 17 going into their Christmas Day game on the road in Houston against the Texans.The Ravens may have played their best defensive game in the season in our NFL Total of the Month for that contest. Baltimore held the Houston offense scoreless in a 31-2 victory. The Texans managed only ten first downs and gained only 185 yards of offense. Quarterback C.J. Stroud completed only 17 of 31 passes for 185 yards before he got subbed out of the game. Moving forward, with Hamilton playing at free safety and Pees providing his insight on a weekly basis, this Ravens team may have one of the best defenses in the league — despite what the season-long statistics may suggest. Best of luck — Frank. 

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NFL Sunday Night Player Prop

by ASA, Inc.

Saturday, Dec 28, 2024

Atlanta Falcons vs Washington CommandersSunday, Dec 29th at 8:15 PM ET PLAYER PROP – Washington QB Jayden Daniels Over 48.5 Rushing Yards Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders has been a dynamic force on the ground this season, averaging 8.5 rushes and 49 rushing yards per game. This trend looks set to continue against the Atlanta Falcons, who have shown vulnerabilities in defending against quarterback runs. Daniels has managed to exceed 66 rushing yards in three of his last four games, showcasing his ability to break significant yardage. Additionally, he has hit the 50-yard mark or higher in four of his last six home games, indicating a strong performance trend at home. The Falcons currently rank 28th in Expected Points Added (EPA) per play against quarterback runs, which suggests a favorable matchup for Daniels. This matchup could provide him with ample opportunities to exploit the defense with his legs, potentially leading to another high-rushing yardage game.  Daniels ranks 2nd among QBs in YPG rushing and when Atlanta faced Philadelphia’s QB Hurts, who ranks 3rd in rushing among QB’s, he ran for nearly 90 yards.   Given these stats and trends, Daniels is likely to have a notable impact on the ground. Prop bets focused on his rushing yards could be a smart play, particularly if set around or slightly above his recent averages which is where it sits right now at 48.5.  Facing one of the worst defenses in the NFL at limiting QB runs, we look for Daniels to get into at least the 50’s for his rushing yards on Sunday night.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 12/28/2024

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 28, 2024

The Saturday sports card features NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and NCAAB. Week 17 in the NFL continues with three games on the NFL Network. The Los Angeles Chargers travel to New England to play the Patriots at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with the total set at 42.5 (all from DraftKings). The Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos at 4:30 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 50. The Los Angeles Rams play at home against the Arizona Cardinals as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 47.5.The college football bowl season continues with eight bowl games. North Carolina battles Connecticut in the Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, on ESPN at 11:00 a.m. ET. The Tar  Heels are a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Nebraska plays Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York, on ABC at noon ET. The Cornhuskers are a 4-point favorite with a total of 46.5. TCU is home against Louisiana-Lafayette in the New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on ESPN at 2:15 p.m. ET. The Horned Frogs are a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 59. Miami (FL) challenges Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Hurricanes are a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 57.5. Miami (OH) faces Colorado State in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Arizona, on The CW at 4:30 p.m. ET. The RedHawks are a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 40.5. North Carolina State goes against East Carolina in the Military Bowl at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, on ESPN at 5:45 p.m. ET. The Wolfpack is a 7-point favorite with a total of 60. Colorado battles BYU in the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on ABC at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Buffaloes are a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 55.5. Army plays Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, on ESPN at 9:15 p.m. ET. The Black Knights are a 14-point favorite with a total of 43.5.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. The Atlanta Hawks are home against the Miami Heat at 3:10 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 226.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder play in Charlotte against the Hornets at 6:10 p.m. ET as a 12.5-point road favorite with a total of 218. The New York Knicks are in Washington to play the Wizards as a 13-point road favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The Milwaukee Bucks visit Chicago to play the Bulls at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 228.5. The Golden State Warriors host the Phoenix Suns at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 220. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Detroit Pistons at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 230.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play in Utah against the Jazz at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 222.5. The Dallas Mavericks are in Portland to face the Trail Blazers at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 225.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are home against the Sacramento Kings at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 225. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. The Florida Panthers host the Montreal Canadiens at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -325 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Three more NHL games drop the puck at 4:07 p.m. ET. The Vancouver Canucks play at home against the Seattle Kraken as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Philadelphia Flyers visit Anaheim to face the Ducks as a -148 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Edmonton Oilers play in Los Angeles against the Kings as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. Five NHL games start at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the Ottawa Senators as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Carolina Hurricanes host the New Jersey Devils as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Washington Capitals as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Tampa Bay Lightning host the New York Rangers as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Boston Bruins play at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -225 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Islanders are home against the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Calgary Flames are in San Jose to play the Sharks at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -166 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The college basketball schedule has 32 games between Division I opponents. Four NCAAB games are on national television. North Carolina A&T hosts North Carolina Central on CBS at 2:00 p.m. ET as a 1-point favorite with a total of 156.5. Two more NCAAB games on major national television begin at 4:00 p.m. ET. Gonzaga battles UCLA on a neutral court at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 148. Hampton plays at home against Howard on CBS as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 144.5. San Diego State is home against Utah State on Fox at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 144.5.

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