Follow us @bigal_com

Instagram Twitter

Articles

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/19/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

The Saturday sports card features MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The San Francisco Giants travel to Toronto to play the Blue Jays at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The New York Mets host the Cincinnati Reds as a -181 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals play in Miami against the Marlins as a -121 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5.The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 6:05 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates are home against the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres are in Washington against the Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -145 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games start at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Rays are home against the Baltimore Orioles as a -121 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Texas Rangers host the Detroit Tigers as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Athletics at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Three MLB games begin at 7:15 p.m. ET. The New York Yankees visit Atlanta to take on the Braves as a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two more MLB games are featured on Fox’s regional coverage. St. Louis plays in Arizona with the Cardinals sending out Sonny Gray to pitch against the Diamondbacks’ Ryne Nelson. The Cardinals are a -119 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Chicago is home against Boston with Shota Imanaga taking the ball for the Cubs to face Bryan Bello for the Red Sox. The Cubs are a -151 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Minnesota Twins are in Colorado to take on the Rockies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -187 money-line road favorite with a total of 11.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers at 9:10 p.m. ET as a -136 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the Houston Astros at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -123 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Week 7 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The British Columbia Lions are home against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 52.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with its final quarterfinal match in the knockout stage. France challenges Germany at the St. Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland, on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET. Les Bleus are a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/18/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jul 18, 2025

The Friday sports card features MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball returns from the All-Star break with 15 games scheduled. The Chicago Cubs host the Boston Red Sox at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -136 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Chicago White Sox at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -163 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The San Diego Padres travel to Washington to face the Nationals as a -157 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays host the San Francisco Giants at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three more MLB games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Athletics as a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets are home against the Cincinnati Reds as a -164 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Kansas City Royals play in Miami against the Marlins as a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees are in Atlanta to take on the Braves at 7:15 p.m. ET, with both teams priced as -110 money-line favorites. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Baltimore Orioles at 7:35 p.m. ET as a -124 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Detroit Tigers visit Texas to challenge the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET as a -121 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -172 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line favorite. Two more games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Seattle Mariners are home against the Houston Astros as a -144 money-line favorite. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers as a -194 money-line favorite. Week 7 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers play at home against the Calgary Stampeders on the CBS Sports Network at 8:30 p.m. ET. The Blue Bombers had won three games in a row before their 37-16 upset loss on the road against the Stampeders as a 5-point favorite on July 3rd. Calgary won for the fourth time in their last five games in a 24-10 upset victory at Saskatchewan as a 5.5-point underdog on Saturday. Winnipeg is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5.The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with its quarterfinal match in the knockout stage. Spain plays Switzerland on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -2.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: CFL and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/17/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jul 17, 2025

The Thursday sports card features CFL and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Week 7 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Montreal Alouettes host the Toronto Argonauts on the CBS Sports Network at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Alouettes are on a two-game losing streak after their 21-10 upset loss at home against British Columbia as a 2.5-point favorite last Saturday. They are tied with Hamilton in first place in the East Division with a 3-2 record. The Argonauts lost for the fourth time in their five games this season in a 51-38 loss at home against Hamilton as a 4-point underdog last Friday. Their 1-4 puts them in third place in the East Division.Montreal is a 10-point favorite with the total set at 50.5 (all odds from DraftKings).The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with its second knockout stage in the Round of 16 on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET. England takes on Sweden at the Stadion Letzigrund in Zurich. The Lionesses come off a 6-1 victory against Wales on Sunday in their final group stage match. They finished in second place in Group D with a second victory against the Netherlands following their opening 2-1 loss against France. They scored 11 times and conceded only three goals. The Blues and Yellows won all three of their matches in the group stage after a 4-1 victory against Germany on Saturday. They also beat Poland and Denmark to win first place in Group C. They have scored eight times and allowed just one goal. England is a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/16/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features WNBA and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.The WNBA has five games on its slate. The Atlanta Dream travels to Chicago to play the Sky at noon ET. The Dream have lost two games in a row with five losses in their last seven games after a 79-72 loss at New York against the Liberty as a 6-point underdog on Sunday. They are in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-9 record. The Sky had won two games in a row before a 91-78 loss against Minnesota as an 11.5-point underdog on Monday. Chicago is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a 7-14 record. Atlanta is an 8-point road favorite with the total set at 158.5.The Minnesota Lynx hosts the Phoenix Mercury at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Lynx have won two of their last three games and five of their last seven contests after their win against the Sky on Monday. They have the best record in the WNBA with a 19-4 mark. The Mercury are on a three-game winning streak with nine victories in their last 11 games after a 78-77 upset victory at Golden State as a 1.5-point underdog on Monday. Phoenix is in second place in the Western Conference with a 15-6 record, trailing the Lynx by three games. Minnesota is a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 158.5.The Seattle Storm play at home against the Golden State Valkyries at 3:00 p.m. ET. The Storm lost for the second time in their last three games with a 74-69 upset loss against Washington as a 7.5-point favorite on Sunday. They are in third place in the Western Conference with a 13-9 record. The Valkyries have lost two games in a row and four of their last five games after their loss at home to the Mercury on Monday. Golden State is in a tie for fourth place in the Western Conference with a 10-11 record. Seattle is a 5-point favorite with a total of 157.5. The New York Liberty are home against the Indiana Fever at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Liberty won for the third time in their last four games with their victory against the Dream on Sunday. Their 14-6 record puts them in first place in the Eastern Conference. The Fever are on a two-game winning streak with five wins in their last seven games after a 102-83 victory against Dallas a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. They are in third place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-10 record. New York is a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 164.5. The Las Vegas Aces play in Dallas against the Wings at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Aces ended a two-game losing streak with a 104-102 victory against Golden State as a 2.5-point favorite on Saturday. Their 10-11 record leaves them in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Wings are on a three-game losing streak after their loss on the road against the Fever on Sunday. They are in last place in the Western Conference with a 6-16 record. Las Vegas is a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 171.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland by beginning its knockout stage with one match in the Round of 16 on Fox at 3:00 p.m. ET. Italy takes on Norway at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Read more

2025 Haskell Stakes Preview

by Al McMordie

Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025

The majority of American Sports fans only care about three horse races in any given calendar year, and those are the three that make up the Triple Crown.  These dirt races for three-year-old horses make up the great majority of the year's TV audience and sports wagering dollars when it comes to the "Sport of Kings".  But there are Derbies -- races for 3YOs -- that continue throughout the summer long after the Belmont Stakes is over.  And some of these can be very compelling and exciting as well as great wagering opportunities.  The biggest one of these is clearly the Travers Stakes held at Saratoga Race Course and dubbed the "Mid-Summer Derby" (even though it occurs usually on Labor Day weekend).  But right behind it -- and possibly a more appropriate use of the term "Mid-Summer" -- is the Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park race track in Oceanport, New Jersey.   This year, we've seen more front-page stories in the often-forgotten sport of horse racing than usual.  From the Kentucky Derby return of Bob Baffert to the passing of perhaps the greatest of all trainers in "The Coach" -- D. Wayne Lukas -- 2025 has already seen more thoroughbred headlines than any year in recent memory.  We also have perhaps the most compelling head-to-head rivalry of two three-year-olds than perhaps the days of Affirmed and Alydar.  Bill Mott's Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont while Michael McCarthy's Journalism took the Preakness and finished second to Sovereignty in each of the other two.  This sets up a potentially exciting showdown in a couple of months at the Travers.  We won't see that showdown this weekend in the Haskell as Sovereignty is skipping this race to focus on the Saratoga route (likely the Jim Dandy, then Travers) but Journalism will be here and he is the strong favorite (4-5 morning line odds) to add Haskell hardware to his collection.     But despite the absence of his chief rival, the field this Saturday that is set to go at 5:45 pm ET for the $1 million purse is still loaded with some very good horses.  Here is a look at some of the contenders:   #1 Bracket Buster is an improving colt by red-hot sire Vekoma.  He is trained by the capable Victoria Oliver and will be ridden by veteran jockey John Velazquez who is no stranger to victories in million dollar races.  A longshot on the board at what will likely be odds of 10-1 or higher, Bracket Buster has the added attraction of having won a stakes race at this track as he took the Pegasus Stakes here in his last race defeating five other horses, including two who are in this field.  He is a live longshot and, if nothing else, should be considered in the exotic wagers.   #4 Burnham Square is the only other horse in this field besides the favorite that ran in the Kentucky Derby.  The Ian Wilkes-trained son of Liam's Map has had one race since his solid 6th-place finish on the first Saturday in May.  In the Grade 3 Matt Winn stakes on June 8 (also at Churchill Downs), Burnham Square finished a hard-charging second to winner East Avenue.  That performance would seem to set him up perfectly for what his connections are hoping will be a top comeback effort this Saturday at odds of what should be 5-1 or higher.  He should be an attractive alternative for those who don't think Journalism will fire.  Regular rider Brian J. Hernandez Jr. will be aboard.   #6 Gosger is the horse who looked like a winner down the stretch in the Preakness before Journalism pulled off his incredible come-from-behind finish.  The lightly-raced son of 2016 Kentucky Derby Winner Nyquist has been patiently handled by trainer Brendan Walsh who had Gosger on the Kentucky Derby trail until his plans changed.  If you believe that the Triple Crown races have taken too much out of Journalism (who is the only horse to have run in all three) then Gosger might be the horse you want to get behind as they were only separated by a half-length at the finish of the Preakness.  Luis Saez will once again be the jockey here, and Gosger could be sitting on a huge effort.   #8 Goal Oriented is trained by Bob Baffert who has won this race a record nine times, beginning in 2001 with the great Point Given.  This son of Not This Time was beaten by both Journalism and Gosger in the Preakness in his last start (he finished fourth).  But he was bumped and had to check at the top of the stretch and many have pointed to those problems as a legitimate excuse in that race.  On the other side however is the fact that Goal Oriented has only won his first race as a maiden followed by his first allowance condition and so he simply has never proven himself at the Stakes Level, let alone in one of the biggest Graded Stakes on the calendar.  But Goal Oriented shows a series of very fast workouts at Santa Anita in preparation for the Haskell so those who believe this race will be won on the front end may want to take a shot with him on Saturday at odds likely around 4-1 come post time.  Top rider Flavien Prat adds to his appeal.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and MLB All-Star Game Previews and Odds - 07/15/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features WNBA action and the MLB All-Star Game. The WNBA has two games on its slate. The Indiana Fever travel to Connecticut to play the Suns on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Fever have won two games in a row and five of their last seven after a 102-83 victory against Dallas as a 9.5-point favorite on Sunday. They are tied for third place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-10 record. The Suns lost for the second time in a row and for the 12th time in their last 13 games after a 92-88 loss at Los Angeles as a 10.5-point underdog on Sunday. Connecticut is in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-18 record. Indiana is a -15.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 165.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Washington Mystics play in Los Angeles against the Sparks at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Mystics are on a three-game winning streak with six victories in their last eight contests after a 74-69 upset win at Seattle as a 7.5-point underdog on Sunday. Their 11-10 record puts them in a tie with the Fever in third place in the Eastern Conference. The Sparks won for the second time in their last three games with their 92-88 victory against the Suns on Sunday. Washington is a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 164. The 95th Major League All-Star Game takes place on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Braves Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia, hosts the spectacle. The American League rebounded from a 3-2 loss in 2023 with a 5-3 victory at the Texas Rangers Globe Life Stadium in Arlington last summer. The National League had lost nine Midsummer Classics in a row before that triumph two years ago.  Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is the skipper for the National League. He tapped the Pittsburgh Pirates Paul Skenes as their starting pitcher. New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone will send out American League Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal as his starting pitcher.  The National League will be without pitchers Chris Sale, who is on the injured list, along with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Freddy Peralta, and Robbie Ray, who pitched on Sunday. Zack Wheeler and Matthew Boyd opted out after being named to the roster. Andrew Abbott, Trevor Megill, Jacob Misiorowski, Adrian Morejon, David Peterson, and Robert Suarez were added to the roster to take their places. Clayton Kershaw was added to the roster as a "Legend's Pick." The American League will be missing Hunter Brown, who started on Sunday along with starting pitchers Garrett Crochet, Jacob deGrom, Max Fried, and Yusei Kikuchi from their initial roster. Casey Mize, Drew Rasmussen, Carlos Rodon, and Joe Ryan were added to the pitching staff given those absences.  The National League is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 7.

Read more

Way-Too-Early NCAAF Predictions & Future Bets to Make

by William Burns

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

It's never too early to start thinking about football and I'm just as excited as anyone for it to be back, especially NCAAF. After a winning season in 2024-25, I'm expecting to dominate more than ever this season. Here are my "Way-Too-Early NCAAF Predictions & Future Bets to Make:" on this upcoming campaign. What I Expect From Certain Teams This Season:  Oklahoma Sooners (6-7 in 2024-25) - While they do have one of the toughest schedules imaginable, the Sooners are a team that I expect to be much better and competitive in the big games this season. They've got so much talent across the board including a new QB in John Mateer (from WSU) who might just turn out to be one of the best in the country this season.Projected Record in 2025-26 // 8-4.  Clemson Tigers (10-4 in 2024-25) - I expect Clemson to win the ACC without much trouble this season. Last year, the Tigers still weren't at their best as they were getting used to their rebuild roster. This season, they should be fully motivated to accomplish big things and I believe that they will be in the early-mid stages of the season at the very least. They've got Cade Klubnik back at QB and won't have to worry about teams like Miami (no more Cam Ward) and SMU hasn't improved much if any. Projected Record in 2025-26 // 13-2.  Florida State Seminoles (2-10 in 2024-25) - Coming off an absolutely disastrous season (after an undefeated year without a playoff berth) I expect much better from the Noles this season. Yes, it was kind of expected that this team would be a lot worse with all the guys that left to join new schools after they didn't make those playoffs. As a matter of fact, FSU was one of my expected "teams to fall off" in last year's article. But, nobody knew it was going to be that bad. With Tommy Castellanos at QB this season, the Seminoles should be back in a bowl game and maybe even more. Projected Record in 2025-26 // 7-5.  Alabama Crimson Tide (9-4 in 2024-25) - I don't think that the Crimson Tide are the same without Nick Saban. However, they are still named Alabama at the end of the day and he couldn't coach forever. A 9-4 season in Kalen DeBoer's first year wasn't the worst in the world. However, some of the losses that Bama had could have definitely been avoided. The Tide should roll a lot more this season and I expect them to be in the playoff contention this season. They will be great again.Projected Record in 2025-26 // 12-3.  Boise State Broncos (12-2 in 2024-25) - Losing Ashton Jeanty to a "slightly above average" Group Of Five school isn't going to help the Broncos at all. I think that Boise State will regress quite a bit. Not saying that the Broncos can't have similar production from the rest of the crew this season and win the Mountain West again. But, it's definitely going to be harder for this team to win 12 games and make it to the playoffs, not having Jeanty to rely on. Projected Record in 2025-26 // 9-4.Burns' Top 10 Heisman Trophy Candidates Arch Manning (+650)LaNorris Sellers (+1600)Cade Klubnik (+950)Jeremiah Smith (+1100)Garrett Nussmeier (+850)John Mateer (+2500)Jeremiyah Love (+4000)Julian Sayin (+1600)Gunnar Stockton (+3500)Drew Allar (+1600)While I do believe that Arch Manning is the favorite and for good reason to win the Heisman Trophy this season, there's definitely room for some of the other players to make some noise as well. I'm very high on South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers this season. He finished the year with a bang and could very well lead this Gamecocks side to the CFB Playoffs this season. Don't sleep on Jeremiyah Love either, sitting at +4000. I believe that he's the best running back in the country and we all saw how close Ashton Jeanty was last season. Love could be on the verge of similar things with the schedule that ND has this season.  Heisman Prediction: Arch Manning (+650)Five Futures Bets to Make: 1. ) Texas Longhorns - To Win the National Championship - YES (+550)2. ) Texas - Regular Season Wins Over 9.5 (-170) Last season, I successfully predicted the winner of the 2024-25 Championship Game (Ohio State) in the same kind of article that I wrote a year ago. This time around, I believe that Texas is the best team in the country and will reach the promised land come the end of the season. A lot of top teams are in the midst of having a new QB start this season and that's let Arch Manning cook with this offense. Getting into some of those games a year ago will really help him settle in. He's already got the name of fame. Expect great things from Texas this season.  3. ) Oklahoma - Regular Season Wins Over 6.5 (-170) Like I mentioned earlier, I'm quite high on the Sooners this season. I'm predicting them to win eight of 12 games this season and they could easily win a couple more if they play their cards right and upset a team or two. However, even if they lose an extra game that I don't see them losing, it would still be enough to get "over" this mark on the season. 6.5 is way too low even with the hard schedule.  4.) Notre Dame - To Make Playoff (-190) Not being in a conference really helps Notre Dame get the easiest schedule in my opinion. It's rough for some of the other teams that need to play four or five top 15 teams in the country every season. But, Notre Dame gets another "cupcake" schedule and I expect them to be great once again. If you remember, the Fighting Irish lost a game to Northern Illinois in the early weeks of last season. They still went on to finish 12-1 with the #7 in the playoffs. I expect them to have a similar record, if not go undefeated in the regular season this year. That should guarantee them a playoff spot. This steep line is worth the risk.  5.) Jeremiah Smith - To Lead Big 10 in Receiving Yards - YES (+500) While the big names don't always lead the league/country in stats, I fully expect Jeremiah Smith to dominate this season. Probably my favorite player to watch in College, he's going to be in line for an even bigger role in this offense this season with the departure of Emeka Egbuka. Yes, he's got a new QB. But, that shouldn't stop the absolute stud of a wideout here in 2025-26.  Burns' Very Early National Title Game Prediction: Texas vs. Georgia.28-17 Texas. (Edited August 15 - prior to season.)

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: WNBA and MLB Home Run Derby Previews and Odds - 07/14/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

The Monday sports card features WNBA action and the MLB Home Run Derby. The WNBA has two games on its slate. The Minnesota Lynx travel to Chicago to play the Sky at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Lynx lost for the second time in their last three games with an 87-81 upset loss at Chicago as a 12-point favorite on Saturday. The Sky have won two games in a row after their upset victory. Minnesota is a 10.5-point road favorite with the total set at 161.5 (all odds from DraftKings).  The Golden State Valkyries host the Phoenix Mercury at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Valkyries lost for the third time in their last four games in a 104-102 loss at Las Vegas as a 2.5-point underdog on Saturday. The Mercury won for the eighth time in their last ten games with a 79-71 upset victory as a 7.5-point underdog against Minnesota on Wednesday. Golden State is a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 158.5. Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby takes place on ESPN at 8 PM ET at the Atlanta Braves Truist Park.  There were several changes to the format two years ago. Eight competitors will take part in an opening round with the top four scorers advancing to the semifinals seeded based on the results. Ties are resolved by the longest home run from the competitors in question. A competitor’s round ends after either three minutes or 40 pitches. Each hitter gets to use one timeout. Competitors are then awarded three bonus outs. A fourth out is earned by a home run of at least 425 yards in length. The top four scorers advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals and finals, a competitor’s round ends after either two minutes or 27 pitches. Each hitter gets to use one timeout. Competitors are then awarded three bonus outs. A fourth out is earned by a home run of at least 425 yards in length. If there is a tie in the semifinals or finals, then a 60-second “swing-off” will commence. If there is still a tie after that,  then there will be a three-swing “swing-off” to determine a winner.  The field consists of seven first-time participants in MLB’s Home Run Derby. Cal Raleigh is the favorite to win at +295 (all odds from DraftKings). The Seattle Mariners’ catcher leads MLB with 38 home runs this season.  Oneil Cruz is listed at +320 odds. The Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder has 16 homers this year.  James Wood has +475 odds to win this year’s derby. The Washington Nationals outfielder has 24 home runs this season. Matt Olson is posted at +800 odds. The Atlanta Braves' first baseman has 17 homers this year. He is a late replacement for Ronald Acuna who bowed out of this competition after experiencing some back tightness. Brent Rooker is listed at +850 odds. The Athletics’ outfielder has 19 home runs this season.   Bryan Buxton has +950 odds to win the Home Run Derby. The Minnesota Twins’ outfielder has slammed 20 home runs this year.  Jazz Chisholm Jr. is listed at +1100 odds. The New York second-baseman has 17 homers this season.   Junior Camineiro rounds the list of competitors at +1200 odds to win. The Tampa Bay Rays’ third baseman has clubbed 23 homers this year.  

Read more

MLB Home Run Derby Wagers

by ASA, Inc.

Sunday, Jul 13, 2025

Home Run Derby Champion 2025 - Byron Buxton (+900)The former number two overall pick makes his first Derby appearance while also earning the honor of his second All-Star team selection. Cal Raleigh (+270) is the favorite to win but the field is wide open, illustrated by the fact that no player’s odds are remotely close to even. Buxton has the power to crush homers as good, if not better than anyone else in the league, hitting a 479ft nuke back on June 11th, which is the farthest ball hit amongst the field. He is fresh off a flawless game on Saturday, going five for five with a homer in a dismantling of the Pirates. One thing that allows Buxton to hit for power and contact is his bat speed, which ranked in the 90th percentile according to Statcast. He also ranks in the 96th percentile when it comes to hard hit percentage. Any way you slice it, Buxton crushes the ball at an elite rate, making him a prime candidate to provide a sizable return at his price.To Make Semifinal round - Matt Olson (-114)Olson takes Acuna’s place as the home team representative for the Braves who are hosting the festivities at Truist Park. Even as a late replacement, Olson is no slouch, mashing 54 home runs for Atlanta in 2023, setting the franchise record. The Braves faithful will no doubt bring Olson some extra juice. Another advantage is that Olson is a lefty, allowing him to possibly sneak a few extra homers out of the closer right field wall (325ft to right vs 335ft to left). He remains one of the best power hitters in the game and ranks in the 98th percentile when it comes to exit velocity according to Statcast. Olson seems a solid pick to deliver early, but will need to use his energy efficiently to make a deep run. 2025 Total Home Runs Hit - Under 240.5 (-113)There were 225 home runs hit in last year's Derby, and there have not been any significant rule changes from last year's format. It's never fun to root for the under, especially in a fan favorite event, but in order to hit the 241 mark, some massive performances would have to take place. There is a lot of firepower in the field, it just does not seem likely we add 16 more dingers to the event in 2025 vs last year. There were 341 home runs hit in 2023, but that was before the rule changes to emphasize efficiency over volume. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/13/25

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jul 13, 2025

The Sunday sports card features MLB, CFL, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. The New York Yankees host the Chicago Cubs as a -127 money-line favorite with the total set at 9 (all odds from DraftKings). The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Tampa Bay Rays as a -132 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Baltimore Orioles are home against the Miami Marlins as a -123 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games start at 1:40 p.m. ET. The Cincinnati Reds host the Colorado Rockies as a -247 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Seattle Mariners travel to Detroit to play the Tigers with both teams priced as a money-line favorite with a total of 8. Five MLB games begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Guardians play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -137 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Houston Astros play at home against the Texas Rangers as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Minnesota Twins are home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -136 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The New York Mets are in Kansas City to take on the Royals as a -137 money-line road favorite with a total of  9. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Washington Nationals as a -240 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Atlanta Braves at 2:15 p.m. ET.Two MLB games start at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Toronto Blue Jays visit the Athletics as a -144 money-line road favorite with a total of  10. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in San Francisco against the Giants on Roku as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in Los Angeles to face the Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies travel to San Diego to play the Padres at 4:10 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Week 6 in the Canadian Football League concludes with one game. The British Columbia Lions play in Edmonton against the Elks at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 51.5. The FIFA Club World Cup concludes its tournament with its championship match on TBS at 3:00 p.m. ET. Paris Saint-Germain challenges Chelsea at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches that conclude the group stage at 3:00 p.m. ET. England plays Wales on FS1 as a -2.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. France battles the Netherlands on Fox as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women's EURO 2025 Previews and Odds - 07/12/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jul 12, 2025

The Saturday sports card features MLB, CFL, and UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The New York Yankees host the Chicago Cubs at 1:05 p.m. ET as a -169 money-line favorite, with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). The Detroit Tigers play at home against the Seattle Mariners at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -127 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Minnesota Twins are home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 2:10 p.m. ET. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Atlanta Braves at 2:15 p.m. ET. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to San Francisco to play the Giants as a -144 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Baltimore Orioles host the Miami Marlins as a -167 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Five MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Tampa Bay Rays as a -189 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cleveland Guardians play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets are in Kansas City to face the Royals as a -127 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Cincinnati Reds are home against the Colorado Rockies as a -309 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10.5. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Washington Nationals as a -261 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games are featured on Fox’s regional coverage at 7:35 p.m. ET. Houston plays at home against Texas, with the Astros sending out Framber Valdez to pitch against the Rangers' Jacob deGrom. The Astros lost for the fourth straight game in a 7-3 loss at home in the opening game of this series on Friday. The Rangers have won three of their last four games. Houston is a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.Philadelphia visits San Diego, with Zack Wheeler taking the ball for the Phillies to challenge Yu Darvish for the Padres. The Phillies lost for the third time in their last four games in a 4-2 loss on the road in Game 1 of this series. The Padres won for the third time in their last four games. Philadelphia is a -157 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5.   The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Los  Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with an  over/under of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays are on the road against the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET as a -157 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. Week 6 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are home against the Calgary Stampeders at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 52.5. The UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 continues in Switzerland with two matches at 3:00 p.m. ET. Denmark faces Poland on FS1 as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Germany takes on Sweden on Fox as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Read more

MLB Home Run Derby Best Bets

by Sean Murphy

Friday, Jul 11, 2025

Here’s a breakdown my three best bets for the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby, based on DraftKings odds and current player trends. This year’s field is stacked with raw power, but a few names stand out both in terms of value and momentum heading into the July 14th showcase in Atlanta. Cal Raleigh (+330) enters the 2025 Derby as a co-favorite at DraftKings, and for good reason. The Mariners catcher leads all of baseball with 36 home runs and is drawing comparisons to some of the game’s most feared sluggers. He’s shown consistent power all season, with a swing built for a derby format—quick, compact, and repeatable under pressure. Raleigh’s nickname, “Big Dumper,” has become part of baseball lore this season, and he’s embraced the spotlight with charisma and clutch performance. Catchers aren’t always ideal derby picks due to the grind of the position, but Raleigh’s swing mechanics and current form make him a logical top choice, especially in a ballpark that favors pull hitters from the left side. Oneil Cruz (+330) is tied with Raleigh as the odds-on favorite, and his ceiling might be even higher. Cruz is a Statcast darling—his max exit velocity of 122.9 mph is the highest in MLB this year, and his average home run distance sits well above league norms. The Pirates shortstop is a physical marvel at 6-foot-7 with a lightning-quick bat, and that makes him a natural threat in a power-hitting showcase like this. Though he’s a first-time Derby participant, Cruz has the kind of athleticism and explosive swing that can overwhelm in batting practice. If he settles into a rhythm early, he could easily lead all rounds in distance and volume. The concern is that his long swing could affect timing over multiple rounds, but in terms of raw talent, few can match him. Byron Buxton (+800) may be the most intriguing longshot in the field. At 31 years old, he’s one of the older contestants, but he’s coming off a power surge that includes a 479-foot blast and the highest “no-doubter” home run percentage in the league (per ESPN). Buxton has always had elite physical tools, but this year he’s stayed healthy and channeled that into consistent power production. While age and durability might be red flags, the Derby’s short bursts of effort actually suit him well. At +800, there’s strong value in backing a player who can hit towering shots and knock out a higher seed early. If Buxton catches fire in the opening round, he could build momentum and crash the final—making him the best high-upside bet on the board. These three picks—Raleigh for consistency, Cruz for elite upside, and Buxton for sleeper value—offer what I consider the best options if you're looking to cash in on one of baseball’s most entertaining events.

Read more
« ‹ 1 41 43 375 › »

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.

© 2026 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.