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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 8, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, Jun 08, 2023

I'm back in the NHL tonight, as the Stanley Cup Final resumes action in Sunrise, Florida.On Saturday and Monday, though, I delivered 2-0 Sweeps in Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, with Vegas and the Over in both games. Tonight I have STANLEY CUP POWER PLAY # 3 IN A ROW, with BOTH the SIDE and TOTAL from Game 3. I am on a 95-82-2 this season for $16,430 net profit, including $6,030 in the playoffs. Again, I swept Games 1 and 2 and tonight I have BOTH the SIDE and TOTAL for STANLEY CUP POWER PLAY # 3 IN A ROW.My NHL Notes: Road teams are 46-39 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-43 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1300. The Over is 45-39-1, and the Under has cashed 30 of the last 55 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 11 of 14 overall, despite losing their last two. Florida heads to Game 3 of the SCF on an 18-8 win streak. The Panthers check in at ninth in the postseason with 3.00 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 3.06, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has now won 19 of 26 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on a 7-2 roll at home The Golden Knights rank first in the playoffs with 3.89 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.58. SERIES The home team has won 11 of the last 12 meetings. The Panthers have won four of the last five meetings in Sunrise. The Golden Knights have won seven of nine in the series. The WNBA continued to see underdogs stealing the spotlight on Wednesday when the lone underdog covered by a half-point. Underdogs are now 11-4-3 over the past seven game days.The Phoenix Mercury couldn't hold an early lead, as they fell to the Wings in Dallas, 84-79. The line opened -3 1/2 and closed at +5 1/2 at Caesars and many other places. Dallas dropped to 2-4-1 ATS on the year, while the Mercury improved to 2-3 at the window.For Thursday, I love the lone WNBA clash tonight, as Las Vegas and Connecticut reunite after last season's WNBA Finals. Nobody has been able to beat the Aces, including the Sun two nights back. This is the ONLY GAME on the board, and I'll tell you why the line is off with this WNBA ODDSMAKERS ERROR.In MLB on Wednesday, three of 11 underdogs got it done, with two games a pick and two others postponed. And the shocker once again was the Oakland Athletics (+162, Caesars) beating up on the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-5. Oddly enough, the A's have lost five of their last nine, but they've found their offense at times. They're hitting a modest .251 since May 29, but they're averaging 4.5 runs per game and have sent six balls out of the yard. They close open a three-game weekend set in Milwaukee on Friday.For Thursday, there is plenty of action to look at, including my MLB INTERLEAGUE BLANK CHECK WINNER off the late card. It's travel day for some teams, the conclusion of some series, and the start of others. Today's selections include this bailout winner off the late MLB card. Don't miss my MLB INTERLEAGUE BLANK CHECK WINNER.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB and CFL Previews and Odds - 06/08/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jun 08, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NHL, MLB, and CFL. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Florida Panthers Vegas hosting the Vegas Golden Knights on TNT, TBS, and truTV at 8:20 PM ET in the third game of the Stanley Cup finals. The Golden Knights took a 2-0 lead in this series with a 7-2 victory at home on Monday. The Panthers are a -120 money-line favorite, with the total set at 6 (all odds from DraftKings). The Thursday card in Major League Baseball has 12 games on its schedule. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Cincinnati to play the Reds at 12:35 PM ET. Clayton Kershaw takes the ball for the Dodgers to go against Graham Ashcroft for the Reds. Los Angeles is a -225 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Washington against the Nationals at 1:05 PM ET. The Diamondbacks give the ball to Merrill Kelly to pitch against the Nationals’ Josiah Gray. Arizona is a -150 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Minnesota Twins at 1:10 PM ET. Bailey Ober pitches for the Twins against a starting pitcher yet to be determined for the Rays. Tampa Bay is a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Baltimore Orioles visit Milwaukee to play the Brewers at 2:10 PM ET.  The Orioles turn to Kyle Bradish in their starting rotation to battle against the Brewers’ Colin Rea. Baltimore is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The San Francisco Giants are in Colorado to play the Rockies at 3:10 PM ET. Alex Cobb takes the ball for the Giants to fave Chase Anderson for the Rockies. San Francisco is a -190 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 11.5. The New York Yankees are at home against the Chicago White Sox in the opening game of their doubleheader at 4:05 PM ET. The Yankees turn to Luis Severino in their starting rotation to duel against the White Sox’s Mike Clevinger. New York is a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Detroit Tigers at 6:05 PM ET. Zack Wheeler takes the hill for the Phillies to pitch against Tyler Holton for the Tigers. Philadelphia is a -250 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Yankees play at home against the Chicago White Sox in the nightcap of their doubleheader at 7:05 PM ET. The Yankees tap Randy Vasquez to pitch against the White Sox’s Mike Clevinger. New York is a -140 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Houston Astros play in Toronto against the Blue Jays at 7:07 PM ET. Framber Valdez pitches for the Astros against Jose Berrios for the Blue Jays. Houston is a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Cleveland Guardians are at home against the Boston Red Sox at 7:10 PM ET. The Guardians send out Aaron Civale to battle against the Red Sox’s Matt Dermody. Cleveland is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves host the New York Mets at 7:20 PM ET. Spencer Strider takes the hill for the Braves to pitch against Justin Verlander for the Mets. Atlanta is a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Angels play at home against the Chicago Cubs at 9:38 PM ET. The Angels turn to Reid Detmers to pitch against the Cubs’ Drew Smiley. Los Angeles is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Canadian Football League season kicks off with one game. The Calgary Stampeders are at home against the British Columbia Lions on the CBS Sports Network at 9 PM ET. The Stampeders are a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5.

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CFL 2023- A Question and a Prediction for each Western Division Team

by Will Rogers

Wednesday, Jun 07, 2023

With the unbalanced schedule for West teams this year (3 against each team in the West and 1 or 2 against each east team) it will be a tough go for teams that struggled in the West last year as they will have to play more games against better teams. I’m looking at you, Roughriders and Elks.BCCan Vernon Adams change from “Big Play V.A.” into “Game Manager V.A.”?He did it for his stint as a starter for BC last season as Rick Campbell did his CFL coaching magic to lead Adams into 6 TD completions and only 1 interception in the 6 games he started showing he can reliably manage a star-studded offence. This was all as a replacement for Captain Canada, Nathan Rourke who signed with the NFL in the off season. That will be the expectation this year without James Butler running and catching the ball. He may have lost Bryan Burnham to retirement but he still has three 1000 yard receivers in Dominique Rhymes, Keon Hatcher and Luck Whitehead. Adams can still improvise when things break down but Campbell’s well organized offence and solid O-line should make it less necessary.Prediction 1st in WestTaquan Mizzel was supposed to be an important scatback last season but just before training camp he has an emergency appendectomy. He is all healed and back on the roster as the #1 running back. He was the first back in his conference to ever get over 1000 yards running and receiving so he will add to Adams’ options this season. They lost two on the o-line but gained Couture from the Bombers and Schlueger from the Alouettes. Their d-line was outstanding last season and will continue to be so, as was their secondary. Defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips did an excellent job last season and will have the horses to repeat. WinnipegWill standing pat with an aging roster pay off? QB Zach Collaros will be 35 this summer. Is he another Tom Brady or is he an injury away from serious deficiencies in his game? Defense star Adam Bighill also turns 35 this season and Willie Jefferson is 32. The O-line is another year older and Collaros’ declining mobility will be exposed as they slow down. It started to show last year. Sure they have an outstanding receiving corps but the only real free agent addition was making Kenny Lawler the highest paid receiver in the CFL and now he is on the suspended list with immigration issues. It might be tough for the ball to get to them.  They essentially are running it back with the same roster that was a point (and a reliable kicker ) away from a third consecutive Grey Cup. I’m doubtful they have what it takes to repeat last years’ performance. There are some commentators who see them missing the playoffs. I’m not going to be the one to say this to Adam Bighill but maybe the West Division will. Prediction 2nd in the West Brady Olivera has the potential to lead the league in rushing. The receivers include Dalton Schoen, Nic Demski and Rasheed Bailey (and maybe eventually Kenny Lawler). This is as good as it gets in the CFL. And Winston Love, Deatrick Nichols and Jackson Jeffcoat will still terrorize opponents’ backfields. It is still a lot to expect the Bombers to dominate for a fourth season in a row. I’m sure Coach O’Shea and his veterans will have something to say about that.  EdmontonWhen will the Elks win their first home game?The Elks have lost 17 straight home games. If Chris Jones continues his pattern of first seasons with a new team being poor and second seasons being successful it should happen quickly. In previous stints with Edmonton and Saskatchewan Jones had a strong second season. This season has to be better than what happened last year to the Elks. Their first home game is against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. No one thinks the Roughriders will be a powerhouse this year. This streak could end in week one. Prediction 3rd in the West Taylor Cornelius will start the season as the starting QB. The Elks’ staff has had all off season to prepare an offense and personnel to help him succeed. Cornelius has had an entire off season to study film and work on the necessary skills. This will let him hit the ground running. Outstanding receiver Dillon Mitchell and running back Kevin Brown were brought in halfway through last season and they excelled. Mitchell is talking about a 2000 yard receiving season. Some commentators think Brown could lead the CFL in rushing. Former tight end, now rush end, A.C. Leonard and the versatile veteran Louchiez Purifoy were signed as free agents. They are Chris Jones’ type of players – playmakers – that can have a profound impact. The O-line still needs work. The 6’5” 230 lb. Cornelius may have to improvise. He has an impressive elusiveness and ability to run the football that will probably be called into service. This could be interesting. CalgaryWith Bo Levi-Mitchell gone and number one status from the get go, can Jake Maier become the second best QB in the CFL? So Collaros is the best. But Maier might not be far behind. With the most outstanding O-line in recent CFL history (judged by sacks allowed) and the leading rusher in the CFL, Ka’deem Carey, Maier will have the time and space to find an outstanding set of receivers. Malik Henry is as good as they get in the CFL. Reggie Begelton and Luther Hakunavanhu are also outstanding. Jalen Philpot is injured to start the season but when he returns all bets are off. Maier should have a field day. Prediction 4th in the WestSo how does a team with an outstanding offence end up ranked 4th. The second ranked defense lost the ageless Shawn Lemon and standout middle linebacker Jameer Thurman. There are still questions at middle linebacker. They still have Cameron Judge producing on the weak side but who is going to anchor the heart of this defense. They also lost defensive lineman Orimolade. Is this defense going to be able to get the stops to get Maier on the field enough to make use of all his weapons. They couldn’t get it done against the Lions in last years’ West semi-final. Are they going to be able to get it done against all of the Wests’ rejuvenated offenses. Sakatchewan Will coach Craig Dickenson and GM Jeremey O’Day make it through the entire last year of their contracts? Neither have signed extensions and the team had a down year in 2022. The Roughrider fans are legendary and this high profile franchise will not tolerate continued failure. They had a terrible O-line last season that led to injuries to QB Fajardo. Starting QB Trevor Harris is less mobile than Fajardo. How will he survive? It could get ugly quick and Dickenson might not last beyond Labour Day (first Monday in September for our American fans). They added center Peter Godber from the Lions but starting left tackle Jerald Hawkins is back home for a personal matter with no return in sight. Former Elk and Ticat offensive lineman Colin Kelly signed but is suspended 2 weeks for performance enhancing drug use. There has to be some light at the end of this tunnel. Prediction 5th in the WestDerel Walker and Jake Wernike are quality receivers but Harris will need time to find them. Running backs Jamal Morrow and Frankie Hickson are explosive and they will give their offense options.  On the other side of the ball the Roughriders have probably the best set of linebackers in the CFL with Derek Moncrief, Larry Dean and Micha Teitz although Moncrief missed most of training camp. There isn’t a lot of good news these days for the Roughriders and it could be a slow start to their campaign. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 7, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Wednesday, Jun 07, 2023

I'm back in the NBA tonight, and I'm ready to unload the bankroll. It's the biggest release of the postseason! I'm on a 46-29-4 NBA Roll for $14,000 since April 17. And tonight I lay it on the line with the No. 1 play of the playoffs. Miami stole homecourt advantage, and Denver wants it back. Will it be road chalk, or the home pup? I have your answer inside with my ONE-AND-ONLY NBA PLAYOFFS GAME OF YEAR.The WNBA continued to see underdogs stealing the spotlight on Tuesday, when the pups went 1-0-2.Not exactly an overwhelming record, but the fact the pups challenged numbers - and one won outright - is telling. Underdogs improved to 10-4-3 over the past six game days.I pushed my Non-Conference Game of the Month last night with the Connecticut Sun (+6) in a 90-84 loss to the Las Vegas Aces, in a rematch of the WNBA Finals.The scrappy Indiana Fever continue to play competitive basketball, forcing the Chicago Sky to overtime and losing 108-103. The Fever caught +5 points.The Seattle Storm overcame a 24-6 first-quarter deficit and used a second-half surge on the strength of Jewel Lloyd's perimeter game to beat the Los Angeles Sparks, 63-56. The Storm were +3 point underdogs.Two games on the card tonight, including my free winner from the Minnesota-New York game.In MLB on Tuesday, four of 10 underdogs got it done. And the shocker was the Oakland Athletics (+230, DraftKings) beating up on the Pittsburgh Pirates, 11-2.Oddly enough, the A's have lost five of their last eight, but they've found their offense at times. They're hitting a mere .225 since May 29, but they're averaging 4.0 runs per game and have sent five balls out of the yard. They close out their series in Pittsburgh in an early matinee and might be dangerous offensively again.The NHL is off until Thursday, when the Golden Knights and Panthers meet in Game 3 in Sunrise, Fla.My NHL Playoff Notes: Road teams are 46-39 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-43 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1300. The Over is 45-39-1, and the Under has cashed 30 of the last 55 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 11 of 14 overall, despite losing their last two. Florida heads to Game 3 of the SCF on an 18-8 win streak. The Panthers check in at ninth in the postseason with 3.00 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 3.06, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has now won 19 of 26 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on a 7-2 roll at home The Golden Knights rank first in the playoffs with 3.89 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.58. SERIES The home team has won 11 of the last 12 meetings. The Panthers have won four of the last five meetings in Sunrise. The Golden Knights have won seven of nine in the series.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/07/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jun 07, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA and MLB. The National Basketball Association playoffs continue with the third game of the NBA Finals, with the Miami Heat hosting the Denver Nuggets on ABC at 8:30 PM ET. The Heat evened this series at 1-1 with their 111-108 upset win as an 8-point underdog on Sunday. Denver is a 2.5-point road favorite, with the total set at 214 (all odds from DraftKings). The Wednesday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Oakland A’s at 12:35 PM ET. Roansy Contreras takes the mound for the Pirates to pitch against Hogan Harris for the A’s. Pittsburgh is a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres are at home against the Seattle Mariners at 4:10 PM ET. The Padres turn to Michael Wacha in their starting rotation to battle against the Mariners’ George Kirby. San Diego is a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Detroit Tigers at 6:05 PM ET. Zack Wheeler takes the mound for the Phillies to pitch against Reese Olson for the Phillies. Philadelphia is a -250 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Miami Marlins play at home against the Kansas City Royals at 6:10 PM ET. The Marlins tap Edward Cabrera to duel against the Royals’ Jordan Lyles. Miami is a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home against the Minnesota Twins at 6:40 PM ET. Shawn Armstrong pitches for the Rays against Pablo Lopez for the Twins. Tampa Bay is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 PM ET. The New York Yankees host the Chicago White Sox, with the Yankees using Randy Vasquez to go against the White Sox’s Lance Lynn. New York is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Washington to play the Nationals, with Zach Davies taking the hill for the Diamondbacks to battle against Patrick Corbin for the Nationals. Arizona is a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Houston Astros at 7:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays tap Chris Bassitt to face the Astros’ Ronel Blanco. Toronto is a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two more MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Guardians are at home against the Boston Red Sox, with Tanner Bibee taking the ball for the Guardians to go against Kutter Crawford for the Red Sox. Cleveland is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Cincinnati to play the Reds, with the Dodgers sending out Noah Syndergaard to battle against the Reds’ Brandon Williamson. Los Angeles is a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The Atlanta Braves are at home against the New York Mets at 7:20 PM ET. Charlie Morton takes the mound for the Braves to duel against Max Scherzer for the Mets. Atlanta is a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers host the Baltimore Orioles at 7:40 PM ET. The Brewers turn to Corbin Burnes to pitch against the Orioles’ Dean Kremer. Milwaukee is a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Texas Rangers play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 8:05 PM ET. Jon Gray takes the mound for the Rangers to face Jack Flaherty for the Cardinals. Texas is a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The San Francisco Giants are in Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET. The Giants send out Logan Webb to pitch against the Rockies’ Connor Seabold. San Francisco is a -200 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The Los Angeles Angels host the Chicago Cubs at 9:38 PM ET. Jaime Barria pitches for the Angels against Jameson Taillon for the Cubs. Los Angeles is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.

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CFL 2023- A Question and a Prediction for each Eastern Division Team

by Will Rogers

Tuesday, Jun 06, 2023

The CFL season starts Thursday. It’s time to consider how things will go for all nine teams this season after an off-season of considerable changes, especially at the QB position for many teams. Seven of nine teams have a different starter at QB to start the season and it looks like Masoli in Ottawa will start on the injured list. Today I’ll consider one burning question and a prediction for each Eastern Conference team and tomorrow I’ll look at the Western Conference. Watch for my picks on Thursday for opening games.HamiltonWill Bo Levi-Mitchell thrive as the biggest off-season signing for the Tiger Cats? He won’t have the most outstanding offensive line in the past 20 years like he had in Calgary. Hamilton has improved their O-line but it won’t compare to Calgary’s. Levi-Mitchell has been in decline for the last few years, partly from injuries and partly from aging. This will be a fresh start and he will want to prove Calgary wrong but it should take him awhile to get productive, even with top receiver Tim White still running routes. James Butler (another off-season signing from the Lions) should provide the run game to help set up the pass with fellow ex-Lion Joel Figueroa opening up holes for him on the offensive line. Some betting sites predict Butler will lead the league in rushing this year.Prediction 1st in EastHamilton’s defense should be dominant with a defensive line returning with 35-year-old ageless wonder Simoni Lawrence leading the way alongside standout returnees Kasey Sales and Malik Carter. Montreal Will new head coach Jason Maas be able to create a successful scheme for new QB Cody Fajardo?Jason Maas was a QB in his playing days. He will need all that experience and his experience as a head coach in the CFL to help Fajardo become more consistent than he has been the last few seasons. Injuries and a suspect offensive line made it difficult for Fajardo to succeed in Saskatchewan. Injuries limited his mobility which is a big part of his game. He looked mobile in the pre-season. It will be interesting to see if he is healthy enough to produce.  Prediction 2nd in the East GM Maciocia had a tough off season. There was an ownership change that wasn’t finalized until March so he lost some key free agents in the interim. But he did get Maas and Fajardo who share his work ethic. Running backs Stanback and Fletcher should excel this season. On the other side of the ball NFL practice squad defensive lineman Antwine recorded two sacks in the final preseason game and should create havoc this year. Sewell and Johnson are back in the interior of the defensive line and should continue to control the line of scrimmage. Williams and Beverette return as linebackers that will keep that effective front seven producing again this year. TorontoCan Chad Kelly produce over a full season at QB? Last year Kelly started only one mean-nothing game after playoff seedings were already determined. He did all right but is that something that will predict success this year? Sure, he came on in relief in the Grey Cup, showed poise and was under center for the victory but that is different than having teams prepare for you and your team depending on you week in and week out.  Prediction 3rd in the East Toronto lost many starters in the off season. Andrew Harris is another year older and already looked like he had lost a step last season. At times last season, speedster Brandon Banks was a non-factor and could be even less effective this season. Their defence was outstanding last year but can they carry a limited offence? It seems like a tall order. The Argos have the biggest potential to fall in the standings this year. Ottawa Can Jeremiah Masoli stay healthy long enough to lead Ottawa back into the playoffs? It looks like he is hurt again and may not start their opener. He had a catastrophic injury from a dirty hit from noted villain Marino in the fourth game last season. He had a solid start to last season but Ottawa struggled after he went down with the second lowest points/game in the CFL.  Prediction 4th in the East Not only Masoli is hurt to start the season. All-star cornerback Money Hunter is out and so is receiver Shaq Evans. A major overhaul of the offensive line should take time to gel as it is a technically complex player group to develop. This should put the Red Blacks behind in the first part of the season as rookie coach Bob Dyce tries to get everyone on the same page. Only Edmonton had a worse defence last season so it looks like an uphill battle for Ottawa to start the seasonPart Two, the Western Conference coming shortly.      

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Potential NFL Fantasy Breakout Players

by ASA, Inc.

Tuesday, Jun 06, 2023

Javonte Williams RB DENComing off an ACL tear just four weeks into last season, Williams has been progressing toward being ready by week 1. Pegged to take over the Denver backfield even as a rookie, he disappointed those who bought into the hype in 2022. This year Williams is ranked lower than players like Cam Akers, James Connor, and Rashad White. Sean Payton will drastically improve the Broncos offense and there is virtually zero competition for touches with Samaje Perine and Tony Jones the other two RBs on the roster. In 2022 ESPN had Williams ranked as the RB11 before the season, this year he is RB29. This drastic drop is unwarranted since he is arguably in a better situation with much less competition for opportunity. Denver also has the 6th easiest schedule according to Fanatsy Pros. Quentin Johnston WR LACEven with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, LA decided to keep Justin Herbert stocked up with options on offense. Johnston, their first round pick, is a monster who will soak up targets when (not if) either Allen or Williams miss time due to injury. Josh Palmer stepped into the number 2 role last year and did not deliver, so the Chargers got a rock solid playmaker they can rely on. Currently ranked as WR51 by ESPN Johnston will play a huge role in one of the league's best offenses. Looking for more potential, Austin Ekler has 38 TDs the last two seasons, which allows massive upside if teams key on the run game and force LA to throw the ball more in the red zone this season. Geno Smith QB SEA2022 seemed to be Smith's breakout year, but based on the offseason moves, we expect Smith to outperform his current QB14 rank. By adding the top WR in the draft class, Jaxon Smith-Njigba will make Seattle's weapons arguably the best in the NFL. The emergence of Kenneth Walker helps keep defenses honest as well. The Seahwks finished 9th in points last season and project to be in the top 10 again in 2023. Pair that with a bottom 10 defense and Geno will have tons of opportunity to play in shootouts to inflate his stats even more. Smith finished as the QB5 last season, but has an ideal situation again this year. David Njoku TE CLE2023 will be Njoku’s 7th season in Cleveland, yet he has never reached the potential that many feel his freakish attributes bring. In 2022 he had his best season for the Browns and became a true every down TE that the coaching staff trusts. There is still hope that Deshaun Watson can bring explosion to this offense, and if he can reach his prior form, Njoku will be a major factor in the passing game. Currently ranked at TE10, there is plenty of room for the still prime 26 year old to be a reliable every week TE. There are not many of those players available in fantasy. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 6, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, Jun 06, 2023

The road teams and underdogs have dominated the NHL Playoffs.But two games into the Stanley Cup Final, the home team favorite has opened the series 2-0.The Vegas Golden Knights routed the Florida Panthers 7-2 on Monday, and now take a two-game lead to Sunrise for Games 3 and 4.Proud to say I've delivered a 2-0 Sweep in both Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, with Vegas and the Over in both games.Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday.My NHL Notes: Road teams are 46-39 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-43 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1300. The Over is 45-39-1, and the Under has cashed 30 of the last 55 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 11 of 14 overall, despite losing their last two. Florida heads to Game 3 of the SCF on an 18-8 win streak. The Panthers check in at ninth in the postseason with 3.00 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 3.06, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has now won 19 of 26 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on a 7-2 roll at home The Golden Knights rank first in the playoffs with 3.89 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.58. SERIES The home team has won 11 of the last 12 meetings. The Panthers have won four of the last five meetings in Sunrise. The Golden Knights have won seven of nine in the series. The WNBA was off on Monday, but is back in action tonight. Three games, and I love one of them.I went 3-0 Monday, once again sweeping the Stanley Cup Final side and total with Vegas and Over. I also hit my Interleague Game of the Month on the Rangers. I love one WNBA clash tonight, as Las Vegas and Connecticut reunite from last season's WNBA Finals. Nobody has been able to beat the Aces. Will the Sun shine tonight over glimmery Las Vegas? Or will the Aces be high? This is the ONLY GAME I LIKE TONIGHT. Find out with my WNBA NON-CONFERENCE GAME OF THE MONTH, backed by in-depth analysis.In MLB on Monday, on only one of eight underdogs got it done. That victory came from the Houston Astros, a slight pup in Toronto, where they beat the Blue Jays, 11-4.Returning to May 9, the Astros have won 19 of their last 25 behind an offense that is hitting .266 in that span, and have stroked 36 home runs along the way. During the stretch, they're scoring an average of 5.0 runs per game. Their pitching has also been stellar, with a 2.99 ERA over the 25 games, with teams hitting only .235.The NBA was off last night. Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Miami.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 06/06/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jun 06, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features action in MLB. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Minnesota Twins, with Zach Eflin taking the ball for the Rays to pitch against Louie Garland for the Twins. Tampa Bay is a -175 money-line favorite, with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Detroit Tigers, with the Phillies turning to Taijuan Walker to battle against the Tigers’ Tyler Alexander. Philadelphia is a -200 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Miami Marlins are at home against the Kansas City Royals, with Jesus Luzardo pitching for the Marlins against Zack Greinke for the Royals. Miami is a -150 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Three MLB games start at 7:05 PM ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Washington to play the Nationals, with the Diamondbacks tapping Tommy Henry to go against the Nationals’ Jake Irvin. Arizona is a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Oakland A’s, with Mitch Keller taking the ball for the Pirates against James Kaprielian for the A’s. Pittsburgh is a -240 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The New York Yankees play at home against the Chicago White Sox, with the Yankees tapping Clarke Schmidt to duel against the White Sox’s Lucas Giolito. New York is a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5.The Toronto Blue Jays are at home against the Houston Astros at 7:07 PM ET. Kevin Gausman gets the start for the Blue Jays to face Hunter Brown for the Astros. Toronto is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games begin at 7:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Guardians host the Boston Red Sox, with the Guardians sending Shane Bieber to the mound to pitch against the Red Sox’s James Paxton. Cleveland is a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Cincinnati Reds, with Tony Gonsolin pitching for the Dodgers to go against Luke Weaver for the Reds. Los Angeles is a -195 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5. The Atlanta Braves play at home against the New York Mets on TBS at 7:20 PM ET. Bryce Elder pitches for the Braves to battle against Carlos Carrasco for the Mets. Atlanta is a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Milwaukee Brewers are at home against the Baltimore Orioles at 7:40 PM ET. The Brewers turn to Freddy Peralta to duel against the Orioles’ Kyle Gibson. Milwaukee is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Texas Rangers host the St. Louis Cardinals at 8:05 PM ET. Dane Dunning takes his turn in the starting rotation for the Rangers to face Matthew Liberatore for the Cardinals. Texas is a -145 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The San Francisco Giants play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET. The Giants tap John Brebbia as their opener to pitch against the Rockies’ Dinelson Lamet. San Francisco is a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 12. The Los Angeles Angels are at home against the Chicago Cubs at 9:38 PM ET. Tyler Anderson takes the hill for the Angels to go against Hayden Wesneski for the Cubs. Los Angeles is a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The San Diego Padres host the Seattle Mariners at 9:40 PM ET. The Padres turn to Joe Musgrove to battle against the Mariners’ Logan Gilbert. San Diego is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - June 5, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Monday, Jun 05, 2023

We have ourselves a series in the NBA Finals.I suppose we'll find out if we have one in the Stanley Cup Final, as Game 2 is scheduled for tonight.I delivered a 2-0 Sweep in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, with Vegas and the Over. Tonight I have STANLEY CUP POWER PLAY # 2 IN A ROW, with BOTH the SIDE and TOTAL. I am on a 93-82-2 this season for $14,430 net profit, including $4,030 in the playoffs. Again, I swept Game 1 and tonight I have BOTH the SIDE and TOTAL for STANLEY CUP POWER PLAY # 2 IN A ROW.My NHL Notes:Road teams are 46-38 in the postseason. Underdogs are 40-42 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1400. The Over is 44-39-1, but the Under has cashed 30 of the last 54 games. There have been 23 overtime games, and road teams are 15-8 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-34 on the puck line this postseason. Stanley Cup Notes:FLORIDA The Panthers have won 16 of their last 22 road games. Florida heads to Game 2 of the SCF on an 18-7 win streak. The Panthers check in at seventh in the postseason with 3.13 goals-for per game. Florida's goals-against average during the playoffs is 2.69, ranking sixth. VEGAS Vegas has now won 14 of 18 against Atlantic Division teams. The Golden Knights are on a 19-6 roll at home. The Golden Knights rank third in the playoffs with 3.65 goals-for per game. Vegas is fourth in the postseason with a goals-against average of 2.65. SERIES The home team has won the last six meetings. The Golden Knights have won six straight meetings in Vegas. Vegas is on a 6-2 roll in the overall series. In the NBA last night, the Miami Heat proved they're no fluke with a 111-108 win at the Denver Nuggets.The Heat were catching about 8 points, and the total went over. This is a team that has learned to overcome big deficits, as it's now 7-6 when trailing by 12 or more this postseason.Yesterday it was a 15-point comeback to win Game 2 of the NBA Finals over Denver. Miami trailed the Nuggets 50-35 with five minutes left in the second quarter, and then outscored Denver 76-58 to even the series 1-all.Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Miami.In MLB on Sunday, seven of the 13 underdogs covered, while I saw two games at a pick. The standout victory for me was the New York Yankees (+145 DraftKings) with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.The Pinstripes went 4-2 on their road trip, going 2-1 in both Seattle and Los Angeles. The Yankees have won six of their last eight, during which they've drilled 17 home runs and are averaging nearly 6 runs per game. Their pitching staff has a 3.13 ERA in that span, and is averaging 9 strikeouts per game.It's a quiet card in baseball, with only eight games on the card. But there is one that stands out, and I'm ready to unload with my third straight Interleague Game of the Month. I hit the Yankees over Frisco (4/2) and the Jays over Atlanta (5/14). Tonight I make it three straight INTERLEAGUE GAME OF THE MONTH winners, as I love one side and one value price.There were three WNBA games on Sunday, and we saw the underdogs go 2-0-1.The Connecticut Sun (-6) beat the Dallas Wings, 80-74. The Chicago Sky (+12) won outright at New York over the Liberty. And the visiting Las Vegas Aces (-15) barely covered in an 84-80 win over the Indiana Fever.The WNBA is off tonight.

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Weekly Betting Perspective

by AAA Sports

Monday, Jun 05, 2023

The Miami Heat have made it a habit to erase the chalk throughout the entire NBA playoffs, and Sunday night’s victory in Denver has done nothing to alter things in what is shaping up as a weird Finals.If the Heat go on to win the title, the league might have to retire the Coach of the Year Award and just give it to Erik Spoelstra before the season even starts. Spoelstra’s Heat are three wins away from a championship despite starting three undrafted players and being without starter Tyler Herro and rotation sub-Victor Oladipo.Denver started the Finals at a solid -480 win the title, with the number soaring to -800 after a convincing win in Game 1 at home. Miami opened at +330, with the number climbing to +550 after the loss. Entering Game 3, the odds have tightened considerably, with Denver at -275 and the Heat (who now owns home court) at +220.Miami, BTW, is 15-5 ATS in the post-season (including two play-in games).--Rory McIlroy is the favorite (or co-favorite) in most books to win the British Open next month, with numbers in the +800 to +900 range. McIlroy faded late at the Memorial, dropping from a tie for the lead midway through the final round and into a T7 with three others, including Jordan Spieth.McIlroy has four major titles on his resume but hasn’t won any of the biggies since taking the PGA in 2014. He hasn’t seemed comfortable of late, though his T7 at the recent PGA should be somewhat encouraging. The back-and-forth spitball fight with Phil Mickelson over the relationship between the PGA and LIV can’t be helping too much. Speaking of LIV, Masters champ Brooks Koepka is at +1200 for Open punters, and Cameron Smith is at +2000.--Kansas City remains a healthy +600 to win the Super Bowl eight months from now, but the other recent Super Bowl winners have all fallen on hard times.The Rams (+6500), who won in 2022, have fallen off the radar and last season had more losses than any team in NFL history trying to defend its title (5-12). The key to getting back in the mix is somehow steering clear of injuries. Last year Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp all spent significant time off the field.In the kingdom the blind, the one-eyed man is king. That seemed to be the Bucs’ season as they went 8-9 while everyone else in the NFC South clocked in at 7-10. Tom Brady was out, then he was in, and after the year he was out again. So now they regroup and pay the price for going all in and winning a few years ago. TB is at +7500.And then there are the New England Patriots, Super Bowl champs in 2019 but who have fallen to the middle of the pack in the AFC and probably to the bottom in the QB-rich AFC East. No one was happy with Mac Jones’s 2022 backslide, least of all Mac Jones. NE is +6500 to re-capture some magic, but the roster is pretty much the same one that produced an 8-9 record a year ago.--The Stanley Cup Finals are a tough swallow in Boston, where the Bruins are still licking their wounds after laying waste to the NHL in the regular season before getting bounced by the Panthers in Game 7 – at home no less. Either way, they turn, the Bruins will take another arrow to the chest. If Florida wins the Cup, the Bruins will have to live down losing to the 8th-seeded Panthers at home in a Game 7. OTOH, if the Cup heads to the Vegas desert, the Bruin front office will have to take shots for firing current Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy after his reportedly being too tough on the players. After its victory in Game 1, Las Vegas was a solid -225 favorite to win the Cup, with Florida at +175 heading into Game 2.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 06/05/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jun 05, 2023

The Monday sports card features action in the NHL and MLB. The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Vegas Golden Knights playing at home against the Florida Panthers on TNT, TBS, and truTV at 8:05 PM ET in the second game of the Stanley Cup finals. The Golden Knights won the first game of this series with their 6-2 victory on Saturday. Vegas is a -135 money-line favorite, with the total set at 6.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Monday card in Major League Baseball has eight games on its schedule. The Tampa Bay Rays travel to Boston to play the Red Sox at 4:05 PM ET. Shane McClanahan takes the mound for the Rays to pitch against Brayan Bello for the Red Sox. Tampa Bay is a -165 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Detroit Tigers, with the Phillies giving the ball to Aaron Nola to battle against the Tigers’ Joey Wentz. Philadelphia is a -215 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Miami Marlins are at home against the Kansas City Royals on FS1. The Marlins have won three games in a row and seven of their last nine after a 7-5 victory against Oakland yesterday. They raised their record to 32-28 with the win. The are in second place in the NL East, 3.5 games being Atlanta. The Royals ended a three-game losing streak with a 2-0 victory against Colorado on Sunday. Kansas City's record improved to 18-41 with the win. The are in last place in the AL Central, 12.5 games behind Minnesota for first place in the division. Braxton Garrett takes the mound for Miami against a starting pitcher yet to be named by the Rockies. The Marlins are a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Oakland A’s at 7:05 PM ET. The Pirates turn to Johan Oviedo to duel against the A’s J.P. Sears. Pittsburgh is a -190 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against Houston Astros at 7:07 PM ET. Alex Manoah takes the hill for the Blue Jays to pitch against Brendon Bielak. Toronto is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 PM ET. The Reds turn to Andrew Abbott getting called up from Triple-A to pitch against the Brewers’ Julio Teheran. Cincinnati is a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5.                                            The Texas Rangers are at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 8:05 PM ET. Martin Perez pitches for the Rangers to battle against Adam Wainwright for the Cardinals. Texas is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The San Diego Padres host the Chicago Cubs at 9:10 PM ET. The Padres send out Blake Snell to pitch against the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks. San Diego is a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 8.

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