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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB, EPL and UEFA Champions League Previews and Odds - 02/15/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Feb 15, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, EPL, and UEFA Champions League.The National Basketball Association has ten games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Charlotte Hornets host the San Antonio Spurs as a 6.5-point favorite, with the total set at 239.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Indiana Pacers play at home against the Chicago Bulls as a 2.5-point favorite. Four more NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Philadelphia 76ers are at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 216.5. The Atlanta Hawks host the New York Knicks as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 233.5. The Boston Celtics play at home against the Detroit Pistons as a 9.5-point favorite. The Miami Heat travel to Brooklyn to play the Nets as a 1-point road favorite. Two NBA games begin at 8:07 PM ET. The Memphis Grizzlies are at home against the Utah Jazz as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 239. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the Houston Rockets as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 236. The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Dallas Mavericks at 9:07 PM ET as a 7-point favorite. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against the New Orleans Pelicans on ESPN at 10:07 PM ET as a 3-point favorite. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Chicago Blackhawks on TNT at 7:07 PM ET as a -475 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Tampa Bay Lightning play in Arizona against the Coyotes at 9:07 PM ET as a -240 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two NHL games drop the puck at 9:37 PM ET. The Edmonton Oilers are at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -215 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild host the Colorado Avalanche on TNT as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 6. Two games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 PM ET. The Buffalo Sabres visit Anaheim to play the Ducks as a -205 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers are in Vancouver to play the Canucks as a -200 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has nine games on national television. Three NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 7 PM ET. Tennessee plays at home against Alabama on ESPN2 as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Virginia travels to Louisville on ESPNU as a 17-point road favorite with a total of 127.5. Marquette is at home against Xavier on the CBS Sports Network as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 159.5. Three NCAAB games on national television start at 9 PM ET. Iowa State hosts TCU on ESPNU as a 4-point favorite with a total of 134. Texas A&M plays at home against Arkansas on ESPN2 as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 141. Saint Louis is at home against Davidson on the CBS Sports Network as a 6-point favorite with a total of 145. Boise State visits Colorado State on FS1 at 10 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 137.5. Two NCAAB games on national television begin at 11 PM ET. San Diego State plays at Fresno State on the CBS Sports Network as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 128. Oregon is at Washington on ESPNU as an 8.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 143.5. Matchweek 23 in the English Premier League concludes with one match at 2:30 PM ET. Manchester City plays at Arsenal in a pick ‘em match with a total of 2.5 (all soccer odds from BetMGM).The knockout stage of the UEFA Champions League continues with two first-leg matches in the Round of 16 at 3 PM ET. Chelsea travels to Borussia Dortmund on CBS in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2.5. Benfica is at Club Brugge as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5.

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NHL's Second-Half 'Buy-Low' Teams

by Sean Murphy

Tuesday, Feb 14, 2023

With the All-Star break in the rear-view mirror and the trade deadline a few weeks away, we're in what some would call the 'dog days' of the NHL season. It's an excellent time to take stock of all 32 teams and determine which ones could make us some serious bank over the remainder of the regular season. Here are three candidates that I believe could offer considerable value in the coming weeks (and months) based not only on recent results but also by factoring in schedule-based projections.New York RangersI said it coming out of the All-Star break and I certainly stand by it after the Blueshirts acquired Vladimir Tarasenko in a blockbuster trade with the Blues last week - New York is a serious contender in the Eastern Conference. While the Rangers still sit in third place in a crowded Metropolitan Division, there's lots of reason for optimism on Broadway as they have gone a perfect 4-0 since the break and have collected at least a point in seven straight contests going back to January 23rd. A very manageable schedule lies ahead with stops in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary later this week followed by a 13-game stretch that won't see New York play outside the Eastern time zone a single time. As we saw this past Saturday in Carolina when they won 6-2 as +190 underdogs, the betting marketplace hasn't caught up to the Rangers just yet. We've seen the Boston Bruins terrorize the league for much of the campaign and I believe the Blueshirts can pull off a similar act in the final two months of the regular season. Seattle KrakenThe Pacific Northwest isn't exactly known as a hockey hotbed but the Kraken have certainly made great strides in winning over fans already this season. Seattle was the talk of the league earlier in the campaign when it went on an incredible run that seemingly came out of nowhere. It did cool off considerably prior to the All-Star break and checks into Tuesday's game in Winnipeg having lost three of its last four games overall. With that said, I believe now is an excellent time to 'buy low' with the Kraken after they showed signs of life in Sunday's 4-3 victory in Philadelphia. It's worth noting that they'll play four of their next six games at home not to mention another stretch in March that will see them play five out of six contests at Climate Pledge Arena, where they're in line for some positive regression (they're a .500 team at home but 17-0 on the road, averaging 4.0 goals per contest in the visitor's role). While most have written the Kraken off as a flash in the pan, they're still in the thick of the Western Conference playoff hunt, currently holding down the third and final postseason spot in the Pacific Division. A savvy move or two prior to the trade deadline might be enough to get Seattle over the hump down the stretch. Colorado AvalancheWhen it comes to the teams on the outside looking in in the Western Conference playoff picture, one of these things is not like the other. That's right, the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche would miss the postseason if the regular season were to end today. Of course, they're only a point back of the second Wild Card spot and few believe they'll end up out of the playoff race come April. While we did successfully fade the Avs in a 5-0 blowout loss in Tampa last week, I liked what I saw as they rebounded with a 5-3 road win over the Panthers two nights later. Defending Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar remains sidelined after suffering a blow to the head from Penguins veteran Jeff Carter last week. While playing without Makar is never a positive, perhaps a few less miles on his tires might not be the worst thing come playoff time. After all, Makar (and the rest of the Avs) have played a ton of hockey going back to last season - as is always the case when it comes to defending Stanley Cup champs. I'm willing to bet we'll see Colorado make a splash at the trade deadline and ultimately go on extended run down the stretch and at the moment, we're able to back them at what I consider to be a discounted price on most nights. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/14/2023

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Feb 14, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has five games on its docket. The Milwaukee Bucks host the Boston Celtics on TNT at 7:30 PM ET as a 10-point favorite, with the total set at 226.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Toronto Raptors play at home against the Orlando Magic at 7:40 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. The Phoenix Suns are at home against the Sacramento Kings at 9:10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with a total of 233.5. The Los Angeles Clippers host the Golden State Warriors on TNT at 10 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 230.5 The Portland Trail Blazers play at home against the Washington Wizards at 10:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 230.5. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Carolina Hurricanes visit Washington to play the Capitals as a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Montreal Canadiens are at home against the Chicago Blackhawks as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two more NHL games start at 7:37 PM ET. The New Jersey Devils play in Columbus against the Bluejackets as a -215 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Islanders host the Ottawa Senators as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 6. Two NHL games begin at 8:07 PM ET. The Florida Panthers travel to St. Louis to play the Blues as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Winnipeg Jets play at home against the Seattle Kraken as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 6. The Boston Bruins are in Dallas to play the Stars at 8:37 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche are at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 9:07 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 6. The Pittsburgh Penguins play in San Jose against the Sharks at 10:37 PM ET as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The college basketball schedule has 11 games on national television. Seton Hall is at home against Georgetown on the CBS Sports Network at 6 PM ET as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5. Four more NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 7 PM ET. Creighton plays at Providence on FS1 as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 141. Duke hosts Notre Dame on ESPN as a 12-point favorite with a total of 141. Illinois is at Penn State on ESPNU as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 142. Auburn plays at home against Missouri on ESPN2 as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 150.5. Villanova is at home against Butler on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 129. Four more NCAAB games on national television start at 9 PM ET. Kansas plays at Oklahoma State on ESPN as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 139.5. Kansas State is at Oklahoma on ESPNU as a 1-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.5. St. John’s visit DePaul on FS1 as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 154.5. Wisconsin hosts Michigan on ESPN2 as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 131. New Mexico plays at home against Wyoming on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5.

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College Basketball Futures- Three Valuable Futures Buys

by Kyle Hunter

Monday, Feb 13, 2023

The football season is over, and it is time to focus all of our attention on the hardcourt. March Madness is only a month away. I wanted to take a look at three teams I see some value on as futures wagers right now. Building a futures portfolio in mid-late February can be a good move. In general I like to buy low on teams after a bad loss. Everyone has a bad loss at some point in the season.  1. Baylor Bears (+2,200 to win the NCAA Tournament and +500 to Reach the Final 4) I like the Baylor Bears backcourt a lot. A team with veteran guards who take care of the basketball and pass it well is a tough out in March. Cryer and Flagler both shoot better than 40% from three and are veteran leaders for this team. Baylor is first in the nation in offensive efficiency. I really like the +500 price to reach the Final Four. The Big 12 is absolutely loaded, and to say this Baylor team will be battle tested going into the NCAA Tournament is an understatement.  2. Miami Hurricanes (+8,000 to win the NCAA Tournament) I don’t think the Miami Hurricanes will win the NCAA Tournament, but this is a good price. Miami ranks in the top 20 teams in the country in away from home performance. That is something really important to look for when handicapping teams who have a chance. You don’t want to be backing a team that only plays well at home. Wong is a great leader for this Miami team. We also know Jim Larranaga has a history of making runs in the tournament. That’s a good thing to have on your side as well. If they win a couple games in the tournament at this price you can start hedging and make a good profit even if they don’t win it all. 3. Creighton Blue Jays (+750 to Reach the Final 4) The Creighton Blue Jays were hyped very heavily in the preseason. There wasn’t really value on them for a good while. Then Ryan Kalkbrenner their star big man was out for an extended period. Creighton played poorly without their star, and that made people overlook them. He’s back in the fold and the Blue Jays are playing well now. Creighton’s defense is impressing me this season. The Blue Jays are second best in the nation at defending without fouling. They are 17th best in defensive rebounding percentage. Those are the types of things that can win you close games. The Big East is underrated in general in my opinion, and I think Creighton can make a run in March.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/13/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Feb 13, 2023

The Monday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has 11 games on its docket. Four games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. The Atlanta Hawks travel to Charlotte to play the Hornets as a 5-point road favorite, with the total set at 240. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the San Antonio Spurs as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224. The Indiana Pacers are at home against the Utah Jazz as a 2-point favorite with a total of 237.5. The Philadelphia 76ers play at home against the Houston Rockets as a 14.5-point favorite. Two NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Miami Heat host the Denver Nuggets as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 223.5. The New York Knicks play at home against the Brooklyn Nets as a 2-point favorite with a total of 223. Two more NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Chicago Bulls are at home against the Orlando Magic as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder host the New Orleans Pelicans as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 237. The Dallas Mavericks play at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 231. Two more games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Golden State Warriors are at home against the Washington Wizards as a 4-point favorite with a total of 231. The Portland Trail Blazers host the Los Angeles Lakers as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The National Hockey League has five games on its slate. The Calgary Flames visit Ottawa to play the Senators at 7:37 PM ET as a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games drop the puck at 8:07 PM ET. The Nashville Predators play at home against the Arizona Coyotes as a -240 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Minnesota Wild are at home against the Florida Panthers as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vancouver Canucks host the Detroit Red Wings at 10:07 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings play at home against the Buffalo Sabres at 10:37 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with a total of 6.5.The college basketball schedule has five games on national television. Two NCAAB games on national television begin at 7 PM ET. North Carolina is at home against Miami (FL) on ESPN. The Tar Heels ended a three-game losing streak with their 91-71 win against Clemson as a 7-point favorite on Saturday. The Hurricanes are on a four-game winning streak after their 93-85 win against Louisville as a 20-point favorite on Saturday. North Carolina is a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. American plays at Bucknell on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 133.5. Three more NCAAB games on national television start at 9 PM ET. Baylor hosts West Virginia on ESPN2 as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Elon plays at home against Hampton on the CBS Sports Network as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 142. Texas travels to Texas Tech on ESPN. The Longhorns won for the third time in their last four games in a 94-60 victory against West Virginia as an 8-point favorite on Saturday. The Red Raiders ended a two-game losing streak with a 71-62 victory against Kansas State as a 1.5-point favorite on Saturday. Texas is a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 145.5. 

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Super Bowl Props

by ASA, Inc.

Sunday, Feb 12, 2023

UNDER 50.5 RUSHING YARDS – QB Jalen Hurts – Eagles The oddsmakers have posted a rushing total of 50.5 yards for Hurts in 5 of the last seven games he’s played in. Now in the biggest game of the year, where the public loves to bet Overs, the number is 49.5? Hurts has averaged 50.6 rushing yards per game this season but three big games has inflated that average. He rushed for 157 against the Packers, 86 versus the Colts and 90 against the Lions in Week 1. He has rushed for over 50 yards in 7 of the seventeen games he’s played in this season. In the two playoff games he rushed for 34 and 39 yards. On the season the Chiefs allowed the 3rd most rushing yards to QB’s but that average was just 26.32RYPG. Kansas City has allowed a quarterback to rush for over 49 yards just three times this entire season.  OVER 15.5 RECEIVING YARDS – RB Isiah Pacheco – KC Chiefs We have lost some value in this wager as Pacheco’s receiving O/U’s in his last three games has been 10.5 yards. But the correction by the oddsmakers is warranted. Pacheco is coming off a 5 reception, 59-receiving yard performance against the Bengals. He has been targeted an average of 2 times in the Chiefs last nine games. He has totaled 16 or more receiving yards in 6 of the last nine games he’s played in. With QB Patrick Mahomes slightly hobbled, and the Eagles have a solid pass rush, look for some short check-down passes to the backs out of the backfield. Pacheco literally needs just 1 potential catch to surpass this total. OVER 12.5 RUSH ATTEMPTS – RB Miles Sanders – Eagles The Eagles are one of the most rush heavy teams in the NFL with just over 50% of their snaps leading to runs (4th in the NFL).  Their best RB is Miles Sanders and we expect a heavy dose of him in this game.  He averaged 15 rush attempts per game during the regular season and 14 in their 2 playoff games.  Philly spread the wealth in their 2 playoff games with Sanders carrying the ball 28 times, his backup Gainwell with 26 attempts and 3rd stringer Scott with 12.  Much of that was because the Eagles jumped out to big leads and won easy in each of the playoff games so they were able to rest Sanders (2 of his 3 lowest snaps counts on the season were in their 2 playoff games).  This is do or die and no reason to rest anyone for future games so we expect Sanders to get most of the action here.  He is easily their best RB and Over 12.5 carries for Miles Sanders looks like a solid play on Sunday.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/12/2023

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Feb 12, 2023

The Sunday sports card features action in the NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL.The National Football League season concludes with Super Bowl 57. The Philadelphia Eagles play against the Kansas City Chiefs on Fox at 6:30 PM ET. The Eagles advanced to the Super Bowl with their 31-7 victory against San Francisco as a 2.5-point favorite in the NFC Championship Game on January 29th. The Chiefs reached this game with their 23-20 win against Cincinnati as a 2-point favorite in the AFC Championship Game two weeks ago. Philadelphia is a 1.5-point favorite with the total set last 51 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The National Basketball Association has two games on its docket. The Boston Celtics host the Memphis Grizzlies on ABC at 2:10 PM ET. The Celtics are on a three-game winning streak after their 127-116 victory against Charlotte as an 11-point favorite on Friday. The Grizzlies won their second-straight game with their 128-107 victory against Minnesota as a 7-point favorite on Friday. Boston is a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 228.5.The Toronto Raptors play at home against the Detroit Pistons at 3:10 PM ET as a 10-point favorite with a total of 229.5. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. The Edmonton Oilers travel to Montreal to play the Canadiens at 12:37 PM ET as a -210 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Seattle Kraken play in Philadelphia against the Flyers at 1:07 PM ET as a -150 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Washington Capitals are at home against the San Jose Sharks at 1:37 PM ET as a -195 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Anaheim Ducks at 3:07 PM ET as a -340 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has four games on national television. Memphis plays at home against Temple on ESPN2 at noon ET. The Tigers won for the sixth time in their last seven games with a 99-81 victory at South Florida as a 6-point favorite on Wednesday. The Owls lost their second-straight game in a 72-71 upset loss at SMU as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Memphis is a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 147.Two NCAAB games tip off at 1 PM ET. Iowa visits Minnesota on FS1. The Hawkeyes were on a three-game winning streak before an 87-73 upset loss at Purdue as a 7-point underdog on Thursday. The Golden Gophers lost their seventh-straight game in an 81-46 loss to Maryland as a 9.5-point underdog last Saturday. Iowa is a 12-point road favorite with a total of 147.Ohio State is at home against Michigan State on CBS. The Buckeyes are on a five-game losing streak after their 69-63 upset loss to Northwestern as a 5.5-point favorite on Thursday. The Spartans ended a two-game losing streak with their 63-58 victory against Maryland as a 4-point favorite on Tuesday. Ohio State is a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 137.Wichita State hosts SMU on ESPN at 4 PM ET. The Shockers lost for the second time in their last three games in a 72-67 upset loss to Central Florida as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday. The Mustangs ended a two-game losing streak with a 72-71 upset victory against Temple as a 1.5-point underdog on Wednesday. Wichita State is a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 136.5.Matchweek 23 in the English Premier League continues with two matches on the USA Network. Manchester United visits Leeds United at 9 AM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Manchester City plays at home against Aston Villa at 11:30 AM ET as a -2 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/11/2023

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Feb 11, 2023

The Saturday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. The Philadelphia 76ers visit Brooklyn to play the Nets at 6:10 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Three more NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Denver Nuggets play in Charlotte against the Hornets as a 9.5-point road favorite. The Miami Heat are in Orlando to play the Magic as a 1.5-point road favorite. The Washington Wizards host the Indiana Pacers as a 5-point favorite. Two NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Atlanta Hawks play at home against the San Antonio Spurs as an 11.5-point favorite. The New York Knicks are at home against the Utah Jazz as a 5-point favorite. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Chicago Bulls at 8:10 PM ET as a 5-point favorite. The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Los Angeles Lakers on ABC at 8:40 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite. The Sacramento Kings are at home against the Dallas Mavericks at 10:10 PM ET as a 2-point favorite. The National Hockey League has 14 games on its slate. The Detroit Red Wings host the Vancouver Canucks at 12:07 PM ET as a -140 money line favorite, with the total set at 6.5. Four more NHL games drop the puck at 12:37 PM ET. The Calgary Flames travel to Buffalo to play the Sabres as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers play in Ottawa against the Senators as a -145 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The New York Islanders are in Montreal to play the Canadiens as a -200 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Nashville Predators visit Philadelphia to play the Flyers as a -140 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Dallas Stars play at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning on ABC as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Boston Bruins are at home against the Washington Capitals on ABC at 3:37 PM ET with a total of 6. The Florida Panthers host the Colorado Avalanche at 6:07 PM ET as a -135 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Two more NHL games start at 7:07 PM ET. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Columbus Bluejackets as a -350 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are at home against the New York Rangers as a -210 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. Two NHL games begin at 8:07 PM ET. The St. Louis Blues host the Arizona Coyotes at 8:07 PM ET as a -180 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the New Jersey Devils as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Winnipeg Jets are at home against the Chicago Blackhawks at 10:07 PM ET as a -325 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Los Angeles Kings host the Pittsburgh Penguins at 10:37 PM ET as a -120 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5.The college basketball schedule has 15 games on major national television. Three games on major national television tip-off at noon ET. Texas plays at home against West Virginia on ESPN2 as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 149. Providence travels to St. John’s on Fox as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 151. Kentucky is at Georgia on ESPN as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 141.5. Kansas plays at Oklahoma on CBS at 1 PM ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 141. Three games on major national television at 2 PM ET. Alabama visits Auburn on ESPN as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 152.5. Creighton is at home against UConn on Fox as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 142. North Carolina hosts Clemson on ESPN2 as a 7-point favorite with a total of 146.5. Three more NCAAB games on major national television begin at 4 PM ET. Virginia plays Duke on ESPN as a 6-point favorite with a total of 125.5. Baylor is at TCU on ESPN2 as a pick ‘em with an over/under of 149. San Diego State hosts UNLV on Fox as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 139.5. Two NCAAB games on major national television begin at 6 PM ET. Iowa State plays at home against Iowa State on ESPN2 as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 127. Michigan is at home against Indiana on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 144. Arizona plays at Stanford on ESPN2 at 8 PM ET as a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 151. Two more NCAAB games on major national television start at 10 PM ET. UCLA is at Oregon on ESPN as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 132.5. Gonzaga hosts BYU on ESPN2 as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 155.5.Matchweek 23 in the English Premier League begins with seven matches. Chelsea visits West Ham United on the USA Network at 7:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5 (all soccer odds from BetMGM). Five EPL matches start at 10 AM ET. Arsenal plays at home against Brentford as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion are at Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Fulham is at home against Nottingham Forest as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham visits Leicester City as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Wolverhampton plays at Southampton on the USA Network in a pick ‘em match with an over/under of 2. Newcastle United is on the road against Bournemouth on NBC at 12:30 PM ET as a -1 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/10/2023

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Feb 10, 2023

The Friday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has 11 games on its docket. Three NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Detroit Pistons host the San Antonio Spurs as a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 235 (all odds from DraftKings). The Phoenix Suns play at Indiana against the Pacers as a 1-point road favorite. The Philadelphia 76ers are at home against the New York Knicks as a 5-point favorite. The Boston Celtics host the Charlotte Hornets on ESPN at 7:40 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite. The Toronto Raptors play at home against the Utah Jazz as an 8-point favorite with an over/under of 232. Two more NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. The Miami Heat are at home against the Houston Rockets as a 10.5-point favorite. The Memphis Grizzlies host the Minnesota Timberwolves as an 8.5-point favorite. Three NBA games begin at 10:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers visit New Orleans to play the Pelicans on ESPN as a 2-point road favorite. The Portland Trail Blazers play at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 241.5. The Sacramento Kings are at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder as a 1.5-point favorite. The Los Angeles Clippers host the Milwaukee Bucks at 10:40 PM ET as a 1-point favorite. The National Hockey League has four games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The New York Rangers play at home against the Seattle Kraken as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in Columbus to play the Bluejackets as a -250 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Arizona Coyotes travel to Chicago to play the Blackhawks at 8:37 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The Pittsburgh Penguins play in Anaheim against the Ducks at 10:07 PM ET as a -250 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has seven games on national television. Kent State visits Buffalo on ESPN2 at 6 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Two more NCAAB games tip-off at 7 PM ET. Xavier is at Butler on FS1 as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 141. Rider hosts Fairfield on ESPNU as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 132.5. Dayton plays at home against Saint Louis on ESPN2 at 8 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with a total of 136.5. Two more NCAAB games start at 9 PM ET. New Mexico travels to Air Force on FS1 as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 143. Wright State is at home against Northern Kentucky on ESPNU as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Nevada hosts Fresno State on FS1 at 11 PM ET as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 131. 

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Europa League Futures (Knockout Rounds)

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Thursday, Feb 09, 2023

The Group Stage is over for the Europa League but before we get into the Round of 16 there are still some knockout round play-offs to be played with the group stage runner-ups and the Champions League drop downs. From this point on there will be no more clubs added to the competition so it is time to see who is a real contender to win the Europa League title as we now know the final set of teams in the tournament which include some clubs that were not there at the start of the year. With the Knockout Stage starting soon, it is time to see who has the best value to win this competition.  To Win Outright Arsenal +350: Arsenal is coming in as the biggest favorite on the board to win this competition and they were one of the teams that started the year in Europa League and have come this far by winning their group which automatically sees them through to the Round of 16. They have a big advantage right now from winning their group as they do not have to play in this play-off round meaning there is less risk of getting eliminated compared to some of the other teams that have to play in this round. Arsenal has also been having a great year in their domestic league as they are currently leading the Premier League in points and have a chance to build an even larger lead over 2nd place before actually having to play another Europa League match in the Round of 16 which means they will be able to focus more on this competition if they can get a bit of a cushion now in the Premier League. Arsenal has shown all year with their performances against top clubs in the Premier League that they have the talent and they have the depth to make a deep run in this tournament and they are one of the best clubs left in the competition still. There is some value in Arsenal to win the title here as they are having a great year and will be looking to take home as many trophies as they can.  Barcelona +450: Barcelona is entering this as the next biggest favorite on the board to win this competition but unlike Arsenal, Barcelona was not in this tournament at the beginning of the year and ended up dropping down from Champions League after some awful performances in the group stage there. Barcelona has been having a great domestic season though as they are leading La Liga right now with a big lead over the 2nd place Real Madrid and if they continue their dominance there then they will have such a big lead in the league for the title that they will be able to focus on these Europa matches with no issues. Barcelona dropped down from Champions League though which means they do not get a spot in the Round of 16 yet but instead have to earn that spot by playing a group runner-up in this play-off round. Their matchup in this round is also against Manchester United who has been having a great domestic season playing in very good form most of the year just like Barcelona. Barcelona does have one of the best squads left in the tournament with their talent and depth but they also fizzled out badly in the Champions League group stage and considering how well Man Utd has been playing this year, they have a very tough challenge here just to get out of this round and into the Round of 16. There is some value on Barcelona here as they have the team to make a deep run if they can get past Man Utd in this round but Man Utd is no push over so they also have more of a risk as well as Barcelona could be eliminated before even reaching the Round of 16.  Manchester United +800: Man Utd is coming in as the next biggest favorite to win this competition and they are a team that did start the year in Europa League coming this far but they were not good enough in the group stage to even win their group which has now put them in this situation where they have to play in this play-off round as a group runner-up. Man Utd has been having a great domestic year as they are currently in the top 4 of the Premier League and they have a lot of talent on their team as well. They do not have a lot of squad depth though and it has really started to show recently as they are starting to pile up some injuries to key starters. This will be an issue down the line if they can make a deep run in the tournament but they also have the problem of having to play an extra match in this play-off round and they are matched up with Barcelona who is another very good club who dropped down from Champions League. It is tough to find value in Man Utd here with their injuries starting to pile up, also knowing they have to try and get through a very good club in Barcelona just to get to the Round of 16, and the road will only get harder from there. Man utd is also in the middle of a club sale this year so they were not able to do much in the transfer windows and they will be more focused on keeping their top 4 spot in the Premier League to get back into Champions League for next year and be able to buy some more talent with their new club owners in place. Man Utd has been playing very well this year and is having a great season but it is not the right situation for them this year so there is not a lot of value in them here to win this competition this year. Juventus +1000: Juventus is coming in as the next biggest favorite on the board to win this competition and they are a team that did not start the year in Europa League but instead dropped down from Champions League after a poor run in the group stage. Juventus has been dealing with many other issues this year like their road troubles and the fact that they were in 2nd place in Serie A before receiving a 15 point deduction that now put them in the middle of the table. They have a lot of adversity to overcome this year but it is likely that they will be focused on these matches since their title hopes are dashed and they will be looking to take home a trophy still. Since Juventus did drop down from Champions league they will have to play in this play-off round, but they did get a nice matchup in Nantes who is one of the worst squads left in the tournament. Juventus should be able to get past Nantes and see themselves through to the Round of 16 but they have had a big issue in their away matches this year and scoring has been one of those issues which has also spilled into their home matches as well. They have a very good defense that will be able to carry them deep but their attack will have to pick it up eventually when the strength of opponents becomes greater the deeper they go and they will not be able to overcome those issues against some of the other teams still left. Juventus does have some value here considering they are getting an easier path and will be hungry for a trophy after what happened in Serie A, but they do not have the talent to win this competition and they will fizzle out eventually.  Real Sociedad +1400: Real Sociedad is the next biggest favorite on the board to win this competition and they are a team that did start the year in Europa League. They have been a very dominant team in their Europa League matches all year and they even have an advantage here as they are already through to the Round of 16 since they won their group in the group stage, a group that also had Man Utd in it as well. Real Sociedad has not just been great in their Europa League matches though, they have also been having a great season in their domestic league as they currently sit in 3rd place and is easily the best team in La Liga behind Barcelona and Real Madrid this year. Real Sociedad is a team with a very good defense as they do not allow many goals in their matches and their defense has been great like this for years, but now their attack is also playing very well as they are scoring a lot of goals and taking big advantage of their home matches. They are well on their way to Champions League next year with a top 4 finish in La Liga likely to come for them and since their league is so heavily dominated by Barcelona and Real Madrid year after year, Real Sociedad will definitely be more focused on these matches as they have a better chance of winning this tournament than the actual La liga title. Real Sociedad has the squad to make a deep run in this tournament competing with anyone who comes across their path but they are also in the right situation to make a run this year and have one of the better teams in the competition. There is a lot of value in Real Sociedad to win the Europa League title here as they very well could go all the way and win it with their team. RecommendationsThere are quite a few teams who have the potential to make a deep run in this tournament but to win the title these clubs need to have the talent, depth, and also be in the right situation or else things can fall apart quickly. Arsenal at +350 and Barcelona at +450 have some very good value as they are both 2 of the best teams in the tournament and are in the right situations to make a deep run to win this trophy. If looking for some extra value though, Real Sociedad at +1400 has a lot of value in it since Real Sociedad is also in a great situation this year and has the team to make a deep run as they have been undervalued as a squad all year. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 02/09/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Feb 09, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, and NCAAB.The National Basketball Association has four games on its docket. The Denver Nuggets travel to Orlando to play the Magic at 7:10 PM ET as a 6-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings). The Brooklyn Nets host the Chicago Bulls on TNT at 7:30 PM ET as a 3-point favorite. The Atlanta Hawks play at home against the Phoenix Suns at 7:40 PM ET as a 5-point favorite, with the total set at 230. The Milwaukee Bucks are in Los Angeles to play the Lakers on TNT as a 5-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate. Five games drop the puck at 7:07 PM ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning are at home against the Colorado Avalanche on ESPN as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Edmonton Oilers visit Philadelphia to play the Flyers as a -180 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Florida Panthers host the San Jose Sharks as a -210 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the Seattle Kraken as a -165 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Calgary Flames are in Detroit to play the Red Wings as a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6. The New York Islanders host the Vancouver Canucks at 7:37 PM ET as a -215 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the Vegas Golden Knights at 8:07 PM ET as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The college basketball schedule has ten games on national television. St. Francis (PA) is at home against Sacred Heart on ESPNU at 5 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 151. Two more NCAAB games tip-off on national television at 7 PM ET. Purdue hosts Iowa on ESPN2 as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 149.5. Radford plays at home against Gardner-Webb on ESPNU as a 4-point favorite with a total of 124. Two NCAAB games on national television start at 8 PM ET. Western Kentucky is at home against Middle Tennessee on the CBS Sports Network as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 142. Ohio State hosts Northwestern on FS1 as a 5-point favorite with a total of 137. Two more NCAAB games on national television begin at 9 PM ET. Gonzaga plays at home against San Francisco on ESPN2 as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 155. Tennessee Tech is at home against Southern Indiana on ESPNU as a 1-point favorite with a total of 145.5. BYU plays at Pepperdine on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Two more NCAAB games on national television start at 11 PM ET. Oregon hosts USC on ESPN2 as a 4-point favorite with a total of 143. Long Beach State plays at home against UC-Santa Barbara on ESPNU in a pick ‘em game with an over/under of 146.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 02/08/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Feb 08, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association has nine games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 PM ET. The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Detroit Pistons as a 12.5-point favorite, with the total set at 222 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). The Washington Wizards play at home against the Charlotte Hornets as a 4.5-point favorite. Three more NBA games start at 7:40 PM ET. The Boston Celtics are at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on ESPN as a 4.5-point favorite. The Miami Heat host the Indiana Pacers as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223. The Toronto Raptors play at home against the San Antonio Spurs as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 234. The Sacramento Kings travel to Houston to play the Rockets at 8:10 PM ET as an 8.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 241. The Utah Jazz are at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves at 9:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite. Two more games complete the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Clippers host the Dallas Mavericks on ESPN as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 234.5. The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. The New York Rangers play at home against the Vancouver Canucks at 8:07 PM ET as a -240 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Dallas Stars are at home against the Minnesota Wild on TNT as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The college basketball schedule has ten games on national television. Hofstra visits Northeastern on the CBS Sports Network at 6 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Creighton plays at Seton Hall on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 135. Two more NCAAB games on national television begin at 7 PM ET. West Virginia hosts Iowa State on ESPN2 as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Syracuse is at Florida State on ESPNU as a 2-point road favorite with a total of 149.5. Providence plays at home against Georgetown on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147. Villanova is at home against DePaul on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 142. Two more NCAAB games on national television tip-off at 9 PM ET. Alabama hosts Florida on ESPN2 as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 148. Baylor plays at home against Oklahoma on ESPNU as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Utah State is at home against San Diego State on the CBS Sports Network at 10 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 145. UNLV visits Wyoming on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 145.5. Matchweek 22 in the English Premier League concludes with one match at 3 PM ET. Manchester United hosts Leeds United on the USA Network as a -1 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 3.

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