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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB, EPL and NBA Previews and Odds - 04/19/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Apr 19, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action.The National Basketball Association tips off the 2025 playoff season with four games. The Indiana Pacers host the Milwaukee Bucks on ESPN at 1:10 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point favorite, with the total set at 224 (all odds from DraftKings). The Denver Nuggets play at home against the Los Angeles Clippers on ESPN at 3:40 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 223.5.The New York Knicks are home against the Detroit Pistons on ESPN at 6:10 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 220. The Los Angeles Lakers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on ABC at 8:40 p.m. ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 216.The National Hockey League playoffs begin with two games on TBS/truTV/Max on its slate. The Winnipeg Jets host the St. Louis Blues at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Colorado Avalanche travel to Dallas to face the Stars at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Miami Marlins at 1:05 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 10. The Detroit Tigers are home against the Kansas City Royals at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Chicago against the Cubs at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite. The Seattle Mariners are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Cleveland Guardians as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Cincinnati Reds visit Baltimore to play the Orioles as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Two more MLB games are on Fox’s regional coverage. The New York Mets play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals as a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Texas Rangers are home against the Los Angeles Dodgers as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Three MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Washington Nationals play in Colorado against the Rockies as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Boston Red Sox host the Chicago White Sox as a -325 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the New York Yankees as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The San Diego Padres are in Houston to battle the Astros on FS1 as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers are home against the Athletics as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves host the Minnesota Twins at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The San Francisco Giants travel to Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Matchweek 33 in the English Premier League starts with five matches. Four matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Brentford plays at home against Brighton and Hove Albion as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Crystal Palace is home against Bournemouth as a 0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester City plays at Everton on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. West Ham United hosts Southampton as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Aston Villa plays at home against Newcastle United on the USA Network at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA and MLB Previews and Odds - 04/18/2025

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Apr 18, 2025

The Friday sports card features NBA and MLB action.The National Basketball Association concludes its Play-In Tournament prior to the playoffs with two games. The Miami Heat travel to Atlanta to play the Hawks on TNT and truTV at 7:10 p.m. ET as a 1-point road favorite with the total set at 219.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Memphis Grizzlies host the Dallas Mavericks on ESPN at 9:40 p.m. ET as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 221.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Chicago to take on the Cubs at 2:20 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks tap Corbin Burnes to pitch against the Cubs’ Colin Rea. Arizona is a -135 money-line road favorite. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Cleveland is in Pittsburgh with Luis L. Ortiz taking the hill for the Guardians to face Carmen Mlodzinski for the Pirates. The Guardians are a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Kansas City visits Detroit with the Royals turning to Cole Ragans to battle the Tigers’ Jackson Jobe. The Royals are a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play at home against the Miami Marlins at 6:45 p.m. ET. Zack Wheeler gets the ball for the Phillies to battle Sandy Alcantara for the Marlins. Philadelphia is a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games start at 7:05 p.m. ET. New York plays in Tampa Bay with the Yankees sending out Carlos Rodon to go against the Rays’ Drew Rasmussen. Both teams are priced as a -110 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5. Baltimore is home against Cincinnati with Cade Povich taking the mound for the Orioles to battle Andrew Abbott for the Reds. The Orioles are a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Seattle Mariners are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays on Apple TV+ at 7:07 p.m. ET.  as a -112 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. Boston hosts Chicago with the Red Sox turning to a starting pitcher yet to be named to face the White Sox’s Martin Perez. The Red Sox are a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. New York plays at home against St. Louis with David Peterson taking the ball for the Mets to take on Miles Mikolas for the Cardinals. The Mets are a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves are home against the Minnesota Twins on Apple TV+ at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Braves turn to Bryce Elder to pitch against the Twins’ Chris Paddack. Atlanta is a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Texas to challenge the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET. Yoshinbo Yamamoto takes the hill for the Dodgers to take on Jacob deGrom for the Rangers. Los Angeles is a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 8:10 p.m. ET. Houston hosts San Diego with the Astros tapping Ryan Gusto to face the Padres’ Kyle Hart. The Astros are a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Milwaukee plays at home against the Athletics with Freddy Peralta getting sent out for the Brewers to battle J.T. Ginn for the Athletics. The Brewers are a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.The Washington Nationals play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Nationals turn to Mackenzie Gore to battle the Rockies’ Chase Dollander. Washington is a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The San Francisco Giants are in Los Angeles to take on the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. Logan Webb gets the ball for the Giants to challenge Tyler Anderson for the Angels. San Francisco is a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.

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NHL Playoffs: Regular Season Man Games Lost Should Be Taken In Consideration

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, Apr 17, 2025

As the NHL Playoffs are set to start Saturday, one of the biggest factors for me in the opening round has always been which teams have been the healthiest, and which team has experienced the most man-games lost. Which team has dealt with the most adversity, and which team is still battling injuries.Many teams struggle to rekindle chemistry from the first half of the season, when they gathered enough points to get them in playoff position, but struggled down the stretch and are still dealing with injuries.For instance, everyone has been fascinated by the Washington Capitals earning the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, but this is a team that has the 10th highest Cap Hit of Injured Players (CHIP). That includes their star goaltender, Logan Thompson, who has been dealing with concussion issues since the 4 Nation's Face-Off break. Altogether, the Caps have 190 man-games lost this season and CHIP of $10.31 million.Per NHLInjuryViz.com, CHIP represents the per-game cap charge of a player missing a game through injury/illness, i.e., annual cap charge divided by 82.Seven of the 11 teams with the highest CHIP are headed to the postseason, including Central Division teams Colorado, St. Louis and Dallas.The Tampa Bay Lightning (3.37) and Winnipeg Jets had the two lowest CHIP this season, and it's a projected Stanley Cup Final that many experts are predicting.Interestingly, after the Bolts and Jets, the next closest playoff team is Montreal, with the NHL's eighth-lowest CHIP.Here are the 16 playoff teams, from lowest to highest CHIP: Tampa Bay 3.37 Winnipeg 4.12 Montreal 5.77 Florida 6.85 New Jersey 7.87 Carolina 8.40 Ottawa 8.43 Vegas 9.22 Los Angeles 9.40 Toronto 9.97 Washington 10.31 Edmonton 11.31 Minnesota 13.19 Dallas 13.50 St. Louis 14.28 Colorado 16.09

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL and MLB Previews and Odds - 04/17/2025

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Apr 17, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NHL and MLB action.The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate for the final day of the regular season. Six NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Washington Capitals on ESPN with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with the total set at 5.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Buffalo Sabres play at home against the Philadelphia Flyers as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers are home against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets host the New York Islanders as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play at home against the Detroit Red Wings as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators are home against the Carolina Hurricanes as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings host the Calgary Flames on ESPN at 9:37 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 10 games on its schedule. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Miami to play the Marlins at 12:10 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks tap Eduardo Rodriguez to pitch against the Marlins Edward Cabrera. Arizona is a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Washington Nationals at 12:35 p.m. ET. Andrew Heaney gets the ball for the Pirates to take on Trevor Williams for the Nationals. Pittsburgh is a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners play in Cincinnati against the Reds at 12:40 p.m. ET. The Mariners send out Bryan Woo to challenge the Reds’ Bryan Singer. Seattle is a -118 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Athletics are in Chicago to battle the White Sox at 2:10 p.m. ET. J.P. Sears takes the hill for the Athletics to face Davis Martin for the White Sox. The Athletics are a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the San Francisco Giants at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Phillies turn to Cristopher Sanchez to go against the Giants Jordan Hicks. Philadelphia is a -175 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Cleveland Guardians visit Baltimore to take on the Orioles at 6:35 p.m. ET. Tanner Bibee takes the mound for the Guardians to pitch against Tomoyuki Sugano for the Orioles. Cleveland is a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Detroit Tigers host the Kansas City Royals at 6:40 p.m.  ET. The Tigers tap Reese Olson to battle against the Royals’ Michael Lorenzen. Detroit is a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the New York Yankees at 7:05 p.m. ET. Taj Bradley takes the hill for the Rays to pitch against Willie Warren for the Yankees. Tampa Bay is a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Mets are home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Mets turn to Griffin Canning to challenge the Cardinals' Andrew Pallante. New York is a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Texas Rangers host the Los Angeles Angels at 8:05 p.m. ET. Kumar Rocker gets the ball for the Rangers to take on Josh Kochanowicz for the Angels. Texas is a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5.

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How to Play the Play-In Tourney

by Al McMordie

Thursday, Apr 17, 2025

The NBA's Play-In Tournament is ongoing.  Golden State and Orlando have punched their tickets to the post-season, and will each be seeded #7 in their respective conference.  Still to be decided are the #8 seeds.  This Friday, Miami will visit Atlanta, while Dallas will travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies.As of this writing, on Thursday morning, Atlanta has been installed as a 1-point favorite, with an Over/Under line of 220.  And the Grizzlies are favored by 6.5 points, with an Over/Under line of 223.This is the 5th season of the Play-In Tournament, so we're beginning to get some data under our belt.One thing which has emerged is that the favorites have excelled in these games that decide the #8 seed, with a 7-1 ATS record.  Here, Memphis is a clear favorite, while it's unclear which team will close as the favorite in the Atlanta/Miami game.The other thing is that these games that decide the #8 seed tend to be relatively low-scoring, and have gone 6-2 under the total.  I would expect that trend to continue, as NBA Playoff (or Play-In) games where BOTH teams stand to be eliminated with a loss have gone under the total 56.5% since 1990.  Consider playing the unders in the Hawks/Heat and Grizzlies/Mavericks games.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB, EPL and UCL Previews and Odds - 04/16/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Apr 16, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, EPL, and UCL action. The National Basketball Association continues its Play-In Tournament prior to the playoffs with two games on ESPN. The Chicago Bulls host the Miami Heat at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 1-point favorite with the total set at 219 (all odds from DraftKings). The Sacramento Kings play at home against the Dallas Mavericks at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 215.5. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets are home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -270 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Montreal Canadiens host the Carolina Hurricanes as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Detroit Red Wings travel to New Jersey to play the Devils on TNT at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars play in Nashville against the Predators at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Vancouver Canucks are home against the Vegas Golden Knights on TNT at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Edmonton Oilers are in San Jose to take on the Sharks at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5.  Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Atlanta Braves visit Toronto to battle the Blue Jays at 1:07 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 p.m. ET.  The Milwaukee Brewers host the Detroit Tigers as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the New York Mets as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Houston Astros play in St. Louis against the Cardinals at 1:15 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Diego Padres are home against the Chicago Cubs at 4:10 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Baltimore Orioles host the Cleveland Guardians at 6:35 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Three more MLB games start at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Washington Nationals as a -112 money-line favorite a total of 8.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in Miami to challenge the Diamondbacks as a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners travel to Miami to play the Marlins on FS1 as a -122 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are home against the San Francisco Giants at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games begin at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Boston Red Sox as a -148 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The New York Yankees play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -166 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Athletics play in Chicago against the White Sox at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5.The Los Angeles Angels are in Texas to face the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against the Colorado Rockies at 10:10 p.m. ET as a -310 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Matchweek 32 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Newcastle United hosts Crystal Palace on the USA Network at 2:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. The knockout phase playoffs in the UEFA Champions League concludes with the final two second-leg quarterfinal matches on Paramount+ at 3:00 p.m. ET. Bayern Munich visits Inter Milan as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Real Madrid plays at home against Arsenal as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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RBC Heritage Preview and Best Bets

by Matt Fargo

Tuesday, Apr 15, 2025

History was made last week at The Masters as Rory McIlroy brought home his first green jacket with a playoff win over Justin Rose and became just the sixth player in history to complete the career Grand Slam. It was an epic Sunday at Augusta National as McIlroy entered the final day with a two-shot lead only to find himself down one after two holes but he gained the lead back after the third hole and took a four-shot lead into the final nine. Tying a Sunday best 66 with Hideki Matsuyama, Rose forced the playoff in part to McIlroy missing the winning putt on 18 but he bounced back with a birdie on the first playoff hole for the win. While Rory is understandably taking this week off, it will be a loaded field at the RBC Heritage, the fifth signature event of the season on the PGA Tour, taking place from Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina. This is the third consecutive year the event has signature status which has gained scrutiny being played the week after The Masters but it is not deterring many players with 26 of the OWGR top 30 teeing it up, only McIlroy and Matsuyama of the eligible top 30 opting out. There are 71 players in the field in this no-cut event including reigning champion Scottie Scheffler who joins Matt Fitzpatrick (2023), Jordan Spieth (2022) and Matt Kuchar (2014) as the only returning past champions. Harbour Town Golf Links is a par 71 that stretches 7,213 yards making it one of the shortest stops on tour but defends itself with tight fairways and numerous doglegs making it the essence of a ball position course. Distance off the tee is well down the list of metrics as the driver is taken out of play for a majority of the holes. Because Harbour Town is short and a placement course, Driving Accuracy is one of the top key components this week. Last year, seven players finished at 75 percent or higher driving accuracy and only Lucas Glover finished outside the top 20 as his short game let him down. Strokes Gained: Approach is as important as ever here with Harbour Town having the second smallest greens on tour and history shows success comes with this. In 2024, 14 players gained +0.63 strokes or more with only three of those finishing outside the top 20, six finishing inside the top ten and three inside the top three. Strokes Gain: Around-The-Green is up there as well for those not having a strong Greens In Regulation percentage which is tough to achieve with the average size of the greens at just 3,700 square feet. Lastly, Stroke Gained: Putting comes into play as 14 players last year lost -0.59 strokes or worse on the greens and none finished better than T33. The RBC Heritage starts a four-week testing period allowing the use of distance measuring devices, focusing on pace of play concerns. Players must ensure the device measures distance only as other features determining elevation, wind and slope are prohibited. This was tested on the Korn Ferry Tour a few years back and the pace of play was hardly affected. This week looks like pristine weather in Hilton Head with temperatures hitting the high 60s on Thursday and then reaching the low 70s on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with sunshine every day and no rain in the forecast. The wind coming off Calibogue Sound can be a concern but this week it will be pretty dormant with gusts maxing out at around 25 mph on Sunday. Top four key categories this week in order: Driving AccuracyStrokes Gained: ApproachStrokes Gained: Around-The-GreenStrokes Gained: Putting Each bet is Win/Top Five/Top Ten. The typical recommendation is 50%/25%/25% with odds, payouts and results based on a $1000 unit (easy round number for bookkeeping) on each of the following players. The payouts are listed right below the odds which are all from DraftKings: Shane LowryOdds: Win 2,500 ~ Top Five 450 ~ Top Ten 200Payout: Win 12,500.00 ~ Top Five 1,1250.00 ~ Top Ten 500.00 Lowry was in the mix at The Masters on Sunday and a top five or top ten at the very least was likely but he put up an 81, finishing dead last in the Sunday field in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking. That was surprising since that is his strength so we will chalk that up as an anomaly and expect a bounce back at a place he loves. Despite the blowup, he has gained strokes on approach in seven of his eight starts while the same can be said on approach. He has three top tens at the RBC Heritage and while he has been near the bottom the last two years, both were due to the worst putting performances from his entire 2023 and 2024 seasons. He will use that disappointing and stress free 81 as motivation. Aaron RaiOdds: Win 4,000 ~ Top Five 650 ~ Top Ten 275Payout: Win 20,000.00 ~ Top Five 1,625.00 ~ Top Ten 687.50 We saw Aaron Rai open with a Thursday 70 at The Masters as he led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-To-Green before plummeting the next two days but closed with another 70 on Sunday. He heads to Harbour Town for only the second time in his career, the first resulting in a T48 in 2023 but he came into that event without a single top 20 for the season. This year he has four to his credit with a T4 at Mexico being his best as his success has stemmed from his strong approach game and his accuracy off the tee. He has one career win which was at the Wyndham Championship last year with Sedgefield Country Club being a correlating course and coupled with good recent form, look for more good things. Sepp StrakaOdds: Win 4,000 ~ Top Five 650 ~ Top Ten 280Payout: Win 20,000.00 ~ Top Five 1,625.00 ~ Top Ten 700.00 Straka was a popular sleeper pick last week with his elite tee to green game where he is ranked No. 8 but he struggled off the tee and with his short game costing him the weekend but the rest could be good for him this week. In 11 starts this year, he has seven top 15 finishes including a win at The American Express, and he has gained strokes on approach in 10 of his 11 starts. Additionally, he has gained more than 8% against the field in driving accuracy while finishing negative only once. He missed the cut here in 2023 when entering in poor form but that was sandwiched in-between a T3 in 2022 and a T5 last year with exceptional putting on these small greens. Daniel BergerOdds: Win 4,500 ~ Top Five 750 ~ Top Ten 320Payout: Win 22,500.00 ~ Top Five 1,875.00 ~ Top Ten 800.00 We used Berger at the Valero Texas Open two weeks back and he finished T30 no thanks to a Saturday 77 and is coming off a solid week at The Masters with a T21, his seventh straight top 30 finish. In all of those events, he has lost strokes in only one category once, Strokes Gained: Off-The-Tee at THE PLAYERS Championship. He comes in No. 10 in Strokes Gained: Total and No. 10 in Driving Accuracy and had his best approach tournament of the season last week and if his putter remains consistent, he will contend. Because of his injury and not qualifying, he has not played here the last two years but prior to that, he finished T3, T13 and T21 in 2020-2022. Results through The Masters (11 Tournaments): Win: -7,000Top Five: -3,500Top Ten: -2,025Top 20 Masters: -90

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and UCL Previews and Odds - 04/15/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Apr 15, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and UCL action. The National Basketball Association tips off its Play-In Tournament prior to the playoffs with two games on TNT. The Orlando Magic hosts the Atlanta Hawks at 7:40 p.m. ET as a 5-point favorite with the total set at 217 (all odds from DraftKings). The Golden State Warriors play at home against the Memphis Grizzlies at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 229.The National Hockey League has ten games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The New Jersey Devils travel to Boston to take on the Bruins as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Ottawa Senators are home against the Chicago Blackhawks as a -305 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5 The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Florida Panthers on ESPN as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Columbus Blue Jackets play in Philadelphia against the Flyers as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs are in Buffalo to battle the Sabres as a -166 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Three NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The New York Islanders play at home against the Washington Capitals as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The St. Louis Blues host the Utah Hockey Club as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Minnesota Wild play at home against the Anaheim Ducks as a -270 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Calgary Flames are home against the Vegas Golden Knights at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -112 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings visit Seattle to challenge the Kraken at 10:37 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Washington Nationals as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Miami against the Marlins as a -166 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners are in Cincinnati to go against the Reds as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia  Phillies play at home against the San Francisco Giants at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Three MLB games begin at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Baltimore Orioles are home against the Cleveland Guardians on TBS as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Tampa Bay Rays host the Boston Red Sox as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The New York Yankees play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves visit the Toronto Blue Jays as a -122 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Three MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Athletics play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -166 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Detroit Tigers are in Milwaukee against the Brewers as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Mets travel to Minnesota to play the Twins as a -118 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Houston Astros play in St. Louis to face the Cardinals at 7:45 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Texas Rangers are home against the Los Angeles Angels at 8:05 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs are in San Diego to play the Padres at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies at 10:10 p.m. ET as a -325 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The knockout phase playoffs in the UEFA Champions League continue with two second-leg quarterfinal matches on Paramount+ at 3:00 p.m. ET. Barcelona visits Borussia Dortmund as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Paris Saint-Germain plays at Aston Villa as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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Play-In Tournament Breakdown

by Will Rogers

Monday, Apr 14, 2025

EASTERN CONFERENCEATLANTA (8) at ORLANDO (7)Tuesday, April 15Orlando -4.5O/U – 218.5Heading into the season the Magic were thought to be the Next Big Thing in the East, looking very much like a 50- to 55-win team. But injuries to top of the rotation players ended serious title hopes, as Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner both were derailed by knee issues. Orlando does head into the Play-In on a decent run (7-3 in their last 10) although its most impactful player, Paulo Banchero, is dealing with an ankle injury. The Hawks are slight dogs in this one as they make their fourth straight Play-In  appearance, trying to replicate the magic that enabled them to make a run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021.  As always, Atlanta needs a super-human effort from Trae Young to make significant noise. The winner of this series gets Boston in the first round, so it looks like neither the Hawks nor the Magic will be still playing in May.MIAMI (10) at CHICAGO (9)Wednesday, April 16Chicago -1.5O/U – 223.5The Heat pride themselves on always being able to figure things out, and they’ll have to do a lot of figuring once the dust settles on this season. The mid-season Jimmy Butler drama seemed to sap a lot of energy from the team, although they beat a lot of bad teams in the final 10-game stretch, winning seven. Chicago, meanwhile, showed quite a bit of spunk after dealing away Zach Lavine, and rallied behind Coby White and Josh Giddey to give Bulls fans some hope that they might be able to break out of the middle of the pack. If any Play-In team seems ready to make life hard for the Eastern Elite, it might be Chicago. The winner plays the loser of the Magic-Hawks game, with the survivor there catching the top-seed Cavaliers in Round 1. WESTERN CONFERENCEMemphis (8) at Golden State (9)Tuesday, April 15Golden State -6.5O/U – 231.5Here’s a crazy stat: The Warriors are winless in three Play-In games. They’re solid favorites to end that mini-skid and advance to a first-round series against the second-seeded Rockets. But they’ll head into the Memphis game still shaking their heads after losing the regular season finale to the Clippers. At home. Still, a check of the roster still shows Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, and both have tons of playoff experience. They can definitely carry GS past Memphis, but after that will depth be an issue? Draymond Green no doubt will exchange pleasantries with Ja Morant and try to throw Morant off his game.  The Grizzlies’ need to dig in on defense more than they did in games vs GS this season – they gave up 255 points to the Warriors in two losses.DALLAS (10) vs. SACRAMENTO (9)Wednesday, April 16Sacramento -5.5O/U – 223.5If Anthony Davis is going to log big minutes in any game this season, it’s this one. The mid-season deal of Luka Doncic to the Lakers may last as long as the Red Sox’ shame in trading Babe Ruth to the Yankees, and Davis needs to produce – fast – so the Mavs can save a little face. Sacramento has plenty of problems itself, but unless Klay Thompson (14 ppg average) turns back the clock and goes off big-time, the Kings should get another bite of the apple against the 7-8 loser. Under players might want to take a long look at this one. Neither team figures to show much interest in running up and down the court. When the Mavs are eliminated, they will have to sit down and try to find a path forward with aging roster full of players who always seem to get hurt.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB, and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/14/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Apr 14, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NHL, MLB, and EPL action. The National Hockey League has six games on its slate. Three NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Montreal Canadiens host the Chicago Blackhawks as a -265 money-line favorite with the total set at 6.5. The Dallas Stars travel to Detroit to play the Red Wings as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Florida Panthers play at home against the New York Rangers as a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Utah Hockey Club plays in Nashville against the Predators at 8:07 p.m. ET. Two more games complete the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Edmonton Oilers are home against the Los Angeles Kings as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vancouver Canucks host the San Jose Sharks as a -310 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Major League Baseball has 10 games on its schedule. Pittsburgh plays at home against Washington with the Pirates tapping Paul Skenes to pitch against the Nationals’ Brad Lord. The Pirates are a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Philadelphia is home against San Francisco with Taijuan Walker taking the ball for the Phillies to battle Landon Roupp for the Giants. The Phillies are a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay hosts Boston with the Rays sending out Shane Baz to take on the Red Sox’s Tanner Houck. The Rays are a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees play at home against Kansas City with Carlos Carrasco taking the mound for the Yankees to challenge Seth Lugo for the Royals. New York is a -135 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Toronto is home against Atlanta at 7:07 p.m. ET with the Blue Jays turning to Easton Lucas to take the ball to face the Braves’ Grant Holmes. The Blue Jays are a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games begin at 7:40 p.m. ET. Detroit is in Milwaukee with Tarik Skubal taking the hill for the Tigers to take on Tyler Alexander for the Brewers as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. Minnesota hosts the New York Mets with Joe Ryan getting the ball for the Twins to take on Clay Holmes for the Mets. The Twins are a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Houston visits St. Louis with the Astros tapping Framber Valdez at 7:45 p.m. ET. The Astros are a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. San Diego plays at home against the Chicago Cubs with Dylan Cease taking the mound for the Padres to face Jameson Taillon for the Cubs. The Padres are a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against Colorado at 10:10 p.m. ET with Dustin May pitching for the Dodgers against Antonio Senzatela for the Rockies. The Dodgers are a -355 money-line favorite a total of 8.5.Matchweek 32 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Bournemouth hosts Fulham on the USA Network at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/13/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Apr 13, 2025

The Sunday sports card features NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL action. The National Basketball Association has a full slate of 15 games on its docket for the last day of the regular season. Seven NBA games tip off at 1:10 p.m. ET. The Indiana Pacers travel to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 226.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Detroit Pistons play in Milwaukee against the Bucks on ESPN as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 224. The Boston Celtics host the Charlotte Hornets as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 211. The Chicago Bulls are in Philadelphia to take on the 76ers as a 10-point road favorite with an over/under of 232.5. The New York Knicks visit the Brooklyn Nets as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 214. The Atlanta Hawks play at home against the Orlando Magic as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 219.5. The Miami Heat are home against the Washington Wizards as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 215.5. Eight games complete the NBA card at 3:40 p.m. ET. The Denver Nuggets play in Houston against the Rockets as an 8.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 237.5. The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Utah Jazz as a 23-point favorite with a total of 231.5. The Memphis Grizzlies play at home against the Dallas Mavericks as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 227.5. The Sacramento Kings are home against the Phoenix Suns as a 15-point favorite with a total of 222.5. The Golden State Warriors host the Los Angeles Clippers on ESPN as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 217.5. The San Antonio Spurs play at home against the Toronto Raptors as a 6-point favorite with a total of 227.5. The Portland Trail Blazers are home against the Los Angeles Lakers as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 220.5. The Oklahoma City Thunder are in New Orleans to battle the Pelicans as a 13-point road favorite with a total of 234.5. The National Hockey League has nine games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 1:07 p.m. ET. The Ottawa Senators host the Philadelphia Flyers as a -250 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New Jersey Devils play at home against the New York Islanders on TNT as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Pittsburgh Penguins are home against the Boston Bruins on TNT at 3:37 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes host the Toronto Maple Leafs at 5:07 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Two more NHL games begin at 6:07 p.m. ET. The Tampa Bay Lightning play at home against the Buffalo Sabres as a -290 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Washington Capitals are home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -170 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Winnipeg Jets host the Edmonton Oilers at 7:07 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Calgary Flames play at home against the San Jose Sharks at 8:07 p.m. ET as a -278 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Colorado Avalanche travel to Anaheim to play the Ducks on ESPN at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. The New York Yankees are home against the San Francisco Giants as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Baltimore Orioles host the Baltimore Orioles as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Four more MLB games start at 1:40 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Braves play in Tampa Bay against the Rays as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Kansas City Royals are in Cleveland to challenge the Guardians as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Cincinnati Reds play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Washington Nationals visit the Miami Marlins as a -135 money-line road favor with an over/under of 7.5. Three MLB games begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox play in Chicago against the White Sox as a -238 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Houston Astros are home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Minnesota Twins host the Detroit Tigers as a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are in St. Louis to go against the Cardinals at 2:15 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The New York Mets are on the road against the Athletics at 4:05 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Three more MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play at home against the Milwaukee Brewers as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The San Diego Padres are home against the Colorado Rockies as a -238 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Seattle Mariners host the Texas Rangers as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN features the Chicago Cubs playing in Los Angeles against the Dodgers at 7:10 p.m. ET. Matchweek 32 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Three EPL matches begin at 9:00 a.m. ET. Chelsea plays at home against Ipswich Town as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Liverpool is home against West Ham United on the USA Network as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 3.5. Wolverhampton hosts Tottenham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Newcastle United plays at home against Manchester United on the USA Network at 11:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NHL, MLB, and EPL Previews and Odds - 04/12/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Apr 12, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NHL, MLB, and EPL action. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. Two NHL games drop the puck at 12:37 p.m. ET. The Washington Capitals travel to Columbus to play the Blue Jackets on ABC at 12:37 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite, with the total set at 6.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The New York Islanders play in Philadelphia against the Flyers, with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Carolina Hurricanes host the New York Rangers on ABC at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -192 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Los Angeles Kings play at home against the Colorado Avalanche as a -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Florida Panthers are home against the Buffalo Sabres at 6:07 p.m. ET as a -218 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games start at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Winnipeg Jets play in Chicago against the Blackhawks as a -285 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Montreal Canadiens as a -245 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Dallas Stars play at home against the Utah Hockey Club at 8:07 p.m. ET as a  -192 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Three games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The St. Louis Blues are in Seattle to take on the Kraken as a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 5.5. The Minnesota Wild visits Vancouver to battle the Canucks, with both teams priced as a -110 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vegas Golden Knights are home against the Nashville Predators as a -265 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Minnesota Twins host the Detroit Tigers at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies plays in St. Louis against the Cardinals at 2:15 p.m. ET as a-148 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The New York Yankees play at home against the San Francisco Giants on FS1 at 3:05 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Baltimore Orioles are home against the Toronto Blue Jays at 4:05 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Four more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox are in Chicago to play the White Sox as a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Miami Marlins host the Washington Nationals as a -142 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the Atlanta Braves as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Mets play on the road against the Athletics as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Cleveland Guardians are home against the Kansas City Royals at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Cincinnati Reds host the Pittsburgh Pirates at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Houston Astros play at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 7:10 p.m. ET as a -148 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Arizona Diamondbacks are home against the Milwaukee Brewers at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The San Diego Padres host the Colorado Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -170 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners are home against the Texas Rangers as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Matchweek 32 in the English Premier League begins with five matches. Manchester City host Crystal Palace on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Three more matches begin at 10:00 a.m. ET. Brighton and Hove Albion play at home against Leicester City as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Nottingham Forest is home against Everton on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Aston Villa is at Southampton as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal hosts Brentford on the USA Network at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. 

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