Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
08-15-20 | Mets v. Phillies UNDER 8.5 | 2-6 | Win | 105 | 20 h 59 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between New York and Philadelphia at 6:05 pm et on Saturday. Unlike last night when we saw two back of the rotation starters go head-to-head in the opener of this series, I expect to see a much more impressive pitching matchup on Saturday night as the Mets send Steven Matz to the hill against the Phillies Aaron Nola. Matz' overall numbers so far this season are awful as he has gone 0-3 with an 8.20 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. Keep in mind, he did allow just four earned runs over 11 1/3 innings of work in his first two starts before getting lit up over his last two outings. Remember, Matz finished sixth in N.L. Rookie of the Year voting back in 2016 and save for a poor 2017 campaign has generally pitched well at this level. Even this year he has slightly increased his strikeouts per nine innings while reducing his walks per nine innings considerably over last season. Aaron Nola has been the Phillies ace so far, posting a 2.79 ERA and incredible 0.62 WHIP through three starts. He's striking out a whopping 13.5 batters per nine innings while issuing just 0.9 walks. Just two years ago he finished third in N.L. Cy Young voting and even reached the MVP ballot. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-15-20 | Bruins -111 v. Hurricanes | 3-1 | Win | 100 | 14 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Boston over Carolina at 12:08 pm et on Saturday. 10:20 am et update: Note Bruins G Tuukka Rask has opted out of the NHL Playoffs. That means Jaro Halak will be in goal for Boston today. I’ll stick with the play on the Bruins as Halak is one of the league‘s better backups. Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask caused quite a stir when he suggested that the atmosphere feels like that of exhibition games during these NHL Playoffs, obviously being played without fans in the "bubble" in Toronto. The Bruins certainly didn't bring their 'A' game in Game 2 of this series after prevailing in overtime in the series-opener. With that being said, the Hurricanes still needed to hang on for dear life to secure a narrow 3-2 victory in Game 2 to even up the series. Here, I look for the Bruins to bounce back on the strength of a big performance from Rask in goal as they get a leg up in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon. Take Boston (10*). | |||||||
08-14-20 | Padres v. Diamondbacks +120 | 1-5 | Win | 120 | 24 h 49 m | Show | |
My selection is on Arizona over San Diego at 9:40 pm et on Friday. The D'Backs are coming off an encouraging series win over the Rockies at Coors Field and I look for them to build on that showing in Friday's series-opener against the Padres. San Diego starter Dinelson Lamet is off to an incredible start this season and will be facing Arizona for the third time already. I simply feel some regression is in order, noting that he posted a 4.57 ERA in his rookie campaign in 2017 before recording a 4.07 ERA in 14 starts last year. He's been doing a much better job of keeping the ball in the park through four starts this season, allowing just 0.4 home runs per nine innings. I'm just not convinced we'll see that continue. Merrill Kelly is off to a fine start for the D'Backs this season as well. He was a workhorse in his rookie campaign last year, making 32 starts while posting a 4.42 ERA. While his strikeouts per nine innings are down slightly, his walks are also down significantly as he's issued 0.5 free passes per nine innings through his first three outings this season. Take Arizona (10*). | |||||||
08-14-20 | Rangers v. Rockies UNDER 12.5 | 3-2 | Win | 100 | 23 h 9 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Texas and Colorado at 8:40 pm et on Friday. I'll take the contrarian route and back the 'under' as the Rangers and Rockies open up their series in Denver on Friday night. The Rangers aren't the offensive powerhouse they once were. While they did plate seven runs in a win over the Mariners two nights ago, they've scored more than seven runs in a game on only one occasion this season and rank tied for 28th in the majors in runs scored per game at 3.6. Somewhat surprisingly, they find themselves in the top half of the majors in fewest runs allowed per game. Rockies rookie Ryan Castellani made his big league debut on August 8th, not allowing a single hit while striking out three and walking one over four innings. Veteran Lance Lynn takes the ball for the Rangers. He's been more than serviceable over the last couple of seasons and is off to an alright start this year as well. While he's issued a lot more walks than I would like, I do expect him to pitch reasonably well here. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-14-20 | Braves v. Marlins OVER 8.5 | Top | 2-8 | Win | 100 | 22 h 32 m | Show |
MLB N.L. East Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Atlanta and Miami at 7:10 pm et on Friday. Expect plenty of runners on base and ultimately runs on the board as the Braves and Marlins open their series in Miami on Friday night. Kyle Wright will take the ball for the Braves. He previously had a cup of coffee at the big league level over the last two seasons, making 11 combined appearances in 2018 and 2019. He struggled in those outings and has picked up right where he left off this year, recording a 6.75 ERA and 2.08 WHIP through 12 innings of work. After issuing a whopping 5.9 walks per nine innings in seven appearances last year he's inexplicably been even worse in limited work so far this season, handing out 7.5 walks per nine innings. Pablo Lopez will counter for Miami. His numbers this season are just fine, but he's worked just 10 innings and has a poor track record at the big league level. He posted an ERA north of five in 21 starts last season. While his strikeouts per nine innings are up through two appearances this year, so are his walks. In this matchup of two teams than rank top-10 in baseball in runs per game, I'll back the 'over' on Friday night. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
08-14-20 | Canucks v. Blues -138 | Top | 4-3 | Loss | -138 | 21 h 21 m | Show |
NHL Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on St. Louis over Vancouver at 6:30 pm et on Friday. Everyone seems quick to anoint the Canucks as a serious Stanley Cup contender after its 5-2 win in the opener of this series with the defending champion Blues. While St. Louis has yet to taste victory in the 'bubble' in Edmonton, it hasn't been for lack of trying. Keep this in mind; the Blues have held third period leads in three of their four postseason contests. The only game where they didn't was the opener of this series, which was tied 2-2 entering the third period. This is the first true adversity the Blues have faced in Edmonton and I'm confident they'll respond with a strong performance on Friday. Let's not forget that Vancouver is still a young team with little playoff experience. It would certainly not be unusual to see the Canucks suffer a bit of a letdown here in Game 2 on Friday. We're being offered a discount price to back the defending champions in my opinion. Take St. Louis (10*). | |||||||
08-14-20 | Canadiens v. Flyers -153 | 5-0 | Loss | -153 | 18 h 6 m | Show | |
My selection is on Philadelphia over Montreal at 3:08 pm et on Friday. We won with the Flyers in Game 1 of this series and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play in Game 2 on Friday. While I'm not sure Philadelphia brought its true 'A' game in the opener of this series, it certainly played well enough to plant serious seeds of doubt in the minds of the Canadiens. I liked the fact that the Flyers kept pouring it on even with a 2-1 lead in the third period, outshooting the Habs by a 13-6 margin in that frame. As far as I'm concerned, Philadelphia is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference while the Habs are very fortunate to still be playing here in mid-August. Expect Montreal to face another uphill battle trying to solve Carter Hart on Friday afternoon. Take Philadelphia (10*). | |||||||
08-13-20 | Flames v. Stars -103 | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 25 h 32 m | Show | |
My selection is on Dallas over Calgary at 10:30 pm et on Thursday. The Stars have yet to really show up in Edmonton, struggling through the preliminary round robin and again in the opener of this series with the Flames. I do expect them to bring their best effort of the postseason so far on Thursday night, however, as they desperately need to find a spark or this series could be over in a hurry. The Stars could get a boost with the possible return of goaltender Ben Bishop on Thursday night. Even if he can't go, it's not as if Dallas is completely outmatched in goal with veteran Anton Khudobin capable of delivering a clutch performances. Dallas' best players have been virtually invisible to this point, but look for them to step to the forefront in a big victory on Thursday night. Take Dallas (10*). | |||||||
08-13-20 | Padres v. Dodgers UNDER 8.5 | Top | 2-11 | Loss | -107 | 24 h 49 m | Show |
N.L. West Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between San Diego and Los Angeles at 9:40 pm et on Thursday. While both of these offenses are off to terrific starts this season, I'm comfortable playing the 'under' with the oddsmakers hanging out a generous total in Thursday's series finale. Chris Paddack will take the ball for the Padres. Few starters have been more consistent than Paddack in the early going this season as he has already worked 22 2/3 innings, posting a 3.18 ERA and 1.02 WHIP. His strikeouts per nine innings are down slightly compared to his rookie campaign last year, but so are his walks. In fact, he's handed out only three free passes so far this season. Julio Urias will counter for Los Angeles. He has seen the 'over' cash in two of his first three starts but keep in mind, he's been opposed by the likes of Drew Smyly, Luke Weaver and Jeff Samardzija. Here, he's in line for a pitcher's duel with Paddack. Urias had his start pushed back a night as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts tries to manage workload during a 17-game in 17-night stretch. After posting a stellar 2.49 ERA in 37 appearances, mostly as a reliever, last year he's off to another fine start here in 2020, having recorded a 2.40 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-13-20 | Nationals +119 v. Mets | 2-8 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 51 m | Show | |
My selection is on Washington over New York at 1:10 pm et on Thursday. I'll take a shot with the Nationals at a generous price on Thursday afternoon in New York. The Nats will be looking to bounce back from last night's 11-6 loss to the Mets and I believe they're in good position to do so. Austin Voth will take the ball for Washington. While he was worked just five innings in both of his previous starts this season, he has pitched well, allowing just two earned runs on six hits over 10 innings. Keep in mind, he made eight starts and nine appearances last season and was effective, posting a 3.30 ERA and 1.05 WHIP. While his strikeouts per nine innings are down in limited work this season, so are his walks. Rookie David Peterson will counter for New York. He'll be making his fourth start and like Voth, he has also pitched reasonably well. The one difference is that Peterson has struggled with his command, issuing over three walks per nine innings and posting a 1.32 WHIP. With the Nats offense showing signs of life thanks in large part to Juan Soto heating up in the middle of the order, I look for them to do some damage at the plate today. Take Washington (10*). | |||||||
08-12-20 | Canadiens v. Flyers -155 | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 22 h 55 m | Show | |
My selection is on Philadelphia over Montreal at 8 pm et on Wednesday. | |||||||
08-12-20 | Canadiens v. Flyers UNDER 5.5 | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 22 h 54 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Montreal and Philadelphia at 8 pm et on Wednesday. | |||||||
08-12-20 | Cubs v. Indians UNDER 8 | 7-2 | Loss | -108 | 20 h 21 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Chicago and Cleveland at 6:10 pm et on Wednesday. Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks has put together a rock solid big league career and he's off to another fine start here in 2020. Consistency has been key over the course of Hendricks' seven-year career as he has never posted an ERA north of 3.95 in a season, with that career-high number coming way back in 2015. It's easy to forget that Hendricks was actually third in N.L. Cy Young voting back in 2016. So far this year he has issued just 0.9 walks per nine innings and allowed only eight earned runs on 17 hits through 20 1/3 innings of work. Likewise, Cookie Carrasco has been terrific for the Indians, working exactly six innings in each of his first three outings, allowing just five earned runs on 12 hits. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-12-20 | White Sox -111 v. Tigers | 7-5 | Win | 100 | 15 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Chicago over Detroit at 1:10 pm et on Wednesday. The White Sox bounced back from a series-opening loss with a blowout victory here in the Motor City last night and I expect to see them build on that performance in a quick turn-around spot on Wednesday afternoon. The Tigers had a huge series in Pittsburgh over the weekend, plating a whopping 30 runs over the course of a three-game sweep. While Detroit is off to a fine start this season, we're still talking about a small sample size and in the long-run, I believe the White Sox will prove to be the better of these A.L. Central rivals. Dylan Cease will take the ball for Chicago on Wednesday. After struggling in his season debut, Cease has pitched well over his last two starts, allowing just seven hits and two earned runs over 11 innings. This is more of a play against Tigers starter Matthew Boyd, however. I guess you could say he had a career year last season but that's not saying much as he went 9-12 with a 4.56 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 32 starts. In that campaign he saw his walks per nine innings drop while his strikeouts per nine innings went up significantly. Here so far in 2020 we've seen a reversal of that and not surprisingly his numbers bear it out with a 9.20 ERA and 1.90 WHIP. Take Chicago (10*). | |||||||
08-11-20 | Blackhawks v. Golden Knights UNDER 6.5 | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 25 h 20 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Chicago and Vegas at 10:30 pm et on Tuesday. I simply feel we're going to see a much tighter series between these two teams than we did with the Blackhawks against the Oilers in the play-in round. I have a lot of respect for the Golden Knights defensively and fully expect them to do a good job of locking down the Blackhawks admittedly explosive offense. On the flip side, we really haven't seen the Knights get rolling offensively yet and to be honest, I don't think they're built to win many 5-4 or 6-5 type contests. Look for this to be the highest posted total we see all series. We'll take advantage in Game 1. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-11-20 | Diamondbacks v. Rockies -105 | Top | 7-8 | Win | 100 | 23 h 41 m | Show |
N.L. West Game of the Month. My selection is on Colorado over Arizona at 8:40 pm et on Tuesday. I really like the way this one sets up for the Rockies on Tuesday night. D'Backs starter Zac Gallen has done nothing but impress since making his big league debut last season but I believe he's in for a rough night here. Note that while Gallen's strikeouts per nine innings are up slightly early on this season, so are his walks. While his 2.81 ERA is terrific, he has already been tagged for three home runs through 16 innings of work. Enter Coors Field on Tuesday night. Kyle Freeland will counter for Colorado. He endured a disastrous 2019 campaign but let's not write him off just yet. Keep in mind, just two years ago Freeland posted a stellar 2.85 ERA in 33 big league starts. So far this season he has recorded a 2.41 ERA and 1.07 WHIP through 18 2/3 innings. He's seen his walk totals drop under three per nine innings for the first time in his career. Take Colorado (10*). | |||||||
08-11-20 | Cubs v. Indians OVER 8 | 7-1 | Push | 0 | 22 h 32 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Chicago and Cleveland at 7:10 pm et on Tuesday. Expect plenty of offensive fireworks as the Cubs and Indians do battle in a 2016 World Series rematch on Tuesday. Jon Lester is off to a tremendous start for the Cubs this season, perhaps turning back the hands of time after struggling last year. I'm not sure his success is sustainable. He's not missing a lot of bats and faces a tough Indians lineup here on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Adam Plutko is nothing more than a stop-gap for Cleveland as it goes through some starting rotation woes. He's been routinely owned by opposing bats over the course of his big league career, struggling as a starter in each of the last two seasons. He has posted a solid 2.57 ERA and 0.86 WHIP so far this season, but that's through just seven innings of work. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
08-11-20 | Nationals v. Mets +135 | 2-1 | Loss | -100 | 21 h 5 m | Show | |
My selection is on New York over Washington at 7:10 pm et on Tuesday. The Mets got absolutely thrashed by the Nationals last night but I look for them to bounce back here at Citi Field on Tuesday. Max Scherzer returns from a hamstring injury for the Nats'. I'm simply not buying what the Nats' ace is selling so far this season as his walk totals are way up and he has generally looked quite ordinary through three starts. Meanwhile, Mets journeyman starter Rick Porcello tossed seven strong innings, allowing just one earned run, against the Nats' last week and I'm confident we'll see a solid effort from him again here. The oddsmakers are giving Scherzer too much runway with this inflated price. Take New York (10*). | |||||||
08-11-20 | Royals v. Reds OVER 9 | 5-6 | Win | 103 | 21 h 10 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Kansas City and Cincinnati at 6:40 pm et on Tuesday. I had a strong lean to the 'under' in Royals rookie Kris Bubic's most recent start, which ultimately turned out to be a 6-1 loss to the Cubs. Here, I look for plenty of offense as the suddenly surging Royals travel to Cincinnati to face the Reds. Bubic missed plenty of bats against the Cubs last time out but I'm not sure his success is sustainable. He'll be making his first road start of the season. Note that he made one start away from home back in Spring Training and got lit up for four earned runs and couldn't make it out of the second inning against the White Sox. Luis Castillo will counter for the Reds. His strikeout numbers are up so far this season but he has also been hit hard, allowing 18 hits and nine earned runs in 17 innings of work. After issuing just 2.6 walks per nine innings in 2018, Castillo handed out 3.7 last year and that number is up over three again so far this season. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
08-11-20 | Marlins +1.5 v. Blue Jays | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 21 h 45 m | Show | |
My selection is on Miami +1.5 runs over Toronto at 6:37 pm et on Tuesday. I'll take a flyer with the Marlins here as the Blue Jays face some considerable distraction as they play their first "home" game here at renovated Sahlen Field in Buffalo. Toronto continues to struggle out of the gates this season, never really recovering from an early layoff as a result of a postponed series with the Phillies. The Jays will have ace Hyun-Jin Ryu on the hill for this one but I can't help but feel that leaves them overvalued, especially with Ryu coming off a strong bounce-back performance against the Braves last week. Elieser Hernandez looked good in his season debut for the Marlins and I believe he'll be good enough to keep the Marlins in this game as well. Take Miami +1.5 runs (10*). | |||||||
08-10-20 | A's v. Angels UNDER 9 | Top | 9-10 | Loss | -105 | 24 h 50 m | Show |
A.L. West Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Oakland and Los Angeles at 9:40 pm et on Monday. The A's are off to a terrific start this season, currently running away with the A.L. West division lead. They've been doing it with solid pitching, sitting in a tie for third in baseball in runs allowed per game. They rank just 23rd in the majors in both batting average and slugging percentage and I'm not convinced they'll rack up a ton of runs in the opener of this series in Anaheim. Julio Teheran will take the ball for the Angels. He struggled in his debut with his new club but is certainly capable of bouncing back here, noting that he has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in each of the last two seasons as a member of the Braves. Like Teheran, A's starter Sean Manaea is also off to a tough start this season, albeit with a larger sample size. It is worth noting, however, that his strikeouts per nine innings are up while his walks are down. Keep in mind, he posted an incredible 1.21 ERA in just five starts last season. Two years ago he made 27 starts for the A's and recorded a solid 3.59 ERA. The Angels check in 24th in baseball in batting average and 17th in slugging percentage. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-09-20 | Rockies v. Mariners OVER 8 | 3-5 | Push | 0 | 5 h 4 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Colorado and Seattle at 4:10 pm et on Sunday. Off a low-scoring contest last night I look for a little more offense in Sunday's series finale between the Rockies and Mariners in Seattle. German Marquez is off to a stellar start this season having posted a 1.89 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP in 19 innings of work but I'm not sure those numbers are sustainable. The Mariners know they'll need to get something done at the dish if they're going to contend with the hot hitting Rockies here today. That's especially true when you consider they'll hand the ball to rookie Justus Sheffield, who has really struggled, posting a 9.39 ERA and 1.83 WHIP, lasting only 7 2/3 innings so far this season. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
08-08-20 | Flyers v. Lightning UNDER 5.5 | 4-1 | Win | 100 | 11 h 18 m | Show | |
My selection is on the under between Philadelphia and Tampa Bay at 8 pm et on Saturday. We won with the under in the Flyers last game and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with same play here. Carter Hart should be back between the pipes for Philadelphia and I’m confident he’ll turn in another stellar performance. In fact, this game features two of the world’s absolute best goaltenders in Hart and Andrei Vasilevskiy. With the number one overall seed (and a date with the Canadiens) hanging in the balance look for a tightly-contested affair on Saturday night. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-07-20 | Astros v. A's +100 | Top | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 13 h 21 m | Show |
MLB A.L. West Game of the Month. My selection is on Oakland over Houston at 9:10 pm et on Friday. The A's are off to an incredible 9-4 start this season, pacing the A.L. West. Meanwhile, Houston continues to scuff its heels, sitting at 6-6. The Astros will obviously be looking to put some pressure on the A's over the course of this weekend series but I like Oakland in the opener on Friday night. Zack Greinke will take the ball for Houston. He pitched well last time out after struggling in his season debut. Note that he's worked just nine innings through two starts, allowing seven hits and five earned runs. Chris Bassitt will counter for Oakland. He has posted a 0.93 ERA and 0.93 WHIP through two starts this season. Bassitt has actually been quite consistent at the big league level, most recently going 10-5 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.19 WHIP last season. In three seasons where he has made at least 11 appearances he has posted a 3.81 ERA or better. Take Oakland (10*). | |||||||
08-07-20 | Penguins v. Canadiens UNDER 5.5 | 0-2 | Win | 100 | 9 h 35 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Pittsburgh and Montreal at 4:08 pm et on Friday. With Montreal coming off a stunning come-from-behind 4-3 victory in Game 3 of this series I'm anticipating a much lower-scoring affair on Friday afternoon. We have the heavily favored Penguins facing elimination in this one which alone should help tighten things up on their end. Meanwhile, the Habs have received all-world goaltending from Carey Price in this series, even if Game 3 wasn't his best performance. I fully expect that to continue here as the Habs look to close things out. Look for the winner to score three or less in this one. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-07-20 | Penguins -165 v. Canadiens | 0-2 | Loss | -165 | 5 h 25 m | Show | |
My selection is on Pittsburgh over Montreal at 4:08 pm et on Friday. While the possibility of getting the first overall pick in the NHL Draft is certainly a consideration for some teams here in the qualifying round of the playoffs, I don't believe that's the case for the Penguins, who entered the tournament with Stanley Cup aspirations. Here, on Sidney Crosby's 33rd birthday of all days, I certainly look for a strong effort from the Pens facing elimination. Credit Montreal for coming up with a huge rally to grab a 2-1 series lead two nights ago but as we saw following Game 1, the Habs are certainly ripe for a letdown. I don't believe the price is unreasonable to back the Pens in this elimination contest. Take Pittsburgh (10*). | |||||||
08-06-20 | Brewers v. White Sox OVER 9 | 8-3 | Win | 100 | 12 h 53 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Milwaukee and Chicago at 8:10 pm et on Thursday. We saw a pitching duel in this matchup last night as the Brewers prevailed by a 1-0 score. I expect a much different story to unfold on Thursday, however. Josh Lindblom will take the ball for Milwaukee. He labored through this first start this season and I expect more of the same here. Note that he has made more than a single start in a season only once in his career, that coming back in 2013 when he made five starts for the Rangers, ultimately posting a 5.46 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in eight appearances that year. Gio Gonzalez will counter for the White Sox. He's coming off a fine outing but there's no question he's on the downside of his career arc, managing only 23 starts since 2018 due to injuries and otherwise. He has yet to last through the fourth inning in two starts so far this season. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
08-06-20 | Maple Leafs v. Blue Jackets +135 | 3-4 | Win | 135 | 11 h 30 m | Show | |
My selection is on Columbus over Toronto at 8:08 pm et on Thursday. We missed the mark with the Blue Jackets in Game 2 of this series on Tuesday but I won't hesitate to go back to the well with them at another generous price on Thursday. Toronto was in desperation mode after falling behind in the series 1-0 and played as such on Tuesday, turning in one of its best performances of the entire season. I'm just not sure the Leafs can recreate that effort with the series tied at one game apiece on Thursday. As I've noted before, Columbus is an extremely well-coached and well-rounded team with enough veteran leadership to get it done in the postseason - as we saw when it swept the Lightning in the opening round a year ago. I look for the Jackets to continue to be a tough out in this series. Take Columbus (10*). | |||||||
08-06-20 | Blue Jays v. Braves -127 | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 11 h 46 m | Show | |
My selection is on Atlanta over Toronto at 7:10 pm et on Thursday. Look for the Braves to get back at the Blue Jays after suffering a tough 2-1 loss last night. Atlanta simply ran into an elite pitcher who was at the top of his game on Wednesday night with Hyun-Jin Ryu tossing a gem. They face another tough starter tonight, but an unproven one in rookie Nate Pearson. He impressed in his big league debut against the Nationals last week but I anticipate some regression here in his second start. Touki Toussaint hasn't had a great deal of success at the big league level since debuting in 2018 but the Braves are in tough with an injury-riddled starting rotation and need him to step up and help fill the void here. I'm high enough on the Braves bats that I believe they can get it done against a struggling Jays offense here. Take Atlanta (10*). | |||||||
08-06-20 | Capitals v. Flyers UNDER 6 | Top | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 7 h 24 m | Show |
NHL Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'under' between Washington and Philadelphia at 4:08 pm et on Thursday. I simply feel that this total will prove too high as the Caps and Flyers continue round robin action in Toronto. Washington is coming off a hard-fought loss against the Lightning in their opener. I look for them to tighten things up here after digging an early 2-0 hole that they had a tough time recovering from in that one. Brian Elliott is expected to start in goal for the Flyers over Carter Hart in a bit of a surprise move. I do expect the Flyers to react accordingly and play this one a little closer to the vest. Hart has moved into elite status in the NHL while Elliott is certainly on the downside of his career but you have to think he'll be motivated off Hart's 34-save performance last time out. What this boils down to is I don't think we'll see the same level of offensive output from the Flyers after potting four goals against Boston. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
08-06-20 | Pacers -3 v. Suns | Top | 99-114 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 33 m | Show |
NBA Game of the Month. My selection is on Indiana minus the points over Phoenix at 4:05 pm et on Thursday. This is an ideal spot to fade the red hot Suns as they come off a thrilling buzzer-beating win over the Clippers two days ago. Phoenix has gone a perfect 3-0 since the NBA restart to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. Here it faces a less talked about but equally hot opponent in the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have also gone a perfect 3-0 since the restart but the difference is Indiana has been a quality team all season long. The Suns will certainly draw the Pacers attention here after that huge upset victory over the NBA title contending Clippers. I believe we're being asked to lay a relatively short number with the much better all-around team. Take Indiana (10*). | |||||||
08-05-20 | Penguins -162 v. Canadiens | 3-4 | Loss | -162 | 23 h 59 m | Show | |
My selection is on Pittsburgh over Montreal at 8:08 pm et on Wednesday. This price is about 50 cents cheaper than it should be in my opinion. Save for a brief third period push, the Canadiens were completely outclassed in Game 2 of this series on Monday night. Expect more of the same in Game 3 on Wednesday as the Penguins look to take a series stranglehold. Perhaps it shouldn't have come as a surprise that we saw Pittsburgh come out a little flat-footed in the series-opener but it certainly found its groove on Monday and I look for plenty of carry-over here. Take Pittsburgh (10*). | |||||||
08-05-20 | Raptors v. Magic +6.5 | 109-99 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 7 m | Show | |
My selection is on Orlando plus the points over Toronto at 8:05 pm et on Wednesday. The Raptors have impressed through two games since the restart, notching wins over the Lakers and Heat. I believe there's a chance we see them overlook the Magic on Wednesday, however, as they have a date with the Celtics looming on Friday. Orlando has gone 2-1 here in the 'bubble' but is coming off a double-digit loss against the Pacers last time out. While Toronto will be looking to sweep the 'season series' with the Magic I expect it to be in tough. Take Orlando (10*). | |||||||
08-05-20 | Blue Jays v. Braves -130 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -130 | 21 h 12 m | Show |
MLB Interleague Game of the Month. My selection is on Atlanta over Toronto at 7:10 pm et on Wednesday. I'm not sure it matters who the Braves go up against right now, they're red hot at the dish and capable of scoring runs in bunches. They're expected to face Jays ace Hyun-Jin Ryu on Wednesday - a stiff challenge to be sure - but I think they'll be up for it and we're being offered a discounted price to back them. Sean Newcomb has been inconsistent so far this season but faces a Jays lineup that hasn't really been able to get loose this season - with last weekend's postponed games in Philadelphia certainly not helping matters. Look for the Braves to stay hot on Wednesday night. Take Atlanta (10*). | |||||||
08-05-20 | Grizzlies +5.5 v. Jazz | 115-124 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 41 m | Show | |
My selection is on Memphis plus the points over Utah at 2:35 pm et on Wednesday. The Grizzlies have struggled since the restart, going 0-3 but they've been competitive in all three games. They're coming off their worst effort though against the Pelicans last time out so I look for them to come out strong in this winnable game against the Jazz on Wednesday. Utah will certainly be motivated coming off back-to-back losses but I simply feel they're being asked to lay too many points in this spot. Note that this will be the first of a three game in four days stretch for the Jazz. Look for this one to go down to the wire. Take Memphis (10*). | |||||||
08-04-20 | Blue Jackets +134 v. Maple Leafs | 0-3 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 43 m | Show | |
My selection is on Columbus over Toronto at 4:08 pm et on Tuesday. One would think the Leafs would have a slight advantage playing in their home rink but that certainly wasn't evident in Game 1 against the Blue Jackets on Sunday. Columbus served as a thorn in Toronto's side with an airtight gameplan and I expect more of the same on Tuesday afternoon. The Blue Jackets are a well-balanced, well-coached team that I believe can make some noise here in this unique playoff format. Look for them to grab a 2-0 series lead on an overrated Leafs squad on Tuesday. Take Columbus (10*). | |||||||
08-03-20 | Blackhawks v. Oilers -130 | 3-6 | Win | 100 | 28 h 11 m | Show | |
My selection is on Edmonton over Chicago at 10:30 pm et on Monday. The Oilers certainly got caught flat-footed in their series-opener against the Blackhawks on Saturday afternoon but I look for them to secure a much better result on Monday night as the look to even the series up at a game apiece. Many questioned whether the Blackhawks would have much interest or even belonged in this unique restart scenario. They definitely showed that they are motivated to not only compete but get past the heavily favored Oilers in this opening round series with Saturday's convincing win. I'm just not convinced we'll see them follow it up with a similar performance here and like the Oilers to get back in the series at a discounted price. Take Edmonton (10*). | |||||||
08-03-20 | Grizzlies v. Pelicans OVER 238.5 | 99-109 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 3 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Memphis and New Orleans at 6:35 pm et on Monday. We won with the 'under' in the Grizzlies narrow loss to the Spurs yesterday afternoon but I won't hesitate to go the other way and back the 'over' as they match up against the struggling Pelicans on Monday. New Orleans is off to an 0-2 start so it will certainly be highly motivated to break out of its funk on Monday evening. This appears to be an ideal matchup for the Pelicans to do just that as they should be able to get out and run against a weary Grizzlies squad playing on no rest. Meanwhile, the Grizz have had two highly contrasted games so far with a high-scoring track meet against the Blazers followed by yesterday's relatively tight affair against the Spurs. Here, I'm confident we'll see them get loose and find some offensive success against a Pelicans that has struggled defensively all season long. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
08-02-20 | Spurs v. Grizzlies UNDER 234.5 | 108-106 | Win | 100 | 6 h 43 m | Show | |
My selection is on the ‘under’ between San Antonio and Memphis at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. Travel day today. Full analysis will return on Monday. | |||||||
08-02-20 | Indians v. Twins UNDER 9.5 | 1-3 | Win | 100 | 6 h 5 m | Show | |
My selection is on the ‘under‘ between Cleveland and Minnesota at 2:10 pm et on Sunday. Travel day on Sunday. Full analysis will return on Monday. | |||||||
08-01-20 | Padres v. Rockies +110 | Top | 1-6 | Win | 110 | 12 h 59 m | Show |
N.L. West Game of the Month. My selection is on Colorado over San Diego at 8:10 pm et on Saturday. The Padres are off to an incredible start to the season thanks to an explosive offense but I am anticipating some regression moving forward. Joey Lucchesi will take the ball for San Diego on Saturday. Now in his third big league season, he has settled in as a middle of the road starter and certainly showed more of that in his season debut last week, lasting only 3 2/3 innings against the D'Backs. Kyle Freeland is off to a fine start for the Rockies after giving up just two earned runs in six frames against the Rangers last week. He was awful for the Rockies last season but has proven he can succeed at this level, going 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA in 2018. I'm willing to take a flyer on him, not to mention the Rockies bats, here on Saturday night as they bounce back from a tough loss last night. Take Colorado (10*). | |||||||
07-31-20 | Indians v. Twins +107 | Top | 1-4 | Win | 107 | 12 h 6 m | Show |
A.L. Central Game of the Month. My selection is on Minnesota over Cleveland at 8:10 pm et on Friday. Look for the Twins to bounce back following last night's shutout loss against the Indians. Minnesota ran into a red hot pitcher in Indians ace Shane Bieber last night and while it faces another stiff challenge against Mike Clevinger on Friday, I am confident we'll see the Twins gain a little more traction at the dish. Minnesota is off to a fine start this season, having won four of its first six contests. While we're only dealing with a small sample size, the Twins do check in ranking fourth in the league in runs scored and T6 in runs allowed. Randy Dobnak will get the nod for the Twins on Friday. He was effective over four innings in his season debut against the White Sox last week, allowing just one earned run. While the Indians are winning, they're not doing a lot of damage offensively and I look for that to catch up to them here. Take Minnesota (10*). | |||||||
07-31-20 | Celtics v. Bucks OVER 218.5 | 112-119 | Win | 100 | 10 h 46 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Boston and Milwaukee at 6:30 pm et on Friday. We saw both games stay 'under' the total in yesterday's double-header but I expect a different story to unfold as the Celtics and Bucks match up on day two of the NBA restart. Despite yesterday's results, I still believe we'll see some high-scoring affairs in the early going here at Disney as the teams have had more than enough time to get back into shape and acclimated with their surroundings. The Celtics and Bucks are two of the league's most dynamic offensive tams and I'm comfortable playing the 'over' at what I consider to be a low number. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
07-30-20 | Clippers v. Lakers OVER 216 | 101-103 | Loss | -106 | 30 h 58 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between the Clippers and Lakers at 9 pm et on Thursday. Questions around Anthony Davis' health and absent members of the Clippers have pushed this total lower, but I believe it will prove too low as the oddsmakers shade the totals lower in general due to the uncertainty around the style of play in the Disney restart. I'm actually anticipating something resembling 'normal' NBA basketball as we get going here in Orlando. The players have had enough time to settle in to 'bubble life' and get acclimated back with the game of basketball during exhibition affairs. I don't need to tell you that both of these teams are capable of pushing the tempo and hanging crooked numbers on the scoreboard. This is the lowest total we've seen the oddsmakers put out there in a matchup between these L.A. rivals this season and I believe we should take advantage. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
07-30-20 | Indians v. Twins UNDER 9 | 2-0 | Win | 100 | 28 h 47 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Cleveland and Minnesota at 7:07 pm et on Thursday. We won with the 'under' in Shane Bieber's season debut against the Royals last week - a no sweat ticket from start to finish - and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here. Bieber remains one of the most underrated and undervalued starters in baseball as far as I'm concerned. He picked up right where he left off following a tremendous 2019 campaign, tossing six shutout innings while striking out 14 last Friday night against the Royals. Jose Berrios didn't get off to the start he had hoped for, as he was rocked by the White Sox in his season debut. I do expect a better showing from the right-hander here as he returns home to the friendly confines of Target Field. Since a shaky rookie campaign in 2016, Berrios has been terrific at the big league level - last season posting a 3.68 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in over 200 innings of work. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
07-30-20 | Jazz v. Pelicans OVER 221 | 106-104 | Loss | -115 | 32 h 34 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Utah and New Orleans at 6:30 pm et on Wednesday. While more than a little rust is to be expected as the NBA returns following a four-month hiatus, I do feel that these teams have had more than enough time to get acclimated with their surroundings at Disney Wide World of Sports and I believe we'll see something that closely resembles 'normal' NBA play on Thursday. This is the lowest posted total we've seen in this particular matchup this season, noting that all three regular season affairs went 'over' the total. The Pelicans got good news with the return of Zion Williamson this week and by all accounts he'll be good to go for Thursday's opener. I'll take a shot with the 'over' as I anticipate a relatively loose affair to get things started in Orlando. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
07-29-20 | Diamondbacks v. Rangers UNDER 8.5 | 4-7 | Loss | -115 | 18 h 10 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Arizona and Texas at 4:05 pm et on Wednesday. I'm expecting a well-pitched game between the D'Backs and Rangers on Wednesday afternoon as two veteran starters go head-to-head at Globe Life Park. Madison Bumgarner will take the ball for the Giants. Despite posting the highest ERA of his career, Bumgarner matched his career-high in games started and exceeded his career-high in strikeouts per nine innings while also recording a career-low in walks per nine innings last season. He didn't get off to the start he hoped for with the D'Backs in his 2020 debut, allowing three earned runs while striking out only four and walking three in 5 2/3 innings of work last week. Look for a solid bounce-back performance from the veteran left-hander here. Lance Lynn will counter for the Rangers. Despite pitching for three different teams over the last three seasons he has seemingly gotten better with each passing year. He actually finished fifth in A.L. Cy Young voting last season, posting a 3.67 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while recording a career-high 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings. In his 2020 debut he tossed six innings of two-hit shutout ball against the Rockies last week. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
07-28-20 | Dodgers -140 v. Astros | 5-2 | Win | 100 | 23 h 2 m | Show | |
My selection is on Los Angeles over Houston at 9:10 pm et on Tuesday. The Dodgers inexplicably managed only a 2-2 split against projected bottom-feeders, the Giants, to start the season. Now they head to Houston for a seemingly tougher series against the defending A.L. champion Astros but I look for Los Angeles to get the series off to a winning start on Tuesday night. The jury is still out as to whether Astros starter Framber Valdez belongs in a big league rotation. He struggled mightily last year and is essentially only starting here as a stop-gap with ace Justin Verlander sidelined. Meanwhile, Walker Buehler is a bonafide star in the making for the Dodgers, making his first start of the season on Tuesday. He improved on both his strikeouts per nine innings and walks per nine innings last season, ultimately posting a 3.26 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in an All-Star campaign. Take Los Angeles (10*). | |||||||
07-28-20 | Braves v. Rays UNDER 9 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 21 h 51 m | Show |
MLB Interleague Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Atlanta and Tampa Bay at 6:40 pm et on Tuesday. I like the 'under' in this matchup on Tuesday night, after we saw a whopping 19 runs cross home plate in last night's series opener. Kyle Wright has struggled in 11 career big league appearances for the Braves over the last two seasons but I expect to see him settle down after locking down the fifth spot in the Atlanta rotation with Cole Hamels still on the shelf. Wright rounded into form during Summer Camp and draws a reasonable matchup here catching the Rays off a big performance last night. Yonny Chirinos will counter for the Rays. He was late joining the Rays after testing positive for Covid-19 but by all accounts he's back to full health now. Chirinos is starting his third big league season after pitching well in both 2018 and 2019. Last season he allowed just 112 hits and posted a 114:28 strikeout to walk ratio in 133 1/3 innings of work. The Braves have been quite inconsistent at the plate in the early going this season with young slugger Ronald Acuna Jr. in particular struggling out of the gate. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
07-28-20 | Blue Jays v. Nationals -126 | 5-1 | Loss | -126 | 20 h 25 m | Show | |
My selection is on Washington over Toronto at 6:05 pm et on Tuesday. This is a tremendous bounce-back spot for the Nationals coming off last night's game of wasted opportunities in a 4-1 loss to the Blue Jays. Toronto is off to a reasonably solid start this season but key injuries are already piling up with closer Ken Giles and sophomore hitting machine Bo Bichette among those sidelined. Washington hasn't gotten off to the start it would have hoped but that had a lot to do with starting the season with a tough series against the Yankees. Here, the Nationals will hand the ball to Austin Voth. After struggling in limited work in 2018, Voth settled in nicely last season, making eight starts and posting a 3.30 ERA and posting a 44:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 43 2/3 innings of work. Note that he didn't need to throw more than 96 pitches in any of those outings. Veteran Tanner Roark will make his Blue Jays debut on Tuesday night. The Jays will be the fourth team he has pitched for since 2018. There's a reason for that. Roark has struggled across a number of recent seasons, essentially going back to 2017. He hasn't posted an ERA lower than 4.24 in a season since then. Prior to that he had recorded sub-3.00 ERA's in three of his first four big league seasons. Unlike last night, look for the Nats to cash in on their opportunities against the Jays on Tuesday as they snap a two-game skid. Take Washington (10*). | |||||||
07-27-20 | Mariners v. Astros UNDER 9.5 | 5-8 | Loss | -105 | 21 h 29 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Seattle and Houston at 7:10 pm et on Monday. We saw a high-scoring affair between these two clubs on Sunday afternoon but I expect a different story to unfold on Monday. Kendall Graveman wowed the Mariners staff during Summer Camp and I look for him to hold his own against the mighty Astros in this matchup. A fresh start with a new team might be just what the doctor ordered for Graveman after he struggled in limited work with the A's last season. Note that he has seen his strikeout per nine innings increase over each of the last three seasons. Josh James served as a reliever for the Astros last season but is pressed into starting duty as the 2020 campaign gets underway. James is a hard-throwing strikeout pitcher that should find some success against a relatively inexperienced Mariners batting order. If James can figure out his command issues he could be a force at the back of the Astros rotation. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
07-27-20 | Braves v. Rays -148 | Top | 5-14 | Win | 100 | 21 h 12 m | Show |
MLB Interleague Game of the Month. My selection is on Tampa Bay over Atlanta at 6:40 pm et on Monday. The Braves are coming off a breakout performance at the plate last night in New York but I look for the Rays to keep them at bay in St. Petersburg on Monday. Atlanta will hand the ball to Mike Foltynewicz, who is coming off a strong Summer Camp. Keep in mind, he has posted just one sub-4.24 ERA season over the course of his six-year big league career. That came in a true outlier season in 2018. Last year, Foltynewicz posted a 4.97 ERA and 1.25 WHIP. Here, he faces a Rays lineup that showed signs of busting out while notching back-to-back wins over the Jays over the weekend. The Rays will start Tyler Glasnow on Monday. He has made 23 starts since joining the Rays two seasons ago, allowing just 82 hits in 116 1/3 innings of work. Last season he was limited due to injury but posted a 1.78 ERA and 0.89 WHIP in 60 2/3 innings. I look for him to rise to the challenge of facing a loaded Braves lineup on Monday. Take Tampa Bay (10*). | |||||||
07-27-20 | Blue Jays v. Nationals -124 | 4-1 | Loss | -124 | 20 h 11 m | Show | |
My selection is on Washington over Toronto at 6:05 pm et on Monday. We cashed a ticket fading the Jays on Saturday and while they probably deserved a better fate than a 6-5 extra innings loss yesterday, the fact is they enter Monday's series-opener in Washington sporting a 1-2 record - identical to that of the Nationals. I look for Washington to get the better of Toronto here. Trent Thornton will take the ball for Toronto. He was something of a workhorse for the Jays during his rookie season last year, but wasn't overly successful posting a 4.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. I feel that there's a considerable drop-off following Hyun-Jin Ryu at the top of the Jays rotation. That hasn't really been evident yet this season but here I look for the Nats' to take advantage of that fact. Keep in mind, Toronto lost closer Ken Giles to an apparent injury in yesterday's game. Veteran Anibal Sanchez will counter for Washington. He is coming off a solid 2019 campaign that saw him go 11-8 with a 3.85 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. By all accounts he pitched well in both Spring Training and Summer Camp and I'm confident he'll give the Nats a strong outing in his 2020 debut on Monday night. The Jays had one big inning yesterday but have generally had a tough time getting going through their first three games this season. Take Washington (10*). | |||||||
07-26-20 | Braves v. Mets UNDER 9.5 | 14-1 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 50 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Atlanta and New York at 7:08 pm et on Sunday. Neither offense has come roaring out of the gates, which is probably to be expected. I believe we're dealing with a slightly higher total than we should be in Sunday night's series finale. Sean Newcomb will make the start for the Braves. After making 49 starts in 2017 and 2018 only four of his 55 appearances last year were starts. He has managed to lower his walks per nine innings total in each of his first three seasons. He still puts too many runners on base in general but I do think he's catching the Mets at the right time as they continue to shake off the rust at the dish. Rick Porcello gets the nod for the Mets, making his team debut. Like Newcomb, he tends to put too many runners on base but continues to be serviceable in the latter stages of his lengthy big league career. While the Braves offense has a ton of upside, we haven't seen it through the first two days of the season and I'm confident the veteran Porcello can navigate this lineup on Sunday night. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
07-25-20 | Mariners v. Astros -1.5 | 2-7 | Win | 100 | 8 h 37 m | Show | |
My selection is on Houston -1.5 runs over Seattle at 4:10 pm et on Saturday. The Astros have been getting it from all angles ever since the news of their cheating scandal broke so you have to think they're happy to just get back to playing baseball. They certainly have a point to prove here in the early going of this shortened MLB campaign and got off to a solid start with a victory over Seattle last night. I expect them to rack up another lopsided win on Saturday afternoon. I'm actually pretty high on the Mariners in the long-term picture but given their very difficult schedule and the amount of youth on their roster, 2020 is likely to be a struggle. They'll send Taijuan Walker to the hill on Saturday as he makes his return to the M's after a stint in the National League with the D'Backs. He should find the going a little tougher back in the Junior Circuit and draws an especially tough matchup here against a loaded Astros lineup. Meanwhile, Lance McCullers Jr. is back on the mound after missing all of last season due to injury. He looked outstanding during Summer Camp and by all accounts is good to go as he makes his long-awaited season debut here in 2020. Going back to Spring Training, he allowed two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings, striking out six and most encouragingly walking only one. If McCullers can keep his command in check he has the potential to be one of the most dominant starters in the American League as far as I'm concerned. Look for him to help guide the Astros to a convincing win here as we'll lay the extra run to get a better price with the home side. Take Houston -1.5 runs (10*). | |||||||
07-25-20 | Blue Jays v. Rays -137 | Top | 1-4 | Win | 100 | 7 h 1 m | Show |
MLB A.L. East Game of the Month. My selection is on Tampa Bay over Toronto at 3:10 pm et on Saturday. There's plenty of excitement around the Blue Jays and that certainly wasn't dampened following an impressive 6-4 victory on opening night in St. Petersburg. I do look for the Rays to get back at the Jays on Saturday afternoon, however, as they send Ryan Yarbrough to the mound against Matt Shoemaker. Yarbrough started last season as a bit of an experiment, with the Rays sending relievers to the hill in 'opening' roles, although he ultimately stretched it out and made more conventional starts as the season went on. Yarbrough performed reasonably well, with an ERA just over four and a WHIP under 1.00. Perhaps most encouraging was the fact that he brought his walks per nine innings total down from 3.1 in 2018 to 1.3 in 2019. Shoemaker is coming off three straight injury-shortened seasons. Last year he managed to make only five starts, pitching very well in those outings, before bowing out. Because of his injury-plagued nature it's a little difficult to get a good read on Shoemaker, made even more difficult so by the strange circumstances around the 2020 campaign. I do feel there's a considerable drop-off from Hyun-Jin Ryu, who pitched last night, to Shoemaker here at the top of the Jays rotation and I look for the Rays to take advantage on Saturday afternoon. Take Tampa Bay (10*). | |||||||
07-24-20 | Angels v. A's -130 | 3-7 | Win | 100 | 86 h 21 m | Show | |
My selection is on Oakland over Los Angeles at 10:10 pm et on Friday. Andrew Heaney gets the nod for the Angels. He's your prototypical middle of the road big league starter. If anything he's regressed since turning in a somewhat impressive rookie campaign back in 2015. He made 18 starts last season and finished with an ERA just a shade under five at 4.91. His strikeouts per nine innings were up, but so were his walks. Here, he faces an A's club that has to like the setup of this truncated MLB season, where anything can and probably will happen. Heaney went up against the A's twice last season, pitching well against them late in the year after an awful performance against them in June. Frankie Montas has quietly settled in over the last two seasons, posting a 3.88 ERA and 1.46 WHIP two years ago before a tremendous 16-start run last year, recording a 2.63 ERA and 1.12 WHIP. His strikeouts per nine innings were up significantly over the year previous while his walks were slightly down. Everything points to Montas continuing his upswing here in a Covid-shortened 2020 campaign. The Angels always get some love from bettors thanks to the presence of Mike Trout in the order but outside of his all-world talent, there's not a lot to get excited about. I like the short price being offered with an optimistic A's club here in the opener. Take Oakland (10*). | |||||||
07-24-20 | Royals v. Indians UNDER 8.5 | Top | 0-2 | Win | 100 | 84 h 31 m | Show |
A.L. Central Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Kansas City and Cleveland at 7:10 pm et on Friday. I really like the way this one sets up as a relatively low-scoring affair on Friday night at Progressive Field. While I'm not particularly high on Royals starter Danny Duffy, there's no question he's a 'serviceable' left-handed big league starter, and capable of keeping the Indians bats at bay here in the 2020 opener. The Indians really didn't do a lot to improve their order during the offseason and as will likely be a theme here early on, I expect the pitchers to be slightly ahead of the hitters in this odd July start to the campaign. Note that Duffy lasted at least six innings in both starts against Cleveland last season. Shane Bieber is the Indians undisputed ace, and would be an ace on most big league staffs to be honest. While he's still relatively early in his career, Bieber remains one of the more underrated starters in the bigs as far as I'm concerned. Bieber incredibly enters this campaign having worked at least into the sixth inning in 20 consecutive starts - a streak I look for him to continue here against the Royals. Kansas City does have some upside at the dish but once again, I'll take the pitchers over the hitters here in late July. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
07-21-20 | AC Milan v. Sassuolo Calcio OVER 3.5 | 2-1 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 40 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between AC Milan and Sassuolo at 3:45 pm et on Tuesday. This is a terrific spot to play the 'over' with Sassuolo coming off an expected letdown in a 1-1 draw with Cagliari after a thrilling 3-3 draw against Juventus in the match previous. AC Milan has been scoring goals in bunches, managing 19 goals in six matches here in July. It hasn't lost a match since the Serie A restart back in June. I recommend playing 'over' 3.5 for a stronger return here. Take the over 3.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-21-20 | Manchester City -1.5 v. Watford | 4-0 | Win | 100 | 6 h 41 m | Show | |
My selection is on Manchester City -1.5 goals over Watford at 1 pm et on Tuesday. This is an incredible bounce-back spot for City coming off a highly disappointing 2-0 loss to Arsenal in FA Cup play on Saturday. Watford should offer little resistance, with its lone two victories since the restart coming against Norwich City and Newcastle earlier this month. I'll lay the extra goal here as City looks to 'get right' in a 'name your score' type of affair. Take Manchester City -1.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-16-20 | Rory McIlroy v. Tiger Woods +140 | 70-71 | Loss | -100 | 27 h 22 m | Show | |
My selection is on Tiger Woods over Rory McIlroy at the PGA Memorial Tournament at 1:15 pm et on Thursday. I want a piece of Tiger Woods as he returns to the PGA Tour this weekend and I absolutely love the return being offered with him in this matchup with Rory McIlroy. McIlroy is a popular pick to win this tournament outright but what else is new? He's obviously a world class player but I'm confident that Tiger will be up to the challenge this weekend at Muirfield, where he's enjoyed plenty of past success. You can be sure Tiger wouldn't be back playing if he wasn't ready and by all accounts he looked terrific, his driving in particular, at the charity event with Phil, Tom and Peyton last month. Plain and simple, he's had this tournament circled for his return and I'm expecting a strong performance. McIlroy wasn't involved in last week's tournament here at Muirfield which helps Tiger get on a more level playing field here. Take Woods (10*). | |||||||
07-16-20 | Shane Lowry v. Corey Conners -137 | 0-1 | Win | 100 | 27 h 20 m | Show | |
My selection is on Corey Conners over Shane Lowry at the PGA Memorial Tournament at 1:05 pm et on Thursday. Corey Conners is coming off a reasonably strong showing at this course last week and I believe he's set up to perform well again even with the course expected to play tougher this weekend. In fact, I would consider Conners as a solid sleeper play for first round leader, and even to win this tournament outright. Shane Lowry has been up and down since the restart but does come off a T39 finish last week. We saw plenty of inconsistency from him again during the four rounds at Muirfield last week and while Conners should rise to the occasion with the course gaining difficulty here, I anticipate some regression from Lowry. Take Conners (10*). | |||||||
07-16-20 | Gary Woodland v. Justin Rose +130 | 1-0 | Loss | -100 | 27 h 57 m | Show | |
My selection is on Justin Rose over Gary Woodland at the PGA Memorial Tournament at 12:40 pm et on Thursday. I like the bounce-back from Justin Rose after a miserable and uncharacteristic showing here at Muirfield last week. Keep in mind, he's a previous winner at this tournament and after missing back-to-back cuts it's easy to forget that he was hot out of the gates after the restart last month, finishing T3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge and T14 at the RBC Heritage. Gary Woodland was a little more 'lucky' than 'good' as far as I'm concerned last week and would expect some regression here. While he is a streaky golfer and could very well turn in another strong showing, I simply feel that he's being mispriced as a favorite in this particular matchup. Take Rose (10*). | |||||||
07-16-20 | Justin Thomas v. Xander Schauffele +130 | 74-78 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Xander Schauffele over Justin Thomas at the PGA Memorial Tournament at 8:15 am et on Thursday. Xander Schauffele sort of faded into the greenery so to speak over the course of last weekend but I expect him to return to the forefront here at the Memorial. After an opening round -3 he shot a +1 on Friday before rallying on the weekend, ultimately finishing T14 here at Muirfield. Justin Thomas was of course front and center during an incredible playoff finish. I'm quite simply expecting a bit of a letdown from him here following that performance last week, which had to be mentally taxing. Thomas is a world class player of course, but so is Schauffele and I'll take the value being offered with the underdog here. Take Schauffele (10*). | |||||||
07-16-20 | Bubba Watson v. Danny Willett -102 | 0-0 | Push | 0 | 22 h 41 m | Show | |
My selection is on Danny Willett over Bubba Watson at the PGA Memorial Tournament at 7:30 am et on Thursday. I'm higher on Danny Willett than most heading into this weekend's event at Muirfield and this is an ideal matchup to support him against an out of sorts Bubba Watson. Watson just isn't doing anything particularly well right now and I'm not sure that Willett will even have to perform all that well to pull off this matchup victory this weekend. That being said, the course sets up well for Willett and while he's been inconsistent over the course of his career, he's in line for a strong showing here. When we last saw Willett he was wrapping up a T4 finish at the Rocket Mortgage Class - in which he got stronger with each passing round. While he did miss the cut at his first three tournaments following the restart, he didn't play all that poorly, with his worst showing being a +3 at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Watson has missed the cut at five of his last eight events. Take Willett (10*). | |||||||
07-15-20 | Chase Elliott v. Ryan Blaney -120 | 1-0 | Loss | -120 | 13 h 9 m | Show | |
My selection is on Ryan Blaney over Chase Elliott at 9 pm et on Wednesday. I love the way this one sets up as Ryan Blaney should go for it here at the NASCAR All-Star event while Chase Elliott's struggles project to continue. Elliott has just one finish better than 11th in his last five races, that coming in Pocono a few weeks back. Ryan Blaney hasn't exactly been tearing it up either, finishing 12th or worse in three of his last four races but is coming off a strong sixth-place showing in Kentucky, in which his Ford Mustang looked extremely good. After crashing less than 200 laps in at Bristol last month, look for Blaney to make amends here. Take Blaney (10*). | |||||||
07-15-20 | San Jose v. Vancouver Whitecaps +0.5 | 4-3 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 36 m | Show | |
My selection is on Vancouver +0.5 goals over San Jose at 9 pm et on Wednesday. Perhaps the line has something to do with the draw San Jose earned against Seattle last Friday (we won with the 'under' in that match) but I feel the Earthquakes are being overvalued here against Vancouver on Wednesday night. There really wasn't anything all that inspiring about what the Earthquakes did against Seattle, managing only 38% of the ball possession while yielding nine corner kicks and 17 crosses (compared to one and three of their own, respectively). Vancouver of course had its first match postponed so you can be sure it has been eager to get back into game action and I'm anticipating a high-energy performance as a result. The Quakes took the most recent meeting between these two squads but that came last August. Expect a different result here. Take Vancouver +0.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-12-20 | Denny Hamlin -115 v. Martin Truex Jr | Top | 0-1 | Loss | -115 | 125 h 25 m | Show |
NASCAR Play of the Week. My selection is on Denny Hamlin over Martin Truex Jr. at 2:35 pm et on Sunday. Leading up to last Sunday's race Denny Hamlin had been as consistent as they come, finishing top-four in four consecutive races. He very well could have taken the checkered flag on Sunday before crashing with eight laps to go. I look for a strong bounce-back performance here, and will gladly back him at a discount price against Martin Truex Jr. Truex has faded of late, finishing better than 10th just once in his last five races. He made it only 16 laps this past Sunday so he'll certainly be looking to make amends for that but I don't like the matchup here. While he does have two victories in his last three races here at Kentucky Speedway, he has finished no better than 10th in four other races here over the last six years. I like Hamlin as a sleeper play to win this race outright as well. Take Hamlin (10*). | |||||||
07-11-20 | New York v. Atlanta United OVER 3 | Top | 1-0 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 3 m | Show |
MLS Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between New York Red Bulls and Atlanta United at 8 pm et on Saturday. The MLS is Back Tournament has gotten off to a bit of a sloppy start but I'm anticipating an exciting, high-scoring affair between two of the league's best teams in New York Red Bulls and Atlanta United on Saturday night in Orlando. Atlanta was off to a perfect 2-0 start to the season prior to the Covid stoppage, scoring four goals in two matches. Meanwhile, New York had gone 1-0-1, also scoring four goals in the process. The last time these two squads met was last July, when they combined to score a whopping six goals in a wild 3-3 draw. We won't need that level of offensive production to cash our ticket on Saturday. Note that I'm personally playing this one over 3 goals to get the favorable plus-money return. Playing over 2 3/4 is also an option if you're looking for a little less risk but for grading purposes, we'll call it 3. Take the over 3 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-10-20 | San Jose v. Seattle Sounders FC UNDER 3 | 0-0 | Win | 100 | 24 h 59 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' 3 goals between San Jose and Seattle at 9 pm et on Friday. Most bettors will be quick to back the Seattle Sounders here but I'm not so easily convinced that this is a slam dunk for the perennial MLS Cup contenders. With that being said, I'm not going to back a San Jose squad that has finished no better than sixth place in the Western Conference in the last seven seasons. I do expect to see the Earthquakes do what they can to keep the Sounders offense at bay here and chances are we're not going to see a peak performance from Seattle in its first appearance back on the pitch in over four months. Remember, prior to the Covid stoppage the Sounders needed an injury time goal to get past Chicago 2-1 and a 79th minute penalty to earn a 1-1 draw against Columbus. San Jose can ill afford to turn in the type of loose performance that saw it settle for a 2-2 draw with Toronto and drop a 5-2 decision against Minnesota to open the campaign back in February/March if it's going to stay within arm's reach of Seattle. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
07-10-20 | Deportivo Alaves v. Real Madrid UNDER 3 | 0-2 | Win | 100 | 19 h 17 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' 3 goals between CD Alaves and Real Madrid at 4 pm et on Friday. Alaves has scored just one goal in seven matches since La Liga play resumed last month. It will obviously be hard pressed to strike against an elite Real Madrid squad that has gone a perfect 7-0 since play resumed. Real Madrid will simply be looking to take full advantage of its game in hand on Barcelona and extend its lead atop the La Liga table by four points with a victory here. It will be comfortable to walk away with a 1-0 or 2-0 victory, noting that it is coming off three consecutive 1-0 wins. Take the under 3 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-10-20 | Maverick McNealy -115 v. Michael Thompson | 76-73 | Loss | -115 | 15 h 39 m | Show | |
My selection is on Maverick McNealy over Michael Thompson in round two of the Workday Charity Open at 12:25 pm et on Friday. Maverick McNealy got off to a terrible start to his opening round on Thursday, +3 after just two holes. He bounced back from that shaky start, however, going -3 the rest of the way to finish with an even-par 72 for the round. Note that his second rounds have been quite strong since the PGA restart, shooting 69, 66 and 68 over his last three tournaments. Michael Thompson also shot an even-par 72 on Thursday. He has finished T46 and T64 in his last two tournaments. I simply feel McNealy has more upside entering Friday's second round. Take McNealy (10*). | |||||||
07-09-20 | New England v. Montreal +0.5 | 1-0 | Loss | -120 | 22 h 5 m | Show | |
My selection is on Montreal +0.5 goals over New England at 8 pm et on Thursday. You'd be hard pressed to find a good reason for New England to be favored to win this match, having already dropped a 2-1 decision to the Impact in Montreal prior to the Covid shutdown in March. While Montreal has found itself near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings in recent seasons, so has New England. Note that the Impact have done an excellent job of keeping their opposition within arm's reach in recent years, settling for a draw in at least 16 of 34 matches in each of the last three seasons. Montreal generally seems to be the overlooked of the three Canadian squads with Toronto and Vancouver grabbing more of the headlines. Here, look for Thierry Henry's Impact to turn in a solid tournament debut against the Revolution. Take Montreal +0.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-09-20 | Cameron Champ +115 v. Harold Varner III | 1-0 | Win | 115 | 24 h 45 m | Show | |
My selection is on Cameron Champ over Harold Varner III at the Workday Charity Open teeing off at 8:40 am et on Thursday. Cameron Champ has done nothing but impress in two tournaments since PGA Tour action resumed last month. He finished T14 at the Charles Schwab Challenge before improving on that performance with a T12 finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week. Meanwhile, Harold Varner turned in an incredible early tournament performance at the Charles Schwab Challenge but hasn't really regained that form since, albeit with relatively positive weekends at the Travelers Championship and Rocket Mortgage Classic. He also missed the cut at the RBC Heritage three weeks ago. Give me Champ at an underdog price here. Take Champ (10*). | |||||||
07-09-20 | Joel Dahmen -125 v. Louis Oosthuizen | 0-1 | Loss | -125 | 24 h 37 m | Show | |
My selection is on Joel Dahmen over Louis Oosthuizen at the Workday Charity Open teeing off at 8:25 am et on Thursday. Louis Oosthuizen has competed in three tournaments since the PGA Tour resumed play last month, missing the cut in one and finishing no better than T46 in the other two. I like Dahmen as a sleeper play to win this tournament outright so I'll gladly lay the minimal tariff to back him in this particular matchup. Note that he has two top-20 performances under his belt in three tournaments since returning. Take Dahmen (10*). | |||||||
07-09-20 | Rory Sabbatini -108 v. Ian Poulter | 0-1 | Loss | -108 | 23 h 24 m | Show | |
My selection is on Rory Sabbatini over Ian Poulter at the Workday Charity Open teeing off at 8:15 am et on Thursday. Rory Sabbatini was positively awful at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week, missing the cut after carding a +4 opening two rounds. Expect a solid bounce-back performance here noting that he finished T14 at the Charles Schwab Challenge and T21 at the RBC Heritage prior to laying an egg last week. Ian Poulter has actually performed reasonably well since golf resumed last month but I look for him to suffer a bit of a lapse here in Ohio. Take Sabbatini (10*). | |||||||
07-09-20 | Xander Schauffele v. Viktor Hovland +110 | 0-1 | Win | 110 | 23 h 49 m | Show | |
My selection is on Viktor Hovland over Xander Schauffele at the Workday Charity Open teeing off Thursday at 7:30 am et. Love the way this matchup sets up for Viktor Hovland who has been outstanding outside of his putting (which has been admittedly terrible) since the PGA Tour resumed play in June. Xander will obviously attract plenty of action in this tournament but after sitting out the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week, I'm not all that high on him this weekend. Like the value being offered with Hovland as an undeserving underdog here. Take Hovland (10*). | |||||||
07-09-20 | Patrick Reed -111 v. Matt Kuchar | 0-0 | Push | 0 | 23 h 36 m | Show | |
My selection is on Patrick Reed over Matt Kuchar at the Workday Charity Open teeing off at 7:20 am et on Thursday. Patrick Reed is in my pool of bets to win this tournament outright so I have no problem backing him as a short favorite matched up with Matt Kuchar this weekend. After missing the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week you can be sure that Reed will be eager to make amends for that poor performance here. He's been wildly inconsistent since the PGA Tour resumed play last month but still has two top-25 finishes to his credit in four tournaments. Look for him to end up near the top of the leaderboard at the end of the weekend. Take Reed (10*). | |||||||
07-08-20 | Sampdoria v. Atalanta OVER 3.5 | 0-2 | Loss | -100 | 18 h 12 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' 3.5 goals between Sampdoria and Atalanta at 3:45 pm et on Wednesday. This has all the makings of a high-scoring Serie A affair on Wednesday. Sampdoria sits 14th in Serie A but has gained some confidence with back-to-back victories and hasn't been held scoreless in a match since back in late January. Atalanta has impressed all season long but checks in off back-to-back low-scoring affairs. In fact, it hasn't given up a single goal in its last two matches. I expect a much different story to unfold on Wednesday. Take the over 3.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-08-20 | Burnley +0.5 v. West Ham United | 1-0 | Win | 100 | 15 h 4 m | Show | |
My selection is on Burnley +0.5 goals over West Ham United at 1 pm et on Wednesday. I like the value being offered with Burnley here. Most bettors' have short memories and the fact is, West Ham has a bit of a 'flavor of the month' feel after upsetting Chelsea last week and following that up with a 2-2 draw with Newcastle. Note that West Ham still sits just 16th in EPL action this season with only eight victories in 33 matches. Burnley has gone undefeated over its last three matches and could really use a positive result here with matches against Liverpool and Wolverhampton on deck. Note that Burnley took the most recent meeting between these two squads by a 3-0 score last November. Take Burnley +0.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-07-20 | Atletico Madrid +108 v. Celta de Vigo | Top | 1-1 | Loss | -100 | 26 h 16 m | Show |
La Liga Game of the Month. My selection is on Atletico Madrid over Celta Vigo at 4 pm et on Tuesday. The last time these two squads met was back in September, when they played to a 0-0 draw. Keep in mind, Atletico Madrid was just three days removed from a thrilling 2-2 Champions League draw against Juventus. It was no surprise that it's effort was rather uninspiring in that draw with Celta Vigo. Here, I expect a much sharper performance. Note that Atletico Madrid has gone 5-0-2 since the restart in June, with its two draws coming against an upstart Athletic squad and mighty Barcelona. Celta Vigo has been up and down over the last month, but has gone just 0-1-2 over its last three contests, including a 5-1 loss to Mallorca last week. Home field obviously means little here, even if it has been priced in to a minimal extent. Take Atletico Madrid (10*). | |||||||
07-05-20 | Joey Logano -130 v. Chase Elliott | Top | 1-0 | Win | 100 | 115 h 46 m | Show |
NASCAR Play of the Week. My selection is on Joey Logano over Chase Elliott at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. It's time for Joey Logano to get back on track in the NASCAR Cup Series season and what better place to do it than Indianapolis, where he has had plenty of strong finishes in the past. Logano has finished eighth or better in six of his last seven races here, most recently finishing in second place last September. If you follow my plays regularly you know that I generally lean to Ford and Toyota over Chevrolet and that's the case again here. Chase Elliott has cooled off since a red hot run and has never finished better than ninth place at this track. In fact, he's finished 15th or worse in four of five career races in Indy. Take Logano (10*). | |||||||
07-02-20 | Napoli v. Atalanta OVER 3 | Top | 0-2 | Loss | -115 | 15 h 41 m | Show |
Serie A Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘over’ 3 goals between Napoli and Atalanta at 1:30 pm et on Thursday. Atalanta has seen at least five total goals scored in six consecutive matches and I look for that streak to continue against Napoli on Thursday. Grab the over 3 while you can but I would also play this one at 3.5. Note that Napoli is fresh off a 3-1 victory and hasn’t suffered a loss since the second week of February. The most recent meeting between Atalanta and Napoli finished in a 2-2 draw last October and current form indicates we'll see a similar result here. Both squads are capable of scoring in bunches and I certainly look for that here. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
07-02-20 | RCD Espanyol +0.5 v. Real Sociedad | 1-2 | Loss | -111 | 6 h 47 m | Show | |
My selection is on Espanyol +0.5 goals over Real Sociedad at 1:30 pm et on Thursday. With both of these squads scuffling along right now I'll grab the half-goal with Espanyol in what should be a tightly-contested affair. Espanyol has gone winless since resuming play with a 2-0 win over CD Alaves back on June 13th. Since then it has gone 0-3-1 but has admittedly faced a tough recent slate, including a narrow 1-0 loss to first place Real Madrid. Real Sociedad has lost four straight matches and managed only one shot on goal in its most recent contest - a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Getafe. Take Espanyol +0.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-01-20 | Villarreal v. Betis | 2-0 | Win | 100 | 19 h 58 m | Show | |
My selection is on Villarreal pk'em over Real Betis at 4 pm et on Wednesday. While the likes of Barca, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid get all the headlines, squads like Villarreal have thrived since the restart of play earlier this month. Villarreal has gone an incredible 4-0-1 since then, conceding just two goals in total - both of those coming against Sevilla last week. It was positively dominant in its most recent match, rolling to an easy 2-0 victory over Valencia. Real Betis has been hot and cold since the restart and is coming off a 4-2 loss to Levante. A victory over Real Madrid back in March has been Betis' season highlight as it checks in 13th in La Liga action. Take Villarreal pk'em (10*). | |||||||
07-01-20 | Ath Bilbao +0.25 v. Valencia | 2-0 | Win | 100 | 16 h 23 m | Show | |
My selection is on Athletic +0 1/4 goals over Valencia at 1:30 pm et on Wednesday. Valencia embarrassed itself in its most recent match, appearing completely lifeless in a 2-0 loss to Villarreal. Note that Valencia has failed to record a single shot on goal in its last two full matches. Since the restart, Valencia has gone 1-3-1 with its lone two positive results coming against opponents that sit in the bottom half of the La Liga table. Athletic has looked rather impressive since the restart, going 2-1-2 with its lone defeat coming by a 1-0 score against Barcelona last week. Note that it has managed to find the back of the net in four of five matches this month, tallying a grand total of seven goals. Take Athletic +0 1/4 goals (10*). | |||||||
07-01-20 | Norwich City v. Arsenal UNDER 3 | 0-4 | Loss | -118 | 16 h 41 m | Show | |
My selection is on 'under' 3 goals between Norwich City and Arsenal at 1 pm et on Wednesday. I'm expecting a low-scoring contest between these two squads on Wednesday, in spite of their 2-2 result earlier this season. Arsenal comes in off back-to-back wins, scoring two goals in each contest. It hadn't put together back-to-back two-goal performances since January and its next match after that finished 0-0. Norwich City sits 20th in the EPL but is coming off a hard-fought 2-1 extra time loss against Manchester United in FA Cup action. While it did manage to find the back of the net in that match it hadn't scored a single goal in its previous three contests. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
06-30-20 | Atletico Madrid v. Barcelona FC -109 | 2-2 | Loss | -109 | 18 h 15 m | Show | |
My selection is on Barcelona over Atletico Madrid at 4 pm et on Tuesday. I like the way this one sets up for Barca on Tuesday. It's been a bit of a tough stretch for Barcelona over its last three contests as it has gone 1-1-1 including a surprisingly 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo last time out. Things get an awful lot tougher here against Atletico Madrid, as it hasn't lost a match since way back on February 1st against Real Madrid. I do believe Barca will be up for the challenge, however. Note that its most recent draw came in an obvious look-ahead and it came as it let down its guard late in the match. That should help ratchet up its focus ahead of this one on Tuesday. Note that Barca took the most recent meeting between these two squads by a 1-0 score back in December. Take Barcelona (10*). | |||||||
06-30-20 | Manchester United v. Brighton & Hove Albion UNDER 2.5 | 3-0 | Loss | -120 | 17 h 24 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' 2.5 goals between Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at 3:15 pm et on Tuesday. We're getting a favorable total to work with here, largely due to the expectation that Manchester United will be able to name its score, so to speak. Man U is rolling off back-to-back victories, scoring five goals in the process. I do expect Brighton & Hove to put up a fight on Tuesday, however, and ultimately help keep the final score in check and 'under' the posted total. Brighton checks in 15th in the EPL this season but has impressed since play has resumed, going 1-0-1 with a win over Arsenal and a draw with Leicester last time out. Despite losing the ball possession battle by a wide margin, it allowed just two shots on goal in the draw. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
06-30-20 | Sevilla +102 v. Leganes | 3-0 | Win | 102 | 17 h 23 m | Show | |
My selection is on Sevilla over Leganes at 3 pm et on Tuesday. We missed the mark with Sevilla in its last match as it could only manage a 1-1 draw against Valladolid. It wasn't for lack of trying, as Sevilla controlled ball possession by a 3-1 ratio and racked up 15 shots, although only three of them were on target. Sevilla has actually gone undefeated since the La Liga restart, but has settled for draws in each of its last four contests. Leganes checks in 19th in La Liga and hasn't recorded a victory since the restart, going 0-3-2. After dropping a decision in injury time against Osasuna this past Saturday, I look for another setback here. Take Sevilla (10*). | |||||||
06-27-20 | Kyle Busch -135 v. Chase Elliott | Top | 1-0 | Win | 100 | 8 h 36 m | Show |
NASCAR Play of the Week. My selection is on Kyle Busch over Chase Elliott at 3:35 pm et on Saturday. I love the way this race sets up as a bounce back for Kyle Busch and there’s no question he knows his way around the Pocono track having grabbed three checkered flags in six races here over the last three years. He finished no worse than ninth in any of those races and should have another strong showing here. I like him matched up against Chase Elliott, who has faded a bit following a red hot run. Take Busch (10*). | |||||||
06-26-20 | Real Valladolid v. Sevilla -1 | 1-1 | Loss | -131 | 8 h 27 m | Show | |
My selection is on Sevilla -1 goal over Real Valladolid at 4 pm et on Friday. I'll lay the goal with Sevilla in this Friday La Liga match. Sevilla has gone winless in its last three matches since returning to the pitch with a 2-0 win over Real Betis back on June 11th. Keep in mind, it has faced a tough schedule, with its last three matches coming against Levante, Barcelona and Villarreal. There was really no shame in earning three consecutive draws over that stretch. Here, I look for Sevilla to get loose against a Valladolid squad that sits 15th in the La Liga standings. Like Sevilla it has gone winless in its last three matches but it's worth noting that it managed just one goal over that stretch - that coming in a 1-1 draw against Getafe last time out. Take Sevilla -1 goal (10*). | |||||||
06-26-20 | West Bromwich Albion v. Brentford OVER 2.5 | 0-1 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 22 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' 2.5 goals between West Brom and Brentford at 2:45 pm et on Friday. I'll back the 'over' in this match between the two highest scoring squads in the English Championship. Brentford wasted no time getting back to business last week as it rolled to a 2-0 victory over Fulham. Going back over its last three matches, Brentford has tallied an impressive nine goals. Things will be a little tougher against first place West Brom but it's worth noting that Brentford did have the edge in terms of ball possession and shots while also scoring once in the last meeting between the two squads. Brentford checks in as the highest scoring team in the English Championship this season. West Brom sits just two goals behind and is in good bounce-back position off a nil-nil draw against Birmingham City last Saturday. Look for a strong response from the first place Albion on Friday. Take the over 2.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
06-25-20 | Manchester City v. Chelsea UNDER 3 | 1-2 | Push | 0 | 8 h 31 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' 3 goals between Manchester City and Chelsea at 3:15 pm et on Thursday. While most are expecting plenty of offensive fireworks in this marquee EPL showdown, I'm going to go the other way and support the 'under' on Thursday afternoon. Chelsea conceded a first half goal but surged ahead in the second half in a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa last time out. It will need to tighten things up further if its going to hold Manchester City in check on Thursday. Man City has come roaring back out of the gates since the restart earlier this month, recording 3-0 and 5-0 wins over Arsenal and Burnley, respectively. It will be stepping up in class here, in comparison with those two previous matches anyway, and I certainly don't expect to see it roll in that fashion. I do feel we'll get a winner in this match, but I believe that side tops out at two goals (at most). Shop around to find a '3' (or look for the Asian totals option). Take the under 3 goals (10*). | |||||||
06-25-20 | Arsenal v. Southampton | 2-0 | Win | 105 | 5 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Arsenal (pk'em/draw no bet) over Southampton at 1 pm et on Thursday. Bettors are understandably a little jittery when it comes to Arsenal, which has been a big disappointment in the EPL this season, currently sitting in 11th place. The Gunners haven't looked good since the restart, going 0-1-1 including an awful loss to Brighton & Hove Albion last time out. It is worth noting that the Gunners did control the pace of that match for the most part, but simply couldn't capitalize on their opportunities. Here, I look for a different story to unfold against Southampton. It sits 14th in the EPL standings and is in for a letdown coming off a 3-0 victory over Norwich City. That marked just its second victory in its last eight matches overall. Take Arsenal (pk'em/draw no bet) 10*. | |||||||
06-24-20 | AFC Bournemouth +1 v. Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0-1 | Push | 0 | 5 h 22 m | Show | |
My selection is on Bournemouth +1 goal over Wolverhampton at 1 pm et on Wednesday. Bournemouth sits a miserable 18th in the EPL and is coming off a less-than-inspired 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace in its return to the pitch this past Saturday. Still, I'll grab the one-goal cushion with the underdog side here as it takes on a Wolves squad in for a letdown off a 2-0 victory over West Ham. Note that the Wanderers have just 11 outright victories in 30 EPL matches this season. Covering the goal spread is a bridge too far on this day. Take Bournemouth +1 goal (10*). | |||||||
06-24-20 | Everton v. Norwich City +0.5 | 1-0 | Loss | -100 | 5 h 18 m | Show | |
My selection is on Norwich City +0.5 goals over Everton at 1 pm et on Wednesday. I like the bounce-back spot for Norwich City here as it aims to rebound from an awful showing in a 3-0 loss to Southampton this past Friday. Meanwhile, Everton is in a letdown spot of sorts coming off a hard-fought 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Sunday. Norwich City certainly doesn't inspire a great deal of confidence given its 20th place standing but it has shown the ability to rise to the occasion at times this season and it's worth noting that it has suffered only six outright losses in 30 EPL matches. I'm not as high on Everton as most here on Wednesday. Take Norwich City +0.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
06-24-20 | Sheffield United v. Manchester United OVER 2.5 | 0-3 | Win | 103 | 5 h 14 m | Show | |
My selection is on the over 2.5 goals between Sheffield United and Manchester United at 1 pm et on Wednesday. I like the value being offered with the 'over' in this match on Wednesday. Man U is coming off a 1-1 draw against Tottenham last Friday as the Red Devils got bogged down and were ultimately fortunate to come away with a draw (even if the result could have been better were it not for a reversed penalty call late). Here, I look for Man U to get loose against Sheffield United, which is fresh off a disappointing 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Newcastle. I'm not willing to lay the big price here, so will instead look to the total as I look for both sides to find the scoresheet and ultimately push this one 'over' the reasonable number. Take the over 2.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
06-23-20 | Atletico Madrid v. Levante +1 | 1-0 | Push | 0 | 5 h 29 m | Show | |
My selection is on Levante +1 goal over Atletico Madrid at 1:30 pm et on Tuesday. Atletico Madrid narrowly escaped with a 1-0 victory on Saturday against Valladolid, improving to 2-0-1 since the La Liga restart earlier this month. That less than inspiring performance has me wondering whether they'll avoid disappointment against upstart Levante on Tuesday, however. Levante sits 11th in La Liga but has gone undefeated in three matches since the restart. Keep in mind, this is a squad that defeated Real Madrid and suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at the hands of Barcelona back in February. I like it's chances of staying with in arm's reach of Atletico Madrid on Tuesday afternoon and will gladly grab the insurance goal. Take Levante +1 goal (10*). | |||||||
06-14-20 | Kevin Harvick -140 v. Chase Elliott | Top | 0-1 | Loss | -140 | 21 h 7 m | Show |
NASCAR Play of the Week. My selection is on Kevin Harvick over Chase Elliott at 3:35 pm et on Sunday. Kevin Harvick has had plenty of success here at Homestead, having finished top-four or better in six consecutive races here going back to 2014. Meanwhile, Chase Elliott has just four races under his belt at this track, never finishing better than fifth and 15th in last year's race here in Miami. Harvick has nine top-10 finishes in 11 races so far this season but will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 15th place finish in Martinsville earlier this week. I like his chances and will back him at a very reasonable price against the fan favorite Elliott here on Sunday afternoon. Take Harvick (10*). |
Service | Profit |
---|---|
Ricky Tran | $756 |
ProSportsPicks | $632 |
Joseph D'Amico | $510 |
Joey Tron | $450 |
Tom Macrina | $399 |
Nick Parsons | $344 |
Sean Murphy | $306 |
Jack Jones | $303 |
William Burns | $233 |
Dan Kaiser | $220 |