Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
01-13-19 | Eagles v. Saints OVER 51 | 14-20 | Loss | -110 | 44 h 43 m | Show | |
My selection is on the ‘over’ between Philadelphia and New Orleans at 4:40 pm et on Sunday. We missed the mark with the ‘over’ in the Eagles win over the Bears last Sunday and also missed with the ‘over’ the last time Philadelphia played here in New Orleans back on November 18th. With that being said, I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as this one sets up as a shootout at the Superdome. The Eagles should come in believing they can score in this game after going up against one of the best defenses in football last week in Chicago. This is actually a more favorable matchup for the Philadelphia offense as it hits the fast track in New Orleans. I liked some of the changes we saw the Eagles make offensively against the Bears, bringing WR Golden Tate back into the picture, and I do feel Tate can have an even bigger game against a vulnerable Saints pass defense in the slot. It’s also worth noting that WR Alshon Jeffery matches up particularly well with whoever he lines up against on this Saints defense. On the flip side, we’ve got the Saints at home – we know they’re going to put points on the board. I give the Eagles undermanned defense a lot of credit as they have done an excellent job instilling a ‘next man up’ philosophy following a number of key injuries in their secondary. However, there’s a big difference between facing the Bears and young QB Mitch Trubisky and going up against one of the best quarterbacks of all-time in Drew Brees and a loaded Saints offense. I don’t believe the books have set this number high enough. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
01-13-19 | Chargers v. Patriots UNDER 48 | Top | 28-41 | Loss | -110 | 40 h 9 m | Show |
NFL Divisional Round Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘under’ between Los Angeles and New England at 1:05 pm et on Sunday. We’re dealing with a fairly high total in this game but I’m anticipating a bit of a slugfest. The Chargers offense is somewhat limited with RB Melvin Gordon dealing with a myriad of injuries. Give him credit for sticking it out and turning in a solid performance against the Ravens last week but it’s really difficult to gauge just how much he has left in the tank for this one. I have felt all season that the Patriots possess an underrated defense that is capable of rising to the occasion when it needs to. This is certainly one of those spots where the Pats are going to need a peak performance from their defense as I’m really not sure how much success Tom Brady and company will have on offense against a talented and creative Chargers defense. Los Angeles defensive coordinator Gus Bradley pushed all the right buttons in last week’s dominant performance against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens run-first offense. The Chargers will face a much different challenge here but I do expect them to show up and play well again. Note that the Patriots scored 27 points or less in six of their final nine regular season games and they eclipsed that number against the likes of the Packers, Dolphins and Jets so it’s tough to envision them getting back to that level here. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
01-12-19 | Cowboys +7.5 v. Rams | 22-30 | Loss | -118 | 23 h 20 m | Show | |
My selection is on Dallas plus the points over Los Angeles at 8:15 pm et on Saturday. I’ve been a bit slower than most to come around on the Cowboys and did cash a ticket with the Seahawks (barely) in Dallas last Saturday night. With that being said, I see this as a fine matchup for Dallas and actually believe it is capable of pulling off the outright upset. The Rams look like the classic case of a team peaking too early. They closed out the regular season with just two wins in their last four games, and those victories came against the Cardinals and 49ers. As far as I’m concerned, this is a team that peaked in that classic Monday night shootout victory over the Chiefs back in mid-November. Playing last week might have actually been best for the Rams as it would have given them an opportunity to keep building. Instead they go from a standing start against a surging Cowboys squad that believes it can beat anyone right now. Dallas’ offense runs through RB Ezekiel Elliott and I’m confident he’s in for a big game against this beatable Rams defense. I really like what the Cowboys have going for them with Elliott consistently moving the chains and a tremendous defense that doesn’t give up many easy yards. The Rams have had time to add plenty of wrinkles to their offense and we’ll undoubtedly see that on Saturday night but I’m confident in Dallas’ ability to take some punches but remain on its feet. Take Dallas (10*). | |||||||
01-12-19 | Colts v. Chiefs -5 | 13-31 | Win | 100 | 20 h 41 m | Show | |
My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Indianapolis at 4:35 pm et on Saturday. We won with the Colts in last week’s blowout win in Houston but I won’t hesitate to go the other way and back the Chiefs as they kick off what they hope will be a Super Bowl run on Saturday afternoon. First of all, we know that Kansas City owns one of the strongest home field advantages in football playing at Arrowhead Stadium. For the Colts this will be their third consecutive road game in as many weeks while the Chiefs enjoyed a much-needed off week to open the playoffs. I’ve been high on Indianapolis for much of the season but there’s no question it benefited from a favorable schedule and here takes a big step up in class against a hungry, talented and highly-motivated Chiefs squad. Note that the Chiefs have been a far better defensive team at home, where they hold the opposition to around 18 points per game compared to north of 30 ppg on the road. The Colts offense is good but not great. That unit has certainly been buoyed by the schedule they’ve faced. The same goes for the Colts defense, which runs into a true juggernaut here. I’m confident we’ll see the Chiefs march up and down the field all afternoon long on Saturday. There were concerns after the Kareem Hunt suspension and subsequent release but as we’ve seen across the league in recent years, running back has become somewhat of a ‘plug-and-play’ position and I like what I’ve seen from a rejuvenated Damien Williams in the backfield. Maybe the Colts keep up in a track meet but I’m more confident in the Chiefs getting enough stops on defense as the game progresses to secure a comfortable victory. Take Kansas City (10*). | |||||||
01-11-19 | Penguins v. Ducks +125 | 7-4 | Loss | -100 | 25 h 58 m | Show | |
My selection is on Anaheim over Pittsburgh at 10:05 pm et on Friday. The Ducks losing skid has gone on long enough, currently standing at nine games. It's worth noting that Anaheim's last win actually came against these same Penguins, in Pittsburgh no less, back on December 17th. The Ducks have now taken three consecutive meetings in this series, outscoring the Pens by a 13-5 margin. Anaheim desperately needs a victory here before heading out on a tough five-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Pens are 'fat and happy' following a 5-1 home win over the Panthers. Take Anaheim (10*). | |||||||
01-11-19 | Red Wings +1.5 v. Jets | 2-4 | Loss | -126 | 23 h 3 m | Show | |
My selection is on Detroit +1.5 goals over Winnipeg at 8:05 pm et on Friday. The Red Wings are coming off a disappointing homestand that saw them win just once in five games. In fact, they've won just once in their last nine games overall. I do like the way the spot sets up for them on Friday night, however, as they head to Winnipeg to face a Jets squad playing the second of back-to-backs, noting that Winnipeg hasn't defeated Detroit by more than a single goal since November of 2016. In four meetings since, the Red Wings actually hold a 13-10 edge in terms of scoring. Take Detroit +1.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
01-11-19 | Iona v. Niagara -1 | 90-95 | Win | 100 | 21 h 18 m | Show | |
My selection is on Niagara minus the points over Iona at 7 pm et on Friday. We cashed a ticket with ease fading Niagara in its last game, a double-digit loss on the road against Fairfield. That dropped the Purple Eagles to 0-2 in MAAC play this season but I expect them to get into the win column on Friday night as they host Iona. Both of these teams have a strong home-road dichotomy with Iona having yet to win on the road this season, going winless in five tries. The Gaels check in allowing over 91 points per game on 48.6% shooting on the road this season, opening the door for the Purple Eagles to get their offense in gear back at home where they've been a little uneven this season. Take Niagara (10*). | |||||||
01-10-19 | Sharks v. Golden Knights -122 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -122 | 25 h 4 m | Show |
NHL Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Vegas over San Jose at 10:05 pm et on Thursday. Two red hot teams will go head-to-head in Las Vegas on Thursday night but I like the Golden Knights to get the better of the Sharks here. Vegas has quietly gone on a run, reeling off seven straight victories, not allowing more than two goals in any of those victories. The Knights stellar home ice advantage is back as they've gone 15-3-3 here on the strip. The Sharks have won four games in a row but the last three of those came at home. They're just 10-9-3 on the road this season. Vegas has had San Jose's number since last year, taking seven of the last 10 meetings with two of the Sharks wins coming by way of overtime. Take Vegas (10*). | |||||||
01-09-19 | Arizona State v. California +10 | 80-66 | Loss | -108 | 24 h 36 m | Show | |
My selection is on California plus the points over Arizona State at 9 pm et on Wednesday. Arizona State is coming off a blowout home win over Colorado last time out, earning its first victory in Pac-12 play. I expect a bit of a letdown here as a matchup with Cal won't yield a great deal of motivation, noting that the Golden Bears are 0-2 in conference play so far and the Sun Devils swept the season series last year. Cal checks in 5-2 on its home floor where it averages over 76 points per game on 46.6% shooting. Arizona State averages 70.5 ppg on just north of 36% shooting on the road. Take California (10*). | |||||||
01-09-19 | Predators v. Blackhawks +1.5 | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 23 h 58 m | Show | |
My selection is on Chicago +1.5 goals over Nashville at 8:05 pm et on Wednesday. I'll grab the insurance goal with the Blackhawks as they aim to upend the surging Predators on Wednesday night. Note that Nashville hasn't defeated Chicago by more than a single goal at the United Center since April of 2017, when it completed a stunning sweep of the then-number one seeded Blackhawks in the playoffs. Earlier this season Chicago did get the better of the Preds here on home ice winning by a 2-1 score. Also note that the 'Hawks have lost just one game by more than a single goal in their last six contests. Nashville is in a bit of a letdown spot coming off back-to-back blowout wins over the Canadiens and Maple Leafs. Take Chicago +1.5 goals (10*). | |||||||
01-09-19 | Pacers +6.5 v. Celtics | 108-135 | Loss | -105 | 21 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Indiana plus the points over Boston at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. With a blowout loss in Toronto suffered on Sunday night still fresh in their minds, I don't expect the Pacers to suffer any sort of letdown following last night's bounce-back win in Cleveland. Indiana has had some success here at TD Garden, coming away with straight-up victories in its last two stops. Also note that the Pacers took the lone previous meeting in this series this season by a single point in Indiana back in November. The Pacers check in having won seven of their last eight games overall. The Celtics are suddenly rolling, having won three straight games on their current homestand. Keep in mind, those wins came against the T'Wolves, Mavs and Nets. Note that the straight-up winner has gone a perfect 28-0 ATS in the Celtics last 28 games. If you're playing the Pacers, you might want to throw a little bit at the moneyline as well. Take Indiana (10*). | |||||||
01-08-19 | Avalanche +145 v. Jets | 4-7 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 36 m | Show | |
My selection is on Colorado over Winnipeg at 8:05 pm et on Tuesday. The Jets own a tremendous home ice advantage and that has certainly held true in this series but it's not as if Winnipeg is playing its best hockey right now, having won just twice in its last five games. The Avalanche will be highly-motivated to steal a win on Tuesday, after finally bringing an end to their six-game losing streak last time out - in resounding fashion no less, defeating the Rangers by a 6-1 score. Note that during the Avs six-game skid they suffered just one loss by more than a single goal, that coming in a 6-4 setback in Arizona. In other words, the majority of those games really could have gone either way. Colorado has held its own on the road this season and will see this as an excellent 'measuring stick' game against a true Stanley Cup contender. Take Colorado (10*). | |||||||
01-08-19 | Manhattan v. Marist UNDER 123 | 63-78 | Loss | -122 | 20 h 19 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Manhattan and Marist at 7 pm et on Tuesday. Both of these teams are coming off relatively high-scoring games and 'over' results. With that being said, both the Jaspers and Red Foxes have struggled to get out of the 50's on most nights this season and I'm expecting a return to 'normal' when they match up on Tuesday night. Manhattan is averaging just north of 52 points per game on 38% shooting on the road this season and runs into a Marist squad that will be highly-motivated after dropping its MAAC opener. The Jaspers have been vulnerable at the defensive end of the floor but I'm not sure Marist is prepared to take advantage. Note that the Red Foxes shoot below 43% as a team and right around 35% from three-point range at home this season and that's considering a small sample size of three games that includes an 82-point outburst against Columbia way back on November 10th. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
01-07-19 | Alabama v. Clemson +5.5 | Top | 16-44 | Win | 100 | 23 h 52 m | Show |
NCAAF Game of the Month. My selection is on Clemson plus the points over Alabama at 8 pm et on Monday. This is the fourth straight year that the Tigers and Crimson Tide will meet in the College Football Playoff and after getting blown out in the semi-final last year, I fully expect Dabo Swinney's Tigers to respond with a strong performance here. I'll grab the points in what should be a far more competitive affair than we saw a year ago. Alabama has actually just covered one spread over its last four games, that coming in a 52-21 rout of Auburn back on November 24th. Meanwhile, Clemson rolls into this contest after blowing out Pitt in the ACC Championship Game and Notre Dame in the CFP semi-final. There's really not a lot more to say about this matchup than has already been said. I simply feel that taking the points is the right move in a game where there's little to separate two elite squads. Take Clemson (10*). | |||||||
01-07-19 | Spurs v. Pistons +3.5 | 119-107 | Loss | -109 | 22 h 34 m | Show | |
My selection is on Detroit plus the points over San Antonio at 7:05 pm et on Monday. I'll grab the points with the Pistons as they catch the Spurs in a big-time letdown spot coming off a perfect homestand. San Antonio was certainly up for a three-game homestand featuring showdowns with the Celtics, Raptors (and Kawhi Leonard) and the Grizzlies. Now the Spurs will need to get back up for a trip out east to face the lowly Pistons. That's a tall task in my opinion. Detroit has struggled lately but still owns a winning record at home and will be high on motivation following a narrow five-point loss on this floor against Utah. The last time these two teams met at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons rolled to a 93-79 win last December. Take Detroit (10*). | |||||||
01-07-19 | Niagara v. Fairfield -4 | 59-77 | Win | 100 | 22 h 34 m | Show | |
My selection is on Fairfield minus the points over Niagara at 7 pm et on Monday. Fairfield is in desperate need of a victory here at home as it has opened the MAAC slate with consecutive losses. Both of those games could have gone either way at home against Rider and on the road against Iona. Fairfield is also off to a winless start in conference play, falling by 10 points at Manhattan. Note that the straight-up winner has gone 10-1 ATS in all Niagara games where the spread has been in single-digits this season, as is the case here. In the same situation, the SU winner has gone 7-2-1 ATS in all Fairfield games. Niagara hasn't won a game on this floor since February of 2015 and I don't see that trend changing here. Take Fairfield (10*). | |||||||
01-06-19 | Eagles v. Bears OVER 41.5 | 16-15 | Loss | -105 | 43 h 50 m | Show | |
My selection is on the ‘over’ between Philadelphia and Chicago at 4:40 pm et on Sunday. I would imagine the books will see plenty of support for the ‘under’ leading up to this matchup but I feel the total will prove too low. The common line of thinking is that a late afternoon January game at Soldier Field will be a defensive slugfest but the matchups indicate otherwise. The Eagles are injury-ravaged in their secondary and really up against it facing a versatile Bears offense that can beat you in a lot of different ways. Chicago is guided by one of the best offensive minds in football in head coach Matt Nagy and I’m confident he’ll have an excellent gameplan laid out for beating this undermanned Philadelphia defense. What the Eagles do have going for them is a gutsy QB in Nick Foles who despite playing hurt, should find a way to put some points on the board in this game with a number of weapons at his disposal. The Bears certainly possess an elite defense but they’re facing an Eagles offense that still has most of the key pieces from last year’s Super Bowl run and I don’t think we’ll see Philadelphia go away quietly. We don’t need a shootout to cash this ticket and that certainly plays into our favor. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
01-06-19 | Chargers v. Ravens -2.5 | Top | 23-17 | Loss | -115 | 39 h 18 m | Show |
NFL Wild Card Game of the Year. My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Los Angeles at 1:05 pm et on Sunday. I’ll lay the points with the Ravens in this matchup as they catch the Chargers in a favorable matchup, playing an early afternoon game on the east coast on Sunday. The Ravens have already proven they can beat the Chargers, and they did so on the road no less, back before Christmas. Baltimore simply isn’t the same team it was earlier in the season. Since installing QB Lamar Jackson as the starting quarterback, the Ravens have gone run-heavy, in fact they’ve been the most run-heavy team in the league, playing keep-away against every opponent they’ve faced. I expect nothing different here, and I like the fact that they’re facing a Chargers squad that seemingly peaked too early this season, perhaps doing so on that Thursday night win in Kansas City in early December. I have a lot of confidence in the Ravens ability on both sides of the football, with their defense putting together an incredible body of work over the course of the entire season. Their ability to step up and finish off a surging Browns offense on the final season-saving drive last Sunday afternoon was tremendous. Look for them to build off of that performance here. Maybe I would have more confidence in Los Angeles were it not for all of the injuries do-it-all RB Melvin Gordon has dealt with. This is quite simply a beaten up Chargers offense right now, and one I can’t see walking into Baltimore and stealing a win on Sunday. Take Baltimore (10*). | |||||||
01-05-19 | Seahawks +2.5 v. Cowboys | 22-24 | Win | 100 | 23 h 42 m | Show | |
My selection is on Seattle plus the points over Dallas at 8:15 pm et on Saturday. I’ll grab the points with the Seahawks as they have an excellent shot at ‘upsetting’ the Cowboys in Dallas. The Cowboys inexplicably showed up and played their starters most of the way on the road against the Giants last week (save for RB Ezekiel Elliott) and ultimately pulled out a victory on a miraculous Cole Beasley touchdown pass in the game’s final minute. Now they face a much tougher challenge and do so with a lot of pressure on them to win. Seattle is essentially playing with house money at this point. The Seahawks have exceeded all expectations after cleaning house and getting off to a sluggish start to the season. I love the evolution we’ve seen from the Seahawks offense over the course of the season with RB Chris Carson taking on a feature role. That should serve them well as they go against a Cowboys run defense that is good but not great, and showed signs of wearing down during the stretch run. Unlike the other west coast team on Wild Card Weekend (Chargers), the Seahawks benefit from getting a primetime game, and only have to travel two time zones east at that. Take Seattle (10*). | |||||||
01-05-19 | Colts v. Texans OVER 48 | Top | 21-7 | Loss | -105 | 19 h 3 m | Show |
NFL Wild Card Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Indianapolis and Houston at 4:35 pm et on Saturday. This one sets up as a high-scoring playoff showdown between two familiar division opponents. I don’t believe the Texans pass defense can do much to slow a red hot Colts aerial attack led by QB Andrew Luck. Buoyed by a relatively weak schedule, the Houston pass ‘D’ is a ‘paper tiger’ as far as I’m concerned. Look for the Colts to move the football at will through the air in the friendly confines of Reliant Stadium on Saturday afternoon. I do fully expect this to be a competitive affair, and if we project the Colts to move the football and put plenty of points on the board, the Texans are going to have to as well. Houston obviously does have offensive weapons, namely dual-threat QB DeShaun Watson and WR DeAndre Hopkins. The Colts defense has been good, but ultimately got here thanks to facing a rather limited Titans offense led by backup QB Blaine Gabbert last Sunday night. They will be taking a step up in class in this one. We saw a pair of relatively high-scoring affairs between these two teams during the regular season, and I expect nothing different here. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
01-05-19 | Colts +2 v. Texans | 21-7 | Win | 100 | 19 h 2 m | Show | |
My selection is on Indianapolis plus the points over Houston at 4:35 pm et on Saturday. The Colts are arguably the league’s hottest team entering the playoffs and after winning with them last Sunday night in Tennessee, I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as they travel to face the Texans on Wild Card Saturday. The argument can certainly be made that the Colts are the healthier team entering this matchup and I really like the advantage they have with their passing game against a Texans pass defense that looks a lot better on paper than it does on the field. Houston really benefited from a favorable schedule as far as facing elite passing offenses goes. Here, it will face an uphill climb against a red hot Andrew Luck, who has done a tremendous job spreading the football around in this Colts offense. Defensively, the Colts quietly had one of the better units in the league over the course of the regular season, and this is a group that really came together down the stretch. The Texans are capable of putting some points on the board this game, but I believe they will be playing from behind much of the way, and I’m not convinced that they can make enough clutch plays down the stretch to secure a win. Take Indianapolis (10*). | |||||||
01-04-19 | Predators -182 v. Red Wings | 3-4 | Loss | -182 | 22 h 1 m | Show | |
My selection is on Nashville over Detroit at 7:35 pm et on Friday. The Red Wings are reeling right now, losers of six straight games entering Friday's matchup with the Predators. This certainly isn't an ideal bounce-back matchup for the Wings as they host a Preds team that has busted out a six-game skid with back-to-back wins, outscoring the Caps and Flyers by a combined 10-3 score. I don't expect the Preds to overlook the Wings here with that long losing streak so close in the rear-view mirror. Detroit has no home ice advantage to speak of having gone 8-10-4 here this season. On Wednesday the Wings were spotted a 2-0 lead but still ended up losing by two goals against the Flames. Look for them to suffer a similar fate here. Take Nashville (10*). | |||||||
01-04-19 | Jets v. Penguins OVER 6.5 | 0-4 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 47 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Winnipeg and Pittsburgh at 7:05 pm et on Friday. This will be a popular play on Friday night but that doesn't mean it's the wrong one. The Jets went through a bit of a scoring lull around the holidays but bounced back with a four-goal performance in a winning effort in Edmonton on New Year's even and I anticipate more success in Pittsburgh on Friday. Note that the Jets have scored 18 goals against the Penguins in five meetings dating back to the start of 2017. Pittsburgh enters this contest on a serious roll, having won seven games in a row. The Pens have scored 21 goals over their last four games including seven against the Rangers on Wednesday. It's worth noting that Penguins home games are averaging 6.8 total goals this season, where they've allowed 3.3 goals per game. Sometimes these showdowns between elite offensive teams fizzlie, but I don't think that will be the case at PPG Paints Arena on Friday. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
01-03-19 | Rockets v. Warriors UNDER 226 | 135-134 | Loss | -110 | 25 h 23 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Houston and Golden State at 10:35 pm et on Thursday. None of the last six meetings in this series have even come close to sniffing the posted total we're working with on Thursday night, but I'm not one bit surprised we're dealing with such a high number. It's the nature of today's NBA, with totals regularly reaching into the 220's and 230's. The Rockets continue to roll along without Chris Paul among others, but look at who they've faced lately. Houston's current five-game winning streak has come at the expense of the Spurs, Thunder, Celtics, Pelicans and Grizzlies, with four of those games coming at home. Elite defensive squads are few and far between in that mix. Meanwhile, the Warriors exploded for 132 points last time out, but that was against the lowly Suns. The 'under' has actually cashed in three of their last four contests. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
01-03-19 | Hurricanes v. Flyers UNDER 6 | 5-3 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 46 m | Show | |
My selection is on the ‘under’ between Carolina and Philadelphia at 7:05 pm et on Thursday. I’ll stick with the trends here as the Hurricanes have seen six of their last seven games stay ‘under’ the total while the Flyers are riding an incredible ‘under’ run, including their last three contests staying ‘under’, with Philadelphia scoring a grand total of only two goals in the process. It is of course also worth noting that these two teams just met in Carolina on New Year’s Eve, with Carolina skating to a low-scoring 3-1 victory. Tonight’s expected goaltending matchup will feature Petr Mrazek for the Canes and Michal Neuvirth for the Flyers. Mrazek has allowed eight goals over his last four games while Neuvirth came on in relief of rookie Carter Hart against the Canes earlier this week and turned aside all 23 shots he faced. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
01-02-19 | Oilers -104 v. Coyotes | 3-1 | Win | 100 | 24 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Edmonton over Arizona at 9:35 pm et on Wednesday. Getting out on the road is probably the best thing for the reeling Oilers right now and I'm confident we'll see them snap their six-game losing skid on Wednesday night in Glendale. Edmonton certainly wasn't in a prime bounce-back spot on Monday as it hosted one of the league's best teams in the Winnipeg Jets. The Oilers battled in that contest but ultimately fell a goal short in a 4-3 loss. They should enter this matchup with some confidence, however, as they've come away victorious in two of their last three trips to Arizona. The Coyotes have no home ice advantage to speak of having gone 7-11-1 here this season. The Oilers have actually picked up at least a point in three of their last four road games overall. Take Edmonton (10*). | |||||||
01-02-19 | Hawks +5 v. Wizards | 98-114 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 6 m | Show | |
My selection is on Atlanta plus the points over Washington at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. The Hawks were actually victorious in their last trip to the nation's capital last April, as double-digit underdogs no less. They've also managed to split a pair of meetings in Atlanta this season. While they may own an inferior overall record, they've actually performed better than the Wizards against the spread. That's not to mention the fact that they've gone 5-2 SU and ATS over their last seven contests. There's little reason to have much faith in the Wizards right now as they've won just three times in their last 12 games. Take Atlanta (10*). | |||||||
01-01-19 | Washington v. Ohio State -6.5 | Top | 23-28 | Loss | -105 | 19 h 17 m | Show |
NCAAF Bowl Game of the Year. My selection is on Ohio State minus the points over Washington at 5 pm et on Tuesday. I simply feel there is a considerable class difference in this matchup that isn't being properly reflected in the pointspread. If you're looking for impressive victories on Washington's schedule, they're pretty tough to find. I felt that it was a down year for the Pac-12 as a whole and when the Huskies did step up in class, they lost against Auburn (we won with the Tigers in that game) and also suffered a loss at Oregon. Ohio State closed out the season with five straight wins, including a rout of a game Northwestern squad in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Buckeyes scored at will for much of the season but also proved they could win in a defensive slugfest, posting wins (and covers) at Penn State and Michigan State. There are those that feel the Huskies can hang around with their defense in this matchup - I'm not so easily convinced. Take Ohio State (10*). | |||||||
01-01-19 | Iowa +7.5 v. Mississippi State | 27-22 | Win | 100 | 14 h 53 m | Show | |
My selection is on Iowa plus the points over Mississippi State at 12 noon et on Tuesday. I really don't feel there's a lot to choose between these two teams and see considerable value backing the Hawkeyes in an underdog role on New Year's Day. Mississippi State is being given the edge by the oddsmakers largely due to the fact that it plays in the SEC. But what did the Bulldogs do to really impress over the course of the season? There was a road win at Kansas State and a couple of blowout home wins over Auburn and Texas A&M but that's really it. Meanwhile, Iowa battled it out in the Big Ten all season long and did manage to stay competitive in tight road losses at Penn State and Purdue. In fact, all four losses the Hawkeyes suffered came by 11 points or less, with the largest margin coming in a home loss to Wisconsin way back on September 22nd. I'm anticipating a competitive affair here and will grab all the points I can get with Iowa. Take Iowa (10*). | |||||||
12-31-18 | NC State v. Texas A&M OVER 55.5 | 13-52 | Win | 100 | 23 h 31 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between N.C. State and Texas A&M at 7:30 pm et on Monday. This game has major shootout potential with both the Wolfpack and the Aggies featuring capable quarterbacks and dynamic ground games. Both offenses are certainly comfortable in what they do and closed out the regular season on high notes with N.C. State routing East Carolina and Texas A&M prevailing in an overtime thriller against LSU, 74-72 (yes, you read that right). Neither defense is a pushover by any means, but these units have also become somewhat accustomed to getting involved in high-scoring affairs. I believe both teams will come in with the mentality that they need to end drives with 7's rather than 3's in order to prevail in this one. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-31-18 | Pittsburgh +4.5 v. Stanford | 13-14 | Win | 100 | 17 h 26 m | Show | |
My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over Stanford at 2 pm et on Monday. The Panthers have been a pretty tough team to figure out this season, at least up until they had their doors blown off against Clemson in a true mismatch in the ACC Championship Game. Here, I do like Pitt's chances of sticking around against a Stanford squad that finished strong, but still ultimately disappointed in the Pac-12 this season. The Cardinal really had only one notable victory over the final two months of the season, that coming on the road against Cal in their regular season finale. Stanford is really only here thanks to taking care of business against the teams it should beat. I don't believe this is a gimme for the Cardinal by any means. Take Pittsburgh (10*). | |||||||
12-31-18 | Virginia Tech v. Cincinnati UNDER 53.5 | Top | 31-35 | Loss | -109 | 16 h 31 m | Show |
NCAAF Bowl Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Cincinnati and Virginia Tech at 12 noon et on Monday. Cincinnati put up some big offensive numbers down the stretch this season but it did so against weak opposition. Meanwhile, the Bearcats were held to 13 points against UCF, 26 points in an overtime win over SMU and 17 points in an overtime loss to Temple, just to name a few subpar offensive performances. Virginia Tech isn't the defensive powerhouse it once was, but it can still hang. Like the Bearcats, the Hokies offense didn't do a great job when stepping up in class this season. Prior to scoring 34 and 41 points in their final two regular season games, they had put up 28 points or less in six consecutive contests. I simply feel this total will prove too high. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
12-30-18 | Colts -3 v. Titans | 33-17 | Win | 100 | 37 h 31 m | Show | |
My selection is on Indianapolis minus the points over Tennessee at 8:20 pm et on Sunday. A classic 'win and you're in' scenario sets up here as the Colts and Titans play to decide who marches on to the postseason. I have no problem backing the Colts as a road favorite here as they catch a banged-up Titans squad that has gone about as far as RB Derrick Henry has carried them down the stretch. Keep in mind, the Colts have been stout against the run lately, giving up just north of 3.2 yards per rush over their last seven contests. This game should fall in the hands of Andrew Luck and the Colts offense and with a balanced approach, I believe they can thrive against a Titans defense that is certainly stout, but will be missing one of its key cogs in DT Jurrell Casey. Save for an egg laid in Jacksonville earlier this month, the Colts have been the hottest team in football for the last two-plus months. I believe they're a playoff team and look for them to put a stamp on it in Tennessee on Sunday night. Take Indianapolis (10*). | |||||||
12-30-18 | Raiders v. Chiefs -13.5 | Top | 3-35 | Win | 100 | 33 h 44 m | Show |
NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Oakland at 4:25 pm et on Sunday. We won with the 'under' in the Raiders Christmas Eve win over the Broncos, and came close to backing Oakland in that game as well. I won't hesitate to switch gears and go against the Raiders as they close out the regular season on the road at Arrowhead on Sunday afternoon, however. The Chiefs have fallen on some tough times down the stretch, dropping three of their last five games heading into this one. Keep in mind, their losses came on the road against the Rams and Seahawks and at home against the Chargers so there was really no shame in any of those defeats. In that mix was also a narrow road win over the Raiders. The relatively close nature of that contest should help keep their guard up on Sunday afternoon. Not as if they need any extra motivation as they're playing for the number one seed in the AFC and could incredibly fall as many as four spots if things don't go their way this week. With the Raiders in a clear letdown spot, and heading into one of the most hostile environments in the NFL, I believe the oddsmakers have this one right. Take Kansas City (10*). | |||||||
12-30-18 | Cowboys v. Giants -5.5 | 36-35 | Loss | -109 | 30 h 34 m | Show | |
My selection is on New York minus the points over Dallas at 1 pm et on Sunday. At the tail-end of a long, frustrating season, we should see the Giants go all out to end their campaign on a high note and perhaps give their faithful something to smile about heading into 2019. The gameplan should feature a ton of Saquon Barkley and he should have a field day against a Cowboys squad that has absolutely nothing to play for here. Jerry Jones has said that his 'Boys will be putting their best foot forward here, but I don't see it happening. Expect Dak, Zeke and others to see a series or two of action at most. Take New York (10*). | |||||||
12-30-18 | Lions v. Packers -7.5 | 31-0 | Loss | -108 | 30 h 31 m | Show | |
My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday. Not that we needed any further evidence that the Packers are intent on ending this season on a positive note, but we got it last Sunday in New Jersey as they rallied back late and defeated the Jets in overtime. Now they get another prime opportunity to build on those positive vibes as they return home to face the division-rival Lions. Detroit has won just twice over its last nine games and hasn't scored more than 17 points in a game since mid-November. Even against a very beatable Packers defense, I don't expect the Lions offense to get much done this week either. Having lost three straight meetings in this series, look for the Packers to go all out for the 'W' on Sunday afternoon. Take Green Bay (10*). | |||||||
12-30-18 | Dolphins v. Bills -5.5 | 17-42 | Win | 100 | 29 h 28 m | Show | |
My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday. We missed the mark with the Bills a couple of weeks ago as they won but failed to cover at home against the Lions. I expect a stronger offensive performance this time around as QB Josh Allen should have a field day against this Miami defense. The Bills defense has quietly been one of the most consistent units in the NFL this season. While we're dealing with a slightly higher number than I would like, I do think we'll see Buffalo control proceedings in this one as Miami peaked in that wild win over the Patriots three weeks ago but has gone in the tank since, going 0-2 ATS, losing those games by a combined 58-24 score. Take Buffalo (10*). | |||||||
12-29-18 | Oklahoma +14 v. Alabama | 34-45 | Win | 100 | 23 h 45 m | Show | |
My selection is on Oklahoma plus the points over Alabama at 8 pm et on Saturday. Most are anticipating a blowout in this 1 vs. 4 matchup but I believe Oklahoma can hang around and make life difficult for the Crimson Tide. Of course, when it comes to the Sooners it's all about their offense. Oklahoma is going to need a monumental effort from Heisman Trophy winner QB Kyler Murray but I do think he has it in him on the big stage on Saturday night. The Sooners have suffered just one loss this season, that coming way back in October against rival Texas, and it came by only three points. Oklahoma had little trouble avenging that defeat, scoring a 39-27 win over the Longhorns in the Big 12 Championship Game earlier this month. This is becoming old hat for Alabama and there's no denying the Tide are once again the nation's best team. However, I do feel the Sooners have an excellent shot at keeping this close, much like Georgia did in the SEC Championship Game. Take Oklahoma (10*). | |||||||
12-29-18 | South Carolina v. Virginia +5 | 0-28 | Win | 100 | 15 h 57 m | Show | |
My selection is on Virginia plus the points over South Carolina at 12 noon et on Saturday. Virginia ended the regular season on a real sour note with three losses in its final four games to fall into this Bowl game. Meanwhile, South Carolina won four of its last six contests and has been installed as the favorite in this SEC-ACC showdown. I'm not at all impressed by South Carolina's resume and to be completely honest, I don't believe the Gamecocks should be favored in this game. Virginia had its wheels come off late in the season but that could be forgotten with a victory over an SEC opponent here. The Cavaliers did defeat Miami and go on the road and beat Duke during their ACC campaign. Take Virginia (10*). | |||||||
12-28-18 | Syracuse -2 v. West Virginia | 34-18 | Win | 100 | 19 h 26 m | Show | |
My selection is on Syracuse minus the points over West Virginia at 5:15 pm et on Friday. The Orange haven't appeared in a Bowl game since 2013, when they defeated Minnesota as 3.5-point underdogs. We've seen a big line shift here since the news came out that West Virginia QB Will Grier would sit out this game, and that means an awful lot. Grier carried the Mountaineers for much of the season and regardless what head coach Dana Holgorsen says, his absence will certainly be felt here. Credit Syracuse for finishing the regular season on a strong note. The Orange have been terrible at closing out the regular season with any sort of success in recent years, a big reason they've been shut out of Bowl action for the last five years. I fully expect to see Syracuse make the most of its opportunity here, even without some key cogs on the defensive side of the football. Take Syracuse (10*). | |||||||
12-27-18 | Miami-FL v. Wisconsin +3 | 3-35 | Win | 100 | 34 h 54 m | Show | |
My selection is on Wisconsin plus the points over Miami at 5:15 pm et on Thursday. Miami may be favored in this game but there's really nothing all that impressive on the Hurricanes resume this year and I believe they'll be in tough against a Wisconsin squad that was a disappointment in its own right. The Badgers went a miserable 3-9 ATS during the regular season but I do feel they'll be motivated to end the year on a high note in this matchup. I really liked what I saw from Wisconsin in its late season road win at Purdue, not to mention a road victory against Iowa earlier in the campaign. The venue suits the Badgers well with this game being played in New York. It may not be pretty, but I look for Wisky to pull off the minor upset. Take Wisconsin (10*). | |||||||
12-25-18 | Lakers v. Warriors -8.5 | 127-101 | Loss | -115 | 47 h 39 m | Show | |
My selection is on Golden State minus the points over Los Angeles at 8:05 pm et on Tuesday. I'm not sure this is going to be the barn-burner that the TV execs are hoping for on Christmas Night. The Lakers have certainly held their own this season, exceeding most expectations to this point. Meanwhile, the Warriors haven't been nearly as dominant as we've been accustomed to seeing and have quite simply been an awful bet so far this season. With that being said, I believe we're being asked to lay a relatively short number with the defending champions here. This is without question a game that the Warriors have had circled as they look to make a statement against King James and the Lakers. Los Angeles has been a different team away from Staples Center and I look for it to struggle again in this spot. Take Golden State (10*). | |||||||
12-25-18 | 76ers v. Celtics OVER 222.5 | 114-121 | Win | 100 | 44 h 16 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Philadelphia and Boston at 5:35 pm et on Tuesday. This matchup was a bit of a dud on the opening night of the regular season as Boston cruised to a 105-87 victory, not coming anywhere close to eclipsing the posted total. Now we're dealing with a considerably higher total but is it warranted? I believe it is. Both teams bring excellent form to the table, at least from an offensive standpoint. The 76ers took full advantage of a Raptors squad that was missing Kawhi Leonard on Saturday night, scoring 126 points in an eventual blowout victory. Meanwhile, the Celtics 'got right' with a 119-103 win over the Hornets on Sunday. The 76ers didn't have Jimmy Butler the last time these two teams met. Look for a track meet on Christmas Day in Beantown. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-24-18 | Broncos v. Raiders UNDER 43.5 | Top | 14-27 | Win | 100 | 23 h 15 m | Show |
NFL AFC West Total of the Year. My selection is on the 'under' between Denver and Oakland at 8:15 pm et on Monday. You can be sure there will be a lot of bettors looking for action eager to play the 'over' in this, the lone game on the board on Christmas Eve. I can't help but feel the total has been shaded a little high. Note that the Raiders have been involved in a string of relatively high-scoring affairs with the 'over' going 3-1-1 in their last five contests. I'm not sure that's sustainable, however, noting that the Oakland offense is rather punchless. While the Raiders defense has been bad as well, I don't believe the Broncos are well-suited to take advantage. With RB Philip Lindsay struggling over the last couple of games, the Denver offense hasn't been able to gain any headway. An injury to WR Emmanuel Sanders - QB Case Keenum's favorite target - hasn't helped. Note that the 'under' has cashed in four straight meetings in this series and none of those games have really come all that close to going 'over'. That includes earlier this season, when the Broncos beat the Raiders 20-19 with a field goal in the closing seconds. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
12-23-18 | Rams v. Cardinals UNDER 44 | Top | 31-9 | Win | 100 | 20 h 41 m | Show |
NFC West Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'under' between Los Angeles and Arizona at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. There's really nothing to fear when it comes to the Rams offense right now. Injuries have taken their toll with WR Cooper Kupp sidelined and RB Todd Gurley banged-up to say the least. We've seen a severely limited Sean McVay offense in the last couple of games and things don't figure to get much easier as they hit the road to face a Cardinals squad eager to play the spoiler role on Sunday afternoon. On the flip side, the Arizona offense continues to struggle. Now they go up against a highly-motivated Rams defense that has gotten better with the return of CB Aqib Talib. Note that the Rams shut out the Cardinals earlier this season and have allowed just 16 points in taking each of the last three meetings in this series. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
12-23-18 | Giants v. Colts OVER 47.5 | Top | 27-28 | Win | 100 | 17 h 0 m | Show |
NFL Non-Conference Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between New York and Indianapolis at 1 pm et on Sunday. This is an excellent spot to back the 'over' as the Giants aim to bounce back from a truly ugly showing at a rain-soaked Meadowlands last Sunday. Look for RB Saquon Barkley and TE Evan Engram to pace the charge for the Giants offense, which has certainly been handicapped by an ineffective Eli Manning this season. The Colts offense didn't have to do a whole lot at home against the Cowboys last week as they cruised to a 23-0 victory. QB Andrew Luck will likely have to dial it up a little more in this one, and should have plenty of success against a very limited Giants defense that has been getting ripped on a regular basis this season. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-23-18 | Texans v. Eagles OVER 46 | 30-32 | Win | 100 | 17 h 48 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Houston and Philadelphia at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Eagles are really an 'over' bettors' dream at this stage of the season. Their defense is completely decimated in the secondary and they've had no luck at all slowing down mobile opposing quarterbacks. Their offense is pass-first and appears rejuvenated with Nick Foles back under center, not to mention the fact that they've got their issues sorted when it comes to recently-acquired WR Golden Tate, who is not a fit in this offense. Tate has seen limited action in the last two weeks, to the benefit of the Eagles passing game. The Texans scored 29 points in a win over the Jets last Saturday and have now scored more than 20 points in five straight games. QB DeShaun Watson and WR DeAndre Hopkins should have a field day against the Eagles struggling secondary on Sunday afternoon. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-22-18 | Ravens v. Chargers UNDER 42 | 22-10 | Win | 100 | 23 h 1 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Baltimore and Los Angeles at 8:20 pm et on Saturday. I'll back the 'under' at StubHub Center on Saturday night. The Ravens offense has had some success since going with Lamar Jackson under center but this is a tough matchup, traveling across the country to face a banged-up but still strong Chargers defense. The strength of the Los Angeles defense lies in its secondary right now. The Chargers should be able to cheat a little bit in this one and force Jackson to beat them through the air, something he hasn't done particularly well since taking over the starting job. Los Angeles staged an incredible fourth quarter comeback in Kansas City last week but QB Philip Rivers should find the going tough against a tough Ravens defense on Saturday. WR Keenan Allen may be able to play but it's unlikely he'll be 100% healthy. The same goes for RB Melvin Gordon. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
12-22-18 | Suns v. Wizards -5.5 | 146-149 | Loss | -107 | 9 h 26 m | Show | |
My selection is on Washington minus the points over Phoenix at 7:05 pm et on Saturday. The Suns are on a bit of a roll right now, having won four games in a row, with three of those coming in underdog fashion. I'll go the other way on Saturday, however, as they stay on the east coast to face what should be a highly-motivated Wizards squad. Washington has lost six of its last seven games, but it's worth noting that five of those losses came on the road. They're 8-6 at home this season while the Suns check in a miserable 3-13 on the road. Note that Phoenix has won just once here in Washington since 2014. Take Washington (10*). | |||||||
12-22-18 | Houston v. Army OVER 59 | Top | 14-70 | Win | 100 | 7 h 52 m | Show |
NCAAF Total of the Week. My selection is on the 'over' between Houston and Army at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. We won with the 'under' in Army's last game, its annual clash with Navy earlier this month. I won't hesitate to switch gears and back the 'over' in this one, however, even with Houston missing QB D'Eriq King to a knee injury. Keep in mind, in the Cougars last game against Memphis, backup QB Clayton Tune threw for over 250 yards and three touchdowns. I do believe the Cougars will be able to move the football against this Army defense. On the flip side, Houston is not a good defensive team, getting ripped time and time again over the course of the season. I'm not sure the extra preparation time will have helped all that much as they get ready to go up against the Army triple-option offense. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-21-18 | Bucks v. Celtics -1 | 120-107 | Loss | -103 | 11 h 22 m | Show | |
My selection is on Boston over Milwaukee at 8:05 pm et on Friday. The Bucks have won three games in a row while the Celtics have dropped back-to-back contests, including a stunning home defeat at the hands of the lowly Suns last time out. I expect to see Boston bounce back in this Eastern Conference showdown, however. Note that the Celtics are still 9-4 at home this season. The Bucks are 7-6 on the road compared to a dominant 14-3 at home. This has been a home-dominated series, with the Celtics having gone 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings. The Celtics are a little banged-up right now but I'm confident they'll rise to the occasion against one of the NBA's best teams on Friday night. Take Boston (10*). | |||||||
12-21-18 | Pacers -2 v. Nets | Top | 114-106 | Win | 100 | 11 h 5 m | Show |
NBA Game of the Week. My selection is on Indiana minus the points over Brooklyn at 7:35 pm et on Friday. The Pacers are coming off back-to-back losses but both of those games could have gone either way, including a narrow defeat in Toronto on Wednesday night. I expect to see Indiana bounce back in Brooklyn on Friday night, where it hasn't lost a game in over two years. The Pacers are a quality road team, checking in at 9-7 away from home this season. Meanwhile, the Nets are coming off seven straight victories but keep in mind, they've been favored in three of their last four games and a short underdog in the other contest, at home against the Lakers. Brooklyn is still just 7-10 at home this season. Take Indiana (10*). | |||||||
12-21-18 | Florida International v. Toledo OVER 57 | 35-32 | Win | 100 | 15 h 21 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Florida International and Toledo at 12:30 pm et on Friday. We saw a couple of situations where Toledo came out completely flat and was held down offensively this season but for the most part, the Rockets were explosive to say the least and I fully expect to see them get up for this Bowl tilt with Florida International on Friday. The Panthers saw a similar story unfold over the course of the regular season as they put up some gawdy offensive numbers on several occasions but were also held down in a couple of flat spots. This is not such a flat spot as the Panthers will be up for an opportunity to secure a Bowl win against a MAC opponent. There's little reason to anticipate either team holding much back in the Bahamas on Friday - I believe we're dealing with a reasonable total. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-20-18 | Marshall -3 v. South Florida | Top | 38-20 | Win | 100 | 11 h 22 m | Show |
CFB Bowl Game of the Week. My selection is on Marshall minus the points over South Florida at 8 pm et on Thursday. Outside of an early season win over Georgia Tech I have a tough time finding many quality wins on South Florida's resume and I believe the Bulls will be in tough against the Thundering Herd on Thursday night. These teams are mirror images of one another as far as ATS success goes, with both struggling against the number down the stretch. Marshall is without question the healthier squad heading into this game and I like the advantages the Thundering Herd have in the trenches, where they allowed less than three yards per rush this season in contrast to the Bulls 5.0 yards per rush allowed. Take Marshall (10*). | |||||||
12-20-18 | Marshall v. South Florida OVER 51 | 38-20 | Win | 100 | 11 h 18 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'over' between Marshall and South Florida at 8 pm et on Thursday. I believe this game has shootout potential, noting that Marshall posted an 8-4 o/u mark during the regular season while South Florida certainly was involved in its share of high-scoring affairs as well. The Bulls limped down the stretch but I don't believe they'll shy away from a shootout on Thursday night. Given they've had no success slowing down opposing running games, they'll be hard-pressed to avoid having to let it rip on offense in order to keep up. If nothing else, Marshall has been consistent putting points on the board this season, putting up at least 20 points in each and every game. The Thundering Herd scored 30+ on five different occasions. I expect a similar story to unfold here. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-19-18 | Spurs v. Magic +1 | 129-90 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 51 m | Show | |
My selection is on Orlando plus the points over San Antonio at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. I'll back the Magic as they host the surging Spurs on Wednesday night in Orlando. While San Antonio has been playing better lately, the fact is, the Magic are still the superior ATS squad in this matchup. Orlando has also turned things around again, heading into this one off back-to-back home victories. Note that the Magic have already defeated the Spurs once this season, coming away with a seven-point road win back in early November. Orlando continues to be undervalued in the betting marketplace and we'll take advantage once again here. Take Orlando (10*). | |||||||
12-18-18 | Northern Illinois +2.5 v. UAB | 13-37 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 33 m | Show | |
My selection is on Northern Illinois plus the points over UAB at 7 pm et on Tuesday. I'll back the underdog Huskies on Tuesday night as they take on upstart UAB in the Boca Raton Bowl. We won with Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game against Buffalo and I see this as another fine spot to support the Huskies in an underdog role. The Blazers seemed to peak early this season as they come into this one having lost three of their last four games ATS with their lone victory coming in a two-point win over Middle Tennessee in the C-USA Championship Game. Note that UAB has been outgained in three straight games. Northern Illinois has been stout against the run this season, allowing just 2.7 yards per rush. Take Northern Illinois (10*). | |||||||
12-17-18 | Saints v. Panthers +6.5 | 12-9 | Win | 100 | 23 h 26 m | Show | |
My selection is on Carolina plus the points over New Orleans at 8:15 pm et on Monday. After getting off to a sluggish start, we saw the Saints ultimately pull away for a two touchdown victory over the Bucs on the road last week. Meanwhile, the Panthers have lost five games in a row and look like they've all but quit on the season. I do think we'll see Carolina show up in this game, however. Keep in mind, five of the last seven meetings in this series have been decided by five points or less. I'm not entirely convinced that the Saints didn't peak too early this season. This will be the first of two meetings between these two NFC South rivals in the final three weeks of the season and I'm confident we'll see the Panthers hang tough. Take Carolina (10*). | |||||||
12-16-18 | Patriots v. Steelers +3 | 10-17 | Win | 100 | 20 h 7 m | Show | |
My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over New England at 4:25 pm et on Sunday. I'll back the Steelers to avoid a fourth straight loss as they host the Patriots on Sunday afternoon at Heinz Field. Pittsburgh fell just short in Oakland last Sunday and now finds itself in danger of coughing up the AFC North division lead. New England is in bounce-back mode off an insane last-second loss in Miami last week. The Pats are limping along right now, having gone just 2-2 SU and ATS over their last four games. The Steelers are generally at their best in these Sunday late afternoon home games and I'm confident their offense will come up big in this matchup. Take Pittsburgh (10*). | |||||||
12-16-18 | Lions v. Bills -2.5 | Top | 13-14 | Loss | -110 | 17 h 55 m | Show |
NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Detroit at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Lions travel across the country after beating the Cardinals in Arizona last Sunday. Detroit is still a bottom-feeder as far as I'm concerned, and while the Bills haven't been any better, they do have some upside here at home in December, coming off a narrow loss to the Jets last week. Look for the Buffalo defense to come up big in this one against a punchless Lions offense. We're being asked to lay a short number with the team in the much better spot. Take Buffalo (10*). | |||||||
12-16-18 | Dolphins v. Vikings -7.5 | 17-41 | Win | 100 | 17 h 48 m | Show | |
My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday. This is a big bounce-back spot for the Vikings who quite simply haven't looked good in recent weeks but still remain in playoff position in the NFC. The Dolphins are in a big-time letdown spot here after that thrilling wing and a prayer win over the Patriots last Sunday. Miami hasn't traveled particularly well and will run into a highly-motivated opponent here. I still feel the Dolphins are pretenders, even after hanging with, and ultimately beating a true Super Bowl contender last week. If the Vikes don't show up this week they might as well fold up the tent. I'm confident they do come to play. Take Minnesota (10*). | |||||||
12-15-18 | Middle Tennessee State +7 v. Appalachian State | 13-45 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 35 m | Show | |
My selection is on Middle Tennessee State plus the points over Appalachian State at 9 pm et on Saturday. This is a game the Blue Raiders have to feel confident they can not only keep competitive, but win outright. Middle Tennessee State closed out the season on a 5-1 ATS run, with its lone setback coming in a quick revenge match against UAB after defeating the Blazers by a 27-3 score the first time around. It was really a tale of two halves as far as the regular season went for the Blue Raiders. Perhaps the same could be said of Appalachian State, which ran out of gas a little bit down the stretch, going 3-4 over its final six games after opening the season with five straight ATS victories. There's not a lot separating these two teams. I like the Blue Raiders experience at quarterback and believe they can at the very least take this one down to the wire. Take Middle Tennessee State (10*). | |||||||
12-15-18 | Texans v. Jets UNDER 44 | 29-22 | Loss | -108 | 19 h 21 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Houston and New York at 4:30 pm et on Saturday. I'll back the 'under' in New Jersey on Saturday afternoon. The Texans have generally been good for around 20 points or less on the road this season, outside of a shootout victory over the Colts in Indianapolis, but that came back in late September. The Jets are coming off an unexpectedly high-scoring affair in Buffalo last Sunday, winning by a 27-23 score. That was their highest scoring output since putting up 42 points against the aforementioned Colts back in mid-October. New York has been outgained by over 120 total yards in four consecutive games. The last meeting between these two teams came back in 2015 and it resulted in only 41 total points. I don't expect to see much different of a story to unfold here. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
12-15-18 | North Texas +8.5 v. Utah State | 13-52 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 43 m | Show | |
My selection is on North Texas plus the points over Utah State at 2 pm et on Saturday. Utah State got off to a 9-1 ATS start this season but has dropped its last two games ATS entering this Bowl matchup with North Texas. It really seemed as if the Aggies offense ran out of gas near the end of the season and I can't imagine losing their entire coaching staff will help matters entering this contest. North Texas quietly went 9-3 SU this season but just 4-8 ATS. I believe the latter mark is leaving the Mean Green Eagles undervalued in this matchup. Note that they outgained each and every opponent this season in terms of total yardage and have one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country in Mason Fine. Take North Texas (10*). | |||||||
12-14-18 | Warriors v. Kings +8.5 | 130-125 | Win | 100 | 25 h 41 m | Show | |
My selection is on Sacramento plus the points over Golden State at 10:05 pm et on Friday. I'll grab the points with the Kings on Friday night as they host the Warriors in Sacramento. Golden State may own the better straight-up record in this matchup but the Kings have been the considerably stronger bet this season, going 17-10 ATS compared to the Warriors 13-16 ATS mark. Note that the first meeting between these two teams this season went the Warriors, but by only a single point, in Oakland back on November 24th. Sacramento is 4-2 ATS in the last six meetings in this series. The Kings are a winning team at home this season and I don't believe they'll back down from this challenge on Friday night. Take Sacramento (10*). | |||||||
12-14-18 | Knicks v. Hornets -11 | 126-124 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 45 m | Show | |
My selection is on Charlotte minus the points over New York at 7:05 pm et on Friday. I'll lay the points with the Hornets as they aim for their fourth straight win on Friday night. The Knicks are reeling and this doesn't figure to be a favorable bounce-back spot as they've allowed the opposition to shoot better than 48% from the field on the road this season. Meanwhile, Charlotte is knocking down 47.6% of its shots at home. Despite getting outshot from beyond the arc and outrebounded, the Hornets still took the first meeting between these two teams this season by 12 points in New York. Take Charlotte (10*). | |||||||
12-13-18 | Chargers v. Chiefs -3.5 | Top | 29-28 | Loss | -100 | 47 h 59 m | Show |
AFC West Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Los Angeles at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. I'll lay the points with the Chiefs on Thursday night as they host the surging Chargers with an AFC West division title potentially hanging in the balance. Kansas City is dealing with some key injuries, including one to star WR Tyreek Hill. It sounds like Hill will play on Thursday night although it remains to be seen how effective he can be on a short week. Regardless, I still expect to see the Chiefs offense roll against a banged up Chargers defense. This is actually a fine spot for the Chiefs ground game, even if they are undermanned in that department. Los Angeles has won three games in a row but didn't make things easy on itself in last week's home game against the lowly Bengals. The fact that the Chargers have allowed 51 points in their last two contests is alarming to be sure as they prepare to face one of the league's best offenses in a hostile environment at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs have won nine straight games in this series straight-up and four in a row ATS. Despite sputtering a little bit lately, Kansas City has still outgained each of its last five opponents in terms of total yardage and comes in battle-tested off last week's overtime win over Baltimore. Take Kansas City (10*). | |||||||
12-12-18 | Golden Knights v. Islanders +129 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -100 | 21 h 9 m | Show |
NHL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on New York over Vegas at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. The Islanders are coming off a shootout loss at home against the Penguins on Monday night but I fully expect to see them bounce back here on Wednesday as they host the Golden Knights. Vegas hasn't played a game in the eastern time zone since way back on November 11th, when it suffered a 4-1 loss in Boston. The Knights went 1-3 on that eastern road swing. They haven't been a good road team this season, posting only seven wins in 18 games. Meanwhile, the Isles have gone 7-4-3 on home ice. New York is 2-0 all-time against the Knights. Take New York (10*). | |||||||
12-11-18 | Blazers +6.5 v. Rockets | Top | 103-111 | Loss | -108 | 23 h 30 m | Show |
NBA Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Portland plus the points over Houston at 8:05 pm et on Tuesday. Portland has already gone into Houston and won this season and even last April we saw the Blazers battle the Rockets in an eventual two-point loss on this floor. Now the Blazers have plenty of motivation as they've lost four straight games on the road but have to feel confident after delivering back-to-back wins (and covers) on their home floor. The Rockets were in a nice revenge spot in Dallas on Saturday but still came up short, suffering their third straight loss. Their offense is by no means functioning at a high level right now and I don't see a turnaround coming here. Note that Houston has been one of the league's worst bets this season, going 9-16 ATS. Take Portland (10*). | |||||||
12-10-18 | Vikings v. Seahawks OVER 45.5 | Top | 7-21 | Loss | -105 | 22 h 14 m | Show |
NFL Monday Night Total of the Month. My selection is on the 'over' between Minnesota and Seattle at 8:15 pm et on Monday. I believe we're dealing with a very reasonable total in this matchup, largely due to how inept the Vikings offense looked in last week's ugly 10-point effort in New England. I do expect a strong bounce-back performance here as the Seahawks have certainly been beatable on defense this season, regardless whether they've been at home or on the road. Key here may be the fact that Seattle is giving up nearly six yards per rush in recent weeks, and goes up against a highly-motivated RB in Dalvin Cook. The Vikings are beat up defensively and will go up against a Seahawks offense that seems to be gaining confidence with each passing week. Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett is poised for a big performance against a struggling Vikings defense in the slot. Meanwhile, RB Chris Carson has given Seattle some real consistency in the backfield. Minnesota has been tough against the run but I think the Seahawks will be creative enough with Carson and Rashaad Penny running the football to make some headway. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-09-18 | Bengals v. Chargers -14 | 21-26 | Loss | -120 | 24 h 51 m | Show | |
My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Cincinnati at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. I’ll lay the points with the Chargers on Sunday afternoon as they host the lowly Bengals. Los Angeles is coming off a thrilling, come-from-behind win in Pittsburgh last Sunday night but I don’t anticipate any sort of letdown here. The Chargers need to keep it rolling here as they close the season with tough matchups against the Chiefs and Broncos on the road, sandwiched around a home date with the Ravens. The Chiefs are in sight atop the AFC West, but Los Angeles needs to take care of business here. The big key in this one should be the Chargers defense. They didn’t perform well in the first half against the Steelers but I liked the way they adjusted at halftime and essentially shut down an explosive Pittsburgh offense in the second half. This is a group that has been bolstered by the return of Joey Bosa and they catch a favorable matchup here against a Bengals offense that is missing QB Andy Dalton and likely WR A.J. Green as well. While Bengals RB Joe Mixon does draw a fine matchup here, if Cincinnati falls behind early, as I expect it will, he simply won’t get enough opportunities. We’re being asked to lay a steep number here, but it’s warranted in my opinion. Take Los Angeles (10*). | |||||||
12-09-18 | Jets v. Bills -3.5 | Top | 27-23 | Loss | -120 | 21 h 50 m | Show |
NFL AFC East Game of the Year. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over New York at 1 pm et on Sunday. It’s hard to believe we’re laying points with the Bills at this stage of the season but this is a fine matchup for Buffalo, at home against a listless Jets squad that has a lame duck head coach in Todd Bowles and a makeshift roster due to a number of key injuries. The Jets have lost six games in a row, scoring more than 17 points only once over that stretch, and that came against the Titans last week. It’s worth noting that New York didn’t score an offensive touchdown in that game and was outscored 20-6 in the second half. Expect to see some carry-over from that performance here. The Bills suffered a 21-17 loss at Miami but easily could have won were it not for a Charles Clay drop in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. There were definitely some positives to take away from that game as QB Josh Allen threw for over 200 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for an incredible 135 yards. There are no concerns at all around the Bills defense as they’ve given up just 52 points over their last three games, going 2-1 in the process. We’re being asked to lay a reasonable number here given Buffalo has already defeated New York 41-10, on the road no less, back on November 11th. Take Buffalo (10*). | |||||||
12-09-18 | Falcons v. Packers -4 | Top | 20-34 | Win | 100 | 21 h 47 m | Show |
NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Atlanta at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Packers mercifully ended the Mike McCarthy era after last week’s demoralizing home loss to the lowly Cardinals. Now I look for them to play with an edge with QB Aaron Rodgers essentially the play-caller on offense. This is Rodgers’ team for the rest of the season anyway and I expect him to perform well against a very beatable Falcons defense. Atlanta is in free-fall mode right now, having dropped four straight games, scoring fewer than 20 points in all four contests. The Falcons haven’t traveled well this season, going 1-4 SU and ATS on the road, with a number of blowout losses in the mix. Their lone road win came against the Redskins. The Packers may no longer have much to play for, but I’m confident we’ll see them show up for their home faithful at Lambeau on Sunday afternoon. Perhaps last week’s no-show had something to do with suffering back-to-back tight, emotional losses to the Seahawks and Vikings, both on the road, over the previous two weeks. Expect a bounce-back here. Take Green Bay (10*). | |||||||
12-08-18 | Lakers v. Grizzlies -2.5 | 111-88 | Loss | -105 | 13 h 58 m | Show | |
My selection is on Memphis minus the points over Los Angeles at 8:05 pm et on Saturday. I liked what I saw from the Grizzlies last night as they were in a tough spot in New Orleans but still managed to rally for a big road victory. Meanwhile, the Lakers faced a Spurs squad looking for quick revenge in San Antonio and absolutely buckled in the fourth quarter in a double-digit loss. I like the Grizzlies to keep it rolling on Saturday night as they return home, where they've gone 8-3 this season. The Lakers have five road wins to their credit this season but those have come against the Suns, Blazers, Kings, Heat and Cavs - all teams that are inferior to the Grizzlies. Memphis went through a bit of a lull in late-November but outside of that it has been consistently good this season, going 15-9 ATS overall. That's a stark contrast to the Lakers 10-14-1 ATS mark. Take Memphis (10*). | |||||||
12-08-18 | Nets v. Knicks -3 | 112-104 | Loss | -113 | 13 h 34 m | Show | |
My selection is on New York minus the points over Brooklyn at 7:35 pm et on Saturday. It took a miserable shooting performance from the Raptors for the Nets to prevail in overtime last night, snapping an eight-game losing streak in the process. Now the Nets make the quick trip to Manhattan to face the Knicks at MSG, where they haven't managed a victory since March of 2017. New York is coming off back-to-back losses, first falling on a last-second three at home against the Wizards and then getting blown out in Boston. I do like the bounce-back spot here at home, where they've defeated the Nets by 21, 16 and 19 points in their last three meetings. Brooklyn owns the slightly better overall record but the Knicks have actually been better ATS, going 13-12-1 compared to the Nets 12-15 mark. Take New York (10*). | |||||||
12-08-18 | Rockets -2.5 v. Mavs | 104-107 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 35 m | Show | |
My selection is on Houston minus the points over Dallas at 6:05 pm et on Saturday. I'll lay the short number with the Rockets as they try to salvage one victory on their current three-game road trip. It hasn't been a good trip for Houston so far as it has been held to 91 points in back-to-back losses in Minnesota and Utah. I do expect a strong bounce-back performance here, however, as they face an opponent they've been beating up on for years. Yes, Dallas did take the first meeting between these two teams this season but it needed to shoot the lights out to do so, hitting 54% overall and 50% from beyond the arc. Note that the Mavs are expected to be without Dennis Smith Jr. on Saturday. He has been a key contributor this season, averaging over 13 points and four assists per game. Dallas has been terrific at home this season, going 10-2, but I do believe some regression is in order. Note that the Mavs haven't defeated the Rockets at home since April of 2016. Take Houston (10*). | |||||||
12-08-18 | Golden Knights -135 v. Kings | 1-5 | Loss | -135 | 9 h 19 m | Show | |
My selection is on Vegas over Los Angeles at 4:05 pm et on Saturday. The Golden Knights have mismatches all over the ice in this one and I believe they're still slightly undervalued following their tough start to the season. Vegas checks in having won seven of its last eight games while Los Angeles has lost four of its last five, scoring a grand total of just nine goals in the process. By contrast, the Knights have lit the lamp nine times in their last two games alone. Home ice advantage has been non-existent for the Kings this season as they've gone 6-10-1 here at Staples Center. And of course it's worth noting that Vegas has taken three of four all-time meetings here with its only loss coming in overtime last February. Take Vegas (10*). | |||||||
12-08-18 | Navy v. Army UNDER 40.5 | 10-17 | Win | 100 | 17 h 12 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Navy and Army at 3 pm et on Saturday. The 'under' cashes each and every year in this matchup and while we're dealing with a very low total this time around, I still believe the number will prove to be too high. Army has its best defense in years and comes into this game on an incredible run, having allowed 22 points or less in regulation time in 10 straight games. Only in the Black Knights season-opener against Duke did they give up more than that number. While Navy did score a combined 65 points over its final two regular season games, those performances came against Tulsa and Tulane. They'll be facing a much tougher challenge here. There's no question its been a down year for Navy football as the Midshipmen check in with just three wins to their credit. The familiar matchup should help to keep them competitive, however, and I believe that lends itself to another relatively low-scoring affair between these two teams. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
12-07-18 | Raptors -9 v. Nets | 105-106 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 50 m | Show | |
My selection is on Toronto minus the points over Brooklyn at 7:35 pm et on Friday. I think the loss earlier in the week at home against Denver keeps the Raptors focus where it needs to be on Friday as they head out on the road for a sandwich game against the Nets. After this one, the Raps will head back home for a big showdown with the Bucks on Sunday. Toronto has played exceptionally well on the road this season, going 10-2 straight-up, winning by an average margin of over eight points per contest. The Nets limp into this one on the heels of eight straight losses. On their current homestand they've come up just short against the Cavs and Thunder. They played a near perfect game against Oklahoma City for three quarters on Wednesday but simply couldn't close the deal. Note that they hit nearly 42% of their three-point attempts in that game. I don't expect them to approach that level of efficiency against a Raptors squad that has held the opposition to 31.2% shooting from beyond the arc on the road this season. Take Toronto (10*). | |||||||
12-06-18 | Jaguars v. Titans -4.5 | Top | 9-30 | Win | 100 | 23 h 37 m | Show |
NFL AFC South Game of the Year. My selection is on Tennessee minus the points over Jacksonville at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. Both of these teams are coming off wins last Sunday, albeit in much different fashions. The Jaguars completely stymied the Colts in a 6-0 victory while the Titans rallied from a big deficit to get past the Jets 26-22. The Titans have now suffered three straight ATS losses. They haven't lost more than three games in a row ATS since back in 2015-16. Note that they went 3-13 straight-up that season. While this Tennessee squad has had its issues, it's not nearly as bad as that 2015 edition. Prior to last week's win over the Colts, the Jags had gone 0-7 SU and 0-5-2 ATS over their last seven games. QB Cody Kessler made his first start of the season against Indianapolis and completed 18-of-24 passes but for only 150 yards and not a single touchdown. He benefited from playing from ahead in that game. I'm not sure he'll be so fortunate this time around and should the Jags fall behind, I expect to see some mistakes from Kessler against a strong Titans defense. That really should be the difference in this game - the Titans defense. They've been getting torched by the run in recent weeks and the Jags will get RB Leonard Fournette back on Thursday. With that being said, I believe the Titans will benefit from facing a one-dimensional Jags offense. Tennessee's offense has sputtered for much of the campaign and while I'm not sure it will get much going on the ground against an elite Jags run defense, I do believe QB Marcus Mariota can find some success through the air against what I consider to be an overrated Jags pass defense. The Titans have taken three straight meetings ATS in this series. They have the better SU and ATS record this season and they certainly have more to play for on Thursday night. I'll lay the points. Take Tennessee (10*). | |||||||
12-06-18 | Canadiens v. Senators +112 | Top | 5-2 | Loss | -100 | 21 h 24 m | Show |
NHL Game of the Week. My selection is on Ottawa over Montreal at 7:35 pm et on Thursday. No respect at all being given to the Senators here as they check in as the home underdog at the time of writing. Yes, the Habs took the front half of this home-and-home series by a lopsided 5-2 score on Tuesday night but that was no real surprise as the home side has now won seven of the last eight meetings in this series. Ottawa has shown a tremendous home-road dichotomy this season, going 9-4-2 here in the nation's capital but just 3-9-1 on the road. Meanwhile, the Habs have won just five times in 12 road games this season. Montreal has still won just two of its last eight games overall while Ottawa had won three straight games prior to Tuesday's setback. Take Ottawa (10*). | |||||||
12-06-18 | Avalanche +105 v. Panthers | 5-2 | Win | 105 | 21 h 1 m | Show | |
My selection is on Colorado over Florida at 7:05 pm et on Thursday. Perhaps the fact that the Panthers are coming off a lopsided 5-0 win over the Bruins on Tuesday night is leaving them a little overvalued in this spot. While the Panthers were cruising past the Bruins, the Avalanche were dropping a 6-3 decision in Pittsburgh. That was a quick revenge spot for the Penguins after the Avs skated past them by an identical score in Colorado last week. I fully expect the Avs to rebound with a big effort on Wednesday, noting that they took both meetings with the Panthers last season, scoring seven goals in their stop here in Sunrise. The Panthers don't own any home ice advantage to speak of, having won only six times in 13 home games this season. On their current homestand they've split six games, with two of their three victories coming by way of overtime. Take Colorado (10*). | |||||||
12-05-18 | Warriors v. Cavs +11.5 | Top | 129-105 | Loss | -115 | 22 h 51 m | Show |
NBA Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Cleveland plus the points over Golden State at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. The Warriors own the far superior overall record this season, having gone 16-9 straight-up compared to the Cavs ugly 5-18 mark. With that being said, Cleveland has been the better bet, going 12-11 ATS in contrast to the Warriors 11-14 ATS record. Golden State got off to a tremendous start on Monday night in Atlanta and ultimately cruised to a 17-point victory. It is worth noting, however, that the Warriors were actually even with the Hawks over the final three quarters of that game. The Cavs snapped a four-game losing streak with a 99-97 win in Brooklyn last time out and are now 5-3 ATS over their last eight contests. They've gotten a nice boost from rookie Collin Sexton, not to mention the addition of Alec Burks by trade, as he has scored in double figures in three straight games since joining the Cavs. This is a clear sandwich spot for the Warriors as they'll head to Milwaukee for a date with the Bucks on Friday. Take Cleveland (10*). | |||||||
12-04-18 | Blazers v. Mavs -2 | 102-111 | Win | 100 | 14 h 46 m | Show | |
My selection is on Dallas minus the points over Portland at 8:35 pm et on Tuesday. The Blazers may have the slightly better overall record but the Mavs have been far superior ATS, going 14-7 compared to Portland's 11-12 mark. That's not to mention the fact that Dallas has posted a terrific 9-2 SU record at home while the Blazers check in 5-6 on the road. And of course current form sees the Mavs playing far better than the Blazers right now, winners of eight of their last 10 games overall while Portland has dropped five of its last six contests. Bettors aren't as quick to dismiss the Mavs as they were earlier in the season, which is why we're seeing them favored in this particular matchup. With that being said, I like the way the spot sets up for Dallas as it stays home off a day of rest while the Blazers travel after playing in San Antonio on Sunday. Take Dallas (10*). | |||||||
12-03-18 | Redskins v. Eagles -6 | Top | 13-28 | Win | 100 | 12 h 57 m | Show |
NFL NFC East Game of the Year. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Washington at 8:15 pm et on Monday. It wasn't pretty, but the Eagles got just what they needed last week, rallying to defeat the Giants at home to stay alive in the NFC East race. Now they get another slam dunk divisional matchup at home against the undermanned Redskins and I look for them to take full advantage. I really liked what I saw from Philadephia in the second half of last week's game as RB Josh Adams took over and showed everyone that the Eagles can still run the football. That means a lot as QB Carson Wentz simply hasn't lived up to expectations after a tremendous, albeit injury-shortened 2017 season. Wentz has all sorts of weapons at his disposal, and here on Monday night, I believe those weapons will be on display against a middle of the road Redskins defense. Washington's pass defense has gotten worse as the season has gone on and I don't see a big resurgence here. Offensively, the 'Skins are in tough with QB Colt McCoy at the helm. He made a couple of big plays but also made some big mistakes against the Cowboys last week. Even an extended week of practice isn't going to make much of a difference for McCoy, playing behind a shaky, beat up offensive line. This would be a matchup for the 'Skins passing game to take full advantage of with the Eagles secondary missing a number of key cogs, but I'm not sure McCoy will have any time or room to make those big plays. Take Philadelphia (10*). | |||||||
12-03-18 | Redskins v. Eagles UNDER 45.5 | 13-28 | Win | 100 | 12 h 45 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Washington and Philadelphia at 8:15 pm et on Monday. I'll back the 'under' at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday night. This should be a matchup for the Redskins offense to take advantage of with the Eagles defense completely injury-ravaged in the secondary. However, Washington's offensive line is also severely short-handed due to injuries and I'm not convinced that QB Colt McCoy will have enough room or time to find his targets downfield and expose the Eagles weakness in the secondary. On the flip side, we should see Philadelphia show a renewed commitment to their ground game with RB Josh Adams coming off a tremendous second half performance against the Giants last week. This has been a high-scoring series in recent years with the 'over' cashing in four of the last five meetings. That only serves to give us a relatively high total to work with in this key December divisional matchup. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
12-03-18 | Nuggets v. Raptors -6 | 106-103 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 25 m | Show | |
My selection is on Toronto minus the points over Denver at 7:35 pm et on Monday. I'll lay the points with the Raptors on Monday night as they host the red hot Nuggets. Denver comes in riding a five-game winning streak, both SU and ATS. In fact, the straight-up winner has gone a perfect 15-0 ATS over the Nuggets last 15 contests. I just don't like the spot for the Nuggets here as they head across the continent following a 113-112 victory in Portland on Friday night. The Raptors make the short trip back from Cleveland, where they won by 11 points on Saturday night. Toronto hasn't suffered a loss since falling in overtime in Boston back on November 16th (we won with the Celtics in that game). The Raps have gone just 4-4 ATS over their last eight games but only once over that stretch were they favored by less than seven points, as is the case here. They won by eight points as a 5.5-point road favorite in Memphis last week. Take Toronto (10*). | |||||||
12-02-18 | 49ers v. Seahawks -10 | Top | 16-43 | Win | 105 | 28 h 44 m | Show |
NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Seattle minus the points over San Francisco at 8:20 pm et on Sunday. Seattle has worked its way back into playoff contention but needs to take full advantage of this slam dunk matchup on Sunday at home against San Francisco. The 49ers are coming off arguably their worst performance of the season, dropping a 27-9 decision at Tampa Bay. Things certainly won't get any easier here as they travel back across the country to face a highly-motivated Seahawks squad. Seattle's offense has really turned things around after looking punchless earlier in the season. RB Chris Carson has given them a lot of versatility while QB Russell Wilson appears to be healthy again, showing a lot more mobility than we saw in the early stages of the season. WR Tyler Lockett is playing some of the best football of his young career while Doug Baldwin continues to work his way back to full health as well. As long as the Seahawks don't completely overlook the Niners they should roll by two touchdowns plus in this one. Take Seattle (10*). | |||||||
12-02-18 | Broncos v. Bengals OVER 44.5 | Top | 24-10 | Loss | -110 | 25 h 32 m | Show |
NFL AFC Total of the Year. My selection is on the ‘over’ between Denver and Cincinnati at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Broncos are coming off a lower scoring game than most expected last week at home against Pittsburgh but it’s not as if the Steelers didn’t move the football all afternoon long. The common line of thinking here is that the Denver defense will be able to manhandle the Jeff Driskel-led Bengals offense but I’m not so easily convinced. Driskel has actually had quite a bit of experience running the Cincinnati offense in the preseason and attempted 29 passes in relief of Andy Dalton last Sunday against Cleveland. I like the fact that Driskel got his feet wet with a touchdown pass to WR Tyler Boyd last week and expect him to build off of that 17-29, 155 pass yards performance against a beatable Broncos secondary. Driskel is expected to have WR A.J. Green at his disposal for this one as well. The Denver offense has been hit-or-miss for the most part this season but lately we have at least seen some consistency as the Broncos have scored 20, 45, 23, 17, 23 and 24 points over their last six games with the outlier coming in a pre-bye week game against the Texans. Here, the Broncos will go up against an awful Bengals defense that simply isn’t stopping anyone right now. Look for RB Philip Lindsay and WR Emmanuel Sanders to go off in this game. We’re dealing with a relatively low total here, largely due to the unappealing matchup between two 5-6 teams. I believe we will see more offensive fireworks than most anticipate. Take the over (10*). | |||||||
12-02-18 | Ravens v. Falcons | 26-16 | Loss | -125 | 24 h 23 m | Show | |
My selection is on Atlanta over Baltimore at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Ravens have seemingly turned things around with Lamar Jackson at the helm, delivering back-to-back victories, but both of those came at home against the reeling Bengals and Raiders. Last week marked Baltimore's first ATS win in its last five games and that only came thanks to a late fourth quarter defensive score. The Falcons have lost three games in a row following three consecutive victories. They're not in contention but continue to battle, coming off a hard-fought but ultimately fruitless 31-17 loss at New Orleans on Thanksgiving Night. They've had extra time to prepare for this game and should be comfortable facing a mobile quarterback like Lamar Jackson given they face Cam Newton twice a season. Take Atlanta (10*). | |||||||
12-01-18 | Clemson -27.5 v. Pittsburgh | 42-10 | Win | 100 | 23 h 36 m | Show | |
My selection is on Clemson minus the points over Pittsburgh at 8 pm et on Saturday. This is every bit the mismatch that the oddsmakers are making it out to be. Pittsburgh ended the regular season with a thud last week, falling by a 24-3 score on the road against Miami. Prior to that, the Panthers were on a roll, having won four games in a row, scoring a ton of points in the process. However, they’re taking a big step up in class here. Clemson has gone largely untested since a tight game against Syracuse on September 29th. Since then, the Tigers winning margins have been 60, 34, 49, 61, 20, 29 and 21 points. The fact that they allowed 35 points against South Carolina last week should certainly add to their motivation level here, particularly on defense. Clemson uncharacteristically allowed two touchdowns of 60+ yards in that victory over the Gamecocks. Look for the Tigers to do a better job of limiting Pitt’s big play opportunities on Saturday. The strength of the Panthers offense lies in their ground attack but they actually haven’t made much headway in that regard over the last couple of games. Note that Pitt QB Kenny Pickett has thrown touchdown passes in only three of his last six games. He’s done a nice job taking care of the football, having not tossed an interception since October 6th against Syracuse, but that has more to do with the fact that he hasn’t been attempting many passes than anything else. Pickett has thrown for 200+ yards only once this season, and that came against a terrible Wake Forest defense. Take Clemson (10*). | |||||||
12-01-18 | Memphis +3 v. Central Florida | 41-56 | Loss | -100 | 18 h 10 m | Show | |
My selection is on Memphis plus the points over Central Florida at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. While UCF enters this game with a flawless 11-0 record the Knights have to feel that the rug was pulled out from under them last week when they lost QB McKenzie Milton for the season with a knee injury. While the Knights are still a good team without Milton, I believe they’ll be hard-pressed to get past what will be a hungry Memphis squad on Saturday. Note that Milton’s replacement is redshirt freshman Darriel Mack Jr. who represents more of a running threat. When these two teams met earlier this season it was Milton that engineered a 16-point come-from-behind victory for the Knights. That was clearly the ‘one that got away’ for the Tigers and no doubt they’ll be highly motivated to make amends here. The effects of that loss to UCF lingered for Memphis as it went on the road and gave up 65 points in a blowout loss to Missouri the next week. Since then, the Tigers have gone a perfect 4-0, scoring 59, 47, 28 and 52 points in the process. Take Memphis (10*). | |||||||
12-01-18 | Texas +8 v. Oklahoma | 27-39 | Loss | -105 | 16 h 43 m | Show | |
My selection is on Texas plus the points over Oklahoma at 12 noon et on Saturday. The Longhorns have already upset the Sooners once this season, why not do it again in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday afternoon? While I’m not going to call for the outright upset here, I do believe the Longhorns can stay competitive for four quarters and fully expect this game to go right down to the wire. Texas has suffered just two losses since opening the season with a stunning loss against Maryland (we won with the Terps in that game), those two losses came by a combined four points. It almost felt like last week’s game against West Virginia was the peak of the Sooners season as they pulled out a wild 59-56 victory in Morgantown. Could a bit of a letdown be in store here? The Sooners defensive ineptitude is alarming to say the least. They gave up at least 40 points in all four of their November games, winning by more than five points in just one of those four contests. Yes, Oklahoma’s offense is electric but it will face some resistance in this matchup. Note that Texas held Oklahoma to just three touchdowns through the first three quarters in the previous meeting back in early October. Take Texas (10*). | |||||||
11-30-18 | Blues v. Avalanche -155 | 3-2 | Loss | -155 | 24 h 59 m | Show | |
My selection is on Colorado over St. Louis at 9:05 pm et on Friday. We won with the Avalanche on Wednesday as they skated past the Penguins in a wild, high-scoring affair. I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play on Friday as the Avs stay home to host the struggling Blues. Not much has changed for St. Louis since firing head coach Mike Yeo. They've dropped five of their last six games overall and check in having won just twice in nine games on the road this season. Meanwhile, the Avs have reeled off six straight wins and own a 6-2-2 record on home ice. Since dropping four games in a row in this series the Avs have responded with back-to-back victories over the Blues by a combined 9-3 margin. Take Colorado (10*). | |||||||
11-30-18 | Northern Illinois v. Buffalo UNDER 51 | 30-29 | Loss | -108 | 22 h 25 m | Show | |
My selection is on the 'under' between Northern Illinois and Buffalo at 8 pm et on Friday. We haven't seen all that great quarterback play from either of these teams down the stretch. Northern Illinois QB Marcus Childers has thrown just three touchdowns compared to four interceptions over his last six games. Meanwhile, Bulls QB Tyree Jackson has thrown multiple touchdown passes in just two of his last eight games. Northern Illinois was once a shoo-in for this game, but not in recent years. Meanwhile, the Bulls will be going Bowling for the first time in a long time, but they want more than that in the form of a MAC Championship. I'm anticipating a tightly-contested affair on Friday night at Ford Field and that lends itself to a relatively low-scoring game. Take the under (10*). | |||||||
11-30-18 | Northern Illinois +4 v. Buffalo | 30-29 | Win | 100 | 22 h 19 m | Show | |
My selection is on Northern Illinois plus the points over Buffalo at 8 pm et on Friday. Northern Illinois is certainly used to being in this game, as a program at least. However, not so much in recent years. The Huskies won't just be 'happy to be here' though - far from it, in fact. Last year, Northern Illinois played in a Boxing Day Bowl game and got throttled by Duke. They'll be looking to make a splash here in Detroit and head into this year's Bowl opportunity on a positive note. Of course, the same goes for upstart Buffalo, which enjoyed a tremendous regular season. I will point to the fact that Bulls QB Tyree Jackson threw for multiple touchdown passes in just two of his last eight games. He's known for his mobility but ran for less than 200 yards this season. I don't believe there is any sort of intimidation factor at play here. In fact, both teams come in feeling like underdogs. Take Northern Illinois (10*). | |||||||
11-30-18 | Pelicans v. Heat +3 | 101-106 | Win | 100 | 22 h 52 m | Show | |
My selection is on Miami plus the points over New Orleans at 8:05 pm et on Friday. The public is quick to back the Pelicans on the road on Friday night, and why not? After all, the Heat are reeling, losers of eight of their last 10 games overall. With that being said, I like the spot for Miami, noting that New Orleans has gone a miserable 2-9 straight-up on the road this season and has just one win over its last five games, that coming against the dysfunctional Wizards. New Orleans has taken back-to-back meetings in this series, but Miami is actually 5-1 ATS in the last six matchups between these two teams. This is a big spot for the Heat coming off an embarrassing loss against the Hawks to open this homestand. Take Miami (10*). | |||||||
11-29-18 | Saints -7 v. Cowboys | 10-13 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 23 m | Show | |
My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. It was just a few weeks ago that most had completely written off the Cowboys and were calling for head coach Jason Garrett to be fired. Since then, Dallas has reeled off three straight wins to get back above the .500 mark and into the thick of the NFC East race. With that being said, the Cowboys are by no means in the same class as the Saints, and I'm confident we'll see New Orleans impose its will on Thursday night. Last week, Dallas benefited from a leaky Redskins pass defense, with Amari Cooper scoring touchdowns from 40 and 90 yards out. Don't count on a repeat performance here as the Saints defense has been seriously underrated this season. Of course, New Orleans' defensive strength is against the run, which should serve it well as it faces Ezekiel Elliott on Thursday night. Dallas' defense is no pushover either but I do think Drew Brees can pick the Cowboys apart over the middle with Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. Keep in mind, Dallas is still missing LB Sean Lee who is a big-time difference maker on this defense. Just two weeks back, the Cowboys weren't able to find the end zone until the fourth quarter in an eventual 22-19 win in Atlanta. I simply feel their offense has been too inconsistent to keep up with Drew Brees and the Saints on Thursday. Take New Orleans (10*). | |||||||
11-29-18 | Wild v. Blue Jackets -129 | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 22 h 40 m | Show | |
My selection is on Columbus over Minnesota at 7 pm et on Thursday. There's really not a lot to choose between these two teams as they own identical overall records and will have goaltenders between the pipes sporting almost identical numbers. I'll give the edge to the Blue Jackets, however, as they've suffered just three losses in their last 10 games, with one of those coming in a shootout and the other two coming on the road against the Leafs and Penguins - two of the league's most talented teams. The Wild don't bring the same form to the table, fresh off a home loss to the Coyotes. Take Columbus (10*). | |||||||
11-28-18 | Penguins v. Avalanche -113 | 3-6 | Win | 100 | 8 h 3 m | Show | |
My selection is on Colorado over Pittsburgh at 9:35 pm et on Wednesday. Both of these teams are coming off big wins last night with the Pens defeating the Jets by a 4-3 score in Winnipeg and the Avs perhaps even more impressively skating past the Predators 3-2 in Nashville. Pittsburgh has seemingly turned things around, collecting at least a point in five straight games, however, Colorado has been even better lately, reeling off five straight wins, with the last four coming in regulation time. Pittsburgh will have an eye on returning home following this short two-game trip and having already notched a win last night, I'm not sure they'll be quite as motivated as the young Avs, who despite their hot start to the season, still have a lot to prove against the big boys (such as the Pens). Take Colorado (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 |