Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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03-14-19 | UMKC v. Utah Valley -9 | Top | 64-71 | Loss | -115 | 14 h 3 m | Show |
WAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Utah Valley minus the points over UMKC at 9 pm et on Thursday. I'll lay the points with Utah Valley on Thursday night as it aims to march on in the WAC Tournament in Las Vegas. The Wolverines have been absolutely rolling since early January, with only two losses dating back to January 12th and both of those came against the top team in the conference, New Mexico State, which has gone 27-4 this season. It's worth noting that both of those games could have gone either way with the Aggies winning by five and seven points. UMKC closed out the regular season with a beatdown of Chicago State but that's nothing to brag about as the Cougars have only three wins to their credit this season. Prior to that, UMKC's last win came on February 16th. While both regular season meetings in this series went to Utah Valley, neither game was a real blowout. I feel that will help keep the Wolverines guard up here. Take Utah Valley (10*). |
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03-14-19 | Cavs +8 v. Magic | Top | 91-120 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 18 m | Show |
NBA Game of the Week. My selection is on Cleveland plus the points over Orlando at 7:05 pm et on Thursday. The Magic were one of the hottest teams in the league a short time ago, but that certainly isn't the case now as they limp into this game losers of back-to-back and four of their last five games overall. Their lone victory over that stretch came by five points at home against the Mavs. Cleveland has shown signs of life lately, including an upset win over the Raptors on Monday night. The Cavs have been pushing the pace a little more lately, ranking 18th in the league in pace rating over their last five games. That's a marked improvement as they had been pulling up the rear in that department a couple of weeks ago. The Magic currently rank 27th in pace rating over that same stretch. The Cavs also sit in the top half of the league in both offensive and defensive rating over those last five contests. By contrast, the Magic are 29th and 18th, respectively. I'll grab the generous helping of points with the underdog Cavs here. Take Cleveland (10*). |
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03-13-19 | Houston Baptist v. Lamar -4 | Top | 79-81 | Loss | -113 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
NCAAB Southland Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Lamar minus the points over Houston Baptist at 6 pm et on Wednesday. I really like the way this matchup sets up for Lamar and why not? After all, the Cardinals just defeated the Huskies by 35 points back in February. In fact, Lamar has lost only two games dating back to January 26th and those came against the two best teams in the Southland Conference, Abilene-Christian and Sam Houston State. Houston Baptist has played much better basketball since the start of February, finishing eighth in the Southland Conference. The Huskies did defeat Lamar by six points at home back on January 2nd with Ian DuBose going off for 33 points in that overtime victory. That one clearly could have gone either way and the Cardinals certainly proved their superiority in the aforementioned next meeting. I'll lay the relatively short number here. Take Lamar (10*). |
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03-09-19 | Suns +12.5 v. Blazers | Top | 120-127 | Win | 100 | 25 h 7 m | Show |
NBA Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Phoenix plus the points over Portland at 10:05 pm et on Saturday. I really like the way this game sets up for the underdog Suns. Phoenix has been playing some of its best basketball of the season, having reeled off three straight wins, albeit with each of those victories coming at home. I do expect the Suns to stay competitive as they hit the road to face the Blazers on Saturday night. Portland has dropped the cash in back-to-back games and has earned just one straight-up victory over its last four contests. It's been 'crazy 8's' for the Suns lately as entering last night's action, they ranked eighth in the league in pace rating, offensive rating and defensive rating over their last five games. Over that same period, Portland finds itself much farther down the pecking order. Notably, the Blazers rank in the bottom half of the league in both pace rating and defensive rating over their last five games. Phoenix is playing with some confidence right now and it should relish the role of spoiler once again on Saturday. Take Phoenix (10*). |
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03-09-19 | Western Illinois v. South Dakota State -15 | Top | 79-76 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 50 m | Show |
NCAAB Summit League Game of the Year. My selection is on South Dakota State minus the points over Western Illinois at 7 pm et on Saturday. We just saw this same matchup one week ago with the Jackrabbits rolling to a 20-point victory. I don't see this one playing out much differently as the two teams do battle in the Summit League Tournament. There's a major class difference between these two squads. The Leathernecks have managed only three victories since the start of January and none of those wins were considered major upsets. This obviously would be. South Dakota State finished the regular season tops in the Summit League but I don't expect it to let its guard down here, noting that the Jackrabbits have been involved in some close games against tough opposition lately, with four of their last five games being decided by single-digits. Keep in mind, those closer games came against the second, third, fourth and fifth-place teams in the Summit League. This one has blowout written all over it. Take South Dakota State (10*). |
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03-07-19 | Pacers v. Bucks -10 | Top | 98-117 | Win | 100 | 12 h 57 m | Show |
NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Milwaukee minus the points over Indiana at 8:05 pm et on Thursday. The Bucks are coming off rare back-to-back losses but I fully expect to see them bounce back in a big way in their return home following a long road trip on Thursday night. Milwaukee continues to push the tempo, ranking seventh in the league in pace rating over its last five games. By contrast, the Pacers check in second-last in the league in that same category over the same stretch. And we know the Bucks are more than capable of making the most of that up-tempo style, ranking seventh in the league in offensive rating over that time frame as well. The Pacers have held their own in that department as well but I simply expect them to get overwhelmed defensively here. Indiana checks in 26th in the league in defensive rating over its last five contests. This series hasn't been all that close this season with two of three meetings decided by 16 points or more and the other going the Bucks way by nine. Take Milwaukee (10*). |
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03-05-19 | Bulls +7.5 v. Pacers | Top | 96-105 | Loss | -102 | 12 h 10 m | Show |
NBA Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Chicago plus the points over Indiana at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. I'll grab the generous helping of points with the Bulls as they continue to play well despite most believing they're in 'tank mode'. Chicago has gone 5-2 ATS over its last seven games and has won four games in a row straight-up on the road. While the Bulls rank only 19th in the league in pace rating over their last five games, the Pacers have been far worse, ranking 29th. In terms of offensive rating, the Bulls sit just one spot behind the Pacers over that same stretch, ranking sixth. After a terrific run, the Pacers have now gone 1-3 straight-up and ATS over their last four games. The Bulls have grabbed the cash in three straight and five of the last six meetings in this series and I look for them to hang tough again tonight. Take Chicago (10*). |
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03-02-19 | Belmont -13.5 v. SE Missouri State | Top | 84-66 | Win | 100 | 23 h 44 m | Show |
NCAAB Ohio Valley Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Belmont minus the points over Southeast Missouri State at 8 pm et on Saturday. Belmont is one of the country's best kept secrets, having gone 24-4 overall this season, currently sitting atop the Ohio Valley Conference standings. The Bruins have now scored 90+ points in four straight games and I don't believe Southeast Missouri State will prove to be any match for them on Saturday night, noting that Belmont already took the first meeting between these two teams this season by 26 points. Just two nights ago, the Bruins routed Tennessee- Martin 112-67 as 11.5-point favorites. Southeast Missouri State is coming off a blowout win of its own, but that came against 9-20 Tennessee State. Expect a rout on Saturday night. Take Belmont (10*). |
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02-28-19 | Jazz +7 v. Nuggets | Top | 111-104 | Win | 100 | 13 h 60 m | Show |
NBA on TNT Game of the Month. My selection is on Utah plus the points over Denver at 10:35 pm et on Thursday. The Nuggets are certainly rolling along right now, winners of five games in a row to move to an impressive 42-18 overall this season. I do expect them to face a serious challenge on Thursday night, however, as they host the Jazz. Utah continues to battle for playoff positioning, currently sitting sixth in the Western Conference. The Jazz just wrapped up a perfect 2-0 homestand last night which was much needed after dropping a couple of close ones on the road at Golden State and Oklahoma City. I like the way they've battled and believe they can hang here in Denver, where they lost 103-88 much earlier in the season. I do think they're a different team now and I like the way the spot sets up here as they hit the road for this one-gamer before returning home to host the Bucks on Saturday. Utah's pace of play may handicap it a bit in this particular matchup, but the Jazz have made up for it, ranking second in the league in offensive rating over their last five games. Take Utah (10*). |
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02-27-19 | Warriors v. Heat +9 | Top | 125-126 | Win | 100 | 10 h 28 m | Show |
NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Miami plus the points over Golden State at 7:35 pm et on Wednesday. The Heat may be struggling on the heels of nine losses in their last 11 games but they did give the Warriors all they could handle in a narrow two-point loss, on the road no less, a little over two weeks ago, and I look for them to hang tough on Wednesday night as well. Miami can ill afford to let its slide continue for much longer as it currently sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, a game-and-a-half back of the eighth and final playoff spot. Knowing they have to travel to Houston for another extremely tough matchup tomorrow night, I do think we'll see the Heat's best effort against the Warriors here. Golden State is coming off an 11-point win in Charlotte on Monday but has still failed to cover the spread in six of its last seven contests. Call it a lull, or call it whatever you want, but the fact is the Warriors are an elite team, not an elite bet - in fact, they've been one of the worst bets in the league since the start of last season. Take Miami (10*). |
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02-26-19 | Celtics v. Raptors -4 | Top | 95-118 | Win | 100 | 10 h 15 m | Show |
NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Toronto minus the points over Boston at 8 pm et on Tuesday. We won by fading the Raptors on Sunday afternoon as they were in a clear letdown spot at home against the Magic coming off Friday's emotional (close) win at home against Demar Derozan and the Spurs. The Raps lost that game against the seemingly overmatched Magic outright, in blowout fashion no less. Here I’ll switch gears and back Toronto as it hosts a big game against the rival Celtics. There’s not a lot separating these two squads talent-wise even if the standings say otherwise. The Celtics have taken two of the previous three meetings this season. We've actually won with both sides in this matchup this season. The Raps have a rested Kawhi Leonard for this one and I’m confident they’ll be back up for it after Sunday’s no show against Orlando. Expect a competitive game but I'll lay the short number. Take Toronto (10*). |
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02-16-19 | Florida State v. Georgia Tech +6 | Top | 69-47 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 56 m | Show |
NCAAB ACC Game of the Year. My selection is on Georgia Tech plus the points over Florida State at 2 pm et on Saturday. Wins rarely come easy for the Seminoles here in Atlanta, where they lost their last meeting by 22 points and their previous two victories on this floor came by two and four points. Florida State did take the first meeting between these two teams this season by 10 points, but that was thanks to an abysmal 28.3% shooting effort from the Yellow Jackets, including 3-of-21 from beyond the arc. The 'Noles enter this contest on the heels of three straight ATS wins. They haven't won four in a row ATS since starting last season with a perfect 7-0 ATS record in non-conference play. Georgia Tech has lost six straight games in ACC play to fall to 3-9 in-conference this season. With that being said, the Jackets have gone a solid 16-9 ATS overall this season. Take Georgia Tech (10*). |
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02-13-19 | Wizards +11 v. Raptors | Top | 120-129 | Win | 100 | 21 h 56 m | Show |
NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Washington plus the points over Toronto at 7:35 pm et on Wednesday. The Raptors may be the vastly superior team in this matchup as far as overall records go but the Wizards are actually just a half-game behind the Raps in terms of ATS marks. Toronto loaded up prior to the trade deadline, acquiring Marc Gasol in a blockbuster deal with Memphis. There's no question it's going to take Gasol some time to get acclimated, however, noting that he has split time with Serge Ibaka, playing off the bench, since joining Toronto. Washington put together back-to-back wins before dropping a nine-point decision in Detroit last time out. That result should have served to shake off most potential Wiz backers leading up to this one. The Raptors do check in having won five games in a row SU, but are just 3-5 ATS over their last eight contests. They rarely blow out the Wizards and I don't see it happening here either. Take Washington (10*). |
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02-09-19 | Auburn v. LSU -2 | Top | 78-83 | Win | 100 | 17 h 60 m | Show |
NCAAB SEC Game of the Year. My selection is on LSU minus the points over Auburn at 2 pm et on Saturday. I'll lay the points with LSU as it tries to snap a three-game losing streak against the Auburn Tigers. The Bayou Bengals haven't defeated Auburn since 2016 although it's worth noting that they've been significant underdogs in each of the last three meetings. The shoe is on the other foot this time around as LSU is favored at the time of writing. Motivation should be high for LSU as it dropped its most recent home game as a 10-point favorite against Arkansas. Keep in mind, the Tigers are still 11-1 at home this season, outscoring opponents by nearly 16 points per contest. Auburn checks in having won three in a row but it was favored by at least 8.5 points in all three of those games. The Tigers are just 1-4 SU in true road games, allowing nearly 80 points per game on just shy of 47% shooting. Take LSU (10*). |
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02-08-19 | Bucks v. Mavs +8 | Top | 122-107 | Loss | -105 | 23 h 23 m | Show |
NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Dallas plus the points over Milwaukee at 8:35 pm et on Friday. The Bucks are one of the hottest teams in the league right now and certainly look unstoppable on the heels of five consecutive SU and ATS victories. However, here they'll be playing their seventh game in the last 13 nights in a seventh different city. The Mavs are no slouches here at home, where they own one of the strongest home court edges in the NBA, having gone 19-7 SU. Like the Bucks, the Mavs have also been tearing it up ATS, having reeled off five straight victories and gone 7-0-1 ATS over their last eight contests. The Bucks haven't won a game here in years. In last season's meeting on this floor the Mavs won by 32 points. Take Dallas (10*). |
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02-07-19 | San Francisco +18 v. Gonzaga | Top | 62-92 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 13 m | Show |
NCAAB WCC Game of the Month. My selection is on San Francisco plus the points over Gonzaga at 9 pm et on Thursday. Motivation should be high for the Dons as they try to avoid a third consecutive loss on the road in conference play. Their last two losses at San Diego and St. Mary's really could have gone either way. Despite those two setbacks, they're still a winning team on the road this season. Obviously Gonzaga is an elite team - a true national championship contender. With that being said, the Zags haven't been involved in a close game in months, essentially. They could actually use a bit of a sweat here and I think they get just that. Keep in mind, the Dons played even with the Bulldogs for a half in their previous meeting back on January 12th. Gonzaga shot better than 52% as a team in that game while San Francisco was completely off, hitting just 40.6% of their shots. I'm not about to call for an outright Dons victory here, but I am confident we'll see them stay inside the lofty pointspread. Take San Francisco (10*). |
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02-04-19 | Iowa State v. Oklahoma +2.5 | Top | 75-74 | Win | 100 | 24 h 57 m | Show |
Big 12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Oklahoma plus the points over Iowa State at 9 pm et on Monday. Absolutely huge spot for the Sooners here as they try to turn things around off back-to-back losses to Baylor and West Virginia. That loss to Baylor came in blowout fashion right here at home last Monday night so motivation will certainly be high as they host a rolling Iowa State squad on Monday night. The Cyclones. have won three games in a row and five of their last six overall, going 5-1 ATS over that stretch. Note that Oklahoma has held the opposition to 37.7% shooting at home this season. They check in a solid 8-2 straight-up at home while Iowa State is just an even 3-3 in true road games. This has been a home-dominated series and I like that trend to continue on Monday. Take Oklahoma (10*). |
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01-29-19 | Ball State +12 v. Buffalo | Top | 59-83 | Loss | -108 | 21 h 21 m | Show |
NCAAB MAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Ball State plus the points over Buffalo at 7 pm et on Tuesday. Ball State may be just 2-5 in MAC play so far this season but four of those five losses could have truly gone either way and here we're being given a generous helping of points to work with as the Cardinals challenge the nationally-ranked Buffalo Bulls. Note that the road team has won three straight, four of five and six of the last nine meetings in this series. It's worth noting that three of the Bulls six ATS losses this season have come in their last four contests. Buffalo will be challenged here, facing a Ball State squad that averages over 78 points per game on 51.1% shooting on the road this season. Ball State is actually the slightly better free throw shooting team and can hold its own on the boards as well. Take Ball State (10*). |
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01-28-19 | Baylor v. Oklahoma -6 | Top | 77-47 | Loss | -108 | 26 h 54 m | Show |
NCAAB Big 12 Game of the Week. My selection is on Oklahoma minus the points over Baylor at 9 pm et on Monday. I'll lay the points with Oklahoma in this contest as the Sooners aim to put an end to Baylor's four-game SU and ATS winning streak. Motivation will obviously be high for Oklahoma as it checks in a disappointing 3-4 in Big 12 play this season. Meanwhile, Baylor has won four of its first six games in conference play. Note that the Sooners have held the opposition to 36% shooting at home this season, while shooting an impressive 47% themselves. We won with Baylor on Saturday as it got past Alabama but I won't hesitate to switch gears here. Take Oklahoma (10*). |
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01-26-19 | Evansville +3.5 v. Northern Iowa | Top | 74-81 | Loss | -105 | 23 h 49 m | Show |
NCAAB Missouri Valley Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Evansville plus the points over Northern Iowa at 8 pm et on Saturday. Not a lot separates these two teams in the Missouri Valley Conference. In fact, they check in sporting identical conference records. With that being said, I believe Evansville has a little more upside and I'm confident the Purple Aces will hang tough for 40 minutes on Saturday night. Northern Iowa is 2-1 at home in MVC play but it averages just 61 points per game on 37.6% shooting on this floor this season. The Panthers also check in shooting a miserable 65% from the free throw line here at home. By contrast, the Purple Aces are shooting better than 74% from the charity stripe on the road. Take Evansville (10*). |
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01-25-19 | Brown +7 v. Yale | Top | 71-79 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 14 m | Show |
NCAAB Ivy League Game of the Year. My selection is on Brown plus the points over Yale at 7 pm et on Friday. Yale got the better of Brown last week week, on the road no less, prevailing by three points as a small favorite. The Bulldogs have now reeled off seven straight wins but went just 3-3 ATS in lined contests over that stretch. Brown saw its six-game losing streak come to an end last time out and the Bears will be highly-motivated to avoid an 0-2 hole in Ivy League play tonight. While Brown hasn't had much success on the road against Yale, it's not as if it has had its doors blown off with regularity either. Note that three of its last four games here were decided by single-digits - all straight-up losses for the Bears. Yale has shot the lights out here at home this season but it will face a challenge here with Brown limiting the opposition to 38.7% shooting on the road this season. The Bulldogs did shoot better than 47% against Brown last weekend, but still won by just three points. Take Brown (10*). |
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01-24-19 | St. Mary's v. BYU +1.5 | Top | 66-71 | Win | 100 | 14 h 30 m | Show |
NCAAB WCC Game of the Year. My selection is on BYU plus the points over St. Mary's at 10 pm et on Thursday. The Gaels and Cougars renew their rivalry on Thursday night after St. Mary's routed BYU earlier this month. I like the Cougars to get back at the Gaels here, as they host them for the first time since December 2017. St. Mary's enters this contest riding a four-game winning streak, both SU and ATS. The Gaels are off to a 4-1 start in WCC play, although it is worth noting that their lone loss came on the road, where they've gone just 2-2 SU in true road contests this season. BYU checks in 9-1 at home, where it averages just shy of 84 points per game on better than 48% shooting while holding the opposition to under 40% shooting. The Cougars are coming off a blowout loss at San Francisco. Perhaps they were caught looking ahead to this matchup, noting that they had won three games in a row previously. I understand the logic behind the Gaels being favored in this matchup, but I'm confident we'll see BYU defend its home floor. Take BYU (10*). |
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01-23-19 | Texas v. TCU -4 | Top | 61-65 | Push | 0 | 22 h 34 m | Show |
NCAAB Big 12 Game of the Week. My selection is on TCU minus the points over Texas at 7 pm et on Wednesday. This feels like a letdown spot for Texas off Saturday's thrilling home win over rival Oklahoma. Prior to that, the Longhorns had dropped three games in a row. TCU is coming off a 10-point loss at Kansas State and has now dropped three of its last four contests. However, the Horned Frogs are a terrific 8-1 straight-up at home this season, including a 31-point beatdown of West Virginia in their last game on this floor. They're averaging just shy of 82 points per game on better than 51% shooting at home this season. Meanwhile, Texas is putting up only 67.7 ppg on the road. Also note that TCU has won its last two home meetings with Texas by 16 and 15 points. Take TCU (10*). |
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01-21-19 | Creighton v. Georgetown -1.5 | Top | 91-87 | Loss | -107 | 14 h 31 m | Show |
NCAAB Big East Game of the Month. My selection is on Georgetown minus the points over Creighton at 8:30 pm et on Monday. I'll lay the short number with Georgetown as it hosts a reeling Creighton squad on Monday night. The Blue Jays have lost four straight games and are giving up a whopping 82 points per game on just shy of 49% shooting on the road this season. Meanwhile, Georgetown will play with a lot of motivation here having dropped three straight meetings in this series, while also coming off a narrow 74-71 home loss to Marquette. The Hoyas are 9-3 at home this season, averaging north of 87 ppg on 45.6% shooting on this floor. Take Georgetown (10*). |
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01-20-19 | Rams v. Saints -3 | Top | 26-23 | Loss | -119 | 66 h 44 m | Show |
NFL Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Los Angeles at 3:05 pm et on Sunday. We cashed a ticket fading the Saints last week as they escaped with a narrow win over the Eagles. I won't hesitate to switch gears and back New Orleans this time around as they try to defeat the Rams for the second time this season, and advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in nearly a decade. Give the Rams credit as they made the red hot Cowboys look rather punchless in last week's dominant victory at home. But now they face a much tougher challenge as they travel to New Orleans, where the Saints own an incredible home field advantage. We didn't see the Saints bring their 'A' game offensively last week, but their defense more than made up for it with a particularly strong finish, keyed by a critical interception in the game's final minute. While the Saints run defense has been terrific this season, I do think the Rams will make some gains on the ground in this one. With that being said, I believe this game comes down to whether Rams QB Jared Goff can get it done against the Saints secondary, or at least keep pace with the legend on the other side in Drew Brees. I don't see it happening. The Saints offense has another gear that I expect to see it reach this Sunday. Unlike last week when their performance was a little disjointed, I look for New Orleans to come out strong and ultimately pull away for a win and cover to advance to the Super Bowl in Atlanta. Take New Orleans (10*). |
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01-19-19 | Dayton v. St Bonaventure +3 | Top | 89-86 | Push | 0 | 9 h 6 m | Show |
NCAAB Atlantic-10 Game of the Year. My selection is on St. Bonaventure plus the points over Dayton at 4:30 pm et on Saturday. I really like the way this spot sets up for the Bonnies at home on Saturday afternoon. St. Bonaventure is coming off a double-digit loss at Rhode Island earlier this week but that's no big surprise as it has gone 0-6 on the road this season. Here at home, the Bonnies have been more productive, going 5-2 straight-up. In fact, in their most recent home game they beat St. Joe's by a lopsided 73-47 margin. While they haven't enjoyed much success in this particular matchup, I feel they catch Dayton in a good spot here. The Flyers saw their six-game winning streak come to an end last time out, suffering a narrow 76-71 loss at VCU. The Flyers are now a miserable 1-7 ATS over their last eight contests. Take St. Bonaventure (10*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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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*). |
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11-27-18 | Knicks v. Pistons -7 | Top | 108-115 | Push | 0 | 21 h 15 m | Show |
NBA Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Detroit minus the points over New York at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. The Knicks are riding a season-high three-game winning streak with all three of those wins coming in outright underdog fashion. Keep in mind, they were at least eight-point underdogs in all three of those contests. We're dealing with a shorter number here at the time of posting, and I believe we're getting value with the Pistons, who are also playing some terrific basketball right now. Detroit has won six of its last eight games overall, going 7-1 ATS over that stretch. The Pistons will benefit from staying home for a third straight game here, coming off a double-digit win over the Suns on this floor two nights ago. While Detroit checks in 6-3 at home this season, New York has won just four times in 12 road games. Note that the Knicks have already lost games by 11, 23, 13, 16, 25 and 14 points on the road this season. Take Detroit (10*). |
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11-26-18 | Titans +4 v. Texans | Top | 17-34 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 21 m | Show |
NFL AFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Tennessee plus the points over Houston at 8:15 pm et on Thursday. I'll grab the generous helping of points with the Titans here in a division game that I believe will be tightly-contested all the way. Tennessee was in a really tough hangover spot last week, going on the road to face a red hot Colts squad fresh off a stunning blowout victory over the Patriots at home the previous week. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Titans came out flat and ultimately got blown out. Now they face a critical matchup with the Texans, sitting two games back of Houston in the AFC South standings. I'm confident we'll see Mike Vrabel's squad come to play in this one. The Texans are red hot, fresh off seven straight victories. However, they've certainly shown a tendency to get involved in close games, with four of those seven wins coming by a field goal or less. The only two truly lopsided victories over that stretch came against two weak opponents in the Jaguars and Dolphins. In those seven wins, the Texans outgained only one opponent by more than 57 total yards (the Cowboys back on October 7th - a game they won by a field goal in overtime). Keep in mind, the Titans were just a one-point underdog in Indianapolis last week. I'm not convinced they should be catching more than a field goal here. Take Tennessee (10*). |
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11-25-18 | Raiders v. Ravens -10.5 | Top | 17-34 | Win | 100 | 16 h 47 m | Show |
NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Baltimore minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday. We missed the mark going against the Raiders last Sunday in Arizona but I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the same play here, this time backing the Ravens in Baltimore. Oakland is not a good football team. This is not a good matchup. The Raiders defense is slow, plain and simple. Now they have to travel for an early start on the east coast, and face arguably the fastest starting quarterback in the NFL in Lamar Jackson. We saw clear evidence of what the Ravens want to do with Jackson under center, and that’s run the football. At this point of the season, it’s pretty clear that the offense isn’t really that well-suited to the injured Joe Flacco. I do feel that Jackson can continue to give them a bit of a boost. Defensively, the Ravens should be fine against a Raiders offense that showed some signs of life last Sunday but still isn’t very good. Note that in that victory over Arizona, QB Derek Carr threw for less than 200 yards and the Raiders top rusher was Jalen Richard with only 61 yards on the ground. Their top receiver had 50 yards. I could go on but the fact is, the Raiders are a bottom-feeder, and they’re a big underdog for a reason on Sunday in Baltimore. Take Baltimore (10*). |
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11-22-18 | Falcons +13.5 v. Saints | Top | 17-31 | Loss | -120 | 23 h 33 m | Show |
NFL NFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Atlanta plus the points over New Orleans at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. Much was made of the Saints 'running up the score' against the defending champion Eagles last Sunday afternoon. I don't believe they'll have the opportunity to do so against the division-rival Falcons on Thursday night, however. Atlanta isn't a player in the NFC South race but is still focused on a possible run to the playoffs. Coming off two of its worst efforts of the season, it won't be hard to get up for this matchup on Thursday night. Keep in mind, going back to the start of the 2014 season, the largest margin of victory in this series was 16 points. That came in a Falcons win as a six-point underdog here in New Orleans four years ago. The next biggest margin of victory was 13 points - another Falcons win here in New Orleans back in September of 2016. Atlanta has actually gone 5-4 SU in the last nine meetings in the series. The underdog has gone 8-2 ATS in the last 10 matchups between the Falcons and Saints. Atlanta has at the very least gotten healthier on defense in recent weeks. I'm confident we'll see the Falcons do a better job of keeping the seemingly unstoppable Saints offense in check than the Eagles did last Sunday. Take Atlanta (10*). |
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11-20-18 | Nets v. Heat -3 | Top | 104-92 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 29 m | Show |
NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Week. My selection is on Miami minus the points over Brooklyn at 7:35 pm et on Tuesday. The Nets have had success here in South Beach in recent years but I like the way this spot sets up for the Heat as they aim to bounce back from an ugly home loss to Lebron James and the Lakers. Miami is now a miserable 3-6 SU at home this season but this is a fine opportunity to get a little back against a struggling Nets squad. Brooklyn checks in following another loss, its fourth in its last five games. The Nets lone victory over that stretch came against the lowly Wizards. This is a key spot for the Heat as they'll get a couple of days off for Thanksgiving before hitting the road for games in Chicago and Toronto. It's not a must-win by any means but I certainly expect their motivation level to be high. In previous years we've seen them overlook the Nets here at home, but I don't believe that will be the case on Tuesday. Take Miami (10*). |
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11-18-18 | Raiders v. Cardinals -5.5 | Top | 23-21 | Loss | -107 | 50 h 45 m | Show |
NFL Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Arizona minus the points over Oakland at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. |
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11-17-18 | Wisconsin v. Purdue -4 | Top | 47-44 | Loss | -105 | 26 h 12 m | Show |
NCAAF Big Ten Game of the Year. My selection is on Purdue minus the points over Wisconsin at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. |
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11-17-18 | Florida International -5.5 v. Charlotte | Top | 42-35 | Win | 100 | 25 h 37 m | Show |
NCAAF C-USA Game of the Month. My selection is on Florida International minus the points over Charlotte at 2 pm et on Saturday. |
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11-14-18 | Blazers +2.5 v. Lakers | Top | 117-126 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 11 m | Show |
NBA Western Conference Game of the Week. My selection is on Portland plus the points over Los Angeles at 10:35 pm et on Wednesday. We're getting considerable value with the superior squad in this matchup, largely due to the presence of LeBron James, not to mention the strong current form the Lakers bring to the table, on paper at least. Los Angeles does check in having won five of its last six games but that's been thanks in large part to a charmin-soft schedule. Yes, the Lakers did beat these same Blazers over that stretch but you have to think that only adds to Portland's motivation here. The Blazers are coming off two days' rest which comes on the heels of an extended homestand. I believe Portland is in excellent position to lay the hammer down on the Lakers in this spot. Take Portland (10*). |
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11-11-18 | Cowboys v. Eagles -7 | Top | 27-20 | Loss | -120 | 25 h 45 m | Show |
NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Sunday. I really like the way this spot sets up for the Eagles. Note that the straight-up winner has gone 7-1 ATS in the Eagles eight games to date this season. That means the SU winner is now an incredible 84-8 ATS in their last 92 contests by my count. Once again here, I don’t believe the spread will come into play. The Eagles motivational level should be high coming off their bye week as a win would put them a full two games ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East standings while a loss would pull the two teams even. Dallas is a mess right now, playing on a short week and fresh off a two-touchdown loss at home against the Titans on Monday night, with a lame duck head coach in Jason Garrett to boot. This is a spot where we should see the Eagles offense take flight (no pun intended) with the Cowboys once again forced to go without LB Sean Lee. We’ve seen glimpses of brilliance from the Philadelphia offense this season but nothing sustained. However, here they’ll have another weapon at their disposal in WR Golden Tate and a fully healthy QB Carson Wentz off the bye week. Even without any semblance of a running game, the Eagles aerial attack should be able to do plenty of damage against a downtrodden Cowboys defense that has quite simply been asked to do too much on a regular basis this season. On the flip side, the Eagles defense has been terrific against the run which leaves Dallas in an awfully tough spot. Even with the addition of WR Amari Cooper, the Cowboys offense is still very one-dimensional and I’m confident we’ll see the Eagles force QB Dak Prescott into at least a couple of key mistakes on Sunday night. Take Philadelphia (10*). |
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11-11-18 | Dolphins v. Packers -10 | Top | 12-31 | Win | 100 | 21 h 42 m | Show |
NFL Non-Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Green Bay minus the points over Miami at 4:25 pm et on Sunday. Credit the Packers for hanging around for a while against the Patriots in Foxborough last Sunday night but in the end they simply didn’t have the horses to keep up with Tom Brady and company. We should see a completely different story unfold this week, however, as the Pack welcome the Dolphins to Lambeau Field. While the Packers did suffer a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football last Sunday night, there’s little reason to expect those losses to have much of an impact here as the Dolphins offense is bottom of the barrel. Miami QB Brock Osweiler seems to be getting worse with each passing week which should surprise no one. I prefer to focus on the Packers offense in this one, as they should enjoy a tremendous bounce-back performance. Miami doesn’t generate any sort of pass rush and given a clean pocket, I’m confident we’ll see QB Aaron Rodgers pick apart the Dolphins secondary all afternoon long. While Green Bay has dealt with some key injuries at the wide receiver position this season, it has also seen its young players step up in a big way. WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been the biggest benefactor of increased playing time and should benefit from WR DaVante Adams drawing away ‘Fins CB Xavien Howard’s coverage on Sunday afternoon. Tight ends have been blazing the ‘Fins defense and the Packers have one of the best in the business in Jimmy Graham. While his production has certainly dropped off in recent years, he is still capable of coming up with a big game and I believe we’ll see that here. We’re being asked to lay a fairly steep price with the Packers, but it’s warranted in my opinion. The Dolphins winning record is a mirage as far as I’m concerned. Take Green Bay (10*). |
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11-10-18 | Washington State -6 v. Colorado | Top | 31-7 | Win | 100 | 43 h 19 m | Show |
NCAAF Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Washington State minus the points over Colorado at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. |
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11-09-18 | Fresno State v. Boise State +3 | Top | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 26 h 35 m | Show |
NCAAF MWC Game of the Year. My selection is on Boise State plus the points over Fresno State at 10:20 pm et on Friday. I'll grab the points on a rare occasion where the Broncos are the underdog on the blue turf in Boise. Fresno State comes in as the ranked team but I'm not sure it will leave the game in the same position (not literally of course). The Bulldogs are off to an impressive 8-1 start but who have they really beaten? Their victories have come against Idaho, UCLA, Toledo, Nevada, Wyoming, New Mexico, Hawaii and UNLV. While I fully understand that you can only play the teams in front of you, I believe Fresno will be in for its toughest test of the season on Friday night. Boise State has suffered a pair of losses but those came against two quality opponents in Oklahoma State and San Diego State. I like the fact that the Broncos are battle-tested having been involved in back-to-back relatively close games entering this one, outlasting Air Force and BYU by a combined 15-point margin in its last two contests. Much has been and will be made of the quarterback matchup in this one. I give the Broncos the edge with experienced starter Brett Rypien. While his supporting cast isn't quite as strong as previous years, it's still solid. This is a game where I look for the Boise State defense to step up against a Fresno offense that has taken advantage of some super-soft defensive opponents. Take Boise State (10*). |
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11-03-18 | Texas A&M v. Auburn -3.5 | Top | 24-28 | Win | 100 | 15 h 26 m | Show |
NCAAF SEC Game of the Year. My selection is on Auburn minus the points over Texas A&M at 12 noon et on Saturday. I think a lot of bettors got spooked in early October as Auburn dropped back-to-back games at Mississippi State and at home against Tennessee. We did see the Tigers bounce back last time out, going on the road to defeat Ole Miss 31-16, which took them into their bye week. This is actually a fairly critical spot for Auburn as it will travel to face Georgia and Alabama in two of its final three regular season games – winning either of those would be a tall task to be sure. While there is a home game against Liberty to gain Bowl eligibility even if the Tigers drop this one to the Aggies, that’s not really a path they want to take. On the flip side, 20th-ranked Texas A&M gets a couple of winnable games at home against Ole Miss and UAB next. In fact, the Aggies won’t play another true road game this season, wrapping things up at home against LSU on November 24th. The Aggies will be trying to avoid suffering consecutive losses for the first time this season on Saturday but this is a difficult spot in enemy territory. Note that last week we didn’t see the Aggies score a touchdown until the final minute of the first half against Mississippi State. Two games back it wasn’t until four minutes left in the first half until they reached the end zone at South Carolina. I simply feel the Aggies are going to have a difficult time breaking through against the Tigers and expect Auburn to make enough plays down the stretch to secure a win and cover. Take Auburn (10*). |
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10-28-18 | Browns v. Steelers -7.5 | Top | 18-33 | Win | 100 | 18 h 45 m | Show |
NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Cleveland at 1 pm et on Sunday. This game has blowout written all over it as far as I’m concerned. While the Steelers cruise into this home date off their bye week, the Browns are fresh off an overtime loss at Tampa Bay last Sunday. There were concerns all over the place for Cleveland last week. Its offense couldn’t sustain many drives against a hapless Bucs defense while the defense simply couldn’t come up with big plays when it needed to. Now the Browns stay on the road and face what will be a highly-motivated Steelers squad after Pittsburgh dominated most of the way but ultimately had to settle for a tie in Cleveland back in Week 1. We’ve seen glimpses of the Steelers offensive potential this season but I look for it all to come together in this matchup. This is a prime matchup for RB James Conner in particular, who continues to prove his worth starting in place of holdout Le’Veon Bell. There’s really no need to over-analyze this one – it’s a true statement spot for the Steelers. Take Pittsburgh (10*). |
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10-28-18 | Eagles -3 v. Jaguars | Top | 24-18 | Win | 100 | 14 h 25 m | Show |
NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Jacksonville at 9:30 am et on Sunday. These two teams enter this London matchup with identical 3-4 records but I feel that the Eagles are in a far better place right now and in good position to win this one going away. The Jaguars are reeling. There are questions whether QB Blake Bortles is really the right guy to lead the offense while the defense hasn’t come close to living up to expectations in recent weeks. Was last season a fluke? I’m not ready to make that judgement just yet, but I do feel the Jags find themselves in a really difficult spot traveling across the pond to face the defending Super Bowl champions on Sunday. The Eagles are coming off a truly disappointing fall-from-ahead loss against the Panthers, at home no less. With that being said, QB Carson Wentz is coming off a spectacular performance and we should see some carry-over from that effort here. Since getting WR Alshon Jeffery back the Eagles offense has had a more dynamic look and I believe they’ll give Jacksonville plenty of problems on Sunday. Defensively, the Eagles are down a couple of key cogs but depth is not something they’re lacking on that side of the football. They employ a ‘next man up’ philosophy, much like the Patriots, and draw a favorable matchup in a struggling Jags offense here. Take Philadelphia (10*). |
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10-20-18 | California v. Oregon State +7.5 | Top | 49-7 | Loss | -110 | 43 h 57 m | Show |
NCAAF Pac-12 Game of the Year. My selection is on Oregon State plus the points over California at 4 pm et on Saturday. I’ll grab all the points I can get with the Beavers as they host a reeling California squad on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Bears got off to a fast start this season, posting three straight victories to open the campaign. However, since then they’ve dropped three in a row and all three games could have been considered ‘winnable’. Now they head out on the road to take on a 1-5 Oregon State squad that won’t draw a great deal of motivation when you consider the Bears posted a relatively easy 37-23 win in this matchup last year. The Beavers have been getting blown out on the regular lately, dropping their last three games by a combined 68 points but I do like the progression we’ve seen from their offense, as well as the fact that they’re coming off their bye week. Last time out they hung around until the fourth quarter against a good Washington State team, actually grabbing a lead early in the third quarter. It’s worth noting that the Beavers recently welcomed back electric RB Artavis Pierce and he should make an impact in this matchup. The Oregon State defense hasn’t been good by any means but is the Cal offense capable of taking advantage? Note that the Bears have scored a grand total of 48 points during their current three-game losing streak and managed only a single touchdown, which didn’t come until midway through the third quarter, against a middle of the road UCLA defense last week. Take Oregon State (10*). |
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10-20-18 | Virginia +7.5 v. Duke | Top | 28-14 | Win | 100 | 39 h 26 m | Show |
NCAAF ACC Game of the Year. My selection is on Virginia plus the points over Duke at 12:30 pm et on Saturday. Points are likely to come at a premium in this matchup and with that in mind I’ll grab all the points I can get with the Cavaliers. Virginia successfully bounced back from a loss at N.C. State, delivering a 16-13 win over Miami last week. One bad quarter essentially did the Cavaliers in against the Wolfpack but we saw them ride a masterful defensive effort to victory last Saturday. I’m confident they can contain the Duke offense as well, noting that the Blue Devils have scored more than 28 points in a game only twice this season, with those two efforts coming against Baylor and FCS squad NC Central. They’ve scored a grand total of only 42 points over their last two contests and were held to 21 points in a loss to Virginia last year. The Cavaliers defense isn’t great by any means, but has done enough to instill confidence going up against a fairly tough Duke defense. Note that RB Jordan Ellis has found the end zone in three of his last four games, totaling five touchdowns over that stretch. QB Bryce Perkins had thrown for at least two touchdowns in each of his first five games before a rough outing against a strong Miami defense last week (he completed only 12-of-21 passes for 92 yards and three interceptions in that game). The fact that the Cavaliers still managed to outlast the Hurricanes even with that poor performance from Perkins was encouraging to say the least. Take Virginia (10*). |
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10-18-18 | Broncos v. Cardinals +2.5 | Top | 45-10 | Loss | -110 | 51 h 3 m | Show |
NFL Thursday Night Game of the Month. My selection is on Arizona plus the points over Denver at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. I’ll back the Cardinals on Thursday night as they host the reeling Broncos. Arizona has certainly shown signs of turning things around over the last couple of weeks. Two games back, the Cardinals posted a 28-18 victory over an improving 49ers squad in San Francisco. Just last Sunday they battled the Vikings hard for 60 minutes, ultimately falling by 10 points, on the road no less. Now they return home and draw a favorable matchup against a Denver squad that can’t get out of its own way right now. The Broncos have lost four straight games, allowing at least 23 points in each of those losses. Meanwhile, their offense continues to lag, having scored 20 points or less in four of their last five contests. QB Case Keenum doesn’t look like the right fit for the offense, with some Broncos faithful calling for Chad Kelly to take over. Outside of WR Emmanuel Sanders I don’t see any of the Broncos having much of an edge against a still-capable Cardinals defense. On the flip side, Arizona RB David Johnson should face little resistance against a Broncos defense that has had no success at all stopping the run in recent weeks. Denver’s once-feared ‘no fly zone’ defense is no more. Chris Harris is essentially the lone bright spot in the Broncos secondary. While the Cardinals by no means have an elite WR corps, especially with veteran Larry Fitzgerald playing at well below 100% healthy, they’re still capable of stretching the field and exposing the Broncos secondary. Look for WR Christian Kirk to continue to build on his solid rapport with rookie QB Josh Rosen, helping pace the offense in what I believe will be a win for the Cardinals. Take Arizona (10*). |
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10-14-18 | Chiefs v. Patriots -3 | Top | 40-43 | Push | 0 | 71 h 58 m | Show |
NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Year. My selection is on New England minus the points over Kansas City at 8:20 pm et on Sunday. This is a rematch of last year’s season-opener – a game the Chiefs won in blowout fashion right here in Foxborough. I expect a much different story to unfold this time around as the Patriots look to gain an ounce of revenge against Andy Reid’s undefeated squad. I like the way this one sets up for the Pats as they come off an extended week following their Thursday night win over the Colts. We’ve seen their offense evolve and improve over the early stages of the season and I’m confident we’ll see their best effort of the campaign to date on Sunday night against a very beatable Chiefs defense. New England welcomed WR Julian Edelman back to the field last week and he should continue to see his role increase as the weeks go on. In this game I actually expect to see the Patriots backfield take center stage with RBs James White and Sony Michel going off against a porous Chiefs defense. We have seen some chinks in the Chiefs offensive armor over the last couple of games, with the Broncos and Jaguars at least laying out somewhat of a blueprint as to how to slow down this juggernaut. This certainly has all the makings of a shootout, but in the end I like the Patriots to make a couple more big plays down the stretch and pull away for a win and cover. Take New England (10*). |
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10-14-18 | Cardinals v. Vikings -10 | Top | 17-27 | Push | 0 | 64 h 52 m | Show |
NFL NFC Game of the Year. My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Arizona at 1 pm et on Sunday. I absolutely love the way this spot sets up for the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota’s offense has taken off since that embarrassing no-show at home against the Bills three weeks ago. Since then we’ve seen the Vikes march up and down the field against both the Rams and Eagles, managing to earn a 1-1 split. Now they return home to host a Cardinals squad that is coming off its first victory of the season, but that came against a weak 49ers squad last Sunday. Here, Arizona will face a much tougher challenge, staying on the road and heading two time zones east for an early start in Minnesota. The Vikings defense hasn’t been great this season but did turn in a fairly strong showing in Philadelphia last week and gets a favorable matchup here. If there’s one thing the Vikes have continued to do well it’s stop the run and that should serve them well as they prepare to face Cards RB David Johnson, who has shown some signs of life since QB Josh Rosen took over the offense. I don’t see how Arizona keeps within arm’s reach for four quarters without a passing game to speak of. Look for another big game from Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins as the Vikes roll at home. Take Minnesota (10*). |
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10-13-18 | Middle Tennessee State v. Florida International -2.5 | Top | 21-24 | Win | 100 | 57 h 17 m | Show |
NCAAF C-USA Game of the Year. My selection is on Florida International minus the points over Middle Tennessee State at 7:30 pm et on Saturday. It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Florida International this season, both on and off the field but based on its play over the last several weeks, it does appear to be on the right track. The Panthers have just one loss over their last four games, and that came in respectable fashion (31-17) on the road against Miami. Considering the Panthers last game was a 55-9 walk over Arkansas-Pine Bluff back on September 29th, they should enter this contest rested and ready. Middle Tennessee State on the other hand is coming off two hard-fought wins over Florida Atlantic (we won with the Blue Raiders in that game) and Marshall. Those were two much-needed victories for the Blue Raiders but now I’m anticipating a bit of a letdown. Keep in mind, FIU will be looking to avenge a 37-17 blowout loss at the hands of MTSU last season. I believe the Blue Raiders have been rather fortunate to pull out wins in their last two games, first needing a late rally to overcome a two-touchdown deficit against Florida Atlantic and then digging a 17-10 halftime hole against Marshall last week. It’s worth noting that the Blue Raiders managed only one first half touchdown against the Thundering Herd and it came with just over one minute remaining before halftime. There’s not a lot separating the Blue Raiders and Panthers right now, but I believe FIU is in better position to grab its fourth victory of the season on Saturday night. Take Florida International (10*). |
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10-07-18 | Rams -7 v. Seahawks | Top | 33-31 | Loss | -110 | 54 h 57 m | Show |
NFL Blowout Game of the Year. My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Seattle at 4:25 pm et on Sunday. This has all the makings of a beatdown in favor of the undefeated Rams on Sunday afternoon in Seattle. First of all, Los Angeles has had an extra few days to prepare for this matchup following last week's impressive home win over the Vikings. You can be sure that head coach Sean McVay has some tricks up his sleeve as he'll see this as a big challenge playing in a hostile environment in Seattle and matching wits with a Super Bowl-winning head coach in Pete Carroll. The case can be made that QB Jared Goff has been the league's best quarterback so far this season which is really saying something given how well we've seen some of the veterans and young arms alike perform in the early going. There's little reason to expect any regression from Goff and the Rams offense here as they face a Seahawks defense that certainly isn't what it once was, and just lost safety Earl Thomas to a broken leg. The question is whether the Rams defense can hold up well enough against a highly-motivated Seahawks offense that has shown some improvement and welcomed back WR Doug Baldwin last week. My answer to that is, I'm not sure it matters how well the Seahawks offense performs as the Rams should do enough damage themselves to ultimately stretch out the margin in this one. Keep in mind, Seattle QB Russell Wilson has been admirable in his efforts but hasn't looked like the same dual-threat quarterback and continues to perform behind a leaky offensive line. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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10-06-18 | Tulane v. Cincinnati -7 | Top | 21-37 | Win | 100 | 48 h 9 m | Show |
NCAAF AAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Cincinnati minus the points over Tulane at 12 noon et on Saturday. I’ll lay the points with the Bearcats on Saturday afternoon. Cincinnati is quietly off to a perfect 5-0 start and has an excellent opportunity to keep it rolling against an inconsistent Tulane squad here. The Green Wave are coming off a surprising win over Memphis last week but they’ll be hard-pressed to follow it up with another victory on Saturday. Note that in their two previous road games they fell 31-24 as a road favorite at UAB and 49-6 in an expected beatdown at Ohio State. This play is more about Cincinnati than it is Tulane, however. The Bearcats have seemingly gotten stronger with each passing week and are fresh off a near perfect performance in a 49-7 rout at Connecticut last Saturday. Unlike recent years, they finally have an offense that can put points on the board, with a balanced attack that has enjoyed success both on the ground and through the air. Tulane has managed to score at least 40 points on two different occasions but one of those efforts came against an FCS opponent Nicholls State and the other came last week in a game where Memphis clearly overlooked the Green Wave. In that contest scored a pair of first quarter touchdowns but didn’t find the end zone between the final five minutes of the first quarter and the final play of the third quarter. They were buoyed but a trio of complete defensive breakdowns on the part of the Tigers late, something I don’t expect to see from a well-coached Cincinnati squad on Saturday. Take Cincinnati (10*). |
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09-30-18 | Bucs v. Bears -3 | Top | 10-48 | Win | 100 | 48 h 28 m | Show |
NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Chicago minus the points over Tampa Bay at 1 pm et on Sunday. I really like the way this one sets up for the Bears on Sunday afternoon. We cashed a ticket fading the Bucs in their ‘closer than the final score indicated’ loss to the Steelers on Monday night and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well here. We certainly saw some regression from the Bucs offense in that matchup with a terrible Steelers pass defense. The magic seemed to run out for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and I really believe this will be his last start for Tampa Bay for a while with the Bucs heading into their bye week after this and Jameis Winston ready to return to the field. While I’m not a big fan of the Bears offense with Mitchell Trubisky at the helm right now, I’m not sure it really matters here as Chicago should have little trouble moving the football against a weak Bucs defense. The Bears have enough talent around Trubisky, namely RB Jordan Howard and WR Allen Robinson, to put up some points on Sunday afternoon. This is a well-coached football team that is still slowly learning a new offense. There will come a week where we see a breakout performance, and this just might be it. I like the fact that the Bears defense should be able to completely take away the Bucs already non-existent ground game and force Fitzpatrick into more mistakes. Take Chicago (10*). |
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09-29-18 | Florida Atlantic v. Middle Tennessee State +3.5 | Top | 24-25 | Win | 100 | 35 h 52 m | Show |
NCAAF Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Middle Tennessee State plus the points over Florida Atlantic at 7 pm et on Saturday. Florida Atlantic rolled past Middle Tennessee State in last year's meeting, posting a 38-20 victory at home. Prior to that this series was all Blue Raiders, however, and I look for MTSU to exact some revenge at home on Saturday night. FAU has yet to notch an ATS victory through four games this season. The Owls have been steamrolled both times they've stepped up in class against Oklahoma and Central Florida. Meanwhile, MTSU is coming off a beatdown at the hands of Georgia, but I like the fact that the Blue Raiders have had an extra week off to recover from that physical affair. We've yet to see them play their best game this season but I do believe it's coming. Keep in mind, this is a team loaded with talent and experience on both sides of the football, and one that won a Bowl game last December, in an underdog role no less. This is a big game for MTSU if it wants to go Bowling again this year. With another loss the Blue Raiders would fall to 1-3 and face an uphill battle to six wins given their remaining schedule. I expect them to at the very least take this one right down to the wire. Take Middle Tennessee State (10*). |
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09-23-18 | Raiders v. Dolphins -3 | Top | 20-28 | Win | 100 | 16 h 18 m | Show |
NFL Game of the Week. My selection is on Miami minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Raiders are in a truly tough situation here. After starting the season on the west coast with a home game against the Rams, they traveled to the thin air of Denver last week and now have to trek across the rest of the country for an early start in Miami on Sunday afternoon. The Dolphins have generally had a solid home field advantage early in the season and already 1-0 SU and ATS at home here in 2018. I like the Dolphins chances of improving to a somewhat improbable 3-0 this week. We’ve seen this story unfold before. Remember, back in 2016 the Dolphins enjoyed plenty of success with the Adam Gase-Ryan Tannehill combo. When asked to be more or less a game manager, Tannehill has proven that he can succeed. In fact, the Fins are 9-1 in Tannehill’s last 10 starts. The Raiders couldn’t have played much better than they did last Sunday in Denver but they still fell short in the end. I can’t see them getting back to that level of effort and execution in their second straight road contest this Sunday. Their offense did show some positive signs against the Broncos, but let’s face it, the Denver defense isn’t what it once was, especially against the pass. I actually feel the Fins can hold up much better than the Broncos did against Derek Carr and the Raiders passing game. On the other side of the football, the Raiders don’t have the personnel in place to get after opposing quarterbacks which sets up nicely for Tannehill. Look for him to have a field day against this Oakland defense, and for the overlooked Miami ground attack to ultimately salt away another victory. Take Miami (10*). |
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09-22-18 | Arizona v. Oregon State +7 | Top | 35-14 | Loss | -110 | 31 h 6 m | Show |
NCAAF Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Oregon State plus the points over Arizona at 4 pm et on Saturday. I’ll grab the points with the Beavers in what most are expecting to be a shootout in Corvallis on Saturday afternoon. Arizona isn’t where it hoped to be at this stage of the season, having won just once in its first three games. That victory came against FCS squad Southern Utah last week. While the Wildcats offense finally got going in that game, their defensive performance left a lot to be desired once again, as they allowed 31 points. It’s also worth noting that after an early first quarter touchdown, the Wildcats didn’t reach the end zone again on offense until the final 30 seconds of the first half. Were it not for a kick return touchdown early in the second quarter, that game could have played out differently. Oregon State also checks in 1-2 and while it had to be disappointed with last week’s narrow two-point loss to Nevada, that setback came on the road and I don’t think the Beavers are all that down on themselves following a 1-2 start (their other loss came on the road against Ohio State in Week 1). If nothing else, the Beavers offense has been humming along, and I liked the way they didn’t back down despite digging an early 30-7 hole at Nevada last week. Oregon State reeled off three consecutive touchdowns to get back in the game but ultimately fell just short. I don’t think there’s any question the Beavers will see this as a winnable game to open their Pac-12 slate. We’re being offered a generous cushion in a game that I believe could go either way. Take Oregon State (10*). |
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09-16-18 | Chiefs v. Steelers -4.5 | Top | 42-37 | Loss | -110 | 30 h 32 m | Show |
NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh minus the points over Kansas City at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Steelers avoided complete embarrassment thanks to a blocked field goal at the end of overtime in Cleveland last Sunday but there’s no question it was an ugly start to the campaign for the Black and Gold. I have no doubt that we’ll see a much sharper effort from the Steelers, on offense in particular, as they host the Chiefs on Sunday. We won with Kansas City last week in Los Angeles but we were fortunate to cash that ticket as the Chargers were able to march the ball up and down the field against what certainly appeared to be a weak Chiefs defense. I’m not sure we’ll see Kansas City right the ship on that side of the football traveling across the country to face the Steelers in their second straight road game to open the season. You have to think heading into this two-game jaunt that the Chiefs would have been more than pleased to earn a 1-1 split. While they’d undoubtedly like to earn the 2-0 sweep now that they have the first one in their back pocket, I simply feel that the Steelers will be the hungrier squad on Sunday afternoon. Take Pittsburgh (10*). |
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09-09-18 | Chiefs +3.5 v. Chargers | Top | 38-28 | Win | 100 | 30 h 44 m | Show |
NFL Underdog Game of the Week. My selection is on Kansas City plus the points over Los Angeles at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. I'll grab the points with the Chiefs on Sunday as they open the 2018 season with an AFC West showdown with the Chargers. Los Angeles is receiving plenty of hype entering the new season with some even picking it to reach the Super Bowl. I'm not nearly as high on the Chargers. The Chiefs actually haven't lost a game to the rival Chargers since way back in 2013. I don't believe this is the Kansas City team to end that streak. I see the Chiefs as a team with a lot of upside entering the new season. QB Pat Mahomes may be a first-year starter but he certainly played like a veteran in the preseason and gained a lot of knowledge working behind a true pro in Alex Smith last year. Some believe that RB Kareem Hunt was a one-year wonder, but I'm confident that he'll give the Chiefs a lot out of the backfield once again this season. Meanwhile, WR Tyreek Hill has been getting better with each passing season and certainly looked in sync with Mahomes in the preseason. Defensively, the Chiefs do have some question marks, and they'll obviously be facing a tough challenge in the Chargers offense on Sunday, but I'm confident we'll see them play well. Take Kansas City (10*). |
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09-08-18 | Air Force +10 v. Florida Atlantic | Top | 27-33 | Win | 100 | 18 h 12 m | Show |
NCAAF Underdog Game of the Week. My selection is on Air Force plus the points over Florida Atlantic at 2 pm et on Saturday. I’ll grab the generous helping of points with Air Force as it aims for its second straight victory to open the season at Florida Atlantic on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons delivered a clean 38-0 victory over FCS squad Stony Brook last week. That wasn’t exactly a statement victory although it is worth noting that Air Force was favored by just north of two touchdowns in advance of that contest. I like the fact that the Falcons came roaring out of the gates with a touchdown on their first drive of the game and did a nice job putting things away for good with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns as well. Needless to say, their defense was on point in a shutout performance. Florida Atlantic certainly didn’t expect to roll into Norman and come away victorious against Oklahoma last Saturday but it did believe it could at least stay competitive. That wasn’t the case as the Owls were blown out of the water, falling behind 42-0 before halftime in an eventual 63-14 rout. That certainly won’t do wonders for FAU’s confidence heading into this suddenly critical matchup with a tough out in Air Force. The Owls didn’t get much from their passing game and their ground game coughed and sputtered throughout the loss to the Sooners. They’ll get a lot more breathing room against a middle of the road Falcons defense here, but can they ultimately pull away to win by margin? I’m not so sure with Air Force more than capable of dominating time of possession and chewing up precious clock. Take Air Force (10*). |
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09-06-18 | Falcons v. Eagles -2 | Top | 12-18 | Win | 100 | 48 h 36 m | Show |
NFL Thursday Night Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Atlanta at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. The defending Super Bowl champions have gone an impressive 11-3 SU since the NFL went to the Thursday night kickoff in the early-2000's. Of course, we saw the defending champion Patriots fall to the Chiefs last year, but I don't expect history to repeat itself with the Eagles here. It's certainly worth noting that the SU winner has gone an incredible 77-7 ATS in the Eagles last 84 games overall. We're dealing with a very short pointspread here, largely due to Philadelphia's numerous injury concerns - most notably absent from this game will be QB Carson Wentz. Nick Foles didn't look great in the preseason and also suffered an injury of his own but has put in a good week of practice with the Eagles first unit and I'm confident he'll hold his own against the Falcons on Thursday night. The Falcons are a solid team without question, but I don't believe they're the Super Bowl contender that most make them out to be. RB Devonta Freeman wilted at times over the course of last season while WR Julio Jones isn't the unstoppable force he once was. The addition or rookie WR Calvin Ridley will help, but I don't expect him to make all that much of an impact in this contest. The Eagles haven't lost a meaningful game at home since December 11, 2016. Look for them to make the key plays down the stretch in this one to secure a big opening night victory. Take Philadelphia (10*). |
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09-01-18 | Washington v. Auburn -2 | Top | 16-21 | Win | 100 | 30 h 56 m | Show |
NCAAF TV Game of the Week. My selection is on Auburn minus the points over Washington at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. To be completely honest, I've always felt that Washington head coach Chris Petersen was more than a little overrated. Ever since Boise State's thrilling upset win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl all those years ago, Petersen has been hailed as one of the best head coaches in college football. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't, but at least this week, I believe his Huskies are being overvalued. Both of these teams have national title aspirations but I'll gladly back the SEC team (playing in SEC country) against a Pac-12 squad that still has a lot to prove after a couple of unexpected losses away from home, not to mention a Bowl defeat against Penn State, last season. This line has fallen into clear 'play-on' range as bettors line up to back the Huskies in Atlanta. Take Auburn (10*). |
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09-01-18 | Washington State v. Wyoming +1.5 | Top | 41-19 | Loss | -115 | 56 h 42 m | Show |
NCAAF Contrarian Play of the Month. My selection is on Wyoming plus the points over Washington State at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. We've seen a considerable shift in this line since opening, moving in favor of Wyoming, which may seem a little odd given the betting public has been backing Washington State at a near 65/35 split according to most reports. The move of course has a lot to do with Wyoming's blowout win over New Mexico State, on the road no less, last week. With that being said, I still feel that the Cowboys are undervalued as they host Washington State on Saturday afternoon. Wyoming actually has its best team in years but it's somewhat muted by the loss of Josh Allen, who has moved on to greener pastures in the NFL. While NFL scouts loved Allen's make-up, the fact is, he didn't play well at all for most of last season, essentially holding the Cowboys back. There's little reason to expect any considerable drop in production at the quarterback position this season. Wyoming barely had to break a sweat in last week's victory but will obviously have to work a little harder to get a 'W' against a hungry Cougars squad. Following the tragic passing of QB Tyler Hillinski the Cougars are anything but settled at that position which is a bit of a new experience for them. This will go down as an upset, but shouldn't really be considered one. Take Wyoming (10*). |
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08-31-18 | Colorado State +8 v. Colorado | Top | 13-45 | Loss | -110 | 72 h 3 m | Show |
NCAAF Rivalry Game of the Week. My selection is on Colorado State plus the points over Colorado at 9:30 pm et on Friday. Colorado State was shocked in its home opener against Hawaii last week, falling by a 43-34 score. I'm not sure whether that had something to do with the Rams simply overlooking the Rainbow Warriors or their head coach missing the latter stages of training camp due to health issues or just simply that they're not that good. Actually, I do not believe that it was due to the third notion I mentioned. This is a Colorado State squad that is better than it showed in Week 0. On a positive note, Washington transfer QB K.J. Carta-Samuels threw for over 500 yards and five touchdowns compared to just one interception. The Rams didn't get a chance to get their ground game going, but I expect that to change against Colorado. The Buffaloes bring no momentum to the table here after dropping their last three games to fall out of Bowl contention last season. If Colorado had one glaring weakness last season it was its run defense, something that I believe the Rams can exploit on Friday night. The Buffaloes should be able to dominate an overmatched Rams defense, but I believe it will take some time for Colorado to get rolling, especially after losing a number of key pieces on offense from a year ago. The Buffaloes have taken three straight meetings in this series with the last two coming in blowout fashion. Expect a reversal of fortunes on Friday night at Broncos Stadium. Take Colorado State (10*). |
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08-25-18 | Saints +2.5 v. Chargers | Top | 36-7 | Win | 100 | 23 h 56 m | Show |
NFLX Preseason Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans plus the points over Los Angeles at 8 pm et on Saturday. The Saints couldn't follow up on their preseason-opening 24-20 road win over the Jaguars, falling by a 20-15 score at home against the Cardinals last week. I do expect to see Sean Payton's squad bounce back this Saturday, however, as they hit the road to face the Chargers. Los Angeles dropped its opener in Arizona but responded with a 24-14 win over the Seahawks last week. Keep in mind, Drew Brees has yet to play for the Saints this preseason, but he is expected to be on the field on Saturday night. I do expect to see Brees make more than just a cameo appearance here. Note that the Saints have gone a perfect 7-0 SU and ATS when on the road for their second to last preseason game - the so-called 'dress rehearsal' game - since 2004. Take New Orleans (10*). |
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08-10-18 | Lions +3 v. Raiders | Top | 10-16 | Loss | -105 | 26 h 51 m | Show |
NFLX Game of the Week. My selection is on Detroit plus the points over Oakland at 10:30 pm et on Friday. The Lions have traveled all this way for their preseason opener in Oakland - might as well pick up a 'W' while they're at it. We have two new head coaches going head-to-head in this matchup with Matt Patricia for the Lions and Jon Gruden back with the Raiders. For Gruden this is old hat. The same can't be said for Patricia, however, and I really do feel that a win would mean something here as he tries to instill a winning culture in Detroit. The Raiders are basically set as far as position battles go on offense while the defense has undergone plenty of turnover across the board. I can't help but feel the Raiders defense is ripe for the picking here and the Lions have a solid preseason QB rotation with Matt Cassel and Jake Rudock getting the bulk of the snaps. I look for a strong performance from Rudock in particular here. I'll grab all the points I can get with the Lions. Take Detroit (10*). |
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07-06-18 | Belgium +0.5 v. Brazil | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 17 h 12 m | Show |
World Cup Quarter-Final Game of the Year. My selection is on Belgium +0.5 goals over Brazil at 2 pm et on Friday. Brazil delivered a dominant 2-0 victory over Mexico to reach this quarter-final match against Belgium, easily erasing the memories of what I would consider a less-than-inspiring group stage. Yes, the Brazilians rolled through that stage of the tournament relatively unscathed, but it never really felt as if they were at the top of their game. They’re going to need to be at that level in order to fend off a game Belgium squad on Friday afternoon. The Belgians got more than they bargained for against Japan in the round of 16 but managed to survive, scoring another three goals in the process. Belgium has looked explosive at times in this tournament. Even in a game they didn’t need, or perhaps even want to win, they still managed to defeat England in their final group stage match. I’m anticipating their best performance of the tournament on Friday as they give Brazil all they can handle and more. Take Belgium +0.5 goals (10*). |
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07-03-18 | England v. Colombia +0.5 | Top | 1-1 | Win | 100 | 17 h 25 m | Show |
World Cup Game of the Year. My selection is on Colombia +0.5 goals over England at 2 pm et on Tuesday. There's lot of optimism from English faithful right now as giant after giant falls in this tournament. I can't help but feel that a lot of folks are sleeping on Colombia, however. It's easy to forget that the Colombians made plenty of noise in the last World Cup but they remain an overlooked and undervalued commodity here in 2018. England has enjoyed a tremendous run to this point but I do think the Three Lions will regret not leaving it all on the pitch against Belgium in their final group stage match. At the end of the day I'm not sure there's any real advantage to being on one side of the bracket or another. Every match is tough, as the big favorites have learned here in the Round of 16. I'll gladly grab the generous cushion with Colombia in this contest. Take Colombia +0.5 goals (10*). |
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06-21-18 | Saskatchewan +2.5 v. Ottawa | Top | 17-40 | Loss | -106 | 47 h 56 m | Show |
CFL Non-Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Saskatchewan plus the points over Ottawa at 7:30 pm et on Thursday. The Riders are off to a perfect start this season, defending their home field in an impressive 27-19 win over Toronto last week. They'll hit the road to face another East Division opponent this week and I look for a similar result. Note that the Riders are now 10-5 SU over their last 15 games going back to last season. They have a pretty solid track record against the Redblacks, having won four of five meetings since the start of the 2016 season. They won both games in Ottawa last season by a combined 49-37 score and have reeled off three straight victories in the nation's capital. I simply feel that Saskatchewan has more upside in this early stage of the 2018 season. Take Saskatchewan (10*). |
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06-06-18 | Warriors -4.5 v. Cavs | Top | 110-102 | Win | 100 | 59 h 46 m | Show |
NBA Finals Game of the Year. My selection is on Golden State minus the points over Cleveland at 9 pm et on Wednesday. We were always going to see the Cavs’ resilience level in Game 2 of this series on Sunday night. After the way the series opener played out, the Cavs were either going to show up with their best effort of the postseason or they were going to look down-trodden and very much like a team that is resigned to the fact that they cannot, and will not be able to win this series. We certainly saw the latter on Sunday night. Save for a couple of brief bursts early on, the Cavs appeared to be a beaten squad, both emotionally and physically. While Lebron James has appeared visibly frustrated for much of these playoffs, it certainly looked like all of the joy was zapped from his being after Game 1’s overtime loss. So now the series shifts to Cleveland and while the Cavs faithful would like to remain hopeful and ultimately help lift Lebron and company back into this series, I just don’t see it happening. The Cavs are being given respect still from the betting marketplace - otherwise we would be looking at a line approaching double-digits in favor of the Warriors, even on the road. I’m just not sure that respect is due at this point. The Warriors have looked disjointed at times in these playoffs – disinterested even. That comes with the territory as they aim for their third NBA title in the last four years. However, after toying with the Cavs in Game 2, I believe they can sense another championship in their grasp and I don’t think they’ll have any interest in messing around with the Cavs any longer than they absolutely have to. It’s time to move on from this “rivalry”. Take Golden State (10*). |
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06-01-18 | Mercury v. Lynx -8 | Top | 95-85 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 18 m | Show |
WNBA Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Phoenix at 8 pm et on Friday. The Lynx are off to a miserable 0-5 ATS start this season and have won just two of those five games straight-up. Keep in mind, the Lynx didn't drop their sixth game ATS until July 8th last season. I'm still a believer in this team and I'm confident we'll see them bounce back in a big way at home on Friday night. It is of course worth noting that Minnesota has been on the road for the last three games so it's not as if the Lynx have been falling flat at home. And this should be a favorable matchup for Minnesota as it went 3-0-1 ATS against the Mercury last season. In fact, the Lynx are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 meetings with the Mercury. Phoenix isn't off to a banner start to 2018 either, having lost three games in a row entering this one. I simply feel that Minnesota has a lot more upside right now and back at home I expect to see a much more focused effort. Take Minnesota (10*). |
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05-30-18 | Nationals v. Orioles +1.5 | Top | 2-0 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 2 m | Show |
MLB Run-Line Game of the Month. My selection is on Baltimore +1.5 runs over Washington at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. The presence of Max Scherzer on the mound has the Nationals installed as massive favorites in Baltimore on Wednesday night. But here's the thing; Scherzer has really been laboring lately, needing 121 and 114 pitches to get through his last two outings, allowing six earned runs in 13 innings of work. Going back to the start of 2011 he has made six starts here in Baltimore. His teams have won just two of those contests, and neither victory came by more than a single run. In other words, that's a perfect 6-0 mark for the O's grabbing +1.5 runs against Scherzer over the last seven plus seasons. David Hess will counter for Baltimore. The rookie has sandwiched two fine outings against the Rays around a rocky performance against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. It's not as if the Nats' have been tearing the cover off the baseball lately. I expect to see Hess hold his own in this matchup. Take Baltimore +1.5 runs (10*). |
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05-26-18 | Rockets v. Warriors -11.5 | Top | 86-115 | Win | 100 | 14 h 17 m | Show |
NBA Western Conference Finals Game of the Year. My selection is on Golden State minus the points over Houston at 9:05 pm et on Saturday. The Warriors couldn't have played much worse in Game 5 of this series on Thursday night, as the Rockets rode a wave of emotion to a narrow three-point win. The fact that Golden State was in that game right until the end was telling in my opinion. I expect to see a much sharper performance from the Warriors on Saturday. While we're being asked to lay a steep price for sure, I do believe it's warranted, especially considering the Rockets will be without Chris Paul after he re-aggravated a hamstring injury in Game 5. Despite being up 3-2 in this series you have to think Houston is feeling a sense of doubt as it heads to Oakland - not a good feeling when you're looking to close out the defending champs. It's worth noting that the after the Cavs win and cover last night, the SU winner has now gone a perfect 11-0 ATS in this round. I certainly don't expect the Warriors to go down without a fight and feel confident they'll force a Game 7 in Houston. Look for that SU/ATS combo trend to continue here. Take Golden State (10*). |
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05-23-18 | Cavs v. Celtics +1 | Top | 83-96 | Win | 100 | 24 h 31 m | Show |
NBA Conference Finals Game of the Year. My selection is on Boston over Cleveland at 8:35 pm et on Wednesday. This has been the classic homer series so far and I don't see that trend reversing on Wednesday night in Boston. Everyone is quick to write off the Celtics after back-to-back losses in Cleveland, just as they were quick to write off the Cavs following the first two games in Boston. There are those suddenly questioning Celtics head coach Brad Stevens' decisions and his ability to make the necessary adjustments against Lebron James and company. I'm not buying into any of it. The Celtics have been a completely different team on their home floor in these playoffs, and really all season long. Boston is an impressive 36-14 SU at home this season while the Cavs are just a .500 team on the road. I like the fact that the Celtics didn't fold the tent after a miserable first quarter on Monday in Cleveland, outscoring the Cavs in each of the next three quarters in an eventual nine-point loss. I don't believe they'll be intimidated or crumble under the pressure in Game 5. Take Boston (10*). |
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04-28-18 | Bucks v. Celtics -4.5 | Top | 96-112 | Win | 100 | 34 h 23 m | Show |
NBA First Round Game of the Year. My selection is on Boston minus the points over Milwaukee at 8:05 pm et on Saturday. We won with the Bucks in Game 6 of this series on Thursday night as they ultimately pulled away for a convincing win, sending the series back to Boston for a seventh and deciding game on Saturday. I won't hesitate to switch gears and back the Celtics in this one, however, as it's now Brad Stevens turn to make the necessary adjustments and Boston's opportunity to defend its home floor, as it has throughout this series, and advance to the second round. Home court advantage is of course what the Celtics fought for all season, and it has certainly paid off in this series, with the home side winning all six contests. I think the fact that things have tightened up considerably does favor the Celtics here. We saw the Bucks struggle to score in Game 5 in Boston, managing only 87 points and I expect to see a similar story unfold here. Even in Game 6, it took a huge effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo with 31 points and 14 rebounds to secure a Bucks victory. In that must-win situation for Milwaukee, Boston showed plenty of fight, pulling with a bucket with just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Bucks ultimately had the greater will to win and prevailed, but here I believe we'll see that role belong to the Celtics. Expect Boston to bring its best effort of the series on Saturday night. Take Boston (10*). |
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04-09-18 | Pelicans v. Clippers +6.5 | Top | 113-100 | Loss | -107 | 26 h 48 m | Show |
NBA Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over New Orleans at 10:35 pm et on Monday. The Pelicans are coming off a huge upset win in Oakland on Saturday night, beating the Warriors to improve their playoff standing. I look for them to stumble on Monday, however, as they head to Los Angeles to take on the Clippers. L.A. has dropped back-to-back games and four of its last five contests overall. The Clips are out of the playoff hunt but should relish playing the role of spoiler on Monday night. We're being given a considerable cushion with the home underdog in this spot and I believe they have a shot at the outright victory. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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03-31-18 | Kansas v. Villanova -5 | Top | 79-95 | Win | 100 | 24 h 1 m | Show |
Final Four Game of the Year. My selection is on Villanova minus the points over Kansas at 8:45 pm et on Saturday. Villanova was my pick to cut down the nets in April at the start of this tournament and I'm certainly going to stick with that prediction now that the Wildcats have reached the Final Four. The Wildcats were certainly challenged in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight last weekend, but passed both tests. Of course, Kansas was in a similar boat, including an instant classic against Duke last Sunday afternoon. But Villanova is favored for a reason in this one. Kansas is certainly a formidable opponent, after all the Jayhawks are a one-seed. I'm just not convinced the Jayhawks can hang within arm's reach of the Wildcats for 40 minutes on Saturday night. The Wildcats have the look of a championship squad once again under Jay Wright, and I look for them to post a convincing win on their way to Monday's title game. Take Villanova (10*). |
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03-24-18 | Florida State v. Michigan -3.5 | Top | 54-58 | Win | 100 | 7 h 46 m | Show |
Elite Eight Game of the Year. My selection is on Michigan minus the points over Florida State at 8:45 pm et on Saturday. I'll lay the points with Big Blue on Saturday night. I had Michigan as a Final Four team at the outset of this tournament and I'm not about to change my opinion now. I believe the Wolverines catch a favorable draw here thanks to the Seminoles upset win on Thursday. While I do feel the Seminoles can keep pace for a while in this game, it will be Michigan's outside shooting that takes over as the 'Noles wear down in the second half. I actually had this number close to -6/-6.5 but the betting marketplace is fairly high on Florida State after the upset over Gonzaga. The Bulldogs were vulnerable. The Wolverines are not. Take Michigan (10*). |
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03-22-18 | Loyola-Chicago v. Nevada -1 | Top | 69-68 | Loss | -106 | 22 h 18 m | Show |
Sweet 16 Game of the Year. My selection is on Nevada over Loyola-Chicago at 7:05 pm et on Thursday. Loyola-Chicago has taken its rightful place as this year's Cinderella team, advancing to the Sweet 16 to face another upstart in Nevada on Thursday night. I simply feel that the Wolf Pack are the superior team in this matchup and having cashed with them in their stunning come-from-behind win over Cincinnati last Sunday, I won't hesitate to go back to the well with them again here. I certainly don't believe we're going to see Nevada give the Ramblers as much open floor space as Loyola's first two opponents in this tournament did. The Wolf Pack are a character team that has certainly taken their cue from their head coach, whose spirited post-game antics have gained national attention. Loyola will get plenty of support from casual bettors here, but I believe it will be Nevada that keeps on dancing at the end of the night on Thursday. Take Nevada (10*). |
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03-20-18 | Rockets v. Blazers +4.5 | Top | 115-111 | Win | 100 | 26 h 42 m | Show |
NBA Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Portland plus the points over Houston at 10:35 pm et on Tuesday. Solid value with the underdog Blazers on Tuesday night as they'll undoubtedly be up for a showdown against the Rockets. Much has been made of Houston's winning ways but Portland has been just as hot lately, reeling off 13 consecutive victories. I don't expect the Blazers to back down in the face of a serious challenge on Tuesday. Houston survived a wild one in Minnesota on Sunday night, ultimately winning by a 129-120 score. James Harden was banged-up in that contest but stayed in and guided the first place Rockets to yet another win. I simply feel that things will get tougher on Tuesday night and I'm not sure Houston should be laying as many points as it is given it will be playing its third game in four nights on the road and undoubtedly peeking ahead to a five-game homestand that waits on deck. Take Portland (10*). |
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03-18-18 | Nevada +8 v. Cincinnati | Top | 75-73 | Win | 100 | 21 h 24 m | Show |
Second Round Game of the Year. My selection is on Nevada plus the points over Cincinnati at 6:10 pm et on Sunday. I'll grab the points with the Wolf Pack as they take on two-seed Cincinnati on Sunday evening. The Wolf Pack didn't bring their 'A' game against Texas on Friday but still managed to rally from a 14-point deficit to ultimately prevail in overtime. It was a gutsy win that I believe will have some carry-over effect into Sunday's matchup with the Bearcats. Cincinnati has cruised over the last month or so, last losing a game against Wichita State on February 18th. The Bearcats really weren't challenged by Georgia State in the opening round but they will be here. The oddsmakers are giving us a generous helping of points with the Wolf Pack, and I'll gladly take it in a game that could go either way. Take Nevada (10*). |
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03-16-18 | Providence +2.5 v. Texas A&M | Top | 69-73 | Loss | -114 | 24 h 9 m | Show |
Opening Round Game of the Year. My selection is on Providence plus the points over Texas A&M at 12:15 pm et on Friday. Providence is in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year and I look for the Friars to make the most of their appearance. Credit the Friars for their Big East Tournament run last week, upsetting a number one seed in this tournament, Xavier before falling to another top seed, Villanova, in the final. I like the way Providence has battled all season long and believe this is a team capable of turning some heads in this tourney. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is back in the tournament after missing out last year and I simply feel the Aggies inconsistency over the course of the season will resurface on Friday afternoon. Note that the Aggies are just 11-14 SU all-time in the NCAA Tournament. While that has little bearing on the outcome of Friday’s contest, let’s consider the fact that this team started the campaign with a stellar 11-1 mark before going 9-11 the rest of the way. They probably deserved a better fate in the SEC Tournament as they fell to Alabama on a last second basket but a loss is a loss and I don’t believe they carry a great deal of positive momentum in this matchup. Take Providence (10*). |
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02-27-18 | Kings +12 v. Blazers | Top | 99-116 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 8 m | Show |
NBA Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Sacramento plus the points over Portland at 10:05 pm et on Tuesday. The Kings essentially played one bad quarter at home against the T'Wolves last night, and ultimately lost by 18 points (we missed with Sacramento in that contest). That won't discourage me from going back to the well with the Kings on Tuesday, however, as we're getting even more value as they head out on the road to face the Blazers. Portland comes in off three consecutive wins, which all started with a big home victory over the Warriors. In other words, there's a good chance the Blazers look past the lowly Kings here, especially considering they'll host a much better team, the aforementioned T'Wolves on Thursday night. Off four straight losses (only one of those came by more than nine points), look for the Kings to show some pride and hang tough in the Pacific Northwest on Tuesday. Take Sacramento (10*). |
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02-07-18 | Rockets v. Heat +5 | Top | 109-101 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 22 m | Show |
NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Miami plus the points over Houston at 7:35 pm et on Wednesday. The Rockets are playing exceptionally well right now and check in to tonight's game in Miami a perfect 3-0 on their current road trip. The problem here is, they're in a back-to-back spot following a game that drew a little more energy out of them than they probably would have liked last night in Brooklyn. Meanwhile, the Heat have lost four straight games although three of those losses came on the road. They were stunned by the Magic in a 111-109 home loss on Monday which should only provide them with a little extra motivation, not that they need it, against an elite opponent on Wednesday. While Miami has a day off tomorrow before another home game on Friday against Milwaukee, the Rockets will have an eye on a return home where they'll host the Nuggets and Mavs on Friday and Sunday, respectively. While I would like to be grabbing a couple more points with the Heat in this spot, I still feel they warrant a step-up play in an underdog role given the situation. Take Miami (10*). |
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01-21-18 | Jaguars v. Patriots -7 | Top | 20-24 | Loss | -118 | 19 h 31 m | Show |
NFL Conference Championship Game of the Year. My selection is on New England minus the points over Jacksonville at 3:05 pm et on Sunday. I’ll lay the points with the Patriots on Sunday as they host the upstart Jaguars with the AFC Championship on the line. The Jags are getting plenty of support following last week’s impressive wire-to-wire victory over the Steelers. That performance made it easy to forget their ugly 10-3 home win over Buffalo on Wild Card weekend. While there’s a lot to like about the Jags, I believe their run comes to an end here. The Patriots weren’t really tested in last week’s rout of the Titans. This is a team that certainly didn’t need any more extra motivation but it got just that when the story came out regarding dissension in the ranks between Brady, Bellichick and Kraft. While the Jags have the type of defense that should give the Pats some headaches, I simply feel that New England has too many weapons to contend with for four quarters. And on the other side of the football, you can count on New England to come up with a gameplan to take away Jacksonville’s motor, RB Leonard Fournette, and force QB Blake Bortles to beat them. That’s not a story that ends well as far as I’m concerned. As nice as it would be to see some new blood representing the AFC in the Super Bowl, I don’t see it this year. Take New England (10*). |
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01-14-18 | Saints +5 v. Vikings | Top | 24-29 | Push | 0 | 28 h 41 m | Show |
NFL Divisional Round Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans plus the points over Minnesota at 4:40 pm et on Sunday. We cashed our Wild Card Game of the Year with the Panthers plus the points over the Saints last Sunday but I won't hesitate to switch gears and back New Orleans as it hits the road to face the Vikings this week. The Vikings are obviously highly-motivated as they try to become the first team to ever appear in a Super Bowl on their home field. I'm not convinced they get there, however, and believe they'll be in for a serious battle against the Saints on Sunday. QB Case Keenum had a tremendous regular season but the playoffs are a completely different animal. The Saints opportunistic defense is brimming with confidence right now and will undoubtedly throw everything it has at Keenum. While I do have a lot of respect for the Vikings on both sides of the football, I simply feel that they're overvalued, due in large part to their double-digit win over the Saints way back in Week 1. Take New Orleans (10*). |
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01-07-18 | Panthers +7 v. Saints | Top | 26-31 | Win | 100 | 21 h 31 m | Show |
NFL Wild Card Game of the Year. My selection is on Carolina plus the points over New Orleans at 4:40 pm et on Sunday. The Panthers are a trendy sleeper pick in the NFC entering these playoffs, and rightfully so in my opinion. I like the way this matchup sets up for them, even off an ugly showing in Atlanta last Sunday. Of course, prior to that, Carolina had reeled off three straight wins, scoring 84 points in the process. While the Panthers may not have the start power outside of Cam Newton on offense, this unit is capable of doing some damage. The Saints failed to end their regular season on a high note, falling by a 31-24 score in Tampa last Sunday. In fact, they went just 3-3 SU over their last six games. One of those wins did come against the Panthers right here in New Orleans, and it came by a 10-point margin. I can’t help but feel we see a tighter contest this time around as these two familiar divisional foes do battle. Take Carolina (10*). |
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01-05-18 | Raptors v. Bucks +1 | Top | 129-110 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 4 m | Show |
NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Milwaukee plus the points over Toronto at 8:05 pm et on Friday. We won with the Raptors in their convincing win over the Bulls in Chicago two nights ago but I won't hesitate to switch gears and fade them as they stay on the road to take on the Bucks on Friday night. Milwaukee has won three of its last four games, going a perfect 4-0 ATS over that stretch. The Bucks are a solid 13-6 SU at home this season. Keep in mind, the Bucks just went toe-to-toe with the Raptors in Toronto on Monday, forcing overtime before falling by four points. That snapped their three-game ATS losing skid in the series. Solid spot for the Bucks to catch the Raptors riding a little too high on Friday night. Take Milwaukee (10*). |
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Sean Murphy ALL Sports Top Sides Picks
Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
03-14-19 | UMKC v. Utah Valley -9 | Top | 64-71 | Loss | -115 | 14 h 3 m | Show |
03-14-19 | Cavs +8 v. Magic | Top | 91-120 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 18 m | Show |
03-13-19 | Houston Baptist v. Lamar -4 | Top | 79-81 | Loss | -113 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
03-09-19 | Suns +12.5 v. Blazers | Top | 120-127 | Win | 100 | 25 h 7 m | Show |
03-09-19 | Western Illinois v. South Dakota State -15 | Top | 79-76 | Loss | -110 | 22 h 50 m | Show |
03-07-19 | Pacers v. Bucks -10 | Top | 98-117 | Win | 100 | 12 h 57 m | Show |
03-05-19 | Bulls +7.5 v. Pacers | Top | 96-105 | Loss | -102 | 12 h 10 m | Show |
03-02-19 | Belmont -13.5 v. SE Missouri State | Top | 84-66 | Win | 100 | 23 h 44 m | Show |
02-28-19 | Jazz +7 v. Nuggets | Top | 111-104 | Win | 100 | 13 h 60 m | Show |
02-27-19 | Warriors v. Heat +9 | Top | 125-126 | Win | 100 | 10 h 28 m | Show |
02-26-19 | Celtics v. Raptors -4 | Top | 95-118 | Win | 100 | 10 h 15 m | Show |
02-16-19 | Florida State v. Georgia Tech +6 | Top | 69-47 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 56 m | Show |
02-13-19 | Wizards +11 v. Raptors | Top | 120-129 | Win | 100 | 21 h 56 m | Show |
02-09-19 | Auburn v. LSU -2 | Top | 78-83 | Win | 100 | 17 h 60 m | Show |
02-08-19 | Bucks v. Mavs +8 | Top | 122-107 | Loss | -105 | 23 h 23 m | Show |
02-07-19 | San Francisco +18 v. Gonzaga | Top | 62-92 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 13 m | Show |
02-04-19 | Iowa State v. Oklahoma +2.5 | Top | 75-74 | Win | 100 | 24 h 57 m | Show |
01-29-19 | Ball State +12 v. Buffalo | Top | 59-83 | Loss | -108 | 21 h 21 m | Show |
01-28-19 | Baylor v. Oklahoma -6 | Top | 77-47 | Loss | -108 | 26 h 54 m | Show |
01-26-19 | Evansville +3.5 v. Northern Iowa | Top | 74-81 | Loss | -105 | 23 h 49 m | Show |
01-25-19 | Brown +7 v. Yale | Top | 71-79 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 14 m | Show |
01-24-19 | St. Mary's v. BYU +1.5 | Top | 66-71 | Win | 100 | 14 h 30 m | Show |
01-23-19 | Texas v. TCU -4 | Top | 61-65 | Push | 0 | 22 h 34 m | Show |
01-21-19 | Creighton v. Georgetown -1.5 | Top | 91-87 | Loss | -107 | 14 h 31 m | Show |
01-20-19 | Rams v. Saints -3 | Top | 26-23 | Loss | -119 | 66 h 44 m | Show |
01-19-19 | Dayton v. St Bonaventure +3 | Top | 89-86 | Push | 0 | 9 h 6 m | Show |
01-07-19 | Alabama v. Clemson +5.5 | Top | 16-44 | Win | 100 | 23 h 52 m | Show |
01-06-19 | Chargers v. Ravens -2.5 | Top | 23-17 | Loss | -115 | 39 h 18 m | Show |
01-01-19 | Washington v. Ohio State -6.5 | Top | 23-28 | Loss | -105 | 19 h 17 m | Show |
12-30-18 | Raiders v. Chiefs -13.5 | Top | 3-35 | Win | 100 | 33 h 44 m | Show |
12-21-18 | Pacers -2 v. Nets | Top | 114-106 | Win | 100 | 11 h 5 m | Show |
12-20-18 | Marshall -3 v. South Florida | Top | 38-20 | Win | 100 | 11 h 22 m | Show |
12-16-18 | Lions v. Bills -2.5 | Top | 13-14 | Loss | -110 | 17 h 55 m | Show |
12-13-18 | Chargers v. Chiefs -3.5 | Top | 29-28 | Loss | -100 | 47 h 59 m | Show |
12-11-18 | Blazers +6.5 v. Rockets | Top | 103-111 | Loss | -108 | 23 h 30 m | Show |
12-09-18 | Jets v. Bills -3.5 | Top | 27-23 | Loss | -120 | 21 h 50 m | Show |
12-09-18 | Falcons v. Packers -4 | Top | 20-34 | Win | 100 | 21 h 47 m | Show |
12-06-18 | Jaguars v. Titans -4.5 | Top | 9-30 | Win | 100 | 23 h 37 m | Show |
12-05-18 | Warriors v. Cavs +11.5 | Top | 129-105 | Loss | -115 | 22 h 51 m | Show |
12-03-18 | Redskins v. Eagles -6 | Top | 13-28 | Win | 100 | 12 h 57 m | Show |
12-02-18 | 49ers v. Seahawks -10 | Top | 16-43 | Win | 105 | 28 h 44 m | Show |
11-27-18 | Knicks v. Pistons -7 | Top | 108-115 | Push | 0 | 21 h 15 m | Show |
11-26-18 | Titans +4 v. Texans | Top | 17-34 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 21 m | Show |
11-25-18 | Raiders v. Ravens -10.5 | Top | 17-34 | Win | 100 | 16 h 47 m | Show |
11-22-18 | Falcons +13.5 v. Saints | Top | 17-31 | Loss | -120 | 23 h 33 m | Show |
11-20-18 | Nets v. Heat -3 | Top | 104-92 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 29 m | Show |
11-18-18 | Raiders v. Cardinals -5.5 | Top | 23-21 | Loss | -107 | 50 h 45 m | Show |
11-17-18 | Wisconsin v. Purdue -4 | Top | 47-44 | Loss | -105 | 26 h 12 m | Show |
11-17-18 | Florida International -5.5 v. Charlotte | Top | 42-35 | Win | 100 | 25 h 37 m | Show |
11-14-18 | Blazers +2.5 v. Lakers | Top | 117-126 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 11 m | Show |
11-11-18 | Cowboys v. Eagles -7 | Top | 27-20 | Loss | -120 | 25 h 45 m | Show |
11-11-18 | Dolphins v. Packers -10 | Top | 12-31 | Win | 100 | 21 h 42 m | Show |
11-10-18 | Washington State -6 v. Colorado | Top | 31-7 | Win | 100 | 43 h 19 m | Show |
11-09-18 | Fresno State v. Boise State +3 | Top | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 26 h 35 m | Show |
11-03-18 | Texas A&M v. Auburn -3.5 | Top | 24-28 | Win | 100 | 15 h 26 m | Show |
10-28-18 | Browns v. Steelers -7.5 | Top | 18-33 | Win | 100 | 18 h 45 m | Show |
10-28-18 | Eagles -3 v. Jaguars | Top | 24-18 | Win | 100 | 14 h 25 m | Show |
10-20-18 | California v. Oregon State +7.5 | Top | 49-7 | Loss | -110 | 43 h 57 m | Show |
10-20-18 | Virginia +7.5 v. Duke | Top | 28-14 | Win | 100 | 39 h 26 m | Show |
10-18-18 | Broncos v. Cardinals +2.5 | Top | 45-10 | Loss | -110 | 51 h 3 m | Show |
10-14-18 | Chiefs v. Patriots -3 | Top | 40-43 | Push | 0 | 71 h 58 m | Show |
10-14-18 | Cardinals v. Vikings -10 | Top | 17-27 | Push | 0 | 64 h 52 m | Show |
10-13-18 | Middle Tennessee State v. Florida International -2.5 | Top | 21-24 | Win | 100 | 57 h 17 m | Show |
10-07-18 | Rams -7 v. Seahawks | Top | 33-31 | Loss | -110 | 54 h 57 m | Show |
10-06-18 | Tulane v. Cincinnati -7 | Top | 21-37 | Win | 100 | 48 h 9 m | Show |
09-30-18 | Bucs v. Bears -3 | Top | 10-48 | Win | 100 | 48 h 28 m | Show |
09-29-18 | Florida Atlantic v. Middle Tennessee State +3.5 | Top | 24-25 | Win | 100 | 35 h 52 m | Show |
09-23-18 | Raiders v. Dolphins -3 | Top | 20-28 | Win | 100 | 16 h 18 m | Show |
09-22-18 | Arizona v. Oregon State +7 | Top | 35-14 | Loss | -110 | 31 h 6 m | Show |
09-16-18 | Chiefs v. Steelers -4.5 | Top | 42-37 | Loss | -110 | 30 h 32 m | Show |
09-09-18 | Chiefs +3.5 v. Chargers | Top | 38-28 | Win | 100 | 30 h 44 m | Show |
09-08-18 | Air Force +10 v. Florida Atlantic | Top | 27-33 | Win | 100 | 18 h 12 m | Show |
09-06-18 | Falcons v. Eagles -2 | Top | 12-18 | Win | 100 | 48 h 36 m | Show |
09-01-18 | Washington v. Auburn -2 | Top | 16-21 | Win | 100 | 30 h 56 m | Show |
09-01-18 | Washington State v. Wyoming +1.5 | Top | 41-19 | Loss | -115 | 56 h 42 m | Show |
08-31-18 | Colorado State +8 v. Colorado | Top | 13-45 | Loss | -110 | 72 h 3 m | Show |
08-25-18 | Saints +2.5 v. Chargers | Top | 36-7 | Win | 100 | 23 h 56 m | Show |
08-10-18 | Lions +3 v. Raiders | Top | 10-16 | Loss | -105 | 26 h 51 m | Show |
07-06-18 | Belgium +0.5 v. Brazil | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 17 h 12 m | Show |
07-03-18 | England v. Colombia +0.5 | Top | 1-1 | Win | 100 | 17 h 25 m | Show |
06-21-18 | Saskatchewan +2.5 v. Ottawa | Top | 17-40 | Loss | -106 | 47 h 56 m | Show |
06-06-18 | Warriors -4.5 v. Cavs | Top | 110-102 | Win | 100 | 59 h 46 m | Show |
06-01-18 | Mercury v. Lynx -8 | Top | 95-85 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 18 m | Show |
05-30-18 | Nationals v. Orioles +1.5 | Top | 2-0 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 2 m | Show |
05-26-18 | Rockets v. Warriors -11.5 | Top | 86-115 | Win | 100 | 14 h 17 m | Show |
05-23-18 | Cavs v. Celtics +1 | Top | 83-96 | Win | 100 | 24 h 31 m | Show |
04-28-18 | Bucks v. Celtics -4.5 | Top | 96-112 | Win | 100 | 34 h 23 m | Show |
04-09-18 | Pelicans v. Clippers +6.5 | Top | 113-100 | Loss | -107 | 26 h 48 m | Show |
03-31-18 | Kansas v. Villanova -5 | Top | 79-95 | Win | 100 | 24 h 1 m | Show |
03-24-18 | Florida State v. Michigan -3.5 | Top | 54-58 | Win | 100 | 7 h 46 m | Show |
03-22-18 | Loyola-Chicago v. Nevada -1 | Top | 69-68 | Loss | -106 | 22 h 18 m | Show |
03-20-18 | Rockets v. Blazers +4.5 | Top | 115-111 | Win | 100 | 26 h 42 m | Show |
03-18-18 | Nevada +8 v. Cincinnati | Top | 75-73 | Win | 100 | 21 h 24 m | Show |
03-16-18 | Providence +2.5 v. Texas A&M | Top | 69-73 | Loss | -114 | 24 h 9 m | Show |
02-27-18 | Kings +12 v. Blazers | Top | 99-116 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 8 m | Show |
02-07-18 | Rockets v. Heat +5 | Top | 109-101 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 22 m | Show |
01-21-18 | Jaguars v. Patriots -7 | Top | 20-24 | Loss | -118 | 19 h 31 m | Show |
01-14-18 | Saints +5 v. Vikings | Top | 24-29 | Push | 0 | 28 h 41 m | Show |
01-07-18 | Panthers +7 v. Saints | Top | 26-31 | Win | 100 | 21 h 31 m | Show |
01-05-18 | Raptors v. Bucks +1 | Top | 129-110 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 4 m | Show |