Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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08-06-20 | Pacers -3 v. Suns | Top | 99-114 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 33 m | Show |
NBA Game of the Month. My selection is on Indiana minus the points over Phoenix at 4:05 pm et on Thursday. This is an ideal spot to fade the red hot Suns as they come off a thrilling buzzer-beating win over the Clippers two days ago. Phoenix has gone a perfect 3-0 since the NBA restart to keep its slim playoff hopes alive. Here it faces a less talked about but equally hot opponent in the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers have also gone a perfect 3-0 since the restart but the difference is Indiana has been a quality team all season long. The Suns will certainly draw the Pacers attention here after that huge upset victory over the NBA title contending Clippers. I believe we're being asked to lay a relatively short number with the much better all-around team. Take Indiana (10*). |
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02-27-20 | Indiana v. Purdue -6 | Top | 49-57 | Win | 100 | 10 h 55 m | Show |
CBB Big Ten Game of the Week. My selection is on Purdue minus the points over Indiana at 7 pm et on Thursday. This is a solid bounce-back spot for the Boilers as they aim to snap a four-game losing streak against an Indiana squad coming off back-to-back wins. Purdue's big issue lately has been its inability to knock down shots. The Boilers have shot worse than 40% from the field in three straight games entering this contest. Keep in mind, two of those games came on the road against Ohio State and Wisconsin. Here at home, Purdue shoots better than 47% on the season. Indiana is a miserable 2-10 ATS when revenging a home loss over the last three seasons, outscored by nearly nine points per game on average in that situation. The Hoosiers are also just 44-74 when on the road after winning two of their last three games going all the way back to 1997. Take Purdue (10*). |
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02-26-20 | Boise State +3.5 v. UNLV | Top | 66-76 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 17 m | Show |
CBB Mountain West Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Boise State plus the points over UNLV at 11 pm et on Wednesday. The choice to fade UNLV is an easy one for me tonight. The Runnin' Rebels are coming off a monumental upset win on the road against then-undefeated San Diego State on Saturday. There's no question UNLV has been playing well, but it still owns a mediocre 15-14 overall record this season and sits 5th in the Mountain West Conference, one spot behind tonight's opponent, Boise State. The Broncos have lost only two games since January 18th, one on the road against Utah State and one at home against aforementioned San Diego State - two teams that own a combined 50-8 record this season. Boise State took the first meeting between these two teams by a 73-66 score back on January 8th. Look for the Broncos to at the very least take this one down to the wire as well. Take Boise State (10*). |
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02-26-20 | Magic -2 v. Hawks | Top | 130-120 | Win | 100 | 23 h 15 m | Show |
NBA Southeast Division Game of the Year. My selection is on Orlando minus the points over Atlanta at 7:35 pm et on Wednesday. The Hawks came roaring out of the All-Star break, delivering consecutive wins over the Heat and Mavericks on their home floor. They fell back to Earth on Monday, however, suffering a 17-point loss in Philadelphia, giving up a whopping 129 points in the process. I look for the Magic to add to their woes on Wednesday night in Atlanta. Note that Orlando is 13-5 ATS when facing teams that own a winning percentage of between 25% and 40% this season and 22-11 ATS when facing opponents that are outscored by at least three points per game over the last two seasons. In both of those situations, they've outscored the opposition by an average margin of nine points. It's also worth noting that the Hawks are a miserable 1-8 ATS after winning two of their last three games this season - outscored by a margin of nearly 16 points in that situation. The Magic have certainly been a streaky team and they come in having won three of their last four games overall, with the lone loss coming in an underdog role at home against Dallas. Take Orlando (10*). |
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02-21-20 | Pacers -5.5 v. Knicks | Top | 106-98 | Win | 100 | 22 h 54 m | Show |
NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Indiana minus the points over New York at 7:35 pm et on Friday. I really like the way this one sets up for the Pacers as they head to Manhattan to square off against the Knicks. Indiana finally 'got right' with a much needed win over the Bucks in its last game prior to the All-Star break. Now the Pacers fall into a couple of terrific situations. They've gone 42-25 ATS after losing two of their last three games over the last three seasons. They're also 15-4 ATS the last 19 times they've given up 105 points or more in five consecutive games, as is the case here. The Knicks certainly haven't shown that same type of resiliency, going 35-52 ATS after losing two of their last three over the last three seasons. New York enjoyed a brief surge earlier this month but has since gone right back into the tank with losses to the lowly Hawks and Wizards. This is precisely the type of game the Pacers need to get up for and not overlook, as they begin a grueling stretch that will see them play seven of their next nine games on the road. Take Indiana (10*). |
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02-20-20 | UCLA v. Utah -2 | Top | 69-58 | Loss | -108 | 26 h 10 m | Show |
CBB Pac-12 Game of the Year. My selection is on Utah minus the points over UCLA at 10:30 pm et on Wednesday. I'll lay the short number with the Utes as they look to earn a little revenge against UCLA on Thursday night. Note that Utah is 57-32 ATS the last 89 times it has avenged a same season loss in which it scored less than 60 points, as is the case here (UCLA beat Utah 73-57 on February 2nd). Fresh off back-to-back losses at Oregon and Oregon State, the Utes find themselves in a favorable spot here, having gone 36-17 ATS in their last 53 home games following two ore more consecutive losses. UCLA enters this game off three straight victories but that puts it in a difficult situation having gone 0-8 ATS the last eight times it has won three of its last four games, and a miserable 2-13 ATS following up two or more consecutive wins over the last three seasons. The Bruins hadn't come all that close to sniffing out a three-game winning streak in conference play prior to their recent surge. Now they're in uncharted territory as they go for their fourth straight win in Pac-12 play. I expect them to come up short. Take Utah (10*). |
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02-15-20 | Eastern Illinois v. Tenn-Martin +2.5 | Top | 79-80 | Win | 100 | 9 h 17 m | Show |
CBB Revenge Game of the Month. My selection is on Tennessee-Martin plus the points over Eastern Illinois at 5 pm et on Saturday. The Skyhawks have only been able to sprinkle in a few wins in-conference this season, largely struggling including back-to-back losses entering this contest. With that being said, they haven't dropped more than two games in a row since losing four straight from January 11th to the 23rd and I do expect them to bounce back against Eastern Illinois here. Save for a four-game winning streak in mid-January, EIU has also struggled in conference play. Its last ATS victory came back on February 1st in a four-point loss at Austin Peay. Here Tennessee-Martin falls in a strong situation that has gone 45-12 over the last five season and a perfect 2-0 this season where we back small underdogs revenging a double-digit road loss coming off a loss by three points or less in their last game. Take Tennessee-Martin (10*). |
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02-12-20 | Marquette v. Villanova -5 | Top | 71-72 | Loss | -108 | 10 h 17 m | Show |
CBB Big East Game of the Week. My selection is on Villanova minus the points over Marquette at 8:30 pm et on Wednesday. Villanova enters this game having lost three games in a row but that was certainly a tough stretch as it faced Creighton, Butler and Seton Hall. Here, it faces another stiff test in the form of Marquette but with revenge on its mind and with three consecutive road games on deck, I expect Jay Wright to get the most from his Wildcats as they win this one going away. Marquette has won two Big East road games but those wins came by the narrowest of margins - a combined six points. The Golden Eagles enter this game riding a three-game winning streak - matching their longest win streak in Big East play this season. I believe it ends here. When Marquette defeated Villanova back in early January it was in a much stronger motivational spot - fresh off a 17-point drubbing at the hands of Creighton three days earlier. Here, it's the Wildcats that will play a more desperate brand of basketball. I'm not convinced Marquette will match 'Nova's intensity here. Take Villanova (10*). |
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02-08-20 | Purdue v. Indiana -1.5 | Top | 74-62 | Loss | -108 | 16 h 30 m | Show |
CBB Big Ten Game of the Month. My selection is on Indiana minus the points over Purdue at 2 pm et on Saturday. This one sets up well for us with Purdue coming off a blowout win over Iowa earlier this week and Indiana on the heels of three consecutive losses. Note that the Hoosiers last two setbacks came on the road. Their lone loss at home during their current skid came by just a single point against a quality Maryland squad. In fact, there's no shame in either of the Hoosiers two home losses this season with the other coming against 16-6 Arkansas. Purdue has won on the road just once since the beginning of January and that came against 6-15 Northwestern (by a narrow three-point margin). Indiana will be highly-motivated to snap its season-long three-game losing streak here and Purdue will be hard-pressed to follow up its scorching shooting performance last time out. Take Indiana (10*). |
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02-07-20 | Blazers v. Jazz -8.5 | Top | 114-117 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 17 m | Show |
NBA Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Utah minus the points over Portland at 10:35 pm et on Thursday. Let's try this again. We missed the mark with the Jazz in last Saturday's loss in Portland but I won't hesitate to go back to the well here as the spot sets up much better. Portland is coming off a 125-117 win over the Spurs last night (we won with the 'over') but will now be playing its third game in the last four nights, in three different cities - with two of those games being played in altitude (the other was a 127-99 loss in Denver on Tuesday - we won with the Nuggets in that game). Utah plays just its second game since last Saturday. While the Blazers continue to perform well offensively, Damian Lillard has cooled off following an incredible scoring run. After scoring at least 34 points in eight straight games, Lillard has put up just 47 over his last two contests. Note that the Jazz check in third in the league in defensive rating at home this season. Meanwhile, the Blazers are 13th in the league in offensive rating on the road compared to fourth in that category at home. Portland sits 25th in the NBA in defensive rating on the road. Utah enters having lost five games in a row and this is certainly the game for them to turn things around with a trip to Texas to face the Rockets and Mavs looming. Take Utah (10*). |
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02-07-20 | Niagara v. Manhattan -6 | Top | 59-77 | Win | 100 | 11 h 29 m | Show |
CBB MAAC Game of the Month. My selection is on Manhattan minus the points over Niagara at 7 pm et on Friday. Both of these teams check in with losing records but I certainly feel that Manhattan has more upside as we head into the second week of February. The Jaspers snapped a four-game losing streak with a resounding 72-49 rout of Iona last Sunday. Keep in mind, during their four-game skid, three of those games could have gone either way (decided by seven points or less) and the two home losses came against winning MAAC squads Monmouth and Rider. Niagara ended a three-game losing streak with a surprising 16-point win over Quinnipiac last time out. Of course, that victory came at home. The Purple Eagles are a miserable 2-11 on the road this season with those two wins coming by four points at a 10-13 Norfolk State squad mired in a down year and by a single point at 5-12 Iona. Manhattan took the first meeting between these two teams by five points at Niagara in January. Take Manhattan (10*). |
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02-06-20 | Pelicans -4.5 v. Bulls | Top | 125-119 | Win | 100 | 11 h 9 m | Show |
NBA Non-Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Chicago at 8:05 pm et on Thursday. The Pelicans bandwagon has cleared somewhat following back-to-back losses at Houston and at home against Milwaukee. Neither of those losses were unexpected although it would have been nice if they could have stepped up and stole one of them as a statement victory of sorts. Nevertheless, the Pelicans hit the road on Thursday for a very winnable game against the Bulls. While Chicago has gone 4-1 over its last five home games, note that three of those victories came against three of the league's worst teams in Washington, Cleveland and Minnesota. The other came against another losing team, San Antonio. Only two teams have been worse than the Bulls in terms of defensive rating over their last five games, the Cavs and Wizards. Not exactly good company. Meanwhile, the Pelicans check in sixth in defensive rating over that same stretch, despite a tough schedule. New Orleans also ranks an impressive second in the league in pace rating over its last five contests while the Bulls sit 23rd. Take New Orleans (10*). |
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02-04-20 | Blazers v. Nuggets -4.5 | Top | 99-127 | Win | 100 | 14 h 4 m | Show |
NBA Northwest Division Game of the Year. My selection is on Denver minus the points over Portland at 9:05 pm et on Tuesday. I absolutely love the way this one sets up for the Nuggets as they host the surging Trail Blazers on Tuesday night. Portland checks in having won four straight games after dropping 11 of its previous 16 contests. Of course, the Blazers have been riding the extremely hot hand of Damian Lillard during their current streak. Portland actually ranks number one in the league in offensive rating over its last five contests. I'm just not sure it's sustainable, in fact, I know it's note. As good as they've been offensively, the Blazers check in 24th in the Association in defensive rating over that same five-game stretch. Denver suffered an overtime loss in a matinee affair in Detroit on Sunday, snapping a mini two-game winning streak. The Nuggets are still a solid 11-6 since the start of January. They've gone 17-4 in their last 21 games here in the high altitude of Denver. The last time these two teams squared off in December the Nuggets rolled to a 114-99 victory. Lillard will get his, but I look for Denver to prevail. Take Denver (10*). |
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02-03-20 | Baylor v. Kansas State +7 | Top | 73-67 | Win | 100 | 13 h 30 m | Show |
CBB Big 12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Kansas State plus the points over Baylor at 9 pm et on Monday. There are few more battle-tested teams in the country than Kansas State right now. The Wildcats have faced an extremely tough schedule since the start of January - at Oklahoma, vs. TCU, at Texas, vs. Texas Tech, vs. West Virginia, at Kansas, at Alabama, vs. Oklahoma and at West Virginia (all winning opponents). While the Wildcats have only managed to win two of those games outright, they've been competitive in the majority of them (four of seven losses came by single-digits) and I expect them to take this one down to the wire as well. Baylor of course hasn't lost a game since way back on November 8th against Washington - its only loss of the season to date. Coming off three straight double-digit wins I do see this as a bit of a letdown spot for the Bears. That marks their longest streak of double-digit wins in-conference this season. There shouldn't be much of an intimidation factor at play here given the setting, and the fact that Kansas State took the most recent meeting 66-60 last March. Take Kansas State (10*). |
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02-02-20 | 49ers v. Chiefs -1 | Top | 20-31 | Win | 100 | 226 h 30 m | Show |
NFL Playoff Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over San Francisco at 6:30 pm et on Sunday February 2nd. I'm holding futures tickets on the Chiefs so this is really a no-brainer for me. There's nothing I've seen in the playoffs that has swayed me from the fact that Kansas City is destined to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy on February 2nd. Yes, San Francisco has impressed and is without a doubt the 'it team' entering this contest - a true upstart that has reached this point far quicker than most expected under the guidance of head coach Kyle Shanahan. I'll give the Niners all the credit in the world for getting here, but let's not get too excited by playoff home wins over extremely flawed Vikings and Packers squads that simply didn't show up in Santa Clara. There's no question, the Niners will get the Chiefs best effort here. Kansas City has been steadily building to this point, with its defense showing up when it matters most and QB Patrick Mahomes taking his game to a completely other level in the postseason. Everything has broke right for the Chiefs in the playoffs with the Ravens getting upset by the Titans, even though I do believe Kansas City would have went into Baltimore and won regardless. Give me the Chiefs at a very discounted number here. Take Kansas City (10*). |
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02-01-20 | Southern Illinois v. Drake -5 | Top | 79-72 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 29 m | Show |
CBB Missouri Valley Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Drake minus the points over Southern Illinois at 6 pm et on Saturday. I really like the way this one sets up for Drake on its home floor. The Bulldogs had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 58-56 loss at Indiana State last time out but should bounce back here at home where they have yet to lose a game this season and ride a 15-game winning streak. Southern Illinois has won four games in a row but only one of those victories came on the road, and that came against 7-14 Illinois State. The Salukis have traveled two other times here in January, falling by 19 points at Bradley and 16 points at Loyola-Chicago. This is a quick revenge spot for Drake after dropping a surprising 17-point decision on the road against Southern Illinois back on January 19th. Take Drake (10*). |
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01-31-20 | Dartmouth v. Princeton -4.5 | Top | 44-66 | Win | 100 | 22 h 45 m | Show |
CBB Ivy League Game of the Month. My selection is in Princeton minus the points over Dartmouth at 7 pm et on Friday. This is a fine spot to back the Princeton Tigers on their home floor as they aim for their fifth straight win against a very beatable Dartmouth squad. Princeton has suffered four losses on its home floor this season but all four of those setbacks came against winning opponents. Dartmouth has three wins to its credit on the road this season but only one came in an underdog role and that was way back in its season opener at Buffalo. Note that the Big Green have won only twice in their last 11 games and those two victories came against Maine and Central Connecticut State - two teams that own a combined 8-36 record this season. Princeton's lone loss over its last seven games came against 16-7 Hofstra back on December 19th. Take Princeton (10*). |
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01-30-20 | Western Kentucky v. Florida Atlantic +3 | Top | 65-69 | Win | 100 | 22 h 30 m | Show |
CBB C-USA Game of the Month. My selection is on Florida Atlantic plus the points over Western Kentucky at 7 pm et on Thursday. Western Kentucky rides a five-game winning streak into this matchup on Thursday night but it's worth noting that only two of those wins came on the road, and they came at the expense of Middle Tennessee State and Marshall, two teams that have gone a combined 14-28 overall this season. The last time the Hilltoppers faced a winning team on the road, they lost by double-digits at UAB earlier this month. Florida Atlantic has lost three straight games but the last two came on the road and its lone home loss over that stretch came against aforementioned 12-9 UAB. That was the Owls lone home defeat this season. The last time these two teams met, FAU prevailed by six points last January. I believe the case can be made that the wrong team is being favored in this one. Take Florida Atlantic (10*). |
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01-29-20 | West Virginia v. Texas Tech -2.5 | Top | 81-89 | Win | 100 | 22 h 28 m | Show |
CBB Big 12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Texas Tech minus the points over West Virginia at 8 pm et on Wednesday. This is a big step-up spot for the Red Raiders at home, where they've traditionally owned a strong advantage. Texas Tech comes off back-to-back losses, most recently falling by just two points in overtime at home against Kentucky this past Saturday. The only other home loss the Red Raiders suffered this season came against 17-1 Baylor. It's interesting to note that Texas Tech closed as a 3.5-point favorite in that contest - a steeper number than we're dealing with on Wednesday. West Virginia's last victory against a winning team away from home came back on December 29th at Ohio State. Keep in mind, that game started a stretch that has seen the Buckeyes go a miserable 2-6 over their last eight contests. Outside of that win, the Mountaineers really haven't been all that impressive away from home. Revenge will certainly be on the Red Raiders minds here after falling by 12 points in Morgantown back on January 11th. As we always like to say, revenge is a dish best served at home. Take Texas Tech (10*). |
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01-27-20 | Cavs v. Pistons -6.5 | Top | 115-100 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 37 m | Show |
NBA Game of the Month. My selection is on Detroit minus the points over Cleveland at 7:05 pm et on Monday. This is the perfect storm to back the Pistons as they host the lowly Cavs on Monday night. Detroit has won two of three meetings with Cleveland this season, splitting the most recent two affairs with both of those games going down to the wire. I expect more of a lopsided contest here as the Pistons aim to bounce back from consecutive discouraging losses against the Grizzlies and Nets - both at home - on Friday and Saturday. Note that despite their recent struggles in the w/l column, Detroit actually checks in top 10 in the league in offensive rating and top nine in defensive rating over its last five contests. By contrast, Cleveland sits 24th and 25th respectively in those two categories. Most will want no part of laying points with the Pistons here off Saturday's frustrating overtime loss and non-cover against the Nets. I see this as an ideal bounce-back spot for Detroit laying a very reasonable number against one of the league's worst teams. Take Detroit (10*). |
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01-27-20 | North Carolina +5.5 v. NC State | Top | 75-65 | Win | 100 | 9 h 45 m | Show |
CBB ACC Game of the Month. My selection is on North Carolina plus the points over N.C. State at 7 pm et on Monday. A 94-point outburst in a rout of Miami on Saturday was just what the doctor ordered for North Carolina. That brought an end to the Tar Heels five-game losing streak to open 2020 and now I look for them to build off of that performance as they make the short trip to Raleigh to face in-state rival N.C. State on Monday. The Wolfpack saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in a 64-58 loss at Georgia Tech on Saturday - their second loss in as many games against the Yellow Jackets this season. While they have posted a 4-3 record here in January, that hasn't come easy with three of those four victories coming by six points or less. This is a big game for both teams but I actually think there's a little less pressure on the Tar Heels at this point as they've largely been forgotten thanks to their disappointing start to the ACC campaign. Take North Carolina (10*). |
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01-25-20 | Southern Illinois v. Illinois State -1.5 | Top | 58-55 | Loss | -117 | 6 h 14 m | Show |
CBB Game of the Week. My selection is on Illinois State minus the points over Southern Illinois at 3 pm et on Saturday. I really like the way this one sets up for the Redbirds as they aim to snap a six-game skid here in what has been a winless January so far. Keep in mind, their schedule has been tough. Four of those six games came on the road and not a single one of those setbacks came against a team that currently owns a losing record. They own three truly impressive wins here at home this season, coming against Belmont, Little Rock and Northern Iowa - three teams that own a combined 44-16 record. Southern Illinois checks in 4-2 this month but all four of those wins came at home. The Salukis have yet to win a road game this season going winless in eight tries. Off back-to-back impressive wins over Drake and Northern Iowa I expect them to suffer a letdown here. Take Illinois State (10*). |
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01-24-20 | Niagara v. Monmouth -7.5 | Top | 71-82 | Win | 100 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
CBB Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Monmouth minus the points over Niagara at 7 pm et on Friday. Niagara enters this game off three straight wins but remains just 6-11 on the season. The Purple Eagles have won just two road games this season with those coming against teams that own a combined 12-20 record, not to mention the fact that the two wins came by a combined five points. Monmouth has gone a perfect 3-0 at home in MAAC play, winning each of those games by at least eight points. Despite the fact that the Hawks have gone 4-2 here in January, they should realize the importance of this contest with three of their next four games coming on the road, where they've gone 3-6 this season. Take Monmouth (10*). |
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01-23-20 | Pepperdine v. Santa Clara -4 | Top | 90-86 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 4 m | Show |
CBB WCC Game of the Month. My selection is on Santa Clara minus the points over Pepperdine at 10 pm et on Thursday. I'll lay the points with the Broncos as they look to string together consecutive wins for the first time in January on Thursday night. Santa Clara managed to bounce back with an 84-80 win over a good Pacific team last time out, playing the second of back-to-back nights after getting blown out by a whopping 50 points against Gonzaga. It's certainly encouraging that the Broncos were able to put that beatdown in the rear-view mirror so quickly. Note that Santa Clara has yet to lose a game at home this season and should be able to keep that perfect record intact here. Pepperdine fell below the .500 mark with a hard-fought 78-69 loss to St. Mary's last Saturday. The Waves have gone 2-3 since the start of January with their two wins coming against teams that own a combined 15-25 record. You have to wonder if the Waves might be a little weary with each of their last five contests being decided by single-digit margins. The Broncos are still without star big man Guglielmo Caruso but have managed to score 80+ points in both home games without him here in January. Take Santa Clara (10*). |
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01-22-20 | Massachusetts v. George Mason -6.5 | Top | 63-73 | Win | 100 | 9 h 16 m | Show |
CBB A-10 Game of the Month. My selection is on George Mason minus the points over UMass at 7 pm et on Wednesday. George Mason checks in having lost three games in a row on its home floor but keep in mind, those three losses came against VCU, St. Bonaventure and Richmond, three teams that own a combined 40-15 record this season. Here, they'll be stepping down in class against 7-11 UMass, which has lost three games in a row - all by double-digit margins. In fact, since the start of December, the Minutemen have won just three games and those wins came against teams that own a combined 24-30 record. Their only road win this season came against MAAC squad Fairfield, which owns a losing record on the season. Take George Mason (10*). |
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01-18-20 | The Citadel v. VMI -3 | Top | 79-88 | Win | 100 | 5 h 26 m | Show |
CBB Southern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on VMI minus the points over Citadel at 1 pm et on Saturday. We faded VMI earlier this week as it fell by double-digits on the road against a highly-motivated Mercer squad. I won't hesitate to switch gears and back the Keydets as they return home to face Citadel on Saturday, however. VMI checks in having lost seven straight games but winnable contests have been few and far between over that stretch. The fact is the Keydets were competitive in each of their last two games away from home, including a narrow six-point loss against 16-3 East Tennessee State. Citadel has lost five games in a row with its last victory coming against 6-12 Longwood and the Bulldogs needed three overtimes to secure that win. They own just three wins against Division I opponents this season. Take VMI (10*). |
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01-15-20 | Bradley v. Missouri State -1.5 | Top | 91-78 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 35 m | Show |
CBB MVC Game of the Month. My selection is on Missouri State minus the points over Bradley at 8 pm et on Wednesday. This is a tremendous bounce-back spot for Missouri State on its home floor against Bradley on Wednesday night. The Bears are coming off an 80-57 beatdown at the hands of Northern Iowa on Saturday but keep in mind, the Panthers are among the class of the MVC and own a 14-2 record this season. Prior to that, the Bears had won two of three in MVC play since New Year's Even with their lone loss coming by just four points on the road against a quality 11-6 Loyola-Chicago team. Bradley is fresh off back-to-back blowout wins but could be caught looking ahead to a revenge date with Northern Iowa at home this coming Saturday. Bradley's lone road victory this season came against Evansville - a team that has gone winless in MVC play this season. Take Missouri State (10*). |
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01-14-20 | Missouri v. Mississippi State -3.5 | Top | 45-72 | Win | 100 | 12 h 15 m | Show |
CBB SEC Game of the Month. My selection is on Mississippi State minus the points over Missouri at 9 pm et on Tuesday. This is a great spot to fade Missouri off its big blowout win at home against Florida on Saturday. Now the Tigers hit the road where they have posted just one victory this season, that coming against an uneven Temple squad that just got blown out at home against Tulane on the weekend. There's no shame in Mississippi State's current three-game losing streak as those three losses came against SEC opponents that have combined to go 34-11 this season, Auburn, Alabama and LSU - with the most recent two setbacks coming on the road. This is a big motivational spot for the Bulldogs as they aim to make up some ground in the SEC in a tough but winnable game at home. Take Mississippi State (10*). |
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01-13-20 | Coppin State v. Florida A&M -3.5 | Top | 54-65 | Win | 100 | 9 h 20 m | Show |
CBB MEAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Florida A&M minus the points over Coppin State at 8 pm et on Monday. Not all 3-11 teams are created equal and in this case, I believe Florida A&M is a much better team than its record indicates. The Rattlers faced an absolutely brutal non-conference schedule to open the season, playing just one home game between the start of the season and the second week of January, and that home date came against 14-5 Pacific. We've seen the Rattlers find some success lately, most recently prevailing by a 77-68 score against a quality Morgan State squad on Saturday. Here, they catch a Coppin State team that hasn't won a game since December 3rd, that coming on the road against 8-8 East Carolina. The Eagles have played well on occasion but here I simply feel they're in the wrong place at the wrong time against a highly-motivated Florida A&M squad. Take Florida A&M (10*). |
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01-13-20 | Clemson +6.5 v. LSU | Top | 25-42 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 22 m | Show |
CFB Game of the Month. My selection is on Clemson plus the points over LSU at 8 pm et on Monday. If you've followed my plays regularly, you know that I've been high on Clemson all season, and particularly down the stretch. The Tigers have reeled off five straight ATS wins entering this game and I'm confident they can go toe-to-toe with mighty Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers on Monday night. LSU has looked simply unstoppable, destroying Georgia in the SEC Championship Game before crushing an overmatched Oklahoma squad in the CFP semi-final. This will certainly be the Tigers toughest test since facing Alabama on November 9th, however - a game they won by five points. This one has all the makings of a classic showdown. I'll grab all the points I can get with Dabo Swinney's Tigers. Take Clemson (10*). |
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01-12-20 | Texans v. Chiefs -9.5 | Top | 31-51 | Win | 100 | 18 h 10 m | Show |
NFL Divisional Round Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Houston at 3:05 pm et on Sunday. Houston caught an extremely favorable draw last week as it hosted the Bills and ultimately needed everything in its bag of tricks to pull out an overtime victory. Now the Texans have to travel to face the rested Chiefs, who will have revenge on their minds after suffering a somewhat shocking loss against Houston right here at Arrowhead earlier this season. The Chiefs are a different team now than they were then. First of all, they have a defense. Second, Patrick Mahomes is healthy and has his full compliment of weapons at his disposal. The Texans defense doesn't match up well at all with the Chiefs multi-dimensional offensive attack. On the flip side, I fully expect to see Kansas City do a good job of keeping Texans QB DeShaun Watson in the pocket. Unlike the Titans, who came out and stunned the Ravens early in last night's game, the Texans offense will have a tough time getting off the ground here. This one has blowout potential. Take Kansas City (10*). |
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01-10-20 | Wright State -10 v. IUPU-Indianapolis | Top | 84-70 | Win | 100 | 9 h 7 m | Show |
CBB Horizon League Game of the Month. My selection is on Wright State minus the points over IUPUI at 7 pm et on Friday. Bettors may be a little hesitant to back Wright State coming off a narrow one-point win over 3-14 Detroit last time out. Keep in mind, just two games back the Raiders blew the doors off a better Oakland squad by a 96-69 score. In other words, take that result against Detroit with a grain of salt. Wright State is the vastly superior team in this matchup and IUPUI comes in having not faced a winning opponent since suffering a 10-point loss to 10-7 Youngstown State on December 28th. The Jaguars are just 2-4 at home against Division I opponents this season. Take Wright State (10*). |
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01-09-20 | Louisiana Tech v. Texas-San Antonio +5.5 | Top | 73-89 | Win | 100 | 10 h 40 m | Show |
CBB C-USA Game of the Year. My selection is on Texas-San Antonio plus the points over Louisiana Tech at 7 pm et on Thursday. This is a fine spot to back the Roadrunners as they return home following a winless two-game road trip that included unsurprising losses against Florida Atlantic and Florida International, two teams that own a combined 21-9 record on the season. Keep in mind, prior to those losses, UTSA had won five of its last six games with its lone setback over that stretch coming against 11-3 Oregon State. Louisiana Tech hasn't lost a game since December 8th but hasn't exactly faced an exhausting schedule. Here, the Bulldogs will play just their second game in 2020 following a 28-point beatdown of lowly Southern Miss, which has won only four times in 15 tries this season. In fact, Louisiana Tech's last two wins have come against Southern Miss. The Bulldogs really haven't been tested since that loss to Sam Houston State back in early December. Their last four wins against division I opponents have featured teams that own a combined 16-30 record. Take Texas-San Antonio (10*). |
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01-07-20 | Miami-FL +13.5 v. Louisville | Top | 58-74 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 17 m | Show |
CBB ACC Game of the Month. My selection is on Miami plus the points over Louisville at 7 pm et on Tuesday. It's going to be very easy for Miami to get up for this matchup against the Cardinals in Louisville. Keep in mind, these two teams already met in their season opener this season with Louisville rolling to a 13-point victory. The Cardinals aren't exactly in top form right now, having dropped three of their last five games, albeit against tough opposition. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are fresh off a blowout loss at home against Duke following a perfect 5-0 December. We faded the Canes in a road date with Clemson last week and paid the price as Miami showed plenty of resolve in a come-from-behind victory. Here, I believe the price is right to back Miami in what should be a competitive affair. Take Miami (10*). |
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01-05-20 | Seahawks v. Eagles +1 | Top | 17-9 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 21 m | Show |
NFL Wild Card Game of the Year. My selection is on Philadelphia plus the points over Seattle at 4:40 pm et on Sunday. The Seahawks are clearly in desperation mode having signed RBs Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin prior to last week's narrow loss to the 49ers. While QB Russell Wilson always instills some level of confidence, the rest of the team does not. Seattle is banged-up on both sides of the football and now has to travel across the country to face an Eagles squad that has been surging despite all of their own injuries. Philadelphia's 'next man up' philosophy is nothing new. You of course will remember QB Nick Foles taking over for Carson Wentz and leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory just two years ago. We've seen guys like Boston Scott, Dallas Goedert and Greg Ward step up in a big way in recent weeks, and we should see more of the same here. The Eagles depleted secondary is certainly a concern but I'm not convinced the Seahawks offense can take advantage as Philadelphia's pass rush remains a strength and should have Wilson under duress all afternoon long. They'll be hard-pressed to advance beyond next weekend but I do look for the Eagles to secure a hard-fought victory here. Take Philadelphia (10*). |
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01-02-20 | South Alabama v. UL - Lafayette +3 | Top | 60-57 | Push | 0 | 11 h 48 m | Show |
CBB Sun Belt Game of the Month. My selection is on Louisiana-Lafayette plus the points over South Alabama at 8 pm et on Thursday. I love the way this one sets up for the Ragin' Cajuns as a home underdog in-conference. Louisiana-Lafayette has lost five games in a row heading into this one but that shouldn't come as a big surprise as all of those losses were against superior competition and only one result was a true blowout (against Louisiana Tech in Ruston). This is an excellent opportunity for the Ragin' Cajuns to get going with this Sun Belt matchup followed by a date with Troy on Saturday (both on their home floor). South Alabama is fresh off a blowout win, but that came against unheralded Mobile. The Jaguars are a middle of the pack team that I don't believe warrant being favored on the road in this one. Take Louisiana-Lafayette (10*). |
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12-30-19 | Western Michigan +3.5 v. Western Kentucky | Top | 20-23 | Win | 100 | 16 h 7 m | Show |
CFB Bowl Game of the Year. My selection is on Western Michigan plus the points over Western Kentucky at 12:30 pm et on Monday. I've actually been fairly high on the Sun Belt Conference all season but I don't like the way this game sets up for Western Kentucky - a team that has struggled to score points at the best of times this season. The Hilltoppers do draw a favorable matchup against a weak Western Michigan defense but can they take advantage? I'm not so sure. Western Michigan toughened up when it had to down the stretch and a narrow 17-14 loss to Northern Illinois served as its only loss over its final four regular season contests. Broncos QB Jon Wassink didn't perform particularly well down the stretch save for a 322-yard three-touchdown performance against Ohio on November 12th, but his overall numbers were solid and he is certainly capable of keeping this offense on schedule against WKU on Monday. RB LeVante Bellamy is the real story for the Broncos as he gained just shy of 1,500 yards on the ground while finding the end zone on 23 occasions during the regular season. Simply put, I don't believe the Broncos will ever be out of this game with their outstanding offense. Take Western Michigan (10*). |
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12-23-19 | Canisius v. Siena -5 | Top | 72-73 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 36 m | Show |
CBB MAAC Game of the Month. My selection is on Siena minus the points over Canisius at 6 pm et on Monday. We're dealing with a fairly small sample size when it comes to the Siena Saints as they've played just eight games to date this season. With that being said, they've essentially won the games they should and lost the games they should. This is a game they should win. We won with Canisius in its most recent game at Buffalo, although we were fortunate to get in early with that one and catch a favorable line as the Golden Griffins collapsed late and nearly blew the cover. Coming off its first win in over a month - a double-digit decision against Bucknell, look for Siena to earn its first conference victory (and cover) of the campaign on Monday. Take Siena (10*). |
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12-22-19 | Maryland-Eastern Shore +20.5 v. Old Dominion | Top | 52-76 | Loss | -108 | 4 h 28 m | Show |
CBB Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Maryland-Eastern Shore plus the points over Old Dominion at 2 pm et on Sunday. This is a big spot for Maryland-Eastern Shore as it checks in sporting an ugly 1-12 record but has faced a brutal schedule to this point. Old Dominion has recorded only three wins in 12 games and has dropped eight in a row entering Sunday's contest. While the Monarchs should certainly bounce back with a win here, doing so by a considerable margin is no easy task. Keep in mind, ODU won't play again until January 2nd after this one. They've managed to score 60+ points just once in their last seven contests. Coming off back-to-back double-digit losses at East Carolina and Charlotte look for Maryland-Eastern Shore to come to play in this one. Take Maryland-Eastern Shore (10*). |
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12-22-19 | Ravens v. Browns +10.5 | Top | 31-15 | Loss | -115 | 7 h 58 m | Show |
NFL Underdog Game of the Year. My selection is on Cleveland plus the points over Baltimore at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Browns bandwagon cleared months ago but if there were any stragglers left on board, they surely jumped ship after last week's ugly loss in Arizona. I actually believe that sets us up with considerable line value as they return home to lick their wounds and host the rival Ravens on Sunday afternoon. There was plenty of drama created by last week's loss, with talk of certain players, WR Jarvis Landry included, telling the Cardinals to 'come get me'. Here, I think we'll see the Browns attempt to force-feed Landry and Odell Beckham Jr., even as they face a tough challenge in that of the Ravens. The real key to this game may be Browns RB Nick Chubb. I'm confident he'll have a monster performance against a very beatable Baltimore run defense. Let's not lose sight of the fact that Cleveland has already defeated Baltimore once this season - on the road no less. As much as the Ravens would like to get back at the Browns, as I've said before revenge is a dish best served at home. Baltimore and Lamar Jackson in particular look unstoppable right now, but it is laying an awful lot of points in a divisional road game in late December. Look for the Browns to pull up their socks and show some pride for one week - this is essentially their Super Bowl for 2019. Take Cleveland (10*). |
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12-21-19 | Bills v. Patriots -6.5 | Top | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 27 h 37 m | Show |
NFL AFC East Game of the Month. My selection is on New England minus the points over Buffalo at 4:30 pm et on Saturday. We won with the Patriots in last Sunday's rout of the Bengals and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with them again here, as they return home to host the Bills in a big AFC East showdown. New England's offense remains somewhat broken, or so it appears. I do think we'll see Patriots OC Josh McDaniels scheme his way to some success against the Bills stout defense in this matchup, however. Note that while Buffalo's secondary has been rock solid, it has been vulnerable against the run, giving up 4.5 yards per rush this season. The Pats have no shortage of capable backs that could be in for breakout spots here. Buffalo escaped with a win in primetime in Pittsburgh last week but let's face it, QB Josh Allen didn't look good, and the Pats have had no trouble limiting him in previous matchups. There's absolutely no reason for the Pats to fear the Bills offense in this one, noting that they've held Buffalo to 16 points or less in four straight and six of the last seven meetings in this series. Take New England (10*). |
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12-19-19 | Lakers v. Bucks -4.5 | Top | 104-111 | Win | 100 | 14 h 32 m | Show |
NBA TV Game of the Month. My selection is on Milwaukee minus the points over Los Angeles at 8:05 pm et on Thursday. I absolutely love the way this one sets up for the Bucks, much like the fade of the Mavs set up last night. Of course, earlier this week we saw the Luka Doncic-less Mavs stun the Bucks here in Milwaukee. They were in for a letdown against the Celtics last night as a result, and ultimately lost by six points. Now the Bucks are back to rebound off that ugly loss to the Mavs and they'll have no shortage of motivation against Lebron and the Lakers on Thursday night. I really do think the Bucks will be able to run the Lakers out of the gym in this one. Milwaukee remains number one in the league in offensive rating over its last five games. Meanwhile, the Lakers have tailed off a bit in that department, ranking 11th. The key here is the pace the Bucks play at, ranking fifth in the league in pace rating over their last five contests while the Lakers sit 19th over that same time frame. Look for Milwaukee to make a statement here. Take Milwaukee (10*). |
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12-16-19 | Colts v. Saints -8.5 | Top | 7-34 | Win | 100 | 47 h 13 m | Show |
NFL MNF Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Indianapolis at 8:15 pm et on Monday. This is an absolute smash spot for the Saints at home in primetime against the reeling Colts. This is precisely the type of spotlight game where Saints QB Drew Brees goes off. The Colts defense has become suddenly non-existent against the pass as they enter this game on the heels of three straight losses. Indianapolis has shown some semblance of a run defense but the Saints offense is more than versatile enough to negate that advantage. Meanwhile the Colts offense has become quite one-dimensional in the absence of WR T.Y. Hilton. While Hilton may return for this game it's difficult to predict how effective he can be after an extended absence. RB Marlon Mack returned last week but was limited and I would suggest that will probably be the case again this week. Look for a monster performance from WR Michael Thomas to pace the Saints offense and we might even see RB Alvin Kamara finally get back on track with a big game catching passes out of the backfield. Take New Orleans (10*). |
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12-11-19 | Rockets v. Cavs +11.5 | Top | 116-110 | Win | 100 | 10 h 29 m | Show |
NBA Underdog Game of the Week. My selection is on Cleveland plus the points over Houston at 7:05 pm et on Wednesday. The Rockets have failed to cover the double-digit spread in each of their last two games, most recently losing outright against the Kings, at home no less. Here, I believe they're once again overvalued, noting that they've lost two of their last three games here in Cleveland and check in just 11-12 ATS on the season. The Cavs are reeling right now but that's to be expected. Let's face it, they're not going to win many games this season. After getting blown out on the road against Philadelphia and Boston I do think they'll benefit from returning home, and from facing a weak defensive team in the Rockets. Houston is simply laying too many points in this flat spot in its schedule. Take Cleveland (10*). |
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12-08-19 | Ravens v. Bills +7 | Top | 24-17 | Push | 0 | 16 h 41 m | Show |
NFL Game of the Week. My selection is on Buffalo plus the points over Baltimore at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Bills continue to get no respect in the betting marketplace, even after last week's rout of the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day. Here, I look for Buffalo to keep things close at the very least, and quite possibly win outright. Motivation will obviously be high for the Bills, not only are they hosting this year's 'it' team in the Ravens, but they'll have Doug Flutie making a rare appearance in Orchard Park to be honored as a Bills legend. Last week, Baltimore was able to overmatch the 49ers at home in a bad weather game, in an early start no less. The shoe is on the other foot this time around. Take Buffalo (10*). |
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12-06-19 | Lakers v. Blazers +4 | Top | 136-113 | Loss | -105 | 16 h 44 m | Show |
NBA Underdog Game of the Week. My selection is on Portland plus the points over Los Angeles at 10:35 pm et on Friday. At the surface, this may have appeared to be one of the more obvious wins on the Lakers current road trip but now that they've gotten off to a 2-0 start with impressive wins in Denver and Salt Lake City, I believe this is a tricky spot for Lebron James and co. The Blazers are still a losing team on the season but they've been playing better basketball lately, checking in fifth in the league in offensive rating and top 10 in pace rating over their last five games. Their defensive play leaves something to be desired but the Lakers are certainly in a tough spot here, playing for the third time in four nights off back-to-back games in altitude. I'lll grab all the points I can get with the Blazers here. Take Portland (10*). |
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12-01-19 | Jets -3 v. Bengals | Top | 6-22 | Loss | -106 | 64 h 10 m | Show |
NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on New York minus the points over Cincinnati at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Jets are in excellent position to add to the winless Bengals' misery on Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati. The New York offense has been quietly racking up points in recent weeks and is an absolute smash spot against a very beatable Bengals defense on Sunday. Cincinnati has been one of the worst teams in the league defending the run this season which really opens things up with the Jets offense and RB Le'Veon Bell in particular. Jets QB Sam Darnold is on a redemption tour after a brutal start to the season and he's in line for another big performance here. Meanwhile, the Jets quietly own the league's best run defense which should severely limit what the Bengals can do offensively. QB Andy Dalton is back as the starter and while he may give Cincinnati a bit of a spark, I'm not sure it really matters at this point. His supporting cast is seriously lacking with WR Tyler Boyd one of the only bright spots. RB Joe Mixon has had a nice run the last couple of games but I don't expect him to play a big role in this one. Take New York (10*). |
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11-28-19 | Saints -6.5 v. Falcons | Top | 26-18 | Win | 100 | 47 h 22 m | Show |
NFL Turkey Day Game of the Year. My selection is on New Orleans minus the points over Atlanta at 8:15 pm et on Thursday. The Saints had a tough time pulling away from the Panthers on Sunday but ultimately did secure the victory thanks in large part to miscues in Carolina’s kicking game. I expect a much cleaner performance from the Saints this week as they travel to face the division rival Falcons in the friendly confines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. I like the way the Saints offense has rounded into form with a healthy Drew Brees. There’s reason to believe they can even improve on their recent strong performances with Alvin Kamara in particular in line for a big breakout performance here. Meanwhile, the cupboard is getting pretty bare for the Falcons offense with a number of key cogs banged-up and now forced to play on a short week. The Saints have been able to generate a ton of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and I’m confident they’ll be able to force Falcons QB Matt Ryan into some key mistakes in this contest as well. Atlanta’s ground game is by no means imposing with RB Devonta Freeman once again questionable to suit up. I don’t think there’s any question the offense is missing the likes of Mohamed Sanu and Tevin Coleman right now. I’m not convinced Atlanta can stay in this game for four quarters. Take New Orleans (10*). |
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11-24-19 | Cowboys v. Patriots -5.5 | Top | 9-13 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 49 m | Show |
NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on New England minus the points over Dallas at 4:25 pm et on Sunday. Dallas bounced back with a win in Detroit last Sunday but it will find the going a lot tougher as it stays on the road to face the Patriots in Foxborough this week. Poor weather conditions are expected, which doesn't generally suit QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense well. While Dallas RB Ezekiel Elliott draws a favorable matchup on paper, I feel the Pats will be content to concede yardage on the ground once again, but ultimately do another nice job of keeping the opposition out of the end zone. Offensively, the Pats are banged-up right now but the 'next man up' philosophy has always served them well, and I expect no different here. The Cowboys defense, while elite on paper, has disappointed for much of the campaign, including last week when it allowed Lions backup QB Jeff Driskel to move the football up and down the field. New England QB Tom Brady isn't 100% healthy but I'm anticipating a big performance from the GOAT once again. This is precisely the type of game Bill Bellichick's Patriots get up for and win by margin. Take New England (10*). |
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11-24-19 | Broncos v. Bills -3.5 | Top | 3-20 | Win | 100 | 20 h 37 m | Show |
NFL Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Denver at 1 pm et on Sunday. With Denver nearly pulling off an outright upset as a double-digit underdog at Minnesota last week, it's understandable that the Broncos are only a short underdog against the Bills on Sunday. I believe the Bills are once again undervalued. There's little chance we'll see Buffalo overlook Denver, not after the Broncos gave the Vikings such a serious run last week. I don't like the scheduling spot at all for Denver as it stays on the road for a second straight week, heading to a less than appealing destination in Buffalo. The Bills defense should absolutely feast on the Broncos leaky offensive line, noting that Denver ranks bottom-five in the league in sacks per QB dropback allowed. For their part, the Bills are inside the top 10 in terms of sacks this season. QB Brandon Allen has held his own to this point, but I look for him to get exposed by Buffalo here. This isn't exactly an eruption spot for the Bills offense against a quality Broncos defense, but I do think we'll see them be given enough short fields to inflict some damage on the scoreboard. Based on how I expect the Bills defense to perform in this game, I really don't think we're going to need a whole lot from the offense to ultimately stretch out the margin and put this one out of reach. Take Buffalo (10*). |
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11-23-19 | Texas A&M v. Georgia -13 | Top | 13-19 | Loss | -106 | 29 h 6 m | Show |
CFB SEC Game of the Month. My selection is on Georgia minus the points over Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. Georgia has quietly strung together four straight quality wins, allowing a grand total of just 31 points in the process, since suffering that stunning home loss to South Carolina back on October 12th. Here, I believe the Bulldogs are in a smash spot against Texas A&M. The Aggies are off to a 7-3 start but they've certainly struggled when stepping up in class this season, going winless against the likes of Clemson, Auburn and Alabama. This is another big step-up spot and I look for them to struggle once again. The Aggies will undoubtedly need more from QB Kellen Mond in this one as Georgia will focus on shutting down A&M's vaunted ground attack. Note that Mond hasn't thrown for over 300 yards since September. Georgia's offense hasn't had to be great over the last month or so but I'm confident it can rise to the occasion when needed in this game, which features a relatively low total. Bulldogs QB Jake Fromm completed only 13 passes and threw for just 110 yards in last week's win over Auburn. That was on the road against a better defense than he'll face here, however. Expect a strong bounce-back performance. Take Georgia (10*). |
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11-23-19 | Liberty v. Virginia -16 | Top | 27-55 | Win | 100 | 26 h 51 m | Show |
CFB Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Virginia minus the points over Liberty at 12 noon et on Saturday. While the Cavaliers defense stood out early in the season it has been their offense that has really taken off over the last couple of weeks with QB Bryce Perkins rounding into form, RB Wayne Taulapapa remaining a touchdown-machine and WR Terrell Jana developing into a gamebreaker over the last few games. Upstart Liberty has already gained Bowl eligibility but it will be hard-pressed to even stay competitive in this one. While Liberty has won six games, it has also shown some inconsistency, giving up 40+ points against FCS squad Maine and losing outright to lowly Rutgers. After traveling to Provo for a loss to BYU last week, now they stay on the road for a fourth consecutive game - a stretch that has taken the Flames all over the map. I don't think there's any chance Virginia overlooks Liberty here, not after almost suffering an upset loss at the hands of an improving Georgia Tech squad (we won with Georgia Tech on Thursday) last week. Take Virginia (10*). |
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11-21-19 | NC State v. Georgia Tech -1 | Top | 26-28 | Win | 100 | 13 h 6 m | Show |
CFB ACC Game of the Year. My selection is on Georgia Tech minus the points over N.C. State at 8 pm et on Thursday. N.C. State may own the better overall record, but its a dead heat between these two struggling squads from an ATS perspective with both checking in at a miserable 2-8. I simply feel that the Yellow Jackets have a lot more upside at this point of the season and should defend their home field successfully on Thursday night in Atlanta. N.C. State has lost four games in a row both SU and ATS with its last victory coming in an ugly 16-10 affair against a disappointing Syracuse squad way back on October 10th. The Wolfpack's only other win over the course of their current 2-6 slide came in a non-cover against Ball State. Even though Georgia Tech is coming off a 45-0 drubbing at the hands of Virginia Tech, it hasn't given up on the season, as evidenced by its 2-2 ATS record over its last four games, including a stunning overtime win at Miami and a narrow five-point loss at Virginia. I expect a strong bounce-back from the Jackets here in what is essentially their last shot at a victory this season before taking on Georgia in their annual regular season finale. Take Georgia Tech (10*). |
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11-18-19 | Chiefs v. Chargers +5 | Top | 24-17 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 53 m | Show |
NFL AFC West Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over Kansas City at 8:15 pm et on Monday. We missed the mark (barely) with the Chargers last week as they fell by just two points in Oakland. I won't hesitate to go back to the well with Los Angeles here, however, even if this does appear to be an even tougher matchup. First of all, I'm not sure it actually is a tougher matchup. The Raiders are far better than anyone could have anticipated and last week the Chargers found that out first hand. Unlike the Raiders, the Chiefs don't possess a quality defense. Nor does Kansas City have a consistently productive ground attack. QB Patrick Mahomes returned from injury and looked very 'Mahomes-like' in last week's narrow loss in Tennessee, throwing for a season-high as far as pass yards goes. I simply feel that the Chargers, with their excellent offensive balance led by the re-emergence of RB Melvin Gordon, can go blow-for-blow with Andy Reid's Chiefs, just as they did in their most recent meeting last season - a wild 29-28 victory at Arrowhead Stadium on a Thursday night in December. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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11-16-19 | Troy -6.5 v. Texas State | Top | 63-27 | Win | 100 | 28 h 3 m | Show |
CFB Blowout Game of the Week. My selection is on Troy minus the points over Texas State at 3 pm et on Saturday. Troy has its work cut out for it in order to gain Bowl eligibility this season but it all starts with this very winnable game against Texas State. With the Trojans highly-unlikely to beat both Louisiana-Lafayette and Appalachian State over their final two games, this almost becomes a must-win. I'm confident we'll see the Trojans perform accordingly. If you follow my plays regularly, you know that I'm not very high on Texas State, even though it has shown up and battled on occasion this season, even managing to win three games outright. I still believe the Bobcats have one of the weakest offenses in the entire FBS. They did score 30 points in a win last week, but that came against lowly South Alabama (1-8). Troy possesses a far more dynamic offense with QB Kaleb Barker having thrown for over 300 yards on five different occasions, while tossing at least two touchdown passes in eight of nine games this season. RB DK Billingsley has made the most of relatively limited touches, rushing for over 100 yards on four different occasions. He's coming off his best performance of the season last time out, running for 163 yards and two touchdowns on only 14 carries. The Trojans defense leaves a lot to be desired but I'm not convinced Texas State will be able to take full advantage. Take Troy (10*). |
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11-15-19 | Celtics -7.5 v. Warriors | Top | 105-100 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 59 m | Show |
NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Boston minus the points over Golden State at 10:35 pm et on Friday. This is the start of a five-game western road swing for the Celtics as they look to extend their winning streak to 10 games and I'm confident we'll see them do so in convincing fashion on Friday night. Note that Boston ranks tops in the league in offensive rating over its last five games, and by a considerable margin. Golden State on the other hand sits 28th over that same stretch. Really the only thing the Warriors have going for them right now is the fact that they've been pushing the tempo, sitting 12th in pace rating over their last five contests, but that should only open the door for the Celtics to really get loose offensively. Boston is in the top half of the league in defensive rating over its last five games while Golden State is just one spot shy of pulling up the rear, sitting 29th in that department. Take Boston (10*). |
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11-14-19 | Steelers +3 v. Browns | Top | 7-21 | Loss | -116 | 12 h 20 m | Show |
NFL AFC North Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over Cleveland at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. I have no confidence in the Browns to string together consecutive wins at this stage of the season. Meanwhile, the Steelers have found their identity as a hard-nosed team that runs the football and plays an aggressive, opportunistic brand of defense. Pittsburgh QB Mason Rudolph certainly doesn't instill a great deal of confidence, but he is expected to have RB James Conner back at his disposal on Thursday night and WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is in line for a big breakout performance against a Browns defense that has had no success defending receivers in the slot. The Browns have a quality defense and should be able to get after Rudolph in this one, but what about their offense? It's been a sputtering, turnover-prone unit and while RB Kareem Hunt gave them a boost in his debut, I'm not ready to say that the offense is back. Take Pittsburgh (10*). |
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11-10-19 | Giants v. Jets +3 | Top | 27-34 | Win | 100 | 15 h 44 m | Show |
NFL Game of the Week. My selection is on the Jets plus the points over the Giants at 1 pm et on Sunday. Things literally can't get any worse for the Jets after they lost at the hands of the winless, supposedly taking Dolphins last week in Miami. I fully expect to see Gang Green bounce back against the rival Giants on Sunday, noting we cashed a ticket fading Big Blue just this past Monday night with the Cowboys. This is an absolute smash spot for the Jets offense against a vulnerable Giants defense playing on a short week. Jets QB Sam Darnold has not played well at all but I still believe he has the tools to succeed in the NFL and I'm confident he'll enjoy a breakout performance against the G-Men and their non-existent pass rush and swiss cheese secondary. Not only is Darnold and the Jets passing game in line for a bounce-back but we should see a big performance from RB Le'Veon Bell as well. Game script kept him from exploding against the Dolphins last Sunday but if the Jets are able to build a lead here, Bell should go off. Take the Jets (10*). |
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11-07-19 | Chargers v. Raiders | Top | 24-26 | Loss | -123 | 25 h 31 m | Show |
NFL TNF Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles over Oakland at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. The Chargers have suddenly found their footing, registering back-to-back wins at Chicago and at home against Green Bay and I look for them to keep it rolling as they face the rival Raiders in Oakland on Thursday night. I really like the way things have come together for the previously underachieving Chargers offense, most notably with RB Melvin Gordon busting out with a big performance against the Packers last Sunday. The door is wide open for this unit to really explode against a beatable Raiders defense on a short week. Oakland does pose a challenge with its own emerging offense but I'm confident the Chargers defense will rise to the occasion. RB Josh Jacobs is the front-runner for offensive rookie of the year but the offense can still only go as far as QB Derek Carr takes it as far as I'm concerned. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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11-03-19 | Jets -3 v. Dolphins | Top | 18-26 | Loss | -117 | 17 h 24 m | Show |
NFL AFC Game of the Year. My selection is on New York minus the points over Miami at 1 pm et on Sunday. Everyone is down on the Jets right now but this is a true 'get right' spot against the tanking Dolphins in Miami, and I look for Adam Gase's squad to take full advantage. I absolutely love the 'squeaky wheel' narrative with elite RB Le'Veon Bell calling for more work in advance of Sunday's matchup. Bell will undoubtedly get fed in this one and should absolutely dominate a non-existent Dolphins run defense. QB Sam Darnold has been ridiculed after his 'seeing ghosts' appearance on Monday Night Football but he should have no trouble carving up the Fins struggling secondary on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, the Jets defense is serviceable against the Miami offense - which took another step back in a miserable second half in Pittsburgh on Monday night. Take New York (10*). |
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11-02-19 | Old Dominion v. Florida International -17.5 | Top | 17-24 | Loss | -105 | 15 h 34 m | Show |
CFB C-USA Game of the Year. My selection is on Florida International minus the points over Old Dominion at 12 noon et on Saturday. I love the bounce back spot for FIU here as it returns home following a beatdown at the hands of Middle Tennessee State last week. The loss dropped the Panthers to 4-4 on the season but they remain very much in contention for a Bowl game. That certainly depends on getting a win here, and I’m confident we’ll see them secure the victory in convincing fashion. At 1-7, Old Dominion is a true doormat this season. The Monarchs lone victory came back in August against FCS squad Norfolk State. They check into this one having scored just one offensive touchdown in their last 11 quarters of football. FIU has certainly shown blowout potential here at home this season, where it owns victories by 13, 44, 25 and 15-point margins, its lone home loss coming against a quality opponent in Western Kentucky – a game in which it covered the spread. Note that Panthers QB James Morgan has been quietly efficient, throwing seven touchdowns and no interceptions over his last four games. Meanwhile, RB Anthony Jones has rushed for 421 yards on just 72 carries, while finding the end zone five times over that same stretch. The Panthers are heavily favored for a reason in this early start matchup. I’ll lay the points. Take Florida International (10*). |
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10-27-19 | Raiders v. Texans -6 | Top | 24-27 | Loss | -109 | 23 h 34 m | Show |
NFL Non-Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Houston minus the points over Oakland at 4:25 pm et on Sunday. The Raiders are in a really tough spot here, still on the road at the tail-end of what has been an excruciatingly long stretch of games away from home and coming off an epic beatdown at the hands of the Packers last Sunday. Things don't figure to get any easier in Houston on Sunday as the Texans enter a terrific bounce-back spot off last week's divisional loss in Indianapolis. QB DeShaun Watson and the Texans offense should have a field day against the Raiders undermanned defense, which dealt top CB Gareon Conley to Houston earlier in the week. The Raiders haven't exactly waved the white flag just yet, but at 3-3 the time is coming. Offensively, Oakland has been better than expected but with RB Josh Jacobs limited and possibly even sidelined by a shoulder injury, it will be in a really difficult situation here. Jacobs has been a dynamic playmaker but the Raiders don't have much depth in the backfield. While I'm not all that high on the Texans defense, I do think they'll be playing from ahead for much of the day on Sunday, and can gameplan aggressively against mistake-prone QB Derek Carr. Look for Houston to eventually stretch out the margin in this one. Take Houston (10*). |
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10-27-19 | Jets +7.5 v. Jaguars | Top | 15-29 | Loss | -140 | 20 h 35 m | Show |
NFL AFC Game of the Month. My selection is on New York plus the points over Jacksonville at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Jets are coming off a dreadful performance on both sides of the football on Monday night against the Patriots. I do feel they'll bounce back here, however, as they head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars. The Jags defense has been exploited by opposing running backs this season as they check in allowing just shy of five yards per rush. Off a poor offensive showing on Monday, look for the Jets to feed RB Le'Veon Bell in this one. On the flip side, the Jets defense has been exceptional against the run, allowing just north of 3.2 yards per rush. That should severely limit what the Jags are able to do offensively, as despite all the Gardner Minshew hype, QB Leonard Fournette has been, and will continue to be the key to their offense. Take New York (10*). |
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10-26-19 | Texas State v. Arkansas State -11 | Top | 14-38 | Win | 100 | 29 h 18 m | Show |
CFB Sun Belt Game of the Year. My selection is on Arkansas State minus the points over Texas State at 7 pm et on Saturday. Texas State has somewhat surprisingly held its own in most games this season but still checks in sporting a 2-4 record. Arkansas State has been up and down and comes into this one off of back-to-back losses. Notably, last week’s 17-point loss on paper could have really gone either away as Louisiana-Lafayette pulled away with a couple of late touchdowns. I do still feel the Red Wolves are one of the better teams in the Sun Belt and if they have their sights set on Bowl eligibility, this is a game they need to get. I expect them to win this one comfortably. QB Layne Hatcher has thrown for 10 touchdowns over his last game and last week we saw RB Marcel Murray carry a full workload, running 35 times for 164 yards while adding three catches. Texas State QB Gresch Jensen suffered a concussion last week and the Bobcats top rusher Caleb Twyford is actually a wide receiver that has run for more than 78 yards only once this season. Arkansas State took this matchup 33-7 last season and I’m anticipating another blowout here. Take Arkansas State (10*). |
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10-25-19 | USC -11.5 v. Colorado | Top | 35-31 | Loss | -106 | 24 h 45 m | Show |
CFB Pac-12 Game of the Month. My selection is on USC minus the points over Colorado at 9 pm et on Friday. The USC Trojans are dealing with a number of key injuries on the defensive side of the football but that's certainly been factored into this line. I like the upside of the Trojans offense as they head to Boulder to face an awful Colorado defense. On the flip side, the Buffaloes offense has disappointed this season - the duo of QB Steven Montez and WR Laviska Shenault Jr. in particular. The Trojans 'next man up' philosophy on defense has served them well and I believe this is another matchup they can handle. Note that Colorado has scored just 13 points in its last two games. Even when the Buffaloes did put up 30 points in a losing effort against Arizona three weeks ago they still didn't manage to find the end zone until the final two minutes of the first half and failed to score a touchdown over the game's critical final 20 minutes. USC rode a big game from freshman RB Kenan Christon last week as he ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on just eight carries. Take USC (10*). |
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10-20-19 | Eagles +3 v. Cowboys | Top | 10-37 | Loss | -120 | 24 h 41 m | Show |
NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Year. My selection is on Philadelphia plus the points over Dallas at 8:20 pm et on Sunday. I absolutely love the way this spot sets up for the Eagles as they try to bounce back from last week’s tough loss in Minnesota. Philadelphia continues to perform at an elite level offensively, despite the fact that it has dealt with a number of key injuries at the wide receiver position this season. QB Carson Wentz remains one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the league and he’s set to expose an injury-ravaged Cowboys defense on Sunday night. Dallas is coming off back-to-back devastating losses, with the most recent being particular painful at the hands of the lowly Jets. With WR Amari Cooper likely to miss and RB Ezekiel Elliott busy running into piles there’s little reason to have much confidence in the Cowboys offense right now. Head coach Jason Garrett is on the hot seat again and I’m not sure that we’ll see the team rally around him this time around. While everyone was singing the praises of Cowboys first-year offensive coordinator Kellen Moore earlier this season, things have gotten stale in a hurry. Look for the Eagles pass rush to take advantage of the Cowboys injuries on the offensive line (Tyron Smith and La’El Collins are expected to miss) and make life difficult for QB Dak Prescott all night long. The case can be made that the wrong team is favored in this one. Take Philadelphia (10*). |
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10-20-19 | Texans v. Colts | Top | 23-30 | Win | 100 | 16 h 8 m | Show |
NFL AFC South Game of the Month. My selection is on Indianapolis minus the points over Houston at 1 pm et on Sunday. The Texans upset win in Kansas City is still fresh in the minds of bettors while the Colts win on that same field the week previous has been all but forgotten, leading to a favorable line for the home side in this AFC South showdown on Sunday. The bye week came at the right time for Indianapolis as it is expected to have MLB Darius Leonard and WR T.Y. Hilton back at full speed this Sunday. Meanwhile, the Texans defense is in a really tough position with an injury-ravaged secondary, preparing to face Hilton, who has been a real thorn in their side over the years. While I have a lot of confidence in Texans QB DeShaun Watson, not to mention WR DeAndre Hopkins, I have little confidence in anyone else on the Houston offense, nor in play-caller and head coach Bill O’Brien. I simply see this as an excellent spot to fade the Texans off a huge win last week as they head on the road to face a better-coached, and still underrated Colts squad on Sunday afternoon. Take Indianapolis (10*). |
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10-19-19 | Buffalo -17 v. Akron | Top | 21-0 | Win | 100 | 29 h 57 m | Show |
CFB Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Buffalo minus the points over Akron at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. This one has blowout written all over it as a hungry Buffalo squad travels to face winless Akron. The Bulls have faced a tough early season schedule so it’s not surprising that they enter this contest with just two wins to their credit. Things do get easier from here, starting with what should be a layup against the Zips. Look for the Buffalo ground game to really get rolling in this one. Note that last week Akron got torched for 208 rushing yards on 39 attempts by Kent State running back Will Matthews and quarterback Dustin Crum. Buffalo’s tandem of Kevin Marks and Jaret Patterson have the potential to improve on those numbers here. Buffalo has shown it has blowout potential having already defeated FCS squad Robert Morris (who I wouldn’t rank far below Akron) 35-10 and Temple 38-22. The Bulls took this matchup by a 24-6 score last season. Take Buffalo (10*). |
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10-14-19 | Lions +4 v. Packers | Top | 22-23 | Win | 100 | 14 h 7 m | Show |
NFC North Game of the Month. My selection is on Detroit plus the points over Green Bay at 8:15 pm et on Monday. Simply put, I'm not sure the Packers are as good as their 4-1 record, or last week's high-scoring win over the Cowboys would seem to indicate. They'll be without WR DaVante Adams again on Monday night and with their defense sagging, I'm not sure they'll be able to get past the Lions without a serious fight. Detroit was written off by most before the season even began, and certainly following an ugly season-opening tie in Arizona. Since then, Detroit has been somewhat inconsistent, but has managed to battle its way to a 2-1-1 mark and can gain ground on the division rival Packers with a win here. I like the way the Lions underrated offense matches up against the Packers suddenly struggling defense and on the flip side, I also think the Detroit defense can give QB Aaron Rodgers some serious heartburn here. RB Aaron Jones went off against the Cowboys last Sunday but don't count on a repeat performance here as Matt LaFleur seems determined to give RB Jamaal Williams his share of touches as well, even if it may be to the detriment of the offense. The Lions have two wins to their credit at Lambeau Field since 2015 so there's no real intimidation factor at play here. Take Detroit (10*). |
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10-12-19 | Texas Tech v. Baylor -10.5 | Top | 30-33 | Loss | -110 | 30 h 13 m | Show |
CFB Big 12 Game of the Month. My selection is on Baylor minus the points over Texas Tech at 4 pm et on Saturday. Baylor is one of the nation’s more surprising undefeated teams as we head into mid-October. The Bears are coming off back-to-back impressive wins over Iowa State and Kansas State and now have the opportunity to really get rolling before heading on the road for a showdown with Oklahoma State next week. Texas Tech is in a clear letdown spot here as it tries to follow up a surprising 45-35 win over Oklahoma State last Saturday. The Red Raiders jumped all over a Cowboys squad that was arguably ‘fat and happy’ off a big win over Kansas State the week previous. Keep in mind, Texas Tech is still playing without starting QB Alan Bowman. Jett Duffey has filled in admirably, not only this season but last year as well, but faces a tall task against a quality Baylor defense here. Just two weeks ago, Duffey was held to 11-of-20 passing for 120 yards and ran the ball seven times for just 16 yards against Oklahoma. Take Baylor (10*). |
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10-12-19 | Memphis -5 v. Temple | Top | 28-30 | Loss | -105 | 26 h 19 m | Show |
CFB AAC Game of the Year. My selection is on Memphis minus the points over Temple at 12 noon et on Saturday. I really like the way this spot sets up for a Memphis team that remains under the radar despite its perfect 5-0 record. The Tigers are coming off a 52-point explosion on the road against Louisiana-Monroe last week. RB Kenneth Gainwell is seemingly getting better with each passing game, racking up well north of 350 rush yards and four touchdowns over his last three contests. The Tigers defense didn’t perform particularly well in last week’s win, but did earn the game-sealing interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. We have seen this unit step up when it has needed to – remember Memphis defeated Ole Miss by a 15-10 score back in Week 1. We suffered a tough backdoor defeat with Temple last week as it won in unimpressive fashion at East Carolina. The Owls are off to a solid 4-1 start this season but only their victory over then-21st ranked Maryland back on September 14th was all that impressive. Their offense seems to be regressing each week and that’s certainly not encouraging as they could very well need to keep up in a shootout here on Saturday. Take Memphis (10*). |
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10-10-19 | Giants v. Patriots -16.5 | Top | 14-35 | Win | 100 | 35 h 42 m | Show |
NFL Thursday Night Football Game of the Month. My selection is on New England minus the points over New York at 8:20 pm et on Thursday. We won with the Patriots as a massive road favorite last Sunday in Washington and there’s little reason to jump ship as they return home on a short week to host the injury-riddled Giants on Thursday night. New York is expected to be without arguably its two best offensive players in this one as RB Saquon Barkley and TE Evan Engram are sidelined with injuries. That leaves rookie QB Daniel Jones in a really tough position going up against a fierce Patriots defense that should have little trouble exposing the Giants offensive line. Even when Jones does have time in the pocket he’ll have few options to work with down field. Maybe WR Golden Tate goes off in his second game back but I highly doubt it. It’s also worth mentioning that WR Sterling Shepard will miss this game after suffering an ugly concussion last week. Offensively, the Pats should be able to do whatever they want against one of the weakest defenses in the league. New York has had an extremely difficult time slowing down any opposing offense other than the lowly Redskins this season and continues to deal with a number of key injuries. The Patriots really didn’t get rolling until the second half against the Redskins last Sunday but still managed to put 30+ points on the board. Expect a sharper performance from Tom Brady and co. here as they roll past the G-Men in Foxborough. Take New England (10*). |
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09-29-19 | Bucs v. Rams -9 | Top | 55-40 | Loss | -102 | 26 h 39 m | Show |
NFL NFC Game of the Month. My selection is on Los Angeles minus the points over Tampa Bay at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. This game has blowout written all over it as the Rams return home following a business-like 20-13 win in Cleveland last Sunday night. Los Angeles used a supreme defensive effort to hold off a hungry Browns squad in that one but here should be able to get loose offensively, particularly through the air against a struggle Bucs pass defense. On the flip side, I don’t see the Bucs accomplishing much in this one with the Rams outstanding secondary likely to take care of business against the dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Tampa Bay’s ground game is a virtual non-factor and playing from behind on Sunday isn’t likely to change that. Look for another dominant performance from the Rams as they remain undefeated with another convincing win. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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09-22-19 | Raiders v. Vikings -8 | Top | 14-34 | Win | 100 | 52 h 43 m | Show |
NFL Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Minnesota minus the points over Oakland at 1 pm et on Sunday. Fresh off an ugly loss against the rival Packers at Lambeau Field last Sunday this is an ideal ‘get right’ spot for the Vikings back home against the Raiders. Oakland got manhandled by the Chiefs in a game that could have been even more lopsided had Kansas City not taken its foot off the gas last week. Now the Raiders have to travel two time zones east for an early 12 noon local start on Sunday afternoon. There’s not much to get excited about when it comes to the Raiders offense and this is a brutal matchup against what will be a highly-motivated and ultra-talented Vikings defense. Minnesota employs a ‘run-first’ offense to be sure, but that’s fine as RB Dalvin Cook has arguably been the best back in football so far this season. He should have little trouble putting this game away when called upon on Sunday afternoon but before that look for QB Kirk Cousins to bounce back from last week’s no-show in Green Bay with an efficient afternoon under center. Take Minnesota (10*). |
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09-15-19 | Chiefs -7 v. Raiders | Top | 28-10 | Win | 101 | 19 h 5 m | Show |
AFC West Game of the Year. My selection is on Kansas City minus the points over Oakland at 4:05 pm et on Sunday. We won with the ‘over’ in the Chiefs season-opening win in Jacksonville and I won’t hesitate to get involved in their Week 2 game as well, laying the points in this spot. Kansas City looked every bit as dominant offensively as it did a year ago last week against the Jaguars, putting up 40 points without barely breaking a sweat. With that being said, the news wasn’t all good as the Chiefs did lose WR Tyreek Hill to an injury that will cost him at least a month of action. It’s obviously not the end of the world, however, as Kansas City is by no means short on offensive depth. WR Sammy Watkins turned in one of the best performances of Week 1 and now it might just be rookie WR Mecole Hardman’s turn to bust out. Regardless how the Chiefs choose to attack the Raiders defense, I’m confident they’ll have plenty of success, noting that they scored 75 points in two meetings with Oakland last season. The Raiders are coming off a win but I certainly didn’t come away overly impressed as they were essentially handed that game by the Broncos, who simply didn’t show up. QB Derek Carr was efficient in the win but again relied on a slow-paced, conservative offensive gameplan – something that simply isn’t going to translate success against a Chiefs squad that can seemingly score at will. Oakland’s Monday night victory was probably the best thing we could have hoped for as it helps to keep this line in check. The Chiefs have blowout potential most weeks and this one is no exception. Take Kansas City (10*). |
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09-14-19 | Air Force +4 v. Colorado | Top | 30-23 | Win | 100 | 73 h 41 m | Show |
CFB Underdog Game of the Month. My selection is on Air Force plus the points over Colorado at 1 pm et on Saturday. Air Force got a nice tune-up for this game last week as it rolled to a 48-7 win over Colgate in its season-opener. Not surprisingly, an offense that returns most of the talent from last year’s squad put together a touchdown drive just over four minutes into the game and then added four more in the second quarter. The Falcons held Colgate off the scoreboard entirely until the final 10 seconds of the third quarter. Colorado pulled a minor upset of Nebraska at home last week, rallying back from a 17-0 halftime deficit. I can’t help but feel a letdown could be in order here, however. Note that the Buffaloes didn’t find the end zone until the final two minutes of the third quarter in that game and then things essentially turned on a complete defensive breakdown by Nebraska in the first minute of the fourth quarter, as K.D. Nixon hauled in a 96-yard touchdown pass. The Falcons were awful against the pass last season but do return experience in the secondary and they’ll certainly be on guard against the Buffaloes strength, which is their passing game, in this one. Take Air Force (10*). |
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09-08-19 | Steelers +6 v. Patriots | Top | 3-33 | Loss | -108 | 79 h 15 m | Show |
NFL Sunday Night Football Game of the Month. My selection is on Pittsburgh plus the points over New England at 8:20 pm et on Sunday. This really is the start of a new era for the Pittsburgh Steelers with both RB Le'Veon Bell and WR Antonio Brown join new teams in the offseason. It's a fresh start for the franchise as far as I'm concerned and while they've certainly struggled here in New England over the years, I am confident they can give the Patriots all they can handle to open the 2019 season. With WR JuJu Smith-Schuster being shadowed by Pats CB Stephon Gilmore I expect the Steelers offense to center around RB James Conner in this game. He was used sparingly in the preseason but looked even stronger than he did during his breakout campaign in the absence of Bell last year. The Patriots certainly aren't immune to slow starts (remember they lost their home opener against the Chiefs following their Super Bowl win two years ago). I'm high on the Steelers defense entering this season and look for them to give Tom Brady some headaches on Sunday night. It's worth noting that New England's usually rock solid offensive line has suffered a couple of key losses and will have its work cut out for it trying to keep the Steelers vaunted pass rush at bay. Take Pittsburgh (10*). |
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09-07-19 | Texas A&M v. Clemson -17 | Top | 10-24 | Loss | -110 | 77 h 10 m | Show |
CFB Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Clemson minus the points over Texas A&M at 3:30 pm et on Saturday. We won with Clemson in its rout of Georgia Tech last week and I won’t hesitate to go back to the well with the Tigers again in a tougher matchup (on paper) against Texas A&M this Saturday. It wasn’t a completely clean effort from the Tigers last week by any means, yet they still managed to win by a 38-point margin. I certainly expect QB Trevor Lawrence to be sharper after completing just 13-of-23 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns a week ago. The Aggies will undoubtedly have Clemson’s full attention after the Tigers narrowly escaped with a 28-26 win in last year’s meeting. Last week, Texas A&M rolled to a 41-7 win after jumping ahead 28-0 at halftime but that was against one of the worst teams in FBS in Texas State. With experienced QB Kellen Mond leading a tremendous offense I think the Aggies will get baited into a shootout here, but I don’t believe that serves them well. I ultimately expect the Tigers defense to pin back its ears and get after Mond while its offense does the rest, as it cruises to a comfortable victory. Take Clemson (10*). |
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08-31-19 | Oregon v. Auburn -3 | Top | 21-27 | Win | 100 | 94 h 18 m | Show |
CFB Game of the Month. My selection is on Auburn minus the points over Oregon at 7:30 pm et on Saturday. It's another hyped-up Pac-12 vs. SEC matchup as Oregon looks to stage the upset against Auburn on Saturday night. I wouldn't count on that happening, however. The Ducks have the projected first quarterback to be taken in the 2020 NFL Draft in Justin Herbert. With that being said, he'll be facing a major challenge here in an Auburn defense that is once again loaded with talent. I actually think it will be the Auburn offense that really shines in this matchup, however. The Tigers offensive line boasts five seniors and that should make all the difference in the world for an offense that sputtered in 2018. QB Jarrett Stidham is now a New England Patriot, and the Tigers will go with true freshman Bo Nix as their starter. Head coach Gus Malzahn has indicated that he won't hold anything back in the playbook with Nix at the helm, and I tend to believe him. Nix walks into an ideal situation with a loaded backfield, not to mention a hungry and talented wide receiver corps. The matchup is fine as the Ducks are certainly beatable defensively. The question will be whether the Tigers defense can weather the early storm and ultimately take control of this game. I believe they can and will and just like last year, we'll open our season with a big winner on Auburn. Take Auburn (10*). |
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08-24-19 | Hamilton v. BC +4 | Top | 13-10 | Win | 100 | 85 h 20 m | Show |
CFL Game of the Week. My selection is on B.C. plus the points over Hamilton at 10 pm et on Saturday. We won with the Lions in the first matchup between these two teams this season and I won't hesitate to go back to the well with the same play as the scene shifts to Vancouver on Saturday night. There's no question the Lions have had this rematch circled after blowing a huge fourth quarter lead in that narrow 35-34 loss in Hamilton two weeks ago. The Lions were in a tough spot last week, playing on limited rest, and ultimately fell in blowout fashion, but not before putting up a fight for a half. B.C. gave up an early first quarter touchdown in that game but actually held the Bombers out of the end zone until late in the third quarter after that. Here, they'll face a Ti-Cats offense that is still without its best player in QB Jeremiah Masoli. Backup Dane Evans has done an admirable job filling in for Masoli, but has also been turnover prone, tossing four interceptions compared to five touchdowns. Hamilton has played it fairly close to the vest with Evans under center and that doesn't work particularly well here in a road favorite role traveling across the country off an easy win in Ottawa. Take B.C. (10*). |
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08-22-19 | Panthers +3.5 v. Patriots | Top | 3-10 | Loss | -105 | 35 h 27 m | Show |
NFLX Game of the Year. My selection is on Carolina plus the points over New England at 7:30 pm et on Thursday. We’ve won with the Patriots in each of the last two weeks, taking full advantage of the fact that they’ve placed a strong emphasis on preparing the right way and winning on the road in this year’s preseason after going a disappointing 3-5 on the road last regular season. Now New England returns home as a favorite against the Panthers, but I simply don’t believe that Bill Bellichick is going to put a lot of stock in whether it picks up a win or suffers its first loss of the exhibition campaign – even if it is the traditional ‘Week 3 dress rehearsal’ game. The Panthers are coming off an ugly 27-14 home loss to the Bills last week, which came on the heels of a 23-13 win in Chicago to open the preseason. We didn’t see many of the Panthers regular starters in last week’s contest but that should change this week. Note that even after last week’s loss, the Panthers have posted a respectable 18-15-1 ATS record in the preseason under head coach Ron Rivera. Take Carolina (10*). |
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08-17-19 | Lions v. Texans -4 | Top | 23-30 | Win | 100 | 107 h 31 m | Show |
NFLX Game of the Week. My selection is on Houston minus the points over Detroit at 8 pm et on Saturday. I really like the way this one sets up for the favored Texans as they try to bounce back from last week’s ‘not as close as it looked’ 28-26 loss in Green Bay. First of all, the Lions are now 1-4 ATS in the preseason since Matt Patricia took over last year. They were a complete no-show in last week’s blowout loss to the Patriots. I don’t see this as an ideal bounce-back spot against an equally hungry Texans squad coming off a loss. Detroit will likely give plenty of time to Tom Savage and David Fales under center again this week, which doesn’t bode well for its offense after they combined to complete 7-of-17 passes for only 102 yards and an interception last week. The Texans have a proven preseason performer at quarterback in Joe Webb. He threw for 286 yards and a touchdown to go along with a pair of interceptions and also ran for 47 yards on six carries last week. Credit Houston for not folding the tent after falling behind 28-10 entering the fourth quarter last week, putting up 16 unanswered points in the game’s final 14 minutes. Note that the Texans are 12-7-1 ATS under Bill O’Brien in the preseason. Take Houston (10*). |
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08-10-19 | Cowboys v. 49ers -4.5 | Top | 9-17 | Win | 100 | 24 h 14 m | Show |
NFLX Game of the Week. My selection is on San Francisco minus the points over Dallas at 9 pm et on Saturday. The 49ers are laying more than the standard field goal here in their home preseason opener on Saturday night, largely due to the fact that two experienced quarterbacks in Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard are expected to split time and play the majority of the game. I believe the line is warranted and look for the Niners to ultimately pull away for the win and cover. Keep in mind, last year the Niners needed a 14-point fourth quarter rally to defeat the Cowboys by a 24-21 score in this same matchup in Week 1 of the preseason. Beathard and Mullens each threw an interception in that game. The fact is, the Cowboys offense didn't do much, and I don't expect much different of a story to play out here. The difference is the 49ers QB duo are more experienced and should be able to take care of the football. While I'm not necessarily on board with the thinking that the Niners will be much improved this season (I have a lot of questions about their defense), I do expect them to prevail here. Take San Francisco (10*). |
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08-09-19 | Ottawa v. Edmonton -8.5 | Top | 12-16 | Loss | -110 | 25 h 10 m | Show |
CFL Game of the Month. My selection is on Edmonton minus the points over Ottawa at 10 pm et on Friday. Bettors will likely be hesitant to back the Eskimos here after they fell as a road favorite in Calgary last week, not to mention the Redblacks overtime victory in Montreal. With that being said, I see this as a smash spot for the Eskimos offense against a very beatable Redblacks defense. Edmonton QB Trevor Harris continues to light it up even if his offense has been somewhat snake-bitten as far as finding the end zone goes. Harris threw for 373 yards and two touchdowns in last week's narrow loss to the Stamps. The Redblacks didn't score an offensive touchdown until the third quarter against the Alouettes last week. They've had a tough time with consistency on offense due in large part to a depleted backfield that has seen a lot of moving parts. RB Mossis Madu remains sidelined. When these two teams squared off in Edmonton last year, the Eskimos pasted the Redblacks 34-16. Trevor Harris will certainly be highly-motivated to hand it to his former squad. The Eskimos are 3-4 ATS on the season but 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS at home, where they've won their last two games by a combined 65-23 score. Take Edmonton (10*). |
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07-27-19 | Saskatchewan v. BC +3.5 | Top | 45-18 | Loss | -114 | 97 h 59 m | Show |
CFL Game of the Year. My selection is on B.C. plus the points over Saskatchewan at 7 pm et on Saturday. Saskatchewan defeated B.C. just last week but that was a strange game as the Lions actually outgained the Riders in terms of total yardage and had a decisive edge in first downs as well. Save for a stinker against the Eskimos two weeks ago, Lions QB Mike Reilly has looked more and more comfortable running the offense, last week completing 31-of-40 passes for 346 yards while also running for 32 yards and a score. RB Brandon Rutley enjoyed a breakout performance of sorts against the Riders, running for 73 yards on 13 carries. While the Lions did give up a whopping 38 points in last week's loss, they actually held the Riders offense out of the end zone from just over midway through the first quarter until the final two minutes of the third quarter. Things came unglued in the fourth quarter but B.C. can hang its hat on the fact that it allowed Riders QB Cody Fajardo to complete only 17 passes and picked him off twice. Outside of that victory, Saskatchewan's only other win this season came against the lowly Argos, who are arguably worse than the Lions. B.C. has now outgained three of its last four opponents and I believe it's only a matter of time before it all comes together for this squad. While Saskatchewan has owned this series recently, it's been a long time since the Riders were last favored in a game played here in Vancouver. I simply feel the oddsmakers are undervaluing what will be a desperate Lions squad on Saturday. Take B.C. (10*). |
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07-11-19 | Edmonton v. BC +3.5 | Top | 33-6 | Loss | -104 | 25 h 38 m | Show |
CFL Game of the Week. My selection is on B.C. plus the points over Edmonton at 10 pm et on Thursday. I'll grab the points with the Lions in this one as they look to avenge a 39-23 loss suffered against the Eskimos earlier this season (we won with Edmonton in that game). We successfully faded the Lions last week as well, grabbing the points with the Argos in a game that went right down to the wire. It wasn't a stellar performance from B.C., but it did manage to string together a pair of second half touchdown drives and didn't allow an offensive touchdown until the final minute of the fourth quarter. Now the Lions return home for the first time since their season-opening loss to the still-undefeated Blue Bombers. I'm not sure the Eskimos bye week came at the best time as they were off their first loss of the season - a game in which they failed to score an offensive touchdown. Keep in mind, Edmonton hasn't won here in Vancouver since October of 2017, when it needed overtime to secure the victory. QB Mike Reilly is getting more comfortable in the Lions offense with each passing week. I like the Lions chances here. Take B.C. (10*). |
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06-21-19 | BC v. Edmonton -4 | Top | 23-39 | Win | 100 | 47 h 27 m | Show |
CFL Game of the Month. My selection is on Edmonton minus the points over B.C. at 9 pm et on Friday. The Mike Reilly era in B.C. got off to a tough start last week as the Lions fell by a 33-23 score at home against the Blue Bombers (we won with Winnipeg in that game). While most expect the Lions to bounce back here with Reilly facing his former team, the line tells a different story with the Eskimos favored. I believe the oddsmakers have got it right as Edmonton looks to make it two in a row at home to open the season. I really think that the Eskimos are a bit of an overlooked commodity at this point. QB Trevor Harris always seems to carry a big chip on his shoulder and got his campaign off to a tremendous start last week, throwing for 447 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for the game-winning touchdown. Keep in mind, it wasn't until the third quarter that the Lions actually scored an offensive touchdown last week against Winnipeg. That proved to be their only offensive touchdown of the game. There are going to be some kinks to work out as Reilly learns the B.C. offense (he threw a pair of interceptions last week). The Eskimos gave up only one touchdown in the first three quarters of last week's game against the Alouettes. While they'll be facing a much tougher challenge here, I'm confident they'll be up for it. Take Edmonton (10*). |
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06-07-19 | Raptors v. Warriors -4.5 | Top | 105-92 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 9 m | Show |
NBA Finals Game of the Year. My selection is on Golden State minus the points over Toronto at 9:07 pm et on Friday. Everyone is quick to hand this series to the Raptors following their dominant victory in Game 3 in Oakland on Wednesday night. While we did win with the Raptors in that game (and the Warriors in Game 2), I'm not about to consider this series over and done with. The Warriors are a veteran team with a championship pedigree and I fully expect to see them bounce back and deliver their best effort of the series on Friday night. Of course Golden State knows that it needs to get a win here as earning a victory in Toronto in Game 5 will be a tall task. The Warriors got nothing from anyone not named Steph Curry in Game 3, with Shaun Livingston (in place of Klay Thompson) and DeMarcus Cousins really disappointing with a combined 2-for-11 shooting effort. There's a good chance Thompson will be back for this one, but even if he's not, I still expect a lot more from Golden State across the board. The Raptors aren't going to shoot the lights out again, nor do I expect them to convert at such a high rate from the free throw line again (20-of-21 in Game 3). This is a game the Warriors need, and when you consider the straight-up winner has gone a perfect 9-0 against the spread in the Raptors last nine contests, I'll lay the points with Golden State here. Take Golden State (10*). |
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05-25-19 | Bucks +2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 94-100 | Loss | -106 | 32 h 10 m | Show |
NBA Playoff Game of the Year. My selection is on Milwaukee plus the points over Toronto at 8:30 pm et on Saturday. Jumping out to a big early lead might have been part of the gameplan, but it certainly didn't work out in the Bucks favor on Thursday night as they let the Raptors back into the game and then Toronto took full control thanks to an all-world performance from Kawhi Leonard in the fourth quarter. While the Raptors bandwagon has filled up in a hurry, I'm not sure that's the right move from a betting perspective as the scene shifts back to Toronto on Saturday. Yes, the Raptors fan base is extremely hungry to watch their team finally break through and advance to the NBA Finals and the place will most definitely be 'rocking' on Saturday night. That doesn't guarantee a win, however. The Bucks clearly felt the pressure once things tightened up in Game 5 and I expect the same thing to happen to the Raptors with the weight of seemingly the entire city on their shoulders on Saturday. Going into this series I would have been shocked if you told me that the Bucks wouldn't win a game in Toronto. This is a team that has proven it can win on this floor this season, and one that has proven it can rise to the occasion in hostile environments. This had the feel of a series that was going to go the distance after Game 4 but that sentiment has changed with the Raptors stealing Game 5 on the road. Keep in mind, the Bucks were favored in the last game played on this floor. I'll grab the points with Milwaukee as its season hangs in the balance. Take Milwaukee (10*). |
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04-17-19 | Jazz +7 v. Rockets | Top | 98-118 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 30 m | Show |
NBA Western Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Utah plus the points over Houston at 9:35 pm et on Wednesday. After watching the Warriors stunning collapse in Game 2 of their matchup with the Clippers on Sunday night many have come to the conclusion that they're ripe for the picking in these playoffs, and that same majority also believes that the Rockets will be the team to ultimately dethrone the perennial champs. That's a narrative I believe is in play here with most forgetting that the Rockets still have some work to do before that, even if the opener of this series was no contest. I'm confident we'll see Utah bounce back with a much better effort on Wednesday night in Houston. This isn't a Jazz squad that rolled over at the end of the regular season. Utah entered the playoffs with some positive vibes and having split four regular season matchups with the Rockets, including a win here on this floor, I don't believe they'll be intimidated by the 0-1 hole, or the fact that they dropped Game 1 in blowout fashion. I'll grab all the points I can get with the Jazz here. Take Utah (10*). |
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04-13-19 | Clippers +13 v. Warriors | Top | 104-121 | Loss | -115 | 32 h 31 m | Show |
NBA Game of the Week. My selection is on Los Angeles plus the points over Golden State at 8 pm et on Saturday. The Clippers got steamrolled by the Warriors in a spot where many expected them to compete less than a week ago and now we’re dealing with an inflated pointspread as a result. Keep in mind, that was a competitive game until halftime, before the wheels came off for the Clips and the Warriors put up a 42-spot in the third quarter. From a high-level perspective, I don’t think a Western Conference title is going to come quite as easy for the Warriors as it has in years’ past. We’ve certainly seen chinks in the Dubs’ armor over the course of the season and to put it simply, they’ve been one of the worst ATS bets in the entire league. Conversely, few expected much out of the Clippers this season and while they stumbled down the stretch, there’s no question it has been a successful campaign, and I fully expect to see them play with a ‘nothing to lose’ mentality here in the opening round. I won’t call for an outright victory in Saturday’s series-opener, but I do look for the Clips to give the Warriors all they can handle in Oakland. Take Los Angeles (10*). |
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04-09-19 | Grizzlies v. Pistons -10 | Top | 93-100 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 47 m | Show |
NBA Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Detroit minus the points over Memphis at 7:05 pm et on Tuesday. I really like the way this spot sets up for the Pistons on Tuesday night. Detroit is reeling right now, on the heels of four straight losses. Keep in mind, it has faced a tough schedule, with a home-and-home with the Pacers followed by a trip to Oklahoma City and a home game against Charlotte. Here, the Pistons catch a break hosting a beat up Grizzlies squad that is simply playing out the string, and fresh off an overtime loss to Dallas two nights ago. Despite dropping four straight games, the Pistons still rank in the top half of the league in terms of defensive rating over their last five contests. The Grizzlies on the other hand sit in the bottom-third of the league in both offensive and defensive rating over that same stretch. We're laying a generous helping of points here, but I believe the number is warranted. Take Detroit (10*). |
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04-08-19 | Texas Tech v. Virginia -1 | Top | 77-85 | Win | 100 | 24 h 54 m | Show |
NCAAB Game of the Month. My selection is on Virginia minus the points over Texas Tech at 9:20 pm et on Monday. We cashed a ticket with Auburn in its near-miss against Virginia on Saturday but I won't hesitate to switch gears and back the Cavaliers as they take on Texas Tech with the National Championship hanging in the balance on Monday night. This is all about the redemption story for Virginia as it looks to come full circle after being eliminated at the hands of a 16-seed in the opening round of last year's tournament. While Texas Tech has gone on what many consider to be a 'Cinderella run' in this tournament, the fact is, the Red Raiders are a three-seed that haven't really exceeded expectations by that wide of a margin. They're deserving of being here and should be able to give Virginia a run. With that being said, I simply don't see Texas Tech having many advantages here, as Virginia will be more than happy to slug it out with the Red Raiders for 40 minutes. The Cavaliers defense has come up big time and time again in this tournament and I anticipate more of the same on Monday night. Take Virginia (10*). |
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04-06-19 | 76ers -9.5 v. Bulls | Top | 116-96 | Win | 100 | 10 h 16 m | Show |
NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Philadelphia minus the points over Chicago at 8:05 pm et on Saturday. The Bulls are coming off a rare victory last time out, a narrow one-point win over the lowly Wizards. That was their first win in six games so there's no reason to start planning the parade. The 76ers have dropped three games in a row, both SU and ATS. I really feel Philadelphia can run Chicago right of of the gym tonight, noting that despite its recent struggles to find the win column, Philly ranks third in the league in pace rating over its last five contests. The Sixers are also in the top half of the league in offensive rating over that stretch while the Bulls check in a miserable 28th. Both teams are banged up but Philadelphia is in better position to come up with a complete effort here. Take Philadelphia (10*). |
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04-05-19 | Spurs v. Wizards +6.5 | Top | 129-112 | Loss | -103 | 10 h 29 m | Show |
NBA Non-Conference Game of the Year. My selection is on Washington plus the points over San Antonio at 7:05 pm et on Friday. This may look like a gimme for the Spurs to 'get right' following an uneven stretch, but I believe they're in for a battle with the Wizards. San Antonio has won just three times in its last eight games and only one of those SU wins came ATS as well. Meanwhile, the Wizards returned home from what should be considered a successful 2-2 road trip only to lose to the Bulls (by a single point). They still check in 3-1 ATS over their last four contests. Over their last five games, the Wiz rank seventh in the league in pace rating. They're just 20th in offensive rating over that same stretch, but keep in mind that's only one spot behind the Spurs. In terms of defensive rating, Washington is right around the middle of the league (at 16th) over its last five games while San Antonio sits 24th. The Wiz hung 119 points on the Spurs back in January, but still lost. Expect a competitive affair here. Take Washington (10*). |
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03-23-19 | Villanova +4 v. Purdue | Top | 61-87 | Loss | -109 | 23 h 22 m | Show |
NCAAB Second Round Game of the Year. My selection is on Villanova plus the points over Purdue at 9 pm et on Saturday. I'll grab the points with the Wildcats in a game I believe they can win outright. Villanova ultimately failed to cover for us in their tournament opener, settling for a push in a four-point win over St. Mary's. Watching that game I didn't feel that it was quite as close as the final score indicated, however. I'm not sure we've seen Villanova's best game yet, really going back to the start of the Big East Tournament, which it did win. Purdue won and covered, narrowly, against Old Dominion in its Thursday matchup. The Boilermakers are good, but not great, and I really don't think there's any sort of intimidation factor at play here. Give me Jay Wright's defending national champion Wildcats over Matt Painter's Boilers on Saturday night. Take Villanova (10*). |
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03-22-19 | Spurs v. Rockets -6 | Top | 105-111 | Push | 0 | 13 h 1 m | Show |
NBA Southwest Division Game of the Month. My selection is on Houston minus the points over San Antonio at 8:05 pm et on Friday. With the Spurs having won nine of their last 10 games overall this one will be pegged as a showdown between two of the West's best teams on Friday night. Keep in mind, San Antonio has played eight of its last 10 contests at home. The Spurs are just 13-22 on the road this season, where they rank a miserable 28th in the league in defensive rating. The Rockets are coming off a tough overtime loss in Memphis two nights ago, but had gone a perfect 3-0 SU and 2-1 ATS over their previous three games. This hasn't been a favorable matchup for the Spurs in Houston, with the Rockets winning their last three meetings on this floor by 15, 16 and 7 points. Take Houston (10*). |
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03-22-19 | Cal-Irvine v. Kansas State -4.5 | Top | 70-64 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 54 m | Show |
NCAAB Blowout Game of the Month. My selection is on Kansas State minus the points over Cal-Irvine at 2 pm et on Friday. I'll lay the points with the Wildcats on Friday afternoon. Cal-Irvine has become a trendy upset pick here in round one of the NCAA Tournament, largely due to an injury to Dean Wade of Kansas State. The fact is, that Wade injury has essentially been common knowledge since before this line was released. In other words, it has already been factored into the pointspread, which I believe is simply too short. It's easy to forget that Kansas State went on a serious run in this tournament last year, winning three games before bowing out to Cinderella team Loyola-Chicago. Most of the players from that Wildcats squad are back this year and I believe they come in with a chip on their shoulder after bowing out of the Big 12 Tournament at the hands of Iowa State last weekend. The Wildcats have lost only three games since the start of February with two of those coming against Iowa State and the other against Kansas. Cal-Irvine hasn't lost since January 16th but has it really been tested? The Anteaters are without a doubt a formidable opponent but I like Kansas State to ultimately pull away for the win and cover. Take Kansas State (10*). |
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03-21-19 | St. Mary's v. Villanova -4 | Top | 57-61 | Push | 0 | 23 h 56 m | Show |
NCAA Tournament First Round Game of the Year. My selection is on Villanova minus the points over St. Mary's at 7:20 pm et on Thursday. The St. Mary's Gaels are coming off a high-profile upset win over Gonzaga to secure the WCC Tournament title last week. They clearly caught the Bulldogs looking ahead to a one-seed in this tournament, and also napping a bit after taking the two regular season matchups with relative ease. I like the way the well-coached Villanova Wildcats come into this game after gutting out a couple of tight wins to wrap up another Big East Tournament championship last weekend. Despite being a marked team as the defending national champions, the Wildcats have still managed to post a solid 20-14 ATS record this season. The last time these two schools met was the 2010 NCAA Tournament and we actually cashed with the Gaels in an outright underdog victory in that Round of 32 affair. That was a team led by Matthew Dellavedova, Omar Samhan and Mickey McConnell. The line here is similar, but I believe the gap is wider favoring the Wildcats. Villanova may not be poised to repeat as national champions, but I do expect it to advance on to the Round of 32 with a convincing victory on Thursday night. Take Villanova (10*). |
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03-17-19 | Bulls v. Kings -6.5 | Top | 102-129 | Win | 100 | 11 h 50 m | Show |
NBA Non-Conference Game of the Month. My selection is on Sacramento minus the points over Chicago at 6:05 pm et on Sunday. I'll lay the points with the Kings in this spot. Sacramento has been reeling lately but has also faced a pretty brutal schedule. While I don't generally like to back teams returning home off a road trip on the opposite coast, I do believe we'll see the Kings bounce back here. Note that Sacramento ranks third in the league in pace rating over its last five games and should be able to punish an awful Bulls defense on Sunday. Chicago checks in 29th in the league in defensive rating over its last five contests. The Bulls are coming off a relatively close seven-point loss against the Clippers but that was only thanks to L.A. taking its foot off the gas in the fourth quarter (it was an 18-point game entering the fourth). Chicago is just 2-5 ATS over its last seven games. The Kings have lost four of their last five SU but have still managed to go 3-1-1 ATS over that stretch. Also note that the Kings took the first meeting in this series this season by 19 points back in December. Take Sacramento (10*). |
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Sean Murphy ALL Sports Top Sides Picks
Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
08-06-20 | Pacers -3 v. Suns | Top | 99-114 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 33 m | Show |
02-27-20 | Indiana v. Purdue -6 | Top | 49-57 | Win | 100 | 10 h 55 m | Show |
02-26-20 | Boise State +3.5 v. UNLV | Top | 66-76 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 17 m | Show |
02-26-20 | Magic -2 v. Hawks | Top | 130-120 | Win | 100 | 23 h 15 m | Show |
02-21-20 | Pacers -5.5 v. Knicks | Top | 106-98 | Win | 100 | 22 h 54 m | Show |
02-20-20 | UCLA v. Utah -2 | Top | 69-58 | Loss | -108 | 26 h 10 m | Show |
02-15-20 | Eastern Illinois v. Tenn-Martin +2.5 | Top | 79-80 | Win | 100 | 9 h 17 m | Show |
02-12-20 | Marquette v. Villanova -5 | Top | 71-72 | Loss | -108 | 10 h 17 m | Show |
02-08-20 | Purdue v. Indiana -1.5 | Top | 74-62 | Loss | -108 | 16 h 30 m | Show |
02-07-20 | Blazers v. Jazz -8.5 | Top | 114-117 | Loss | -110 | 14 h 17 m | Show |
02-07-20 | Niagara v. Manhattan -6 | Top | 59-77 | Win | 100 | 11 h 29 m | Show |
02-06-20 | Pelicans -4.5 v. Bulls | Top | 125-119 | Win | 100 | 11 h 9 m | Show |
02-04-20 | Blazers v. Nuggets -4.5 | Top | 99-127 | Win | 100 | 14 h 4 m | Show |
02-03-20 | Baylor v. Kansas State +7 | Top | 73-67 | Win | 100 | 13 h 30 m | Show |
02-02-20 | 49ers v. Chiefs -1 | Top | 20-31 | Win | 100 | 226 h 30 m | Show |
02-01-20 | Southern Illinois v. Drake -5 | Top | 79-72 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 29 m | Show |
01-31-20 | Dartmouth v. Princeton -4.5 | Top | 44-66 | Win | 100 | 22 h 45 m | Show |
01-30-20 | Western Kentucky v. Florida Atlantic +3 | Top | 65-69 | Win | 100 | 22 h 30 m | Show |
01-29-20 | West Virginia v. Texas Tech -2.5 | Top | 81-89 | Win | 100 | 22 h 28 m | Show |
01-27-20 | Cavs v. Pistons -6.5 | Top | 115-100 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 37 m | Show |
01-27-20 | North Carolina +5.5 v. NC State | Top | 75-65 | Win | 100 | 9 h 45 m | Show |
01-25-20 | Southern Illinois v. Illinois State -1.5 | Top | 58-55 | Loss | -117 | 6 h 14 m | Show |
01-24-20 | Niagara v. Monmouth -7.5 | Top | 71-82 | Win | 100 | 12 h 7 m | Show |
01-23-20 | Pepperdine v. Santa Clara -4 | Top | 90-86 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 4 m | Show |
01-22-20 | Massachusetts v. George Mason -6.5 | Top | 63-73 | Win | 100 | 9 h 16 m | Show |
01-18-20 | The Citadel v. VMI -3 | Top | 79-88 | Win | 100 | 5 h 26 m | Show |
01-15-20 | Bradley v. Missouri State -1.5 | Top | 91-78 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 35 m | Show |
01-14-20 | Missouri v. Mississippi State -3.5 | Top | 45-72 | Win | 100 | 12 h 15 m | Show |
01-13-20 | Coppin State v. Florida A&M -3.5 | Top | 54-65 | Win | 100 | 9 h 20 m | Show |
01-13-20 | Clemson +6.5 v. LSU | Top | 25-42 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 22 m | Show |
01-12-20 | Texans v. Chiefs -9.5 | Top | 31-51 | Win | 100 | 18 h 10 m | Show |
01-10-20 | Wright State -10 v. IUPU-Indianapolis | Top | 84-70 | Win | 100 | 9 h 7 m | Show |
01-09-20 | Louisiana Tech v. Texas-San Antonio +5.5 | Top | 73-89 | Win | 100 | 10 h 40 m | Show |
01-07-20 | Miami-FL +13.5 v. Louisville | Top | 58-74 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 17 m | Show |
01-05-20 | Seahawks v. Eagles +1 | Top | 17-9 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 21 m | Show |
01-02-20 | South Alabama v. UL - Lafayette +3 | Top | 60-57 | Push | 0 | 11 h 48 m | Show |
12-30-19 | Western Michigan +3.5 v. Western Kentucky | Top | 20-23 | Win | 100 | 16 h 7 m | Show |
12-23-19 | Canisius v. Siena -5 | Top | 72-73 | Loss | -110 | 21 h 36 m | Show |
12-22-19 | Maryland-Eastern Shore +20.5 v. Old Dominion | Top | 52-76 | Loss | -108 | 4 h 28 m | Show |
12-22-19 | Ravens v. Browns +10.5 | Top | 31-15 | Loss | -115 | 7 h 58 m | Show |
12-21-19 | Bills v. Patriots -6.5 | Top | 17-24 | Win | 100 | 27 h 37 m | Show |
12-19-19 | Lakers v. Bucks -4.5 | Top | 104-111 | Win | 100 | 14 h 32 m | Show |
12-16-19 | Colts v. Saints -8.5 | Top | 7-34 | Win | 100 | 47 h 13 m | Show |
12-11-19 | Rockets v. Cavs +11.5 | Top | 116-110 | Win | 100 | 10 h 29 m | Show |
12-08-19 | Ravens v. Bills +7 | Top | 24-17 | Push | 0 | 16 h 41 m | Show |
12-06-19 | Lakers v. Blazers +4 | Top | 136-113 | Loss | -105 | 16 h 44 m | Show |
12-01-19 | Jets -3 v. Bengals | Top | 6-22 | Loss | -106 | 64 h 10 m | Show |
11-28-19 | Saints -6.5 v. Falcons | Top | 26-18 | Win | 100 | 47 h 22 m | Show |
11-24-19 | Cowboys v. Patriots -5.5 | Top | 9-13 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 49 m | Show |
11-24-19 | Broncos v. Bills -3.5 | Top | 3-20 | Win | 100 | 20 h 37 m | Show |
11-23-19 | Texas A&M v. Georgia -13 | Top | 13-19 | Loss | -106 | 29 h 6 m | Show |
11-23-19 | Liberty v. Virginia -16 | Top | 27-55 | Win | 100 | 26 h 51 m | Show |
11-21-19 | NC State v. Georgia Tech -1 | Top | 26-28 | Win | 100 | 13 h 6 m | Show |
11-18-19 | Chiefs v. Chargers +5 | Top | 24-17 | Loss | -110 | 23 h 53 m | Show |
11-16-19 | Troy -6.5 v. Texas State | Top | 63-27 | Win | 100 | 28 h 3 m | Show |
11-15-19 | Celtics -7.5 v. Warriors | Top | 105-100 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 59 m | Show |
11-14-19 | Steelers +3 v. Browns | Top | 7-21 | Loss | -116 | 12 h 20 m | Show |
11-10-19 | Giants v. Jets +3 | Top | 27-34 | Win | 100 | 15 h 44 m | Show |
11-07-19 | Chargers v. Raiders | Top | 24-26 | Loss | -123 | 25 h 31 m | Show |
11-03-19 | Jets -3 v. Dolphins | Top | 18-26 | Loss | -117 | 17 h 24 m | Show |
11-02-19 | Old Dominion v. Florida International -17.5 | Top | 17-24 | Loss | -105 | 15 h 34 m | Show |
10-27-19 | Raiders v. Texans -6 | Top | 24-27 | Loss | -109 | 23 h 34 m | Show |
10-27-19 | Jets +7.5 v. Jaguars | Top | 15-29 | Loss | -140 | 20 h 35 m | Show |
10-26-19 | Texas State v. Arkansas State -11 | Top | 14-38 | Win | 100 | 29 h 18 m | Show |
10-25-19 | USC -11.5 v. Colorado | Top | 35-31 | Loss | -106 | 24 h 45 m | Show |
10-20-19 | Eagles +3 v. Cowboys | Top | 10-37 | Loss | -120 | 24 h 41 m | Show |
10-20-19 | Texans v. Colts | Top | 23-30 | Win | 100 | 16 h 8 m | Show |
10-19-19 | Buffalo -17 v. Akron | Top | 21-0 | Win | 100 | 29 h 57 m | Show |
10-14-19 | Lions +4 v. Packers | Top | 22-23 | Win | 100 | 14 h 7 m | Show |
10-12-19 | Texas Tech v. Baylor -10.5 | Top | 30-33 | Loss | -110 | 30 h 13 m | Show |
10-12-19 | Memphis -5 v. Temple | Top | 28-30 | Loss | -105 | 26 h 19 m | Show |
10-10-19 | Giants v. Patriots -16.5 | Top | 14-35 | Win | 100 | 35 h 42 m | Show |
09-29-19 | Bucs v. Rams -9 | Top | 55-40 | Loss | -102 | 26 h 39 m | Show |
09-22-19 | Raiders v. Vikings -8 | Top | 14-34 | Win | 100 | 52 h 43 m | Show |
09-15-19 | Chiefs -7 v. Raiders | Top | 28-10 | Win | 101 | 19 h 5 m | Show |
09-14-19 | Air Force +4 v. Colorado | Top | 30-23 | Win | 100 | 73 h 41 m | Show |
09-08-19 | Steelers +6 v. Patriots | Top | 3-33 | Loss | -108 | 79 h 15 m | Show |
09-07-19 | Texas A&M v. Clemson -17 | Top | 10-24 | Loss | -110 | 77 h 10 m | Show |
08-31-19 | Oregon v. Auburn -3 | Top | 21-27 | Win | 100 | 94 h 18 m | Show |
08-24-19 | Hamilton v. BC +4 | Top | 13-10 | Win | 100 | 85 h 20 m | Show |
08-22-19 | Panthers +3.5 v. Patriots | Top | 3-10 | Loss | -105 | 35 h 27 m | Show |
08-17-19 | Lions v. Texans -4 | Top | 23-30 | Win | 100 | 107 h 31 m | Show |
08-10-19 | Cowboys v. 49ers -4.5 | Top | 9-17 | Win | 100 | 24 h 14 m | Show |
08-09-19 | Ottawa v. Edmonton -8.5 | Top | 12-16 | Loss | -110 | 25 h 10 m | Show |
07-27-19 | Saskatchewan v. BC +3.5 | Top | 45-18 | Loss | -114 | 97 h 59 m | Show |
07-11-19 | Edmonton v. BC +3.5 | Top | 33-6 | Loss | -104 | 25 h 38 m | Show |
06-21-19 | BC v. Edmonton -4 | Top | 23-39 | Win | 100 | 47 h 27 m | Show |
06-07-19 | Raptors v. Warriors -4.5 | Top | 105-92 | Loss | -110 | 24 h 9 m | Show |
05-25-19 | Bucks +2.5 v. Raptors | Top | 94-100 | Loss | -106 | 32 h 10 m | Show |
04-17-19 | Jazz +7 v. Rockets | Top | 98-118 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 30 m | Show |
04-13-19 | Clippers +13 v. Warriors | Top | 104-121 | Loss | -115 | 32 h 31 m | Show |
04-09-19 | Grizzlies v. Pistons -10 | Top | 93-100 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 47 m | Show |
04-08-19 | Texas Tech v. Virginia -1 | Top | 77-85 | Win | 100 | 24 h 54 m | Show |
04-06-19 | 76ers -9.5 v. Bulls | Top | 116-96 | Win | 100 | 10 h 16 m | Show |
04-05-19 | Spurs v. Wizards +6.5 | Top | 129-112 | Loss | -103 | 10 h 29 m | Show |
03-23-19 | Villanova +4 v. Purdue | Top | 61-87 | Loss | -109 | 23 h 22 m | Show |
03-22-19 | Spurs v. Rockets -6 | Top | 105-111 | Push | 0 | 13 h 1 m | Show |
03-22-19 | Cal-Irvine v. Kansas State -4.5 | Top | 70-64 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 54 m | Show |
03-21-19 | St. Mary's v. Villanova -4 | Top | 57-61 | Push | 0 | 23 h 56 m | Show |
03-17-19 | Bulls v. Kings -6.5 | Top | 102-129 | Win | 100 | 11 h 50 m | Show |