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The midpoint of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season has come and gone. The drivers had a lot of time with friends and family in the Charlotte metro area during over a week in North Carolina. Now, they hit the road for Long Pond, Pennsylvania and the Pocono 400 at, you guessed it, Pocono Raceway.

This is the 14th race of 26 scheduled for the regular season for the drivers. They will run this week and then next week at Michigan before taking the Father’s Day weekend off from racing.

Odds are on the right-hand side for desktop viewers and down below the comment box for mobile viewers of this Pocono 400 preview.
<h5>The Tricky Triangle</h5>
This is the first of two stops at Pocono. The next stop will come on July 28 for the Gander Outdoors 400. This is one of the most unique courses in NASCAR. For starters, it is a 2.5-mile track. Turn 1 has 14-degree banking, with nine degrees in Turn 2 and six degrees in Turn 3. There are some road course elements to this track with the tighter turns that more closely resemble road course racing than oval racing.

That can wreak havoc on the shifters and the gears when it comes to this race. Teams always run the risk of mechanical failure, but that seems more magnified this week. Pocono’s three turns were designed to pay homage to other tracks. The first turn is modeled after Trenton Speedway. The second turn is the “Tunnel Turn” at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which will be the site of the Big Machine Vodka 400 on September 8. The third turn closely resembles the Milwaukee Mile turns.

This not a favorite track of a lot of drivers.
<h5>Pocono Parties</h5>
Kyle Busch is a back-to-back winner of the late-summer race at Pocono. Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin are the only other active drivers with multiple wins in that race. The three active drivers with multiple wins in this race are Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, and Martin Truex Jr. The key difference here is that Truex’s two wins have come in the last four years. Johnson’s last spring race win was 2013 and Hamlin’s was 2010. In fact, that is Hamlin’s most recent win here at Pocono overall.

A lot of the usual suspects haven’t gotten to the winner’s circle often, or at all, at Pocono. Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano each have one win. Kevin Harvick has never won at Pocono. Kyle Busch only has those two July wins. Guys like Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and even Chris Buescher have wins here more recently than Keselowski and Logano.

Some of that has to do with the track. Some of that has to do with the strain it puts on the car. It’s a tough race for a lot of guys.
<h5>The Board</h5>
Despite the relative lack of success, all of the usual guys are up at the top of the odds board. Kyle Busch has those two back-to-back wins in the second race and has had good spring runs in the past. He was third last year. He was ninth and led the most laps in 2017. He led the most laps in each of his summer wins the last two years. He went from 2012-18 without a top-five finish in this race, so it’s still a buyer beware scenario.

Truex has been a feast or famine guy to some degree. He has those two wins in 2015 and 2018, but finished 19th and sixth in the middle. In the second race, he’s finished third twice dating back to 2012, but also outside the top 10 in the other races. That level of inconsistency can actually be seen over this year. He had two wins and four finishes outside the top 10 in his last six races leading up to Charlotte.

Keselowski hasn’t won this race, but he’s finished in the top five four of the last five years, including the most laps led in 2014. He lone win here actually came when he was still driving a Dodge back in 2011. Including the summer race, Keselowski has seven top-five finishes here since 2014. He’s definitely a guy to have on your card this week.

Logano really likes the big track at Daytona, but Pocono has not been kind to him. He’s finished outside the top five each of the last two years and four of the six years since his 2012 win. He led the most laps in 2015 and 2016 in the July race, but has finished outside the top 15 each of the last four years. He’s had some game efforts, but hasn’t gotten over the hump much here.

Hamlin has those four career wins here, but the most recent was 2010. He’s been outside the top five in seven of his last eight Pocono starts. He does have two wins this year, but he’s had some poor runs of late.

This isn’t a bad track for firing on some longer shots. Ryan Blaney is a pretty decent road course racer and there are elements of that on this track. He won in 2017 and has three top-10 finishes in this race. Kyle Larson fits the mold as well. He was second in this race last year and likes big tracks, with three career wins at Michigan and one at Auto Club. He feels like he’s on the cusp of breaking through after wins in Charlotte in the Monster Energy Open and All-Star Race.
<h5>Picks</h5>
Brad Keselowski is one that has to be on your card to be sure. Beyond Keselowski, it’s in your best interest to take some shots on guys like Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson. Kurt Busch actually has three top-five finishes this season and does like this track. He won in 2016 and had a run of four straight top-five finishes stopped last year. He’s got a smaller price than normal, but it makes sense with the track.

2019 Pocono 400 Betting Odds & Picks

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<p>Illinois comes into this week seven matchup with a 4-1 record, while Purdue is looking to bounce back, sitting at just 1-4 on the season. The game is set for 3:30 ET at Memorial Stadium in Champaign, IL, and will be broadcast on FS1. Illinois is the heavy favorite at -19.5 points, with the over/under line currently at 49.5 points.</p><h3>PURDUE BOILERMAKERS VS ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Purdue Boilermakers +19.5</p><p>This game will be played at Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL) at 3:30 ET on Saturday, October 12th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE PURDUE BOILERMAKERS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Illinois Fighting Illini winning this one by a score of 28 to 20</li><li>Even though we like the Illinois Fighting Illini to win, our ATS pick is to take the Purdue Boilermakers at +19.5</li><li>We see this game finishing below the line of 49.5 points</li></ul><h3>Will The Purdue Boilermakers Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs</h3><p>Purdue enters Week 7 against Illinois with a 1-4 record, ranking 114th in our power rankings. They have a 0% chance of becoming bowl-eligible this season.</p> <p></p><p>The Boilermakers have not been favored in any of their games and have an average scoring margin of -18.2 points. Their ATS record stands at 0-4.</p> <p></p><p>Purdue’s over/under record is 3-1, with their games averaging 55.4 points. The average over/under line is 47.4 points, while this week’s line is set at 49.5 points.</p><p>Heading into week 7, Purdue’s offense is averaging 18.6 points per game, placing them 124th in our offensive power rankings. Quarterback Hudson Card has thrown for 738 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 88. Purdue ranks 118th in passing yards per game, averaging 161.2 yards.</p> <p>They are converting just 30.5% of their third downs, and their rushing game is averaging 141 yards per game. Devin Mockobee leads the ground attack with 362 rushing yards, averaging 6 yards per carry. Receiver Jahmal Edrine has 103 receiving yards this season.</p><p>Purdue’s defense has struggled this season, allowing an average of 36.8 points per game. In their recent 52-6 loss to Wisconsin, they gave up 589 total yards, including 361 passing yards and 228 rushing yards. Wisconsin also scored four rushing touchdowns and three passing touchdowns, although Purdue did manage to force two interceptions.</p><p></p><p>Opponents have averaged 240.4 rushing yards per game against Purdue, while quarterbacks have posted a passer rating of 94.3. Purdue’s defense has faced the 13th fewest pass attempts in the country, but they’ve still allowed a 60.4% completion rate and 195 passing yards per game.</p><h3>Are The Illinois Fighting Illini Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?</h3><p>Illinois enters Week 7 against Purdue with a 4-1 record, ranked 47th in our power rankings. They have a 97.1% chance of becoming bowl-eligible but only a 0.2% shot at winning the Big Ten. At home, the Fighting Illini are 2-0 this season.</p> <p></p><p>Illinois has been favored in just one game this season and holds a +13 average scoring margin. Their ATS record is 2-1, going 0-1 as the favorite and 2-0 as the underdog.</p> <p></p><p>Their over/under record is 0-3, with Illinois games averaging 41.4 points. The average over/under line is 49.9 points, and this week’s line sits at 49.5 points.</p><p>Illinois’ offense ranks 52nd in our power rankings heading into week 7, averaging 27.2 points per game, which places them 58th nationally. Their run game has been underwhelming, with 132.8 rushing yards per game, ranking 95th. Kaden Feagin leads the team with 306 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and an average of 4 yards per carry.</p> <p>Quarterback Luke Altmyer has thrown for 1,047 yards with 11 touchdowns and just one interception, boasting a passer rating of 118. Illinois ranks 16th in passer rating and 17th in completion percentage, connecting on 68.9% of their passes. They are 44th in completions, averaging 18.6 per game. Pat Bryant leads the receiving corps with 342 yards and six touchdowns on 22 catches.</p><p>Illinois' defense has been a bright spot this season, ranking 11th nationally by allowing just 14.2 points per game. They’ve given up 133.6 rushing yards per game and 177.4 passing yards, with opposing quarterbacks posting a 68.1 passer rating.</p> <p></p><p>In their recent game against Penn State, Illinois allowed 21 points, giving up 87 rushing yards and 237 passing yards. They forced no turnovers in the game.</p>

Purdue Boilermakers vs Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Pick & Prediction 10/12/24

College Basketball

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<p>Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Hornets versus the Warriors? Tip off is at at 1:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Pete Hanna Center in Homewood, AL. The over/under for this game is set at 139.5 points, and the Warriors are the home favorites against the Hornets in a non-conference matchup.</p><h3>ALABAMA STATE HORNETS VS MERRIMACK COLLEGE WARRIORS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Alabama State Hornets +7.5</p><p>This game will be played at Pete Hanna Center at 1:00 ET on Saturday, November 25th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE ALABAMA STATE HORNETS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the Hornets.</li><li>Not only will Alabama State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +7.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 139.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.</li></ul><h3>Is a Road Win Possible for Alabama State?</h3><p>In today's game against Merrimack College, the Alabama State team comes in with a 1-4 overall record. In their last ten road games, which includes games from last year, Alabama State has a record of 2-8. Against the spread, Alabama State has a record of 1-4 thus far in the current year. In their previous ten games, including those from the previous season, Alabama State is 4-5 ATS.</p><p>After five games, Alabama State has an over/under record of 4-1-0, with their games averaging a combined 157.4 points per game so far. When assessing the Hornets' performance in their last three games, their over/under record stands at 3-0, with their games averaging 76 points per game.</p><p>In their latest game, Alabama State's offense looked good, scoring 88 points against North Carolina A&T. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 55.7% and made 13/20 free throws. The Alabama State offense has been looking to get up shots from outside so far this season, averaging 25 three-point attempts per contest. Overall, they have connected on 34% of their looks from outside this season.</p><p>As they prepare for the upcoming game, Alabama State is focused on shoring up their defense, as they are currently allowing an average of 80.3 points per game (183rd). Against North Carolina A&T in their most recent game, the Alabama State defense gave up a total of 73 points while allowing North Carolina A&T to hit 34% of their shots.</p><h3>Can Merrimack College Deliver Being Favored at Home?</h3><p>Today marks the 6th game of the season for Merrimack College, who currently have a 2-3 overall record. In their last five home games, including last year, Merrimack College has gone 2-3. Thus far, Merrimack College has a 2-3 record vs. the spread heading into today's game. Taking into account their performance in the previous season, Merrimack College has gone 4-5 vs. the spread in their last ten games.</p><p>Merrimack College's games have, on average, featured 141 points per game leading to an over/under record of 3-2-0. Their average over/under line is currently 132.9 points so far. Looking at the Warriors' last three games, their over/under record is 0-2 with their games averaging 77 points per game.</p><p>In their recent game, the Warriors' offense concluded with 71 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 73 points per contest. Offensively, the Warriors have a season long field goal percentage of 47%, which is 121st in the nation. In terms of three-pointers, they are 359th in percentage and 280th in three-pointers made.</p><p>At present, the Warriors' defense is nationally ranked 115th, allowing 72.0 points per game. Merrimack College's three-point defense is currently 56th in the country at 6.8 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 36.2% of their shots vs. Merrimack College.</p>

Alabama State Hornets vs Merrimack College Warriors Betting Pick & Prediction 11/25/23