Leading up to game two of this NL East battle, the Phillies (90-72, 49-32 home) will send Aaron Nola to the mound to take on the Marlins (84-77, 38-43 away) and Braxton Garrett. Find out who I like to come out on top in this Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies matchup in Philadelphia.<h3>MIAMI MARLINS VS PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Miami Marlins +130This game will be played at Citizens Bank Park at 8:08 ET on Wednesday, October 4th.<h3>WHY BET THE MIAMI MARLINS:</h3><ul><li>Over their last five games on the road, Miami has a straight-up record of 3-2.</li><li>In their last five games as the underdog, the Marlins have put together a record of 3-2.</li><li>Opponents are hitting just .195 against Braxton Garrett in his last three starts.</li></ul><h3>MIAMI MARLINS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN NL EAST</h3>Entering game 162 of their season, the Marlins are 20 games out in the NL East and are in 3rd place. So far, their overall series record stands at 24-25-1. Miami's road winning percent is currently 46.9% (38-43) compared to 56.8% at home (46-35).Braxton Garrett is set to make his 32nd appearance of the season, boasting a 9-7 record with an ERA of 3.66 and OBP allowed of .287. He has struck out 156 batters while maintaining a WHIP of 1.15. Garrett's road ERA stands at 2.99, compared to 5.18 when playing at home.Braxton Garrett was dealt the loss in the Marlins' 11-2 defeat to the Mets after surrendering four runs on three hits over four innings.The Marlins have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 3 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 9th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 20th in home runs and 17th in slugging percentage. Overall, Miami is averaging 4.1 runs per game (25th).Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been the Marlins' most prolific home run hitter this season, with 19 long balls in 2023. In the last five games, he has hit one out of the park, and his batting average stands at .250.<h3>WILL THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?</h3>The Phillies will be playing their 162nd game of the season today and are 2nd in the NL East on a record of 90-72. So far, Philadelphia has won 60.5% of their games at home compared to 50.6% on the road. Against divisional opponents, the Phillies are 25-27 and have played a total of 50 series, going 29-18-3.Aaron Nola is on the mound for Philadelphia, boasting a 12-9 record across 32 appearances. His ERA stands at 4.46, with a K/9 of 9.39 and FIP of 4.03, while his OBP is .276.Aaron Nola's most recent start saw him deliver a quality outing, giving up one run on four hits across 6 2/3 innings. Despite not being credited with the win, the Phillies were able to come away with a 3-2 victory over the Pirates.This season, the Phillies are 8th in the league at 4.9 runs per game. Over their last five games, they have a combined batting average of .234 (17th) leading to 5 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.3 walks per game compared to 9 strikeouts. Philadelphia's on-base percentage of .327 has them 7th in the MLB.This season, Kyle Schwarber has been the Phillies' go-to slugger. He leads the team in home runs with 47 and RBIs with 104. His slugging percentage is an impressive .474, making him a powerful force in the lineup.

Miami Marlins vs Philadelphia Phillies Betting Pick & Prediction 10/4/23

The forecast for Wednesday's Yankees vs. Mets matchup calls for cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 90s. This one is getting started at 7:10 PM ET from Citi Field in New York, and the Yankees are the betting favorite, with their money line odds sitting at -152.

The Mets will be looking to extend their two-game winning streak, but they are the slight underdog on the money line (+128). The over/under line is currently 8.5 runs, and AMZP will be televising this interleague matchup.<h3>NEW YORK METS VS NEW YORK YANKEES BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: New York Mets Moneyline +128This game will be played at Citi Field at 7:10 ET on Wednesday, June 26th.<h3>HOW TO BET THE YANKEES VS METS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Mets winning by a score of 6 to 5</li><li>If you're looking for a run line pick, we also like the Mets to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 11 runs and like the over</li></ul>New York picked up a 9-7 win over the Yankees in the most recent game of this series. The Mets offense got off to a fast start, scoring four runs in the first and adding two more in the 2nd. As for the Yankees, they scored their first run in the 5th and added five more in the 8th.

David Peterson only went 4 1/3 innings for the Mets but gave up just one run and struck out eight. Dedniel Núñez got the win out of the bullpen. Gerrit Cole had a rough outing for the Yankees, giving up six runs in four innings of work.

At the plate, the Mets were led by Mark Vientos, who homered twice and went 2/4 with two RBIs. Harrison Bader also had a two-hit game and drove in three runs. Francisco Lindor also had a two-hit game and scored twice.<h3>Yankees Records & Stats</h3>The Yankees are 52-29 overall this season, putting them 1st in the AL East. They lead the Orioles by 2 games for the top spot in the division. New York has dropped two straight games and are just 3-7 over their last 10. In the AL East, the Yankees have gone 10-12 in divisional games.

At home, the Yankees are 24-14 this year, and they are an impressive 28-15 on the road. The Yankees have been good as the favorite this year, going 40-23, and they are 12-6 as the underdog. So far, they have an overall series record of 17-6-2 but have dropped three straight series.As a road team, the Yankees have a run line record of 26-17, which is a winning percentage of 60.5%. Their average run differential on the road is +1.7 runs per game, and their average run differential in all games is +1.3 runs per game. They have a run line record of 14-4 as an underdog and 32-31 as a favorite. The Yankees have covered the run line in 46 of their 81 games this season.The New York Yankees are on the road to face the New York Mets today. The over/under line for the game is set at 8.5 runs, which is slightly lower than the Yankees' combined run average of 8.7 runs per game this season. Their over/under record for the year is 40-39, and when the line is set at 8.5 runs, they have gone over 19 times and under 14 times.New York is sending right-hander Luis Gil to the mound today vs. the Mets. He has made 15 starts this year and has a record of 9-2. Gil's ERA is an impressive 2.77, along with a WHIP of 1.08. In his 15 appearances, he has turned in seven quality starts. Looking back at his last outing, Gil took the loss vs. the Orioles, giving up seven earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of work. Before that, he had won three straight starts. So far, he has been much better on the road, coming in with a record of 4-1 and an ERA of 2.75 compared to 5-1 with a 7.4 ERA at home.So far this season, the Yankees have been one of the league's best offensive teams, as they are 4th in runs per game (5) and have the 2nd most home runs in the league. New York is also leading the league in walks and has the league's top home run hitter in Aaron Judge, who also leads the MLB with 75 RBIs. Judge has also been hot of late, going 6/18 with three homers over his last five games.

Juan Soto and Anthony Volpe have also been big power threats for the Yankees this season, with Soto having 19 homers and Volpe at six. Soto comes into the game with a three-game hitting streak, and Volpe has gone deep in two straight games. Volpe also has a current eight-game hitting streak.<h3>Mets Records & Stats</h3>The Mets are 38-39 overall this season, and they are 3rd in the NL East, trailing the Phillies by 13 games. New York has won two straight games and is coming off a series win over the Braves. So far, they are 11-10 in divisional games.

At home, the Mets are 19-23 this year, and they are 19-16 on the road. New York has won six straight games as the underdog, and they are 18-20 as the underdog overall. As the favorite, the Mets have gone 20-19 this year. New York's overall series record is 12-12-3, and they have won five straight series overall and four straight on the road.Despite a .500 run differential, the Mets have been a losing bet on the run line this season, going 36-41. They've been especially bad at home, going 15-27 against the run line, compared to 21-14 on the road. They've been a better bet as the underdog, going 23-15 against the run line, compared to 13-26 as the favorite.When the Mets host the Yankees tonight, the over/under line will be set at 8.5 runs. This season, the Mets have played 75 games, and their combined run average is 9.4 runs per game. The over/under record for Mets games this season is 39-36, and their average over/under line is set at 8 runs per game. When the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs, the Mets' record is 10-9. This season, 19.5% of their games have had over/under lines set at 8.5 runs, while 55.8% of their games have had lower lines.Left-hander Sean Manaea gets the start for the Mets today as he faces off against the Yankees at home. He has made 14 starts this season and has a record of 4-3 with an ERA of 4.16. Manaea's WHIP for the season is currently 1.29. Looking back at his last outing, Manaea finished with a no-decision against the Rangers. In that start, he went 5 2/3 innings, giving up three earned runs, six hits, and three walks. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts. Per nine innings, Manaea is averaging 9.21 strikeouts and 3.66 walks.Brandon Nimmo has been swinging a hot bat for the Mets, going 7/24 with four homers over his last six games. For the season, he is batting .245 and is 3rd on the team with 46 RBIs. Nimmo is also on a 10-game hitting streak. Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor are also near the top of the Mets' home run and RBI leaderboards, with Alonso leading the team with 16 homers and Lindor is 2nd with 13.

As a team, the Mets are 8th in the league in scoring at 4.7 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.7 runs per contest. Overall, they are the league's 5th best home run hitting team and have the 10th best team batting average in the MLB.

New York Yankees vs New York Mets Betting Pick & Prediction 6/26/24

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Canadiens versus the Wild? The puck drops at 8:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 6.5 goals, and the Wild are favored by -1.5 against the Canadiens.<h3>MONTREAL CANADIENS VS MINNESOTA WILD BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Minnesota Wild -1.5This game will be played at Xcel Energy Center at 8:00 ET on Thursday, November 14th.<h3>WHY BET THE MINNESOTA WILD:</h3><ul><li>In spite of being 1.5 goal underdogs, we anticipate the Canadiens winning this one 4-3.</li><li>We like the Canadiens on the moneyline (+217)</li><li>The Canadiens are also our pick on the spread at +1.5</li></ul><h3>Will the Canadiens Defense Show Up in St. Paul?</h3>Montreal's 3-1 loss to the Penguins dropped the Canadiens to 5-9-2 this season. Entering as underdogs on the puck line, the total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined 4 goals fell short of that mark. 

The Canadiens didn't score until the third period, when Christian Dvorak found the net at 14:28. By then, the Penguins had already scored twice, adding an empty-net goal later to seal the win.Montreal's offense was held in check in their 3-1 loss to the Penguins, managing just one goal. Christian Dvorak netted his first goal of the season at 14:28 in the third period. Emil Heineman picked up his first assist, while Juraj Slafkovsky added his seventh assist of the year. The Canadiens took 26 shots on goal but were plagued by 20 giveaways. They were shut out in the first two periods before finally getting on the board in the third.Montreal's defense gave up the game's first two goals, one at 15:57 in the first period and another at 18:40 in the second. The Canadiens pulled within one in the third, but they conceded an empty-netter with 45 seconds left, leading to a 3-1 loss. Goalie Sam Montembeault made 21 saves with a 91.3% save percentage, while the defense added 4 takeaways and 28 hits.<h3>Will the Wild Win at Home?</h3>The Wild improved to 10-2-3 with a 2-1 overtime win against the Maple Leafs. Minnesota was favored on the puck line, but didn’t cover. The total was set at 6 goals, and the combined score of 3 fell well under that mark. 

Ryan Hartman got the Wild on the board first, scoring at 9:41 in the first period. The Maple Leafs tied it up with just 52 seconds left in the first. Matt Boldy scored the game-winner at 2:14 in overtime.Ryan Hartman netted his third goal of the season, putting the Wild on the board 9:41 into the first period. Matt Boldy followed with his sixth goal, which came 2:14 into overtime to secure the win. Jared Spurgeon contributed with two assists, bringing his season total to three. Marco Rossi added his seventh assist on Boldy's overtime goal. The Wild fired 33 shots on goal but were held scoreless in the second and third periods.On the defensive side, the Wild allowed a late first-period goal to the Maple Leafs but shut them out the rest of the way, leading to a 2-1 overtime win. Filip Gustavsson made 27 saves, finishing with a 96.4% save percentage. The Wild's defense also tallied 7 takeaways and 22 hits.

Montreal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild Betting Pick & Prediction 11/14/24

The Astros and White Sox are set to face off in an AL matchup at 8:10 PM ET at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, IL. The forecast for Wednesday's game calls for temperatures in the low 90s and partly cloudy skies. Houston is 2nd in the AL West, while the White Sox are 5th in the AL Central with an overall record of 33-40.

Garrett Crochet is starting for the White Sox, and they are the slight underdog on the money line (+101). The Astros are starting Hunter Brown, and they are the favorites on the money line (-120). The over/under line is currently at 7.5 runs.<h3>CHICAGO WHITE SOX VS HOUSTON ASTROS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Chicago White Sox Moneyline +101This game will be played at Guaranteed Rate Field at 8:10 ET on Wednesday, June 19th.<h3>HOW TO BET THE ASTROS VS WHITE SOX:</h3><ul><li>We have the White Sox winning by a score of 6 to 5</li><li>If you're looking for a run line pick, we also like the White Sox to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 11 runs and like the over</li></ul>Thanks to a dominant outing from Jonathan Cannon, the White Sox picked up a 2-0 win over the Astros in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the White Sox were at +149 on the money line.

Cannon went eight and two-thirds innings for the White Sox, giving up just two hits and no earned runs. He finished the game with four strikeouts but issued five walks. As for the Astros, Framber Valdez got the start and went six innings, giving up two earned runs on two hits.

Andrew Vaughn provided the offense for the White Sox, as he went 1/4 with two RBIs. Trey Cabbage also had a two-hit game for the Astros. 
<h3>Astros Records & Stats</h3>Houston is 33-40 overall, and they trail the Mariners by 10 games in the AL West. So far, they have gone 15-12 in divisional games. The Astros lost the first game of their series vs. the White Sox and are 11-11-1 in series this year.

At home, the Astros are 19-19, and they are 14-21 on the road. As the favorite, the Astros are just 26-32 this year, and they are 7-8 as the underdog. Looking at their overall play, the Astros are 5-5 in their last 10 games.The Astros are 31-42 against the run line this season, including a 14-21 mark on the road. They are 8-7 vs. the run line as an underdog and 23-35 when favored. Houston has an average run margin of 0.0 this season, but that number jumps to 4.1 in wins and drops to -3.3 in losses.The Houston Astros are on the road against the Chicago White Sox today, and the over/under line for the game is set at 7.5 runs. The combined run average for Astros games this season is 8.7 runs per game, and their over/under record is 26-44. When the over/under line is set at 7.5 runs, their record is 5-7. Overall, 80.8% of their games have had higher over/under lines than 7.5 runs, and their current under streak is at 2 games.Hunter Brown gets the start for the Astros today as he faces the White Sox on the road. So far this season, he has made 13 starts and six of them have been quality starts. Brown's record for the season is 3-5, and his ERA is 5.00. Opponents are batting .248 off Brown this season, and his WHIP is 1.43. In his last outing, Brown didn't allow a run in seven innings of work, picking up the win. Before that, he had given up at least one homer in three straight outings.As a team, the Astros are the top hitting team in the league, with a team batting average of .258. They are also among the league leaders in home runs and have the fewest strikeouts in the league. Overall, they are averaging 4.4 runs per game, which is 15th in the league. At home, they have been a little better, putting up 4.8 runs per contest.

Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez have been swinging the bat well of late, with Altuve going 14/41 in his last 10 games and Alvarez going 11/33 in his last nine games. Kyle Tucker is also on a three-game hitting streak and is the team's leader in RBIs and home runs.<h3>White Sox Records & Stats</h3>With a record of 20-54, the White Sox are 26 games out of the AL Central lead, and they are 5-19 against other teams in the division. Chicago won the first game of this series vs. the Astros and will be the home team for today's game. So far, they are just 7-31 on the road this year.

Chicago has gone 4-6 over their last 10 games and are 13-31 in night games this year. As the underdog, the White Sox are 17-54 this year, and they are 10-23 as the underdog at home. So far, they have yet to lose a game as the favorite this year, going 3-0. The team's overall series record is 4-17-2, and they have dropped two straight series.When the White Sox win, they do so by an average of 2.8 runs per game. When they lose, they lose by an average of 3.9 runs per game. This season, they have a run line record of 33-41, including 18-18 at home and 15-23 on the road. They have been the underdog in 71 games and have covered the run line in 41 of those games, compared to just 3-0 as the favorite.When the Chicago White Sox play at home, the over/under line is set at 7.5 runs for their matchup against the Houston Astros. The White Sox have a combined run average of 8.3 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 35-36. On average, their games have had an over/under line of 8 runs. When the line is set at 7.5 runs, their record is 8-13. So far this season, 60.8% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 7.5 runs.Left-hander Garrett Crochet gets the start for the White Sox today as he faces the Astros at home. He has made 15 starts this season and has a record of 6-5 with a 3.16 ERA. Crochet's WHIP for the season is currently 0.90. In his 15 starts, he has turned in nine quality starts and is coming off an outing in which he didn't allow an earned run. Against the Mariners on June 13th, Crochet went seven innings, giving up one unearned run, and had 13 strikeouts. He finished with a no-decision in that outing. Before that, he had allowed at least one earned run in three straight starts.For the season, the White Sox are averaging just 3.1 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the majors. They have also been one of the worst home run hitting teams in the league and have the worst team batting average in the league. However, they do have a couple of hitters who have been swinging the bat well of late, as Andrew Vaughn has gone 10/30 in his last seven games with three homers, and Paul DeJong has a team-high 14 homers this season.

Chicago will be looking to get their offense going today, as they are coming off a game in which they were shut out and have scored just one run in two of their last four games. As a team, they are batting just .219 and have the worst on-base percentage in the league.

Houston Astros vs Chicago White Sox Betting Pick & Prediction 6/19/24

Making on a bet on this NBA game featuring the Bucks versus the Pacers? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on NBA. The game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN. In this division matchup, the Bucks are the betting favorite against the Pacers. The over/under for the game is 243.5 points.<h3>MILWAUKEE BUCKS VS INDIANA PACERS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Indiana Pacers +4This game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse at 7:00 ET on Thursday, November 9th.<h3>WHY BET THE INDIANA PACERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 111-108 in favor of the Pacers.</li><li>Our projections have Tyrese Haliburton finishing with Tyrese Haliburton points, 2 rebounds and 5 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the Pacers finishing with a field goal percentage of 51.9% and knocking down 11 threes.</li></ul><h3>Will the Bucks Secure A Victory as Road Favorites?</h3>Coming into today's matchup, the Bucks will be looking to build on their current three game winning streak and their overall record is currently 5-2. The team currently sits 2nd in the Eastern Conference and 1st place in the Central division.This season, Milwaukee holds an ATS record of 1-6, which also includes their four game losing streak against the spread. On the road, the Bucks have yet to cover the spread and are 1-4 at home vs. the spread.The Bucks' offense finished with 120 points in their previous game, mirroring their current average of 117.1 points per contest. The team's top scorer is Giannis Antetokounmpo, who comes into today's matchup with an average of 24.4, while Damian Lillard also maintains a PPG average of 24.3 leading up to the game.The Bucks' defense is presently ranked 25th in the league, allowing an average of 119.4 points per contest.The Milwaukee defense has allowed opponents to shoot 35.6% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 48.9% of their field goal attempts vs. Milwaukee.<h3>Do the Pacers Have What it Takes at Home?</h3>Over the Pacers' last five games, they are 3-2 and come in with an overall record of 5-3. Away from their home court, the Pacers have a 1-1 record this season, in contrast to their 4-2 record at home.Indiana currently has an ATS record of 5-3, placing them above .500 against the spread. As the favorite this season, Indiana is 4-2 vs. the spread while going 1-1 as the underdog.The Pacers offense is coming off a game where they scored 134 points against the Jazz. They posted a field goal percentage of 51.5% and connected on 13 threes. The team's top scorer is Tyrese Haliburton, who comes into today's matchup with an average of 22.9, while Myles Turner also maintains a PPG average of 17.1 leading up to the game.Currently, the Pacers' defense holds the 26th rank in the NBA, allowing 121.2 points per game.Opponents are hitting 52.2% of their two-point field goal attempts this season, and they're also connecting on 38.6% of their three-point attempts.

Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers Betting Pick & Prediction 11/9/23

Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Aggies and Cardinal. The game is starting at 4:00 ET on ACC, and it's hosted by the Cardinal at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, CA. Get ready to place your bets! The odds for this non-conference game currently have Stanford as the -13 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 146.5 points.<h3>UC DAVIS AGGIES VS STANFORD CARDINAL BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: UC Davis Aggies +13This game will be played at Maples Pavilion at 4:00 ET on Sunday, November 17th.<h3>WHY BET THE UC DAVIS AGGIES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-72 in favor of the Cardinal.</li><li>Even though we have Stanford winning straight-up, we like UC Davis at +13.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 146.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.</li></ul><h3>Can the Aggies Lock in a Road Win?</h3><h3>UC Davis Aggies Recent Game/Games</h3> 

The Aggies started their season with a 79-75 win over Idaho on Thursday, November 7th. UC Davis, favored by 2 points, covered the spread, and the game’s total points of 154 exceeded the O/U line of 143.5. 

Trailing 40-37 at halftime, UC Davis tightened up defensively in the 2nd half, allowing just 35 points while scoring 42 of their own to secure the win.UC Davis put up 79 points in their last game, shooting 42.6% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 49.2%, with a strong 55.9% shooting inside the arc. However, they struggled from three-point range, hitting just 25.9% on 7-of-27 shooting. At the free-throw line, the Aggies connected on 76.9% of their attempts, going 20-of-26. Ty Johnson led the way with 30 points and 7 rebounds, while Tyler Mrus and Pablo Tamba each added 17 points. Mrus hit 5 threes at a 50% clip, and Kristian Gonzalez also contributed 4 threes, shooting 66.7% from deep.UC Davis gave up 75 points in their last game, with the opposing team shooting 45% from the field. They allowed 24 made field goals on 53 attempts. From three-point range, the other team hit 12 of 28 shots, good for 42%. UC Davis also sent them to the free-throw line 25 times, where they made 15 free throws.<h3>Can the Cardinal Hold Strong at Home?</h3><h3>Stanford Cardinal Recent Game/Games</h3> 

Stanford cruised to a 90-64 win over Northern Arizona on Tuesday, November 12th, in a home game where they were -18 favorites. The Cardinal covered the spread, and the total points of 154 went over the 145.5 O/U line. 

Stanford dominated early, leading 48-26 at halftime, but allowed 38 points in the 2nd half while scoring 42 themselves.Stanford's offense was firing on all cylinders in their last game, putting up 90 points on 56.1% shooting from the field. They connected on 52.2% of their three-point attempts, hitting 12 of 23 from deep, and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 66.7%. Maxime Raynaud led the way with 22 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 69.2% from the floor. Trent McLaughlin added 20 points, knocking down 4 of 7 from beyond the arc, while Ryan Agarwal was nearly perfect, hitting 4 of 5 threes and finishing with 15 points.Stanford's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 64 points while allowing their opponent to shoot 56% from the field. This included 58% shooting on two-point attempts, as they connected on 20 of 34 shots. From beyond the arc, Stanford's opponent made 12 of 23 three-point attempts, shooting 52%. They also went 14/16 from the free-throw line, hitting 87% of their free throws. Stanford gave up 10 offensive rebounds.

UC Davis Aggies vs Stanford Cardinal NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/17/24

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At 10:00 ET, the Timberwolves (-133) will travel to Sacramento to take on the Kings (+112) in a Western Conference matchup. Minnesota is favored by 2 points and the over/under line is sitting at 222.

Minnesota (6-6) is currently on a three-game losing streak and sits 11th in the Western Conference. Sacramento (7-5) is 8th in the West and 4th in the Pacific Division.<h3>MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS SACRAMENTO KINGS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Minnesota Timberwolves -2This game will be played at Golden 1 Center at 10:00 ET on Friday, November 15th.<h3>WHY BET THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 142-118 in favor of the Timberwolves.</li><li>Our projections have Anthony Edwards finishing with Anthony Edwards points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the Timberwolves finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.7% and knocking down 18 threes.</li></ul><h3>Does Minnesota Have A Chance at Golden 1 Center?</h3>After a 106-98 loss to the Trail Blazers on Wednesday, the Timberwolves are now 6-6 this season. Minnesota, who were -10 point favorites, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 204, falling short of the 219.5 O/U line. Minnesota started strong, leading 33-23 after the 1st quarter, but a poor 2nd quarter saw them score just 15 points. The game was tied at 76 going into the 4th, but Portland went on a 13-0 run, sealing the win.The Timberwolves struggled offensively in their 106-98 loss to the Trail Blazers, shooting just 39.4% from the field and hitting only 7 threes at a 17.9% clip. Anthony Edwards led the way with 24 points, including 12 in the 3rd quarter, while Julius Randle added 20 points and 10 rebounds, scoring 9 points in the 4th. Naz Reid contributed 15 points, knocking down 2 threes, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 13 points. Rudy Gobert finished with 12 points, 6 of which came in the final period.Even with a solid defensive effort, the Timberwolves couldn’t pull out the win against the Trail Blazers, giving up 106 points. They allowed 23 points in the 1st quarter and 25 in the 2nd, but Portland scored 28 in the 3rd and 30 in the 4th. Overall, the Timberwolves held the Trail Blazers to 45% shooting from the field. Minnesota did a good job defending the three, with Portland hitting just 9 threes at a 36% clip. The Timberwolves also recorded 12 steals and 3 blocks. However, they sent the Trail Blazers to the line 23 times, where they made 21 free throws. On the boards, Minnesota gave up 11 offensive rebounds.<h3>Can Sacramento Grab a Win at Home?</h3>The Kings improved to 7-5 on the season with a 127-104 win over the Suns on Wednesday. Playing at home, Sacramento was favored by 8 points and covered the spread, while the game’s total of 231 points went over the line of 225.5. Sacramento took control with an 11-0 run, extending their lead from 40-34 to 51-34. After a close 2nd quarter, the Kings outscored the Suns 32-24 in the 3rd and 34-24 in the 4th to seal the win.The Kings shot 64.1% from the field and 53.6% from three-point range in their 127-104 win over the Suns. De'Aaron Fox led the way with 29 points and 10 assists, scoring 10 points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters. Kevin Huerter added 22 points, with 11 coming in the 3rd quarter. Keegan Murray contributed 17 points, hitting 3 threes at a 60% clip.The Kings put together a strong defensive performance on Wednesday, holding the Suns to 104 points. Sacramento allowed 29 points in the 1st quarter but tightened up as the game went on, giving up just 27 points in the 2nd and 24 points in both the 3rd and 4th quarters. Overall, the Kings limited the Suns to 37% shooting from the field, including 30% from three-point range, where Phoenix hit 13 threes. Sacramento also sent the Suns to the free-throw line 26 times, where they made 19 attempts. The Kings finished with 7 steals and 8 blocks in the game.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Sacramento Kings Betting Pick & Prediction 11/15/24

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The Miami Marlins are set to take on their divisional rival Philadelphia Phillies. NBC Sports Philadelphia is in line to showcase the matchup and the game is scheduled to get going at 3:05 p.m. ET.
<h2>Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies Odds</h2>
The Marlins are 56-105 SU and are 83-77 against the spread (ATS). They've lost 15.5 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 4.8 units ATS. The Phillies, on the other hand, are 81-80 SU and 75-85 ATS. They've lost 8.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 13.3 units ATS.

Philadelphia games have a 74-79-7 over/under record in 2019. The Marlins have an over/under record of 76-71-13.

Right-hander Sandy Alcantara will get the start for the visiting Marlins. Alcantara is 5-14 with a 3.95 ERA and 146 strikeouts. He's 1-1 with 12 strikeouts and a 4.97 ERA against Philadelphia this year (two starts).

The Phillies are going with righty Blake Parker (3-2, 4.18 ERA), who has 63 punchouts and 22 walks to his credit, along with a 1.19 WHIP. Parker is 0-0 with two strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA against Miami this year.

Miami’s pitchers have allowed 5.0 runs per game and its starters own a 4.61 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 8.19 K/9. The bullpen has managed an ERA of 4.96, along with a K/9 of 9.19.

The Marlins offense has slashed .241/.300/.374 on its way to 3.8 runs scored per game this season, including 3.7 runs per game against divisional foes and 3.6 per game over the team's last five contests (1-4 SU).

Miami’s offensive production has been powered by second baseman Starlin Castro and first baseman Miguel Rojas. Castro is slashing .270/.300/.431 with 21 home runs, 85 RBIs and 67 runs scored, while Rojas (.284/.331/.379) has produced five homers, 46 RBIs and 52 runs scored.

In the home-team dugout, Philadelphia’s pitching staff has allowed 4.9 runs per game overall in 2019. The club's starters have an ERA of 4.61, a WHIP of 1.36 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 8.4. The bullpen has a 4.42 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 9.0 K/9. In 75 games against NL East foes, Phillies starters have an ERA of 4.83 and the bullpen's ERA is 5.10.

The Philadelphia hitters have put up 4.8 runs per outing, including 5.1 per game against divisional foes and 4.8 per game over their last five. The team has a slash-line of .232/.298/.442 over its last five contests and is 2-3 SU during that stretch.

Second baseman Cesar Hernandez and shortstop Jean Segura have led the Phillies' hitters this year. Hernandez is hitting .280/.334/.410 with 14 home runs, 71 RBIs and 76 runs scored, while Segura's line is .280/.323/.420 with 12 homers, 60 RBIs and 79 runs scored.
<h3>Miami Marlins vs. Philadelphia Phillies Prediction</h3>
<a href="http://bangthebook.com/mlb-betting-trends-of-the-day/">Predictions:</a> SU Winner – Phillies, ATS Winner – Marlins, O/U – UNDER
<div class="notes">
<h2>Notes</h2>
Betting Trends

Miami has tallied 17 extra-base hits over its last five outings. Philadelphia has 19 XBH over its last five.

The Marlins have lost four of their last five games SU.

Miami has recorded 22.5 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 21.6 over its last five.

Each team has hit 13 home runs over its last 10 games.

The Marlins have an OPS of .674 this season and an OPS of .665 when facing right-handed pitchers. The Phillies' OPS sits at .747 overall and .732 against righties.

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Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies Free Pick 09/29/19

The LSU Tigers have been recognized for their crew of wide receivers who have connected with Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow. But you know, those other Tigers - the ones at Clemson - have some guys who can go out and pull down passes with the best of them as well.

Among them is Tee Higgins, who has a chance in this game to break the all-time career record for most touchdown catches at the school. He is currently tied with Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, who both played in Sunday's Kansas City-Houston NFL playoff game.

Higgins fits what Dabo Swinney's offense wants to do, in that he is a great downfield target for Trevor Lawrence, who may be the best quarterback prospect in the country (with apologies to Joe Burrow, of course).

He caught 56 passes for 1115 yards. That's a 19.9-yard average, and along with teammate Justyn Ross, he'll wind up being a first-round NFL draft choice.

But trouble reared its ugly head (pardon the pun) in the Fiesta Bowl a couple of weeks ago. It affected his play in the game and might continue to have an effect.

Here are the odds on two of his receiving props, as they are posted for Monday night's national championship game:

Tee Higgins - Receiving Yards

Over 85.5 yards -110
Under 85.5 yards -110

TD Proposition

Tee Higgins scores a TD -180
Tee Higgins no TD scored +150

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Against Ohio State, Higgins apparently suffered a head-to-head hit after his helmet had gotten knocked off, as he collided with Jeff Okudah of the Buckeyes. This happened on Clemson's first possession, and he sat things out until the second half. He did not have a major impact when he returned, winding up with four receptions for 33 yards. He was denying a head injury, or the possibility of a concussion, in interviews this week, claiming it was actually his ankle that was injured, and I felt this conflict in stories was kind of strange. At any rate, he has been pronounced "good to go" by Swinney.

The Fiesta Bowl game did not constitute a banner evening for the Clemson receivers in general; between Higgins, Ross and Amari Rodgers, none of them reached the 50-yard mark, and that might scare off some of the team's potential backers in this game.

Can he reach the threshold that would make the "over" bettors in this prop happy? Well, much is going to depend on who will be responsible for covering him.

Because Higgins looms as Lawrence's most dangerous outlet (Ross went from a 21.7-yard average to 12.9 this year), we imagine that much of that task will be handled by Derek Stingley Jr., who came to Baton Rouge with much in the way of ballyhoo and has proven to be "all that."

Stingley, whose grandfather Daryl Stingley was infamously paralyzed by a hit by Jack Tatum of the Oakland Raiders in 1978, got off to a quick start at LSU, as he had graduated early and was able to actually engage in practices with the team for last year's Fiesta Bowl. It is said that the first time he took the field, he picked off Burrow.

According to head coach Ed Orgeron, Stingley is "one of the best cornerbacks I have seen." The frosh intercepted six passes and was named a first-team All-American. It sounds as if he already deserves to be placed in the "shutdown" category; worthy of being a first-round draft pick if he were only able to come out (of course, he can't yet).

He gives us enough confidence that we'll go UNDER on Higgins' receiving yards prop, and NO on the TD prop. Clemson can beat LSU, but they'll probably have to do it with other people.

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NCAA Football Championship Props -- Will it Be "Tee Off" or "Tee On" For Clemson?

The MLB is in a full swing on Friday, September 30 as we have even 16 games on the schedule, but in this one, the hosts must get a win, so you can’t afford to miss out on the best Marlins vs. Brewers betting pick and odds.



Miami and Milwaukee will play the second of a four-game series at American Family Field, and the Brewers are -175 moneyline favorites on <a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betdsi/">BetDSI Sportsbook</a>, while the total is set at 6.5 runs. These NL rivals have met on three occasions before this series, and Milwaukee won two of those games.



Marlins split the series with the Mets



The Miami Marlins have been playing in a hot and cold form recently and that form translated into a divisional series against the New York Mets as it ended 1-1. Miami opened that two-game series with a 6-4 win but lost the following 5-4 in the extra inning.



The Marlins had a 4-0 lead in the upper 7th inning, but the Mets scored four runs in the bottom 7th and 8th to force extra innings and later secured a victory. Jesus Luzardo (3-7) recorded a quality start after allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in 6.0 innings. Dylan Floro dropped to a 1-3 record after taking a loss, while Bryan de la Cruz led the offense with a pair of RBIs.



Sandy Alcantara (14-8) is getting his 32nd start of the year when he meets the Brewers on Friday. The 27-year-old right-hander owns a remarkable 2.32 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 199/50 K/BB ratio over 220.2 innings of work.



Brewers salvaged a series against the Cardinals



Just like the Marlins, the Milwaukee Brewers split the series with their divisional foes St. Louis Cardinals. They lost the opener 6-2 but bounced back to split the series with a 5-1 victory. Milwaukee and Philadelphia have the same 83-72 record and with only seven games to go, they will be fighting for the remaining wildcard spot in the National League.



Victor Caratini chipped in two RBIs in the win over the Cards and boosted the Brewers’ playoff hopes. Now, Milwaukee has two home series against Miami and Arizona to close the regular season and is looking to clinch a wildcard place. Brandon Woodruff improved to a 13-4 record after pitching for six scoreless innings with ten strikeouts and a walk. It was Woodruff’s four straight 10+ strikeout start.



Corbin Burnes (11-8) will start for the 32nd time this year when he faces the Marlins on Friday. The 27-year-old right-hander has a 3.11 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 231/51 K/BB ratio across 191.0 innings.



Trends:



Miami:



<ul><li>3-9 in the last 12 road games</li><li>2-8 in the last ten road games with the total set at 6.5 or lower</li></ul>



Milwaukee:



<ul><li>5-2 in the last seven overall</li><li>4-1 in the last five games vs. a right-handed starter</li></ul>



Miami Marlins vs. Milwaukee Brewers Pick



Corbin Burnes started once against Miami this year and was excellent with a 1.29 ERA over 7.0 innings in a no-decision. Sandy Alcantara didn’t face the Brewers this season, but after allowing four runs in his last three starts (24.0 innings), it’s clear that Milwaukee is not going to have an easy job on Friday. The Brewers are scoring 4.89 runs against right-handed pitchers, unlike Miami, who is averaging 3.87 runs per game against righties. I am backing the hosts because it’s a must-win game for them, while the Marlins can be relaxed here.



Pick: Take the Brewers at -1.5 Run Line (+135)



The Total



I usually back Over when I encounter such a low run total (6.5), but given how these starters are pitching, it would be surprising if we have a high-scoring affair here. Still, I am going to lower this total a bit and back at lower odds because it’s an opportunity I rarely miss. One of the arguments for Over is the fact that Over is 4-0 in Burnes' last four starts vs. National League East opponents. Also, Over is 5-1 in the last six H2H meetings in Milwaukee, while Over is 4-1-1 in the Marlins’ previous six road games.



Pick: Go Over 6 runs (-120)

Miami Marlins vs. Milwaukee Brewers Odds, Pick, Prediction 9/30/22

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Rangers versus the Penguins? The puck drops at 3:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ABC. The game will be played at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. The Rangers are the -1.5 goal favorites in this Metropolitan division matchup against the Penguins. The over/under for the game is set at 5.5 goals.<h3>NEW YORK RANGERS VS PITTSBURGH PENGUINS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins +1.5This game will be played at PPG Paints Arena at 3:00 ET on Saturday, March 16th.<h3>WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS:</h3><ul><li>With a 1.5 goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Rangers to secure a 4-3 victory.</li><li>Take the Rangers on the moneyline</li><li>On the puck line, we like Penguins (+1.5)</li></ul><h3>Will New York Shock Everyone at PPG Paints Arena?</h3>On the season, the Rangers have gone 42-19-4, putting them in 1st place in the Metropolitan Division and 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. On the road, New York has gone 20-11-4.

In games where they have been favored, the Rangers have gone 33-15-2, while they are 9-4-2 when they have been the underdog. Over their last ten games, New York has gone 6-4.On the season, the Rangers have an average scoring differential of +.5 goals per game. So far, they have had 25 wins by multiple goals compared to 17 wins by just one goal. In their last 10 games, the team's puck line record is 6-4, and their puck line record on the road is 18-17.

Across 50 games as the favorite, New York has gone 20-30 against the puck line, and their average scoring margin when favored is +.4 goals per game. In their last three games, the team's puck line record is 2-1, and their puck line record for the season is 33-32. The average goal total for New York's games is sitting at 6. The average over/under line for the season is 6.1. The Rangers come in with an over/under record of 32-30-3.When looking at their past three road matchups, New York has an puck line record of 2-1 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.In terms of their offensive performance, the Rangers are averaging 3.3 goals per game this season, putting them in the 13th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 19th in the league. New York's offense is currently ranked 9th in power play goals. When it comes to shorthanded goals, they are 23rd in the league.New York's leading goal scorer is Artemi Panarin. So far this season, he has 36 goals, placing him 9th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 50 assists so far.The Penguins defense is currently 15th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 30.2 shots per game against Pittsburgh. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 1st with 7 shutouts.Heading into this matchup vs. Pittsburgh, goalie Igor Shesterkin has started 43 games in this season. His current record is 27-14, and his save percentage stands at 0.908%.<h3>Will the Penguins Win at PPG Paints Arena?</h3>At home this season, the Penguins have gone 17-12-4, and they are 29-27-9 overall. In the Eastern Conference, they are in 13th place and 7th in the Metropolitan Division. Over their last ten games, Pittsburgh has gone just 3-7, and they have lost five straight games when listed as the underdog.

Over their last five games, the Penguins have gone just 1-4, and they are 1-2 in their last three games. This season, Pittsburgh has been the underdog in 24 of their games, and they have gone 9-12-3 in those games.As the underdog, the Penguins have a puck line record of 14-10 this season, including a mark of 30-35 overall. So far, Pittsburgh has 20 wins by multiple goals along with 18 losses by multiple goals.

At home, the Penguins have a puck line record of 15-18 this season, and their average scoring margin at home is +.2 goals per game. Over their last 10 home games, Pittsburgh's puck line record is 4-6. This season, Pittsburgh's games are averaging 5.8 goals per game. Their average over/under line is 6.3. The Penguins currently have an over/under record of 25-35-5.New York has a 1-2 record in their last three road games. In this stretch, they averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.On the offensive side, the Penguins are scoring an 2.8 goals per game this season, ranking 25th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 7th in the league. In terms of the Penguins' offense during power plays, they are 28th in power play goals and 25th in shorthanded goals.Pittsburgh will be looking for a good game from Sidney Crosby who leads the team in scoring with 32 goals, ranking 17th in the NHL. Crosby also comes into the game with 33 assists.Pittsburgh defense takes on the Rangers ranked 15th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 30.2 shots per game against Pittsburgh. They also are 1st in shutouts, with 7 shutouts.Goalie Tristan Jarry gets the start and has made 45 starts this season. His record at this point is 19-21, and his save percentage is 0.927%.

New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Pick & Prediction 3/16/24

Looking to win big? The Sharks and Flames face off at 9:00 ET on NBCS. The Flames are hosting the game at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. The over/under for this game is set at 6 goals, and the Flames are favored by -1.5 against the Sharks in a Pacific division matchup.<h3>SAN JOSE SHARKS VS CALGARY FLAMES BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Calgary Flames -1.5This game will be played at Scotiabank Saddledome at 9:00 ET on Thursday, April 18th.<h3>WHY BET THE CALGARY FLAMES:</h3><ul><li>With a 1.5-goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Flames to secure a 4-3 victory.</li><li>Take the Flames on the moneyline</li><li>On the spread, we like Sharks (+1.5)</li></ul><h3>Will the Sharks Secure A Victory as Road Underdogs?</h3>San Jose enters tonight's game with a record of 19-53-9 and have lost two straight games. They are in 16th place in the Western Conference and 8th in the Pacific Division. On the road this season, the Sharks are just 8-28-4.

As the underdog, San Jose is 19-53-9 this season and have lost two straight games as the underdog. In their last ten games, the Sharks have gone 3-7 and are 1-4 in their last five games.San Jose enters the game with a puck line record of 37-44 this season, including going 2-3 against the puck line in their last five games. They have dropped two straight games vs. the puck line and have gone 5-5 in their last ten games.

So far this year, the Sharks have lost 44 games by more than one goal, and their average scoring margin on the road is at -1.9 goals per contest. In their 81 games as the underdog, San Jose's puck line record sits at 37-44. The average goal total for San Jose's games is sitting at 6.2. The average over/under line for the season is 6.1. The Sharks come in with an over/under record of 37-41-3.Across their last three road contests, San Jose has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 2-1. Their overall mark in these games was 2-1, while averaging 3 goals per game.Offensively, the Sharks come into the game at 2.2 goals per contest placing 31st in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 32nd position in the league. The San Jose offense is ranked 27th in power play goals. As for shorthanded goals, they find themselves at 31st in the NHL.San Jose's current leading scorer is Fabian Zetterlund. This season, he has 23 goals, which puts him 103rd in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 20 assists so far.Calgary defense takes on the Sharks ranked 22nd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 29.7 shots per game against Calgary. They also are 27th in shutouts, with 2 shutouts.Entering the game, goalie Georgi Romanov has started zero games this season. His current record stands at 0-0, and his save percentage is 0.174%.<h3>Can the Flames Secure a Win at Home?</h3>With a record of 37-39-5, the Flames come into today's game in 11th place in the Western Conference and 5th in the Pacific Division. In their last ten games, Calgary has gone 4-6.

At home this season, the Flames have gone 20-19-1, and they have been favored in 36 of their 81 games. Against other teams in the Western Conference, Calgary has gone 23-26 this year.Calgary comes into this game with a puck line record of 36-45 overall and 17-23 at home. They have gone just 2-8 against the puck line in their last 10 games and have dropped their last three games against the puck line at home.

So far this year, the Flames have 24 wins by multiple goals and have gone 10-26 against the puck line when favored. Calgary has gone just 1-4 against the puck line in their last five games and 1-2 against the puck line in their last three games. This season, Calgary's games have an average of 6.4 goals per game. The average over/under number for the season is 6.1. The Flames come in with an over/under performance of 46-33-2.When looking at their past three road matchups, San Jose has an puck line record of 2-1 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 2-1 overall in these games.On the offensive side, the Flames are scoring an 3.1 goals per game this season, ranking 20th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 13th in the league. So far this year, the Flames are 20-21 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 16-18 in games with fewer shots on goal.Calgary's leading goal scorer is Yegor Sharangovich. So far this season, he has 31 goals, placing him 39th in the NHL. Along with his scoring, he has come up with 28 assists so far.The Flames defense is currently 22nd in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.7 shots per game against Calgary. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 27th with 2 shutouts.Entering the game, goalie Dustin Wolf has started 14 games this season. His current record stands at 6-7, and his save percentage is 0.409%.

San Jose Sharks vs Calgary Flames Betting Pick & Prediction 4/18/24

Betting on today's Aztecs and Bulldogs game? Catch the action at Save Mart Center in Fresno, CA, as the Bulldogs hosts this showdown at 10:00 ET on CBSS. In this Mountain West matchup, San Diego State is favored by -13.5 vs. Fresno State. The over/under for the game is 136.5 points.<h3>SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS VS FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Fresno State Bulldogs +13.5This game will be played at Save Mart Center at 10:00 ET on Saturday, February 24th.<h3>WHY BET THE FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-69 in favor of the Bulldogs.</li><li>Not only will Fresno State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +13.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 136.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 144 points.</li></ul><h3>Can San Diego State Pull Out the Win as Road Favorites?</h3>San Diego State is 20-7 overall and 9-5 in Mountain West play. On the road, the Aztecs are 5-7 compared to their perfect 13-0 mark at home. They come into this game having lost two straight on the road, and their average scoring margin away from home is just +0.1.

For the year, San Diego State has been favored in 18 games, going 16-2 in those matchups. In their last outing, the Aztecs fell to Utah State by a score of 68-63. Over their last 10 games on the road, they are 4-6.San Diego State has an overall ATS record of 11-14 this season. Their ATS record as the favorite is 9-9. On the road, the Aztecs have an ATS mark of just 3-9 this year. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, San Diego State has gone 7-3 vs. the spread.On the season, the over/under record in San Diego State games is 14-11 and today's over/under line of 136.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games this year (141.6). In their last three games, the average scoring total is 135 points and their OU record over their last 10 games is 5-5.Coming off their recent game, the San Diego State offense tallied 63 points in a matchup against Utah State. Their field goal percentage for the game was 42.9%, and they made 3 threes. On the offensive front, the Aztecs have a season-long field goal percentage of 45%, ranking 177th nationally. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are ranked 294th in terms of percentage and 236th in three-pointers made.Coming into today's game, the San Diego State defense is giving up an average of 67.0 points per contest. In their previous game vs. Utah State, the Aggies finished with a field goal percentage of 49% and a total of 68 points vs. San Diego State.<h3>Will the Bulldogs Come Through as Home Underdogs?</h3>After losing their last two games, Fresno State is looking to get back on track as they host San Diego State. The Bulldogs are 11-15 overall and 4-9 in Mountain West play. At home, they are 7-8 this season.

As underdogs, Fresno State has gone just 2-13 this season. Their average scoring margin at home is -0.7 points per game. In their last game, the Bulldogs lost to Boise State by a score of 90-66.At home this season, Fresno State has an ATS record of 7-8 and an overall ATS record of 11-14. As the underdog, the Bulldogs have gone 5-10 vs. the spread this year and are 5-5 in their last 10 games as the underdog.So far this season, the over/under record for Fresno State games is 15-10. On average, their games have finished with 3.6 more points than the over/under line. Today's over/under line of 136.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (138.1). Over their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 and their games have averaged 140 points during that stretch.In their most recent game, the Bulldogs' offense tallied 66 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 69.1 points per game. Isaiah Hill is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today's matchup with an average of 12.2. Meanwhile, Xavier Dusell also brings a PPG average of 11.3 into the game.On the defensive side, Fresno State is currently hovering around the NCAA's average for points allowed, conceding an average of 72.7 points per game. In their previous game vs. Boise State, the Broncos finished with a field goal percentage of 58% and a total of 90 points vs. Fresno State.

San Diego State Aztecs vs Fresno State Bulldogs Betting Pick & Prediction 2/24/24

Heading into game two of this AL East matchup, the Rays (60-40, 35-16 home) will send Zach Eflin to the mound against the Orioles (59-37, 29-17 away) and Kyle Bradish. Check out my pick for today's Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays game in St. Petersburg.<h3>BALTIMORE ORIOLES VS TAMPA BAY RAYS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Baltimore Orioles +134This game will be played at Tropicana Field at 6:40 ET on Friday, July 21st.<h3>WHY BET THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES:</h3><ul><li>Over their last ten games on the road, Baltimore has a straight-up record of 7-3.</li><li>Baltimore has the leg up over the Rays so far this year at 4-2.</li><li>The Orioles have gone 1-2 in Zach Eflin's last five starts.</li></ul><h3>BALTIMORE ORIOLES LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD</h3>For the season, the Orioles are 59-37 overall, including going 29-17 on the road and 30-20 at home. When looking at their overall series record, Baltimore is above .500 at 18-10-2. In the AL East, the Orioles are currently 1st.Heading into today's matchup, Baltimore's Kyle Bradish has been on a roll, having pitched at least six innings in four consecutive games. His season stats are impressive, with an ERA of 3.06 and a record of 6-4. He has also struck out 87 batters and allowed a .348 slugging percentage. Bradish's WHIP is 1.13 and his WOBA allowed is .283.The Orioles earned a victory in Kyle Bradish's last start, defeating the Marlins 5-4. The right-hander pitched 7 1/3 innings of three-hit ball, not allowing an earned run and adding a win to his record.For the season, the Orioles' offense is averaging 5 runs per game. Over their last ten games they have swung the bats well, sitting 5th in the league in scoring, with a total of 59 runs. Overall, Baltimore's team batting average is .254, putting them 9th in the MLB.The Orioles' offensive leader, Adley Rutschman, has been a force to be reckoned with this season. He currently boasts a .274 batting average, and his slugging percentage and on-base percentage are both impressive at .431 and .373 respectively<h3>WILL THE TAMPA BAY RAYS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?</h3>Looking to snap a five game losing streak, the Rays are in 2nd place in the AL East. Tampa Bay's overall record sits at 60-40 while going 25-24 on the road and 35-16 at home, respectively. So far, they have played in 30 series, and have gone 17-10-3.Zach Eflin has been a reliable starter for the Rays this season, boasting an impressive 10-5 record in 18 appearances. His ERA stands at 3.59, while his K/9 is 8.97 and FIP is 3.13. Additionally, opposing batters have struggled to get on base against him, as evidenced by his .259 OBPZach Eflin's last start ended in a loss for the Rays, as they fell 8-4 to the Royals. The right-hander was unable to make it through five innings, surrendering five earned runs on seven hits.Over their last ten games, the Rays are ranked 19th in the league in scoring at 3.5 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 5.3 per contest puts them 3rd in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Tampa Bay is 6th, with an OBP currently sitting at .329. The team's collective batting average is .258 (6th).Over the Rays' last five games, Josh Lowe has been on fire, leading the team with one home run. His season total stands at 13 long balls and a .274 batting average.

Baltimore Orioles vs Tampa Bay Rays Betting Pick & Prediction 7/21/23

Leading up to game three of this National League battle, the Pirates (46-58, 24-27 home) will send Rich Hill to the mound to take on the Phillies (56-48, 28-28 away) and Cristopher Sánchez. Find out who I like to come out on top in this Philadelphia Phillies vs. Pittsburgh Pirates matchup in Pittsburgh.<h3>PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES VS PITTSBURGH PIRATES BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates +127This game will be played at PNC Park at 1:35 ET on Sunday, July 30th.<h3>WHY BET THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES:</h3><ul><li>In their previous five games, the Pirates have a record of 3-2.</li><li>The Pirates have gone 3-2 in their five games at home.</li><li>Cristopher Sánchez has given up five home runs across his last four starts.</li></ul><h3>PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES STRUGGLING VS RUNLINE OF LATE</h3>This year, the Phillies have put together a 42-62 record against the runline. On the road, their runline mark sits at 25-31. Straight-up, they are 56-48 and are 2nd in the NL East. Lately, Philadelphia has had problems on the road, losing two straight series. The team's over/under record for the season is 43-54.Philadelphia pitcher Cristopher Sánchez has not had the best of luck in 2023, entering with an 0-3 record and 2.98 ERA. On the road, Sánchez has been particularly impressive, boasting a .75 ERA. However, his home ERA is 3.82. His season-long WHIP stands at .97 while his opponents' batting average against him is .215 and slugging percentage is .387.Cristopher Sánchez put forth a solid performance in his last start, tossing seven innings and giving up two runs. Unfortunately, the Phillies were unable to come out on top, losing 3-2 to the Orioles.Having gone deep 3 times in their last five games, the Phillies are 9th in that span. At 4.5 runs per game, Philadelphia is 18th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .255 while hitting a total of 112 home runs (18th).The Phillies' offensive leader this season has been Kyle Schwarber. Heading into today's game, the slugger is batting .185 with 65 runs batted in and 27 home runs.<h3>WILL THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?</h3>On a record of 46-58, the Pirates are 4th in the NL Central. At home, they have put together a win percent of 47.1% compared to 41.5% on the road. This season, Pittsburgh has gone 23-45 against teams who are above .500, and hold an overall series record of 11-20-2.Rich Hill is set to make his 22nd appearance of the season today, boasting a 7-10 record. His ERA stands at 4.82 and opponents are batting .323 against him. The veteran pitcher has struck out 97 batters and holds a WHIP of 1.47. On the road, Hill's ERA is 4.94, while it's slightly higher at 5.18 when he pitches at home.Rich Hill's most recent outing resulted in a loss to the Padres, as he allowed two runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of work.So far this season, the Pirates' has gone deep 98 times, placing them 22nd in the league. Over Pittsburgh's previous five games, they are 13th in runs scored, with their season average of 4.1 runs per game putting them 25th in the league. The Pirates' overall team batting average stands at .236 along with an OBP of .312.Jack Suwinski has been a key contributor to the Pirates' offensive success this season. With a batting average of .229, he has driven in 52 runs and hit 21 home runs.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Pick & Prediction 7/30/23

Even though we are desperately hoping for things to go right during the COVID pandemic, it was nice to see something go left this past weekend. That something was the NASCAR Cup Series with its return race at Darlington. Kevin Harvick, who was the top pick from our write-up on the Darlington Raceway 400 was the winner. Let’s see if we can go that with the Xfinity Series this time around for the Toyota 200.

The Xfinity Series makes its return with some Tuesday night racing in Darlington, South Carolina, as long as Mother Nature approves. Rain is in the forecast throughout the week, but the hope is that racing can be completed.

The timing makes sense for Kyle Busch to make a stop on the Xfinity Series circuit. Busch failed pre-race inspection and had to start at the back of the pack for the Cup Series race on Sunday and never really looked all that comfortable en route to finishing 26th. Some extra laps around the track seem like a pretty good idea.

He’s the overwhelming favorite this week, which he would be anyway, but it certainly doesn’t hurt that he was able to get behind the wheel and get some reps in. He’s -135 with the next closest driver listed at +625.

Let’s check out the odds from <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/5dimes">5Dimes Sportsbook</a> for the Toyota 200 and then figure out how we want to bet this one:
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="295">Kyle Busch</td>
<td width="295">-135</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Chase Briscoe</td>
<td width="295">+625</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Harrison Burton</td>
<td width="295">+880</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Justin Allgaier</td>
<td width="295">+1320</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Brandon Jones</td>
<td width="295">+1320</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Noah Gragson</td>
<td width="295">+1600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Ross Chastain</td>
<td width="295">+1760</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Austin Cindric</td>
<td width="295">+1760</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Daniel Hemric</td>
<td width="295">+2750</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Riley Herbst</td>
<td width="295">+3300</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Field (any other driver)</td>
<td width="295">+5500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Ryan Sieg</td>
<td width="295">+6600</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Michael Annett</td>
<td width="295">+11000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Justin Haley</td>
<td width="295">+11000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Anthony Alfredo</td>
<td width="295">+33000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Myatt Snider</td>
<td width="295">+55000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Joe Graf Jr</td>
<td width="295">+200000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="295">Timmy Hill</td>
<td width="295">+200000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Starting positions were randomly drawn and Noah Gragson and Michael Annett get to start in the front row. Kyle Busch starts 26th, so he’ll have some ground to make up in order to cash at -135. Harrison Burton, the third favorite on the board, starts 12th. Chase Briscoe, the second favorite, also starts in the sixth row in 11th. There are 39 cars in the race and only nine are Toyotas for the Toyota 200.

February and early March were a little crazy, so I was a tad bit lax in my responsibilities to cover the Xfinity Series. Four races took place before the world went to hell and everything shut down. The race winners were Gragson, Briscoe, Burton, and Brandon Jones. Gragson won Stage 2 at Phoenix as well. Briscoe had another top-five finish at Daytona to go with his win at Las Vegas. Burton finished in the top five in all four races, finishing first at Fontana and second at Daytona and Phoenix. Jones led the most laps and won both stages at California before finishing 30th. He won the next week at Phoenix.

Justin Allgaier sits ninth in points, but had three stage wins before the abrupt halt to the year. He hasn’t finished higher than eighth this season. Austin Cindric, Ryan Sieg, and Justin Haley all had at least two top-five finishes in the first four races. Rookie Riley Herbst was second at Auto Club.

Now that you’re caught up, we can break this one down. The Lady in Black is a 1.366-mile oval with a big loopy curve at one end and a tighter, sharper curve at the other. Up until 2015, the Xfinity Series stop at Darlington was in the spring, but it moved to late summer when the schedule was changed around. This is going to be an extremely tough race for the drivers and the teams.

Assuming this one goes off as scheduled, it will be a night race. There are not many of those in the Xfinity Series. The drivers and the teams also have to navigate the very different ends of the track while not having practice or qualifying. We saw that play a big role in the Cup Series race and could see it play a big role here, too.

So, what do we do here? The reality is that Kyle Busch probably wins, but why bet him at -135 with so many unknowns and variables in this race. The chances of one of the other drivers taking him out seem a lot higher than usual.  If you ever wanted to take a long shot gamble in an Xfinity Series race, this is probably it.

There are some good drivers at bigger prices that are on my radar this week. One of them is Daniel Hemric at +2750. In 69 career races, Hemric has 40 top-10 finishes, but has never won. He didn’t run all of last year in the Xfinity Series. Now he is with a pretty good team in JR Motorsports. It hasn’t worked out to this point, but this is the type of time to take a guy like him. He’s an experienced driver that had 16 top-five finishes in 2018.

Austin Cindric is a guy to watch overall in the Xfinity Series and his price looks a bit high here at +1760. He is a great bet on road courses. Though this race isn’t, it will have some road course feel to it with everybody trying to get back in the swing of things and probably some tight, awkward racing. Cindric actually has six top-three finishes over his last 11 races dating back to last season. The 21-year-old has excellent backing with Team Penske and equipment could matter a lot here.

I’d be very careful with this race. The Cup Series was unpredictable enough, but this one could go a couple different ways. It could be controlled chaos or it could be a dominant win for Kyle Busch. I’ll look for option #1 and back Hemric and Cindric with some low-risk, high-reward wagers.

The Toyota 200 at Darlington Raceway will be on FS1 on Tuesday May 19 at 8 p.m. ET.

Toyota 200 Betting Odds, Picks, & Predictions - Xfinity Series Returns at Darlington

Given the context and the stakes, UCLA over Gonzaga would have been the biggest upset in NCAA Tournament history. Thanks to Jalen Suggs and a 45-foot heave, it didn’t happen. We now get the National Championship that we were hoping for with the game between Baylor and Gonzaga. UCLA fans were certainly hoping for a different outcome, but this is about the best we could have asked for, as the consensus #1 and #2 teams throughout most of the season meet for a title in Indianapolis.

Baylor’s systematic takedown of Houston was one of the most impressive performances of the tournament. It didn’t leave a lot of drama, but it was a sign of what Baylor remains capable of doing, even to teams considered “on their level” by the metrics sites that are out there.

Based on what happened in the two games, we saw a huge adjustment to the betting odds for the National Championship. Gonzaga was expected to be -6 or -6.5 in look-ahead lines. After the games, we now find Gonzaga -4.5 for the title against Baylor at <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/bookmaker">Bookmaker Sportsbook</a>. The total is a robust 159.5 with everything on the line.
<h3>Baylor Bears</h3>
Baylor has not been an underdog this season until now. The smallest line for the Bears was a -4 number on the road at Texas Tech on January 16. That even includes the postseason. You have to give a lot of credit to Scott Drew. The timing of the February COVID pause was not ideal, though no COVID pause was ideal at any point of the season for any team.

It was especially tricky for Baylor, as they came back after three weeks off and looked bad against Iowa State and then lost to Kansas to fall to 18-1. The following game was a war against West Virginia that went Baylor’s way in overtime. Since then, Baylor has looked the part more often than not, including four double-digit wins in five games in the NCAA Tournament. The Bears beat Arkansas by nine in a game that maybe didn’t deserve to be that close.

The amazing thing about the Baylor/Houston game is that Baylor actually lost the rebounding battle on the offensive glass 14-13, but it was the offensive rebound in the first half that allowed the Bears to build up a big lead that they never relinquished. Baylor also shot the lights out early in the game and finished 11-of-24 from three.

That will be a huge key to the National Championship Game. Baylor comes in as the top three-point shooting team in the country. Gonzaga comes in 43rd in that department, but first in two-point shooting. If Baylor can score by threes while Gonzaga scores by twos, it could make the upset a distinct possibility. Baylor ranks fourth in eFG% offense. Gonzaga ranks second. That is how you end up with a total knocking on the door of 160 points.

The Bears have had a much, much harder road to get to this point. Their tournament strength of schedule was a talking point prior to the Houston game. Baylor has played four straight top-20 teams. They’ve conquered them all. They’ve been remarkably efficient on offense in those games. The defense has been good enough. The Houston game really wasn’t even as close as the final score would suggest and Baylor slacked off a bit defensively in the second half.

Something that will be really interesting to watch is the pace at which this game is played. Baylor rocked Houston in transition early in the Final Four matchup, but the game was only played to 58 possessions. It was Baylor’s second game in the last three to go under 60 possessions. The Bears even slowed Arkansas down to 69 possessions and also played Wisconsin to just 64. Gonzaga will want to run and push the game in transition. That’s how they create so many open looks.

Can the Bears slow down the tempo of the game to something that they are more comfortable with or will Gonzaga dictate the pace?
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<h3>Gonzaga Bulldogs</h3>
Questions about Gonzaga have to be the big story coming into the game against Baylor, right? Memorable moments are what they are, but what people will remember with UCLA gone and Gonzaga moving on is that the Bulldogs gave up 90 points to UCLA. That the Bruins, a #11 seed playing a sixth high-octane, high-pressure game in 16 days, took the undefeated best team in the country to overtime.

It was far and away Gonzaga’s worst defensive performance of the season. UCLA had a 64.4% eFG% and 1.212 points per possession. Prior to that game, the previous worsts for Gonzaga on the defensive side were 1.098 PPP and 59.7 in eFG%. Those were both by Kansas in the opening game of the season. Gonzaga won that game by 12 points anyway.

One thing that really stands out for Gonzaga here in the NCAA Tournament has been a lack of takeaways. It could be what really keeps this game close or maybe even puts Baylor on the precipice of an upset. Gonzaga’s TO% by game are 15, 18.8, 15.1, 13.9, and 13.5. By contrast, Baylor’s are 31.2, 21.8, 27.8, 21.9, and 18.8.

Baylor comes into this game as the #3 defense in TO%. Gonzaga is respectable at 126th, but Baylor has gotten extra possessions via the offensive glass and the turnover. Those are two areas where the Bears have some pretty significant advantages. Gonzaga is a decent offensive rebounding team, but the bulk of those numbers come from West Coast Conference play, a league that ranked 27th in ORB%. It was first in DRB%, but that’s because most of those teams lack height. The Big 12 is a different animal.

That being said, rebounding won’t be quite as big of a factor if Gonzaga keeps shooting the way it has all season long. The Bulldogs get tons of clean looks on offense, which is why they’ve shot 64% on twos. They spread and share the ball so well and have so many scoring options.

The Bulldogs also have an advantage at the free throw line in this one. The officials have mostly let the teams play in the NCAA Tournament. Of course, there was a huge block/charge call on the final possession of regulation that went Gonzaga’s way, but we haven’t seen a lot of foul fests or free throw shooting competitions in these games to this point.
<h3>Pick &amp; Analysis</h3>
Man, what a great matchup this is. These are the two best teams and it is nice to see this penultimate game despite all of the upsets that we saw early in the tournament and with what the Pac-12 did in the Elite Eight.

This line was 6 or 6.5 before the Final Four. Has it been overadjusted down to 4.5 based on just two small data points? That is really the question that we have to ask ourselves here. I said before the Final Four games that I liked Gonzaga over Baylor up to -7. Now we have a choice because of how the two teams looked in their respective games. Did what happened on Saturday impact my thought process enough to shift gears?

The answer for me is no. Gonzaga -4.5 is the play. There are some concerns, certainly, but UCLA had a massive outlier offensive performance and Gonzaga did play like a team scared to lose instead of eager to win at times.

Baylor is a great team. No doubt about it. I also think their win over Houston has been a bit overblown. Houston came from a horrific AAC conference, at least from an offensive standpoint. Their defensive metrics were overblown. Credit to Baylor for the path they’ve taken to get here, but Gonzaga’s offense is on another level and the Bulldogs should speed the Bears up.
<h4>Pick: Gonzaga -4.5</h4>
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Baylor vs. Gonzaga National Championship Game College Basketball Pick and Preview 4/5/21

Looking to win big? The Bulldogs and Seawolves face off at 6:31 ET on FloC. The Seawolves are hosting the game at Stony Brook Arena in Stony Brook, NY. Yale is favored by -10 in this non-conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 143.5 points.<h3>YALE BULLDOGS VS STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Stony Brook Seawolves +10This game will be played at Stony Brook Arena at 6:31 ET on Wednesday, November 20th.<h3>WHY BET THE STONY BROOK SEAWOLVES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 78-67 in favor of the Seawolves.</li><li>Not only will Stony Brook pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +10.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 143.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.</li></ul><h3>Will Yale Win on the Road?</h3>Yale's recent game against Minnesota on Saturday saw them fall 59-56 on the road. Despite being +4.5 point underdogs, the Bulldogs kept it close and covered the spread. The total points for the game were 115, well below the 138.5 O/U line. Yale took a 29-19 lead into halftime, but struggled defensively in the second half, allowing 40 points while scoring 27. The Bulldogs will need to tighten up their defense to close out games moving forward.Yale's offense put up 56 points in their last game, shooting 44.4% from the field. They were effective from beyond the arc, hitting 50% of their threes (7/14), with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. John Poulakidas connected on 4 of 7 threes, finishing with 21 points, while Dawson Garcia added 24 points, hitting 2 of 4 from deep. Yale also grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and dished out 15 assists.Yale's defense held strong, limiting their opponent to just 59 points on 36% shooting from the field. The Bulldogs were particularly effective in guarding the perimeter, where they allowed just 3 three-pointers on 17 attempts, a 17% success rate. Inside the arc, Yale's defense gave up 17 two-point baskets on 38 attempts, a 44% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 26 times, where they converted 16 of those attempts for 61%.<h3>Will the Seawolves Make it Happen at Home?</h3><h3>Stony Brook Seawolves Recent Game/Games</h3> 

Stony Brook suffered a tough 94-56 loss to George Mason on Monday, November 11th. The Seawolves were +16 point underdogs going into the game and failed to cover the spread. 

After trailing 46-27 at halftime, Stony Brook allowed 48 points in the 2nd half while scoring 29. The total points for the game ended at 150, surpassing the O/U line of 143.Stony Brook struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 31.1% from the field and 18.5% from three-point range, finishing with 56 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 36.1%, and they managed 9 assists as a team. Darius Maddox led the way with 20 points, shooting 62.5% overall and 40% from deep. Giovanni Emejuru was nearly perfect, hitting 7 of 8 shots for 17 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.Stony Brook struggled defensively, giving up 94 points on 54% shooting. The Seawolves allowed their opponent to hit 65% of their two-point attempts, going 21/32 from inside the arc. From three-point range, Stony Brook's defense allowed 11 threes on 27 attempts, a 40% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 24 times, where they converted 19 free throws, 79%.

Yale Bulldogs vs Stony Brook Seawolves NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/20/24

The New York Islanders had a gameplan and they executed it to perfection in Game 1. Now the Washington Capitals will have to figure out how to make adjustments against a head coach that knows them about as well as they know themselves.

Early money has come in on the underdog Islanders for Game 2 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series to drive the pup price to +105 at <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betdsi">BetDSI Sportsbook</a>. The Capitals are -125 the day before Friday night’s Game 2 in Toronto.

The Islanders and Capitals had a little bit of a feeling-out process in the first period of Game 1, but apparently Barry Trotz saw what he needed to see. His Islanders fell behind 2-0 on a couple of TJ Oshie power play goals and then scored four unanswered to come away with a 4-2 victory. The Islanders were aggressive and they were physical in the series, as Trotz put out a message to make life uncomfortable for guys like Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson.

It worked. Capitals players called the blatant interference by Anders Lee “predatory”, but Lee will not face any supplemental discipline from the league. Backstrom, however, will miss Game 2. The Capitals spent most of the game trying to exact revenge on Lee and the Islanders instead of worrying about scoring goals. They were clearly thrown off by what transpired and how they had to shuffle the lineup to account for the loss of their star playmaker.

Backstrom’s absence rendered the Capitals offense punchless. They only had nine scoring chances in the game and only three of them were considered high-danger scoring chances. The Islanders had 21 scoring chances, with nine of them in the third period. Six of the nine were high-danger chances, which is when the Islanders scored three of their four goals. They had all three of the 5-v-5 goals in the game.

Braden Holtby is really under the microscope in this series. Holtby had a poor regular season and then backup goaltender Ilya Samsonov was deemed unfit to play in the postseason after suffering an injury before the restart. Holtby only stopped 23 of 27 shots. He allowed six goals on 70 shots in the three Round Robin games.

If it was just a blip on the radar coming back from the long layoff, that would be one thing. It isn’t. Holtby had a 3.11 GAA and an .897 SV% during the regular season. His -16.76 goals saved above average mark was far and away the worst of his career. He also struggled during the 2017-18 season to a similar degree, but took over in the playoffs for Philipp Grubauer and backstopped the Capitals to the first Stanley Cup win in franchise history.

The hope is there that Holtby can right the ship based on his career track record and some of his past playoff history, but he better find it soon, otherwise the Capitals are going to find themselves in quite a predicament.

Semyon Varlamov stopped 24 of 26 shots thrown his way, but the Capitals were not their usual offensive selves. They really missed Backstrom and couldn’t find a rhythm. This is a Capitals team that was fifth in 5-v-5 goals in the regular season and 11th in high-danger chances. They looked nothing like that team in Game 1. It stands to reason that Trotz would know what to do against his former employer. It also stands to reason that the Capitals should be better in Game 2. How much better is the question.

Varlamov has been inconsistent throughout his career, but he had one of his better seasons in his first year in an Islanders uniform. He had a 2.62 GAA, his lowest since the 2014-15 season, and a .914 SV%, which was right in line with his career average. The Islanders did not allow a lot of goals this season and he and backup Thomas Greiss were benefactors of the efforts of the guys in front of them.

If the Islanders can limit the chances for Washington again in Game 2, Varlamov won’t have to be superhuman, like we’ve seen other goaltenders have to do in the playoffs already. If the Capitals make the right adjustments and put some additional pressure on Varlamov and the Islanders, it could be a different story.

This is a tough game to bet. The under 5.5 makes sense with Backstrom out and a limited number of shots and scoring chances in Game 1, but it is heavily juiced in the -135 range. The side has moved down a bit, likely with the news that Backstrom won’t play. He is a major cog and facilitator for that Washington attack.

With how poorly Washington played 5-v-5, it is hard to lay a price with them in this spot, so the Islanders are the play for a smaller bet size than normal.

Pick: New York Islanders (+105)
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New York Islanders vs. Washington Capitals Game 2 Free Pick & Prediction

We have just seven games on tap in the MLB for Thursday, September 8, and this American League duel is one of them, so take a look at the best Twins vs. Yankees betting pick and odds.



Minnesota and New York will play the final of a four-game series at Yankee Stadium, and the Yankees are N/A moneyline favorites on <a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betdsi/">BetDSI Sportsbook</a>, while the total is set at N/A runs. These American League foes have met three times this season before this series, and the Yankees lead 2-1. The Yankees also won the opening game of this series, while games 2 and 3 are played on Wednesday night, at the time of writing.



Twins opened the series with a loss to the Yankees



The Minnesota Twins suffered a 5-2 loss in the opening game of the series against the New York Yankees. Game 2 which was scheduled for Tuesday night was postponed due to rain, so the rivals will play a doubleheader on Wednesday.



Minnesota held New York to a 2-2 game after the first five innings, as Gary Sanchez blasted a two-run homer in the 5th, but the Twins didn’t do anything else offensively in this loss. Chris Archer (2-7) pitched for 5.0 innings in a no-decision and surrendered two runs on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Trevor Megill took a loss and dropped to a 3-2 record.



Sonny Gray (7-4) will get on the mound for the 22nd time this year when he faces the Yankees on Thursday. The 32-year-old right-hander owns a rock-solid 3.10 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 101/33 K/BB ratio across 104.2 innings.



Yankees hit multiple home runs to beat the Twins



The New York Yankees entered this series against the Minnesota Twins after losing the ones to the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays. Still, they managed to open the current series with a 5-2 victory and are still atop of the AL East with five wins ahead of the Rays and six more than the Blue Jays.



The Yankees scored three home runs in a 5-2 win, including Aaron Judge’s 54th of the campaign, while Marwin Gonzalez and Isiah Kiner-Falefa also chipped in with a homer each. Jameson Taillon (12-4) was solid in a no-decision as he allowed two runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Greg Weissert (2-0) was credited with his second win of the season, while Clay Holmes booked his 19th save.



Clarke Schmidt (5-4) is likely going to make his 4th start of the year when he takes on the Twins on Thursday. The 26-year-old righty has a 3.02 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 38/19 K/19 ratio over 41.2 innings of work.



Trends:



Minnesota:



N/A



New York:



N/A



Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees Pick&nbsp;&nbsp;



Sonny Gray has a strong record against the Yankees, even though he didn’t face a lot of their batters so far in his career. Gray allowed just three hits on 21 at-bats and has a .143 batting average against them. He surrendered more than two runs only once in his previous eight starts, and I am backing Sonny to have a quality start on Thursday. Clarke Schmidt allowed six runs in his last two starts and given that he lacks experience in the MLB, at least as a starter, I am going with the Twins to stay close in this one. Also, I wouldn’t be surprised if the visitors conclude the series with a win.



Pick: Take the Twins at +1.5 Run Line (N/A)



The Total



New York’s games didn’t produce a lot of runs lately; in fact, the Yankees managed to score more than four runs just twice in their last ten. Minnesota’s offense is also not great recently, so I expect to see a low-scoring affair on Thursday. Gray has the ability to keep the opposing batters at bay, and given how the Yankees are batting in the last few weeks, that shouldn’t be a problem for the former Yankee. Schmidt is not a reliable pitcher and could surrender multiple runs; however, I am not sure the Twins will score enough to take this game Over.



Pick: Go Under N/A runs (N/A)

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees Odds, Pick, Prediction 9/8/22

An action-packed day/night awaits us in the MLB as we have even 17 games (two doubleheaders) on Tuesday, September 13, including this divisional tilt, and here you can read the best Royals vs. Twins betting pick and odds.



Kansas City and Minnesota will play the first of a three-game series at Target Field, and the Twins are firm -188 moneyline favorites on <a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betdsi/">BetDSI Sportsbook</a>, while the total is set at 8.5 runs. These American League Central foes have met 13 times this season, and the Twins lead 9-4.



Royals lost the series to the Tigers



The Kansas City Royals managed to avoid the series sweep by the hand of the divisional rivals Detroit Lions at home with a 4-0 win in Game 3, but it was a disappointing series in general. Kansas City was dismantled 10-2 in Game 1, and it suffered four losses in the last six games.



Still, it was a nice change of scenario in a 4-0 victory, and the Royals have to thank Brady Singer for seven scoreless innings. Singer improved to an 8-4 record after allowing four hits with six strikeouts and a walk. Michael Massey hit the second home run of his MLB career, while Drew Waters chipped in two RBIs.



Kris Bubic (2-11) will start for the 24th time this year when he takes on the Twins on Tuesday. The 25-year-old left-hander has a 5.40 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, and 88/54 K/BB ratio across 111.2 innings of work.



Twins cannot afford to lose



The Minnesota Twins are going down rapidly and currently have a 69-70 record, four wins behind the AL Central leaders Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians swept them over a three-game series in Minnesota, and the Twins mustn’t lose a single of these three games against the Royals if they want to stay alive in the playoff race. The Twins lost nine of the last 11 games and they are below .500 for the first time since April.



The Twins couldn’t do a lot against Shane Bieber and the Guardians as they scored just one run in a 4-1 defeat. Josh Winder (4-4) took a loss after surrendering two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk over 4.0 innings.



Joe Ryan (10-8) will take the mound for the 24th time this year when he meets the Royals on Tuesday. The 26-year-old right-hander owns a 4.05 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 124/39 K/BB ratio in 122.1 innings.



Trends:



Kansas City:



<ul><li>2-8 in the last ten games following a win</li><li>8-20 in the last 28 road games</li><li>6-15 in the last 21 games vs. a right-handed starter</li></ul>



Minnesota:



<ul><li>7-1 in the last eight home games vs. a left-handed starter</li><li>5-1 in the last six home games vs. a team with a losing record</li></ul>



Kansas City Royals vs. Minnesota Twins Pick



Joe Ryan is not having the best of times recently, but what to say about Kris Bubic? Kansas City’s pitcher lost each of his five starts and allowed 3+ runs in four of those five games. Bubic met the Twins once this year and lost with a 6.35 ERA in 5.2 innings. On the other hand, Joe Ryan dominated the Royals in his three starts this season and recorded all three victories with a microscopic 1.59 ERA across 17.0 innings. Kansas City is scoring only 3.80 runs per nine innings against right-handers, and I am backing the hosts to secure a comfortable win here.



Pick: Take the Twins at -1.5 Run Line (+115)



The Total



Even though Bubic is having problems recently, I don’t think he will surrender more than three or four runs in this one because Minnesota’s offense is clearly struggling right now. Still, Kansas City’s available bullpen is very weak and owns a 5.37 ERA, which is an open invitation for the Twins to score multiple runs later in the tilt. Over is 7-3 in the last ten H2H meetings, Over is 8-0 in the Royals’ previous eight during game 1 of a series, while Over is 5-1 in Minnesota’s last six overall.



Pick: Go Over 8.5 runs (-110)

Kansas City Royals vs. Minnesota Twins Odds, Pick, Prediction 9/13/22

The NHL playoffs reach a critical point on Friday night. Toronto and Columbus play back-to-back nights and so, too, do Vancouver and Minnesota. Two rested teams play just before that, as the Chicago Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers strap up for Game 4. If the Blackhawks win, they will advance. If the Oilers win, the decisive Game 5 will be played on Saturday.

For a while, it appeared as though it would be the Oilers that would take the 2-1 series lead. They led 3-2 with six minutes left in the third period. Then Matthew Highmore struck for his fourth career NHL goal. Jonathan Toews got credit for Chicago’s game-winning goal, but it was Connor Murphy’s shot from the point that crawled up Ethan Bear’s stick and went in as an unfortunate own-goal for the Oilers.

The Oilers are -135 to even up the series per the odds at <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betdsi">DSI Sportsbook</a>. That makes Chicago +115 on the opposite side to advance with a 12 over 5 upset. Wouldn’t it be fitting that we got robbed of March Madness and still get to see 12 over 5 upsets in a bracket format? The Montreal Canadiens have the chance to do the same to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.

The Oilers have a lot of things to figure out. It wasn’t like Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were shut down with the Blackhawks having the last change. In fact, those two guys were the only ones that scored goals for the Oilers. In an effort to spark some offense during a parade to the penalty box, Draisaitl even got some PK time out of his 24:22. McDavid did not, but he and Draisaitl were out there for over five and a half minutes on the power play.

Edmonton was shorthanded six times in the game. Fortunately for them, the Blackhawks only capitalized on one of those PP chances. Unfortunately, the goal was scored with just five seconds left in the first period.

The Oilers may have some additional lineup changes for Game 4. The loss of Adam Larsson was a big deal, but the Oilers also lost Tyler Ennis to an upper-body injury in the game. Ennis only played nine shifts and just over six minutes of ice time. His absence was felt throughout the game, but it was Larsson that really threw things out of whack for the Oilers.

With Larsson out, Caleb Jones moved into the lineup. Jones only played 15 shifts for just 9:44 and Matt Benning played just over nine minutes as well. That left the other four defensemen on the ice a lot, including Oskar Klefbom, who led the team with 27:07 of ice time.

Larsson’s status is in doubt for Game 4. If he cannot go, the Oilers will be without a top-pairing defenseman again and have to be in that position with the first line change.

Corey Crawford was certainly better in Game 3. He made 25 saves on 28 shots, but didn’t allow any of the backbreaking five-hole goals that he allowed in Game 2. Mikko Koskinen wasn’t up to par. The Oilers have had 30 high-danger chances compared to 19 for the Blackhawks. At even strength, Edmonton’s expected goals against is 4.07. They’ve allowed nine even-strength goals in the series. That simply won’t get it done. Koskinen needs to be better in Game 4 and that is a lot of pressure on a guy that has not been in that spot before.

The Blackhawks are not winning this series 5-v-5, but Edmonton’s substandard goaltending and poor penalty killing have allowed Chicago to not only hang around in the series, but to have a series lead.

With all of that in mind, it is hard to lay a favorite price on Edmonton here. Their big stars have showed up in Draisaitl and McDavid and they still trail in the series. Somebody else needs to do something. Maybe Koskinen. Maybe secondary scoring. Maybe Larsson back in the lineup. That seems like too many maybes and too many asks of a team in an elimination game.

Pick: Chicago Blackhawks +115
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Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks Game 4 Free Pick & Prediction

Betting on today's Golden Grizzlies and Wolfpack game? Catch the action at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA, as the Wolfpack hosts this showdown at 12:00 ET on TBS. The over/under line for this matchup is currently at 146.5 points, and North Carolina State is favored by -5.5 at home against Oakland.<h3>OAKLAND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES VS NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: North Carolina State Wolfpack -5.5This game will be played at PPG Paints Arena at 12:00 ET on Saturday, March 23rd.<h3>WHY BET THE NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-68 in favor of the Wolfpack.</li><li>Not only will North Carolina State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 146.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.</li></ul><h3>Can the Golden Grizzlies Offense Score Enough in Pittsburgh?</h3>In today's game against North Carolina State, the Oakland team, who currently has a record of 24-11, will be taking the court. The Golden Grizzlies have gone 10-7 in road games and 11-4 at home. As of now, Oakland has a winning record against the spread at 20-12. In their most recent five games, the team has gone 3-2 vs. the spread.Looking at their over/under performance through 35 games, Oakland has an over/under record of 17-15-0, with their games averaging 148.8 points per game on average. The Golden Grizzlies' have recorded an over/under record of 2-1 in their last three games, with their games averaging 153 points per game.Oakland's offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 80 points against Kentucky. They had an overall field goal percentage of 41.3% and made 13/23 free throws. Trey Townsend is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today's matchup with an average of 16.9. Meanwhile, Jack Gohlke also brings a PPG average of 12.3 into the game.On the defensive side, Oakland is currently hovering around the NCAA's average for points allowed, conceding an average of 73.0 points per game. Oakland's three-point defense is currently 261st in the country at 8.6 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 43.9% of their shots vs. Oakland.<h3>Are North Carolina State Ready for a Home Win?</h3>Following their most recent victory against Texas Tech by a score of 80-67, North Carolina State now holds a 22-14 record. In games played on the road, the Wolfpack have a record of 11-9, while they are 12-5 when playing at home. Heading into their game against Oakland, North Carolina State holds an ATS record of 19-17-1. In their last ten games, North Carolina State has been perfect vs. the spread at 5-0.Looking at their over/under performance through 36 games, North Carolina State has an over/under record of 21-14-2, with their games averaging 147.9 points per game on average. The Wolfpack's last five games have culminated with an average of 146 points per game and an over/under record of 2-2-1.North Carolina State's offense is coming off a strong performance, scoring 80 points against Texas Tech. They had an overall field goal percentage of 50.9% and made 21/26 free throws. Leading North Carolina State in scoring vs. Texas Tech was Ben Middlebrooks with his 21 points. Mohamed Diarra also added 17 points for the Wolfpack.So far, the Wolfpack's defense is ranked 184th in the country at 72.0 points per contest. North Carolina State's three-point defense is currently 154th in the country at 7.2 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 43.8% of their shots vs. North Carolina State.

Oakland Golden Grizzlies vs North Carolina State Wolfpack NCAA Tournament Second Round Betting Pick & Prediction 3/23/24

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The Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals will meet in the 2019 World Series. The Astros were expected to be here. Many people thought that the Nationals had a good chance to get here, but then they started the season 19-31. After that, Washington went 74-38 to finish the regular season at 93-69. The run was not enough to track down the Atlanta Braves, which meant that a one-game playoff against the Milwaukee Brewers would be necessary before playing the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Long odds, but the odds were pretty long at 19-31, too, as the Nationals fell to as low as 60/1 to win the World Series in late May. A bad start and no series wins in the postseason really made it seem like the Nationals never had a chance.

We just saw what can happen in sports when the St. Louis Blues, who were tied for the fewest points in the NHL in early January, won the Stanley Cup. The Nationals probably didn’t draw any inspiration from that and as a second-tier sport in the United States, that NHL achievement probably wasn’t even mentioned. Nevertheless, you can’t count good teams out and the Nationals are a very good team.

Not only did Washington go 74-38 to close out the regular season, but the Nationals are also 8-2 in 10 postseason games.

It has been business as usual for the Astros. The Oakland Athletics have provided some token resistance in the AL West, but this juggernaut never misses a beat. The Astros were pushed to the limit in the ALDS by the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Yankees provided&nbsp; little resistance after beating Zack Greinke in Game 1. The series took a sixth game, but Houston never felt endangered.

It’s wrong to say that the Nationals are playing with house money here. Were they expected to make it to the World Series? No. Are they expected to win the World Series? No. After all, the Astros are favored in the -215 range to win their second Fall Classic in three years. There is pressure on Washington. To make it this far, you want to see it through. To beat the National League favorite in the NLDS, you want to see it through. To leave the Cardinals in the dust and clinch the NL pennant at home, you want to see it through. This, after all, was a team built to win a World Series with an elite rotation, a quality offense, and a high payroll.

Unfortunately for the Nationals, some of their rest advantage coming into this series was counterfeited by how the Astros disposed of the Yankees in six games. With New York’s Game 1 win, it looked like it could be a seven-game series. Instead, the Astros didn’t have to use Gerrit Cole for a second time and Justin Verlander will be well-equipped to pitch Game 2 on regular rest.

Still, there is a path to victory for Washington. It is a path of great resistance, but it is a path all the same. The problem is just that the path is much easier for Houston.

As I’ve done all throughout the postseason, here are my three keys to the series.
<ol>
 	<li> Mad Max and Steve Stras</li>
</ol>
Max Scherzer has to be a tone-setter for the Nationals. He hasn’t been himself late in the season. You know it. I know it. He knows it. The year-to-date numbers look very Scherzerian. He racked up 6.5 fWAR to tie his second-highest total in a single season. His xFIP was actually tied for the best of his career at 2.88. His FIP was a career-best at 2.45. His ERA of 2.92 wasn’t all his fault, as he had a .321 batting average against on balls in play.

Scherzer missed time from July 25 to August 22 and had some extended downtime around the All-Star Break. From August 22 through the end of the regular season, Scherzer allowed 20 runs on 36 hits in 38 innings of work. He allowed eight home runs. He allowed three runs on for hits in five innings and walked three in the Wild Card Game. Since then, however, Scherzer has worked 15 innings with one run allowed on five hits and a 21/5 K/BB ratio.

It goes without saying, but Scherzer has to be the dominant, perennial Cy Young candidate we’re used to seeing in this series. Righties posted a laughable slash line of .193/.220/.307 with a .223 wOBA in 365 plate appearances. Scherzer struck out 38.6% of the right-handed batters he faced and 2.7% of them drew a walk. His 35.9% K%-BB% was the best in baseball against righties...by 4.4%!

The guy that ranked 13th in that K%-BB% category against righties was Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg led the NL in innings pitched with 209 in the regular season. He’s thrown 22 additional innings in these playoffs and has allowed five runs, four earned, on 18 hits with 33 strikeouts and one walk. He’s been dominant.

Righties actually did a little better than lefties against Strasburg, as lefties slashed .192/.259/.328 with a .251 wOBA and righties batted .224/.280/.366 with a .276 wOBA. Given that Michael Brantley and Yordan Alvarez are in the Astros lineup, Strasburg’s prowess against both sides of the plate makes him extremely important in this series. Strasburg, like Scherzer, struck out over 30% of right-handed batters on the season.

Scherzer and Strasburg are Washington’s Cole and Verlander and they will have to hold up their end of the bargain. It isn’t a stretch to say that the only team that can match up with a 1-2 punch like Houston’s is this Nationals team.

The problem is that the Astros could very well be deeper with the rest of the pitching staff, though that will depend on Patrick Corbin, Sean Doolittle, and Daniel Hudson. The Astros do seem to have more capable arms to deploy, especially on the bullpen side.

In the Wild Card Game, the group of Scherzer, Strasburg, Corbin, Doolittle, and Hudson recorded all 27 outs, with 15 from Scherzer, nine from Strasburg, and three from Hudson. In the NLDS, where Corbin struggled, the Nationals needed 135 outs. They got 102 of them from those five pitchers. In the NLCS, the Nationals needed 108 outs. Only 76 came from those five pitchers, as Anibal Sanchez did some elite work and Tanner Rainey helped out a little more. The Cardinals posted a .130/.195/.179 slash line.

That quintet will be asked to do a ton in this series again. That’s why the long layoff helps.
<ol start="2">
 	<li> Comparing the Offenses</li>
</ol>
The Astros had the best offense in baseball in the regular season by several metrics. Remember my Astros vs. Yankees breakdown? The Astros led the league in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, wOBA, wRC+, BB%, and K%. They were third in homers and second in doubles.

On the whole, Washington did a good job against the Dodgers, holding them to a .220/.303/.428 slash. The Cardinals were historically bad by League Championship Series standards. Houston’s offense will likely be better than that.

Washington’s offense isn’t bad. In fact, it’s quite good. The Nationals were third behind the Astros and Yankees in wOBA in the second half. They can hit and do have a strong offense. The Nationals also benefitted greatly from a .316 BABIP in the second half, which tied with the Rockies for the highest mark in the league.

In a lot of ways, these two offenses are stunningly similar. The Astros did everything just a little bit better than the Nationals except for steal bases. Even if we look at non-pitcher offensive stats, the Astros, who did have 455 more plate appearances, hit 58 more homers, posted a lower K% by 1.8%, a higher BB% by 0.4%, a higher average by two points, a higher on-base percentage by one point, a higher SLG by 26 points, a higher wOBA by nine points, and a higher wRC+ by 15 points because Minute Maid Park is not thought to be a good offensive ballpark.

Like most playoff series against the Astros, the opposition is very good, but not as good. It’s just the way that it goes. In a small seven-game sample size, it is very true that legitimately anything could happen, especially because both of these teams make a lot of contact.

What really hurt the Cardinals in the NLCS is that they struck out a ton. The Cardinals struck out 48 times in 123 at bats. The Nationals struck out 44 times in 135 at bats. They also drew four more walks. The Astros don’t strike out nearly as much as the Cardinals. They’ll put as many or more balls in play than the Nationals. This could end up being a series where batted ball luck really gives one team an edge over the other. The Nationals also get to add an extra hitter in the games in Houston, while the Astros have to remove a hitter for the games in D.C. That could prove significant, as AL teams really do miss the DH when he isn’t around. In Houston’s case, that means either playing Yordan Alvarez in the OF or just finding a place for him to pinch hit in high leverage.
<ol start="3">
 	<li> The Match(up) Game</li>
</ol>
I feel like Gene Rayburn, decked out in a fancy ‘70s suit to talk to Charles Nelson Riley and Brett Somers every time I say that. Dave Martinez is at a disadvantage here. He’s not a better manager than AJ Hinch. The Nationals have managed to play well this postseason, but Martinez made some extremely questionable decisions last season that could very well have kept the Nationals from the playoffs.

The Nationals have two left-handed batters in the regular lineup in Adam Eaton and Juan Soto. They can carry Matt Adams, Asdrubal Cabrera (S), and Gerardo “Baby Shark” Parra as bench lefties or as mix and match starters. The Astros don’t have many left-handed options. In fact, they didn’t even carry Wade Miley on the ALCS roster. Not a single left-handed pitcher made the cut. Miley, Cionel Perez, and Framber Valdez are the only ones under consideration for the World Series.

As far as non-pitcher offensive stats go, the Astros were decimal points ahead of the Dodgers against RHP with a .352 wOBA. They had the best wRC+ at 124. The Nationals were eighth at .341 and had a 107 wRC+. There are a ton of right-handed pitchers on both pitching staffs.

The Nationals can use Doolittle or maybe Corbin in matchup spots against Brantley and Alvarez, but they’ll mostly have to attack with righties, much like Houston will.

Some of these managerial decisions could be really, really big. We know that Martinez (correctly) has very little faith in most of his bullpen options. You know what makes good players elite players? The way that they make adjustments. The Astros were third in OPS in plate appearances against a starting pitcher for a third time at .907. Only Colorado was higher and we know how Coors Field skews things. The Nationals, on the other hand, ranked 16th at .802.

Astros pitchers allowed the lowest OPS at .642 in plate appearances with a pitcher facing a batter for a third time. The Nationals allowed the fourth-lowest OPS, but it was at .732. The Nationals had a 2.68 K/BB ratio in those plate appearances, while the Astros had a 5.41 K/BB, easily the best in baseball.

The middle innings will be critical in this series. The Astros rotation could be a little better equipped for turning the lineup over a third time based on what we’ve seen so far, but it’s not every day that you face Scherzer and Strasburg. For example, Strasburg allowed a .590 OPS in that split. Scherzer a .619. Corbin a .620. It was Sanchez’s .923 that skewed the numbers, to go along with the other non-primary starters.

Pick

This World Series should be really competitive. I happen to like individual game unders quite a bit in this series, as these are two great offenses, but the vast majority of the outs in this series will go to elite to well above average pitchers.

If you listened to me before the ALCS and took Houston at +130 to win the World Series, now you know why, given the line for the World Series with Houston more than a $2 favorite. You can freeroll the series if you want here with a partial unit wager on Washington and just sit back and enjoy.

If you didn’t, it’s really hard to take Houston at this point in time. The unfortunate thing is that a Cole start in Game 1, even against a well-rested Scherzer, makes taking the Nationals a tough sell. Instead of the +180 or so, you’re better off taking the Game 1 money line around the same price and then playing the Astros back to win the World Series at a reduced price if they lose. Verlander has looked human in the postseason, but he does get Game 2 at home and on a regular turn.

I still think the Astros win. They’re deeper in all facets than the Nationals. Not by a lot in each individual area, but the aggregate gives them a clear edge. The lack of a DH in D.C. could pose a problem for Houston in those games, but that is why home field advantage is important in the playoffs.

I’ll take the Astros in 6 or 7 here. I think it’s a long series. I think Washington matches up well and, quite possibly, as good as the Dodgers would have, if not slightly better with the status of some of the Dodgers pitchers. I think this should be a great series with some of the best pitchers of our generation doing work. I just think the Astros are a little bit better overall.

2019 MLB Playoffs World Series Preview & Prediction: Washington Nationals vs. Houston Astros

With UFC  275 in the rearview mirror, the MMA attention now shifts to UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Emmett at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. While there aren’t any belts on the line, there are a few fights that are worth paying attention too where bettors might find some extra value. Let’s take a closer look.



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<h2>Calvin Kattar vs. Josh Emmett</h2>



Odds: Kattar -235



The main event of the night will see Calvin Kattar take on Josh Emmett. These two featherweight fighters are hoping to inch further up the standings for their own shot at a title fight.



Kattar, who is No. 4 in the division rankings, took an entire year off after losing to Max Holloway in early 2021. His first fight since that break came up a few months ago, winning by unanimous decision over Giga Chikadze. He has taken on very talented fighters over the years and remains towards the top of the rankings despite that. Still, he’s come close but hasn’t had a shot at the title. A win here might put him right there.



As for his opponent, Emmett, he is coming into just his second UFC main event and the last time ended with him getting knocked out. Emmett has won four straight fights coming into this one and looks stronger than ever. He’s 37, though, and nine of his 17 wins are by decision, so he’s not the sexiest fighter to bet on. Don’t be surprise if Kattar dominates him as expected.



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Pick: Kattar



<h2>Tim Means vs. Kevin Holland</h2>



Odds: Holland -270



Tim Means went through a rough patch, winning just three out of his nine fights. Many figured he might be at the end of his UFC career but he’s had a huge turnaround, winning three straight since. Bettors will be careful with him here, though, as he’s just 12-7 in his career.



Meanwhile, Kevin Holland seriously struggled in 2021, stumping his growth after a phenomenal 2020 campaign. He had five wins in seven months back then but in 2021, he saw him drop multiple fights along with a no contest.



With Holland, nobody has ever questioned the talent. The question is how motivated will he be? He sometimes takes fights off or acts too arrogant. This is a spot where he’s set up for a win against a 38-year-old Means – as long as he brings a good effort.



Pick: Holland



<h2 id="h-joaquin-buckley-vs-albert-duraev">Joaquin Buckley vs. Albert Duraev</h2>



Odds: Duraev -210



Joaquin Buckley is not a fighter that tends to need the full allotment of time. In his 14 wins, 10 have come via knockout. While his most recent fight went to the judges’ scorecards, his previous seven had ended with knockout.



Duraev only has one UFC fight to his name, which saw him struggle to take down Roman Kopylov back in October, although he collected a decision victory. He’s now won 10 straight and the oddsmakers at BetAnySports expect him to win again.



Buckley has incredible power but Duraev has more tools to work with. As long as he avoids the knockout, he should be able to find his way to a win here.



If you’re looking for a value play, bet his fight to NOT go the distance. Rarely to Buckley fights make it there.



Pick: Fight NOT To Go Distance

UFC On ESPN: Kattar vs. Emmett Betting Predictions & Preview

It is conceivable that the mixed martial arts career of&nbsp;Conor McGregor,&nbsp;particularly as a competitor of superstar proportions, could be all but over if he loses Saturday’s fight against&nbsp;Dustin Poirier.



This will be the third fight between the two, and&nbsp;<a href="https://record.commissionkings.ag/_SwFIINNFoTmu11z-n_bVh2Nd7ZgqdRLk/1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BetOnline&nbsp;</a>patrons can see this from Las Vegas as the main event of UFC 264, scheduled to get underway around 11:50 PM ET.



Former middleweight boxing champion Marvin Hagler once said something about how difficult it was for a fighter to maintain the same desire and mentality once he gets used to sleeping between satin sheets.



McGregor, as you probably know, realized a nine-figure payday to put the boxing gloves on and fight Floyd Mayweather. Since then, he has gone just 3-3 in the UFC. Sure, he still remains the most talked-about fighter in mixed martial arts, but it’s not necessarily for the right reasons.



McGregor is going to make some money, but he knows that with these extracurricular activities there is more profit to be had. Indeed, he was looking forward to hands-only encounter with Manny Pacquiao,and would have been able to set that up had he not been knocked out in the second round by Dustin Poirier in January.



That was a rematch between the two, and so this one is the rubber match, completing a “trilogy,” if you will, and in the UFC 264 odds that have been posted at&nbsp;BetOnline, Poirier is listed as the favorite:



Dustin Poirier &nbsp;-130 Conor McGregor &nbsp;+110 Over 2.5 Rounds &nbsp;+120 Under 2.5 Rounds -150 Poirier and McGregor originally got together in 2014, and unfortunately for Poirier, he wasn’t mentally ready for what was happening. He was admittedly thrown off by McGregor’s game of trash talking, and when the bell rang, he didn’t last a round.



He had to rebuild his career after that, and though it didn’t happen right away, eventually he was able to put together a string of seven wins in eight fights. And he actually won the UFC’s “interim” lightweight title when he beat Max Holloway. That called for a “brawl for it all” against Khabib Nurmegomedov, the had the actual title belt.



He went into the third round with the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter but was beaten by submission. So the return match with McGregor was a chance for him to gain added credibility. And did he ever – Conor was not able to avoid his leg kicks,and that left him open up top. McGregor had never been stopped on strikes before, but this time he was, in the second round.



McGregor was counting on a win there to set up the Pacquiao fight. And he does admit that he was looking past Poirier. But nobody cares about that now. And it’s doubtful that a Pacquiao fight would still be on the table for him. At stake here, in the scenario Dana White envisions, is a shot at the lightweight title for the winner. Poirier had a chance to fight for it, but passed up that chance in favor of a third fight with McGregor, and the payday that comes with it.



There is little question that Poirier is the better guy on the ground, and in fact at&nbsp;<a href="https://record.commissionkings.ag/_SwFIINNFoTmu11z-n_bVh2Nd7ZgqdRLk/1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BetOnline&nbsp;</a>he is the runaway -600 favorite to score the first takedown. And seriously, that is the key to his strategy here; McGregor does not want to have to compete with him in anything but the “stand-up.”



McGregor is a big-time striker, but a lot of experts whose opinions deserve respect are thinking that he has lost his hunger; his edge. And you know that part of his attention is still focused on paydays elsewhere, something he adamantly denies.



But the value here lies with Poirier, who has grown by leaps and bounds since the first time these two met.



You still have time to enter the UFC 264 free predictor contest at&nbsp;<a href="https://record.commissionkings.ag/_SwFIINNFoTmu11z-n_bVh2Nd7ZgqdRLk/1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BetOnline</a>. There is $5,000 in prize money available, with $500 going to the winner. There will be twelve prop questions, and if you answer them correctly, you will win your share of the loot….. Keep in mind that&nbsp;<a href="https://record.commissionkings.ag/_SwFIINNFoTnwYShXGHhV7GNd7ZgqdRLk/1/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Odds Boosters&nbsp;</a>are available every day to give you greatly enhanced payouts on pre-selected parlays. And they leave the door open for all kinds of payment methods, including many cryptocurrencies. So there’s no excuse not to get in on the action!

UFC 264 Odds – McGregor Hopes Third Match With Poirier Brightens His Star Again

At 8:10 PM ET, the Diamondbacks and Royals will square off in an interleague matchup. This one is taking place at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, and the Royals are favored on the money line at -159. The money line odds for an Arizona win are sitting at +134, and the Diamondbacks are 2nd in the NL West with a record of 51-49. Kansas City is 2nd in the AL Central and they are currently on a three-game winning streak.

Monday's over/under line is at 8.5 runs, and BSKC is carrying the game on TV. Cole Ragans is starting for the Royals, while the Diamondbacks are sending Yilber Diaz to the mound.<h3>KANSAS CITY ROYALS VS ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Kansas City Royals Moneyline -159This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium at 8:10 ET on Monday, July 22nd.<h3>HOW TO BET THE DIAMONDBACKS VS ROYALS:</h3><ul><li>We have the Royals winning by a score of 7 to 6</li><li>However, if you're looking for a run line pick, we like the Diamondbacks to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 13 runs and like the over</li></ul><h3>Diamondbacks Records & Stats</h3>Arizona closed out their series vs. the Cubs with a 2-1 loss. The Diamondbacks were the +110 underdog on the road. This game was especially tough, as they held a lead going into the bottom of the 9th before the Cubs scored a run to walk things off. Arizona's offense scored their only run on a Eugenio Suarez homer in the 7th.

Brandon Pfaadt put together a good start for the Diamondbacks, going seven innings and not giving up a run. However, the Diamondbacks couldn't close things out, and Joe Mantiply took the loss out of the bullpen. The Diamondbacks also wasted a big game from Eugenio Suarez, who homered in the 7th but went just 1/4.Arizona is 51-49 overall and trails the Dodgers by eight games in the NL West. The Diamondbacks will be on the road today vs. the Royals, and they are 25-25 on the road compared to 26-24 at home. So far, they have gone 19-14 in divisional games.

As the road underdog, the Diamondbacks have gone 20-19 this year, and they are 25-30 as the underdog overall. Arizona has been pretty good as the favorite, putting together a mark of 26-19. Their overall series record is 15-13-4, and they have won two straight series.Arizona has been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 52-48 overall. They've been particularly good on the road, where they are 29-21 on the run line. They have covered in their last five road games and are 33-22 as an underdog on the run line this season.The Diamondbacks have played in 39 games this season with an over/under line higher than 8.5 runs, and their games have averaged 9.6 runs per game. Arizona's over/under record for the season is 52-45, and their games have averaged 9 runs per game. Their games have gone over the line in 19 of 32 games when the line is set at 8.5 runs. The Diamondbacks have gone under in three straight games.Yilber Diaz is getting the start for the Diamondbacks on the road against the Royals. He has been solid in his first two starts of the season, going 6 innings in each. Diaz picked up the win in his first start, giving up just 1 earned run, and then went 6 innings with 5 strikeouts in a no-decision vs. the Braves.Arizona has been a very consistent offensive team this season, as they are 5th in the league in runs scored and have the 7th best team batting average in the league. Not only are they one of the best home run hitting teams in the league, but they have also done a great job of avoiding strikeouts, as they are 9th in the league in fewest strikeouts. The Diamondbacks have been even better in terms of plate discipline, as they are 6th in the league in walks and have the 5th best on-base percentage in the league.

Christian Walker and Ketel Marte have been two of the team's top hitters this season, with Walker leading the team with 22 home runs and 68 RBIs, and Marte's 19 homers is good for 2nd on the team. Marte has also been swinging a hot bat of late, hitting .393 over his last eight games. Eugenio Suarez has also been swinging a hot bat, going 9/29 with four homers in his last eight games.<h3>Royals Records & Stats</h3>To close out their series vs. the White Sox, the Royals picked up a 4-1 win. Leading up to the game, they were the heavy favorite at -239. Offensively, the Royals scored their four runs on 10 hits and didn't hit a home run.

Seth Lugo put together a good start for the Royals, going nine innings and giving up just one earned run, and picking up the win. Kansas City's offense was carried by Bobby Witt Jr., who went 3/4 with a run scored.Kansas City will host the Diamondbacks with an overall record of 55-45, and they are 2nd in the AL Central, five games behind the Guardians. The Royals have won three straight games, and they closed out their series vs. the White Sox with three straight wins. So far, they have gone 19-10 in divisional games.

At home, the Royals are 34-18 this season and 21-27 on the road. As the favorite, the Royals are 29-15 this year and 26-30 as the underdog. Kansas City has won five straight games as the favorite. So far, their overall series record is 15-16-1.The Royals have been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 58-42 overall. They have been especially good at home, going 32-20 on the run line. Their average run margin is +0.7 runs per game, and they have covered the run line in three straight games at home. They have been a better bet as the underdog, going 34-22 on the run line in those games.The Kansas City Royals are playing at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks today. The over/under line for the game is set at 8.5 runs, which is slightly higher than their combined run average of 8.4 runs per game. The Royals have an over/under record of 40-57 on the season, and their games have had an average over/under line of 8 runs. When the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs, their record is 10-19, and they have gone under the total in six straight games.Cole Ragans is looking to build off his last outing, where he faced the Red Sox and picked up the win. In that July 12th outing, he went seven innings and gave up just one earned run. Looking back over his last four starts, Ragans has given up no more than two earned runs in any outing. The left-hander has a record of 6-6 and an ERA of 3.16. Opponents are batting .213 this season off Ragans, and his WHIP for the season is 1.14. Ragans has one complete game shutout this year and 14 quality starts.
So far this season, the Royals are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 12th in the league. At home, they have been even better, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .248, which is 9th in the league, and are 2nd in the league in fewest strikeouts per game. The Royals have two players who have gone deep 17 times this season, with both Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez coming into the game with a batting average over .280.

Over his last 10 games, Bobby Witt Jr. has been on fire, going 19/40 with three homers and eight RBIs. For the season, he is batting .337 and has driven in 66 runs. Witt Jr. is also on a four-game hitting streak. Salvador Perez has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 12/37 in his last 10 games with three homers.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs Kansas City Royals Betting Pick & Prediction 7/22/24

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