Newsletter

<p>Planning on watching today's Bruins and Huskies game? Catch the action at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle, WA, as the Huskies hosts this showdown at 11:00 ET on FS1. UCLA come into this Big Ten conference matchup as the -5.5 favorite. The over/under line currently sits at 135.5 points.</p><h3>UCLA BRUINS VS WASHINGTON HUSKIES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Washington Huskies +5.5</p><p>This game will be played at Alaska Airlines Arena at 11:00 ET on Friday, January 24th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE WASHINGTON HUSKIES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Huskies.</li><li>Not only will Washington pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +5.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 135.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.</li></ul><h3>Will UCLA Pull Through as the Favored Road Team?</h3><h3>UCLA Bruins Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>UCLA improved to 13-6 on the season with an 85-83 win over Wisconsin on Tuesday. The Bruins were favored by 3.5 points going into the home game but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game reached 168, surpassing the O/U line of 142.5.</p> 

<p>UCLA was down 41-36 at halftime but rallied in the second half, scoring 49 points while allowing 42. Their strong second-half performance was key to securing the win.</p><p>UCLA put up 85 points in their last game, shooting 50.9% from the field and posting an effective field goal percentage of 56.1%. They hit 60.5% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 31.6% of their threes (6/19). At the free-throw line, the Bruins shot 75%, making 21 of 28 attempts.</p> <p>John Tonje led the way with 24 points, hitting 6 of 7 threes and shooting 88.9% overall. Aday Mara was perfect from the field, going 7 for 7 and finishing with 22 points in 21 minutes. John Blackwell added 23 points, despite shooting just 35.7% from the floor.</p><p>UCLA's defense struggled, giving up 83 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Bruins allowed 23 two-point baskets on 38 attempts, a 60% success rate for their opponent.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, UCLA's opponent shot 31%, hitting 6 of 19 threes. The Bruins also sent them to the line 28 times, where they converted 21 free throws at a 75% clip. UCLA allowed 10 offensive rebounds in the game.</p><h3>Can the Huskies Please their Home Crowd?</h3><h3>Washington Huskies Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>The Huskies fell to 9-9 on the season after an 82-71 road loss to Oregon on Tuesday, January 21st. Washington entered the game as +12.5 point underdogs but managed to cover the spread.</p> 

<p>Washington trailed 34-32 at halftime before allowing 48 points in the 2nd half. They scored 39 points after the break. The game’s total points of 153 went over the 145.5 O/U line.</p><p>In their latest game, the Huskies put up 71 points, shooting 46.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, largely due to their struggles from beyond the arc, where they hit just 4 of 21 attempts (19%). Inside the arc, they were much more efficient, connecting on 62.9% of their two-point shots.</p> <p>At the free-throw line, Washington was solid, hitting 15 of 17 attempts (88.2%). TJ Bamba led the way with 21 points, while Great Osobor added 20 despite going 0 for 4 from three. Vazoumana Diallo was efficient, shooting 77.8% overall and adding 18 points.</p><p>Washington's defense struggled, giving up 82 points on 50% shooting from the field. The Huskies allowed their opponent to hit 25 of 43 two-point attempts, a 58% success rate.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Washington's opponent shot 33%, making 6 of 18 threes. They also sent the other team to the free-throw line 18 times, where they converted 14 attempts for 77%.</p>

UCLA Bruins vs Washington Huskies NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/24/25

BetDSI

Bookmaker

Bet US

BetOnline

Bovada

<p>Looking to win big? The Falcons and RedHawks face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The RedHawks are hosting the game at Millett Hall in Oxford, OH. The over/under for this game is set at 152.5 points, and Miami (OH) is favored by -10.5 vs. Bowling Green in a Mid-American conference matchup.</p><h3>BOWLING GREEN FALCONS VS MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Bowling Green Falcons +10.5</p><p>This game will be played at Millett Hall at 7:00 ET on Tuesday, January 21st.</p><h3>WHY BET THE BOWLING GREEN FALCONS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-70 in favor of the RedHawks.</li><li>Even though we have Miami (OH) winning straight-up, we like Bowling Green at +10.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 152.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 146 points.</li></ul><h3>Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog Bowling Green?</h3><h3>Bowling Green Falcons Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>The Falcons dropped to 5-10 on the season after a 68-62 home loss to Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Bowling Green entered the game as -6.5 point favorites but failed to cover the spread.</p> 

<p>Trailing 29-26 at halftime, the Falcons scored 36 points in the second half but allowed 39. The combined points of 130 fell short of the 152.5 O/U line.</p><p>Bowling Green struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 34.5% from the field and 22.7% from three-point range. Their effective field goal percentage was 37.9%, and they managed only 4 assists as a team.</p> <p>Marcus Johnson led the way with 18 points, hitting 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. Arne Osojnik also connected on 4 of 5 threes, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds.</p><p>Bowling Green's defense held their opponent to 68 points on 34% shooting from the field. They limited two-point attempts to 41% (15/36).</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Bowling Green allowed 5 threes on 22 attempts, a 22% shooting rate. Their opponent also shot 73% from the free-throw line, making 17 of 23 attempts, and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds.</p><h3>Can the RedHawks Please their Home Crowd?</h3><h3>Miami (OH) RedHawks Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Miami (OH) improved to 11-4 on the season with a 70-61 road win over Kent State on Saturday. The RedHawks entered the game as +5.5 point underdogs and not only pulled off the upset but also covered the spread.</p> 

<p>After trailing 41-32 at halftime, Miami (OH) clamped down defensively, allowing just 20 points in the second half while scoring 38 of their own. The combined points for the game were 131, falling under the pre-game O/U line of 142.5.</p><p>In their last game, Miami (OH) shot 48.9% from the field, with an effective field goal percentage of 57.4%. They connected on 65.2% of their two-point attempts and hit 33.3% from beyond the arc, making 8 of 24 threes. At the free-throw line, the RedHawks were 16 of 20, shooting 80%.</p> <p>Cian Medley and Brant Byers each scored 15 points, with Byers hitting 3 of 5 from deep. Eian Elmer added 14 points, shooting 66.7% overall, while Mekhi Cooper contributed 12 points, making 2 of 3 threes. Jalen Sullinger struggled from three, hitting just 1 of 8, but finished with 11 points.</p><p>Despite Miami (OH) shooting 61% from two-point range, the RedHawks held them to just 61 points by limiting their three-point shooting to 13% on 4/29 attempts. Miami (OH) also struggled from the free-throw line, converting only 11 of 18 attempts for 61%.</p> <p>Defensively, the RedHawks gave up 9 offensive rebounds but managed to keep Miami (OH) in check overall, allowing them to shoot 38% from the field on 23/60 attempts.</p>

Bowling Green Falcons vs Miami (OH) RedHawks NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/21/25

The questions are endless regarding the 2020 MLB season. As you’ve heard ad nauseam already, this is no longer a marathon. It is a sprint. This is an oversimplified point, but going from 162 games to 60 basically means that each game counts for 2.7 games, so the playoff push literally starts from day one.

From a betting standpoint, things are going to be unique. We’re pretty used to that already, as many have taken a headfirst plunge into golf, UFC, and NASCAR to pass the time without the major sports.

When it comes to baseball, though, there are industry changes to go along with the handicapping adjustments that we’ll all be forced to make. For example, the CRIS books, including <a href="http://bangthebook.com/s/bookmaker"><strong>Bookmaker</strong></a>, will be going to “Action” instead of the listed pitchers, however, <strong><a href="https://get.bookmaker.help/hc/en-us/articles/360010821098-Baseball-rule-changes-2020">all wagers lock in at the price at the time of your bet</a></strong>.

In the past, “Action” meant that you got the price at the time of closing. Now, with teams likely to use openers more frequently or maybe have to make pitching changes because of COVID tests, the sportsbooks have some decisions to make on how they want their House Rules to run.

For Bookmaker and the other CRIS books, that means all bets are Action and go at the price that was bet, so even if you took +200 and the line drops to +180 as a result of a pitching change, you still get +200.

Games must go 8.5 innings for money line, total, and run line bets if the home team has a lead and the full 9 innings if the road team has a lead. Money line wagers used to be graded so long as the game went final. That will no longer be the case.

Postponed games must be completed by 5 a.m. in the time zone of the game with a winner declared. That is another change.

So, we do have some changes on the House Rules, and you are going to need to know  what those rules are at your respective sportsbook, so I highly recommend you take the time to check those out before the first pitch of the season.

There are three handicapping questions specifically that I want to focus on here, but more of them are out there for sure. These are just the three that have been most pressing in my mind and it usually helps for me to punch away at the keys to organize my thoughts.
<h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> How does the baseball play?</strong></span></h3>
Is the ball juiced? Is it dead? Is it somewhere in between? The Summer Camp games have been stone cold over bets, as most teams have played Home Run Derby in their exhibition games leading up to the season. Is this a commentary on the baseballs that will be in use? Is this about pitchers not being up to snuff with their command?

The fact of the matter is that I don’t know. I’m not sure anybody totally does. I watched Pirates at Indians on Monday night and it sure looked like the balls had quite a bit of extra carry to them. Pop ups just kept going. Balls that were well-struck became no-doubters. Josh Bell hit an <strong><a href="https://www.mlb.com/pirates/video/josh-bell-s-solo-home-run?t=spring-training">oppo home run</a></strong> that he made contact with on the back half of the plate with a rather ugly swing.

There seems to be a lot of anecdotal evidence about the ball being juiced. Guys that usually don’t hit for a lot of power are hitting mammoth dingers in Summer Camp and intrasquad games. Take a look around Twitter at night and you’ll see examples of balls that look juiced.

Maybe pitchers just aren’t throwing enough good pitches. Generally speaking, starters get 30-40 innings in Spring Training to get revved up for the season. Everybody reported around July 4 to these modified Summer Camps, so a lot of pitchers are probably still trying to get a feel for everything. For example, Mike Foltynewicz didn’t throw a single fastball in his final outing this week according to Statcast. He threw 38 sliders and 31 curveballs. He was not at all effective, but he was working on things.

We have nothing else to really talk about, so each and every little development will get beaten to death. Any time a pitcher struggles, it will be news. Be careful not to overreact to what you’ve just seen, but also understand that all of these guys are going to be finding their way in some form early in this process.
<h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> What happens with the universal DH?</strong></span></h3>
Last season, AL teams scored 4.88 runs per game and NL teams scored 4.78 runs per game. It makes sense that the AL would have a little bit higher scoring of a run environment than the NL because pitchers don’t bat in the American League. I didn’t take the time to parse interleague play from those full-season averages, but the fact of the matter is that the AL had an extra hitter in the lineup every time through and the NL didn’t.

With that being said, the difference was only 251 runs between the two leagues. Now the NL has the DH. You can make a case, all things equal with the lineup, that the NL is the higher-scoring of the two leagues based on the fact that pitchers took up 4,770 plate appearances and posted an abysmal .131/.161/.168 slash line.

NL pitchers accounted for 5.12% of the plate appearances, but 9.6% of the strikeouts across NL games last season. Designated hitters are going to be a much bigger part of the equation now and will not strike out nearly as much and be far more productive.

As I mentioned in a <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SkatingTripods/status/1285640578999504897">series of tweets</a></strong> on Tuesday, I’m curious about the impact this has on NL starting pitchers. As it is, they had a much bigger spike from the second time through the order to the third time through the order than the AL. They also had better fortunes the second time through the order than their AL counterparts.

My guess here is that even though pitchers will no longer be lifted for pinch hitters, they are still not going to work as deep into games facing an extra hitter each time through the lineup.

It will also be interesting to see how managers handle this in the NL. Managerial tendencies are going to play a huge role across the board because each game is magnified in importance, so we will likely see a lot of quick hooks for starters and a lot more relief innings than we are accustomed to because there is incentive to win every single game.

The strain placed on bullpens this season will be excessive. It will be a primary focus in each and every handicap.

Totals will be adjusted up in the NL as a result of the extra hitter. Maybe the adjustments will be a bit too high, but we’ll have to see how it plays out.
<h3><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> What does it mean to play 60 instead of 160?</strong></span></h3>
The thing about 60 games instead of 162 is that it brings a lot of possibilities into play. The only teams I would definitively write off in this format are the Orioles, Tigers, Royals, Mariners, Pirates, and Giants. Even the Marlins, Rangers, Rockies, and Blue Jays are interesting to varying degrees.

Each team goes into this format thinking that it has a chance. Smaller sample sizes are open to more variance. Injury and illness will play big roles. There are a lot of ways in which the playing field can be leveled.

With the bad and below average teams, they have hope. They have hope that they really wouldn’t have had otherwise.

With the good and above average teams, they have more urgency. Going through the motions for 60 games to win 100 games anyway is no longer an option. The margin for error is essentially zero. You have to win when you are supposed to, protect leads until the very end, and steal some games here and there. Most of all, you have to be fully engaged from the start.

We’ve seen good teams falter out of the gate. The 2019 Nationals. The Indians of the last few seasons with slow starts in April. The Dodgers were 16-26 after 42 games in 2018 and 30-30 after 60 games. They went on to go 92-71. The luxury of knowing that you will eventually win 90+ games is not on the table.

Do we see teams that get off to bad starts pack it in? Do we see teams show up day in and day out with their best efforts? Do we see individual players opt out of the rest of the season from a nagging injury or another health concern? Do the players whose wives and girlfriends are pregnant step away for good after the kid(s) are born? Do players that get hurt early try hard to come back and contribute at the end?

Do we see teams opt to give minor leaguers a look because there will be no development at that level this season? Do prospects suddenly go from the taxi squad to the top of the order for a team going nowhere? Does a huge win over a division rival lead to a letdown playing an interleague game the next day?

On a day-by-day basis, we’ll have some of these things to think about. Will a team bounce back from a particularly devastating loss? Remember, each game in this format is worth three games in a regular format. A walk-off loss feels like a sweep. A walk-off win feels like a cause for celebration.

Maybe I’m guilty of attempting to fall into more of a psychiatrist role than a handicapping role with things like situational spots and some of the above examples. Maybe it needs to exclusively be about the numbers and the matchups and how the teams stack up. Maybe those grey areas need to be pushed to the side, perhaps more than ever, but that seems like the wrong way to approach it with this hurried format.

Anybody that tells you they are going into this season with utmost confidence in their handicapping is a really good liar. Pitching changes are going to swing lines, models, projections, and outlooks. Openers and piggybacks lead to uncertainty. And we haven’t even touched on the new three-batter rule.

The goal is going to be to be in a great position to win the bets day after day. Teams that had a lead after five innings last season converted those games into wins 84% of the time. That will be my focus. I’m looking to be in a position to win. If I don’t because bullpens are a mess and dudes are overworked or variance happens, it is what it is.

Maybe team totals and derivatives are the way to go. Maybe more starting pitchers struggle in the first inning.

Maybe this. Maybe that. If this. If that. This is uncharted territory for everybody from the hitters to the pitchers and the sportsbooks to the bettors.

All I know is that I’m ready to see baseball again.

Three Burning Baseball Betting Questions for the 2020 MLB Season

<p>Planning on watching today's Demon Deacons and Hurricanes game? Catch the action at Watsco Center in Coral Gables, FL, as the Hurricanes hosts this showdown at 5:15 ET on CW. Wake Forest is favored by -2.5 in this Atlantic Coast conference showdown. The game's over/under is currently at 142.5 points.</p><h3>WAKE FOREST DEMON DEACONS VS MIAMI HURRICANES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Miami Hurricanes +2.5</p><p>This game will be played at Watsco Center at 5:15 ET on Saturday, January 11th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE MIAMI HURRICANES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Hurricanes.</li><li>Not only will Miami pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +2.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 145 points.</li></ul><h3>Can Wake Forest Deliver Being Favored on the Road?</h3><h3>Wake Forest Demon Deacons Recent Game/Games</h3> <p>Wake Forest improved to 11-4 on the season with a 77-59 win over NC State on Saturday. Playing at home, the Demon Deacons entered as -5.5 point favorites and covered the spread.</p> <p>Wake Forest led 38-32 at halftime and clamped down defensively in the second half, holding the Wolfpack to just 27 points while scoring 39 of their own. The total points for the game ended at 136, just under the 137.5 O/U line.</p><p>Wake Forest put up 77 points in their last game, shooting 54.9% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 60.8%. They hit 62.9% of their two-point attempts and 37.5% from beyond the arc, while connecting on 78.9% of their free throws.</p> <p>Hunter Sallis led the way with 20 points, shooting 57.1% overall and 50% from three. Juke Harris added 17 points, hitting 75% of his shots, and Tre'Von Spillers was 6-for-7 from the field, finishing with 12 points.</p><p>Even with a strong defensive effort, Wake Forest couldn’t hold their opponent, giving up 59 points on 54% shooting from the field. Their defense struggled inside, allowing 62% shooting on two-point attempts.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Wake Forest gave up 6 threes on 16 attempts, a 37% success rate. They also sent their opponent to the line 19 times, where they hit 15 free throws, shooting 78%.</p><h3>Can the Hurricanes Pull the Upset at Home?</h3><p>Miami’s season continued to struggle as they fell to 4-11 after an 80-65 loss to Florida State on Wednesday. The Hurricanes, who were -2.5 favorites at home, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 145, falling short of the 151.5 O/U line.</p> <p>Miami found themselves in a 39-25 hole at halftime. Although they managed to score 40 points in the second half, they allowed 41 points to FSU, preventing any chance of a comeback.</p><p>Miami's offense struggled in their last game, shooting just 36.7% from the field and 23.8% from three-point range, finishing with 65 points. Their effective field goal percentage was 40%, and they hit 16 of 23 free throws (69.6%).</p> <p>Malique Ewin led the way with 20 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 71.4% from the field. Taylor Bol Bowen was perfect, hitting all 6 of his shots, including 4 threes, for 16 points and 6 rebounds.</p><p>Even though Miami gave up 80 points, they held the opposing team to just 36% shooting from the field, as the other team went 22/60 on field goals. Inside the arc, the opposition shot 43%, making 17 of their 39 two-point attempts.</p> <p>From three-point range, Miami's defense limited the other team to 5/21 shooting, or 23%. The Hurricanes also sent the opposition to the free-throw line 23 times, where they converted 16 of their attempts, shooting 69%.</p>

Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs Miami Hurricanes NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 1/11/25

<p>Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Huskies and Aggies. The game is starting at 8:00 ET on SECN, and it's hosted by the Aggies at Reed Arena in College Station, TX. Get ready to place your bets! This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 153 points, and the Aggies are favored to win at home vs. the Huskies.</p><h3>HOUSTON CHRISTIAN HUSKIES VS TEXAS A&M AGGIES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Houston Christian Huskies +32.5</p><p>This game will be played at Reed Arena at 8:00 ET on Friday, December 22nd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE HOUSTON CHRISTIAN HUSKIES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-69 in favor of the Aggies.</li><li>Even though we have Texas A&M winning straight-up, we like Houston Christian at +32.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 153 points, and we like the under with a projected 144 points.</li></ul><h3>Do the Huskies Stand a Chance in College Station?</h3><p>Houston Christian comes into their game against Texas A&M with a season record of 2-8. In away games this season, the Huskies are 0-7, while they are 0-1 at home. Houston Christian has a winning record against the spread, sitting at 5-3. In their past five games, they are 2-1 vs. the spread.</p><p>Houston Christian comes in with an over/under record of 4-4-0 through 10 games, with their games averaging a combined 152.2 points per game so far. In their most recent three games, the Huskies' over/under record is 0-2, with their games averaging 149 points per game.</p><p>In their most recent game, the Houston Christian offense put up just 53 points vs. the SMU Mustangs. Overall, they are now averaging 71.4 points per game which is 425th in the country. In terms of offense, the Huskies have a season-long field goal percentage of 42%, putting them 371st in the NCAA. Regarding three-pointers, they are ranked 422nd in percentage and 379th in three-pointers made.</p><p>Looking at the Houston Christian defense, they will be looking for a better performance considering they are currently conceding 83.8 points per game (277th). So far, the Houston Christian defense is giving up an average of 8.6 offensive rebounds per game and are turning teams over 16.4 times per game (676th).</p><h3>Can Texas A&M Secure a Home Victory?</h3><p>After playing 11 games, Texas A&M currently has a 7-4 record. In their last five home games, which also includes last year, Texas A&M has gone 3-2. At the moment, Texas A&M has a winning ATS record, sitting at 5-3. Over their last five games, the team is 3-2 vs. the spread.</p><p>Texas A&M's games have, on average, featured 143.4 points per game leading to an over/under record of 5-3-0. Their average over/under line is currently 138.8 points so far. The Aggies have seen their last five games conclude with a collective average of 138 points per game and an over/under record of 4-1.</p><p>In contrast to their season average of 75.6 points per game, the Texas A&M had a below average performance. They scored 47 points against Virginia and had a field goal percentage of 30.4%. Wade Taylor IV is currently the leading scorer for the team, entering today's matchup with an average of 18.6. Meanwhile, Henry Coleman III also brings a PPG average of 12.6 into the game.</p><p>Currently, the Aggies' defense holds the 118th rank in the nation, allowing 69.1 points per game. On average, opposing teams are hitting 8.8 threes per game vs. Houston Christian. This has come on three-point shooting percentage of 36.1%.</p>

Houston Christian Huskies vs Texas A&M Aggies Betting Pick & Prediction 12/22/23

BetDSI

Bookmaker

Bet US

BetOnline

Bovada