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<p>Even though the calendar has turned to October, the <a href="https://bangthebook.com/horse-racing">horse racing</a> schedule continues to heat up throughout the United States. There are a couple of race tracks hosting big events this weekend, and that includes Keeneland. </p>



<p>The <strong>Breeders’ Futurity Stakes</strong> is going to be the biggest race of the weekend, and it’s one that will come with some drama. Betting odds for this race have been set, and now is the perfect time to start making some wagers. </p>



<p>Here is a look at some of the early odds to win the Futurity Stakes, and a pick to win this exciting Grade 1 race.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size"><strong><a href="/s/betdsi">BET ON THE BREEDERS FUTURITY STAKES AT BETDSI</a></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Two Horses Stand Out in Breeders' Futurity Stakes</h2>



<p>There are currently 11 horses with odds to win this race, and the odds do tend to fall off in a big way at a certain point. Ferocious is easily the betting favorite to win this race as that horse currently has EVEN odds this weekend.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This is a horse that appears to be taking the next step, and it will be a major horse to watch in the future as well. Even though the odds for Ferocious clearly make it the betting favorite, you should be looking at some other odds as well.&nbsp;</p>



<p>East Avenue is the other horse that is expected to contend for the title this weekend at Keeneland. The odds for East Avenue are sitting at +450, and there is clearly some more betting value in betting on that horse than betting on Ferocious.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It appears that this will be a two-horse race to the finish line, but there have been a ton of surprises already this year.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Other Horses to Watch</h2>



<p>As mentioned above, the betting odds fall off in a big way for this race, and some of these horses shouldn’t even be considered at all. Tenacious Leader is the next horse that you should consider, but the odds for that horse are sitting at +1200.&nbsp;</p>



<p>There is a reason to consider Tenacious Leader at +1200 as it’s a horse that has had some big runs up to this point in its career. Dapper Moon is another horse that has a chance to contend this weekend, even though the betting odds are sitting at +1500.</p>



<p>Handsome Pants has odds set at +2000 to win the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes, and that is really the last horse that you should consider. Some of the horses with even worse odds might end up dropping out of the race before it begins.&nbsp;</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><em><a href="/s/betdsi">All odds listed are from the BetDSI sportsbook</a></em></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ferocious Gets it Done</h2>



<p>You should always be looking to find some betting value when betting on the top horse races, but there are some races where that just doesn’t make sense. That is going to be the case in the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes as there are two clear betting favorites for a reason.&nbsp;</p>



<p>East Avenue is going to make Ferocious work hard to win this race, but that’s really where things are going to end. Going with Ferocious at EVEN money is going to be the bet to make in this race.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="/s/betdsi">BET ON THE BREEDERS FUTURITY STAKES AT BETDSI</a></strong></p>

2024 Breeders' Futurity Stakes Preview &amp; Predictions

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<p>Chicago comes into the game with a record of 65-66, while the Pirates are 62-68. This NL Central matchup has a money line odds of -107 for the Cubs and -112 for the Pirates. The over/under line is currently sitting at 8.5 runs.</p>

<p>SN PT will be televising Monday's game, which gets underway at 6:40 PM ET from PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Jameson Taillon will start for the Pirates, while the Cubs are going with Mitch Keller. Chicago is currently 3rd in the NL Central, while the Pirates are 5th.</p><h3>PITTSBURGH PIRATES VS CHICAGO CUBS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates Moneyline -112</p><p>This game will be played at PNC Park at 6:40 ET on Monday, August 26th.</p><h3>HOW TO BET THE CUBS VS PIRATES:</h3><ul><li>We have the Pirates winning by a score of 6 to 5</li><li>If you're looking for a run line pick, we also like the Pirates to cover</li><li>As for an over/under pick, we have this game finishing with 11 runs and like the over</li></ul><h3>Cubs Records & Stats</h3><p>Heading into their last game vs. the Marlins, the Cubs closed out the series with a 7-2 loss. Chicago was the heavy favorite, at -177, going into the game. Things started off well for the Cubs, as they got on the board with a run in the 2nd inning but gave up the lead right away as the Marlins scored two runs in the bottom of the first.</p>

<p>Javier Assad put together a good start for the Cubs, going seven innings and giving up just three earned runs, and striking out three. However, the Cubs couldn't close things out, and Assad took the loss. The Cubs also wasted a big game from Ian Happ, who went 3/5 with two doubles, a run scored, and an RBI.</p><p>Chicago is on the road today, taking on the Pirates with an overall record of 65-66. The Cubs are in 3rd place in the NL Central, where they trail the Brewers by 10.5 games. So far, they are just 17-26 in divisional games. The Cubs have been good in close games, going 22-14 in one-run games this year.</p>

<p>At home, the Cubs are 36-29 compared to 29-37 on the road. As the favorite, the Cubs are 33-32 this year and 32-34 as the underdog. Chicago's overall series record is 17-21-3, and they have won three straight series.</p><p>Chicago has been a solid run line bet on the road this season, going 38-28, compared to just 25-40 at home. The Cubs have an average run margin of +0.1 runs per game overall, but that number jumps to +0.5 runs per game at Wrigley Field. They have been a profitable run line bet as the underdog, going 44-22, but have struggled as the favorite, going just 19-46.</p><p>When the Cubs are on the road, the over/under line is set at 8.5 runs. Their combined run average this season is 8.4 runs per game. Their over/under record for the season is 58-68, and their average over/under line is set at 8 runs. When the line is set at 8.5 runs, their over/under record is 16-13. In 37 games this season, the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs, which accounts for 28.2% of their games. In 65 games, the line has been set below 8.5 runs, which accounts for 49.6% of their games.</p><p>Right-hander Jameson Taillon gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces his former team, the Pirates. He comes into the game with a record of 8-8 and an ERA of 3.77. Taillon has made 22 starts this year and has turned in 11 quality starts. In his last outing, he took the loss, giving up four earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had given up at least four earned runs in three straight starts. Taillon's ERA on the road is 4.97, compared to 3.18 at home.</p>

<p>Over his last four games, Miguel Amaya has been on fire, going 8/13 with two homers and seven RBIs. Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong have also been swinging the bat well, with Suzuki going 8/20 and Crow-Armstrong hitting .353 in their last five games. Both players have two homers during this stretch.</p>

<p>For the season, the Cubs are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 16th in the league. They are also just 16th in home runs and have a team batting average of .236. Leading the way in homers is Ian Happ and Isaac Paredes, but both players have struggled in terms of batting average this season.</p><h3>Pirates Records & Stats</h3><p>The Pirates's offense was hot right out of the gates in their most recent game vs. the Reds, closing out their series with a 4-3 win. After allowing three runs to the Reds in the top of the 1st, the Pirates responded with a run of their own. Pittsburgh went on to add another run in the 3rd inning and closed things out with Aroldis Chapman picking up the save in the 9th.</p>

<p>Luis L. Ortiz put together a good start for the Pirates, going six innings and not giving up a run. He also issued just one walk and struck out five. Yasmani Grandal had only one hit, but it was a home run, and the Pirates scored another run in the 3rd to take the lead.</p><p>Pittsburgh is set to host the Cubs with an overall record of 62-68, and they are 5th in the NL Central, 13 games behind the Brewers. The Pirates took the series vs. the Reds, winning three of the four games.</p>

<p>At home, the Pirates are 32-33 this year, and they have gone 30-35 on the road. So far, they have been the favorite in 49 games, going 27-22 in those matchups. As for their games as the underdog, the Pirates are 35-46 this year. Their overall series record is 18-18-5 heading into today's game, and they are 6-4 over their last 10 games overall.</p><p>When the Pirates win, they do so by an average of 3.2 runs per game. When they lose, they lose by an average of 3.4 runs per game. They have a run line record of 74-56, with a 55-26 record as the underdog.</p>The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing at home against the Chicago Cubs today, with the over/under line set at 8.5 runs. The combined run average for Pirates games this season is also 8.5 runs per game, and their over/under record is 62-66. The average over/under line for Pirates games is 8 runs, and their over/under record when the line is set at 8.5 runs is 26-20. So far this season, 21 of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8.5 runs, accounting for 16.2% of their games.<p>Pittsburgh is sending Mitch Keller to the mound today vs. the Cubs, and he will be looking to build off his last outing, where he didn't give up a run. In that start vs. the Rangers, Keller went seven innings and got the win. Looking back over his last three outings, Keller has given up at least five earned runs in each of them. His record for the season is 11-7, and his ERA is 3.76. Out of his 25 starts, Keller has turned in 13 quality starts and has a WHIP of 1.21.</p><p>So far this season, the Pirates are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 23rd in the league. They have not been much better at home or on the road, as they are 22nd and 23rd in those categories, respectively. As a team, the Pirates are batting just .234, which is 18th in the league, and their on-base percentage of .300 is also near the bottom of the league.</p>

<p>Bryan Reynolds and Bryan De La Cruz are the Pirates' top two home run hitters this season, with 19 and 18 homers, respectively. Reynolds is also the team's leading run producer, with 71 RBIs. Reynolds comes into the game with a batting average of .279, while De La Cruz is batting .242. Oneil Cruz is also sitting on 18 homers and is batting .265 for the season.</p>

Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Pick & Prediction 8/26/24

<p>At 10:00 ET, the 6-8 Atlanta Hawks travel to Sacramento to take on the 8-6 Kings. Sacramento is currently favored by 4.5 points and the over/under line is set at 234.5.</p>

<p>This non-conference matchup will be played at the Golden 1 Center and can be seen on NBCS.</p><h3>ATLANTA HAWKS VS SACRAMENTO KINGS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Atlanta Hawks +4.5</p><p>This game will be played at Golden 1 Center at 10:00 ET on Monday, November 18th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE ATLANTA HAWKS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 126-96 in favor of the Hawks.</li><li>Our projections have Trae Young finishing with Trae Young points, 3 rebounds and 11 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the Hawks finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.5% and knocking down 14 threes.</li></ul><h3>Is A Road Victory Likely for Underdog Atlanta?</h3><p>The Hawks fell to 6-8 on the season after a 114-110 loss to the Trail Blazers on Sunday. Atlanta, who entered the game as 4-point favorites, couldn’t cover the spread. The total score of 224 points fell short of the 230-point O/U line.</p> <p>Atlanta started strong, going on an 11-0 run early and leading 33-21 after the 1st quarter. However, a rough 3rd quarter saw them outscored 38-17. Despite a comeback attempt in the 4th, where they outscored Portland 28-20, the Hawks couldn’t close the gap.</p><p>Trae Young hit 5 threes at a 50% clip, finishing with 29 points and 8 assists in the Hawks' 110-114 loss to the Trail Blazers. Jalen Johnson added 25 points, shooting 71.4% from the field, while Dyson Daniels contributed 12 points despite shooting just 29.4%.</p> <p>Young scored 14 points in the 4th quarter, and Johnson added 8 in the final period. Daniels had 10 of his 12 points in the 1st quarter, and Vít Krejčí scored 8 of his 11 points in the 2nd quarter.</p><p>The Hawks had a strong defensive start and finish, giving up just 21 points in the 1st quarter and 20 in the 4th, but they struggled in the middle, allowing 35 points in the 2nd and 38 in the 3rd, leading to a 114-110 loss to the Trail Blazers. Atlanta gave up 14 three-pointers on 36% shooting from deep.</p> <p>They sent Portland to the line 19 times, where the Blazers hit 12 free throws. The Hawks grabbed 31 defensive rebounds but allowed 18 offensive boards. They also recorded 10 steals and 7 blocks in the game.</p><h3>Pressure Builds for Sacramento as Home Favorites</h3><p>With a 121-117 win over the Jazz on Saturday, the Kings improved to 8-6. Sacramento was favored by -7.5 points but didn’t cover the spread. The total points of 238 exceeded the O/U line of 228.5 by 9.5 points.</p> <p>After an 11-0 run by the Jazz, Sacramento rallied in the 4th quarter, outscoring Utah 31-23 to secure the win.</p><p>De'Aaron Fox was unstoppable in the Kings' win over the Jazz, scoring 49 points and dishing out 9 assists while shooting 53.3% from the field. He also hit 3 threes at a 75% clip, with 18 points in the 1st quarter and 14 more in the 4th.</p> <p>As a team, the Kings made 19 threes, shooting 46.3% from deep and 50.6% overall. Trey Lyles and Kevin Huerter each hit 5 threes, with Lyles shooting 71.4% from beyond the arc and finishing with 17 points, while Huerter added 18 points.</p><p>Defensively, the Kings struggled through the first three quarters, allowing at least 31 points in each, but they tightened up in the 4th, giving up just 23 points to help secure the win. Overall, they allowed the Jazz to shoot 49% from the field.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, the Kings gave up 12 threes on 46% shooting. They also sent the Jazz to the line 42 times, where they hit 31 free throws. The Kings finished with 6 steals and 3 blocks.</p>

Atlanta Hawks vs Sacramento Kings Betting Pick & Prediction 11/18/24

<p>Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Screaming Eagles and Knights. The game is starting at 6:30 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Knights at Knights Hall in Louisville, KY. Get ready to place your bets! The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 141.5 points, with Bellarmine being favored by -3.5 over Southern Indiana.</p><h3>SOUTHERN INDIANA SCREAMING EAGLES VS BELLARMINE KNIGHTS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Bellarmine Knights -3.5</p><p>This game will be played at Knights Hall at 6:30 ET on Wednesday, November 13th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE BELLARMINE KNIGHTS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 82-70 in favor of the Knights.</li><li>Not only will Bellarmine pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -3.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 141.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 152 points.</li></ul><h3>Can Southern Indiana Stun the Crowd at Knights Hall?</h3><h3>Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Southern Indiana fell to Marshall 77-63 on Monday, November 11th. The Screaming Eagles, who were +9.5 point underdogs, didn’t cover the spread in this one. The total points for the game were 140, falling short of the 154-point over/under line.</p> 

<p>Southern Indiana struggled in the first half, trailing 38-19 at the break. They showed some fight in the second half, scoring 44 points and allowing 39, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit.</p><p>Southern Indiana struggled offensively, shooting just 36% from the field and 30% from three-point range in their last game. They managed only 2 assists as a team, but did grab 14 offensive rebounds. Their effective field goal percentage was 40%.</p> <p>Damoni Harrison led the way with 20 points, hitting all 3 of his three-point attempts. Dezayne Mingo added 19 points, shooting 60% overall, while Nate Martin contributed 18 points, connecting on 71.4% of his shots.</p><p>Southern Indiana's defense gave up 77 points, with their opponents shooting 45% from the field. They allowed 53% shooting on two-point attempts, with the other team making 16 of 30 shots.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Southern Indiana held their opponents to 31% shooting, as they hit 5 of 16 threes. The Screaming Eagles sent their opponents to the line 50 times, where they made 30 free throws, shooting 60%. Southern Indiana also gave up 11 offensive rebounds.</p><h3>Will the Knights Pull Through as the Favored Home Team?</h3><p>Bellarmine's season opener against VMI ended in a 76-71 loss, as the Knights failed to cover the -10.5 spread. The game total of 147 points was right on the O/U line.</p> <p>After trailing 43-29 at halftime, Bellarmine's defense tightened up, allowing just 33 points in the 2nd half while scoring 42. Despite the strong finish, they couldn't complete the comeback.</p><p>Bellarmine put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 47.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 56.9%. They hit 66.7% of their two-point attempts (14/21) and connected on 33.3% from beyond the arc (10/30). At the free-throw line, they were 13/15, good for 86.7%.</p> <p>The Knights dished out 21 assists, with Dylan Branson contributing 6 in just 17 minutes. Jack Karasinski led the team with 24 points, shooting 69.2% overall and 50% from three (3/6). TJ Johnson also hit 4 threes, shooting 66.7% from deep and finishing with 14 points.</p><p>Bellarmine's defense gave up 76 points, with their opponents shooting 47% from the field, hitting 24 of 51 attempts. Inside the arc, the Knights allowed 66% shooting, with 14 two-point baskets made.</p> <p>From three-point range, Bellarmine's defense saw their opponents connect on 10 of 30 attempts, a 33% success rate. They also sent the opposing team to the line 15 times, where they made 13 free throws, shooting 86%. Bellarmine limited offensive rebounds, giving up just 5.</p>

Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles vs Bellarmine Knights NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/13/24

<p>The Blue Raiders and Hilltoppers are set to face off at 3:00 ET on CBSS. The Hilltoppers will host the game at Von Braun Center in Huntsville, AL. The odds for this Conference USA conference game currently have Western Kentucky as the -5.5 point favorite with the over/under line sitting at 147.5 points.</p><h3>MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS VS WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers -5.5</p><p>This game will be played at Von Braun Center at 3:00 ET on Friday, March 15th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE WESTERN KENTUCKY HILLTOPPERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-69 in favor of the Hilltoppers.</li><li>Not only will Western Kentucky pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -5.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 147.5 points, and we like the under with a projected 145 points.</li></ul><h3>Is a Road Win Possible for Middle Tennessee?</h3><p>As the underdog, Middle Tennessee State's record stands at 4-13 this season. They have gone 2-12 on the road, with an average scoring margin of -15.9 points per game. In their last game, they defeated Louisiana Tech by a score of 70-67.</p>

<p>For the season, the Blue Raiders have gone 13-18, including an 8-9 mark in Conference USA. Over their last ten games on the road, they have gone 2-8. So far, they have been the underdog in 17 of their 31 games.</p><p>As the underdog this season, Middle Tennessee has a 4-13 record vs. the spread. On the road, their ATS mark is just 2-12. Over their last 10 games as the underdog, the Blue Raiders have gone 4-6 vs. the spread.</p><p>This season, the over/under record for Middle Tennessee games is 13-15-2. Today's over/under line of 147.5 is higher than the average over/under line in their games this season (135). So far, 25 of their games have finished with fewer points than today's line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 2-1 and the average scoring total is 139 points.</p><p>In their most recent game, the Blue Raiders' offense tallied 70 points, consistent with their ongoing season average of 66 points per game. The Middle Tennessee offense has been looking to get up shots from outside so far this season, averaging 23.3 three-point attempts per contest. Overall, they have connected on 31% of their looks from outside this season.</p><p>Coming into today's game, the Middle Tennessee defense is giving up an average of 69.8 points per contest. In terms of field goal percentage allowed, Middle Tennessee's defense has allowed opponents to shoot 43.3% from the field, including a three-point shooting percentage allowed of 32.2% this season.</p><h3>Can the Hilltoppers Live Up to the Hype at Home?</h3><p>Western Kentucky is 10-4 at home this season, and they have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games at home. So far, they have been favored in 17 of their 30 games, going 11-6 in those games. They come into this game with a record of 19-11 overall.</p>

<p>On the road, the Hilltoppers have gone 7-7 this season, and they have a road average scoring margin of +1.9 points per game. They have lost three straight games on the road.</p><p>Western Kentucky has an ATS record of 17-11 this season, including a mark of 8-6 at home. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Hilltoppers have gone 6-4 vs. the spread.</p><p>Western Kentucky's over/under record this season sits at 14-14. The average scoring total in their games is 154 points, which is 2.9 points higher than the average over/under line of 151.1. Today's over/under line is 147.5. So far, 17 of their games have finished with more points than today's line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0 and the average scoring total is 161 points.</p><p>Western Kentucky recently showcased a strong offensive performance, scoring 89 points against New Mexico State. This output exceeded their season average of 80.5 points per game. Currently leading the team in scoring is Donald McHenry who comes into today's matchup averaging 14.8. Brandon Newman also heads into the game with a PPG average of 10.2.</p><p>Coming into today's game, the Western Kentucky defense is giving up an average of 74.8 points per contest. In today's game vs. Middle Tennessee, the Western Kentucky defense will be looking to do a better job avoiding putting opponents on the line. In their last game, Western Kentucky made 23 free-throws vs. the Hilltoppers.</p>

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Betting Pick & Prediction 3/15/24

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