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As great of a season as the Tampa Bay Rays had in 2019, they still finished seven games behind the New York Yankees. The Yankees certainly got better with the signing of Gerrit Cole and will hope for the healthy returns of Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, and Giancarlo Stanton.

The Rays are the chief threat once again. The Boston Red Sox spent their offseason trying to shed money because the tax of having too many luxuries became too burdensome for owner John Henry. That resulted in the trade of Mookie Betts and David Price to the Los Angeles Dodgers. A good package of players returned, but only one, Alex Verdugo, will make an impact in 2020.

The Toronto Blue Jays will be much better with full seasons of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, and a revamped starting rotation of Major League pitchers with actual track records. The Baltimore Orioles will still be a bottom-feeder.

With that, here are the odds to win the AL East per <a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/5dimes">5Dimes Sportsbook</a> as of February 20, 2020:

<a href="http://bangthebook.com/new-york-yankees-win-total-analysis/144/">New York</a><a href="http://bangthebook.com/new-york-yankees-win-total-analysis/144/"> Yankees</a> -425

<a href="http://bangthebook.com/tampa-bay-rays-win-total-analysis/136/">Tampa Bay</a><a href="http://bangthebook.com/tampa-bay-rays-win-total-analysis/136/"> Rays</a> +650

<a href="http://bangthebook.com/boston-red-sox-win-total-analysis/159/">Boston</a><a href="http://bangthebook.com/boston-red-sox-win-total-analysis/159/"> Red Sox</a> +1025

<a href="http://bangthebook.com/toronto-blue-jays-win-total-analysis/134/">Toronto</a><a href="http://bangthebook.com/toronto-blue-jays-win-total-analysis/134/"> Blue Jays</a> +5350

<a href="http://bangthebook.com/baltimore-orioles-win-total-analysis/160/">Baltimore</a><a href="http://bangthebook.com/baltimore-orioles-win-total-analysis/160/"> Orioles</a> +85000

There are only two options in this division. The first is to lay -425 to tie up your money for more than seven months on the Yankees to win the AL East. The other is to take the BaseRuns and 3rd Order Win% AL East champs of 2019 at +650. The Yankees won by seven games based on the actual records of games played, but the Rays had the better record per the alternate standings metrics of BaseRuns, a context-neutral run differential metric, and 3rd Order Win%, which is adjusted based on strength of schedule and “underlying concepts” as calculated by Baseball Prospectus.

You can read more about it in the team preview for the Yankees, but New York was much better with men on base than with the bases empty and that created a rather big gap between the team’s actual record and the BaseRuns record.

Ultimately, the game is played between the lines and the Yankees are still very likely to win this division. The -425 price tag implies that the Yankees win the division about 81% of the time. That seems a little bit high to me.

The February announcement that Severino had a setback after last season’s injury-plagued campaign does make the Rays a little bit more interesting. The Yankees are missing Domingo German for a domestic violence suspension and James Paxton had a surgical procedure on his back that will keep him out until at least June.

The Rays could very well win the AL East. They are the only other team that can. If you wanted to take the +650 price, you could and you could easily justify it, given that this is a two-team race and one of the horses is already limping out of the starting gate. The +650 price tag implies a 13.33% likelihood of the Rays winning this division and that seems light to me, particularly when they really are the only other team with the chance to do so.

Tampa Bay +650 is really the only option for a division future here and it is a pretty good one all in all.

2020 AL East Division Betting Odds & Prediction

BetDSI

Bookmaker

Bet US

BetOnline

Bovada

Planning on watching today's Vandals and Hornets game? Catch the action at The Hornets Nest in Sacramento, CA, as the Hornets hosts this showdown at 9:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Big Sky conference contest is set at 132.5 points, with Sacramento State being favored by -4.5 at home against Idaho.<h3>IDAHO VANDALS VS SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Sacramento State Hornets -4.5This game will be played at The Hornets Nest at 9:00 ET on Monday, February 5th.<h3>WHY BET THE SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 76-68 in favor of the Hornets.</li><li>Not only will Sacramento State pick up the win, but look for them to cover at -4.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 132.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 144 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Vandals Pull Through as the Away Underdog?</h3>Idaho enters this game with an overall record of 8-14, including a 2-7 mark in Big Sky Conference games. So far, the Vandals have gone 3-7 on the road, where they have been outscored by an average of 11.6 points per game.

As the underdog this season, Idaho has gone 3-13, compared to a 3-1 record as the favorite. In their last game, the Vandals defeated Montana State by a score of 81-75.As the underdog this season, Idaho has gone 5-11 vs. the spread. On the road, their ATS mark is 4-6 and over their last 10 games as the underdog, they are just 2-8 vs. the spread. However, in their last three games as the underdog, the Vandals have gone 2-1 ATS.Idaho's over/under record for the season is 11-8-1 and today's line of 132.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games (141.2). So far, 18 of their games have finished with more points than today's line. In their last three games, the over/under record is 3-0 with an average scoring total of 152 points.In their latest game, Idaho's offense looked good, scoring 81 points against Montana State. They recorded an overall field goal percentage of 54.4% and made 14/20 free throws. Julius Mims led the team in scoring, putting up 15 points. Additionally, D'Angelo Minnis contributed 14 points for the Vandals.The Vandals' defense is presently ranked 170th nationally, allowing an average of 72.0 points per contest. Against Montana State in their most recent game, the Idaho defense gave up a total of 75 points while allowing Montana State to hit 49% of their shots.<h3>Can Sacramento State Secure a Home Victory?</h3>After losing their last game to Portland State by a score of 58-51, Sacramento State comes into this game with a record of 6-16. They have lost five games in a row and have gone 2-7 in Big Sky Conference play.

At home this season, the Hornets have gone 3-6, and they are 4-6 in their last 10 games at home. For the season, their average scoring margin at home is -4.9 points per game.As the favorite this season, Sacramento State has a record of 1-4-1 vs. the spread. At home, their ATS mark is 3-5-1. Over their last 10 games as the favorite, the Hornets are 3-6-1.So far this season, the over/under record for Sacramento State games is 8-12. Today's over/under line of 132.5 is lower than the average over/under line in their games this season (139.8). Over their last three games, the average scoring total is just 126 points and their over/under record during this stretch is 0-3.Coming off their recent game, the Sacramento State offense tallied 51 points in a matchup against Portland State. Their field goal percentage for the game was 42%, and they made 3 threes. On the offensive front, the Hornets have a season-long field goal percentage of 43%, ranking 298th nationally. When it comes to three-point shooting, they are ranked 343rd in terms of percentage and 190th in three-pointers made.The Hornets' defense is presently ranked 148th nationally, allowing an average of 71.1 points per contest. Sacramento State's three-point defense is currently 96th in the country at 6.7 made threes per game. In terms of overall field goal percentage, opponets have hit 42.5% of their shots vs. Sacramento State.

Idaho Vandals vs Sacramento State Hornets Betting Pick & Prediction 2/5/24

Planning on watching today's Tigers and Bulldogs game? Catch the action at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, GA, as the Bulldogs hosts this showdown at 3:30 ET on SEC. The over/under for this non-conference contest is set at 149 points, with Georgia being favored by -16 over Texas Southern.<h3>TEXAS SOUTHERN TIGERS VS GEORGIA BULLDOGS BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Texas Southern Tigers +16This game will be played at Stegeman Coliseum at 3:30 ET on Sunday, November 10th.<h3>WHY BET THE TEXAS SOUTHERN TIGERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-71 in favor of the Bulldogs.</li><li>Even though we have Georgia winning straight-up, we like Texas Southern at +16.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 149 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Tigers Find a Way to Win in Athens?</h3><h3>Texas Southern Tigers Recent Game/Games</h3> 

Texas Southern faced off against Xavier on Monday, November 4th, losing 78-69 on the road. Despite being +27 point underdogs, the Tigers kept the game closer than expected. The total points for the game ended at 147, just under the O/U line of 150.5. 

The Tigers were leading 38-34 at halftime but struggled in the 2nd half, scoring only 31 points while allowing Xavier to put up 44.Texas Southern put up 69 points in their last game, shooting 41.4% from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 50%, thanks in part to hitting 43.5% from beyond the arc, connecting on 10 of 23 attempts. They also made 11 of 13 free throws, good for 84.6%. Ryan Conwell and Kavion McClain each scored 21 points, with Conwell hitting 5 threes at a 50% rate. Zach Freemantle and Dayvion McKnight added 19 points each, with McKnight also dishing out 5 assists. Kolby Granger was efficient, shooting 71.4% from the field and hitting 2 of 3 from deep.Despite Texas Southern's defensive efforts, they allowed 78 points in their previous game. They held their opponent to 37% shooting from the field, with 19 made field goals on 51 attempts. From beyond the arc, Texas Southern's defense limited their opponent to 6/23 shooting, or 26%. However, they sent their opponent to the free-throw line 41 times, where they converted 34 free throws, shooting 82%.<h3>Will Georgia Live Up to Expectations at Home?</h3><h3>Georgia Bulldogs Recent Game/Games</h3> 

Georgia opened their season with an 83-78 win over Tennessee Tech on Monday, November 4th. Playing at home, the Bulldogs were -24 favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points reached 161, surpassing the O/U line of 141. 

Georgia led 42-38 at halftime and scored 41 points in the 2nd half while allowing 40. Though they got the win, the Bulldogs will look to tighten up defensively moving forward.Georgia put up 83 points in their last game, shooting 51.5% from the field. They were dominant inside, hitting 62.5% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from beyond the arc, connecting on just 22.2% of their threes. Asa Newell led the way with 26 points and 11 rebounds, though he missed all 4 of his three-point attempts. Mekhi Cameron added 21 points, hitting 3 of 6 from deep, while Dakota Leffew was 4 of 6 from three, finishing with 18 points.Georgia's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 78 points on 51% shooting from the field. They had a tough time defending inside, allowing 62% shooting on two-point attempts. From beyond the arc, Georgia held their opponent to 22% shooting, with just 4 made threes. However, they sent them to the line 18 times, where they hit 11 free throws. Georgia also allowed 16 offensive rebounds.

Texas Southern Tigers vs Georgia Bulldogs NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/10/24

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Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Chanticleers versus the Wolfpack? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ACC. The game will be played at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC. The odds for this non-conference game currently have North Carolina State as the -19 favorite, with the over/under line sitting at 145 points.<h3>COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS VS NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK BETTING PICK</h3>The Pick: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers +19This game will be played at Lenovo Center at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, November 13th.<h3>WHY BET THE COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-70 in favor of the Wolfpack.</li><li>Even though we have North Carolina State winning straight-up, we like Coastal Carolina at +19.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 145 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.</li></ul><h3>Can Coastal Carolina Stun the Crowd at Lenovo Center?</h3>Coastal Carolina dropped their season opener on Saturday, falling 63-59 to East Carolina on the road. Despite being +12.5 point underdogs, the Chanticleers kept the game closer than expected. After trailing 24-22 at halftime, Coastal Carolina scored 37 points in the 2nd half but allowed 39. The game’s total points of 122 fell short of the 135.5 O/U line.Coastal Carolina struggled offensively in their last game, managing just 59 points on 33.9% shooting from the field. Their effective field goal percentage was 40.7%, with two-point shooting at 32.4% and three-point shooting at 36.4% (8/22). RJ Felton led the way with 25 points and 11 rebounds, hitting 3 of 6 from beyond the arc. Rasheed Jones added 20 points, shooting 60% overall and 66.7% from three (4/6).Coastal Carolina's defense was strong, holding their opponent to just 63 points on 32% shooting from the field. They limited two-point opportunities, with the other team making only 13 of 32 attempts, and shut down the three-point line, where their opponent hit just 4 of 20 shots. Even with 42 free-throw attempts, the opponent couldn't capitalize, shooting only 59% from the line. Coastal Carolina did give up 16 offensive rebounds, but their defensive effort was enough to keep the score low.<h3>Does North Carolina State Have a Shot at a Home Win?</h3>North Carolina State opened their season with an 81-72 win over Presbyterian on Friday, November 8th. Playing at home, the Wolfpack were favored by -21.5 points but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 153 fell just short of the over/under line of 154. NC State led 38-31 at halftime and scored 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 41. Although they secured the win, the Wolfpack’s inability to cover the spread and their defensive performance in the 2nd half may be areas to watch as the season progresses.NC State's offense put up 81 points in their last game, shooting 55.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 60.7%. They were dominant inside, hitting 64.9% of their two-point attempts, while connecting on 36.8% from beyond the arc. Kory Mincy led the way with 28 points, shooting 80% from three (4/5) and adding 4 assists. Kobe Stewart contributed 20 points, and Jayden Taylor added 19. Michael O'Connell chipped in 11 points and 8 assists, hitting 2 of 4 from deep.North Carolina State's defense struggled in their last game, giving up 72 points on 55% shooting from the field. They allowed their opponent to shoot 64% from inside the arc, with 24 made two-point shots. From three-point range, NC State's defense gave up 7 threes on 19 attempts, a 36% shooting performance. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 19 times, where they converted 12 free throws. The Wolfpack allowed 10 offensive rebounds.

Coastal Carolina Chanticleers vs North Carolina State Wolfpack NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/13/24

Things don't look good for the&nbsp;Los Angeles Clippers&nbsp;at the moment, at least on the surface. They have lost the first two games of their Western Conference playoff series against the&nbsp;Phoenix Suns, and there is the possibility that Phoenix, which had the second best record in the league, will get&nbsp;Chris Paul&nbsp;back out of the COVID protocol for this one.



BetAnySports&nbsp;customers who watched Game 2, which went down to the last second - literally - have to be wondering what the Clippers will come up with to compensate for the absence of Kawhi Leonard. After all, it would help if they could throw a curveball the Suns' way.



But L.A. comes back to its home floor, as Game 3 takes place at 9:05 PM ET on Thursday at the Staples Center.



And we'd like to remind you that if you want to stay right in the action every step of the way, choose "Super Lines" for real-time wagering.



Paul George had the opportunity to play the hero's role for the Clippers in Game 2. But he made just one of eight attempts from three-point territory and missed a pair of free throws in the final seconds that could have put Los Angeles up three points. And then Phoenix's Jae Crowder, on a inbounds pass, found DeAndre Ayton on an alley-oop that brought the Suns a 104-103 win.



As of this writing, Phoenix is still trying to confirm that they can get Paul cleared and eligible to play on Thursday. The Clippers have not been very transparent about the extent of Leonard's injury, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski had mentioned that he may have an ACL injury, which would take him out for the rest of the series.



In the NBA Western Conference finals odds posted by the folks at&nbsp;<a href="http://betanysports.eu/btb50/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BetAnySports</a>, the Suns are the slight favorites playing on the road:



Phoenix Suns -1 Los Angeles Clippers +1 Over 219.5 points -110 Under 219.5 points -110 The Phoenix offensive effort would certainly look different with a return from Paul, who may have been the most valuable player in the league this season. Or maybe it wouldn't. In Paul's absence, the Suns got a simply awesome effort from backup point guard Cameron Payne, who averaged 8.4 points during the regular season but poured in 29 on Tuesday, adding nine assists.



And it's a good thing he rose to the occasion, because Devin Booker, who exploded for 40 points in Game 1, had only five field goals and committed seven of Phoenix's eight turnovers. When a guy like that has a Usage rate of 34.9%, it can put a team in trouble.



Ayton has hardly missed a shot (22 of 29, or 75.9%), and the Suns have been almost spotless from the line (92.6%), although it should be mentioned that free throws are not their stock-in-trade. For instance, Ayton, a center, has attempted just one shot from the charity stripe.



The Clippers have been top-heavy, as George and Reggie Jackson have taken almost half their shots. And DeMarcus Cousins has pretty much been a disaster. But L.A.'s metrics aren't all that bad; they've hit 40.7% from the arc and have posted an Offensive Rating of 119.8.



Even with Payne having a career game, the Clips came to within a second of stealing a game in Phoenix without their best player. We might add that they have been down 2-0 twice already in these playoffs, and that teams who are in that position and coming back to their home floor have had the first half ATS advantage in 31 of the last 40 instances.



We think the&nbsp;Clippers&nbsp;can carry that first half and also keep things together in the second half, so we'll go with them in this near pick'em situation.



Make your way over to the newly-designed&nbsp;<a href="http://bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betanysports/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BetAnySports</a>, where you can enjoy many options on NBA playoff action, including alternate lines, and of course, player props...... And as always, you have the chance to play with "Less Juice." &nbsp;......Then check out Super Lines and wager in real time...... They let you open up an account in a lot of ways, and one of them is Bitcoin, which gives you a fee-free, lightning-quick transaction!

NBA Western Conference Finals Odds - Suns Hope Paul Returns to Help Game 3 Cause