by WINNERS_ONLY
Sunday’s NFL Week 2 Preseason Betting Primer
The second week of the NFL preseason comes to a close with three games on the schedule on Sunday. From disastrous fields to disastrous offensive lines, here are the notes you need-to-know for Sunday’s action on the gridiron.
♠ Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5, 41)
* Packers’ linebacker Clay Matthews has still yet to see live snaps this preseason and it does currently seem that it is unlikely he will Sunday. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers does not seem overly concerned though saying “With a guy like Clay, who’s bright (and has) good football instincts, I like where he is in terms of being able to do what I ask him to do.”
* The Steelers will trot out every healthy player in Sunday according to Mike Tomlin. The only regular starter that is expected to miss the game is linebacker Lawrence Timmons, who is dealing with turf toe.
♠ St. Louis Rams at Tennessee Titans (-2, 38.5)
* The center position is still unsettled for the Rams. The three-way race between Tim Raines, Barrett Jones and Demetrius Rhaney saw Barnes get the start last week. Rhaney has spent most of the week at left guard with Roger Saffold nursing an injury as well.
* The Titans first-team offensive line looked shaky in Week 1 of the preseason and will be tested early in this one against the powerful Rams defensive line. There has been reports that te Titans have been connected to guard Evan Mathis is shore up their line.
♠ Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco 49ers (-4, 40.5)
* There seems to be a chance that Tony Romo does not even see the field Sunday. The grass at Levi Stadium has been so bad that Romo will likely be limited if he plays at all according to Clarence Hill of the Dallas Star-Telegram.
* Levi Stadium has been an utter trainwreck this offseason. It has been so bad that the 49ers have only conducted three of their eight scheduled practices on their home turf due to the poor conditions. The field has also been freshly laid after the stadium hosted a Taylor Swift concert earlier this week.
Sunday Night’s Preseason Tips
By Tony Mejia
Cowboys at 49ers (-4 ½, 40) – 8:00 PM EST
Dallas
Head coach: Jason Garrett (7-11 SU, 5-12-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Tony Romo (?), Brandon Weeden, Dustin Vaughan, Jameill Showers (Rookie)
The Cowboys have spent all of their preparation time on the West Coast again this training camp, setting up headquarters in Oxnard and playing the Chargers and 49ers on their home fields. They’ll be home for the last two preseason games and will wait until they return to Texas to play their key offensive lineman or the banged up Dez Bryant. Romo may sit too, especially since there are concerns about the sod at Levi’s Stadium potentially being dangerous. One Cowboy who will debut is Darren McFadden, expected to compete for the vacant running back job.
San Francisco
Head coach: Jim Tomsula (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert, Dylan Thompson (Rookie)
Tomsula’s debut in Houston didn’t go well, but Kaepernick got in the game only briefly and Thompson failed to make much headway with the reserves after Gabbert put up the team’s lone 10 points. With Kaepernick unlikely to play more than a quarter, the 49ers will again look to see how their backups respond before getting serious about giving their regulars time next week. As a result, intriguing Aussie rugby player turned running back Jerryd Hayne should get more touches, as will rookie Mike Davis.
Rams at Titans (-2, 38½) – 8:00 PM EST
St. Louis
Head coach: Jeff Fisher (38-39 SU, 37-38-2 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Nick Foles, Case Keenum, Austin Davis, Sean Mannion (Rookie)
Foles delivered points on his first drive against the Raiders last week, but left after a second stint. No one else managed to generate any points and first downs were hard to come by. As a result, the offense is under some pressure to establish themselves with the customary dress rehearsal on tap next week. Keenum has experience in the stystem and will be counted on to show he can move the second-team offense.
Tennessee
Head coach: Ken Whisenhunt (10-20 SU, 10-19-1 ATS in preseason)
Quarterback rotation: Marcus Mariota (Rookie), Zach Mettenberger, Charlie Whitehurst, Alex Tanney
Turnovers helped spoil Mariota’s debut, but the Titans want him to learn from his mistakes and won’t dial much of anything back in fear of damaging his confidence. They know blitzes and complicated schemes will be part of the equation against aggressive defensive coordinator Gregg Williams and the Rams, who will certainly provide a strong test for the offensive line with their consistent pressure.
OCAL SPORTS – NFLx
(3*) GB @ PIT – Over 41
ALATEX – NFLx
10* SF 49ers-3
MLB Betting Cheat Sheet: Tigers reinvigorated with Cabrera back
Here’s a comprehensive look at betting notes for the week-end major-league schedule:
Home Sweet Home
The Washington Nationals return home to host the Brewers in a three game series starting Friday, coming off a brutal road trip losing six of nine. Despite the fact that they’ve lost 12 of 18 games in August, the Nats are still only 3.5 games back of the Mets for first place in the AL East.
The Brewers have lost seven of their last eight on the road, and Game 1 appears to be a particularly tough spot for Milwaukee. Gio Gonzalez will go for the Nats, and he’s won four straight versus the Brewers, and he’s 5-1 with a 2.60 ERA at home in 2015.
Sleeper In The AL East
While the Blue Jays and Yankees are getting all the headlines in the AL East, the Orioles are only five games back. Baltimore has won 10 of its last 14 home games and it will host the Minnesota Twins this weekend.
The Twins took the opener in a blowout by a score of 15-2, but they had lost nine of their previous 10 on the road, and they are a pathetic 22-37 away from home this season. Baltimore could make up some ground over the weekend.
Here Come The Tigers
On Monday I mentioned that Miguel Cabrera was back for Detroit, and that they would likely be getting great value as an underdog in Chicago. Well they’ve since won three straight, including back to back games at Wrigley as a 2-1 dog.
Cabrera is hitting .400 in six games since coming off the DL, and Detroit is a far better team with the slugger in the lineup. They host the Rangers over the weekend, and we could see fireworks in the Motor City as six of the last eight in this series have gone over the total.
The Tigers don’t play many low scoring games, as they’ve gone over the number at a rate of 36-16-3 in their last 55 overall.
Hitting Notes
* Travis Shaw is hardly a household name, but the rookie first baseman is making the most of his opportunities in Boston. He’s played 15 games so far in August, batting .420, with six home runs and 11 RBIs.
* The Detroit Tigers are batting a major league best .284 versus left-handed pitching, and they will face southpaw Cole Hamels on Sunday. Miguel Cabrera is 6-for-8 lifetime versus Hamels.
Pitching Notes
* Gerrit Cole has been stuck on 14 wins since July, and that has allowed Jake Arrieta to take over the major league lead with his 15th win on Thursday night at Wrigley. Cole will get a chance to draw level as he starts at home against the Giants this Saturday. Cole is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA versus the Giants this year, and he’s won all three of his career starts against San Francisco.
* Luis Severino is still in search of his first win, despite the fact that the Yankees rookie right-hander has pitched quite well in his first three starts. He gave up three runs on five hits, but struck out nine over six innings in a 3-1 loss to Toronto his last time out. His next start comes on Saturday at home versus Cleveland, and he did look good striking out seven in five innings in a loss to the Red Sox in his only prior start in the Bronx.
Totals Steak
* The Milwaukee Brewers are trending under on the road, only managing to go over the total once in their last nine away from Miller Park. They are in Washington this weekend, and the Nats have been really struggling to score runs. Washington is batting a major league worst .226 since the All Star break. We could see a low scoring series here in the nation’s Capital.
Injury Notes
*The injury bug has really hit the St. Louis Cardinals, with Randal Grichuk and Jason Heyward both joining Matt Holliday on the DL this week. That’s going to leave the Cardinals with a pretty thin lineup as they visit San Diego over the weekend.
*Yasiel Puig suffered a hamstring injury on August 18, and his availability is questionable heading into this weekend’s series at Houston.
Coach Fletcher
MLB Sunday Scouting Edge
10:05 am Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees
Bauer May Be On Short Leash at Yankee Stadium
Whether Trevor Bauer of the Indians is on a short leash by manager’s decision or his own inability to get batters out, the fact remains that in 6 of his 7 starts this season he hasn’t made it out of the 5th inning. He’ll have his work cut out for him tomorrow against a Yankee squad that tagged Danny Salazar for 2 first inning round trippers and 5 runs in 4 1/3 inning yesterday. Bauer is 9-10 this season with a 4.62 era. He’s 1-5 in his last 7 starts with a lofty 7.05 era. He’s 16-22 career-wise with a 4.52 era. He is a strike-out pitcher and has 138 K’s in 142 1/3 innings this season. Bauer is 1-3 with a 6.75 era versus the Bronx Bombers. In 1 start this season he was rocked for 6 runs on 7 hits in just 3 1/3 innings. In fact in his last 2 starts against the Pin Stripes, Bauer did not go past the 3rd inning. The NYY opened at -144.
10:08 am Texas Rangers at Detroit Tigers
Rangers Continue Drive to Wild Card or More
The Rangers send out Cole Hamels to keep their chance at the playoffs a reality in Detroit. Hamels is 6-8 with a 3.86 era this year for the Rangers and Phillies. Hamels has made 3 starts for Texas and hasn’t been overly effective. In those 3 starts Hamels is 0-1 with a 5.22 era. Texas has lost 2 of his 3 starts. Hamels hasn’t faced the Tigers since 2013 where in 1 start he went 6 2/3 innings allowing 2 runs and 6 hits. Hamels will go up against Matt Boyd, 1-3 with a 7.50 era. Boyd has 1 outing against the Rangers this year where he was knocked around for 4 runs on 9 hits, 3 of which left the park, in 6 2/3 innings. The Rangers opened as -127 favorites.
10:10 am Arizona Diamondbacks at Cincinnati reds
Iglesias Takes 12 Inning Scoreless Streak to Mound Against D-Backs
Raisel Iglesias is one of the 5 rookie pitchers that the Reds have made part of their rotation in the second half this season. Iglesias is 3-4 with a 4.21 era but he may have found his zone. He is working on a 12 inning scoreless streak in his last 2 games. In his last start he shut out the KC Royals for 7 innings. In his last 7 starts, the 25 year old Iglesias has gone 2-3 with a 3.67 era. He faced Arizona on August 7 and ended up with a loss despite going 6 innings and allowing just 3 hits and 1 run. Iglesias walked 1 and fanned 6 in that game at Arizona’s Chase Field, which is the 8th most hitter friendly park in MLB. The Reds opened as -132 favorites.
11:10 am Los Angeles Dodgers at Houston Astros
McCullers Up From Double-A for Start Against Dodgers
Lance McCullers has been in Double-A Corpus Christi since August 3. The official reason was that it was an attempt to “limit his innings.” Or it could be that in his last start for Houston, McCullers gave up 6 earned runs in 1/3 of an inning. McCullers is 5-4 this season with a respectable 3.17 era and the Astros will need him healthy and pitching like that to stay in first and fight off the Angels and Rangers. In his last 3 starts before his “demotion” McCullers went 12 1/3 innings and allowed 9 runs, 18 hits, walked 4 and fanned 8. At Corpus Christi, McCullers was 3-1 with a stellar 0.56 era in 32 innings of work. Unfortunately Lance will be facing the Dodger’s Clayton Kershaw, 10-6 with a 2.34 era. Kershaw is 3-2 vs Houston with a 2.60 era but hasn’t faced them since 2012. LA opened as a -170 favorite.
11:20 am Atlanta Braves at Chicago Cubs
Runs May Be on the Agenda at Wrigley Today
And it may have nothing to do with the wind blowing! Matt Wisler goes for the Braves. He’s 5-3 with a 3.43 era. He started out with a bang but has struggled in his last 4 starts. Wisler has only thrown 20 innings in his last 4 starts and has a 7.20 era to show for it. His last 2 starts haven’t been that bad. He went 10 innings total giving up 4 runs on 13 hits. Jason Hammel will toe the rubber for the hot Cubbies. He’s 6-5 with a 3.37 era this season. His last start was not his best. He lasted 3 innings against Detroit at Wrigley and gave up 9 hits and 5 runs. Hamels last 3 starts have resulted in a 0-0 record with a 5.68 era. He’s 1-1 in his last 7 with a 5.14 era. Hammel is 1-4 against the Braves lifetime with a hefty 6.37 era. Freddie Freeman has taken him deep twice and is hitting .714 against Hammel. The Cubs opened as healthy -240 favorites.
FREE PLAY – STL Cardinals – 137
2015 BASEBALL
National League
Braves @ Cubs
Wisler is 0-2, 7.20 in his last four starts (over 4-0).
Hammel is 0-0, 5.68 in his last three starts; five of his last seven went over.
Braves lost ten of last 11 games overall; they’re 2-21 in last 23 road games. Cubs won last three games, scoring 21 runs– seven of their last nine games went over. Atlanta lost its last five games with Cubs, with four of last six staying under the total.
Giants @ Pirates
Vogelsong is 2-0, 0.82 in his last two starts- they both stayed under.
Liriano is 2-0, 8.31 in his last four starts; Pirates scored 35 runs in those four games– his last six starts all went over.
Pittsburgh won nine of last 12 games with the Giants; over is 4-2-2 in last eight series games. Pirates won 12 of last 15 games (over 9-5-2 in last 16). SF lost four of last six games; under is 9-3-1 in its last thirteen.
Brewers @ Nationals
Garza is 1-3, 4.11 in his last five starts (under 3-1-1).
Zimmerman is 1-3, 4.55 in his last five starts (over is 3-1 in last four).
Milwaukee lost five of last eight games with Washington (over 6-2); Brewers won five of last eight games overall; over is 3-1-1 in last five. Nationals lost eight of last eleven games (under 7-4).
Diamondbacks @ Reds
Anderson is 1-3, 8.39 in his last five starts; three of last four went over.
Iglesias is 2-1, 2.10 in his last four starts; four of his last five stayed under.
Arizona won six of last seven games with Cincinnati; eight of last 11 games in series stayed under the total. D’backs are 5-3 in last eight games; four of last seven stayed under. Reds lost 11 of last 13 games; four of their last six games stayed under the total.
Phillies @ Marlins
Nola is 1-0, 5.63 in his last three starts; his last five all went over.
Conley is 1-0, 6.75 in his three starts; Marlins scored 37 runs in the three games, all of which went over.
Philly won five of last seven games with Miami (over 4-2-1); Phils lost seven of last 11 games overall (over 7-4-1 in last 12). Marlins won four of last seven games; over is 7-2-2 in their last eleven.
Mets @ Rockies
Verrett is making first MLB start; he was 4-2, 3.57 in nine AAA starts- he’s allowed runs in 22.1 IP in 11 relief stints.
Hale is 1-4, 7.61 in his last seven starts; over is 4-1-1 in his last six.
Mets won their last ten games with Colorado; home side won nine of last 12 in series, but NY won 14-9 each of last two night. Mets’ last five games went over. Rockies lost ten of last 12 games; they gave up 28 runs last two days.
Cardinals @ Padres
Wacha is 3-0, 1.00 in his last four starts; his last five stayed under.
Rea is 2-0, 4.22 in his first two starts- they both went over the total.
Padres won nine of last 11 games; eight of last ten went over. St Louis was outscored 17-2 in first two games of series with San Diego; over is 5-3 in last eight series games. Cardinals lost three of their last four games; over is 4-2-1 in their last seven.
American League
Indians @ Bronx
Bauer is 1-2, 11.91 in his last three starts, all of which went over.
Sabathia is 0-1, 5.22 in his last five starts; over is 4-2 in his last six at home.
Bronx lost six of last eight games with Cleveland (over 7-4-1 in last 12), but they won seven of last ten games overall; under is 6-4-1 in their last eleven games. Indians lost five of last eight games (over 4-1-1 in last six).
Rangers @ Tigers
Hamels is 0-1, 5.23 in his last three starts; four of his last six went over.
Boyd is 1-3, 7.50 in his five starts (under 3-2) this year.
Texas lost four of last six games with Detroit; last four series games stayed under the total. Rangers won eight of last ten games overall; under is 7-1-1 in their last nine. Tigers won four of last seven games, but lost last two.
Twins @ Orioles
Pelfrey is 1-0, 1.46 in his last two starts; four of his last five went over.
Gausman is 0-3, 5.79 in his last three starts; under is 6-3-1 in his last ten.
Minnesota won its last seven games with Baltimore; over is 4-3-1 in last eight in series. Twins won last three games; six of last nine stayed under. Orioles lost last three games; four of their last seven went over the total.
Royals @ Red Sox
Volquez is 1-2, 2.96 in his last four road starts; five of his last seven starts stayed under the total.
Rodriguez is 3-0, 2.31 in his last five home starts; over is 5-1 in his last six home outings.
Royals lost ten of last 13 games with Boston; over is 6-1-1 in last eight series games. KC won six of its last eight games (under 5-2-1). Red Sox won six of last nine games; over is 11-1-1 in their last thirteen games.
Rays @ A’s
Odorizzi is 0-0, 4.01 in his last four starts (four of last six went over).
Oakland lost last seven Graveman starts (0-5, 7.71).
Tampa Bay won last three games; under is 5-1-1 in last seven; Rays split last dozen games with Oakland (under 7-2-3). A’s are 2-9 in their last 11 games overall.
Blue Jays @ Angels
Toronto won last six Dickey starts (4-0, 2.90); under is 5-3 in his last eight.
Richards is 1-2, 4.68 in his last five starts, four of which went over.
Blue Jays are 15-3 in their last 18 games; their last four went over the total. Angels lost last three games with Toronto; over is 5-2 in last seven games in series. Halos lost last three games, allowing 32 runs; four of their last five went over.
White Sox @ Mariners
Danks is 0-2, 3.98 in his last three starts; three of his last four road starts went over.
Walker is 1-0, 2.86 in his last four starts; six of his last eight went over total.
White Sox scored 25 runs in winning last three games; four of last five went over. ChiSox split last six games with Seattle; five of last eight series games went under the total. Mariners lost six of last eight games (over 5-2-1).
Interleague
Dodgers @ Astros
Kershaw is 5-0, 0.82 in his last seven starts (under 5-2).
McCullers is 1-2, 6.38 in his last four starts (over 4-0-1 in last five).
LA lost ten of its last 12 road games- they scored seven runs in losing last four games overall- four of last five games stayed under. Astros won seven of last ten games; their last five games stayed under total. Dodgers won eight of last 12 games with Houston (under 8-3-1).
Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
SF-Pitt– Vogelsong 11-8; Liriano 13-10 (9-0 last 9)
Atl-Chi– Wisler 6-5; Hammel 11-12
Mil-Wsh– Garza 8-14; Zimmerman 14-11 (1-4 last 5)
Az-Cin– Anderson 8-13; Iglesias 4-7
Phil-Mia– Nola 4-2; Conway 3-0
NY-Col– Verrett 0-0; Hale 2-7
StL-SD– Wacha 18-5; Rea 2-0
Cle-NY– Bauer 10-14; Sabathia 11-12
Tex-Det– Hamels 11-12/1-2; Boyd 1-4/1-2
Min-Balt– Pelfrey 12-11; Gausman 3-6
KC-Bos– Volquez 17-8; Rodriguez 9-6
TB-A’s– Odorizzi 10-10; Graveman 8-12 (0-7 last 7)
Tor-LA– Dickey 13-12 (6-0 last 6); Richards 14-9
Chi-Sea– Danks 11-12; Walker 13-11
LA-Hst– Kershaw 13-11; McCullers 7-7
Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
SF-Pitt– Vogelsong 4-19 (3 of last 4); Liriano 5-23 (3 of last 3)
Atl-Chi– Wisler 5-11; Hammel 8-23 (5 of last 6)
Mil-Wsh– Garza 6-22; Zimmerman 7-25
Az-Cin– Anderson 8-21; Iglesias 3-11
Phil-Mia– Nola 4-6; Conway 0-3
NY-Col– Verrett 0-0; Hale 6-9
StL-SD– Wacha 4-23; Rea 0-2
Cle-NY– Bauer 6-24; Sabathia 7-23
Tex-Det– Hamels 4-23; Boyd 2-5
Min-Balt– Pelfrey 3-23; Gausman 4-9
KC-Bos– Volquez 7-25; Rodriguez 3-15
TB-A’s– Odorizzi 5-20; Graveman 6-20
Tor-LA– Dickey 4-25; Richards 4-23
Chi-Sea– Danks 8-23; Walker 7-24
LA-Hst– Kershaw 5-24; McCullers 3-14
Umpires
SF-Pitt– Three of last four Randazzo games went over
Atl-Chi– Under is 10-3-1 in last fourteen May games.
Mil-Wsh– Last six Drake games stayed under total.
Az-Cin– Over is 3-1-1 in last five Wegner games.
Phil-Mia– Seven of last nine TBarrett games stayed under.
NY-Col– Under is 9-5 in last fourteen Culbreth games.
StL-SD– Last five Tichenor games went over the total.
Cle-NY– Six of last seven Woodring games went over.
Tex-Det– Over is 3-1-1 in last five Hamari games.
Min-Balt– Four of last five Conroy games stayed under.
KC-Bos– Over is 3-0-1 in last four Everitt games.
TB-A’s– Four of last five Demuth games stayed under.
Tor-LA– Three of last four Guccione games went over.
Chi-Sea– Under is 9-5-1 in last fifteen Wolf games.
LA-Hst– Under is 7-1-2 in last ten Hoye games
StatFox Super Situations™ – FoxSheets
MLB | CHI WHITE SOX at SEATTLE
Play On – Road underdogs with a money line of +125 to +175 (CHI WHITE SOX) terrible offensive team – scoring <=4.2 runs/game on the season (AL) against opponent poor offensive team – scoring <=4.7 runs/game on the season (AL)
252-261 over the last 5 seasons. ( 49.1% | 100.5 units )
36-47 this year. ( 43.4% | 6.3 units )
StatFox Situational Power Trends™ – FoxSheets
MLB | TEXAS at DETROIT
TEXAS is 31-25 (+19.6 Units) against the money line in Road games in games played on a grass field this season.
The average score was: TEXAS (4.5) , OPPONENT (4.2)
Game of the Day: Redblacks at Argonauts
♠ Ottawa Redblacks at Toronto Argonauts (-9, 50.5)
The Toronto Argonauts won back-to-back games to pull into a tie with Hamilton for first place in the East Division heading into Week 9. The Ottawa Redblacks, who visit the Argonauts on Sunday, sit a game back in third place and will be looking to shake off a terrible performance after getting crushed at Calgary last week.
The Redblacks edged Calgary 29-26 at home on July 24 to kick off a modest two-game winning streak but failed to get anything done on offence last Saturday as the Stampeders rolled to a 48-3 victory. Ottawa will need to fix some holes on defence as well as it gets set for Toronto, which is second in the CFL in points scored despite handing the reins over to Trevor Harris at quarterback with veteran Ricky Ray injured all season. The Argonauts are coming off a 27-20 road victory over Winnipeg in which Harris threw a pair of touchdown passes to bring his season total to 16. The Redblacks shuffled through three quarterbacks at Calgary last week, and Danny O’Brien showed some promise with a 9-of-10 passing effort after the game was already out of hand.
TV: 4 p.m. ET, TSN
LINE HISTORY: The Argos opened as 8.5-point favorites before shifting to -9. The opening total of 50.5 has not moved from that point.
INJURY REPORT: Redblacks – WR Chris Williams (Ques-Undisclosed) Argonauts – LB Cory Green wood (Ques-Concussion)
ABOUT THE REDBLACKS (4-3 SU, 4-3 ATS, 4-3 O/U): Henry Burris does not appear to be in danger of losing his starting job to O’Brien or anyone else, but the veteran quarterback could use a quick bounce-back after going 7-of-17 for 114 yards before being pulled in Calgary. Burris is fourth in the CFL with 1,809 passing yards heading into Week 9 and totaled 712 yards and five TDs in the Redblacks previous two games. The loss last week began a stretch of four of five on the road for Ottawa, which is 1-2 in front of opposing fans.
ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (5-2 SU, 5-2 ATS, 3-4 O/U): Ray underwent offseason shoulder surgery that necessitated he begin the season on the six-game injured list, and the veteran has been returned to the list. “He still needs a few more weeks, minimum,” coach Scott Milanovich told reporters. “I know he had a good throw the other day and felt good about that but he’s not there yet.” Ray is a free agent at the end of the season and Harris looks poised to step up into Toronto’s No. 1 spot for the long term while leading the CFL in TD passes and sitting second in yards (1,987).
TRENDS:
*RedBlacks are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 road games.
*Argonauts are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
*Under is 9-4 in RedBlacks last 13 games following a S.U. loss.
*Under is 5-0 in Argonauts last 5 vs. East.
CONSENSUS: 52 percent are backing the Argos with 54 percent on the under.
StatFox Super Situations™ – FoxSheets
CFL | OTTAWA at TORONTO
Play Under – Road teams where the total is between 49.5 and 56 after a game where they committed 4 or more turnovers
29-6 over the last 5 seasons. ( 82.9% | 22.4 units )
1-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 1.0 units )
CFL | OTTAWA at TORONTO
Play On – Road teams vs. the 1rst half line (OTTAWA) after scoring 14 points or less last game
36-10 over the last 5 seasons. ( 78.3% | 25.0 units )
3-0 this year. ( 100.0% | 3.0 units )
StatFox Super Situations™ – FoxSheets
WNBA | CHICAGO at WASHINGTON
Play Under – Road teams where the total is greater than or equal to 140 off a home win against a division rival, winning between 51% and 60% of their games on the season
70-33 since 1997. ( 68.0% | 33.7 units )
3-2 this year. ( 60.0% | 0.8 units )
WNBA | LOS ANGELES at SAN ANTONIO
Play Against – Any team vs the money line (LOS ANGELES) after having won 2 of their last 3 games, a bad team (25% to 40%) playing a team with a losing record after 15 or more games
59-34 since 1997. ( 63.4% | 0.0 units )
2-1 this year. ( 66.7% | 0.0 units )
WNBA | CHICAGO at WASHINGTON
Play Under – Road teams where the first half total is greater than 65.5 after 1 or more consecutive wins, winning between 51% and 60% of their games after 15 or more games
109-58 since 1997. ( 65.3% | 45.2 units )
6-1 this year. ( 85.7% | 4.9 units )
JO JO – TENNIS (-6.67)
ATP – WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN @ CINCINNATI, OH
R FEDERER +100 N DJOKOVIC (4PM)
ATP – WINSTON – SALEM OPEN @ WINSTON – SALEM, NC
R HAASE +175 Y LU (730PM)
SIMON – SOCCER (+6.53)
ENGLAND PREMIER LEAGUE (UNDER 2.5 -133) CHELSA FC @ WEST BROM ALBION (830AM)
CZECH REPUBLIC (OVER 3 -122) FK DUKLA PRAGUE @ SPARTA PRAGUE (115PM)
SPAIN PRIMERA DIVISION (OVER 3 -120) REAL MADRID @ SPORTING GIJON (230PM)
ITALY SERIE A ( OVER 2 -130) FC TORINO @ FROSINONE CALCIO (245PM)
TURKEY SUPER LIG ( UNDER 2.5 +113) FENERBAHCE @ CAYKUR RIZESPOR (245PM)
Premier League betting preview: Foxes in fine form ahead of Tottenham clash
By SOCCER AUTHORITY
West Brom vs. Chelsea
This fixture finished 3-0 in West Brom’s favor last year. However, in that game, Cesc Fabregas(Chelsea) received an early Red Card, and Chelsea had already won the Title at that stage.
The Blues have also only picked up one point after drawing with Swansea and losing to Man City last weekend. If Chelsea can’t find a victory, they run the risk of losing sight of Man Utd and Man City at the top of the table.
Key Stat: Tony Pulis prides himself on having an organized defense. However, West Brom have conceded 10 Goals in their last five home games in the EPL.
Injuries and suspension: Chelsea – Oscar is doubtful
Everton vs. Manchester City
Everton are unbeaten this season after drawing with Watford and dispatching of Southampton last weekend. If Romelu Lukaku can continue finding the back of the net we have no reason to believe Everton won’t have a successful season.
Man City have a 100 percent record so far with 2/2 wins but let’s not forget about their poor away form last season.
Key Stat: Everton are unbeaten in 11 of their last 16 meetings with Man City
Injuries and suspensions: Everton – Hibbert, Pienaar and Baines. Man City – Fernando
INDIAN COWBOY – EPL’ SOCCER
4-Unit Play. Take Borussia Dortmund (-220) over Ingolstadt (9:30 a.m., Sunday, August 23) (German Bundesliga)
A little bit of a heavy line in perspective to other plays, but the result is all that matters. Dortmund came off their campaign opener in dramatic winning fashion, and against a top rival opponent in Borrussia Monchengladbach, nonetheless. This team has something prove to themselves and their fans after a horribly disappointing season last year which saw them miss the Champions League all together after playing in the Final two seasons ago. Dating back to last season Dortmund won 6 of their last 7 away matches, and given how they fell of drastically compared to past top 3-4 finishes, we believe Dortmund will continue their winning ways, and look to establish themselves as one of the top 3 teams, per usual, in The Bundesliga.
4-Unit Play. Take Chelsea (-150) over West Brom (8:30 a.m., Sunday, August 23) (English Premier League)
After two very disappointing results to start the Blues’ campaign, and amidst excuses and scapegoats, there is simply one thing that will change all that, and that is taking all 3 points back to Stamford Bridge. On paper Chelsea has failed to win at The Hawthornes since the 2011 season, however in this spot situation, and given the lead at the top of the table already growing, this game is pretty much a must win. The blues will look to shake off a sloppy all around performance against Man City, where they ironically look to duplicate City’s result when they opened their season, 3-0. Look for the Blues to be dominant in this match from start to finish and taking it to their opponents.
ALAN HARRIS – EPL’ SOCCER
2 Unit Play. Take #25025/25026 Southampton vs. Watford Over 2.5 Goals +115 (11:00 AM, Sunday, August 23)
Two teams that have been trending to the over will meet on Sunday morning when Southampton travels to take on Watford at Vicarage Road in Watford. Southampton has seen a total of seven goals scored in their two games so far this season while Watford has scored two and given up two for a total of four goals through two weeks. We can’t trust either team to keep a clean sheet here and when you throw in the counter attack style that Southampton likes to play on the road, we think the value in this one on Sunday morning is on the over as we expect both teams to score in this contest.
4 Unit Play. Take #25037 Manchester City -0.5 Goals -150 over Everton (11:00 AM, Sunday, August 23)
Manchester City will look to improve their 3-0-0 on the season when they travel to take on Everton at Goodison Park in Liverpool. Man City has by far been the best team and it seems like a steal to only have them win against an Everton team that they are 3-0-1 against over the past two seasons. Manchester City has outscored its opponents by a combined score of 6-0 in their two games so far this season and they looked like they are primed to make another run at an EPL title. It’s not normal that we would take a team giving up the 0.5 goal on the road at Everton but this Manchester City team has the firepower to get it done in what is historically a very tough place for teams earn three points at. Throw in the fact that Everton’s win this season came against newcomer Southampton while Man City has earned wins over West Brom and Chelsea and we’ll lay the half goal with them on the road to earn a big win at Goodison Park over Everton.
**Note: This is a 90 Minutes plus injury time play on the point spread line. If this game ends in a draw, we have a loss.**
NEWSLETTER NFL Preseason Prediction From Allen Eastman
Take ‘Under’ 38.5 St. Louis at Tennessee (8 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 23)
I’m going with the ‘under’ in this one. I like the ‘under’ in this game because of the matchups. St. Louis has a Top 10 defense. The starters will play the first half and they should be able to shut down Tennessee’s starting offense with its rookie quarterback. On the other side the St. Louis offense only scored three points in Oakland last week. They don’t look sharp at all. Tennessee brought in Dick LeBeau to help fix their defense from last year, and the Titans are going to have their focus on that side of the ball. The weather could be a factor this weekend as rain is in the early forecast. And I see both teams running the ball a lot and keeping their focus on the defense. This is one of the lowest totals of the weekend for good reason, and I see another low-scoring game between these two teams. Play ‘under’.
NEWSLETTER NFL Futures Prediction From Robert Ferringo
Take Atlanta Falcons ‘Under’ 8.5 Wins (NFL Futures)
We’ve handed out three straight free play winners in this space. This one is No. 4 in a row, even if this one is going to take a few months to cash. I’ve gone 12-3 (80%) in my career with my futures plays of 5.0 or higher, and I currently have an 8-Unit Play that I love that’s available with my NFL Preseason picks this week. This play against the Falcons may not be on that level, but I still really like it. The fact is that outside of Matt Ryan and Julio Jones the rest of this roster is a dumpster fire. They brought in a new coach and new coordinators, but even they can’t fix what is wrong with this team. Atlanta’s defense is woefully short on talent, and they simply can’t stop anyone. Ryan and the offense will have a much better season this year. But even on that side of the ball the offensive line is below average and the running game and tight ends are nonexistent. They’re one injury to Jones – who has missed several games each of the past few years – away from having serious problems there too. Atlanta could start the season 0-4 before the schedule opens up. But even then a lot of their most winnable games are on the road. Atlanta has only won 10 games the past two seasons, and I don’t see an appreciable difference in talent. So projecting them to win nine games and beat this number is overly optimistic. I see a six- or seven-win team here, and this one is an easy ‘under’ call.
NEWSLETTER NFL Futures Prediction From Alan Harris
Take Cincinnati Bengals – ‘Over’ 8.5 Wins -130 (January 2016)
There is talk every year about how Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton just can’t get it done in the playoffs. Truth is, that talk is right, but we don’t have to worry about that when it comes to playing a season win total. The Bengals have won 9, 10, 11 and 10 games in the last four seasons with Dalton under center, and we see no reason why they can’t get to double digits once again in 2015. Their top four WR’s on the roster (AJ Green, Mohamed Sanu, Brandon Tate and Marvin Jones) are all up for contracts this season, so we should see maximum effort from the guys on the outside. They have an excellent running game with the two-headed monster of Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard, and the return of Tyler Eifert will help in both the running and passing games. The defense is better than many think, and the Bengals should once again be in the hunt for the AFC North title, easily putting them in the 9-11 wins range here in the 2015 season.
BIG AL’s PIGSKIN PERFECT NFL PRESEASON WINNER!
Game Date/Time: 8/23/15 8:00 pm
Our Selection: Rams Opponent: Titans Line: +1.5 Rating: Opinion
Analysis: At 8 pm, on Sunday, our selection is on the St. Louis Rams + the points over Tennessee. Both the Rams and Titans come into this game seeking their first win of the Preseason. The Titans lost, 31-24, on the road at Atlanta, while the Rams lost 18-3, at Oakland. But we’ll play on the Rams as the underdog, as teams off a double-digit SU and double-digit ATS loss to open the Preseason are a terrific 60.1% ATS in their next game. Even better: if our ‘play-on’ team is a road underdog, then our 60.1% ATS system zooms to 67% since 1983. Additionally, the Titans have covered just 23 of 56 home games in the Preseason, including an awful 0-for-6 when matched up against a foe off a loss by more than 14 points. Take St. Louis.
BIG AL’s NFL PRESEASON TOTAL OF THE YEAR!
Game Date/Time: 8/23/15 8:00 pm
Our Selection: Cowboys/49ers ‘Over’ Line: 40.5 Rating: Opinion
Analysis: At 8 pm, our selection is on the ‘over’ in the Dallas/San Francisco game. Both teams had tough games to kick off the Preseason. Dallas managed just a single score at San Diego, and fell by 10 points, 17-7, to the Chargers. Likewise, the 49ers lost by double-digits, 23-10, at Houston. Given that both teams had a dreadful time on offense, bettors might be attracted to the idea that this would be a low-scoring contest. However, games between NFL teams that average 15 ppg or less on offense have gone ‘over’ the total 60% of the time since 1996, including 18 of the last 23. And teams that scored 7 or less in Week 1 (like Dallas) have gone ‘over’ the total in Week 2 over 68% of the time, dating back to August, 2005. Look for a high-scoring game on Sunday night.