Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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04-05-21 | Flyers +152 v. Bruins | Top | 3-2 | Win | 152 | 8 h 28 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NHL Rotation #41 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+155) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - This one is all about the line value with taking a big dog against a team that is still not 100% healthy and that has had trouble building win streaks of late. The Bruins are off a big 7-5 win versus the Penguins Saturday. That is very significant here because we are in early April now and note that since a 5-game winning streak that wrapped up for Boston on February 12th, they have only managed to win consecutive games one single time! Indeed, the Bruins from February 13th onward have gone 1-8 when off a win! 8 losses, 1 win! Now I certainly know the Flyers have been quite inconsistent of late but they are still a very talented team capable of bringing it on any night. That said, Philly offers all kinds of line value here because they absolutely should bring it in this one! The Flyers have lost all their games against Boston this season thus far and that includes an embarrassing 7-3 loss in the outdoor game in late February in the most recent meeting. The Flyers enter this game off back to back losses after a tough shootout loss to the Islanders on Saturday but they are 6-2 this season when entering a game off back to back losses. Based on all of the above you can see why I love the value of the big dog in this one. 10* PHILADELPHIA +155 |
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04-05-21 | West Ham United v. Wolverhampton Wanderers OVER 2 | Top | 3-2 | Win | 100 | 8 h 48 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - EPL Monday 10* Top Play OVER 2 goals in Wolverhampton vs West Ham @ 3:15 ET - The value of getting a 2 here is something I won't pass up on. West Ham can move into a top four position in the table with a win here but you know Wolverhampton will be doing everything they can to prevent that plus looking to avenge a 4-0 loss to the Hammers in the reverse fixture earlier this season. Note that 9 of West Ham's last 11 games in Premier League action have totaled at least 2 goals and 8 of the 9 that did actually totaled 3 or more goals. West Ham is off a 3-3 draw versus Arsenal where they blew a 3-0 lead and had to settle for a split of the spoils. While they would love to bounce back here in terms of their defensive play, West Ham has conceded at least a goal in 4 of last 5 matches and certainly did not impress in that regard against Arsenal. However, the Hammers have been scoring goals quite well and, in fact, have scored 2 or more goals in 7 of last 11 games. Also, it is absolutely worth nothing that there have been a ton of goals scored since the international break. There were 8 matches Saturday and Sunday and all 8 had at least 2 goals scored and 7 of the 8 had 3 or more goals scored. More of the same expected with this one Monday. 10* OVER 2 goals in Wolverhampton |
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04-04-21 | Capitals v. Devils +146 | Top | 5-4 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 3 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - NHL Rotation #28 Sunday 10* Top Play New Jersey Devils Money Line (+) vs Washington Capitals @ 3:05 ET - The Devils lost in overtime Friday and I had them right here and am coming right back with them again as they are desperate to get off the schneid versus the Capitals. New Jersey is getting their last chance to get a win over Washington this season and that is today on Sunday. I look for the hungry Devils to make the most of it and possibly catch the Capitals looking ahead to bigger games up ahead as they face the Islanders Tuesday and the Bruins Thursday of this coming week. Keep in mind the Caps just got blitzed 8 to 4 by the Isles and New York is coached by their former coach, Barry Trotz. That said this is a good spot to back the Devils off back to back losses as they had blown a 4-1 lead against Boston to lose that game in the shootout and then lost to the Capitals in overtime Friday. Prior to these two tight losses, New Jersey had won 5 of 8. I just do not see the Devils being denied here in their quest to finally emerge victorious over the Caps this season. The home team will prove to be the much hungrier and much more focused team in this one. 10* NEW JERSEY |
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04-04-21 | Brighton & Hove Albion v. Manchester United OVER 2.5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 107 | 7 h 17 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - EPL Sunday 10* Top Play OVER 2.5 goals +107 in Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove @ 2:30 ET - Much has been discussed lately about the solid defensive play of Manchester United and that is well deserved. But this club needs to score some goals and they know it! They have been held to just 1 goal in each of their last 4 matches across all competitions. This cost them as they lost in the English FA Cup to Leicester. Look for a response here from Manchester Un4 ited as they have scored at least 3 goals in each of their last 4 matches against Brighton. We have a total of 2.5 to work with on this one and I certainly like the odds of getting past that mark here as the host has a chance to get this over the total all by themselves. However, I do expect Brighton to contribute as they scored at least 1 goal in each of their March matches and averaged scoring 2 goals per match in those 3 games last month. Each of the last 5 meetings between these clubs have totaled at least 3 goals and, entering this one, Brighton has seen 4 of their last 5 matches overall total at least 3 goals. More of the same here. 10* OVER 2.5 goals in Manchester United |
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04-04-21 | Pirates v. Cubs OVER 8.5 | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -100 | 4 h 24 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - MLB Rotation #907 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Cubs vs Pittsburgh Pirates @ 2:20 ET - Nice weather expected for this afternoon affair at Wrigley Field Sunday afternoon and I am expecting plenty of runs here. Yes the Pirates are projected to be one of the worst teams in baseball this season but the Cubs Zach Davies certainly does not have overpowering stuff. Remember the Pirates did steal game one of this 3-game set by coming up with a big 5-3 win. I am not saying they'll get another win in the rubber match but I am saying I expect them to score better than they did in yesterday's 5-1 loss. The problem for Pittsburgh however will be their own pitching here as Mitch Keller gets the call. He got rocked for 5 hits including 2 homers in less than 3 innings of work in his start at Wrigley Field last season. He had trouble with walks last season and that would be a problem here with free passes at a hitter-friendly park like Wrigley with mild afternoon weather and a southerly breeze expected today. Look for plenty of offense in this one and the total at 8.5 runs is offering solid line value in my opinion. 10* OVER the total in Chicago Cubs |
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04-04-21 | Nets -2.5 v. Bulls | Top | 107-115 | Loss | -112 | 6 h 3 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NBA Rotation #501 Sunday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (-) @ Chicago Bulls @ 2 ET - I am aware that James Harden is out for the Nets and, of course, Kevin Durant is still out. However, there is still plenty of talent on this Brooklyn team and others are stepping out with key guys out. Long-term the Nets have won 12 of 14 games and they enter this game on a 4-game winning streak. We are simply getting line value here because of the injury situation for Brooklyn because the fact is the Bulls are struggling badly. Chicago has lost 5 straight games and 7 of their last 8 games. Lay the small number with the Nets in this one as this is a classic case of hot versus not. 10* BROOKLYN |
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04-04-21 | Red Wings v. Lightning OVER 5.5 | Top | 5-1 | Win | 107 | 3 h 21 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NHL Rotation #25 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Detroit Red Wings @ 12:05 ET - Yesterday's game was a tight 2-1 win for Tampa but now it is the 2nd game of a back to back on consecutive days and we are likely to see back-up goalies as a result. The last time these teams met and the #1 goalies did not go, it was a 6-4 Lightning win! While we may not again get to double digits in goals here, we certainly should at least get to 6 and I like the value with the over 5.5 currently available at plus money in this one. Prior to yesterday's low-scoring battle, the over was 4-1 in the last 5 meetings between these teams and those 4 overs averaged 8 goals per game. Look for a lot of goals here and, keep in mind, if Vasilevskiy would happen to go between the pipes for the Bolts it would be the 2nd game of a back to back and that is a tough situation for any netminder. I expect it will be McElhinney in the crease for the Lightning. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Tampa Bay |
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04-03-21 | UCLA +14.5 v. Gonzaga | Top | 90-93 | Win | 100 | 13 h 51 m | Show |
Game of the Month - CBB Rotation #803 Saturday 10* Top Play UCLA Bruins (+) vs Gonzaga Bulldogs @ 8:34 ET - All you here about is Gonzaga and going for the undefeated season and how great they are. I get all that and the Bulldogs indeed just might do it. But they are over-priced here as a large favorite against a Bruins team that is doing a great job of playing with an "us against the world" mentality. When Alabama drilled that 3-pointer against UCLA at the buzzer to force OT in the Sweet 16 most teams would not have been able to overcome that. But the Bruins are proving to not be "most teams" as they calmly gathered themselves and beat the Crimson Tide handily in the OT period. That would have left most teams out of gas and unable to duplicate the effort against an even tougher foe, Michigan, in their next game but again "most teams" does not define this Bruins team. UCLA continues to surprise and they will be more competitive in this game than many people are expecting. I know Gonzaga just beat USC handily as they blitzed them early and the team could not recover. The Bulldogs outshot the Trojans as Southern Cal struggled to hit shots. I see the Bruins getting more clutch shots. It has been the nature of this team throughout the tournament and I see it continuing here. Of course I am not calling for an upset here. I am just saying I absolutely do expect the Bruins to hang within a single digit margin in this one. 10* UCLA |
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04-03-21 | Mavs v. Wizards OVER 228 | Top | 109-87 | Loss | -113 | 12 h 29 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NBA Rotation #563 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs Dallas Mavericks @ 7:10 ET - Wizards off an embarrassing low-scoring beatdown at Detroit. However, in their last 7 home games they averaged 119 points. The Mavericks are favored here. That means if Washington hits their reason home average but loses like they are expected to there then this total gets into the 240s. That said I feel we do have some solid line value here as the Wizards have allowed 120 points or more in 9 of last 13 games. The Mavericks off a very low-scoring win at New York last night but had scored an average of 120 points per game in their 7 preceding road games. With each team off rare games where they did not even get to the century mark in points scored, look for a high-scoring wild one tonight. 10* OVER the total in Washington |
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04-03-21 | Houston v. Baylor OVER 134.5 | Top | 59-78 | Win | 100 | 10 h 3 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - CBB Rotation #801 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Baylor Bears vs Houston Cougars @ 5:14 ET - All you hear talked about in this match-up is how strong these defenses are. However, Baylor has averaged 83 points per game this season and Houston has averaged 77 points per game this season. Something is going to have to give here and I think many will be surprised that there will be more scoring than expected. I know the Cougars are on a run of 3 straight unders but that had a lot to do with who they were playing. Previous to this, the over was on a 6-2 run in Houston games. Also, the over is on a 7-2 run in Baylor games and the Bears have scored at least 74 points in 8 of last 9 games. If they hit 74 again here and the odds makers are close with the 5 point spread than this game lands in the mid-140s. Indeed it does! 10* OVER the total in Baylor |
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04-03-21 | Braves v. Phillies +103 | Top | 0-4 | Win | 103 | 6 h 3 m | Show |
Big East Beast - MLB Rotation #954 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Phillies Money Line +105 vs Atlanta Braves @ 4:05 ET - Big momentum boosting wins can do a lot for a clubhouse. It is, of course, early in the season, but it does amazing things for a team. An example of this yesterday was with the Rays. They had a dramatic homer with two outs in the top of the 8th to win Thursday's season opener at Miami and then looked dead in the water yesterday after blowing a 2-0 lead late. But they responded with a 4-run top of the 9th including a dramatic 3-run homer to win it. The point is that when a team is feeling it early it can really carry over game to game. The Phillies are in a similar position here. They won their first game Thursday after blowing a 2-0 lead but then getting a walk-off single from Juan Segura in the bottom of the 10th. In terms of the pitching match-up here, Charlie Morton was not the same pitcher last season and I expect some carry over this season. He had a 4.74 ERA and got hit at a .279 clip last year. The Phillies counter with Zack Wheeler who was Philadelphia's most consistent starter last season. He was particularly tough at home where he went 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA for the Phillies. Many will be backing the Braves off a loss here but I like early season momentum plus the pitching edge in this one and we get the home team at a great price too. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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04-03-21 | Blackhawks v. Predators -117 | Top | 0-3 | Win | 100 | 6 h 49 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - NHL Rotation #6 Saturday 10* Top Play Nashville Predators Money Line (-) vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 3:05 ET - The Predators are a perfect 4-0 against the Blackhawks this season. I know Nashville has some injury issues but that is also what is helping to keep this line a little on the low side even though the Preds are on home ice. I am happy to grab the line value here as the Predators are ready to respond off a loss. Nashville had won 8 of 9 prior to their home loss to Dallas Thursday. Chicago, in my opinion, has a chance to be a quality team very soon but I just do not see it this season. The Blackhawks came into the season not expected to do much and they lived up to those expectations with a very slow start. Then they suddenly caught fire like teams do sometimes but then reality set in again and the Hawks have been losing on the regular once again. Chicago enters this game having lost 9 of 13 games and they have lost 5 of their last 6 road games. More of the same expected here. 10* NASHVILLE |
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04-03-21 | Sheffield United v. Leeds United OVER 2.5 | Top | 1-2 | Win | 100 | 13 h 2 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - EPL Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Leeds United vs Sheffield United @ 10 AM ET - Sheffield has had a miserable season. So much so that manager Chris Wilder is out and Paul Heckingbottom has been ever since. Now he faces the club, Leeds, that let him go after just 4 months as a manager in the summer of 2018. He was replaced by Marcelo Bielsa and that is who he will be opposed by in today's match-up. That is an interesting dynamic and I believe both managers will be looking to one-up the other here and that insures at least a 2-1 final in my opinion. I know Sheffield has not scored much at all this season but I don't see Heckingbottom's team being shutout in this one as he'll do anything he can to put a scare into Leeds and take all 3 points. Note that Leeds is allowing 1.6 goals per match this season and Sheffield is allowing 2 goals per match when on enemy pitch this season. Sheffield has allowed 3.5 goals per match since Heckingbottom took over and Leeds will not take their foot off the gas here if they have the chance to pour it on in this one. Why? Well, Sheffield has surprisingly won their last two visits at Leeds so big-time payback is on order for this one. Bielsa and the home club will not hesitate to push the pace here and take advantage of Sheffield's defensive shortcomings. 10* OVER the total in Leeds |
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04-02-21 | Maple Leafs v. Jets +128 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 33 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - NHL Rotation #62 Friday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 8:05 ET - This will be the 8th meeting since January of 2020 and no team has won back to back games in this series since then. That said, and with the Maple Leafs winning Wednesday, I like the Jets here! Toronto is 0 for 9 on the power play in the last 3 meetings between these teams and that is eventually going to catch up with them. Winnipeg is 3 for 8 on the power play in the last two games and they get back to work here seeking revenge after Wednesday's loss. The rest of this is from Wednesday's write-up because I did lose with this play Wednesday but all of these factors are why I still like the Jets in the rematch today on Friday. From Wednesday's write-up: "I like the home underdog in this one. It is hard to argue that the Leafs should be such a pricey favorite on the road in this one when you consider the Jets record is every bit as good as Toronto's plus these teams have split the first four meetings this season. I know Jack Campbell has played surprisingly well between the pipes for the Maple Leafs of late but he certainly does not have the long-term success factor that Connor Hellebuyck has. Also, Hellebuyck is 4-0 with a .966 save percentage and has allowed an average of just 1 goal per game his last 4 starts. I know Campbell has been great this season - albeit in limited action thus far - but he lost 12 of 18 road decisions last season. As for the season before that, Campbell lost 9 of 14 road decisions. In fact in his career, prior to this season, Campbell lost 24 of 36 decisions away from home. That is 2 out of every 3 decisions resulting in a loss on the road. He is a solid netminder playing well right now but Hellebuyck is playing even better and home ice matters and we get an underdog line here as well. A lot of positive factors in our favor and the Leafs are one point in front of the Jets in the standings. Great set up here. Also, the Maple Leafs have lost 7 of their last 11 games. The Jets, on the other hand, have won 4 of last 5 and those were on the road plus they have won 7 of last 10 on home ice." 10* WINNIPEG |
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04-02-21 | Rockets v. Celtics OVER 223 | Top | 102-118 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 22 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NBA Rotation #545 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Celtics vs Houston Rockets @ 7:40 ET - I do not expect much defense in this non-conference battle. The last time these teams met the game totaled 241 points. The Boston defense has not been what it once was this season and they enter this game having allowed at least 113 points in 5 of last 6 games. Houston has plenty of problems as we all know as they just endured a horrific long losing streak and poor defensive play has a lot to do with it. The Rockets are allowing 115 points per game on the road this season. 4 of Houston's last 6 road games have totaled at least 228 points and I am confident this one gets into the 230s as the Celtics are in need of a blowout win and will not take their foot off the gas in this one. 10* OVER the total in Boston |
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04-02-21 | Mavs -6 v. Knicks | Top | 99-86 | Win | 100 | 9 h 51 m | Show |
NBA TV Game of the Month - NBA Rotation #547 Friday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (-) @ New York Knicks @ 7:40 ET - The Mavericks only won by 5 points at Boston Wednesday but anyone who watched the game realizes it could have (and should have) been by much more. That said, there is value here with this rather low number as Dallas takes on a much lesser team in New York. The fact is the Knicks are fourth quarter failures this season and proved that again with an inexcusable loss at Minnesota in their most recent game. I haven't looked this up because whether they are dead last or not is besides the point but I just know that the Knicks have to be one of the worst scoring teams in the 4th quarters of games in the NBA this season. I just see it time and time again that this team chokes and even if they hang around with the Mavs through 3 quarters in this one then they will get obliterated in the 4th quarter like they have done so often this season. This is the first of two meetings between these teams this season and with the Mavericks just 1-3 SU and ATS the past two seasons against the Knicks, New York has their full attention here. I know the Knicks have a decent record and particularly at home but the Mavericks are on a mission to win their division and have won 16 of their last 23 games. They will stay hot here! 10* DALLAS |
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04-02-21 | Orioles v. Red Sox OVER 9.5 | Top | 3-0 | Loss | -106 | 5 h 10 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - MLB Rotation #929 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Red Sox vs Baltimore Orioles @ 2:10 ET - This match-up was originally scheduled for yesterday's Opening Day action. I stayed away from it because I was concerned about the weather. Staying away turned out to be a good decision as, sure enough, the game got cancelled. Now with clear weather (chilly but no precipitation) expected in Boston for Friday afternoon I can get involved with a match-up I like. Both of these hurlers struggled in spring training but Nathan Eovaldi did have one good start and it was the one he just had and it was against these Orioles. In my opinion, the fact Baltimore just saw him really helps them here. Plus they had some chances in that game but got hurt by a couple double plays. The O's will have some success getting to again see Eovaldi on such short notice here. As for the Red Sox sticks, they should pound John Means here. The southpaw has allowed 4 homers in his last two starts against Boston and has compiled a 6.75 ERA in those two outings. These two teams were two of the better hitting teams in the majors last season but neither team is good defensively and the Orioles pen is mediocre while the Red Sox bullpen is definitely a concern heading into this season. As a result, and based on some questionable spring training results for these two hurlers, look for runs early and often and throughout this one at Fenway Park Friday afternoon. 10* OVER the total in Boston |
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04-01-21 | 76ers -8 v. Cavs | Top | 114-94 | Win | 100 | 11 h 10 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NBA Rotation #529 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:10 ET - The 76ers are on the road for this one but I am mentioning their home record (19-4) here because only one team in the NBA, Utah, has fewer home losses and so the Sixers certainly remember theirs. One of those four defeats as a host came at the hands of the Cavaliers in late February. Now it is time for payback. Even though Embiid is still out for Philadelphia, he is expected back this weekend. Just the fact his return is imminent is a big boost to the spirits of his Sixers teammates and they are still much more talented than this Cleveland team even though the Cavaliers have won both meetings this season (one in OT). Another issue for the Cavs is they have a number of players listed as questionable for tonight's game. Look for the 76ers to take advantage! The Sixers are off back to back losses but they were road games against the Nuggets and Clippers. Though still on the road for this one, Philly will take advantage of facing one of the worst teams in the league. Philadelphia had won 12 of 14 games before the back to back losses and Cleveland has lost 9 of 12 games and the average margin of defeat has been 16 points per loss. Look for another ugly Cavaliers loss here as the 76ers get their revenge. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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04-01-21 | Blue Jackets v. Lightning -1.5 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -105 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
Puck Line Punisher - NHL Rotation #48 Thursday 10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5 goals -105 vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - Sometimes crazy things happen in the NHL just like other sports. The Blue Jackets beat the Lightning Tuesday despite Columbus having been one of the coldest teams in the league plus Tampa Bay having revenge. It happened despite the Bolts having a huge edge in shots on goal too. That said, payback is going to come in a big way here. The Lightning are on a rare losing streak now but they are still extremely talented and now hungry to respond after the recent defeats. Let us not forget TB is the defending champs after all. Additionally, the Blue Jackets had lost 4 straight and 15 of 21 games prior to the upset win on Tuesday. Of course Tampa Bay is priced as a big money line favorite here for a good reason as you can see per all of the above. Where the value is with this one is with playing the Bolts on the puck line and note that 8 of 11 Jackets road losses this season have come by a multiple goal margin. 10* TAMPA BAY -1.5 goals -105 |
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04-01-21 | Penguins +107 v. Bruins | Top | 4-1 | Win | 107 | 10 h 48 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NHL Rotation #49 Thursday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Money Line (+) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - The Penguins have lost each of their last 10 visits to Boston yet this game is priced at very nearly a pick'em. Long-time followers know where I am going with this one! The fact is the Penguins come into this game on a hot streak and desperate to end their losing streak in games at Boston. Pittsburgh has the hottest goalie in the league right now with Casey DeSmith on a phenomenal run over his last 10 appearances. As for the Bruins, they are expected to start Dan Vladar here. He has been strong in his first two starts but this is still a 23-year old netminder appearing in just his 3rd ever NHL game and he is facing a Penguins club that has won 4 straight games and 11 of 14. Boston, on the other hand, had lost 11 of 18 games before rallying for a win versus New Jersey Tuesday. The Bruins last 3 wins have come against the Sabres (who had lost 18 straight) and the Devils (fortunate win for Boston). Give me the highly motivated road dog playing the much better hockey of late and that also has the goaltending edge. 10* PITTSBURGH |
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03-31-21 | Mavs -114 v. Celtics | Top | 113-108 | Win | 100 | 11 h 2 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NBA Rotation #515 Wednesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (-115) @ Boston Celtics @ 7:40 ET - Even though Jaylen Brown might play tonight he still dealing with a hip injury and his Celtics have been struggling. Boston has lost 6 of 9 overall including 3 of last 4 at home. The Mavericks enter this game off a win at Oklahoma City and have won 6 of last 9 road games! Though Boston is at home here they have not dominated as a host like they typically do and also the Mavs actually have a better road record than home record this season. Also, the Celtics have gone just 7-11 against Western Conference teams this season. The Boston defense has not been what it once was this season and they enter this game having allowed at least 114 points in 4 of last 5 games. The Mavericks, on the other hand, have allowed just 105.4 points per game their last 5 games. Look for the road team to continue their push to hold on to the top spot in the Southwest Division. 10* DALLAS |
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03-31-21 | Maple Leafs v. Jets +126 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 33 m | Show |
NHL Rotation #30 Wednesday 10* Top Play Winnipeg Jets Money Line (+) vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:35 ET - This is a battle for first place in the North Division and I like the home underdog in this one. It is hard to argue that the Leafs should be such a pricey favorite on the road in this one when you consider the Jets record is every bit as good as Toronto's plus these teams have split the first four meetings this season. I know Jack Campbell has played surprisingly well between the pipes for the Maple Leafs of late but he certainly does not have the long-term success factor that Connor Hellebuyck has. Also, Hellebuyck is 4-0 with a .966 save percentage and has allowed an average of just 1 goal per game his last 4 starts. I know Campbell has been great this season - albeit in limited action thus far - but he lost 12 of 18 road decisions last season. As for the season before that, Campbell lost 9 of 14 road decisions. In fact in his career, prior to this season, Campbell lost 24 of 36 decisions away from home. That is 2 out of every 3 decisions resulting in a loss on the road. He is a solid netminder playing well right now but Hellebuyck is playing even better and home ice matters and we get an underdog line here as well. A lot of positive factors in our favor and the Leafs are one point in front of the Jets in the standings. Great set up here. Also, the Maple Leafs have lost 7 of their last 11 games. The Jets, on the other hand, have won 4 of last 5 and those were on the road plus they have won 7 of last 10 on home ice. 10* WINNIPEG |
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03-30-21 | USC +8.5 v. Gonzaga | Top | 66-85 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 44 m | Show |
CBB Rotation #657 Tuesday 10* Top Play USC Trojans (+) vs Gonzaga Bulldogs @ 7:15 ET - Gonzaga is a great team of course. They are undefeated on the season. However, the public bettors - and there a lot of them throwing plenty of money around during March Madness - are all over the Bulldogs. That said, even with that, this line is moving toward USC. Why is that? The sharps are on the Trojans here and you can include me in that group as well. The Trojans have played a tougher schedule. Also, Southern Cal matches up better with Gonzaga then any other team left in the tournament except perhaps Baylor would have a decent shot against the Bulldogs. We all know how rare undefeated seasons are. The point is that if Gonzaga was going to get upset this would likely be the game and truly I would not be surprised to see that happen here. Sprinkling a little on the money line here too is not a bad idea at all. The Trojans allow less points per game, allow a lower shooting percentage from the field, rebound the ball just as well, and also get more blocked shots on the defensive end than the Bulldogs. Again, Gonzaga is a great team but don't lose sight of all of the above plus the fact that the Dogs are being asked to win this game by double digits. I just don't see that happening and expect Southern Cal to be in this one all the way. USC is 25-7 on the season and only 1 loss was by more than 10 points. UCLA lost to the Trojans in both meetings this season and one of those was an 18-point lambasting. What does that have to do with this play? Well the Bruins knocked BYU out of the tourney with a win by nearly double digits. BYU is the best team, other than Gonzaga, in the Bulldogs conference. The Cougars lost all 3 games against Gonzaga this season - once in tournament - but the average margin was 12 points. Like I said, UCLA knocked out Brigham Young and Southern Cal better than UCLA. This game in Elite 8 action going to be much closer than the public thinks. 10* USC |
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03-30-21 | Hornets -2.5 v. Wizards | Top | 114-104 | Win | 100 | 10 h 27 m | Show |
NBA Rotation #501 Tuesday 10* Top Play Charlotte Hornets (-) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:10 ET - Washington off a crazy win over Indiana yesterday. Why was it crazy? The Wizards are one of the worst teams in the NBA and were without Bradley Beal but shot a ridiculous 56% from the field including 53% from three-point land and also outrebounded the Pacers by a huge margin. None of those things are likely to be repeated here. This is a divisional game and the Hornets, leaders in the division, will come in focused. They have won 6 of 7 divisional games this season while the Wizards have lost 6 of 7 divisional games. Washington is off back to back wins but this was preceded by a 2-10 stretch and we have got a low number to work with here with Charlotte. The Hornets are angry off an OT loss and that defeat was preceded by a 7-3 run. They resume their divisional dominance here with another convincing win over the Wizards similar to the 119-97 victory in their earlier meeting this season. 10* CHARLOTTE |
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03-30-21 | Capitals v. Rangers +102 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 102 | 9 h 10 m | Show |
NHL Rotation #18 Tuesday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) vs Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - The Capitals have been hot for sure but the Rangers have been playing very well and will carry some momentum over from Sunday's game at Washington. Momentum from a loss? Yes! The Rangers were down 4-0 in that game but showed a lot of fight in never giving up in the eventual 5-4 loss. Now with the scene shifting from DC to NY for this one, the Rangers get the home ice win tonight. New York has won 4 of its last 6 home games and has won them by a combined score of 23 to 7. Also, Shesterkin should be between the pipes for the Rangers tonight and he has been great in recent starts against the Capitals. Overall, he has been great this season and has a 2.06 GAA and .942 save percentage in the month of March. More of the same here and, off tight back to back losses - to Flyers and Capitals - I do not see the home team being denied here. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS |
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03-29-21 | Oregon State v. Houston OVER 129 | Top | 61-67 | Loss | -104 | 11 h 35 m | Show |
#655 CBB 10* Top Play OVER the total in Houston Cougars vs Oregon State Beavers @ 7:15 ET - We are getting a lower total than we should in my opinion. The number on this one has moved down from its opener too. The recent results for each of these teams have forced an over-reaction in the marketplace so lets take a closer look at this. The Beavers just faced a Loyola-Chicago team known for low-scoring games and that one still totaled 123 points. Prior to that low-scoring win - impressive that Oregon State scored 65 on a tough Ramblers defense - the Beavers had scored an average of 72.5 points per game their preceding 8 games. That does not include any OT points in the average and they scored at least 67 points in all 8 games. Oregon State is an 8 point dog in this game. Even if the Beavers scored only 65 like they did against Loyola that would still put this game in the upper 130s if the odds makers are correct about the Cougars being an 8 point favorite here (73-65 final using that example). Shifting focus to Houston for a minute, I am well aware they play solid defense but their overall point totals have been impacted by recent match-ups. The Cougars last two games were against the vaunted zone defense of Syracuse and a scrappy Rutgers team known for physicality and making teams really earn their points. So what happened prior to these two games? Houston won 8 straight games and scored at least 76 points in all but one of the wins! I am not saying this game will be high-scoring but the point is that it does not have to be high scoring to go over this low total. Given all of the above stats you can see why I am expecting this one to get closer to the 140 range and yet we're talking about a total posted in the upper 120s as of game day morning. I will take it! 10* OVER the total in Houston |
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03-29-21 | Pacers -5 v. Wizards | Top | 124-132 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 21 m | Show |
#559 NBA 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) @ Washington Wizards @ 7:10 ET - Great spot to fade a bad team and lay a short number. Yes the Wizards are off a win but it came against a very bad Pistons team and Washington almost blew that game before recovering just in time to secure the win after blowing a massive halftime lead. The Wizards are just 6-20 in Eastern Conference games this season! They had lost 10 of 12 games prior to the win over Detroit. They are hosting a Pacers team that has the most road wins (13) of all but one other team in the entire Eastern Conference. Indeed Indiana has been better on the road than at home this season the Pacers enter this game on an overall run of 4 wins in their last 5 games. 3 of Indiana's last 4 road wins have come by a double digit margin. The Wizards most recent loss was by a margin of just 4 points but this was preceded by a stretch in which 7 of Washington's last 8 losses were by a margin of 6 or more points. Look for this one to turn into a road rout as the Pacers also have fresh legs as they have not played since Friday. The Wizards also have a key injury (Beal - hip) to deal with. 10* INDIANA |
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03-29-21 | Islanders -105 v. Penguins | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 26 m | Show |
Rotation #1 NHL 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (-) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Islanders are one of the best teams in the NHL and they just got hammered 6-3 at Pittsburgh on Saturday. You can bet (literally!) that they will be ready to respond in this rematch Monday. The Isles had won 12 of 14 games prior to the loss Saturday. Going further back it was a stretch of 19 wins in 25 games for this rock solid Islanders club. One of the few teams that has given the Isles any trouble this season is the Penguins. That said, this is the Isles last shot at them in the regular season and I am sure they will make it count! New York has lost 5 of 7 meetings with Pittsburgh this season and this is payback time. Pittsburgh has won 3 straight games but 2 of those victories came against a Buffalo tam that has lost 17 straight games. Plus, prior to that stretch, the Pens had lost 3 of 4. I just do not see the Islanders being denied tonight given all of the above and the situational factors here. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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03-28-21 | UCLA +7 v. Alabama | Top | 88-78 | Win | 100 | 10 h 59 m | Show |
Sweet 16 Game of the Year - NCAA 10* Top Play UCLA Bruins (+) vs Alabama Crimson Tide @ 7:15 ET - This line has consistently climbed and is now a full +7 as of gameday morning. Look for the underdog Bruins to surprise some people in this one. I know that Alabama is on an 8-game winning streak but 4 of their last 9 wins have been by a margin of 5 or less points. Also, the Crimson Tide final two wins of the SEC tourney came by a combined 6 points. One of those wins was over LSU who just got bounced by a Big Ten foe in this tourney and the Big Ten has underachieved in this tourney this season. Also, the other win was over Tennessee and the Vols just got bounced from this tourney by Oregon State. Coincidentally now another SEC team takes on a Pac-12 team and I expect this to be another very challenging game for the favorite. The Crimson Tide are a solid team but coach Cronin has this Bruins team believing. Though they entered the tourney on a losing streak their recent Pac-12 losses were by a combined 5 points the last 2 games and were against USC and Oregon State. Both the Trojans and Beavers are still alive in this tournament. The loss before that was Oregon, also still alive in this tournament. And all these losses were by a single digit margin. Alabama only had to beat Iona and Maryland (again, Big Ten struggling) to get to this point and the Tide face a dangerous Pac-12 underdog in this one. All the pressure is on Bama here and the Bruins shot the ball very well this season, even in road games, and with an underdog "nothing to lose" mentality could give Alabama fits here as all the pressure is on the favorite. Upset alert but I will grab the points as added insurance as the Pac-12 ATS dominance continues. 10* UCLA |
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03-28-21 | Blazers +1 v. Raptors | Top | 122-117 | Win | 100 | 9 h 52 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NBA 10* Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7:10 ET - I was looking to fade the Raptors after they so luckily got the back door cover against the Suns on Friday and now I have the perfect situation to do so. To the public it looks easy to take Toronto at nearly a pick'em price on their home floor. After all, most bettors love the home court "edge" but this season the Raptors have not even been playing in Toronto. That said, is it any surprise they are only 9-11 at home this season? Also, this is a Raptors team that is only 6-11 against Western Conference teams. Also Toronto enters this game on a 2-12 SU run. As for the Trail Blazers, they are on a 9-4 SU run their last 13 games and also are a rock solid 12-6 against Eastern Conference teams. Damon Lillard missed the last game for the Blazers but they still beat Orlando. However, they did not cover in that game which is also helping to give us line value in this one. Portland only beat the Raptors by a single point when these teams met in January so there is no way the Blazers will overlook them here. Look for a road rout as a result as Toronto's losing stretch goes to 2-13 last 15 games. 10* PORTLAND |
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03-28-21 | Blue Jackets v. Red Wings OVER 5.5 | Top | 1-4 | Loss | -100 | 5 h 11 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NHL 10* OVER 5.5 goals +120 in Detroit Red Wings vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 3:05 ET - Both teams have goalie concerns and this is a back to back so it exasperates the situation. The Blue Jackets started Merzlikins yesterday and Korpisalo is dealing with a lower body injury. The Red Wings started Pickard yesterday and Bernier is dealing with a leg injury. Even though this series has trended under big time this season, I like the over given the situation here. Note that the Blue Jackets are hungry to respond here and certainly should but I don't see them stopping a Detroit team that put 34 shots on goal yesterday. On their home ice, the Red Wings will bring another strong effort but I also expected Columbus to be more focused on the offensive zone in this rematch. The Jackets had averaged 31.5 shots on goal the last 6 meetings between these teams before a paltry effort of 22 shots yesterday. Both teams are allowing too many goals this season and Columbus has allowed 3 or more goals in 3 straight games and 7 of their last 10. The Red Wings had allowed 3 or more goals in 8 of 12 games prior to yesterday's 3-1 win. Given the above, don't be surprised if each team gets to 3 goals in this one. 10* OVER 5.5 goals +120 in Detroit |
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03-27-21 | Pistons v. Wizards -3.5 | Top | 92-106 | Win | 100 | 10 h 38 m | Show |
Big East Beast - NBA 10* Top Play Washington Wizards (-) vs Detroit Pistons @ 8 ET - The Pistons burned me yesterday as they rallied for the backdoor cover. On that note the Raptors did the same thing to me yesterday but they are not in action tonight. Detroit is in action and we are going to get our money back by fading this weak team. I know the Wizards are not a great team but they are better than Detroit and also a better team when they are on their home floor. Washington is off 3 straight losses but those games were on the road. The Wizards most recent home game was a win over Utah - one of the best teams in the league! Now Washington hosts one of the worst teams in the league and I expect them to take full advantage. The Pistons are 5-19 SU in road games this season and the Wizards are laying only 3.5 points here. Washington is a respectable 8-9 SU last 17 home games and the average margin of victory in the 8 wins is 9.8 points per game. Look for a win by a double digit margin as the Wizards have played just 3 games the last 8 days while Detroit is playing the 2nd game of a back to back and it will be their 3rd game in 4 days! 10* WASHINGTON |
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03-27-21 | Oral Roberts +11.5 v. Arkansas | Top | 70-72 | Win | 100 | 11 h 39 m | Show |
Top Play - 10* Oral Roberts Golden Eagles (+) vs Arkansas Razorbacks @ 7:25 ET - Arkansas is off a tight win over Texas Tech but the Big 12, other than Baylor, really ended up being a dud in this tournament. What I like about Oral Roberts here is they score so well and are dangerous with their 3-point shooting. I don't expect them to have the same scoring droughts that Colgate had in the opening round against the Razorbacks. Keep in mind, Colgate led Arkansas 33-19 before allowing a 17-0 run to end the half. Then, after tying the game at 58 more than halfway through the 2nd half, Colgate allowed a game-ending 27-10 run. Those two 17 point differentials were, of course, the key to the Razorbacks win and cover. That is not happening against Oral Roberts and I feel Arkansas is a little over-rated in this match-up. I expect them to win this game but only by a single digit margin as the Golden Eagles will put up a helluva fight. Only 4 of the last 13 games for the Razorbacks have resulted in an Arkansas win by more than 11 points. The Golden Eagles lost by 11 at Arkansas in December but got dominated on the glass in that one. They are well aware of that fact and though the Razorbacks will hold a rebounding edge thanks to their size and athleticism edges, you can bet the hungry underdog is going to be much better on the glass in this one than they were in the first meeting. 10* ORAL ROBERTS |
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03-27-21 | Golden Knights v. Avalanche OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -108 | 5 h 7 m | Show |
Top Play - 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Colorado Avalanche vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 3:05 ET - Vegas has now lost 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams and a big concern for the Golden Knights is that they have scored an average of only 1.8 goals in the 5 meetings this season. Vegas knows they must change their approach in the offensive zone if they want to improve their odds of defeating the other top team out west. I look for this to lead to more scoring here from the Golden Knights but they also won't be able to stop a Colorado team that has scored 11 goals in the 3 wins over Vegas. The Golden Knights will look to get pucks in deeper in the offensive zone and win those battles in the corner and behind the net with their physicality. This should work and lead to some more offensive chances but it also could lead to Vegas chasing the game the other way if the Avalanche create some turnovers and then the Golden Knights are already deep in the offensive zone and have to scramble back the other way. I understand Vegas having to take some risk here to score some more goals but, the end result will be plenty of continued scoring for the Avalanche in this one too. As a result, and with a total of 5.5 on this game, look for a rather easy over in this one in what could very well turn into a back and forth high-scoring affair. 5 of the Knights last 6 road games have totaled at least 6 goals. Each of the Avalanche last 6 games have totaled at least 6 goals. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Colorado |
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03-26-21 | Ducks v. Blues OVER 5.5 | Top | 4-1 | Loss | -104 | 7 h 3 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #27 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in St Louis Blues vs Anaheim Ducks @ 8:05 ET - The Blues are off a 2-0 shutout loss at Minnesota but they actually generated 37 shots on goal in that defeat! This was on the heels of a 5-1 loss at Vegas. That said, do you think St Louis is going to be ready to "pour it on" tonight against Anaheim? Of course they will be and I am expecting a lot of goals in this one. The Ducks can be sneaky good at times and have shown a tendency for higher scoring games when on the road. Anaheim was held in check a bit at Minnesota so for this week, though Wednesday's game was 3-2 after two periods and never should have stayed under the total of 5.5 goals! But, prior to the 2-game set with the Wild, the Ducks last 5 road games averaged nearly 8 goals per game and 4 of the 5 totaled at least 7 goals! That said, and with a total of only 5.5 goals here, I like our chances of a bit of a wild one at St Louis. Many recent meetings between these teams have totaled exactly 5 goals but the fact is none of the last 7 meetings have totaled less than 5 and the 7 meetings averaged 6 goals per game and I am expecting at least 6 here. Before last night's rare shutout loss, 4 of the Blues last 6 games totaled 6 or more goals and this one will too. Bounce back time from two teams hungry off losses that will keep a lot of pressure in the offensive zones tonight. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in St Louis |
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03-26-21 | Suns -4.5 v. Raptors | Top | 104-100 | Loss | -108 | 9 h 22 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #515 Friday 10* Top Play Phoenix Suns (-) @ Toronto Raptors @ 7:30 ET - Ideal set-up for a road rout here. The Suns are off a 1-point loss at Orlando but that was preceded by wins in 12 of their last 15 games both SU and ATS. As for the Raptors, they are off a rare win as they knocked off Denver in convincing fashion on Wednesday. The blowout win over the Nuggets followed a 9 game losing streak for Toronto and a 1-5 ATS run their last 6. That ugly run for the Raptors even included an 18-point loss to a Rockets team that had lost 20 straight games! In fact, that Toronto loss immediately preceded the win over Denver and now I look for the Suns to immediately return the Raptors to their losing ways. Phoenix is angry here and will not take their foot off the gas in this one. Each of the Suns last 14 wins have come by at least a 6 point margin and all signs point to that streak reaching 15 in a row here! 10* PHOENIX |
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03-25-21 | Blues v. Wild OVER 5.5 | Top | 0-2 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 47 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #17 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Wild vs St Louis Blues @ 8:05 ET - The Wild hosted the Ducks yesterday and the over 5.5 was 3-2 going to the 3rd and inexplicably not another goal was scored. We lost with that play but I will come right back with it here. Surprisingly it is being reported that Cam Talbot will get the start again tonight. That makes this the 2nd game of a back to back for Talbot plus would be his 3rd start in 4 days. I know he is off strong back to back starts but now he is in a taxing situation and this solid 2-game run was preceded by him allowing 4 or more goals in 4 of 6 starts. Also, the Blues come into this one hungry to bounce back off a 5-1 loss. St Louis won their preceding game 5-2 but has been struggling overall in terms of keeping pucks out of their own net. The Blues have lost 6 of 8 and have allowed 4 or more goals in each of their last 4 losses. The long-term reputation is why this total is a 5.5 but the Wild have allowed 3.5 goals per game their last 4 games and have scored well on home ice this season. Look for a surprisingly high-scoring game here. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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03-25-21 | Blazers v. Heat OVER 218 | Top | 125-122 | Win | 100 | 9 h 12 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #501 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs Portland Trail Blazers @ 7:40 ET - This total has dropped from the low 220s down to as low as 218 as of early game day morning. The Blazers are off back to back unders but allowed an average of 124 points per game so there is value baked into today's total. Portland has allowed an average of 122.3 points per game their last 3 games. The Heat are off back to back unders on their home floor but this was on the heels of a 5-2 run to the over in Miami home games. The Heat have had 1 low-scoring effort on their home floor last 9 games but averaged 111.1 points per game in the other 8 games. As for Portland, they have had 1 low-scoring effort their last 11 games but have scored an average of 117.5 points per game the other 10 games. More of the same expected here and this one should get into the upper 220s for a point total as you can see so we have excellent value with the over here. The over is a long-term 16-6 in meetings between these teams in Miami and the two meetings last season saw the Heat and Trail Blazers combine to average 228.5 points per game. 10* OVER the total in Miami |
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03-25-21 | Rangers v. Flyers +112 | Top | 8-3 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 9 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #2 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - You think the Flyers might be motivated and play one of their best games of the season tonight? They absolutely should! Philadelphia has lost 3 straight games for the first time this season. Their loss to the Devils Tuesday was the first time this season they did not respond off back to back losses as they had been a perfect 5-0 in that situation this season. That said, I fully expect a huge response here as the game that started this 3-game skid was a very embarrassing 9-0 loss to the Rangers last week. Teams do not suffer losses like that very often at all and when it happens against a rival and then you can get quick shot at redemption you can bank on what should happen here. We are also are getting some line value here because Shesterkin is expected to be back between the pipes for New York tonight but he is returning from injury and could be rusty making his first start in 3 weeks. The line moved toward the Rangers after his return was announced for tonight but for all the reasons above, I feel strongly that this line move is the wrong way and the home dog gets payback and cashes in here. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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03-25-21 | NC State v. Colorado State +2 | Top | 61-65 | Win | 100 | 7 h 20 m | Show |
NIT Game of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #614 Thursday 10* Top Play Colorado State Rams (+) vs NC State Wolfpack @ 7 ET - The Wolfpack have played a tougher schedule than the Rams this season but I am fading the line move here and grabbing the team that has proven to be more committed to defense. On the season Colorado State allowed 66 points per game. Note that North Carolina State allowed 74 points in games away from home this season! The Rams held opponents to lower shooting percentages from the field including beyond the arc. While the Wolfpack were in the mid-40s and mid-30s respectively in those two categories, the Rams were closer to 40% and 30% respectively. Before a high-scoring win over Buffalo last week, Colorado State allowed 62 points or less in 5 of 7 games. NC State, on the other hand, allowed an average of 79 points per game the two games preceding the win over Davidson last week. The Rams find a way here and get more stops when it counts. 10* COLORADO STATE |
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03-25-21 | Mississippi State v. Richmond OVER 136.5 | Top | 68-67 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 54 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #611 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Richmond Spiders vs Mississippi State Bulldogs @ 6 ET - I am aware of the Spiders injury situation here but this was also the case heading into their game versus Toledo last week in this tourney. I successfully used Richmond in that one but here I am going with the over instead. The point is the Spiders can score just fine even though Golden is out and Francis might miss again but, the thing is, I do not trust their defense in this match-up. Richmond has allowed an average of 69 points per game this season as they allow a very high shooting percentage (46%) from the field. The under has cashed 5 straight times in Spiders games but 4 of the 5 totaled more than the total posted on this game! Value here as a result! Mississippi State has scored at least 71 points in 3 of its last 4 games. Look for the over to improve to 4-1 in the Bulldogs last 5 games with another high-scoring game here. Mississippi State has allowed 76 points per game their last 4 games. 10* OVER the total in Richmond |
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03-24-21 | Sabres v. Penguins -1.5 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 8 h 10 m | Show |
Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #76 Wednesday 10* Top Play Pittsburgh Penguins Puck Line -1.5 goals -115 vs Buffalo Sabres @ 8:05 ET - Not only have the Sabres lost 14 straight games, many of them have been blowout losses. Of course that is why the Penguins are a pricey favorite here on the money line but is also why we get value by laying the 1.5 goals and playing Pittsburgh on the puck line at a price in the -115 range! Buffalo has seen 10 of their last 13 losses come by a margin of 2 or more goals. Adding to the situational value here is the fact that the Penguins are at home and off a loss. Pittsburgh has now lost each of it's last two home games but, prior to this, the Pens had won 12 of 14 home games this season! Also, the Penguins last 6 wins have all come by a multiple goal margin. Look for this one too as well as the Sabres season of misery continues here. 10* PITTSBURGH Puck Line -1.5 goals -115 |
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03-24-21 | Coastal Carolina +5.5 v. Pepperdine | Top | 61-84 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 7 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #609 Wednesday 10* Top Play Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (+) vs Pepperdine Waves @ 8 ET - Coastal Carolina blew a late lead and had to go to OT to beat Stetson yesterday. Yes the Waves are a better team than the Hatters. However, the Chanticleers won that game yesterday despite making just 4 of 16 three-pointers and 17 of 32 free throws. On the season Coastal Carolina hits 36% of threes and 72% of free throws. In other words, yesterday's poor shooting unlikely to be repeated here and I also do not expect Pepperdine to have a big rebounding edge like they did yesterday. The Chanticleers are a solid rebounding team. Also, though the Waves won yesterday's game by double digits, they actually had 5 less shots from the field than Bellarmine. Also, Pepperdine hit 46% of their threes. That is unlikely to be repeated here and Coastal Carolina is a solid team defensively. The Chanticleers allowed 67.6 points this season on just 38.5% from the field and only 30.8% from three point land. Grab the points in this one and don't be surprised if the underdog wins this one outright. If not, the loss likely to be by the slimmest of margins. 10* COASTAL CAROLINA |
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03-24-21 | Pistons v. Pacers -6 | Top | 111-116 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 50 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #560 Wednesday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) vs Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - The Pacers are not just off a loss here, they are off a thorough beatdown. That said, they certainly should respond huge here. Indiana just allowed 140 points in a loss at Milwaukee but this was on the heels of back to back wins over a Miami team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season. In other words, perhaps the beatdown made sense. But now the Pacers go from facing of the league's best teams to facing one of the league's worst. Indiana has not tasted victory on their home floor since the beginning of February so I know they are going to bring a huge effort here. The Pacers will take advantage of hosting a Pistons team that is the only team in the NBA that is still winless in their own division. Detroit is 0-8 this season in divisional play and also 5-18 in road games. This one gets ugly! 10* INDIANA |
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03-24-21 | Ducks v. Wild OVER 5.5 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 50 m | Show |
Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #71 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Minnesota Wild vs Anaheim Ducks @ 5:35 ET - Tight, low-scoring 2-1 Wild win on Monday. Look for things to open up a bit in the rematch. The Ducks had allowed 4 or more goals in 6 of 8 games previous to that defensive battle Monday. Anaheim allowed an average of 4.8 goals per game in those 8 games! The total here is only a 5.5 and the over is available at even money. I like the odds for a high-scoring rematch here as Minnesota has won 9 straight home games and averaged 3.5 goals per game in the first 8 victories of this win streak. Also, prior to shutting down the Ducks, the Wild allowed 11 goals over their two preceding games. That is an average of 5.5 goals allowed per game. Look for at least a 4-2 type game here but possibly much more! 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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03-23-21 | Panthers v. Blackhawks OVER 6 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -117 | 8 h 8 m | Show |
Freight Train TOP - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #61 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER 6 goals in Chicago Blackhawks vs Florida Panthers @ 8:05 ET - The Blackhawks have allowed an average of 4.6 goals per game their last 7 games! Chicago does tend to score well at home however as the Hawks have averaged scoring 3.8 goals per game as a host this season. That sets this one up well to be a very high-scoring game on Blackhawks home ice tonight. The Panthers are in town and their 4 games with Chicago this season have all totaled 6 or more goals and have averaged 7.5 goals per game! Florida is fired up off a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay and will be ready to bounce back here but they have been giving up too many goals recently on the road. Hence my play on the over here. The Panthers have allowed an average of 3.5 goals per game in their last 6 games away from home. This one has the makings of a 4-3 type battle. Great value with this total at an even 6 goals. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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03-23-21 | Nuggets -7.5 v. Magic | Top | 110-99 | Win | 100 | 8 h 7 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #547 Tuesday 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (-) @ Orlando Magic @ 7:10 ET - The Nuggets are off a loss and that sets this one up perfectly. Denver is a perfect 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS the last 4 times when off a defeat. Also, they are on the road here so we get a manageable line and they are facing a Magic team that is enduring a horrific long-term run. Orlando is 1-10 SU their last 11 games. The Magic have been held to an average of just 97 points per game their last 5 games. Denver, when off a loss, averaged 119.5 points per game the last 4 times after tasting defeat. Look for the Nuggets to cruise to a double digit victory here. 10* DENVER |
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03-23-21 | Stetson +7.5 v. Coastal Carolina | Top | 72-77 | Win | 100 | 6 h 4 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #601 Tuesday 10* Top Play Stetson Hatters (+) vs Coastal Carolina Chanticleers @ 5:30 ET - The Hatters beat Bellarmine in the Atlantic Sun conference tourney and, of course, that is the same Bellarmine team that is taking on Pepperdine in the other CBI game going today. The point being that Stetson is better than their record indicates and are playing solid basketball at the right time of the season for sure. That does not mean they will upset Coast Carolina here but it does mean there are strong odds this is going to be a helluva game that goes down to the wire. That said, I don't see the Chanticleers covering this big number and they actually played a slightly weaker schedule than Stetson did this season. Also, the Hatters have won 3 of 4 games and their only loss was to Liberty who ended up in the NCAA Tourney. The 3-1 run by Stetson was preceded by a 1-2 stretch but both losses came by 5 or less points and the Hatters should be in this one all the way with Coastal Carolina as well. 10* STETSON |
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03-22-21 | Thunder v. Wolves OVER 226.5 | Top | 112-103 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 3 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #533 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Timberwolves vs Oklahoma City Thunder @ 8:10 ET - The Thunder are in a back to back spot after a high-scoring win at Houston yesterday. Speaking of high-scoring, OKC has allowed 116 points per game the last 5 times when playing the 2nd game of a back to back. Now they face a Timberwolves team that will be fired up at home after a road loss that stayed under the total. Minnesota can score well for sure and was on an 8-2 run to the over prior to the loss at Phoenix. The Wolves have allowed an average of 124 points their last 11 games and they are the favorite here too! That said, you can see where I am going with this one. Minny gives up a ton of points but, per the odds makers, are expected to win this game. As a result, this one should fly over the total rather easily. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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03-22-21 | Colorado +2 v. Florida State | Top | 53-71 | Loss | -112 | 8 h 16 m | Show |
Pac-12 Game of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #827 Monday 10* Top Play Colorado Buffaloes (+) vs Florida State Seminoles @ 7:45 ET - I am going with Colorado again here after successfully using them against Georgetown on Saturday. In that write-up I mentioned the following: "The Buffaloes are a strong team in both defensive and offensive efficiency. Also, they are a top free throw shooting team. They will be very focused here coming off a disappointing 2-point loss in the Pac-12 tourney to Oregon State who, by the way, is a pretty good team as shown yesterday. The Beavers won outright versus Tennessee by double digits as nearly a double digit dog!" Keep in mind Oregon State followed up the win over the Volunteers with another upset win over Oklahoma State yesterday. The Pac-12 is showing in this tournament that it is quite strong and I look for that trend to continue in this match-up. The Buffaloes will take advantage of a Seminoles team that is strong but has a couple of key weaknesses. Florida State often allows teams too many second chance scoring opportunities. In games away from home this season the Noles allowed 13 offensive boards this season which is nearly double what the Buffs allowed as travelers. Also, FSU known for turning the ball over too much. Florida State pulled away very late in their game against UNC Greensboro but now faces a much tougher opponent and the Seminoles have failed to get the cash in 4 straight games while the Buffaloes are on a 5-2 ATS run and get the job done again there. 10* COLORADO |
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03-22-21 | Kings -4 v. Cavs | Top | 119-105 | Win | 100 | 8 h 51 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #531 Monday 10* Top Play Sacramento Kings (-) @ Cleveland Cavaliers @ 7:40 ET - The Kings are off a bad loss at Philly but entered that game 9-13 against the East this season. That is noteworthy here because the Cavaliers are just 4-14 against the West this season. Also, Cleveland is in a back to back spot here plus off a big win versus Toronto. Sacramento is 4-1 SU the last 5 times they were off a loss and I expect them to bounce back here and take advantage of a Cavs team in the 2nd game of a back to back and known for struggling against Western Conference teams. 10* SACRAMENTO |
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03-22-21 | Islanders v. Flyers +112 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -100 | 6 h 16 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #46 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs New York Islanders @ 7:05 ET - When a good team is left for dead it is often the best time to step in and play them. Everyone is very down on the Flyers right now but they got what was coming to them with Saturday's 6-1 loss to the Islanders. Certainly New York is a great team but now they are on the road and lets not forget that Philadelphia had won each of the first 3 meetings between these teams this season. Also, the Isles have been great at home this season but have lost 9 of their 16 road games. The Flyers are a perfect 5-0 this season when off a loss in which they were held to 1 goal or less. Bounce back time here so grab the home dog. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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03-22-21 | Ohio v. Creighton OVER 148.5 | Top | 58-72 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 21 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #819 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Creighton Bluejays vs Ohio Bobcats @ 6:10 ET - The Bobcats made it to this point for one key reason. Ohio University has a very explosive offense. Ohio enters this game having scored an average of 80 points per game on the season. This is even after their low-scoring upset win over Virginia to reach this point. Keep in mind, the Cavaliers are known for defense so that game was a battle of each team trying to impose their own style and Virginia, of course, would not run and gun with the Bobcats. However, Creighton absolutely will! The Bluejays have a high-scoring offense given the right match-up and this is one of those match-ups! Creighton if off 3-straight low-scoring games but this is still a team that has averaged 77 points per game on the season. Now in their 2nd game of this tournament, the Bluejays will shoot much better. That said, this should fly over the total as the Bobcats want to play up-tempo and will be ready for an explosive game after dealing with the frustration of facing the Cavaliers defense. 10* OVER the total in Creighton |
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03-21-21 | North Texas v. Villanova -5 | Top | 61-84 | Win | 100 | 12 h 43 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #804 Sunday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) vs North Texas Mean Green @ 8:45 ET - Villanova keeps catching breaks. Yes they are without Collin Gillespie and that has derailed their bigger hopes and dreams for this season but I don't see them bowing out just yet. Their first match-up was against Winthrop and, though a quality team, that was a smaller school program that the Wildcats could handle. Now they were supposed to be facing Purdue in this round. A dangerous Big Ten team would have been tough on the short-handed Cats. However, Nova caught a break as North Texas upset the Boilermakers in the first round! The Mean Green, don't get me wrong, are certainly a quality team but they are similar to Winthrop in that they don't come from a Power Five conference and lets not forget how strong Villanova is. Yes the Gillespie injury is a significant issue for them but lets not forget the other talent that is on this team. The Mean Green played a much weaker schedule than the Wildcats did this season and I know they are well-coached and play solid defense but both those two items describe the Wildcats as well. So what is the difference then? The level of players the Wildcats have. That is why the Cats are in the Big East and the Mean Green are in Conference USA. Again, not knocking the team, just saying that there is a difference in talent level and we are now getting solid line value here since the Wildcats are without Gillespie and North Texas just upset Purdue in OT in the first round. Now the Cats are laying just 5 points as the markets love the dog in this one. Everything clicked for the Mean Green in their upset of the Boilermakers. This is still a North Texas team that lost 3 straight games to close out the regular season prior to making a run through their conference tourney. 10* VILLANOVA |
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03-21-21 | Panthers v. Lightning OVER 6 | Top | 3-5 | Win | 100 | 5 h 20 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #31 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER 6 goals in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Florida Panthers @ 4:05 ET - Each of the last 4 meetings between these clubs have resulted in an over. This is a back to back spot for each of these teams and, as a result, Sergei Bobrovsky is likely to get the start for Florida in this one. He has allowed at least 6 goals in 2 of his last 3 starts against the Lightning. As for Tampa Bay, they did have Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes for yesterday's game against Chicago. That increases the likelihood that it will be Curtis McElhinney between the pipes in this one for the Bolts. He allowed 6 goals when he most recently faced the Panthers. Overall, McElhinney has struggled this season with an .874 GAA. Also, if TB would end up using Vasilevskiy in this back to back spot, note that it would be a tough back to back for him plus he allowed 3 goals in 4 straight games prior to enjoying success against the Blackhawks Thursday and yesterday. Staying true to the recent trending when these teams meet plus factoring in the stresses on defense and goaltending that a back to back brings, look for another high-scoring match-up in this one. 10* OVER 6 goals in Tampa Bay |
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03-21-21 | Tottenham Hotspur v. Aston Villa OVER 2.5 | Top | 2-0 | Loss | -103 | 7 h 28 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Sunday 10* Top Play OVER 2.5 goals in Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur @ 3:30 ET - I am aware of some injury and fatigue issues impacting both clubs entering this showdown in front of the international break. However, not only do I expect we could see some surprises on the injury/fatigue front in terms of who ends up playing in this match, I also like situational edges that lean toward an over in this one. For one thing, these two clubs are right next to each other in the table so neither club wants to settle for a draw as they each are desperate for the full 3 points in the table. On that note, Tottenham has had just 3 draws in 14 road matches this season and Aston Villa has but 2 draws in their dozen matches on their home pitch this season. So with the likelihood of a draw being slim, lets talk about the likelihood of a clean sheet for either club here. I just do not see it as the last two meetings between these clubs each totaled 4 or more goals. Also, Tottenham has produced just 1 clean sheet in its last 4 matches overall across all competitions and the Hotspur allowed an average of 2 goals per match in the other 3 matches. Aston Villa has been involved in lower-scoring games of late but that has had a lot to do with who they were facing. Now they take on a Tottenham club that averages scoring 1.7 goals per match this season. Aston Villa, by the way, also averages 1.7 goals per match on their home pitch. Even with injury issues I just not see either club being held off the scoresheet here and we are working with a total of 2.5 goals. That said, with neither team willing to split the spoils here, I look for this match to find its way to at least a 2-1 final. Like I said, do not be surprised when you see how the personnel news surrounding this match ends up being a different factor than you would expect. I feel strongly that we have line value here as a result. 10* OVER the total in Aston Villa |
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03-21-21 | Pacers v. Heat -4.5 | Top | 109-106 | Loss | -110 | 3 h 17 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #512 Sunday 10* Top Play Miami Heat (-) vs Indiana Pacers @ 1:10 ET - These teams just met Friday and the Pacers were seeking revenge for last year's playoff exit. They got it in a big way but it was a bit of a fluke. Give Indiana credit for sure but it was also just one of those nights where everything was falling. Indiana made 20 of 36 three pointers while Miami made just 9 of 34. The Pacers won the game by a 27 point margin but they outscored the Heat by 33 points from beyond the arc! Suffice to say that kind of disparity is not happening again and you know Miami will be hungry today after suffering such an embarrassing loss on their home floor Friday! The Heat are now off back to back losses and will be out for blood after one of their worst defeats of the season. That said, lay the short number here. 10* MIAMI |
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03-20-21 | Maryland +3.5 v. Connecticut | Top | 63-54 | Win | 100 | 11 h 47 m | Show |
Big East Beast Top Side - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #791 Saturday 10* Top Play Maryland Terrapins vs Connecticut Huskies @ 7:10 ET - Both teams play solid defense and struggle some in the offensive end. In a game likely to be a low-scoring grinder, there is even more value than usual with having the points on your side. I especially like having the points in this case because the Terrapins do have a great shot at the outright upset here. The Huskies rely heavily on James Bouknight and he has not been himself in recent games. He has only had one strong shooting performance in his last 4 games. In those 3 games Bouknight combined to go 12 of 38 from the field and averaged just 13.3 points per game! Connecticut needs him but the Terps have the defenders to shut him down plus he has had just one big game from 3-point land last 10 games. In the other 9 games he has gone a combined 5 of 31 from downtown. Overated? Sure looks like it but it could be a health issue right now. Either way the Huskies are not necessarily the better team here and, especially with consideration to the Bouknight situation, a well-coached Terrapins team that has bought into a commitment to defense makes the underdog the play here. 10* MARYLAND |
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03-20-21 | Canucks v. Canadiens OVER 6 | Top | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 9 h 48 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #15 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER 6 goals in Montreal Canadiens vs Vancouver Canucks @ 7:05 ET - Just about 6 minutes into the 2nd period last night, the Canucks had a 2-1 lead but the total died at that point and never got over. I'll come right back with it here. Carey Price gets the start for Montreal but he allowed 4 goals in his most recent start and has now allowed an average of 3 goals per game his last 3 starts. Vancouver has revenge against Price as he has shut them down this season so far. Look for the Canucks, to that end, to build off the momentum of yesterday's 3-2 win and test Price early and often in this one. The issue for Vancouver however is that their own goaltending is likely to be a weakness here. Since Demko started yesterday it is likely to be Holtby in this one. He has struggled badly and has a 3.56 GAA on the season and has allowed 4 goals in each of his last two starts. Holtby has a 4.90 GAA versus the Habs this season and I look for a high-scoring entertaining game in this one as a result. 10* OVER 6 goals in Montreal |
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03-20-21 | Newcastle United v. Brighton & Hove Albion OVER 2.5 | Top | 0-3 | Win | 130 | 7 h 14 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Brighton & Hove Albion vs Newcastle United @ 4 ET - This is similar to yesterday's lone match in EPL that ended up 2-1. I just do not see either club in this one being willing to settle for a draw. That's because they are each just ahead of the relegation zone and desperate for a full 3 points in the table. At the same time, there is little chance of either team producing a clean sheet. Why? Well Brighton & Hove has allowed 1.4 goals per match on their home pitch this season. As for Newcastle, they have allowed 1.6 goals per match on enemy pitch this season. Just like yesterday's match, don't be surprised when each team tallies a goal in this one and then it ultimately turns into a 2-1 final. Looking for at least 3 goals here and expecting a competitive battle with both clubs being more aggressive on the attack than you might normally expect. These are desperate times for each club and Newcastle's schedule of fixtures gets tough coming up so they must go for the full 3 points in this one in my opinion. 10* OVER the total in Brighton & Hove |
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03-20-21 | Hawks v. Lakers OVER 221 | Top | 99-94 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 8 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #501 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Los Angeles Lakers vs Atlanta Hawks @ 3:40 ET - Another total that has made a downward movement and that I expect to prove to be a mistake. The Lakers have averaged 118 points per game their last 7 games. The Hawks have scored at least 115 points in 5 of last 6 games. 118 to 115 Lakers over Atlanta is very close to the spread on this game and yet that puts the final score about a dozen points above the posted total. Perhaps little value with the side but that is a lot of value with the O/U. Enough said! 10* OVER the total in Los Angeles Lakers |
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03-20-21 | UC-Santa Barbara v. Creighton OVER 137 | Top | 62-63 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 6 m | Show |
Big East Beast Top Total - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #767 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Creighton Bluejays vs UC Santa Barbara Gauchos @ 3:30 ET - As usual I am fading the masses here. This total opened up at a 140.5 and is now down to as low as a 137 as of early game day morning. I fully understand that Creighton is off back to back low-scoring games but, when this happened during the season the Bluejays responded with a big performance in the 3rd game. Look for that to be the case again here and note that the Gauchos can score right along with them. UCSB averaged 75 points this season while Creighton averaged 77 points per game this season. Both teams are strong from outside the arc and fire up plenty of threes. Cal Santa Barbara averaged 77.2 points per game in a 5-0 win streak to close out the season. The Bluejays, prior to a tough 2-game stretch offensively in the Big East tournament, averaged 90 points over 2 previous games. Look for this game to have a good pace with a lot of quick points in transition. 10* OVER the total in Creighton |
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03-19-21 | Winthrop v. Villanova -6.5 | Top | 63-73 | Win | 100 | 13 h 26 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #730 Friday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) vs Winthrop Eagles @ 9:57 ET - The Wildcats are in trouble here according to many people. That is because they lost Collin Gillespie to a season-ending injury two weeks ago. I know he was a very important player but do people realize the disparity between these two teams in terms of level of opposition they face each year? Yes Winthrop went 23-1 this season but they played no one of any significance. I am serious. Give them credit for a strong season as they took care of business for sure but again their "business" was nothing like what Villanova faces in the Big East. In fact, even comparing non-conference schedules, there is simply no comparison. The toughest game for Winthrop this season was UNC Greensboro. The Wildcats, conversely, were facing teams like Texas and a team that was ranked 18th when they faced them and a Virginia Tech team that is now ranked 25th. That was their non-conference schedule and, again, the Big East competition they faced all season was tougher than the Big South competition the Eagles faced. The fact the Wildcats are without Gillespie here actually helps us in terms of ATS value here in my opinion. We get a lower line as a result as a 6.5 is much more manageable than a double digit line where the back door cover always looms with "meaningless" late buckets. At the same time, you know Villanova will not overlook Winthrop either because, without Gillespie, the Wildcats know they must maintain proper focus here. Nova by double digits! 10* VILLANOVA |
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03-19-21 | Kings v. Celtics OVER 232 | Top | 107-96 | Loss | -115 | 7 h 13 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #565 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Celtics vs Sacramento Kings @ 7:40 ET - This total has been dropping all morning but this has led to great value in this one in my opinion. The Kings have scored at least 110 points in 20 of their last 21 games and none of those went to OT! Sacramento has scored 117 points per game during this stretch. However, the Kings are a 7 point dog here. So that would put this game at about 124-117 and a total above the 240 mark. Can we really expect Boston to get into that range though? You bet...literally! Sacramento has allowed an average of 123 points per game their last 17 games and, again, none of those went into overtime! Also, the Celtics last 6 victories, none going to OT, did see them average 122 points. Look for this one to be very high-scoring and I am happy to fade the line move and grab the resulting extra line value. 10* OVER the total in Boston |
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03-19-21 | Wisconsin v. North Carolina OVER 137 | Top | 85-62 | Win | 100 | 11 h 16 m | Show |
ACC Total of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #727 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in North Carolina Tar Heels vs Wisconsin Badgers @ 7:10 ET - I am well aware of the fact that Wisconsin plays solid defense and has been known for scoring troubles at the other end at times this season. However, North Carolina is going to force the tempo here. The Tar Heels do not want this game to turn into a half-court battle. Also, UNC can score plenty in transition and even at the risk of getting sloppy and seeing buckets going the other way. I simply do not see the Heels sitting back on their heels here! It will be full speed ahead and getting quick looks at the buckets including easy looks for their big men down low. The Badgers are a streaky shooting team and I see this is as being one of their better games. Why? Well UNC allowed 36% three pointers away from home this season. By the way, Wisconsin allowed 44.4% shooting from the field when away from Madison this season. Also, North Carolina allowed 69 points or more in 6 of their last 7 games. Their most recent game stayed under the total but the Tar Heels entered that game on a 6-2 run to the over. Also, the Badgers are off an under but this followed a 4-0 run to the over in Wisconsin games in which they allowed at least 73 points in all 4 games. Also, the Badgers ugly game against Iowa was preceded by a 5-game stretch in which they scored at least 68 in all 5 games. Look for each team to get to 70 here in a match-up that will surprise many in terms of the pace it is played at. 10* OVER the total in North Carolina |
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03-19-21 | Canucks v. Canadiens OVER 6 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -103 | 7 h 13 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #69 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Montreal Canadiens vs Vancouver Canucks @ 7:05 ET - This one is a bit of a contrarian play but Jake Allen is expected to get the start between the pipes for Montreal. The Canadiens back-up netminder will make his first start in over a week and it will be just his 2nd start from March 5th to now! He has allowed at least 3 goals in each of his last 3 home starts and I expect more of the same here. Allen should get plenty of goal support though as the Habs are still in bounce back mode after the coaching mode and working hard to get things going in the offensive zone. 2 of Allen's last 3 home starts have seen the teams combine for 7 or more goals. Montreal has scored an average of 4 goals per game last 4 home games and I look for that high-scoring trend to continue here. I know Vancouver has been trending the other way and, like I said above, this is a bit of a contrarian play. The key is that I look for the Canadiens to come out strong and dictate the tempo on their home ice and that will lead to a rather exciting high-scoring match-up here as the Canucks have won 7 of 9 games. Vancouver has scored an average of 3 goals per game in the 3 victories and I would not be surprised to see each team get to 3 goals in this one which, of course, would guarantee us of no less than 4-3 final. 10* OVER the total in Montreal |
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03-19-21 | Leeds United v. Fulham OVER 2.5 | Top | 2-1 | Win | 107 | 6 h 24 m | Show |
NBCSN Blowout Rout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Friday 10* Top Play OVER 2.5 goals +110 in Fulham vs Leeds United @ 4 ET - Great set up for an over here. Leeds is off a scoreless draw but they faced Chelsea. Ever since Chelsea made their managerial change they are conceding next to nothing! As for Fulham, they are off a 3-0 shutout loss but faced the top team in the league. Manchester City has conceded only 21 times in 30 matches this season! As you can see, both clubs were set up to struggle to score goals in their most recent matches. That said, look for things to open up here. Leeds has had only 3 draws in their 28 matches this season and I don't see a clean sheet for either club here. That said, the likelihood of at least a 2-1 final here is strong in my opinion. Leeds has allowed an average of 2 goals per match as travelers this season! Fulham has conceded an average of 1.4 goals per match on their home pitch in this campaign. Leeds also has scored well away from home as they have averaged 1.7 goals per match on enemy pitch this season. 10* OVER 2.5 goals +110 in Fulham |
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03-18-21 | Jazz v. Wizards OVER 235.5 | Top | 122-131 | Win | 100 | 8 h 59 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #551 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs Utah Jazz @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards game last night was on pace for 260 points as they had 195 points through 3 quarters for a 65 point quarterly average. Inexplicably, the 4th quarter totaled just 45 points and the game stayed under the total. This followed back to back overs for Washington and the 240 total points scored still would have gone over the total which is posted on tonight's game. In fact, I feel we're retaining some line value here thanks to yesterday's game staying under the total. Now it is the Jazz in town to face the Wizards and Utah is off an under but this was preceded by a 10-4 run to the over in their last 14 games. The Jazz have averaged 120 points per game, not including OT points, last 9 games. The Wizards have averaged 120 points per game their last 9 home games. This one should get well into the 240s and make up for last night's surprising finish when the Wizards hosted the Kings. I am aware Westbrook might miss this game for Washington but they have scored an average of 122 points per game in the 3 home games he has missed this season. I am aware Conley might miss this game for Utah but the Jazz have scored an average of 122.5 points per game in the last 6 games he has missed. 10* OVER the total in Washington |
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03-18-21 | Blackhawks v. Lightning OVER 6 | Top | 2-4 | Push | 0 | 7 h 5 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #49 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:05 ET - Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to get the start for the Bolts here. It goes without saying that he might very well be the best goalie in the league. However, Vasilevskiy has allowed 3 goals in each of his last 4 starts. Also, the Lightning are facing a club that should equate to Vasilevskiy's teammates giving him plenty of goal support here! TB has scored an average of 4.2 goals per game in regulation time of their 5 games against the Blackhawks this season. Chicago enters this game having seen 10 of their last 12 games total at least 6 goals! The Blackhawks have scored an average of 3.2 goals per game in those dozen games. More of the same expected here as at least a 4-3 final expected here based on all of the above. Chicago is simply not getting the goaltending they were earlier this season. In fact, the Blackhawks have now allowed an average of 4.8 goals per game last 5 games and 3.8 goals per game last 12 games. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Tampa Bay |
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03-18-21 | Drake v. Wichita State +2.5 | Top | 53-52 | Win | 100 | 8 h 48 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #714 Thursday 10* Top Play Wichita State Shockers (+) vs Drake Bulldogs @ 6:27 ET - Here is another one with a classic line flip. Wichita State was favored by 2.5 points and now the line has swung the other way and it is Drake favored by 2.5 points! I know the Bulldogs have the better record on the season but they closed the season going 7-4 last 11 games including losing 2 of last 3. Wichita State closed the season with a loss to Cincinnati by just a single point in the AAC Tourney but this followed an 8-game winning streak for the Shockers! In fact, Wichita State was on a 15-2 run prior to the loss to the Bearcats. The Shockers and Bulldogs are former rivals in the Missouri Valley Conference but Wichita State is now in the AAC and did play the tougher schedule this season. I do not believe the betting markets are practically factoring that into this match-up and we'll take advantage of that here. 10* WICHITA STATE |
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03-17-21 | Flyers -124 v. Rangers | Top | 0-9 | Loss | -124 | 8 h 19 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #37 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) @ New York Rangers @ 7:35 ET - The Flyers have dominated this series of late and that includes the games at Madison Square Garden as well. Philadelphia is on an 8-2 run last 10 meetings including a perfect 4-0 at New York. The Rangers lost to the Flyers Monday and Carter Hart played better between the pipes for Philly than you would have expected based on the final score of 5-4. Also, the Rangers have lost 4 of their last 5 and now Alexandar Georgiev is expected to be in the crease for the hosts tonight. He is making just his 2nd start in the last 10 days and Georgiev hasn't lasted long at all in his last two appearances! He has given up 7 goals on just 20 shots for an awful .650 save percentage as Georgiev has been chased from each of his last two appearances. Look for more of the same here as the Flyers have been piling up goals in recent games and have been red hot on the power play. Philly has scored an average of 4 goals per game last 4 games and I look for the recent dominance of the Rangers to continue in this one. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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03-17-21 | Bucks v. 76ers +6 | Top | 109-105 | Win | 100 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #532 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:05 ET - Well aware of the fact that Philly is in a back to back spot and playing 5th game in 7 days and still without Embiid. However their key guys did not play huge minutes yesterday and Philadelphia has won 6 straight games. Yes the Bucks are on a winning streak too but Milwaukee's road cover at Washington was their first ATS win in their last six road games. That's right...Bucks had been on an 0-5 ATS run in away games. The 76ers are off a non-covering win but have not had back to back ATS losses since mid-February. They may not get the outright win here but I look for at least a cover in this one. The Bucks, prior to huge win over Wizards, had seen 4 of last 5 wins come by 6 or less points. Look for the home team to get the cover for the 4th straight time in this series as the host is 3-0 ATS last 3 meetings between these teams. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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03-17-21 | Toledo v. Richmond +3 | Top | 66-76 | Win | 100 | 9 h 31 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #706 Wednesday 10* Top Play Richmond Spiders (+) vs Toledo Rockets @ 7 ET - I understand the line flip here but the Spiders opened up as the favorite for a reason. Now Richmond is a 3 point dog and I won't hesitate to step in. The Spiders have had about two weeks off and normally that is a bad thing but that is not the case here! Senior big man Grant Golden (finger) and senior guard Blake Francis (hip) have both been able to recover better from injuries as a result of the extra time off. These two are the top two scorers for Richmond and Golden is also solid in terms of assists and rebounds. I know each of these guys have been listed as a game time decision for this evening but I would be very surprised if they miss this game. Keep in mind, the NIT is down from the usual 32 teams to just 16 for this season. The Spiders certainly want to make a run at it and I just don't see these guys missing this game. I know Richmond is on a 3-game losing streak but Francis missed the most recent game and played only 9 minutes in the prior game (got hurt) and with Francis in the lineup for a full game the Spiders have never lost back to back games. I feel strongly that both guys will play but even if 1 of the 2 misses, Richmond will have 4 guys on the floor that average double digits in points, and again I do expect this number to be 5 though! The Spiders are undervalued here against a MAC team that, in regulation time, has allowed an average of 77 points per game last 4 games. The Rockets will struggle to do enough on the defensive end against a Spiders team that has allowed an average of only 65.6 points per game even during a rough 4-4 stretch to end the season! 10* RICHMOND |
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03-16-21 | Knicks v. 76ers OVER 216 | Top | 96-99 | Loss | -107 | 11 h 59 m | Show |
Atlantic Div Total of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #525 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks @ 8:05 ET - The Knicks are in a back to back spot here. Their 5-point loss at Brooklyn last night did go over the total. The over is 7-1 in New York's last 8 games. Joel Embiid is currently out for the 76ers and that certainly impacts the interior defense of this team. Overall, Philadelphia has been trending over of late. The over is 5-1 in their last 6 games. Also, the Sixers have a big game against the Bucks on deck. Looking ahead to a showdown with an East challenger certainly will not help the level of the defensive intensity for Philly in this one. Yes the Knicks are a divisional foe but Philadelphia has a long winning streak against New York and could get caught looking ahead to tomorrow's game versus Milwaukee. The Knicks have averaged 111.5 points per game their last 4 games. The 76ers are averaging 127.2 points per game in regulation time of their last 5 games. More of the same expected here as this one flies over the total. 10* OVER the total in Philadelphia |
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03-16-21 | Islanders -111 v. Capitals | Top | 1-3 | Loss | -111 | 9 h 34 m | Show |
East Div Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #25 Tuesday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (-) @ Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - The Capitals were out for revenge when they had a 2-game set with the Islanders in late January. That's because Washington was eliminated from the post-season last year by the Isles. However, now it is New York with revenge as they lost both those late January games and seek payback here. The situation certainly favors the travelers here as the Caps are in a back to back spot. Yes, the Capitals have been hot but they are in a back to back spot here and also it is likely to be Samsonov (allowed 7 goals last 2 starts) between the pipes since Vanecek was in the crease for last night's shutout win. That game was at Buffalo by the way so the Caps also had to travel for this next game. The Islanders certainly are the more rested team as they were off yesterday. Also, even though the Capitals have been hot, so too have the Isles as they have won 9 straight and 11 of their last 12. Both teams certainly playing very well but grab the hotter team, playing with revenge, and in the better scheduling situation. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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03-15-21 | Kings +3.5 v. Hornets | Top | 116-122 | Loss | -107 | 9 h 35 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #503 Monday 10* Top Play Sacramento Kings (+) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET - The low line on this game makes no sense and, in typical contrarian fashion, I am fading public perception and fading the line move as this one has moved up a little higher this morning. Charlotte is a very small favorite here even though they are at home where they are 11-8 this season and even though the Kings are on the road where they are 6-11 this season. Additionally, the Hornets are on a 9-5 run and have won 3 straight games while Sacramento is on a 3-12 run. Given all of the above the line makes no sense here, right? Exactly! Give me the team no one wants here! The Kings are off a loss but are 3-0 L3 when off a loss. Also, Sacramento does have revenge in this one for a 1 point home loss to the Hornets earlier this season. Charlotte does have a long road trip on deck and could look right past the Kings here. Grab the points! 10* SACRAMENTO |
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03-15-21 | Predators v. Lightning OVER 5.5 | Top | 4-1 | Loss | -120 | 6 h 17 m | Show |
NHL Network Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #1 Monday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Nashville Predators @ 4:05 ET - Going to take advantage of the low total here and ride the high-scoring trend. This total could be on its way to a 6 so lets get in on it early here and grab the 5.5 that is very plentiful as of mid-morning Monday. This is an afternoon game featuring two clubs that have been trending toward higher-scoring games of late. The most recent one was a game between these two teams and a 6-3 Tampa Bay team but, overall, these teams have each been individually trending toward plenty of goals in recent weeks. Nashville has seen 6 of their last 7 games total at least 6 goals. The Predators loss to the Bolts Saturday was the 5th time in 7 games that they have allowed at least 4 goals. As for the Lightning, they are known for strong goaltending but this is the first game of a back to back so we could see McElhinney between the pipes. Even if it is Vasilevskiy in goal, he has not been as sharp of late so either way there should be plenty of scoring here. The Bolts have allowed at least 3 goals in 5 straight games. All 5 of those games totaled 7 or more goals and this one should too! 4 of the 5 meetings between these teams this season have totaled 7 or more goals and TB has scored an average of 5 goals per game in their match-ups with Nashville this season. More of the same expected here. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Tampa Bay |
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03-15-21 | Liverpool v. Wolverhampton Wanderers OVER 2.5 | Top | 1-0 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 56 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Monday 10* Top Play OVER 2.5 goals: Liverpool @ Wolverhampton @ 4 ET - I know Liverpool has struggled recently but they have deserved better in terms of some of their goal-scoring chances not being cashed in. Also, they are off a mid-week win over RB Leipzig last week in Champions League action and I look for Liverpool to build off that 2-0 win with another victory here. Wolverhampton has but 9 wins in their 28 matches this season and also has a -8 goal differential in their last 4 meetings with the visitors in this one. The Wolves allowed 4 goals at Liverpool earlier this season and, even though they are now the hosts in the reverse fixture, an average of 2.3 goals per match has been allowed by Wolverhampton in last 4 meetings. It is now or never for Liverpool if they are serious about making a move up the table in Premier League action and I look for the win over RB Leipzig to be used as a springboard in that regard. However, I don't see Liverpool delivering a clean sheet here and that is why I am expecting at least a 2-1 final. Liverpool has allowed at least 1 goal in 9 of last 10 premier league matches. Wolverhampton is scoring an average of 1 goal per match this season but I also don't see them earning any points in this one. In other words, at least a 2-1 final expected here and an angry Liverpool team could really pour it on here with a 3 or 4 goal performance too. 10* OVER 2.5 goals in Wolverhampton |
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03-14-21 | Spurs v. 76ers -2.5 | Top | 99-134 | Win | 100 | 8 h 29 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #562 Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 6:35 ET - The Spurs blasted Orlando without DeMar DeRozan but that game was at home and the 76ers are not the Magic. That said, the reason for this low line on the Sixers is that Joel Embiid is out. I know that Philly has often struggled in games without Embiid in the lineup this season. However, the 76ers will have Ben Simmons back for this one and the Spurs being without DeRozan is a key loss. The Spurs had lost back to back games and 4 of 6 prior to the win over the Magic. The Sixers have won 4 straight and 8 of their last 10 games. They won both match-ups last season including by 11 when the teams met here in Philly. Look for another double digit win in this one as well as a well-rested Simmons takes over with Embiid out and look for Dwight Howard, as he so often does, to have another huge game with the big man out. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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03-14-21 | Stars -125 v. Blue Jackets | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 7 h 35 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #62 Sunday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (-) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 5:05 ET - The Stars lost this match-up yesterday in OT. Based on the goalie match-up yesterday it is likely to be Khodobin versus Korpisalo in this one. The Stars netminder will be looking to redeem himself after allowing 4 goals on just 8 shots in his most recent appearance. This followed a stellar effort of just 1 goal allowed in his prior start on 22 shots. Korpisalo allowed 7 goals in his last two starts and that included a loss to Dallas. The Stars have scored an average of 4 goals per game in their last 3 games at Columbus and I expect that coupled with a strong performance bounce back from Khudobin to lead to a road rout here. 10* DALLAS |
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03-14-21 | Ohio State v. Illinois -6 | Top | 88-91 | Loss | -107 | 6 h 3 m | Show |
Championship Best Bet - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #658 Sunday 10* Top Play Illinois Illini (-) vs Ohio State Buckeyes @ 3:30 ET - The Buckeyes upset Michigan yesterday thanks to hitting a ridiculous 12 of 22 three pointers! The Illini hung on to beat Iowa yesterday despite making only 3 of 15 three pointers! You see the difference? This is helping to create line value here because Ohio State scored a total of only 32 points yesterday from inside the arc. Illinois scored a total of 73 points yesterday from inside the arc. Recent meetings between these teams have been tight but I look for the Illini to pull away as this one goes on. The Buckeyes are playing for 4th time in 4 days and their game prior to upsetting the Wolverines went into overtime too. Conversely, the Illini are playing just their 3rd game in 3 days and their first one was a blowout win over Rutgers. Strong situational edge here for the favorite. Lay it. 10* ILLINOIS |
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03-14-21 | West Ham United v. Manchester United OVER 2.5 | Top | 0-1 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 43 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Manchester United vs West Ham United @ 3:15 ET - Manchester United just knocked off the hottest team in the league when they defeated rivals Manchester City in their most recent premier league contest. That said, this is the perfect spot for a slip-up in terms of goals conceded after that 2-0 shutout victory. Likewise, West Ham is also off a 2-0 shutout win. Prior to that, 7 of West Ham's last 8 fixtures in premier league action had totaled 3 or more goals and I fully expect this one will as well. West Ham scored an average of 2 goals per match in those competitions. Manchester United won the most recent premier league meeting between these teams by a 3-1 count. Don't be surprised if this one also gets to 4 goals but we should see at least 3 here and that puts us in the winners circle here. Perfect set-up with each club off a 2-0 result in most recent respective premier league matches. Manchester United averaging 2 goals per match on the campaign and West Ham, as noted above, also on a hot streak that has seen them scoring an average of 2 goals per match as well. 10* OVER the total in Manchester United |
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03-13-21 | Capitals v. Flyers -115 | Top | 5-4 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 28 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #48 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) vs Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - The Flyers lost to the Caps Thursday but showed resilience in battling back and now will carry momentum from that game right into this one. A season that was humming along for Philly took a hit because of covid protocols and that seems to have left Philadelphia in a bit of a funk. Carter Hart goaltending performances are not helping but having veteran Brian Elliott to steady the ship is a key. Elliott will get the start here and I expect a huge response from the Flyers after Thursday's loss. Philadelphia is 4-0 this season when off a game in which they allowed 5 or more goals in regulation. The Capitals are 1-2 this season when on a winning streak of 3 games or more and the lone win came in the shootout while the 2 losses came by a combined score of 10 to 4. Look for this one to be all Flyers. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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03-13-21 | Pistons v. Nets OVER 227.5 | Top | 95-100 | Loss | -107 | 10 h 37 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #543 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Brooklyn Nets vs Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - The Pistons are off an ATS win but SU loss in their 1st game after the break. Though they came up just short of the outright upset there I do expect Detroit to continue to play better now that the Blake Griffin situation is behind them. Griffin actually went to the Nets but has been ruled out of this game with continued left knee issues. The fact is that the Pistons should have another respectable game here like they did at Charlotte but I also don't see them stopping Brooklyn. The Nets have played 4 of their last 6 games at home and in this stretch dating back to the final week of February, Brooklyn has won 5 of the 6 games and averaged 124 points per game in regulation time of the 5 victories. More of the same expected here but they are about an 11 point favorite here. A 124-113 type game sounds about right here and that puts this one nearly 10 points above the line. I will take it. Keep in mind the Nets had to raise their defensive intensity some in a bigger game versus the Celtics Thursday. Don't be surprised if you see a dropoff in level of defense played in this one as the Pistons have the worst record in the Eastern Conference. 10* OVER the total in Brooklyn |
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03-13-21 | Georgetown v. Creighton OVER 143 | Top | 73-48 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 13 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #619 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Creighton Bluejays vs Georgetown Hoyas @ 6:30 ET - Not only did each of the Big East semi-final games involving these teams stay under the total, they did not even come close to going over. However, the Hoyas did allow 62 shots from the field to Seton Hall yesterday but the Pirates had a horrible shooting performance. As for the Bluejays game, they also took 62 shots but shot poorly and they faced a Connecticut team that also shot very poorly. Give some credit to the defensive play as well but this situation falls into the "I have seen this movie before" category! After a pair of low-scoring games yesterday, the betting markets are now backing the under here and yet we'll see much better shooting today and a great pace to this game. Like I said, I have seen situations like this in the past and this is so often how it ends up playing out. The posted total on the two games between these teams in each of the two regular season meetings was in the 150 to 152 range and now you have a total on this one dipping into the low 140s. This is a value spot. The last meeting between these teams totaled just 111 points which is also leading to line value here. The teams entered that game on a 3-0 run to the over in their meetings and had totaled at least 151 points in 4 consecutive meetings. By the way, Creighton had averaged 90 points per game in their 2 games immediately preceding yesterday's low-scoring win. As for Georgetown, they had averaged 72.4 points per game in their 5 games preceding yesterday's low scoring win. The Bluejays are favored by 9 points here and that puts this game in the 82-73 range or mid-150s which is well above where this total is now. Lets take advantage. 10* OVER the total in Big East Championship Game |
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03-13-21 | Manchester City -1.5 v. Fulham | Top | 3-0 | Win | 110 | 6 h 51 m | Show |
Goal Line Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Saturday 10* Top Play Manchester City Goal Line -1.5 goals +110 @ Fulham @ 3 ET - Their 21-match winning streak ended, Manchester City responded in a big way with a 5-2 win against Southampton Wednesday. Manchester City entered that match coming off a 2-0 loss that also ended a 28-match unbeaten run. City has a goal differential of +40 on the season while Fulham has a goal differential of -10 on their home pitch this season. Fulham has played better of late but that had a lot to do with level of competition faced. I know they just beat Liverpool 1-0 but that is a club that has some major internal issues going and continues to struggle on their home pitch. Speaking of struggling as a host, Fulham has but two wins in 15 matches on their own turf this season. Considering they now face the best team in the league, that is why the money line is a massive one here at nearly a -300 price...but the value is with the goal line and certainly this should be a blowout. 10* MANCHESTER CITY -1.5 goals +110 |
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03-12-21 | Connecticut v. Creighton OVER 143.5 | Top | 56-59 | Loss | -115 | 12 h 51 m | Show |
Big East Beast Top Total - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #849 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Creighton Bluejays vs Connecticut Huskies @ 9 ET - These teams are both on fire right now and I don't see that slowing down here. The Huskies have been a different team since James Bouknight came back. Connecticut enters this game on a 5-game winning streak and has averaged scoring 81.2 points per game during this win streak. Overall the Huskies have won 7 of 8 games and have averaged 80.6 points per game in the 7 wins. Now UConn faces a Creighton team which is off back to back wins in which they have averaged scoring 90 points per game. Also, the Bluejays have scored at least 77 points in each of their last 4 wins and that includes a victory over Villanova in which the Jays scored 86 points. I just don't see either team being stopped here today as they are both loaded with confidence right now in the offensive end and that means plenty of points from both teams. In regulation time of their two games this season they averaged only 136 points but the situation was different in terms of player health for those match-ups as well as just the way the teams were playing at the time. I like what I am seeing from both these teams right now and look for plenty of points in this one as a result. Already firing on all cylinders at MSG, more of the same expected here. 10* OVER the total in Creighton |
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03-12-21 | Golden Knights v. Blues OVER 5.5 | Top | 5-4 | Win | 100 | 8 h 19 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #23 Friday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in St Louis Blues vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 8:05 ET - Generally speaking the Blues are known for tough defensive-minded hockey and the Golden Knights get solid goal-tending. However, couple of important comments on that to follow here. First off, when these teams meet the recent results have been absolutely crazy with not only 5 straight overs but each of the last 4 games all totaling 9 or more goals! Now when you also factor in that Vegas goalie Robin Lehner is still on a conditioning assignment and Marc-Andre is now in covid protocol, you also have a very precarious goaltending situation for the Knights here. What it means is that rookie goalie Logan Thompson or a generally inefficient Oscar Dansk is likely to get the start here for Vegas between the pipes. All that said, I do expect the Golden Knights to respond well here off a loss and that should lead to a strong effort in the offensive zone but I just don't see Vegas as being able to keep the puck out of their own net in this one. The result should be a rather easy over here with this game getting to the 6-goal mark and, likely, beyond. The total of 5.5 is because of the Blues long-term reputation but you can see, per the above, exactly why I am expecting much more here. The last 6 Blues games entering this one have averaged 7 goals per game NOT including OT! 4 of the Knights last 6 games have totaled 6 or more goals. 10* OVER the total in St Louis |
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03-12-21 | 76ers -4 v. Wizards | Top | 127-101 | Win | 100 | 9 h 43 m | Show |
Earliest Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #529 Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Washington Wizards @ 8:05 ET - The 76ers rolled the Bulls last night despite being without Joel Embiid plus Ben Simmons and despite the fact Chicago made 14 of 29 three pointers. The Sixers still won the game by 22 points. Now they could have Embiid back tonight plus the Wizards have a very concerning situation with Bradley Beal. A top scorer for Washington, he is currently being limited by a knee injury that is lingering and this is even after the All Star break was able to give him some rest too so this is certainly not a good sign. That plus the fact the Wizards just got blasted by 15 points at Memphis Wednesday is not a good sign for Washington as they now host a tough Philly team. Philadelphia has beaten the Wizards 4 straight times by an average margin of 9 points per game. That said, I am happy to lay the short number on the road in this one. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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03-12-21 | Georgetown v. Seton Hall -2.5 | Top | 66-58 | Loss | -103 | 9 h 30 m | Show |
Big East Beast Top Side - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #848 Friday 10* Top Play Seton Hall Pirates (-) vs Georgetown Hoyas @ 6 ET - The Pirates are off a hard-fought OT win but the Hoyas have the disadvantage of playing a 3rd game in 3 days. Also, Georgetown is off a huge upset win over Villanova. Conversely, Seton Hall's win over St John's did not come easily but the fact is the Pirates had finished the regular season on a 4-game losing streak. As a result, Seton Hall felt some extra pressure in their 1st game of the Big East tourney. With that first win now out of the way, and with the Pirates the only team other than Villanova to win this tourney in recent years, Seton Hall knows they have a real shot at winning this tournament thanks to the Wildcats being knocked out of it. I like the fact that the Pirates reached double digits in shots blocked yesterday plus held the Red Storm to just 24% from beyond the arc. The Hoyas benefitted from hitting 41% from three point land yesterday plus going 23 for 23 from the line against Nova. Neither of those stats likely to be repeated here and I expect the Pirates to roll in this one as a result. They beat the Hoyas when they faced them away from Georgetown and the only reason they lost the game in which they visited them is because the Hoyas made a ridiculous 10 of 16 shots from beyond the arc. That is not being repeated here. 10* SETON HALL |
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03-11-21 | 76ers v. Bulls OVER 227 | Top | 127-105 | Win | 100 | 9 h 15 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #513 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Bulls vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 8:05 ET - Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid - the two 76ers All-Stars - will each miss this game due to covid-19 protocol requirements. That is also why they did not play in this past weekend's all-star game. In typical contrarian fashion, with the Sixers two big scorers out for tonight, I am on the over here! Yes, look for their absences to effect the defensive play of Philly in this game and the Bulls will try to run the 76ers right out of the building! The over is 3-1 in Chicago's last 4 games and 3-0 in Philadelphia's last 3 games. The Sixers have allowed 117 points per game last 5 road games. The Bulls have allowed an average of 118.5 points per game last 4 games overall. Look for more of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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03-11-21 | Penguins v. Sabres OVER 6 | Top | 5-2 | Win | 113 | 7 h 39 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #11 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Buffalo Sabres vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Sabres have been struggling but gained a little confidence with their 5-4 shootout loss at Philadelphia in their most recent game. That said, at home and hosting Sidney Crosby and company, Buffalo is likely to come up with a strong effort and score some goals here but they can't stop anybody. The way I see this one playing out is that that the Penguins could get caught sleepwalking a bit early on and the Sabres take advantage and score some early but then I expect Pittsburgh to respond with a barrage of goals. Buffalo has goaltending issues caused by Linus Ullmark being out for some time and the Sabres have allowed at least 3 goals in 8 straight games and an average of 4 goals per game during this 8-game stretch! The Penguins also are known for getting involved in high-scoring games. 7 of last 8 Pittsburgh games have totaled 6 or more goals. 5 of those 7 totaled 7 or more and this one is set up to as well. The Penguins have averaged 4.2 goals per game last 5 games. 10* OVER the total in Buffalo |
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03-11-21 | Butler v. Creighton OVER 135 | Top | 56-87 | Win | 100 | 8 h 11 m | Show |
Big East Beast Top - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #697 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Creighton Blue Jays vs Butler Bulldogs @ 6 ET - I am well aware of the fact that this game is at Madison Square Garden and both Butler and Creighton do not score as well when they are away from home. I am also aware that we got some good fortune here yesterday when the Bulldogs game against Xavier went to overtime and that allowed that game to get over the total. However, lets look at some important facts here and why I am expecting yet another over involving these teams (I used the over in their Saturday match-up as a big play). The fact is that Creighton has scored quite well on the road in recent weeks other than a tough battle at Villanova - but who does not struggle with the Wildcats? That said, lets look at the Blue Jays other 5 road games since mid-January. Creighton has averaged 71.4 points per game in those 5 games. As for the Bulldogs, they are on a hot run of upset wins so they are surging with confidence. Butler has won 3 of its last 4 games and even though 2 of their last 3 games have been played away from home, the Bulldogs averaged 68.3 points per game in regulation time of those 3 games. Given those numbers and the fact that the Blue Jays are a double digit favorite here with good reason, you can see why I like the over in this match-up. The last meeting totaled 166 points and though the prior meeting this season was low-scoring, Creighton had an unusually poor shooting game in that one. The Blue Jays are again firing on all cylinders now and Butler is playing at a higher level thanks to all the recent upset wins boosting confidence. The result should be another high-scoring shootout here. 10* OVER the total in Creighton |
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03-10-21 | Senators v. Oilers OVER 6.5 | Top | 1-7 | Win | 100 | 8 h 29 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #71 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 6.5 goals in Edmonton Oilers vs Ottawa Senators @ 8:05 ET - The Senators entered Monday's game having scored 3 or more goals in 8 of their last 9 games. That Monday game was against these same Oilers and was 3-2 Edmonton heading to the 3rd period. However, inexplicably, no one scored in the 3rd period and the game remained under the total. That is leading to line value here. The Oilers are favored big here for a reason of course. The point is that this game should end up getting to nothing less than a 4-3 final as Edmonton finds a way to get the win but gives up some goals along the way. Ottawa has been scoring decent of late as noted above but also has a tendency to allow far too many and that is the reason, entering Monday, 7 of their last 11 games had totaled at least 7 goals. Those 7 games actually averaged 9 goals! In terms of high-scoring games, the Senators last 3 visits to Edmonton entering Monday had seen the games total 26 goals. The Oilers had been scoring well as they were averaging about 4 goals per game over a stretch of 16 games prior to running into the red hot Maple Leafs. That slowed them down a little but Edmonton can resume their strong play and this game won't go scoreless in the 3rd like Monday's did. Also, the Oilers goalies have allowed 3.4 goals per game in the last 5 games and the Senators continue to have goal-tending issues. This total is a 6.5 for a reason and the over is the way to go here based on all of the above. 10* OVER the total in Edmonton |
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03-10-21 | Wizards +3.5 v. Grizzlies | Top | 112-127 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 8 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #501 Wednesday 10* Top Play Washington Wizards (+) @ Memphis Grizzlies @ 8:05 ET - This line looked funny based on its opener and of course the masses are going one way and I am going the other in a typical fade the masses contrarian situation for me. The Grizzlies just beat the Wizards by double digits before the All Star break. That game was at Washington and now this game is at Memphis and the line opened up at nearly a pick'em. This is despite the Grizzlies having the much better record plus being at home plus having just destroyed the Wizards. Something seems odd about that right? Do not let the odds fool you! The road dog is the play here. The Wizards want revenge and the all star break was a good reset point for them plus they have been playing much better overall of late with 8 wins in last 11 games and 1 of the losses was the loss to Memphis and one of the other defeats came by just a single point. 10* WASHINGTON |
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03-10-21 | Butler v. Xavier OVER 133 | Top | 70-69 | Win | 100 | 8 h 47 m | Show |
Big East Beast Top - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #627 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Xavier Musketeers vs Butler Bulldogs @ 6 ET - These teams met a little over two weeks ago and the game totaled a ridiculous 114 points. That is because the teams combined for a ridiculous 16% from three point land as they hit 8 of 50. That is not happening again here. These teams normally would have combined to hit at least 16 of the 50 and that would have put this game up to 138. I look for a high-scoring game to surprise some people here. Butler has scored 73 points in each of its last two games and the over is 5-2 in their last 7 games. Xavier is off back to back low-scoring games but this was preceded by a stretch of just 1 under in 5 games. The Musketeers scored an average of 73 points per game in those 5 games. Xavier also has allowed 78.5 points per game their last 4 games away from home. 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams have stayed under the total including both this season but, as long-time followers know, I am a contrarian. This one goes over the total as look for a tight game late with plenty of extra free throws for the team in the lead and plenty of threes fired up for the team trailing. We have seen this play out before. A lot of late scramble points if needed but truly I think we'll see a lot more scoring early and more consistently throughout this game than many expect. Much better shooting expected here. I am aware of the injury situation for both teams but feel any disruption to the playing rotation will also just lead to more confusion defensively and actually just leads to even more points here including quick points in transition too. 10* OVER the total in Xavier |
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03-10-21 | Southampton v. Manchester City -1.75 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 4 h 17 m | Show |
Goal Line Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Wednesday 10* Top Play Manchester City Goal Line -1.75 goals -130 in Manchester City vs Southampton @ 1 ET - Their 21-match winning streak ended, Manchester City will respond in a big way here against Southampton. The visitors in this one just saw Danny Ings get hurt in their most recent match. That will not help matters for Southampton and they visit an angry club in Manchester City coming off a 2-0 loss that also ended a 28-match unbeaten run. City has a goal differential of +37 on the season and is healthier here while Southampton has a goal differential of -11 and has some injury concerns. Factoring in that the visitors are off a 2-0 win after back to back shutout defeats while the hosts are off a 2-0 loss after months of dominance, you have the ideal set up to lay it here! Of course that is why the money line is a massive in this one...greater than a -500 price...but the value is with the goal line and certainly this should be a blowout. 10* MANCHESTER CITY |
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03-09-21 | Panthers -128 v. Blue Jackets | Top | 4-2 | Win | 100 | 7 h 36 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #61 Tuesday 10* Top Play Florida Panthers Money Line (-) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - The Panthers are off a 4-2 loss at Carolina on Sunday. Florida is 7-1 this season when off a loss. The Panthers also were on a 7-1 run in road games prior to the loss to the Hurricanes Sunday. That big run followed a 3-2 shootout loss at Columbus in late January when these teams most recently met. In other words, ideal set-up here as Florida also has revenge against the Blue Jackets here. We also get line value in this one since the Panthers are on the road. At home they would be a pricey favorite but on the road they are priced very reasonably. Columbus is off their 8th loss in 11 games and that was a 5-0 beating at Dallas. Though the loss to the Stars was a road game and one might thing the Blue Jackets will be better here at home, note that Columbus did win their most recent game as a host but this was preceded by 3 straight home losses. Also, that win came against the Red Wings. The Panthers most certainly are at a much higher level than Detroit! 10* FLORIDA |
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03-09-21 | Oakland v. Cleveland State OVER 138.5 | Top | 69-80 | Win | 100 | 9 h 55 m | Show |
Horizon League Total of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #824 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cleveland State Vikings (-) vs Oakland Golden Grizzlies @ 7 ET - I understand this total in terms of being rather low because we saw some crazy results yesterday in this tourney. It is tournament time and Oakland has a great long-term reputation in the Horizon League and knocked off Northern Kentucky last night. This is the "anything can happen" time of year when you see upsets in tournament action similar to the "on any given Sunday" mantra relating to the NFL. Here is the thing about that though. Lightning usually doesn't strike twice and the Golden Grizzlies just had their "anything can happen" moment last night. Oakland beat the Norse by double digits despite Northern Kentucky taking 11 more shots from the field and despite the Golden Grizzlies being putrid - 10 of 26 - from the free throw line! Oakland was fortunate is the point I am making as the Norse made just 33% from the field for the game and also were held to 23% from beyond the arc. None of those stats are likely to be repeated again here and the Vikings are the superior team. Cleveland State is 18-7 on the season while Oakland is 12-17. The Golden Grizzlies will shoot much better from the free throw line tonight but both teams are off deceiving performances in terms of points allowed and that is why I love the over here. The Norse scored just 58 points on Oakland but took 69 shots from the field! The UW-Milwaukee Panthers scored only 65 points on Cleveland State but also took 69 shots from the field. Wisconsin-Milwaukee made just 3 of 17 three pointers so that is what held them back. So both teams off unders last night but Cleveland State entered last night's game on a stretch of just 2 unders in 10 games! As for Oakland, they are 21-7 to the over this season and yesterday's under followed a stretch of 8 straight overs. Both the Golden Grizzlies and Vikings were fortunate in terms of points allowed last night. That will not be repeated tonight. 10* OVER the total in Cleveland State |
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03-08-21 | Golden Knights v. Wild +101 | Top | 0-2 | Win | 101 | 10 h 41 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #42 Monday 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (+) vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 8:05 ET - The Wild are available at even money in this one even though they are at home. I like the value here with revenge minded Minnesota in this one. They faced the Golden Knights in Vegas twice last week and lost the first game 5-4 in OT after blowing a 4-2 lead. Keep in mind 2 of the Knights 4 goals in regulation came on the power play so the Wild did outscore Vegas 4-2 in 5 on 5 hockey of that game. Then Minny got blown out on the scoreboard in Wednesday's rematch but did outshoot the Golden Knights by a 37-28 margin in that one. Vegas is having a great season but also enter this game off back to back wins over their hated rival, the Sharks. I will not be surprised to see Minnesota out-skating the Golden Knights here as they are likely to be the hungrier team given this double revenge spot. By the way, the home team has now won each of the last 4 meetings between these teams. Also, the Wild are off a 5-2 loss at Arizona and have gone 5-1 this season when they enter a game off a defeat in which they were held to 2 or less goals. 10* MINNESOTA |