Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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02-16-21 | Nuggets v. Celtics OVER 221.5 | Top | 99-112 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #535 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boston Celtics vs Denver Nuggets @ 7:05 ET - The Celtics are off back to back unders but this was preceded by a 4-1 run to the over. Also, after an embarrassing loss at Washington where they scored just 91 points, Boston will bounce back on the offensive end and score a pile of points here at home. However, the Nuggets will score plenty here as well even if down a few guys. Keep in mind, players missing for Denver can also impact defensive play and I am certain that is why this total is in the 220 range even though the Nuggets are without some guys. The fact is that Denver is on a 10-3 run to the over. The Nuggets have scored an average of 120.4 points per game in those 10 games that went over the total. The Celtics respond off the embarrassing loss to the Wizards but do not be surprised if the Nuggets continue their high-scoring ways as well and this turns into a shootout. I also do not expect the defensive intensity of Denver to be at its best (not even close actually) considering that they are coming of a huge revenge win over the Lakers. 10* OVER the total in Boston |
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02-16-21 | Providence v. Connecticut -5.5 | Top | 61-73 | Win | 100 | 10 h 38 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #608 Tuesday 10* Top Play Connecticut Huskies (-) vs Providence Friars @ 6:30 ET - The Huskies seek revenge for a loss by a double digit margin at Providence last week. Connecticut actually had 9 more shots from the field but the Friars had 18 more free throw attempts. That latter statistic will not be repeated here at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, CT. Also note that Connecticut's James Bouknight is very close to returning from his elbow injury. The Friars are off a road win but entered that game having lost 4 of last 5 away from home. Huskies are averaging 76 points per game at home this season while Providence has been held to an average of 62 points per game in last 3 road games. The revenge-minded home team gets a boost with the imminent return of Bouknight even if he is yet on the floor this evening. There is a mental aspect to this as well that their star's return is imminent. 10* CONNECTICUT |
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02-15-21 | Bulls v. Pacers OVER 226.5 | Top | 120-112 | Win | 100 | 10 h 58 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #519 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana Pacers vs Chicago Bulls @ 7:05 ET - The Bulls Markkanen got hurt a few games back and including that game and through their most recent game Chicago has also been without Porter and Carter. That said, the Bulls scoring must be way down, right? After all, these are 3 of their top scorers. That is what is funny about how things often work. Without these guys one could say Chicago has been a little more disjointed. What happens then? Teams play a different style often when guys are out and others are stepping in. For the Bulls, this has led to them still scoring quite well - 114.6 ppg their last 5 games - but really starting to slip up on the defensive end as Chicago has allowed 120.5 ppg their last two games. Long-term the over is 6-2 in Bulls road games as their defense certainly is not known for traveling well and that is even when their healthy. That said, and with this total dropping from a 230 to the mid-220s this morning, we have excellent line value here. The Pacers have averaged 118 points their last two games plus are off a very high-scoring win at Atlanta which totaled 238 points. The over is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings between these teams and they totaled 231 points in their only meeting this season. Their most recent home game was low-scoring but it came against a strong Utah team. Prior to that, 6 of Indiana's last 7 home games totaled at least 227 points and this one will too! 10* OVER the total in Indiana |
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02-15-21 | Virginia v. Florida State UNDER 130 | Top | 60-81 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 31 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #844 Monday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Florida State Seminoles vs Virginia Cavaliers @ 7 ET - Big game involving top two teams in the ACC. I am well aware of the fact that the Seminoles are on an over streak but the Cavaliers are going to dictate that this game will be an ugly grinder. It is just the way Virginia games are and, especially in a big one like this, I do not see the Cavs allowing there to be any tempo in this game. The Cavaliers are so good at dictating tempo and forcing a slow pace. Virginia's last 5 games have resulted in 4 unders and those games have averaged just 112.7 points per game. We are getting extra value with this total posted in the 130 range because of the Seminoles long-term scoring process. However, do not overlook the Noles defensive play! FSU is off a high-scoring OT win versus Wake Forest but that was an usual situation for them Saturday as it was their first game in over two weeks. Prior to the shootout with WF, the Seminoles 10 prior wins saw them allow just 64.4 points per game. Now ratchet that down many notches because of playing slow-paced Virginia and you can see why I would not be surprised to see this game fall into the 115 to 120 range for total points. 10* UNDER the total in Florida State |
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02-15-21 | Blues v. Coyotes +108 | Top | 0-1 | Win | 108 | 5 h 55 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #6 Monday 10* Top Play Arizona Coyotes Money Line (+) vs St Louis Blues @ 4:05 ET - After giving up the tying goal with less than 6 minutes to go in the game Saturday and then losing in overtime to these same Blues, the Coyotes are ready to execute payback Monday. This game is again on their home ice and Arizona has now lost back to back games at home to St Louis. This followed a stretch that saw the Coyotes win 4 of 5 games and that included 3 straight over the Blues. These teams are playing the rubber match of a set of 7 straight games due to quirky scheduling as a result of covid issues around the league and I look for a huge effort from the angry home side here. Arizona had allowed an average of only 1.5 goals per game their last 4 home games prior to now allowing 4 goals in regulation time of each of their last two games against the Blues. Now, after a day off Sunday to regroup, look for the Coyotes to return to their stingy ways on defense and in net and they will frustrate St Louis on their way to a home win here. 10* ARIZONA |
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02-15-21 | Newcastle United v. Chelsea -1.75 | Top | 0-2 | Win | 50 | 17 h 3 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Monday 10* Top Play Chelsea Goal Line -1.75 goals vs Newcastle United @ 3 ET - We have to win this match by a multiple goal margin to cash our ticket but Chelsea truly looks like a different club since Thomas Tuchel took over managerial duties. Coming off a casual effort in English FA Cup action against Barnsley, the stakes are again high now in Premier League action and Chelsea should dominate Newcastle. This game is on Chelsea's home pitch and they have allowed just 1 goal total in their last 5 matches. With that type of defensive dominance, a clean sheet can be expected here. So, the question becomes, can Chelsea score at least 2 goals here? Well, after the listless performance against Barnsley which included a lot of playing time for younger players, Chelsea will have the big guns back for this one and they will be taking on a Newcastle side dealing with numerous injury issues. Also, Newcastle has allowed at least 2 goals in 4 of their last 5 matches and this was all against clubs that certainly have not been playing at the peak level that Chelsea has since Tuchel took over. That said, this one should be dominated by the team on its home pitch. Lay it! CHELSEA -1.75 goals |
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02-14-21 | Spurs v. Hornets OVER 229 | Top | 122-110 | Win | 100 | 21 h 5 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #507 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Charlotte Hornets vs San Antonio Spurs @ 7:05 ET - The Spurs are off a big win at Atlanta where they totaled 125 points despite being able to back off and score only 15 in the 4th quarter! The Hornets are also off a big win as they scored 120 points in their win over Minnesota which was also on Friday like the Spurs. That said, I like to look for overs when teams are off of high-scoring wins as there tends to be a natural let up on defense. Essentially it is just a case of thinking your offense can bail you out of anything so why worry too much about defense? Note that the Hornets have scored an average of 120 points their past 8 games. Also, holding true to what I mentioned earlier, when Charlotte is 5-1 to the over the last 6 times when off a win. Being at home here, the Hornets will continue to push the pace and the Spurs come into this one with plenty of confidence after their big win at Atlanta. Overall, the Hornets are 11-3 to the over their last 14 games. 10* OVER the total in Charlotte |
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02-14-21 | Capitals +114 v. Penguins | Top | 3-6 | Loss | -100 | 17 h 49 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #1 Sunday 10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 3:05 ET - The Penguins are 6-5-1 this season but are the most fortunate team in the league in my opinion. Only 1 of their 6 wins has come in regulation. Their other 5 wins have come in the shootout or overtime. Also, that lone victory was a game in which Pittsburgh trailed going to the 3rd period but then won it with a goal with just a minute and a half to go in the game. So the Penguins have not dominated a single game out of a dozen games this season. But, by the way, Pittsburgh has 4 losses by a multiple-goal margin with 3 of those coming by 3 goals apiece! In summation, this team is very over-rated right now so we are getting line value with a Capitals team that despises them. Yes it is Ovechkin versus Crobsy once again and the Penguins won the first two meetings this season and, naturally, both wins came in extra time! One win in the shootout and one in overtime. The only drawback against the Caps here is that this is their first game in a week but they are out for double revenge and will be ready to go here with fresh legs. Also, the Capitals have been the much better club in terms of special teams play with their penalty kill ranking an edge and their power play ranking a huge edge over that of the Penguins. Big time payback expected here and plus we get the Caps at a plus money price here since they are on the road. I will take it! 10* WASHINGTON |
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02-14-21 | Marquette +7.5 v. Seton Hall | Top | 51-57 | Win | 100 | 18 h 31 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #803 Sunday 10* Top Play Marquette Golden Eagles (+) @ Seton Hall Pirates @ 3 ET - The Golden Eagles will be ready to bounce back after an embarrassing blowout loss at Villanova by a 32-point margin. That was their first really bad loss of the new year as in 2021 the average margin of defeat had been 6.4 points per game. That said, and considering they are in a good spot, Marquette is offering significant line value here after opening up at about an 8 point dog. The Pirates are in the perfect spot to struggle as they are off back to back wins on the road as a very small favorite. Now Seton Hall has not played in over a week while Marquette played on Wednesday. After that blowout loss to the Wildcats, the Golden Eagles will be ready to respond here as they look for some revenge against the Pirates. Seton Hall has actually won 5 straight games against Marquette so payback is on order here. Look for the Pirates to fall to 0-3 ATS in their last 3 home games as they have lost back to back games both SU and ATS and the Golden Eagles challenge them all the way after getting embarrassed on Wednesday. 10* MARQUETTE |
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02-14-21 | Leeds United v. Arsenal OVER 3 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 15 h 54 m | Show |
TV Total of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Sunday 10* Top Play OVER 3 goals in Arsenal vs Leeds United @ 11:30 AM ET - I am well aware of the fact that Arsenal has not been allowing goals on their home pitch in recent fixtures. However, I am also well of the fact that this is a mid-table battle with each club right next to each other and neither will want to settle for a draw here. To create separation in the table, a full 3 points is required and that means both clubs are going hard for the win. That means Leeds United will be on the attack here and force the issue as they know only one to play and that has been particularly true on the road. Leeds has averaged both scoring and conceding 2 goals per match as travelers this season. In other words seeing at least 4 goals scored in this one would not be a surprise in the least. Being aggressive on the attack and not being concerned about being beaten on the counter-attack has been the modus operandi for Leeds this season. After a 1-0 loss in most recent match, Arsenal responds on their home pitch but will also have trouble containing a Leeds attack which has scored an average of 2 goals per match their last 4 as they have maintained their high-scoring pace quite consistently. 10* OVER the total in Arsenal |
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02-13-21 | Bruins v. Islanders +119 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 119 | 7 h 22 m | Show |
10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS - The Bruins are certainly playing extremely well but they are also leading a bit of a charmed life so to speak. Boston has been fortunate in some tight wins lately and now plays the 2nd night of a back to back plus faces an Islanders team that has found their game again recently. Off a tough shootout loss to the Penguins which was preceded by back to back wins the Islanders are in solid bounce back mode here. The Isles never trailed in the game against Pittsburgh and gave up the tying goal with under 20 seconds to go. It was a truly bad beat as they had an opportunity (easy one) at the empty net too but the net was off its moorings and so they couldn't ice the game a little before that late Pens goal. All in all the Isles have been playing better of late and they now come in hungry off a tough loss while the Bruins in the 2nd game of a back to back and the win took a lot of effort as Boston had to fight like hell to hang on for a 1-0 win. This one goes to the home dog in my opinion as the Bruins struggle in the back to back and the Islanders come out fighting mad after that loss to the Pens. The Isles have not lost a game in regulation in over two weeks. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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02-13-21 | Villanova v. Creighton OVER 143.5 | Top | 70-86 | Win | 100 | 8 h 13 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #693 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Creighton Bluejays vs Villanova Wildcats @ 5 ET - Villanova's defensive numbers haven't been nearly as strong as in recent seasons. The Wildcats are allowing opponents to hit 45.5% from the field including 37.2% from three point land. Creighton loves to fire up 3-balls, particularly when at home, and the Bluejays are hitting 50% from the field including 37% from beyond the arc in their home games this season. Creighton is averaging 83 points per game this season when at home but Villanova is winning a ton of games again this season thanks to very consistent scoring. The Wildcats are scoring an average of 79 points per game this season. The over is 7-4 in Bluejays home games this season and 6-3 in Villanova's conference games this season. Look for these trends to continue here as I expect both teams to get into the 70s in this one. The Cats have been into the 70s in all but 2 of their 15 games this season. The Jays have scored at least 70 in 9 of their last 10 home games. 10* OVER the total in Creighton |
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02-13-21 | 76ers -110 v. Suns | Top | 111-120 | Loss | -110 | 5 h 25 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #563 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Phoenix Suns @ 3 ET - The 76ers are off a loss at Portland Thursday but the Trail Blazers made 11 more three pointers than cold-shooting Philly did that night. The fact that Philadelphia lost the game by a margin of only 4 points despite getting outscored by 33 points from beyond the arc says a lot actually! Plus, keep in mind, the Sixers had won 4 straight road games heading into that one. That said, I like the value here with Philly now available at essentially a pick'em price and coming off a loss. Philly is a perfect 4-0 the last 4 times they have entered a game off a loss. This is a double revenge game for the Sixers as the Suns took both meetings last season. I know Phoenix comes into this game on a hot streak but their two most recent wins have seen them allow an average of 118.5 points per game. The 76ers will be in lockdown mode on defense after the loss to the Blazers. Philly has allowed just 107.7 points per game the last 3 times they have entered a game off a loss. Steals, blocks, rebounding...the Sixers have the edge in this match-up in all 3 categories and I like the situational edge here as well. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-13-21 | Tottenham Hotspur v. Manchester City OVER 2.75 | Top | 0-3 | Win | 50 | 16 h 44 m | Show |
TV Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Manchester City vs Tottenham @ 12:30 ET - Tottenham beat Manchester City earlier this season but have struggled since. However, a lot of that had to do with the absence of Harry Kane and he is back now. Tottenham is averaging 2 goals per match on the road this season while Manchester City is averaging 2 goals per match on their home pitch. The fact is this fixture could easily get to 4 goals. Manchester City has been on fire with wins coming constantly since the loss to the Hotspur earlier in the campaign. Now they seek revenge and they are not going to get comfortable with any lead in this match. Manchester City is out for big time revenge here and will stay strong on the attack in this one no matter the score. They are still angry about the 2-0 defeat at Tottenham earlier this season. With Kane now back for Tottenham I expect the Hotspur to get their fair share of scoring chances in this one but the host will not be denied and this should lead to plenty of scoring here. 10* OVER the total in Manchester City |
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02-12-21 | Spurs +2 v. Hawks | Top | 125-114 | Win | 100 | 23 h 53 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #545 Friday 10* Top Play San Antonio Spurs (+) @ Atlanta Hawks @ 7:35 ET - The Spurs are off home loss and it was a bad one as they lost by a margin of 23 points. That type of loss often easier to bounce back from than the one the Hawks just had which was a one point loss at Dallas. Atlanta did win their most recent home game but that was preceded by 4 straight losses for the Hawks as a host. As for the Spurs they have been road warriors this season with a 7-3 mark away from home both SU and ATS. San Antonio has played the tougher schedule so far this season. Also, the Spurs are at that time of the year where they would take their annual rodeo trip and they will not be back in San Antonio until their game over two weeks from now on the 27th. Traditionally the Spurs have done very well on this annual road trip and this is the first of 7 away games. Also, Atlanta is just 4-6 SU against Western Conference teams this season while the Spurs are a perfect 3-0 SU against Eastern Conference teams this season. Look for that trend to reach 4-0 after the final horn sounds on this one. 10* SAN ANTONIO |
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02-12-21 | Bruins v. Rangers +150 | Top | 1-0 | Loss | -100 | 21 h 16 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #56 Friday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) vs Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - Igor Shesterkin should be back between the pipes for the Rangers in this one and he was great last season and has continued his fantastic play right into this season. The Bruins are a great team but they were in a dog-fight with New York on Wednesday and now they meet again on Friday. Boston eked out the win but I like the Rangers now with having their top goalie again for this one. Also, New York has been playing quite well even in the defensive zone and this is different from Rangers teams of recent seasons. While it may seem tough to fade a strong team like the Bruins here, they are way over-priced if you have been paying attention to how well the Rangers have been playing of late and also the fact that Boston has certainly had some good fortune of late for sure. Bruins are strong solid team but no way should Rangers be a +150 dog here, especially after how their match-up played out on Wednesday night. It is time for some home dog payback here. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS |
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02-12-21 | Temple +6.5 v. Cincinnati | Top | 69-71 | Win | 100 | 23 h 1 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #897 Friday 10* Top Plays Temple Owls (+) @ Cincinnati Bearcats @ 7 ET - The last 4 games between these teams have been decided by an average of just 3.8 points and now the Owls are a 6.5 dog in this one and it is a revenge spot. Temple lost at home against Cincinnati a week ago. The Owls enter this one off 3 straight losses but they got the big dog cover with a strong effort at Wichita State on Sunday. Temple is now on a 3-0 ATS run in road games and I look for the Owls to continue that strong run as travelers here. Though the Bearcats got the cover at Temple a week ago, Cincinnati is 2-9 ATS in their other games this season and I feel they are over-valued in this one. Opponents are actually shooting 47.5% against the Bearcats in their home games this season while the Owls are holding opponents to 40.9% in their road games this season. I am grabbing the hungry, undervalued dog in this one. 10* TEMPLE |
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02-11-21 | Pacers v. Pistons +3 | Top | 111-95 | Loss | -109 | 23 h 23 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #534 Thursday 10* Top Play Detroit Pistons (+) vs Indiana Pacers @ 8 ET - While it might seem hard to trust a 6-18 team against a team playing around .500 this season, in typical contrarian fashion I am on the ugly dog here. In this case the Pistons have a rest edge as they were off last night after hosting the Nets on Tuesday. As for the Pacers, they were at Brooklyn last night to face those same Nets. That said, tough spot for Indiana here. Also, as bad as the Pistons full season record is, they have been more competitive of late. Detroit has won 3 straight home games outright as home dogs and that was against tough teams - Nets, Lakers, 76ers! Going further back, the Pistons are on a 7-2 ATS run last 9 home games so they have been strong as a host this season. The Pacers entered last night's game at Brooklyn on a 3-9 ATS run and I look for Indiana's covering struggles to continue here. 10* DETROIT |
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02-11-21 | Penguins v. Islanders -102 | Top | 4-3 | Loss | -102 | 21 h 38 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #30 Thursday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (-) vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - The Penguins have lost 6 of 7 road games this season plus will be playing just their 2nd game in the past 10 days! Rust could be a factor for sure for Pittsburgh whereas the Islanders have played twice in the past 5 days. Also, the home/road dichotomy of the Pens meshes well with that of the Isles here. Prior to their most recent game being a road win over the Rangers, the Islanders had 9 straight games in which the home team won every single game. Look for that strong home trending to continue here. Also, the Isles have held the upper hand in recent match-ups between these teams as they have taken 9 of 12 including 3 in a row. Look for the streak to reach 4 in a row here as the Pens Evgeni Malkin is listed as questionable for this one too and that could be an issue for Pittsburgh in this one as well. These teams have each played 11 games but the Penguins have allowed 3.7 goals per game this season while the Islanders have allowed only 2.5 goals per game this season. Pittsburgh also has some injury issues with some D-men heading into this game too in terms of injury concerns. Home ice and health make the difference here. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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02-11-21 | Purdue +2.5 v. Minnesota | Top | 68-71 | Loss | -115 | 20 h 33 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #737 Thursday 10* Top Play Purdue Boilermakers (+) @ Minnesota Golden Gophers @ 5 ET - Early line movement toward Minnesota already and I understand that because of the revenge angle. However, there is a match-up issue here. The Boilermakers outrebounded the Golden Gophers by 17 in the first meeting and it was not entirely a fluke. Minnesota has been outrebounded by a margin of 2 boards per game this season while Purdue is outrebounding opponents by 7 boards a game on the season. Comparing these two teams' stats on the season, the Boilermakers are also the better shooting team. Purdue has won 6 of 8 games entering this one while Minnesota is off a win but that was preceded by 6 losses in 8 games. The Boilermakers also have a rest edge here having not played since the 6th while the Gophers just played on the 8th. Minnesota has a great home record this season but the odds maker set this line very low with good reason. Don't let the number scare you away. Look for the road team to roll in this one. 10* PURDUE |
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02-10-21 | Hawks v. Mavs -4 | Top | 117-118 | Loss | -110 | 25 h 29 m | Show |
Non-Conf Game of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #520 Wednesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (-) vs Atlanta Hawks @ 7:35 ET - The Hawks are off a big win versus the Raptors Saturday and that snapped a 3-game losing streak for Atlanta. That said everything must be "all good" again and the Hawks back on track, right? No, not at all! They were very fortunate to not only beat the Raptors but especially by a double digit margin! Toronto had 97 shots from the field compared to just 74 for Atlanta. The Hawks had 18 turnovers compared to just 6 for the Raptors. So how did this win happen? Insane shooting that will not be repeated for Atlanta on the road here. The Hawks shot 57% from the field and made a ridiculous 19 of 36 from three point land. Just crazy numbers for shooting and that leads to value here with the Mavs as short home favorite. Dallas has gotten back on track with wins in 3 of its last 4, including a win at Atlanta, but the Mavericks are still flying under the radar with the betting markets because they are on a long-term poor ATS run. That can lead to special value in certain situations and that is precisely what we are seeing right here. Lay it! 10* DALLAS |
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02-10-21 | Maple Leafs v. Canadiens -105 | Top | 4-2 | Loss | -105 | 24 h 60 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #26 Wednesday 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 7:35 ET - The Canadiens never trailed the Maple Leafs on opening night and even had a two-goal lead during the game. However, Montreal ended up on the wrong end of an overtime loss and they have had to wait 4 weeks for this rematch and I expect them to make the most of it. This time they meet in Montreal and note that in the first hitting the Habs had 5 more blocked shots and also had 32 hits compared to just 14 for the Leafs. I like what this Montreal club is doing early this season and I expect them to again be very aggressive and hard-hitting here against the Maple Leafs. Montreal knows they are hosting the team that most project to be the top team in the Canadian Division and this match-up means a ton to the Canadiens. Montreal has allowed only 2.2 goals per game their last 8 games. Toronto is off back to back wins over a struggling Canucks team but that was preceded by a 4-game stretch in which the Maple Leafs allowed at least 3 goals in all 4 games. I look for the gritty, revenge-minded Habs to get a hard-fought home ice win here. 10* MONTREAL |
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02-10-21 | Connecticut v. Providence +1.5 | Top | 59-70 | Win | 100 | 21 h 1 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #644 Wednesday 10* Top Play Providence Friars (+) vs Connecticut Huskies @ 4 ET - The Huskies are a different team without leading scorer James Bouknight and he is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. Connecticut is now on a 1-3 SU/ATS run without him. As for Providence, reinforcements are very near to returning as both Jared Bynum and Jimmy Nichols are nearing returns. So when someone casually looks at this game, they see an 8-4 team laying just 1.5 points at a 9-10 team. However, as you can see, there is absolutely a reason this game is priced this way so do not be fooled by the 4-win team in this range. The Friars are off a home loss in which they allowed 92 points and they will be ready to respond big here and improve to 5-0 this season when off a game in which they allowed 79 or more points. Another disadvantage for UConn here is this is just their 2nd game in the past 2 weeks. The home team in a much better spot here from a situational and personnel perspective. 10* PROVIDENCE |
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02-09-21 | St. John's +2.5 v. Butler | Top | 73-76 | Loss | -106 | 13 h 6 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #631 Tuesday 10* Top Play St John's Red Storm (+) @ Butler Bulldogs @ 9 ET - The Red Storm are red hot entering this game on a 6-0 SU run and 8-0 ATS run. St John's next game after this is not for a full week. That said, the Red Storm can absolutely lay it all on the line here with a strong aggressive effort. Speaking of aggressive play, that is the reason St John's is averaging twice as many (10) steals per game as Butler is (5) this season. Turnovers were a key in the first meeting between these teams and that was a Red Storm home win by double digits. Now in this second meeting, because Butler is at home, the host is a popular choice. The line opened up with St John's -1.5 but has flipped and is now up to a -2.5 on the Bulldogs! Love the added value here with the road dog. Butler enters this game off a home win versus DePaul but this was preceded by a stretch that saw the Bulldogs go 3-7 over 10 games. Butler is simply not as strong this season and the Red Storm are surging. Not only do they do a better job in terms of steals and blocked shots, St John's also has been the better shooting team this season across all categories - from the field, free throws, and three pointers. Grab the road dog Red Storm here plus the points but expect an outright win. 10* ST JOHN'S |
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02-09-21 | Knicks v. Heat OVER 207 | Top | 96-98 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 31 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #503 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs New York Knicks @ 7:30 ET - We have got a low total to work with here and I know it is because of the Knicks long-term reputation this season as they have a penchant for unders. However, the fact is there is great value here. The total has gone from as high as a 209 to as low as a 206.5 and even though the Knicks are on a run that is only 2-3 to the over, all 5 of those games totaled at least 209 points. Also, even though the Heat have long been known as a lower-scoring grinder-type team, that has not been the case this season. Miami has averaged 110.3 points per game their last 6 games. The Heat have allowed an average of 112.1 points per game their last 16 games. These teams just met on Sunday and the game totaled "only" 212 points but that was enough for the over and was the 3rd straight over in meetings between these teams. That game was on pace for 238 points as of halftime and I feel the fact the scoring pace died in the 2nd half helps to give us even more value here in coming right back with another over. Look for the over trend to reach 4-0 in meetings between these teams. 10* OVER the total in Miami |
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02-09-21 | Oilers v. Senators OVER 6.5 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -108 | 8 h 13 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #3 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Edmonton Oilers @ 7:05 ET - Mike Smith returned for the Oilers last night and was fantastic in goal. However, with this being a back to back, the struggling Mikko Koskinen is expected to be back between the pipes tonight. Also, Ottawa used #1 goalie Matt Murray last night so that means the back-up Marcus Hogberg likely to get the start tonight. He is 0-4 with a 4.54 GAA this season. With back-up goalies involved and coming off a rare, low-scoring game last night, don't be surprised if this one gets a little crazy. Keep in mind, Ottawa is allowing 4 goals per game this season and Edmonton, prior to last night's game, was on a 6-game stretch that saw them allow 4 goals per game. I am expecting at least a 4-3 type game here but would not be surprised at all if we see 8 or more goals in this one. In other words, great value here. I'll take it. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa |
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02-08-21 | Raptors v. Grizzlies OVER 223.5 | Top | 128-113 | Win | 100 | 23 h 19 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #563 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Memphis Grizzlies vs Toronto Raptors @ 8 ET - The Grizzlies have trended under this season but Memphis has scored an average of 113.8 points during their current 7-3 run their last 10 games. The Grizzlies are on a 3-game losing streak, in part, because they have allowed 122.3 points their last 3 games. Now they host a Raptors team that is on a 5-0 run to the over and is 8-4 to the over in road games this season. Toronto has scored an average of 121.2 points per game their last 5 games. But the Raptors have allowed 121.5 points their last 4 road games. We get a rather low total here because of the long-term reputation of the Grizzlies. The key here in this situation is the set-up is perfect for big points from Memphis but the Raptors will not slow down either. As a result the Grizzlies and Raptors get into a back and forth tussle here with plenty of scoring. 10* OVER the total in Memphis |
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02-08-21 | Islanders +102 v. Rangers | Top | 2-0 | Win | 102 | 21 h 47 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #67 Monday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - These rivals faced off in their first two games this season and the Islanders won the first in a shutout but then the Rangers took the 2nd game in an embarrassing 5-0 loss for the Isles. That said, the payback is coming here. The road team had won 4 straight meetings prior to the Rangers taking that game back on the 16th of January. Look for the road team dominance in this series to resume here. The Islanders got back on track with a win versus the Penguins Saturday and I look for the Isles to now build on that. They were so close with back to back losses coming after regulation and now that they got the over the hump they won't look back. This is a hockey club much better than the 5-game losing streak would lead you to believe. They were right on the cusp of turning things around and, now that they have done it, they keep it going while getting some revenge here. The Isles catch the Rangers at the right time as the Blueshirts are off key back to back wins over the Penguins and Capitals. The Pens had beaten them 3 straight times so they really wanted that one badly and then got the win over the Caps despite being outshot. The Rangers are still young defensively and the Islanders have the better blue line in my opinion which should key this revenge win. In the Isles 5-0 loss to the Rangers in their most recent meeting the Islanders actually had 20 blocked shots compared to just 6 for the Rangers and they out-hit them 31-22. Look for a physical revenging road team to key the payback here as well after that whitewashing. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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02-08-21 | SMU v. East Carolina OVER 139 | Top | 71-56 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 29 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #845 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in East Carolina Pirates vs SMU Mustangs @ 5 ET - Don't be fooled by the total here. The game between odds makers and the betting markets can be a funny thing. That said, why did this total open at a 139 when each of the Pirates 7 games in 2021 have had a posted total below that? Exactly! The average total posted in those 7 games was just 132.3 points. That said, do not let the number fool you as this one should fly over. The Pirates do hit a respectable 35% of their threes when at home and the Mustangs are hitting 35% of threes on the season even on the road where they are at 36% on the season. SMU is off a low-scoring hard-fought win that was their 2nd straight under but this followed 3 straight road overs that saw the Mustangs average 76.3 points per game. The Pirates will get their points at home but this is an East Carolina team that, prior to a low-scoring loss at Memphis, allowed 75.3 points their 4 prior games. So this game should be in the 76-70 range in my opinion and actually cracking the 150 mark would not surprise me at all. That said, the value is here for us. 10* OVER the total in East Carolina |
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02-08-21 | Crystal Palace v. Leeds United OVER 2.75 | Top | 0-2 | Loss | -118 | 19 h 1 m | Show |
TV Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Leeds United vs Crystal Palace @ 3 PM ET - I am well aware of the fact that each club has some injuries including the Crystal Palace leading scorer, Wilfried Zaha, but this one has over written all over it! Crystal Palace has scored 5 goals their last 3 matches but this is also a club that has conceded 8 goals their last 4 matches. Leeds United has seen their matches average 3.5 goals per fixture on the campaign. 10 of the last 12 matches across all competitions for Leeds United have totaled at least 3 goals so there is excellent value here with this total. These clubs each have the same total points in the table at 29 and, that said, neither team wants to settle for a draw here. It is also unlikely that either club produces a clean sheet here as these two clubs have been two of the worst this season in terms of goals allowed. That said, at least a 2-1 final is highly likely here and I am fully expecting 4 or more goals in this one. 10* OVER the total in Leeds United |
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02-07-21 | Chiefs -3 v. Bucs | Top | 9-31 | Loss | -107 | 79 h 0 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #101 Sunday 10* Top Play Kansas City Chiefs (-) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ 6:30 ET - The irony here is incredible. The Chiefs are looking to become the first team to win back to back Super Bowls since the Tom Brady-led Patriots beat the Andy Reid-led Eagles back in 2004. This is Andy Reid's 3rd Super Bowl in his career and he finally gets his shot at Super Bowl revenge against Brady and, in getting a win here, would displace a Brady-led team in the record books as the most recent one to go back to back in the biggest game of them all in all of sports. I don't see Reid and the Chiefs being denied. This will be Reid's 32nd playoff game as a head coach and, as noted above, his 3rd Super Bowl. Tampa Bay is led by Bruce Arians and he is making his Super Bowl debut as a head coach and also entered this post-season 1-2 as a head coach in playoff action. I know this post-season has gone well for Arians and the Bucs but lets take a closer look. They faced a Redskins team without their starting QB and that didn't even belong in the playoffs really. Then they had a +4 turnover ratio against the Saints. Then they got outgained by the Packers in Green Bay but won the game thanks in part to horrible coaching on the part of GB. That will not happen here against Andy Reid and the Chiefs. Also, I love the fact that the Chiefs are just 2-8 ATS their last 10 games while the Buccaneers are on a 6-2 ATS run their last 8 games. Watch that flip in the final game of the year. Also, we certainly do not want a push but do note that 4 of the 5 Bucs losses came by 3 or more points while 15 of the Chiefs 16 wins have come by 3 or more points. This line was a 3.5 earlier but has come down to a solid -3 as of the Thursday before Super Bowl weekend. In other words, it is now "go time" for us. Time to pull the trigger. The fact the regular season meeting was only a 3 point win for the Chiefs despite a yardage edge of 114 is also helping to give us line value here. In what should be a very entertaining game, don't be surprised if coaching and special teams play a key factor in the final outcome and BOTH of those factors FAVOR the Chiefs in a big way here. 10* KANSAS CITY |
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02-07-21 | Kings v. Clippers -8.5 | Top | 113-110 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 59 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #560 Sunday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Clippers (-) vs Sacramento Kings @ 3:05 ET - The Kings have won and covered 7 in a row so, in typical contrarian fashion, I am on the other side here. Sacramento is in a very tough spot here as this game starts at Noon local time and this is after the Kings were in action yesterday at home against Denver. Sacramento did get an upset win in that game while LA enters this game angry off an upset loss so the situation is perfect. That is why I am willing to lay points here as I expect the Clippers to go all out here and roll to a win by at least a dozen points. Los Angeles does not play again until Wednesday and also they do not have another home game until next Sunday. Also, they were off yesterday so they are rested and ready to go all out here and they are not happy about their home loss to a Celtics team that was without Jaylen Brown. Look for them to make up for that here as the Clippers are a perfect 6-0 this season when off a loss! The Clips have won the last two meetings by an average margin of 28.5 points and roll again here. 10* LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS |
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02-07-21 | Georgetown v. Villanova OVER 142 | Top | 74-84 | Win | 100 | 16 h 3 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #811 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Villanova Wildcats vs Georgetown Hoyas @ 2:30 ET - The Wildcats are off just their 2nd loss of the season. When they lost their first game they responded by scoring 87 points in their next game. At home and not happy about scoring just 59 points in their loss to St John's, Villanova will take a very aggressive approach here and won't take their foot off the gas. However, don't be surprised if the Hoyas run right along with the Cats! Georgetown, after a long layoff due to postponed games, has come back with a perfect 2-0 SU mark even though they were a big dog in each game. The Hoyas are playing with a ton of confidence as a result especially since they are coming off a red-hot shooting effort against Creighton. Look for the Hoyas to carry some momentum from that one right into this one and I am looking for a very high-scoring affair as a result. We are getting some value here with the low total because this series has trended under in recent meetings. The value is there because the situation is telling me this should be an over. The Cats are angry and want to put up 90+ if they can but Georgetown comes in with confidence and hot shooting. 10* OVER the total in Villanova |
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02-07-21 | Flyers -112 v. Capitals | Top | 7-4 | Win | 100 | 15 h 34 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #51 Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (-) @ Washington Capitals @ 12:05 ET - Flyers favored on the road after back to back losses? Must be some kind of mistake, right? In typical contrarian fashion I am backing the side many will not want here. Philadelphia actually has won 4 straight against the Capitals and the last 3 victories have come by a combined margin of 15 to 5. In other words, that is domination and here Philly comes in angry after back to back games they essentially gave away against the Bruins. This followed the Flyers winning 4 straight games and they should get right back on track here. Vitek Vanecek has allowed 7 goals in his last two starts and Ilya Samsonov is still out. Conversely the Flyers should have Carter Hart back in goal for this one plus key D-man Phillip Myers could be back and also center Sean Courturier is nearing a return. Road team rolls the Caps again here just as they have been doing in recent meetings. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-06-21 | Penguins v. Islanders -105 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 21 h 31 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #42 Saturday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (-) vs Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - How can the Islanders open up as a pick'em here considering they have lost 5 straight games? Exactly! The odds maker knows that this team is much better than their record shows and they will be extra hungry here after back to back losses that each came in overtime against the Flyers. Note that part of the reason the Islanders have struggled out of the gates this season could be attributed to a road-heavy schedule as well. By the way, note that the home team is now a perfect 8-0 in the Islanders last 8 games so betting on home ice in Isles games early this season has been a big money maker. The Islanders have now had a layoff of nearly week but so too have the Penguins. By the way, Pittsburgh will attract market attention here because they had won 5 of 7 before a loss to the Rangers in their most recent game. However, the Penguins 5 wins have featured only 1 in regulation and that one was a bit fortunate by the way too! The other 4 victories have all come in overtime or the shootout. The Pens have been living dangerously without a single win by a multiple-goal margin while 4 of their 5 losses this season have been by 2 or more goals. There is some "sneaky value" here with the Islanders is the point I am making and I'll take it for a top play here! 10* ISLANDERS |
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02-06-21 | Nuggets -3 v. Kings | Top | 114-119 | Loss | -100 | 19 h 44 m | Show |
NBA TV Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #531 Saturday 10* Top Play Denver Nuggets (-) @ Sacramento Kings @ 5 ET - The Kings are hot so they are garnering the attention of the betting markets and I fully understand that. But in typical contrarian fashion, I like the Nuggets here. Denver is really ticked off heading into this game as they were up nicely at halftime against the Lakers Thursday and then had a horrific 2nd half. The Nuggets also play this game with double revenge against Sacramento. These teams met twice earlier this season and the Kings won each game including a 2 point win at Denver when the Nuggets were an 8 point favorite. The Nuggets have had enough of this Sacramento team this season plus are in a foul mood after what happened against the Lakers Thursday. Denver had won 11 of 15 before the collapse against the defending champs. Also, the Kings were on a 2-9 SU run before covering 6 straight games heading into this one. I am not totally sold on Sacramento just yet and feel the odds makers are on to something considering the Nuggets have lost both match-ups to the Kings and yet are now favored by more than the -1 they laid in the first meeting at Sacramento. Trust me it is not a mistake and I feel the road team wins by 7 to 10 here. 10* DENVER |
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02-06-21 | Wisconsin v. Illinois OVER 136 | Top | 60-75 | Loss | -105 | 17 h 37 m | Show |
Big Ten Total of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #657 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Illinois Illini vs Wisconsin Badgers @ 2:30 ET - The Badgers generally are known for defense and for tough play at home. Also, when off a loss, Wisconsin has really shown a knack to D up in their next game. But in this case they are off a win and the O/U is 5-2 in the Badgers last 7 games they have entered off a win. Also, on the road this season the Badgers are allowing 68 points and 36% shooting from three point land. Neither one of those stats is overly impressive and now Wisconsin faces a red hot Illinois team that is confidence offensively. The Illini average 82.2 points per game this season. Also, Illinois has won 7 of 9 games and have averaged 78 points in those 7 wins. The Illini, not including OT, have allowed 74 points per game their last 4 games. I like taking overs when teams are off wins. They tend to put a little more reliance on their offense when they are rolling and pay a little less attention to the defensive side of the game. It is just a natural thing and I feel the Illini, at home, will also dictate the pace and flow of this game and they will force it to be a higher-scoring game. Getting this total in the mid-130s is a solid value. 10* OVER the total in Illinois |
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02-06-21 | Brighton & Hove Albion v. Burnley +0.25 | Top | 1-1 | Win | 53.5 | 13 h 22 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Saturday 10* Top Play Burnley +0.25 +107 vs Brighton & Hove @ 10 AM ET - Brighton & Hove is off a huge upset win versus Liverpool. That makes this a great spot to fade Brighton & Hove. Burnley is off back to back losses but faced a resurgent Chelsea team with a new manager and a strong Manchester City team. In other words, no shame in those defeats and that was on the heels of 3 straight victories for Burnley across all competitions. As a result, I feel Burnley is still flying under the radar a bit and they have played a little better than most realize. Note that no team in the premier league has as many draws this season as Brighton & Hove with 9 thus far. The Albion have only 5 victories in 22 matches this season. That is why I like the value here with the "plus plus" on Burnley. A win or even a draw gives us a winning wager here and Burnley has won 4 and drawn once in 10 home matches this season. You can see why I like the odds here with the home dog especially given the huge victory that the visitor is coming off of. 10* BURNLEY +0.25 GOALS |
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02-05-21 | Bruins v. Flyers +117 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -100 | 21 h 18 m | Show |
NHL Network Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #24 Friday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - The Bruins completely outplayed the Flyers in the 1st period of Wednesday's game. However, the Flyers were the better team for the 2nd period and most of the 3rd period. For the game Philadelphia outscored Boston 3-1 in 5 on 5 hockey. The difference in the game? 3 power play goals for the Bruins after the Flyers had a 3-1 lead with about 8 minutes to go in the game. Boston got a power play goal after a "closing the hand on the puck" penalty which was really unintentional and no one one wanted to take a penalty at that point in the game for the Flyers. That got the Bruins back in it but the Flyers still hung on to the lead until the Bruins got the equalizer, also on the power play, with just seconds left in the game. Then Boston got the game winner in overtime on, you guessed it, the power play! The Flyers are extremely fired up heading into this revenge game. They are very strong on home ice. Carter Hart is very sharp on home ice throughout his career. They were the better team Wednesday and deserved a win and didn't get it. This will be payback big time as the Flyers also lost both games at Boston earlier this season and one of those was after regulation too. So Philly has tremendous motivation here and proved in the 2nd and most of the 3rd period (again before some nonsense started) that they absolutely are capable of outplaying the Bruins for very long stretches. After deserving a win and not getting it, you know what is coming here on home ice for the Flyers. This is a payback game where we get the money line at a payback price. I certainly will not pass up on this and certainly have no hesitation in going with a top play here. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-05-21 | Pelicans v. Pacers OVER 226 | Top | 114-113 | Win | 100 | 23 h 38 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #515 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana Pacers vs New Orleans Pelicans @ 7:05 ET - The posted total on this one is much higher than the first meeting between these teams a month ago. Big mistake by the odds makers right? Of course not. The fact is that both these teams have been trending over the total since that meeting and that game also flew well over the total. The Pelicans are off a high-scoring win and the Pacers are off a high-scoring loss. The over is now 13-2 in the last 15 games for New Orleans. The over is now 8-2 in the last 10 games for Indiana. Last season both meetings went over the total and I look for another season series sweep for the over this season as well! The Pacers will score well at home but they have allowed 117.1 points per game their last ten games. The Pelicans have allowed 116.9 points per game their last 15 games. You can easily see why I would not be surprised to see this game get into the mid-230s and yet we are dealing with a total in the mid-220s. I'll take it! 10* OVER the total in Indiana |
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02-05-21 | Maryland v. Penn State -2 | Top | 50-55 | Win | 100 | 23 h 7 m | Show |
Early TV Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #860 Friday 10* Top Play Penn State Nittany Lions (-) vs Maryland Terrapins @ 7 ET - Why is a 6-8 team favored over a 10-8 team? Precisely why I am playing the 6-8 team. The fact is the Nittany Lions are off a bad loss at Wisconsin and in bounce back mode. Before the ugly loss to the Badgers, Penn State had beaten Wisconsin as part of a 3-1 SU and ATS run and that victory over the Badgers was at home where the Lions have won 3 straight and they should make it 4 in a row Friday. The Terrapins are off a win versus Purdue by the slimmest of margins but are on a 2-6 ATS run and off the nail-biter win, will fall flat here. Maryland averaging just 62.6 points per game on the road this season while the Nittany Lions are averaging 81.1 points per game at home this season. The Terps are the better team defensively but the home/road dichotomy for PSU is a big one and they again come up big at home with a strong shooting performance off a loss. 10* PENN STATE |
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02-04-21 | Jazz -7 v. Hawks | Top | 112-91 | Win | 100 | 24 h 9 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #506 Thursday 10* Top Play Utah Jazz @ Atlanta Hawks @ 7:35 ET - The Hawks are in a very tough spot here. Even though they are at home and it is the Jazz who are the travelers, Atlanta had to do battle with Dallas last night while Utah was resting. The Jazz have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA for awhile and have won 12 of their past 13 games. The Hawks have been a little short-handed of late and now playing a back to back certainly won't help matters. Atlanta entered last night's game against the Mavericks having lost each of their past two home games so playing at home certainly hasn't translated to an automatic W for the Hawks this season. In fact they already had a 3-game losing streak in home games earlier this season. 11 of the last 12 wins for the Jazz have come by a double digit margin. Look for this one to as well. 10* UTAH |
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02-04-21 | Capitals +100 v. Rangers | Top | 2-4 | Loss | -100 | 21 h 19 m | Show |
East Div Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #9 Thursday 10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - Great spot here. The Capitals are off their very first regulation loss of the season. Not only that it came by virtue of blowing a 3-0 lead against the Bruins and losing 5-3! Keep in mind that came against the January NHL rookie of the month - Caps goalie Vitek Vanecek. I fully expect he and the Capitals to bounce back huge here. Washington is catching the Rangers at the perfect time for a bounce back effort. New York is off a much-wanted win over the Penguins. The Rangers had lost each of their first three games against Pittsburgh this season before finally breaking through with a 3-1 win on Tuesday. That sets this one up perfectly. Also, the Rangers won each of the last two meetings with the Capitals last season so Washington certainly won't take them lightly. New York, prior to beating the Pens, had won just 2 of 8 games this season. Great value with the road team here. 10* WASHINGTON |
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02-04-21 | Cincinnati v. Temple +2.5 | Top | 63-60 | Loss | -109 | 23 h 37 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #736 Thursday 10* Top Play Temple Owls (+) vs Cincinnati Bearcats @ 7 ET - I am a Philly guy and was surprised the Owls didn't get it done on Sunday against Tulane. The game meant a little something extra after the passing of John Chaney whose name is synonymous with Temple basketball. The fact is that Sunday's disappointing result had a lot do with getting outrebounded and also the Green Wave shot much better. The Owls actually had just as many shot attempts as Tulane did in the game. Now Temple catches a break with facing a Cincinnati team that has not played in 3 and 1/2 weeks. Not only that, the Bearcats have lost 6 of their last 7 games. The Owls had won 3 of 4 before Sunday's loss and will respond big at home here. Cincinnati will struggle after the long layoff. Temple head coach Aaron McKie is also an Owls grad and the loss of Cheney means something extra to him for sure and I really look for a tremendous effort from the home team here and, unlike Sunday, they are catching the right team at the right time and they are a dog. I will take it. 10* TEMPLE |
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02-04-21 | Chelsea +116 v. Tottenham Hotspur | Top | 1-0 | Win | 116 | 20 h 16 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Thursday 10* Top Play Chelsea Money Line (+) @ Tottenham @ 3 ET - The Hotspur are just not the same club at all without Harry Kane. At the same time, Chelsea has responded very well under new manager Thomas Tuchel who took over for the fired Frank Lampard. Chelsea has played two fixtures and has yet to concede a goal. Also, Chelsea is off a 2-0 win in their most recent match and though that followed a scoreless draw, they dominated possession and shots on goal in each of the two matches under Tuchel. This looks like a mismatch given the current form as Tottenham have looked out of sorts ever since Kane got hurt in the match with Liverpool. The respect the betting markets are giving Tottenham here is based on their full campaign results. These clubs are level in the table with Tottenham also having a match in hand plus this fixture is on their home pitch. However, there is a reason Chelsea is the favorite on the road here and they should prove to be the play as I again look for them to go without conceding a goal here. Look for another clean sheet and a 1-0 or 2-0 win here. 10* CHELSEA |
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02-03-21 | Bruins v. Flyers +120 | Top | 4-3 | Loss | -100 | 22 h 29 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #76 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) vs Boston Bruins @ 8:05 ET - The Bruins are off a huge win versus the Capitals where they rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win 5-3 at Washington. Boston has been playing very well but they now take on a Flyers team that is out for revenge after losing both games at Boston less than two weeks ago. Philadelphia lost the first game in a shootout but then got drilled 6-1 in the second game. The Flyers have since won 4 straight games and have allowed only 2.2 goals per game during this hot streak. Keep in mind, Boston had lost 3 straight road games prior to the break through game at Washington. That big rally after being down 3-0 could leave the Bruins a little "spent" here. That was a tremendous rally. The Flyers have big-time revenge on their mind here and while I certainly respect Boston and know they have played well recently, Philly is tough on home ice. Goalie Carter Hart has phenomenal numbers at home in his career and he and the Flyers offer great value here as a home dog. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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02-03-21 | Mavs -120 v. Hawks | Top | 122-116 | Win | 100 | 23 h 47 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #567 Wednesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (-) @ Atlanta Hawks @ 7:35 ET - A team that has lost 6 straight games both SU and ATS is a small road favorite? Exactly! In typical contrarian fashion I will grab the team that has lost 6 in a row and yet is favored here. Keep in mind, as a general rule, the odds makers are quite sharp! That said, the Mavericks are favored here for a reason and I am going to recommend a play on the money line here as it is available as low as a -120 price as of Tuesday evening. Why lay 1.5 or 2 points when you can lay a -120 price instead of a -110 price and than any SU win is also a winning ticket for your bankroll. I like the fact that De'Andre Hunter is likely to miss another game here plus the Hawks have some other injury issues. The Mavericks are the healthier team coming into this game and also very hungry as the losing has them fired up. This is a Dallas team that, prior to losing 2 straight road games to Utah (the Jazz are playing VERY well right now) had gone 5-2 SU in its 7 preceding road games. Also, Atlanta has lost back to back home games and remember they had a 3-game home losing streak early last month. Deja vu here? Yes I fully expect it as the underlying theme here is the Mavs are favored on the road for a reason. Lay it! 10* DALLAS |
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02-03-21 | Seton Hall +1 v. Providence | Top | 60-43 | Win | 100 | 23 h 48 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #681 Wednesday 10* Top Play Seton Hall Pirates (+) @ Providence Friars @ 7 ET - When I see two teams with similar records and yet the game is around a pick'em, I will immediately be looking at the road team. In other words the odds makers are telling us who the better team is just by the fact that the road team is not a dog even though they are away from home and facing a team with a similar record. In this case, I was already looking at this game as the Pirates fell just short of the cover for me against Villanova on Saturday. That game saw Seton Hall hurt by one long scoreless drought that ended up being the difference in the game. The fact is the Pirates had 6 more shot attempts from the field in the game but the Wildcats shot a ridiculous 10 of 22 from three point land. Now Seton Hall is taking on a Providence team that has lost 5 of its last 7 and 1 of those 2 wins came in OT! In fact, the Friars are 5-6 in their last 11 games but 3 of the 5 wins came in extra time including one was a double OT game. Included in this stretch was an OT win at Seton Hall and the Pirates will now take advantage of their shot at revenge here. 10* SETON HALL |
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02-03-21 | West Ham United v. Aston Villa OVER 2.5 | Top | 3-1 | Win | 100 | 20 h 35 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Aston Villa vs West Ham United @ 3:15 ET - West Ham is fired up off their 3-1 loss to Liverpool as they had been running hot. The Hammers had won 4 straight matches across all competitions and had averaged scoring 3 goals per match in their 3 most recent victories. We have great value with this total available as low as a 2.5 as I am fully expecting at least 3 goals here. West Ham's last 4 matches across all competitions have each totaled at least 3 goals and had averaged a total of 4 goals. Both clubs are going hard here for the valuable 3 points in the table and I don't expect a clean sheet here so a 1-1 match will turn into a 2-1 match at some point as neither team willing to settle for splitting the spoils here. Aston Villa has only had 2 draws in 19 matches this season and has average scoring 2 goals per match on their home pitch thus far this campaign. At the same time I just don't see a West Ham United club, motivated by the loss to Liverpool, giving in here so it could be quite a match with a lot of aggression in terms of attacking and counter-attacks. 10* OVER the total in Aston Villa |
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02-02-21 | Grizzlies v. Pacers -5.5 | Top | 116-134 | Win | 100 | 23 h 8 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #550 Tuesday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) vs Memphis Grizzlies @ 8:05 ET - The Pacers will certainly be ready to go here. They are off a bad loss to Philadelphia where they blew a big lead late courtesty of a horrible 4th quarter and bad play in the final minutes. Now Indiana will take advantage of hosting a Memphis team that, after nearly two weeks off, will be playing the 2nd game of a back to back plus it is their 3rd game in 4 nights plus they have division rival Houston on deck. Horrible spot for Grizzlies and the Pacers come in angry after blowing that game against the 76ers Sunday. 10* INDIANA |
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02-02-21 | Canucks v. Canadiens OVER 6 | Top | 3-5 | Win | 100 | 21 h 40 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #59 Tuesday 10* OVER the total in Montreal Canadiens vs Vancouver Canucks @ 7 ET - Yesterday's game totaled 8 goals and now each of the four meetings between these games has totaled at least 7 goals this season. Not only that, these 4 games have averaged 9 goals per game. It has simply been crazy scoring when the Habs and the Canucks have met this season. Also, Vancouver had scored an average of 5 goals per game in a 4-game winning streak prior to yesterday's loss. The Canucks have plenty of confidence and will bounce back here with a response but they simply have not proven the ability to stop the Canadiens yet this season and I don't see that changing in this one. Montreal has scored 4 or more goals in 7 of their last 9 games. More of the same here and great value with this total available at a 6 goals. Hurry as it will likely move to a solid 6.5 in my opinion. 10* OVER the total in Montreal |
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02-02-21 | Butler v. Marquette OVER 129.5 | Top | 67-70 | Win | 100 | 20 h 37 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #603 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Marquette Golden Eagles vs Butler Bulldogs @ 5 ET - This total has been adjusted to low. It has been set low because Butler tends to play lower-scoring games and because the under has cashed 4 straight times and 6 of the last 7 in Marquette games. However, note that the Golden Eagles have allowed at least 68 points in each of their last 5 games. On the season Marquette is allowing 70 points per game. On the other end of the court, this is a team that averages 72 points per game and you can see from that why I am expecting this game to get into the 140 range. Bulldogs games are trending under in a big way with 8 of their last 9 falling short of the total. However, the Golden Eagles will dictate the flow of this game and they have scored at least 76 points in each of their last 4 meetings with Butler. Each of those 4 games totaled at least 133 points and this one will too. 10* OVER the total in Marquette |
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02-02-21 | Southampton v. Manchester United OVER 3 | Top | 0-9 | Win | 101 | 20 h 48 m | Show |
TV Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Manchester United vs Southampton @ 3:15 ET - When these clubs match up there tends to be plenty of goals. 4 of the last 5 meetings have totaled at least 4 goals and that includes Manchester United's 3-2 win at Southampton in December. Manchester United has added motivation from losing its last home game to Sheffield United plus coming into this game off a scoreless draw. I look for them to be on the attack early and often here and they have had plenty of success against Southampton in the past. Plus the visitor enters this game having allowed an average of 2 goals per game its last 3 matches. Manchester United gets at least 2 here but really I expect 3 or more given the hunger and motivation and the situation but here's the key - I also expect Southampton to get in on the action. They traveled very well last season and this club still has a beat of that moxie when on the road even though they haven't performed as well this season. Having scored just 1 goal in its last 3 premier league matches, Southampton is on the attack here as well. The series history suggests 4 or more here and I concur. 10* OVER the total in Manchester United |
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02-01-21 | Rockets v. Thunder +5 | Top | 136-106 | Loss | -104 | 13 h 40 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #540 Monday 10* Top Play Oklahoma City Thunder (+) vs Houston Rockets @ 8:05 ET - The Rockets are on a roll with 5 straight wins but 2 of the wins came by a margin of 3 or less points and the most recent one, though by double digits, had a lot do with being an ideal situation. Houston is off a win at New Orleans where the caught the Pelicans off a huge upset win over the Bucks and completely out of gas in a back to back. That said, the value here is with the home dog. Oklahoma City might have been looking ahead to this game when they got throttled and allowed 147 points to Brooklyn Friday. Either way, that kind of ugly loss certainly caught their attention after entering that game off back to back road wins that were outright upsets as underdogs. That said, I look for the revenge-minded Thunder to get right back on track here. I know each of these teams are different in terms of their rosters compared to August through early September when the Rockets ousted them from the playoffs. However, there is no doubt this game means a little extra something to Oklahoma City and, coming off that ugly loss, they respond large here and very likely even get the outright win for some true payback. For added insurance, I am grabbing the points here. 10* OKLAHOMA CITY |
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02-01-21 | Bruins -137 v. Capitals | Top | 5-3 | Win | 100 | 12 h 34 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #43 Monday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (-) @ Washington Capitals @ 7 ET - The Bruins lost to the Capitals on an overtime goal but outshot Washington substantially in each of the 3 periods. Boston, for the game, had a 43-23 edge in shots on goal. I liked what I have been seeing from the Bruins recently and now they welcomed back Pastrnak as well. The Bruins, prior to the tough loss to the Caps, had won 4 straight games and scored an average of 4 goals per game during this streak. Boston allowed 2 or less goals in 6 of their first 7 games prior to the 4-3 OT loss Saturday. The Capitals, conversely, have allowed 3 or more goals in 7 of their 9 games this season. I know this is a bit of a price to lay but the revenge-minded Bruins are out for blood on Monday and they will avenge Saturday's loss. That shots on goal edge was no fluke. 10* BOSTON |
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02-01-21 | Georgia Tech +4.5 v. Louisville | Top | 58-74 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 33 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #853 Monday 10* Top Play Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+) @ Louisville Cardinals @ 2 ET - The Yellow Jackets should have Bubba Parham back for this one as he is making the trip to Louisville after missing the last game to attend his cousin's funeral. I like the set up here as this is a classic case of two teams going the opposite direction and this is particularly true as it pertains to the betting window. The Cardinals are off a loss that dropped them to 1-3 SU and ATS in their last 4 games. They scored only 50 points in that game and it was against a Clemson team that just got waxed at Duke. For some more comparative reasoning though that is the same Tigers team that Georgia Tech just beat by 18 points. Also, the Yellow Jackets just beat Florida State by double digits while one of Louisville's 3 recent losses was against the same Seminoles team and they lost by double digits. The Jackets really stepped up without Parham in their most recent game to beat the Noles and now they get a boost with his return. I like those factors as well as the fact we're getting some points here against a team that has not covered any of the last 4 times they were favored in the -3 to -6 range. Cardinals fade continues as the Yellow Jackets improve to 3-0 ATS in their last 3 meetings with Louisville. 10* GEORGIA TECH |
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01-31-21 | Islanders +108 v. Flyers | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 58 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #31 Sunday 10* Top Play New York Islanders Money Line (+) @ Philadelphia Flyers @ 7:05 ET - The Islanders, on Thursday, blew a 3-0 lead at Washington and lost 6-3. I was really unimpressed with New York and figured they would be flat Saturday and they were at first and got down 2-0 to the Flyers. Though we did win with Philadelphia 3-2 yesterday in overtime the fact is the Islanders were the much better team from the 2nd period on. The Isles outscored the Flyers 2-0 in the 2nd period and then dominated the play in the 3rd too even though it was a scoreless period. The Islanders did a great job of bottling up the Flyers attack and Philadelphia continues to be heavily outshot in games. That said, I fully expect a huge bounce back win for the Islanders here as they have now lost 4 straight games but yesterday, in the final two periods and overtime period, certainly looked nothing like a team that has gone winless in 4 straight. The Isles are ready to turn this around and that showed yesterday and I fully expect that today it will translate to a win. The Flyers will have Brian Elliott in goal here and he is solid but he doesn't have the phenomenal numbers that Carter Hart does when he is at home. Also, the Flyers are still really missing Sean Couturier's presence on the ice. He was the Selke Trophy winner last season. The Isles showed me a lot yesterday and I expect an even more determined effort from the road dog today after falling just short yesterday. This team is very hungry now and had won 7 of the last 10 meetings, including playoff meetings, in this series prior to yesterday. 10* NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
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01-31-21 | 76ers v. Pacers OVER 223.5 | Top | 119-110 | Win | 100 | 10 h 55 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #519 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana Pacers vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:05 ET - The 76ers are off back to back unders but this was preceded by a 9-2 run to the over. The Pacers are off an under but this was preceded by a 5-1 run to the over. Philadelphia allowed just 94 points to a bad Minnesota team Friday but this was preceded by allowing 115.6 points per game their preceding dozen games. Also, the Pacers have allowed 115.1 points per game their last 7 games. Given the above as well as the fact each team is averaging 113 points per game on the season, I expect this game to get well into the 230s. Look for the over to improve to 5-1 in Indiana's last 6 games. The Pacers have scored 120 or more points in 2 of their last 3 games but this is a team that has been struggling defensively. Also, the 76ers are known for their struggles on the defensive end when away from home. Consider their game against the Timberwolves an aberration as Philadelphia entered that game having allowed 106 points or more in a dozen straight games. Both teams are rested plus neither team has a game tomorrow either so they can each go all out here. Look for a high-scoring game as a result. 10* OVER the total in Indiana |
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01-31-21 | St. John's +4.5 v. Marquette | Top | 75-73 | Win | 100 | 5 h 10 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #819 Sunday 10* Top Play St John's Red Storm (+) @ Marquette Golden Eagles @ 3:30 ET - The last time the Red Storm lost a game it was at home against the Golden Eagles by a bucket. The last time Marquette won a game was that tight victory at St John's. The point is that now we get a chance at right back revenge and can ride a hot team and fade a cold team. That said, I like our chances here. In that first match-up the Red Storm actually had 13 more field goal attempts than Marquette but simply had an off shooting night. But this is a St John's team that is now surging with confidence courtesy of a 3-game winning streak and they have won 4 of their last 5 overall and are on a 5-0 ATS run. The Golden Eagles have lost back to back games and 6 of their last 9 SU. During this 9-game run, Marquette has covered just ONCE! Grab the value with the road dog in this one as they are primed for an upset so I will gladly take the points here. 10* ST JOHN'S |
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01-31-21 | Tottenham Hotspur +139 v. Brighton & Hove Albion | Top | 0-1 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 33 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Sunday 10* Top Play Tottenham Hotspur Money Line +140 @ Brighton & Hove Albion @ 2:15 ET - We are getting some line value here because Harry Kane is out for the visitors in this one. I know being without Kane is a significant loss for the Hotspur but watch them step up in this fixture after a disappointing effort when he got hurt and left the match against Liverpool. That ended up a 3-1 loss for Tottenham and has them motivated here. Also, they have been very strong travelers this season with only 1 loss in 9 games and a +11 goal differential which is one of the top away marks in the table. I am well aware that Brighton & Hove have had many matches end in draws thus far this campaign but I foresee Tottenham going very hard for the full 3 points in this fixture. Additionally, let us not forget that the Albion are the only club this season that has yet to win on their home pitch. The Hotspur have scored an average of 2 goals in away matches this season while Brighton & Hove have tallied an average of just 1 goal per match on their home pitch in this campaign. I am predicting a 2-1 final here and feel we have great value with a motivated traveler in this one as a result of the Kane injury giving us even more line value. 10* TOTTENHAM |
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01-31-21 | Drexel v. James Madison OVER 141 | Top | 64-73 | Loss | -115 | 4 h 3 m | Show |
Philly Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #809 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in James Madison Dukes vs Drexel Dragons @ 2 ET - The fact that the Dragons are allowing just 64 points per game this season is a bit of a misnomer as they are allowing 44% shooting from the field. So that is helping to give us line value here because I fully expect the Dukes to score plenty against Drexel in this one. James Madison is at home here and they have averaged 82 points per game at home this season plus shot 48% from the field as a host. As for Drexel, they have averaged 75.6 points per game their last 7 games. James Madison is off an under but this was on the heels of a 5-1 run to the over. Drexel has seen 3 of its last 4 road games go over the total. More of the same expected here. 10* OVER the total in James Madison |
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01-30-21 | Blazers +2.5 v. Bulls | Top | 123-122 | Win | 100 | 12 h 2 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #501 Saturday 10* Top Play Portland Trail Blazers (+) @ Chicago Bulls @ 8 ET - As long-time followers know I often like to go against the grain and I like the fact that this line is moving toward the Bulls in early market activity. I will fade the move and grab the extra value with the Trail Blazers. Portland was up by 20 in the first quarter of their eventual 3-point loss at the Rockets and they know they let one slip away there. Look for the Blazers to be extremely focused on getting back into the win column here. Portland is on a 5-2 ATS run in road games and had won 4 of 6 SU away from home prior to the tight loss at Houston. As for Chicago, they are just 2-5 SU in home games this season and plus the Trail Blazers have revenge from a home loss to the Bulls early this month. Payback time is here. 10* PORTLAND |
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01-30-21 | Islanders v. Flyers -120 | Top | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 9 h 40 m | Show |
10* PHILADELPHIA Money Line -120 - The Flyers have playoff revenge here. The Islanders eliminated from the post-season less than 5 months ago so Philly surely hasn't forgotten it. This season New York appears to have taken a step back while the Flyers still appear very solid. These teams have played almost the exact same number of games yet the Islanders have only scored half as many goals. Also, the Isles once vaunted defense and goaltending certainly doesn't look like it once did after a disappointing effort versus the short-handed Capitals saw the Islanders blow a 3-0 lead and lose 5-3. The Flyers are known for being very tough at home where goalie Carter Hart excels and Philly is off back to back wins entering this contest plus has won 3 of their 4 games on home ice this season. New York, on the other hand, has been slipping and has lost 3 straight games and has been outscored 11-5 in the process. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-30-21 | Kansas v. Tennessee OVER 130 | Top | 61-80 | Win | 100 | 9 h 58 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #713 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tennessee Volunteers vs Kansas Jayhawks @ 6 ET - Where is the motivation to play defense here? This is an SEC-Big 12 match-up and neither team is going anywhere fast this season. Yes I know they are ranked teams but the Jayhawks had lost 3 straight before their win over TCU while Tennessee had endured an unimpressive 3-3 stretch before their win over Mississippi State. Last season when these teams met they had a similar total posted in the 130 range and yet the game totaled 142 points. I expect a similar result this time around too and I love taking advantage of the value in a match-up when both teams are off a very unusual result. In this case, the Vols are off a game that totaled just 109 points after they had allowed more than 70 points in 4 of their most recent 6 games. Also, before the low-scoring win over the Bulldogs, the Volunteers had scored an average of 76.2 points per game their most recent 10 games. The Jayhawks are off a game that totaled just 110 points but that was preceded by Kansas allowing at least 75 points in 3 straight games. Also, the Jayhawks entered that game having scored an average of 72.6 points per game their preceding 5 games. If each team gets into the mid-60s here we can not lose this play and I see no reason each team won't get close to the 70 mark here. 10* OVER the total in Tennessee |
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01-30-21 | Villanova v. Seton Hall +6 | Top | 80-72 | Loss | -110 | 19 h 16 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #648 Saturday 10* Top Play Seton Hall Pirates (+) vs Villanova Wildcats @ 3:30 ET - Seton Hall is loaded with seniors and juniors and that is the key to why they will bounce back here. The Pirates just lost an unbelievable game at home against Creighton Wednesday. Seton Hall had a huge lead rather late in the 2nd half and then witnessed a miraculous comeback as the Bluejays just had one of those shooting stretches where they could not miss. A younger team would be in trouble in their next game but Seton Hall is loaded with upperclassmen who know how to respond in a situation like this. The Pirates are at home which helps here and they also have plenty of confidence against the Wildcats. Though only 2-3 SU in the last 5 games against Villanova, Seton Hall has a knack for playing the Cats tough as the 3 losses each came by just 2 points apiece. The Wildcats are off a dominating win versus Providence but that was driven by a 19-9 turnover edge. They won't have that edge against the Pirates and, in fact, the turnovers are about equal in the last 4 meetings between these two teams. I expect Seton Hall to be very focused and motivated at home here after the way they lost to Creighton Wednesday and with the fact this is also a revenge game as the Pirates lost a tight one less than 2 weeks ago at Villanova. Payback time. Grab the generous points. 10* SETON HALL |
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01-30-21 | Manchester United v. Arsenal OVER 2.5 | Top | 0-0 | Loss | -115 | 5 h 60 m | Show |
TV Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Saturday 10* Top Play OVER 2.5 goals in Arsenal vs Manchester United @ 12:30 ET - Good news for Manchester United as they are NOT at home for this match. But, in all seriousness, they have struggled at home this season and that was evident again in their most recent match as it was a shocking 2-1 loss to Sheffield United. I fully expect Manchester United, such strong travelers thus far in this campaign, to respond strongly here at Emirates Stadium in London. Manchester United has scored more goals than any other club in road matches thus far this season and are averaging 2.4 goals per match on enemy pitch. Arsenal full campaign numbers show they have struggled to score goals but they have been better of late including scoring 3 goals in each of their last 2 matches in league competition. In fact, Arsenal has scored 16 in their last 6 matches as they have found their game as the season has gone on. As for Manchester United, they have been road warriors all season and found the back of the net often. More of the same here and certainly we should see at least 3 goals in this one. 10* OVER 2.5 goals in Arsenal |
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01-29-21 | Blue Jackets v. Blackhawks OVER 5.5 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 2 m | Show |
NHL Network Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #61 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 8:05 ET - This one is all about the value and we get that value in two ways here. One is that Columbus is known for playing tight, low-scoring games so that is why this total is a 5.5 even though the game involves a Chicago team that often gets involved in high-scoring games. The second type of value here is simply situational value as the fact is that the Blue Jackets are off a very hard-fought shootout win 3-2 over Florida last night and could be a little flat defensively after they fought so hard to get the win last night versus the Panthers. So the fact is the Blue Jackets have a pair of very solid goaltenders and after Merzlikins was in goal last night, we are likely to see Korpisalo here. Both are strong but ANY goalie can be exposed if the defense in front of him is not on top of their game and I truly expect Columbus to struggle some defensively in this one. It is their 3rd game in 4 nights and each of the last two games went to shootouts which means they were hard-fought games that included an OT period as well. As for the Blackhawks, they have one solid goalie so far this season as Lankinen has really stepped up and been impressive. However, Chicago has still allowed an average of 40.5 shots on goal their past two games. Opponents are getting chances because the Blackhawks are simply not that good defensively. Don't be surprised if the Blue Jackets are afforded (and cash in on) some great scoring chances here. The fact this total is a 5.5 is a great value as the Blackhawks have scored an average of 5 goals per game in their two home games this season so they are very confident at the United Center but this is still a team that has allowed an average of 3.5 goals per game this season. I fully expect a 4-3 type game here. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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01-29-21 | 76ers v. Wolves OVER 224 | Top | 118-94 | Loss | -109 | 9 h 41 m | Show |
Non-Conf Total of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #577 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Timberwolves vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 8:05 ET - I know that between covid and injuries, there are couple of big names on the injury report for tonight's game. However, ask yourself this question...who is going to play defense and why? This is a non-conference game for one thing. For another thing, the 76ers are off a massive win over the Lakers that will likely leave them flat-footed defensively after giving so much effort against LeBron and Company. As for the Timberwolves, they will simply be running and gunning here because what do they have to lose? Minnesota has lost 13 of its last 15 games and is going nowhere this season. So Minny is 3-0 to the over in their last 3 games and has allowed an average of 120 points per game their last 4 games. Philly is off an under in their hard-fought win versus LA but the Sixers entered that game on a 9-2 run to the over. Philadelphia allowed an average of 117.4 points per game during that 11 game run and I expect this game to get into the 230s and possibly even the 240s as I just don't foresee much defense in this non-conference affair. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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01-29-21 | Detroit v. Youngstown State OVER 150 | Top | 78-75 | Win | 100 | 8 h 51 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #833 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Youngstown State Penguins vs Detroit Mercy Titans @ 5 ET - Both teams off confidence-boosting wins which followed a 2-5 SU run for Detroit and an 0-4 SU run for Youngstown State. That said, I like the value here with the over. The Titans allowed an average of 85 points per game in those 5 losses and the Penguins have allowed 80 points per game their last 5 games. Both teams can be expected to score well based on facing sub-par defensive play plus the fact they each can score quite well and they play at a fast pace. The Titans are averaging 75 points in road games this season and the Penguins are averaging 81 points per game in home games this season and their O/U record is 8-3 this season. 10* OVER the total in Youngstown State |
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01-28-21 | Blazers v. Rockets OVER 228.5 | Top | 101-104 | Loss | -115 | 7 h 19 m | Show |
TNT Smash Pass - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #561 Thursday NBA 10* Top Play OVER the total in Houston Rockets vs Portland Trail Blazers @ 7:35 ET - I am very much aware of the fact that Rockets games have been trending under but the Blazers are in town and this one promises to get quite wild in terms of scoring. Portland is averaging 120 points per game on the road this season but allowing 116 when away from home! The Trail Blazers defensive numbers are ugly including allowing opponents to hit 48% from the field. As for the Rockets, they are scoring an average of 113 points per game their last 5 games and the last match-up between these teams a month ago totaled 254 points. Both teams have fresh legs as they come in rested and also do not have a game on deck for tomorrow either. All out effort with plenty of points and this one will surprise some by turning into a bit of a track meet with quick running and gunning. The over improves to 4-0 in Portland's last 4 games with a high-scoring shootout here. 10* OVER the total in Houston |
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01-28-21 | Panthers v. Blue Jackets -109 | Top | 2-3 | Win | 100 | 6 h 53 m | Show |
COLUMBUS - The Blue Jackets jumped out to a 2-0 lead Tuesday and never trailed the entire game. In fact, a game-tying goal with just 3 seconds left in the game is the only reason it went to overtime. The Panthers then went on to win in the shootout and can you imagine how ticked off coach John Tortorella was in the locker room after this one? The fiery head coach will have the Jackets ready to respond here and Jack Roslovic, Columbus native acquired from Winnipeg, is expected to be available to go tonight. Looking at their last 5 games, the Blue Jackets have a pair of wins by a combined score of 8 to 4 and 3 losses ALL coming AFTER regulation. Look for Columbus to come out hungrier than ever tonight and improve to 3-1 the last 4 times they were off a loss. Florida is a perfect 3-0 this season but two of the wins came after regulation and 2 of of the victories came against a struggling Blackhawks team. The Blue Jackets are the better hockey club and we are getting line value here as a result of some early season unusual results that will NOT continue so lets grab the exceptional value with the home team here. 10* COLUMBUS |
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01-28-21 | Michigan State v. Rutgers -2.5 | Top | 37-67 | Win | 100 | 7 h 20 m | Show |
Big Ten Blowout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #720 Thursday 10* Top Play Rutgers Scarlet Knights (-) vs Michigan State Spartans @ 7 ET - The Spartans are 10-0 SU against the Scarlet Knights and yet are the underdog in this match-up! Big mistake by the odds makers, right? Of course not! Long time followers know how I feel about "mistakes" by odds makers and the fact is Rutgers is in the better situation right now and at home and they are catching a Michigan State team that hasn't played in nearly 3 weeks due to covid issues. The Scarlet Knights lost by 23 at Michigan State earlier this month but actually took 10 more shots from the field in that game but simply had one of those games where the hoop seems so small and they could not get shots to drop. Also, Rutgers made a ridiculous 6 of 17 from the free throw line. Yes they are not a good free throw shooting team but they are not normally that bad of course. They are hitting 60.4% from the charity stripe at home games this season. The Scarlet Knights have also faced the tougher schedule than the Spartans this season and enter this game bolstered by a road win at Indiana. 10* RUTGERS |
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01-28-21 | Liverpool v. Tottenham Hotspur OVER 2.5 | Top | 3-1 | Win | 100 | 5 h 40 m | Show |
TV Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tottenham vs Liverpool @ 3 ET - Liverpool could get a boost with the return of their captain Jordan Henderson. Even if he does not play here, the fact he has returned to training is a big boost for them no doubt. Liverpool and Tottenham have each had goal-scoring struggles of late but I look for that to change here and feel we have great value with this low total. Don't be surprised if Mourinho employs an aggressive style here for Tottenham and that could result in a lot of attacking and counter-attacking for both clubs in what will turn into an entertaining match as a result. Each club is scoring an average of 2 goals per match this season and, as a result, asking this one to get to 3 goals for us to get a win is certainly not asking too much! Given the circumstances, I expect both clubs to be more aggressive in this fixture as each is desperate for the full 3 points in the table. 10* OVER the total in Tottenham |
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01-27-21 | Lakers v. 76ers +3 | Top | 106-107 | Win | 100 | 10 h 59 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #540 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 7:35 ET - The Lakers are in the middle of a 7-game road trip and when you look at this trip a couple of games caught LA's attention. One was at Milwaukee as they are considered the best team in the east and another was at Cleveland because of the LeBron connection there. That said, off a win over the Cavaliers and still undefeated in road games this season, Los Angeles opened up as a very small road favorite here with good reason. That reasoning is that this is actually a tough spot for them. The 76ers want this game and a very tough at home. They went 31-4 at home last season and are 9-1 at home this season. Joel Embiid will be back after missing the last game which was as much rest as it was anything else. The Sixers have actually won 3 of their last 4 with LA both SU and ATS plus the home team won each meeting last season by a double digit margin. I like the home edge and the situational edge and the markets of course will be backing the small road favorite here that is 10-0 SU in road games this season. That is why this line is moving higher and I'll gladly grab the additional value with the home dog that will prove to be the more motivated team here. Remember Sixers coach Doc Rivers was the Clippers coach and has extra motivation facing the Lakers as they battled hard again for LA supremacy last season before the Lakers of course ultimately prevailed and went on to win it all while Rivers and the Clippers parted ways. Big motivation here. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-27-21 | Blackhawks v. Predators OVER 6 | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -107 | 8 h 11 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #29 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Nashville Predators vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 7:35 ET - The Blackhawks had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in yesterday's game. Each time they tried to sit on them and it ultimately cost them in the 3-2 OT loss. Chicago is a young team and not very good defensively and they saw last night once again that they are not the kind of hockey club that can just sit back and try to protect a 1-goal lead. The Blackhawks are simply not build that way. So, after last night's loss and getting outshot by about a 2-1 ratio, look for Chicago to be much more aggressive tonight. I expect a lot more scoring as a result. The goalie match-up is likely to be Kevin Lankinen versus Juuse Saros. The Hawks goalie does not have much NHL experience and he got blitzed in his lone road start this season and allowed 5 goals. The Predators Saros is a solid netminder but is also streaky and he comes into this one struggling as he has allowed 8 goals in his last two appearances. I am expecting plenty of goals here with it being a back to back and the way last night's game played out gives the Predators a lot of confidence and they will be aggressive tonight after getting the OT winner thanks to their captain last night. The Blackhawks must be more aggressive and attack more but this is also a team that, though they still have some offensive firepower, have shown early this season that they give up far too many great scoring chances and the goals against keep piling up here. 10* OVER the total in Nashville |
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01-27-21 | Creighton -1.5 v. Seton Hall | Top | 85-81 | Win | 100 | 8 h 16 m | Show |
Big East Beast - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #669 Wednesday 10* Top Play Creighton Bluejays (-) @ Seton Hall Pirates @ 7 ET - Revenge is often overplayed and I believe that will prove to be the case again here. Many will back Seton Hall seeking revenge for getting blasted at Creighton 3 weeks ago. However, there are multiple problems with that. The Bluejays have now won 3 straight over the Pirates and part of the reason is that it is a match-up issue. Creighton is a 3-point shooting team and Seton Hall tends to struggle to defend the arc. The other issue for the Pirates here is that this will be just their 2nd game played in 18 days as they have been dealing with multiple cancellations. As for the Bluejays, their schedule has been flowing just fine and that means the shots - just like the first meeting - will also be flowing just fine as well. 10* CREIGHTON |
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01-27-21 | Sheffield United v. Manchester United OVER 3 | Top | 2-1 | Push | 0 | 7 h 52 m | Show |
TV Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 3 goals in Manchester United vs Sheffield United @ 3:15 ET - Manchester United can move to the top of the table again with a victory here and I am confident of a strong attacking effort from the home side as they look to make sure they move back into first place. The hosts will take advantage of a Sheffield United club having an awful campaign so far. I like the over here though because the travelers got a boost of confidence with 3 wins in their last 4 matches. Yes 2 were in English FA Cup action against lesser foes but it is building some confidence for Sheffield United as they have now scored 7 goals in their last 4 matches across all competitions. The problem for the away club here is they will not be able to stop a determined host. Manchester United has not scored all that well on their home pitch this season but can atone for that here with a huge effort and they are off a 3-2 win over Liverpool in English FA Cup action plus a 2-1 win over Fulham in Premier League action that easily could have been a higher scoring match as there were a number of missed opportunities for both clubs in that one. Getting this total at a 3 considering all of the above is a great value as this match should be a 3-1 type affair at the very least and the hosts actually have a shot at getting this game over the total all by themselves as they know what is at stake here and Sheffield United is vulnerable to say the least! 10* OVER 3 goals in Manchester United |
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01-26-21 | Maple Leafs v. Flames +104 | Top | 4-3 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 46 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #24 Tuesday 10* Top Play Calgary Flames Money Line (+) vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 9:05 ET - The Maple Leafs hung on for a tight win when these teams met at Calgary on Sunday. Now this is the Flames final home game until February 6th and I fully expect revenge-minded Calgary to make the most of it. Leafs goalie Jack Campbell got hurt late in the game and his status is uncertain for tonight. Frederik Andersen is the normal top netminder and so he might be between the pipes anyway here but note that he had a rough road game (5 goals allowed) in his only start away from home this season. Andersen also allowed 4 goals in his lone appearance at Calgary last season. I really like the way Jacob Markstrom has been playing between the pipes for the Flames early this season and expect him to win the goaltending battle tonight. Calgary's two wins this season have come by a combined score of 8 to 2 while their two defeats each came by the slimmest of margins. As a result, the Flames are still a little undervalued right now. Give Toronto credit as they did play a hard-fought game Sunday as they were outhit but dominated in terms of blocked shots. The Flames now come back strong as they were not happy with losing the game Sunday thanks to a very late power play goal in the 2nd period that shifted momentum. Payback time from a determined Flames team Tuesday. They raise their level of play here to again bounce back off a loss. 10* CALGARY |
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01-26-21 | Knicks +11.5 v. Jazz | Top | 94-108 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 56 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #527 Tuesday 10* Top Play New York Knicks (+) @ Utah Jazz @ 9:05 ET - There are two ways to look at this game but I am choosing the latter. The first way to look at this match-up is that the Jazz are on an 8-0 SU and ATS run. Not only that, the 8-game run dates back to a loss against, you guessed it, the Knicks! So this is a revenge game for a red hot Utah team. However, here is how I look at this one. The Jazz are laying too many points here. They are off a string of big Western Conference wins and now face a non-conference opponent plus have back to back big games on deck against the Mavericks. I like the fact that the Knicks are on a 4-1 ATS run. Also, not only are 3 SU wins included in that run, note that the Knicks last 4 SU losses have all been by a single digit margin. The average margin of defeat for NY during this run was just 5.5 points. The Knicks have gone 7 straight games without a single loss by more than 9 points. I am grabbing the big underdog here. 10* NEW YORK KNICKS |
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01-26-21 | Southern Illinois v. Indiana State OVER 134.5 | Top | 59-71 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 27 m | Show |
MVC Total of the Year - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #603 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana State Sycamores vs Southern Illinois Salukis @ 5 ET - Back to back match-up and yesterday's game between these teams had 98 points with about 14 minutes to go. With the game ending 69-66 for a total of 135 points that means the teams combined to average only about 2.5 points per minute over the final 14 minutes of the game. Very unusual and won't be repeated here as the first 26 minutes of the game averaged 3.77 points per minute. It was on pace for about 150 points at that point. We should see at least 140 here. Since the calendar turned the page to 2021, the Sycamores had one low-scoring game that was a complete aberration. In the other 6 games Indiana State has averaged 72 points per game. Southern Illinois has allowed an average of 78 points per game their last 4 games but are a very strong 3-point shooting team and will get their fair share of points in this one too. This total opened up in the upper 130s but has dropped into the mid-130s and is offering excellent line value as a result. 10* OVER the total in Indiana State |
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01-26-21 | Manchester City v. West Bromwich Albion OVER 3 | Top | 5-0 | Win | 100 | 7 h 40 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER 3 goals in West Bromwich vs Manchester City @ 3:15 ET - The last time these teams met it was a 1-1 draw and that was at Manchester City last month. In their other 9 home fixtures this season Manchester City has won 7. In other words, that result was unacceptable. That is why Manchester City will not take their foot off the gas in this one and I am expecting plenty of goals. I know that Manchester City does not score a lot of goals on the road, at least so far this season, but this match-up is different. No team in the league has conceded more than West Bromwich's 43 goals on the campaign. Also, Manchester City wants payback for the 1-1 home draw plus they can move to the top of the table by picking up all 3 points here. Will West Bromwich get on the scoresheet here? I say yes as they have scored an average of 2 goals per match over their last 3 matches across all competitions. Look for West Bromwich to score at least 1 goal in this one and I fully expect Manchester City to score at least 3 goals as well. Prior to the 1-1 draw between these clubs the 3 most recent meetings in Premier League action averaged a total of 4 goals per fixture. I am looking for at least 4 in this one today as well. 10* OVER 3 goals in West Bromwich |
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01-25-21 | 76ers -6.5 v. Pistons | Top | 104-119 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 44 m | Show |
Professional Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #503 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) @ Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - The Pistons are still without Derrick Rose for this one. Blake Griffin is expected back tonight but he has not been as effective as in years past. As for the 76ers I am aware of the Joel Embiid situation but he might play with tomorrow being an off day for Philly too. Plus Dwight Howard has really raised his level of play at times when Embiid is out. The Pistons did get the cover on Saturday but Detroit outscored Philly by 18 points from 3-point land in that one. Had they simply been dead even from beyond the arc, the Sixers win that game by 22 points. Also, lets look at this match-up from another vantage point as well. Philadelphia is currently at the very top of the Eastern Conference standings while Detroit - you guessed it - is at the very bottom of those same standings. Yes the Pistons have a home court "edge" here but have lost 7 of 9 games on their home floor this season! The 76ers, were it not for the 3-point shooting disparity, would have won Saturday's game by 22 which is not a huge surprise as their other road wins this season have come by an average of 22 points per game too! When these teams met over the weekend, the Sixers were of back to back huge wins against the Celtics so it was the perfect spot to fade them and, indeed, the Pistons delivered the ATS cover. Now, things are back to normal and we can lay a rather small number here and have the best team in the east against the worst team in the east so far this season. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-25-21 | Loyola Marymount v. Portland +10 | Top | 75-50 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 32 m | Show |
Early Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #850 Monday 10* Top Play Portland Pilots (+) vs Loyola Marymount Lions @ 5 ET - The Pilots perfectly fit the classic ugly home dog theory. Yes Portland enters this game on a long losing streak but the Pilots are 5-4 SU at home this season and they have revenge from a home loss in the most recent meeting between these West Coast rivals. Inexplicably, the Pilots lost that game to the Lions despite having 20 more shot attempts from the field. It was a terrible shooting nigh for Portland from everywhere on the floor and they lost the game despite only having 9 turnovers while Loyola Marymount actually had 22 turnovers in that game! Coming into this game the Lions are on an overall 0-4 ATS run plus this is a team that has gone 0-4 SU on the road this season. Of course Loyola Marymount is the better team and that is why they are favored big on the road but I feel the points will prove to be far too many and that the Pilots will be tough to put away in this one. I know the Lions rate as the better team defensively but also note that Portland is averaging 76 points per game at home this season while Loyola Marymount is averaging just 61 points in road games. The Lions may defeat the Pilots here but I expect the game to be decided by a very slim margin. 10* PORTLAND |
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01-24-21 | Rangers +118 v. Penguins | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 32 m | Show |
Payback Smash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #51 Sunday 10* Top Play New York Rangers Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7 ET - The Rangers are hungry for payback here. The Penguins are dealing with some injuries to their defense and that was already an area of concern for Pittsburgh heading into this season. New York is fired up after blowing a 3-1 lead in this match-up Friday and going on to lose in overtime. The Rangers have been getting the better goaltending than the Pens so far this season and I look for New York to again build a solid lead in this one and this time they hold on! There is a reason the Penguins are priced so short here at home. In other words, don't let the line fool you. Many will be on Pittsburgh here but they have had some very fortunate wins of late and their luck runs out here as the Rangers come in fired up and won't stop until the final seconds run off the clock in what should be a solid road victory for this motivated bunch. 10* NEW YORK RANGERS |
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01-24-21 | Bills v. Chiefs -3 | Top | 24-38 | Win | 100 | 35 h 13 m | Show |
Playoff Game of the Year – Scott “The Bulldog” Rickenbach NFL Rotation #314 Sunday 10* Top Play Kansas City Chiefs (-) vs Buffalo Bills @ 6:40 ET – We are getting some line value here because of the Mahomes situation but honestly I expect the Chiefs to comfortably win this game even if Henne had to play the entire contest. But look for Mahomes to be back and just fine. As for the Bills, I do respect them but they have been living a charmed life. Teams that gained over 450 yards in a game and did not turn the ball over had been 11-0 all-time until the Colts did that to Buffalo in the Wild Card round and yet lost the game. Then Buffalo followed up that questionable win with another win. The Bills beat the Ravens thanks in large part to a 101 yard interception return for a TD that totally changed the game around. For the game, Buffalo was outgained 340 to 220 by Baltimore and yet still won. Again, charmed life so far for the Bills but now they face the defending Super Bowl champs off a non-covering win versus the Browns. That failed cover, despite a big half-time lead, has led to solid line value this week and the Chiefs at home are the play in this one. In their last 3 home games that matter (game versus Chargers was meaningless), KC allowed 17 points or less in each game. This is a Chiefs offense that averaged 33 points per game in their final 7 road games of the season. That is the sign of a powerhouse when you can score like that away from home and now the Chiefs are at home and off a frustrating offensive performance which is absolutely going to bring out the best in them today. I have not been as impressed with the Bills offense of late and that is why I see KC pulling away as this one goes on and I expect a win by a double digit margin and, at the very least, a TD margin for the home team. 10* KANSAS CITY |
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01-24-21 | Thunder +13 v. Clippers | Top | 100-108 | Win | 100 | 8 h 28 m | Show |
Early Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #573 Sunday 10* Top Play Oklahoma City Thunder (+) @ Los Angeles Clippers @ 4:05 ET - The Clippers beat the Thunder by 14 points on Friday. They outscored them by 14 points at the free throw line. Also, Los Angeles dominated Oklahoma City on the boards. The Thunder will respond after losing badly in those two key stat departments on Friday. Neither one of those stats was expected when you look at the full season statistics for these two teams. No I do not expect OKC to win this game outright but I do expect the points to prove to be too many for LAC to cover in the rematch. The Clippers 5 most recent home games preceding the blowout win included 1 outright losses and 2 wins by a margin of 5 or less points. Look for this one to fall into that latter category or very close to that in terms of the final margin here. 10* OKLAHOMA CITY |
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01-24-21 | Bucs v. Packers OVER 51.5 | Top | 31-26 | Win | 100 | 32 h 0 m | Show |
Total of the Month – Scott “The Bulldog” Rickenbach NFL Rotation #311 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Green Bay Packers vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ 3:05 ET – As of Friday evening, the forecast is for some snow in Green Bay Sunday but it should be finished by game time. Also, winds are not expected to be an issue at all. That said, I expect both offenses to have no issues in this one. The over is 3-0 in the Packers last 3 games and Green Bay has scored an average of 32 points per game this season and has averaged 36 points per game their last 3 games. The Buccaneers also have caught fire at the right time and have averaged 36.6 points per game their last 5 games. Of course I am not expecting 70s here in terms of total points but you can see why, based on the above, the number in the 52 range does indeed seem too low. The over was 5-1 in Tampa Bay’s last 6 road games prior to the game at New Orleans staying under the total. Of course the key reason that game stayed under is Drew Brees was turnover prone and the Saints turned it over 4 times in that one. He was not healthy this season. Aaron Rodgers is healthy and this offense is firing on all cylinders and the Packers will score plenty here but don’t be surprised when Tom Brady and the Bucs match them score for score too. Keep in mind, Tampa Bay hung 38 on the Pack when these teams met a few months ago down in Florida. 10* OVER the total in Green Bay |
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01-24-21 | Davidson v. Massachusetts OVER 143.5 | Top | 69-60 | Loss | -109 | 4 h 58 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #813 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Massachusetts Minutemen vs Davidson Wildcats @ Noon ET - The Minutemen are off a 65-46 win so things must be getting much better for UMass in terms of their play on the defensive end, right? No, actually what happened is they faced a Fordham team that is simply awful this season and can not score points. Now Massachusetts faces a solid Davidson team whose games are on an O/U run of 5-2 and they have scored at least 73 points in 6 of those 7 games. They will score plenty against UMass team that is allowing 82 points per game at home this season. The Minutemen are averaging 87.4 points per game this season so you can see the kind of game we should expect here...fast paced with a lot of run and gun. The result should be a solid over in this one. 10* OVER the total in Massachusetts |
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01-22-21 | Celtics +5 v. 76ers | Top | 110-122 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 51 m | Show |
Early Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #535 Friday 10* Top Play Boston Celtics (+) @ Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:35 ET - Grabbing a good team off a loss is always worth a look. When that team is getting points it is even better. When that team is also playing with revenge against a divisional foe that is better still. Finally, it gets even stronger when the teams just met. The Celtics loss at Philly Wednesday is certainly fresh in their minds as they blew a 6-point lead they had entering the 4th quarter. Here is a stat too that is unlikely to be repeated tonight: the 76ers had 45 free throw attempts compared to just 20 for the Celtics. You think a shot an extra 25 points might have helped Philly in their eventual 8 point win? Of course it did and, even though Boston is still without Jayson Tatum, the Celtics are perfect ATS this season when off back to back ATS losses and also perfect SU when they enter a game off a SU loss. Payback time here and, keep in mind, the Celtics had won 5 straight games against Philadelphia before that loss Wednesday. 10* BOSTON |
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01-22-21 | Sabres -109 v. Capitals | Top | 3-4 | Loss | -109 | 7 h 18 m | Show |
10* BUFFALO - The guys that the Capitals lost are VERY significant. Due to a health protocol violation, this is expected to be the first of 4 games for the Caps without Ovechkin and Kuznetsov (two of their top forwards), Orlov (one of their top defensemen) and Samsonov (their #1 goalie). That is why the odds makers were correct in pricing this line at around a -135 on Buffalo and I saw it as high as a -145 earlier. Now it is down to where the Sabres are practically a pick'em and this is offering significant value on Buffalo in this spot. The Sabres have revenge from losing each of the first two games of the season against the Capitals in Buffalo. In that 2nd game they faced the goalie they will face again tonight and that is Vanecek. The young netminder is getting his first taste of the NHL and did beat the Sabres in their first meeting but Buffalo outshot the Caps 31 to 21 and I expect Vanecek won't fare nearly as well in the 2nd meeting. He is now "the guy" with Samsonov out and that puts a lot of pressure on the young netminder. Also, he certainly didn't look overly great against the Penguins when they hung 5 goals on him Tuesday. Situational value here is off the charts. 10* BUFFALO |
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01-22-21 | IUPU Ft Wayne v. Green Bay OVER 152 | Top | 59-77 | Loss | -109 | 6 h 38 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #831 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in WI-Green Bay Phoenix vs IPFW Mastodons @ 5 ET - This is a big total but it has dropped from its opening number in the mid-150s and I love the situation here. Green Bay is off back to back losses on the road but now back home where they are scoring an average of 78 points per game this season. As for the defense of the Phoenix, they rank as one of the worst in the nation for defensive efficiency and they face a major challenge here. IPFW is one of the best three point shooting teams in the nation at 44% from beyond the arc and they do not miss a beat when on the road either in terms how well they shoot from outside. The Mastodons are averaging 79 points per game this season and have averaged 86.5 points per game their last 4 games. The Phoenix have scored 85.5 points per game their last two home games. UWGB is allowing 80 points per game this season but is a small home favorite here with good reason. In other words, expect a high-scoring shootout as the Phoenix defense leaves a lot to be desired but the odds maker expect them to battle tooth and nail all the way with IPFW in this one. 10* OVER the total in Wisconsin-Green Bay |
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01-21-21 | Lakers v. Bucks +105 | Top | 113-106 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 17 m | Show |
Early Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #524 Thursday 10* Top Play Milwaukee Bucks (-) vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 7:35 ET - Finally the Bucks chance they missed out on last season and I fully expect them to make the most of it. Milwaukee was on a collision course last year in hopes of facing LeBron James and company for a shot at the NBA title but then got knocked out too soon in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Now the Bucks will look to make the most of this regular season opportunity against the current NBA champs. Helping matters a bit is the fact that James and Anthony Davis, though playing, are dealing with ankle ailments. I like the fact that Milwaukee has taken 3 of the last 4 meetings both SU and ATS. They are a confident bunch especially when playing at home. Both LA and the Bucks are entering this game off a loss but the Lakers were nearly a double digit favorite while Milwaukee faced a tougher match-up with Brooklyn. The Bucks also could have gotten caught looking ahead to this game and this one absolutely means more to the host than it does to the visitor. Look for that extra hunger to be the difference here in an other equal match-up. This line has gone from Bucks -2.5 to a pick'em and I have no hesitation in stepping in and fading the move. 10* MILWAUKEE |
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01-21-21 | Flyers +121 v. Bruins | Top | 4-5 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 18 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #3 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - When a team is struggling to score goals they will often start to squeeze the sticks a little too tight until they can snap out of it. Essentially they start pressing until they can get back on track. That said, I don't see the bounce back happening for the Bruins tonight. They are facing a tough Flyers team that is playing with plenty of confidence thanks to being one of the highest scoring teams in league so far and coming off a 3-0 shutout win. Philadelphia is scoring an average of nearly 4 goals per game while, at the other end of the spectrum, the Bruins are averaging only about 1 goal per game thus far. In fact, the only team that has scored less than the 4 goals that Boston has on the season is Dallas and that is because they have yet to play a game because of health protocols relating to covid. Getting Philly at an underdog price here when you consider the current trending of the offensive production of these two teams is simply too good to pass up. Yes the Flyers have a couple injury issues but so too do the Bruins including David Pastrnak and that is a big absence for them. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-21-21 | Burnley v. Liverpool -1.75 | Top | 1-0 | Loss | -125 | 5 h 48 m | Show |
Goal Line Dominator - EPL 10* Top Play Liverpool -1.75 goals vs Burnley @ 3 ET Thursday - Look for Liverpool to win this one by at least 2 goals. In recent seasons they have been the best home team in the premier league. Also, they are coming off a scoreless draw in their most recent match and will be hungry to respond here as goal-scoring has been a problem of late for Liverpool. The good news for Liverpool here is they are facing a Burnley squad that always has trouble scoring goals and has just 4 in their 9 games on enemy pitch this season. Compare that with a Liverpool club that has scored 21 times in their 9 games on their home pitch on the campaign. I fully expect something along the lines of a 3-0 or 4-1 type win for the hosts in this one as Burnley can be strong on defense at times that is for certain but Liverpool is going to be very aggressive on the attack in this one knowing that Burnley is unlikely to burn them on the other end of the pitch. The host is very much in need of a big win and they get it here. 10* LIVERPOOL |
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01-20-21 | Celtics v. 76ers -4.5 | Top | 109-117 | Win | 100 | 9 h 24 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #502 Wednesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Boston Celtics @ 7:05 ET - This is a rivalry that goes back a long way as you know. But last season put an exclamation point on how one-sided things can be at times. Boston swept the Sixers out of the playoffs and that led to the firing of coach Brett Brown. Now Doc Rivers is the new man in charge and his players want revenge here. Yes the Sixers just struggled at Memphis but Joel Embiid did not play. He is back and is listed as probable for this game. Also, it is a home game for Philly and they are known for dominating at the Wells Fargo Center. Additionally, the Celtics are still without Jayson Tatum and he is not even making the trip to Philly due to health protocols. That is a major loss for the Celtics as he was on fire this season. Speaking of major losses, Boston just got blasted at home by 30 points by Orlando. Of course that makes this a bounce back spot for the Celtics but, keep in mind, their ATS losses have come in pairs this season and I look for the loss to the Magic to be the first of two as the hungry 76ers get their playoff revenge in a big way here. Embiid on the floor for Philly and Tatum not on the floor for the Celtics is absolutely a big deal! Home team by double digits in this one. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-20-21 | Oilers v. Maple Leafs OVER 6.5 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -111 | 11 h 31 m | Show |
NBCSN Blowout Rout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #77 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 6.5 goals in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Edmonton Oilers @ 7:05 ET - One of the great things about the divisional realignment for this season is we'll get to see Shane Matthews and the Maple Leafs match up with Connor McDavid and the Oilers 9 times this season! Normally in different conferences they would be meeting just twice a season. One thing is for sure, I expect plenty of fireworks to result as these are two of the most highly skilled players in the game. When these teams last met in Toronto it was a 6-4 Oilers win. While we may not again see double digits in goals tonight I certainly do expect at least 7 goals. Edmonton coach Dave Tippett has been questioning the compete level of his team but has also said they were at their best in their 5-2 win. Keep in mind, in their three losses they have allowed 3 goals once and 5 goals twice. The issue for Edmonton is questionable goaltending and defense. That said, even with a high compete level you see the biggest benefit for the Oilers on the offensive end with guys like McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. I do expect Edmonton's compete level to be very high in this game as it is a high-profile match-up that will bring out the best in both hockey clubs. The result will be plenty of goals as I expect the Oilers to respond after being held to just 1 goal by Montreal in each of their two games with the Canadiens. So Edmonton responds here in the offensive zone but I don't see them stopping the Leafs at the other end. Toronto has scored at least 3 goals in every single game this season and has averaged 3.7 goals in their 3 victories. The Maple Leafs will be on the attack early and often in this one on home ice but the Oilers respond as well. The result will likely be a 4-3 or 5-4 type game in my opinion. Very entertaining barnburner likely. 10* OVER 6.5 goals in Toronto |
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01-20-21 | St. Joe's v. George Mason UNDER 149 | Top | 85-87 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 3 m | Show |
Philly Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach CBB Rotation #684 Tuesday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in George Mason Patriots vs St Joseph's Hawks @ 7 ET - This total has climbed from the mid-140s to the 150 range and I certainly understand the move based on the Hawks defensive woes this season and they are coming off a very high-scoring game. However, George Mason is going to dictate the flow of this game at home and they are off an 80-60 road loss that will bring out the best in terms of their effort on defense in this one. The Patriots are allowing just 64 points per game when at home and the O/U is 0-5-1 as a host this season. Yes, no overs in a half dozen home games this season for George Mason. Also, they allowed just 42 points to LaSalle in their most recent home game. That is the same Explorers team that just put up 90 on the Hawks! The point is that the Patriots can play a little defense. As for St Joseph's, as bad as their full season numbers are on on defense, Hawks games have stayed under the total each of the last 3 times they were off a game in which they allowed 83 or more points. That is the situation here and all signs point to this total offering solid value on the short side. 10* UNDER the total in George Mason |
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01-20-21 | Manchester United v. Fulham OVER 2.5 | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 8 h 32 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach EPL Rotation #200095 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 2.5 goals in Fulham vs Manchester United @ 3:15 ET - Manchester United is off a scoreless draw versus Liverpool while Fulham just battled but only to fall short 1-0 versus Chelsea over the weekend. With each club off low-scoring matches, I am expecting this one to play out much differently. Keep in mind, no team has scored more road goals than Manchester United this season as, before being held scoreless at Liverpool, they had averaged scoring nearly 3 goals per match with 22 goals in 8 matches on enemy pitch. As for Fulham, they have not been conceding many goals of late but they realize what they are doing - focusing too much on defense - is not helping them too much as they have not won a premier league match since November. I look for Fulham to get at least 1 goal here as they are averaging nearly 1 goal per match this season. But I don't expect them to be able to stop Manchester United either as they have dominated this series to the tune of averaging 3 goals per match in the last 4 meetings at Fulham - all victories. Additionally, when facing a club that was just promoted up to the premier league, like Fulham for this season, they have won 8 straight matches and scored an average of 3 goals per match. We are seeing some 3's start to pop up on this total as well which means some sharp action coming in on the over and I expect that sharp action to prove correct as the highest-scoring traveler so far this season gets it done again here after being stifled at Liverpool. 10* OVER 2.5 in Fulham |
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01-19-21 | Pelicans +6.5 v. Jazz | Top | 102-118 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 41 m | Show |
Double Perfect Play - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NBA Rotation #571 Tuesday 10* Top Play New Orleans Pelicans (+) @ Utah Jazz @ 9:05 ET - I have had great success with each of these teams as I am 3-0 my last 3 involving the Pelicans and 5-0 my last 5 sides involving the Jazz. Putting both of those streaks to the test here because I really like the value with the points being offered in this one. The last 4 meetings between these clubs have all been decided by a single digit margin. That includes 2 of the last 3 decided by just 2 points with the outlier decided by 6 points. All 3 of those results would get us a win in this one tonight. That said, the Pelicans come into this game off a confidence boosting win and 4 of their last 5 losses were by a single digit margin with 3 of the 4 decided by a margin of 5 or less. The Jazz have been hot and that is what has driven this line higher but their 5-game winning streak started with a win over the Bucks. Since then the last 4 teams they have faced all currently have losing records and a combined record of 21-31. I know the Pelicans also have a losing record so far this season but, without a doubt, they have underachieved. That is what is leading to value in this spot and I look for the revenge-minded Pelicans to get revenge for the July 30th loss to the Jazz. If they do fall short look for them to stay inside the number as they improve to 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games. 10* NEW ORLEANS |
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01-19-21 | Capitals +120 v. Penguins | Top | 4-5 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 5 m | Show |
NBCSN Blowout Rout - Scott "The Bulldog" Rickenbach NHL Rotation #69 Tuesday 10* Top Play Washington Capitals Money Line (+) @ Pittsburgh Penguins @ 7:05 ET - Sometimes you get extra value from unlikely sources and that is what happened here and I am stepping in. You see, this was the perfect spot to back Washington and yet the line moved toward Pittsburgh. Why did that happen? It is because Kasperi Kapanen is expected to make his season debut for the Penguins. However, did all those betting the Pens watch the game on Sunday? The thing is Pittsburgh was in a great spot there and gave a rather solid effort and managed to eke out a shootout win. But the fact is the Capitals spent much of that game looking like the better team and they are the more physical team and Alex Ovechkin had own that hit both sides of the cross bar before ringing out and that was late in regulation and likely would have given the Caps the win. Now after losing their first game of the season and getting another crack at a bitter rival, Washington will not be denied tonight in my opinion. The Capitals look hungry early this season. I like what I saw from them in Buffalo to open the season and I also feel the Penguins are still looking a little "off" early this season and they certainly weren't too impressive in dropping their first two games at Philly to open the season. So, all in all, this one is all about the situational value and we even get some extra money line return here due to Kapanen's expected return. I'll take the extra value as his presence isn't going to completely change everything else going on the ice right now for the Pens and I feel the Caps are looking like the better team at this early point in the season. 10* WASHINGTON |