Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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01-28-18 | Lakers v. Raptors OVER 217.5 | Top | 111-123 | Win | 100 | 10 h 33 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #807 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Raptors vs Los Angeles Lakers @ 6:05 ET - After a lackluster effort versus a Western Conference foe resulted in a home loss to begin their 3-game homestand, the Raptors won't make the same mistake here. Toronto likes to run and play at a fast pace but they had bad energy from the start in their loss to Utah Friday and will make up for that here versus the Lakers. The reason the play is the total and not the side is because the Raptors are a double digit fave here and Los Angeles comes into this game hot and putting up a lot of points. With the Lakers having won 4 straight and 8 of their last 10, look for a shootout here. Los Angeles is averaging 107.7 points per game during this 10 game run. The Raptors were held to 93 points in their home loss to Utah. That is noteworthy here because the over is a perfect 5-0 this season when Toronto is off of a game where they were held to 95 points or less! The Raptors are averaging 112 points per game at home and the Lakers allow 112 points per game on the road. With Toronto also fired up off of that loss you can expect about 120 here which should have the Lakers hitting about 110 per the spread on this one. In other words, it should fly over the total. The over is 6-1 this season in Lakers Sunday games. The over improves to 6-0 ATS this season when the Raptors are off of a game in which they were held under 96 points of offense! 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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01-28-18 | Clemson -125 v. Georgia Tech | Top | 72-70 | Win | 100 | 7 h 59 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #843 Sunday 10* Top Play Clemson Tigers (-) @ Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ 6 ET - The Tigers were a ranked team that got destroyed at Virginia Tuesday and scored only 36 points. Of course the Cavaliers are a great team, as they showed again yesterday in their win at Duke, and I expect Clemson to bounce back in a big way here! The Tigers are 16-4 on the season and have not lost back to back games yet this season. The Yellow Jackets and Tigers have nearly identical stats on defense but Clemson is the much more potent team on the offensive end. Insuring proper focus from the Tigers here is the fact that Clemson has lost their last two visits to Georgia Tech and also got knocked out of the conference tournament by the Yellow Jackets in March of 2016. Payback time here for a hungry Tigers team. Clemson is 3-0 SU and 2-0 ATS when off of a loss this season. The Tigers, in road games with a posted total between 130 and 134.5 points, have gone 15-7 ATS. The Yellow Jackets are only 4-7 ATS against teams with a winning record this season and 1-3 SU in their last 4. Georgia Tech is also only 2-7 SU when they've been an underdog this season. Given the very low spread on this game and a stat like that one, there is even more value in grabbing the money line here on the Tigers for those of you that have access to it. 10* CLEMSON |
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01-28-18 | Purdue v. Indiana OVER 143 | Top | 74-67 | Loss | -110 | 4 h 24 m | Show |
Total Smash - Rickenbach CBB Game #833 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana Hoosiers vs Purdue Boilermakers @ 3:30 ET - The Hoosiers are relishing this opportunity to knock off a highly-ranked Purdue team that just got another win, over Michigan, Thursday. The Boilermakers are now 20-2 on the season while Indiana is scuffling a bit after a horrible effort at the free throw line resulted in a loss at Illinois Wednesday. The Hoosiers have averaged 77.4 points per game at home this season and Purdue (85.1 ppg) is the top scoring team in the Big Ten. With that said, I am expecting a very high-scoring game here as Indiana will be forced to push the pace against a Boilermakers team that has been shooting the ball very well. Purdue has shot 57% from the field in their last 3 games. Also, in 4 of their last 5 games, the Boilermakers have shot an incredible 57% or better from three point land! The over is 7-3 in Purdue's road games with a posted total between 140 and 144.5 points. When the Hoosiers, in Game 15 or later in a season, face a team that averages 77 points or more per game, the over has gone 10-5. Look for another one here! 10* OVER the total in Indiana |
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01-27-18 | North Dakota +9 v. Idaho | Top | 71-96 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 14 m | Show |
Hidden Gem - Rickenbach CBB Game #717 Saturday 10* Top Play North Dakota Fighting Hawks (+) @ Idaho Vandals @ 10 ET - The Fighting Hawks had won 3 straight games with the last of the 3 being a win over rival North Dakota State. Not surprisingly, they then fell flat and lost their next game on the road in OT. Then, off the curse of an OT loss that always makes the next game ultra tough to bounce back in, North Dakota had another road loss in their next game. This is now the finale of a two week stretch where all of the Fighting Hawks games have been on the road. They started the trip with a win and desperately want to end it with a win. Also, this is a revenge game as North Dakota was embarrassed at home by the Vandals in late December when Idaho had a great shooting night and the Fighting Hawks had a rare off night. That is the worst home loss that North Dakota has suffered so far this season and they want payback tonight. Prior to that defeat, the last 3 match-ups between these teams saw the Fighting Hawks take 2 games by an average margin of 14 points per game plus lose the other one (here in Idaho) by only a single point. That said, there is great line value with the big points being offered here. Though the Vandals are looking to bounce back off of a home loss, they are only 3-6 ATS when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. North Dakota is 20-10 SU and 22-8 ATS in games with a posted total in the 140s. Also, when playing with home loss revenge, the Fighting Hawks are 14-7 ATS. When playing in game 15 or later in a season, and facing a team that has a winning record, ND has gone 13-3 ATS! 10* NORTH DAKOTA |
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01-27-18 | Nets v. Wolves OVER 214 | Top | 97-111 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 7 m | Show |
Rickenbach NBA Game #511 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Timberwolves vs Brooklyn Nets @ 9:05 ET - The Timberwolves have allowed 114 points per game their last 8 games and their last 3 opponents have all knocked down 53.9% or better from the field. Minnesota has averaged 117 points per game in their last 4 games and also will give a huge effort at home so I expect plenty of points here. The Wolves only home game between January 20th and February 1st is this one so look for Minny to "run and gun" just like they've done in the past versus the Nets. Each of their last two home games versus Brooklyn have flown over the total and they scored 129 points the last time they hosted Brooklyn. The Nets have averaged 109 points per game in their last 3 match-ups with Minnesota and, also, Brooklyn is 20-8 to the over in their games against Northwest Division opponents. The Nets were averaging 109 points per game in their last 7 road games before a rare poor shooting effort at Milwaukee last night. I fully expect Brooklyn will return to their high-scoring ways tonight. The over is 36-22 when the Nets face a team that allows an average of 106 points or more per game. Minnesota is 4-0 to the over in their last 4 games and they are a long-term 25-12 to the over when on an over streak of 3 or more games. Also, the Timberwolves are 5-1 to the over this season when off of a loss by a double digit margin. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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01-27-18 | Bowling Green v. Toledo OVER 158 | Top | 75-101 | Win | 100 | 9 h 46 m | Show |
Total Smash - Rickenbach CBB Game #611 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toledo Rockets vs Bowling Green Falcons @ 7 ET - Both these teams fire up threes and both of these teams love to play at a "run and gun" pace. Of course that is why we're seeing a high total on this game but it won't prove to be high enough. 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams have gone over the total. Bowling Green is averaging 79 points per game this season and Toledo is averaging 80 points per game. The Rockets are 5-1 to the over this season in their games against teams that average 77 points or more per game. In other words, in the games where you would expect the result to be high-scoring the games have indeed lived up to the billing. The Falcons are 4-2 to the over in their games against teams with a winning record this season. When Bowling Green is off of a loss to a conference foe, they are a long-term 75-50 to the over. The over is 4-0 in the Falcons last 4 games and the Rockets have hit at least 40% of their threes in 7 of their last 9 games. More hot shooting here. 10* OVER the total in Toledo |
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01-26-18 | 76ers v. Spurs OVER 200 | Top | 97-78 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 53 m | Show |
Top Play - Rickenbach NBA Game #815 Friday 10* OVER the total in San Antonio Spurs vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 8:35 ET - The last two meetings between these teams averaged 216 points and I expect another free-flowing affair here. The Spurs have scored 100 points or more in 12 of their last 17 games. The Sixers have scored 100 points or more in 11 of their last 12 games. This total has dropped from an early opener of 205.5 all the way down to a 200 and with odds truly favoring each team getting to the century mark here I like my chances with the over. The 76ers were off yesterday and also are off tomorrow. That helps insure plenty of minutes from key personnel. Also, the Spurs without Kawhi Leonard means a key defender is not on the floor. Looking at the last 3 match-ups between these teams you're talking, of course, about 6 halves of basketball. 5 of the 6 halves have totaled over 100 points! Again, just another proving point here about the value of the over in this one based on the low total. This one should easily get past 200 and, in the process, the over goes to 6-1 this season when Philadelphia faces a team from the Southwest Division. 10* OVER the total in San Antonio |
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01-26-18 | Buffalo v. Ohio OVER 158 | Top | 73-66 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 21 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #821 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ohio Bobcats vs Buffalo Bulls @ 6:30 ET - The Bulls are the best team in the MAC hands down but they certainly are unlikely to be highly motivated about facing the team that is at the bottom of the MAC East division. As a result, I expect Buffalo to be a little "soft" on the defensive end for this one but certainly they can score points like crazy as they are averaging 88.3 points per game in conference action. That said, the play here is the over as Ohio is averaging 76.6 points per game at home this season and the Bobcats also are draining 37% of their three pointers at the Convocation Center in Athens, OH. The weakness for Ohio University is on the defensive end. The Bobcats have allowed 46.6% shooting in conference games including 48.3% in their last 5 games. We're getting some line value with this total because Ohio U. is on a long-term under streak and truly the style of game I expect tonight should put an abrupt end to that streak tonight. The Bobcats are on a 16-8 run to the over in games where they are an underdog. Versus teams that average 77 points or more per game they are on a 17-8 run to the over. The Bulls are a long-term 115-77 to the over as a favorite. Also, Buffalo is 5-2 to the over as a road favorite of 6.5 to 9 points. The Bulls are also 8-5 to the over when facing a team with a losing record and 8-5 to the over after a game in which they scored 80 points or more. 10* OVER the total in Ohio |
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01-25-18 | Flames v. Oilers OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 7 h 48 m | Show |
Rickenbach NHL Game #71 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames @ 9:05 ET - Both teams have unsettled goalie situation here as the "Battle of Alberta" resumes. The Flames were in action last night and #1 goalie Mike Smith got the start then and is already in Florida now for All-Star weekend. As for the Oilers, Cam Talbot continues to struggle between the pipes so a start from Al Montoya (4.45 GAA versus Flames in his career) would not be a total surprise here. The fact is that both teams will be charging the net hard in this one too! They are each coming off of disappointing losses and, of course, this provincial rivalry always brings out the best in both clubs. Not only is the over 7-4 in the last 11 meetings between these teams, the last 4 overs have averaged 10.25 goals per game and none of those games finished with a total less than 8. In other words, look for this one to fly over the total. The over is 6-2 this season when the Flames enter a game having played each of their three prior games at home. Also, the over is 15-7 when Calgary enters a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. When on a streak of 3 or more consecutive unders, the Flames have gone 15-7 to the over. Only 22 of the last 57 times that the Oilers have been held to 1 goal or less in a game has their next contest stayed under the total. After a 5-0 shutout loss in their last game, big response from the home team here. 10* OVER the total in Edmonton |
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01-25-18 | SMU v. Connecticut +6 | Top | 52-63 | Win | 100 | 7 h 27 m | Show |
Rickenbach CBB Game #520 Thursday 10* Top Play Connecticut Huskies (+) vs SMU Mustangs @ 7 ET - SMU is only 2-5 SU in games played away from home this season. Connecticut has played the tougher schedule this season in comparison with the Mustangs. Also, the Huskies are 8-2 SU at home this season. Southern Methodist is off of back to back wins but previously had lost 3 straight. Connecticut is off of back to back losses but previously had won 3 straight games. Also, the Huskies have held opponents under 41.9% from the field in 8 of their 10 home games. Hungry off of back to back losses and playing at home where their defense will be kicked up a notch, Connecticut will prove to be a tough "out" for SMU in this one! The Mustangs are 4-7 ATS against teams with a winning record this season. The Huskies are 9-1 (90%) SU in home games with a posted total between 130 and 134.5 and another upset here would not surprise. Certainly there is value in grabbing the half-dozen points with the hungry home dog here. 10* CONNECTICUT |
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01-24-18 | Maple Leafs v. Blackhawks OVER 6 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 34 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs Toronto Maple Leafs @ 8:05 ET - The Blackhawks are off of a 2-0 home loss to Tampa Bay. I know the goaltending work in that game was solid but Chicago's netminding still can't be trusted with Corey Crawford still on the shelf. Also, the Hawks are sure to bounce back with a strong effort offensively after being shutout by the Bolts Monday. As for Toronto, they are off of a 4-2 home loss to Colorado but they have averaged scoring 3.8 goals per game in their last 5 road games. Also, only one of the last 5 meetings between these teams has stayed under the total. When the Blackhawks are off of a game where they were held to 1 goal or less, they've had just 3 unders in 9 occurrences this season! Also, in Chicago's last 106 games played after the midway point of a season only 33 have stayed under the total! The Blackhawks are expected to start Jeff Glass between the pipes and he has only an .892 save percentage in non-conference action. Toronto has allowed 3 goals or more in 5 of the last 6 starts goalie Frederik Andersen has made. The Blackhawks have allowed 4.3 goals per game in their last 3 games. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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01-24-18 | Bulls +5.5 v. 76ers | Top | 101-115 | Loss | -102 | 12 h 46 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #701 Wednesday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) @ Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:05 ET - The Bulls full season record does not look good but they have gone 15-9 SU the past month and a half. Also, Chicago enters this game having gone 20-5 ATS their last 25 games. The Bulls are off of a loss but have gone 8-3 ATS this season when off of a game where they scored 115 points or more. Chicago also has fared very well versus the 76ers in recent years and that includes a 4-0 SU mark in their last 4 visits to Philadelphia. Though the Sixers have also been playing well, they are without JJ Redick and TJ McConnell for this one plus Jerryd Bayless is listed as questionable. The short-handed rotation also has a big road trip on deck featuring 4 games in 6 days. The Sixers take on a Bulls team missing just one player, Kris Dunn, for this one. Chicago has covered 6 straight games and catch Philly off of an upset loss. While that may seem like a good spot to back the 76ers, Philadelphia is actually an ugly 1-8 ATS (2-7 SU) this season when off of an upset loss as a favorite. The Bulls are an incredible 11-2 ATS in their last 13 road games and get the job done again here. 10* CHICAGO |
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01-24-18 | Marquette v. Xavier OVER 164 | Top | 70-89 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 29 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #719 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Xavier Musketeers vs Marquette Golden Eagles @ 6:30 ET - These teams are 4-1 to the over in their last 5 meetings. Xavier averages 88 points per game at home this season. Marquette is averaging 86 points per game on the road this season but the Golden Eagles have allowed 85 points per game on the road as well. Also, in their last 3 games away from home, Marquette has allowed 94.7 points per game! The over is 6-1 in the Golden Eagles 7 games played away from home this season. Xavier is known for playing tight games. 7 of their last 9 wins have come by single digits. The reason that is significant (and note that the spread on this game is also single digits) is because tighter games in the later stages tend to lead to a lot of free throw attempts for the team in the lead and a lot of three point attempts from the team trailing. Both these teams shoot threes very well and also are very strong with their shooting from beyond the arc. The over is 3-0 this season when Marquette is off of a win versus a conference rival. The over is 3-0 when the Musketeers are a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points. Another shootout is on tap in Cincinnati. 10* OVER the total in Xavier |
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01-23-18 | Avalanche v. Canadiens OVER 5.5 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 8 h 46 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #578 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Montreal Canadiens vs Colorado Avalanche @ 7:35 ET - The Avalanche are red hot right now and goalie Jonathan Bernier has certainly played a big role in that. However, this is a back to back spot and with Semyon Varlamov still out with a groin injury, this is a tough spot. Does Bernier go back to back? Will we see Andrew Hammond between the pipes? Either way the Avs are likely to be giving up some goals here. However, the key to the over is more than just the 5-2 mark to the over when Colorado is in the 2nd game of a back to back this season. The additional key is that the Avalanche are averaging 4.1 goals per game in their current 10-game winning streak! Montreal is off of a home loss in their most recent game but, prior to that, the Canadiens had averaged scoring 4 goals per game in their 3 prior home games. The Habs have allowed at least 4 goals in 4 of their last 5 games and Montreal is going to struggle to stop the red hot Avs in this one. The over is 16-7 in Colorado's non-conference games this season! The over is 3-1 in the Canadiens last 4 home games. 10* OVER the total in Montreal |
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01-23-18 | Arkansas +1.5 v. Georgia | Top | 80-77 | Win | 100 | 9 h 55 m | Show |
Top Play Special - Rickenbach CBB Game #513 Tuesday 10* Arkansas Razorbacks (+) @ Georgia Bulldogs @ 6:30 ET - With the Razorbacks still winless (ATS) in SEC games, the Bulldogs look "too easy" here as a home team at nearly a pick'em price. Of course you know what happens most of the time when something looks "too easy". The fact is that Arkansas is the play here as they are the much better team offensively and Georgia won't be able to keep up. The Razorbacks are averaging 85.1 points per game this season while the Bulldogs are averaging 69.9 points a game. Arkansas is knocking down 49.3% of their shots from the field including 39.6% from three point land. In games with a posted total in the 140s the Razorbacks are 15-7 ATS including 2-0 ATS this season. Arkansas is also 4-1 ATS in games where they are a road dog of 3 points or less. Arky also is 13-5 SU (and 11-5 ATS) in Tuesday night games. The Hogs are 8-3 SU this season when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. At game 15 or later in a season, when the Bulldogs face a team that is averaging 77 points or more per game, they've gone 8-14 SU. As I said above, Georgia struggles to keep up with high scoring, better shooting teams. Yes the Dogs have the better defense but the Razorbacks have too many scoring options! 10* ARKANSAS |
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01-22-18 | Lightning v. Blackhawks OVER 6 | Top | 2-0 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 18 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #7 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 8:35 ET - The Blackhawks continue to struggle without Corey Crawford between the pipes. He is currently on injured reserve and Chicago certainly has had some intermittent struggles in terms of keeping the puck out of their own net. The Blackhawks have allowed 11 goals in their last 2 games and both Forsberg and Glass have struggled in their most recent starts. That will prove to be trouble for Chicago tonight as they host a Lightning team that is a very dangerous hockey club in the offensive zone. Tampa Bay also will be fired up because they have lost 3 straight games and have not been scoring well. Like the Blackhawks, the Bolts are struggling to keep the puck out of their own net. Tampa Bay has allowed 4 goals or more in 5 of their last 6 games. The over is 5-1 in those 6 games. This is the first 3-game losing streak for the Lightning this season and, in the past two seasons, the over is 8-4 when TB enters a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. For the Blackhawks, the over is 5-0 in Forsberg's non-conference starts this season and the over is 4-2 in the 6 starts that Glass has made. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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01-22-18 | Kings v. Hornets OVER 210 | Top | 107-112 | Win | 100 | 12 h 56 m | Show |
Top Play Total - Rickenbach NBA Game #701 Monday 10* OVER the total in Charlotte Hornets vs Sacramento Kings @ 7:05 ET - The Hornets are 3-0 to the over in their last 3 games. Charlotte has averaged 118.7 points per game in these 3 games while allowing 107.3 points during this stretch. The struggling Kings enter this game on a 7-game losing streak. Sacramento has allowed 110.6 points per game in these 7 losses but the Kings have scored 105 points or more in 3 of their last 5 games. Though Sacramento is averaging only 97.7 points per game on the season, the Hornets are 4-0 to the over this season in games against teams averaging 98 points or less per game. The Kings are a long-term 76-53 to the over in games against Southeast Division opponents. Overall, 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams have gone over the total. Also, the over is 9-4 the last 13 times these teams have met in Charlotte. The Hornets are coming off of a loss and will push the pace here as they seek the blowout win. Couple that with their recent hot shooting stretch and you can expect this one to easily eclipse the number. 10* OVER the total in Charlotte |
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01-21-18 | Vikings v. Eagles +3.5 | Top | 7-38 | Win | 100 | 127 h 21 m | Show |
Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach NFL Sunday Game #314 Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles (+) vs Minnesota Vikings @ 6:40 ET - Truth be told the Vikings don't even belong here. I am not taking away from their great regular season but, as everyone saw last week, they truly won the game on a miracle. The Vikings benefited in the first half from two Saints turnovers. Keep in mind, prior to the final-play 61 yard miracle TD pass, Minnesota was outgained by New Orleans and losing on the scoreboard DESPITE the two Saints turnovers. As for the Eagles, sure their game was a nail-biter too but Philly (like New Orleans) was also done in by turnovers last week. It's just that the Eagles defense stood so tall that they managed to weather the storm of an early fumble by RB Jay Ajayi and the "fluke" fumble (bad break) on a punt return. This led to the Falcons 10 points and otherwise we could be talking about a 15-0 shutout win for the Eagles last week. Again Philadelphia is getting no respect this week despite home field edge, continued fantastic defense, and the fact that QB Nick Foles grew more and more in confidence as last week's game went on. He overthrew some guys early but ended up with a solid overall performance and looked more and more comfortable as the game went on. Keep in mind this guy is no rookie. Foles has enjoyed plenty of success before at the NFL level and the Eagles can again play the "no respect" card this week. Two great defenses matched up here but the Vikes may have used up their "get out of jail" card already for this post-season with last week's miracle win. The Vikings have kept the dream alive of becoming the first team ever to host a Super Bowl but this Eagles team is now 8-1 at home this season with the only loss being in a season finale game against the Cowboys that meant nothing. Also, the Philly defense has allowed a TOTAL of only 29 points in their last 4 home games! The Vikings shut out the Packers (without Aaron Rodgers of course) in their final road game of the regular season but, prior to this, the Vikes allowed an AVERAGE of 23 points per game in their 6 true road games this season. In road games with a posted total between 38.5 and 42 points, Minnesota is 2-6 ATS. This line currently sits at a 3.5 in a lot of books as of Noon ET on Tuesday (the time I am posting this) but there are some 3's out there and it wouldn't surprise me if the line moves down to a solid 3 as the week goes on. The point is that you should play it now but it also brings another key stat to the forefront here. Philly has thrived in games like this all season long. In games with a line on the Eagles between -3 and +3 they are not only 5-0 ATS but also 5-0 SU. I expect a home dog upset here but also very happy to have the +3.5 points as an added bonus. Look for that stat to improve to a perfect 6-0 ATS on the season! 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-21-18 | Jaguars v. Patriots UNDER 46.5 | Top | 20-24 | Win | 100 | 124 h 50 m | Show |
Total of the Year - Rickenbach NFL Game #312 Sunday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in New England Patriots vs Jacksonville Jaguars @ 3:05 ET - The Jaguars defense is much better than one would think when they look at the final score of last week's upset win at Pittsburgh. Crazy things can happen in a game where you jump out to a 21-0 lead and that is exactly what happened in last week's game for Jacksonville. Keep in mind, the Jaguars actually allowed scores on only 3 of the Steelers first 9 possessions. The 6 stops featured 2 on downs, 2 on turnovers, and 2 punts. Jacksonville's problem in the AFC Championship Game won't be the defense, it's going to be the offense. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is known for "dialing things up" that frustrate quarterbacks in a mold similar to Blake Bortles. Keep in mind, though the Jags put up a ton of points last week their offense has still averaged only 279 yards per game the last 3 weeks. Also, the Patriots defense at home has allowed an average of only 265 yards per game in their last 4 games at Foxboro. The Jaguars face a really stiff challenge here in terms of the Pats defense. Also, New England is well aware of the ball-hawking aspects of the Jags "turnover machine" defense. With that said, Tom Brady and Company are likely to feature more conservative play-calling on offense than you would typically expect from New England. Look for the Patriots to feature a lot of runs and quick, short passes and this will keep the clock moving in this one. The Under cashed in 9 of the Patriots last 12 games prior to last week's win over Tennessee sneaking over the total. In Jaguars true road games (not neutral site) against AFC opponents this season the under cashed in 5 of the 6 regular season games. There have only been 4 Overs in the Patriots last 12 conference championship game appearances and, indeed, another Under is likely in this one! 10* UNDER the total in New England |
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01-20-18 | Islanders v. Blackhawks OVER 6.5 | Top | 7-3 | Win | 100 | 11 h 13 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #21 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs New York Islanders @ 8:35 ET - While it may seem "crazy" to see a total of 6.5 goals on this game don't be fooled by it. This one should easily get to 7 or more. The Blackhawks are still without Corey Crawford between the pipes and also are returning from their bye week. Teams tend to be a little "off" when they first come back from the bye and that means odd man rushes and extra scoring chances often result in games like this. The fact that Chicago is hosting the Islanders here is what is truly adding great line value in this spot. The Islanders are 10-2 to the over in road games with a posted total of 6 goals or more. Also, New York is 12-2 to the over this season when they are off of a loss by a margin of 2 goals or more in their prior game. The Isles have lost 24 of 47 games this season and the Blackhawks have lost 23 of 45 games this season. The significance in that is that Chicago is 20-8 to the over when, in the 2nd half of a season, they're facing a team with a losing record. The Islanders have gone 16-6 to the over in their games against teams with a losing record this season. The Isles have allowed 4 goals or more in 9 of their last 10 games but they are averaging 3.4 goals per game this season. Look for a wild one at the United Center tonight. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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01-20-18 | Bulls +2 v. Hawks | Top | 113-97 | Win | 100 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Saturday 10* Top Play Chicago Bulls (+) @ Atlanta Hawks @ 5:05 ET - When something looks too easy it usually is anything but that. This is a prime example of that as Atlanta opened up at a pick'em at home and is now a 2-point favorite as people jump on board to fade a Chicago team that is just 6-16 SU on the road. The key to the value here is the Bulls have been red hot but yet are off of a SU loss. Chicago fell short against the defending champion Warriors Wednesday but the Bulls did the cover. It is now a perfect 4-0 ATS run for Chicago. Speaking of perfect runs, the Bulls are also 9-0 ATS this season in games against Southeast Division opponents. The Hawks are an ugly 1-7 SU against Southeast Division foes. While the Bulls are hungry off of a loss, Atlanta is off of back to back wins and feeling a little too good about themselves. This is the type of game where upsets happen and lets not forget that the Hawks had lost 5 of 6 before notching those back to back victories. The Bulls have had some recent success versus the Hawks as a host but they've fallen short in recent visits to Atlanta so there is plenty of motivation for Chicago here. The Hawks are an ugly 2-6 SU when off of an upset win as an underdog. The double perfect edges for the Bulls, noted above, combine for a 13-0 ATS mark. 10* CHICAGO |
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01-20-18 | Oklahoma v. Oklahoma State +5 | Top | 81-83 | Win | 100 | 6 h 1 m | Show |
Big 12 Game of the Year - Rickenbach CBB Game #562 Saturday 10* Top Play Oklahoma State Cowboys (+) vs Oklahoma Sooners @ 2 ET - The Cowboys lost badly at Oklahoma early this month but Oklahoma State was simply done in by ridiculously hot shooting by the Sooners. I certainly don't expect a repeat of that on the road in Stillwater and the home dog Cowboys have a great shot at the upset here. For Oklahoma State, this is truly their "Game of the Year" as they host their biggest rival as a highly ranked foe in this one plus the Cowboys seek revenge. Keep in mind OSU had won each of the prior two meetings and 1 of their 2 prior losses had come by just 2 points. The Sooners hit a ridiculous 15 of 27 three-pointers in the January 3rd win and that won't be repeated here. OU, from Game 15 onward in a season, is on a 12-23 ATS run in games against teams with a winning record. Also, Oklahoma is on a 19-31 ATS run as a favorite. As for Oklahoma State, they have a long-term mark of 10-5 SU (and 11-4 ATS) when playing with a revenge from a blowout loss of 20 points or more. Keep in mind, in that bad loss at Norman, the Cowboys took 25% more shots from the field than did the Sooners. OSU had 80 field goal attempts in the game while the Sooners had 64. I know the phenom for Oklahoma needs a bounce back game but he has been exposed a bit in losses to West Virginia and Kansas State. Both those losses were on the road and this is another tough venue to play in. Give me the home dog BIG in this one. 10* OKLAHOMA STATE |
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01-19-18 | Golden Knights v. Panthers OVER 6 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 103 | 9 h 26 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Florida Panthers vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 7:35 ET - The Golden Knights are off of a huge 4-1 win at Tampa Bay last night which stayed under the total. That means that Vegas has now had 12 unders in the 15 starts that Marc-Andre Fleury has made this season. However, he is unlikely to start tonight considering this is a back to back spot and that certainly holds significance because Vegas is 20-7-2 to the over in the games Fleury has not started this season! As for Florida, James Reimer is expected to be between the pipes and the over is 8-4 in his home starts this season and 8-4 to the over in his starts in non-conference action on the season. The Panthers are playing for the first time off of their bye week and teams tend to be a little sloppy coming out of the break. This leads to odd man rushes and extra scoring opportunities as a general rule. As a result, even though this total may surprise many to be a full 6 goals, I am happy to go contrarian and play the over here as I expect plenty of goals. When these teams met in Vegas there were 7 goals scored and only 1 of the Panthers last 5 games has finished with less than a total of 6 goals scored. The Golden Knights are one of the highest scoring teams in the league as they are averaging 3.4 goals per game on the season. The over is 9-4 in Vegas' road games with a posted total of 6 or more goals and the over is 7-1 in Golden Knights Friday games! The over is 15-7 in Florida's games versus teams with a winning record this season. Also, the Panthers are 6-2 to the over in home games with a posted total of 6 goals or more and also 5-2 to the over in Friday games this season. 10* OVER the total in Florida |
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01-19-18 | Heat -3 v. Nets | Top | 95-101 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 45 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Game #803 Friday 10* Top Play Miami Heat (-) @ Brooklyn Nets @ 7:35 - The Heat are seeking revenge here for an embarrassing home loss to the Nets just 3 weeks ago. Miami was blown out by 24 in that ugly defeat versus Brooklyn and payback is on order here. Prior to that loss the Heat were 7-1 SU and ATS in their last 8 meetings with the Nets so they've certainly had their number. Also, Miami is 15-5 SU their last 20 games while Brooklyn has lost 14 of their last 19 games so you can clearly see this is a case of two teams going opposite directions. Also, the Nets have been held under 42.5% from the field in 6 of their last 7 games while the Heat have shot at least 46% from the field in 7 of their last 9 games. Miami is on an incredible 30-13 ATS run when playing with home loss revenge. Also, the Heat are 15-3 SU when facing a team with a losing record. That is a key here as this line is very small so there is a high percentage chance that any SU win is also an ATS win in this one! The Nets are 25-40 ATS when they enter a game on a SU losing streak of 3 or more games. Brooklyn is also on an ugly 23-86 SU run in games against teams with a winning record. 10* MIAMI |
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01-18-18 | Virginia v. Georgia Tech +8 | Top | 64-48 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 3 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Game #540 Thursday 10* Top Play Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (+) vs Virginia Cavaliers @ 8 ET - Virginia has been stellar this season and is certainly a tough team to play against due to their stout defense. However, another solid defense in the Atlantic Coast Conference is certainly that of Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets are allowing just 62.8 points per game on the season. This is a big number for the Cavaliers to cover on the road considering Georgia Tech has a penchant for getting into low-scoring grinder-type games just like Virginia does. With that said, the Cavs are in for a real battle here. The Yellow Jackets are on a 5-1 SU run and also a 5-0 ATS run. GT is allowing only 58.5 points per game in their last 6 games. In recent seasons the Cavaliers are only 14-12 SU in road games so it won't be a surprise to see this one turn into a bit of a dogfight. The Jackets are on an incredible 16-3 ATS run in January games. Also, Georgia Tech is 28-14 ATS in conference games. When facing a team with a winning record after the midway point in a season (game 15 or later), the Yellow Jackets have gone 25-11 ATS. 10* GEORGIA TECH |
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01-18-18 | Magic v. Cavs OVER 226 | Top | 103-104 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 39 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - The Magic come into this game off of an outright win as a home dog to the Timberwolves Tuesday. Orlando has gone 5-2 to the over this season when off of a upset win as an underdog. Also, the Magic are 6-2 to the over in games with a posted total of 220 points or more. The past 3 seasons combined, Orlando is 8-3 to the over in road games with a posted total of 220 points or more. The Cavaliers have been slumping but most of the losing has been coming on the road. Yes, they did lose their most recent home game but that was to the World Champion Warriors Monday and the Cavs had previously won 13 straight home games. Even with that loss, in their last 6 home games Cleveland has averaged 117.2 points per game! They'll be ready for a blowout home win here and are catching the Magic at the right time off of their upset win of Minnesota. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Orlando lose this one by about 10 points (right at the line) which is why the big value is with the over. That's because the angry Cavaliers won't take their foot off of the gas in this one. Cleveland did lose at home to the Magic earlier this season. While the Cavs did get some revenge with a win at Orlando earlier this month, they still want to make a statement here at home. The result should be an easy over. The Cavaliers are 13-4 to the over in home games with a posted total of 220 points or more. The Cavs are also 30-12 to the over when they allowed 115 points or more in their prior game and also 10-2 to the over when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. 10* OVER the total in Cleveland |
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01-18-18 | Stars -110 v. Blue Jackets | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 47 m | Show |
Top Play - Rickenbach NHL Game #7 Thursday 10* Dallas Stars Money Line (-) @ Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:05 ET - A lot of edges for Dallas here! The Stars will be playing their 4th game since their bye week while the Blue Jackets will be playing their 1st game since the bye week and certainly could be rusty as a result. Also, Columbus has lost 9 of its last 14 games. Dallas has won 8 of its last 11 games. The Blue Jackets have lost 25 of 35 games when, in the 2nd half of a season, they face a team with a winning record. The Stars lost both games to Columbus last season and also suffered a home loss to the Blue Jackets earlier this month. Time for payback here and Dallas has won 3 of 4 this season when playing with home loss revenge. The Stars have been much better on the power play than Columbus has this season and they've also been superior on the penalty kill. Additionally, the Blue Jackets are expected to have their #2 goalie Joonas Korpisalo between the pipes while the Stars have their #1, Ben Bishop, in the crease! 10* DALLAS |
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01-17-18 | Heat v. Bucks OVER 202 | Top | 106-101 | Win | 100 | 13 h 7 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #709 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat @ 8:05 ET - This is a revenge game for the Bucks as they had a horrible shooting night and were held to just 79 points in a loss at Miami Sunday. After that fluke performance, look for Milwaukee to put up a ton of points Wednesday at home. The problem for the Bucks though is that they certainly aren't known for their defensive prowess and they'll have their hands full trying to stop the Heat tonight. Miami is hungry to bounce back off of a loss Monday at Chicago which snapped their 7-game winning streak. The Heat have been shooting the ball very well and have averaged 106.3 points per game in their last 8 games. Milwaukee has averaged 109.2 points per game in their last 13 home games. The Bucks are 5-2 to the over this season when off of an upset win as an underdog and they are also 16-8 to the over this season when playing with revenge. Miami enters this game on a 6-2 run to the over. 10* OVER the total in Milwaukee |
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01-17-18 | Dayton +1.5 v. St. Joe's | Top | 65-81 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 18 m | Show |
Ultra Early Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #726 Wednesday 10* Top Play Dayton Flyers (+) @ St Joseph's Hawks @ 6:30 ET - Of course the Hawks wish they had Charlie Brown but he never even played a game this season. The same holds true for Lamarr Kimble but he only played 1 game and is now out for the season. While those are known "issues" for St Joseph's, they certainly are also further weakened here by the fact that 6'8 Pierfrancesco Oliva is currently dealing with the flu. He leads the team in rebounds and is 2nd in assists. Though he may indeed play tonight I expect him to be at less than 100%. With that said, there is value here with a Dayton team that still is seeking some revenge here. Yes the Flyers beat the Hawks in their match-up last season but they did lose their last visit to St Joseph's and also were eliminated from the Conference Tourney by the Hawks in March of 2016. While St Joe's is hitting only 41% of their shots this season, the Flyers are hitting 48% from the field this season. Also, Dayton allows 5 points per game less than the Hawks do. In games with a posted total in the 150s the Flyers are on a 5-1 SU run. Also, when it is game 15 or later in the season, and Dayton faces a team with a losing record, the Flyers are a perfect 10-0 SU. The Hawks are 1-4 ATS as a favorite this season. Also, St Joseph's is 3-6 SU this season in games against teams with a winning record. As a home fave of 3 points or less in recent seasons, the Hawks have gone 2-5 ATS. 10* DAYTON |
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01-16-18 | Flyers +100 v. Rangers | Top | 1-5 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 41 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #1 Tuesday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - The Flyers are red hot and on a 12-4-1 run their last 17 games. The Rangers are slumping badly and have just 3 wins in their last 10 games! Philadelphia has won 4 straight games and 5 of their last 6. In those 5 victories the Flyers have scored an average of 5.2 goals per game and have scored at least 4 goals in all 5 wins! That certainly holds significance here because the Rangers have been struggling to find the back of the net. New York has been held to 3 goals or less in 10 straight games and have averaged scoring just 2 goals per game during this stretch. This is the 1st meeting between these rivals this season and it will be intense but the Flyers are the more confident team and the Rangers have allowed 12 goals in their last two games overall and 12 goals in their last two home games as well. Look for the road dog to stay hot in this one! 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-16-18 | Wolves v. Magic OVER 217 | Top | 102-108 | Loss | -105 | 20 h 54 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Orlando Magic vs Minnesota Timberwolves @ 7:05 ET - Orlando has allowed 53.5% shooting from the field in their last 4 games. On the season the Magic allow 111 points per game. The over is a perfect 3-0 in the last 3 meetings between these teams and the Timberwolves come into this game averaging 117 points per game in their last 5 games. Minnesota has shot 51% from the field in their last 5 games. This is simply the perfect situation for an offensive eruption for the T-wolves considering their hot shooting and Orlando's poor efforts on the defensive end. The real key to the value here is that the Magic also have shot 50% or better in 2 of their last 3 home games and also shot 50.5% from the field in their high-scoring loss at Minnesota earlier this season. I look for more of the same in the rematch here in Florida. The Timberwolves are 7-2 to the over this season when off of a divisional game and Minnesota's defense certainly is unlikely to be at it's best for this non-conference match-up after the big win over Portland. Minny offense has no trouble here but watch the Magic score right along with them in what figures to be an absolute shootout! 10* OVER the total in Orlando |
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01-16-18 | Louisville +3 v. Notre Dame | Top | 82-78 | Win | 100 | 11 h 33 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #525 Tuesday 10* Top Play Louisville Cardinals (+) @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish @ 7 ET - After this line opened up at a 1.5 on the Irish it has already moved up to a -3. Of course that is the power of home court in the betting markets' eyes and it would seem justified here. That's because Notre Dame is on a 6-0 SU and ATS run in home games versus Louisville. However, this is one of those cases where there is more than meets the eye at first glance. The fact is that the Irish have built much of their 13-3 start on the backs of Bonzie Colson and Matt Farrell. Notre Dame now enters this game off of back to back losses and Colson (leading rebounder and leading scorer) is out with a foot injury. Farrell (leads teams in assists and second in scoring) is questionable tonight with an ankle injury. Though he may indeed play tonight he is not 100% and these two players are key guys for ND no doubt. Another key to the value with this play is that the Cardinals have played the tougher schedule in comparison with the Fighting Irish so far this season. As a road dog of 3 points or less the Cards are a long-term 19-10 ATS. The Cardinals enter this game on a 4-game ATS win streak while the Irish, not including true road games, are on a 2-4 ATS run. In other words home court hasn't been overly favorable to Notre Dame of late. 10* LOUISVILLE |
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01-15-18 | Butler v. Providence OVER 146.5 | Top | 60-70 | Loss | -107 | 7 h 40 m | Show |
Big East Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #725 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Providence Friars vs Butler Bulldogs @ 4:30 ET - The Bulldogs are off of a 94-83 win versus Marquette and have now gone over the total in 10 of their last 11 games. Butler has been shooting the ball very well but as you can tell from that O/U run they certainly aren't playing great defense this season. In fact, the Bulldogs have allowed 83 points or more in 6 straight games. As for the Friars, they are off of back to back unders but they previously were on a run of 10-4 to the over on the season. Providence is averaging 80 points per game at home this season and Butler is scoring an average of 80 points per game on the season. The Friars have allowed 80.7 points per game in their last 3 home games and, with both teams coming in confident off of wins, they will be very aggressive on offense and I look for this game to be played at a fast pace. Both teams have been shooting the 3-ball well in recent games also. The over is 7-2 this season and an incredible 31-12 long-term when Providence is a favorite. Also, the Friars are a perfect 4-0 to the over this season in home games with a posted total between 145 and 149.5 points. The over is 7-3 this season when Butler is off of a game where they scored 80 points or more and the over is 5-1 when the Bulldogs are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. 10* OVER the total in Providence |
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01-15-18 | Sharks +115 v. Kings | Top | 4-1 | Win | 115 | 5 h 38 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Monday 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (+) @ Los Angeles Kings @ 4:05 ET - The Sharks have won 8 of their last 9 visits to Los Angeles. With both teams, of course, located in California, there is not a lot of home ice edge in this series. Also, San Jose got their 2nd half of the season off to the start they needed with a win over Arizona. It may not have played out exactly as they wanted but the Sharks got the much-needed W. As for the Kings, they'll still searching for their "game" as they have lost 3 straight and 8 of their last 12. LA has scored just 2.2 goals per game in their last 4 games. Los Angeles has allowed 4 goals in each of their last 3 games. Unlike the Kings, the Sharks have scored a solid 3.6 goals per game in their last 5 games. With their long-term success in LA, the Sharks are very confident when facing the Kings in southern California. Los Angeles has lost 13 of their 17 games against teams with a winning record this season. Also, when off of a loss by a multiple-goal margin, the Kings have lost 5 of 6 this season. While the Sharks have won 9 of 14 divisional games this season, Los Angeles has lost 9 of 14 divisional match-ups. Also, San Jose has won 11 of 15 this season (and 41 of 64 last 2+ seasons) when they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. Look for the road dog to tighten things up in their own zone for this one and continue their road success at LA. 10* SAN JOSE |
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01-15-18 | Heat v. Bulls OVER 207 | Top | 111-119 | Win | 100 | 8 h 12 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #711 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Chicago Bulls vs Miami Heat @ 3:35 ET - Miami put a lot of effort on the defensive end in yesterday's game as they held the Bucks to just 79 points in that home victory. Now the Heat are on the road in a back to back and feeling quite content about their defensive performance yesterday. As a result, don't be surprised when today's game turns into a shootout. The Bulls have been playing much better basketball, particularly on the offensive end, and as a direct result of that Chicago is on a 16-4 (80%) run to the over in their last 20 games. The over is a perfect 5-0 in the Bulls last 5 home games. Also note that the Heat were 5-1 to the over prior to yesterday's low-scoring result with the Bucks. The Bulls are 15-6 to the over this season in games against teams with a winning record. 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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01-14-18 | Canucks v. Wild OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-2 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 18 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Wild vs Vancouver Canucks @ 8:05 ET - The Wild are in the 2nd game of a back to back so they are going with back-up goalie Alex Stalock. The Canucks will have their top goalie, Jacob Markstrom, going in this one but he has an .899 save percentage on the road this season and has been better on home ice. Vancouver exploded for 5 goals in their win at Columbus Friday and the Canucks are now 11-4 to the over in their last 15 games. Vancouver is 15-10 to the over this season in their games against teams with a winning record and the over was 5-0 in their series with the Wild before a RARE 1-0 shutout win at Minnesota early this season. That victory is one that has the Wild thinking revenge here and I expect them to put up a ton of goals as a result. The over is 10-4 this season when Minny is off of a divisional game. After their big win versus the Jets yesterday, look for a back and forth shootout today. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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01-14-18 | Ohio State v. Rutgers +7 | Top | 68-46 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 24 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #822 Sunday 10* Top Play Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+) vs Ohio State Buckeyes @ 7 ET - Ohio State is off of a huge win versus Maryland where everything went right for the Buckeyes and everything went wrong for the Terrapins. The Buckeyes have been shooting the ball very well but most of those games have been at home. Now they are on the road and they're facing a scrappy Scarlet Knights team that is looking to bounce back off of a tight 4-point loss at Michigan State. Keep in mind, prior to that game Rutgers fought hard for a home win versus Wisconsin. Certainly the Scarlet Knights were not expected to follow that up with playing so well against the Spartans as a 22 point underdog but that is precisely what they did. The fact is that Rutgers, particularly on their home floor and playing with a lot of confidence, will be tough for the Buckeyes to "put away" in this one. With the way the Scarlet Knights have been playing, they have a great shot at the upset here which makes the points very valuable here. This is particularly true with the markets backing the Buckeyes heavily as this line has been driven all the way up to a 7. The Scarlet Knights are 6-0 ATS at home this season. The Buckeyes are 0-3 ATS in their last 3 match-ups with Rutgers. That means we have a combined 9-0 ATS spot here favoring the Scarlet Knights over Ohio State. I'll take it as the public is backing them in this revenge spot but the home dog is going to bring plenty of fight to this one! 10* RUTGERS |
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01-14-18 | Saints +5.5 v. Vikings | Top | 24-29 | Win | 100 | 9 h 38 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach NFL Game #307 Sunday 10* Top Play New Orleans Saints (+) @ Minnesota Vikings @ 4:40 ET - A big money move toward the Vikings throughout this week but one must keep in mind, their competition in the NFC North this season was Detroit (horrible defense), Green Bay (lost QB Rodgers to injury) and Chicago (the bad news Bears). As for the Saints, they did battle with Carolina and Atlanta this season and while every other NFL division (there are 8) finished with only 1 team with double digits in wins, the NFC South had THREE of them - New Orleans and the Panthers and Falcons. Another key comparison here is at QB where the Saints have Drew Brees and the Vikings have Case Keenum. I know the Vikes have a fantastic defense but I still don't trust Keenum and this Minnesota offense and lets not forget that the Saints defense did improve a lot this season. The Vikings played 5 December games and never totaled more than 356 yards of offense. The Saints have totaled at least 400 yards of offense in 7 of their last 12 games. This game is being played indoors which further favors the better offense and New Orleans is certainly used to playing in domed stadiums. The Saints have revenge from losing at Minnesota to open up this season and they are 12-3 ATS when playing with revenge and also 10-3 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points. The Vikings recent playoff history is not good with a 6-15 SU mark their last 21 games. With the line move here from an opener of 3.5 up to a 5.5, Minnesota is particularly over-valued here. 10* NEW ORLEANS |
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01-14-18 | Pelicans v. Knicks OVER 218 | Top | 123-118 | Win | 100 | 7 h 31 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #803 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Knicks vs New Orleans Pelicans @ 3:35 ET - The Knicks have gone over the total in 4 of their last 5 games as they continue to score quite well but can't get stops on defense. The Pelicans have gone over the total in 15 of their last 21 games. New Orleans is averaging 111 points per game on the season but also allowing 111 points per game. Of course this is why there is a big total posted on this game even though the last 5 meetings between these teams have all stayed under the total. I look for this one to be different as the Pelicans are allowing 93 field goal attempts per game their last 4 games. The Knicks have had some recent overtime games so one always has to factor that in when evaluating a team's performance. However, the fact is that New York has allowed at least 45% from the field in 5 of their last 8 games and the Knicks have shot 49.4% from the field in their last 5 games. The over is 15-9 this season when the Pelicans are playing with revenge and New Orleans is 10-5 to the over this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 115 points or more. 10* OVER the total in New York |
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01-13-18 | Flyers +105 v. Devils | Top | 5-3 | Win | 105 | 10 h 42 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ New Jersey Devils @ 7:05 ET - There is certainly no love lost between these two division rivals and the Devils have had the upper hand on the Flyers for many years. That makes this a big game for Philadelphia coming out of the break. Both teams have been off since the 7th and the Flyers entered the break rejuvenated with 3 straight wins while the Devils entered the break wondering what went wrong as they lost 5 straight games. Look for the momentum to carry over here as Philly get revenge for having lost 3 straight at New Jersey after winning their two prior visits to the hated Devils. This is their first meeting this season and the Flyers have been waiting for this for a long time after losing 1-0 in their final meeting last season. Philly has scored 4 goals or more in 4 of their last 5 games. The Devils have allowed 4.2 goals per game in their last 5 games while the Flyers have allowed just 2.7 goals per game in their last 3 road games. New Jersey has lost 43 of their last 68 divisional games and the Flyers get some highly-motivated revenge here! 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-13-18 | Falcons v. Eagles +3 | Top | 10-15 | Win | 100 | 24 h 48 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NFL Game #302 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles (+) vs Atlanta Falcons @ 4:35 ET - Nick Foles instead of Carson Wentz at QB is why this line is where it is and I won't hesitate to step in and take advantage. Everyone is giving Foles a bad rap coming into this game but people have to remember that he threw 4 TDs and 0 INTs in his first start after replacing Wentz. Then, in his next start the game did not matter at all (plus was played on Christmas Day) and ladies and gentlemen when your teammates aren't going "all out" that also effects you. That Christmas Day game against the Raiders didn't mean a thing and of course the season finale against the Cowboys was also a meaningless game in which he only threw 11 passes. Now in this game you will see every teammate going hard. The offensive line blocking like it is the last game of their career, the running backs hitting holes as hard as they can, receivers running routes crisp and sharp, etc. You get my point...THIS ONE COUNTS! The Eagles have had two weeks to get ready for this game and they are at home and mother nature has cooperated as well. The cold air is moving into Philly just in time for this game and no matter what anyone says a dome team like Atlanta is effected in a game like this. In fact their long-term history supports that as well. But I am not big on history. I am big on match-ups and the Eagles running game is going to be a big difference maker here. They run the ball better than the Falcons and also stop the run better than Atlanta does. In fact, the overall defense of Philly makes a big difference here. They are allowing just 13.4 ppg at home this season while the Falcons are allowing 21.6 ppg on the road this season. While the whole world lines up on Atlanta here, the sharp money will be on a disrespected team that should win this one handily. I am glad to have the 3 points but shouldn't need them. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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01-13-18 | Creighton v. Xavier OVER 167.5 | Top | 70-92 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 49 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Game #543 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Xavier Musketeers vs Creighton Bluejays @ 2 ET - The Musketeers have not shot well in their last two games (both unders) but they are now back home where they've been a different "animal" this season! As for Creighton, they have stayed under the total in 4 straight games but the Bluejays are still shooting the ball quite well and I am expecting a shootout here. This is a series that is on an 11-4 run to the over including 5-1 to the over in the last 6 played at Xavier. The Musketeers are averaging 88 points per game at home this season and the Bluejays are averaging 90 points overall this season. Creighton has averaged 82.5 points per game in their last two visits to Xavier and are certainly familiar with playing here. Both teams hitting 50% of their shots this season and both shoot the ball very well from 3 point land. Creighton is at 38.5% on the season and the Musketeers at 36.2% in home games this season. The over is 6-2 when the Bluejays are a road dog of 3.5 to 6 points. After being held to just 65 points in a loss at Villanova, the Musketeers respond here but Creighton is going to be scoring right along with them and that results in the aforementioned shootout I am expecting here. 10* OVER the total in Xavier |
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01-12-18 | Cavs -125 v. Pacers | Top | 95-97 | Loss | -125 | 9 h 6 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #801 Wednesday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (-) @ Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - The Cavs have been "left for dead" due their current slump and they got thoroughly embarrassed last night at Toronto. Of course the Cavaliers certainly could have been looking ahead to this rematch with Indiana. Yes it was Cleveland that knocked the Pacers out of the post-season last year but now it is the Cavs seeking revenge as they've lost both games to the division rival Pacers so far this season. I like the fact that Cleveland opened up as a 4 point favorite here but that the line has now come down so low that the Cavaliers are as low as a 1.5 point fave which actually makes the money line a very solid value here if you have access to it. The one good thing about the fact that Cleveland has been blown out in their last two games is that LeBron James (among others) has received extra rest as a result. That said, the Cavs have fresh legs tonight even though this is the 2nd game of a back to back. Look for revenge-minded Cleveland to finally put together a strong effort on defense plus attack the boards. Also, the Cavs are expected to rest Isaiah Thomas tonight but he struggled badly last night and his absence could actually help more than hurt at Indiana! As for the Pacers, they haven't exactly been on fire either as they've lost 6 of their last 8 games. Additionally, Indiana has lost SU 16 of the 24 times they've been a dog this season while the Cavaliers have won 12 of 17 SU when they are playing with revenge. 10* CLEVELAND |
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01-12-18 | Marquette v. Butler OVER 158 | Top | 83-94 | Win | 100 | 11 h 39 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Game #821 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Butler Bulldogs vs Marquette Golden Eagles @ 6:30 ET - After a 12-3 start to the season, Butler has lost 3 straight games. How to snap the slump? They'll turn to an offense that is averaging 88 points per game at home this season. The only problem here for the Bulldogs is that the Golden Eagles can score right along with them. Marquette has won 10 of its last 13 games and they've averaged 89 points per game in true road games and 84.7 points per game in neutral site games. The point is that, even away from home, the Golden Eagles offense is very dangerous. Marquette's defense is a continual weakness though and they've allowed 80 points or more in 5 of their 6 games played away from home this season. The Bulldogs defense has also left plenty lacking as they've allowed 85 points or more in all 5 Big East match-ups and have allowed 50% from the field in their last 4 games. The over is 9-1 in the Bulldogs last 10 games. The over is 5-1 in Marquette's 6 games played away from home. That's a combined 14-2 (88%) mark favoring the over in this one. 10* OVER the total in Butler |
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01-11-18 | Hurricanes v. Capitals OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 35 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes @ 7:05 ET - Only 3 of the last 9 meetings between these teams have resulted in an under. The Hurricanes always seem to struggle to stop the weapons of the Capitals. Washington has scored an average of 5 goals per game in the last 4 meetings. Also, the Caps enter this game on a red hot run as Washington has averaged 4.2 goals per game in their last 5 games - all wins. As for Carolina, they've scored 4 goals in 3 of their last 4 games. As you would expect, all 3 of those games went over the total. I expect another wild one here between these two division rivals. The over is on a 17-6 run in Capitals January games. The over is 13-8 in Carolina's games this season when playing with revenge. Just like the 5-4 Capitals win early last week, another wild one is on tap here! 10* OVER the total in Washington |
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01-11-18 | Maryland +4.5 v. Ohio State | Top | 69-91 | Loss | -106 | 9 h 10 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #513 Thursday 10* Top Play Maryland Terrapins (+) @ Ohio State Buckeyes @ 7 ET - The Terrapins are already without Justin Jackson and Ivan Bender and now they lost Dion Wiley for this game. Certainly this has impacted the depth of the Terps but they didn't have Wiley in the 2nd half of their big win over Iowa and it was the 2nd half where Maryland made their big run against the Hawkeyes. That said, the fact this game is on regular rest (haven't played since Sunday) and the fact the Buckeyes are off of a huge upset win over Michigan State, this is a great spot to back the road dog. Maryland has won 4 straight meetings with Ohio State and Maryland lost by 30 points to the same Spartans team that the Buckeyes just rolled by 18 points. You can bet that the Terrapins are well aware of all this and are looking to make a statement against a Buckeyes team that is likely to get caught still celebrating this win. The Terps are on a 13-6 ATS run as an underdog and certainly this is their preferred role at the betting window! Ohio State is 11-19 ATS (including 2-4 ATS this season) in games with a posted total in the 140s. The Buckeyes will be caught back on their heels in this one as the Terrapins look to make up for the ugly loss at Michigan State in their most recent road game. 10* MARYLAND |
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01-10-18 | Wild v. Blackhawks -114 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -114 | 14 h 36 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #4 Wednesday 10* Top Play Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (-) vs Minnesota Wild @ 8:05 ET - This situation sets up very nicely for a Blackhawks team that got a great start out of Anton Forsberg in a 4-1 win versus Edmonton Sunday and Forsberg followed that up with another solid game in last night's 8-2 blowout at Ottawa. Also, Jeff Glass (expected to get the start here) has proved serviceable in between the pipes for Chicago while they continue to march forward without #1 goalie Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks are now 4-1-1 in their last 6 games and they are on a mission (as per the pre-game speech from Jonathan Toews before facing the Oilers) to win each game leading into their mid-season bye week coming up. They get two days off after this game before playing two more games before that bye week. That said, everyone is still "all in" with effort for tonight's game against a division rival. One of the most impressive things about last night's rout of the Senators was that the Blackhawks continued to pour it on even after they had a huge lead. They outshot the Sens in every single period. This Chicago team is proving they are heeding Toews words and are making a much needed mid-season move up the standings! The Wild have lost 7 of their last 12 games after a tough home loss last night and they'll struggle to regroup here. Minnesota has lost 5 of its last 6 road games. On the season, in road games with a posted total of 5.5 goals, the Wild have lost 11 of 17 games. In home games with a posted total of 5.5 goals, the Blackhawks have won 34 of 50 (including 9 of 13 this season). Ride the hot team on home ice. 10* CHICAGO |
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01-10-18 | Magic v. Bucks OVER 216.5 | Top | 103-110 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 48 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #711 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Milwaukee Bucks vs Orlando Magic @ 8:05 ET - I am not expecting to see much defense in this one! The Bucks are off of an ugly loss at division rival Indiana and they have a big game on deck against the World Champion Warriors. In other words, it is hard to blame Milwaukee for overlooking a 12-29 Orlando team. That said, very little defense here! The Bucks are 11-2 to the over this season in their games against teams with a losing record. Also, Milwaukee is 38-18 to the over long-term when they are entering a game off of a loss by a double digit margin. As for the Magic, their game at Dallas last night barely stayed under the total. Orlando did allow 114 points in that game and they've now allowed 120.3 points per game their last 3 games. The Bucks have allowed 114.6 points per game in their last 5 games. The over is 4-1 the last 5 times the Magic have had a back to back. In fact, on the season, in the 2nd game of a back to back Orlando is averaging 107.7 points per game. With the line on this game right around a 10 there is no reason to expect anything less than a 118-108 type game here which easily gets it over. I am expecting about 230 in this one. Both teams are allowing 38.6% three pointers this season and both teams shoot the 3-ball rather well (35.4%) also! 10* OVER the total in Milwaukee |
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01-10-18 | Xavier +9.5 v. Villanova | Top | 65-89 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 21 m | Show |
TV Big East Beast - Rickenbach CBB Game #763 Wednesday 10* Top Play Xavier Musketeers (+) @ Villanova Wildcats @ 8 ET - Xavier is off of a poor performance at Providence but it was not a huge surprise as they were clearly looking ahead to this showdown with the Wildcats at Villanova. Also, the Musketeers did play better in the 2nd half against the Friars and the difference tonight is that they'll be ready from the opening tip! Xavier had won 10 straight before the loss at Providence and were 15-1 overall on the season. The Wildcats are the #1 team in the nation and certainly should get this win at home but they are over-priced with a very challenging team coming to the Main Line to pay them a visit in Philly. The Musketeers are 82-30 SU when off of a loss against a conference rival. The Wildcats are 14-23 ATS when off of a win against a conference rival. A lot of points expected here and I look for Xavier to improve to 4-1 ATS this season in their games with a posted total in the 160s. Keep in mind, the Wildcats had trouble stopping the 3-ball in their recent games against Marquette and Butler. That said, the Musketeers are another dangerous team from three point land. 10* XAVIER |
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01-09-18 | Blackhawks -102 v. Senators | Top | 8-2 | Win | 100 | 10 h 30 m | Show |
Top Play - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Tuesday 10* Chicago Blackhawks Money Line (-) @ Ottawa Senators @ 7:35 ET - The Senators, between sickness and injuries, are likely to be short-handed tonight. Even if a few of the wounded and ailing players are able to go they won't be 100%. This situation sets up very nicely for a Blackhawks team that got a great start out of Anton Forsberg in a 4-1 win versus Edmonton Sunday. Also, Jeff Glass has proved serviceable in between the pipes for Chicago while they continue to march forward without #1 goalie Corey Crawford. The Blackhawks are 3-1-1 in their last 5 games and they are on a mission (as per the pre-game speech from Jonathan Toews before facing the Oilers) to win each game leading into their mid-season bye week coming up. Though the Hawks have a big game with the Wild on deck for tomorrow, one could certainly argue that the Sens have an equally big game on deck as they face the division rival Maple Leafs tomorrow night. The point is that both teams are in a bit of a precarious scheduling situation here but the key to the value is that the Senators are truly a wounded and ailing team at this point in time. Also, the road team did win both meetings last season and there is not a lot of home ice value in this one. The Sens have been held to 1 goal or less in 4 of their past 7 games. The Blackhawks have averaged 4 goals per game in their last 5 games. The Hawks have won 66 of 102 when facing a team with a losing record. The Senators have lost 9 of 12 this season when facing a team with a losing record. Blackhawks have lost 21 of 41 games this season while the Senators have lost 26 of 40 games. 10* CHICAGO |
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01-09-18 | Texas Tech +3 v. Oklahoma | Top | 65-75 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 1 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #529 Tuesday 10* Top Play Texas Tech Red Raiders (+) @ Oklahoma Sooners @ 7 ET - Of course the money came in early on the Sooners here as they are at home and playing with revenge and opened up as a very small favorite in this one even though the game is being played in Norman. The fact is that the Red Raiders are still highly doubted by many but this is a very good Texas Tech team that plays fantastic defense, has a deep bench, and gets key contributions by using a deeper player rotation than many other teams. That is a key variable that helps them greatly here against a Sooners team that relies so heavily on their freshman phenom at point guard. The Red Raiders are allowing just 59 points per game on the season. Texas Tech is off of another strong effort versus Kansas State in their most recent game and the Red Raiders are 5-1 ATS this season after allowing 60 points or less in their prior game. Also, Texas Tech is 8-1 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Oklahoma is 8-14 ATS when, after the midway point of a season, they face a team averaging 77 points or more per game. The Sooners are also just 18-29 ATS as a favorite and the Red Raiders rebounding margin, defensive stats, and bench depth speak volumes here in a game where I am projecting the outright win but certainly am happy to grab the points being offered. 10* TEXAS TECH |
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01-08-18 | Alabama v. Georgia +5 | Top | 26-23 | Win | 100 | 26 h 57 m | Show |
Bowl Game of the Year - Rickenbach CFB Game #152 Monday 10* Top Play Georgia Bulldogs (+) vs Alabama Crimson Tide in National Championship Game @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA @ 8:10 ET - Alabama got their big W last week with the much wanted revenge game victory over Clemson. Certainly I am not saying the Crimson Tide don't want this game because, of course they do as winning the Championship is the ultimate goal. However, what I am saying is that Alabama played their ideal game last week (at least defensively) and I don't think they're going to have enough left in the tank to do it again this week. The Bulldogs are going to pound away with their potent ground game and, keep in mind, Alabama only gained 264 yards of offense last week. Just like Clemson, Georgia has a fantastic defense. Additionally, the Bulldogs offense has the added confidence of piling up 517 yards of offense and 54 points in last week's OT win over Oklahoma. This is one of those situations where the whole world is basically ready to hand the trophy over to Alabama before the game is even played. Let's not forget that Georgia head coach Smart was a defensive coordinator under Crimson Tide head coach Saban for 8 years. The Bulldogs did get blown out by Alabama when they met 2 seasons ago but that was a turnover-fueled loss. Georgia has done a great job of not turning the ball over and QB Fromm was very efficient and effective in last week's win over Oklahoma. Winning a pressure-filled game like that (and also winning the SEC Title Game over Auburn in dominating fashion) has done wonders for the confidence of this team. The Bulldogs are absolutely ready and capable of becoming national champs and, if they don't, I expect the loss to be by 3 points or less so grab the value with the points being offered. Look for the Crimson Tide to finish the season with a 3-6 ATS mark against SEC foes. The Bulldogs are 6-2 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record and they've played just as tough of a schedule as Alabama has and yet they don't get near the respect that the Crimson Tide do. I'll gladly step in and take advantage. 10* GEORGIA |
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01-08-18 | Bucks v. Pacers OVER 214 | Top | 96-109 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 5 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #701 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana Pacers vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:05 ET - The Bucks are 17-3-2 to the over in their last 22 games. You read that right...85% over their last 22 games. Milwaukee has shot 47% or better from the field in 10 straight games. Indiana averages 107 points per game on the season and the Bucks are averaging 106 points per game on the season. Both teams allow just as much as they put up. The Pacers are off of a blowout win over Chicago and the over is a perfect 3-0 the last 3 times that Indiana has held a team under 100 points. The Bucks are off of an upset win as an underdog and Milwaukee is 5-1 to the over this season when off an outright win as a dog. Also, the over is 12-5 this season in Bucks road games! These teams met last week in Milwaukee and the teams combined for 223 points despite Victor Oladipo being out. Now the Pacers leading scorer is back and I expect a high-scoring back and forth shootout here. 3 of the last 4 times the Pacers have hosted the Bucks the game has gone over the total. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Indiana |
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01-08-18 | Navy +4.5 v. Colgate | Top | 62-70 | Loss | -110 | 6 h 57 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Game #717 Monday 10* Top Play Navy Midshipmen (+) @ Colgate Raiders @ 5 ET - The Midshipmen have won 10 of their last 13 games. Just like Colgate, Navy returned 4 starters this season. The difference is that the Midshipmen have proven they do play up to their potential while the Raiders continue to underperform. On paper, Colgate looks good but they just continue to fall short on the court. The Raiders are 2-1 in Patriot League action but their two wins came against American and Holy Cross. Those two teams are two of the three weakest teams in the conference. Colgate's 2 prior wins came against Pitt-Bradford and New Jersey Tech - not exactly powerhouses! Prior to that the Raiders had lost 4 straight and they do enter this game off of a loss to Lafayette and the Leopards are projected to finish dead last in the Patriot League. With that said, Colgate is being priced here based on home court edge but that would be home court edge if they were the better team. They truly are NOT the better team and that means we are getting a favorable line here with the much better team. The Midshipmen are 15-4 SU in January games. The Raiders are 8-20 SU in games against teams with a winning record. 10* NAVY |
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01-07-18 | Spurs v. Blazers OVER 198.5 | Top | 110-111 | Win | 100 | 11 h 15 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #807 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Portland Trail Blazers vs San Antonio Spurs @ 9:05 ET - The Spurs will be without Kawhi Leonard here and while many people look at his point production, make no mistake about it, his absence certainly impacts the defense of San Antonio. The last time these teams met it was also in Portland and the Spurs got out of town with a tight 2-point win but the Trail Blazers had 96 field goal attempts in the game but had an off shooting night. They'll bounce back here and I expect a huge game from Portland but look for San Antonio to score right along with them. The Spurs have scored at least 100 points in 6 of their last 7 games. In fact, in those 6 games San Antonio averaged 107.5 points per game. The Blazers have scored 110 points or more in 3 straight games. The Spurs are 21-12 to the over the last 33 times they've been an underdog. Before the most recent game between these teams stayed under the total (again Blazers shot poorly that night), 5 of the last 7 meetings between these teams had gone over the total. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Portland |
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01-07-18 | Arizona State -2.5 v. Utah | Top | 80-77 | Win | 100 | 11 h 44 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #843 Sunday 10* Top Play Arizona State Sun Devils (-) @ Utah Utes @ 8 ET - The Sun Devils started the season 12-0 and then lost by 6 at Arizona. Of course this let the wind out of their sails and it wasn't a complete surprise when they then fell flat at Colorado and lost by 9 as a 9-point favorite. Now, after getting that game out of the way where they suffered "unbeaten letdown" after the loss to the Wildcats, the Sun Devils should come roaring back here. Enough is enough and this is a team that certainly proved themselves in early season wins over Kansas and Xavier. Now it is time to get rolling in conference action and a win at Utah is what ASU needs (and gets!) tonight. The Utes have been a nemesis for the Sun Devils in recent seasons and Arizona State lost at home last season plus got embarrassed two years ago in their most recent visit to Utah. The Sun Devils lost that game by 35 points and were down 44-10 at halftime. You can bet that ASU has revenge on their minds here and yet we are getting a low line here because of the back to back losses that Arizona State just suffered after their 12-0 start. Keep in mind, ASU is 9-0 ATS this season when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. Utah, in home games with a posted total between 155 and 159.5 points, is 0-3 ATS in recent seasons. That means we have a combined 12-0, 100% ATS stat working in our favor here and I love this situation for the under-valued Sun Devils as they respond after B2B losses. 10* ARIZONA STATE |
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01-07-18 | Lightning v. Red Wings OVER 5.5 | Top | 5-2 | Win | 100 | 8 h 6 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Game #65 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Detroit Red Wings vs Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:05 ET - Tampa Bay put a ton of shots on goal last night but ended up with an ugly 6-3 loss after digging an early 3-0 hole and leaving their goalie hung out to try early on. While I do expect the Bolts to respond here they are now likely to go with back-up goalie Louis Domingue since this is a back-to-back and I expect the red hot Red Wings to take advantage. The issue for Detroit though will also be between the pipes because red hot Jimmy Howard got hurt in the win over Florida Friday and now it will be back-up goalie Petr Mrazek getting the start. He has won just 3 of 8 decisions while compiling a 3.64 GAA and .892 save percentage on the season. Mrazek is unlikely to be any match for a determined Tampa Bay team that is ready to explode after last night's embarrassing loss. The Lightning will pressure him early and often but also will struggle to keep the puck out of their own net with Dominque between the pipes. The Red Wings have won 5 in row at home while averaging 3.2 goals per game. TB is averaging 3.7 goals per game on the season! The over is 5-1 this season when the Bolts are playing the 2nd game of a back to back. Also, the over is 6-1 this season when the Lightning enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on the road. The over is 14-8 when Detroit enters a game having played each of their 3 previous games on home ice. 10* OVER the total in Detroit |
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01-07-18 | Panthers +7 v. Saints | Top | 26-31 | Win | 100 | 10 h 45 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NFL Game #107 Sunday 10* Top Play Carolina Panthers (+) @ New Orleans Saints @ 4:30 ET - It is very hard to beat a division rival 3 times in one season. I am well aware of the fact that New Orleans won each of the first two meetings by double digits but Carolina had won 3 of the 4 meetings between these teams with the lone loss coming by only 3 points. The fact is that this line has now climbed all the way up to a full 7 points as of gameday morning and I feel we're getting great line value here. The Saints defense has shown great improvement this season but, keep in mind, the Panthers defense still rates as the better defense in this match-up. Also, Carolina rates a particular edge in the ground game as they are the stronger D against the rush and, even though the Saints have the better overall offense, the Panthers also outgain New Orleans on the ground. Against a divisional foe, when at home and off of a SU loss as a favorite and facing an opponent off of a SU loss, the Saints are 1-8 ATS! Carolina is 8-2 ATS when they are an underdog of greater than +1 against a divisional foe and they are playing with revenge. The Panthers are also 3-0 SU and ATS in the Wild Card round of the playoffs while the Saints are a long-term 9-12 ATS in January games. 10* CAROLINA |
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01-06-18 | Kansas -1 v. TCU | Top | 88-84 | Win | 100 | 14 h 46 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #649 Saturday 10* Top Play Kansas Jayhawks (-) @ TCU Horned Frogs @ 9:15 ET - This is a huge revenge game for Kansas. They were knocked out of the Big 12 Tournament in the quarterfinals last year in a tight loss to TCU. The fact that this game is in Texas actually helps because it means the line is manageable. In fact, the line is basically a pick'em which is a great value. Yes the Jayhawks looked awful in their loss to Texas Tech but that was a wake-up call for this team and clearly Kansas was also likely peeking ahead to this game which was circled on their calendars. The Jayhawks are 57-12 SU (including 6-0 past 2 seasons) when they are off of a loss in Big 12 action. Also, Kansas is 75-15 SU when off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more! In recent seasons, the Jayhawks are 56-12 SU against teams with a winning record while the Horned Frogs are 24-36 SU. I fully realize that TCU is an improving basketball program but they're still catching a revenge-minded Jayhawks team at absolutely the wrong time and Kansas (and head coach Bill Self) will be ready to go here! The Horned Frogs are 12-31 SU in conference games in recent seasons. The Jayhawks are 35-7 SU over the same time period. 10* KANSAS |
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01-06-18 | Pelicans v. Wolves OVER 217 | Top | 98-116 | Loss | -105 | 15 h 52 m | Show |
Annihilation Top Play - Rickenbach NBA Game #513 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Timberwolves vs New Orleans Pelicans @ 9:05 ET - The Timberwolves are off a low-scoring loss at Boston and have now stay under the total in 5 straight games. However, 4 of those 5 games were on the road and before that most recent under at home the Timberwolves had gone over the total in 4 of their last 5 home games. In fact, Minnesota is averaging 114.5 points per game in their last 6 home games. They're hosting a high-scoring, sharp-shooting New Orleans team whose average game this season totals 222 points! It is no wonder that 8 of the last 9 meetings between these teams has resulted in an over and I expect another one here! The over is 15-7 this season when the Pelicans are playing with revenge. Also, the over is 13-6 in New Orleans games against teams with a winning record and the over is 11-4 this season when the Pelicans are an underdog. The Wolves are happy to be back home but the Pelicans scored 122 points in their last visit and are seeking revenge. This one has the makings of a shootout! 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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01-06-18 | Falcons +6 v. Rams | Top | 26-13 | Win | 100 | 25 h 32 m | Show |
NFC Game of the Year - Rickenbach NFL Game #103 Saturday 10* Top Play Atlanta Falcons (+) @ Los Angeles Rams @ 8:15 ET - The Falcons regular season certainly may not have played out exactly like they wanted it to. But the fact is they are here and that means part one of their mission is complete. Rest assured Atlanta has been on a mission ever since the sickening loss to the Patriots in the Super Bowl last year where they blew a huge lead and lost in overtime. To get another chance they've got to get a few wins and I expect win number one here which is why I love the big points being offered here. The Rams are an up and coming team there is no doubt about that but they still are young and unproven when it comes to a big playoff match-up like this. Also, they played in the much more meager NFC West where Seattle dealt with injuries and struggled and the other two teams went a combined 14-18 with many of the 49ers wins coming late in the season. The point is that the Falcons played in the NFC's elite division this year as the Saints and Panthers each won 11 games and prevented Atlanta from taking the division title. The battle-tested Falcons have a huge edge over the Rams in this regard. Also, Atlanta is the much better team on defense (particularly against the run) and I expect that to be a factor here. Certainly the Rams have proven all season long they don't have much of a crowd edge in LA either! Los Angeles went 3-4 SU in home games this season while Atlanta went 5-3 SU in road games this year! The Falcons are on a 6-1 ATS run against NFC West opponents. The Rams are on an 0-4 ATS run in home games with a posted total between 45.5 and 49 points. Give me the proven, veteran team here. Grab the points but I do sense an outright upset here. 10* ATLANTA |
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01-06-18 | Canucks v. Maple Leafs OVER 5.5 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -115 | 10 h 4 m | Show |
Dominator Top Play - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Vancouver Canucks @ 7:05 ET - The Canucks have lost 10 of their last 12 games as defense and goaltending continue to be issues. Vancouver is off of a 5-0 loss and that was the 9th time in their last dozen games that the Canucks have allowed 4 goals or more! That home loss to Anaheim Tuesday stayed under the total but Vancouver's 10 prior games had gone 9-1 to the over! The Canucks had scored 3 goals or more in 4 of their 5 prior games before the poor effort versus the Ducks. Look for Vancouver to respond in terms of attacking in the offensive zone tonight but the problem for the Canucks will continue to be subpar play in their own end of the rink. Toronto is a dangerous team that can certainly take advantage. The Maple Leafs have scored at least 3 goals in 6 of their last 8 games. The Leafs have allowed an average of 3.4 goals per game in their last 7 games. This will be Toronto's 12th Saturday game this season and, so far, only 3 have stayed under the total! Vancouver is 12-3 to the over this season when off of a game where they were outscored by 2 goals or more. Only 15 of the Canucks last 43 Saturday games have resulted in an under. Look for a wild one on Hockey Night in Canada! 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Toronto |
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01-05-18 | Golden Knights v. Blackhawks OVER 5.5 | Top | 5-4 | Win | 100 | 10 h 43 m | Show |
Annihilation Top Play - Rickenbach NHL Game #59 Friday 10* OVER the total in Chicago Blackhawks vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 8:35 ET - I know Jeff Glass has played better than expected for the Blackhawks as he fills in for the injured Corey Crawford. However, there is a reason he is 32 years old and just made his NHL debut last week! No disrespect intended but you get my point. Also, as well as Glass has played, the fact is that he has allowed 3 goals per game so far in his first 3 starts and now makes his home debut. You can bet he feels extra pressure making this start at the United Center and wanting to perform well for the home fans. Facing one of the most dangerous offenses in the league off of their first loss in regulation in a month, Glass is going to be peppered with shots early and often in this one. The Golden Knights also have a goalie issue of their own here as Marc-Andre Fleury was in net last night. That means Malcolm Subban is likely to get the start here. I know he has decent numbers this season but the over is 4-1 in his last 5 starts and he is still young and getting adjusted to NHL play. Subban just turned 24 two weeks ago! On the season the Golden Knights are averaging 3.5 goals per game. The Blackhawks, in home games this season, are averaging 3.5 goals per game. The over is 6-1 in Friday games for Vegas this season. The over is 4-0 in the Blackhawks last 4 games and I look for another one here! 10* OVER the total in Chicago |
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01-05-18 | Knicks v. Heat OVER 202 | Top | 103-107 | Win | 100 | 10 h 17 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Game #801 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Heat vs New York Knicks @ 8:05 ET - The series between these two teams has a history that has certainly trended under in recent seasons. However, the situation here as well as the way these two teams have been playing of late, certainly lends itself to a solid over in this one. The Knicks have averaged 105 points per game in their last 3 road games. However, the New York defense has allowed 108 points per game in their last 9 road games. Miami has averaged 114 points per game in their last 2 games and they are filled with confidence after shooting 51% from the field in each of those two games. Like the Knicks however, the Heat have left a lot to be desired on the defensive end of late. Not only is Miami allowing an average of 109 points per game their last 3 games, the Heat have given up 101 points or more in 6 of their last 8 games. On the season, both teams shoot quite well (particularly from 3 point land) but they both allow solid shooting (also particularly from beyond the arc). The over is 8-3 in New York's last 11 road games and they've allowed 103 points or more in 10 of those 11 games! The over is 4-2 the last 6 times the Heat have hosted an Eastern Conference opponent. 10* OVER the total in Miami |
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01-05-18 | Wisconsin v. Rutgers +3 | Top | 60-64 | Win | 100 | 10 h 22 m | Show |
TV Top Play - Rickenbach CBB Game #828 Friday 10* Rutgers Scarlet Knights (+) vs Wisconsin Badgers @ 7 ET - The Badgers are very banged up in the backcourt right now with three guards listed on their injury report. Wisconsin has won 5 of 6 meetings with Rutgers but it was no mistake when the oddsmakers opened up this game at very nearly a pick'em price. The betting markets have given us a lot of value here as they have driven this line all the way up to as high as a 3 as of early gameday morning. This offering solid home dog value to the Scarlet Knights. Admittedly the Badgers have played a tougher schedule than Rutgers has. However, the injury situation in the backcourt is certainly concerning for Wisconsin. Also, the Badgers are allowing 46% shooting from the field (including 36% from three point land). By comparison, Rutgers is allowing only 37.6% from the field (including a paltry 30.2% from beyond the arc). The point is that the Scarlet Knights have been more attentive to defense this season and the Badgers are still adjusting after losing a lot of key players coming into his season and now having some key injuries on top of that! Wisconsin is 3-8 ATS this season when playing against a team with a winning record. Also, the Badgers are a long-term 1-6 ATS in road games with a posted total in the 120s. Even though Rutgers is playing on short rest here, they are 5-2 ATS when playing with 1 day or less of rest between games. Also, the Scarlet Knights are a perfect 5-0 ATS this season in their home games! 10* RUTGERS |
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01-04-18 | Houston v. Wichita State OVER 151.5 | Top | 63-81 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 16 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Game #505 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Wichita State Shockers vs Houston Cougars @ 7 ET - The Shockers will be ready to put on a show in their first conference home game as a member of the American Athletic Conference. Wichita State has shot the ball very well this season and they are averaging 92 points per game in their home games. Houston also is shooting the ball very well and both of these teams are very dangerous (40%!) from three point land. I expect this game to be played at a lively place with plenty of run and gun as the Cougars aren't afraid to turn the game over to their quick scorers. The over is 4-1 this season in Wichita State's home games. Also, the Shockers are 12-5 to the over in January games the past two seasons. Wichita State is also a perfect 4-0 to the over in home games with a posted total of 150 to 154.5 points the past two seasons. 10* OVER the total in Wichita State |
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01-04-18 | Warriors v. Rockets OVER 229 | Top | 124-114 | Win | 100 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
TNT Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Game #501 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Houston Rockets vs Golden State Warriors @ 8:05 ET - The fact that the Rockets are without top scorer James Harden could actually help this game get over the total. How is that? Well the fact is that Harden does drive to the basket, force contact, and shoot free throws. The difference with him being out is that the Rockets are going to be jacking up even more threes. Houston is known for hitting threes at a high percentage (particularly at home) and now the Warriors are in town with Stephen Curry shooting lights out in his first two games since coming back from injury. The point is that the Warriors and Rockets are very likely to get into a very high-scoring shootout in this one. Since Curry returned for Golden State, their two games have averaged 258 points! For the Rockets, they poured in 116 points last night and the game only stayed under the total due to the ineptitude of the Magic offense as well as the fact that Houston was then able to coast to victory and rest up for tonight's big game. The over is 6-2 this season when the Warriors are off of a game where they allowed 115 points or more. The over is 30-18 the past 2+ seasons in Rockets games against Pacific Division opponents. 10* OVER the total in Houston |
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01-04-18 | Sharks v. Maple Leafs OVER 5.5 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 33 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #3 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Toronto Maple Leafs vs San Jose Sharks @ 7:05 ET - This total opened up at a 6 and dropped down to a 5.5 and I am going contrarian here and pounding the over in this one. The Sharks are off of a 4-1 win but entered that game having allowed 4 goals or more in 8 of their last 12 games! San Jose has scored 3 goals or more in 9 of their last 11 games. Toronto is off of a shutout loss but they had scored an average of 4.3 goals per game in their 6 prior games. The Maple Leafs allowed only 2 goals in the home loss to the Lightning but they had allowed 4 goals or more in 4 of their 5 prior games. Toronto was severely outplayed in a 3-2 loss at San Jose earlier this season. Couple that with coming off of a shutout loss and it is safe to say the Maple Leafs will be in attack mode in the offensive zone early and often in this one. However, Toronto is not going to stop a Sharks team that has been very strong this season including 4 wins in their last 5 games. That's why I expect this to fly over the total. San Jose has allowed an average of 4 goals per game in their last 4 road games. Only 10 of the Sharks last 27 January games have resulted in an under. Look for the over to improve to 4-1 in San Jose's last 5 road games. Before the Maple Leafs shutout versus the Bolts, they were 5-1 to the over in their last 6 games. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in Toronto |
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01-03-18 | Oklahoma State +10 v. Oklahoma | Top | 89-109 | Loss | -106 | 13 h 8 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Game #781 Wednesday 10* Top Play Oklahoma State Cowboys (+) @ Oklahoma Sooners @ 9 ET - Yes, this is a huge revenge game for the Sooners after getting swept by the Cowboys last season. Yes, Oklahoma returned more key players this season than Oklahoma State did. However, the key here is that Oklahoma State has responded very well to Mike Boynton whom has taken over the head coaching reigns from Brad Underwood. The Cowboys play with confidence, they're playing well on the defensive end, and they believe in themselves. Yes, Oklahoma State did lose at home to West Virginia and they blew a decent lead in doing so. However, that type of loss only makes them hungrier coming into a rivalry game like this. Though Oklahoma has the more impressive shooting stats and puts up big numbers on offense, Oklahoma State is the better team defensively. The Cowboys have allowed 12.7 points less per game plus they defend the 3-ball much better than OU does. The Sooners are 3-6 ATS as a favorite this season and, in my opinion, they are over-priced again here. Remember, revenge tends to get over-played and over-valued and I expect the Cowboys - off of a loss - to come up with a very strong effort here. Look for Oklahoma State to improve to 4-0 ATS in road games with a posted total in the 160s while Oklahoma drops to 4-8 ATS in games with a posted total in the 160s. The Sooners are 6-12 ATS when off of a win in conference action. Also, OU is on a long-term 17-29 ATS run as a favorite. 10* OKLAHOMA STATE |
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01-03-18 | Blackhawks v. Rangers OVER 5.5 | Top | 5-2 | Win | 100 | 12 h 33 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #53 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in New York Rangers vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:05 ET - The Blackhawks are still without goalie Corey Crawford. That means journeyman Jeff Glass (who is 32 but is a rookie in the NHL) will continue to get the work. He has allowed 7 goals in his first two NHL starts and both games went over the total. Chicago showed heart in rallying back from a 3-0 deficit at Calgary to force OT in the eventual 4-3 loss to the Flames. The Blackhawks have scored 3 goals or more in 7 of their last 10 games and they could catch the Rangers a bit flat-footed in this one as New York just rallied from a 2-goal deficit for a 3-2 win over Buffalo in the outdoor Winter Classic on New Years Day. The only reason I am not fading the Rangers here off of that big win is because they'll take advantage of Glass being between the pipes for the Hawks. The value here is with the over because this hungry Chicago team is going to be peppering Henrik Lundqvist with shots but the Blackhawks won't be able to keep the puck out of their own net. Chicago has allowed an average of 4 goals per game over their past 5 games. Only 4 of the Rangers 12 non-conference game this season have resulted in an under. The road-weary Blackhawks are 3-0 to the over this season when they enter a game having played each of their 3 prior games on the road. 10* OVER 5.5 goals in New York Rangers |
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01-03-18 | Knicks v. Wizards OVER 210 | Top | 103-121 | Win | 100 | 9 h 18 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #701 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs New York Knicks @ 7:05 ET - The Knicks are off of a home loss last night that got ugly in the 4th quarter as nobody could hit shots. Both the Spurs and Knicks played at the type of pace last night that should result in an over but, instead, the game fell short of the number due to poor shooting and a late collapse from the scorers of both teams. I'll get my payback tonight as I come right back with a Knicks over knowing that New York is 5-1 to the over this season in the 2nd game of a back to back. Also, the Wizards are 22-13 to the over the past 2+ seasons when they enter a game with 2 days of rest between games. Washington is on a 4-1 run their last 5 games and averaging 115 points per game during this hot stretch. For the Knicks, last night's game was just the 4th time in 13 games that New York didn't score more than 100 points in a game. They'll bounce back tonight in a typical "run and gun" affair involving these two teams as 5 of the last 7 meetings have gone over the total. The last 4 meetings between these teams have averaged 220 points a game and I expect to see at least that tonight! 10* OVER the total in Washington |
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01-02-18 | Kings +116 v. Oilers | Top | 5-0 | Win | 116 | 10 h 5 m | Show |
NBC Sports Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Game #19 Tuesday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Kings Money Line (+) @ Edmonton Oilers @ 9:35 ET - The Oilers have lost 3 straight games and have allowed 14 goals in those 3 games. Edmonton goalie Cam Talbot is on the fade again. Conversely, Kings goalie Jonathan Quick has been playing well. The Kings have only won 3 of his last 5 starts but Los Angeles has allowed an average of just 2 goals per game in those 5 starts. Quick has been solid between the pipes and certainly rates the edge here over the struggling Talbot. The Kings have won 7 of their last 10 meetings with the Oilers but those 3 losses have come in their last 3 games at Edmonton. In other words, LA is hungry to put an end to that nonsense with a big win in Edmonton Tuesday night. Note that the Oilers have lost 27 of their last 39 Tuesday games! Also, Edmonton has lost 10 of 16 (-$7,100) this season when they are off of a game where they allowed 4 goals or more. LA has won 9 of 14 this season when off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Also, the Oilers have lost 22 of 39 games on the season overall. That said, it is certainly noteworthy that Los Angeles has taken care of business this season against the teams they are supposed to beat. The Kings are a stellar 15-4 this season against teams with a losing record. 10* LOS ANGELES |
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01-02-18 | Arkansas -2 v. Mississippi State | Top | 75-78 | Loss | -105 | 12 h 23 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #549 Tuesday 10* Top Play Arkansas Razorbacks (-) @ Mississippi State Bulldogs @ 9 ET - There has been a big move toward the Bulldogs here but I feel it will prove to be a big mistake. The Razorbacks have played a much tougher schedule than Mississippi State has this season. Even with that Arkansas is 9-4 ATS this season while the Bulldogs are 2-6 ATS on the young season. Also, the last time the Razorbacks played a true road game was exactly one month ago to the day. Arkansas lost that game by 26 points at Houston and they have been anxious to make amends for that defeat and prove what they can do on the road. They'll be ready to make a statement here in Starkville where they did lose their last visit in a blowout loss. The Razorbacks also lost at home to the Bulldogs last year in January so payback is on order in this one. Arkansas has earned their ranking and Mississippi State, despite one less loss, is not ranked for a reason. The Bulldogs schedule has been so weak and they just are not at the talent level that the Razorbacks are. Also, Arkansas is the better shooting team, including much better from 3-point land. The Razorbacks are 16-6 SU after a game in which they allowed 80 points or more. The Hogs are also 5-1 ATS (and SU) when they face a team that is allowing 64 points or less per game. The Bulldogs are 6-11 ATS after a game in which they scored 80 points or more. 10* ARKANSAS |
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01-02-18 | Spurs v. Knicks OVER 198.5 | Top | 100-91 | Loss | -113 | 11 h 35 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher NBA Game #503 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total New York Knicks vs San Antonio Spurs @ 7:35 ET - The Spurs are off of a horrific shooting performance at Detroit where they netted only 79 points. Now they face the same Knicks team they just lit up for 119 points on Thursday. New York comes into this game off of a win and the Knicks have averaged 106 points in their last two games. That said, they'll be willing to "run and gun" at home in this one and the Spurs will oblige as they are looking for a "breakout game" on offense after the horrible result in Saturday's loss to the Pistons. The Spurs are 4-1 to the over this season when off of an upset loss as a favorite. Long-term San Antonio is 140-98 to the over when off of a loss by a double digit margin. The Spurs also are 19-9 to the over in January games the past two seasons. The Knicks are 9-5 to the over in non-conference games and also 6-3 to the over when off of an upset win as an underdog. Both of those stats are current records this season and I expect another over to be added to those trends tonight. With the downward line move early on this one, I am going contrarian and going over the total here. 10* OVER the total in New York |
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01-01-18 | Alabama v. Clemson +3 | Top | 24-6 | Loss | -100 | 15 h 8 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Game #274 Monday 10* Top Play Clemson Tigers (+) vs Alabama Crimson Tide @ 8:45 ET in Sugar Bowl @ Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana - Alabama started the season with a tough match-up versus Florida State. Even though the Crimson Tide won that game by 17 points, they only outgained the Seminoles by 19 yards! Alabama was then a huge favorite for many consecutive weeks and basically it was Roll Tide Roll week in and week out. However, looking their final 4 games of the season, including some tougher match-ups finally, I believe shows that the Crimson Tide are not quite what they once were in recent years. Of course one of the final four games was against Mercer so remove that from the equation but, looking at the other 3 games shows some keys. Alabama only beat Mississippi State by 7 points. Also, the Crimson Tide did beat LSU by 14 points bur they were outgained in that game. Then, Alabama's other game saw them get crushed by Auburn as they lost by double digits! As for Clemson, their schedule had many more challenges sprinkled in it throughout the year and the way the Tigers responded in facing regular more consistent challenges will serve them well here. The fact this is a revenge game for Alabama and, with the long-term reputation the Crimson Tide has, this line may look funny to some. However, the line is perfectly fine as, the fact is, it is offering exceptional value to a Clemson team that did face a tougher schedule than Alabama did. Also, while both teams are strong defensively, the Tigers do have the stronger defensive line and I look for that key battle in the trenches to be a key to an upset victory for the dog in this one. Alabama has lost each of their last 3 trips to the Sugar Bowl while Clemson is on a 7-0 SU/ATS run in bowl games. The Tigers are on a 5-0 ATS run as an underdog and I'll grab them again here in their preferred role. 10* CLEMSON |
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01-01-18 | Bucks v. Raptors OVER 214.5 | Top | 127-131 | Win | 100 | 10 h 57 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #703 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Raptors vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 7:35 ET - Milwaukee has trended over this season but they enter this game off of back to back unders. That certainly holds some significance here as the Bucks have only had 3 straight unders one time this entire season and we are nearing the halfway point of the season. The Bucks allow 107 points per game on 47.5% from the field and 40.7% from three point land when on the road this season. Toronto averages 114.4 points per game on 48.2% from the field in their home games this season. The Raptors are off of an under versus Atlanta Friday as they took 105 shots but had a rather poor shooting night. The Bucks win at Oklahoma City Friday was the first time since November 20th that Milwaukee did not reach the century mark in points scored. Also, the Raptors have scored 107 points or more in 12 of their last 16 games. This is a playoff revenge game for the Bucks after losing to the Raptors last April. However, Toronto will control the tempo here at home and they're going to run and gun. Look for the Raptors over to improve to 4-1 this season in games against Central Division opponents. The Bucks are 4-1 to the over this season when off of an upset win as an underdog. Also, Milwaukee is 11-5 to the over in road games this season. More of the same here! 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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01-01-18 | Georgia -135 v. Oklahoma | Top | 54-48 | Win | 100 | 11 h 27 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CFB Game #271 Monday 10* Top Play Georgia Bulldogs (-) vs Oklahoma Sooners in Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California - With Oklahoma having playoff experience, a Heisman winning QB, a 4-0 SU/ATS run against SEC foes, and a current overall 6-0 ATS run entering this game, you may be surprised to see Georgia as the favorite here...EXACTLY! Don't be fooled! The Bulldogs are the better team and the odds makers knew what they were doing with this line. The fact is that Georgia's vastly superior defense is going to be the difference maker in this game. Not only do the Bulldogs allow only 270.9 yards per game, the Sooners average points allowed of 25 is nearly double what Georgia has allowed (13.2) this season. Also, in comparing the offenses, the Bulldogs actually have the better ground game. Georgia will use their potent rushing attack to dominate the clock and keep the ball out of Baker Mayfield's hands as much as possible. The Bulldogs only loss this season was to Auburn and they got revenge against the Tigers in a big way in the SEC Title game. Also, how much will Mayfield's illness impact him here? He may not be 100% but, either way, a vicious Georgia defense is going to be attacking him early and often. The Bulldogs are on a 14-6 ATS run in bowl games while Oklahoma is on a 7-11 ATS run in bowls. OU beat Auburn in last year's Sugar Bowl so how can they be a dog this season against another SEC foe? EXACTLY! Going contrarian here ladies and gentlemen...and it works again! 10* GEORGIA |
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01-01-18 | West Virginia v. Kansas State +2 | Top | 77-69 | Loss | -104 | 8 h 30 m | Show |
Ranked Rout - Rickenbach CBB Game #712 Monday 10* Kansas State Wildcats (+) vs West Virginia Mountaineers @ 5 ET - The Mountaineers have won 12 straight games and got the better of me when they rallied to beat Oklahoma State at Stillwater on Friday. However, we'll get it back today on Monday. West Virginia allowed the Cowboys to hit 51% of their shots in that game and now face a red hot shooting Wildcats team. It is so hard to win road games in the Big 12 and especially back to back affairs in a tough situation. Kansas State will be ready and wants this game badly as the Mountaineers knocked them out of the Big 12 Tourney last March. The Wildcats have shot 50% or better from the field in 4 of their last 6 games. The Mountaineers, despite all their winning, have gone 10 straight games without a single game where they've knocked down half their field goal attempts. The schedule is starting to toughen for West Virginia and the Wildcats are going to own this game at home. Kansas State is on a 30-10 SU run in home games including 7-0 this season. Also, the Wildcats are 16-8 SU when off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. The Mountaineers are only 6-6 ATS in games against good defensive teams (allowing 64 points or less per game). KSU was known to have plenty of scorers but the attention to defense has been a big surprise early this season and the Wildcats are riding that D to wins. They get their revenge here. 10* KANSAS STATE |
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12-31-17 | Blackhawks v. Flames OVER 6 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 115 | 10 h 32 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #15 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Calgary Flames vs Chicago Blackhawks @ 9:05 ET - On the surface, at 6 goals, this posted total may seem high. However, keep in mind that Chicago is currently without goaltender Corey Crawford. While Jeff Glass was successful in his first start (only 3 goals allowed on 45 shots!) he is still a journeymen goaltender who has spent his entire hockey career just trying to get to the NHL level. No disrespect at all intended toward him but the 32 year old just made the first appearance of his NHL career after bouncing around for 15 years in the WHL/ECHL/KHL/AHL including this season with the Rockford Icehogs. Glass is going to face a desperate and hungry Flames team tonight that is angry after a poor effort in their loss at Anaheim Friday night. Calgary is going to pressure Glass early and often in this one as they look to take advantage of avoiding Crawford. As for the Blackhawks, they have scored at least 3 goals in 6 of their last 9 games. Look for the over to improve to 7-4 this season when Chicago is off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. In the process the over will improve to 3-0 this season when the Hawks enter a game having played each of their three prior games on the road! The over is 9-5 this season when the Flames face a team with a losing record on the season. Also, Calgary is 14-7 to the over when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The over is 12-6 in Flames games when they are on an under streak of 3 games or more. 10* OVER the total in Calgary |
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12-31-17 | 76ers v. Suns +3.5 | Top | 123-110 | Loss | -108 | 8 h 21 m | Show |
Non-Conf Game of the Year - Rickenbach NBA Game #815 Sunday 10* Top Play Phoenix Suns (+) vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 8:05 ET - Phoenix has been a different team since guard Devin Booker has returned. Overall, the Suns have won 5 of their last 7 games and they now host a 76ers team that is off of a big road win at Denver last night but that had previously lost 10 of its last 12 games. With Joel Embiid slated to play tonight for the Sixers and with this being a revenge game for Philly, the line has been skewed toward the 76ers here. However, the Suns as a solid home dog here is a great value. Phoenix has covered 10 of its last 14 games and they are playing just their 2nd game in 5 nights. The Suns will have very fresh legs here. The 76ers are on a 4-13 ATS run and are playing their 5th straight road game. Not only is this spot a back to back for Philadelphia, they also are playing their 3rd game in 4 nights. Philly is playing this game with home loss revenge but they are 15-55 SU in this situation the past 2+ seasons. Also, the Sixers are 0-4 SU and ATS this season when playing the 2nd night of a back to back. The past 2+ seasons the 76ers long-term record in this situation (2nd of B2B) is 6-35 SU! The Suns are 5-2 ATS when off of a divisional game and also 5-2 ATS this season versus Atlantic Division opponents. 10* PHOENIX |
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12-31-17 | Georgia v. Kentucky OVER 146.5 | Top | 61-66 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 36 m | Show |
TV Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Game #849 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Kentucky Wildcats vs Georgia Bulldogs @ 6 ET - The Wildcats have gone over the total in 7 straight games and there is no reason for that streak to end here. In fact, coming off of their big win over rival Louisville makes the streak very likely to continue. Kentucky can't help but have a defensive letdown after really ratcheting things up a notch in their win over the Cardinals. The Bulldogs have gone over the total in each of their last two games as well as 4 of their last 6. Georgia has shot the ball exceptionally well in 5 of their last 6 games. Their tourney match-up in March stayed under the total but, prior to that, each of the 3 prior meetings between these teams went over the total. Georgia is 5-1 to the over this season when facing a team with a winning record. Also, the over is 20-12 the past 2+ seasons when the Bulldogs face a team that is averaging 77 points or more per game. Kentucky is 4-0 to the over this season when they are off of a game where they scored 80 points or more. 12 of the Wildcats last 16 December games have gone over the total. More of the same here. 10* OVER the total in Kentucky |
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12-31-17 | Cardinals +9 v. Seahawks | Top | 26-24 | Win | 100 | 8 h 31 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NFL Game #327 Sunday 10* Top Play Arizona Cardinals (+) @ Seattle Seahawks @ 4:25 ET - This is expected to be Bruce Arians last game as head coach of the Cardinals. They would love nothing more than to prevent the Seahawks from making the playoffs by notching a huge upset win at Seattle. Granted, the Hawks could win and still not get in if Atlanta defeats Carolina. However, the point is that Arizona can make sure Seattle doesn't get in by getting the upset win here. I feel the Cardinals have a great shot at the upset here which is also why this play (getting big points) easily earned Top status for me. The Seahawks were actually outgained by 147 yards in their win at Dallas last week! Seattle's offense has averaged a paltry 142.5 yards per game the past 2 weeks! It is hard to cover a large spread when you're not moving the ball well and the Cardinals defense won't do them any favors this week. Keep in mind, Arizona's defense has still been solid this season. In fact, they're allowing less yards per game than Seattle is! Also, the Cardinals did outgain the Seahawks in their home loss in the earlier meeting this season! Also, home field has been worthless in recent meetings between these teams. The road team is 4-0-1 in the last 5 games. That's right, the home team has not a single SU win in the last 5 meetings and there was of course also the infamous 6-6 tie last season. I look for another very tight game here with Arizona going all out with 100% effort in this one for Arians. The Cardinals are 5-2 ATS in games with a posted total between 35.5 and 42 points. The Seahawks are only 2-5 ATS in games played in Seattle this season! 10* ARIZONA |
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12-31-17 | Bills v. Dolphins OVER 42 | Top | 22-16 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 21 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach NFL Game #305 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills @ 4:25 ET - Very nice weather in Miami so both offenses will be able to operate at full efficiency in this one. Yes, because it is a divisional game and the Bills are still clinging to playoff hopes, one would expect a little extra defensive intensity for this one. However, the Dolphins have allowed 20 points or more in 9 of their last 10 games. In those 10 games, Miami has allowed an average of 28.7 points per game! As for the Bills, they've given up 33.8 points per game in their last 4 road games! Buffalo's offense has averaged 227 passing yards the past two weeks and the Dolphins pass defense has struggled the past 3 weeks. Of course this includes one match-up between these teams and that one totaled 40 points. However, prior to that meeting, each of the last 4 match-ups went over the total and they all totaled at least 50 points! The Dolphins offense is averaging 255 passing yards per game their past 8 games. The over is 7-1 when Miami is a home dog of 3 points or less. The over is 15-5 when Buffalo is a favorite. Also, the over is 6-2 ATS in Bills games when they are off of a loss in divisional action. 10* OVER the total in Miami |
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12-30-17 | Wild v. Predators OVER 5.5 | Top | 0-3 | Loss | -109 | 10 h 38 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Game #59 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Nashville Predators vs Minnesota Wild @ 8:05 ET - These teams met last night and the game snuck over the total on an empty net goal with about a minute to go in the game. However, I expect tonight's game to go over the total much more easily. The key is that both back-up goalies are likely to be in action in this rematch. The over is 3-1 in Alex Stalock's last 4 starts and the over is 6-2 in Juuse Saros starts this season. The fact is that last night's game featured a ton of shots on goal - 81 to be exact - and plenty of solid scoring chances. However, Pekka Rinne and Devan Dubnyk were the difference makers between the pipes. With Nashville now at home and looking for revenge in this back to back home and home set with the Wild, I expect another game filled with solid scoring chances tonight. The over is 9-1 this season when Minnesota is off of a divisional game. The over is a long-term 32-20 when the Wild are off of a game where they scored 4 goals or more. Also, Minnesota is 12-6 to the over this season in their games against teams with a winning record. The over is 3-1 this season when Nashville is playing a back to back and only 9 of the last 28 long-term have resulted in an under. The over is also 10-5 this season when the Preds are playing with revenge. 10* OVER the total in Nashville |
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12-30-17 | Heat v. Magic OVER 204 | Top | 117-111 | Win | 100 | 9 h 45 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Game #503 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Orlando Magic vs Miami Heat @ 7:05 ET - The Magic are off of a rare win and a rare game where their opponent was held under 90 points. Prior to holding the Pistons to 89 points on a poor shooting night for Detroit, Orlando had given up 114.8 points per game in their 5 prior games! The Heat come into this game off of a rare horrific shooting night as they shot just 33.7% from the field in scoring only 87 points at home versus Brooklyn last night. The point is that the pace with with each of these teams played at in their most recent games supported an over but rare bad shooting resulted in an under. That is resulting in solid line value here. The Heat are allowing 102 points per game on the season and the Magic are allowing 110 points per game on the season. Miami has stayed under the total in 3 straight games now but they are 20-14 to the over when they enter a game on an under streak of 3 or more games. Orlando is 5-1 to the over this season when off of a win by a double digit margin. Also, the Magic are 5-2 to the over in their divisional games this season. This total was as high as a 208 and has dropped to a 204 as of gameday morning. I am happy to grab the extra value here! 10* OVER the total in Orlando |
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12-30-17 | Villanova -5 v. Butler | Top | 93-101 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 44 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Game #555 Saturday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) @ Butler Bulldogs @ 4 ET - Butler expended a lot of energy in their double-overtime win at Georgetown on Wednesday. They were down huge at the half so really had to put in a lot of effort just to force overtime and then the game actually ended up going 2 extra stanzas! While it is true that the Bulldogs have had two days off since that win, it is also true that those are the types of wins that take a lot out of a team and top ranked 13-0 Villanova is coming in to this game as the much fresher team. Also, the Wildcats have revenge from losing both games to Butler last season. One could say that the Bulldogs have had the Cats number in recent meetings but one could also say that Butler certainly didn't impress in Wednesday's game versus the Hoyas as Georgetown had played a very soft schedule this season. Now the Bulldogs take on a Wildcats team that has played just as tough of a schedule as Butler has. The Bulldogs are 1-3 ATS as an underdog this season and also 2-7 ATS in recent seasons when they are off of a game where they allowed 80 points or more. Villanova is 9-1 ATS this season in their games against teams with a winning record. Also, the Wildcats are a long-term 22-11 ATS when they face teams that are averaging 77 points or more per game on the season. Keep in mind, Butler is averaging a solid 78.6 points per game this season but Nova shoots the ball much better and is averaging 87.8 points per game this season. Also, Butler's weakness on D is against the 3-ball (allowing 37%) and the Wildcats are hitting a ridiculous 42.2% of their threes this season! That will likely play out as a key factor in this one. 10* VILLANOVA |
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12-30-17 | Iowa State +4 v. Memphis | Top | 21-20 | Win | 100 | 5 h 26 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CFB Game #259 Saturday 10* Top Play Iowa State Cyclones (+) @ Memphis Tigers @ 12:30 ET in Liberty Bowl @ Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee - Memphis is 10-2 and they are at home for this game and yet they opened up as only a 3-point favorite over a 7-5 Iowa State. Sure enough the masses jumped all over the Tigers and drove this line to as high as a 4.5 in some spots. It has settled in around a 4 as of gameday morning and I am very happy to back the Cyclones in this spot. Iowa State played a much tougher schedule than Memphis did. The Big 12, of course, is much tougher than the American Athletic Conference. Also, the Cyclones have the much better defense. Even with facing a number of tough offenses that reside in the Big 12, Iowa State allowed only 21 points and 368.4 yards per game on the season. As for the Tigers, they allowed 33.4 points and 476.2 yards per game. Of course the Memphis numbers on offense look great but let's keep level of competition in mind when evaluating that offense. Also, note that the Cyclones held Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech to a combined 291 yards below what those 3 potent offenses typically average per game. Iowa State is a solid 11-6 ATS the past 3 seasons combined when facing a team with a winning record while Memphis is an ugly 5-11 ATS over this same span. Also, as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points, the Tigers are a long-term 17-33 ATS. Both teams lost their regular season finale but Memphis allowed a whopping 726 yards in their loss while the Cyclones allowed a paltry 264 yards in their loss. Big difference between the defenses of these teams and I love defensive-minded dogs in bowl games! 10* IOWA STATE |
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12-29-17 | USC v. Ohio State -7.5 | Top | 7-24 | Win | 100 | 12 h 4 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - CFB Game #256 Friday 10* Top Play Ohio State Buckeyes (-) vs USC Trojans @ 8:30 ET in Cotton Bowl @ AT & T Stadium in Arlington, TX - The Buckeyes were in the discussion for a playoff spot. The fact they didn't get it means they come out fired up and with something to prove in this game. You can't expect anything less from a Meyer-led team. They are going to prove they should have belonged by coming up with a huge game here. Keep in mind, both of these teams have very dangerous offenses but, when you look at the defenses, there is no comparison. The Trojans allowed 405 yards per game while the Buckeyes allowed only 292 yards per game. Also, though both teams played equally tough schedules, Southern Cal's scoring margin on the season was 8.2 points per game while Ohio State's scoring differential was 22.6 points per game. That is a variance of 14.4 points and indeed I am expecting the Buckeyes to win this game by 2 TDs but they are only favored by about one. Ohio State rates the edge on both the offensive line and defensive line and I love backing teams that can win those battles in the trenches! USC is on a 1-7 ATS run as an underdog, an 0-5 ATS run in neutral site games, and December has not been kind to the Trojans either - a long-term 5-14 ATS mark. After their miracle comeback win over Penn State in last year's bowl action, they won't be so fortunate here against the mighty Buckeyes. Ohio State is a long-term 13-4 (SU and ATS) against Pac-12 opponents. Also, the Buckeyes Meyer is on a long-term 10-3 (ATS and SU) run in bowl games. 10* OHIO STATE |
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12-29-17 | Bucks v. Thunder OVER 208.5 | Top | 97-95 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 54 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Game #807 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Oklahoma City Thunder vs Milwaukee Bucks @ 8:05 ET - The Bucks finally stayed under the total in a come from behind win versus the Timberwolves that certainly fell under the category of "ugly game" as it was played at a slower pace than you would typically see. The teams averaged just 73 field goal attempts between them. That under snapped a 9-game over streak for Milwaukee but the Bucks are still 14-2-1 to the over their last 17 games. Also, this is a back to back spot for Milwaukee and they've gone 5-1 to the over in back to back situations this season. This is a revenge game for the Bucks and they are 13-4 to the over when playing with revenge this season. With tired legs from a strong effort versus Minnesota last night, Milwaukee's defense will likely be lax tonight. That is bad news against a Thunder offense that has caught fire. Oklahoma City has shot 51.9% or better in 4 of its last 5 games. The Thunder are averaging 113.2 points per game their last 5 games and the Bucks have scored 100 points or more in 17 straight games! Milwaukee is averaging 108.5 points per game during this 17-game stretch. You can plainly see why I am expecting about 220 points in this one! 10* OVER the total in Oklahoma City |
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12-29-17 | Flyers v. Lightning OVER 5.5 | Top | 5-3 | Win | 100 | 6 h 50 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Game #5 Friday 10* Top Play OVER 5.5 goals in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Philadelphia Flyers @ 7:35 ET - This is a back to back for both teams and that could mean back-up goalies for each as well. The Flyers likely to have Michal Neuvirth between the pipes and he is just coming back from injury. The Lightning likely to have Peter Budaj between the pipes and he has an .878 save percentage on the season. Each of his last 4 starts have gone over the total and he has had just 1 under this season and that one totaled 5 goals. This one looks like it should work into a barn-burner. Also, defenseman Anton Stralman is out for the Bolts and that certainly hurts their blue line too. The over is 6-2 this season when the Flyers are on a losing streak of 3 games or more. The over is 4-1 in Tampa Bay's games when they are playing the 2nd of a back to back. Lightning are great on power play, Flyers awful on penalty kill. Bolts have averaged 4.2 goals per game their last 11 games. Flyers should enjoy success against Budaj tonight as well. Or if Vasilevskiy gets the call it is a tough spot (2nd night of back to back) so either way Philadelphia pots a few goals as well. 10* OVER the total in Tampa Bay |
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12-29-17 | West Virginia v. Oklahoma State +2.5 | Top | 85-79 | Loss | -105 | 7 h 25 m | Show |
Big 12 Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #826 Friday 10* Top Play Oklahoma State Cowboys (+) vs West Virginia Mountaineers @ 7 ET - The Mountaineers come into this game having won 11 straight and they are highly ranked and yet they opened up as a very small favorite here. Don't fall for the trap! The fact is that, while "Press Virginia" is playing very good defense as usual, Oklahoma State has come a long way with their defense too. The Cowboys have been solid on that end of the floor and have done a great job of forcing turnovers and clogging passing lanes. The fact that this game is in Stillwater of course helps even more. Oklahoma State is 8-1 at home this season and they're hosting a West Virginia team that has played only one true road game this season. That was at Pittsburgh and the Mountaineers only beat the Panthers by single digits despite shooting 12 percentage points higher from the field. In other words, West Virginia is likely to be in trouble here in a much tougher road test. Oklahoma State's defense against the 3-ball has been better than that of the Mountaineers this season. Also, the Cowboys are 3-1 ATS this season in games with a posted total in the 150s. West Virginia is 1-3 ATS this season in a game with a posted total in the 150s. 10* OKLAHOMA STATE |
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12-28-17 | Knicks v. Spurs OVER 199 | Top | 107-119 | Win | 100 | 11 h 54 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #507 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in San Antonio Spurs vs New York Knicks @ 8:35 ET - The Knicks are in a back to back spot and even though their game last night was ugly, the over is 5-1 this season when New York is in the 2nd game of a back to back. Also, the Knicks are 8-4 to the over in non-conference games and each of their last 2 visits to San Antonio have resulted in an over. The Spurs have been heating up on offense and have shot 48.8% or better from the field in 5 of their last 7 games. Their game versus Brooklyn Tuesday barely stayed under the total and prior to that 5 of San Antonio's last 7 home games had resulted in an over. We're getting value here because the Knicks have been staying under the total but truly the pace of their games has been conducive to an over. That said, with the way the Spurs are shooting and New York's willingness to run and be aggressive, this should fly over the total. 10* OVER the total in San Antonio |
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12-28-17 | Flyers +100 v. Panthers | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 22 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Game #55 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:35 ET - The Flyers, after being hot, lost 2 straight games and 3 of 4 before the Christmas break. They needed the break. The Panthers, after being cold, won 3 straight games before the Christmas break. The break was the worst thing that could have happened for Florida as it took away their momentum. Now the Panthers face a team that has beaten them 4 straight times by a combined score of 13 to 5. Of course we're getting line value here because this game is in Florida. Keep in mind the Flyers have a similar road record to their home record so it is nice to have the added value here with Philly being on the road. The Panthers have been nothing special at home this season. Also, Florida's Vincent Trocheck is dealing with a rib injury while the Flyers are expected to have Michal Neuvirth available tonight to back-up Brian Elliott between the pipes. So Philly is getting healthier while the Panthers have some question marks. The Flyers have won 5 of 8 this season after a game where they were held to 1 goal or less. The Panthers have lost 60 of 91 long-term when they were off of a shutout win. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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12-28-17 | Creighton v. Seton Hall OVER 161 | Top | 84-90 | Win | 100 | 9 h 7 m | Show |
Big East Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #515 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Seton Hall Pirates vs Creighton Bluejays @ 6:30 ET - Both these teams shoot the ball very well, like to play at a fast pace and create quick open looks, and their scoring numbers this season are very impressive. Seton Hall is averaging 83.5 points per game at home this season. Creighton is averaging 92.3 points per game overall this season. The over is a perfect 3-0 in the last 3 meetings between these teams. The Bluejays are a perfect 5-0 to the over this season in their games with a posted total in the 160s. Creighton also is a long-term 27-12 to the over when coming off of a non-conference game. Against teams with a winning record, Seton Hall is 5-2 to the over this season. Also, the Pirates are a perfect 3-0 to the over this season when they face a team that is averaging 77 points or more per game. Of course with the line at a 4 you know a close game is expected. Both teams are fully capable of staying in the game late thanks to strong 3-point shooting. That said, there can be plenty of "scramble points" in a game like this with plenty of late free throws and three pointers as there will be no quit from either team until the final horn. 10* OVER the total in Seton Hall |
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12-28-17 | Virginia Tech v. Oklahoma State -5.5 | Top | 21-30 | Win | 100 | 9 h 60 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CFB Game #244 Thursday 10* Top Play Oklahoma State Cowboys (-) vs Virginia Tech Hokies @ 5:15 ET in Camping World Bowl @ Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL - The Hokies will be without WR Cam Phillips and this is a significant absence as he was their leading receiver (by far) for both catches and yardage! That is going to make it even tougher for Virginia Tech to keep up with the high-flying Cowboys. Yes, I know that Hokies defensive coordinator Bud Foster has a great long-term reputation and that Virginia Tech's defense did bounce back this year after some tough seasons in recent years. However, the Hokies D was rarely challenged by strong passing attacks (schedule was friendly in that regard) but now Virginia Tech faces an OSU attack that will give them a ton of trouble. Note that in the Hokies games against West Virginia, East Carolina, and Pittsburgh, they allowed an average of 308 passing yards per game! As for Oklahoma State's offense they average nearly 600 yards per game including nearly 400 yards per game through the air! The Cowboys have faced the tougher schedule this season and Virginia Tech is a long-term 1-4 ATS as a neutral field underdog of 3.5 to 7 points. OSU is 3-0 ATS long-term against ACC opponents and also went 3-0 SU and ATS in non-conference games this season. Long-term they've won 40 of 53 games SU (and gone 31-22 ATS) when they are a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points. All but 1 of the Cowboys wins came by at least 7 points this season and all 3 of the Hokies losses came by 6 points or more! With that said, we've got a great number to work with here! 10* OKLAHOMA STATE |
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12-27-17 | Xavier v. Marquette OVER 161 | Top | 91-87 | Win | 100 | 11 h 51 m | Show |
Big East Blowout - Rickenbach CBB Game #727 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Marquette Golden Eagles vs Xavier Musketeers @ 8:30 ET - Both these teams are shooting lights out from three point land and the Musketeers are averaging 87 points per game this season while the Golden Eagles are averaging 83 points per game on the young season. With this total falling so far this morning, there is great value on the over in this one. Xavier is connecting on 39% of its three pointers and Marquette is hitting 40% from beyond the arc. Neither team is afraid to play at a fast pace. The Golden Eagles weakness is their defense and while the Musketeers are fairly solid defensively, Marquette is known for putting up especially impressive numbers on offense at home. That has this one destined for a shootout. The over is 7-3 this season in Xavier's games against teams with a winning record. The over is 63-44 when the Golden Eagles are off of a game where they allowed 60 points or less. Also, Marquette is 32-23 to the over when playing with 5 or 6 days of rest between games. The Golden Eagles are 28-19 to the over in their games against teams with a winning record. 10* OVER the total in Marquette |
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12-27-17 | Purdue +3.5 v. Arizona | Top | 38-35 | Win | 100 | 12 h 26 m | Show |
Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach CFB Game #275 Wednesday 10* Top Play Purdue Boilermakers (+) vs Arizona Wildcats in Foster Farms Bowl @ Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California @ 8:30 ET - The Boilermakers faced a much tougher schedule than Arizona did this season. Also, Purdue is the much better team on defense. The Wildcats allow 34.1 points per game while the Boilermakers allow only 19.3 points per game. Purdue has gone 4-2 ATS their last 6 as a dog and they are 3-0 ATS after a bye week as well as 3-0 ATS in non-conference action! In games with a line range from -3 to +3, the Wildcats have gone an ugly 2-6 SU and ATS! Of course when you have a poor defense you often struggle to win close games and that is likely to be the case again with Arizona here. While the Wildcats stumbled late in the season by losing each of their last 2 games and 3 of their last 4, the Boilermakers have the momentum edge as they won each of their last 2 games as well as 3 of their last 4. Arizona's strength on offense is their ground game but the Boilermakers are very strong against the run and allowed only 84 rushing yards per game their last 5 games of the regular season! 10* PURDUE |
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12-27-17 | Nuggets v. Wolves OVER 213 | Top | 125-128 | Win | 100 | 11 h 2 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Game #713 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Timberwolves vs Denver Nuggets @ 8:05 ET - The Nuggets are off of a big win over Utah last night where they held the Jazz to only 83 points. That makes it 3 straight unders in Denver's games but they haven't recorded more than 3 in a row since October. I see the streak of unders quickly coming to an end tonight as the Timberwolves have been red hot. Minnesota has won 4 straight games and offensive production has led the way. Minny has had 4 straight overs and the over is 10-3 in their last 13 games. The Timberwolves have been shooting the ball very well and the over is 5-1 in their divisional games this season. Also, Minnesota is a long-term 23-11 to the over when they enter a game on a streak of 3 or more consecutive overs. For Denver, the over is 9-5 this season and an incredible 41-13 the last 3 seasons combined when they face a team that is averaging 106 points or more per game. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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12-27-17 | Oilers v. Jets OVER 5.5 | Top | 3-4 | Win | 100 | 9 h 21 m | Show |
Total Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Game #15 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Winnipeg Jets vs Edmonton Oilers @ 8:05 ET - The Oilers Connor McDavid is listed as probable for this game but both teams are dealing with some blue line injuries. Of course that helps an over and that is a lot of solid reasoning as to why this one should fly over the total. Edmonton is heating up again with 4 straight wins and they've scored an average of 5 goals per game in their last 7 victories! The Jets enter this match up off of back to back losses but those were on the road. Winnipeg averages 4.2 goals per game at home and, as you would expect with those types of numbers, the Jets are 10-5 to the over in home games this season! The Oilers have trended under this season but the way they've been scoring goals of late coupled with the way the Jets light the lamp at home has this one headed for a barn-burner. Winnipeg is 9-4 to the over when playing with 3 or more days of rest between games. The Jets are 11-3 to the over when off of a non-conference game. 10* OVER the total in Winnipeg |
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12-26-17 | Jazz +6 v. Nuggets | Top | 83-107 | Loss | -110 | 12 h 27 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator Top Play - Rickenbach NBA Tuesday 10* Utah Jazz (+) @ Denver Nuggets @ 9:05 ET - Of course this is a revenge spot for the Nuggets as they lost at Utah by 29 in late November. However, is Denver really thinking that much about that here? The fact is that the Nuggets are off of a win over the NBA Champion Warriors in their final game before the NBA break. Also, Denver has another revenge game (at Minnesota) for tomorrow night and the Nuggets most recent home loss was to the Timberwolves just last week. You can truly see why Denver may not be fully focused here and they are going to have their hands full with a Utah team coming off of home loss to Oklahoma City. The Jazz are fired up as they've endured a tough stretch recently that has seen them lose 8 of their last 10 games. The best thing that could have happened for Utah was a break in the action and I look for the Jazz to come out renewed and refreshed after the Christmas break. As for the Nuggets, they are 1-9 ATS this season when off of a win by a double digit margin and that was a huge road win at Golden State on Saturday. Also, Denver is 12-30 SU long-term when off of an upset win as an underdog! As for the Jazz, they are a long-term 27-13 SU when off of a divisional game and, the fact they lost that divisional match-up at home against the Thunder means extra hunger for the road dog in this one. 10* UTAH |