10-08-19 |
Bruins v. Golden Knights UNDER 5.5 |
Top |
4-3 |
Loss |
-100 |
2 h 36 m |
Show
|
At 10:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (15) and the Vegas Golden Knights (16). THE SITUATION: Boston (2-0-0) has won their first two games this season after their 1-0 win in Arizona against the Coyotes on Saturday. Vegas (2-0-0) comes off a 5-1 victory at San Jose on Friday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bruins have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a victory. Boston has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than two goals this season. The Bruins are already playing defense at a championship level after losing in the Stanley to St. Louis last June. Boston has allowed only one goal this season after opening the season with a 2-1 win at Dallas. The Bruins stay on the road where they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total. Boston has also played 4 straight games Under the Total as an underdog priced in the +110 to +150 price range. Additionally, the Bruins have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after failing to score more than two goals in two straight games. Vegas has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a win. The Golden Knights have also played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total after a win by at least three goals — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least three goals against a fellow Pacific Division rival. Vegas opened their season with a 4-1 win at home against the Sharks as they avenged their playoff series loss to that San Jose team. The Golden Knights have then played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after being unbeaten in their last two games. Vegas has also played 10 of their last 12 home games Under the Total after scoring at least four goals in two straight games. The Golden Knight have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total — and the Under is 8-3-1 in their last 12 home games when priced as the favorite in the -110 to -150 range.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played four previous times in history in the first two years of the Vegas franchise — and those games all finished Under the Total with no more than five combined goals scored. Expect another lower-scoring game. 25* NHL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Boston Bruins (15) and the Vegas Golden Knights (16). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
10-07-19 |
Yankees v. Twins OVER 9 |
Top |
5-1 |
Loss |
-111 |
3 h 6 m |
Show
|
At 8:40 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (907) and the Minnesota Twins (908) listing both starting pitchers Luis Severino and Jake Odorizzi. THE SITUATION: New York (105-59) took a 2-0 lead in this series on Saturday with their 8-2 victory over the Twins. Minnesota (101-63) has lost three games in a row as they look to stave off elimination.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have scored eighteen runs in this series with their 10-4 victory in the opening game of this series. New York has then played 16 of their last 22 road games Over the Total after scoring at least seven runs in two straight games. The Yankees have also had their bullpen pitch 4 innings in three straight games totaling 15 1/2 innings overall — and they have then played 17 of their last 22 games Over the Total when their bullpen has pitched at least 4 innings in three straight contests. Now New York goes back on the road where they have played 27 of their last 41 road games Over the Total as a money-line favorite priced at least at -125. The Yankees have also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Over is 5-2-1 in New York’s last 8 games in the ALDS — and the Over is 21-5-1 in the Yankees’ last 27 games against teams from the AL Central. They give the ball to Severino who is 1-1 with a 1.50 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP in 12 innings of work this year after coming back from a right-shoulder and lat injury from last season. Looking at the right-hander's numbers from last season, Severino was not as effective on the road where he had a 3.99 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average .257 as compared to his 2.74 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and .217 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. The Yankees have played 7 straight games Over the Total on the road with Severino on the mound — and they have also played 32 of their last 49 games Over the Total with Severino pitching at night. Furthermore, New York has played 5 straight games Over the Total with Severino pitching against a team with a winning record. Minnesota has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total against teams that did not allow more than two runs in their last game. The Twins return home for the first time since September 22nd — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total after being on the road for at least seven days. The Over is also 7-1-2 in Minnesota’s last 10 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They counter with Odorizzi who is 15-7 with a 3.51 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in thirty starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he owns a 1.25 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .244 in fifteen starts as compared to his 1.17 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .223 when on the road. Odorizzi also has a 4.01 ERA in night games with a 1.28 WHIP. The Twins have played 4 straight games Over the Total with Odorizzi facing a team from the AL East.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total — and the Over is 18-7-2 in the last 27 meetings between these two teams when playing in Minnesota. 25* MLB ALDS Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (907) and the Minnesota Twins (908) listing both starting pitchers Luis Severino and Jake Odorizzi. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
10-07-19 |
Browns v. 49ers UNDER 48 |
Top |
3-31 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 22 m |
Show
|
At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (477) and the San Francisco 49ers (478). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (2-2) looks to build off their 40-25 victory in Baltimore against the Ravens last Sunday night. San Francisco (3-0) takes the field again after their 24-20 victory over Pittsburgh as a 6-point favorite back on September 22nd.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The offense under head coach Kyle Shanahan may get the headlines with the Niners 3-0 start — but it is the play of the defense that has led the way for this team. San Fransisco is third in the NFL by holding teams to just 283.3 total YPG — and they are allowing only 18.0 PPG. The 49ers defense has been helped by Shanahan calling running plays in 57% of their plays from scrimmage which burns clocks and keeps that defense fresh and off the field. San Francisco held the ball for 36:17 minutes against the Steelers which helped them limit the Pittsburgh offense to just 239 total yards of offense. The Niners have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The 49ers have outgained their last two opponents by +197 and +256 net yards — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after outgaining their last two opponents by at least +150 net yards in two straight games. San Francisco went into halftime of that game trailing by a 6-3 score — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not scoring more than 3 points in the first half of their last game. Jimmy Garappolo did pass for 277 yards in that contest — but the Niners have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 yards in their last game. San Francisco stays at home for this game where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. Cleveland has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns — and they have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a double-digit win over an AFC North rival. The Browns have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a double-digit upset victory as a road underdog. That game flew over the 47-point Total — and Cleveland has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Browns have also played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after playing a game where at least 50 combined points were scored. Cleveland committed to running the football to win on the road against the Ravens — they generated 193 rushing yards en route to their 528 total yards of offense. The Under is 3-1-1 in the Browns’ last 5 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 150 yards in their last contest. Cleveland has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 30 points in their last contest.
FINAL TAKE: The Browns are scoring just 22.2 PPG this season even after putting up 40 points last week. Expect a lower scoring game tonight with both teams deploying run-first offensive game plans. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (477) and the San Francisco 49ers (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
10-06-19 |
Colts v. Chiefs OVER 55.5 |
Top |
19-13 |
Loss |
-110 |
8 h 28 m |
Show
|
At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). THE SITUATION: Indianapolis (2-2) looks to rebound from their 31-24 upset loss at home to Oakland as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. Kansas City (4-0) remained undefeated last week with their 34-30 win at Detroit as a 7.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Patrick Mahomes had thrown at least two touchdown passes in fourteen straight games before getting shutout from touchdown passes last week against the Matt Patricia-coached Lions defense. Yet the Chiefs still put up 34 points while generating 438 yards of offense. Kansas City has then played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a point spread victory. The Chiefs have also played 6 straight games Over the Total after generating at least 350 yards in their last game. This Kansas City team under head coach Andy Reid has scored at least 25 points in a remarkable twenty-five straight games. They return home for just the second time this season where they have averaged 32 PPG with Mahomes as their quarterback. The problem for this Chiefs team remains their defense. Kansas City is allowing 259 passing YPG this year. The Chiefs have been even worse with their run defense as opposing rushers are averaging 5.9 Yards-Per-Carry which is translating into 150 rushing YPG. Detroit outgained KC last week with 447 total yards of offense — and the Over is 4-1-1 in the Chiefs’ last 6 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest. And in their last 11 games against fellow AFC opponents, the Over is 7-3-1 for Kansas City. Indianapolis will be challenged to slow down Mahomes and the dynamic Chiefs’ passing attack with defensive backs Malik Hooker and Clayton Geathers out with injuries. The Colts are allowing 25.5 PPG this season. But Jacoby Brissett has proven himself as a legitimate starting quarterback with over 900 passing yards in his first four starts with 10 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. It looks like Brissett will have the benefit of his wider receiver T.Y. Hilton on the field for this game with the reports indicating he will play despite his quad injury. Indianapolis has played 31 of their last 41 games Over the Total after an upset loss as a home favorite. Additionally, the Colts have played 36 of their last 53 games in the month of October Over the Total — and this includes them playing six straight Overs on the road in October.
FINAL TAKE: Indianapolis has played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total when playing on a grass field (as opposed to the field turf at Lucas Oil Field). The Chiefs will be hard to stop on offense in this game — don’t be surprised if they approach the 40 point threshold against the banged-up Colts defense. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Indianapolis Colts (475) and the Kansas City Chiefs (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
10-06-19 |
Dodgers v. Nationals OVER 8.5 |
Top |
10-4 |
Win
|
100 |
5 h 18 m |
Show
|
At 7:45 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (955) and the Washington Nationals (956) listing both starting pitchers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Anibal Sanchez. THE SITUATION: Washington (95-70) evened this best-of-five series at 1 game apiece on Friday with their 4-2 victory over the Dodgers. The Nationals used Max Scherzer for an inning of relief in that game — so his planned start for Game Three will be pushed back until tomorrow with Sanchez taking the start instead. Los Angeles had won eight straight games before that loss.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 3-0-1 in the Nationals’ last 4 games against an opponent that did not score more than two runs in their last game. They return home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Washington has also played 4 of their last 5 games in the playoffs Over the Total with the series tied. Sanchez is 11-8 with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in thirty starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he owns a 4.24 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .250 in fifteen starts. The Over is 5-2-1 in the Dodgers’ last 8 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Over is also 5-2-1 in Los Angeles’ last 8 games after an off day. Additionally, the Over is 21-9-1 in the Dodgers’ last 31 road games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 26 road games with the Total set at 8 to 8.5, Los Angeles has played 18 of these games Over the Total. They counter with Ryu who is 14-5 with a 2.32 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in twenty-nine starts this year. But while the left-hander was nearly unhittable at home this year with a 1.93 ERA along with a 0.94 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .21 in fourteen starts, those numbers rose to a 2.72 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and a very pedestrian opponent’s batting average of .253 in his fifteen stars on the road. Ryu also sees his ERA rise to a 3.11 mark during night games with a 1.13 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in twenty starts. Ryu does not have a glowing postseason history either givens 5.40 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in 26 2/3 innings in the playoffs. The Dodgers have played 9 of their last 13 road games Over the Total with Ryu facing a team with a winning record. He faces a hot-hitting Nationals team that is scoring 5.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .273 batting average and an On-Base Percentage of .343 over that span.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Over the Total when playing in Washington. Expect a higher scoring game with at least one of these offenses breaking out for a big game. 25* MLB NLDS Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers (955) and the Washington Nationals (956) listing both starting pitchers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Anibal Sanchez. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
10-05-19 |
Tulane v. Army UNDER 43.5 |
Top |
42-33 |
Loss |
-105 |
1 h 22 m |
Show
|
At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (323) and the Army Black Knights (324). THE SITUATION: Tulane (3-1) returns to the field after their 38-31 victory as a 4-point favorite over Houston back on September 19th. Army (3-1) looks to build off their 52-21 win over Morgan State two Saturdays ago as a 45.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Green Wave raced out to a 28-14 halftime lead over the Cougars for that Thursday night game over two weeks ago — and they have then played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least 24 points in the first half of their last game. Tulane has also played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a victory over a fellow American Conference West opponent. The Green Wave rushed for 325 yards in that game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 300 yards. Tulane is 26th in the nation with their run-first offense by averaging 6.56 Yards-Per-Play. But they only scored 6 points in their lone road game this season at Auburn. But head coach Willie Fritz’s team is underrated on the defensive side of the football — they held the Tigers to only 24 points in their first road game of the year. Overall, they are holding their opponents to just 18.7 PPG along with only 340.2 total YPG. Tulane has eight starters back from last year’s team that played both Army and Navy — so this is a group experienced in dealing with the spread triple option. The Green Wave also returned all but one of their rotation players on their defensive line from last year’s group. Getting more than two weeks to prepare for this unique offense will certainly help. And Tulane has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 37 points in their last game. Now the Green Wave go back on the road where they have played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Furthermore, Tulane has placed 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against non-conference opponents. Army has played 9 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a victory by at least 20 points — and they have played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a game where at least 70 combined points were scored. The Black Knights have also played 13 of their last 18 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. And while Army generated 483 yards of offense in that game, they have played 15 of their last 18 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. This team does look to get their starting quarterback, Kelvin Hopkins, back for this game after he missed the last two games with a leg injury since the Black Knights heartbreaking 24-21 overtime loss at Michigan. Army plays outstanding defense — they are limiting their opponents to only 16.2 PPG along with just 287.7 total YPG with those numbers dropping to just 14.0 PPG when playing at home along with only 275.5 total YPG that they allow. The Black Knights thrive with their run defense as well as they are limiting their opponents to allow only 104 rushing YPG along with just 3.1 Yards-Per-Carry. Army limited Michigan to just 108 rushing yards three weeks ago — and they have had two weeks to prepare for the Green Wave run-oriented spread offense. The Black Knights have played 22 of their last 27 games Under the Total after a bye week. Moving forward, Army has played 24 of their last 33 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total as an underdog of 3 points or less.
FINAL TAKE: Tulane won last year’s meeting between these two teams by a 21-17 score in New Orleans. Expect another low scoring game. 25* CFB CBS Sports Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (323) and the Army Black Knights (324). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
10-03-19 |
Rams v. Seahawks UNDER 50 |
Top |
29-30 |
Loss |
-109 |
8 h 37 m |
Show
|
At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (3-1) looks to bounce-back from their 55-40 loss to Tampa Bay last Sunday as a 9-point favorite. Seattle (3-1) comes off a 27-10 win at Arizona on Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rams have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home. The Los Angeles defense could not stop Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers offense — they surrendered 464 yards in that game. This team had entered the Week Four having allowed the second-fewest points in the league to the Patriots — and they are still only allowing 330.2 total YPG even after what the Bucs did to them. The Rams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 350 yards in their last contest. Look for head coach Sean McVay to commit to getting running back Todd Gurley involved in this game early. McVay claimed he wanted Gurley to get around 25 touches last week against the Buccaneers — but falling behind early in that game lulled the LA offense into relying on their passing attack. Gurley did not even get his first touch in that game until their fourth possession in the eighteenth offensive play of the game. In fact, Gurley has rushed the ball only 19 times in the first half in the first four games of the season with that mark rising to 30 combined carries in the second half so far this year (with a nice 5.0 Yards-Per-Carry mark). Jared Goff completed 45 of 68 passes in that game for 517 yards — but the Rams only ran the ball 11 times all game for a mere 28 yards. The Rams have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total after they attempted at least 50 passes in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after passing for at least 250 passing yards in their last contest. Getting Gurley involved earlier in the game will also help Goff sell the play-action pass — he has a low 60 Passer Rating on play-action passes this season because defenses are not taking the bait on the potential handoff to the running back. More running will also help Goff in the passing game where he is not nearly as effective as he is when playing at home. Los Angeles is averaging 298 passing YPG this season with Goff completing 64.2% of his passes while averaging 6.9 Yards-Per-Attempt — but those marks drop to just 219 passing YPG into their two road games this season with Goff completing just 61.7% of his passes while averaging just 5.7 YPA. The Rams have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Seattle rebounded from their upset loss at home to the Saints by being on offense for 33:24 minutes of their game with the Cardinals. The Seahawks will want to continue to control the clock to keep the Rams offense off the field while keeping their defense fresh. Seattle has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a double-digit win. The Seahawks have scored at least 27 points in each of their last three games — and they have played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total after scoring at least 25 points in three straight games. Furthermore, Seattle has averaged 6.78 and 6.18 Yards-Per-Play in each of their last two games — and they have then played 6 straight games Under the Total after averaging at least 6.0 YPP in two straight games. Additionally, the Seahawks have played 9 of their last 14 games Under the Total with the Total set at 49.5 or higher — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total in Weeks 5 through 9.
FINAL TAKE: Both teams will likely look to establish their ground game tonight — and that will burn time off the moving clock. The possibility of thunderstorms may also play a big role in this contest being a battle of the respective rushing attacks. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 encounters in Seattle Under the Total. 25* NFC West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (301) and the Seattle Seahawks (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
10-01-19 |
Brewers v. Nationals OVER 7.5 |
Top |
3-4 |
Loss |
-105 |
5 h 20 m |
Show
|
At 8:08 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Brewers (911) and the Washington Nationals (912) listing both starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Max Scherzer. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (89-73) plays in this single-elimination game having lost three straight games over the weekend in Colorado that culminated in a 4-3 loss to the Rockies on Sunday. Washington (93-69) has won eight in a row after their 8-2 victory at home over Cleveland on Sunday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Nationals have been crushing the baseball during this winning streak — they have scored at least eight runs in their last three games. Over their last seven games, Washington is scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game with a .302 batting average along with a .378 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .891. The Over is 3-0-1 in the Nationals’ last 4 games after a victory —and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, Washington has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total. They stay at home to host this playoff game where the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games — and they have played 6 of their last 9 home games Over the Total with the number set at 7 to 7.5. The Over is also 7-3-1 in the Nats’ last 11 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. They give the ball to Scherzer who is 11-7 with a 2.92 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in twenty-seven starts this season. But the ace right-hander has not been the same since coming off the disabled list with a back injury. In his seven starts since his return, Scherzer has a 4.74 ERA over 38 innings of work. Scherzer also has a surprising 4.00 ERA in his 27 innings of work at home in playoff games with a 1.22 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .243 which are all numbers much higher than what he usually produces. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 home games Over the Total with Scherzer on the hill — and they have also played 9 of their last 14 games Over the Total with Scherzer pitching at night. Milwaukee has played 5 of their last 7 opening games to a new series Over the Total. They counter with Woodruff who is 11-3 with a 3.62 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP in twenty-two starts. The right-hander was out for two months with an oblique injury and has only pitched twice in two two-inning stints since his return from the disabled list. Woodruff has done his best pitching at home where he owns a 3.06 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and .227 opponent’s batting average — but those numbers rise to a 4.41 ERA along with a 1.27 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .258 in his nine starts on the road. The Brewers have played 4 straight games Over the Total with Woodruff on the mound when facing a team with a winning record. Woodruff will not likely pitch more than a couple of innings before giving way to Jordan Lyles. He has a 12-8 record this season with a 4.15 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP in twenty-eight starts — but his ERA rises to a 4.36 mark in his fourteen starts on the road.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on August 18th in Washington where the Nationals won by a 16-8 score. Milwaukee has played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when avenging a road loss by at least eight runs. These two teams have played 6 of their last 8 encounters Over the Total — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total when playing in Washington. 25* MLB Wildcard Playoff Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Milwaukee Brewers (911) and the Washington Nationals (912) listing both starting pitchers Brandon Woodruff and Max Scherzer. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-30-19 |
Bengals v. Steelers UNDER 45.5 |
Top |
3-27 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 6 m |
Show
|
At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (278). THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (0-3) looks to bounce-back from their 21-17 loss at Buffalo last Sunday as a 5.5-point underdog. Pittsburgh (0-3) remained winless this season with their 24-20 loss at San Francisco last Sunday as a 6-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bengals fell behind to the Bills by a 14-0 score at halftime while only managing 306 total yards of offense in that game. Cincinnati has then played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after trading beat last two touchdowns at halftime in their last game — and the Under is also 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after a straight-up loss. The Bengals have also played 13 of their last 17 road games Under the Total after losing a game where they covered the point spread as the underdog. Furthermore, this team has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after losing three straight games. The problems with the Cincy offense starts with the ground game. After managing to average 3.5 Yards-Per-Carry against the Bills last week, they actually raised their YPC mark for the season to just 2.4 YPC which remains dead last in the league. The Bengals running backs are not getting much help at all from their offensive line — they are averaging just 0.3 yards before contact which is also last in the NFL. These limitations in their rushing attack have made Cincinnati one-dimensional. Quarterback Andy Dalton is averaging 43.3 passing attempts per game which is well above his previous season-high of 36.6 passing attempts per game. The Bengals stay on the road where the Under is 4-0-1 in their last 5 games — and they have played 4 straight road games Under the Total against teams with a losing record at home. The defense has also been an issue for this team after they allowed Buffalo to generate 416 yards last week. Cincinnati has played 31 of their last 46 road games Under the Total after allowing at least 400 yards in their last game — and they have played 31 of their last 47 games Under the Total after giving up at least 400 YPG over their last three games. Pittsburgh has played 5 of the last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 6 points or less. Mason Rudolph struggled in his first start for this team after the season-ending injury to Big Ben Roethlisberger. He completed just 14 of 27 passes for 174 yards against the Niners last week. San Francisco was also able to concentrate on slowing down James Connor — the Steelers managed to rush for only 79 yards on 22 carries last week. Pittsburgh has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after failing to rush for at least 90 yards in their last game. With the Steelers struggling with their offensive line, head coach Mike Tomlin will need more from his defense that is better than how they have played this season. The addition of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick will certainly help. Pittsburgh surrendered 168 rushing yards along with 268 passing yards last week — but they have then played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after allowing at least 150 rushing yards in their last game and they have played 18 of their last 25 games Under the Total after allowing at least 250 passing yards in their last contest. Moving forward, the Steelers have played 8 straight games Under the Total after playing a non-conference opponent — and they have also played 38 of their last 56 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 8 of their last 10 meetings in Pittsburgh Under the Total. Expect a low-scoring game between these two desperate divisional rivals. 25* AFC North Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Bengals (277) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (278). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-25-19 |
Orioles v. Blue Jays OVER 10.5 |
Top |
2-3 |
Loss |
-110 |
4 h 48 m |
Show
|
At 7:07 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (967) and the Toronto Blue Jays (968) listing both starting pitchers Gabriel Ynoa and Jacob Waguespack. THE SITUATION: Baltimore (52-106) won the second game of this series last night by an 11-4 score. Toronto (64-94) has lost three of their last four games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Orioles have played 20 of their last 30 games Over the Total after a game where at least 15 combined runs were scored. Baltimore has also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total after scoring at least 10 runs in their last contest. Additionally, the Orioles have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total again teams with a losing record — and they have played 5 straight games Over the Total against teams from the AL East. They give the ball to Ynoa who is 1-9 with a 5.65 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 106 2/3 innings this season. The right-hander particularly struggled on the road with a 6.34 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .284 in 49 2/3 innings of work in seventeen appearances which include six starts. Baltimore has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with Ynoa on the mound. And while their bullpen has thrown 13 1/3 innings of work over their last two games, they have then played a decisive 35 of their last 51 games Over the Total after their bullpen pitched at least 9 combined innings over their last two games. Ynoa has surrendered 27 gopher balls this season — and he faces a Blue Jays team that has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Over is also 9-1-1 in Toronto’s last 11 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Blue Jays’ bullpen has pitched a whopping 11 and 8 innings apiece in their last two games — and they have played 15 of their last 22 games Over the Total when they have pitched at least 5 innings in two straight games. Furthermore, the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after a win — and the Over is 7-0-1 in their last 8 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 5-0-1 in Toronto’s last 6 games at home — and the Over is 5-0-1 in their last 6 games against teams with a winning percentage over 60%. They counter with Waguespack who is 4-5 with a 4.75 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in twelve starts (fifteen games). The right-hander has struggled at home where he owns a 5.96 ERA along with a 1.71 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .308 in four starts (six games). The Over is 3-0-1 in the Blue Jays’ last 4 games with Waguespack pitching on astroturf. He faces a Baltimore team that has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: The Orioles have scored 26 combined runs over their last two games — and they are scoring 6.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games. Toronto is averaging 6.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games themselves. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Baltimore Orioles (967) and the Toronto Blue Jays (968) listing both starting pitchers Gabriel Ynoa and Jacob Waguespack. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-24-19 |
Phillies v. Nationals OVER 8 |
Top |
5-6 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 58 m |
Show
|
At 7:05 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the Washington Nationals (908) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Max Scherzer. THE SITUATION: Washington (87-69) won the opening game of their doubleheader today with the Phillies by a 4-1 score. The Nationals have now won four of their last five games while Philadelphia (79-76) has five of their last six games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 3-1-1 in the Phillies’ last 5 games on the road — and the Over is also 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Nola who is 12-6 with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in thirty-three starts. The sabermetrics indicate that Nola is overachieving this season with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.14 and 3.83 respectively moving forward. The right-hander has not been as effective on the road where he has a 4.99 ERA along with a 1.32 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in fourteen starts as compared to his 2.91 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and .219 opponent’s batting average at home. The Phillies have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with Nola facing a team with a winning record. Washington has seen the Over go 5-2-2 in their last 9 home games against teams with a losing record. The Nationals have also played 17 of their last 23 home games Over the Total in the month of September. They counter with Scherzer who is 10-7 with a 2.81 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in twenty-six starts this season. Scherzer does not seem to be 100% right now as he has a 4.50 ERA since coming off the disabled list back on August 25th. The right-hander has been not quite as good at home as well where he has a 2.97 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and .225 opponent’s batting average in fourteen starts as opposed to his 2.64 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and .218 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Over is 17-6-1 in Washington’s last 24 games with Scherzer pitching against fellow NL East opponents. The Nationals have also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total with Scherzer pitching against the Phillies.
FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total when facing a starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the Washington Nationals (908) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Max Scherzer. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-23-19 |
Bears v. Redskins UNDER 42 |
Top |
31-15 |
Loss |
-110 |
5 h 7 m |
Show
|
At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (489) and the Washington Redskins (490). THE SITUATION: Chicago (1-1) looks to build off their 16-14 win in Denver last Sunday as a 3-point favorite. Washington (0-2) looks to bounce-back from a 31-21 loss at home to Dallas as a 6-point underdog last week.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Bears have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread loss. The biggest problem for this team has been with their offense as they have managed only one touchdown. Third-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky looks like he has taken a step back this season — he is completing only 58.3% of his passes. Perhaps in what is more telling, head coach Matt Nagy does not seem to trust Trubisky to move the ball with his arm given his play-calling in the first two weeks of the season. The Bears are averaging a mere 265.3 total YPG this season — and defenses are quickly adapting to the lack of a vertical passing attack given Nagy’s apparent discomfort in enabling Trubisky to take chances down the field. Trubisky’s best passing games last year were at home — so expect another conservative game plan from Nagy tonight as Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. This is likely the smart move given the outstanding defense that the Bears possess. Chicago is 4th in the league in total defense while also ranking 6th in rushing defense — and they have registered seven sacks in their first two games. The Bears held the Broncos to only a field goal in the first half last week — and they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the first half of their last game. Chicago has also played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last contest. The Bears did allow 372 total yards last week as they bent frequently to the Broncos while rarely breaking — but they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total after allowing more than 350 yards in their last game. Additionally, Chicago has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have played 10 of their last 15 games Under the Total wit the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. The Bears have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of September — and they have played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total against fellow NFC opponents. Washington has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after losing two straight games. The Skins are ravaged with injuries on both sides of the football. The offense is on their third quarterback with Alex Smith out the year and Colt McCoy out with a leg injury. Case Keenum is solid but not spectacular — but he lacks dynamic weapons with running back Derrius Guice once again on Injured Reserve with a knee injury and tight end Jordan Reed still in the concussion protocol. And this offense really misses left tackle Trent Williams who continues to hold out — his absence has left the Skins’ offensive line a mess. They gained only 255 yards of offense last week against the Cowboys while rushing for only 47 yards. Washington has attempted only 30 rushing plays this season for a mere 75 yards. The Skins have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total after not rushing for more than 90 yards in their last game. Furthermore, Washington was outrushed by -166 yards last week — and they have then played 5 straight games Under the Total after being outrushed by at least 100 yards. The Skins have also played 18 of their last 25 home games Under the Total after being outrushed by at least 100 yards. Frankly, Washington needs to play better on the defense. Missing Reuben Foster and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie who are both injured hurts — but there is still talent on that side of the ball. The Skins have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game.
FINAL TAKE: Both of these teams will be looking to establish their ground game to help put their quarterbacks in better positions to succeed. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Chicago Bears (489) and the Washington Redskins (490). Best of luck for us — Frank. (Follow Frank on Twitter @FrankSawyer_HS where today he posts his Monday Morning Handicapper post regarding what team “identity” means and its connection to have a method for handicapping.)
|
09-22-19 |
Rams v. Browns UNDER 51 |
Top |
20-13 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 21 m |
Show
|
At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (487) and the Cleveland Browns (488). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (2-0) looks to build off their 27-9 win over New Orleans last week as a 2-point favorite. Cleveland (1-1) comes off a 23-3 win in New York against the Jets on Monday Night Football.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Browns have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a win by at least two touchdowns. And despite gaining 375 yards of offense last week, the Under is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games after gaining at least 350 yards in their last game. Second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield is experiencing some growing pains in this offense executing the passing game. He completed only 19 of 35 passes for 325 yards with a touchdown and an interception last week. He is dropping too far deep in the pocket on too many of his passing attempts. And when he stays in the pocket, he is too often bailout out with his left leg in his follow-through which is impacting is accuracy. Both of these bad habits can be attributed to his concerns about the opposing team’s pass rush. One of the big costs in acquiring wide receiver Odell Beckham was that had to ship off their solid right guard, Kevin Zeitler, to the Giants to complete the deal. Mayfield has been sacked eight times already this season — he has been sacked once in every ten pass plays this season as compared to his being sacked once every twenty pass plays last year. Those are ominous numbers when now facing Aaron Donald and this Rams defense. Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is one of the best in the business — expect him to take Beckham away as a deep threat while daring Mayfield to be willing to be patient with his targets underneath. The Browns have a dynamic pass rush as well led by emerging star Myles Garrett who already has registered five sacks this season. Cleveland has held their first two opponents to just 300.5 total YPG. They return home where the Under is 15-6-1 in their last 22 games — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. The Browns have also played 30 of their last 46 games Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Los Angeles is also playing outstanding defense after limiting the Saints to just 244 total yards last week (while knocking Drew Brees out of that game). The Rams have held their first two opponents to just 18.0 PPG along with only 293.5 total YPG. They have become a run-heavy team behind Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown who are both averaging over 5.0 Yards-Per-Carry this season. But this Rams team is being challenged with their depth on their offensive line with a rash of injuries at that position. Rookie Jamil Demby, a sixth-round pick, may have to make his first professional start at right guard for Austin Blythe who is out with a left ankle. The LA offense is not as dynamic on the road where they scored a nice 28.4 PPG last season but averaged only 387.6 total YPG — and that was -4 PPG below their season average along with over -30 YPG less than their overall average. QB Jared Goff averaged 342.1 passing YPG at home last year — but that number dropped to just 238 passing YPG on the road. The Rams have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road.
FINAL TAKE: Both these teams have outstanding defenses. Both of these offenses have dynamic playmakers but are limited a bit given the respective state of their offensive lines. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Los Angeles Rams (487) and the Cleveland Browns (488). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-22-19 |
Liverpool v. Chelsea OVER 2.5 |
Top |
2-1 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 13 m |
Show
|
At 11:30 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Liverpool (200017) and Chelsea (200018). THE SITUATION: Liverpool (W5-D0-L0) remained perfect so far in the English Premier League last Saturday with their 3-1 win at home over Newcastle. Chelsea (W2-D3-L1) comes off a dominant 5-2 win at Wolverhampton last Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blues were led by Tammy Abraham who registered a hat trick to lead the way in that big victory over the Wolves. Abraham has already scored seven times for Frank Lampard’s side to give this Chelsea team a scoring threat at forward they have not had since Diego Costa helped them win an EPL championship a few seasons ago. The Blues have scored ten goals in their last three matches as they are finding plenty of scoring opportunities in Lampard’s system. Chelsea is third in the EPL by averaging 16.5 shots per match — and that number rises to 18.7 shots per game when they play at home at Stamford Bridge. But the Blues have also allowed eleven goals this season which is the second-most in the EPL. Lampard’s tactics are leaving this Chelsea team vulnerable in the midfield when they are not possessing the football — and that is a terrifying prospect for them when now facing Mo Salah and Sadio Mane of this powerful Liverpool team. The Reds have scored fifteen goals this season — and the reigning Champions League titleholders are second in the EPL by averaging 18.2 shots per game. Liverpool has seen six combined goals scored in their two road matches this season where they are average 15 shots per match which is also second in the league. An area of concern for this Reds team this season as they strive to win the EPL championship has been the play of their backline which has not been quite as stout as their play of last year. Liverpool has only one clean sheet this season as they have been relying on their prolific scoring attack that has netted at least three goals in four of their five matches.
FINAL TAKE: Chelsea has scored in nineteen of their last twenty matches with Liverpool across all competitions. Expect a higher scoring match. 25* EPL Sunday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Liverpool (200017) and Chelsea (200018). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-21-19 |
Central Florida v. Pittsburgh UNDER 61 |
Top |
34-35 |
Loss |
-110 |
1 h 13 m |
Show
|
At 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Central Florida Knights (319) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (320). THE SITUATION: Central Florida (3-0) remained undefeated this season with their 45-27 clubbing at home against Stanford last Saturday as a 9.5-point favorite. Pittsburgh (1-2) looks to bounce-back from a 17-10 loss at Penn State last week as a 17-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Knights have played 16 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a point spread win. UCF is using their third-string (or fourth string) quarterback this season with freshman Dillon Gabriel getting the snaps. Senior QB McKenzie Milton is out the season with a knee injury and his backup, Darriel Mack, missed all of training camp with an ankle injury. Second-year head coach Josh Heupel brought in Brandon Wimbush from Notre Dame as a transfer student to compete for the starting job but Gabriel’s ability to operate the up-tempo RPO system inspired by the Art Briles school of offense has kept him on the field. But this is still a true freshman playing in a hostile environment for this contest. The Knights have played 4 straight games on the road Under the Total. Gabriel led an offense that generated 545 yards of offense against the Cardinal — but UCF has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Knights have also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. While the offense has been getting most of the headlines for this UCF team, they have been outstanding on defense. The Knights limited the Cardinal to just 349 yards of offense last week. While they have allowed just 41 points in their three games this season, most of those points have been surrendered in garbage time in the season half. UCF has played 5 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record — and they have also played 30 of their last 46 games Under the Total in the first month of the season. Pittsburgh has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Junior QB Kenny Pickett completed 35 of 51 passes for 372 yards in a losing effort last week — but the Panthers have played 5 straight games Under the Total after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. Fifth-year head coach Pat Narduzzi received plenty of criticism for going for a field goal in the 4th quarter on a 4th-and-one play on the one-yard line — an attempt that was missed — rather than going for the potential game-tying touchdown. While he deserves all the heat for that decision, it demonstrated his confidence in his defense since he assumed his offense would get the ball back again. The former Michigan State defensive coordinator is overseeing a defensive unit this year that is allowing only 19.0 PPG along with just 303.7 total YPG — and that number drops to 261.0 total YPG in their two games at home. The Panthers have played 4 straight home games Under the Total — and they have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Under the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. But a troubling observation about this team is that they have not scored an offensive touchdown in the second half of their last six games.
FINAL TAKE: Pitt has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have also played 17 of their last 21 games Under the Total as an underdog. They will be looking to avenge a 45-13 loss at UFC last season as a 13.5-point dog. The Total of that game was in the 65.5 range — expect another lower scoring game in this one. 25* CFB Television Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Central Florida Knights (319) and the Pittsburgh Panthers (320). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-20-19 |
Rangers v. A's UNDER 8.5 |
Top |
0-8 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 48 m |
Show
|
At 10:07 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (927) and the Oakland A’s (928) listing both starting pitchers Mike Minor and Mike Fiers. Texas (74-79) has lost five straight games after their 3-2 loss in Houston yesterday. Oakland (92-61) has won two straight games as well as eight of their last nine contests with their 1-0 win over Kansas City on Wednesday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rangers have played 6 straight games Under the Total after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. The Under is also 16-5-1 in their last 22 games after a victory — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after an off day. Texas goes back on the road where the Under is 33-16-2 in their last 51 games — and they have played 24 of their last 35 road games Under the Total in the second half of the season. The Rangers have also played 6 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. And in their last 28 games against teams with a winning record overall, Texas has played 19 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Minor who is 13-9 with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in thirty starts. The left-hander has been more effective on the road where he owns a 2.63 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .218 in sixteen starts as compared to his 4.22 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and .264 opponent’s batting average at home. The Under is 19-6-1 in the Rangers’ last 26 road games with Minor on the mound — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games with Minor pitching as an underdog. He faces an A’s lineup that is hitting just .235 over their last seven games with a meager .310 On-Base Percentage during that span. The Under is 3-1-1 in Oakland’s last 5 home games against left-handed starting pitchers. The A’s have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring two runs or less in their last game — and they have also played 17 of their last 23 games Under the Total after a game where neither team scored more than four runs. Oakland defeated the Royals by a 2-1 score on Tuesday — and they have then played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total after winning two straight games just one run. The A’s have also played 16 of their last 22 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 8 or 8.5. They counter with Fiers who is 14-4 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP in thirty-one starts. The right-hander has been at his best at home where he owns a 3.15 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .227 in sixteen starts. Oakland has played 5 of their last 6 home games Under the Total with Fiers pitching with the Total set at 8 to 8.5. They also have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total with Fiers pitching as a big favorite priced at -175 to -250. He faces a Rangers’ team that is hitting just .246 over their last seven games with a .307 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .697 during that span. The Under is 26-8-1 in Texas’ last 35 road games against right-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: The A’s have won the last five meetings between these two teams — and the Rangers have played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total when looking to avenge at least four straight losses. 25* MLB American League West Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (927) and the Oakland A’s (928) listing both starting pitchers Mike Minor and Mike Fiers. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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09-20-19 |
Utah v. USC OVER 52.5 |
Top |
23-30 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 29 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Utah Utes (305) and the USC Trojans (306). THE SITUATION: Utah (3-0) has won their first three games this season after their 31-0 shutout win over Idaho State last week as a 36.5-point favorite. USC (2-1) looks to bounce-back from their 30-27 upset loss at BYU in overtime last Saturday as a 4.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Utes have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Utah has also played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. The Utes have scored at least 30 points in all three of their games this season in what have been all easy victories by at least 18 points. The ceiling is higher for this Utah offense led by senior quarterback Tyler Huntley and senior running back Zack Moss. Those two helped the Utes score at last 40 points in four straight games during a stretch last year before they both suffered season-ending injuries. Moss has rushed for 371 yards in his three career contests against the Trojans. Huntley is completing 78% of his passes behind an offensive line that has not allowed a sack this year. Huntley has also not thrown an interception. This offense should put up plenty of points against a suspect USC defense that allowed BYU to generate 430 yards last week. The talent at the defensive line has declined under head coach Clay Helton’s tenure — and the secondary had no returning starters from last year along with eight newcomers at cornerback in the fall. Greg Johnson was the only cornerback on the roster with starting experience but he is listed as questionable as he goes through the concussion protocol. And the Trojans’ best defensive lineman, Christian Rector, is listed as questionable with an undisclosed injury after not playing last week. The USC defense struggled against dual-threat QB Jorge Reyna to open the season so Huntley is poised to have a big night. Utah has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 13 of their last 19 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. USC has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a straight-up loss. The Trojans did generate 452 yards against the Cougars defense in that loss with freshman quarterback Kedon Slovis completing 24 of 34 passes for 281 yards. Slovis did throw three interceptions in that game — and USC has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a game where they committed at least three turnovers. The Trojans have also played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. This team is left with Slovis being under center after sophomore Jack Sears entered the transfer portal window after losing the starting gig to J.T. Daniels who then suffered a season-ending knee injury in that opening game against Fresno State. Slovis demonstrated he can operate the new Air Raid offense under head coach Graham Harrell in his first start two weeks ago as he passed for 377 yards three touchdown passes against Stanford. Additionally, the Over is 21-9-2 in the Trojans’ last 32 home games against teams with a winning record.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight contests against each other Over the Total. USC will be feisty to win this game — but they may not be able to keep up with the Utah offense. Expect a higher scoring game. 25* CFB Friday FS1-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Utah Utes (305) and the USC Trojans (306). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-20-19 |
AFC Bournemouth v. Southampton OVER 2.5 |
Top |
3-1 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 31 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Bournemouth (20001) and Southampton (20002). THE SITUATION: Bournemouth (W2-D1-L2) looks to build off a 3-1 win over Everton last Sunday. Southampton (W2-D1-L2) comes off a 1-0 win over Sheffield City.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Bournemouth has seen each of their last four matches combine for at least three goals scored. The Cherries have scored seven times in those four matches while conceding eight times. With forwards Callum Wilson and Joshua King along with midfielder Ryan Fraser, this Bournemouth team has three players who can score goals — they ranked 7th in the EPL in goals scored last season. But the Cherries are porous on defense. Last season, Bournemouth allowed the third-most goals in the English Premier League. In their nineteen road matches, the Cherries scored 26 times while conceding a whopping 45 goals. Furthermore, in their thirteen road matches against non-Big Six sides, Bournemouth scored 23 goals while conceding 23 times. This season, the Cherries have allowed 15.2 shots per match which is fifth-most in the EPL. That number gets worse on the road where Bournemouth has allowed 19 shots per match which is fourth-most in the league. Southampton also gives up a ton of shots — they allow 15 shots per match which is 6th most in the league. At home, the Saints allowed 18 shots per game which is the second-highest number in the EPL. Southampton conceded the sixth-most shots in the EPL. In their nineteen home matches last year, the Saints scored 27 goals while conceding 30 times.
FINAL TAKE: These two sides last played back on April 27th where Southampton hosted at St. Mary’s in a match that resulted in a 3-3 draw. Expect another higher-scoring match with at least three combined goals scored. 25* EPL Friday NBC Sports Network Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Bournemouth (20001) and Southampton (20002). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-19-19 |
Titans v. Jaguars UNDER 40 |
Top |
7-20 |
Win
|
100 |
8 h 11 m |
Show
|
At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (301) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (302). THE SITUATION: Tennessee (1-1) looks to bounce-back from their 19-17 upset loss at home to Indianapolis last week as a 3-point favorite. Jacksonville (0-2) also looks to rebound from a 13-12 loss at Houston on Sunday as a 7.5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Titans managed only 242 yards of offense last week in their loss to the Colts despite playing on their home field. Quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 19 of 28 passes which is efficient — but they generated just 154 passing yards. Tennessee seems to have abandoned all hope in even demonstrating a drop-back passing game with Mariota — and that likely means that the whispers to have Ryan Tannehill replace him under center are legitimate since at least the former Dolphins quarterback can matriculate the football down the field. Defenses are already adapting to these tendencies by crowding the box to slow down the horizontal passing game along with the rushing attack led by Derrick Henry. These are not encouraging developments for an offense that scored only 19.4 PPG last season (27th in the NFL) while averaging just 312.6 total YPG (25th in the NFL). Head coach Mike Vrabel is likely to continue to rely on his defense that was 8th in the NFL last year by allowing only 333.4 total YPG while also ranking 3rd in the league by giving up just 18.9 PPG. The Titans limited Indianapolis to only 288 total yards last week. Tennessee has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a game against an AFC South rival. The Titans have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against AFC South foes. And in their last 7 road games when favored by no more than 3 points, Tennessee has played 5 of these games Under the Total. Jacksonville has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a loss on the road. Furthermore, the Jaguars have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 3 points or less. And in their last 7 games after a point spread victory, Jacksonville has played 5 of these games Under the Total. Jacksonville is playing with a backup quarterback Gardner Minshew who was solid last week by completing 23 of 33 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown pass. But as the regular-season game tape begins to accrue on the rookie quarterback from Washington State, Minshew will experience growing pains. And he is a QB who could certainly use the benefit from a full week of practice given his inexperience at the professional level. He led an offense that managed only 281 yards last week. Now the Jags return home where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total. Jacksonville has also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against fellow AFC South opponents. Head coach Doug Marrone will also be happy to lean on his defense that allowed only 19.8 PPG last year (4th in the NFL) while giving up just 311.4 total YPG (5th in the league). The Jaguars held Deshaun Watson and the prolific Texans passing attack to only 137 passing yards while registering four sacks — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after not allowing more than 150 passing yards in their last contest. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey has requested for a trade this week — but he looks likely to remain on the roster for at least this game and he should be very motivated to play in front of a nationally televised audience as he auditions for his next team.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing in Jacksonville last season. These two teams split their two meetings last year with the Jaguars winning by a 9-6 score last September 23rd before the Titans avenged that loss on December 6th with a 30-9 victory. Expect another low scoring game. 25* AFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tennessee Titans (301) and the Jacksonville Jaguars (302). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-19-19 |
Houston v. Tulane UNDER 58 |
Top |
31-38 |
Loss |
-110 |
10 h 39 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (313) and the Tulane Green Wave (314). THE SITUATION: Houston (1-2) looks to bounce-back from a 31-24 loss to Washington State last Friday played on a neutral field at NRG Stadium. Tulane (2-1) comes off a 58-6 blowout win at home over Missouri State last Saturday as a 31.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cougars are allowing 32.6 PPG along with 506.0 total YPG in their first three games this season — but two of those games were against two of the most potent offenses in the nation in the Cougars and Oklahoma. I have actually been a bit encouraged by the play of this unit that returned only four starters. An influx of six junior college transfers has helped new defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen begin to stabilize this unit. Houston has played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after allowing at least 40 points in their last game. The bigger concern for the Cougars has been integrating senior quarterback D’Eriq King into the first-year head coach Dana Holgorsen’s version of the Air Raid offense. Houston is averaging only 146 passing YPG this season (which includes a cupcake game against Prairie Valley A&M) which is 120th in the nation. King is completing only 54.5% of his passes which is almost a 10% decline from last season. King passed for just 128 yards last week against Washington State — and the Cougars have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after not passing for more than 170 yards in their last game. Houston did rush for 239 yards last week — they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 200 yards in their last contest. The Cougars are averaging 239 rushing YPG this season with an incredibly consistent output of 241, 236, and 239 rushing yards this season — so expect more of the same from this team with the added benefit of a ground game moving the clock and keeping the Green Wave offense off the field. The Under is 7-3-1 in Houston’s last 11 games in the month of September. Tulane has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points. The Green Wave held the Tigers last week to just 182 yards of offense — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Tulane defense has played well this season — they limited Auburn to 379 total yards which include a mere 207 yards in the air so their ability to limit the Cougars passing attack is pretty good. On offense, senior quarterback Justin McMillan has passed for only 424 yards in his three games with just two touchdown passes. The Green Wave have played 6 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Tulane rushed for 298 yards in that contest last week — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 275 yards in their last contest. Furthermore, the Green Wave have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of September — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total at home.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 4 straight games Under the Total after Houston’s 48-17 victory last season fell Under the 68 point Total. The Cougars offense is still working out some kinks this year — expect a lower scoring contest. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (313) and the Tulane Green Wave (314). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-16-19 |
Browns v. Jets UNDER 46 |
Top |
23-3 |
Win
|
100 |
5 h 9 m |
Show
|
At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (289) and the New York Jets (290). THE SITUATION: Cleveland (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their embarrassing 43-13 upset loss at home to Tennessee as a 5.5-point favorite last Sunday. New York (0-1) also looks to rebound from an upset loss in their 17-16 setback at home to Buffalo where they were laying 2.5-points.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Jets are a hot mess of M*A*S*H Unit right now with a couple of suspensions making this attrition even worse. Quarterback Sam Darnold is out weeks while he loses weight dealing with mono. Wide receiver Quincy Enunwa is on Injured Reserve with a neck issue. Running back Le’Veon Bell is dealing with a bum shoulder. Three starters on the offensive line are questionable. Trevor Siemian will be the starting quarterback tonight — and with check down Charlie in Adam Gase calling the plays, don’t be surprised if the former Denver starting quarterback never throws a pass past the first down marker. Even with Sam Darnold under center last week, the Jets offense managed just 223 yards in their first regular-season under Gase who is the master of 8-yard pickup on 3rd-and-12. The defense is also dealing with some tough injuries headlined by linebacker C.J. Mosely and rookie defensive tackle Quinnen Williams out with a groin and an ankle. But I still expect an inspired effort from this group led by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams who will be chomping at the bit to have his defense go after the quarterback he served as the interim head with last season. Bell has been upgraded to probable so expect the Jets to give a healthy dose to the running back as they look to control the clock and keep the Browns’ offense off the field. New York has played 14 of their last 31 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss to an AFC East rival as a home favorite. The Jets have also played 5 of their last 8 games Under the Total in the month of September. Gase’s teams in Miami also played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total in September — and they played 4 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a loss to a divisional rival. Cleveland has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss. Additionally, the Browns have played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a loss at home by at least three touchdowns. The Cleveland defense did not play bad last week — they allowed only 339 total yards. But with eighteen penalties that produced another 182 negative yards accompanying a -3 net turnover margin, the Titans were able to put up 43 points on the board. The Browns should respond with a strong defensive effort after all that — and they have played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. On offense, Mayfield may not be 100% after suffering a thumb injury in that game. Moving forward, the Under is 5-1-1 in Cleveland’s last 7 games against teams with a losing record.
FINAL TAKE: With both of these teams coming off upset losses last week, the Under is supported by an empirical angle that has been 77% effective over the last ten seasons. In games involving a team that suffered an upset loss facing an opponent that comes off a double-digit upset loss, these games then finished Under the Total in 30 of these last 39 situations where these conditions applied. 25* NFL Monday Night Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Cleveland Browns (289) and the New York Jets (290). Best of luck for us — Frank (follow on Twitter @FrankSawyer_HS where today he posts his Monday Morning Handicapper where he looks back to explain why he, fortunately, passed on a tempting CFB situation on Saturday that perhaps looked too good to be true).
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09-16-19 |
West Ham United v. Aston Villa UNDER 3 |
Top |
0-0 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 33 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between West Ham (200189) and Aston Villa (200190). THE SITUATION: West Ham (W2-D1-L1) returns to English Premier League after the international break after defeating Norwich City by a 2-0 score on August 31st. Aston Villa (W1-D0-L3) looks to bounce-back from their 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace back on August 31st in EPL action.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: West Ham’s clean sheet against Norwich City looks even more impressive now after the promoted upstarts upset Manchester City on Saturday while scoring three goals against the two-time defending champions. After an opening week 5-0 loss at home to Man City, the Hammers have conceded only two goals in their next three matches. Now West Ham goes back on the road where they fifteen of their last seventeen games on the road in EPL action have not seen more than three combined goals. Furthermore, West Ham is averaging just 1.5 Goals-Per-Game in their last fourteen games on the road against the non-Big Six teams in the EPL going back to the start of last season — and they are conceding just 1.29 Goals-Per-Game in those contests. Aston Villa has seen three of their four matches this season see three or less combined goals scored with the lone exception being against one of the Power Six sides in Tottenham. The Villains were promoted from the Championship League last year via their playoffs. Aston Villa conceded more goals at home than the last-place team in that league so management realized that upgrading the backend was essential for the team’s return to the EPL after a three-year absence. The Villains added left-back Matt Targett from Southampton while received center back Tyrone Mings on loan from Bournemouth. They also made a nice upgrade with their keeper by adding Tom Heaton from the crowded goalie situation at Burnley. Manager Dean Smith is probably playing his star man midfielder, Jack Grealish, 10 to 15 yards too far back on the pitch — but that demonstrates his commitment to defensive tactics for this team. Aston Villa has scored only three times in their four matches — but they have only allowed three combined goals in their three matches outside their 3-1 loss to the Spurs. The Villains rank a respectable 11th in the EPL in Expected Goals Allowed (xGA)— but this has come at a cost of offense as they also rank second-to-last in Expected Goals (xG). In their two home matches this season, Aston Villa has allowed only two goals while scoring just three times.
FINAL TAKE: I do not see four combined goals scored in this match with the Villains playing cautiously and quite content to register a point with a draw. Look for this match to have two goals (or less) scored with less than ten minutes left where we will then be sweating the win or living with the Push. 25* EPL Monday Afternoon NBC-Sports Network Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between West Ham (200189) and Aston Villa (200190). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-15-19 |
Eagles v. Falcons OVER 52 |
Top |
20-24 |
Loss |
-110 |
3 h 45 m |
Show
|
At 8:15 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (287) and the Atlanta Falcons (288). THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (1-0) won their opening game of the season last week with their 32-27 win over Washington as a 10.5-point favorite. Atlanta (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their 28-12 loss at Minnesota last week as a 3.5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Eagles where slugging on offense in the first half by scoring only 7 points. Perhaps Carson Wentz and company were rusty after not getting much playing time in the preseason — but they exploded in the second half by scoring 25 points en route to 436 yards of offense against an underrated Washington defense. Philadelphia has played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. The Eagles defense also held the Skins to just 28 rushing yards last week — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after holding their last opponent to no more than 30 rushing yards. But the Philly pass defense was torched by the mighty Case Keenum who passed for 380 yards against them. This is an area of concern for the Eagles after they ranked 30th in the NFL last season by allowing 269.3 passing YPG. They have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least 350 total yards in their last game. Those are ominous numbers when facing this Falcons team behind Matt Ryan who was 4th in the NFL last year by averaging 290.8 passing YPG. Philadelphia goes on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have also played 13 of their last 20 road games Over the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. Additionally, the Over is a decisive 13-3-1 in the Eagles’ last 17 games in the opening two weeks of a new season. Atlanta has played 32 of their last 48 games Over the Total after a loss on the road by at least two touchdowns. They also have played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a point spread loss. While putting their rookie right guard, Chris Lindstrom, on Injured Reserve derails some of the plans this team had with their offensive line, Ryan oversaw a potent offense last season even with the deficiencies on their offensive line. The Falcons were 6th in the NFL in total offense by averaging 389.1 total YPG — and they have a healthy Devonta Freeman back in their backfield after he missed all but two games. The Falcons were also burdened with the third-worst starting field position in the NFL with their average starting point at their 26.3-yard line. Atlanta averaged 37.97 Yards-Per-Drive which was 4th best in the NFL. Ryan was more effective at home where he completed 72.7% of his passes while averaging 8.82 Yards-Per-Pass-Attempt — and he tossed 18 touchdown passes to just two interceptions. The Falcons scored a robust 29.6 PPG when playing at home last year.
FINAL TAKE: Philadelphia has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in the month of September. Atlanta has also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total. Expect a higher scoring game. 25* NFL Sunday Night Football Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Eagles (287) and the Atlanta Falcons (288). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-14-19 |
Manchester City v. Norwich City OVER 4 |
Top |
2-3 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 10 m |
Show
|
At 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Manchester City (200193) and Norwich City (200194). THE SITUATION: Manchester City (W3-D1-L0) returns from the international break coming off a 4-0 victory at home over Brighton and Hove Albion two Saturdays ago. Norwich City (W1-D0-L3) looks to bounce back from a 2-0 loss to West Ham back on August 31st.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Norwich City was prompted from the Championship League after finishing in first place in that league. The Canaries accomplished that feat with an aggressive attack with manager Daniel Farke emphasizing shot volume. Their average match last season saw 3.26 combined goals which is the highest number for a promoted side into the English Premier League in ten seasons. But this style of play had consequences as this side was leaky on defense — they conceded 57 goals last year which was the third most in that league. Farke has not backed down with this style of play against EPL competition — they rank tied for 6th in the EPL with six goals. Furthermore, the Canaries average 5.3 shots per game on target which is 6th best in the league — and that number rises to 6.5 shots on target per game when playing at home which ranks 4th best in the EPL. They are led by their feisty forward, Teemu Pukki who has scored five times already this season. Don’t be surprised if Norwich City scores a goal in this game. But they will likely concede at least four goals against the reigning EPL champions. The Canaries have allowed ten goals in their four matches this season which is the most in the EPL. The 47 shots they have allowed in the box also tops the league. Playing at home did not make much of a difference last season either as the 34 goals they allowed which was 15th worst in the league. To compound matters, this Norwich City side is ravaged with injuries in their midfield and their defense. Defensemen Max Aarons has a knock from international play over the break while Ben Godfrey who is out with a groin injury — and that challenges the limited depth of this promoted side on their backline. And here comes Manchester City with a rested Sergio Aguero who did not play for Argentina over the break with that national team going young after years of disappointment in international play. A rested Aguero — who will absolutely play with fellow forward Gabriel Jesus dealing with a thigh injury — should have a field day against this defense. Aguero has scored in all four of the Citizens matches this season. Man City is 2nd in the EPL in goals scored with 14 — and they lead the EPL in Expected Goals scored (xG). Additionally, Man City leads the EPL with 19.35 shots per game — and they lead the league with 7.5 shots per game on target. As scary as this sounds, this team maybe even better than last year’s group with midfielder extraordinaire Kevin DeBruyne now fully healthy again after he dealt with injuries last season. DeBruyne is an assist machine who may have the best foot 40 yards away in the world. Manchester City scored 75 goals last season in their 29 matches against the non-Big Six sides last season. If there is a weakness with this side, it is with their backline with manager Pep Guardiola still searching for four reliable starters who play well together. An injury to Aymeric Laporte takes away one of their best defenders for this match.
FINAL TAKE: To Farke’s credit — or demise — he will not deviate from his strategy of attacking the opposition and having his defensive line play aggressively up the pitch. Norwich City will not play for a nil-nil draw — but they are likely to see a 4-1 (or worse) result. 25* English Premier League Saturday NBC-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Manchester City (200193) and Norwich City (200194). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-14-19 |
Ohio State v. Indiana OVER 59 |
Top |
51-10 |
Win
|
100 |
9 h 58 m |
Show
|
At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes (109) and the Indiana Hoosiers (110). THE SITUATION: Ohio State (2-0) enters this game coming off their dominant 42-0 shutout victory over Cincinnati last Saturday as a 14.5-point favorite. Indiana (2-0) is also undefeated so far this season after they crushed Eastern Illinois last week by a 52-0 score.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Buckeyes offense generated 508 yards of offense against what had been considered a stout Cincinnati defense last week. Sophomore quarterback Justin Fields has fit right into first-year teach coach Jason Day’s offense. The transfer from Georgia has passed for 561 yards in his first two games while throwing nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also added 42 yards on the ground last week against the Bearcats while finding the end zone two times in displaying in his dual-threat capabilities. The Over is 3-0-1 in Ohio State’s last 4 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Buckeyes also flexed their muscles on defense by holding Cincinnati to just 273 yards of offense. But this Ohio State defense has regressed as of late. They allowed 25.5 PPG last year which was the highest number they have allowed since 1999 while placing them a mediocre tied for 51st in the nation. Even worse, the 403.4 total YPG that the Buckeyes allowed last year was the most they have allowed in 50 years. Nine starters return from that unit that is now operating under new defensive coordinators in Jeff Hafley and Greg Mattison who was poached from Michigan to help with recruiting given his knowledge of the midwest as well as his Super Bowl ring coordinating the Ray Lewis Baltimore Ravens over a decade ago. Frankly, there has been a drop off in recruiting over the years at linebacker and defensive back. So while the Buckeyes held the Bearcats to just 273 yards of offense last week, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Ohio State has also played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Buckeyes have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road. And in their last 5 games played on field turf, the Over is 3-1-1. Indiana has also been impressive on offense after gaining 555 yards last week against Eastern Illinois. The Hoosiers have then played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Indiana will push the tempo against Ohio State with the hopes of tiring out their athletes on defense. They averaged one play per 22.8 seconds last season which was the 20th fastest tempo in the FBS last year. The third-year head coach has quarterback talent at his disposal with junior Peyton Ramsey back after making all twelve starts last season along with freshman Jack Tuttle who was a four-star recruit who transferred from Utah. But Allen and offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer decided on freshman Michael Penix, Jr. to be their starter given his strong arm and dual-threat running capabilities. He played in three games last year before suffering a season-ending injury that allowed him to redshirt the season. All three quarterbacks played last week but it will likely be Penix under center for this game with Ramsey possibly getting in the game as a change of pace or in mop-up work. The Hoosiers only allowed 116 yards last week to that FCS opponent so let's take that with a grain of salt. Indiana has played 15 of their last 17 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game — and they have also played 25 of their last 32 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. The Hoosiers returned seven starters on defense but it was from a group that allowed their opponents to average +28 YPG above their offensive YPG season average last season which was 93rd worst in the nation. Indiana has played 5 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They also have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in Big Ten play.
FINAL TAKE: Ohio State won last year’s meeting by a 49-26 score as a 27.5-point favorite in Columbus. While Indiana may need garbage time to do it, I do expect them to approach that 26 scoring figure at home this season in what looks like a more dynamic offense. But the Buckeyes will likely reach 40 points in this one — and the Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams when playing in Bloomington. With Indiana playing at a fast tempo and Ohio State happy to take the extra possessions, expect a higher scoring game. 25* CFB Fox-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes (109) and the Indiana Hoosiers (110). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-13-19 |
Ottawa v. BC UNDER 49.5 |
Top |
5-29 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 22 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (689) and the British Columbia Lions (690). THE SITUATION: Ottawa (3-8) has lost four straight games as well as eight of their last nine games after their 46-17 upset loss at home Toronto despite being a 5.5-point favorite last Saturday. British Columbia (1-10) looks to find a victory after losing at Montreal last Friday by a 21-16 score as a 6.5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Redblacks are on the verge of losing complete control of their season after losing to Calgary in the Grey Cup last November. But this remains a proud franchise under head coach Rick Campbell who has been the skipper here since the football team was reformed in the Canadian Football League back in 2014. Expect this team to respond with a strong effort after being embarrassed by a bad Toronto team. Ottawa has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss at home. Campbell has been benched Dominique Davis at quarterback with the hopes that the veteran Jonathan Jennings could give his team a spark. Jennings completed 33 of 42 passes last week for 327 yards in the losing effort. Ottawa had 354 passing yards overall in that game — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after passing for at least 350 yards in their last game. The Redblacks now go back on the road where they are scoring only 18.6 PPG while averaging 303.6 total YPG. Over their last three games, this team is scoring only 14.0 PPG along with 338.0 total YPG. Last week’s game finished well above the 51 point total — but Ottawa has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the Total. The Redblacks have also played 6 straight games Under the Total after a game where at least 63 combined points were scored. Ottawa did allow 487 yards last week while allowing the Argonauts to average 8.1 Yards-Per-Play — but they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after allowing at least 7.0 YPP in their last game. Turnovers are killing this team as they have endured a -13 net turnover margin this season after losing the turnover battle in two straight games. But the Redblacks have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after suffering a -1 net turnover margin in at least two straight games. Ottawa has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the month of September. British Columbia has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in September. Despite their seven-game losing streak, this Lions team is playing better defense as they have held their last three opponents to just 22.0 PPG along with only 298.0 total YPG. But British Columbia is generating just 307.3 total YPG over their last three contests. The Lions have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 8 straight games Under the Total after a loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. Furthermore, BC has played 6 straight games Under the Total after a loss by 8 points or less. Now this team returns home where they have scored only 14.2 PPG while averaging just 230.7 total YPG.
FINAL TAKE: This is the first time since Week Four when the Lions were favored on the road against Toronto — and they won that game by an 18-17 score. British Columbia has played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total when favored. Expect a low scoring game with at least one of these offenses continuing to struggle to score. 25* CFL ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (689) and the British Columbia Lions (690). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-12-19 |
Bucs v. Panthers UNDER 51 |
Top |
20-14 |
Win
|
100 |
18 h 5 m |
Show
|
At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101) and the Carolina Panthers (102). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their 31-17 upset loss at home to San Francisco on Sunday. Carolina (0-1) comes off a 30-27 loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams where they closed as a small +1.5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Jameis Winston was not magically transformed in his first game under new head coach Bruce Arians as he completed just 20 of 36 passes for 194 yards while throwing three interceptions in that loss to the 49ers. Arians has had success with some big names quarterbacks in the past — but the growth of Peyton Manning did not demonstrate itself until his second season with Arians while Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer did not see their big bumps in play until their third with the coach. The Buccaneers generated only 295 yards of offense in that game with one of their touchdowns coming from a 15-yard interception return. But the encouraging aspect of that loss to San Francisco was the improved play of the defense under first-year defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. After ranking 27th in the NFL by allowing 383.4 total YPG, Bowles defense limited the 49ers to only 256 total yards. This defense had nowhere to go but up after being at the bottom of the league over the last two seasons — but this group was also hit hard by the injury bug as they lost 92 adjusted games to injury according to the analytics (which was the most in NFL history using that measurement). Arians and Bowles also significantly remodeled this defense with draft picks and free-agent acquisitions headlined by bringing in Ndamukong Suh. The Niners put 31 points up on the board but two of those touchdowns came from two pick-sixes surrendered by Winston (which was clearly a topic of conversation with Arians this week). As it is, Tampa Bay has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Buccaneers have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total suffering an upset loss at home by at least two touchdowns. And in their last 6 games against fellow NFC opponents, the Bucs have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 6 points or less. The Panthers have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Quarterback Cam Newton was not very impressive in that loss as he completed 25 of 38 passes for just 239 yards with zero touchdown passes and an interception while failing to gain positive rushes with his legs. While head coach Ron Rivera claims Newton is completely healthy, he did injure his leg in the preseason which might be slowing him down now. Furthermore, Newton may not be fully recovered from the shoulder problems from last year which severely limited his effectiveness in the second half of last season — there was talk at one point of the team shutting down their franchise quarterback for the entire season like Indianapolis did with Andrew Luck two years ago. Newton enjoyed a sensational month of October in his first season under offensive coordinator Norv Turner before things went south when the team lost seven of their last eight games with Newton’s arm strength limited with his shoulder injury. But according to the DVOA metric used by Football Outsiders, the Panthers have only ranked in the top-ten in offensive efficiency just once in their last five seasons with their average finish being 16th in the NFL — so this will likely remain a middling offense. Moving forward, Carolina has played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games played in Carolina Under the Total. With the Total set in the high 40s, expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101) and the Carolina Panthers (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-12-19 |
Yankees v. Tigers OVER 10.5 |
Top |
6-4 |
Loss |
-100 |
2 h 22 m |
Show
|
At 5:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (929) and the Detroit Tigers (930) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Spencer Turnbull. THE SITUATION: Detroit (43-100) has won three of their last five games after their 12-11 win over the Yankees in the opening game of this series on Tuesday. New York (95-51) saw their three-game winning streak snapped with that loss. Yesterday’s game was postponed due to weather so this pitching matchup represents the second game of their afternoon double-header.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is now a decisive 51-25-3 in the Yankees’ last 79 games on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 19 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% at home. Additionally, New York has played 14 of their last 18 road games Over the Total when priced at least at -175 as the favorite. The Bronx Bombers have also played 35 of their last 56 games Over the Total with the number set at 10 or higher. They give the ball to Sabathia who comes off the disabled list to make this start — he is 5-8 with a 4.93 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in twenty starts this year. The veteran left-hander has struggled in the second-half of the season with a 7.77 ERA in his six starts since the All-Star break. He has been particularly ineffective on the road where he sees his ERA rise to a 6.75 mark along with a 1.62 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .312. New York has played 4 straight games Over the Total with Sabathia pitching on the road. He will be followed up by Domingo German with manager Aaron Boone looking to limit the innings of both pitchers going into the postseason. The right-hander has a 17-4 record with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP this season — and he has struggled on the road with a 5.73 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .257 as opposed to his 2.35 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and .197 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. They face a hot-hitting Tigers team that is scoring 5.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .282 batting average along with a .320 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .720 over that span (which all compare favorably to their 3.7/.240/291/.680 splits for the entire season). Detroit has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home. And in their last 7 second games of a double-header, the Tigers have played 5 of these games Over the Total. They counter with Turnbull who is 3-14 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in twenty-six starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he has a 4.92 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP with an opponent’s batting average of .281 in fourteen starts. Turnbull also has a 5.07 ERA in his twelve starts during the day with a 1.56 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .296. The Over is 3-0-2 in Detroit’s last 5 games with Turnbull facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Yankees team that is scoring 6.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .264 batting average along with a .330 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .907.
FINAL TAKE: The Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams entering the opening game of this afternoon’s doubleheader. With bullpens strained a bit today (especially after last night’s scoring fest), except a high scoring second game in this double-header. 25* MLB American League Getaway Game Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (929) and the Detroit Tigers (930) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Spencer Turnbull. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-11-19 |
Reds v. Mariners UNDER 8 |
Top |
3-5 |
Push |
0 |
12 h 23 m |
Show
|
At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Reds (979) and the Seattle Mariners (980) listing both starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Marco Gonzales. THE SITUATION: Seattle (59-86) snapped a six-game losing streak last night with their 4-3 win over the Reds. Cincinnati (67-78) has lost three of their last four games.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Reds have played 5 of the last 7 games Under the Total after a loss. And while Cincinnati has not scored more than four runs in each of their last three games, they have then played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total after failing to score more than four runs in at least three straight games — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games on the road Under the Total after failing to score more than four runs in three straight contests. The Reds have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and the Under is a decisive 34-16-1 in their last 51 road games against teams with a losing record at home. They give the ball to Gray who is 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The veteran right-hander has allowed only 12 combined earned runs over his last twelve starts. Gray has only allowed one earned run over his last two starts — and Cincinnati has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with Gray pitching after not allowing more than one earned run in two straight starts. Gray has also been more effective on the road where he has a 2.58 ERA with an opponent’s batting average of .189 in thirteen starts as opposed to his 2.90 ERA with a .212 opponent’s batting average at home. The Reds have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total when his team is pitching as a favorite priced in the -100 to -150 range. He should thrive against this slumping Mariners lineup that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games along with a .172 batting average, .241 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .564 over that span. Seattle has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Mariners are hitting just .161 over their last five games — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after not hitting better than .200 over their last five games. Furthermore, Seattle has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. And in their last 4 games in Interleague play, the Mariners have played all 4 games Under the Total. They counter with Gonzales who is 14-11 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in thirty starts. The left-hander has been a bit better at home where he owns a 4.32 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .267 in fourteen starts as compared to his 4.42 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and .282 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Mariners have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with Gonzales on the hill. He faces a Reds team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .234 batting average in those contests. Cincinnati has played 20 of their last 28 road games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of the last 6 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 11 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing at Seattle. Expect another lower scoring game. 25* MLB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Reds (979) and the Seattle Mariners (980) listing both starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Marco Gonzales. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-10-19 |
Pirates v. Giants OVER 8.5 |
Top |
4-5 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 23 m |
Show
|
At 9:45 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates (909) and the San Francisco Giants (910) listing both starting pitchers Mitch Keller and Johnny Cueto. THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (63-81) snapped a two-game losing streak yesterday with their 6-4 victory over the Giants in the opening game of this series. They scored four runs in the top of the 9th inning to pull out that win. San Francisco (69-75) has no lost two straight games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pirates have seen the Over go 8-2-1 in their last 11 games after a win — and the Over is a decisive 41-18-4 in their last 63 games after scoring at least five runs in their last contest. Pittsburgh has also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. They give the ball to Keller who is 1-3 with an 8.18 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP in eight starts this season. The 23-year old right-hander has shuttled back and forth between the majors and minors this season but the Pirates want to use these September games as an opportunity to audition for next year. He has done his best pitching at home in the pitcher-friendly PNC Park where he owns a 4.76 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .262 — but those numbers skyrocket in his four starts on the road where he has an 11.81 ERA with a 2.56 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .423. The Over is 3-0-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 4 games on the road with Keller on the hill. He faces a Giants team that has seen the Over go 4-1-1 in their last 6 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Over is 5-2-1 in San Francisco’s last 8 games after a loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Giants are slumping with their bats as of late as they have not scored more than those four runs last night in three straight games. San Francisco is also hitting just .193 over their last five games — but they have then played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after hitting no better than .200 in their last five games. The Giants have also played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total after failing to score more than four runs in three straight contests. Additionally, the Over is 3-1-1 in San Francisco’s last 5 games at home — and the Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They counter with Cueto who is making his season debut after recovering from Tommy John surgery which has kept him on the shelf for thirteen months. The 33-year old right-hander was 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in nine starts last year before suffering his elbow injury. The sabermetrics were not encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.47 and 4.52 from his peripheral numbers. Cueto was not as effective at home either where he had a 5.19 ERA with a 1.69 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .333 in five starts as compared to his 1.33 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and .125 opponent’s batting average on the road. Those disparate home/road splits were consistent with his numbers two years ago with a deeper sample size as he had a 4.60 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and .288 opponent’s batting average at home in twelve starts as compared to his 4.44 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and .267 opponent’s batting average in thirteen starts on the road. The Over is 19-5-2 in the Giants’ last 26 home games with Cueto on the hill. The Pirates have played 5 of their last 7 road games against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 14-6-2 in their last 22 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.
FINAL TAKE: The Over is 9-3-3 in the last 15 games between these two teams played in San Francisco’s AT&T Park. Expect a higher-scoring game tonight. 25* MLB National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates (909) and the San Francisco Giants (910) listing both starting pitchers Mitch Keller and Johnny Cueto. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-09-19 |
Texans v. Saints UNDER 53 |
Top |
28-30 |
Loss |
-110 |
4 h 44 m |
Show
|
At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (479) and the New Orleans Saints (480). THE SITUATION: Houston (0-0) takes the field again after an 11-5 season that ended with a 21-7 loss at home to Indianapolis in the first round of the AFC playoffs. New Orleans (0-0) enter this season coming off a 13-3 campaign that ended in bitter disappointment with the no-call pass interference in the NFC Championship Game that eventually ended in a 26-23 loss in overtime to deny their opportunity to return to the Super Bowl.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints averaged 30.4 PPG last season which is one of the reasons that the Total is set in the 50s for this contest. But New Orleans closed out last season playing 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total. Over their last three games, the Saints scored only 19.0 PPG while averaging just 334.7 total YPG. It appeared that quarterback Drew Brees tired as the season moved on. But this is also a team that relied on their ground game to burn time off the clock to keep their defense fresh and off the field. This was a possession-based offense under head coach Sean Payton — and this will likely continue tonight with Deshaun Watson the opposing quarterback. It was not just the home stretch of the season where the Saints’ offense slowed down — they averaged only 19.6 PPG over their last seven contests. Another problem for this offense was that it became apparent that the team lacked a reliable third option after wide receiver Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara. The organization attempted to address that situation with the free-agent signing of tight end Jared Cook after his breakout season with the Raiders. Maybe — but Cook was the beneficiary of an offense that lacked significant threats at wide receiver (which is why Oakland signed Antonio Brown and Tyrel Williams at that position in the offseason). The conventional was once that this New Orleans offense thrived when playing on field turf — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on turf. The Saints have also played 15 of their last 24 games Under the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. Houston started slowly last season as they scored only 19.7 PPG in their first three games of the season. The Under is 8-3-1 in the Texans’ last 12 games in the month of September under head coach Bill O’Brien — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total in the first two weeks of the season. Houston also scored only 19.0 PPG over their final three games last season culminating in their disappointing effort at home against the Colts in the playoffs. The offense suffered a big blow with the injury to running back Lamar Miller. Acquiring Duke Johnson was helpful but his skills are more as a receiver than as a rusher — and the recently added Carlos Hyde has failed to stick with his previous three teams in the league. The Texans will lean on their defense that was tied for 4th in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 19.8 PPG. This defense will still be good despite trading away Jadeveon Clowney as this move will allow the talented Whitney Mercilus to take over his role on the defense next to J.J. Watt.
FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games on the road Under the Total as the dog getting 3.5 to 7 points. 25* NFL Monday Night Football O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (479) and the New Orleans Saints (480). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-08-19 |
Steelers v. Patriots UNDER 51.5 |
Top |
3-33 |
Win
|
100 |
12 h 43 m |
Show
|
At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (477) and the New England Patriots (478). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (0-0) looks to get back to the postseason after they were left on the outside looking in after a 9-6-1 campaign last year. New England (0-0) lifted the Lombardi Trophy once again last year with their 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots won the Super Bowl on the strength of their outstanding defense that limited the powerful Rams offense to just 260 total yards. This young unit is only getting better. New England held their last three opponents to only 295.0 total YPG. The Patriots’ defense was also very tough to move the ball against when playing at home in Gillette Stadium where they limited the visitors to only 17.9 PPG along with just 321.2 total YPG. New England has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as the favorite laying 7 or fewer points. But don’t be surprised if the Patriots are not crisp on offense. Tom Brady is adjusting to a new philosophy after the retirement of tight end Rob Gronkowski. It has not been a smooth preseason for Brady in getting comfortable with his wide receivers. Demaryius Thomas has been injured along with rookie first-round draft pick N’Keal Harry. Josh Gordon has been cleared by the NFL to be eligible to play once again in the league but he did not take much part of training camp. And then the team signed Antonio Brown yesterday who will not be eligible to play tonight since the league deadline for rosters this week already passed. As it is, New England uses the first few weeks of the regular season to continue to install their offense — so this will very much be a work in progress. Expect the Patriots to rely on their power running game to keep the Steelers offense off the field (and that will keep the clock moving). New England has played 5 of their last 7 opening games to a new season Under the Total. Pittsburgh had an underrated defense last season that led the NFL with 52 sacks. The Steelers limited their home hosts to just 22.5 PPG last year along with only 325.0 total YPG — and they held their last three opponents to just 311.3 total YPG. This defense will improve with the addition of rookie first-round draft pick Devin Bush who provides them the ball-hawking linebacker they have lacked since the career-ending injury to Ryan Shazier. Pittsburgh has played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total — and this includes them playing 9 straight games on the road Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Pittsburgh has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams from the AFC — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Under the Total against AFC rivals.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on December 16th in Pittsburgh where the Steelers pulled off a 17-10 upset win as a 2.5-point underdog. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (477) and the New England Patriots (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-07-19 |
Tulane v. Auburn UNDER 52 |
Top |
6-24 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 19 m |
Show
|
At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). THE SITUATION: Tulane (1-0) enters this game looking to build off their 42-14 win over Florida International as a 3-point favorite back on August 29th. Auburn (1-0) eked out a 27-21 win over Oregon as a 4-point favorite last Saturday against Oregon.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Freshman quarterback Bo Nix was shaky in his collegiate debut — he completed only 13 of 31 passes for 177 yards. Head coach Gus Malzahn kept the playbook limited with his freshman with the team doing little to stretch the field against a Ducks defense that is certainly not elite. While I expect Nix to get more of the playbook tonight, it is telling that Malzahn did not feel comfortable in his quarterback to start airing the ball out — even when they were trailing for most of that game with Oregon. But perhaps that is because he had complete confidence in his defense that returned seven starters including an outstanding defensive line from a unit that ranked 14th in the nation last year by holding their opponents to just 19.2 PPG. The Tigers held the Ducks with their Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Justin Herbert to just 332 yards of offense in that victory. Moving forward, Auburn has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Now the Tigers return home from that game played in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta where they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total. Auburn has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of September after last week’s game fell below the 55.5 point Total. Furthermore, the Under is 18-7-2 in the Tigers’ last 27 games against teams outside the SEC — and the Under is 20-8-1 in their last 29 games against teams with a winning record. Tulane has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with eight days of rest and preparation. The Green Wave generated 545 yards of offense against the Golden Panthers under senior quarterback Justin McMillan. Tulane has then played 5 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after generating at least 450 yards in their last game. The Green Wave gained 350 of those yards on the ground as they flexed their muscles in controlling the line of scrimmage — and this will likely be the strategy in pulling this upset. Tulane plays at a fast tempo under new offensive coordinator Will Hall — but running the football still shortens the game with the clock continually moving. The Green Wave have played 5 of their last 5 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 275 yards in their last game. Tulane has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as the underdog.
FINAL TAKE: Tulane has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams outside the American Athletic Conference — and they have also played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams from the SEC. 25* CFB ESPN2 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-03-19 |
Storm v. Mercury UNDER 152.5 |
Top |
82-70 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 36 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (649) and the Phoenix Mercury (650). THE SITUATION: Seattle (16-15) snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 92-75 win over Atlanta as an 8.5-point favorite. Phoenix (15-16) saw their two-game losing streak snapped on Sunday with their embarrassing 105-78 loss at Chicago as a 4.5-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Seattle has played 14 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 10 points. The Under is also 13-3-1 in the Storm’s last 17 games after a point spread victory. And in their last 9 games after scoring at least 80 points, Seattle has played all 9 games Under the Total. The reigning WNBA champions made 58.5% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last twenty-six games. Regression on the offensive end of the court tonight is very likely as the Storm rank 9th in the twelve-team league in Offensive Efficiency — and they are 10th in the WNBA in Offensive Efficiency over their last ten games. Seattle goes back on the road where they are making just 41.8% of their shots. The Under is 12-5-1 in the Storm’s last 18 games on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total with the number set at 150 or higher. Seattle has also played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Phoenix will be focused on playing better on the defensive end of the court after allowing Chicago to make 50.6% of their shots in what was the worst defensive performance in their last twelve games. The Mercury have played 30 of their last 41 home games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 50% of their shots. Phoenix has also played 8 of their last 12 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The Mercury return home where they limit their opponents to just 41.2% shooting from the field — and they have still held their last five opponents to just 40.3% shooting while ranking 5th best in the league in Defensive Efficiency during that span. Additionally, Phoenix has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. The Mercury have also played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total when listed as the favorite.
FINAL TAKE: Seattle and Phoenix remain in 7th and 8th place in the standings to determine the eight playoffs teams later this month — so this contest matters significantly to both teams. The Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams — and these two teams have played 8 of their last 11 meetings in Phoenix Under the Total. 25* WNBA ESPN2 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (649) and the Phoenix Mercury (650). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-02-19 |
Notre Dame v. Louisville OVER 54.5 |
Top |
35-17 |
Loss |
-110 |
3 h 15 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (217) and the Louisville Cardinals (218). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (0-0) returns thirteen starters from the team that lost to Clemson in the National Semifinals by a 30-3 score. Louisville (0-0) has sixteen starters back from last year’s dumpster fire that limped to a 2-10 season record.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Fighting Irish return seven starters with an offense that might be the most potent in head coach Brian Kelly’s ten years with the program. Kelly’s decision to elevate Ian Book to be his starting quarterback despite a 3-0 start to the season was inspired as the team averaged 36.6 PPG in his eight starts. The move to Book gave the Notre Dame offense a legitimate passing threat that they have not had in years to balance their strong rushing attack. Book threw at least two touchdown passes in all eight of his regular-season starts. While the Irish are dealing with injuries to junior wide receiver Michael Young and junior tight end Cole Kmet, the Irish have depth at the running back and wide receiver skill positions. The offense also has the benefit of four returning starters on offense. However, the Notre Dame defense is likely to take a step or two back with the loss of three key members of last year’s unit that have moved on to the NFL. The middle of the defense appears vulnerable with the Irish replacing two good defensive tackles along with two good linebackers — that level of the defense is now inexperienced and lacking in depth. And while Notre Dame has two great safeties in seniors Jalen Elliott and Alohi Gilman, it will be tough to replace the elite cover cornerback Julian Love who bypassed his senior year to go to the NFL. The Fighting Irish have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total when laying 14.5 to 21 points. Notre Dame has also played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total with the number set in the 49.5 to 56 point range — and this includes them playing four of their last five games on the road Over the Total with the number set in that range. Louisville cannot help but be better on defense this season after they ranked 122nd in the nation by allowing 483.6 total YPG. While ten starters return from that group, new head coach Scott Satterfield and his defensive coordinator at Appalachian State, Bryan Brown, have a major rebuilding task to clean up the hot mess that Bobby Petrino left behind after being fired late in the season. The Cardinals surrendered at least 52 points in each of their last five games — so it will likely be a long road back for this group. Louisville’s improvement should happen faster on the offensive side of the football under Satterfield who emphasized more running in the spread offensive attacks as the head coach at Appalachian State. Satterfield has tapped junior quarterback Jawon Pass to be his starter with a simplified playbook from the 2007 NFL playbook Petrino was still relying on from his year with the Atlanta Falcons. Satterfield will likely also give reps to Malik Cunningham who led the team in rushing last year and can better execute the rushing attack under center. The Cardinals have played 4 of their last 5 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing on field turf. Louisville has also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total as an underdog — and this includes them playing four of their last five home games Over the Total as the dog. And in their last 22 games as an underdog getting 10.5 to 21 points, the Cardinals have played 14 of these games Over the Total.
FINAL TAKE: Louisville averaged just 19.8 PPG last year (tied for 121s in the nation) while Notre Dame surrendered just 18.2 PPG (13th in the nation). Look for the Cardinals to score at least 20 points tonight with their offense improved and the Irish defense losing three players to the NFL. With the Irish a favorite approaching 20 points, Louisville scoring 20 points should put this game way Over the number given the number the Notre Dame is likely to put up in this game. 25* CFB ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (217) and the Louisville Cardinals (218). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
09-01-19 |
Houston v. Oklahoma UNDER 81 |
Top |
31-49 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 39 m |
Show
|
At 7:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (215) and the Oklahoma Sooners (216). THE SITUATION: Houston (0-0) returns twelve starters from a team that finished 8-5 after suffering a humiliating 70-14 loss to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl. Oklahoma (0-0) has twelve starters back from the group that lost to Alabama in the College Football Playoff Semifinals by a 45-34 score.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sooners led the nation last year by averaging 48.4 PPG along with generating 570.3 total YPG. After seeing their offense improve their numbers in each of the last four seasons, the Regression Gods were likely to make a visit to Norman this year. But with Jalen Hurts the new starting quarterback for this team after his transfer from Alabama. Hurts has outstanding leadership skills as he led (the uber-talented) Crimson Tide to a 24-2 record as a starter. But Hurts does not have the same talent as Tua Tagovailoa nor Baker Mayfield or Kyler Murray who have been the two Heisman Trophy winners that Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has had at his disposal over the last two years. In four playoff game appearances, Hurts completed just 43% of his passes for the Tide while averaging just 3.7 Yards-Per-Attempt. There is a reason he was benched at halftime of the 2017 National Championship game against Georgia. The Sooners are also almost completely rebuilding their offensive line with four starters from last year departed to play in the NFL. Mayfield had the benefit of five returning starters on the offensive line two years with Murray having three returning starters last year. Hurts is not getting the same good opening hand as his two predecessors at Oklahoma. Even if the Sooners just reach their 48.4 PPG scoring mark from last year in this game, the Under should still be in pretty good shape with them being 23 or so point favorites against the Cougars. Of course, the Oklahoma defense was a mess last year as they ranked last in the Big 12 by allowing 33.3 PPG along with 453.8 total YPG. This unit can probably not help but improve under new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch who oversaw a very good defense in a previous stint at Washington State. Grinch has installed a new “positionless” scheme that emphasizes aggressiveness and play-making. This may be a better fit than the staler ideas of previous coordinate Mike Stoops. The Sooners’ secondary should be better with three juniors returning as starters who have received a baptism by fire last year. Houston will be installing a new offensive Air Raid scheme under new head coach Dana Holgorsen. The Cougars are happy to have a fully-healthy D’Eriq King back under center after he suffered a season-ending injury in mid-November. But this is an offense that Oklahoma is very familiar with given its deployment by many of the teams in the Big 12. Houston also had defensive issues last season after allowing 37.2 PPG along with 496.4 total YPG. That unit was ravaged by injuries — they allowed a more manageable 28.0 PPG in their first six games before their depleted unit surrendered 45.0 PPG in their final seven games. This defense will have something to prove after their embarrassing effort against Army in their bowl game where the team had checked out on head coach Major Applewhite. Holgorsen has proclaimed that playing good defense is a “high priority” for him — he has hired a good defensive coordinator in Joe Cauthen whose attacking style running the defense at Arkansas State led to 146 sacks over the last four seasons. Holgorsen has added six junior college transfers to improve the talent of this group led by cornerback Damarion Williams who was a junior college All-American last year. The Cougars have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total in the first half of the regular season. Houston has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams from the Big 12.
FINAL TAKE: With the Total eclipsing the 80 point mark in some spots, it will take a high level of offensive production of both teams to reach the Over. Don’t be surprised if both of these potent offenses make some execution mistakes in this opening game. This logic helps to inform a historical angle supporting the Under that has been 75% effective since 1992. In games in the first two weeks of the season with the Total set at 63 or higher between two teams from major 1-A conferences, when at least one of the teams returns a starting quarterback from the previous season, the game finished Under the Total in 40 of these last 53 situations where these conditions applied. 25* CFB ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (215) and the Oklahoma Sooners (216). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-31-19 |
Ball State v. Indiana UNDER 61.5 |
Top |
24-34 |
Win
|
100 |
9 h 37 m |
Show
|
At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ball State Cardinals (169) and the Indiana Hoosiers (170). THE SITUATION: Ball State (0-0) returns seventeen starters from their team that finished 4-8 last season. Indiana (0-0) returns fourteen starters from last year’s 5-7 team. This game will be played on a neutral field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cardinals were hit hard by transfers in the offseason with six players leaving the program. The offense lost two incumbent starters from last year in senior quarterback Riley Neal who transferred to Vanderbilt and senior running back James Gilbert who moved to Kansas State. There is an argument to be had that perhaps both these players were going to lose their jobs this season. On the other hand, Neal had started 32 games for Ball State while throwing for 7393 yards and 46 touchdown passes while Gilbert rushed for 2806 yards in his career with the program — and that was good enough to entice two football programs in Power Five conferences. Ball State was just 102nd in the FBS last year by scoring just 4.2 points per trip inside the 40-yard line. Any improvements on offense will likely not materialize right away. As it is, the Cardinals have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the first month of the season. I do expect to see significant improvements from the Ball State defense that returns nine starters. This is the second year for this unit playing in a 3-4 formation. This move worked for the first seven games last year under defensive coordinator David Elson as they hold those first seven opponents to just 23.9 PPG. But injuries eventually took their toll as the Cardinals allowed their last five opponents to score 44.4 PPG as their lack of depth was exposed. Back at full health and with better depth from the experiences from last season, Ball State should be much improved in the second year playing in the 3-4 look. They return seventeen players who registered at teals ten tackles last year. The Cardinals have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the Mid-American Conference — and they have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against Big Ten foes. Ball State has also played 4 straight games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field. Indiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big Ten. The Hoosiers defense regressed last year with only three returning starters — they allowed 423.8 total YPG which was 83.7 YPG more than what they surrendered in 2017 when they ranked 27th in the nation in total defense. Don’t be surprised if this unit approaches those strong defensive numbers from two years ago with seven starters back along with eight of their top eleven tacklers from last year. Tom Allen feels confident enough with this group that he promoted linebackers coach Kane Wommack to defensive coordinator to free up his time focus exclusively with his head coaching duties. Allen has already made a big move by tapping redshirt freshman Michael Penix as the starting quarterback to replace returning starter Peyton Ramsey. Penix has a better runner with a stronger arm — but with this team playing in a new system under first-year offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, it might take some time for this unit to gel. The Hoosiers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored by 10.5 to 21 points. They also have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total with the number set in the 56.5 to 63 point range.
FINAL TAKE: Indiana won last year’s rivalry game between these two schools by a 38-10 score with that result falling well short of the 62.5 point Total. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* College Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Ball State Cardinals (169) and the Indiana Hoosiers (170). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-30-19 |
Padres v. Giants UNDER 7.5 |
Top |
3-8 |
Loss |
-107 |
2 h 35 m |
Show
|
At 10:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (963) and the San Francisco Giants (964) listing both starting pitchers Dinelson Lamet and Madison Bumgarner. THE SITUATION: San Diego (62-71) won the opening game of this series last night by a 5-3 score. San Francisco (65-68) has lost three straight games.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Padres have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win. Additionally, the Under is 4-0-1 in San Diego’s last 5 games on the road against teams with a losing record. And in their last 25 road games in the season half of the season, the Padres have played 19 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Lamet who is 2-2 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in nine starts. The right-hander has seen the velocity on his fastball approach 96 miles per hour which has helped him generate swinging strikes in 13.8% of his pitches. The sabermetrics are bullish with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.01 and 3.84 moving forward based off his deeper peripheral numbers. Over his last seven starts, Lamet has a 2-0 record with a 3.75 ERA. He also has been more effective on the road where he owns a 3.12 ERA along with a 1.19 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .214 in five starts. San Diego has played 3 of their last 4 road games Under the Total with Lamet pitching with the Total set in the 7 to 7.5 range. He faces a Giants team that scores only 3.4 Runs-Per-Game at home with a .228 batting average along with a .289 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .651. The Under is 7-2-1 in the Giants’ last 10 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Under is also 13-5-1 in San Francisco’s last 19 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. Furthermore, the Under is 13-3-2 in the Giants’ last 18 games after a loss. The Under is also 15-6-3 in San Fran’s last 24 home games against teams with a losing record. And in the Giants’ last 10 games when favored in the -125 to -175 price range, they have played 7 of these games Under the Total. They counter with Bumgarner who is 8-8 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The lefty has been on fire over his last twelve starts as he enjoys a 5-1 record with a 2.96 ERA over that span. The veteran also loves facing the Padres against which he sports a 3.47 ERA in 35 games (34 starts). Bumgarner has been much better at home where he owns a 2.95 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .215 in fifteen starts. The Under is 5-1-2 in San Francisco’s last 8 home games with Bumgarner facing a team with a losing record. The Giants have also played 12 of their last 14 home games with Bumgarner facing a fellow NL West foe. The Padres are scoring only 2.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .185 batting average along with a .255 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .573.
FINAL TAKE: San Diego has played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB National League West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (963) and the San Francisco Giants (964) listing both starting pitchers Dinelson Lamet and Madison Bumgarner. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-29-19 |
Dolphins v. Saints UNDER 37 |
Top |
16-13 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 16 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (125) and the New Orleans Saints (126). THE SITUATION: Miami (2-1) concludes their preseason coming off a 22-7 win over Jacksonville as a pick ‘em last Thursday. New Orleans (2-1) comes off a 28-13 win in New York against the Jets as a 3-point favorite last Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dolphins have played 13 of their last 20 preseason games Under the Total after an upset win in the previous week of the preseason — and they have also played three of their last four preseason games Under the Total after an upset victory by at least 10 points in the previous week. Miami has also played 28 of their last 44 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread cover in the previous week in the preseason. In theory, the Dolphins still have a battle to determine their starting quarterback with rookie head coach Brian Flores yet to name his starter for next week. With a difficult early schedule, I suspect Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the initial starter — yet he will not be playing tonight due to an illness. Josh Rosen will get the start and I expect him to the be starter for this team by midseason. But look for the majority of the snaps tonight to go to fourth-year veteran Jake Rudock who has played in only three regular-season games in his career. The former Michigan QB did not play last week. The Dolphins defense has played this preseason after holding the Jaguars to just 243 yards last week. Miami has held their three preseason opponents to just 16.7 PPG along with only 296.3 total YPG. Additionally, the Dolphins have played 12 of their last 19 preseason games Under the Total after winning two of their last three preseason games. New Orleans held the Jets to just 300 yards of offense in a very nice defensive effort last week. QB Drew Brees will not play in this game — and with veteran Teddy Bridgewater and third-year pro Taysom Hill playing well this preseason, there is little for the offense to prove this week after averaging 24.0 PPG along with 355.3 total YPG in their three preseason games. The Saints have played 8 of their last 9 preseason games Under the Total under head coach Sean Payton when playing a team with a winning record in the preseason. And while the Dolphins are outscoring their preseason opponents by +6.7 PPG, New Orleans has played all 5 of these preseason games Under the Total. The Saints return back home to the Superdome after playing their last two preseason games on the road. New Orleans has played 6 of their last 8 preseason games at home Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total in the preseason with the number set in the 35.5 to 38 point range. Furthermore, the Saints have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after playing their last two preseason games on the road — and they have played 15 of their last 24 preseason games Under the Total when playing with no more than six days between preseason contests.
FINAL TAKE: With both of these teams having little to determine tonight on the offensive side of the football, it should be a whole lotta vanilla from both groups with avoiding injuries being the clear top agenda item. 25* NFLx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (125) and the New Orleans Saints (126). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-25-19 |
Steelers v. Titans UNDER 40.5 |
Top |
18-6 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 16 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (281) and the Tennessee Titans (282). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (2-0) is undefeated so far this preseason after their 17-7 victory over Kansas City as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. Tennessee (1-1) looks to rebound from their 22-17 loss at home to New England in a game that closed with them being a pick ‘em.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Steelers have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after an upset victory in the preseason. The Pittsburgh defense held the potent Chiefs offense to just 315 yards of offense in that game — and Patrick Mahomes did start that game. The Steelers have held their first two preseason opponents to just 17.5 PPG. Ben Roethlisberger will make his preseason debut in this game — but he is unlikely to play the first half as he has done in the past in previous dress rehearsal games in the third week of the preseason. Pittsburgh has played 17 of their last 24 preseason games Under the Total as the underdog under head coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers have also played 7 of their last 11 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. And in their last 3 preseason games against fellow AFC opponents, Pittsburgh has played all 3 of these games Under the Total. Tennessee only managed 306 yards of offense in their loss to the Patriots last week. The Titans did allow New England to gain 363 yards in that contest with the Patriots averaging 6.2 Yards-Per-Play — so better play on that side of the football will likely be a priority for head coach Mike Vrabel. Tennessee has played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after allowing at least 6.0 YPP in their last preseason game in the previous week. The Titans defense is still allowing just 16.0 PPG this preseason along with only 295.0 total YPG. They host this game where they have played 23 of their last 38 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range.
FINAL TAKE: The Under is also supported by a preseason-specific angle that has been 66% effective over the last five seasons. In preseason games involving a team coming off an upset win the previous week in the preseason (Pittsburgh) who have a winning record in the preseason, these games finished Under the Total in 47 of the last 71 situations where these conditions applied. 25* NFLx Sunday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (281) and the Tennessee Titans (282). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-24-19 |
Texans v. Cowboys UNDER 40.5 |
Top |
0-34 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 33 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). THE SITUATION: Houston (1-1) won their first exhibition game in the preseason with their 30-23 win over Detroit as a 3-point favorite last Saturday. Dallas (1-1) also earned their first victory in the preseason with a 14-10 win on the road in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Texans saw a high scoring game last week with 53 combined points being scored — but one of those touchdowns came from them allowing a 19-yard fumble recovery that the Lions returned for a touchdown. Houston has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with six days of rest preseason games under head coach Bill O’Brien. O’Brien pulled his offensive starters after they had a successful opening drive against the Detroit defense. Quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 5 of 7 passes for 60 yards. But Watson has a history of injury — so O’Brien will likely have a quick hook with his offense after he is satisfied with their execution tonight. The Texans have a solid backup in Joe Webb — but their third-stringer, Jordan Ta’Amu, has only thrown one pass in the preseason as a rookie out of Ole Miss. Houston has played 7 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total on the road — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total when playing on field turf under O’Brien. Additionally, the Texans have played 8 of their last 13 preseason games Under the Total when favored under O’Brien. Dallas has only scored 11.5 PPG in their two preseason games while averaging just 272.5 total YPG in those contests. This is par for the course for head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys averaged only 10.7 PPG while generating just 280.5 total YPG in their four preseason games last year. QB Dak Prescott has thrown only nine passes this preseason. And with running back Ezekiel Elliott still holding out, the Cowboys are not likely to put their promising rookie running back Tony Pollard on the field much for this game. Dallas has played 3 of their last 4 preseason games Under the Total after scoring no more than 17 points in two straight games. The backup QB situation for Dallas is not one of the better situations in the league. Cooper Rush has looked solid this preseason — but the third-year pro out of Central Michigan has only played in three regular-season games without a start. The third-stringer is likely to be Mike White — the second-year QB has completed only 16 of 33 passes for 117 yards in this preseason.
FINAL TAKE: The Cowboys have played 14 of their last 23 preseason games in the Garrett era Under the Total with the number set int he 35.5 to 42 point range. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFLx NFL Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-23-19 |
Royals v. Indians UNDER 9 |
Top |
1-4 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 12 m |
Show
|
At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Royals (915) and the Cleveland Indians (916) listing both starting pitchers Jakob Junis and Zach Plesac. THE SITUATION: Kansas City (45-83) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 8-1 loss in Baltimore against the Orioles. Cleveland (74-54) has won three straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 2-0 loss in New York to the Mets.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Royals have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss. Additionally, Kansas City has lost 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total after allowing at least eight runs in their last contest. The Royals have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring no more than two runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after an off day. And in their last 7 games on the road, Kansas City has played 5 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Junis who is 8-11 with a 4.78 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in twenty-six starts. The right-hander will be looking to complete at least 6 innings of work for the ninth straight start tonight. Junis has been more effective on the road where he has a 3.89 ERA along with a 1.33 WHIP and .260 opponent’s batting average in twelve starts as opposed to his 5.53 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and .275 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. The Royals have played 4 straight road games Under the Total with Junis pitching against teams with a winning record. Kansas City has also played 22 of their last 33 games with Junis pitching with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. He faces an Indians team that is scoring only 4.4 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .244 batting average along with a .310 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .728. Cleveland has played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a loss by two runs or less — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing no more than two runs in their last game. The Indians return home to Progressive Field for the first time since August 14th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after being on the road for at least seven days. Cleveland has also played 19 of their last 25 home games Under the Total when favored in the -125 to -175 price range. They counter with Plesac who is 6-4 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in fifteen starts. The right-hander has done his best pitching at home where he has a 3.25 ERA along with a 1.17 WHIP in eight starts as compared to his 3.86 ERA and 1.26 WHIP on the road. The Indians have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with Plesac pitching as a money-line favorite priced in the -110 to -150 range. He should have success facing this Royals team that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games along with a .214 batting average along with a .264 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .550 during that span. Kansas City has also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: This is the first meeting between these two teams since July 28th when the Royals upset the Indians at home by a 9-6 score despite being a +160 priced underdog. Cleveland has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a home favorite. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Cleveland. 25* MLB American League Central Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Royals (915) and the Cleveland Indians (916) listing both starting pitchers Jakob Junis and Zach Plesac. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-22-19 |
Redskins v. Falcons UNDER 41.5 |
Top |
19-7 |
Win
|
100 |
7 h 52 m |
Show
|
At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (253) and the Atlanta Falcons (254). THE SITUATION: Washington (0-2) remained winless this preseason with their 25-13 upset loss at home to Cincinnati as a 2.5-point favorite last Thursday. Atlanta (0-3) lost their third straight game this preseason with their 22-10 upset loss at home to the New York Jets as a 2.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While the Skins’ game with the Bengals finished Under the Total with 36 combined points, two touchdowns were scored by a pick-six by Washington along with a 75-yard punt return by Cincinnati. The Skins managed only 212 yards of offense against the Bengals — and they have averaged a mere 241.5 total YPG this preseason despite having one of the few legitimate quarterback battles to determine their starter this preseason. The Washington defense did play better this week as they limited Cincinnati to just 335 yards. The Skins have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total under head coach Jay Gruden after a straight-up loss in the preseason — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread defeat in the preseason in the Gruden era. Additionally, Washington has played 9 of their last 10 preseason games Under the Total under Gruden when playing with six days or less of rest. The Skins have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total in the preseason as the favorite — and they have played 12 of their last 19 preseason games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total under Gruden. Atlanta has now lost eleven preseason games under head coach Dan Quinn. After averaging just 6.7 PPG in their four preseason games last year, the Falcons are scoring only somewhat better this season with their 15.7 PPG clip. Don’t blame Atlanta not using their starting quarterback Matt Ryan either as he played well into the second quarter last week while completing 10 of his 14 passes for 118 yards. The Falcons have then played 8 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total after a straight-up loss in the preseason — and they have played 8 of their last 10 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread preseason loss in the Quinn era. Further, Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after suffering two straight preseason losses — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after losing three straight games against the spread in the preseason. The Falcons defense has been stout this preseason as they are allowing only 249.3 total YPG. They have not allowed more than 96 rushing yards this preseason — and they have then played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in at least two straight preseason contests. Atlanta has also played 6 straight preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range.
FINAL TAKE: The Falcons have played 7 straight preseason games Under the Total in expected close preseason games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in the Skins last 6 preseason games against fellow NFC opponents, the game finished Under the Total all 6 times. 25* NFLx NFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (253) and the Atlanta Falcons (254). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-21-19 |
Marlins v. Braves OVER 9.5 |
Top |
0-5 |
Loss |
-102 |
4 h 18 m |
Show
|
At 7:20 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Caleb Smith and Julio Teheran. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (75-62) has won three straight games with their 5-1 victory over the Marlins last night. Miami (45-79) has lost four straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 20 of their last 30 games Over the Total after a victory by at least four runs. The Over is also 6-2-2 in their last 10 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while Atlanta has not allowed more than three runs in three straight games, they have then played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after not allowing more than three runs in their last game. Furthermore, while the Braves have played three straight games Over the Total, they have then played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight Unders. They give the ball to Teheran who is 7-8 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twenty-six starts this season. The sabermetrics are screaming that Teheran is high on the list of regression candidates for the rest of the season relative to those baseline numbers. Opposing hitters are generating a Hard-Hit Rate of 38.9% which is the highest in his career. The right-hander then adds to many walks to this volatile situation — he issues a base-on-balls to 11.0% of the batters he faces while averaging 4.29 walks per 9 innings of work. Unfortunately for Teheran, he is not much of a strikeout pitcher to help him get out of jams — he only strikes out 21.3% of the batters he faces. He also does not induce ground balls as only 39.8% of the batted balls he allows into play are grounders. Both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 5.13 and 5.27 moving forward based on his peripheral numbers like this. Teheran is not quite as effective a home either where he has a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .248 in twelve starts as compared to his 1.26 WHIP and .221 opponent’s batting average when pitching on the road. Atlanta has played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total with Teheran on the hill — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with Teheran facing a team with a losing record. The Braves have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with Teheran facing the Marlins. The Over is 10-3-2 in Miami’s last 15 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Over is also 10-3-2 in the Marlins’ last 15 games after a loss — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games after a loss to a divisional rival where they scored just one run. The Over is also 6-0-2 in Miami’s last 8 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the Marlins have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total in the month of August — and the Over is 6-1-2 in Miami’s last 9 games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Smith who is 8-6 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in twenty starts. The lefty has a concerning Hard-Hit rate of 41.7% that is a bit more manageable when pitching in the spacious Marlins Park for his home games. Smith has a 3.32 ERA in ten starts at home — but those numbers rise to a 3.95 ERA when he is on the road. His SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 4.08 and 4.34 moving forward. Miami has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Smith pitching on five days of rest — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 5 games with Smith facing a team with a winning record. After throwing 106 pitches in his last game (which only got him through 5 innings), the Marlins will be keeping a short lease on their young hurler as they build for the future. Expect the Miami bullpen to get plenty of action in this game with their 5.15 ERA and 1.46 WHIP this season — and that group has a 12.34 ERA with a 2.49 WHIP in their last seven games. Atlanta hits left-handed pitching hard — they average 5.6 Runs-Per-Game with a .812 OPS against left-handed starting pitchers. The Braves have also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.
FINAL TAKE: The Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Expect another higher-scoring game tonight. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Caleb Smith and Julio Teheran. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
08-19-19 |
49ers v. Broncos UNDER 40.5 |
Top |
24-15 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 60 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (431) and the Denver Broncos (432). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (1-0) won their opening preseason game last week by a 17-9 score over Dallas as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday. Denver (1-1) looks to bounce-back from their 22-14 upset loss at Seattle back on August 8th where they were 2-point favorites.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While the headlines with this 49ers team usually relate to their offense under head coach Kyle Shanahan, their defense has been drawn attention in training camp for their strong play. San Francisco limited the Cowboys to just 294 yards of offense last week in that preseason victory. Furthermore, the 49ers held Dallas to averaging just 4.8 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt — and in preseason games involving a road team that did not allow more than 5.5 YPA in the preseason game in the previous week, these games finished Under the Total in 48 of these last 71 situations (68%) where these conditions applied. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo did not play last week but he is expected to make his preseason debut tonight — although reports out of the San Francisco camp is that he will play only one or two series tonight before giving way to his backups. There is still a battle for the second string QB slot between C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens. Beathard injured his finger last week but he is expected to first off the bench after Garoppolo’s night is complete. San Francisco will likely rely on their deep bench at running back as well with Jerick McKinnon dealing with an injury. Shanahan did not risk playing Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman last week — so while they will both likely see snaps, they will likely not play much in this game to avoid risking another injury at the running back position. Denver has played 13 of their last 22 preseason games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss in the preseason in the previous week. The Broncos only gained 298 yards of offense last week despite it being their second preseason game after playing Atlanta in the Hall of Fame Game. Denver is averaging just 243.0 total YPG this preseason which has resulted in just 14 points in each of their games. Veteran QB Joe Flacco took his first snaps in live competition last week — he completed 3 of his 4 passes for 19 yards. It is not likely that he will play deep into this game. Expect the majority of the snaps to be given to rookies Drew Lock and Brett Rypien along with the fourth-year veteran Kevin Hogan. The former Stanford star has completed just 8 of his 15 passes for 54 yards with no touchdown passes in two preseason games. The Broncos have played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total when favored.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams conducted joint practices in the lead-up to this exhibition game. The Denver defense played extremely well in those controlled scrimmage events. The Broncos have allowed only 7 and 3 points in the first half of their two preseason games — and that triggers a preseason-specific angle supporting the Under that has been 81% effective over the last five seasons. In preseason games with the Total set in then 35.5-42 point range, when one of the teams has not allowed more than a touchdown in their previous two preseason games, these games finished Under the Total in 21 of the last 26 games where these situations applied. 25* NFLx Monday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (431) and the Denver Broncos (432). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-18-19 |
Seahawks v. Vikings UNDER 41.5 |
Top |
19-25 |
Loss |
-110 |
1 h 49 m |
Show
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At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (429) and the Minnesota Vikings (430). THE SITUATION: Seattle (1-0) pulled off a 22-14 upset win at home against Denver back on August 8th as a 2-point underdog. Minnesota (1-0) pulled off an upset win the next night in New Orleans with their 34-25 win against the Saints as a 3-point underdog.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Pete Carroll’s teams have played 20 of their 28 preseason games Under the Total after a straight-up win in the preseason — and this includes his Seahawks teams playing ten of their sixteen preseason games Under the Total after a win in the preseason in the previous week. Carroll’s Seattle teams have also played 12 of their last 17 preseason games after a point spread win in the preseason. The Seahawks defense played well in that game as they held the Broncos (who already had a preseason game under their belts) to just 298 yards of offense. Seattle has played 7 of their last 10 preseason games in the Carroll regime Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last preseason game in the previous week. The offense was not much better as Seattle managed only 18 first downs which resulted in 301 yards. Geno Smith struggled at quarterback as he completed just 3 of 9 passes. Russell Wilson did not play in that opening game — he will likely play in this game but the veteran will not play long in this game. Carroll’s Seahawks teams have played 7 of their last 9 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 38.5 to 42 point range. Seattle has also played 6 of their last 9 preseason games against fellow NFC opponents Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 preseason games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Minnesota has played 13 of their last 17 preseason games Under the Total after pulling off an upset victory in the preseason — and this includes them playing three of the four games Under the Total after an upset victory in the preseason under head coach Mike Zimmer. The Vikings have also played 5 of their last 6 preseason games in the Zimmer era Under the Total after a preseason victory on the road. The Minnesota offense was crisp — led by starter Kirk Cousins who completed all four of his passes for 65 yards and a touchdown — as they generated 460 yards in that game. But while the Vikings averaged 8.5 Yards-Per-Play against the Saints, they have then played 3 of their 4 preseason games Under the Total. This game may see more of Jake Browning who attempted only three passes last week. The rookie from Washington is battling Sean Mannion and Kyle Sloter for a backup spot on the depth chart. Only Mannion has NFL experience with his ten-game appearances out of that group after Cousins.
FINAL TAKE: The Vikings backup quarterbacks will have a challenge facing this Seahawks team that held Denver to just 5.3 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt last week. Preseason games where the road team did not allow more than 5.5 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt in their previous preseason game have then gone Under the Total in 48 of these last 70 situations (69%). 25* NFLx Fox-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (429) and the Minnesota Vikings (430). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-17-19 |
Patriots v. Titans UNDER 43 |
Top |
22-17 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 34 m |
Show
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At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (419) and the Tennessee Titans (420). THE SITUATION: New England (1-0) opened up their exhibition season by going on the road to crush the Lions in Detroit by a 31-3 score as a 2.5-point underdog. Tennessee (1-0) comes off a 27-10 upset victory in their first preseason game at Philadelphia where they were 1.5-point underdogs.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots flexed their muscles on defense against the Lions with the young talent they have assembled on that side of the field which has given them nice depth for deep playoff runs. New England held Detroit to just 93 yards of offense while limiting them to only 3.0 Yards-Per-Play. The Patriots have played 6 of their last 9 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the previous preseason game in the prior week. They went into halftime with a 20-0 shutout lead over the Lions as well — and they have then played 9 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the first half of their previous preseason game. These two teams have played two joint practices together with this exhibition game serving as the third encounter between these two teams this week. The last time the Patriots conducted joint practices before their second preseason game, Tom Brady only two series in that game. Don’t expect to see Brady out on the field very long tonight. I suspect that rookie Jarrett Stidham out of Auburn will get the majority of snaps to get him more opportunities against professional defenses. He was very effective last week in completing 14 of 24 passes for 179 yards with one touchdown against the Lions — but the Titans defense will benefit from both that game tape as well as two days of direct experience scrimmaging against him to now offer him come challenging looks. New England has played 22 of their last 37 preseason games Under the Total — and they have also played 13 of their last 21 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Tennessee’s defense also played quite well last week in holding the Eagles to just 227 yards of offense. The Titans were also able to control the time of possession by being on offense for 37:51 minutes of that game. Tennessee limited Philadelphia to just 37 rushing yards in that preseason game. The Titans have then played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 rushing yards in their previous preseason game — and they have played both preseason games Under the Total in the Matt Vrabel era Under the Total after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their previous preseason contest. Quarterback Marcus Mariota threw only 8 passes last week for just 24 yards — I do not expect him to see the field too much tonight. Backup Ryan Tannehill looked very good as a backup (with whispers that he could challenge for Mariota’s job) by completing 12 of 16 passes for 130 yards and two TD passes. Don’t be surprised if third-stringer Logan Woodside gets plenty of action tonight. It is a big dropoff to the third-year pro from Toledo who has yet to play in an NFL regular season contest. Tennessee has played their last 3 games against fellow AFC opponents Under the Total.
FINAL TAKE: In preseason games between conference rivals, when the Total is set in the 42.5 to 49 point range, these games finished Under the Total in 22 of these last 28 situations (79%). With these teams already facing off with two joint practices, expect these two AFC playoff teams from last year to engage in an exhibition game that is pure vanilla. 25* NFLx AFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (419) and the Tennessee Titans (420). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-17-19 |
Tottenham Hotspur v. Manchester City UNDER 3 |
Top |
2-2 |
Loss |
-100 |
1 h 3 m |
Show
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At 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between the Tottenham Hotspurs (200049) and Manchester City (200050). THE SITUATION: Tottenham (W1-D0-L0) won their opening match last Saturday with their 3-1 victory over Aston Villa. Manchester City (W1-D0-L0) began the defense of their 2018-19 English Premier League championship with a 5-0 victory at West Ham.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Tottenham is undermanned for this match with Dele Alli, Ryan Sessegnon, and Ben Davies all dealing with injuries while Juan Foyth and Son Heung-min ineligible to play as they finish out respective suspensions. The Spurs still have a healthy Harry Kane who scored twice in the final five minutes of their match with the promoted Aston Villa side to escape with that 3-1 victory. The Tottenham offensive attack was sluggish for most of that match until Christian Eriksen took the pitch to offer Kane a passing combination from the midfield. The Spurs scored only 10 goals in their ten EPL matches last season against one of the Big Six opponents. However, Tottenham’s defense was solid in those matches as they surrendered only 15 goals in those ten matches against the Big Six. Only two of those ten matches saw more than three combined goals scored with five of those matches seeing no more than two combined goals scored by both teams. Manager Mauricio Pochettino typically has his team embrace defensive tactics in these high-profile matches — and that will even more likely be the case given that his starting XI is not his best possible group. Manchester City produced another clean sheet last Saturday by blanking West Ham. The Citizens were second in the EPL last season by allowing only 29 goals in their thirty-eight matches all season. Man City’s defense plays consistently well even against the best competition in the league. Manchester City allowed only five goals in their ten matches against Power Six sides — and they surrendered a mere three goals in their five home matches against these Big Six teams. Pep Guardiola is also dealing with some injuries with Leroy Sane out as he prepares for knee surgery and Benjamin Mendy still working on his game fitness.
FINAL TAKE: These teams and managers are very familiar with each other. They faced off against each other three times in a twelve-day stretch last April with one EPL match and the two-legs of their Championship League Semifinals clash. Two of those matches ended in 1-0 results with Tottenham winning the opening match at home in that Champions League clash on April 9th before Man City avenged losing that semifinals showdown with a 1-0 victory in EPL play on April 20th. The Spurs advanced to the Champions League Finals by the road team goals scored tie-breaker after a 4-3 result at Man City on April 17th in a wild game where the Citizens needed to win by at least two goals. That result was a bit of an aberration given the urgency Manchester City had to win by two goals (after the Spurs registered a goal on the road). Expect the defensive tactics of those other two April matches serve as the template for this encounter. 25* English Premier League NBC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between the Tottenham Hotspurs (200049) and Manchester City (200050). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-15-19 |
Raiders v. Cardinals UNDER 40.5 |
Top |
33-26 |
Loss |
-110 |
13 h 26 m |
Show
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At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oakland Raiders (409) and the Arizona Cardinals (410). THE SITUATION: Oakland (1-0) won their opening preseason game last Saturday in their 14-3 victory at home over the Los Angeles Rams as a 4.5-point favorite. Arizona (1-0) also won their first exhibition game this preseason with their 17-13 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday as a 3-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: One of the reliable sources of evidence in handicapping preseason games invokes the team trends tied to the head coach in various situations. Head coach Jon Gruden has seen his teams played 11 of their 14 preseason games Under the Total after a win in the preseason at home in his coaching career with the Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gruden’s teams have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a preseason win at home by double-digits. Furthermore, the Raiders have played 4 straight preseason games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range in Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders. The Oakland offense generated 407 total yards last week — but they were able to churn out those yards by controlling the Time of Possession for 35:27 minutes of that game. The Raiders kept the chains moving by rushing for 149 yards — and they outrushed the Rams by +92 net yards. Oakland has then played 13 o their last 17 preseason games Under the Total after outrushing their previous preseason opponent in the prior week by at least 75 yards. Quarterbacks Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman combined to complete 26 of 37 passes for 266 yards. But inconsistency remains an issue for both signal-callers. Glennon threw two interceptions last week — and Peterman’s struggles with consistency are well-documented. Scoring only 14 points despite gaining over 400 yards and controlling the clock for almost 60% of the game is not a great sign moving forward. Second-year offensive lineman, Brandon Parker, struggled in pass protection — and the Raiders have played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in the previous preseason game in the prior week. Incumbent starter, Derek Carr, did not play on Saturday. Carr only played in the first and third preseason games last August where he threw just seven combined passes — so Gruden’s likely approach this preseason will be to limit Carr’s exposure in these exhibition games. Besides, Gruden has the incentive to continue to observe Glennon and Peterman play against hostile competition since he is undecided on who will serve as Carr’s primary backup. The Raiders should feel encouraged by the play of their defense that limited the Rams’ offense (albeit, not playing their first unit) to just 190 yards of offense. Los Angeles averaged only 3.8 Yards-Per-Play — and Oakland has played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 4.0 YPP in their previous preseason game. Additionally, the Raiders have played 11 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total on the road with the Total set in the 38.5 to 42 point range. Arizona managed only 289 yards of offense in the debut of the Kliff Kingsbury offense last week against the Chargers defense. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray was on the field for only ten plays in that game. And while he looked pretty good, he did not lead the offense to any points. Kingsbury declared that Murray will play “longer” tonight — but I do not expect that to be significantly longer with Kingsbury falling under the Sean McVay new school of coaching that does not value playing the first-string offense in these exhibition games. That means that the majority of the quarterbacking will likely be handled by the law firm of Hundley, Anderson, and Kanoff — and with only Brett Hundley seeming to offer potential upside as opposed to rookie Drew Anderson from the FCS school, Murray State, and second-year man, Charles Kanoff, from another FCS school, Princeton. Those latter two FCS quarterbacks with zero game experience in the regular season will have to work behind the backups of an already suspect offensive line. The Cardinals have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after a preseason straight-up victory — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after covering the point spread in their previous preseason game. And while Arizona was outrushed by -123 yards last week to the Chargers, they have then played 9 of their last 13 preseason games Under the Total after being outrushed in the previous week in the preseason by at least 75 yards. The Cardinals gave up 357 yards in that game while allowing Los Angeles to average 7.0 YPP — but they have then played 5 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 7.0 YPP in their previous preseason game in the previous week.
FINAL TAKE: Arizona stays at home to host their second preseason game — and they have played 22 of their last 36 home preseason games with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Expect both these teams to struggle to score 20 points apiece — despite the Total in the 40-point range. 25* NFLx ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oakland Raiders (409) and the Arizona Cardinals (410). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-04-19 |
Red Sox v. Yankees OVER 10 |
Top |
4-7 |
Win
|
102 |
4 h 37 m |
Show
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At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (973) and the New York Yankees (974) listing both starting pitchers David Price and J.A. Happ. New York (71-39) has won four straight games after taking Game Three of their AL East series with the Red Sox by a 6-4 score in the second game of their double-header yesterday. Boston (59-54) has now lost seven straight games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Red Sox have played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight contests. Additionally, Boston has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. And while the Red Sox have not scored more than four runs in four straight games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not scoring more than four runs in four straight games. Additionally, Boston has played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have also played 29 of their last 43 road games Over the Total when priced as the favorite of at least -110. They give the ball to Price who is 7-4 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in twenty starts this season. The left-hander has allowed fewer runs at home in Fenway this year where he has a 3.46 ERA as opposed to his 4.13 ERA when he is pitching on the road. Price returns from paternity leave for this critical contest for the reeling Sox — but he has been part of the problem given his 6.52 ERA over his last four starts. And Yankee Stadium has been a house of horrors for Price — in his seven regular-season starts here since the start of the 2016 campaign, he has been saddled with an 8.59 ERA along with a 1.96 WHIP. Boston has played 5 straight games Over the Total with Price pitching in New York against the Yankees. He faces a hot-hitting Bronx Bombers team (despite being a M*A*S*H unit with their hitters) who are scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .274 batting average along with a .349 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .836 during that span. New York has played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a win by two runs or less — and they have also played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after winning at least four in a row. The Yankees have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while the New York bullpen logged in 8 innings of work yesterday with them using reliever Chad Green as their opener, they have then played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total when their bullpen pitched at least 7 innings in their last game. Additionally, the Yankees have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total when priced in the +/- 125 price range. They counter with Happ who is 8-6 with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The left-hander is also returning from paternity leave but he has struggled in Yankee Stadium as well where he has a 5.64 ERA along with a 1.47 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .305 in twelve starts as compared to his 4.62 ERA along with a nice 1.19 WHIP and .238 opponent’s batting average on the road. New York has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with Happ facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Red Sox team that has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 21-10-1 in their last 32 games against starting pitchers. And while Boston has played 29 of their last 43 games Over the Total with the number set at 10 or higher, the Yanks have played 21 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the total set at 10 or more.
FINAL TAKE: New York has won the last four games of this series going back all the way to the idyllic last few days in July last Sunday night. Boston has played 29 of their last 46 games Over the Total when playing with at least double-revenge — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when having lost at least four straight games against their opponent. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (973) and the New York Yankees (974) listing both starting pitchers David Price and J.A. Happ. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-04-19 |
Storm v. Sparks UNDER 151 |
Top |
75-83 |
Loss |
-103 |
2 h 20 m |
Show
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At 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (635) and Los Angeles Sparks (636). THE SITUATION: Seattle (12-10) has lost two straight games after their 99-79 loss to Washington on Friday as a 5-point underdog. Los Angles (12-8) has their last two games as well as five of their last six contests with their 76-68 win over Las Vegas on Thursday as a 1.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Storm played their worst defensive game of the season on Friday as they allowed the Mystics to nail 54.8% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in 2019. Head coach Dan Hughes will certainly get on his team to play better on the defensive end of the court tonight. As it is, Seattle has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 50% of their shots from the field. The Storm has also played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The reigning WNBA champions are one of the best defensive teams in the league this season even without Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird who have not played this year due to their respective injuries. Seattle is 3rd in the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 95.2 — and they hold their home hosts to just 41.7% shooting. The Storm made 40% of their shots agent the Mystics which may not sound much like but it was their best shooting mark in their last three games. Seattle has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game — and they may be without forward Kaleena Mosquera-Lewis who is questionable with a knee injury. That game with the Mystics flew over the 158 point Total on Thursday but the Storm have played 6 straight games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Under is also 17-4-1 in Seattle’s last 22 games played with one day of rest. The Storm go back on the road they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total. Furthermore, the Under is 22-3-2 in Seattle’s last 27 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Storm have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total as the underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference foes. Los Angeles has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against Western Conference opponents. The Sparks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. LA’s 42.3% shooting percentage on Thursday was their worst shooting effort in their last three games — but they have played 25 of their last 33 games Under the Total after making at least 42% of their shots in three straight games. The Sparks will be understaffed in this game with Alana Beard out with a hamstring injury, Riquina Williams still serving her ten-game suspension and Nneka Ogwunmike listed as questionable with a jaw injury. Los Angeles stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 52 games — and they have played 17 of their last 22 home games Under the Total as the favorite. The Sparks have also played 11 of their last 12 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Look for LA to lean on their defense that has been bolstered by the return of Candace Parker in the middle. Over their last ten games, the Sparks’ Defensive Rating of 92.4 is second best in the WNBA — and they have held their last five opponents to just 37.9% shooting from the field. The Under is 20-6-2 in Los Angeles’ last 28 games against teams with a winning record.
FINAL TAKE: The Sparks will be motivated to avenge an 84-62 upset loss at Seattle where they allowed the Storm to nail 14 of their 26 shots from behind the arc for a sizzling 53.8% percentage. Los Angeles has played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road to their opponent. The Under is 38-11-3 in the last 52 meetings between these two teams — and the Under is 21-6-2 in the last 29 battles taking place in Los Angeles. 25* WNBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (635) and Los Angeles Sparks (636). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-03-19 |
Aces v. Wings UNDER 147 |
Top |
75-70 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 14 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (631) and the Dallas Wings (632). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (14-7) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Thursday with their 76-68 loss in Los Angeles against the Sparks as a 1.5-point underdog. Dallas (6-15) snapped their six-game losing streak on Thursday with their 87-64 upset victory over New York as a 1.5-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wings made 46.9% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But Dallas is still making only 36.5% of their shots over their last five games so regression from that outlier effort against the Liberty is likely. The Wings’ 90.4 Offensive Rating is the second-lowest in the WNBA. The Wings have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Their victory over New York finished below the 151 point total — and they have then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished below the number. Dallas stays at home where the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games — and they have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 140 or higher. The Wings hold their visitors to just 39.1% shooting on their home court. Dallas has also held their last five opponents to just 37.6% shooting from the field. The Wings have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as the underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Las Vegas has seen the Under go 7-2-1 in their last 10 games after a straight-up loss. The Aces allowed Los Angeles to shoot 42.3% from the field which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in their last three games. Las Vegas still leads the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 88.9 under head coach Bill Laimbeer who has instilled a commitment to defense that is reminiscent of his old Bad Boys’ teams as a member of the Detroit Pistons. The Aces have played 18 of their last 25 road games Under the Total after allowing at least 75 points in their last game. Las Vegas holds their home hosts to just 38.3% shooting from the field — and they have still held their last five opponents to just 35.9% shooting from the field. The Aces have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. The bigger concern for Laimbeer may be the shooting slump of center Liz Cambage who missed eleven of her twelve shots on Thursday. Cambage has managed only 15 combined points in her last two games after scoring double-digits in fifty straight contests. With the All-Star break last week, this is just their third game in eleven days — and Las Vegas has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when not playing more than their third game in ten days. The Aces have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference opponents.
FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Las Vegas’ 86-54 win at home to Dallas back on Wednesday. The Wings have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when they are looking to avenge a double-digit loss on the road. Dallas has also played 6 straight games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 85 points. 25* WNBA NBA-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (631) and the Dallas Wings (632). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-03-19 |
Blue Jays v. Orioles OVER 10 |
Top |
4-6 |
Push |
0 |
3 h 35 m |
Show
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At 7:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Blue Jays (915) and the Baltimore Orioles (916) listing both starting pitchers Thomas Pannone and Dylan Bundy. THE SITUATION: Toronto (45-67) has won five straight games after winning the first two games of this series with their 5-2 victory over the Orioles last night. Baltimore (36-73) has lost four of their last five games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blue Jays have played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after winning two straight games on the road against an AL East rival. And while Toronto has not allowed more than three runs in five straight games, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not allowing more than four runs in five straight games. The Blue Jays stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% at home — and they have also played 9 of their last 13 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 10 to 10.5 range. Additionally, Toronto has played 21 of their last 30 games on the road Over the Total in the month of August. They give the ball to Pannone who is 2-4 with a 5.98 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 49 2/3 innings of work this season. The left-hander is getting the first shot to take over in the Blue Jays rotation for the recently traded Marcus Stroman. But while Pannone has a 4.50 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .229 at home, those numbers skyrocket to a 7.89 ERA along with a 1.57 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .273 in 21 2/3 innings of work on the road. Toronto has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with Pannone on the hill. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games at night Over the Total with Pannone making the start. He faces an Orioles team that has played 5 straight games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and the Over is 5-1-2 in their last 8 home games against left-handed starting pitchers. Baltimore has seen the Over go 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a loss — and they have played 30 of their last 44 games Over the Total after losing two in a row. The Over is also 8-3-2 in the Orioles’ last 13 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game — and the Over is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after allowing at least five runs. Additionally, the Over is 11-5-2 in Baltimore’s last 18 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 26 home games Over the Total against fellow AL East opponents. The Orioles have also played 38 of their last 62 games Over the Total when playing at night. They counter with Bundy who is 5-11 with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in twenty starts. The right-hander is a gopher ball machine as he is allowing 2.1 Home Runs per 9 innings of work. Bundy has surrendered multiple home runs in seven of his starts this season. He also has fared worse at home in Camden Yards where he has a 6.16 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .299 in ten starts. Baltimore has played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with Bundy facing a team with a losing record — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total with Bundy pitching with the Total set at 10 or higher. He faces a hot-hitting Blue Jays lineup that is scoring 7.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .292 batting average along with a .366 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .943 during that span. Toronto has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Orioles have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Bundy starting against the Blue Jays.
FINAL TAKE: Baltimore has now lost their last three meetings with the Blue Jays this season. The Orioles have played 24 of their last 36 games Over the Total when playing with double-revenge — and they have played 16 of their last 23 games Over the Total when playing with triple revenge on their mind. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Blue Jays (915) and the Baltimore Orioles (916) listing both starting pitchers Thomas Pannone and Dylan Bundy. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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08-01-19 |
Aces v. Sparks UNDER 155 |
Top |
68-76 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 22 m |
Show
|
At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (623) and the Los Angeles Sparks (624). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (14-6) has won three straight games after their easy 86-54 win over Dallas on Tuesday as an 11.5-point favorite. Los Angeles (11-8) has won four of their last five games as they return to the court for the first time after the All-Star break which concluded with their 78-66 win at Atlanta back on July 23rd as a 1-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Look for the Sparks to be a bit rusty with their nine-day layoff. They made 43.1% of their shots in their victory over the Dream which was tied for the best shooting effort in their last game. But Los Angeles has then played 18 of their last 24 home games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game. The Sparks have also seen the Under finish 34-16-1 in their last 51 games when playing with at least three days of rest — and they have played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total at home when playing no more than their third game in ten days. Los Angeles has also played 21 of their last 28 home games Under the Total after a straight-up win. The Sparks return home here they have played 36 of their last 51 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight home games Under the Total when favored by no more than 3 points. They will be understaffed tonight with guard Riquina Williams serving a ten-game suspension and guard Alana Beard doubtful with a hamstring injury. Las Vegas made 46.9% of their shots on Tuesday in their 32-point victory over the Wings which was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. That nice shooting percentage was the product of a whopping 27 team assists in that game — but they have then played 6 straight games on the road Under the Total after a game where they generated at least 24 assists as a team. More impressively, the Aces limited Dallas to just 28.6% shooting from the field. Head coach Bill Laimbeer has his team playing like his old Bad Boy Detroit Pistons teams as they lead the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 88.9. Las Vegas has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after holding their last opponent to no better than a 30% field goal percentage. The Aces have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Las Vegas goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total. The Aces have also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total against Western Conference foes. And while this is just their third game in the last ten days, Las Vegas has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when not playing more than their third game in the last ten days.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 13 meetings Under the Total — and this includes them playing six of their last seven games Under the Total when playing in Los Angeles. 25* WNBA ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (623) and the Los Angeles Sparks (624). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-30-19 |
Wings v. Aces UNDER 150.5 |
Top |
54-86 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 50 m |
Show
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At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Wings (615) and the Las Vegas Aces (616). THE SITUATION: Dallas (5-14) returns from the All-Star break having lost five straight games after their 70-66 loss to Phoenix as a 2-point underdog back on July 20th. Las Vegas (13-6) returns to the court after their 79-62 win over Seattle last Tuesday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wings have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, Dallas has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days rest. The Wings go back on the road where they are a winless 0-10 this season. Dallas scores only 67.7 PPG away from home while making just 37.1% of their shots. The Wings have played 4 of their last 5 games on the road Under the Total. Dallas has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference foes. Las Vegas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Aces have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. Head coach Bill Laimbeer has his team playing like his old Bad Boy Detroit Pistons teams as they lead the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 90.0. Las Vegas holds their visitors to hitting just 38.3% from the field when playing at home — and they have limited their last five opponents to just 36.8% shooting from the field. The Under is 9-4-1 in the Aces’ last 14 games at home. Las Vegas has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference opponents. They will likely be without one of their top scorers in forward A’Ja Wilson who has missed their last two games with an ankle injury — last year’s Rookie of the Year is scoring 15.4 PPG this season.
FINAL TAKE: These are the two bottom teams in the WNBA when it comes to offense. Dallas is second-to-last with their 91.7 Offensive Rating while Las Vegas is last in the league with their 89.0 Offensive Rating. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* WNBA Bailout Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Wings (615) and the Las Vegas Aces (616). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-28-19 |
Yankees v. Red Sox OVER 9.5 |
Top |
9-6 |
Win
|
100 |
16 h 34 m |
Show
|
At 7:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Boston Red Sox (968) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Eduardo Rodriguez. THE SITUATION: Boston won the third game of this series on Saturday with their 9-5 victory. New York has lost the first three games of this series — and they have lost four of their last six contests.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have now surrendered 59 runs in their last seven games. The Over is now 23-8-1 in their last 30 games after allowing at least five runs. Additionally, the Bronx Bombers have seen the Over go 42-13-2 of their last 57 games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 25-5-1 in their last 29 road games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to German who is 12-2 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in sixteen starts (seventeen games) this season. The right-hander has done his best work at home in Yankee Stadium where he owns a 2.13 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .195 — but those numbers rise to a 5.66 mark on the road with a 1.22 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .253 in nine starts. The Over is 8-2-1 in New York’s last 11 road games with German on the hill — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 road games with German facing a team with a winning record. He faces a red hot Red Sox lineup that has scored 7.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .315 batting average along with a .391 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .957 during that span. Boston has played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers which includes them playing four of their last five games Over the Total when facing a right-handed starting pitcher at home in Fenway Park. The Red Sox have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against starting pitcher with a WHIP no higher than 1.15. Boston has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 5 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Red Sox have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. They counter with Sale who is 5-9 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The left-hander has not been as effective at home with the Green Monster in left-field where he has a 4.26 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .224 in ten starts as compared to his 3.78 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and .217 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Over is 10-4-2 in Boston’s last 16 home games with Sale on the mound. Sales faces a New York team that is scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .316 batting average along with a .371 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .937 over that span. The Yankees have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total against left-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have now played their last 6 meetings Over the Total — and the Over is also 12-3-2 in the last 17 meetings between these two teams when playing in Fenway Park. Expect another high scoring game between these two teams. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Boston Red Sox (968) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Eduardo Rodriguez. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-26-19 |
Tigers v. Mariners OVER 9.5 |
Top |
2-3 |
Loss |
-100 |
9 h 15 m |
Show
|
At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (927) and the Seattle Mariners (928) listing both starting pitchers Daniel Norris and Yusei Kikuchi. THE SITUATION: Seattle (43-63) has won two straight games after winning the opening game of this series by a 10-2 score. Detroit (30-68) has lost their last three games as well as nine of their last ten contests.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 24-9-3 in the Mariners’ last 36 games after a win — and they have played 13 of their last 15 games Over the Total after winning at least two in a row. Furthermore, the Over is 33-16-2 in Seattle’s last 51 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and the Over is 13-5-1 in their last 19 games after allowing two runs or less in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 27-13-3 in the Mariners’ last 43 games at home — and the Over is 15-5-1 in their last 21 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. They give the ball to Kikuchi who is 4-7 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The left-hander has seen his numbers decline significantly in the grind of his first MLB season after coming over from Japan — and he has not been able to adapt to the book that teams have quickly written about his stuff. Over his last ten starts, Kikuchi is 1-6 with a 7.85 ERA. He also sees his ERA rise to a 5.79 mark in his ten starts at home. The Over is 8-1-1 in Seattle’s last 10 home games with Kikuchi on the hill — and they have played 5 straight home games Over the Total with Kikuchi facing a team with a losing record. He faces a Tigers team that loves to face left-handed pitching. Detroit scores only 3.6 Runs-Per-Game this season with a .232 batting average along with a .286 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .667 — but those hitting splits rise to a .259 batting average along with a .378 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .774 against left-handed starting pitchers which translates into them scoring a healthy 5.4 Runs-Per-Game against those lefties. The Over is 12-4-1 in the Tigers’ last 17 road games against left-handed starting pitchers. Detroit has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss. Additionally, the Tigers have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after failing to score more than two runs in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. And while Detroit has only scored four combined runs in their last three games, they have then played 31 of their last 46 games Over the Total after failing to score more than three runs in three straight games. The Over is also 10-2-1 in the Tigers’ last 13 games against teams with a losing record — and the Over is 8-1-1 in their last 10 road games against teams with a losing record. They counter with Norris who is 2-8 with a 5.02 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in seventeen starts (twenty games). The left-hander comes off a rain-shortened start where he allowed only one run at home against Toronto — but Detroit has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when Norris is following up a start where he allowed only one earned run. Norris has a 4.62 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP and .280 opponent’s batting average at home — yet those numbers rise significantly to a 5.28 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .305 in his ten starts (twelve games) on the road. The Tigers have played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total with Norris on the hill.
FINAL TAKE: Seattle is swinging hot bats right now as they are scoring 5.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games while hitting .277 with a .345 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .791 over that span. The Over is 5-2-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two teams when playing in Safeco Park. 25* MLB American League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (927) and the Seattle Mariners (928) listing both starting pitchers Daniel Norris and Yusei Kikuchi. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-22-19 |
Red Sox v. Rays OVER 8.5 |
Top |
9-4 |
Win
|
100 |
3 h 55 m |
Show
|
At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (911) and the Tampa Bay Rays (912) listing both starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Jalen Beeks. THE SITUATION: Boston (54-46) has lost two of their last three games with their 5-0 loss at Baltimore yesterday. Tampa Bay (57-45) snapped a five-game losing streak yesterday with their 4-2 win against the Chicago White Sox.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Red Sox were shut out for the first time in eighty-one games — and they had bashed at least one home run in eleven straight games before yesterday. Boston has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Red Sox stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have played 23 of their last 35 road games Over the Total when priced as the favorite at -125 or higher. The Over is also 13-3-1 in Boston’s last 17 games when playing on artificial turf. And in their last 51 opening games to a new series, the Over is 34-15-2. They give the ball to Rodriguez who is 11-4 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in twenty starts. The left-hander has pitched his best at home where he owns a 3.84 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .226 — but those numbers skyrocket to a 4.91 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and .288 opponent’s batting average in ten starts on the road. Rodriguez also has a 7.11 ERA in four career starts at Tropicana Field. The Red Sox have lady 11 of their last 12 road games Over the Total with Rodriguez on the hill. And while Rodriguez comes off a strong effort where he allowed only two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings of work at home against Toronto, Boston has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total with Rodriguez following up a Quality Start in his last effort. Furthermore, the Red Sox have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total with Rodriguez pitching at night. Tampa Bay has seen the Over go 8-2-3 in their last 13 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Over is also 3-0-2 in the Rays’ last 5 opening games to a new series. They counter with Beeks who is 5-0 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP this season. The left-hander has been used exclusively as a bulk inning pitcher out of the bullpen — but he will be making his first official start in this game tonight. I am not sure I buy into the “opener” craze that teams like Tampa Bay have embraced (while conceding the opener can mess with the opposing team’s starting lineup when a pitcher throwing with the other hand comes in to pitch in the 2nd inning). That said, there is a reason that the Rays’ coaching staff has been reluctant to have Beeks open games until now. The sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.42 and 4.65 moving forward given his peripheral numbers. Because Beeks does not have much of a fastball, he needs all four of his pitches working to be effective. Beeks has not been as successful when pitching at home where he owns a 3.77 ERA along with a 1.42 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .273 in 31 innings of work as opposed to his 1.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and .215 opponent’s batting average in 33 2/3 innings on the road. He faces a Red Sox lineup that has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total on the road against left-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 6-1 loss at home to Tampa Bay back on June 9th. The Red Sox have played 26 of their last 36 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where they scored only one run. These two teams have also played 5 of their last 7 meetings Over the Total when facing off in Tampa Bay. 25* MLB Monday ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (911) and the Tampa Bay Rays (912) listing both starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Jalen Beeks. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-21-19 |
Rockies v. Yankees UNDER 10.5 |
Top |
8-4 |
Loss |
-108 |
2 h 54 m |
Show
|
At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Rockies (979) and the New York Yankees (980) listing both starting pitchers German Marquez and James Paxton. THE SITUATION: New York (64-33) has won five straight games with their 11-5 victory over the Rockies yesterday. Colorado (46-52) has lost six straight games.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have played 13 of their last 17 games at home Under the Total after a win by at least four runs — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after a victory. New York has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, the Under is 6-2-1 in the Bronx Bombers last 9 games at home in Yankee Stadium — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. The New York bullpen is getting it done as of late after not surrendering an earned run again last night. The Yanks’ bullpen has a sparkling 0.43 ERA over their last five games with a 0.76 WHIP while giving up just one earned run over that span consisting of 21 innings of work. New York has played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a game where their bullpen did not allow an earned run — and they have played 40 of their last 58 games Under the Total when their bullpen has an ERA of 2.00 or better over their last five games. They give the ball to Paxton who is 5-4 with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in sixteen starts this season. The left-hander has allowed only five earned runs in three starts this month for a nifty 2.50 ERA. Paxton has also been more effective at home where he enjoys a 3.22 ERA along with a 1.28 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .229 in nine starts. Paxton’s teams have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total with him taking the mound in the month of July. He should fare well against this Rockies team that is scoring only 4.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .243 batting average along with a .281 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .697. Colorado has played 6 straight games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Rockies have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total on the road after a loss. Colorado has also played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after losing at least four straight games. The Rockies stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Additionally, Colorado has played 22 of their last 30 road games Under the Total as an underdog priced in the +150 to +200 range. And the Under is 28-11-3 in their last 42 games in Interleague play against teams with a winning record. They counter with Marquez who is 8-5 with a 5.12 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The right-hander looks to redeem himself from a bad outing in his last start against the Giants where he allowed 11 earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work at home. That start was at home in Coors Field where he is saddled with a 7.07 ERA along with a 1.70 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .336 — but he has been much better at home where enjoys a 3.33 ERA along with a 0.90 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in ten starts. The Under is 7-3-1 in Colorado’s last 11 road games with Marquez facing a team with a winning record. The sabermetrics are encouraging for Marquez with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.92 and 3.63 moving forward. The Rockies have also played 16 of their last 21 road games Under the Total with Marquez pitching after a loss.
FINAL TAKE: The Colorado bullpen has logged in 9 2/3 innings of work over the last two days in the Bronx — but they have then played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total when their bullpen has pitched at least 9 innings in their last two games. 25* MLB TBS-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Rockies (979) and the New York Yankees (980) listing both starting pitchers German Marquez and James Paxton. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-20-19 |
Nationals v. Braves UNDER 10 |
Top |
5-3 |
Win
|
101 |
6 h 8 m |
Show
|
At 7:20 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (909) and the Atlanta Braves (910) listing both starting pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Mike Soroka. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (59-40) snapped a three-game losing streak last night with their 4-3 victory over the Nationals. Washington (51-45) has now lost two of their last three games.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Braves were a small money-line underdog yesterday with Julio Teheran facing off against Patrick Corbin — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after delivering an upset victory as a home underdog. The Under is also now 6-2-1 in Atlanta’s last 9 games at home — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against NL East opponents. The Braves have also played 9 of their last 13 games in the month of July Under the Total. They give the ball to Soroka who is 10-1 with a 2.24 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in sixteen starts. The rookie phenom has given up more than two runs only four times in those sixteen starts. The right-hander’s formula for success has been to limit gopher balls which is a tantalizing quality in this current home run obsessed era of launch angles. Soroka has given up only four home runs this year for a microscopic 0.38 Home Runs Allowed per 9 inning rate. Atlanta has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with Soroka facing a team with a winning record — and they have also played 6 straight games Under the Total with him starting as the favorite priced in the -100 to -150 price range. He faces a Nationals team that has played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Under is also 7-1-1 in their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Washington has seen the Under go 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a loss. The Nationals have also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total in the month of July — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against fellow NL East opponents. This is Washington’s seventh straight game on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 15 road games after playing their previous four games Under the Total. The Nationals have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road overall. They counter with Sanchez who is 5-6 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in seventeen starts this season. The veteran right-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs in fourteen of those starts — and he is 5-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his last five starts. The former Brave has a 3.00 ERA in two starts against Atlanta this year. And Sanchez has been a bit more effective on the road where he owns a 3.67 ERA with a .236 batting average in nine starts as opposed to his 3.76 ERA and .239 opponent’s batting average at home. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total with Sanchez facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Braves lineup that has cooled off significantly this month — they are scoring only 4.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .244 batting average along with a .319 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of 693 in those contests.
FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Braves were interesting with Overs last month — but it is time to zig from that zag. 25* MLB FS1-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (909) and the Atlanta Braves (910) listing both starting pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Mike Soroka. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-20-19 |
Edmonton v. Montreal UNDER 54.5 |
Top |
10-20 |
Win
|
100 |
11 h 4 m |
Show
|
At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Edmonton Eskimos (693) and the Montreal Alouettes (694). THE SITUATION: Edmonton (3-1) enters this game coming off a 33-6 win at British Columbia as a 3-point favorite back on July 11th. Montreal (2-2) pulled off their second-straight upset victory with their 36-19 win at Ottawa last Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eskimos are playing the best defense in the CFL as they are holding their opponents to just 226.5 total YPG in their four games. They registered five sacks last week against the Lions while holding them to only 210 yards of offense in their win on the road in British Columbia last week. Edmonton has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Eskimos limited BC to just 124 passing yards in that game as well — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 200 passing yards in their last contest. Furthermore, Edmonton held Winnipeg in their building to just 273 yards of offense two weeks ago — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 250 YPG over their last two contests. But the Eskimos stay on the road for the third straight week which may mean trouble for their offense to continue to execute at a high level. Edmonton is leading the CFL by averaging 452.5 total YPG under their offseason free-agent acquisition in quarterback Trevor Harris. But that number drops to 396.5 total YPG in their two games on the road. The Under is 6-1-1 in the Eskimos last 8 games on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the number set at 52 or higher. Montreal has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 38 points in a victory over an East Division rival. Additionally, the Alouettes have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two straight games. After getting routed at home to Hamilton by a 41-10 score back on June 28th, the formula for Montreal’s success has been a commitment to run the football. Running back Willie Stanback rushed 22 times for 203 yards in their 36-29 revenge win at Hamilton the following week before gaining 100 yards on the ground on 18 carries in their upset win at Ottawa. This dedication to running the football has helped the Alouettes burn time off the clock while keeping their defense fresher — and that tends to be a formula for Unders. Montreal held the football for 34:55 minutes while generating 30 first downs two weeks ago against the Tiger-Cats before controlling the time of possession for 33:46 last week while earning 24 first downs — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where they gained at least 22 first downs while controlling the clock for at least 32 minutes. And while the Alouettes have gained 467 and 474 yards in each of their last two games, they have then played 16 of the last 21 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in two straight contests.
FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Eskimos’ 32-25 win over Montreal back on June 14th in the opening regular-season game for both these teams. Expect the defenses to gain the upper hand in this rematch. 25* Canadian Football League Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Edmonton Eskimos (693) and the Montreal Alouettes (694). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-19-19 |
Ottawa v. Winnipeg UNDER 52.5 |
Top |
1-31 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 8 m |
Show
|
At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (691) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (692). THE SITUATION: Ottawa (2-2) has suffered their second straight upset loss with their 36-19 loss at home to Montreal as a 9-point favorite last Saturday. Winnipeg (4-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 48-21 win over Toronto as a 15-point favorite last Friday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Redblacks’ defense played well in the first half as they went into the locker room in a 9-9 deadlocked score — but four turnovers including three lost fumbles eventually were too much for this team to overcome. Ottawa has then played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after suffering a loss at home to a divisional rival — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss against an East Division rival as a favorite laying at least 6 points. And while the Redblacks have lost the turnover battle in their last two games, they have then played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total after enduring at least a -1 net turnover margin in two straight games. Ottawa’s loss to the Alouettes finished above the 51.5 point Total — and they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing their last game Over the Total. The Redblacks will be without their starting quarterback Dominique Davis for tonight’s game after he got banged up last week. Instead, Jonathan Jennings will make his first start for Ottawa this season since being signed as a free agent in the offseason. The Redblacks will be leaning on their defense with Jennings at QB despite surrendering 457.3 total YPG. Ottawa has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after allowing at least 450 yards per game in their last three contests. The Redblacks have also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total in the month of July. Winnipeg has played 6 straight games at home Under the Total after a victory by at least 17 points — and they have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. The Blue Bombers raced out to a 37-6 halftime lead over the Argonauts last week — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after scoring at least 27 points in the first half of their last game. And while Winnipeg has covered all four games they have played this season, they have then played 16 of their last 20 home games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three straight games.
FINAL TAKE: The Blue Bombers lead the CFL by allowing only 365.0 total YPG — and they have limited their four opponents to just 19.7 PPG. I expect Ottawa to play Winnipeg tough — but they may not be able to score enough points with Jennings making his first start under center. The stronger play is with the Under. 25* CFL Friday Night Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (691) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (692). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-17-19 |
Storm v. Lynx UNDER 147.5 |
Top |
90-79 |
Loss |
-110 |
3 h 24 m |
Show
|
At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (627) and the Minnesota Lynx (628). THE SITUATION: Seattle (10-8) has won two straight games after their 78-69 win over New York on Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite. Minnesota (10-7) has won four of their last five games with their 75-62 victory over Phoenix as a 1-point favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Storm flexed their muscles on defense in that game as they held the Liberty to just a 36.8% shooting percentage in that win. That defensive effort might be a good sign for the reigning WNBA champions who will likely need to lean heavily on their work rate of that end of the court given the injuries this team has sustained. Last year’s Most Valuable Player, Breanna Stewart, is out the season with a torn Achilles — and Sue Bird is also is still out with a bad knee who contributed last year with a 40.8% assist percentage along with a 44.8% shooting mark from behind the arc. Seattle is also now without Jewell Loyd who has been their second-leading scorer this season. The Storm still has Natasha Howard to sore points but she is also one of the best defenders in the league while being the second-best shot-blocker in the WNBA last season. The Under is 13-2-2 in Seattle’s last 17 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win at home. The Under is also 8-1-1 in the Storm’s last 10 games after a point spread loss. Seattle now goes on the road where they only make 40.2% of their shots — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total with the Total set at 140 or higher. Additionally, the Storm have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total as an underdog — and the Under is 10-4-1 in their last 15 games against fellow Western Conference rivals. Minnesota has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Lynx have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after winning at least three of their last four games. Minnesota made 42.7% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting mark in their last three games. That is well above their 41.6% shooting mark over their last five games — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game. The Lynx have all tightened things up on defense as they have held their last five opponents to just 38.0% shooting from the field. Minnesota has also been ravaged with injuries and absences this year. Rebekkah Johnson is still recovering from post-concussion symptoms from last August while All-Star Seimone Augustus is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Additionally, Jessica Shepard and Karima Christmas-Kelly are both out for the season with injuries — and Damiris Dantas has missed the last few games with a calf injury. All these missing players make the decision by forward Maya Moore to take a personal sabbatical this season even more challenging for this franchise that has won four of the last seven WNBA titles. They stay at home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total when laying no more than 6 points. And in their last 29 games against Western Conference rivals, the Lynx have played 21 of these games Under the Total.
FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the first meeting between these two teams back on June 4th where both teams scorched the nets in an 84-71 victory for Seattle. The Storm shot 59.3% from the field while making 7 of their 13 (53.8%) of their 3-point shots. Minnesota made 50.9% of their shots while nailing 8 of their 17 (47.1%) shots from downtown. Defense will be a priority for both teams in this rematch — and the Regression Gods have had this date (along with me) circled for weeks. 25* WNBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (627) and the Minnesota Lynx (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-17-19 |
Rays v. Yankees UNDER 10 |
Top |
2-6 |
Win
|
100 |
4 h 30 m |
Show
|
At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (965) and the New York Yankees (966) listing both starting pitchers Yonny Chirinos and Domingo German. THE SITUATION: New York (60-33) has won two of their last three games with their 8-3 victory over the Rays in the second game of this series. Tampa Bay (56-41) had won three straight games before last night’s loss.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Yankees clubbed two home runs en route to a six-run 8th inning to break open that game last night while ruining our Under that looked pretty good with the 3-2 score entering the bottom half of the 8th. New York had scored only 17 combined runs in their previous six games while not plating more than four runs in any of those games before last night. The Yankees bullpen did not surrender an earned run last night to help keep them in the game — and they have then played 16 of their last 22 home games Under the Total after a game where their bullpen did not allow at least one earned run. The Under is also 3-1-1 in New York’s last 5 games at home in Yankee Stadium — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games against fellow AL East opponents. They give the ball to German who is 11-2 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in fourteen starts (fifteen games). The right-hander went on the disabled list with a hip injury but is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in his two starts since his return. German has been much better at home where he owns a 1.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .194 in six starts (seven games) as opposed to his 4.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and .229 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Yankees have played 6 straight games Under the Total with German pitching at home. Tampa Bay did not commit an error for the third straight game — they have committed only two errors in their last ten games. The Rays have then played 22 of their last 35 games Under the Total after not committing an error for at least two straight games. Tampa Bay has also played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total as a road dog priced at least at +150. They counter with Chirinos who is 8-4 with a 3.11 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in nineteen appearances. The right-hander had been used as a bulk inning middle reliever — but his ability to throw strikes has elevated him to a regular starter in the Rays’ rotation. Chirinos is walking only 5.3% of the batters he faces which combined with Tampa Bay’s outstanding defense to help suppress base runners when he is on the mound. He has made nine straight starts for his team with a 3.04 ERA in those efforts. Chirinos has also been a bit better on the road where he owns a 0.94 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in nine appearances as compared to his 0.98 WHIP and .212 opponent’s batting average at home. The Rays have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total with Chirinos on the hill. He faces this cold Yankee lineup that is scoring only 3.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .250 batting average along with a .321 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .769 over that span.
FINAL TAKE: The Under is 11-3-1 in the last 15 meetings between these two teams after last night’s late Over result. Expect a return to a lower scoring game today. 25* MLB Wednesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (965) and the New York Yankees (966) listing both starting pitchers Yonny Chirinos and Domingo German. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-17-19 |
Nigeria v. Tunisia OVER 2 |
Top |
1-0 |
Loss |
-125 |
11 h 24 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Nigeria (235601) and Tunisia (235602) in the Third Place consolation match in the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Nigeria (W4-D0-L2) lost a heartbreaker in the final play of the fifth minute of extra time after 90 minutes when Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez scored on a spectacular free-kick just outside the box to hand the Nigerians a 2-1 loss. Tunisia (W1-D4-L1) also lost a tough one when they scored an own goal in the 100th minute of the match that was still nil-nil after 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Senegal.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: It is difficult to assess if Nigeria will be deflated after surrendering the game-winning goal in the final moments of their match with Algeria or if they will rally around each other to bounce-back to take solace in a potential bronze trophy with a victory. Either way, the Super Eagles look poised to either score goals or surrender goals. This is not a side that typically plays low-scoring matches. In their three matches since suffering a surprising 2-0 loss to Madagascar in their final Group Stage match, Nigeria has scored six times. The Super Eagles are loaded with speed, talent, and power at the forward position. But this team also tends to make mistakes in their backline. They have allowed five goals in their last three matches. Nigeria’s last three matches have seen at least three combined goals. Tunisia has seen at least two combined goals in four of their six matches in this tournament. That final score in their loss to Senegal is a bit deceiving since both teams missed penalty kicks — the final score of that Semifinals match could have easily been a 2-1 result. The Eagles of Carthage have scored six times in this event while allowing just four goals with manager Alain Giresse content to grind out lower scoring matches. This tempo may now change in this consolation match. Tunisia competed in last summer’s World Cup where they scored five times in three Group Stage matches while surrendering a whopping eight goals.
FINAL TAKE: With the combination of tired legs, a lack of urgency on defense, and the desire to play more aggressively with less on the line, expect a higher scoring match. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Nigeria (235601) and Tunisia (235602). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-14-19 |
Liberty v. Storm UNDER 155 |
Top |
69-78 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 59 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Liberty (621) and the Seattle Storm (622). THE SITUATION: New York (7-9) has lost two straight games after their 99-83 loss in Chicago on Friday as a 3.5-point underdog. Seattle (9-8) snapped a three-game losing streak on Friday with their 95-81 win at home over Dallas laying 5.5-points as the favorite.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Liberty loss that game to Chicago primarily because of their lackluster effort on defense as they allowed the Sky to shoot 54.3% from the field. That was the worst defensive effort for New York this season. The Liberty have been playing better defense as of late — they have still held their last five opponents to just 41.8% shooting even after Friday’s performance. New York has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a game where both teams scored at least 75 points. The Liberty have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game. Additionally, New York has played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. And in their last 14 games against Western Conference foes, the Liberty have played 10 of these games Under the Total. Seattle made 54.8% of their shots on Friday in their win which was the best shooting effort in their last sixteen contests. The Storm nailed 14 of their 23 shots from behind the arc for a red hot 54.8% 3-point shooting clip — but they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after making at least nine 3-pointers in their last game. Seattle has also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a game where both teams scored at least 75 points. Additionally, the Under is 12-2-2 in the Storm’s last 16 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Under is 15-5-1 in Seattle’s last 21 games when they are playing with one day of rest. And in their last 14 games against teams from the Eastern Conference, the Under is 9-4-1 for the Storm. Seattle remains without some of their scorers with Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird having not played this season given injuries — and their second-leading scorer this season in Jewell Loyd is also out with her ankle injury.
FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch from an 84-83 upset victory by the Liberty in Seattle where they were 7.5-point underdogs. New York made 49.3% of their shots which was well above the 41.1% shooting percentage for the season. After the Storm’s shaky defensive effort on Friday, tightening things up on that end of the court will be a priority for head coach Dan Hughes’ team. 25* WNBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Liberty (621) and the Seattle Storm (622). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-14-19 |
Tunisia v. Senegal UNDER 2 |
Top |
0-0 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 32 m |
Show
|
At 12:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Tunisia (235793) and Senegal (235794) in the Semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Tunisia (W1-D4-L0) reached the Semifinals of this tournament on Thursday with their 3-0 victory over Madagascar. Senegal (W4-D0-L1) advanced to the Semifinals the day before with their 1-0 victory over Benin.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Tunisia doubled their scoring output in this event with those three goals on Thursday. The Eagles of Carthage had scored only three combined goals in their previous four games before seeing that offensive explosion. Frankly, they were able to take advantage of an overmatched Madagascar side that had been the surprise of the tournament but whose bubble was ready to be burst after defeating a Nigeria side in the Group Stage that was resting key players before sneaking past an underperforming Congo DR team via Penalty Kicks in the Round of Sixteen. Tunisia had not seen more than two combined goals in their first four matches that all ended in draws. This is a team that is quite content to grind out a low scoring match led by an experienced group of defenders that competed in last summer’s World Cup. The Eagles of Carthage have surrendered only three goals in their five matches in this tournament. Senegal has conceded only once in their five tournament matches in what was a 1-0 loss to Algeria in the Group Stage. That contest between two sides that are now in the Semifinals may have been a precursor as to how this contest will play out. The Lions of Teranga probably have the best player left in this tournament (with Egypt’s Mo Salah eliminated) in Sadio Mane. Senegal is happy to play very cautiously with a defensive mindset with the confidence that the Liverpool star will find scoring opportunities in the counterattack. The Lions of Teranga have scored only seven times in their five matches.
FINAL TAKE: This shapes up to be a low scoring match with the worst-case scenario likely being two combined goals scored in the first 90 minutes of regulation time. A 1-0 score — or even a nil-nil result after the first 90 minutes looks to be a more likely outcome. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Semifinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Tunisia (235793) and Senegal (235794). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-11-19 |
Tunisia v. Madagascar UNDER 2 |
Top |
3-0 |
Loss |
-131 |
2 h 21 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Madagascar (235789) and Tunisia (235790) in the Quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Madagascar (W2-D2-L0) reached the Quarterfinals on Sunday after defeating the Congo DR via Penalty Kicks by a 4-2 score after that match ended in a 2-2 deadlock after 120 minutes. Tunisia (W0-D4-L0) also advanced from the Round of 16 via Penalty Kicks by a 5-4 margin after their match with Ghana remained unresolved by a 1-1 score on Monday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Madagascar has been the story of this tournament with the debutants pulling off upset wins over both the Congo DR and Nigeria in the Group Stage. Producing a clean sheet against the Super Eagles was impressive — and they also registered a shutout against Burundi. Madagascar has deployed a daring style of play in this tournament that has surprised their opponents — but they may tighten up now with the prospects of reaching the Semifinals. This remains a side that lacks difference makers so they may struggle to score as they did against lowly Burundi where they scored just once. They face a Tunisia side that is quite content to see this match resolved via penalty kicks. The Eagles of Carthage have not seen more than two combined goals scored in all four of their matches in this tournament. Tunisia has not produced a victory within 120 minutes of all four of their matches. They have scored only three goals in this event — but they have allowed only three goals as well. The Eagles of Carthage were close to registering a clean sheet on Monday before Ghana scored in the first minute of extra time of regulation to force an additional 30 minutes of play.
FINAL TAKE: Twelve of the seventeen combined goals scored in then matches these two teams have played in this tournament have come in the second half. With it being very possible that this match will remain scoreless going into the second half, expect a very low scoring result after the first 90 minutes. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Madagascar (235789) and Tunisia (235790). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-07-19 |
United States v. Mexico OVER 2 |
Top |
0-1 |
Loss |
-124 |
1 h 25 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between the United States (234225) and Mexico (234226) in the Finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. THE SITUATION: The USMNT (W5-D0-L0) remained unbeaten in the 2019 Gold Cup after they defeated Jamaica in the Semifinals of this tournament by a 3-1 score. Mexico (W4-D1-L0) made it to the championship of this event when they defeated Haiti on Tuesday by a 1-0 score. This match is being played in Chicago’s Soldier Field.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The United States had not conceded a goal in this tournament before the Reggae Boyz broke that seal in the 69th minute of that match. Jamaica is a defensive-oriented team who had to push their aggressiveness after falling behind by a 2-0 score. The Stars and Stripes have played a group of teams in this tournament who tend to play back to defend which choosing their battles with counter attacks. This will be the most aggressive opponent they will have faced in this event against this Mexico team that likes to play on their front foot. Rookie manager Gregg Berhalter has this team playing more ambitiously as well by implementing a counter pressing attack. This is a formula for higher scoring matches when facing the more talented and offensively oriented teams in the world. The US backline was demonstrating some vulnerabilities in their friendlies in preparation for this tournament — especially in a 3-0 loss to Venezuela on June 9th. But what has been the most impressive development for this team has been the emerging chemistry between their two young stars Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie. Both players scored on Wednesday with Pulisi scoring the final two goals for the US in that match in their victory over Jamaica. They have combined to score five of the Stars and Stripes fifteen goals. They will likely be joined by veteran forward Jozy Altidore who started in the match against Jamaica after beginning this tournament on the bench. Altidore had 42 goals for the USMNT. Mexico has also scored fifteen goals in their five matches. Yet El Tri has scored only one goal in the first 90 minutes of their last two matches. Much of the reason for that is that Haiti and Costa Rica in the quarterfinals were content on playing lower scoring matches. Mexico allowed seven goals in their four World Cup matches last summer so they have shown themselves vulnerable to opponents that play aggressively.
FINAL TAKE: Both teams should score in this match — and I expect at least three combined goals to be scored in the first 90 minutes with both of these teams likely to push the pace of play. 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between the United States (234225) and Mexico (234226). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-07-19 |
Yankees v. Rays OVER 7.5 |
Top |
1-2 |
Loss |
-115 |
4 h 43 m |
Show
|
At 1:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Tampa Bay Rays (968) listing both starting pitchers James Paxton and Charlie Morton. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (51-39) has won five of their last eight games after they defeated the Yankees in the third game of this series yesterday by a 4-3 score. New York (57-30) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in the loss on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss. They close out the first half of the regular season with the Over going a decisive 36-13-2 in their last 51 games on the road — and the Over is also 19-6-1 in their last 26 road games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, the Bronx Bombers have played 15 of their last 20 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 7 to 8.5 range — and they have played 11 of their last 14 road games Over the Total when priced in the +125 to -125 price range. Additionally, New York has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 22 of their last 33 games played in the day Over the Total. They give the ball to Paxton who is 5-3 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in fourteen starts. The left-hander has seen his productivity decline this year. His bases-on-balls are up — he is walking 9.9% of the batters he is facing as compared to his 6.5% walk rate last season. And his strikeouts are down — he is punching out 27.6% of the batters he has faced as compared to his elite 32.3% strikeout rate last season. Paxton has also struggled on the road where his ERA rise to a 5.12 mark along with a 1.71 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .320 in six starts. The Yankees have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total with Paxton on the hill. He faces a Rays team that is scoring 5.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 home games against left-handed starting pitchers. Tampa Bay has seen their bullpen blow saves in the last two games of this series — and they have played 3 of their last 4 games Over the Total after suffering two blown saves in a row. The Rays’ bullpen has a 6.82 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP over their last seven games. Tampa Bay has also played 21 of their last 31 home games Over the Total after playing a fellow AL East rival in their last three games. And the Over is 7-1-2 in the Rays’ last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. They counter with Morton who is 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in eighteen starts. The sabermetrics predict regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.51 and 3.22 moving forward given his peripheral numbers. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he sees his ERA rise to a 2.94 mark. The Rays have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Morton facing a team with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total with Morton pitching with the Total set in the 8 to 8.5 range. He faces a hot-hitting Yankees team that is scoring 7.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .293 batting average along with a .369 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .892 over that span. The Over is 35-12-2 in New York’s last 49 road games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 4 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers overall. The Yankees have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.
FINAL TAKE: The Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams when playing on the artificial turf featured at Tropicana Field. Despite the profile of these two starting pitchers, expect a higher scoring game. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break TBS-TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Tampa Bay Rays (968) listing both starting pitchers James Paxton and Charlie Morton. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-07-19 |
Netherlands (W) v. USA (W) OVER 2.5 |
Top |
0-2 |
Loss |
-103 |
0 h 13 m |
Show
|
At 11:00 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between the Netherlands (225913) and the United States (225914). THE SITUATION: The Netherlands (W6-D0-L0) reached the Finals of the Women’s World Cup with their 1-0 victory over Sweden on Wednesday. The United States (W6-D0-L0) advanced to this championship match on Tuesday with their 2-1 victory over England.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: When Christen Press scored her header in the 10th minute of that match with England, it was the sixth straight time that the United States scored the opening goal in the first ten minutes of the match. Putting their opponents on the back foot changes the tempo of the match since the other team has to play more aggressively with their need to score to tie the match. Both teams have scored in all three of the Stars and Stripes matches in the Knockout Stage of this tournament. All three of those matches also saw at least three combined goals scored. The Americans have scored at least twice in all six of their matches in this tournament — and they are one goal away from tying the World Cup record of 25 goals in one event. The Netherlands had scored in eight of their previous ten matches in the second half before their match with Sweden needed extra time after the nil-nil score after 90 minutes. The Orange Lionesses have a powerful front-three attack with Lieke Martens, Shanice van de Sandeen, and Vivianne Miedema — and they also have a super sub at forward in Lineth Beerensteyn. Defense was considered the weak link for this team but they have been able to embrace defensive tactics in this tournament by always being the first to score and never trailing in any of their six matches.
FINAL TAKE: The Netherlands enter this match on a 257 minute shutout streak — but that dynamic changes if they find themselves trailing for the first time in this tournament. The Dutch scored nine goals in their three Knockout Stage matches to win the 2017 Euro Championship. Expect a higher scoring match. 25* Women’s World Cup Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between the Netherlands (225913) and the United States (225914). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-06-19 |
Red Sox v. Tigers OVER 11 |
Top |
10-6 |
Win
|
100 |
10 h 18 m |
Show
|
At 4:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (919) and the Detroit Tigers (920) listing both starting pitchers Rick Porcello and Jordan Zimmermann. THE SITUATION: Boston (47-41) has won two straight games after winning the opening game of this series last night by a 9-6 score. Detroit (28-55) has lost four of their last five games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Boston has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Over is also 6-1-1 in the Red Sox’s last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% at home. They give the ball to Porcello who is 5-7 with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in seventeen starts. The right-hander suffered through a terrible June where he had a 6.46 ERA. Over his last two starts which includes his disastrous 1/3 inning of work in London against the Yankees last Saturday, Porcello has a 15.71 ERA along with a 2.77 WHIP in 6 1/3 innings of work. Perhaps the warning signs regarding regression for the 30-year old were in the second half of last season where he had an ERA of 4.54. Gopher balls have always been a problem for Porcello. He allowed 1.27 home runs per 9 innings last year — and this year he is allowing 1.24 homers per 9 innings. But while Porcello struck out 8.9 batters per 9 innings last year, that number has dropped to 7.28 strikeouts per 9 innings. Porcello struck out 23.5% of the batters he faced last year but that number has dropped to 18.3% this season. Porcello has also seen his walk rate rise from 5.9% of the batters he faced last year to 7.2% of the batters he has faced this season. Overall, his K%-BB% mark of 11.1% is his lowest in a Red Sox uniform and a far cry from his career high mark of 17.6% from last year. Porcello has particularly struggled on the road (and his disaster in London was officially listed as a home game) where he has a 5.15 ERA along with a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .289 in seven starts. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with Porcello on the mound — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total with Porcello facing a team with a losing record. Porcello also struggles in day games where his ERA rises to a 6.23 mark along with a 1.68 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .296. He faces a Tigers team that is scoring 5.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games (as compared to their 3.6 Runs-Per-Game scoring average) along with an improved .257 batting average along with a .311 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .718 over that span. Detroit has played 4 straight Overs this month — and the Over is also 10-3-2 in their last 15 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. They counter with Zimmermann who is 0-5 with a 5.36 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in nine starts. The right-hander has not been as effective when pitching at home in Comerica Park where his ERA rises to a 5.40 mark along with a 1.48 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .277 in four starts this season which included a long stint on the disabled list. Zimmermann does come off a nice performance where he allowed only one earned run in 6 innings of work against Washington — but the Tigers have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with Zimmermann following up a Quality Start. Detroit has also played 17 of their last 24 day games Over the Total with Zimmermann on the mound. He faces a red-hot Red Sox team that is scoring 8.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .338 batting average along with a .383 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .965 during that span.
FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. These two teams have now played 5 of their last 6 meetings Over the Total. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (919) and the Detroit Tigers (920) listing both starting pitchers Rick Porcello and Jordan Zimmermann. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-05-19 |
Senegal v. Uganda UNDER 2 |
Top |
1-0 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 13 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Senegal (235749) and Uganda (235750) in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal (2W-0D-1L) reached the Knockout Stage of the African Nations Cup with their 3-0 victory over Kenya on Monday. Uganda (1W-1D-1L) comes off a 2-0 loss to Egypt in their last Group Stage match on Sunday but still qualified as one of the sixteen teams in this tournament on the basis of accruing 4 points.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Senegal has sixteen players from the group that was 1W-1D-1L in last summer’s World Cup. They are led by Sadio Mane who stars for Liverpool in the English Premier League — but this is a defensive-minded group. The Lions of Teranga have registered six clean sheets in their last eight matches. Their defensive efforts are led by 6’5 Kalidou Koulibaly who anchors their backline. Senegal has allowed only one goal in this tournament. But they had scored only two goals in their first two matches before scoring three times in their last match against an overmatched Kenya side. With their top goalkeeper, Eduard Mendy, out with an injury, the Lions of Teranga will probably play even more cautiously as to not risk overwhelming their backup keeper. They will not face an explosive offensive attack from this Uganda team that has scored only three times in this tournament. The Cranes have been left scoreless in four of their last eight matches overall. This is the second straight African Cup for Uganda — and this is the first time they have reached the Knockout Stage since 1978. But this group is a bit distracted with the players refusing to train on Wednesday as a protest for unpaid bonuses they earned when they defeated the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening match of this tournament. The Cranes best player may be their goalkeeper, Denis Onyango, who is one of the best keepers in the continent. Uganda has allowed only three goals in their three Afcon matches.
FINAL TAKE: Uganda has seen two combined goals scored in all three of their Group Stage matches — and their previous three matches before this tournament did not produce more than two combined goals. Senegal has only had one of their matches see more than two combined goals in this tournament — and only one of their four prior matches in 2019 generated more than two combined goals. I suspect Uganda fails to score in this match with the very high probability that no more than two combined goals being scored — making a push (at 2.0) the likely worst-case scenario. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Senegal (235749) and Uganda (235750). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-04-19 |
Phillies v. Braves OVER 10.5 |
Top |
6-12 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 16 m |
Show
|
At 7:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Zach Elfin and Mike Soroka. Atlanta (51-36) snapped their two-game losing streak yesterday with their 9-2 win over the Phillies. Philadelphia (45-41) has lost three of their last five games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after a victory by at least six runs — and they have also played 15 of their last 20 games Over the Total after losing two of their last three games. Additionally, the Over is 14-5-1 in Atlanta’s last 20 games are scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Braves have been an offensive juggernaut when playing at home in SunTrust Park where they are scoring 5.8 Runs-Per-Game with a .276 batting average along with a .348 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .840. The Over is 15-5-1 in Atlanta’s last 21 games at home — and the Over is also 11-3-1 in their last 15 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They give the ball to Soroka who is 9-1 with a 2.13 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP in fourteen starts. The sabermetrics are calling for regression for the rookie right-hander with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.04 and 3.75 respectively moving forward given his peripheral numbers. Soroka has not been as effective at home where he owns a 3.28 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .252 in six home starts as compared to his 1.29 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and .171 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Over is 4-1-1 in Soroka’s last 6 starts — and the Braves have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Soroka facing a fellow NL East opponent. He faces a Phillies team that has seen the Over go 7-3-1 in their last 11 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. Philadelphia has played 4 straight games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. And while the first two games of this series have finished Under the Total, the Phillies have played 12 of their last 19 games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Unders. They give the ball to Eflin who is 7-7 with a 3.34 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in sixteen starts. The sabermetrics are calling for regression — and this may be well underway already — with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.64 and 4.75 moving forward. Elfin had a 4.02 ERA in his last five starts in the month of June — and he has surrendered 19 base hits in his last two starts spanning only 11 innings. Eflin has not been as effective on the road where he has an ERA of 3.62 along with a 1.35 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .265 in nine starts. The Over is 3-1-1 in Philadelphia’s last 5 road games with Eflin facing a team with a winning record — and Philly has played 11 of their last 14 Over the Total on the road as an underdog priced in the +125 to +175 price range with Eflin on the hill.
FINAL TAKE: The Over is 11-2-1 in Atlanta’s last 14 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. Expect a high scoring game. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Philadelphia Phillies (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Zach Elfin and Mike Soroka. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-02-19 |
Mexico v. Haiti OVER 2.5 |
Top |
0-0 |
Loss |
-135 |
1 h 4 m |
Show
|
At 10:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Mexico (234217) and Haiti (234218) in the Semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. THE SITUATION: Mexico (3W-1D-0L) survived their Quarterfinals match with Costa Rica on Saturday by winning via a shootout by a 5-4 margin after that game ended with a 1-1 score after 120 minutes of play. Haiti (4W-0D-0L) reached the Semifinals earlier on Sunday with their 3-2 upset win over Canada. This match will be played on a neutral field at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Haiti has fully embraced the role of the Cardiac Kids in this tournament with three of their four victories occurring after initializing allowing the first goal in that game. Les Grenadiers rallied from 1-0 deficits to defeat both Bermuda and Costa Rica by 2-1 scores in the Group Stage. Those results gave this team confidence even when they went into halftime trailing by a 2-0 score to Canada in the Quarterfinals. Haiti kept to their game plan on relying on counter-attacks — and they scored three times in the second half to steal that match from the Canadians. With an average age of just over 24-years of age, this is the youngest team in this tournament. But they are also surging with confidence. They are unlikely to secure a clean sheet in this match. However, this Haiti team will keep on attacking even if they fall behind. They have scored nine times in their four matches despite having an average possession of the ball for just 38.1% of the time in these contests. Counter-attacking sides have often been the Achilles’ heel of the Mexican national team. El Tri has surrendered at least one goal in three of their four matches in this event. Their nervy Quarterfinals match with an angry Costa Rica side motivated to redeem themselves from blowing their 1-0 lead against Haiti was the first time in eight matches under new manager Tito Martino where they did not score at least three goals. Mexico has scored fourteen goals in this tournament. They did not lack for pressure against Costa Rica as they had 22 shots attempts in that match.
FINAL TAKE: With the quick turnaround for this Semifinals match, legs may be tired for both sides. That should help the offenses for each respective team. I expect to see both teams score in the first 90 minutes of this match with at least one of these teams scoring twice over that span. 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinals Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Mexico (234217) and Haiti (234218) in the Semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-02-19 |
Argentina v. Brazil UNDER 2.25 |
Top |
0-2 |
Win
|
50 |
0 h 4 m |
Show
|
At 8:30 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the Semifinals of the Copa America in the match between Argentina (234489) and Brazil (234490). THE SITUATION: Argentina (2W-1D-1L) reached the Semifinals of the Copa America with their 2-0 win over Venezuela on Friday. Brazil (2W-2D-0L) joined them in the Semifinals later that day with their 0-0 draw with Paraguay which they survived by winning the shootout by a 4-3 score.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Argentina is a work in progress as their national program rebuilds from their disappointing World Cup last summer where they lost in the Round of 16 to France. Manager Lionel Scaloni has tried to have his team play more pragmatically since that tournament. La Albiceleste is playing better defense as this event moves forward as they have registered two straight clean sheets. But they have only scored five goals in their four matches despite having Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero on the pitch. They will be playing a Brazil team that has yet to concede a goal in this tournament. But the Selecao has struggled in three of their four matches which have resulted in their fans jeering them for underachieving. Brazil has not scored a goal in two of their four matches against Venezuela in their second Group Stage match and then against Paraguay last Friday night. This team has often played with nervous energy in front of their home fans as the host nation. They are a bit undermanned with Richarlison unavailable for them in the midfield as he deals with a case of the mumps. The Selecao did not score a goal against Paraguay despite having a man advantage on the pitch after a red card gave them an 11 to 10 man advantage in the 58th minute of that match. Yet Brazil could not muster even one goal with the man advantage for those remaining 32 minutes.
FINAL TAKE: Both these teams are searching for confidence right now. Argentina has never won an international title in the Messi era. After losing in the 2014 World Cup Finals to Germany, La Albiceleste has been a national program in decline. Brazil lost to the Germans by a 7-1 score in the Semifinals of that World Cup in the Estadio Mineiro that will host this match. Since that match, the Brazilian fans have had little patience for their team. This shapes up to be a low scoring match where neither team takes too many chances in the hopes that their talent will make the difference late in the match. 25* Copa America Semifinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the Semifinals of the Copa America in the match between Argentina (234489) and Brazil (234490). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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07-02-19 |
Red Sox v. Blue Jays OVER 9.5 |
Top |
10-6 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 31 m |
Show
|
At 7:07 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (913) and the Toronto Blue Jays (914) listing both starting pitchers David Price and Trent Thornton. THE SITUATION: Boston (44-40) returns stateside after getting swept in their two-game series in London against the Yankees where they followed up a 17-13 loss on Saturday with a 12-8 loss on Sunday. Toronto (32-53) has won three of their last four games with their 11-4 win over Kansas City yesterday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Red Sox have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last contest. Additionally, Boston has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total after allowing at least 10 runs in their last game to a fellow AL East rival — and they have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total after surrendering at least 10 runs in two straight games. Furthermore, while the Red Sox bullpen surrendered ten runs on Sunday, they have then played 11 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a game where their bullpen gave up at least four runs. The Over is also a decisive 41-16-2 in Boston’s last 59 games after an off day. They stay on the road where the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games against teams who are not winning more than 40% of their games at home. They have also played 28 of their last 43 games when priced at -150 or higher. They give the ball to Price who is 5-2 with a 3.36 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP in fourteen starts. The left-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.06 ERA with a 1.08 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .230 in six starts — but those numbers climb to a 3.60 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .250 on the road. And while Price comes off a solid outing where he allowed only two earned runs in 6 innings of work at home against the White Sox, the Red Sox have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Price looking to follow up a Quality Start. He faces a Blue Jays team that is scoring 6.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .307 batting average along with a .365 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .930 over that span — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. Toronto has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a win — and they have played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The Blue Jays stay at home where the Over is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games — and the Over is 10-2-1 in their last 13 home games against teams with a winning record. Toronto has also played 7 of their last 8 home games Over the Total as a money-line underdog priced in the +125 to +175 price range. They counter with Thornton who is 2-5 with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in seventeen starts. The right-hander has not been as effective a home where his ERA rises to a 6.39 mark with a 1.58 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .272 in seven starts. The Blue Jays have played 4 straight games Over the Total at home with Thornton on the hill — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total at home with Thornton facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Red Sox team that is scoring 6.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .328 batting average along with a .382 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .924 in those games. Boston has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 15-5-1 in their last 21 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.
FINAL TAKE: The Over is 6-0-1 in the last 7 meetings between two teams when playing in Toronto. 20* MLB Tuesday Night Discounted Deal with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (913) and the Toronto Blue Jays (914) listing both starting pitchers David Price and Trent Thornton. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-02-19 |
USA (W) v. England (W) UNDER 2.5 |
Top |
2-1 |
Loss |
-105 |
1 h 42 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the Semifinals of the Women’s World Cup between the United States (225901) and England (225902). THE SITUATION: The USWNT (5W-0D-0L) defeated France by a 2-1 score on Friday in that Quarterfinals showdown. England (5-0-0) reached the Semifinals on Thursday when they defeated Norway by a 3-0 score.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: England entered that match with Norway with two significant doubts on their backline with Steph Houghton dealing with an ankle injury and Millie Bright ill with a virus that spread through the team. Both central defenders ended up playing and played important roles in the clean sheet. With five days of rest and recuperation since that match, both defenders should be closer to full strength for this showdown. The Three Lionesses defense has been outstanding in this tournament as they have conceded only one goal in their opening match against Scotland. England is led by Lucy Bronze who is probably the best right back in the world of women’s soccer. She will be assigned to slow down Megan Rapinoe in this match — and she will have an advantage of being very familiar with the pitch with this being played in Lyon where she plays professionally. The Three Lionesses have scored eleven goals in their five matches which is a healthy amount — but after scoring only five goals in their three Group Stage matches, this team may be prepared to grind out a low scoring match with the Americans. Team USA has been spectacular on defense in this tournament as they have also only surrendered two goals. A question mark for this group entering this event regarded how Crystal Dunn would play at left back since this put the attacker out of position in playing on the backline. Dunn has steadily improved and rewarded manager Jill Ellis’ choice to put her on the pitch in the Starting XI as she played her best game in this World Cup. The Stars and Stripes did not allow a shot on target in the first half by the French. And they held Les Bleus to only one goal despite allowing them to have possession for 61% of that match. On paper, the USA looks like an offensive juggernaut with its whopping 22 goals in this tournament. But after their 13-0 win over Thailand to begin this tournament, they have scored only nine goals in their last four matches which is much closer to England’s more modest scoring efficiency. This US team has become more defensive oriented when Ellis moved Julie Ertz from the backline to the middle as a holding midfielder.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams played in the She Believes Cup back on March 2nd which resulted in a 2-2 draw. I expect this rematch with the stakes much higher to be a defensive struggle with both teams being careful to not allow their opponents to seize scoring chances. 25* Women’s World Cup Semifinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the Semifinals of the Women’s World Cup between the United States (225901) and England (225902). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
07-01-19 |
Cubs v. Pirates OVER 9.5 |
Top |
5-18 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 24 m |
Show
|
At 7:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Cubs (951) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (952) listing both starting pitchers Adbert Alzaolay and Trevor Williams. THE SITUATION: Chicago (45-39) has lost four of their last six games after their 8-6 loss in Cincinnati yesterday. Pittsburgh (39-43) has lost two in a row after their 2-1 loss in Milwaukee yesterday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Cubs have played 15 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a loss by two runs or less in their last game. Chicago has also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total when facing an opponent that did not score more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the Cubs have played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have played 15 of their last 22 road games Over the Total with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. They give the ball to Alzolay who is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP in his 8 2/3 innings of pitching this year after being called up from Triple-A. Obviously, we are dealing with a very small sample size — but there are some things to be worried about with the rookie. First, Alzolay has already issued six bases-on-balls in those 8 1/3 innings of work. Second, this will be his first time pitching in a hostile ballpark in his career at the major league level. His SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 5.30 and 5.44 based on his peripheral numbers — so I do not put much stock in his current ERA. Alzolay faces a hot-hitting Pirates team that is scoring 5.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .298 batting average along with a .351 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .849 over that span. The Over is 15-5-1 in the Pirates’ last 21 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Over is also 9-3-2 in Pittsburgh’s last 13 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Pirates have played 20 of their last 28 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 18 of their last 24 games at home Over the Total after a loss by just one run. Additionally, the Over is 7-1-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 9 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game. The Pirates have only scored two runs in their last three games — but they have then played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after failing to score more than three runs in two straight contests. Pittsburgh returns home here the Over is 19-6-2 in their last 27 games. Additionally, the Pirates have played 18 of their last 27 games Over the Total with the number set in the 9 to 9.5 range — and they have played 13 of their last 16 home games Over the Total with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. They counter with Williams who is 2-2 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in eleven starts this season. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he has struggled with a 6.00 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and .283 opponent’s batting average in four starts. Pittsburgh has played 3 of their last 4 games Over the Total with Williams pitching at home. He faces a Cubs’ team that is scoring 5.3 Runs-Per-Game on the road.
FINAL TAKE: The last meeting between these two teams ended with the Cubs pulling a 2-0 loss in Wrigley Field back on April 11th. The Pirates have played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they did not score more than one run. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break Monday ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Chicago Cubs (951) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (952) listing both starting pitchers Adbert Alzaolay and Trevor Williams. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
06-30-19 |
Braves v. Mets OVER 8.5 |
Top |
5-8 |
Win
|
105 |
1 h 16 m |
Show
|
At 7:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Atlanta Braves (913) and the New York Mets (914) listing both starting pitchers Max Fried and Noah Syndergaard. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (50-34) has won six of their last eight games after they won Game Two of this series last night by a 5-4 score. New York (37-47) has lost seven straight games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a victory by one run over a fellow NL East rival. The Over is also 10-3-1 in Atlanta’s last 14 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And in their last 20 road games with the Total set at 7 to 8.5, the Braves have played 13 of these games Over the Total. They give the ball to Fried who is 9-3 with a 3.96 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in sixteen starts (eighteen appearances). The left-hander has not been as effective on the road where he sees his ERA rise to a 4.50 mark along with a 1.52 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .280 in eight starts (ten games). Atlanta has played 9 of their last 12 games on the road Over the Total with Fried on the hill. Fried comes off a good effort where he allowed only two earned runs in 6 innings of work in Chicago against the Cubs (but his troubling walk rate as of late continued as he issued five bases on balls) — and the Over is 6-1-1 in the Braves’ last 8 games when Fried is looking to follow up a Quality Start. New York has played 16 of their last 24 games in the month of June Over the Total. The Mets have also played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total when favored in the -100 to -150 price range — and this includes them playing nine of their last thirteen games at home Over the Total when favored up to the -150 price. New York has also played 34 of their last 50 games Over the Total when playing at night
|
06-30-19 |
Rangers v. Rays UNDER 8 |
Top |
2-6 |
Push |
0 |
1 h 12 m |
Show
|
At 1:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (921) and the Tampa Bay Rays (922) listing both starting pitchers Jesse Chavez and Blake Snell. THE SITUATION: Texas (46-37) saw their six-game winning streak snapped on Saturday with their 5-2 loss to the Rays. Tampa Bay (47-36) has won two of their last three games.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Rangers have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. Texas has also played 15 of their last 18 road games Under the Total after winning at least four of their last five contests. Additionally, the Texas bullpen has pitched only five combined innings in their last three games — and they have then played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when their bullpen has not logged more than 5 combined innings in their last three contests. The Rangers have played 19 of their last 28 games Under the Total in the month of June. They also have played 5 straight games Under the Total on the road. Jesse Chavez takes the mound with his 3-2 record along with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP across 51 2/3 innings of work. The veteran right-hander is making his first start of the season because he has allowed only one earned run in his last 14 1/3 innings of work while striking out 14 batters and walking just one over that span. Working mostly in long relief this season, Chavez has been more effective on the road where he owns a 1.37 ERA with an opponent’s batting average of .222 in 26 1/3 innings of work as compared to his 4.26 ERA along with a .271 opponent’s batting average at home. Chavez’s teams have played 8 of their last 13 games Under the Total when he is making a start with the Total set in the 7 to 8.5 range. He faces a slumping Rays’ team that is scoring only 4.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .202 batting average along with a .260 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .622 over that span. Tampa Bay has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Under is 6-1-1 in the Rays’ last 8 games after a win — and the Under is 6-1-1 in their last 8 games after scoring at least five runs in their last contest. Tampa Bay has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing no more than two runs in their last game. Furthermore, the Under is 6-2-1 in the Rays’ last 9 games at home — and the Under is 7-2-2 in their last 11 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They counter with Snell who is 4-7 with a 5.01 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in sixteen starts. The left-hander has really struggled as of late having not completed four complete innings in three straight starts. He is struggling with his curveball which has allowed hitters to sit on his fastball. But his velocity on his fastball is still good at 96 MPH and he has an effective changeup as a counter to it. His last two starts have been on the road against two of the best offenses in baseball against the Yankees and Twins — so maybe just returning home will help cure what ails him. Snell has gotten pounded on the road where he has a 6.48 ERA with a 1.54 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .287 — but he has been very good at home with a 3.38 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and .218 opponent’s batting average in seven starts. The deeper sabermetrics are encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.57 and 3.20 moving forward. Tampa Bay has played 21 of their last 35 games Under the Total with Snell on the hill after a win. He should find success against this Rangers team that is hitting only .228 against left-handed starting pitchers with a .307 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .693. Texas has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. The Rangers have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have now played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* MLB American League Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Texas Rangers (921) and the Tampa Bay Rays (922) listing both starting pitchers Jesse Chavez and Blake Snell. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-29-19 |
Costa Rica v. Mexico OVER 2.5 |
Top |
1-1 |
Loss |
-100 |
1 h 32 m |
Show
|
At 9:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the Quarterfinals match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup between Costa Rica (234205) and Mexico (234206). THE SITUATION: Costa Rica (2W-0D-1L) looks to bounce-back from a 2-1 loss to Haiti last Monday. Mexico (3W-0D-0L) completed their three-game sweep in Group Stage play with their 3-2 victory over Martinique last Sunday. This match will be played on a neutral field at NRG Stadium in Houston.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Costa Rica will have an opportunity to redeem themselves from suffering an upset loss to an upstart Haiti side that rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to score twice in the second half. That comeback certainly raises questions about the quality of the Los Ticos backline. They also surrendered a goal to a weak Bermuda side in Group Stage play after earning a clean sheet against a disappointing Nicaragua team in their opening match. Costa Rica competed in last summer’s World Cup and gave up goals in all three of their Group Stage matches. Los Ticos should rebound with a strong effort in the role of the underdog with this opportunity to knock off Mexico who are the favorites to win this tournament. Costa Rica has scored seven times in their three games — and they have scored at least one goal in four of their last five matches in all competitions. Mexico showed some leakiness with their defense by surrendering two goals to a weak Martinique team. Issues on defense have already become an issue under new manager Tito Martino who came over after leading the Atlanta United to the MLS championship last year. The former Barcelona skipper has seen El Tri give up a goal in six of the seven matches he has coached for the national team. Mexico also gave up seven goals in their four matches in last summer’s World Cup where they also failed to register a clean sheet. There one shutout under Martino was in this tournament in their opening match against Cuba which was a team that saw their captain defect before the match started. But this El Tri group can score goals. They have a whopping thirteen goals in this event — and they have scored at least three goals in all seven matches under Martino (which have all been victories).
FINAL TAKE: This match has a 2-1 score (minimum) written all over it. Mexico will get their goals — and a feisty Costa Rica side should find the back of the net at least once. 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Over the Total in the Quarterfinals match of the CONCACAF Gold Cup between Costa Rica (234205) and Mexico (234206). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-29-19 |
Yankees v. Red Sox OVER 11 |
Top |
17-13 |
Win
|
100 |
12 h 22 m |
Show
|
At 1:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (965) and the Boston Red Sox (966) listing both starting pitchers Masahiro Tanaka and Rick Porcello. THE SITUATION: New York (52-28) begins this series having won three straight games — as well as eleven of their last twelve contest — after their 8-7 victory over Toronto on Thursday. Boston (44-38) has lost three of their last five games after their 8-7 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday. While the Red Sox are the technical home team who will bat last in this series, this game is being played on a neutral field at London Stadium in England.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a win — and they have played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total after a win by just one run. New York has also played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs. Additionally, the Over is a decisive 35-14-2 in the Bronx Bombers’ last 51 games on the road. They give the ball to Tanaka who is 5-5 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in sixteen starts. The deeper sabermetrics for the right-hander calls for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.18 and 3.96 moving forward. Tanaka has not been as effective away from Yankee Stadium as he owns a 3.89 ERA on the road in six starts as compared to his 2.84 ERA at home. And while Tanaka comes off a nice outing where he allowed only two runs in 6 innings of work against the Astros — but the Over is 4-1-1 in the Yankees’ last 6 games when Tanaka is on the hill looking to follow up a Quality Start. The Over is also 3-1-1 in New York’s last 5 games with Tanaka facing the Red Sox. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitching. The Red Sox are swinging hot bats right now as they are scoring 6.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .310 batting average along with a .378 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .868 over that span. Additionally, the Over is 40-16-2 in Boston’s last 58 games after an off day — and the Over is 29-14-2 in their last 45 opening games to a new series. The Red Sox have also played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a game where at least 15 combined runs were scored — and they have played 4 of their last 6 games Over the Total in contests with the Total set at 11 or higher. The Over is also 4-1-1 in Boston’s last 6 games against fellow AL East opponents. They counter with Porcello who is 5-7 with a 4.52 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP in sixteen starts. The sabermetrics are not encouraging for the right-hander either with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.89 and 5.02 respectively moving forward given his peripheral numbers. Porcello has struggled away from Fenway Park where he has a 5.15 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .289 in seven starts as opposed to his 4.11 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and .242 opponent’s batting average when pitching in Fenway. The Red Sox have played 3 of their last 4 games with Porcello pitching with the Total set at 11 or higher. He faces a powerful Yankee lineup that is scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .304 batting average along with a .365 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .935.
FINAL TAKE: The Yankees have played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. Expect a high scoring game between these two teams swinging hot bats. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break Fox-TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (965) and the Boston Red Sox (966) listing both starting pitchers Masahiro Tanaka and Rick Porcello. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-29-19 |
Netherlands (W) v. Italy (W) OVER 2.25 |
Top |
2-0 |
Loss |
-55.5 |
1 h 32 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between the Netherlands (225985) and Italy (225986). THE SITUATION: The Netherlands (4W-0D-0L) reached the Quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup with their 2-1 win over Japan on Tuesday. Italy (3W-0D-1L) advanced to the Quarterfinals the same day with a 2-0 victory over China.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Netherlands scored in the 90th minute on a penalty kick conversion by Lieke Martens. But the Orange Lionesses were fortunate to survive that match with Japan controlling the pace of play for the last 20 minutes of the second half while blowing a number of good scoring opportunities. Japan had 12 shots in that match. The defense for the Netherlands appeared to be the weak link for this team when they began this tournament. While Stephanie van der Gragt is a strong and physical defender, the rest of the group in the backline is a young and inexperienced group that may not be as talented as some of the defenders in the Quarterfinals. The Dutch have surrendered a goal in three straight matches. And while they did enjoy a clean sheet against New Zealand to open this tournament, remember that the Kiwis were a defensive-oriented side that scored only three goals in their three Group Stage matches before being eliminated. The Netherlands route to reaching the Semifinals will likely require them scoring multiple goals — but they have the elite forward talent that can accomplish this task with Martens joined by Vivianne Miedema and Shanice van de Sandeen along with the 22-year old Lineth Beerensteyn who has found success coming off the bench. The Orange Lionesses have scored eight goals in this tournament. The Dutch also scored nine goals in their three Knockout Stage matches in the 2017 Euro Championship — so high scoring games were the norm for them in winning that tournament. Italy has scored nine times in this event with multiple goals scored in three of their four matches. There was plenty of action in their match with China as Le Azzurre attempted 17 shots with the Chinese making 20 shot attempts. Italy pushes the pace of play in a free-flowing style. Both teams have scored at least one goal in six of their last nine matches across all competitions.
FINAL TAKE: Look for this match to play out similar to the Netherlands’ contest with Japan where the match became level at 1-1 about midway before a team broke out to score a second goal. 25* Women’s World Cup FS1-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between the Netherlands (225985) and Italy (225986). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-28-19 |
Chile v. Colombia OVER 2 |
Top |
0-0 |
Loss |
-125 |
0 h 23 m |
Show
|
At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Chile (234481) and Colombia (234482). THE SITUATION: Colombia (3W-0D-0L) won all three of their Group Stage matches after they defeated Paraguay by a 1-0 score last Sunday. Chile (2W-0D-1L) looks to bounce-back from a 1-0 loss to Uruguay on Monday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Colombia has scored four goals in their three victories — and they have not surrendered a goal in their three Group Stage matches. But after registering a clean sheet against the mess that remains the current Argentina national team (despite having Lionel Messi), Los Cafeteros have not faced offensive juggernauts in Qatar and then Paraguay on Sunday. Paraguay generated 10 shots while controlling possession for 54% of that match — so it is not as if Colombia has been stifling on the defensive end of the pitch. Los Cafeteros play their two fullbacks high which makes them vulnerable to counter-attacks. Their backline is considered their biggest vulnerability. This team also has the reputation of folding versus elite teams — and they continued to enable that perception with losses last summer to Japan and then England in the Round of 16 of the World Cup. Colombia is winless in their last nine matches against a Chile team that is the two-time defending champions of the Copa America. I suspect that Los Cafeteros will surrender at least one goal — but they should also score at least once in this match. Colombia plays a direct style with a possession-based attack. They are led by one of the best-attacking midfielders in the world in James Rodriguez who was a breakout star for them in Brazil (this locale this summer) in the 2014 World Cup. He is complemented by a veteran attacker in Radamel Falcao. They will be challenged by a Chile side that showed grit and determination in their 1-0 loss to Uruguay on Monday. La Roja seems to be an aging team with Alexis Sanchez, Eduardo Vargas, and Arturo Vidal all past their primes. But this group controlled possession for 59% of their match against Uruguay before losing to an Edinson Cavani goal in the 82nd. Chile had a healthy 12 shots in that match. They have scored six times in this tournament as their loss on Monday was their first match in their last nine where they did not score at least one goal. La Roja’s defense takes a hit tonight with one of their leaders on their backline, Gary Medal, a doubt with an injury.
FINAL TAKE: Chile has scored and conceded at least one goal in six of their last eight matches across all competitions. I see both teams scoring in this match in what should be full of drama. Colombia wants to grab the torch from La Roja — but this proud Chile side will be very difficult to dethrone as the two-time reigning Copa America champions. 25* Copa America Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Chile (234481) and Colombia (234482). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-28-19 |
USA (W) v. France (W) UNDER 2.5 |
Top |
2-1 |
Loss |
-135 |
4 h 5 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between the United States (225981) and France (225982). THE SITUATION: The USWNT (4W-0D-0L) reached the Quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup with their 2-1 win over Spain on Monday. France (4-0-0) made it to the Quarterfinals the day before with their 2-1 victory over Brazil that required the extra 30 minutes of time to resolve a 1-1 score after 90 minutes.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Both of these teams have potent offenses that tend to overwhelm lesser opponents. The question in handicapping this match is to discern whether or not the respective managers will continue to play aggressively or instead embrace more defensive tactics in this showdown that might very well determine the winner of this tournament. France manager Corinne Diacre tends to have her team play more cautiously when facing elite competition. A 1-0 win over Australia in April along with a 2-0 win over the Matildas last October and a 1-0 loss to Germany on February 28th of this year is evidence of this tactic. And after their opening 4-0 win over the Korea Republic, Les Bleus have scored only five combined goals (in 285 minutes of play). France managed only three shots on goal against Brazil on Sunday as their frontline struggled against the physical Brazilian backline. Les Bleus forwards and midfielders have too often appeared too scripted while lacking the cohesion of clicking together in more creative opportunities. That is not a good sign when facing an American team that has registered 18 clean sheets in their last 23 matches. Team USA saw their clean sheet streak of seven matches snapped on Monday against Spain. Perhaps not coincidentally, manager Jill Ellis did not start Lindsey Horan in that match out of fear that she would be whistled with a second yellow card which would suspend her for this showdown. Getting Horan back helps the US team on both ends of the pitch — but don’t underestimate her defensive capabilities particularly in tackling opposing players move the ball up the pitch. A key question for Ellis is what her starting midfield will be — particularly, whether or not she will start holding midfielder, Julie Ertz. I think she does as the Stars and Stripes improved significantly when Ertz was converted from the backline to the midfield to improve the defensive presence of this team — and it helps explain the clean sheet run the team is on. Questions have developed for the USWNT on offense after they managed only two shots on net against Spain. It is not a good sign that both their goals scored were from penalty kicks. Alex Morgan has been scoreless in her last three games as she seems to be slowed by nagging injuries. Megan Rapinoe is out of form on the pitch despite her two penalty kick goals on Monday. Spain provided a blueprint as to how to slow down the American attack: cut off the service to forwards, press the sometimes shaky US backline, and play rough with their attackers once they find a dangerous scoring position. With central defenders Wendie Renard and Griddle Mbock Bathy, Les Bleus have the prototype physical defenders that can make things difficult for the American attackers.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played three times since March of 2017. The USA has scored only two goals in those three matches. This past success on defense will likely compel Diacre to have her team play cautiously with the advantage of playing this match on home soil in Paris. And I think Ellis will not have her squad push the agenda too hard precisely because this is a true road contest with the hopes that the skill and experience of her players will eventually make the difference. Expect no more than two combined goals to be scored in the first 90 minutes of this match. 25* Women’s World Cup Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between the United States (225981) and France (225982). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-26-19 |
United States v. Panama OVER 2.5 |
Top |
1-0 |
Loss |
-128 |
2 h 35 m |
Show
|
At 9:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between the United States (234923) and Panama (234924). THE SITUATION: The USMNT (2-0-0) clinched a spot in the Quarterfinals of the Gold Cup with their 6-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago last Saturday. Panama (2-0-0) joined them in the Quarterfinals of this tournament with their 4-2 victory over Guyana on Saturday. This match will be played at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The US Men’s National Team enjoyed their best effort under new manager Gregg Berhalter in this match which offered the team a small modicum of revenge against a Trinidad and Tobago team that eliminated them from qualifying for the 2018 World Cup back in November of 2017. Getting players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie playing together for an extended period of time is certainly helping to build cohesion for this team. The offensive attack is looking up with the Stars and Stripes having scored ten goals in their two matches. And Berhalter deserves credit for his halftime adjustments considering that eight of these ten goals have been scored after halftime. Berhalter has installed a new system for the American national team that emphasizes possession along with counter pressing to retake control of the ball. This is an approach that can help produce blowout wins against overmatched foes (like Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana who were their first two opponents). The USA has generated a whopping 39 steals so far in this tournament. But defense remains an issue for this team despite them pony allowing 13 shots in their first two matches. Team USA struggled on defense in a 3-0 loss to Venezuela and a 1-0 loss to Jamaica in their last final two friendlies before this tournament. The Stars and Stripes lack quality center defenders — and Michael Bradley is their only midfielder with quality defensive skills (with Mckenzie who stars as a holding midfielder playing in Bundesliga being asked to play up on the pitch by Berhalter). Don’t be surprised if Panama finds plenty of scoring opportunities when they beat the American counter-press. Los Canaleros are also happy to counter-attack to regain possession as well — they have 34 steals in their first two matches in this tournament. Panama has scored six times in their two matches after taking 19 shots against Guyana with eight of them on target. The Red Wave are entering a new generation this year after seeing the retirement of longtime leaders in Blas Perez and Felipe Baloy. But this group will not be intimidated by playing the United States since they were actually in Russia last summer playing soccer in the World Cup while the Americans watched on television. Panama lost all three of their World Cup matches but they scored two goals while surrendering eleven goals with all three of their matches seeing at least three combined goals scored. Los Canaleros are 6W-4D-2L in their last twelve matches in the Gold Cup — and they have displayed prowess on the offensive side of the pitch in those matches by scoring 17 times.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on January 27th in a friendly where the United States won by a 3-0 score. First place in Group D is at stake with a match with Curacao in the Quarterfinals — and that is a more attractive opening match in the Knockout Stage than the loser’s match in the Quarterfinals with Jamaica. Both teams should be playing to win — expect a higher scoring match between two teams that push the pace of play. 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Group Stage Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between the United States (234923) and Panama (234924). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-22-19 |
Giants v. Diamondbacks OVER 9.5 |
Top |
7-4 |
Win
|
100 |
10 h 54 m |
Show
|
At 10:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Francisco Giants (913) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (914) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Beede and Zack Godley. THE SITUATION: San Francisco (32-43) snapped a three-game losing streak last night with their 11-5 win over the Diamondbacks. Arizona (38-39) has lost five straight games.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Giants played their fourth straight game Over the Total last night — and they have played 13 of their last 20 games Over the Total after playing at least two straight Overs. Additionally, the Over is 3-1-1 in San Fran’s last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have now played 4 straight games Over the Total against fellow NL East opponents. Furthermore, the Giants have played 4 straight games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 14-6-2 in their last 22 road games against teams with a losing record. And in their last 17 road games as a money-line underdog priced in the +125 to +175 price range, San Francisco has played 11 of these games Over the Total. They give the ball to Beede who is 1-2 with a 6.67 ERA with a 1.91 WHIP in 28 1/3 innings of work. The former first-round pick picked up his first win in MLB on Monday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers — but he still has a troubling 6.75 ERA when pitching on the road. Beede has also struggled in night games where he has a 7.97 ERA with a 1.97 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .282. The rookie has an uninspiring 32:22 strikeout-to-walk ratio this season. The Giants have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Beede on the mound as an underdog priced in the +110 to +150 price range. He faces a Diamondbacks team that has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. Arizona has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total after allowing at least eight runs in their last game. Additionally, the Diamondbacks have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Arizona has also played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after a loss by at least five runs. This team has also played 4 straight games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. They counter with Godley who is 3-4 with a 6.52 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP in fifteen appearances which include eleven starts. The right-hander has been clobbered when pitching at home in Chase Field where he has a 7.09 ERA in eight games which includes five starts. Godley also is saddled with a 7.33 ERA with a 1.65 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .288 in six starts (eleven appearances) at night. The seeds in Godley’s decline were evident last year where his Ground Ball rate declined by 6.5% while his walk rate of 4.09 Bases-on-Balls per 9 innings was over 1.0 Walk higher per 9 innings than in 2017. Godley will not pitch deep into this game — especially when considering that he had an ugly 9.20 ERA when going through the batting order for the third time last year. But the Arizona bullpen has struggled with a 7.22 ERA with a 1.56 WHIP in their last seven games. The Diamondbacks have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with Godley facing a team with a losing record.
FINAL TAKE: Arizona has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total when looking to avenge a loss where they allowed at least 10 runs. These two teams have played 4 straight games Over the Total. Expect another higher-scoring game. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break National League West Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Francisco Giants (913) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (914) listing both starting pitchers Tyler Beede and Zack Godley. Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
06-22-19 |
Australia (W) v. Norway (W) OVER 2.5 |
Top |
1-1 |
Loss |
-144 |
2 h 47 m |
Show
|
At 3:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Norway (225949) and Australia (225950). THE SITUATION: Norway (2-0-1) finished with six points in Group Stage play with their 2-1 win over South Korea on Monday. Australia (2-0-1) also punched their ticket into the Knockout Stage with a decisive 4-1 victory over Jamaica on Tuesday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Sam Kerr scored four times on Tuesday against the Reggae Girlz to propel the Matildas to eight goals scored in their three matches which is the second most for any team in this tournament. Australia is a high-scoring team with their pressing style under manager Ante Milicic. But this high-risk/high-reward approach makes them vulnerable to counter-attacks especially when considering that their backline has some deficiencies. The Matildas have surrendered five goals in their three Group State matches. This style also tends to enable wild contests. Australia blew a 1-0 lead in their opening match against Italy that resulted in a 2-1 loss — but their aggressive tactics were exactly what they needed against Brazil as they rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat them by a 3-2 score. With talents like Kerr and Caitlin Foord up top, it makes sense for the Matildas to deploy this approach. But in a 3-0 loss to the Netherlands and a 5-3 loss to the United States in the lead up to this tournament, this strategy has its vulnerabilities. This Norway team is very good despite being without their best player, Ada Hegerberg, who is boycotting participation with the national team given their unequal treatment of women’s athletics. The Grass Hoppers have scored five goals in this tournament which a 2-1 loss to the host nation, France, who are one of the top favorites to lift the championship trophy. Norway still has quality players — led by Caroline Graham Hansen who is expected to play this afternoon after suffering a knock in that match with South Korea this week. The Grass Hoppers scored 22 goals in their eight qualifying matches for this World Cup. As one of the traditional European powers that have won a World Cup back in 1995, they have a balanced and talented group of players who should find plenty of scoring opportunities in a counter-attack against the aggressive tactics of Australia. But I am concerned about their defense after allowing South Korea to attempt 22 shots against them on Tuesday.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams played last year in the Algarve Cup with Australia pulling out a 4-3 shootout. While seven combined goals may be too much to expect in this contest, I do expect a higher scoring match. 25* Women’s World Cup Fox-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the match between Norway (225949) and Australia (225950). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
06-21-19 |
Curacao v. Honduras UNDER 2.5 |
Top |
1-0 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 29 m |
Show
|
At 9:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Curacao (234253) and Honduras (234524). THE SITUATION: Curacao (0-0-1) lost their opening match in the Gold Cup with a 1-0 loss to El Salvador on Monday. Honduras (0-0-1) also lost their opening match in the Gold Cup with a 3-2 loss to Jamaica on Monday. This match will be played on a neutral field at Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Curacao did not display much energy on the offensive end of the pitch against El Salvador. They managed only three shots in that contest as they never tested the Salvador goalkeeper, Henry Hernandez. This is just the second Gold Cup ever for this island colony of the Netherlands. This team failed to score a goal in their three Group Stage matches in the 2017 Gold Cup. But this team is not necessarily pushovers either with the majority of the roster playing in the professional leagues of the Netherlands. In their four matches in the CONCACAF Nations League Qualifiers, Curacao allowed only two goals while producing three clean sheets. Honduras has only scored four goals in their last five matches across all competitions. Los Catrachos did not score a goal in their four Gold Cup matches in 2017. But they only allowed five goals in those four matches which culminated in a narrow 1-0 loss in the Quarterfinals to Mexico. The three goals they allowed against Jamaica needs to be taken with some context as the Reggae Boyz were playing on their home pitch in Kington in National Stadium.
FINAL TAKE: Honduras was able to make the Quarterfinals of the 2017 Gold Cup with just one point given their draw with Canada which ended in a scoreless draw — so do not underestimate the value these teams put in a nil-nil result. With the Total set at 2.5, expect a lower scoring game. 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Group C Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Curacao (234253) and Honduras (234524). Best of luck for us — Frank.
|
06-21-19 |
Padres v. Pirates OVER 9 |
Top |
1-2 |
Loss |
-113 |
5 h 45 m |
Show
|
At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (957) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (958) listing both starting pitchers Eric Lauer and Joe Musgrove. THE SITUATION: San Diego (38-37) comes off a four-game sweep of the Brewers after their 8-7 victory on Wednesday. Pittsburgh (33-40) has won two of their last three games with their 8-7 win over Detroit on Wednesday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 11-4-1 in the Padres’ last 16 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and the Over is 8-2-2 in their last 12 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. The Over is also 5-0-2 in San Diego’s last 7 games after an off day. The Padres have played 13 of their last 17 road games Over the Total after a win. And while the San Diego bullpen did not allow a run in their last game against the Brewers, they have then played 16 of their last 22 games Over the Total after a game where their bullpen did not allow an earned run. The Padres stay on the road where they have played 4 straight games Over the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Lauer who is 5-6 with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in fourteen starts. The left-hander has thrived in the spacious confirms of Petco Park where he has a 2.70 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .244 — but those numbers skyrocket to a 7.81 ERA with a 1.66 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .310 in his six starts on the road. The Over is 5-0-2 in San Diego’s last 7 games on the road with Lauer on the hill. He faces a hot-hitting Pirates team that is scoring 6.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .301 batting average along with a .349 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .855 over that span. The Over is 15-5-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 21 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. Additionally, the Over is 14-4-2 in the Pirates’ last 20 games after a victory. Furthermore, the Over is 21-5-2 in Pittsburgh’s last 28 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and the Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. The Pirates have played 8 straight home games Over the Total after winning two of their last three games — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after an off day. Pittsburgh stays at home where the Over is 18-7-1 in their last 26 games — and they have played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record. They counter with Musgrove who is 4-7 with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in fourteen starts (fifteen appearances) this year. The left-hander has particularly struggled at home where he has a 5.71 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .284 in six starts. The Pirates have played 5 straight home games Over the Total with Musgrove on the hill. He also faces a hot-hitting team right now with the Padres scoring 8.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .331 batting average along with a .391 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .961 in those games. San Diego has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played in mid-May with the Pirates winning the last three games on the road despite being the underdog. The Padres have played 23 of their last 31 road games Over the Total when playing with at least double revenge after being upset as a home favorite in their last two games with their current opponent. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (957) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (958) listing both starting pitchers Eric Lauer and Joe Musgrove. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-20-19 |
Mystics v. Aces UNDER 166.5 |
Top |
95-72 |
Loss |
-109 |
2 h 8 m |
Show
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At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Mystics (647) and the Las Vegas Aces (648). THE SITUATION: Washington (5-3) snapped a two-game losing streak on Tuesday with their 81-52 blowout upset victory at Los Angeles as a 1.5-point underdog. Las Vegas (4-3) has won their last two games with their 80-75 victory at Minnesota as a 6.5-point favorite on Sunday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Mystics won their game in LA on Tuesday based off the strength of their strong play on defense as they held the Sparks to just 28.8% shooting from the field. Washington stays on the road where they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total. The Mystics have also played 10 of their last 12 road games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 6 points. Washington has scored at least 71 points in their last seven games after beginning the year by scoring only 69 points — and they have then played 20 of their last 29 games Under the Total after scoring at least 70 points in four straight games. The Mystics have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams from the Western Conference. Las Vegas has seen the Under go 6-0-1 in their last 7 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. The Under is also 4-0-1 in the Aces’ last 5 games after a point spread loss. Las Vegas won that game despite the Lynx making 42.6% from the field which was the Aces’ worst defensive effort in their last five games. Under former Detroit Pistons’ star Bill Laimbeer, this Las Vegas team has taken on a defense-first identity like his Bad Boys’ teams. They limit their visitors to just 34.2% shooting from the field on their home court which results in just 71.7 PPG. The extra days of rest should help the energy of this team on defense — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. The Under is also 6-0-1 in the Aces’ last 7 games at home — and they have played 8 of their last 9 home games Under the Total as the favorite. And in their last 7 games against teams with a winning record, Las Vegas has played 6 of these games Under the Total.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 10 of their last 13 meetings Under the Total — and this includes these two teams playing five of their last six encounters Under the Total when playing in Las Vegas. Finally, these team trends are complemented by a historical WNBA angle that has been 72% effective since 1997. In games with the Total set at 140 or higher in the month of June, when the home team comes off a game where they won but did not cover the point spread as the favorite, these games then finished Under the Total in 52 of the last 72 situations where these conditions applied. 25* WNBA Non-Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Mystics (647) and the Las Vegas Aces (648). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-20-19 |
USA (W) v. Sweden (W) UNDER 2.75 |
Top |
2-0 |
Win
|
100 |
0 h 15 m |
Show
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At 3:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between the United States (225937) and Sweden (225938). THE SITUATION: The United States (2-0-0) has won their first two matches in this World Cup with their 3-0 win over Chile last Saturday. Sweden (2-0-0) also has six points with two victories in their first two games with their 5-1 win over Thailand on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: It might be very tempting for bettors to take the Over after Team USA racked up thirteen goals in their opening victory against Thailand. This Stars and Stripes team is loaded with scoring talent — and their midfielders and fullbacks like to play up the pitch. But a draw is enough of a result for the USA to win first place in Group F which is their immediate goal. This US team also needs to build skill and cohesion in their backline with two converted attackers being inserted into those two fullback positions by manager Jill Ellis. This contest against a good Swedish team is an opportunity to work on technical tactics. This team has dominated both their opponents as they have surrounded only three combined shots with neither opponent controlling possession for more than 30% of the contest. Team USA has not allowed a goal in their last six matches. They will face a Sweden team that is very familiar with their schemes and tactics. This will be the fourth meeting between these two national teams in the last five major international tournaments. The Blue and Yellow were triumphant in the last meeting between these two teams where the Swedes pulled the big upset in the Quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympics. Sweden’s conservative tactics where they play with a high back-line on the pitch while searching for opportunities to counter-attack is the anti-American scheme given their Stars and Stripes typical aggressiveness. The Blagurt have veterans in their middle field and a defensive line who have played in many of those matches with the Americans. Sweden also has an elite goalkeeper in Hedvi Lindhal playing in perhaps her last World Cup at 36-years old. Sweden has scored seven times in this tournament which is a bit of an aberration for this team. They scored only four goals in their four matches in the 2017 Euro Championship which ended in a disappointing loss in the Quarterfinals to the Netherlands. They scored just five times in their four matches in the 2015 World Cup where they lost in the Round of 16. They entered this tournament with just four goals in their previous four matches. But they surrendered a mere one goal in those final four matches — and they gave up only two goals in their eight World Cup Qualifying matches.
FINAL TAKE: This shapes up to be a tactical contest — especially with the stakes relatively low since both teams have clinched spots in the Knockout Stage. In the last five meetings between these two sides since 2013, all five matches saw no more than two combined goals scored. It was a nil-nil draw when these two teams faced off in the Group Stage of the 2015 World Cup. 25* Women’s World Cup Group Stage Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between the United States (225937) and Sweden (225938). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-20-19 |
New Zealand (W) v. Cameroon (W) UNDER 2.5 |
Top |
1-2 |
Loss |
-106 |
0 h 20 m |
Show
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At 12:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Cameroon (225930) and New Zealand (225929). THE SITUATION: Cameroon (0-0-2) has lost their two World Cup contests after suffering a 3-1 setback to the Netherlands last Saturday. New Zealand (0-0-2) has also lost their first two matches in this tournament after their 2-0 loss to Canada on Saturday.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Cameroon has only scored one goal in their two matches after they lost to Canada by a 1-0 score. The Indomitable Lions are a team on the rise with 12 players back from the group that competed in the 2015 World Cup. This team’s defense can be shaky on the defensive end of the pitch — but allowing three goals to a potent Netherlands attack is not terribly surprising. Manager Alain Djeumfa has had his team embrace defensive tactics to compensate for this potential deficiency while banking on the counterattacking skills of speedy forwards like Gabrielle Onguene and Galla Enganamouit. But this approach has contributed to a toothless attack for the Indomitable Lions. They did not generate a shot on target in their opening match against Canada. And while their offensive activity improved against the Netherlands, they managed only 11 shots with just four on target. Controlling possession has been an issue as they had the ball for just 39% of their match with the Dutch after controlling possession in just 26% of their match against Canada. New Zealand may play on their front foot in this match like they often do when facing the inferior competition of the Oceania Football Confederation. The Football Ferns play solid defense on the grandest of international stages — and that should not go away in this contest. New Zealand has allowed only three goals against the Netherlands and Canada who enter this third match with two wins apiece. But the Kiwis have yet to score in this event. They did not manage a shot on target against Canada while managing just three shots on target against the Dutch. New Zealand has only generated seven total shots in their two matches. In the 2015 World Cup, the Football Ferns scored only twice in their three matches but only surrendered three goals. Cameroon made it to the Knockout Stage in 2015 on the strength of a 6-0 win over an overmatched Ecuador side — but it is their 1-0 loss to China in the Round of 16 that will likely be a harbinger as to how this match will be played out.
FINAL TAKE: One side earning a clean sheet in this match is pretty high when considering that New Zealand has seen at least one side go scoreless in nine of their last ten matches. Eight of the last ten matches played by the Kiwis have seen less than three combined goals scored. Both teams need a victory — and then help with goal differential — to advance to the Knockout Stage. However, since a draw helps neither side — I expect the first team to score in this match will then park the bus in back to do everything they can to preserve that lead. 25* World Cup Group E Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Cameroon (225930) and New Zealand (225929). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-19-19 |
White Sox v. Cubs UNDER 7 |
Top |
3-7 |
Loss |
-100 |
2 h 28 m |
Show
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At 8:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Chicago White Sox (979) and the Chicago Cubs (980) listing both starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Jon Lester. THE SITUATION: The White Sox (35-36) won the opening game of this series last night with their 3-1 victory. The White Sox have won four of their last six games while the Cubs (39-33) has lost four of their last five contests.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The White Sox have played 21 of their last 31 games Under the Total after not allowing more than one run in their last game. And while the White Sox have not committed an error in three straight games, they have then played 7 straight games Under the Total on the road after not committing an error in two straight contests. This team has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road — and the Under is a decisive 46-21-3 in their last 70 games on the road against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Giolito who is 10-1 with a 2.22 ERA and a WHIP of 0.95 in thirteen starts. The young phenom has allowed only one earned run over his last three starts for a minuscule 0.43 ERA along with a 0.76 WHIP over 21 innings. The right-hander has been particularly effective on the road where he owns a 1.48 ERA with a 0.82 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .156 in six starts. The White Sox have played 16 of their last 22 road games Under the Total with Giolito on the hill — and this includes them playing their last 4 road games Under the Total with him on the hill. The White Sox have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with Giolito looking to follow up a Quality Start. He faces a Cubs team that is scoring only 3.4 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a low .223 batting average along with a .270 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .635.
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06-18-19 |
Australia (W) v. Jamaica (W) OVER 4.5 |
Top |
4-1 |
Win
|
100 |
1 h 36 m |
Show
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At 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Australia (225913) and Jamaica (225914). THE SITUATION: Australia (1-0-1) earned their three points last Thursday with a 3-2 victory over Brazil. Jamaica (0-0-2) lost their second straight match in the World Cup by losing to Italy by a 5-0 score.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Australia found themselves in dire straits as they trailed the Brazilians by a 2-0 score — and that came after suffering a 2-1 upset loss to Italy in their opening match. But the Matildas scored a late goal in extra time of the first half to get on the board and they completed their three-goal rally by scoring twice in the second half to stun the Selecao. That comeback victory should trigger confidence in this Australian team that limped into the World Cup with two straight losses. Expectations have never been higher for this Matildas team that has reached the Quarterfinals in the last three World Cups as well as the 2016 Olympics. This is probably the best roster this national team has ever assembled. But a 5-3 loss to the USA on May 3rd followed by a 3-0 loss to the Netherlands on June 1st left some questions on the table for this group. Australia is loaded with scoring firepower led by their 25-year old captain, Sam Kerr, who is one of the best goal scorers in the world. New manager Ante Milicic (who took over amidst scandal from the previous dirtbag manager of the Matildas) implemented a high-risk/high-reward pressing system a la the schemes used by Liverpool and Manchester City in the English Premier League. The goal is to create more scoring opportunities to take better advantage of their elite talent of Kerr and other players like forward Caitlin Foord. It worked for a bit against the US as those tactics created a 2-1 lead in that April friendly match. But the risk of pushing forward on the attack with left and right backs, Steph Catley and Ellie Carpenter, jetting up the pitch to support their scoring opportunities is that they become very vulnerable to counter attacks. Team USA burned them by rallying to score three goals to win that match before the Dutch scored three more goals against them in that last friendly. Australia has scored and conceded four goals in their first two World Cup matches. With three points and tied with Brazil for second place in Group C play, goal differential may play a critical role as a tie-breaker. That means that the Matildas are highly likely to keep their foot on the proverbial accelerator in this match as they look to pile on the goals. But this strategy risks them conceding goals to the Reggae Girlz. Frankly, this Jamaica team is happy to be competing at this event after seeing their program dormant from 2008 to 2014. The daughter of Bob Marley, Cedella Marley, infused the national team with money to jumpstart the women’s team who then qualified for this World Cup with their third place finish in last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifier. The Reggae Girlz are young and inexperienced with seven of their players under the age of 22. But they are fast and happy to take their chances on the counter-attack. They have conceded eight goals in their two matches — but they have dynamic goal scorers led by Khadijah “Bunny” Shaw. The former Tennessee Volunteer has 31 goals in 23 caps for the national team and is an imposing presence on the pitch with her 5’11 frame. Jamaica had scored nine goals in their last four friendlies before this tournament — but they also allowed seven goals in those four matches.
FINAL TAKE: Australia should win this match easily as they press to score as many goals as they can to help their positioning. Winning Group C remains possible if Brazil defeats an undefeated Italian team — but they will need to plenty of goals to seize the goal differential tie-breaker. Jamaica is leaky on their back end — but I will not be surprised if they leave this match relatively happy by scoring their first ever goal in World Cup competition. 25* Women’s World Cup Group C Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Australia (225913) and Jamaica (225914). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-17-19 |
Mets v. Braves OVER 9 |
Top |
3-12 |
Win
|
100 |
2 h 8 m |
Show
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At 7:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Mets (953) and the Atlanta Braves (954) listing both starting pitchers Zack Wheeler and Mike Soroka. THE SITUATION: New York (34-37) has lost three of their last four games with their 4-3 loss to St. Louis yesterday. Atlanta (42-30) has won nine of their last ten games after they crushed Philadelphia yesterday by a 15-1 score on Sunday.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 10-1-1 in the Braves’ last 12 games after a win — and they have played 10 of their last 11 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Atlanta’s bullpen has pitched 9 1/3 combined innings over their last two games — and they have played 15 of their last 18 games Over the Total when their bullpen has logged in at least 9 combined innings in their last two games. The Over is also 12-3-1 in the Braves’ last 16 home games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Soroka who is 7-1 with a 1.92 ERA along with a 0.97 WHIP in eleven starts. The deeper sabermetrics are not bullish on the rookie right-hander with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.93 and 3.59 moving forward. Soroka opened the season with an unsustainable low Batting Average for the Balls he Allowed Into Play (BABIP) and Home Run to Fly Ball rate — and the that he is still leaving 77.6% of the runners left on base when retiring the side is well above the league average. But the right-hander has seen the Regression Gods already visit him a few times this month as he has a 4.12 ERA with a 1.12 WHIP over his last three starts while striking out only 14 batters in 19 2/3 innings of work. Soroka has not been as effective at home where he sees his ERA rise to a 3.03 mark along with a 1.18 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .248 in five starts as compared to his filthy 1.11 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and .154 opponent’s batting average on the road. Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Soroka facing a team with a losing record. He faces a Mets team that is scoring 5.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games. New York has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 games against teams using a starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Over is 3-0-1 in the Mets’ last 4 games after a loss. Additionally, New York has played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 28 of their last 42 games Over the Total in night games. They counter with Wheeler who is 5-4 with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP in fourteen starts. The right-hander has particularly struggled on the road where he has a 5.48 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .287 in seven starts. The Over is 7-3-2 in the Mets’ last 12 road games with Wheeler on the mound. The Over is also 6-0-2 in New York’s last 8 games with Wheeler pitching on five days of rest. He faces a hot-hitting Braves team that is scoring 9.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .342 batting average along with a .402 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of 1.056 over that span. Atlanta is scoring 5.8 Runs-Per-Game at home — and the Over is 12-3-1 in their last 16 home games against right-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: The Braves have scored at least nine runs twelve times this season. They face a pitcher in Wheeler who has already surrendered 13 home runs this season. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break National League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Mets (953) and the Atlanta Braves (954) listing both starting pitchers Zack Wheeler and Mike Soroka. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-16-19 |
Nicaragua v. Costa Rica UNDER 3 |
Top |
0-4 |
Loss |
-101 |
1 h 31 m |
Show
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At 8:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Nicaragua (234213) and Costa Rica (234214). THE SITUATION: Costa Rica (0-0-0) the first CONCACAF Gold Cup match ever to be played on their home soil. Los Ticos finished 0-1-2 in their three Group Stage matches in last summer’s World Cup. Costa Rica reached the Semifinals of the 2017 Gold Cup before losing to the USMNT. Nicaragua (0-0-0) plays in their first international tournament sine that 2017 Gold Cup where they lost all three of their matches in Group Stage play.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Costa Rica is one of the favorites to win this year’s tournament — and they are the dominant team in Group B. Los Ticos are led by an MLS-heavy defensive group that is quality tacticians on the international stage. The 6’5 defender, Kendall Watson, is key to their success with his size providing La Sele an aerial defensive presence as well as a strong tackler. Costa Rica allowed five goals in their three World Cup matches last year — but they were in a challenging group led by the powerful Brazil side along with two upstarts in Switzerland and Serbia. The problem for this team last summer was the lacking of a scoring punch as they scored only two goals (against the Swiss) after suffering two clean sheets in their first two matches. Gustavo Matosas is the new manager this year — but they are just 1-0-3 in the four friendlies under his leadership. They have scored only one goal in those four matches in a win against the defensive-minded Jamaican side. This side lacks creativity on the offensive end of the pitch right now. Getting too cute now would be a disaster for Los Ticos against an overmatched Nicaraguan side — especially when playing at home. Expect a conservative game plan where veterans like Joel Campbell or Bryan Ruiz should eventually get Costa Rica on the scoreboard. Nicaragua is unlikely to threaten with many scoring opportunities. The Pinoleros privilege defensive tactics with the hope that their captain, Juan Barrera, can find scoring opportunities in the counter-attack. Nicaragua has scored only one goal in their six matches ever played in Gold Cup competitions. And in the twelve previous meetings between these two nations, the Pinoleros have scored only eight times. All three of their matches in the 2017 Gold Cup did not see more than three combined goals scored. In their last five matches, Nicaragua has scored only four times with two of those goals occurring in a 2-2 draw with Bolivia back on March 3rd in a friendly.
FINAL TAKE: Costa Rica will not have their veteran superstar goalkeeper, Keylor Navas, this summer with his status with Real Madrid up in the air. Los Ticos did not have Navas in the 2017 Gold Cup either but that did not slow this side down against North American competition. A clean sheet is highly likely for Costa Rica tonight — but they are not likely to score more than two goals (and certainly not three goals which would Push the most common Total of 3). 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Group B Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Nicaragua (234213) and Costa Rica (234214). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-15-19 |
Mariners v. A's OVER 9 |
Top |
2-11 |
Win
|
100 |
6 h 27 m |
Show
|
At 9:07 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Seattle Mariners (977) and the Oakland A’s (978) listing both starting pitchers Gerson Bautista and Frankie Montas. THE SITUATION: Seattle (30-43) won the opening game of this series last night by a 9-2 score over Oakland (35-35) in Oakland Alameda County Coliseum.
REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Mariners have played 13 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a win — and the Over is also 10-2-1 in their last 13 games after allowing two runs or less in their last game. They stay on the road where the Over is a decisive 34-16-1 in their last 51 games — and the Over is also 11-3-1 in Seattle’s last 15 road games against teams with a losing record. And while the A’s are 18-14 at home this year, the Mariners have played 4 straight road games Over the Total against teams with a winning record at home. Additionally, Seattle has played 10 of their last 12 games Over the Total in the month of June — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against fellow AL West foes. They will be using an opening tonight with Bautista taking the hill with his 5.40 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in just 3 1/3 innings of work. Bautista had a 12.46 ERA with a 3.00 WHIP in 4 1/3 innings of work last season. Let’s put it this way: although Bautista has appeared in only eight games in his major league career since debuting last year, he has allowed at least one run in six of those contests. So when Wade LeBlanc enters this game in the second inning, there is a good chance that the A’s will already have runs on the board. The left-hander has a 3-2 record this year with a 5.31 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in six starts/eight appearances this season. LeBlanc was not quite as effective on the road last year where he had a 1.24 WHIP with a .255 opponent’s batting average as opposed to his 1.12 WHIP and .247 opponent’s batting average at home. LeBlanc has struggled under the lights this year with a 6.30 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and .284 opponent’s batting average in three starts/four appearances at night. Bautista and then LeBlanc will be facing an A’s team that has played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Seattle bullpen will not offer much support either was LeBlanc is pulled. The Mariners’ pen has a 6.32 ERA with a 1.66 WHIP on the road — and they have a 7.63 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in their last seven games. Oakland has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 4 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a losing record. The A’s have also played 18 of their last 26 home games Over the Total with the number in the 9 to 9.5 range. Oakland has also played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total against AL West foes. They counter with Montas who is 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in thirteen starts. The 26-year old is enjoying a breakout season — but the sabermetrics are calling for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.78 and 3.55 respectively moving forward based off his deeper peripheral numbers. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he has a 3.54 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP and .255 opponent’s batting average in five starts as compared to his 2.44 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and .231 opponent’s batting average on the road. These disparate home/road splits are consistent with last year where he had a 4.35 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and .291 opponent’s batting average at home as opposed to his 3.44 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and .289 opponent’s batting average on the road. The A’s have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with Montas pitching with the Total set at 9 to 9.5. Montas last pitched on June 9th — and Oakland has played 7 straight games Over the Total when he is starting with five days of rest. He faces a hot-hitting Mariners lineup that is scoring 6.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .265 batting average, .337 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .850 over that span. The Over is also 33-16-2 in Seattle’s last 51 games against right-handed starting pitchers.
FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 10 of their last 14 contests Over the Total. Expect another higher scoring game between these two clubs. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break AL West Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Seattle Mariners (977) and the Oakland A’s (978) listing both starting pitchers Gerson Bautista and Frankie Montas. Best of luck for us — Frank.
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06-12-19 |
Blues v. Bruins UNDER 5.5 |
Top |
4-1 |
Win
|
100 |
43 h 47 m |
Show
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At 8:20 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the St. Louis Blues (13) and the Boston Bruins (14). THE SITUATION: Boston (64-32-9) forced a climactic seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday with their 5-1 victory over St. Louis (60-38-9). The Bruins return home to TD Garden for the decisive final game of this series and the 2018-19 NHL season.
REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Boston got outstanding play once again from goalie Tuukka Rask who stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced while keeping his team competitive in the first period when the Blues enjoyed two Power Play chances. Rask entered this series with a 1.84 Goals-Against-Average along with a .942 save percentage in this postseason — and while some regression was expected, he still sports a strong .924 save percentage in the first six games of this series while allowing only 13 goals in those contests. This is Rask’s sixth career Game Seven start in the playoffs along with his second Game Seven in the Stanley Cup Finals — so the moment should not be too big for him. Rask is being helped by outstanding play from the Bruins’ top two defensive pairings who have thwarted 17 of the 18 Power Play chances St. Louis has had in this series. Expect continued outstanding defensive play from this Bruins team that has played 29 of their last 47 games Under the Total when playing just their second game in five days. Boston snapped a two-game losing streak to win Game Six — and they have played 20 of their last 30 games Under the Total after losing two of their last three contests. And while the Bruins scored five goals on Sunday (with one being an empty netter), they have then played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total after scoring at least five goals in their last game — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total when playing at home after finding the back of the net at least five times in their last game. St. Louis has played 27 of their last 43 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 12 of their last 19 games Under the Total after failing to score more than one goal in their last game. The Bruins entered the third period with just a one-goal lead before exploding for four goals to force this seventh game. The Blues have played a decisive 32 of their last 52 games on the road Under the Total after allowing at least two goals in the third period in their last game. Goalie Jordan Binnington surrendered four goals in Game Six — but he still has a nice .925 save percentage by allowing only seven goals in the last three games of this series even after Sunday. Binnington has been consistently outstanding when attempting to lead his team after a loss this season. In his nine starts after a Blues lost in this postseason, Binnington has responded with a 1.86 GAA along with a .941 save percentage while allowing just sixteen goals in those nine contests. This playoff success continued his strong play after losses in the regular season where Binnington posted a .935 save percentage while surrounding only 10 goals in the six games he started after a loss. Wednesday’s Game Seven will be St. Louis’ fifth game in the last fourteen days — and they have played 14 of their last 18 road games Under the Total when playing no more than five games in the last fourteen days. Additionally, the Blues have played 6 of their last 9 playoff games Under the Total when the series is tied — and they have played 14 of their last 21 playoff games Under the Total when facing elimination.
FINAL TAKE: St. Louis has played 7 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss by at least four goals. With this being a Game Seven in the Stanley Cup Finals, the referees will be a bit more conservative in calling penalties as they will be reticent to have their calls play a critical role — this is especially true after the controversial no-call on a Blues’ trip in the third period of Game Five of this series that played a significant role in St. Louis winning that game. And don’t forget the controversy the league offices felt with San Jose’s three-goal comeback in Game Seven of their series with Vegas stemming from a controversial five-minute major penalty called in that game. Lastly, seventh games tend to see both teams play a bit more cautiously as they hope to not put their opponent on the Power Play. While three of the games in this series have gone Over the Total, two of those final scores came from late empty net goals (which are rarer than they have appeared in this series). Outside the third period on Sunday and the first periods of the first three games of this series, this has been a very low scoring series. Look for this final game to follow those trends. 25* NHL Playoffs Game Seven A-List O/U Special with Under the Total in the game between the St. Louis Blues (13) and the Boston Bruins (14). Best of luck for us — Frank.
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