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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, WNBA, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/30/26

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Aug 30, 2026

The Sunday sports card features MLB, WNBA, CFL, and EPL action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Miami Marlins travel to Washington to face the Nationals on Peacock at 12:15 p.m. ET as a -114 money-line road favorite with the total set at 9. Two more MLB games start at 1:35 p.m. ET. The Atlanta Braves host the Colorado Rockies as a -231 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Boston Red Sox play in New York against the Yankees as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Seattle Mariners are on the road in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays at 1:37 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:40 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers visit Detroit to face the Tigers on Peacock as a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -191 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Tampa Bay are at home to challenge the San Diego Padres as a -175 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Two MLB games begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Twins host the Chicago White Sox as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Milwaukee Brewers play at home against the Texas Rangers as a -172 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates play in St. Louis against the Cardinals as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Mets are at home to battle the Houston Astros on NBC/Peacock at 3:10 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Baltimore Orioles are on the road to play the Athletics at 4:05 p.m. ET as a -156 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10.5. The Philadelphia Phillies travel to Los Angeles to face the Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET as a -198 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Sunday Night Baseball on NBC/Peacock features the Chicago Cubs hosting the Cincinnati Reds at 7:20 p.m. ET. The Cubs are a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The WNBA has four games on tap before the 17-day break for the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The Minnesota Lynx play in Atlanta against the Dream at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 177.5. The Seattle Mystics play at home against the Los Angeles Sparks at 5:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 172.5. The Golden State Valkyries are on the road in Portland to face the Fire at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 159.5. The Dallas Wings are at home to battle the Connecticut Sun at 8:30 p.m. ET as an 11.5-point favorite with an over/under of 166.5. Week 13 in the Canadian Football League continues with one game. The British Columbia Lions travel to Ottawa to play the Redblacks on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 60.5. Matchweek 2 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Three EPL matches start at 9:00 a.m. ET. Chelsea hosts Brighton and Hove Albion as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Leeds United plays at home against Brentford on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Sunderland is at home to take on Fulham as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Manchester United hosts Ipswich Town on the USA Network at 11:30 a.m. ET, as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.  

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August Starting Pitching NL Overachievers

by Nelly's Sports

Saturday, Aug 29, 2026

There are a few pitchers that stand out as overachievers in August with numbers that are not likely to hold up down the stretch in the final month of the regular season. Here are four National League arms who look due for a correction as the calendar turns to September. Brandon Pfaadt – Arizona Diamondbacks Pfaadt's turnaround is one of the best stories of the second half. Since returning from a minor-league demotion on June 30, he's sitting on a 1.16 ERA and 0.89 WHIP over his last nine starts, and a 3.11 ERA for the season. The problem is what's missing: a strikeout rate that's fallen to a 5.4 K/9 since the All-Star break, an incongruent combination for anyone running ratios this shiny. Among 60 qualified pitchers since June 30, Pfaadt ranks 10th in BABIP at .237, 11th in strand rate at 86.1%, and first in HR/FB rate at a microscopic 1.6%. Despite sitting first in ERA among that group, he ranks 44th in SIERA. Arizona's defense is genuinely excellent and deserves real credit, but a starter with almost no strikeouts leaning this heavily on contact management and home-run suppression is not a stable proposition heading into the stretch run as Arizona looks to claim a wild card spot.  Clay Holmes – Chicago Cubs Holmes has been a quietly excellent midseason trade addition, working to a 2.49 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 50 strikeouts against 23 walks in nearly 69 innings since being acquired from the Mets. But his expected ERA sits at 4.05, which is a run and a half higher than what he's actually allowed, and his expected wOBA against of .311 is well above his actual mark of .262, a gap of roughly 50 points. That disparity points squarely to contact-quality luck rather than a real step forward in stuff. An 6.2 K/9 for a starter this reliant on soft, well-placed contact leaves very little margin if the quality of contact normalizes, and his ground-ball-heavy approach means one string of bloopers or misplayed line drives could unravel the ratios in a hurry. Robbie Ray – San Diego Padres Ray has bounced between two rotations this season but has kept his ERA in a tidy 3.21, propped up by a .244 BABIP and an 80% strand rate that both sit on the fortunate side of normal. His strikeout rate is 7.7 K/9 is on pace for a career low for a pitcher who's built a career on missing bats, and a 4.4 BB/9 leaves little margin for error. His SIERA has run close to 4.95 for the season which is nearly two runs higher than his actual ERA, one of the widest gaps among qualified NL starters. Ray's stuff has proven real through his well-traveled career and he's shown he can dominate in stretches, but the profile underneath the ERA right now looks more like a mid-4.00s pitcher who's gotten a lot of help from sequencing and defense. Michael King – San Diego Padres King rounds out a group of pitchers sitting on sub-3.50 ERAs with strikeout-minus-walk rates no higher than 12% in at least 100 innings, which is a combination that tends not to last. He's carrying a 3.23 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with a 7.7 K/9 through 156 innings, solid volume production for a Padres staff that's needed it. But the SIERA marks for this whole tier of pitcher have run in the 4.30s to 4.90s, and King is no exception. The skill indicators simply don't support an ERA this far under 3.50. He's a legitimately useful innings-eater and his low walk rate is a real strength, but anyone pricing him as an ace-caliber arm down the stretch in big games in the NL wild card race is paying for results that look considerably better than the process behind them.

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August Starting Pitching AL Overachievers

by Nelly's Sports

Saturday, Aug 29, 2026

There are a few pitchers that stand out as overachievers in August with numbers that are not likely to hold up down the stretch in the final month of the regular season. These four American League starters may be worth avoiding or considering fading in upcoming starting efforts as the solid ERA results are hiding some red flags in the peripherals.  Nick Martinez – Tampa Bay Rays Martinez has been one of the best stories in baseball, an All-Star at 35 after bouncing between Japan, San Diego, and Cincinnati, and he's carrying a 2.93 ERA with a sparkling 1.10 WHIP. The trouble is the skill set behind it: a strikeout rate around 14-15% with a walk rate under 5% is an extremely low-margin profile, and his .264 BABIP and 85.2% strand rate are doing enormous work to keep the ERA where it is. His SIERA has sat close to 4.80 for most of the summer which is a staggering nearly two and a half runs higher than his actual ERA, the largest gap of any starter in the league at one point this season. Soft-contact command guys can run hot for a long stretch, but a profile this light on strikeouts leaves almost no cushion if the contact management slips even a little in September. The Rays have a difficult final month schedule that includes the Braves, Red Sox, Yankees, and Phillies as Martinez could become a question mark for the postseason rotation.  Walbert Ureña – Los Angeles Angels Urena has been one of the more interesting stories in the Angels rotation, sitting on a sub-2.70 ERA with a 97-plus mph four-seamer and a sinker that generates a ton of grounders. The double-digit walk rate and modest strikeout numbers in the minors were always the concern, and that's shown up in the majors too as he's been living off a .257 BABIP and a single-digit HR/FB rate that won't hold at this level forever. There's a real skill spike here worth taking seriously; his expected ERA based on actual contact quality is meaningfully better than his SIERA suggests, pointing to a genuinely improved 14% line-drive rate rather than pure fortune. Still, a starter with consistent double-digit walk rates is always one bad week away from a blowup, especially as opposing lineups continue adjusting to him for a third and fourth time through the league. The Angels don’t have much to play for in the final month as the lineup and bullpen support could grow weaker as well.  Tanner Bibee – Cleveland Guardians Bibee is the cautionary tale that has already played out. When we flagged him in July sitting on a 3.89 ERA against a FIP well over a run higher, the home-run issues and contact-management gap were the concern, and sure enough, his ERA has since climbed into the mid-4.00s, with a brutal seven-outing stretch since the start of July that's pushed his season line to a losing record and an ERA north of 4.50. It's a clear example of exactly the kind of correction these gaps predict, and it's worth keeping in mind the next time a Guardians starter looks too good against the peripherals. Cleveland's pitching development is real, but it isn't magic. Bibee deserves better than his 5-14 record in decisions and he pitched well in a late August loss to the Royals. The Guardians are heading for a tough September battle in the AL Central and AL wild card races and Bibee isn’t a pitcher to count on in big games down the stretch.  Brandon Young – Baltimore Orioles Young has been one of the best surprise stories in the league, and his ERA has actually held up better than most on this list, but the cracks are showing. After sitting in the low-3.00s through most of the summer, his ERA has crept up to 3.38 with a WHIP climbing to 1.34 as his walk total has risen alongside continued modest strikeout numbers. His Statcast profile has also normalized with an .89.4 mph average exit velocity and 40.9% hard-hit rate now produce an expected wOBA of .319 against an actual .307. That's a reasonably encouraging sign, but it also means the version of Young that carried an ERA in the 3.20s is probably not walking through that door again. Young is a solid mid-rotation arm rather than the ace-caliber breakout he looked like in June. Baltimore’s staying power in the AL Wild Card race can be questioned as well with some close-game fortune in recent weeks. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NFL, WNBA, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/29/26

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Aug 29, 2026

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, NFLX, MLB, WNBA, CFL, and EPL action. The 2026-27 NCAAF college football season kicks off with eight games between FBS opponents in “Week 0.” TCU plays North Carolina at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on ESPN at noon p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with the total set at 46.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). USC hosts San Jose State on NBC/Peacock at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 38.5-point favorite with an over/under of 61.5. Virginia plays at home against North Carolina State on ESPN at 3:30 p.m. ET as a 4-point favorite with a total of 51.5. North Dakota State is at home to take on Jacksonville State on the CBS Sports Network at 5:30 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5.Eastern Michigan hosts Sacramento State at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 53.5. Two NCAAF games start at 7:00 p.m. ET. Stanford plays at home against Hawaii as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 48.5. Florida State is at home to face New Mexico State on The CW as a 31.5-point favorite with a total of 53.5. UNLV hosts Memphis on Fox at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 56.5. The NFLX preseason concludes with the final two games in Week 3 on the NFL Network. The Indianapolis Colts play at home against the Detroit Lions at 1:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 35.5.  The Tennessee Titans are at home to challenge the Chicago Bears at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. Major League Baseball has 17 games scheduled. The New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox in the opening game of their doubleheader at 1:05 p.m. ET as a -131 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to Detroit to play the Tigers at 1:10 p.m. ET as a -186 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Minnesota Twins play at home against the Minnesota Twins at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home to battle the Pittsburgh Pirates at 2:15 p.m. ET as a -122 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -197 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Seattle Mariners at 3:07 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in San Francisco against the Giants. The Washington Nationals are at home to play the Miami Marlins as a -114 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Four MLB games start at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Guardians host the Kansas City Royals as a -157 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Mets play at home against the Houston Astros as a -139 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Tampa Bay Rays are at home to take on the Houston Astros on Peacock as a -139 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Atlanta Braves host the Colorado Rockies as a -230 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games begin on Fox’s regional television coverage at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Yankees play at home against the Red Sox in the second game of their doubleheader as a -120 money-line favorite at BetOnline with an over/under of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers are at home to battle the Texas Rangers as a -171 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Two MLB games start at 10:05 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks are on the road to challenge the Giants in the second game of their doubleheader. The Baltimore Orioles visit the Athletics on the road. The Philadelphia Phillies play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 10:07 p.m. ET as a -237 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The WNBA has two games on tap. The New York Liberty host the Chicago Sky as an 8.5-point favorite on CBS as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 179.5. The Phoenix Mercury play at home against the Toronto Tempo at 10:00 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 177.5. Week 13 in the Canadian Football League continues with two games. The Calgary Stampeders are at home to face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. The Saskatchewan Roughriders host the Toronto Argonauts at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 62.5. Matchweek 2 in the English Premier League continues with four matches. Liverpool plays at home against Nottingham Forest on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Two more EPL matches start at 10:00 a.m. ET. Bournemouth is at home to challenge Everton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Coventry City hosts Hull City on the USA Network at 10:00 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5. Tottenham plays at home against Newcastle United on NBC as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

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Deep Dive On The WNBA Playoff Field

by Vegas Writer

Friday, Aug 28, 2026

The WNBA’s eight-team playoff field is set, although the order remains unsettled.Minnesota and Golden State have separated themselves at the top, while only three games divide Las Vegas in third place from New York in eighth. That congestion makes the battle for first-round home-court advantage nearly as compelling as the playoff race itself. The postseason field includes Minnesota, Golden State, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Indiana, Washington, Dallas and New York.Nevertheless, as the teams prepare for the World Cup break, here is a breakdown of the eight-team field, with a look at their strengths and weaknesses (odds courtesy of DraftKings):MINNESOTA LYNX (-110)Strengths: Minnesota owns the league’s best record because it can beat opponents in multiple ways. Rookie point guard Olivia Miles has supplied elite scoring and playmaking, Kayla McBride remains one of the WNBA’s most dangerous perimeter shooters, and Napheesa Collier gives the Lynx an established two-way superstar. Their balance, defensive discipline and ability to execute late make them the most complete team in the field.Weaknesses: Collier’s health and conditioning following offseason ankle surgeries remain important. Minnesota will also be asking Miles to control playoff games as a rookie, where opponents will aggressively test her decision-making and physicality.GOLDEN STATE VALKYRIES (+650)Strengths: Golden State’s identity will travel. The Valkyries allow the fewest points per game and possess the depth, length and versatility to change coverages throughout a series. Gabby Williams impacts both ends, Veronica Burton organizes the offense, and Sixth Player of the Year candidate Janelle Salaün gives them legitimate scoring off the bench. Golden State recently held New York to a season-low 60 points.Weaknesses: The Valkyries lack the proven, high-volume superstar most championship teams rely upon when half-court possessions become difficult. If their defense does not create transition opportunities, generating dependable late-clock offense could become a problem.LAS VEGAS ACES (+650)Strengths: Las Vegas has the postseason’s greatest individual advantage in A’ja Wilson, who is averaging approximately 26 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray give the defending champions two additional creators, while Jewell Loyd provides scoring potential off the bench. Championship experience, composure and Wilson’s ability to rescue broken possessions make the Aces exceptionally dangerous.Weaknesses: NaLyssa Smith’s season-ending injury removes an efficient interior scorer and Wilson’s primary frontcourt partner. Smith was averaging 11.7 points and 6.4 rebounds while leading the league at 63.8% shooting. Las Vegas must now replace her size, rebounding and finishing with a thinner rotation.ATLANTA DREAM (+850)Strengths: Atlanta possesses perhaps the league’s most imposing collection of athletic talent. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard supply perimeter scoring, Angel Reese controls the glass, and Jordin Canada creates opportunities for everyone. The Dream own one of the WNBA’s highest-scoring offenses and have added DeWanna Bonner, whose size, versatility and extensive playoff experience strengthen an already deep rotation.Weaknesses: The Dream’s aggressive style can become inefficient when shots stop falling or the game slows down. Atlanta must avoid turnovers, rushed perimeter attempts and stretches in which its half-court offense becomes too dependent upon individual shot-making. Integrating Bonner into established rotations also must occur quickly.INDIANA FEVER (+850)Strengths: No playoff team possesses more pure offensive firepower. Kelsey Mitchell is averaging nearly 25 points, Caitlin Clark combines elite range with league-leading-caliber distribution, and Aliyah Boston provides efficient interior scoring. Indiana has already produced a WNBA-record 16 games with at least 100 points, demonstrating a ceiling few opponents can match.Weaknesses: Indiana’s pace can work against it when turnovers lead to easy points in the opposite direction. The Fever must prove they can consistently defend, rebound and execute in slower, more physical postseason games. Their offensive stars also will see increasingly aggressive traps designed to force secondary players to make decisions.NEW YORK LIBERTY (+1400)Strengths: New York remains far more dangerous than its current position suggests. Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Sabrina Ionescu form a championship-caliber foundation, while Leonie Fiebich’s return improves the Liberty’s size, defense and lineup flexibility. New York has enough experience, shooting and star power to make an eighth seed uncomfortable for any opponent.Weaknesses: Health and offensive inconsistency have defined the season. Ionescu has endured a prolonged shooting slump, including an 8-for-50 stretch from 3-point range across seven games, while Satou Sabally has been sidelined by lingering concussion symptoms. New York recently shot only 30.2% in a 79-60 loss to Golden State, illustrating how stagnant the offense can become when perimeter shots disappear.WASHINGTON MYSTICS (+7000)Strengths: Washington’s young core has matured ahead of schedule. Shakira Austin provides interior scoring and rim protection, Sonia Citron offers two-way versatility, and Kiki Iriafen gives the Mystics another powerful rebounder and scorer. Their size and energy can punish smaller teams, while the absence of championship expectations allows Washington to play freely.Weaknesses: The Mystics are the youngest team in the league and lack the postseason experience of the other contenders. Close games will test their ball security, shot selection and late-game execution. Opponents may also crowd the paint and challenge Washington’s perimeter players to win an entire series from outside.DALLAS WINGS (+7500)Strengths: Paige Bueckers gives Dallas a poised, efficient lead guard capable of controlling games as both a scorer and facilitator. Jessica Shepard provides consistent rebounding and interior production, while Arike Ogunbowale remains capable of explosive scoring stretches. Dallas has several creators who can punish defensive switches and turn a close game quickly.Weaknesses: The season-ending knee injury to Azzi Fudd removed a 13-point scorer and one of the Wings’ best floor-spacers. Dallas can also become overly dependent upon Bueckers and Ogunbowale creating difficult shots. Defensive consistency and postseason inexperience are significant concerns against the league’s disciplined top seeds.

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2026 US Open (Tennis) Preview:

by William Burns

Friday, Aug 28, 2026

It's been another gruelling season of tennis & the final Grand Slam of 2026 will begin this weekend. In the men's side, Carlos Alcaraz makes his long awaited return, while Jannik Sinner sits this one out. There's plenty of drama on the women's side of things as well with a very possible new #1 ranking on the line. This is the biggest tournament of the year within the USA, with lots still up for grabs. Here's what to expect in this year's edition of the US Open.  Giant Opening Round Matchups: Men's Best Matchup: Matteo Berrettini vs. Stan Wawrinka  Surprisingly, the only ever time that these two players have met was at Wimbledon earlier this year. That matchup was an epic battle of back and forth tennis, with a final score of 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6 in favor of the Italian. You don't see many matches that conclude in grand slams with only tiebreakers. That should set this matchup up to be another instant classic in the opening round of the US Open. This will be the final Grand Slam event for Stan Wawrinka, which should fuel him for this encounter. Expect more fireworks.  Women's Best Matchup: Iga Świątek (8) vs. Wang Xiyu  These two women have met up a couple of times before, both meetings back in 2024. Now, Wang Xiyu has improved and we have not seen the best of Iga Swiatek in Grand Slams in quite a while now. I do believe that the Swiss player is in her best form of the season coming into this match. However, she sometimes begins tournaments a bit flat and that could give some chances to Wang Xiyu to keep this one close. I do anticipate the top 10 player to prevail, but this definitely could be a closer match than people think.  Full Odds to Win the Tournament (via. DraftKings:)Men's:  Carlos Alcaraz +250Alexander Zrever +300Novak Djokovic +700Ben Shelton +900Rafael Jodar +1200Taylor Fritz +1200Arthur Fils +1200Felix Auger-Aliassime +2800Jakub Mensik +3000Flavio Cobolli +3500 Women's:  Aryna Sabalenka +320Coco Gauff +500Iga Swiatek +550Naomi Osaka +1000Elena Rybakina +1100Jessica Pegula +1200Mirra Andreeva +1400 Amanda Anisimova +1600Marta Kostyuk +1800Alexandra Eala +2800 Burns' Overall Predictions: Men's Draw.) Like I mentioned in the opening paragraph of this article, current #1 overall in the world - Jannik Sinner - will not be competing in this tournament. He's dealing with a knee injury, which is definitely something to be cautious about. That being said, Carlos Alcaraz returns to the big stage after missing the past few months including the French Open/Wimbledon. He will not be the #1 seed in this event however, with Alexander Zverev holding that title. The German won his first ever grand slam at Roland Garros earlier this season & has his eyes on the prize once again with Sinner sitting out. Novak Djokovic continues the pursuit of his 25th grand slam win & might not have too many more chances like this left considering his age. A name that stands out to me right now is Arthur Fils. After dealing with his knocks earlier in the season, he's finally healthy and playing his best tennis right now. I would not be shocked whatsoever if he picks up right where he left off in Cincinnati and cruises right through to at least a Quarterfinal matchup with Carlos Alcaraz. Don't be shocked if he beats him there either. Nobody really knows how healthy the Spaniard is at the moment. Either way, this men's draw is up in the air completely and there's a real chance that someone unexpected will take home the 2026 US Open Championship.  Women's Draw.) Aryna Sabalenka was the clear #1 overall in the world a year ago. It's quite amazing that everyone's been able to catch up to her lately. While I wouldn't be stunned if she won of course, considering that she hasn't won a tournament since the Miami Open in March, this draw is completely wide open. Elena Rybakina can become the new #1 in the world by making the Semi Finals. Not only that, but Coco Gauff or Jessica Pegula also have the opportunity to gain that #1 ranking with certain outcomes. Don't sleep on Iga Swiatek though who seems to be back & playing some of the best tennis of her career. There's always emotions that play into a longer tournament like this. However, the women's draw is more wide open than it's ever been before and there's no clear expected winner anymore. That's what's going to make both of the Men's & Women's competition so intense here in 2026. I really like Swiatek & Kostyuk at the current odds. Both could definitely go far and win the whole thing. Burns' Best Bets to Make - THE FIELD to win vs. "The Big Two" (Sabalenka/Gauff) -190 ... & ... Arthur Fils to win +1200 (LONGSHOT). 

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AAA's Top MLB Contenders Heading Into September

by AAA Sports

Friday, Aug 28, 2026

With September right around the corner, we're getting to the point of the MLB season where the contenders start separating themselves from everyone else. There are still plenty of teams fighting for a spot in October. But, these six clubs have put themselves in a strong position to make some noise down the stretch. American League -- Tampa Bay Rays (79-54) -- The Rays currently sit at the top of the AL East and have been one of the best teams in baseball all season long. Tampa Bay doesn't always have the biggest names in the league. But, this season, superstars have been created and there's lots of hope within the organization. Junior Caminero has been a huge part of that success, becoming one of the most dangerous young hitters in baseball. Yandy Diaz has also continued to give the Rays steady production at the plate. The pitching has been stellar as well. But, the big question remains whether Tampa Bay can finally turn regular season success into a deep October run. New York Yankees (75-58) -- You can never really count the Yankees out when it comes to postseason baseball. NYY hasn't been able to get over the hump lately. But, this is another roster that has enough talent to make a serious run. Aaron Judge is expected to return from injury before the postseason arrives. Ben Rice has also had a really strong season and has given New York another dangerous bat in the lineup. The Yankees are still trying to chase Tampa Bay in the AL East, so September should be full of meaningful games in the Bronx. Houston Astros (67-67) -- While it hasn't been a pretty season, the Astros are currently the top team in the AL West Division, giving the squad lots of hope. Sitting around .500 this late in the year means there's very little room for error.  Yordan Alvarez is on pace to win the MVP in the American League with his ridiculous hitting statistics. Houston definitely has some work to do before the end of the season. But, if the Astros find a way into the postseason, they're not a team that many would like to see if the bats get hot.  National League -- Los Angeles Dodgers (80-54) -- No surprise here. The Dodgers are once again one of the favorites to bring home the Commissioner's Trophy. Shohei Ohtani has put together another outstanding season, while Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages continue to give LA one of the deepest lineups in baseball. The pitching staff is incredible and anything short of a deep postseason run would probably be considered a disappointment for this team. Atlanta Braves (79-55) -- Atlanta is right there with Los Angeles and Milwaukee as one of the top teams in the National League. Matt Olson has been a major power threat in the middle of the lineup, while Chris Sale looks like he's back in his prime on the mound, touching 100 in his last start against LA. The Braves already know what it takes to win a World Series and have enough talent on both sides of the ball to make another run at the Commissioner's Trophy. Milwaukee Brewers (83-51) -- Milwaukee might not always be the first team people talk about when discussing World Series favorites. But, it's pretty hard to ignore the best record in baseball.  Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio have been the key pieces for the Brewers this season offensively, while the Miz contonues to deal on the mound. Milwaukee always seems to produce great pitching and with home-field advantage, it would be set up tremendously when October rolls around.  AAA's Final Thoughts: There's still plenty of baseball left to be played. But, once September arrives, every series starts to mean a little bit more. These three teams from each league are our top contenders to do damage when it's playoff time. 

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UFC Fight Night Picks: (August 29th)

by AAA Sports

Friday, Aug 28, 2026

The Main Event: The UFC returns to China this weekend with a stacked card on the table. Cousin of Khabib, Umar Nurmagomedov (Russia . 20-1) will fight fan favorite Song 'Kung Fu Kid' Yadong (China . 23-9-1). There's a ton on the line in this fight considering that these are two of the top fighters within the Bantamweight Division. A win here could definitely propel one of these fighters into the title shot conversation immediately. Since the title fight loss back in January of 2025 to Merab Dvalishvili, Umar Nurmagomedov knew that he still had work to do before getting another one of those belt opportunities. He went on to beat Mario Bautista at the end of last year, and opened up 2026 with a win over Deiveson Figueiredo. He's one of the scariest wrestlers in the division and that could be a problem for his opponent this weekend. Just like in the last fight night in China, Song Yadong takes center stage. He also took down Deiveson Figueiredo in his last might, making it a similar opponent for both of these fighters. Yadong has been taking on legend after legend, fighting Petr Yan (current champ), Henry Cejudo (former double champ) Sean O'Malley (former champ), and Deiveson Figueiredo (former two-time champ) over his L4 fights. The o/u line in this Main Event is set to 4.5 round and likely will not change before the opening bell sounds. The OVER is heavily favored at around the -200 range, meaning a decision is likely. Both guys are capable on both the feet and on the ground, so that is probably the most likely outcome. The Verdict -- Even fighting in enemy territory, Umar Nurmagomedov is a huge favorite tonight between the -580 to -650 range. With elite sambo wrestling skills, there's no question that he should control this fight. It's pretty much just a matter of how he wins. With this being a longer 5-round fight than the usual three, we're going to go with a bit of an underdog selection here and take Umar Nurmagomedov at +215 to Win by KO/TKO/DQ or Submission  The Co Main Event:A highly anticipated women's bout will take place in the Co Main Event on Saturday. Another Chinese fighter in Yan Xiaonan (China . 19-5) will take on the much younger Denise 'Dee' Gomes (Brazil . 12-3). While this isn't quite as big a fight as the main event is, there's still plenty at stake for these two fighters. Yan Xiaonan hasn't been at her best since getting that title shot against her fellow Chinese superstar Zhang Weili. She did split her two fights since, but it wasn't a great showing against Virna Jandiroba in her last bout. Although she is still considered at the top of her game, this should be another challenge for her against a rising talent in the sport. The Brazilian will jump up in the rankings heavily with a win here tonight. Undefeated in the UFC with a perfect 4-0 record since joining, Denise Gomes is a knockout artist with seven of her 12 fights coming by KO. The good thing for Xiaonan is that she probably is going to want to keep this fight on the feet, unlike lots of opponents from Brazil who love taking it to the canvas. Just like the main event, this fight is expected to finish via. decision. The total is set to 2.5 rounds at -290 towards the OVER. There is definitely the possibility of a KO finish though given that these two fighters have 15 KO wins between the two of them.  The Verdict -- Going with another upset pick here, we are going to go with the younger Denise 'Dee' Gomes at +135. She's on the winning streak and has the intangibles to be a really strong fighter in this organization for years to come. Yan is 'falling off' a tad.  Go with the Brazilian. 

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NCAA Football Futures Wager: Oregon Ducks to Win the Championship

by Al McMordie

Friday, Aug 28, 2026

The NCAA season will kick off this weekend, so I'm back with my crystal ball to forecast which team will hoist the National Championship Trophy in January.  Last year was another great one for my Futures predictions, as I cashed 3 of the 6 I released here, including the Michigan Wolverines (20-1), Los Angeles Dodgers (+260) and Carolina Hurricanes (+850). This College Football season, I look for the Big 10 Conference to continue its trend.  The Michigan Wolverines won the Title in 2023, then Ohio State hoisted the hardware in 2024, and Indiana got the job done last year.  Like the Hoosiers last season, Oregon will be seeking its first National Title.  But unlike Indiana, Oregon has been knocking on the door for a long time.  Indeed, since 2010, the Ducks have been a Preseason Top 5 team five times, and have finished the season in the Top 5 another five times.  But a #1 ranking has eluded them.  This season, the Ducks are #2 in the Associated Press poll, with Ohio State (#1), Georgia (#3), Notre Dame (#4) and Texas (#5) rounding out the Top 5.  Let's take a look at the current odds, courtesy of DraftKings:Ohio State:  +600Notre Dame:  +600Texas:  +650Oregon:  +750Georgia:  +850Indiana:  +900Miami-Fla:  +1000LSU:  +1700Texas Tech:  +2200Alabama:  +2500Texas A&M:  +2500Mississippi:  +3000Oklahoma:  +3000USC:  +3500Michigan:  +4000Penn State:  +6500Tennessee:  +7000Florida:  +7000Auburn:  +8000BYU:  +9000Oregon comes into this season with its strongest roster ever, and has 10 five-star players, based on 247Sports' ranking.  The Ducks will be led by QB Dante Moore, who could have entered the NFL draft last April, but chose to return to Eugene, instead.  Moore will have a deep group of receivers to throw to, including Evan Stewart (who missed the 2025 season with a torn patellar tendon), Dakorien Moore, Jeremiah McClellan, Jalen Lott, Messiah Hampton, and Iverson Hooks.  Last year, Moore threw for 3,525 yards and 30 touchdowns, though he underperformed against some of the top defensive units (Texas Tech, Indiana, Iowa).  This season, the veteran QB will be better, and will have a better supporting cast.  I wouldn't be surprised to see Moore do what Fernando Mendoza did last season:  win the Heisman Trophy, the National Championship, and be the #1 pick of the 2027 NFL Draft.On defense, the Ducks have an experienced group returning, including seniors Matayo Uiagalelei, A'Mauri Washington and Teitum Tuioti, junior Koi Perich, and sophomore Brandon Finney Jr.  (Washington, Perich and Finney Jr. are preseason All-Americans.)Beyond the talent, the Ducks have superb coaching.  Dan Lanning has gone 48-8 SU and 31-20-1 ATS with the Ducks since leaving his job as Georgia's defensive coordinator, including 17-1 SU and 10-8 ATS in the Big 10 regular season.  And both post-season losses in the College Football Playoffs were against teams that won the National Championship.  Take Oregon at +750 (DraftKings) to win the National Championship.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB, WNBA, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/28/26

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Aug 28, 2026

The Friday sports card features NFLX, MLB, WNBA, CFL, and EPL action. The NFLX preseason continues its Week 3 with 10 games. The Baltimore Ravens host the Washington Commanders on the NFL Network at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 33.5 (all odds from DraftKings, unless indicated otherwise). Two more NFLX preseason games kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET. The Houston Texans travel to Carolina to play the Panthers as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 36.5. The Atlanta Falcons play in Miami against the Dolphins as a 4.5-point road favorite with a total of 36.5. Two NFLX preseason games start at 7:30 p.m. ET. The New York Giants are the technical road team when they battle the New York Jets as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit Jacksonville to face the Jaguars as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 34.5.Five NFLX preseason games begin at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Green Bay Packers play at home against the Arizona Cardinals as a 1.5-point favorite with an over/under of 36.5. The Kansas City Chiefs are at home to battle the Seattle Seahawks as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 33.5. The Dallas Cowboys host the New Orleans Saints as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 38.5. The Philadelphia Eagles play at home against the Cincinnati Bengals as a 3-point favorite with a total of 36.5. The Denver Broncos are at home to take on the Minnesota Vikings on the NFL Network at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 37.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Chicago Cubs host the Cincinnati Reds at 2:20 p.m. ET as a -199 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in Detroit against the Tigers at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -223 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Miami Marlins are on the road to play the Washington Nationals at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Cleveland Guardians are at home to face the Kansas City Royals as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Houston Astros travel to New York to challenge the Mets on Peacock as a -130 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays host the San Diego Padres as a -136 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Three MLB games start at 7:15 p.m. ET. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the Seattle Mariners. The New York Yankees are at home to face the Boston Red Sox on Apple TV+ as a -168 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Atlanta Braves host the Colorado Rockies as a -238 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers play at home against the Texas Rangers at 7:45 p.m. ET as a -181 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Minnesota Twins are at home to challenge the Chicago White Sox at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -117 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Pittsburgh Pirates play in St. Louis against the Cardinals at 8:15 p.m. ET as a -119 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Philadelphia Phillies are on the road in Los Angeles to play the Angels on Peacock at 9:38 p.m. ET as a -142 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Baltimore Orioles are on the road to visit the Athletics at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in San Francisco against the Giants at 10:15 p.m. ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The WNBA has four games on tap. Two WNBA games tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Indiana Fever host the Connecticut Sun as a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 178.5. The Atlanta Dream play at home against the Portland Fire as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 180.5. Two games conclude the WNBA card at 10:00 pm. ET. The Washington Mystics are on the road in Los Angeles to face the Sparks as a 5.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 167.5. The Las Vegas Aces are at home to battle the Toronto Tempo as a 13.5-point favorite with a total of 176.5. Week 13 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Montreal Alouettes travel to Winnipeg to take on the Bombers at 8:30 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 59.5. Matchweek 2 in the English Premier League begins with one match on the USA Network at 3 PM ET. Manchester City plays at Crystal Palace as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5.

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WNBA Championship Futures Bet

by Sean Murphy

Thursday, Aug 27, 2026

When looking at futures bets, I’m generally not interested in taking the favorite. If a team is going to win the WNBA Championship, I want to know whether the price gives us enough value to justify tying up the money for the weeks and months ahead. Right now, the Minnesota Lynx deserve to be the favorite. They've won 16 of their last 17 games and have separated themselves from much of the league. But with Minnesota now priced accordingly, there is very little room for error from a value standpoint. So, I’m looking at a team further down the board.Golden State Valkyries (+900) The Golden State Valkyries are the team I'm most interested in. It has little to do with them being a longshot bet - there are legitimate reasons to believe Golden State can make a deep playoff run. The biggest is defense. The Valkyries currently rank No. 1 in the WNBA in defensive rating, which is exactly the type of foundation I want when looking at a championship futures bet. They pass the eye test in that regard as well - few teams have put together as strong of a defensive campaign as the Valkyries this year.  We know what happens in the playoffs. The pace generally slows down, possessions become more valuable and teams can't simply rely on running up the score against weaker competition. That's where Golden State can shine. And it has already shown it can beat the teams it will likely have to go through. The market has already moved toward the Valkyries. They opened the season as a much longer shot, but by Aug. 21 they were around +750 at some books. That number has since moved back into a more favorable range. There is one major question with the Valkyries, and it's their offense. They certainly don't have the same level of firepower as a team like Indiana, nor do they possess the collection of established stars that some of the other contenders have. That's the argument against them but that's also why we're getting such a generous price. Every futures bet has to have a reason why the market is offering value. With Golden State, the concern about its offense is already reflected in the price. I'm willing to bet on the Valkyries defense and their ability to make games ugly when necessary. And I'm willing to bet on a team that has already demonstrated it can beat elite competition.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, MLB and WNBA Previews and Odds - 08/27/26

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Aug 27, 2026

The Thursday sports card features NFLX, MLB, and WNBA action. The NFLX preseason kicks off Week 3 with two games. The Buffalo Bills host the Pittsburgh Steelers on the NFL Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite, with the total set at 34.5 (all odds from DraftKings, unless indicated otherwise). Two more NFLX preseason games kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET. The Las Vegas Raiders play at home against the San Francisco 49ers as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 38.5. The New England Patriots travel to Cleveland to play the Browns on Amazon Prime Video as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 35.5. The Los Angeles Chargers are the technical home team when they take on the Los Angeles Rams on the NFL Network at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 38.5.Major League Baseball has seven games scheduled. The Washington Nationals host the Colorado Rockies at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Nationals send out Jake Irvin to pitch against the Rockies’ Gabriel Hughes. Washington is a -121 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Baltimore Orioles play in St. Louis against the Cardinals at 2:15 p.m. ET. Trevor Rogers gets the ball for the Orioles to duel against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Cardinals. Baltimore is a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees play at home against the Houston Astros at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Yankees turn to Gerrit Cole to face the Astros’ Hayden Wesneski. New York is a -160 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Kansas City Royals are on the road in Toronto to battle the Blue Jays at 7:07 p.m. ET. Spencer Arrighetti grabs the ball for the Royals to duel against Noah Cameron. Kansas City is a -113 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers visit New York to challenge the Mets at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Brewers tap Jacob Misiorowski to pitch against the Mets’ Sean Manaea. Milwaukee is a -224 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Atlanta Braves are home to face the Los Angeles Dodgers on FS1 at 7:15 p.m. ET. Chris Sale gets the starting pitcher assignment for the Braves to take on Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers. Atlanta is a -117 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in San Francisco against the Giants on Peacock at 9:45 p.m. ET. The Diamondbacks turn to Edward Cabrera to challenge the Giants' Landen Roupp. Arizona is a -114 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.       The WNBA has two games on tap on Amazon Prime Video. The New York Liberty are at home to play the Golden State Valkyries at 8:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 162.5. The Washington Mystics are on the road in Phoenix to face the Mercury at 10:10 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 166.5.   

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