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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 19, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Thursday, May 18, 2023

The NBA Playoffs continued last night, with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tipping off in Boston.And the Miami Heat certainly made the statement I thought they would, winning outright as an 8-point underdog.Jimmy Butler scored 35 points, including 20 after halftime, and Miami came from behind in the second half to upset the Celtics 123-116.Surprisingly, The betting market moved the number from -8 to -8.5, and the Heat made their backers happy with an outright win. Those cashing the moneyline were ecstatic with a +310 closing price at Draft Kings.Game 2 is scheduled for Friday.I'm now 77-57-3 for $16,090 since 4/17, including an NBA run of 39-23-2 for $13,600. Riding a 26-14-1 run with SIDE WINNERS in the NBA, and tonight I jump back into the Western Conference Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. My NBA LINE MISTAKE awaits.On the MLB diamond, only four of the 15 underdogs won Wednesday. No doubt about it the most notable was the Kansas City Royals at +230 (DraftKings), as they won in San Diego, 4-3. They've now won two straight after a four-game skid and have the day off before finishing their road trip playing at division-rival Chicago. And make note, KC just took three of four from the White Sox earlier this month (May 8-11).I'm offering is another DIVISION TOTAL OF THE MONTH. On Monday you got my NL East Total of the Month on the Mets-Nats OV. I'm on a 21-13-1 roll with ALL TOTALS from every sport. I make it 22 of 36 tonight with my DIVISION TOTAL OF THE MONTH.The NHL Playoffs are back tonight with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final starting in Raleigh, North Carolina.Numbers to keep in mind: Road teams are 41-32 in the postseason, the most wins by visitors at this stage of a postseason (73 games played) in league history. Eight of 12 series-clinching wins have been claimed on the road. Underdogs are 35-37 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1200. The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are averaging 6.4 goals-per-game, the highest rate at this stage of a postseason (73 GP) since 1995. The Over is 39-33-1 after the first two rounds, but the Under has cashed 24 of the last 43 games. There have been 18 overtime games, and road teams are 13-5 in those games. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-31 on the puck line this postseason. I couldn't be any happier about the conference finals getting started, as I've had my eye on this game since the TOTAL came out. I'm on a 91-79-2 roll in the NHL all season ($15,350), and 15-11 in the postseason ($5,130). I also come into Thursday on a 21-13-1 roll with ALL SPORTS TOTALS - including a 4-2 run with NHL Playoff totals. Tonight I make if 5 of 7 with NHL Playoff totals with my CONFERENCE FINAL TOTAL OF THE YEAR.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/18/2023

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, May 18, 2023

The Thursday sports card features action in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue the conference finals, with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET. The Nuggets took a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven series with a 132-126 victory as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. Denver is a 5.5-point favorit,e with the total set at 227 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The National Hockey League playoffs return with the beginning of the conference finals, with the Carolina Hurricanes playing at home against the Florida Panthers on TNT at 8:05 PM ET. The Hurricanes come off a 3-2 victory against New Jersey last Thursday that ended that series in five games. The Panthers beat Toronto, 3-2 in overtime on Friday, to complete that series in five games. Carolina is a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.The Thursday card in Major League Baseball has six games on its schedule. The Baltimore Orioles are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 12:35 PM ET. The Orioles turn to Tyler Wells in their starting rotation to pitch against the Angels’ Tyler Anderson. Baltimore is a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 PM ET. The New York Mets host the Tampa Bay Rays, with Tylor Megill taking the mound for the Mets to battle against Taj Bradley for the Rays. The Mets are a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Miami Marlins play at home against the Washington Nationals, with Eury Perez pitching for the Marlins against Trevor Williams for the Nationals. The Marlins are a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago White Sox are at home against the Cleveland Guardians at 2:10 PM ET. Dylan Cease takes the hill for the White Sox to duel against Logan Taylor Allen for the Guardians. Chicago is a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Toronto Blue Jays host the New York Yankees at 7:07 PM ET. The Blue Jays tap Jose Berrios as their starting pitcher to go against the Yankees' Nestor Cortes. Toronto is a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 7:45 PM ET. Julio Urias pitches for the Dodgers against Adam Wainwright for the Cardinals. Los Angeles is a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5.Matchweek 36 in the English Premier League concludes with one match. Newcastle United hosts Brighton and Hove Albion on the USA Network at 2:30 PM ET. The Magpies last played on Saturday when they settled for a 2-2 draw at Leeds United. The Seagulls won for the third time in their last four matches with a 3-0 victory at Arsenal on Sunday. This game is a rematch of a 0-0 draw between these two teams at the American Express Community Stadium in the opening week of the 2022-23 EPL season on August 13th. Newcastle is a -0.5 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with a total of 3.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 17, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

The NBA Playoffs resumed last night, with Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tipping off in Denver.The Nuggets seemingly had the game in command, but the Los Angeles Lakers stormed back and turned a double-digit deficit into a 3-point nail-biter in the closing minutes.Nikola Jokic recorded his sixth triple-double of these playoffs with 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists, powering the Nuggets to a 1-0 lead in the series after the 132-126 win.The point spread dipped as low as -5.5 in some places, while others sat on -6 for the push.Anthony Davis had 40 points and 10 rebounds, and LeBron James finished with 26 points, 12 boards and nine assists for the Lakers.Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday.I'm now 76-57-3 for $16,190 since 4/17, including an NBA run of 38-23-2 for $12,600. Riding a 25-14-1 run with SIDE WINNERS in the NBA, and tonight I jump head first into the Eastern Conference Final opener between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. My NBA LINE MISTAKE awaits.On the MLB diamond on Monday, nine of the 13 underdogs won. There were several notable underdog winners, including the Milwaukee Brewers (+155 DraftKings) in a 3-2 road win at the St. Louis Cardinals. The teams have split the first two of the series, and play the rubber match tonight.I hit two of three DOG OF THE MONTH winners in baseball on Tuesday. Scored with the Red Sox (AL Dog OTM) and Brewers (NL Central GOM), and tonight I'm focused on one division. The Yankees and Blue Jays are embroiled in an A.L. East clash and tonight is Game 3 of the 4-game set. Toronto looks for revenge after New York took the first two. Huge pitching showdown, and I'm going to point out the glaring difference for my side. E-Z WINNER right here with my AL EAST GAME OF THE MONTH.The NHL Playoffs are on hiatus until Thursday night, with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final starting in Raleigh, North Carolina.Numbers to keep in mind: Road teams are 41-32 in the postseason, the most wins by visitors at this stage of a postseason (73 games played) in league history. Eight of 12 series-clinching wins have been claimed on the road. Underdogs are 35-37 in the postseason, with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1200. The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are averaging 6.4 goals per game, the highest rate at this stage of a postseason (73 GP) since 1995. The Over is 39-33-1 after the first two rounds, but the Under has cashed 24 of the last 43 games. There have been 18 overtime games, and road teams are 13-5. NHL favorites higher than -150 are 14-31 on the puck line this postseason.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, MLB and UCL Previews and Odds - 05/17/2023

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

The Wednesday sports card features action in the NBA, MLB, and UCL.The National Basketball Association playoffs continue the conference finals, with the Boston Celtics hosting the Miami Heat on TNT at 8:30 PM ET. The Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers by a 112-88 score as a 6-point favorite on Sunday to win that seven-game series. The Heat defeated the New York Knicks, 96-92, as a 6.5-point favorite on Friday to end that series in six games. Boston is an 8-point favorite, with the total set at 210.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).The Wednesday card in Major League Baseball has 15 games on its schedule. The Detroit Tigers play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 1:10 PM ET as a -155 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 3:10 PM ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home against the Minnesota Twins as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Colorado Rockies host the Cincinnati Reds as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 11.5. The Arizona Diamondbacks travel to Oakland to play the A’s at 3:37 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Philadelphia Phillies play in San Francisco against the Giants at 3:45 PM ET. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Kansas City Royals at 4:10 PM ET. The Baltimore Orioles are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 6:35 PM ET as a -140 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Miami Marlins host the Washington Nationals at 6:40 PM ET as a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The New York Yankees visit Toronto to play the Blue Jays at 7:07 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Two more MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Seattle Mariners as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Tampa Bay Rays travel to New York to play the Mets as a -110 money-line road favorite at BetMGM with an over/under of 9. The Milwaukee Brewers are at St. Louis to play the Cardinals at 7:45 PM ET as a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Atlanta Braves travel to play the Texas Rangers at 8:05 PM ET as a -150 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Two more games complete the MLB card at 8:10 PM ET. The Houston Astros are at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Chicago White Sox host the Cleveland Guardians as a -115 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.The second leg of the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League concludes on CBS at 3 PM ET. Manchester City plays at home against Real Madrid after a 1-1 draw in Spain in the first leg last Tuesday. Man City is a -1 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with a total of 3.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 16, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The Dallas Stars held off the Seattle Kraken, and we have an interesting Western Conference Final on our hands.Dallas coach Peter DeBoer is in his first year as coach of the Stars, after being fired by the Vegas Golden Knights last April.Vegas coach Bruce Cassidy has the Golden Knights back in the playoffs after being fired by the Boston Bruins last April.Two skilled first-year coaches with entwined ties will lead their teams to the ice Friday for Game 1 in Vegas.With Dallas winning at home, road teams are now 41-32 in the postseason, while underdogs dropped to 35-37 in the postseason with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1200.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after Monday's game stayed low, the run with Unders improved to 24-19. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 39-33-1.The overall tally for overtime games sits at 18 this postseason. Road teams are 13-5 in those games.Now, for an interesting note, those who turn to the puck line when NHL favorites have gotten higher than -150 during the postseason may want to remember this.With Seattle making it a one-goal game with less than 30 seconds in the game, NHL favorites higher than -150 dropped to 14-31 on the puck line this postseason.The NBA had the night off but returns with Game 1 tonight in Denver, where the Nuggets host the Los Angeles Lakers.I'm rolling with another SIDE WINNER. I'm on a 74-56-2 run for $14,210 since April 17, including a 38-23-2 NBA run for $12,600. And part of the NBA win streak is a 25-14 roll with SIDE RELEASES. Tonight it's Game 1 between the Lakers and Nuggets and I have NBA SIDE WINNER # 26 of 40.On the MLB diamond on Monday, only four of the 12 underdogs won. The most impressive pup was easily the Washington Nationals (+140 DraftKings) in a 10-3 rout of the Miami Marlins. The Nats have now won five of eight behind stellar hitting, with a .299 batting average while scoring 5.3 runs per game.I hit my Interleague Total of the Month winner on the Mets-Nationals going over by 3.5 runs. Tonight in baseball I have three UNDERDOG WINNERS, all DOGS OF THE MONTH, including two DIVISION DOGS OF THE MONTH and one LEAGUE DOG OF THE MONTH. I'm on a 74-56-2 run for $14,210 since April 17, and that bankroll will grow quickly at these prices with my MLB DOG OF THE MONTH TRIPLE PLAY.

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NHL Conference Finals Preview

by Sean Murphy

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The NHL Conference Final matchups are set with the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights serving as this year's unlikely Final Four. Here's a quick preview of both series' including my take on which sides' will end up meeting in the Stanley Cup Final. Odds courtesy of DraftKings.Carolina Hurricanes -135 vs. Florida PanthersI'm not sure any team has looked as dominant through the opening two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Carolina Hurricanes. Despite missing a number of key contributors due to injury, the Canes have ramped up their game to another level in skating past the New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils. Now they face the last team to qualify for an Eastern Conference playoff spot in the upstart Florida Panthers in an old Southeast Division showdown. Note that Carolina took two of three regular season meetings, outscoring Florida by a 10-7 margin along the way. While the Canes have prevailed in 42 of the last 62 home meetings in this series, the Panthers have actually come away victorious in two of their last three games in Raleigh. Both teams are expected to get some help on the injury front with the Panthers expecting to have Ryan Lomberg back on the ice while the Canes welcome back Teuvo Teravainen, likely in one of the first two games in the series. Carolina has been incredibly stingy on home ice this season, limiting the opposition to just 2.4 goals per game while outscoring opponents by an average margin of 1.0 goal. The Panthers have given up 3.3 goals per contest on the season but have tightened things up in the postseason, yielding 3.1 goals per game. Prediction: Hurricanes in six. Vegas Golden Knights -140 vs. Dallas StarsFew teams have been forced to use as many goaltenders as the Golden Knights this season but here they are, still standing with home ice advantage as the Western Conference Final awaits. The Dallas Stars actually swept the three-game regular season series between these two teams, outscoring Vegas by a wide margin of 9-3. The return of Mark Stone from long-term injured reserve has made a big difference for the Knights as he has contributed 12 points in 11 games, playing mostly on the second line. The Knights and Stars are almost mirror images of one another in terms of goals for and against this season, both at home and on the road. While Vegas will hope to get goaltender Laurent Brossoit back sooner rather than later, Adin Hill stepped in and performed admirably late in the series against Edmonton and has posted a .934 save percentage in five appearances in these playoffs. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger seemed to be fighting it throughout the series against Seattle and has recorded a .903 save percentage in 13 playoff games. Of note, the Stars haven't lost consecutive games since March 14th and 16th while the Knights last dropped back-to-back contests on March 28th and 30th. Prediction: Vegas in seven.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, MLB and UCL Previews and Odds - 05/16/23

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The Tuesday sports card features action in the NBA, MLB, and UCL.The National Basketball Association playoffs begin the conference finals with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on ESPN at 8:30 PM ET. The Nuggets beat the Phoenix Suns in six games in the Western Conference quarterfinals after a 125-100 win on the road as a 1.5-point favorite on Thursday. The Lakers dethroned the defending champion Golden State Warriors in six games with their 122-101 victory as a 3-point favorite on Friday. Denver is a 6-point favorite, with the total set at 222.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).  And, for those teams that did not reach the Playoffs, the consolation prize which is the NBA Draft Lottery airs at 8:00 pm on ESPN.The Monday card in Major League Baseball has 12 games on its schedule. The Baltimore Orioles play at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 6:35 PM ET as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 PM ET. The Miami Marlins are at home against the Washington Nationals as a -145 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Detroit Tigers host the Pittsburgh Pirates as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays play at home against the New York Yankees at 7:07 PM ET as a -190 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two more MLB games start at 7:10 PM ET. The Seattle Mariners travel to Boston to play the Red Sox as a -165 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The New York Mets are at home against the Tampa Bay Rays as a -155 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals host the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:45 PM ET as a -180 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Atlanta Braves visit Texas to play the Rangers at 8:05 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 10. Two more MLB games begin at 8:10 PM ET. The Houston Astros play at home against the Chicago Cubs as a -165 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Cleveland Guardians are in Chicago to play the White Sox as a -125 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Colorado Rockies are at home against the Cincinnati Reds at 8:40 PM ET as a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 12. Two MLB games start at 9:40 PM ET. The San Diego Padres host the Kansas City Royals as a -210 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Arizona Diamondbacks play in Oakland against the A’s as a -145 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Philadelphia Phillies travel to San Francisco to play the Giants at 9:45 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the Minnesota Twins at 10:10 PM ET as a -200 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The second leg of the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League begins on CBS at 3 PM ET. Inter Milan is at home against AC Milan after their 2-0 victory on the road in the first leg last Wednesday. Inter Milan is a -0.5 goal-line favorite at BetMGM with a total of 2.5. 

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NBA Conference Finals & NBA Title Futures Prices/Analysis

by Kyle Hunter

Monday, May 15, 2023

We are all set with the Conference Finals matchups in the NBA. It is the Los Angeles Lakers against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference. The Miami Heat will take on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. Current Prices (Market Average)Denver Nuggets to win Western Conference (-150)LA Lakers to win Western Conference (+130)Boston Celtics to win Eastern Conference (-550)Miami Heat to win Eastern Conference (+400)To Win The NBA Title PricesBoston Celtics (+110) Denver Nuggets (+240)LA Lakers (+325)Miami Heat (+1,500)Western Conference AnalysisThe Lakers barely made it into the playoffs. They then needed a big comeback and overtime win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in their play-in game to earn the 7th spot in the playoffs. Los Angeles is absolutely peaking at the right time. The trade deadline deals made by the front office were spectacular. De’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jarrod Vanderbilt, and company have really helped with team depth and the defense has gotten even better than it was in the middle of the season. I’m of the opinion that the Lakers regular season record means absolutely nothing right now. The key to the series in my opinion is Anthony Davis. Can he be consistently great? He is a matchup nightmare for everyone, and his length on the defensive end completely changes games. Davis isn’t as consistent as some other stars, and he is vulnerable to injuries. The Lakers need him to be at his best consistently. The Nuggets have a chip on their shoulder believing that people don’t respect them despite them being the #1 seed for almost the entire season in the Western Conference. Nikola Jokic makes this offense hum on all cylinders with his tremendous play making and passing ability. Can the Nuggets do what the Warriors couldn’t and figure out this Lakers defense? The key for Denver is Jamal Murray being elite in this series.Eastern Conference Analysis The Boston Celtics got all they wanted and more from the Philadelphia 76ers. The Miami Heat frankly weren’t very good in the regular season, but they have a couple key things working in their advantage in this series. First, Erik Spoelstra gives them a clear coaching advantage in this matchup. Second, Jimmy Butler has consistently been on a completely different level in the playoffs compared to the regular season. On the other side, Boston is a much deeper team with far more scoring options than the Heat. Boston should win this series, but I do think the price is a little too steep at -550. Boston isn’t playing as well as they were last season, but I think they are still being priced the same way.My ThoughtsI bet the Lakers at +1,000 to win the NBA Title a few weeks ago. I think the Nuggets/Lakers series is a total coin flip. The Nuggets have a great home court advantage, but LeBron and company have a big postseason experience advantage. I think Denver -150 is too high of a price. On the surface, Miami +1,500 seems like a good price given that they are just two rounds away from winning the whole thing. Still, it is hard to imagine a team with as many glaring weaknesses as the Heat winning the title. Their lack of depth and consistent scoring threats are likely to make them fall short. Boston is even money or so many places to win the title. I can’t bet them at such a high price. The Celtics have the most talented roster left in the playoffs, but that alone isn’t always enough. 

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 15, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Monday, May 15, 2023

The Vegas Golden Knights continue to prove they are a true No. 1 seed, and they might be some of the very few who believe in the lore of Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.They didn't even need seven games, as they took the series in six after Jonathan Marchessault scored a natural hat trick on Sunday, and Adin Hill stopped 38 of the 40 shots he faced.Now, the league's second-newest franchise Knights will either face their former coach (Peter DeBoer) or the league's newest franchise in the Western Conference Final.Game 7 between the Dallas Stars and Seattle Kraken go tonight, and it should be a fantastic finish.The Kraken crushed Dallas on Saturday, when Jordan Eberle scored twice, Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists and veteran netminder Philipp Grubauer stopped 20 shots in the 6-3 win.With Vegas winning in Edmonton, road teams are now 41-31 in the postseason, while underdogs improved to 35-36 in the postseason with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1300.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after Sunday's game went high, the run with Unders dropped to 23-19. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 39-32-1.The overall tally for overtime games sits at 18 this postseason. Road teams are 13-5 in those games.In the NHL, I'm 91-78-2 for $16,350 net profit for the entire season, including a 15-10 postseason roll for $6,130. Tonight I have your Game 7 winner between Dallas and Seattle.Quick look inside the NBA, the Boston Celtics devoured the Philadelphia 76ers in their Game 7 matchup, as the curse of Doc Rivers in decisive games continued.Jayson Tatum scored 51 points - the most in a Game 7 history - to lead the Celtics to a 112-88 victory, which was bad news for me, as I had Philly contending. That didn't happen.Now, we have an NBA Final Four that looks like the 2020 bubble, when the Nuggets faced the Lakers and the Celtics met the Heat. Los Angeles went on to defeat Miami in the NBA Finals.I'll have both of your Game 1 winners available on Tuesday.On the MLB diamond on Sunday, only three of the 15 underdogs won. The most impressive pup might have been the Colorado Rockies (+140 DraftKings) in a marathon 4-0 shutout win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Colorado has now won nine of 13 and is hitting .278 and averaging 5.6 runs per game during the run.I went 1-1 on Sunday, including my Interleague Game of the Month on the Blue Jays getting it done. I'm now on a 73-54-2 roll for $15,330 net profit since April 17. Tonight I deliver an easy total in a huge division showdown. MLB DIVISION TOTAL OF THE MONTH is one of today's early starts, and I'm also throwing in TWO BONUS SIDE WINNERS for a 3-0 Sweep in baseball. MLB DIVISION TOTAL OF MONTH goes tonight. 

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NBA Conference Championship Breakdown

by AAA Sports

Monday, May 15, 2023

No offense to the good folks in Miami and Denver, but at the NBA offices at 645 Fifth Ave. in New York City, the suits are quietly pulling for a ratings-bonanza Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers Finals – the winner of which would take, for at least 12 months, the lead in most championships won. They each have 17 pelts, although Celtics fans dispute the five Laker titles when the team dwelled in Minneapolis and append a huge asterisk to the 2020 Bubble title.The Heat and Nuggets will each attempt to throw monkey wrenches into the league Dream Matchup, and Boston-LA is hardly a foregone conclusion. The Heat generally make life miserable for the Celtics, especially in party-central Miami, and the Nuggets were the best team in the Western Conference and a full 10 games better than strong-finishing LA.That said, to the entrants:EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALSMiami HeatTo win ECF (+400)To win title (+1400)The Heat are heavy dogs against Boston, but they don’t go into this series unarmed. Bam Adebayo always seems to play well against the Celtics, Jimmy Butler has that familiar playoff fanaticism about him, Erik Spoelstra could coach circles around Joe Mazzulla, and Miami doesn’t seem to miss injured Tyler Herro in the least. That said, the Heat caught huge breaks when the Bucks spit the bit and the Knicks turned into pumpkins. Is it possible that the East’s 8 seed can catch lightning in a bottle for a third straight series?BOSTON CELTICSTo win ECF (-550)To win title (+100)Like the blind drunk driver who somehow makes it home in one piece, the inconsistent Celtics (five losses in the first two series) are where they wanted to be when the playoffs started. Jayson Tatum has shaken off his horrendous post-All-Star Game shooting slump, the rotation has been tightened and Robert Williams’s return to the starting lineup has jump-started the defense which has been so-so all year. The Celtics have trimmed the rotation to seven but can go deeper if needed. They need Jaylen Brown to stay hot, Tatum to play like Tatum and the D be good if not great. If that happens, Boston will be heading to the Finals for the second straight season.WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALSLos Angeles LakersTo win WCF (+130)To win title (+330)No one talks anymore about trading LeBron James and/or Anthony Davis and then blowing things up and starting from scratch. The LAL are a very live dog against the Nuggets. After their glacial 2-10 start to the season, everything has seemed to go right for LA. They got used to new coach Darvin Ham, mid-season moves paid immediate dividends and they got a huge lift from the unheralded Austin Reeves. Throw it all in the pot, and it enabled the Lakers to somehow emerge from the Play-In and then take down favored defending champion Golden State in the second round. Somehow, some way they can sniff their 18th banner.Denver NuggetsTo win WCF (-145)To win title (+230)The franchise has been to the playoffs 25 times since entering the league in the 1970s, and every playoff series has ended in a loss. But they have huge advantages as they try to win their first-ever championship. For one, they have the best big (and many feel the best player, period) in Nikola Jokic. They are also nearly invincible at home – 6-0 in the playoffs and 34-7 in the regular season. And if there was any doubt that Denver is ready this time after so many playoff disappointments, look at their series domination of the star-filled Suns in the WC semifinals.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, NHL and EPL Previews and Odds - 05/15/2023

by Big Al Staff

Monday, May 15, 2023

The Monday sports card features action in the NHL, MLB, and EPL.The National Hockey League playoffs continue with the Dallas Stars playing at home against the Seattle Kraken in the conference semifinals on ESPN at 7:10 PM ET. The Kraken forced a Game 7 with their 6-3 victory on Saturday. Dallas is a -190 money-line favorite, with the total set at 6. The Monday card in Major League Baseball has 12 games on its schedule. The New York Mets visit the Washington Nationals at 4:05 PM ET as a -155 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Mets pitch David Peterson against the Nationals' Patrick Corbin. The Los Angeles Angels travel to Baltimore to play the Orioles at 6:35 PM ET as a -130 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Angels send out Shohei Ohtani to battle against the Orioles' Grayson Rodrguez. The Toronto Blue Jays are at home against the New York Yankees at 7:07 PM ET. Alex Manoah pitches for Toronto against a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Yankees. The Seattle Mariners visit Boston to play the Red Sox at 7:10 PM ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Mariners send out George Kirby to pitch against the Red Sox's Tanner Houck. The Milwaukee Brewers play at St. Louis Cardinals at 7:45 PM ET, with both teams priced at -110 with an over/under of 8. The Brewers pitch Freddy Peralta to battle against the Cardinals' Jack Flaherty. The Atlanta Braves are in Texas to play the Rangers. The Braves pitch Charlie Morton to pitch against the Rangers' pitcher yet to be named. The Houston Astros host the Chicago Cubs at 8:10 PM ET as a -180 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Framber Valdes takes the hill for the Astros against Jameson Taillon for the Cubs. The Cincinnati Reds are in Colorado to play the Rockies at 8:40 PM ET as a -125 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 11.5. The Reds tap Hunter Greene to pitch against the Rockies' Conner Seabold. Two games throw out the first pitch at 9:40 PM ET. The San Diego Padres play at home against the Kansas City Royals as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 9. Michael Wacha pitches for the Padres against Brad Keller for the Royals. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in Oakland to play the A’s as a -200 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Diamondbacks pitch Merrill Kelly against Drew Rucinski for the A's. The San Francisco Giants are at home against the Philadelphia Phillies at 9:45 PM ET as a -115 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Giants tap Alex Wood to battle against Bailey Falter for the Phillies. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Minnesota Twins at 10:10 PM ET as a -120 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Noah Syndergaard pitches for the Dodgers against Pablo Lopez for the Twins. Matchweek 36 in the English Premier League continues with one match. Liverpool travels to Leicester City n the USA Network at 3 PM ET. The Reds have won six matches in a row after their 1-0 victory against Brentford on May 6th. The Red Foxes are winless in their last three matches after a 5-3 loss at Fulham last Monday. Liverpool is a -1 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.

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Vegas Writer's Daily Recap - May 14, 2023

by Vegas Writer

Sunday, May 14, 2023

I've gotten a real kick out of hockey fans who are stunned at the Seattle Kraken and the run they've enjoyed.Fact is, when you have a red-hot goaltender who is a veteran, you can go a long way in the postseason.Thus, Game 7 awaits.We may or may not know who will be in one half of the Western Conference Final after Sunday's lone game, with the Vegas Golden Knights visiting the Edmonton Oilers.Thanks to the Kraken crushing the Dallas Stars on Saturday, we'll find out who emerges from that series on Monday in Game 7 - the second straight decisive seventh for the second-year franchise.Jordan Eberle scored twice, Eeli Tolvanen had a goal and two assists, and the Kraken beat the Stars 6-3 on Saturday night. Veteran netminder Philipp Grubauer stopped 20 shots for the win.Gru beat his former team, the Colorado Avalanche, in seven games in the opening round, with Game 7 played in Denver. Now he has a chance to send the Kraken into the West Final against the Golden Knights or Oilers.With Seattle winning at home, road teams are now 40-31 in the postseason, while underdogs improved to 34-36 in the postseason with a $100 wager on the pups turning a profit of roughly $1100.The Over was 26-23-1 in the first round, and after Saturday's game went high, the Under is now on a 23-18 run. The record for Overs in the NHL postseason is now 38-32-1.The overall tally for overtime games sits at 18 this postseason. Road teams are 13-5 in those games.Quick look inside the NBA... There were no games Saturday, as we have one final conference semi to finish, as Game 7 between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics is today. The Sixers have covered six of seven on the road, and nine of 12 overall. Conversely, Boston has covered nine of 13 at home and 11 of 16 overall.Overall in this series, as we lead up to Game 7, the Celtics are on an 8-3 ATS run.Yesterday I hit my XFL Playoff Game of the Year on the Arlington Renegades winning the championship OUTRIGHT with my biggest play for the day. For Sunday, it's time for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and I love this game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. I've hit 25 of my last 38 NBA Side releases, and roll into Sunday on an overall run of 38-22-2 in the postseason for $13,700 NET$. One game, one play to focus on: my NBA SIDE WINNER # 26 of 39.On the MLB diamond on Saturday, four of the 14 underdogs won. One game was suspended. The most impressive pup might have been the New York Yankees (+125 DraftKings) in a marathon 9-8 win over the Tampa Bay Rays.I'm now 72-53-2 for $15,430 since April 17, including my Interleague Dog of the Month on May 2, when I delivered the Diamondbacks over the Rangers. Today, I've got my MLB INTERLEAGUE GAME OF THE MONTH.

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