Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF and MLB Previews and Odds - 08/28/2025

Thursday, Aug 28, 2025

The Thursday sports card features NCAAF and MLB action. The first full week in NCAAF college football kicks off with eight games between FBS opponents. Boise State travels to South Florida on ESPN at 5:30 p.m. ET as a 5.5-point road favorite with the total set at 62.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Rutgers hosts Ohio at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 15.5-point favorite with an over/under of 51.5Three NCAAF college football games start at 7:00 p.m. ET. Central Florida plays at home against Jacksonville State as a 20.5-point favorite with a total of 53.5. North Carolina State is home against the East Carolina Pirates as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 60.5. Wyoming plays at Akron as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 47.5. Minnesota hosts Buffalo on FS1 at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 43.5. Two more NCAAF games conclude the FBS matchups at 9:00 p.m. ET. Nebraska takes on Cincinnati on a neutral field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 51.5. Wisconsin plays at home against Miami (OH) as a 17.5-point favorite with an over/under of 41.5.Major League Baseball has eight games scheduled. The Boston Red Sox visit Baltimore to face the Orioles at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Red Sox send out Garrett Crochet to take on the Orioles’ Cade Povich. Boston is a -188 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 2:10 p.m. ET. Houston is home against Colorado, with Jason Alexander getting the ball for the Astros to duel against Kyle Freeland for the Rockies. The Astros are a -233 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Milwaukee hosts Arizona with the Brewers turning to Jose Quintana to challenge the Diamondbacks’ Nabil Crismatt. The Brewers are a -127 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 2:15 p.m. ET. Miles Mikolas gets the ball for the Cardinals to take on Braxton Ashcraft for the Pirates. St. Louis is a -127 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The San Francisco Giants are home against the Chicago Cubs at 3:45 p.m. ET. The Giants turn to Logan Webb to face the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga. San Francisco is a -117 money-line favorite with a total of 7. The Philadelphia Phillies host the Atlanta Braves at 6:45 p.m. ET. Aaron Nola takes the hill for the Phillies to battle Cal Quantrill for the Braves. Philadelphia is a -200 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The New York Mets play at home against the Miami Marlins at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Mets send out Clay Holmes to face the Marlins’ Adam Mazur. New York is a -261 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5.The New York Yankees play in Chicago against the White Sox at 7:40 p.m. ET. Will Warren gets the starting assignment for the Yankees to duel against Davis Martin for the White Sox. New York is a -200 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/27/2025

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

The Wednesday sports card features MLB action. Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The New York Yankees host the Washington Nationals at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Yankees send out Max Fried to pitch against Cade Cavalli. New York is a -272 money-line favorite with the total set at 8.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:10 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay travels to Cleveland with Drew Rasmussen taking the ball for the Rays to face Slade Cecconi for the Guardians. The Rays are a -132 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Atlanta plays in Miami with the Braves tapping Joey Wentz to take on the Marlins’ Ryan Gusto. The Braves are a -132 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the San Diego Padres at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Mariners give the ball to Bryan Woo to duel against the Padres’ Yu Darvish. Seattle is a -138 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Boston Red Sox are in Baltimore to challenge the Orioles at 6:35 p.m. ET. Bryan Bello takes the mound for the Red Sox to battle Dietrich Enns for the Orioles. Boston is a -164 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays are home against the Minnesota Twins at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays send out Eric Lauer to pitch against the Twins’ Simeon Woods-Richardson. Toronto is a -182 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The New York Mets host the Philadelphia Phillies at 7:10 p.m. ET. Nolan McLean gets the ball for the Mets to face Taijuan Walker for the Phillies. New York is a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. Kansas City visits Chicago with the Royals tapping Ryan Bergert to go against the White Sox’s Aaron Civale. The Royals are a -123 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Arizona with Quinn Priester taking the mound for the Brewers to battle Ryne Nelson for the Diamondbacks. The Brewers are a -144 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates on FS1 at 7:45 p.m. ET. The Cardinals turn to Sonny Gray to challenge the Pirates’ Carmen Mlodzinski. St. Louis is a -194 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Texas Rangers host the Los Angeles Angels at 8:05 p.m. ET. Jacob Latz gets the starting assignment for the Rangers to battle Jack Kochanowicz for the Angels. Texas is a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The Houston Astros play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Astros send out Framber Valdez to take on the Rockies’ Chase Dollander. Houston is a -340 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against the Cincinnati Reds at 8:40 p.m. ET. Shohei Ohtani gets tapped as the Dodgers' starting pitcher to go against Nick Lodolo for the Reds. Los Angeles is a -208 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago Cubs play at San Francisco against the Giants at 9:45 p.m. ET. The Cubs turn to Colin Rea to face the Giants’ Carson Whisenhunt. Chicago is a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Detroit Tigers are on the road against the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET. Casey Mize takes the mound for the Tigers to take on Luis Morales for the Athletics. Detroit is a -131 money-line road favorite with a total of 10.5.

NCAAF Futures Selection: Penn State to Win the 2025-26 National Championship

by Al McMordie

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025

The NCAA Football season is kicking off this August and the usual suspects are atop the rankings. Let's take a look at the current odds to win the National Championship (courtesy of FanDuel).Texas Longhorns +600Ohio State Buckeyes +600Georgia Bulldogs +700Penn State Nittany Lions +800Oregon Ducks +800Notre Dame Fighting Irish +1300Alabama Crimson Tide +1300Clemson Tigers +1400LSU Tigers +1900Mississippi Rebels +2500Michigan Wolverines +2800Tennessee Volunteers +3300I like Penn State (at +800 odds) to win the 2025-26 National Championship. The Nittany Lions have not won the title since 1986 but have the elite returning talent to break through this season. The Nitts' offense returns most of the key pieces from last season. QB Drew Allar, who threw for over 3500 yards last season, will headline a backfield, which also includes the top running back tandem of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Last year, PSU's RB duo combined for over 2000 rushing yards, and they'll run behind an offensive line which won the Joe Moore Award in 2024, given to the best unit. Among Allar's WR targets this season will be Troy transfer Devonte Ross, who will add explosive speed on the outside. Penn State's defense, which ranked among the Top 10 in efficiency last season, added a key piece in defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Last year, Knowles was the DC for the title-winning Buckeyes, but PSU poached him from its Big 10 rival. With talented edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton, safety Zakee Wheatley and defensive tackle Zane Durant, the Nitts will excel once again on defense.Importantly, Penn State's schedule is soft, and conducive to earning a Top-4 seed, and a bye into the quarterfinals. The Nittany Lions will face non-conference foes Nevada, Florida International and Villanova at home before welcoming #7-ranked Oregon to Happy Valley on September 27. Penn State will also face two other ranked opponents this season. They will travel to #3-ranked Ohio State on November 1, and will match up against #20-ranked Indiana at home on November 8. Absent from the Nittany Lions' schedule this season are teams like #12-ranked Illinois and #14-ranked Michigan, as well as perennial powers like USC and Washington. The one knock against James Franklin's teams is that they have not stepped up when playing superior opposition. Indeed, Penn State is just 6-26 SU and 13-18-1 ATS as an underdog since Franklin took over as head coach in 2014. And the Nittany Lions are 0-10 SU and 2-8 ATS their last 10 in the underdog role! But it is also true that Penn State has been dominant as a home favorite, priced from -1 to -23.5 points, as it's 43-4 SU and 33-11-3 ATS since Sept 15, 2012. That bodes well for PSU in its home games vs. Oregon and Indiana, as well as any potential home playoff game down the road.Take Penn State at 8-1 odds to win the 2025-26 National Championship.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

August Starting Pitching AL Overachievers

by Nelly's Sports

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025

August Starting Pitching AL Overachievers Here are four American League starters that have posted strong August returns but may be at risk of seeing a decline in the final month of the regular season. Pressure will climb as the playoff chase heats up and there are red flags in the recent numbers for these four pitchers. Use caution is considering supporting these starters on the mound in September. Gavin Williams – Cleveland Guardians The Guardians have been a streaky squad as the offense got on a roll in July and early August, climbing right back into the wild card race and even getting within five games of Detroit in the AL Central race. Cleveland has since put forth a 1-9 run since mid-August to fall back below .500. Cleveland is only 12-14 behind Gavin Williams this season, but Williams has been arguably the most reliable starter for the Guardians in recent weeks with a 2.52 ERA since the All-Star Break. Williams has a 3.96 FIP in that span however and has caught some breaks with a .214 BABIP and a strand rate of nearly 89 percent in that run, both figures well off his norms. Williams got attention for his near no-hitter in early August which was his fourth straight quality start out of the break, but since that 126-pitch effort he has failed to deliver a quality start, with a 6.20 FIP in three starts and big jumps in his walk and home run rates. The bullpen for Cleveland behind Williams is also weaker than it was earlier in the season when Emmanuel Clase was still with the team. Lucas Giolito – Boston Red Sox Giolito won 10 or more games four times in five years for the White Sox from 2018 to 2022, with the only exception the shortened 2020 season in which he pitched well and helped put Chicago in the playoffs for the first time since 2008. His 2023 season was an adventure, struggling for Chicago before being traded to the Angels at the deadline, only to eventually be released and picked up by Cleveland for September, winding up with 15 losses in a tough season to put a great dent in his career trajectory. After signing with Boston ahead of the 2024 season, he wound up having UCL surgery and missed the entire year. He has found new life in his career with the Red Sox this season with a 3.72 ERA and an 8-2 record in 20 starts. His FIP is 4.37 however and his K/9 is well below his averages in his best seasons with Chicago. So far in August his K/9 is just 5.3 with a 4.2 BB/9 but he has somehow managed a steady 3.42 ERA in four starts next to a 4.98 FIP. Boston is in a tight AL wild card race and Giolito will be a risky option to support in big games down the stretch. Cam Schlittler – New York Yankees Just as the Yankees have needed a boost, rookie Cam Schlittler has seized his opportunity, posting a 2.75 ERA in his first eight career starts. Schlittler has struggled with walks with 19 allowed in just over 42 innings and he has been very fortunate to strand over 90 percent of his baserunners so far in his career. While his ERA is 2.76, his FIP is 4.20 and over his last three starts he has allowed just seven hits and no home runs. Not coincidently he has faced three teams that gutted their rosters at the trade deadline and are featuring several borderline minor leaguers in the back of their lineups for several fortunate matchups. Schlittler wasn’t dominant in his AAA starts and was in AA most of the first half of the season as this immediate rise to MLB success as a starter wasn’t expected for the 2022 7th round pick, and that level of pitching shouldn’t be banked on in September. Jason Alexander – Houston Astros Alexander is easy to root for as a career minor league that started his career with the Angels in 2017 has journeyed back to the MLB level after it seemed like his innings in 2022 for Milwaukee would be all his career would hold. After finding an opportunity with the Athletics early this season, Alexander was cut after he allowed nine runs at Dodger Stadium in May. Houston’s injuries forced some creativity with the roster, and Alexander was given an opportunity and is running with it, featuring a 2.72 ERA in 43 innings with the Astros. Alexander has a 6.9 K/9 and has been helped by a .252 BABIP in his innings with Houston as his FIP is 3.91. After posting back-to-back scoreless outings in early August, he has navigated significant baserunners in his last two starts to keep his season line respectable. With his experience, Alexander might still be useful for an occasional start, but he shouldn’t be expected to provide quality outings down the stretch as Houston looks to lock up the AL West.

August Starting Pitching NL Overachievers

by Nelly's Sports

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025

Here are four National League starters that have posted strong August returns but may be at risk of seeing a decline in the final month of the regular season. Pressure will climb as the playoff chase heats up and there are red flags in the recent numbers for these four pitchers. Use caution is considering supporting these starters on the mound in September. Taijuan Walker – Philadelphia Phillies With the injury to Zack Wheeler, the Phillies have needed pitching depth to emerge, and veteran Taijuan Walker has welcomed the call so far. Walker revived his career with the Mets in 2022, and he delivered a charmed 31 start season for the Phillies in 2023. Last year Walker proved unusable on the mound, struggling in various roles to the tune of a 7.10 ERA in nearly 84 innings of work. His K/9 this season is nearly identical to last season and his FIP is 4.77, but Walker has delivered a 3.44 ERA, including a glowing 2.28 ERA in four August starts. Two of those four starts came vs. the struggling Nationals however, and Walker has marginal numbers in his home starts this season with a 4.25 ERA in Philadelphia. His road splits are strong, but he has also had a few favorable matchups on the road since climbing back into the rotation, facing slumping offenses for a few successful outings. Walker has a career 4.47 FIP and 4.14 ERA and that should be the expectation in Walker starts in September. Robbie Ray – San Francisco Giants Ray made this list last month after a strong month of July buoyed by a complete game early in the month. Ray has put forth a 2.93 ERA in his innings in August so far, but opposing batters are hitting 52 points higher in August compared to his July splits. Ray also has just a 7.0 K/9 in five August starts, for a pitcher that has often been on the MLB leaderboard in strikeout rate. Four of his five August starts have been on the road, and he has faced likely playoff teams in four of five outings as well as there is some hope that Ray can have a strong finish to the season. Based on his past success and Cy Young win, Ray is commanding favorite pricing vs. bad teams and near-even pricing vs. good teams, however. The Giants are 18-28 since July 1 and haven’t had a winning month since April as this is a sinking squad that could get even worse as they get closer to being officially eliminated from the playoff race. Eury Perez – Miami Marlins While Miami isn’t chasing the postseason, the Marlins have played well in the summer months, and Eury Perez has been a big part of a solid rotation. Perez has a 3.44 ERA in 14 starts, making his way back from missing 2024 with Tommy John surgery. Perez hasn’t matched his prior strikeout rates and after an amazing run in July, August has offered signs of concern. Perez allowed a total of four runs in five July starts and he has allowed 14 runs in his past four starts since a great first start in August. The Marlins have not let Perez throw more than 94 pitches in a start this season and that has meant reaching six innings has been difficult. With his 6’8” frame while still only 22 years old, Perez has a bright future, but he will have a difficult time maintaining his season pace for another month. Perez has a 5.58 FIP in his past four starts despite his solid season line as there is a risk he will struggle down the stretch. Jose Quintana – Milwaukee Brewers 36-year-old left-hander Jose Quintana has 112 career wins and has found a second life to his career. Best known for his success pitching with the White Sox and Cubs in the 2010s, he didn’t have much MLB success in 2020 and 2021 before finding an opportunity in 2022 to revive his career. He had a solid season for the Mets last year and has been a great addition for Milwaukee, posting 20 starts for the NL leaders. Quintana has just a 6.1 K/9 however, the lowest since his rookie season in 2012 while his FIP of 4.77 towers over his 3.32 ERA. August has been his best month this season with a 2.83 ERA, even with only a minimal increase in his strikeout counts. In his five August starts as the Brewers have been on a roll, Quintana has stranded over 91 percent of his baserunners and not surprisingly, none of the five teams he has faced would make the playoffs as it has been a favorable path. Milwaukee’s incredible winning ways will keep the veteran left-hander facing favorite pricing in many matchups, but some disappointing starts may be ahead.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 08/26/2025

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action. Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Boston Red Sox travel to Baltimore to play the Orioles at 6:35 p.m. ET. The Red Sox send out Lucas Giolito to pitch against the Orioles’ Kyle Bradish. Boston is a -115 money-line road favorite with a total of 9 (all odds from DraftKings). Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Cleveland hosts Tampa Bay with Parker Messick getting the ball for the Guardians to take on Shane Baz for the Rays. The Guardians are a -123 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Atlanta plays in Miami with the Braves tapping Hurston Waldrep to face the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara. The Braves are a -119 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The New York Yankees play at home against the Washington Nationals at 7:05 p.m. ET. Luis Gil takes the mound for the Yankees to challenge MacKenzie Gore for the Nationals. New York is a -182 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays are home against the Minnesota Twins at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays turn to Chris Bassitt to go against the Twins’ Bailey Ober. Toronto is a -176 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are in New York to take on the Mets on TBS at 7:10 p.m. ET. Jesus Luzardo gets the ball for the Phillies to battle Sean Manaea for the Mets. Philadelphia is a -113 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. Kansas City visits Chicago with the Royals tapping Michael Lorenzen to face the White Sox’s Martin Perez. The Royals are a -124 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. Milwaukee hosts Arizona, with Jacob Misiorowski getting the starting assignment for the Brewers to duel against Brandon Pfaadt for the Diamondbacks. Milwaukee is a -157 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 8:05 p.m. ET. The Cardinals turn to Andre Pallante to pitch against the Pirates’ Mitch Keller. St. Louis is a -131 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Texas Rangers are at home against the Los Angeles Angels at 8:05 p.m. ET. Patrick Corbin gets the ball for the Rangers to challenge the Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi. Texas is a -116 money-line favorite with the total of 8. The Houston Astros host the Colorado Rockies at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Astros send out Hunter Brown to go against the Rockies’ Tanner Gordon. Houston is a -339 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the San Diego Padres at 9:40 p.m. ET. Luis Castillo takes the hill for the Mariners to battle Dylan Cease for the Padres. Seattle is a -119 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago Cubs play in San Francisco against the Giants at 9:45 p.m. ET. The Cubs turn to Matthew Boyd to take on the Giants’ Justin Verlander. Chicago is a -143 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Detroit Tigers are on the road against the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET. Charlie Morton gets tapped to pitch for the Tigers to duel against Osvaldo Bido for the Athletics. Detroit is a -144 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against the Cincinnati Reds at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers send out Clayton Kershaw to take on the Reds’ Nick Martinez. Los Angeles is a -182 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/25/2025

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Aug 25, 2025

The Monday sports card features MLB and EPL action. Major League Baseball has 13 games scheduled. The Baltimore Orioles host the Boston Red Sox at 6:35 p.m. ET. The Orioles send out Tomoyuki Sugano to pitch against a Red Sox starting pitcher yet to be named. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Cleveland plays at home against Tampa Bay with Tanner Bibee taking the ball for the Guardians to face Ian Seymour for the Rays. The Guardians are a -157 money-line favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Atlanta travels to Miami with the Braves turning to Spencer Strider to duel against the Marlins’ Edward Cabrera. The Braves are a -126 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The New York Yankees are home against Washington to take on the Nationals at 7:05 p.m. ET. Cam Schlittler gets the ball to go against Brad Lord for the Nationals. New York is a -220 money-line favorite at BetOnline with a total of 9. The Toronto Blue Jays host the Minnesota Twins at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Blue Jays send out Max Scherzer to battle the Twins’ Joe Ryan. Toronto is a -143 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.The Philadelphia Phillies play in New York against the Mets at 7:10 p.m. ET. Cristopher Sanchez gets the ball for the Phillies to pitch against Kodai Senga for the Mets. Philadelphia is a -120 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Two MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. Kansas City is in Chicago with the Royals tapping Noah Cameron to battle the White Sox’s Shane Smith. The Royals are a -137 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Milwaukee plays at home against Arizona with Brandon Woodruff taking the mound for the Brewers to face Eduardo Rodriguez for the Diamondbacks. The Brewers are a -183 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The St. Louis Cardinals are home against the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:45 p.m. ET. The Cardinals tap Michael McGreevy to challenge the Pirates’ Johan Oviedo. St. Louis is a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Texas Rangers host the Los Angeles Angels at 8:05 p.m. ET. Jacob deGrom takes the hill for the Rangers to duel against Jose Soriano for the Angels. The Rangers are a -182 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the San Diego Padres at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Mariners tap Bryce Miller to battle the Padres’ J.P. Sears. Seattle is a -132 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Detroit Tigers visit the Athletics at 10:05 p.m. ET. Tarik Skubal takes the ball for the Tigers to pitch against the Athletics’ J.T. Ginn. Detroit is a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers are home against the Cincinnati Reds at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers send out Emmet Sheehan to challenge the Reds’ Hunter Greene. Los Angeles is a -149 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Matchweek 2 in the English Premier League season concludes with one match. Liverpool plays at Newcastle United at 3:00 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5.

NFL MVP Longshots

by ASA, Inc.

Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

Let’s take a look at a few longshots to win the NFL MVP. It makes no sense to look anywhere but QB’s as 17 of the last 18 MVP’s have been signal callers. We’ll eliminate the single digit favorites of 10/1 or less (Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Jayden Daniels) and look for a few that could give you a larger return. Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield at +2500 Mayfield had an under the radar huge year in 2024 throwing for 4,500 yards, 41 TD’s with a 71% completion rate. He finished 3rd, 2nd, and 5th in the NFL in those stats respectively. He also helped the Bucs to a 10 win season and he nearly led them to a Wildcard win over Washington (23-20 loss) who went onto play in the NFC Championship game. The Bucs are in one of the weakest divisions with all other teams finishing below .500 last year. They are projected to win 9 or 10 games this season (9.5 win total) which would most likely get them another NFC South crown and put them in the playoffs. Tampa had the 6th best point differential in the NFL last season and the offense is loaded with weapons once again. RB Irving rushed for over 1,100 yards last season and WR’s Evans, Godwin (who they expect back in October) and Ohio State rookie Egbuka give Mayfield and the Buccaneers a shot at another huge offensive season. Make the playoffs and win a few games and Mayfield should be right in the middle of the MVP discussion. Denver QB Bo Nix at +3500 We’re getting Nix at really solid odds here at 35/1. We understand why his odds are higher than we would anticipate as making the playoffs is a huge prerequisite for winning the NFL MVP award and that’s no guarantee in this tough division. The Broncos made it to the post-season last year (10 regular season wins) and we expect them to have a great shot again this season. Last year wasn’t a fluke as the Broncos had the 3rd best pt differential in the AFC behind only Baltimore & Buffalo. Six of their seven losses came by a TD or less so they were a few plays away from an 11 or 12 win season. Nix had an outstanding rookie year with almost 3,800 passing yards and 29 TD’s. We expect him to take a solid leap in his 2nd season under head coach Sean Payton who is known as a high level QB developer who will again cater Denver’s offense to Nix’s strengths. He’ll operate behind one of the top offensive lines in the NFL (3rd last season in sacks allowed) and they’ve upgraded his weapons adding RB’s Dobbins and rookie Harvey, rookie WR Franklin and veteran TE Abrams. The Broncos were ousted by Buffalo in the Wildcard round last year but if they can get back to the playoffs and win a game or two, Nix has a shot.

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/24/2025

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Aug 24, 2025

The Sunday sports card features MLB and EPL action. Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Colorado Rockies on Roku at 12:05 p.m. ET. The Pirates send out Paul Skenes to pitch against the Rockies’ McCade Brown, who is getting called up from Triple-A for this start. Pittsburgh is a -340 money-line favorite at BetOnline with the total set at 7.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 12:10 p.m. ET. Ryan Pepiot takes the ball for the Rays to take on Matthew Liberatore for the Cardinals. Tampa Bay is a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 1:35 p.m. ET. New York travels to Atlanta with the Mets tapping David Peterson to face the Braves’ Bryce Elder. The Mets are a -132 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. Baltimore is home against Houston with Trevor Rogers taking the ball for the Orioles to challenge Spencer Arrighetti for the Astros. The Orioles are a -144 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Philadelphia hosts Washington with the Phillies turning to Ranger Suarez to go against the Nationals’ Jake Irvin. The Phillies are a -280 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. Two MLB games start at 1:40 p.m. ET. Toronto plays in Miami with Kevin Gausman taking the mound for the Blue Jays to face Eury Perez for the Marlins. The Blue Jays are a -137 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Detroit plays at home against Kansas City with the Tigers tapping Jack Flaherty to battle the Royals’ Seth Lugo. The Tigers are a -151 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games begin at 2:10 p.m. ET. Minnesota is in Chicago with a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Twins to pitch against Yoendrys Gomez for the White Sox. San Francisco visits Milwaukee with the Giants sending out Robbie Ray to take on a starting pitcher for the Brewers yet to be determined. The Texas Rangers are home against the Cleveland Guardians at 2:35 p.m. ET. Merrill Kelly takes the hill for the Rangers to challenge Gavin Williams for the Guardians. Texas is a -132 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago Cubs are in Los Angeles to take on the Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET. The Cubs tap Jameson Taillon to battle the Angels’ Kyle Hendricks. Chicago is a -150 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5.Three MLB games begin at 4:10 p.m. ET. Arizona hosts Cincinnati with Zac Gallen taking the ball for the Diamondbacks to duel against Brady Singer for the Reds. The Diamondbacks are a -130 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. Los Angeles plays in San Diego with the Dodgers sending out Yoshinobu Yamamoto to take on the Padres’ Nick Pivetta. Both teams are priced as a -110 money-line favorites with a total of 7.5. Seattle plays at home against the Athletics with Logan Gilbert taking the hill for the Mariners to face Jacob Lopez for the Athletics. The Mariners are a -172 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5.Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN features the New York Yankees at home against the Boston Red Sox at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Yankees turn to Carlos Rodon to pitch against the Red Sox’s Dustin May. New York is a -169 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5.Matchweek 2 in the English Premier League season continues with three matches. Two matches begin at 9:00 a.m. ET. Crystal Palace hosts Nottingham Forest as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Brighton and Hove Albion is at Everton on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Manchester United is at Fulham at 11:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5.

Penn State Worthy of Look for Win Total, but not National Title

by Vegas Writer

Saturday, Aug 23, 2025

Each year there is a team or two that, on paper, have you believing they’re a shoe-in to still be standing by the time we get to the College Football Championship semifinals.Penn State is, and has been in the past, one of those teams. As stout as its roster is, you would think they should be among the nation’s leaders in wins this season, as well as in the national title conversation. The only thing standing in its way, however, is its schedule.In a nutshell, Penn State has displayed a knack for padding its non-conference schedule with non-threatening competition. A great way to post a great regular season record, but over the long haul, it’s proven to leave them untested for the postseason. Are we in store for more of the same this time around?For a perfect example of this, look no further than last year. Ranked No. 8, the Lions opened the season by beating up on West Virginia, Bowling Green, Illinois and UCLA - all of which were unranked. The Nittany Lions finished with an 11-1 regular season mark and were 8-1 in conference play. But by the time the Big Ten title game rolled around, they faltered against Oregon and ultimately fell to Notre Dame in the national semifinal.Let’s be clear, a lot of teams do it, just typically not programs that are ranked No. 2 in the country on Week 1 of the season and that possess a stacked roster which includes three players named to the preseason AP All-America team (running back Nicholas Singleton, offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane and defensive lineman Zane Durant).The consensus win total for the Nittany Lions is 10.5, which is more than doable with a relatively soft schedule working for you. They open the season with three straight at home versus Nevada, Florida International and Villanova, and play just three teams currently ranked in the AP preseason Top 25 poll in Oregon (7), Ohio State (3) and Indiana (20). The Nittany Lions Over/Under 10.5 victories is a play worth looking into, but to think they’re national title game-bound may be a stretch.

Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 08/23/2025

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Aug 23, 2025

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, NFLX, MLB, CFL, and EPL action. The 2025-26 NCAAF college football season kicks off with four games between FBS opponents in “Week 0.” Kansas State plays Iowa State at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on ESPN/ESPNU at noon p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with the total set at 50.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Kansas hosts Fresno State on Fox at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. Western Kentucky plays at home against San Houston on the CBS Sports Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 10-point favorite with a total of 60.5. Hawaii is home against Stanford on CBS at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. The NFL preseason concludes with ten games to close out Week 3. The Baltimore Ravens travel to Washington to face the Commanders at noon ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 35.5. Four more NFL preseason games kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET. The Denver Broncos play in New Orleans against the Saints as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 40.5. The Detroit Lions host the Houston Texans as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 34.5. The Cincinnati Bengals play at home against the Indianapolis Colts as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 35.5. The Cleveland Browns are home against the Los Angeles Rams on the NFL Network as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 36.5. The Green Bay Packers host the Seattle Seahawks on the NFL Network at 4:00 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 37.5. The Miami Dolphins play at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the NFL Network at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 6-point favorite with a total of 38.5. The Buffalo Bills are in Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 36.5. The Los Angeles Chargers visit San Francisco to battle the 49ers at 8:30 p.m. ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 35.5. The Las Vegas Raiders play in Arizona against the Cardinals on the NFL Network as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 37.5. Major League Baseball has 14 games scheduled. The Boston Red Sox are in New York to challenge the Yankees at 1:05 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Miami to face the Marlins at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Philadelphia Phillies are home to take on the Washington Nationals at 6:05 p.m. ET as a -240 money-line favorite with an over/under of 10. The Detroit Tigers host the Kansas City Royals at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -127 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Colorado Rockies at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -172 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Baltimore Orioles are home against the Houston Astros as a -132 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Texas Rangers host the Cleveland Guardians as a -132 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more MLB games begin at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Twins play in Chicago against the White Sox. The Milwaukee Brewers play at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -137 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. The New York Mets are in Atlanta against the Braves at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -127 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Cincinnati Reds visit Arizona to challenge the Diamondbacks at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -132 money-line road favorite with a total of 9. The Los Angeles Dodgers play in San Diego against the Padres on FS1 at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -144 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Chicago Cubs are in Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. The Seattle Mariners are at home against the Athletics at 9:40 p.m. ET. Week 12 in the Canadian Football League finishes with two games. The British Columbia Lions travel to Toronto to face the Argonauts at 3:00 p.m. ET as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 55.5. The Saskatchewan Roughriders play in Calgary against the Stampeders at 7:00 p.m. ET in a pick ‘em contest with an over/under of 51.5. Matchweek 2 in the English Premier League season continues with five matches. Manchester City hosts Tottenham on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Three more EPL matches start at 10:00 a.m. ET. Bournemouth plays at home against Wolverhampton as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Aston Villa is at Brentford on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 2.5. Burnley plays at home against Sunderland as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Arsenal is home against Leeds United on NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -1.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 2.5.

2025 US Open (Tennis) Preview:

by William Burns

Friday, Aug 22, 2025

As summer comes and goes, we cannot go out without a bang. Each of the first three Grand Slam's of 2025 have been outstanding to watch and we can only expect similar results here in the United States Of America for the final Grand Slam of the calendar year. At the most recent slam, I successfully predicted both of my best bets. I'll once again have a couple at the bottom of this article. The Big Apple, here we come. Giant Opening Round Matchups: Men's Best Matchup: Carlos Alcaraz (2) vs. Reilly Opelka Coming off another tournament win in Cincinnati prior to this, you wouldn't expect Carlos Alcaraz' first round matchup to be a very tough one. Now, although at most times of the year, this would be a pretty straightforward matchup. Even now, the Spaniard definitely could make it look easy. However, up against Reilly Opelka, a 6ft 11in American, with a ridiculously fast serve, this could be a match that gets the second seed in a lot of trouble. I'm not saying that Opelka is going to be able to do it. But, I do believe that this is a matchup that Carlos should be careful about. Women's Best Matchup: Barbora Krejkcikova vs. Victoria Mboko (22) The teenage sensation from Canada has turned into one of the WTA Tour's brightest new stars over the past couple of months. Beating names like Sophia Kenin, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina & Naomi Osaka. Oh, and she did that all in one tournament to win the National Bank Open (WTA 1000.) Having not played since then, she's on a seven game winning streak entering the US Open. Now, she faces another big test against Barbora Krejkcikova. The Czech is a two time Grand Slam champion and has reached #2 in the world at one point. This should be an epic battle in the Women's draw to begin the US Open. Full Odds to Win the Tournament (via. DraftKings:)Men's: Jannik Sinner +110Carlos Alcaraz +175Novak Djokovic +1400Jack Draper +2000Ben Shelton +2000Alexander Zverev +2200Taylor Fritz +3000Daniil Medvedev +8000 Alex De Minaur +8000Jakub Mensik +10000 Women's: Iga Swiatek +240Aryna Sabalenka +285Coco Gauff +1000Mirra Andreeva +1100 Elena Rybakina +1200Naomi Osaka +2000Madison Keys +2000Victoria Mboko +2200Amanda Anisimova +2500Emma Raducanu +3500 Burns' Overall Predictions: Men's Draw.) There's a bit of worry about Jannik Sinner (the #1 seed) coming into this tournament after he had to retire in the final vs. Carlos Alcaraz once he was down 5-0 in the opening set. Will he be able to comeback from that? For me, I believe that he most definitely can, but I must watch his opening couple of matches before putting any futures on him. Looking at Alcaraz, he seems to be in the form of his life at the moment. Since that loss against Sinner in the Wimbledon final, he's found another gear. He dominated Cincinnati and looked very fresh the next day when he played his Mixed Doubles match here in New York. However, his draw is very difficult. Not saying that he cannot do it, but this is going to be some kind of run if he's able to dominate. Don't underestimate the "GOAT" of tennis in Novak Djokovic. He'd likely have to beat both Alcaraz & Sinner if he was to win this tournament, but I don't think he's done quite yet and he most definitely could take this event home if he plays his absolute best. It might be worth a shot at +1400 at sprinkling a bit on Nole if you still believe. Other than that, I don't really see anyone else winning. Draper looked very serious in the Mixed Doubles tournament alongside Pegula. But, he's just not at the same level as some of these other players. Maybe if Ben Shelton plays his best, he can cause some havoc. Women's Draw.) On the Women's side of things, everything seems to have shifted over the past couple of months. Aryna Sabalenka seemed like she was going to be the clear favorite at every single Major until Wimbledon came around and she didn't look herself at all. That has carried on all the way to this Major and who knows what Sabalenka we're going to see here at the US Open. She's still a dominant force in this sport, if she's on her game, but will she be? We'll just have to wait and see. On the other hand, Iga Swiatek is back and playing like the #1 player she was back in 2022 and 2023. She won Wimbledon, she won Cincinnati and she's already made the final in the Mixed Doubles event held earlier this past week. There's no question that she deserves to be the betting favorite prior to this event and I believe that there's a great chance that she wins once again if her serve holds up. Gauff seems to be out of sorts right now as well, and maybe longer shots like Mirra Andreeva, Elena Rybakina or even Victoria Mboko can make a run at gold here. Everything is up for grabs and both the Men's/Women's draws are more wide open than ever before. Burns' Best Bets to Make - Novak Djokovic to Reach Semis +140 ... & ... Mirra Andreeva to Win +1100

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