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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/15/2022

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 15, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and English Premier League action.The NFL Super Wild Card Weekend kicks off with two games. Cincinnati hosts Las Vegas on NBC at 4:35 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 48 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Buffalo plays at home against New England on CBS as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 44.Ten games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Milwaukee is at home against Toronto at 6:40 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite at BetRivers with a total of 221.5. Washington hosts Portland at 7:10 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite at BetRivers. Two more games start at 7:40 PM ET. Atlanta plays at home against New York as a 3-point favorite at BetRivers with an over/under of 213.5. Brooklyn is at home against Atlanta as a 7-point favorite at BetRivers with a total of 228. Two NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Miami hosts Philadelphia as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 207.5. Cleveland visits Oklahoma City as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 209.5. Two more NBA games tip-off at 8:40 PM ET. Boston plays at home against Chicago as a 2.5-point favorite at BetRivers with an over/under of 220. San Antonio is at home against the Los Angeles Clippers as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 218. Denver hosts the Los Angeles Lakers at 9:10 PM ET as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 224.5. Dallas plays at home against Orlando at 9:40 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 208.The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. The puck drops at 1:08 PM ET for two games. Boston is at home against Nashville as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Carolina plays at home against Vancouver as a -205 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Washington travels to New York to play the Islanders at 2:08 PM ET as a -135 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Florida hosts Columbus at 6:08 PM ET as a -280 money line favorite with a total of 6. Four more NHL games start at 7:08 PM ET. Detroit plays at home against Buffalo as a -175 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New York Rangers are at Philadelphia as a -150 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Toronto travels to St. Louis as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Tampa Bay is at home against Dallas as a -200 money line favorite with a total of 6.Chicago plays at home against Anaheim at 8:38 PM ET as a -130 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Colorado visits Arizona at 9:08 PM ET as a -360 money line road favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games begin at 10:08 PM ET. Los Angeles plays at Seattle as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Edmonton is at home against Ottawa as a -215 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Pittsburgh plays at San Jose at 10:38 PM ET as a -160 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Three games originally scheduled for Saturday got postponed: New Jersey/Montreal; Ottawa/Winnipeg; Vegas/Calgary.Twenty-five games are on national television in college basketball. Three games tip-off at noon ET. Xavier hosts Creighton on Fox as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 141. Texas Tech travels to Kansas State on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 128. Seton Hall plays at Marquette on FS1 as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 151.5. Dayton is at Duquesne on the USA Network at 12:30 PM ET as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Kentucky plays at home against Tennessee on ESPN at 1 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 141.5. Three NCAAB games on national television at 2 PM ET. Duke hosts North Carolina State on ABC as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 150.5. Kansas is at home against West Virginia on CBS as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 143.5. LSU plays at home against Arkansas on ESPN2 as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 146. St. Louis hosts Fordham on the USA Network at 2:30 PM ET as a 13-point favorite with a total of 139.5. Two more NCAAB games begin at 3 PM ET. Chattanooga is at home against Furman on the CBS Sports Network as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 140.5. Syracuse plays at home against Florida State on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 149.5. Oklahoma travels to TCU on ESPN2 at 4 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 136. Rhode Island plays at Massachusetts on the USA Network at 4:30 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 147.5. Three more NCAAB games tip-off at 5 PM ET. Baylor hosts Oklahoma State on ESPN as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. Missouri State is at Valparaiso on ESPNU as a 4-point road favorite with a total of 138.5. Nevada plays at Air Force on the CBS Sports Network as a 9.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Boise State visits New Mexico on FS1 at 5:30 PM ET as a 9-point road favorite with a total of 145.5. Vanderbilt is at Georgia on ESPN2 as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 146. Two NCAAB games start at 7 PM ET. Central Florida plays at South Florida on ESPNU as a 9-point road favorite with a total of 127.5. Loyola-Chicago visits Indiana State on the CBS Sports Network as a 9-pint road favorite with an over/under of 144. Houston is at Tulsa on ESPN2 at 8 PM ET as an 11-point road favorite with a total of 136. Grand Canyon plays at home against Tarleton State on ESPNU at 9 PM ET as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 124.5. Arizona State hosts Colorado State on ESPN2 at 10 PM ET as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 132.5. Two more NCAAB games conclude the card at 11 PM ET. USC plays at home against Oregon on FS1 as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. San Francisco is at home against BYU on the CBS Sports Network as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 142.Matchweek 22 in the English Premier League continues with five matches. Manchester City plays at home against Chelsea on Peacock at 7:30 AM ET as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Three more EPL matches begin at 10 AM ET. Newcastle United is at home against Watford on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.5. Everton travels to Norwich City on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Wolverhampton hosts Southampton on Peacock as a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2. Manchester United visits Aston Villa on NBC at 12:30 PM ET in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 2.5. The Leicester City/Burnley match got postponed because of COVID.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/14/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 14, 2022

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and English Premier League action.Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. The card tips off with Philadelphia playing at home against Boston at 7:10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with the total set at 212 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Three more games start at 7:10 PM ET. Charlotte is at home against Orlando as a 10.5-point favorite with BetRivers posting an over/under of 225. Toronto travels to Detroit as a 7-point road favorite with BetRivers opening their total for this game at 214.5. Phoenix plays at Indiana as a 5.5-point road favorite at BetRivers.The Friday doubleheader on ESPN starts with Chicago hosting Golden State at 7:40 PM ET. The Bulls lost their second game in their last three with a 138-112 upset loss to Brooklyn as a 1.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Their record fell to 27-12 on the season. The Warriors lost their fourth game in their last five in a 118-99 loss at Milwaukee as a 1-point underdog on Thursday. Golden State’s record dropped to 30-11 with the loss. Chicago is a 3-point favorite with the total at BetRivers at 222. Miami is at home against Atlanta at 8:10 PM ET as a 3-point favorite with BetRivers’ posting the over/under at 221. Cleveland travels to San Antonio at 8:40 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite with a total of 223.5. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. Sacramento plays at home against Houston as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 238.5. The nightcap on ESPN has Memphis hosting Dallas at 10:10 PM ET.  The Grizzlies are on an 11-game winning streak after their 116-108 victory against Minnesota as a 3-point favorite on Thursday. They improved their record to 30-14 with that win. The Mavericks had their six-game winning streak end after a 108-85 loss in New York as a 2.5-point favorite on Wednesday. Their record fell to 22-19 with the setback. Memphis is a 3-point favorite with an over/under at BetRivers of 218.The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Florida is at home against Dallas at 7:08 PM ET as a -185 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Minnesota plays at home against Anaheim at 8:08 PM ET as a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Colorado hosts Arizona at 9:08 PM ET as a -500 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vegas/Edmonton got postponed because of a COVID outbreak. Eight games are on national television in college basketball. Buffalo travels to Ball State on the CBS Sports Network at 6 PM ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 162. Purdue plays at home against Nebraska on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 20-point favorite with a total of 156. Iona hosts Manhattan on ESPNU at 7 PM ET as a 15-point favorite with an over/under of 147. St. Bonaventure is at home against VCU on ESPN2 at 7:30 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 130.5. Kent State plays at home against Akron on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 135. Two more NCAA-B games tip-off at 9 PM ET. Illinois hosts Michigan on FS1 as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 145. Richmond is at home against Davidson on ESPNU as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 143. UNLV hosts Fresno State on FS1 at 11 PM ET as a 1-point favorite with a total of 127.Matchweek 22 in the English Premier League begins with one match at 3:30 PM ET. Brighton and Hove Albion host Crystal Palace on the USA Network as a -0.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/13/2022

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Jan 13, 2022

The Thursday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.Five games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. The TNT Thursday doubleheader tips off at 7:40 PM ET with the Milwaukee Bucks playing at home against the Golden State Warriors. The Bucks lost their fourth game in their last five with their 103-99 upset loss at Charlotte as a 2.5-point favorite on Monday. Their record dropped to 26-17 with the loss to the Hornets. The Warriors lost their third game in their last four with their 116-108 upset loss at Memphis as a 2-point favorite on Tuesday. Golden State has a 30-10 record. Milwaukee is a 2-point favorite (all odds from DraftKings). Two more NBA games begin at 8:10 PM ET. Memphis is at home against Minnesota as a 5-point favorite. New Orleans hosts Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 3-point favorite. Brooklyn plays at home against Oklahoma City at 8:40 PM ET as a 10-point favorite. The nightcap on TNT has the Denver Nuggets at home against the Portland Trail Blazers at 10:10 PM ET. The Nuggets’ two-game winning streak ended with an 87-85 upset loss in Los Angeles against the Clippers as a 3-point favorite on Tuesday. Their record dropped to 20-19 with the loss. The Trail Blazers are on a two-game winning streak after their 114-108 upset victory against Brooklyn as a 9-point underdog on Monday. Portland improved their record to 16-24. Denver is a 9.5-point favorite. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. The puck drops for three games at 7:08 PM ET. Tampa Bay plays at home against Vancouver as a -250 money line favorite with the total set at 6. Carolina is at home against Columbus as a -230 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Boston Bruins host the Philadelphia Flyers on ESPN at 7:08 PM ET. The Bruins won their fifth game in their last six with their 7-3 victory at Washington on Monday. Their record improved to 19-11-2 with the win. The Flyers are on a five-game losing streak with their 3-2 loss to San Jose on Saturday. Philadelphia’s record fell to 13-15-7 with the loss. Boston is a -250 money line favorite with a total of 6.Two more NHL games start at 7:38 PM ET. The New York Islanders are at home against New Jersey as a -200 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Winnipeg visits Detroit as a -140 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Two games begin at 8:08 PM ET. St. Louis is at home against Seattle as a -230 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Nashville plays at home against Buffalo as a -300 money line favorite with a total of 6. Chicago hosts Montreal at 8:38 PM ET as a -175 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Calgary plays at home against Ottawa at 9:38 PM ET as a -240 money line favorite with a total of 6. Two NHL games conclude the card at 10:38 PM ET. Pittsburgh travels to Los Angeles as a -140 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The New York Rangers play at San Jose as a -125 money line road favorite with a total of 5.5. Fifteen games are on national television in college basketball. Two games tip-off at 5 PM ET. Seton Hall travels to DePaul on FS1 as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 144.5. Washington State is at home against Stanford on ESPNU as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 136.5. Four games are on national television at 7 PM ET. Wisconsin hosts Ohio State on ESPN2 as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139. Georgetown plays at home against Butler on FS1 as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Louisiana Tech is at home against Southern Mississippi on the CBS Sports Network as an 18.5-point favorite with an over/under of 137.5. UNC-Asheville travels to Winthrop on ESPNU.Four more NCAA-B games are on national television at 9 PM ET. SIU-Edwardsville is at Eastern Illinois on ESPNU as a 6-point road favorite with a total of 131.5. Western Kentucky plays at home against Rice on the CBS Sports Network as an 8.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5. South Alabama hosts Georgia State on ESPN2 as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 146. Iowa is at home against Indiana on FS1 as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 150. UCLA plays home against Oregon on ESPN at 9:30 PM ET as a 10.5-point favorite with a total of 142.Four NCAA-B conclude the card at 11 PM ET. Gonzaga hosts BYU on ESPN as a 14.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153. USC is at home against Oregon State on ESPNU as a 15.5-point favorite with a total of 141. Arizona plays at home against Colorado on FS1 as a 16-point favorite with an over/under of 150. San Francisco hosts Loyola-Marymount on the CBS Sports Network as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 136.5.

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Two Teams You Should Bet On To Win The Super Bowl

by ASA, Inc.

Wednesday, Jan 12, 2022

NFC - San Francisco +2500 We really like the value here with the Niners.  This line might be a bit higher than it should be based on QB Garoppolo’s injury to his hand.  However, he looked OK last week throwing for 316 yards and 9.9 yards per attempt in their win @ LA Rams.  San Fran has a yards per play differential of +0.9 which is the 2nd best of any playoff team behind Buffalo.  On top of that, since week 9 they lead the NFL in net YPP.  They are one of just 2 teams in the NFL that rank in the top 7 in both offensive DVOA and defensive DVOA per Football Outsiders (the other is Dallas).  The Niners were 5-3 SU vs playoff teams this year and faced 3 division winners and were very close to sweeping the board losing to the Packers and Titans both on last second FG’s and beating the Rams twice by a combined 24 points.  The Niners outgained their opponent both YPG and YPP in 3 of those 4 match ups vs division champs.  San Francisco is the lowest of the underdogs this weekend getting 3 at Dallas and if they can get by the Cowboys they’ll head to Green Bay.  If that happens we actually think they match up pretty good with the Packers because they have a power running game and Green Bay’s weakness on defense is vs the run (28th DVOA vs the run at Football Outsiders).  Let’s also not forget this team with Garoppolo at QB has experienced success in the playoffs making it to the Super Bowl just a few years ago.   We view 25/1 as very good value on San Francisco. AFC - Tennessee +850 We like the spot here because we’re getting a team that only needs to win 2 home games to get to the Super Bowl at almost 10/1 odds.  We understand why they might be priced as they are with neither their point differential nor YPP differential ranking anywhere near the top of the playoff board.  They’ve also won most of their close games (lucky?) which some view as a negative entering the playoffs.  But the fact is this team beat the 2 teams most consider to be the best in the AFC this year topping both the Bills and the Chiefs.  The Titans can run the ball, 5th in the NFL at 141 YPG, which we like at playoff time when potential bad weather comes into play AND it looks like RB Henry will be back for the post-season.  Not only has Henry been out for an extended period of time, but the 2 top WR’s for Tennessee, Jones and Brown, only played together in 7 games this year due to various injuries.  In those 7 games the Titans were 6-1 SU and 5-2 ATS.  Both are healthy and have an extra week to rest up and get ready for the playoffs.  This is sort of a “middle of the pack” defense when it comes to overall seasonal numbers but they are better than that.  The Tennessee stop unit played very well down the stretch allowing 17 points or less in 6 of their last 8 games not allowing more than 25 in any of those games.  They are also the #1 defense in the NFL in explosive plays allowed so they very rarely give up big plays.  We like Vrabel as a head coach and his teams always seem to be well prepared.  Good value on a team that only needs to win twice at home (as we mentioned above) and they are in the Super Bowl.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/12/2022

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Jan 12, 2022

The Wednesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Three games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Boston plays at Indiana as a 3-point road favorite (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Philadelphia is at home against Charlotte as a 5.5-point favorite. Washington hosts Orlando as an 8-point favorite. Atlanta is at home against Miami at 7:40 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite.The opening game of the doubleheader on ESPN has Dallas visiting New York at 7:40 PM ET. The Mavericks are on a six-game winning streak after beating Chicago at home, 113-99, as a 1-point favorite on Sunday. They improved their record to 22-18. The Knicks won their third game in their last four with a 111-96 victory against San Antonio as a 6-point favorite on Monday. New York has a 20-21 record. Dallas is a 1.5-point road favorite. San Antonio plays at home against Houston at 8:40 PM ET as a 5.5-point favorite. Utah hosts Cleveland at 9:10 PM ET as a 6.5-point favorite. The Los Angeles Lakers are at Sacramento at 10:10 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite. The nightcap on ESPN has Brooklyn traveling to Chicago at 10:10 PM ET. The Nets lost their fifth game in their last seven in a 114-108 upset loss at Portland as a 9-point underdog on Monday. Their record has dropped to 25-14 on the season. The Bulls had their nine-game winning streak end in a 113-99 loss at Dallas as a 1-point underdog on Sunday. Chicago has a 26-11 record. Brooklyn is a 1-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Boston plays at home against Montreal at 7:08 PM ET in the first game of the doubleheader on TNT. The Bruins won their fifth game in their last six with a 7-3 victory at Washington on Monday. They improved their record to 19-11-2. The Canadiens are on a three-game losing streak after a 5-2 loss at Florida in their last game on January 1st. Boston is a -320 money line favorite with the total set at 5.5. Dallas is at home against Seattle at 8:38 PM ET as a -200 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. The second game on TNT has Toronto visiting Arizona at 10:08 PM ET. The Maple Leafs won their fifth game in their last six with a 4-3 win in a shoot-out at Vegas on Tuesday. They improved their record to 22-8-3. The Coyotes lost their third game in their last four with a 4-2 loss to Nashville on Saturday. Arizona’s record fell to 7-23-3. Toronto is a -320 money line road favorite with a total of 6.Eight games are on national television in college basketball. Villanova visits Xavier on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET. Two televised games tip-off at 7 PM ET. Florida plays at home against LSU on ESPN2 as a 1-point favorite with an over/under of 137. Tulsa hosts Temple on ESPNU as a 3-point favorite with a total of 133. Colorado State is at home against Utah State on the CBS Sports Network at 8 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. UConn is at home against St. John’s on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET. Two more televised games begin at 9 PM ET. Virginia plays at home against Virginia Tech on ESPN2 as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 118.5. Kansas State hosts TCU at ESPNU as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 133. Boise State travels to Nevada on FS1 at 10:30 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 139.5.Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League concludes with West Ham United hosting Norwich City on Peacock at 2:45 PM ET. The Hammers are a -1.5 goal line favorite at PlayMGM with an over/under of 3.

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NFL Playoffs: Key Metrics

by Power Sports

Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022

Here are some metrics that I consider when examining the NFL playoff field. It's not an "end all, be all," but this article should provide some perspective on the 14 teams still playing professional football. Point Differential Buffalo +194 Dallas +172 New England +159 Tampa Bay +158 Kansas City +116 LA Rams +88 Cincinnati +84 Arizona +83 Green Bay +79 Tennessee +65 San Francisco +62 Philadelphia +59 Pittsburgh -55 Las Vegas -65 Commentary: The top 12 teams in point differential all made the playoffs. But what obviously sticks out here is the two bottom teams. Not only have the Steelers and Raiders allowed more points than they’ve scored this year, the differential is rather significant. They ranked 22nd and 23rd, respectively, when it came to regular season point differential! Also of note is that the two top seeds (Green Bay & Tennessee) are both “middle of the pack” in point differential.  Yards Per Play Differential Buffalo +1.0 San Francisco +0.9 Tampa Bay +0.8 LA Rams +0.7 New England +0.6 Philadelphia +0.6 Dallas +0.5 Las Vegas +0.5 Green Bay +0.4 Cincinnati +0.4 Arizona +0.1 Kansas City 0.0 Tennessee -0.2  Pittsburgh -0.8 Commentary: This metric, which obviously measures the number of yards a team gains vs. what it allows, on a per play basis, tends to have predictive value for who will win the Super Bowl. That’s good news for Buffalo, who is also the #1 team in point differential, and maybe even San Francisco. Again, the top seeds in each conference don’t fare too well here. Kansas City is a surprise down at #12.  Pittsburgh again appears to be very lucky to have made the playoffs. Records in One-Score Games Tampa Bay 6-0 Pittsburgh 8-2-1  Las Vegas 7-2 (4-0 in OT games!) Tennessee 6-2  Dallas 5-2  Green Bay 6-3 LA Rams 4-2 Kansas City 5-3 San Francisco 5-5 New England 3-3 Cincinnati 4-5 Arizona 3-4 Philadelphia 2-4 Buffalo 0-5  Commentary: I define “one-score games” as those decided by eight points or less. Reigning Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay was exceptionally lucky in this regard during 2021-22. That kind of luck seems unsustainable, so a close loss in the playoffs would not surprise me. You can now see how Pittsburgh and Las Vegas made the playoffs, despite both having subpar point differentials. The Raiders’ overtime record is particularly egregious. Playing four overtime games in one season is uncommon, winning them ALL is downright ridiculous! Again, note those two top seeds, who definitely seem to be a bit lucky to have Wild Card Weekend off. Not lucky was Buffalo, which is how they ended up 11-6 despite having the top point differential in the league. Might the Bills be “due” to win a close game (or two) over the next several weeks?  ATS records  Dallas 13-4 (8-1 on the road) Green Bay 12-5 (7-1 at home) Buffalo 10-6-1 Arizona 10-7 (8-1 on the road) Cincinnati 10-7 Tennessee 10-7 New England 10-7 San Francisco 9-8 Tampa Bay 9-8 Philadelphia 8-8-1 Pittsburgh 8-9 Kansas City 8-9 LA Rams 8-9 Las Vegas 8-9 Commentary: Not really much to discern here. Obviously, the Cowboys and Packers have been the best teams to bet on this season. Green Bay is obviously very happy to have home field advantage in the NFC as not only did they go 7-1 ATS, but they are a perfect 8-0 straight up at Lambeau. Maybe Arizona is happy to be a non-division winner as it’s unlikely they’ll have any home games the rest of the way.  Records vs. Fellow Playoff Teams Green Bay 5-1 Tampa Bay 4-1 Arizona 5-2  Kansas City 6-3 Cincinnati 4-2 Tennessee 4-3  San Francisco 4-4 Las Vegas 3-3 Dallas 3-4 New England 2-3 Buffalo 2-4 LA Rams 2-5 Pittsburgh 2-5  Philadelphia 0-6 Commentary: Here, the Packers fare quite well and justify their top seed status. The one loss came to Kansas City when Aaron Rodgers was out. However, four of GB’s five wins over fellow playoff teams did come by one score. Three of those were by three points or less. It’s a similar story down in Tampa where all four wins over fellow playoff teams were close. With nine games against other playoff entrants, Kansas City certainly seems like the most "battle-tested" playoff team of the bunch. Philadelphia's record raises question marks about their future prospects. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL Previews and Odds - 01/11/2022

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, NCAAB, and EPL action.Six games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Washington hosts Oklahoma City at 7:10 PM ET as a 9-point favorite, with the total set at 216 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Phoenix visits Toronto at 7:40 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite. Three games tip-off in the NBA at 8:10 PM ET. Minnesota travels to New Orleans as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 226.5. Golden State plays at Memphis as a 1-point road favorite with a total of 218.5. Chicago is at home Detroit as a 14-point favorite with an over/under of 220. Denver visits Los Angeles to play the Clippers as a 1-point road favorite. The National Hockey League has seven games on its slate. Three games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Tampa Bay visits Buffalo as a -250 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Florida plays at home against Vancouver as a -205 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Chicago travels to Columbus in a game where both teams are priced at -110 with a total of 5.5. Colorado plays at Nashville at 8:08 PM ET as a -155 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Two more NHL games start at 10:08 PM ET. Toronto travels to Vegas in a game where both teams are priced at -110 with a total of 6. Pittsburgh is at Anaheim as a -145 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. San Jose plays at home against Detroit at 10:38 PM ET as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Two games got postponed because of COVID: Carolina/Philadelphia; New York Islanders/Calgary.Eleven games are on national television in college basketball. Two games tip-off at 5 PM ET. Towson hosts Hofstra on the CBS Sports Network as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 146.5. USC visits Stanford on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 146.5. Four more games start at 7 PM ET. Baylor is at home against Texas Tech on ESPN2 as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 136.5. Kentucky plays at Vanderbilt on ESPN as a 7-point road favorite with a total of 140.5. Marquette is at home against DePaul on FS1 as a 6-point favorite with a total of 150.5. Syracuse hosts Pittsburgh on ESPNU as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 142.5. Four more NCAA-B games tip-off at 9 PM ET. Alabama is at home against Auburn on ESPN as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 156. Creighton plays at home against Providence on FS1 as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 133. West Virginia hosts Oklahoma State on ESPN2 as a 4-point favorite with a total of 134. Loyola-Chicago is at home against Valparaiso on the CBS Sports Network as a 16-point favorite with an over/under of 137. UNLV plays at home against New Mexico as a 6-point favorite with a total of 151. Matchweek 21 in the English Premier League continues with one match on the USA Network at 2:45 PM ET. Southampton hosts Brentford as a -0.5 goal line favorite at Play MGM with an over/under of 2.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/10/2022

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Jan 10, 2022

The Monday sports card features NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and CBB action.The college football season concludes with the National Championship Game between Georgia and Alabama on ESPN at 8 PM ET. The Bulldogs reached the title game with their 34-11 victory against Michigan as a 7.5-point favorite on December 31st in the college football playoff semifinals. The Crimson Tide beat Cincinnati, 27-6, in their semifinals game earlier that night as a 12.5-point favorite. This game is a rematch of the SEC championship game, which Alabama won, 41-24, as a 6-point underdog on December 4th. Georgia is a 2.5-point favorite, with the total set at 52.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise).Seven games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Two games tip-off the card at 7:10 PM ET. Milwaukee plays at Charlotte as a 1.5-point road favorite. Utah visits Detroit as a 10.5-point road favorite. Two more games begin at 7:40 PM ET. Boston is at home against Indiana as a 6-point favorite. New York plays at home against San Antonio as a 6.5-point favorite. Philadelphia travels to Houston at 8:10 PM ET as a 9-point road favorite. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. Brooklyn is at Portland as an 11-point road favorite at BetRivers. Cleveland travels to Sacramento as a 3.5-point road favorite at BetRivers.The National Hockey League has three games on its slate. Washington plays at home against Boston at 7:08 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Colorado is at home against Seattle at 9:08 PM ET as a -390 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Los Angeles plays at home against the New York Rangers at 10:38 PM ET as a -110 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Three NHL games got postponed because of COVID: Columbus/Montreal; Minnesota/Winnipeg; Tampa Bay/New Jersey. Twenty-one games are on the NCAAB schedule. Winthrop hosts Campbell at 5 PM ET as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 137. Two more games start at 6 PM ET. Wofford plays at UNC-Greensboro as a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 125.5. Colgate is at home against Army West Point as a 7-point favorite with a total of 153. East Tennessee State plays at home against Western Carolina at 7 PM ET as a 9-point favorite with an over/under of 148.5. Illinois-Chicago visits IUPUI as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 125.5.Boston University plays at American University on the CBS Sports Network at 7 PM ET. The Terriers lost their third game in their last four with a 66-58 loss to Loyola-Maryland as a 7.5-point favorite on Thursday. Their record dropped to 9-6 with the loss. The Eagles lost their second straight game in a 63-61 loss to Lehigh as a 1-point favorite on January 1st. American has a 4-9 record on the season. Two more NCAA-B games start at 8 PM ET. UM-Kansas City plays at home against Nebraska-Omaha as a 10-point favorite as a 10-point favorite with an over/under of 141. South Dakota plays at North Dakota as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 146.5. North Dakota State visits Denver at 9 PM ET as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 140. Two more games take place at 10 PM ET. Pepperdine is at home against San Diego as a 3-point favorite with a total of 140.5. Oregon travels to Oregon State as a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 140.5. 

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Return Of The Ivy League

by Ben Burns

Sunday, Jan 09, 2022

For many schools, the new year has coincided with the start of "conference play. " Teams from the Ivy League are among them. Yale's game vs. Columbia was supposed to be the first Ivy League game in 666 days. What happened? Typically, it got postponed. The Lions finally got things going against Princeton, on Friday, January 7th.  Naturally, after nearly two years, much has changed. Let's take a look at some of the early contenders/pretenders for 2022.  PRINCETON The Tigers have had a few down years. That will change in 2022. They're already 2-0 in conference play and their 12-3 overall record is best in the Ivy League. Two of those three losses were very close, too. They've beaten the likes of Oregon State and South Carolina. The young Princeton players have matured. They're the early frontrunners for the league title. YALE Any conversation about the Ivy League needs to include the Bulldogs. The defending league champions are deep, talented and well-coached. The poor non-conference record can be taken with a grain of salt, as it included the likes of St. Mary's, Auburn and Seton Hall. Due to postponements, they have yet to play a conference game. PENN Games against teams like Villanova, Florida State and  Arkansas have the Quakers ready for Ivy League action. They're already 2-1 within the conference. Coach Donahue is excited about his team and they should be in the mix the entire way. BROWN The Bears don't have as strong a backcourt as any of the three above teams. However, they're arguably better up front. Tamenang Choh, one of the best rebounders in the conference, does much of the heavy lifting. He averaged 13.2 ppg and 8.1 rbg in 2019/20. He's started every game the past two seasons. Choh is complemented by Jaylan Gainey. The 6-9 senior is the reigning Ivy League defensive player of the year. While the Bears are off to a 1-2 start within the league, a tough non-conference schedule should serve them well.  HARVARD The Crimson are usually near the top of the conference but this may not be their year. While they have talent, they're also inexperienced. Prior to the season, coach Amaker commented: "I think it's going to require for us .. to be incredibly patient .... It's just going to be like you're starting over in every way with the program." CORNELL I don't expect the Big Red (1-2) to compete for the league title this season; I successfully played against them in their 14-point loss against Penn. However, I'm giving them an honorable mention due to their impressive 10-2 ATS overall record. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/09/2021

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Jan 09, 2022

The Sunday sports card features NFL, NBA, NHL, and CBB action.Week 18 of the National Football League concludes with 14 games. Seven games kick off at 1 PM ET. Indianapolis visits Jacksonville as a 14-point road favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Cleveland plays at home against Cincinnati as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 37. Minnesota hosts Chicago as a 4-point favorite with a total of 44.5. Baltimore is at home against Pittsburgh as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 41. Tennessee travels to Houston as a 10.5-point road favorite with a total of 42.5. Washington plays at New York against the Giants as a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 38. Green Bay is at Detroit as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 44.5. Six more NFL games start at 4:25 PM ET. New England visits Miami as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 40. Buffalo is at home against the New York Jets as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 40.5. Arizona hosts Seattle as a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48. New Orleans travels to Atlanta as a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 40. The Los Angeles Rams are at home against San Francisco as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 44.5. Tampa Bay is at home against Carolina as a 9-point favorite with a total of 41.5. The Los Angeles Chargers play at Las Vegas against the Raiders at 8:20 PM ET on NBC for Sunday Night Football. The Chargers are a 3-point road favorite with an over/under of 49.5. Ten games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Brooklyn plays at home against San Antonio at 12:10 PM ET as a 10-point favorite. Atlanta visits Los Angeles to play the Clippers at 3:40 PM ET as a 5-point road favorite. Two more games begin at 6:10 PM ET. Washington is at Orlando as a 6.5-point road favorite. Toronto plays at home against New Orleans as a 7-point favorite with a total of 221.5. Two more NBA games start at 7:10 PM ET. Minnesota plays at Houston as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 229. Denver travels to Oklahoma City as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 214.5. Chicago plays at Dallas at 7:40 PM ET as a 2.5-point road favorite. Golden State hosts Cleveland at 8:40 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite. Sacramento visits Portland at 9:10 PM ET as a 1.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 224.5. Memphis plays in Los Angeles against the Lakers at 9:40 PM ET as a 3-point road favorite with a total of 214.The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. St. Louis hosts Dallas at 2:08 PM ET as a -155 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. Anaheim is at home against Detroit as a -140 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Two games are on national television in college basketball. Memphis hosts Cincinnati on ABC at 3 PM ET as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Colorado plays at home against Washington on ESPN2 at 5 PM ET as a 9.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/08/2021

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Jan 08, 2022

The Saturday sports card features NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NHL, and CBB action.Week 18 of the National Football League kicks off with two games on ABC and ESPN. Kansas City visits Denver at 4:30 PM ET as a 10-point road favorite, with the total set at 44.5 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Dallas plays at Philadelphia at 8:15 PM ET as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 43. The FCS championship game takes place on ESPN2 at noon ET at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. North Dakota State plays Montana State as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 41.5. Six games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Memphis plays at Los Angeles against the Clippers at 3:40 PM ET as a 1-point road favorite at BetRivers. Three games tip-off at 7:10 PM ET. Milwaukee plays at Charlotte as a 1-point road favorite at BetRivers. Detroit plays at home against Orlando as a 2-point favorite with a total of 210.5. Utah travels to Indiana as a 3.5-point road favorite at BetRivers. Boston is at home against New York at 7:40 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 208.5. Phoenix hosts Miami at 9:10 PM ET as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 216.5. The National Hockey League has 11 games on its slate. Pittsburgh visits Dallas at 2:08 PM ET as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Five more games drop the puck at 7:08 PM ET. Colorado is at home against Toronto as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. San Jose visits Philadelphia as a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Tampa Bay hosts Boston as a -155 money line favorite with a total of 5.5. Columbus plays at home against New Jersey as a -125 money line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Carolina is at home against Florida as a -135 money line favorite with a total of 6.5. Two more NHL games start at 8:08 PM ET. Washington visits Minnesota as a -125 money line road favorite with an over/under of 6. Nashville plays at Arizona as a -255 money line road favorite with a total of 6. Two games begin at 10:08 PM ET. The New York Rangers are at Anaheim as a -115 money line road favorite with an over/under of 5.5. Vegas hosts Chicago as a -230 money line favorite with a total of 6. Los Angeles is at home against Detroit at 10:38 PM ET as a -150 money line favorite with an over/under of 5.5.Nineteen games are on national television in college basketball. Four games tip-off the card at noon ET. Houston hosts Wichita State on CBS as a 12.5-point favorite with a total of 132.5. Providence is at home against St. John’s on FS1 as a 4-point favorite with an over/under of 146. Seton Hall plays at home against UConn on Fox as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 138. Vanderbilt is at home against South Carolina on ESPNU as a 5-point favorite with an over/under of 138. North Carolina hosts Virginia on ESPN at 1 PM ET as a 6-point favorite with a total of 132. Three more NCAAB games begin at 2 PM ET. Texas travels to Oklahoma State on CBS as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 127.5. Villanova plays at DePaul on FS1 as a 7.5-point road favorite with a total of 135.5. Davidson is at home against Rhode Island on the CBS Sports Network as a 6-point favorite with an over/under of 135.5. Michigan hosts Michigan State on Fox at 2:30 PM ET as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5. Three more NCAAB games start at 4 PM ET. Kansas visits Texas Tech on ESPN2 as a 4.5-point road favored with an over/under of 140. San Diego State plays at home against Colorado State on CBS as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 134.5. Tulane is at home against South Florida on ESPNU as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 127. Three NCAAB games tip-off at 6 PM ET. Oklahoma hosts Iowa State on ESPNU as a 6-point favorite with a total of 128. LSU is at home against Tennessee on ESPN2 as a 2-point favorite with an over/under of 133.5. Missouri State plays at home against Northern Iowa on the CBS Sports Network as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 142. Three more NCAAB games start at 8 PM ET. Auburn is at home against Florida on ESPN as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 141.5. Florida State hosts Louisville on ESPNU as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 138.5. Utah State travels to New Mexico on the CBS Sports Network as a 6-point road favorite with an over/under of 153. BYU plays at home against Saint Mary’s on ESPN2 as a 3.5-point favorite with a total of 132.5. 

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 01/07/2022

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Jan 07, 2022

The Friday sports card features NBA, NHL, and CBB action.Nine games are on the docket in the National Basketball Association. Philadelphia is at home against San Antonio at 7:10 PM ET as a 6-point favorite, with the total set at 219 (all odds from DraftKings unless indicated otherwise). Two games tip-off at 7:40 PM ET. Utah visits Toronto as a 3.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 224. The first game of an ESPN doubleheader has Brooklyn hosting Milwaukee at 7:40 PM ET. The Nets ended a three-game losing streak with a 129-121 victory at Indiana as an 8.5-point favorite on Wednesday. They improved their record to 24-12 on the season. The Bucks are on a two-game losing streak after their 117-111 upset loss to Toronto as a 3-point favorite on Wednesday. Milwaukee had been on a six-game winning streak before their two-game slide. Their record dropped to 25-15 with the loss. Brooklyn is a 4.5-point favorite at BetRivers. Three more NBA games start at 8:10 PM ET. Chicago is at home against Washington as a 7-point favorite with a total of 219.5. Dallas travels to Houston as a 2-point road favorite at BetRivers. Minnesota plays at Oklahoma City as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 214.5. Denver hosts Sacramento at 9:10 PM ET as a 7-point favorite with a total of 222.5. Two games conclude the NBA card at 10:10 PM ET. Cleveland visits Portland as a 4-point road favorite with an over/under of 215.5. The Los Angeles Lakers are at home against Atlanta in the nightcap on ESPN at 10:10 PM ET. The Lakers are on a three-game winning streak after their 122-114 victory against Sacramento as a 6.5-point favorite on Tuesday. They improved their record to 20-19 with the win. The Hawks won their second game in their last three with a 108-120 victory at Sacramento as a 2-point favorite on Wednesday. Atlanta has a 17-20 record. Los Angeles is a 2-point favorite with a total of 225.The National Hockey League has two games on its slate. Carolina plays at home against Calgary at 7:08 PM ET as a -165 money line favorite with an over/under of 6. St. Louis hosts Washington at 8:08 PM ET as a -115 money line favorite with a total of 6. Nineteen games are on the college basketball card involving Division I teams. Five games are on national television. Two games tip-off at 6:30 PM ET. Marquette travels to Georgetown on FS1 at 6:30 PM ET as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 153. Ohio plays at home against Kent State on the CBS Sports Network as a 7-point favorite with a total of 132.5. Two more NCAAB games start at 7 PM ET. Harvard hosts Brown on ESPNU as a 2.5-point favorite with an over/under of 139.5. Detroit Mercy is at home against Milwaukee on ESPN2 as a 4-point favorite with a total of 137.5. Xavier plays at Butler on FS1 at 8:30 PM ET as a 4.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 130.5. 

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