Articles

UEFA Champions League Futures (2026/27 Season)

by Amedeus Mastrangelo

Saturday, Sep 05, 2026

The League Phase for the new Champions League season is set with the first matches starting on Tuesday, September 8. PSG is the defending champion of the competition and they have actually won it the last 2 straight seasons, but there has not been the same winner for 3 straight years since Real Madrid did it from 2015-2018. Now with the start of the competition just around the corner, it is time to see who has the best chance at taking home the Champions League Title this season.  To Win Outright Paris Saint-Germain +500: PSG is coming into this competition as the team with the best chance at bringing home the Champions League Title this season, according to the oddsmakers. PSG is the defending champion of the competition and they have won the title the last 2 straight seasons. They were one of the more dominant teams in all of Europe over the last 2 years, but they only beat Arsenal in penalties in the Champions League Final last season and they are due to start taking a step back this year. They are already off to a poor start in their domestic league and their defense has been awful to start the season as well, conceding a lot of goals in their matches. These players are starting to feel the fatigue from being so dominant for 2 full seasons, and playing in the World Cup this past summer is not going to help either. They still have a very talented team this season, but they did lose some of their quality and they do not have the best squad in this competition either. PSG is in line to take a step back this season with their fatigue as well as a poor defense, and now they also have to worry about clawing their way out of a hole in their own domestic league already. PSG has shown that they clearly have the quality to win this competition and they are not a team to be doubted, but there are much better options to go with this season as there will likely be a new champion. There is no real value in taking PSG at this price as the favorite when there are better squads in the competition and hungrier teams as well.  Arsenal +600: Arsenal is coming into this competition as the team with the next best chance at bringing home the Champions League Title this season, according to the oddsmakers. Arsenal is coming off of a very good season finally getting over the hump in their own domestic league. They are the Premier League champions from last year and they even made a trip to the Champions League Final, losing to PSG in penalties after a 1-1 draw. They once again have the best and deepest squad in the Premier League this season and they are going to be one of the better teams in the league again. That is going to translate to Europe as well with the success that they had last season. They are already in great form to start the new season with a great defense that is not going to concede many goals all year. Defense was a big strength for them last season as well, so their defense is going to once again carry them deep into this tournament, but they also have a lot of quality in their attack to find the back of the net with. This is going to be the competition that they are a lot more focused on winning this season as well. They already checked off the Premier League Title on their list and although they would love to win the title again this season, there will certainly be more of an emphasis on checking off this box this season, especially after getting so close in the Final last season. Arsenal has the quality as well as the depth to beat anyone in Europe and they have proven that over the last year. PSG has been the team in the way over the last 2 years, but if they really do take a step back this season, then Arsenal is going to sense blood in the water and will only be more motivated to get the job done here. Arsenal is going to be one of the better teams in this competition this season and they have the hunger to win it all. There is some good value in Arsenal at this price considering their hunger to win this competition and coming so close last season.  Barcelona +600: Barcelona is coming into this competition as the team with the next best chance at bringing home the Champions League Title this season, according to the oddsmakers. Barcelona has been the most dominant team in Spain over the last 2 years despite Real Madrid having a very talented squad. They have dominated the league, but they have also fallen short in this competition. They ended up going to the Champions League Quarter-Final last season where they were knocked out by a team from their own domestic league, losing to Atletico Madrid 3-2 on aggregate. They once again have one of the better teams in Spain with a very potent attack and a great defense as well. They have been in great form to start the season with their attack scoring a lot of goals, but their defense has not been conceding many goals either and their defense was a big strength for them last season. That defense was not as good in this competition though. They are certainly going to be more motivated on this competition this season after winning the La Liga Title the last 2 straight seasons, but they have not been able to prove themselves on the European stage during that time. Even when they won the league 2 years ago, they still got stopped by Inter Milan in the Champions League Semi-Final, their defense once again being a big problem for them. They certainly have the quality to be a threat in this competition, but they have not shown it over the last few years and as good as that defense has been, they have struggled against stronger attacks on the biggest stages. Barcelona winning this competition is asking for a lot considering how they have not won the Champions League Title in over a decade. There is no real value in taking Barcelona at this price as they are not a team that can be trusted in the later stages.  Bayern Munich +600: Bayern Munich is coming into this competition as the team with the next best chance at bringing home the Champions League Title this season, according to the oddsmakers. Bayern is coming off of a great season as the Bundesliga champions and they have won their domestic league the last 2 seasons. They have been the dominant team in the Bundesliga for years, but there is not a lot of quality away from the top of that league. They have a very talented squad with a lot of quality in their attack and they tend to score a lot of goals, but their defense also concedes a lot as well. Their defense has been a big problem for them for years and was a big reason why they were kicked out of this competition last season. They have had some success in this competition with some deep runs over the years, but they have not won the competition since the 2019/20 season. They ended up going to the Champions League Semi-Final last season and lost to PSG who went on to win the whole thing, but they also lost that round 6-5 on aggregate with their defense once again being a major problem. They have been in great form to start their new season, but this team is the same very year and they have made no strides toward fixing that bad defense. They are always going to be a threat to go deep into this competition with the quality that they have, but their defense is always going to be a problem that gets in the way and that will eventually be their downfall as there are much better teams in the competition. There is no real value in Bayern Munich at this price with a bad defense that is going to be more of a liability the deeper they go.  Real Madrid +650: Real Madrid is coming into this competition as the team with the next best chance at bringing home the Champions League Title this season, according to the oddsmakers. Real Madrid has been a very interesting team over the last 2 seasons. They have a lot of quality in their squad with one of the better teams in all of Europe, but they have not been able to win their own domestic league in that time. They have finished in 2nd place behind Barcelona the last 2 straight seasons despite having the quality to be the best in the league. They still have all of that quality as well, so the pieces are there for this team to be great, they just need to put the pieces together which they have not been able to do. They ended up getting knocked out of Champions League last season in the Quarter-Final by Bayern Munich and they have fallen short in this competition over the last 2 years, but now they have hired a quality manager in Jose Mourinho and he is going to get this team on the right track. Real Madrid has had a lot of success in this competition over the years as well, being the winningest club in Champions League over the last 2 decades. They are going to have the hunger to get back to the promised land this season and they have some of the best players in the world to do it with. Real Madrid has the quality in their attack as well as on defense to be a true threat to win it all. There is some value in Real Madrid at this price considering their recent history in the competition as well as having one of the better squads in the world.  Manchester City +900: Man City is coming into this competition as the team with the next best chance at bringing home the Champions League Title this season, according to the oddsmakers. Man City has been one of the more dominant teams in the Premier League over the last few years. They dominated England over the last decade and some seasons were never close, but now they have not won the Premier League Title the last 2 seasons and they are undergoing a lot of changes this year. They still finished in 2nd place last season, but they are no longer that dominant team and now they are under new management with Pep Guardiola departing from the team. They still have the quality to be a great team and they have been in great form to start the new season, but their manager is still unproven. Maresca did turn Chelsea around the last 2 years, but he did not have them in a good spot last season when he left and Man City cannot be trusted as the same old team under him. Man City has also struggled a lot in this competition over the years, even when they were dominating England with Pep, only winning the 1 Champions League Title in his tenure there. They fell very short last season, getting knocked out by Real Madrid in the Round of 16, and they still have a lot to prove this year with their new manager. There are too many question marks surrounding this team this season. There is no real value in Man City at this price as they have been a team that has always struggled in this competition over the years, and there are much better options to go with as well.  Liverpool +1200: Liverpool is coming into this competition as the team with the next best chance at bringing home the Champions League Title this season, according to the oddsmakers. Liverpool is coming off of a poor season, finishing in 5th place and completely collapsing after having the best start to the season. They started to play better by the end of the season and salvaged a trip to Champions League in 5th place, but they were struggling a lot as a middle of the table team for a lot of the year. They still have a lot of quality in their squad, but they have also lost a lot of their quality and have a very different team now. Their attack has been very good, but they have not been in good form to start the season, struggling to get out ahead in their matches. Their defense has also been awful to start the season as they have been conceding a lot of goals and that defense has been a problem for them in recent years as they lack quality at the back and continue to concede many goals. Now they have hired a new manager this season, but they still have lots of work to do to get back to the top of their own league. They have not had a lot of Champions League success over the years either, last winning it in the 2018/19 season, and they also got kicked out last season by PSG in the Quarter-Final. Liverpool has a long way to go before they are a dominant team again like the days of Klopp and they still have lots to prove this season, already struggling in the Premier League. There is no real value in taking Liverpool at this price as they are not a true contender to win this season.  RecommendationChampions League has been dominated by PSG the last 2 seasons, but there is also a common trend over the last few years where the competition has been won by a team at the top of their own domestic league. That leaves a very small pool of teams that actually have the quality to win it all and even if a few smaller teams go on a run in the competition, the big clubs usually find their way to the end. Arsenal is coming off of a great season dominating the Premier League and they are certainly going to turn focus to this competition after going to the Final last year. Real Madrid has not been the dominant team in La Liga over the last 2 seasons, but that league is always a 2 horse race between them and Barcelona, so they are still a very dominant team in Spain and they certainly have the highest ceiling of any club in the competition with the quality that they have. Arsenal at +600 is the best option to go with here to win the Champions League this season, followed by Real Madrid at +650.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB, EPL and NCAAF Previews and Odds - 09/05/26

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Sep 05, 2026

The Saturday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, and EPL action.Week 1 in NCAAF college football continues with 31 games between FBS opponents. Five NCAAF games on major national television kick off at noon ET. Alabama hosts East Carolina on ABC as a 27.5-point favorite with the total set at 52.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Nebraska plays at home against Ohio on FS1 as a 23.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5. Indiana is at home to take on North Texas on Fox as a 40.5-point favorite with a total of 56.5. Houston hosts Oregon State on ESPN as a 21-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. West Virginia plays at home against Coastal Carolina on TNT as a 21-point favorite with a total of 54.5. Five NCAAF games on major national television start at 3:30 p.m. ET. Texas is at home against Texas State on ESPN as a 29.5-point favorite with an over/under of 59.5. Oregon hosts Boise State on CBS as a 24.5-point favorite with a total of 51.5. Cincinnati plays at home against Boston College on Fox as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 50.5. Penn State is at home to face Marshall on FS1 as a 23.5-point favorite with a total of 51.5. Auburn battles Baylor at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, as a 7.5-point favorite with an over/under of 59.5. Texas A&M hosts Missouri State on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 40.5-point favorite with a total of 53.5. Two more NCAAF games on major national television begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. Michigan plays at home against Western Michigan on NBC as a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 49.5. LSU is at home to challenge Clemson on ABC as a 10-point favorite with a total of 50.5. New Mexico hosts Central Michigan on FS1 at 10:00 p.m. ET as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 46.5. Two games conclude the NCAAF card on major national television at 10:30 p.m. ET. Western Kentucky travels on the road to play Nevada on the CBS Sports Network as a 1.5-point road favorite with a total of 51.5. UCLA plays at California on ESPN as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 53.5. Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. Two MLB games throw out the first pitch at 4:10 p.m. ET. The New York Mets play at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -186 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago Cubs are on the road in Miami to play the Marlins as a -136 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home to play the Atlanta Braves at 6:05 p.m. ET as a -163 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Cleveland Guardians host the Detroit Tigers at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -163 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7. Two more MLB games start at 6:40 p.m. ET. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the Los Angeles Angels as a -181 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers visit Cincinnati to take on the Reds as a -167 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. Two MLB games begin at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox play in Baltimore against the Orioles as a -149 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Tampa Bay Rays are on the road in Texas to face the Rangers, with both teams priced as -110 money-line favorites with an over/under of 7. Two more MLB games start at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Chicago White Sox are at home to battle the Minnesota Twins as a -122 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Kansas City to play the Royals, with both teams priced as -110 money-line favorites with an over/under of 9.5. Two more MLB games are featured on Fox television coverage at 7:15 p.m. ET. The San Diego Padres host the New York Yankees as a -114 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Houston Astros play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -112 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The St. Louis Cardinals play in Colorado against the Rockies at 8:10 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The Los Angeles Dodgers are at home to battle the Washington Nationals at 9:10 p.m. ET as a -231 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Seattle Mariners host the Athletics on Peacock at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -259 money-line favorite with a total of 8. Matchweek 3 in the English Premier League continues with seven matches. Newcastle United plays at home against Bournemouth on the USA Network at 7:30 a.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Five EPL matches start at 10:00 a.m. ET. Manchester City is at home against Coventry City on the USA Network as a -2.5 goal-line favorite with a total of 3.5. Aston Villa are on the road to play Hull City on NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET as a -0.5 goal-line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. 

Read more

NFL Football Wager: Buffalo Bills to Win Super Bowl 61

by Al McMordie

Friday, Sep 04, 2026

The NFL Season kicks off on Wednesday with a re-match of last year's title game:  New England at Seattle.  I had another great year with respect to my Futures selections, as I cashed three of the six (Michigan 20-1, Hurricanes +850, and Dodgers +260), but my NFL pick on the Baltimore Ravens burned $$$ unfortunately.  This NFL season is as wide open as I can remember.  Admittedly, the Rams look to be the best team going into Week 1, with newly-acquired Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald in the fold on defense.  But a decent argument can be made for at least 16 teams.  Let's take a look at the top teams' current odds (courtesy of DraftKings):Rams +500Bills +1000Ravens +1000Seahawks +1200Chiefs +1600Chargers +1700Eagles +1700Patriots +1800Bengals +1800Texans +180049ers +1900Lions +1900Packers +2000Broncos +2000Bears +2400Cowboys +2500With some leagues (e.g., NBA, MLB), I will often invest in shorter odds for my Futures wager, but for the NFL, I greatly prefer to get +700 (or better), since 7-1 are the true odds for a team to win three evenly-matched games.  Because of that guideline, I'm tossing out the Rams (at 5-1), even though I believe they have the potential to be really good.  Of the remaining teams, I favor the Buffalo Bills at 10-1 odds.Buffalo has a lot going for it this season.  Josh Allen is one of the top 2 quarterbacks in the league, and GM Brandon Beane traded a 2nd round pick for veteran WR D.J. Moore, so Allen will have a legit #1 target (which he did not last season).  RB James Cook had developed into one of the better offensive players in the league, and guys like Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman provide additional weapons on offense.On the defensive side of the ball, Jim Leonhard was brought over from the Denver Broncos to serve as defensive coordinator.  The Bills added star OLB Bradley Chubb, who will team with guys like Ed Oliver and Greg Rousseau to put pressure on opponent's passers.  Last season, defense was Buffalo's Achilles' heel, as they ranked 30th in yards allowed per rush.  I expect that Leonard's presence should be a big boost to the defense, given his previous work in NCAA Football with Wisconsin, and his term with the Broncos.The biggest storyline in Buffalo is that former offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, has been given the reins of the team, taking over for Sean McDermott, who was let go.  And offensive line coach, Aaron Kromer, retired.  Certainly, it's unclear if moving away from McDermott will be a net positive or a net negative.  But after nine successful seasons with McDermott at the helm (but no Lombardi Trophy), management decided a new voice in the room was necessary.Will the offseason moves prove fruitful?  I believe there's a good chance they will, and especially like the Leonhard hire.  Take the Bills at 10-1 odds to win the Super Bowl.Good luck, as always,Al McMordie

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF, MLB, CFL and EPL Previews and Odds - 09/04/26

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Sep 04, 2026

The Friday sports card features NCAAF, MLB, CFL, and EPL action.Week 1 in NCAAF college football continues with five games between FBS opponents. Eastern Michigan hosts San Jose State at 6:30 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with the total set at 56.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Two NCAAF games kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET. Oklahoma plays at home against UTEP as a 40.5-point favorite with an over/under of 51.5. Michigan State is at home to take on Toledo on FS1 as a 10-point favorite with a total of 46.5. Two games conclude the NCAAF card at 9:00 p.m. ET. USC hosts Fresno State on FS1 as a 22.5-point favorite with an over/under of 51.5. Miami (FL) travels on the road to face Stanford on ESPN at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 24.5-point road favorite with a total of 48.5. Major League Baseball has 16 games scheduled. The Cleveland Guardians play at home against the Detroit Tigers in the first game of their doubleheader at 2:10 p.m. ET as a -137 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Milwaukee Brewers play in Cincinnati against the Reds at 6:10 p.m. ET as a -168 money-line road favorite with a total of 9.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are at home to challenge the Atlanta Braves at 6:40 p.m. ET as a -118 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Pittsburgh Pirates host the Los Angeles Angels on Apple TV+ at 6:45 p.m. ET as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Boston Red Sox are on the road in Baltimore to battle the Orioles on Peacock at 7:05 p.m. ET as a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Two more MLB games throw out the first pitch. The New York Mets play at home against the San Francisco Giants as a -186 money-line favorite with a total of 8. The Chicago Cubs visit Miami to play the Marlins as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Guardians are at home playing the Tigers in the second game of their doubleheader on Apple TV+ at 7:15 p.m. ET as a -143 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Chicago White Sox host the Minnesota Twins at 7:40 p.m. ET as a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.5. The Tampa Bay Rays play in Texas against the Rangers at 8:05 p.m. ET as a -117 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Two more MLB games start at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Houston Astros play at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9. The Kansas City Royals are at home to take on the Toronto Blue Jays as a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 9.5. The St. Louis Cardinals are on the road in Colorado to face the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET as a -136 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 11.5. The New York Yankees travel to San Diego to play the Padres at 9:40 p.m. ET as a -135 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. Two games conclude the MLB card at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Washington Nationals as a -314 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. The Seattle Mariners play at home against the Athletics as a -221 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Week 14 in the Canadian Football League kicks off with one game. The Montreal Alouettes are at home to battle the British Columbia Lions at 7:30 p.m. ET as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 61.5. Matchweek 3 in the English Premier League begins with one match on the USA Network at 3 p.m. ET. Liverpool plays at Ipswich Town as a -1.5 goal-line road favorite with a total of 3.5. 

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: NCAAF and MLB Previews and Odds - 09/03/26

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Sep 03, 2026

The Thursday sports card features NCAAF and MLB action.Week 2 in NCAAF college football kicks off with four games between FBS opponents. Rutgers hosts Massachusetts at 6:00 p.m. ET as a 29.5-point favorite, with the total set at 52.5 (all odds from DraftKings). Wake Forest plays at home against Akron at 7:00 p.m. ET as a 24.5-point favorite with an over/under of 48.5. Georgia Tech is at home to play Colorado on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point favorite with a total of 50.5. Illinois hosts Alabama-Birmingham at 9:00 p.m. ET as a 27.5-point favorite with an over/under of 54.5. Major League Baseball has nine games scheduled. The Pittsburgh Pirates play at home against the San Francisco Giants at 12:35 p.m. ET. The Pirates send out Lake Bachar to pitch against the Giants’ Blake Tidwell. Pittsburgh is a -163 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. The Toronto Blue Jays travel to Cleveland to take on the Guardians at 1:10 p.m. ET. Jose Soriano gets the ball for the Blue Jays to duel against Tanner Bibee for the Guardians. Toronto is a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Houston Astros are at home to face the Chicago White Sox at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Astros turn to Hunter Brown to challenge the White Sox’s Luis Castillo. Houston is a -162 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Two MLB games on Fox’s regional coverage throw out the first pitch at 7:15 p.m. ET. Milwaukee plays in Chicago with Logan Henderson taking the mound for the Brewers to battle Kevin Gausman for the Cubs. The Brewers won for the sixth time in their last eight games with a 9-5 victory in this series on Wednesday. The Cubs have lost six of their last eight games. Milwaukee is a -112 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. Boston is on the road in Baltimore with the Red Sox tapping Jake Bennett to pitch against the Orioles’ Brandon Young. The Red Sox have lost six of their last eight games after an 8-3 loss at home against Seattle yesterday. The Orioles have lost two games in a row after a 6-5 loss on the road in 11 innings in Colorado against the Rockies on Wednesday. Boston is a -136 money-line road favorite with a total of 8.5. The Miami Marlins visit Kansas City to play the Royals at 7:40 p.m. ET. Sandy Alcantara gets the ball for the Marlins to face Michael Wacha for the Royals. Miami is a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Tampa Bay Rays play in Texas against the Rangers on FS1 at 8:05 p.m. ET. The Rays turn to Shane McClanahan to take on the Rangers’ Cal Quantrill. Tampa Bay is a -126 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. The Seattle Mariners host the Athletics at 9:40 p.m. ET. Kade Anderson gets the starting pitcher assignment for the Mariners to duel against Jack Perkins for the Athletics. Seattle is a -207 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Peacock at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers tap Tarik Skubal to challenge the Cardinals’ Quinn Matthews. Los Angeles is a -311 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/02/26

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Sep 02, 2026

The Wednesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. The San Diego Padres travel to Cincinnati to play the Reds at 12:40 p.m. ET. The Padres send out Casey Mize to pitch against the Reds’ Brandon Williamson. San Diego is a -149 money-line road favorite with the total set at 9.5 (all odds from DraftKings). The Atlanta Braves play in Washington against the Nationals at 1:05 p.m. ET. Grant Holmes gets the ball for the Braves to face a starting pitcher yet to be named for the Nationals. Atlanta is a -163 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9. The Texas Rangers host the Athletics at 2:35 p.m. ET. The Rangers turn to Corey Bradford to take the hill against Jacob Lopez. Texas is a -167 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5.The Baltimore Orioles play in Colorado against the Rockies at 3:10 p.m. ET. Trevor Rogers gets tapped by the Orioles to duel against Tomoyuki Sugano for the Rockies. Baltimore is a -162 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 11.5. The Philadelphia Phillies are on the road in Arizona to battle the Diamondbacks at 3:40 p.m. ET. The Phillies turn to Andrew Painter to pitch against a Diamondbacks starting pitcher yet to be determined. The Boston Red Sox play at home against the Seattle Mariners at 4:10 p.m. ET. Patrick Sandoval takes the mound for the Red Sox to challenge Bryce Miller for the Mariners. Boston is a -136 money-line favorite with a total of 8.5. Three MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay is at home to play New York, with the Rays giving the ball to Griffin Jax to take on the Mets’ Justin Hagemann. The Rays are a -168 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8. Toronto visits Cleveland with Dylan Cease getting the starting assignment for the Blue Jays to face Joey Cantillo for the Guardians. The Blue Jays are a -137 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. Pittsburgh hosts San Francisco with the Pirates sending out Jared Jones to duel against the Giants’ Landen Roupp. The Pirates are a -156 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Three MLB games start at 7:40 p.m. ET. Milwaukee plays in Chicago with Jacob Misiorowski taking the hill for the Brewers to take on David Peterson for the Cubs. The Brewers are a -163 money-line road favorite with a total of 8. Kansas City plays at home against Miami with the Royals tapping Noah Cameron to challenge the Marlins’ Eury Perez. The Royals are a -111 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Minnesota is at home to face Detroit, with Dean Kremer getting the ball for the Twins to battle against Drew Anderson for the Tigers. The Twins are a -118 money-line favorite with a total of 9. The Houston Astros host the Chicago White Sox at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Astros turn to Hayden Wesneski to duel against a White Sox’s starting pitcher yet to be named. Houston is a -126 money-line favorite with an over/under of 8.5. The New York Yankees are on the road in Los Angeles to play the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. Cam Schlittler takes the hill for the Yankees to challenge Reid Detmers for the Angels. New York is a -175 money-line road favorite with a total of 7. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 10:10 p.m. ET. The Dodgers send out Yoshinobu Yamamoto to pitch against a Cardinals starting pitcher yet to be named. Los Angeles is a -252 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. 

Read more

Around the WNBA + Futures Pick

by Jazz Ray

Tuesday, Sep 01, 2026

With the WNBA on break for the women's World Cup, here is a quick look at what is happening around the league through the first 300 games of the season. If you're only interested in my futures pick, scroll to the bottom. League Trends  - Underdogs: Underdogs have cashed at roughly a 55% clip, with home underdogs and those getting 10 or more points faring particularly well.  - Favorites: Road favorites have consistently hurt their backers.  - Standings Gap: There is a significant gap between the top and bottom of the league. The top eight teams are all winning at least 60% of their games, while the bottom seven are all at 40% or less. The championship-favorite Lynx lead at 31-9, while the Storm sit at the bottom at 8-32.Top 3 Most Profitable Teams (Against the Spread)1.  Washington: 24-16 ATS2.  Golden State: 23-17 ATS3.  Minnesota: 23-17 ATS    Note: Defense equals profits. These are also the league's three best defensive teams. Golden State allows a league-low 76.3 ppg, followed by Washington (83.1) and New York (83.3).Top 3 Least Profitable Teams (Against the Spread)1.  New York: 14-26 ATS2.  Atlanta: 16-24 ATS3.  Phoenix: 17-23 ATS    Note: Scoring high doesn't guarantee ATS success. New York and Atlanta rank second and third in scoring (trailing only Indiana), yet they are the two worst teams against the spread.Overall Standings  - Minnesota: 31-9  - Golden State: 29-11  - Las Vegas: 27-13  - Atlanta: 26-14  - Indiana: 26-14  - New York: 24-16  - Washington: 24-16  - Dallas: 24-16  - Portland: 16-24  - Los Angeles: 15-25  - Chicago: 15-25  - Phoenix: 14-26  - Toronto: 11-29  - Connecticut: 10-30  - Seattle: 8-32Key Storylines  - FIBA World Cup: A total of 51 WNBA players are participating in the tournament in Berlin. The Liberty are sending the most players of any team with seven. It remains to be seen what effect the tournament will have on the rest of the season and the playoffs.  - MVP And Rookie Of The Year Races: A'ja Wilson of Las Vegas is an overwhelming favorite to win the MVP Award. One of the best WNBA players of all-time Wilson is averaging 26 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Olivia Miles won't catch Wilson in the MVP race but should have no trouble securing Rookie Of The Year honors.    - Angel Reese Record Watch: Reese continues to dominate the boards. After breaking the single-game rebound record last week with 26, she recently recorded her 29th double-double of the season against Minnesota, breaking Alyssa Thomas’ 2023 single-season mark.  - In other news, former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom says he now identifies as a woman and entered himself in the 2027 WNBA Draft to highlight the league’s eligibility rules on transgender athletes. He was later removed from a Chicago Sky–Indiana Fever game after a verbal clash with Sky guard Natasha Cloud. The Sky then banned him indefinitely from home games, citing him as a potential threat.Free Futures Pick: Minnesota will NOT win the WNBA Championship (-138)The Lynx are +125 to win the title and -138 to not win the title. That's like getting the field against the Lynx at -138. The Lynx have been the best team but they are not unbeatable. Regular season success doesn't always translate to playoff success either. Winning the title is all about peaking at the right time. Plus, the World Cup may hurt Minnesota's momentum. You've got teams like Indiana that can outscore the Lynx and Golden State that can play better defense. Then you've got the defending champion Aces who have a big advantage in playoff experience. Atlanta and NY are capable of getting hot at the right time, which is also the case for Dallas and Washington. 7 capable teams versus 1 at -138. We're taking it. 

Read more

Just Wow, as the Season's First Bad Beat Comes in Week Zero

by Wayne Root

Tuesday, Sep 01, 2026

College football is here—and the players have already had their first bad beat. We’re talking about the Hawaii vs. Stanford game. Hawaii was getting 4.5 points as a live underdog. Disclaimer We had Hawaii +4. At halftime, we were down 14–7. Not a problem. What happened Stanford got things going early in the second half with a safety, making it 16–7. With 9:51 left in the third quarter, Stanford scored a touchdown to push the lead to 23–7. Hawaii started their comeback in the fourth quarter:  A touchdown made it 23–14 at the 12:32 mark. With just 9:33 remaining, Hawaii scored a touchdown to make it 23–21 Then came the swings: With just under 4:00 to go, Hawaii went ahead 27–23—after missing the extra point. At least Hawaii was ahead and there wasn’t much time left. Stanford wouldn’t stay down: A Cardinal touchdown made it a still manageable 30–27 with 1:41 left. The bad beat We received the kickoff with just over a minute left to cover and cash a ticket, and our quarterback—Micah Alejado from Las Vegas, no less—fumbled. Stanford not only recovered the ball, but the player who recovered it turned it into a nightmare play: he ran 31 yards for a Stanford touchdown, and that’s what ultimately sealed the game with a final score of 37–27. So yes—the Stanford Cardinal were the beneficiary of this 2026 season’s first bad beat. Get ready for more exciting games, and hopefully next time you and we are the recipients instead. College football is here, and the season is off to a thrilling start.

Read more

Big Al's Daily Angle: MLB Previews and Odds - 09/01/26

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Sep 01, 2026

The Tuesday sports card features MLB action.Major League Baseball has 15 games scheduled. Four MLB games throw out the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Cleveland hosts Toronto with the Guardians sending out Gavin Williams to pitch against the Blue Jays’ Spencer Arrighetti. The Guardians are a -186 money-line favorite with the total set at 8 (all odds from DraftKings). Pittsburgh plays at home against San Francisco, with Paul Skenes taking the mound for the Pirates to face Logan Webb for the Giants. The Pirates are a -163 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. Tampa Bay is at home to take on New York, with the Rays turning to Freddy Peralta to duel against the Mets’ Sean Manaea. The Rays are a -132 money-line favorite with a total of 8. San Diego travels to Cincinnati with Randy Vasquez taking the hill for the Padres to challenge Nick Lodolo for the Reds. The Padres are a -136 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 9.5. Two MLB games start at 6:45 p.m. ET. Boston hosts Seattle with the Red Sox tapping a starting pitcher yet to be named to battle the Mariners’ Bryan Woo. The Red Sox are a -126 money-line favorite with a total of 7.5. Atlanta plays in Washington, with A.J. Smith-Shawver getting the ball for the Braves to pitch against Jake Irvin for the Nationals. The Braves are a -172 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 10. Three MLB games begin at 7:40 p.m. ET. Chicago plays at home against Milwaukee on TBS with the Cubs sending out Matthew Boyd to duel against the Brewers’ Robert Gasser. The Cubs are a -130 money-line favorite with a total of 10.5. Detroit is on the road in Minnesota with Troy Melton taking the mound for the Tigers to pitch against Andrew  Morris for the Twins. The Tigers are a -120 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8.5. Kansas City is at home to take on Miami, with the Royals turning to Randy Dobnak to face the Marlins’ Tyler Phillips. The Royals are a -120 money-line favorite with a total of 10. The Texas Rangers host the Athletics at 8:05 p.m. ET. MacKenzie Gore gets the ball for the Rangers to challenge Brady Basso for the Athletics. Texas is a -197 money-line favorite with an over/under of 7.5. The Houston Astros play at home against the Chicago White Sox at 8:10 p.m. ET. A starting pitcher yet to be named for the Astros will pitch against Sean Burke for the White Sox. The Baltimore Orioles visit Colorado to battle the Rockies at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Orioles send out Kyle Bradish to pitch against the Rockies’ Gabriel Hughes. Baltimore is a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 11. The New York Yankees play in Los Angeles against the Angels at 9:38 p.m. ET. Gerrit Cole gets the starting pitcher assignment for the Yankees to take on Grayson Rodriguez for the Angels. New York is a -186 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 8. The Philadelphia Phillies are on the road in Arizona to face the Diamondbacks at 9:40 p.m. ET. The Phillies tap Jesus Luzardo to duel against the Diamondbacks’ Eduardo Rodriguez. Philadelphia is a -142 money-line road favorite with a total of 7.5. The Los Angeles Dodgers play at home against the St. Louis Cardinals at 10:10 p.m. ET. Eric Lauer takes the hill for the Dodgers to battle Michael McGreevy for the Cardinals. Los Angeles is a -171 money-line favorite with an over/under of 9.  

Read more

The Milwaukee Brewers Head Into September as the Best Team in MLB

by Team Del Genio

Monday, Aug 31, 2026

The month of August is ending with the Milwaukee Brewers as the best team in Major League Baseball. Their 85-52 record is the best in the league. Their +177 net run differential gives them a Pythagorean record of 87-49, confirming their great season is no fluke. That mark is also the best in Major League Baseball. They had won four games in a row before a 7-4 loss at home against Texas on Sunday. On Monday, August 31st, they began a new series in Chicago against the Cubs. The Cubs may have a 77-60 record, yet that leaves them 7 games behind the Brewers. In the last week, Milwaukee is averaging 6.6 runs per game with a .290 batting average, a .362 on-base percentage, and a .425 slugging percentage. While the Brewers have a 47-25 record at home, they have been almost as good on the road, where they have a 38-27 record. They have won nine of their previous eleven games on the road against opponents with a winning percentage in the 54%-62% range. One of the reasons why they have been so good is that they are winning most of the games that they are supposed to win. They have won forty-seven of their seventy games this year when the oddsmakers installed them as a money line favorite up to -150. Another reason why they have the best record in baseball is that they limit losing streaks. Milwaukee has won thirty of their fifty games following a loss this year. The Brewers planned to end the month of August by tapping Kyle Harrison as their starting pitcher. He is making his fifth start since coming off the injured list. We backed him two starts ago, and he pitched five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts in an easy 22-0 victory for Milwaukee. The lefty has a 10-3 record with a 2.79 era and a 1.12 whip in twenty starts. Last week, he was coming off a bad start where he allowed eight earned runs in 4 2/3 innings on the road in San Diego. Cramping has been an issue since his return from an elbow injury, and his velocity was down against the Padres. Yet he pitched well in his first start back by giving up only one base hit and striking out ten batters in five innings before the cramping issue developed. On the road against the New York Mets last Tuesday, he gave up only one earned run in five innings. In his four previous starts this month, he has a 1.83 era with 26 strikeouts in 19 2/3 innings. The fundamentals are strong for the former Red Sox pitcher. His strikeout rate of 30.0% ranks in the top 90th percentile. His walk rate of 6.4% ranks in the top 82nd percentile. Milwaukee has won seven straight games against opponents with a winning percentage in the  54%-62% range when Harrison is their starting pitcher. It is the emergence of players like Harrison that has helped the Brewers become one of the biggest threats to win the World Series this season. Good luck - Team Del Genio.

Read more

Overrated/Underrated - CFB Power Four Projections 2026-27

by William Burns

Monday, Aug 31, 2026

Big Ten OVERRATED - Nebraska Cornhuskers It feels like Nebraska gets hyped up every offseason and I'm still not completely buying it. Matt Rhule has definitely brought in a different brand of football to the program. But even with a highly touted prospect in Dylan Raiola at QB, Nebraska has concluded consecutive years with a 7-6 record.  The Huskers added 16 transfers with a ton of starting experience, including former UNLV/Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea. There's definitely depth on this roster. However, until Nebraska proves it can turn all of that potential into nine or ten wins, I think the expectations are a little too high. UNDERRATED - UCLA Bruins UCLA is probably my favorite sleeper team in the Big Ten. Bob Chesney comes over after going 21-6 at James Madison and leading the Dukes to a Sun Belt Championship and College Football Playoff appearance last season. Chesney also attacked the portal big time, bringing 40+ transfers while keeping Nico Iamaleava at quarterback. Eleven of those transfers are former JMU players who made the move with their HC. If Nico takes that long awaited huge step up this season, I wouldn't be surprised whatsoever if UCLA knocks off some big teams this season.  SEC OVERRATED - LSU Tigers There's no denying that LSU has talent. Lane Kiffin is one of the best offensive coaches in college football and he basically rebuilt his coaching staff after arriving in Baton Rouge, with several assistants following him over from Ole Miss. That being said, that's also why I believe that the expectations are getting a little too high. This is still Kiffin's first season and there are a lot of new pieces that need to come together immediately. LSU could definitely become dangerous later in the year especially with a fantastic QB coming in (Sam Leavitt.) I'm just not sold on them being an elite SEC team right away, considering all of the high flying teams that they'll have to play. UNDERRATED - Auburn Tigers Auburn might be one of the most interesting teams in the entire SEC. New head coach Alex Golesh brought in 39 transfers, including quarterback Byrum Brown, who followed him over from USF.  Golesh has proven that he can build a really good offense + Auburn desperately needed something different on that side of the ball. I'm not saying Auburn is suddenly winning the SEC, but, I firmly believe that people are underestimating this team. Alabama shouldn't count the Iron Bowl as a lock just yet, even in Tuscaloosa.  Big 12OVERRATED - Texas Tech Red Raiders Texas Tech is obviously a very good football team. The Red Raiders are coming off a school-record 12 wins and their first Big 12 Championship, so Joey McGuire deserves a ton of credit for what he's built in Lubbock. Having said that, repeating that type of result is completely different, especially at this day and age. Everyone in the conference is going to be chasing Texas Tech now and the expectations are massive.  The scandal with QB Brendan Sorsby was the talk of the offseason. Now, the Red Raiders will have to rely on Will Hammond, who had seven TD's and three INT's over the seven games that he threw a ball in last season. They even added former Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos. I still think they're quite good. I just don't think another 12-win season and Big 12 title should be treated like it's a guarantee. UNDERRATED - Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State is entering a completely new era with Collin Klein taking over for Chris Klieman. I actually love the hire. Klein is a Kansas State legend and previously helped lead some very productive offenses as the Wildcats' offensive coordinator. With the portal being as crazy as it is lately, the Wildcats went out and added 26 transfers. Avery Johnson staying in Manhattan gives Klein an experienced & extremely talented quarterback to build around nonetheless. There's definitely some risk with a first-year head coach. But, I think Kansas State could be one of the teams we're talking about this year inside the Big 12.  ACC OVERRATED - Virginia Cavaliers Virginia was one of the better stories in college football last season. However, just like Texas Tech, I'm not completely sold on them repeating that success. Tony Elliott deserves credit for turning the program around, although expectations have changed pretty quickly in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers added about 30 new transfers this offseason, including QB Beau Pribula, DB Omillio Agard & DE Devon Baxter. There's clearly expectations of a repeat this season. Replacing that many pieces & immediately expecting another huge season is asking a lot though. I think Virginia is still solid, just a little overrated.  UNDERRATED - Virginia Tech Hokies Virginia Tech is not only my favorite sleeper in the ACC. But, it's also one of my favorite sleepers in the country. James Franklin (previously at PSU) taking over in Blacksburg completely changes how I look at this program. A proven winner/excellent recruiter, he's already brought a completely different level of excitement back to VT.  The Hokies put together a transfer class that was ranked as high as fifth nationally by On3 and Franklin made the offensive line a massive priority. Tech also has Ethan Grunkemeyer battling at QB & returns DT Kemari Copeland, who earned preseason All-ACC recognition. I'm not expecting Virginia Tech to immediately become a playoff team. But, with Franklin running the program, I think the Hokies could be much closer to competing near the top of the ACC than people realize. 

Read more

Has Andrew Painter Finally Arrived for the Philadelphia Phillies?

by Team Del Genio

Monday, Aug 31, 2026

Last Saturday, the Los Angeles Angels were playing at home against the Philadelphia Phillies. They were expected to face the Phillies’ Andrew Painter. Some bettors may have thought it was a good underdog spot for the Angels given his 3-6 record, a 6.04 era and a 1.48 whip. The rookie right-hander was sent back down to the minor leagues after his start on June 17th against the Miami Marlins. He gave up six earned runs in only two innings in that outing. At the time, Painter had a 7.06 era and a 1.66 whip.Yet since being sent to the minors and then recalled on July 31st, he has been a different pitcher and is beginning to consistently meet his blue-chip prospect status. In those five starts heading into the date with the Angels, he had a 3.62 era and a 1.06 whip. Painter has made several adjustments along the way. He added depth to his sweeper by adding three more inches of drop on that pitch. He has tweaked his splitter into a true changeup. His splitter was being thrown at 87.4 miles per hour with up to 6.8 inches of drop. He was throwing his changeup at 90.9 miles per hour with only 3.9 inches of drop. This tweak is working. His strike rate with his changeup was 70.6%, which is in the top 99th percentile. He was too often trying to be cute with the placement of his splitter at the bottom of the strike zone given the dramatic drop in that pitch. Now he is throwing his changeup 23% of the time in his last five starts as a deception from his good fastball. He was getting an outstanding 38.5% putaway rate on his changeup since being recalled. Speaking of that fastball, his 96.2 miles per hour rate ranks in the top 78th percentile. He recently tinkered with his mechanics with this pitch by lowering his arm angle about five inches, and Painter says it is the best he has felt with that pitch since returning from Tommy John surgery. He was now getting up to 18 inches of vertical movement on the pitch, and his last four-seamer pitch registered 100 miles per hour on the radar gun last Saturday in his most recent start. He pitched seven scoreless innings in that outing against St. Louis while giving up only five hits and striking out eight batters. Even before these impressive adjustments, the right-hander has deserved better. His opponents' batting average of .313 on the batted balls against him was much higher than the MLB babip average of .287. His strand rate of 67.7% was too far below the MLB left-on-base rate of 72.4%. Painter struggled out of the gate by giving up three runs in the first inning. Yet he settled down and did not give up a run in the next five innings before leaving the game after the sixth. He only gave up two base hits and struck out six batters. As the final month of the regular season begins, Painter has a 3.78 era and a 1.02 whip in his previous starts since being recalled from the minor leagues. Philadelphia picked him with the thirteenth selection in the first round of the 2021 draft. His first half of the season was a major disappointment. Yet if Phillies fans had been told that he would put up a 3.78 era and a 1.02 whip in his rookie season, they would have been very happy with those numbers. After a bumpy start, he has made some effective adjustments. Andrew Painter may have finally arrived. Good luck - TDG.

Read more

All photographic images used for editorial content have been licensed from the Associated Press.

© 2026 Al McMordie's BigAl.com. All Rights Reserved.