Expert Sports Picks and Analysis from Al McMordie

NFL Tuesday Night Football: Ravens/Cowboys Preview

Tuesday, Dec 08, 2020

Originally scheduled for Thursday to begin Week 13 of the NFL season, Dallas and Baltimore play on Tuesday after the Ravens and Steelers moved to play their Week 12 game last Wednesday. Both of these teams are desperate for a victory to stay alive in the playoff race.Baltimore has lost three straight games as well as four of their last five games after they losing to Pittsburgh last week by a 19-14 score. That loss eliminated the Ravens from winning the AFC North. They bring a 6-5 record into this game needing a victory to stay one game behind Indianapolis and Miami with their 8-4 records holding down the final two AFC wildcard spots. Lamar Jackson got activated from the COVID list on Monday, which puts him in a position to be back under center for this game. Robert Griffin III and Trace McSorley combined to complete only 9 of 18 passes for 110 yards in his absence against the Steelers last week. Jackson is completing 63.4% of his passes for 1948 yards with a 7.1 yards-per-attempt average this season with 15 touchdown passes and six interceptions. He has added another 575 yards on the ground with a 5.6 yards-per-carry average with three touchdowns. Dallas has lost five of their last six games since quarterback Dak Prescott suffered his season-ending injury in Week 4. The Cowboys return to action after losing at home to Washington on Thanksgiving by a 41-26 score as a 2.5-point favorite. Andy Dalton completed 25 of 35 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the losing effort. He is completing 65.1% of his passes for 870 yards but with just a 5.7 yards-per-attempt average. Dalton has five touchdown passes along with five interceptions. Despite their 3-8 record, the Cowboys can still pull within one game of first place in the NFC East with a victory behind the New York Giants and the Washington Football Team, who won this week to raise their records to 5-7 marks. Dallas will be without offensive linemen Zach Martin and Cam Erving, who are out with injuries after playing against Washington. The Cowboys were already without tackles Tyron Smith and La’el Collins, who suffered season-ending injuries. Defensive end Aldon Smith is questionable with an illness, but he did take part in the team’s last full practice. Dallas may be thin at safety, with Donovan Wilson and Steven Parker questionable with injuries. Baltimore activated running back J.K. Dobbins and defensive end Calais Campbell from the COVID list, but Campbell remains questionable with the calf injury that had kept him on the sidelines. He took part in limited practice on Saturday. The Ravens have nine players questionable on their final injury list. Right guard D.J. Fluker did participate in full practice on Saturday. Defensive tackle Brandon Williams was a limited participant in that practice. Safety Chuck Clark and linebacker Jaylon Ferguson did not practice on Saturday. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is out the year with an ankle injury. Baltimore still has six players on their COVID inactive list, including tight end Mark Andrews, linebacker Matthew Judon, and wide receiver Willie Snead. BookMaker lists the Ravens as a 7-point favorite with the total set at 45.5. Fox and the NFL Network will broadcast the game with the kickoff at 8:05 PM ET.

Big Al's Daily Angle: UEFA Champions League, NCAA Basketball and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Dec 08, 2020

The Tuesday sports card features an intriguing slate of college basketball action as well as the first half of MatchDay 6 of the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, as well as the last game in Week 13 in the National Football League. The first day of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge highlights the Tuesday college basketball card. The nationally televised schedule begins at 5 PM ET, with Kansas hosting Creighton on ESPN as a 3.5-point favorite with the total set at 148 (all odds from BetOnline). Seton Hall plays at home as a 21.5-point favorite against Wager on FS1 with an over/under of 144. Purdue plays at Miami (FL) on ESPN2 with the Hurricanes a 1-point favorite with a total of 140.At 7 PM ET, St. John’s hosts Rider on the CBS Sports Network as a 20-point favorite with the over/under at 150.5. Georgetown plays at home against Coppin State as an 18-point favorite, with the total at 148.5. Boston College travels to Minnesota with the Golden Gophers' a 7-point favorite with an over/under of 148. Iowa hosts North Carolina at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN as a 4.5-point favorite with the total at 155.5. Ohio State visits Notre Dame on ESPN2 as a 5-point road favorite with an over/under of 140. Penn State plays at Virginia Tech at 9 PM ET with the Hokies a 5-point favorite with the total at 140. Marquette hosts Green Bay on FS1 as a 22.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.At 9:30 PM ET, Rutgers hosts Syracuse as a 4-point favorite with a total of 140.5.The first eight matches in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage Matchday 6 take place this afternoon. These matches are all reverse fixtures of the games played on October 20th in the round-robin group stage six-match schedule.Two matches start at 12:55 PM ET. Lazio hosts Club Brugge as a -0.75 goal line favorite with the total set at 2.75. Borussia Dortmund visits Zenit as a -0.75 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 3.Six more matches take place at 3 PM ET. Sevilla visits Rennes as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.25. Chelsea plays at home against Krasnodar as a -1.75 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.25. Dynamo Kyiv hosts Ferencvaros as a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total at 2.5. Barcelona plays at home against Juventus as a -0.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.25. Paris Saint-Germain is a -2.5 goal line favorite at home against Istanbul Basaksehir, with the total at 4. Manchester United visits RB Leipzig in a pick ‘em matchup with an over/under of 3.All eight games are available on the CBS Sports All-Access package. Alternatively, the CBS Sports Network broadcasts a whip-around show during the six 3 PM ET games.Dallas and Baltimore play in the National Football League after the Ravens and Steelers moved to play their Week 12 game last Wednesday. Both of these teams are desperate for a victory to stay alive in the playoff race.Baltimore has lost three straight games as well as four of their last five games after they losing to Pittsburgh last week by a 19-14 score. That loss eliminated the Ravens from winning the AFC North. They bring a 6-5 record into this game needing a victory to stay one game behind Indianapolis and Miami with their 8-4 records holding down the final two AFC wildcard spots. Dallas has lost five of their last six games since quarterback Dak Prescott suffered his season-ending injury in Week 4. The Cowboys return to action after losing at home to Washington on Thanksgiving by a 41-26 score as a 2.5-point favorite. Andy Dalton completed 25 of 35 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the losing effort. He is completing 65.1% of his passes for 870 yards but with just a 5.7 yards-per-attempt average. Dalton has five touchdown passes along with five interceptions. Despite their 3-8 record, the Cowboys can still pull within one game of first place in the NFC East with a victory behind the New York Giants and the Washington Football Team, who won this week to raise their records to 5-7 marks. The Ravens are an 8-point favorite with the total set at 45.5. Fox and the NFL Network will broadcast the game with the kickoff at 8:05 PM ET.

Ness Notes: Monday, Dec 7

by Larry Ness

Monday, Dec 07, 2020

This column will be available Monday through Friday (posted no later than 1:00 ET), EXCLUSIVELY at BigAl.com. I like to call it my daily 'random thoughts' on the sports betting world, although I'll pass along that my therapist refers to it as "thoughtful commentary."CBB over the weekend: The biggest news was that Saturday's game between No. 1 Gonzaga and No. 2 Baylor was postponed. Gonzaga proceeded with its matchup against Auburn, a 90-67 win, on Nov 27 after one player was held out due to a positive test and another also sat due to contact tracing. After that game, Bulldogs coach Mark Few said a staffer also had tested positive. Then, about an hour before tipoff of Saturday's Baylor-Gonzaga matchup, the teams released a joint announcement about the postponement of the game, saying they had mutually agreed to reschedule the contest after consulting with local officials in Indianapolis following Gonzaga's two positive tests. A more recent update is that Gonzaga will not return to action until Dec 15, which means the Bulldogs will cancel upcoming games against Tarleton, Southern, Northern Arizona and Idaho. Gonzaga is set to face No. 3 Iowa on Dec 19 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, SD. As I continue to say, "fingers crossed."Heading into the Friday-Sunday schedule there had been just eight games between ranked teams, with the higher ranked team going 5-3 SU but 3-5 ATS. In contests between ranked and unranked opponents, ranked teams go off to an impressive 51-5 (.918) SU start, while going 34-20-2 (63.0%) ATS. There was only ONE contest from Fri-Sun between ranked opponents and No. 12 Villanova (-1.5) outlasted No. 17 Texas 68-64 on Sunday afternoon in a Big 12/Big East Battle contest in Austin, Texas. Moving to games between ranked and unranked teams, there were seven such games on Friday, just two on Saturday and four on Sunday. Ranked teams went 11-2 SU but were only 4-9 ATS. The SU losers were notable. No. 4 Wisconsin struggled to find an offensive rhythm throughout the game (shot 37.5%) and lost 67-65 on a one-handed put-back at the buzzer by Marquette at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Friday. A real shocker came on Sunday, as No. 20 Kentucky's 79-62 loss at Georgia Tech marked the Wildcats' THIRD straight defeat and the first time they have started 1-3 since the 2000-01 season. Kentucky suffered a 76-64 home loss to an unranked Richmond team on Nov 29, before falling by three to No. 7 Kansas in Indianapolis at the Champions Classic last Tuesday. Georgia Tech had opened its season with losses to Georgia State and Mercer before Sunday's victory. The last time Georgia Tech had won a game against a ranked non conference opponent was Nov 21, 2006! There are no games Monday between ranked opponents (the higher ranked team is 6-3 SU and 4-5 ATS in nine such meetings this season) and only two games between a ranked team and an unranked opponent. No. 19 Richmond hosts Wofford (Spiders are favored by 12 1.2-points) and No. 21 Oregon is favored by 13 1/2-points in a home game against Eastern Washington. Adding in the Friday-Sunday numbers, ranked teams are 62-7 (.899) SU and 38-29-2 (56.7%) ATS when facing an unranked opponent.NFL: There is PLENTY to recap from NFL Week 13 like the 0-12 Jets finding yet another way to lose, while the Jags are right behind them with 11 straight losses. The 10-2 Saints have won NINE in row and maintain a one-game lead over the 9-3 Packers for the NFC's No. 1 seed. The Chiefs are 11-1, meaning the 11-0 Steelers can't afford to 'blink.' The Giants have won FOUR in a row and are a first-place team plus the Browns may just be "for real" at 9-3! My Week 13 recap will be featured Wednesday, after the week concludes with Tuesday's Cowboys/Ravens game in Baltimore. However, up first, it's a MNF doubleheader.The 8-3 Buffalo Bills and 5-6 San Francisco 49ers meet in MNF (8:15 ET on ESPN/ABC) at the home of the Arizona Cardinals, State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Az. The 49ers' home field is Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Ca and due to new COVID-related restrictions in Santa Clara County San Francisco's "home" games in Week 13 (Buffalo) and Week 14 (Washington) have been relocated to the Cardinals' home stadium. The Bills sit atop the AFC East but Miami's win on Sunday means that Buffalo needs to win here to stay one game up on the Dolphins. As for San Francisco, the defending NFC champs are currently in last place in the NFC West, although a win here would move them to 6-6 and into a tie with Arizona and Minnesota, just ONE game behind 7-5 Tampa Bay, which currently holds the NFC's final wild card spot. The 49ers are a one-point favorite and the over/under is 47 1/2.FOX will air 4-7 Washington at 11-0 Pittsburgh at 5:00 ET. This contest was originally scheduled for Sunday but was pushed back a day after Pittsburgh's game against Baltimore was postponed three times and finally played Wednesday because of COVID-19 issues. Washington has been off since a 41-16 win over Dallas on Thanksgiving, meaning it will have 11 days between games, compared with five days between games for Pittsburgh. Washington has won two straight games and its 3-2 'surge' has the team at 4-7. All Washington needs to do is beat the undefeated Steelers and it will tie the Giants atop the NFC East. Pittsburgh is favored by 6 1/2-points and the over/under is 43 1/2.Monday is typically my CFB recap but I'm pushing it back to Tuesday.Good luck...Larry

NFL Monday Afternoon Football: Steelers/Football Team Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 07, 2020

The opening game of the Monday NFL doubleheader has the Washington Football Team visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 5 PM ET kickoff.Washington has raised their record to a 4-7 mark with two straight victories after they defeated Dallas on the road on Thanksgiving by a 41-16 score. The Football Team needs to win this game to keep pace with the New York Giants for first place in the NFC East after the Giants upset Seattle on the road by a 17-12 score yesterday.The Football Team has been playing underrated defense all season. They rank eighth in the league in stopping the pass and fifth in the league against the run. They registered four sacks against the Cowboys last week, which gives them 20 sacks in four games. Washington is second in the NFL with 36 sacks, and their 66 hits on the quarterback are also the second-most. What has made Ron Rivera’s team better as of late has been the stability at the quarterback position that Alex Smith has provided since he became the starter. Smith is completing 69%% of his passes, which is 5th best in the league. Washington is scoring 29.3 points-per-game while averaging 375.7 yards-per-game in their last three games with Smith under center. Yet the Football Team is averaging only 213.4 passing yards-per-game with Smith, and he has thrown only three touchdown passes with five interceptions. Smith is averaging only 4.9 air yards per pass attempt, which is the lowest in the league for qualifying quarterbacks. Smith is likely to win Comeback Player of the Year with his remarkable comeback from his leg injury last season. However, Smith is no longer as mobile as he plays behind an offensive line that has allowed 35 sacks, which is the second-most in the league.Pittsburgh remained undefeated this season with their 19-14 victory over Baltimore last Wednesday as a 10.5-point favorite. Ben Roethlisberger completed 36 of 51 passes for 266 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the win. Roethlisberger is completing 67.5% of his passes for 2800 yards with 25 touchdown passes and six interceptions. The veteran QB gets rid of the football in the pocket in just 2.28 seconds, which is the quickest release in the NFL. He has only ten sacks. Roethlisberger missed the last three practices this week as he deals with a sore knee, but he expects to still play in this game. Big Ben did not practice before their game with Cincinnati last month, but that did not stop him from completing 27 of 46 passes for 333 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. Roethlisberger later tongue-in-cheek requested that he get to skip practices all the time after that effort. Head coach Mike Tomlin quickly dismissed that request. The Steelers lead the NFL by holding their opponents to just 17.7 points-per-game. They are also best in the league by allowing only 193.2 passing yards-per-game. However, Pittsburgh suffered a blow to their defense with the season-ending injury to linebacker Bud Dupree. The Steelers were playing without linebacker Devin Bush who endured a season-ending injury earlier in the year. Pittsburgh has eight of the team’s league-leading 41 sacks this season.BetOnline lists the Steelers as a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.5. Fox broadcasts the game in 45% of the markets.

Big Al's Daily Angle: EPL, NCAA Basketball and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 07, 2020

The Monday sports card features two games in the National Football League, along with an afternoon match in the English Premier League and a modest schedule of college basketball games in the afternoon and evening.The first game in the NFL kicks off at 5 PM ET with the Washington Football Team playing at Pittsburgh against the Steelers. Washington raised their record to a 4-7 mark last week with a 41-16 win at Dallas as a 2.5-point underdog on Thanksgiving. Rookie running back Antonio Gibson had a breakout game with 115 rushing yards with three touchdowns on 20 carries. Quarterback Alex Smith completed 19 of 26 passes of 149 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and the Football Team registered sacks against the Cowboys. The Washington defense has 20 sacks in their last four games. With the New York Giants’ upset victory in Seattle on Sunday, the Football Team needs the win to stay tied with them in first place. Pittsburgh remained the only unbeaten team in the NFL last Wednesday when they defeated Baltimore by a 19-14 score. The Steelers are one half-game ahead of Kansas City for the top seed (and a bye in the first round of the playoffs) in the AFC after the Chiefs defeated Denver Sunday night by a 22-16 score. Ben Roethlisberger completed 36 of 51 passes for 266 yards with a touchdown and an interception to lead Pittsburgh to the victory. Pittsburgh is a 6.5-point favorite with the total set at 43.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Fox has the broadcast. The Monday night game on ESPN between the Bills and 49ers features two teams in the thick of the playoff races. State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, is the site for this game as the temporary home for San Francisco. COVID restrictions in Santa Clara County prohibit the Niners from playing and practicing in their Levi's Stadium. Buffalo just played here on November 15th, where they lost to the Cardinals by a 32-30 score. This contest will be San Francisco’s first game in this stadium this year, with their annual date with their divisional rival in Arizona set for December 27th.Buffalo is up a half-game above Miami for first place in the AFC East standings after the Dolphins defeated Cincinnati on Sunday by a 19-7 score. The Bills have won four of their last five games to raise their record to an 8-3 mark after defeating the Los Angeles Charger at home last week by a 27-17 score. San Francisco snapped a three-game losing streak last week with their 23-20 upset victory at Los Angeles against the Rams as a 5-point underdog. The 49ers are just a half-game behind Arizona for the final wildcard spot in the NFC with a 5-6 record. The Cardinals lost to the Rams on Sunday by a 38-28 score. This game is a pick 'em with the total set at 47.5. ABC will broadcast the game along with ESPN. Kickoff is at 8:20 PM ET. Matchweek 14 in the English Premier League concludes with Southampton visiting Brighton and Hove Albion at 3 PM ET. The game is a pick ‘em with the total at 2.5. The NBC Sports Network broadcasts the match.Ten games are on the limited college basketball schedule that begins at 4 PM ET. None of the games are on national television.

NFL Monday Night Football: Bills/49ers Preview

by Big Al Staff

Monday, Dec 07, 2020

The Monday night game on ESPN between the Bills and 49ers features two teams in the thick of the playoff races. State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, is the site for this game as the temporary home for San Francisco. COVID restrictions in Santa Clara County prohibit the Niners from playing and practicing in their Levi's Stadium. Buffalo just played here on November 15th, where they lost to the Cardinals by a 32-30 score. This contest will be San Francisco’s first game in this stadium this year, with their annual date with their divisional rival in Arizona set for December 27th.Buffalo is up a half-game above Miami for first place in the AFC East standings after the Dolphins defeated Cincinnati on Sunday by a 19-7 score. The Bills have won four of their last five games to raise their record to an 8-3 mark after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers at home last week by a 27-17 score. Josh Allen completed 18 of 24 passes for 157 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the victory. He added another 32 yards on the ground with a touchdown. The quarterback is completing 68.8% of his passes for 3208 yards with 22 touchdown passes and eight interceptions. Allen has also rushed for 311 yards with another six touchdowns.San Francisco snapped a three-game losing streak last week with their 23-20 upset victory at Los Angeles against the Rams as a 5-point underdog. The 49ers are just a half-game behind Arizona for the final wildcard spot in the NFC with a 5-6 record. The Cardinals lost to the Rams on Sunday by a 38-28 score. Nick Mullens completed 24 of 35 passes for 252 yards with an interception in the victory against Los Angeles. The Niners’ quarterback is completing 67.1% of his passes in his six games this season for 1096 yards. He is averaging 7.8 yards-per-attempt with seven touchdown passes and five interceptions. The 49ers are getting healthier. Cornerback Richard Sherman is back on defense. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel caught 11 passes for 133 yards in his return to the field last week. Running back Raheem Mostert added 43 rushing yards with a touchdown against the Rams in his first game back from injury. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and running back Tevin Coleman are expected to be available to play on Monday. Cornerback K’wan Williams is out, and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley is questionable with a hamstring injury. Cornerback Jamar Taylor is out the season with a knee injury. The Niners still have 14 players either on Injured Reserve or out the season, including tight end George Kittle and defensive linemen Dee Ford and Nick Bosa along with Garoppolo. Buffalo has a clean bill of health with zero players on their Injured List this week. Right tackle Cody Ford and wide receiver John Brown are on their IR.BookMaker lists San Francisco as a 1-point favorite with the total set at 47.5. ABC will broadcast the game along with ESPN. Kickoff is at 8:20 PM ET.

Three Darkhorse NBA Teams To Win 2020/21

by Will Rogers

Monday, Dec 07, 2020

Three Darkhorse NBA Teams To Win 2020/21The Lakers are +275 to repeat in 2020/21. Brooklyn is in second at +525, while the Clippers and Bucks are +600 apiece. These four teams are the favorites to win the NBA championship next year, but there's plenty of value with some of the other teams, except they offer much better odds.Here are three "darkhorse" NBA picks that fall out of these top four favorites.Miami Heat (+1,600): Why not the Heat? How come the Nets are the favorites out of the East? Brooklyn has plenty of talent on paper, but no chemistry whatsoever. Miami shocked the World last year by winning the Eastern Conference and advancing to the NBA Finals, only to fall in six games. Jimmy Butler averaged 19 points, 6.7 boards, six assists, and 1.8 steals per game last year and he'll once again have Goran Dragic and Bam Adebayo alongside. Miami also added two-way guard Avery Bradley from the Lakers in the offseason. Denver Nuggets (+2,000): Denver lost some key bench players from last year's team, but it picked up some competent players via free agency in the offseason, including Facundo Campazzo and JaMychal Green. The strength of Denver is its depth, as it still has Majal Murray, Gary Harris, Michael Porter Jr, Paul Millsap, and Nikola Jokic starting, along with Will Barton, Monte Morris, and Bol Bol. Denver enters the 2020/21 season filled with confidence after twice coming back from 3-1 deficits in the playoffs, before eventually succumbing to the eventual champion Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.Dallas Mavericks (+2,500): Luka Doncic and the Mavericks were rolling in the playoffs before fellow star Kristaps Porzingis was injured. With Porzingis back to full health and Doncic entering his third year in the league, the sky really is the limit in Dallas this season (providing everyone stays healthy.) Doncic averaged 28.8 points, 9.4 boards, and 8.8 assists last year. Porzingis won't be in the line-up to start the year, but he'll just make this already stacked team that much stronger for the second-half push. Winning MVP is a very real goal for Doncic this year and he now has the supporting cast to reach even greater heights. If you don't mind tying up some of your bankroll for this length of time, at this price, the Mavericks are definitely worth a second look to win it all in 2020/21 in my opinion.

NBA Betting Tips: Everything You Need to Know

by Oskeim Sports

Sunday, Dec 06, 2020

Believe it or not, the 2020-21 NBA season is already right around the corner. It's scheduled to start on December 22 with a handful of great games.If you're planning to bet on any of those games or any of the other games that will take place during the upcoming season, you should make sure you know how to do it first. It's important for NBA bettors to develop a winning NBA betting strategy if they want to make money over the long haul.It's also important for NBA bettors to keep certain NBA betting tips in the back of their minds while wagering on basketball. Check out some of the top NBA betting tips that you should commit to memory below.Begin by Getting a Better Understanding of NBA OddsBefore you start putting down bets on NBA games, you need to have NBA odds explained to you. Otherwise, you're going to struggle to put your NBA bets in, much less win them.When you're betting on NBA games, you're very rarely going to just be betting on one team to win a game against another team. Instead, you're usually going to be betting the point spread on NBA games.The point spread is a number that is used to illustrate how much better one NBA team is than another NBA team. You'll have to either bet on the team that is "giving" points (the favorite) to the other team or the team that is "getting" points (the underdog).If you bet on the favorite, you'll need that team to win by more than whatever the point spread is. So if they're a 3-point favorite, you'll need them to win by over 3 points to hit your bet.If you bet on the underdog, you'll need that team to either win outright or lose by less than whatever the point spread is. So if they're a 3-point underdog, you'll need them to lose by under 3 points to hit your bet.You can also bet the totals on NBA games. This calls for you to bet that a game will either go over or under a total number of points. These are some of the most popular NBA odds to bet.Learn How to Do NBA Betting Research ProperlyWhether you're going to bet on the point spread in an NBA game, the over/under, or something else, you should always do the necessary NBA betting research. You should know everything about a game prior to placing a bet on it.If a player or multiple players are injured, it could impact an NBA bet that you make. If a superstar player is sitting out a game for "load management" purposes, it could also impact an NBA bet that you put in.Many casual NBA bettors make the mistake of placing bets on games without doing the right amount of research on them. And it often comes back to bite them in the end.Turn to the Experts for Help Finding Guaranteed NBA PicksIf you don't have the time to sit around researching NBA games, why not rely on an expert to do it for you and provide you with guaranteed NBA picks? Of all the NBA betting tips listed here, this one might just be the most useful one to you.Look for an expert that you trust to set you up with the best NBA predictions in the business. It'll increase your chances of placing winning bets and make NBA betting more fun for you.Put These NBA Betting Tips to the Test During the Upcoming NBA SeasonNow that you know a lot more about betting on NBA games than you did a few minutes ago, you should start thinking about which bets you're going to make at the start of the season. Use the NBA betting tips found here to improve your odds as you place bets.If you need help making smart bets, take a look at the professional sports handicappers at BigAl.com.

UFC 256 Preview

by Ben Burns

Sunday, Dec 06, 2020

A few weeks ago, in my preview of UFC 255, I stated the following: "The Royval/Moreno winner could find himself fighting Figueiredo next." Dana White didn't waste any time in making my prediction come true. As expected, both Moreno and Figueiredo won their November 21st fights. On December 12th, a mere few weeks later, the two will meet at UFC 256. It should be a good one. I believe that Moreno is better than Perez, the fighter that Figueiredo submitted in the first round last month. However, Figueiredo is a slightly bigger favorite for this fight than he was against Perez. (Most shops are at -300 or higher.) That's because the public has caught on that the flyweight champ, "God of War," is deadly both on the ground and on his feet. As I mentioned before his last fight: "I won with Figueiredo (19-1) in his last fight, as he took care of Joseph Benavidez in the first round. That victory came via submission, the seventh of his career. However, the flyweight champ is more known for his hands. He's got serious power for this weight class."Moreno is no slouch though. Royval was a pretty good fighter in his own right and Moreno stopped him in the first round. That brings him to an impressive 6-0-1 in the UFC. Moreno had this to say about the champ: "I'm more technical, I have more tools and I’m a lot quicker than him. The only thing you can say about Deiveson is that he’s a one-shot fighter, so I have to make that my advantage. I know that he can surprise. I know that he has a lot of tools, good elbows, good kicks. but I have a lot more speed than him and that’s going to be my advantage against him."I'm not about to lay -300 or more with Figueiredo. Not against a really good fighter. Not when both are taking the fight on short notice. I'm not about to go against the champ either. He's that good. Rather, I'm just going to appreciate this one and look for my opportunities elsewhere. Enjoy and good luck ... Ben Burns

Big Al's Daily Angle: EPL, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball and NFL Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 06, 2020

The Sunday sports card features the start of Week 13 in the National Football League along with a full slate of college basketball, four matches in the English Premier League, and two college football games between FBS opponents.Twelve games are on the docket in the NFL. Seven games begin the card at 1 PM ET. The national broadcast on Fox has New Orleans traveling to Atlanta as a 2-point road favorite with the total set at 45.5 (all odds from BetOnline). The primary game on CBS has Tennessee hosting Cleveland as a 4.5-point favorite with an over/under of 53. Four more games take place in the 4:05 PM ET to 4:20 PM ET window of afternoon games. The national game on CBS has Green Bay playing at home in Lambeau Field as an 8-point favorite with a total of 49.5.Sunday Night Football on NBC has Denver visiting Kansas City with the kickoff at 8:20 PM ET. The Chiefs are a 13-point favorite with the over/under at 51.Two rare games take place in college football on a Sunday, given rescheduling due to COVID complications. At noon ET, Charlotte hosts Western Kentucky as a 2-point favorite, with the total at 46.5. USC plays at home against Washington State at 7:30 PM ET as a 12-point favorite with an over/under of 68. This Pac-12 contest will be on FS1.A busy card in college basketball is on tap for Sunday. Villanova visits Texas at 1 PM ET on ESPN with the Longhorns 2-point favorites with the total set at 132.5. Texas Tech hosts Grambling at 1 PM ET on ESPNU as a 32-point favorite with the over/under at 132.5. At 2 PM ET, Missouri plays at Wichita State on ESPN2 as a 5-point road favorite with a total of 141. St. John’s hosts Stony Brook at 2:30 PM ET on FS1 as a 16.5-point favorite with a total of 146.5. Cincinnati hosts Xavier at 3 PM ET on ESPN. The Bearcats are a 1.5-point favorite with the over/under at 135.5. Oklahoma travels to TCU for a 4 PM ET tip on ESPN2. The Cowboys are 3.5-point road favorites with the total set at 135. Kentucky visits Georgia Tech at 5 PM ET on ESPN. The Wildcats are a 6.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 141.Iowa State plays at home against DePaul on ESPNU at 6 PM ET. The Cyclones are 3.5-point favorites with a total of 148.Four matches take place in the English Premier League, with all of them broadcast on the NBC Peacock app. At 7 AM ET, Crystal Palace visits West Bromwich as a -0.25 goal line road favorite with the total set at 2.25. Leicester City plays at Sheffield United for a match at 9:15 PM ET as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with an over/under of 2.5. Tottenham hosts Arsenal at 11:30 AM ET as a -0.5 goal line favorite with the total at 2.5. Liverpool plays at home at 2:15 PM ET against Wolverhampton as a -1 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.75.

NFL Sunday Night Football: Broncos/Chiefs Preview

by Big Al Staff

Sunday, Dec 06, 2020

The Sunday night game on NBC features a rematch between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs. The reigning Super Bowl champions won the first meeting between these two teams on October 25th with a 43-16 victory in Denver as a 7-point favorite. Kansas City is cruising on their way to winning the AFC West with a six-game winning streak. With their 10-1 record, the Chiefs are hot on the trails of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who currently hold the top seed in the AFC playoff race with their undefeated record. Only the number one seeds in both conferences are awarded byes in the first round of the playoffs, given the new expansion to a seventh team.Kansas City defeated Tampa Bay on the road last Sunday by a 27-24 score as a 3.5-point favorite. The Chiefs went into the fourth quarter with a 27-10 lead before the Buccaneers scored two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes. Patrick Mahomes led the offense to 543 yards in the victory. He completed 37 of his 49 passes for 462 yards with three touchdown passes while adding another 28 yards on the ground. Mahomes is completing 68.8% of his passes this season for 3497 yards with 30 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. He has also rushed for another 215 yards with two touchdowns. Denver lost their third game in their last four games last week in a 31-3 loss at home to New Orleans in a game where all three of their quarterbacks were unavailable to play because of COVID protocols. Wide receiver Kendall Hinton came off the practice squad to attempt nine passes in that game but completed only one for 13 yards. He also tossed two interceptions. The Broncos managed only 112 yards of offense without a credible passing threat. With a 4-7 record, Denver’s playoff hopes are slim. They trail Indianapolis and Miami for the final spot in the AFC playoff race by three games. The Broncos begin a stretch where three of their next four games are on the road. Drew Lock will be back under center after being cleared from COVID quarantine. He may be playing for his job the rest of the season after completing only 55.6% of his passes for 1767 yards with a 6.6 yards-per-attempt average. Lock has only thrown seven touchdown passes while tossing 11 interceptions. Denver will be without their best cover cornerback after Bryce Callahan was placed on Injured Reserve with a foot injury this week. He joins linebacker Von Miller, defensive linemen Jurrell Casey and Mike Purcell, and wide receiver Courtland Sutton who are already on IR. Safety Trey Marshall is out with a shin injury. Running back Phillip Lindsay, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, and linebacker Malik Reed are all listed as questionable but with the signs indicating they will play. Kansas City only has running back Clyde Edwards-Hellaire on their Injured List after he missed the last two practices with a non-COVID illness. He will be a game-time decision. Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz remains on the IR. BetAnySports lists the Chiefs as a 13-point favorite with the total set at 51. Kickoff is at 8:20 PM ET.

Big Al's Daily Angle: EPL, NCAA Basketball and NCAA Football Preview

by Big Al Staff

Saturday, Dec 05, 2020

The Saturday sports card features a full day of college football and college basketball action along with the start of Matchweek 11 of the English Premier League. Forty games between FBS opponents are on the college football schedule. There were 14 games either canceled or postponed due to COVID issues: Wake Forest/Louisville; Alabama/Arkansas; Northwestern/Minnesota; Maryland/Michigan; Mississippi/LSU; Missouri/Mississippi State; Miami (FL)/Wake Forest; Florida State/Duke; Kent State/Miami (OH); Houston/SMU; FIU/Charlotte; Liberty/Coastal Carolina; Vanderbilt/Georgia; Buffalo/Ohio.Seventeen college football games take place in the noon ET to 3 PM ET window. Eleven games kick off the card at noon ET. Ohio State travels to Michigan State on ABC as a 23.5-point road favorite with the total set at 59.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Texas visits Kansas State on Fox with the Longhorns a 7-point road favorite with an over/under of 51. Texas A&M plays at Auburn on ESPN as a 5.5-point road favorite with a total of 48. Penn State goes on the road to play Rutgers on FS1 as an 11.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 52.5. Texas Tech hosts Kansas on FS2 as a 25-point favorite with the total at 62.5. Oklahoma State visits TCU as a 2.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 51.5. At 2 PM ET, Ball State travels to Central Michigan on ESPNU as a 2-point road favorite with an over/under of 62.5. Notre Dame plays at home against Syracuse on NBC at 2:30 PM ET as a 33.5-point favorite with the total at 51.Another 12 games go off in the 3:30 PM ET to 6 PM ET window of games. Six games are scheduled at 3:30 PM ET. Wisconsin hosts Indiana on ABC as a 13-point favorite with the total set at 44.5. Florida visits Tennessee on CBS as a 17.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 62.5. Iowa State plays at home against West Virginia on ESPN as a 6.5-point favorite with the total at 49. Iowa plays at Illinois on FS1 as a 13.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 51.5. Tulsa travels to Navy on ESPN2 as a 12-point road favorite with a total of 45.5.At 4 PM ET, Washington hosts Stanford as an 11.5-point favorite with a total of 49. BYU travels to Coastal Carolina at 5:30 PM ET in a rescheduled game between these two undefeated Group of Five programs that had games canceled because of COVID this week. The Cougars are 10.5-point road favorites with an over/under of 62. ESPNU broadcasts the game. Eight games take place between 7 PM ET to 8 PM ET. Oregon travels to California at 7 PM ET on ESPN with the Ducks' 9-point road favorites with a total of 60. San Diego State hosts Colorado State on the CBS Sports Network as a 7-point favorite with the over/under at 45.5. Colorado visits Arizona on FS1 as a 7.5-point favorite, with the total set at 57.5. At 7:30 PM ET, Clemson travels to Virginia Tech on ABC as a 21.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 66. Alabama visits LSU at 8 PM ET on CBS as a 29.5-point road favorite with the total at 66. Oklahoma hosts Baylor on Fox as a 21.5-point favorite with an over/under of 61.5.Four final games kick off at 10:30 PM ET. Utah hosts Oregon State on ESPN as an 11-point favorite with the total set at 51.5. Arizona State plays at home against UCLA as a 3-point favorite with an over/under of 56. Nevada has Fresno State visiting Reno on FS2, where they are laying 6.5 points as the favorite with a total of 59. Wyoming visits New Mexico in their relocated home in Las Vegas as a 17.5-point road favorite with the over/under at 52.There is only one college basketball game on national television, yet it is a marquee matchup between the #1 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs versus the #2 ranked Baylor Bears. Gonzaga is a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 160. This game tips off at 1 pm on a neutral court at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. CBS has the broadcast. Matchweek 11 of the English Premier League has four matches. At 7:30 AM ET on the NBC Sports Network, Everton visits Burnley as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with the total set at 2.5. Manchester City hosts Fulham on the NBC Sports Network at 10 AM ET with the goal line pending and an over/under of 3.75. Manchester United travels to West Ham United at 12:30 PM ET on NBC as a -0.5 goal line road favorite with the total at 2.75. Chelsea hosts Leeds United at 3 PM ET on the NBC Sports Network as a -1 goal line favorite with the over/under at 3.25.

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