Articles

NFL Playoff Picture

by AAA Sports

Friday, Nov 06, 2020

NFL Playoff Picture: Well, we are officially at the halfway point in the 2020-21 NFL Season. Some teams have shocked us, and some organizations have been a disappointment. With the new format, 14 teams (7 from each conference,) will make the Playoffs. The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the biggest news stories of the NFL so far this season as they are the last remaining undefeated squad. Who would have thought that the 38yr old Ben Roethlisberger would be leading his team to the best record in the entire league? As it stands right now, the Steelers and the Seahawks would get the  #1 seeds in each conference. Here's a look at the playoff picture right now and our predictions. If the playoffs ended today ...  AFC: #1 Steelers, #2 Chiefs, #3 Bills, #4 Titans, #5 Ravens, #6 Colts, #7 Browns. NFC: #1 Seahawks, #2 Bucs, #3 Packers, #4 Eagles, #5 Saints, #6 Cards, #7 Rams Predictions ...  AFC: #1 Chiefs, #2 Steelers, #3 Titans, #4 Bills, #5 Ravens, #6 Colts, #7 Raiders NFC: #1 Seahawks, #2 Packers, #3 Saints, #4 Eagles, #5 Cards, #6 Bucs, #7 Bears

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What does "Chalk" Mean in Sports Betting?

by Big Al Staff

Friday, Nov 06, 2020

What does chalk mean in sports betting? The sports betting industry is all about making quick decisions and not wasting any precious time.  You could spend time writing down the full terms of individual sports betting statistics or using the slang terms.  There are dozens of terms bettors use in their daily sports betting talk, but today we're zooming in on 'chalk' and will explain what chalk means.You always have people who want to enjoy the adrenaline and excitement of wagering but don't feel like taking an inordinate amount of risk.  In any matchup, there's a favorite and an underdog.  In many cases, the games are quite competitive, and either team has a good shot to win the game.  However, sometimes there's a team which is considerably better than its opponent, and is a heavy favorite.  So, for example, a heavy NFL favorite may be favored by 10 points on the point spread, or be a -700 favorite on the money line.  Such heavy favorites are referred to as “chalk” (though the term chalk is also used to refer to any favorite, generally, regardless of size).Bettors who prefer to wager on the favorites are called chalk bettors.  Let's first look at the history behind the term chalk.  Then, we'll dive into the actual strategy behind betting chalk to see if there are alternatives that might work better than merely betting a heavy favorite. Why do we call it chalk? You might wonder, from where does the term chalk come?  Your first inclination might be to think of the old chalkboards you had back in your early days at primary school.  And, even though we're talking about sports betting here, you wouldn’t be far off.  The term actually came from one of the oldest sports that people started betting on -- horse racing.  Decades ago, before tote boards with computerized screens to display the odds were developed, sportsbooks at the horse tracks (or bookmakers in back rooms) used chalkboards to display (and change) the odds.As bettors took the favorites more often, these were the odds that got more frequent updates on the chalkboard.  At the end of the race, you'd see the horse's name that brought in most of the action covered in chalk dust.  And that early gambling term is still with us, today.  These days, however, you'll hear it in a slightly different context.  Some examples: You're a coward for only betting chalk. It was a very chalky NFL Sunday this past weekend. In the first round of the NCAA tournament, the chalk cleaned up nicely. As you can see, bettors have taken the term and have updated it to mean a range of things.  But, let’s take our discussion to anothe level, and ask whether betting on the chalk is worth it?  Does it bring in more cash than doing proper research and betting the underdog now and then?  Let's find out, shall we? Is betting chalk a good sports betting strategy? At first glance, betting the moneyline favorite might sound like a good strategy.  You log on to your favorite sportsbook, scan through the odds, and put in your preferred wagers.  And if you’re betting on heavy favorites, you might win anyway -- even if the odds were poor -- since it's such a heavy moneyline favorite you're betting on.  So, even if you win, because of the odds being so short, you won’t make that much money.  When you withdraw your funds from the sportsbook, you won’t have brought in the big bucks.It makes sense since most heavy favorites carry odds that aren't that interesting for a random wager.  Imagine a moneyline bet between the Boston Celtics and the New Orleans Pelicans.  Boston is not only the superior club, but is playing at home.  The oddsmakers at BookMaker thus install Boston as an 11.5-point home favorite, and set the moneyline odds at -800.  That means you need to stake $800 to win $100 on the moneyline.  It's a very high risk you're taking for a minimal payoff.  What if Boston has an off day, or if there’s an unexpected injury to Jayson Tatum announced right at game time?  A lot can happen in sports.  You may think the bet is “in the bag” when you made it, but sometimes the bag has a hole in it.In contrast, you could choose to bet on the point spread rather than the moneyline.  Or, if you still want to make a moneyline wager, you can choose a team at odds near even money.  Then, you won’t be risking a big stake, and you could walk away with a bigger payday.  Sometimes, it is worth it to take a bigger risk!  And, isn't that what sports betting is all about? Taking a little educated guess at picking a winner?  When you do your research to find the best bets, it makes more sense to take on more risk, and eventually brings you much bigger rewards.How to spot the favoriteBut, what if you prefer taking small risks to make small profits?  What if you're only wagering $10 on a -500 odds moneyline bet?  In that instance, you would only earn $2.  It's not much, but it could help you to build a bigger bankroll and eventually allow you to take more risks.  So where do you start?  And how do you select the right favorites?Back in the days, you could walk up to the counter of your Nevada sportsbook and ask the ticket writer to help you choose the best favorite available.  These days, most sportsbooks are online, and you can usually peruse the odds yourself.  Additionally, you might refer to other gambling websites to review the game match-ups to spot the best situations.  There are a lot of ways for gamblers to access meaningful data.  Here’s some advice if you’re looking to bet on the chalk: Check your favorite sports league to see the current standings.  If there's a team on top of its division, but is not so far ahead that it becomes disinterested, keep a close eye.  No matter whether it's the NFL, NBA, MLB, or NHL, if you spot a team that's outperforming virtually all of its opponents, but has yet to wrap up a playoff position, it might be worth a moneyline wager as big chalk. Check the schedule for any upcoming matches for this heavy favorite.  When it plays against an underperforming team, you might have a situation where you're almost assured a win.           Besides these, there are some other factors that could take your moneyline bet from good to great.  What if the team you’re betting on comes into its game off a rare loss, and wants to atone for that defeat?  And what if its underperforming opponent is off a rare win, and is ripe for a letdown?  Sometimes, the stars align, and you can bet on a big chalk which is highly motivated to win. What is an alternative to betting chalk? The beauty of sports betting in the 21st century is that you have unlimited digital access to sportsbooks and a wealth of information.  Certainly, there are innumerable strategies that you can use.  But we're not here to pick your strategy for you.  All we can do is give you some tips that will help you to develop your strategy.Dive into the statisticsThe first thing you need to do when betting on sports is to become familiar with the statistics.  There's not a single sports bettor who can attain success without ever looking at the statistics.  Imagine betting on the NBA and not knowing the Gregg Popovich-coached San Antonio Spurs are terrific at home when playing with revenge.  That's where you miss out on great wagering opportunities.  You can never keep track of too much -- losing streaks, home advantages, injuries, letdown situations, anything.  It can all contribute to making a wise decision, so take some time to get familiar with the statistics.Don't be afraid to call for helpThere's always a favorite, even in a sport like Golf, with matchups like Abraham Ancer against Webb Simpson at the TPC River Highlands.  But how do you find an edge?  It's not always possible to do the required research.  So, what do you do if you still want to make a bet -- perhaps just for entertainment?  What if you could consult with an expert to find the best bets?Professional handicappers do just that.  They work full-time to research sports and earn money by selling their picks to other sports bettors.  They usually track multiple leagues, and are able to find edges in competitions.  Most handicappers will also give you a free trial to check whether their services match your strategy.  So, especially if you don't have the requisite amount of time on your hands, it can be an intelligent decision to hire a professional.Pick the right sportsbookAnother crucial factor to winning at sports betting is picking the right sportsbook -- and especially if you want to bet on heavy chalk, or if you want to aggregate your chalk bets into parlay bets.  When you look into selecting the right sportsbook, there are a lot of things to consider:  whether it has a modern website, its odds, its banking methods, its sign-up bonuses, its wagering limits, etc.It goes without saying that not every sportsbook is tops at everything.  For example, if you like to play parlays and teasers, then BetAnySports would be your best option.  Likewise, if you want to only bet on straight bets (whether point spreads or moneylines), then BetAnySports (our current #1-rated sportsbook) should be your place to wager since it offers reduced juice (-105 odds rather than -110 odds).  However, if you want to bet $50,000 on an NFL side, then join BookMaker!   Of course, professional gamblers won’t just have one online sportsbook account; they’ll have three to five sportsbooks, at a minimum, so they can shop the lines to get the best numbers.  And another nice benefit of joining multiple sportsbooks is that they’ll give you great sign-up (and reload) bonuses.  For example, BetNow has the biggest sign-up and reload bonuses, and is our #2-rated sportsbook, overall.After reading this article, you now understand what chalk betting is all about.  The term chalk has a rich history and has brought many bettors a lot of money.  If you approach chalk betting the right way, you can flourish as a gambler!  But whatever you do, make sure you have some fun and never wager more than you're able to lose!

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Ness Notes: Thursday Nov 5

by Larry Ness

Thursday, Nov 05, 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." The Mid-American Conference became the first FBS conference to postpone the fall season because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic back on Aug 8 but 'reversed field' on Sep 25 by announcing that a season would be played, one which would feature a six-game, conference-only schedule. All 12 MAC schools opened play last night with defending East Division champion Miami-Ohio (school won its first MAC championship since 2013 in 2019) and defending West Division champion Central Michigan both winning. Ball St led Miami 21-10 but Miami scored the next 21 points. The game was tied late at 31-all, when Miami intercepted Ball St deep in Cardinals' territory and shunned a FG to score on a two-yard TD run with 10 seconds left for a 38-31 victory. Miami has now won NINE straight at home and has gone 24-9 in its last 33 league games. Ohio opened the second half of its game at Central Michigan with a 93-yard KO return TD to go up 27-20 but the Bobcats NEVER scored again, as the Chippewas won 30-27. MACtion returns next week with THREE games on Tuesday and then three more on Wednesday. It's an uneventful Thursday night in CFB, as 0-2 Utah St is at 2-0 Nevada and 1-1 Wyoming is at 0-1 Colorado St in MWC play.NFL Week 9 opens: The Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers both went 13-3 and met in the NFC championship game in 2019. The result was a DOMINATING San Francisco win, as the 49ers led 27-0 at the half and cruised to a 37-20. It's a rematch of that contest in this Week 9 Thursday Night game, as the 49ers again welcome the Packers to Levi's Stadium (8:15 ET on FOX/NFL Network). The 49ers opened 2-3, then followed with B2B wins (24-16 at home against the Rams and 33-6 at the Pats), but then lost 37-27 at Seattle last Sunday. The 4-4 Niners find themselves in last-place in the NFL's toughest division, behind the 6-1 Seahawks, 5-2 Cards and 5-3 Rams. The Packers sprinted to a 4-0 SU & ATS start but after a bye (Week 5), have sandwiched a 35-20 Week 7 win at Houston with a 38-10 loss at Tampa Bay (Week 6) and a 28-22 home loss to Minnesota (Week 8). Green Bay is 5-2 and just a half-game up on the Bears in the NFC North. The 49ers enter with key players injured plus this week, have lost more players to COVID issues. The Packers are now favored by 7 1/2-points and the over/under is 48 1/2..CFB Weekend: THREE ranked teams are in action on Friday, with No. 11 Miami-Fl (5-1) at NC State (4-2) and No. 9 BYU (7-0) visiting No. 21 Boise St (2-0). "We feel good to be at this part of the season and to be at 5-1," Miami coach Manny Diaz said. "It promises to be an exciting and challenging stretch run." The Hurricanes only loss has been at No. 1 Clemson, Both schools are coming off a bye week and for NC State, this marks its FOURTH game against a ranked opponent this season, but FIRST at home. The Wolfpack have lost at then-No. 20 Va Tech, won at then-No. 24 Pitts and lost at then-No. 14 No Carolina. However, NEITHER of those three schools are currently ranked. Miami is favored by 10 1/2points. There just could be some scoring in the BYU/Boise St game, as Boise State has averaged 45.5 PPG (third in the nation) and 454.5 YPG (22nd) over its two first games, while BYU is averaging 44.4 PPG (7th) and 527.7 YPG yards (6th). The Cougars have topped 40 points in SIX of their first seven games for the first time in program history. BYU's 7-0 start is its first since 2001 and its No. 9 ranking places the school inside the AP top-10 for the first time since November 7, 2009. BYU is favored by three points and the over/under line is 61.The BYU and Boise St contest is the first of FOUR matchups featuring ranked opponents. The marquee matchup (and the Game of the CFB 2020 season to-date) is No. 1 Clemson (7-0) at No. 4 Notre Dame (6-0). You may have heard that Trevor Lawrence will NOT play, meaning freshman D.J. Uiagalelei will line up under center for the Tigers for the second straight Saturday. He passed for 342 yards and two TDs plus ran for a third, as Clemson came back from a 28-7 halftime deficit to beat Boston College 34-28 (Tigers were favored by 26 1/2-points). Clemson has won 28 consecutive games against ACC opponents and 40 straight regular season games, the second-longest streak of all-time. Notre Dame is off a less-than-impressive win as well, winning 31-13 at Ga Tech as a three-TD road favorite. The Irish will welcome the Tigers to South Bend owning a 12-game winning streak, the longest active among FBS teams. Clemson is favored by 5 1/2-points .The final two games between ranked teams are No. 5 Georgia (4-1) and No. 8 Florida (3-1) meeting Jacksonville in what's billed as "The World's Largest Cocktail Party" and No. 13 Indiana (2-0) hosting No. 23 Michigan (1-1).The two SEC East schools square off as top-10 teams for the THIRD consecutive season, with Georgia (which owns a 52-43-2 series lead) looking for its FOURTH straight win in the series. "It doesn't clinch it or seal anything, but whoever wins this game certainly is putting themselves in the driver's seat to get to Atlanta," Florida head coach Dan Mullen said (Georgia is seeking a fourth straight SEC title). Georgia is favored by 3 1/2-points. Indiana is 2-0, giving the school its best start in the Big Ten since 1991. Indiana's No. 13 ranking is the school's highest since it was ranked 11th back in 1987. The Hoosiers shocked then-No. 7 Penn St 36-35 in OT at home to open the season and then followed with a 37-21 road win at Rutgers. Meanwhile, Michigan is coming off a disappointing 27-24 home loss to rival Michigan State, further putting heat on sixth-year coach Jim Harbaugh. The Wolverines have gone 8-13 against Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State and Wisconsin during Harbaugh's five-plus year tenure. Think Michigan fans and alumni are loving their $7 million a year (plus) head coach these days? However, let me point out that Michigan hasn't lost to Indiana since 1987. The Wolverines are a three-point road favorite.In 16 meetings so far this season between ranked opponents, the higher ranked team has gone 15-1 SU and 14-2 ATS (the lone SU loser was then-No. 3 Florida losing on Oct 10 at then-No. 21 A&M). Will that trend continue with this weekend's four such matchups? As documented here each week, the dynamic of ranked teams against unranked opponents has seen markedly different results. Ranked teams did win 14 of 18 such matchups last weekend but were still a highly unimpressive 10-8 ATS. The Y-T-D tally sits as such; ranked teams are 68-22 (.756) SU when taking on an unranked opponent but remain a 'money-burning' 36-53-1 (.404) ATS. Will this trend continue throughout the 2020 season? So far, we are still waiting for that "regression to the mean."There are 14 games this weekend in which ranked teams take on unranked opponents, including three contests involving top-10 teams. No. 3 Ohio St is home to Rutgers (Buckeyes are favored by 38 points), No. 6 Cincinnati hosts Houston seeking an 18th straight home win (Bearcats are favored by 13 1/2-points) and No. 7 Texas A&M is at South Carolina (Aggies are favored by 10 points). The Pac 12 becomes the last of CFB's 10 conferences to take the field in 2020. No. 12 Oregon is home to Stanford (Ducks are favored by eight points) and No. 20 USC hosts Arizona St (Trojans are favored by 11 points).Good luck...Larry

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NFL Stock Rising and Falling: Week 9

by Sean Murphy

Thursday, Nov 05, 2020

We've blazed past the midway point of the NFL regular season and while COVID outbreaks are seemingly around every corner, the show must go on. Here's a look at three teams rising and three teams falling as we enter Week 9.Stock RisingIndianapolis ColtsWhile I'm still not certain QB Philip Rivers is the right man to lead the offense, there's no question he's been getting the job done lately. Last Sunday looked like a smash spot for RB Jonathan Taylor but instead it was Rivers (and the Colts) defense that stole the show in Detroit. Now comes a tough matchup back home against what is sure to be a highly-motivated Ravens squad.Arizona CardinalsIt's easy to forget about the Cardinals after their bye week. They return to the field with a favorable matchup against the Tua-led Dolphins this Sunday. Everything was clicking for Arizona prior to the break, particularly on the offensive side of the football. Now we'll see if the Cards can avoid reading their own press and go out and take care of business to move to 6-2 on the season.New Orleans SaintsThe Saints continued their march to the top of the NFC South last Sunday, slipping past the Bears in overtime. News of Drew Brees' demise was apparently premature as he has been on point in recent contests. New Orleans will face its toughest challenge of the season to date this Sunday night as it travels to Tampa to face the red hot Buccaneers. Stock FallingCarolina PanthersThings look pretty bleak in Carolina following three straight losses, including a truly disappointing setback against the Falcons last week. After thriving early in the season, the Panthers offense has struggled, scoring a grand total of 57 points over their last three games. In stark contrast, this week's opponent - Kansas City - has scored 104 points over that same stretch. RB Christian McCaffrey is close to returning but outside of that, it's mostly doom and gloom.Los Angeles ChargersThe Chargers could have been returning home on the heels of two straight victories were it not for a complete collapse against the division-rival Broncos last Sunday. While Los Angeles' defense has been missing a number of key cogs all season, there's really no excuse for Sunday's dismal fourth quarter performance against a very average offense. The Bolts do get a solid bounce-back spot this week as they welcome a Raiders squad that will be traveling back across the country following a sloppy win in Cleveland last Sunday.Detroit LionsAs if things couldn't get any worse, Lions QB Matthew Stafford has landed on the COVID reserve list. Detroit did enjoy consecutive wins at the end of October but those were really fool's gold as they came against the Jaguars and Falcons - two of the league's weakest squads. The Lions will play two of their next three games away from home, starting with a trip to Minnesota to face the suddenly-hot Vikings offense this Sunday. If Stafford can't go they'll obviously be hard-pressed to pick themselves up off the mat.

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

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Nov 05, 2020

The Thursday sports card features NFL Thursday Night Football along with two televised games in college football.The Thursday Night Football game on Fox is a rematch of the NFC Championship Game last January. San Francisco clinched their opportunity to play in the Super Bowl in that showdown on January 19th with their 37-20 victory over the Packers. After the 49ers lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl LIV, many observers presumed that head coach Kyle Shanahan’s team was well-positioned to avoid the jinx that many Super Bowl losers suffer in the next season.Yet the 49ers’ record fell to just 4-4 on Sunday with their 37-27 loss in Seattle. Their poor fortune was made even worse with significant injuries to both quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle, which will keep them out for perhaps the entire season. Green Bay has lost two of their last three games after their 28-22 upset loss at home to Minnesota on Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite. Green Bay is dealing with a handful of injuries as well. Running back Aaron Jones, left tackle David Bakhtiari, and cornerback Kevin King is questionable to play this game on the short week. Wide receiver Allen Lazard and linebacker Christian Kirksey remain on Injured Reserve. The questionable status of Jones has become more ominous with the positive COVID test from rookie running back A.J. Dillon. Both Dillon and running back Jamal Williams were placed on the COVID reserve list. The Packers elevated Dexter Williams from the practice quad to join Tyler Ervin as their only eligible running backs if Jones is not able to play in this game. BookMaker lists Green Bay as a 7-point favorite, with the total set at 48.5. The kickoff on Fox and the NFL Network is at 8:20 PM ET. Two college football games in the Mountain West Conference take place on Thursday. Utah State has lost their first two games of the season after getting blown out at home on Saturday to San Diego State by a 38-7 score. The Aggies have eleven starters back from the team last year that finished 7-6, but they have yet to be competitive in their two conference games. They opened their season with a 42-13 loss at Boise State as a 17-point underdog. Nevada has won their first two games of the season after their 37-19 win at UNLV last Saturday night as a 14-point favorite. The Wolf Pack opened their season with a 37-34 upset win at home against Wyoming as a 2.5-point underdog. Nevada has 15 starters back from the team that was 7-6 last season. Nevada is a 17.5-point favorite with the over/under at 56.5. FS1 televises the game starting at 7 PM ET.Wyoming rebounded from that loss to the Wolf Pack two weeks ago with a 31-7 upset victory at home against Hawai’i as a field goal favorite last Friday. The Cowboys have twelve starters returned from the group that finished 8-5 last year, culminating in a 38-17 victory over Georgia State in the Arizona Bowl. Colorado State was upset in their opening game of the season last Thursday in a 38-17 loss at Fresno State as a 2.5-point favorite. The Rams returned 15 starters from the team that finished 4-8 for first-year head coach Steve Addazio. Wyoming is a 3.5-point road favorite with a total of 52.5. The CBS Sports Network broadcasts this game at 9 PM ET.

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What is "the Spread" in Betting?

by Big Al Staff

Thursday, Nov 05, 2020

What is "the spread" in betting?When you start out as a sports bettor, you may first place moneyline bets, where you simply choose which team wins.  But after getting experience with these simple bets, you might want to broaden your gambling horizon.  Sports betting is very diverse and has many different bet types.  Along with the moneyline wager, the point spread bet is one of the most popular among bettors. The moneyline is used by oddsmakers to assign a favorite and an underdog.  Sometimes, the odds are near pk’em, but at other times, the two teams are not an even match, and the favorite might be -500, while the underdog might be +375.  That's one of the reasons point spread betting started to become popular.  No matter which team you are wagering on, the odds are close to even money.  Instead, as the talent disparity between the two teams increases, the point spread just gets larger.In this betting guide, we'll take you through all there is to point spread betting.  After finishing this article, you'll be ready to place your first point spread bet!<h2>What is the point spread?</h2>A point spread refers to the number of points which gets applied to the final score in any matchup between two teams.  Bookmakers choose which team to install as the favorite and which as the underdog.  Then, both teams are given a set number of points which will be added to (or subtracted from) their final score to determine the point spread winner.  This might seem abstract, but a short example of an NFL game will clear things up: Dallas Cowboys -3.5 New York Jets +3.5 As you can see by the minus and plus sign, the Cowboys are the favorite and the Jets are the underdog.  The Cowboys (at -3.5) need to win by at least 4 points to cover the spread.  The Jets (at +3.5), on the other hand, need to either win the game, or lose by 3 points or less, to cover the spread.  This gives you a short illustration of the point spread.  Basically, you are wagering on the margin of victory.  Now, let's dive into the betting part. <h2>How to get started with point spread betting</h2>You probably have heard the term 'cover the spread' or you have seen the abbreviation 'ATS' (against the spread) when reading statistics about a certain team.  Cover the spread (or against the spread) simply means a team outscored its opponent after the sportsbook’s point spread was applied to the game’s final score.  Often, the abbreviation ATS is used in an overall record (e.g., the New Orleans Saints were 10-6 ATS last season).  Now, to paint a complete picture of point spread betting, we want to dive into the way sportsbooks display the betting odds and how you can calculate your payout.Point spread betting oddsIn the end, when placing a wager the odds are what matter.  You want to find the best odds to make sure you are not wasting any precious money.  With point spreads, the odds are generally -110, though the point spreads might differ by a point or half-point.  However, some books like BetAnySports offer reduced juice, so you can bet football and basketball games at -105 odds rather than -110.  That is a huge advantage for a bettor, and one of the reasons BetAnySports is our #1-rated sportsbook.  Whether -105 or -110 odds, the sportsbook still retains an edge because of the vigorish.  Of course, bookies need to have this edge to cover their operating costs. How to calculate your payout with spread bettingWith simple odds, come simple calculations to see what your bet might payout.  To illustrate this, let's take the example of Super Bowl XLII, a great game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.  The betting line at BookMaker sportsbook looked like this: New England Patriots -12.5 (-110) New York Giants +12.5 (-110) As you can see here, the Patriots were the point spread favorite, while the Giants were installed as the underdog.  There were two possible outcomes for this matchup.  Let's see how we can calculate the amount of money to be made from this bet: You bet $110 on the New England Patriots to cover the spread.  The final score was 17-14 in favor of the Giants which means New England failed to cover as a 12.5-point favorite. You would have lost $110. You bet $110 on the New York Giants to cover the spread.  The final score was 17-14 in favor of the Giants.  This means they covered the 12.5-point spread. You would have won $100 and your total payout would have been $210.  One thing you should understand is the importance of the half-point in the spread.  This takes away the opportunity for the bet to push (tie), such that neither team covers the spread.  When a point spread bet pushes, bettors get a full refund of their initial stake.Run-lines and puck-linesFootball and basketball games are the most popular for point spread bettors, while the moneyline bet is most commonly used in sports like baseball and hockey.  The primary reason for this is that scoring is much less in baseball or hockey games than in football or basketball games.  So, with much greater scoring, it’s easier to come up with a point spread for a football or basketball game, and keep the odds at -110 for both teams.  But, in an effort to increase handle in the less popular major sports like baseball and hockey, oddsmakers came up with run-lines and puck-lines.  In essence, they operate the same as regular point spreads, and are usually set at plus or minus 1.5 runs (or goals).  And they’re often used by gamblers to move the odds closer to -110 rather than, say, -180.Tips and tricks for point spread bettingBy now, you know what point spread betting is all about.  You probably know how to place your bet and that it is one of the most popular forms of wagering in general.  We don't like leaving you in the dark here and want to give you some extra information to make your point spread betting successful.  Thus, we have some tips and tricks to share.NFL and College Football point spreadsThe sport of football is by far the most popular when it comes to the point spread.  Whether it's a tiny spread of a single point, or as big as a 17-point spread, there are a lot of opportunities.  We did some digging and came up with a few statistics or tidbits that you can take into consideration when you first start wagering on the NFL or College Football: The most common margin of victory is 3 points in any NFL game going back to 1980.  In fact, the chance of the winning team beating the opposing team by exactly 3 points is 15.0% (1498 of 9944 games). After that, most NFL games end up in a 7-point margin of victory by the winning team, in 8.4% of all matches (836 of 9944 games). In College Football, from 1995 through 2019, there were 753 overtime games, including 701 with point spreads.  Of those 701, the team which had covered the spread through regulation did not cover 138 games (19.68%) after the overtime session. Usually, point spreads for a game are first published a week before the match occurs.  This leaves a lot of time for the lines to move, and the odds to change.  Keep an eye on point spread movement as your edge will change accordingly.  Betting the middleWith point spread bets, the lines usually shift as time passes.  Oddsmakers first come up with a certain spread number, into which bettors place their wagers.  The sportsbook might notice there's a lot of action on Team A.  Thus, to shift some action to Team B, the sportsbook might change the betting lines to make Team B more appealing.  This could give you an opportunity to step in and bet the middle. Let's say the Dallas Cowboys are playing the Los Angeles Rams.  The Cowboys are initially installed as a 12.5-point favorite, and you decide to place your wager.  As game day approaches, you see the lines shift and the spread number is now -14.5 for the Cowboys.  To bet the middle, you can place a wager in an equal amount on the Rams to cover the spread at +14.5.  Now, if the final score lands on Dallas winning by 13 or 14, you would cash both wagers.  Otherwise, you would go 1-1, and lose only the juice.Find the right sportsbookAs you can see in the description of betting the middle, the sportsbooks play a big role in the field of point spread betting.  It's very common for lines to move and odds to change according to the betting marketplace.  You can benefit from this by keeping notice of everything that's happening and exploit opportunities to bet the middle.  But, more important is picking the right sportsbook. No matter how big or small your wagers are, you need a sportsbook to provide the best odds.  Beyond that, it’s also important to take advantage of possible bonuses and promotions to rake in free money.  Some of our favorite sportsbooks include BetAnySports, which offers -105 reduced juice, Bovada, which offers unique odds, and BetNow, which offers a great sign-up bonus.Since we're talking about point spread betting here, we also want to give you some small tips to take into consideration: You should have accounts at multiple sportsbooks to be able to shop for the best lines.  Point spreads are always moving, so you want to take advantage of the best opportunities. Check whether your current sportsbook publishes their own numbers or copies from the major operators.  This matters when shopping for the best lines since the more unique numbers you get, the better your chance will be to win your bet. The reputation of the sportsbook has to be spotless.  That means they should have their proper licenses, and a perfect payout record.  Plus, a great sportsbook offers a full range of bet types, and in-game betting opportunities. This is a quick list that does not cover each aspect of a proper sportsbook, but it gives you some basics for you to decide where to place your bets.  Regardless of where you are wagering, we want you to enjoy yourself.  The right mindset is important to any successful bettor, so make sure you're in the right state of mind before placing any type of wager!

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Ness Notes: Wednesday Nov 3

by Larry Ness

Wednesday, Nov 04, 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." The Mid-American Conference became the first FBS conference to postpone the fall season because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic back on Aug 8 but 'reversed field' on Sep 25 by announcing that a season would be played, one which would feature a six-game, conference-only schedule. All 12 MAC schools will open the season Wednesday, Nov 4 and then play their next two games on Tuesdays or Wednesdays before transitioning to Saturdays for the final three weeks. Each team will play five division opponents and one crossover opponent in Week 1. The two most noteworthy games are defending league champion Miami (Ohio) opening at home against Ball State and Central Michigan (defending West Division champs) at home against Ohio U. CFB-Part 1: Thursday's Notes will feature my usual CFB preview but this special Wednesday edition takes a look at just how much the pollsters know or DON'T know. Here's a brief history of the AP poll. The news media began running their own polls of sports writers to determine who was, by popular opinion, the best football team in the country at the end of the season. One of the earliest such polls was the AP College Football Poll, first run in 1934. In 1935, AP sports editor Alan J. Gould declared a three-way tie for national champion in football between Minnesota, Princeton, and Southern Methodist. Minnesota fans protested, and a number of Gould's colleagues led by Charles "Cy" Sherman suggested he create a poll of sports editors instead of only using his own list, and the next year the poll was born and it has run continuously since 1936. The AP Poll currently lists the top-25 teams in the nation but from 1936 to 1961 the wire service only ranked 20 teams. Surprisingly, from 1962 to 1967 only 10 teams were recognized. From 1968 to 1988 the AP again resumed its top-20 before expanding to the current 25 teams in 1989.The AP began conducting a preseason poll starting in 1950 and I'll take a quick peek back to see where those predictions stand as the season moves into the month of November. Clemson was ranked No. 1 (38 first-place votes), Ohio St No. 2 (21), Alabama No. 3 (2), Georgia No. 4 and Oklahoma No. 5. Not bad, as the current AP poll (as of Nov 1) has Clemson No. 1 (33), Alabama No. 2 (29), Ohio St No. 3, Notre Dame No. 4 and Georgia No. 5. That's four of the top-5 still in the top-5 with Notre Dame, which opened No. 10 in the preseason poll, replacing Oklahoma. The Sooners are a modest 4-2 and are currently ranked No. 19 and just re-entered the poll on Oct 25, after missing THREE straight polls after losing back-to back games following a win in their season opener.Let's look and some big "swings and misses!" Defending champion LSU was ranked No. 6 in the preseason poll and actually received one first-place (that voter should at least be fined, or maybe placed in 'time out.'). The Tigers opened their season at home vs Miss St and lost 44-34. How bad does that loss look now? The Bulldogs haven't won since beating LSU, going 0-4 while totaling just 30 points! Unranked LSU has added a 45-41 loss at Missouri (Missouri came into that game averaging 15.5 PPG) and just last Saturday, lost 48-11 at Auburn, which was also ranked as one of the nation's biggest underachievers prior to that result. Penn St opened No. 7 and after the Big Ten's late start, is 0-2. The Nittany Lions opened with a 36-35 (OT) loss at Indiana, giving the Hoosiers their first win over a top-10 team since 1987! Penn St lost this past Saturday 38-25 at home to Ohio St and dropped out of the poll after being ranked for 64 straight polls (when eligible). Indiana began unranked in the preseason and is currently 2-0 and ranked No. 17, the school's highest ranking since being No. 11 back in 1987.More misses: North Carolina opened at No. 18 and after a 3-0 Start, was ranked No. 5, the school's highest ranking since 1997. However, the Tar Heels are now unranked, after losing 31-28 at Florida State (Seminoles entered that game 1-3 with their lone win coming over Jacksonville St) and 44-41 at Virginia, which entered that contest on a four-game slide. Is it basketball season yet, ask Tar Heels fans? Minnesota went 11-2 last season and beat Auburn 31-24 in the Outback Bowl as a seven-point dog. It marked Minnesota's first 11-win season since 1904 and the Golden Gophers opened No. 19. However, Michigan beat them 49-24 at home and then the not-so Golden Gophers lost 45-44 at Maryland, which lost 43-3 in its season opener at Northwestern plus was coming off a 3-9 season in 2019 (1-8 in the Big Ten). Iowa opened No. 24 but has opened 0-2 for the first time since 2000 and Tennessee opened No. 25 but is 2-3.Underappreciated was Cincinnati, which opened at No. 20 but has started 5-0 while outscoring its opponents 198-60. The Bearcats have won 17 straight at home and this past Sunday earned a No. 6 ranking, the school's highest since ending the 2009 season ranked No. 4. Nowhere to be found in the preseason poll were now-No. 9 BYU, now-No. 15 Coastal Carolina, now-No. 16 Marshall and now-No. 25 Liberty. BYU was coming off a 7-6 season and saw its schedule completely undone by the pandemic. NINE of the 12 schools on BYU's original schedule announced that they were NOT going to play in 2020. BYU plays football as an Independent and had to scramble to patch together a 2020 schedule. BYU has opened 7-0 and have just THREE games left, a road game Friday at No. 21 Boise St, then home games against North Alabama (an FCS school) and SD State. If the Cougars win on the "blue turf," they'll likely finish 10-0. They are currently ranked No. 9, the first time the school has been in the top-10 since Nov 7, 2009. As for Coastal Carolina, Marshall and Liberty, that trio is a combined 17-0. Who could have predicted that? Surely not the experts voting in the AP poll, which is EXACTLY the point I was trying to make.Good luck...Larry

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Big Al's Daily Angle: UEFA Champions League and NCAA Football Preview

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Nov 04, 2020

The Wednesday sports card features eight matches in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage Matchday 4 in the afternoon along with the debut of Mid American Conference college football in the evening. Six games are on deck to kick off the MAC college football campaign. Two games start at 6 PM ET with Eastern Michigan traveling to Kent State and Akron hosting Western Michigan. Three more games take place at 7 PM ET. On ESPN, Ohio travels to Central Michigan to face the Chippewas with the Bobcats a 2.5-point favorite, and the total set at 57.5 (all odds from BetOnline). Northern Illinois hosts Buffalo on ESPN2 with the Bulls a 13.5-point road favorite and an over/under of 52. The CBS Sports Network has Ball State traveling to Miami (OH) with the hosting RedHawks a 2-point favorite with a total of 56. Toledo hosts Bowling Green on ESPNU at 8 PM ET, with the Rockets a 23-point favorite with an over/under of 62.5.In the UEFA Champions League, two matches start at 12:55 PM ET. Lazio earned their fourth point in Group F last week with a 1-1 draw at Club Brugge. They travel to play Zenit Petersburg, who remained winless in group stage play after a 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund. This match is a pick ‘em with the over/under set at 2.75.Manchester United won their first two matches in Group H after their 5-0 victory over RB Leipzig last week. They travel to Istanbul Basaksehir, who have lost their first two matches in group stage play after their 2-0 loss at Paris Saint-Germain. Man United is a -1.25 goal line road favorite with a total of 2.75.The remaining six matches start at 3 PM ET. Chelsea moved to four points in Group E with their 4-0 victory at Krasnodar last week. They host a Rennes side that has only one point in group play after their 1-0 loss at Sevilla. The Blues are a -1.5 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3. Juventus takes the pitch after a 2-0 loss at home to Barcelona last week. They have three points in Group G as they travel to Ferencvaros, who earned their first point in group play with a 2-2 draw with Dynamo Kiev last week. Juventus is a 1.75 goal lone road favorite with the total set at 2.75.Paris Saint-Germain has four points in Group H after their 2-0 win at Istanbul Basaksehir. They visit RB Leipzig, who has three points in the group after their 5-0 loss at Manchester United last week. This match is a pick ‘em with the over/under at 3.Club Brugge has four points in Group F after their 1-1 draw against Lazio last week. They host Borussia Dortmund, who has four points in group play after their 2-0 win against Zenit. Dortmund is a -0.75 goal line road favorite with a total of 3.FK Krasnodar has one point in Group E play after a 4-0 loss at Chelsea. They travel to Sevilla, who has four points in the group stage after their 1-0 win over Rennes. Sevilla is a -1.75 goal line favorite with an over/under of 3.Barcelona won their first two matches in Group G with their 2-0 victory at Juventus last week. They host Dynamo Kiev, who earned their first point in group stage play after their 2-2 draw at Ferencvaros. Barca is a -2.5 goal line favorite with the total set at 3.75.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.

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What is a Bookie?

by Big Al Staff

Wednesday, Nov 04, 2020

What is a bookie? We're living in a modern society where anyone has access to anything they want at any moment.  When I grew up, if I wanted to purchase a rare, out-of-print record, I would have to travel to different cities in the USA or England to hunt for it.  Now, to find a rare item, it’s as easy as going to Ebay, and you’ll generally have it shipped to your doorstep within a few days.  Going back even further, American settlers had to grow their own food, or hunt for it.  These days, you can order food delivery through Postmates!  Within minutes you might be enjoying cacio e pepe and a chopped salad.  This eliminates the need to leave the house, so we get more comfortable within the comfort of our own four walls.  The rise of the internet has brought a lot of conveniences and even more possibilities.One sector which has drastically changed because of television and, later, the internet is the sports industry.  Before television, professional gamblers might find the need to be present in the arena to stay up to speed on the teams, and to gain the needed edge.  When you were interested in wagering on a match, you had to make a telephonic call to certain people who took bets.  These people were called bookies -- short for bookmakers.  They might either be at an arena, or in a back room, ready and willing to take wagers, before professional sportsbooks were established (and before sports betting was even legal).  My, how the world has changed!These days, there are hundreds of offshore sportsbooks that you can easily access to place a wager.  Also, since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was struck down in 2018 by the Supreme Court, the state of Nevada now has national competition too, as multiple other states across the country have legalized sports betting.  Plus, more importantly, with the rise of the internet in the late 1990s, you can now follow the play-by-play of any sporting event online.  The result is that sports bettors now have unlimited access -- both to sports information, as well as to bookies.  However, with strong competition among bookies, bettors might get overwhelmed when trying to decide the best ones to join.In this article, we'll dive deep into the art of bookmaking.  We'll take you through identifying the right bookmakers to use, and the bookmaker’s role in the sports betting industry.  Basically, everything you need to get started as a successful bettor. What makes the right bookie? The term bookie is slang for bookmaker, a person who accepts bets on sports or other events.  Bookmakers might operate illegally on their own, or as part of a fully-licensed organization, known as a sportsbook.  A bookie sets the betting odds of each match himself, or in collaboration with an oddsmaker.  Large bookmakers will take millions of dollars of wagers every day.  For example, across the state of Nevada, in December 2019, the licensed sportsbooks accepted bets worth over 571 million dollars, and profited over 26 million dollars on those wagers.  Bookmaking is a complicated operation, and there is still intense competition within the industry.  Every year, new sportsbooks pop up, and the market becomes more saturated.  As a bettor, it’s critical to pick the right bookies, and we’re here to guide you through the process.Safety and regulationsThe first thing to consider is the reputation of the sportsbook.  After all, if you’re going to risk your hard-earned money, then you need your capital to be safe and secure.  Whether you choose a licensed bookie inside the United States, or offshore, you can gain comfort in the fact that such bookmaker was granted the proper licenses and certificates to operate in their jurisdiction.It's important to research who you're dealing with.  In our Top 10 Sportsbook rankings, a big factor for being ranked highly is a sportsbook’s longevity.  If a book has a perfect payout record over decades, then it’s a warranted assumption that your money will be safe, and that you will be paid any winnings.  Intertops Sportsbook, for example, was the first sportsbook to take bets online, and it has maintained an unimpeachable reputation throughout its existence.  Technology in sports bettingSince we're talking about online sports betting here, we're very much concerned about technology.  A big differentiator among online sportsbooks is the book’s user interface.  That is, does it have a modern, intuitive website, which is easily navigable by its customers.  Also important is a sportsbook’s live betting platform.  Over the last several years, in-game betting has overtaken pre-game betting as the more popular wager type.  Key to in-game betting is the speed of a sportsbook’s betting platform, as bettors often have a scant amount of time to place their wagers before the odds change.  Additionally, some online sportsbooks even deliver statistics and analytics within their wagering platform to inform their customers about the two opposing teams.  If you’re a bettor who wants the most advanced technology at your chosen sportsbook, then Bovada would be the best sportsbook to join (and is our #3-rated sportsbook, overall).  With the growth of technology, another factor to consider when choosing a sportsbook is its banking methods.  The most advanced online sportsbooks will have a wide range of banking methods, including bank transfer, e-wallets, credit cards and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The more options, the better, since it gives you more flexibility.The importance of betting oddsPerhaps the two most important factors in selecting your bookies are the betting odds, and the uniqueness of their lines, because these two factors directly impact how much, and how often you will win your bets.  First, let’s discuss betting odds.  It’s standard for bookies to offer -110 odds on football and basketball games.  But certain sportsbooks, like BetAnySports and WagerWeb offer reduced juice.  Indeed, BetAnySports is our #1-ranked sportsbook primarily because it offers -105 odds on football and basketball games rather than -110 odds.  And that fact alone is worth over $10,000 dollars a year to the average $500 player.  Besides the odds, the other major factor to consider is whether a sportsbook has unique lines.  Let’s explain.  First, you should understand that each sports gambler needs to have accounts at multiple sportsbooks in order to shop the lines to get the best numbers.  At a minimum, you should have three sportsbook accounts, but ideally, you would want to have five.  And the reason is that every half-point is worth roughly 2% to your win percentage.  You need to have accounts at several online sportsbooks in order to bet into the best numbers.  Of course, this strategy only works if you open accounts at sportsbooks that have unique odds, instead of just copying the odds of other major books (which many sportsbooks actually do).  It would do you no good if you had an account at, say, BookMaker, but also accounts at two other sportsbooks that just copy BookMaker’s numbers!  Most of our top-rated sportsbooks do have unique odds, and include BetAnySports (#1), BetNow (#2), Bovada (#3), BetOnline (#4), BookMaker (#5), and BetUS (#10).  It doesn't matter on which sport you're wagering, the betting odds are paramount.  You might have the New York Yankees at -150 at one bookmaker, but -134 at another.  So, you need to shop around. What is the role of a bookmaker in sports betting? Bookmakers are essential when it comes to the sports betting industry.  Without bookmakers, bettors would be out of action since they would have nowhere to go to place their wagers.  And especially professional bettors.  When you're just betting small amounts of money, it doesn't really matter much, so you could convince a couple of friends to accept the bet.  But, when you want to take things to the next level, you need a proper sportsbook to handle your operations.  Since you're now aware of the essential role of a bookmaker in the industry, let's look at how a bookie makes money.How does a bookie make money?Do bookies make money when bettors place bets?  Of course, without bettors, a bookie wouldn't exist.  But often people don’t understand exactly how a bookie earns money.  First, it must be understood that bookies don’t charge gamblers to place a bet.  There is no service fee, for example.  Instead, the bookmaker charges a fee only on bets that lose.  Typically, that fee is worth 10% of the stake, but some books -- like 5Dimes -- only charge 5% of the stake.  So, if a bettor actually wins over time an amount of money 1.1 times greater than he loses, the bookmaker won’t earn any money off that bettor.  Therefore, it would be reasonable for a sportsbook to try to level the betting action on both sides of a wager.  That means, for example, when the Lakers play against the Knicks, a sportsbook would hope to have an equal amount of money on each team.  This will result in a situation that no matter if the Lakers or Knicks cover the point spread, the sportsbook will make money from the fees it charges on the losing bets.After reading this article, you know all about bookies.  You know it started as an innocent practice that didn't require too much knowledge, but has morphed into a multi-billion dollar industry.  We've discussed what makes a proper bookie, and how sports bettors should select their bet shops. Whatever you do, we are here to assist you in any way!

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Ness Notes: Tuesday, Nov 3

by Larry Ness

Tuesday, Nov 03, 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." MNF: The NFL concluded its Week 8 last night at MetLife Stadium, as the Tampa Bay Bucs recovered from an 11-point deficit in the second quarter to beat the NY Giants 25-23. The Bucs were stuck in 'FG mode' (just like in the team's 20-19 loss at Chicago in Week 5), settling for three FGs until a Brady to Gronk TDP put them up 15-14 (failed two-point conversion try) in the mid-third quarter. The Giants went back up 17-15 but then Brady's second TD pass of the game and Ryan Succop's 4th FG gave Tampa Bay a 25-17 lead. The Giants pulled within 25-23 on a 19-yard scoring pass from Jones to Tate with 28 seconds left but the two-point conversion pass failed. The Bucs are now 6-2, after winning FIVE of six in which Brady's thrown 17 TD passes against just ONE interception. The Bucs host the 5-2 Saints in Week 9 (SNF on NBC), a rematch of New Orleans' 34-23 win over Tampa Bay in Week 1. The Giants fell to 1-7 but have covered FOUR of their last five games (5-3 ATS on the season).Let's check on the Y-T-D numbers, with Week 8 in the books. Home teams went 7-7 SU and 8-6 ATS, including home dogs going 2-3 SU but 4-1 ATS. Home teams remain barely over .500 at 60-58-1 (.508) on the season while going just 53-64-2 ATS (.453). Home dogs check in at 11-29 SU but a more respectable 20-18-2 ATS. Scoring remains high (Week 8 games averaged 47.6 PPG) but resulted in eight overs and six unders. Y-T-D there have been 60 overs, 56 unders and three pushes.NFL Week 8 highlights: My Friday Notes will be dedicated to a "state of the union' NFL report, as the 17-week season hits its midpoint with Week 9. I noted yesterday that Pittsburgh (7-0) remained the lone NFL unbeaten by winning 28-24 at Baltimore, despite the Ravens owning 457-221 yardage advantage. How'd that happen? Baltimore had FOUR giveaways, including a 'pick-6!' In another head-scratching result, the Eagles beat the Cowboys 23-9. Why do I say "head-scratching" knowing the Cowboys are 0-8 ATS? Try this. The Eagles are the first team to have under 250 total yards (222), turn the ball over FOUR times and get sacked FOUR times and still win a game by 14 points since the Dolphins beat the Jets 14-0 in the 1982 AFC Championship Game (Can you say, AJ Duhe?).Monday's headline read: Tua wins his first NFL start! Can't argue with Miami's 28-17 win over the LA Rams, the Dolphins THIRD straight win (Miami is now 4-3). However, didn't Miami win DESPITE Tua? Tagovailoa (picked 5th overall in the first round) fumbled on his first attempt to throw as Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald knocked the ball loose, setting up the Rams on Miami's 15-yard line. Three plays later, it was 7-0 LA. However, the Dolphins scored 28 consecutive first-half points to take a 28-7 lead, thanks in large part to four turnovers (two interceptions, two fumbles) by Rams QB Jared Goff. One fumble was returned 78 yards for a TD plus Miami added an 88-yard punt return TD, as well. As for Tua, he completed 12 of 22 for 93 yards with one TD (zero INTs). His longest completion was for 15 yards and his TD pass was a three-yarder. Joe Burrow was the NFL's No. 1 pick and lines up behind an OL that has allowed 28 sacks and 'fuels' a non-existent running game (101.3 YPG), while Cincy's D allows 26.8 PPG. Still, Burrow is completing 67.0% for 2,2272 yards with 11 TDs and five INTs through eight games, after going 26 of 37 for 249 yards with two TDs and zero INTs in a 31-20 win over the Titans. The Bengals lost at Baltimore by 24 points but their other four losses have come by margins of three, five, four and three points.The Colts lost 27-20 at Jacksonville in Week 1 (Jags are 0-6 since) but their 41-21 rout at Detroit (Lions have now lost SEVEN straight at home) was their FIFTH win in their last six games, moving them into a first-place tie with the Titans in the AFC South. Dalvin Cook ran for 163 yards and scored four TDs (three rushing / one receiving), to lead the Minnesota Vikings to a 28-22 victory at NFC North-leading Green Bay. It snapped the Packers' EIGHT-game winning streak in the division. Patrick Mahomes (name sounds familiar) passed for 416 yards and five TDs, as the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs moved to 7-1. I think Mahomes has a future in this league. Meanwhile, the defending NFC champion 49ers lost 37-27 at Seattle, to fall to 4-4. San Francisco sits in last-place in the NFL's best division, behind the Seahawks (6-1), Cards (5-2) and Rams (5-3). To add insult to injury, TE Kittles and QB Jimmy G both got hurt and each will miss multiple games.Wednesday's and Thursday's Notes will focus on college football, as the MAC and more notably the Pac 12 FINALLY 'join the party.' Saturday's showdowns include No. 1 Clemson (40-game regular season winning streak) playing at No. 4 Notre Dame, which owns the longest active winning streak of any FBS team (12 in a row). Then there is No. 5 Georgia and No. 8 Florida meeting in Jacksonville in what's called "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party!" Good luck...Larry

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NFL Thursday Night Football: 49ers/Packers Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Nov 03, 2020

The Thursday Night Football game on Fox is a rematch of the NFC Championship Game last January. San Francisco clinched their opportunity to play in the Super Bowl in that showdown on January 19th with their 37-20 victory over the Packers. After the 49ers lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl LIV, many observers presumed that head coach Kyle Shanahan’s team was well-positioned to avoid the jinx that many Super Bowl losers suffer in the next season.Yet the 49ers’ record fell to just 4-4 on Sunday with their 37-27 loss in Seattle. Their poor fortune was made even worse with significant injuries to both quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle, which will keep them out for perhaps the entire season. The loss of the All-Pro tight end robs the Niners’ offense of their most reliable target in the passing game. Kittle has 37 receptions this year for 474 yards. Nick Mullens will be the starting quarterback after completing 18 of 25 passes for 238 yards with two touchdown passes in relief against the Seahawks. For the season, the former Southern Mississippi star has completed 69 of 98 passes for 852 yards with a 70.4% completion percentage and an 8.7 yards-per-attempt average. In his 13 career games, which includes ten starts, Mullens has completed 65.9% of his passes for 3129 passing yards with 17 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. San Francisco already has eleven players on Injured Reserve, including Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, Dee Ford, and Raheem Mostert. The Niners have several players out indefinitely along with another list of players questionable for this game played on a short week, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Tevin Coleman. The 49ers also traded away Kwon Alexander, who has missed the last three weeks with a high ankle sprain. He goes to the New Orleans Saints for a conditional fifth-round pick and linebacker Kiko Alonso, who is recovering from a torn ACL. The Niners also experienced a positive COVID test from Kendrick Bourne. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, left tackle Trent Williams, and the questionable Deebo Samuel are all out for tonight’s’ game in quarantine.Green Bay has lost two of their last three games after their 28-22 upset loss at home to Minnesota on Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite. The Packers outgained the Vikings by a 400-324 margin, but they gave up 173 yards rushing to Minnesota in losing that game. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers was sharp in the losing effort. He completed 27 of 41 passes for 291 yards with three touchdown passes. For the season, Rodgers is completing 65.9% of his passes for 1948 yards. He has thrown 20 touchdown passes to just two interceptions. Green Bay is dealing with a handful of injuries as well. Running back Aaron Jones and left tackle David Bakhtiari questionable and game-time decisions tonight with cornerback Kevin King declared out with his thigh injury for this game on the short week. King Wide receiver Allen Lazard and linebacker Christian Kirksey remain on Injured Reserve. The questionable status of Jones has become more ominous with the positive COVID test from rookie running back A.J. Dillon. Both Dillon and running back Jamal Williams were placed on the COVID reserve list. The Packers elevated Dexter Williams from the practice quad to join Tyler Ervin as their only eligible running backs if Jones is not able to play in this game. The Packers were thoroughly defeated twice last season by the 49ers. They were thumped in their regular-season encounter by a 37-8 score on November 24th before the rematch in the NFC Championship Game. The Niners outscored Green Bay by a combined 74-28 margin in those two games with an average winning margin of 23 points. Both of those games were played in Levi’s Stadium, which will also be the site for this showdown. BookMaker lists Green Bay as a 6.5-point favorite, with the total set at 48.5. The kickoff on Fox and the NFL Network is at 8:20 PM ET.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: UEFA Champions League Preview

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Nov 03, 2020

The Tuesday sports card features eight matches in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage Matchday 3 in the afternoon to consider.Two matches start at 12:55 PM ET. Borussia Monchengladbach settled for their second draw in Group B play last week with their 2-2 result with Real Madrid. They travel to Shaktar Donetsk, who earned their fourth point in Group B with their 0-0 draw with Inter Milan. Monchengladbach is a -0.25 road favorite with the total set at 2.75 (all odds from BetOnline).Atletico Madrid rebounded from their 5-0 loss to Bayern Munich in their opening match in Group A with a 3-2 win against Red Bull Salzburg last week. They visit Lokomotiv Moscow who has 1 point in group stage play after losing to Bayern Munich by a 2-1 score. Atletico Madrid is a -1.25 goal line favorite with an over/under of 2.5.The remaining six matches start at 3 PM ET. FC Porto earned their first points in Group C with a 2-0 victory over Olympiakos last week. They host Marseille, who lost their second group stage match to Manchester City last week by a 3-0 score. FC Porto is a -0.5 goal line favorite with a total of 2.25.Man City has won its first two matches in Group C. They host Olympiakos, who have 3 points in Group C after their loss to FC Porto. Man City is a -2 goal line favorite with the over/under at 3.25.Liverpool won their second match in a row in Group D last week with their 2-0 victory against FC Midtjylland. They travel to Atalanta, who earned their fourth point in Group D last week with their 2-2 draw with Ajax. The Reds are a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 3.5.Bayern Munich takes their perfect record after their first two Group A matches on the road to visit RB Salzburg, who remained with 1 point after losing at Atletico Madrid last week. The Bavarians are a -1.5 goal line road favorite with the over/under installed at 4.Ajax earned their first point in Group D with their 2-2 draw with Atalanta. They travel to an FC Midtjylland who have lost their opening two group stage matches. Ajax is a -0.5 goal line road favorite with a total of 3.25. Real Madrid earned their first point in Group B last week with their 2-2 draw at Monchengladbach. They host Inter Milan, who settled for their second straight draw last week with their 0-0 result with Shakhtar Donetsk. Real Madrid is a -0.5 goal line favorite with the over/under at 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.

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