At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes (109) and the Indiana Hoosiers (110). THE SITUATION: Ohio State (2-0) enters this game coming off their dominant 42-0 shutout victory over Cincinnati last Saturday as a 14.5-point favorite. Indiana (2-0) is also undefeated so far this season after they crushed Eastern Illinois last week by a 52-0 score.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Buckeyes offense generated 508 yards of offense against what had been considered a stout Cincinnati defense last week. Sophomore quarterback Justin Fields has fit right into first-year teach coach Jason Day’s offense. The transfer from Georgia has passed for 561 yards in his first two games while throwing nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. He also added 42 yards on the ground last week against the Bearcats while finding the end zone two times in displaying in his dual-threat capabilities. The Over is 3-0-1 in Ohio State’s last 4 games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last game. The Buckeyes also flexed their muscles on defense by holding Cincinnati to just 273 yards of offense. But this Ohio State defense has regressed as of late. They allowed 25.5 PPG last year which was the highest number they have allowed since 1999 while placing them a mediocre tied for 51st in the nation. Even worse, the 403.4 total YPG that the Buckeyes allowed last year was the most they have allowed in 50 years. Nine starters return from that unit that is now operating under new defensive coordinators in Jeff Hafley and Greg Mattison who was poached from Michigan to help with recruiting given his knowledge of the midwest as well as his Super Bowl ring coordinating the Ray Lewis Baltimore Ravens over a decade ago. Frankly, there has been a drop off in recruiting over the years at linebacker and defensive back. So while the Buckeyes held the Bearcats to just 273 yards of offense last week, they have then played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. Ohio State has also played 16 of their last 21 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game. Furthermore, the Buckeyes have played 8 of their last 11 games Over the Total on the road. And in their last 5 games played on field turf, the Over is 3-1-1. Indiana has also been impressive on offense after gaining 555 yards last week against Eastern Illinois. The Hoosiers have then played 14 of their last 17 games Over the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game. Indiana will push the tempo against Ohio State with the hopes of tiring out their athletes on defense. They averaged one play per 22.8 seconds last season which was the 20th fastest tempo in the FBS last year. The third-year head coach has quarterback talent at his disposal with junior Peyton Ramsey back after making all twelve starts last season along with freshman Jack Tuttle who was a four-star recruit who transferred from Utah. But Allen and offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer decided on freshman Michael Penix, Jr. to be their starter given his strong arm and dual-threat running capabilities. He played in three games last year before suffering a season-ending injury that allowed him to redshirt the season. All three quarterbacks played last week but it will likely be Penix under center for this game with Ramsey possibly getting in the game as a change of pace or in mop-up work. The Hoosiers only allowed 116 yards last week to that FCS opponent so let's take that with a grain of salt. Indiana has played 15 of their last 17 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game — and they have also played 25 of their last 32 games Over the Total after not allowing more than 20 points in their last contest. The Hoosiers returned seven starters on defense but it was from a group that allowed their opponents to average +28 YPG above their offensive YPG season average last season which was 93rd worst in the nation. Indiana has played 5 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. They also have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total in Big Ten play.

FINAL TAKE: Ohio State won last year’s meeting by a 49-26 score as a 27.5-point favorite in Columbus. While Indiana may need garbage time to do it, I do expect them to approach that 26 scoring figure at home this season in what looks like a more dynamic offense. But the Buckeyes will likely reach 40 points in this one — and the Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams when playing in Bloomington. With Indiana playing at a fast tempo and Ohio State happy to take the extra possessions, expect a higher scoring game. 25* CFB Fox-TV Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes (109) and the Indiana Hoosiers (110). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (689) and the British Columbia Lions (690). THE SITUATION: Ottawa (3-8) has lost four straight games as well as eight of their last nine games after their 46-17 upset loss at home Toronto despite being a 5.5-point favorite last Saturday. British Columbia (1-10) looks to find a victory after losing at Montreal last Friday by a 21-16 score as a 6.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Redblacks are on the verge of losing complete control of their season after losing to Calgary in the Grey Cup last November. But this remains a proud franchise under head coach Rick Campbell who has been the skipper here since the football team was reformed in the Canadian Football League back in 2014. Expect this team to respond with a strong effort after being embarrassed by a bad Toronto team. Ottawa has played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after an upset loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a loss at home. Campbell has been benched Dominique Davis at quarterback with the hopes that the veteran Jonathan Jennings could give his team a spark. Jennings completed 33 of 42 passes last week for 327 yards in the losing effort. Ottawa had 354 passing yards overall in that game — and they have played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total after passing for at least 350 yards in their last game. The Redblacks now go back on the road where they are scoring only 18.6 PPG while averaging 303.6 total YPG. Over their last three games, this team is scoring only 14.0 PPG along with 338.0 total YPG. Last week’s game finished well above the 51 point total — but Ottawa has played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a game that finished Over the Total. The Redblacks have also played 6 straight games Under the Total after a game where at least 63 combined points were scored. Ottawa did allow 487 yards last week while allowing the Argonauts to average 8.1 Yards-Per-Play — but they have then played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after allowing at least 7.0 YPP in their last game. Turnovers are killing this team as they have endured a -13 net turnover margin this season after losing the turnover battle in two straight games. But the Redblacks have played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after suffering a -1 net turnover margin in at least two straight games. Ottawa has also played 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total in the month of September. British Columbia has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total in September. Despite their seven-game losing streak, this Lions team is playing better defense as they have held their last three opponents to just 22.0 PPG along with only 298.0 total YPG. But British Columbia is generating just 307.3 total YPG over their last three contests. The Lions have played 12 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a loss on the road — and they have played 8 straight games Under the Total after a loss on the road where they covered the point spread as an underdog. Furthermore, BC has played 6 straight games Under the Total after a loss by 8 points or less. Now this team returns home where they have scored only 14.2 PPG while averaging just 230.7 total YPG.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first time since Week Four when the Lions were favored on the road against Toronto — and they won that game by an 18-17 score. British Columbia has played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total when favored. Expect a low scoring game with at least one of these offenses continuing to struggle to score. 25* CFL ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (689) and the British Columbia Lions (690). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Washington State Cougars (107) minus the points versus the Houston Cougars (108). THE SITUATION: Washington State (2-0) has won their first two games this season after their 59-17 win over Northern Colorado last Saturday as a 43-point favorite. Houston (1-1) bounced-back from their nationally televised loss at Oklahoma by defeating Prairie View A&M by a 37-17 score as a 36-point favorite. This game will be playing on a neutral field at NRG Stadium in Houston.

REASONS TO TAKE WASHINGTON STATE MINUS THE POINTS: Head coach Mike Leach returned thirteen starters from last year’s team that finished 11-2. The biggest challenge Leach had in the offseason was finding his new quarterback after he found so much success with grad transfer Gardner Minshew who now finds himself the starting quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The expectation was that Leach would use another grad transfer Gage Gubrond who starred at Eastern Washington. But an impressive fall camp compelled Leach to tap fifth-year senior, Anthony Gordon, as his starter. In Leach, We Trust at this point when it comes to operating his version of the Air Raid offense. He has long been preparing for the post-Luke Falk era who was a three-year starter for this program. He brought in Gordon and Trey Tinsley (another fifth-year senior) as junior college transfers two years ago — and he believes in competition with the Gubrond transfer along with recruiting a talented younger quarterback in redshirt freshman Cammon Cooper. Gordon has validated Leach’s decision as he has thrown for 884 yards with nine touchdown passes and just one interception in his first two starts. Gordon found nine different receivers last week and looks well-equipped to run Leach’s offense. With the top four receivers back from last year along with talented rusher and pass-catching threat in running back Max Borghi along with a strong offensive line that returned four starters from last year, this offense should continue to put up big numbers — and that makes this Cougars team dangerous even when playing on the road. Washington State has covered the points read in 8 of their last 11 games after a straight-up win — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games after a point spread loss. These Cougars generated 594 yards last week — and not only have they covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after scoring at least 40 points in their last game but they have covered the point spread in 7 straight games after gaining at least 450 yards in their last contest. Gordon has passed for 481 and 507 passing yards in his two starts — and Washington State has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games after passing for at least 325 passing yards in two straight games. These Cougars have raced out to fast starts as well as they have scored 24 and 35 points in the first half of their first two games — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after scoring at least 20 points in the first half in two straight games. Washington State usually fares well in these expected higher scoring games as well as they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 15 games with the Total set at 70 or higher. Gordon and this Air Raid offense should shred this Houston defense that surrendered 686 yards to the Sooners in their first game. While Oklahoma makes many defenses look bad, these Cougars’ defenders made it easy for Jalen Hurts in his debut with his new team as he had wide-open wide receivers all night. Houston returned only four starters from last year’s defense while losing future NFL players at all three levels of the unit making this a major rebuilding job for new defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen. I put little stock in their holding Prairie Valley A&M to just 318 yards of offense last week — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after not allowing more than 20 points. Houston has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games after a win at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight games after a win by at least 17 points. Furthermore, while these Cougars raced out to a 34-10 lead last week, they have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games after scoring at least 24 points in the first half of their last contest. Houston potentially has a dynamic offense of their own with senior D’Eriq King under center — but he has struggled at times to get in synch with the new offensive system of first-year head coach Dana Holgorsen. King passed for only 139 yards last week on 15 of 26 passing against an FCS opponent while not rushing for positive yards. That is not a good sign for what is shaping up to be a shootout — and this Washington State defense has been much improved over the last few seasons after seeing improvements in points allowed in four straight games. Six starters return from that unit for second-year defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys from a group that led the FBS by generating sacks in 14% of their opponents in Passing Down situations. Washington State has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than 20 points in their last game.

FINAL TAKE: Washington State usually thrives in situations like this — they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 9 games in September while also covering the point spread in 5 of their last 6 non-conference games. Houston has failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 12 games played on field turf. 25* CFB Friday ESPN Game of the Month with the Washington State Cougars (107) minus the points versus the Houston Cougars (108). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101) and the Carolina Panthers (102). THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (0-1) looks to bounce-back from their 31-17 upset loss at home to San Francisco on Sunday. Carolina (0-1) comes off a 30-27 loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams where they closed as a small +1.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Jameis Winston was not magically transformed in his first game under new head coach Bruce Arians as he completed just 20 of 36 passes for 194 yards while throwing three interceptions in that loss to the 49ers. Arians has had success with some big names quarterbacks in the past — but the growth of Peyton Manning did not demonstrate itself until his second season with Arians while Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer did not see their big bumps in play until their third with the coach. The Buccaneers generated only 295 yards of offense in that game with one of their touchdowns coming from a 15-yard interception return. But the encouraging aspect of that loss to San Francisco was the improved play of the defense under first-year defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. After ranking 27th in the NFL by allowing 383.4 total YPG, Bowles defense limited the 49ers to only 256 total yards. This defense had nowhere to go but up after being at the bottom of the league over the last two seasons — but this group was also hit hard by the injury bug as they lost 92 adjusted games to injury according to the analytics (which was the most in NFL history using that measurement). Arians and Bowles also significantly remodeled this defense with draft picks and free-agent acquisitions headlined by bringing in Ndamukong Suh. The Niners put 31 points up on the board but two of those touchdowns came from two pick-sixes surrendered by Winston (which was clearly a topic of conversation with Arians this week). As it is, Tampa Bay has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after allowing at least 30 points in their last game. The Buccaneers have also played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a double-digit loss at home — and they have played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total suffering an upset loss at home by at least two touchdowns. And in their last 6 games against fellow NFC opponents, the Bucs have played 5 of these games Under the Total. Carolina has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a narrow loss by 6 points or less. The Panthers have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Quarterback Cam Newton was not very impressive in that loss as he completed 25 of 38 passes for just 239 yards with zero touchdown passes and an interception while failing to gain positive rushes with his legs. While head coach Ron Rivera claims Newton is completely healthy, he did injure his leg in the preseason which might be slowing him down now. Furthermore, Newton may not be fully recovered from the shoulder problems from last year which severely limited his effectiveness in the second half of last season — there was talk at one point of the team shutting down their franchise quarterback for the entire season like Indianapolis did with Andrew Luck two years ago. Newton enjoyed a sensational month of October in his first season under offensive coordinator Norv Turner before things went south when the team lost seven of their last eight games with Newton’s arm strength limited with his shoulder injury. But according to the DVOA metric used by Football Outsiders, the Panthers have only ranked in the top-ten in offensive efficiency just once in their last five seasons with their average finish being 16th in the NFL — so this will likely remain a middling offense. Moving forward, Carolina has played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 5 of their last 6 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 13 of their last 19 games played in Carolina Under the Total. With the Total set in the high 40s, expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFC South Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (101) and the Carolina Panthers (102). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:20 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (929) and the Detroit Tigers (930) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Spencer Turnbull. THE SITUATION: Detroit (43-100) has won three of their last five games after their 12-11 win over the Yankees in the opening game of this series on Tuesday. New York (95-51) saw their three-game winning streak snapped with that loss. Yesterday’s game was postponed due to weather so this pitching matchup represents the second game of their afternoon double-header.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is now a decisive 51-25-3 in the Yankees’ last 79 games on the road — and they have played 14 of their last 19 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% at home. Additionally, New York has played 14 of their last 18 road games Over the Total when priced at least at -175 as the favorite. The Bronx Bombers have also played 35 of their last 56 games Over the Total with the number set at 10 or higher. They give the ball to Sabathia who comes off the disabled list to make this start — he is 5-8 with a 4.93 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in twenty starts this year. The veteran left-hander has struggled in the second-half of the season with a 7.77 ERA in his six starts since the All-Star break. He has been particularly ineffective on the road where he sees his ERA rise to a 6.75 mark along with a 1.62 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .312. New York has played 4 straight games Over the Total with Sabathia pitching on the road. He will be followed up by Domingo German with manager Aaron Boone looking to limit the innings of both pitchers going into the postseason. The right-hander has a 17-4 record with a 4.21 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP this season — and he has struggled on the road with a 5.73 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .257 as opposed to his 2.35 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and .197 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. They face a hot-hitting Tigers team that is scoring 5.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .282 batting average along with a .320 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .720 over that span (which all compare favorably to their 3.7/.240/291/.680 splits for the entire season). Detroit has played 8 of their last 9 games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total at home. And in their last 7 second games of a double-header, the Tigers have played 5 of these games Over the Total. They counter with Turnbull who is 3-14 with a 4.68 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in twenty-six starts. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he has a 4.92 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP with an opponent’s batting average of .281 in fourteen starts. Turnbull also has a 5.07 ERA in his twelve starts during the day with a 1.56 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .296. The Over is 3-0-2 in Detroit’s last 5 games with Turnbull facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Yankees team that is scoring 6.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .264 batting average along with a .330 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .907.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams entering the opening game of this afternoon’s doubleheader. With bullpens strained a bit today (especially after last night’s scoring fest), except a high scoring second game in this double-header. 25* MLB American League Getaway Game Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (929) and the Detroit Tigers (930) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Spencer Turnbull. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Reds (979) and the Seattle Mariners (980) listing both starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Marco Gonzales. THE SITUATION: Seattle (59-86) snapped a six-game losing streak last night with their 4-3 win over the Reds. Cincinnati (67-78) has lost three of their last four games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Reds have played 5 of the last 7 games Under the Total after a loss. And while Cincinnati has not scored more than four runs in each of their last three games, they have then played 21 of their last 32 games Under the Total after failing to score more than four runs in at least three straight games — and they have played 11 of their last 13 games on the road Under the Total after failing to score more than four runs in three straight contests. The Reds have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and the Under is a decisive 34-16-1 in their last 51 road games against teams with a losing record at home. They give the ball to Gray who is 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The veteran right-hander has allowed only 12 combined earned runs over his last twelve starts. Gray has only allowed one earned run over his last two starts — and Cincinnati has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with Gray pitching after not allowing more than one earned run in two straight starts. Gray has also been more effective on the road where he has a 2.58 ERA with an opponent’s batting average of .189 in thirteen starts as opposed to his 2.90 ERA with a .212 opponent’s batting average at home. The Reds have played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total when his team is pitching as a favorite priced in the -100 to -150 range. He should thrive against this slumping Mariners lineup that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games along with a .172 batting average, .241 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .564 over that span. Seattle has played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers. The Mariners are hitting just .161 over their last five games — and they have played 12 of their last 18 games Under the Total after not hitting better than .200 over their last five games. Furthermore, Seattle has played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. And in their last 4 games in Interleague play, the Mariners have played all 4 games Under the Total. They counter with Gonzales who is 14-11 with a 4.37 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in thirty starts. The left-hander has been a bit better at home where he owns a 4.32 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .267 in fourteen starts as compared to his 4.42 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and .282 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Mariners have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with Gonzales on the hill. He faces a Reds team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .234 batting average in those contests. Cincinnati has played 20 of their last 28 road games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of the last 6 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 11 meetings Under the Total — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing at Seattle. Expect another lower scoring game. 25* MLB Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Cincinnati Reds (979) and the Seattle Mariners (980) listing both starting pitchers Sonny Gray and Marco Gonzales. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the Phoenix Mercury (601) plus the points versus the Chicago Sky (602). THE SITUATION: Phoenix (15-19) limped into the playoffs having lost four straight games after their 98-89 loss at Las Vegas on Sunday as a 4-point underdog. Chicago (20-14) saw their two-game winning streak snapped on Sunday with their 100-86 loss at Washington as a 6.5-point underdog. These two teams meeting Chicago in this single elimination contest in the first round of the WNBA playoffs.

REASONS TO TAKE THE MERCURY PLUS THE POINTS: Phoenix is a veteran basketball team that has been in the WNBA championship hunt in each of the last five seasons after winning the title in 2014. They are led by two of the best players in the league in Brittney Griner and DeWanna Bonner who scored 20.6 PPG and 17.2 PPG respectively. The team has been without their third superstar, Diana Taurasi, for most of the season as the 37-year old veteran has only played six games this season. The future Hall of Famer did return down the stretch of the season but she really struggled by making only 4 of 39 shots from the field while nailing just one of their 24 shots from behind the arc as she recovers from her back injury that kept her out most of the season. Head coach Sandy Brondello has indicated that her recurring back issues will keep her out of tonight’s game. Frankly, that may be a blessing in disguise given how she was shooting the basketball. The Mercury added depth in the offseason by drafting three rookies to prepare for a potential playoff run. And this is a team that is quite familiar in this role in the playoffs as they have pulled upsets in the last two postseasons in this single-elimination first round. Behind Griner and Bonner, this is a dangerous team in one-and-done as they have covered the point spread in 21 of their last 30 games as an underdog — and they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games on the road as the dog. Look for this team to play better on the defensive end of the court after allowing their last four opponents to shoot at least 45.9% from the field. Phoenix has covered the point spread in 11 of their last 14 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games after allowing their last four opponents to make at least 45% of their shots. Furthermore, the Mercury have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 8 games on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 11 games against teams from the Eastern Conference. Chicago returns for the playoffs for the first time since 2016 — but that makes them precarious favorites when hosting a veteran playoff-savvy opponent. The Sky as a franchise has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games in the first round of the playoffs. They have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games after a double-digit loss on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games are a loss on the road to an Eastern Conference foe. And while Chicago has made at least 50% of their shots in three straight games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 31 games after making at least 45% of their shots in three straight games. The Sky are second in the WNBA by averaging 84.6 PPG — but offense does not always translate into the postseason given the pressure of the situation. Chicago also has an injury issue with one of their starting centers, Jantel Lavender, out the season with a foot injury. That leaves this Sky team a bit small in the paint which makes them vulnerable to Griner and Bonner who stand at 6’9 and 6’4 respectively. Her absence down low has contributed to their last two opponents to pull down 14 and 12 offensive rebounds in their last two games — and Chicago has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games after allowing at least 11 offensive rebounds in two straight games.

FINAL TAKE: The key to Chicago’s ascendance this season was improved play on defense after they allowed -4.4 PPG more than the second most porous defensive team in the league last year. Rookie head coach James Wade got this group to play better defense for most of the season — but over their last five games, their defensive efforts have taken a step back as they have ranked just 10th in the WNBA in Defensive Rating over their last five games. With the best two plays in this game playing for the Mercury, expect a very close game where having the points will serve as very nice insurance. 25* WNBA First Round Playoff Game of the Year with the Phoenix Mercury (601) plus the points versus the Chicago Sky (602). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates (909) and the San Francisco Giants (910) listing both starting pitchers Mitch Keller and Johnny Cueto. THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (63-81) snapped a two-game losing streak yesterday with their 6-4 victory over the Giants in the opening game of this series. They scored four runs in the top of the 9th inning to pull out that win. San Francisco (69-75) has no lost two straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Pirates have seen the Over go 8-2-1 in their last 11 games after a win — and the Over is a decisive 41-18-4 in their last 63 games after scoring at least five runs in their last contest. Pittsburgh has also played 9 of their last 12 games Over the Total on the road — and they have played 6 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a losing record at home. They give the ball to Keller who is 1-3 with an 8.18 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP in eight starts this season. The 23-year old right-hander has shuttled back and forth between the majors and minors this season but the Pirates want to use these September games as an opportunity to audition for next year. He has done his best pitching at home in the pitcher-friendly PNC Park where he owns a 4.76 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .262 — but those numbers skyrocket in his four starts on the road where he has an 11.81 ERA with a 2.56 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .423. The Over is 3-0-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 4 games on the road with Keller on the hill. He faces a Giants team that has seen the Over go 4-1-1 in their last 6 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Over is 5-2-1 in San Francisco’s last 8 games after a loss — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Giants are slumping with their bats as of late as they have not scored more than those four runs last night in three straight games. San Francisco is also hitting just .193 over their last five games — but they have then played 11 of their last 12 games Over the Total after hitting no better than .200 in their last five games. The Giants have also played 22 of their last 33 games Over the Total after failing to score more than four runs in three straight contests. Additionally, the Over is 3-1-1 in San Francisco’s last 5 games at home — and the Over is 4-1-1 in their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They counter with Cueto who is making his season debut after recovering from Tommy John surgery which has kept him on the shelf for thirteen months. The 33-year old right-hander was 3-2 with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in nine starts last year before suffering his elbow injury. The sabermetrics were not encouraging with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.47 and 4.52 from his peripheral numbers. Cueto was not as effective at home either where he had a 5.19 ERA with a 1.69 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .333 in five starts as compared to his 1.33 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and .125 opponent’s batting average on the road. Those disparate home/road splits were consistent with his numbers two years ago with a deeper sample size as he had a 4.60 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and .288 opponent’s batting average at home in twelve starts as compared to his 4.44 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and .267 opponent’s batting average in thirteen starts on the road. The Over is 19-5-2 in the Giants’ last 26 home games with Cueto on the hill. The Pirates have played 5 of their last 7 road games against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 14-6-2 in their last 22 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 9-3-3 in the last 15 games between these two teams played in San Francisco’s AT&T Park. Expect a higher-scoring game tonight. 25* MLB National League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates (909) and the San Francisco Giants (910) listing both starting pitchers Mitch Keller and Johnny Cueto. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:20 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Oakland Raiders (482) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (481). THE SITUATION: Oakland (0-0) looks to improve from their 4-12 campaign last season. Denver (0-0) also looks to better themselves this year after suffering a 6-10 record last season.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAIDERS PLUS THE POINTS: It should be an energetic environment in the Coliseum in what will be the last home opener for these fans before the franchise relocates to Las Vegas. Oakland is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 appearances on Monday Night Football. This should be an improved football team in the second year under head coach Jon Gruden with groups usually making a big jump in Year Two under new systems. I also expect this group of players to rally around each other to play inspired football in the wake of the Antonio Brown debacle. It is hard to call his departure to New England to be a big loss since he never really practiced with the team in the preseason. Tyrell Williams was a nice pickup from the Los Angeles Chargers which upgrades the wide receiver corps from last season and tight end Darren Waller looks poised to enjoy a breakout season after a strong training camp. But I expect the gem in this offense to be rookie running back Josh Jacobs who was sensational for Alabama in what was often a reserved role under head coach Nick Saban. Look for Gruden to fully unleash Jacobs now. The Raiders have also covered the point spread in 3 of the last 4 games in the opening two weeks of a new season. Denver is just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games in the month of September. The Broncos should improve under new head coach Vic Fangio who has finally received a chance to be a head coach. Fangio is one of the best defensive coaches in the business but it often takes a year for his players to fully embrace his complex schemes. The offense is also undergoing a system change with first-year offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello installing a run/play-action based attack. But the former 49ers’ quarterback coach’s highest experience of calling plays was at the FCS level so there may be some growing pains early on as he gets comfortable with new quarterback Joe Flacco. The hope of team president John Elway is that Flacco will offer the veteran leadership under center that he once did for this franchise which was then replicated with Peyton Manning leading the team a third Super Bowl championship. But Flacco has seen is adjusted net yards per passing attempt decline in each of his last four seasons which raises concerns that the 34-year old has seen a decline in his skills. His lack of mobility in the pocket is also at odds with where many offenses are moving in the modern NFL. Flacco will be working under a retooled offensive line that is replacing 36 starts from last year’s group. The hope is that offensive line coach Mike Munchak will coach this group up — but there are questions regarding the talent level of this unit with left tackle Garrett Bolles being a disappointment in his first two seasons and second-year center Connor McGovern coming off a disappointing rookie season. These are all troubling issues for a team that failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games on the road. Denver also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams from the AFC West — and they are just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 appearances on Monday Night Football. Additionally, the Broncos have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games when listed in the +/- 3-point range — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games when not laying more than 3 points.

FINAL TAKE: Denver has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 meetings with Oakland. With the Raiders motivated by the home crowd and to prove themselves with the Brown drama behind them, look for this team to play inspired football tonight. 25* AFC West Game of the Month with the Oakland Raiders (482) plus the points versus the Denver Broncos (481). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (479) and the New Orleans Saints (480). THE SITUATION: Houston (0-0) takes the field again after an 11-5 season that ended with a 21-7 loss at home to Indianapolis in the first round of the AFC playoffs. New Orleans (0-0) enter this season coming off a 13-3 campaign that ended in bitter disappointment with the no-call pass interference in the NFC Championship Game that eventually ended in a 26-23 loss in overtime to deny their opportunity to return to the Super Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Saints averaged 30.4 PPG last season which is one of the reasons that the Total is set in the 50s for this contest. But New Orleans closed out last season playing 7 of their last 9 games Under the Total. Over their last three games, the Saints scored only 19.0 PPG while averaging just 334.7 total YPG. It appeared that quarterback Drew Brees tired as the season moved on. But this is also a team that relied on their ground game to burn time off the clock to keep their defense fresh and off the field. This was a possession-based offense under head coach Sean Payton — and this will likely continue tonight with Deshaun Watson the opposing quarterback. It was not just the home stretch of the season where the Saints’ offense slowed down — they averaged only 19.6 PPG over their last seven contests. Another problem for this offense was that it became apparent that the team lacked a reliable third option after wide receiver Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara. The organization attempted to address that situation with the free-agent signing of tight end Jared Cook after his breakout season with the Raiders. Maybe — but Cook was the beneficiary of an offense that lacked significant threats at wide receiver (which is why Oakland signed Antonio Brown and Tyrel Williams at that position in the offseason). The conventional was once that this New Orleans offense thrived when playing on field turf — but they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing on turf. The Saints have also played 15 of their last 24 games Under the Total with the number set at 49.5 or higher. Houston started slowly last season as they scored only 19.7 PPG in their first three games of the season. The Under is 8-3-1 in the Texans’ last 12 games in the month of September under head coach Bill O’Brien — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total in the first two weeks of the season. Houston also scored only 19.0 PPG over their final three games last season culminating in their disappointing effort at home against the Colts in the playoffs. The offense suffered a big blow with the injury to running back Lamar Miller. Acquiring Duke Johnson was helpful but his skills are more as a receiver than as a rusher — and the recently added Carlos Hyde has failed to stick with his previous three teams in the league. The Texans will lean on their defense that was tied for 4th in the NFL by holding their opponents to just 19.8 PPG. This defense will still be good despite trading away Jadeveon Clowney as this move will allow the talented Whitney Mercilus to take over his role on the defense next to J.J. Watt.

FINAL TAKE: Houston has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games on the road Under the Total as the dog getting 3.5 to 7 points. 25* NFL Monday Night Football O/U Special Feature with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (479) and the New Orleans Saints (480). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:20 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (477) and the New England Patriots (478). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (0-0) looks to get back to the postseason after they were left on the outside looking in after a 9-6-1 campaign last year. New England (0-0) lifted the Lombardi Trophy once again last year with their 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots won the Super Bowl on the strength of their outstanding defense that limited the powerful Rams offense to just 260 total yards. This young unit is only getting better. New England held their last three opponents to only 295.0 total YPG. The Patriots’ defense was also very tough to move the ball against when playing at home in Gillette Stadium where they limited the visitors to only 17.9 PPG along with just 321.2 total YPG. New England has played 4 of their last 5 games at home Under the Total — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as the favorite laying 7 or fewer points. But don’t be surprised if the Patriots are not crisp on offense. Tom Brady is adjusting to a new philosophy after the retirement of tight end Rob Gronkowski. It has not been a smooth preseason for Brady in getting comfortable with his wide receivers. Demaryius Thomas has been injured along with rookie first-round draft pick N’Keal Harry. Josh Gordon has been cleared by the NFL to be eligible to play once again in the league but he did not take much part of training camp. And then the team signed Antonio Brown yesterday who will not be eligible to play tonight since the league deadline for rosters this week already passed. As it is, New England uses the first few weeks of the regular season to continue to install their offense — so this will very much be a work in progress. Expect the Patriots to rely on their power running game to keep the Steelers offense off the field (and that will keep the clock moving). New England has played 5 of their last 7 opening games to a new season Under the Total. Pittsburgh had an underrated defense last season that led the NFL with 52 sacks. The Steelers limited their home hosts to just 22.5 PPG last year along with only 325.0 total YPG — and they held their last three opponents to just 311.3 total YPG. This defense will improve with the addition of rookie first-round draft pick Devin Bush who provides them the ball-hawking linebacker they have lacked since the career-ending injury to Ryan Shazier. Pittsburgh has played 12 of their last 15 games on the road Under the Total — and this includes them playing 9 straight games on the road Under the Total with the number set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. Pittsburgh has also played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams from the AFC — and they have played 10 of their last 11 road games Under the Total against AFC rivals.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams last played on December 16th in Pittsburgh where the Steelers pulled off a 17-10 upset win as a 2.5-point underdog. These two teams have played 4 of their last 5 meetings Under the Total. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFL AFC Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (477) and the New England Patriots (478). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the New York Giants (475) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (476). THE SITUATION: New York (0-0) enters the new season looking to improve on a 5-11 campaign last year. Dallas (0-0) has Super Bowl expectations after a 10-6 regular season before losing in Los Angeles to the Rams in the NFC Divisional round of the playoffs by a 30-22 score.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GIANTS PLUS THE POINTS: The Cowboys have the swagger of a team that believes they will pick right up where they left off after losing on the road to the eventual NFC representative in the Super Bowl in the Rams. But teams that treat Week One of the new season as just the carryover of the previous week of last year tend to get bit — Chicago was the latest example of this phenomenon on Thursday night when they were upset at home against a divisional rival in the Packers. As it is, Dallas has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 opening weeks to a new season. This is a new that has some kinks to still work out with a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore. Running back Ezekiel Elliott is back with the team this week after being given his new contract despite two years remaining on his deal. But not only will he have some game rust but there has not been much practice time for him to get back into synch with QB Dak Prescott and the rest of this offense. Elliott will likely get 20 to 25 touches in this game. The Cowboys host this contest but they have only failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 8 home games with the Total set in the 42.5 to 49 point range. The Dallas defense is a concern as well entering the new season. They entered that playoff game with the Rams having allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 65.1% of their passes since Week 13 with those QBs averaging 7.4 Yards-Per-Pass Attempt along with seven touchdown passes to just one interception. They also had registered just five sacks in their previous five games before failing to sack Jared Goff even once in that loss. The Cowboys run defense then allowed the Rams (even with an injured Todd Gurley) to rush for 273 yards on 48 carries for a robust 5.69 Yards-Per-Carry average. Here comes Saquon Barkley who was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by rushing for 1307 yards while averaging 5.0 Yards-Per-Carry. While it would be foolish to read too much into preseason numbers, I am not ignoring how efficient the Giants’ offense was in the preseason with all four of their quarterbacks under center in the second year under offensive coordinator Mike Shula. New York led all teams in the preseason with nine touchdowns and 119 total points while averaging 305.5 passing YPG and 393 total YPG. Shula’s schemes were working — I do not expect this offense to suffer from the sluggishness that we saw on Thursday from both the Packers and the Bears after their offensive starters did not play much in the preseason. QB Eli Manning got plenty of reps in August after playing in the first three preseason games. While the hype around rookie Daniel Jones intensified, what has continued to go under the radar is the fine season Manning enjoyed last year where he completed 66% of his passes for 4299 passing yards with 21 touchdown passes and just 11 interceptions in what was one of the best statistical seasons of his career. Golden Tate will not be available in this game given his PED suspension for the first four regular-season games but Sterling Shepard is listed as probable despite his thumb injury — and tight end Evan Engram is poised for a breakout season in his third year in the league. The defense should be much improved with the additions of Jabrill Peppers (in the Odell Beckham trade) along with the drafting of Clemson’s massive defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence and Georgia cover cornerback Deandre Baker in the first round of the NFL draft. New York has covered the point spread in 7 straight games on the road. The Giants have also covered the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games as an underdog getting 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 road games getting 3.5 to 7 points.

FINAL TAKE: New York has certainly had this opening game circled after getting swept by the Cowboys last year. The Giants played in twelve games last year decided by one scoring possession — and they lost eight of those contests for a -4 net close loss number. They should be very competitive in this contest (and don’t be shocked if they follow Green Bay’s lead and pull off the road upset against a divisional rival coming off a playoff run — but still take the points for some insurance). 25* NFL NFC East Game of the Month with the New York Giants (475) plus the points versus the Dallas Cowboys (476). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). THE SITUATION: Tulane (1-0) enters this game looking to build off their 42-14 win over Florida International as a 3-point favorite back on August 29th. Auburn (1-0) eked out a 27-21 win over Oregon as a 4-point favorite last Saturday against Oregon.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Freshman quarterback Bo Nix was shaky in his collegiate debut — he completed only 13 of 31 passes for 177 yards. Head coach Gus Malzahn kept the playbook limited with his freshman with the team doing little to stretch the field against a Ducks defense that is certainly not elite. While I expect Nix to get more of the playbook tonight, it is telling that Malzahn did not feel comfortable in his quarterback to start airing the ball out — even when they were trailing for most of that game with Oregon. But perhaps that is because he had complete confidence in his defense that returned seven starters including an outstanding defensive line from a unit that ranked 14th in the nation last year by holding their opponents to just 19.2 PPG. The Tigers held the Ducks with their Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback Justin Herbert to just 332 yards of offense in that victory. Moving forward, Auburn has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a straight-up win. Now the Tigers return home from that game played in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta where they have played 10 of their last 14 games Under the Total. Auburn has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total in the month of September after last week’s game fell below the 55.5 point Total. Furthermore, the Under is 18-7-2 in the Tigers’ last 27 games against teams outside the SEC — and the Under is 20-8-1 in their last 29 games against teams with a winning record. Tulane has played 4 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 20 points — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with eight days of rest and preparation. The Green Wave generated 545 yards of offense against the Golden Panthers under senior quarterback Justin McMillan. Tulane has then played 5 straight games Under the Total after scoring at least 40 points in their last game — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after generating at least 450 yards in their last game. The Green Wave gained 350 of those yards on the ground as they flexed their muscles in controlling the line of scrimmage — and this will likely be the strategy in pulling this upset. Tulane plays at a fast tempo under new offensive coordinator Will Hall — but running the football still shortens the game with the clock continually moving. The Green Wave have played 5 of their last 5 games Under the Total after rushing for at least 275 yards in their last game. Tulane has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total on the road — and they have played 7 of their last 8 road games Under the Total as the underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Tulane has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against teams outside the American Athletic Conference — and they have also played 6 straight games Under the Total against teams from the SEC. 25* CFB ESPN2 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Tulane Green Wave (371) and the Auburn Tigers (372). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Missouri Tigers (320) minus the points versus the West Virginia Mountaineers (319). THE SITUATION: Missouri (0-1) looks to bounce-back from an upset 37-31 loss at Wyoming last Saturday despite being a 15-point favorite. West Virginia (1-0) comes off a 20-13 win at home over James Madison as a 7-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGERS MINUS THE POINTS: Missouri raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter while dominating the yardage battle with the Cowboys by a 144 to 28 margin. But then the turnover bug hit the Tigers with Wyoming taking full advantage to go into halftime with a 27-17 lead. Missouri outgained the Cowboys by a dominant 537 to 389 yardage margin but their -3 net turnover margin cost them the game — including a fumble that Wyoming returned for a 33-yard touchdown. The Tigers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after an upset loss on the road laying at least a touchdown — and they have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset loss as a double-digit favorite. Additionally, Missouri has rebounded to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a straight-up loss — and they have covered the point spread in a decisive 33 of their last 49 home games after a loss on the road. The silver lining for this team was the strong play under center of quarterback Kelly Bryant. The former Clemson quarterback completed 31 of 48 passes for 423 yards with two touchdowns. The transfer looks to be a fine replacement for the graduated Drew Lock who was drafted by the Denver Broncos. Thirteen starters returned from an 8-5 team last year with seven joining Bryant on offense and six starters along with five of the top seven tacklers back on defense. Now this team returns home where they have covered the point spread 8 of their last 11 games — and they have also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. West Virginia escaped suffering an upset loss to a James Madison team that ranks #2 in the nation in the FCS. But it is not a good sign for this team that the Dukes dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage. That does not bode well when now traveling to face an SEC team with five offensive linemen that all weigh at least 310 pounds. The Mountaineers survived that game through special teams and turnovers. West Virginia blocked a field goal and recovered a muffed point en route to a +3 net turnover advantage. The Mountaineers only generated 13 first downs against the Dukes defense while losing the yardage battle by a 328 to 294 margin. This is a football program in transition after head coach Dana Holgorsen departed on his own volition to take the head coaching job at Houston after an 8-4 season that finished with a 34-18 loss to Syracuse in the Camping World Bowl. Perhaps Holgorsen saw the writing on the wall this year with only three starters returning on offense from a group that lost its top five players including QB Will Grier, their top three wide receivers, and left tackle Yodney Cajuste. The new head coach is Neal Brown who did a good job at Troy — but only after enduring a 4-9 record in his first year rebuilding that program. Brown brought in Oklahoma grad transfer Austin Kendall to be his starting quarterback — but he kept him on a short leash least week with him mostly dinking-and-dunking to completing 27 passes of his 42 attempts for 260 yards. West Virginia only rushed for 34 yards in that game which is not a good sign traveling on the road to Mizzou — they are just 4-9-1 ATS in their last 14 games after failing to rush for at least 100 yards in their last game. The Mountaineers are also just 1-3-1 ATS in their last five games after a straight-up win.

FINAL TAKE: West Virginia is just 0-3-1 ATS in their last 4 games on the road — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games as an underdog. They face a more talented team that will be very angry after suffering a bad upset loss on the road. 25* CFB ESPN2 Game of the Month with the Missouri Tigers (320) minus the points versus the West Virginia Mountaineers (319). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Marshall Thundering Herd (303) plus the points versus the Boise State Broncos (304). THE SITUATION: Marshall (1-0) looks to build off their 56-17 win over VMI last Saturday as a 44-point favorite. Boise State (1-0) is riding high after pulling off a 36-31 upset win in Tallahassee against Florida State as a 6.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE THUNDERING HERD PLUS THE POINTS: The Broncos found themselves trailing by 24-6 and 31-13 scores in the second quarter before skunking the Seminoles in the second-half by a 17-0 score to pull off that 18-point comeback for the upset win. Florida State head coach Willie Taggart blamed a lack of conditioning for his team’s collapse with many players dealing with cramps in the August Florida heat. Boise State will not receive similar luck this week against this well-coached Marshall team in the tenth season under head coach Doc Holliday. The key for this Broncos team this year will be the play of their quarterback after seeing their four-year starter in Brett Rypien finally graduate and move on to the NFL in the offseason. The highly touted true freshman, Hank Bachmeier, played as great as could possibly be expected on Saturday by completing 30 of 51 passes for 407 yards. But this sets up this very young quarterback and the rest of this team to suffer a huge emotional letdown after last week’s second-half triumph. Remember, these are the same players that dug that 18-point hole. Despite the mystique of the blue field in Boise, the Broncos have not been a very good team relative to point spread expectations at home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 games. Boise State has also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight home games when favored by 7.5 to 14 points. This remains a team that lost a number of important pieces on offense last year from their 10-3 team. Besides replacing the four-year starting quarterback, the Broncos lost their workhorse running back, Alexander Mattison, who rushed for over 1400 yards last year along with their top two receivers. These veterans helped the offense convert on 52.5% of their 3rd downs which was 3rd best in the nation — that is a number that is bound to regress. Boise State is also 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games after passing for at least 280 yards in their last game. The defense returns seven starters but lost four of their top five players in tackles-for-loss. But this is a unit that only picked off seven passes which is the fewest for this program since 1968. The Broncos were also third-best in the nation by recovering 74% of the fumbles they saw on the field. If that number regresses back to the expected 50% mean, this team probably does not win 10 times last year. Marshall should be very excited to prove that they belong in the conversation regarding the top non-Power Five conference teams in the FBS. They return fourteen starters from last year’s 9-4 team that concluded their season by crushing South Florida in their stadium by a 38-20 score in the Gasparilla Bowl. Quarterback Isaiah Green led an offense that generated 503 yards against the Bulls — he enters his sophomore year with confidence who will likely take a big step in his development. Green completed 18 of 28 passes (to eleven different targets) for 238 yards and four touchdown passes while adding another 46 yards on the ground in a good tune-up for this team. The Thundering Herd bring an underrated defense into this game as well with six starters back from last year’s group that was tied for 27th in the nation by limiting opponents to just 338.7 total YPG. The Marshall run defense ranked 8th in the nation by holding their opponents to just 104.3 rushing YPG — and this was no fluke after ranking 19th in the nation in run defense in 2017. The Thundering Herd held VMI to only 56 rushing yards while outrushing them by 222 net yards — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after outrushing their last opponent by at least +200 yards. Marshall has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in fifteen straight games — so they will likely force the true freshman quarterback to beat them. The Thundering Herd forced 24 turnovers last season — don’t be surprised if an overconfident Bachmeier makes some mistakes tonight. Holliday usually has his team ready to play in the early part of the season — they are 15-7-3 ATS in their last 25 games in the month of September.

FINAL TAKE: Marshall embraces the role of the underdog — they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games getting the points which include them covering the point spread in five of their last six games on the road as an underdog. Expect the Thundering Herd to keep this game closer than expected. 25* CFB Friday ESPN2 Game of the Month with the Marshall Thundering Herd (303) plus the points versus the Boise State Broncos (304). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:40 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Arizona Diamondbacks (910) versus the San Diego Padres (909) listing both starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Chris Paddack. THE SITUATION: Arizona (72-67) has won the first two games of this series — as well as eight of their last nine games — with their 2-1 victory over the Padres last night. San Diego (64-74) has lost five of their last eight games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE DIAMONDBACKS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Arizona remains alive in the National League playoff picture as they are just 3 1/2 games behind the Cubs for the second NL playoff wildcard spot. The Diamondbacks should build off their momentum as they have won 6 of their last 7 games after a win. They also have won 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. Arizona has now won 5 of their last 6 games at home — and they are 11-6-1 in their last 18 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They give the ball to Gallen who is 2-4 with a 2.79 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twelve starts this season. Since being traded from Miami, the 24-year old right-hander has a 2.88 ERA in his five starts in a Diamondbacks uniform. Gallen has been more effective when pitching at home this year where he owns a 1.30 WHIP along with a .200 opponent’s batting average in six starts. His teams have won 4 of his last 5 starts including the last three when they were favored at a -110 or better price with him on the mound making the start. San Diego has lost 4 straight games after scoring two runs or less in their last game. The Padres have also lost 5 of their last 7 road games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Paddack who is 8-7 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP in thirteen starts. The rookie left-hander had endured a 6.17 ERA in seven starts since the All-Star break but found a glimpse of his first-half form in his last start at San Francisco where he allowed only one run in 7 innings of work. The sabermetrics have been calling for regression for months with his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.99 and 4.22 respectively for Paddack moving forward. Paddack has not been as effective on the road either where he has a 3.93 ERA along with 1.12 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .228 as compared to his 3.40 ERA along with a sterling 0.88 WHIP and .192 opponent’s batting average in his ten starts in the spacious pitcher-friendly Petco Park. San Diego has lost 7 of their last 10 games on the road with Paddack on the mound. He faces a hot-hitting Diamondbacks lineup that is scoring 6.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .285 batting average along with a .336 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .856 over that span.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona has won 6 of their last 7 games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 4 straight games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. 25* MLB National League West Game of the Year with the money-line on the Arizona Diamondbacks (910) versus the San Diego Padres (909) listing both starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Chris Paddack. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:07 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Oakland A’s (974) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Los Angeles Angels (973) listing both starting pitchers Mike Fiers and Jaime Barria. THE SITUATION: Oakland (78-58) has lost two straight games after blowing two late leads against the Yankees over the weekend culminating in a 5-4 loss in New York on Sunday. Los Angeles (65-73) has lost three of their last four games — as well as eight of their last ten contests — with their 4-3 loss to Boston on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE A’S MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Oakland has won 22 of the last 28 games after a loss — and they have won 20 of their last 26 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The A’s have also won 8 of their last 10 games after an off day. Oakland returns home where they have won 19 of their last 26 games — and they have won a decisive 45 of their last 62 home games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Fiers who is 13-3 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The right-hander is unbeaten in his last twenty starts with his last loss occurring way back on May 1st. Fiers has done his best pitching at home where he owns a 2.92 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .219 in fifteen starts. The A’s have won 26 of their last 32 home games with Fiers making the start. He faces a slumping Angels lineup that is scoring only 4.0 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .211 batting average along with a .315 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .675 over that span. Los Angeles has also lost 6 of their last 8 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Angels have lost 5 of their last 7 games after a loss — and they have also lost 4 of their last 5 games after an off day. And while the LA bullpen did not allow an earned run on Sunday, they have then lost 15 of their last 21 games after a game where their bullpen did not surrender an earned run. They counter with Barria who is 4-7 with a 6.10 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP in 62 innings of work. The left-hander has been a disaster when pitching on the road where he has an 8.24 ERA with a 1.75 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .309 in 39 1/3 innings consisting of nine games which include seven starts. The Angels have lost 4 straight games on the road with Barria on the hill. He faces an A’s team that is scoring 7.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .283 batting average along with a .369 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .857. Oakland has won 22 of their last 30 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 25 of their last 34 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The A’s have won the last three games in this series after the last meeting at the end of June — and the Angels have lost 28 of their last 32 games when playing with at least double-revenge. Lastly, because Oakland has a slugging percentage of .447 this season, the Angels fall into an empirical “play-against” angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 51% effective over the last five seasons. LA is hitting .252 this season — and American League road underdogs with a batting average no better than .260 now facing an American League team with a slugging percentage of .440 or higher have then failed to ver the +1.5 Run-Line in 103 of the last 201 situations (priced in the -160 to +115 range). 25* MLB American League West Run-Line of the Year with the Oakland A’s (974) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Los Angeles Angels (973) listing both starting pitchers Mike Fiers and Jaime Barria. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (649) and the Phoenix Mercury (650). THE SITUATION: Seattle (16-15) snapped a two-game losing streak on Sunday with their 92-75 win over Atlanta as an 8.5-point favorite. Phoenix (15-16) saw their two-game losing streak snapped on Sunday with their embarrassing 105-78 loss at Chicago as a 4.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Seattle has played 14 of their last 15 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win by at least 10 points. The Under is also 13-3-1 in the Storm’s last 17 games after a point spread victory. And in their last 9 games after scoring at least 80 points, Seattle has played all 9 games Under the Total. The reigning WNBA champions made 58.5% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting effort in their last twenty-six games. Regression on the offensive end of the court tonight is very likely as the Storm rank 9th in the twelve-team league in Offensive Efficiency — and they are 10th in the WNBA in Offensive Efficiency over their last ten games. Seattle goes back on the road where they are making just 41.8% of their shots. The Under is 12-5-1 in the Storm’s last 18 games on the road — and they have played 9 of their last 11 road games Under the Total with the number set at 150 or higher. Seattle has also played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. Phoenix will be focused on playing better on the defensive end of the court after allowing Chicago to make 50.6% of their shots in what was the worst defensive performance in their last twelve games. The Mercury have played 30 of their last 41 home games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 50% of their shots. Phoenix has also played 8 of their last 12 games after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The Mercury return home where they limit their opponents to just 41.2% shooting from the field — and they have still held their last five opponents to just 40.3% shooting while ranking 5th best in the league in Defensive Efficiency during that span. Additionally, Phoenix has played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against teams with a winning record. The Mercury have also played 11 of their last 17 games Under the Total when listed as the favorite.

FINAL TAKE: Seattle and Phoenix remain in 7th and 8th place in the standings to determine the eight playoffs teams later this month — so this contest matters significantly to both teams. The Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings between these two teams — and these two teams have played 8 of their last 11 meetings in Phoenix Under the Total. 25* WNBA ESPN2 Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (649) and the Phoenix Mercury (650). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (217) and the Louisville Cardinals (218). THE SITUATION: Notre Dame (0-0) returns thirteen starters from the team that lost to Clemson in the National Semifinals by a 30-3 score. Louisville (0-0) has sixteen starters back from last year’s dumpster fire that limped to a 2-10 season record.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Fighting Irish return seven starters with an offense that might be the most potent in head coach Brian Kelly’s ten years with the program. Kelly’s decision to elevate Ian Book to be his starting quarterback despite a 3-0 start to the season was inspired as the team averaged 36.6 PPG in his eight starts. The move to Book gave the Notre Dame offense a legitimate passing threat that they have not had in years to balance their strong rushing attack. Book threw at least two touchdown passes in all eight of his regular-season starts. While the Irish are dealing with injuries to junior wide receiver Michael Young and junior tight end Cole Kmet, the Irish have depth at the running back and wide receiver skill positions. The offense also has the benefit of four returning starters on offense. However, the Notre Dame defense is likely to take a step or two back with the loss of three key members of last year’s unit that have moved on to the NFL. The middle of the defense appears vulnerable with the Irish replacing two good defensive tackles along with two good linebackers — that level of the defense is now inexperienced and lacking in depth. And while Notre Dame has two great safeties in seniors Jalen Elliott and Alohi Gilman, it will be tough to replace the elite cover cornerback Julian Love who bypassed his senior year to go to the NFL. The Fighting Irish have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total when laying 14.5 to 21 points. Notre Dame has also played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total with the number set in the 49.5 to 56 point range — and this includes them playing four of their last five games on the road Over the Total with the number set in that range. Louisville cannot help but be better on defense this season after they ranked 122nd in the nation by allowing 483.6 total YPG. While ten starters return from that group, new head coach Scott Satterfield and his defensive coordinator at Appalachian State, Bryan Brown, have a major rebuilding task to clean up the hot mess that Bobby Petrino left behind after being fired late in the season. The Cardinals surrendered at least 52 points in each of their last five games — so it will likely be a long road back for this group. Louisville’s improvement should happen faster on the offensive side of the football under Satterfield who emphasized more running in the spread offensive attacks as the head coach at Appalachian State. Satterfield has tapped junior quarterback Jawon Pass to be his starter with a simplified playbook from the 2007 NFL playbook Petrino was still relying on from his year with the Atlanta Falcons. Satterfield will likely also give reps to Malik Cunningham who led the team in rushing last year and can better execute the rushing attack under center. The Cardinals have played 4 of their last 5 games at home Over the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total when playing on field turf. Louisville has also played 9 of their last 11 games Over the Total as an underdog — and this includes them playing four of their last five home games Over the Total as the dog. And in their last 22 games as an underdog getting 10.5 to 21 points, the Cardinals have played 14 of these games Over the Total.

FINAL TAKE: Louisville averaged just 19.8 PPG last year (tied for 121s in the nation) while Notre Dame surrendered just 18.2 PPG (13th in the nation). Look for the Cardinals to score at least 20 points tonight with their offense improved and the Irish defense losing three players to the NFL. With the Irish a favorite approaching 20 points, Louisville scoring 20 points should put this game way Over the number given the number the Notre Dame is likely to put up in this game. 25* CFB ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (217) and the Louisville Cardinals (218). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (215) and the Oklahoma Sooners (216). THE SITUATION: Houston (0-0) returns twelve starters from a team that finished 8-5 after suffering a humiliating 70-14 loss to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl. Oklahoma (0-0) has twelve starters back from the group that lost to Alabama in the College Football Playoff Semifinals by a 45-34 score.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Sooners led the nation last year by averaging 48.4 PPG along with generating 570.3 total YPG. After seeing their offense improve their numbers in each of the last four seasons, the Regression Gods were likely to make a visit to Norman this year. But with Jalen Hurts the new starting quarterback for this team after his transfer from Alabama. Hurts has outstanding leadership skills as he led (the uber-talented) Crimson Tide to a 24-2 record as a starter. But Hurts does not have the same talent as Tua Tagovailoa nor Baker Mayfield or Kyler Murray who have been the two Heisman Trophy winners that Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley has had at his disposal over the last two years. In four playoff game appearances, Hurts completed just 43% of his passes for the Tide while averaging just 3.7 Yards-Per-Attempt. There is a reason he was benched at halftime of the 2017 National Championship game against Georgia. The Sooners are also almost completely rebuilding their offensive line with four starters from last year departed to play in the NFL. Mayfield had the benefit of five returning starters on the offensive line two years with Murray having three returning starters last year. Hurts is not getting the same good opening hand as his two predecessors at Oklahoma. Even if the Sooners just reach their 48.4 PPG scoring mark from last year in this game, the Under should still be in pretty good shape with them being 23 or so point favorites against the Cougars. Of course, the Oklahoma defense was a mess last year as they ranked last in the Big 12 by allowing 33.3 PPG along with 453.8 total YPG. This unit can probably not help but improve under new defensive coordinator Alex Grinch who oversaw a very good defense in a previous stint at Washington State. Grinch has installed a new “positionless” scheme that emphasizes aggressiveness and play-making. This may be a better fit than the staler ideas of previous coordinate Mike Stoops. The Sooners’ secondary should be better with three juniors returning as starters who have received a baptism by fire last year. Houston will be installing a new offensive Air Raid scheme under new head coach Dana Holgorsen. The Cougars are happy to have a fully-healthy D’Eriq King back under center after he suffered a season-ending injury in mid-November. But this is an offense that Oklahoma is very familiar with given its deployment by many of the teams in the Big 12. Houston also had defensive issues last season after allowing 37.2 PPG along with 496.4 total YPG. That unit was ravaged by injuries — they allowed a more manageable 28.0 PPG in their first six games before their depleted unit surrendered 45.0 PPG in their final seven games. This defense will have something to prove after their embarrassing effort against Army in their bowl game where the team had checked out on head coach Major Applewhite. Holgorsen has proclaimed that playing good defense is a “high priority” for him — he has hired a good defensive coordinator in Joe Cauthen whose attacking style running the defense at Arkansas State led to 146 sacks over the last four seasons. Holgorsen has added six junior college transfers to improve the talent of this group led by cornerback Damarion Williams who was a junior college All-American last year. The Cougars have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total in the first half of the regular season. Houston has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against teams from the Big 12.

FINAL TAKE: With the Total eclipsing the 80 point mark in some spots, it will take a high level of offensive production of both teams to reach the Over. Don’t be surprised if both of these potent offenses make some execution mistakes in this opening game. This logic helps to inform a historical angle supporting the Under that has been 75% effective since 1992. In games in the first two weeks of the season with the Total set at 63 or higher between two teams from major 1-A conferences, when at least one of the teams returns a starting quarterback from the previous season, the game finished Under the Total in 40 of these last 53 situations where these conditions applied. 25* CFB ABC-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Cougars (215) and the Oklahoma Sooners (216). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ball State Cardinals (169) and the Indiana Hoosiers (170). THE SITUATION: Ball State (0-0) returns seventeen starters from their team that finished 4-8 last season. Indiana (0-0) returns fourteen starters from last year’s 5-7 team. This game will be played on a neutral field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Cardinals were hit hard by transfers in the offseason with six players leaving the program. The offense lost two incumbent starters from last year in senior quarterback Riley Neal who transferred to Vanderbilt and senior running back James Gilbert who moved to Kansas State. There is an argument to be had that perhaps both these players were going to lose their jobs this season. On the other hand, Neal had started 32 games for Ball State while throwing for 7393 yards and 46 touchdown passes while Gilbert rushed for 2806 yards in his career with the program — and that was good enough to entice two football programs in Power Five conferences. Ball State was just 102nd in the FBS last year by scoring just 4.2 points per trip inside the 40-yard line. Any improvements on offense will likely not materialize right away. As it is, the Cardinals have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total in the first month of the season. I do expect to see significant improvements from the Ball State defense that returns nine starters. This is the second year for this unit playing in a 3-4 formation. This move worked for the first seven games last year under defensive coordinator David Elson as they hold those first seven opponents to just 23.9 PPG. But injuries eventually took their toll as the Cardinals allowed their last five opponents to score 44.4 PPG as their lack of depth was exposed. Back at full health and with better depth from the experiences from last season, Ball State should be much improved in the second year playing in the 3-4 look. They return seventeen players who registered at teals ten tackles last year. The Cardinals have played 4 straight games Under the Total against teams outside the Mid-American Conference — and they have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against Big Ten foes. Ball State has also played 4 straight games Under the Total when playing on a neutral field. Indiana has played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against teams outside the Big Ten. The Hoosiers defense regressed last year with only three returning starters — they allowed 423.8 total YPG which was 83.7 YPG more than what they surrendered in 2017 when they ranked 27th in the nation in total defense. Don’t be surprised if this unit approaches those strong defensive numbers from two years ago with seven starters back along with eight of their top eleven tacklers from last year. Tom Allen feels confident enough with this group that he promoted linebackers coach Kane Wommack to defensive coordinator to free up his time focus exclusively with his head coaching duties. Allen has already made a big move by tapping redshirt freshman Michael Penix as the starting quarterback to replace returning starter Peyton Ramsey. Penix has a better runner with a stronger arm — but with this team playing in a new system under first-year offensive coordinator Kalen DeBoer, it might take some time for this unit to gel. The Hoosiers have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when favored by 10.5 to 21 points. They also have played 3 of their last 4 games Under the Total with the number set in the 56.5 to 63 point range.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana won last year’s rivalry game between these two schools by a 38-10 score with that result falling well short of the 62.5 point Total. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 meetings Under the Total. 25* College Football Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Ball State Cardinals (169) and the Indiana Hoosiers (170). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Oklahoma State Cowboys (159) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (160). THE SITUATION: Oklahoma State (0-0) returns twelve starters from a team that finished 7-6 after upsetting Missouri in the Liberty Bowl by a 38-33 score. Oregon State (0-0) returns sixteen starters from last year’s team that stumbled to a 2-10 record.

REASONS TO TAKE THE COWBOYS MINUS THE POINTS: Oklahoma State is usually a reliable double-digit favorite even on the road under head coach Mike Gundy beginning his fifteenth year with the program. The Cowboys have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 road games when laying 10.5 to 14 points. After three straight seasons with double-digit victories, Oklahoma State took a step back last year. Despite scoring 38.4 PPG (13th in the FBS) and averaging 500.2 total YPG (10th in the FBS), the offense took a step back from the previous season in large part because their quarterbacks completed only 59.4% of their passes while throwing 13 interceptions. In 2017, the Cowboys scored 45.0 PPG while generating 569.8 total YPG which was 4th and 2nd best in the country. Gundy may have found a gem to be his new offensive coordinator in Sean Gleeson who ran a very innovative offense at Princeton. Oklahoma State will have the benefit of surprise regarding what specialty plays Gleeson unveils in his debut with this offense. The Cowboys have not named a starting quarterback between redshirt freshman Spencer Sanders and graduate transfer Dru Brown who both were on the roster last season learning this offense. Gleeson often used more than one QB at Princeton so don’t be surprised if Oklahoma State rotates both quarterbacks tonight to confuse the Beavers with different looks. The Cowboys remain loaded with talent at the skill positions with three of their top four receivers returning this season — headlined by junior All-American Tylan Wallace — along with running back Chuba Hubbard who averaged over 100 rushing YPG against the gauntlet of Oklahoma, West Virginia, TCU and Missouri. Gundy’s teams start strong as they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games played in the month of August. Oklahoma State has also covered the point spread in 9 of their last 10 games outside the Big-12. And in their last 17 contests in expected high-scoring affairs with the Total set at 63 or higher, the Cowboys have covered the point spread in 11 of these games. The defense should improve in the second season under defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Oregon State’s passing attack is the strength of their offense with returning starters at wide receiver and a sixth-year senior Jake Luton who has received medical exemptions after injuries have limited him to just nine starters in the last two seasons. But the strength of the Cowboys defense will likely be their secondary with all four starters returning. Oregon State will be without their top wideout in the speedy Trevon Bradford as the senior is out with a back injury. The Beavers may also be without their senior safety Jalen Moore who is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. These are two tough opening week injuries that will make it more difficult for Oregon State to stay competitive in this game. The Beavers were outscored by -20 PPG last season while also losing the yardage battle by -132 net YPG — and that margin was even worse in Pac-12 play where they were outgained by -178 YPG. Moore had 102 tackles last season — and even with him on the field, Oregon State allowed their opponents to have a Success Rate of 53.4% which was 129th in the FBS. That is an ominous number when facing this powerful Cowboys offensive attack. The Beavers allowed 45.7 PPG along with 536.8 total YPG which both ranked 128th in the nation. Home field has not been much of an advantage for this team as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games at home — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 9 home games as an underdog. Additionally, Oregon State has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games as an underdog getting 10.5 to 21 points. The Beavers have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games in the month of August.

FINAL TAKE: While the Cowboys allowed 452.5 total YPG last year, they do return five starters from that group which is a good sign for improvement (or at least that this team is undervalued right now) — and that helps place Oklahoma State into an early-season historical angle that has been 69% effective since 1992. In games played in the first two weeks of the season, road teams who allowed at least 400 YPG last season but return at least five defensive starters have then covered the point spread in 61 of the last 88 situations where these conditions applied. 25* CFB Friday FS1-TV Game of the Month with the Oklahoma State Cowboys (159) minus the points versus the Oregon State Beavers (160). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (963) and the San Francisco Giants (964) listing both starting pitchers Dinelson Lamet and Madison Bumgarner. THE SITUATION: San Diego (62-71) won the opening game of this series last night by a 5-3 score. San Francisco (65-68) has lost three straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Padres have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a win. Additionally, the Under is 4-0-1 in San Diego’s last 5 games on the road against teams with a losing record. And in their last 25 road games in the season half of the season, the Padres have played 19 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Lamet who is 2-2 with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in nine starts. The right-hander has seen the velocity on his fastball approach 96 miles per hour which has helped him generate swinging strikes in 13.8% of his pitches. The sabermetrics are bullish with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.01 and 3.84 moving forward based off his deeper peripheral numbers. Over his last seven starts, Lamet has a 2-0 record with a 3.75 ERA. He also has been more effective on the road where he owns a 3.12 ERA along with a 1.19 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .214 in five starts. San Diego has played 3 of their last 4 road games Under the Total with Lamet pitching with the Total set in the 7 to 7.5 range. He faces a Giants team that scores only 3.4 Runs-Per-Game at home with a .228 batting average along with a .289 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .651. The Under is 7-2-1 in the Giants’ last 10 home games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Under is also 13-5-1 in San Francisco’s last 19 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. Furthermore, the Under is 13-3-2 in the Giants’ last 18 games after a loss. The Under is also 15-6-3 in San Fran’s last 24 home games against teams with a losing record. And in the Giants’ last 10 games when favored in the -125 to -175 price range, they have played 7 of these games Under the Total. They counter with Bumgarner who is 8-8 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The lefty has been on fire over his last twelve starts as he enjoys a 5-1 record with a 2.96 ERA over that span. The veteran also loves facing the Padres against which he sports a 3.47 ERA in 35 games (34 starts). Bumgarner has been much better at home where he owns a 2.95 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .215 in fifteen starts. The Under is 5-1-2 in San Francisco’s last 8 home games with Bumgarner facing a team with a losing record. The Giants have also played 12 of their last 14 home games with Bumgarner facing a fellow NL West foe. The Padres are scoring only 2.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .185 batting average along with a .255 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .573.

FINAL TAKE: San Diego has played 8 of their last 9 road games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB National League West Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the San Diego Padres (963) and the San Francisco Giants (964) listing both starting pitchers Dinelson Lamet and Madison Bumgarner. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the Philadelphia Phillies (954) versus the New York Mets (953) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler. THE SITUATION: Philadelphia (69-63) has won five of their last eight games with their 12-3 victory over Pittsburgh on Wednesday. New York (67-66) has lost six straight games after their 4-1 loss to the Cubs yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PHILLIES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Philadelphia has won a decisive 42 of their last 65 games after scoring at least eight runs in their last game. They also have won 9 of their last 10 games after scoring at least twelve runs in their last contest — and they have won 18 of their last 24 games after a game where at least 15 combined runs were scored. Furthermore, the Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against teams with a winning record — and they have won 6 straight games against teams with a winning record overall. They give the ball to Nola who is 12-4 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in twenty-eight starts. The right-hander endured a slow start of the season but he has been in top form this summer. Since the start of July, Nola has a 6-2 record with a 2.61 ERA along with a 1.02 WHIP in 72 1/3 innings of work while striking out 74 batters. Nola comes off a solid start where he allowed three runs in 7 innings of work at Miami — and the Phillies have won 28 of their last 39 games with Nola looking to follow up a Quality Start. Nola has done his best pitching at home where he owns a 2.94 ERA along with a 1.21 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .222 in sixteen starts. Philadelphia has won 30 of their last 41 home games with Nola on the hill. The Phillies have also won 4 of their last 5 home games with Nola facing a team with a winning record. And in their last 9 games with Nola pitching with the Total set at 9 or 9.5, Philadelphia has won all 9 games. He should pitch another great game against this slumping Mets team that is scoring only 2.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .220 batting average along with a .265 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .625 over that span. New York has lost 4 straight games after scoring two runs or less in their last game. The Mets have also lost 25 of their last 37 games after losing at least three in a row. Now after playing their last nine games at home, New York goes back on the road where they have lost 21 of their last 30 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, New York has lost 8 of their last 10 games after playing at least seven straight games at home. And in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record, the Mets have lost all 6 games. They counter with Wheeler who is 9-7 with a 4.46 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP in twenty-five stats. The right-hander is struggling as of late with a 6.75 ERA along with a 1.75 WHIP over his last three starts. Wheeler has not been as effective on the road either as he owns a 4.58 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .277 in thirteen road starts. New York has lost 6 of their last 7 road games with Wheeler facing a team with a winning record. He faces a hot-hitting Phillies team that is scoring 7.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games along with a .282 batting average, .373 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .887. Philadelphia has won 4 of their last 5 home games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Phillies have won 5 of their last 6 home games with Nola facing a team the Mets. New York has lost their last 6 games in Philadelphia against the Phillies. 25* MLB Game of the Month with the money-line on the Philadelphia Phillies (954) versus the New York Mets (953) listing both starting pitchers Aaron Nola and Zack Wheeler. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Los Angeles Chargers (129) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (130). THE SITUATION: Los Angeles (0-3) remained winless in the preseason with a 23-15 loss at home to Seattle as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. San Francisco (3-0) remained unbeaten in the preseason after they upset Kansas City by a 27-17 score as a 4-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CHARGERS PLUS THE POINTS: The 49ers find themselves as a favorite laying 5 to 6 points — perhaps bettors are impressed with their perfect preseason record with this opportunity to host a winless Chargers team in the preseason. But that is Fool’s Gold in exhibition games. As it is, San Francisco has failed to cover the point spread in 6 straight preseason games when they were 3-0 in the exhibition season. The 49ers are likely to give the majority of their snaps at quarterback tonight to the loser of the backup job between Nick Mullens and C.J. Beathard. Considering that Mullens completed 8 of 11 passes last week for 84 yards, he looks to have secured the backup job to starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Beathard struggled in his last preseason appearance two weeks ago in Denver where he completed only 5 of 11 passes. Mop-up duty will then likely go to rookie Wilton Speight who could not win the starting quarterback job at UCLA last season after he transferred from Michigan. These are a lot of points to lay in the preseason — especially for a team that has failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 preseason games as the favorite under head coach Kyle Shanahan. Los Angeles will be looking to play better on both sides of the football after their upset loss last week to the Seahawks. The Chargers have bounced-back to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 preseason games after a straight loss in the preseason under head coach Anthony Lynn — and they have covered the point spread in 3 straight preseason games after a point spread loss in the previous week. Los Angeles has some of the best quarterback depth in the NFL who will be taking the field tonight in lieu of Philip Rivers. Tyrod Taylor may get some time this week after being inaccurate last week — but he is one of the best backups in the NFL 46 starts under his belt. He has completed 19 of his 25 preseason passes for 190 yards. Fourth-year quarterback Cardale Jones remains loaded with potential with his live arm and large frame. Jones is 18 of 25 this preseason with 208 passing yards. And rookie QB Easton Stick from North Dakota State has been put up good numbers by completing 24 of 40 passes for 222 yards. The Chargers go back on the road after playing their last two preseason games at home. Not only has Los Angeles covered the point spread in 32 of their last 47 preseason games after playing at home in their last preseason game but they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 preseason games after playing their last two preseason games on the road.

FINAL TAKE: The Chargers have covered the point spread in 13 of their last 20 preseason games when playing on the road as an underdog getting 3.5 to 7 points. Expect a close game that LA should have a chance to win outright (but take the points for some nice insurance). 25* NFLx NFL Network Preseason Game of the Year with the Los Angeles Chargers (129) plus the points versus the San Francisco 49ers (130). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (125) and the New Orleans Saints (126). THE SITUATION: Miami (2-1) concludes their preseason coming off a 22-7 win over Jacksonville as a pick ‘em last Thursday. New Orleans (2-1) comes off a 28-13 win in New York against the Jets as a 3-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Dolphins have played 13 of their last 20 preseason games Under the Total after an upset win in the previous week of the preseason — and they have also played three of their last four preseason games Under the Total after an upset victory by at least 10 points in the previous week. Miami has also played 28 of their last 44 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread cover in the previous week in the preseason. In theory, the Dolphins still have a battle to determine their starting quarterback with rookie head coach Brian Flores yet to name his starter for next week. With a difficult early schedule, I suspect Ryan Fitzpatrick will be the initial starter — yet he will not be playing tonight due to an illness. Josh Rosen will get the start and I expect him to the be starter for this team by midseason. But look for the majority of the snaps tonight to go to fourth-year veteran Jake Rudock who has played in only three regular-season games in his career. The former Michigan QB did not play last week. The Dolphins defense has played this preseason after holding the Jaguars to just 243 yards last week. Miami has held their three preseason opponents to just 16.7 PPG along with only 296.3 total YPG. Additionally, the Dolphins have played 12 of their last 19 preseason games Under the Total after winning two of their last three preseason games. New Orleans held the Jets to just 300 yards of offense in a very nice defensive effort last week. QB Drew Brees will not play in this game — and with veteran Teddy Bridgewater and third-year pro Taysom Hill playing well this preseason, there is little for the offense to prove this week after averaging 24.0 PPG along with 355.3 total YPG in their three preseason games. The Saints have played 8 of their last 9 preseason games Under the Total under head coach Sean Payton when playing a team with a winning record in the preseason. And while the Dolphins are outscoring their preseason opponents by +6.7 PPG, New Orleans has played all 5 of these preseason games Under the Total. The Saints return back home to the Superdome after playing their last two preseason games on the road. New Orleans has played 6 of their last 8 preseason games at home Under the Total when favored by 3.5 to 9.5 points — and they have played 8 of their last 11 home games Under the Total in the preseason with the number set in the 35.5 to 38 point range. Furthermore, the Saints have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after playing their last two preseason games on the road — and they have played 15 of their last 24 preseason games Under the Total when playing with no more than six days between preseason contests.

FINAL TAKE: With both of these teams having little to determine tonight on the offensive side of the football, it should be a whole lotta vanilla from both groups with avoiding injuries being the clear top agenda item. 25* NFLx Preseason Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Miami Dolphins (125) and the New Orleans Saints (126). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the UCLA Bruins (133) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bearcats (134). THE SITUATION: UCLA (0-0) looks to rebound from a 3-9 campaign last season. Cincinnati (0-0) enjoyed an 11-2 record last season that was capped by a 35-31 victory over Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRUINS PLUS THE POINTS: UCLA started the season losing seven straight games last year under first-year head coach Chip Kelly. But a rotation of players loaded with freshmen and sophomores continued to improve with the Bruins winning three of their last five games including a 34-27 upset win over USC in the second-to-last game of their season. This should be a vastly improved team this year under a very good head coach in Kelly. The UCLA offense now has a clear direction with sophomore Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center who is a great fit for Kelly’s up-tempo spread offense schemes. The Bruins started last year with senior transfer from Michigan Wilton Speight as the starting quarterback who was not a great fit for Kelly’s typical offense since he lacked mobility as a pocket passer. UCLA also saw the emergence of senior running back Joshua Kelley who shined during conference play (including 289 yards against USC) en route to 1243 rushing yards. The Bruins offense averaged only 312 YPG in their first four games but generated 432 total YPG over their last eight games. With nine starters returning this season in the second-year of Kelly’s system, that level of productivity is probably the floor for this team. The defense should also be better after Kelly inherited a unit that allowed 36.6 PPG while ranking 122nd in the FBS by allowing 483.7 total YPG. Last year’s group allowed -2.5 fewer PPG along with 90 less rushing YPG — and with ten starters back which includes four sophomores who started as a freshman last season, this group should also make a big jump in their quality of play. UCLA has covered the point spread in 27 of their last 44 games in the opening two weeks of a new season. Cincinnati returns fourteen starters from last year’s team including redshirt sophomore quarterback Desmond Ridder who led the team last season. This was an offense that was perhaps too dependent on big plays last season — they averaged 3rd and long on 46.7% of their third downs last year. The biggest concern for the offense is the offensive line that returns only two starters. The defense returns seven starters from an outstanding group that was 11th in the nation by allowing just 303.5 total YPG. But the stout Bearcats defensive line from last season must replace all three of their starters including two outstanding leaders in defensive tackles Cortez Broughton and Marquise Copeland. Cincinnati has not retained much of a home-field advantage as of late as they have failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 21 games at home. The Bearcats have also failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 home games when favored by 3 points or less. Furthermore, Cincinnati has failed to cover the point spread in 15 of their last 22 games against teams outside the American Athletic Conference. And in their last 6 games with the Total set in the 56.5 to 63 point range, the Bearcats have failed to cover the point spread 4 times.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the opening game between these two teams last season where Cincinnati pulled the upset on the road in a Rose Bowl by a 26-17 score despite being a two-touchdown underdog. Too much was being expected about that Kelly team in his first year with the Bruins program — but with an entire offseason to prepare for this rematch, look for UCLA to be primed to pull the upset in this revenge opportunity that can immediately launch this program into gear in Kelly’s second season. But take the points for a little road dog insurance. 25* CFB Thursday ESPN Game of the Month with the UCLA Bruins (133) plus the points versus the Cincinnati Bearcats (134). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Carolina Panthers (102) plus the points versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (101). THE SITUATION: Carolina (1-2) looks to bounce-back from a 10-3 loss at New England last Thursday as a 4-point underdog. Pittsburgh (3-0) remained undefeated this preseason with their 18-6 upset win at Tennessee as a 1-point underdog last Sunday night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE PANTHERS PLUS THE POINTS: The headline coming out of their loss to the Patriots was the first half left foot injury to quarterback Cam Newton. Head coach Ron Rivera insists that Newton will be ready to play in Week One next Sunday. But that makes this game a bit more important for this team as they need the reps for their backup quarterbacks who may be pressed into duty in the regular season. Second-year QB Kyle Allen has the inside track to be the top backup to Newton — and he may get some work tonight after completing 3 of 6 passes for 16 yards in relief last week. Rookie Will Grier from West Virginia has struggled in all three of his preseason games with accuracy and judgment — he has completed just 23 of 43 passes for 196 yards. He will be playing for his professional football life tonight whether it still be with the Panthers or as an audition for a new team. Fifth-year veteran Taylor Heinicke will likely get plenty of time tonight after not playing last week. The former Old Dominion star has played in seven regular-season games in his career which includes one start. He has completed 12 of 21 passes for 113 yards this preseason and he has the ability to move the ball downfield against backup defensive players. One thing that has been consistent in Rivera’s tenure in Carolina is his expectation of his team to play better after flat preseason performances. The Panthers have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 preseason games after a straight-up loss in the preseason the previous week — and they have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 11 preseason games after a point spread loss in the preseason. Carolina only gained 51 rushing yards last week with New England outrushing them by 78 yards. The Panthers have then covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 preseason games after not rushing for more than 75 yards in the previous week — and they have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 preseason games after being outrushed in their previous preseason game by at least 75 net rushing yards. Carolina has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 preseason games at home as an underdog. Pittsburgh has failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 13 games after an upset victory in the preseason — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in four straight preseason games after registering a double-digit upset victory in the preseason in the previous week. The Steelers have also failed to cover the point spread in 13 of their last 16 preseason games after preseason win on the road. Despite their 3-0 record, Pittsburgh is actually being outgained by -10.3 net YPG this preseason. This team also has things to accomplish in this preseason game at quarterback. Third-year QB Joshua Dobbs will get the start tonight after completing 15 of 28 passes for 259 yards this preseason. But Dobbs has struggled with accuracy with short passes and he has thrown two interceptions — this starting assignment may be his audition for another team with head coach Mike Tomlin seeming to have decided on Mason Rudolph in being the primary backup to Ben Roethlisberger. Rudolph will get reps in the second quarter before giving way to rookie Devlin Hodges. The former Samford QB will likely play the entire second half — and while he has been solid this preseason by completing 10 of 18 passes for 117 yards, that makes the Steelers precarious favorites on the road in this game.

FINAL TAKE: Pittsburgh has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 6 preseason games on the road laying the points under Tomlin. With Carolina needing to accomplish a few things in this game, they should at least keep this a close game. 25* NFLx Preseason Game of the Year with the Carolina Panthers (102) plus the points versus the Pittsburgh Steelers (101). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:07 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Atlanta Braves (975) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (976) listing both starting pitchers Mike Foltynewicz and Jacob Waguespack. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (80-54) has lost two straight games with their 3-1 loss to the Blue Jays in the opening game of this series. Toronto (54-80) has won two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRAVES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Atlanta has bounced-back to win 17 of their last 25 games after a loss — and they have won 19 of their last 27 road games after a loss by two runs or less in their last contest. The Braves have also won 17 of their last 26 games after losing two in the row. Additionally, Atlanta has won 12 of their last 16 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. The Braves have still won 20 of their last 28 road games against teams with a losing record at home — and they have won 13 of their last 15 road games as a favorite priced in the -125 to -175 price range. They give the ball to Foltynewicz who is coming off his best start of the season where he allowed only one run in 7 innings of work where he allowed only two hits on the road against the Mets. For the season, the right-hander has a 4-5 record with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in fifteen starts this season. Folty dealt with elbow soreness in the spring which impacted his velocity — and he endured a disastrous first half of the season that eventually prompted the Braves to send him down to the minors. In his four starts since being promoted back to the big leagues, Foltynewicz’s velocity has improved — and he has a 3.91 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 23 innings of work. Foltynewicz has been more effective on the road this year where he has a 1.29 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .253 in seven starts as opposed to his 1.50 WHIP and .278 opponent’s batting average in eight starts at home. Atlanta has won 4 straight road games with Foltynewicz on the hill. The Braves have also won 4 of their last 5 games with Foltynewicz looking to follow up a Quality Start. He should have success against this Blue Jays team that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .223 batting average along with a .296 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .676. Toronto has lost 27 of their last 43 home games against teams with a right-handed starting pitcher. The Blue Jays have lost 40 of their last 58 games after a win — and they have lost 18 of their last 23 games after a victory by two runs or less. And while the Toronto bullpen pitched 7 innings last night, they have then lost 22 of their last 28 games after a game where their bullpen logged in at least 7 innings of work in their last game. The Blue Jays have still lost 16 of their last 21 games in Interleague play — and they have lost eight of their last ten games at home against teams from the National League. Toronto has also lost 39 of their last 58 games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Waguespack who is 4-1 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in 52 innings of work. The sabermetrics are not encouraging for the right-hander with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.74 and 4.91 moving forward. Waguespack has not been as effective at home either where he owns a 5.21 ERA with a 1.42 WHIP as compared to his 2.73 ERA, 1.03 WHIP.

FINAL TAKE: The Braves have won 5 of their last 7 games against right-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB Road Warrior of the Month with the money-line on the Atlanta Braves (975) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (976) listing both starting pitchers Mike Foltynewicz and Jacob Waguespack. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Las Vegas Aces (621) minus the points versus the Indiana Fever (622). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (19-10) has lost two straight games with their 98-77 loss at Minnesota on Sunday as a 3-point favorite. Indiana (10-19) snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday with their 63-54 upset victory in Seattle as a 10.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ACES MINUS THE POINTS: Las Vegas played their worst defensive game of the season on Sunday as they allowed Minnesota to make 58.8% of their shots. The Aces have the best Defensive Rating in the WNBA — so they should play better on that end of the court tonight. Head coach Bill Laimbeer was not happy with his team’s effort as they relinquished an 11-point lead to lose that game. Laimbeer conceded that his team is tired as they play their third straight game on the road — but he also needs his team to develop more resiliency when playing away from their home court so expect the Aces to be very focused tonight. Las Vegas has allowed at least 70 points in nine straight games — and they have given up 45 and 47 points in the first half in their last two games. But the Aces have then covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after surrendering at least 45 points in the first half of their last game — and they have covered the point spread in 11 of their last 12 road games after allowing at least 40 points in the first half in two straight contests. Furthermore, Las Vegas has covered the point spread in 19 of their last 28 games on the road after allowing at least 70 points in at least three straight games. And in their last 5 road games when favored by 6.5 to 9 points, the Aces have covered the point spread in 4 of these contests. Indiana is likely due for a letdown as they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after an upset victory on the road as an underdog — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games after a win on the road. The Fever are also just 11-27-1 ATS in their last 39 games after a point spread win. Indiana comes off their best defensive effort of the season as they held Seattle to just 28.6% shooting from the field. That defensive effort was out of character for the Fever who rank second-to-last in the WNBA in Defensive Rating. Indiana returns home where they have failed to cover the point spread in 24 of their last 32 games on their home court — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 home games after losing four or five of their last six games. The Fever have also failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 22 home games as an underdog — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 12 of their last 16 home games when getting 6.5 to 12 points. While still technically alive to take one of the eight slots in the playoffs, Indiana is 3 1/2 games out of 8th place and running out of time this season. The Fever is also just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: Indiana will be looking to avenge a 74-71 loss at home to the Aces back on July 10th — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 33 games when attempting to avenge a same-season loss to their opponent. Las Vegas dominates this series — not only have they covered the point spread in 8 of the last 10 meetings between these two teams but they have also covered the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games against the Fever on the road in Indiana. 25* WNBA Western Conference Game of the Year with the Las Vegas Aces (621) minus the points versus the Indiana Fever (622). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (281) and the Tennessee Titans (282). THE SITUATION: Pittsburgh (2-0) is undefeated so far this preseason after their 17-7 victory over Kansas City as a 3-point underdog last Saturday. Tennessee (1-1) looks to rebound from their 22-17 loss at home to New England in a game that closed with them being a pick ‘em.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Steelers have played 8 of their last 12 games Under the Total after an upset victory in the preseason. The Pittsburgh defense held the potent Chiefs offense to just 315 yards of offense in that game — and Patrick Mahomes did start that game. The Steelers have held their first two preseason opponents to just 17.5 PPG. Ben Roethlisberger will make his preseason debut in this game — but he is unlikely to play the first half as he has done in the past in previous dress rehearsal games in the third week of the preseason. Pittsburgh has played 17 of their last 24 preseason games Under the Total as the underdog under head coach Mike Tomlin. The Steelers have also played 7 of their last 11 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. And in their last 3 preseason games against fellow AFC opponents, Pittsburgh has played all 3 of these games Under the Total. Tennessee only managed 306 yards of offense in their loss to the Patriots last week. The Titans did allow New England to gain 363 yards in that contest with the Patriots averaging 6.2 Yards-Per-Play — so better play on that side of the football will likely be a priority for head coach Mike Vrabel. Tennessee has played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after allowing at least 6.0 YPP in their last preseason game in the previous week. The Titans defense is still allowing just 16.0 PPG this preseason along with only 295.0 total YPG. They host this game where they have played 23 of their last 38 home games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is also supported by a preseason-specific angle that has been 66% effective over the last five seasons. In preseason games involving a team coming off an upset win the previous week in the preseason (Pittsburgh) who have a winning record in the preseason, these games finished Under the Total in 47 of the last 71 situations where these conditions applied. 25* NFLx Sunday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers (281) and the Tennessee Titans (282). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (294) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (293). THE SITUATION: Hawai’i (0-0) looks to build off an 8-6 campaign last year the culminated in a 31-14 loss to Louisiana Tech in the Hawai’i Bowl. Arizona (0-0) looks to improve on a 5-7 campaign last year where they failed to reach a bowl game in the first year under head coach Kevin Sumlin.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RAINBOW WARRIORS PLUS THE POINTS: The Wildcats are expected to improve this season to at least be bowl eligible this year with fifteen starters back. The hope is that senior quarterback Khalil Tate will return to his 2017 form after an early ankle injury limited his ability to move the ball with his legs. Tate rushed for only 224 yards last year after gaining 1141 yards on the ground in 2017. But Tate regressed as a passer as well as he completed only 56% of his passes which was a 6.2% drop from his 62% completion percentage in his sophomore season. While some of that can be explained away from being stuck in the pocket dependent on his arm, it seems also true that Tate simply struggled to adjust to offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone’s system. Tate is a phenomenal athlete — but he is not the most cerebral of quarterbacks. The pressure will be on him to keep Arizona one step ahead of their opponents with a suspect defense that was 92nd in the nation last year by allowing 432.0 total YPG. Eight starters return for defensive coordinator Marcel Yates — but this is a small unit that still lacks an identity. Sumlin’s teams tend to underachieve on the road — the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 21 games on the road. Arizona has also failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games when favored by more than a touchdown but no more than 14 points. This is expected to be a high-scoring contest — but the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 7 games on the road with the Total set at 63 or higher. Arizona has also failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 19 games with the number set at 70 or higher. And in their last 11 games against teams outside the Pac-12, the Wildcats have failed to cover the point spread in 8 of these games. Hawai’i has covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 games against teams from the Pac-12. They also have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 16 home games with the Total set at least at 70. Fourth-year head coach Nick Rolovich returns eighteen starters from last year’s group that far exceeded preseason expectations. Junior quarterback Cole McDonald is not being given nearly as much benefit of the doubt as Tate is for Arizona despite his dealing with injuries last season that impacted his productivity in the second half of the season. The Rainbow Warriors averaged 42.0 PPG in their first eight games last year — and McDonald is fully healthy again with eight other returning starters on offense. I expect a big day from the dual-threat QB against this suspect Wildcats defense that finished second-to-last in the Pac-12 in defensive pass efficiency. I also think the defense will take a step in the right direction under Corey Baton who is the first returning coordinator in nine years for this unit. Baton has nine returning starters back.

FINAL TAKE: Hawai’i typically starts the season strong as they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 37 games in the first two weeks of a new season which includes five straight point spread covers in the month of August. This is a dangerous opening contest on the road for this Arizona team. Expect a close game. 25* CFB CBS Sports Network Game of the Month with the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors (294) plus the points versus the Arizona Wildcats (293). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). THE SITUATION: Houston (1-1) won their first exhibition game in the preseason with their 30-23 win over Detroit as a 3-point favorite last Saturday. Dallas (1-1) also earned their first victory in the preseason with a 14-10 win on the road in Los Angeles against the Rams as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Texans saw a high scoring game last week with 53 combined points being scored — but one of those touchdowns came from them allowing a 19-yard fumble recovery that the Lions returned for a touchdown. Houston has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total when playing with six days of rest preseason games under head coach Bill O’Brien. O’Brien pulled his offensive starters after they had a successful opening drive against the Detroit defense. Quarterback Deshaun Watson completed 5 of 7 passes for 60 yards. But Watson has a history of injury — so O’Brien will likely have a quick hook with his offense after he is satisfied with their execution tonight. The Texans have a solid backup in Joe Webb — but their third-stringer, Jordan Ta’Amu, has only thrown one pass in the preseason as a rookie out of Ole Miss. Houston has played 7 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total on the road — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total when playing on field turf under O’Brien. Additionally, the Texans have played 8 of their last 13 preseason games Under the Total when favored under O’Brien. Dallas has only scored 11.5 PPG in their two preseason games while averaging just 272.5 total YPG in those contests. This is par for the course for head coach Jason Garrett. The Cowboys averaged only 10.7 PPG while generating just 280.5 total YPG in their four preseason games last year. QB Dak Prescott has thrown only nine passes this preseason. And with running back Ezekiel Elliott still holding out, the Cowboys are not likely to put their promising rookie running back Tony Pollard on the field much for this game. Dallas has played 3 of their last 4 preseason games Under the Total after scoring no more than 17 points in two straight games. The backup QB situation for Dallas is not one of the better situations in the league. Cooper Rush has looked solid this preseason — but the third-year pro out of Central Michigan has only played in three regular-season games without a start. The third-stringer is likely to be Mike White — the second-year QB has completed only 16 of 33 passes for 117 yards in this preseason.

FINAL TAKE: The Cowboys have played 14 of their last 23 preseason games in the Garrett era Under the Total with the number set int he 35.5 to 42 point range. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* NFLx NFL Network Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Houston Texans (271) and the Dallas Cowboys (272). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Royals (915) and the Cleveland Indians (916) listing both starting pitchers Jakob Junis and Zach Plesac. THE SITUATION: Kansas City (45-83) has lost two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 8-1 loss in Baltimore against the Orioles. Cleveland (74-54) has won three straight games as well as five of their last six contests with their 2-0 loss in New York to the Mets.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Royals have played 6 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a loss. Additionally, Kansas City has lost 4 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 16 of their last 25 games Under the Total after allowing at least eight runs in their last contest. The Royals have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring no more than two runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after an off day. And in their last 7 games on the road, Kansas City has played 5 of these games Under the Total. They give the ball to Junis who is 8-11 with a 4.78 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in twenty-six starts. The right-hander will be looking to complete at least 6 innings of work for the ninth straight start tonight. Junis has been more effective on the road where he has a 3.89 ERA along with a 1.33 WHIP and .260 opponent’s batting average in twelve starts as opposed to his 5.53 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and .275 opponent’s batting average when pitching at home. The Royals have played 4 straight road games Under the Total with Junis pitching against teams with a winning record. Kansas City has also played 22 of their last 33 games with Junis pitching with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. He faces an Indians team that is scoring only 4.4 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .244 batting average along with a .310 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .728. Cleveland has played 20 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a loss by two runs or less — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after allowing no more than two runs in their last game. The Indians return home to Progressive Field for the first time since August 14th — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total after being on the road for at least seven days. Cleveland has also played 19 of their last 25 home games Under the Total when favored in the -125 to -175 price range. They counter with Plesac who is 6-4 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in fifteen starts. The right-hander has done his best pitching at home where he has a 3.25 ERA along with a 1.17 WHIP in eight starts as compared to his 3.86 ERA and 1.26 WHIP on the road. The Indians have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total with Plesac pitching as a money-line favorite priced in the -110 to -150 range. He should have success facing this Royals team that is scoring only 3.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games along with a .214 batting average along with a .264 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .550 during that span. Kansas City has also played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first meeting between these two teams since July 28th when the Royals upset the Indians at home by a 9-6 score despite being a +160 priced underdog. Cleveland has played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total when playing with revenge from an upset loss as a home favorite. These two teams have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total when playing in Cleveland. 25* MLB American League Central Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Kansas City Royals (915) and the Cleveland Indians (916) listing both starting pitchers Jakob Junis and Zach Plesac. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (253) and the Atlanta Falcons (254). THE SITUATION: Washington (0-2) remained winless this preseason with their 25-13 upset loss at home to Cincinnati as a 2.5-point favorite last Thursday. Atlanta (0-3) lost their third straight game this preseason with their 22-10 upset loss at home to the New York Jets as a 2.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While the Skins’ game with the Bengals finished Under the Total with 36 combined points, two touchdowns were scored by a pick-six by Washington along with a 75-yard punt return by Cincinnati. The Skins managed only 212 yards of offense against the Bengals — and they have averaged a mere 241.5 total YPG this preseason despite having one of the few legitimate quarterback battles to determine their starter this preseason. The Washington defense did play better this week as they limited Cincinnati to just 335 yards. The Skins have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total under head coach Jay Gruden after a straight-up loss in the preseason — and they have also played 6 of their last 8 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread defeat in the preseason in the Gruden era. Additionally, Washington has played 9 of their last 10 preseason games Under the Total under Gruden when playing with six days or less of rest. The Skins have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total in the preseason as the favorite — and they have played 12 of their last 19 preseason games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. They go back on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 preseason games Under the Total under Gruden. Atlanta has now lost eleven preseason games under head coach Dan Quinn. After averaging just 6.7 PPG in their four preseason games last year, the Falcons are scoring only somewhat better this season with their 15.7 PPG clip. Don’t blame Atlanta not using their starting quarterback Matt Ryan either as he played well into the second quarter last week while completing 10 of his 14 passes for 118 yards. The Falcons have then played 8 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total after a straight-up loss in the preseason — and they have played 8 of their last 10 preseason games Under the Total after a point spread preseason loss in the Quinn era. Further, Atlanta has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after suffering two straight preseason losses — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after losing three straight games against the spread in the preseason. The Falcons defense has been stout this preseason as they are allowing only 249.3 total YPG. They have not allowed more than 96 rushing yards this preseason — and they have then played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 99 rushing yards in at least two straight preseason contests. Atlanta has also played 6 straight preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range.

FINAL TAKE: The Falcons have played 7 straight preseason games Under the Total in expected close preseason games where they are listed in the +/- 3-point range. And in the Skins last 6 preseason games against fellow NFC opponents, the game finished Under the Total all 6 times. 25* NFLx NFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Redskins (253) and the Atlanta Falcons (254). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:20 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Caleb Smith and Julio Teheran. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (75-62) has won three straight games with their 5-1 victory over the Marlins last night. Miami (45-79) has lost four straight games as well as seven of their last eight contests.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Braves have played 20 of their last 30 games Over the Total after a victory by at least four runs. The Over is also 6-2-2 in their last 10 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while Atlanta has not allowed more than three runs in three straight games, they have then played 9 of their last 13 games Over the Total after not allowing more than three runs in their last game. Furthermore, while the Braves have played three straight games Over the Total, they have then played 7 of their last 11 games Over the Total after playing at least three straight Unders. They give the ball to Teheran who is 7-8 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twenty-six starts this season. The sabermetrics are screaming that Teheran is high on the list of regression candidates for the rest of the season relative to those baseline numbers. Opposing hitters are generating a Hard-Hit Rate of 38.9% which is the highest in his career. The right-hander then adds to many walks to this volatile situation — he issues a base-on-balls to 11.0% of the batters he faces while averaging 4.29 walks per 9 innings of work. Unfortunately for Teheran, he is not much of a strikeout pitcher to help him get out of jams — he only strikes out 21.3% of the batters he faces. He also does not induce ground balls as only 39.8% of the batted balls he allows into play are grounders. Both his SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 5.13 and 5.27 moving forward based on his peripheral numbers like this. Teheran is not quite as effective a home either where he has a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .248 in twelve starts as compared to his 1.26 WHIP and .221 opponent’s batting average when pitching on the road. Atlanta has played 9 of their last 13 home games Over the Total with Teheran on the hill — and they have played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with Teheran facing a team with a losing record. The Braves have also played 5 of their last 7 home games Over the Total with Teheran facing the Marlins. The Over is 10-3-2 in Miami’s last 15 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Over is also 10-3-2 in the Marlins’ last 15 games after a loss — and they have played 8 of their last 13 games after a loss to a divisional rival where they scored just one run. The Over is also 6-0-2 in Miami’s last 8 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. Additionally, the Marlins have played 11 of their last 14 games Over the Total in the month of August — and the Over is 6-1-2 in Miami’s last 9 games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Smith who is 8-6 with a 3.63 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in twenty starts. The lefty has a concerning Hard-Hit rate of 41.7% that is a bit more manageable when pitching in the spacious Marlins Park for his home games. Smith has a 3.32 ERA in ten starts at home — but those numbers rise to a 3.95 ERA when he is on the road. His SIERA and xFIP project an ERA of 4.08 and 4.34 moving forward. Miami has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Smith pitching on five days of rest — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 5 games with Smith facing a team with a winning record. After throwing 106 pitches in his last game (which only got him through 5 innings), the Marlins will be keeping a short lease on their young hurler as they build for the future. Expect the Miami bullpen to get plenty of action in this game with their 5.15 ERA and 1.46 WHIP this season — and that group has a 12.34 ERA with a 2.49 WHIP in their last seven games. Atlanta hits left-handed pitching hard — they average 5.6 Runs-Per-Game with a .812 OPS against left-handed starting pitchers. The Braves have also played 7 of their last 9 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings between these two teams. Expect another higher-scoring game tonight. 25* MLB National League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Miami Marlins (907) and the Atlanta Braves (908) listing both starting pitchers Caleb Smith and Julio Teheran. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Minnesota Twins (970) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Chicago White Sox (969) listing both starting pitchers Michael Pineda and Reynaldo Lopez. THE SITUATION: Minnesota (76-49) saw their four-game winning streak snapped last night with their 6-4 loss to the White Sox in the opening game of this series. Chicago (56-68) had lost three of their last four games before pulling the upset last night.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TWINS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Minnesota has bounced-back to win 36 of their last 52 games after a loss — and they have won 37 of their last 53 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, the Twins have won 42 of their last 59 games against teams with a losing record — and they have won 38 of their last 56 games against fellow AL Central opponents. Minnesota has also still won 48 of their last 71 home games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Pineda who is 8-5 with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP in twenty-two starts this season. This will be his second start since a stint on the disabled list dealing with a triceps injury in his throwing arm. Pineda struggled earlier in the season as he returned to the mound after missing last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The right-hander has allowed more than three earned runs just once in his last fifteen starts. Over his last ten starts, Pineda has a 2.95 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP in 58 innings of work where he struck out 56 batters. Pineda has also been more effective at home where he owns a 1.14 WHIP with an opponent’s batting average of .249 in eleven starts. The Twins have won 4 of their last 5 home games with Pineda on the hill. He should pitch well against this White Sox team that has lost 19 of their last 26 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. Chicago is scoring just 3.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .243 batting average along with a .291 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .639 over that span. The White Sox have lost 5 of their last 6 games after a win — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Chicago has also lost 7 of their last 11 games after pulling off an upset win over a divisional rival. They counter with Lopez who is 7-10 with a 5.29 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP in twenty-five starts. The right-hander has not been as effective on the road where he owns a 5.57 ERA with a 1.55 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .294 in twelve starts. The White Sox have lost 4 of their last 5 road games with Lopez on the mound when priced in the +125 to +175 price range. Lopez is also 0-2 in his three career starts on the road in Minnesota’s Target Field with a 5.40 ERA. He faces a hot-hitting Twins’ team that is scoring 7.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .302 batting average along with a .323 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .900 over that span. The Twins have won a decisive 42 of their last 57 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The White Sox have lost 11 of their last 15 games against the Twins — and they have also lost 7 of their last 8 games in Minnesota. The Twins have been money-line favorites priced above the -150 threshold forty-one times this season. Only four times have then won the game by just one run — they have won 22 of those games by more than one run while losing outright in 15 of those games. I don’t love the losses (but I feel good with Pineda on the hill) — but I would much rather lower the price on Minnesota than risk the big money-line loss. 25* MLB American League Central Run-Line of the Month with the Minnesota Twins (970) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Chicago White Sox (969) listing both starting pitchers Michael Pineda and Reynaldo Lopez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (431) and the Denver Broncos (432). THE SITUATION: San Francisco (1-0) won their opening preseason game last week by a 17-9 score over Dallas as a 3.5-point favorite last Saturday. Denver (1-1) looks to bounce-back from their 22-14 upset loss at Seattle back on August 8th where they were 2-point favorites.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: While the headlines with this 49ers team usually relate to their offense under head coach Kyle Shanahan, their defense has been drawn attention in training camp for their strong play. San Francisco limited the Cowboys to just 294 yards of offense last week in that preseason victory. Furthermore, the 49ers held Dallas to averaging just 4.8 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt — and in preseason games involving a road team that did not allow more than 5.5 YPA in the preseason game in the previous week, these games finished Under the Total in 48 of these last 71 situations (68%) where these conditions applied. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo did not play last week but he is expected to make his preseason debut tonight — although reports out of the San Francisco camp is that he will play only one or two series tonight before giving way to his backups. There is still a battle for the second string QB slot between C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens. Beathard injured his finger last week but he is expected to first off the bench after Garoppolo’s night is complete. San Francisco will likely rely on their deep bench at running back as well with Jerick McKinnon dealing with an injury. Shanahan did not risk playing Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman last week — so while they will both likely see snaps, they will likely not play much in this game to avoid risking another injury at the running back position. Denver has played 13 of their last 22 preseason games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss in the preseason in the previous week. The Broncos only gained 298 yards of offense last week despite it being their second preseason game after playing Atlanta in the Hall of Fame Game. Denver is averaging just 243.0 total YPG this preseason which has resulted in just 14 points in each of their games. Veteran QB Joe Flacco took his first snaps in live competition last week — he completed 3 of his 4 passes for 19 yards. It is not likely that he will play deep into this game. Expect the majority of the snaps to be given to rookies Drew Lock and Brett Rypien along with the fourth-year veteran Kevin Hogan. The former Stanford star has completed just 8 of his 15 passes for 54 yards with no touchdown passes in two preseason games. The Broncos have played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total when favored.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams conducted joint practices in the lead-up to this exhibition game. The Denver defense played extremely well in those controlled scrimmage events. The Broncos have allowed only 7 and 3 points in the first half of their two preseason games — and that triggers a preseason-specific angle supporting the Under that has been 81% effective over the last five seasons. In preseason games with the Total set in then 35.5-42 point range, when one of the teams has not allowed more than a touchdown in their previous two preseason games, these games finished Under the Total in 21 of the last 26 games where these situations applied. 25* NFLx Monday Night Football Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the San Francisco 49ers (431) and the Denver Broncos (432). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Wolverhampton (200066) with the Goal-Line versus Manchester United (200065). THE SITUATION: Wolverhampton (W0-D1-L0) comes off a 0-0 draw in their opening match last week against Leicester City. Manchester United (W1-D0-L0) looks to build off the momentum of their 4-0 victory over Chelsea last Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE WOLVERHAMPTON WITH THE GOAL-LINE: The Wolves parked the proverbial bus on the road last week to pull out the one-point result against the Foxes. Now Wolverhampton returns home to Molineaux where they were very tough to beat last season — and manager Nuno Espirito Santo is comfortable with having his team play more aggressively on the pitch. The Wolves were W10-D4-L5 in their nineteen home matches last season. They also closed out the EPL campaign last year by going W6-D2-L0 in their last eight matches at home where they scored 16 goals and surrendered just six goals. Wolverhampton was also a giant killer last season — they were W7-D4-L4 in their fifteen matches against the Big Six teams while going W3-D1-L2 in their six home matches against these top six sides. Man United is feeling very good about themselves after their clean sheet blowout victory over Chelsea. But that match was much closer on the pitch than that final score suggests. The Red Devils could have easily surrendered two or three goals in that contest. The Blues controlled possession for 53.8% of that match while outshooting them by an 18 to 11 margin (7 to 5 with shots on target). Frankly, outside the first 20 minutes in their match yesterday with Leicester City, Chelsea has looked very vulnerable this season. Now Man United goes on the road away from Old Trafford where they were not nearly as good. The Red Devils were W9-D3-L7 in their nineteen matches on the road last season while only outscoring those opponents by a 32 to 29 margin. Man United was just W0-D1-L3 in their last four matches on the road in the EPL last year.

FINAL TAKE: Wolverhampton comes off a 4-0 victory last Thursday in Europa League action while managing to rest their key starters for this match. The Wolves were W2-D1-L0 in their three matches against Man United last season with their last meeting being a 2-1 victory at home against the Red Devils back on April 2nd. Don’t be surprised if Wolverhampton wins this match straight-up. 25* English Premier League Monday NBC Sports Network Match of the Month with the Wolverhampton (200066) with the Goal-Line versus Manchester United (200065). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (429) and the Minnesota Vikings (430). THE SITUATION: Seattle (1-0) pulled off a 22-14 upset win at home against Denver back on August 8th as a 2-point underdog. Minnesota (1-0) pulled off an upset win the next night in New Orleans with their 34-25 win against the Saints as a 3-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Pete Carroll’s teams have played 20 of their 28 preseason games Under the Total after a straight-up win in the preseason — and this includes his Seahawks teams playing ten of their sixteen preseason games Under the Total after a win in the preseason in the previous week. Carroll’s Seattle teams have also played 12 of their last 17 preseason games after a point spread win in the preseason. The Seahawks defense played well in that game as they held the Broncos (who already had a preseason game under their belts) to just 298 yards of offense. Seattle has played 7 of their last 10 preseason games in the Carroll regime Under the Total after not allowing more than 14 points in their last preseason game in the previous week. The offense was not much better as Seattle managed only 18 first downs which resulted in 301 yards. Geno Smith struggled at quarterback as he completed just 3 of 9 passes. Russell Wilson did not play in that opening game — he will likely play in this game but the veteran will not play long in this game. Carroll’s Seahawks teams have played 7 of their last 9 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 38.5 to 42 point range. Seattle has also played 6 of their last 9 preseason games against fellow NFC opponents Under the Total — and they have played 6 of their last 8 preseason games Under the Total when listed in the +/- 3-point range. Minnesota has played 13 of their last 17 preseason games Under the Total after pulling off an upset victory in the preseason — and this includes them playing three of the four games Under the Total after an upset victory in the preseason under head coach Mike Zimmer. The Vikings have also played 5 of their last 6 preseason games in the Zimmer era Under the Total after a preseason victory on the road. The Minnesota offense was crisp — led by starter Kirk Cousins who completed all four of his passes for 65 yards and a touchdown — as they generated 460 yards in that game. But while the Vikings averaged 8.5 Yards-Per-Play against the Saints, they have then played 3 of their 4 preseason games Under the Total. This game may see more of Jake Browning who attempted only three passes last week. The rookie from Washington is battling Sean Mannion and Kyle Sloter for a backup spot on the depth chart. Only Mannion has NFL experience with his ten-game appearances out of that group after Cousins.

FINAL TAKE: The Vikings backup quarterbacks will have a challenge facing this Seahawks team that held Denver to just 5.3 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt last week. Preseason games where the road team did not allow more than 5.5 Yards-Per-Passing-Attempt in their previous preseason game have then gone Under the Total in 48 of these last 70 situations (69%). 25* NFLx Fox-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Seahawks (429) and the Minnesota Vikings (430). Best of luck for us — Frank. 

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (419) and the Tennessee Titans (420). THE SITUATION: New England (1-0) opened up their exhibition season by going on the road to crush the Lions in Detroit by a 31-3 score as a 2.5-point underdog. Tennessee (1-0) comes off a 27-10 upset victory in their first preseason game at Philadelphia where they were 1.5-point underdogs.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Patriots flexed their muscles on defense against the Lions with the young talent they have assembled on that side of the field which has given them nice depth for deep playoff runs. New England held Detroit to just 93 yards of offense while limiting them to only 3.0 Yards-Per-Play. The Patriots have played 6 of their last 9 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the previous preseason game in the prior week. They went into halftime with a 20-0 shutout lead over the Lions as well — and they have then played 9 of their last 11 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 3 points in the first half of their previous preseason game. These two teams have played two joint practices together with this exhibition game serving as the third encounter between these two teams this week. The last time the Patriots conducted joint practices before their second preseason game, Tom Brady only two series in that game. Don’t expect to see Brady out on the field very long tonight. I suspect that rookie Jarrett Stidham out of Auburn will get the majority of snaps to get him more opportunities against professional defenses. He was very effective last week in completing 14 of 24 passes for 179 yards with one touchdown against the Lions — but the Titans defense will benefit from both that game tape as well as two days of direct experience scrimmaging against him to now offer him come challenging looks. New England has played 22 of their last 37 preseason games Under the Total — and they have also played 13 of their last 21 road preseason games Under the Total with the number set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Tennessee’s defense also played quite well last week in holding the Eagles to just 227 yards of offense. The Titans were also able to control the time of possession by being on offense for 37:51 minutes of that game. Tennessee limited Philadelphia to just 37 rushing yards in that preseason game. The Titans have then played 5 of their last 6 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 50 rushing yards in their previous preseason game — and they have played both preseason games Under the Total in the Matt Vrabel era Under the Total after not allowing more than 75 rushing yards in their previous preseason contest. Quarterback Marcus Mariota threw only 8 passes last week for just 24 yards — I do not expect him to see the field too much tonight. Backup Ryan Tannehill looked very good as a backup (with whispers that he could challenge for Mariota’s job) by completing 12 of 16 passes for 130 yards and two TD passes. Don’t be surprised if third-stringer Logan Woodside gets plenty of action tonight. It is a big dropoff to the third-year pro from Toledo who has yet to play in an NFL regular season contest. Tennessee has played their last 3 games against fellow AFC opponents Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: In preseason games between conference rivals, when the Total is set in the 42.5 to 49 point range, these games finished Under the Total in 22 of these last 28 situations (79%). With these teams already facing off with two joint practices, expect these two AFC playoff teams from last year to engage in an exhibition game that is pure vanilla. 25* NFLx AFC Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the New England Patriots (419) and the Tennessee Titans (420). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Oakland A’s (920) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Houston Astros (919) listing both starting pitchers Chris Bassitt and Rogelio Armenteros. THE SITUATION: Oakland (70-52) has won three straight games after winning the second game of this series last night by a 3-2 score. Houston (78-45) has lost four straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE A’S PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: Oakland pulled off the upset last night as a +170 priced underdog since they were battling Justin Verlander — and they have won 11 of their last 16 games after an upset victory as a home underdog against a fellow AL West rival. The A’s have also won 10 of their last 12 third games of a series. Oakland has been dominant when playing at home in the Coliseum — they have won 71 of their last 105 games at home going back to last season. The A’s have also won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a winning record — and they have won 9 of their last 10 home games with the Total set at 10 or higher. They give the ball to Bassitt who is 8-5 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in twenty starts. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.06 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .207 in eight starts. Oakland has won 5 of their last 7 home games with Bassitt pitching with the Total set in the 8.5 to 10 range. Bassitt also thrives in day games where he has a 2.81 ERA with a 0.94 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .198. He faces an Astros team that has lost 4 of their last 5 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. Houston has lost 8 of their last 11 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game. The Astros have also lost 4 straight games on the road. And while this is Houston’s ninth game on their ten-game road trip — they have lost 11 of their last 17 road games when it is at least their sixth game in a row. Given a hamstring injury that has caused Gerrit Cole to miss a start, the Astros recalled Armenteros from Round Rock in Triple-A to make this start. The 25-year old right-hander has struggled in the minors where he has a 5-6 record along with a 5.06 ERA. He has pitched 14 innings in the majors this season where he sports a 1-0 record with a 1.93 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP — but regression is highly likely in this start on the road. The sabermetrics for those 14 innings of work project that Armenteros will likely see the runs he allows double moving forward given his SIERA and xFIP that project an ERA of 3.80 and 4.07. Oakland has won 20 of their last 27 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The A’s won the opening game of this series on Thursday by a 7-6 score. Houston has lost 7 of their last 9 opportunities to avenge two straight losses by just one run to their opponent. While the A’s as a money-line underdog is intriguing, with the price of them getting the valuable +1.5 Run-Line being under my -150 threshold, I prefer investing in the Run-Line for this situation. 25* MLB FS1-TV Run-Line of the Year with the Oakland A’s (920) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Houston Astros (919) listing both starting pitchers Chris Bassitt and Rogelio Armenteros. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:30 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between the Tottenham Hotspurs (200049) and Manchester City (200050). THE SITUATION: Tottenham (W1-D0-L0) won their opening match last Saturday with their 3-1 victory over Aston Villa. Manchester City (W1-D0-L0) began the defense of their 2018-19 English Premier League championship with a 5-0 victory at West Ham.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Tottenham is undermanned for this match with Dele Alli, Ryan Sessegnon, and Ben Davies all dealing with injuries while Juan Foyth and Son Heung-min ineligible to play as they finish out respective suspensions. The Spurs still have a healthy Harry Kane who scored twice in the final five minutes of their match with the promoted Aston Villa side to escape with that 3-1 victory. The Tottenham offensive attack was sluggish for most of that match until Christian Eriksen took the pitch to offer Kane a passing combination from the midfield. The Spurs scored only 10 goals in their ten EPL matches last season against one of the Big Six opponents. However, Tottenham’s defense was solid in those matches as they surrendered only 15 goals in those ten matches against the Big Six. Only two of those ten matches saw more than three combined goals scored with five of those matches seeing no more than two combined goals scored by both teams. Manager Mauricio Pochettino typically has his team embrace defensive tactics in these high-profile matches — and that will even more likely be the case given that his starting XI is not his best possible group. Manchester City produced another clean sheet last Saturday by blanking West Ham. The Citizens were second in the EPL last season by allowing only 29 goals in their thirty-eight matches all season. Man City’s defense plays consistently well even against the best competition in the league. Manchester City allowed only five goals in their ten matches against Power Six sides — and they surrendered a mere three goals in their five home matches against these Big Six teams. Pep Guardiola is also dealing with some injuries with Leroy Sane out as he prepares for knee surgery and Benjamin Mendy still working on his game fitness.

FINAL TAKE: These teams and managers are very familiar with each other. They faced off against each other three times in a twelve-day stretch last April with one EPL match and the two-legs of their Championship League Semifinals clash. Two of those matches ended in 1-0 results with Tottenham winning the opening match at home in that Champions League clash on April 9th before Man City avenged losing that semifinals showdown with a 1-0 victory in EPL play on April 20th. The Spurs advanced to the Champions League Finals by the road team goals scored tie-breaker after a 4-3 result at Man City on April 17th in a wild game where the Citizens needed to win by at least two goals. That result was a bit of an aberration given the urgency Manchester City had to win by two goals (after the Spurs registered a goal on the road). Expect the defensive tactics of those other two April matches serve as the template for this encounter. 25* English Premier League NBC-TV Total of the Month with Under the Total in the match between the Tottenham Hotspurs (200049) and Manchester City (200050). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Chicago Bears (413) plus the points versus the New York Giants (414). THE SITUATION: Chicago (0-1) looks to bounce-back from a 23-13 upset loss at home to Carolina last Thursday despite being a 3-point favorite. New York (1-0) comes off a 31-22 upset victory against the New York Jets as a 2.5-point underdog in their annual preseason showdown at their respective home at MetLife Stadium.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BEARS PLUS THE POINTS: Chicago will likely not play many of their key starters tonight with that being the preseason philosophy of second-year head coach Matt Nagy. But the Bears have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 6 preseason games as an underdog — and this includes them covering the point spread in three of their four preseason games as an underdog in the Nagy regime. Chicago has also covered the point spread in 5 of their last 7 preseason games after a double-digit loss in the previous week in the preseason. The Bears have the better overall roster than the Giants which will help them stay competitive in this game for all four quarters. The Chicago defense limited the Panthers last week to just 269 yards of offense. The Bears also have two veteran quarterbacks to rely on in this game. Chase Daniel is an eleven-year veteran who has played in 63 NFL games in his career with four starts. Daniel was very effective last week as he completed 11 of 13 passes for 120 yards against the Panthers. Tyler Bray is a seven-year veteran who completed 8 of 17 passes last week for 85 yards. Bray had issues with accuracy but he was aggressive with his passes. Neither quarterback threw an interception. Chicago also has a very intriguing offensive weapon in rookie running back David Montgomery who starred in college at Iowa State. The Bears have covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 preseason gams on the road — and they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 12 preseason games with the Total set in the 38.5 to 42 point range. New York has failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games with the Total set at 50 or higher. And while the Giants’ offense generated 414 yards of offense to the tune of averaging 7.5 Yards-Per-Play, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 9 preseason games after averaging at least 6.0 YPP. Eli Manning will likely get more snaps under center tonight after throwing just one pass last Thursday. Rookie Daniel Jones looked good last week by completing all five of his passes for 67 yards. Don’t be surprised if Jones struggles in his second preseason game (as Kyler Murray did last night) with him now facing an opponent that has game tape on him. New York then has second-year Kyle Lauletta who has been considered a disappointment (it’s why the Giants drafted Jones with the 6th pick in the first round) and eight-year vet Alex Tanney — they have combined to play in three regular-season NFL games. The Giants also have issues with their running backs with Wayne Gillman dealing with a foot injury and Saquon Barkley not taking the field tonight to avoid risking an injury. Paul Perkins struggled with a fumble and a dropped pass last week in his first game back since missing all of last season with an injury. The former UCLA is at risk of being cut as he battles with Rod Smith for a spot on the running back depth chart. New York has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games at home in the preseason.

FINAL TAKE: The Giants are typically unreliable favorites in the preseason. They have failed to cover the point spread in 28 of their last 42 preseason games. New York has also failed to over the pint spread in 21 of their last 31 home games as the favorite — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22  home games when laying no more than 3 points. 25* NFLx NFC Game of the Year with the Chicago Bears (413) plus the points versus the New York Giants (414). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Oakland Raiders (409) and the Arizona Cardinals (410). THE SITUATION: Oakland (1-0) won their opening preseason game last Saturday in their 14-3 victory at home over the Los Angeles Rams as a 4.5-point favorite. Arizona (1-0) also won their first exhibition game this preseason with their 17-13 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday as a 3-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: One of the reliable sources of evidence in handicapping preseason games invokes the team trends tied to the head coach in various situations. Head coach Jon Gruden has seen his teams played 11 of their 14 preseason games Under the Total after a win in the preseason at home in his coaching career with the Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gruden’s teams have also played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after a preseason win at home by double-digits. Furthermore, the Raiders have played 4 straight preseason games Under the Total with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range in Gruden’s second stint with the Raiders. The Oakland offense generated 407 total yards last week — but they were able to churn out those yards by controlling the Time of Possession for 35:27 minutes of that game. The Raiders kept the chains moving by rushing for 149 yards — and they outrushed the Rams by +92 net yards. Oakland has then played 13 o their last 17 preseason games Under the Total after outrushing their previous preseason opponent in the prior week by at least 75 yards. Quarterbacks Mike Glennon and Nathan Peterman combined to complete 26 of 37 passes for 266 yards. But inconsistency remains an issue for both signal-callers. Glennon threw two interceptions last week — and Peterman’s struggles with consistency are well-documented. Scoring only 14 points despite gaining over 400 yards and controlling the clock for almost 60% of the game is not a great sign moving forward. Second-year offensive lineman, Brandon Parker, struggled in pass protection — and the Raiders have played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after failing to score more than 14 points in the previous preseason game in the prior week. Incumbent starter, Derek Carr, did not play on Saturday. Carr only played in the first and third preseason games last August where he threw just seven combined passes — so Gruden’s likely approach this preseason will be to limit Carr’s exposure in these exhibition games. Besides, Gruden has the incentive to continue to observe Glennon and Peterman play against hostile competition since he is undecided on who will serve as Carr’s primary backup. The Raiders should feel encouraged by the play of their defense that limited the Rams’ offense (albeit, not playing their first unit) to just 190 yards of offense. Los Angeles averaged only 3.8 Yards-Per-Play — and Oakland has played 10 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total after not allowing more than 4.0 YPP in their previous preseason game. Additionally, the Raiders have played 11 of their last 16 preseason games Under the Total on the road with the Total set in the 38.5 to 42 point range. Arizona managed only 289 yards of offense in the debut of the Kliff Kingsbury offense last week against the Chargers defense. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray was on the field for only ten plays in that game. And while he looked pretty good, he did not lead the offense to any points. Kingsbury declared that Murray will play “longer” tonight — but I do not expect that to be significantly longer with Kingsbury falling under the Sean McVay new school of coaching that does not value playing the first-string offense in these exhibition games. That means that the majority of the quarterbacking will likely be handled by the law firm of Hundley, Anderson, and Kanoff — and with only Brett Hundley seeming to offer potential upside as opposed to rookie Drew Anderson from the FCS school, Murray State, and second-year man, Charles Kanoff, from another FCS school, Princeton. Those latter two FCS quarterbacks with zero game experience in the regular season will have to work behind the backups of an already suspect offensive line. The Cardinals have played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after a preseason straight-up victory — and they have also played 4 of their last 5 preseason games Under the Total after covering the point spread in their previous preseason game. And while Arizona was outrushed by -123 yards last week to the Chargers, they have then played 9 of their last 13 preseason games Under the Total after being outrushed in the previous week in the preseason by at least 75 yards. The Cardinals gave up 357 yards in that game while allowing Los Angeles to average 7.0 YPP — but they have then played 5 straight games Under the Total after allowing at least 7.0 YPP in their previous preseason game in the previous week.

FINAL TAKE: Arizona stays at home to host their second preseason game — and they have played 22 of their last 36 home preseason games with the Total set in the 35.5 to 42 point range. Expect both these teams to struggle to score 20 points apiece — despite the Total in the 40-point range. 25* NFLx ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Oakland Raiders (409) and the Arizona Cardinals (410). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Cleveland Indians (962) versus the Boston Red Sox (961) listing both starting pitchers Zach Plesac and Eduardo Rodriguez. THE SITUATION: Cleveland (70-47) has won five of their last six games as well — as nine of their last twelve contests — with their 7-3 victory in Minnesota against the Twins. Boston (62-57) has lost two straight games — as well as eleven of their last fourteen contests — after their 5-4 loss in 10 innings against the Angels yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE INDIANS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Cleveland has quietly been one of the best teams in baseball since the All-Star break — they have won twenty-six of their last thirty-five games. The Indians return home where they have won 5 of their last 6 games — and they have won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with a losing record. Furthermore, Cleveland has won 8 straight games at home with the Total set in the 10 to 10.5 range. They give the ball to Plesac who is 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in thirteen starts. The right-hander comes off a strong outing where he did not allow an earned run in 6 innings of work while striking out seven batters against the Rangers. Please has been his most effective at home where he owns a 2.97 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .215 in seven starts. The Indians have won 5 straight home games with Plesac on the mound. Please has also thrived at night where he has a 2.10 ERA along with a 1.08 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .198 in six starts. Cleveland has won 6 straight night games with Plesac making the start. While Plesac was not a highly touted prospect in the minor leagues, his increased velocity has helped him exceed expectations at the major league level. He should pitch another good game against this slumping Red Sox team that has lost 6 of their last 7 games against right-handed starting pitchers. Boston has lost 8 of their last 10 games after a loss — and they have lost 9 of their last 11 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. Furthermore, this reeling Red Sox team has lost 8 straight games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, Boston has lost 5 straight games on the road — and they have lost 4 straight road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Red Sox have also lost 21 of their last 31 games when listed in the +/- 125 price range. They counter with Rodriguez who is 13-5 with a 4.17 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twenty-four starts this season. The left-hander has done his best pitching at home in Fenway Park where he owns a 3.89 ERA with a 1.27 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .241 in twelve starts — but those numbers rise to a 4.46 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .266 in his twelve starts on the road. He faces an Indians team that has won 22 of their last 29 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and this includes them winning thirteen of their last sixteen games at home against left-handed starting pitchers. Cleveland has also won 35 of their last 51 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The Indians have won 4 of their 5 encounters with the Red Sox — and they have also won 13 of their last 18 opportunities to host Boston in Progressive Field. 25* MLB Monday ESPN Game of the Year with the money-line on the Cleveland Indians (962) versus the Boston Red Sox (961) listing both starting pitchers Zach Plesac and Eduardo Rodriguez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (908) versus the Pittsburgh Pirates (907) listing both starting pitchers Dakota Hudson and Chris Archer. THE SITUATION: St. Louis (58-55) lost all five games on their recent road trip that ended on Wednesday with their 2-1 loss in Los Angeles to the Angels. Pittsburgh (48-66) has lost five straight games — as well as fifteen of their last seventeen contests — after their 8-3 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The Pirates have been reeling since the All-Star Break as they have lost twenty-one of their last twenty-five games since the Midseason Classic. Pittsburgh has lost 17 of their last 22 games after a loss — and they have lost 8 of their last 9 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Pirates have also lost 6 of their last 8 games after an off day. Additionally, Pittsburgh has lost 19 of their last 24 games after losing at least three straight games — and they have lost 24 of their last 34 games after losing six or seven of their last eight games. Now the Pirates go back on the road where they have lost 21 of their last 28 games — and they have lost 7 of their last 8 road games against teams with a winning record. Pittsburgh has also lost 23  of their last 31 games against fellow NL Central opponents. They give the ball to Archer who is 3-8 with a 5.35 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in twenty starts. The right-hander comes off a nice start where he allowed only one run at home against the Mets in 6 innings of work — but the Pirates have then lost 6 straight games with Archer looking to follow up a Quality Start. Archer pitches much better at home where he owns a 3.98 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and .237 opponent’s batting average — but those numbers skyrocket to a 7.14 ERA with a 1.48 WHIP and .254 opponent’s batting average in nine starts on the road. The Pirates have lost 11 of their last 14 road games with Archer on the mound. He faces a Cardinals team that has won 16 of their last 21 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. St. Louis has bounce-back to win 25 of their last 38 games after a loss by just one run. The Cardinals have also won 30 of their last 44 games after losing at least three in a row. St. Louis is struggling on offense as they have not scored more than three runs in five straight games. But the Cardinals have then won 27 of their last 40 games after failing to score more than four runs in their last three games — and they have also won 42 of their last 59 home games after failing to score more than three runs in three straight contests. Returning home again will help — St. Louis has won 33 of their last 45 games when favored up to a -150 price. The Cardinals have also won 5 straight games against teams with a losing record. Furthermore, St. Louis has won 7 of their last 8 games against NL Central rivals — and they have won 5 of their last 7 opening games to a new series. They counter with Hudson who is 10-6 with a 3.99 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP in twenty-two starts (twenty-three games). The right-hander has been more effective at home where he has a 3.54 ERA. The Cardinals have won 4 of their last 5 home games with Hudson on the hill. St. Louis has also won 8 straight games with Hudson facing a team with a losing record. He faces a slumping Pirates lineup that is hitting just .230 batting average over their last seven games along with a .296 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .666 during that span. Pittsburgh has also lost 8 of their last 10 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and they have lost 19 of their last 26 road games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: St. Louis has won 20 of their last 28 meetings between these two teams — and this includes them winning five straight against the Pirates after completing a three-game sweep in Pittsburgh last month. The Pirates have lost 11 of their last 13 games when attempting to avenge at least two straight losses at home to their opponent. 25* MLB National League Central Game of the Month with the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (908) versus the Pittsburgh Pirates (907) listing both starting pitchers Dakota Hudson and Chris Archer. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Liverpool (20002) minus the Goal-Line versus Norwich City (20001). Liverpool (W0-D0-L0) hosts the opening match of the 2019-20 English Premier League at their Anfield Stadium. Norwich City (W0-D0-L0) is one of the three promoted teams to be entering the EPL this season.

REASONS TO TAKE LIVERPOOL MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: Norwich City earned their promotion to the EPL by winning the Championship League last year with 94 points after being projected to finish mid-table at the beginning of the year. The Canaries have an excellent manager in Daniel Farke who oversaw a dramatic improvement in his club in his second year with the team. Their Sporting Director, Stuart Webber, made it a point this summer to not make the mistake that Fulham made last year by spending lots of money in the transfer window with the goal of upgrading the team to then only see them relegated again by finishing in the bottom three in the EPL table. Instead, Webber signed extension contracts to the core group of his young players with the hopes of laying the foundation of a multiple-year run in the EPL. That might be the prudent choice — but that does not bode well for this team in their early matches. This Norwich City group lacks big names and top-level experience so they will likely be overmatched by the reigning European Champions League champions. Many managers would then play to park the proverbial bus in back to play a cautious game — but that is not the style of Farke who likes to see his team attack in his 4-2-3-1 formation. The average score for the Canaries last season averaged 3.26 combined goals scored per game which is the highest number for a promoted side entering the EPL in the last ten seasons. The Norwich City defense was a bit leaky last year with their fullbacks, Jamal Lewis and Max Aarons, empowered to creep up the pitch to support the attack. The Canaries surrendered 57 goals last year which was more than even a Stoke City side that finished in 16th place in the Championship League. Only four teams allowed more goals on Set Pieces as well — and they make their debut against the brilliant Jurgen Klopp who drew up seventeen Set Piece goals for the Reds last season. And given their lacking quality in the center of the field with their midfield, Liverpool’s outstanding trio of scorers in Mohamad Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino is primed to have a field day against this team that will be experiencing a dramatic uptick in the quality of their typical opponent. Salah and Mane tied for the Golden Boot Award for the most goals scored in the EPL with 22 — and Firmino added another 12 goals himself. The 89 goals scored by the Reds were the second-most in the EPL. But what made Klopp’s team special was their continued improved play on defense as they led the EPL by allowing only 22 goals — and this is why I prefer laying the goal-line with the favorites in this match rather than taking the Over because Liverpool may very well earn a clean sheet in this opening match. The Reds were a dominant W17-D2-L0 in their nineteen matches at home last year in the EPL where they scored 55 goals while conceding just 10 times. Liverpool was also dominant against the non-Big Six teams in the league where they were W24-D3-L0 with 72 goals scored and just 14 goals allowed. The numbers were even more pronounced in the fourteen matches that Liverpool hosted one of the teams that finished in the bottom fourteen sides (apart from the Power Six franchises) as they were W13-D1-L0 against these teams while scoring 72 times and conceding just seven times for a dominating 3.07-0.50 averaging final score. The Pool Boys won seven of these fourteen matches against non-Big Six teams at home by at least three goals with two more of those matches being settled by two goals.

FINAL TAKE: Liverpool has also been the fastest starting team in the EPL under Klopp. The Reds have scored 11 combined goals in their last three opening weekends to the new EPL season. They should be amped to make a statement in this premier spot on Friday that opens the new season with their sights clearly on getting over the top to win their first EPL championship in three decades. Norwich has surrendered 24 combined goals in their last six meetings with Liverpool teams that were not as potent as this current group. 25* EPL Friday Afternoon NBC Sports Network Match of the Month with Liverpool (20002) minus the Goal-Line versus Norwich City (20001). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Cincinnati Reds (974) versus the Los Angeles Angels (973) listing both starting pitchers Anthony DeSclafani and Jose Suarez. THE SITUATION: Cincinnati (53-58) has won two straight games as well as seven of their last ten contests with their 7-4 victory over the Angels in the opening game of this series. Los Angeles (56-58) has lost five straight games as well as nine of their last eleven contests.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REDS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Cincinnati may be five games under .500 but they are also just five games out of the second wild-card spot in the National League playoff race given their good play as of late. The Reds have won 5 of their last 6 games at home in the Great American Ballpark — and they have won 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a losing record on the road. They give the ball to DeSclafani who is 6-6 with a 4.07 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The right-hander had a 2.94 ERA over a nine-start span before giving up three runs in 5 innings of work in his last start against Atlanta. He still has not allowed more than three earned runs in six straight starts. DeSclafani has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.40 ERA along with a 1.28 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .251 in ten starts as compared to his 4.72 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and .267 opponent’s batting average in eleven starts on the road. Cincinnati has won 7 of their last 10 home games with DeSclafani pitching against a team with a losing record. The Reds have also won 5 of their last 7 games with DeSclafani facing an American League opponent. He faces a cold Angels lineup that struck out seventeen times last night. Los Angeles is scoring only 2.9 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven contests with a .204 batting average along with a .275 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .631 during that span. The Angels have also lost 4 straight road games against right-handed starting pitchers. Additionally, Los Angeles has lost 4 straight games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Angels are just 27-32 on the road this season — and they have lost a decisive 46 of their last 66 road games against teams with a winning record a home. Furthermore, Los Angeles has lost 13 of their last 20 road games as an underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range — and they have lost 8 of their last 12 road games with the Total set at 10 to 10.5. They counter with Suarez who is 2-2 with a 5.66 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP in nine starts. The left-handed rookie is not developing at the major league level as he was saddled with a 5.75 ERA in his five starts last month. Suarez has not been as effective on the road either where he has a 5.70 ERA in five starts along with a 1.56 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .280. The Angels have lost 4 of their last 5 games with Suarez facing a team with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: The Reds have won 5 of their last 7 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 25* MLB Interleague Game of the Year with the money-line on the Cincinnati Reds (974) versus the Los Angeles Angels (973) listing both starting pitchers Anthony DeSclafani and Jose Suarez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:08 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (973) and the New York Yankees (974) listing both starting pitchers David Price and J.A. Happ. New York (71-39) has won four straight games after taking Game Three of their AL East series with the Red Sox by a 6-4 score in the second game of their double-header yesterday. Boston (59-54) has now lost seven straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Red Sox have played 16 of their last 21 games Over the Total after a loss — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total after losing six or seven of their last eight contests. Additionally, Boston has played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. And while the Red Sox have not scored more than four runs in four straight games, they have then played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after not scoring more than four runs in four straight games. Additionally, Boston has played 12 of their last 15 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have also played 29 of their last 43 road games Over the Total when priced as the favorite of at least -110. They give the ball to Price who is 7-4 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in twenty starts this season. The left-hander has allowed fewer runs at home in Fenway this year where he has a 3.46 ERA as opposed to his 4.13 ERA when he is pitching on the road. Price returns from paternity leave for this critical contest for the reeling Sox — but he has been part of the problem given his 6.52 ERA over his last four starts. And Yankee Stadium has been a house of horrors for Price — in his seven regular-season starts here since the start of the 2016 campaign, he has been saddled with an 8.59 ERA along with a 1.96 WHIP. Boston has played 5 straight games Over the Total with Price pitching in New York against the Yankees. He faces a hot-hitting Bronx Bombers team (despite being a M*A*S*H unit with their hitters) who are scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .274 batting average along with a .349 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .836 during that span. New York has played 18 of their last 26 games Over the Total after a win by two runs or less — and they have also played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total after winning at least four in a row. The Yankees have also played 7 of their last 10 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. And while the New York bullpen logged in 8 innings of work yesterday with them using reliever Chad Green as their opener, they have then played 15 of their last 19 games Over the Total when their bullpen pitched at least 7 innings in their last game. Additionally, the Yankees have played 8 of their last 10 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 23 of their last 34 games Over the Total when priced in the +/- 125 price range. They counter with Happ who is 8-6 with a 5.19 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The left-hander is also returning from paternity leave but he has struggled in Yankee Stadium as well where he has a 5.64 ERA along with a 1.47 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .305 in twelve starts as compared to his 4.62 ERA along with a nice 1.19 WHIP and .238 opponent’s batting average on the road. New York has played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total with Happ facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Red Sox team that has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 21-10-1 in their last 32 games against starting pitchers. And while Boston has played 29 of their last 43 games Over the Total with the number set at 10 or higher, the Yanks have played 21 of their last 33 games Over the Total with the total set at 10 or more.

FINAL TAKE: New York has won the last four games of this series going back all the way to the idyllic last few days in July last Sunday night. Boston has played 29 of their last 46 games Over the Total when playing with at least double-revenge — and they have played 6 of their last 8 games Over the Total when having lost at least four straight games against their opponent. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Total of the Month with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (973) and the New York Yankees (974) listing both starting pitchers David Price and J.A. Happ. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 5:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (635) and Los Angeles Sparks (636). THE SITUATION: Seattle (12-10) has lost two straight games after their 99-79 loss to Washington on Friday as a 5-point underdog. Los Angles (12-8) has their last two games as well as five of their last six contests with their 76-68 win over Las Vegas on Thursday as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Storm played their worst defensive game of the season on Friday as they allowed the Mystics to nail 54.8% of their shots which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in 2019. Head coach Dan Hughes will certainly get on his team to play better on the defensive end of the court tonight. As it is, Seattle has played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total after allowing their last opponent to make at least 50% of their shots from the field. The Storm has also played 18 of their last 26 games Under the Total after allowing at least 80 points in their last game. The reigning WNBA champions are one of the best defensive teams in the league this season even without Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird who have not played this year due to their respective injuries. Seattle is 3rd in the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 95.2 — and they hold their home hosts to just 41.7% shooting. The Storm made 40% of their shots agent the Mystics which may not sound much like but it was their best shooting mark in their last three games. Seattle has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game — and they may be without forward Kaleena Mosquera-Lewis who is questionable with a knee injury. That game with the Mystics flew over the 158 point Total on Thursday but the Storm have played 6 straight games Under the Total after playing a game that finished Over the Total. The Under is also 17-4-1 in Seattle’s last 22 games played with one day of rest. The Storm go back on the road they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total. Furthermore, the Under is 22-3-2 in Seattle’s last 27 games against teams with a winning record. Additionally, the Storm have played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total as the underdog — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference foes. Los Angeles has also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against Western Conference opponents. The Sparks have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. LA’s 42.3% shooting percentage on Thursday was their worst shooting effort in their last three games — but they have played 25 of their last 33 games Under the Total after making at least 42% of their shots in three straight games. The Sparks will be understaffed in this game with Alana Beard out with a hamstring injury, Riquina Williams still serving her ten-game suspension and Nneka Ogwunmike listed as questionable with a jaw injury. Los Angeles stays at home where they have covered the point spread in 37 of their last 52 games — and they have played 17 of their last 22 home games Under the Total as the favorite. The Sparks have also played 11 of their last 12 home games Under the Total when favored by 6.5 to 9 points. Look for LA to lean on their defense that has been bolstered by the return of Candace Parker in the middle. Over their last ten games, the Sparks’ Defensive Rating of 92.4 is second best in the WNBA — and they have held their last five opponents to just 37.9% shooting from the field. The Under is 20-6-2 in Los Angeles’ last 28 games against teams with a winning record.

FINAL TAKE: The Sparks will be motivated to avenge an 84-62 upset loss at Seattle where they allowed the Storm to nail 14 of their 26 shots from behind the arc for a sizzling 53.8% percentage. Los Angeles has played 15 of their last 21 games Under the Total when avenging a loss on the road to their opponent. The Under is 38-11-3 in the last 52 meetings between these two teams — and the Under is 21-6-2 in the last 29 battles taking place in Los Angeles. 25* WNBA Western Conference Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (635) and Los Angeles Sparks (636). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (631) and the Dallas Wings (632). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (14-7) saw their three-game winning streak snapped on Thursday with their 76-68 loss in Los Angeles against the Sparks as a 1.5-point underdog. Dallas (6-15) snapped their six-game losing streak on Thursday with their 87-64 upset victory over New York as a 1.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wings made 46.9% of their shots on Thursday which was the best shooting effort in their last six games. But Dallas is still making only 36.5% of their shots over their last five games so regression from that outlier effort against the Liberty is likely. The Wings’ 90.4 Offensive Rating is the second-lowest in the WNBA. The Wings have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after a point spread win. Their victory over New York finished below the 151 point total — and they have then played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after playing a game that finished below the number. Dallas stays at home where the Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games — and they have played 8 of their last 10 home games Under the Total with the Total set at 140 or higher. The Wings hold their visitors to just 39.1% shooting on their home court. Dallas has also held their last five opponents to just 37.6% shooting from the field. The Wings have played 7 of their last 8 home games Under the Total as the underdog — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record. Las Vegas has seen the Under go 7-2-1 in their last 10 games after a straight-up loss. The Aces allowed Los Angeles to shoot 42.3% from the field which was the highest opponent’s field goal percentage they have allowed in their last three games. Las Vegas still leads the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 88.9 under head coach Bill Laimbeer who has instilled a commitment to defense that is reminiscent of his old Bad Boys’ teams as a member of the Detroit Pistons. The Aces have played 18 of their last 25 road games Under the Total after allowing at least 75 points in their last game. Las Vegas holds their home hosts to just 38.3% shooting from the field — and they have still held their last five opponents to just 35.9% shooting from the field. The Aces have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total on the road. The bigger concern for Laimbeer may be the shooting slump of center Liz Cambage who missed eleven of her twelve shots on Thursday. Cambage has managed only 15 combined points in her last two games after scoring double-digits in fifty straight contests. With the All-Star break last week, this is just their third game in eleven days — and Las Vegas has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total when not playing more than their third game in ten days. The Aces have also played 5 straight games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference opponents.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of Las Vegas’ 86-54 win at home to Dallas back on Wednesday. The Wings have played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when they are looking to avenge a double-digit loss on the road. Dallas has also played 6 straight games Under the Total when playing with revenge from a loss where they allowed at least 85 points. 25* WNBA NBA-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (631) and the Dallas Wings (632). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Calgary Stampeders (696) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Edmonton Eskimos (695). THE SITUATION: Calgary (4-2) has won two straight games as well as four of their last five contests with their 17-16 win at Ottawa last Thursday as a 6-point favorite. Edmonton (4-2) has won two of their last three games after their dominant 26-0 shutout win at home against Toronto last Thursday as an 11-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE STAMPEDERS PLUS (OR MINUS) THE POINT(S): Calgary dominated the Redblacks last week in the rematch of last November’s Grey Cup — the reigning champions outgained Ottawa by a 493 to 221 yard margin while controlling the time of possession by being on offense for over 37 minutes of that game. Turnovers and the Stampeders inability to get into the end zone kept that game close before Calgary secured the victory with a last-second game-winning field goal. The Stamps should build off the momentum of that win as they have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 12 games after a straight-up victory where they failed to cover the point spread as the favorite. Calgary has also covered the point spread in 13 of their last 18 games after a game where neither team scored more than 17 points. And the Stampeders have covered the point spread in 9 of their last 14 games after outgaining their last opponent by at least +120 yards. Calgary is without their starting quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell who is out with an injury but they are getting good play from backup QB Nick Arbuckle. The former Georgia State quarterback completed 30 of 37 passes for 370 yards against the Redblacks defense last week. The Stampeders are led by their defense that has held their last two opponents to just 16 points apiece — and they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after not allowing more than 17 points in two straight contests. Now this team returns home where they have covered the point spread in 23 of their last 39 home games with the Total set in the 45.5 to 49 point range. And this is the time of the year where this team steps up their play as they are 22-7-1 ATS in their last 30 games played in the month of August. Edmonton has failed to cover the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a straight-up win — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Eskimos have failed to cover the point spread in a decisive 37 of their last 58 games after winning four or five of their last six games — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when playing with at least eight days between games. Edmonton defeated the Argonauts last week with the help of +2 net turnover margin via Toronto’s four turnovers — but they have then failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after enjoying at least a +2 net turnover margin in their last game. Now this team goes back on the road where they both of their losses have occurred this season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 6 games. The Eskimos have also failed to cover the point spread in 35 of their last 54 road games when favored by up to 7 points — and this includes them failing to cover the point spread in seven of these last nine situations. Led by offseason free-agent signee Trevor Harris, Edmonton is scoring 26.8 PPG while averaging 428.0 total YPG. But this team is last in the CFL by scoring touchdowns in just 47% of their drives in the Red Zone. Furthermore, the Eskimos see their offensive production decline to just 21.3 PPG in their three games on the road while averaging 371.0 total YPG away from home which is more than 50 YPG below their overall season average.

FINAL TAKE: This is the first meeting between these two teams since last September 8th when Edmonton pulled the upset as a home underdog getting 2 points in their 48-42 victory over the Stampeders. Look for Calgary to earn their revenge behind an increasingly confident Arbuckle under center who led his team to a comeback victory on the road last week against a good Ottawa team (who just upset Montreal on the road on Friday). 25* CFL West Division Game of the Year with the Calgary Stampeders (696) plus (or minus) the point(s) versus the Edmonton Eskimos (695). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Blue Jays (915) and the Baltimore Orioles (916) listing both starting pitchers Thomas Pannone and Dylan Bundy. THE SITUATION: Toronto (45-67) has won five straight games after winning the first two games of this series with their 5-2 victory over the Orioles last night. Baltimore (36-73) has lost four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Blue Jays have played 5 of their last 8 games Over the Total after winning two straight games on the road against an AL East rival. And while Toronto has not allowed more than three runs in five straight games, they have then played 8 of their last 12 games Over the Total after not allowing more than four runs in five straight games. The Blue Jays stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against teams with a winning percentage below 40% at home — and they have also played 9 of their last 13 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 10 to 10.5 range. Additionally, Toronto has played 21 of their last 30 games on the road Over the Total in the month of August. They give the ball to Pannone who is 2-4 with a 5.98 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in 49 2/3 innings of work this season. The left-hander is getting the first shot to take over in the Blue Jays rotation for the recently traded Marcus Stroman. But while Pannone has a 4.50 ERA with a 1.32 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .229 at home, those numbers skyrocket to a 7.89 ERA along with a 1.57 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .273 in 21 2/3 innings of work on the road. Toronto has played 4 of their last 5 road games Over the Total with Pannone on the hill. They have also played 4 of their last 5 games at night Over the Total with Pannone making the start. He faces an Orioles team that has played 5 straight games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher — and the Over is 5-1-2 in their last 8 home games against left-handed starting pitchers. Baltimore has seen the Over go 3-1-1 in their last 5 games after a loss — and they have played 30 of their last 44 games Over the Total after losing two in a row. The Over is also 8-3-2 in the Orioles’ last 13 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game — and the Over is 5-2-1 in their last 8 games after allowing at least five runs. Additionally, the Over is 11-5-2 in Baltimore’s last 18 home games against teams with a losing record on the road — and they have played 17 of their last 26 home games Over the Total against fellow AL East opponents. The Orioles have also played 38 of their last 62 games Over the Total when playing at night. They counter with Bundy who is 5-11 with a 5.24 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in twenty starts. The right-hander is a gopher ball machine as he is allowing 2.1 Home Runs per 9 innings of work. Bundy has surrendered multiple home runs in seven of his starts this season. He also has fared worse at home in Camden Yards where he has a 6.16 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .299 in ten starts. Baltimore has played 10 of their last 12 home games Over the Total with Bundy facing a team with a losing record — and they have also played 5 of their last 6 home games Over the Total with Bundy pitching with the Total set at 10 or higher. He faces a hot-hitting Blue Jays lineup that is scoring 7.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .292 batting average along with a .366 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .943 during that span. Toronto has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Orioles have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Bundy starting against the Blue Jays.

FINAL TAKE: Baltimore has now lost their last three meetings with the Blue Jays this season. The Orioles have played 24 of their last 36 games Over the Total when playing with double-revenge — and they have played 16 of their last 23 games Over the Total when playing with triple revenge on their mind. 25* MLB American League East Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Toronto Blue Jays (915) and the Baltimore Orioles (916) listing both starting pitchers Thomas Pannone and Dylan Bundy. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Cleveland Indians (968) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Los Angeles Angels (967) listing just starting pitcher Mike Clevinger. THE SITUATION: Cleveland (63-45) has lost three of their last four games with their 7-1 loss to Houston yesterday. Los Angeles (56-54) has lost five of their last seven games after their 9-1 loss to Detroit on Wednesday. The Angels had originally announced Dillon Peters as the starter but have decided to use Taylor Cole as the opener before turning to Peters who will still serve as the bulk pitcher tonight. I love the Indians behind Clevinger tonight — so don’t list the Angels opener since, one way or another, Peters is getting the bulk of the action (and I don’t want to risk a last-minute change back to Peters — but if you mist list the Angels pitcher, list Cole).

REASONS TO TAKE THE INDIANS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Cleveland has bounced-back to win 13 of their last 16 games after a loss — and they have won 11 of their last 16 games after losing three of their last four contests. The Indians have also won 25 of their last 35 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game. And in their last 14 games after allowing at least five runs, Cleveland has then won 10 of these games. The Indians stay at home at Progressive Field where they have still won 8 of their last 11 games. They have also won a decisive 16 of their last 20 games when priced as a favorite of at least -200. They give the ball to Clevinger who is 5-2 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in nine starts this season. The left-hander started the year strong in April before hitting disabled list for a few months — but he picked up right where he left off when returning to the  starting rotation as he was 4-0 with a 1.74 ERA with 41 strikeouts in 31 innings of work. The sabermetrics are bullish with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 2.96 and 2.39 moving forward. Clevinger comes off a strong effort where he allowed only one earned run in 7 innings of work at Kansas City — and the Indians have won 5 of their last 7 games with Clevinger following up a Quality Start. Clevinger has been more effective at home where he enjoys a 0.78 ERA with a 0.83 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .152 in four starts as opposed to his 5.47 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and .260 opponent’s batting average on the road. Cleveland has won 9 of their last 11 games at home with Clevinger on the hill — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games with him facing the Angels. They also have won 6 of their last 7 games with Clevinger priced as a favorite above -150. He faces an Angels team that is hitting only .220 over their last seven games with  a .299 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .719. Los Angeles has lost 4 of their last 5 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Angels have lost 12 of their last 15 games after loss by at least 8 runs. Los Angeles has also lost 5 of their last 7 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game. The Angels go back on the road where they have lost 39 of their last 56 road games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Cole to open this game with his 1-1 record along with a 2.94 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 33 2/3 innings of work. Those numbers overrate the right-hander given the sabermetrics with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.32 and 3.97 moving forward. The bulk pitcher will be Peters who is 2-0 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP in 17 2/3 innings of work which includes two starts in four appearances since being called up from Triple-A last month. The sabermetrics scream regression as well with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 5.09 and 5.44 moving forward. Peters was 2-2 with a 7.16 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP in 27 2/3 innings of work which includes five starts for Miami last year. The left-hander has pitched well at home where he has a 2.77 ERA along with a 1.23 WHIP and .271 opponent’s batting average in 13 innings but those numbers skyrocket to an 11.05 ERA along with a .2.25 WHIP and .333 opponent’s batting average on the road in 14 2/3 innings which includes three starts. In his career 34 2/3 innings of work on the road which includes seven starts, Peters has been saddled with an 8.83 ERA along with a 2.11 WHIP. His teams have lost 6 of their last 7 games with him pitching with the Total set at 8.5 to 10. He faces a hot-hitting Indians lineup that has scored 5.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .265 batting average along with a .327 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .802. Cleveland has won 21 of their last 27 games against left-handed starting pitchers which includes them winning fourteen of their last seventeen games at home against lefty starters. The Indians have also won 20 of their last 27 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: While the team trends mentioned above do not take into account the -1.5 Run-Line we are laying for this play, because the Indians have a bullpen WHIP of 1.23, the Angels fall into a historical “play-against” angle that is specific to the Run-Line that has been 62% effective since 1997. Los Angeles has a slugging percentage of .442 this season — and American League underdogs with a slugging percentage of .440 or higher with a bullpen WHIP in the 1.35 to 1.45 range (Angels bullpen: 1.38 WHIP) have then failed to cover the +1.5 Run-Line (when priced in the -135 to +165 range) in 76 of these last 123 situations where these conditions applied. With Cleveland priced above my -150 price threshold, lower the investment cost by taking the Indians minus the -1.5 Run-Line. The Indians have won and covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 15 of their last 24 games while losing six of those games outright and winning just three of those games by one run (and the +300 units from those three wins is overwhelmed by the six money-line losses priced at -210, -175, -250, -170, -170, -170). 25* MLB American League Run-Line of the Year with the Cleveland Indians (968) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Los Angeles Angels (967) listing just starting pitcher Mike Clevinger. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Ottawa Redblacks (693) plus the points versus the Montreal Alouettes (694). THE SITUATION: Ottawa (2-4) has lost four straight games after their narrow 17-16 loss at home to Calgary last Friday as a 6-point underdog. Montreal (3-2) pulled off their third straight upset victory in a row back on July 20th with their 20-10 victory over Edmonton as a 5.5-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE REDBLACKS PLUS THE POINTS: It was a heartbreaking loss for this Ottawa team with head coach Rick Campbell conceding a controversial late safety in a maneuver that ended up backfiring with the Stampeders winning the game on a last-second field goal. But this remains a well-coached team led by the six-year veteran in Campbell alongside coordinators Jaime Elizondo and Noel Thorpe. Remember, this franchise lost to Calgary in last year’s Grey Cup after winning the championship two years earlier. And this is an extremely important game for them having already lost in their previous encounter with the Alouettes back on July 13th by a 36-19 score despite being a 9-point home favorite in that game. A second loss to Montreal would hand them the important tie-breaker regarding playoff implications. The Redblacks should respond with a strong effort tonight as they have covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after suffering at least two straight losses. The defense gave up 351 passing yards to the Stamps in that game — but they have covered the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after allowing at least 350 yards in their last game. Ottawa managed only 221 yards on offense in that game — and they have covered the point spread in not only 18 of their last 24 games after failing to gain at least 275 yards in their last game but they have also covered the point spread in 7 of their last 9 games after failing to gain at least 225 yards. The good news for the Redblacks is that they are getting back their starting quarterback Dominique Davis who missed the last two games with an injury. Jonathan Jennings was efficient last Friday in his absence by completing 15 of 18 passes for 125 yards — but the offense is more dynamic under the former East Carolina star in Davis who is averaging 7.26 Yards-per-Passing-Attempt while adding 5.4 rushing Yards-Per-Game with 5 touchdowns on the ground. Ottawa goes back on the road where they have covered the point spread in 26 of their last 37 games — and they have also covered the point spread in 8 of their last 10 road games with the Total set at least at 52. The Redblacks are also very dangerous underdogs under Campbell as they have covered the point spread in 17 of their last 24 games when getting the points — and they have covered the point spread in 10 of their last 12 road games as an underdog getting up to 7 points. And in their last 5 games against fellow East Division opponents, Ottawa has covered the point spread 4 times. Montreal may have received their bye week at the worst time as it might derail their recent momentum under QB Vernon Adams who has jumpstarted the Alouettes offense since taking over for the injured Antonio Pipkin. Montreal has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after pulling off at least two straight upset wins — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 25 games after a double-digit upset win as the dog. The Alouettes have benefitted from a +8 net turnover margin this season after enjoying a +2 turnover margin in their last game against the Eskimos. That came on the heels of a +3 turnover margin in their previous game against this Ottawa team — but they have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 21 games after sporting a +2 net turnover margin in two straight games. The rematch is in Montreal where the Alouettes are 2-0 this season — but they are only outgaining their visitors by +19.0 net YPG. Montreal has failed to cover the point spread in 9 of their last 13 games against teams with a losing record. And in their last 12 games played on a Friday night, the Alouettes have failed to cover the point spread in 9 of these games.

FINAL TAKE: Ottawa has covered the point spread in 10 of their last 14 meetings with the Alouettes — and they have covered the point spread in 6 straight games played in Montreal. 25* CFL East Division Game of the Year with the Ottawa Redblacks (693) plus the points versus the Montreal Alouettes (694). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (623) and the Los Angeles Sparks (624). THE SITUATION: Las Vegas (14-6) has won three straight games after their easy 86-54 win over Dallas on Tuesday as an 11.5-point favorite. Los Angeles (11-8) has won four of their last five games as they return to the court for the first time after the All-Star break which concluded with their 78-66 win at Atlanta back on July 23rd as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Look for the Sparks to be a bit rusty with their nine-day layoff. They made 43.1% of their shots in their victory over the Dream which was tied for the best shooting effort in their last game. But Los Angeles has then played 18 of their last 24 home games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game. The Sparks have also seen the Under finish 34-16-1 in their last 51 games when playing with at least three days of rest — and they have played 16 of their last 20 games Under the Total at home when playing no more than their third game in ten days. Los Angeles has also played  21 of their last 28 home games Under the Total after a straight-up win. The Sparks return home here they have played 36 of their last 51 games Under the Total — and they have played 6 straight home games Under the Total when favored by no more than 3 points. They will be understaffed tonight with guard Riquina Williams serving a ten-game suspension and guard Alana Beard doubtful with a hamstring injury. Las Vegas made 46.9% of their shots on Tuesday in their 32-point victory over the Wings which was the best shooting effort in their last seven games. That nice shooting percentage was the product of a whopping 27 team assists in that game — but they have then played 6 straight games on the road Under the Total after a game where they generated at least 24 assists as a team. More impressively, the Aces limited Dallas to just 28.6% shooting from the field. Head coach Bill Laimbeer has his team playing like his old Bad Boy Detroit Pistons teams as they lead the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 88.9. Las Vegas has played 10 of their last 12 games Under the Total after holding their last opponent to no better than a 30% field goal percentage. The Aces have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Las Vegas goes back on the road where they have played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total. The Aces have also played 10 of their last 13 games Under the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 4 straight games Under the Total against Western Conference foes. And while this is just their third game in the last ten days, Las Vegas has played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total when not playing more than their third game in the last ten days.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have played 9 of their last 13 meetings Under the Total — and this includes them playing six of their last seven games Under the Total when playing in Los Angeles. 25* WNBA ESPN2 Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Las Vegas Aces (623) and the Los Angeles Sparks (624). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (960) versus the Chicago Cubs (959) listing both starting pitchers Miles Mikolas and Kyle Hendricks. THE SITUATION: St. Louis (57-49) has won seven of their last nine games with their 2-1 victory over the Cubs. Chicago (56-50) has lost three of their last four contests.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CARDINALS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: St. Louis has won 5 of their last 6 games after a win — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last contest. And while the Cardinals have only scored three runs in each of their last three games, they have then won 10 straight home games after failing to score more than three runs in three straight games. Furthermore, not only has St. Louis won 15 of their last 20 games in expected close contests where they were priced in the +/- 125 price range, they have also won 10 of their last 14 home games at Cardinals Busch Stadium when playing as the underdog. The Cardinals have also won 6 straight games against NL Central foes. They give the ball to Mikolas who is 7-10 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in twenty-one starts this season. The right-hander has been outstanding in his three starts since the All-Star break as he has posted a 2.57 ERA in those 21 innings while striking out 12 batters and only walking three. Mikolas has also been much more effective at home where he owns a 2.15 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .226 in ten starts as compared to his 6.75 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and .326 opponent’s batting average on the road. St. Louis has won 13 of their last 18 home games with Mikolas on the mound — and they have won 8 of their last 10 home games with Mikolas facing a team with a winning record. Mikolas loves to face Chicago against whom he has a 3-1 record along with a 1.88 ERA in eight games which includes six starts. He faces a cold Cubs lineup that is scoring only 4.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .196 batting average along with a .256 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .616 during that span. Chicago has lost 16 of their last 23 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Cubs have also lost 4 of their last 5 games after failing to score more than two runs in their last game — and they have lost 5 of their last 6 games after allowing no more than two runs in their last contest. Furthermore, Chicago has lost 19 of their last 26 games on the road — and they have lost 10 of their last 14 road games against teams with a winning record. And in their last 20 road games against NL Central rivals, the Cubs have lost 15 of these games. They counter with Hendricks who is 7-8 with a 3.26 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in nineteen starts. But the sabermetrics are calling for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.39 and 4.34 moving forward. And the right-hander does his best pitching at home where he has a 1.89 ERA with a 0.89 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .206 — but those numbers rise to a 4.91 ERA along with a 1.42 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .228 in his ten starts on the road. Chicago has lost 4 straight road games with Hendricks on the mound. He faces a Cardinals team that is scoring 5.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games based on the strength of an OPS of .807 over that span.

FINAL TAKE: St. Louis has won 13 of their last 16 games against right-handed starting pitchers — and this includes them winning six of their last eight home games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Cardinals have also won their last 4 opportunities to host the Cubs. 25* MLB ESPN Game of the Month with the money-line on the St. Louis Cardinals (960) versus the Chicago Cubs (959) listing both starting pitchers Miles Mikolas and Kyle Hendricks. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Wings (615) and the Las Vegas Aces (616). THE SITUATION: Dallas (5-14) returns from the All-Star break having lost five straight games after their 70-66 loss to Phoenix as a 2-point underdog back on July 20th. Las Vegas (13-6) returns to the court after their 79-62 win over Seattle last Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Wings have played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total after a straight-up loss — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a point spread loss. Additionally, Dallas has played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days rest. The Wings go back on the road where they are a winless 0-10 this season. Dallas scores only 67.7 PPG away from home while making just 37.1% of their shots. The Wings have played 4 of their last 5 games on the road Under the Total. Dallas has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference foes. Las Vegas has played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total after a point spread victory. The Aces have also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total when playing with at least three days of rest. Head coach Bill Laimbeer has his team playing like his old Bad Boy Detroit Pistons teams as they lead the WNBA with a Defensive Rating of 90.0. Las Vegas holds their visitors to hitting just 38.3% from the field when playing at home — and they have limited their last five opponents to just 36.8% shooting from the field. The Under is 9-4-1 in the Aces’ last 14 games at home. Las Vegas has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total against fellow Western Conference opponents. They will likely be without one of their top scorers in forward A’Ja Wilson who has missed their last two games with an ankle injury — last year’s Rookie of the Year is scoring 15.4 PPG this season.

FINAL TAKE: These are the two bottom teams in the WNBA when it comes to offense. Dallas is second-to-last with their 91.7 Offensive Rating while Las Vegas is last in the league with their 89.0 Offensive Rating. Expect a lower scoring game. 25* WNBA Bailout Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Dallas Wings (615) and the Las Vegas Aces (616). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Boston Red Sox (914) versus the Tampa Bay Rays (913) listing both starting pitchers David Price and Charlie Morton. THE SITUATION: Boston (59-48) won the first three games in their weekend series with the Yankees — outscoring the Bronx Bombers by a 38-13 score in those games — before losing Game Four Sunday night by a 9-6 score despite being a money-line favorite priced in the -170 range. Tampa Bay (60-48) has won three of their last four games after their 10-9 win in Toronto on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RED SOX WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Boston has won 5 straight games after a loss — and they have 8 of their last 10 games after suffering an upset loss where they were a home favorite priced at least at -150. The Red Sox have also won 4 of their last 5 games after an off day — and they have won 9 of their last 13 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. Boston stays at home where they have won 5 of their last 6 games. They give then all to Price who is 7-4 with a 3.66 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in nineteen starts. The left-hander is averaging 10.43 strikeouts per 9 innings while striking out 28% of the batters he has faced — both of those numbers are careers highs. Price comes off a solid effort where he allowed three earned runs in 6 innings of work at Tampa Bay — and the Red Sox have won a decisive 41 of their last 56 games with Price following up a Quality Start. Price has also been much more effective at home where he owns a 2.89 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .225 in seven starts as compared to his 4.13 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and .248 opponent’s batting average on the road. Boston has won 20 of their last 24 games at home with Price pitching when favored at a -110 or higher price. He faces a Rays team that has lost 4 of their last 5 games against left-handed starting pitchers. Tampa Bay has lost 5 of their last 7 games are allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Rays have also lost 5 of their last 7 games after an off day — and they have lost 15 of their last 19 games on the road after a day off. They stay on the road where they have lost 10 of their last 14 games against teams with a winning record at home — and they have also lost 10 of their last 12 road games with the Total set at 10 or higher. Tampa Bay has also lost 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a winning record. They counter with Morton who is 12-3 with a 2.60 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP in twenty-two starts. The sabermetrics do call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.52 and 3.23 moving forward based off his peripheral numbers. The right-hander has been a bit more effective at home where he owns a 0.97 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .191 as opposed to his 1.11 WHIP and .203 opponent’s batting average in twelve starts at home. The Rays have lost 4 of their last 5 games on the road with Morton on the mound.

FINAL TAKE: Morton faces a Red Sox team that is scoring 8.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .337 batting average, .373 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of 1.005 during that span. Look for Price to outpitch Morton at home in Fenway Park where he has been remarkably productive as of late. 25* MLB American League East Game of the Month with the money-line on the Boston Red Sox (914) versus the Tampa Bay Rays (913) listing both starting pitchers David Price and Charlie Morton. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:15 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Kansas City Royals (960) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (959) listing both starting pitchers Brad Keller and Thomas Pannone. THE SITUATION: Kansas City (40-67) snapped a three-game losing streak yesterday with their 9-6 win at Cleveland yesterday. Toronto (40-67) has lost three of their last four games with their 10-9 loss to Tampa Bay yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROYALS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Kansas City has won 7 of their last 8 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 7 of their last 10 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. The Royals return home where they have won 4 straight home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. And in their last 42 home games when favored in the -125 to -175 price range, Kansas City has won 26 of these contests. They give the ball to Keller who is 7-9 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in twenty-two starts this season. The 23-year-old right-hander has found his groove with a 1.33 ERA along with a 1.15 WHIP over his last four starts. Keller does not strike out many batters — but his nasty sinker induces ground balls in 52.8% of the batted balls he allows into play. Opposing hitters are also generating fly balls in just 25.7% of the batted balls he allows into play which is why he is giving up only 0.68 Home Runs per 9 innings of work. Keller has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.29 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .204 in eight starts as compared to his 4.39 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and .272 opponent’s batting average of .272 when on the road. The Royals have won 7 of their last 8 home games with Keller facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Blue Jays team that is hitting just .211 over their last seven games along with a .279 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .684 in those games. Toronto has lost 34 of their last 50 games against right-handed starting pitchers. The Blue Jays have lost 13 of their last 16 games after a loss by just one run. Toronto has also lost a decisive 35 of their last 52 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have lost 24 of their last 29 games after scoring at least nine runs in their last game. The Blue Jays bullpen has logged-in 13 1/3 innings of work over their last two games — and they have lost 37 of their last 45 games after their bullpen has pitched at least 9 combined innings in their last two games. Toronto goes back on the road after a six-game homestand — and they have lost 19 of their last 26 games after playing at least their last four games at home. The Blue Jays have also lost 14 of their last 21 road games with the Total set at least at 10. They counter with Pannone who is 2-4 with a 6.39 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP in 43 2/3 innings of work this season. The left-hander has particularly struggled on the road where he has been saddled with a 9.77 ERA along with a 1.85 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .303 in 15 2/3 innings of work. Toronto has lost 4 of their last 5 games when Pannone is making the start on the road on grass away from the artificial turf at the Rogers Centre. He faces a Royals team that has won 4 of their last 5 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. Pannone has made three starts this season as an opener — he has pitched 2 2/3, 2 1/3 and 4 1/3 innings in those appearances so the Blue Jays’ bullpen will likely be asked to pitch at least half this game tonight. Toronto’s pen has a 4.40 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP over their last seven games.

FINAL TAKE: Kansas City will be looking to avenge an 11-4 loss to the Blue Jays back on July 1st — and they have won 14 of their last 23 games when avenging a loss where they allowed at least 10 runs. The Royals have also won 10 of their last 14 opportunities to host Toronto in Kauffman Stadium. 25* MLB American League Game of the Month with the money-line on the Kansas City Royals (960) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (959) listing both starting pitchers Brad Keller and Thomas Pannone. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Boston Red Sox (968) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Eduardo Rodriguez. THE SITUATION: Boston won the third game of this series on Saturday with their 9-5 victory. New York has lost the first three games of this series — and they have lost four of their last six contests.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have now surrendered 59 runs in their last seven games. The Over is now 23-8-1 in their last 30 games after allowing at least five runs. Additionally, the Bronx Bombers have seen the Over go 42-13-2 of their last 57 games Over the Total on the road — and the Over is 25-5-1 in their last 29 road games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to German who is 12-2 with a 4.03 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in sixteen starts (seventeen games) this season. The right-hander has done his best work at home in Yankee Stadium where he owns a 2.13 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .195 — but those numbers rise to a 5.66 mark on the road with a 1.22 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .253 in nine starts. The Over is 8-2-1 in New York’s last 11 road games with German on the hill — and the Over is 3-0-1 in their last 4 road games with German facing a team with a winning record. He faces a red hot Red Sox lineup that has scored 7.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .315 batting average along with a .391 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .957 during that span. Boston has played 11 of their last 16 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers which includes them playing four of their last five games Over the Total when facing a right-handed starting pitcher at home in Fenway Park. The Red Sox have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against starting pitcher with a WHIP no higher than 1.15. Boston has played 10 of their last 13 games Over the Total at home — and they have played 5 straight home games Over the Total against teams with a winning record on the road. Additionally, the Red Sox have played 12 of their last 16 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. They counter with Sale who is 5-9 with a 4.00 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The left-hander has not been as effective at home with the Green Monster in left-field where he has a 4.26 ERA with a 1.14 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .224 in ten starts as compared to his 3.78 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and .217 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Over is 10-4-2 in Boston’s last 16 home games with Sale on the mound. Sales faces a New York team that is scoring 6.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .316 batting average along with a .371 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .937 over that span. The Yankees have played 8 of their last 11 road games Over the Total against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: These two teams have now played their last 6 meetings Over the Total — and the Over is also 12-3-2 in the last 17 meetings between these two teams when playing in Fenway Park. Expect another high scoring game between these two teams. 25* MLB Sunday Night ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Boston Red Sox (968) listing both starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Eduardo Rodriguez. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Milwaukee Brewers (960) versus the Chicago Cubs (959) listing both starting pitchers Chase Anderson and Jon Lester. THE SITUATION: Milwaukee (59-50) has won two straight games — as well as seven of their last ten contests — with their 3-2 comeback victory over the Cubs last night. Chicago (55-48) has lost four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BREWERS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Milwaukee has won 7 of their last 9 games after a one-run victory over a fellow NL Central rival. This victory came on the heels of their 5-4 victory over the Reds on Thursday — and not only have then won 21 of their last 25 games after winning their last two games by no more than two runs but they have also won 8 straight games after winning their last two games by just one run. The Brewers have also won 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last game. And while Milwaukee managed only four hits last night, they have then won 13 of their last 16 games at home after having no more than four hits in their last game. The Brewers will be playing their fifth straight game at home tonight — and they have won 20 of their last 27 games after playing their last four games at home. Milwaukee has also won 4 of their last 5 games at home against teams with a winning record — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Anderson who is 5-2 with a 3.90 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in fifteen starts (eighteen games). The right-hander has not lost since June 21st — and he has not surrendered more than two runs in six straight starts. Anderson has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.81 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .211 in nine starts (twelve games). The Brewers have won 26 of their last 43 home games with Anderson pitching as a favorite priced at least at -110. He faces a Cubs team that is scoring only 3.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .223 batting average along with a .266 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .650 during that span. Chicago has lost 14 of their last 20 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. And while their bullpen blew a save last night by allowing two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, they have then lost 11 of their last 12 games after blowing a save in their last game. The Cubs have lost 19 of their last 26 games on the road — and they have lost 13 of their last 17 road games against NL Central foes. Chicago has also lost 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a winning record — and they have lost 16 of their last 21 road games as an underdog. They counter with Lester who is 9-6 with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP in nineteen starts. The left-hander has struggled as of late having allowed at least four runs in six of his last twelve starts. Lester once had an ERA of 1.16 but his slide has corresponded with his sabermetrics with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.15 and 4.11 moving forward based off his peripheral numbers. Lester has done his best pitching at home where he owns a 2.95 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP — but he sees those numbers rise to a 5.09 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP in eight starts on the road. Chicago has lost 4 of their last 5 games on the road with Lester on the hill — and they have lost 11 of their last 16 road games with Lester pitching as an underdog.

FINAL TAKE: Milwaukee is scoring 5.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests — and they have won 8 of their last 10 home games against left-handed starting pitchers. The Brewers have also won 7 of their last 9 opportunities to host the Cubs in Miller Park. 25* MLB National League Central Game of the Year with the money-line on the Milwaukee Brewers (960) versus the Chicago Cubs (959) listing both starting pitchers Chase Anderson and Jon Lester. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (927) and the Seattle Mariners (928) listing both starting pitchers Daniel Norris and Yusei Kikuchi. THE SITUATION: Seattle (43-63) has won two straight games after winning the opening game of this series by a 10-2 score. Detroit (30-68) has lost their last three games as well as nine of their last ten contests.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Over is 24-9-3 in the Mariners’ last 36 games after a win — and they have played 13 of their last 15 games Over the Total after winning at least two in a row. Furthermore, the Over is 33-16-2 in Seattle’s last 51 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and the Over is 13-5-1 in their last 19 games after allowing two runs or less in their last contest. Additionally, the Over is 27-13-3 in the Mariners’ last 43 games at home — and the Over is 15-5-1 in their last 21 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. They give the ball to Kikuchi who is 4-7 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The left-hander has seen his numbers decline significantly in the grind of his first MLB season after coming over from Japan — and he has not been able to adapt to the book that teams have quickly written about his stuff. Over his last ten starts, Kikuchi is 1-6 with a 7.85 ERA. He also sees his ERA rise to a 5.79 mark in his ten starts at home. The Over is 8-1-1 in Seattle’s last 10 home games with Kikuchi on the hill — and they have played 5 straight home games Over the Total with Kikuchi facing a team with a losing record. He faces a Tigers team that loves to face left-handed pitching. Detroit scores only 3.6 Runs-Per-Game this season with a .232 batting average along with a .286 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .667 — but those hitting splits rise to a .259 batting average along with a .378 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .774  against left-handed starting pitchers which translates into them scoring a healthy 5.4 Runs-Per-Game against those lefties. The Over is 12-4-1 in the Tigers’ last 17 road games against left-handed starting pitchers. Detroit has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss. Additionally, the Tigers have played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total after failing to score more than two runs in their last game — and they have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. And while Detroit has only scored four combined runs in their last three games, they have then played 31 of their last 46 games Over the Total after failing to score more than three runs in three straight games. The Over is also 10-2-1 in the Tigers’ last 13 games against teams with a losing record — and the Over is 8-1-1 in their last 10 road games against teams with a losing record. They counter with Norris who is 2-8 with a 5.02 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in seventeen starts (twenty games). The left-hander comes off a rain-shortened start where he allowed only one run at home against Toronto — but Detroit has played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total when Norris is following up a start where he allowed only one earned run. Norris has a 4.62 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP and .280 opponent’s batting average at home — yet those numbers rise significantly to a 5.28 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .305 in his ten starts (twelve games) on the road. The Tigers have played 7 of their last 8 road games Over the Total with Norris on the hill.

FINAL TAKE: Seattle is swinging hot bats right now as they are scoring 5.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games while hitting .277 with a .345 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .791 over that span. The Over is 5-2-1 in the last 8 meetings between these two teams when playing in Safeco Park. 25* MLB American League Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Detroit Tigers (927) and the Seattle Mariners (928) listing both starting pitchers Daniel Norris and Yusei Kikuchi. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (686) plus the point(s) versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (685). THE SITUATION: Hamilton (4-1) returns to action after a bye week coming off a 30-23 victory over Calgary back on July 13th as a 4-point favorite. Winnipeg (5-0) remained unscathed this season with their 31-1 victory at home over Ottawa last Friday as an 11.5-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TIGER-CATS PLUS THE POINTS: This is a potential preview to this year’s Grey Cup championship on the last Sunday in November. Hamilton leads the CFL by scoring 37.4 PPG while ranking second in the league by allowing only 20.0 PPG. Winnipeg is second in the league by scoring 33.8 PPG while leasing the CFL by limiting their opponents to 16.0 PPG. This is only the fifth time since 1959 in the CFL that two teams are facing off with only one loss between both teams who have played at least five games apiece. The Tiger-Cats have covered the point spread in 5 of their last 8 games after a win at home — and they will benefit from the extra week off to rest and prepare for this showdown. Hamilton has covered the point spread in 4 straight games at home at Tim Horton’s Field. They are led by a dynamic quarterback in Jeremiah Masoli whois completing 70% of his passes this season. The former Oregon Duck star has a great weapon in wide receiver Brandon Beeks who leads the CFL with 506 receiving yards so far this season. The T-Cats also lead the league with 18 sacks on defense. They are 10-1-1 ATS in their last 12 Friday night contests which is a good harbinger for this prime-time game. Winnipeg had covered the point spread in all five of their games this year while accomplishing this feat as double-digit favorites in their last two games. But the Blue Bombers have then failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 games after covering the point spread in at least two straight games as the favorite. Winnipeg has also failed to cover the point spread in 8 of their last 11 games after not allowing more than 6 points in their last contest. But this Bombers’ team is once again very dependent on forcing turnovers. While they enjoy a +5 net turnover margin for the year, the Regression Gods are often very fickle when doling out the luck for the bouncing (and tipped) ball. Their quarterback, Matt Nichols, is still without one of his best weapons in Chris Matthews as the wide receiver remains out with an injury. This undefeated Winnipeg team is installed as the small favorite in this game despite being on the road — yet they have failed to cover the point spread in 10 of their last 15 road games when favored by 3 points or less.

FINAL TAKE: Winnipeg may be due for a letdown in this showdown after generating their first 5-0 start to a season since 1960. And Hamilton will have revenge on their mind since they lost to the Blue Bombers by a 29-23 in the last meeting between these two teams last August 10th. 25* CFL Game of the Month with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (686) plus the point(s) versus the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (685). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:30 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Edmonton Eskimos (684) minus the points versus the Toronto Argonauts (683). THE SITUATION: Edmonton (3-2) has lost two of their last three games with their 20-10 upset loss at Montreal last Saturday as a 6-point favorite. Toronto (0-5) remained winless this season after their 26-16 loss at Calgary as a 13.5-point underdog last Thursday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ESKIMOS MINUS THE POINTS: Toronto has failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after a loss. And despite playing the reigning CFL champions better than expected, the Argonauts have failed to cover the point spread in 5 straight games after a point spread win. This Argos team may be the worst team in the league this season in an injury-marred campaign where they lost their first-string starting quarterback, James Franklin, to an injury in the preseason. McLeod Bethel-Thompson lacks significant starting experience in the CFL and comes off a game where he threw four interceptions against the Stampeders. Toronto is getting killed with turnovers this year as they have a -10 net turnover margin so far this season. Unfortunately, I am not optimistic that this trend will slow down anytime soon — especially when they are playing on the road where they have been outscored by -20.6 PPG. The Argonauts have failed to cover the point spread in 20 of their last 27 games on the road. Toronto has not been very good as big underdogs either as they have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 31 games as a double-digit dog while also failing to cover the point spread in 16 of their last 23 road games when getting 10.5 to 14 points. The Argonauts have also failed to cover the point spread in 4 straight games against teams with a winning record. Edmonton has bounced-back to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 8 games after an upset loss by double-digits when favorite by at least 6 points. The Eskimos have also covered the point spread in 4 of their last 5 games after a point spread loss. Returning home to host the Argos may be just what the doctor ordered for this team. Edmonton has won their first two games at home by an average winning margin of +11.5 PPG. The Eskimos are averaging a whopping 508.5 total YPG at home this year while holding their guests to only 228.0 total YPG. Quarterback Trevor Harris should have a field day against this suspect Toronto pass defense that is allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 72.3% of their passes while averaging 304 passing YPG. Edmonton leads the CFL by averaging 426.0 total YPG. The Eskimos defense is also tough — they lead the league with 19 sacks. Edmonton holds their opponents to just 5.94 Yards-Per-Play — and the Argonauts have failed to cover the point spread in 22 of their last 28 games against opponents that do not allow more than 6.0 YPP.

FINAL TAKE: Toronto has not scored more than 21 points all season — and they have failed to cover the point spread in 5 of their last 7 games after failing to score more than 21 points in five straight contests. Bethel-Thompson will be hard-pressed to keep his team in this game considering that the Argos’ starting running back, James Wilder, and an important wide receiver in Armanti Edwards who are both out with injuries. The Eskimos have some injuries as well with running back C.J. Gable and wide receiver Davaris Daniels out — but they have a much deeper supporting cast for Harris to operate the offense. 25* CFL Thursday Night Game of the Month with the Edmonton Eskimos (684) minus the points versus the Toronto Argonauts (683). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the Chicago White Sox (960) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Minnesota Twins (959) listing both starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Jose Berrios. THE SITUATION: Chicago (45-54) begins this series having lost two straight games after their 2-0 loss to Miami yesterday. Minnesota (61-40) has lost two straight games — as well as seven of their last ten contests — with their 10-7 loss at home to the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WHITE SOX PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: The Twins have lost 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last contest. Minnesota has been playing a number of high scoring games as of late — they have scored and allowed at least six runs in each of their last four games. The Twins have then lost 8 of their last 11 games after scoring and allowing at least six runs in their last three games — and they have lost 23 of their last 29 games after seeing at least 12 combined runs scored in four straight contests. Now after completing a disappointing nine-game homestand, Minnesota goes back on the road — and they have lost 5 of their last 7 games after playing at least five straight games at home. They give the ball to Berrios who is 8-5 with a 2.96 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in twenty starts. The sabermetrics are calling for regression for the right-hander with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.38 and 4.46 moving forward based on his peripheral numbers. The right-hander has done his best pitching at home in Target Field where he enjoys a 2.10 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in nine starts. But in his eleven starts on the road, Berrios owns a 3.72 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP. These disparate home/road splits are consistent with last season where Berrios had a 3.03 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP at home but a 4.85 ERA and 1.36 WHIP on the road. The Twins have lost 25 of their last 37 road games with Berrios making the start. Berrios has also been not quite as successful under the lights given his 3.03 ERA and 1.22 WHIP instigated by opposing hitters owning a .259 batting average against him as opposed to his .210 opposing batting average during day games. Berrios may be also starting to tire in the grind of being in the regular rotation — he has not pitched more than 5 2/3 innings in three straight starts. He also comes off 113 pitches in his last effort at home against the A’s which was his highest pitch count of the season. Tellingly, Berrios carried a 4.15 ERA with a 1.40 WHIP and .240 opponent’s batting average in the second half of the season after boasting a 3.68 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP and .212 opponent’s batting average in the first half. Minnesota has also lost 17 of their last 20 games on the road with Berrios pitching in the second half of the season. Chicago has bounced-back to won 16 of their last 26 games after losing three of the last four games. The White Sox have just a .221 On-Base Percentage over their last three games — but they have won 7 of their last 8 games after enduring a stretch where they did not have an On-Base Percentage higher than .260. The White Sox stay at home where they have won a decisive 15 of their last 20 home games against AL Central rivals. Chicago has also won 19 of their last 30 games with the Total set in the 8 to 8.5 range. They counter with Giolito who is 11-4 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in nineteen starts. After losing his previous two starts, the right-hander showed better command with his fastball in his last effort at Tampa Bay where he allowed only one earned run in 6 2/3 innings of work. The White Sox have won 7 of their last 8 games with Giolito following up a Quality Start. Giolito owns an exceptional 3.4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his breakout season this year. A shortened arm action in his delivery has helped him throw more strikes this season. Chicago has also won 6 of their last 7 games at home with Giolito on the hill.

FINAL TAKE: The White Sox bullpen has been on fire as of late — they have not allowed an earned run in their last five games spanning 11 1/3 innings of work. That helps place Chicago into a historical angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 70% effective since 1997. Giolito averages 7.1 strikeouts per start — and home underdogs using a starting pitcher who averages at least 5.0 strikeouts per start while having a bullpen that has an ERA of 1.50 or lower in their last five games have then covered the +1.5 Run-Line in 59 of these last 84 situations (when priced in the +215 to -130 money-line range). 25* MLB American League Central Run-Line Underdog of the Year with the Chicago White Sox (960) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Minnesota Twins (959) listing both starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Jose Berrios. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:07 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing the money-line on the Cleveland Indians (917) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (918) listing both starting pitchers Shane Bieber and Marcus Stroman. THE SITUATION: Cleveland (58-41) had won eight of their last nine games before losing the second game of this series last night in 10 innings by a 2-1 score against the Blue Jays. Toronto (38-64) snapped a two-game losing streak.

REASONS TO TAKE THE INDIANS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Cleveland has bounced-back to win 11 of their last 13 games after a loss — and they have won 25 of their last 32 games after a defeat by just one run. The Indians have also won 21 of their last 27 games after scoring two runs or less in their last game — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last contest. They stay on the road where they have still won 7 of their last 8 games as road warriors. They give the ball to Bieber who is 9-3 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in twenty starts (twenty-one games). The sabermetrics indicate that he should be seeing even better results with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.32 and 3.14 moving forward. Bieber is enjoying a breakout season because he is relying on his outstanding command to throw more pitches outside the strike zone. Bieber threw 48% of his pitches in the strike zone last year — and that mark has lowered to just 38.4% of pitches in the zone this season. Yet Bieber strike rate in 67.3% of his pitches last year has only lowered to a 65.2% mark this year as he has successfully coaxed opposing hitters to reach for these pitches outside the zone. Bieber is walking only 5.6% of the batters he has faced — and he owns an outstanding K%-BB% of 25.5%. The right-hander has been at his best on the road where he owns a 3.19 ERA with a 0.84 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .189 in nine starts (ten games) as compared to his 4.19 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and .246 opponent’s batting average at home. The Indians have won 12 of their last 15 road games with Bieber on the hill — and they have also won 7 of their last 8 road games with Bieber facing a team with a losing record. He faces a slumping Blue Jays lineup that is hitting only .220 over their last seven games with a .292 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .674 over that span. Toronto has lost 13 of their last 18 home games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have lost 37 of their last 55 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. The Blue Jays have also lost 8 of their last 10 games after allowing no more than two runs in their last game. Furthermore, Toronto has lost 30 of their last 42 games against teams with a winning record — and they have lost 7 of their last 9 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. And while the Jays’ bullpen has logged in 9 1/3 innings of work in their last two games, they have then lost a decisive 35 of their last 43 games when their bullpen pitched at least 9 combined innings in their last two games. They counter with Stroman who is 6-10 with a 3.06 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP in twenty starts. The sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.41 and 4.07 moving forward. Stroman is not a strikeout pitcher — he has struck out only 19.1% of the batters he has faced this season. Instead, the right-hander induces ground balls in 57.1% of the batted balls he allows into play. That is problematic with this Blue Jays’ infield which is at the bottom rung in fielding metrics — and playing on astroturf at home does not help matters. Perhaps that is why Stroman sees his ERA rise to a 3.47 ERA along with a 1.30 WHIP in eleven starts at home as compared to his 2.60 ERA and 1.19 WHIP on the road — and perhaps this is also why playoff contenders are eager to trade for him. Toronto has lost 16 of their last 24 home games at night with Stroman on the mound. He faces an Indians lineup that is scoring 5.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .281 batting average along with a .342 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .798. Cleveland has also won 5 of their last 6 road games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The Blue Jays have lost 5 of their last 7 games with Stroman pitching against the Indians. Cleveland has still won 5 of the last 6 meetings between these two teams — and they have won 44 of the last 69 meetings between these two teams when avenging a loss on the road to their opponent. 25* MLB American League Road Warrior of the Year with the money-line on the Cleveland Indians (917) versus the Toronto Blue Jays (918) listing both starting pitchers Shane Bieber and Marcus Stroman. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the New York Mets (956) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (955) listing both starting pitchers Jason Vargas and Chris Paddack. THE SITUATION: New York (45-54) has lost three of their last four games after suffering a 12-inning 3-2 loss in San Francisco on Sunday. San Diego (47-52) snapped a three-game losing streak on Sunday with their 5-1 win in Chicago against the Cubs.

REASONS TO TAKE THE METS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: The Padres have lost 7 of their last 9 games after a win by at least four runs — and they have lost 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. San Diego has also lost 5 straight opening games t a new series. They also have lost 13 of their last 16 games against teams with a losing record. The Padres stay on the road where they have lost 8 of their last 11 games against teams with a losing record. San Diego has also lost 5 of their last 6 road games when priced as a favorite in the -125 to -175 range. This is also a team that has lost a decisive 31 of their last 41 games in the month of July. They give the ball to Paddack who is 6-4 with a 2.70 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP in sixteen starts. The sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.77 and 3.89 moving forward based off his peripheral numbers. Paddack’s great numbers this season are due in large measure to his pitching in the spacious Petco Park for his home games where he enjoys a 2.36 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .166. But in his nine starts on the road, the right-hander sees his numbers rise to a 3.00 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP in nine starts. There are worrisome signs — most notably Paddack’s hard-hit rate of 44.6% for the balls he is allowing into play. That helps explain why he has allowed thirteen gopher balls while allowing 1.30 home runs per 9 innings of work. The Mets are averaging 5.4 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games against right-handed starting pitchers. New York has won 8 of their last 13 games after a game where neither team scored more than three runs. The Mets return home where they have under-the-radar won 11 of their last 13 games against teams with a losing record — and they have won 8 of their last 11 home games with the Total set in the 8 to 8.5 range. They counter with Vargas who is 4-5 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP this season in sixteen games (seventeen starts). The left-hander has been tough at home where he owns a 3.15 ERA along with a 1.22 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .222 in six starts (seven games) as opposed to his 5.03 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and .246 opponent’s batting average of .246 on the road. New York has won 4 straight home games with Vargas facing a team with a losing record. And while Vargas comes off a solid start where he allowed three earned runs in 6 innings of work, the Mets have won 6 of their last 8 games with Vargas following up a Quality Start. He faces a Padres team that struggles against left-handed pitching. San Diego is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game against left-handed starters with a .231 batting average along with a .305 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .709 — and they have lost a decisive 42 of their last 57 road games against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: These team trends do not take into account the +1.5 Run-Line we are taking for this play. Because the Padres’ bullpen has an ERA of 4.82 this season, they fall into a historical “play-against” angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 75% effective since 1997. National League road favorites with a bullpen ERA of 4.50 or higher with an On-Base Percentage below .310 for the season (San Diego: .304 On-base Percentage) have then failed to cover the -1.5 Run-Line in 63 of their last 84 situations (priced in the +115 to +160 range) where these conditions applied. The Mets have lost their last three games by just one run — so taking the +1.5 Run-Line is my preferred play with that price below my -150 threshold. 25* MLB National League Run-Line Underdog of the Year with the New York Mets (956) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the San Diego Padres (955) listing both starting pitchers Jason Vargas and Chris Paddack. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (911) and the Tampa Bay Rays (912) listing both starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Jalen Beeks. THE SITUATION: Boston (54-46) has lost two of their last three games with their 5-0 loss at Baltimore yesterday. Tampa Bay (57-45) snapped a five-game losing streak yesterday with their 4-2 win against the Chicago White Sox.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Red Sox were shut out for the first time in eighty-one games — and they had bashed at least one home run in eleven straight games before yesterday. Boston has played 10 of their last 14 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Red Sox stay on the road where they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total — and they have played 23 of their last 35 road games Over the Total when priced as the favorite at -125 or higher. The Over is also 13-3-1 in Boston’s last 17 games when playing on artificial turf. And in their last 51 opening games to a new series, the Over is 34-15-2. They give the ball to Rodriguez who is 11-4 with a 4.34 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP in twenty starts. The left-hander has pitched his best at home where he owns a 3.84 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .226 — but those numbers skyrocket to a 4.91 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and .288 opponent’s batting average in ten starts on the road. Rodriguez also has a 7.11 ERA in four career starts at Tropicana Field. The Red Sox have lady 11 of their last 12 road games Over the Total with Rodriguez on the hill. And while Rodriguez comes off a strong effort where he allowed only two earned runs in 6 1/3 innings of work at home against Toronto, Boston has played 7 of their last 8 games Over the Total with Rodriguez following up a Quality Start in his last effort. Furthermore, the Red Sox have played 13 of their last 16 games Over the Total with Rodriguez pitching at night. Tampa Bay has seen the Over go 8-2-3 in their last 13 home games against teams with a winning record on the road. The Over is also 3-0-2 in the Rays’ last 5 opening games to a new series. They counter with Beeks who is 5-0 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP this season. The left-hander has been used exclusively as a bulk inning pitcher out of the bullpen — but he will be making his first official start in this game tonight. I am not sure I buy into the “opener” craze that teams like Tampa Bay have embraced (while conceding the opener can mess with the opposing team’s starting lineup when a pitcher throwing with the other hand comes in to pitch in the 2nd inning). That said, there is a reason that the Rays’ coaching staff has been reluctant to have Beeks open games until now. The sabermetrics call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.42 and 4.65 moving forward given his peripheral numbers. Because Beeks does not have much of a fastball, he needs all four of his pitches working to be effective. Beeks has not been as successful when pitching at home where he owns a 3.77 ERA along with a 1.42 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .273 in 31 innings of work as opposed to his 1.87 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and .215 opponent’s batting average in 33 2/3 innings on the road. He faces a Red Sox lineup that has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total on the road against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Boston will be looking to avenge a 6-1 loss at home to Tampa Bay back on June 9th. The Red Sox have played 26 of their last 36 games Over the Total when avenging a loss where they scored only one run. These two teams have also played 5 of their last 7 meetings Over the Total when facing off in Tampa Bay. 25* MLB Monday ESPN Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (911) and the Tampa Bay Rays (912) listing both starting pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Jalen Beeks. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 6:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the Chicago Sky (644) minus the points versus the Indiana Fever (643). THE SITUATION: Chicago (10-8) has won three straight games — as well as four of their last five contests — with their 77-76 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday as a 6.5-point favorite. Indiana (6-13) has lost four straight games — as well as eight of their last nine contests — after their 95-88 loss to Washington on Friday as an 8-point underdog.

REASONS TO TAKE THE SKY MINUS THE POINTS: Chicago has covered the point spread in 4 of their last 6 games after a victory at home over an Eastern Conference rival. The Sky are also 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games after a point spread loss — and they have covered the point spread in 12 of their last 19 games after a win at home by no more than three points. This is a team that has usually been a strong 3-point shooting team led by All-Star Allie Quigley who nailed 42% of her shots from behind the arc last year. This season, Chicago is 2nd in the WNBA by making 35.4% of their 3-pointers. But the problem for this team has been on the other end of the court after they were last in the league by allowing -4.4 PPG more than the second-worst defensive team in the WNBA last year. First-year head coach James Wade has been very successful in getting his team to improve on defense this season. The Sky held the Dream to just 33.7% shooting on Wednesday in what was their second-best defensive effort of the season. Chicago has not allowed their last five opponents to shoot better than 40% from the field — and those last five opponents have made just 36.6% of their shots. The Sky made only 42% of their shots against Atlanta which was their lowest field goal percentage in their last three games. They have still scored at least 72 points in six straight games — and they have covered the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after scoring at least 70 points in three straight games. They should benefit from the small break since Wednesday — they have covered the point spread in 4 straight games when playing with at least three days of rest. Chicago stays at home where they are 7-3 this season while averaging a healthy 80.5 PPG. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 26 of their last 37 games after a point spread win. Additionally, the Fever have failed to cover the point spread in 11 of their last 16 games after a straight-up loss where they still covered the point spread as an underdog — and they have also failed to cover the point spread in 7 of their last 10 games after a loss at home where they covered the point spread. Indiana struggles on defense with the lowest Defensive Rating of 101.9 in the league. They are tied for second to last in the league by allowing their opponents to make 35.1% of their 3-pointers — so Chicago should have a good game from downtown tonight. Indiana allowed the Mystics to make 47.4% of their shots on Friday — and they the Fever have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 22 games after allowing at least 90 points in their last game. Indiana has failed to cover the point spread in 23 of their last 34 games after losing four of their last five games. And while they have covered the point spread in four of their last six games, they have then failed to cover the point spread in 6 of their last 9 games after covering the point spread in four or five of their last six games. Furthermore, the Fever have failed to cover the point spread in 14 of their last 20 games when playing with one day of rest.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago will be motivated to avenge a 76-69 upset loss at home when these two teams last played on June 21st. The Sky were 5-point favorites in that game — so the details from that contest have certainly been a topic of conversation for Wade in this rematch. Chicago has covered the point spread in 3 of their last 4 games when they avenging a loss at home to their opponent. 25* WNBA NBA-TV Game of the Year with the Chicago Sky (644) minus the points versus the Indiana Fever (643). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:05 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Rockies (979) and the New York Yankees (980) listing both starting pitchers German Marquez and James Paxton. THE SITUATION: New York (64-33) has won five straight games with their 11-5 victory over the Rockies yesterday. Colorado (46-52) has lost six straight games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have played 13 of their last 17 games at home Under the Total after a win by at least four runs — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games after a victory. New York has also played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Additionally, the Under is 6-2-1 in the Bronx Bombers last 9 games at home in Yankee Stadium — and they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total against teams with a losing record. The New York bullpen is getting it done as of late after not surrendering an earned run again last night. The Yanks’ bullpen has a sparkling 0.43 ERA over their last five games with a 0.76 WHIP while giving up just one earned run over that span consisting of 21 innings of work. New York has played 19 of their last 26 games Under the Total after a game where their bullpen did not allow an earned run — and they have played 40 of their last 58 games Under the Total when their bullpen has an ERA of 2.00 or better over their last five games. They give the ball to Paxton who is 5-4 with a 3.94 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP in sixteen starts this season. The left-hander has allowed only five earned runs in three starts this month for a nifty 2.50 ERA. Paxton has also been more effective at home where he enjoys a 3.22 ERA along with a 1.28 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .229 in nine starts. Paxton’s teams have played 9 of their last 12 games Under the Total with him taking the mound in the month of July. He should fare well against this Rockies team that is scoring only 4.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .243 batting average along with a .281 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .697. Colorado has played 6 straight games Under the Total against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Rockies have played 8 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a loss — and they have played 19 of their last 25 games Under the Total on the road after a loss. Colorado has also played 10 of their last 11 games Under the Total after losing at least four straight games. The Rockies stay on the road where they have played 4 of their last 5 games Under the Total — and they have played 5 of their last 7 road games Under the Total against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. Additionally, Colorado has played 22 of their last 30 road games Under the Total as an underdog priced in the +150 to +200 range. And the Under is 28-11-3 in their last 42 games in Interleague play against teams with a winning record. They counter with Marquez who is 8-5 with a 5.12 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in twenty-one starts. The right-hander looks to redeem himself from a bad outing in his last start against the Giants where he allowed 11 earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work at home. That start was at home in Coors Field where he is saddled with a 7.07 ERA along with a 1.70 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .336 — but he has been much better at home where enjoys a 3.33 ERA along with a 0.90 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in ten starts. The Under is 7-3-1 in Colorado’s last 11 road games with Marquez facing a team with a winning record. The sabermetrics are encouraging for Marquez with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.92 and 3.63 moving forward. The Rockies have also played 16 of their last 21 road games Under the Total with Marquez pitching after a loss.

FINAL TAKE: The Colorado bullpen has logged in 9 2/3 innings of work over the last two days in the Bronx — but they have then played 13 of their last 15 games Under the Total when their bullpen has pitched at least 9 innings in their last two games. 25* MLB TBS-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Colorado Rockies (979) and the New York Yankees (980) listing both starting pitchers German Marquez and James Paxton. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:20 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (909) and the Atlanta Braves (910) listing both starting pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Mike Soroka. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (59-40) snapped a three-game losing streak last night with their 4-3 victory over the Nationals. Washington (51-45) has now lost two of their last three games.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Braves were a small money-line underdog yesterday with Julio Teheran facing off against Patrick Corbin — and they have played 10 of their last 16 games Under the Total after delivering an upset victory as a home underdog. The Under is also now 6-2-1 in Atlanta’s last 9 games at home — and the Under is 3-1-1 in their last 5 games against NL East opponents. The Braves have also played 9 of their last 13 games in the month of July Under the Total. They give the ball to Soroka who is 10-1 with a 2.24 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in sixteen starts. The rookie phenom has given up more than two runs only four times in those sixteen starts. The right-hander’s formula for success has been to limit gopher balls which is a tantalizing quality in this current home run obsessed era of launch angles. Soroka has given up only four home runs this year for a microscopic 0.38 Home Runs Allowed per 9 inning rate. Atlanta has played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total with Soroka facing a team with a winning record — and they have also played 6 straight games Under the Total with him starting as the favorite priced in the -100 to -150 price range. He faces a Nationals team that has played 12 of their last 14 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Under is also 7-1-1 in their last 9 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.15 or lower. Washington has seen the Under go 4-1-1 in their last 6 games after a loss. The Nationals have also played 11 of their last 13 games Under the Total in the month of July — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total against fellow NL East opponents. This is Washington’s seventh straight game on the road — and they have played 12 of their last 15 road games after playing their previous four games Under the Total. The Nationals have also played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total on the road overall. They counter with Sanchez who is 5-6 with a 3.71 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in seventeen starts this season. The veteran right-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs in fourteen of those starts — and he is 5-0 with a 2.40 ERA in his last five starts. The former Brave has a 3.00 ERA in two starts against Atlanta this year. And Sanchez has been a bit more effective on the road where he owns a 3.67 ERA with a .236 batting average in nine starts as opposed to his 3.76 ERA and .239 opponent’s batting average at home. Washington has played 4 of their last 5 road games Under the Total with Sanchez facing a team with a winning record. He faces a Braves lineup that has cooled off significantly this month — they are scoring only 4.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .244 batting average along with a .319 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of 693 in those contests.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 5 straight games Under the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Braves were interesting with Overs last month — but it is time to zig from that zag. 25* MLB FS1-TV Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Washington Nationals (909) and the Atlanta Braves (910) listing both starting pitchers Anibal Sanchez and Mike Soroka. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Edmonton Eskimos (693) and the Montreal Alouettes (694). THE SITUATION: Edmonton (3-1) enters this game coming off a 33-6 win at British Columbia as a 3-point favorite back on July 11th. Montreal (2-2) pulled off their second-straight upset victory with their 36-19 win at Ottawa last Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Eskimos are playing the best defense in the CFL as they are holding their opponents to just 226.5 total YPG in their four games. They registered five sacks last week against the Lions while holding them to only 210 yards of offense in their win on the road in British Columbia last week. Edmonton has played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 275 yards in their last game. The Eskimos limited BC to just 124 passing yards in that game as well — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 200 passing yards in their last contest. Furthermore, Edmonton held Winnipeg in their building to just 273 yards of offense two weeks ago — and they have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after not allowing more than 250 YPG over their last two contests. But the Eskimos stay on the road for the third straight week which may mean trouble for their offense to continue to execute at a high level. Edmonton is leading the CFL by averaging 452.5 total YPG under their offseason free-agent acquisition in quarterback Trevor Harris. But that number drops to 396.5 total YPG in their two games on the road. The Under is 6-1-1 in the Eskimos last 8 games on the road — and they have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total with the number set at 52 or higher. Montreal has played 6 of their last 8 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 38 points in a victory over an East Division rival. Additionally, the Alouettes have played 11 of their last 16 games Under the Total after a point spread win — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after covering the point spread in two straight games. After getting routed at home to Hamilton by a 41-10 score back on June 28th, the formula for Montreal’s success has been a commitment to run the football. Running back Willie Stanback rushed 22 times for 203 yards in their 36-29 revenge win at Hamilton the following week before gaining 100 yards on the ground on 18 carries in their upset win at Ottawa. This dedication to running the football has helped the Alouettes burn time off the clock while keeping their defense fresher — and that tends to be a formula for Unders. Montreal held the football for 34:55 minutes while generating 30 first downs two weeks ago against the Tiger-Cats before controlling the time of possession for 33:46 last week while earning 24 first downs — and they have played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing two straight games where they gained at least 22 first downs while controlling the clock for at least 32 minutes. And while the Alouettes have gained 467 and 474 yards in each of their last two games, they have then played 16 of the last 21 games Under the Total after gaining at least 450 yards in two straight contests.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the Eskimos’ 32-25 win over Montreal back on June 14th in the opening regular-season game for both these teams. Expect the defenses to gain the upper hand in this rematch. 25* Canadian Football League Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Edmonton Eskimos (693) and the Montreal Alouettes (694). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:30 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (691) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (692). THE SITUATION: Ottawa (2-2) has suffered their second straight upset loss with their 36-19 loss at home to Montreal as a 9-point favorite last Saturday. Winnipeg (4-0) remained unbeaten this season with their 48-21 win over Toronto as a 15-point favorite last Friday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Redblacks’ defense played well in the first half as they went into the locker room in a 9-9 deadlocked score — but four turnovers including three lost fumbles eventually were too much for this team to overcome. Ottawa has then played 12 of their last 16 games Under the Total after suffering a loss at home to a divisional rival — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after suffering an upset loss against an East Division rival as a favorite laying at least 6 points. And while the Redblacks have lost the turnover battle in their last two games, they have then played 19 of their last 27 games Under the Total after enduring at least a -1 net turnover margin in two straight games. Ottawa’s loss to the Alouettes finished above the 51.5 point Total — and they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after playing their last game Over the Total. The Redblacks will be without their starting quarterback Dominique Davis for tonight’s game after he got banged up last week. Instead, Jonathan Jennings will make his first start for Ottawa this season since being signed as a free agent in the offseason. The Redblacks will be leaning on their defense with Jennings at QB despite surrendering 457.3 total YPG. Ottawa has played 13 of their last 16 games Under the Total after allowing at least 450 yards per game in their last three contests. The Redblacks have also played 8 of their last 10 games Under the Total in the month of July. Winnipeg has played 6 straight games at home Under the Total after a victory by at least 17 points — and they have also played 5 of their last 7 games Under the Total after a point spread cover as a double-digit favorite. The Blue Bombers raced out to a 37-6 halftime lead over the Argonauts last week — and they have played 12 of their last 15 games Under the Total after scoring at least 27 points in the first half of their last game. And while Winnipeg has covered all four games they have played this season, they have then played 16 of their last 20 home games Under the Total after covering the point spread in three straight games.

FINAL TAKE: The Blue Bombers lead the CFL by allowing only 365.0 total YPG — and they have limited their four opponents to just 19.7 PPG. I expect Ottawa to play Winnipeg tough — but they may not be able to score enough points with Jennings making his first start under center. The stronger play is with the Under. 25* CFL Friday Night Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the Ottawa Redblacks (691) and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (692). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing Algeria (235605) with the goal-line versus Senegal (235606) in the Finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Algeria (W5-1D1-L0) reached the Finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday with their 2-1 win over Nigeria. Senegal (W5-D0-L1) joined them in this championship match with their 1-0 win over Tunisia on Sunday.

REASONS TO TAKE ALGERIA WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Algeria has been the best overall team in this tournament with five wins decided in the 90 minute regulation time. The lone blemish on the Desert Foxes record in this tournament was a 1-1 result with the Ivory Coast in the Quarterfinals which they won via penalty kicks. The 12 goals that Algeria scored in their six matches is the most of any competitor in this AFCON. Algeria’s defensive has also been stout as they have surrendered only two goals in those six matches. Their +10 net goal differential is best of all the teams in this tournament. This Algerian side has star power with their talisman being Riyad Mahrez who currently plays for Manchester City and who starred on the Leicester City team that won the English Premier League a few years ago. The Desert Foxes will certainly be hungry after missing out on the 2018 World Cup last summer — and they have not won the Africa Cup of Nations in twenty-nine years. This national program turned things around last November when they hired their former midfielder, Djamel Belmadi, to take over the managing duties. Algeria is unbeaten in their eleven matches since under Belmadi’s guidance. This is a solid group that has no obvious weaknesses. They also demonstrated championship mettle by scoring on the what was the final play of their match against Nigeria on Sunday when Mahrez netted a spectacular free-kick just outside the box. Senegal scored on an own goal in the 100th minute which made the winning difference in their Semifinals match against Tunisia. Scoring is an issue for this side with the Lions of Teranga having not scored a goal from one of their own players 2 hours and 21 minutes of play. Sadio Mane is their only player to find the back of the net only once — and the Liverpool star has shown the physical effects of carrying his national team in the Knockout Stage as he has looked like he was lacking energy at times. Senegal is also undermanned in this championship match. They were already missing their top goaltender, Eduard Mendy, who is dealing with an injury. Now they will be without their best backline player in the 6’5 Kalidou Coulibaly who is suspended for this match after receiving his second yellow card on Sunday.

FINAL TAKE: Algeria defeated Senegal by a 1-0 score when these two teams faced off in the second Group Stage match back on June 27th. I do not think that the Lions of Teranga gets their revenge this afternoon. The Desert Foxes are a better team now three weeks later while playing with more confidence. Senegal, on the other hand, has a tiring Mane along with being without one of their best players in Koulibaly. Finally, Algeria has the geographical and likely crowd advantage with this match taking place in neighboring Egypt. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Match of the Year with Algeria (235605) with the goal-line versus Senegal (235606). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:45 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing the money-line on the San Francisco Giants (912) versus the New York Mets (911) listing both starting pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard. THE SITUATION: San Francisco (47-49) has won five straight games — as well as twelve of their last fourteen contests — with their 11-8 victory at Colorado yesterday. New York (44-51) has won four games in a row themselves with their 14-4 win at Minnesota on Wednesday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE GIANTS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: San Francisco has won 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 13 of their last 19 games after scoring at least eight runs in their last contest. The Giants have also won 7 of their last 8 games after winning six or seven of their last eight games. This team is crushing the baseball as of late having scored 115 runs over their last fourteen games (8.2 Runs-Per-Game) while scoring in double-digits in six of those contests. Now after playing their last seven games on the road, San Francisco returns home to begin this series — and they have won 9 of their last 12 opening games to a new series. The Giants have also won 4 straight games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Bumgarner who is 5-7 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP in twenty starts. The left-hander has been outstanding as of late as he is 2-0 over his last four starts with a 1.86 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 20 innings of work. He also loves facing this Mets team — Bumgarner has a 5-0 record in his last five starts against New York with a 1.26 ERA in those starts. Bumgarner has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.62 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .245 in eleven starts as compared to his 4.15 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and .283 opponent’s batting average on the road. San Francisco has won 4 straight games at home with Bumgarner on the hill. He faces a Mets team that has lost 9 of their last 13 road games against left-handed starting pitchers. New York has lost 14 of their last 17 games after a game where at least seventeen combined runs were scored. The Mets have also lost 10 of their last 12 opening games to a new series. This is the sixth straight game on the road for New York — and they have lost 11 of their last 17 games after playing their last five games on the road. The Mets have also lost 8 of their last 11 road games against teams with a losing record. They counter with Syndergaard who is 7-4 with a 4.55 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in eighteen starts. The right-hander has not been as effective on the road where he owns a 4.68 ERA with a 1.28 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .278 in eight starts. New York has lost 6 of their last 9 road games with Syndergaard pitching with the Mets’ priced in the +/- 125 range. The Giants have won 5 straight games against right-handed starting pitchers — and over their last seven games, they are scoring 8.9 Runs-Per-Game with a .321 batting average along with a .376 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .937.

FINAL TAKE: San Francisco has lost the last two games between these team teams in their last series in June. The Giants have won 18 of their last 26 games when playing with at least double revenge. 25* MLB Thursday Night Special Feature with the money-line on the San Francisco Giants (912) versus the New York Mets (911) listing both starting pitchers Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (627) and the Minnesota Lynx (628). THE SITUATION: Seattle (10-8) has won two straight games after their 78-69 win over New York on Sunday as a 5.5-point favorite. Minnesota (10-7) has won four of their last five games with their 75-62 victory over Phoenix as a 1-point favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Storm flexed their muscles on defense in that game as they held the Liberty to just a 36.8% shooting percentage in that win. That defensive effort might be a good sign for the reigning WNBA champions who will likely need to lean heavily on their work rate of that end of the court given the injuries this team has sustained. Last year’s Most Valuable Player, Breanna Stewart, is out the season with a torn Achilles — and Sue Bird is also is still out with a bad knee who contributed last year with a 40.8% assist percentage along with a 44.8% shooting mark from behind the arc. Seattle is also now without Jewell Loyd who has been their second-leading scorer this season. The Storm still has Natasha Howard to sore points but she is also one of the best defenders in the league while being the second-best shot-blocker in the WNBA last season. The Under is 13-2-2 in Seattle’s last 17 games after a straight-up win — and they have played 6 straight games Under the Total after a win at home. The Under is also 8-1-1 in the Storm’s last 10 games after a point spread loss. Seattle now goes on the road where they only make 40.2% of their shots — and they have played 7 of their last 8 games Under the Total with the Total set at 140 or higher. Additionally, the Storm have played 8 of their last 9 games Under the Total as an underdog — and the Under is 10-4-1 in their last 15 games against fellow Western Conference rivals. Minnesota has played 14 of their last 19 games Under the Total after a straight-up win — and they have played 13 of their last 17 games Under the Total after a point spread victory. Additionally, the Lynx have played 5 of their last 6 games Under the Total after winning at least three of their last four games. Minnesota made 42.7% of their shots on Sunday which was the best shooting mark in their last three games. That is well above their 41.6% shooting mark over their last five games — and they have played 23 of their last 35 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game. The Lynx have all tightened things up on defense as they have held their last five opponents to just 38.0% shooting from the field. Minnesota has also been ravaged with injuries and absences this year. Rebekkah Johnson is still recovering from post-concussion symptoms from last August while All-Star Seimone Augustus is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Additionally, Jessica Shepard and Karima Christmas-Kelly are both out for the season with injuries — and Damiris Dantas has missed the last few games with a calf injury. All these missing players make the decision by forward Maya Moore to take a personal sabbatical this season even more challenging for this franchise that has won four of the last seven WNBA titles. They stay at home where they have played 4 of their last 5 home games Under the Total when laying no more than 6 points. And in their last 29 games against Western Conference rivals, the Lynx have played 21 of these games Under the Total.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch of the first meeting between these two teams back on June 4th where both teams scorched the nets in an 84-71 victory for Seattle. The Storm shot 59.3% from the field while making 7 of their 13 (53.8%) of their 3-point shots. Minnesota made 50.9% of their shots while nailing 8 of their 17 (47.1%) shots from downtown. Defense will be a priority for both teams in this rematch — and the Regression Gods have had this date (along with me) circled for weeks. 25* WNBA Western Conference Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Seattle Storm (627) and the Minnesota Lynx (628). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:05 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (965) and the New York Yankees (966) listing both starting pitchers Yonny Chirinos and Domingo German. THE SITUATION: New York (60-33) has won two of their last three games with their 8-3 victory over the Rays in the second game of this series. Tampa Bay (56-41) had won three straight games before last night’s loss.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Yankees clubbed two home runs en route to a six-run 8th inning to break open that game last night while ruining our Under that looked pretty good with the 3-2 score entering the bottom half of the 8th. New York had scored only 17 combined runs in their previous six games while not plating more than four runs in any of those games before last night. The Yankees bullpen did not surrender an earned run last night to help keep them in the game — and they have then played 16 of their last 22 home games Under the Total after a game where their bullpen did not allow at least one earned run. The Under is also 3-1-1 in New York’s last 5 games at home in Yankee Stadium — and the Under is 5-1-1 in their last 7 games against fellow AL East opponents. They give the ball to German who is 11-2 with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in fourteen starts (fifteen games). The right-hander went on the disabled list with a hip injury but is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in his two starts since his return. German has been much better at home where he owns a 1.98 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .194 in six starts (seven games) as opposed to his 4.53 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and .229 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Yankees have played 6 straight games Under the Total with German pitching at home. Tampa Bay did not commit an error for the third straight game — they have committed only two errors in their last ten games. The Rays have then played 22 of their last 35 games Under the Total after not committing an error for at least two straight games. Tampa Bay has also played 13 of their last 20 games Under the Total as an underdog — and they have played 20 of their last 28 games Under the Total as a road dog priced at least at +150. They counter with Chirinos who is 8-4 with a 3.11 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP in nineteen appearances. The right-hander had been used as a bulk inning middle reliever — but his ability to throw strikes has elevated him to a regular starter in the Rays’ rotation. Chirinos is walking only 5.3% of the batters he faces which combined with Tampa Bay’s outstanding defense to help suppress base runners when he is on the mound. He has made nine straight starts for his team with a 3.04 ERA in those efforts. Chirinos has also been a bit better on the road where he owns a 0.94 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .205 in nine appearances as compared to his 0.98 WHIP and .212 opponent’s batting average at home. The Rays have played 5 of their last 6 road games Under the Total with Chirinos on the hill. He faces this cold Yankee lineup that is scoring only 3.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .250 batting average along with a .321 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .769 over that span.

FINAL TAKE: The Under is 11-3-1 in the last 15 meetings between these two teams after last night’s late Over result. Expect a return to a lower scoring game today. 25* MLB Wednesday ESPN Total of the Year with Under the Total in the game between the Tampa Bay Rays (965) and the New York Yankees (966) listing both starting pitchers Yonny Chirinos and Domingo German. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between Nigeria (235601) and Tunisia (235602) in the Third Place consolation match in the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Nigeria (W4-D0-L2) lost a heartbreaker in the final play of the fifth minute of extra time after 90 minutes when Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez scored on a spectacular free-kick just outside the box to hand the Nigerians a 2-1 loss. Tunisia (W1-D4-L1) also lost a tough one when they scored an own goal in the 100th minute of the match that was still nil-nil after 90 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Senegal.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: It is difficult to assess if Nigeria will be deflated after surrendering the game-winning goal in the final moments of their match with Algeria or if they will rally around each other to bounce-back to take solace in a potential bronze trophy with a victory. Either way, the Super Eagles look poised to either score goals or surrender goals. This is not a side that typically plays low-scoring matches. In their three matches since suffering a surprising 2-0 loss to Madagascar in their final Group Stage match, Nigeria has scored six times. The Super Eagles are loaded with speed, talent, and power at the forward position. But this team also tends to make mistakes in their backline. They have allowed five goals in their last three matches. Nigeria’s last three matches have seen at least three combined goals. Tunisia has seen at least two combined goals in four of their six matches in this tournament. That final score in their loss to Senegal is a bit deceiving since both teams missed penalty kicks — the final score of that Semifinals match could have easily been a 2-1 result. The Eagles of Carthage have scored six times in this event while allowing just four goals with manager Alain Giresse content to grind out lower scoring matches. This tempo may now change in this consolation match. Tunisia competed in last summer’s World Cup where they scored five times in three Group Stage matches while surrendering a whopping eight goals.

FINAL TAKE: With the combination of tired legs, a lack of urgency on defense, and the desire to play more aggressively with less on the line, expect a higher scoring match. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between Nigeria (235601) and Tunisia (235602). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:10 PM ET on Tuesday, we will be playing the Minnesota Twins (930) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Mets (929) listing both starting pitchers Michael Pineda and Steven Matz. THE SITUATION: Minnesota (58-34) had won four of their last five games before suffering a 4-3 loss at Cleveland on Sunday. New York (42-51) has won their last two games after they defeated the Marlins in Miami on Sunday by a 6-2 score.

REASONS TO TAKE THE TWINS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: Minnesota has bounced-back to win 38 of their last 56 games after a loss. The Twins have also won 9 of their last 12 games after an off-day. Minnesota returns home where they have won 36 of their last 52 games — and they have also won 42 of their last 59 games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Pineda who is 6-4 with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in seventeen starts. The right-hander entered the season returning from Tommy John surgery — so the first half of the season was expected to be a work in progress. Hitting the disabled list in late May for knee tendinitis did not help matters. Over his last five starts, Pineda has a 2.83 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP — and he is 2-0 with a 1.50 and a 0.92 WHIP while striking out 17 batters in 12 innings of work in his last two outings as things seem to be coming together for the 30-year-old. Remember, Pineda combined a 24.8% strikeout rate for the batters he faced from 2015 through 2017 before his elbow injury while inducing ground balls in 49.2% of the batted balls he allowed into play and walking only 5.2% of the batters he faced over that three-year period. Pineda’s velocity on his fastball has finally returned to what it was before his Tommy John surgery — so don’t be surprised if Pineda is dominant during the second half of this season for this powerful Twins lineup. He has done his best work at home this season where he enjoys a 4.28 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .251 in nine starts as compared to his 4.87 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and .272 opponent’s batting average on the road. Minnesota has won 5 of their last 6 games with Pineda facing a team with a losing record. He faces a Mets’ team that is scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .238 batting average along with a .295 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .691 over that span. New York has lost 9 of their last 112 games against right-handed starting pitchers. Additionally, the Mets have lost 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 games after not allowing more than two runs in their last contest. New York has also lost 17 of their last 22 opening games to a new series. They stay on the road where they have lost 27 of their last 37 games — and they have lost 9 of their last 13 road games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% at home. The Mets have also lost 24 of their last 35 games as a money-line underdog priced from +100 to +150. They counter with Matz who is 5-6 with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP in sixteen starts (eighteen games). The knuckle-balling lefty has been effective at home in Citi Field where he sports a 2.59 ERA with a 1.21 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .248 — but he sees those numbers skyrocket to a 7.07 ERA with a 1.74 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .306 in nine starts on the road. New York has lost 6 of their last 7 games on the road with Matz on the mound. And this Matz’s first appearance since coming out of the bullpen back on July 6th — and the Mets have lost 7 of their last 10 games with Matz making the start for the first time in at least nine days. He faces a hot-hitting Twins’ lineup that is scoring 5.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .288 batting average .337 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .831 over that span. Minnesota crushes left-handed pitching as well as they score 6.6 Runs-Per-Game over the left-handed starting pitchers with a .297 batting average, .356 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .866. The Twins have won 7 of their last 9 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have also won a decisive 50 of their last 67 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: While these team trends do not take into account the -1.5 Run-Line we are laying for this play, because Minnesota has a slugging percentage of .495 this season, they are supported by a historical angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 64% effective since 1997. The Mets are hitting only .254 as a team this season — and and National League road underdogs with a team batting average below .250 facing an American League team with a slugging percentage of at least .450 have then failed to cover the +1.5 Run-Line (when priced in the -190 to +165 range) in 67 of the last 105 situations where these conditions applied. Minnesota was priced in the -140 range last night — but I suspected that overnight line would rise above my -150 price threshold in the morning. This is still a great situation — but lets lower the investment cost by laying the Run-Line. The Twins have had 25 games this season where they were priced higher than -150 — and they have won 14 of those games by more than one run. Only in two of those games has Minnesota won the game by just one-run — and bettors with the Twins straight-up with the money-line ate the big investment cost with the loss nine times. If (and when) Minnesota wins this game tonight, it will be highly likely to be by more than one run. 25* MLB Interleague Run-Line of the Year with the Minnesota Twins (930) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the New York Mets (929) listing both starting pitchers Michael Pineda and Steven Matz. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the money-line on the Chicago Cubs (954) versus the Cincinnati Reds (953) listing both starting pitchers Kyle Hendricks and Luis Castillo. THE SITUATION: Chicago (50-43) has won three straight games — as well as five of their last six games — with their 8-3 victory over Pittsburgh yesterday. Cincinnati (42-48) has lost four of their last five games with their 10-9 loss in Colorado yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE CUBS WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Manager Joe Maddon has mentioned that his team looks refreshed after taking some days off for the All-Star Break. Chicago has scored eighteen runs in their last two games — and they have won 42 of their last 56 home games after scoring at least eight runs in their last two games. The Cubs have also won 13 of their last 16 home games after winning five or six of their last seven games. Chicago stays at home in Wrigley Park where they have won 4 straight games — and they have won 18 of their last 24 home games when priced in the -100 to -150 price range. The Cubbies have also won 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. They give the ball to Hendricks who is 7-7 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in sixteen starts. The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 1.65 ERA with a 0.88 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .215 in seven starts as opposed to his 5.44 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and .291 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Cubs have won 5 of their last 6 home games with Hendricks on the hill — and they have won 16 of their last 18 home games with Hendricks pitching as a favorite priced in the -100 to -150 range. He faces a Reds’ team that has just a .233 batting average on the road away from the Great American Ballpark along with a .291 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .695. Cincinnati has lost 4 straight games against right-handed starting pitchers. Hendricks loves pitching against the Reds as he owns a 6-2 lifetime record against them with a 3.31 ERA in fifteen career starts. Hendricks is also 2-0 with a 1.71 ERA in his last three starts against Cincinnati. The Reds have also lost 6 of their last 8 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Cincy won their game on Saturday in Colorado by a 17-9 score — but they have lost 4 of their last 5 games after scoring at least nine runs in their last two games and they have lost 13 of their last 17 games after allowing at least eight runs in two straight contests. The Reds stay on the road where they have lost 6 of their last 7 games — and they have lost 4 of their last 5 opening games to a new series. They counter with Castillo who is 8-3 with a 2.29 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in eighteen starts. The sabermetrics call for significant regression given his SIERA and xFIP which projects an ERA of 4.23 and 3.79 moving forward given his deeper peripheral numbers. The biggest flaw on the 23-year-old right-hander is his penchant to issue walks — especially on the road. Castillo has issued 28 bases-on-balls in 42 innings away from home which translates into a troubling 6.0 walks per 9 innings rate. Castillo has a 1.40 WHIP in eight starts on the road which has led to his ERA rising to a 3.21 mark as opposed to his outstanding 1.69 ERA with a 0.88 WHIP in his ten starts at home. Cincinnati has lost their last 3 road games with Castillo pitching as the underdog priced in the +100 to +150 price range. And while Castillo did not allow an earned run in his last start back on July 4th where he pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings at home against Milwaukee, the Reds have then lost 6 of their last 7 games with Castillo following up a start where he did not allow an earned run. He faces a Cubs’ lineup that is scoring 6.4 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games with a .294 batting average along with a .378 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .941 over that span. Chicago has won 5 of their last 6 games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 28 of their last 40 home games against right-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: Chicago has won 19 of their last 26 opportunities to host the Reds at Wrigley Field. 25* MLB Monday Night Special Feature with the money-line on the Chicago Cubs (954) versus the Cincinnati Reds (953) listing both starting pitchers Kyle Hendricks and Luis Castillo. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:10 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing the Cleveland Indians (966) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Detroit Tigers (965) listing both starting pitchers Adam Plutko and Daniel Norris. THE SITUATION: Cleveland (51-40) has won six of their last eight games after they defeated Minnesota yesterday by a 4-3 score. Detroit (29-59) snapped a five-game losing streak yesterday with their 12-8 win at Kansas City.

REASONS TO TAKE THE INDIANS MINUS THE -1.5 RUN-LINE: The Tigers’ offensive explosion yesterday does not bode well for them tonight. Detroit has lost an incredible 43 of their last 51 games after scoring at least five runs in their last contest — and they have lost 19 of their last 23 games after scoring at least nine runs in their last contest. Furthermore, not only have the Tigers lost 13 of their last 15 games after a game where at least seventeen combined runs were scored but they have lost 28 of their last 33 games after a game where at least fifteen combined runs were scored. Additionally, Detroit has lost 38 of their last 51 games on the road against teams with a winning record. The Tigers have also lost 13 of their last 16 games against fellow AL Central opponents — and they have lost 6 straight opening games to a new series. They give the ball to Norris who is 2-8 with a 4.96 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP in fifteen starts (eighteen appearances). The left-hander has not been as effective on the road where he owns a 5.01 ERA with a 1.49 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .302 in nine starts (eleven games) as compared to his 4.89 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and .279 opponent’s batting average at home. These disparate home/road splits are consistent with last season where Norris suffered a 7.32 ERA on the road as compared to his more modest 4.38 ERA at home. Detroit has lost 9 of their last 12 road games with Norris on the hill — and they have also lost 5 of their last 6 road games with Norris facing a team with a winning record. The Indians have found their bats with their lineup finally getting healthy — they have scored 5.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .280 batting average along with a .351 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .891. Cleveland has won 9 of their last 11 games against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have also won their last six games at home against left-handed starting pitchers. The Indians have also won 9 of their last 11 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. Cleveland has won 5 of their last 6 games after a win. They stay at home where they have won a decisive 41 of their last 59 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40%. The Indians have also won 12 of their last 15 games against AL Central rivals — and they have won 8 of their last 11 opening games to a new series. They counter with Plutko who has been moved back into the starting rotation after spending some time in the bullpen. The right-hander has a 3-1 record with a 4.95 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP in 36 1/3 innings this season. The problem for Plutko mostly stems on the road where he has a 5.40 ERA with a 1.53 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .323. But in his 21 1/3 innings at home at Progressive Field Plutko has a 0.89 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .221. Plutko had a 1.15 WHIP and .250 opponent’s batting average pitching at home last year as opposed to his 1.53 WHIP and .323 opponent’s batting average on the road. Cleveland has won 4 of their last 5 home games with Plutko on the mound. This is a great opportunity to face a Tigers team that scores only 3.2 Runs-Per-Game against right-handed starting pitchers with a .229 batting average, .280 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .646. The Indians have Detroit’s number with seven straight victories in this series. The Tigers have lost 7 of their last 9 games when having lost at least five straight games to their opponent. Detroit has also lost 24 of their last 31 games against the Indians played in Cleveland.

FINAL TAKE: The team trends identified above do not take into account the -1.5 Run-Line we are laying for this play. Because the Tigers are scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game, Detroit falls into a historical “play-against” angle specific to the Run-Line that has been 65% effective since 1997. American League teams coming off a game where at least fifteen combined runs were scored who do not score more than 4.2 Runs-Per-Game and who are using a starting pitcher with an ERA in the 4.20 to 4.70 range have then lost 42 of the last 64 situations where these conditions applied. With Cleveland priced above my -150 price threshold, lower the investment cost by taking the Indians minus the -1.5 Run-Line. The Indians have won and covered the -1.5 Run-Line in 8 of their last 13 games while losing three of those games outright and winning just two of those games by one run (and the +200 units from those wins is overwhelmed by the three money-line losses priced at -210, -175, and -250). 25* MLB American League Central Run-Line of the Year with the Cleveland Indians (966) minus the -1.5 Run-Line versus the Detroit Tigers (965) listing both starting pitchers Adam Plutko and Daniel Norris. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the game between the New York Liberty (621) and the Seattle Storm (622). THE SITUATION: New York (7-9) has lost two straight games after their 99-83 loss in Chicago on Friday as a 3.5-point underdog. Seattle (9-8) snapped a three-game losing streak on Friday with their 95-81 win at home over Dallas laying 5.5-points as the favorite.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: The Liberty loss that game to Chicago primarily because of their lackluster effort on defense as they allowed the Sky to shoot 54.3% from the field. That was the worst defensive effort for New York this season. The Liberty have been playing better defense as of late — they have still held their last five opponents to just 41.8% shooting even after Friday’s performance. New York has played 6 of their last 9 games Under the Total after a game where both teams scored at least 75 points. The Liberty have also played 7 of their last 10 games Under the Total after scoring at least 75 points in their last game. Additionally, New York has played 5 straight games Under the Total when playing with one day of rest. And in their last 14 games against Western Conference foes, the Liberty have played 10 of these games Under the Total. Seattle made 54.8% of their shots on Friday in their win which was the best shooting effort in their last sixteen contests. The Storm nailed 14 of their 23 shots from behind the arc for a red hot 54.8% 3-point shooting clip — but they have then played 9 of their last 10 games Under the Total after making at least nine 3-pointers in their last game. Seattle has also played 9 of their last 11 games Under the Total after a game where both teams scored at least 75 points. Additionally, the Under is 12-2-2 in the Storm’s last 16 games after a straight-up win — and the Under is 7-1-1 in their last 9 games after a point spread victory. Furthermore, the Under is 15-5-1 in Seattle’s last 21 games when they are playing with one day of rest. And in their last 14 games against teams from the Eastern Conference, the Under is 9-4-1 for the Storm. Seattle remains without some of their scorers with Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird having not played this season given injuries — and their second-leading scorer this season in Jewell Loyd is also out with her ankle injury.

FINAL TAKE: This is a rematch from an 84-83 upset victory by the Liberty in Seattle where they were 7.5-point underdogs. New York made 49.3% of their shots which was well above the 41.1% shooting percentage for the season. After the Storm’s shaky defensive effort on Friday, tightening things up on that end of the court will be a priority for head coach Dan Hughes’ team. 25* WNBA Total of the Month with Under the Total in the game between the New York Liberty (621) and the Seattle Storm (622). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:10 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing the money-line on the Atlanta Braves (913) versus the San Diego Padres (914) listing both starting pitchers Mike Soroka and Cal Quantrill. THE SITUATION: Atlanta (55-37) has won three straight games — as well as six of their last seven contests — with their 7-5 win in 10 innings over the Padres yesterday. San Diego (45-46) has lost the first two games of this series since the All-Star break.

REASONS TO TAKE THE BRAVES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Atlanta has won 4 of their last 5 games after a win. Additionally, the Braves have won 26 of their last 36 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have won 18 of their last 24 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. Atlanta has won 20 of their last 28 games on the road — and they have won 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a winning record. They give the ball to Soroka who is 9-1 with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in fifteen starts. The right-hander has a filthy two-seamer that drops on hitters to help induce a ground ball rate of 57% on the balls he allows into play. Soroka has been more effective on the road where he owns a nasty 1.29 ERA with a 0.84 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .171 in eight starts. The Braves have won 9 of their last 11 games on the road with Soroka on the hill. Atlanta has also won 12 straight games with Soroka facing a team with a losing record. He faces a slumping Padres lineup that is scoring only 3.4 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests with a .225 batting average along with a .263 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .649 during that span. San Diego has lost 5 of their last 6 games after a loss — and they have also lost 5 of their last 6 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game. They counter with Quantrill who is 2-2 with a 4.83 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 41 innings of work. The 24-year-old right-hander has not been as effective at home in Petco Park where he owns a 4.98 ERA with a 1.48 WHIP along with a .295 opponent’s batting average in 21 2/3 innings consisting of four starts and six overall appearances as compared to his 4.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and .236 opponent’s batting average on the road. The Padres have lost 4 straight games at home with Quantrill on the mound.

FINAL TAKE: Atlanta has won 20 of their last 26 games against right-handed starting pitchers — and this includes them winning nine of their last twelve games on the road against right-handed starting pitchers. The Braves have now won 6 of the last 8 meetings between these two teams. 25* MLB Road Warrior of the Year with the money-line on the Atlanta Braves (913) versus the San Diego Padres (914) listing both starting pitchers Mike Soroka and Cal Quantrill. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Algeria (235798) with the Goal-Line versus Nigeria (235797) in the Semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Algeria (W4-D1-L0) reached the Semifinals of this tournament with their victory over the Ivory Coast on Thursday via Penalty Kicks by a 4-3 margin after a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes of play. Nigeria (W4-D0-L1) punched their ticket to the Semifinals on Wednesday with their 2-1 win over South Africa.

REASONS TO TAKE ALGERIA WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Algeria has a good argument to make that they have been the most impressive team so far in this tournament. Their match with the Ivory Coast was the first time they had not earned an outright victory in the 90 minute regulation time which includes an impressive 1-0 victory over another Semifinalist side in Senegal in the Group Stage of this tournament. The Desert Foxes have scored ten times in this event while conceding just once in their Quarterfinals match. Their +9 net goal differential is best of all the teams in this tournament. This Algerian side has star power with their talisman being Riyad Mahrez who currently plays for Manchester City and who starred on the Leicester City team that won the English Premier League a few years ago. The Desert Foxes will certainly be hungry after missing out on the 2018 World Cup last summer — and they have not won the Africa Cup of Nations in twenty-nine years. This national program turned things around last November when they hired their former midfielder, Djamel Belmadi, to take over the managing duties. Algeria is unbeaten in their eleven matches since under Belmadi’s guidance. This is a solid group that has no obvious weaknesses. Nigeria has the pedigree having won the AFCON three times in program history — but this is their first time competing for the continental championship since 2013. The Super Eagles competed in last summer’s World Cup where they defeated Iceland while losing to Croatia and then Argentina in a crucial final Group Stage match. Nigeria has been underwhelming in this event. They rested players in their third Group Stage match against Madagascar in a 2-0 upset loss— but they still should have overwhelmed that island nation that entered this tournament ranked 108th in the world by FIFA. The Super Eagles then had to rally from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Cameroon in the Round of 16 before experiencing some nervy moments on Wednesday against South Africa before scoring the winning goal in the 89th minute. Nigeria has an impressive group of forwards — but their seven combined goals in this tournament are still three goals behind the Algerians. The bigger concern for this team is their backline that tends to make mistakes. Their ability to handle set-pieces was highlighted in my notes for that group for last summer’s World Cup. The Super Eagles have conceded five goals in this tournament which the exact amount that the other three Semifinalists have allowed combined.

FINAL TAKE: Nigeria has won six of the last eight meetings between these two teams — but Algeria won the last meeting in November of 2017 when they defeated the Super Eagles by a 3-0 score in a World Cup qualifying match. Algeria has looked more impressive than Nigeria in this tournament. The Desert Foxes will also enjoy a geographical advantage with a likely partisan crowd with neighboring Egypt serving as the host nation for this tournament. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Semifinals Match of the Year with Algeria (235798) with the Goal-Line versus Nigeria (235797). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 12:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Tunisia (235793) and Senegal (235794) in the Semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Tunisia (W1-D4-L0) reached the Semifinals of this tournament on Thursday with their 3-0 victory over Madagascar. Senegal (W4-D0-L1) advanced to the Semifinals the day before with their 1-0 victory over Benin.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Tunisia doubled their scoring output in this event with those three goals on Thursday. The Eagles of Carthage had scored only three combined goals in their previous four games before seeing that offensive explosion. Frankly, they were able to take advantage of an overmatched Madagascar side that had been the surprise of the tournament but whose bubble was ready to be burst after defeating a Nigeria side in the Group Stage that was resting key players before sneaking past an underperforming Congo DR team via Penalty Kicks in the Round of Sixteen. Tunisia had not seen more than two combined goals in their first four matches that all ended in draws. This is a team that is quite content to grind out a low scoring match led by an experienced group of defenders that competed in last summer’s World Cup. The Eagles of Carthage have surrendered only three goals in their five matches in this tournament. Senegal has conceded only once in their five tournament matches in what was a 1-0 loss to Algeria in the Group Stage. That contest between two sides that are now in the Semifinals may have been a precursor as to how this contest will play out. The Lions of Teranga probably have the best player left in this tournament (with Egypt’s Mo Salah eliminated) in Sadio Mane. Senegal is happy to play very cautiously with a defensive mindset with the confidence that the Liverpool star will find scoring opportunities in the counterattack. The Lions of Teranga have scored only seven times in their five matches.

FINAL TAKE: This shapes up to be a low scoring match with the worst-case scenario likely being two combined goals scored in the first 90 minutes of regulation time. A 1-0 score — or even a nil-nil result after the first 90 minutes looks to be a more likely outcome. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Semifinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Tunisia (235793) and Senegal (235794). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:05 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the Texas Rangers (978) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Houston Astros (977) listing both starting pitchers Mike Minor and Wade Miley. THE SITUATION: Texas (50-42) has won the first two games of this series after their 9-8 victory over the Astros last night. Houston (57-35) has lost two straight games after the All-Star break going into the break having won seven of their last eight contests.

REASONS TO TAKE THE RANGERS PLUS THE +1.5 RUN-LINE: Texas has won 7 of their last 9 games after a win — and they have won 7 of their last 9 games after an upset victory over a fellow AL West rival. The Rangers have also won 13 of their last 18 games at home after winning at least three of their last four games. Texas has won 8 of their last 9 home games — and they have won 17 of their last 27 home games as the underdog. They give the ball to Minor who is 8-4 with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in eighteen starts this season. The veteran left-hander has enjoyed a career renaissance over the last twelve months or so by throwing fewer fastballs in lieu of more breaking balls and off-speed pitches. Throwing more junk has diminished the exit velocity from the batted balls from opposing hitters which is a big help when pitching in the hitter-friendly Global Life Park. Minor has a 2.34 ERA in nine starts at home as compared to his 2.73 ERA when pitching on the road. The Rangers have won 16 of their last 21 games with Minor on the mound after they have won at least three games. Minor’s teams have also won 32 of their last 56 games when is pitching as the underdog. Houston has lost 8 of their last 11 games after a loss — and they have lost 7 of their last 11 games after allowing at least nine runs in their last contest. Furthermore, while the Astros lost as a -200 money-line favorite yesterday with Gerrit Cole on the mound, they have then lost 10 of their last 16 games after suffering an upset loss against a divisional rival despite being a money-line favorite priced at least at -200. Houston has also lost 8 of their last 11 games on the road — and they have lost 9 of their last 13 third games to a new series. They counter with Miley who is 7-4 with a 3.28 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in eighteen starts. The sabermetrics for the left-hander call for regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 4.54 and 4.34 respectively moving forward. Miley thrives when pitching at home in the friendly pitcher’s environment that is Minute Maid Park — he enjoys a 1.86 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .199 in eight starts. But in his ten starts on the road, Miley sees those numbers rise to a 4.56 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .250. His pitching in Global Life Field tonight could get ugly. He allows 1.24 Home Runs per 9 innings of work while allowing opposing batters to establish hard contact in 36.9% of the batted balls he allows. Furthermore, Miley does not miss many bats — he only strikes out 7.6 batters per 9 innings. Miley is also taking the mound for the first time since July 3rd given the All-Star Break — and his teams have lost 4 of their last 5 games when he pitching with at least seven days between starts. He faces a Rangers team that scores 5.7 Runs-Per-Game at home — and they are scoring 5.6 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games. Texas has won 8 of their last 10 home games against left-handed starting pitchers.

FINAL TAKE: The team trends identified above do not take into account the +1.5 Run-Line we are taking for this play. Because the Rangers are scoring 5.4 Runs-Per-Game, they are supported by an empirical angle that has been 66% effective over the last five seasons. Miley has an 0.89 WHIP over his last three starts — and teams who score at least 5.1 Runs-Per-Game using a starting pitcher with a WHIP of 1.00 or lower over his last three starts now facing an American League opponent with a starting pitcher with an ERA of 3.50 or lower have then covered the +1.5 Run-Line in 61 of the last 93 situations where these conditions applied. While taking the Rangers as a money-line underdog is tempting, I prefer talking the underdog with the valuable +1.5 Run-Line when that proposition is priced below the -150 threshold. 25* MLB American League West Run-Line Underdog of the Year with the Texas Rangers (978) plus the +1.5 Run-Line versus the Houston Astros (977) listing both starting pitchers Mike Minor and Wade Miley. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 8:40 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the Colorado Rockies (912) versus the Cincinnati Reds (911) listing both starting pitchers Jon Gray and Sonny Gray. THE SITUATION: Colorado (44-45) limped into the All-Star Break having lost six straight games after their 5-3 loss in Arizona on Sunday. Cincinnati (41-46) returns from the break on a two-game losing streak after they lost to Cleveland by an 11-1 score.

REASONS TO TAKE THE ROCKIES WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Colorado returns home which will help them get back to their winning ways tonight. The Rockies have won 15 of their last 20 home games against teams with a losing record. Colorado has also won 16 of their last 20 home games with the number set in the 12 to 12.5 range. They give the ball to Jon Gray who is 9-6 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP in eighteen starts (nineteen games). The right-hander has been more effective at home where he owns a 3.35 ERA with a 1.35 WHIP in seven starts (eight games) as compared to his 4.29 ERA and 1.40 WHIP when pitching on the road. The Rockies have won 4 straight home games with Gray facing a team with a losing record. Colorado has also won 4 straight games with Gray pitching against the Reds. He will face a slumping Cincinnati team that was scoring only 3.7 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven contests going into the All-Star Break with a .234 batting average, .275 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .651 in those games. The Reds have lost 35 of their last 51 road games against right-handed starting pitchers. Cincy has also lost 31 of their last 46 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. The Reds have lost 5 of their last 6 games after an off day. Cincinnati has also lost 8 of their last 11 games after allowing at least five runs in their last game — and they have lost 22 of their last 29 road games after failing to score more than one run in their last game. Furthermore, the Reds have lost 4 straight games on the road — and they have lost 5 of their last 6 games against teams with a losing record. They counter with Sonny Gray who is 5-5 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in seventeen starts. The right-hander has done his best pitching at home where he sports a 3.44 ERA with a 1.11 WHIP in ten starts — but those numbers rise to a 3.79 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP when he is pitching on the road. Cincinnati has lost 14 of their last 18 games on the road with Gray on the mound — and they have also lost 5 of their last 6 games with Gray facing a team with a losing record.

FINAL TAKE: Sonny Gray faces a Rockies that crushes pitching at home in Coors Field — they are scoring 6.6 Runs-Per-Game at home with a .314 batting average along with a .376 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .911. Colorado has also won a decisive 35 of their last 52 games at home against right-handed starting pitchers. 25* MLB Friday Night Special Feature with the money-line on the Colorado Rockies (912) versus the Cincinnati Reds (911) listing both starting pitchers Jon Gray and Sonny Gray. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Thursday, we will be playing Under the Total in the match between Madagascar (235789) and Tunisia (235790) in the Quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Madagascar (W2-D2-L0) reached the Quarterfinals on Sunday after defeating the Congo DR via Penalty Kicks by a 4-2 score after that match ended in a 2-2 deadlock after 120 minutes. Tunisia (W0-D4-L0) also advanced from the Round of 16 via Penalty Kicks by a 5-4 margin after their match with Ghana remained unresolved by a 1-1 score on Monday.

REASONS TO TAKE UNDER THE TOTAL: Madagascar has been the story of this tournament with the debutants pulling off upset wins over both the Congo DR and Nigeria in the Group Stage. Producing a clean sheet against the Super Eagles was impressive — and they also registered a shutout against Burundi. Madagascar has deployed a daring style of play in this tournament that has surprised their opponents — but they may tighten up now with the prospects of reaching the Semifinals. This remains a side that lacks difference makers so they may struggle to score as they did against lowly Burundi where they scored just once. They face a Tunisia side that is quite content to see this match resolved via penalty kicks. The Eagles of Carthage have not seen more than two combined goals scored in all four of their matches in this tournament. Tunisia has not produced a victory within 120 minutes of all four of their matches. They have scored only three goals in this event — but they have allowed only three goals as well. The Eagles of Carthage were close to registering a clean sheet on Monday before Ghana scored in the first minute of extra time of regulation to force an additional 30 minutes of play.

FINAL TAKE: Twelve of the seventeen combined goals scored in then matches these two teams have played in this tournament have come in the second half. With it being very possible that this match will remain scoreless going into the second half, expect a very low scoring result after the first 90 minutes. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Quarterfinals Total of the Year with Under the Total in the match between Madagascar (235789) and Tunisia (235790). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Wednesday, we will be playing Nigeria (235781) minus the Goal-Line versus South Africa (235782) in the Quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Nigeria (W3-D0-L1) won their Round of 16 Knockout Stage match on Saturday with their 3-2 win over Cameroon. South Africa (W2-D0-L2) pulled off a big upset against host nation Egypt on Saturday with their 1-0 victory.

REASONS TO TAKE NIGERIA MINUS THE GOAL-LINE: South Africa’s victory over Egypt make speak more to the state of the Pharaohs that it does the strength of this Bafana Bafana side. While Egypt won all three of their Group Stage matches, they were far from impressive in those contests — especially for a group that had the benefit of competing in last summer’s World Cup. Furthermore, their Talisman, Mohamad Salah was under the weather for that match on Saturday after recovering from a cold. Salah is not only Egypt’s best player but the clear best player in this tournament after leading Liverpool to a Champions League title for the 2018-19 campaign. The Pharaohs played nervously against the South Africans as they were clearly afraid to disappoint their home fans. Home field is not always an advantage in international soccer. South Africa is a well-coached group led by the veteran English manager Stuart Baxter. Bafana Bafana is a young and energetic group that focus on defensive tactics with opportunistic counter attacks. But this is also a group that has scored only two goals in their four matches in this tournament. And they only had one victory in Group Stage play over a weak Nambia side while listing to both the Ivory Coast and Morocco. The flip side of the South African youth is their inexperience. And this is a national program that is now a powerhouse in the continent. South Africa competed in the 2010 World Cup as an automatic qualifier as the host nation. They missed the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations but competed in the 2015 event. Frankly, this is a team looking to build to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar — and this group may be quite content with their accomplishment of upsetting Egypt as a +1.0 dog. Nigeria has higher aspirations so lift the AFCON championship trophy for the fourth time in their nation’s history again for the first time since 2013. The Super Eagles played their best 45 minutes of this tournament in the second half to rally from a 2-1 deficit to defeat the reigning African Cup champions in Cameroon. Nigeria won their first two Group Stage matches with wins over Burundi and Guinea before suffering a surprising loss to Madagascar. While manager Gerndt Rohr did rest some key players in that third match with their place in the Knockout State clinched, that setback may have served as a wake-up call for this group to step up their play. This is one of the most talented teams in Africa with a handful of players with English Premier League experience. The Super Eagles competed in last summer’s World Cup where they defeated Iceland while losing to the second-place finishers in Croatia and losing a decisive 2-1 match to Argentina and Lionel Messi that determined the second-place finisher advancing out of that Group D. Nigeria has a talented group of forwards who tend to get lost with their EPL teams — but players like the 23-year-old Alex Iwobi (Arsenal) and Odion Ighalo (whose three goals is tied for most in this tournament) usually play their best when donning the uniform of their national team.

FINAL TAKE: There is little chance that Nigeria will be taking South Africa lightly considered that lost to them by a 2-0 score in June of 2017 in qualifiers for this tournament before earning a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg in a qualifier rematch last November 17th. The Super Eagles have only lost once in their last eleven matches overall — and they have reached the Semifinals in their last five appearances when playing in this tournament. Nigeria holds a talent and experience edge over South Africa that should overwhelm them in this match. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Quarterfinals Match of the Year with Nigeria (235781) minus the Goal-Line versus South Africa (235782). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 3:00 PM ET on Monday, we will be playing Ghana (235774) with the Goal-Line versus Tunisia (235773) in the Round of 16 Knockout Stage of the Africa Cup of Nations. THE SITUATION: Ghana (W1-D2-L0) finished in first place in their group last Tuesday when they defeated Guinea-Bissau by a 2-0 score. Tunisia (W0-D3-L0) qualified for the Knockout Stage of this event when they pulled off their third straight draw in this tournament with the 0-0 result with Mauritania.

REASONS TO TAKE GHANA WITH THE GOAL-LINE: Ghana’s results in this event look better after Benin upset one of the favorites to win this tournament in Morocco over the weekend. The Black Stars opened this Afcon with a 2-2 draw with Benin. They then played another of the favorites to win this event in Cameroon to a 0-0 draw before earning their victory on Tuesday which gave them 5 points in the Group which was good enough for first place. Ghana is one of the perennial powers in Africa with four African Cup champions. The Black Stars made it to the Quarterfinals of the 2010 World Cup. Then in the 2014 World Cup, Ghana had one draw with two losses in Group Stage play (including a 2-1 loss to the US) but did not advance to the Knockout Stage. After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, this is a hungry national team looking to make their mark once again in the continent. They are led by Ayew brothers in Jordan and Andre with the former playing for Crystal Palace in the English Premier League and the latter serving as captain for the team while anchoring their midfield. Tunisia did compete in last summer’s World Cup where they finished with one win over Panama and two losses to England and Belgium in what was a brutal group. They played the Three Lions tough in a 2-1 loss in their opening match. That was the Eagles of Carthage’s first World Cup since 2006 — and they have only won the Africa Cup of Nations once. Tunisia has looked shaky in this tournament with three draws against the not overwhelming competition in Angola and Mali before their scoreless draw with Mauritania on Tuesday. There were a number of nervy moments against that Mauritania group that they were a full -1.0 goal favorite against. Their star player, Wabi Al-Khazri, is not playing at full strength given a muscle injury — but it looks like he will try to take the pitch in this important knockout match.

FINAL TAKE: Tunisia has only scored twice in their three matches in this tournament. The Eagles of Carthage have also lost their last five Knockout Stage matches in the African Cup. With Ghana improving in each one of their matches, it is likely that the worst case scenario for them is a tied match after 90 minutes but with a good chance that they earn the victory after regulation time. 25* Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 Match of the Year with Ghana (235774) with the Goal-Line versus Tunisia (235773). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 9:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between the United States (234225) and Mexico (234226) in the Finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. THE SITUATION: The USMNT (W5-D0-L0) remained unbeaten in the 2019 Gold Cup after they defeated Jamaica in the Semifinals of this tournament by a 3-1 score. Mexico (W4-D1-L0) made it to the championship of this event when they defeated Haiti on Tuesday by a 1-0 score. This match is being played in Chicago’s Soldier Field.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The United States had not conceded a goal in this tournament before the Reggae Boyz broke that seal in the 69th minute of that match. Jamaica is a defensive-oriented team who had to push their aggressiveness after falling behind by a 2-0 score. The Stars and Stripes have played a group of teams in this tournament who tend to play back to defend which choosing their battles with counter attacks. This will be the most aggressive opponent they will have faced in this event against this Mexico team that likes to play on their front foot. Rookie manager Gregg Berhalter has this team playing more ambitiously as well by implementing a counter pressing attack. This is a formula for higher scoring matches when facing the more talented and offensively oriented teams in the world. The US backline was demonstrating some vulnerabilities in their friendlies in preparation for this tournament — especially in a 3-0 loss to Venezuela on June 9th. But what has been the most impressive development for this team has been the emerging chemistry between their two young stars Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie. Both players scored on Wednesday with Pulisi scoring the final two goals for the US in that match in their victory over Jamaica. They have combined to score five of the Stars and Stripes fifteen goals. They will likely be joined by veteran forward Jozy Altidore who started in the match against Jamaica after beginning this tournament on the bench. Altidore had 42 goals for the USMNT. Mexico has also scored fifteen goals in their five matches. Yet El Tri has scored only one goal in the first 90 minutes of their last two matches. Much of the reason for that is that Haiti and Costa Rica in the quarterfinals were content on playing lower scoring matches. Mexico allowed seven goals in their four World Cup matches last summer so they have shown themselves vulnerable to opponents that play aggressively.

FINAL TAKE: Both teams should score in this match — and I expect at least three combined goals to be scored in the first 90 minutes with both of these teams likely to push the pace of play. 25* CONCACAF Gold Cup Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between the United States (234225) and Mexico (234226). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:00 PM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Peru (234405) plus the Goal-Line versus Brazil (234406) in the Finals of the 2019 Copa America. THE SITUATION: Peru (W2-D2-L1) reached the Finals of this tournament on Thursday with their upset 3-0 win over Chile. Brazil (W3-D2-L0) made it to the championship match of this event with a 2-0 win over Argentina.

REASONS TO TAKE PERU PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: At first glance, this might look like an easy assignment for Brazil as they look to win this tournament on home soil against a team that they defeated back on June 22nd in this tournament by a 5-0 score. But I hate this situation for the Selecao. First, their victory over Argentina was less decisive as that score indicated. Lionel Messi felt as if his team was completely jobbed by officials that were ruling for the Brazilians in almost every close call. While Brazil has not allowed a goal in this tournament, they have not been dominant with their play on the pitch. They have experienced two very shaky scoreless draws with Venezuela and then Paraguay in the Quarterfinals. They advanced to the Semifinals only because they won via penalty kicks by a 4-3 margin. Second, with their listless first-half effort in their opening match with Bolivia where they went into the locker room in a nil-nil game, the Brazilian fans have booed their national team in three of their matches due to underwhelming play. Their supporters still remember their humiliating 7-0 loss to Germany on home soil in the Semifinals of the 2014 World Cup. While home field is usually an advantage, this could become a tempest of trouble for the Selecao if things get nervy with the Peruvians. Manager Tite status with the club is also in doubt with the program considering making a change. Brazil did crush Peru by a 5-0 score — but Los Incas were in a good spot to make the Quarterfinals anyways after defeating Bolivia and earning a draw with Venezuela. This Peru roster is a young group that consists essentially of the same group of players that competed in last summer’s World Cup. Los Incas defeated Australia last summer while the eventual champion, France, to a competitive 1-0 score. Consistency has been an issue for this group that hopes to be peaking in four years — but an upset victory over Brazil would go a long way for their confidence. Peru has proven their mettle by responding to that 5-0 loss to Brazil by defeating two of the top national programs in South America and CONMEBOL with their victory over Uruguay and then the two-time reigning champions in Chile.

FINAL TAKE: Peru will be very motivated to redeem themselves from their 5-0 loss to Brazil — while the host nation may not be able to stop themselves from thinking they already won this tournament when they silenced Messi on Tuesday. 25* Copa America Match of the Year with Peru (234405) plus the Goal-Line versus Brazil (234406). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 1:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Tampa Bay Rays (968) listing both starting pitchers James Paxton and Charlie Morton. THE SITUATION: Tampa Bay (51-39) has won five of their last eight games after they defeated the Yankees in the third game of this series yesterday by a 4-3 score. New York (57-30) saw their three-game winning streak snapped in the loss on Saturday.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: The Yankees have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total after a loss. They close out the first half of the regular season with the Over going a decisive 36-13-2 in their last 51 games on the road — and the Over is also 19-6-1 in their last 26 road games against teams with a winning record. Furthermore, the Bronx Bombers have played 15 of their last 20 road games Over the Total with the number set in the 7 to 8.5 range — and they have played 11 of their last 14 road games Over the Total when priced in the +125 to -125 price range. Additionally, New York has played 6 of their last 7 games Over the Total against teams with a winning record — and they have played 22 of their last 33 games played in the day Over the Total. They give the ball to Paxton who is 5-3 with a 4.09 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP in fourteen starts. The left-hander has seen his productivity decline this year. His bases-on-balls are up — he is walking 9.9% of the batters he is facing as compared to his 6.5% walk rate last season. And his strikeouts are down — he is punching out 27.6% of the batters he has faced as compared to his elite 32.3% strikeout rate last season. Paxton has also struggled on the road where his ERA rise to a 5.12 mark along with a 1.71 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .320 in six starts. The Yankees have played 5 of their last 6 road games Over the Total with Paxton on the hill. He faces a Rays team that is scoring 5.1 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven contests — and the Over is 3-1-1 in their last 5 home games against left-handed starting pitchers. Tampa Bay has seen their bullpen blow saves in the last two games of this series — and they have played 3 of their last 4 games Over the Total after suffering two blown saves in a row. The Rays’ bullpen has a 6.82 ERA with a 1.52 WHIP over their last seven games. Tampa Bay has also played 21 of their last 31 home games Over the Total after playing a fellow AL East rival in their last three games. And the Over is 7-1-2 in the Rays’ last 10 home games against teams with a winning percentage over 60% on the road. They counter with Morton who is 9-2 with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in eighteen starts. The sabermetrics predict regression with both his SIERA and xFIP projecting an ERA of 3.51 and 3.22 moving forward given his peripheral numbers. The right-hander has not been as effective at home where he sees his ERA rise to a 2.94 mark. The Rays have played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total with Morton facing a team with a winning record — and they have played 5 of their last 7 games Over the Total with Morton pitching with the Total set in the 8 to 8.5 range. He faces a hot-hitting Yankees team that is scoring 7.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .293 batting average along with a .369 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .892 over that span. The Over is 35-12-2 in New York’s last 49 road games against right-handed starting pitchers — and they have played 4 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers overall. The Yankees have also played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher.

FINAL TAKE: The Over is 7-1-1 in the last 9 meetings between these two teams when playing on the artificial turf featured at Tropicana Field. Despite the profile of these two starting pitchers, expect a higher scoring game. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break TBS-TV Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the New York Yankees (967) and the Tampa Bay Rays (968) listing both starting pitchers James Paxton and Charlie Morton. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 AM ET on Sunday, we will be playing Over the Total in the match between the Netherlands (225913) and the United States (225914). THE SITUATION: The Netherlands (W6-D0-L0) reached the Finals of the Women’s World Cup with their 1-0 victory over Sweden on Wednesday. The United States (W6-D0-L0) advanced to this championship match on Tuesday with their 2-1 victory over England.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: When Christen Press scored her header in the 10th minute of that match with England, it was the sixth straight time that the United States scored the opening goal in the first ten minutes of the match. Putting their opponents on the back foot changes the tempo of the match since the other team has to play more aggressively with their need to score to tie the match. Both teams have scored in all three of the Stars and Stripes matches in the Knockout Stage of this tournament. All three of those matches also saw at least three combined goals scored. The Americans have scored at least twice in all six of their matches in this tournament — and they are one goal away from tying the World Cup record of 25 goals in one event. The Netherlands had scored in eight of their previous ten matches in the second half before their match with Sweden needed extra time after the nil-nil score after 90 minutes. The Orange Lionesses have a powerful front-three attack with Lieke Martens, Shanice van de Sandeen, and Vivianne Miedema — and they also have a super sub at forward in Lineth Beerensteyn. Defense was considered the weak link for this team but they have been able to embrace defensive tactics in this tournament by always being the first to score and never trailing in any of their six matches.

FINAL TAKE: The Netherlands enter this match on a 257 minute shutout streak — but that dynamic changes if they find themselves trailing for the first time in this tournament. The Dutch scored nine goals in their three Knockout Stage matches to win the 2017 Euro Championship. Expect a higher scoring match. 25* Women’s World Cup Total of the Year with Over the Total in the match between the Netherlands (225913) and the United States (225914). Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 4:10 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (919) and the Detroit Tigers (920) listing both starting pitchers Rick Porcello and Jordan Zimmermann. THE SITUATION: Boston (47-41) has won two straight games after winning the opening game of this series last night by a 9-6 score. Detroit (28-55) has lost four of their last five games.

REASONS TO TAKE OVER THE TOTAL: Boston has played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after scoring at least five runs in their last game — and they have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total after allowing at least five runs in their last game. The Over is also 6-1-1 in the Red Sox’s last 8 road games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% at home. They give the ball to Porcello who is 5-7 with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP in seventeen starts. The right-hander suffered through a terrible June where he had a 6.46 ERA. Over his last two starts which includes his disastrous 1/3 inning of work in London against the Yankees last Saturday, Porcello has a 15.71 ERA along with a 2.77 WHIP in 6 1/3 innings of work. Perhaps the warning signs regarding regression for the 30-year old were in the second half of last season where he had an ERA of 4.54. Gopher balls have always been a problem for Porcello. He allowed 1.27 home runs per 9 innings last year — and this year he is allowing 1.24 homers per 9 innings. But while Porcello struck out 8.9 batters per 9 innings last year, that number has dropped to 7.28 strikeouts per 9 innings. Porcello struck out 23.5% of the batters he faced last year but that number has dropped to 18.3% this season. Porcello has also seen his walk rate rise from 5.9% of the batters he faced last year to 7.2% of the batters he has faced this season. Overall, his K%-BB% mark of 11.1% is his lowest in a Red Sox uniform and a far cry from his career high mark of 17.6% from last year. Porcello has particularly struggled on the road (and his disaster in London was officially listed as a home game) where he has a 5.15 ERA along with a 1.45 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .289 in seven starts. Boston has played 5 of their last 7 road games Over the Total with Porcello on the mound — and they have played 5 straight road games Over the Total with Porcello facing a team with a losing record. Porcello also struggles in day games where his ERA rises to a 6.23 mark along with a 1.68 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .296. He faces a Tigers team that is scoring 5.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games (as compared to their 3.6 Runs-Per-Game scoring average) along with an improved .257 batting average along with a .311 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .718 over that span. Detroit has played 4 straight Overs this month — and the Over is also 10-3-2 in their last 15 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. They counter with Zimmermann who is 0-5 with a 5.36 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP in nine starts. The right-hander has not been as effective when pitching at home in Comerica Park where his ERA rises to a 5.40 mark along with a 1.48 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .277 in four starts this season which included a long stint on the disabled list. Zimmermann does come off a nice performance where he allowed only one earned run in 6 innings of work against Washington — but the Tigers have played 5 of their last 6 games Over the Total with Zimmermann following up a Quality Start. Detroit has also played 17 of their last 24 day games Over the Total with Zimmermann on the mound. He faces a red-hot Red Sox team that is scoring 8.3 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .338 batting average along with a .383 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .965 during that span.

FINAL TAKE: Boston has played 4 of their last 5 games Over the Total against right-handed starting pitchers — and the Over is 19-7-1 in their last 27 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. These two teams have now played 5 of their last 6 meetings Over the Total. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break Total of the Year with Over the Total in the game between the Boston Red Sox (919) and the Detroit Tigers (920) listing both starting pitchers Rick Porcello and Jordan Zimmermann. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 7:15 PM ET on Saturday, we will be playing the money-line on the Chicago White Sox (930) versus the Chicago Cubs (929) listing both starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Jon Lester. THE SITUATION: The White Sox (41-43) look to bounce-back from their 11-5 loss to Detroit on Thursday after getting yesterday off. The Cubs (46-42) snapped a four-game losing streak on Thursday with their 11-3 win at Pittsburgh.

REASONS TO TAKE THE WHITE SOX WITH THE MONEY-LINE: The White Sox have still won five of their last seven games — and they have won 4 of their last 5 games after allowing at least five runs in their last contest. The Southsiders have also won 5 straight games after an off day. This improving White Sox team has won 13 of their last 19 games at home in Guaranteed Rate Field — and they have won 5 of their last 6 home games against teams with a winning percentage below 40% on the road. They give the ball to Giolito who is 11-2 with a 2.72 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP in sixteen starts. The right-hander comes off a strong outing where he did not allow an earned run in 5 innings of work at home against Minnesota — and the White Sox have won 6 of their last 7 games with Giolito looking to follow up a start where he did not allow more than one earned run. Giolito has been the beneficiary of the White Sox’s great pitching coach Don Cooper who shortened the arm action of the former top prospect which has helped him throw more strikes. Giolito has three effective pitches that he is comfortable to mix around with his four-seam fastball, his slider, and his changeup. Giolito has been more effective at home where he owns a 2.70 ERA with a 0.99 WHIP in eight starts. The White Sox have won 6 straight games at home with Giolito on the hill. The White Sox have also won 6 of their last 8 games at night with Giolito on the hill. The Cubs have lost 4 of their last 5 games after a win — and they have lost 5 of their last 6 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. Furthermore, the Cubbies have lost 7 of their last 9 games after scoring at least 10 runs in their last contest. The Cubs stay on the road where they are just 17-26 this season. They have lost 4 of their last 5 games — and they have lost 13 of their last 18 games on the road against teams with a winning record at home. They give the ball to Lester who is 7-6 with a 3.89 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in sixteen starts. Lester does hit best pitching in Wrigleyville where he owns a 2.42 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .269 in nine home starts — but those numbers rise significantly to a 5.67 ERA with a 1.41 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .274 in seven starts on the road. The Cubs have lost 4 straight games on the road with Lester on the mound. He faces a hot-hitting White Sox team that is scoring 6.0 Runs-Per-Game over their last five contests with a .293 batting average along with a .323 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .821 over that span.

FINAL TAKE: The White Sox have won 7 of their last 9 home games when facing a left-handed starting pitcher. The Cubs remain overvalued relative to their play on the field this year — while bettors have been slow to catch up to the improving play of this White Sox team. There is nice value with the home team as a small underdog in this one. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break Saturday Fox-TV Game of the Year with the money-line on the Chicago White Sox (930) versus the Chicago Cubs (929) listing both starting pitchers Lucas Giolito and Jon Lester. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 11:00 AM ET on Saturday, we will be playing Sweden (225909) plus the Goal-Line versus England (225910) in the Third Place match of the Women’s World Cup. THE SITUATION: Sweden (W4-D0-L2) lost their Semifinals match with the Netherlands on Wednesday by a 1-0 score that required an additional 30 minutes of extra time to resolve after being scoreless after the first 90 minutes. England (W5-D0-L1) looks to bounce-back from their 2-1 loss to the United States on Tuesday.

REASONS TO TAKE SWEDEN PLUS THE GOAL-LINE: The conventional wisdom regarding this match is that the Swedes are behind the proverbial eight-ball having played 120 minutes a day after England lost to the United States in 90 minutes. But that is one of the main reasons why the Blue and Yellow are getting the valuable +0.5 goals for this match which will pay off if this match is tied after 90 minutes of play. Manager Peter Gerhardsson will likely make more changes in this match — as he did in their Group Stage match with the United States. But England skipper Phil Neville is also planning on making several changes to his starting XI — and he will not have the services of starting central defender, Millie Bright, who is suspended for this match after receiving a second yellow card in their loss to the Stars and Stripes. Sweden also gets fresh legs for this contest with the return of forward Friolina Rolfo who was suspended for the match with the Dutch. The Blue and Yellow have a deep roster so the rotations will not trigger a downturn in quality. This should be a very motivated group of players who will be playing this match as the last hurrah for a golden generation of players who are now in their 30s. This roster may seem some turnover for the 2021 Euro Championship that this England team will host. But for players like the 34-year old Caroline Seger and Nilla Fischer along with the 36-year old Hedvig Lindhal, this match is an opportunity to cement the Swedish legacy of being the third-best women’s team in the world since Lindhal played on the 2003 team that finished in second place in that World Cup. Sweden lost in the Round of 16 in the 2015 World Cup to Germany before losing in the Quarterfinals to the eventual winner in the Netherlands in the 2017 Euro — so this match provides the opportunity to put an exclamation point on this campaign. The Blue and Yellow finished in second place in the 2016 Olympics. This is England’s third straight Semifinals appearance in a major international tournament after winning the Third Place match in the 2015 World Cup before losing to the Netherlands in the Semifinals of the 2017 Euro. The allure of finishing in third place rather than fourth place may not be quite as tempting for the Three Lionesses this time around. And don’t underestimate the emotional toll this team suffered from after their deflating loss to the United States in a match they thought they could win en route to winning their first Women’s World Cup.

FINAL TAKE: Sweden has dominated England in head-to-head matches over the years as they own a W11-D4-L2 mark against the Three Lionesses in their seventeen matches across all competitions. The Swedes have also won their two Third Place matches in the Women’s World Cup after defeating Germany in the consolation match in 1991 before defeating France to claim the Third Place trophy in 2011. I handicap Sweden to be slightly better than this England team — so the opportunity to take them +0.5/+1.0 goals even considering the risk of their fatigue. 25* Women’s World Cup Match of the Year with Sweden (225909) plus the Goal-Line versus England (225910) in the Third Place match of the Women’s World Cup. Best of luck for us — Frank.

At 10:10 PM ET on Friday, we will be playing the money-line on the Oakland A’s (973) versus the Seattle Mariners (974) listing both starting pitchers Brett Anderson and Yusei Kikuchi. THE SITUATION: Oakland (47-40) has won five of their last six games with their 7-2 win over Minnesota yesterday. Seattle (38-52) has lost two straight as well as six of their last seven contests after their 5-4 loss to St. Louis yesterday.

REASONS TO TAKE THE A’S WITH THE MONEY-LINE: Oakland should build off their momentum tonight as they have won 16 of their last 21 games after a victory by at least four runs — and they have won 5 of their last 7 games after scoring at least five runs in their last game. The A’s go back on the road where they are 22-22 this after winning 16 of their last 21 games away from home. Oakland has also won 5 of their last 6 road games against teams with a losing record at home. They give the ball to Anderson who is 8-5 with a 3.92 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP in seventeen starts. The left-hander has been more effective on the road where he enjoys a 3.46 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .239 in nine starts. The A’s have won 4 straight road games with Anderson on the hill. The veteran also sports a 2.74 ERA at night with a 1.07 WHIP and an opponent’s batting average of .215 in ten starts this year. Oakland has won 8 of their last 10 games at night with Anderson on the hill. He faces a cold-hitting Mariners team that is scoring only 2.9 Runs-Per-Game over their last seven games with a .199 batting average along with a .275 On-Base Percentage and an OPS of .625 over that span. Seattle has lost 15 of their last 20 games against left-handed starting pitchers. The Mariners have also lost 4 of their last 5 games after a loss — and they have lost 27 of their last 39 games after losing five or six of their last seven contests. They stay at home where they have lost 21 of their last 27 games against teams with a winning record. Seattle has left five runners on base in their last two games — and they have lost 6 straight games after not leaving more than five baserunners in two straight games. The Mariners have also played two straight Unders — and they have then lost 7 of their last 8 games after playing at least two games that finished Under the Total. They counter with Kikuchi who is 4-5 with a 5.12 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP in eighteen starts this season. The left-hander is beginning to really struggle in his first year pitching in the United States after being signed from Japan in the offseason. Over his last three starts, Kikuchi has a 6.75 ERA with a 1.88 WHIP spanning 16 innings of work. Kikuchi has also been less effective at home where his ERA rises to a 5.49 mark in eight starts. Seattle has lost 5 of their last 7 games with Kikuchi facing a team with a winning record. He faces an underrated A’s lineup that has scored 6.3 Runs-Per-Game in their last seven games — and they are scoring 5.6 Runs-Per-Game on the road.

FINAL TAKE: Oakland has won 6 of their last 7 road games against left-handed starting pitchers — and they have won 6 of their last 7 games against starting pitchers with a WHIP of 1.30 or higher. 25* MLB Pre-All Star Break American League West Game of the Year with the money-line on the Oakland A’s (973) versus the Seattle Mariners (974) listing both starting pitchers Brett Anderson and Yusei Kikuchi. Best of luck for us — Frank.