Tag: Sports Betting

Betting tips for November 7

Everton v Man United
Neither side is in great form ahead of this contest with Everton losing their last two EPL games and Manchester United without a win in their last two league games. There is a lot pressure building up on United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer whose side are 15th in the table just four points clear of the relegation zone. Victory for Everton will get their season back on track and keep them in the mix while possibly forcing a change of manager at Old Trafford.
Recommended bet: Everton to win

Crystal Palace v Leeds
Both these sides have a total of 10 points from their first seven games, but they have found winning tough in recent weeks. Palace have one win in their last five while Leeds have one win in their last four. Leeds have failed to score a first half goal in their last five. Both teams to score has paid out in the last four meetings while Palace has scored in the last 10 contests with Leeds. Leeds have won all three games this season when they have scored the first goal.
Recommended bet: Under 2.5 goals

Chelsea v Sheffield Utd
Chelsea have one of the best defenses with five clean sheets in their last five league and cup games and they are facing a Sheffield United side who has found the opponents’ net just three times. United has not led at half-time in the league while Chelsea has only trailed once at the break. The second half might see most of the action given the fact 12 of Chelsea’s 16 goals have come after half-time while two of the three goals the Blades have scored have come in the second half.
Recommended bet: Chelsea to win to nil

West Ham v Fulham
West Ham won both meetings the last time Fulham were in the top flight two seasons ago by two-goal margins. On the scoresheet in both those contests was Michail Antonio who will be aiming to get on the scoresheet again in this contest. The Hammers have opened the scoring in four of their last five games and if they get the first goal in this clash, it will be hard to see Fulham recovering to win. Fulham has lost all five EPL games in which they gave up the first goal.
Recommended bet: West Ham to win to nil

West Brom v Tottenham
Under 2.5 total goals has paid out in the two meetings during the 2017/18 season and in five of the last six. It’s easy to see Tottenham score, but it’s at the back questions are asked if they can stop other teams from scoring. West Brom has only managed one goal in their last  four. Tottenham has been quick out of the blocks in recent matches with six goals scored in the opening 16 minutes of their last four games. Harry Kane and Son Heung-min should have a field day against this West Brom defense.
Recommended bet: Over 2.5 total goals

Leicester v Wolves
I hate to remind everyone that when these two sides met last season, they failed to score a single goal. Wolves has scored the first goal in their last four league games while Leicester has opened the scoring in their last two. Leicester has failed to score in their last two home games at the King Power Stadium while Wolves has only scored once in their last two away games. Jamie Vardy continues to score goals even at the age of 33 which is a testament to his fitness and work ethic.
Recommended bet: Draw

Man City v Liverpool
Both games last season saw exactly four total goals scored as both sides won their home clash against their rival. Liverpool’s last two EPL wins have been by a single goal and City’s last two wins in the league have also been by the smallest of margins. Liverpool has failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five matches which have also seen over 2.5 total goals scored. We expect City’s games to produce plenty of goals, but their last last four domestic games have seen under 2.5 total goals scored. Both teams have scored in every league game they have played so far this campaign.
Recommended bet: Both teams to score

Arsenal v Aston Villa
The home team won each meeting when these two sides met last season which is a good omen for the Gunners. Arsenal’s last three league games have produced a total of one goal in each of them. Will there be more than that this time? Neither side has been prolific in the first half in recent games. Arsenal is without a first half goal in their last four while it’s three games and counting for Villa without a goal before the interval. Three of Villa’s last four goals scored have come in injury time at the end of their last three matches.
Recommended bet: Arsenal to win

Betting tips for October 31

Sheffield United v Manchester City:
Don’t be surprised if this game fails to produce many goals. All eight EPL meetings between these two sides have seen under 2.5 total goals pay out. And United has only managed to score three goals in their six games so far this season and two of them have been from the penalty spot. City has scored first in four of their five fixtures and will be expected to do so again in this contest.
Recommended bet: Under 2.5 total goals

Burnley v Chelsea:
In a contrast to the previous fixture, this fixture has a tendency to produce goals. The last six EPL clashes have seen over 2.5 total goals land and that includes Chelsea’s last visit to Turf Moor when the Blues won 4-2 thanks to Christian Pulisic’s hat-trick. Chelsea will be expected to win this one comfortably having scored three, four and three in their last three league games. Burnley, on the other hand, has scored just once in their last four.
Recommended bet: Chelsea win

Liverpool v West Ham:
Liverpool is unbeaten in their last eight games with West Ham and the last five contests at Anfield has seen three or more total goals scored. Mo Salah and Sadio Mane have good scoring records against the Hammers with six in six and five and five respectively. However, the champions have only managed to keep one clean sheet in the league this campaign. West Ham are unbeaten in their last four games having scored five times in the final 10 minutes.
Recommended bet: Over 2.5 total goals

Aston Villa v Southampton:
Southampton has won the last three meetings by exactly two goals and their two wins this season – including last week’s against Chelsea – have been by exactly two goals. Six of the last seven meetings have goals for both the Villans and the Saints who have kept clean sheets in three of their last four league games. Southampton has also scored first in four of their last five. Villa began the season with 11 goals scored in their first three but have managed just one in their last two.
Recommended bet: BTTS

Newcastle v Everton:
Everton will be looking to bounce back from their first loss of the season at Southampton last weekend, but it won’t be an easy trip to Newcastle. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is second on the goalscoring list and he will be aiming to find the net again against a team he has scored four times in his last three meetings and that includes a goal on his last two visits to St James’ Park. Both teams to score has happened in the last four EPL meetings and it has also happened in Newcastle’s last four this season.
Recommended bet: BTTS

Manchester United v Arsenal:
These has been exactly two goals scored in the last three meetings. Arsenal has scored in the last 12 games against the Gunners but they go into this game having lost their last two EPL games this season 1-0. United has only scored the opening goal in one of their five league games this season so the first goal will be crucial in this contest. In the last 10 minutes of United’s league games this season, they have scored five times and given up two goals.
Recommended bet: BTTS

Tottenham v Brighton:
Tottenham have been on the scoreboard early in their recent league games with five goals in the opening 16 minutes of their last three, but it’s at the end of games that is a concern for Jose Mourinho’s side. In their last five, they have conceded five goals in the final 10 minutes which has cost them four points. There hasn’t been a 0-0 draw in the last 19 meetings and with over 2.5 total goals landing in the previous three meetings, that run should be extended to 20.
Recommended bet: Over 2.5 total goals

Fulham v West Brom:
This has all the potential to be a tie which would fit in well with recent meetings. The last four clashes between these two sides have ended all square and three of them were 1-1 ties. And for good measure, three of West Brom’s last four have been draws. Fulham, who has yet to lead at half-time this season, has only opened the scoring once this season.
Recommended bet: Tie

Leeds United v Leicester:
The last four meetings have produced two or fewer goals and that could be the outcome in this fixture. Only two of Leicester’s 13 goals have been scored before half-time while four of Leeds’ 12 goals have come before the interval. Leeds has not scored a first half goal in their last four while Leicester has gone three games without finding their opponents’ net before half-time. Both teams to score has not landed in either side’s last two games.
Recommended bet: Under 2.5 total goals. 

NBA Playoffs Value Bets for Thursday, April 18

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

NBA Playoffs

[8:10 p.m. EST] Over 228 – Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets

If you haven’t been near a TV set this past week, let me fill you in – these two teams don’t like each other. Not only that, but the Brooklyn crowd will be going absolutely bonkers for its first home playoff game since 2015, which actually seems a lot longer than that. Add in the mix of Philly fans that are likely to make the trip down I-95 to Barclays Center, and we’re looking at one of the more electric atmospheres for any first-round matchup.

So, what does it all mean? Excitement, and plenty of it. In fact, four of the six meetings (regular season and playoffs) between these two teams have resulted in the total going over. Looking deeper into it, both teams scored at least 110 points in those four games and at least 123 in three of the six.

The Nets know the only way they’re beating the 76ers is by outscoring them… duh. But most of Brooklyn’s best defensive efforts held Philly to a high total throughout the year. The only time one of these teams didn’t reach 100 was back in the first meeting on Nov. 4 when the 76ers lost 122-97.

All in all, these teams are going to score, and you don’t want to be the stick in the mud that takes the under in this one.

[9:10 p.m. EST] Denver Nuggets at San Antonio Spurs (-4, -174 ML)

This series has been sort awkward, in that Games 1 and 2 weren’t really close until the fourth quarter. The Spurs lost their way late in that last game but completed the mission by taking back homecourt advantage in the best-of-seven battle. If it weren’t for a magical second-half performance from Jamal Murray in Game 2, San Antonio would be looking to put Denver in a deep 0-3 hole.

The Spurs have shown they are more than capable of handling their counterparts in this series. With the scene shifting back to AT&T Center, look for San Antonio to capitalize on the strides they’ve made so far. After all, the Spurs went 32-9 at AT&T Center this season and the Nuggets haven’t won there since March 2012.

If bettors needed a reminder, the Spurs had the second-best odds (OKC was first) of any underdog to win a first-round series, and that has now changed after the Thunder fell in an 0-2 hole. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, San Antonio now has the best odds (+122) of all underdogs to win a first-round series. I’m no mathematician, but that’s a pretty good indication of an upset going down.

The second-highest SK Trend Confidence of tonight’s NBA slate is the Spurs on the moneyline. However, the four-point spread shouldn’t be that tough to hit either, but you’ll be laying more money out to do so.

[10:40 p.m. EST] Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers (+8.5/+300 ML)

The almighty Warriors couldn’t possibly lose two straight first-round games to the Clippers, could they? Well, according to our Value Picks section, the Clippers on the moneyline has the highest SK Trend Confidence of the NBA slate. Reason being, you only have to lay $100 in order to bring back $300 in return.

It’s not totally out of the question either, consider Los Angeles did pull the major upset in Game 2 after being down 31 points, and now have the momentum coming into Game 3. Fans around the globe will certainly tune in to see how Golden State comes out in this game, and there could be some bumps in the road as they learn to cope without DeMarcus Cousins. Granted, the Warriors have had plenty of success without him before, but this is a scrappy and well-coached Clippers team that has a ton of pesky competitors on their side.

Golden State seems to have no answer in this series for Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrel, who have been excellent as always off the bench. And, of course, we can’t forget the impact Patrick Beverley has had in pestering Kevin Durant whenever possible.

The Warriors might eventually win this series, but the SK system sees a few trends that’ll ultimately make that goal a little tougher to reach — starting tonight. If the moneyline seems too risky, going with the Clippers +8.5 could end up being more ideal for bettors. After all, 95% of the public’s money is on the Warriors, and most know that running the opposite way of the public has worked plenty of times before.

MLB Value Bets for Wednesday, April 17 (Afternoon Games)

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

* MLB Picks have been running hot this season, going 22-11-2 in the Value Bets article! *

[1:05 p.m. EST] Under 9 – New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies
NYM: Zack Wheeler – R (1-1, 7.47 ERA)
PHI: Jake Arrieta – R (2-1, 2.25 ERA)

Zack Wheeler had his best outing of the season last time out, so I guess his key to success is just not facing the Nationals? Maybe not, but Wheeler does have solid have numbers against most of the Phils’ lineup and should be able to build off that last performance.

Jake Arrieta has only allowed five runs over his first 20 innings of the season and finally kept the walks to a minimum after allowing six of them on a chilly Sunday night game against the Braves.

The Mets will be without leadoff hitter Brandon Nimmo and that could be an issue for a team that relies on his hustle, with not much of that coming from anywhere else in the lineup. Also, the Phils will be without one of their best hitters, Jean Segura.

The bullpens have been used quite a bit over the last few days, so I’d expect both starters to go six (maybe even seven) innings today and be masterful in the process. Not to mention, we have already seen a total of 30 runs in the first two games of this series – we’re due for an under.

* Final Score Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies: 4 – New York Mets: 3 *

[1:40 p.m. EST] Over 9.5 – St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers
STL: Michael Wacha – R (0-0, 5.28 ERA)
MIL: Corbin Burnes – R (0-1, 10.05 ERA)

The Brewers and Cardinals have faced each other six times already this season, all at Miller Park, and combined to score at least nine runs in five of those games. Well, be prepared to see it happen for the sixth time in seven games.

Michael Wacha is putting a ton of runners on base (1.83 WHIP) and that’s just not a good recipe for success against the Brewers, who rank fifth in RBI (96) and seventh in on-base percentage (.347) in MLB. To make the over even more glamorous, Corbin Burnes is also putting guys on base (1.88 WHIP) and he’s allowed three homers in each of his three starts this season. There will be plenty of baserunners, with great offenses to knock them in.

* Final Score Prediction: St. Louis Cardinals: 8 – Milwaukee Brewers: 7 *

MLB Betting Value Picks for Friday, April 12

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

[7:10 p.m. EST] Over 8 – Philadelphia Phillies at Miami Marlins
PHI: Jake Arrieta – R (1-1, 2.77 ERA)
MIA: Sandy Alcantara – R (1-0, 1.50 ERA)

Both sides have seen their Implied Run Total (IRT) increase by +0.5 in this game, which is tied for the second-highest of any team on this slate. Obviously, we should have more faith in the Phillies to get us closer to the total, but their starter for tonight, Arrieta, has been prone to have control issues and give free passes. The Marlins really struggled offensively on their six-game road trip recently, specifically in Cincinnati over the last three days, but they did hit somewhat well at home prior to that.

All in all, Vegas has spoken with the IRT increase from both sides and that’s a great indicator of offensive success.

* Final Score Prediction: Philadelphia Phillies: 7 – Miami Marlins: 3 *

[7:20 p.m. EST] New York Mets at Atlanta Braves (-113) – Total: 9
NYM: Zack Wheeler – R (0-1, 10.24 ERA)
ATL: Sean Newcomb – L (0-0, 1.64 ERA)

Wheeler was supposed to take the next step in his career, but the Nationals didn’t get that memo. They are the only team to face the righty this season, knocking him around for 11 runs in those first two starts. He’ll have a tough time facing the Braves too, especially Freddie Freeman, who is 10-for-19 with three doubles, two homers and 10 walks against Wheeler.

Newcomb has looked so-so this season in two starts against the Cubs and Marlins. However, the Mets 27.5% K-rate against left-handed pitching this season ranks fifth-worst in all of MLB. I look for him to have a big start and get this Braves squad back on the good foot.

* Final Score Prediction: Atlanta Braves: 7 – New York Mets: 3 *

[8:05 p.m. EST] Over 10.5 – Oakland Athletics at Texas Rangers
OAK: Mike Fiers – R (2-1, 5.94 ERA)
TEX: Drew Smyly – L (0-1, 7.11 ERA)

Whenever these two match up in Texas, one of them always seems to have a big night with the sticks. Since both pitchers are off to extremely slow starts, the A’s and Rangers should both have themselves a marathon on the basepaths. Not to mention, we should have cooperating weather as it’ll be in the mid-70s, which is more than we can ask for during the month of April.

After two solid outings to open the season (both in Oakland), Fiers has put up back-to-back duds – more directly, 11 runs over the last 4 2/3 innings… ouuuch!!! It doesn’t help his case tonight that three different Rangers’ players have homered off him multiple times.

On the other side, you just simply have to feel bad for Smyly. Getting out of Oakland has done the A’s some good, as they have scored at least eight runs in four of the last five games.

* Final Score Prediction: Oakland Athletics: 8 – Texas Rangers: 6 *

[10:10 p.m. EST] Over 9 – Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners
HOU: Wade Miley – L (1-1, 2.31 ERA)
SEA: Wade LeBlanc – L (2-0, 4.76 ERA)

A pair of Wades take the hill on Friday night in Seattle, and each one of them will need to be on top of their games against prolific offenses. The Mariners are off to a 13-2 start, which is best in the majors, but the Astros will certainly try and remind them who has ran this division for a while.

Miley has surprisingly gotten off to a decent start, but he’ll have his hands full against a Mariners team that leads the league in home runs (34) runs scored (110).

In all actuality, there may be more favorable trends with the Astros in this matchup. LeBlanc’s 2-0 record has been the beneficiary of at least 10 runs of support in each of his first two starts.

I think this is a night where the Astros come in and take care of business, but I have a lot more confidence in there being plenty of runs scored.

* Final Score Prediction – Houston Astros: 9 – Seattle Mariners: 5 *

MLB Betting Value Picks for Thursday, April 11 (Night Games)

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

[7:20 p.m. EST] Over 9 –  New York Mets at Atlanta Braves
NYM: Steven Matz – L (0-0, 0.87 ERA)
ATL: Kevin Gausman – R (1-0, 0.00 ERA)

Nine of the 11 Mets’ games have reached the over this season, and a big part of that is the ineffectiveness of their bullpen, which ranks fifth-worst in MLB with a 6.51 ERA. That’s not a great sign for a team heading into one of the best hitting parks in the Majors and the wind is blowing out to left field at 12 mph. Both teams have seen its IRT rise (Mets: +0.3, Braves: +0.2) and have the second- and third-highest increase on the night slate.

Although Matz has gotten off to a great start this season and owns a great history against the Braves (4-0, 2.75 in seven career starts), most of that success wasn’t against this current group of guys. These ATL bats are in a great position, with Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson have been red-hot while Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna Jr. are also producing nicely.

Gausman had a nice outing to start the season, but we should remember that it came against a very weak Marlins team. The Mets have been swinging it well, specifically Michael Conforto and Peter Alonso – we can even throw in J.D. Davis and Jeff McNeil if we wanted to. Robbie Cano also has a .400 lifetime average against Gausman. Not to mention, the Braves’ bullpen ranks ninth-worst in MLB with a 5.54 ERA.

* Final Score Prediction: Atlanta Braves: 7 – New York Mets: 6 *

[8:05 p.m. EST] Under 9 – Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs
PIT: Joe Musgrove – R (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
CHC: Jose Quintana – L (0-1, 10.29 ERA)

The initial 10.5 total on this game has dropped down to nine, which is quite significant. So, it’s no surprise that both teams (Cubs: -0.9, Pirates: -0.7) have the largest Implied Run Total (IRT) decreases on the entire slate.

Musgrove has yet to allow a run in two appearances (one start, one relief), allowing only three hits and one walk over nine innings while striking out nine batters. Plus, the current Cubs roster only has a career .183 batting average against Musgrove. Given his current string on success in the present day, the Cubs will likely struggle a great deal on offense. Not to mention, Musgrove is 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in three career starts against the Cubs.

On the other side, Quintana will be looking to rebound from a horrific start against the Brewers. It helps today’s under on the total that he is 1-1 with a 2.89 ERA in five career starts against the Pirates. Ultimately, though, the Cubs’ bullpen has struggled plenty, owning MLB’s sixth-worst ERA (6.34) this season.

* Final Score Prediction: Pittsburgh Pirates: 4 – Chicago Cubs: 3 *

 [9:45 p.m. EST] Under 7 – Colorado Rockies at San Francisco Giants
COL: Jon Gray – R (0-2, 5.68 ERA)
SF: Jeff Samardzija – R (0-0, 2.79 ERA)

I might be one of the few people out there that thinks Samardzija is a decent pitcher, but I will only take the chance of using him for money (betting or DFS) when pitching at Oracle Park, one of the league’s worst parks for hitting. Samardzija doesn’t have great overall numbers against the Rockies, but when the games haven’t been at Coors Field, he has a 3.02 ERA in those matchups. While he does have decent numbers this season, the former Notre Dame wideout hasn’t been going too deep into games. But that’s ok, considering the Giants’ bullpen ranks fourth in MLB with a 2.63 ERA.

Gray goes for the Rockies, and he’ll be salivating over this matchup against a Giants team that has a collective batting average of .206 and the league’s fourth-fewest amount of runs scored. In his last start, Gray ran into the scorching-hot Dodgers’ offense at Coors Field, so I won’t take that outing too deeply into thought. Look for him to rebound with a nice outing tonight against a bad San Fran offense.

All in all, I just don’t like the way either team is playing right now. I’ll give the edge to the Giants being at home and having the better bullpen, but I don’t think we’ll see a ton of runs in any event.

* Final Score Prediction: San Francisco Giants: 3 – Colorado Rockies: 2 *

NBA Betting Value Picks for Wednesday, April 10

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

It has all come down to the final night of the NBA season. Eight of the games on tonight’s slate have some level of implications on the playoff picture in each conference. There’s nothing left to do but sit back and have a fun night watching these matchups.

Let’s take a look at which games have plenty of value in the betting trends tonight…

[8:10 p.m. EST] Orlando Magic at Charlotte Hornets (-4) – Total: 219.5

The Hornets need a win and Pistons’ loss in order to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. And it’s a lot easier said than done, considering the Pistons will be facing the Knicks, who own the worst record in the NBA. None of the three games in this Charlotte-Orlando season series have been nail-biters, with the winning margin coming by an average of 31.7 points – the Hornets have the 2-1 edge over the Magic this season.

Considering the Hornets need this game in order to have a chance of making the playoffs, we should see them have another successful performance tonight. In fact, Charlotte has gone 9-2 against the spread in its last 11 games.

[8:10 p.m. EST] Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks (+9.5) – Total: 206.5

Alright, the table has been set for the Pistons tonight – win and they’re in. However, this team just exerted a ton of energy in a miraculous comeback win over the Grizzlies at home last night, and now have to bring that same level of intensity on the road. Granted, the Knicks have the NBA’s worst record and there’s no chance they’ll relinquish that fate at the end of the night. There’s a good chance, though, that they come out with a fiery effort in the final game of the season. In essence, this is a playoff-like game for the Knicks.

Detroit just isn’t playing its best basketball heading down the stretch and 9.5 points seems like a wishful number to hit on the road, especially for a team that hasn’t covered the spread in five consecutive games and could be without Blake Griffin. I do think the Pistons get the win tonight, but it certainly won’t be by double-digits on the back-end of a back-to-back.

[10:40 p.m. EST] Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers (-6.5) – Total: 225

The Clippers could avoid a first-round matchup with the almighty Warriors by winning tonight’s game against the Jazz, and the 6.5-point spread looks a lot easier to hit with Utah sitting all of its key players.

It’s an interesting scenario too because the Spurs and Thunder games matter a lot to the Clippers’ fate. San Antonio and OKC will tip off its respective games at 8:10 p.m. EST, two-and-a-half hours before Los Angeles takes the floor. According to ESPN… If the Spurs lose and Clippers win, LA grabs the No. 7 seed. If the Thunder lose, and Spurs and Clippers win, LA would get the No. 7 seed in that scenario as well. If all three teams win, or the Clippers lose, LA would get the No. 8. It’s all very simple, you see? Yikes!

With the Clippers essentially playing the Jazz D-squad, look for them to roll in this game.

MLB Betting Value Picks for Wednesday, April 10 (Afternoon Games)

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

[1:10 p.m. EST] Under 7.5 – Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers
CLE: Trevor Bauer – R (1-0, 0.64 ERA)
DET: Matthew Boyd – L (0-1, 3.18 ERA)

Trevor Bauer has been absolutely dominant to open the season, allowing only one hit over 14 innings while striking out 17 batters. The outspoken righty did allow six walks in his last start, but this is a guy that has proven to be one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last couple of seasons – he’ll get those mishaps under control. Bauer went 4-0 with a 1.23 ERA against the Tigers last season, striking out 40 batters over the course of 29 1/3 innings.

Matthew Boyd has looked fantastic as well, notching double-digit strikeouts in each of his last two starts. The southpaw has yet to get a win, and it’ll certainly be difficult to do so against Bauer. However, only one Indians’ player, Francisco Lindor, has crushed Boyd much… and he’s on the Injured List.

Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-40s today at Comerica Park, so I wouldn’t expect the ball to be flying out of the yard. The Tigers rank dead-last in all of MLB with 29 runs, while the Indians aren’t too far behind with 38. Not to mention, both team’s bullpen rank in the Top-10 of ERA – Indians: 5th (2.63), Tigers: 7th (2.81). More than enough trends are lining up to take the under in this one.

* Final Score Prediction: Cleveland Indians: 4 – Detroit Tigers: 1 *

[2:10 p.m. EST] Tampa Bay Rays (-150) at Chicago White Sox – Total: 8
TB: Tyler Glasnow – R (2-0, 0.82 ERA)
CHW: Reynaldo Lopez – R (0-1, 10.00 ERA)

Tyler Glasnow has been an absolute stud for Tampa Bay early on, allowing one run over his first two starts. One thing I’ll always mention about the Rays is their bullpen, which ranks second in all of MLB with a 2.05 ERA. And that’s important, considering Glasnow will probably max out at six innings this early in the season.

On the flip side, the White Sox bullpen ranks 25th with a 6.61 ERA, and that’s important because we’ll probably see a lot of them today. Reynaldo Lopez has gotten ripped in each of his last two starts, and the Rays can make life difficult for him by piecing together their patented small-ball way of life.

* Final Score Prediction: Tampa Bay Rays: 8 – Chicago White Sox: 2 *

NBA Betting Value Picks for Tuesday, April 9

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

Be sure to tune in to the NBAyd Show tonight with Gary Ayd of SB Nation. I’ll be on at around 9:20 p.m. EST on sbnationradio.com!

One night after we crowned a champion in college basketball, it’s now time to finish off the final two days of the NBA season. There’s plenty at stake in the Eastern Conference, as the Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets and Miami Heat are all fighting for that final playoff spot – and the best part is that they’re all in action tonight. Let’s take a look at who could make a move in the right direction, and who could possibly fall out of the picture.

[7:10 p.m. EST] Charlotte Hornets (-8/-340 ML) at Cleveland Cavaliers – Total: 221

There’s no getting around it – the Charlotte Hornets need this game. Tomorrow night, they’ll take on the Orlando Magic, so it’s imperative for them to take care of business on Tuesday. And the Hornets likely will, as they have won seven of the last 10 games, covering the spread in eight of them.

The highest SK Trend Confidence score (25%) lies within the over in this game, as six of the last eight Cleveland Cavaliers’ games have gone in that direction. It makes sense, with the Cavs in full-on tank mode, they have allowed at least (AT LEAST!) 110 points in each of their nine losses.

[7:10 p.m. EST] Memphis Grizzlies (+10.5/+410 ML) at Detroit Pistons – Total: 209.5

If anyone finds the Detroit Pistons, can someone let them the playoffs are about to start soon? Yikes! The Pistons have completely let a golden opportunity slip right through their hands, losing seven of the last nine games, including four straight. On the other side, the Memphis Grizzlies absolutely know that they have a chance to spoil some plans for the home team. After all, the Grizz have had wins against quality teams like the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder in recent memory.

The highest SK Trend Confidence score (30%) sits with the Grizzlies to win outright on the moneyline in this game. If that’s too much risk to handle, Memphis should easily cover that 10.5-point spread.

[9:40 p.m. EST] Houston Rockets (-2/-128 ML) at Oklahoma City Thunder – Total: 230

Believe it or not, but the Houston Rockets have a chance to grab the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. Tonight is their final game of the regular season, and the Rockets are rolling heading into the playoffs with a 20-3 record over the last 23 games. Not to mention, James Harden and the boys have covered the spread in each of the last six games. With this being Houston’s last chance to position itself for playoff seeding, look for them to have an inspirational performance against OKC.

The Rockets’ moneyline win has the highest SK Trend Confidence score (37%) of any scenario in this game tonight.

MLB Betting Value Picks for Monday, April 8

By: Al Walsh – Follow him on Twitter @14AdotWalsh

MLB Value Betting Picks for Monday, April 8

[7:05 p.m. EST] Over 10 – Oakland Athletics at Baltimore Orioles
OAK: Marco Estrada – R (0-0, 2.76 ERA)
BAL: Andrew Cashner – R (1-1, 5.40 ERA)

Runs, runs, everyone loves some fun! If the last series against the Yankees was any indication of how bad Orioles’ pitching has been, fans sitting in the Camden Yards’ outfield tonight better bring their mitts to the stadium.

Both sides have seen their Implied Run Total (IRT) increase greatly since the opening lines came out, and that’s a telling sign when looking for offense on the slate. In fact, Oakland’s IRT jumped 0.6 runs (Baltimore at +0.4) since the open, which is the second-highest increase of any team today. Reason being, the A’s have seen Cashner very well over the course of their careers – specifically, Kendrys Morales (6-for-10, 3 HR, 2 BB, 0 K) and Khris Davis (6-for-17, 1 HR). The current roster actually has a combined .354 batting average and 1.078 OPS against Cashner over his career. Not to mention, the Orioles’ bullpen has allowed the most runs (36) in all of MLB this season.

Six of Baltimore’s nine games have gone over the total this season and this is shaping up to be another high-scoring affair. The SK value system has a +36% Trend Confidence in this one going over 12.5 runs, so that should blow right past the current total.

* Final Score Prediction: Oakland Athletics: 12 – Baltimore Orioles: 4

[8:15 p.m. EST] Over 10 –  Seattle Mariners at Kansas City Royals
SEA: Felix Hernandez – R (1-0, 1.69 ERA)
KC: Homer Bailey – R (0-0, 5.40 ERA)

Sure, “King” Felix had a solid debut to the 2019 season, but we should remember that he’s typically been a much better pitcher at home over the course of his career. This is a pitcher that is clearly on a downward slope and Vegas has recognized that, giving KC the highest IRT increase (+0.7) on the entire slate.

Seattle has been rocking and rolling on offense, scoring the most runs (85) of any team in MLB, but they have also committed the most errors in the league as well. That, coupled with the fact that Homer Bailey will be on the mound for KC, makes this a great play on the over. Certainly going to have a few cleats touching home plate tonight!

* Final Score Prediction: Kansas City Royals: 10 – Seattle Mariners: 9

[9:45 p.m. EST] Under 7 – San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants
SD: Eric Lauer – L (1-1, 3.27 ERA)
SF: Madison Bumgarner – L (0-2, 1.38 ERA)

We’ve got a fantastic matchup of southpaw dealers at Oracle Park tonight as Bumgarner and Lauer take the hill. It’s interesting to note that MadBum has never started his career 0-3, which looks him squarely in the eye tonight. I’d expect him to know this and take that as a personal challenge, thus leading to an epic performance.

Lauer is a very underrated pitcher that people will learn about sooner than later, but his last start didn’t fare too well against the D-Backs. He did, however, skill the Giants on Opening Day, allowing only four hits and one walk over six innings while striking out three hitters. Lauer’s ability, and the Giants’ lack of offense, set the stage for a low-scoring pitcher’s duel in San Francisco.

Bettors on the under would be fascinated to know that each of the first four matchups between these teams have landed on the under.

* Final Score Prediction: San Francisco Giants: 3 – San Diego Padres: 2