Sports Picks & Predictions

5* NCAAB *MAAC* GAME OF THE MONTH on Rider +

I love the value here with the Broncs as a short road dog against the Golden Griffins. Rider has been a pleasant surprise early on and come in off an impressive 71-70 win at Penn State as a 15-point dog. This is also a team that won at George Washington as a 5.5-point dog and only lost by 4 on the road against Providence as a 14-point dog. 

Canisius' strength of schedule doesn't even come close to comparing to the Broncs. The biggest dog the Golden Griffins have been all season is a 9.5-point dog at Buffalo. I just don't see Canisius being able to keep pace offensively in this one. Rider is averaging 82 ppg and scoring roughly 10 ppg more than what their opponents allow. The Griffins average just 70.8 ppg and are scoring less than what their opponents allow. 

I think Canisius is getting some respect here with this line because they come in off a 14-point win at Robert Morris, but the Griffins are just 1-9 ATS in their last 10 home games off a road win by 10 or more points. Take Rider! 

5* Independence Bowl VEGAS INSIDER on Southern Miss +

I absolutely love the value here with the Golden Eagles catching a big number against the Seminoles in the Independence Bowl on Wednesday. This is simply too many points given the circumstances for Florida State, which watched head coach Jimbo Fisher jump ship for Texas A&M at the end of the season. I just don't see the Seminoles being motivated for this contest, especially not to the point where they win in blowout fashion. 

All you have to do is look at the injury report for FSU to see how little interest there is in playing this game, as there's a laundry list of players who are questionable and several others, including star defensive player Derwin James that aren't going to take the field. The defense that kept them competitive is simply missing too many players and when you add in the lack of motivation, I think Southern Miss is going to move the ball with ease here. 

The other big key here is this Seminoles offense is not very good. Sure they put up 42 in their final game against ULM, but the Warhawks have one of the worst defenses in the country. FSU finished 83rd in rushing (150.8 ypg) and 92nd in passing (192.8 ypg). Southern Miss comes in with one of the most underrated defenses in the country. The Golden Eagles were 28th against the run (132.2 ypg) and 26th vs the pass (189.8 ypg). Not only do I think they can keep this within the number, but I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see them win this game outright. Take Southern Miss! 

5* AFC GAME OF THE MONTH on Jets +

I think we are getting excellent value here with the Jets catching a touchdown at home against the Chargers on Sunday. The public loves to focus all their attention on the teams that are still in the playoff mix and as a result I think we are seeing a drastically inflated line on Los Angeles here. While the Chargers are mathematically still alive, their playoff hopes all but came to an end last week in their loss to the Chiefs, who will likely wrap up the AFC West with a win over the Dolphins. 

At the same time, I don't think it's going to be as easy as people think for LA to bounce back off that crushing loss to Kansas City, especially on the road. Keep in mind in mind this is their second straight on the road and a dreaded spot for West Coast teams playing on the East Coast in an early game. 

I know the Jets are down to backup QB Bryce Petty, but this is a New York team that has shown a tremendous amount of fight this season and have been a much more competent team at home, where they are 4-3, compared to 1-6 on the road. Not only do I think the Jets can keep this close enough to cover, but I actually give them a decent shot at winning this game outright. 

Jets are a solid 8-1 ATS in their last 9 home games dating back to last season and are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 7 off a SU loss. Chargers on the other hand are a mere 3-7-1 ATS in their last 11 off a SU loss and are now just 1-6 ATS in their last 7 games played in the month of December. Take New York! 

5* NFL Non-Conf GAME OF THE MONTH on Titans +

I absolutely love the value here with Tennessee catching a touchdown at home against the Rams. The perception on LA couldn't be much higher right now, as they just laid an absolute beating on the road against Seattle last Sunday, crushing their division rivals 42-7. That win put the Rams 2-games up on the Seahawks for the NFC West title and all they need to do is win one of their final two games (host 49ers in Week 17) or have have Seattle lose one of their final two (play at Dallas this week). Either way, this is not a must-win game for the Rams and with them coming off that huge win, I think they are primed for a letdown here in what will be their second straight road game. 

I know the Titans come in having lost back-to-back games, but those both game on the road and they were a couple breaks away from winning both of those games. What you have to keep in mind with Tennessee is they are a different team at home. The Titans are 5-1 at Nissan Stadium compared to just 3-5 on the road. It's been night and day offensive for Tennessee offensively, as they are averaging 26 ppg at home compared to a mere 17.5 ppg on the road. This is also a must-win game for the Titans, who need to win to just have a shot at making the playoffs. 

The big key here is I think the Titans will be able to slow down this Rams offensive attack. While LA puts up big numbers both on the ground and through the air, their offense is at its best when they can establish the run. That won't be easy against Tennessee. The Titans feature one of the leagues top run defenses and are giving up just 74 ypg and 3.4 yards/carry on the ground at home. I think all this adds up to a closely contested battle and one that I wouldn't be shocked if the Titans won outright. Take Tennessee! 

5* NCAAB Late Night GAME OF THE MONTH on Gonzaga -

I like the value here with the Bulldogs as a short road favorite against the Aztecs on Thursday. San Diego State has been a great program for a long-time, but took a big step back last year in the first season without Steve Fisher at the helm. While they are off to a respectable 7-3 start a big reason for that has been the schedule.

They do have a win over Georgia on a neutral court, but they also lost by 22 at Arizona State, by 7 on a neutral court to Washington State and most recently a 62-63 loss at home to Cal as a 16.5-point favorite. 

Gonzaga is loaded once again and have started out 10-2 with their only losses coming against big time powers in Florida and Villanova. While the home court edge might help the Aztecs make this competitive early, I look for the Bulldogs to pull away and win this one comfortably. Take Gonzaga! 

5* Gasparilla Bowl NO LIMIT Top Play on Temple -

I like the value here with the Owls laying a touchdown against the Golden Panthers in the Gasparilla Bowl. FIU had a great turnaround in their first season under Butch Davis, going 8-4 after finishing at 4-8 last year, but I also think it has the Owls getting too much respect here. A big reason for the turnaround with FIU is they played a couple of cupcakes in UMass and Alcorn State in non-conference play and C-USA was way down this year outside of FAU, who they lost to by 28 points. 

Temple only went 6-6 in the first year under new head coach Geoff Collins, but were a much better team down the stretch, as they closed out the year winning 3 of their last 4, which included a 34-26 win over Navy and 43-22 victory at Tulsa in the regular-season finale. A big reason this team got things going is Frank Nutile took over as the starting quarterback. He threw for over 200 yards in each of his 5 starts and figures to be in store for a big game here against a FIU defense that ranked 94th in the country against the pass, giving up 242.8 ypg. The Panthers also were 79th against the run (173.8 ypg), so the Owls should also have balance with their offensive attack. I just don't see FIU being able to keep pace in this one. Give me Temple -7! 

5* NCAAB Non-Conf GAME OF THE YEAR on Northern Iowa +

I absolutely love the value here with UNI as a dog in Saturday's neutral site showdown against in-state rival ISU. My power rankings show that the Panthers should be the ones favored in this contest. The big reason they aren't is the fact that the Cyclones come in having won 7 straight, but the best wins for ISU are a neutral site game against Boise State and a home win over Iowa. The Cyclones are also way down this year, as they lost a ton from last year's team and are likely headed for a finish near the basement of the loaded Big 12. 

UNI is an experienced team that has proven itself against some of the big boys early. The Panthers are 8-2 with the two losses coming away from home against the likes of UNC and Villanova. They also have some impressive wins, knocking off the likes of SMU, NC State and UNLV. 

Panthers are 10-1 ATS in their last 12 against the Big, while ISU is a mere 2-8 ATS in their last 10 against the Missouri Vally. Panthers are also 18-7-1 ATS in their last 26 games played on a neutral site and 21-9-1 ATS in their last 31 off a win. Take Northern Iowa! 

5* Boise St/Oregon Las Vegas Bowl Top Play on Oregon -

A lot of people are taking Boise State here and I think a big reason for that is fact that Oregon head coach Willie Taggart left for Florida State. There's also concerns if star running back Royce Freeman will play. I believe it's created some great line value here with the Ducks, who I think are the far superior team. 

Oregon replaced Taggart with offensive coordinator Mario Cristobal, so there's no going to be no changes to how they run their offense. They also still have defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt around, so no changes on defense. Not having Taggart isn't going to hurt this team. In fact, I think it adds some incentive for them to play well for their new head coach. 

As far as Freeman is concerned, it would be great if he played, but at the same time I don't think they will miss him. Backup Kani Benoit was arguably more productive, though he only had 573 yards to Freeman's 1,475. Benoit has only got 80 carries, where Freeman has 244. Benoit actually averages 1.2 more yards/carry and at his current pace (10) would have close to 30 TD's if he produced the same over the same number of carries as Freeman. 

On top of that, it's sophomore quarterback Justin Herbert who is the most important offensive player for Oregon. This team averaged right around 50 ppg with him in the lineup and around 15 without him and that was over a 5-game stretch. Boise St has a solid defense, but it hasn't seen anything like the speed of the Ducks and I think they struggle to slow this high-powered offense down. 

As for the Broncos offense, I'm also not all that impressed with what I've seen and they could be without their best back in Alexander Mattison, who is questionable with an ankle injury. Either way I don't see Boise State keeping pace here. Take Oregon! 

4* NBA Situational VEGAS INSIDER on Celtics -

After going on an absolute tear, Boston has come down to earth a little bit here of late, as they are just 2-2 SU in their last 4 and 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5. I think it's led to a great price to back the Celtics at home here against the Jazz. 

Utah has been up and down this season, but are not playing well right now. The Jazz have lost 4 straight with the most recent being a 100-103 loss at Chicago. Prior to that they lost by double-digits to both the Bucks and Rockets. This is now their 3rd straight on the road and while Boston is a legit opponent, I think upcoming games against the Cavs and Rockets are ones they will be more excited for. 

Celtics have also owned bad road teams at home, going 9-2-2 ATS in their last 13 home games against a team with a losing road record. They are also 23-9-1 ATS in their last 33 off a straight up win. Take Boston! 

5* NCAAB Heavy Hitter GAME OF THE MONTH on Charleston Southern -

I really like the value here with the Bucs as a short road favorite against the Bulldogs. Charleston Southern comes in having won 4 of their last 5, including a road win at Illinois State. South Carolina State is projected to finish near the bottom of the MEAC and are off to a poor 2-9 start with their only wins coming against the likes of Morris College and Brevard College. Last time out they lost to Furman by 29 points. This is simply a much bigger mismatch than the books are suggesting with this line. Take Charleston Southern! 

5* NFL Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Panthers

I love the value here with Carolina getting points at home. The Panthers are one of the better teams in the league and simply shouldn't be a dog on their home field. Minnesota is simply overvalued right now, as the Vikings have won 8 straight and covered each of their last 7. 

The big key here is that this is a really tough spot for Minnesota, who will be playing their 3rd straight on the road. It doesn't come up a ton in the NFL, but teams tend to really struggle in that 3rd straight game away from home. I think that will be the case here for the Vikings, who are off two tough games on the road against the Lions and Falcons. 

Panthers come in off a loss at New Orleans, but had won and covered 4 straight prior to that. They have bounced back nicely, going 5-1 ATS in their last 6 off a SU loss. Take Carolina! 

5* NCAAB Small Conf GAME OF THE MONTH on Western Illinois +

I like the value here with the Leathernecks as a home dog against the Panthers. Western Illinois has been in this spot before, as they were just a 2-point home dog to IUPUI and they went onto to win that game outright 90-77. They also beat Eastern Illinois as a 4.5-point home dog. 

Milwaukee has started out 6-3, but this isn't a good team and are expected to finish near the basement of the Horizon League. Simply not the kind of team that should be laying points on the road against a quality team. 

The Leathernecks pack quite a punch offensively, as they come in averaging 76.6 ppg (83.2 at home), while shooting 51% from the field (54% at home). The Panthers haven't had a lot of success against teams like this, as they are a mere 5-14 ATS in their last 19 against a team that's shooting 45% or better from the field. Take Western Illinois! 

5* NCAAB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Pacific  +

I love the value here with the Tigers as a decently priced dog against the Aggies. Pacific went just 11-22 last year in the first season under head coach Damon Stoudamire. This should be a much improved team in 2017 and they are off to a strong 5-4 start and come in having won 3 straight and 5 of their last 6 overall. 

The Tigers did lose to UC Davis at home in their second game of the season 58-62, which I think is playing into this line here. Pacific was a 4-point favorite in that game and based off that line you would only expect them to be around a 2-3 point dog on the road against the Aggies. I'll take my chances here with the Tigers getting their revenge, plus this is a great spot to fade UC Davis off their big upset win on the road over Washington State, where they won 81-67 as a 7.5-point dog.

Tigers are 32-15 ATS in their last 47 when revenging a loss as a home favorite, while the Aggies are just 9-21 ATS in their last 30 home non-conference games. Take Pacific! 

5* NCAAB Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH  on Arizona +

Love the value here with Arizona catching points in Tuesday's game against Texas A&M. While this game is technically being played on a neutral site at Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, it's going to feel like a home game for the Wildcats.

I believe this line is a direct result of the Wildcats struggles in the Battle 4 Atlantis, where they lost 3 straight to NC State, SMU and Purdue. They have since responded with a 30+ point win over Long Beach State and a outright win on the road against a very good UNLV team.

This is a statement game for Arizona and I think they get it done against the Aggies, who are getting a little too much respect here after their 7-0 start. The Wildcats have owned the SEC, going a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs teams from the SEC. On the flip side of this Texas A&M is a mere 1-8-1 ATS in their last 10 vs the Pac-12. Take Arizona! 

5* NFL GAME OF THE YEAR on Raiders - 

I absolutely love this spot for Oakland, as I think the Giants are a massive fade right now. New York showed some life with a surprising win over Kansas City at home and while they didn't cover in their last game against the Redskins, they were in a great position to late. The thing is the Chiefs couldn't be playing much worse right now and Washington is decimated with injuries, which really showed up in their game on Thursday against the Cowboys. 

New York played about as well as they could in those two games and easily could have lost both. I just don't see the same effort going forward, especially after the team announced they were benching Eli Manning for Geno Smith. That's a pretty clear picture to the players and coaching staff that the goal from here on out isn't to win games. It's not like they are playing Smith to see if they have something for next year. They are downgrading at the most important position on the field on purpose. 

Oakland hasn't been playing up to expectations this year, but this is still a decent team that when they are right can light up the scoreboard. They also desperately need to win this game to keep any hope alive of making the playoffs. I only see one team showing up to play on Sunday and any time that happens, that's a recipe for a blowout. Take Oakland! 

5* NCAAF SEC GAME OF THE MONTH on Georgia +

It wasn't pretty for the Bulldogs in the first meeting against the Tigers. Georgia went into Auburn sitting at 9-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-0 lead, scoring on their first drive, but it was all downhill from there. Auburn led 16-7 at the half and pushed lead up to 40-10 midway through the 4th quarter. 

I'm not saying the Tigers aren't a great team, I just think they caught Georgia by surprise in that game earlier this season. I also think that was a Bulldogs team that was starting to get a little too cocky with how they were dominating teams. Georgia simply didn't have the same fire that Auburn did, who at that time was already in win or their season is over mode. I think we get a much different looking Bulldogs team here and I like their chances of winning this game outright. 

Another thing here is I just think Auburn could be running on fumes here. They have been in do or die mode since losing to LSU back in the middle of December. The biggest of them all was last week against rival Alabama, which secured their spot in the SEC title game. This will be their 3rd game against a Top 10 team in their last 4 games, while Georgia hasn't been tested since that loss to Auburn. I think the Tigers will be out of gas. Take Georgia! 

5* NCAAB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Missouri -

I like the value here with Missouri laying a short number on the road against the Knights. The Tigers suffered a huge blow when freshman and potential No. 1 overall pick Michael Porter Jr. was lost for the season, but I think it has them undervalued right now. While Porter Jr. was a special talent, there's still enough pieces in place for Missouri to have a decent season and they have showed they can compete without him. Last time out they only lost by 4 on a neutral court against a very good West Virginia team. 

As for UCF, there missing some key pieces too. Most notably junior guard B.J. Taylor, who led the team in scoring a season ago at 17.4 ppg and is good enough to take home the AAC Player of the Year honors. He's out indefinitely with a knee injury. The Knights started out 4-0, but have since lost 2 straight. The first coming against the same West Virginia team Missouri almost beat and UCF lost to Mountaineers by 38 points. The other was a 3-point loss to St John's who the Tigers beat by 8. These two teams simply aren't as close as this line would suggest. Take Missouri! 

5* LATE INFO INSIDER 

No Analysis on LATE INFO INSIDERS 

5* NCAAB Heavy Hitter GAME OF THE MONTH on Davidson -

I really like this spot for the Wildcats, who I think are way undervalued here on the road against the 49ers. Charlotte is just 3-2 to start the year, with their 3 wins over the likes of Methodist, Presbyterian and High Point and two of those they won by just single digits. They also lost by 9 at home to College of Charleston. 

Davidson enters off back-to-back losses, as they fell 68-81 at Nevada and 62-78 at Appalachian State. This is still a talented Wildcats team and we are catching them laying a shorter number than they should due to their recent struggles. Note that these two teams played last year and the Wildcats won by 22, as they held the 49ers to just 28% shooting from the field. 

49ers are just 5-14 ATS in their last 19 as an underdog and are 0-6 ATS in their last 6 when they come in having won 2 of their last 3. Take Davidson! 

5* NFL Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Bears +

This is the time to go against the Eagles. Philadelphia is flying high after their 37-9 blowout win over rival Dallas on Sunday Night Football and now return home for a game against the 3-7 Bears before going back on the road for another huge game against the Seahawks. I think the Eagles are going to have a really tough time giving the Bears the respect they deserve and that could prove costly, as this is much better Chicago team than their record would suggest. 

The Bears haven't lost a game by more than 8-points since September back before Trubisky took over at quarterback. Chicago is able to keep game close because of their ability to run the football and a defense that is much better than anyone realizes. I look for the Bears to grind out every possession to eat up the clock and limit the number of possessions for the Eagles offense, while the defense does a good job of getting off the field on 3rd down. 

Chicago is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 off a SU loss, 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games played in November and 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 against a team with a winning record. Take Chicago! 

5* NCAAAF Sun Belt GAME OF THE MONTH on New Mexico State -

I like the value here with the Aggies laying single-digits at home against the Vandals. While Idaho is sitting at 3-7 and out of the bowl picture, New Mexico State is 4-6 and still can reach bowl eligibility with a win here and victory over Georgia State in their finale next week. The key here is the Aggies are a much better team than their 2-4 conference mark would suggest, as they could very easily be 6-0. All 4 losses have come by 6-points or less, including mere 3-point losses against Sun Belt powers Appalachian State and Troy. 

Another key here is that Idaho just recently lost starting quarterback Matt Linehan. In the first game without him against Coastal Carolina last week, the Vandals managed just 7-points, 277 total yards and 14 first downs. That's just too big a loss for this team to overcome, as they aren't any good at running the ball. Idaho is 104th in the country, averaging just 130.7 ypg on the ground. 

There is a chance New Mexico State could be without starting quarterback Tyler Rodgers, who is questionable with a shoulder injury. I think he plays, but even if he doesn't the Aggies should be able to generate more than enough offense to win here by double-digits. Take New Mexico State! 

5* NCAAF SEC GAME OF THE MONTH on Arkansas +

I like the value here with the Razorbacks as a double-digit dog at home against the Tigers. Missouri has caught fire here in the 2nd half of the season and have won 5 straight and covered their last 7. I think they are way overvalued here because of it. While the wins have come by large margins they have also come against bad teams. 

Arkansas has had a down year, but there's still a lot of fight in this team and they showed it last week in their near upset at home over Mississippi State. They are going to want to go out with a fight on senior day and I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they won outright. Razorbacks are 24-11 ATS in their last 35 at home when they come in having failed 2 of their last 3, 15-6 in their last 21 home games against a team with a winning road record and 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 off a loss.

It's also worth noting that the home team has dominated in this series. The home team is 5-0 ATS in the last 5 meetings. Take Arkansas! 

5* NFC North (Thanksgiving) GAME OF THE MONTH on Lions +

I like the value here with Detroit catching a field goal at home against the Vikings on Thanksgiving Day. Minnesota had been flying under the radar up until last week's convincing 24-7 win over the Rams. Now I feel like the Vikings are overvalued here as a division road favorite against a good but not great Detroit team that knows a thing or to about playing on Thanksgiving.

Keep in mind these two teams played on Thanksgiving last year and the Lions were a 1.5-point favorite and won 16-13. On top of that, Minnesota was only a 3-point favorite at home earlier this season, which they lost 7-14. Based on that spread, this line should be closer to a pick'em and you could argue that Detroit should be favored. 

As good as Case Keenum has been playing, the Lions still have the edge in this one at quarterback with Matthew Stafford. The other key thing here is that while the Vikings have a great defense, it's going to be hard for them to play up to their true potential after laying it all on the line against the Rams and having just 3 days to prepare. Note that Detroit is averaging 27.6 ppg and just over 350 ypg at home this season. At the same time the Vikings are giving up 22.2 ppg on the road, well above their season average of 17.2 ppg. 

Lions have gone 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Thursday games and are an impressive 9-1-1 ATS in their last 11 games played in November. Minnesota is a mere 2-6 ATS in their last 8 division games and just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 road games. Take Detroit! 

5* NCAAB Non-Conf GAME OF THE MONTH on Northern Iowa +

I think we are getting some great value here with UNI as a decently priced dog against SMU. The Mustangs have started out 4-0, but that's no surprise given the cupcake schedule they have had. Only one of their games even had a line and they were favored by 17.5 in that one. I believe SMU's strong start combined with the fact that they are coming off a 30-win season, has them overvalued here against a good Panthers team. Keep in mind that the Mustangs lost 3 players who were either drafted or signed by NBA teams, including last year's AAC Player of the Year in Semi Ojeleye. 

UNI isn't going to wow you with their roster, but Ben Jacobson knows how to get the best out of his team and the Panthers have plenty of talent coming back to finish in the top 4 of the Missouri Valley for a 10th straight season. They showed a lot of that potential in their opener, when they competed in a 17-point loss at UNC. I not only think they can cover the number here, but I wouldn't be surprised if they won this game outright. Take Northern Iowa! 

5* NBA Atlantic Division GAME OF THE MONTH on Toronto -

The Raptors are a team that I think is flying under the radar early on this season and they come into this game red-hot having won 4 straight and are 6-1 over their last 7 with the only loss a 1-point defeat to the Celtics. They have covered each of their last 4 games and I look for them to make it 5 in a row here tonight against a Knicks team they manhandled in a 107-84 win at home last Friday. 

New York is playing better than expected so far this season, as they are 9-7 through their first 16 games. However, none of their wins are all that impressive, as they have beat up on a lot of bad teams at home during this stretch. I still think this team has a long way to go to compete with the top tier teams like the Raptors. I just feel they are getting way too much respect right now and it's only a matter of time before they return to their losing ways. 

Toronto has been a covering machine on the road, going 6-3 ATS in their 9 road games this season. The Raptors also seem to save their best for division opponents, as they are 25-10 ATS in their last 35 vs teams from the Atlantic Division. NY on the other hand is just 1-6 ATS in their last 7 vs team that's won more than 60% of their games and 1-8 ATS in their last 9 division games. Take Toronto! 

5* NFC ATS GAME OF THE MONTH on Vikings -

I really like the value here with Minnesota laying less than a field goal at home against the Rams. Los Angeles is the talk of the NFL right now and have absolutely just dominated in their last 3 games, beating the Cardinals 33-0, Giants 51-17 and the Texans 33-7. One thing you will note with all 3 of those game is they came against teams that have been absolutely decimated with injuries, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Hard for this team to not have a big head right now and that's the last thing you want going up against this Vikings team. 

While the Rams are getting all kinds of love, Minnesota is a team that has played great to start the year and yet no one is talking about them. I think we get a big time effort here from the Vikings in this one, who are much better offensively than they get credit for and certainly have the defensive playmakers to slow down this high-scoring Rams offense. 

Vikings are also historically a great bet at home under head coach Mike Zimmer, as they are 22-8 ATS at home since he came to Minnesota. He's also got his team to play well against great offensive teams, going 14-4 ATS against teams who average 350 or more yards/game. Take Minnesota! 

5* NCAAF Late Night BAILOUT BLOWOUT on Washington -

I think we are getting great value here with the Huskies here at home against the Utes. Most are just assuming that Washington isn't going to show up after last week's loss to Stanford, which all but eliminated them from an invite to the playoffs. The thing is, I don't think this team had a great shot as it was and my money is on one of the best in the business in head coach Chris Petersen to get his team to bounce back in a big way at home. 

Utah caught the attention of a lot of people with their 4-0 start, which had them ranked in the Top 20, but they have gone just 1-5 since with the most recent being a crushing loss at home to Washington State.

Unlike Stanford, who has one of the elite running backs in college football, the Utes don't have that same kind of talent to have success against the Huskies defense, which is still ranked 4th in the country, giving up only 101.5 ypg. That's a big problem for Utah as they are a run-first team and use the run to open up the passing game. I think the Utes find it very difficult to score against a Huskies defense that is only allowing 11.2 ppg at home on the year. Take Washington! 

5* ACC GAME OF THE MONTH on Georgia Tech -

The Yellow Jackets have been a money making machine in 2017. With last week's 28-22 win at home over Georgia Tech as a 3-point dog they are now 7-1 ATS on the season. I think they keep it rolling here with a convincing road win over a struggling Duke team. After starting out the season 4-0 with an emphatic 41-17 win over Northwestern at home, the Blue Devils have lost 6 straight and the most recent was an ugly 16-21 loss at Army, where David Cutcliffe and his staff had two weeks to prepare for the Black Knights.

The extra week didn't exactly help them against the triple-option as Army put up 226 yards on the ground. Now they face an even better triple-option attack led by Georgia Tech's TaQuon Marshall and KirVonte Benson, who have combined to rush for 1,864 yards and 22 touchdowns. 

The other thing here is the Blue Devils just aren't clicking offensively right now. Duke has scored more than 20 points just once in their last 6 games and that was a mere 21 against Virginia. They are averaging a whopping 14.0 ppg and 308.2 ypg in conference play. Georgia Tech in comparison is averaging 29.1 ppg and 392.3 ypg in ACC action. I just don't think the Blue Devils can score enough to keep this within a touchdown. Take Georgia Tech! 

*Play was upgraded from a 3* to a 5*

5* NCAAB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on UNLV -

I like the value here with the Rebels laying what I feel is a short number against an inferior team. The big reason we are seeing a low price here on UNLV, is the fact that Eastern Washington comes in off a 67-61 win at Stanford as a 16.5-point underdog. That's a nice win, but that's also a bottom-tier Pac-12 team. The previous game they lost by 10 against Washington, who also isn't anything special. Don't let the fact that the Rebels only won 11 games last year fool you. Head coach Marvin Menzies landed a big time recruiting class, headlined by 6'11 forward Brandon McCoy, who was a Top 10 talent in this year's freshmen class. 

Rebels are 10-2 ATS over the last 3 seasons in November, 10-2 in their last 12 non-conference home games and a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 at home off a game where they were listed as a home favorite. Take UNLV! 

5* NCAAB No Limit GAME OF THE MONTH on Nevada -

I like the value here with the Wolf Pack laying a short number on the road against the Broncos. Nevada went 28-7 last year, taking home both the MWC regular-season and tournament titles. The Wolf Pack lost some key pieces like Cameron Oliver, Marcus Marshall and D.J. Fenner, but are loaded with talent. They have two of the MWC's best players in Lindsey Drew and Jordan Caroline, plus add in four transfers from Power 5 programs. Two of those being twins Caleb and Cody Martin, who have been huge impacts early, as Caleb leads the team at 25 ppg and Cody is 3rd with 14 ppg. 

Santa Clara is a quality team and have a couple of nice players in K.J. Feagin and Matt Hauser, but the overall depth isn't that great and this is a team that went just 17-16 last year (4th in the WCC). Even with this game at home, I don't think the Broncos have the talent to keep this one competitive against a NCAA Tournament caliber team in the Wolf Pack. Take Nevada! 

5* NCAAB Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Arizona State +

It's been a couple of tough years for head coach Bobby Hurley at Arizona State, but all signs point to year 3 being a breakout season for the Sun Devils. Arizona State brings back two big time scorers on the perimeter in senior guards Tra Holder (16.2 ppg) and Shannon Evans (15.0 ppg). It's one of the best backcourts in the Pac-12.

Last year they just didn't have the size inside and had to play 4 guards, which really hurt the defense. That's no longer an issue, as Hurley's Top 25 recruiting class addressed the issue. Freshmen Vitaliy Shibel and juco transfer De'Quon Lake are going to make a big difference this season for the Sun Devils. Lake had 24 points, 8 boards and 3 blocks in the opener, while Shibel only scored 4, he had 8 boards and 4 assists. 

San Diego State has quite a history as Steve Fisher really turned this program into a mid-major power over the years. Unfortunately for the Aztecs Fisher retired and while there's some nice talent on the roster, I think it's asking a lot for this team to go on the road and get a win here. Take Arizona State! 

5* NCAAB Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Charleston +

Wichita State is getting all kinds of love coming into the season. The Shockers are ranked in the Top 10, which is a big deal for a non-power 5 team. Wichita St looked impressive in their opener, but that was against Missouri-Kansas City. Most will look to back the Shockers here against Charleston, but this is far from another pushover. The Cougars are the clear favorite to win the CAA and are loaded with experience, returning all 5 starters from last year's 25-win team. I don't think the Cougars have enough to pull off the upset, but I see them easily keeping this within the number. Take Charleston! 

5* NBA Vegas NO LIMIT Top Play on Cavs -

I believe all the negative talk early with Cleveland has the Cavs showing great value right now and I really like them here as a short road favorite against the Knicks. While Cleveland is just 3-2 in their last 5, they are painfully close to having a 5-game winning streak, as both losses came by 4-points or less and one of those was at red-hot Houston. New York has been playing well here of late, but most of that has come against bad teams. Everyone knows LeBron loves playing at the Garden and there's extra incentive here for the Cavs after that ugly 95-114 loss at home to these Knicks in the most recent meeting. Look for them to make a statement here. Take Cleveland! 

5* NFL Sunday Night GAME OF THE MONTH on Broncos +

I like the value here with Denver catching over a touchdown at home against the Patriots on Sunday Night Football. We were going to get a big time effort here from Denver regardless of where or when the game was being played, as they want to snap a 4-game skid, but they should be even more locked in with this being a prime time home game against Brady and the Patriots. 

There's not many negatives with Brady's remarkable career, but he's struggled to find a way to guide his team to a win at Denver. In fact, Brady is just 3-7 in his last 10 trips to Mile High Stadium. As well as the Patriots have been playing offensively, I think Von Miller and this Denver defense can hold them in check enough to not only cover the number, but potentially win the game outright. 

The biggest concern here for most people when it comes to taking Denver is whether they can generate enough offense. I think they can, as this Patriots defense is far from elite. New England is 25th against the run (121.5 ypg) and dead last against the pass (295.5 ypg). Take Denver! 

5* NCAAB Opening Weekend GAME OF THE MONTH on La Salle -

I really like the value here with the Explorers laying single digits at home against the Peacocks. La Salle has two of the best players in the A-10 conference in junior Pookie Powell (13.7 ppg) and senior B.J. Johnson (17.6 ppg). They also bring back experience at the point with senior starter Amor Stukes (4.3 apg). If they can get some solid productions from their bigs, I really think this is a sleeper team to watch out for in the A-10 this year. As for St. Peter's they closed out last year by winning the CIT, but the Peacocks lost 3 starters from their 23-win squad, including their top two scorers in Trevis Wyche and Quadir Welton. Take La Salle!

5* NCAAF Underdog GAME OF THE MONTH on Rutgers +

I think one of the hardest things for the public to do is factor in the emotional letdown teams like Penn State have when they go from thinking they got a shot at making the playoffs and playing for a national championship to having absolutely nothing to play for this late in the season. They just go off what they have seen to this point and here they see a big mismatch in talent with the Nittany Lions going up against the Scarlet Knights. 

While Rutgers is a bottom-tier team in the Big Ten, they are a respectable 3-3 in Big Ten play and are playing with confidence right now, having won 3 of their last 4. While this game means nothing to Penn State, who it means everything to the Scarlet Knights, as they want to prove themselves against one of the elite teams in the conference, plus they still need two more wins to become bowl eligible. 

I'm not saying Rutgers is going to pull off the upset, but I think they can certainly keep this within the massive spread here against a disinterested Penn State team. Keep in mind the Nittany Lions are now just 1-9-2 ATS in their last 12 after a SU loss and 0-6 ATS in their last 6 off a conference loss. Take Rutgers! 

5* NBA Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Lakers +

I like the value here with LA catching a big number here against the Celtics. While Boston failed to cover in their 120-117 win at Atlanta in their last game, they are still getting way overvalued right now by the books due to the fact that they are 9-0 SU and 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games. 

The Lakers are also playing well right now. They come in having won 3 of their last 4 and have covered the spread in all 4 of these contests. Los Angeles is getting it done on the offensive side of the ball, as they have put up 107 or more in each of their last 4 games. Boston's defense has been great early, but they weren't sharp in their last game, allowing the Hawks to hit 48% from the field. I think LA can do enough here to keep this one within the number. 

You also have to keep in mind this has to be a tired Celtics team, as they are playing their 6th game in the last 10 days. Boston is just 2-11 ATS in this scheduling spot over the last 2 seasons. They are also just 2-11 ATS in their last 13 home games when they come in having covered 3 of their last 4. Take Los Angeles! 

5* NCAAF Pac-12 GAME OF THE MONTH on Cal -

I really like the spot and the value we are getting with the Golden Bears only laying a touchdown at home against the Beavers. Oregon State is getting some love after covering each of their last 3, including a near upsets in each of their last two at home against Colorado and Stanford. Keeping it close against the Cardinal looks great on paper, but Stanford was without Love and simply aren't anywhere close to the same offensive force without him. 

Now the Beavers have to try and pick themselves off the mat yet again and I just don't see it happening on the road, where they are getting outscored by 29.3 ppg on the season. Cal should have beat Arizona in their last home game, but ended up losing 44-45. Their previous home game saw them knock off previously unbeaten Washington State 37-3. They also played USC tough at home and knocked off Ole Miss at home as a 4.5-point dog. 

Sitting at 4-5 and two road games left on the schedule, this is a must-win game for Cal if they want to make a bowl game in the first season under Justin Fuente and you can bet Fuente and his staff are going to do everything in their power to get to that 6-win mark to take advantage of the extra practice time that comes with a bowl game. 

Golden Bears are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 at home and 4-1 in their last 5 vs a team with a losing record. Take Cal! 

5* NCAAF Big 10 GAME OF THE MONTH on Iowa +

I think we are getting great value here with the Hawkeyes catching 3 scores at home against the Buckeyes. Ohio State just pulled off a miraculous 39-38 win at home against Penn State when it looked like they were primed to lose and in turn have their playoff hopes come crashing to the ground. That win may have saved their season, but I also think it puts them in a prime letdown spot here on the road against a stingy Iowa team, especially with a huge home game on deck against Michigan State that could end up deciding the Big Ten East title race. 

This isn't a great Iowa team by any means, but they have shown they can hang with the big boys, losing at home to Penn State by just 2 in a game the Nittany Lions needed a last second touchdown to pull out the win. The Hawkeyes were dominated in yards by Penn State, but just have a way of keeping games close regardless of the gap in talent, especially at home. All 3 of their losses this season have come by a touchdown or less. That streak might come to an end, but I think they do more than enough here to cover this big number. 

Hawkeyes are an impressive 27-5 ATS in their last 32 games against similar teams to Ohio State who are excellent rushing teams, averaging 5.25 or more yards/carry. They are also 18-5 in their last 23 vs a team that averages 37 or more points/game. Buckeyes are just 1-5 ATS in their last 6 vs a team with a winning record. Take Iowa! 

5* NBA Non-Conf GAME OF THE MONTH on Rockets -

I'll gladly back Houston laying single digits on the road against the Hawks. The Rockets are coming off their best performance since their opening win at Golden State, as they knocked off the Knicks 119-97 in New York. Houston finally got going from long-distance with 19 3-pointers and their poor shooting from the outside had played a big role in their slow start. 

Atlanta simply doesn't have the talent to keep this one competitive. The Hawks have lost 7 straight since their opening win over the Mavs, who are another team competing for the honor of worst team in the league. Atlanta is one of the worst shooting teams, connecting unjust 42.6% of their field goal attempts. They are also not good defensively, giving up 109 ppg. 

Adding incentive here for Houston is the fact that they have lost 7 straight to Atlanta, with the last win in the series coming all the way back in 2013. Don't doubt for a second that's not on the mind of the Rockets players. That should be more than enough motivation for them to turn this into a blowout. Take Houston! 

5* NCAAF American Athletic (AAC) GAME OF THE MONTH on Navy -

I look for the Midshipmen to lay it on the Owls Thursday in big time revenge game for Navy, who lost to Temple in last year's AAC Championship Game. The Midshipmen are also going to be locked in after losing their last two against two of the better teams not just in the ACC but the country in Memphis and UCF. Note that Navy was right there with both of those teams and could have easily won each contest. 

Temple on the other hand has lost 4 of 5 with their only win coming against a sad East Carolina team. The Owls just lost at Army in OT and prior to that fell 24-28 as a double-digit home favorite to UConn. I just don't see Temple's defense being able to slow down Navy's triple-option attack. That will have the Midshipmen dominating the time of possession and I look for them to pull away in the 2nd half for a comfortable double-digit win. 

Navy has been a covering machine when they get the chance to play on Thursday, going 5-1 ATS in their last 6. They are also 4-1 ATS in their last 5 vs a team with a losing record and 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games played in November. Take Navy! 

5* NCAAF Mid-American (MAC) GAME OF THE MONTH  on Eastern Michigan -

I got no problem laying this big number with the Eagles at home against the Cardinals. You will have a hard time finding a team that's playing worse than Ball State right now. They are 0-4 inside MAC play with the average loss coming by 42 points/game. The Cardinals are averaging a mere 8.0 ppg and giving up 50 ppg. 

Eastern Michigan is one of the better 2-6 teams you are going to find, as the Eagles have simply had some bad luck during their current 6-game losing streak, which has seen them lose all 6 games by a touchdown or less. That trend comes to an end tonight against the Cardinals. Note that Eastern Michigan lost at Toledo by 5, to W Michigan by 3 and at N. Illinois by 3. It just so happens that Ball State has also played those 3 teams and in those games were outscored 119-29. 

Cardinals are just 1-9 ATS in their last 10 off a loss by 10 or more and the Eagles are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games overall, 11-3 ATS in their last 14 after the first month of the season and a perfect 8-0 ATS in their last 8 after rushing for fewer than 100 yards in their previous game. Take Eastern Michigan! 

5* NCAAF Wednesday NO LIMIT TOP PLAY on Western Michigan -

I think we are getting some great value here with the Broncos laying less than a touchdown at home against the Chippewas. Western Michigan will be without starting quarterback Jon Wassink, but I liked what I saw out of true freshmen Reece Goddard when he came in and guided Western Michigan to an overtime win at Eastern Michigan. 

The big key here with Goddard and the Broncos offense is they shouldn't need him to throw the ball a lot to have success against this Central Michigan defense. Western Michigan comes in with the 20th ranked rushing attack in the country, averaging 235.6 ypg. They have been even better than that with 252 ypg in conference play. The Chippewas are 98th against the run, giving up 192.1 ypg and have allowed 200+/game over their last 3. 

I also think the Broncos defense can keep Central Michigan's offense in check. Sure the Chippewas put up 56 last time out against Ball State, but the Cardinals defense is atrocious. Prior to that Central Michigan has scored 17 or fewer in 4 of their previous 5 games. I think they revert back here and struggle to make a game of this. Take Western Michigan! 

5* AFC No Limit GAME OF THE MONTH on Bills -

Everyone has fallen back in love with the Raiders after their crazy 31-30 win over the Chiefs on Thursday Night Football. I think it has created some big time value here with Buffalo laying less the a field goal at home. The Bills are sitting at 4-2 and getting absolutely no love from anyone and I think they come out with a chip on their shoulder here at home against the Raiders. 

The thing with Oakland's offensive explosion against the Chiefs, you have to keep in mind that KC's defense has been giving up a ton of yards this season, they have didn't get the turnovers they are accustomed to and ran out of gas in the 4th quarter. Buffaloes defense is sitting 4th in the league, giving up just 16.8 ppg and let's not forget the Raiders are only averaging 15.3 ppg on the road this season. 

Another key here is that west coast teams like the Raiders often struggle to get going when they have to play on the east coast in the early set of games. It's also worth noting that it's expected to be in the low 40's with a chance of rain, which I think will only add to Oakland's struggles. 

Raiders are just 5-18 ATS when coming off an upset win as a home dog and are 0-8 ATS when that win comes against a division rival. Take Buffalo! 

5* NCAAF Underdog PLAY OF THE MONTH on Tennessee +

The perception with the Volunteers is they have thrown in the towel on this season and it's just a matter of time before Butch Jones is fired. While Jones is likely headed out of Knoxville, I'm not buying Tennessee's players not showing to play the rest of the way. I think the Vols take it personal that they are a near touchdown dog to Kentucky

The Wildcats are 5-2, but have had some fortunate breaks in close games. In fact, all 5 of their wins have come by single-digits. This team certainly didn't look like a top tier team that should be laying this number against the Vols in last week's 38-point loss to Mississippi State. Tennessee has won 5 straight by 20+ ppg and are 31-1 all-time in the series with the Wildcats. 

Kentucky is 3-12 ATS when they come in having gone 4-2 or better in their last 6 games and 0-6 ATS over the last 3 seasons when they enter with 4 or more covers in their last 6 games. 

There's a great system in play that backs going against the grain with a struggling team like Tennessee. Teams that are getting outgained by 75 or more yards/game and off 2 straight games where they had 275 or less total yards are 34-12 (74%) ATS when they are listed as a dog of 3.5 to 10 points. Take Tennessee! 

5* Mountain West GAME OF THE MONTH on Air Force +

I think we are seeing an inflated number with Colorado State, due to the fact that the Rams have won 4 straight and are 4-0 in MWC play. The thing is, they haven't really played anyone in the conference with the 4 wins coming against Hawaii, Utah State, Nevada and New Mexico. They only beat the Lobos by 3 and were very fortunate in a 44-42 win against the Wolf Pack the week before. 

I'm not saying Colorado State isn't a good team, I just don't think they should be laying double-digits against a team like Air Force. The Falcons are 3-4, but have a 4-point loss to San Diego State and 3-point defeat at Navy. They also lost at Michigan in non-conference play and were competitive against the Wolverines, losing 13-29. 

Falcons come in with the 30th ranked offense in the country, thanks to the 5th ranked rushing attack, which is averaging 341.4 ypg. Colorado State's defense isn't anything special. They are 92nd in total defense, giving 419.9  ypg and are allowing 4.5 yards/rush. Falcons should be able to not only put points on the board, but limit the Rams possessions and shorten the game, which all adds value to this line. Take Air Force! 

5* NFL Sunday Night Football GAME OF THE MONTH on Pats -

I'll gladly take the Patriots laying just a field goal at home against a Falcons team that looks nothing like the team that cruised to last year's Super Bowl. Atlanta just lost at home off their bye 17-20 to the Dolphins and were up 17-0 at the half. The previous week they lost at home to the Bills and were lucky to come away with wins at both Chicago and Detroit. 

If it wasn't for what the Falcons accomplished last year, which means nothing, this line would be closer to a TD. Keep in mind that the Patriots have been an 8 or more points favorite in each of their previous 3 home games against playoff caliber teams in the Chiefs, Texans and Panthers. Sure Atlanta wants revenge, but Belichick and Brady won't let that happen. 

Not to mention the defense for the Patriots has looked a lot better the last two weeks and it was only a matter of time before Belichick glued the pieces back together on that side of the ball. With an offense that is scoring 28+ ppg, New England can easily turn this into a blowout if Ryan and Falcons continue to play like they have been on offense. I think it's pretty clear that Atlanta really misses offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and likely won't get back to that elite form we saw from them a year ago. Take New England! 

5* NFL Vegas No Limit GAME OF THE MONTH on Bears +

The books are just begging for you to take Carolina laying only a field goal and the public is taking the bait. You have to take Chicago in this spot and there's plenty of reason to like the Bears. Chicago played the Falcons tough at home in Week 1 and then upset the Steelers at home in Week 3. Both of those came with Mike Glennon at quarterback and he was hurting the team more than he was helping it. 

I really like the decision to go to Trubisky and while he hasn't put up huge numbers, he's done a good job protecting the football. That's what the Bears need, as they got a very underrated defense and one of the league's best rushing attacks. Carolina strength is their defense, but it will be missing it's biggest piece on that side of the ball in linebacker Luke Kuechly. Not having him changes a lot and I think it's enough here for Chicago to win this game. 

The Bears are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 as a home dog of 7 points or less and a perfect 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games with a total set between 35.5 and 42 points. Take Chicago! 

5* NCAAF Vegas Insider GAME OF THE MONTH on Ole Miss +

I really like the value we are getting here with Ole Miss at home. The Rebels have been an afterthought in the SEC West, largely because they aren't eligible for postseason play. They also have some ugly losses mixed in there, losing by 20+ to Cal, Alabama and Auburn. All of those were on the road. This team showed up in their SEC home opener last week, crushing a good Vanderbilt team 57-35. I think we get another great effort here by the Rebels and talent wise Ole Miss is every bit as good as LSU. They also are playing with revenge from an embarrassing 21-38 loss to at LSU last year. 

The Tigers looked lost early against Auburn last week, falling behind 20-0 before rallying to win 27-23. That was a big game at home against a Top 10 opponent. I think the Tigers put everything they had into that one and are going to have a hard time showing up for this game. 

This is still the same LSU team that lost to Troy at home and by 30 at Mississippi State. Ole Miss has the skill players in the passing game to attack this Tigers defense. I look for the Rebels to score early and often this one. Should have no problem keeping this within a touchdown and wouldn't be shocked if they won outright. Take Ole Miss! 

5* Chiefs/Raiders AFC West GAME OF THE MONTH on Raiders +

I really like the value here with Oakland catching points at home in a prime time Thursday night matchup. It can't be underestimated how tough it is on the road team in these Thursday game and this a long trip out West for the Chiefs. 

Kansas City has been praised as the league's best team, but looked nothing like it in last week's home loss to the Steelers, where they couldn't even get a first down in the 1st half. It has them overvalued here by the books. 

Oakland has lost 4 straight and are now just 2-4 on the season. A loss here and there hopes of making the playoffs take a huge hit. This is every bit a "must-win" game for the home team

Expect to see the Raiders lay everything on the line and you can count on a rowdy and loud crowd here, as these two fan bases hate the opposing team. The home team has a big edge in these rivalry games and I look for the Raiders to save their season here and pull out the win. Take Oakland! 

5* NFL Situational GAME OF THE MONTH on Redskins -

I'm not the least bit concerned about laying this big number with Washington at home in Week 6. This is not only an ideal spot to back the Redskins, but also a perfect situation to fade the 49ers. 

Washington comes in at just 2-2, but there two losses have come against the Eagles and Chiefs. Two teams who are currently a combined 10-1 on the season. The Redskins were right there with a chance to win both. The last time out was a 20-29 loss at KC on Monday Night Football, a game they likely would have won had Dotson been able to hold on to a TD grab late in the 4th quarter. Taking that defeat into the bye will have the Redskins chomping at the bit to get back on the field for this one. 

As for the 49ers, they quick turnaround some where hoping for in the first year under new head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't happened. San Francisco has started out 0-5 and while they have been competitive in their last 4, they are in a dreaded spot here playing their third straight game on the road. Making it even harder on the 49ers is the fact that they are a west coast team having to travel across the country for an early start time against the Redskins. I think they struggle to show up for this one and expect this to turn into a blowout early. 

San Francisco has struggled over the last 3 years against good offensive teams, who average 5.65 or more yards/play. The 49ers are just 3-11 ATS vs these teams and have lost these contests by an average of 12.7 ppg. Redskins are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 vs a team with a losing record and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 off a SU loss. Take Washington! 

5* NFC North GAME OF THE MONTH on Vikings +

Minnesota shouldn't be a dog at home to the Packers, but since Green Bay is such a public team and off 3 straight wins and two consecutive covers, including that big comeback win last week against the Cowboys, this line has been inflated with the books knowing the public will continue to back Aaron Rodgers and the Packers no matter the cost. 

Another reason this line is what it is, is because starting quarterback Sam Bradford has been ruled out for this game. The thing is, Case Keenum has played extremely well in replace of Bradford and really sparked the offense once he came in for an injured Bradford last week against the Bears. Keenum is completing 65% of his passes and most importantly has taken care of the football with a 4-0 TD-INT ratio. Keenum gets to take on a banged up Packers secondary that is without starting safety Morgan Burnett and corner Kevin King. Fellow starting corner Davon House is also questionable. 

Another player that has stepped up on offense is Jerick McKinnon, who has taken over for the injured Dalvin Cook. McKinnon put up 95 yards on 16 attempts against a good Bears run defense and is averaging 4.7 yards/carry (Cook was averaging 4.8 ypc). He should be able to keep it going here against a Green Bay defense that ranks 22nd against the run, allowing 121.4 ypg. 

I also like this Minnesota defense against the Packers offense, which continues to deal with injuries on the offensive line. Rodgers will make some plays, but with the running game figuring to struggle against this stout Vikings front 7, I think the Vikings stop unit makes enough plays to win this one outright. 

Vikings are 24-8 ATS in their last 32 home games with a 9-1 ATS record in their last 10 home games against a team with a winning record. Take Minnesota! 

4* NCAAF Vegas Insider GAME OF THE WEEK on Florida -

I like the value here with needing the Gators to simply win by more than a field goal at home against Texas A&M. Florida came up on the short end of the stick in last week's 16-17 home loss to LSU, where the difference in the game was a missed extra point. I expect a pissed off Gators team to take the field with the mentality of not dropping another game in the swamp. Note that loss to the Tigers was only the second home defeat Florida has suffered under Jim McElwain. 

While the Gators will be chomping at the bit to take the field in this one, Texas A&M enters this game in a prime letdown spot, as they just put everything they had into last week's home game against Alabama. Note it's not been good for the Aggies in their next conference game after playing Alabama the last two years. In 2015 they lost 23-3 at Ole Miss as a mere 5-point dog and last year lost 28-35 at Mississippi State as a 10-point favorite. 

On top of that, Texas A&M has had trouble rebounding from any loss when it comes to covering the spread, as they are just 8-22 ATS in their last 30 games following a loss. They are also just 16-34-1 ATS in their last 51 vs a team with a winning record and only 18-46-1 ATS in their last 65 road games vs a team with a winning home record. Take Florida! 

5* No Limit SEC GAME OF THE MONTH on LSU

I really like the value here with LSU catching a touchdown on their home field against Auburn. LSU bounced back in a big way from that ugly loss at home to Troy with a 17-16 win on the road over Florida, who came in at 3-0 in SEC play. LSU desperately needed that win to get their confidence back up and I look for them to carry over that momentum with their best effort of the season at home against a Top 10 opponent. 

Auburn comes in having won 4 straight with three straight blowout wins inside conference play. The thing is, one was on the road against a bad Missouri team and the other two were at home against Mississippi State and Ole Miss, who are both bottom tier teams in the SEC. I believe it has Auburn way overvalued here on the road in one of the most hostile environments in the country. 

I know the Auburn defense has been playing lights out, but don't underestimate this LSU defense. They come in ranked 18th in the country, giving up just 309 ypg. The closest defense Auburn has seen this year is Clemson and they managed just 6 points and a mere 117 yards of total offense. LSU isn't on Clemson's level, but that's a good sign that they can keep Auburn in check. Keep in mind points become that much more valuable in a lower scoring game. 

LSU is 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games played in the month of October, 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 after allowing less than 20 points in their previous contest and the home team is a dominant 7-1 ATS in the last 8 meetings in the series. Take LSU! 

5* Eagles/Panthers TNF Vegas BEST BET on Panthers -

I really like the value here with Carolina laying only a field goal at home against the Eagles. Both of these teams are off to a strong start, as each is sitting at 4-1. I'm just not sold on Philadelphia being the cream of the crop in the NFC, as they have padded their record over the last 3 weeks against the Giants, Charger and Cardinals, who are all off to miserable starts. 

Carson Wentz is getting a ton of praise right now, but he's about to face his toughest challenge of the season in this Carolina defense. The Panthers are rock solid against both the run and the pass. They are 6th in run defense, giving up just 80 ypg and 5th against the pass, allowing only 194 ypg. Add in the fact that are playing at home in a prime time game and the defense should be even better than normal, as they feed off the energy of the crowd. Wentz is also a guy that will try to force the football into tight spots and I think he has a couple costly turnovers here. 

The Panthers offense got off to a slow start, as Newton just wasn't right to start the season with that shoulder injury. He looks to have it back to near 100% and has really taken off the last two games, throwing for more than 300 yards on the road against the Patriots and Lions. It won't be as easy against the Eagles defense, but I'm confident he will make enough plays here to get the win and cover. 

When Carolina gets rolling they tend to keep covering. The Panthers are 12-4 ATS under Rivera when they come in having won 3 of their last 4. They are also an impressive 32-13 ATS under Rivera after playing their previous game on the road. Eagles on the other hand are just 3-7 ATS in their last 10 away from home. Take Carolina! 

5* NFL Vegas Insider 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Panthers +

I love the value here with Carolina as a road dog against the Lions. The Panthers were already playing Super Bowl caliber defense early on and they got the offense rolling last week in their 33-30 upset win over the Patriots as a 9-point dog. I look for Carolina to keep that momentum going against the Lions. 

Carolina is 6-2 ATS in their last 8 after totaling 350 or more total yards and I think we see a big game here out of Cam Newton after all the negative publicity he's received from his comments in the media. 

This Detroit defense has been very fortunate early on, as they have forced 11 turnovers in 4 games, 3 time recording 3 or more. On the flip side, they have only turned it over 2 times. I'm willing to be that starts to even out. I really think we see some turnovers by the offense in this one, as the Panthers are too talented and couldn't be more due after not forcing a single turnover in their last 3 games. Backing this up is the fact that the Panthers are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games against teams that are forcing 2.75 or more turnovers/game. 

Detroit is stil just 1-5 ATS in their last 6 against a team with a winning record and 2-8 ATS in their last 10 after allowing less than 15 points in their previous contest. Take Carolina! 

5* NCAAF No Limit 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Arizona +

I really like the value here with the Wildcats catching a full touchdown on the road against the Buffaloes. I actually think this line should be a lot closer to a field goal and I'm fully expecting Arizona to win this game outright. 

The Wildcats lost 24-30 to Utah back on 9/22 in a game they had to feel like they should have won. Arizona outgained the Utes 448 to 341. The difference in the game being they turned it over 5 times. That loss couldn't have set well over their bye week and I expect a well rested and focused Wildcats team in this one.

The key here is they are catching Colorado at the perfect time. The Buffaloes are coming off two huge games against Washington and UCLA. I wouldn't be shocked if they came out a bit flat here, as won by 25 at Arizona last year. 

I think the key matchup here will be Arizona's defense against an underachieving Colorado offense. To only score 23 points against that Bruins defense is concerning. They also had just 10 points against Washington at home and only 17 against Colorado State. Arizona's defense is only giving up 22.3 ppg and are much improved on that side of the ball.

The Wildcats offense is averaging over 40 ppg and is 25th in total offense at 479 ypg. Arizona should have the much easier time moving the ball here and that makes them an easy play at this line. Take Arizona! 

5* NCAAF Afternoon ATS 'VEGAS INSIDER' on LSU +

I really like this spot for the Tigers, who are coming off that embarrassing loss at home to Troy last week. The perception couldn't be any worse on LSU, yet they are only a short dog on the road against a Florida team that is sitting at 3-1 with a 3-0 record in the SEC. That tells me the books also like the Tigers here, as the public will lineup to take the Gators at this price. 

There's no excuse for losing to a Sun Belt team, but LSU was without one of their best players in RB Derrius Guice, who is expected to be back on the field for this game. I think he has a big game here against an overrated Florida defense, which comes in ranked 60th against the run and 82nd against the pass. 

I also think the Gators are overvalued right now, as they could very easily be 1-3 instead of 3-1, winning on last second plays against both Tennessee and Kentucky. You also have to factor in the injury/suspension situation for Florida. That makes it tough to compete with a team like LSU, who I still think is one of the better teams in the country. 

Florida is just 3-8-1 ATS in their last 12 home games and 1-7 ATS in their last 8 following a game in which they covered the spread. LSU is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games against a team with a winning home record and 27-13 in their last 40 road games after a loss. Take LSU! 

5* Lou/NC State ACC 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on NC State +

I really like the value here with the Wolfpack catching points at home against the Cardinals on Thursday. I actually NC State is the better team in this matchup and should be the ones favored. The thing is the public is drawn to Louisville and reigning Heisman winner Lamar Jackson, so the books have no choice but to inflate their lines. 

The Cardinals haven't really been all that impressive so far. They were fortunate to leave with a win over Purdue in their opener, only led UNC by 1-point going into the 4th quarter and were absolutely dominated by Clemson at home. Jackson is still putting up video game type numbers, but the offense as a whole hasn't been as good and the defense is a lot worse. He really struggled against the dominant defensive front of Clemson and NC State has quite a front of their own, who will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after last year's 13-54 loss at Louisville.

The defensive numbers are better than they actually are because of their last two games against Kent State and Murray State, where they allowed a combined 230 total yards. This defense allowed 293 yards passing to Purdue, 384 to UNC and 316 to Clemson. NC State and junior QB Ryan Finley come in with the 24th ranked passing offense in the country at 293.0 ypg. Look for the Wolfpack to big up some big plays through the air that should allow some separation. Take NC State! 

5* NCAAF Vegas Insider 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Michigan State -

I love the value here getting Michigan State as a slim 3-point favorite at home against the Hawkeyes. This is an ideal spot to fade Iowa off that huge Saturday night home game against No. 4 Penn State, which they let slip through their fingers on the final play of regulation. On the flip side of this, we get Michigan State in an ideal bounce back spot off a blowout loss at home to Notre Dame. 

Even if the situation was different, I would lay just a field goal at home with the Spartans. The biggest thing is I just don't think Iowa team is as good as people think. Sure they kept it close against the Nittany Lions, but they also beat Michigan in a similar spot a year ago and weren't that great. Wins over Wyoming, Iowa State and North Texas leave little to be desired. 

Also, that game against Penn State could have been a lot worse. Iowa's offense was atrocious for pretty much the entire first half and ran about has as many plays as the Nittany Lions. They could have just as easily lost by 20+. As for Michigan State, they were a lot more competitive against Notre Dame than the final score would lead on, as they outgained the Irish 496 to 355. They come in ranked 9th in the country in total defense, allowing just 254 ypg. If Iowa thought it was tough at home moving the ball against the Nittany Lions, they are in for a really long day on the road against a pissed of Spartans team. Take Michigan State! 

5* Cowboys/Cardinals MNF 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Cardinals +

I like the value here with Arizona catching a field goal, plus the hook at home against the Cowboys.   Arizona was able to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start with an ugly 16-13 win at Indianapolis in Week 2. While that's not what you would expect from Arizona against a bad Colts team, the Cardinals have really not been a good road team the last few years. They are much better at home and I think that's where the value is here, as this will be the Cardinals home opener on Monday Night Football.

We are also getting value because of how big a public team Dallas is. Even after an awful showing last week at Denver, the public is pounding the Cowboys and will continue to do so. I wouldn't be shocked if this line started to move and would still recommend taking Arizona as a dog of any price here. 

The Cardinals run defense has been on point early on, as they held the Lions to just 82 yards on 27 attempts and the Colts to 75 on 29 attempts. I don't expect them to shutdown the Cowboys rushing attack, but I do think they slow them down and that all you have to do to give this Dallas offense problems. As for the Cowboys defense, we saw what Trevor Siemian did to them last week and would expect similar numbers here from Carson Palmer. 

Dallas is just 1-5-1 ATS in their last 7 following a loss and 1-5 ATS in their last 6 after giving up 350 or more yards in their previous game. Cowboys are also a miserable 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games played on Monday Night Football. Take Arizona! 

5* AFC Vegas Insider 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Bills +

I really like the value with Buffalo catching over a field goal at home against the Broncos. This is a big time letdown spot for Denver, who has started out 2-0 and off that huge win at home over the Cowboys.

The Bills on the other hand are just 1-1 and not a team the public wants a whole lot to do with, but they have played well early on. Buffalo handled the Jets at home in rather convincing fashion and despite an offense that couldn't move the ball, hung in their with the Panthers on the road in week 2. 

The Bills managed just 176 total yards in last week's game against Carolina, but that's actually a positive when it comes to covering the spread this week. Buffalo is 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games following a performance where they totaled less than 250 yards. 

Denver on the other hand is just 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a win by more than 14 points and are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 games against the Bills. Take Buffalo! 

5* Rams/49ers NFC West 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on 49ers +3

The public is all over the Rams in this one, but I really like the value here with San Francisco a division dog. The 49ers have had a miserable start to the season. They got blowout at home by the Panthers in Week 1 23-3 and then blew a lead late in a 9-12 loss at Seattle. The thing is, those are two of the NFC's best teams and two of the elite defense in the NFL. 

The Rams looked great in their opener against the Colts, but so will a lot of teams. They came back the next week and lost at home to the Redskins, getting outgained by more than 50 yards and totaled just 14 first downs to Washington's 21. I look for the 49ers defense to really make things tough on Jared Goff and this Rams offense. 

You also have to keep in mind that San Francisco seems to always play well at home in these prime time games. A lot of you will likely remember last year's week 1 opener on MNF, which they won 28-0. Rams have gone 0-8-1 ATS in their last 9 against the NFC and are just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games. 49ers have covered 4 straight against division opponents. Take San Francisco! 

5* NFL Vegas Insider 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Saints +

After a close look into this one, I think this line is just too high to pass up on New Orleans at home against a Patriots team that is dealing with some serious injuries on both sides of the ball. I don't think it's out of the question that New Orleans wins here outright.  

New England had the looks of the best team in the NFL coming into the season, but then they lost arguably their most important offensive player not named Tom Brady in wide out Julian Edelman for the season, who was by far Brady's favorite target. To make matters worse, wide out Malcolm Mitchell, who shined as a rookie was put on IR and Danny Amendola is questionable. Even with the extra days to prepare, there's just not going to be that chemistry with the receivers that really make the Pats offense so good. 

Defensively New England is expected to be without the one guy they really don't have the ability to replace in linebacker Dont'a Hightower. Just look at what the Chiefs did to this defense once he went out in the 2nd half. Now they got to face a real QB in Drew Brees on his home turf, where he's torched any and every defense that has visited the Superdome. 

With how bad a shape the Pats are defensively, I just don't see New England running away with this thing. I see a one possession game that could go either way. Take New Orleans! 

5* NCAAF Non-Conference 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Pittsburgh +

I believe the fact that Oklahoma State has looked so impressive early and Pittsburgh is coming off a 14-33 loss at Penn State, the line has been inflated too much not to take the Panthers. The Cowboys have looked good, but let's not overreact to wins over a Tulsa team that is down this year and a South Alabama team that trailed Ole Miss 47-13 before a couple of late scores to make it seem respectable. 

Keep in mind that these two teams played last year at Oklahoma State and while the Cowboys won, they did so by a final of 45-38 and were a mere 3-pt favorite in that contest. 

If you didn't watch the Pitt/Penn St game you would think the Panthers got dominated on the field. That wasn't the case at all. Pitt actually outgained Penn State 342-312. You might also see they needed OT to escape with a  28-21 win at home against Youngstown State. That program played in the FCS Championship Game last year. 

I believe that if the Panthers can slow down the Nittany Lions and their explosive playmakers, they can do the same to the Cowboys. The fact that Oklahoma State has faced zero resistance from either defense they have faced could make it tough for them to adjust to actually having to work for first downs. Throw in a lookahead game against a now ranked TCU team and this game being in Pitt, I wouldn't be shocked if the Panthers won this one outright. Which is why I love them catching two touchdowns. Take Pittsburgh! 

5* NCAAF Friday Night 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on South Florida - 

The public is jumping on the Illinois bandwagon after their 20-7 win at home over Western Kentucky as a 7-point dog. They see too many points against a USF team that has failed to cover each of their first two games. I'm going to the other way here and backing the Bulls in what I feel will be a blowout. 

The thing with South Florida is expectations were sky-high this season, as most were calling for them to be undefeated. For them to struggle on the road against San Jose State and at home against Stony Brook is nothing to worry about. They knew they just had to show up to win those games. I expect to see a different intensity from this team when they take the field at home in a prime time night game on ESPN.

The win for Illinois of the Hilltoppers looks good on paper, but keep in mind that WKU is down this year with just 10 returning starters and most importantly lost head coach Jeff Brohm, who already appears to have had a huge impact on the Boilermakers.

Keep in mind the Illini could have easily lost their opener at home to Ball State, a game they trailed going into the 4th quarter and were outgained on the contest 375 to 216. I just don't see Illinois being able to keep pace offensively with Quinton Flowers and the Bulls high-powered offense. Take USF! 

5* Chargers/Broncos MNF 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Chargers +

The Chargers are a team that I'm high on coming into the year, while the Broncos are one that I have huge concerns with. I'm going to take the points with Los Angeles in this AFC West clash. The reason Denver was able to win 9 games last year was their defense and while they will still rely on that side of the ball, they don't look as strong defensively in 2017. 

Some of that is the guys they let go like safety T.J. Ward. More than anything it's the injuries that have piled up in the offseason. They won't have the lakes of Shane Ray, who was penciled in as the starter for DeMarcus Ware. They have guys like Aqib Talib and Dereck Wolfe that are playing at less than 100%. 

Los Angeles is without their prized rookie wide out Mike Williams, but have a ton of weapons on the offensive side of the ball and a legit QB in veteran Philip Rivers. Denver's offense is a mess, as they weren't expecting Trevor Siemian to still be their starter (had hoped it would Paxton Lynch, but he's not looked the part). Keep in mind the Broncos were in the bottom 4 last year in drives that went 3 and out. They couldn't run the football (27th) and were horrible in the red-zone (26th).

Even with what will be a hostile environment, I see the Chargers having the easier time putting points on the board, making them the easy play catching a field goal. Take Los Angeles! 

5* NFL Week 1 'GAME OF THE YEAR' on Bears +

I think the value here is with Chicago catching a touchdown on their home field. The public is going to want absolutely nothing to do with the Bears against a Falcons team that they just saw play in the Super Bowl. Oddsmakers know that and have inflated this line to force the public to pay a hefty price to back Atlanta here.

If you follow the NFL closely, you know that it’s often a lot harder for the team who loses the Super Bowl to bounce back the next season. We saw this first hand last year with the Panthers. Carolina went 15-1 in the regular season and cruised to the Super Bowl, where they were stunned by the Broncos. The Panthers not only missed the playoffs, they went a mere 6-10.

I’m not saying the Falcons are going to suffer that kind of setback, but it’s not out of the question. I could certainly see them starting off slow. Star wideout Julio Jones has missed a good chunk of the offseason recovering from toe surgery. He’s the one guy that really makes this offense go, as opposing teams have to pay so much attention to him.

The other key here is I don’t think the Bears are as bad as people think. They did a nice job building up the depth on the roster this offseason. Keep in mind they had 6 losses last year by a touchdown or less and all 3 of their wins came on their home field. I don't think an outright win is out of the question.

I think the offense is more than capable of having some success here and I think the defense will be able to do just enough to slow down the Falcons offense. A lot of people overlook the fact that Chicago ranked in the top half of the league against both the run (15th) and the pass (3rd). Take the Bears! 

5* Stanford/USC Pac-12 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on USC -

I think the books are setting a trap here and begging the public to load up on Stanford here, when the smart play is to take the Trojans at home in a huge revenge spot. The fact that USC struggled with Western Michigan has a lot of people second-guessing this team. On the flip side, Stanford left nothing to doubt in their 62-7 win over Rice, as McCaffrey's replacement, Bryce Love, racked up 180 yards on just 13 carries. 

Had P.J. Fleck still been on the sidelines for Western Michigan, I think that win over the Broncos wouldn’t feel like a disappointment. The thing is most of those kids were Fleck’s recruits and that team is a lot better than people think. You also have to think that USC was looking just a little ahead to this game. Not only do they have big time revenge against the Cardinal, but this feels like a must-win for their program if they want to get back to that elite level. 

The biggest thing a lot of people are going to see is how USC’s defense couldn’t stop the run against Western Michigan. They will assume that Stanford is going to be able to run all over them. A more focused and motivated Trojan defense should have a much better showing in this one. Keep in mind it’s the defense that feeds the most off the energy of the crowds in these big time nationally televised games.

As for the Cardinal’s blowout win over Rice, don’t read too much into that. The Owls’ program has been on a free fall of late and coming off a 3-9 campaign. They are once again picked to finish near the bottom of the C-USA.

I’m one that believes this USC team is the real deal. They have now won 10 straight dating back to last year’s 9-game winning streak to end the season. Of those 10 wins, 8 have come by more than a touchdown. Don't be surprised if this one turns into a blowout. Take USC! 

5* NCAAF Friday Night 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Ohio +

I think a lot of people are going to look at the fact that Purdue was ultra competitive against Louisville as a sign that this team is legit. With that they will assume they should be able to win by at least a touchdown in their home opener over a MAC team. Winning 59-0 over a crap FCS school isn’t going to sway the public towards the Bobcats.

The thing is, Ohio is more than capable of winning this game outright. This has the makings of one of the Bobcats better teams in the Frank Solich era (13th year). This team played Western Michigan tough in the MAC title game last year, losing 23-29 as a 17-point dog, so there's clearly some talent here. 

They aren’t going to be the least bit intimidated playing on the road against a team like Purdue. They won at Kansa by 16 last year and lost by single-digits at Tennessee.

A big concern I have with Purdue is them suffering a letdown. Even if you are big underdog, letting a 8-point lead slip away in the final 25 minutes is going to hurt. They could also be looking ahead to a big road game at Missouri next week, followed by their Big Ten home opener against the Wolverines.

Another concern for me is the Purdue offense. While the score was close against Louisville, they only had 51 rushing yards on 21 attempts (2.4 yards/carry). A big part of the struggles on the ground had to do with last year’s leading rusher Markell Jones suffering an injury. One that will keep him out of this game. The Boilermakers also committed 4 turnovers and were aided by 16 Louisville penalties for 110 yards. That game could have been a lot uglier than it was. 

It’s also worth noting that Ohio is a perfect 6-0 ATS in their last 6 non-conference road games, while Purdue is a mere 1-10 ATS in their last 11 home games when playing on 6 or less days of rest. Take the Bobcats! 

5* Chiefs/Patriots NFL 'VEGAS INSIDER' Top Play on Chiefs +

After a long look at this one, I really like the value here with Kansas City as a near double-digit underdog against the Patriots. New England is getting way to much respect from the books and with the public all over them, they got not choice but to inflate this line. 

I have some major concerns with the Pats going into the season. The loss of Julian Edelman is a major blow to everything that NE does offensively. He's the guy that Brady looks to more than anyone and without him I think this offense will struggle to move the ball. At least against a top level defense like the Chiefs, who could really cause the Patriots problems if Justin Houston and Dee Ford are able to put pressure on Brady. 

I also think people are overlooking New England's defense and how it could struggle this year. They certainly didn't play much defense in the preseason. The Chiefs aren't considered an offensive juggernaut, but they got two big time weapons in the passing game in Tyreke Hill and Travis Kelce. I also think people are going to be surprised with how well rookie RB Kareem Hunt fills in for Spencer Ware. 

While Belichick is in a class of his own, Andy Reid is one of the top coaches in the league and his teams rarely under perform when given extra time to prepare. The Chiefs are a great matchup for NE, as they too don't turn the ball over and excel at special teams. I see this one coming right down to the wire. Take Kansas City!

5* AL Central 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Twins -1.5

I like the value here with Minnesota on the run line in Thursday's finale against the White Sox. Chicago snuck out a 4-3 win yesterday, but that only makes me like the Twins more here, as they will be highly motivated to avoid losing this rare 5-game series to the White Sox. 

Key here is the edge that Minnesota will have on the mound. The Twins will send out Jose Berrios, who is coming off a great start at home against the Diamondbacks, allowing just 2 hits over 7 shutout innings. Berrios is also 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.923 WHIP in 2 career starts against the White Sox.

Chicago counters with Derek Holland, who is 6-13 with a 6.46 ERA and 1.720 WHIP in 24 starts. He's been especially bad of late, allowing 14 runs on 13 hits and 7 walks in a mere 4 1/3 innings over his last 2 starts. He's faced the Twins 3 times this season and has allowed 17 runs in 13 2/3 innings. Take Minnesota -1.5! 

5* MLB Vegas *INSIDER* Top Play on Cardinals -1.5

I like the value here with St Louis at home on the run line Tuesday against the Padres. This is a huge game for the Cardinals as they look to get back on track after a disappointing 2-4 road trip. San Diego is just the team to face to get this turned around. The Padres are a mere 22-39 on the road and come in having scored a mere 6 runs over their last 4 games. 

I don't see the offense getting on track here against Cardinals starter Lance Lynn, who comes in with a 2.62 ERA and 1.133 WHIP in 11 home starts and has a 3.05 ERA in 25 starts overall. Padres are counting with Clayton Richard, who is 1-5 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.551 WHIP in 12 road starts. 

St Louis is 27-13 in their last 40 when they enter a game having lost 5 or 6 of their last 7. They are also 25-7 in Lynn's last 32 home starts when working on 5 or days of rest, 27-10 in his last 37 home starts against a team with a losing record and a perfect 7-0 in their last 7 home games against a left-handed starter. Take St Louis! 

5* American League 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Red Sox -1.5

Boston is a massive favorite at home on Saturday, which is surely going to draw a lot of money on the Yankees, even though the Red Sox have their ace in Chris Sale on the mound. I'm not willing to lay the big juice, but I do think Boston is the obvious play here and will back them on the -1.5 run line. 

The Red Sox have all the momentum in this series, last weekend they won the final two games against the Yankees and just stole back the series opener on Friday. Boston blew a 3-0 lead and trailed 3-4 after NY scored 4 in the Top of the 7th. The Red Sox responded with 4 in the bottom of the inning and two more in the 8th in a 9-6 win. 

Sale has been dominant at home this season, going 6-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 10 starts. He's also owned the Yankees in his career, posting a 1.36 ERA and 0.822 WHIP in 10 starts against them. NY counters with C.C. Sabathia, who is trending in the wrong direction. He's allowed 4 runs in each of his last 3 starts and has pitched past the 5th inning just once since the All-Star break. Take Boston! 

5* MLB Vegas 'INSIDER' Top Play on Rockies -1.5

After scoring exactly 3 runs in 6 straight games, Colorado's offense exploded for 17 runs on 18 hits in yesterday's 15-run win over the Braves. My money is on the Rockies to continue that offensive surge on Thursday against Atlanta starter Lucas Sims. In his first 3 big league starts, Sims has gone 0-3 with a 5.71 ERA and 1.443 WHIP. I just don't see him snapping out of it at Coors Field, arguably the toughest place to pitch in the majors. 

Given that Colorado should score early an often, I'll take my chances on Jeff Hoffman doing enough here to get the Rockies a win by at least 2 runs. Hoffman has been much better of late, posting a 3.50 ERA in 3 August starts. Take Colorado -1.5!

5* AL Run Line 'GAME OF THE YEAR' on Rangers -1.5

I really like the value here with Texas on the run line. The Rangers might be 2-games under .500 at 58-60, but are also just 2-games back of the final Wild Card spot in the AL. More importantly, Texas is playing well right now. They have won the first two in the series here against Detroit and 5 of their last 6 overall. The Tigers on the other hand are a mere 2-9 in their last 11.

On top of the current form of these two teams, Texas has a huge advantage on the mound in this one. Rangers send out their ace Cole Hamels, who has been lights out of late with a 1.23 ERA and 0.773 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Hamels also owns an impressive 2.66 ERA and 0.951 WHIP in 7 starts. Detroit counters with the struggling Anibal Sanchez, who appears to have hit a wall, allowing 13 runs on 18 hits (7 HRs) in his last 2 starts. Add in a Tigers bullpen that has a 6.39 ERA and 1.591 WHIP on the road this season and the Rangers shoudl have no problem winning here by at least 2 runs. Take Texas!

5* MLB Situational 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Indians -1.5

Yesterday we cashed in easily on the Cubs -1.5 in their 15-5 win over the Reds. I see a similar scenario playing out in Tuesday's series opener between the Twins and Indians. Cleveland has won 4 straight and while they will be playing their 3rd straight road game in a different city, my money is on the Indians to not only win but to win convincingly.

This is a straight fade of Twins starter Bartolo Colon. I know he's pitched great in his last two outings, but it came against a couple of struggling offenses in the Rangers and Brewers. Cleveland is coming off a 7-run outburst yesterday and should be able to feast on Colon, who even with his recent success still comes in 4-9 with a 6.77 ERA and 1.622 WHIP in 18 starts. Indians counter with the red-hot Danny Salazar, who has a 1.96 ERA and 1.255 WHIP in his last 3 starts. His only start vs the Twins came in Minnesota back in April and he allowed just 1 run in 6 innings. Take Cleveland -1.5! 

5* National League Run Line 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Cubs -1.5

I really like the value here with Chicago on the run line in Monday's series opener against NL Central rival Cincinnati. The Cubs are coming off a respectable 3-3 west coast road trip, which saw them take 2 of 3 at Arizona, which has been an extremely difficult place for opposing teams to win. Kris Bryant is on fire and a number of Cubs hitters are also swinging a hot bat.

I look for Chicago to score early and often against Reds starter Asher Wojciechowski, who has a 6.11 ERA and 1.321 WHIP in 6 starts. He's made just 2 road starts and has a 8.00 ERA in those. Cubs counter with Jose Quintana, who has pitched very well in 4 of his 5 starts since being acquired via a trade. Take Chicago -1.5! 

5* MLB Vegas 'INSIDER' Top Play on Royals -1.5

I cashed in on the Royals Saturday, as KC snapped the White Sox 4-game winning streak, while also putting an end to their own 5-game skid. My money is on the Royals to build off the momentum of that win and not only take the series finale Sunday, but to win in convincing fashion, which is why I'm not just playing the money line, but taking Kansas City to win here by at least 2 runs on the run line.

The Royals will send out Jason Vargas, who is overrated, but still more than capable of keeping this below average White Sox offense in check. Varags has only allowed 3 runs over his last 2 starts against them, which has spanned 11 innings. The Royals offense should be able to carry the load here even if Vargas isn't on top of his game. Chicago will send out Derek Hollan, who is 6-11 with a 5.64 ERA in 22 starts and owns an ugly 6.19 ERA and 2.187 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Take Kansas City -1.5! 

5* NFLX Situational 'WEEK 1 BEST BET' on Chiefs -

Kansas City doesn't get near the respect they deserve. The Chiefs feature one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the NFL. They just keep getting overlooked because of Alex Smith being their starting QB. Smith is better than he gets credit for and the starters are expected to play the entire 1st quarter. I also love rookie QB Mahomes getting to play the entire 2nd half. 49ers are still in a learning proccess with new head coach Kyle Shanahan and simply don't have the depth to keep this close. Take Kansas City! 

5* NFL Preseason Week 1 'VEGAS INSIDER' Top Play on Eagles +1

Green Bay isn't a team that needs to win games in the preseason to feel good about themselves. They are one of the few that won't even send out their starting QB for a series. Philly is a team on the rise and coming into this year with big expectations. Wentz won't play a ton here, but we do figure to see a lot of Matt McGloin and he's capable of putting points on the board with the talent at hand. I'm also expecting a big game out of rookie running back Donnel Pumphrey. Take Philadelphia!

5* MLB Interleague 'PLAY OF THE WEEK' on Brewers -1.5 (+135)

I'll gladly back the Brewers to not only win here, but to do so by at least 2 runs. The fact that Bartolo Colon is comignoff a couple of decent starts, including a complete game (allowed 4 runs) in his last start, has Milwaukee showing great value here on the run line. Colon still owns a 7.32 ERA and 1.683 WHIP in 17 starts this season and I expect the 40+ year old to struggle after throwing 100+ pitches in his last start. Keep in mind he made a start at Milwaukee earlier this season and allowed 6 runs on 10 hits and 2 walks in just 5 innings of work.

Brewers counter here with Brandon Woodruff, who impressed in his first big league start, going on the road and limiting the Rays to just 7 hits over 6 1/3 shutout innings of work. Twins have been hitting the ball decent of late, but that was at home. They don't pack the same punch on the road and simply won't be able to score enough to keep this game close. Take Milwaukee -1.5!

5* MLB Afternoon Run Line 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Cubs -1.5

The Cubs snapped their 3-game losing streak with a 7-4 win on Saturday and I look for Chicago to build off that game here and easily take the series finale Sunday. Washington is just 3-5 in their last 8 and will be excited to get this game over with and head back for a 9-game homstand (have played just 6 home games since returning from the break). 

This definitely feels like a throw away game for Washington, as they send out Erick Fedde to take on Cubs ace Jon Lester, who has been a machine since the break and owns a 0.842 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Fedde is making his second big league start and his first one wasn't one to remember, as he gave up 7 runs on 10 hits and 2 walks with just 3 strikeouts in 4 innings of work. Take Chicago -1.5!

5* MLB Vegas 'NO LIMIT' Top Play on Blue Jays -1.5

The White Sox are coming off a rare win yesterday, as they defeated division rival Cleveland 3-1 behind a strong performance from their future ace Carlos Rodon. One of the few good pitchers left on the staff. Chicago will open up their new series with James Shields taking the mound against Marco Estrada of the Blue Jays.

Shields has been terrible since returning from the DL and has a 8.16 ERA and 2.163 WHIP in his last 3 starts. The only reason the Blue Jays aren't a much bigger favorite is due to Estrada having struggled of late. I still think this White Sox offense is one he can tame. Chicago hasn't scored more than 4 runs in over a week (7/21). Blue Jays are also playing well right now having won 5 of 7. Take Toronto! 

5* MLB Interleague 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Cubs -1.5

The Cubs are rolling out of the break and I think are going to be a good team to back, even if you have to avoid the big juice with the run line. I'll gladly pay this price on the Cubs here with a surging Jake Arrieta on the mound against the likes of James Shields, who is more of a mentor than anything with the White Sox. Shields clearly isn't starting because of his performance, as he's got a 5.79 ERA and 1.629 WHIP in 9 starts and owns a 8.10 ERA in his 6 outings since returning from a trip on the DL.

Cubs offense is trending in the right direction and are in a prime spot here to score a bunch of runs. White Sox pitching has allowed opponents to hit .308 with a .404 OBP over their last 7 games. During this stretch they are allowing on average 5.3 runs/game and scoring a mere 2.6 runs/game. Take Chicago -1.5!

5* MLB Run Line 'PLAY OF THE MONTH' on Diamondbacks -1.5

My money is on Arizona to not only win, but to do so by at least 2 runs. Arizona will send out ace Zack Greinke, who is having a great season. Greinke is 11-4 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.047 WHIP in 19 starts. He has been nearly unbeatable at home, where he's 9-0 with a 2.41 ERA and 0.873 WHIP in 11 starts. I see no reason why he won't put up another stellar outing here at home against a average team like the Braves.

Atlanta will counter with R.A. Dickey, who has been throwing the ball well of late, but the road has not been kind to him this season. Dickey is 1-4 with a 5.55 ERA and 1.511 WHIP in 8 road starts. Greinke is 42-10 in his last 52 as a home favorite of -175 to -250 and these wins have come by an average of 2.2 runs/game. Take Arizona -1.5! 

5* MLB Late Night NO LIMIT Top Play on Giants -1.5

The Giants are riding a wave of momentum, as they open this series at home against the Padres. San Francisco won via a walk-off in Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Indians. They followed that up yesterday by scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th to turn a 2-4 defecit into a 5-4 win. Confidence is a beatiful thing and San Francisco will have plenty of it here as they send out their ace Madison Bumgarner in what will be his second start since a return from a lengthy trip on the DL. To no surprise, Bumgarner delivered in his first start back from

To no surprise, Bumgarner delivered in his first start back from injry, allowing just 3 runs on 4 hits in 7 innigns against these Padres in San Diego. If not for the 2 home runs he allowed, the Padres likely don't score and the Giants win, but they lost 3-5 on a 2-run shot in the bottom of the 9th. Bumgarner will be extra motivated to get his revenge and propel his team to a win. San Diego counters with Jhoylys Chacin, who has a 8.16 ERA and 1.814 WHIP in 9 road starts. Take San Francisco!

5* National League Run Line 'GAME OF THE MONTH' on Diamondbacks -1.5

I cashed in on Arizona on the run line yesterday in an easy 11-2 win, snapping their 5-game losing streak. Once a team breaks through after a losing streak, they often keep it rolling and the Diamonbacks are in a perfect spot to do just that. Arizona will send out their ace Zack Greinke, who is 11-4 with a 2.86 ERA and 0.997 WHIP in 18 starts and owns a 1.42 ERA and 0.737 WHIP in his last 3 starts. Not to mention Greinke is 8-2 with a 2.41 ERA in 13 career starts against the Reds. 

Cincinnati has lost all 5 games out of the break and haven't really been competitive in any of those defeats. All 5 losses have come by at least 5 runs and they have allowed a staggering 46 runs combined. They will send out Tim Adleman, who has a 5.12 ERA in 16 starts overall, 5.33 ERA in 9 starts at home and 6.91 ERA and 1.675 WHIP in his last 3 outings. Take Arizona -1.5! 

5* MLB Vegas INSIDER Top Play on Diamonbacks -1.5 (+145)

I cashed in on Arizona with the -1.5 run line Friday and I'm jumping right back on them Saturday. As mentioned in yesterday's analysis, this is a big series for the Diamonbacks who had just got swept by the Dodgers in their previous series. They desperately want to go into the All-Star break with some momentum. Not only do I like the Dbacks to win here by 2+ runs, but we are getting great value with these odds.

Arizona will send out Taijuan Walker, who has a solid 3.30 ERA in 13 starts and is in good form coming off a 7 innings effort at home against the Rockies, where he allowed just 1 earned run. Cincinnati's pitching is not good and they send out youngster Luis Castillo, who has a 4.41 ERA and 1.714 WHIP in 3 starts and it's been even worse when on the road. Take Arizona -1.5! 

5* MLB Run Line Play of the Month on Yankees -1.5

New York snapped their 7-game losing streak yesterday against the Angels, as the offense exploded for 8 runs on 12 hits. I look for the Yankees to stay on the winning path here and more than willing to back them to win by at least 2 on the run line. Given New York's offensive fire-power and strong showing yesterday, good chance they put up a big number here against LA's Jesse Chavez, who has an atrocious 6.27 ERA and 1.526 WHIP in 7 road starts. Last road outing was at Houston and he lasted just 3 2/3 after giving up 6 runs.

Not only is the offense primed to score early and often, New York should be able to keep the Angels offense in check. Yankees will start the game with Luis Severino, who has a rock-solid 2.99 ERA and 1.045 WHIP in 13 starts. He wasn't at his best in his last outing at Oakland, but that just makes me like him even more here, as he's rebounded nicelya after a sub-par performance. Take New York!

5* NBA Finals Game of the Year on Warriors -

There's no question the refs were doing their part to extend the series at least one more game with how they officiated that 1st quarter of Game 5, which Cleveland managed to score a ridiculous 49 points in the 1st quarter and 86 in the 1st half. The Cavs were shooting free throws left and right early. That played a huge role in the game. More than anything them getting off to that strong start gave them confidence, which led to a great shooting night. It also got the Warriors in foul trouble and didn't let them play with the same intensity on defense. It's not that Golden State wasn't committing any fouls, it's just they weren't calling the same fouls on Cleveland on the other side of the ball. With the series back in Golden State, I look for the Warriors to get a more favorable whistle and that should be all they need to not only win, but to win in blowout fashion. Take Golden State!

5* NBA Finals VEGAS INSIDER Top Play on Warriors -

I'll be the first to admit that I was fortunate to cover with the Warriors in Game 3, but I'm not jumping off them, even with a bigger number in Game 4. Cleveland played as well as they could and had to feel like they had the game won before that epic collapse in the final 3 minutes. I just don't see the Cavs emotionally and physically having what it takes to keep Game 4 competitive. Yes, it's the NBA Finals, but going out with a fight isn't as big a deal for a team that just won the title last year. On the flip side of this, I see no letdown for the Warriors, who are not only chasing a perfect 16-0 record in the postseason, but I believe they want to return the favor and celebrate the title on Cleveland's floor after losing Game 7 at home last year. You have to be 100% locked in to beat this Warriors team and I just don't see being the case for Cleveland, who I think will be quick to throw in the towel once Golden State gets anywhere close to a double-digit lead. Take Golden State!

5* AL Run Line Game of the Month on Astros -1.5

After dropping the last two games to the Royals, I look for Houston to bounce back and finish off the series with an easy win over KC behind one of the most underrated starters in the AL in Lance McCullers. Everyone knows about Keuchel in Houston and he's been great, but McCullers isn't far behind. He's 6-1 with a 2.71 ERA (3rd AL) and 1.11 WHIP (6th AL) in 12 starts (10-2 team record). With an offense that is averaging 6.7 runs/game on the road and 8.0 runs/game over their last 7, this is the ideal scenario where you play the run line. Especially when the opponent doesn't have an elite starter on the rmound. Royals will counter with Jason Hammel, who is 2-6 with a 5.93 ERA and 1.595 WHIP in 11 starts (2-9 team record).

Astros are 13-3 this season in road games after their previous two games finished OVER the total and have won these by an average score of 6.6 to 3.4 (+3.2 runs). They are also 19-4 on the year as a road favorite of -110 or more, winning by a average score of 7.2 to 3.9 (+3.3 runs). Take Houston -1.5!

5* NBA Finals NO LIMIT Top Play on Warriors -

As much as everyone wants Cleveland to make this a series and win Game 3 at home, I just don't think it's going to happen. It would be one thing if Golden State finished off the Cavs last year after taking a 3-1 lead, but because they failed to do so, I don't see them taking any game for grantit. I look for them to come out 100% locked in on taking a 3-0 lead and I just don't know what Cleveland is going to do to stop them. LeBron is averaging a triple-double and they are getting beat by 20+ points/game. Even if the Cavs' role players step up and play better, I still think it takes a near perferct performance just for them to win this game. I also hear alot about how the first two games last year in Golden State were blowouts. That team didn't have Durant and he's the MVP of the finals right now. Take Golden State! 

5* NBA Finals NO LIMIT Top Play on Warriors -

These two teams are clearly in a class above the rest of the league, I just feel that the Warriors are the more complete team. James is the best player in the game, but he's going up against 4 of the best players in the game in Durant, Curry, Thompson and Green, plus I feel that Golden State has the deeper roster. You also can't discount the revenge here with the Warriors after blowing a 3-1 lead in last year's Finals.

It's also worth pointing out that the home team has dominated the spread in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, going 11-1 ATS in the last 12. On top of that, James' teams are 1-6 ATS in Game 1 of the Finals. Take Golden State! 

5* NBA Playoffs VEGAS INSIDER Top Play on Celtics +

Not a big surprise that Boston is a bigger home dog here in Game 5 than they were in Games 1 and 2 with the loss of star point guard Isaiah Thomas, but I'm not so sure the loss of Thomas is as bad as people think. The Celtics won their first game without him in Cleveland and followed that up with another strong showing in a loss in Game 4, where Irving went off and the Cavs didn't miss in the 2nd half (shot 65% from the field).

How are they better? As good of a scorer as Thomas is, he's a major liability on defense, especially when he's got to guard Irving and get put in pick-n-rolls with LeBron. At the same time, Boston's offense is more of a system than anything, much like the Spurs, which can give teams problem. I actually think the loss of Thomas has helped them move the ball better. I don't see this team going down without a fight and wouldn't be shocked if they won this game outright. Take BOSTON!

5* NBA Playoffs NO LIMIT Top Play on Cavaliers -

I know this is a huge number and the Celtics just won outright as an even bigger dog in Game 3, but I just don't see this game being competitive. Cleveland did whatever they wanted in the first two games of the series, including that epic beatdown in Game 2, where they were up by 50. If they were going to suffer a letdown, it was going to be Game 3 and while it happened, they still had a 20+ point lead in the 2nd half.

A 100% locked in Cleveland team will take the floor tonight and no one is going to be more motivated than LeBron James, who has been hearing nothing but how poorly he played in Game 3. I think we could see another massive blowout here and I'm confident that the Cavaliers wins here by 20+ points. Take Cleveland!

5* NBA Playoffs VEGAS INSIDER Top Play on Warriors -

I'll take my chances with the Warriors closing this series out in fashion, much like they did in the first two rounds on the road. Up 3-0 on the Blazers in Round 1, Golden State defeated Portland 128-103. In the next round, up 3-0 on the Jazz, they crushed Utah on the road 121-95. I expect a similar outcome here and wouldn't be shocked if got ugly. San Antonino gave it all they had in Game 3 without Khawi and lost by 12 and with him still sidelined and David Lee also now out, I just don't see the Spurs truly believing they can come back and make this a series.

As for Golden State, they got a great reminder of what can happen when you take your foot off the gas with the Celtics improbable win yesterday. They also now have a chance to get some extra rest on Cleveland before the finals, who still has to play at least two more games. Take Golden State!

5* NBA Playoffs NO LIMIT Top Play on Cavs -

I was all over Cleveland in Game 1 and I just can't go against them after what I saw in the opener. As I mentioned in my analysis for Game 1, the Cavs are taking note of everything the Warriors are doing and want to match their perfect 10-0 start to the postseason.The last thing they want is to have this series drag out before taking on Golden State.

I know this team struggled some with Indiana, but they were in the process of turning on that playoff switch after not playing well to close out the regular season. They made easy work of a very good Toronto team in the next round and did whatever they wanted to the Celtics on Wednesday. I truly believe Boston has to play their best just to keep this game close and could do so and still not cover this spread.

LeBron James is playing out of his mind and when he's locked in like this, there's no stopping this team, at least in the Eastern Conference. Keep in mind this is a Cavs team that is fresh right now, having played a mere 9 games in over a month (played first playoff game on 4/15). Take Cleveland!

5* NBA Playoffs VEGAS INSIDER Top Play on Cavs -

Don't think for a second that Cleveland isn't taking notice of the Warriors and their perfect 10-0 start. The Cavs also went a perfect 8-0 in the first two rounds and I'm not buying this team coming out flat. Not after watching how Golden State struggled after their long layoff in Game 1 against the Spurs. Cleveland also has a little extra motivation, as they are trying to take control of home court in the series.

The Cavs won 3 of the 4 meetings in the regular season and I think the most telling of those games was the most recent one on April 5th. At that time these two were neck and neck for the No. 1 seed in the east. Cleveland didn't just go into Boston and beat the Celtics, they dominated them 114-91, easily covering at a near identical line to what we are getting here in Game 1. It's also worth noting the only game the Cavs lost in the regular season series was a 99-103 defeat at Boston, where they shot a miserable 40% from the field.

All of this and we haven't got to the fact that this is a difficult spot for Boston. The Celtics just finished up a grueling 7-game series against the Wizards on Monday. The Cavs haven't played since 5/7. They had a similar layoff between the 1st and 2nd round and won Game 1 over the Raptors rather easily. Take Cleveland!