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Sports

Life on the Lines: MLB 7/24/20

We are finally here! One quarantine, and a lifetime later we have arrived at the official opening day of the MLB season. If you are new around here, we like to make money. We have a couple of writers that love to live their life on the lines. Yes, we gamble responsibly around here so if you are not in a good position to do this please refrain. But if you want to make some extra cash this season. This is a prime opportunity for you to join me in that process. We will be tracking my bets throughout the season and we will see how much I make you.

Listed below will be my picks for the day. If you are interested in some long term plays. I advise you to check out Tony Guzman’s article on his MLB Preview. If you are new to sports betting, I will be using the term units a lot. A unit is a measurement of money in which one gambles (increments of $10 or $100 dollars).
So let’s pretend we have a $100 bankroll (yes I know that is small) and let’s see how much we can make you this year.

Life on the Lines

Atlanta Braves @ New York Mets

First game of the day is the Braves visiting the Mets. On the mound, we have Mike Soroka vs Jacob deGrom. Degrom is the reigning two-time CY Young Winner, and Soroka will be the youngest Brave to start and opening day. In these types of matchups, I try to avoid the run line. Which in this game is has the Mets at -1.5, But i am not going to throw an obnoxious set of numbers you to convince you. The play here is the Under 8 line. It is going to be an absolute pitchers duel in the Flushings. Soroka led the league in road ERA last season at 1.55 so all signs point to it being a 3-2 kind of game.

Take the under 8 total runs at -120
(Bet 12 dollars to win 10 dollars)

Detroit Tigers @ Cincinnati Reds

In the second matchup, we have the Detroit Tigers visiting the newly revamped Cincinnati Reds. Lefty Matthew Boyd enters into a hitters paradise in Cinci. Not only that he is running into one of the best lineups in the league. The Reds have added Nicholas Castellanos who mashed left-handed pitching last season. If you look at Castellanos stats from Detroit they do not impress many people. Once you add him to Wrigley, however, his average jumps nearly 50 points. The Reds have done a lot of reforming this offseason while the Tigers have only added Jonathan Schoop and drafted Spencer Torkelson. The play here is to take the Reds at -1.5 (+105). Cincinnati is going to want to make a statement and on opening day they get the perfect opportunity to do so.

Reds -1.5 (+105)
(Bet 10 to make 10.50)

Toronto Blue Jays @ Tampa Bay Rays

This next pick may seem a little about hype instead of numbers. Although I do love the numbers sometimes you just have a gut instinct about a team. Well, the Toronto Blue Jays are that team for me. Yes, the Tampa Bay Rays are a legitimate playoff team with a better line up and maybe better overall pitching staff. But if it is for one game? I am going to take the Blue Jays. I love this young core. Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio are all legitimate threats to explode onto the scene this year. I expect them to show out on opening day especially with their big free-agent acquisition on the hill, Hyun-Jin Riu. I am taking the Blue Jays Money Line on this pick.

Blue Jays ML +118
(Bet 10$ to win 11.80$)

Milwaukee Brewers @ Chicago Cubs

Next, we head to beautiful Wrigley Field. Where the Cubs play host to the Brewers. Both teams in the offseason were pretty stagnant in terms of adding talent to each club. The Brewers lost Moustakas (to the Reds) but get their MVP back from a gruesome knee injury. In his debut against the potent White Sox. Kyle Hendricks was in prime form and tossed four shutout innings before being taken out for rest reasons. I expect nothing less from him in his opening day debut. I like the Cubs here at -1.5. Especially at a great value of +170. The ball will be flying and it will be for the boys in Cubbie blue.

Cubs -1.5 (+170)
(10$ to make 17$)

Minnesota Twins @ Chicago White Sox

And for the final pick, we are traveling to the Southside of Chicago. Where the White Sox play host to the Minnesota Twins. I am expecting a fireworks show and have the Twins beating the rising Sox by more than three runs, but be on the lookout for this White Sox team in the future. They will have the matchup advantage in a lot of games because play in the woeful central division. They will get chances against the Tigers and Royals throughout the season. But on this opening day. The team that smacked 307 Homers last season is the Twins at -1.5 (+140).

Twins -1.5 (+140)
(10$ to make 14$)

Life on the Lines

Those are my five picks and these are odds are according to Bovada. If you do not have a Bovada account. Click the link below and get an introductory match of up to 250 dollars on your initial deposit. Let me know how your picks go.

Make sure you follow me on Twitter @illiniryan7 and go follow me on Instagram @illiniryan_7 for exclusive giveaways.
Hope this helps you make some money this season. Use the link below for Bovada:
https://www.bovada.lv/welcome/P48DCC04/join?extcmpid=rafcopy

Best of luck!

Sports

College Basketball Picks: The Race for Selection Sunday

Teams are cramming to pad their resume as selection Sunday is just over two weeks away. The Big Ten’s regular-season title is just about secured as Maryland holds a two-game lead over four teams tied for second place with three games to go.

We’ll be talking about two of those teams tied for second place and which angle to wager on in that huge Big Ten matchup. In the Big East, it’s a little bit of a tighter race. Seton Hall only holds a one-game lead over Villanova and Creighton. Five of the top six teams in the conference will be playing today as the focus stays on the early games.

CBB Picks: Race for Selection Sunday

Providence (16-12) at 12 Villanova (22-6)

Spread: Nova -7.5

Over/Under: 137.5

Time: 12:00 p.m ET

TV: FOX

Villanova has been finding their stride at just the right time as they are on a five-game winning streak. The Wildcats are looking to tie things up with Seton Hall atop the Big East Conference. Nova is averaging just over 71 ppg in home conference games and loves shooting the three-ball as they rank 31st in the nation in 3PA.

Providence is coming off of a big win against Marquette at home but the Wildcats are a different story when it comes to the Friars. They have won at Wells Fargo Center since 2016. The Friars are facing a red hot Wildcat team that is clicking on all cylinders.

The Pick: Nova -7.5

16 Penn State (21-7) at 18 Iowa (19-9)

Spread: Iowa -4

Over/Under: 152

Time: 12:00 p.m ET

TV: Big Ten Network

Iowa has been unbeatable at home, Literally. They are 8-0 in conference home games and averaging a whopping 79.3 ppg in those games and currently one game back of a tie for second place. Hawkeyes have one of the best players in the country in Luka Garza. The Wooden Award candidate is nearly averaging a double-double and loves playing at home.

Penn State has a workhorse of their own in Lamar Stevens who has led the Nittany Lions to a 21-7 record and in a four-way tie for 2nd in the Big Ten. At this point in the season, Iowa is catching Penn State at the right time.

The Pick: Iowa -4.0

13 Seton Hall (20-7) at Marquette (18-9)

Spread: Marquette -2.0

Over/Under: 149.5

Time: 2:30 p.m ET

TV: Fox

Seton Hall is looking to sweep the season series against Marquette at Fiserv Forum. The Pirates are clinging on atop the Big East with a one-game lead over Villanova and Creighton. They have been a good team on the road as they only have one loss in road conference games and averaging 76.5 ppg in those games. This is going to be a great matchup between two of the best guards in the country in Myles Powell and Markus Howard.

Marquette has lost three of their last four games and is reeling. The one thing Marquette can do is score. The Golden Eagles are averaging 78.5 ppg in conference play. But, they are a lowly 1-6 when facing the top four teams in the conference. I think the Pirates will win this game outright so if you want to sprinkle in a little queso on the moneyline, feel free.

The Pick: Seton Hall +2

Sports

College Basketball picks: Top 25 Games

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College basketball has been anything but consistent in this 2019-2020 season. Early on, the teams ranked number one couldn’t hold their ranking for more than a week. Today, there are three top-25 matchups that should be basically wrapping up the regular-season conference title with a win and Vegas never makes it easy with their on the money lines. But, we don’t shy away from big-time games, we wager on them.

Top-25 CBB Game Picks

3 Kansas (23-3) at 1 Baylor (24-1)

Spread: Baylor -1.5

Over/Under: 127.5

Time: 12:00 p.m ET

TV: ESPN

Kansas is looking to exact revenge at The Ferrell Center in Waco as Baylor has been the only team to knock off Kansas on their home floor and it wasn’t even close. Baylor dominated Kansas 67-55 back on January 11. But this has been a completely different Kansas team since then; rattling off 11 straight wins. Kansas has been averaging 73.8 ppg in February and is 6-0 in road conference games.

Baylor has been the most consistent team in college basketball this year and they’ve been one of the most profitable teams this year. Baylor comes in as the fourth-most profitable ATS at 16-6 according to The Action Network. This is setting up to be a great game with the top-ranked team at home against the third-ranked team that is the powerhouse of the Kansas Jayhawks.

The spread has been fluctuating since it opened up at -1.5 favoring the Bears at home and immediately was bet up to -2.5. The line has since been back down to -1.5 so significant money has been coming in on both sides. I’m looking at a total that has been bet down to 127.5 from 129.5 when betting opened. I would look to bet the over with the recent February scoring surge from Kansas; even up against the stifling Baylor defense.

The Pick: Over 127.5

14 Oregon (20-7) at 24 Arizona (19-7)

Spread: Arizona -4.5

Over/Under: 140

Time: 9:00 p.m ET

TV: ESPN

The second of three top 25 college basketball matchups is in the PAC-12 as Oregon visits Arizona at McKale Center. Oregon has been awful on the road in conference games with just a 2-5 record. In fact, they haven’t won a road conference game since January 30th at Cal. I don’t trust the Ducks here at all.

Meanwhile, Arizona has been great at home in conference play with a 5-1 record and averaging just over 78 ppg in those six games. These two teams faced each other back on January 9 with Oregon needing overtime to squeak out a victory against the Wildcats at home. This time, Arizona returns the favor.

The Pick: Arizona -4.5

2 Gonzaga (27-1) at 23 BYU (22-7)

Spread: Gonzaga -4.5

Over/Under: 158.5

Time: 10:00 pm ET

TV: ESPN2

Gonzaga is one of those teams where handicappers always try to find a game on their schedule where they are most susceptible to losing. That’s because year in and year out they are the standard in college basketball. This is the spot where most people have them losing and I just don’t see it.

Last Thursday they had their classic trap game at home against San Francisco and it was living up to its title in the first half as the Don’s were up 31-22 in Spokane. Only for Gonzaga to outscore San Fran 49-23 in the second half and win by 17 which ended up being an all-time bad beat with Gonzaga being favored by 16.5 points and covering on a last-second three.

Gonzaga is almost never a small favorite, they typically are a double-digit favorite which is why I tend to stay away from their games. The last time the Zags were this small of a favorite was on February 8 (-5) at St. Mary’s and ended up winning by 30 points. Both teams can really light up the scoreboard so I’m leaning towards the over. But, what I’m most confident in this game is the Bulldogs covering on the road.

The Pick: Gonzaga -4.5