The Bum's Sports Page For Friday June 19th Best Bets-Trends-News !

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA

Friday, June 19

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
TULSA vs. WASHINGTON
Tulsa is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Tulsa is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Washington
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Washington's last 10 games when playing Tulsa
Washington is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. ATLANTA
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 6 games when playing Atlanta
Atlanta is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 6 games when playing Chicago

7:30 PM
INDIANA vs. NEW YORK
Indiana is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing Indiana
New York is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing Indiana

8:00 PM
MINNESOTA vs. SAN ANTONIO
Minnesota is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Minnesota is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 7 games at home

10:00 PM
CONNECTICUT vs. PHOENIX
Connecticut is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Connecticut's last 5 games on the road
Phoenix is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Connecticut
Phoenix is 16-4 SU in its last 20 games


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WNBA

Friday, June 19


Hayes, Henry to miss Dream's next five games

The Atlanta Dream will be without both Tiffany Hayes and Aneika Henry for their next five games as the two will compete at the 2015 European Games.

Hayes and Henry received Azerbaijani citizenship and will compete for the nation in the three-on-three tournament.

Both players will be missed for the Dream, but especially Hayes who is second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg) so far in the young WNBA season.

Atlanta will be +3 for their first game without the duo when they host the Chicago Sky Friday.


Connecticut, Tulsa look to remain perfect ATS

Though the WNBA season is still young, two teams have proven to be making bank foe bettors early. The Tulsa Shock and Connecticut Sun are both 5-0 against the spread, 4-1 straight-up, as they enter Friday's games.

Tulsa has the second ranked offense in the WNBA with the Shock averaging 81.0 points per game. The Shock are currently +2 when they travel to Washington to take on the Mystics.

The Sun have been covering thanks predominantly to their defense which has only allowed 66 ppg. Connecticut is currently +4 when they visit the 2-2 Phoenix Mercury Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

WNBA
Dunkel

Friday, June 19


Tulsa @ Washington

Game 601-602
June 19, 2015 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Tulsa
113.332
Washington
114.349
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Washington
by 1
141
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Washington
by 3 1/2
147
Dunkel Pick:
Tulsa
(+3 1/2); Under

Indiana @ New York

Game 603-604
June 19, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
111.519
New York
110.569
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
by 1
146
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
New York
by 3 1/2
152
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana
(+3 1/2); Under

Chicago @ Atlanta

Game 605-606
June 19, 2015 @ 7:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
120.483
Atlanta
119.317
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 1
164
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Chicago
by 2 1/2
158
Dunkel Pick:
Atlanta
(+2 1/2); Over

Minnesota @ San Antonio

Game 607-608
June 19, 2015 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
113.454
San Antonio
110.918
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 2 1/2
155
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Minnesota
by 8
149
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(+8); Over

Connecticut @ Phoenix

Game 609-610
June 19, 2015 @ 10:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Connecticut
100.019
Phoenix
109.622
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Phoenix
by 9 1/2
140
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Phoenix
by 4 1/2
146
Dunkel Pick:
Phoenix
(-4 1/2); Under

[StarDust Bum]

Connecticut, Tulsa look to remain perfect ATS

Though the WNBA season is still young, two teams have proven to be making bank foe bettors early. The Tulsa Shock and Connecticut Sun are both 5-0 against the spread, 4-1 straight-up, as they enter Friday's games.

Tulsa has the second ranked offense in the WNBA with the Shock averaging 81.0 points per game. The Shock are currently +2 when they travel to Washington to take on the Mystics.

The Sun have been covering thanks predominantly to their defense which has only allowed 66 ppg. Connecticut is currently +4 when they visit the 2-2 Phoenix Mercury Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Hayes, Henry to miss Dream's next five games

The Atlanta Dream will be without both Tiffany Hayes and Aneika Henry for their next five games as the two will compete at the 2015 European Games.

Hayes and Henry received Azerbaijani citizenship and will compete for the nation in the three-on-three tournament.

Both players will be missed for the Dream, but especially Hayes who is second on the team in scoring (12.2 ppg) so far in the young WNBA season.

Atlanta will be +3 for their first game without the duo when they host the Chicago Sky Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Cubs are red-hot following a loss

Teams should be weary of the Chicago Cubs following a loss with the Cubbies winning their past five in that situation. The Cubs have outscored their opponents by a ridiculous 39-9 in those games.

Chicago is coming off a 4-3 loss at the hands of the Cleveland Indians Thursday.

The Cubs are currently +101 when they travel to Minnesota Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Astros big bats have bettors wringing their hands

The over has cashed in the Houston Astros past seven contests, thanks to the their bats. Through those seven games the Astros have scored an average of 7.7 runs per game.

The 'Stros have made it a habit of going yard during their past seven with an astonishing 17 home runs. That's an average of 2.4 home runs per contest.

Houston travels to Seattle Friday with the total currently set at 7.

[StarDust Bum]

De La Rosa strugging against former team

When Colorado Rockies southpaw Jorge De La Rosa takes the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers (his former team) Friday, he'll look to reverse some dreadful pitching performances against his previous employer.

The Mexican made 21 starts (61 appearances) for the Brew Crew from 2004 through 2006, but has an ERA of 7.67 in six starts and one relief appearance against the club since then.

Taylor Jungmann is probable to start for the visiting Brewers in Friday's matchup, and De La Rosa and the Rockies are currently -139.

[StarDust Bum]

Yankees bombing the ball in front of home crowd

The New York Yankees have won nine of their past 10 games at Yankee Stadium. Those games have not really been too close as the Bronx Bombers have outscored their visiting counterparts 66-26 in those contests.

The Yanks are currently -113 when they host the Detroit Tigers Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Blistering DeGrom to take the mound for the Mets

The New York Mets must be happy when Jacob DeGrom's day comes in the rotation, with the team going 5-1 in the youngsters past six starts.

DeGrom has been play lights-out lately with a 1.25 ERA in his past six starts. Those games consisted of 43.1 innings for the reigning NL rookie of the year, while he has posted a 53/5 strikeouts/walks ratio.

The Mets are currently -140 when they are hosted by the Braves Friday.

[StarDust Bum]

Harper injury adds to unlucky moth for Nationals

Jun 19, 2015

WASHINGTON -- June has been a cruel month for the Nationals.

Washington (34-33) made three errors in its last two games and has a record of 6-11 this month after losing 5-3 at home on Thursday to the Tampa Bay Rays.

There was more bad news as outfielder Bryce Harper, hitting .344 with 22 homers and 53 RBIs, left the game in the top of the sixth with a mild left hamstring strain. He was injured while making a throw to the infield on wet grass two innings after the game was delayed by 17 minutes by rain.

"I came up throwing and it was really slippery out there in the rain," Harper said. "My right knee gave out and then I put all my pressure on the left knee, and got my hamstring, lower hamstring and the knee a little bit."

"It doesn't feel very good," he added. "Was in pretty good pain. A little scared at the same time, because I could feel a little bit more on the lower half of it. But see how I am tomorrow, and go from there."

Manager Matt Williams confirmed it was a mild hamstring strain.

"I'm just going to see how it feels tomorrow," Harper said. "Be smart about it of course. It's still early. So just try to be as smart as I can. I want to be in there, but if I don't feel right tomorrow, then maybe taking that day off might help me a little bit. I'll see how I feel."

If he goes on the disabled list, he would join everyday players Jayson Werth (outfielder) and Ryan Zimmerman (first baseman), and pitchers Stephen Strasburg, Aaron Barrett and Craig Stammen.

The injury to Harper came on the same day pitcher Doug Fister came off the disabled list to start against the Rays.

[StarDust Bum]

Finding the best craps odds in Las Vegas casinos

Jun 18, 2015

Like any Vegas junkie, I was checking out my Vegas social media feeds over the weekend. Yes, I have specific lists to follow everything that's happening in Vegas. I have a similar list for when I wager on baseball so it’s not entirely strange. Over the weekend I noticed a post for a casino that offered a “great value” with $3 craps. While $3 craps is the lowest limit you’ll find for craps anywhere in Vegas, this game wasn’t exactly a “value.”

Just because something is cheap doesn’t make it good value. Discussing value goes for just about everything in life from gambling to steak dinner to buying a house. This $3 craps game is cheap but it isn’t a comparatively good value. The particular casino mentioned that it only offers 2x odds on wagers. That’s the lowest craps odds that you’ll find in Las Vegas.

While a house edge of 0.572 percent on a 2x odds craps wager isn’t bad, you can find better opportunities and values. If price is your main concern, you may find a few $3 craps games around at Casino Royale or El Cortez depending on the time of day. If you step up your low rolling from $3 to $5 you’ll find better “value” at many casinos in Vegas. If the minimum wager isn’t your concern you’ll certainly find better odds in just about every casino in town.

Here is a look at the best craps odds and their corresponding house edge for each casino on the Vegas Strip and Downtown Vegas. (I’ll let you guess which 2x odds casino I was referring to earlier)

20x Odds
Main Street Station
Casino Royale (also offers 100x odds)
House Edge: 0.099%
Don’t Pass: 0.065%

10x Odds
The D
El Cortez
Golden Gate
Stratosphere
House Edge: 0.184%
Don’t Pass: 0.124%

5x Odds
Binion’s
Four Queens
House Edge: 0.326%
Don’t Pass: 0.227%

3x-4x-5x Odds
Downtown Grand
Golden Nugget
Las Vegas Club
Plaza
(Everywhere other casino not listed here.)
House Edge: 0.374%
Don’t Pass: 0.273%

2x Odds
California
Fremont
Circus Circus
House Edge: 0.572%
Don’t Pass: 0.431%

Truth be told, betting the pass line or don’t pass line are two of the best bets in a casino regardless of the odds a casino offers. That said, there are some casinos that offer better odds and better value than others. While Main Street Station has the best odds and offers the best value, I’m not comfortable playing 20x odds on a pass line wager.

I'd rather extend my bankroll and play slightly smaller odds. My favorite craps games to play have 10x odds. I feel comfortable playing max odds on these wagers.

Coincidentally (or not), I enjoy rolling dice at most of the casinos that offer these games. Golden Gate and El Cortez are my favorite places to play craps. The mix of a small house edge and interesting crowd offer the best entertainment value to me.

[StarDust Bum]

CFL season betting preview: How to bet the East Division

The 2015 season will begin on Thursday night, with the Montreal Alouettes hosting the Ottawa Redblacks. We didn't see a single team in the East Division finish with a winning record last year, and the bookmakers are expecting the West to be superior again this season. According to the Grey Cup odds, Hamilton is the front runner in a jam-packed East.

Here's a look at how the teams in the East Division stack up entering the new campaign.

EAST DIVISION

Hamilton Tigers-Cats (2014: 9-9 SU, 9-9 ATS)

Odds to win Grey Cup: +660

Why bet the Tiger-Cats: Hamilton lost to Calgary in the Grey Cup last year, and finished first in the division during the regular season despite a .500 record. The Ti-Cats appear to be in good hands with a young quarterback in Zack Collaros, who comes off an outstanding rookie campaign. The 26 year old showed steady improvement throughout his first season as a starter, and his coach is expecting him to be even better in 2015. “He’s got some Doug Flutie in him,” said head coach Kent Austin, comparing him to one of the greatest quarterbacks the league has ever seen.

Why not to bet the Tiger-Cats: They were terrible on the road last year, winning just two of their nine games away from Tim Hortons Field. They might struggle to improve on that record with a young defense in 2015, and they'll have a tough time replacing Delvin Breaux, who left for the NFL. C.J. Gable, Nic Grigsby and Mossis Madu gave them depth in the backfield last year, but nobody stepped up as a true No. 1 running back.

Grey Cup Outlook: Good as long as Collaros can stay healthy.

Montreal Alouettes (2014: 9-9 SU, 9-9 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +820

Why bet the Alouettes: Montreal finished last season winning eight of its last 10 games, and won its first playoff game in a 50-17 rout of the B.C. Lions. The Als are deep at running back with Brandon Whitaker, Brandon Rutley, Rainey and Logan, and they signed receivers Fred Stamps, Nik Lewis and Sam Giguere. The defense remains a strength, with Chip Cox and John Bowman both resigning.

Why not to bet the Alouettes: Jonathan Crompton took the team to the playoffs in 2014, but GM Jim Popp isn't convinced he has what it takes to be the starting quarterback. “Crompton won the job last year. The bottom line is can we win with him?” said Popp. Rakeem Cato led the Als in passing in their first preseason game, a 26-9 win over Ottawa. Brandon Bridge threw for 52 yards and a TD, while Crompton was just 2-of-6 for 17 yards. Who will start on opening night is anybody's guess.

Grey Cup Outlook: Fair. If they can find themselves a capable quarterback, they should be as good as anybody in the East.

Toronto Argonauts (2014: 8-10 SU, 7-11 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +950

Why bet the Argos: While the Argos will begin the season with Trevor Harris filling in for Ricky Ray at quarterback, he'll have a stout offensive line protecting him. He's looked capable so far in the preseason. The receiving corps looks strong with Chad Owens and Andre Durie returning and a handful of veterans all competing for a roster spot. Rookie Tori Gurley impressed with seven catches for 188 yards and a TD in his first appearance of the preseason.

Why not to bet the Argos: Toronto hopes to make improvements on the defensive side of the ball, but it has a long way to go as its secondary allowed the most touchdowns in the CFL last season. The Argos’ success will likely depend on how Ricky Ray recovers from offseason shoulder surgery, and we saw last season how Travis Lulay struggled for B.C. coming off the same injury. Top it all off with a nightmare of a schedule to start the season, and the Argos have plenty to overcome.

Grey Cup Outlook: Poor. There are too many question marks surrounding this team, and if Ray has any setbacks returning from injury, the season will likely be a disaster.

Ottawa Redblacks (2014: 2-16 SU, 7-11 ATS)

Odds to win the Grey Cup: +3550

Why bet on the Redblacks: Ottawa added a lot of star power on offense heading into this season, with Maurice Price, Ernest Jackson and Greg Ellingson coming into to bolster the receiving corps. Ellingson has established chemistry with veteran quarterback Henry Burris from their time together in Hamilton. Chris Williams returns after spending the last two seasons in the NFL, and he'll give them a boost on offense as well as special teams.

Why not to bet on the Redblacks: While improvement appears inevitable for Ottawa, its got a long way to go after winning just two games all of last season. The prognosis on the defensive side of the ball is a lot less positive than it is on offense, and there’s a lot riding on the 40-year-old arm of Burris.

Grey Cup Outlook: Poor. This team should be vastly improved but they've still got a long way to go before they can expect to complete with the best teams in the league.

[StarDust Bum]

Harbaugh fires back to coaches' criticism of satellite camps

Jun 17, 2015

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who has been criticized for holding 11 satellite camps in seven states, is firing back at those critics.

"In my America, you're allowed to cross state borders," Harbaugh told USA Today Sports regarding his camps. "That's the America I know."

Alabama coach Nick Saban, for one, has voiced his opposition since the Southeastern Conference no longer allows its coaches to participate in satellite camps.

"If we're going to have a playoff between these conferences then we should try to level the playing field as much as possible," Saban said recently on the Dan Patrick Show. "After eight years in the NFL, I look at their model. They do try to create parity and competitive balance, so it's even."

ACC commissioner John Swofford recently said the satellite camps weren't a healthy part of the recruiting process.

Mississippi State's Dan Mullen became the latest satellite camp detractor by labeling Harbaugh's camps a "recruiting fair."

"I imagine Jim Harbaugh, if he's going to have a camp, would want to coach the kids in Michigan, the young kids in Michigan, maybe how to be better football players," Mullen said Tuesday on HeadtoHead Radio in Mississippi. "So why do they need one all over the place? The only purpose obviously is for recruiting, which I don't think is the right purpose for camps."

Harbaugh told USA Today the satellite camps weren't about recruiting or rebuilding the brand.

"I don't know what that means, a brand," Harbaugh said, adding his motivation was about "sharing a love for football."

On Saturday, Michigan will present "A4: Ann Arbor's Aerial Assault," a quarterback-specific camp billed as an elite training school held on campus. More than 200 quarterbacks are expected to participate.

The coaching roster includes eight former Michigan quarterbacks, including Harbaugh, and several NFL quarterbacks, including Jay Cutler of the Chicago Bears and Jameis Winston of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"It is not about Michigan," Jedd Fisch, the Wolverines' passing game coordinator and quarterbacks/receivers coach who dreamed up the camp with Harbaugh, told USA Today. "This is truly using Coach Harbaugh's and my relationships (with high-profile quarterbacks) for the betterment of the game.

"My message to the kids that have asked about it is, 'Are you kidding me? You have an opportunity. This has never been done before. To be able just to be around these guys and to learn from them -- I feel like some people have thought it's more than that, and it's really not more than that."

[StarDust Bum]

Four LSU players suspended after arrests

Jun 18, 2015

Four LSU players were suspended by coach Les Miles after arrests in the past two days in Baton Rouge, La.

Starting quarterback Anthony Jennings and defensive lineman Maquedius Bain were arrested for felony unauthorized entry of a dwelling and defensive back Dwayne Thomas were arrested on the same charge and also for misdemeanor simple burglary. All three were booked at the East Baton Rouge (La.) Parish Prison.

Their arrests come two days after defensive lineman Trey Lealaimatafao was arrested for allegedly striking a woman.

Lealaimatafao, a redshirt freshman, was suspended from the team indefinitely after he was charged with misdemeanor attempted simple battery and attempted simple robbery.

Miles issued a statement on Thursday night saying Jennings, Bain and Thomas were also suspended.

Jennings, a junior, has started at quarterback since 2013. Last season, Jennings passed for 1,611 yards and 11 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

"It has been our policy to suspend players who have been involved in legal issues," Miles said. "I have met with all three players extensively. We are still working with campus housing and the authorities to determine what exactly took place. This is an ongoing investigation and our players will cooperate fully."

Lealaimatafao was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly shoved and punched a woman in the face outside a campus bar. The Baton Route police report indicated that Lealaimatafao was allegedly taking money from the pants of an unconscious person on the ground in the parking lot when his girlfriend yelled at him to stop.

"When she approached him, he pushed her away," the Baton Rouge Police report stated. "She continued to scream at him to stop, and he hit her in the face with a closed fist, causing her to fall to the ground."

[StarDust Bum]

Rangers' Fielder is surprise AL batting leader

Jun 19, 2015

LOS ANGELES -- After a herniated disk ruined his first season with the Texas Rangers in 2014, first baseman Prince Fielder is making a significant contribution in an unexpected area.

The 275-pound Fielder, known for his power, leads the American League with a .344 batting average after 67 games. Fielder is just ahead of Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (.342) as Friday's play begins.

When was the last time Fielder had such a high average this late in the season?

"I don't know," he said. "Probably never."

During his 10 years in the major leagues, Fielder finished a season batting higher than .300 just once. In 2012, he hit .313 in his first season as Cabrera's teammate in Detroit.

Fielder batted .279 for the Tigers in 2013, then hit just .247 in only 42 games with the Rangers last year.

Before sustaining the herniated disk, Fielder hit as many as 50 homers in a season. However, returning to full-time duty meant developing a simpler approach to hitting.

"As I got older, I realized that you can't try to hit a homer," Fielder said. "You can't try to go big. You've just got to try to hit the ball hard, put it in play and just see what happens."

That approach enables Fielder to sabotage opposing pitchers' continued attempts to defuse his power.

"They've pitched him tough," Texas manager Jeff Banister said. "He really hasn't had a whole lot of pitches out over the plate. They really try to stay inside and hard on him, and he hasn't been able to get extended on a lot of pitches."

Yet Fielder, who has 11 home runs this year, can use his new mindset to generate the long ball. In the top of the ninth inning Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, Fielder propelled a 99 mph fastball down the left field line for his 299th career homer.

"As I matured, I just realized that you just have to try to hit the ball hard," Fielder said. "You don't have to hit it far. If you hit it hard, good things will happen."

Fielder got a night off Thursday as the Rangers fell 1-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.