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**Udog** · 10-18-2013, 09:25 AM

Armadillo: Friday's six-pack

Some NFL trends for you to ponder with Week 7 upon us.......

-- Green Bay is 14-6 vs spread in last 20 non-divisional home games.

-- Buccaneers covered once in their last five road games.

-- Colts covered their last five games as a home underdog.

-- Bears covered six of last seven non-divisional road games.

-- 49ers are 21-9-1 vs spread in last 31 games when favored.

-- Lions are 10-6 in last sixteen games as a home favorite.

*****

Armadillo: Friday's List of 13: Things I’m looking for this weekend

13) If Ed Orgeron wants to remove “interim” from his current job title, then beating Notre Dame in South Bend would be a good way to start. Not sure the probation/injury-depleted Trojans have enough to get it done.

12) Winless Jacksonville Jaguars take their sorry act to England next week, but not before they host the Chargers in a huge trap game for San Diego, coming off a home upset of the Colts on Monday night.

11) UCLA-Stanford should tell us who Oregon’s top challenger in the Pac-12 is; Jim Mora’s team is also at Oregon next week, so huge part of the season for them.

10) Josh Freeman becomes Minnesota’s third starting QB in six games; its also his second start in Swamp Stadium this season, for his second team and against two different opponents.

9) Florida at Missouri features two backup QBs starting, but Gators’ Murphy already has couple starts under his belt, while Tigers’ Mauk is making his first college start, a week after the Tigers upset Georgia between the hedges.

8) How will Case Keenum do in his first NFL start in Arrowhead? Will Gary Kubiak get fired on the plane on the way home? Can the Chiefs get to 7-0, after being 2-14 last year?

7) Will St Louis finish off the Dodgers at home? The last two times Cardinals led the NLCS 3-1, they lost the series, but they finished both of those series on the road. Redbirds are under .500 vs lefties and are facing Kershaw/Ryu in Games 6-7.

6) Texas Tech figures to win at defensively-challenged West Virginia, but when your two QBs are a walk-on/freshman, road games can be tricky.

5) 0-5 Buccaneers at 1-4 Falcons. Have to figure Atlanta makes some kind of second half run; their losses were all last-minute deals. Hopefully for them they straightened some stuff out during their bye week.

4) Georgia lost to Mizzou last week in large part because they’ve got a ton of injuries; now the Dawgs visit Vandy, which has slipped a bit this year after going to a bowl in 2012. This is a game Georgia needs to win.

3) First NFL rematch of the season finds New England visiting Swamp Stadium; they beat Jets 13-10 on a Thursday night in Week 2; Patriots’ receivers have gotten a lot better since then.

2) Florida State-Clemson play for the top spot in the ACC two excellent QBs but one is a senior the other a freshman, and Seminoles have lost their last five visits to Death Valley.

1) Highlight of the weeknight is obviously Peyton Manning returning to Indianapolis to play his old team. Colts got caught looking ahead Monday night in San Diego. Broncos are an offensive juggernaut and get star LB Von Miller back this week.

**Udog** · 10-18-2013, 09:26 AM

NASCAR betting: Camping World RV Sales 500 preview

Talladega could be sports betting’s biggest craps shoot. The 2.66-mile superspeedway, known for gigantic wrecks, is nearly impossible to predict, leaving NASCAR oddsmakers to post some tight prices heading into this weekend’s Camping World RV Sales 500.

Favorite

Jimmie Johnson (+700)

Johnson is the favorite strictly because he’s the public’s choice most weeks and is always a threat to finish first each weekend. However, the No. 48 car isn’t among the most consistent rides at Talladega. Johnson owns an average finish of 17.1 at Talladega with two wins and six Top 5s in 23 career starts.

Underdog

Brad Keselowski (+1,500)

Keselowski cashed in as our underdog pick last week, so why not stick with the hot driver. He’s only started nine races at Talladega but has finished first in two of those and owns six Top-10 showings in those outings. Keselowski is outside the Chase but is making one strong case for the 2014 season.

Long shot

David Ragan (+4,000)

Ragan is another driver that doesn’t have many notches on his belt at Talladega but has impressed in his limited appearances on the superspeedway. He’s won once, finished inside the Top 5 four times and placed within the Top 10 in six of his 13 career races at Talladega. That victory came earlier this season at the Aaron’s 499 back in May. Ragan has finished first, fourth and seventh in his last three trips to Lincoln, Alabama.

Key stat: According to ESPN, “The Big One” has plagued five of the last seven races at Talladega, with at least 11 cars getting caught up in those infamous wrecks. Last year’s fall race featured a 25-car pileup on the final lap of the race.

Odds to win Camping World RV Sales 500 (courtesy of TopBet)

Jimmie Johnson 8-1
Kyle Busch 9-1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 10-1
Matt Kenseth 10-1
Jeff Gordon 10-1
Kevin Harvick 10-1
Brad Keselowski 15-1
Clint Bowyer 15-1
Kasey Kahne 15-1
Kurt Busch 15-1
Carl Edwards 18-1
Joey Logano 20-1
Greg Biffle 20-1
Aric Almirola 30-1
Jamie McMurray 20-1
Martin Truex Jr. 25-1
Denny Hamlin 25-1
Ryan Newman 30-1
Jeff Burton 35-1
Danica Patrick 40-1
David Ragan 40-1
Juan Montoya 40-1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 40-1
Paul Menard 40-1
Austin Dillon 40-1
Michael Waltrip 40-1
Sam Hornish, Jr. 45-1
David Gilliland 50-1
Trevor Bayne 75-1
Marcos Ambrose 75-1
Dave Blaney 80-1
Casey Mears 80-1
Justin Allgaier 80-1
Field (Any Other Driver) 25-1

**Udog** · 10-18-2013, 09:26 AM

NBA Northwest Division betting preview: Everything is not OK in OKC

The Oklahoma City Thunder are big favorites to win the Northwest Division, with the Denver Nuggets looking like long-shot value heading into the season. The rest of the division is a bit of a mystery with playoff potential in a few teams.

Denver Nuggets (2012-13: 57-25 SU, 49-32-1 ATS)

Odds to win division: +550
Season win total: 47.0

Why bet the Nuggets: This team won 57 games year ago and was virtually unbeatable at home, going 38-3 SU at the Pepsi Center (won final 24 regular season home games). They were 24-4 SU overall after the All-Star break. Despite losing Andre Iguodala, the Nuggets still have tremendous depth and a healthy Danilo Gallinari returning. Since the ABA-NBA merger, there have only been five instances of a 57-win team failing to make the playoffs the following season.

Why not to bet the Nuggets: After that tremendous regular season, they were eliminated in the first round by Golden State. I expect there to be a carryover to this season. The Nuggets’ defensive issues were exploited by the Warriors and the loss of their best player (Iguodala) will hurt a team that has no stars to begin with. But most concerning is losing both their coach (George Karl) and GM (Masai Ujiri). They will probably have to fight to make the playoffs this year.

Season win total pick: Under 47 wins.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2012-13: 31-51 SU, 38-41-3 ATS)

Odds to win division: +1000
Season win total: 41.0

Why bet the Timberwolves: The return of a healthy Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio. That duo didn't even start a single game together last season. Four T-Wolves starters missed at least 18 games in 2012-13 and leading the way was Love, who played in only 18 games. Overall, the team lost a combined 346 games and nearly 9,000 minutes to injury. Thankfully, the organization decided to fire GM David Kahn, whose history of poor drafting makes him a case of addition by subtraction.

Why not to bet the Timberwolves: This team has won fewer games the last two seasons combined than Oklahoma City did all of last year. In fact, Minnesota's win total (57) from the last two seasons only matches that of Denver last year. This is a franchise that has not made the playoffs in a decade (longest active drought in the league) and seems snake-bitten. Ricky Rubio, while an excellent passer, is not a great shooter.

Season win total pick: Over 41 wins

Oklahoma City Thunder (2012-13: 60-22 SU, 49-31-2 ATS)

Odds to win division: -400
Season win total: 50.5

Why bet the Thunder: We are getting tremendous value on the season win total because of the injury to Russell Westbrook. They are still going to be favored in most games and, as long as they can go .500 without Westbrook, they should go Over this total with room to spare. Going back to the 2007-08 season, every Western Conference division winner has won at least 54 games (excluding the lockout-shortened season of 2012). Don't forget that OKC beat Houston last year in the playoffs without Westbrook.

Why not to bet the Thunder: What if the Westbrook injury lingers? They also lost Kevin Martin, who was James Harden's replacement, so not only is there no longer a "Big 3" in Oklahoma City but for the first several weeks it will be only Kevin Durant and a bunch of so-so players. The top of the West has gotten stronger and I don't see the Thunder getting the No. 1 seed.

Season win total pick: Over 50.5 wins

Portland Trail Blazers (2012-13: 33-49 SU, 34-44-4 ATS)

Odds to win division: +1800
Season win total: 38.5

Why bet the Blazers: I think this team is going to fight with Minnesota (and probably Dallas) for the final playoff spot out West. They won 33 games last year, a terrible finish that saw them lose their final 13 games. They have two of the best 30 players in the league with LaMarcus Aldridge and last year's unanimous Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard. There were two underrated acquisitions this offseason, Robin Lopez and Thomas Robinson, who the team got for next to nothing.

Why not to bet the Blazers: The West is still loaded and I don't see this as a playoff team (although they should finish at or near .500). Compared to some of the other teams out West, the Blazers have very little depth. They finished dead last in bench points last season (18.5 per game) - 5.6 PPG fewer than the second worst team. C.J. McCollum was drafted 10th overall this past June to be the team's sixth man, but has already undergone foot surgery.

Season win total pick: Over 38.5 wins

Utah Jazz (2012-13: 43-39 SU, 42-39-1 ATS)

Odds to win division: +1800
Season win total: 27.5

Why bet the Jazz: Well, they did win 43 games last season, which may not have been enough to make the playoffs, but that number is still way more than the books are predicting for this year. They did lose both of their starting forwards, Al Jefferson and Paul Milsap, but can quickly replace them with Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors without much of a drop off.

Why not to bet the Jazz: In a division where four of the five teams are capable of producing 40-plus wins, the Jazz are the outlier and probably a lock for last place in the Northwest. Their top draft choice Trey Burke is going to miss up to six weeks after fracturing his right index finger. Coupled with having to replace your starting forwards from the previous season, this could be the ugliest year in some time in Utah. Four starters from last year's team are gone (56.1 PPG, 20.2 RPG, 12.9 APG) and in their place are a bunch of expiring contracts. Head Coach Ty Corbin may not last the season, which would be a far cry from the proud tenure of Jerry Sloan before him.

Season win total pick: Under 27.5 wins

**Udog** · 10-18-2013, 09:28 AM

CFL
Dunkel

Calgary at Edmonton
The Eskimos look to build on their 7-3 ATS record in their last 10 October games. Edmonton is the pick (+5 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has the Stampeders favored by only 2 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+5 1/2). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

Game 491-492: Calgary at Edmonton (9:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 120.180; Edmonton 117.547
Dunkel Line: Calgary by 2 1/2; 57
Vegas Line: Calgary by 5 1/2; 53
Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+5 1/2); Over

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

Game 493-494: Toronto at Winnipeg (3:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Toronto 118.728; Winnipeg 101.064
Dunkel Line: Toronto by 17 1/2; 49
Vegas Line: Toronto by 6; 53 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-6); Under

Game 495-496: BC at Saskatchewan (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: BC 112.214; Saskatchewan 119.091
Dunkel Line: Saskatchewan by 7; 47
Vegas Line: Saskatchewan by 4; 51
Dunkel Pick: Saskatchewan (-4); Under

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20

Game 497-498: Hamilton at Montreal (1:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Hamilton 116.733; Montreal 113.410
Dunkel Line: Hamilton by 3 1/2; 55
Vegas Line: Hamilton by 1; 52 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Hamilton (-1); Over

CFL
Long Sheet

Week 17

Friday, October 18

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CALGARY (12 - 3) at EDMONTON (3 - 12) - 10/18/2013, 9:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CALGARY is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road games over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 18-8 ATS (+9.2 Units) in road lined games over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 12-2 ATS (+9.8 Units) when playing on a Friday over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 16-6 ATS (+9.4 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest over the last 2 seasons.
CALGARY is 17-7 ATS (+9.3 Units) in road games in games played on turf over the last 3 seasons.
EDMONTON is 45-66 ATS (-27.6 Units) when playing on a Friday since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
EDMONTON is 5-5 against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 7-3 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 10 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Saturday, October 19

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TORONTO (9 - 6) at WINNIPEG (3 - 12) - 10/19/2013, 3:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) when playing on a Saturday over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in road games in games played on turf over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 4-4 against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 5-3 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
5 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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BRITISH COLUMBIA (9 - 6) at SASKATCHEWAN (10 - 5) - 10/19/2013, 7:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 46-23 ATS (+20.7 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1996.
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 57-37 ATS (+16.3 Units) in road games off a division game since 1996.
SASKATCHEWAN is 6-15 ATS (-10.5 Units) when playing on a Saturday over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 6-3 against the spread versus SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
BRITISH COLUMBIA is 6-3 straight up against SASKATCHEWAN over the last 3 seasons
8 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Sunday, October 20

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HAMILTON (8 - 7) at MONTREAL (6 - 9) - 10/20/2013, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 0-6 ATS (-6.6 Units) in home games in October games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
HAMILTON is 7-2 against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
HAMILTON is 6-3 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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CFL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Week 17

Calgary (12-3) @ Edmonton (3-12)—Stampeders won first two Battle of Albertas in Weeks 10-11, winning 37-34 (-7.5) at home, then 22-12 (-3) here the next week; Calgary won seven of its last eight games overall, covering last three- they’re 5-2 SU on road, 3-0 as a road favorite this year, with road wins by 8-13-21-10-24 points, and losses in Regina/Vancouver. Overall, Calgary won its last six games over the Eskimos, with four of six by 3 or less points. Edmonton is awful, covering once in six tries as a home underdog, with home losses by 21-14-1-10-12-23 points. Visitor covered six of their last seven games. Five of last seven series games went over the total, as did three of last four games for both teams here.

Toronto (9-6) @ Winnipeg (3-12)—Argos got Ray back at QB last week but lost to Hamilton for second week in row; they’ve actually played better on road, winning six of last seven on foreign soil, while losing last three at home. Toronto is 4-4 in last eight games, despite trailing all eight at the half; they won 35-19 (-3.5) at Winnipeg in first meeting of year back in Week 4, game they led 21-6 at half- Argos are 5-1 in last six series games, winning last three visits to Manitoba by 5-19-16 points. Bombers upset Alouettes in Montreal last week as 11-point dogs; they’ve still given up 38.3 ppg in last four games, but they were +3 in turnovers at Montreal, after being -12 in previous six games. Five of last seven series games went over the total.

British Columbia (9-6) @ Saskatchewan (10-5)—Third meeting in five weeks between these rivals; road team won first two series meetings this year, with Lions (+6.5) winning 24-22 here in Week 13, then Roughriders (+3) snapping 4-game skid with 31-17 road win two weeks ago. Team that won turnover battle won each game. Over last two seasons, teams split their six meetings; last nine series games stayed under the total. Lions allowed 31-40 points in losing last two games; they’re 1-4 as road underdogs this year, with road losses by 12-26-8-14 points- their only cover as a road dog was here four weeks ago. Riders are 3-4 as a home favorite, failing to cover last three home. Five of last six Saskatchewan games stayed under the total.

Hamilton (8-7) @ Montreal (6-9)—TiCats (-8) beat Montreal 28-26 in first series meeting in Week 13, Hamilton’s 4th win in last five series games; they outrushed Als 102-47 as home side won for 9th time in last ten series games, with TiCats losing three of last four played here. Six of last nine series games went over total, with average total in those games, 63.9. Hamilton won three of last four games, covered eight of last ten; they’re 3-4 SU on road, covering last five away games- they covered three of last four games when favored. Alouettes lost four of last six games but covered five of last six as an underdog; they were -3 in turnovers last week, reducing season mark to +13, damn good for a 6-9 team. Over is 8-4 in last dozen Montreal games, 1-4 in last five Hamilton games.

CFL

Week 17

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Trend Report
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Friday, October 18

9:00 PM
CALGARY vs. EDMONTON
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 6 games on the road
Calgary is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Edmonton is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Edmonton is 1-8 SU in its last 9 games at home

Saturday, October 19

3:30 PM
TORONTO vs. WINNIPEG
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Winnipeg
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
Winnipeg is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Winnipeg is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto

7:00 PM
BRITISH COLUMBIA vs. SASKATCHEWAN
British Columbia is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Saskatchewan
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of British Columbia's last 5 games when playing Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Saskatchewan's last 6 games

Sunday, October 20

1:00 PM
HAMILTON vs. MONTREAL
Hamilton is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Hamilton's last 5 games
Montreal is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games

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CFL

Week 17

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Stampeders at Eskimos: What bettors need to know
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Calgary Stampeders at Edmonton Eskimos (+5.5, 53)

The Calgary Stampeders lead the West Division by four points as they move closer to securing a first-round playoff bye with the division title. On Friday, Calgary visits the struggling Edmonton Eskimos, who are still looking for their first divisional victory. The Stampeders have won three straight, while Edmonton is mired in a three-game losing skid.

Calgary veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn is posting the most efficient season of his 13-year CFL career, with a career-high completion percentage of 67.3 and a passer rating of 102. Starting pivot Drew Tate is almost ready to return full-time for the Stampeders, but Glenn is making it difficult for the team to ignore what he’s done in Tate’s absence. Edmonton quarterback Mike Reilly has thrown for an impressive 3,589 yards despite being sacked a division-high 48 times, making his case to remain the Eskimos starter beyond this lost season.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, TSN

ABOUT THE STAMPEDERS (12-3): Running back Jon Cornish already has a career-best 1,545 rushing yards with three games remaining. Kick returner Clifton Smith had a massive debut for Calgary last week against the BC Lions, totaling 188 return yards and a receiving touchdown. Defensive linemen Cordarro Law and Charleston Hughes have 25 sacks combined - more than half the team total of 49.

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (3-12): Slotback Adarius Bowman has 27 catches for 357 yards and two touchdowns since returning from a knee injury Sept. 6. Linebacker JC Sherritt remains out indefinitely with a fractured thumb, which he re-injured two weeks ago against the Montreal Alouettes. Edmonton’s offense is fairly one-dimensional, with Reilly leading the team in rushing yards with 581 - 56 more than running back Hugh Charles.

TRENDS:

* Stampeders are 6-1 ATS in their last seven meetings in Edmonton.
* Over is 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
* Stampeders are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
* Eskimos are 2-7 ATS in their last nine home games.

EXTRA POINTS:

1. Calgary is second in the league with 49 sacks.

2. The Eskimos have allowed a league-worst 135.1 rushing yards per game.

3. Edmonton SB Fred Stamps has a league-leading 1,127 receiving yards

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**Udog** · 10-18-2013, 09:33 AM

MLB
Dunkel

LA Dodgers at St. Louis
The Dodgers look to build on their 11-4 record in Clayton Kershaw's last 15 starts as a road favorite. LA is the pick (-130) according to Dunkel, which has the Dodgers favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-130). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

Game 921-922: LA Dodgers at St. Louis (8:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: LA Dodgers (Kershaw) 17.831; St. Louis (Wacha) 16.241
Dunkel Line: LA Dodgers by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-130); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: LA Dodgers (-130); Under

MLB
Long Sheet

Friday, October 18

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LA DODGERS (97 - 74) at ST LOUIS (103 - 69) - 8:35 PM
CLAYTON KERSHAW (L) vs. MICHAEL WACHA (R)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 103-69 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 27-15 (+10.6 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
ST LOUIS is 80-61 (+25.0 Units) against the money line as a home underdog of +100 to +125 since 1997.
ST LOUIS is 58-28 (+14.3 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
ST LOUIS is 12-0 (+12.2 Units) against the money line in home games when playing with a day off this season.
ST LOUIS is 103-69 (+13.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
ST LOUIS is 48-21 (+22.6 Units) against the money line after a loss this season.
ST LOUIS is 389-266 (+57.5 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1997.
ST LOUIS is 18-7 (+9.7 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.
LA DODGERS are 97-74 (+5.3 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
LA DODGERS are 46-39 (+6.6 Units) against the money line in road games this season.
LA DODGERS are 71-46 (+15.6 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 21-25 (-11.8 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 6-6 (-0.3 Units) against LA DODGERS this season
8 of 12 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL this season . (Under=+3.6 Units)

CLAYTON KERSHAW vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
KERSHAW is 4-6 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 3.41 and a WHIP of 1.276.
His team's record is 6-8 (-3.9 units) in these starts. The UNDER is 7-6. (+0.3 units)

MICHAEL WACHA vs. LA DODGERS since 1997
WACHA is 1-0 when starting against LA DODGERS with an ERA of 0.00 and a WHIP of 0.900.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.3 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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MLB
Short Sheet

Friday, October 18

MLB
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, October 18

Dodgers-Cardinals

Kershaw is 3-1, 1.13 in his last five starts, with three of last four going over the total. He is 0-2, 3.32 in three starts against St Louis this season.

Wacha won his last three starts, allowing one run, seven hits in 22.2 IP; four of his last five starts stayed under the total. He blanked LA for 6.2 IP on five hits earlier in series, his only start against the Dodgers.

Dodgers are 6-6 against St Louis this year, with eight of 12 games going under the total. LA is 5-4 in playoffs but 11-14 in last 25 games overall; four of five games in this series stayed under the total.

Cardinals scored 12 runs in this series, still lead 3-2; they've won 16 of last 22 games, winning 11 of last 12 home games- four of their last five games stayed under the total. St Louis was 19-23 vs lefty starters during regular season.

MLB

Friday, October 18

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Trend Report
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8:37 PM
LA DODGERS vs. ST. LOUIS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
LA Dodgers are 3-6 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against St. Louis
St. Louis is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games when playing LA Dodgers

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MLB

Friday, October 18

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Dodgers at Cardinals: What bettors need to know
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Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals (+118, 5.5)

St. Louis leads the the series 3-2.

With last year's stunning National League Championship Series loss a not-so-distant memory, the St. Louis Cardinals try to close out the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 on Friday night. It won't be an easy task for St. Louis, which must face Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw as it attempts to avoid squandering a 3-1 lead in the NLCS for the second straight year. Rookie Michael Wacha will oppose Kershaw in a rematch of Game 2, won by the Cardinals 1-0.

Offense had been at a premium throughout the series until the Dodgers busted out and swatted four homers - two by Adrian Gonzalez - to stave off elimination with a 6-4 victory in Game 5. St. Louis failed to take advantage of some early scoring opportunities on Wednesday but its bats are starting to come around, producing 10 hits after managing a total of 12 in the previous three games. Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday is 5-for-8 with a homer and three RBIs in the last two games.

TV: 8:37 p.m. ET, TBS

WEATHER: Temperatures will be in the low-50s. There is a 30 percent chance of showers in the forecast.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 0.00) vs. RH Michael Wacha (1-0, 0.00)

Kershaw was saddled with the loss in Game 2 despite allowing an unearned run on only two hits in his six-inning stint. In three starts this postseason, the likely NL Cy Young Award winner has yielded four runs - one earned - and eight hits while striking out 23 in 19 innings. "Our focus for Game 6 is to score runs for Kershaw and let him do his thing," Gonzalez said. As well as he pitched in Game 2, Kershaw has lost all three starts to St. Louis this season.

Wacha has pitched with the poise of a veteran rather than the rookie who entered the playoffs with nine regular-season starts. He struck out eight in 6 2/3 scoreless innings to outduel Kershaw in Game 2 and was dominant in his NL Division Series start, allowing one run and one hit with nine strikeouts in 7 1/3 innings. Wacha's last three outings have been off the charts - the 22-year-old has yielded one run on seven hits while striking out 26 in 22 2/3 innings.

TRENDS:

* Over is 6-2-1 in Kershaw's last nine starts vs. Cardinals.
* Dodgers are 0-4 in Kershaw's last four starts vs. Cardinals.
* Cardinals are 10-1 in their last 11 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

UMP TRENDS - Greg Gibson:

* Cardinals are 1-5 in their last six games with Gibson behind home plate.
* Under is 8-3 in Gibson's last 11 games behind home plate vs. St. Louis.
* Home team is 17-5 in Gibson's last 22 games behind home plate vs. Los Angeles.

WALK-OFFS:

1. Dodgers SS Hanley Ramirez (ribs) has made early exits in the last two games but will be in the starting lineup Friday.

2. Holliday is 10-for-35 with 10 walks lifetime against Kershaw.

3. The Dodgers have lost six straight postseason series when facing elimination at any point, dating to the 1995 NLDS.

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**Udog** · 10-18-2013, 09:38 AM

NHL
Dunkel

St. Louis at Winnipeg
The Blues look to take advantage of a Winnipeg team that is coming off a 3-0 loss to Montreal and is 3-7 in its last 10 games after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game. St. Louis is the pick (-125) according to Dunkel, which has the Blues favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-125). Here are all of today's picks.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

Game 51-52: St. Louis at Winnipeg (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis 12.126; Winnipeg 10.648
Dunkel Line & Total: St. Louis by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: St. Louis (-125); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (-125); Under

Game 53-54: Phoenix at Anaheim (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Phoenix 12.173; Anaheim 11.084
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Anaheim (-145); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (+125); Over

NHL
Long Sheet

Friday, October 18

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ST LOUIS (5-1-0-0, 10 pts.) at WINNIPEG (3-4-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/18/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 16-7 ATS (+23.2 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 1-0-0 straight up against WINNIPEG over the last 3 seasons
0 of 0 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.0 Units)

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PHOENIX (4-2-0-1, 9 pts.) at ANAHEIM (5-1-0-0, 10 pts.) - 10/18/2013, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 292-263 ATS (+23.5 Units) first half of the season since 1996.
PHOENIX is 48-32 ATS (+87.4 Units) in road games on Friday nights since 1996.
PHOENIX is 16-6 ATS (+22.4 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 95-96 ATS (+226.5 Units) in road games vs. division opponents since 1996.
PHOENIX is 35-28 ATS (+66.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 11-5 ATS (+17.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHOENIX is 5-4 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
PHOENIX is 5-4-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.9 Units)

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NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Friday, October 18

Hot teams
-- Blues won five of their first six games.
-- Anaheim won its last five games, allowing eight goals. Coyotes won three of last four.

Cold teams
-- Jets lost four of their last five games.

Series records
-- Blues won last three games with Winnipeg, allowing seven goals.
-- Coyotes won four of their last five games with Anaheim.

Totals
-- Last five Winnipeg games stayed under the total.
-- Three of last four Anaheim games stayed under total.

NHL

Friday, October 18

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Trend Report
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8:00 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of St. Louis's last 9 games on the road
St. Louis is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
Winnipeg is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing St. Louis

10:00 PM
PHOENIX vs. ANAHEIM
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing Anaheim
Phoenix is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Anaheim
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 6 games when playing at home against Phoenix
Anaheim is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home

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**Udog** · 10-18-2013, 12:27 PM

NHL
Short Sheet

Friday, October 18

St Louis at Winnipeg, 8:05 ET
St Louis: 8-18 SU in road games after having won 4 or 5 of their last 6 games
Winnipeg: 16-7 SU after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game

Phoenix at Anaheim, 10:05 ET
Phoenix: 16-6 SU when playing with 2 days rest
Anaheim: 13-26 SU after a 5 game unbeaten streak

MLB
Short Sheet

Friday, October 18

LA Dodgers at St Louis, 8:35 ET - Game 6 - 2-3
Kershaw: LA Dodgers 10-18 SU on a good fielding streak
Wacha: St Louis 6-0 SU as a home underdog of +100 or higher

Announcement

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 10/18 (MLB, CFL, NHL, Misc.)

Friday's Trends and Indexes - 10/18 (MLB, CFL, NHL, Misc.)

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