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**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 07:16 AM

Armadillo: Tuesday's six-pack

Six of the more interesting college football games this weekend:

-- UCLA @ Oregon-- Ducks scored 109 points in last two vs UCLA.

-- Utah @ USC-- How will Trojans bounce back from Notre Dame loss?

-- Texas Tech @ Oklahoma-- Biggest test yet for unbeaten Red Raiders.

-- Texas @ TCU-- Can Longhorns retain momentum from Oklahoma win?

-- Stanford @ Oregon State-- Cardinal lost last road game, at Utah.

-- South Carolina @ Missouri-- Can Cinderella Tigers get to 8-0?

*****

Armadillo: Tuesday's List of 13: Nobody asked me, but.........

13) Want to punish white collar felons who committed non-violent acts? Make them help coach Little League in the suburbs; that’ll teach them to break the law. Of all the things I’ve done in my 53 years, that was one of the least rewarding. The sense of entitlement among the great majority of those ungrateful humans was astonishing.

12) Home plate collisions are probably going to be banned in big league baseball after this season, following the lead of amateur ball from years ago. Runners will have to avoid tags or be called out, could be ejected for running over the catcher at home plate.

11) I’m thinking CSI should be in the regular high school curriculum, if for no other reason than to hammer into kids’ heads that it really is extremely difficult to get away with committing crimes, which hopefully results in less crime. Plus, its interesting to study, better than most science classes that were taught when I was in high school.

10) Jim Leyland is stepping down as Tigers’ manager, which is bad for the Tigers and bad for baseball. Wonder if his refusal to use Phil Coke vs Ortiz in Game 2 of the ALCS had anything to do with it?

9) RIP Ed Lauter, one of our favorite character actors; he was the prison guard in the original Longest Yard, and the hockey coach in Youngblood. If you watch movies/TV at all, you’ve seen him.

8) If I told you three years ago that..........
a) Butler would be in the Big East and
b) Butler’s coach would quit to be the head coach of the Celtics, you would’ve had me committed. Real life is often stranger than fiction.

7) I've seen every Monday night football game since they started showing them when I was 10 years old; Monday night's Viking-Giant debacle was one of the ten worst Monday night games ever. Just a terrible game.

6) Orlando Magic are breaking with NBA tradition and won’t have morning shootarounds on the road, hopefully to keep players fresher.

They’ll do afternoon walkthroughs in hotel ballrooms, so they can give out scouting info closer to gametime, so hopefully info will be retained better.

5) Mike Ditka turned 74 last week; Willie Horton turned 71. On subject of age, Pete Carroll sure doesn’t look 62, but he is.

4) Recurring downside of rooting for the A’s; I know Grant Balfour will be closing games for someone else next year, which sucks; he did such a great job for the A’s the last two years, but his time to get paid has come and the A’s don’t pay closers.

3) ESPN's studio show before Monday night games is awful; Tom Jackson actually flipped a coin on the air to decide who he picked in the game. It doesn't occur to these nitwits that fans of the team are watching, so why show disrespect to those viewers? Earn your money, people.

2) Downside of following a lot of people on Twitter; I got about 25 tweets telling me Sam Bradford tore his ACL. Thanks.

Who will the Rams sign to backup Kellen Clemens? As long as it isn’t Tim Tebow, I’ll be OK with it. If they sign Tebow, I might get physically ill. I'd rather have 62-year old Dan Fouts at QB than Tebow. Seriously.

Update; looks like it'll be Brady Quinn or Greg McElroy. Oy.

1) I’m convinced the biggest untapped market for a huge pay-per-view event in the summer would be a 64-player 1-on-1 tournament sponsored by the NBA, with proceeds going to charities.

Have it the week of baseball’s All-Star Game, just before the Vegas Summer League- it would be huge; imagine a Lebron-Kobe matchup, or Durant-Anthony or Rose-Steph Curry? Tremendous!!!!

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 07:17 AM

See spot. See spot bet: This week's best spot bet opportunities

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you’re betting. Whether it’s a team looking past this week’s opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots.

Letdown spot

The Bronze Boot is resting safely back in Fort Collins after the Colorado State Rams stomped the rival Wyoming Cowboys, 52-22 as 6.5-point road underdogs, in the Border War Saturday. That win marked CSU’s first victory over Wyoming since 2008 and was a rare high spot for the Rams this season. But what goes up, must come down.

Colorado State could have some trouble in paradise with a letdown looming in Hawaii. A trip to the islands has plagued even the best of football programs. And with CSU overconfident off a rivalry win and focusing more on the tropical surroundings than the Warriors, there is value in Hawaii as a 5.5-point home underdog. The home team has covered in each of the past four meetings between these teams.

Lookahead spot

The Boston Bruins close out a three-game road trip in Buffalo Wednesday, headlining one of two NHL primetime games. With wins in their first two stops on this trek – over Florida and Tampa Bay – the Bruins are 5-2-0-0 and right in the mix in the Atlantic Division. However, the reigning Eastern Conference champs could find themselves looking past the lowly Sabres and to a monster matchup on Thursday’s slate.

A game against last-place Buffalo pales in comparison to a home showdown with the San Jose Sharks, who enter the week with the best record in the NHL. San Jose has picked up points in its first eight games, going 7-0-0-1 out of the gate. Boston struggled against Buffalo last season, losing three of their five meetings. Bettors will get great home moneyline value on the Sabres Wednesday.

Schedule spot

The San Francisco 49ers are a long way from home in Week 8, taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, England Sunday. The Niners, who have to overcome an eight-hour time difference, left Nashville, where they beat the Titans Sunday, and traveled straight to the UK in preparation for this weekend’s contest.

The Niners organization has made this trip before, beating Denver 24-16 as 2-point favorites in Wembley Stadium back in 2010, but was a much more traveled team at that point in the season. This year, San Francisco has only ventured as far east as Tennessee and has played four of its first seven games in the Bay Area. On top of playing on the other side of the globe, the 49ers are hefty 17-point chalk versus the Jaguars Sunday.

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 07:17 AM

NBA Southeast Division betting preview: Heat lead anemic group

Barring a season of regression or a disastrous injury, the Miami Heat are poised to run away with the Southeast Division title. The Washington Wizards are a trendy pick to nab a playoff spot in the thin Eastern Conference, while the Atlanta Hawks will look to clinch a playoff spot for the seventh-consecutive season.

Atlanta Hawks (2012-13: 44-38 SU, 37-43-2 ATS)

Odds To Win The Division: +1400
Season Win Total: 40.0

Why To Bet The Hawks: Well, they have now made the playoffs six consecutive seasons and posted at least 40 wins in the last five (even including the lockout shortened campaign of 2012). The Eastern Conference is actually weaker this year with only five teams most would feel comfortable guaranteeing will finish over .500. After that, the Hawks are in a small group (with Cleveland, Detroit and Washington) competing for the final three playoff spots. Most feel losing Josh Smith won't hurt too much, considering they never really went anywhere special with him in the first place. He will be replaced by Paul Milsap, which actually could be an upgrade.

Why Not To Bet The Hawks: At the risk of alienating my Atlanta clients, I hate the Hawks. They seem to be the only franchise in the league that doesn't understand the concept, "if you're not good, then you should try and be bad." Interestingly, them not grasping this formula will probably work in the favor of those wanting to bet the Hawks Over the season win total. However, this is the second straight season where the team loses its leading scorer from the previous year and I see them missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2006-07.

Season Win Total Pick: Under 40.0 wins

Charlotte Bobcats (2012-13: 21-61 SU, 31-50-1 ATS)

Odds To Win The Division: +20000
Season Win Total: 27.5

Why Bet The Bobcats: Shockingly, the Bobcats did not finish in last place last season as somehow they were able to dig out of the basement in the season's final days and finish ahead of Orlando. The fact that Charlotte is no longer the worst team in the division helps, but let's be honest, this team has very little in the way of talent. They did sign Al Jefferson, who instantly becomes their best player.

Why Not To Bet The Bobcats: Michael Jordan is a horrendous owner with one of the worst track records when it comes to drafting possibly ever. Over the last two seasons, they have won 28 games combined in 120 games, so asking them to match that total in 82 games, seems like wishful thinking. Last year, Charlotte ranked 26th in points scored, 27th in rebounds, 28th in assists and 29th in points allowed. As a reminder, this is a 30-team league.

Season Win Total Pick: Under 27.5 wins

Miami Heat (2012-13: 66-16 SU, 46-36 ATS)

Odds To Win The Division: -10000
Season Win Total: 60.0

Why Bet The Heat: As you can tell from the odds to win the division, there is no safer pick to win the division than the two-time defending NBA Champion Heat. Not only are they the best team in the league, but they play in the worst division. It would take some sort of catastrophic injury to prevent Miami from winning this division. Chicago and Indiana are both going to be very good and push Miami for the top spot in the Eastern Conference, so winning more than 60 games seems likely.

Why Not To Bet The Heat: It will not take much for Miami to win this division, and perhaps they won't be interested in earning homecourt advantage in the playoffs. They are an older team that probably relies too much on LeBron James, so coach Erik Spoelstra may elect to rest certain members of the supporting cast during the regular season to save them for the playoffs.

Season Win Total Pick: Over 60 Wins

Orlando Magic (2012-13: 20-62 SU, 36-44-2 ATS)

Odds To Win The Division: +20000
Season Win Total: 24.5

Why Bet the Magic: I really don't know why you would. I suppose playing in a weak division that also includes Charlotte gives them a chance at "stealing" some wins. I suppose the starting five isn't horrible.

Why Not To Bet The Magic: Outside of clearly tanking Philadelphia, this looks like the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Magic's "commitment" to win could probably be called into question as well. Word that they are going to try top draft pick Victor Oladipo at point guard sounds like a desperate move. This appears to be the bottoming out season in post-Dwight Howard Orlando.

Season Win Total Pick: Under 24.5 Wins

Washington Wizards (2012-13: 29-53 SU, 45-35-2 ATS)

Odds To Win The Division: +1200
Season Win Total: 42.0

Why Bet The Wizards: After a dreadful start to the season, John Wall came back and the team was much better. If not for a horrible road record, the Wizards actually could have competed for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They are a trendy pick coming into the year, and should contend with Atlanta for the final playoff spot.

Why Not To Bet the Wizards: They were still only 24-25 after Wall's return, and while that's not bad, it's still a sub-.500 record and the books are calling for a better than .500 finish in 2013-14. How will they handle the pressure of expectations? Can Wall remain healthy for an entire season? Now that he got his contract, will he play as well as last year? He is still a poor shooter than turns the ball over too much. That and injury concerns pretty much sum up the entire Washington roster.

Season Win Total Pick: Under 42.0 Wins

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 07:18 AM

NHL
Dunkel

Nashville at Minnesota
The Predators look to build on their 8-3 record in their last 11 games versus the Wild. Nashville is the pick (+130) according to Dunkel, which has the Predators favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+130). Here are all of today's picks.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

Game 51-52: Anaheim at Toronto (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Anaheim 12.276; Toronto 11.241
Dunkel Line & Total: Anaheim by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Toronto (-110); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Anaheim (-110); Over

Game 53-54: Vancouver at NY Islanders (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Vancouver 12.468; NY Islanders 10.813
Dunkel Line & Total: Vancouver by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Vancouver (-115); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Vancouver (-115); Under

Game 55-56: New Jersey at Columbus (7:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: New Jersey 11.703; Columbus 10.811
Dunkel Line & Total: New Jersey by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Columbus (-140); 5
Dunkel Pick: New Jersey (+120); Over

Game 57-58: Edmonton at Montreal (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 10.998; Montreal 12.533
Dunkel Line & Total: Montreal by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Montreal (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Montreal (-200); Under

Game 59-60: Chicago at Florida (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Chicago 11.877; Florida 10.311
Dunkel Line & Total: Chicago by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Chicago (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Chicago (-200); Under

Game 61-62: Nashville at Minnesota (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Nashville 11.466; Minnesota 10.653
Dunkel Line & Total: Nashville by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Minnesota (-150); 5
Dunkel Pick: Nashville (+130); Over

Game 63-64: Washington at Winnipeg (8:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 11.918; Winnipeg 10.826
Dunkel Line & Total: Washington by 1; 6
Vegas Line & Total: Winnipeg (-120); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+100); Over

Game 65-66: Calgary at Phoenix (10:00 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: Calgary 11.501; Phoenix 12.950
Dunkel Line & Total: Phoenix by 1 1/2; 5
Vegas Line & Total: Phoenix (-200); 5 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Phoenix (-200); Under

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 07:18 AM

NHL
Armadillo's Write-Up

Tuesday, October 22

Hot teams
-- Anaheim won its last seven games, scoring 29 goals.
-- Canadiens won four of their last five games.
-- Blackhawks won four of their last five games.
-- Predators won four of their last five games.
-- Phoenix won four of its last six games.

Cold teams
-- Maple Leafs lost their last two games after a 6-1 start, scoring three goals.
-- Vancouver lost four of its last six games. Islanders lost four of their last five.
-- New Jersey lost seven of its first eight games. Blue Jackets lost four of their last five.
-- Oilers lost five of their last six games.
-- Panthers lost six of their last eight games.
-- Minnesota lost its last three games, outscored 9-3.
-- Jets lost five of their last seven games. Washington lost four of last six games.
-- Flames are 2-3 on the road so far this season.

Series records
-- Ducks lost their last three games against Toronto.
-- Islanders lost four of their last six games with Vancouver.
-- Columbus/New Jersey split their last four meetings.
-- Canadiens won last two games with Edmonton, 5-3/4-1.
-- Chicago won last three games with Florida, outscoring Panthers 10-3.
-- Predators won eight of last eleven games with Minnesota.
-- Washington won last four games with Jets, outscoring them 18-4.
-- Flames won four of last five games with Phoenix.

Totals
-- Five of last six Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Vancouver games.
-- Four of last five New Jersey games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Montreal games stayed under the total.
-- Last seven Chicago games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Nashville games.
-- Six of last seven Winnipeg games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last five Calgary games stayed under the total; five of last seven Phoenix games went over the total.

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 07:18 AM

NHL

Tuesday, October 22

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Trend Report
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7:00 PM
ANAHEIM vs. TORONTO
Anaheim is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Anaheim's last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Anaheim
Toronto is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing Anaheim

7:00 PM
NEW JERSEY vs. COLUMBUS
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New Jersey's last 6 games when playing on the road against Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of New Jersey's last 7 games on the road
Columbus is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Columbus's last 6 games when playing New Jersey

7:00 PM
VANCOUVER vs. NY ISLANDERS
Vancouver is 5-11 SU in its last 16 games
Vancouver is 2-4-2 SU in their last 8 games ,when playing on the road against NY Islanders
NY Islanders are 2-4 SU in their last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of the NY Islanders last 9 games at home

7:30 PM
CHICAGO vs. FLORIDA
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Chicago's last 18 games on the road
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Florida is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Chicago
Florida is 8-16 SU in its last 24 games at home

7:30 PM
EDMONTON vs. MONTREAL
Edmonton is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Montreal's last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Montreal's last 6 games when playing at home against Edmonton

8:00 PM
NASHVILLE vs. MINNESOTA
Nashville is 6-13-2 SU in its last 21 games ,when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Nashville's last 18 games when playing on the road against Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 6 games
Minnesota is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games

8:00 PM
WASHINGTON vs. WINNIPEG
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games
Washington is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Winnipeg's last 8 games when playing at home against Washington
Winnipeg is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Washington

10:00 PM
CALGARY vs. PHOENIX
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Calgary's last 12 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
Calgary is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Phoenix
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Phoenix's last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Phoenix's last 12 games when playing at home against Calgary

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**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 08:32 AM

NHL
Long Sheet

Tuesday, October 22

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ANAHEIM (7-1-0-0, 14 pts.) at TORONTO (6-3-0-0, 12 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TORONTO is 131-136 ATS (-20.0 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
TORONTO is 60-76 ATS (-53.1 Units) in home games after a non-conference game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 1-0 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 1-0-0 straight up against ANAHEIM over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.0 Units)

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VANCOUVER (5-4-0-1, 11 pts.) at NY ISLANDERS (3-3-0-2, 8 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
VANCOUVER is 58-76 ATS (-32.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
VANCOUVER is 1-0-0 straight up against NY ISLANDERS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.0 Units)

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NEW JERSEY (1-4-0-3, 5 pts.) at COLUMBUS (3-5-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NEW JERSEY is 61-46 ATS (+12.1 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 16-7 ATS (+8.9 Units) on Tuesday nights over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 20-9 ATS (+10.9 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.
NEW JERSEY is 21-10 ATS (+10.7 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 13-32 ATS (+50.1 Units) first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NEW JERSEY is 1-0 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
NEW JERSEY is 1-0-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+1.2 Units)

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EDMONTON (2-6-0-1, 5 pts.) at MONTREAL (5-3-0-0, 10 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 36-58 ATS (+120.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 7-15 ATS (-11.2 Units) in home games first half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 1-7 ATS (-8.2 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MONTREAL is 2-1 (+1.0 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
MONTREAL is 2-1-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.8 Units)

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CHICAGO (5-1-0-2, 12 pts.) at FLORIDA (3-6-0-0, 6 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 7:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
CHICAGO is 248-278 ATS (-114.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record since 1996.
CHICAGO is 127-145 ATS (-59.9 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the first half of the season since 1996.
FLORIDA is 134-154 ATS (+307.6 Units) in a home game where where the total is 5.5 since 1996.
FLORIDA is 78-123 ATS (+227.1 Units) when playing with 2 days rest since 1996.
FLORIDA is 53-82 ATS (-46.9 Units) in home games in non-conference games since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 2-0 (+2.0 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 2-0-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 2 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.0 Units)

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NASHVILLE (5-3-0-1, 11 pts.) at MINNESOTA (3-3-0-3, 9 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 22-11 ATS (+10.6 Units) vs. division opponents over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NASHVILLE is 5-3 (+2.1 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 5-3-0 straight up against MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
5 of 6 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+4.1 Units)

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WASHINGTON (3-5-0-0, 6 pts.) at WINNIPEG (4-5-0-0, 8 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WASHINGTON is 118-164 ATS (-68.2 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
WINNIPEG is 17-7 ATS (+24.2 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 5-5-0 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.5 Units)

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CALGARY (4-2-0-2, 10 pts.) at PHOENIX (5-2-0-2, 12 pts.) - 10/22/2013, 10:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHOENIX is 293-264 ATS (-59.1 Units) first half of the season since 1996.
PHOENIX is 16-7 ATS (+8.8 Units) when playing with 2 days rest over the last 3 seasons.
PHOENIX is 192-166 ATS (+22.0 Units) after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
CALGARY is 4-3 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
CALGARY is 4-3-0 straight up against PHOENIX over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.1 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

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**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 09:31 AM

MLB
Dunkel

St. Louis at Boston
The Red Sox open the World Series at home and look to build on their 8-3 record in their last 11 games when the total is set at 7 runs or less. Boston is the pick (-125) according to Dunkel, which has the Red Sox favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: Boston (-125). Here are all of today's picks.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Game 951-952: St. Louis at Boston (7:30 p.m. EST)
Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Wainwright) 16.420; Boston (Lester) 17.771
Dunkel Line: Boston by 1 1/2; 6
Vegas Line: Boston (-125); 7
Dunkel Pick: Boston (-125); Under

MLB
Long Sheet

Wednesday, October 23

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ST LOUIS (104 - 69) at BOSTON (104 - 68) - 8:05 PM
ADAM WAINWRIGHT (R) vs. JON LESTER (L)
Top Trends for this game.
ST LOUIS is 22-25 (-10.6 Units) against the money line against left-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 55-47 (-8.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season.
BOSTON is 104-68 (+22.4 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
BOSTON is 57-29 (+15.1 Units) against the money line in home games this season.
BOSTON is 92-60 (+17.3 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 73-53 (+10.5 Units) against the money line in night games this season.
BOSTON is 69-46 (+14.4 Units) against the money line against right-handed starters this season.
ST LOUIS is 104-69 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in all games this season.
ST LOUIS is 28-15 (+11.8 Units) against the money line when the total is 7 or less this season.
ST LOUIS is 104-69 (+14.5 Units) against the money line in games played on a grass field this season.
BOSTON is 187-180 (-45.0 Units) against the money line in home games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1997.
LESTER is 51-50 (-19.2 Units) against the money line in all games over the last 3 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 21-27 (-14.8 Units) against the money line in night games over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 7-13 (-9.3 Units) against the money line after a win this season. (Team's Record)
LESTER is 18-25 (-12.8 Units) against the money line when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons. (Team's Record)

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

ADAM WAINWRIGHT vs. BOSTON since 1997
No recent starts.

JON LESTER vs. ST LOUIS since 1997
LESTER is 0-0 when starting against ST LOUIS with an ERA of 2.46 and a WHIP of 1.364.
His team's record is 1-0 (+1.0 units) in these starts. The OVER is 0-1. (-1.0 units)

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MLB

Wednesday, October 23

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Trend Report
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8:07 PM
ST. LOUIS vs. BOSTON
St. Louis is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
St. Louis is 13-4 SU in its last 17 games
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing St. Louis
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

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MLB

Wednesday, October 23

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Cardinals at Red Sox: What bettors need to know
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St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox (-119, 7)

The St. Louis Cardinals have won a pair of World Series since falling to the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and will make their fourth trip to the Fall Classic in 10 years looking for revenge. The Red Sox completed a remarkable turnaround from last place in 2012 and will try to take down the Cardinals again when they host Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday. David Ortiz is the only player left from Boston’s sweep in 2004 and is still piling up key postseason hits.

St. Louis’ lone holdovers from that 2004 showdown are Mike Matheny, who went from starting catcher to manager, and Yadier Molina, who went from Matheny’s backup to one of the best catchers in the game. One of Boston’s big advantages in the American League playoffs was on the base paths - an area Molina regularly controls. The Cardinals and Red Sox are stacked up and down the roster and tied for the most wins in the majors during the regular season with 97.

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, FOX

WEATHER: Temperatures in the high 40s with partly cloudy skies and a 52 percent chance of rain early Wesnesday. Winds blowing west at 7 mph.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (2-1, 1.57 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Jon Lester (2-1, 2.33)

Wainwright served as the closer on St. Louis’ 2006 World Champion squad and was forced to watch the 2011 team win from the bench while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 32-year-old led the National League with 19 wins during the regular season and was spectacular during the NL playoffs, striking out 20 batters while issuing one walk in 23 total innings. Wainwright’s lone road playoff start was his only loss, allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings at Los Angeles.

Lester allowed two or fewer runs in each of his three postseason starts and 10 of the last 13 going back to the regular season. The 29-year-old won the clinching game of the 2007 World Series in Colorado, allowing three hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. Lester is 4-4 with a 2.49 ERA in 11 career postseason games - nine starts.

TRENDS:

* Under is 6-2-1 in the last nine meetings.
* Over is 5-2-1 in the last eight meetings in Boston.
* Cardinals are 7-3 in their last 10 World Series games.
* Red Sox are 8-0 in their last eight World Series games.

WALK-OFFS:

1. Cardinals 1B Allen Craig (foot) missed the first two rounds of the playoffs but is expected to be activated for the World Series.

2. Boston rookie 3B Xander Bogaerts reached base in eight of his 11 postseason plate appearances and is likely to stay in the lineup.

3. St. Louis RF Carlos Beltran owns a .337 batting average and .449 on-base percentage with 16 homers and 37 RBIs in 45 career playoff games, but will be making his World Series debut.

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**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 09:46 AM

NFL line watch: Keep tabs on Skins-Broncos spread, total

Spread to bet now

Washington Redskins (+14) at Denver Broncos

This line opened at +14, but is dropping. There are some 13.5s on the board and 13s as well. If you're planning on getting down on Washington in this matchup, you may want to jump on board right now.

The reason this line is moving is obvious: The public finally saw the Broncos lose and that Peyton Manning is in fact a human. Denver's prolific offense has clearly helped in masking a suspect defense, but that veil has now unquestionably been lifted.

After dropping 45 on the Bears, bettors are likely to continue to hammer the visitors as the week wares on.

Spread to wait on

San Francisco 49ers (-17.5) at Jacksonville Jaguars

The 49ers arrived in England for their game with the Jaguars Monday. This lined opened at -17.5, but has already started to drop, with 17s and 16.5s making an appearance now as well. If you're planning on wagering on San Francisco this Sunday, you may want to wait a bit closer to kickoff.

The one area were the Jaguars have actually been decent is on the road, going 1-3 ATS away from friendly confines compared to 0-3 ATS in front of the home town crowd. Jacksonville has totaled 39 points in its last two road contests, at St. Louis and Denver respectively.

Travel across the pond is a factor that must always be taken into account. The bottom line though is that it's a detriment for both teams. If you're a situational handicapper, it's pretty obvious why both the public and the sharps are jumping on this sky-high number for the Jags.

This sets up as a classic lookahead/let down spot for the 49ers, who will enjoy their bye after lowly Jacksonville.

Total to watch

Washington Redskins at Denver Broncos (56.5)

If you're planning on playing the Under, consider grabbing the line now. As of writing, there are still some 56.5s on the board, but 55.5 predominates. At some point in the season, the Broncos will need their defense to step up and win a game for them. Here's the perfect opponent.

The Redskins are coming off a 45-41 shootout over the Bears last week but have gone 1-2 O/U on the road this year. Both the sharps and the public saw Manning struggle at times last week and must now finally believe the veteran is slowing down after his manic start to the season.

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 09:53 AM

NCAAB betting: Top 3 letdown candidates

For every NCAA men's basketball team that defies the odds and jumps from relative unknown to championship contender, there is a team that heads in the opposite direction. Every year, a handful of early-season favorites fail to meet expectations, whether due to injury, ineffectiveness or any number of additional factors.

Here are three teams that could struggle to reward bettors this coming season (odds courtesy LVH):

Florida Gators (12-1)

Oddsmakers and those in charge of the coaches' preseason poll - where the Gators come in at No. 8 - both seem willing to look past the fact that Florida enters the season in turmoil. Between Eli Carter (broken fibula) and Will Yeguete (right knee) recovering from serious injuries, Scottie Wilbekin only recently (and partially) reinstated from a suspension and several other players facing potential in-house sanctions, head coach Billy Donovan has been forced to run practices with far from a full complement of personnel. If the Gators struggle to mesh out of the gate, it could be a long and disappointing campaign in Gainesville.

Syracuse Orange (25-1)

The Orange are leaving a difficult conference (Big East) to join what will likely be an even deadlier one (ACC), and will do so without two of their standout players from last season. Head coach Jim Boeheim described Michael Carter-Williams as "the best defensive guard (Syracuse) has ever had, while Brandon Triche provided a consistent scoring punch. Any team boasting a lottery hopeful in power forward Jerami Grant, an electrifying guard in CJ Fair and a stud freshman in Tyler Ennis will have success, but an unforgiving conference schedule will put the Orange to the test.

Wisconsin Badgers (60-1)

Despite being led by one of the NCAA's best defensive-minded coaches in Bo Ryan, the Badgers have several things working against them. The biggest is the loss of Jared Berggren, Ryan Evans and Mike Bruesewitz, robbing Wisconsin of two top-3 scorers and its three leading rebounders from a season ago. Playing in the always-competitive Big Ten won't help matters - nor will a grueling nonconference schedule that has the Badgers racking up the miles, a development that could lead to fatigue later in the year. Given how much energy they expend on the defensive end, that could ultimately punish them in March.

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 09:55 AM

NCAAB betting: Top 3 darkhorse contenders

With a new NCAA basketball season on the horizon, several teams have been installed as the preseason favorites to reach the Final Four next March. Kentucky leads the way at 4-1 thanks to the presence of draft lottery locks Julius Randle and Willie Cauley-Stein, while Duke (7-1) and Kansas (8-1) are next in line.

Here's a look at three teams that come into the season as darkhorses for the NCAA championship (odds courtesy LVH):

Oklahoma State Cowboys (40-1)

Led by standout point guard Marcus Smart, the Cowboys could potentially boast one of the deepest and most dangerous lineups in the Big 12. Smart was sensational as a freshman with Oklahoma State, averaging 15.4 points to go along with 4.2 assists and three steals. He, along with guard Markel Brown and swingman Le'Bryan Nash, make up one of the top backcourt units in the nation. Shooting was an issue for Oklahoma State last season, but if Smart and others can improve on last year's totals, the Cowboys could make a run at the Final Four.

VCU Rams (40-1)

Virginia Commonwealth is in good shape heading into the season despite being without standout seniors Darius Theus and Troy Daniels. The Rams' decision to implement a press-at-all-times defence (appropriately named "HAVOC") has met its share of detractors - and moments of defensive collapse - but with a team full of young, athletic players at all positions, VCU is in its best shape ever to force turnovers by the boatload. If the Rams can figure out how to adjust HAVOC to suit all adversaries - particularly those with speedy guards - it could be a long season for opposing teams.

Iowa Hawkeyes (100-1)

The Hawkeyes find themselves in a loaded Big Ten, matched up against powerhouses Michigan State, Ohio State and Michigan. But Iowa may find itself right in the mix thanks to a nationally renowned defense. The Hawkeyes played seven games against ranked opponents a season ago and lost five of them by single digits - a key run here or there, and Iowa may have found itself marching to a Final Four appearance rather than settling for a loss to Baylor in the NIT title game. With a softer schedule and a year of seasoning for the team's core players, things should be different this year.

**Udog** · 10-22-2013, 12:26 PM

NHL
Short Sheet

Tuesday, October 22

Anaheim at Toronto, 7:05 ET
Anaheim: 29-23 SU in road games after playing a game where 9 or more total goals were scored
Toronto: 5-17 SU in home games after having lost 2 of their last 3 games

Vancouver at NY Islanders, 7:05
Vancouver: 75-63 SU in road games after allowing 2 goals or more in the third period last game
NY Islanders: 118-130 SU as a home favorite of -200 or less

New Jersey at Columbus, 7:05 ET
New Jersey: 21-10 SU after scoring 4 goals or more
Columbus: 2-14 SU after allowing 1 goal or less in their previous game

Edmonton at Montreal, 7:35 ET
Edmonton: 11-35 SU after having lost 2 of their last 3 games
Montreal: 72-58 SU off a close home loss by 1 goal

Chicago at Florida, 7:35 ET
Chicago: 47-42 SU in road games off a home win by 2 goals or more
Florida: 4-17 SU after playing a game where 3 or fewer total goals were scored

Nashville at Minnesota, 8:05 ET
Nashville: 22-11 SU vs. division opponents
Minnesota: 110-98 SUafter having lost 3 of their last 4 games

Washington at Winnipeg, 8:05 ET
Washington: 4-14 SU in road games after 2 or more consecutive unders
Winnipeg: 17-7 SU after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game

Calgary at Phoenix, 10:05 ET
Calgary: 87-95 SU in road games vs. division opponents
Phoenix: 16-7 SU when playing with 2 days rest

**Kaptain** · 10-22-2013, 06:40 PM

as always, thanks U Dog...........lock and load

Announcement

Tuesday's Trends and Indexes - 10/22 (MLB, CFL, NHL, Misc.)

Tuesday's Trends and Indexes - 10/22 (MLB, CFL, NHL, Misc.)

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