Saturday, August 31, 2013

Gambling for Entertainment – State Ran Lotteries

 
By Dirty



Today for my Gambling for Entertainment series I will talk about the hypocrisy of State run lotteries with the blessing of the Federal Government. There are 44 States and the District of Columbia that run lotteries. The only States that don’t are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada and Utah. You can figure almost all of these States but highly Christian Utah and Nevada that is home to Las Vegas will eventually end up with some sort of lottery down the line.

I don’t want to come off as people thinking I am anti-lottery as they read this article as I am far from it. I play Powerball, Mega Millions, and Keno when I go to the bar to meet some friends for a few drinks. I will play scratch off tickets from time to time but not a big fan of those. I know, and see, many people who are and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem I have with it is that State approves all these games with low probabilities of winning and refuse to allow online gambling (casino gambling as well in many States) to be allowed.

Experts say online gambling generates between $6 billion and $20 billion dollars a year in revenue for the online sportsbooks, racebooks, casinos and poker rooms (this is not counting legal online gambling in States that have it on horses and poker). These are just with the online sportsbooks, casinos, and poker rooms that are legalized in the countries they operate out of. This doesn’t even figure in the amount of money generated at Pay Per Head sites that local bookmakers are using more and more every day. There is no way to know exactly how much money is generated off online gambling unless the United States gets its collective head out of its rear end and regulates the industry like they do brick and mortar casinos. They are seeing how easily it can be done in Nevada now that they have legalized online poker and New Jersey is not far behind. Other states like California, Delaware, and Connecticut to name a few have tossed around the idea as well. Those states already have brick and mortar casinos and they have the infrastructure in place.

Lotteries around the nation generate around $18 billion a year in profit for states by 2009 figures. That number is most likely higher now as history has shown that alcohol, gambling, and lottery sales increase during a recession. It makes no logical sense to not legalize games that people actually have a chance at winning instead of letting people pay money to play State Lottery drawing with odds of 1 to 76 million to win, or the Powerball and Mega Millions with higher odds than that. Then when we figure in the scratch off tickets they say on the dollar ones that you have a 1 in 4 chance of winning with higher odds on the more expensive scratch off tickets. Most times you win your money back or win a free ticket. They give you just enough to keep you coming back. It creates degenerates a whole lot more than someone wagering on a football game where they have a 50% chance of winning unless they are playing parlays or teasers. Legalizing poker, which is a game of skill, would give many players a chance to win some money with acceptable odds of winning and losing for many people.

Now you also have the hypocritical pro teams now teaming with the lottery to give away tickets to games, season tickets, and other prizes and charging $5 a ticket (and up) for scratch offs. Here are some links for the Atlanta Falcons games they have here in Georgia. The $500,000 2nd Chance Promotion which you can win one of 4 prizes, but you have to have bought regular lottery tickets for even a chance to enter it. Then you have the $5 Scratch off with different prizes and a chance to win up to $250,000. This just astounds me the hypocrisy the NFL shows by allowing this while keeping New Jersey and other states in court to keep them from legalizing sports betting. Along with the other major sports in the US (NHL, NBA, and MLB),who have had or currently have games with state lotteries, they are doing all they can to keep anything from being enacted by tying it up in court and trying to get in nimrods in Congress to butt into private business where it doesn’t belong. This country faces bigger problems that Online Gambling, Steroid use and other issues Congress tries to control and you can bet almost any amount you want they will eventually step in once a court rules against what they want.

One day when the sharp as a marble bureaucrats realize that they have taxed the American People enough they will be forced to look at alternate sources of revenue. It has already gotten to that point in many states and why you see more and more casinos opening and states wanting to legalize online poker and make a lot of money doing it.

Over the last decade working in the online gambling industry I have talked to many owners and general managers of big online sportsbooks on the phone and in person. I always get the same answers from all of them. 1) Legalize it and work with the jurisdictions we are in now and tax each deposit and withdrawal a small percentage (1-3%) that the sportsbook would be responsible to pay to the regulatory authority or 2) Legalize it in the US and let us come back and run our books and let us pay our normal taxes like the brick and mortars casinos, sportsbooks, and racebooks. Either way it would generate an enormous amount of revenue for all parties involved and at the same time wouldn’t hurt the crowds at land based casinos. I don’t care how much I play online there is nothing like playing in a Vegas book sportsbook or playing blackjack at a table with just the atmosphere and vibe it gives off. I am sure it is like that in Atlantic City and other casinos. There is nothing like playing live like that.

As gamblers we all need to work together and write our congressmen and state legislators and let them know how we feel and tell them we will not vote for this type of government hypocrisy that keeps you from doing as you wish in your own home and it does not affect anyone else. The time for government to back off is now and start generating revenue from all sources.

Next Gambling for Entertainment will be on Fantasy Sports and dig deeper into the hypocrisy of the professional leagues in the United States.


Gambling for Entertainment – State Ran Lotteries

Gambling for Entertainment

 Gambling for Entertainment




By Dirty

Gambling for entertainment. Why is it so taboo to many people? It happens on a daily basis all over the world. It hurts no one and adds an extra bit of excitement to virtually anything you are doing or watching. When I am talking about gambling it could mean anything from a dinner or drink to thousands of dollars for the everyday person around the world. It depends on how much money a person makes and how much the parties want to risk. Most times it is just small wagers just for fun.
When people gamble in office pools for all sports from NASCAR to College Basketball. When people play tennis or golf. When people go to the bar to have a beer they play pool for money, Keno or video poker. People bet on softball games in their adult leagues for dinner or something else small. Even mayors of cities bet small things for bragging rights when teams meet in the World Series or Super Bowl. All these types of gambling are over looked and no one thinks twice about it.
Gambling like this is what most people do when they go to casinos or wager at online sportsbooks, poker rooms and casinos. But to hear ignorant politicians and religious zealots tell it everyone that gambles needs to be in rehab. That is not the case, and far from it. Why the double standard? Gambling on the above mentioned things is disposable income and people wager it with the mindset that the money is already lost. It is not the rent money, the car payment, the grocery money as the knuckleheads in power try to convince people.
Why does the coin flip to the other side once you mention playing poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, or betting on sports? Not all people play golf or have other hobbies. Gambling on sports is their hobby and as long as it is disposable income then it shouldn’t be frowned upon. What is the difference in betting a $25 dinner and a $25 College Football game? Not one thing. It is all relevant and should be treated as such.
Gambling is a relaxing and great form of entertainment and people get just as much fun out of doing it for small amounts as they do large amounts. It is the rush they want. Like some people get a rush out of lifting weights, running or skydiving among many things. Everyone has to have their release from the stress of everyday life. It is a getaway from the mundane things that keep you tied down.
Would people rather their loved ones out doing drugs or buying expensive things they can’t afford or going to the horse racing track or casino to blow a few bucks to relieve stress and then get back to everyday life?
Most people go to a gambling establishment with an amount to lose and when it is gone they are done. They don’t lose every dime they have. It is amazing the beliefs that float around all gamblers are degenerates and how they get frowned upon even with more and more casinos popping up all over the US and other Countries and as online gambling is taking hold and being legalized in Nevada and New Jersey.
Spending money on Hobbies is never going to go away and it should be no one’s business how anyone spends money on their hobbies. Some people like to fish, knit, garden, exercise, work on cars, and many other things and no one should be surprised that gambling is one of those things.
Gamblers around the world should stand strong and keep on wagering on the many things that we love to put money on. Whether it be money, beer, dinner, wearing an opposing team’s jersey, horses, poker or casino games it is a past time that will never go away. And just think we didn’t even bring up state run gambling called the lottery.
When picking an online sportsbook, pick it like you would pick your girlfriend, as all sportsbooks are not the same. View our directory of online sportsbooks.



Gambling for Entertainment

Gambling for Entertainment – Fantasy Sports

 By Chris Dyer “Dirty”

The hypocrisy of the United States Federal Government and its citizens on gambling, especially online sports gambling, gets worse every day. The only thing worse than the lottery on the hypocrite meter is fantasy sports. Last time out I focused on the lottery and today I will tackle fantasy sports. The way the DOJ and Congress approach certain things and treats online gambling.

Every major sport and the players associations embrace fantasy sports. Fantasy Sports has an estimated $3-$4 Billion economic impact and is played by almost 30 million people across the country in 2007. The Fantasy Trade Association estimates that almost 75% of players that play fantasy sports play in leagues where there is a buy-in. All the major sports networks offer free and paid leagues with prizes into the tens of thousands of dollars.

In 2006 the Unlawful Internet and Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was passed to make banking transactions illegal to online gambling sites. They carved out Fantasy Sports under this fallacy:

“We should start by clarifying that it is currently legal to bet on fantasy sports. The Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA), which establishes the legal guidelines for online gambling, carves out a safe haven for any fantasy or simulation sports game that:

‘has an outcome that reflects the relative knowledge of the participants, or their skill at physical reaction or physical manipulation (but not chance), and, in the case of a fantasy or simulation sports game, has an outcome that is determined predominantly by accumulated statistical results of sporting events…’

In other words, fantasy sports are considered games of skill – not chance – if they can be won by successfully utilizing superior knowledge of the players involved. The Act adds that the game in question cannot have a prize that is determined by the number of players or amounts paid (think betting odds on game picks), but rather is established in advance of the game’s start.” — Forbes.

Saying fantasy sports is a game of skill is crazy. No one can tell what an athlete is going to do on a particular day. Sure you can study the stats and players and the teams they are playing against, but that doesn’t mean anything. There is no difference in doing this than people learning how to play poker, black jack, roulette, and other casino games. A good poker player has a better shot of winning money (and more of it) than anyone playing fantasy sports. There are too many variables in sports that determine how well a player does. That doesn’t happen in poker and other card games. Sure in black jack when you are playing with more decks it gets harder, but you don’t have to worry about injuries, weather, and other things that happen in professional sports games.

The US government picks and chooses what Word Trade Organization (WTO) laws and rulings they want to follow depending on the country and the trade that is involved. They pick on the smaller countries that win cases against them and go after China and Russia for human rights violations when their worldwide monopoly on something gets threatened. Antigua and Barbuda has had the WTO issue three rulings (They can be read about in detail here, here, and here). This also includes fantasy sports as the government exempted fantasy and horse racing in the UIGEA. Antigua and Barbuda are going to start redirecting intellectual property rights monies earned on things that are copyrights in the US like movies and film. The only way to wake our hypocritical tyrannical government up is hit them in the pocket book.

I love to play fantasy sports just like I love to gamble on them. I have played enough of each to know that gambling on card games and sports is just as much or more of a skill than fantasy sports. You cannot put a line up in for the whole season and let the computer/commissioner put in the best available lineup and you could do very well. You can’t do that in poker, black jack, and other casino games.

I have really about come to realize on this topic with fantasy sports as being a game of skill is many lawmakers must have won money in playing in fantasy leagues and are like Clark Griswold in “Vegas Vacation” when they go to Las Vegas.

Marty the Dealer to Clark:

“You don’t know when to quit, do ya Griswold?… Here’s an idea: Why don’t you give me half the money your were gonna to bet, then we’ll go out back, I’ll kick you in the nuts, and we’ll call it a day!” IMDB

The UK just passed a law where online gambling companies will pay a rate of 15% tax and I am sure US operators would be happy with even a high number like that as in the UK most places were offshore in Gibraltar and paid a 1% tax. The 15% seems steep now, but is really nothing compared to being shut down, arrested and treated like pariahs like online gambling owners/operators are in the United States.

The only way to turn the tide on online gambling is to bug our representatives to death, don’t vote for the status quo, and keep fighting for freedoms. There is no excuse in not allowing regulated online gambling in the United States.

http://www.askthebookie.com/gambling...-sports-91688/

Gambling for Entertainment – Fantasy Sports

No. 12 LSU Tigers (0-0) vs. No. 20 TCU Horned Frogs (0-0) Preview

 

No. 12 LSU opens the season with an intriguing non-conference clash against No. 20 TCU in Arlington, Texas. This will be the fifth Cowboys Classic. Each team has appeared once and come away victorious.

LSU lost a ton of defensive talent but return their key offensive pieces as they're set to start a brutal schedule that features Georgia and Florida from the SEC East. TCU on the other hand has yet to announce a starting quarterback for the game. The job will be given to either Trevone Boykin or Casey Pachall, who started the first four games last season before leaving the team as a result of a drunk driving arrest.

Quarterback Zach Mettenberger, running back Jeremy Hill (12 TDs in 2012) and wideouts Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. form the core of a potentially explosive LSU offense. Mettenberger threw for 2,609 yards last season but only had 120 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl game loss to Clemson. His coaches want him to use his strong arm to attack downfield more this year. LSU ranked 11th in the SEC in passing last year, throwing 12 touchdown passes in 13 contests.

The TCU defense is one of the best in the Big 12 and if Casey Pachall (10 touchdowns, one interception in four games before his arrest) wins the job and picks up where he left off, the Horned Frogs could contend for a conference title. Running back Waymon James (1,556 career rushing yards) also returns after missing most of last season with a knee injury but defensive end Devonte Fields, an All-American candidate, is suspended for the first two games. Another player to watch will be cornerback Jason Verrett, who had 63 tackles, six interceptions and 16 pass breakups last season

The Tigers are 3-1 SU and ATS as favorites of 3½ to 10 points over the last two seasons while the Horned Frogs are 3-3 ATS as underdogs of 3½ to 10 points since 2011 and 0-3 ATS in their last three games on a neutral field.

Game Information:

When: 9:00 PM ET, August 31

Where: Cowboys Stadium

Line: LSU -3½ at BetAnySports

Total: 49½

Coverage: ESPN/WatchESPN

Weather: 101° F/ 38° C
Partly Cloudy

Last meeting: No previous meeting

No. 12 LSU Tigers (0-0) vs. No. 20 TCU Horned Frogs (0-0) Preview

No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (0-0) vs. No. 8 Clemson Tigers (0-0) Preview

 

No. 5 Georgia and No. 8 Clemson square off in the marquee game of the week. Aaron Murray came five yards shy of leading Georgia to the BCS Championship Game as a junior last season before time ran out against eventual national champion Alabama. Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd enjoyed a record-setting junior campaign and joins Murray as a preseason candidate to take home the Heisman Trophy.

Murray, whose 95 touchdown passes are more than any active FBS player, was named the preseason SEC player of the year despite the presence of Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, the reigning Heisman winner while Boyd threw for 3,896 yards and 36 touchdowns last season en route to winning ACC player of the year honors. In addition to the top-tier quarterbacks, both teams possess electrifying complementary players such as Georgia running back Todd Gurley and Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins.

Georgia will begin their season in daunting fashion, facing No. 8 Clemson, No. 7 South Carolina and No. 13 LSU in three of their first four games. The tough schedule will pose an early challenge for their top running backs, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall, who combined for 2,144 yards and 25 touchdowns as true freshmen last year. Defensively, head coach Mark Richt must find a way to replace seven starters, including first round picks Jarvis Jones and Alec Ogeltree.

Clemson is coming off their best season since winning the 1981 National Championship with a 12-0 record. Only five teams averaged more than Clemson's 41.0 points per game last season, but it won't be easy to replace running back Andre Ellington (1,081 yards, eight touchdowns) and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (1,405 yards, 18 touchdowns). The Tigers also have to find a way to shore up their pass defense, which ranked 71st nationally last season and will face an immediate test against Aaron Murray and Georgia.

Game Information:

When: 8:00 PM ET, August 30

Where: Memorial Stadium

Line: Georgia -2½ at America's Bookie

Total: 71½

Coverage: ABC

Weather: 79° F/ 26° C
Chance of a Thunderstorm

Last meeting: 8/30/03 Georgia 30 Clemson 0


No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (0-0) vs. No. 8 Clemson Tigers (0-0) Preview

Friday, August 30, 2013

ATB and WagerWeb NCAA Football 7 Team "Parlay Perfection" Contest


ASKTHEBOOKIE AND WAGERWEB

7 TEAM "PARLAY PERFECTION" CONTEST





WagerWeb has been so kind to sponsor a Great Seven Team Parlay Contest here at ATB. It will be Held weekly at ATB and the Prize will grow Every Week there is not a Winner!!! So please head on over to WagerWeb to sign up and deposit so you can get the Full Benefits of this Contest from a leading Sportsbook!!!





Format



  • This will be a Seven Team Parlay Contest consisting of NCAA Football games Only
  • All Plays will be Against the Spread or Totals. NO MONEYLINES!!!
  • Only Saturday Games can be used.
  • Games will be played every Saturday of the NCAA Football Season starting with Saturday, September 7 and Lasting until Saturday, December 7.
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  • A Tiebreaker will be Posted Each Thursday With the Lines for that Weekends Games




Rules




  • Go to WagerWeb and get an account if you do not have one, keeping in mind to receive full prize money you need an account with an active balance
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  • Lines posted will be used. If a game is off the board when lines are posted then that game can’t be used
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Prizes (Free Plays with a 6X Rollover)



  • The Prize Pool for this Seven Team Parlay Contest starts off with a Balance of $100 and will grow each week by $100 if there is no winner in a Given Week. So if no one wins in Week one the Prize pool becomes $200 and so on.
  • There will be a cap of $1,000 so if no one hits it until we reach that cap then that is the Highest the payout can become. Once Prize is Won Contest will Start Over
  • The Prize money will be in Free Play money and can be broken up into as many bets as you wish. There will be a 6 times Rollover requirement on all Monies awarded.
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WagerWeb Will Also be Offering all AskTheBookie Members a 100% Bonus up to $1,000 (New and Existing Members)!!!! This is a Great Contest and should be a lot of Fun!!! Thank You WagerWeb and thank you Posters for becoming a Part of the AskTheBookie Family!!!!


ATB and WagerWeb NCAA Football 7 Team "Parlay Perfection" Contest

Thursday, August 29, 2013

North Carolina (0-0) vs. No. 6 South Carolina (0-0) Preview



North Carolina and South Carolina open up the college football season under the lights in Columbia tomorrow night on ESPN. South Carolina is at an all-time high in the preseason polls because of junior defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, one of the premier players in the country who was voted the nation's top defensive end last season and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. The Gamecocks also return starting quarterback Connor Shaw, who has never lost at home as a starter.

One of Shaw's top targets will be junior wide receiver Bruce Ellington, who's also the starting point guard for South Carolina's basketball team. We can expect tight end Rory Anderson to get plenty of looks over the middle, as he's averaged 20.9 yards a catch during his first two seasons with the team. South Carolina did lose five senior linebackers to graduation but they feature an experienced returning secondary.

North Carolina also returns a talented quarterback in senior Bryn Renner, who has thrown for more than 3,000 yards each of the last two seasons. Renner' main target, wide receiver Quinshad Davis is also back. The South Carolina native who set freshman school records last season for receptions (61) and receiving yardage (776). 6-7, 305-pound left tackle James Hurst will protect Renner's blind side and redshirt freshman Jon Heck will start at right tackle. Hurst and Heck will be tested all night against Jadeveon Clowney, who recorded 13 sacks last season.

The Tar Heels look to bounce back from a down year defensively, as they were ranked 10th out of 12 teams in the ACC after allowing 32.9 points per game during conference play. Seven starters will return, including defensive end Kareem Martin, a second team all-conference selection last season. South Carolina is the highest-ranked opponent that North Carolina has faced since 2005.

This is a highly anticipated game because both teams have a lot of potential. The Gamecocks are considered one of the best teams in the country but the Tar Heels have an experienced quarterback in Bryn Renner and enough talent to hang around, even if the game is on the road. If Jadeveon Clowney is able to get in the North Carolina backfield, South Carolina will have no trouble winning this game, if not, will be closer than many expect.

Game Information:

When: 6:00 PM ET, August 29

Where: Williams-Brice Stadium

Line: South Carolina -11 at America's Bookie

Total: 56½

Coverage: ESPN/WatchESPN

Weather: 83° F/ 28° C
Partly Cloudy

Last meeting: 10/13/07 South Carolina 21 North Carolina 15


North Carolina (0-0) vs. No. 6 South Carolina (0-0) Preview

No. 24 USC Trojans (0-0) vs. Hawaii Warriors (0-0) Preview

 

USC hasn't decided who will replace Matt Barkley at quarterback when they travel to Hawaii in the season opener. Head coach Lane Kiffin said that sophomores Max Wittek and Cody Kessler will split time under center in this game and he won't name a starter until after the team arrives in Honolulu.

Max Wittek passed for just 293 total yards with five interceptions against Notre Dame and Georgia Tech last season after Matt Barkley suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Wittek wasn't impressive in fall camp either and didn't separate himself from Cody Kessler.

While the quarterback situation is still up in the air, there are no issues at wide receiver with junior Marqise Lee, who finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting and won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best wideout after setting a school record with 118 receptions last season.

Senior running back Silas Redd, who rushed for 905 yards with nine touchdowns last season, is a game-time decision after undergoing knee surgery five months ago to repair a meniscus tear. If Redd can't play, freshman Justin Davis or sophomore Tre Madden will start.

The USC defense will return several standouts, including senior outside linebacker Morgan Breslin (13 sacks last season), sophomore defensive end Leonard Williams (eight sacks) and junior safety Dion Bailey (six interceptions as a starting linebacker over his first two college seasons).

Hawaii will also have a new quarterback as Taylor Graham, son of former NFL signal caller Kent Graham, transferred from Ohio State. Graham won the starting job from Sean Schroeder (11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions last season) and the Warriors expect him to improve an attack that ranked 118th out of 120 FBS teams in total offense (297.4 yards per game) and scored only 21.2 points per game last season.

The bad news for the Warriors is that their leading running back Joey Iosefa (1,011 career yards) is sidelined with a foot injury, so unproven freshmen Steven Lakalaka and Aofaga Wily and senior Marcus Langkilde will have carry the rock against the Trojans. The Warriors allowed 35.7 points per game last season and the defense will bring back eight starters, including sophomore safety Marrell Jackson (tied for a team-high with 56 tackles), senior outside linebacker Art Laurel (13 career sacks) and junior defensive end Beau Yap (10.5 tackles for loss last year).

This is the kind of game that could help USC get the season started off on the right foot. The quarterback situation hasn't been sorted out for USC but this game has the potential to be a blowout. USC is 8-0 against Hawaii, including five wins at Aloha Stadium, and the Trojans routed the Warriors 49-10 last season in Los Angeles.

Look for a big game from Marqise Lee. He had 10 receptions for 197 yards and one touchdown and added a 100-yard kick return score in last season's win against Hawaii.

Game Information:

When: 11:00 PM ET, August 29

Where: Aloha Stadium

Line: USC -23½ at BetAnySports

Total: 53½

Coverage: CBS Sports Network

Weather: 81° F/ 27° C
Rain Showers

Last meeting: 9/1/12 Hawaii 10 USC 49

No. 24 USC Trojans (0-0) vs. Hawaii Warriors (0-0) Preview

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

"Guess What Day It Is" HumpDay ATB No Limit Poker Game -- 5K ATB Points -- 9:30 EST!!!

"Guess What Day It Is" HumpDay ATB No Limit Poker Game -- 5K ATB Points -- 9:30 EST!!!

Washington Nationals (61-64) vs. Chicago Cubs (54-71) Preview

Washington Nationals (61-64) vs. Chicago Cubs (54-71) Preview

 

The Nationals and the Cubs continue their four-game series at Wrigley Field. After an 11-1 loss in the series opener and a 3-1 victory last night, the Nationals give the ball to Ross Ohlendorf so he can keep them in the postseason race. The Nationals are 15 games behind the Braves in the National League East and 9½ games behind the Reds for the second Wild Card.

The Nationals have an impressive 55-15 record when they score three or more runs but they're 6-49 when they fail to score that many runs. The Cubs also have trouble bringing runners home, as they have scored two or fewer runs in eight of their last 11 home games. The Cubs are hitting a major league-worst .220 with runners in scoring position and they were 0-for-8 in that situation last night.

According to the oddsmakers at BetAnySports, the Nationals are at +102, the Cubs are at -112 and the total is set at 9.

Pitching Matchup:

Ross Ohlendorf (2-0, 1.85 ERA) vs. Jake Arrieta (1-0, 0.69 ERA)


Ross Ohlendorf has been on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation and he will make his first appearance since July 31. Ohlendorf has allowed two runs in 13 innings over two starts this season. His last game was against the Mets on July 26. That day he had eight strikeouts and allowed only one run in seven innings to get a no decision. The right-hander has pitched well against the Cubs, going 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA in six starts. He does have a 5.06 ERA in three outings at Wrigley Field. Starlin Castro, who is in a 1-for-27 slump, is 3-for-15 against him.

A change of scenery has helped Jake Arrieta, who is 1-0 with an 0.69 ERA in two starts for the Cubs. Arrieta was dominant his last time out, giving up two hits and striking out seven in seven scoreless innings to beat the Cardinals. He faced the Nationals four times with the Orioles, going 0-1 with a 5.57 ERA. Bryce Harper is 4-for-5 with a double against him.

Game information:

8:05 PM ET, August 21

Wrigley Field

85° F/ 29° C
Partly Cloudy