NHL Playoffs: Pivotal Game 5 Matchup on Tap in Anaheim

Oilers Looking to Find Consistency

In Game 5, the Edmonton Oilers will look to capitalize on their recent success in the First Round against the San Jose Sharks. They also played well the first two games against the Anaheim Ducks. After winning the first two games on the road, the Oilers dropped Game 3 6-3. Game 3 was never close. It was much like the 7-0 drubbing against the Sharks in Game 4. Oilers Head Coach Todd McLellan responded by mixing up his top two lines. The result was that Edmonton won the next two games, and closed out the First Round series.

Anaheim Looking to Take Series Lead

The Anaheim Ducks have been inconsistent so far in the Second Round. They’ve managed to hold Hart Trophy nominee Connor McDavid to only one goal and one assist thus far, but have looked overwhelmed at times by Edmonton’s speed and physicality. With the home advantage, the Ducks will look to force a Game 6 in Edmonton, which could swing the series back to Anaheim’s favour. However, that will all depend on the outcome of a must-win game for the Ducks on Friday. Catch the game at 10:30 PM ET on NBCSN.

NHL Playoffs Betting Trends

Edmonton Oilers 53-28-11
Edmonton is 18-6 SU in its last 24 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Edmonton's last 7 games
Edmonton is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Edmonton is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road
Edmonton is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing Anaheim
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 6 games when playing Anaheim
Edmonton is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Edmonton is 4-9 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Anaheim

Anaheim Ducks 52-25-13
Anaheim is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Anaheim is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 6 games
Anaheim is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Anaheim is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games at home
Anaheim is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Anaheim's last 6 games when playing Edmonton
Anaheim is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Edmonton
Anaheim is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Edmonton

Get your NHL odds at Bovada today.

Boxing Odds: Canelo Expected to Thump Chavez

Canelo Huge Favorite Going Into Fight

It might be one of the biggest boxing matches of the year, but it doesn’t look very competitive. Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KO) is a –650 favorite at press time to beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. (50-2-1, 32 KO) this Saturday in Las Vegas. There won’t even be any titles on the line in this catchweight bout – just the commemorative Cinco de Mayo belt the WBC made for the winner.

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It’s the catchweight that’s threatening to turn this fight into a laugher. According to their contract, both gentlemen have to make weight at 164.5 pounds; that’s going to be very taxing for the 6-foot-1 Chavez, who fought at 168 pounds this past December. It won’t be a problem for Canelo at 5-foot-9. He’s bulked up for this bout, with an eye on moving up to the middleweight division full-time.

Most boxing insiders expect Chavez to come up short. That includes Gennady Golovkin, who holds almost all the major titles at middleweight. Golovkin, who expects to fight the winner, says Chavez will run out of gas after two or three rounds because of the weight cut.

Get your boxing odds at Bovada today.

Americas Cardroom Trumps PokerStars with $1,372,000 Million Dollar Sunday

Million Dollar Sundays Pushes ACR to Top

San Jose, Costa Rica – May 1, 2017 – Turns out the real star of the online poker world is Americas Cardroom. The US-facing online poker site hosted its biggest-ever Million Dollar Sunday tournament. The event, which came with a $1 million guarantee, boasted a final prize pool of $1,372,000.

“The people have spoken and are choosing Americas Cardroom over the competition,” stated Michael Harris, spokesperson for Americas Cardroom. “To put things in perspective, last night on PokerStars, their $1 million Sunday tourney saw a final prize pool of $1,078,400. Ours saw nearly $300,000 more. This is huge for our growing community and a testament to the fact that ACR continues to give players what they want. We can’t wait to see what’s next.”

The Million Dollar Sunday was the Main Event of the Online Super Series. It was the second leg of the currently-running OSS Cub3d. It is a 3-part online tournament series. The series features $5.7 million in guarantees, a number that will be far exceeded thanks to ACR’s thriving community that keeps prize pools large.

Last night’s tournament ended with a 4-way final table deal: BluckBlucka ($150,543), PokerTrader77 ($146,061), RiskedUnderO ($141,089) and Oldflat ($141,048). The four continued to play for the 1st place title and $20,000 on top. PokerTrader77 left the table as the champion, driving his total win to $166,061 and earning him the Million Dollar Sunday sterling silver bracelet.

Million Dollar Sundays Have Grown Exponentially

The first Million Dollar Sunday took place in February of 2015 and came with a $100,000 overlay. There were six more $1,000,000 GTDs that year, all of which resulted in overlays. However, Americas Cardroom continued to host the tourneys and build up its community.

Finally, in April 2016, Americas Cardroom hosted its first Million Dollar Sunday with a prize pool above the guarantee. And Americas Cardroom has now covered in its last four $1,000,000 GTDs overall.

Yesterday’s record-setting Million Dollar Sunday should come as no surprise to anyone following the OSS Cub3d. The series has featured no overlays, a trend that looks likely to continue with the BOSS, the third leg set to get underway on Wednesday, May 3rd. The series culminates with a $750,000 guarantee this Sunday, a number that could very well exceed the $1 million mark.

More details on the OSS Cub3d can be found at AmericasCardroom.eu.

About Americas CardroomAmericas Cardroom joined the Winning Poker Network in 2011. The Winning Poker Network has one of the longest and trusted online names in the industry and has been in existence since 2001. Americas Cardroom accepts players from the US market and the rest of the world. Rated first place for payment processing and cashout reliability repeatedly over the last few years, Americas Cardroom offers outstanding customer service and a friendly environment for all poker players around the world.

MLB Odds: Baltimore-Boston at Fenway Park

Red Sox and Orioles Both Chasing Yankees

The Baltimore Orioles are off to another hot start in the American League East. They’ll be tested this week for sure. The O's take on the Boston Red Sox in a four-game series at Fenway Park. The finale is Thursday night at 7:10 PM ET on NESN and the MLB Network. Ubaldo Jimenez (6.98 FIP) is scheduled to throw for Baltimore. He will face the Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright (7.69 FIP).

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Both of these pitchers have stumbled out of the gate in 2017. Jimenez has delivered only one quality start in five appearances. The Orioles’ bats have bailed him out so far. The Orioles have a 4-1 team record and 3.40 betting units in profit in games he starts. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter says Jimenez will take his regular turn in the rotation Thursday. This could be his last chance to avoid getting demoted to the bullpen.

Wright also just has one quality start in five games. The Red Sox haven’t given him the same support as the Orioles. They have a team record of 1-4 and 3.38 units in debt. One of those games was a 4-2 loss to Baltimore on April 22. Wright allowed all four runs in 3.2 innings. Losing the cash as a slim –104 road dog.

MLB Betting Trends

Baltimore Orioles 16-10
Baltimore is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games
Baltimore is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
Baltimore is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Baltimore is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
Baltimore is 4-8 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Boston
Baltimore is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore's last 6 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore's last 7 games when playing on the road against Boston

Boston Red Sox 15-12
Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games
Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games at home
Boston is 8-4 ATS in its last 12 games when playing Baltimore
Boston is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing Baltimore
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing Baltimore
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 7 games when playing at home against Baltimore

Get all your MLB Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook.

Banged up Mets Play Braves at Suntrust Park

Colon Faces Former Team

The New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves will meet on Wednesday at SunTrust Park in Atlanta. The new stadium for the Braves is turning out to be a homerun hitters paradise.

The Mets will give the ball to starter Jacob deGrom in this one. Righthander deGrom is 1-1 this season with a 2.84 ERA.

DeGrom has recorded double-figure strikeouts in each of his past three starts -- the first Mets pitcher to do that since David Cone in 1992.

It is the second time that deGrom is matched with Colon this season, and both got the better of opposing hitters on April 5 at Citi Field in New York. DeGrom allowed two hits over six scoreless innings.  Colon's only mistake was a homer by Jay Bruce in the fifth inning. H onlye gave up one other hit in his six innings.

Bartolo Colon starts for the Braves. Righthanded Colon is 1-2 with a 5.59 ERA so far this season. Colon (1-2) allowed 21 hits and 10 runs in his past two starts. A loss at Philadelphia and a no-decision at Milwaukee.

Oddsmakers opened the Mets as -110-moneyline favorites versus the Braves, while the game's total opened at 8. The Mets are now -135-moneyline favorites and the total is up to 8.5.

MLB Betting Trends

New York Mets 11-15
NY Mets is 3-13 ATS in its last 16 games
NY Mets is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of NY Mets's last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games on the road
NY Mets is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
NY Mets is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 5 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing Atlanta
NY Mets is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Atlanta
The total has gone OVER in 4 of NY Mets's last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta

Atlanta Braves 11-14
Atlanta is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games
Atlanta is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta's last 7 games
Atlanta is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Atlanta is 12-5 SU in its last 17 games at home
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 7 games at home
Atlanta is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing NY Mets
Atlanta is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing NY Mets
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing NY Mets

 

Next up:
New York at Atlanta Thursday, May 4

Get all your MLB Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook.

Spurs Look to Avenge Game 1 Blowout to Rockets

Game 1 was Spurs Worst Home Loss

The Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs meet at AT&T Center on Wednesday night at 9:30 EST. The Spurs got blown out by 27-points in game one. No one expects that to happen again. It was the Spurs worst lhome loss in franchise history. The Spurs and Rockets should play pretty close games the rest of the NBA Playoff Semifinal series.

Oddsmakers opened the Spurs as -7.5-point favorites versus the Rockets, while the game's total opened at 214. The line now has the Spurs as a -5.5 point favorite. The total has climbed to 216.

The Rockets were a 126-99 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Spurs. They covered the +6-point spread as underdogs. The total score (225) made winners of OVER bettors. Trevor Ariza led the Rockets with 23 points in Game 1. James Harden added 20 points and 14 assists in three quarters of play. Four other Houston players scored in double figures and Clint Capela added 13 rebounds as the Rockets dominated in every facet of the game.

Kawhi Leonard led the Spurs with 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Tony Parker and Jonathon Simmons added 11 points apiece. San Antonio got just four points and six rebounds from LaMarcus Aldridge. Danny Green scored eight points, all in the third quarter when the game was already decided. The Spurs gave up 22 three pointers to the Rockets.

NBA Playoffs Betting Trends

Houston Rockets
Houston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Houston is 4-10-1 ATS in its last 15 games
Houston is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games
Houston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games on the road
Houston is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 6 games when playing San Antonio
Houston is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Houston's last 7 games when playing on the road against San Antonio

San Antonio Spurs
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games
San Antonio is 18-5 SU in its last 23 games at home
San Antonio is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing Houston

 

Next up:
Houston home to San Antonio Friday, May 5

Get all your 2017 NBA Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook

NBA Playoffs: Raptors, Cavaliers Meet in Game 2 on Wednesday

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the overwhelming favorites in the Eastern Conference all season, but the Toronto Raptors may give them some trouble. The two face off in Cleveland on Wednesday in their second-round series.

Oddsmakers have the Cavs as 7-point favorites and the total is 214.

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The Raptors had to battle hard to take out the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. SG DeMar DeRozan put up an average of 23.5 points per game, while PG Kyle Lowry put up 14.3 points and 5.2 assists. But Toronto’s biggest asset was their defense. The Raptors allowed 93.2 points per game, which was the best in the postseason so far.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers swept the Indiana Pacers in four straight games. SF LeBron James averaged 32.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 9.0 assists for the series. The Cavaliers averaged 112.8 points for the first round, which put them with Houston in second place behind Golden State. Their defense has been poor, but so has Toronto’s offense.

The Cavs are 7-3 SU and 6-4 ATS in their last 10 meetings with the Raptors prior to Game 1 of this series. In last season’s Eastern Conference finals, Cleveland beat Toronto in six games.

NBA Playoffs Betting Trends

Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 16-5 SU in its last 21 games
Toronto is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
Toronto is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Toronto is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Toronto is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Cleveland

Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 2-3-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Cleveland is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 5 games
Cleveland is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Cleveland is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Cleveland's last 9 games at home
Cleveland is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Toronto

Get all your 2017 NBA Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook

NBA Playoffs Tuesday Free Pick- Washington at Boston Game 2

Boston Looking for 2-0 Lead

The best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup between the Washington Wizards and the Boston Celtics continues this Tuesday night in an 8 p.m. start on TNT with Game 2 of this best-of-seven showdown. BetAnySports has the Celtics as 5-point home favorites and the total has been set at 219 points.

Washington opened up a 12-point first quarter lead in Game 1 of this series this past Sunday, but it was all Boston from there with the Wizards going down 123-111 as four-point road underdogs. The total went OVER BetAnySports’ closing 216-point line and it has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in six of Washington’s last eight games. The Wizards have now failed to cover against the spread in four of their last five games.

John Wall and Bradley Beal led the way in Washington’s 4-2 series win against Atlanta in the opening round and they combined for 47 points in Sunday’s loss. The team, as a whole, shot a productive 51.1 percent from the field and it also matched its opponents under the boards with 38 rebounds. However, the Wizards could not keep pace on the scoreboard following that early lead. Through their first seven postseason games they are averaging 107.2 points per game.

NBA Playoff Fortunes Have Turned for Celtics

The Celtics lost the first two games at home in their opening round series against Chicago, but they have now gone a perfect 5-0 both straight-up and ATS in their last five playoff games. The total stayed UNDER in their final four games against the Bulls before going OVER in Game 1 of this series. Going back over Boston’s last 11 home games, it is still a costly 3-8 ATS and the total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in eight of its last 12 games played at home.

Boston’s hottest hands this postseason belong to Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley. Thomas easily surpassed his 24.4-point scoring average in the playoffs with a game-high 33 points in Sunday’s victory with Bradley adding another 18 points to the winning cause. The Celtics shot 51.1 percent from the field and they connected on 19-of-39 shots from three-point range. They have averaged 106.1 points through seven playoff games.

I would stick with the home team on Tuesday night both SU and ATS as the Celtics continue to pick up more and more momentum with each postseason game they play.

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Spurs and Rockets Heated In State Rivaly Ready for NBA Playoffs

More Than State Bragging Rights On the Line

The Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs meet at AT&T Center on Monday Night to begin their NBA Playoffs 2nd Round Series. The Spurs and Rockets are bitter division and In State Rivals. The Spurs won three of the four regular season matchups. Two of those came in Houston. Actually, the Spurs won the final three meetings by a combined total of 10 points.

Oddsmakers opened the Spurs as -4.5-point favorites versus the Rockets, while the game's total opened at 215.5. The linesmakers now have the Spurs as a 6-point favorite and the total has settled at 214.5.

San Antonio was a 103-96 winner as they knocked out the Memphis Grizzlies on the road in the First Round of the NBA Playoffs. The Spurs covered in the game as a -5.5-point favorite. The 199 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard scored eight consecutive points to propel the Spurs into the lead in Game 7 against Memphis. He had 29 in the game and averaged 31 points in the series. He had three games of 30 or more points. A 43-point effort in a Game 2 victory in San Antonio was the gem.

Spurs and Rockets Could be a Classic Series

Houston was a 105-99 winner at home against the Okahoma City Thunder in the NBA Playoffs First Round. They put the Grizzlies out in five games. The Rockets should be well rested. They failed to cover the -7.5-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (204) was profitable news for UNDER bettors.

Houston guard James Harden overcame another poor shooting performance from the floor and finished with a team-high 34 points in the Game 5 Win against OKC. He only shot 8 of 25, but he was 16 of 17 from the free-throw line in the contest. Lou Williams had 22 points and Patrick Beverley added 15 points and eight rebounds. Eric Gordon and Nene combined for 22 points off the bench as the Houston bench posted a 44-22 advantage.

Spurs and Rockets Betting Trends

Houston Rockets
Houston is 3-10-1 ATS in its last 14 games
Houston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Houston is 2-4-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Houston's last 15 games on the road
Houston is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games when playing San Antonio
Houston is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Houston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Houston is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Houston's last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio

San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
San Antonio is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of San Antonio's last 8 games
San Antonio is 18-4 SU in its last 22 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 6 games at home
San Antonio is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Houston
San Antonio is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing Houston
San Antonio is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Houston
San Antonio is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing at home against Houston

 

Next up:
Houston at San Antonio Wednesday, May 3

Get all your 2017 NBA Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook

Cavs and Raptors Ready to Go in Round 2 of NBA Playoffs

Cavs are Coming off Long Layoff

The Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers meet on Monday at Quicken Loans Arena. This is the second straight season the teams have met in the NBA playoffs. The Cavs are 15-1 against Eastern playoff teams at home dating back to 2015. The Raptors are 1-11 all time in Game 1 of playoff series.

Oddsmakers opened the Cavaliers as -6.5-point favorites versus the Raptors, while the game's total opened at 208.5.

That 2016 series ended 4-2 with the Cavs winning. Cleveland went on to win the first championship in franchise history. The Raptors have built themselves up since then. It was just for this moment. To take Cleveland out in a seven-game series.

Cleveland ousted the Pacers from the 2017 NBA Playoffs with a 106-102 victory. The Cavaliers earned a push against the point-spread as a -4-point favorite. The 208 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with an average of 23.5 points per game in their opening round series win over the Milwaukee Bucks.  Toronto came through that series as the best defensive unit in the playoffs. The team held Milwaukee to a league-low 93.2 points per game. The Raptors kept the Bucks under 100 points four times.

NBA Playoffs Betting Trends

Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Toronto's last 7 games
Toronto is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Toronto's last 11 games on the road
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Toronto is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games when playing Cleveland
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Toronto is 1-6 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Cleveland

Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Cleveland's last 8 games
Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Cleveland is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Cleveland's last 8 games at home
Cleveland is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Cleveland is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Cleveland is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Toronto
Cleveland is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Toronto

 

Next up:
Toronto at Cleveland Wednesday, May 3

Get all your 2017 NBA Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook