Cubs and Red Sox Square off on FOX Sports 1

Lackey, Lester and Francona Return to Fenway with Cubs

The Chicago Cubs and the Boston Red Sox will meet on Saturday at Fenway Park in an interleague contest. The game will be broadcast by FOX Sports 1 and first pitch will be at 4:05 EST.

Pitchers Jon Lester and John Lackey were in the middle of the mess  of downing fried chicken and beer in the clubhouse during games. This led to a sign that Terry Francona had lost his handle of the Red Sox. While Lester will not face the Red Sox at Fenway Park this weekend, Lackey will be on the mound for the Chicago Cubs today.

Lackey will make his first regular-season start against Boston since Sept. of 2009. He is 1-3 with 4.88 ERA and has lost his last three starts. Lackey has gave up 23 hits and 13 earned runs in 24 innings. He has also walking nine and striking out 16.

Starting this game for the Red Sox will be Steven Wright. The right hander has a 8.66 ERA to go along with a 1-2 record this season.

Both right-handers have done well in interleague play. Lackey is 22-16 with a 3.24 ERA in 48 games (47 starts). Wright 3-0 with a 2.79 ERA in four games (three starts) and a .207 opponents' batting average.

Oddsmakers opened the Red Sox as -101-moneyline favorites versus the Cubs, while the game's total opened at 9. The line is now Chicago as a -115 moneyline favorite and the total is at 10.5.

MLB Betting Trends

Chicago Cubs 12-10
Chi Cubs is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games
Chi Cubs is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Chi Cubs's last 10 games
Chi Cubs is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Chi Cubs is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chi Cubs's last 9 games on the road
Chi Cubs is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston

Boston Red Sox 12-10
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games
Boston is 2-7 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Boston's last 17 games at home
Boston is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

 

Next up:
Chicago at Boston Sunday, April 30

Get all your MLB Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook.

NHL Playoffs: Pacific Division Rivals Face Off in Semifinal Round

Oilers Making Noise in NHL Playoffs

After sweeping the Calgary Flames in Round One, the Anaheim Ducks welcome the Edmonton Oilers to the Honda Center. This is the second game of a best-of-seven series. The puck drops Friday at 10:30 PM ET on NBCSN. The Ducks benefitted from a balanced offensive attack throughout the first round. The team had eight players scoring at least one goal. Team captain Ryan Getzlaf led the way with 3 goals and 2 assists. Goaltender John Gibson was solid in Round One as well. He posted a 2.60 goals against average with a .926 save percentage. The Ducks will need a similar team performance as they face the high-octane Oilers.

Bet on NHL hockey at Bodog and get a free 100% bonus.

In their first playoff appearance since 2005-06, the Edmonton Oilers looked like a veteran team who had been there before. They finished only two points out of first place in the Pacific Division behind the Ducks, and continued their strong play from first puck drop of Round One. They eliminated the San Jose Sharks in six games, a team that many had repeating as the West’s representative at the Stanley Cup Final. Led by phenom Connor McDavid (2 goals, 2 assists), the Oilers will attempt to knock off another veteran squad in the Ducks.

 

NHL Playoffs Betting Trends

Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Edmonton is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Edmonton is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Edmonton is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Edmonton's last 9 games on the road
Edmonton is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Anaheim
Edmonton is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games when playing Anaheim
Edmonton is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Anaheim
Edmonton is 3-9 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Anaheim

Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Anaheim is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games
Anaheim is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Anaheim is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games at home
Anaheim is 17-7 SU in its last 24 games when playing Edmonton
Anaheim is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Edmonton
Anaheim is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Edmonton
Anaheim is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Edmonton

Get your NHL odds at Bovada today.

Bulls Look to Force Game 7 at Home Against Celtics

Bulls Have Dropped 3 in a Row

The Boston Celtics and the Chicago Bulls meet in Game 3 of their NBA Playoff Series on Friday when they meet at United Center. The Celtics have stormed back to win three straight games. The Celtics look to keep the momentum tonight when they battle the Bulls.

Oddsmakers opened the Celtics as 0-point favorites versus the Bulls, while the game's total opened at 204.

Chicago was a 108-97 loser in its last match on the road against the Celtics in Game 5. They failed to cover the +7.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 205 sent UNDER bettors to the payout window. Chicago has been rudderless since losing veteran point guard Rajon Rondo. He fractured his thumb in Game 2. That was the last time the Bulls won. Rondo won't play in Game 6 either. There had been speculation that he could be back at some point soon.

Boston surged to victory Wednesday. They ended the game on a 20-4 run. The run happened even with its leading scorer, guard Isaiah Thomas, shooting 6-for-17 from the field and 1-of-10 from 3-point range.

NBA Playoff Betting Trends

Boston Celtics
Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Boston is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Boston's last 16 games on the road
Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Chicago
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Boston's last 9 games when playing Chicago
Boston is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Boston is 4-12 SU in its last 16 games when playing on the road against Chicago
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games when playing on the road against Chicago

Chicago Bulls
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Chicago's last 10 games
Chicago is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 6 games at home
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Boston
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chicago's last 9 games when playing Boston
Chicago is 11-5 ATS in its last 16 games when playing at home against Boston
Chicago is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games when playing at home against Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing at home against Boston

 

Next up:
Boston home to Chicago Sunday, April 30

Get all your 2017 NBA Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook

Day 100 for Donald Trump

Trump's First 100 Days Has Been Mixed Bag

April 29th Donald Trump will mark his 100^th day in office as President of the United States. Trump has been downplaying the importance of this milestone. The talking heads in the media typically use this date to evaluate how the presidency has fared thus far. Will he be more reserved than usual on Twitter? Will he unleash an epic tweetstorm? At press time, the over/under for April 29 tweets sent from @RealDonaldTrump is pegged at 6.5 tweets. The OVER is the solid favorite at –150.

Bet on politics at Bovada and get a free 50% bonus.

You can also bet on what Trump’s approval rating will be on April 29 – specifically, how his numbers will look on the Gallup Daily Job Approval Poll at 2 PM ET. The total is a historically low 38.5% for Day 100, although the OVER is once again favored at –200. Gallup had Trump at 40% approval Tuesday afternoon.

Odds are still available on how long Trump will last in office, but instead of betting on whether he’ll complete his first term, you now have a choice of four possible exit dates: 2017 (+350), 2018 (+400), 2019 (+450), or anytime thereafter (–120). Backlash against his incumbency has also bumped the Democratic Party up to –155 for the 2020 US presidential election.
Get your political odds at Bovada today.

Legalized Sports Betting in the U.S. Could Soon Be a Reality

In 1992, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act banned sports betting everywhere in the U.S. except in the state of Nevada. This led to an increase in illegal yet lucrative sports betting operations in the United States. In fact, according to the American Gaming Association (AGA), roughly $150 billion is wagered on sports annually but only $4.5 billion of these bets were legally made in Nevada last year.

In the next four months, many sports betting websites and sports betting software companies expect the Supreme Court to decide whether to hear an appeal by Governor Chris Christie and the State of New Jersey that would allow states to make their own decision on whether or not sports betting would be legal within their borders.

The AGA’s main initiative over the past two year has been to the regulation of sports betting. This week however, they took it one step further when the AGA’s board of director outlined the industry’s approach to sports betting legalization which would amongst other things:

• Give each states the ability to decided whether to make sports betting and casino wagering legal within their borders


• Ensure the integrity of sports wagering and sports with state licensing and regulation;


• Make all sports betting transactions and businesses transparent to law enforcement


• Ensure proper taxation so that state licensed and regulated sportsbooks are compete against illegal offshore operators.

What the court will do is not certain as the debate will mostly be about state vs. federal regulations. Major US pro sports leagues are either against legalizing sports betting or want it to be legalized at a federal level. This is a debate of states’ rights versus intrusive and economically harmful federal overreach. On the other hand, the regulation of gambling in the United States has always been a decision of each state.

Legal Sports Betting could be a reality in the Trump Presidency

Several experts in the sports betting industry believe that legal sports betting will come before the year 2020 or before the end of Trump’s first term in office.

With the rise of fantasy sports and the increasing number of states that are interested in legal sports betting due to the added tax, infrastructure and tourist revenues, makes it more likely that the Sports Protection Act will either be repealed.

And then we have President Trump who at one time or another owned three casino in Atlantic City and is in favor of legalizing sports betting.

"I'm OK with it because it's happening anyway," Trump told Fox Sports in November 2015. "Whether you have it or you don't have it, you have it."

For the offshore sportsbook, does this mean that this is the beginning of the end of a profitable era for them? Or will this be the beginning of a mass migration of sportsbook moving their office to the United States?

NHL Playoffs: Pens and Caps Square off in Semifinals

Defending Champs Face Tough Caps Team

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals at Verizon Center on Thursday to open their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup in the NHL Playoffs. The top two teams left in the postseason are meeting in the conference semis for the second straight year. Pittsburgh defeated top-seeded Washington in six games in last year. They went on to capture the fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Oddsmakers opened the Capitals as -140-moneyline favorites versus the Penguins, while the game's total opened at 5.5.

The Penguins are 8-1 in playoff series vs. the Capitals, and have won both meetings during the Sidney Crosby-Alex Ovechkin era. The Penguins finished second behind the Capitals in the Metropolitan Division this season. They went 50-21-11 with 111 points. The Pens ousted the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games in the first round. Washington went 55-19-8 with 118 points during the regular season. They bested the Toronto Maple Leafs in six.

NHL Playoffs Betting Trends

Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Pittsburgh is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games on the road
Pittsburgh is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Washington
Pittsburgh is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Washington
Pittsburgh is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington

Washington Capitals
Washington is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games
Washington is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Washington's last 10 games
Washington is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 21-4 SU in its last 25 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Washington's last 7 games at home
Washington is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh
Washington is 3-6 SU in its last 9 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games when playing at home against Pittsburgh

Next up:
Pittsburgh at Washington Saturday, April 29

Get your NHL odds at Bovada today.

Spurs Look to Close out Grizzlies on Road in Game 6

Spurs Look to Reverse Road Team Losing Trend

The San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies will meet at FedExForum on Thursday night in Game 6 of their NBA Playoff Series. The home team is undefeated in nine overall meetings this season between these two teams.

Oddsmakers opened the Spurs as -4.5-point favorites versus the Grizzlies. The game's total opened at 190. The line now has the Spurs as 5.5-point favorites and the total has dropped to 189.5.

Memphis was a 116-103 loser in Game 5. They failed to cover the +10.5-point spread as underdogs, while the total score of 219 sent OVER bettors to the payout window. Memphis point guard Mike Conley is averaging 27.3 points and 7.5 assists over the past four games.

To force a seventh game in this series, Memphis must find an answer to slowing down Kawhi Leonard. Leonard has averaged 30.5 points in the two games in Memphis. Leonard is shooting 48.8 percent from the field in Memphis. He is nearly 60 percent at home. He has missed only one of his 48 free-throw attempts.

San Antonio:
Team record: 64-23 SU,44-41-2 ATS
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 7 games
San Antonio is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
San Antonio is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road

Memphis:
Team record: 45-42 SU,43-44 ATS
Memphis is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Memphis is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games

NBA Playoffs Betting Trends

San Antonio Spurs
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Antonio's last 7 games
San Antonio is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
San Antonio is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 5 games on the road
San Antonio is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Memphis
San Antonio is 14-4 SU in its last 18 games when playing Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing Memphis
San Antonio is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Memphis
San Antonio is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Memphis
The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Antonio's last 5 games when playing on the road against Memphis

Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis is 2-5 ATS in its last 7 games
Memphis is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Memphis's last 6 games
Memphis is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games at home
Memphis is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Memphis's last 14 games at home
Memphis is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing San Antonio
Memphis is 4-14 SU in its last 18 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Memphis is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against San Antonio
Memphis is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Memphis's last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio

Next up:
San Antonio at Memphis Thursday, April 27

Get all your 2017 NBA Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook

MLB Network: Houston Has No Problems Heading Into Cleveland

Astros as Good as Billed Early On

The Houston Astros were a fashionable pick to win the AL West, and compelling +1400 third-tier contenders for the World Series. So far, so good: The Astros are off to a 13-6 start (+4.41 betting units), and they’ve lowered their World Series odds to +800 at press time. We could see a preview of the ALCS when Houston visits Cleveland for a three-game set. Game 3 is Thursday at 6:10 PM ET on the MLB Network.

Oddsmakers have the Indians as -175 moneyline favorites on MLB Network. The total is at 8.5.

Bet on baseball at Bovada and get a free 50% bonus.

The Tribe (10-8, –4.02 units) have also seen their championship odds narrow from +900 to +650, but they’ve done all their damage against weak competition in the AL Central. That’s one reason why Cleveland leads the majors in pitching at 3.02 FIP. However, Cy Young winner Corey Kluber (4.18 FIP) has been up-and-down in his four starts thus far. He’s scheduled to take the mound for Thursday’s game opposite Charlie Morton (3.14 FIP).

Houston has one of the best pitching staffs in the big leagues, but Morton has been snakebitten somewhat; he’s allowed a .353 BABIP (Batting Average on Balls In Play) since coming over from the National League in the offseason. Kluber has allowed a career-low .261 BABIP thus far.

MLB Network Betting Trends

Houston Astros
Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Houston is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Houston's last 5 games
Houston is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games on the road
Houston is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Houston's last 9 games on the road
Houston is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Houston's last 23 games when playing Cleveland
Houston is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
Houston is 5-14 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against Cleveland
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Houston's last 18 games when playing on the road against Cleveland

Cleveland Indians
Cleveland is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games
Cleveland is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games at home
Cleveland is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cleveland's last 6 games at home
Cleveland is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 17 of Cleveland's last 23 games when playing Houston
Cleveland is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Houston
Cleveland is 14-5 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Houston
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Cleveland's last 18 games when playing at home against Houston

Get all your MLB Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook.

NBA Playoffs: Bulls, Celtics Return to Boston

Celtics Look to Take Series First Home Win

The Chicago Bulls beat the Boston Celtics on the road in the first two games of their Eastern Conference playoff series. The Celtics returned the favor in Chicago. Now, the two teams head back to Boston for Game 5 on Wednesday, with the series tied 2-2.

Oddsmakers have the Celtics as 8-point favorites. The total is sitting at 203.

Bet on basketball at Bovada and get a 50% bonus.

The Bulls had a great chance to go 3-0 in the series in Game 3. Chicago was thumped 104-87 by the Cletics. The Bulls missed the injured Rajon Rondo. Rondo was great in Games 1 and 2. Chicago guard Rajon Rondo dominated his old team in Game 2. He had a decent performance in the opener as well. But his freak injury broken right thumb in the second victory, instantly changed the series. The Celtics won the two games that he missed.

With Rondo sidelined, Isaiah Canaan will make his first start of the season at point guard in Game 5. He had 13 points in 34 minutes in Game 4.

The Celtics continued a disturbing trend by being dominated 52-37 on the glass in Game 3. The Celtics were no better rebounding in Game 4 either. Boston was out-rebounded again in Game 4, but they made a much better effort The difference was only 44-41. The rest of the team stepped up to help Isaiah Thomas. Al Horford has averaged 16.5 points per game over the last two games. Gerald Green had a career playoff high 18 points in Game 4.

NBA Playoffs Betting Trends

Chicago Bulls
Chicago is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
Chicago is 9-4 SU in its last 13 games
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Chicago's last 9 games
Chicago is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Chicago is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chicago's last 10 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Chicago's last 8 games when playing Boston
Chicago is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
Chicago is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chicago's last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston

Boston Celtics
Boston is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
Boston is 1-8 ATS in its last 9 games at home
Boston is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games when playing Chicago
Boston is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
Boston is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chicago
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Boston's last 9 games when playing at home against Chicago

The home team has yet to win in this series, but we’ll see if that changes in Game 5.

Get all your 2017 NBA Odds at Bovada Online Sportsbook

NBA Playoffs Tuesday Free Pick- Memphis at San Antonio Game 5

Memphis Has Evened Series at Two Each

Game 5 of the best-of-seven Western Conference matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs is set for Tuesday night at the AT&T Center in a 9 p.m. (ET) tip on NBA TV. BetAnySports has opened the Spurs as 9.5-point home favorites with the total set at 186.5 points. The line has crept up to the Spurs -10 and the total has risen to 187.5.

Memphis was able to climb right back into this series after losing the first two games on the road both straight-up and against the spread with a pair of victories at home. It has closed as an underdog in all four games and the total has gone OVER BetAnySports’ closing line in three of the four contests. The Grizzlies go back to the AT&T Center with a 2-6 record ATS in their last eight road games and the total has stayed UNDER in six of those games.

Mike Conley continues to lead the way for the Grizzlies in this series when it comes to scoring with an average of 24.0 points per game after scoring a team-high 20.5 points during the regular season. He posted 35 points in this past Saturday’s tight 110-108 victory while going 13-of-23 from the field. Memphis has averaged just 94.8 PPG through the first four games of this series after ending the regular season ranked 29^th in the league in scoring with 100.5 PPG.

The Spurs will need to quickly return to the form that led to an early 2-0 series lead while outscoring their Southwest Division rivals by a combined 43 points to easily cover as double-digit favorites in both of those home games. Going back to a late-March 97-90 victory against Memphis as a 7.5-point favorite with BetAnySports, San Antonio is 6-9-1 ATS over its last 16 games. The total has now gone OVER in six of its last eight outings.

Kawhi Leonard did everything he could to try and help his team win Game 4 with 43 points and eight rebounds. He connected on 14 of his 30 shots from the field while going 7-for-10 from three-point range. He is averaging 32.5 PPG in this series after leading the team in scoring this season with 25.5 PPG. The Spurs were 14^th in the league in scoring with 105.3 PPG, but this average is down to 102.3 points in this series.

Both of these teams have been able to use home court to its full advantage and that should be the case again this Tuesday night with San Antonio taking Game 5 both SU and ATS.

" data-medium-file="https://i0.wp.com/handicappershideaway.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/BAS_468x60_basketball_II-002.gif?fit=300%2C38" data-large-file="https://i0.wp.com/handicappershideaway.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/BAS_468x60_basketball_II-002.gif?fit=468%2C60"/>