Saturday 6/27/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
Good luck on all your plays.

When not viewing the service plays.
Make sure to enjoy the rest of what the RX has to offer.

First time here at the RX.
Make sure to visit the Newbies Room
Click here to go there now

 

[superbeets]

European U21 Championship TODAY 17:00

Portugal U21

v

Germany U21

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		12/5	23/10	23/20	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
–-–-–-NWNDND​ Most recent​	Unknown	–-–-–-NDNWND​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Portugal are unbeaten in their last 18 competitive matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Portugal have the best defensive record at the tournament and may be able to contain tournament favourites Germany in Olomouc. Germany looked unbeatable for a 20-minute spell against Denmark but failed to sparkle in their other Group A games and may find it tricky to prise open a well-organised Portugal rearguard.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[superbeets]

European U21 Championship TODAY 20:00

Denmark U21

v

Sweden U21

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		5/4	9/4	9/4	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
–-–-–-NWNLHW​ Most recent​	Unknown	–-–-–-NWNLND​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sweden have not kept a clean sheet in their last six competitive games

EXPERT VERDICT: Sweden look the weakest of the teams to reach the semi-finals and may struggle to cope with a strong Denmark outfit at the Letna Stadium in Prague. The Danes are the only side to have won twice in the group stage and should have more left in the tank than Sweden, who were pushed to the limit to get out of Group B.

RECOMMENDATION: Denmark
2

 

[superbeets]

Copa America TODAY 22:30

Brazil

v

Paraguay

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		7/10	13/5	21/4	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
NWHWHWNWNLNW​ Most recent​	0 - 0 2 - 2 2 - 1 0 - 2	ADNLHDNDNWAD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Brazil have not conceded more than one goal in any of their last 13 matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Brazil are nowhere near as dynamic without Neymar but should still have enough to get past Paraguay in Concepcion. Paraguay sprang a major surprise by drawing 2-2 with Argentina in the group stage but are facing a tough task against the Selecao, who have won 12 of their 13 matches since the World Cup.

RECOMMENDATION: Brazil
1

 

[superbeets]

MLS Su 28Jun 22:00

New York City

v

NY Red Bulls

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
					More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NEW YORK CITY	RECENT FORM
HDALHDAWHWAW​ Most recent​	Unknown	ADHLALALHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: The Red Bulls have conceded 12 goals in seven away games in the Eastern Conference

EXPERT VERDICT: New York City are hitting some good form and are unbeaten in four outings, winning three. The Red Bulls have been heading in the opposite direction and their away record is dreadful with just one win, three draws and three losses. It could be even worse after this derby.

RECOMMENDATION: New York City
3

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

MLB

Braves @ Pirates
Teheran is 1-1, 4.55 in his last five starts; eight of his last nine went over.

Morton gave up nine runs in 0.2 IP in his last start, after going 6-0, 1.88 in his previous six starts. Under is 4-2-1 in his last seven starts.

Pirates won seven of last nine games with Atlanta; four of last six series games went over total. Pittsburgh lost five of last seven games overall; four of their last five went over. Braves lost last five road games, outscored 24-8.

Nationals @ Phillies
Gonzalez is 1-2, 4.15 in his last five starts (over 3-1-1).

Morgan allowed one run in 5.2 IP in winning his first MLB start (78 PT), after being 0-6, 4.74 in AAA..

Nationals won last seven games, allowing seven runs; six of those seven games stayed under. Philly won three of last five games; eight of their last ten games went over the total. Phils lost their manager yesterday. Washington won seven of last nine games with Philly; three of last five stayed under.

Reds @ Mets
Lorenzen is 2-0, 2.77 in his last two starts (over 3-2 in last five).

Harvey is 1-1, 0.66 in his last two starts; three of his last four went under.

Cincinnati lost seven of last nine games with the Mets; under is 6-2-2 in last ten series games. Reds won six of last nine games overall, with three of last four going over the total. Mets won last two games after losing previous seven, with ten of last 11 going under total- they're 27-11 at home.

Dodgers @ Marlins
Kershaw is 0-2, 3.66 in his last three starts; six of his last nine went over.

Koehler is 2-0, 1.80 in his last three home starts; they all stayed under.

Dodgers won five of last seven games with Miami; last ten series games went over the total. LA won last three games; under is 4-1 in their last five. Marlins lost five in row (outscored 27-8) and eight of last nine games- under is 4-2-1 in their last seven

Cubs @ Cardinals
Roach allowed four runs in three IP in his only MLB start, in Denver LY; he is 7-1, 2.29 in 14 AAA starts this season. This is his first MLB game in '15.

Wacha is 1-2, 5.50 in his last three starts; his last three home starts stayed under the total.

Cubs lost four of last five games with St Louis; three of those five went over total. Chicago lost last three games, scoring total of four runs- under is 10-2-1 in last thirteen. St Louis won six of last seven games (over 4-2-1).

Diamondbacks @ Padres
Hellickson is 1-1, 5.17 in his last three starts; over is 3-1-1 in his last five.

Cashner is 0-2, 10.04 in his last five starts; his last six starts went over.

Arizona is 8-6 in its last 14 games, eight of which stayed under- they won three of last five games with San Diego- five of last eight series games went over. Padres are 4-7 since changing managers; three of their last four games stayed under the total.

Rockies @ Giants
Rusin is 1-2, 9.39 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Lincecum is 3-2, 7.33 in his last six starts, all of which went over.

Giants are 6-4 in last ten games, but lost ten of their last 13 at home. Over is 4-2-1 in their last seven games overall. Rockies won five of last six games after losing seven of previous eight- 10 of their last 11 games went over. Giants lost eight of last 11 vs Colorado; four of last five series games went over.

American League
Rangers @ Blue Jays
Gallardo is 3-0, 1.70 in his last six starts; five of his last seven stayed under.

Boyd is making MLB debut; he is 7-2, 1.26 in 14 minor league starts, only two of which were in AAA. Boyd is a distant relative of Bob Feller.

Texas lost nine of last 11 games with Toronto; eight of last 11 series games stayed under. Rangers lost last six games, outscored 40-17; over is 3-0-1 in their last four games. Blue Jays are 6-3 in last nine games; over is 7-3-1 in their last eleven games.

White Sox @ Tigers
Danks is 0-4, 8.87 in his last four starts, all of which went over.

Ryan is 0-1, 7.59 in his last three appearances.

White Sox lost three of last four games with Detroit; all four went over total. Chicago are 4-6 in last ten games; over is 3-0-2 in their last five. Detroit won four of last six games-- their last nine games went over the total.

Indians @ Orioles
Anderson blanked Tampa Bay for 7.2 innings (94 PT) in his first MLB start.

Tillman is 3-0, 6.98 in his last four starts; last three went over. Orioles scored 43 runs in his last four starts.

Cleveland lost four of last five games with Baltimore; seven of last eight games stayed under total. Indians lost five of last seven games- three of their last four went over. Baltimore won five of last six games; three of its last five went over.

Red Sox @ Rays
Miley is 3-1, 3.42 in his last four starts, last three of which went over.

Andreise is 1-1, 4.91 in his last three starts; his last four went over.

Boston lost four of last six games with Tampa Bay; six of last seven in series stayed under. Red Sox won four of last five road games; five of their last seven games overall went over. Rays lost four of last five games; last two in extra innings- under is 5-1-1 in their last seven.

Bronx @ Astros
Tanaka is 0-2, 6.75 in his last two stars; four of his last five stayed under.

Oberholtzer is 2-0, 2.25 in his last three starts; three of his last four went over.

Astros split last six games; four of their last five stayed under. Houston won five of last eight games with Bronx Bombers- 10 of last 11 series tilts went under the total. Bronx lost four of last six games- eight of their last nine games stayed under.

Royals @ A's
Young is 2-1, 1.78 in his last four road starts, three of which stayed under.

Kazmir is 2-0, 1.77 in his last three starts; under is 4-0-1 in his last five.

Royals won six of last seven games with Oakland; KC won eight of its last 11 games overall. Over is 4-2-1 in their last seven. A's won nine of their last twelve games; under is 4-1 in their last five home games.

Mariners @ Angels
Happ is 0-3, 6.75 in his last three starts; five of his last seven went over.

Richards is 2-1, 2.70 in his last three starts; five of his last seven went over.

Seattle lost four of last six games with the Angels; seven of last nine series games went under total. Mariners lost three of last five games; over is 3-2-1 in their last six tilts. Angels won three of last five home games; five of their last six overall went under.

Interleague
Twins @ Brewers
Gibson is 0-3, 5.29 in his last three starts; over is 4-2-1 in his last seven.

Garza allowed 26 hits, 16 runs in losing his last two starts (12 IP); six of his last seven starts went over.

Twins lost four of last five games with Milwaukee; five of last seven in series went over total. Minnesota lost four of its last six games. Milwaukee won three of its last four games; four of its last six stayed under.

Win-loss records this year for team with this starting pitcher:
Wsh-Phil-- Gonzalez 9-5; Morgan 1-0
Atl-Pitt-- Teheran 9-6; Morton 5-1
Cin-NY-- Lorenzen 5-4; Harvey 8-6
LA-Mia-- Kershaw 8-7; Koehler 7-6
Chi-StL-- Roach 0-0; Wacha 11-3
Az-SD-- Hellickson 6-8; Cashner 4-11
Col-SF-- Rusin 2-3; Lincecum 7-7

Tex-Tor-- Gallardo 7-8; Boyd 0-0
Chi-Det-- Danks 5-9; Ryan 1-2
Clev-Balt-- Anderson 1-0; Tillman 7-7
Bos-TB-- Miley 8-6; Andreise 3-2
NY-Hst-- Tanaka 5-3; Oberholtzer 4-2
KC-A's-- Young 6-3; Kazmir 6-8
Sea-LAA-- Happ 6-8; Richards 8-5

Min-Milw-- Gibson 6-8; Garza 5-9

Times this starting pitcher allowed a run in first inning:
Wsh-Phil-- Gonzalez 2-14; Morgan 0-1
Atl-Pitt-- Teheran 6-15; Morton 4-6
Cin-NY-- Lorenzen 3-9; Harvey 4-14
LA-Mia-- Kershaw 3-15; Koehler 1-13
Chi-StL-- Roach 0-0; Wacha 4-14
Az-SD-- Hellickson 5-14; Cashner 6-15
Col-SF-- Rusin 2-5; Lincecum 4-14

Tex-Tor-- Gallardo 6-15; Boyd 0-0
Chi-Det-- Danks 6-14; Ryan 1-3
Clev-Balt-- Anderson 0-1; Tillman 2-14
Bos-TB-- Miley 4-14; Andreise 1-5
NY-Hst-- Tanaka 2-8; Oberholtzer 2-6
KC-A's-- Young 0-9; Kazmir 2-14
Sea-LAA-- Happ 5-14; Richards 1-13

Min-Milw-- Gibson 3-14; Garza 6-14

Umpires
Wsh-Phil-- 10 of last 12 Emmel games went over total.
Atl-Pitt-- Under is 5-0-1 in last six Tumpane games.
Cin-NY-- Since start of '14, over is 13-10-1 in Woodring games.
LA-Mia-- Four of last five Timmons games went over.
Chi-StL-- Favorites won six of last seven Johnson games.
Az-SD-- Underdogs are 4-3 in last seven Cederstrom games.
Col-SF-- Five of last seven Holbrook games stayed under.

Tex-Tor-- Since start of '14, under is 9-6 in Pattillo games.
Chi-Det-- Last four Kellogg games went over the total.
Clev-Balt-- Five of last seven Vanover games stayed under.
Bos-TB-- Last three Hamari games stayed under the total.
NY-Hst-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight Drake games.
KC-A's-- Four of last five Culbreth games stayed under.
Sea-LAA-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Nelson games.

Min-Milw-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Barry games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Auto: Toyota/Save Mart 350
By Micah Roberts

We've got a little something different in the Sprint Cup series this week that should appeal to a larger audience than normal. For most auto racing fans across the world, they like viewing races on a road course or street circuit, but 34 of the 36 Cup races here in America are on some variation of an oval with continuous left-turns -- just going round and round. This week we get both left and right turns at Sonoma Raceway.

Yes, it's NASCAR road racing in Northern California wine country, where the true skills of a drivers' racing ability come to the forefront like no other in the series. There are only two road course races per season, but between Sonoma and Watkins Glen, this is the much more technical course because of the 160 feet of elevation changes from its highest to lowest point along the 10-turn course. Watkins Glen runs much faster with longer straightaways where Sonoma has tight turns that force drivers to slow down like no where else.

One of the unique features about road course racing is the strategy where teams almost run the race backwards with pit sequences over the course of 110 laps so they can position themselves the best to be as close to the front as possible on their final fuel run. Passing is difficult, but those that do it the best continually find themselves in contention and it usually seems to be the same drivers that get it done the best.

The driver that has had the most success on road courses in NASCAR history has been Jeff Gordon with nine -- five at Sonoma which is considered his home track since he grew up in nearby Vallejo. He hasn't won on a road course since 2006, but he has been runner-up in three of his past four Sonoma starts.

Gordon hasn't won a race this season in what is supposed to be the final Cup season of his career, but this week looks like his best chance. The reason is kind of simple: all of his top competitors that have kept him from winning a road race lately are out of the series. Marcos Ambrose went back to Australia, Juan Pablo Montoya went to IndyCar, Robby Gordon left for other ventures and Tony Stewart is a shadow of his former self. The competition has dwindled, and while several other drivers have eventually become very good on the roads over their careers, others such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth haven't had much success.

The top candidates to derail Gordon's first win of the season, and an automatic ticket into the Chase as only 11 races remain until the tournament begins, are Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch. Each have won at Sonoma once, but more importantly they've been competitive over the long haul. Martin Truex Jr., who has been rolling lately on the ovals, won in 2013, but he's still only averaged an 18th-place finish over nine starts.

While Gordon is the all-time best at Sonoma, since NASCAR started keeping 'Loop' data in 2005 that rates a driver on several categories at each track, Kurt Busch has been rated as the best (Gordon is No. 2). Busch won his only Sonoma race in 2011, but he's been equally good on the course for three different teams showing that he can wheel just about anything on the layout to a good finish.

The dominators on the season so far have been Kevin Harvick with two wins and Jimmie Johnson with four, but their edge is completely erased here this week. Johnson is one of those drivers that has advanced on roads very well as time has gone by, including a win in 2010. He's finished ninth or better in his past six Sonoma starts after having only one top-five finish in his first seven starts. Harvick was runner-up in 2007, but has been 10th or worse in his past three starts, including 20th last season in his first year driving for Stewart Haas Racing.

The best long shot this week is Greg Biffle, and not just because he's finished ninth or better in his past three Sonoma starts, but because Roush Fenway Racing have a nice road course set-up for their cars. Edwards won last season for RFR and was third in two of the previous three seasons. The RFR organization knows this may be their best chance to have a driver represented in this years Chase. Win and your in, but Gordon's No. 24 is in the same boat, and I like Gordon in a desperate mode this week a little more.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #24 Jeff Gordon (6/1)
2) #41 Kurt Busch (7/1)
3) #15 Clint Bowyer (15/1)
4) #19 Carl Edwards (12/1)
5) #16 Greg Biffle (35/1)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Drivers to Watch - Sonoma

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Toyota – Save Mart 350
Sonoma Raceway – Sonoma, CA
Odds to Win Race

The drivers head to Sonoma Raceway this week for one of the two unique runs on a “road course”, with the other being Watkins Glen. Currently they run on a 1.99-mile course and go 110 laps (218.9 miles) before crowning a winner here. One unique part of the road courses are that some drivers, also called “road ringers” come to compete only on these types of tracks.

There has been a ton of different winners here in the past decade and there hasn’t been a repeat victor at Sonoma since Jeff Gordon won in both 2004 and 2006. Overall, there are five different men who have multiple wins at this event, and besides Gordon, Tony Stewart (2001, 2005) is the only other active racer to have done so. Carl Edwards was able to earn one of his 24 career victories here last year when he dominated the track in 2:51:30, posting an average speed of 76.583 MPH; the slowest speed since 2011.

Let’s take a look through the entrant list and find some racers who could come through on the road course this week.

Drivers to Watch

Jeff Gordon (6/10) - Gordon earns the best odds here as he has dominated this course in his 22 career starts, winning five times with 14 top-five finishes, but has not taken the victory since 2006. He came in first during three straight attempts (1998-2000) earlier in his career and has an amazing average finish of 8.0. Gordon ranks amongst the best in NASCAR in plenty of stats at the course, tallying a driver rating of 103.4 (second-best) and owns an average green flag speed of 89.932 MPH (third-fastest). The 43-year-old is in the midst of his final season, and he has nine top-10s on the year, but should be able to put up one of his best performances on a course where he has more experience and success than any other driver.

Kurt Busch (6/1) - Busch is coming off of his second win of this year after starting in 24th in Michigan and then leading for just six laps in the rainy race. He has the best driver rating (106.5) when at Sonoma and owns one victory (2011) when he finished in 2:54:10 and averaged 75.411 MPH. Busch is currently in third in the Sprint Cup standing, mainly due to his two wins, but has done worse than 15th just once while finishing in the top-five six times over 12 starts. The 36-year-old has been in the top-10 in 207-of-519 (40%) career races, coming away with the win in 27 of those. Busch should be able to piggy-back his nice run at Michigan International Speedway and once again perform well at this road course.

Tony Stewart (18/1) - Stewart has not had the best of seasons in 2015, ranking 26th in the Sprint Cup Series behind just one top-10 finish. What gets him a spot here and higher odds from Vegas is the prominence he’s had on road courses, winning seven times between Sonoma and Watkins Glen while last being a victor here in 2005. His average running position of 12.0 at Sonoma ranks second-best and he has 274 career quality passes on this road course (second-most). He has not been the same in the past few years, but has finished in the top-21 in four of the last five races and should perform better this week in Sonoma, a course that has been good to him in the past.

Kasey Kahne (20/1) - Kahne has had a solid 2015 campaign and sits in 12th in the Sprint Cup Series thanks to six top-nine finishes with one pole. That pole came last week in Michigan, but he was unable to hold the position, eventually ending in 15th after leading just one lap. His driver rating (85.5) puts him as 10th-best and if he is behind late he could get back up to the front with 242 career quality passes in his time at Sonoma (fourth-most). He used his skills on this type of course to grab one of his 17 career wins when he took down the win in 2009 at a race extended due to a green-white-checker finish. Kahne was unable to capitalize on his pole last week, but he has always done well here and will not make that mistake again if he gets a nice starting position.

Casey Mears (100/1) - Mears has just one top-10 finish in 2015, but has been near the top group plenty of times with a top-20 finish in four of his last six times out. The 37-year-old has been around for a long time with his debut coming back in 2001, but still has a mere one win to his name which came at the 2007 Coca-Cola 600, but he does have three poles and 51 career finishes within the top-10. Mears has finished in the top-16 at each of his last six visits between Watkins Glen and Sonoma and is coming off of a 13th here in the 2014 installment of the race. Look for the veteran to improve on his recent success on road courses and jump into the top-10 this week with a chance to surprise many.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 1
By David Schwab

The 2015 CFL season gets underway this week with Calgary coming in as the reigning Grey Cup Champion and odds-on favorite (7/2) to repeat.

The West Division is once again loaded with the best teams in the league. The Edmonton Eskimos are second on the list at 4/1 odds followed by Saskatchewan and both British Columbia Lions at 5/1 odds.

The top team from the East is the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and their odds to win the Grey Cup are set at 6/1.

The following is a brief betting tip sheet for Week 1 of the CFL regular season with the opening point-spread and total.

(2014 Straight-up & Against the Spread records)


Saturday, June 27

Edmonton Eskimos (13-7 SU, 13-7 ATS) vs. Toronto Argonauts (8-10 SU, 7-11 ATS)
Point-spread: Edmonton -4 ½
Total: 50

Game Overview

If the Stampeders are the team to beat in the West in 2015, then Edmonton probably has the best shot to take them down as a second-favorite to win this season’s CFL title. Mike Reilly is back at the helm at quarterback with Justin Goltz in place as his backup. The Eskimos also have Adarius Bowman back after leading the CFL in receiving yards last season as well as running back John White to help lead the ground game.

The Argonauts failed to make the playoffs last season after falling to third-place in the East. They will have to try and avoid a slow start this season with quarterback Ricky Ray still on the shelf for the first few weeks. Toronto also has to be leery of a defense that was ranked near the bottom of the CFL in points allowed last year.

Betting Trends

The Eskimos went 11-5 ATS in their last 16 road games and they ended last season 8-2 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Edmonton is 5-1 ATS in its last six road games against Toronto and the total has gone OVER in the last five meetings overall.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (7-11 SU, 8-9-1 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (10-9 SU, 7-12 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan 8 ½
Total: 49

Game Overview

The Blue Bombers move to the West Division last season was partly to blame for their losing record. Given just how stacked this division remains, it is very likely they will be bringing up the rear again with the longest odds in the West to win a title at +1175. The one bright spot was the play of Drew Willy at quarterback, after passing for the third most yards in the CFL last year.

Saskatchewan still managed to make the playoffs out of the West last season despite a collapse when quarterback Darian Durant was lost to injury. He should be ready to go against the Bombers in the season opener along with first round pick at wide receiver, Nic Demski. The Roughriders should also have a solid run game with Anthony Allen leading the way.

Betting Trends

The Blue Bombers are just 2-5 ATS in their last seven road games against Saskatchewan and the total has gone OVER in five of the last eight meetings overall. The Roughriders are 36-15 ATS over the course of their last 51 season openers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Week 1 Trends and Betting Preview
By Mike Pickett

The 2015 CFL seasons kicks off this week with games in Montreal, Calgary, Saskatchewan, and Fort McMurray - where the Eskimos will take on the Argonauts. Here's a look at the four betting matchups on tap for this week, along with opening CFL betting props.

Edmonton vs Toronto

Last 10 Meetings: Toronto 4-6 SU, 3-7 ATS | OU 7-3

The Argonauts went 1-1 SU but 0-2 ATS in their two games against the Eskimos last season, with the OVER having paid off in each of the last five games between the two teams. Toronto's OVER/UNDER for wins for 2015 at bovada is at 8.5, with Edmonton's at 10.5; the Argonauts went 8-10 last season, while the Eskimos posted a record of 12-6.

Winnipeg at Saskatchewan

Last 10 Meetings: Saskatchewan 8-2 SU, 6-4 ATS | OU 6-4

The Roughriders swept their three games against the Blue Bombers last season SU, going 2-1 ATS in those contests while the OVER/UNDER went 2-1 for totals bettors. Saskatchewan is coming off a 10-8 campaign, with Winnipeg going 7-11 last season; the Riders' wins OVER/UNDER for 2015 is 9.5, while the Bombers' has been set at 7.5.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 1 CFL games

Not lot of info in Week 1 games, but we'll give you what we have........

Edmonton @ Toronto-- Argos won four of last five series games; eight of last nine in series went over total. Eskimos lost 36-33/33-32 in last two visits here. Eskimos covered 11 of last 16 road games, eight of last 10 games overall. Edmonton covered five of last six visits here. Toronto QB Ray is still hurt, will miss first few weeks......

Winnipeg @ Saskatchewan-- Riders won 14 of last 16 games vs Winnipeg, sweeping three games LY, by 6-5-6 points. Blue Bombers lost last 11 visits to Regina, covering only twice in last seven visits here (last three here went over). Winnipeg struggled last year because they moved to the much stronger Western Division, with Ottawa re-joining CFL.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Eskimos-Argos meetings tend to be explosive affairs
Andrew Avery

The Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts meet in the lone CFL game Saturday and if history is any indication, we could be in store for some offensive fireworks.

Over wagers have cashed in five consecutive meetings between the two teams thanks to an average of 65.2 points scored per game over that stretch.

The Argos have a 4-1 edge straight up in those five meetings, while the Eskies have won at the betting window going 3-2 against the spread.

Oddsmakers opened Saturday's tilt with a total of 50, but that has come down to 48.5 as of Friday evening.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Game of the Day: Eskimos at Argonauts

Edmonton Eskimos at Toronto Argonauts (+7.5, 48.5)

Toronto will be without standout quarterback Ricky Ray and Edmonton signal caller Mike Reilly might not be at full strength when the Argonauts host the Eskimos in Saturday's CFL opener for both teams. Ray is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery while Reilly mysteriously was in for just two plays in Edmonton's preseason finale.

Reilly bristled as speculation swirled that he was dealing with a concussion issue. "I find that to be a bit of a shame," Reilly told reporters. "I think that's a problem when members of the media are speculating there's an injury of any kind, let alone a concussion." The situation is clearer for Toronto as Trevor Harris will start in place of Ray, who passed for a league-best 4,595 yards last season. "It's a little bit different knowing that you're going to play but it's just a different feeling," Harris told reporters. "It's not any different in preparation or the way I study my game plan, watch film or anything of that nature."

TV: 5 p.m. ET, TSN

LINE HISTORY: Books opened the Eskies as 5-point road faves but that has moved to -7.5. The total opened at 50 but has come down to 48.5.

INJURY REPORT: Eskimos - OL Greg Wojt (Out, neck), DT Gregory Alexander (Out, undisclosed), WR Wallace Miles (Out, undisclosed). Argonauts - OL Brandon Braxton (Questionable, suspension).

ABOUT THE ESKIMOS (2014: 12-6 SU, 12-6 ATS, 5-13 O/U): Edmonton suffered a huge blow in the preseason as leading rusher John White (852 yards) ruptured his left Achilles' tendon, leaving the unproven duo of Shakir Bell and Kendial Lawrence and recently signed Chad Simpson (1,039 yards for Winnipeg in 2012) to battle for playing time. Reilly passed for 3,327 yards and 16 touchdowns last season and his favourite target will again be Adarius Bowman, who set career bests for receptions (112) and yardage (1,456) last season. The Eskimos led the CFL in scoring defense (18.9) and total defense (279.4) last season with linebacker Dexter McCoil (tied for the CFL lead with six interceptions, while adding 67 tackles and four sacks) bursting on the scene to win Most Outstanding Rookie honours.

ABOUT THE ARGONAUTS (2014: 8-10 SU, 7-11 ATS, 8-10 O/U): Harris has thrown 94 passes in three previous seasons with Toronto and passed for 281 yards, two touchdown and one interception against Ottawa in his lone 2014 start. He has a solid duo of targets in Chad Owens (86 receptions for 989 yards and seven touchdowns last season) and Andrew Durie, who had just 19 catches in 2014 due to a broken collarbone after having 92 catches for 986 yards in 2013. The defense is led by second-year lineman Tristan Okpalaugo (team-high 12 sacks) and veteran lineman Ricky Foley, who played for the Argonauts from 2010-12 and tied his career high of 12 sacks last season for Saskatchewan.

TRENDS:

* Over is 5-0 in the last five meetings.
* Eskimos are 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings.
* Eskimos are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games in Week 1.
* Under is 10-2 in Argonauts last 12 games in Week 1.

CONSENSUS: Fifty-six percent are on the Argos.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

UFC Fight Night 70

UFC Fight Night 70: Machida vs Romero
Saturday, June 27th – 10:00 p.m. ET
Hollywood, Florida

Lyoto Machida (22-6-0) vs. Yoel Romero (9-1-0)

Five Round Middleweight Bout
Line: Machida -170, Romero +145

Former light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida, looks to get his way back into title contention when he faces Yoel Romero at UFC Fight Night 70.

Since joining the middleweight division five fights ago, Machida has had a mixed bag of results. He won his first two, actually getting “Knockout of the Night” in his bout with Mark Munoz to kick off his middleweight career, but has lost two of his last three; including failing to win at a chance to get the middleweight belt. Overall, two of his five fights at this weight division were named “Fight of the Night” and in December of last year, Machida was able to get a TKO (body kick and punches) in just over a minute against C.B. Dollaway. Unfortunately, he is coming off a poor showing against Luke Rockhold where he lost via submission (rear-naked choke) in the middle of the second round.

The 37-year-old won the first 16 fights of his career, and the 15th earned him the light-heavyweight title as he was able to defend it just once. Romero is an Olympic silver medalist after competing in both the 2000 and 2004 summer games for his home country of Cuba. The now Miami resident has gone undefeated in his first five UFC fights since Strikeforce disbanded and has a knockout in four of those five victories. He actually has a knockout in 8-of-9 career fights, with each of his last three knockouts coming in the third round. His bout with Tim Kennedy in September earned “Fight of the Night” honors after Romero took him down with punches early on in the third round.

His wrestling and knockout ability make him a threat to win at any given fight, and although he is 38-years-old, there doesn’t look to be any slowing down for the “Soldier of God.”

Lyoto is a “jack of all trades” when it comes to his fighting style and he has used that to gain an advantage in significant strikes landed. Each minute, “The Dragon” is landing 2.62 significant strikes at a 53% accuracy, and although his opponents are efficient when going against him at 63%, he does not give them plenty of opportunities with 1.52 significant strikes landed against him.

His last match was dominated by his opponent Luke Rockhold who had a 23-13 significant strike advantage and took Lyoto down once with two submission attempts against; one of which ended the fight. It will be interesting to see if that Lyoto comes out or if it is the one who landed 12 strikes compared to none against in his knockout win against Dollaway last December. He has not had a takedown in his last three matches, but overall is averaging 1.38 takedowns per 15 minutes in the octagon with his accuracy at 65%.

Luckily, he does not let others get him on the mat with a takedown defense of 76%, but has been taken down six times in his last three times out. Submissions are also something that he was better known for during the early parts of his career, averaging 0.5 submission attempts per 15 minutes, but has not had one since late 2010. All of Lyoto’s stats seem to be trending downwards and his time at this level looks to be numbered.

Romero made his name as a World Champion and Olympic silver medalist freestyle wrestler, but has extended his legacy with an impressive showing in MMA. He’s gone the distance in a mere 1-of-10 fights between Strikeforce and UFC with eight of his nine wins coming by knockout. His innate ability at knocking his opponents out comes from a 3.49-2.04 advantage in significant strikes handed out.

Those strikes have been handed out at a 54% accuracy as his opposition is getting in just 33% of their attempts against the Cuban-born fighter. Romero has no issues tiring out his opponents by putting them where he is most comfortable, the mat, and averages 2.4 takedowns per 15 minutes in the octagon while getting 10 in his past two fights. He does this more by volume than with precision as his accuracy is a meager 35% while he defends against the takedown 71% of the time.

One part of his game that is absent is submissions as he has not attempted one since joining the UFC and that will not be something that Lyoto will see. If this goes the full five rounds, this fight could really go either way, but Romero will do everything in his power to end it with a knockout early.

Other UFC Fight Night 70 Bouts -

Welterweight Matchup:
Tony Sims +125
Steve Montgomery -155

Welterweight Matchup:
Lewis Gonzalez +125
Leandro Silva -155

Bantamweight Matchup:
Sirwan Kakai -105
Danny Martinez -125

Welterweight Matchup:
Joe Merritt +325
Alex Oliveira -450

Middleweight Matchup:
Steve Bosse +155
Thiago Santos -190

Featherweight Matchup:
Levan Makashvili +150
Hacran Dias -185

Middleweight Matchup:
Eddie Gordon +160
Antonio Carlos Junior -195

Middleweight Matchup:
Santiago Ponzinibbio +175
Lorenz Larkin -215

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Towns, Okafor the co-faves to win Rookie of the Year Award
By STEPHEN CAMPBELL

The dust has barely settled on the 2015 NBA Draft, but one online shop is already offering odds on who will capture the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year Award.

A sportsbook released the following odds Friday on each rookie's chances to win the coveted title:

Jahlil Okafor +500
Karl-Anthony Towns +500
DAngelo Russell +750
Joel Embiid +800
Emmanuel Mudiay +1000
Mario Hezonja +1500
Willie Cauley-Stein +1500
Justise Winslow +1800
Kristaps Porzingis +2000
Myles Turner +2000
Frank Kaminsky +2500
Jerian Grant +2500
Sam Dekker +2500
Stanley Johnson +2500
Cameron Payne +3000
Trey Lyles +3000
Devin Booker +3500
Bobby Portis +5000
Chris McCullough +5000
Delon Wright +5000
Jarell Martin +5000
Justin Anderson +5000
Kelly Oubre Jr +5000
Kevon Looney +5000
Larry Nance Jr +5000
Nikola Milutinov +5000
R J Hunter +5000
Rashad Vaughn +5000
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson +5000
Terry Rozier +5000
Tyus Jones +5000

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Running Aces

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 5 - Post: 7:28 - 1 mile. TROT - Class Rating: 78 - Purse:$4000 - N/W $2000 IN LAST 4 STARTS RUNNING ACES MN-SIRED ALLOWED: 1 EXTRA PM WIN; 30% ON ALL CONDITIONS ADDITIONAL 50% CLAIMING ALLOWANCE MN = MINNESOTA SIRED L = LASIX B = BUTE F = BANAMINE K = KETOPROFEN


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 3 SKEET-THUNDER 10/1


# 7 BET IT ALL 6/1


# 5 RICH DESSERT 3/1

Hard not to like SKEET-THUNDER as the top play in this race so don't let the high morning line scare you off. Overall numbers look respectable. Can't throw him out of the picture. This fine animal earned a very nice speed rating last time out. Looks sharp to come right back. With one of the most respectable drivers in terms of crossing the wire first, don't count this gelding out of the gathering. BET IT ALL - His 82 avg has this gelding among the best TrackMaster speed figs in this one. A really strong class horse cannot be overlooked. With an avg class rating of 83 all signs point to this one being the winner. RICH DESSERT - The handicapping group gives this standardbred a formidable chance to take this race, class statistics are tops in the bunch. Earned a 69 TrackMaster speed fig last out. A duplicate contest here should get the victory in this race.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Saratoga Harness

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 6 - Post: 8:25 - 1 1/16 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 89 - Purse:$10000 - NON-WINNERS $6,700 LAST 5 STARTS


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 3 ITS A GOOD THING 3/1


# 1 COACH CAL 5/2


# 5 EL RINGER 6/1

Look no further than ITS A GOOD THING as the wager this time. Sometimes you just have to go with good vibrations, strongly consider this one's chances. Feel the need for speed, this fine animal has been turning in some outstanding TrackMaster SRs averaging around 90. Been competing with some tougher customers of late, has a distinct class edge. (Average Rating 91). COACH CAL - The 89 avg class rating may give this gelding a distinct edge in the group of horses. Could positively dominate this group of animals given the 86 speed rating recorded in his last race. EL RINGER - Comp pace figs show this standardbred has what it takes to dominate in this contest. Gelding has one of the most competitive win rates in the group of horses and that could be the deciding factor when they cross the wire.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Assiniboia Downs

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 3 - Claiming - 5.0f on the Dirt. Purse: $7700 Class Rating: 83

FOR THREE YEAR OLDS AND UPWARD WHICH HAVE NOT WON TWO RACES IN 2015 OR WHICH HAVE NEVER WON FOUR RACES. THREE YEAR OLDS, 119 LBS.; OLDER, 124 LBS. CLAIMING PRICE $2,500 MANITOBA BRED RESTRICTED RACES RACES NOT CONSIDERED FOR ELIGIBILITY PURPOSES).


RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 3 LOCOMOTIVE BREATH 2/1


# 5 TEDBETHEWON 7/2


# 6 PAPA SMITTY 4/1


I give my vote to LOCOMOTIVE BREATH here. Formidable average Equibase Speed Figures in dirt sprint races make this equine a definite contender. With Morales getting the mount, watch out for this animal. I think having Morales ride this gelding is a smart choice. TEDBETHEWON - He has been running solidly lately while recording strong Equibase Speed Figures. Seems to have a quite good class edge based on the most recent company kept. PAPA SMITTY - Has been running strongly lately and will almost certainly be on or close to the front end early on. Has a sharp shot for this event if you like back class.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Walker Group at Canterbury

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 7 - Maiden Special Weight - 6.0f on the Dirt. Purse: $32500 Class Rating: 53

FOR MN-BRED MAIDENS, FILLIES AND MARES THREE YEARS OLD AND UPWARD. THREE YEAR OLDS, 119 LBS.; OLDER, 123 LBS.


RECOMMENDED CHOICES

The Walker Group Picks

# 3 PRECIOUS PASSION 8/1


# 10 ONE SMOKEN GALE 5/2


# 4 MORE MONA MORE 6/1


I think PRECIOUS PASSION is a very good pick especially at such a decent 8/1. Has very good Equibase Class Figures relative to this group of animals - worth a look. Earnings per start at the distance/surface is a very good angle. This one ranks at the top in this field of horses. This filly has some longshot angles I like to play. MORE MONA MORE - Eikleberry has one of the top jock ROI's on the grounds, returning to players +5 percent. Has very good early pace and will most likely fare soundly against this group.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by The Turf Club Analysts

Bar

Louisiana Downs - Race #8 - Post: 6:24pm - Claiming - 7.5 furlongs on the Turf. Purse: $7,000 Class Rating: 71

Rating: Golden DollarGolden DollarGolden DollarGolden Dollar

#10 ORNELLIA (ML=8/1)
#8 REDCLAYHILL (ML=5/1)
#6 DIAMONDS AND OIL (ML=3/1)


ORNELLIA - You always have to be on the prowl for money generating rider/trainer tandems; we have one right here. Popular handicapping angle - 3rd or 4th start after a vacation generally leads to a big effort. Should run a big one here. 58-61-63 are last three speed figures. Improving each time out is something she should do again in this event. Personally, I wouldn't worry about where she finished in her last race (fifth). Should improve in this event, with some respectable odds. A definite class advantage goes to this horse. What that tells me is she will be very competitive in this race on the grass. REDCLAYHILL - As the only speedball in the race, I expect this filly to be long gone. This rider and handler's animals have been producing a lucrative ROI. If you review the PP's for this thoroughbred, you'll see she has recorded the top speed rating at the distance and surface. A repeat performance in this event and this horse has a superb chance to win. This filly likes to be near the lead. Today's affair is a shorter trip and should help her chances to win. DIAMONDS AND OIL - She keeps getting closer at the finish with each and every start. Have to make this filly a contender; she comes off a good race on Jun 6th. This filly's last speed rating registered on Jun 6th is at the top in last race speed figures.

Vulnerable Contenders: #4 DESIRED STORM (ML=7/2), #7 SUN KING SISTER (ML=5/1), #2 STATED INCOME (ML=8/1),

DESIRED STORM - In any contest of 7 1/2 furlongs, I like to back a contender that has been on the board in sprint affairs lately. When you keep looking back through the TrackMaster pps and don't see a victory recently, you have to say to yourself, 'Not worth it on this horse'. I can't play this repeated non-winner. Gets the assignment finished from time to time. Doubtful that the speed figure she notched on Jun 6th will be good enough in this race. SUN KING SISTER - Not probable that this animal will finish better than she did last time out of the box when placing seventh. Where is the early speed? None to be found in here to set things up for this horse. STATED INCOME - Not easy to bet on any entrant in a short distance affair at 8/1 when she hasn't shown any competitive efforts in sprints in the last sixty days. Difficult to bet on at 8/1 odds after the two most recent efforts.


STRAIGHT WAGERS:
Bet on #10 ORNELLIA to win if we can get at least 7/2 odds

EXACTA WAGERS:
Box [6,8,10]

TRIFECTA WAGERS:
Box [6,8,10] Total Cost: $6

SUPERFECTA WAGERS:
[6,8,10] with [6,8,10] with [1,4,6,8,10] with [1,4,6,8,10] Total Cost: $36