Sunday 9/4/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Post your request, Comments or concerns here.
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[superbeets]

League One TODAY 12:00

Northampton

v

MK Dons

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		8/5	5/2	9/5	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT NORTHAMPTON	RECENT FORM
ADADHDHD*ADHL​ Most recent​	2 - 2 1 - 2 1 - 0 0 - 1	HDHLAWAD*HLHD*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: MK Dons have kept clean sheets in both of their League Two away games

EXPERT VERDICT: Northampton won the League Two title by a country mile last term, but have set out a conservative stall following promotion to a higher level. The hosts have drawn each of their opening five fixtures in League One, and none of those games has featured more than two goals so it is difficult to anticipate many goals on Sunday. MK Dons were relegated from the Championship last term and have won both away games so far, which means they could prove a difficult nut for the Cobblers to crack.

RECOMMENDATION: Under 2.5 goals
2


REFEREE: David Webb STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

League One TODAY 14:15

Gillingham

v

Sheff Utd

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		6/4	12/5	2	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT GILLINGHAM	RECENT FORM
HWHDALAD*AWHL​ Most recent​	4 - 0 2 - 0 0 - 1 1 - 3	HD*HDHLALHWHD*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Sheffield United have not scored in their last three meetings with Gillingham

EXPERT VERDICT: Gillingham have made a decent start to their 2016-17 campaign, losing only one of their five League One outings – although that defeat was a 5-0 hammering at Scunthorpe. Perennial underachievers Sheffield United finally claimed their first league win of the season last weekend when they beat Oxford United 2-1, but the trip to Kent could prove a difficult one for Chris Wilder’s men. The Blades don’t usually fare well against these opponents, winning only twice against the Gills in six League One contests.

RECOMMENDATION: Gillingham
3


REFEREE: Darren Handley STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

World Cup TODAY 17:00

Slovakia

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England

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ITV		7/2	12/5	19/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSIN SLOVAKIA	RECENT FORM
AWHDNLNWNDNL​ Most recent​	0 - 0 1 - 2	HWHWNDNWNDNL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: England won all five road trips in Euro 2016 qualifying, keeping four clean sheets

EXPERT VERDICT: Sam Allardyce can kick off his England stint with a victory. It could be a blessing to be playing away in his first match as Wembley might not have been a welcoming venue after yet another embarrassing tournament flop for the Three Lions. After their disastrous World Cup in Brazil, Roy Hodgson’s side won away in Switzerland to set up a perfect qualifying campaign for Euro 2016. Opponents Slovakia are decent side who frustrated England in France, but a rotated Three Lions team were totally dominant, with 28 shots to Slovakia’s four. Adding composure on the big stage will be tougher, but pragmatic Sam has the tools at his disposal to nick a narrow away victory.

RECOMMENDATION: England to win 1-0
1

 

[superbeets]

World Cup TODAY 19:45

Malta

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Scotland

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS2		8	7/2	4/9	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSIN MALTA	RECENT FORM
HLALHDALALAD​ Most recent​	2 - 3 0 - 2 1 - 2	HDAWAWHWALAL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Leigh Griffiths has scored eight goals this season

EXPERT VERDICT: Scotland's job of World Cup qualification is made harder by the fact they have been grouped alongside England – 2-5 to win the section – and a decent Slovakia outfit, who were tough to beat at the Euros. Scotland will need to maximise their return against the section’s lesser lights, and that begins with a trip to a Malta side ranked 176th in the world. There is little value getting with the Scots to win the match, but Leigh Griffiths is having another fruitful season for Celtic and could be the man to open the scoring.

RECOMMENDATION: L Griffiths first goalscorer
2

 

[superbeets]

[FONT=Tahoma, Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]World Cup[/FONT] [FONT=Tahoma, Geneva, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]TODAY[/FONT] 19:45

Czech Rep

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N Ireland

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		3/4	13/5	19/4	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSIN CZECH REP	RECENT FORM
NWHLNLNDNLHW​ Most recent​	0 - 0 3 - 1	HWADNLNWNLNL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Northern Ireland failed to score in three of their four Euro 2016 games

EXPERT VERDICT: Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifying campaign begins with a tricky trip to the Czech Republic and their cause isn’t helped by the potential absence of Wigan’s hot-shot striker Will Grigg, whose partner is due to give birth soon. The Czechs were unable to qualify from their Euro 2016 group, but Michael O’Neill will know that doesn’t mean these hosts are easy prey. The Czechs have registered some good results in recent months, overcoming Russia and Serbia in friendlies as well as beating Holland 3-2 in October, so Northern Ireland could struggle.

RECOMMENDATION: Czech Republic
3

 

[superbeets]

World Cup Mo 5Sep 17:00

Georgia

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Austria

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		3	23/10	19/20	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSIN GEORGIA	RECENT FORM
ALADHDNLNLNW​ Most recent​	Unknown	HLHWHLNLNDNL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Austria were undefeated in Euro 2016 qualifying

EXPERT VERDICT: Austria suffered a disappointing Euro 2016 campaign, picking up only two points and finishing bottom of their group.However, with the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Bayern’s David Alaba in the squad Austria should be too strong for Georgia, even if the hosts did shock Spain in their last outing.

RECOMMENDATION: Austria
4

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bojangles Southern 500
By Micah Roberts

Only two races remain in NASCAR's regular season before the 10-race Sprint Cup Chase starts at Chicagoland Sept. 18 and Sunday night's Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway will help finalize the 16 drivers eligible for postseason play.

Kyle Larson's first career win last week at Michigan made him the 13th driver to win in the first 24 races which means there are only three Chase spots available.

The Southern 500 used to be NASCAR's feature race of the season every Labor Day weekend. It began in 1950 and while NASCAR took the date away during its rapid expansion -- greed was the real reason, last year it made a return back to its rightful spot on the schedule at Darlington and everyone embraced it.

The track painted the facility just the way it was in the 1950's, and the teams got into the theme as well with retro paint schemes. For the past two months, every team has been unveiling their Darlington paint schemes, and they all look pretty cool. You're going to do a double take wondering if David Pearson, Cale Yarborough or Junior Johnson is driving.

Beyond the historical element added, the best thing about races at Darlington is the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval that features high banks with four different corners. No matter how skilled a driver is 'The Lady in Black' always manages to give away some unwanted Darlington stripes.

“The Darlington Stripe is when you run up right by the wall and you are trying to get the best speed you can out of the car," said Kurt Busch who makes his 20th Darlington start Sunday and finished sixth there last year.

"Just that quick (snaps fingers), the wall just sucks you right on it and you’ve got the right side of your car pancaked. The teams build the cars with extra support on the right sides. It’s extra weight but it helps protect you from running into the wall too hard. It helps where you can keep your day going and not actually ruin your day when you run into the wall. You think, hitting the wall, usually your day is done. At Darlington, that is a tattoo. It’s a stamp that says now you are racing.”

It's a tough track for all, which is why it's often called 'The Track Too Tough To Tame'.

The first handicapping tool we need to start with is understanding that all the teams will be running the regular package that has been run with most of the year that Joe Gibbs Racing has dominated with. There have been 24 races run this season and a Gibbs car has won 11 of them, but if we back out the three restrictor-plate races and the three races with the new low downforce package, a Gibbs car has won 10 of the 18 races. That is an incredible ratio of success.

While Darlington is configured like no other on the circuit, we can still apply a lot of what we've seen already in the six races run on 1.5-mile tracks. Then, let's back out the July 9 race at Kentucky, won by Brad Keselowski, because it used the low downforce package and now we're looking at the last three winners using the regular package on 1.5s coming from the Gibbs stable. This is where we'll start for this week, and there's one Gibbs driver that has been very well liked by 'The Lady in Black.'

No one has been better than Denny Hamlin at Darlington. How does a 6.5 average finish sound in 10 career starts? The track definitely hasn't been too tough for Hamlin to tame. His lone win there came in 2010 and he's been runner-up three times. Last year he finished third. The track just suits his style and you can believe between his own skills and the Gibbs equipment that he'll be running in the top-five for most of the race.

Hamlin and his crew have been in a Chase simulation mode the past few races and they probably wish it was the real deal happening now because they are in their absolute best form of the season with six straight top-10 finishes, including his first career win at Watkins Glen.

He's a good bet right now to win his first Sprint Cup Championship at 12/1 (Westgate SuperBook) and if you do some searching around town, you might find a sports book that overlooks him this week and posts him at 10/1 odds or higher. NASCAR isn't a priority right now for the books with football starting, so there could be an opportunity to catch one of them sleeping at the wheel in other areas, such as this week's Southern 500.

If Hamlin's not your choice this week, Kevin Harvick will surely give you a good run for your money. He's had top-five finishes in his last three Darlington starts including his first career win there in 2014.

Jimmie Johnson has three Darlington wins, second most among active drivers behind Jeff Gordon's seven. Johnson's last win came in 2012 which began a string of three straight top-fives before finishing 19th last season. He has a 9.1 average finish in 17 career starts. Gordon is active again this week after skipping Michigan and is 30/1 to win.

Chevrolet has won the last two races in the series, but the most probable winner this week comes from the Gibbs stable in a Toyota. Hamlin looks to be the best of the bunch this week, but Carl Edwards is close behind as a candidate. After being runner-up twice at Darlington in his first 11 starts, he finally took the checkers last season. The interesting thing to note about that race is that the package they're using for most of this season was used on a trial basis at Darlington last year.

Kyle Busch has had rough weeks back-to-back at Bristol (39th) and Michigan (19th), but Darlington should see his best effort. He's been seventh or better in his last four starts there and captured a win during his magical year of 2008 when he won a career-high eight races.

Matt Kenseth has been sluggish lately as well, but he grabbed his first Darlington win in 2013.

Top-5 Finish Prediction

1) #11 Denny Hamlin (10/1)
2) #4 Kevin Harvick (6/1)
3) #19 Carl Edwards (8/1)
4) #20 Matt Kenseth (8/1)
5) #2 Brad Keselowski (10/1)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Drivers to Watch - Darlington

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Bojangles’ Southern 500
Sunday, September 4th – 6:00 p.m. EDT
Darlington Raceway – Darlington, SC

The Sprint Cup drivers head to Darlington Raceway on Sunday for the Bojangles’ Southern 500. With only two more races until the Round of 16 begins, the drivers will be extra motivated to earn a win on Sunday. The points are crucial at this time of year and that should make for some very exciting action on the 1.366-mile track.

Hendrick Motorsports drivers will be extra excited to get out there on Sunday, as a member of the team has won this race 11 times in the past. Jeff Gordon happened to be responsible for six of those victories himself. He’ll be out on the track once again on Sunday, as he’s going to be filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. once again in this one. This is the fifth time Gordon has filled in for Earnhardt this season and it’s unclear when the driver will be making his return. Two guys that will be looking forward to this race are Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle. Outside of Gordon, those are the only two active drivers that have won this race multiple times.

With that out of the way, let’s now take a look at some of the best values for Sunday’s event:

Drivers to Watch

Joey Logano (13/2) - Joey Logano has been driving as well as any Sprint Cup driver heading into this race, as he has now racked up 10 top-10 finishes in his past 12 races. Logano has, however, won only one race this season and has never won the Bojangles’ Southern 500. It is, however, only a matter of time before Logano changes that and wins at Darlington. This might just be the year, as Logano came very close to winning just a year ago. Logano finished in fourth place in 2015 and a slight improvement could mean he will be entering victory lane on Sunday.

At 13/2, taking Logano would be a wise move. Jimmie Johnson (17-to-2) - One guy that represents a ridiculous value coming into this race is Johnson. As previously mentioned, Johnson won this race back in 2004 and then again in 2012. He knows what it takes to get it done on this course and he’ll also be entering this race with some confidence. Johnson finished in seventh place at Bristol two weeks ago and he followed it up with a sixth place finish at the Pure Michigan 400 last week. With all of that momentum, taking Johnson at 17-to-2 is a very good idea when considering how well he has done at Darlington in his career.

Jeff Gordon (20/1) - As mentioned earlier, Jeff Gordon is going to be racing on Sunday and Gordon is somebody to take very seriously coming into this one. It’s only a matter of time before Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes back, so every race that Gordon appears in could be his last. That will give him some extra motivation to win, but he doesn’t necessarily need any. Darlington Raceway is a track that Gordon has dominated in his career, as he has already won this race six times in his career. At 20-to-1, it’s worth putting a few units on Gordon to win his seventh.

Austin Dillon (65/1) - When looking for a dark horse in this race, Dillon is a guy that stands out. He is receiving some very enticing odds at 65-to-1 and has been racing very well recently. Dillon has cracked the top-15 in nine of his past 15 races and he also happens to have two top-five finishes in that span. He is getting closer and closer to winning his first ever Sprint Cup Series race and this just might be the event he does it at. Backing him with a half-unit might just end up paying off huge on Sunday.

Odds to win Bojangles’ Southern 500 -
Kevin Harvick 6/1
Joey Logano 7/1
Kyle Busch 7/1
Brad Keselowski 8/1
Carl Edwards 8/1
Denny Hamlin 8/1
Martin Truex Jr. 8/1
Matt Kenseth 8/1
Jimmie Johnson 9/1
Chase Elliott 12/1
Kyle Larson 12/1
Kurt Busch 15/1
Jeff Gordon 20/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 20/1
Tony Stewart 30/1
Austin Dillon 60/1
Kasey Kahne 60/1
Ryan Blaney 60/1
Ryan Newman 60/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

WNBA Betting Recap - 8/26-8/28
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes (Friday, Aug. 26 through Sunday, Aug. 28)

-- Underdogs went 6-5 straight up (SU)
-- Underdogs went 7-4 against the spread (ATS)
-- Home teams posted a 7-4 SU record
-- Road teams posted a 8-3 ATS record
-- The 'over' went 7-4

Team Betting Notes

-- Los Angeles (21-5) did not benefit from the Olympic break, as they opened going 0-2 SU/ATS in their two road games since play resumed. The Sparks will try to get on track Thursday at San Antonio (6-19). The Sparks are 2-0 SU/1-1 ATS in their two previous games against the Stars this season.

-- The Stars snapped their six-game slide Sunday with a win at Washington (10-16). San Antonio will be sad to see Washington go, as they are 2-1 SU/ATS against the Mystics this season, and they do not play again.

-- Connecticut (9-17) had their season-high three-game win streak snapped in Atlanta (14-13). The non-cover also put to an end a hot run for the Sun, who entered the game 10-1 ATS in their past 11 before the loss.

-- The Dream have won and covered five straight games at home dating back to July 3, while going 0-4 SU/ATS over their past four games on the road.

-- New York (17-7) picked up a seven-point win against the Sun Sunday, but narrowly missed out on a cover. It's nothing new for the Liberty, as they're just 2-5 ATS over the past seven games, and 5-8-2 ATS over the past 15 outings. They're also 2-8 ATS over the past 10 games at home.

-- Minnesota (22-5) dropped their first game out of the break in Connecticut, but rebounded with a 92-80 win and cover against Seattle (10-16). The loss and non-cover ended a 3-0 ATS streak for the Storm. Seattle entered 6-2 ATS over the past eight, too.

-- The Lynx started 9-4 ATS in their first 13 games, but they're just 6-8 ATS over their past 14 outings. They're also just 1-4 ATS in the past five road outings.

-- The turnaround continues for Phoenix (12-14), as they fired out of the Olympic break going 2-0 SU/ATS, including a win Sunday against Los Angeles. The 'under' has now cashed in a season-high five straight games for the Mercury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mystics (10-16) at Wings (9-19)

Date: September 04, 2016 4:30 PM EDT

In a season in which both teams have struggled, the Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics have a few things in common as the 2016 WNBA season winds down.

With pride on the line, both teams could impact the playoff race as a spoiler. Just ask the Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx, the teams tied for the best record at 23-5 in the league.

But on Friday, neither the Wings nor the Mystics played like teams that had just one win combined in their past 20 games.

Dallas, which has lost 10 straight games, put a scare into the Sparks on Friday when they jumped out to a 21-9 first-quarter lead. Odyssey Sims sparked the outburst and finished with a season high 26 points in a game that Washington eventually lost, 87-79.

Similarly, Washington, which is 1-9 over its past 10 games, had upset on its mind when the Mystics entered the fourth period on Friday with a 55-51 lead over the Lynx.

But like the Wings, the Mystics fell short and lost 75-69 to the Lynx.

So, there will be a lot of pride on the line when the Mystics and Wings collide at 4:30 p.m. EDT Sunday at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Besides Sims, the Mystics will have to find a way to stop Dallas' Glory Johnson, who recorded her seventh double-double (16 points, 15 rebounds) of the season in the loss to the Sparks.

"Each day she gets better and gets in floor," Wings coach Fred Williams told reporters after Sims' game. "I thought she got real physical for the first time in a few games."

While the Wings will rely on Sims and Johnson, the Mystics one-two punch of Tayler Hill and Emma Meesseman are expected to carry Washington.

Both average 15.3 points per game; Meesseman leads the team at 5.6 rebounds per game.

The two teams have met twice this season, splitting the two games.

On May 18, Sims scored 22 points in an 87-77 win. Karima Christmas chipped in with a double-double.

Meesseman and Hill combined for 39 points but the Mystics shot a woeful 16.7 percent from beyond the arc in the loss.

On June 8, Washington gained some revenge with an 87-79 behind Meesseman's 23 points.

Sims was held to five points in that game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (6-21) at Sky (13-13)

Date: September 04, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Sky are playing good basketball at the right time. They will try to stay hot Sunday, when the reeling San Antonio Stars visit Allstate Arena.

The Sky have won their first three games since returning from the month-long Olympic break, including a hard-fought 92-88 victory over the Seattle Storm on Friday.

Chicago has won six of seven overall to climb into fifth place in the league standings, heading into the final seven games of the regular season. The top eight teams, regardless of conference, qualify for the postseason.

The Stars, although not mathematically eliminated, will likely not be headed to the playoffs. At 6-21, they have the worst record in the league and have struggled mightily since leading scorer Kayla McBride was lost for the season in early July.

Chicago and San Antonio split the two previous meetings this season, with each team winning close games on their home court. Elena Delle Donne scored 19 of her 23 points in the second half of the Sky's 81-75 win on June 21.

McBride scored 14 points for San Antonio in the loss to Chicago. Two weeks later, the Notre Dame product suffered a right foot fracture in a loss at Minnesota and was ruled out for the season. The Stars have gone 1-8 without McBride, with their only win during that stretch coming last week against the Washington Mystics.

While San Antonio is struggling, Chicago is surging. The Sky built an early lead and fought off every Seattle challenge in Friday's win. Forward Tamera Young had a big night for the Sky, hitting 10 of 15 shots and finishing with 24 points. Delle Donne had 22 points in the win, continuing her quest to win back-to-back league MVPs.

Delle Donne leads in the WNBA in scoring at 21.6 points per game and fuels the Sky's high-scoring offense Chicago is third in the WNBA in scoring, averaging 85.0 points per game. San Antonio is last in the league in scoring, averaging 72.1 points per game.

After Sunday's game, the Sky head out on a three-game road trip.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sun (10-17) at Lynx (22-5)

Date: September 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

What seemed like a pipe dream two months ago is now a distinct possibility and a testament to never giving up.

The Connecticut Sun were buried as the losses mounted early in the season. But now a late push, Connecticut has won five of six games, and the Sun have a little pep to their step.

The Sun went 2-8 in their first 10 games and heading into the Olympics Games break they were 8-16 with a two-game winning streak.

Since returning from the Rio break, the Sun have continued to win and what was unthinkable in the heat of the summer is now a golden opportunity for Alex Bentley and Chiney Ogwumike.

Connecticut is tied for the eighth and final playoff spot with Seattle. On Sunday, the Sun can make a statement that they are for real, but standing directly in their way is the Minnesota Lynx with the league's best record (tied with Los Angeles) at 23-5.

Two of those losses came at the hands of the Sun, so Connecticut won't be intimidated when the two collide at 7 p.m. EDT at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Back on July 7, the Sun overcame Lynx star Maya Moore's 40 points to post an overtime win. Then on Aug. 26, Moore was held to eight points as the Sun defeated the Lynx again.

That game seemed to give the Sun a shot of confidence heading into the season's homestretch.

In Friday's win, Ogwumike scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against the Phoenix Mercury. Jasmine Thomas notched 18 points and Bentley added 16 points as the Sun were playing their first game since rookie Morgan Tuck, the third overall pick, was lost for the season because of a knee injury.

Tuck was the top reserve coming off the bench, averaging just under 17 minutes and 7.0 points per game.

Her loss will be felt, but Jonquel Jones and Courtney Williams picked up the slack and combined for 15 points and seven rebounds in the win over the Mercury.

As usual, Moore paced the Lynx against the pesky Mystics in a win on Friday. Moore scored 27, including 12 from the free-throw line.

But if it weren't for Sylvia Fowles, the Lynx might be trying to recover from an upset instead of trying to maintain hold on the best record in the league.

Fowles recorded 15 points and 17 rebounds, while piloting the defense that held Connecticut to less than 40 percent shooting from the field.

The Lynx won't take the Sun lightly, in fact, they will have revenge on their minds.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Fever (13-14) at Sparks (22-5)

Date: September 04, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Sparks have already locked up a playoff berth. The Indiana Fever have not.

The teams collide Sunday, when the Fever travel to Los Angeles to take on the Sparks at Staples Center.

With seven games remaining, Los Angeles (23-5) is in a first place tie with the Minnesota Lynx in the league standings. The Sparks host the Lynx on Tuesday.

But first they must deal with an Indiana team coming off an impressive bounce-back win over the New York Liberty on Thursday.

The Fever (13-14) suffered back-to-back home losses after returning from the Olympic break that left coaches and players scratching their heads.

The consecutive losses, both by double digits, dropped Indiana back into a pack of six teams vying for the final five playoff spots.

But the Fever exploded out of gates against the Liberty on Thursday, scoring 40 points in the first quarter and cruising to a 98-77 win. Shenise Johnson scored a career-high 21 points off the bench, and Marissa Coleman finished with 19 points versus the Liberty.

The Sparks also have gotten off to an uneven start after the Olympic break. Los Angeles returned from a month off with back-to-back losses. They've since responded with consecutive wins, but didn't perform well in victories over the San Antonio Stars and Dallas Wings, the two teams with the worst records in the WNBA.

Nneka Ogwumike had 28 points and 12 rebounds against the Wings, but Los Angeles didn't pull away from Dallas, which has lost 10 straight games, until late in the fourth quarter.

Ogwumike is having an MVP-caliber season and leads the Sparks in scoring (19.8 points per game) and rebounding (9.2 rebounds per game).

Forward Candace Parker is averaging 15.9 points and 7.6 rebounds, but is coming off a tough shooting night. Parker hit only 1-of-11 shots and finished only four points against Dallas.

Indiana and Los Angeles have split their two previous meetings, with each team winning on their home court. The Fever beat the Sparks 92-82 on July 19, behind 23 points from veteran Tamika Catchings. Catchings has announced that this is her final season of her illustrious career.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Storm (11-16) at Dream (14-13)

Date: September 04, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

After missing the playoffs last year, the Atlanta Dream are posed to return to the postseason.

The Dream hope to continue their playoff push Sunday, when the Seattle Storm visit Philips Arena.

"This is a time to focus back on the team and the WNBA," Atlanta forward Angel McCoughtry told the team's website. "We've definitely have to work on some things to be ready for the playoffs with only seven or so games left."

With seven games remaining in the regular season, Atlanta (14-13) sits in fourth place in the league standings. The top eight teams, regardless of conference, qualify for the postseason.

The Dream returned from the month-long Olympic break with a loss at Chicago, but bounced back with an 87-73 home win over the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 28. They have had a full week off, while the Storm played Friday and are in the middle of a four-game road trip.

Seattle (11-17) is in a tie for the eighth and final spot in the playoffs, but has a daunting finish with five of its last seven games on the road, starting in Atlanta on Sunday. The Storm have alternated wins and losses for their last 11 games, including a 92-88 loss at Chicago on Friday.

Seattle guard Jewell Loyd flirted with a triple-double in the loss, finishing with 23 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Rookie of the Year candidate Breanna Stewart added 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Storm.

It has been an up-and-down season for the Storm, despite the addition and emergence of Stewart, the No. 1 overall pick. Stewart leads the Storm in scoring (18.1 points) and rebounds (9.4). But Seattle just has not been able to establish any consistency. Seattle is last in the league in rebounding and 10th in scoring.

Atlanta is second in the league in rebounding and has won five straight home games. McCoughtry and Layshia Clarendon each scored 19 points to lead the Dream in last week's win over the Connecticut Sun.

"A lot of the things that we did to get ourselves beat in Chicago we didn't do tonight's game," Dream coach Michael Cooper said after the Connecticut win. "I was very and proud and honored that the ladies played this well."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

StatFox Super Situations

WNBA*|*SEATTLE*at*ATLANTA
Play Under - Home teams where the total is greater than or equal to 140 off a win by 10 points or more over a division rival, a marginal winning team (51% to 60%) playing a losing team
27-7*since 1997.**(*79.4%*|*19.3 units*)

WNBA*|*SEATTLE*at*ATLANTA
Play On - Any team vs the money line (ATLANTA) after going under the total by 48 or more points total in their last ten games, with a winning record on the season playing a losing team after 15 or more games
92-39*since 1997.**(*70.2%*|*0.0 units*)
0-2*this year.**(*0.0%*|*0.0 units*)

WNBA*|*WASHINGTON*at*DALLAS
Play Against - Favorites vs. the 1rst half line (DALLAS) average 3PT shooting team (30-35%) against an average 3PT defense (30-35%), after 4 straight games - allowing a shooting pct. of 42% or higher
46-18*since 1997.**(*71.9%*|*26.2 units*)
3-1*this year.**(*75.0%*|*1.9 units*)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Recap - Week 10
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

-- Favorites/underdogs went 2-2 SU in Week 10
-- Underdogs went 3-1 ATS in Week 10
-- Home/road teams posted a 2-2 SU record in Week 10
-- Road teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 10
-- The 'Over/Under' went 2-2 in Week 10

Team Betting Notes

-- Calgary (7-1-1) held off Hamilton (4-5) in a wild fourth quarter Sunday night, winning and covering 30-24. The Stampeders are unbeaten since Week 1, going 7-0-1 while covering seven of the past eight outings. The 'under' is a perfect 4-0 in the past four games for the Stamps.

-- Edmonton (5-4) took care of Saskatchewan (1-8) in Friday's game, 33-25. The Roughriders scored their most points since July 22 after averaging 8.8 points per game over the past four outings. The cover for Saskatchewan was their first in five games.

-- The Eskimos are 0-3 ATS when favored by more than seven points. They're non-cover Friday snapped a 3-0 ATS run for the Esks.

-- Winnipeg (5-4) continues their comeback after an awful start, topping Montreal (3-6) by a 32-18 count. After starting out 1-4 SU/1-3-1 ATS through the first five games, the Blue Bombers are a perfect 4-0 SU/ATS over the past four outings. The Blue Bombers are also an impressive 4-1 SU/ATS on the road this season.

-- BC Lions (6-3) looked impressive in their road win at Ottawa (4-4-1), as the RedBlacks continue to slide. BC has won three out of the past four, and they're 5-1 ATS over the past six outings. Ottawa is almost the complete opposite, going 1-4 SU over the past five games while failing to cover in each of the outings.

-- BC will continue its road trip at Toronto (4-4) on Wednesday evening. The Argonautrs have dropped two in a row and failed to cover in each. The Lions won 27-25 at Toronto last season, covering as a three-point 'dog. The last time they failed to win or cover in Toronto was July 30, 2013.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 11
By David Schwab

Week 10 Betting Recap

Road underdogs continue to line the pockets of bettors this season in the CFL with another big week of teams getting points covering against the spread. British Columbia got things started last Thursday with a 29-23 victory on the road against Ottawa as a 3 ½-point underdog.

In the first of two Friday night matchups, Winnipeg stayed hot in its 32-18 win over Montreal as a 2 ½-point underdog on the road. Later Friday night Saskatchewan played well enough to cover as a 13 ½-point road underdog in its 33-25 loss to Edmonton. Turning to Sunday’s CFL action, Calgary was able to break this road team trend ATS with a 30-24 home victory against Hamilton as a four-point favorite. Here is a look at Week 11 in the CFL.

Sunday, Sept. 4

Winnipeg Blue Bombers (5-4 SU, 5-3-1 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (1-8 SU, 3-6 ATS)
Point-spread: Winnipeg -5
Total: 52

Game Overview

This will be the first of a home-and-home series. With the Blue Bombers riding a four-game winning streak both SU and ATS, it could be a golden opportunity to really improve its playoff chances against the worst team in the league. Quarterback Matt Nichols continued to lead this surging offense with a 23-for-30 passing effort against Montreal for 220 yards. The defense did its part with that interception returned for a score.

Give credit to the Roughriders for showing up each week and actually covering in three games, but the end result is becoming pretty predictable with just one SU win in the first half of the season. The fact that they were able to put up 25 points in last week’s loss has to be an encouraging sign after scoring a grand total of just 35 points in their previous four defeats.

Betting Trends

Winnipeg won last year’s three-game series 2-1 (SU and ATS) with the total going OVER in two of the three games. It has gone OVER in four of the last five games in this West Division tilt.

Monday, Sept. 5

Edmonton Eskimos (5-4 SU, 3-5-1) vs. Calgary Stampeders (7-1-1 SU, 7-2 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -6 ½
Total: 54 ½

Game Overview

Edmonton is slowly returning to the form that carried this team to a Grey Cup title last year. It has now won its last three games SU while averaging 34 points a game. However, there are is still some big concerns with a defense that has allowed an average of 27.4 points to its opponents. The combination of Mike Reilly throwing the ball to Adarius Bowman has led to 956 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 63 receptions.

The Stampeders are building up some serious steam towards a possible West Division title behind a SU six-game winning streak. They have been able to cover ATS in their last four games with the total staying UNDER in all four contests. Bo Levi Mitchell added 323 more yards to his passing yards total (2,857), which is the second-most in the CFL. He is also second in the league in touchdown throws with 15. Jerome Messam is second in the league in rushing with 542 total yards.

Betting Trends

Edmonton has won the last three games between these two bitter West Division rivals SU and ATS including a 45-31 victory as a three-point home favorite in last year’s playoffs. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last 10 meetings.

Toronto Argonauts (4-4 SU, 4-4 ATS) vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats (4-5 SU, 4-5 ATS)
Point-spread: Hamilton -7 ½
Total: 54 ½

Game Overview

Toronto will be back in action this Monday against an East Division rival that should be well-rested for this game. The Argonauts have shown good balance on offense with 338.5 passing yards a game complementing a rushing attack that is averaging 81.9 yards. Running back Brandon Whitaker has rushed for 432 yards this season, which is the third-highest total in the league.

The Tiger-Cats will try and once again even their mark to .500 on the year both SU and ATS. They are thrilled to have quarterback Zach Collaros back in the starting lineup and despite last Sunday’s loss, he looked pretty impressive throwing the ball with 439 yards passing and three touchdowns while going 34-for-53. Terrence Toliver and Luke Tasker combined for 19 receptions for 283 yards and all three scores.

Betting Trends

The Tiger-Cats drew first blood in the season series with a 42-20 victory in Week 1 as five-point road underdogs. They have now won the last five meetings SU and they are a perfect 7-0 ATS in the last seven games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last six meetings, but it went OVER 52 in that opening day win.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 11 CFL games

Winnipeg (5-4) @ Saskatchewan (1-8)– Blue Bombers’ win here LY snapped 0-12 skid in Regina. Roughriders are 9-3 in last 12 series games, but lost 2 of*3 to Winnipeg LY. Four of last five series games went over the total. Bombers scored 33.3 ppg in winning last four games after a 1-4 start; they’ve won last four road games, scoring 31 ppg since 36-22 loss at Calgary in road opener. Riders lost last five games, allowing 36.2 ppg; they’re 1-3 at home, with all three losses by 9+ points.

Edmonton (5-4) @ Calgary (7-1)– Stampeders had won 12 in row in this Alberta rivalry, but Eskimos won last three meetings LY, by 11-4-14 points; Edmonton lost five of last six visits here- home side won four of last five series games. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Eskimos scored 34 ppg in winning last three games; they’re 2-1 SU on road, covering all three games. Calgary won its last six games, scoring 30+ points in five of those games; Stamps are 3-1 as home favorites this year. Last four Stampeder games stayed under the total.

Toronto (4-5) @ Hamilton (4-5)– Argonauts lost 16-13 at home to BC Wednesday; quick turnaround here. TiCats (+5) opened season with 42-20 win in Toronto, its 5th win in row over Argonauts, who’ve lost last four visits to Hamilton, by 1-16-30-3 points (under 4-0). Toronto lost last three games after a 4-2 start, allowing 32 ppg; they’re 3-0 SU on road (under 3-0), but their last road game was July 31. Hamilton lost three of last four games but all three losses were on road; TiCats are 1-2 at home; five of their last six games were on the road.

— Underdogs*24-14-1, home teams 11-29-2 vs spread…….Over: 18-22-2

— Winnipeg Blue Bombers*(-4, 51) @ Saskatchewan Roughriders
— Edmonton Eskimos*@ Calgary Stampeders (-6.5, 55)
— Toronto Argonauts @ Hamilton Tiger Cats (-9, 53.5)

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 11 CFL games

Winnipeg (5-4) @ Saskatchewan (1-8)– Blue Bombers’ win here LY snapped 0-12 skid in Regina. Roughriders are 9-3 in last 12 series games, but lost 2 of*3 to Winnipeg LY. Four of last five series games went over the total. Bombers scored 33.3 ppg in winning last four games after a 1-4 start; they’ve won last four road games, scoring 31 ppg since 36-22 loss at Calgary in road opener. Riders lost last five games, allowing 36.2 ppg; they’re 1-3 at home, with all three losses by 9+ points.

Edmonton (5-4) @ Calgary (7-1)– Stampeders had won 12 in row in this Alberta rivalry, but Eskimos won last three meetings LY, by 11-4-14 points; Edmonton lost five of last six visits here- home side won four of last five series games. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Eskimos scored 34 ppg in winning last three games; they’re 2-1 SU on road, covering all three games. Calgary won its last six games, scoring 30+ points in five of those games; Stamps are 3-1 as home favorites this year. Last four Stampeder games stayed under the total.

Toronto (4-5) @ Hamilton (4-5)– Argonauts lost 16-13 at home to BC Wednesday; quick turnaround here. TiCats (+5) opened season with 42-20 win in Toronto, its 5th win in row over Argonauts, who’ve lost last four visits to Hamilton, by 1-16-30-3 points (under 4-0). Toronto lost last three games after a 4-2 start, allowing 32 ppg; they’re 3-0 SU on road (under 3-0), but their last road game was July 31. Hamilton lost three of last four games but all three losses were on road; TiCats are 1-2 at home; five of their last six games were on the road.

— Underdogs*24-14-1, home teams 11-29-2 vs spread…….Over: 18-22-2

— Winnipeg Blue Bombers*(-4, 51) @ Saskatchewan Roughriders
— Edmonton Eskimos*@ Calgary Stampeders (-6.5, 55)
— Toronto Argonauts @ Hamilton Tiger Cats (-9, 53.5)