Thursday 6/30/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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[superbeets]

European Championships TODAY 20:00

Poland

v

Portugal

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
ITV		29/10	2	13/10	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
HLHDNWNDNWND*​ Most recent​	0 - 0 2 - 2 2 - 1 0 - 4	ALNWNDNDNDND*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Poland have kept six clean sheets in their last eight internationals

EXPERT VERDICT: Poland required penalties to get past Switzerland in the last 16 while Portugal scored a 117th-minute goal to see off Croatia and the teams' quarter-final meeting could be another epic. The Poles have conceded only one goal – a stunner from Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri – in the tournament while Portugal are similarly defensive-minded and the 90-minute draw looks a decent bet.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Felix Brych STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

European Championships Fr 1Jul 20:00

Wales

v

Belgium

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		5	13/5	8/11	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
ALALNWNLNWNW​ Most recent​	1 - 0 0 - 0 1 - 1 0 - 2	HDHWNLNWNWAW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Wales took four points from a possible six against Belgium in qualifying

EXPERT VERDICT: Belgium were impressive in their 4-0 last-16 win over Hungary but Wales should provide the Red Devils with a tougher test in Friday's quarter-final. Thomas Vermaelen's suspension means a defensive reshuffle for Belgium and Wales, who have scored in all four of their games at the finals, could cause the favourites a few problems.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
2


REFEREE: Damir Skomina STADIUM:

 

[superbeets]

European Championships Sa 2Jul 20:00

Germany

v

Italy

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		5/4	2	3	More markets

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RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
HLNWNWNDNWNW​ Most recent​	4 - 1 1 - 1 1 - 2 1 - 1	HWNWNWNWNLNW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Italy have kept five clean sheets in their last six matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Italy produced a defensive masterclass to knock holders Spain out of the tournament and are likely to make life tough for Germany in Bordeaux. The Azzurri’s cautious, counter-attacking style is perfectly suited to taking on the biggest teams and Germany may find it much tougher to find the breakthrough than they did against Slovakia.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

 

[superbeets]

European Championships Su 3Jul 20:00

France

v

Iceland

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		2/5	15/4	9	More markets

​

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT ALL VENUES	RECENT FORM
NWNWNWNWNDNW​ Most recent​	3 - 2 3 - 2 1 - 1 3 - 1	ALHWNDNDHWNW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Iceland have kept just one clean sheet in their last ten games

EXPERT VERDICT: Iceland are not getting the credit they deserve for knocking out England on Monday but their amazing adventure is set to come to an end at the Stade de France. France have been making life hard for themselves by making slow starts but it could be different against Iceland, who have conceded in every one of their four matches.

RECOMMENDATION: France-France double result
1

 

[superbeets]

[h=3]Poland v Portugal (2000 BST)[/h].

Opta facts:

• This will be Poland and Portugal's third encounter at a major tournament, their first in the European Championships. They have so far won one each: 1-0 to Poland at the 1986 World Cup and 4-0 to Portugal at the 2002 World Cup.
• Poland are unbeaten in their last three head-to-heads with Portugal (W1 D2).
• Poland have never scored more than one goal in a single game at the Euros (10 games). Actually, none of their 10 games in the competition has produced more than two goals (scored and conceded).
• Poland are in fact the lowest scoring side among those to have made it to the quarter-finals (3 goals in 4 games).
• Poland have yet to trail at any point in a game at this year's European Championships. They've only conceded one goal so far in four games.
• Portugal are unbeaten in their 11 competitive fixtures under Fernando Santos (W8, D3), all eight of their wins in that run being decided by a single goal (including extra time win against Croatia).
• The last three goals conceded by Portugal at the Euros have all followed the same pattern: all have been scored from set-pieces and from outside the box.
• Cristiano Ronaldo has played in more games than any other player in EURO finals (18). He's now only one goal short of Michel Platini's record of nine goals in the competition.

 

[superbeets]

[h=3]Wales v Belgium (2000 BST)[/h]

Opta facts:

• Wales were unbeaten against Belgium in their Euro 2016 qualifiers, with Chris Coleman's men winning 1-0 in Cardiff after a goalless draw in Brussels.
• This is the first time these teams have met in the finals of a major tournament.
• Wales and Belgium's last three encounters have produced only three goals.
• Wales have reached the knockout stages in their two major tournament participations (World Cup 1958, Euro 2016). In 1958, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Brazil.
• Wales have lost only two of their nine games at major tournaments, both by a one-goal difference: against Brazil in 1958 (0-1) and England in 2016 (1-2).
• Wales only had one shot on target in their last game against Northern Ireland, it was from a Gareth Bale free-kick.
• Injury time included, Wales have trailed for only 2 minutes and 31 seconds in total over their first four games at Euro 2016.
• All three goals conceded by Wales at Euro 2016 have come from the 56th minute onwards. They've also all been scored by substitutes.
• Wales have kept two consecutive clean sheets for the first time in their major tournament history.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Golfers to Bet - Bridgestone

Tournament: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
Date: Thursday, June 30th
Venue: Firestone Country Club (South)
Location: Akron, OH

Some of the world’s best golfers will be out there competing in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron on Thursday.

This field will be one of the better ones we’ll see at a non-major, as Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose and Adam Scott will all be out there when this thing tees off.

Two notable absences will, however, be Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods. McIlroy won this event back in 2014 and it would have been fun to see him go up against guys like Day and Spieth.

Woods, meanwhile, has dominated this tournament in his career. He is an eight-time winner in this event and the other golfers will surely be happy that he isn’t competing come Thursday.

Another guy worth mentioning in this tournament is Shane Lowry. Lowry was the winner of this event back in 2015 and he’d surely be happy to come away with a title defense this year. He collapsed at the U.S. Open a few weeks ago, so earning a victory will be big for his psyche moving forward.

With that being said, let’s now take a look at who might be the guys to conquer this 7,400-yard course on Sunday.

Golfers to Bet

Dustin Johnson (15/2) - Dustin Johnson should be feeling like he’s on top of the world after winning the U.S. Open two weeks ago. Johnson has always been one of the most talented guys on the TOUR, but he should finally have the monkey off his back after winning his first major. Now that Johnson will no longer have that in the back of his mind, expect him to really put together an impressive run from here on out. He is a monster off the tee and proved that he has improved with the putter with his display at the U.S. Open. At 15/2, Johnson is really worth putting a few units on this weekend. Nobody is more confident than he is and he’ll be eager to win his first tournament here on Sunday.

Jordan Spieth (17/2) - Spieth has had his struggles lately, failing to crack the top-35 at both The Memorial Tournament in early June and the U.S. Open two weeks ago. He did, however, win the Dean & DeLuca Invitational in late May and it’s tough to pass up on a guy with his talent. The 17/2 odds that Spieth is getting is almost disrespectful for a player that is fourth in the FedEx Cup rankings and second in the OWGR. Putting a few units on him would be a wise decision this weekend as it’s likely that he or Johnson will emerge as the winner on Sunday and Spieth will certainly see this as an opportunity to get himself right back on track.

Shane Lowry (35/1) - There likely isn’t a golfer in the world that is more disappointed than Shane Lowry is right now. Lowry had complete control of the U.S. Open two weeks ago, but he really imploded on the final day and ended up tied for second in the tournament. Lowry should, however, be happy with the fact that he played at such a high level over the course of the week and he really has a good chance to come away with a victory on Sunday. Lowry won this event a year ago and the only way he can put the U.S. Open behind him is by starting to win some tournaments moving forward. This is a good chance for him as the defending champion and he’s worth putting a unit on at 35/1.

Jimmy Walker (80/1) - Jimmy Walker has had a very disappointing season, but there is a lot of value in taking him at 80/1 in this tournament. Walker is a very good golfer that finished 25th in the OWGR a year ago, but he has struggled a bit this year and is only 44th this season. Still, Walker is a guy that is capable of winning any tournament because he rarely makes mistakes when he is on his game. Walker is good with his irons and can really putt and he’ll just need to put it together for a full tournament. He knows that one good outing can turn his season around and perhaps it’ll be this one. He did finish in sixth the last time there was a regular WGC event.

Odds to win WGC-Bridgestone Invitational -

Jason Day 11/2
Dustin Johnson 15/2
Jordan Spieth 17/2
Brooks Koepka 18/1
Bubba Watson 21/1
Justin Rose 21/1
Adam Scott 22/1
Branden Grace 26/1
Matt Kuchar 28/1
Hideki Matsuyama 29/1
Rickie Fowler 29/1
Jim Furyk 30/1
Phil Mickelson 30/1
Charl Schwartzel 35/1
Patrick Reed 35/1
Shane Lowry 35/1
Jason Dufner 40/1
Daniel Berger 50/1
Louis Oosthuizen 50/1
Zach Johnson 50/1
Bill Haas 55/1
Justin Thomas 55/1
Marc Leishman 55/1
Byeong Hun An 65/1
David Lingmerth 65/1
J.B. Holmes 65/1
Kevin Na 65/1
Paul Casey 65/1
Russell Knox 65/1
Brandt Snedeker 70/1
Chris Kirk 75/1
Danny Lee 75/1
Kevin Chappell 75/1
Harris English 80/1
Jimmy Walker 80/1
Scott Piercy 80/1
Emiliano Grillo 90/1
Charley Hoffman 100/1
Kevin Kisner 100/1
William McGirt 100/1
Smylie Kaufman 110/1
Anirban Lahiri 150/1
Billy Hurley III 150/1
James Hahn 150/1
Matt Jones 150/1
Soren Kjeldsen 150/1
Andrew Johnston 200/1
Fabian Gomez 200/1
K.T. Kim 210/1
George Coetzee 250/1
Brian Stuard 300/1
Jim Herman 300/1
Vaughn Taylor 300/1
Marcus Fraser 400/1
Nathan Holman 400/1
Steven Bowditch 400/1
Young-Han Song 400/1
Davis Love III 500/1
Michio Matsumura 500/1
Yosuke Tsukada 500/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

10 Players to Watch: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
By Tom LaMarre, The Sports Xchange

1. Jason Day, Australia -- Had Day not opened with a 76 in the U.S. Open at Oakmont, he might have been right there at the finish, as he rallied to get back into contention and finished in a tie for eighth. He has finished out of the top 10 in only two of his last eight tournaments, which include three victories, and will have the home-state gallery with him this week in Ohio. This will be Day's seventh appearance at Firestone, where his best result was a tie for fourth in 2011, when he opened with a 63 and was in the chase most of the way before finishing five shots behind fellow Aussie Adam Scott. He also tied for 12th last year. His two WGC titles came in the Match Play, in 2014 and earlier this season.

2. Dustin Johnson, United States -- With that elusive first major title finally under his belt after a brilliant performance in the U.S. Open, DJ might be ready to become the dominant player many expect him to be. He has finished no worse than fifth in the FedEx St. Jude Classic in his last three tournaments, and with nine top-10 results on the PGA Tour this season trails only Jason Day and Adam Scott in the FedEx Cup standings. Eight of those results were top-fives, including a tie for fourth in the Masters. Surprisingly, Johnson's best result in six starts in the Bridgestone was solo 15th in 2010, but he does have two titles in the World Golf Championships, in the 2013 HSBC Champions and the 2015 Cadillac Championship.

3. Shane Lowry, Ireland -- With Rory McIlroy opting to play in the 100th French Open this week outside Paris, Lowry is the highest-ranked Irishman (No. 25 in the world) in the field at Firestone, where he claimed his first PGA Tour victory last year. In this third Bridgestone appearance, he came from two strokes down in the final round with a 4-under-par 66, and holed an 11-foot birdie putt on the final hole after escaping the trees following a wild drive to finish two strokes ahead of Bubba Watson. Lowry took a four-stroke lead into the final round of the U.S. Open after a 65 in round three at Oakmont two weeks ago but closed with a 76 and finished in a tie for second that is his best result in a major championship.

4. Adam Scott, Australia -- Scott's game seems to be warming up again after a hot start to the season, as he has finished in the top 20 in his last three outings, including a tie for 18th in the U.S. Open at Oakmont. He claimed the first of his two victories in the World Golf Championships in the 2011 Bridgestone, leading all the way after an opening 62 and winning by four shots over Rickie Fowler and Luke Donald of England. Scott's second WGC title came earlier this year in the Cadillac Championship at Doral, a week after he also captured the Honda Classic to start the Florida swing. He also has runner-up finishes in the CIMB Classic and the Northern Trust Open, and ranks behind only Jason Day in the season-long FedEx Cup point standings.

5. Jordan Spieth, United States -- It has been an up-and-down season for the No. 2 player in the World Golf Rankings, who won the Hyundai Tournament of Champions and the Dean & DeLuca Invitational but also has had some indifferent results. Of course, what will be remembered most is the back-nine meltdown in his Masters title defense, at least until he wins his third major. He also had a disappointing tie for 37th in the U.S. Open two weeks ago. Spieth will tee it up at Firestone for only the third time, and last year he posted a solid tie for 10th after finishing 49th the year before. His best result in the World Golf Championships was a tie for fifth in the 2014 Match Play. He tied for seventh in the HSBC Champions last year.

6. Bubba Watson, United States -- Bubba is trying to regain the form he had earlier this season when he captured the Northern Trust Open and finished second behind Adam Scott in the WGC-Cadillac Championship is his next outing. He has failed to crack the top 25 in any of his last five events but is due for a good week. Perhaps he can find it at Firestone, where he closed with a 4-under-par 66 last year to wind up second behind Shane Lowry, posting his first top-10 finish in six starts in the Bridgestone. Watson took the lead with a 64 in his first round ever at Firestone in 2010 but shot 74 in the final round and faded to a tie for 22nd. His only victory in the World Golf Championships came in the 2014 HSBC Champions, but he has finished second on four occasions.

7. Brooks Koepka, United States -- Even though Koepka continues to seek his second PGA Tour victory, he is riding a hot streak capped by a tie for 13th in the U.S. Open, when he closed with a 68 at Oakmont. In his previous two tournaments, he lost in a playoff to Sergio Garcia of Spain in the AT&T Byron Nelson and tied for second behind Daniel Berger in the FedEx St. Jude Classic. Koepka, whose only PGA Tour victory came in the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open, is making his second start at Firestone and last year he took an instant liking to the classic course by reeling off four scores in the 60s to tie for sixth. His best result in the World Golf Championships was a tie for fifth in the Dell-Match Play in March.

8. Justin Rose, England -- Looking for a midseason jump-start, Rose might be able to find it in the Bridgestone, where he has three top-five finishes in the last four years and five overall in 14 Firestone appearances. A year ago, he took the lead with a third-round 63 but shot 72 in the final round to tie for third, a year after he tied for fourth after opening with 65-67, and three years ago he finished 66-67 to tie for fifth. In 2007, Rose tied for second but was eight shots behind runaway winner Tiger Woods. Although he is having a decent season with five top-10 results that include a tie for 10th in the Masters, Rose is looking for better, especially after he missed the cut in the U.S. Open at Oakmont.

9. Matt Kuchar, United States -- Kooch will try to get back on the top-10 train this week in the Bridgestone after a disappointing tie for 46th in the U.S. Open, where he slid down the leaderboard with a closing 76. Before that, he posted four straight top 10s, including a tie for third in the Players Championship, and six in his previous eight outings. This will be his eighth start at Firestone, where his best finish was a tie for eighth in 2012, when he closed with a 68, and he also tied for ninth in 2010, falling back from near the lead with a closing 73. Kuchar's only victory in the World Golf Championships came in the 2013 Match Play, when he beat defending champion Hunter Mahan 2 and 1 in the final.

10. Jim Furyk, United States -- After a late start to 2016 because of surgery on his left wrist, Furyk seemed to be all the way back when he was in the chase at the U.S. Open, closing with a 66 to tie for second. The 46-year-old had enough to come back with a tie for 21st in the Quicken Loans National last week, bouncing back from an opening 73 with 68s in the second and final rounds. Furyk is making his 17th start at Firestone, and while he has never won there, he lost in a playoff to Tiger Woods in 2001 and tied for second in 2012 behind Keegan Bradley, among 10 finishes in the top 10 that include a tie for third last year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

PGA Tour Picks: World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews

Bobby Hurley I'm very familiar with. He was a former All-American point guard and two-time national champion at Duke who is currently the head basketball coach at Arizona State. Billy Hurley III? Can't say I knew too much about the guy, but he won the Quicken Loans National at Congressional outside Washington, D.C., on Sunday.

Hurley shot four rounds in the 60s to finish at 17-under 267 and beat out second-place Vijay Singh by three shots. It was extra sweet for Hurley as he's from that area -- he's a Naval Academy graduate who lives in Annapolis -- and had plenty of friends and family in attendance. Coming into the tournament, Hurley was ranked 607th in the world and had not finished higher than 41st in 11 previous events. It took a sponsor's exemption from Tiger Woods to get Hurley into the field. Two of Hurley's previous career-best finishes (T4, T8) on Tour had occurred at the event. The win got Hurley into both this week's event (he's a +15000 long shot) and the British Open, among others.

It had to be especially sweet as at Quicken Loans National in 2015, Hurley announced that his father, Bill Hurley Jr., had gone missing and begged him to return home. Hurley Jr., a former cop, would be found that week in a Texas library (watching his son play) but two weeks later shot himself.

Needless to say, I didn't even touch on Hurley last week. My winner was Charley Hoffman at +3000. He finished T57. Missed on my other Top-10 picks in Patrick Reed (T39) and Gary Woodland (T21). Martin Laird was my top European choice but was T21. Liked John Senden as the top Aussie but he was T29. I hit on a few head-to-head props but overall one of the worst events of the year. Maybe I was flat after the U.S. Open.

Before I get to this week's big-money WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron -- home of NBA champion LeBron James -- let's touch on Tiger again real quick. I said last week that if he couldn't even play the tournament he hosts that I didn't expect to see Tiger at all the rest of the season. And Woods has now admitted he's not sure he will make it back in 2016. "I'm going to do it right so I don't have another surgery," he said Sunday. Tiger added he's able to play 18 holes on consecutive days now but needs to get in golf shape. I honestly didn't think there was such a thing as "golf shape". Woods has won this tournament eight times.

As for the WGC-Bridgestone, there are just 61 players competing, and there's no cut. Some of the top Europeans, led by Rory McIlroy and Masters winner Danny Willett, are staying overseas ahead of the British Open and playing in France this week because the European Tour is basically making them. This tournament is earlier on the schedule than usual because of the Olympics next month, and the Euro Tour didn't like the shift. There's also an opposite-field PGA Tour event in Nevada for guys who didn't qualify here.

Dustin Johnson makes his first start as a major champion off his U.S. Open victory. The defending champion is Irishman Shane Lowry, who also contended at the U.S. Open two weeks ago (finishing T2). He shot a bogey-free final round of 66 here to win by two shots for his first PGA Tour win (he had two European Tour wins). Lowry, who joined Jose Maria Olazabal and Nick Price as the only men in the last 40 years to win their first PGA Tour event at Firestone, hasn't had a victory since. Bubba Watson finished second last year. Justin Rose and Jim Furyk were third at 7 under.

Golf Odds: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Favorites

World No. 1 Jason Day is the +550 favorite. He comes off a T8 finish at the U.S. Open. Day was 12th here last year and hasn't had a Top 10 at Firestone since 2011 (fourth).

Johnson is the +700 second-favorite, and I don't like him at all after that emotional win at Oakmont. Yes, he's more grown up now and I'm sure hasn't spent the time since partying (a year or two ago he would have), but I don't see him being ultra-focused. Johnson hasn't had a Top 10 here this decade.

Jordan Spieth (+900), Brooks Koepka (+1800) and Adam Scott (+2200) round out the favorites. Spieth was 10th here last year and 37th at the U.S. Open. Koepka debuted here in 2015 with a T6. He has finished in two of his past three events this year. Scott won here in 2011 but was 45th last year and really hasn't been the same guy this year since winning twice in Florida.

PGA Tour Picks: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational Predictions

For a Top 10, I like Spieth (-125), Koepka (+125) and Furyk (+175), who has nine Top 10s here all-time without a victory. Head-to-head, go with Day (-140) over Johnson (-125), Spieth (-105) over DJ (-125), Koepka (-115) over Scott (-115), and Hideki Matsuyama over Rickie Fowler (-110).

There are props on Day/Johnson (+220) vs. the field (-300), Day/Spieth (+250) vs. the field (-350), Johnson/Spieth (+275) vs. the field (-400) and Day/Johnson/Spieth (+130) vs. the field (-170). I'd go the field at the best price on the last one there. I do believe Day (-200) will the top Aussie and Lowry (+325) as top European.

I am very tempted on both Koepka and Furyk to win here. My top pick, though, would be that -170 field price. I'm also throwing some money down on Jason Dufner at a sweet price of +4000 to win. He has two Top 10s here in three visits and comes off a T8 at the U.S. Open. Dufner is having a nice season overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's Euro 2016 quarterfinals betting cheat sheet and odds

Euro 2016 Quarterfinal action gets underway Thursday in France with a pair of matchups highlighted by a pair of Real Madrid teammates looking to make their mark on international football.

Robert vs. Ronaldo

A pair of struggling superstars will look for redemption as Poland (+280) squares off against Portugal (+125) in Euro 2016 quarterfinal action Thursday in Marseille. Polish star Robert Lewandowski scored 13 goals in the qualification round, but has yet to convert in the European championships while converting just two attempts on net. Cristiano Ronaldo had a pair of goals against Hungary, but hasn’t done much else to warrant his place as one of the top footballers in the world.

A Wale(s) of a Task

A plucky Welsh side (+480) finds itself fighting long odds yet again as it prepares to face heavily favored Belgium (-150) in Friday’s Euro quarterfinal match at Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille. Wales was fortunate to escape with a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in the Round of 16, advancing on a Gareth McAuley own goal. They’ll be in tough against a Belgian side that came into the event ranked second in the world, slogged through the group stage, then rounded into form in a 4-0 rout of Hungary in elimination play.

News and Notes

* Wales star Gareth Bale says his team has lifted its game to “another level” heading into quarterfinal play with the Belgians. Bale scored three goals in group play, tied with Spain’s Alvaro Morata for the most in the tournament.

* Belgium will be without top defender Thomas Vermaelen for its quarterfinal matchup with Wales. He picked up a second yellow card in his team’s Round of 16 win over Hungary and will serve a one-game suspension.

Injury Updates

* Poland goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny remains sidelined with a thigh injury suffered in the first half of a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in group play. Lukasz Fabianski will once again take over in his place.

* Wales captain Ashley Williams has been ruled fit to play against Belgium after running into teammate Jonathan Williams late in the win over Northern Ireland. A scan revealed no damage to Ashley Williams' shoulder.

Weather Watch

* Poland-Portugal will be played under partly cloudy skies in Marseille, with temperatures sitting in the mid-70s at kickoff.

* Wales-Belgium will see overcast conditions with a strong chance of rain, though forecasts are expecting that to be minimal. Temperatures will be in the low-to-mid 60s by game time.

Props of the Day

* Poland/Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo to Score and Portugal to Win: Yes (+325): He's one of the greatest players alive, and he craves the big stage. Portugal is expected to win this one, and if it does, it will need Ronaldo to be elite. Count on him playing his best game of the tournament - and pushing Portugal forward as a result.

* Wales/Belgium, Correct Score: 0:2 (+575): Bale has been one of the top players in the tournament, but he can't do it alone. And the Belgians look to be in peak form following their evisceration of the upstart Hungarians. Look for Belgium to press early, get on the board and take advantage of Wales' aggression to expand the lead late.

Key Stats and Trends

* Poland and Portugal are fairly evenly matched over their 10 all-time encounters; the Portuguese hold a 4-3 edge in wins with three draws. They last faced off in 2012 and played to a scoreless tie.

* Portugal is unbeaten in its last 11 competitive matches under Fernando Santos, with eight wins and three draws. Amazingly, all eight of those victories have come by a single goal.

* Wales has the upper hand in its most recent encounter with Belgium, having earned a win and a draw in the Euro 2016 qualifying stage. Belgium has a 5-4-3 edge in 12 all-time meetings.

* Look for a low-scoring affair, as the last three encounters between Wales and Belgium have seen just three total goals scored.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Euro Odds & Props - Quarters

Odds to win UEFA Euro 2016
Germany 2/1
France 11/4
Belgium 4/1
Italy 5/1
Portugal 13/2
Poland 16/1
Wales 25/1
Iceland 33/1

Odds to Reach The Final
Belgium 5/4
Germany 11/8
France 3/2
Portugal 21/10
Italy 4/1
Poland 9/2
Wales 7/1
Iceland 20/1

Name The Finalists Odds
Belgium/France 4/1
Belgium/Germany 4/1
France/Portugal 6/1
Germany/Portugal 6/1
Belgium/Italy 9/1
France/Poland 9/1
Germany/Poland 9/1
France/Wales 16/1
Germany/Wales 16/1
Italy/Portugal 16/1
Italy/Poland 28/1
Italy/Wales 33/1
Belgium/Iceland 50/1
Iceland/Portugal 66/1

Thursday, June 30 - Portugal vs. Poland

Portugal +125
Poland +275
Draw +185
Over 1.5 (1-50)
Under 1.5 (+120)

To Qualify for Semifinals
Portugal -185
Poland +140

Friday, July 1 - Belgium vs. Wales

Belgium -135
Wales +425
Draw +240
Over 2.5 (+130)
Under 2.5 (-175)

To Qualify for Semifinals
Belgium -320
Wales +220

Saturday, July 2 - Germany vs. Italy

Germany +100
Italy +235
Draw +225
Over 2.5 (+170)
Under 2.5 (-230)

To Qualify for Semifinals
Germany -190
Italy +145

Sunday, July 3 - France vs. Italy

France -310
Iceland +600
Draw +400
Over 2.5
Under 2.5

To Qualify for Semifinals
France -750
Iceland +450

Odds to win Euro 2016 Player of the Tournament

Dimitri Payet 4/1
Eden Hazard 6/1
Antoine Griezmann 8/1
Cristiano Ronaldo 9/1
Gareth Bale 10/1
Paul Pogba 14/1
Gianluigi Buffon 16/1
Kevin De Bruyne 16/1
Toni Kroos 18/1
Romelu Lukaku 22/1
Thomas Muller 22/1
Mesut Ozil 25/1
Graziano Pelle 33/1
Manuel Neuer 33/1
Hugo Lloris 40/1
Olivier Giroud 40/1
Robert Lewandowski 40/1
Blaise Matuidi 50/1
Kingsley Coman 50/1
Mario Gotze 50/1
Ngolo Kante 50/1
Gylfi Sigurdsson 66/1
Mats Hummels 66/1
Anthony Martial 70/1
Aaron Ramsey 80/1

Odds Subject to Change

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Euro Quarterfinals
By Toby Maxtone-Smith

Thursday, June 29 - Poland vs. Portugal

Venue: Stade Vélodrome, Marseille
TV/Time: ESPN2, 3:00 p.m. ET

Portugal have somehow reached the quarter-finals of this competition without winning a game in normal time, having drawn all four games. They got past Croatia thanks to a very late extra-time winner by Ricardo Quaresma, but Fernando Santos’s team were on the back foot throughout.

They face Poland in the first quarter-final, and while Portugal are probably right to be favourites, they look a poor price at 5/4 to beat a team who have conceded just once at the tournament so far. They tired a bit against Switzerland, but in the first half they were utterly dominant and should have been out of sight before Xherdan Shaqiri’s stunning equaliser.

Poland are 3/1 while Portugal are 5/4. Few goals are expected with a draw as short as 2/1, but it is Poland who look the better bet. A combined XI between the two sides would hardly have more Portuguese than Poles, and the tournament so far suggests there is very little between the sides.

The prices are based mainly on reputation, and while Portugal’s tournament experience should count for something, they do not deserve 5/4 favouritism. Poland can edge this.

Prediction: Poland to win at 3/1


Friday, June 30 - Wales vs. Belgium

Venue: Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq
TV/Time: ESPN2, 3:00 p.m. ET

Who would have thought Wales would be just three wins away from winning a major tournament? They are the last British team left at Euro 2016, and they face Belgium in the second quarter-final.

The interesting thing about this game is that the two sides have faced each other four times, in both the last round of qualifiers. The results will give Wales enormous hope: despite Belgium’s superior quality - Gareth Bale is the only Welshman who would be guaranteed a spot in the Belgium team - they have won one game each with the other two ending all square. There have only been five goals in the four games, and in the 1-0 win and the 0-0 draw Wales twice kept out Belgium in qualifying for this tournament.

They know how to stop Belgium, whose 4-0 win over Hungary was slightly skewed by three of the goals coming very late in the game.

Wales are 5/1 to win with Belgium 8/11 and a draw 13/5. The draw looks the best bet, but given the familiarity between the two teams betting on no goalscorer at 7/1 may be the better option. Expect a cagey game.

Prediction: No goalscorer at 7/1

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Dream (8-7) at Sparks (14-1)

Date: June 30, 2016 3:30 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Sparks are on a mission and have overcome myriad obstacles to post a 14-1 record -- the best mark in the history of the WNBA after 15 games.

Standing in the Sparks' way is the Atlanta Dream, who will be putting the final touch on a 6,000-mile, three-game road trip on Thursday at Staples Center.

The Sparks have won three straight since dropping a 72-68 decision at home to the Minnesota Lynx on June 21.

The Dream frittered away a late lead Tuesday against the Seattle Storm and lost their fourth straight game.

The Sparks, on the other hand, celebrated an emotional 89-84 victory against the Dallas Wings on Tuesday.

Down by 22 points in the third quarter, the Sparks turned up the heat and earned the win against the Wings.

On the day her college coach at Tennessee, Pat Summitt, died, Candace Parker recorded a double-double (31 points, 13 rebounds) to lead the Sparks. Parker, who wore orange shoes with the word "rebound" written on them, scored 25 second-half points to spark the comeback.

The Dream (8-7) will have their hands full as they try to bounce back from Tuesday's disheartening 84-18 defeat to the Storm. In that game, they led by four late in the fourth period, but were outscored 7-0 in the final 1:22.

The Dream were unable to stop Seattle rookie Breanna Stewart, who scored 38 points -- tied for the most by a player this season. And now Atlanta must contend with the high-scoring Sparks duo of Nneka Ogwumike and Parker.

Ogwumike set a WNBA record with 23 consecutive made field goals from June 7 through June 14, spanning three games. The former Stanford star leads the WNBA in field-goal percentage at .681.

The Sparks average 85.9 points per game. Ogwumike leads the team with 17.1 points per game. Parker at 16.3 and Kristi Toliver at 14.7 also average double figures in scoring.

But it is defense where Los Angeles excels. The Sparks give up only 72.7 points per game -- the best in the league. Only the Chicago Sky (twice) and Dallas have cracked the 80-point barrier against the Sparks this season.

Atlanta averages 83 points per game but are averaging only a shade over 75 points in their past four games.

The Dream will rely on Angel McCoughtry, who leads the team in scoring (20.1). The seven-year veteran had a streak of 29 consecutive double-doubles snapped in the loss to the Storm. She scored 22 points but pulled down only seven rebounds.

Tipoff for Thursday's game is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wings (7-9) at Storm (6-9)

Date: June 30, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

It sure didn't take long for Seattle forward Breanna Stewart to make an impact in the WNBA.

The three-time college national player of the year at Connecticut is coming off the third-highest scoring performance by a rookie in league history as she leads the Seattle Storm into Thursday's home contest against the Dallas Wings.

Stewart scored 38 points on 12-of-16 shooting in Tuesday's 84-81 victory over the Atlanta Dream. Only Candace Parker (40 in 2008) and Odyssey Sims (39 in 2014) have tallied more as a rookie.

The point total was also the second most in Storm history behind Lauren Jackson's 47-point performance in 2007.

Stewart has topped 20 points in each of the last four games and is averaging 29.3 points during the stretch. She suddenly ranks fifth in the league in scoring (18.9) as well as second in rebounding (9.4).

"She's adapting," Storm coach Jenny Boucek said after Tuesday's victory. "We have players on this team that are willing and able to create for not only themselves, but for others as well. And that's what we want.

"Right now Stewie is getting hers, but it could be different on another night. Stewie has shown that she's willing to be a facilitator if that's what the defense is giving her. That's one of my favorite things about our team, including Stewie."

Seattle (6-9) is building with Stewart and second-year guard Jewell Loyd, who ranks ninth in the league at 16.6 points. Veteran point guard Sue Bird is averaging 13.8 points and 5.5 assists.

Dallas (7-9) has lost consecutive games and saw a 19-point halftime lead slip away during Tuesday's 89-84 road loss against the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Wings scored a season-best 53 first-half points but were dominated in the second half while being outscored 55-31.

"We have to put together a 40-minute game," Dallas guard Skylar Diggins said after the loss. "I thought we let little things add up such as outside defense. We haven't been able to do that this whole season.

"There are no excuses. We just have to look at film and make the adjustments and get ready for Seattle, who is another tough team."

Diggins scored a season-high 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting in the loss and ranks third on the team in scoring at 14.1 points per game. Sims, a guard, averages a team-best 15.7 and forward Karima Christmas is at 14.4.

Sims and forward Glory Johnson didn't start against Los Angeles due to unspecified rules violations.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Recap - Week 1
By Joe Williams

League Betting Notes

-- Underdogs went 4-0 SU in Week 1
-- Underdogs went 4-0 ATS in Week 1
-- Road teams posted a 3-1 SU record in Week 1
-- Road teams posted a 3-1 ATS record in Week 1
-- The 'over/under' went 2-2 in Week 1

Team Betting Notes

-- Ottawa (1-0) opened with a high-scoring 45-37 win at Edmonton (0-1) in a Grey Cup rematch. A big part of the RedBlacks' success last season was their ability on the road, going 4-1 SU in their final five games on the road last season, while covering five of their past six away from home.

-- It was a rare loss at home for the Eskimos. The last time the Esks suffered a home loss was Aug. 21, 2015 against the Tiger-Cats. The finished the 2015 campaign with six straight victories at home, including the postseason, going 4-2 ATS during the span. They'll try again next week when Saskatchewan (0-0) comes to town for their first game of the season.

-- Winnipeg (0-1) was tripped up at home against Montreal (1-0). The Blue Bombers also lost their opener last season against the Tigers-Cats, but rebounded to win their next two on their home field.

-- The Alouettes didn't win on the road last season until Aug. 20 against the Lions, so this was a great start for Montreal. They were just 3-6 SU on the road in 2016, but a respectable 5-4 ATS.

-- Speaking of Hamilton (1-0), they hit the QEW and went up to Toronto (0-1) and humbled the Argonauts by a 42-20 count for an easy road win and cover, cashing +190 on the moneyline. The Ti-Cats were a thorn in the side of many last season, especially Toronto. They went 3-0 SU/ATS in the regular season, and they also won and covered against the Argos in the division semifinals. In fact, Hamilton is 6-0 ATS against Toronto dating back to Sept. 1, 2014.

-- The BC Lions (1-0) were the only CFL team to hold serve at home, edging Calgary (1-0) in a 20-18 defensive slog. It must've been a good feeling for the Lions, as they went 0-3 SU/ATS against the Stampeders last season, including a loss in the division semifinals. The wins snapped a 5-0 SU/ATS run for the Stamps against the Lions dating back to Aug. 1, 2014.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 2
By David Schwab

A new season of CFL football got off to an exciting start on the field and anyone betting underdogs got off to a profitable start against the books with a perfect 4-0 record both straight-up and against the spread.

Hamilton kicked things off last Thursday with a 42-20 pounding of Toronto as a 3 ½-point road underdog. Montreal kept things going on Friday with a tight 22-14 victory on the road against Winnipeg as 2 ½-point dogs.

Saturday’s double-header started with Ottawa stunning Edmonton 45-37 in overtime as 6 ½-point underdogs on the road and British Columbia prevailed against Calgary in a 20-18 win as a three-point underdog at home.

Thursday, June 30

Ottawa RedBlacks (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)
Point-spread: PICK
Total: 54

Game Overview

Ottawa successfully avenged last season’s loss to Edmonton in the Grey Cup title game with Saturday’s win, but it came at a price with quarterback Henry Burris leaving that game in the third quarter with a hand injury. He is currently listed as questionable for Thursday night and head coach Rick Campbell has already gone on record stating that he expects Trevor Harris to get the start.

Montreal has to be happy with its fast start after posting just one straight-up win in the last seven games of the 2015 regular season. Quarterback Kevin Glenn was impressive in his debut for the Alouettes with 332 yards passing and one touchdown throw while completing 30-of-42 passes. Duron Carter was his favorite target with eight catches for 96 yards.

Betting Trends

These two have met six times over the past two seasons and the RedBlacks are now a perfect 3-0 both SU in the last three meetings and 4-0 ATS in the last four games. The total has gone OVER in the last two contests.

Toronto Argonauts (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders (0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS)
Point-spread: Saskatchewan -2 ½
Total: 51 ½

Game Overview

The Argonauts will try and win their first game of the year on the road after coming-up short at the brand new BMO Field on opening day. Ricky Ray got the start at quarterback for Toronto in Week 1 and while he ended the game with 282 yards passing and a pair of touchdown throws to Vidal Hazelton, he was pressured all game long and sacked five times. He also fumbled the ball once to go along with an interception.

This will be Saskatchewan’s season opener after last week’s bye. It will quickly try and erase the memory of last season’s three-win disaster with quarterback Darian Durant back at the helm after missing the majority of 2015 due to injury. The Roughriders were also a good team to go against last season with just five victories ATS in 18 games.

Betting Trends

Toronto has gone 7-2-1 ATS in its last 10 road games against the Roughriders and the total has gone OVER in six of the last seven meetings between the two. The Argonauts won both meetings in 2015 SU.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview Ottawa Redblacks/Montreal Alouettes

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca GameTracker.

MONTREAL – If the Montreal Alouette fans who head to Percival-Molson Memorial Stadium on Thursday night are anything like they’ve proven to be in the past, the Ottawa REDBLACKS’ offence is in for a loud night.

“It was a loud crowd,” said Als’ wide receiver Kenny Stafford in an interview with MontrealAlouettes.com when asked about his time visiting Montreal as an Eskimo last season. “It was a difference for me actually going to play there and playing against the Alouettes. Now I know how loud it can be for the opposing team.”

The East Division match up will be the Montreal faithful’s first peek at the Alouettes of the 2016 season, including the new-look offence led by Offensive Coordinator Anthony Calvillo.

“It’s going to be great to get back out in front of our home crowd,” said veteran quarterback Kevin Glenn. “We had the one pre-season game (this year) but this time it’s a regular season game.

“We’re going out and trying to win. We’re trying to be that team that doesn’t lose at home. We want to have that mentality.”

So far so good for the Alouettes’ offence, which will look to build on a strong start in Winnipeg. The Alouettes have a great chance at becoming that winning team in their first of three match-ups against Ottawa if they continue to buy into Calvillo’s game plan the same way they did in their 22-14 win over Winnipeg in Week 1.

“You can see now it’s Anthony Calvillo’s offence,” REDBLACKS defensive end Arnaud Gascon-Nadon told OttawaREDBLACKS.com. “He’s running it the way they ran it when he was quarterback so you’re going to see a lot of the running game, quick passes, protect the quarterback and trying to get the ball in the hands of the play makers.

“This is starting to look like their offence and starting to look like they’re comfortable in it and we just have to try to bring what we have and try to counter it.”

Leading Montreal’s charge is 37-year-old Glenn, who completed 30-of-42 pass attempts for 332 yards and a touchdown in the season opener. That unit was in command most of the night, although two turnovers inside the red zone left points off the board.

Glenn will have plenty of options to throw to on the first half of Thursday’s double header, having found eight different receivers last week including Duron Carter, who had seven receptions for 69 yards in his first game as an Alouette after returning this off-season, and Nik Lewis, who collected 51 yards on six catches.

Lewis, Carter, Stafford and S.J. Green form one of the CFL’s most formidable pass-catching units and could make the Alouettes a much-improved offensive team throughout 2016.

Trevor Harris will make his first start behind centre as a REDBLACK when Ottawa takes the field filling in for starting quarterback Henry Burris, who suffered a pinky injury on his throwing hand in the REDBLACKS’ thrilling 45-37 overtime victory against Edmonton in Week 1.

Burris has reportedly been placed on the six-game injured list, meaning, for now, the REDBLACKS are Harris’s team.

“He’ll (Burris) be back and we’ll be welcoming him with open arms when he’s back,” said Harris. “For the time being, I’ll be ready to roll. That’s why you want to make sure, for coach Campbell’s sake, you can’t have too many quality quarterbacks and my job is to come in and be a quality quarterback for this team.”

Harris wasted little time after taking the field to justify the REDBLACKS’ decision to sign him this off-season – one possession to be exact – throwing a long bomb to Chris Williams for a 71-yard touchdown on his first passing attempt. The former Argonaut pivot impressed in the rest of his debut as well, connecting on 17 of 19 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns.

“To have that confidence that no matter which one (Harris or Burris) is in there that we can still go out there and execute our game plan and beat a team like Edmonton on the road when we actually had a few mistakes,” said Williams. “We had some turn overs and a blocked punt for a touchdown so we really didn’t execute our best but we executed enough to win the game.”

Montreal’s red hot defence – a defence that allowed a league-low 14 points and only one touchdown drive last week – will be another story for Harris to deal with. Defensive end John Bowman will be the biggest pest, having already collected seven tackles and two sacks in the first game of the regular season.

While Ottawa put up gaudy numbers against the Eskimos’ depleted secondary, points won’t come as easy against Montreal. That also means the REDBLACKS’ defence will have to be stingier than it was against Mike Reilly and the Eskimos.

“We just have to go out there and do what we do,” said REDBLACKS’ defensive back Jerrell Gavins. “It’s not necessarily about what they do, it’s more about what we can do prevent them from doing what they’re usually successful at.”

The REDBLACKS ended the 2015 season series victorious, finishing a perfect 3-0 against Montreal in their stellar second season as a franchise.

Montreal took all three the season before.

Based on history alone, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top this week.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview Toronto Argonauts/Saskatchewan Roughriders

Kickoff is at 10 p.m. ET and can be seen live on TSN or followed online via CFL.ca GameTracker.

Jones, Riders kick off new era in Riderville vs. Argos
CFL.ca Staff

REGINA — As though the waiting game wasn’t already hard enough, it only gets tougher for Darian Durant and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The Riders say hello to a new season on Thursday night in Riderville, while at the same time begin saying goodbye to a long-time landmark in Mosaic Stadium.

After a bye week to open the 2016 schedule, waiting until 8:00 p.m. local time to face the Toronto Argonauts might be difficult.

“I’m kind of sad that it’s a night game,” Durant told Riderville.com. “Just waking up having to wait all day to come out and play. But at the same time night games are always exciting here so it’s just going to be an exciting day and I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ll just be patiently waiting all day and I’ll be ready to come out here and do whatever I can do to help this team get a win.”

With equal anticipation wait the fans in Rider Nation, and the same goes for Chris Jones. No team has overhauled its roster more than the Riders this year and no team enters the season with more uncertainty.

On Thursday night everyone will see some sort of semblance of what the 2016 Riders are all about.

“That’ll be decided [Thursday] night,” said Jones. “Like I told the team, this is for real – this is our first regular season game. We’ve talked a good game, now it’s a matter of seeing exactly where we are.”

Jones was hired as the team’s football czar – the head coach, general manager and vice-president – after the team cleaned house following a three-win season in 2015. After Jones took the Eskimos from cellar-dwellers at 4-14 to Grey Cup Champions at 14-4 in a matter of two years, Riders fans are hoping he can work his similar magic in Saskatchewan.

With a re-worked roster with the subtraction of big names like Weston Dressler and John Chick and the addition of the likes of Shawn Lemon, Justin Capicciotti and Kendial Lawrence among many, many others, there’s no doubt the Riders are already being built in Jones’s mold.

Veteran quarterback Durant is one of a handful of returning players along with veteran Rob Bagg and young receiver Nic Demski – yet with so many new faces on both sides of the ball, some patience may be required.

Durant is playing his first game in over a year after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in last year’s opener, while approximately 35 players on the team’s 46-man roster will be making their Rider debuts.

But with uncertainty and the unknown also comes possibility.

“It’s just another great opportunity to do something special this season,” said Bagg, the veteran receiver now in his ninth season with the team. “Every year it’s a fresh start and this year it’s no different – I love the pieces we have here.

“It all starts Thursday, we’ll find out what we’re really made of. I’m certainly excited and optimistic about it.”

So too is Jones, who will lean on a veteran offence and a young defence that he expects to be ‘very fast’ and ‘very athletic’. Facing an angry Argos team coming off a home-opening loss is a solid first challenge.

“We’ve got to go out and we’ve got to play a solid football game against a very good football team in Toronto,” said Jones. “They’re very well-coached and they didn’t play very well last week, and we’re not the only ones that know that – they know it as well.

“You’ll see a different Toronto team roll in here.”

The Argos definitely know they weren’t themselves in Week 1. They lost 42-20 to hated arch-rival Hamilton, but it’s not just the loss that stings – it’s the fact that it came in a game they’ll never be able to get back: the first ever game at BMO Field.

“We came out and we laid an egg,” defensive tackle Bryan Hall told Argonauts.ca. “Especially on defence. We just didn’t perform when we needed to.”

The O-line couldn’t keep a clean pocket for quarterback Ricky Ray, who was sacked five times, threw an interception and fumbled once. Meanwhile, Brandon Whitaker and the Argo offence couldn’t establish anything on the ground, finishing with just one yard on seven attempts – their lowest rushing total since 2009 and the lowest by any CFL team in a game since 2011.

With a new-look O-line led by off-season addition Josh Bourke and a young defence coached by another newcomer in Defensive Coordinator Rich Stubler, the Argos are still learning but expect to be much better after seeing it all on film.

“We just weren’t ourselves,” said national defensive end Ricky Foley. “It was good to see on film; make our corrections.

“We needed to see it on film and a lot more confidence this week.”

Head Coach Scott Milanovich was particularly frustrated with the Argos’ inability to capitalize on momentum during their Week 1 loss. A slow start had them down 25-6 at one point, but two touchdowns by Vidal Hazelton within a minute made it a five-point game.

It was as though all the Ticats had to do was press down on the gas again though. Jeremiah Masoli completed 15 straight passes against the Argo defence while former Argonaut Chad Owens put the game away, and in the end the five-point third-quarter deficit was the closest the Argos could get.

On Sunday they face a stiff test against a new-look Rider team that’ll be excited to play at home, but the hostile territory coming off a loss is welcomed by the Argos’ fifth-year head coach.

“Our players love to play there. I love to play there. It’s fun,” said Milanovich. “It’s a college-type atmosphere from my perspective. Their fans are always fired up. It’s the way football should be played.

“Obviously Chris [Jones] will have them ready to play football, there’s no doubt.”

Ray will look to get the Argo offence humming again, one that’s used to finishing in the top half of the league under the offensive-minded Milanovich but last season fell to sixth overall. The veteran pivot threw for 282 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception on 26-of-36 passing in the face of a constant Ticats pass rush.

The Argos, meanwhile, will have to wait until mid-July to get another crack at it in front of their home fans, but for now they have a chance to do some early-season bonding. After playing in Regina on Thursday night, Milanovich has them heading straight to B.C. as part of a nine-day road trip.

Linebacker Marshall McFadden and receiver Kevin Elliott will not play for the Argos after each being added to the six-game injured list, opening the door for Thomas Miles to start at middle linebacker for the Boatmen and Kenny Shaw and Wallace Miles to get more touches in the receiving corps.

The Riders, meanwhile, enter their season-opener relatively unscathed but will have a pair of newcomers in the secondary in veterans and former Stampeders Buddy Jackson and Brandon McDonald, both slated to start at halfback.

Thursday’s game will also be a big matchup for Greg Jones, the former Argos linebacker who will play his first game as a Rider against his former team.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Week 2 CFL games

Ottawa (1-0) @ Montreal (1-0)-- Ottawa pulled upset in OT at Edmonton last week, after tying game with 0:01 left; RedBlacks had 590-442 edge in yardage, overcoming -2 turnover ratio. Montreal won its opener at Winnipeg, leading 12-0 at half in 22-14 win. RedBlacks swept Montreal LY, winning by 3-4-22 points after going 0-3 vs Alouettes year before- they split two visits here. Four of six series games stayed under; under is 7-2 in Alouettes' last nine home games.

Toronto (0-1) @ Saskatchewan (0-0)-- Argonauts opened their new stadium last week with 42-20 loss to Hamilton; they were down 18-6 at half in game where they were outgained 379-296. Toronto won four of last five games with Saskatchewan, winning LY's games 42-40/30-26. Roughriders had bye LW; they started 0-9 LY, wound up 3-15, with two three wins vs Alouettes. Argonauts won three of last four visits to Regina. Six of last seven series games went over total.

British Columbia (1-0) @ Hamilton (1-0)-- Both teams opened with upset wins; Lions beat Calgary at home, kicking winning FG with 3:43 left. TiCats won easily at Toronto, leading 18-6 at half-- they've lost last three visits to Hamilton by 8-2-30 points. Home side won last six series games, with five of those six games going over the total. Last year's meetings were one-sided; Hamilton won 52-22 at home in first meeting, then lost 40-13 in Vancouver in rematch.

Winnipeg (0-1) @ Calgary (0-1)-- Stampeders are 13-1 in last fourteen games vs Winnipeg, sweeping the Bombers LY, by 1-28-3 points. Winnipeg lost its last 12 visits to Calgary, going 3-2-2 vs spread in last seven. Under is 4-1-1 in last six series games. Stamps were 9-1 at home LY, covering five of last six. Winnipeg got upset at home by Montreal LW, its 11th loss in last 13 games, dating back to LY- they lost seven of last eight road games (3-5 vs spread).


Ottawa RedBlacks
Montreal Alouettes even, 54

Toronto Argonauts
Saskatchewan Roughriders 3, 51.5

British Columbia Lions
Hamilton TigerCats 6.5, 50.5

Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Calgary Stampeders 9.5, 49.5