NFL Week 16 Top Picks on the Total Line

 My NFL total line picks for Week 16 are reprinted through permission of ScoresandStats.com.

Five OVER/UNDER Picks for NFL Week 16

Week 15 game delays thinned the number of actual NFL betting matchups on this past Sunday’s slate. With just 10 games on the adjusted schedule, the total stayed UNDER in seven of those games with scoring at a premium. When Tampa Bay gets shutout, you know it was a strange day for NFL bettors.

Going with the games set for this Sunday’s NFL betting board, here are five more top plays betting the total line.

Sunday, Dec. 26

Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons: UNDER 44

Detroit is coming off its best game of the season after stunning Arizona 30-12. What stood out in this win was an excellent defensive effort. Atlanta only managed to score 13 points in a loss to San Francisco.

Neither of these teams should light up the scoreboard this Sunday in a series where the total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last 10 meetings. The total has also stayed UNDER in nine of Detroit’s last 12 games overall.

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals: UNDER 44

This is a huge showdown in the AFC North with both teams tied at 8-6. The winner takes sole possession of first place and the loser risks missing the playoffs altogether. The Bengals won the first meeting on the road 41-17.

The second meeting should be a grinder that remains a low scoring affair. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the Ravens’ last six games. It has also stayed UNDER in five of their last six games on the road. Cincinnati just held Denver to 10 points while winning with 15.

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots: OVER 44

New England’s stunning loss to Indianapolis to slip to 9-5 opened the door for Buffalo (8-6) in the AFC East Division title race. Two weeks ago, New England beat Buffalo 14-10. However, I still see this Sunday’s rematch turning into a higher scoring game than expected.

The total has gone OVER in four of the Bills’ last six games. It has gone OVER in 11 of their last 16 games on the road. The total has also gone OVER in four of the Patriots’ last five home games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers: OVER 47.5

Tampa Bay getting shutout against the rival New Orleans Saints sets the stage for a big turn around this Sunday against another NFC South foe. The only question is how many points will Carolina be able to add to that total?

The trends favor a higher scoring game than the current total line. The total has gone OVER in five of Carolina’s last six games overall and in eight of its last 11 December games. The total has also gone OVER in four of the last six meetings between the two.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs: UNDER 46.5

Pittsburgh continues to find ways to win games it appeared destined to lose. Kansas City is finding its form at the right time of the year with a SU seven-game winning streak. The total has gone OVER in three of the Chiefs’ last five wins.

While the Chiefs should find a way to keep their winning streak going, I have their defense stepping up at home. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last seven meetings overall and it has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in Kansas City.

 

 

 

BettingLiveDogs.com NFL Pick of the Day: San Francisco at Tennessee

 Its Week 16 of the NFL regular season and all the action gets started on Thursday night with the NFC's San Francisco 49ers on the road as three-point favorites against the AFC's Tennessee Titans. Each of these teams is in the thick of their conference's playoff race and a win on Thursday night would go a long way towards helping the cause.

San Francisco has moved to 8-6 straight-up with five victories in its last six games. Capturing the NFC West Division title would be a stretch behind both the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams with each team at 10-4. Yet, the 49ers are in solid position to earn a wild card spot in the conference and the current No. 5 seed.

The 9-6 Titans' hold a very tenuous one-game lead over the Indianapolis Colts for first place in the AFC South. Thursday night's game is not a must-win situation. However, after losing three of its last four games, Tennessee's margin for error has become rather tight. 

There is no doubt that the 49ers come in hot given their current playing form. However, Tennessee comes in desperate for a win. This is still a solid team on both sides of the ball that gains a significant edge playing this game at home in Nashville.

When it comes to releasing my BettingLiveDogs.com pick of the day, I normally look for the best value in a home dog straight-up on the money line. 

Getting Tennessee at -145 on the current money line is just too tempting to pass up. The Titans are 3-1 SU against the NFC this season, including a win on the road against the Rams. Look for them to improve on that record following Thursday night's SU victory.

NFL Pick of the Day: Tennessee +145

Saturday's College Basketball "Best Bet"

 This Saturday's NCAAB betting board is filled with a number of great matchups. As part of my weekly coverage for Vegas Insider, my "best bet" pick of the day is a Big East battle between the Providence Friars and the No. 20 Connecticut Huskies.

Tip-off from the XL Center in Harford is set for 5 p.m. on FOX. This will be the conference opener for both teams with Providence boasting a straight-up 10-1 start while the Huskies bring a SU record of 9-2 into this game.

The Friars are averaging 70.9 points per game led by Nate Watson's team-high 15.3-point scoring average. They are holding opposing teams to 62.3 points a game. The Huskies dial things up a bit with 81.8 PPG. RJ Cole is the team's leader in scoring with 16.0 points a game. Connecticut has a points-allowed average of 62.1 through its first 11 games.

The Huskies are favored by 6.5 points at home with the total set at 137.

Notable Betting Trends:

The Friars are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games with the total staying UNDER in six of their last nine outings.

The Huskies have failed to cover in four of their last six games. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five games.

Head-to-head, the series is dead-even over the last 10 meetings at 5-5 both SU and ATS. The home team has won eight of the last nine matchups both SU and ATS. The total has gone OVER in three of the last five meetings.

"Best Bet" Pick:

My value play in this game is the OVER on the total line. Both teams should be able to get close to their scoring average on year to combine for more than 137 points.

Below is my complete game preview and betting pick as posted on Vegas Insider:

Providence Friars at Connecticut Huskies

BettingLiveDogs.com NFL Pick of the Day: Dallas at Washington

 The Dallas Cowboys burst out of the gate this season to a straight-up 6-1 start while the Washington Football Team only won two of their first eight games. Heading into Sunday's big NFC East showdown at FedEx Field, the 8-5 Cowboys are just two games in front of surging Washington at 6-6.

While Dallas is still a heavy -900 favorite to win the division title, an upset on Sunday would have a huge impact on those futures odds. You can get +750 odds on the Football Team in that same futures bet.

As my BettingLiveDogs.com upset pick of the day, I am taking Washington straight-up on the money line at +170. The series is tied 3-3 both SU and against the spread over the last six meetings. This includes a Washington sweep last season.

The Cowboys are 2-3 (SU and ATS) in their last five games while Washington is riding a four-game winning streak both SU and ATS. Anytime you can bet a hot team at home as an underdog, you have to jump all over that opportunity.

Olympic Legend Leads a Small Field of Five for Saturday's Los Alamitos Futurity

Earlier this week, I came up with my top three picks for this Saturday's Los Alamitos Futurity as part of my weekly coverage of horse racing for ScoresandStats.com. At the time, Horse Racing Nation had listed seven entries as probable.

My top choice was Pinehurst followed by Enbarr and Rhetoric. All three of these two-year old colts are trained by Bob Baffert. His horses have dominated this race, with a first place finish the past seven years in a row.

When the actual post positions were announced for the 2021 Los Alamitos Futurity, there were only five total entries in the field with none of these horses on the final list. That is rare but it does happen from time to time. 

Forced to reformulate my top three colts to finish in the money, here are my new picks for this race:

Win: Olympic Legend

Place: Messier

Show: Durante

Olympic Legend is trained by Luis Mendez. The two-year old Kentucky-bred colt will break from the No. 1 post with jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. getting the ride. The son of Street Boss place third in this year's ungraded Capote Stakes at Los Alamitos on Sept. 18.

Messier is one of two colts in the limited field trained by Baffert. Trainer Doug O'Neil has a pair of entries as well, including Durante. 

Both colts are coming off recent victories. Messier won the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 14. He covered the seven furlongs on dirt in 1:22.74 past Forbidden Kingdom and Winning Map. Durante won a one mile Maiden Special Weight race at Del Mar  that same day.

NFL Week 14 Top Bets on the Total Line

 Moving deep into the 2021 NFL regular season schedule, I have come up with this Sunday's five best bets on the total line. 

The following post with my five total line plays has been reprinted below through the permission of ScoresandStats.com where it was originally published.

Five OVER/UNDER Picks for NFL Week 14

Re-capping Sunday’s games in Week 13 of the NFL regular season, the total stayed UNDER in seven of the 12 contests. On the year, betting the UNDER has paid off in 56.8% of the NFL games played.

As weather becomes more of a factor in outdoor matchups this time of the year, solid plays on the UNDER become a bit easier to find. Going through all the NFL matchups on this Sunday’s schedule, here are my Top 5 plays on the total line.

Sunday, Dec. 12

Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans: UNDER 44

The Jaguars have lost their last four games straight-up while scoring a grand total of 48 points. Tennessee is coming off its bye week after managing just 26 points combined in losses to Houston and New England.

The total has stayed UNDER in Jacksonville’s last seven games. It has also stayed UNDER in five of its last six games against an AFC team. Look for another low scoring grinder in this AFC South matchup.

Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs: UNDER 51.5

The Raiders came up short at home against Washington last Sunday 17-15 as slight 1.5-point favorites. The total has stayed UNDER in three of their last five games. Kansas City has won five games straight while not allowing more than 17 points in any of those SU victories.

Las Vegas has lost seven of its last eight road games against the Chiefs SU. The total has stayed UNDER in six of Kansas City’s last seven games overall. Look for KC’s defense to get the job done again this Sunday.

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Football Team: OVER 49

Dallas scored 27 points in last week’s road win against New Orleans. The Cowboys are averaging 29.4 points per game this year. Washington’s SU winning streak has reached four games with Sunday’s victory at Las Vegas.

This will be the first of two meetings in the NFC East rivalry over the next three weeks. The total has gone OVER in eight of the last 10 meetings. The total has gone OVER in four of the Cowboys’ last five division games.

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns: UNDER 42.5

The Ravens came up short against Pittsburgh their last time out heading into another key AFC North battle. The total has stayed UNDER in their last four games. This includes a 16-10 victory at home against Cleveland on Nov. 28 with the total set at 47.5 points.

The total has stayed UNDER in four of the Browns’ last six games while going 3-3 SU. It has stayed UNDER in seven of their last 10 games against Baltimore. The total has also stayed UNDER in four of Cleveland’s last five home games.

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers: UNDER 43

The Falcons have lost four of their last six games SU with the total staying UNDER in five of those six games. This slide includes a 19-13 loss to Carolina as 2.5-point home favorites on Oct. 31. The total stayed UNDER 46.5 points.

The total has now stayed UNDER in seven of the last 10 meetings between these two NFC South foes. It has stayed UNDER in seven of the Panthers’ last eight home games against the Falcons.

 

 

 

 

NFL Week 13 Top Bets on the Total Line

 My following post for this week's top NFL bets on the total line are reprinted below through permission of ScoresandStats.com sports betting site.

Five OVER/UNDER Picks for NFL Week 13

The 2021 NFL regular season moves into the crucial month of December. Through the first 12 weeks of the season, the betting trends on the NFL total line continue to favor the UNDER with a 56.2 winning percentage.

Recapping this past Sunday’s games, the OVER actually had the slight edge at 6-5. Looking ahead to this Sunday’s schedule, here are my Top 5 plays on the NFL total line.

Sunday, Dec. 5

Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans: OVER 46

The Colts are coming off a tough 38-31 loss to Tampa Bay in a game they had a chance to win. The total went OVER 53 points and it has now gone OVER in five of their last six games. Houston lost to Indianapolis 31-3 in the first meeting this season.

The total has gone OVER in seven of the Colts’ last eight games played on the road. While recent trends between the two teams point to a lower score than the current betting line, Indianapolis could take the total OVER on its own.

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: OVER 47

Minnesota’s offense has scored at least 26 points in each of its last four games with the total going OVER in three of those contests. Detroit is still looking for its first victory of the season after another heart-breaking loss in the closing minutes of a game.

The Vikings won the first meeting this season 19-17 in a grinder at home. That game stayed well UNDER the closing 49.5-point line. However, the total has gone OVER in seven of Minnesota’s last eight games on the road.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons: OVER 49.5

Tampa Bay has scored a combined 68 points in its last two games as one of the highest scoring teams in the NFL this season. The Falcons managed to squeeze past Jacksonville 21-14 in Week 12 to improve to 5-6 on the year.

The total went OVER 52 points the first meeting this season with Tampa Bay winning 48-25 at home. The total has now gone OVER in nine of the last 10 meetings between these two NFC South rivals. It has gone OVER in the last five meetings in Atlanta.

Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers: UNDER 44

Give credit to the Ravens’ defense in their last two wins with a combined 23 points allowed. The total has stayed UNDER in their last three outings. Pittsburgh only managed to score 10 points in Sunday’s dismal loss to Cincinnati.

The total has stayed UNDER in 10 of Baltimore’s last 15 games dating back to last season. It has stayed UNDER in seven of the Ravens’ last eight road games. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of Pittsburgh’s last 11 games played in December.

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs: UNDER 49

Coming off Sunday’s big 28-13 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, the total has stayed UNDER in Denver’s last five games. It has also stayed UNDER in five of the Chiefs’ last six games after beating Dallas 19-9 on Thanksgiving.

The total has stayed UNDER in five of the Broncos’ last six games on the road. It has stayed UNDER in nine of 11 games this season. The total has stayed UNDER in five of the last six meetings in this AFC West clash.

 

 

 

Betting Saturday's Race Card at Aqueduct

 My following horse racing post was reprinted through permission of ScoresandStats.com sports betting website.

Saturday’s Race Card at Aqueduct Racetrack Features Four Graded Events

For avid horse bettors, Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York is the place to be this Saturday with four major graded events on the daily race card.

The Grade 3 $250,000 Go For Wand Handicap and the Grade 2 $250,000 Demoiselle Stakes for the fillies and mares get things started.

The undercard to the main event also includes the Grade 2 $250,000 Remsen Stakes as key 2022 Kentucky Derby prep for two-year old thoroughbreds closing out their juvenile campaign. The highlight of Saturday’s card is the Grade 1 $750,000 Cigar Mile Handicap for thoroughbreds three and older.

The following are my Win-Place-Show picks for both the Remsen and the Cigar Mile.

Saturday, Dec. 4: Aqueduct Racetrack

2021 Remsen Stakes: 1 1/8 Miles Dirt

Win: Zandon

Trained by Chad Brown, this Kentucky-bred colt won his racing debut at Belmont with a victory in a six-furlong Maiden Special Weight race on Oct. 9. He covered that distance on dirt in 1:10.61. The son of Upstart comes into this race with a Horse Racing Nation rating of 5.23.

Place: Who Hoo Thats Me

Bred in New York, this juvenile colt should feel right at home this Saturday. Trainer Jorge Abreu is looking for a stronger performance in the Remsen coming off a third-place finish in this year’s ungraded Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 30. Sired by Keen Ice, he has finished in the money in three of four events this year.

Show: Overstep

As one of two probable entries by trainer Todd Pletcher, this New York-bred juvenile has the third-highest HRN rating in the projected field (4.87). The son of Into Mischief took second in the Sleepy Hollow after winning a Maiden Special Weight race at Belmont on Sept. 25.

2021 Cigar Mile Handicap: 1 Mile Dirt

Win: Ginobili

This four-year old gelding finished second in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar against some stiff competition. Trained by Richard Baltas, he has now finished in the money in his last three events. This includes an impressive victory in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Handicap at Del Mar in late August.

Sired by Munnings, he will be tough to beat among the projected  nine-horse field if he is running at his best.

Place: Code of Honor

With the actual field for Saturday’s main event still coming together, this five-year old Kentucky-bred colt could be the clear favorite with a lofty HRN rating of 7.28. Trained by Claude “Shug” McGaughey, the son of Noble Mission placed second in the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes on Oct. 30 at Keeneland. He started this season with a victory at Monmouth Park in the Grade 3 Philip H. Iselin Stakes.

Code of Honor had his best season racing was as a three-year old when he placed second in the Kentucky Derby.

Show: Independence Hall

This four-year colt is coming off a victory in the Fayette Stakes by covering the 1 1/8 miles on dirt in 1:50.30. He has placed in the money in four of six events this year. Trained by Michael McCarthy, the son of Constitution is looking to close out 2021 with another strong showing.

Prior to the win at Keeneland, he placed second in this year’s Grade 3 Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs in early October as another plus to his current racing form.

NFL Week 12 Top 5 Total Line Bets

 Reprinted by permission from ScoresandStats.com, here are my Top 5 plays for Sunday's NFL slate of games.

Sunday, Nov. 28

New York Jets at Houston Texans: OVER 44

Jets and the Texans have combined for just four straight-up wins this year, but each team has pulled off some big upsets. New York is coming off a tough 24-17 loss to Miami while Houston stunned Tennessee 22-13 as a 10-point road underdog.

The total has gone OVER in nine of the Jets’ last 10 AFC games and it has gone OVER in four of their last five games overall. In the absence of a stifling defense on Sunday by either team, look for the total to go OVER the current line.

Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots: UNDER 44.5

With the Titans still reeling from the loss to Houston, it will be tough to bounce back against a hot Patriots’ team on the road. New England has won its last five games both SU and ATS with the total staying UNDER in two of the last three contests.

The total has stayed UNDER in five of New England’s last six games played in the month of November. Given the elevated play of its defense the past few weeks, betting the UNDER in this game offers the best value in the betting lines.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals: OVER 45.5

This is a crucial matchup in the crowded race for the AFC North Division title. Pittsburgh just scored 37 points but still lost to the Los Angeles Chargers after giving up 41 points. Cincinnati scored 32 points in its lopsided victory against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Each of these teams should be able to put quite a few points on the board in this game. While the total has stayed UNDER in six of the last 10 meetings, current scoring trends for each team point to a higher scoring affair this time around.

Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos: OVER 48

The Chargers have won most of their six games this season by simply outscoring their opponent as opposed to shutting them down on defense. Case in point is the 37 points allowed in the recent win over Pittsburgh. Denver gave up 30 points in a recent loss to Philadelphia.

The total has gone OVER in four of the Chargers’ last six games. It has also gone OVER in six of their last eight games played in November. Look for LA to score the bulk of the points this Sunday with Denver kicking in enough scoring to take the total OVER.

Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers: OVER 48.5

The Vikings are another team that wins games by outscoring their opponent. They just put up 34 points in a wild three-point victory against Green Bay. The 49ers are coming off a 30-point effort in a 20-point victory over Jacksonville.

While the total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last eight meetings between these two NFC teams, it has gone OVER in the 49ers’ last five games against the NFC North. The total has also gone OVER in six of Minnesota’s last seven road games.

 

 

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes Win-Place-Show Free Picks

 Reprinted by permission of ScoresandStats.com, below are my Win-Place-Show best bets for Saturday's $400,000 Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Saturday, Nov. 27

Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes- Churchill Downs

Win- Tiz The Bomb

Trained by Kenneth McPeek, this two-year old Kentucky-bred colt is coming off a second-place finish in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. He started his racing career with two Maiden Special Weight races on dirt before switching to the turf in his next three runs.

The son of Hit It A Bomb returns to the dirt track for this race with a trio of victories already on his early resume. His biggest win was in this year’s Grade 2 Bourbon Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 10. Tiz The Bomb covered the 1 1/16 miles on turf in 1:43.69. There is some concern about his overall speed on dirt, but he appears to be the class of this projected field with a Horse Racing Nation rating of 5.62.

Place- Howling Time

My second choice for this race has the second-highest HRN rating in the projected field at 5.54. The son of Not This Time won the ungraded Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs his last time out. He covered the 1 1/6 miles on dirt in 1:44.68.

Trained by Dale Romans, he also won a six-furlong Maiden Special Weight race at Churchill on Sept. 25 in the competitive event of his two-year old campaign. A win on Saturday would elevate him to the status of being a legitimate contender on the 2022 Kentucky Derby Trail.

Show- Classic Causeway

Rounding out my top three picks for this year’s Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes , this Kentucky-bred juvenile is trained by Brian Lynch. Up against some solid talent in Rattle N Roll and Double Thunder, he finished third in this year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland on Oct. 9.

Sired by Giant’s Causeway, he started his racing career with a victory at Saratoga in early September in a seven-furlong Maiden Special Weight event. He covered that distance on dirt in 1:22.67 to show some excellent closing speed.

This is another juvenile that would greatly benefit from a win on Saturday. He has shown the potential to be a legitimate contender after closing as a 9-5 favorite in his previous race.

NFL Week 10 Top Bets on the Total Line

 Through the first nine weeks of the NFL regular season, underdogs have been able to cover the spread 58.5% of the time. The best best on the board has been underdogs playing on the road with a 62.2 winning percentage ATS.

Betting the NFL total line in those same games still favors the UNDER. The total has stayed UNDER 55.1% of the time. 

Underdogs and UNDERs play right into the strong suit of online sportsbooks since the betting public always has a strong lean towards favorites and OVER in the total line. The Oddsmakers continue to adjust accordingly but there is still value to be found taking the points while betting on a lower score than expected.

All season long, I have been posting my Top 5 NFL total line bets at the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com. 

Courtesy of that site, I have reprinted this Sunday's top five total line plays below:

Sunday, Nov. 15

Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys: OVER 52

The Falcons stay on the road after upsetting the New Orleans Saints 27-25 as 6.5-point underdogs. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five games. The Cowboys are coming off their worst game of the year with a stunning 30-16 loss to Denver.

The Cowboys will be looking the right the ship this Sunday but look for Atlanta to keep this game close. The total has gone OVER in four of the Falcons’ last five road games. Head-to-head, it has gone OVER in seven of the last eight meetings in Dallas.

Buffalo Bills at New York Jets: OVER 47.5

The Bills are another team coming off an ugly loss. One of the highest scoring teams in the NFL was held to just six points in the loss to Jacksonville. The total has gone OVER in the Jets’ last five games.

Buffalo could score 48 points on its own in this game. The total has gone OVER in nine of the Bills’ last 13 road games. It has gone OVER in six of New York’s last nine November games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Redskins: OVER 51.5

Both of these teams are coming off a Week 9 bye. Tampa Bay gave up 36 points to New Orleans in a loss its last time out. Washington brings a straight-up four game losing streak into this NFC clash.

The total has gone OVER in five of the Buccaneers’ last seven conference games. It has also gone OVER in four of Washington’s last five games against a team from the NFC. Given the week’s rest, look for Tampa Bay’s offense to have a big day.

Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots: UNDER 44

Cleveland exploded for 41 points in Sunday’s road win against rival Cincinnati. However, the Browns scored a combined 41 points in their previous three matchups. New England only allowed six points in Sunday’s road win at Carolina.

This game has the making of a grinder between two AFC teams coming off strong defensive efforts. The total has stayed UNDER in six of Cleveland’s last seven games against a team from the AFC East.

Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders: UNDER 51.5

It was not pretty, but Kansas City was able to get by Green Bay 13-7 after scoring a combined 23 points in its previous two games. The Raiders stumbled against the New York Giants last Sunday as three-point road favorites in a 23-16 loss.

The total has stayed UNDER in six of the previous 10 meetings in this AFC West clash. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the Chiefs’ last five games overall. The betting line for this Sunday’s matchup could be set a bit too high given the current form of each team’s offense.

 

 

 

NFL Week 9 Top Bets on the Total Line

 As the 2021 NFL regular season approaches the halfway mark of the 18-week schedule, betting the UNDER on the total line has been a solid bet with a winning rate of 54.9%. 

Each and every week of the season, I come up with my Top 5 plays on Sunday's NFL total line for the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com.

Courtesy of this site, I have reprinted this Sunday's total line picks below:

Sunday, Nov. 7

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints: UNDER 45.5

Atlanta is coming off a tough loss to Carolina heading into another key NFC South matchup. New Orleans is flying high after upsetting Tampa Bay as a home underdog. The total has gone OVER in three of the Saints’ last four games.

This could be a lower scoring game than expected. The total has stayed UNDER in the last five meetings between these division rivals. It has also stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in New Orleans.

Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals: UNDER 46

This should be a tough, hard fought battle between two AFC North rivals coming off a bad loss. Cleveland has lost three of its last four games scoring fewer than 17 points in each of its last three outings.

The total has stayed UNDER in four of the Browns’ last six games. It has also stayed UNDER in five of Cincinnati’s last seven matchups. With each team in desperate need of a win, look for defense to dictate play in this divisional showdown.

Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins: OVER 45.5

The Texans rallied to make last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams competitive in the final score. However, they are now 1-7 straight-up on the year. Miami’s losing streak reached seven games with the loss to Buffalo.

Something has to give in this one. While neither team’s offense is all that exciting, they should be able to put points on the board given just how bad both these teams have played on defense. The total has gone OVER in five of Houston’s last seven conference games.

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers: UNDER 47

The Cardinals are coming off last Thursday’s loss to Green Bay. The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last six games. San Francisco snapped a four-game losing streak by outscoring Chicago 33-22 in Week 8.

The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last 10 meetings between these two NFC West rivals. It has also stayed UNDER in four of the Cardinals’ last six conference games and in four of San Francisco’s last five games against a NFC team.

Los Angeles Chargers at Philadelphia Eagles: OVER 50.5

The Chargers have lost their last two games while giving up a combined 61 points. Philadelphia just played its best game of the season in a 44-6 rout over Detroit. The total has gone OVER in four of the Eagles’ last six games.

Neither of these teams have played consistent on defense which should lead to quite a few points being scored in Sunday’s inter-conference clash. The total has gone OVER in 10 of the Chargers’ last 15 games in Week 9 of the season. It has gone OVER in seven of Philadelphia’s last eight games against a team from the AFC.

 

 

 

NFL Week 8 Top Bets on the Total Line

 The 2021 NFL regular season presses on heading into Week 8. The Arizona Cardinals remain the only undefeated team in league at 7-0 straight-up. The surprising Cardinals have also been a great betting team at 6-1 against the spread.

When betting the NFL total line, the best bet on the OVER has been the Dallas Cowboys with five of their first six games going OVER the closing betting line. The best team for betting the UNDER on the NFL total line has been the Chicago Bears. Through seven games played, six of the Bears first seven games have stayed UNDER the closing line.

Betting the UNDER in general has paid off 54.5% of the time. The betting trends have been evening themselves out in recent weeks with the Oddsmakers sharpening their skills for setting both point spreads and total lines.

Each and every week of the NFL regular season, I dig deep into all the stats, facts and recent betting trends to come up with my Top 5 "Best Bets" on the total line for the popular sports betting site ScoresandSats.com.

Below are  my five picks for this upcoming Sunday's slate of games as a reprint courtesy of ScoresandStats.com

Sunday, Oct. 31

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills: OVER 49.5

Miami has lost its last six games straight-up starting with a 35-0 loss to Buffalo in Week 2. The Bills are coming off their bye week at 4-2 both SU and against the spread. The total has gone OVER in three of their last four games.

The total has gone OVER in the last five meetings in Buffalo. It has also gone OVER in five of the last six games overall between these two AFC East rivals. Look for Miami to score enough points this time around to take the total OVER again.

Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts: OVER 48.5

The Titans stunned Kansas City last Sunday to move to 5-2 both SU and ATS. Indianapolis has now won three of its last four games with the total going OVER in three of those contests. The Colts have scored 61 points combined in their last two games.

The total has gone OVER in 11 of Tennessee’s last 16 games and it has gone OVER in its last five road games. The total has gone OVER in four of the last six meetings between these two division rivals.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns: UNDER 43.5

Pittsburgh is coming off its bye week at an even 3-3 SU (2-4 ATS) on the year. The total has stayed UNDER or ended as a PUSH in five of those six games. Cleveland grinded out a 17-14 win over Denver with quarterback Baker Mayfield out of the lineup.

Each of these team’s offense could have a tough time putting points on the board in this AFC North battle. Mayfield remains questionable on the current injury report. The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last eight meetings in Cleveland.

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons: UNDER 47

Carolina is mired in a four-game losing streak after starting the season 3-0. Quarterback Sam Darnold was benched in last week’s loss to the New York Giants. The Falcons have won three of their last four games both SU and ATS.

The total has stayed UNDER in eight of Carolina’s last 10 games overall and it four of the Panthers’ last five road games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in this NFC South clash.

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings: OVER 53.5

Dallas went into last week’s bye at 5-1 SU (6-0 ATS). The total has gone OVER in five of those six games. Minnesota is also coming off a bye after winning three of its four previous games. The Vikings put up a combined 64 points in wins over Seattle and Carolina during that run.

The total has gone OVER in eight of the Cowboys’ last nine NFC games. It has gone OVER in their last five games against a team from the NFC North. The total has gone OVER in six of the Vikings’ last nine games.

 

 

NFL Week 7 Top Bets on the Total Line

Through the first six weeks of the NFL regular season, the winning rate for betting the UNDER on the total line is 55.4%. Last Sunday, the first six games on the slate stayed UNDER the closing total line. The results of the next six games produced a pair of PUSHES with four games going OVER.

For the first time this season, I was under .500 with my Top 5 total line picks for the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com at 2-3. That dropped my year to date record making these picks to 18-12. 

Looking to get back to my winning ways in Week 7, I have posted a brief preview of this Sunday's five picks courtesy of ScoresandStats.com.

Sunday, Oct. 24

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens: UNDER 47.5

The Bengals have been one of the bigger surprises this season at 4-2 straight-up. They have also been a solid bet on the total line with five of the six games staying UNDER the closing line. Baltimore is 5-1 SU with an  even 3-3 mark on the total line.

The total has stayed UNDER in five of Cincinnati’s last six games on the road. It has also stayed UNDER in seven of Baltimore’s last 10 games overall. Defense should one again keep the scoring by both teams lower than expected in Sunday’s meeting.

New York Jets at New England Patriots: UNDER 42.5

The Jets are coming off their bye week with a 1-4 SU record in their first five games. The total has stayed UNDER in three of those five matchups behind an offense that is averaging 13.4 points per game. New England is coming off a tough overtime loss to Dallas to slip to 2-4 SU.

Look for another low-scoring battle on Sunday in this AFC East clash. New England should be able to keep the Jets’ offense close to its season scoring average. The total has stayed UNDER in six of New York’s last nine games.

Carolina Panthers at New York Giants: OVER 44

Carolina’s fast 3-0 start has faded into a .500 record SU at 3-3. The Giants have only managed to score a combined 31 points in their last two games as part of a SU 1-5 start. However, they have given up 82 points combined in losses to Dallas and the Los Angeles Rams.

With each team’s defense struggling right now, points may be easier to come by on Sunday. The total has gone OVER in six of the last eight meetings between these NFC foes. It has gone OVER in five of the last six meetings in New York.

Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams: OVER 50

The Lions are still looking for their first SU win of the year following more than a few tough losses. The Rams are on a roll at 5-1 coming off double-digit margins of victory in two of their last three SU wins. The total has gone OVER or ended as a PUSH in five of those first six games.

The total has now gone OVER in six of the Rams’ last eight games. With the offense playing at a high level, they could score close to 50 points on their own against Detroit. The big storyline in this game is LA quarterback Matthew Stafford playing against his old team.

Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OVER 48

Chicago came up short against Green Bay last Sunday in a 24-14 loss as a 5.5-point home underdog. Tampa Bay started Week 6 off with a 28-22 win on the road against Philadelphia as a seven-point favorite. The Buccaneers have scored at least 24 points in five of their first six games.

The Bears’ defense will struggle to keep Tampa Bay out of the end zone this Sunday as road underdogs. The total has gone OVER in four of the Buccaneers’ first six games this year. It has gone OVER in four of Tampa Bay’s last five games against a NFC team.

 

 

Early Breeders' Cup Betting Previews for the Juvenile & Classic

 The following post was reprinted with permission from ScoresandStats.com

An Early Betting Preview of the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile & Classic

This year’s Breeders’ Cup will be held at Del Mar Race Track in Southern California. The first five events featuring some of horse racing’s top juvenile colts and fillies will be held on Friday, Nov. 5. This includes the $2 million TVG Juvenile for the top two-year old colts in this year’s class. The total prize money on the line in those first five races is $7 million.

Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup race card at Del Mar is filled with another nine major graded events. The total prize money up for grabs across those nine races is another $21 million. The top event during the two days of racing is the annual Breeders’ Cup Classic for the ‘best of the best’ in Thoroughbred horse racing.

The Longines Classic is open to Thoroughbreds three and older. It covers 1 ¼ miles in total length on the dirt track at Del Mar. The total prize money for this year’s Classic is $6 million.

For anyone looking to place a few fixed odds bets on this year’s Breeders’ Cup, most of the top-rated online sportsbooks have posted futures odds for most of the 14 events. While the actual field for each of these 14 races is still a work in progress, here is an early look at the favorites to win Friday’s BC Juvenile and Saturday’s BC Classic.

Friday, Nov. 5- Breeders’ Cup Juvenile

The BC Juvenile covers 1 1/16 miles on the dirt. At the top of the futures board to win this race is Jack Christopher at +275 fixed betting odds. He is followed by Cornish (+300) and Major General (+400) in what should be a very competitive race among the class of this field.

Rattle N Roll is on the board at +500 odds with Pinehurst (+600) rounding out the top five. You could add in Rockerfeller at +800 odds to compete the list of the early contenders expected to dominate the 2022 Kentucky Derby Trail.

Jack Christopher is trained by Chad Brown. The son of Munnings has already put together an impressive racing resume as a two year old. This is highlighted by a victory in the Grade 1 Champagne Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 2. He covered the mile on dirt in 1:37.31 past Commandperformance and Wit.

If Brown decides to run him in the BC Juvenile, look for this Kentucky-bred colt to open as the morning line favorite.

Cornish would be another solid pick to finish in the money in this race. Trained by Bob Baffert, he recently took first place in the Grade 1 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 1. Against a strong field, he covered the 1 1/16 miles distance on dirt in 1:44.75.

Saturday, Nov. 6- Breeders’ Cup Classic

Essential Quality won last year’s BC Juvenile at Keeneland on his way to becoming the favorite to win the 2021 Kentucky Derby. He came up short in that race with a fourth-place finish. However, since the Derby, the son of Tapit has won three-straight major graded events.

Trained by Brian Cox, he has been opened as a +350 co-favorite to keep that streak alive by winning the BC Classic.

The other favorite on the futures board for this race is Knicks Go. Also trained by Cox, the son of Paynter recently turned some heads by winning the Grade 3 Lukas Classic Stakes at Churchill Downs on Oct. 2.

As a veteran five-year old horse bred in Maryland, Knicks Go won last year’s Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. His current winning streak in major graded events this year also stands at three.

The value pick on the early board could be Hot Rod Charlie at +750 odds. Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit is an interesting play at +1000 odds.

 

NFL Week 6 Top Bets on the Total Line

 With a 3-2 record in last week's Top 5 picks on the NFL total line, my overall record this season improved to 16-9. That equates to a respectable winning percentage of 64%. Each and every week of the NFL season, I dig through all the stats, facts and recent betting trends to come up with my five best plays on the total line for the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com.

When you look at the overall results on the NFL total line for the first five weeks of the season, the betting edge leans towards the UNDER with a winning rate of 54.3%.

As far as betting the games against the spread, road underdogs have been the best bet with a winning rate of 60%. Underdogs in general have cashed winners 56.8 percent of the  time.

Staying true to these betting trends to kickoff Week 6, the Philadelphia Eagles covered as seven-point home underdogs on Thursday night in a 28-22 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The total stayed UNDER 53 points in that game.

Moving to this Sunday's Top 5 bets on the total line, I reprinted a brief recap of each pick courtesy of ScoresandStats.com.

Sunday, October 17

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears: UNDER 46

The Packers escaped with an overtime victory against Cincinnati to take the lead in the NFC North at 4-1 straight-up. However, Chicago kept pace with a big road win against Las Vegas to move to 3-2. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the combined 10 games played.

Scoring should be at a premium in this Sunday’s divisional matchup as well to keep the final tally lower than expected. The total has stayed UNDER in 15 of Chicago’s last 20 home games and in five of its last six games overall.

Los Angeles Rams at New York Giants: OVER 47.5

The Rams have been off since last Thursday night after beating Seattle 26-17. At 4-1 SU on the year, the total has gone OVER in four of the five games. The 1-4 Giants lost their starting quarterback and running back in a 44-20 loss to Dallas.

Los Angeles could clear this total on its own in Sunday’s matchup. The total has gone OVER in five of its last seven road games. It has also gone OVER in four of its last five road games against the Giants.

Minnesota Vikings at Carolina Panthers: UNDER 47

The Vikings are 2-3 SU with the total staying UNDER in three of the five games. Following a 3-0 start, Carolina has lost its last two games. The total has stayed UNDER in four of its first five outings. The Panthers were held to just 18 points in Sunday’s loss at home to Philadelphia.

Points could be hard to come by for both teams on Sunday. Minnesota has scored a combined 26 points in its last two outings. The total has stayed UNDER in five of Carolina’s last six games at home.

Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns: OVER 53.5

The Cardinals are the last remaining undefeated team at 5-0 SU with Sunday’s 17-10 victory at home over San Francisco. This was the first time they scored fewer than 30 points in this five-game run. Cleveland is 3-2 SU with the total going OVER in three of its first five games.

This is one of the highest total lines in Week 6 but the number is justified. Arizona’s offense should be back on track this Sunday after the Browns just gave up 47 points in a loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos: UNDER 44.5

In one of the few divisional matchups on Sunday’s NFL slate, both teams are 3-2 coming into this AFC West clash. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the 10 games combined. The Raiders were held to nine points in a sloppy loss to Chicago. The Broncos managed 19 points in a loss to Pittsburgh.

The total has stayed UNDER in five of the last six meetings in Denver. It has also stayed UNDER in eight of the last nine meetings overall. The total has stayed UNDER in 14 of the Broncos’ last 18 conference games.

 

 

 

NFL Week 5 Top Bets on the Total Line

Road underdogs remain the hottest bet in the NFL through the first four weeks of the new season. They have a 62.5% winning rate against the closing spread. Underdogs in general have covered 58.5% of the time according to ScoresandStats.com.

As part of my NFL coverage for that popular sports betting site, I have been focused on the total line to come up with my Top 5 NFL OVER/UNDER picks each week. After going a solid 4-1 with last week's five total line bets, my record for the year now stands at 13-7.

Digging deep into the betting totals for this Sunday's games, I have come up with five more solid bets you can take to the bank. A brief highlight of each pick is copied below courtesy of ScoresandStats.com.

Sunday, Oct. 10

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings: UNDER 49.5

The Lions are still looking for their first straight-up victory of the year but they have remained competitive in all four losses. Minnesota has been hit or miss with a big upset over Seattle followed by last Sunday’s 14-7 loss to Cleveland.

Somebody has to win in this NFC North clash (or tie) but I am betting it will be a lower scoring game than the current total line suggests. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last eight meetings in Minnesota. It has also stayed UNDER in 10 of the last 15 meetings overall.

Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars: UNDER 48.5

Tennessee came up short against the New York Jets to fall to 2-2 SU overall. Jacksonville is another NFL team still looking for its first win of the year. The total has stayed UNDER in the Jaguars’ last three games with a combined total of 53 points scored.

Even though the total has gone OVER in eight of the Titans’ last nine road games, I am going with the UNDER in this Sunday’s road contest. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of the last 11 meetings between these two AFC South foes in games played in Jacksonville.

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals: OVER 53

San Francisco has been a tough team to figure out in its 2-2 SU start. It is suddenly in a must-win situation with Arizona going a perfect 4-0 out of the gate. The Cardinals put up 37 points in Sunday’s road win against the Los Angeles Rams. They have scored at least 31 points in all four victories.

The 49ers are going to have to keep pace on the scoreboard to win this game. The total may have stayed UNDER in four of the last five meetings in Arizona but that will not be the case this time around. The total has gone OVER in six of the Cardinals’ last seven home games.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys: OVER 51.5

The Giants earned their first victory of the season by stunning New Orleans on the road in a come-from-behind upset. The Cowboys have found their groove on offense with a combined 77 points in recent home victories over Philadelphia and Carolina.

The trends all point to another big day in Big D for the Cowboys’ offense. The total has gone OVER in their last five home games and it has gone OVER in eight of their last 11 games overall. When it comes to this NFC East rivalry, the total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings.

Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs: OVER 56

The game of the day in Week 5 is a Sunday Night showdown. Buffalo continues to roll after an opening day loss. Even though the Chiefs are 2-3, there has yet to be a defense that can keep them out of the endzone. The punters had the day off in Kansas City’s 42-30 win in Philadelphia.

The total has stayed UNDER in 10 of the last 14 meetings in Buffalo. Yet, despite the fact that Sunday night’s total is set rather high, I am taking the bait and going with the OVER. This is more because of Kansas City’s defense than its offense.

 

NFL Week 4 Top Bets on the Total Line

 Heading into Sunday's games in Week 4 of the 2021 NFL regular season, I have gone 9-6 with my first three weeks of NFL total line picks for the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com. I have been tasked with the challenge of coming up with five "best bets" each week for plays on the OVER or UNDER.

Overall, the total has stayed UNDER in 59.2% of the NFL games played this season as scoring has been at a premium in a number of contests. Through the first three weeks of games, underdogs have been an even stronger play with a 63.3 winning percentage against the spread.

My top five picks for this Sunday's slate of NFL games are a mixed bag covering a few big inter-division showdowns as well as Tom Brady's much anticipated return to Foxborough. Already posted on ScoresandStats.com, I have reprinted all five total line picks below:

Sunday, Oct. 3

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears: UNDER 44

Detroit limps into this black & blue NFC North Division battle at 0-3 straight-up. After scoring 33 points in a loss to San Francisco, the Lions have combined for 34 points in their last two losses to Green Bay and Baltimore. The total has stayed UNDER in the Bears’ last two games.

The total has stayed UNDER in six of the last nine meetings in Chicago. It has also stayed UNDER in 15 of Chicago’s last 20 home games.

Washington Football Team at Atlanta Falcons: OVER 48

The Football Team just gave up 43 points in a lopsided road loss against Buffalo. A total of 59 points were scored the previous week in a one-point win over the New York Giants. Atlanta earned its first SU victory of the year after allowing a combined 80 points in its first two games.

Defense should take a backseat in this NFC matchup given all the points scored in earlier games. The total has gone OVER in four of Washington’s last five road games against the Falcons.

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers: OVER 50

This is a crucial divisional game for Seattle coming off back-to-back losses to Tennessee and Minnesota. The Seahawks allowed a combined 63 points in those two setbacks. San Francisco was on the wrong end of a 30-28 home loss to Green Bay as a three-point favorite.

Recent trends favor a higher scoring game in this NFC West showdown. The total has gone OVER five of the previous six meetings. The total has gone OVER in four of San Francisco’s last six games overall.

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams: OVER 53.5

The other half of the NFC West will square off against one another late Sunday afternoon with both the Cardinals and Rams 3-0 SU on the year. Arizona has scored a combined 103 points in victories against Tennessee, Minnesota and Jacksonville. LA has averaged 31.7 points per game in its first outings.

Recent trends in this divisional matchup actually favor a lower scoring contest than the current total line suggests. However, this is a brand new Rams’ offense with Matthew Stafford at quarterback. Look for each team to have success scoring points on Sunday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots: UNDER 49

Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady returns to his old stomping grounds on Sunday night. While the Bucs have been lighting up the scoreboard as expected in their 2-1 SU start, defense may actually decide the outcome of this inter-conference clash.

The total has stayed UNDER in nine of New England’s last 11 games. It has stayed UNDER in six of the Patriots’ last eight games played at home. The total has also stayed UNDER in six of their last seven games against a team from the NFC.

 

CFL Week 8 Preview, Picks & Best Bets

 The CFL got a later start than expected this year but the season is rolling along heading into the Week 8 schedule of games. This week's schedule got an earlier start than usual with a rare Wednesday night game. There are two more games on Friday night featuring a pair of divisional showdowns.

Each and every week of the 2021 CFL season, I dig deep into the stats, facts and recent betting trends to come up with a "best bet" for each contest. Working with Vegas Insider as a premier sports betting site, I have been covering football 'north of the border' for the past several years.

After going a perfect 4-0 with last week's CFL best bets, I am already off to a fast start this week with a winning play in Hamilton's 24-7 road win against Ottawa as a six-point favorite. Hopefully I can keep this winning streak going with my two Friday plays.

In the early game, Toronto hosts Montreal as a 2.5-point favorite with the total set at 48.5 points. Later Friday night, Saskatchewan goes on the road as a slight 1.5-point favorite to tangle with the rival BC Lions. The total line for that game is 47.5 points.

For my best bet picks in each of these games, please click through the following link to Vegas Insider's CFL coverage page.

                                      Vegas Insider CFL Weekly Previews, Free Picks & Betting Odds

NFL Week 3 Top Bets on the Total Line

 Moving into the third Sunday of NFL games during the 2021 regular season schedule, bets on the UNDER have paid off 53.1% of the time. While this is not a huge edge as compared to games going OVER the closing total line, it is still higher than the 52.4% breakeven point using the standard 10% sportsbook commission or juice charged to book a wager.

For the second week in a row, I went 3-2 with my top five NFL total plays for the popular sports betting website ScoresandStats.com. 

Each and every week of the 2021 NFL season, I dig deep into Sunday's schedule of games to come up five solid plays. They are normally posted on the site a few days before the games. I have also copied this week's top five plays below.

Sunday, September 26

Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans: OVER 48

This is a huge early season AFC South showdown for the 0-2 Colts. Quarterback Carson Wentz remains questionable mid-week but look for him to still play. Tennessee has split its first two games with last week’s stunning 33-30 upset over Seattle as a 6.5-point road underdog.

The total has gone OVER in 10 of the Colts’ last 15 games. It has gone OVER in six of their last seven games on the road. The total has also gone OVER in six of the Titans’ last seven divisional games and in four of their last five games against Indianapolis.

Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs: OVER 56

This AFC West showdown takes on some early importance with each of these teams coming off a loss. The Chargers fell to Dallas 20-17 as three-point home favorites. The Chiefs gave up 36 points in a loss to Baltimore after outlasting Cleveland 33-29 in Week 1.

Points should not be too hard to come by on Sunday despite the inflated total line for this divisional tilt. The total has gone OVER in 10 of the Chargers’ last 13 road games. It has also gone OVER in four of their last five road games against Kansas City.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Rams: OVER 54.5

This is another game that should keep the scoreboard active through all four quarters. Tampa Bay has put up a combined 79 points in its first two game while allowing 54 points on defense. The Rams 2-0 with a total of 61 points in their two victories.

This is another inflated total line. However, it is still not set high enough given each team’s ability to score at will. The total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings between these two NFC foes. It has gone OVER in four of the Bucs’ last five games against the NFC West.

Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings: UNDER 55.5

Seattle will look to bounce back from last week’s stunning loss with a much better effort on the defensive side of the ball. Minnesota slipped to 0-2 with early losses to Cincinnati and Arizona. A loss this Sunday could send the Vikings on a long downward spiral this season.

This game has an inflated total line that will not be reached. The total has stayed UNDER in eight of the Seahawks’ last 11 games. It has stayed UNDER in five of their last six road games against Minnesota.

Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers: OVER 47.5

Bettors are now wondering which Green Bay team will show up on Sunday night. The Packers scored three points against New Orleans in Week 1 and 35 points in Monday night’s win over Detroit. San Francisco is 2-0 with very different efforts on offense in each win.

You have to bet the trends in this NFL heavyweight showdown. The total has gone OVER in nine of the last 12 meetings. It has gone OVER in five of the last seven meetings in San Francisco.

 

 

NFL Week 2 Top Bets on the Total Line

 The new NFL season is off and running out of the gate. Underdogs barked rather loud throughout the first round of games. Nine NFL teams getting points won their season opener straight-up. Out of the first 16 games, 12 underdogs covered against the spread.

This was music to the ears of sportsbooks after cleaning up in Week 1. Betting the total line slightly favored the UNDER with the final score in nine of the 17 games staying below the closing betting line. Recapping my top five plays on the total line for ScoresandStats.com, I cashed in on three of those bets.

Below is the link to ScoresandStats for this week's top five bets on the NFL total line. I added brief recaps of those picks below as well.

Week 2 NFL Over/Under Predictions

Sunday, Sept. 19

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers: UNDER 44

The Saints made a major splash in Week 1 by knocking off the Green Bay Packers 38-3 as 3.5-point underdogs. The big takeaway from that game was just how well the New Orleans’ defense played. Carolina squeezed past the New York Jets 19-14 to keep that total UNDER 44.5 points.

Look for each team’s defense to once again dominate play in this NFC South Division clash. The total has stayed UNDER in New Orleans’ last five division games. It has stayed UNDER in four of Carolina’s last five NFC matchups.

Buffalo Bills at Miami Dolphins: UNDER 47.5

Buffalo was stunned by Pittsburgh 23-16 in its home opener as a 6.5-point favorite. The total stayed UNDER 48 points. Miami shocked New England 17-16 as a 3.5-point road underdog in a game that stayed well UNDER the closing 43-point line.

This is another division battle that should have a lower final score than expected. While recent head-to-head trends in this AFC East showdown lean towards the OVER, the total has stayed UNDER in four of Miami’s last five division games.

San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles: OVER 50

San Francisco decided to make things interesting in its 41-33 victory against Detroit by giving up 16 fourth quarter points. Philadelphia’s offense looked sharp behind Jalen Hurts at quarterback. He led his team to a 32-6 rout over Atlanta.

Both teams showed the ability to put points on the board in Week 1 through big play capabilities. The total has gone OVER in four of the 49ers’ last six games. The total has gone OVER in nine of the Eagles’ last 13 Week 2 games.

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers: OVER 52

The Falcons’ offense sputtered in the loss to Philly but it is still better than advertised. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay offense picked up where it left off last season with 31 points against Dallas. However, the Buc’s defense gave up 29 points in that win.

We already know that Tampa Bay will score its fair share of points this Sunday. Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan should have a better showing against this NFC South rival. The total has gone OVER in four of the last five meetings in Tampa Bay.

Dallas Cowboys at Los Angeles Chargers: OVER 55

The Cowboys might have been on the losing end of their season opener. However, they are more than happy to have Dak Prescott back under center. The Chargers did just enough to get by Washington 20-16 in Week 1. However, Justin Herbert and the LA offense should flourish against a very suspect Dallas defense.

Look for more fireworks from Prescott this week win or lose. The total has gone OVER in six of the Cowboys’ last eight games and it has gone OVER in four of their last five Week 2 games.

 

NFL Week 1 Top Bets on the Total Line

 As part of my weekly coverage of the NFL 2021 regular season for the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com, I will be posting my top five plays on each Sunday's total line. Heading into Week 1, I have reposted my 'best bet' picks from the site:

Sunday, Sept. 12

Philadelphia Eagles at Atlanta Falcons: UNDER 48

The Eagles start the season with a new head coach and starting quarterback after slipping to just four straight-up wins last season. The Falcons still have veteran gunslinger Matt Ryan under center as one of the more prolific passers in the NFL.

The betting consensus leans slightly towards the OVER in this NFC matchup but I am not quite sure the final combined score adds up to more than 48 points. The total has stayed UNDER in seven of the last eight meetings in Atlanta. It has also stayed UNDER in the last five meetings overall.

Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills: UNDER 48.5

Pittsburgh is the third choice in the AFC North Division title race with Ben Roethlisberger still at the helm as the starting quarterback. Josh Allen and the high-flying Bills are a popular choice to win the AFC title this season.

This is another game were the early lean goes slightly towards the OVER. While Buffalo should be able to put points on the board, Pittsburgh could struggle on offense. The total has stayed UNDER in five of the last six meetings in this AFC clash. It has also stayed UNDER in six of Buffalo’s last eight season openers.

Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs: OVER 53

The featured AFC showdown in Week 1 could be filled with fireworks at Arrowhead Stadium. Cleveland is another team with strong aspirations for a Super Bowl run. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is looking for a fast start after last year’s nine-point effort in Super Bowl LV.

This game has one of the strongest leans towards the OVER on an already inflated 53-point total line. However, I am taking the bait. The total has gone OVER in the Chiefs last five season openers. It has gone OVER in 14 of their last 20 September games.

Green Bay Packers at New Orleans Saints: OVER 50

This game has been moved to Jacksonville in the wake of Hurricane Ida. That could be a welcomed distraction for New Orleans while the pressure will be dialed up on Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers to get out of the gate quickly with a fast start.

With the total set at 50, the early money has gone towards the OVER. Jameis Winston takes over as the Saints’ starting quarterback for the retired Drew Brees and I think he will have some success scoring points against the Packers this Sunday afternoon. The total has gone OVER in nine of the last 10 meetings in this NFC tilt.

Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams: UNDER 44

The final Sunday game in Week 1 marks the debut of veteran Andy Daulton for the Bears and Matthew Stafford for the Rams as each team’s new starting quarterback. However, the play of each team’s defense could determine the ultimate outcome.

There is a strong consensus towards the UNDER in this game and I tend to agree. The total has stayed UNDER in 11 of the Rams’ last 15 games. It has also stayed UNDER in six of the last eight games between these two NFC foes.

 

College Football Week 1 OVER/UNDER 'Best Bets'

 The 2021 college football season got underway last Saturday with a select schedule of games. This Saturday is the real deal with more than 60 games on the state.

One of my tasks for ScoresandStats.com was to come up with my Top 5 OVER/UNDER bets for Saturday's games. After digging deep into the stats, facts and betting trends for these Week 1 matchups, I was able to find five solid plays on the total line.

I covered some major bases including Alabama's opener against Miami (FLA) to begin the Crimson Tide's defense of last season's national title. I also covered Saturday's biggest showdown on the slate with the SEC's Georgia Bulldogs taking on the ACC's Clemson Tigers.

Georgia is ranked No. 5 in the preseason rankings and Clemson is ranked third in the nation. The winner of this game will have the early in-side track for a playoff spot this season.

I also game up with three more games of interest covering most of the major conferences in Division IA football.

                                   Top 5 Bets (as posted on ScoresandStats.com)

Penn State Nittany Lions at Wisconsin Badgers UNDER 50

Penn State is hoping to challenge Ohio State  for the top spot this season in the Big Ten East Division standings. The Nittany Lions face a stiff test right out of the gate with an opening day road game against the West Division Wisconsin Badgers as the second-best Big Ten team this season.

The Lions are set as 4.5-point road underdogs on this game’s point spread. The total has stayed UNDER in nine of their last 10 games on the road.  The total also stayed UNDER in four of Wisconsin’s last five Big Ten games. Defense plays tough for both teams on Saturday.

West Virginia Mountaineers at Maryland Terrapins UNDER 56.5

Going back to the glory days of the old Big East, this should be and interesting opener at College Park. Out of the Big 12, West Virginia gets the nod as a three-point road favorite against a middle-of-the-road Big Ten team.

The total has stayed UNDER four of the Mountaineers’ last five season openers. The Terrapins ended last season with the total staying UNDER in six of their final seven games. It has also stayed UNDER in each of their last five Saturday games.

Alabama Crimson Tide at Miami (FLA) Hurricanes OVER 61.5

Alabama’s re-tooled offense will be looking for that fast start out of the blocks as the defending national champion. Give credit to the ACC’s Hurricanes for scheduling such a tough test for their first game of the year.

As an elite SEC program, the Tide should be able to get close to this total line on their own. The total has gone OVER in eight of their last 12 Saturday games on the road. As an 18.5-point road favorite, the early betting consensus leans heavily toward Alabama covering that number.

Texas Tech Red Raiders at Houston Cougars OVER 64

This in-state battle will be a great test for the Red Raiders as one of the longshots to win the Big 12 this season. Houston is in the top five to win the AAC this year. While each team is known for scoring points, this matchup could be more of a defensive battle than expected.

The total has stayed UNDER in eight of the Red Raiders’ last nine games closing as favorites. They are 13-1 straight-up in their last 14 season openers. The total stayed UNDER in four of Houston’s final five games of the 2020 season.

Georgia Bulldogs at Clemson Tigers UNDER 51.5

The game of the day will have major ramifications for this season’s college football playoff situation. Georgia needs to win this game more than Clemson and the only way that happens is by outscoring the Tigers. Clemson’s offense should pick up where it left off.

The total has gone OVER in four of Georgia’s last six games as an underdog.  It has also gone OVER in five of Clemson’s last seven season openers. It went OVER in six of the Tigers’ last seven games played.