Betting Two Big Kentucky Derby Preps at Gulfstream and Santa Anita

 The last Saturday in January heats up the 2021 Kentucky Derby Trail with a pair of coast-to-coast graded preps.

South Florida's Gulfstream Park's card is highlighted by the Grade 3 Holy Bull covering the East Coast. This year's Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park in Southern California is one of the featured races on Saturday's card at that iconic West Coast track.

Going chalk at Gulfstream, Greatest Honour is the colt to beat in the Holy Bull at 5/2 odds on the morning line. My pick is trainer Todd Pletcher's Prime Factor at 3/1 odds. The top two favorites will break right next to each other from the No. 6 and No. 7 gate in the field of nine.

Pletcher decided not to run Mutasaabeq in Saturday's race. This three-year old colt would have been my top choice coming off a victory in the ungraded Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream on Jan. 2. Keep an eye on this Kentucky Derby contender for his next scheduled prep.

Famed West Coast trainer Bob Baffert has a pair of entries in this year's Robert B Lewis Stakes. Medina Spirit would be my top pick as the 5/2 favorite on the morning line while working Spielberg into the mix at 7/2 odds for a few exotic wagers. These two bookends will break from the No. 1 and No. 8 posts in the eight-horse field.

Each of the these three-year old Thoroughbreds will have to deal with Hot Rod Charlie as a 3/1 second- favorite breaking from the middle of the pack. Trained by Doug O'Neill, he stunned the field in the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland by taking second at very long odds.

I will be covering the biggest Kentucky Derby prep races all season long right for ScoresandStats.com and SportsBettingStats.com.

Here is the link to my earlier preview of Saturday's main events for ScoresandStats: Saturday Preps

Does Green Bay Send Brady Packing in NFC Championship?

 The big subplot in Sunday's NFC Championship between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers is Tom Brady's effort to get back to the Super Bowl with a different team. After a run for the ages with the New England Patriots, the future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback is just one win away from taking Tampa Bay to the NFL title game.

This would also make the Bucs the first team to have home field advantage in a Super Bowl with this year's game set for Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, Feb. 7.

The roadblock in his way is too big to ignore. Green Bay is the top seed in the NFC following a 13-3 run through the regular season. Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been demonstrating why he also has an automatic pass straight to Canton once his playing days are over. Just the fact that Sunday's game is being played at fabled Lambeau Field is tough to overcome.

The Oddsmakers tend to agree with the Packers favored by 3 1/2 points at home. The half point would be in Tampa Bay's favor if the game stays as close as expected. The 52-point total line may not be high enough if each of these quarterbacks play to form.

I would have to say that I am impressed with Brady's efforts this season given Tampa Bay's recent past. However, it is going to take much more than a great game on his part to get past Green Bay. The Packers have been the most complete team this season and Rodgers is playing at a MVP level.

My official pick for ScoresandStats.com is pure chalk with Green Bay winning both straight-up and against the spread while the total goes OVER 52. Something tells me that Brady is still going to make me sweat this one out until time expires in the fourth quarter.

The following is a link to both conference championship games as originally posted on ScoresandStats.com earlier in the week. NFL Conference Championships Best Bets

Brady vs. Brees Highlights the NFL's Divisional Playoffs

 The final four teams in each NFL conference are in action this weekend as part of the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The four winners will advance to next Sunday's conference championships in the AFC and NFC.

According to the current betting lines at America's Bookie online sportsbook, the Kansas City Chiefs should host the Buffalo Bills in the AFC title game while the New Orleans Saints go on the road to Green Bay to face the Packers in the NFC Championship game. However, that is why they play the games.

Baltimore will have something to say as a slight 2 1/2-point road underdog against Buffalo on Saturday night. Cleveland is looking to keep its run going as a 10-point road underdog in Sunday's 3:05 p.m. (ET) start in Kansas City.

The Divisional Round kicks things off late Saturday afternoon with the Los Angeles Rams set as 6 1/2-point road underdogs against Green Bay. The featured matchup on Sunday pits the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against New Orleans in Round 3 of this NFC South series this season. The Saints are favored by three points at home.

The big subplot in that last game is a battle between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks. Tom Brady is trying to recreate the magic that led to multiple Super Bowl wins while playing for the New England Patriots. 

Brees is trying to double his Super Bowl ring collection after leading the Saints to a NFL title in 2009.

Both of these gunslingers know that the clock is ticking on their stellar NFL careers. This adds a heightened sense of urgency to Sunday's 6:40 p.m. start at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

New Orleans has already won both of the meetings during the regular season. When the two met in the Big Easy in Week 1, the Saints covered as four-point home favorites in a 34-23 victory.

They met again on Nov. 8 in Tampa Bay and New Orleans completed the season sweep in impressive fashion with a 38-3 rout as a three-point underdog.

The Bucs have failed to cover against the spread in their last five games against the Saints. The total has gone OVER in four of their last five road games against New Orleans. 

These are two trends you can bet on Sunday with a Saints' victory by more than three points in a game that goes OVER 52 points.

For all my betting picks covering this weekend's NFL games click through to the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com .

Betting Picks for Wild Card Weekend

 This weekend's first round of the NFL playoffs features an extended six-game schedule. The NFL decided to expand the field to seven teams in each conference while only extending a first round bye to the top seed in the AFC and NFC.

This sets up a great schedule of matchups on Saturday and Sunday. Following a winning regular season of NFL top betting plays, I have released my SIX BEST BETS for Wild Card Weekend as part of my regular coverage of the NFL for the popular sports betting site ScoresandStats.com.

Kansas City's Top Competition for Super Bowl Repeat

When league and Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed a huge contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs this past offseason, betting props were posted for how many Super Bowl titles this duo would win over the next 10 years.

The Chiefs have the inside track to winning title No. 2 this year as the reigning Super Bowl Champions. America's Bookie online sportsbook has Kansas City listed as a +210 Super Bowl favorite ahead of this weekend's first round of playoff games.'

Mahomes and the Chiefs will be idle in the Wild Card Round as the top seed in the AFC. They also have home field advantage throughout the conference championship game when they do return in next weekend's Divisional Round of games.

Kansas City posted a 14-2 record in the regular season on its way to the top seed. It is sure to be favored in any postseason game it plays, including Super Bowl LV on Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay. Given the decent +210 return in their odds, it is hard to find a good reason to go against the Chiefs when betting NFL Super Bowl futures.

The one reason at the top of my list is the simple fact that there is no such thing as a 'lock' when betting on anything. Any Given Sunday was a popular football movie with Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx. It is also the reason why online sportsbooks such as America's Bookie make so much money every year with the betting public chasing favorites.

Looking at the rest of the playoff teams on the Super Bowl futures list, the next one from the AFC is Buffalo Bills at +575. They are one of the hottest NFL teams heading into the postseason at 9-1 straight-up in their last 10 games. The Bills are also a cold weather team that can adapt well to playing in Kansas City in the middle of January.

As a relatively inexperienced bunch on the league's second-biggest stage, I am not sure Buffalo has what it takes, just yet, to knock off Kansas City in the conference title game.

My top-value team to bet is the Green Bay Packers as +450 second-favorites to win Super Bowl LV. Most of their value is tied to one player. 

Two-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers possesses the same intangibles that Mahomes has already demonstrated in his first four years in the league. Leading that list is the ability to elevate their game when needed the most.

The big difference is Rodgers' vast edge in experience. He is trying to win his second Super Bowl title as Green Bay's starter for the past 13 seasons. That is the kind of motivation that adds quite a bit of value to the Packers' +450 odds to win it all.

For a closer look at the Super Bowl futures for each of the 14 teams in this year's NFL postseason, here is a link to a piece I wrote for the popular sports betting website ScoresandStats.com.

NFL Week 17 "Best Bet" Betting Trends

 The 2020 NFL regular season draws to a close in Week 17 with a full schedule of 16 games on Sunday, Jan. 3.

Heading into this final round of matchups, Kansas City, Buffalo and Pittsburgh have secured their respective division titles. The AFC South as well as all three wild card spots remain up for grabs. 

Green Bay, New Orleans and Seattle have won their division title in the NFC. The dismal NFC East has yet to be decided among three teams with losing records. The two of three wild card sports remain open with Tampa Bay earning the first available playoff spot.

Everything will be decided late Sunday night following the Washington at Philadelphia game. The opening round of the playoffs the following weekend will feature six games in a new twist on the NFL's postseason's format.

As far as placing a few timely bets on this Sunday's games, here are few interesting betting trends that might be worth taking note of.

-- Miami at Buffalo (-3, 42 1/2)

The Dolphins have won five of their last six road games straight-up. The total has gone OVER in their last five road games against the Bills.

Buffalo has a seven-game winning streak against the spread. The total has gone OVER in nine of its last 11 games against Miami overall in this AFC East rivalry.

--Dallas at New York Giants (+1 1/2, 44 1/2)

Dallas has a SU seven-game winning streak against the Giants but it is 2-8 SU in its last 10 road games. The total has gone OVER in four of the Cowboys' last five NFC games.

The Giants are 2-6 SU in their last eight home games against Dallas. Yet, they are 4-1 ATS in their last five games against the NFC East. The total has stayed UNDER in New York's last five games.

--Arizona at Los Angeles Rams (+3, 40 1/2)

The Cardinals are 2-6 ATS in their last eight games overall and the total has stayed UNDER in their last five games on the road.

Los Angeles has lost 10 of its last 14 home games against Arizona SU. The total has stayed UNDER in the Rams' first seven home games this season.

--Washington at Philadelphia (+3 1/2, 43 1/2)

Washington is 5-1 ATS in its last six games but it has lost five of its last six games against the Eagles SU. The total has stayed UNDER in the Football Team's last six outings.

The Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their last five home games. The total has gone OVER in five of Philadelphia's last six home games against Washington.

Week 17 Scores & Stats

All season long, I have been releasing my Top 10 weekly NFL picks for the popular sports betting website ScoresandStats.com. Here is the link to this week's final round of "best bet" plays for the regular season: Dave's Week 17 Top 10 NFL Picks