Falcons Fly Into Philly for NFL Season Opener

Over the past several years, the NFL has made a habit of rewarding the previous season's Super Bowl Champions with a Thursday night home game to kick off the new season. In the 2017 playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles began their improbable run to a Super Bowl title with a tight 15-10 victory against the Atlanta Falcons as 2.5-point home underdogs in a game that was decided on the final play.

The Eagles had to make that three-game run with backup quarterback Nick Foles under center for the injured Carson Wentz, who was well on his way to MVP honors before tearing up his left knee against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 14. Philly closed as an underdog in all three of last year's postseason contests and each time Foles and this rabid pack of dogs found a way to get it done.

Flash forward to tonight's NFL season opener between the Falcons and the Eagles in a scheduled 8:20 p.m. start at Lincoln Financial Field. It is like de ja vu all over again with Foles getting the start while Wentz continues to rehab his knee. This time around, the home team is favored by 2.5 points on BetAnySports big board in what should be another tight battle to the final gun.

As part of my coverage of NFL's Thursday Night Football betting matchups for SportsBettingStats, the link below is to my complete preview and 'best bet' pick for this Thursday's matchup between the Falcons and the Eagles.

LINK: ATLANTA FALCONS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES PICK - ODDS 09/06/2018

September's Major Stakes Schedule Opens with the Woodward

It has been a sizzling summer for major graded stakes races at some of the biggest horse racing venues in the nation. Near or at the top of the list is Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York. After playing host to last Saturday's $1.25 million Travers Stakes in which Catholic Boy pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year, that same track will be the site of this Saturday's $750,000 Woodward Stakes.

The Woodward is a 1 1/8-mile run on the dirt for some of the top three-year old and up thoroughbreds in the nation. The field for this Saturday's main event at Saratoga is set and, as part of my weekly horse racing coverage for ScoresandStats.com, the link below takes you to my complete preview and free trifecta pick for this race.

LINK: 2018 Woodward Stakes Free Trifecta Pick

Toronto Looks to Bounce Back Against Hamilton in CFL Week 12

The NFL closed the doors on the 2018 preseason schedule on Thursday night the same time that the new college football season kicked things off in Week 1 of its regular season. Football 'north of the border' in the CFL has been going strong since the start of summer and heading into the Labor Day weekend, the race to the 2018 Grey Cup Playoffs is starting to really heat up.

I have been covering the CFL for SBR Picks all season long with my free betting pick of the week. Looking at the Week 12 slate, the first game of an East Division home-and-home series has caught my eye for my next betting pick.

The Toronto Argonauts stunned the CFL faithful last season with its unexpected upset against Calgary to hoist the 2017 Grey Cup. Hangovers from a championship run have a way of hanging around a bit too long. In Toronto's case, it has led to a very disappointing 3-6 straight-up start with a 4-5 record against the spread. To make matters worse, the Argonauts are coming off a Week 11 loss to Montreal as five-point road favorites against a team that had won just one SU game prior to last week's mathcup.

This Monday night, they will stay on the road to play the division rival Hamilton Tiger-Cats as eight-point underdogs with BetAnySports. Hamilton is just one game better in the East at 4-5 SU (3-5-1 ATS) with both teams trailing Ottawa (6-3 SU) as the division leader. The Tiger-Cats have won seven of the last 10 meetings against Toronto SU, but covering eight points against the Argonauts will still be tough task given their issues on both sides of the ball this season.

Please click through the link below to SBR Picks for my complete preview and free betting pick for this Monday's Toronto at Hamilton CFL showdown.

LINK: CFL Betting Pick of the Week: Toronto at Hamilton

UCF Knights at Connecticut Huskies Free Betting Pick

The UCF Knights went a perfect 13-0 last season to earn the unofficial title of 2017 National Champions from their legion of fans. They will look to keep things rolling on Thursday night against the Connecticut Huskies in this Week 1 college football clash in the AAC.

BetAnySports has opened Central Florida as a heavy 24-point road favorite to keep its current winning streak alive. However, the betting consensus is leaning towards the Huskies covering against the spread. Thursday night's kickoff on FOX Sports is set for 7 p.m. and the total line has been set at an inflated 73 points.

It is a new season of college football at SportsBettingStats.com and I am once again covering the AAC with my game of the week 'Free Betting Pick'. Please click through the link below for my complete game preview and 'best bet' pick for the Knights at Huskies tilt.

LINK: CENTRAL FLORIDA KNIGHTS AT CONNECTICUT HUSKIES NCAAF PICK - ODDS AND ATS PREDICTIONS

2018 Travers Stakes Free Trifecta Pick

The Travers Stakes at Saratoga Race Course is one of the last major graded stakes races leading up to this November's Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. In fact, the winner of this Saturday's main event at that fabled racing venue in upstate New York will automatically qualify for the Classic as the featured event in the two days of racing at Churchill on Nov. 2nd and 3rd.

The field for this year's Travers is headlined by Good Magic, who finished second to Justify in this year's Kentucky Derby. Also in the field is a three-year old filly named Wonder Gadot and she is primed to give all the colts in this race a run for their money. As part of my weekly horse racing coverage for ScoresandStats.com, the link below is to my preview and free trifecta pick for the 2018 Travers Stakes.

LINK: 2018 Travers Stakes Free Trifecta Pick

CFL Week 11 Free Pick of the Week

The second half of this year's CFL regular season gets underway this weekend and one of the top matchups on the betting board at BetAnySports is a West Division clash between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the British Columbia Lions. Each team is looking to move up the ranks in the hotly contested playoff race in the division to add even more excitement to this Saturday's showdown at BC Place.

The Roughriders are flying high coming off last week's stunning upset over Calgary that knocked the Stampeders from the ranks of the unbeaten. The 40-27 romp as a 6.5-point home underdog moved Saskatchewan to an even 4-4 record on the year both straight-up and against the spread. The Lions fell to 3-5 SU with a 5-3 record ATS when they came up just short in a 24-23 loss to Toronto in Week 10 as three-point road favorites. BC has been opened as a slight 2.5-point favorite at home against the Roughriders with BetAnySports setting the total line at 51 points.

As part of my weekly CFL coverage for SBR Picks, please click through the link below for my complete game preview and free betting pick for this Saturday's late 10 p.m. start at BC Place.

LINK: Lions To Bring Roughriders Back to Earth in Key CFL Matchup

2018 Pacific Classic Free Trifecta Pick

The Pacific Classic is one of the biggest graded stakes races of the summer season. The main event this Saturday at Del Mar Racecourse is an automatic qualifier for November's Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs and has a $1 million prize purse that will be up for grabs among the eight entries in this year's deep and talented field. Run on the dirt at a distance of 1 1/4 miles, all the top trainers and jockeys in the sport of horse racing have a vested interest in the eventual outcome this race.

As part of my weekly horse racing coverage for ScoresandStats.com, the link below is to my complete preview and free trifecta bet for the 2018 Pacific Classic.


LINK: 2018 Pacific Classic Free Trifecta Pick