NFL Draft First Round Winning Player Props

Leading up to the start of this year's NFL Draft, BetOnline released its betting odds for a number of different props in conjunction with the three-day proceedings in Chicago. Three of the most popular player props for Thursday's draft picks in the first round had to do with how many quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers would be chosen that night.

The "over/under" on quarterbacks had a very risky -1500 for OVER 2.5 while the moneyline odds for UNDER 2.5 were set at +800. We all knew that Jared Goff and Carson Wentz were going No. 1 and No. 2 so the big question was when would Paxton Lynch come off the board? Many draft experts had the New York taking him at No. 20, but he ended up going to Denver at 26th after the Broncos decided to move down to get their quarterback of the future. I rolled the dice on a very risky moneyline bet and it paid off.

The betting odds for how many running backs would be taken in the first round were set at +350 for OVER 1.5 and at -500 for the UNDER. Once again, we knew that Ezekiel Elliott was a lock to go on Thursday night and he came off the board to Dallas at No. 4. The next highest graded back in the draft was Derrick Henry, out of Alabama.

NFL general managers and head coaches are reluctant to use a first round pick on a running back given their short shelf life in the league, but I thought that Henry might be an exception to the rule given his overall strength,size and ability. I also rolled the dice that Carolina would take him with the 30th pick of the first round, but I lost that bet when he stayed on the board until Tennessee drafted him with the 14th pick of the second round (45th overall).

My third NFL Draft player prop bet on Thursday night was the over/under on how many wide receivers would be taken in the first round. The betting odds for this prop had a +120 moneyline for OVER 3.5 and the odds for a play on the UNDER were -150. This pick got a bit tricky since the first wide receiver in this year's draft class was not expected to come off the board until the second half of the opening round.

That prediction proved to be correct with Cleveland selecting Corey Coleman at No. 15. There were three other wide receivers considered to be first round material and the floodgates opened from there with Will Fuller going to Houston at No. 21 and Washington taking Josh Doctson with the very next pick. Closing out the trifecta to bring home the money in this prop was Minnesota selecting Laquon Treadwell at No. 23.

Top Kentucky Derby Favorite, Contender and Longshot Picks

We are still over a week away from this year's Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, but after going through the projected field for the annual "Run for the Roses" the first Saturday in May, I have uncovered three horses that I like as my top favorite, top contender and top longshot to win this race based on the updated futures odds at BetOnline Sportsbook.

The actual morning line odds for the 2016 Kentucky Derby will not be released until next Wednesday when the post positions for the race are set so any bets placed on futures are still very speculative in nature, but all three of these three-year old thoroughbreds offer some solid value in the current numbers. As part of my weekly horse racing betting report for SBR Picks contained in the link below, I will go into detail on why each of these horses could be worth a small play right now on the Kentucky Derby futures line.

LINK:Horse Racing Betting Report - Kentucky Derby Early Picks

NASCAR Sprint Cup Betting Preview: Toyota Owners 400

NASCAR is in my home state this week for the running of Sunday's Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Kyle Busch has already won twice this season and he comes into this race as a +450 favorite to add a third checkered flag to his resume. I have my sights set on Kevin Harvick and his +600 betting odds to win this race as my top-valued favorite and I also like Brad Keselowski at +1000 as my top-valued contender. Each and every week of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season I cover the races for SBR Picks and I have included a link below to this week's complete betting preview.

LINK: NASCAR Sprint Cup Betting Preview: Toyota Owners 400

2016 Kentucky Derby Futures Update

The Kentucky Derby is the biggest horse race of the year and with an expanded field of up to 20 three-year old thoroughbreds it can also be one of the toughest races to handicap. Do not let American Pharoah's dominant performance last season in this race leading to a very rare Triple Crown title fool you. The quality and depth of the field in a major stakes race like this often times give three or maybe even four horses a legitimate shot to win.

We are still two weeks out from this year's "Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 7, so there is still plenty of time to handicap the final field, but a great starting point is to take a quick look at the recently updated futures odds to win. Nyquist is currently the favorite and this three-year old Kentucky-bred should remain at the top of the list when the actual morning line odds are released a few days before the race. A few other of the top contenders on BetOnline's Kentucky Derby futures list include Exaggerator, Mor Spirit and Destin. For a closer look at these four horses as well as a few others on the list check-out the link below for my full Kentucky Derby futures update on SBR Forum.

LINK: 2016 Kentucky Derby Futures Update

Handicapping Saturday's Arkansas Derby

This Saturday afternoon at Oaklawn Park is the running of the $1 million Arkansas Derby, which is the final major Grade 1 stakes race for three-year old thoroughbreds leading up to this year's Kentucky Derby on May 7 at Churchill Downs. In case anyone has not been keeping score with my picks for the last four $1 million Grade 1 Kentucky Derby prep races over the past two weeks, I will be going for my fourth winning ticket in this five-race series.

My current run started in the Florida Derby when I took second-choice Nyquist over favored Mohaymen as my top pick to win. Last Saturday in a trifecta of major Kentucky Derby prep races, I started the day with the right call in the Wood Memorial by going with Outwork as my top pick. The winning streak reached three when Brody's Cause outpaced the field in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes, but I came-up one spot short of pulling off the sweep when Exaggerator edged out favorite Mor Spirit for first place in the Santa Anita Derby.

I am hoping this hot streak carries over to my pick to win Saturday's main event at Oaklawn, but I really have my eye on the big prize in my early handicapping efforts for the annual "Run for the Roses" at Churchill that first Saturday in May. If you want to check out my official picks for the Arkansas Derby, then check out the link below for my weekly horse racing betting report on SBR Forum..

LINK: Horse Racing Betting Report For Saturday's Arkansas Derby

NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Opening Round Series Picks

The 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway this Wednesday night with Game 1 in three of the eight matchups in the Conference Quarterfinals. The Washington Capitals are the top seed in the Eastern Conference and heavy favorites to roll over Philadelphia in that best-of-seven series and the same could be said for the Dallas Stars as the top seed in the West in their series against Minnesota.

The other six series are expected to be a much closer battle and in this week's prop picks for Doc's Sports I have highlighted my top series price pick in both the East and West bracket based on prop bet odds by BetOnline. Check out my picks at the link below.

LINK: NHL Playoffs Series Odds with Expert Picks and Predictions

Three $1 Million Dollar Stakes Races Highlight this Saturday's Horse Racing Card

Everyone that loves to bet on horses knows that the Kentucky Derby is the biggest betting event of the year, but it is a rare treat to get three Grade 1 stakes races for three-year old thoroughbreds on the same day as is the case with this Saturday's card. Starting with the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct in the east and moving through the heartland of horse racing with the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland, the day's racing action will take horse bettors out to the West Coast for the Santa Anita Derby at Santa Anita Park.

The results of all three of these races are sure to have a major impact on the actual field for this year's "Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs the first Saturday in May and I have made my official picks for all three of the Grade 1 events in my weekly horse racing betting report for SBR Forum. My confidence level has never been higher after making the right call in Nyquist's huge victory over Moyhayman in last Saturday's Florida Derby so you might want to check out which horses I have winning these three races at link below.

LINK: Horse Racing Betting Report For Saturday's Top Three Events