Betting news, trends, odds and predictions from various handicappers and websites for Monday 8/26/19
Monday's List of 13: Wrapping up a sports weekend
13) For 19 of the last 21 years, the Indianapolis Colts have had Peyton Manning/Andrew Luck as their starting QB; they made the playoffs in 15 of those 19 years, going 13-14 in playoff games and playing in two Super Bowls, winning one.
Both QB’s missed a full year with injury; Colts were 4-12, 2-14 those two seasons.
12) Hard to keep a secret these days: Bears-Colts were playing in Indianapolis Saturday night when the news broke about Andrew Luck retiring; would be interesting to know who leaked the news. Made it extremely awkward with Luck standing on the sidelines while fans are checking their phones for information.
Around midnight, I’m watching TV and a commercial runs for NFL Sunday Ticket, and it is Luck and a Colts’ fan wearing a blue #12 jersey. Awkward.
Later on, I’m watching a replay of the Broncos-Rams game and for a few minutes thats all they were talking about on the broadcast; Rams starters who weren’t playing were on the sidelines looking at their phones and talking, undoubtedly about this very surprising news.
(Yeah, I know; I watch too much TV)
11) I have one question about the Colts; do they retain Luck’s rights, and if so, for how long? Luck turns 30 next month; what if he decides in January that he misses football and he would like to play again? What happens then?
Luck is married to a woman who was a gymnast in Europe; what if he decides if traveling the world with her isn’t stimulating or fun enough? It is a fair question.
10) My point here is that I’m wondering if Luck could sit out a year or two, then declare himself a free agent when Tom Brady retires and go play for New England. If the Colts retain his rights then that would eliminate that hideous scenario.
9) Circa Sports in Las Vegas shifted their Colts’ odds this way:
Colts to make playoffs: from YES -180 → NO -215
Colts to win AFC: from +700 → +2100
Colts to win Super Bowl:
From YES +1500 → YES +4500
From NO -2800 → NO -7800
8) Hawai’i 45, Arizona 38— Great ending at 2:20am Sunday morning to this exciting game in paradise; Arizona QB Tate scrambled 30+ yards trying to score the game-tying TD on the last play of the game, but was tackled on the 1-yard line as time ran out.
Arizona drove the ball 81 yards in 0:51 to try and tie the game, but they needed 82 yards.
7) Baseball stuff:
— Indians put 3B Jose Ramirez (hand) on the IL.
— Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval (elbow) is out for the year.
— Arizona put OF David Peralta on the IL.
— Cubs put P Derek Holland (wrist) on the IL.
6) Detroit Tigers recently had a 58-game stretch where they didn’t win consecutive games; since 1907, that is the 9th-longest streak in the major leagues.
5) One thing that was drummed into my head watching the Cardinal-Viking game Saturday; Minnesota has a depth problem at cornerback. Viking TV guys were doing the game and they mentioned it a lot. When home TV guys criticize the home team, you know there’s a problem.
4) Underrated weird baseball thing; Dodgers C Russell Martin has pitched in two games this year when LA had the lead, 18-5 and 14-1. Is their pitching staff that overworked?
3) Miami Marlins vs Philly this season: 9-7
Miami Marlins vs rest of NL East: 11-36
2) Remember Warrick Dunn, the running back for the Buccaneers?
Dunn’s mother was a New Orleans police officer who was shot/killed in the line of duty when Dunn was in high school. He’s used his platform as an NFL star to pay for the construction of 145 houses for single moms. 145 houses is a lot of money raised/donated.
1) This was SuperContest weekend at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas; they got over the 2,000 mark in contestants, at $1,500 a pop. First place is expected to be over $1.5M— you pick five NFL games a week against the spread.
Other casinos also have contests; Golden Nugget has one where you pick seven games a week, but they can be college or pro games. Circa also has a contest.
If you like football and you like to gamble, a football weekend in Las Vegas should definitely be on your bucket list.
Armadillo