THE VEGAS BEARD
2* Padres
2* Favorite parlay Yanks & Cards
Spritzer
ko.................magic series
tko................lal series
tko................magic
Feist
total.......................atl under 89
inner circle................sixers
5*.................tor series
5*.....................tor
Cokin
total....................orl under 96.5
wndow.................lal
under the hat....................magic series
3*........................det
Jeff Money
(NHL) DAL -140 (POD)
(NHL) NSH +140
(MLB) REDS -125
(NBA) LAKERS -8
Winning Points Online
NBA
**PREFERRED
Boston* over Atlanta by 23
The Hawks are a losing team, with no playoff experience,on the road, against an opponent that won 66 games in the regular season. This isn't Golden State against Dallas,where the underdog Warriors had a winning record and their coach helped build the Dallas roster AND the coaching staff. If the Hawks are looking for the benefit of a momentum- turning call or two, they can wait until Game 3.
BOSTON 105-82
MLB
ARIZONA (R. Johnson) -140 over SAN DIEGO (Wolf)
The surging Diamondbacks trounced the exhausted Padres yesterday and the day before, and prospects for completing the sweep today are outstanding. So far in 2008 San Diego has failed to beat a lefthander (0-4, -$590 with only 2.3 runs per game), and they will be up against Randy Johnson, who was excellent in his first start (0 runs allowed in five innings). On the other hand, Arizona checks in with a 6-1 mark vs. southpaws (+$510 with 6.6 runs per game). The visiting bullpen is shot, following 22 innings vs. the Rockies on Thursday and two drubbings at Chase Field. Under the circumstances, laying the price on the favorite looks like a terrific deal.
Seabass
Vegas Steam/Insider Under Toronto/Orlando
20* Colorado
20* Tampa Bay
20* Toronto
20* Braves/Dodgers over
20* AZ Run Line
Wolkosky Milan
10* ORLANDO -6½
10* LA LAKERS -8½
10* ATL/BOS OVER 189
Winners Inc. Guaranteed Selections
$500,000 NBA FIRST ROUND LATE STEAM WINNER
Boston -15
$500,000 NBA FIRST ROUND BLOWOUT WINNER
ORLANDO -6.5
Ferringo
3-Unit Play. Take Cincinnati (-130) over Milwaukee
Aaron Harang is the Reds' stopper. I don't think Cincinnati is going to get swept, and Yovani Gallardo is making his first start of the year today against a potent lineup and we don't know what he is bringing to the table. Harang is a great April pitcher and has been excellent at home for Cincinnati. The Reds are also 17-7 in his last 24 divisional starts.
2-Unit Play. Take Arizona (-140) over San Diego
Let's go to the well here with the Diamondbacks. They have been destroying left-handed pitching and they are clearly the best team in the National League. You have to drop -180 in the A.L. to play the best teams so we're still getting a bargain. Randy Johnson did not look that bad in his first start (he had an ump with a real tight zone behind the dish) and I think he will get a little extra juice playing in front of his home crowd. The Padres are hitting .175 against lefties on the year, while the D-Backs are hitting .310.
1.5-Unit Play. Take Los Angeles Dodgers (-105) over Atlanta
I don't think the Dodgers get swept here and I think the total is somewhat of an indicator that we're going to see some runs here. Mike Winters is 22-15 against the total in his last 37 games behind home plate and in a series that's lacked for offense I believe the weather (no humidity and a little wind) and the slightly overrated starters lend themselves to a higher scoring affair. Atlanta's bullpen hasn't been an issue yet in this series and I think it becomes one today as the Dodgers take a late win.
1-Unit Play. Take Florida (-130) over Washington
The home team has dominated this series and I look for the Marlins to take two of three today. Scott Olsen has been solid to this point in the season and the Marlins have won four straight of his starts. The Nationals simply are not scoring runs at a consistent enough rate and have dumped three straight starts by Odalis Perez. The Nats are on a 3-13 slide.
1-Unit Play. Take Cleveland (+105) over Minnesota
Paul Byrd has been pretty sloppy this year now that he's off the 'roids. But he is 10-3 in his career against the Twins and is 6-1 with a 2.11 ERA in his career in the Metrodome. We have an umpire (Rob Drake) with a big strike zone and I think we are backing the better hurler as well as the better team. The Indians are 15-5 in the L20 meetings.
Here are a list of totals based on some situational things, but mainly these plays are based on the same group of umpires that we played last Saturday (5-1 on totals) and on Wednesday (3-1 on totals). Again, I know this is a lot of action and that not all of my clients are going to get on these totals but I think that the situations warrant the plays so I'm going to toss them out there for you to do with what you like. We're 8-2 on these guys so we have to ride this out and see if this can be a year-long thing where we capitalize on these umps:
1-Unit Play. Take ‘Over’ 8.0 (+110) San Francisco at St. Louis
1.5-Unit Play. Take ‘Over’ 9.5 Colorado at Houston
1-Unit Play. Take ‘Over’ 10.0 (+105) Seattle at Los Angeles Angels
1-Unit Play. Take ‘Over’ 9.0 (+100) Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta
1-Unit Play. Take ‘Under’ 9.0 Cleveland at Minnesota
EZWINNERS NBA
5 STAR: PHILADELPHIA (+10) over Detroit
(Risking $550 to win $500)
BeatYourBookie
NBA Basketball
100* Play Toronto (+6.5) over Orlando
Toronto is 35-16 ATS vs. Southeast Division Opponents the last 3 seasons
Toronto is 29-16 ATS when playing 6 or less games in 14 days
Toronto is 25-11 ATS when revenging a loss by 10 points or more
Toronto is 8-2 ATS vs. Orlando over the last 3 seasons
50* Play Philadelphia (+9.5) over Detroit
Philadelphia is 8-1 ATS in road games vs. Central Division Opponents
Philadelphia is 25-10 ATS in road games when the total is between 180 and 189.5 points
Philadelphia is 13-4 ATS after failing to cover the spread in 4 or 5 of the last 6 games
NHL Hockey Playoffs
100* Play Detroit (-155) over Nashville
50* Play Dallas (-145) over Anaheim
Mike Jacobs
Atlanta +4.5
Frank Patron
Orlando Magic -6.5
Paul Leiner
5* Magic -7
Mike Neri
3* Detroit Pistons
3* Los Angeles Lakers
Paul Leiner
100* NBA Over 179 Det/Phi
10* MLB Yankees -160
10* MLB Phillies -115
INDIAN COWBOY
Sixers +9.5 (POD)
I would love to bet Philly here, but I just get a disgusting feeling about this game similar to the Washington vs. Cleveland game for those who were on that ballgame. Philly has beat this Detroit team that last 2 times they have played them, at home and winning outright on the road, heck, they nearly covered all 4 games against the Pistons this year which shows that they face up very well to a team in a half-court type of offense. Philly comes into this game having lost their last 4 ballgames and last 4 covers, while the Pistons come into this game having won their last 4 ballgames and covers. I lean on Philly to hang tough here as this team has proven itself worthy all year, I can see them making this a tight ballgame when push comes to shove in the end, still losing, but still being able to hit the cover.
Hawks +15
The Hawks get absolutely no love here. Remember Atlanta was tied to this Boston team at home going into the 4th quarter when they were outscored by 10. Atlanta lost by 10 points on the road and covered the 10.5 spread the last time they plaed at Boston, and of course, this came off when they got beat by 20+ the first time they played them. But, the Hawks have covered back to back games against the C's since then facing a double-digit spread. I think the baby Hawks will surprise a lot of folks today and hang tough, the only thing is I lean on the first half, but this is an early playoff game for this team and jitters will be high for them similar to the Hornets, I do love the fact that the Hawks come off losing to Miami on the road in an embarassing way and this team will be focused on nation television in the early going. I see the Hawks losing by 10-12 today frankly.
Magic -6.5 -
Phillies -107
I nearly took the Phillies -1.5 today for a +155 value. Why? Look the Phillies got beat by Pelfrey on the road 2-8 at New York, tack on the fact that Eaton lost 3-4 in a no-decision against the Mets on the road as well and the Phillies look to avoid getting swept at home, these are the resaons why you would get a splendid price on the Mets today in a possible sucker wager. The Phils have a great deal of incentive to be focused today to not get swept, they have a pitcher who wants revenge and they want to beat a pitcher whom they have revenge against. I expect the Phillies to avoid getting swept today at home as Pelfrey had a great start in his last start and he is exceeding his potential and he should get roughed up tonight - Mets are 3-12 vs. a right handed starter of late and the Phillies are 8-3 in their last 11 ballgames at home vs. a right handed starter.
Pirates +146
Your going to love this pick. You can always consider the Pirates as "value" because of the heavy juice they get against them, but the fact that this team is getting outscored by a ridiculous amount of runs the first 2 games of this series which is going ot make any team upset. Pirates lost 2-3 and 1-13 in the first 2 games of the series, they are looking to avoid the sweep here, Duke has pitched well throughout this sesaon this team is trying to avoid the sweep, the lefty has a 2.89 ERA this year, although Dempster has won all 3 ballgames for his team this year, he did give up 5 walks against the Reds last time out. The Pirates remember getting dominated by Dempster the last ballgame, The Pirates only got 1 hit against Dempster at Pittsburgh in 7 inns, I think they do far better today against him. This is actually very good value today as the Pirates avoid the sweep, have a pitcher in Duke who is one of their better pitchers and the league is starting to figure out Dempster, the Pirates are 5-0 in Duke's last 5 sunday starts and the Pirates are 5-0 with Hoye behind the plate
Chris James Sports
4* Boston Celtics
4* New York Yankees
2* St. Louis Cardinals