Handicapper Sports Articles
| <<< Recent Articles | Past Articles >>> |
 Baseball Run LinesMike Neri - 8/26/2005 12:00 AM Baseball Run Lines By Mike Neri Oddsmakers are always trying to create more numbers for wagering opportunities. The bookie doesn’t make a profit by trying to post a better number than what the public thinks, or pick more “winners” than the betting public. The oddsmaker’s job, in essence, is to throw as many balloons in the air, enticing the public to put... |
| Tom Strykers Big 10 Preview & Investing Tips Part 2 Tom Stryker - 8/25/2005 12:00 AM Recently we ran Part 1 of a Big 10 preview. Today's installment of the stronger-in-2005 Big 10 looks at Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. Be sure to look at the "Investing Tips" at the bottom of each preview. There are some tremendous money-making opportunities hidden in there including one team trend that is an amazing 58-29 ATS since 1980! MINNESOTA GOLD... |
| College Football Bounce-Back Teams, Part 1 Big Al McMordie - 8/25/2005 12:00 AM College Football Bounce-Back Teams, Part 1 By Al McMordie Some football teams look very different from one season to the next. This is especially true in college ball, where players graduate and have to be replaced with brand new faces. Sometimes new coaching staffs come in and other times talented freshman come aboard. Or perhaps teams simply don’t get the breaks one season and ... |
| Game By Game Handicapping Bryan Leonard - 8/25/2005 12:00 AM Game By Game Handicapping By Bryan Leonard Don’t judge a book by its cover. That old adage can also apply to handicapping football: Don’t judge a team by its play in one game. This is common during the pro and college football seasons. How many times do you see an NFL team get blown out one week, looking awful, then bounce back the next week with a very different pe... |
| BASEBALL TREND REPORT Steam On-Line - 8/23/2005 12:00 AM BASEBALL TREND REPORT TUESDAY AUGUST 23, 2005 Hot pitchers -- Hudson is 3-1, 4.30 in hi slast five starts. Armas 2-0, 3.00 in his last three starts. -- Duke is 6-0, 1.78 in his last eight starts. -- Beckett is 2-0, 1.17 in his last three starts. Brewers are 9-3 in Capuano's last dozen starts. -- Vargas is 3-0, 2.25 in his last three starts. -- Clemens is 4-1, 1.96... |
| Baseballs Stretch Run -- The Hot Teams Big Al McMordie - 8/23/2005 12:00 AM Baseball's Stretch Run -- The Hot Teams By Al McMordie Folks holding future tickets in baseball purchased back in March can begin to take those folded up slips off the shelf and take a peak at them again. Labor Day is on the horizon, which begins the final stretch for regular season pennant races and division titles. What’s important to point out is that professional sp... |
| Tom Strykers Big 10 Preview & Investing Tips Part 1 Tom Stryker - 8/23/2005 12:00 AM The Big 10 likes to think of itself year in and year among the nation's best conferences. But the luster has been diminished in the last few years - except for Ohio State's national title in a few seasons back. This year could be a return to glory for the conference, and three teams (Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa) are ranked in most everyone's preseason Top Ten. Add Purdue, a monster of a sleeper... |
| Preseason NFL Depth Bryan Leonard - 8/20/2005 12:00 AM One of the more essential elements of handicapping preseason football is depth. The starters get a lot of attention as to how much playing time they'll get, which varies greatly from Week 1 to Week 4 in exhibition football. But one thing that is constant is a team's depth. For instance, the KC Chiefs have had numerous injuries thus far. Coming into this weekend's game the Chiefs were running s... |
| NFL Trends, Part II Big Al McMordie - 8/17/2005 12:00 AM NFL Trends, Part II By Big Al McMordie Earlier this week I looked at some betting trends to keep an eye on for the upcoming NFL schedule. Here are some more: Eagles: Philadelphia, under Andy Reid, has been a warrior on the road. The Eagles are 32-11 straight-up (SU) and 30-13 against the spread (ATS) in their last 43 road games! Philadelphia is also 19-7-2 ATS in its last 28 g... |
| Tom Strykers MAC East Preview Tom Stryker - 8/17/2005 12:00 AM Tom Stryker's MAC East Preview & Investing Tips When talking about the MAC in 2005, respect is not so much they key word as "sustain." Certainly you remember 2003 when two MAC teams finished in the Top 25. Certainly you remember that the MAC that year went 2-0 in bowl games - giving them 8 victories in their last 10 bowl outings. The 2004 season saw a bit of a dr... |
| NFL Off-Season Adjustments Mike Neri - 8/17/2005 12:00 AM NFL Off-Season Adjustments By Mike Neri With the NFL preseason getting going, it is essential for handicappers to pay close attention to off-season changes. Most fans look at personnel on the field. For instance, the Cardinals have an up and coming team under coach Dennis Green, adding WR Larry Fitzgerald last season along with Green. One problem they had was inconsistent... |
| Check the Preseason Boxscores Big Al McMordie - 8/16/2005 12:00 AM Check the Preseason Boxscores, By Big Al McMordie I know it’s only preseason in the NFL, but there are plenty of things that a good handicapper can do to assess upcoming games and point spreads, even in August. Let’s start with the most basic of handicapping tools: Stats! Checking the box scores from this past weekend’s opening games can provide a wealth of... |
| Back to Basics... Steam On-Line - 8/16/2005 12:00 AM Back to Basics… As a new NFL season begins it is a good time to remind ourselves of some basic tips to make the season as profitable as possible. If you are new to wagering these tips will help you start out right. Those of us who have been at this for awhile often forget some of the basics strategies that helped us become successful, a reminder is always useful. Bet you... |
| Week One Preseason Notes Bryan Leonard - 8/16/2005 12:00 AM Week One Preseason Notes By Bryan Leonard You’re never too old to learn something new. And in preseason football there’s ALWAYS things to learn to help in the never ending battle to beat the bookmaker. I know, I’ve spent over 20 years in the handicapping business on both sides of the counter, making betting lines for the offshore industry, power ratings, all th... |
| NFL Trends, Part 1 Big Al McMordie - 8/15/2005 12:00 AM NFL Trends, Part 1 By Al McMordie It may be hot in August, but just think how hot it is in NFL training camps. There are hundreds of things that sports handicappers put together for football season. Scheduling and revenge spots, coaching changes, matchups, offensive and defensive upgrades, and betting angles are just a few things that handicappers and oddsmakers spend the summer... |
| NFL Pre-Season Game Two Gold Tom Stryker - 8/15/2005 12:00 AM NFL Pre-Season Game Two Gold Ok, so week one of the NFL Pre-Season is in the books and you took a little hit. That happens even to a professional like me. The excitement felt before the games were played last weekend has turned into that dreaded “get even” pressure. Don’t panic. It’s only week two of the exhibition season and there is still plenty of time t... |
| Notre Dame Preview & Investing Tips Tom Stryker - 8/14/2005 12:00 AM Notre Dame Preview & Investing Tips Love them or hate them, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are drawing plenty of discussion when 2005 college football is the topic. And there are opposite Love them or hate them, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame are drawing plenty of discussion when 2005 college football is the topic. And there are opposite sides taken at the drop of a hat.... |
| This isnt your regular season... The Consensus Group - 8/14/2005 12:00 AM This isn't your regular season… It is pre-season, and a great time to build your bank if you are willing to forget most of what you know about football. pre-season is a great opportunity to build your bank if one is willing to approach it differently. This preseason instead of sitting back and waiting, take some time, do some homework, and place your bets. You may just f... |
| Baseballs Arms Race: The Stretch Run Bryan Leonard - 8/14/2005 12:00 AM Baseballs Arms Race: The Stretch Run By Bryan Leonard We are gearing up for baseball’s stretch run. Teams have had two-thirds of the season to get all there ducks in a row, and with a 162-game season, the potential playoff teams are for real, while teams with weaknesses have broken down at some point and fallen behind in the division and Wild Card races. So what’s imp... |
| SATURDAYS NFL QUARTERBACK ROTATIONS William Kidd - 8/13/2005 12:00 AM SATURDAY'S NFL QUARTERBACK ROTATIONS Baltimore Ravens - Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright, rookie Derek Anderson (exact amount of playing time still to be determined). Atlanta Falcons - Michael Vick (1-2 series), Ty Detmer (2 Q+), Matt Schaub (3rd Q+), Bryan Randall. Rookie free agent QB Bryan Randall didn't play in Tokyo, but may play Saturday against the Ravens depending on circumstanc... |
| FRIDAYS NFL QUARTERBACK ROTATIONS William Kidd - 8/12/2005 12:00 AM FRIDAY'S NFL QUARTERBACK ROTATIONS Detroit Lions - QB Rotation: Joey Harrington (1st Q), Jeff Garcia (2nd Q), rookie Dan Orlovsky (2nd H). QB Dan Orlovsky was told by HC Mariucci that he'll get almost a half against the Jets. NY Jets - QB Rotation: Jay Fiedler (will start, 15 plays), Brooks Bollinger (will follow), Chad Pennington. Chad Pennington, six months removed from major ... |
| NFL Overs and Unders: Part 2 Big Al McMordie - 8/12/2005 12:00 AM NFL Overs and Unders: Part 2 By: Al McMordie Earlier this week I examined some NFL teams that may be worth a look at going over or under the total based on key offseason personnel changes, and coaching adjustments. Let’s continue with some more. Titans: Tennessee’s over/under win total is 6½. After being a regular AFC power for several years, injuries and sal... |
| Whats in a Name Big Al McMordie - 8/12/2005 12:00 AM What's in a Name By Al McMordie The big flap this week has been the NCAA rule change wanting to force some schools to change nicknames. Simply put, there’s a new list of schools that won't be permitted to use American Indian nicknames or logos in NCAA tournaments. It’s a touchy subject bound to incite passions and differences of opinion to a wide audience. This is al... |
| Baseball Parks and Totals Mike Neri - 8/12/2005 12:00 AM Baseball Parks and Totals By Mike Neri One aspect of betting totals in baseball is the ball park. Certainly starting pitchers, offensive and defensive stats come into play when oddsmakers are setting totals on games. The wind direction, too, is a factor and you may have noticed that some Cubs’ games in Wrigley Field aren’t posted until the day of the game. It... |
| Playing The Streaks Bryan Leonard - 8/9/2005 12:00 AM Playing The Streaks Bryan Leonard There’s an old Las Vegas slogan, “Never bet against a hot roller.” It applies to sports betting, as well. Teams that are hot often stay hot, while teams that are cold are better to look at as a go-against than as a play-on. I actually went against this adage recently, betting the Baltimore Orioles in consecutive games last week... |
| NFL Overs and Unders: Part 1 Big Al McMordie - 8/8/2005 12:00 AM NFL Overs and Unders: Part 1 By Al McMordie With the NFL season just around the corner, this is good time to look at what might happen this fall on the gridiron. Future numbers are out for each team. The Eagles and Colts are both tops with 11½ projected wins, while the two-time Super Bowl champion Patriots are over/under 11. Does this mean oddsmakers think the Colts and E... |
| Attitude and Professionalism Big Al McMordie - 8/7/2005 12:00 AM Attitude and Professionalism, By Al McMordie College athletics features a wide variety of enthusiasm. Back slapping and shouting by both players and coaches is common, as the guys doing the grunt work (the players) are kids roughly aged 18-22. A part of college coaching that’s common is tapping into this emotion to help motivate and drive the athletes. This isn’t as impor... |
| Baseballs Stretch Run Big Al McMordie - 8/6/2005 12:00 AM Baseball's Stretch Run, By Al McMordie The All-Star break and the trading deadline are now in the rear view mirror, so it’s the beginning of baseball’s stretch run for October. From a handicapping standpoint, many factors have just taken place that influence how a team might respond over the next eight weeks. Some teams jettisoned players and are focused more on next season... |
| WAGERING on NFL PRESEASON FOOTBALL (includes 3 teams to watch this August) Players Advantage - 8/5/2005 12:00 AM WAGERING on NFL PRESEASON FOOTBALL (includes 3 teams to watch this August!) by Players Advantage, Inc. Football Season arrives again starting August 6th. Yes, you read that right, it’s not the start of the regular season but don’t make the mistake of ignoring preseason football. There are plenty of good wagering opportunities that are a part of the preseason and make... |
| NFL Coaching Preseason Stats Mike Neri - 8/4/2005 12:00 AM NFL Coaching Preseason Stats By Mike Neri Preseason NFL action starts up this week. Some sports bettors ignore preseason as the games don’t mean anything, but there are situations where preseason football can be a bettor’s paradise. Yes, there are edges in August football. Some teams are off poor performances and coaches will admit to playing the starters "into... |
| Baseball Betting: Quality Starts Bryan Leonard - 8/1/2005 12:00 AM Baseball Betting: Quality Starts Bryan Leonard One area I pay attention to when analyzing baseball games is quality starts. Sometimes a pitcher may have a rather high ERA, but that’s not all that uncommon today. With expansion over the last decade, starting pitching has become thin and the rarest of commodities. Yes, you will find lousy pitchers throwing in the big leagues... |
| 2005 AFC Preview of WIN TOTALS with 2 FREE WINNERS! Players Advantage - 7/26/2005 12:00 AM 2005 AFC Preview of WIN TOTALS with 2 FREE WINNERS! We went 2 and 1 with our 3 win total predictions prior to the 2004 NFL Season. We narrowly missed the 3 and 0 and this year we fully expect to attain perfect results. This year we have split our Preview into two parts. The First part will cover the AFC and will include 2 FREE WINNERS. Part two will cover the NFC and will also... |
| Betting on Monday Night Football (or Hockey?!?!) Players Advantage - 7/23/2005 12:00 AM Betting on Monday Night Football (or Hockey?!?!) The title above may have you scratching your head and of course, that’s the point! As we enter the final week of July everyone knows that Football is right around the corner. The NFL Preseason gets started in early August. The regular season for College Football starts September 1st. The NFL regular season get started just one week later! A lot o... |
| NFL Futures: Analyzing Win Totals Part II Bryan Leonard - 7/19/2005 12:00 AM This is part two of a look at NFL futures lines for the projected win totals. Let’s take a quick peak at some offseason moves and if there is some betting value with respect to future win totals. Chiefs: over/under 9 wins: A lot of things went wrong for the Chiefs last season, and they still won 7 games with the No. 1 offense in pro football. So which Chiefs team will show up, the 13-3 team of... |
| NFL Futures: Analyzing NFL Win Totals Bryan Leonard - 7/16/2005 12:00 AM The football season is fast approaching and, as always, there are significant changes on the field and the sidelines to examine. Futures lines are out for the projected win totals of pro teams. A year ago in this column I gave out 4 future predictions based on the Vegas line, and went 2-1-1. The most accurate was on the Steelers, who were listed at “Over/under 7½.” Here is the 2004 writeup: “Pi... |
| College Football Coaching Changes 2005 Mike Neri - 7/6/2005 12:00 AM The college football coaching landscape underwent massive change since the end of the 2004 campaign, as 22 new head coaches will be manning the sidelines for their respective teams in the upcoming season. The sheer volume of jobs changing hands is unprecedented and sure to have a major impact. From the lesser known to the high profile moves, nearly every conference was affected and thus... |
| Betting Baseball Totals Big Al McMordie - 6/30/2005 12:00 AM Betting Baseball Totals By Al McMordie There are a lot of factors that go into betting totals in baseball. On base percentage, defense, strikeout/walk ratios, wind conditions, and of course, starting pitchers. One key element you should also always look at is the parks. Baseball stadiums can be home run friendly, like Coors Field, Philadelphia, Skydome, and Cincinnati. Oth... |
| Quality Starts Bryan Leonard - 6/25/2005 12:00 AM When analyzing baseball lines, “quality starts” is an important factor for many reasons. The most obvious is that betting lines are based about 85% on the starting pitcher. With this in mind, it’s easy to understand why looking carefully at the starter is a good start, so to speak. A quality start is defined as a starting pitcher going 6 innings and giving up three or less runs. Other things, such... |
| Home Sweet Home Bryan Leonard - 6/21/2005 12:00 AM So now the Spurs come home after a thrilling Game 5 with a 3-2 series lead. The Pistons are still technically alive, but face the daunting task of winning two in a row at San Antonio if they want to keep their crown. How daunting? San Antonio is 46-5 at home this season. Detroit is 0-3 at San Antonio this season and 0-10 their last ten games there! Home court has really been the story in the NBA F... |
| NBA Finals: The Heart of a Champion Big Al McMordie - 6/20/2005 12:00 AM NBA Finals: The Heart of a Champion By Al McMordie We know who the hero was, but who was the goat in the pivotal Game 5? Answer: Rasheed Wallace. Wallace had just 5 rebounds, played soft much of the game and was 6-of-15 shooting. In addition, the Pistons led most of the overtime and appeared to have the game in control, but on the biggest shot of the series, Wallace didn... |
| NBA Finals: A Best of Three Big Al McMordie - 6/18/2005 12:00 AM NBA Finals: A Best of Three By Al McMordie So what have we learned about the NBA Finals after four games? Two things: The series is tied, and, boy, isn’t home court important? In a most unusual NBA Finals, home court has meant everything in this series. The Spurs looked unbeatable in the first two games at home, thoroughly dominating the overmatched Pistons. On to Motown... |
| UPDATE: Tex Green - 6/18/2005 12:00 AM ======================== NEWS & NOTES from the Desk of Tex Green: CHECK OUT TEX GREEN'S NEW RATING FORMAT: 50 STARS 40 STARS 30 STARS This new system will become effective with the start of the 2004 NCAA and NFL seasons. This system is simple and effective. This is a great money management system where stronger plays demand a higher wager amount without losing control. One loss shoul... |
| Are We Having Fun Yet? Bryan Leonard - 6/17/2005 12:00 AM Many of us gauge the success of sports teams based on stats. However, in the world of professional handicapping, many factors come into play when attempting to assess betting lines and profitable wagers. Statistics, to be sure, are a part of the equation, but there are many others, such as home/road play, streaks, matchups, situational handicapping and even weather conditions. Football games playe... |
| Spurs/Pistons NBA Finals Preview Big Al McMordie - 6/9/2005 12:00 AM Spurs/Pistons NBA Finals Preview By Big Al McMordie For the first time in years (perhaps since the Jazz and Bulls met), the NBA Finals is featuring a match-up between the league's two best teams. No, the Spurs and Pistons didn't compile the NBA's best record -- that honor belonged to Phoenix -- but most experts (including myself) predicted at the start of the regular season, a... |
| NBA Finals: Pistons/Spurs Reaching for the Brass Ring Mike Neri - 6/9/2005 12:00 AM NBA Finals: Pistons/Spurs Reaching for the Brass Ring by Mike Neri While the NBA Finals begin this week, I’m reminded of quarterback Vinny Testaverde. All right, so Vinny never played for an NBA title. For all I know he can’t shoot a basketball, and he certainly couldn’t rebound or try to guard Tony Parker. However, I’m reminded of Testaverde because he ... |
| A Playoffs: Slam Dunks, ATS Trends and Spurs/Pistons Mike Neri - 6/8/2005 12:00 AM NBA Playoffs: Slam Dunks, ATS Trends and Spurs/Pistons’ ‘D’ By Mike Neri The end of this week will be exciting in the NBA Playoffs with the Heat and Pistons fighting it out for supremacy in the East. One thing that has been evident in the playoffs is that defense is king. The Spurs jumped to a 3-0 lead on Phoenix largely because they played tough defense under the boards and out on... |
| Any Sleepers? Big Al McMordie - 6/8/2005 12:00 AM Any Sleepers? By Al McMordie Two years ago, the Florida Marlins started 29-35. That poor start vanished, however, as they got hot at the right time and went on to win the World Series. So if your team is off to a below-.500 record thus far in baseball, take some solace in knowing that things could turn around. A year ago the Red Sox were playing lethargic ball and were in a ti... |
| Now Leading Off... Big Al McMordie - 6/7/2005 12:00 AM Now Leading Off... By Al McMordie An often overlooked area of baseball is the leadoff hitter. They are one of the most valuable and important parts of baseball teams, but don't get as much press, partly because leadoff hitters are usually not home run hitters. The extraordinary Ricky Henderson spoiled casual followers of the game, because Ricky could hit for average and power,... |
| Insight Into The NBA Finals Bryan Leonard - 6/7/2005 12:00 AM So does defense win championships? Of course. And it will again, as well, as two of the top defensive teams meet in the NBA Finals this week. The Spurs were No. 3 in the NBA allowing .426% shooting by opponents, while the Pistons were No. 5 allowing .430% shooting. For the record, the Miami Heat was No. 4 allowing .427% shooting. Want more? The Pistons and Spurs were No. 1 and 2 in the N... |
| Game 7 Showdown Big Al McMordie - 6/5/2005 12:00 AM Game 7 Showdown By Al McMordie It’s always fun when there’s a Game 7. Handicappers are also fans of the game, for the most part, and analyzing and breaking down matchups is even more enjoyable when teams meet in a winner-take-all playoff battle, which will happen Monday night in Miami as the Pistons and Heat battle to see who will play my favorite sports team, the... |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
