6-28-14

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World Cup 2014 knockout betting: Brazil vs. Chile
By Pinnacle SPORTS

Pinnacle Sports has everything you need to wager on World Cup 2014. Find odds and info on all the exciting soccer action in Brazil.

The 2014 World Cup is now at the knockout stage, read this Round of 16 betting preview before placing your bets. With a number of shock results in the tournament so far read for the latest odds, implied probability, handicap form and news surrounding each game.

Brazil vs. Chile (June 28)

Hosts Brazil face the biggest challenge in the pursuit of a record sixth World Cup title when they host Chile in the Belo Horizonte on Saturday night, the first half of an all South American double header to kick the knockout phase of tournament.

Brazil haven’t lost to Chile in a decade winning 10 of their last 12 meetings, and Pinnacle Sports has the Selecao as 1.602 to win on the 1×2, – implied probability of 62.42 percent – and 1.27 to advance to the quarter-finals.

Despite topping Group A with seven points, Brazil are yet to convince home fans, bettors and perhaps, even themselves that they can go all the way to Rio on July 13th. Their performances have been edgy and disjointed, with Big Phil Scolari persevering with his favorites – such as Fred and Hulk– in the face of insipid performances leading for calls for a shuffle of the deck from much of the Brazilian press.

One player who has lived up to expectation is Neymar, with four goals, and a clearly growing stature. The question is, can Neymar shoulder the hopes of his team and the nation? Chile’s main task will be to keep Neymar quiet, which they will no doubt try to achieve with their trademark high-tempo, pressing game.

Weighing on Neymar’s young shoulders will be the yellow card he carries – along with three team-mates. One more and he will miss the QF, should the Canaries pass this test – cards are only wiped after the Round of 16.

Chile’s 2-0 defeat of defending Champions, Spain, is one of the highlights of the tournament so far, and is perhaps a milestone result that announces the Chileans as serious contenders.

Alexis Sanchez has been Chile’s main man, and he must surely put in another huge performance if Chile are to defy odds of 4.22 to advance – a 23.70 percent chance – and 6.160 to win in normal time.

Juve’s Arturo Vidal – along with Eduardo Vargas another pivotal player – had knee surgery just five weeks before the World Cup, but having stunned pundits to star in the first two wins, he was absent for the defeat to the Netherlands, perhaps both as a rest and a precaution, given the yellow card he carries.

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World Cup 2014 knockout betting: Colombia vs. Uruguay
By Pinnacle SPORTS

Pinnacle Sports has everything you need to wager on World Cup 2014. Find odds and info on all the exciting soccer action in Brazil.

The 2014 World Cup is now at the knockout stage, read this Round of 16 betting preview before placing your bets. With a number of shock results in the tournament so far read for the latest odds, implied probability, handicap form and news surrounding each game.

Colombia vs. Uruguay (June 28)

Two South American nations go head-to-head in the round of 16 as Group C winners Colombia face off against the Group D runners up, Uruguay.

Colombia have enjoyed a sensational World Cup campaign so far, winning all three of their group games. That has included nine goals scored, four of which came in their demolition of Japan in their final Group C fixture.

Uruguay’s qualification has been slightly more controversial. After a poor start to their campaign, losing 3-1 to Costa Rica, Luis Suarez returned and fired two past England in a dramatic 2-1 win, before beating the Italians 1-0.

However, the striker bit Italian defender Giorgio Chillieni in the following match, which has left his participation in the remainder of the competition in question. FIFA announced a nine game international ban for the Liverpool goal scorer, and the ball is now in Uruguay’s court as to whether they make an appeal or accept Suarez’s suspension.

Colombia are the current favorites on the 1×2 with Pinnacle Sports, with odds offered at 1.980 – an implied probability of 50.51 percent. Uruguay are available at 4.280 (a 23.36 percent chance of an upset), but will do well to beat the Colombians who have covered the spread in all three of their previous games.

During a recent Twitter Q&A, our Head of Sportsbook alluded that Luis Suarez’s absence from this fixture could be worth 0.25 of a goal to the Uruguayans. The current odds on the spread have Colombia as the 1.943 favorites on a -0.5 handicap, leaving bettors with even more of a predicament before placing their bets.

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World Cup Game of the Day: Brazil vs. Chile

Brazil vs. Chile (-175, +525, Draw +333)

Chile has lofty aspirations heading into Saturday's World Cup second-round match with host Brazil. But in order to advance to the round of eight for the first time since reaching the semifinals as the host nation 52 years ago, the upstart Chileans will need to do something they haven't done in their storied history - beat the Brazilians on their own turf. Chile rode victories over Australia and Spain to a spot in the final 16 before losing to the Netherlands.

The Brazilians cruised to first place in Group A, earning victories over Croatia and Cameroon and settling for a goalless draw against a game Mexican side. Yet, while the hosts appear to be the team to beat the rest of the way, Chile doesn't plan to be a pushover. "Brazil has often been Chile's nemesis but football changes, new generations come and new players appear," Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal said. "We've beaten (Spain), so we can beat Brazil."

TV: 12 p.m. ET, ABC

WORLD RANKINGS: Brazil: No. 3; Chile: No. 14.

INJURY REPORT: Brazil: None; Chile: None.

WHAT THE SHARPS SAY: "Visiting Brazil has not been kind to Chile in the past, in the last 26 games, Brazil have won 25 and drawn 1. The Selecao may not have impressed everyone so far in this competition, but we should expect to see them go from strength to strength. Some will argue Chile were rather fortunate to beat Australia and have only qualified due to Spain's abysmal campaign. We'll see who comes out the Victory on Sunday night." Covers Experts' Footy Tipster

ABOUT BRAZIL: The home team is loaded with talent, but it's clear to everyone on both sides of Saturday's matchup that Neymar is the key to their continued success. The world-class star shares the World Cup lead with four goals while leading the team in shots (11) and shot assists (six). The bigger concern for the Brazilians is ensuring that Neymar keeps it clean against the Chileans; he and Thiago Silva both have one yellow card, and a second would result in an untimely one-game suspension.

ABOUT CHILE: An opponent as creative and fundamentally sound as the Brazilians is dangerous enough - but the hosts may have a decided advantage in another area, and that has to concern the Chilean side. Chile has won less than 41 percent of its header matchups so far in the tournament, while Brazil enters the knockout stage having prevailed in better than 68 percent of its aerial showdowns. With 28 of 136 group-stage goals coming via the header, don't be surprised if a well-placed redirection decides this one.

TRENDS:

* Brazil has beaten Chile three times in as many World Cup meetings, with each one taking place in the knockout stage.
* Chile has dropped back-to-back second-round games at the World Cup, losing by a combined score of 7-1.
* Brazil is 8-1-1 all-time in World Cup matches against continental rivals.
* Chile has lost 20 games and drawn six on Brazilian soil.

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SB Professor MMA Picks

UFC Fight Night 43 (Card starts at 2 AM EST)
Mike Rhodes (+250) over Robert Whittaker


UFC Fight Night 44 (8 PM EST)
Clint Hester (+135) over Antonio Braga Neto

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EZWINNERS


3* Nationals -145

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MLB

National League
Nationals-Cubs
Gonzalez is 1-0, 3.27 in two starts since coming off the DL. Treinen is 0-3, 3.74 in four starts this season.
Beeler is making MLB debut; he is 5-3, 4.03 in his ten AAA starts. Samardzija is 0-1, 4.00 in his last three starts.

Washington lost seven of their last nine road games.
Cubs won three of their last four games.

Last three Washington games went over the total.

Braves-Phillies
Santana
Hernandez

Braves won four of their last five games.
Phillies lost five of their last seven games.

Last six Atlanta games stayed under the total.

Mets-Pirates
Niese is 1-1, 3.35 in his last six starts.
Cole was 3-0, 3.38 in his last four starts before going on DL.

Mets lost their last three games, scoring nine runs.
Pirates won six of their last seven games.

Five of last seven New York games stayed under total.

Rockies-Brewers
Chacin is 0-2, 6.00 in his last two starts, 0-3, 5.14 in five road starts.
Cubs lost Garza's last three starts (0-1, 4.57).

Colorado lost ten of its last eleven games.
Brewers won nine of their last twelve games.

Seven of ten Chacin starts stayed under total.

Cardinals-Dodgers
Lynn is 2-1, 0.82 in his last three starts.
Greinke is 1-3, 4.70 in his last five starts.

Cardinals won five of their last seven games.
Dodgers won ten of their last fourteen games.

Under is 15-4-2 in last twenty-one St Louis games.

Reds-Giants
Simon is 4-0, 2.94 in his last five starts.
Cain is 0-3, 9.35 in his last three starts.

Cincinnati won 11 of its last 14 road games.
Giants lost ten of their last twelve home games.

11 of 15 Simon starts stayed under the total.

Arizona-San Diego
Collmenter is 1-2, 5.87 in his last four starts.
Stults is 0-5, 7.11 in his last five starts.

Diamondbacks lost ten of their last fifteen games.
Padres lost their last three home games.

Nine of last eleven games at Petco Park stayed under.

American League
White Sox-Blue Jays
Sale is 3-1, 2.66 in his last seven starts.
Stroman is 3-1, 2.08 in four home starts.

White Sox lost ten of their last twelve road games.
Blue Jays lost seven of their last eleven games.

Seven of last ten Toronto games went over the total.

Angels-Royals
Santiago is 0-7, 5.48 in nine starts this season.
Ventura is 3-1, 2.67 in his last four starts.

Angels won six of their last seven games, but lost 10 of last 13 on road.
Kansas City lost six of its last eight games.

Five of last seven Ventura home starts stayed under total.

Twins-Rangers
Hughes is 5-1, 1.43 in his last six road starts.
Darvish is 0-2, 9.82 in his last couple starts.

Minnesota lost its last nine road games.
Rangers lost eight of their last nine games overall.

Under is 6-1-1 in Minnesota's last eight road games.

Rays-Orioles
Bedard is 0-1, 6.75 in his last three starts.
Chen is 2-0, 2.61 in his last five starts.

Tampa Bay lost 12 of its last 15 road games.
Orioles won seven of their last ten games.

Five of last seven Chen starts went over the total.

Tigers-Astros
Scherzer is 2-1, 2.08 in his last three road starts.
Keuchel is 2-1, 1.57 in his last three home starts.

Detroit won six of its last eight games.
Houston lost eight of its last eleven games.

Five of last seven Scherzer starts went over the total.

Boston-Bronx
Red Sox won last three Lester starts (2-0, 2.45).
Tanaka is 5-1, 1.90 in his last six starts.

Red Sox lost 13 of their last 16 road games.
Bronx lost four of its last six games, but won last two.

Under is 6-1-1 in last eight Tanaka starts.

Indians-Mariners
Tomlin is 0-3, 10.80 in his last three starts.
Elias is 4-1, 3.21 in his last five starts.

Cleveland lost six of its last eight games.
Seattle won six of its last seven games.

Four of last five Tomlin starts went over the total.

Interleague game
A's-Marlins
Gray is 1-2, 4.91 in his last three starts, last of which was ten days ago.
Eovaldi is 1-1, 5.11 in his last four starts.

A's won nine of their last twelve games.
Miami lost five of its last six home games.

Last four Oakland games went over the total.

Pitchers allowing runs in first inning:
-- Gonzalez 5-11, Treinen 0-4; Beeler 0-0, Samardzija 6-16 (4 of last 6)
-- Santana 5-14; Hernandez 7-14 (3 of last 4)
-- Niese 4-15 (0 of last 5); Cole 4-12
-- Chacin 3-10; Garza 7-16
-- Lynn 4-16; Greinke 3-16
-- Simon 5-15; Cain 5-12
-- Collmenter 6-13; Stults 6-16 (3 of last 4)

-- Sale 1-11; Stroman 2-5
-- Santiago 2-9; Ventura 4-14
-- Hughes 3-15; Darvish 2-14
-- Bedard 3-13; Chen 5-15
-- Scherzer 4-16; Keuchel 4-15 (3 of last 5)
-- Lester 5-16; Tanaka 5-15 (3 of last 5)
-- Tomlin 3-9; Elias 4-16

-- Gray 6-15 (3 of last 5); Eovaldi 6-16

Umpires
-- Wsh-Chi--10 of 13 Layne games went over the total. Five of last six Wendelstedt games stayed under.
-- Atl-Phil-- Alll five Marquez games stayed under total.
-- NY-Pitt-- Seven of nine Basner games went over total.
-- Col-Mil-- Seven of last nine Iassogna games stayed under.
-- StL-LA-- Five of six Everitt games went over the total.
-- Cin-SF-- Six of last nine Bellino games stayed under.
-- Az-SD-- Home team won 14 of 16 Davis games this season.

-- Chi-Tor-- Underdogs won five of last eight Reynolds games.
-- LA-KC-- Five of last seven TWelke games stayed under.
-- Min-Tex-- Nine of last eleven BWelke games stayed under.
-- TB-Blt-- Underdogs won nine of twelve Wolf games.
-- Det-Hst-- Underdogs won seven of last nine Cederstrom games; four of last five stayed under the total.
-- Bos-NY-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Fletcher games.
-- Cle-Sea-- Underdogs won 11 of last 13 Hudson games; four of his last five games went over total.

-- A's-Mia-- Underdogs won ten of last twelve Drake games.

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Saturday's WCup Tips
By Toby Maxtone-Smith
VegasInsider

Brazil vs. Chile (ABC, 12:00 p.m. ET)

Saturday is all about the South Americans. Two matches, four teams, and all from the host continent. It promises to be quite a day of soccer.

First up, Brazil play Chile at the Estadio Mineirão in Belo Horizonte. This looks like a wonderful match-up. Brazil have been far from convincing in the tournament so far. They were indebted to a dreadful refereeing decision to get them victory over Croatia in their first game, and then were unable to break down Mexico in a 0-0 draw. Even against Cameroon, a game they eventually won 4-1, there were moments when the Brazil back-line looked very shaky.

It has often been said, I think rightly, that Brazil beat teams on moments, rather than flow. So instead of having an individual style that is identified with the team, like Spain do, Brazil rely on moments of magic to win games. Now, those moments come from Neymar. In the past, it has been Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Zico.

Chile have been hugely impressive so far, and they play with a relentless energy that makes them hugely appealing on the eye. The defence is leaky, and very very small. It is easy to see Chile having much the better of the game, but losing thanks to a header from a corner.

Brazil are 51/100 with sportsbook.ag to win the game in 90 minutes, and 1/4 in the Qualify from Tie market. These look far too short, and I feel Chile are the value for this match. They are 19/4 to win the game in 90 minutes, and 27/10 to qualify. However I’d prefer to back them in the handicap markets, where they Chile +1 is 7/5. Chile are the best team Brazil have faced so far, and I really would be amazed if we saw a thrashing.

In the first goalscorer market, even at a price as short as 7/2, Neymar looks tempting. He has shown that the unimaginable pressure on his shoulders does not affect him adversely. Some of his finishes have been fantastic. He seems to thrive off responsibility, and the fact that he is not the main man at Barcelona may go some way to explaining why he has has disappointed a bit in his first season. At the Nou Camp, Messi is king, not Neymar.

Top Bets: Chile -1 at 7/5, Neymar to score first at 7/2


Colombia vs. Uruguay (ABC, 4:00 p.m. ET)

Colombia meet Uruguay in the second All-South American game on Saturday. What an occasion it will be at the Maracana. Both sides will be fantastically supported, and the atmosphere will be electric.

Colombia have put in three excellent performances so far at this World Cup. They won all three group games, scoring nine goals in the process. They showed just how little they miss Falcao; in fact, his absence allows them to play one up front, and it arguably strengthens Jose Pekerman’s side. James Rodriguez, used in a central role, has been possibly the Player of the Tournament so far.

In all the controversy surrounding Luis Suarez’s serial biting, Uruguay’s achievement in turning round their tournament from losing 3-1 to Costa Rica in their opening match has been overlooked somewhat. Both wins against Italy and Uruguay were typically Uruguayan: belligerent, brave and resolute. They are the eternal underdog, despite their great history in the World Cup.

While it is tempting to foresee another heroic Uruguayan display in adversity, Tabarez’s side will miss Suarez terribly. Edinson Cavani has been playing a kind of ‘advanced destroyer’ role at this World Cup, leaving Suarez the only real source of magic. They throw in the odd atrocious performance, and their indiscipline often costs them. If Colombia make a good start, Uruguay could unravel. They rely a bit too much on keeping it tight early on.

Colombia are the 91/100 favourites, and this price has shortened a lot since it was confirmed that Suarez would miss the rest of the World Cup. I still think there’s some value to be had. Colombia’s focus did not waver in their 4-1 win over Japan in a meaningless match, and they just look much better than Uruguay. In Juan Cuadrado they have a great winger, and Teofilo Gutierrez and Jackson Martinez are two fine options up front.

A draw is 27/10, with a Uruguay win in 90 minutes 59/20. In the ‘Qualify From Tie’ market, Colombia are 5/11 and Uruguay 17/10.

Top Bet: Colombia to win at 91/100

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Brazil heavily favored vs. Chile Saturday
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox


2014 WORLD CUP SOCCER

BRAZIL vs. CHILE

Kickoff: Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EDT
Estadio Mineirao – Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Line:
Brazil -196, Chile +475, Tie after Regulation +350
Over/Under: 2.5 Goals (Over -163, Under +135)

In one of the opening matches of the knockout rounds, Brazil looks to please their home crowd Saturday with a victory over Chile, who finished second in Group B play.

Brazil was the favorite to win the World Cup and they have not disappointed their fans, coming out of Group A as the top seed. Now they must keep up their relentless attack because a loss will send them home. Prior to the tournament, Chile was considered to be one of the best offensive teams in the entire field. One thing that they showed was that their defense is more than ready to step it up as they look to upset Brazil in the Round of 16.

Brazil started off this tournament in the right way. After going down 1-0 against Croatia in the early going of their opening match, Brazil was able to score three unanswered to win the contest 3-1. In their second match, they were unable to score and came away with a 0-0 tie, as Mexico’s goalkeeping was just flawless for a full 90 minutes. Brazil won their final game 4-1 against Cameroon and now they find themselves up against a Chile team that has really turned some heads in the 2014 World Cup. Neymar has certainly lived up to the hype for Brazil, leading the squad in goals scored with four. He will need to continue to fire away as his team tries to continue advancing.

Chile got their tournament off to a great start, defeating Australia by a final score of 3-1. Their next match, however, they were the underdogs as they played against the 2010 champions in Spain. Chile, however, defeated Spain 2-0, and through two games their defense had allowed just one goal. After already clinching a spot in the knockout rounds, Chile lost 2-0 to a Netherlands team that has looked unstoppable at times during this tournament. For a team that was questioned for their poor defensive play, Chile are likely very satisfied with allowing just one goal per game.

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Colombia battles Suarez-less Uruguay on Saturday
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox


2014 WORLD CUP SOCCER

COLOMBIA vs. URUGUAY

Kickoff: Saturday, 4:00 p.m. EDT
Estadio Do Maracana – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Line:
Colombia -109, Uruguay +295, Tie after Regulation +270
Over/Under: 2.5 Goals (Over +115, Under -144)

Uruguay takes on Colombia Saturday in the Round of 16 but they will be without their star player Luis Suarez, who was be booted from the tournament after biting an opponent in their last match.

Colombia didn’t have the strongest group in the World Cup, but they won it convincingly. The squad won all three of the matches they played and had a goal differential of +7. Uruguay dug itself into a small hole in group play by losing their first game, but when Luis Suarez returned from injury, it all changed. They won their last two games and earned a spot in the Round of 16, but now Suarez is banned from the remainder of the tournament.

Colombia took the field in their first match of group play and went against a Greece team that also made it to the knockout rounds. Colombia dominated that game, winning 3-0. Their next opponent was Ivory Coast, who they played a very tough game with but were still able to come away with a 2-1 victory. The third game they played was an absolute blowout, as Colombia defeated a Japan team that was still fighting for life by a final score of 4-1. James Rodriguez is leading the team in goals with three in the tournament. They will be up against a Uruguay team that is dangerous, but will be without their most important player.

Uruguay is a completely different team when Luis Suarez is on the field. In their first game of group play, they lost to an inferior Costa Rica team 3-1, as Suarez missed the match while recovering from a knee surgery. When he came back for their second game, however, the team started to put everything together. They defeated England 2-1 in their second game and then in a must-win battle with Italy, they were able to come away with a 1-0 victory. Now Uruguay waits for the fate of their star to be determined, but since he is not playing, they will take a major hit. Suarez keeps their offense together and he is the leader of the team, but his horrific display of sportsmanship puts his team as the heavy underdog on Saturday.

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CFL Betting Notes - Week 1
By David Schwab

A brand new year of CFL action is ready to kick things off this Thursday night in Winnipeg as the 2014 regular season gets underway. The big news heading into a new season, in addition to a new labor contract between the owners and the CFL Players Association, is the expansion to nine teams with the addition of the Ottawa RedBlacks, who will be a part of the East Division.

To balance things out geographically, the Blue Bombers will now be playing out of the West Division along with the 2013 Grey Cup Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders, who will close-out the first week of action this Sunday at home against Hamilton in a rematch of last year’s championship game.


Saturday, June 28

Montreal Alouettes vs. Calgary Stampeders
Line: Calgary -7
Total: 54 ½

Montreal remains one of the premier franchises in the CFL, but it comes into this season fresh off an 8-10 SU (11-7 ATS) losing season in 2013. The Alouettes will also start the year without long-time veteran quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who finally decided to retire after coming into the league in 1994. Despite the losing record, Montreal was a solid bet on the road last season with a 7-2 mark ATS.

The Stampeders won the West Division last season with the CFL’s best overall record at 14-4 SU, but their run in the playoffs was cut short with a 35-13 loss to Saskatchewan as five-point favorites at home in the West Final. They went 11-6-1 ATS in 2013 with a 5-3-1 ATS record at home. The total went OVER in six of their nine games at home.

In the two meetings last season, Calgary won both ends of an early season home-and-home series both SU and ATS. The Stampeders outscored Montreal by a combined 19 points and the total went OVER the 49 ½-point closing line in a 38-27 victory as seven-point home favorites at McMahon Stadium. It stayed UNDER the 53 ½-point line in their 22-14 road victory against the Alouettes as two-point underdogs.

Edmonton Eskimos vs. British Columbia Lions
Line: BC -7 ½
Total: 52

Edmonton went in the wrong direction in 2013 with just four SU victories after posting a 7-11 SU record in 2012 that was actually good enough to make the playoffs. The Eskimos went 8-10 ATS last season and while they were just 2-7 ATS at home, they did manage to cover in six of their nine games on the road. The total went OVER in 12 of the 18 games.

The Lions won 13 games SU in 2012, but that number dropped to 11 in 2013. They faced the Roughriders in the opening round of the playoffs and came out on the wrong end of a 29-25 loss as 4 ½-point road underdogs. BC was an even 9-9 ATS in the regular season. The total also went 9-9, but it did stay UNDER in six of nine games at home.

BC won’t have the services of quarterback Travis Lulay this weekend, who is still nursing a shoulder injury. Veteran Kevin Glenn is expected to get the starting nod for the Lions while Lulay recovers.

These West Division foes met three times last season with BC sweeping the series both SU and ATS. The total went OVER in two of the three games. The average margin of victory in the three games was 12.7 points with the Lions averaging 30.3 points per game.

Sunday, June 29

Hamilton Tiger-Cats vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders
Line: Saskatchewan -5 ½
Total: 55

Hamilton’s run all the way to the 2013 Grey Cup Championship was a bit of a shock after going just 10-8 SU in the regular season. It first knocked-off Montreal 19-16 as a 3 ½-point home favorite before upsetting Toronto in the division final. The Tiger-Cats were an even 9-9 ATS and the total stayed UNDER in 12 of the 18 games.

The Roughriders will begin the defense of their Grey Cup title fresh off an 11-7 SU record in 2013 that included eight SU victories in their first nine games. They regained their form at just the right time with a 6-2 SU run in their final eight games. The total went OVER in three of their final four contests including the 52-point closing line in their 45-23 victory in the Grey Cup as seven-point favorites.

Along with the victory in the title game both SU and ATS, Saskatchewan won a home-and-home series against Hamilton both ways in the 2013 regular season with the total staying UNDER in both games. It is now 4-1 both SU and ATS in the last five games between the two.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

UFC Fight Night 44


Event: UFC Fight Night 44
Date: June, 28, 2014
Venue: AT&T Center
City: San Antonio, Texas

Featherweight Bout: Cub Swanson (20-5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (23-9)
Line: Swanson -260, Stephens +207

Cub Swanson and Jeremy Stephens are in search of a huge victory in the featherweight class when they meet on Saturday in San Antonio.

Swanson enters this fight against Stephens on a five-match winning streak. In his last match against Dennis Siver at UFC 162, he ended the fight with a vicious set of punches in a second-round knockout. Swanson is an explosive athlete that has shown in his young career that he can win a match in many different ways. He has emerged as a fan favorite in large part because of his ability to put on a show for the crowd. During his five straight wins, four of the victories have come by way of knockout. He will have a difficult match though, going up against a dangerous fighter in Jeremy Stephens.

Like Swanson, Stephens comes into this match with a three-fight winning streak. In his last win against Darren Elkins, he showed terrific cardio by winning the match by way of unanimous decision. Both of these fighters have a big opportunity to move up the ladder in the featherweight class.

Of his 20 career victories, Swanson has eight wins by way of knockout. He also has seven wins by submission, as well as five wins by decision. He is extremely explosive with his punches, and has a rare combination of speed and power that very few fighters possess in the featherweight class. He has a big advantage on Stephens when it comes to landing significant strikes per minute, as he averaged 3.41, compared to only 2.69 by Stephens.

The combatants are nearly identical when it comes to striking percentage (46 percent for Swanson and 45 percent for Stephens), but Swanson is much more persistent to throwing his punches. While he is a terrific striker, Stephens has shown in his career that he has the ability to knock his opponent out.

Stephens has 23 victories in his career, with 17 of those wins coming by way of knockout. He also has four wins by decision, and two by way of submission. When he is in the octagon, he is looking to end the match with his punches.

This is the type of match where both guys will utilize a very similar game plan, and that could provide for a very exciting fight. Stephens does a very good job of defending against the takedown (61.4 percent). If this turns into a striking contest, Stephens will definitely feel comfortable in participating in that style of fight.

Ohter UFC Fight Night 44 Bouts

Odds:

Heavyweight Matchup
Oleksiy Oliynyk -140
Anthony Hamilton +110

Flyweight Matchup
Ray Borg -425
Shane Howell +315

Middleweight Matchup
Andy Enz -175
Marcelo Guimaraes +145

Bantamweight Matchup
Johnny Bedford -230
Cody Gibson +185

Lightweight Matchup
Carlos Diego Ferreira -230
Colton Smith +185

Lightweight Matchup
Joe Ellenberger -220
James Moontasri +177

Middleweight Matchup
Antonio Braga Neto -150
Clint Hester +120

Featherweight Matchup
Ricardo Lamas -200
Hacran Dias +165

Middleweight Matchup
Cezar Ferreira -185
Andrew Craig +150

Welterweight Matchup
Kelvin Gastelum -400
Nico Musoke +300

Featherweight Matchup
Cub Swanson -260
Jeremy Stephens +207

[Can'tPickAWinner]

UFC Fight Night: Te Huna vs. Marquardt
By: Mark Kern - StatFox


UFC Fight Night: Te Huna vs. Marquardt
Saturday, June 28 – 6:30 a.m. ET
Auckland, New Zealand


James Te Huna (18-7) vs. Nate Marquardt (35-13-2)
Middleweight bout
Line: Te Huna -195, Marquardt +160
James Te Huna and Nate Marquardt look to pick up a signature win in the middleweight class at UFC Fight Night on Saturday in New Zealand.

Te Huna is trying to end a two-fight losing skid, dropping matches against Mauricio Rua and Glover Teixeira. He was not very impressive in either of those defeats, falling in the first round both times. Before those fights, Te Huna had put together an impressive four-match winning streak, but those fights were against lesser opponents. When he is on top of his game, he has the ability to end a match very early with his knockout power. If Te Huna is able to get off to a strong start in his middleweight debut, then he has a great chance to get a win. However, if he starts slowly for the third consecutive match, then he could once again be in some big trouble. Marquardt is on a similar losing skid, as he enters Saturday with three straight defeats, but is hoping a return to the middleweight class can change his fortunes. In his last fight against Hector Lombard, Marquardt was knocked out in 1:48. Both of these fighters need to get a win to get their confidence going, and in the end, look for the more talented TE HUNA to get things back on the right track.

Te Huna comes into this match with 18 career victories. The majority of his wins (10) have come by way of knockout. He also has five victories by decision with another three wins by way of submission. The 32-year-old will have a huge advantage in this match against Marquardt when it comes to landing significant strikes. Te Huna averages 4.31 significant strikes per minute landed, compared to only 2.82 landed by Marquardt. They both are very close when it comes to landing strikes (52 percent for Te Huna and 49 percent for Marquardt). He will also have an advantage when it comes to grappling, averaging 3.03 takedowns compared to 2.32 for Marquardt. Te Huna hails from New Zealand and fights out of Penrith, Australia, so he figures to have the backing of the crowd on Saturday. This is the type of match that could help Te Huna get back on the right track, but it will not be easy against a quality fighter such as Marquardt.

Marquardt is an extremely experienced fighter, entering the match with 35 career victories. He has 13 of those wins by way of submission. However, "The Great" has shown to be versatile with 11 wins by decision and 11 by way of knockout. He has also finished six of his past seven wins, five by knockout. His submission ability will be huge, as he has a 1.2 submission average, compared to only 0.28 takedowns by Te Huna. While the 35-year-old Lander, Wyoming native does not have an advantage grappling, Marquardt will have the ability to do some serious damage if he can get Te Huna to the ground, which should be his method of attack against an opponent two inches taller than Marquardt's 6-foot-0 frame.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's MLB Picks

NY Mets at Pittsburgh

After dropping the first two games of the series, the Mets look to bounce back and come into tonight's contest with a 4-1 record in Jon Niese's last 5 starts against the Pirates. New York is the pick (+150) according to Dunkel, which has the Mets favored by 1. Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+150). Here are all of today's MLB picks.

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 Time Posted: 6:00 a.m. EST

Game 951-952: Washington at Chicago Cubs (1:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Gonzalez) 14.686; Cubs (Beeler) 15.709 Dunkel Line: Chicago Cubs by 1; 7 Vegas Line: Washington (-160); No Run Total Dunkel Pick: Chicago Cubs (+140); N/A

Game 953-954: Washington at Chicago Cubs (7:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Washington (Treinen) 17.373; Cubs (Samardzija) 15.766 Dunkel Line: Washington by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Chicago Cubs (-130); No Run Total Dunkel Pick: Washington (+110); N/A

Game 955-956: Atlanta at Philadelphia (2:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Santana) 16.259; Philadelphia (Hernandez) 14.690 Dunkel Line: Atlanta by 1 1/2; 7 Vegas Line: Atlanta (-125); 8 Dunkel Pick: Atlanta (-125); Under

Game 957-958: Atlanta at Philadelphia (7:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Atlanta (Hale) 13.797; Philadelphia (O'Sullivan) 14.615 Dunkel Line: Philadelphia by 1; 9 Vegas Line: Atlanta (-130); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Philadelphia (+110); Over

Game 959-960: NY Mets at Pittsburgh (4:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: NY Mets (Niese) 15.240; Pittsburgh (Cole) 14.072 Dunkel Line: NY Mets by 1; 9 Vegas Line: Pittsburgh (-170); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: NY Mets (+150); Over

Game 961-962: Colorado at Milwaukee (4:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Colorado (Chacin) 16.071; Milwaukee (Garza) 17.709 Dunkel Line: Milwaukee by 1 1/2; 8 Vegas Line: Milwaukee (-170); 9 Dunkel Pick: Milwaukee (-170); Under

Game 963-964: St. Louis at LA Dodgers (7:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: St. Louis (Lynn) 16.571; LA Dodgers (Greinke) 15.422 Dunkel Line: St. Louis by 1; 8 Vegas Line: LA Dodgers (-160); 6 1/2 Dunkel Pick: St. Louis (+140); Over

Game 965-966: Cincinnati at San Francisco (10:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cincinnati (Simon) 14.373; San Francisco (Cain) 16.330 Dunkel Line: San Francisco by 2; 6 Vegas Line: San Francisco (-120); 7 Dunkel Pick: San Francisco (-120); Under

Game 967-968: Arizona at San Diego (10:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Arizona (Collmenter) 15.844; San Diego (Stults) 14.170 Dunkel Line: Arizona by 1 1/2; 6 Vegas Line: Arizona (-125); 7 Dunkel Pick: Arizona (-125); Under

Game 969-970: Chicago White Sox at Toronto (1:07 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: White Sox (Sale) 15.803; Toronto (Stroman) 17.144 Dunkel Line: Toronto by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Chicago White Sox (-115); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Toronto (-105); Over

Game 971-972: LA Angels at Kansas City (2:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: LA Angels (Santiago) 15.714; Kansas City (Ventura) 14.333 Dunkel Line: LA Angels by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Kansas City (-130); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+110); Over

Game 973-974: Minnesota at Texas (4:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Minnesota (Hughes) 15.449; Texas (Darvish) 18.398 Dunkel Line: Texas by 3; 7 Vegas Line: Texas (-180); 8 Dunkel Pick: Texas (-180); Under

Game 975-976: Tampa Bay at Baltimore (4:05 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Tampa Bay (Bedard) 15.947 Baltimore (Chen) 14.999 Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 1; 7 Vegas Line: Baltimore (-130); 8 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Tampa Bay (+110); Under

Game 977-978: Detroit at Houston (4:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Detroit (Scherzer) 14.783; Houston (Oberholtzer) 15.854 Dunkel Line: Houston by 1; 9 Vegas Line: Detroit (-135); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Houston (+115); Over

Game 979-980: Boston at NY Yankees (7:15 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Boston (Lester) 14.958; NY Yankees (Tanaka) 17.253 Dunkel Line: NY Yankees by 2 1/2; 6 Vegas Line: NY Yankees (-170); 7 Dunkel Pick: NY Yankees (-170); Under

Game 981-982: Cleveland at Seattle (10:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Cleveland (Tomlin) 16.604; Seattle (Elias) 15.182 Dunkel Line: Cleveland by 1 1/2; 9 Vegas Line: Seattle (-135); 7 1/2 Dunkel Pick: Cleveland (+115); Over

Game 983-984: Oakland at Miami (4:10 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Oakland (Gray) 15.714; Miami (Eovaldi) 14.347 Dunkel Line: Oakland by 1 1/2; 6 Vegas Line: Oakland (-150); 7 Dunkel Pick: Oakland (-150); Under

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Today's CFL Picks

Montreal at Calgary

The Alouettes head to Calgary today to open the regular season and come into the contest with a 5-0 ATS record in their last 5 road games. Montreal is the pick (+8) according to Dunkel, which has the Stampeders favored by only 4. Dunkel Pick: Montreal (+8). Here are all of this week's CFL picks.

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 Time Posted: 8:00 a.m. EST (6/26)

Game 323-324: Montreal at Calgary (3:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Montreal 116.447; Calgary 121.075 Dunkel Line: Calgary by 4 1/2; 50 Vegas Line: Calgary by 8; 54 Dunkel Pick: Montreal (+8); Under

Game 325-326: Edmonton at BC (6:00 p.m. EST) Dunkel Ratings: Edmonton 116.575; BC 117.075 Dunkel Line: BC by 1; 48 Vegas Line: BC by 7 1/2; 52 Dunkel Pick: Edmonton (+7 1/2); Under