Sunday 8/23/20 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Lens at Nice 8/23/20 - Ligue 1 (SOCCER)

Nice and Lens will be meeting for the first time since 2015. The last game between the teams was a 2-1 win for Nice over Lens. Two of the previous matches ended up being a draw, but the other 2 ended up being a win by Lens.

Kasper Dolberg was the leader when it came to putting the goals in the net for the Nice team. Dolberg played in 23 matches and scored a total of 11 goals. Wylan Cyprien played in 20 matches and ended up getting a total of 7 goals. When it came to passing the Nice team relied on Pierre Lees-Melou who played in 26 matches with 6 assist in the game.

Lens is coming into the match here after getting 26 matches and 8 goals from Floria Sotoca. Gaetan Robail and Simon Banza were able to both play in 24 matches and ended up with 7 goals in the game. Passing for the Lens club was not really recorded as the Lens team did not have any assist recorded in the game.

Free Soccer Pick: Nice +103

What is going to be interesting is how the Lens team is able to play in the game. Lens has not played Nice since 2015 and have been a good team in the past. Now, the Lens club has to step up their game to continue to play at a high level, but also keep Dolberg at bay, but that is going to be a tall order for the Lens club who is unable to really stop Dolberg and company. Final Score Prediction, Nice wins 4-1.

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Brestois 29 at Nimes 8/23/20 - Ligue 1 (SOCCER)

Nimes and Brest are a couple of teams that are familiar with each other. However, what will really be interesting is how the teams are going to play against each other in the restart here. In the past, the series has been controlled fairly convincingly by Nimes. In fact, the last 5 matches between the teams ended up with Nimes putting in 4 wins and a loss.

In the last meeting between the teams the Nimes squad ended up putting in 3 goals and shut out the Brest team. Now, Nimes team will be one that is going to facet the Brest team in the restart and that could really be helpful for the Nimes team here who has shown time and time again to start off quickly against Brest.

Last year Nimes was led in the scoring by Romain Philippoteaux who played in 27 matches and ended up with 5 goals. Renaud Ripart played in a total of 24 games and managed to get a total of 4 goals. The passing for the Nimes team was led by Zinedine Ferhat who played in 26 matches and finished the year with 4 assist.

For Brest the team was led by Irvin Cardona who played in 21 matches and ended up getting a total of 6 goals. The second high scorer for the Brest club was Gaetan Charbonnier with 26 matches and 4 goals. The passing led was held by Yoann Court who ended up with 23 matches and 7 assist in the game.

Free Soccer Pick:Nimes +126

In the game here the Brest team will actually come in looking like the better scoring team with the amount of talent on the roster. However, the Brest team is one that has struggled defensively in the past and that can definitely make it difficult for the Brest team to secure any wins on the year. Look for Nimes to come into the game here and be able to pull out the win in the game here rather easily. Final Score Prediction, Nimes wins 3-1.

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Strasbourg Alsace at Lorient 8/23/20 - Ligue 1 (SOCCER)

Lorient and Strasbourg are going to meet for the third time in their history. The Lorient club ends up they hold the lead in the series with a win over Strasbourg in 2008. Outside of that the other match between the two teams was a draw and that was in 2007.

Strasbourg is heading into the season with their top goal scorers back on the year. Ludovic Ajorque and Adrien Thomasson who both scored 8 goals on the year. The next high scorer for Strabourg was Lebo Mothiba who played in 21 games and scored 3 goals. Ludovic and Anthony Caci both managed to get 4 assist in the game.

Lorient is one team that would like to build up even more in this opening game. The best part for the Lorient club is they are aware of how to beat the Strasbourg club. The problem that could come is the pause and what seems like a resurgence in the coronavirus in France that could potentially delay the start of the games.

Coming back to the club is Yoane Wissa who played in 28 games with 15 goals. Pierre-Yves Hamel is also coming back with 26 matches played with 9 goals in the game. The leader when it came to passing was the entire squad. The club itself did not have any players record an assist in the game.

Free Soccer Pick: Under 2.25

With the game here the Lorient club is coming in playinga lot better, but also a lot better defensively as well. The Strasbourg team is one that has been able to play good in the past and in both meetings have played Lorient hard, but for Strasbourg to win this game it would be stretch. But the under is the play in this game as all the matches between the clubs have went on the under. Final Score Prediction, Lorient wins on the under 1-0.

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AS Monaco FC vs Stade Reims 8/23/20 - Ligue 1 (SOCCER)

AS Monaco opens its Ligue 1 campaign on Sunday hosting Stade de Reims, following a long hiatus for the coronavirus pandemic. Last season Monaco finished ninth in the French top-flight league with a record of 11-7-10 on 40 points, after nearly being relegated in the top-flight league the previous season.

Monaco signed star Axel Disasi to shore up its defense during the offseason. The former Reims defender was the best defender in Ligue 1 last season and was brought on because Monaco conceded 44 goals, which was the highest amongst the top 10 clubs in the league during 2019-20.

Reims finished sixth in Ligue 1 during the 2019-20 campaign with a record of 10-11-7 on 41 points. The club's defense was the best in the top 10 allowing just 21, but will be hard-pressed to replace the talented Disasi. Changes to the Reims lineup include the signing of Valon Barisha a midfielder, Fraser Hornby a forward, Anastasios Donis a forward, as well as defenders Thibault De Smet and Wout Faes.

Monaco does not report any injury concerns leading up to this clash with Reims, while Reims has announced new acquisition Anastasios Donis will not take part due to an injury.

Free Soccer Pick: AS Monaco FC -120

Host Monaco will have the advantage starting the Ligue 1 campaign on its home pitch. Dating back to 2016, the two clubs have only met six times with Monaco winning one, Reims winning one and four ending in a draw. The most recent meeting between the two was in February and ended in a 1-1 draw at Monaco. Final Score Prediction, AS Monaco wins 2-1

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Sofia Kenin vs. Alize Cornet 8/23/20 - Cincinnati Masters Tennis

At the 2020 WTA Cincinnati Masters, Sofia Kenin will begin her campaign in the second round. Kenin will play her first match against Alize Cornet from France.

Alize Cornet started her tournament in the first round where she defeated Caty McNally in straight sets. It was a dominant performance by Cornet as she won the opening set 6-0 and the second set 6-4. During the win, Alize Cornet impressed with her receiving as she won 57% of her receiving points which allowed her to break her opponent’s serve on 4 occasions. This is the first tournament that Cornet is playing since the resumption of the WTA season and the French player will be desperate to have a strong showing.

On the other side of the coin, Sofia Kenin received a bye in the opening round due to her high seeding. Kenin enters this match as the number 2 seed and she will be hoping to challenge for this title. Sofia Kenin has not played since the WTA season was halted but the American will be confident as she has had a great 2020 season. Sofia Kenin started the season by winning the Australian Open and in her most recent tournament, she won the Lyon Open. It has been a long break for most players but Sofia Kenin should be well placed to challenge for the Cincinnati Masters title.

Sofia Kenin and Alize Cornet have played each other 3 times in the past. Kenin has won on 2 occasions while Cornet has won once. The most recent match between these two players was in 2019 with Kenin winning the match in straight sets.

Free Tennis Pick: Sofia Kenin

Looking at the information, I am going to pick Sofia Kenin to win this match. Neither player has played much tennis in recent months but Kenin has been a class above this season and she should be good enough to outclass Cornet, especially on home soil.

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 1:00PM ET:
BOSTON CELTICS @ PHILADELPHIA 76ERS PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

BOS Celtics Win -8.0 Point Spread
-110

Over 213.0 Game Totals
-110

Against the Spread Pick
The Philadelphia 76ers will be trying to keep their season alive when they face the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of this first-round series on Sunday afternoon. Philadelphia came close to getting back in this series when it led by two points and had the ball late in Game 3, but Boston closed with a 10-0 run for a 102-94 victory. The Celtics now have a 3-0 advantage and the Sixers look deflated without Ben Simmons. Joel Embiid has been shouldering an impressive load, but he is not getting much help–with the main culprits being Tobias Harris and Al Horford. Boston, meanwhile, has three guys averaging more than 20.0 ppg in the playoffs (Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker). The 76ers are 3-8 ATS in their last 11 overall and 7-18-1 ATS in their last 26 against opponents with winning records. The Celtics are 4-1 ATS in their last five overall and 4-0 ATS in their last four as favorites. Oddsmakers are doing everything they can (increasing the line to eight points) to coax bettors into backing Philadelphia, but don’t take the bait. Boston should put the 76ers out of their misery–and likely in convincing fashion.


Over Under Pick
If this game does turn out to be a laugher, which it very well might, defense will be lacking throughout the fourth quarter. Even if it turns out to be competitive, for that matter, 213 is not a lofty total. Embiid has scored 26, 34, and 30 points so far this series–leading his team on every occasion. The Celtics scored 128 points by themselves in Game 2. The over is 12-5 in the 76ers’ last 17 overall and 7-3 ATS in their last 19 as underdogs. It is also 11-5-1 in the Celtics’ last 17 as favorites. Take the over.

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 6:30PM ET:
TORONTO RAPTORS @ LIU BROOKLYN BLACKBIRDS PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

TOR Raptors Win -13.0 Point Spread
-110

Under 217.0 Game Totals
-110

Against the Spread Pick
The Raptors are up three games to none in the series against a seriously shorthanded Nets team. This is the first time in franchise history they have held a series lead of that nature and it indicates their excellence and the Nets’ ineptitude. In short, Toronto is getting everything they want. They are playing good defense and getting excellent guard play from Fred VanVleet and Kyle Lowry. No team is more balanced and this is truly a team. They just want to win and share the ball with that intent. In game three they were never trailing. Brooklyn was already shorthanded coming into the series and then Joe Harris left the bubble before game three, making matters that much more difficult. If you watch the games you are seeing great effort but beyond Caris Levert and Jarrett Allen there is not a lot of talent there. Allen is an interesting case in that he has dominated on the glass but did not actually take a shot from the field in their last game. That is just hard to fathom, especially because he had five offensive rebounds. There is no reason to think the good times don’t continue to roll for Toronto.

Take the Raptors.


Over Under Pick
Games two and three went under. This one is going to be interesting because the effort just might not be there if the Nets get down early. It has been a long and weird season and they have been badly outplayed this series overall. If they lose energy because the game is not competitive then their pace will sag. That is what I am expecting and the Raptors are going to pretty evenly distribute their minutes given the circumstances.

Take the under.

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 9:00PM ET:
DENVER NUGGETS @ UTAH JAZZ PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

UTA Jazz Win -3.5 Point Spread
-110

Over 216.0 Game Totals
-110

Against the Spread Pick
Given that their lone loss in the series came in overtime you can make an easy case that Utah should be up 3-0 in the series. In that loss they got a monster game from Donovan Mitchell but the ensuing two games have proven that a more balanced approach serves them best. Mitchell scored 56 in the opener but had just 46 in the two wins thereafter. Getting Mike Conley back definitely helped in the game three blowout. He led the team with 27 points and looked as good as he has all season long. With him in the lineup the Jazz looked really good. Jamal Murray has also seen his scoring drop dramatically since that exciting first game. Nikola Jokic has been productive but Rody Gobert covers him as well as any center can. Michael Porter Jr. may have All-Star potential but he is not there yet, especially defensively. If the Nuggets are relying on him to be their third scorer they are going to get disappointed frequently. I am rolling with momentum here and taking the Jazz.


Take Utah.


Over Under Pick
Game three went under so it is a little surprising that the total pretty much held firm at opening. Utah has scored at least 124 points in all three games but the Nuggets could muster only 87 in the last contest. They are missing perimeter players Gary Harris and Will Barton more in the playoffs than they did during the regular season. Utah has been playing loose so if they are going to set the pace I expect they will score in a similar range again. Denver will be better than they were in game three, they have to be.


Take the over.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

SUN, AUG 23RD - 12:35PM ET:
MIAMI MARLINS @ WASHINGTON NATIONALS PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

WAS Nationals Win Money Line
-160

Over 10.0 Game Totals
-110

Money Line Pick
At age 36, Anibal Sanchez doesn’t look anything like the pitcher he was when he first came up in 2006 for the then-Florida Marlins. He’s yet to win any of his four starts this year, and has allowed almost one earned run per inning pitched. That said, this isn’t the first time Sanchez’s big-league career has appeared to be on the ropes. His two subpar seasons in Detroit in 2016 and 2017 had fans and experts questioning whether he would ever return to the form that won the American League ERA title in 2013, but he’s enjoyed a career resurgence in the National League East the past two years, so don’t count him out completely just yet. Humberto Mejia was just nine years old when Sanchez made his big-league debut, but fourteen years later, he makes his third major-league start and first against a team other than the Mets. Mejia has not managed to go past four innings yet, and while Sanchez’s stuff is not overpowering, his slow Mariposa curveball will confuse and frustrate the entire Marlins lineup. The Nationals should win this one.


Over Under Pick
Sanchez is still a big-league pitcher, and can turn in a decent start every now and then, but don’t expect him to throw seven scoreless against a Marlins team filled with veterans like Corey Dickerson, Miguel Rojas and Matt Joyce. Washington’s bullpen is better than it was the first half of last season, but closer Daniel Hudson has still struggled, so Miami should have opportunities late in the ballgame as well. Combined with Mejia’s inexperience against major league-level lineups, take the over.

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 1:05PM ET:
BOSTON RED SOX @ BALTIMORE ORIOLES PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

BOS Red Sox Win -1.5 Run Line
+120

Over 10.5 Game Totals
+100

Run Line Pick
After losing 18 of their first 24 games, the Boston Red Sox are starting to find their stride. Their trade of Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree to the Phillies signaled that they’ll be sellers for the upcoming trade deadine, with next to no chance of catching Tampa Bay or the Yankees at the top of the division. Just two years removed from a World Series, they’re a better ballclub than their record, and they’ll be happy to face 36-year-old lefty Wade LeBlanc, who’s pitched to a 7.89 ERA in his first season with his eighth major league team. The Red Sox counter with Zack Godley, who has yet to win a game in Boston after four and a half years in Arizona. Godley did win 36 games as a Diamondback, including 15 just two years ago, and he brings some momentum into Sunday’s contest after allowing just one run against the Phillies his last time out. Go with the Red Sox on the run line.


Over Under Pick
Most of the big bats in the Red Sox lineup have faced and had success against LeBlanc. J.D. Martinez has six hits, including two home runs, in 14 career at-bats, and Rafael Devers and Christian Vazquez have also bested LeBlanc in the past. The Red Sox have scored six or more runs in four straight games since Tuesday, and their offense is as hot as it’s been all year. Godley should pitch a decent ball game, but don’t count on a shutout, and go with the over.

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 1:10PM ET:
DETROIT TIGERS @ CLEVELAND INDIANS PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

CLE Indians Win -1.5 Run Line
-130

Over 9.0 Game Totals
-120

Run Line Pick
It’s hard to fathom a major league team losing twenty consecutive games to a division opponent, but that’s exactly what happened to the Tigers before finally besting the Indians on Friday. This series won’t be a sweep as their last few were, but Cleveland is far and away a better team. Veteran Carlos Carrasco has spent his entire career as a Cleveland Indian, and he had the Tigers’ number even when they were a more respectable squad. Miguel Cabrera has just a .176 average against Carrasco in 34 career at-bats, and the younger members of the Tigers haven’t fared any better in limited plate appearances. Detroit starts 23-year-old lefty Tarik Skubal, who made his major league debut on Tuesday, lasting just two innings in a loss to the White Sox. The Indians may be unfamiliar with Skubal, but they should be able to adjust quickly and hit him. Even if you give the Tigers an early edge, Cleveland should be able to come back and cover the spread, so look for the Indians to take the run line.


Over Under Pick
The Indians’ offense is as unpredictable as any team in the big leagues: they can explode for ten runs against a top pitcher one day and be shut out by a relative no-name the next. After losing their 20-game streak over the Tigers, they’ll be desperate to start another one as they are neck-and-neck with Minnesota and the White Sox at the top of the American League Central. Skubal allowed seven hits in his two innings on Tuesday, and Cleveland is a team that can turn hits into runs if you give them too many chances. Take the over.

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 1:35PM ET:
MILWAUKEE BREWERS @ PITTSBURGH PIRATES PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

MIL Brewers Win Money Line
-175

Over 9.0 Game Totals
+100

Money Line Pick
Good news for the Pittsburgh Pirates: they have won two games in a row! Bad news for the Pittsburgh Pirates: this is their first two-game winning streak of the entire season. Needless to say, it is just about impossible to expect them to string together three straight victories when it took them a month to reel off just two. Sunday’s pitching matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers also does not bode particularly well for the home team. Right-hander J.T. Brubaker has allowed six runs over his past 6.0 innings (spanning two appearances), seeing his 2020 ERA balloon to 4.91. The Brewers are countering with righty Corbin Burnes, who has been stellar this year (3.00 ERA, 29 strikeouts in 21.0 innings). Milwaukee is 18-8 in its last 26 against the National League Central, 26-12 in its last 38 against opponents with winning percentages under .400, and 5-2 in its last seven at Pittsburgh. The Pirates are 1-6 in their last seven at home, 3-9 in their last 12 against starters with WHIPs under 1.15, and 7-19 in the last 26 meetings between the two teams. Go with the Brewers.


Over Under Pick
The winning team in each of Milwaukee’s last four contests has scored at least seven runs. The visitors have allowed 19 to Pittsburgh through two games of this series, but they at least managed to score five on Saturday. Pirates DH Colin Moran is 6-for-8 with five runs scored in the past two outings. The over is 3-0-1 in the Brewers’ last four against opponents with winning percentages under .400. It is also 34-15-5 in the Pirates’ last 54 against opponents with losing records. Additionally, the over is 9-3-1 in the last 13 meetings between the two teams and 11-3-1 in Milwaukee’s last 15 at Pittsburgh. Take the over.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

SUN, AUG 23RD - 2:15PM ET:
CINCINNATI REDS @ ST. LOUIS CARDINALS PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

CIN Reds Win Money Line
-125

Under 9.5 Game Totals
-120

Money Line Pick
Two NL Central rivals will conclude their weekend series with a Sunday afternoon game. The Reds are expected to start Tyler Mahle, while the Cardinals will see Daniel Ponce de Leon take the mound. Mahle has looked decent this year for the most part, having not earned a decision yet, but posting a respectable ERA of 3.38. His last appearance came out of the bullpen where he did not fare great, allowing three runs over 3.1 innings to the Kansas City Royals. His last start came on August 4th where he pitched 6.9 shutout innings against the Cleveland Indians, allowing just one hit. Mahle had his fair share of struggles last year against the Cardinals, going 0-1 against them in three starts, allowing 11 runs over 16.2 innings.

Ponce de Leon has not been great this year to say the least, going 0-2 over his first three appearances. He has an ERA of 6.14, having allowed five earned runs over 7.1 innings of work. He has not seen the Reds much in his career, just once in 2019. In that lone start, he allowed three runs over 4.0 innings.

Even though there is a history of Mahle struggling against the Cardinals, he is most definitely the more consistent pitcher right now, so I would lean to the Reds to pick up the win.


Over Under Pick
Really Ponce de Leon is the only concern here as Mahle has proved to be serviceable. We know of his struggles this season, but the Reds are just not producing enough runs. They are averaging just 4.3 per game and the Cardinals are averaging 3.9. Unless all of a sudden the Cardinals bats’ catch fire, I see this one being close enough to ride the under again. Still just a small lean as I do not fully trust either pitcher.

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 2:20PM ET:
CHICAGO WHITE SOX @ CHICAGO CUBS PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

CHI Cubs Win Money Line
-185

Money Line Pick
The crosstown rivalry between the Cubs and White Sox will conclude on Sunday afternoon as they wrap up their weekend series. Yu Darvish is expected to make the start for the Cubs and Dylan Cease will pitch for the White Sox. Darvish has been outstanding so far in 2020, starting his season 4-1 with a 1.80 ERA. Since his first start where he allowed three runs over 4.0 innings to Milwaukee, Darvish has allowed only three in his last 26.0 innings pitched. In four games at Wrigley Field this season, Darvish is 3-1 with a 1.96 ERA.

Cease has also had a productive year so far, going 4-1 with a 3.16 ERA. He has won his last four starts in a row, allowing five runs over 23.1 innings. Cease has actually struggled a bit when on the road this season. He is just 2-1 in away games, allowing seven runs over 14.1 innings. Because of his road struggles and Darvish’s brilliant home record, I will lean the Cubs’ way to pick up the win.


Over Under Pick
*As of Saturday night, no total has been posted. Check back soon for the pick.*

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SUN, AUG 23RD - 4:10PM ET:
LOS ANGELES ANGELS @ OAKLAND ATHLETICS PICKS, EXPERT PREDICTIONS & BETTING TIPS

OAK Athletics Win Money Line
-125

Over 9.0 Game Totals
-115

Money Line Pick
Mike Trout is the best player in baseball but you can argue that the best thing about the Angels this season has been the pitching of Dylan Bundy. He never lived up to the hype in Baltimore but has found new life in L.A. He is 3-2 with outstanding peripherals and there is already talk that the Angels should deal him as his value might never be higher. If he can be strong in this one he will give the Angels a great chance to steal a win. He is off his worst outing of the season though…was it an aberration or are things beginning to slide already? A’s starter Frankie Montas is also off a bad outing, err terrible outing as he gave up nine runs against Arizona. Prior to that he had been really sharp as Oakland has relied more on pitching than hitting this season. They are 10th in scoring but still struggling to make consistent contact. If they can start turning solo homers into more they will easily stay ahead of Houston in the AL West.


Take Oakland.


Over Under Pick
There is so much offensive potential with these teams. They are loaded with power but struggling to make contact with regularity. Oakland has been getting away with it because they have been winning but L.A. has not been so lucky. Both starters struggled in their last outings and I think that continues for at least one of them. If Bundy is back to walking guys, four in his last start, Oakland has the patience to wait him out and pounce. I am expecting some crooked numbers.


Take the over.