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MLB Futures Wager: Atlanta Braves to Win the 2024 World Series

by Al McMordie

Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024

With the Major League Baseball season starting tomorrow, in Seoul, South Korea, with a two-game series between the Dodgers and Padres, it's time for my annual MLB Futures prediction.  This season, I'm going to go with the Atlanta Braves.  In my opinion, the Braves were the most accomplished team in MLB last year.  Obviously, they didn't win the World Series but they had an amazing campaign in 2023 that included a League-best 104 wins, an MLB all-time team record (tied with the 2019 Twins) 307 home runs, the best overall player in the game (Ronald Acuna), a first baseman that led MLB with 54 of those HRs, and an ace that had 281 strikeouts at a time when it's hard to reach 200 in a season.  Not needing more than some tweaks in the off-season, the Braves added veteran LHP Chris Sale to their rotation and all indications are -- based on the Spring he's having -- that Sale is 100% and ready to contribute in a big way.     It's hard to believe that despite winning 104 games, the Braves will not be the team that most people will have their eyes on as we begin the 2024 season.  That distinction will belong to the Dodgers and it's not even close.  Although there will be pressure on the Braves to go deeper into the post-season come October, it pales in comparison to the microscope that Freddy Freeman, Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw and new arrivals Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be under in Tinseltown.  In the NL East division, the Phillies will once again keep the Braves honest over 162 regular season games.  But at the end of September, almost everyone expects that Atlanta will be Division Champs once again.  While the Dodgers and Padres should be formidable, there are so many questions to be answered with the changes both teams have undergone, it's hard to tell where they will end up.  But it's steady as she goes for the Braves -- as long as they can stay healthy.  Take Atlanta at +550 (at MGM Sportsbook) to win the 2024 MLB World Series.  As always, good luck...Al McMordie.

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Big Al's Daily Angle: NBA, NHL, and NCAAB Previews and Odds - 03/19/2024

by Big Al Staff

Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024

The Tuesday sports card features NBA, NHL, and NCAAB action.The National Basketball Association has five games on its docket. Two NBA games tip off at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Orlando Magic host the Charlotte Hornets as a 13.5-point favorite with the total set at 203 (all odds from DraftKings). The Houston Rockets travel to Washington to play the Wizards as a 9-point road favorite with an over/under of 228.5. The New Orleans Pelicans play in Brooklyn against the Nets at 7:40 p.m. ET as an 8-point road favorite with a total of 216.5. The Dallas Mavericks are in San Antonio to play the Spurs at 8:10 p.m. ET as an 8.5-point road favorite with an over/under of 231.5. The Denver Nuggets visit Minnesota to play the Timberwolves at 9:10 p.m. ET as a 6.5-point road favorite with a total of 212. The National Hockey League has 13 games on its slate. Five NHL games drop the puck at 7:07 p.m. ET. The Boston Bruins play at home against the Ottawa Senators as a -218 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Detroit Red Wings are at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets as a -166 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The New Jersey Devils host the Pittsburgh Penguins as a -135 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The New York Rangers play at home against the Winnipeg Jets as a -125 money-line favorite with a total of 5.5. The Toronto Maple Leafs play in Philadelphia against the Flyers as a -135 money-line road favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The Carolina Hurricanes are in New York against the Islanders at 7:37 p.m. ET as a -162 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. Two more NHL games start at 8:07 p.m. ET. The Nashville Predators are at home against the San Jose Sharks as a -395 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6. The Colorado Avalanche travel to St. Louis to play the Blues as a -205 money-line road favorite with a total of 6.5. The Edmonton Oilers host the Montreal Canadiens at 9:07 p.m. ET as a -380 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. Four more games conclude the NHL card at 10:07 p.m. ET. The Minnesota Wild play in Anaheim against the Ducks as a -218 money-line road favorite with a total of 6. The Los Angeles Kings play in Chicago against the Blackhawks as a -375 money-line favorite with an over/under of 5.5. The Vancouver Canucks are at home against the Buffalo Sabres as a -205 money-line favorite with a total of 6.5. The Vegas Golden Knights host the Tampa Bay Lightning as a -142 money-line favorite with an over/under of 6.5. The college basketball schedule has nine tournament games on national television. Howard University battles Wagner on truTV at 6:40 p.m. ET in the first four round of the NCAA tournament at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio, as a 3-point favorite with a total of 128. Three more games in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament begin at 7 p.m. ET. Providence plays at home against Boston College on ESPNU as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 138. Georgia is at home against Xavier on ESPN as a 1.5-point favorite with a total of 152.5. Ohio State hosts Cornell on ESPN2 as a 10.5-point favorite with an over/under of 155. Two NCAAB games tip off at 9 p.m. ET. Virginia Tech plays at home against Richmond on ESPN2 as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 143.5. Butler is at home against Minnesota on ESPNU as a 3.5-point favorite with an over/under of 147.5. Iowa hosts Kansas State on ESPN as a 5.5-point favorite with a total of 157. Colorado State challenges Virginia on truTV at 9:10 p.m. ET in the first four of the NCAA tournament as a 3-point favorite with an over/under 121.  Utah plays at home against UC-Irvine on ESPN2 at 11 p.m. ET as a 7.5-point favorite with a total of 148.5. 

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MLB Betting Preview

by Oskeim Sports

Monday, Mar 18, 2024

MLB betting odds provide an effective means of measuring public sentiment towards specific games, which can help you decide if it makes more sense to fade the public or go with moneyline wagers. As part of their baseball handicapping strategies, experts must take several factors into account when handicapping games - weather and team histories are just two such considerations that need to be made when handicapping matches at Coors Field in Denver. Coors Field's unique physical surroundings also impact totals for each game played there. Futures wagers Futures bets offer an effective way of increasing your potential baseball betting payout. While they require greater patience and knowledge than other types of bets, futures wagers can reap big dividends when done properly. Always check odds before placing futures wagers as these odds change frequently depending on injuries, trades, and other variables that could influence play on any given day. Futures bets that are most frequently offered include league and division winners as well as team win totals. These types of bets tend to be easier for beginners to grasp than more intricate wagers and you can place them online or at your favorite sportsbook. Futures bets can take longer to settle than moneyline and run line bets, especially for season-long markets such as baseball. If you place a bet on the Houston Astros winning the World Series before its season begins, for example, your ticket could cash out months after first placing it; making them riskier. Runline bets Just like in football, run lines offer bettors another way of gambling on which team will win a game. Like point spreads but with larger margins of victory and higher odds. A standard MLB run line typically stands at 1.5 runs. Bets may be placed either on either team; however, bets on underdogs tend to yield greater returns due to good teams often facing weak opponents which produces more one-sided contests. However, standard MLB run lines can be adjusted depending on each matchup by one full or half run. Furthermore, sportsbooks may provide alternate run lines which are more volatile than standard lines, including ones based on how many points a team has scored which increases risk but results in larger rewards should you win. Parlay bets Parlay bets offer an effective way to increase winning wagers by adding multiple selections to a sports betting ticket at once. They can be placed on moneylines, run lines or total runs picks using complex baseball pick models which analyze team and player performance stats. Teaser bets use this same model to adjust point spreads and total line odds in your favor and are typically offered by reputable sportsbooks as an attractive offer to attract new customers or reward existing ones. Furthermore, parlays are easy to place and can make an excellent addition to your MLB betting preview. Just be careful when placing parlays involving multiple teams as any mistaken bet could mean your entire wager is lost - therefore you must conduct extensive research before placing any parlays and use disciplined straight betting practices when betting straight on multiple teams. Player props Player prop bets involve placing money on an individual player in a game. They tend to be more complex than side or total wagers and require research on past performances and injury reports of each team. One popular player prop bet involves betting on how many rushing yards a running back will amass in an individual game. This bet can usually be found at most US sportsbooks with odds of at least -120; when betting this way it's wise to consider team defense as this can have a considerable effect on game outcome. Other player props could include betting on how many strikeouts a starting pitcher will throw, or how many three-pointers a point guard will make in a game - these bets provide another way of adding excitement without risking your entire bankroll.

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