The 2018 MLB season is moving readily along. We’re getting close to all six MLB divisions being settled, but with just a month left in the 2018 regular season, a lot can happen in each division.
Only the AL Central is truly spoken for. The Cleveland Indians are coasting to a playoff spot with a 14-game lead over the Minnesota Twins.
The Boston Red Sox, for all of their dominance, have the next-biggest gap, yet reside above the New York Yankees by just 6.5 games in the AL East.
Just can be a funny word. A six-game lead can be quite the mountain to climb in professional baseball, after all.
Still, there are five MLB divisions worth betting on – and not just the favorite. Of those five, there are three elite bets that stand out to me. That isn’t to suggest those value bets are for sure going to pan out, but if you’re looking for an upset to cheer for, you could do a lot worse.
Let’s take a closer look at which divisions aren’t quite settled, while we also try to secure some elite value to wrap up the regular season.
This one stands out the most to me when you look at overall team talent, price, and the actual chances of it happening.
Oakland just wrapped up a tense series with the AL West-leading (and defending World Series champion) Houston Astros, but they held their own. This team has a loaded offense that can attack even the best arms, and when they get outside of their pitcher-friendly ballpark, they can really go nuts.
The A’s don’t have amazing pitching, and that’s another thing that has held them back this year. Houston is also finally getting healthy at the exact right time.
However, the Astros have played down to their competition at home all year, and their elite pitching rotation has been banged up and not quite as good as we’re used to seeing.
Another team I like is the Brew Crew, who still hold their fate in their hands with a month to play.
The Chicago Cubs lead everyone in the NL Central by at least four games, but the Brewers are only 5.5 games out of first and had been there earlier in the year.
Milwaukee has also had some success against Chicago this year, while few teams offer as much pop as their stacked lineup does. Like most teams with crazy offenses, Mil-town’s biggest concern remains their shaky starting pitching.
Freddy Peralta, Chase Anderson, Jhoulys Chacin, and Junior Guerra make them passable, but Milwaukee is really going to have to crush it with the sticks and/or grind out some tight wins.
What’s better is that Milwaukee enjoys the majority of September – their most crucial month – at home. Literally 15 of their 26 games to close the year go down in Miller Park, and judging by how they’ve performed this year, that should only be a good thing.
More than that, the Brewers face four teams in September with .500 records or worse, and two of their series go against – you guessed it – those hated Cubs.
If the Brewers are finally going to get it done and take the division back, the time is now. You certainly can’t say the opportunity to do so won’t be there for them as the season winds down.
The Cardinals (+550) are also a really good play inside the NL Central, but I’d aim a bit higher with the more potent Brewers.
This is probably Boston’s baseball world, and we’re all just living in it. Maybe so, but the New York Yankees have hung on all year and are still just 6.5 games behind the very best team in the majors.
The fact that the Red Sox are a staggering 91-42 (at the time of this writing) and aren’t even that far ahead of the pinstripes has to be concerning for Boston fans.
To make matters worse, the Yankees are keeping themselves from falling behind despite Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorius, and Gary Sanchez all being on the shelf.
When the Yankees are firing on all cylinders, their solid pitching is enough to combine with their excellent offense and make them a legit title threat.
That understandably puts them in play for the AL East, especially when you consider they still close out the year against Boston with two different three-game series.
If the Yanks somehow sweep both, they can make up that ground in a hurry. If they can cut their deficit down to just 2-3 games, just winning those series can put them in position to take back the division.
I honestly think there’s even more value to take a long, hard look at.
I mentioned the Cardinals at +550, while the AL West isn’t remotely close to being decided, and a collapse from the Atlanta Braves could always open the door for the Philadelphia Phillies (+260) and maybe even the Washington Nationals (+1400!).
The NL West is just so tight that the value isn’t that appealing. I also think Atlanta is taking the NL East.
Washington is admittedly too far gone (8 games back), especially when you factor in that they kind of mailed it in by trading away Matt Adams and Daniel Murphy recently.
You can still look at these spots, but my favorite bet across the board is the Yankees. They’re going to get healthy eventually, and earlier in the year, some would tell you they were truly the best team in baseball.
Boston has the best combination of top ace and offense, but their arms after Chris Sale aren’t unbeatable.
In theory, Luis Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, and J.A. Happ give the Yankees a stable of pitchers that are plenty good enough (especially with that offense backing them) to take down anyone – including the Sox.
There are no guarantees, but the Yanks feel like sleeping giants. Three of their best bats have been shelved, and they all could come back just in time to lift the Yanks to the top of the division.
Considering their talent, their odds, and their clear path to pay off this wager, I think it’s a flier bet worth taking on.
The post 3 MLB Division Wagers That Could Still Return Insane Value appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
There was a time when the Williams sisters were playing regularly against each other in finals and semifinals of the biggest tennis tournaments in the world. Serena is arguably one of the greatest tennis players to ever grace the game, while Venus has her own exceptional legacy.
This is why it is awesome to see them compete at the highest level way after the age of 35. It’s time for the Williams sisters to face each other once again in a Grand Slam tournament. This time, it’s the round of 32 at the US Open.
Such a clash has never happened that early, since both of them are part of the WTA. This is a bit of unfamiliar territory, but I feel that both will be eager to prove to the world that they’ve still got it.
This could be an epic match, and I can’t wait to watch it. Of course, it’s also a good opportunity to find some lucrative betting options and make some money.
But before I move on to that, let’s take a look at their previous meetings.
A quick look at the history of the Williams sisters’ rivalry shows as many as 29 matches in total so far. Serena has the upper hand, as she won 17 of them, but Venus was victorious the last time they met. She beat her sister 6-3 6-4 in this year’s Indian Wells.
Since Venus is the older sister, she had the upper hand at the beginning, but Serena has been dominating the last couple of years. She won 8 of the last 10 times they played each other. However, Venus did manage to actually snatch two victories on hard courts.
The US Open is played on the same surface, so Venus might actually have a chance of winning this match. On top of that, this is the 6th time the two Williams sisters will play at this particular Grand Slam tournament, and Serena leads 3-2.
From a historical point of view, Serena Williams has the upper hand, but Venus certainly is not a complete underdog.
Now that we’ve explored the past, let’s go back to the present and check the main betting markets for this match.
It looks like the bookies consider Serena as the overwhelming favorite in this match. This is hardly a surprise, as she has been the better player in the past 5-6 years. Venus hasn’t won a Grand Slam tournament in the past 10 years, while her sister has been dominating the circuit.
In fact, I feel the odds would’ve been much lower if it wasn’t for Serena’s return from pregnancy at the start of this year, but more about that later.
The over/under 21 games line also reflects the expectations that Serena will win easily. It’s obvious that the gambling sites see this as a victory in two sets for the younger sister. I tend to agree with such an assessment if you judge by this year’s performance of Venus and Serena Williams.
Let’s move on to the individual analysis of each sister.
It’s remarkable that Venus Williams is 38 and is still playing at such a level. She is number 16 in the official WTA rankings, which is more than respectable.
In fact, it’s close to a miracle at her age, especially if you consider the fact that she was in the top 10 a couple of months ago.
Despite her solid performances, Venus is not at the same level as she was once before, and this is quite normal. She failed to pass the first round in the Australian Open and the Roland Garros. Her best performance in a 2018 Grand Slam was at Wimbledon.
She’s reached round 3 of her favorite tournament, so she has the chance to actually go one step further if she manages to defeat her sister.
The problem is, I’m not sure if she’s physically capable of competing with Serena right now. Venus had a knee injury recently, and even if it is fully healed, it did mess with her preparation for the US Open.
I think this could be a deciding factor, because her sister is one of the most demanding players out there in terms of fitness, even if she’s not at her best either.
Furthermore, her path to the 3rd round was hardly a walk in the park. Venus beat in 2-1 sets fellow veteran Svetlana Kuznetsova in her opener and was pushed hard by the Italian Camila Giorgi.
It’s hard to describe the greatness and achievements of Serena Williams. She has won so many tournaments and matches throughout the years that I struggle to recall any other athlete that has been so dominant for so long.
Her streak was interrupted when Serena gave birth to her first child, and many believed she would struggle to return to top form. The early indications suggested this would be the case, but the former world number 1 actually reached the Wimbledon final.
She might not be the same unstoppable force she was a couple of years ago, but Serena Williams is certainly one of the best players out there.
The world was shocked when she was beaten 6-1 6-0 by Johanna Konta recently, but the release of her half-sister’s killer was the main reason behind that.
Her performance at the US Open so far suggests that Serena Williams is fully focused and ready to attack the title. She destroyed her first two opponents, losing a total of 8 games in the process.
Sure, Magda Linette and Carina Witthoeft are not exactly the strongest possible challenges out there, but Serena has looked great in both matches so far.
While Venus Williams is not exactly harmless and has beaten her sister in the past, she is way out of her prime. I don’t think she is capable of producing the performance required to beat Serena, who’s returning to her best shape.
The price of 1.38 might seem short, and I don’t often recommend placing such bets, but I think it’s worth it this time around. It is a perfect option if you are looking to build an accumulator, but it’s decent enough on its own, too.
Of course, I can’t miss the opportunity to take a look at the odds for the US Open winner in the women’s draw. Can one of the sisters actually add another title to her collection? I don’t think Venus has any chance of a victory, but it’s another story when it comes to Serena.
In fact, she is the main favorite to win the tournament, and the price you could get is around the 4.00 mark. Still, I don’t think it’s a great price and not worth a shot. There are a couple of other players that could beat Serena.
One of them is Angelique Kerber. The German star is in her prime and knows how to win against her American rival. She has beaten her in two Grand Slam finals already, including this year’s Wimbledon. The price of 8.00 seems like a decent option, and I wouldn’t rule Kerber out.
According to the bookies, Sloane Stephens is the third most likely winner, and you can find similar prices for her. Considering the good record of American players on their home soil and the fact that many believe Stephens is the next big thing, I feel this won’t be a terrible bet, either.
What bothers me is the rather slow start so far, as Stephens wasn’t convincing in any of her first two games. And yet, that was the case last year, too, but the American managed to win her first Grand Slam tournament.
She is eager to defend her title and already showed growth by reaching the French Open final earlier this year.
There are a couple of other names that are always dangerous, including the likes of Elina Svitolina, Madison Keys, Petra Kvitova, and Kiki Bertens. And still, I think they won’t be able to snatch the title and compete with Williams, Kerber, and Stephens.
I would say the best approach is to back both Kerber and Stephens, as the odds allow you to easily split your wager and still get a solid return.
Are you excited to watch the Williams sisters once again, as I am? I expect them to put a show for the public, but Serena should win rather comfortably in the end.
In fact, she could well go on to grab the trophy after that.
What’s your opinion? Do you think someone could stop Serena? Let me know in the comments section below.
The post Who Will Win the Battle of the Williams Sisters at the 2018 US Open? appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
On paper, the UFC just landed a franchise-saver. I doubt Dana White’s product is struggling all that bad these days, but the card he’s put together for UFC 229 is, well, impressive.
Not only does he get the long-awaited return of Notorious himself, Conor McGregor, but the undefeated Khabib Nurmagomedov also takes center stage.
Oh, and these two dudes are facing each other.
Suffice it to say, the hype is through the roof, and it’s warranted. My only issue is that, much like a lot of UFC fights these days, it won’t meet up to the lofty expectations.
There’s plenty of reasoning to fear that, too. Let’s go over the biggest problems with this bout and how/why it might not be worth our time (or money).
The main thing that has to be on everyone’s mind is that Notorious has been away from the Octagon for too long. He last fought without boxing gloves back in November of 2016.
He then dabbled in professional boxing and did something in a ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr. I, along with many others, still aren’t sure just what, though.
McGregor then got in trouble with the UFC (and the law), ran his mouth, and simply wasted a ton of time. He’s now going back into the cage for the first time in almost two full years, and right away, it’s a massive title bout.
Forget about the fact that McGregor has lost a few times in his past or that when he’s won, the fights have ended quickly, or his competition simply didn’t stand a chance. The problem this time around is that he will be coming in cold, and that could lead to a terrible effort.
I’m a McGregor fan in the sense that I love his talent and personality. But he’s still a human being going up against what seems to be another elite fighter. Being away for that long without some type of prep match seems like a roll of the dice.
That could lead to a bummer of a fight, but if you want to be the glass-half-full kind of person, maybe you’re a Khabib supporter, and this leads to Nurmagomedov wrecking McGregor.
Even if it’s not a landslide win, Khabib would still win and stay undefeated. That’d set up a battle with GSP, whoever else he wants to face, all of the money, and Khabib being anointed as the new face of mixed martial arts.
That, or Khabib runs into the buzzsaw that is Conor McGregor and comes up extremely weak in an embarrassing, exploitative defeat.
Khabib can beat McGregor, and he can do so in a number of ways. However, his clear edge is on the ground.
If McGregor avoids his takedowns and keeps this thing on both fighter’s feet, he could make quick work of Khabib and turn an uber-hyped title bout into one that borders on fraudulent.
McGregor can take kicks and punches. He can out-last guys bigger than him. He can also inflict serious punishment with just one punch.
Khabib has the more rounded skill-set, but he loses if this is a striking match.
The main issue with either of these first two points is that it could lead to this fight being incredibly one-sided.
People want to know one way or another which fighter is better and deserves to be champion, but they also want a good bout. For the two reasons already mentioned, they might not get it.
The last thing that really hurts this fight is the fact that the odds aren’t that tempting.
The top UFC betting sites aren’t really pumping Khabib up as a massive favorite, but they also aren’t reeling you in by making McGregor some terrible underdog.
This is a guy who hasn’t fought in the Octagon for almost two years, and his first trip back down memory lane is against a guy who is 26-0 and about as vicious as it gets.
Khabib has an extremely layered skill-set, and he’s equipped to take out McGregor, who has just three losses to his name, but all three have come via submission.
McGregor also has inferior floor skills, so if his defense and awareness aren’t on point, you’re throwing money away.
Agree with all of that and think Nurmagomedov stays undefeated? You’re not soaking up much value at his -170 price tag at MMA betting sites like SportsBetting.ag, while you’re still betting against Conor freaking McGregor.
It sounds crazy, but beyond going to a bar and watching this match while I force a burger, fries, and beer down my gullet, I want no part of this thing.
The best way to attack this fight has to be by finding some great McGregor vs. Khabib prop bets. Because on paper, there isn’t enough value to convince me to roll with either side.
Khabib is taking on easily the most dangerous fighter he has seen as a pro, while McGregor could be rusty and run into the exact type of fighter that can dispatch him.
Don’t get me wrong. This is an awesome fight, and kudos to the UFC for setting it up. Bigger things can stem from this, and simply getting both of these guys back onto the canvas makes the sport so much more interesting.
But betting on it leads to nowhere in a hurry.
If you need a pick, though, I can’t go away from McGregor. Everyone’s hot run ends eventually in a sport as wild as the UFC, while Nurmagomedov is asking for trouble by taking on the only dude who has ever held two titles at the same time in the sport.
Every favorite meets his demise, and every perfect streak ends. Who better than Notorious to send Khabib packing and offer you a little value along the way?
The post Will McGregor vs. Nurmagomedov Be a Huge Letdown? appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
So apparently this Bryson DeChambeau cat is the real deal. His breakthrough performance at the Northern Trust all but stamped his ticket to Paris in less than a month’s time, but we’ve still got plenty left to play for.
Now it is time to turn the page and get ready for the Dell Technologies Championship.
The top-100 in the FedEx Cup standings have advanced, and they’ll make the short trip from Paramus, New Jersey, up to Norton, Massachusetts, a small town about 25 miles south of Downtown Boston. Because of Labor Day, this tournament will begin on Friday and conclude on Monday, so keep that in mind as you make your plans.
Just like last week, the top sports betting sites have done us a solid and provided us with an assortment of matchups to choose from. Sifting through the betting sheets is a bit more challenging than in weeks past, as the golf course doesn’t really seem to favor any one type of player.
Sure, we have seen bombers like Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy take this tournament down in the previous two years, but let’s not forget about the list of “short knockers” who have also tasted victory at TPC Boston.
Chris Kirk (2014), Webb Simpson (2011), Charley Hoffman (2010), and Steve Stricker (2009) all won here without overpowering the golf course, so anything can happen. That means trying to predict who winds up on the first page of the leaderboard is even more up in the air than normal.
All I can do is try and lock into the players who are primed to play well, given current form and the way their games are trending.
Take a peek at the head-to-heads that have me interested, and perhaps you’ll feel the same way.
Technically, both of these men are still trying to impress Thomas Bjorn in hopes of being selected as a captain’s pick for the European Ryder Cup team. I’d like to clarify by stating that one of these men is already locked into the roster as far as I am concerned, regardless of what happens in Boston.
All Ian Poulter has to do is stay alive for the next four weeks, and he’ll be on the team plane to Paris.
On the other hand, Rafa Cabrera-Bello is amongst the players who are in the running for a captain’s pick, but I envision that he still has some work left.
We saw this come into play over this past weekend, as Rafa’s +3 total of 145 over the final 36 holes dropped him all the way back into a tie for 60th. I know he is feeling the nerves of trying to inspire the European captain; it’s just natural.
I’m not saying that Rafa is going to “wet the bed” and miss the cut horribly in Beantown. I’m just saying I don’t see him getting into serious contention.
On the flip side, Ian Poulter has been playing tremendously for more than four months now, and the Ryder Cup is now in sight. His string of terrific play was slightly halted by a less-than-stellar T-48th last week in New Jersey, but I’m not reading into it a whole bunch.
Ian was mediocre all week long, as the 54 pars he made were the second most in the field. I look for Poulter to get the putter heated up this weekend, and that should spell for lots of birdies and low scores.
On top of all of this, BetOnline is allowing us to snag Ian at even money, while Rafa is the listed favorite at -120. I’m riding with the value here because I don’t suspect it’ll last all the way until Friday morning.
I’m a big fan of Henrik Stenson and know how premier of a ball striker he is. But I can’t help but think that this elbow injury that forced Stenson to skip the Northern Trust might be a bit more serious than I originally anticipated.
He claims that it is okay and that he can practice and play without pain, but perhaps his recent results suggest otherwise. Take a look.
After finishing 26th or better in 9 of his first 10 starts, the “Big Swede” has cracked the top 35 just once in his most recent four tournaments. This includes an MC at Bellerive Country Club at the year’s final major just a few weeks ago.
I’ve heard rumors that Thomas Bjorn has already secretly guaranteed Henrik a pick, which makes me even more wary of how Stenson plays this weekend at TPC Boston.
Meanwhile, there is absolutely nothing suspicious about Tommy Fleetwood and the current state of his golf game. The 27-year-old father of one doesn’t know anything other than finishing in the top 20, as he’s done so in 12 of the 16 PGA Tour events he has entered this season.
I could go on and on about what Tommy does well on the golf course, but the fact that he’s 7th on the PGA Tour in overall strokes gained tells you how consistent of a player he is.
Despite all of Fleetwood’s accomplishments, he’s never hoisted a trophy on this stage up until this point. It’s only a matter of time until that changes, and it could even be this week. The fact that all he has to do is beat Stenson over the course of 72 holes for me to cash in on this wager has me licking my chops.
BetOnline has dropped the ball on this line, flat-out.
Bovada seems to have gotten it right, as they have Adam Scott listed at -110 versus Jon Rahm. Adam is +110 versus Rahm on Sportsbook.ag, so I continued scouring to see if I could find an even better price.
That’s when I spotted the 38-year-old Aussie at a ridiculous +140 versus Jon Rahm on BetOnline. If you want to wager on Rahm here, you have to lay an egregious -160!
While Jon Rahm was throwing clubs and muttering curse words en route to an “MC Hammer,” Adam Scott was busy leading the field in strokes-gained putting.
The top-5 finish at Ridgewood was the perfect amount of momentum that Adam needed as we roll into the remainder of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. With a cumulative scoring average of 67.38 over his last 8 rounds on tour, Scott has clearly found the form he had been searching for throughout the season.
I expect him to continue striping the golf ball up and down the fairways, so now that he’s found a stride with his flat stick, the sky is the limit.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Rahm bounce back and play well, but come on, folks.
+140 for Adam Scott here is what I call “stupid value.” It’s a no-brainer, no matter what the outcome is.
Kevin Na is quietly a really good golfer. No, he doesn’t hit it as long as Bubba, and no, he isn’t known for being the fastest player on tour.
But when it comes to cashing checks on golf’s biggest stage, few do it better and more consistently than Kevin Na.
Since winning at The Greenbrier in early July, Na has made all his cuts, and he’s even shown flashes of improvement lately. After finishing 31st at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Kevin has gone 19th-15th over his past two tournaments (PGA Championship and the Northern Trust).
Bubba has been doing the exact opposite, plummeting far and fast ever since he finished 13th that same week that Kevin won. To be more precise, in his last 5 appearances, all Bubba has to show for it is a 31st and a 34th to go along with a trio of missed cuts.
If you want more data that points in the direction of Na, look at what happened at the 2017 Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston.
Bubba failed to break 70 all week on his way to finishing in a four-way tie for 69th. Kevin posted a Sunday 66 to finish in a tie for 6th.
I feel like there is more than enough information here for me to feel comfortable loading up on Na. Bubba is searching for a swing thought that works, while Kevin is pretty much firing all on cylinders.
That’s enough for me to work with, and I’m guessing most of the sharps feel the same way.
These wagers are oozing with value, and I can promise you I am not the only one targeting them. There is a good chance that this value won’t last, so if I were you, I’d book these quickly.
If you wait until 8:15 AM local time on Friday morning when that first tee time goes off, you are going to miss the boat.
Setting up an account on BetOnline.ag is so quick and so easy, and the payouts are super reliable. As fun as it is to hang out on the couch with a cold beverage and watch the PGA Tour tournament action unfold, it gets even more exhilarating when you have a few bucks on the line.
Seriously, though, if you thought any of these bets were attractive, head over there right now. Book the bets and see how it goes. If it works out, come on back next week for my betting tips and advice for the BMW Championship!
The post Betting Preview of the 2018 Dell Technologies Championship with Free Picks appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
Ever since Jose Mourinho was appointed as the Manchester United manager, there have been doubts if he’s the right man for the job. After all, the Portuguese specialist has the reputation of someone who’s capable of taking the maximum in the short term, but who’s not capable of building a lasting legacy.
A good example of that is the fact that Mourinho has reached his 4th season at the same club only once in his entire career. Usually, he stays for 2 or 3 years, and then things go downhill, which results in him leaving or getting sacked.
His first season at the helm went rather well, as Manchester United won the League Cup and the Europe League. Everyone expected a proper title challenge in his second one, but Pep Guardiola’s Man City swept the competition.
The Red Devils did reach the second place and an FA Cup final, but they didn’t win a trophy. On top of that, the style of the side was criticized by many of the supporters, and some of the players, most notably Paul Pogba, don’t seem happy with their manager.
It went from bad to worse for Jose, as the transfer window this summer was hardly what he expected. The Portuguese manager wanted a couple more players, including one or two center backs, but he wasn’t supported by the board.
This is the reason Mourinho seemed unhappy during the pre-season, and the start of the EPL campaign is not looking good, either. After an unconvincing win against Leicester, Man Utd lost two in a row, including a 3-0 humiliation at the hands of Tottenham this Monday.
I don’t think the board or the supporters of the club were happy with this performance, and the atmosphere at Old Trafford is getting worse by the minute. Sure, it was a bright start and a decent first half, but the side completely collapsed after the interval.
This raises the question of if Jose Mourinho must be sacked right now, or if Manchester United should wait at least until the summer to get rid of the manager.
The soccer world is torn apart, as you will find people backing both options. I will try to explore all the possible angles and share my opinion. Of course, I will also explore some betting opportunities related to the Mourinho case.
Let’s start with some of the arguments that suggest that Manchester United should give the manager more time and back him up.
It’s not a secret that Jose Mourinho wanted to strengthen in the summer. The manager felt that Manchester United needed at least one more center back, and judging by the performances since the start of the season, he was right.
A club of this magnitude and financial power should be able to find a way to sign at least one player in a position where the manager felt it was needed.
In a way, the problems with the squad are not entirely the manager’s fault. He wanted more players, and he didn’t get them.
Manchester United has the reputation of a club that’s willing to give its managers time to build. The most obvious example is Sir Alex Ferguson, but one could argue that even the likes of David Moyes and Louis van Gaal were allowed to work for long enough before getting sacked.
As we can see in Manchester City and Liverpool, this is the way to go. Obviously, you also need the right manager at the helm, but even the likes of Klopp and Pep Guardiola needed time.
I’ve said a couple of times already that the Spaniard had by far the best squad in the English Premier League in his first year but was miles behind in the title race.
If Mourinho gets sacked by United right now, it will send the signal that the club is no longer willing to wait. That the immediate results are more important than the long-term success of the club. This will certainly discourage some of the best managers out there from joining the Red Devils.
Instead, they will get one-season wonders and journeymen who are only there to win some trophies and leave.
One of the main arguments against Jose Mourinho is that the team hasn’t performed well under his guidance. Is this fair?
Mourinho earned two trophies and a place in the Champions League in his first campaign. In the second one, Man Utd finished second, only behind a record-breaking Man City side that was the best in the entire history of the competition.
On top of that, this is the best finishing position of the club since Sir Alex Ferguson left. Sure, there was no trophy at the end of the day, but it wasn’t the tragedy some make it, either.
Obviously, there are some reasons to believe that Jose Mourinho should stay, but there here are the main points when it comes to the leave option.
Many argue that Mourinho has only himself to blame for the squad at his disposal, and I can easily see why. The Portuguese manager has spent a fortune on new players in his first couple of transfer windows, so moaning about the quality of this group is like taking shots at himself.
The likes of Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, and many other players were signed after Mourinho arrived. On top of that, the last two players on this list are center backs. If they are not good enough for the club, it’s Jose Mourinho’s fault in the first place.
After all, the board spent a couple hundred million in the past couple of years, and it’s only natural to expect results. Sure, Man City is way too strong, but the Red Devils should be at least close to them after all the money spent.
This is obviously not the case, and by the looks of it, it will be even worse this season. If you add the progress in other teams like Liverpool and Tottenham, there’s a good chance for Manchester United to be involved in the top 4 battle.
The situation is unacceptable, and Mourinho is the one responsible for that.
The whole team looks like a mess right now and pretty much the whole squad of Jose Mourinho is underperforming for various reasons.
For a start, Paul Pogba is obviously not happy. The World Cup winner who’s considered as one of the most exciting talents out there simply can’t reach his ceiling under Mourinho.
The manager has struggled to find his position on the pitch, but Pogba is not the only one.
On top of everything else, Mourinho is hardly the best manager out there when it comes to developing young talent. He had Salah and De Bruyne at his disposal in the past and didn’t even play them. We can see how Rashford and Martial have regressed under his guidance.
This is a big deal for a club like Manchester United that has always managed to mix stars with boys from the Academy. The best example of this is the Class of ‘92 that brought the club so much success.
We all know that Jose Mourinho is the master of nullifying the opponent. Such an approach is the reason behind most of his titles, and this is why the manager sticks to what he’s good at.
If you want a manager for a single game, Mourinho is your guy. However, this is Manchester United we’re talking about. The side has always tried to achieve success and entertain his supporters, and this is the reason why the club is so popular worldwide.
With a manager like Mourinho and his negative tactics, the image of the club is in jeopardy. A lot of the fans don’t like what they’re seeing, and the fault lies entirely on Mourinho’s shoulders.
I don’t think anyone could expect him to change. Sure, he could become a bit more adventurous every now and then. But ultimately, Jose Mourinho is a master of defending, and this is his nature. You can’t expect him to thrive if he’s not true to himself.
And his personality and style simply don’t suit Manchester United.
I guess we all remember what happened at the end of Mourinho’s second stint at Chelsea, right? Once again, during the third season of his career at a certain club, the Portuguese struggled badly.
The results weren’t going his way, there was pressure between the manager and the board, many of the players were not happy… Does this sound familiar? What happened next was ugly.
A quick look at the cringe-fest after the Tottenham defeat and the press conference are reminiscent of the end of Mourinho at Chelsea. If Man Utd wants to avoid the whole circus and finishing 10th, as the Blues did in Jose’s last season, it’s better to see him go.
If Jose is sacked early in the season, after a couple of bad results, the entire blame for a potential failure this season will be on him, and it probably should be.
Any new manager will have an almost full season to get to know the players and start installing his ideas. It’s a free pass, if you will, as any trophy will be a bonus, but the lack of success won’t be an issue at all.
Then, when the campaign is over, the new manager will have a solid idea of what to expect from the squad and what new players should be signed.
The club will basically lose one season but prepare well for the next one. And as it stands, this campaign seems already lost. Not because of the results – two losses are nothing in the long run – but because of the atmosphere at the club.
I don’t think anyone believes that Jose can turn things around. The players don’t, most of the supporters don’t, and the board looks disinterested in backing him. Unless some spectacular change happens right now, the season will be a disaster.
I think that the objective evaluation of the current situation shows that Jose Mourinho should be sacked by Manchester United. Sure, this will have some negative consequences as well, but the situation is such that it’s about damage control right now.
I have the feeling that the board of the Red Devils is on the same page as me, and the Portuguese manager will be gone. That said, let’s take a look at some of the betting opportunities that might be up for grabs as a result.
I already mentioned that the possibility of Jose Mourinho getting sacked before the season ends was real in my preview of this betting market. However, I didn’t expect for the situation to be that bad this early in the season.
I thought Jose should make it at least until Christmas, but I’m not so sure anymore. In fact, a loss in the next match against Burnley could be enough to see the Portuguese gone for good.
Some might feel this is impossible, but I believe the Man Utd board will be eager to avoid the disaster that happened during Jose’s last season in Chelsea.
As it stands, the price for Mourinho to be the first manager in the EPL to lose his job is around the 2.00 mark. It’s tempting, considering the situation, but I would probably still avoid it. Too many people have placed such a wager, so the odds have dropped way too low.
On top of that, I feel that Man Utd has a good chance of bouncing back against Burnley, as you will see below. This should give Mourinho more time.
Still, I would recommend following the situation closely, as I can’t see Mourinho staying for the entire season.
The next fixture of Manchester United is against Burnley this Sunday. The hosts are a tough nut to crack, especially at home. However, they are in an unfamiliar situation.
Burnley is trying to get into the Europa League this summer and has been forced to play twice a week since the start of the season. I don’t think the club has the squad depth to cope with that, and we already saw it against Watford.
The side will host Olympiacos and is trailing 3-1 after the first game. I think Burnley will try its best to win this one, without thinking too much about the match against Manchester United.
However, the price of 1.65-1.70 offered by most bookies is abysmal, considering the state of the club. As it stands, one mistake or one goal could be enough to bring the confidence down. This is why my actual advice would be to stay away from this match.
I think there are better options for this weekend, and I will share my usual analysis tomorrow, so make sure to check our blog for some free betting picks on the EPL again on Thursday.
I’m sure that most of you expected some betting picks, but I feel that the right approach right now would be to stay away from both markets. It’s tempting back a Mourinho sacking and a Burnley win, but both options are heavily underpriced.
Instead, I recommend you keep following the atmosphere at Old Trafford and keep your eyes open for other, more valuable betting opportunities.
The post Should Manchester United Sack Manager, Jose Mourinho? appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
The 2018 NFL season is just around the corner, while the final week of the preseason arrives on August 30th. It’s not quite here yet, but with that first week of NFL regular-season action comes a huge swoon in the sports betting world.
I touched on it last week, and in short order, meaningful NBA and NHL contests will be here as well.
It’s pretty much the best point in the sports year, and it’s certainly a thrill for sports betting enthusiasts. The good news is that I’m nailing upset picks even while dabbling in the less appealing genres, so when the good stuff gets here, it should be even better.
I marched into last week with a 30-46-1 record. That doesn’t sound impressive at first glance, but that’s 30 upset picks. It isn’t ever easy to nail an upset pick, and as I’ve mentioned, I’m getting you value at a pretty difficult time of year.
Hopefully it’s helped you hit a few big winners and cash more often than not. I’d also like to point out that there is risk anytime you bet on a big underdog, so always consider angling the point spread as a hedge (or replacement) if you’re not in total agreement with me.
In fact, due to lines being slow to come out last week, I took two dog lines, and it worked out swimmingly. Let’s take a look at last week before digging in deep for some more underdog picks.
It was a really nice week overall, as I went 3-1 for the second week in a row. I tried my hand at WNBA, MLB, CFL, and NFL preseason picks.
I like to offer some versatility whenever possible, but I don’t love to force picks I don’t see value in and/or actually believe in.
The only blemish was Minnesota getting housed by LA. That was a tough loss, but as you can see, the rest of the week worked out nicely.
Minnesota Lynx over Los Angeles Sparks+245
St. Louis Cardinals over Los Angeles Dodgers+154 
Edmonton Eskimos over Hamilton Tiger-Cats+3
New Orleans Saints over Los Angeles Chargers+2.5
The Cards felt like an elite betting value on Tuesday night, and they stayed hot with a win at Dodger Stadium. The +154 price was pretty nice, and it’s certainly never a bad thing to hit a good baseball underdog like that.
My CFL picks have been hit or miss this year, but I’m glad the lines were slow to materialize. I rolled with the Eskimos as +3 underdogs based on the point spread, and they ended up losing by just one point to the Tiger-Cats.
I would have been game for them straight up, but hopefully you just played the points and got the win.
The same goes for the Saints, but they actually destroyed the Chargers on Saturday. You would have been a winner if you rolled with their moneyline, but backing them as a +2 underdog against the spread also worked out.
Overall, it was a terrific week, and my sports upset picks record jumps to 33-47-1 on the year. I’m inching closer and closer to .500, which for underdog picks isn’t just difficult but also rather profitable.
Let’s try to keep the good times rolling this week with a handful of my favorite upset plays.
College football is back! It’s actually been here for a week now, and I know there are more high-profile games to target, but I just like the value associated with this Big 10 clash.
Northwestern is coming off of a fantastic 10-3 season in 2017, while they’ve secured bowl game wins in each of the last two years. The program has been trending very much in the right direction under Pat Fitzgerald, while they’ve specifically been owning the Boilermakers (four wins in a row) in the recent past.
The top college football betting sites clearly expect that trend to be bucked, as Purdue is favored to win at home.
On paper, the Wildcats still project as the better team, and they might be in Purdue’s head. When you factor in that anything goes in these conference rivalries, Northwestern as a +130 underdog feels like a huge steal.
Week four of the 2018 NFL preseason concludes on Thursday night, which gives you one more chance to risk some cash on games that don’t mean a thing.
Joking aside, you can still take a crack at some elite value with a team like the Redskins, who are inexplicably huge underdogs as they take on the Ravens.
I’ll admit the Ravens have the quarterback edge here, but there’s not much in it other than that. Although I wouldn’t feel comfortable backing the Redskins as straight-up underdog winners, I’m expecting this to be a close game.
That’s why I’ll take them to beat this gaudy +6.5 point spread, where SportsBetting.ag hands out a sweet +101 price. Provided the Redskins can get within a touchdown, you win.
Normally I wouldn’t dare bet against the Astros, but there is a lot working against them on Tuesday night. For one, they really haven’t been that dominant at home (33-29), while projected starter Charlie Morton’s form hasn’t been overly scary.
In come the A’s, who got to Gerrit Cole of all people early on during Monday’s showdown and entered this series scorching hot. Oakland is equipped to overtake the AL West, and by the time this series is over, it’s possible they will have done just that.
Backing Edwin Jackson on the road against the Astros really isn’t what I’m doing here.
More than anything, I’m rolling with Oakland’s dangerous bats in a tense rivalry clash. That, and a team playing as well as the A’s offering a +173 price is just too good to pass up.
The actual line for the Blue Bombers as a straight-up underdog isn’t out yet, but whatever it is, I’m down for it. It won’t be an amazing price, but they’re mild +3 underdogs, and it’ll be enough to catch my interest.
Their Bombers’ offense remains arguably the most explosive unit in the CFL, and if their defense can just get it together, they should be able to snag a win.
Winnipeg has dropped two in a row and is just 2-3 on the road, but I think their defense has a good shot at taming the Roughriders in this one.
I could toss a slew of MLB or NFL preseason picks at you, but I’m really just trying to hunt down the very best underdog picks for the week.
Quality over quantity is always the way to go, especially when you’re putting down money on teams Vegas is projecting the public to bet against.
Of course, as we’ve learned (and Vegas knows), it’s not always about public perception. If we can keep trying to go against conventional wisdom and gauge when it’s appropriate to exploit it, it can be highly profitable.
I’ve been surging in recent weeks and hopefully can add to the hot run with another solid showing this week. Whether you jump on all of my upset picks or are selective, I wish you luck. Enjoy the games!
The post Possible Upsets to Target in the Week of August 27th appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
Being raised in Las Vegas, I felt I was spoiled enjoying the inaugural season for the Vegas Golden Knights. Now with a year behind them, I am looking forward to this upcoming NHL season more than I have in the past.
In this post, I will take a look at the teams I feel have separated themselves from the pretenders and are the true contenders at raising the Stanley Cup in 2019.
From the betting favorites in Vegas to the dark horse I feel has a shot at making a deep playoff run, I’ll be covering 5 teams with a realistic chance of glory. I’ll give you an idea of what happened for these teams during the offseason that has set them up nicely for their shot at the Stanley Cup.
The leading sportsbook Bovada has Tampa Bay as the betting favorite to lift the Stanley Cup this season. And I can easily understand why.
Tampa Bay has been a top team the last couple of seasons. They look primed to continue their success in the competitive Atlantic Division and will battle the Toronto Maple Leafs to be the division’s top seed.
They have been busy this offseason keeping their core intact for another run at the playoffs. First, they signed forward J.T. Miller to a five-year contract. Then, they quickly followed that up with a seven-year deal for defenseman Ryan McDonagh.
Taking a peek at the 2019 NHL schedule, it seems the NHL is doing their part in making sure Tampa Bay starts and finishes strong.
The Lightning will open 2018-2019 with five straight home games and end the season with their last four at home. On top of that home-ice advantage to open and close the regular season, the Lightning is already scheduled for 12 nationally broadcasted games.
This shows the spotlight the NHL will be trying to put on the betting favorite Tampa Bay Lightning.
Now let’s take a look at a couple of teams in the toughest division in the NHL. The Central Division boasts a number of strong teams, headlined by powerhouses in Nashville and Winnipeg.
It’s a shame that only 5 teams from the Central can make the playoffs because all 8 teams have a legitimate shot to enter the postseason in 2018-2019.
The Nashville Predators were the club that had the best regular-season record in 2017-18. They were also a Stanley Cup finalist in 2017, so they are certainly in the running for glory this season.
With a strong defense led by P.K. Subban, and with the Vezina Trophy winner for best goaltender Pekka Rinne back, the Predators have the right formula to chase another Stanley Cup. Add top line forwards Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and Viktor Arvidsson, and Nashville is primed to get back to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Despite his strong regular season, Rinne really slipped during the postseason with a bloated goals against average of 3.07
With Nashville’s backup goalie having limited experience, Rinne’s postseason performances could be pivotal to the Predators’ championship hopes this time around. If they make the playoffs again, they’ll need their goaltender to step up his game.
If he can maintain his form beyond the regular season, Nashville will be the team all opponents want to avoid.
Let’s move on to the next contender out of the Central division.
The Winnipeg Jets were true contenders last season, and I predict that they’ll be able to follow up with another good season in 2019.
Even with Paul Stastny leaving for Vegas and losing Joel Armia to free agency, the Jets still have plenty of firepower to battle in the Central Division.
The reason the Jets parted ways with these experienced players is because of the young core they have. The young, deep, and dangerous offense they currently have has the tools to fill the holes left by the departing veterans.
That’s not the only thing helping their case of making a run at the Stanley Cup, though. They also have a promising young gun on the defensive side in 24-year-old goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
Goalies are vital come playoff time. The fact that Winnipeg has a young goaltender that has the potential to become elite automatically puts them into contender status.
Phew! We got through the toughest division in the NHL. Time to turn our attention to a team that came up 3 wins short of winning it all last season – the Vegas Golden Knights.
What a year. The Vegas Golden Knights started out as the biggest underdog to win the Stanley Cup last season, but they defied all expectations and only just fell short of landing the trophy.
How can the Knights repeat what they were able to accomplish last season? I’ll tell you how. George McPhee.
Going into the offseason, it was always going to be hard for McPhee to keep everyone. Somehow, though, he was able to keep key players for another run at the Stanley Cup.
Center William “Wild Bill” Karlsson, defenseman Colin Miller, left wing Jonathan Marchessault, and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury are all back to take another shot at the Stanley Cup.
On top of re-signing their stars from 2018, the Golden Knights made an impressive move in bringing in forward Paul Stastny on a 3-year deal. He was brought in to fill the void left by James Neal.
The most important difference between Stastny and Neal is that Stastny performs in the postseason, which can only strengthen the Vegas roster.
With a weak Pacific division, I see Vegas winning the division again. This will give them home ice for the first two rounds in the post season. With T-Mobile Arena one of the biggest home-ice advantages in the NHL, look for the Vegas Knights to make another run at Las Vegas’ first professional sports championship.
As promised, it’s now time to give you the team I feel represents the best value out there for a team to win the Stanley Cup: the team from the current “City of Champions.”
Here’s the team I am willing to throw some money on. My dark horse for the 2019 Stanley Cup champion. The Philadelphia Flyers.
When the Flyers enter next season, there will be a variety of benchmarks the entire team must meet in order to better the 98-point result from the 2017-18 campaign. Much of the benchmarks will have to come from the continued maturation of the young players on the roster.
I’m expecting head coach Dave Hakstol to start leaning on his young guys to increase their responsibility. For example, defenseman Travis Sanheim will likely be trusted with more ice time as his sophomore season progresses.
Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny will be relied upon as regular offensive contributors, and left winger Oskar Lindblom and defenseman Robert Hagg must build upon their rookie year successes as well.
The main point is that the Flyers are very young. Having a roster full of young players can work for or against you. I personally believe they possess the value we are all looking for.
Regardless of youth, the Flyers are talented, and I see them continuing the maturation process. Even though the Flyers are stuck in a division with the past two Stanley Cup champs in the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals, they are just as dangerous.
Young players don’t know what’s good for them. Some young guys don’t recognize the magnitude of the situation, allowing them to play at their best.
That being said, at a 25 to 1 shot, the Philadelphia Flyers represent the type of value we all look for with futures.
With only 43 days left before the first games of the regular season, it is time to start thinking about which teams are contenders and which are pretenders. Don’t worry, though. I have done the work for you, separating out 5 contenders I believe are worth keeping an eye on.
Hopefully, with the five teams I have outlined, it will help you narrow down which teams have the value to try to book a futures win.
I will be taking my chance with my dark horse pick, the Philadelphia Flyers. For a dangerous young team, 25 to 1 is just too much value for me to pass up.
The post Betting on the 2019 Stanley Cup – Latest Odds and Top Contenders appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
Get ready for some electrifying highlights, because the 2018 Ryder Cup will be nothing short of spectacular.
As an American, I’ll be pulling hard for the red, white, and blue to get it done in Paris and retain the Ryder Cup.
But I’d be completely ignorant if I sat here and told you it’s going to be a walk in the park for Captain Jim Furyk’s squad. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that right now, I give the edge to the Europeans.
I think that Thomas Bjorn and the 12 men he’ll be bringing with him to France will feature even more of a stacked lineup than the US team – and that’s saying a lot.
The plan for this blog is to quickly identify the European roster and mainly focus in on who Captain Bjorn will be selecting as his captain’s picks. When you see the pool of talent he has to choose from, it won’t take you long to realize how formidable the “Blue and Yellow” squad will be.
Unlike the American side, the automatic qualifying is still going on for European players to try and make the team. With that being said, there are 7 names on the European side we can pencil in for who will be competing in Paris for the Ryder Cup.
Francesco Molinari Justin Rose Tyrrell Hatton Tommy Fleetwood Jon Rahm Rory McIlroy Alex NorenRegardless of what happens over the next couple weeks, Bjorn knows that he’ll be able to count on these 7 men to put up some points at Le Golf National.
Right now, Thorbjorn Olesen is narrowly hanging on to the 8th and final automatic qualifying spot, but that outcome will depend on how things shake out by the end of next week.
Eddie Pepperell can pass Olesen with a strong performance at the D+D Czech Masters in Prague, although it’ll take something special.
Who Thorbjorn really needs to dodge is the quartet of players competing at the Northern Trust who can all pass him in the standings. I’m going to focus on those four players in the segments below, as well as two others who absolutely cannot be counted out when it comes to potential picks.
Whether or not Olesen stays inside the top 8 could be the difference of whether or not the 28-year-old Danish golfer gets to taste Ryder Cup Action this fall. Unfortunately for Olesen, the world-class players lurking for a captain’s pick means there will be some really good players left off this roster.
Assuming Olesen is the 8th man on the squad, here are the 6 players who I believe are essentially competing for the last four spots.
I take it back. Ian Poulter is not competing with anyone for a spot on this team, because if he’s not in the top 8 by September 3rd, he’s an absolute lock to be picked. Kind of like the Tiger Woods situation for Team USA, there are absolutely no versions of Ian Poulter not being on this roster.
The 42-year-old Englishman has made 11 of his last 12 cuts, which includes a win at the Houston Open. He’s added 5 other finishes inside the top 12 and was a quarterfinalist at the WGC-Match Play.
Do I really need to remind you how incredible Poulter has been at the Ryder Cup? Press play below, and you’ll be reminded how cold-blooded this dude is when he’s playing for his country.
Let’s not waste any more time making a case for Poulter to be picked, because it’s already a foregone conclusion.
How good is the European team looking?
So good that Paul Casey is on the outside looking in as things currently stand. Casey has had one of his better years on the PGA Tour in 2018, finishing in the top 25 in 11 of his 16 regular-season starts. He won the Valspar Championship back in March, and I know he isn’t afraid of the big stage.
But Casey hasn’t played his best golf as of late, and with as competitive as it is for these last few spots, he could wind up missing out.
A strong performance at either the Northern Trust and/or the Dell Technologies Championship would probably be enough to solidify his spot, but at this point, there are no guarantees.
Look at the caliber of players still to go on my list, and you’ll see why Casey isn’t a sure thing.
Rafa Cabrera-Bello might not be as “household of a name” as some of the others on this page, but don’t let that fool you into thinking he isn’t a serious contender to be on the chartered team plane to Paris.
A 17th-place finish at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational propelled Rafa into a top-10 at the PGA Championship. Rounds of 68-69-65-64 at the Wyndham Championship landed Cabrera-Bello in 11th, and more importantly, back onto the short list of the possible captain’s picks.
The 34-year-old Spaniard is known as a premium ball striker, and Le Golf National has already been deemed “a second-shot golf course.” Well, I suppose the fact that Cabrera-Bello leads the PGA Tour in proximity to the hole from 150-175 yards, I’d say his iron game is in complete control.
If Bjorn really wants to key in on the guys who are rounding into peak form as we get closer to the end of September, he probably won’t want to look past Rafa.
Russell Knox is the guy on this list who I feel has the most to prove to Thomas Bjorn if he’s going to be on the receiving end of a happy phone call from the captain.
Without giving away who is left on this list, let’s just say that there are two European Ryder Cup stalwarts who are relying on a pick if they are going to be on this team.
That means that Russell’s best opportunity to make this squad is to snag the 8th and final spot via automatic qualifying.
He’ll have to play extraordinarily well at the first two Playoff events, but it’s still within the realm of possibilities. As good of a putter as Russell is, I just have a hard time imagining Bjorn and his assistant captains will pull the trigger on Knox if it means passing up one of the two players listed below.
Henrik Stenson is as good of a ball striker as there is on this planet, and I don’t think many individuals in the golf industry would argue with that statement.
But an elbow injury that has been hampering him all summer was enough for Stenson to withdraw from the Northern Trust, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his Ryder Cup status.
Hopefully this is more of a precautionary WD than one that will keep him out of action for the remainder of the Playoffs, but that remains to be seen.
The PGA Tour leader in greens in regulation percentage (GIR) also tops the charts in strokes gained on approach shots.
Given the setup of the course, there is no way that Captain Bjorn will leave Stenson off this roster if he is healthy. Stenson’s elbow injury not subsiding is about the only realistic way I could see the 42-year-old Swede not in France when September comes to a close.
It’s hard to believe I am talking about Sergio Garcia as someone who might not be on the 2018 European Ryder Cup Team. The 2017 Masters champ is in the midst of the worst funk in his 19-year career as a professional, as Sergio missed the cut in all four majors in 2018 for the first time ever.
I understand that getting the monkey off his back after winning the Green Jacket last April was a huge moment in Garcia’s career. Getting married later in the year and having his first child 5 months ago are obviously going to take the focus off of golf in the interim.
After not qualifying for the FedEx Cup Playoffs (also a first), Sergio now has to sit back and wait, hoping he’ll get the call from Bjorn.
Garcia has been an instrumental participant for the Europeans, and I don’t suspect Bjorn will have any trouble remembering how big a factor Sergio has been during his 8 appearances as a member of the team.
Perhaps nobody has shown more passion and heart for this team competition than Sergio, and it’s that enthusiasm that will hopefully outweigh Garcia’s porous play over the past 8 months.
In the end, I think Sergio brings too much to the table to leave off the team. And this could be the event that gets the wheels spinning back in the right direction for the guy they used to call “El Niño.”
Any way you slice it, the European Ryder Cup team is going to be loaded.
Will the captain and his assistants decide to lean on veterans like Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson? Or perhaps they’ll opt for the hot hand of Rafa Cabrera-Bello?
What I know for sure is that Ian Poulter will be part of the roster.
I already wrote a piece last week about which players are in the mix to be chosen for the US Ryder Cup team, so it was only fitting that I brought you up to speed on what’s going on for the Americans’ counterparts.
We’re just one month away from the festivities, and I’m already counting down the days. As we inch closer to September 27th, I’ll be releasing more Ryder Cup-related posts to keep us clued in to exactly what’s going on.
Until then, enjoy the FedEx Cup Playoffs!
The post Which Players Will Make the European Team for the 2018 Ryder Cup? appeared first on GamblingSites.com.
The Emmys are usually a time for celebration and recognition. Like most entertainment award shows, they’re also a time for predictability.
While you can generally see the winner coming a mile away, there are still upsets to be had. The 2018 Emmy Awards aren’t without their fair share of categories that contain a few long shots worth looking at, either.
At least, that’s what the top entertainment betting sites want you to think.
Then again, SportsBetting.ag and sites like it aren’t just trying to pull you away from the favorite. They’re simply setting the odds based on public perception and how they think people will wager money.
Needless to say, the public has been wrong before.
I still suggest betting on mostly favorites when it comes to the Emmys and really any award show you ever come across. The ones with insanely fat lines almost never lose.
Still, it’s fun to dream, and there are a few cases where big names have delivered more than deserving performances. Should their ridiculous odds pan out, you may be missing a crazy chance at some obscene profit.
Of course, it’s ultimately all just a matter of opinion.
You don’t have to agree with me, the top Emmys betting sites, or even the Emmy Awards experts. But you probably can’t ignore some sick betting value when it’s associated with some viable threats.
Here are my five favorite long shots to pull for (and bet on) at this year’s Emmy Awards.
I don’t know if it’s just because everyone knows Bateman more for his comedy chops or if season one of Ozark was simply that good, but I feel like Bateman deserves this award.
In reality, it’s probably both.
Bateman has actually flexed his drama muscle (see: The Gift) in the past, but he really takes you down a dark and winding hole in this one, and he’s completely convincing the entire way.
It’s pretty special anytime someone known almost purely for comedy can do that, and perhaps that alone sets his performance ahead of so many others.
Sterling K. Brown (-195) was admittedly more emotional and raw in This Is Us, but he won last year. Bateman has less to draw from and is ultimately more compelling. And at +3300, he’s just a really fun bet.
While I’m not down for Sterling K. Brown repeating as best actor again this year, I do appreciate and respect his talent and performance. He’s absolutely still worthy, and he certainly deserved last year’s award.
Either way, the ensemble cast for This Is Us is ridiculously gifted and borderline flawless. Acting aside, however, the web this series spins throughout the year and from scene to scene is complicated, authentic, and most importantly, believable.
This is master storytelling and complex character development at its finest, and it’s all happening fluidly and organically. That isn’t easy to accomplish, and despite how hard this show has hit TV viewers, it has yet to be properly rewarded.
If you want a gut punch to the feels, take on This Is Us. If you want a big payday for a show that deserves high-level recognition, consider tossing some cash at this +4000 price at SportsBetting.ag.
The only reason I’m not a bit more heated that Maslany has such poor odds to win best actress in a drama is the reassuring fact that she already did.
The Emmys paid tribute to Maslany’s absurd versatility and range just two years ago (2016), which was a clear sign of pure respect for one’s talent and craft, without allowing a television show to cloud judgment.
While unique at its core, Maslany’s Orphan Black has lost steam and wit through the years. She, however, absolutely has not.
Maslany has been tasked with perfecting many variations (clones) of herself, and at virtually every turn, you feel like you’re being introduced to a brand-new character.
The Emmys can stop at giving her open applause just the once, but her efforts deserve another award. She’s a true long shot in the face of likely repeat champion Elisabeth Moss (-350), but at +4000, that’s a wager I don’t mind rolling the dice with and cheering on.
While I love Jason Bateman’s case to win this year, I do understand the need for a lasting mark.
He’s only had one season of playing a serious role on Ozark, while people like William H. Macy have been proving their worth for years and years on shows like Shameless.
Shameless itself has never really been given the credit it deserves – at least not by the Emmys. It’s also worth pointing out that while Macy is the big name that drives the bus on this show, he’s far from the only interesting or well-acted character.
Regardless, he’s crushed the role of loser father for nine seasons, and yet here he stands, without the Emmys ever paying him any mind.
These award shows tend to be more about the moment, rather than honoring true art. Macy isn’t portraying a glorious individual, but his work is nothing short of magical.
It’s time the Emmys honored that, and thanks to crazy +5000 odds, Macy is worth rallying behind.
Speaking of Emmys nominees that deserve your backing, Silicon Valley joins a long line of actors/actresses/series that have been denied by the Emmys.
I understand that a show like Shameless isn’t for everyone. Westworld might be a bit too far out there, too. The Americans, well, I’ll never understand why that show wasn’t given more appreciation before it called it quits.
Hopefully, the Emmys will make up for past and current mistakes here by giving Silicon Valley the nod.
All too often, the best comedy genre has been dominated by one show, while greats like The Office, Seinfeld, Arrested Development, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Friends, Will & Grace, Sex and the City, and so many others have won just once – or never.
I mean, seriously. Seinfeld won for best comedy one time in 10 years. Meanwhile, Frasier (Frasier!) won five years in a row. Veep is a heck of a show (seriously), but it’s been on a three-year run, and before that, nobody could take down Modern Family (five wins in a row).
The streaks end this year, though. Veep isn’t in the running, and the top two favorites are Atlanta (the likely winner) and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (the best upset contender at +160). You could even build a case for Barry (+1800).
The point is that someone new is going to win. Silicon Valley isn’t the favorite. At +5000, they’re really not even in the running.
That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be, and it doesn’t have to necessarily mean they don’t stand a chance. It’s pretty arguable their latest season was their best, filled with sharp wit, fresh takes on our modern world of technology, and a warped take on social cues and interpretations.
Silicon Valley isn’t leading the race this year, but it probably should be.
Looking over the 2018 Emmys field, it’s painfully obvious that this is probably going to be a pretty predictable night of awards.
That’s fair in a lot of regards. Not only are the main favorites very deserving, but they’ve stood out in a great year for television. The acting talents or competing shows they’re being tentatively picked over are not weak. There are no scrubs here.
For the most part, my betting advice would be to stick to the favorites without putting too much money on wagers that don’t have any upside at all. Play the favorites, but certainly feel out some viable contenders and sleepers you feel good about.
I’d also throw a few long shot flier bets at the wall and see what sticks.
That sounds like winging it, but this entire article’s purpose is to do the opposite. It’s just one writer’s opinion, but all five of these long-shot bets are fun, deserving, and extremely profitable.
Who would actually balk at William H. Macy, Jason Bateman, Silicon Valley, Tatiana Maslany, and/or This Is Us taking home some hardware? Probably and hopefully nobody.
That doesn’t mean all (or any) of them will actually win, but at their crazy prices, I think a roll of the dice or three is on the table.
However you plan on betting on the Emmys this year, I hope I was somewhat helpful and that you find a way to finish in the green. Either way, happy betting, and enjoy the Emmys!
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