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Stephen Nover |
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I have had only two losing season in pro football in my handicapping career. I have the best sources in the business thanks to more than 25 years as a sportswriter, handicapper and analyst. |
| YESTERDAY'S PLAYS | ||
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NHL | Jan 14, 2019 Blues vs Capitals |
OVER 5½ -115 |
Lost $115.0 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
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The Over has cashed the past six times these two teams have met. Look for that trend to continue as each team is going with their backup goalie. Washington is the No. 7 scoring team in the league. They are facing Jake Allen, one of the weaker backup goalies. The Blues are dealing with injuries, but still have managed to score 3 or more goals in five of their last six games. |
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NHL | Jan 14, 2019 Sabres vs Oilers |
UNDER 6 -120 |
Lost $120.0 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| The Sabres have gone Under seven of the last eight times they have played Western Conference opponents. Buffalo has scored three or fewer goals in seven of its last nine games. Despite having the great Connor McDavid, the Oilers rank 24th in scoring. They haven't broken the three-goal barrier in nine of their last 12 games. Both teams desperately need a victory here. So don't expect a wide open game. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NHL | Jan 14, 2019 Blackhawks vs Devils |
OVER 6 -110 |
Won $100 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| The Blackhawks have a decent offense, but play little defense. That's a golden formula for an Over. So it's no surprise the Under has won only six times during the Blackhawks' last 26 games. Chicago has scored three of more goals during its last four games. The Blackhawks also have allowed 15 goals in their last four games, an average of 3.7 goals. The Devils have a better offense than defense, too. So they are worth playing Over. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NBA | Jan 14, 2019 Pistons vs Jazz |
Jazz -8 -108 at pinnacle |
Lost $108.0 |
| Play Type: Free | ||
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The Jazz have won five of their last six with the lone loss coming to the Bucks. Utah is back playing tough defense giving up 95.6 points in its last three games. The Jazz are giving up the third-fewest points in the league. Donovan Mitchell is having a huge January. The Jazz are a tough to play because of their physical defense especially in Utah where it is high altitude. This is made worse for the Pistons. They carry a high fatigue rating in action for the fourth time in six days - all on the road. Detroit had lost to the struggling Lakers by 13 points and to the Kings by 10 points before upsetting the Clippers on Saturday. That was a big motivation game for the Pistons because it marked Blake Griffin facing his old team. Griffin, Andre Drummond and Reggie Jackson all logged more than 40 minutes in that contest. The Pistons have sunk back to being a lottery type team following a good start losing 16 of the past 21 times. Detroit ranks 24th in scoring. The Pistons have failed to break the 100-point barrier in six of their last 16 games. They heavily rely on Griffin and Drummond. But the Jazz have the inside defensive stoppers in Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors to slow down those two. (Editor's note: Stephen Nover is one of the top NBA 'cappers in North America. Stephen is 17-8 on his last 25 premium/free NBA plays and has two NBA plays in addition to this free selection, headed by his January Game of the Month.) |
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NBA | Jan 14, 2019 Blazers vs Kings |
Blazers +2½ -103 at pinnacle |
Lost $103.0 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| Yes, the Trail Blazers had to play last night falling, 116-113, at Denver when their huge comeback came up just short against the Western Conference-leading Nuggets. Portland had won four in a row entering that matchup. The Kings are not the Nuggets. They are a 22-21 team that has failed to cover six of the last seven times when going against an above .500 opponent. Sacramento has a much improved backcourt with De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield and Bogdan Bogdanovic. But it's trumped by Portland's star guard tandem of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The Trail Blazers also have the best big man on the floor, Jusuf Nurkic. Portland should dominate the boards ranking third in the NBA in rebounding while the Kings are a bottom-10 rebounding team. The Trail Blazers also have defeated the Kings during the past four meetings going 3-0-1 ATS. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NBA | Jan 14, 2019 Grizzlies vs Rockets |
Rockets -6 -107 at pinnacle |
Won $100 |
| Play Type: Top Premium | ||
| The Rockets average 10 more points per game than the struggling Grizzlies and are in a kill spot returning home after blowing a 12-point lead against the Magic while suffering a 116-109 road upset loss to the Magic Sunday. Houston is 11-1 SU, 10-1-1 ATS in its last 12 home games, including defeating the Grizzlies, 113-101, on Dec. 31. The Rockets got too lax against the Magic and it cost them. Expect a much stronger effort and focus from the Rockets. Motivation, not talent, is the key for the Rockets against this opponent. And, now, Houston should have that. Based on talent, the Rockets should bury Memphis, which is 7-18 in its last 25 games and 1-7 in its last eight. The Grizzlies have lost by seven points or more in six of their past seven defeats. The Grizzlies are playing short-handed, too, down three of their rotation players with Kyle Anderson, Dillon Brooks and Chandler Parsons all injured. The Rockets are playing without rest, but the Grizzlies are 2-8 ATS when playing on one day rest. | ||
| PICKS IN PROGRESS | ||
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NCAA-B | Jan 15, 2019 LSU vs Ole Miss |
LSU +4 -110 at Mirage |
Won $100 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| LSU showed it could win on the road beating Arkansas this past Saturday. The Tigers are a good value play against overacheiving Mississippi, which is in a letdown spot after breaking into the Top 25 for the first time in six years. The Rebels achieved this by beating two Top-15 opponents last week. Heady stuff, but the Rebels are not used to being the hunted now. The Rebels have been underdogs in their last three games, all SEC matchups. LSU has won five in a row. The Tigers are the more talented team with the size and perimeter shooting to knock off the Rebels straight-up. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NHL | Jan 15, 2019 Penguins vs Sharks |
Penguins +127 at pinnacle |
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| Play Type: Premium | ||
| San Jose is playing well, but I'll take a plus price with the Penguins. Pittsburgh is 10-2 in its last 12 games and 6-1 in its past seven road contests. However, the Penguins are coming off a disappointing, 5-2, road loss to the Kings. The Penguins had backup goalie Casey DeSmith in net for that game. Now Matt Murray will be in goal. Pittsburgh has won nine straight with Murray in net. Murray is 8-0-1 with two shutouts in road games this season. Pittsburgh has defeated San Jose in four of the last five meetings. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NHL | Jan 15, 2019 Hurricanes vs Rangers |
Rangers +130 at pinnacle |
Won $130 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| The Rangers have the Hurricanes' number when the two teams play at Madison Square Garden. Carolina hasn't won there since 2010, a string of 15 road losses in a row. The Rangers are 25-5 the past 30 times hosting the Hurricanes. The Rangers are going to be fired up, too, after their coach, David Quinn, ripped their effort following a 7-5 loss to the Blue Jackets on Sunday. So I'll ride the Rangers at this plus price. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NCAA-B | Jan 15, 2019 Eastern Michigan vs Akron |
UNDER 128½ -109 |
Won $100 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| These two teams met twice last season and the combined final score totals were 125 and 112 points, respectively. Both games went Under the total. This was the fifth time in the last six meetings the Under has cashed in this series. Expect that trend to continue in today's matchup. Akron is averaging 66 points in three MAC games this season. The Zips are shooting only 36 percent from the floor and 23.7 percent from 3-point range in conference play. Both teams play at a very slow tempo. The Under is 18-7-1 in Eastern Michigan's last 26 MAC contests. The Zips figure to struggled against Eastern Michigan's matchup zone defense given their shooting woes. Akron is playing solid defense this season ranking 50th in field goal percentage defense. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NBA | Jan 15, 2019 Warriors vs Nuggets |
Warriors -110 at pinnacle |
Won $100 |
| Play Type: Top Premium | ||
| Kudos to the Nuggets for owning the best record in the Western Conference at the halfway point of the season. I do believe the Nuggets are legitimate. They've always had a strong offense and now their defense is improved. However ... the Nuggets are not in the class of the two-time defending world champion Warriors especially now that Golden State has Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green all back in the lineup. A motivated Warriors squad can beat any team any where. The Warriors certainly aren't going to lack incentive here trailing Denver by one-half game for best record in the West. Golden State also has revenge for a 100-98 road loss to the Nuggets from Oct. 21. Golden State has won six of its last seven games, including four in a row. The Warriors are averaging 130 points during their las six games. I want them going for me in this pick'em type range. | ||
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SERVICE BIO |
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Sports gaming writer for Las Vegas Review-Journal 1984-1997. Professional handicapper since 1999. Author of three books - Las Vegas Sportsbeat, Sportsgaming Beat, Winning Fantasy Football. Taught sports betting at UNLV. Former co-host of the Sunday Night Stardust Line sports gaming radio show. Was part-time oddsmaker and analyst for Roxy Roxborough. Recognized NFL expert with 21 of 23 winning seasons. |
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