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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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MLB | May 23, 2025 Marlins vs Angels |
UNDER 8½ -115 |
Lost $115.0 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| The Marlins are a bottom-10 offensive team that is particularly bad against lefties. They'll be up against southpaw Yusei Kikuchi, who has put together four quality starts in a row. Kikuchi has not allowed more than two earned runs in each of his past four starts. The Marlins are batting only .150 versus lefty pitchers going back the past 30 days. Sandy Alcantara is pitching for the Marlins. He's been dreadful with a 7.99 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. Look, Alcantara isn't going to suddenly turn back into his pre-injury Cy Young Award form. But he's pitched in bad luck and is due for some positive regression. The Angels just produced 31 runs the past four days against the A's at hitter-friendly Sutter Park in Sacramento. However, the Angels aren't nearly that dangerous when hitting at home. They are just 27th in batting average at home with a .217 average. The Angels also are last in on-base percentage when playing at home. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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MLB | May 23, 2025 Guardians vs Tigers |
Tigers -115 at betonline |
Lost $115.0 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
| Riding a 7-2 hot streak going into Thursday, the Tigers were ambushed by the Guardians, 7-0, in their first home game since May 14. I'm expecting a strong Detroit bounce back today. The Tigers are 12-6 following a loss and have won 17 of their 23 home games. The Guardians have a below .500 road record. Detroit has the superior offense and holds a starting pitching edge with Jackson Jobe facing Slade Cecconi, who has a 5.40 ERA. Detroit is 8-0 in Jobe's starts this season. Jobe was ranked by many as the top minor league pitching prospect last season. The underrated Tigers offense is fourth in runs, sixth in batting average and eighth in homers. The Guardians, by contrast, rank 23rd in runs and batting average. The Tigers' bullpen even has a lower ERA than Cleveland's relief staff, which is down this season compared to past years. The Tigers have a bullpen ERA of 3.32. The Guardians' bullpen ERA is 4.02. | ||
| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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WNBA | May 23, 2025 Mystics vs Aces |
OVER 166 -110 |
Lost $110.0 |
| Play Type: Top Premium | ||
| Washington's new coach, Sydney Johnson, favors an up-tempo style. That fast pace showed up in the Mystics' first two games where they averaged 92 points in going 2-0. But the Mystics lost their last game this past Wednesday getting upset on the road by the expansion Valkyries, 76-74. Despite that defeat, the Mystics still rank No. 2 in 3-point percentage, No. 3 in field goal percentage and fourth in scoring. Point guard Brittney Sykes, one of the more underrated players in the WNBA, is thriving under Johnson's system averaging a career-best 26.3 points, five assists and shooting 42.3 percent from the floor. I'm not sold on the Aces' defense. It wasn't up to coach Becky Hammon's high standards last year. The Aces then surrendered 92 points to the Liberty in their opener this season. Las Vegas evened its record at 1-1 by rolling past the Sun, 87-62, this past Tuesday. Keep in mind, though, the Sun is in total rebuild. They may be the worst team in the league. So I'm expecting a high-scoring game as both teams like to push pace. This is the Aces' first home game. They'll want to put on a show. The Mystics gave up 11 offensive rebounds to Golden State. That doesn't bode well for them trying to contain A'Ja Wilson, who led the WNBA in scoring by a wide margin last year at 26.9 points. Chelsea Gray is more healthy than she was last season and high-scoring Jewell Loyd has had two games to adjust to her new team. | ||
| PICKS IN PROGRESS | ||
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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NBA | May 24, 2025 Thunder vs Wolves |
Wolves +3 -108 at Heritage |
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| Play Type: Premium | ||
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Given the desperation of coming home down 2-0 in the series, their unbeaten record following two consecutive defeats and their No. 7 ranked defense, I like the Timberwolves to break through here and get their much-needed victory. Getting points is a bonus. Minnesota is 6-0 following two losses in a row since Jan. 6. The Timberwolves have scored at 116 points in nine of their last 10 home games. Oklahoma City averaged 100.3 points in regulation during its three away games in Denver last series. The Thunder are 0-5 ATS on the road in the playoffs this season. |
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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MLB | May 24, 2025 Rangers vs White Sox |
White Sox +160 at Ace |
Won $160 |
| Play Type: Premium | ||
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The White Sox upset the Rangers on Friday and I like them to do it again on Saturday in a pitching matchup of righties, rookie Jack Leiter versus Jonathan Cannon. |
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| Matchup | Selection | W/L |
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WNBA | May 24, 2025 Liberty vs Fever |
UNDER 172½ -110 |
Lost $110.0 |
| Play Type: Top Premium | ||
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Typical of the WNBA that its biggest game of the season - the defending champion Liberty against Caitlin Clark and the upstart Fever - would be played as an early Saturday day game. But that's the WNBA for you. |
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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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