Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Thursday’s Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels odds and lines, with MLB expert picks and predictions.

The Toronto Blue Jays (23-20) head out west Friday to start a 4-game series with the Los Angeles Angels (27-18) at Angel Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the Blue Jays vs. Angels odds with MLB picks and predictions.

Toronto split a 2-game series at the St. Louis Cardinals Monday-Tuesday after winning 2 consecutive series. The Blue Jays are 6-4 straight up (SU) in their last 10 games.

L.A. had a 3-game winning streak snapped in Wednesday’s 7-2 loss to the Texas Rangers and the Angels are just 5-5 SU in the last 10.

The Angels beat the Blue Jays 4-3 in last year’s season series, but Toronto outscored L.A. 41-29 in those meetings.

Blue Jays at Angels projected starters

LHP Hyun Jin Ryu vs. RHP Shohei Ohtani

Ryu is 1-0 with a 6.00 ERA (18 IP, 12 ER), 21 H, 3 HR, 3 BB and 11 K across 4 starts.

  • Last start: Won 2-1 Friday at home vs. the Cincinnati Reds with 6 scoreless IP, 6 H, 0 BB and 3 K.

Ohtani is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9 and 12.4 K/9 in 38 1/3 IP over 7 starts.

  • Last start: No-decision in L.A.’s 6-5 loss at the Rangers May 18 with 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 H, 2 BB and 7 K.

Blue Jays at Angels odds and lines

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:01 p.m. ET.

  • Money line (ML): Blue Jays +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Angels -170 (bet $170 to win $100)
  • Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Blue Jays +1.5 (-160) | Angels -1.5 (+130)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 7.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

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Blue Jays at Angels picks and predictions

Prediction

Angels 7, Blue Jays 3

Money line

RISK 1 unit on the ANGELS (-170) instead of betting 1 unit because L.A.’s ML is pricey and we are getting to the party a little late. Sharp action has pushed the Angels from a -135 opening favorite up to the current number (per Pregame.com).

Ohtani’s outstanding pitching peripherals support his amazing basic numbers, Ryu grades in the bottom 10% of the MLB in several advanced pitching categories (per Statcast).

L.A. is 8-4 SU vs. left-handed pitching and ranks highly in several advanced hitting metrics while Toronto’s lineup is mediocre against righties and struggles on the road.

BET the ANGELS (-170), but save a little for L.A.’s RL.

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Run line/Against the spread

LEAN to the ANGELS -1.5 (+130) only because I’d hold out for a better price and we have enough money in L.A.’s ML.

The Angels have a 3-phase edge over the Blue Jays +1.5 (-160) in starting and relief pitching and hitting so the Angels will most likely win by more than 1 run.

Over/Under

SPRINKLE on the OVER 7.5 (-110) only because L.A.’s ML is my favorite wager in this game.

However, the Angels should rake Ryu, L.A. is 8-4-1 O/U as home favorites, Toronto is 4-0 O/U in the last 4 games as road underdogs and the Over has cashed in 4 of the last 5 Blue Jays-Angels meetings.

Bet legally online with a trusted partner: Tipico Sportsbook, Sportsbook Wire’s official sportsbook partner in CO, NJ and soon IA. Bet now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

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Additional MLB coverage:
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BaseballPress.com: Your source for every MLB lineup

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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Betting 101 – Should you consider hedging your bets?

Sometimes betting against an existing bet is a smart play in sports betting. We explain when and why you should consider hedging your bets.

Our sports betting 101 series continues and BetFTW’s Mackenzie Salmon is here to help in explaining when and why you should consider hedging your bets if the situation is right.

Watch the video to learn these sports betting basics and utilize SportsbookWire.com for picks and predictions on all the biggest games.

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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Betting 101 – What is a prop bet?

Looking to get started with sports betting? We break down what you need to know about sports prop bets and whether you should take advantage.

Looking to get started in sports betting? BetFTW’s Mackenzie Salmon is here to help in explaining what a sports prop bet is and whether sports bettors should be looking to take advantage of them.

Watch the video to learn these sports betting basics and utilize SportsbookWire.com for picks and predictions on all the biggest games.

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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Betting 101 – Explaining Future Bets for sports betting beginners

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Looking to get started in sports betting? BetFTW’s Mackenzie Salmon is here to help by breaking down Future Bets and whether sports bettors should be looking to take advantage of them.

Watch the video to learn these sports betting basics and then visit SportsbookWire.com for picks and predictions on all the biggest games.

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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WATCH: Betting 101 – Boosted Odds – Should you take advantage?

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If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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WATCH: Betting 101 – What is a parlay?

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Also see: Sports betting basics

PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from Tipico for audience referrals to betting services. Tipico has no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. See Tipico.com for Terms and Conditions. 21+ only. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA).

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WATCH: Betting 101 – Understanding the basics of sports betting

Looking to get started with sports betting? We break down what you need to know to bet on the money line, point spread and total.

Looking to get started betting on sports? BetFTW’s Mackenzie Salmon is here to help by breaking down the Money linePoint spread and Total (Over/Under). Watch the video to learn these sports betting basics and then visit SportsbookWire.com for picks and predictions on all the biggest games.

If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

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Sports betting strategy: What are key numbers and how to use them to win bets

Sportsbook Wire’s Geoff Clark discusses key numbers and how to use them when betting against the spread or Over/Under.

The saying “professional handicappers don’t bet teams, they bet numbers” has become a sports betting axiom. Even your average Joe understands the importance of key numbers in sports betting. Below, we’ll discuss what key numbers are and how you should factor them into your sports wagering.

Key numbers are the most common margin of victory and/or final scores in a given sport. Because of football’s scoring system, key numbers have more importance in the NFL and college football; however, we’ll also touch on how key numbers surface in other leagues.

Also see: Sports Betting Terms and Definitions

Key numbers in the NFL

Obviously, “3” and “7” are the two biggest key numbers in football since field goals are worth 3 points and a touchdown with an extra point conversion (PAT) is worth 7 points.

Research has found 14-15% of NFL games end in a 3-point margin of victory and 9-10% of games are decided by 7 points, according to Jeff Fogle of VSiN.com.

Getting a line of 3.5 or 7.5 points is known as betting “3 and the hook” and “7 and the hook”. Also, from an NFL wagering perspective, betting 2.5- and 6.5-point spreads are vital since games are often decided by 3 or 7 points.

Finding these numbers requires scouring listed prices across several sportsbooks in order to find the spreads with a hook or below a key number, buying points from a sportsbook for a particular game, or betting what’s known as a “teaser”.

Teasers

Oddsmakers have incorporated key number data into their pricing, which is why sportsbooks usually charge a premium if bettors would like to buy a half-point when a game is lined at either 3 or 7 points.

A teaser is a popular wager that allows you to adjust or move a line in multiple games but requires the bettor to win each game to cash the bet. Six-point teasers are the most common in NFL betting and are often used to move lines through key numbers.

For example, if the Miami Dolphins are 1.5-point road underdogs at the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams are 7.5-point home favorites against the Philadelphia Eagles, it could be profitable to “tease” the Dolphins up to 7.5-point underdogs and the Rams down to 1.5-point home favorites.

There are a variety of ways to get down on an NFL side with a key number but typically the most successful sports bettors find a way to profit by betting on, around or through key numbers.

Key numbers in other sports\

NBA

In the NBA, “7” is the biggest key number because that’s a three-possession margin in a basketball game and generally teams will stop fouling when down more than 6 points in the final moments.

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NHL

Key numbers aren’t really a thing for NHL puck lines but “5” is a key number for a total. This is especially true in the Stanley Cup Playoffs which usually feature lower-scoring games and professionals hammer the Under on 5.5-goal NHL totals in playoff games.

MLB

Similarly, most of the gambling action wagered on MLB sides involve the money lines but the key numbers for MLB totals are “7”, “9” and “11” since around 30% of games end with a total of 7, 9 or 11 runs scored.

If the next step to being a successful sports handicapper is “betting numbers, not teams” then factoring in key numbers is a must for every aspiring sharp.

For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

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Sports betting strategy: How to hedge and middle your bets

Sportsbook Wire’s Geoff Clark discusses what “hedging” and “middling” mean in sports betting and the optimal times to use those plays.

“Hedging” and “middling” are two of the most popular sports betting strategies you’ll hear mentioned by recreational and professional gamblers. Below, we’ll discuss what these approaches mean and how to use them.

A hedge is a strategy in which a bettor will bet the opposite side of a pending wager in order to reduce their risk and/or guarantee a profit. Hedging is popular with future bets because of its high payouts and multi-way action.

Middling is a method that has elements of hedging but is also used to score bigger payouts. A middle is when a bettor takes both sides of a game at different lines in hopes of scooping both bets.

Some sort of line move is needed to employ this strategy, whether it be within in-game betting or betting the opposite side of the original wager prior to the second half.

Also see: Sports Betting Terms and Definitions

When to hedge?

For me, hedging is more of a personal conversation in that a bettor’s willingness to hedge usually depends on that person’s bankroll or comfortability with a bet’s outcome.

If you don’t have much skin in the game or don’t feel good about the other lines in that bet’s market then why not let your original wager ride?

Let me give you an example of how to hedge. First, let’s pretend you’ve bet $100 on the Baltimore Ravens (+1400) to win the Super Bowl. They steamroll through the regular season and advance to the big game to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The original $100 wager on the Ravens (+1400) to win the Super Bowl has a $1,400 pending profit. In this mock scenario, the Buccaneers will be favored -130 on the money line. If you’re looking to hedge, the play would be to bet at least $130 on the Bucs (-130) to at least give yourself a “freeroll”.

Depending on how you feel maybe the play is to wager $650 on the Bucs (-130) money line to win the Super Bowl to guarantee yourself a $500 profit if Tampa wins or an $800 profit if Baltimore wins.

Again, this is more of a personal dilemma than a “one size fits all” strategy.

Middling opportunities

The best times to middle is either in-game or prior to the second half of a game you already have action on.

For example, maybe you really like the Tennessee Titans (+4.5) on the road against the Ravens and take Tennessee plus the points before kick-off.

Now, say the Titans catch a few first-half breaks and get out to a 21-7 lead entering halftime, but Baltimore is favored by 6 points for the second half. This would give you an 18-point cushion on the middle.

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With the Titans (+4.5) slip already in your pocket, by betting Baltimore -6 for the second half, you could scoop both bets if the Ravens lose by 7 or fewer points and Tennessee doesn’t lose by 5 or more points.

A middle can serve as a “hedge” or profit maximizer depending on how you play it. Either way, it’s a strategy that’ll definitely help your bankroll if properly used.

For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

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Sports betting strategy: Understanding sharp money vs. public money

Sportsbook Wire’s Geoff Clark discusses the difference between “sharp money” and “public money” and incorporating this intel into your handicapping.

Knowledge is power and being able to decipher between sharp and public money is a powerful skill for any sports bettor. Below, we’ll discuss what sharp money means and how to trace it.

Professional bettors are also referred to as “sharps”, “wiseguys” or “pros” and they are the experts of the sports betting world. While the public bets for fun, the sharps bet to make a living. The only way that can happen is if the pro is winning their bets at a 55% or higher clip.

Also see: Sports Betting Terms and Definitions

What is ‘sharp’ money?

Most bettors reading this don’t qualify as a “sharp” so the best we can do is to align with the sharp money. This makes figuring out where the sharp money is a vital part of handicapping a sporting event. Aligning with pros is the easiest way for us “squares” to get down on plus-expected value wagers.

These are the people who are grinding daily to find the best odds across several sportsbooks, working with runners or partners to get down big money on a particular game and their action changes lines in the market.

There are plenty of routes to becoming a “sharp” whether it’s via complex algorithms, math models, line originating, or handicapping; however, not being in this select group doesn’t exclude someone from making a sharp wager.

Using line movement to find ‘sharp’ money

Typically, when the wiseguys get down on a game it moves the market. Also, they bring a lot more money to the window than the “square” bettor, which usually explains line movement.

There are three different ways a line could move that would indicate where the sharp money lies:

  • Steam
  • Reverse line movement
  • Line freeze

First, a “steam move” is slang for the entire market (all sportsbooks) moving the spread, money line or total based on incoming action. Usually, this happens when a syndicate or group of pros bet big money on a particular side.

This isn’t always the case and because bookmaking is becoming more “group think” sometimes the market will move as a whole if one of the sportsbooks that knowingly accept sharp money changes their odds.

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Second, “reverse line movement” (RLM) is when the odds change in favor of the less popular side. Most bettors understand this concept inherently because it’s fishy if the House makes the more popular team cheaper.

That type of bookmaking suggests the House respects or is fearful of the few bettors who’ve backed the less popular side.

In order to find RLM, you first have to access free betting splits, which are available on websites including VSIN.com and Pregame.com or by the sportsbooks themselves via social media.

Finally, a “line freeze” is simply when the public and even sharp money is backing one side but the oddsmakers haven’t budged from their opening number.

This indicates bookmakers know they are the sharp side and are comfortable taking more action. Finding a “line freeze” on the board tends to be profitable since you’re on the same side as the House and the House usually wins.

For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.

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