Duke-California odds: Blue Devils big favorites at MSG

The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils (4-0) and California Bears (4-0) hook up in the 2K Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. We analyze the Duke-California odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball …

The top-ranked Duke Blue Devils (4-0) and California Bears (4-0) hook up in the 2K Empire Classic at Madison Square Garden Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. We analyze the Duke-California odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Duke vs. California: Three things you need to know

1. The Blue Devils are back at Madison Square Garden for the second time already this season, as they topped Kansas 68-66 Nov. 5 to win outright as a 2.5-point underdog.

2. Duke has posted a 3-1 ATS mark, but it failed to cover last time out against Georgia State in a 74-63 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium Nov. 15.

3. Cal is also 3-1 ATS in its four outings, and it also failed to cover last time out, narrowly escaping defeat as 15-point favorites against Prairie View A&M, 54-50.

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Duke vs. California: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Duke 88, California 66

Moneyline (ML)

There was no moneyline listed at the time of publishing.

Against the Spread (ATS)

DUKE (-19.5, -110) is much deeper than California (+19.5, -110) as it has four players averaging double-digit points. G Tre Jones leads the way with 17.0 PPG and 5.8 APG, while C Vernon Carey Jr. has posted 14.8 PPG, newcomer G Cassius Stanley has 13.0 PPG and 1.8 SPG and F Matthew Hurt has racked up 10.8 PPG.

Cal has G Matt Bradley going for 20.0 PPG, but then it is a steep drop-off after that, with just two others in double-digits – and just barely. Bradley has averaged 3.0 turnovers per game, too, and that’s an area Cal has had some trouble. The Bears have 59 turnovers to 46 assists, including a negative ratio for Bradley. That might fly against the Prairie Views of the world, but not against Duke.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER ( 136.5, – 106) is the play of the night in this one, even though the under is 5-2 in Duke’s past seven neutral-site games and 5-1 in Cal’s past six neutral-site battles. The Blue Devils are rolling up 84.0 PPG in four contests, while Cal is averaging 75.5 PPG in its four games. This won should be well in excess of the total.

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Spurs-Wizards odds: San Antonio a slight road favorite

The Washington Wizard s (3-7) entertain the San Antonio Spurs (5-9) Wednesday at Capital One Arena for a 7 p.m. ET start. We analyze the Spurs-Wizards odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup. Place a legal sports bet on …

The Washington Wizards (3-7) entertain the San Antonio Spurs (5-9) Wednesday at Capital One Arena for a 7 p.m. ET start. We analyze the Spurs-Wizards odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Spurs at Wizards: Key injuries

Spurs

PG Derrick White (foot) out

Wizards

SG Jordan McRae (illness) questionable

Spurs at Wizards: Odds, lines, picks, and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 12 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Wizards 107, Spurs 104

Moneyline (ML)

The +115 line for the WIZARDS is intriguing as they can keep games close and San Antonio appears to not be able to close games out in the fourth quarter.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Wizards to win outright returns a profit of only $11.50.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

An equally good play would be backing the WIZARDS on the spread of +1.5 points with +105 odds. A Washington cover here (lose by one point or win outright) returns a $10.50 profit.

Washington is only 2-2 against the spread at home and is nearly six points below projections, but San Antonio just cannot close out games. This should help out the cover for the home side.

Over/Under (O/U)

Our pick is the UNDER237.5 ( -115). Watch the number a little bit but this is a solid bet. Few would be surprised if this was a bit more of a defensive struggle than most think. If the number slips to -110, that is even better.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Chris’ NBA betting record: 45-30

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Chargers at Chiefs: Kansas City favored in Mexico City

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) hook up for the first time this season, facing off on Monday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET. Chiefs vs. Chargers: Week 11 preview, betting trends …

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) hook up for the first time this season, facing off on Monday night at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.

Chiefs vs. Chargers: Week 11 preview, betting trends and notes

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The Chargers are coming off an extended break, having played on Thursday night in Week 10, a 26-24 loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Chargers QB Philip Rivers threw three interceptions in that game. He had five touchdown passes and three interceptions in two games against the Chiefs last season.
The Chargers have the eighth-best scoring defense in the league (points per game). The Chiefs are 20th.
The Chiefs average more than 28 points per game on offense. The Chargers average fewer than 21.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes had 446 passing yards and three touchdowns in Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans in his first game back after missing two games with an injury.

Chargers at Chiefs: Key injuries

Mahomes is healthy again and will play. DE Emmanuel Ogbah (pectoral) is out and will probably miss the rest of the season. OT Eric Fisher (groin) should return to the lineup for the first time since Week 2, while OG Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (ankle) should be in the lineup for the first time since Week 8.

Chargers RT Sam Tevi (knee) is expected to miss this week and more. LT Russell Okung (groin) is questionable.

Chargers at Chiefs: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 1:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Chiefs 38, Chargers 23

Moneyline ( ?)

With Mahomes healthy and his offensive line returning, the offense should be overwhelming again, making any bet other than the Chiefs seem like a waste of money. At – 182, it won’t gain much profit ($5.49 profit on a $10 bet), but taking the Chargers at +150 doesn’t seem to be smart with the money, as the game probably won’t be that close.

Against the Spread ( ?)

The Chiefs are favored by 4.5 points (+105). The Chiefs are healthy on the offensive line so Mahomes can be dynamic. The Chargers might be without their two starting tackles. L.A. has struggled to score points, so expect a two-score win for the home team. Take the CHIEFS -4.5 (+105).

Over/Under ( ?)

The total is set at 52.5 points. The Chiefs should put up points. The question is whether the Chargers will do the same. Rivers is savvy enough that if the Chiefs jump out to a big lead, he will rally his team for late points. This game should easily hit the OVER (-115).

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NASCAR Betting: Ford EcoBoost 400 betting tips

The Monster Energy Cup Series wraps up the 2019 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday for the Ford EcoBoost 400 at 3 p.m. ET, and we’ll crown a series champion after the sun goes down. The four drivers eligible for the championship are …

The Monster Energy Cup Series wraps up the 2019 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday for the Ford EcoBoost 400 at 3 p.m. ET, and we’ll crown a series champion after the sun goes down.

The four drivers eligible for the championship are Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick against the Joe Gibbs Racing trio of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. Harvick won the series title in 2014, Busch won in 2015 and MTJ won in 2017. Only Hamlin has yet to nail down a championship, but he comes in hotter than anyone.

Who is going to win the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway?

For a full-set of today’s sports betting odds, access them at USA TODAY Sports.

Harvick enters Sunday’s race with a win, 10 top-5 finishes and 16 top-10 showings across 18 career races at Homestead with a 6.6 Average-Finish Position (AFP) with 373 laps led and zero DNFs.

NASCAR’s Loop Data shows Harvick with a 124.6 Driver Rating across the past five starts at HMS while posting a 2.6 AFP. He also leads all drivers running 99.6 percent of his laps inside the Top 15.

Busch ranks fourth in Driver Rating (111.1) across the past five starts at Homestead, leading 106 laps while posting a 10.4 AFP. He has also run 87.4 percent of his laps inside the Top 15. He has had mixed results over the years at this track, posting a win with four top-5 finishes and seven top-10 results, but he has two DNFs and a 17.4 AFP in 14 career starts.

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As far as Hamlin is concerned, he has two career victories at Homestead-Miami Speedway while posting an impressive 10.6 AFP in 14 career starts. He has led 254 laps, too. Across the past five starts he has a 102.6 Driver Rating while running 92.6 percent of his laps inside the Top 15. He is just as good a bet as any to win and claim his first championship. MTJ has a 98.2 Driver Rating, and he has a 13.6 AFP across the past five stops at Homestead while running 83.3 percent of his laps inside the Top 15.

Homestead-Miami Speedway long-shot bets

If you’re looking for a non-title contender to come and ruin the party, look to Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott. He has finishes of fifth, seventh and 11th in three career starts at Homestead. While he is certainly not returning big odds, and probably could have been in the hunt for a title if not for a wreck in Phoenix last week, he might have something to prove.

Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson is also a non-contender looking to capture checkers. He has six career starts at HMS, turning in three top-5s and three top-10s with an AFP of 8.5 while racking up 325 laps led. He has never won at Homestead, but he has a runner-up finish under his belt.

Now that you know which drivers you should consider to bet in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, head to BetMGM and place your wagers today.

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Saints favored by 8.5 points over Panthers for Week 12 opening lines

The opening betting line heavily favored the New Orleans Saints over the Carolina Panthers for their Week 12 NFC South rivalry game.

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The New Orleans Saints rebounded in a big way this week, but the Carolina Panthers look like they’ve regressed hard. This always-tough NFC South rivalry series is set to pick up again in Week 12, and the Saints are clearly favored to win.

Per the opening line from BetMGM, the Saints are 8.5-point home favorites over the Panthers. With an over/under set at 47.5, that implies a final score in the neighborhood of Saints 28, Panthers 19. Not too shabby.

With Cam Newton sidelined for the rest of the year, Carolina has had to rely on Kyle Allen, which has produced mixed results. Allen’s initial success trailed off over the last month, and the Panthers’ record has fallen with it. Allen threw seven touchdown passes against zero interceptions in his first four starts, giving Carolina a four-game unbeaten stretch.

Since then, Allen has completed just three touchdown passes against nine interceptions. And the Panthers have lost three of their last four games to put their season on life support at 5-5, with a difficult road trip against the Saints next on their schedule.

If the Saints defense can be as proactive and disruptive against Carolina as they were versus Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — a game in which they stole four interceptions and sacked Winston twice, hitting him a dozen other times — then they can take advantage of Allen, who’s been prone to making mistakes with the game on his shoulders.

Still, both of these teams received their most recent losses to the bottom-feeding Atlanta Falcons. Both squads know they can’t take anything for granted in the NFL, meaning an intense week of practice and preparation is ahead of them.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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NFL Week 11: How to watch, stream, and wager Saints vs. Buccaneers

The New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are preparing for their Week 11 kickoff. Here’s how to watch, listen, and stream the game.

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Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints have flown out to sunny Raymond James Stadium for a game with the NFC South-rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’s their tenth meeting with Tampa Bay since the Buccaneers drafted quarterback Jameis Winston back in 2015, a series in which the Saints lead with a 5-4 record. But they’re 2-2 when visiting the Buccaneers on their home turf, making this game far from a guaranteed win. Here’s everything you need to know so that you can watch, listen, or stream Sunday’s kickoff.

Game Information

New Orleans Saints (7-2) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)

1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, Nov. 17

Raymond-James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.

Streaming

fuboTV (try it for free)

NFL Game Pass

Television

FOX

Radio

WWL 870 AM and local affiliate stations

Betting

BetMGM (Saints by +5.5, over/under at 50.5)

Extras

Connect with us on our Facebook page and Twitter account (@TheSaintsWire)

Follow our friends over at Bucs Wire on Twitter (@TheBucsWire), Facebook, and BucsWire.com

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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NFL Best Bets: Three underdog locks for Week 11

Our weekly NFL underdog betting staple continues into Week 11, where Ken Pomponio features three teams likely to upset their underdog odds

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NFL Week 10 was wild, a memorable week and a surprise-filled week which featured nine of 13 underdogs covering the mid-week lines.

We weren’t on either of the big underdogs (Atlanta Falcons +11.5 in New Orleans, Miami Dolphins +9.5 in Indianapolis) who not only covered but also won outright, but we did go 3-0 to snap a run of three straight 1-2 weekly finishes and up our season record to 18-12.

Now it’s back to board to find more underdog value, utilizing, as usual, Wednesday’s posted point spreads from BetMGM.com.

Get some action on the games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

Dolphins (+6) vs. Buffalo Bills

Nov 10, 2019: Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. *Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports*

Don’t look now, but the Dolphins’ tanking mission is suddenly headed the wrong direction.

Behind the fearless play of veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and an energized, no-name defense, Miami is 2-0 in November and has covered in five straight outings after a brutal 0-4 against-the-spread start in which the Dolphins were outscored 163-26.

The Bills, meanwhile, have gone 2-2 after a 4-1 start, including a tighter-than-it-looks 31-21 home win over the Dolphins in Week 7.

Keep riding with Fitzpatrick and Co. here as the oddsmakers have been slow to adjust to the new-and-improved Dolphins. They’re playing hard for a first-year coach in Brian Flores, who clearly doesn’t include “tanking” among his best career interests.

Philadelphia Eagles (+3½) vs. New England Patriots

Feb 4, 2018: Eagles coach Doug Pederson (left) and Patriots coach Bill Belichick reunite Sunday. *Matthew Emmons – USA TODAY Sports*

It hasn’t proven to be wise wagering against Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Co., who are 10-3 in their last 13 games ATS dating back to Week 17 of last season — and coming off the bye in this one.

But the host Eagles are coming off their bye, as well, and they are 4-2 after starting off 1-2.

Philly is sure to be fired up for the teams’ first meeting since Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, and while the Pats are sure to be focused coming off their first loss followed by the bye, we’ll take a solid team getting a field goal and the always-tempting half-point hook at home.

Arizona Cardinals (+11½) at San Francisco 49ers

Oct 31, 2019: Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray faces the 49ers again. *Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports*

If it seems like we just saw this NFC West matchup, it’s because we did, two weeks ago in the desert as the visiting Niners prevailed in a much-tougher-than-expected 28-25 contest on Halloween.

In between, San Fran suffered its first loss, falling to the visiting Seattle Seahawks 27-24 in an overtime duel Monday night that arguably has been the best NFL game this season.

The 49ers also continue to battle the health bug with tight end George Kittle and receiver Emmanuel Sanders likely to be game-time decisions. And quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is battling some obvious shakiness after completing only 24 of 46 passes Monday for 248 yards, a touchdown and an interception, along with two lost fumbles.

Rookie QB Kyle Murray and the Cards, meanwhile, are 3-6-1 straight up but have been one of the league’s best ATS squads at 7-3, including five covers in their last six outings.

We were on Arizona last week in Tampa, and we’ll go with the Cards again here Sunday afternoon in San Fran where the home team is simply giving too many points.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Despite loss to Falcons, Saints still have second-best Super Bowl LIV odds

Oddsmakers weren’t discouraged when the New Orleans Saints got tripped up against the Falcons. They still have great Super Bowl odds.

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It was certainly disappointing to see the New Orleans Saints come up short against the Atlanta Falcons, but that loss didn’t turn into a big hit for their Super Bowl odds. Per BetMGM, the Saints (+650) trail only the New England Patriots (+260) in the Super Bowl LIV betting lines. Along with the Baltimore Ravens (+700) and San Francisco 49ers (+750), they form the group of four teams with odds better than +1000 to win a title this year.

Here’s how the top 10 shakes out after those four contenders at the top:

Green Bay Packers +1000
Kansas City Chiefs +1200
Seattle Seahawks +1600
Philadelphia Eagles +1800
Minnesota Vikings +2000
Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans +2500

So obviously the oddsmakers aren’t bothered by a poor Saints effort in their latest loss. New Orleans is still perceived as a top team (maybe the top team) in the NFC, especially now that San Francisco lost in a dramatic overtime finish on Monday night.

It’ll be fascinating to see how things develop down the stretch as the Saints, 49ers and Packers each compete for the top two playoff seeds in the conference. The 49ers will play the Packers (at home) and the Saints (on the road) twice in three weeks, with a road contest against the Ravens squeezed in between, adding even more intrigue.

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Saints open up as 5.5-point road favorites over Buccaneers

The New Orleans Saints are poised for a get-right road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a game in which they’re favored by 5.5 points.

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The New Orleans Saints are looking ahead to their rematch with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, this time with Drew Brees in at quarterback. His understudy, Teddy Bridgewater, turned in the best game of his year when the Buccaneers visited last time; now Brees will get his turn on the road.

Per the latest odds from BetMGM, the Saints are favored by 5.5 points at Raymond James Stadium. With an over/under set at 51.5, that implies a final score in the neighborhood of Saints 29, Buccaneers 23. That’s hardly a blowout, suggesting more of a competitive atmosphere — which is what the Saints are used to in Tampa Bay, having trailed most of the game in last year’s visit. They lost the 2017 regular season finale a year earlier on a last-second Chris Godwin touchdown catch.

It’ll be fascinating to see how the Saints respond to getting punched in the mouth by the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, the first game in a four-week series against NFC South division rivals. While the Buccaneers have been nearly as sorry as Atlanta (their 3-6 record speaks for itself), they’ve had the opportunity to regroup during their bye week and play better football. They took the Seattle Seahawks to overtime and beat the Arizona Cardinals in a frantic fourth quarter on Sunday.

Still, this should be a get-right game for New Orleans. Their defensive line has quieted down in recent weeks after a hot start to the season. Starting defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins and edge rusher Marcus Davenport have combined played a combined 287 snaps over their last four games, but that’s turned into just eight total tackles (two solo), no tackles for loss, no sacks, and one quarterback hit.

They’ll be playing essentially the same offensive line they bullied in their last meeting, a game where Rankins logged his first sack since last year’s Achilles injury and where Davenport put up the best day of his season (two sacks, three hits, and a forced fumble). The Saints defense will go as far as the monsters up front can take it (especially with top cornerback Marshon Lattimore on the mend), but all of those former first-round picks have lost their mojo in recent weeks.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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