Tag: COVID-19

UFC on ESPN+ 28: Demian Maia vs. Gilbert Burns odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 28 fight between Demian Maia and Gilbert Burns, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and best bets.

Demian Maia and Gilbert Burns tangle in a welterweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 28 – also called UFC Fight Night 170 – at the Ginasio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia, Brazil Saturday. The card kicks off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Demian Maia vs. Gilbert Burns preview

Maia (28-9-0) checks into this bout on a 3-0 run, including a Round 3 submission win over Ben Askren in the main event on Oct. 26, 2019 in Singapore. Both of the Brazilian fighters know each other well, and it won’t matter this bout takes place in front of no fans due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The southpaw Maia, who is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu style fighter, has a three-inch advantage in height, and his reach extends one inch more than Burns’. The veteran has managed just 1.82 significant strikes landed per minute to 3.09 for Burns, but their Significant Strike Accuracy Percentage is nearly identical. This means Maia is going to eat a lot more punches in this match. Their Takedown Average is generally the same, too, although Burns is much better in Takedown Accuracy at 38.98% for Burns, to just 25.90% for Maia.

Burns (17-3-0) has an orthodox stance and striker fighting style. He enters on a four-bout winning streak, including a unanimous decision victory over Gunnar Nelson Sept. 28, 2019, on the Hermansson-Cannonier card. His record since joining UFC is a mix of UDs, submission wins and KO/TKOs, so he can beat you in a number of ways. He is definitely the more versatile fighter in this bout, and the No. 12 welterweight in the world is nine years younger than Maia (33 to 42), so he has the much fresher legs, too.

Place a sports bet on this mixed martial arts action or other events at BetMGM.

Demian Maia vs. Gilbert Burns betting odds

Per BetMGM, Burns (-189) is a rather heavy favorite over Maia (+155) on the 2-way line. You’ll have to get a little creative, as risking nearly two times your potential return is not the way to go here, especially with a lack of potential rebound wagers due to a lack of other sporting events.

Burns to win by decision/technical decision (+140) pays a little better, while a win by KO/TKO or DQ (+425) or by submission (+550) pays much better. You’ll have to make a decision here, and Maia isn’t going to go away quietly. I think this one goes the distance, with Burns scratching out a win by decision/technical decision (+140). Play it safe there.

As such, playing the Over 2.5 rounds (-250) or the prop ‘Will the fight go the full 3 rounds?’ at YES (-185). In addition, taking Gilbert Burns On Points (+140) is also a nice addition to your bet slip.

It might be a slightly risky play, but a two-fighter parlay of Charles Oliveira (+115) vs. Kevin Lee and Burns (-189) has total odds of +228, going for a nice double Brazilian payout.

New to sports betting? A $10 parlay of Oliveira (+115) and Burns (-189) returns a potential profit of $22.80.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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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UFC on ESPN+ 28: Francisco Trinaldo vs. John Makdessi odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Francisco Trinaldo vs. John Makdessi UFC matchup, with UFC betting odds, picks and best bets

Francisco Trinaldo and John Makdessi lock horns in a lightweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 28 — also called UFC Fight Night 170 — at the Ginasio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia. The card gets underway in Brazil’s capital Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

Trinaldo (24-7-0), the Brazilian southpaw, stands one inch taller than his counterpart while holding a two-inch reach advantage. He is also fighting in his native Brazil, although the advantage is somewhat negated by the fact a raucous crowd will all be at home due to the COVID-19 situation. The Constrictor Team fighter, nicknamed “Massaranduba,” is a striker-style fighter and 41 years old. Over his past seven bouts he has alternated wins and losses. Last time out he won a unanimous decision against Bobby Green on the Blachowicz-Jacare card Nov. 16, 2019. Across his past seven wins, three have been won by KO/TKO, including a quick first-round belting of Chad Laprise, also a Canadian like Makdessi. There is no doubt he’ll be looking to keep Makdessi upright, although he can do the ground and pound when necessary.

Makdessi (17-6-0) is the younger fighter at 34, and he enters on a three-bout win streak since being knocked out by Lando Vannata at UFC 206 back on Dec. 10, 2016. He has had nearly a year off since his last fight against Jesus Pinedo, and he generally has had nine to 12 months between each of his past four bouts. It has been a winning recipe, obviously, but he enters as a moderate underdog. Makdessi has a big advantage in Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute (LPM) at 5.43 to 3.09. He is also more accurate with the striking, holding a 50.9-44.0 percent advantage in that category. Makdessi is not a guy who goes to the mat, as is evidenced by his zeroes across the board in Takedown Average, Takedown Accuracy and Submission Average. All three of those categories point to Trinaldo.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 3 a.m. ET.

Place a sports bet on this mixed martial arts action or other events at BetMGM.

Francisco Trinaldo vs. John Makdessi betting odds

Per BetMGM, Trinaldo (-182) is a rather moderate favorite over Makdessi (+150) despite being seven years older and north of 40. While taking the favorite can be a rather risky proposition, Trinaldo is the play on the 2-way line, and it will be especially satisfying for bettors if he can control the fight early. The worry is going deeper into fights if Makdessi might have the advantage because he is younger.

TRINALDO TO WIN BY KO/TKO OR DQ (+370) is an attractive play which could pay rather handsomely, and Trinaldo by Submission (+600) is even more tempting, albeit a lot more unlikely, too. If you like Trinaldo to win this one by Decision/Technical Decision (+190), or on Points (+190), have at it, but that’s not for me. The oddsmakers are feeling that this one goes the distance (-189), but if you’re betting the knockout, you might as well go NO (+135) on the fighting going the full three rounds.

A two-fighter parlay of Trinaldo and GILBERT BURNS (-189) might be a nice parlay if you want to pair the two moderate fighters together.

New to sports betting? A $10 parlay of Burns (-189) and Trinaldo (-182) returns a potential profit of $13.72.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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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UFC on ESPN+ 28: Kevin Lee vs. Charles Oliveira odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Kevin Lee vs. Charles Oliveira UFC matchup, with UFC betting odds, picks and best bets

Kevin Lee and Charles Oliveira square off in a catchweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 28 — also called UFC Fight Night 170 — at the Ginasio Nilson Nelson in Brasilia. The card gets gets underway in Brazil’s capital Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

Lee (18-5-0) will venture into hostile territory (though less hostile than originally thought; see below for more) as the moderate favorite, but the home country advantage of his counterpart will be mitigated by the fact the arena will be empty due to the unfortunate COVID-19 situation.

Also of note, the fight was originally scheduled to be a lightweight bout, but Lee missed the 156-pound limit by 2.8 pounds at weigh-in. According to multiple reports, Oliveira accepted a catchweight bout, but it is not yet known what portion of Lee’s purse Oliveira will receive.

As for other measurables, Lee enters this bout one inch shorter than his opponent, but he also holds a three-inch reach advantage. In addition, Lee has registered 3.90 significant strikes landed per minute to 3.21 for Oliveira. Their takedown accuracy is basically a wash, with Oliveira holding the slight advantage at 42.86 to 42.71 percent, virtually even. The strategy for Lee, most likely, will be able to keep this as a toe-to-toe bout rather than go to the mat, as Oliveira is the far superior fighter on the ground.

Oliveira (28-8-0) also employs an orthodox stance like Lee. While the striking and takedown stats are similar, Oliveira holds a 2.77-0.87 advantage in submission average, so he’ll likely be looking to take this to the canvas early and often. Oliveira isn’t a one-trick pony, however, as while four of his past six wins have come via submission, his past two were KO/TKO decisions against Jared Gordon and Nik Lentz, both in 2019. He is also well rested, having last fought Nov. 16, 2019 against Gordon on the Blachowicz-Jacare card.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 2:30 a.m. ET.

Place a sports bet on this mixed martial arts action or other events at BetMGM.

Kevin Lee vs. Charles Oliveira betting odds

Per BetMGM, Lee (-152) is the favorite over Oliveira (+125), who will no longer be able to tap into that home crowd energy due to the fans being turned away due to the coronavirus pandemic. That’s a distinct advantage for Lee, a.k.a. “The Motown Phenom.”

Lee is 2-3 across his past five bouts, including a submission loss to Rafael Dos Anjos in the fourth round on May 18, 2019. He was also submitted by Tony Ferguson in a title bout on Oct. 7, 2017. That’s ominous for Lee, as Oliveira’s strength is also on the ground.

Backing OLIVEIRA ON THE 2-WAY LINE (+125) is a good start for your wagers, while OLIVEIRA BY SUBMISSION (+700), as a method of victory, might also be worth a small-unit bet. The total number of rounds — over/under — might also be in play, and the consensus likes UNDER 2.5 (-167), rather than a long, drawn out five-round bout.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Oliveira (+125) to nets a profit of $12.50. A $10 wager on Oliveira (+700) to win by submission secures a profit of $70.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

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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Steph and Ayesha Curry pledge meal donation for children during coronavirus school closures

Stephen and Ayesha Curry’s Eat. Learn. Play. foundation announces a food donation for out of school children during the coronavirus pandemic.

Stephen Curry was slated to play in his second game back from a broken hand injury on Thursday night against the Brooklyn Nets. However, games at Chase Center in San Francisco are currently on hold.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA has suspended the 2019-20 season until further notice. Leagues going on hiatus may take over headlines in the sports world, yet the impact of COVID-19 stretches much farther than basketball.

While schools across the Bay Area are closing down due to the threat of coronavirus, the Curry family is trying to help. Stephen and Ayesha Curry announced their Eat. Learn. Play. foundation will make a food donation to aid out of school children.

Via @StephenCurry30:

Eat. Learn. Play is working with the Alameda County Community Food Bank and the Oakland Unified School District to ensure every child who relies on their school system for food will be getting breakfast and lunch.

The Currys are calling for others to join their pledge.

We’re trying to do our part, and hopefully, you can join the fight with us and have each other’s backs as we go through this uncertain time in our community.

To support Eat. Learn. Play. follow the link below.

https://donate.accfb.org/supporting-families

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Warriors players, coaches and ownership pledge $1 million to disaster relief fund for Chase Center employees

In wake of the NBA suspending the season, players, coaches and ownership from the Golden State Warriors donate $1 million to the Chase Center employee disaster relief fun.

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has officially paused the basketball world. In an unprecedented move, the NBA suspended the 2019-20 season due to COVID-19.

The league will go on hiatus for at least 30 days, according to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.

Over the next month, the Golden State Warriors were slated to host six of their final seven home games in San Francisco. Now, Golden State’s remaining schedule is in question until further notice.

While Chase Center might be known as the new home of the Golden State Warriors, the Mission Bay arena hosts a bevy of events across the calendar outside of basketball.

Concerts featuring Tame Impala and Post Malone have been moved due to San Francisco’s coronavirus event ban. Billie Eilish, Celine Dion and The Eagles are all on the Chase Center calendar for early April.

With Chase Center empty and the NBA season on hold, the lives of employees for the Bay Area arena have been altered. To help ease the impact, members of the Golden State Warriors organization are stepping up.

On Friday, the team announced Warriors ownership, players and coaches will donate $1 million to a disaster relief fund for Chase Center employees.

Teams and players across the NBA are reaching out to help arena employees. Giannis Antetoukompo, Kevin Love, Blake Griffin and Zion Williamson have pledged $100,000 to help support stadium workers. The Golden State Warriors are following suit.

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Coronavirus forces NCAA to make big decisions regarding eligibility, recruiting

Coronavirus forced the NCAA to make some big decisions regarding player eligibility and recruiting.

The world of sports has been turned upside down as a result of the coronavirus, with leagues around the world cancelling, postponing or suspending their seasons or playoffs.

It’s the right decision globally. At the end of the day, human life trumps sports. The downside is that sports would make life a lot easier during a time like this.

What’s done is done, though, and collegiate spring sports across the United States have been called off at least until the coronavirus is in check.

Most of America agrees with the NCAA’s decision to suspend future sporting events, but felt for the students who had their final year of eligibility stripped or cut short because of the virus.

The NCAA worked on making things right for those students on Thursday.

The NCAA agreed “to grant relief for the use of a season of competition for student-athletes who have participated in spring sports.”

There is a possibility that the same policy will be put in place for winter sport athletes as well. The Council Coordination Committee will discuss that.

As for recruiting, according to a report from Jeff Goodman of Stadium, the NCAA has suspended all recruiting for all sports until at least April 15. That includes on and off campus.

https://twitter.com/insidethencaa/status/1238532876221775876?s=21

Report: Kirby Smart, some Georgia football players may have to self-quarantine

A number of Georgia coaches and players may be required to self-quarantine following the university’s spring break. Per Radi Nabulsi of UGASports, Georgia sent out a memo on Thursday to faculty and staff stating that anyone who traveled outside of …

A number of Georgia coaches and players may be required to self-quarantine following the university’s spring break.

Per Radi Nabulsi of UGASports, Georgia sent out a memo on Thursday to faculty and staff stating that anyone who traveled outside of the country during spring break will be required to self-quarantine upon their arrival back home. That memo also applies to students.

Head coach Kirby Smart is one of the many members of the Georgia football program who vacationed outside of America over spring break. According to Instagram photos posted by Mary Beth Smart, Kirby’s wife, the family vacationed in Costa Rica.

Under the policy created by Georgia to help slow the spread of coronavirus, Smart would be required to self-quarantine as well, as well as the assistant coaches and players who travelled outside the United States.

Part of the memo read:

“If you have traveled anywhere outside of the United States over spring break, you MUST NOT return to the UGA campus or facility.”

“Anyone who has traveled internationally in the past 14 days MUST self-quarantine until you have been asymptomatic for a period of 14 days from the date of entering/re-entering the United States.”

It’s very important to note that no player, coach or staffer has tested positive for the virus, and the university has not reported any cases either. These are preventative measures.

XFL suspends season amid COVID-19 outbreak

The XFL now joins the NBA, NHL, MLB, and the NCAA in halting activities in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

The inaugural season for the revived XFL will be cut short as the new league announced on Thursday afternoon they will not be playing the rest of their regular-season games due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The XFL may be done for the year, but they are not alone when it comes to other leagues postponing activities. The NBA and NHL both announced they are suspending their seasons as well, with the MLB delaying the start of their season for at least two weeks, and the NCAA entirely canceling their beloved March Madness tournament.

With the end of the XFL comes the conclusion of the Seattle Dragons 2020 campaign as well. The Dragons were still slated to play their Week 6 game on Saturday versus the Los Angeles Wildcats, albeit in front of an empty stadium due to Washington Governor Jay Inslee’s limitations on crowd sizes of 250 people or more.

The Dragons remained competitive throughout the year, but ultimately came up short and will finish their opening campaign at 1-4, with their lone win coming from a 17-9 victory over the Tampa Bay Vipers – who are similarly 1-4.

Despite the Dragons sharing the XFL’s basement with the Vipers, they enjoyed considerable fan support from the Seattle faithful. Seattle once more proved it was a city in love with football, hungry for more even after a successful season from the Seahawks.

Should the XFL survive such a major setback and resume play in 2021, there is little doubt the Dragons will still have a solid fan-base to return to.

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Locked On Spartans Podcast: This sucks, but we’re going to be OK

Reacting to the news that sports are shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic

Wil and Matt talk about sports shutting down amid the coronavirus pandemic. Plus, plans for the show over the next month.

You can find the episode on iTunes, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

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MSU Basketball Guard Cassius Winston says he “went out a Champion” on SportsCenter

Michigan State Basketball Guard Cassius Winston spoke on the abrupt end of his career on SportsCenter. Read his quote here.

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The NCAA basketball season has abruptly ended due to concerns of the quickly spreading COVID-19. As a result, we will no longer see Cassius Winston play in Green & White. Cassius Winston took the time to speak at SportsCenter and said that he “went out a champion”.

The NCAA Tournament and Big Ten Tournament have both been canceled. As a result, Winston ends his career with 1969 points, 890 assists, 3 Big Ten Titles, and a Final Four appearance. Most importantly, he will go down as the most beloved Spartan athlete of all time.

As Winston mentioned, he went out as a champion winning a share of the Big Ten Championship. At least we can look back fondly at his impressive career at Michigan State. Even if we do not get to see him fulfill a National Title run.

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