Service Plays Thursday 5/23/13

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Sharks at Kings: What bettors need to know

San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings (-144, 4.5)

Best-of-seven series tied at 2-2.

The sixth-seeded San Jose Sharks were one goal away from being in a 3-0 hole in their Western Conference second-round series. Thanks to Logan Couture, they have a chance to take a 3-2 lead when they visit the fifth-seeded Los Angeles Kings for Game 5 on Thursday. San Jose dropped the first two games of its matchup with its Pacific Division rival on the road and found itself in overtime in Game 3 at home on Saturday.

Couture helped the Sharks avoid the nearly insurmountable series deficit by scoring a power-play goal at 1:29 of the extra session. The center came up big again in Game 4 on Tuesday, deflecting defenseman Dan Boyle's slap shot past Jonathan Quick during a man advantage at 3:55 of the second period to give San Jose a 2-0 lead. The tally, Couture's fifth of the postseason to tie him with Patrick Marleau for the team lead, proved to be the game-winner as Los Angeles' Mike Richards converted a power-play opportunity midway through the third. The Kings have won 12 consecutive home games, including all five in the playoffs, while the Sharks are 2-2 on the road this postseason.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN, TSN, RDS

ABOUT THE SHARKS: Joe Thornton was instrumental in giving San Jose an early lead in Game 4. The captain chased down a dump-in and outwitted Los Angeles' Slava Voynov to gain possession behind the net by lifting the defenseman's stick. After feeding Brent Burns for a shot that was blocked, Thornton regained control and made another pass to Burns, who converted at 6:09 of the first period. "He was really good in the first period," Boyle told the San Jose Mercury News. "I think that was our team's best period, and he was dominant out there in the first. There's only so much other teams can do against a guy like that when he's playing that way." The Sharks have rallied three times in their history to tie a playoff series after losing the first two contests, but they have been eliminated in six games on all three occasions.

ABOUT THE KINGS: Defenseman Matt Greene made his postseason debut Tuesday, registering one shot and blocking two in 14:08 of ice time. Greene had not played since suffering a lower-body injury against Detroit on April 24 and appeared in only five regular-season contests due to back surgery. "I'm just trying to get back up to speed with the guys," Greene told the Los Angeles Times. Captain Dustin Brown believes Greene already is there. "He was probably, I think, our most physical defenseman," Brown told the Times after Game 4. Greene tied Drew Doughty for the team lead among defensemen with four hits on Tuesday. Los Angeles is 6-4 this postseason after going 16-4 en route to its first Stanley Cup championship last year.

TRENDS:

* Sharks are 3-12 in their last 15 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
* Under is 9-2-2 in Kings last 13 overall.
* Under is 6-1-3 in Sharks last 10 road games.
* Sharks are 0-4 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.

OVERTIME:

1. All five of Couture's goals this postseason have come on the power play, a category in which he leads the NHL. He also is tied with Voynov for the league lead with three game-winning tallies.

2. The Kings were outshot 15-3 in the first period on Tuesday and trailed 21-9 after 40 minutes before having a 14-2 advantage in the third session.

3. Five of San Jose's six all-time playoff victories over Los Angeles have been one-goal decisions.

NHL series prices: Rangers +1400 for miracle comeback

With the second round of the NHL playoffs in full swing, we'll take a look back at the series prices from where they started, to where the price sits heading into Game 4 between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators Wednesday.

Odds courtesy of Bet365.com

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Ottawa Senators

Penguins lead series 2-1.

Open: Penguins -280, Senators +220
Currently: Penguins -550, Senators +425

The Pens were fairly close to dominant in the first two games of the series (although Game 2's scoreline does not reflect it) but the Sens are riding momentum into Game 4. Their dramatic victory in Game 3 gives them some hope, but, as the prices suggest, they have a way to go.

Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers

Bruins lead series 3-0.

Open: Bruins -159, Rangers +115
Currently: Bruins -5000, Rangers +1400

The Bruins were pre-series favorites, albeit slightly, but that has been justified as the B's have jumped out to a convincing 3-0 series lead. Though chances are slim, three teams have battled back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series in the NHL playoffs. Most recently in 2010 as the Philadelphia Flyers came back to beat, that's right, the Boston Bruins.

Chicago Blackhawks vs Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings lead series 2-1.

Open: Blackhawks -320, Red Wings +260
Currently: Blackhawks -110, Red Wings -110

Series prices are even now as the Wings have jumped out to a grab a 2-1 series lead. The Hawks were the top team in the NHL in the regular season and series prices have reflected that fact. Chicago swept the regular season series between the two clubs 4-0.

Los Angeles Kings vs San Jose Sharks

Series tied 2-2.

Open: Kings -135, Sharks +115
Currently: Kings -155, Sharks +135

The defending Stanley Cup champs had gotten out to a nice 2-0 lead in the series but the Sharks have battled back and evened things up. The home team has been dominant at defending home ice in the series and is 13-3 in the last 16 meetings overall.

**All info prior to Wednesday's NHL action.

NBA series prices: Spurs move to -550 in west

The final in the west is two games in and the final in the east begins Wednesday. The San Antonio Spurs opened as slight favorites in their series versus the Memphis Grizzlies but have take the first two games and are now -550. Here is a look at the last two series before the NBA Finals.

(Prices courtesy of carbonsports.ag)

San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies

Spurs lead series 2-0.

Open: San Antonio -120, Memphis +100
Currently: San Antonio -550, Memphis +425

The Spurs jumped out to a 2-0 series lead after a dominant Game 1 and, despite blowing a big lead in the fourth quarter, took Game 2 in overtime. Memphis battled hard to get itself back into Game 2 and will look forward to a pair of crucial home games. Remember - the Grizz dropped the first two games in Los Angeles against the Clippers, won the next two in Memphis and took the series 4-2.

Miami Heat vs Indiana Pacers

Game 1 Wednesday.

Open: Heat -700, Pacers +500
Currently: Heat -650, Pacers +475

The Heat opened as -700 to take the series but has since moved to -650. The Pacers won two of the three games the two Eastern Conference teams played in the regular season. Game 1 goes Wednesday in Miami.

***Info prior to Wednesday's NBA action.

Three reasons why you should bet the WNBA
By JASON LOGAN

The WNBA opens its 17th season to thunderous applause this Friday. Well, maybe not thunderous. And, maybe not applause. More like a slow sarcastic clap.

Most often, the league serves as a better punchline than entertainment but like all sports – popular or not – a little wager can quickly make you a die-hard fan. And as ridiculed as the WNBA is, it has quietly become the secret weapon of sharp bettors each summer.

Due to the lack of exposure and coverage, plenty of WNBA news, trends and tidbits fall on deaf ears, which means those with their head to the women’s hardwood have a distinct advantage over the public and even the sportsbooks.

We asked some of Covers Experts’ sharpest minds – those that actually admit to betting on the WNBA – why they love the “Dub” and what they look for when handicapping lady hoops:

Study pays off

“The sportsbooks delegate their resources to the sports that generate the most betting. WNBA lines are generally softer than you will find in, say, college and NBA basketball,” says a handicapper for Doc’s Sports. “As a result, someone that invests the time and effort into their research can have a strong advantage betting on a sport that is off most people's radar. The bottom line is that the cold, hard cash won betting on the WNBA is worth the same as money won betting on any other sport.”

Lack of depth

“I essentially handicap the games same as I would any other sport, but find that because the public and oddsmakers aren't as up on it, that you can often find very advantageous lines,” says Covers Expert Bryan Power. “One key difference between it and most men's leagues is that there is a real lack of depth as far as talent goes, so the top two and three teams end up being much better than the rest of the field.”

Value on the dogs

“I generally look to go against the public and stick mostly to underdogs and totals -usually unders,” says Covers Expert Sean Murphy. “That's where I've found the most value, particularly in the summer when a lot of recreational bettors and action junkies come out of the woodwork and pound the favorites. The lines certainly aren't as sharp as we're accustomed to seeing in the other major sports, at least in my opinion.”

Here’s a look at the WNBA futures heading into Friday’s season opener:

Phoenix Mercury +325
Minnesota Lynx +450
Indiana Fever +550
Connecticut Sun +650
Los Angeles Sparks +800
Chicago Sky +1000
New York Liberty +1200
San Antonio Silver Stars +1400
Seattle Storm +1600
Atlanta Dream +2000
Tulsa Shock +2000
Washington Mystics +3300

Six of the hottest bets in sports

A pair of tennis masters and an NHL team with a penchant for late goals highlight some of the hotter plays in sports recently. Here is a quick look at some athletes and teams to consider going forward.

(Odds courtesy of Bet365.com)

Rafael Nadal

The Spanish tennis ace has won five titles on the ATP tour since coming back from a knee injury. Rafa heads into the French Open as the 4/7 favorite.

Matt Moore

The Rays southpaw has made nine starts this season and the team has won all nine games. He is 8-0 with a 2.29 ERA on the year.

Ottawa Senators last to score

The Senators have outscored their opponents by, get this, a tally of 16-1 in the third period and overtime during the playoffs. They have been the last team to score in six of their eight games in postseason.

Bayern Munich

The Bavarian giants are 28-1-1 in their last 30 matches in all competitions. They are -133 to win the Champions League final against Bundesliga rival Borussia Dortmund Saturday.

Serena Williams

Serena has won four straight titles and 24 straight matches heading into the French Open. The American is the favorite in the women's draw at +100.

Cleveland Indians

Any $100 bettor would be up $1,538.42 if they'd bet the Tribe since April 28. Cleveland has won 18 of their 23 games since the second game of the double header on that date.

**All odds prior to events Wednesday May 22.

CHRIS JORDAN

600* Orioles +120 (list Kevin Gausman)

Crowne Plaza Invitational

Golf Betting Preview & Pcks
by Matt Fargo

The PGA Tour remains in the Lone Star State for the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.

After playing holes No. 1 and 2, Colonial jumps into a three-hole stretch referred to as the "Horrible Horseshoe", the three most difficult holes on the golf course that are shaped, well, like a horseshoe. After this, the track lightens up and players can go low here. Over the last seven years, the winner has achieved -12 or better with the four-day record being -21. Last year it was ranked 13th out of 49 in difficulty which was actually harder than normal as the field averaged 1.129 shots over par.

Given the fact that there is a two-week break between THE PLAYERS and the Colonial, the field this week is pretty strong although no where near as strong as it used to be. No player ranked in the top ten from the OWGR is playing this week while there are just three from the top ten of the FedEx Cup standings. However, 15 Major winners are in the field as well as six past champions of the Colonial since 1996 will be back to try and win again.

The defending champion is Zach Johnson (+1,500) as he surpassed Jason Dufner who came into Sunday with a three-shot lead. It was his second win at the Colonial as he also won in 2010 and those victories were sandwiched around a solo fourth in 2011. He obviously loves the track but 2013 has not been his year as his best finish is a T18 at the opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

Over the last 13 years, the average number of starts before winning here is over eight and Matt Kuchar (+2,000) could be ready as this is his seventh start at Colonial. He has yet to miss a cut this year and owns three top tens in addition to his win at the Accenture Match Play. His last three starts have been average with a T33 being his best of the bunch but he has never missed the cut at this event.

After opening the season with a pair of T6 finishes, Rickie Fowler (+2,500) has been rather inconsistent. He has a missed cut and a MDF in his last two starts but he took last week off so he should come in with better focus. We mentioned experience can be a big factor here and while Fowler doesn't have a lot, he does have a T16 and a T5 here the last two years.

Martin Laird (+3,000) is back in action after his T5 at THE PLAYERS Championship. He has missed six cuts this year but in addition to the top five at Sawgrass, he has a win which came in Texas at the Valero. He did miss the cut after that but it was at the Masters and it was the following week so the rest here should help. He has made two starts at the Colonial and both resulted in a T10.

Chris Kirk (+4,000) isn't exactly a household name but he is having a solid season and this could be a great setup for his second career PGA Tour win. He won the Viking Classic in 2011 and so far this year, he has two top tens after posting four in 2012. He finished T5 at Colonial last year which came after a T16 in 2011 so despite just two starts here, he has had success.

Jeff Overton (+6,000) will be our longshot pick this week. He is having a solid season and has missed just three cuts all year and his recent form has seen five straight weekends including a T7 at the Valero Texas Open. While his last two starts at Colonial have resulted in a MC and a T65, he did finish in a tie for third here in 2010 and a T13 in 2009 so the course certainly fits him.

Recommended tournament win five pack at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (All for One Unit)

Matt Kuchar (+2,000)

Rickie Fowler (+2,500)

Martin Laird (+3,000)

Chris Kirk (+4,000)

Jeff Overton (+6,000)

MLB

Hot pitchers
-- Gomez is 2-0, 3.07 in his last three starts.

-- Porcello is 1-0, 2.31 in his last two starts.
-- Indians won last four McAllister starts (2-0, 2.25).
-- Former Angel Santana is 3-2, 2.36 in his last eight starts.

Cold pitchers
-- Jackson is 1-3, 7.06 in his last four starts.

-- Diamond is 0-2, 10.80 in his last two starts.
-- Morrow is 1-2, 6.37 in his last five starts. Gausman is making first start in MLB; he was 2-4, 3.11 in eight starts in AA (44 hits/46.1 IP).
-- Dempster is 0-2, 8.10 in his last three starts.
-- Angels are 1-8 when Blanton starts (0-7, 6.97).

Starting Pitchers/First Inning
You can wager on whether teams will score in first inning. Below is how often a starting pitcher has allowed 1+ runs in first inning in one of his starts........
-- Jackson 4-9; Gomez 2-4

-- Diamond 3-7; Porcello 3-7
-- Gausman 0-0; Morrow 3-8
-- McAllister 2-7; Dempster 3-9
-- Blanton 5-9; Santana 5-9

Totals
-- Eight of last twelve Cub games went over the total.

-- Four of last six Detroit home games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Baltimore road games went over the total.
-- Over is 5-2-1 in Cleveland's last eight away games.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in Angels' last seven games

Hot teams
-- Pirates won ten of their last twelve games.

-- Tigers won eight of their last twelve games.
-- Blue Jays won five of their last six home games.
-- Cleveland won 12 of its last 17 games. Red Sox won six of last eight.
-- Angels won their last four games, scoring 37 runs.

Cold teams
-- Cubs lost four of their last five games.

-- Twins lost their last eight games, allowing 51 runs.
-- Baltimore lost six of its last eight games.
-- Royals lost 13 of their last 17 games.

MLB Top 3: Best home/away total bets in baseball
By JASON LOGAN

Watching the winds at Wrigley Field is always on top of a baseball bettor’s to-do list. And so far this season, those Windy City gusts have helped total bettors go 14-10 over/under when capping the Chicago Cubs’ home stands.

That may not seem like a huge windfall for over backers, until you compare it to the Cubs’ over/under count on the road. Chicago is 7-13 over/under away from the north side, heading into Tuesday’s game at Pittsburgh. The Cubbies play over 58 percent of the time at home but just 35 percent on the road.

Chicago isn’t the only club with decisively different over/under counts at home and away. Here are three other MLB teams presenting value to total bettors depending on the scenery:

Atlanta Braves (9-10 O/U home, 16-9-1 O/U away)

The Braves pitching has defended the House That Ted Built with an MLB best 2.47 ERA at home while posting a 4.06 ERA on the road – a difference of 1.59 runs. Atlanta is 2-3 over/under in the midst of its current six-game home stand.

Pittsburgh Pirates (8-16-1 O/U home, 13-7 O/U away)

Bucs’ ace A.J. Burnett is a different man inside PNC Park. Last season, he went 8-6 with a 3.10 ERA at home, where the Pirates finished 5-12 over/under in his 17 starts. Burnett is 2-3 with a 2.51 ERA in seven home starts in 2013. Pittsburgh is 1-6 over/under in those home appearances.

Philadelphia Phillies (14-8-1 O/U home, 8-15 O/U away)

Outside of Wrigley Field, Citizens Bank Park is perhaps the ultimate example of how much ballparks can make a difference. The Phillies’ crumbling lineup is having a tough time scoring, ranked 27th in runs per game, averaging four runs at home compared to just 3.13 on the road. Citizens Bank Park ranks as the second-best hitters park in the majors this season (behind Wrigley).

DCI Pro Hockey
The Daniel Curry Index

05/23/13 Predictions

Season: 309-193 (.616)

Eastern Conference Semifinals
Game #4
N.Y. RANGERS 3, Boston 2

Western Conference Semifinals
Game #5
San Jose vs. LOS ANGELES: TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Game #4
DETROIT 3, Chicago 2

[h=1]Today's NHL Picks[/h] [h=2]San Jose at Los Angeles[/h] The Sharks look to build on their 7-1 record in their last 8 games when playing with 1 days rest. San Jose is the pick (+135) according to Dunkel, which has the Sharks favored by 1/2 a goal. Dunkel Pick: San Jose (+135). Here are all of today's picks.

[h=1]Today's MLB Picks[/h] [h=2]LA Angels at Kansas City[/h] The Angels look to take advantage of a Kansas City team that is 1-7 in its last 8 games as a favorite. LA is the pick (+115) according to Dunkel, which has the Angels favored by 1 1/2. Dunkel Pick: LA Angels (+115). Here are all of today's picks.

Mighty Quinn

Mighty missed with the Mets on Wednesday.

Thursday it’s the Rangers. The deficit is 554 sirignanos.

Gamblers Data

Bonus Play Thursday

Kings -155

Hondo

Pittsburgh
Toronto

Joe Wiz

Bonus Play Thursday Baltimore/Kansas City Under 10

Hockey Crusher
Chicago Blackhawks -135 over Detroit Red Wings
(System Record: 68-3, lost last game)
Overall Record: 68-46-4

Baseball Crusher
Baltimore Orioles + Toronto Blue Jays OVER 9.5
(System Record: 23-4, lost last game)
Overall Record: 23-30-1

Soccer Crusher
AA Gent + Standard Liege UNDER 3
This match is happening in Belgium
(System Record: 400-15, lost last 2 games)
Overall Record: 400-349-49