Date | Match Up | Rating | Score | Result | Profit | Lead Time | Analysis |
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12-20-19 | SMU +5 v. Georgia | Top | 85-87 | Win | 100 | 9 h 20 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #843 Friday 10* Top Play SMU Mustangs (+) @ Georgia Bulldogs @ 7 ET - The Mustangs were 8-0 SU on the season and allowing an average of only 59.6 points per game on the season. They then faced Georgetown in a game in which the Hoyas were hitting everything in sight. It simply did not matter what SMU did, Georgetown was on fire in that game including hitting 14 of 27 three pointers. These types of games happen from time to time. But the point is that Southern Methodist is a great defensive team and they are in bounce back mode here and I am happy to take the points and go against Georgia in this one. The Bulldogs are also off an ugly loss. However, Georgia is a much different team from the Mustangs. The Bulldogs don't focus much on the defensive end. In fact, Georgia has had just two games this season in which they've allowed less than 72 points in game. In their other 7 games they have allowed an average of 80.7 points per game. SMU is allowing just 38.6% from the field this season while the Bulldogs are allowing 45.4% from the field. Also, the Mustangs are the much better team in terms of defending the arc. SMU also shoots the 3-ball better and is much better at the free thrown line (79%) than the Bulldogs (67%). I am going with the defensive-minded road dog in this one. Also, they have only had leading scorer and leading assist man Kendric Davis for the past 5 games. The Bulldogs have been without Amanze Ngumezi for the past two games due to suspension. He is not a star for Georgia but he is a key rotation player. Mustangs getting stronger, Bulldogs getting weaker. Give me the hungry dog. 10* SMU |
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12-19-19 | Jazz v. Hawks +6.5 | Top | 111-106 | Win | 100 | 13 h 32 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #532 Thursday 10* Top Play Atlanta Hawks (+) vs Utah Jazz @ 7:35 ET - This is the perfect spot to back an ugly home dog. The Hawks are not a very good team of course but, after allowing 143 points on the road at New York, professional pride kicks in as they are back on their home floor for this one. After getting thoroughly embarrassed by the Knicks, look for a much stronger game from Atlanta in this one. They have won (SU and ATS) 3 of the last 4 meetings between these teams. The Jazz enter this game on a 3-game winning streak but that is a situation that has seen them go 1-3 (SU and ATS) this season. In non-conference games Utah is 2-6 ATS this season. The Hawks are 13-6 ATS when off a game in which they allowed 130 points or more. Atlanta is 3-1 ATS this season as a home dog of 6.5 to 12 points. Yes the Hawks are on a losing streak but they are 8-4 ATS this season when they enter a game on a losing streak of 3 or more games. This is the Hawks final home game until after Christmas. They are focused here. The Jazz have tougher road games coming up after this one as they face Charlotte and then Miami. Look for Utah to get caught sleep-walking a bit in this game. 10* ATLANTA |
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12-19-19 | Predators v. Senators OVER 6 | Top | 4-5 | Win | 100 | 9 h 48 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #37 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Nashville Predators @ 7:35 ET - While it may seem that the Predators could fall flat after scoring a ridiculous 7 goals in their upset win at New York against the Islanders Tuesday, I feel the opposite will be true. Nashville is playing with a ton of momentum right now and they are facing a Senators back-end that has been ravaged by injuries. The Preds will take advantage and they circled this road trip on their calendars as a chance to make some real progress and they are skating hard and playing very aggressively in the offensive zone. Nashville has scored 13 goals in the first two games of this 4-game road trip. The Predators allowed 3 goals to the Islanders and they entered this road trip having allowed 4 goals in 3 of their 4 preceding games. I expect the Senators to do some damage on home ice here. Ottawa has seen 7 of their last 8 games total 7 or more goals. We've got great value with this total still available at 6 goals in plenty of shops as of early game day morning. The Sens have scored 4 or more goals in 8 of their past 13 home games and are off B2B wins on home ice in which each game totaled 7 or more. We've got great value here with this total because I foresee Nashville staying red hot in the offensive zone but I don't see the Senators laying down on home ice in this one. In other words, a very entering high-scoring non-conference match-up. 6 of the last 8 meetings between these teams have totaled at least 6 goals and 5 of those 6 totaled 7 or more goals! That is what I am expecting here as well. 10* OVER the total in Ottawa |
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12-19-19 | Stars +141 v. Lightning | Top | 4-3 | Win | 141 | 9 h 30 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #29 Thursday 10* Top Play Dallas Stars Money Line (+) @ Tampa Bay Lightning @ 7:05 ET - Hockey is really no different than the other sports when it comes to analyzing line movement. In this specific case we have a game that opened up with Tampa Bay at about a 180 price and it is now down to as low as 155 as of game day morning despite the vast majority of tickets begin written on the Lightning. What does that tell you? The sharp money and bigger bets are coming in on the Stars here! I love this situation for Dallas. The Stars are off a loss on Monday so they are ready to respond and they are well rested. Note that Dallas entered that game having won 18 of their last 25 games! As for the Lightning, they are off a win versus Ottawa and it took OT. Not a very impressive win for sure and Tampa Bay's prior game was a 5-2 loss to the rival Capitals. Guess what is on deck for the Bolts? That's right, a trip to Washington. You know TB can't help but to be thinking about that revenge match-up with the Caps. Speaking of revenge, the Stars were embarrassed by a combined score of 8-0 in their two games against Tampa Bay last season. Dallas outshot the Lightning by 20 shots on goal in those two games. Deceiving results to say the least and I love backing the Stars as a big dog in this spot. The Bolts had lost 5 of their last 7 home games prior to barely getting by the Senators in Tampa on Tuesday. 10* DALLAS |
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12-19-19 | William & Mary v. St. Joe's +2.5 | Top | 69-84 | Win | 100 | 11 h 41 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #704 Thursday 10* Top Play St Joseph's Hawks (+) vs William & Mary Tribe @ 7 ET - Set-ups don't get much better than this one. Yes the Hawks have struggled this season but the Tribe come into this game over-rated and the situation here strongly favors St Joseph's. The Hawks are off an embarrassing 108 to 61 loss at Temple on the 10th. Looking at that score it seems hard to believe but it is true that St Joseph's had just as many field goal attempts in the game as did the Owls. The problem was that Temple made twice as many shots as the Hawks! That said, after that horrific loss and knowing that this is their only game between the 10th of December and 2nd of January, St Joseph's is going to make the most of this opportunity which is also their only home game in a span of 4 weeks! The Hawks don't want to go into this winter break period on a 9-game losing streak. Yes it has been a rough start to the season for St Joseph's with the coaching change and player losses from last season but they have played a much tougher schedule than William & Mary. The Tribe enter this game off a huge 90-30 win over Goucher. Of course there is a reason you have never heard of Goucher! Overall William & Mary has a great record this season but they entered the season projected to be one of the worst teams in the Colonial Athletic Association and certainly the Atlantic Ten is the tougher conference. Last season these teams met at William & Mary and the Hawks led by 14 at the half but ended up losing a heartbreaker. It is payback time here. Off a home win by a double digit margin the Tribe are just 5-8 SU their last 13 and here they are laying points on the road too. As for the Hawks, they are 4-1 ATS after allowing 90 points or more and also 8-3 SU and ATS when off a road loss by a double digit margin. Bounce back time and payback time for the home team! 10* ST JOSEPH'S |
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12-18-19 | Avalanche -1.5 v. Blackhawks | Top | 4-1 | Win | 165 | 9 h 2 m | Show |
TV Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #25 Wednesday 10* Top Play Colorado Avalanche Puck Line -1.5 goals +160 @ Chicago Blackhawks @ 8:05 ET - Great set up here. The Avalanche are off a loss that got away from them versus the Blues in a 5-2 defeat at St Louis Monday. The Blackhawks are coming off a big win over the Wild 5-3 on Sunday. I don't like to lay prices in money line sports so even though the Avalanche are available at a moderate price (-150 range) on the money line, I like going for the big payback here with the puck line. At -1.5 goals, the Avs are available at a great comeback price (+160 range). Note that 16 of Colorado's 21 wins this season have come by a margin of 2 or more goals. Also, the Avalanche had earned points in 9 straight games (8-0-1 run) prior to the loss to the Blues and 7 of those 8 wins came by 2 or more goals! The Blackhawks, prior to their win versus Minnesota, had lost 10 of 13 games! 7 of those 10 losses for the Hawks came by a margin of 2 or more goals. In fact 11 of Chicago's last 16 defeats have come by a margin of 2 or more goals. The Avs have won 8 of the past 12 meetings with the Hawks and EACH of the last 7 Colorado wins have come by 2 or more goals. In two meetings this season the Avalanche have won those games by a combined score of 12 to 5. The last 5 times the Avs were off a loss they won 4 of them. 3 of the 4 victories came by a margin of 2 or more goals. They are angry after what happened at St Louis and they'll make the Blackhawks pay in this one. 10* COLORADO Puck Line -1.5 goals +160 |
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12-18-19 | Hornets v. Cavs OVER 213.5 | Top | 98-100 | Loss | -107 | 10 h 26 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #517 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET - Two bad defenses matched up here and I like the value we're getting here with the total having dropped a little from its opener as well. The Hornets are in the 2nd game of a back to back and they are allowing 111 points per game this season while the Cavaliers are allowing 114 points per game this season. Cleveland has one OT win in recent games but other than that it has been nothing but losing. A big reason for that is the Cavs don't get defensive stops. Even removing the OT period from the equation, Cleveland has allowed 121.3 points per game its last 6 games! As for Charlotte, they had a recent ugly low-scoring win at Chicago but in their other half-dozen recent games the Hornets have gone 3-3 and allowed an average of 107 points per game. Given the season to date averages and recent averages in terms of the points these two teams have been allowing, you can see why I am expecting this game to get into the 220s. In terms of technical support for this play, the over is a perfect 3-0 the last 3 times Charlotte has played the 2nd game of a back to back. The over is 9-5 this season when the Hornets are a road dog. The over is 6-2 this season when Cleveland enters a game having allowed 105 points or more in 3 consecutive games. The Cavs are off an ugly loss and the over is 49-28 when the Cavaliers are off a game in which they allowed 115 points or more. With Charlotte having tired legs on defense after last night's upset home win, and the Cavs continued defensive ineptitude, this game should fly over the total. 10* OVER the total in Cleveland |
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12-18-19 | Ducks +106 v. Devils | Top | 1-3 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 25 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #23 Wednesday 10* Top Play Anaheim Ducks Money Line (+) @ New Jersey Devils @ 7:05 ET - The Ducks are in a back to back spot but off a 4-1 loss. The Devils are rested and off a 2-1 win. I like Anaheim to bounce back here as New Jersey also recently dealt Taylor Hall to the Coyotes. The Devils are in a full-on rebuild mode and yet they are off a rare win. Anaheim has been scratching and clawing for wins and yet they ran into a very determined Flyers hockey club last night that was desperate for a win after 3 straight losses. That said, the Ducks ran into a buzzsaw last night but they'll bounce back tonight. The Devils had lost 7 straight games prior to the win at Arizona Saturday. The Ducks had won 3 of 6 before the loss at Philly last night. Anaheim has won 3 straight over New Jersey. The Ducks have won 4 of 6 this season when off a game in which they were held to 1 goal or less. The Devils have lost 9 of 11 games this season when facing a team with a losing record. 10* ANAHEIM |
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12-18-19 | Tennessee v. Cincinnati +1.5 | Top | 66-78 | Win | 100 | 9 h 16 m | Show |
TV Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #660 Wednesday 10* Top Play Cincinnati Bearcats (+) vs Tennessee Volunteers @ 7 ET - Everyone jumping on Tennessee here as they are a ranked team and coming off a big season plus they enter this game off a loss. Additionally, Volunteers head coach Rick Barnes is in search of his 700th victory. The Bearcats don't want that happening on their home floor and I love home dogs in a spot like this. Look for the Cats to scratch and claw their way to victory in this one. Cincinnati is 4-1 at home this season. Tennessee is playing their first true road game of the season. All the Vols other games were at home or at a neutral site. On the season the Bearcats have faced a tougher schedule and the Volunteers are a highly regarded team but enter this game having lost 2 of 4 and one of the two wins was by the slimmest of margins. I look for UC, off back to back losses including an embarrassing one as a double digit favorite against Colgate, to bounce back strong here on their home floor and get a big win. They returned more starter this season than did the Vols and this is the type of game - especially since they are at home - where I expect Jarron Cumberland to step up and have a huge game. He has struggled in head coach's John Brannen first season with the Cats but watch him come up big at home in a game like this. The Volunteers are on a 1-4 ATS run. I know the Bearcats are on an ugly ATS run too BUT this is still a team that is 18-2 SU in their last 20 home games. I love having them on their home floor as an underdog in a game in which they will absolutely be amped up and ready to go! Off back to back losses, the Cats come out fighting in this one and they do have the size edge in the paint too. They win the front court battles and Cumberland and company come up big on the wings also! 10* CINCINNATI |
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12-17-19 | Blue Jackets v. Red Wings +123 | Top | 5-3 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 56 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #12 Tuesday 10* Top Play Detroit Red Wings Money Line (+) vs Columbus Blue Jackets @ 7:35 ET - Perfect set up here from a situational perspective. The Blue Jackets are off an upset win (3-0) over the Capitals last night. Prior to that huge divisional shutout win, Columbus had lost 6 of 7 games. However, because the Red Wings have such an ugly record on the season, the Jackets are a sizable road favorite in this Tuesday clash. Not only is this a tough back to back spot for Columbus, it is Detroit that is in the perfect bounce back spot too. They had won back to back games by a combined score of 7-3 before getting throttled on home ice by the LA Kings on Sunday. That stinging 4-2 defeat saw the Red Wings trailing by 4 goals at one point in the 3rd period of that game. Detroit is determined to bounce back here and they are catching the Blue Jackets at the right time to get right back on track. The Red Wings had been starting to build a little momentum and this is their only game between Sunday and Saturday. In other words, Detroit is going to "leave it all on the ice" in this one! The Blue Jackets have lost 4 of 5 this season when playing the 2nd game of a back to back. The Red Wings have revenge from a 5-4 loss at Columbus a month ago. They'll get it as a nice home dog here! 10* DETROIT |
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12-17-19 | Florida v. Providence OVER 132.5 | Top | 83-51 | Win | 100 | 10 h 18 m | Show |
TV Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #629 Tuesday 10* OVER the total in Providence Friars vs Florida Gators @ 7 ET @ Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY - Florida is off a long layoff and sometimes that can lead to poorer shooting results with teams. However, the Gators are actually a long-term 12-6 to the over (including 3-1 in recent seasons) when they play a game after having had at least 7 days of rest between games. Look for fresh legs to lead to plenty of points in this one. As for Providence, they do like to play higher-scoring games and they worked off the rust from their layoff by scoring 82 points in a win on Saturday. The Friars are facing a Florida team that is not afraid to D up but note the following: Providence is 3-1 to the over in recent seasons when facing a team that allows an average of 64 points or less per game. Also, Providence is on an ATS losing streak but they are hungry to snap it and will push hard in this contest. That will help the over as the Friars like to push the pace and are 9-3 to the over long-term including a perfect 3-0 to the over in recent seasons when they are on an ATS losing streak of 5 or more games. The over is also a long-term 10-5 including 3-0 in recent seasons when Providence is facing an SEC opponent. The Friars are scoring an average of 75 points per game this season. The Gators are off an ugly effort in which they were held to 62 points in their most recent game but they are still 4-0 to the over in their last 4 games. Also, Florida entered that game having scored 70 points or more in 4 straight games. The Gators have allowed 65 points or more in 3 straight games. The Friars have allowed 75 points or more in 3 straight games. I see this game climbing into the 140s. 10* OVER the total in Providence (game played in Brooklyn, NY) |
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12-17-19 | Kings -4.5 v. Hornets | Top | 102-110 | Loss | -106 | 11 h 58 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #501 Tuesday 10* Top Play Sacramento Kings (-) @ Charlotte Hornets @ 7:05 ET - The early line move was toward the Hornets here. Certainly I can understand the move as Charlotte is getting Marvin Williams back tonight most likely and they are coming off an ugly loss. The Kings are coming off a blowout win on the road at Golden State Sunday so now they go coast to coast. I can see what some are looking at here and why they're backing the home dog. However, in typical contrarian fashion I am on the other side of the line move but it is not without good reasoning. For one thing the Kings are also expected to get a key player back tonight. De'Aaron Fox is expected to be back in the lineup and the point guard will certainly help as Sacramento's win over the Warriors was an ugly one in terms of turnovers. Another reason I like the Kings here is they have won 3 straight road games and the other two wins came over Dallas and Houston! Sacramento has a lot of momentum right now and positive energy is evident with this team as recent wins pile up. Last but certainly not least, the Kings have revenge here as they lost at home to the Hornets in late October. It is time for payback here and we've got a great small number to work with in this one. The Hornets are struggling without PJ Washington and even could use the help of role player Nicolas Batum but he is doubtful for tonight's contest. The Hornets have been held to 85 points or less in their past two games. The Kings have averaged 110 points per game their past 5 road games. Charlotte won't be able to keep up here and the road favorite eventually pulls away to win comfortably. 10* SACRAMENTO |
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12-16-19 | Colts +10 v. Saints | Top | 7-34 | Loss | -122 | 12 h 11 m | Show |
Monday Night Game of the Year - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #333 Monday 10* Top Play Indianapolis Colts (+) @ New Orleans Saints @ 8:15 ET - Both teams are off tight losses last week but the Saints are off an absolute war against the 49ers. In fact New Orleans did lose key players to injury including two starters on the defensive line both out for this game and likely for the season as well. While the Saints have already locked up their division and a playoff spot plus lost their best chance at home field edges in the post-season by losing to San Francisco last week, the Colts are fighting for their playoff lives. They should renewed spirits too as the Steelers loss to the Bills last night was good news for Indianapolis. Both Pittsburgh and Tennessee are 8-6 on the season and the Colts can move to 7-7 on the year with a win here. That would put them 1 game back of the other two teams fighting for the last wild card spot and this is with two games to go. Now I am not forecasting the outright upset here but I do feel the points being offered are very generous given the situation. Both teams are struggling on defense but those D-line injuries for the Saints move the needle a lit bit in favor of the Colts defense here. Also, the Indy offense could get a boost with TY Hilton returning at wide receiver tonight. I know that is not a certainty and the Colts are being coy about it but I am expect him not to miss a game like this. Tonight is Indy's season essentially. Of course I respect Drew Brees and the Saints offense tremendously but Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich is a great coach and will have his guys ready here. The Colts have 7 losses on the season but only ONE by more than 7 points! The Saints have 10 wins this season but only TWO by a double digit margin! I like the odds here in favor of a tight finish in this game. Look for this one to be decided by a single possession on the scoreboard. 10* INDIANAPOLIS |
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12-16-19 | Heat v. Grizzlies +5.5 | Top | 111-118 | Win | 100 | 11 h 36 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #584 Monday 10* Top Play Memphis Grizzlies (+) vs Miami Heat @ 8:05 ET - When you look at this game it looks so easy to take Miami (19-7) over Memphis (9-17) based on their overall SU records this season. However, you know what usually happens when something looks easy! In typical contrarian fashion I am on the other side of public perception here. First off the Heat are off an OT win at Dallas. Not only do teams generally have a tendency to struggle after an OT road win like that, also note that the Mavericks lost star player Luka Doncic very early in the 1st quarter of that game. That certainly had a lot to do with the Heat victory. Speaking of injuries, Miami is without both Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow for this game Memphis will have both Ja Morant and Brandon Clarke on the floor for this one. They missed the only game recently that the Grizzlies have lost (to Milwaukee). In their last 3 games with both Morant and Clarke playing, Memphis is a perfect 3-0 SU and ATS. One of Miami's worst losses this season was by 27 points at Philadelphia. On deck for the Heat is another trip to Philly so they could be peeking ahead at that game for sure. As for Memphis, there is no way they are focused on anything but this game. One of their ugliest losses this season was on opening night at Miami when they lost by 19. Payback time here and if they do fall short look for it to be by just a single possession. I am grabbing the points here! 10* MEMPHIS |
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12-16-19 | Marshall v. Morehead State OVER 145 | Top | 89-62 | Win | 100 | 10 h 11 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #821 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Morehead State Eagles vs Marshall Thundering Herd @ 7 ET - Last year these teams met and the total posted on the game was nearly 170. The game ended up totaling only 140 points and was an easy under. However, that meeting was at Marshall and this one is at Morehead State. I expect the Eagles to score much better at home in this one and, in terms of line value, this total is posted at just 145 as of early gameday morning. I know the Eagles are coming off some ugly low-scoring games but they will be a different team at home tonight and after having had a layoff to hit the "reset button" for this one. Their most recent home game was an ugly low-scoring win but prior to that Morehead State had averaged scoring 86 points per game in its first 3 home games. As for Marshall, they tend to score a lot but also allow a lot no matter where they play. It has simply been the way the Thundering Herd are known for playing. They push the tempo and aren't too focused on defense. Marshall has scored an average of 78 points per game in its past 5 games. They allowed a very low point total in their most recent game but that was against a clearly outclassed small college team. Prior to that, the Thundering Herd had allowed 78.4 points per game in its last 7 games. You can see why I am forecasting this game to get well into the 150s. The over is 4-0 in Marshall's last 4 lined games. The Thundering Herd are 17-7 to the over when coming off a blowout home win by a margin of 20 or more points. The over is 22-9 (including 3-0 in recent seasons) when the Eagles enter a game having failed to cover the spread in 4 of their last 5 games. This situation brings out the best in the home team but the Thundering Herd strong scoring ability means these teams are trading buckets all night long. 10* OVER the total in Morehead State |
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12-15-19 | Bills +1 v. Steelers | Top | 17-10 | Win | 100 | 10 h 21 m | Show |
Sunday Night Game of the Year - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #321 Sunday 10* Top Play Buffalo Bills (+) @ Pittsburgh Steelers @ 8:20 ET - The Steelers have won 7 of 8 games with the lone loss coming at Cleveland. However, many of those wins have been against bad teams. In fact the only team that Pittsburgh has beaten this season that currently has a winning record is the LA Rams. Note that the Steelers lost to high-quality teams like the Patriots, 49ers, Ravens and Seahawks. That said, with a 1-4 record against winning teams, the Steelers are in trouble here against a surging Bills team. I know Buffalo fell just short versus the Ravens last week but this is a very strong team that also has traveled well this season. The Bills are 5-1 SU in road games on the year. One certainly could question Buffalo's schedule as well but I like the fact that they played the Ravens very tough and also lost by just 6 to New England earlier this season when the Patriots offense was firing on all cylinders but the Bills defense stifled them. The Bills also did defeat the Titans at Tennessee. Of course this is a key battle in the playoff race and I feel the QB edge for the Bills here will prove to be huge. While the Steelers have been bouncing between Rudolph and Hodges at QB since Roethlisberger went out with injury, the Bills are set with Josh Allen under center. Allen has been even stronger on the road than at home this season. Away from home he has averaged 246.5 passing yards per game. Also, he has a 7-1 TD-INT ration in his last 5 road games. The Bills have the much better rushing offense in this match-up and that will help open up the passing attack for Buffalo downfield. The Bills have NOT had an ATS loss in any of their past 9 road games! Look for the Bills to improve to 4-0 ATS this season when off a SU loss. Pittsburgh, when they enter a game after having won 8 or more of last 10 games, has gone 1-6 ATS. Look for that trend to continue here as they are over-valued and the public money is pouring in on the Steelers. The sharp money, and ours, is on the other side! 10* BUFFALO |
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12-15-19 | Ohio State v. Minnesota +7.5 | Top | 71-84 | Win | 100 | 7 h 17 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #804 Sunday 10* Top Play Minnesota Golden Gophers (+) vs Ohio State Buckeyes @ 6:30 ET - The Buckeyes have been red hot but the Golden Gophers are also a much better team than they showed in their Big Ten opener on the road at Iowa. With this game being at home for Minnesota and with Ohio State possibly being rusty after not playing at all since the 7th, the Golden Gophers could surprise here. Minnesota also has revenge from losing last season at Ohio State and also losing to the Buckeyes in a neutral site game the prior season. The Golden Gophers have played the tougher schedule in comparison with Ohio State early this season. The Buckeyes are 0-3 SU and ATS in a road game with a posted total in the 120s and the fact the odds makers set such a low total here confirms the fact that Minnesota is expected to turn up the heat on defense in their own barn here on Sunday. The Golden Gophers are 5-1 ATS when off a road loss in which they were held under 60 points. I know it may seem tough to fade a streak Ohio State team but with a little rust on their part after the layoff coupled with an intense effort from the hungry dog here, I look for this one to go down to the wire! That means we have great value with having the points on our side here. 10* MINNESOTA |
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12-15-19 | 76ers v. Nets +5.5 | Top | 89-109 | Win | 100 | 7 h 20 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #570 Sunday 10* Top Play Brooklyn Nets (+) vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 6:05 ET - Playoff revenge game for Brooklyn. This is the first shot at the 76ers for the Nets since Philadelphia won 4 straight games to knock them out of the playoffs after Brooklyn scored the upset win in Game 1 of April's first round series. I know this is a back to back for the Nets but nobody played truly excessive minutes in yesterday's loss at Toronto. Also, the Sixers Horford is dealing with a hamstring injury. The 76ers are hot right now but they have been helped by a home heavy schedule of late. Philadelphia, in fact, has lost 7 of its past 10 road games SU. I am going to challenge the 76ers (most recent road game was a win at Boston) to actually win consecutive road games for the first time since the opening weeks of the season. I am fading the line move here too as Philly is attracting some betting action here. Keep in mind the Nets are off B2B losses but only one time this season have they lost 3 straight games. Prior to these B2B defeats the Nets had won 8 of 10 and I look for them to bounce back here with a strong effort. Philadelphia can't help but be peeking ahead at a much tougher match-up on deck as they host Miami on Wednesday. That said, the Nets are the more focused team for this match-up and if they fall short of avenging their playoff exit I do expect them to stay inside the number here in a game that they will play with a warrior-like mentality...desperate for a win. 10* BROOKLYN |
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12-15-19 | Rams -114 v. Cowboys | Top | 21-44 | Loss | -114 | 7 h 9 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #329 Sunday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Rams (-) @ Dallas Cowboys @ 4:25 ET - These teams are currently heading opposite directions and that is why the Rams are a "pick'em" here on the road at Dallas. The Cowboys simply are a mess right now and have lost all confidence. The fact they are at home is certainly not a big edge. Keep in mind, Dallas has covered just 2 times out of the last 11 times they have been a home favorite against an opponent from outside the division. Now I know this line is now near pick'em but you get the point. Cowboys haven't exactly excelled in terms of winning games at home against non-NFC East competition. Dallas has had a chance to lock up the NFC East for awhile as the Eagles continue to be saddled with injuries. However, the Cowboys have failed to do so as they have lost 3 straight games. Keep in mind this is a Dallas team that is only 3-7 SU since their 3-0 start to the year! The Cowboys are well known for struggling against top level competition and they are certainly facing that here. The Rams have won two straight games and 5 of their last 7 games. Recent wins over a potent offense (Seattle) and stout defense (Chicago) shows that the Rams can do something the Cowboys haven't been able to do this season - beat a high quality team. The Cowboys beat the Eagles but with Philly at 6-7 and struggling badly that is not so impressive. As it stands now Dallas doesn't have a single win over a team with a .500 or better record. In fact the other 5 wins the Cowboys have were against teams that all currently have 3 wins or less on the season! The Rams win over the Seahawks was critical and has kept LA in the playoff hunt. They will play with that same desperation here while the Cowboys will continue to find ways to lose. 10* LOS ANGELES RAMS |
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12-15-19 | Browns v. Cardinals OVER 49 | Top | 24-38 | Win | 100 | 8 h 33 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #325 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Arizona Cardinals vs Cleveland Browns @ 4:05 ET - I am expecting quite the show in this one with two former OU quarterbacks squaring off against bad defenses. It is the Browns and Mayfield going against the Cardinals and Murray. Note that Cleveland is off a win last week against miserable Cincinnati but they were very fortunate on defense thanks to 3 turnovers. The Browns D actually gave up over 450 yards to the Bengals! Speaking of bad defense, the Cardinals D ranks as one of the (if not the) worst in the league! Arizona has given up 29 points per game on the season. By the way, the Browns have allowed an average of 25.4 points per game in their past 5 road games. I certainly would not be surprised to see this game get closer to 60 points than 50 points! When off a home win against a divisional opponent, the Browns are 3-0 to the over. Cleveland is also 3-0 to the over this season when facing a team with a losing record. Arizona's over is 2-0 when off consecutive home losses. Also, the over is 3-0 this season when the Cardinals are off a loss by a margin of 6 or less points. The Cards will bounce back on offense here against a struggling Cleveland defense but their own D will not be able to stop the Browns either. I am expecting huge performances from both Mayfield and Murray in this one. Scoreboard operator will be busy in this one...a very unique situation. 10* OVER the total in Arizona |
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12-14-19 | Devils v. Coyotes OVER 5.5 | Top | 2-1 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 18 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #53 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Arizona Coyotes vs New Jersey Devils @ 8:05 ET - I lost with an over involving the Devils last night but the teams combined for 75 shots on goal and it was simply just "one of those nights" where the goalies stood tall. That said, I won't hesitate in coming right back with the over here. New Jersey used both Blackwood and Domingue in goal last night. Note that the latter of the two is struggling bad. He allowed 2 goals in limited action yesterday and this was after also allowing 11 goals in his two most recent appearances. So if the Devils turn to Domingue it could be a rough night. However, it will likely be Blackwood between the pipes and his last back to back spot saw him allow 4 goals in the 2nd game of the B2B. Those situations simply are not easy on goalies. As for the Coyotes, though generally known for lower-scoring games, they have been getting involved in plenty of high-scoring games of late. Arizona's last 3 games have all totaled 7 or more. Also, going further back, the Coyotes have seen 7 of their last 10 games total 6 or more. That said, I like the value with the low total of 5.5 posted on this game. Arizona, of course, knows the Devils are in a back to back and I expected the rested Coyotes to push hard here and try to quickly wear down New Jersey in this back-to-back spot. The result is a higher scoring game than many are expecting. 10* OVER the total in Arizona |
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12-14-19 | Flyers +109 v. Wild | Top | 1-4 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 56 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #41 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Money Line (+) @ Minnesota Wild @ 7:05 ET - Both teams dealing with injuries and the Flyers injury situation certainly a little more significant than that of the Wild. However, I am still backing Philadelphia here because they played very well in their loss on Wednesday night and that was at Colorado. The Avalanche are one of the best teams in the league and the Flyers outshot them 33-27 in their own barn. Philadelphia entered that game having won 6 of 7 and they are a perfect 3-0 the last 3 times when off a loss. As for the Wild, they hung on for a 6-5 win over Edmonton but Minnesota truly hasn't been playing all that well of late. That was preceded by a game in which the Wild fell behind 2-0 and were fortunate to even earn a point. Minnesota has allowed an average of 4.5 goals per game their past 4 games. Conversely, the Flyers have allowed an average of only 2.1 goals per game their past 8 games! Grab the hungry road dog here off a loss and playing with a rest edge too (Wild were in action Thursday). 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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12-14-19 | Spurs +2 v. Suns | Top | 121-119 | Win | 100 | 7 h 4 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #549 Saturday 10* Top Play San Antonio Spurs (+) vs Phoenix Suns @ Mexico City, MX @ 5 ET - Both teams coming off disappointing losses but the Spurs, even with a weaker record, opened up as a 1.5 point favorite. The markets, as if telling the odds makers they don't know what their doing, have flipped the favorite here and now the Suns are a 2 point favorite. I like to play opposite of moves like this (in typical contrarian fashion) but only when the situation makes sense and, in this case, it certainly does. The last time these teams met in Mexico the Suns got the tight win behind a 39-point effort from Devin Booker. That is the same Booker whom is the leading scorer for the Suns this season. Also, the point guard is listed as questionable for this game with a wrist injury. While I do expect him to play I expect the wrist to continue to bother him. He had trouble with getting his shots to fall against Memphis and Booker did not even practice yesterday due to the wrist injury. Facing an angry Spurs defense won't help matters. They blew their game at home against Cleveland Thursday as they had a late lead and then went on to lose in OT. Unacceptable. While San Antonio certainly has fallen off this season they had entered that game off back to back wins. Look for them to respond big here as the Booker injury is not getting the respect it should. All signs are pointing to the best player on the court for Phoenix being much less than 100%. Fade the line move here. 10* SAN ANTONIO |
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12-14-19 | Army v. Navy OVER 40 | Top | 7-31 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 2 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #303 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Navy Midshipmen vs Army Black Knights @ 3 ET in Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field - I am well aware of the history of unders in this series but feel this total has been pushed too low and that Army's defense is not as strong as this season while the Navy offense is quite strong. Of course this combination means Navy is going to score plenty and Army will have no choice to be aggressive in trying to answer. Now I know both of these teams mostly rely on the ground game but each team has thrown the ball a fair amount this season and it is enough to keep the defenses honest to say the least. They can't just solely focus on the option attack. Back to the low-scoring recent history in this series I know that each of the last two match-ups between these two teams totaled only 27 points. However, that was preceded by a stretch that saw 5 of 7 all total at least 38 points. The posted total on this one is a low as a 40 and we've seen a handful of games exceed that number in recent meetings. In other words, the under streak has to do with bigger totals too. I am aware of some wind possibly moving into the Philly area as this one goes on but the main emphasis is still the ground attack for each of these teams. Also, I like the fact that Army has scored an average of 17 points per game in the last 4 meetings between these teams and Navy is a double digit favorite here. 28-17 game gets us into the mid-40s here and I am expecting at least that as the under streak in this series (13 straight) finally comes to an end on Saturday afternoon. Yes the recent competition was weaker but Army does have a lot of confidence on offense coming into this game as they have scored an average of 47 points per game their past 3 games. Navy has scored at least 34 points in 9 of 11 games this season. History says under but current play says over and I am going contrarian here and playing the over and facing the move from mid-40s down to as low as 40 as of early Saturday morning. 10* OVER the total in Army/Navy game |
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12-14-19 | Delaware +14.5 v. Villanova | Top | 70-78 | Win | 100 | 5 h 12 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #763 Saturday 10* Top Play Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens vs Villanova Wildcats @ 2 ET in the Never Forget Tribute Classic @ Newark, NJ - The Blue Hens entered this season needing to be a much better defensively and they've accomplished that goal. Granted they have faced a light schedule early this season but they had won 9 straight games before finally losing to George Washington last Saturday. Delaware is allowing just 63.3 points per game and holding opponents to 39.5% from the field. Granted, the Fightin' Blue Hens will most certainly have their hands full with a top notch opponent like Villanova but I foresee their solid defense helping to turn this game into a bit of a grinder. The Wildcats are on an 0-5 ATS run and none of those games were decided by more than a dozen points. Even the one decided by 12 points was a deceiving final score as the game was tight in the final minutes before Nova finally pulled away. The team chemistry has been fantastic for the Hens this season and they are excited about this opportunity and view it as a challenge to compete against top level competition. The way Delaware has been playing early this season and the fact they are coming off a loss, I look for a very strong effort from the big dog in this one. The Wildcats get the win but I see it coming by a single digit margin as they have bigger fish to fry. In fact the Cats next game will be against Kansas. This is a "win and move on" type game for Villanova and they are being overvalued by the betting markets here as this line has already moved up from a 13 to a 14.5 in early trading. 10* DELAWARE |
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12-13-19 | Devils v. Avalanche OVER 6 | Top | 1-3 | Loss | -120 | 13 h 11 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #27 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Colorado Avalanche vs New Jersey Devils @ 9:05 ET - The Avalanche are one of the highest scoring teams in the league and the Devils are one of the worst teams in the league when it comes to preventing goals. Couple that with the fact that each team is coming off a game that stayed well under the total and you have great value with Friday's total now available as low as a 6 in some spots. The Avalanche have averaged 4.1 goals per game in their last 8 games. The Devils, though struggling, have shown some spark here and there since the coaching change. Also, New Jersey is getting back 3rd leading scorer Nico Hischier for this game after he missed some contests with an illness. Prior to their 2-0 loss at Dallas, the Devils 5 previous road games had averaged a total of 8 goals per game. Look for that type of high-scoring action to resume here in this non-conference match-up and with New Jersey off a shutout loss. The Avalanche are healthier than they have been a long time and they have so much firepower with their top-six especially after they shuffled the lines a bit in their win over the Flyers Wednesday. The over is 6-2-1 this season when New Jersey is off a game in which they were held to one goal or less. Colorado's Friday night games are on a 19-10-1 run to the over. Also, in Avalanche home games with a posted total of 6 or more goals this season, they have had 11 of them and only 3 resulted in an under. Look for the high-scoring trend to resume here. 10* OVER the total in Colorado |
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12-13-19 | Colorado v. Colorado State UNDER 140 | Top | 56-48 | Win | 100 | 13 h 33 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #676 Friday 10* Top Play UNDER the total in Colorado State Rams vs Colorado Buffaloes @ 8 ET - Look for better defense in this one than many are expecting. This is a rivalry match-up. The Rams are a home dog. Don't look for a lot of easy buckets here as Colorado State will have to try to scratch and claw their way to a home win over the superior Buffaloes here. Colorado enters this game off back to back losses but they faced a couple of tough match-ups. Keep in mind, the Buffaloes had started the season a perfect 7-0 and had allowed just 53.8 points per game in the final 6 games of that win streak. Hungry for a win here against their in-state rivals, and coming off back to back losses, look for Colorado to turn up the heat on the defensive end. Colorado State does have a tendency to get involved in higher scoring games but I feel the Buffaloes are not going to allow that to happen. Colorado will be buckling down on defense and note that the Rams, prior to a win in their most recent game, had been held to an average of 60.5 points per game in the back to back games (both losses) that preceded the win at South Dakota State. Also, in 5 of their first 7 home games this season, Colorado State had allowed 65 points or less in regulation time of those games. In fact an OT loss in which New Mexico State scored 18 points in OT certainly skewed their numbers a bit. 11 of Colorado's last 16 games have resulted in an under. In the month of December, Buffaloes games have stayed under in 7 of their last 9. When these two rivals square off, 5 of the last 7 meetings have resulted in an under. Considering all of the above as well as the total having been driven up from the mid-130s to now being in the 140 range, I love the value here with going against the line move on this one. 10* UNDER the total in Colorado State |
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12-13-19 | Pacers v. Hawks OVER 222.5 | Top | 110-100 | Loss | -109 | 13 h 38 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #535 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Atlanta Hawks vs Indiana Pacers @ 7:35 ET - The Hawks have been an over machine. The over is 15-3 in their past 18 games. The Pacers are off a high-scoring win versus Boston. Off a big win against a strong team, this is the type of letdown game where you're likely to see Indiana lacking a bit in defensive intensity. The Pacers have allowed 108 points per game their last 11 games. You can see why, especially given the situation, I would not be surprised to see the Hawks put up 110 points here. Keep in mind, Atlanta is particularly hungry because they are playing at home for just the 3rd time in about a 3-week span. The issue for the Hawks, again, will be their defense, so the Pacers getting into the 120 range here certainly would not be a surprise in the least. That puts this one into the 230 range and I like the value here with this total in the low 220s. The over is 6-3 this season when the Pacers are off a home win and, again, that was a very satisfying one for Indiana. The over is perfect 13-0 this season when the Hawks enter a game after losing 5 or 6 of their past 7 games. Look for that trend to remain perfect here as plenty of points expected in this one. 10* OVER the total in Atlanta |
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12-12-19 | Jets v. Ravens OVER 44.5 | Top | 21-42 | Win | 100 | 12 h 11 m | Show |
Thursday Night NFL Total of the Year - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #301 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Baltimore Ravens vs New York Jets @ 8:20 ET - The Jets secondary is banged up and that is bad news here. That's because the Ravens enter with the #1 rushing attack in the NFL thanks in large part to the running ability of QB Lamar Jackson. But if he can also attack downfield through the air that means this Jets defense is going to struggle all night long. Also, I don't see the Ravens taking their foot off the gas in this one as they are still highly motivated to lock up the #1 seed in the AFC post-season. Baltimore is off a "grinder" type game against the Bills in which both teams struggled to move the ball very well. That was in windy Buffalo and the Bills are known for their defense. The Jets have respectable numbers on defense this season too but they are banged up right now and I expect the Ravens to take advantage. At the same time I do expect the Jets offense to enjoy some success. Baltimore's defense has had to step up big against quality teams in recent weeks. Don't be surprised if there is a bit of a let up here as they now take on a weaker foe and on a short week. It is simply hard to maintain that high-level intensity and physicality in a situation like this and the Ravens were truly taken to the wire by the Bills last week. The Jets have won 4 of 5 games so they have some confidence in terms of moving the football and playing winning football. They'll score quite well here but I don't foresee New York being able to get many stops on defense. The Ravens are scoring an average of 35 points per game in their last 7 games. Also, the weather will be chilly but light winds and no precipitation in Baltimore tonight. A beautiful night for football. The Jets have won 4 of 5 games and scored an average of 31 points in the 4 victories. Look for a surprising number of points in this game and I see it soaring over the total. The over is 3-0 this season when the Jets are off consecutive ATS losses. The over is 6-1 in the Ravens last 7 games against AFC East opponents. More of the same expected here. 10* OVER the total in Baltimore |
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12-12-19 | 76ers +1.5 v. Celtics | Top | 115-109 | Win | 100 | 11 h 18 m | Show |
TNT Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #523 Thursday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 8:05 ET - Boston is in a back to back spot here. Also, Kemba Walker scored 44 points last night at Indiana and the Celtics still lost the game! That doesn't bode well for what to expect tonight from Boston as Walker only scored 12 points and made just 4 of 18 shots when he faced the 76ers defense in the season opener. The Sixers have the rest edge here and the health edge too. The Celtics have been without Marcus Smart (eye) and now the recently activated Gordon Hayward might miss tonight's game after taking a shot to the head in last night's game against the Pacers. Philadelphia has won 7 of its past 8 games. The Celtics are undefeated at home but there is a reason this game is priced the way it is! Philly is playing some of its best basketball of the season and they are the healthier team here plus have the rest edge. Also, I am expecting a huge game from former Celtic Al Horford in his first game back at Boston since going to the Sixers. This is an early season battle for the top spot in the division and I love being a contrarian and going against a Celtics team that is 11-0 at home this season. Boston is favored by the slimmest of margins in this one with good reason. Upset time! 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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12-12-19 | Oilers +113 v. Wild | Top | 5-6 | Loss | -100 | 9 h 26 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #11 Thursday 10* Top Play Edmonton Oilers Money Line (+) @ Minnesota Wild @ 8:05 ET - The Oilers are off a disappointing homestand but have actually been better on the road than at home this season. I like the fact too that Edmonton battled back to tie Buffalo and earn a point in their 3-2 OT loss Sunday and then on Tuesday they battled back to tie the Hurricanes after a falling into a 3-0 hole. Carolina then on to win the game 6-3 with 3 very late goals but that final score was not indicative of how the game really played out. Look for the Oilers to avoid an early hole here and get revenge for a 3-0 loss at Minnesota in their most recent meeting two months ago. It is payback time here and, unlike Edmonton, the Wild are coming off earning a very fortunate point in their most recent game. They got a point in the shootout loss against Anaheim Tuesday but Minnesota dug a 2-0 hole and was outshot 14-1 early on and really never recovered. The Wild simply did not play well but got away with it and still earned a point they really didn't deserve. I like fading teams when they're off a game like that and Edmonton also is extra hungry here plus motivated by revenge. Look for a strong road win for the determined Oilers in this one. Edmonton has the edge on the penalty kill and also a huge edge on the power play in comparison with Minnesota. The Wild had lost 4 of last 6 to the Oilers before the big win in mid-October. Edmonton is off back to back losses but is a PERFECT 4-0 this season when off consecutive defeats! Conversely, Minnesota has already had a 4-game losing streak and 3-game losing streak. The Wild enter this game off B2B losses as well. The Oilers are 8-2 this season when off a loss by a multiple goal margin in their prior game. 10* EDMONTON |
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12-12-19 | Bruins v. Lightning OVER 6 | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -115 | 9 h 23 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #3 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Tampa Bay Lightning vs Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - Both teams off low-scoring games but the last 3 meetings between these clubs have gone 3-0 to the over. Those 3 games all totaled 7 or more goals and, in fact, two of the three totaled 9 goals! The Bruins are starting #1 netminder Tuuka Rask here as they used back-up goalie Juroslav Halak yesterday. However, that may not be such a good thing as Rask actually has allowed a total of 7 goals in his last two starts. Also, Rask has allowed 13 goals in his last 3 starts against the Lightning! As for Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, he is off a great start at Florida. However, prior to that start, he had allowed 4 or more goals in 3 of his last 5 starts. The hungry Bruins enter this game on a losing streak and will pepper him with shots in this one. Vasilevskiy has allowed 7 goals on 54 shots in his last two starts against the Bruins. The Lightning saw their game with the Panthers total just 3 goals but their 3 prior games totaled 23 goals! Look for a lot of scoring (again in this match-up) as when Boston and the Bolts get together we have seen plenty of success in the offensive zone for each club. 10* OVER the total in Tampa Bay |
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12-11-19 | Celtics v. Pacers -110 | Top | 117-122 | Win | 100 | 12 h 18 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #502 Wednesday 10* Top Play Indiana Pacers (-) vs Boston Celtics @ 7:05 ET - Great set up here with the Pacers off a home loss to a tough Raptors team and the Celtics off a blowout home win over the hapless Cavaliers. Now Boston is in for a much tougher battle and it is on the road at Indiana. With the Pacers angry off the home loss plus seeking revenge from last season's first round playoff sweep at the hands of the Celtics, this is a fantastic situation. This line is right around a pick'em and the Pacers were 9-2 at home this season prior to that loss to Toronto. Also, the Celtics are only 7-5 on the road this season. While Indiana is seeking revenge here, Boston could get caught looking ahead to a revenge match-up on tap for tomorrow. The Celtics host the division rival 76ers tomorrow and that is the same Philadelphia team that handed them a season-opening loss back in October. The set up here for the Pacers is about as good as it gets and I am backing the home team large in this one. 10* INDIANA |
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12-11-19 | Bruins +118 v. Capitals | Top | 2-3 | Loss | -100 | 11 h 19 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #65 Wednesday 10* Top Play Boston Bruins Money Line (+) @ Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - I like the value here with the underdog Bruins. Of course the early line move was on the Capitals as everyone sees them on home ice and laying a short price and that is what attracts peoples attention. Keep in mind these are two of the best teams in the NHL and I love having the underdog in a spot like this. I am aware of that the Bruins have a game with the Lightning on deck for tomorrow night but there is no way they're overlooking this match-up with Ovechkin and the Capitals. Keep in mind it was Washington that handed the Bruins a rare home ice loss in their first meeting this season. In that game the Capitals rallied to tie the game with just a minute remaining and then went on to win in the shootout. Boston has not forgotten that defeat and I love the revenge angle here as they look to return the favor in DC. Note that the Capitals have a strong reputation on home ice but have actually won only 8 of 15 games there this season. The Bruins, prior to their loss at Ottawa, were 8-3-1 on the road this season so they have certainly been strong on enemy ice this season. The road team has won each of the last 3 meetings between these teams and I look for that trend to continue here as the road team makes it 4 in a row. The fact that the Bruins will have Patrice Bergeron back (he was on the ice and scored a goal against Ottawa in his first game back Monday) is also a big plus for the road team here. Grab the underdog value here. 10* BOSTON |
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12-11-19 | Wisconsin v. Rutgers -2 | Top | 65-72 | Win | 100 | 12 h 51 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #636 Wednesday 10* Top Play Rutgers Scarlet Knights (-) vs Wisconsin Badgers @ 7 ET - Nice set up here with the Badgers off a huge 20 point win versus Indiana and the Scarlet Knights off a tough loss by a dozen at Michigan State. Note that Wisconsin has been great at home this season but has struggled (0-4 SU) in games played on the road or at a neutral site. This game is being played at Rutgers and that is noteworthy not only because of the Badgers struggles away from Madison, also note that the Scarlet Knights are a perfect 6-0 in home games this season. The home/road dichotomy is too strong to ignore here as we can lay a very small number with Rutgers whom had won 6 of 7 games this season before back to back losses (both on the road). The Badgers had lost 3 straight games before their huge win over the Hoosiers. Last season Wisconsin beat the Scarlet Knights by 5 but they were at home for that game and Rutgers actually led the game by 5 at the half. Now it is payback time for the Scarlet Knights and I expect them to take care of business on their home floor. 10* RUTGERS |
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12-10-19 | Wizards v. Hornets +2.5 | Top | 107-114 | Win | 100 | 11 h 30 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #576 Tuesday 10* Top Play Charlotte Hornets (+) vs Washington Wizards @ 7:05 ET - The Wizards are still without Isaiah Thomas. Another starter, Thomas Bryant, has been downgraded to out for this game. Also, in terms of depth off the bench, they were already without CJ Miles and this was already after being without star point guard John Wall. I know the Hornets are not a great team but their current situation is much better than that of the Wizards plus they are at home for this game. Now catching 2.5 points as a dog after opening up at a pick'em, I also like the added line value with Charlotte in this one. The Hornets got good news on PJ Washington (ankle) as he has been upgraded to probable for this game. I know Charlotte just got beaten badly at home by the Hawks but Atlanta got insanely hot in the 2nd half and ended up hitting 18 three-pointers. The Hornets lost because the Hawks outscored them by 21 points from beyond the arc and I look for Charlotte to bounce back here. The Hornets can (and will) take advantage of horrible defense (122.5 points per game) and a short-handed Wizards lineup. Charlotte lost the first meeting between these teams this season and this was after winning the final three meetings last season. It is payback time for the Hornets now and I look for them to improve to 4-1 SU in their last 5 meetings with division rival Washington. 10* CHARLOTTE |
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12-10-19 | Lightning -103 v. Panthers | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 9 h 13 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #43 Tuesday 10* Top Play Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-) @ Florida Panthers @ 7:05 ET - This line is right around a pick'em. Some may be surprised to not see Florida as a sizable favorite considering they are at home and they catch the Bolts in the 2nd game of a back to back. However, the Lightning (even without Tyler Johnson) are loaded with firepower and have plenty of motivation here. Tampa Bay is fired up off a 5-1 loss last night, they saved #1 goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for this game, and they're catching Florida off a rare event. The Panthers have actually allowed 2 goals or less in each of their last two games for the first time this season! That was very unlikely and I look for goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and company to come back down to earth in this game. I know Florida is a solid team but Tampa was the #1 team in the league in the regular season last year and I feel the Bolts are going to continue a resurgence this season after last year's early 1st round playoff sweep exit. Tampa Bay is a determined team ready to respond against a division rival here. The Bolts have won 53 of their last 71 divisional games and also are a perfect 5-0 this season when off a loss by a multiple goal margin. Long term the Lightning have won 32 of 42 when off a loss by multiple goals and also have won 26 of their last 31 December games. The Panthers have lost 5 of 7 this season when off a win by a multiple goal margin. Look for the above trending to hold true tonight and the hungry road team gets revenge by notching a solid enemy ice victory in this one. 10* TAMPA BAY |
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12-10-19 | Canadiens v. Penguins OVER 6 | Top | 4-1 | Loss | -125 | 9 h 47 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #41 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Pittsburgh Penguins vs Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - The Penguins scored 5 goals the last time they faced the Canadiens. That was an ugly loss for Montreal but the Habs had scored a total of 9 goals in their two most recent meetings with Pittsburgh preceding that one against the Pens. Motnreal's power play has been respectable this season but their penalty kill has struggled. Look for Pittsburgh, even though still without Sidney Crosby, to take advantage. The Penguins are off a 5-3 win and that was on the road. In terms of recent home games, they are on a 7-0-1 run and scored an average of 4 goals per game in regulation of those 8 games. Montreal is off a tight low-scoring win but they entered that one having lost 9 of their past 10 games. The Canadiens allowed an average of 4 goals per game in regulation of those 10 games. The Penguins are likely to have another big game on home ice here in the offensive zone but I expected well-rested Montreal (off since Friday) to be skating well in this one and generating plenty of chances. The Canadiens have played 14 games against teams with a winning record and only 4 of the 14 resulted in an under! The Penguins are on an 18-8 run to the over when they enter a game on a winning streak of 3 or more games. More of the same expected here. Look for plenty of goals in this one. I am aware that Pens goalie Tristan Jarry has played well and Matt Murray has not. Even though it is likely Jarry will play tonight he has still been hit or miss with two of his last four appearances not going well. Now he hasn't played since Friday as Murray got the last start. Carey Price likely to start for the Canadiens here and he struggled the last time he faced the high-powered Pens. The Habs only other option between the pipes is rookie Cayden Primeau and the 20 years old just made his first NHL start last week. 10* OVER the total in Pittsburgh |
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12-10-19 | St. Joe's v. Temple -12 | Top | 61-108 | Win | 100 | 10 h 46 m | Show |
TV Annihilation - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #604 Tuesday 10* Top Play Temple Owls (-) vs St Joseph's Hawks @ 7 ET - The Hawks have been hurt by the loss of Taylor Funk to a hand injury as he was their leading returning scorer for this season. St Joseph's was already considering a "work in progress" for this season before he got hurt and their overall numbers are living up to the sub-par billing. The Hawks enter this game on a 7-game losing streak and each of the last 4 losses have come by at least a dozen points. Ironically that is also what this line has dropped to this morning as Temple has gone from being a 15-point favorite to a 12-point choice. I am backing the favorite here as head coach Aaron McKie has had the Owls firing on all cylinders early this season. That all came to a grinding halt however with a double digit loss to Missouri in Temple's most recent game. The Owls are still 6-2 on the season and their other loss came against Maryland, a highly ranked team. I look for Temple to take advantage of St Joe's being in a down cycle right now and the Owls are in need of a blowout win after losing by 10 to the Tigers even though they favored in the game. It was a rare hiccup for the Owls who entered that game having allowed only 56.7 points per game in their 6 wins this season. That great number in terms of defensive play certainly holds significance here as Temple is facing a St Joseph's team that has allowed 70 points or more in all 10 of their games this season. In fact the Hawks are allowing an average of 80 points per game on the season. The Owls take advantage and win this Big Five game in Philly (part of the annual Philadelphia Big Five battle) in an absolute rout. 10* TEMPLE |
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12-09-19 | Giants v. Eagles -8.5 | Top | 17-23 | Loss | -110 | 13 h 39 m | Show |
Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #160 Monday 10* Top Play Philadelphia Eagles (-) vs New York Giants @ 8:15 ET - The Eagles have won 5 straight games against the Giants. Also, in games played in Philadelphia they have won 7 straight games against New York. The Eagles are 4-1 in Monday Night games under head coach Doug Pederson. The Giants enter this game having lost 8 in a row and now have to go back to Eli Manning at QB as rookie QB Daniel Jones is injured. Manning struggled badly early this season and that is why New York turned to Jones and a look at the future. Of course Manning and company would love to play the role of spoiler here but he is likely to be rusty seeing his first game action since September and Philly enters this game angry and with plenty of motivation. Philadelphia has lost 3 straight games but keep in mind two of those defeats came against a pair of teams (Patriots and Seahawks) that entered this weeks's action with identical 10-2 records on the season. The loss to the Dolphins last week was, however, inexcusable and I expect the Eagles defense to stand up strong after that horrific effort at Miami. Note that Philadelphia is 10-1 ATS when they are off a SU loss as a non-divisional favorite and now facing a divisional foe that is off a SU loss. Of course with the Eagles ugly loss as a big favorite at Miami coupled with the Giants 8th straight SU loss last week, that 91% system fits perfectly here. The Eagles were a double digit favorite last week and lost outright to the Dolphins as Miami hung 37 points on them. That is noteworthy here as the Giants are 2-12 ATS when they face a divisional foe that is off an ATS loss by a double digit margin in a game in which they allowed more than 35 points. As you can see here we have a pair of systems combining for 22-3 (88%) ATS mark favoring the Eagles and going against New York. The points are big but Philly can tie Dallas for 1st place in the NFC East with a win here (and they face the Cowboys in two weeks too) so the highly motivated Eagles are very likely to dominate the hapless Giants here. Lay it! 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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12-09-19 | Cavs +13.5 v. Celtics | Top | 88-110 | Loss | -105 | 11 h 11 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #557 Monday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+) @ Boston Celtics @ 7:35 ET - This is the ideal flat spot for the Celtics and, as a result, the perfect spot to back the "ugly dog" Cavaliers in this one. Boston is viewing this game as a reprieve from their schedule and a bit of a "warm up" game if you will. That is why Gordon Hayward has been upgraded to questionable for this game. They might even try to get Hayward some time on the floor to work off some rust and get back into game shape. The fact is that the Celtics are off back to back huge wins over good teams - the Heat and the Nuggets. On deck for Boston is three more quality opponents - the Pacers, 76ers and Mavericks. The point is that this game against the Cavaliers is not one that is going to bring about a lot of energy from the Celtics. They just want to win the game and move forward and that is why I expect this win to come by a single digit margin. The Cavs are struggling of course but off a blowout of epic proportions like they just suffered at Philadelphia, I fully expect professional pride to kick in and Cleveland will play much better tonight. Keep in mind, the Cavaliers are already 2-0 ATS this season when off a game in which they allowed more than 130 points. The Celtics are 0-3 ATS this season when they enter a game on an ATS winning streak of 3 games. They've not been able to make it 4 straight this season and I look for that pattern to continue here. Boston is 1-3 ATS when off a home win by a double digit margin and also 0-2 ATS when they enter a game having scored 105 points or more in 5 consecutive games. 10* CLEVELAND |
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12-09-19 | Bruins v. Senators OVER 6 | Top | 2-5 | Win | 100 | 10 h 37 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #37 Monday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Ottawa Senators vs Boston Bruins @ 7:35 ET - The Bruins will be hungry to bounce back off a 4-1 home loss to the streaking Avalanche. However, Ottawa is also in bounce back mode and happy to be back home after a long road trip that wrapped up with a 4-3 loss at Philadelphia. The Senators will struggle to stop high-powered Boston here but I do like the Sens to find the back of the net quite often too now that they are back on home ice. Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson is dealing with a groin injury and the Bruins could have Patrice Bergeron back for tonight's game too. Either way, the fact that Bergeron is so close to returning and has been back on the ice in practice again is going to boost the spirits of a Boston team looking to bounce back after some tough sledding recently. They have not been playing quite as sharp of late and I look for the Bruins to push hard tonight and that means plenty of Boston goals in this one. The Bruins most recent road game was at Ottawa and was a surprisingly low-scoring 2-1 win. However, prior to that Boston had scored an average of 5 goals per game in their preceding 6 road games! Also, the Bruins enter this game having allowed 4 goals in back to back games. The Senators have allowed an average of 4.2 goals per game in their past 5 games. Ottawa, prior to losing their most recent home game to Boston, had won 6 of their 7 preceding home games and averaged scoring 3.8 goals per game in those 6 wins. Look for a much different game than the 2-1 type game we saw the last time these teams met here. The set up leading into this one is much different! 10* OVER the total in Ottawa |
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12-09-19 | Blue Jackets +1.5 v. Capitals | Top | 5-2 | Win | 100 | 10 h 32 m | Show |
NHL Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #33 Monday 10* Top Play Columbus Blue Jackets Puck Line +1.5 goals -130 @ Washington Capitals @ 7:05 ET - You have to lay about a 130 price to have the Blue Jackets +1.5 goals but I feel strongly that having the goal and a half is well worth that price. Prior to an ugly 4-1 loss at Florida on Saturday, Columbus last 26 games had featured 11 wins, 9 losses by a single goal and just 6 defeats by a margin of 2 or more markers. The point is that if you had the Blue Jackets at +1.5 goals throughout this stretch you cashed in 20 of 26 times which is nearly an 80% win rate. Columbus is fired up after the 4-1 loss to the Panthers and I feel they're catching Washington at a great time to spring the upset here. The Capitals just got back from a long road trip out west which included a very rare sweep of the California teams. The first game back east after a lengthy road trip out west tends to be very tough on teams and Washington is feeling a little too good about themselves right now too. That said, the Blue Jackets are going to prove to be the hungrier and scrappier team in this one and I see them hanging around throughout this game. If Columbus does fall short look for the defeat to come by just a single goal. As strong as Washington has been this season note that they have only won 7 of their past 20 games by a margin of 2 or more goals. That's right, since late October the Capitals have won a game by 2 or more goals just 35% of the time. On the season Washington has played 14 home games and only 5 of the 14 have resulted in a win by two or more goals. Given the above as well as the situation, back the road dog here. 10* COLUMBUS +1.5 goals on the Puck Line |
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12-08-19 | Rangers v. Golden Knights OVER 6.5 | Top | 5-0 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 2 m | Show |
NHL Network Rout - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #29 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Vegas Golden Knights vs New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - I know that both of these teams have been trending under recently but I love the over in this spot. The Golden Knights still have an unsettled goalie situation. Marc-Andre Fleury is back with the team but still mourning the passing of his father. Malcolm Subban has played well and might get the call again here but he is off a loss and whether it is Subban or Fleuery that gets the call here I am expect them to face a barrage of shots. When these teams met recently in New York, the Golden Knights jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead and were up 4-1 after two periods. The Rangers want to turn the tables on the Knights in this one and duplicate that feat with a strong road effort of their own in this one. As a result, I look for New York to be very aggressive in this game and they should put a few past the Vegas netminder early. But the difference here, unlike the game in New York, is that the home team will answer the road team goal for goal. The Rangers have been getting better goaltending from Georgiev and he may get the call again here because Lundqvist has been struggling. But whomever is in net for the Rangers is going to face a fired up Vegas team hungry to bounce back off a loss. Speaking of bouncing back off losses, the Rangers are off a 2-1 loss and New York is 5-0 and has scored an average of 4.8 goals per game the last 5 times they were off a loss in which they were held to 2 or less goals. The Golden Knights had scored 4 goals in back to back games before losing 3-2 to the Islanders Thursday. Both teams erupt here. 10* OVER the total in Vegas |
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12-08-19 | Raptors v. 76ers -3 | Top | 104-110 | Win | 100 | 9 h 34 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #544 Sunday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Toronto Raptors @ 6:05 ET - Even though the 76ers are in a back to back spot here they so completely crushed the Cavaliers yesterday that they were able to rest guys in that game. Also, Joel Embiid did not even play in that game as he rested his hip for tonight's game. Remember he made headlines for not scoring in the 76ers first meeting with the Raptors this season. Since that game Embiid has averaged 26.8 points per game his last 5 games. I am expecting a monster game from him here. Also, the home team has won 9 of the past 12 meetings between these teams. Keep in mind this is a playoff revenge game for the Sixers as they were eliminated from the post-season in that epic last-second Game 7 loss ("the shot" by Kawhi Leonard now with the Clippers) at Toronto last spring. The 76ers first shot at revenge this season saw them lose by just 5 points and that was even with Embiid not scoring a single point plus the game was at Toronto. Now Sunday's rematch is at Philly and a rested Embiid is ready to explode here plus the Sixers catch the Raptors reeling a bit off back to back losses. This one will be ALL Philly. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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12-08-19 | Sharks +132 v. Panthers | Top | 1-5 | Loss | -100 | 7 h 40 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #25 Sunday 10* Top Play San Jose Sharks Money Line (+) @ Florida Panthers @ 5:05 ET - I like the set up here to result in a road dog win! The Sharks are off an embarrassing 7-1 loss at Tampa Bay and are fired up to get their first win of December. Keep in mind they wrapped up November having won 11 of their past 13 games. Now, after hitting a tough stretch and running into a very tough Lightning team, San Jose responds big at Florida tonight. The Panthers are off a huge win versus Columbus yesterday. That was the first game for former Blue Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky against his prior team. That means if he plays tonight I would not be surprised to see him struggle in between the pipes after such an emotional win last night. If he doesn't play the Panthers are likely to got with Chris Driedger in the crease and he has only 5 games (2 starts) of NHL experience. The set up here is perfect for the Panthers off a satisfying 4-1 win to fall flat against a Sharks team fired up off a 7-1 loss. Adding to the value here in my opinion is the fact that the Sharks were swept by the Panthers last season. The road dog is going to be flying all over the ice in this one and I don't see them being denied. 10* SAN JOSE |
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12-08-19 | Chiefs v. Patriots OVER 49 | Top | 23-16 | Loss | -105 | 8 h 56 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #151 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New England Patriots vs Kansas City Chiefs @ 4:25 ET - The Chiefs have had one low-scoring game on offense this season. Kansas City was held to 13 points by Indianapolis. In their other 11 games this season, the Chiefs have scored an average of 30.5 points per game! The Patriots offense has struggled recently but watch them have a breakout game on Sunday at home. The weather is going to be cold but clear skies and light winds. Temperatures just above freezing means the weather conditions are really not all that bad by December standards for Massachusetts. That being said, the Patriots offense is going to take advantage of a Chiefs defense that ranks among the worst in the NFL. I know they have allowed few points in their past two games but last week's effort against the Raiders was turnover-driven and KC's prior game was played on a questionable field in Mexico and unique circumstances. Now the Chiefs defense is on the road and facing a Patriots offense known for huge games at home. New England averaged 31.3 points per game in their first 4 home games this season prior to being held in check by Dallas in the Pats most recent game at Foxboro. The Patriots vaunted defense has allowed 28 points or more in 2 of its last 4 games. That said, Mahomes and company (Chiefs have one of the top offenses in the NFL) certainly will provide a challenge to that defense as well. The over is 14-2 the last 16 times that the Chiefs are on the road against a non-divisional AFC foe! Look for that trend to continue here. 10* OVER the total in New England |
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12-08-19 | North Carolina +4.5 v. Virginia | Top | 47-56 | Loss | -109 | 6 h 2 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #739 Sunday 10* Top Play North Carolina Tar Heels (+) @ Virginia Cavaliers @ 4 ET - It looks easy to take the Cavaliers here so, in typical contrarian fashion, I am on the Tar Heels in this one! Virginia is at home and has won each of the last 3 meetings between these teams and plus the Cavs are laying a short number here. That will have people looking to line up on the defensive-minded host in this one. However, I am expecting North Carolina to say "enough is enough" and come up with a huge game here. The Tar Heels have faced the tougher schedule early this season so we are getting some line value in this one in that regard. Also, the Cavaliers could have a little bit of unbeaten letdown here as they were 7-0 on the season before getting absolutely demolished by Purdue by 29 points! The Cavs are averaging just 53 points on the season. The Heels are also off an ugly loss in which they did not score well. However, prior to that defeat, UNC had scored 75 points or more in 6 of their first 7 games this season. The Cavaliers are on an 0-6 ATS run and I expect that streak to reach 7 straight ATS losses here in a game in which an outright upset for the revenge-minded road team would certainly not be a surprise. Roy Williams and the Tar Heels are highly motivated here against Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers. I feel that Virginia is going to be caught reeling a bit here and doubting themselves in terms of ability to be able to score enough here. They have always relied on defense but their offense has been a little too ugly this season to get past a team like this. Look for the Tar Heels to get it done here. 10* NORTH CAROLINA |
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12-08-19 | Ravens v. Bills +6.5 | Top | 24-17 | Loss | -105 | 5 h 12 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #132 Sunday 10* Top Play Buffalo Bills (+) vs Baltimore Ravens @ 1 ET - The Bills have the home field edge here plus the rest edge here as they played Thanksgiving Day at Dallas. The Ravens are off a physical battle with the 49ers Sunday in Baltimore and now must go on the road knowing they have a short week ahead too as their next game is Thursday! This is a really tough spot for the Ravens and I am happy to grab the Bills catching nearly a full +7 here as a home dog. Buffalo has played very well this season and they also have had this game circled after the Ravens introduced them to the 2018 season with a 47-3 beating at Baltimore last September. Buffalo would like a little payback at home in this one. Baltimore is 10-2 on the season but, keep in mind, the Bills are 9-3 on the season and two of Buffalo's 3 losses have come by 6 or less points. The Ravens certainly have been red hot but note that the Bills are 3-0 SU and ATS their last 3 games. Baltimore is 1-9 ATS the last 10 times they have faced a non-division opponent off B2B SU/ATS wins. That system fits in this one and I look for the home dog Bills to cash in here. They have a great shot at the outright upset and if they do fall short I expect it to be by a field goal or less. 10* BUFFALO |
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12-07-19 | Pacers v. Knicks OVER 207.5 | Top | 104-103 | Loss | -109 | 12 h 40 m | Show |
Total Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #533 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers @ 7:35 ET - After having to battle in a divisional match-up with a hard-nosed Pistons team yesterday, the Pacers will now take advantage of facing the porous defense of the Knicks in this one. Additionally, I look for New York to respond on the offensive end here after being held to just 92 points on their home floor by the Nuggets on Thursday which followed a similarly poor effort at home against the powerful Bucks too. That sets this one up well for plenty of points. New York has allowed an average of 130.5 points per game their past two games. The Pacers are allowing an average of 108 points per game in the first four games of this lengthy road trip. The over was on a 5-1 run in Indiana's last 6 games before their last two match-up stayed just under the total. This one makes up for those in a big way. 10* OVER the total in New York |
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12-07-19 | Avalanche +135 v. Bruins | Top | 4-1 | Win | 135 | 10 h 40 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #5 Saturday 10* Top Play Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) @ Boston Bruins @ 7:05 ET - If you play with fire long enough, you're eventually going to get burned. That is what finally happened to the Bruins Thursday as they went to the 3rd period down 3-0 on home ice but rallied to tie it only to then fall short in OT. Still it kept Boston as the only NHL team without a regulation loss on home ice. I am predicting that will change on Saturday but, of course, keep in mind we don't have to win in regulation to win our bet and the Bruins have already lost 5 home games post-regulation this season. Boston is still without Patrice Bergeron while the red hot Avalanche are healthier again with all key players back in the lineup. Colorado was already surging but now the Avs are even more dangerous than ever because they played very well even when missing key players and now those guys are back! That is why I won't pass up this opportunity to have one of the best teams in the NHL, and the healthier team in this match-up, at a +135 underdog price. The price makes sense because the Bruins are a very good hockey team. But, without a doubt, the Avalanche are playing even better hockey than Boston right now. Keep in mind the Bruins only scored 2 goals in their most recent home win. Also, the game prior to that they were down 1-0 in the 3rd period before rallying for that win. The Bruins won't find it so easy to rally against a team like the Avalanche and the Avs already beat them 4-2 in Colorado earlier this season too. The Avalanche are viewing this game as an opportunity for a statement road win against one of the top teams in the East. Look for the Avs to make that statement loud and clear behind MacKinnon, Rantanen, and Landeskog in this one. 10* COLORADO |
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12-07-19 | Georgia +7.5 v. LSU | Top | 10-37 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 53 m | Show |
Power Five Top Play - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #117 Saturday 10* Top Play Georgia Bulldogs (+) vs LSU Tigers in SEC Championship Game @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA @ 4 ET - LSU opened up around a 3 point favorite in this game and now the line has been driven up to the Tigers becoming a 7 point choice in this match-up. It makes sense because offense is what grabs the public's attention but it is the Bulldogs edge on defense that I feel gives the underdog a significant edge in this one. Georgia is a 7 point dog here and, keep in mind, this is a team that has NOT allowed more than 17 points in regulation time of ANY game this ENTIRE season! I know the Tigers offense has been fantastic this season but lets not discount what the Bulldogs defense is capable of here. Last year Georgia lost badly to LSU but that was a turnover-driven defeat plus this year's Bulldog's defense is way ahead of last year's D. The Dawgs are allowing an average of only 10 points per game this season! Note that LSU has allowed 28 points or more in FIVE games this season! Also, in games played away from home, the Tigers allowed 37 points or more in FOUR of FIVE games! Their offense is great but those are scary numbers for the LSU defense when they are away from home. Look for Georgia to take advantage and I would not be surprised to see the Bulldogs get the upset here and certainly they are in line for the cover. The Bulldogs are on a 7-1 ATS run in neutral site games. The Tigers are on a 1-4 ATS run when they enter a game off a 2-game homestand. The LSU defense has not traveled well this season and I look for that trend to reach 1-5 ATS when the final gun sounds on this one! 10* GEORGIA |
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12-07-19 | Sabres v. Canucks OVER 6 | Top | 5-6 | Win | 100 | 7 h 9 m | Show |
Afternoon Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #3 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Vancouver Canucks vs Buffalo Sabres @ 4:05 ET - 5 of Buffalo's last 7 games have totaled 7 or more goals. 8 of the Canucks last 11 games have totaled 6 or more goals. Of those 8 high scoring games 7 totaled 7 or more. You can see why I like this game to get to at least the posted total of 6 goals. Truly the odds favor 7 or more and this is a non-conference match-up which also tends to play out with less defensive intensity than what you'll see in divisional games for example. With the recent trending of high-scoring games for these team and with both teams having fresh legs from being off in recent days, this one sets up very well. The Sabres have played just once the past four days and the Canucks enter this game having been off each of the past three days. Buffalo is 6-3 to the over this season when off a non-conference game. Vancouver is 8-2-1 to the over when the Canucks are off a non-conference game. 10* OVER the total in Vancouver |
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12-07-19 | Hawaii v. Boise State OVER 64 | Top | 10-31 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 32 m | Show |
Total of the Year - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #115 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Boise State Broncos vs Hawaii Rainbow Warriors @ 4 ET - Boise State is hosting the MWC Championship Game and the weather will be decent here. Some showers around in the morning and evening but it is likely to be dry for much, if not all, of this game. Also, winds are expected to be near 12 miles per hour. High temperatures near 50 today so definitely a decent day by December standards in Idaho. That said, I look for another shootout between these teams. They combined for 96 points in their regular season meeting this year. I am aware of the QB situation for each team and the Broncos Henderson has been filling in just fine for Bachmeier. Also, the Warriors are getting strong play from McDonald so the fact Cordeiro left the last game is not an issue here. Hawaii enters this game having scored 31 points or more in 9 of 13 games this season. Boise State has scored 30 points or more in 9 of its 12 games this season. The point is that you already into the 60s here for a point total if each team just has a "typical" game on offense but, keep in mind, there was nothing "typical" about these teams combining for nearly 100 points in the first meeting. Also, the Broncos are favored by two touchdowns here with good reason. Keep in mind they want to have a strong showing here too to make sure they get a strong bowl bid for New Year's Day as well. The point is that Boise will not take their foot off the gas and Hawaii is certainly not known for strength on defense. The Warriors won't be able to stop the Broncos but look for Hawaii's offense to score their fair share as well in this game. The over is a perfect 3-0 L3 when the Warriors are off a win by 21 or more points. Also, the over is a perfect 5-0 L5 when Hawaii is an underdog in a range of 10.5 to 21 points. The Broncos have averaged scoring 52 points per game in their last 6 games against the Warriors but I expect Hawaii to hang around for quite awhile in this game. That is why this game should get well into the 70s if not 80s. Look for another shootout here. 10* OVER the total in Boise State |
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12-07-19 | Penn State +8 v. Ohio State | Top | 74-106 | Loss | -110 | 4 h 44 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #733 Saturday 10* Top Play Penn State Nittany Lions (+) @ Ohio State Buckeyes @ Noon ET - The Buckeyes are undefeated this season, at home, and ranked very high. All the pressure is on Ohio State here. Also, the Buckeyes are off a huge win over North Carolina on Wednesday night. This is a tough spot for Ohio State now as they take on a Penn State team that very quietly has also been playing a lot of ultra impressive defense and is going to be tough for the Buckeyes to pull away from in this game. Also, the Nittany Lions have been enjoying great success in recent meetings between these teams but did fall just short here last year. That makes this a revenge game for Penn State as they lost to the Buckeyes last season despite taking 16 more shots from the field in that game! It was simply "one of those nights" and yet PSU still lost the game by only 4 points. Look for a similar result here as the scrappy Nittany Lions have a great shot at the outright upset here. If they do fall short expect it only be by a bucket or two. The Buckeyes are on a great ATS run this season but they can't keep hitting the high percentage of shots they have been and the Nittany Lions come into this one having played great defense this season too! 10* PENN STATE |
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12-06-19 | Oregon +7 v. Utah | Top | 37-15 | Win | 100 | 9 h 46 m | Show |
Game of the Year - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #103 Friday 10* Top Play Oregon Ducks (+) vs Utah Utes @ 8 ET in Pac-12 Championship Game @ Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA - Waiting has paid off as this line is now a 7. Keep in mind the very first line that popped on this game globally was a 2.5 and we have seen major movement ever since. Now that it has reached all the way up to a +7 it is "go time" for me with this one. The Utes have covered 8 straight games ATS and so of course they are attracting a ton of attention here. However, not enough respect is being given to an Oregon team that is having a great season too. Utah does rate the edge on defense but, keep in mind, the Ducks are at least as good, if not better, on the offensive side of the ball. Also, Oregon has the special teams edge in this match-up. The weather is not going to be great for this game with windy conditions and rain moving into the area. A lot of times that favors an underdog. Keep in mind a favorite has to not only win the game but build a margin to cash in at the window. It becomes much tougher to build a margin when you're also batting the elements. The Ducks hold the special teams edge and the kicking and punting game can become critical in a game like this where weather comes into play. I would not be surprised to see Oregon get the upset win and the fact we are not able to get +7 with the Ducks is of course a key with this game now reaching that key number as of mid-morning Friday. Oregon is 10-2 SU this season and the two losses came by 6 or less points. The pressure is on the Utes here. They still have hopes of making the CFB playoff and a huge win here is required. The Ducks are playing this game with no pressure on them. That makes a huge difference. Also, in the only two tough games that Utah has played away from home this season they beat Washington by just 5 points and they lost at USC by 7 points. Are they really going to travel outside of Utah here and beat a high quality Oregon program by more than 7 points in tough weather conditions in a game in which all the pressure is on the Utes as well? I highly doubt that. The Ducks are 5-1 SU and 4-1 ATS this season when off a home win. The Utes are a long-term 1-3 ATS as a neutral field fave in a range of 3.5 to 7 points. Utah beat Oregon last year but head coach Kyle Whittingham entered that game with a career record of 1-5 SU against the Ducks and it is payback time here. Oregon had been undefeated in Pac-12 action before their loss to Arizona State two weeks ago. That said, it is not surprising that they followed up that loss with a lackluster and sloppy effort against Oregon State last week. They turned the ball over 4 times and it was an ugly game in which the Ducks were actually even a bit fortunate to win the game by 14 points. While the Utes have already played their best football of the season, don't be surprised if that is what we now see from the Ducks in this one and I would not be surprised at all to see an upset in this game but certainly am happy to grab the 7 points as added insurance here. 10* OREGON |
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12-06-19 | Magic v. Cavs OVER 211.5 | Top | 93-87 | Loss | -110 | 11 h 52 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #511 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - The Cavs were held to just 94 points in their most recent game but, in typical contrarian fashion, I am playing their very next game to go over the total. Cleveland, prior to the ugly home loss to Detroit, had scored at least 100 points in 7 straight games and had averaged scoring 105 points per game during this stretch. The Cavaliers have allowed at least 100 points in 10 straight games. In fact they have allowed an average of 118.6 points per game during this rough stretch. Taking on a Magic team that scored 116 points against them last week won't help matters for the Cavs struggling defense. Also, Orlando scored 116 without Aaron Gordon in the lineup. He is back now from his ankle injury and Gordon scored 32 points in Wednesday's big win for Orlando over Phoenix. Now the Magic have won 4 of 5 games and have averaged 118 points per game in those 4 victories. The over is 9-3 in Orlando's last dozen games and I look for another high-scoring game here as the over improves to 6-3 in the Cavaliers last 9 games. Cavs will respond with stronger game tonight after being embarrassed and scoring just 94 points at home on Tuesday but they won't be able to stop the hot-shooting Magic as they are red hot from all the floor right now. 10* OVER the total in Cleveland |
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12-06-19 | Canadiens -103 v. Rangers | Top | 2-1 | Win | 100 | 9 h 12 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #67 Friday 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) @ New York Rangers @ 7:05 ET - This one sets up perfectly. While both teams were in action last night, the Rangers enjoyed a 3-2 upset win at Columbus while the Canadiens are off a home loss to a streaking Avalanche hockey club that is getting healthier. There is no shame in losing to Colorado considering how they have been playing as well as how healthy they are again now. However, there is shame in blowing a 4-0 lead on home ice and losing 6-5 and that is what happened to Montreal when they hosted the Rangers last month. That said, it is now payback time and I look for the Habs to avenge that loss tonight. The Canadiens had endured a long losing streak but they snapped that the game before the tight loss to the Avs last night and they have looked a little better on the ice lately. For the Rangers this is a standalone home game prior to a West Coast road trip and coming off an upset win of the Blue Jackets the night before. I could see the Bluehshirts being flat in this game and the Habs are hell bent on revenge here. Look for them to get it in a big way! 10* MONTREAL |
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12-06-19 | Iowa +8 v. Michigan | Top | 91-103 | Loss | -105 | 9 h 23 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #615 Friday 10* Top Play Iowa Hawkeyes (+) @ Michigan Wolverines @ 6:30 ET - Many will be looking for the Wolverines to bounce back here after their ugly 58-43 loss at the hands of Louisville. Indeed a bounce back may be on tap for Michigan here at home but I don't see them covering this large spread. This is a revenge game for Iowa as they lost by 21 points in tournament action against the Wolverines in March. The Hawkeyes were outscored by 27 points from beyond the arc in that game as they made just 1 of 16 three pointers. In other words, inside the arc in that game Iowa actually won the game by 6 points! I am not necessarily forecasting an outright win here but I certainly wouldn't be shocked if the Hawkeyes do catch Michigan suffering from some unbeaten letdown here after the loss to the Cardinals. Iowa is a solid 6-2 SU and ATS this season and they have the talent level and coaching experience edge here to keep up with the highly talented Wolverines. Note that prior to the loss in March, the Hawkeyes had defeated Michigan in the regular season. Prior to that game the Wolverines had been on a winning streak in this series but 2 of the last 3 Iowa losses came by 7 points or less. Michigan is a little over-valued right now because they have hit 40% three pointers this season and opponents have hit only 59% of their free throws this season. Those two stats that certainly won't continue all season long have combined to give extra shading toward Michigan from the betting markets. I'll gladly step in on the other side here and grab the big points with the Hawkeyes. 10* IOWA |
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12-05-19 | Cowboys v. Bears +3 | Top | 24-31 | Win | 105 | 12 h 28 m | Show |
Thursday Thrasher - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #102 Thursday 10* Top Play Chicago Bears (+) vs Dallas Cowboys @ 8:20 ET - The Cowboys have lost 3 of their past 4 games. The Bears have won 3 of their past 4 games. Chicago is also on a 10-5 ATS run in its last 15 home games. We're down to the clutch time of the season...the final quarter...the final 4 games of the regular season. Dallas, in Games 13 through 16 of a season, has gone 1-13 ATS when off a SU/ATS non-divisional loss and facing a team playing with revenge. Keep in mind, the Cowboys lost outright as a favorite to the Bills on Thanksgiving and also the Bears have revenge from the most recent meeting between these teams in 2016 so that system is fully in play here. Also, in the final quarter of a season, the Cowboys are 2-13 ATS when they have a losing record and are playing on the road. Now I know Dallas is at .500 on the season but the point is that you can see from that stat that the Cowboys aren't known for being stalwarts when having a mediocre or losing season and playing on the road late in the season. The Bears certainly hold the momentum edge here with wins in 3 of 4 while Dallas has losses in 3 of 4. Chicago is 7-1 ATS when off B2B SU wins and facing an NFC opponent. The Bears have held 5 of 6 opponents to 17 points or less at Soldier Field this season. The Cowboys have allowed 18 points or more in 4 of their 6 road games this season. I understand why Dallas is favored as market perception carries a lot of weight with the betting masses but I expect the Bears to win this outright and will gladly grab the added insurance of having them plus a field goal as a home dog here. 10* CHICAGO |
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12-05-19 | Oklahoma v. North Texas +6.5 | Top | 82-80 | Win | 100 | 10 h 6 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #604 Thursday 10* Top Play North Texas Mean Green (+) vs Oklahoma Sooners @ 8 ET - This game is being played at The Super Pit as North Texas is the host for this one. That is certainly noteworthy as Oklahoma is just 7-16 SU in their last 23 lined road games. The Sooners not only are being asked to win this game but also by a margin of as high as 6.5 points after the early morning line move with this one and I just don't see that happening. I look for the layoff to hurt OU as they haven't played in over a week and the Sooners are just 3-3 SU the past two years when they enter a game with 7 or more days of rest between games. This line is currently settling back in at a -6 and the Sooners are 2-5 ATS in road games in which their line ranges from a pick'em to a -6. The Mean Green are on an 11-2 SU and 9-3 ATS run in December games. North Texas is a scrappy team that plays well together as a unit. In other words, it is not about individual stars but just that they've put together a good combination of players that mesh well together. The fact the Mean Green are just 3-5 SU this season is because of facing a very tough schedule and this situation favors them well. They just knocked off UT-Arlington outright as an underdog Sunday and they carry that momentum from the road on back home for this game. North Texas is on a 28-11 SU run in home games the past 2+ seasons. Look for the Mean Green to improve to 20-10 ATS when off a game in which they were an underdog. Back to back underdog spots and I am expecting back to back outright SU wins but will grab the points here for added insurance. 10* NORTH TEXAS |
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12-05-19 | 76ers v. Wizards +7.5 | Top | 113-119 | Win | 100 | 10 h 43 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #502 Thursday 10* Top Play Washington Wizards (+) vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:05 ET - The 76ers are getting plenty of attention here early on from the betting markets. After opening up at a 6 the line is all the way up to a 7.5 and possibly headed higher. Of course Philadelphia is the better team but certainly they have had their share of road struggles this season. Not only are the Sixers only 5-6 on the road this season, only one of those victories came by more than 6 points! That means that if you went against Philly in all their road games this season and had at least +6.5 you are 10-1 ATS so far! I like my chances here with the Wizards. I am well aware of the fact that the Wizards give up a ton of points but they're also fully capable of piling up a ton of points on the offensive end. I know they have some injury issues but the Wizards are 3-5 at home and 3 of those 5 losses came by 7 points or less. That means if you had Washington at +7.5 (the current line on this one) or more in all 8 of their home games this season you are 6-2 ATS. Again, you can see why I am liking the big points here with the home dog. The Wizards have lost 3 straight games for the 3rd time this season. The first two times it happened they ended the streak immediately in the 4th game. I expect that to again be the case here but will grab the points with the home dog as added insurance should they fall just short on the scoreboard. The Sixers go from facing a defensive-minded team at home to an offensive-minded team on the road. Don't be surprised if Philadelphia struggles some here and the home team is hungry to end their losing streak. 10* WASHINGTON |
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12-05-19 | Avalanche +102 v. Canadiens | Top | 3-2 | Win | 102 | 8 h 15 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #51 Thursday 10* Top Play Colorado Avalanche Money Line (+) @ Montreal Canadiens @ 7:05 ET - I know this is the 2nd night of a back to back for the Avalanche but they are off a 3-1 win last night at Toronto and continue to look extremely sharp on both ends of the ice. Not only that, the Avs are getting healthier too and could get a couple more players back tonight as well. Last but not least, back-up goalie Pavel Francouz has been great between the pipes and has allowed only 4 goals the last 89 shots he has faced! Now Colorado faces a Montreal team that finally got back into the win column Tuesday but just barely. The Canadiens had to hang on for dear life in their 4-2 win over the suddenly struggling Islanders. The Habs go from facing an inconsistent team to one that is playing with a ton of confidence plus getting healthier and absolutely looks like one of the best teams in the league especially as their health returns. As for Montreal, they had lost 8 straight games prior to their win over the Isles. Keep in mind the Canadiens have lost 9 of 16 home games this season. The Avs are a stellar 9-5-1 on the road this season. On a 4 game winning streak and facing a team that has lost 8 of 9, the Avalanche are a great value here as we can grab the superior team and not even lay juice in this one! 10* COLORADO |
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12-04-19 | Warriors v. Hornets OVER 209.5 | Top | 91-106 | Loss | -106 | 10 h 3 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #557 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Charlotte Hornets vs Golden State Warriors @ 7:05 ET - With the Warriors off a game in which they scored a season-low 79 points Monday and the Hornets off a game in which they were held to just 39 points in the first half Monday, it may seem enticing to take the under in this match-up. However, in typical contrarian fashion I am backing the over in this one as it is actually those low-scoring results that are leading to excellent value with this total. Both teams are determined to bounce back on the offensive end in this one and will be willing to push the pace all game long. Golden State was averaging 108 points per game their past 11 games on the road before that awful effort against the Hawks. Charlotte is averaging 109 points per game at home this season. The over is 9-5 this season when the Warriors enter a game having lost 3 of their last 4 games. The over is 6-3 this season when the Hornets enter a game on a losing streak of 2 or more games. Two teams hungry to bounce back here and you'll see that first-hand here with good tempo and plenty of scoring in this match-up. 10* OVER the total in Charlotte |
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12-04-19 | Avalanche v. Maple Leafs OVER 6.5 | Top | 3-1 | Loss | -115 | 8 h 15 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #37 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Toronto Maple Leafs vs Colorado Avalanche @ 7:05 ET - Each team could get some firepower back on the ice tonight and already a high-scoring game was expected here so players coming back is simply an added boost. Why were plenty of goals expected here? The Maple Leafs are in the second game of a back to back and that means back-up goalie Michael Hutchinson is expected to get the start here for Toronto. Hutchinson has gone 0-5-1 with an ugly 4.55 goals against average and poor .876 save percentage in seven games this season. He'll be facing a high-flying Avalanche team that is among the top scoring teams in the league even as they have battled through some injury issues. Toronto will be very hungry here after a late collapse against the Flyers as the game was much closer than the 6-1 final would indicate. However, though the Maple Leafs will battle back and should have a strong game in the offensive zone here (especially with Mitch Marner expected back) tonight, the problem for Toronto will be keeping the puck out of their own net. The Leafs have allowed 4 or more goals in 7 of their past 11 games. Prior to last night's loss the Maple Leafs had won 4 of 5 and scored an average of 4 goals per game. You can see why it would not be a surprise to see each team get to 4 goals in this one and yet all we need is each team to get to 3 goals apiece and we're in good shape here as the game would have to end with at least 7 goals - a 4-3 final. The Avalanche have won 8 of 11 games and have averaged scoring 4.4 goals per game during this hot streak. When these teams met in Colorado a week and a half ago a total of 8 goals were scored and I expect a similar result tonight. 10* OVER the total in Toronto |
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12-04-19 | Pennsylvania v. Villanova -12 | Top | 69-80 | Loss | -110 | 9 h 47 m | Show |
PA Insider - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #808 Wednesday 10* Top Play Villanova Wildcats (-) vs Pennsylvania Quakers @ 6:30 ET - This is part of The Big Five in Philadelphia and the other teams are LaSalle, St Joseph's, and Temple. Last year the Quakers upset the Wildcats and that ended a 25-game winning streak for Villanova in Big Five games. It also allowed Pennsylvania to win the Big Five Championship for the 2018-19 season. These teams come from different conferences, etc but the City of Philadelphia embraces the rivalries the "Big Five" has created and this "unofficial" Big Five city championship series extends back to the mid-fifties! It means a lot to these schools and I look for Villanova to get a big dose of payback on their home floor in this game. Yes the Wildcats have losses to Ohio State and Baylor this season but this is a strong Villanova team that will get even stronger as the season goes on. They were ahead by 20 points against LaSalle at halftime Sunday and then only won the game by 11 points as they allowed the Explorers to make a few runs in the second half. Considering what happened at Penn last season I don't look for the Cats to be so generous in the second half here. Look for Villanova to put their foots on the throats of the Quakers early and never take their foot off the gas. Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school, has a long break from basketball coming up because of semester final exams. However, they still enter this game at a disadvantage as they just got back from a West Coast trip while Nova was already at home facing LaSalle this past weekend. The last time the Wildcats hosted the Quakers they won by 28 points. I am expecting another huge win in this revenge game. Penn is a scrappy and respectable team but there is a talent disparity here and the Wildcats are highly motivated. I don't often lay big points but this is one of the rare exceptions due to the great situational value. 10* VILLANOVA |
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12-03-19 | Magic v. Wizards OVER 226.5 | Top | 127-120 | Win | 100 | 10 h 15 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #541 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Washington Wizards vs Orlando Magic @ 7:05 ET - The Magic are off a rare win and the over is 5-1 the last 6 times when Orlando enters a game off a SU victory. Though known as a lower scoring team, the Magic saw their first meeting with Washington this season fly over the total as it reached 246 points! The Wizards enter this contest off allowing 150 points to the Clippers in Los Angeles over the weekend. Washington continues to ignore the importance of playing defense as they simply try to just outscore teams. That may work against the Magic but I am not playing the Wizards as I just can not trust them to get defensive stops. The value that is created here by the way this one should play out is the situational value that is clearly available with the total in Washington. The over is now 7-3 in the Wizards past 10 games. The over is also 4-1 in Orlando's last 5 road games. With the Magic off a rare win and trending over when in that situation this season, don't look for much defense in this match-up as the Wizards will simply try to again run and gun their way past Orlando. 10* OVER the total in Washington |
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12-03-19 | Pistons v. Cavs +2.5 | Top | 127-94 | Loss | -101 | 10 h 34 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #540 Tuesday 10* Top Play Cleveland Cavaliers (+) vs Detroit Pistons @ 7:05 ET - Great home dog value here based on the situation. The Pistons are off a dominating win over the Spurs as they caught San Antonio at the perfect time to lay down a beating. That is because SA was off their big win over the Clippers and former Spur Kawhi Leonard. Give Detroit credit as they took care of business but that was a nice situation for the Pistons at home. Now Detroit is on the road and facing a Cavaliers team that has been playing better overall of late but just doesn't have the wins to show for it. The Cavs are off a home loss but it came against a Bucks team that is one of the best in the league. Now Cleveland will take advantage of facing a Detroit team that has lost 9 straight road games! Also, the Pistons have a huge game on deck with that same Milwaukee team tomorrow night. This is a bad situational spot for Detroit and Cleveland was 3-4 at home this season before getting tripped up recently including a loss to the Bucks by single digits and a lost by just a bucket versus Brooklyn. Look for the Cavaliers to get over the hump here and add to the Pistons season-long road futility. 10* CLEVELAND |
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12-03-19 | Islanders v. Canadiens -117 | Top | 2-4 | Win | 100 | 8 h 15 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #26 Tuesday 10* Top Play Montreal Canadiens Money Line (-) vs New York Islanders @ 7:05 ET - The Canadiens were up going to the 3rd period at Boston on Sunday but then lost 3-1. Montreal is hungry to get back on track on home ice and we're getting line value here because many will look to back the red-hot Islanders as an underdog in this spot. I am going contrarian and backing the Habs here because this is a tough spot for the Isles. They were at Detroit last night and got a win over the Red Wings. Varlamov was in goal for that one and had a strong game. That means Greiss is available tonight but he left his last start with dizziness and was not feeling well. That makes this not only a back to back spot for the Islanders but also a situation in their goaltending situation is not exactly ideal. I would not be surprised to see New York have some struggles in the crease tonight and the Canadiens are so desperate for a win here I just do not seem them being denied on home ice in this one. The Habs have endured a recent losing streak but it is no mistake that they are favored here on home ice by the odds makers. In other words, lay the small price and look for the Islanders to lose for the 4th time in their past 5 road games. The Canadiens have won 4 of the last 5 meetings between these teams. 10* MONTREAL |
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12-03-19 | Golden Knights v. Devils OVER 6.5 | Top | 4-3 | Win | 100 | 8 h 47 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #21 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New Jersey Devils vs Vegas Golden Knights @ 7:05 ET - Tough goaltending situation for each team here because they are in a back to back and they are extenuating circumstances with the back to back for each team. The Devils had to use both goalies last night because their starter was so ineffective that tonight's planned starter MacKenzie Blackwood had to come in to try and salvage the night. As it was New Jersey still got crushed last night and now their in a situation where they used both netminders last night. As for the Golden Knights, Marc-Andre Fleury's return to the team is imminent but their prized netminder is mourning the loss of his father and that is why he has had time away from the team. Malcolm Subban was in goal last night and that means options tonight would be a mourning Fleury, a tired Subban, or Garrett Sparks. Note that the latter netminder has struggled but could be called upon here and you can see why all three options are concerning for the Golden Knights. I like the over here because I am sure that the Devils will respond on home ice here after the 7-1 shellacking they took last night but I am also sure that the Golden Knights are going to score plenty following their 4-1 win over the Rangers in New York last night. That said, there should be plenty of goals tonight with both teams likely to struggle to keep the puck out of their own net. Vegas has scored 4 goals in each of its past two road games. The Devils have scored an average of 5 goals per game in their past 3 games against the Golden Knights. 10* OVER the total in New Jersey |
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12-03-19 | North Dakota State v. Indiana State OVER 135.5 | Top | 60-71 | Loss | -109 | 7 h 22 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #741 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Indiana State Sycamores vs North Dakota State Bison @ 5:30 ET - Both teams weakness is the frontcourt. That means more opportunities for points in the paint with drives to the bucket and also 2nd chance opportunities off the glass on offense. I am well aware of the fact that the Bison have been trending under all season long but that has had a lot to do with the match-ups they faced. Now they go on the road and face a Sycamores team that has been knocking down the 3-ball extremely well this season. Indiana State is hitting 44% of their threes this season. North Dakota State is allowing 37% from beyond the arc on the season. The Sycamores overall defense has been sketchy for sure as opponents are hitting 46% from the field. You can see why I am expecting plenty of points here and I am taking advantage of an early downward line move on this total. It opened up at 138 and is now down to 135.5 as of early game day morning. Indiana State has scored an average of 76 points per game in its last 3 lined games. The Bison have averaged 70 points per game their past 7 games. Each team is capable of reaching double digits in three pointers made in this one and I look for plenty of points with the game also close enough late (line on this game is a -5) to encourage fouls and free throw shooting for the team in the lead with the team playing catch up jacking up (and making plenty of) three pointers! 10* OVER the total in Indiana State |
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12-02-19 | Vikings +3 v. Seahawks | Top | 30-37 | Loss | -110 | 16 h 11 m | Show |
Primetime Punisher - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #475 Monday 10* Top Play Minnesota Vikings (+) @ Seattle Seahawks @ 8:15 ET - Something seems a little "off" with this one at first glance and that is why the public is hammering Seattle but, in typical contrarian fashion, I am on the other side here. The Seahawks opened up as a 1.5 point favorite even though there are a number of factors that would have suggested they should be a much bigger favorite at home. Sure enough the betting markets have pushed the line on Seattle to as high as a -3 but don't be fooled by all this. The odds makers set the line this way for a reason. I am aware that the Vikings have a recent history of struggling after bye weeks and Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins often struggles in night games. However, this line was set like this for a reason and I am backing the Vikings here. Keep in mind, the Seahawks are only 3-2 SU at home this season and one of the wins came in OT while the other two victories each came by just a single point! What that means is that in ALL 5 home games this season, when the clock hit zeroes in regulation, Seattle has NEVER been on top by more than ONE point! As for the Vikings, they are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games and the only loss came by just 3 points. Also, 4 of those 7 games were on the road. Now you understand the line a little better and also you can see the reasoning as to why I am going with a top play here on the road dog plus the points! 10* MINNESOTA |
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12-02-19 | Jazz +5.5 v. 76ers | Top | 94-103 | Loss | -108 | 14 h 19 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #527 Monday 10* Top Play Utah Jazz (+) @ Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:05 ET - Yes this is a back to back spot for the Jazz but yesterday their starters didn't play nearly as many minutes as they normally would have. That's because Utah got blasted at Toronto on Sunday. In fact, the Jazz were down by 40 points at halftime which is the largest halftime deficit in Utah's history! You know that Utah is going to respond tonight after an effort like that in the first half yesterday! That said, I love having a scrappy and defensive-minded, yesterday notwithstanding, Jazz team in bounce back mode for this one! Utah has struggled on the road this season but we're not asking them to win here although I do feel they have a great shot at the outright upset. We just need the Jazz to remain competitive in this game as the line is all the way up to a 5.5 as of very early game day morning. Expecting a team to be competitive after a franchise-worst performance is a good thing to bet on! This is particularly true when you can go against a 76ers team which is 9-0 SU at home but continues to see so many of those wins go down to the wire! The 3-point win over the Pacers on Saturday means that the Sixers have played in 4 straight games decided by 6 or less points. 5 of the 76ers last 7 wins have been tight wins decided by an average margin of 4.6 points per game. The last two meetings between these teams have been ATS wins for the road team and the one prior to that was a 6-point road loss for the Jazz at Philly. Again, look for Utah to be in this one all the way and I expect the points to be enough for the cover in a game quite possibly decided in the final minute. Prior to yesterday's ugly loss, the Jazz had seen 3 of their last 6 defeats decided by 4 or less points and, again, an outright upset certainly not out of the question here. This is a highly motivated road dog in this after what happened against the Raptors yesterday. 10* UTAH |
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12-02-19 | Columbia +6 v. Delaware | Top | 76-84 | Loss | -105 | 14 h 37 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #721 Monday 10* Top Play Columbia Lions (+) @ Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens @ 7 ET - Delaware is off to a fantastic start this season as they remain undefeated at 8-0 SU plus they are at home for this game and hosting a 3-5 Columbia team. However, as per usual, there is more than meets the eye in this game. First off the Lions have played a tougher schedule than the Fightin' Blue Hens have. Additionally, this is a revenge game from last season when Columbia lost in double OT by a single point. Most of the big scoring production for Delaware (3 guys that each scored 20 or more) are gone from the team. That said, even though the Blue Hens are off to a great start this season, this is likely to be a very tough game for them and star point guard Mike Smith and the Lions are off a win and will use that as momentum heading into this revenge game. Smith has been fantastic early this season after an injury greatly impacted last season's campaign. I like having the points here in this revenge match-up as the strength of schedule comes into play here and I feel that it is with a good reasoning from the odds makers that the Blue Hens opened up as only a 6 point choice here even though they are undefeated and facing a team with a losing record. I sense an upset here and if the Lions do fall short it will be by just a bucket or two in my opinion. 10* COLUMBIA |
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12-01-19 | Spurs v. Pistons -2.5 | Top | 98-132 | Win | 100 | 7 h 34 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #518 Sunday 10* Top Play Detroit Pistons (-) vs San Antonio Spurs @ 5:05 ET - The Spurs just played their game of the year Friday and won it! They beat Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers in San Antonio. The Spurs wanted that game badly and got it. That will leave them flat here. Additionally, being without LaMarcus Aldridge here is going to hurt San Antonio as he is out with a thigh injury. The Pistons are off back to back losses to Charlotte in a home and home set with the Hornets. They are highly motivated here off consecutive losses as they had previously won 2 of 3 and appeared to be heading the right direction. Now they will take advantage of a Spurs team that is short-handed physically without Aldridge and mentally too after the big win over former Spur Leonard whom was booed every time he touched the ball in San Antonio Friday night. 10* DETROIT |
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12-01-19 | Raiders v. Chiefs OVER 49.5 | Top | 9-40 | Loss | -107 | 9 h 41 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #461 Sunday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Kansas City Chiefs vs Oakland Raiders @ 4:25 ET - I am well aware of the weather conditions at Arrowhead Stadium for this one. No precipitation expected but winds of 15 to 20 mph and temperatures near freezing. This weather has helped bring this total down from mid-50s to the upper-40s and I don't expect many defensive stops in this one. The wind certainly can have some impact on the game but I like the fact that we can fade two really bad defenses here and lets not forget that much of the passing game in today's NFL is quick, short passes that are set up to allow for big yardage after the catch. It is not so much about trying to be super accurate with long passes downfield. Also, don't be surprised if the Raiders offense enjoys success on the ground here as the Chiefs rushing defense ranks among the worst in the NFL. As for the Oakland defense they particularly struggle against the pass and the Kansas City passing attack ranks among the best in the league. I also like the fact that both QBs are off sub-par games. Look for Mahomes to be much better after the bye week and look for Carr to bounce back after he and his teammates clearly overlooked the Jets last week and they paid for it by being handed an ugly loss. The over is a long-term 4-1 when Oakland is off a game in which they were a favorite but lost outright by 21 or more points. Also, the over is 3-1 this season when the Raiders are a road dog. The over is a perfect 4-0 this season when the Chiefs are facing a team with a winning record. The weather is not ideal but it is not going to effect these offenses as much as many are thinking it will. 10* OVER the total in Kansas City |
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12-01-19 | Rams -2.5 v. Cardinals | Top | 34-7 | Win | 100 | 9 h 3 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #467 Sunday 10* Top Play Los Angeles Rams (-) @ Arizona Cardinals @ 4:05 ET - QB Jared Goff has struggled badly in recent games but this has included facing tough defenses like the Ravens, Bears, Steelers and what started all this was a nightmare game against the tough defense of the Niners. Mixed into this stretch was a game against the Bengals and, of course, Goff took advantage of that. The point is that level of competition is an important factor when evaluating performance and I look for Goff (and the Rams) to get back up off the mat in a big way in this game. Yes LA is on the road for this one and on a short week but a road trip from Los Angeles to Arizona is not much of a road trip at all! The Cardinals are off their bye week but QB Kyler Murray is still bothered by a hamstring injury. The Cards are better this season than they've been in recent seasons but this is still an Arizona team that has won just 3 of its 11 games this season and that has been blasted by the Rams in recent meetings. Los Angeles has won the last 4 meetings by a combined score of 130 to 25. Keep in mind, LA is in an angry mood too after being embarrassed by Baltimore on Monday night football. In other words, they are not going to let up here and I look for a huge road win and will gladly take advantage of the line move here which has pushed the Rams down to as low as a 2.5 point favorite in this one. 10* LOS ANGELES RAMS |
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12-01-19 | Temple -2 v. Davidson | Top | 66-53 | Win | 100 | 5 h 53 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #693 Sunday 10* Top Play Temple Owls (-) vs Davidson Wildcats @ 4 ET in Orlando, FL - I used the Owls against Maryland earlier in this tournament and got the cover as Temple nearly got the upset too. The Owls are playing very well under new head coach Aaron McKie this season and they have covered 3 straight games and are 5-1 SU on the season. While Temple has been playing solid defense, the Wildcats are not. The Owls are allowing just 35% from the field this season while Davidson has allowed 46.6% from the field this season. The Wildcats have played a tougher schedule but only slightly more arduous and Temple's defensive numbers certainly aren't "slightly" better, they are much better. Davidson has failed to cover 5 of 7 games this season as they just haven't been able to get it done on the defensive end of the floor in the majority of their games this season. 10* TEMPLE |
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11-30-19 | Pacers v. 76ers -4 | Top | 116-119 | Loss | -100 | 10 h 56 m | Show |
Situational Slaughter - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #504 Saturday 10* Top Play Philadelphia 76ers (-) vs Indiana Pacers @ 7:05 ET - Both teams were in action yesterday but the Pacers entire starting five played a ton of minutes as they had to go to overtime for the 1 point home win. Now Indiana takes to the road and takes on a 76ers team that is a perfect 8-0 at home this season. Even though Embiid may rest tonight because he was in action last night, Horford was rested last night and should be good to go here. The Sixers hold the edge coming back home for this one while the Pacers are on the road where they are just 3-4 on the season. The spread is small enough here that nearly any Sixers SU win is likely to also be an ATS cover and I like Philly laying the small number in this one as the set up favors them in this match-up. Look for the 76ers to improve to 9-0 on the season. 10* PHILADELPHIA |
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11-30-19 | Sabres v. Maple Leafs -1.5 | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -100 | 8 h 10 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #64 Saturday 10* Top Play Toronto Maple Leafs Puck Line (-1.5 goals +105) vs Buffalo Sabres @ 7:05 ET - The Maple Leafs lost 6-4 at Buffalo yesterday but Toronto had been heating up since their coaching change while the Sabres have been slumping and have had an awful November. After Buffalo got the win yesterday I look for Toronto to bounce back with a huge win on home ice today. Of course the Leafs are a pricey favorite here so the way to play this one is on the puck line. By laying the 1.5 goals with Toronto we don't even have to lay any juice here. I like the set up here because the Sabres used Ullmark in goal yesterday and that means Hutton gets the start today. Hutton has allowed 4 or more goals in 4 straight games! As for the Maple Leafs they started their back-up goalie yesterday and he struggled but now Andersen gets the start here. The Maple Leafs have NOT won a game this season with a back-up goalie between the pipes. All 12 wins have come with Frederik Andersen in the crease and I expect another big win here. Prior to yesterday the Leafs had been dominating recent match-ups with Buffalo. Also, the Sabres power play has been horrible. Payback time today for the Maple Leafs. 10* TORONTO Puck Line -1.5 goals |
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11-30-19 | Tulane v. SMU OVER 70.5 | Top | 20-37 | Loss | -109 | 8 h 50 m | Show |
Rickenbach CFB Rotation #413 Saturday 10* Top Play OVER the total in SMU Mustangs vs Tulane Green Wave @ 4 ET - The Mustangs are 9-2 to the over this season. They have one of the best offenses in the nation but also one of the worst defenses in the nation! The Green Wave don't rank too far behind SMU in terms of strength on offense. That said, this game should be an absolute shootout. Southern Methodist will control the pace of this game on their home field and the Mustangs are the most up-tempo team in the nation as they are averaging 81 plays per game on offense this season. SMU is scoring an average of 49 points per game in home games this season! The Mustangs have allowed an average of 42 points per game their past 4 games as their defense has withered as the season has gone on. That is bad news for Southern Methodist University here as the Green Wave will take advantage of that staggering defense. Tulane has scored 31 points or more in 8 of their 11 games this season. The Green Wave, prior to facing some tougher D their past two games, had reached at least the 38 point mark 6 times in a 7-game stretch. They'll have no problems with the weak defense their facing today but Tulane can't stop teams either! They have allowed an average of 38 points per game their lat 4 road games. Shootout here! 10* OVER the total in SMU |
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11-30-19 | Wisconsin -2.5 v. Minnesota | Top | 38-17 | Win | 100 | 8 h 45 m | Show |
Rickenbach CFB Rotation #371 Saturday 10* Top Play Wisconsin Badgers (-) @ Minnesota Golden Gophers @ 3:30 ET - Minnesota is ranked higher than the Badgers and plus they have home field for this game and yet Wisconsin is favored. Must be some type of egregious mistake by the odds makers, right? You guys know how I feel about supposed "mistakes" in the marketplace. The fact is that Wisconsin is the better team and they will win the Big Ten West by getting revenge in this game for last year's loss to the Golden Gophers. Keep in mind the Badgers had beaten Minny 14 times in a row prior to last year's loss. Wisconsin has played the much tougher schedule this season and the odds makers recognize that and it is factored into this line but the betting markets are a little behind the power curve here and don't really realize that. The result is value for us here especially with the weather conditions likely limiting the only edge (passing game) that the Golden Gophers might have had in this game. The only tough win that Minnesota has is over Penn State and the Nittany Lions are proving that they are a bit over-rated. The Gophers lost to Iowa in their only other real challenge this season. As for the Badgers, they've had to battle with Ohio State, Michigan, and Iowa this season. Plus they blasted Michigan State 38-0 and the Spartans are better than their record would indicate. Though the Badgers, like everyone else, lost to Ohio State this season they beat Iowa plus crushed the Wolverines too. Wisconsin is the more battle-tested team coming into this game and they are favored with good reason. The only reason the Badgers lost last season was a 4-0 turnover deficit. The year before, at Minnesota, Wisconsin won 31-0 and held the Golden Gophers to 133 yards of offense. Minny is a better team than they use to be but they are vastly over-rated this season and the weather also will be factor in this game that favors the Badgers who will pound the Gophers defsne on the ground all game long. I like the Badgers to win this game in the trenches on both sides of the ball. 10* WISCONSIN |
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11-30-19 | NC-Greensboro +7 v. Georgetown | Top | 65-61 | Win | 100 | 4 h 12 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #607 Saturday 10* Top Play UNC Greensboro Spartans (+) @ Georgetown Hoyas @ 2 ET - The Spartans have just 2 losses on the season. One w was by a single point and the other was by a dozen points but came against one of the best teams, Kansas, in the nation. UNC Greensboro was down by just 10 with under 4 minutes to go in that game. Thanks to having a fantastic point guard in Miller and playing strong overall defense (something the Hoyas struggle to do), the Spartans absolutely are capable of an upset win here at Georgetown. The Hoyas are allowing 76 points per game this season while Greensboro is allowing just 54 points per game game. Yes Georgetown has played a tougher overall schedule but still there is a big difference between the way these teams tend to play on the defensive end of the floor. The Spartans are off an ATS loss but have not had back to back ATS losses this season. The Hoyas are off back to back covers but had started the season 0-4 ATS. Look for the road team to hang tough in this one all the way through as they have a solid 7-man playing rotation and this is a team that won 25 games last season! Small school, but strong school! 10* UNC GREENSBORO |
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11-29-19 | 76ers v. Knicks OVER 206.5 | Top | 101-95 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 27 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #561 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in New York Knicks vs Philadelphia 76ers @ 7:35 ET - The Knicks are off an ugly loss at Toronto where they were held to 98 points. New York head coach Fizdale was talking more about the lack of execution and hesitation on offense that was plaguing the Knicks in that game. In other words, it was not so much about the fact that New York gave up 126 points but the fact they scored just 98 points that has his attention. I am looking for a high-scoring game here. These teams put up 213 points when they recently met in Philly and the Knicks should score better here at home. We've got a low total to work with because of the market move here - first numbers globally posted on this game were in the 210.5 range. Particularly after the drop on this total I feel we have great value here. The Knicks are averaging 102 points per game this season and the 76ers are favored by as much as 8 points in this game as of early game day morning. A 110-102 Philly win gets us well above the posted total here. The over is a long-term 24-12 when the Sixers are a road favorite in a range of 6.5 to 12 points. The Knicks have trended under this season but there has been an over-adjustment on this total in my opinion and keep in mind New York's last 7 meetings with the Sixers have all totaled at least 208 points! 6 of the 7 totaled at least 213 points and this one should as well. 10* OVER the total in New York |
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11-29-19 | Coyotes v. Golden Knights OVER 5.5 | Top | 1-2 | Loss | -110 | 7 h 27 m | Show |
Divisional Dominator - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #51 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Vegas Golden Knights vs Arizona Coyotes @ 6:05 ET - The Coyotes have a well-deserved reputation for playing tight, low-scoring games. However, that is leading to value in a spot like this because the Golden Knights are still without goalie Marc-Andre Fleury as he is dealing with an illness in the family and is currently in Montreal. Note that Malcom Subban will be in goal here with Garrett Sparks as his back-up and, simply put, that means the Vegas goaltending is a weakness in this game. Subban has been consistently allowing 3 to 4 goals in all of his recent starts and this total is only 5.5 goals. I love the value we're getting here because Vegas also is coming off a huge win at Nashville where they scored the tying goal in the final second and then won the game in OT. That is the type of win that can really spark a team and Vegas had been looking for a positive after recent struggles. The Knights have allowed 3 or more goals in 7 of their last 10 games. 11 of the last 13 home games for Vegas have totaled 6 or more goals! The Coyotes have scored 3 or more goals in 5 of their last 6 games. Considering the goaltending situation and the fact that the Golden Knights have scored an average of 3.4 goals per game at home this season I expect each team to get to 3 goals here and am anticipating a 4-3 type final. Plenty of value with the low total here. 10* OVER the total in Vegas |
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11-29-19 | West Virginia v. TCU OVER 43.5 | Top | 20-17 | Loss | -104 | 9 h 1 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #335 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in TCU Horned Frogs vs West Virginia Mountaineers @ 4:15 ET - The Horned Frogs need this win for bowl eligibility and they do tend to play much better (and score more) when at home. However, TCU will have their hands full here with a scrappy West Virginia team that continues to play hard for head coach Brown. The Mountaineers saw Doege, in his 2nd start at QB, throw for over 300 yards in last week's loss. I look for another solid game from the West Virginia QB and we've got a very low total to work with here. Keep in mind, the Mountaineers are allowing 30 points per game on the road this season. The Horned Frogs are off a low-scoring loss but they were very fortunate as they did allow over 500 yards to Oklahoma in that game. TCU is allowing an average of 32 points per game over its past 7 games. I understand when looking at the recent offensive numbers this total "has" to be set low by the odds makers but the fact is each defense has shown periods of weakness for sure. Couple that with TCU generally scoring well at home and the Mountaineers getting a bit of a boost with Doege at QB and you have the set up for some solid scoring in this game. Texas Christian has averaged 37 points per game their past 5 games. Look for the over to improve to 5-0 in TCU's last 5 home games. Yes, I know their most recent over at home was very unlikely and was due to triple-OT against Baylor but the Mountaineers D is nothing like the Bears D. Even subtracting out the points from that game in the averages above, we still have big numbers in those above averages. Plenty of points expected here and I am taking advantage of low total. 10* OVER the total in TCU |
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11-29-19 | Red Wings v. Flyers -1.5 | Top | 1-6 | Win | 105 | 6 h 10 m | Show |
Puck Line Punisher - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #39 Friday NHL 10* Top Play Philadelphia Flyers Puck Line -1.5 goals (+) vs Detroit Red Wings @ 4:05 ET - The Red Wings want to fix things but wanting to do it and actually doing it are two very different things and Philadelphia holds a huge edge in this match-up in terms of who is hot and who is not. The Flyers enter this game on a 4-game points streak as they are 3-0-1 their last 4 games. The Red Wings are 0-5-2 their last 7 games as they haven't won a game in over two weeks! Also, Detroit's last 3 losses have come by a combined score of 13 to 1. They are lined up to get blasted again here as they Flyers have had just 1 regulation loss in their dozen home games this season and they are rolling with momentum after knocking off the Blue Jackets at Columbus on Wednesday. Detroit has scored just 1 goal in their last 3 games combined! The Flyers have allowed an average of just 2 goals per game in their last 4 games. 14 of the Red Wings 20 losses this season have come by 2 or more goals and that 70% trend continues here! 10* PHILADELPHIA Puck Line -1.5 goals |
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11-29-19 | DePaul v. Minnesota OVER 134 | Top | 73-68 | Win | 100 | 6 h 52 m | Show |
Contrarian Crusher - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #799 Friday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Minnesota Golden Gophers vs DePaul Blue Demons @ 3 ET - I am well aware of the fact that the Golden Gophers have seen all 6 of their games stay under the total this season. The result, however, is great value here with the over. This total has dropped down to a 134 and Minnesota is hosting a Blue Demons team that has good defensive numbers on the season but has struggled a bit when facing tougher competition. DePaul has allowed 67 points or more in 3 of their last 4 games. The Blue Demons have scored at least 70 points in all 7 of their games this season. DePaul is undefeated on the season but will face a much tougher challenge here. The Golden Gophers have played the tougher schedule this season but come into this game averaging 77 points per game their last 3 games. The key to Minnesota's solid scoring early this season is they are shooting the 3-ball much better than last season. Speaking of hot shooting, DePaul is hitting 50% from the field this season and also doing a solid job from beyond the arc. This match-up features a pair of confident teams that both have been shooting the ball well. I expect plenty of points in this one and will take advantage of the low total posted here. The over is 6-1 when the Gophers are at home and their line ranges from a pick'em to a -6. The over is a perfect 5-0 when the Blue Demons enter a game on an ATS run of 3 or more consecutive covers. 10* OVER the total in Minnesota |
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11-29-19 | Iowa -5 v. Nebraska | Top | 27-24 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 13 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #327 Friday 10* Top Play Iowa Hawkeyes (-) @ Nebraska Cornhuskers @ 2:30 ET - The Hawkeyes have held their last two opponents to season lows in total points. Iowa is known for their defense and they are allowing only 115 yards on the ground per game this season. However, they are not completely inept on offense either. They didn't have the points to show it for last week against Illinois but note that QB Stanley had over 300 passing yards in that game. The Hawkeyes won't make the same mistake they made against the Huskers last season. It ended up being a 3-point win for Iowa because they allowed the Cornhuskers to rally from 15 points down to tie the game with only a few minutes left before Iowa then kicked the game-winning field goal. Nebraska is off a huge win but it came against a horrible Maryland team. Lets not forget the Huskers are on a 2-9 ATS run and also have covered just ONCE the last EIGHT times they have been a home dog. Facing the Cornhuskers at Nebraska is not what it once was in terms of being difficult on a visitor. By the way, the Hawkeyes are 18-3 ATS their last 21 games as a road favorite. Look for the visitor to improve to 6-1 ATS in the last 7 meetings between these teams. In terms of SU winner, Iowa has won 5 of the last 6 meetings. Nebraska has not beaten a good team all season. They have 5 wins and 4 came against teams with a combined record of 10-34. The other win came against a 6-5 Illinois team that is vastly over-rated and extremely fortunate to have 6 wins. Now facing an 8-3 Iowa team whose 3 losses came by a total of 14 points (against Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin), the Huskers will prove to be out-classed here. Nebraska has 5 losses including 3 by a total of 84 points (!) to Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Minnesota. The Golden Gophers team that beat the Cornhuskers by 27 points is the same Minnesota team that Iowa beat a few weeks ago. Big difference right now in the level of these programs right now, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. 10* IOWA |
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11-28-19 | Devils v. Canadiens OVER 6 | Top | 6-4 | Win | 100 | 13 h 34 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #33 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Montreal Canadiens vs New Jersey Devils @ 7:35 ET - The Canadiens are off an 8-1 home loss to the Bruins. They have had a dozen games this season in which they have allowed 4 or more goals and when off a game like that they have had just 4 unders in 12 games. That ugly loss to Boston marked the 5th over in the last 6 games for Montreal and all 5 of those games totaled at least 7 goals. Look for this one to as well. The Devils visit Montreal on Thanksgiving Thursday and they won the earlier match-up here this season and it went over the total. New Jersey has scored an average of 3.5 goals per game in their last 4 games against the Habs. The Devils enter this game off a tight loss and have won just once in their last 4 games. They scored 5 goals in that victory and have allowed an average of 4 goals per game in the 3 losses. I feel we've got great value with this total at only 6 goals but note that the total is moving to 6.5 in quite a few shops as of early game day morning. Both teams have struggled on the penalty kill this season and dealt with bouts of inconsistent play between the pipes. In fact Devils goalie Cory Schneider is now in the minors. The Canadiens have allowed an average of 5 goals per game during their 5-game losing streak. Both teams come into this one hungry for a win but also struggling to keep the puck out of their own net. That means we can expect plenty of goals in this one. 10* OVER the total in Montreal |
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11-28-19 | Ole Miss v. Mississippi State OVER 57.5 | Top | 20-21 | Loss | -110 | 10 h 19 m | Show |
ESPN Smash Pass - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #311 Thursday 10* Top Play OVER the total in Mississippi State Bulldogs vs Ole Miss Rebels @ 7:30 ET - The Rebels had a bye last week and the Bulldogs had what was nearly like a bye as they faced an out-classed Abilene Christian team. Mississippi State scored 45 points in that game and will use that as a momentum booster heading into this big rivalry game. The Bulldogs were held to just 7 points the week before but that was against Alabama. Prior to hat game Mississippi State averaged 42 points per game in match-ups with Arkansas and Texas A & M. The point is that the Bulldogs can (and will) score big here but I also look for them to struggle to stop this potent Rebels offense. The Mississippi State defense has allowed 37 points per game in the Bulldogs last 4 games against FBS foes. Ole Miss comes into this game having averaged 39 points their past two games. The Rebels pace on offense ranks them in the top 20 in the nation. The total on this game was in the 60 range but has now dropped to 57.5 and I like the value with the over in this one. The Rebels are seeking revenge after getting blasted 35 to 3 last season. The two prior seasons the meetings between these rivals averaged 67 points. Ole Miss, when the total is between 56.5 and 63, has seen the over go 7-1 the last 8! The over is 3-1 this season in Bulldogs games when they are off a SU win. 10* OVER the total in Mississippi State |
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11-28-19 | Bills +7 v. Cowboys | Top | 26-15 | Win | 100 | 8 h 1 m | Show |
Daytime Dominator - Rickenbach NFL Rotation #307 Thursday 10* Top Play Buffalo Bills (+) @ Dallas Cowboys @ 4:30 ET - The Bills are 8-3 this season and their defense has been great. All the pressure is on the Cowboys in this one. Keep in mind the Patriots, as usual, have a stranglehold on the top of the AFC East division but the Bills are in great shape in terms of a Wild Card spot because every other Wild Card contender has 5 losses already. As for the Cowboys, the only way to make the playoffs (most likely) is by winning the division and Dallas has the Eagles just one game in back of them even though Philadelphia is dealing with a ton of injuries and seemingly trying to hand the division to Dallas. The Cowboys simply haven't taken advantage of the situation and coach Jason Garrett is on the hot seat. Again, all the pressure here is on Dallas to perform at home and I love the Bills here as a big underdog after their dominating effort on defense versus Denver. Buffalo has just 3 losses this season and 2 of those came by 6 or less points. The Cowboys have lost 5 of their past 8 games. Dallas certainly is familiar with playing on Thanksgiving Day but that hasn't helped their results at the betting window. The Cowboys are on a 1-7 ATS run in Thanksgiving games and the only cover was a fortunate one as they beat the Redskins by 8 last year as a 7.5 point favorite. They won't be so fortunate here. Dallas has failed to cover 2 of last 3 at home and the Bills are undefeated ATS in their 5 road games this season at 4-0-1 ATS. The Cowboys are 6-11 ATS against teams with a winning record including 1-3 ATS (0-4 SU!) this season! 10* BUFFALO |
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11-28-19 | Maryland v. Temple +10 | Top | 76-69 | Win | 100 | 5 h 35 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #762 Thursday 10* Top Play Temple Owls (+) vs Maryland Terrapins @ 11 AM ET - Both teams are undefeated early this season and certainly the #5 ranked Terrapins are the better overall team. Of course that is why they're a large favorite in this neutral site game played in Florida as part of the Orlando Invitational on this Thanksgiving weekend. Don't be surprised if the Owls give Maryland all they can handle here however. Temple is off a big upset win at USC in which the Owls won by 9 as a 9 point underdog. They are responding well under head coach Aaron McKie. The Philly native was an assistant coach under Fran Dunphy and has this team playing very well early this season. The key is defense and work ethic - on the boards and elsewhere. Even when the Owls are at a size disadvantage (like they were against the Trojans) they are scrappy and work hard to get rebounds and loose balls. Temple is one of the top teams in the nation early this season in steals per game and they are going to challenge Maryland here. Yes the Terps have won all their games by double digits early this season but this will be their toughest test yet. Maryland is on a 2-5 ATS run the last 7 times they have been a neutral court favorite. The Owls got a boost in confidence with their win at Southern Cal last weekend and they are 8-4 ATS when off a road win and also 5-2 ATS when a neutral court underdog of 9.5 to 12 points. 10* TEMPLE |
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11-27-19 | Wolves v. Spurs OVER 229 | Top | 113-101 | Loss | -109 | 11 h 56 m | Show |
Total of the Month - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #545 Wednesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves @ 8:35 ET - The over is a perfect 6-0 in the last 6 meetings between these teams. Also, each of the last 4 meetings in San Antonio have gone over the total. Minnesota has scored 120 points or more in 6 of its 8 road games this season! The Spurs are off a home game in which they were held to 104 points by the Lakers but consider that Los Angeles has been one of the best teams in the league this season and has already frustrated the Spurs twice this season at San Antonio. Against the rest of the NBA, the Spurs home games have seen them average 117 points per game. San Antonio is a small favorite in this game and there is reason to believe that each team will be in the 120 range in this one based on the above as well as their history of getting involved in shootouts. The Timberwolves have knocked down 14 or more threes in 3 of their last 4 games while the Spurs have knocked down 10 or more threes in 3 of their last 4 games. They hit 10 of 25 against the Lakers and had knocked down 12 in 2 of their 3 prior games - all on the road. With the Spurs at home and shooting better and the high-flying Wolves in town, this game should feature a ton of points. as the over goes to 7-0 the last 7 times these two teams have squared off. 10* OVER the total in San Antonio |
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11-27-19 | Wichita State +1 v. West Virginia | Top | 63-75 | Loss | -108 | 10 h 5 m | Show |
Game of the Month - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #751 Wednesday 10* Top Play Wichita State Shockers (+) vs West Virginia Mountaineers @ 8:30 PM ET in Championship Game of Riviera Division in the Cancun Challenge in Mexico - Both teams undefeated on the season but while the Shockers coasted to victory in their win over South Carolina yesterday, the Mountaineers were absolutely pushed to the limit in their win over Northern Iowa yesterday. In fact, West Virginia was actually down 15 points in the second half of that game before they went on a major rally! With under a minute and a half to go the Mountaineers were still down but they ended the game on a 7-0 run to get the win. Wichita State forced 19 turnovers in their win yesterday and completely disrupted the Gamecocks all game long. They will look for similar results here against the Mountaineers. In this tough back to back situation, the Shockers are certainly the more rested team physically based on the way their blowout win played out against South Carolina. While the Shockers have failed to cover just 4 times in their last 13 games, West Virginia has 4 ATS losses in its past 6 games. Situational value here and coach Greg Marshall's team is on a mission in this tourney and they proved that with the way the manhandled the Gamecocks yesterday. This Shockers team currently firing on all cylinders on both ends of the floor. 10* WICHITA STATE |
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11-27-19 | Flames -123 v. Sabres | Top | 3-2 | Win | 100 | 7 h 3 m | Show |
Early Annihilation - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #17 Wednesday 10* Top Play Calgary Flames Money Line (-) @ Buffalo Sabres @ 7:05 ET - The Flames will be without head coach Bill Peters for this game as he is under investigation for an incident that occurred about a decade ago in the American Hockey League. Calgary has been struggling but actually played a solid game in earning a point in an OT loss at Pittsburgh Monday. Keep in mind, even with the news about Peters the Flames have been a popular choice among smart bettors today. The reason for that is the anticipiation that Calgary will respond well on the ice to assistant coach Geoff Ward whom will take over head coaching duties behind the bench tonight. I fully expect this to be a positive situation for the Flames as well as they rally around this situation. Certainly Calgary is facing the right team to rally against. The Flames are facing a Sabres team that has lost 10 of its past 12 games. There is a reason a Calgary team that has won just 5 of 16 road games this season is favored over a Buffalo team that has a 6-3-2 record on home ice this season. In other words, jump on the Flames in this one just like the sharp bettors are. The Flames have won 3 of 4 this season after playing 3 consecutive road games. The Sabres have lost 45 of 63 when off a divisional game. 10* CALGARY |
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11-26-19 | Clippers v. Mavs +2.5 | Top | 114-99 | Loss | -108 | 10 h 6 m | Show |
NBA TV Annihilation - Rickenbach NBA Rotation #524 Tuesday 10* Top Play Dallas Mavericks (+) vs Los Angeles Clippers @ 8:35 ET - Much is made of "load management" when it comes to the star players and their minutes these days. Of course that has been a big key with Kawhi Leonard for quite some time now too. I firmly believe it is no coincidence that the Clippers are 0-3 SU this season when they are playing the front end of a back to back. That is the case here for Los Angeles. After facing Dallas tonight, the Clippers are at Memphis tomorrow. The Clips are 0-3 this season with the losses coming by an average margin of 9.3 points when they are playing the front end of a back to back. As for the Mavericks, they are in a very nice scheduling situation here as they have two off days after this game and then they begin a road trip. With two off days on deck the Mavs will go all out here. Dallas is 2-1 SU this season in games prior to a two day break in the schedule. I like the fact that the Mavericks have won 5 straight games both SU and ATS and have averaged 130 points per game during this winning streak. The Clippers have also won 5 straight games but have averaged 114 points per game in the last 4 games of that streak. With the home court edge and the situational edge and the fact that the Mavericks have been so hot with their shooting, I am grabbing the home dog in this match-up. The home teams has won and covered each of the last 4 meetings. More of the same here. 10* DALLAS |
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11-26-19 | Wild +120 v. Devils | Top | 3-2 | Win | 120 | 8 h 50 m | Show |
Earliest Cash - Rickenbach NHL Rotation #1 Tuesday 10* Top Play Minnesota Wild Money Line (+) @ New Jersey Devils @ 7:05 ET - Ironically it was the Devils with a goalie issue in their most recent game and now that is the case for the Wild. For New Jersey, they were in the 2nd game of a back to back and had recently released Cory Schneider so Louis Dominique got his first start of the season. As is usually the case when a team knows it really needs to play strong in front of its goalie, the Devils allowed just 19 shots in that game and won 5-1. Now it is Minnesota that is playing the 2nd night of a back to back and with goalie Devan Dubnyk out and Alex Stalock having played last night, Kaapo Kahkonen will be making his NHL debut. He has been playing great in the American Hockey League and look for the Wild, hungry off back to back OT losses, to play a very strong game in front of him and limit shots on goal. Minnesota is desperate for a win here and has two off days after this game so they will go all out in this one. New Jersey is having a tough season and had been outscored 9-2 in their two prior games before getting that big win over a bad Red Wings team. Now the Devils face a much tougher challenge here and the Wild had won 5 of 8 before back to back OT losses. Minnesota will bounce back big here. Home ice has NOT mattered in this series as the road team has won each of the last 5 meetings. I look for that trend to continue here. 10* MINNESOTA |
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11-26-19 | Ohio v. Akron +28 | Top | 52-3 | Loss | -103 | 9 h 13 m | Show |
Game of the Week - Rickenbach CFB Rotation #302 Tuesday 10* Top Play Akron Zips (+) vs Ohio University Bobcats @ 6 ET - The Zips showed last week at Miami (Ohio) that they weren't going to just lay down to end the season. It has been a miserable season for Akron and they entered that game 0-10 SU and ATS. However, as a massive underdog of 4 TDs the Zips hung tough with the RedHawks throughout that game and lost by just 3 points. Keep in mind that was on the road too and Miami has had a strong season. That is why I love taking Akron this week as a 4 TD underdog at home. Yes Ohio University needs to win this game for bowl eligibility but the Zips would love to spoil that for the Bobcats and avoid an 0-12 season in the process. While I don't see that happening, I do expect them to hang around in this game all the way through. Ohio U is off a dominating win at Bowling Green but they entered that game just 2-8 ATS this season. As bad as the Zips season has been they have had only one loss by more than 29 points in their past 10 games. Again, Akron would love to spoil the Bobcats bowl hopes and, while I don't see that happening here, I do expect them to hang within a couple scores throughout this game. The Zips are actually 4-0 ATS in the last 4 meetings between these teams and the last time they hosted Ohio U they won outright as a double digit dog! Last week's big Bobcats win was the first time this season they had won a game by a margin of more than 21 points. Also, Ohio U's first 4 wins this season came by an average margin of 10.5 points. This game will be much closer than many are expecting. 10* AKRON |
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11-26-19 | Wichita State v. South Carolina OVER 131.5 | Top | 70-47 | Loss | -110 | 8 h 19 m | Show |
Total of the Week - Rickenbach CBB Rotation #663 Tuesday 10* Top Play OVER the total in South Carolina Gamecocks vs Wichita State Shockers @ 6 ET in Cancun, MX - The odds makers have no idea what they are doing to they set this total at 136 when it opened. Of course I say that in jest as we all know the odds makers are pretty sharp and now that this total has been crushed down to the 131 range as of game day morning it is time to step in on the over. Yes both these teams have some pretty impressive numbers on defense this season but lets not forget that the Shockers are averaging 76.4 points per game and the Gamecocks are averaging 75.4 points per game. I feel we've got good value here after the move on this total. Also, South Carolina has allowed an average of 70 points per game their last 3 games and all 3 of those have resulted in an over. The Gamecocks have scored at least 70 points in 4 of their 5 games this season and Wichita State has scored at least 68 points in all 5 of their games this season. Both teams have a lot of confidence in the offensive end too because that is a direct product of winning games and scoring plenty of points. The Shockers have averaged 82 points per game their last 3 games. The over is 6-2 when Wichita State enters a game on a winning streak of 5 or more games. The over is 16-6 when the Gamecocks play in a game with a posted total in the 130s. 10* OVER the total in South Carolina (game played in Cancun, MX) |