Gambling Guide
Bookie busters: Plays for the weekend with a heavy focus on soccer
Apr 27, 2018, 6:57 am
Let's jump into a weekend primed for gambling with Playoff action and a few soccer bets I love. Come with me; I'll take you around the world!
Real Madrid -Bayern Munich 1:45 PM
The highly anticipated grudge match, in which the away team will be looking to overcome a 2-1 home loss in the first leg. Having allowed two away goals, Bayern Munich knows the task at hand, and that will be to score quickly. I don't think they are capable of shutting down Madrid in the Bernabeu. Both teams will have chances with Real Madrid ultimately putting the nail in the coffin through counter attacks.
Both teams to score
Over 3
Scores in both halves
Ronaldo scores goal
Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Friday 9:35 PM
An elimination game, with the world watching, brings us everything we want out of a playoff NBA game. Now you would think teams in "have to" win situation would go out and win but the truth is in the last five years teams facing elimination are 53-71 straight-up and 58-64 (47.5percent) ATS. Sometimes the added pressure of needing to win doesn't relate to better play. Utah set the pace at home; the 6 point spread might be a little too much so I'll go with the under.
Jazz games went under the total 52.3 percent of games during the season, while at home the number skyrocketed to 60.5 percent.
Under 207
Friday 4:50 AM
Melbourne City vs. Newcastle Jets
Newcastle has scored 10 goals in the past 5 matches but also has allowed 12.
Over 3
Saturday 11:30 AM
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Stuttgart
Leverkusen last three over. Visitors last 3 road games over total 2.5
Over 3
Sunday 10:30 AM
Plays Of The Weekend
Manchester United vs. Arsenal
United has scored 2+ goals in 8 of last 9 games in English competitions. Arsenal 23 goals in the last 8 matches also scoring 2+ in 9 of the last 10 matches.
Over 2.5
Both teams to score
Saturday 7 PM
Minnesota vs. Houston Dynamo
Minnesota's last two matches have seen a combined nine goals, Not a good trend hosting the league's top 5 scoring team. The only problem is the Dynamo defense has allowed 14 goals, landing them in bottom 10 in the MLS.
Both Teams to Score
Over 3
Sunday 2 PM
PSG vs. Guingamp
Guingamp have netted 13 goals in the last 6 matches; The home team is one of the highest scoring squads in European football. PSG has scored 15 goals in the last 5.
Over 3.5
For any questions or comments reach me @JerryBoknowz on twitter. Follow for live/halftime plays.
The Texans are favored to win the AFC South for a third straight season with a team led by young stars quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson. Stroud’s strong first two years helped the Texans turn things around and this year they’ll try to reach the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time in franchise history. Stroud will be directing a new offense led by first-time offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who took over after Bobby Slowik was fired this offseason following Houston’s loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round. General manager Nick Caserio also beefed up the team’s receiving corps, led by Nico Collins, by adding veteran Christian Kirk and drafting Jayden Higgins in the second round and Jaylin Noel in the third. Coach DeMeco Ryans has vowed the offensive line will be better this season after Stroud was sacked 52 times last season, which was second-most in the league. But it’s difficult to see how his protection will be better after they traded left tackle Laremy Tunsil and didn’t make any big moves to replace him. Defensively, Anderson should take another step forward in his second year playing with veteran Danielle Hunter after the third-overall pick in the 2023 draft had 17 sacks combined in his first two seasons. Cornerback Derek Stingley returns to lead a talented young secondary after earning first team AP All-Pro honors last season when he had five interceptions and defended 18 passes.
OC Nick Caley, WR Jayden Higgins, WR Christian Kirk, WR Jaylin Noel, LT Cam Robinson, RB Nick Chubb, RT Aireontae Ersery, LG Laken Tomlinson, C Jake Andrews.
LT Laremy Tunsil, WR John Metchie III, G Kenyon Green, TE Brevin Jordan, CB Eric Murray, WR Robert Woods, CB Kris Boyd.
Stroud and Houston’s stacked receiving group should be the stars of the team this season. The 2023 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has been great in his first two seasons to bring the Texans back into contention after an awful stretch. His interception rate was up last season but he’s looking for improvement this season in Caley’s offense, which he has described as “exciting.” He’ll have plenty of strong targets to throw to, led by Collins, who had a second straight 1,000-yard season last year despite missing five games with injuries. He’ll be joined by Kirk, who should fill in at the slot with Tank Dell likely to miss all season recovering from an injury he suffered in December. Higgins and Noel come to Houston after combining for 2,377 yards receiving and 17 touchdowns last season at Iowa State.
It’s hard to see how the offensive line will be improved this season with Tunsil gone to Washington. Though he was penalty-prone, he was the team’s most consistent lineman. They completely revamped the line after his trade and return just one starter from last year’s group. They’ll likely rely on rookie Ersery to protect Stroud’s blind side after taking him in the second round of the draft. He started 38 games at left tackle over three seasons at Minnesota. Veteran Tytus Howard returns at right tackle after starting 16 games there last season. The center is Jake Andrews in his first year in Houston and he returns after missing all of last season with an injury before being released by the Patriots. Left guard Laken Tomlinson and right guard Ed Ingram are also new to the team.
Houston’s secondary sustained a big blow in camp when safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered a leg injury. The injury isn’t season-ending but he is likely to miss significant time. Gardner-Johnson is in his first year in Houston after he was acquired from the Eagles in March in exchange for left guard Kenyon Green. He was expected to be the team’s starting free safety after the Texans lost Eric Murray in free agency to the Jaguars. The Texans will also be without backup Jimmie Ward indefinitely after he was placed on the commissioner exempt list Tuesday as he faces a felony domestic violence charge after a June arrest.
Collins should have another big year after finishing with more than 1,000 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons. He’s had 15 touchdowns combined in the last two seasons despite missing seven games with injuries.
Win Super Bowl: 35-1.