Gambling guide

Want to bet? Here are some plays for the weekend

Want to bet? Here are some plays for the weekend
Will Gary Patterson and TCU cover the spread this week? Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Jay K. Stark provides weekly gambling selections for SportsMap and Houstonsportsandstuff:

Maryland @ Ohio State -30.5: Minnesota looked flat and took a 3rd string Maryland QB for granted last week- Urban Meyer will not. Ohio State can name their number here and I think it gets out of hand in a hurry.

Washington State @ Oregon +2.5: Prove it to me Leach. Washington State has not played a road game all year and is coming off the biggest win in their programs history. If Oregon brings any form of defense to this game I think they win outright. Can Oregon cover and tackle anyone? I hope so.

West Virginia +13.5 @ TCU Hold your nose. I know TCU is very good.  However, they have covered as a DD favorite at home 1 of their last 12 times. I heard an interview this week on 97.5, in which Coach Holgorsen told John and Raheel, “We are blessed to be on the same field this week with those guys.” (catch that at podcastarena) WVU needs to stop the run. But they should put up a spirited effort this week.

Chiefs @ Texans +1 Breaking from the theme of the week of picking against teams coming off a HUGE win, this is a bad spot for the Chiefs with back to back nationally televised games and less time for travel. There is going to be time to fade the Texans, but the line says they are the right play this week.

Possible adds Saturday morning.

As always, any questions or hate mail please direct them to me @jayoff288

 

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Christian Walker got on base twice in the opener. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Astros return to action Wednesday night with a chance to get back on track and even their three-game set against the visiting Chicago White Sox.

White Sox continue to have Houston's number

After falling 4–2 in Tuesday’s opener, the Astros now trail the season series 3–1 and will turn to Ryan Gusto (3-3, 4.78 ERA) in hopes of steadying the ship and reinforcing their grip on first place in the AL West.

Houston enters the matchup at 36–30 overall and 22–13 at home, a mark that reflects just how comfortable they've been playing in front of their fans. Though the offense has been inconsistent at times, the Astros are an impressive 19–4 when they manage to keep the ball in the yard — a stat that will be key with Gusto on the mound. The young right-hander has had an up-and-down season, but he'll be tasked with limiting a White Sox offense that did just enough to sneak away with a win in the opener.

Chicago, meanwhile, continues to play with a bit of unexpected edge despite sitting in last place in the AL Central. At 23–44, the White Sox have struggled most of the season — particularly on the road, where they’re just 7–26. Still, they've now won four of their last five games and will hand the ball to Sean Burke (3-6, 4.03 ERA), a righty who’s shown flashes of command and competitiveness in his rookie campaign.

The Astros will once again lean on their veterans to lead the way at the plate. Jose Altuve continues to be a consistent presence at the top of the lineup with nine home runs and 24 RBIs on the year. Yainer Diaz, who’s 10-for-39 with three home runs over his last 10 games, has started to find his swing again and could be a factor in the middle of the order. Houston will need more of that timely hitting if they want to avoid dropping their second straight at home — something that hasn’t happened often this year.

On the other side, Chase Meidroth has quietly become one of Chicago’s more reliable bats. Hitting .293 with five doubles and a pair of homers, Meidroth’s emergence adds some much-needed spark to a lineup that’s lacked consistency. Andrew Benintendi, hitting .257 over his last 10 games with four doubles, has also begun to warm up at the plate.

Both teams come in with nearly identical offensive production over their last 10 games — the Astros hitting .227 to the White Sox’s .226 — but Houston holds the edge in ERA at 3.44 compared to Chicago’s 4.04. That said, the Astros have been outscored by five runs over that stretch, and will need to clean up a few things on both sides of the ball to avoid falling into a mini-slide during this six-game homestand.

First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET from Daikin Park, with Houston looking to reassert itself against a team it hasn’t solved yet this season. A win would not only even the series — it would also be a reminder that the Astros remain very much in control of their own narrative heading into the summer grind.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -181, White Sox +150; over/under is 8 1/2 runs.

Here's an early look at Houston's lineup for Game 2

Jacob Melton is hitting last and remains the left fielder with Altuve back at second base. Diaz is once again in the cleanup spot as Walker is hitting fifth. Victor Caratini will hit behind Walker and serve as the DH. Otherwise, a pretty typical lineup for Joe Espada's club.


*ChatGPT assisted.

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