MIKE'S 5* NINERS/EAGLES NFL GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Philadelphia Eagles will play an elite opponent for a fourth straight game following wins over Dallas, Kansas City and Buffalo. Now they'll run into a San Francisco team that has answered a three-game losing streak with three wins.

I think the Eagles are due for a letdown game, and you can't play anything but your absolute best to keep up with this Niners team. 

The 49ers are 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games as a favorite. The 49ers are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 vs. NFC. The 49ers are 7-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

The Eagles are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games as a home underdog of 0.5-3.0.

5* PLAY ON SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS. 

MIKE'S 5* CBB GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

This looks like a good spot to fade the SMU Mustangs who have struggled to cover spreads lately, going just 1-4-1 ATS over their last six games. They are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games as a home favorite of 13.0 or greater and 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games as a home favorite.

The Texas A&M Commerce Lions defeated St. Josephs' 57-54 as an 18-point road favorite on Nov 17 in their last game as an underdog. They are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog of 13.0 or greater and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record. 

5* PLAY ON TEXAS A&M COMMERCE LIONS. 

MIKE'S 5* COLTS/TITANS NFL TOTAL OF THE MONTH MAX BET

The Tennessee Titans have scored more than 17 points in only one of their last seven games.

The Indianapolis Colts defense has come around following a poor start to the year and has held opponents to 13, 6, and 20 points through their last three games.

Offensively, the Colts will be without the 2021 NFL rushing champion Jonathan Taylor who underwent thumb surgery earlier this week. 

The under is 6-0 in Colts' last 6 games as a road favorite and 31-14 in their last 45 games in December.

The under is 18-6 in Titans' last 24 home games and, 6-2 in Titans last 8 games as an underdog of 0.5-3.0 and 6-2 in Titans last 8 games in December.

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF THE YEAR

The Louisville Cardinals are coming off a disappointing loss as a home favorite against Kentucky, their second loss for the season.

The Florida State Seminioles are undefeated 12-0, but they have to rely on backup QB Tate Rodemaker who completed only 12-of-25 passes for 134 yards in last week's 24-15 win at Florida.

FSU might have to lean on their running game here, but note that Louisville is holding opponents to 96.8 rushing yards per game (12th) and 3.3 yards per carry (15th). 

5* PLAY ON LOUISVILLE CARDINALS. 

MIKE'S 5* BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP TOTAL OF THE YEAR

The Oklahoma State Cowboys are averaging 30.2 points per game and while Texas is holding opponents to 325.3 yards per game (27th), they are much better at stopping the run than the pass.

Okie State has a well-balanced offense that ranks 50th on the ground and 40th through the air, and Texas has injuries on the defensive side of ball. 

As for the Cowboys' defense, there are holes to exploit and they've given up 30+ points in consecutive games, both as favorites, and now they're coming up against one of the best teams in the nation.

I would not be surprised if both teams put up 30+ points in this game, and I love the over. 

5* PLAY ON OVER. 

MIKE'S 4* KNICKS/RAPTORS NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to fade the New York Knicks who will be playing on short rest following a 118-112 win over Detroit last night. 

The Knicks are 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5 and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games playing on no rest.

The Raptors are 11-3-1 ATS in their last 15 games as a home favorite, 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games as a home favorite of 0.5-4.5 and 19-9 ATS in their last 28 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.

4* PLAY ON TORONTO RAPTORS. 

MIKE'S 4* SEAHAWKS/COWBOYS NFL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Dallas Cowboys have won three straight games in blowout fashion since a 28-23 loss to the Eagles in Philly on Nov 15.

Since then, they've defeated the Giants 49-17, the Panthers 33-10, and most recently the Commanders 45-10 on Thanksgiving. Tonight they'll face a Seattle team that took a 31-13 loss to the Niners at home last Sunday.

There's no need to overthink this. Give me the scorching hot Cowboys on extra rest. 

4* PLAY ON DALLAS COWBOYS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOTAL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The San Jose Sharks are 14-6 to the under on the season, mainly because they can't find the net. They're averaging a paltry 1.6 goals per game, and here they'll face a Boston team that is allowing only 2.6 goals per game (7th).

The Bruins have one of the best records in the league because they're so well-balanced, but while they are capable of scoring, their main strength is on the defensive end of the ice.

The Bruins won 3-1 when they took on the Sharks on the road back in October, and I think this will be another low-scoring affair. 

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Los Angeles Kings are coming into this game on a five-game winning streak and they are 9-1 over their last 10. The Kings are 10-4 as favorites this season, and seven of those 10 wins came by at least two goals. The Caps are coming off back-to-back losses, and even the lowly San Jose Sharks beat them on Sunday. I don't think they can keep up with a Kings team that is on a roll. 

4* PLAY ON LOS ANGELES KINGS -1.5. 

MIKE'S 4* CLIPPERS/KINGS NBA TOTAL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Kings are coming off a 124-123 win over Golden State yesterday, but I think we'll see fewer points when they face the Clippers on short rest tonight. The under is over/under is 3-7 in the last 10 head-to-head meetings and 14-6 in Kings' last 20 vs. a team with a losing straight up record. 

The Clippers have scored 109, 106, 107 and 104 points through their last four games, and they are 9-1 to the under through their last 10 games. The under is 8-0 in Clippers last 8 games as a favorite.

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The 76ers are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games as a road favorite and 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games as a road favorite of 0.5-4.5.

Since the start of last season, the Sixers are 23-12 ATS against opponents from the Western Conference. 

The New Orleans Pelicans are in a less than ideal spot as they return home from a three-game road trip. Since the start of last season, the Pels are 3-6 ATS in a home game following three road games and they are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.

4* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA 76ERS. 

MIKE'S 5* BUCKS/HEAT NBA GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Milwaukee Bucks are 7-1 straight up in their last eight games. They've failed to cover the spread in their last two, but as double-digit home favorites over Washington and Portland. They won both games, and I like them to cover a much smaller spread tonight. Since the start of last season, the Bucks are 14-7-2 as a road favorite of no more than 3.5 points. 

5* PLAY ON MILWAUKEE BUCKS. 

MIKE'S 5* NHL TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The San Jose Sharks are 13-6 to the under on the season while the Washington Capitals are 12-5 to the under. The Caps are averaging only 2.4 goals per game, the only team worse is the Sharks who are averaging an NHL-worst 1.6 goals per game. Sure, the Sharks are also allowing a league-worst 4.1 goals per game but I don't think Washington has the firepower to take advantage. 

Three goals should be more than enough to win the game. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* M.N.F. TOTAL OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Minnesota Vikings are 8-3 to the under on the season and the under is 6-0 in the Vikings last 6 vs. a team with a losing record.

The Chicago Bears had scored 13, 17 and 16 points in their past three games before putting up 26 points in a loss at Detroit last week. They looked a lot better with Justin Fields back under center, but this is still a bad Bears offense and the Vikes are allowing only 320.6 yards per game (12th).

The Bears have more success running the ball than throwing, but stopping the run is the Vikes strength on D, so this is an unfavorable matchup for Chicago. 

As for the Vikings offense, Kirk Cousins is done for the year, and star wideout Justin Jefferson has been dealing with a hamstring injury. He's been reported as "unlikely to play", and I fully expect him to sit as their bye week is coming up. There's no reason for them to gamble and not let Jefferson heal up completely. 

The Vikings won 19-13 when these two teams clashed in Chicago back in October. I would not be surprised if we see a similar scoreline tonight. 

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* WIZARDS/PISTONS NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Washington Wizards are heading to Detroit looking to end a nine-game slide, and this looks like a favorable spot to do so as they are 9-1 straight up and 6-4 against the spread in the last 10 meetings with Detroit. The Pistons are in even worse shape, coming off 13 consecutive losses. The Wizards are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 road games vs. a team with a losing home record.

4* PLAY ON WASHINGTON WIZARDS. 

MIKE'S 5* NBA TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The Brooklyn Nets will be playing on short rest following a 112-97 win over Miami yesterday, so I think they'll try and slow down the tempo and the Bulls are a naturally slow team, averaging only 98.2 possessions per game (29th). 

The Chicago Bulls have averaged only 100.5 points over their last six games. 

Under is 14-6 in Nets last 20 games as a home favorite of 0.5-4.5.

Each of the last five head-to-head meetings has gone under the total. 

5* PLAY ON THE UNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* BILLS/EAGLES NFL GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Buffalo Bills can not be too pleased about their 6-5 record, but they're coming off a 32-6 win over the Jets and I think everyone would agree that they are a better team than their record would suggest. 

The Philadelphia Eagles are in a potential letdown spot after defeating the Chiefs at Arrowhead Monday night. They're riding a four-game winning streak which includes marquee wins over Miami, Dallas, and the aforementioned Kansas City, but it's really difficult to sustain that level of play extended amount of time, even for a top team. They're due to come out flat eventually, and I'll gladly take the points on the Bills in this game. 

The Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games when playing on Sunday following a Monday night game and 1-3-2 ATS in their last 6 games following an ATS win.

5* PLAY ON BUFFALO BILLS.

MIKE'S 5* AFC TOTAL OF THE YEAR MAX BET

The Kansas City Chiefs are 8-2 to the under while the Las Vegas Raiders are 9-2 to the under.

The Chiefs offense has not looked right lately, with only 9, 21, and 17 points scored through their last three games and they've been held to 21 points or fewer in four of their last five games.

The Raiders have scored 16 and 13 points, against the Jets and the Dolphins respectively, in their last two games, and here they'll face a truly elite defense in the Chiefs. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* CLEMSON/SOUTH CAROLINA CFB GAME OF THE MONTH

The Clemson Tigers have had a disappointing season but they've stepped up their game again in recent weeks, coming off convincing wins over Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina. 

The South Carolina Gamecocks are also riding a three-game winning streak, but I don't see how they can keep up with the Tigers the way they're playing right now. Gamecocks QB Spencer Rattler has been playing well, but this Clemson defense is a huge step up in competition compared to what he's faced lately. 

This is also a revenge game for Clemson after a 31-30 home loss to their rival in the last meeting on November 26, 2022. 

5* PLAY ON CLEMSON TIGERS. 

MIKE'S 5* SIXERS/THUNDER NBA GAME OF THE WEEK

The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a pair of losses, the most recent a 112-99 setback in Minnesota. They were without Joel Embiid in that game, but the reigning MVP should be back on the court here. Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren has had a great season, but he's no Embiid yet.

The Thunder come into the game on a six-game winning streak and have moved to 11-4 on the season. They have been overachieving and I think a motivated Sixers team will give them a reality check. 

Since the start of the 2022 season, the Sixers are 10-2 ATS following back-to-back losses. The 76ers are 21-6 ATS in their last 27 games as a favorite of 0.5-4.5 and 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games as a road favorite of 0.5-4.5.

5* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA 76ERS. 

MIKE'S 5* ACC TOTAL OF THE YEAR

The Virginia Tech Hokies are 7-4 to the over while the Virginia Cavaliers are 8-2-1 to the over.

Virginia has allowed 27 points or more in each of its last five games while the Hokies have allowed 34+ points in two of their last three games.

The Cavaliers rush defense is among the worst in the nation and Virginia Tech is averaging a solid 168.7 rushing yards per game. 

5* PLAY ON OVER. 

MIKE'S 5* NBA GAME OF THE MONTH

The Los Angeles Clippers have a lot of individual talent, but they're not playing like a team. The Clippers are coming off a 109-102 win over the Spurs in San Antonio, but they did not cover the spread. They are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games overall and 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games following a straight up win.

The New Orleans Pelicans have closed as underdogs in their last five games but still won four of those games outright and covered the spread in all five games.

The Pelicans are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 games vs. a team with a losing straight up record.

5* PLAY ON NEW ORLEANS PELICANS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to fade the Minnesota Wild who are on a five-game losing streak and they have a 2-8 record in their last 10 games.

They're in a tough traveling spot returning from the NHL Global Series in Stockholm. Tonight they'll face a Colorado team that is 12-6 for the season and has won four of its last five games.

The Wild are 1-6 against teams with a winning record for the season. 

4* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE. 

MIKE'S 5* PACKERS/LIONS NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Green Bay Packers are coming off an upset win over the Chargers, but I think they'll lose big here in Detroit on Thanksgiving.

The Packers are far from healthy, and they'll face a Lions team that is on a roll with seven wins while going 6-2 ATS in its last eight games, including a 34-20 win at Lambeau Field back in late September.

The Lions did not cover in last week's 31-26 win over the Bears but note that the Lions are 13-3 ATS in their last 16 games following an ATS loss.

5* PLAY ON DETROIT LIONS. 

MIKE'S 4* NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Dallas Mavericks are 7-3 straight up and 7-2-1 ATS in the last 10 meetings with the Lakers. The Mavs are coming off a 129-113 loss but they are 22-10 ATS in their last 32 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.

I like Dallas to come out fired up here following losses to Milwaukee and Sacramento while the Lakers are in a potential flat spot following three straight wins and a 6-1 record in their last seven games. The Lakers are 2-7 ATS in their last 9 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.

4* PLAY ON DALLAS MAVERICKS. 

MIKE'S 4* NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Cleveland Cavaliers are heading to Philadelphia riding a three-game winning streak, but this looks like a potential letdown spot for the Cavs after an upset win against the Nuggets on Sunday. They are 0-2 SU and ATS coming off an upset win this season and 1-7 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight-up win. 

The 76ers are coming off a 121-99 win in Brooklyn. They are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a straight-up win of more than 10 points and 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5.

4* PLAY ON THE 76ERS. 

MIKE'S 4* EAGLES/CHIEFS M.N.F. TOTAL TOP PLAY

I've said it before and I'll say it again; the Kansas City Chiefs' defense just might be one of the most underrated units in the NFL. That might seem like a weird statement about a team that just won the Super Bowl, but they rarely get the headlines despite ranking 4th in total defense while allowing only 15.9 points per game which ranks 2nd in the NFL.

The Chiefs are 7-2 to the under on the season and since the beginning of last season, they are 9-4 to the under against teams with a win percentage of 50% or more.

The Eagles' offense is flying high, but I think the Chiefs will dictate the tempo of this game and make it a low-scoring affair.  

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 4* HEAT/BULLS NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Miami Heat to get quick revenge for a 102-97 loss here in Chicago on Saturday. The Heat came into that game on a seven-game winning streak, so it was about time that they came up short. Miami led until the final minute of the game, and I think they'll come into this game looking to make it right. 

4* PLAY ON THE HEAT. 

MIKE'S 4* NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a great spot to back the Denver Nuggets to bounce back from a 115-110 loss to New Orleans Friday night. The Nuggets are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games coming off a loss. The Cavs are coming off consecutive wins but they are 0-7 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win.

4* PLAY ON THE NUGGETS. 

MIKE'S 5* NFL GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

I think the Los Angeles Rams are due for a strong outing here following their bye week and back-to-back road losses at Dallas and Pittsburgh.

In their last game (on Nov 5), the Rams took a 20-3 loss at Lambeau Field, but they should be able to put more points on the board here as QB Matthew Stafford is expected to be back on the field after missing the last game due to injury. If Stafford can't go, the Rams now have a more than capable backup in Carson Wentz.

The Seahawks are allowing 283.3 passing yards per game (22nd), so this looks like a favorable matchup for the Rams. The Seahawks are 3-1 SU in their last four games but 0-4-1 ATS in their last five. 

5* PLAY ON THE RAMS. 

MIKE'S 5* NFL TOTAL OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Arizona Cardinals picked up their second win of the season when they defeated Atlanta 25-23 last week.

That was QB Kyler Murray's first game since suffering an ACL injury in December last year, and we should see a more effective Arizona offense now in the second half of the season. 

The Houston Texans are coming off a 30-27 win at Cincinnati and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud keeps impressing under center. I think this will be a shootout as I expect solid play from both quarterbacks while both teams rank in the bottom third for total defense. 

5* PLAY ON THE OVER. 

MIKE'S 4* WOLVES/PELS NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Minnesota Timberwolves had won seven straight games before their 133-115 loss in Phoenix Wednesday night.

This will be the finale of a five-game road trip, but at least they'll be well-rested, unlike the Pelicans who will be playing on short rest after defeating Denver 115-110 Friday night.

The Pelicans are now coming off back-to-back upset wins, and I would not be surprised if they come out flat tonight. 

4* PLAY ON THE WOLVES. 

MIKE'S 4* RANGERS/DEVILS NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The New York Rangers are 11-2-1 overall on the season and 6-1-1 on the road. The New Jersey Devils ae 8-6-1 overall and 3-3-1 at home.

The Rangers have had this game circled since the schedule came out as it'll be their first chance to avenge a Game 7 loss to the Devils in their Eastern Conference first-round series back in May. 

4* PLAY ON NEW YORK RANGERS. 

MIKE'S 5* UCF/TEXAS TECH CFB GAME OF THE MONTH

The UCF Knights (5-5 SU, 4-6 ATS) will visit the Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-5 SU, 5-5 ATS) Saturday. The Red Raiders are a short home favorite, and I like them to get the cover. 

UCF is in a potential flat spot following a 45-3 rout as a short underdog against Oklahoma State. Texas Tech is also coming off an upset, a last-minute field goal 16-13 win as a 3.5-point underdog at Kansas, but they had to stay sharp throughout the game. 

UCF has the superior offense, but Texas Tech has a capable offense as well and its defense looked really good against the Jayhawks. I'll back the better defense in this matchup. 

5* PLAY ON TEXAS TECH.

MIKE'S 5* NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The San Antonio Spurs are 9-2 to the over on the season, and they are allowed 124.1 points per game. Here they'll battle it out with a Sacramento Kings team that is almost equally weak on the defensive end. The Kings are rolling and have scored 121+ points in three of their last four games. I expect a bounce back game from the Spurs after being held to 87 points in their last game. 

5* PLAY ON OVER. 

MIKE'S 5* BENGALS/RAVENS NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Cincinnati Bengals are coming off a 30-27 loss to Houston, but that did not come as a surprise to me who predicted that they would have a letdown game following four straight wins SU and ATS.

I expect the Bengals to come out fully focused again for this divisional matchup against Baltimore who also saw a four-game winning streak end last week, with a 33-31 loss to Cleveland.

These are two very evenly matched teams in my opinion, and I would not be surprised to see this game come down to a last-drive field goal. Let's take the points on the underdog. 

5* PLAY ON CINCINNATI BENGALS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL PUCKLINE PLAY OF THE DAY

The Colorado Avalanche are coming off a 5-1 win in Seattle. Now they return home to Ball Arena, and I expect max effort again after losing their last two at home as huge favorites (-187 and -223) while getting outscored 12-5. 

4* PLAY ON AVALANCHE -1.5. 

MIKE'S 5* MAVS/WIZARDS NBA GAME OF THE WEEK

The Dallas Mavericks will be looking to bounce back from a 131-110 loss in New Orleans last night. They had defeated the Pelicans by 12 points only two nights before, so I'm not completely surprised that the Pels won the next game, but the Mavs can't be happy about that scoreline. 

The Mavs will be playing on short rest, but I expect to see a motivated Mavs team with a chip on their shoulder after yesterday's debacle. 

As for the Wizards, they're 1-7 SU and 4-4 ATS in their last eight games and 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games as a home underdog.

5* PLAY ON DALLAS MAVERICKS. 

MIKE'S 4* WEDNESDAY NIGHT CFB PLAY OF THE DAY

The Bobcats (7-3 SU, 5-5 ATS) are coming off a 20-10 win in Buffalo while CMU took a 38-28 loss on the road at Western Michigan in its last game. 

I like the Central Michigan Chippewas (5-5 SU, 3-7 ATS) to get the cover as an underdog in Ohio Wednesday night.

While the Bobcats are superior on both sides of the ball, they're quite limited on offense if quarterback Kurtis Rourke is not on his game.

CMU is 1-5 ATS in its last six games which makes them very unattractive in the eyes of the casual bettor, but that's where we as sharp bettors can find value. 

4* PLAY ON CENTRAL MICHIGAN. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Boston Bruins to bounce back from an OT loss in Montreal on Saturday. They're an NHL-best 11-1-2 for the season and they've yet to lose consecutive games. The Buffalo Sabres are 4-2 as favorites on the season but 3-6 as underdogs. Boston is a dominant 9-1 in the last 10 meetings. 

4* PLAY ON BOSTON BRUINS. 

MIKE'S 5* NHL GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

This looks like a great spot to back the Colorado Avalanche to snap back from back-to-back home losses, first a 4-3 loss to this very Seattle team followed by a humiliating 8-2 setback as a -220 favorite against the Blues. 

Since the beginning of the 2021 season, the As are 11-4 (+14.1% ROI) as a favorite coming off a pair of losses. They are 19-7 (+10.6%) ROI as a favorite off a loss when laying -170 or more. 

This is a decent amount of juice to lay on a 5* play, but I don't see Colorado losing this one. 

5* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE. 

MIKE'S 4* BRONCOS/BILLS MNF BEST BET

The primetime games are an incredible 24-7 to the under for the season, and I think this total is set way to high to not take advantage of. 

Sure, the Broncos rank dead last in total defense with 405.9 yards and 28.2 points allowed per game for the season, but they're coming off their bye week, so they'll have fresh legs and they've kept three straight opponents under 20 points. 

The Bills have not looked quite right in recent weeks, averaging a mediocre 20.2 points per game through their last five games. 

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* NFC TOTAL OF THE YEAR MAX BET

This looks like a great spot to back the under, as I expect max effort from Dallas' defense after giving up 28 points in a loss in Philadelphia last week. 

The first meeting of the season ended with a 40-0 Cowboys win at MetLife Stadium, and that was with Daniel Jones under center for the Giants. Now they'll have rookie quarterback Tommy DeVito going up against one of the best defenses in the NFL ... 

The only risk of this losing is if the Cowboys decide to run up the score, but even so, they might need to score 38+ points themselves for us to lose. I would not be as tempted to back the Cowboys on the spread though, as they might feel comfortable just shutting down after going up by a couple of scores. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Golden State Warriors (6-3 SU, 5-4 ATS) host the Cleveland Cavaliers (3-5 SU, 2-6 ATS) Saturday night. The Warriors are 9-1 SU and 8-2 ATS in the last 10 meetings. 

Both teams will be looking to bounce back from setbacks, with Cleveland coming off a 128-120 loss in Oklahoma City while Golden State will be looking to snap back from a 108-105 loss in Denver.

The Warriors return home from a four-game road trip and this will be just their third home game for the season. I think they'll bring their very best effort here to put on a show for the home town crowd on a Saturday night. 

This is also a bad matchup for the Cavs who have been struggling to stop opponents from scoring from behind the arc. 

5* PLAY ON GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Carolina Hurricanes will be playing on no rest following a 5-2 loss in Florida last night, but they do not have to travel far to face the Lightning tonight. I expect to see a strong effort from Carolina after the loss yesterday. Since the start of last season, the Canes are 5-1 (36.2% ROI) when playing on no rest off a loss. 

4* PLAY ON CAROLINA HURRICANES. 

MIKE'S 5* CFB GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

This looks like a good spot to fade the Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-2 SU, 8-3 ATS) following five straight wins straight up and against the spread. They won four of those games as underdogs, and it's so difficult to play at that level for multiple games in a row. In their last game, they upset Oklahoma 27-24 while the UCF Knights (4-5 SU, 3-6 ATS) snapped a five-game skid with a 28-26 win in Cincinnati last week. I'll take the points. 

5* PLAY ON UCF KNIGHTS. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

I love the price we get on the Carolina Hurricanes (8-5-0) as a modest road favorite in Florida Friday night. Since the start of last season, the Hurricanes are 10-4 SU with a +28.65% ROI as road favorites, laying no more than -130.

The Panthers (7-4-1) are coming off back-to-back overtime wins over Columbus and Washington, but this is a big step up in competition.

This is a big revenge spot for the Canes after getting swept by the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.  

4* PLAY ON CAROLINA HURRICANES. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PUCKLINE PLAY OF THE DAY

The Colorado Avalanche are perfect 4-0 SU at home, and they won all games by at least two goals.

The Seattle Kraken are heading to Colorado off consecutive losses, the most recent a 3-2 OT setback in Arizona. The Avs won 4-1 in Seattle on October 17, and I think they'll get another easy win here, now at home. 

4* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE -1.5. 

5* MAX BET: MIKE'S PANTHERS/BEARS NFL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The Carolina Panthers are 5-3 to the under on the season and they were held to only 13 points and 275 yards of total offense in a loss to the Colts last week. That was against an Indianapolis team that has struggled on the defensive side of the ball all season long, and here they'll face a Bears defense that ranks 19th in total defense and has been great at stopping the run.

As for Chicago's offense it has much like Carolina, struggled to move the ball for most of the season and the Bears have put up a total of only 30 points through their last two games. This is a low total, but I still like the under as I don't see either team being able to run up the score. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

Both teams are off to hot starts, but I'll gladly back the Vegas Golden Knights (11-1-1) at this price against the 7-2-2 Los Angeles Kings. 

It must come as a surprise to no one to see the defending Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights dominating the league, while the Kings' early success might be a tad more surprising.

Here we'll get the Knights off a 4-2 loss in Anaheim on Sunday, which was their second game of a back-to-back set after winning 7-0 in Colorado the previous night. Following a couple of days' rest, I'm confident they'll bounce back with a win at home. 

4* PLAY ON VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The New Jersey Devils are 9-2 to the over on the season. They're averaging 3.9 goals per game while allowing 3.5 goals per game. The Colorado Avalanche are averaging a modest 3.1 goals per game, but there's a lot of talent on this team, and I think they'll be forced to score a lot here to keep up with the Devils. 

5* PLAY ON OVER. 

MIKE'S 4* KINGS/ROCKETS NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Sacramento Kings to bounce back from a humbling 107-89 loss here in Houston just a couple of days ago. Sure, they'll be without standout guard De'Aaron Fox (ankle) again, but they still have a lot more talent on the floor than the Rockets. 

The Kings are 12-5 ATS in their last 17 games following a straight-up loss and 38-18-1 ATS in their last 57 road games. The Rockets are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games as a home favorite of 0.5-4.5.

4* PLAY ON SACRAMENTO KINGS. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S WARRIORS/CAVS NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The Golden State Warriors are 4-2 to the under on the season while the Cleveland Cavaliers have a 3-3 over/under record. 

The Warriors defeated the Thunder 141-139 Friday night, but note that the under is 2-0 this season when they scored 120+ points in their previous game. 

The Cavs put up 116 points in a loss in Indiana on Friday but they are averaging only 105.7 ppg (26th) for the season. Since the start of last season, the Cavs have a 17-26 over/under record as home favorites.  

The Warriors average only 93.9 possessions per game (21st) and Cleveland 92.9 possessions per game (23rd). I don't see either team pushing the tempo.

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* NFL TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The Los Angeles Rams are 5-3 to the under for the season, and starting QB Matthew Stafford is unlikely to play here due to an injured right thumb. Brett Rypien is the Rams backup QB, which is a huge step down in class and the Rams do not have much of a run game to lean on.

As for the Packers, they've struggled to move the ball all season long averaging only 287.0 yards of total offense. Over their last three games, the Packers have scored 13, 17 and 10 points.

This feels like a 20-17 win for either team. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* MAX BET: MIKE'S DOLPHINS/CHIEFS NFL GAME OF THE MONTH

This looks like a fantastic spot to back the Kansas City Chiefs to bounce back from a humbling 24-9 loss at Denver. They had won six consecutive games before that setback, and here they'll get the opportunity to showcase their talent to a whole new crowd at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.

The Miami Dolphins are 6-2 straight up and against the spread, but they were completely outmatched the two times they faced quality opponents in Buffalo and Philadelphia.

The Chiefs are the reigning champs, and still the team to beat IMO.

Since the start of last season, the Chiefs are 11-2 SU and 9-4 ATS off an ATS loss and 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS off a straight up loss. 

5* PLAY ON KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S CAL/OREGON CFB GAME OF THE WEEK

This looks like a good spot to fade the Oregon Ducks who are 7-1 straight up and against the spread. The betting market will adjust, and here they're in a potential letdown spot after routing the Utes in Utah 35-6 as a 6.5-point favorite last week. 

The California Golden Bears put up a season-high 49 points in a tight loss as a 10-point underdog to USC last week. They're only 3-5 SU and ATS, but I think they can have success with their run-game against the Ducks, which will also shorten the game and make taking the points even more attractive.

5* PLAY ON CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS. 

MIKE'S 4* SUNS/SIXERS NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Philadelphia 76ers are 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS on the season. They're coming into this game riding a three-game winning streak through which they won each game by at least seven points. 

The Phoenix Suns are 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS on the season. They're coming off back-to-back home losses to San Antonio and have been dealing with injuries to key players. Bradley Beal has yet to suit up and Devin Booker has missed three of the first five games with an ankle sprain. Booker is questionable for this game, and this is a tough 1 PM ET start for Phoenix.  

 4* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA 76ERS. 

MIKE'S 4* NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Orlando Magic are 2-2 straight up but 3-1 against the spread while the Utah Jazz are 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS. 

This looks like a good spot to back the Magic to snap back from consecutive losses and their first ATS loss of the season while at the same time fading the Jazz who are coming off a  dominant 133-109 win over Memphis last night. I doubt they can give that kind of effort two nights in a row. 

Since the start of last season, the Magic are 11-5-1 ATS off an ATS loss of 10 points or more and they are 13-6 ATS in their last 19 games following an ATS loss.

4* PLAY ON ORLANDO MAGIC. 

MIKE'S 4* LEAFS/BRUINS NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Boston Bruins are 8-0-1 straight up overall and 4-0-1 at home on the season. The Toronto Maple Leafs are 5-3-1 overall and 3-1-1 on the road.

The Leafs are coming into this game off consecutive losses to Nashville and Toronto, not exactly the momentum you want heading into a matchup against the Bruins in Boston.

The Bruins won all three meetings last season following the turn of the new year and the Bruins are are 5-2 SU in their last seven games when playing at home against Toronto.

Additionally, Boston is 7-1 SU in its last eight games when playing as the favorite and 14-5 SU in its last 19 games played on a Thursday when playing at home.

5* PLAY ON BOSTON BRUINS. 

MIKE'S 5* NBA GAME OF THE WEEK MAX BET

The Houston Rockets have opened the season 0-3 straight up and against the spread, while the Charlotte Hornets are 1-2 SU and ATS.

If the Rockets were facing a better team here, I might be looking to back them here due to public perception and all, but against a Hornets team that has opened the season almost equally poorly, that does not apply here IMO. 

For all of the Hornets' issues, note that they have averaged a decent 112.0 points per game (14th), and they're sharing the ball well averaging 29.0 assists per game (4th). They just put up 121 points on Brooklyn, and I think they'll get their second win of the season here against a Houston team that has a lot of things to figure out. 

Additionally, note that the Rockets are 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings. 

5* PLAY ON CHARLOTTE HORNETS. 

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Philadelphia Flyers to bounce back from consecutive home losses to Anaheim and Carolina. The Buffalo Sabres are in a potential flat spot following an upset win as a +170 underdog against the Avs. 

4* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA FLYERS.

MIKE'S 4* NHL TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

This looks like a good spot to back the Vancouver Canucks who had won three straight before coming up short in a 4-3 loss to the Rangers on Saturday. The Nashville Predators are in a potential flat spot following an upset win over Toronto in OT. The Canucks defeated the Preds 3-2 in Nashville back on October 24, and I like the price we get on them to repeat with a win at home. 

4* PLAY ON VANCOUVER CANUCKS. 

MIKE'S 4* SPURS/SUNS NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Phoenix Suns are 2-1 straight up and 3-0 against the spread on the season while the San Antonio Spurs are 1-2 SU and ATS. 

Since the start of the 2015 season, teams that have started the season 3-0 ATS are only 13-21-1 ATS in their fourth game of the season.

This is also a good spot to back the Spurs to snap back after taking a 40-point loss to the LA Clippers in their last game. Last season, teams went 7-2 ATS off a loss of 40 points or more. 

I think we'll see max effort from the Spurs tonight. 

4* PLAY ON SAN ANTONIO SPURS.

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The New York Rangers are 5-1-0 on the road while the Winnipeg Jets are 2-2 at home. The Rangers success away from home is nothing new as they were road warriors last season as well, going 26-19 with a +9.2% ROI in all road games and 16-8 with a +11.2% ROI as road favorites. 

The Rangers are converting on a red hot 34.5% of their power play opportunities (2nd) while Winnipeg is killing off only 72.4% of its penalties (27th). 

I like the price we get on the Rangers as they look to complete a perfect five-game trip with another win. 

4* PLAY ON NEW YORK RANGERS. 

MIKE'S 4* NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

The Chicago Bulls are 1-2 straight up and 0-3 against the spread on the season. The Indiana Pacers are perfect 2-0 SU and ATS, and I think they'll get another win and cover here. The Pacers have defeated Washington 143-120 and the Cavs 125-13 at Cleveland.

Since the start of last season, the Pacers are 14-7 ATS coming off a game where they scored 125 points or more. 

The Bulls are 18-43-2 ATS in their last 63 games as an underdog of 0.5-4.5.

4* PLAY ON INDIANA PACERS.

5* MAX BET: MIKE'S NHL TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The San Jose Sharks are 6-1 to the under on the season while the Washington Capitals are 5-2 to the under.

The Sharks are averaging a pathetic 1.0 goals per game, and the Caps are only marginally better at 2.0 goals per game.

I don't see either team running up the score here, and three goals should be more than enough to win the game.

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* GAME OF THE YEAR - MIKE'S BENGALS/NINERS NFL BEST BET

The San Francisco 49ers have hit a bit of a slump, coming off back-to-back road losses at Cleveland and Minnesota. QB Brock Purdy is doubtful and missed practice on Wednesday while in the NFL's concussion protocol. There's a significant drop off to backup QB Sam Darnold, and here the Niners will face a Bengals team that is coming off its bye week and has played a lot better as Joe Burrows is getting close to full health. I have the Niners as the better team, but the spot favors Cincy, and we're spotted more than a field goal. 

5* PLAY ON CINCINNATI BENGALS. 

5* MAX BET: MIKE'S NUGGETS/THUNDER NBA GAME OF THE MONTH

The Denver Nuggets have opened the season with wins over the Lakers and the Grizzlies. The Oklahoma City Thunder are also undefeated through road games at Chicago and Cleveland, and I think they'll keep rolling here in their home opener.

Denver has superior talent, but I think this early-season matchup means a lot more for the Thunder who will be looking to take down the defending NBA champions.

OKC has been shooting a red-hot 49.2% from behind the arc, and while not sustainable, for the moment I'd rather be on their side than bet against them.

5* PLAY ON OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER. 

MIKE'S 5* ACC GAME OF THE YEAR MAX BET

NC State is 4-3 SU but only 1-5-1 ATS on the season, but I think we'll see max effort from the Wolfpack here as they're coming off their bye.

The Wolfpack took a 24-3 beating at Duke in their last game, but at least they're coming into this game well-rested after a week off, unlike Clemson who will be on the road for a second straight week after a double-overtime loss at Miami-Florida last weekend.

Much like the Wolfpack, the Tigers have struggled against the spread as they're heading into the weekend 4-3 SU and 2-5 ATS. 

5* PLAY ON NC STATE WOLFPACK. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S CFB TOTAL OF THE MONTH

The over/under is 7-1 in Massachusetts' eight games this season and 4-3 in Army's seven games.

The Minutemen will have fresh legs coming off their bye week, and they'll be eager to get back on the scoreboard after getting shut out in a brutal 63-0 loss at Penn State two weeks ago.

Believe it or not, but Army is in even worse shape after getting shut out in back-to-back games(!) against Troy and LSU. This looks like a good spot for Army's running game to get going again against a UMass defense that is allowing 223.4 rushing yards per game and 6.0 yards per carry. 

No one expects a lot of points, but I think we'll see floodgates open here following the score-draught. 

5* PLAY ON OVER. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S NBA TOTAL OF THE WEEK

We won with the under as a free pick when the Warriors hosted Phoenix in their season opener. In the write-up, I mentioned how I expect the Warriors to play at a slower pace this season with Chris Paul in the team, and that turned out the be the case. 

The Kings opened the season with a 130-114 win at Utah, but I think this will be a much lower-scoring affair. Also, the under is 6-3-1 in the last 10 head-to-head meetings. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* MAX BET - MIKE'S NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Los Angeles Kings are perfect 2-0-0 on the road for the season and they've won five of hte last six meetings with Arizona, the most recent a 6-3 win home in Los Angeles on October 24. They are 7-1 in the last eight meetings in Arizona. 

The Kings are averaging an NHL-best 4.5 goals per game while Arizona is averaging a paltry 2.5 goals per game. Sure, the Yotes are a lot better on defensive end of the ice than the Kings, but not enough to make up for their inability to score goals. 

Also, note that the Kings are a sensational 17-2 SU in their last 19 games when closing as a favorite. The Coyotes are 0-6 in their last six games as a home underdog.

5* PLAY ON LOS ANGELES KINGS. 

4* SIXERS/BUCKS NBA PLAY OF THE DAY

The Philadelphia 76ers will have to do without James Harden (personal reasons) in their season opener, but I still think they're spotted to many points to pass up on here against the Bucks. 

The Bucks have a bit of a new look this year with the addition of Damian Lillard and the loss of Jrue Holiday. Cameron Payne and Khris Middleton are questionable for tonight's game. I think Dame and Giannis will work well together over the season, but perhaps not from Game 1. Let's take the points.

4* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA 76ERS. 

4* PELICANS/GRIZZLIES NBA TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

I like the New Orleans Pelicans to open the season with a win at Memphis tonight.

The Grizzlies will have to do without their suspended star guard Ja Morant for 25 games, and while they did well without him in the lineup last year I'm not sure I would trust that to happen here. Also, starting center Steven Adams will miss the season because of knee surgery which must've put a wrench in their overall game plan. 

The Pelicans on the other hand are healthy, which means we'll see both star forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram as well as guard CJ McCollum on the court. 

4* PLAY ON NEW ORLEANS PELICANS.

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NINERS/VIKINGS NFL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Vikings are 5-1 to the under on the season and through their last three games, they've scored 21 points at Carolina, 20 points against KC and 19 points at Chicago. You really would have expected them to put up bigger numbers against teams like the Panthers and the Bears, and now they'll face one of the best defenses in the league.

Defensively, the Vikes have been decent as well, and they're good at stopping the run, which should come in handy against a team like San Francisco. I like the Niners to jump out to an early lead and then start bleeding the clock to shorten the game. 

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S ALCS TOTAL OF THE YEAR

Game 7 of the ALCS, and with two elite pitchers and a ticket to the World Series on the line we should see a low-scoring game, right? I don't think so.

Texas starter Max Scherzer gave up seven runs in three innings against Houston on September 6 and five runs in four innings of an 8-5 loss when he faced them last week. Houston starter Cristian Javier limited Texas to a pair of runs over 5 2/3 innings in that matchup, but both teams have proven they can score runs off the relievers, and the Rangers are coming off a nine-run outing. 

5* PLAY ON OVER. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Buffalo Sabres are 5-1 to the under on the season. They've been averaging a disappointing 2.4 goals per game, and neither team has been able to capitalize when playing with a man advantage, with Montreal converting on 11.8% of their power play opportunities and Buffalo on only 6.3% of their power plays. 

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S NHL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Detroit Red Wings are off to a 4-1 start to the season following an upset win at Ottawa last night. They were outshot 37-23 though, and here I think they'll find it difficult to match the intensity of a Calgary team that is looking to bounce back from a 3-1 loss at Columbus Friday night.

The Flames are only 1-3 in their last four games, despite outshooting each opponent by at least eight shots. It's only a matter of time before the results start going their way. 

5* PLAY ON CALGARY FLAMES. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S CHARGERS/CHIEFS NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

The Kansas City Chiefs are 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS on the season, but this is a team that usually struggles to cover.

Over the last three seasons, the Chiefs are 0-7 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points and the Chargers are 10-4 ATS as an underdog last three seasons.

The Chargers are 2-3 SU and 1-3-1 ATS on the season and that is one reason why the betting market is undervaluing the Chargers in this spot. 

4* PLAY ON LOS ANGELES CHARGERS. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S NFL TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The Cleveland Browns have scored a total of only 22 points through their last two games. They managed to defeat the Niners 19-17 last week despite the absence of starting quarterback Deshaun Watson who is expected to get the start here, but is he really 100% fit? 

Whether we see Watson on the field or not, I expect the Colts' defense to bring the heat here after giving up 37 points to Jacksonville last week. 

As for Cleveland's defense, it ranks No.1 for several key metrics and should not have any issues to contain Colts backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S ALCS TOTAL OF THE YEAR

These two pitchers faced off in the opener of the NLCS, a game Philadelphia won 5-3. Three of the first four games have gone over the total, but I like the under here in Game 5. The pitchers' home and away splits are in our favor, and Zack Wheeler has a 2.96 ERA in 11 career stats against Arizonw while Zac Gallen has a 2.22 ERA in five career starts against the Phillies. 

5* PLAY ON UNDER. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Buffalo Sabres are 1-3-0 on the season, but they won the only game they closed as favorites and here they're a home favorite against an Islanders team that will play the second leg of a back-to-back situation after taking an OT loss to New Jersey Friday night. 

4* PLAY ON BUFFALO SABRES. 

5* BEST BET: MIKE'S BAYLOR/CINCINNATI CFB GAME OF THE MONTH

The Cincinnati Bearcats will be looking to end an ugly 0-4 SU and ATS skid. They lost 30-10 as a 3.5-point home favorite against Iowa State last week, but I think they'll have more success here against a Baylor team that took a 39-14 loss to Texas Tech before heading into their bye week.

Cincinnati is averaging only 26.7 points per game (81st), but it ranks 29th with 444.0 yards of total offense per game and 17th with 202.7 rushing yards per game, so it should only be a matter of time before they start putting more points on the board.

The Bears have struggled to stop the run all season and I expect to see the Bearcats bounce back with a big outing here after struggling against Iowa State's defense. 

5* PLAY ON CINCINNATI BEARCATS. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S MLB GAME OF THE WEEK

Arizona will be looking to tie the series following a 2-1 win in Game 3 on Thursday, but I like the Phillies to bounce back with a win here in Game 4. 

Arizona's 2022 All-Star Joe Mantiply will serve as the opener in a bullpen game while the Phillies hand the ball to left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (3-5, 3.44 ERA). 

Mantiply has a career 7.36 regular-season ERA in five relief outings against Philadelphia, and while the Diamondbacks bullpen has been solid in the playoffs, I much rather trust a team with a regular starter on the mound. 

4* PLAY ON PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Vancouver Canucks are coming off a 2-0 loss at Philadelphia, their first of the season, and they're on the road again to visit Tampa Bay Thursday night.

The Lightning will be looking to shake of three consecutive road losses, and this looks like a perfect opponent as the Lightning are 8-1 in the last 10 meetings. 

4* PLAY ON TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING.

4* TOP PLAY: ASTROS/RANGERS MLB PLAY OF THE DAY

The Texas Rangers have taken control of the series after winning both of the first games in Houston. For Game 3, they'll hand the ball to Max Scherzer who was 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA in his 12 home starts on the season.

Houston right-hander Cristian Javier was 6-3 with an ERA of 4.82 in 19 road starts. Houston won 13 of those 19 games, but Javier's ERA on the road is worrisome and can they really keep bailing him out?

Texas is undefeated through seven playoff games, and that against Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Houston. The team is oozing with confidence and I expect them to take a 3-0 lead in the series. 

4* TOP PLAY: MIKE'S NHL PLAY OF THE DAY

The Colorado Avalanche are perfect 2-0 on the season and I don't see them losing here against a winless Seattle team. This is a big revenge game for the Avs after getting eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by Seattle last season.

4* PLAY ON COLORADO AVALANCHE. 

4* TOP PLAY - COWBOYS/CHARGERS M.N.F. BOOKIE BREAKER

The Chargers have one of the best QBs in the league in Justin Herbert, but they do not pose much of a threat on the ground and here they'll run into one of the best pass defenses in the league. I also expect the Dallas defense to come out extra motivated after giving up 42 points to the Niners last week.

While the Chargers will come out fresh from their bye, I think Dallas will do its best to slow down the pace, and offensively, the Cowboys have mustered a total of only 26 points through its last two road games. 

On the season on the season, Monday and Thursday games are a combined 9-4 to the under and all games with a closing total of 50 or higher are 5-2 to the under.

4* PLAY ON UNDER. 

5* BEST BET - NHL MONEYLINE GAME OF THE MONTH

The Detroit Red Wings opened the season with a 4-3 loss as a +200 underdog at New Jersey but won their second game 6-4 at home against Tampa Bay. The Blue Jackets are 1-1 on the season following an upset win as a +190 underdog to the Rangers, and I don't see them puliing two upsets in a row. 

Last season, the Blue Jackets were 4-17 coming off a win as an underdog. 

5* PLAY ON DETROIT RED WINGS. 

4* ATP TENNIS TOP PLAY OF THE DAY

4* PLAY ON KARL FRIBERG +5 GAMES. 

4* TOP PLAY - MIKE'S COLTS/JAGS GAME OF THE WEEK

The Jacksonville Jaguars return home from two weeks across the pond and off an upset win over the Bills. The travel could become an issue for Jacksonville against a Colts team that has won three of its last four games outright. Gardner Minshew will quarterback Indianapolis, but I'm not sure he's that much of a downgrade from injured Anthony Richardson.

Over the last three seasons, the Colts are 14-10 ATS as an underdog while the Jags are 3-7 ATS as favorites (0-4 ATS as favorites of 3.5 to 7 points). 

4* PLAY ON INDIANAPOLIS COLTS. 

4* TOP PLAY - FAU/USF CFB GAME OF THE WEEK

The Florida Atlantic Owls are 2-3 SU and 1-3-1 ATS on the season, 0-2 SU and 1-1 ATS on the road. The USF Bulls are 3-3 SU and ATS, 2-1 SU and ATS at home.

I like South Florida to bounce back from a disappointing 56-35 loss to the UAB Blazers. 

The Bulls can hold their own when on the ball, and while their defense has been an issue, here they'll face an FIU team that has scored 10, 14, 17 and 20 points through its last four games. 

FAU is coming off a 20-17 win over Tulsa. Over the last three seasons, FAU is 1-6 ATS off a win against a conference rivals. The Bulls are 9-4 ATS off a loss to a conference rival. 

4* PLAY ON SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS. 

4* TOP PLAY - MIKE'S GEORGIA/VANDERBILT TOTAL OF THE WEEK

The Vanderbilt Commodores are 6-0-1 to the over on the season, and I expect to see another high-scoring affair when they host Georgia Saturday afternoon. 

The Bulldogs are as per usual boasting one of the best defenses in the nation, but Vandy QB Ken Seals has thrown for 539 yards, four touchdowns, and one INT while starting the Commodores' past two games instead of AJ Swann who could not stop turning the ball over, and despite Swann's struggles, the team ranks 37th on the season with 274.4 passing yards per game. 

As for the Bulldog's offense, they rank 8th for total offense and they have the 10th best scoring offense in the nation averaging 40.7 points per game. They just put up 51 points on Kentucky, and here they'll face a Vandy defense that ranks  12th in the SEC in pass-efficiency defense. 

4* PLAY ON OVER. 

5* BEST BET - Mike's Broncos/Chiefs NFL Total of the Month

The Broncos' defense is almost historically bad so this could get ugly in a hurry, but I still like the under as KC can go into time management mode and churn clock with long drives after jumping out to a big lead. The Broncos have looked decent when on the ball in recent weeks, but here they'll face a Chiefs defense that may not get a lot of headlines, but certainly can hold its own.

Since the start of last season, Chiefs games with a total closing at 50 points or higher are 11-4 to the under. 

5* play on UNDER. 

5* BET BET - MIKE'S ALDS GAME OF THE YEAR

The Astros are not quite the powerhouse we've gotten used to seeing in recent seasons and now they're in a tough spot after splitting the first two games of the series home in Houston. 

The Twins are 25-15 as a home favorite of -125 to -175 on the season and right-hander Sonny Gray (9-8, 2.67 ERA) has posted a minuscule ERA of 1.38 over his last seven starts. Gray held the Astros to four runs over 13 innings in two regular-season meetings. Minnesota won both games. 

As for Houston starter Cristian Javier (10-5, 4.50 ERA), he was a lot better at home than on the road where he posted a 5.07 ERA over 18 starts. Javier has a 4.41 ERA over his last seven starts. He did note face the Twins during the regular season. 

5* PLAY ON MINNESOTA TWINS.  

Mike's 4* Packers/Raiders M.N.F. Total BEST BET

'The 1-3 Las Vegas Raiders will be looking to end a three-game skid, and I like them to get the W here against a 2-2 Green Bay team that has had mixed results.

Vegas expects to get starting QB Jimmy Garoppolo back from a concussion and running back Josh Jacobs should finally wake up here against a Packers defense that allows 155.2 rushing yards per game.

Don't get me wrong; the Raiders are not a good team, but they match up fairly well against Green Bay and they get a chance to end a three-game slide in just their second home game of the season. 

I like the under even more though. Green Bay ranks 29th in total offense and 24th in yards per play. Vegas ranks 28th in total offense and 22nd in yards per play. Vegas has not scored more than 18 points in any games this season, but its defense ranks around average. The over/under is 1-3 in Vegas' games this season. 

4* play on UNDER. 

4* BIG BET - Mike's Chiefs/Vikings NFL Total of the Week

The Minnesota Vikings are 3-1-1 to the under on the season as they average only 22.5 points per game (25th) despite averaging 370.8 yards per game (9th) and 6.4 yards per play (3rd).

Untimely turnovers have cost them, but I think we'll see a locked-in Vikes offense here against a KC defense that might not be quite as good as the numbers would suggest. KC is allowing only 15.0 points per game, but its last three opponents have been Jacksonville, Chicago, and the NY Jets.

As for the Chiefs offense, you never have to worry about them putting up points.

I expect to see this one go over the total. 

4* play on OVER. 

4* TOP PLAY - Mike's Ravens/Steelers NFL Game of the Week

This looks like a great spot to back the Steelers to bounce back from a disappointing 30-6 loss as a 3-point favorite at Houston. The Steelers are not good as favorites, but Mike Tomlin knows how to get his squad fired up as underdogs, especially when it comes to divisional games. Since the start of the 2021 season, the Steelers are 6-3 ATS as underdogs against division opponents. 

The Ravens meanwhile are in a potential flat spot following a 28-3 rout of the Browns in Cleveland. Since the start of the 2021 season, the Ravens are 9-17 ATS as favorites and 1-4 ATS off a win against a divisional rival. 

4* play on the Steelers. 

4* BIG BET - Mike's Washington State/UCLA CFB Game of the Week

The Washington State Cougars are 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS while UCLA is 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS.

UCLA opened the season with three straight wins but took a 14-7 loss at Utah two weeks ago before heading into its bye week. Washington State is also coming off its bye after winning 38-35 win against then-No. 14 Oregon State on Sept. 23.

Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward has been one of the best QBs in the nation, averaging 348.5 yards per game and coming into this week with 13 TDs against 0 INTs.

Over the last three seasons, the Cougars are 8-3 ATS on the road and 14-5 ATS against conference opponents. 

4* play on Washington State. 

5* BEST BET - Mike's Oklahoma/Texas Total of the Month

The Texas Longhorns are 4-1 to the under on the season. They've allowed more than 14 points in only one game, and that was a in their 34-24 win at Alabama in Week 2. Oklahoma has held its opponents to 0, 11, 17, 6 and 20 points. The Sooners have the No. 3 scoring offense in the nation, but this will be their first game against a ranked opponent. Both teams are capable of putting up big numbers, but I think defense will rule this game. 

5* play on UNDER.