At least some folks know how to bet my handicaps properly. It was good to hear that a number of our crew laid the hook with Houston on the first 5 inning side as opposed to me laying the -1. While I pushed, folks like my BetCrushers partner Yanni, D-Nice…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-22-2021 comes on the heels of a grind it out split decision between both of the Sox. The Chicago version struggled mightily at the hands of Jordan Montgomery, had their promising 9th inning rally shut down by a textbook triple play, and then gave up…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-21-2021 hits the ground running after an unplanned no-handicap Thursday. At least Houston's bats complied to carry Wednesday's wager and make up for the Ohtani blow on Sunday. So we press on with a two-play Friday to kick off the weekend on the right foot.…
Download Episode 15 (COTA) Welcome to a special edition of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast! Episode 15 takes you to the Circuit of the Americas, a new addition to the NASCAR Cup Series. Paul welcomes back JJ from The BetCrushers to take a look back at the Dover race, where…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-19-2021 returns after a two-day hiatus due to a brutal start to the work week. We left off with a Sunday solo shot on the Boston Red Sox that, unfortunately, got Ohtanied in the 9th inning. With just one out to go, Mike Trout blooped…
With a tremendous Sunday ahead - great weather, cooking out, and watching NASCAR at Dover - the MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-16-2021 is a quick one. Despite the White Sox letdown yesterday, the Mariners held serve against the Indians once again and Boston drove a stake right through the hopes…
I'll be damned that I can trust the Mariners more than I can my Cincinnati Reds. That's the way it goes sometimes, as Wade Miley struggled with his command early and often - giving the Rockies a healthy lead that the Redlegs could not overcome. But Seattle keeps grinding out…
So the White Sox versus lefties thing still has an edge, eh? JA Happ came in as the potential stopper against Chicago's finely-tuned offense until Tim Anderson slapped a single to lead off the game. A ChiSox rout was good enough to keep the good vibes going for The BetCrushers…
Download Episode 14 (Dover) Episode 14 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast ventures to the Monster Mile for the 2021 Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway. Paul welcomes in JJ again for a race preview and handicapping - but first, the guys talk about an impressive race by Martin Truex, Jr.…
The worst thing about having to be an early riser is missing the late games and occasionally not seeing the evening contests get resolved. Last night, I missed Arizona's big inning against Pablo Lopez and MadBum's dominance that delivered me a loss. Also at that time, the White Sox punished…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-11-2021 returns after a one-day hiatus due in part to a lackluster Monday MLB slate. I left off with a dud from the Miami Marlins' offense on Sunday despite Sandy Alcantara's fantastic outing. Between Daniel Vogelbach's scorching line drive homer and Miami getting picked off…
Baseball is a wacky game. Yesterday's Astros first 5 inning over 2.5 runs play went from dead on the vine to live in the 4th inning, as Houston plated two and had a man on second base with zero outs. Somehow they were unable to push him across for the…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-8-2021 comes at you with a little more wind in the sails after Blake Snell's ugly performance in San Francisco last night. DeSclafani held it down while Minnesota rebounded from a nasty bullpen entrance to dispatch the Tigers in rain-soaked Detroit. A couple plus-money winning…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-7-2021 is back after a one-day hiatus to accommodate my work schedule. We left off with a failed attempt at a game total in Washington - further reinforcing my disdain for MLB totals - and a perfect-ish gem from John Means. Ironically, I nearly missed…
Download Episode 13 (Darlington) Episode 13 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast goes into throwback mode for the 2021 Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. JJ joins Paul to take the opportunity to talk about the Buschy McBusch Race and the renegade tire one more time before heading to the heart of…
All it took was the cliched one swing of the bat from Atlanta's starting pitcher Huascar Ynoa to break the Braves/Nationals game wide open. As for yesterday's featured play - Ynoa not only held the Nats in check at the plate, he crushed a grand slam in the top of…
Let's call a spade a spade - I've fallen back in a small slump with my featured handicaps. At least there was no sweating it last night as I was deep asleep while the Blue Jays coughed up a lead to the A's in the bottom of the 5th. So…
Now that the busy travel month of April is behind me, I look forward to more time watching more teams via the MLB.TV app. With that said, the season is starting to get into a "leveling out" stage where teams who quickly shot out of the gates are hitting some…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 5-1-2021 is back again after a busy work week and some travel. At least that travel paid off with a very unique experience watching the Blue Jays and Braves face off in Dunedin last night. What a game from the Toronto offense and Robbie Ray.…
Download Episode 12 (Kansas) Episode 12 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast looks to the midwest for the 2021 Buschy McBusch Race 400 at Kansas Speedway. But not until Paul and JJ take a quick glance back at the madness that is Talladega. Brad Keselowski gets to victory lane for the…
It's been a couple days but the MLB Morning Breakdown for 4-28-2021 is back in action. Monday's slate left me with more questions than answers, then a packed work schedule kept me from publishing a handicap on Tuesday. I left off this weekend with a timely push on the Royals…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 4-25-2021 returns to the scene of yesterday's...victory?!? With the Arizona/Atlanta rainout last night, Brady Singer's gem pushed the Kansas City Royals to another divisional win and a much-needed W for my featured handicaps. Both Singer and Detroit's Matthew Boyd were spectacular, though it was KC's…
JJ the Ice Man nearly squashed the Athletics 11-game win streak with my greedy money line/run line play. But Cole Irvin worked his magic to escape a couple jams posed by the Orioles and get us the money. That 3-1 win was crucial considering how one of my nemesis, Luke…
Baseball is a game of sequencing. Offenses need to string together hits and walks to convert baserunners into runs. Batteries must sequence pitches to set up batters for optimal results. And handicappers like us have to get ahead of angles to capitalize on attackable prices. I am taking my lumps…
Download Episode 11 (Talladega) Episode 11 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast moves from the short track to the longest oval on the Cup Series circuit. The intensity and insane speeds are must-see TV, and we are absolutely pumped for Sunday’s 2021 GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway! Paul brings in JJ…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 4-22-2021 says adios to the St. Louis Cardinals. After my fourth loss in as many times featuring that club this season, I received an executive order to stay away from any Cardinals games from here on out. It's simple - the Redbirds and I are…
Despite the best-laid plans, Washington swung for the fences and kept falling short Sunday afternoon. That matchup against a lefty who is prone to getting knocked around was juicy but the results did not manifest. I'll be completely honest and say that was a very disappointing outcome. Realistically, though, not…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 4-18-2021 comes to you fresh off of what turned out to be a near push on Saturday. Oh, my Cincinnati Reds - they sure looked like the 2020 version yesterday afternoon. Granted, tons of credit goes to Triston McKenzie for working his way out of…
Let's just say that the St. Louis Cardinals and I are not seeing eye to eye these days. At least the New York Mets had my back Wednesday as David Peterson pitched a gem. Then Ronald Acuna helped us get over the mark to seal up a much-needed winning day…
Download Episode 10 (Richmond) Episode 10 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style takes a short trip down the road from Martinsville to Richmond Raceway for the 2021 Toyota Owners 400. This week we have a special shoutout to our listeners for sticking with us through a slow start to handicapping the…
After Tuesday's quick in-and-out solo shot on the Nationals/Cardinals first 5 inning position, it's time to stretch out the playbook in the MLB Morning Breakdown for 4-14-2021. And that play was quick because the Cardinals pounded Strasburg for 4 runs in the 3rd and a ton more in the 5th.…
After a weekend on the road and Monday back in the office, the MLB Morning Breakdown for 4-13-2021 is back! I broadened Sunday's card to four plays, but the Tigers fell just short of delivering a nice payday. Looks like they were the play last night though. I need to…
I’ve cranked out three straight Ls in my featured handicaps. That's pretty disappointing, especially with a couple wagers getting cancelled recently. But it’s Day 11 of the 2021 MLB season and I’ve been waiting for these days a long time. Now it’s time to roll with the MLB Morning Breakdown…
What a fiasco yesterday's betting card was. Unfortunately, our featured handicap position on the Angels was cancelled twice for pitching changes. My BetCrushers partner Yanni took the bait and went over 6 runs - and those guys got the money. Not I, but that's on me for going with listed…
The MLB Morning Breakdown for 4-9-2021 is back after a travel day (for me, not the MLB). Chicago's "light" lineup in Seattle Wednesday afternoon left a lot to be desired for our plays behind them. Though their timely runs in the 5th inning salvaged one of three wagers in our…
Download Episode 9 (Martinsville) Episode 9 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast rolls into Martinsville for the 2021 Blue Emu 500. First they look back at the inaugural Bristol Dirt Race and all of its quirks. Will it be back next year, and are the guys interested in watching it again?…
We asked for a strong performance from Marcus Stroman yesterday and he delivered. Stroman plus a timely bomb from Dominic Smith enabled the Mets to take care of our first 5 inning wager and cash Tuesday's solo shot. Three Ws in a row is nice, but the MLB Morning Breakdown…
The new week began with two plays on Monday that banked on offensive eruptions from the Blue Jays and White Sox. Well, that's what we got. Some confidence was restored when my doubts in Mike Foltynewicz' rebound from a brutal season came true, leading to Toronto surpassing their team total…
For the second time this season, my expectations for a Royals starter were way too high compared to what took place on the field. Brady Singer just did not have the stuff I called for and my solo shot of the day backing the Royals went up in flames. But…
I took just one position on yesterday's big slate - technically two half-unit bets on the Blue Jays team totals - and it flat out failed to get there. Close, but no cigar. Yet 3 runs is absolutely less than 4, so we move onto the MLB Morning Breakdown for…
No complaints here with Day 2 of the MLB season. My Cincinnati Reds didn't lose (they had the day off) and we managed to crank out a nice return on our pair of plays. Pablo Lopez and Ryan Yarbrough put on a pitching clinic in south Florida, delivering a 0-0…
Well, sometimes it's better to be lucky than right. And my first wager of the 2021 MLB season was a -150 play behind Brad Keller and the Royals - an amount of juice that I absolutely hate to lay. Bottom line: my read on Keller was way off the mark,…
After what seems like an eternity to us baseball fans, Opening Day 2021 is finally here! It's been five months since the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their franchise's seventh World Series Championship and now all 30 teams start fresh. And the head honchos at MLB have given us exactly what…
Download Episode 8 (Bristol Dirt) Things are really heating up in the NASCAR Cup Series! Episode 8 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast takes you to Bristol Motor Speedway for the 2021 Food City Dirt Race. As always, Paul and JJ discuss the Atlanta race, where Kyle Larson dominated the field…until…
The Braves' punctuated the 2020 season with their third straight and 15th overall NL East title. Atlanta's impressive young nucleus gives the impression of a club building their way towards a dynasty like that of the late 1990's. On the flip side, the 2019 World Series Champion Washington Nationals was…
Download Episode 7 (Atlanta) The NASCAR Cup Series’ West Coast Swing is over and Episode 7 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast takes you to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the 2021 Folds of Honor Quik Trip 500. Paul and JJ discuss the Phoenix race, where Martin Truex, Jr. is the latest…
A dramatic changing of the AL East guard was punctuated by Boston trading Mookie Betts to the Dodgers. While the Red Sox sunk to the depths of the division, Tampa Bay rose to the top with stingy pitching and defense. The Rays' grindy approach to the modern game earned them…
Download Episode 6 (Phoenix) The Cup Series action was sizzling hot in Las Vegas last weekend, and now Episode 6 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast takes you to Phoenix Raceway for the 2021 Instacart 500. Kyle Larson scorched the field in the Pennzoil 400 and leads Hendrick Motorsports down to…
It's a story that only made sense in the year 2020. While the Cardinals were stuck at home due to COVID-related issues, the Chicago Cubs grew an early lead in the NL Central. They slogged their way to the division title as St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Milwaukee finished no better…
Another NL West title for the Dodgers. This time, however, Los Angeles was not denied the franchise's seventh World Series Championship. Six months earlier, there was plenty of optimism to go around the division. Arizona was positioned to build on a gritty 2019 season while San Diego looked the part…
Download Episode 5 (Las Vegas) Viva Las Vegas! Episode 5 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast takes you to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the 2021 Pennzoil 400. Paul and JJ talk about the Chevies in last week’s race at Homestead and the takeaways for Sunday’s showdown in Sin City.…
The AL West was front and center all throughout the last offseason. Texas was set to move into its new airplane hangar-esque stadium while the Angels scored prized free agent Anthony Rendon, joining forces with all-world player Mike Trout. Even so, all of this mundane activity was overshadowed by Houston's…
The AL Central proved to be very competitive down the stretch in the truncated 2020 MLB season. Three legitimate playoff teams vied for the division - Minnesota, Chicago, and Cleveland - with just a single game separating them in the end. It took a 16-8 surge from the Twins to…
Download Episode 4 (Homestead-Miami) Episode 4 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast takes you to South Florida for the 2021 Dixie Vodka 400. We just watched first time Cup Series winner Christopher Bell end Chase Elliott’s four-race road course winning streak in a drama-filled race at the Daytona…
Download Episode 3 (Daytona Road Course) After an exciting late night finish at the Daytona 500, Paul and JJ are ready to roll with Episode 3 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast. They talk about the highs and lows of The Great American Race and how their bets…
Breaking down the early odds of the winner for Super Bowl LVI.
Download EPISODE 2 of 2021 (Daytona 500) Paul welcomes back JJ from the BetCrushers to Episode 2 of the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast. It’s Daytona week, baby! And that means the 2021 NASCAR Cup season is off and running. First, the guys look back at Tuesday night’s Busch…
Paul welcomes JJ from the BetCrushers onto the Playing the Odds NASCAR Style podcast to talk Daytona and how the 2021 NASCAR season is shaping up. Before they get too far ahead, Paul recaps some recent news since the season preview pod dropped. It’s Episode #1 of the new season…
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