Latest news with #Pick'emChallenge
Indianapolis Star
a day ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Boston Red Sox at Philadelphia Phillies odds, picks and predictions
The Boston Red Sox (54-49) and Philadelphia Phillies (58-43) tussle in the Wednesday finale of a 3-game interleague series. The first pitch from Citizens Bank Park is slated for 7:05 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Red Sox vs. Phillies odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: Philadelphia leads 2-0 Boston went into the All-Star break on a 10-game winning streak, but after dropping the first 2 games of this series by scores of 3-2 and 4-1, the Red Sox have started the second half 1-4. The BoSox have scored 2 runs or fewer in all 4 setbacks. The Phillies got a well-pitched game from LHP Cristopher Sanchez in Tuesday's triumph. Sanchez went the route, holding Boston to just 4 hits while whiffing 12 against no walks. Since June 9, Philadelphia has gone 14-6 with a plus-25 run differential at home. RHP Lucas Giolito vs. LHP Jesus Luzardo Giolito (6-2, 3.59 ERA) is making his 15th start. He has registered a 1.24 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 8.1 K/9 through 77 2/3 innings. Luzardo (8-5, 4.29 ERA) is making his 21st start. He has a 1.43 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 10.7 K/9 through 109 innings. Win your fantasy baseball league with For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! BHQ offers full-season subscriptions. Sign up today and start winning! Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:10 a.m. ET. Phillies 5, Red Sox 4 Philadelphia is 4-2 across its last 6 games against Boston. And the Phillies have won 3 straight series games at home. Luzardo has been hurt by a .373 batting average on balls in play (.381 BABIP with runners in scoring position), and he figures to be more proficient than what shows in his surface ERA. Peg the Red Sox bullpen as being a bit overrated. And add in Boston being somewhat prone to some road losing skids. And per ESPN, current Philadelphia batters own an aggregate .789 OPS against Giolito. BET THE PHILLIES (-150). No interest; PASS. The Over is 3-1 across Giolito's last 4 turns and 3-0 in Luzardo's last 3. The weather forecast includes an outward breeze blowing out to left-center. Giolito and the Philly bullpen have some fly-ball tendencies. Still, the lean here is slight and not helped by the 20-cent line. Consider a partial-unit play on the OVER 8.5 (-120). Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Heisman Trophy odds, picks and predictions
The 2025-26 NCAA college football season kicks off Aug. 23, and we'll take a look at the best values to win the Heisman Trophy in December 2025. Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's college football odds around the 2025 Heisman Trophy odds and make our expert college football picks and predictions. Last season, dual-threat WR/CB Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes took home the hardware, finishing ahead of runner-up Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty in the voting. With Hunter being selected No. 2 overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2025 NFL Draft, Ohio State RB Archie Griffin's record as the only consecutive Heisman winner (1974 & '75) in college football history remains safe. However, we'll have a very familiar name vying for college football's top prize in 2025. Texas Longhorns QB Arch Manning (+600) is the early favorite -- or chalk -- to hoist the Heisman, looking to become the first member of his prestigious family to hoist the trophy. His grandfather Archie Manning (Ole Miss) and his uncles Peyton Manning (Tennessee) and Eli Manning (Ole Miss) certainly made plenty of headlines in college football -- and in the SEC -- in their playing days. Peyton was the Heisman runner-up in 1997 behind Michigan's Charles Woodson, while Eli finished third in 2003 behind winner Jason White of Oklahoma and Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald. Grandpa Archie was third in 1970 when Stanford's Jim Plunkett won and Notre Dame's Joe Theismann finished second. Those were then. This is now. So, let's take a look at the best bets for the 2025 Heisman Trophy as the favorites in the preseason don't always end up in the same spot after a full season. Sometimes, we get player to come out of nowhere to rise up and take the top prize. 2025 Heisman Trophy odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Last updated Thursday, July 17, at 11:28 p.m. ET. For a full list, check out BetMGM Sportsbook. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! 2025 Heisman Trophy picks / best bets (*-FanDuel Sportsbook lists Manning at +700) Manning is the chalk, and he will have a well-funded public relations campaign as well as having one of the most famous names in all of sports. If you thought the Shedeur Sanders hype train was too much at Colorado last year, watch out. Manning showed last season, in glimpses when taking over from QB Quinn Ewers, that he isn't just a big name with no skill. He threw for 939 yards with 9 TDs against 2 interceptions last season, including a 26-of-31 performance for 325 yards, 2 TDs and 0 INTs in a 35-13 victory over Mississippi State in late September. He also rushed for 4 TDs on 25 carries last season, occasionally getting his name called when the Longhorns needed a few yards for a first down or score. Manning completed 61-of-90 passes and was sacked 6 times last season, so that's something to watch. He might not be quite as cement-legged as Uncle Peyton, but he isn't going to confuse anyone for Michael Vick, either. Manning's 2025 Heisman Trophy campaign could get derailed before it even begins if he stubs his toe badly at Ohio State in the opener on Aug. 30. If he lights up the defending national champs, the hype could rise to insane levels. The Tigers won the ACC Championship Game and made the 12-team playoff as the final seed only to get ousted in the opening round by the fifth-seeded Longhorns 38-24 in Austin, Texas. Clemson finished 10-4 and Klubnik was a huge part of the success. However, it was a complete disaster in the season opener as Clemson was overmatched and pounded 34-3 by No. 1 Georgia in Atlanta. That type of early season loss can't happen again. Klubnik and his Tigers host LSU and the No. 2 favorite in the Heisman race in QB Garrett Nussmeier in their season opener Aug. 30. Klubnik is a player many NFL scouts are salivating about. There are whispers he could potentially be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After the LSU game, the schedule opens up for Klubnik and Clemson, with few tests until road trips to Louisville (Nov. 14) and South Carolina (season finale Nov. 29). There is also a visit to Chapel Hill when the Tigers face Bill Belichick's North Carolina Tar Heels (Oct. 4). (*-FanDuel lists Smith at +1300) It's unusual for a wide receiver to win the Heisman Trophy, but it has happened. In fact, it happened last season with Hunter in Colorado, although it was due to his work on both sides of the ball. You only need to look to 2020, when Alabama's DeVonta Smith was the last true wide receiver to win the award. Prior to that, though, it was 1991 when Michigan WR/KR Desmond Howard won the award from the position. Smith put up massive numbers in his freshman campaign, bursting onto the scene with 76 receptions, 1,315 yards and 15 TDs, helping lead the Buckeyes to the national championship. He did all of that working with QB Will Howard, who was a good, but not great, quarterback -- and now with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. This season, Smith will be working with QB Julian Sayin, a signal caller with a much higher ceiling and pedigree, so could we see even more improvement from Smith? Smith won't have the luxury of WR Emeka Egbuka (drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) on the other side of the field to take some pressure off. The super sophomore will be facing the best cover man week in and week out, but it might not matter. (*-FanDuel lists Johnson at +5000) If you really want to go deep on the list, looking for that dark-horse candidate to come out of nowhere, let's take a look at K-State's Johnson. Johnson's emergence under center in Manhattan made the aforementioned Howard expendable for the Wildcats in 2024, thus his move to Columbus to win a title with the Buckeyes. It worked out for everybody. The Kansas-born Johnson completed 58.3% of his pass attempts for 2,712 yards and 25 TDs against 10 picks last season. He also finished with 605 yards and 7 TDs rushing. It was his second consecutive season running for 7 scores. If Johnson is able to cut down the miscues, and perhaps lead his team to a ranking and very few losses, he could sneak into the picture. The non-conference schedule (North Dakota, Army) isn't terribly challenging, while the toughest road games might be Arizona (Sept. 12), Baylor (Oct. 4), rival Kansas (Oct. 25) and Utah (Nov. 22), none of which is against the monsters of the college football landscape. Stream live college football games and full replays: Get ESPN+! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @danieledobish on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
USA Today
06-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Houston Astros at LA Dodgers odds, picks and predictions
The Houston Astros (54-35) and the LA Dodgers (56-34) wrap up a 3-game interleague series at Dodger Stadium Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET ( Free Game of the Day). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Astros vs. Dodgers odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: Astros lead 2-0 The Astros blasted the Dodgers 18-1 in Friday's series opener, and Houston clinched the series victory with a 6-4 win as moderate underdogs (+145) Saturday as the Over (9) cashed. Houston has picked up 5 victories in the past 6 meetings in this series, with the Over going 5-2 in the previous 7 meetings dating back to June 24, 2023. In Saturday's victory, 3B Isaac Paredes went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot, 2B Jose Altuve added a 1-for-4 effort with a triple and a run scored, and C Yainer Diaz went 1-for-4 with a solo home run, his 11th of the season. The Dodgers saw SS Mookie Betts go 2-for-5 with a double and a solo homer, while 3B Miguel Rojas ended up 2-for-2 with a 2-run homer, a walk and 3 RBIs. Astros at Dodgers projected starters RHP Ryan Gusto vs. RHP Emmet Sheehan Gusto (5-3, 4.90 ERA) makes his 12th start and 19th appearance. The rookie has a 1.49 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9 and 9.9 K/9 through 64 1/3 innings. Sheehan (0-0, 2.25 ERA) makes his second start. He allowed 1 earned run on 3 hits and no walks with 6 K's in 4 innings in his debut, a 4-3 home victory over the San Diego Padres June 18. Win your fantasy baseball league with For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! BHQ offers full-season subscriptions. Sign up today and start winning! Astros at Dodgers odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:59 a.m. ET. Astros at Dodgers picks and predictions Dodgers 5, Astros 4 Moneyline The Dodgers (-190) will cost you nearly 2 times your potential return, and that's way too much risk for not nearly enough reward. Betting LA in a multi-leg parlay or with a boost/promo isn't a bad play, but backing such a heavy favorite straight up -- especially against a team that's already won the first 2 games of the series -- is definitely not recommended. PASS. Run line/Against the spread ASTROS +1.5 (-135) is worth playing lightly if you want a little insurance and just can't bring yourself to pick Houston straight up. The starting pitching situation for the Astros is a little shaky in this finale, but Sheehan doesn't exactly give bettors a ton of confidence, either. Over/Under AVOID. I expect the total to come down right on the number, so shy away from the total, and focus on the run line. However, if you absolutely, positively have to bet on the total, going lightly on the Over 9 (-120) is worth a look. The total has gone high in each of the first 2 in this series, with Houston outscoring LA 24-5. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @danieledobish on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
USA Today
05-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
San Francisco Giants at A's odds, picks and predictions
The San Francisco Giants (47-41) and the A's (36-53) open a 3-game series Friday. First pitch from Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento is scheduled for 10:05 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Giants vs. A's odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: Giants lead 3-0 The Giants split 4 games at the Arizona Diamondbacks, wrapping up the set with a 7-2 win Thursday, cashing as -113 favorites with the Over (8.5) hitting for a third straight contest. In the finale, SP Robbie Ray (win, 9 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K) threw a complete game for the first time since 2017 -- back when he was with Arizona. San Francisco has won back-to-back games, but has lost 7 of its last 10 contests. The A's won 2 of 3 games at the Tampa Bay Rays, but failed to complete the sweep with a 6-5 loss as +177 underdogs Wednesday with the Over (9) hitting. They rallied for 3 runs in the ninth inning Wednesday to pull within 1, but with the bases loaded, RF Brent Rooker and 1B Nick Kurtz struck out swinging to end the game. The A's have lost 7 of their last 11 contests. Giants at A's projected starters RHP Justin Verlander vs. LHP JP Sears Verlander (0-5, 4.26 ERA) makes his 14th start. He has a 1.39 WHIP, 3.3 BB/9 and 7.3 K/9 through 67 2/3 innings. Sears (6-7, 5.09 ERA) makes his 18th start. He has a 1.30 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9 and 7.0 K/9 through 86 2/3 innings. Win your fantasy baseball league with For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! BHQ offers full-season subscriptions. Sign up today and start winning! Giants at A's odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:53 a.m. ET. Giants at A's picks and predictions A's 6, Giants 5 Moneyline The A'S (-110) have won 3 of their last 5 games, including a 7-0 victory at the Yankees in Sears' most recent start. Meanwhile, the Giants have dropped each of Verlander's last 3 outings and 7 of their last 10 games overall. Back-to-back wins aside, San Francisco still isn't a team you can count on right now. BET A'S (-110). Run line/Against the spread Beating the 20-cent straddle on the ML is more manageable than trying to overcome the heavily juiced run lines. PASS on the run line. Over/Under The Over has hit in each of the Giants' last 3 games and in 3 of the last 4 for the A's. San Francisco has scored 6 or more runs in each of its last 2 games, while the A's have put up 5 or more runs in 4 of their last 5 games. BET OVER 10 (-115). Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @corey_a_scott on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
USA Today
04-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kansas City Royals at Arizona Diamondbacks odds, picks and predictions
The Kansas City Royals (41-47) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (43-44) open a 3-game series Friday. First pitch from Chase Field in Phoenix is scheduled for 9:40 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Royals vs. Diamondbacks odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: First meeting; Diamondbacks won 2-1 last year The Royals split 4 games at the Seattle Mariners, wrapping up the set with a 3-2 win Thursday, cashing as +115 underdogs with the Under (7.5) hitting. 1B Vinnie Pasquantino hit a go-ahead 2-run single in the seventh inning Thursday to give Kansas City a 3-1 lead. The Royals have won 2 of their last 3 games, but have dropped 9 of their last 12. The Diamondbacks also split their most-recent 4-game set, hosting the San Francisco Giants. They lost 7-2 as +104 underdogs in the Thursday finale with the Over (8.5) cashing for the third straight game. Arizona's only runs came on solo homers -- 3B Eugenio Suárez in the fifth and DH Ketel Marte in the ninth. The Diamondbacks have lost 6 of their last 8 games. Royals at Diamondbacks projected starters LHP Kris Bubic vs. LHP Eduardo Rodríguez Bubic (6-6, 2.25 ERA) makes his 17th start. He has a 1.13 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9 and 9.5 K/9 through 96 innings. Rodríguez (3-4, 5.13 ERA) makes his 15th start. He has a 1.56 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9 and 10.0 K/9 through 72 innings. Win your fantasy baseball league with For decades, BHQ has been helping players just like you win! BHQ offers full-season subscriptions. Sign up today and start winning! Royals at Diamondbacks odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:14 p.m. ET. Royals at Diamondbacks picks and predictions Diamondbacks 4, Royals 3 Moneyline ARIZONA (-115) should bounce back after losing 2 straight home games to a division rival. Rodríguez has allowed 1 earned run or fewer in 3 consecutive starts and has won 2 of his last 3 decisions. Meanwhile, the Royals have lost 4 of Bubic's last 5 starts and 9 of their last 12 overall. Kansas City did pull off 2 upsets in Seattle this week, but it still hasn't shown it can be trusted over a meaningful sample size. BET DIAMONDBACKS (-115). Run line/Against the spread The run line carries a 30-cent straddle, making it tougher to beat than the more favorable -105/-115 ML split. PASS on the run line. Over/Under Kansas City has scored 3 or fewer runs in 9 of its last 12 games, going 9-3 to the Under during that stretch. On the other side, Rodríguez has been dominant for Arizona lately, allowing a total of just 1 run in 11 1/3 innings across his last 2 starts. With the Royals likely to struggle scoring and Arizona limited to 4 or fewer runs in 3 of its last 5 games, the Under looks like a solid play. BET UNDER 8.5 (-120). Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @corey_a_scott on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.
