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The Boston Bruins welcome the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night at TD Garden in Boston. Vegas are still going through a transition period, as they get accustomed to a new system under Peter DeBoer. So far with DeBoer at the helm, the Golden Knights have been up and down. Have we seen much of a change versus Gerard Gallant? No, it really looks like the same team that has had their positives and negatives throughout the season.

We need to give DeBoer much larger of a sample size before we overreact to anything, though. Fans will of course get overly excited over what is happening in a single snapshot over a week or two, but it’s not ideal. However, what I will say is that the team hasn’t really been given a jolt with the DeBoer hiring, at least immediately.

The Golden Knights were winners in DeBoer’s debut against the Ottawa Senators. In fact, they scored on the first shift and it was a tremendous opening stanza for DeBoer with the Knights. It translated into a 4-2 win, though this was over one of the worst teams in the NHL. In his second game as head coach, the Golden Knights pulled off an incredible comeback to tie the game up at 4 goals apiece late.

They scored two goals with less than two minutes on the clock to set up overtime, where they would lose 5-4. A point out of the deal isn’t too terrible, though. They were less than two minutes away from getting nothing and losing 4-2. And that’s all there is report in the DeBoer era thus far. He will not make his home debut until February 8th against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Vegas are in the midst of a long eight-game road trip. Six of their next seven games will be at home following this stretch, though. The Golden Knights are going to have to take advantage of that home-ice advantage at T-Mobile Arena. A strong push is going to be necessary for the Knights to reach the playoffs. Anything less and pundits are going to jump all over of the franchise for firing Gallant. If they have success, though, they’ll look like geniuses.

The Bruins are coming off a blown game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday. With a three-goal lead going into the 3rd period, the Penguins scored four unanswered to shock the Bruins. All the Bruins had to do is play their game and they would have gotten the sweep in the home-and-home. That certainly wasn’t the case for 20 minutes, though. With one win in their last four outings, there will be some pressure on them to play a sharp contest this evening. Tuukka Rask will be unavailable again as he tends to a concussion. Head below for our free Golden Knights vs. Bruins pick.

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Boston Bruins Betting Odds:

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Golden Knights vs. Bruins Prediction:

For the Golden Knights to find success down the stretch, they’re going to need Marc-Andre Fleury to step it up. It doesn’t matter who is behind the bench. If Fleury continues to play less than his A+ game, then the Golden Knights are going to continue to struggle. He’s let in some awfully soft goals lately, and that’s going to have to change.

Fleury has been one of the hottest and coldest goaltenders throughout his career, so perhaps he turns on the heat at the perfect time in February and March. Fleury owns a 2.85 GAA and 0.906 save percentage, which is well below his career numbers. Over the course of his career, Fleury has posted a 2.57 GAA and 0.913 save percentage. Get back in that range, and the Golden Knights are going to be in a much better position going forward.

As a result, the Golden Knights have struggled in the defensive zone, and no, it goes beyond Fleury as well. The Knights have surrendered 3.04 goals per game in 2019-20, and in their last ten games that number goes up to 3.3 goals a game. Near the start of the season they were playing a really solid game defensively, but that’s going to the wayside most recently. The Golden Knights have allowed at least 4 goals in six of their last eight games.

The Bruins have been much better off at TD Garden this season. They’ve been one of the best home teams in the NHL, as they sport a record of 16-2-9. Boston have notched an average of 3.33 goals per game at home, while allowing 2.65 goals in the defensive zone. This is a Bruins team who have dominated the Golden Knights since their inception. The Bruins are on a four-game winning streak against the Golden Knights, and have won four of five meetings.

Vegas is going to be short-handed with a notable player on the injury report. William Karlsson will miss tonight and will use the All-Star break to recover from an upper-body injury. Fortunately it doesn’t appear to be a long-term thing, but his absence hurts for tonight in Boston. Cody Glass will continue to sit out and is not going to be available tonight as well. Paul Stastny, who took a puck to the mouth and lost teeth in the process against Montreal, will likely be okay to go, though. Nevertheless, the Bruins look like a good bounce-back candidate on Tuesday night following a disaster on Sunday afternoon.

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The NHL is set up with a solid slate of games on Tuesday night. Five games will be up on the board for the night of January 21. One of these matchups will be between the Winnipeg Jets and the Carolina Hurricanes. Both teams are on the edge of the playoff picture in their respective conference, which should lead to a solid game. The puck will drop for this matchup at around 7:00 PM Eastern time.

The Jets have started this season off with a record of 25-20-4, which has them tied for fourth place of the Central Division with the Chicago Blackhawks. Winnipeg is three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights and the Arizona Coyotes for a wild card spot. The Jets have lost two games in a row and four of their last five coming into this one. Winnipeg will look to bounce back with a nice win on Tuesday night.

Carolina has earned a record of 28-18-3 throughout this season so far. The Hurricanes are in fifth place of the Metropolitan Division. Carolina is only two points behind the New York Islanders, who are in third of the Metropolitan. The Hurricanes are one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers in the Metro. Carolina is in a very tight mix in their division and will look to jump up in the standings with a nice win against Winnipeg.

These two teams are very much in the playoff hunt right now. Winnipeg is sitting right outside of the playoffs, while the Hurricanes are currently in. I expect these two teams to come out quick to try and control the pace as they try and get a leg up. I believe that this could be one of the top matchups on Tuesday night.

Previous Matchups

The Jets and the Hurricanes met up twice throughout the last season. Winnipeg hosted the first game of the season series, where Josh Morrisey earned two points to help the Jets get a 3-1 win. Carolina hosted the second game of the season series, but they were dominated. Fifteen different players earned points as the Jets pulled away with an 8-1 win.

Winnipeg and Carolina already met once this season with the Jets hosting the game on December 17. Blake Wheeler earned two points for Winnipeg, but it would not be enough. Sebastian Aho scored two goals and added an assist, while Dougie Hamilton earned three assists. Petr Mrazek stopped 30 of the 33 shots he faced to help the Hurricanes earn a 6-2 win over the Jets.

Winnipeg had earned four wins in a row over Carolina before this season started. The Hurricanes were able to take the first game of this season’s series with a win on the road. Now Carolina will look for the sweep over a struggling Winnipeg team. The Hurricanes have lost three of their last four games as well, but will look to get back on a streak with a win over the Jets on Tuesday night.

Special Teams

The Jets power play has been around the league average so far this season. Winnipeg’s power play has capitalized on 29 of their 144 chances, which is a 20.1 percent power play. The Jets penalty kill has struggled a bit this season though. Winnipeg has allowed opposing teams to score on 31 of their 123 power play chances, which is a 74.8 percent kill rate.

Carolina’s special teams have done well throughout this season. The Hurricanes power play has been able to score on 32 of their 150 attempts, which is a 21.3 percent success rate. Carolina’s penalty kill has held their opponents to 29 goals on 172 power play opportunities this season, which is an 83.1 percent penalty kill.

These two teams have been off to solid starts on the power play throughout this season. Carolina’s power play has been slightly better, which could lead to a solid night against the Jets struggling penalty kill. The Hurricanes have a strong penalty kill, but they give up a lot of power play chances, which could get the Jets power play going if they can get some momentum going.

Goalies

Connor Hellebuyck will likely get the start in the crease for Winnipeg on Tuesday night. Hellebuyck has started this season with a record of 21-15-4 through his starts. He has earned a save percentage of .919 and a 2.71 GAA. Hellebuyck’s last start came against the Chicago Blackhawks, where he stopped 28 of the 32 shots against him in a loss.

I believe that Petr Mrazek will get the nod in net for the Hurricanes in this matchup. Mrazek has earned a record of 17-12-2 throughout this season. He has put up a .904 save percentage and a GAA of 2.64 through those starts. Mrazek’s last played against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he turned away 15 of 18 shots in a losing effort.

These two goalies have had solid starts to the season, but I believe that Hellebuyck earns the edge in this matchup. Hellebuyck has had a save percentage below .900 through his last two games, while Mrazek has had a save percentage below .900 in three of his last five starts. Both goalies will look to bounce back with a big win in this matchup.

Pick Overview

Both teams are coming into this matchup on a bit of a tough streak, but I believe that the Jets will bounce back with a win after losing to Carolina earlier in the season. If Winnipeg can get their power play going, it could give them the edge despite their poor penalty kill. Hellebuyck has done better than Mrazek and if he can get going early, it could help the Jets pull off the upset.

BetOnline has the Hurricanes listed as a -175 against the money line. This implies that Carolina will win this game around 63.6 percent of the time. I believe that with both these teams in the thick of the playoff race, this game should be much closer to even. I think Winnipeg has a good chance to earn a win in this game and as such big underdogs, they have a lot of value on Tuesday night.

• Tom Brady spotted chatting with Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis at UFC 246 on Saturday
• Raiders listed at +700 to sign Brady this offseason
• Patriots -300 to keep Brady for 21st NFL season

The Kansas City Chiefs will meet the San Francisco 49ers in Miami for Super Bowl 54 in a couple of weeks, but that’s hardly the only NFL storyline generating interest these days. Ever since the New England Patriots were shockingly upset by the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round a few weeks ago, there has been all sorts of speculation regarding the future of Tom Brady.

The Patriots are the only NFL franchise Brady has ever known, but the future Hall-of-Famer’s contract will expire this offseason. Brady has been a staple of the team’s incredible success over the past 2 decades, but could the Patriots look to go in a different direction? Brady will turn 43 in August, and his 2019 season was far from his best from a statistical perspective.

Brady has indicated publicly that he plans to continue his playing career, but the Patriots have been mum on whether they plan to try and bring him back for next season. Some seriously believe that Brady could suit up for a new team this fall, and what happened over the weekend will only add fuel to the fire.

Brady Spotted with Raiders’ Owner Mark Davis

On Saturday night, Brady was seen hanging out in Las Vegas with Raiders owner Mark Davis at the Conor McGregor-Cowboy Cerrone UFC fight at T-Mobile Arena. The pair was photographed enjoying each other’s company during the bout, which has fueled some speculation about the possibility of Brady joining Davis’ Raiders for their inaugural season in Las Vegas later this year.

During his weekly radio interview over the weekend, Brady said, “I’m open-minded about the process. At the same time, I love playing football and I want to continue to play and do a great job. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead. Whatever my future may bring, I’ll embrace it with open arms.” Brady will officially become a free agent when the NFL begins a new league year on March 17.

Patriots Favored to Retain Brady

Some football betting sites are taking bets on where Brady will play to begin the 2020 season. While the Patriots are still favored to bring him back for a 21st season, it’s not impossible to think that he could find a new home. New England is a -300 favorite to re-sign the 6-time Super Bowl champion, but teams like the Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers could also have interest.

Bovada’s full odds are listed below:

Patriots owner Robert Kraft has said previously that his “hope and prayer” is that Brady returns for his 21st season with New England.

Chargers, Raiders Among Teams with Potential Interest in Brady

The Raiders, meanwhile, are reportedly not sold on continuing with Derek Carr as their starting quarterback next season. Carr has had an up-and-down career since being a second-round pick of Oakland back in 2014. The franchise will understandably be looking to make a splash in their first season in Las Vegas, and signing a player of Brady’s caliber would certainly do just that.

The Chargers are also a franchise desperately in need of a spark. The team has gotten very little local support since moving from San Diego to Los Angeles a couple of years ago, and they will move into a brand-new stadium in Inglewood to begin next season.

There is reportedly a strong chance that longtime Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers finds a new home this offseason. While Brady’s best years as a player may be in the rearview mirror, signing arguably the greatest quarterback in the history of the game would at least help the Chargers with their attendance woes as they head into their sparkling new stadium in the fall.

Dana White Likes Brady to Leave New England for Las Vegas

For what it’s worth, UFC President Dana White believes Brady’s decision will come down to the Patriots and the Raiders. When asked about the star QB at the UFC event over the weekend, White said, “If that dude isn’t playing for Boston he’s playing here.” White added that it makes “too much sense” for Brady to come to Las Vegas to play for the Raiders if he decides to leave New England this offseason.

While Raider fans may be excited about the possibility of adding Brady to the roster, the speculation hasn’t done anything to improve the team’s prospects for Super Bowl 55. The Raiders are still at 80/1 to win Super Bowl 55. Brady signing with Las Vegas would obviously improve those odds.

New England, meanwhile, is at 14/1 to win the 2020-21 NFL title. The Chiefs are very early favorites at 8/1. The Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins share the worst odds to win Super Bowl 55 at 200/1 apiece.

CHELSEA host London rivals Arsenal on Tuesday night. We asked Tom Love (@TomLove_18) to source the best bets from the Premier League encounter.

Chelsea v Arsenal | Tuesday 21st January 2020, 20:15 | BT Sport

It’s an all-London affair that takes centre stage on Tuesday night as Chelsea host Arsenal at Stamford Bridge at the odd time of 8:15pm. Both failed to win at the weekend and will be looking to bounce back here.

Chelsea dominated against Newcastle but lacked the killer pass too often against a low block, they were then hit with a sucker punch in the last minute as Isaac Hayden flicked in an excellent Allan Saint-Maximin cross to defeat the Blues by a goal to nil.

It was a season that started so well for Frank Lampard and his young team, however they’ve struggled for consistency of late with no back-to-back league wins since early November. It looks like the Cobham crew could be busy players in the transfer window as their ban was overturned meaning they can once again trade in the market.

Olivier Giroud has an impending move to Inter Milan in the pipeline whilst there have been murmurings around the future of Marcos Alonso, Emerson, Ross Barkley and Michy Batshuayi.

Tammy Abraham has overtaken Batshuayi and Giroud as the main striker at the Bridge and Lampard is on the hunt for competition with rumoured interest around former Celtic striker Moussa Dembele. With Chelsea still in the Champions League and FA Cup they could do with a few more back ups but I’d be surprised if they brought more than two in this month.

Mikel Arteta has come into Arsenal with a clear focus on trying to sure up their previously shoddy defence. To be fair he has sorted it to some extent, although it seems to have hampered them slightly at the other end of the pitch.

Arsenal, so long the overs backers best friend, have seen just one of their last six league games see three or more goals. If this game was in the early months of the season I’d certainly be looking at a goals based angle but it’s not something I can entertain at the prices given current form of both. Six of the last eight Chelsea games have seen Under 2.5 land too so maybe the value could be against a goal-heavy game.

Having said that the Expected Goals (xG) of Chelsea games averages out at 3.30 per-game whilst Arsenal have a figure of 2.90 on the same metric. It’s a lot of clashing trends that makes me happy to swerve the under/over markets.

Chelsea look short enough in the market at odds-on given their inconsistent nature whilst Arsenal are missing star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang due to suspension, centre half Sokratis could also be out. It could mean a return to the team for Shkodran Mustafi who has been less than convincing when he’s played this campaign. That, along with Arsenal’s inability to win away puts me off the them too so the outright market too looks a no-go zone.

Play your cards right

With little appealing in the basic markets I’m happy to delve into the cards for this one and we can back both teams to fetch Over 1 Card at 6/5 using ***’s BetBuilder and that takes appeal. Arsenal average 2.52 cards in the league this season, the highest in the league. However, they’re the third highest fouled team in the league too which often resorts to this bet landing in Gunners games.

Stuart Atwell has the whistle and he’s been a card happy ref in recent times. He’s dished out 8, 2, 8, 8, 5 and 3 cards in his last six games and his average this season is a massive 5.44 cards per-game over domestic and European matches.

If we cast our minds back just a few weeks, these two met in a game that featured now fewer than nine bookings! Five were handed out to the Gunners whilst Chelsea had four yellows. Incredibly Atwell has given both teams four cards a piece in two of his last games games (Wolves vs Spurs and Bournemouth vs Arsenal). Both teams to collect Over 3 Cards is available to back at 20/1 on ***’s BetBuilder and that has to be worth a quid or two for interest given those stats.

This game also sees the return of David Luiz to Stamford Bridge. The frizzy haired Brazilian has regularly been mocked for his questionable defending but he, more than anyone, seems to have benefitted from the arrival of Arteta. Luiz has spoke highly of the new gaffer and has been candid in calling out his sides inefficiencies.

He scored some worldie goals in his days at the Bridge, and given he is on free kicks from a fair few yards outside the area it’s always likely he will have at least a shot. He has managed one shot outside the box in four of his last five Premier League games and I’m very surprised you can get some 11/5 on him to have a shot outside the box with Coral’s BuildYourBet.

I’m also willing to chuck in the 2+ shots outside the box at a bulbous 16/1. All it takes is them to get a free kick or two centrally in their attacking half. The shot doesn’t even have to be on target. I expect these prices to get slashed pretty quickly but I’d probably back them respectively down to 1/1 and 10/1.

Best Bets

Chelsea v Arsenal – Both Teams Over 1 Card (6/5 ***)

Chelsea v Arsenal – Both Teams Over 3 CardS (20/1 ***)

Chelsea v Arsenal – David Luiz 1+ shot outside the box (11/5 Coral)

Chelsea v Arsenal – David Luiz 2+ shots outside the box (16/1 Coral)

• Chiefs opened as a short minus 1.5-point favorite over the 49ers in SB 54
• Online sportsbooks have made props available for action right away
• Prop board includes plays on game, halftime show, commercials, national anthem, broadcast specifics, and more

South Florida will play host to a very intriguing Super Bowl matchup between two teams who dominated as favorites in their respective conference title games this past weekend. With Kansas City disposing of Tennessee at home 35-24 and San Francisco dominating Green Bay 37-20 at home as well, Super Bowl 54 is now locked and loaded with plenty to dissect.

With the Chiefs laying 1.5 points on the opening line, action is already flowing in on the contest. The spread on BetOnline quickly dropped down to a one-point mark and in some shops even sits as a pick’em.

But the bookies did not stop there, as less than 24 hours removed from the AFC and NFC championships, playable props have already been posted on the board for the big game.

Super Bowl 54 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Given the dynamics of the two teams, action will naturally pick up on propositions specific to the game itself, but it is clear that these markets want to start generating as much handle as they can from those who choose to wager on props not relative to the on-the-field competition.

This is why with almost a full two weeks to go before kickoff, action on the event’s halftime show, commercials, broadcast details, national anthem, and other non-game festivities are booked and ready to be bet.

These props will generate considerable interest as it gives more casual-type bettors the chance to get some early action without having to do any in depth analyzing or handicapping with the two teams involved. It also provides opportunities for the demographics who find leisure in betting entertainment-type props as opposed to ones surrounding the athletic contest.

This also serves as a reflection of what Super Bowl gambling has become in recent years, as over the 2010s prop wagering grew from a profitable novelty to a make-or-break gambling method that has resulted in both major payouts and losses for both patrons and bookies alike.

With Super Bowl 54 being the first Super Bowl Sunday of the new decade, record-breaking handle over the next two weeks would not be a surprise, as over the course of the event’s history, the Super Bowl has seen its biggest growth in terms of betting volume in just the last five years alone.

But while these props may be a part of a “bigger picture” when attempting to archive the Super Bowl’s betting evolution, they still stand specific to this season, this game, and the fast approaching Sunday afternoon where everything will ultimately be decided.

Early Super Bowl 54 Props

While more plays will pop up in various markers over the next two weeks, here is a look at some of the action already being served on the prop menu…

Commercials 

Which Anheuser-Busch brand commercial will air first?

• Bud Light/Seltzer (+125)
• Budweiser (+250)
• Michelob Ultra (+250)
• Michelob Pure Gold (+300)

Which food brand commercial will air first?

• Doritos (+125)
• Snickers (+150)
• Cheetos (+300)
• Avocados From Mexico (+500)

Will Mr. Peanut’s monocle come off his eye in Planters commercial?

• Yes (-130)
• No (-110)

Pregame/National Anthem/Halftime

Demi Lovato’s length of National Anthem?

• Over 1 minute, 59 seconds (-250)
• Under 1 minute, 59 seconds (+170)

Will a football be used as a prop in the halftime show?

• Yes (+300)
• No (-500)

Will Shakira and Jenifer Lopez both sing in Spanish?

• Yes (-500)
• No (+300)

What will team that wins opening coin toss choose to do?

• Defer to second half (-500)
• Receive ball (+300)

Post-Game/Misc.

Will President Trump tweet during the game?

• Yes (+150)
• No (-200)

Color of liquid poured on winning head coach?

• Lime/Green/Yellow (+275)
• Clear/Water (+300)
• Red/Pink (+300)
• Blue (+400)
• Orange (+400)
• Purple (+1400)

Super Bowl MVP will go to?

• A Quarterback (-145)
• Any other position (+115)

Final total of the game?

• Odd (-120)
• Even (EV)

• Tennessee officially legalized sports betting in May of 2019. 
• Since that time, lawmakers have worked to establish regulations for the industry.
• Tennessee’s sports betting plans are close to being finalized.  

Over the past year and a half, a huge number of states in the country have chosen to legalize sports betting. For months, lawmakers in Tennessee have pushed for sports betting options to get up and running. Fortunately, Tennessee’s sports betting plans are finally beginning to come together.

If all goes according to plan, sports gambling will become available in this state within a few months. It’s fantastic news for the huge number of sports fans here. Now is the perfect time to look at where exactly the state’s regulations are heading.

Let’s get into it!

The Rise of Sports Betting is Being Seen Around the US

Sports betting is one of the most popular forms of gambling in the world. Unfortunately, it was limited to just Nevada for many years. Every other state was prevented from legalizing sports betting due to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, or PASPA.

This is no longer the case. In May of 2018, the Supreme Court officially struck down this set of laws. Immediately afterward, several states began drafting legislation to regulate their sports gambling markets.

Today, 21 states have officially legalized sports betting. Several more have approved sports gambling bills and are likely to legalize this form of wagering in 2020. Tennessee officially legalized sports betting in May 2019.

Before long, nearly every state in the country may have legal forms of sports gambling available.

It’s proving to be an extremely lucrative industry. Many states are earning millions of dollars every month through their legal sports gambling operations. At certain times, New Jersey has earned more revenue from its sports betting market than Las Vegas has.

Tennessee’s sports betting plans are currently being worked on. Based on new reports, the state could have its regulations up and running within a few weeks.

Tennessee’s Sports Betting Plans Are Being Finalized

Tennessee isn’t the most gambling-friendly state in the country. In fact, this state has some of the strictest gambling laws in the country. Things appear to be changing, though. Lawmakers here recognize how much revenue can be earned through the sports gambling industry.

As we already mentioned, sports betting became “legal” here in May of last year. Unfortunately, the state has taken months to agree on sports betting regulations. Tennessee’s sports betting plans are finally close to being finalized and sports fans here are rejoicing.

Sports gambling won’t become available here before the Super Bowl. Hopefully, it will be up and running by March Madness. The Tennessee Lottery, the group responsible for sports gambling regulation, is close to finalizing the state’s rule set for this new industry.

On February 18th, this group will officially meet with members of the Sports Wagering Advisory Committee to discuss these plans. If there are no major objections, the state can finally begin issuing sports betting licenses to different companies.

It’s been a long road to have sports betting options available in Tennessee. Fortunately, it appears we’re nearing the end of this road.

Tennessee may not be the only state to launch its sports gambling options this year.

More States Close to Finalizing Sports Betting Regulations

At the moment, there are seven states with sports betting legalized, yet without any sports gambling options available. Most of these states are fixing this issue in 2020. Some are likely to do so quicker than others.

Montana is one state that seems ready to launch its betting options. Lawmakers here approved sports gambling in May of last year. Since that time, officials here have sparred over the regulations being proposed. Most analysts believe the first sportsbooks will launch here before summer.

Illinois is another state that wants to capitalize on the sports betting market. Officials here are going all-in on the gambling industry, recently approving several new casinos to open around the state.

Tennessee’s sports betting plans have faced criticism. To their credit, lawmakers here want to ensure that issues like gambling addiction and game manipulation are avoided. Once sports betting becomes available here, the state is likely to earn serious revenue.

Sports betting operators in this state won’t have things easy. We’ll need to wait and see which ones apply for a license here.

Stay tuned for more Tennessee sports gambling news over the next few months!

The battle for London supremacy goes on with another hectic matchup coming on Tuesday. Chelsea vs. Arsenal is the fixture I’m referring to, scheduled for Tuesday evening CET time, and promising a tight contest from start to finish. Of course, our Chelsea vs. Arsenal betting predictions are here to shed light on the matchup and try to get the greatest value for you guys.

Of course, everyone interested in soccer betting already has his eyes set on this matchup. Premier League, even though the title run is almost up, is still among the most interesting soccer leagues to bet on, and often holds the greatest value.

And that’s exactly what we’ll be covering in our Chelsea vs. Arsenal betting predictions! We’ll try to find the greatest value after comprehensively analyzing both sides, their key players, and tactical approaches.

Yep, there’s plenty of stuff ahead of us, so we might as well kick it off!

Lampard Needs a Home Win

Chelsea got just six points out of their last five fixtures played on Stamford Bridge. Now that their fiercest city rival, Arsenal, is coming, Lampard’s boys will have to go all-in for a win. And it’s not just to improve their overall home record but to inch closer to third-placed Leicester and away from the fifth-place Manchester United.

Need I remind you, Chelsea is currently at the fourth Premier League spot, which is the final spot leading to Champions League. There’s still a ton of matches to go, but if Chelsea wins on Tuesday, they’ll be the front-runners for another Champions League run. Arsenal, on the other hand, seems far unlikely to succeed after failing last time out too. Don’t even get me started on how Arsenal lost the Champions League this season after losing against Chelsea in the Europa League finals.

Form-wise, Chelsea’s 2020 hasn’t kicked off on the right foot. In three matches thus far, Lampard’s men got just four points. It’s not the end of the world, I know, but they’ll definitely have to step their game up if they want to contest for a Champions League spot.

Key Players

Tammy Abraham is still Chelsea’s main striker, netting thirteen goals thus far and establishing himself as one of the best Premier League strikers this season. Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic have scored a few too, both sitting at five goals thus far. Willian is the best assistant with four in the basket, further proving just how much experience means in a winger role.

Stepping away from the stats, the two men we have to point out are Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic. Even though the 28-year-old Italian international seems to be under heavy criticism, he’s still displaying fine shows under Lampard.

I’d like to make a follow-up regarding Chelsea’s back four too, but that’s something I can’t do considering the number of goals they’ve conceded thus far. Thirty goals in twenty-three matches – that’s way too much for Chelsea’s standards…

Tactical Approach

Whether we’re talking about attack-minded 4-3-3 or a more defensively adept 4-2-3-1, we have to admit Lampard’s Chelsea is looking strong. Yes, the defensive end hasn’t been up to their usual standards. If it was, I reckon Lampard’s boys would be right beneath Manchester City and Liverpool at this point in the title race.

Despite a lot of criticism, Lampard ought to keep his managerial spot at Chelsea till the end of the season; unless his side loses the grip and with it the Champions League finish.

Arsenal Sinking Deeper

Moving on with our Chelsea vs. Arsenal betting prediction, let’s talk a bit about the Gunners. For starters, let’s address the crucial narrative in the red side of north London – Arteta’s first few games and his overall ability (or the lack thereof) to lead Arsenal.

It’s the sad reality the Gunners will have to come to terms with in order to improve. The way Arteta’s men have been playing thus far (since his arrival), Gunners can be happy with a Europa League finish. Anything above that seems like science fiction at the moment.

And it’s quite surprising, to be honest, seeing Arteta continue his slump after an impressive 2-0 win against Manchester United. To put things into perspective, Arsenal has more goals conceded than scored. We’re talking thirty scored and thirty-two conceded.

Coming into this match with such poor stats (even more conceded goals than Chelsea), makes me think Arteta’s men will have yet another round of spanking.

Key Players

Nothing says “goalscoring machine” as much as the golden Gabon boy, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. In twenty-two Premier League appearances this season, Aubameyang scored fourteen goals and added one assist to his tally. His forward colleague, Alexandre Lacazette, on the other hand, has five goals and two assists, although from sixteen appearances.

As mentioned earlier, Arsenal’s defensive end has a lot of work on their hands. David Luiz, Sokratis, and the company need to be more consistent in their defensive struggles. They can be an impenetrable wall for a few matches, but then they’ll have the same number of matches packed with outright ridiculous mistakes. A proper defensive-minded player would effectively boost Arsenal’s chances of snatching a spot leading to European competitions next season. It would be money well spent, that’s for sure!

Tactical Approach

The 37-year-old former Arsenal star, Mikel Arteta, took the job on December 20th, and has already gone through a proper baptism by fire. The first time he met with Lampard on the other end, his side suffered through a nasty comeback near the final whistle.

This time around, Arteta will have to motivate his players even further. And it won’t be easy, not just because Chelsea is in a slightly better form but also because of the electric Stamford Bridge atmosphere that’s unwelcoming towards their north London neighbors.

As for the tactical approach, I wouldn’t be surprised if Arteta goes with a more defensive lineup in search of that much-needed draw. I’m not saying the Spaniard won’t attack; I just think we’ll see Arsenal in an unconventional, counter-attacking deployment. That might actually be the only way Arsenal’s shaky defense prevents another catastrophe.

Chelsea vs. Arsenal Betting Predictions

Now that we’ve taken a closer look at both teams, it’s time to wrap our Chelsea vs. Arsenal betting predictions up with a few fact-driven picks!

For starters, there’s no way Arteta’s men make another surprise like the one against Manchester United. Too much stuff aligned perfectly in Arsenal’s favor that night, and chances of it happening again on Stamford Bridge are next to nothing.

In other words, the safest bet (read not the greatest value) for this matchup would be double chance on Chelsea or draw. Experienced Premier League betting enthusiasts know the probability of draws in these London derbies, which makes me think another one wouldn’t be that surprising at all. The odds are pretty low, though, sitting at -450 on Betway.

Then again, Chelsea is a much better attacking side, having scored 39 goals thus far. What’s another one or two for the likes of Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham, especially knowing Arsenal’s shaky defense. If Chelsea scores a fast goal, Arteta’s men will have to make a different, more attack-minded approach for the remainder of the game. Needless to say, that could open up even more space on their defensive end.

Three of the last four head to head matches between these two London-based teams ended in Chelsea’s favor. Also, three out of the last four matches ended with both teams scoring. Do you know where I’m going with this?

I’m talking both teams to score and total goals here. The risk-free bet – Both teams to score and total goals over 2.5 at +100. We can even approach it a bit differently, with the following combo:

Knowing the defensive-end woes of both teams, both to score seems like a no-brainer. Unfortunately, on its own, it’s not the greatest deal. However, when combined with Chelsea to Win or Draw (AKA double chance 1X) , we’re looking at +100, which is great value in my books. Great value indeed…

NBA Odds - Courtesy of BetNow

The Sports Geek Computer Picks

Game Notes

• Anthony Davis will return after missing 5 games with a bruised glute muscle
• Kemba Walker, Jaylen Brown expected to return for Celtics after missing the last game
• This will be the first meeting of the season between the old rivals

The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics have met countless times in the NBA Finals over the years. It’s been over a decade since the last time, but could 2020 bring the resurrection of the classic rivalry? The Lakers are currently 34-8 and sitting comfortably atop the Western Conference, while the 27-14 Celtics are just a game-and-a-half behind the Miami Heat for the No. 2 spot in the East.

BetOnline has props regarding potential Finals matchups posted, and a Lakers-Celtics showdown currently has +1900 odds. While it’s not the most likely outcome, the fact that both franchises seem to be in the midst of an upswing means it’s not impossible to think we could see this rivalry get renewed at some point over the next few years.

Most importantly, these teams are healthy tonight. Anthony Davis is set to return after missing the last 5 games with a bruised butt muscle, while Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown will both return after missing Boston’s last game over the weekend. The Lakers opened as 1-point favorites, but the line has since moved to Lakers -2.

Lakers Cruising

Save for an underwhelming showing at home a few days ago against Orlando, the Lakers have been rolling of late. That loss snapped a 9-game winning streak, but LA got right back into the win column on Saturday night with a 124-115 triumph over James Harden and the Rockets in Houston.

The Lakers’ record is the second-best in the league behind only the Bucks, and their point differential of plus-8.6 is also second behind Milwaukee. Only the Mavericks (plus-7.3) and Clippers (plus-6.6) have point differentials better than plus-5 among those in the Western Conference.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis get plenty of praise for their offensive exploits, but the Lakers have been able to steamroll their way through the season thanks to a surprisingly stingy defensive showing. Los Angeles currently owns the third-best defensive rating in the league, allowing 102.1 points per 100 possessions. Only Milwaukee and Toronto have been better. Boston, meanwhile, ranks fifth in the same category.

Celtics’ Under-the-Radar Season

The Celtics are unquestionably one of the NBA’s marquee franchises, but they haven’t garnered a whole lot of attention from national media this season. Everyone’s talking about the Lakers and Clippers in LA, while the exploits of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have understandably generated plenty of attention.

The 76ers and Nets feel like nonstop soap operas, while the Knicks are in the midst of yet another season of discontent. For whatever reason, the Celtics have been chugging along without much buzz. Boston is a respectable 27-14 on the year and they’re in a battle with the 76ers and Raptors for supremacy in the Atlantic Division. Philly is the betting favorite to come out atop the Atlantic at the end of the season, but I wouldn’t sleep on the Celtics.

Boston was a disappointment last season in Kyrie Irving’s final year with the team, but they have turned the page with Kemba Walker in the fold. Walker may not be quite as impactful a player as Kyrie, but he’s able to do a comparable job without generating as much negative attention. Kemba is averaging better than 22 points per game in his first year with the team, while the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are quietly in the midst of the best seasons of their respective careers.

The Pick

As impressed as I have been with what the Celtics have been doing, the Lakers have been on another level entirely. Davis should be feeling fresh after taking a couple of weeks off, while LeBron keeps putting up MVP-caliber numbers on a nightly basis.

Any time you can get the Lakers as an underdog (as was the case Saturday night in Houston) it’s a bet worth considering. LA isn’t a ‘dog on Monday night in Boston, but the 2-point spread is certainly attractive from a betting perspective.

With Al Horford gone, the Celtics are lacking the beef up front to really give the Lakers trouble in the paint. Davis should have a field day against the likes of Tatum, Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter, while JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard should be able to give the Lakers a decent edge on the glass.

I just like the idea of getting the Lakers as small favorites. These teams aren’t quite as evenly-matched as the spread might lead you to believe. Most of the money is coming in on the Lakers here, and with good reason. I’d jump on the 2-point spread while you can still get it, because there’s a decent chance the line will continue to shift as the day progresses.

The Pick: Lakers -2 (-110)

We delivered a pair of winners yesterday on the Summit League showdown between the South Dakota State Jackrabbits and the South Dakota Coyotes. I felt that the Coyotes displayed some nice value as home dogs in a rivalry game, and I thought that they were much more talented than their mediocre record in league play was showing.

And while I liked the home dog in league play, as I almost always do, and felt that it warranted a small play, where I saw the real value was in the game total of 149-points. Both of these teams are very talented on offense, and dreadfully bad on defense. I expected a back and forth shootout type of game where both teams were happy to trade baskets. So, I jumped on the over and felt like I was stealing.

NBA Odds - Courtesy of BetNow

The Sports Geek Computer Picks

NBA Odds - Courtesy of BetNow

The Sports Geek Computer Picks

NBA Odds - Courtesy of BetNow

The Sports Geek Computer Picks

My last set of free NHL picks came on Friday and it was a 1-1 night that saw us dead-even in terms of units as well.

I mean, there was absolutely nothing wrong with my pick of the Penguins on the puckline over the Red Wings at nice +120 odds. Except for the result, that is.

Coming off a stretch of horrendous starts, Jimmy Howard was excellent for the Red Wings on this night, turning aside 35 of the 37 Penguins shots that came his way. Pittsburgh outshot the Wings by a 37-29 count, but it took overtime for their 2-1 win, so my Penguins puckline pick was sunk. I’m taking that pick all day long at those odds, so I’ll tip my cap to Howard and take the loss in that one.

We got evened up shortly after, however, as the Ducks and Hurricanes played to a close, low-scoring affair.

I had the under 5.5 in that one, and it was never really in doubt. Although it was a 1-1 score after one period – a six-goal pace – there were zero goals scored in the second period and another goose egg in the third. The Ducks completed a huge upset with an OT winner, however, and took that one by a 2-1 count as heavy road underdogs in the neighborhood of +180.

No harm, no foul on the night as we move to tonight’s small two-game NHL schedule!

Season Record: 81-68-1

Units: +14.45

Now let’s take a look at this Red Wings vs. Avalanche free NHL pick from the Pepsi Center in Colorado!

Red Wings vs. Avalanche Betting Odds

• Red Wings (+330)
• Avalanche (-380)

• Red Wings +1.5 (+143)
• Avalanche -1.5 (-163)

• Over 6.5 (+105)
• Under 6.5 (-116)

Red Wings vs. Avalanche NHL Pick Breakdown

Now let’s take a look at each of these teams before I get into my final pick!

Red Wings

The Wings fought hard in that loss to the Penguins on Friday, but also managed just one goal the following night in a 4-1 loss to the Panthers.

That’s four straight games in which the Red Wings have managed two goals or fewer and the third time over the last four that they’ve scored just one goal in a game.

Of course, we’re not surprised given the team’s season-long struggles on offense.

The Red Wings will enter this one ranked dead last by a mile with just 2.04 goals per game on the road this season where their power play has struggled immensely to the tune of a 9% clip, also good for the worst mark in the NHL.

Of course, the Red Wings have also struggled on the back end wherever they’ve played, but have been worse on the road.

The Wings could be encouraged by the recent play of Howard who should get the nod tonight in Jonathan Bernier’s absence, but I could also see Jeff Blashill starting Calvin Pickard against his old club where he spent the best years of his career so far.

Howard would enter this one sporting a 4.06 GAA and .883 Sv% on the season to go along with an ugly 2-17-2 record. He has gone 1-7-1 on the road thanks in large part to his 4.79 GAA and .855 Sv% away from home this season.

He’s improved to a .932 SV% over his last two starts – against a couple of good offenses – after posting an .839 Sv% over his last six outings combined.

If it’s Pickard that gets the start, it’s not much prettier.

He’s seen limited NHL time with just three appearances this season, but owns a 5.46 GAA and .797 Sv% in that time and most recently allowed five goals on 19 shots as part of an 8-2 loss to the Islanders last week.

Pickard allowed six goals on 35 shots in Philadelphia back on November 29th in his lone start of the season.

Avalanche

After dropping four in a row, the Avalanche have found their game with wins in back-to-back contests, both of which came at home.

They won an important 5-3 affair over the Central-leading Blues on Saturday afternoon, however they did so despite putting just 18 shots on goal.

That’s this Avalanche offense, however.

The Avs will enter this one ranked third with 3.83 goals per game at home this season where they’ve now scored nine times over the mini two-game win streak.

Their power play ranks 11th at home with a 22.6% mark and has also been held in check of late despite the increase in scoring, going 0 for 9 over their last three and just 1 for 20 (5%) over their last seven.

While they’ve been dominant at the offensive end at home, they’ve struggled defensively at home as well.

They’ll enter this one having allowed 3.17 goals per game at home this season, good for a share of 25th league wide. They’re home penalty kill has scuffled as well, sitting in a share of 23rd with a 78.6% mark.

That penalty kill has gone 20 for 27 over their last 10 games, good for a shaky 74% mark.

Given that this is an afternoon game, the teams did not skate this morning and therefore we aren’t sure who will get the starting nod in goal for the home side, either.

Philipp Grubauer has regained his hold on the starting job of late, starting three in a row and eight of the last 10.

He sports a 2.82 GAA and .910 Sv% on the season to go along with a 14-10-4 record.

His splits are now fairly even as he has posted a 2.87 GAA and .906 Sv% at home this season where he’s gone 8-5-2.

If Pavel Francouz gets back into the net tonight, he’d carry a 2.41 GAA and .926 Sv% into action. He’s been better on the road, however, where he’s posted an eye-popping 1.82 GAA and .947 Sv% on the season and a 2.88 GAA and .908 Sv% at home.

Goaltending won’t factor into tonight’s decision with the starters for both sides in doubt.

Final Pick

The Red Wings bounced back from an embarrassing 8-2 loss to the Islanders last week with some improved efforts against the Penguins and Panthers.

Still this defense is just god-awful on the road and that penalty kill is as well.

As a result, I’m expecting plenty of offense from the home team today. Still, these odds are laying a lot of juice.

Instead, I’m looking at the total. To be honest, I think the Avalanche could approach the over 6.5 here just on their own.

However, despite averaging a hair over two goals per game on the road, I think the Red Wings could exceed that average tonight against what’s been a poor home defense and a poor penalty kill while both Grubauer and Francouz have been nothing more than mediocre at home this season.

After struggling a little bit on offense over their four consecutive losses, the Avalanche have found their scoring touch. It could get ugly for the Wings in this one.

As a result, I’m looking for something like a 5-2 or 6-3 Avalanche win in this one. Therefore, give me the over 6.5 today from the Pepsi Center.

Posted: January 20, 2020

(Photo credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

We took the day off yesterday as the NBA basically did the same thanks to the NFL playoffs. Today is always a big day for the NBA as today is the day that America celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. The NBA celebrates by having games on all day long.

We had a tough one on Saturday, but that was bound to happen eventually after our big hot streak. Even with that 0-2 day, we are on a 10-4 run in NBA here on SBT. Let’s try and keep that going.

Indiana Pacers at Utah Jazz Betting Tips:

The Jazz have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA over the past month and they are starting to get the respect of the bookmakers. They are a big -7 favorite at home against the Pacers tonight, but honestly I think this line is just a bit too high. Utah is 9-8 against the spread as a home favorite and 16-14 against the spread as a favorite on the season. They are just not a great team at covering the spread. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. I think tonight is a night that they don’t.

The Pacers are on a five-game winning streak right now and are near to full health. They have a 12-9 against the spread record on the road this season. These two teams played earlier this season and the Pacers won big at home.

One thing that I notice about the Jazz’s huge win streak is the quality of their wins. They won 11 out of 12 games, but the best team they beat was the Clippers and the second best was either the Magic or the Nets. This is probably the second best team that they’ve played since Christmas and that could be a rude awakening for them.

I would not be surprised to see the Jazz win this one outright, but this line is just too high to lay all those points.

Bet Pacers +7 for 1 unit

San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns Betting Tips:

The Suns haven’t beaten the Spurs since November of 2018 and I have my doubts that they will do it tonight. DeMar DeRozan has been playing absolutely out of his mind lately. He’s averaging 27.6 points per game, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in the month of January and is carrying this team back to relevance. LaMarcus Aldridge has also started shooting threes which has really opened up this offense.

Aron Baynes is a role player, but he’s a big part of what the Phoenix Suns do and he’s listed as questionable tonight. I think the Spurs excel when it comes to size and the lack of Baynes could be a big problem. If that means more minutes for DeAndre Ayton then that will cause some huge defensive issues that the Spurs won’t hesitate to take advantage of.

The Suns are playing well and they are a much better team than the past few seasons, but I just don’t see them being favored here and I am going to take the points.

Bet San Antonio +4