Vegas has a tendency to tighten up and nail down their lines as the season goes on and the result of that is reflected in gamblers’ pockets. Hinkle busted out of the gate and was already up $400 through five weeks but he’s been .500 since. Meanwhile both Mikey and Chuck have had 0-4 that have put them in a deep hole. Who will register the first 4-0 week? Hinkle’s been close with a couple 3-0-1’s, but no one’s hit the jackpot yet.
Quick recap and on to the picks.
Week 7 Results
1. Chuck: +86.36...Nice 3-1 rebound after bombing week six.
2. Mattare: +$57…Quietly gaining ground.
3. Hinkle: +$3…Vegas gods punish him for calling them out.
4. Mikey: -$30…A step backwards that he can’t afford.
Overall Standings thru Week 7
1. Hinkle: +$399.50…Stuck in neutral the last two weeks.
2. Mattare: +$289.60…Finally within striking distance.
3. Chuck: +$170.29…Beginning his climb back into the hunt.
4. Mikey: +$58…Has to start making some serious moves.
Week 8 Pick Summary
Hinkle: Pitt-Rut (Over), OSU-Pur (Over), Neb > OSU, WV-Syr (Over)
Mattare: Neb > OSU, Okla > Mizz, MD-BC (Under), Ind > Ill
Mikey: UCLA > Ore, Neb > OSU, Bama > Tenn, Kent-Geo (Under)
Chuck: NW > MSU, Miss > Ark, Cal > ASU, SF > Cin
Gamblers Breakdown
-----HINKLE-----
It's 1:40 am and I feel like swinging for the fences just like Jayson Werth did in the 9th inning. I am either going to take a commanding lead or be right in the thick of things. Either way I will be happy to continue this battle. I have been on top since day 1 and I need to make a big pick or go back to Little League. Here we go. Short and sweet, right to the point. I am pissed no prop bets are up yet, which is the reason I waited so late to do this so with no choice but spreads and O/U, I make my picks after a solid night of $1 You Call It.
Game #1: Pitt-Rutgers (OVER 44)… $165 to win $150
Go big or go home.
Game #2: OSU-Purdue (OVER 47)…$11 to win $10
This was my runner up for play of the week
Game #3: Nebraska (-5.5) vs. Ok. State…$11 to win $10
Texas murdered them now they murder the Cowboys.
Game #4: WVU-Syracuse (Over 43)… $11 to win $10
TD's left and right...maybe even center.
-----MATTARE-----
Hinkle is hearing the footsteps as he cools off and I steadily rise up the ladder. No huge games that jump out but that doesn’t mean there aren’t winners. The theme of this week is “Big 12 Pretenders Exposed.” All spreads are from sportsbook.com.
Game #1: Nebraska (-5.5) over Oklahoma St…$55 to win $50
Nebraska had a tough little hiccup last week at home against the Horns and unfortunately it’s going to cost them a shot at the national title. That doesn’t mean their season will go up in smoke though. The Pokes have a couple nice wins over Texas Tech and Texas A&M, but they haven’t faced a defense like Nebraska’s nor have they seen a quarterback as dynamic as Taylor Martinez. Look for Martinez to bounce back and the Huskers to take care of business.
Game #2: Oklahoma (-3) over Missouri…$33 to win $30
Simple as this: Mizzou, I don’t believe. Prove me wrong. Actually, don’t prove me wrong. Boomer Sooner Baby.
Game #3: Maryland-Boston College (Under 41.5)…$44 to win $40
This is going to be a boring, terrible game between two boring, mediocre-to-bad teams. The over/under is pretty low, but there’s a reason: neither team has scored 20 points against a major conference opponent this season. I’d make some comment about how I’d be SHOCKED if this pillow fight turned into a shootout, but I know better.
Game #4: Indiana (+14) over Illinois…$44 to win $40
You mean Juice and Arrelious leave and suddenly the Zookers spring to life?!?! While Illinois may be much improved after horrifically underachieving the past two seasons, Indiana’s actually a solid squad with a dynamic offense—and oh by the way, they beat the Illini by two touchdowns last year. The Hoosiers have made strides this year and it’s tough for me to believe there will be a 27-point swing from last year’s win in Bloomington.
-----CHUCK-----
Obviously the rabid Northwestern fan base will be up for this game. And by rabid I mean the opposite. They're more docile than a baby deer. I still like the Wildcats despite their terrible fans.
I go back to the Black Bear Well because THE WELL IS SO DEEEEP!
Bears, Bears, Bears, Bears...Black, Grizzly, Kodiak, Chicago--I don't care, just give'm to me.
The beginning of the demise of Nippert Stadium's effectiveness and the rise of Skip Holtz.
-----MIKEY-----
I went 2-2 in my picks last week but ended up losing money which is sweet, have to get the right amounts with the right games this time. I'm determined to turn this thing into a race, there needs to be some suspense for the last weekend of the season and we're going to get it dammit. Set the world on fire! (all lines from covers.com):
Game #1: UCLA (+24) over Oregon…$33 to win $30
Oregon seems like an easy pick in this one, exactly why I'm taking the Bruins and the points. The Ducks are No. 1 for the first time ever and that's never an easy title to hold, the pressure on them will be increased every week now and it's hard to know how to handle that if you've never experienced it. The Bruins aren't a great team but they might be able to force an anxious Oregon team into a few mistakes and slow down the pace of play enough when they have the ball to cover the spread.
Game #2: Nebraska (-5.5) over Oklahoma St…$55 to win $50
Nebraska had a letdown against a tough Texas D last weekend that shut down Taylor Martinez and the rest of the offense. Oklahoma St. will not offer any of the same problems defensively that Texas does however and the Huskers should be back up and running this Saturday, I'm thinking blowout.
Game #3: Alabama (-16.5) over Tennessee…$22 to win $20
Alabama played a pretty close game at home against Ole Miss last Saturday, suggesting they might be losing some steam going forward. They're still very much alive for the BCS national championship though and Nick Saban's squad needs to come out and impress if they want to get back in the picture. A huge road win at Tennessee would get some spotlight back on them and they'll make it happen this weekend.
Game #4: Kentucky-Georgia (Under 58)…$55 to win $50
Why oh why didn't I pick the Kentucky moneyline last week, still kicking myself for that one. I've shown alot of love for the Wildcats this season (mainly because of my mancrush on Randall Cobb) and although I'm not picking them this week I'll still make a play on their game. Georgia is a physical team that likes to keep the score low and UK has to be worn out after their exhausting W last Saturday night so all signs point to the under in this one. I say take it big and run.
"Hinkle is hearing the footsteps as he cools off and I steadily rise up the ladder."
ReplyDeleteI took 159 steps forward. You?