Blowout games in any sport are never fun, and being able to enjoy a battle that comes down to the final seconds is what sports fans live for. They got their chance last night, as Thursday Night Football in the NFL kept things interesting until the final seconds ripped off the clock. The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants had been expected to give football fans a thrill, but perhaps not in the way the game played out.
It can safely be said that Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz saved the day for his team last night. The Eagles were down by 11 points with only five minutes left in the game, and fans were already starting to turn off the TV. Undoubtedly, more than a handful of gamblers who had taken the underdogs to win had torn up their slips or turned off their phones to not be bothered with scoring updates. However, the early exit cost them the chance to see an incredible five minutes of football.
Looking at a 21-10 game with not much time left, Wentz was able to secure a long aerial pass to wide receiver John Hightower to set the Eagles up for a touchdown run by wide receiver Greg Ward from just a few yards out. With the game now 21-16, the Eagles opted for a two-point conversion to move within three on the Giants and Wentz took it in on his own to.
The only thing the Giants needed to do from this point was manage the clock and chew up as much time as possible. Keeping the ball on the ground would have helped, and for the first couple of downs, that’s what the Giants did. However, they tried to switch it up and go for a pass on third down, which tight end Evan Engram failed to pull down, forcing a punt. Just like that, the Eagles had a shot – albeit a long one – to find the win.
The four teams on the bye in Week 7 around the NFL are two Super Bowl contenders in the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens and two not-very-good teams in the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings.
The AFC South-leading Tennessee Titans were supposed to be on the bye, too, but a COVID-19 outbreak on the team forced some schedule changes. That included a Week 4 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers that has now been moved to this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
It’s the marquee matchup of Week 7 between the AFC’s two remaining unbeatens and could have big-time playoff tiebreaker ramifications. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was the 2019 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger could be the 2020 winner. The Steelers are -2 with the Titans 7-3 ATS in their past 10 as home dogs.
The four teams on the bye in Week 7 around the NFL are two Super Bowl contenders in the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens and two not-very-good teams in the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings.
The AFC South-leading Tennessee Titans were supposed to be on the bye, too, but a COVID-19 outbreak on the team forced some schedule changes. That included a Week 4 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers that has now been moved to this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
It’s the marquee matchup of Week 7 between the AFC’s two remaining unbeatens and could have big-time playoff tiebreaker ramifications. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was the 2019 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger could be the 2020 winner. The Steelers are -2 with the Titans 7-3 ATS in their past 10 as home dogs.
The four teams on the bye in Week 7 around the NFL are two Super Bowl contenders in the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens and two not-very-good teams in the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings.
The AFC South-leading Tennessee Titans were supposed to be on the bye, too, but a COVID-19 outbreak on the team forced some schedule changes. That included a Week 4 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers that has now been moved to this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
It’s the marquee matchup of Week 7 between the AFC’s two remaining unbeatens and could have big-time playoff tiebreaker ramifications. Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill was the 2019 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger could be the 2020 winner. The Steelers are -2 with the Titans 7-3 ATS in their past 10 as home dogs.
The 2021 PFL Regular Season, Playoffs and Championship to Air on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+
NEW YORK (October 20, 2020): Professional Fighters League (PFL), the first organization ever to present MMA through a Regular Season, Playoffs and Championship format, today announced that the 2021 PFL Season will begin April 23 on ESPN2. The remaining Regular Season events will take place on April 29, May 6, June 10, June 17, and June 25. PFL will begin its 2021 season a month early as the league makes its anticipated return to action.
“We’re thrilled to announce an early start date for the 2021 PFL Season and we look forward to building on the positive momentum experienced in a historic first season on ESPN,” said PFL CEO, Peter Murray. “In 2021, the PFL will deliver an elevated, immersive, and interactive fan viewing experience incorporating expanded, real-time fighter data and analytics from our proprietary SmartCage technology, behind-the-scenes access, the return of ref cam, and more. Our champions return looking to earn another title, while a fresh crop of exciting new fighters will challenge for the top spot in MMA. Additional contenders will be unveiled in the leadup to what we believe will be the biggest season in PFL history.”
Randy Arozarena (.320, 3 HR, 5 RBI), Joey Wendle (.348, 4 runs scored), Brandon Lowe (2 home runs, 5 RBI), and the tandem of Nick Anderson and Diego Castillo (10.1 IP, 0 runs, 15 K) helped Tampa Bay to a win over Los Angeles, four games to two, as Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the leader in sports simulation games, announced the results of its simulation of the series, scheduled to begin tonight in Arlington, Texas.
Arozarena earned MVP honors, homering in games 1, 2, and 5, to back the solid Tampa Bay pitching staff which limited Los Angeles to a .187 batting average through the series. Mike Zunino’s two-run home run in the seventh extended a 5-2 TB lead to put the game out of reach and secure Tampa Bay’s first championship in franchise history.
Los Angeles was paced by AJ Pollock (.333 batting average), Mookie Betts (.280, 5 runs) and Justin Turner (home run, 4 runs, 4 RBI).
“Fans across the country learned who Randy Arozarena was this October, and that translated well to our World Series simulation,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “Tampa Bay’s team has been strong in our other simulations this year, so it’s not too surprising to us that the American League’s best team won it all.”
The Tampa Bay Rays have never won a World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of baseball’s most successful franchises overall – and are in the Fall Classic for the third time in the past four years, but they haven’t won a title since 1988.
One drought will end as the teams meet in this year’s World Series starting Tuesday from Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
MyBookie’s Head Oddsmaker David Strauss lists the Dodgers as -210 series favorites after leading the majors in wins during the regular season. The Rays are +160 underdogs.
For full World Series Odds visit mybookie.ag/sportsbook/mlb/world-series
World Series Expert Analysis from MyBookie Head Oddsmaker, David Strauss
The Dodgers have been a juggernaut all season. Once LA acquired Mookie Betts from Boston in February, the Dodgers became the odds-on World Series favorites. They did not disappoint, racing to a 43-17 record and posting a plus 136 run differential – both the best in baseball, by far.
The Dodgers are back in the World Series for the third time in four seasons, the first team to do that since the Yankees in 2000, 2001 and 2003.
The Dodgers’ NLCS roster included 12 players who have been All-Stars in their careers, for a total of 26 appearances. The Rays’ roster features just four All-Stars with five appearances.
To most fans, the Rays are an anonymous bunch. They opened the season ranking 28th in the majors in payroll. The only team to reach the World Series since 1998 with a lower ranking? The 2008 Rays.
Regardless of the unique paths each organization has taken to this point, they’re both league champions, and either team would make worthy World Series champs. So, who’s going to win it all?
David Strauss Series Prediction Dodgers in six games (+350)
Tampa Bay may be the only team to match the Dodgers’ depth, but LA’s stars will prove to be too much for even the Rays to overcome. Expect the Dodgers to finally exercise their demons and win their first title in more than 3 decades.
SERIES PRICES | MLB – Oct 20 | MLB WORLD SERIES PRICES
The Melbourne Storm are set to do battle with the Penrith Panthers in the 2020 National Rugby League (NRL) Grand Final in Sydney. The young Panthers side have enjoyed a stellar season under coach Ivan Cleary and will be chasing a club record 18 straight wins in the premiership decider. Penrith just finished ahead of Melbourne at the end of the regular season to claim the minor premiership.
The Storm enters the Grand Final, injury-free and with a huge advantage in experience over a youthful Panthers side. The Storm were clinical in a 30-20 win over the Canberra Raiders in Brisbane. The Melbourne Storm remains the benchmark of the competition; appearing in four of the last five NRL Grand Finals, winning their last title in 2017.
Experience hooker Cameron Smith remains the fulcrum of the Storm’s attack. The Storm captain is the most experienced player in the game, and an NRL title after game 430 would be the perfect swansong to a stellar career. Smith’s ability to control the game is unparalleled in the NRL. Melbourne will head into the decider injury free, with playmaker Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith recovering from minor injuries sustained in the preliminary final win over the Raiders.
Penrith will feel that history is on their side; the last two occasions Penrith won the main prize, the finished as minor premiers in 1991 and 2003 respectively. The Panthers have blazed a trail through the competition this season and will be chasing a club record 18 consecutive wins in the Grand Final. Playmaker Nathan Cleary has enjoyed a stellar season in 2020 and will be the mainstay of a Panthers attack set to welcome back Second-rower Viliame Kikau.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Show Green Bay Packers the Way to Attack
In the meeting of the two ‘Bays’, it was Tampa who took the victory in the NFL as they reminded familiar foes Green Bay that attack is the best form of defence.
With the acquisition of Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers have shown intent in the form of their summer recruitment and with the addition of Brady’s former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski, many pre-season pundits believed that Tampa had acquired a potential Vince Lombardi trophy-winning combination.
Tampa’s current regular season record of 4-2 might throw a little cold water on those flames rather than fanning them with praise, but this latest victory owed a lot to the offensive prowess of Bruce Arians’ side.
The Texas Rangers have never won a World Series, but their new home ballpark will house a champion as the 2020 World Series between the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays and National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers begins Tuesday night from Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Dodgers have “home-field” advantage for four of the seven games if the series goes that far and are -200 on the series line with the Rays at +170.
It’s a true David vs. Goliath matchup even though Tampa Bay and Los Angeles were the only two clubs to win at least 40 games in the coronavirus-shortened 60-game regular season. It’s just the fourth time in the Wild-Card era (since 1995), the teams with the best record in each league will meet in the World Series.
The Rays are a no-name franchise with little money to spend and zero national cache. The Dodgers have money to burn and are loaded with stars like former AL MVP Mookie Betts and former NL MVPs Cody Bellinger and Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers’ NLCS roster included 12 players who have been All-Stars in their careers.
The MLB season is one step closer to seeing the World Series championship after some thought baseball might not happen at all this year because of COVID-19. The season may have been shortened because of the global pandemic, but at least there’s been some action to enjoy. The National League (NL) and the American League (AL) are close to determining who will take their respective Championship Series (CS), and at least one of the two could be decided today.
In the NLCS, the LA Dodgers are taking on the Atlanta Braves, but aren’t able to find a lot of success. They’re down 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, and the Braves could send the Dodgers packing if they win today. The Dodgers gave a great performance in Game 3 to stay in the running, but couldn’t keep it up in Game 4 yesterday. The Braves showed that the 11-run grab by the Dodgers in the previous game was a fluke.
In Game 3, the Dodgers won 15-3; however, the Braves flipped that upside down with a 10-2 victory last night. Marcell Ozuna picked up two home runs and drove in four runs, and potential MVP Freddie Freeman pushed the Braves ahead with a tiebreaking double. Righty Bryse Wilson, on the mound for the first time in a postseason game, had an outstanding night, stopping almost everyone who stepped up to the plate for the Dodgers. Atlanta can taste the victory and, with three games still on tap, it only needs to win one of them to advance to the World Series.
Things are a little tighter in the ALCS, where the Houston Astros are giving the Tampa Bay Rays trouble. They Rays started the series on the road to a 4-0 shutout, but faltered in Game 4 to give the Astros their first victory of the series. Houston kept the pressure on by adding another win in Game 5 last night, making this a 3-2 series. It isn’t clear if the Astros are pulling out some old tricks from their bag to cause the Rays so much grief.
Strikers are at a premium in the modern game. To be successful as the top of the pitch at the elite level of the game, you need pace, power and deadly finishing. Two men who became legendary strikers at Arsenal and Manchester United at the height of their 1990’s and 2000s rivalry were Thierry Henry and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
How do the two men’s records compare and why do the paths of their very different careers intersect in so many ways? Let’s look at the story of two men who instinctively knew where the goal was, and more importantly, how to find it on an incredibly regular basis.
Youth and the Art of Finishing (1990-1994)
While both van Nistelrooy and Henry would become strikers with whom the first thought associated with them is goals, that wasn’t always the case. Van Nistelrooy began his career playing for Den Bosch in Holland, and it was while he was there that he changed from being a central midfielder to a central striker, preying on the ball and learning the art of finishing.
TeamWorks Media today announced that the Goose Island Beer Company will become the presenting sponsor of Being Guillén, La Vida Baseball’sregular visit with and inside the Guillén family. The sponsored show will stream Friday, October 16 from Goose Island Brewhouse in Chicago, and will feature Ozzie Sr, Ozzie Jr, and Oney Guillén offering their entertaining take on baseball and family. TeamWorks Media is the parent company of La Vida Baseball.
“We are proud to have Goose Island Beer Company join the La Vida Baseball family,” said Jay Sharman, TeamWorks Media. “There is no more entertaining family than the Guillén’s, who always deliver on storytelling on and off the baseball diamond, and it is a great way to again celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with our growing audience.”
“The Guillén family embodies all that is good about the diverse culture of Chicago,” said T.J. Annerino (Goose Island Beer Co.). “We are looking forward to having Ozzie and his family here at our Clybourn Pub, and honored to support the Ozzie Guillen Foundation with the Ozzie Burger and share our beers well beyond our borders through La Vida Baseball.”
The show will touch on all the recent developments in and around Chicago with the postseason runs of the Cubs and the White Sox now closed, as well as what is ahead for the offseason and a look at the Point of View of all the family members on the upcoming World Series, their thoughts on the Pandemic, and many other topics. Ozzie Sr. also has a burger named after him being served at the Brewery and the proceeds from the burger sale will go to The Ozzie Guillén Foundation. The @ozziegullen13 Burger is a mushroom infused short rib burger with green leaf lettuce, herb roasted tomato, avocado aioli, and a fried egg on a brioche roll, served in a White Sox helmet on a bed of maduros with Ozzie’s baseball card and a 16 ounce Sox Golden Ale.
All that will be in addition to the live social media streaming series, highlighted by La Vida Baseball ¡Live!, the brand’s interactive, fan-centric live show, hosted by Jennifer Mercedes (@Chica_Deportes), Julie Alexandria and Ozzie Guillén Jr; El Bullpen the short-form cultural video round-up, hosted by Julie Alexandria (@JulieAlexandria); Being Guillén, a hilarious weekly show and podcast, hosted by World Series winning manager, Ozzie Guillén and two of his sons, Ozzie Guillén Jr. and Oney Guillén; Pólvora, Voz y Diamante, an exciting and engaging Spanish language show with Polo Ascención, Jesse Castillo and Pliego Villa and Home Plate, a newly video series celebrates food and lifestyle hosted by Jennifer Mercedes and Julie Alexandria.
About La Vida Baseball
La Vida Baseball is a lifestyle media company that entertains and engages the Latino baseball community through original video, live shows and social media content. Launched in 2017, La Vida Baseball has emerged as the fastest growing Latino sports digital media company in the United States. Owned by TeamWorks Media, a Chicago-based media agency started in 2000, La Vida Baseball reaches more than six million English-preferred U.S. Latino fans per month. For more information, visit www.lavidabaseball.com or follow on all social channels @LaVidaBaseball.
About Goose Island Beer Company:
Founded in Chicago in 1988, Goose Island is a leader in craft brewing, creating award-winning beers that define innovative styles and capture the imaginations and palates of beer drinkers everywhere. Goose Island has won a variety of awards at acclaimed beer events including the World Beer Championships, World Beer Cup, European Beer Star, World Expo of Beer and the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). For more information visit http://www.gooseisland.com and find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About TeamWorks Media
TeamWorks Media is a purpose-driven content agency empowering its clients to change the world and their bottom line with a story well told. The Chicago-based agency creates large scale, emotionally engaging content solutions and ensures they get in front of the right audiences on the right platforms.
TeamWorks Media is comprised of content strategists, award-winning storytellers, social media experts and strategic marketers to inspire clients achieve extraordinary results by harnessing their expertise in an increasingly niche media world.
TeamWorks Media built and owns La Vida Baseball, a Latino lifestyle digital media company, the fastest growing Latinos sports media company in the U.S. TeamWorks Media has long-standing partnerships with the Big Ten Conference and runs BTN’s inspirational media brand, BTN LiveBIG. Recent clients also include Turner Sports, NBC Universal, Northwestern University, The World Golf Hall of Fame and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
England international Kieran Trippier has been hauled in front of the English Football Association (FA) to answer charges of a breach in betting rules for players. The defender was charged in July 2019 with several breaches of the betting code, after a high-profile switch from Tottenham Hotspurs to Atletico Madrid.
[Image credit: Wikimedia Commons]
The timing of the hearing forced England coach to drop Trippier from his England side that faced Denmark in the Nations League Group fixture at Wembley Stadium.
England coach Gareth Southgate refused to be drawn into the drama surrounding Trippier when asked by the media:
If 2020 has taught sports fans anything, it’s that no one should ever expect the expected. Across all major sports, there have been upset and surprise victories, as well as performances by teams and individuals that defied all possible odds. With the American League (AL) and National League (NL) Championship Series (CS) in full force, the hits keep on coming – especially for the LA Dodgers. Following some unbelievable performances yesterday, there’s now zero possibility of seeing a sweep this year.
The Tampa Bay Rays seemed to be on track to take down the Houston Astros with relative ease when they moved to 3-0 in the best-of-seven ALCS series. That changed last night when the Astros held on to win Game 4 and keep their World Series hopes alive. There’s no denying the fact that keeping veteran pitcher Zack Greinke on the mound was a big reason for the win, as he gave it everything he had to confuse the Rays. It worked, too. He recorded two key strikeouts, including one with bases loaded, to keep the Rays from finding home plate, holding Tampa to only two runs and striking out seven.
Jose Altuve bounced back from an embarrassing field performance in Game 4 to give the Astros offense a boost. He picked up a homer – number 18 during playoffs – and brought home a runner after hitting a double in the sixth inning. George Springer also helped, scoring a home run in the fifth inning to capture his 18th career playoff homer, just like Altuve.
In the NLCS, the Atlanta Braves and the LA Dodgers are going to have to wait a little longer to determine the champ after the Braves completely blew their chance at maintaining control of the series yesterday. The Braves already had two wins under their belt and could have added a third last night, but they decided to choke. That’s the only explanation for why the Dodgers, who were 0-2, could have scored 11 runs in the first inning – five from homers. The 11 runs in a single inning are an MLB postseason record, and marked a second-best performance by the Dodgers, as well. In 1954, they picked up a club-high 13 against the Cincinnati Reds.
An argument can be made that Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the top two regular-season quarterbacks in NFL history. They have combined for five NFL MVP Awards – Peyton Manning won five by himself, so he certainly has an argument – and both will be first-ballot, unanimous Hall of Famers five years after they retire.
One big difference in the careers of Brady and Rodgers is regarding the Super Bowl. Brady has reached the game a whopping nine times and won it a record six. Rodgers is 1-0 in the game. It’s almost amazing the two legends never played in a Super Bowl and they apparently never will with Brady now in the NFC.
When the Green Bay Packers visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET in Week 6, it may be the last time Rodgers and Brady face off barring a 2020 postseason matchup. They have split two regular-season meetings all-time. Brady is a very rare home underdog at +2.5 and the Bucs overall are 1-6-1 ATS in their past eight as dogs.
The Seattle Seahawks were looking in great form heading into last night’s NFL game… then it kicked off.
With four wins from their opening four games, the ‘Hawks were expected to roll over the Minnesota Vikings, who had a record of 1-3 before the game.
That’s not what happened.
In the first quarter, The Seahawks remained without a point, and conceded seven. That was almost replicated in the second quarter, with the two teams going into the half-time interval with the score 13-0 to the Vikings, who had not just plundered a lead but deservedly so.
GammaStack, the leading sportsbook platform provider, has announced a collaboration with the world-leading provider of real-time sports data, LSports.
This marks the beginning of a promising partnership. GammaStack is an iGaming Technology company offering solutions and services to clients spread across the USA, Europe & Africa. Their core offerings include ready to launch platforms and custom software development services for sportsbooks, fantasy sports and online casino operators.
The sportsbooks delivered by GammaStack are GLI certified and licensed by Curaçao Gaming Control Board. High-end customizations, robust backend, and unique engagement models along with a strong team of 270+ developers differentiate GammaStack from others in the market.
Following this new agreement, they can now offer their customers the most comprehensive sports data feeds in the business.
LSports has quickly positioned itself as a top odds feed supplier next to generating innovative solutions to ease the bookmakers’ work and offer them a variety of services to increase fan engagement and user retention.
Their comprehensive feed covers a monthly average of more than 35,000 in-play fixtures, 105,000 prematch fixtures, and more than 1,400 markets across 60 different sports (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis, Cricket, Esports, Horse Racing, and more).
“Our collaboration with GammaStack sets us on a new and exciting road,” says LSports VP Sales Yoav Ziv. “As we continue to produce the most efficient and comprehensive solutions for the sports betting industry, we believe that our joint efforts will support both us and GammaStack with our continuous strive to supply our customers with the best possible products.”
GammaStack’s CEO Mr. Gaurav Soni says, “We are excited with this deal and are looking forward to working closely with LSports team. With this collaboration, we are committed to achieving higher standards of services to our sportsbook operators and exceptional betting experiences for the end-users.”
Combined with GammaStack’s platform and LSports API, the new platform proves to be an unstoppable machine.
Tyson Fury’s camp has confirmed that the British heavyweight will make Anthony Joshua his focus for 2021 after his December bout with Deontay Wilder was abandoned. Fury and Joshua will now face each other in two mega-bouts in 2021 for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.
The expiration of Wilder’s contractual rematch right expired following the Bronze Bomber’s loss to Fury in their second WBC clash in Las Vegas in February.
Thanks @MikeCoppinger the Gypsy King is coming home See you all in December @mtkglobal @frankwarren_tv @trboxing https://t.co/PUCBjOF91u
— TYSON FURY (@Tyson_Fury) October 12, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
The Nations League sees hostilities resume this coming Tuesday and Wednesday as countries such as Italy, Germany, England and France all battle for supremacy.
Who will come out on top? We’ve previewed the big games below, with our sportsbetting tips all able to be placed before each game kicks off.
Let’s find out where the value is.
Germany vs. Switzerland (Tuesday October 13th, 7.45pm GMT kick-off)
