The Phillies will be statring 24-year old left-hander Cole Hamels against Rays ace Scott Kazmir tonight at Tropicana Field.  Hamels has been dominant throughout the playoffs and the key to the Phillies winning the NCLS, but it was Kazmir who gave Tampa Bay home-field advantage in this matchup.  Kazmir was the winning pitcher in the All-Star game after working a scoreless 15th inning.  Phillies closer Brad Lidge then gave up the winning run giving the American League home field advantage.  Lidge has converted all 46 of his save opportunities – five in the postseason…the All-Star game was his only blown save this year.

Both teams have stacked line-ups and were among the leaders in “Runs Scored” this year.  In addition, both teams are young, have speed and great starting rotations.

There are two Rays players to watch in this Series…Evan Longoria and BJ Upton.  Longoria had 4 homers and 8 RBIs during the ALCS and Upton has hit 7 homers and driven in 15 runs in 11 playoff games.  Only 4 Rays starters have faced Hamels (3-0, 1.23 ERA in postseason) in their carrer and Longoria and Upton aren’t on that list.

Kazmir (1-0, 4.02 in postseason) hasn’t been as dominant as Hamels in the postseason, but a strong Game 5 performance prompted Skipper Maddon to start him in Game 1 of the World Series instead of Shields.  Left-handed batters are 3-for-19 (.158) against Kazmir in the playoffs, but lefty-hitting stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley plan to change that percentage.

So who wins Game 1 of the 2008 World Series?  Look no further for the answer.  FiveStarPick has been on fire with their American and National League Playoff Picks and the 2008 World Series will be no different.  It is so inexpensive to become a member, what are you waiting for?  Now is the time to join our family of more than 2000 members and start winning for a change.  Join today and start winning tonight?

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

After a dismal weekend, FiveStarPick.com looks forward to bailing out its members in tonight’s game between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots.  The Broncos have a great record in Foxboro, winning in each of their last 5 visits.

Las Vegas Sports Sportsbooks opened the Patriots (3-2 straight up, 2-3 against the spread) as a 4-point favorite with the total set at 44.5.  Since then, the total has gone up to 49, and the line on the Pats has dropped to -3.5.  The Broncos are +140 on the money line (risk $100 to win $140).

Denver (4-2 SU, 1-4-1 ATS) has failed cover in their last four games, including last week’s 24-17 loss to Jacksonville as a 3.5-point home favorites.  The Broncos had three turnovers in the loss to the Jags but still have a 1.5 game lead over San Diego in the division.

Jay Cutler wasn’t great against Jacksonville throwing for only 192 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT and a fumble.  This season Cutler has a 64% completion percentag, 1,694 yards in the air and a 12/5 touchdown-interception ratio.  Brandon Marshall has been Cutler’s top receiver with 43 receptions, 521 yards and 3 TDs. This could prove effective against the Patriots who are 27th in the NFL in pass defense. Veteran RB Michael Pittman will get the start tonight for the Broncos after running for 109 yards on 20 carries.

Now let’s talk about Matt Cassel. Matt has been sacked more than any other NFL quarterback (19 times) and has a 3/4 TD-INT ratio. In addition, he just got jacked in San Diego, 30-10.  To add insult to serious injury, Laurence Maroney has missed the last three games and is listed as “questionable” against Denver. The Patriots have yet to record a 100-yard rushing game. 

Now let’s talk trends.  The over is 4-2 overall for Denver, 2-0 in its road games…however, the Broncos have seen the under cash in back-to-back games. The under is 3-2 overall for the Pats, 1-1 at home. They are 1-1 SU and 0-2 ATS in Foxboro this season. 

So who covers the spread in tonight’s game?  Become a member today and find out.  You will quickly learn that FiveStarPick.com is a top NFL handicapper.  NFL picks are our specialty and have been since we started in the business in 1990.  We cannot believe that was 18 years ago.  Time flies when you’re making money.  Our membership has jumped from 600 off-season members to over 1900 this football season and it’s for one reason and one reason only…we win!  We are the most accurate sports handicapping service on the net and we will never give you a play that we are not heavily on ourselves.  As a matter of fact, our NFL Picks are so strong that they can move the line up to a full point within seconds of being published to our members.  It’s time to come down off the fence and join for 1 year.  A one year membership is only $99.00 and it will pay for itself in the 1st week.  We are nearly 65% against the spread in 2008 and our forte, College and NFL Football Picks, are just beginning.  You owe it to yourself to discover the benefits of membership.  Join today and start winning tonight.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

FiveStarPick.com is entering another unprecendented Saturday of college football and will be giving its members 8 plays today.  The most talked about play being tonight’s game between the Missouri Tigers and the Texas Longhorns.  Las Vegas sportsbooks opened the Longhorns as 7 point home favorites.  The betting public has moved the line down to 4 with the total set at 67. 

The Tigers have one of the most explosive offenses in the Big XII, but it got a wake-up call last weekend as they lost at home to Oklahoma State, 28-23.  FiveStarPick gave its members OK State, thank you very much.  Chase Daniel threw 3 interceptions in the 2nd half after having only one pick for the year prior to the Cowboy game.  The Tigers are going to be taking on a Longhorns’ defense that is even faster than what they saw last week. But Missouri uses the Spread Offense, which in the past has given the Horns’ secondary fits.  As a matter of fact, the Texas defense gives up an average 267.8 yards through the air.

Mizzou also has a good defense only allowing 21.3 points per game this season, but their numbers can cut both ways.  For example, look at their pass defense which is giving up 270.5 passing YPG. Texas should be able to throw for major yards against the Missouri D-Backs and Safteys under Heisman hopeful Colt McCoy.  In McCoy’s last outing against the Sooners he proved time and time again that the comeback was possible.  The Longhorns were down 14-3 and 21-10 at different stages of the game, but McCoy completed 80 percent of his passes for 277 yards to notch the victory both straight up and against the spread.  Oh, by the way, we gave our members Texas last week, plus the 7.

Now…let’s talk trends.  In Texas’ last 8 meetings with Mizzou the ‘Horns are 7-1 SU, but the Tigers are 5-2 ATS.  In 2008, Mack Brown’s club has covered the number in all six of their games despite an average spread of 21.

So who covers the spread in today’s game?  Why not let FiveStarPick.com help you with the answer?  Aren’t you tired of getting cold called by services that tell you about their 750,000 star play that’s a guaranteed winner. Here is a bit of advice…NOTHING is guaranteed when you are betting on sports.  These so called “handicappers” call 500 people on a Saturday morning and give them all a free play; 250 people will get Texas -4 and 250 will get Missouri +4.  After the game ends, they call back the 250 people who won and pitch them on charging thousands of dollars on their credit cards for more guaranteed winners.  We are not your typical sports handicapping service.  We care about our members and we live and die on every play. Why?  Because we are moving thousands of dollars of our own money on the same plays we give you. Gambling on sports is how we make our living.  Do we win every play?  Absolutely not and we will never pretend to.  Our plays are always posted for all to see, including our losing streaks. But by the end of the year we always seem to have a few hundred thousand dollars of the sportsbook’s money in our casino account.  Let us try and do the same for you.  Join our family of winners today and start your winning streak tonight.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

Well…we got hosed again by Florida State…another 1 point to cover loss.  But ya know, even though we lost 5 dimes on that game last night, the sun was shining this morning and we moved on.  Las Vegas sportsbooks opened Boise State (5-0 straight up, 3-1 against the spread) as a 26-point favorite. As of today, most books had the Broncos at -25.5 with the total set at 52.

The Broncos are coming off a 24-7 win over Southern Miss as 10-point road favorites.  Bronco QB Kellen Moore, a red-shirt freshman, went 21-30 for 170 yards and 3 touchdowns.  This season he has a completion pecentage of 71.5 with 1,335 passing yards and a 10/3 touchdown-interception ratio.

Hawaii (3-3 SU, 2-3 ATS) has won its last two games both SU and ATS, including a 24-14 win over La. Tech as 9-point favorites last Saturday. Hawaii QB Inoki Funaki threw for 2 TDs and ran for another to get the win.

Let’s talk trends.  Since 2000, Boise St. is 33-13 against the spread as a home favorite. The Broncos are 3-0 SU and 1-1 ATS at home this year. They are 2-1 ATS as double-digit favorites.  Since 2003, Hawaii is 9-17 against the spread on the road. This year, the Warriors are 1-2 ATS beaten by Florida (56-10) and Oregon St. (45-7) before winning at Fresno State.

So who covers the spread in today’s game?  Why not let FiveStarPick.com help you with the answer?  Aren’t you tired of getting cold called by services that tell you about their 750,000 star play that’s a guaranteed winner. Here is a bit of advice…NOTHING is guaranteed when you are betting on sports.  These so called “handicappers” call 500 people on a Saturday morning and give them all a free play; 250 people will get Boise St. -25.5 and 250 will get Hawaii +25.5.  After the game ends, they call back the 250 people who won and pitch them on charging thousands of dollars on their credit cards for more guaranteed winners.  We are not your typical sports handicapping service.  We care about our members and we live and die on every play. Why?  Because we are moving thousands of dollars of our own money on the same plays we give you. Gambling on sports is how we make our living.  Do we win every play?  Absolutely not and we will never pretend to.  Our plays are always posted for all to see, including our losing streaks. But by the end of the year we always seem to have a few hundred thousand dollars of the sportsbook’s money in our casino account.  Let us try and do the same for you.  Join our family of winners today and start your winning streak tonight.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

Now that we got your attention, do not miss out on tonight’s FiveStar winner between the Florida State Seminoles and the NC State Wolfpack.   Las Vegas sportsbooks have the Seminoles as 10 point favorites against the Wolfpack with the total set at 48.

Last season, the Seminoles whipped up on N.C. State at home 27-10, reversing FSU’s trend of getting manhandled by the Wolfpack in four of their last six meetings.  Florida St. comes into this game still high from a 41-39 win against Miami in a mud bowl.  The Seminoles are hopeful that things are now turning around with the addition of QB Christian Ponder and RB Antone Smith.

N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien is hoping LB Nate Irving will be able to play tonight.  Irving is one of the ACC’s top defensive players, but has missed the last two games with an ankle injury.  Irving is a game-time decision.

But defense is half the battle for the Wolfpack.  To have a chance tonight, the offense will have to make plays.  And big plays.  Running Backs, Jamelle Eugene and Andre Brown will shoulder much of the load and freshman QB Russell Wilson will have to avoid the “deer in headlights” look when he sees the speed of FSU’s defense.

The Seminoles are 2-1 against the spread to date.  The Wolfpack are 3-2 against the spread.

So who covers the spread in today’s game?  Why not let FiveStarPick.com help you with the answer?  Aren’t you tired of getting cold called by services that tell you about their 750,000 star play that’s a guaranteed winner. Here is a bit of advice…NOTHING is guaranteed when you are betting on sports.  These so called “handicappers” call 500 people on a Saturday morning and give them all a free play; 250 people will get FSU -10 and 250 will get NC State +10.  After the game ends, they call back the 250 people who won and pitch them on charging thousands of dollars on their credit cards for more guaranteed winners.  We are not your typical sports handicapping service.  We care about our members and we live and die on every play. Why?  Because we are moving thousands of dollars of our own money on the same plays we give you. Gambling on sports is how we make our living.  Do we win every play?  Absolutely not and we will never pretend to.  Our plays are always posted for all to see, including our losing streaks. But by the end of the year we always seem to have a few hundred thousand dollars of the sportsbook’s money in our casino account.  Let us try and do the same for you.  Join our family of winners today and start your winning streak tonight.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com