Getting Free Plays from ChuckEdel.com

We have been offering free plays on ChuckEdel.com for a while now. We use the free plays from three main handicappers featured on the Site:

Chuck Edel, David Rudolph, and Richard Douglas. All three are excellent sports handicappers and work hard to provide quality FREE plays for absolutely no charge. They work even harder to provide premium plays to their clients.

I had a gentleman sign up for the free plays and unfortunately we lost three games in a row and he sent me a nasty email! I couldn't understand how anybody could be so down on a winning free service, but also abandon common sense. Anyone can go on a three game losing streak, and still have a winning profitable record! Betting on sports should be a long term well thought out strategy that will lead to profit.

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David Rudolph's NBA corner - 12/18/12

By David Rudolph

 

Big schedule today, I like a ton of games at first glance, and I'm gonna write a little about one in particular and release it as our free play today at Chuckedel.com.

Milwaukee led the NBA in pace factor the first month of the season, which means they had more possessions than anyone else per game. That seemed to make sense with the likes of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis in their back court The team however is regressing to the mean, and has fallen out of the top 5 in that particular category. I saw this coming as you can see their offensive efficiency stats are bottom ten.

They are hosting a team in Indiana tonight, who plays some of the best defense in the league. Both these teams are ranked top ten in Defensive efficiency, and only Memphis and Chicago are better than the Pacers. Indiana really plays a slow down half-court game and it is shown in the fact they're bottom three in Pace.

The posted total will go down no doubt, but at the time of sending my blog post it is too high at 187, get on the UNDER tonight and enjoy the spoils.

 

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David Rudolph - Observations in the Sports World

By David Rudolph

 

Observations in Sports - 12/14/12

MLB - It is so strange when the Yankees and Red Sox seem to be worried about luxury tax and not wanting to give out long term contracts while across the country both LA teams are spending money like it's printed out there! Perennial losers Pittsburgh and Kansas City seem to have formed semi-competitive teams, but my really early pick for best team in baseball is definitely the Cincinnati Reds. Barring injuries, I think they lead the majors in wins next fall. Adding Shin Soo Choo was a great move IMO. He is the perfect candidate for needing a change of scenery, and they got the light hitting Drew Stubbs out of town, classic case of addition by subtraction.

NFL- Football, being the king of all sports, is coming to its end, and I for one don't want it to! With only three weeks left there is still plenty to be decided, and this week’s slate of games might be the best all year. Up and down the schedule there are monster positioning match-ups but none bigger than Sunday night. Frisco goes to Foxborough in a possible Superbowl preview with Tom Brady. It's classic Offense versus Defense, but with a twist. Since Harbaugh went to Kaepernick a few weeks back, he's completely changed the way teams prepare for them. I think this weekend’s game is the very reason he made the move. New England ranks right behind the Niners in many rush defense categories, so if you're going to beat them at their place, you better have more than what Alex Smith gives you, and now they do.

NBA- The tale of two coast's. The New York Knicks fresh off their win versus Kobe and company are now 2 games better than anyone else in the East, including the Heat, whom they've already beaten twice by twenty points each time. Everything I've heard this morning is positive about Carmelo's injury last night, and as long as he's there, they should continue their winning ways. The left coast however has a team named the Lakers that is in 12th place in the western Conference standings. I'm not sure even the mighty Steve Nash can save this mess. They are not a deep team. They are not an unselfish team. They obviously aren't a winning team. The addition of Nash seems to be a key to a possible turn around, but I remember him running a very stagnant offense with two big men in Phoenix after they traded for Shaq, that Mike D'antoni couldn't figure out back then and most likely won't figure out now. They have to trade Gasol for some shooters, and fast. All I've heard is they want to wait it out to see how the team plays after they're all together and healthy, but I think that's a waste of precious time.

NHL- I hear the two sides are getting together and the talks are heating up, but as the old adage goes, "If a tree falls in the forest .." I'm pretty sure this is what they are always talking about with that 1% reference, but I don't even think it's that high of a percentage of sports fans who care about hockey. From a betting standpoint, I would love to have it back, but I'll never lose a wink of sleep if we miss the whole year. Millionaires versus Billionaires, blah, blah...

Free pick quick hitter: I know they're banged up, but I'm going with the Toronto Raptors at home catching five from Dallas. There are a multitude of reasons, but I'm only giving the fact that Jose Calderon is a very capable backup to the injured Demar Derozan, in fact he dished out 15 assists against the Nets the other night. Okay, one more, Andrea Bargnani is having a putrid year, they literally might be better without him on the court tonight!

 

p.s. I hape you have sigened up for free plays from ChuckEdel.com! Last night Belmont -2 was a winner!

 

 

 

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David Rudolph's NBA - I Like Atlanta tonight!

By David Rudolph

 

The Miami Heat are everyone's favorite to get to the finals out of the East, by a large margin. As well they should be. As I watch them game by game though as of now, I'm definitely seeing them "go through the motions". If ever there was a game they'd get up for and play well, it would have been the Knicks game, but no. They lost by 20 points to a Carmelo-less team and looked pathetic most of the night on their home court whether it was offense or defense.

Tonight they play an Atlanta team who just beat the hottest team in the NBA, Memphis. I felt the Hawks are a team to watch who could compete in the East with the big boys, here is their chance. They'll take their three game win streak into Miami tonight. The NBA is very streaky, and why wouldn't you like a team that's playing well against a team that is playing poorly? Sometimes it is that simple, and that's what I'm going with tonight as my free play. I’ll take the 7 1/2 points and feel I'm on the right side no matter the outcome.

Postscript: Both Lebron (groin) and D Wade (ankle) are listed on the injury report due to nagging injuries, wouldn't be surprised at all if Wade missed, or if they both got limited minutes tonight against a physical Hawks team.

 

 

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David Rudolph's NFL Observations & NBA Free Play!

By David Rudolph

I watched Marcus Allen rush for almost 500 yards in the playoffs in early 1984, and then came a little running back named Bo Jackson; I was a fan for life because of these two guys. The Oakland Raiders are however historically bad right now. Pathetic actually! Sure they have more wins than the Chiefs and Jags, but in my opinion, they are the NFL's worst at this moment. Tomorrow they are catching 10 or 11, I say lay it with soon to be 5 time MVP Peyton Manning! I keep hearing people say it's a division game, but throw that theory out the window with this train wreck of a team. My other semi-bold prediction is that first year coach Dennis Allen will be one and done.

The Detroit Lions however are a team I'd like to catch points with in the divisional match up. This will happen with the Packers Sunday. At first glance one might think the Pack should be hefty favorites at home versus a team with four less wins this year. However bad the Lions are playing, their true talent and competitiveness will not allow them to be blown out. They really are better than their record indicates with the ball bouncing a little awkwardly so to speak, in Tennessee and at home on Thanksgiving against the Texans. Another key is that the line makers see this also and have installed a 7 point line that keeps getting bet down to 6 1/2. The public will grab the lower lines up this weekend and I'll no doubt get to bet at least the 7.

The Chicago Bears are in deep, deep trouble. Brian Urlacher at age 34 is obviously the anchor for that great defense, and it looks like he'll miss the rest of the season due to hamstring issues. The offensive line hasn't been able to block even the mediocre NFL defenses so far this year, and they have four good to great ones still to play. They have the ability to be great on offense and defense in flashes and they're 8-4, so they'll still most likely make the playoffs. I just don't think they can go past the wild card weekend against other playoff teams. I'm taking the Vikes at Home catching points here.

I feel I have to say something about RG-3, I mean everyone else is! He's really, REALLY good, there that's taken care of, now how about the rest of the Redskins? This offense with Pierre Garcon looks completely different. I was not a believer in him this preseason, but watching how good he is while still be hampered by his foot injury and how he changes their entire look, I'm now all in on him. Alfred Morris was the 173rd pick in the draft and is 3rd in the NFL in rushing. I'd say Mike Shanahan just made up for at least one of those picks he traded away for Griffin. I like this team from a betting standpoint, and from a fun to watch NFL fan perspective both. I'll take the Redskins against Baltimore at home at anything less than three points. I know it's just one game, but I mean Charlie Batch beat them at Baltimore last week, nuff said.

NBA quick hitter: I've really been running good on totals the past week, and today is no different. I love three overs and one under. I have UNDER in Portland and Indiana, and I also have the OVER in Atlanta versus Denver.

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Who and How Much - Tipping in Las Vegas

By Chris Allen

 

Las Vegas is a tipping type of town unlike any other town I have ever seen. The majority of the jobs in Vegas are directly related to the Travel and Hospitality Industry and a majority of those workers rely on tips as part of their income and a tip is always expected, unfortunately it is not always earned.

When deciding on a tip, as a customer should probably weigh the following, should I tip, and how much should I tip. The problem when you do not tip is that you are actually taking money away from many of these workers. That is correct taking money away, let me explain, over the last decade the IRS has started to tax all those employees who accept tips by using a formula on what their expected tips should be. Most of their hourly salaries are taken away in taxes and the paychecks they receive are actually for zero dollars, in other words they live on their tips. So unless you have a problem with your service leave a tip.

Here is a list of tip examples I follow:

Sky cab at the airport:

$2 to $3 a bag more if you have a lot of bags or they are heavy.

 

Cab Drivers:

15% to 20% of your fare, more if the service was exceptional.

Parking Attendant Valet:

$5 to $10 when picking your vehicle up or $2 to $3 when dropping off and picking up your vehicle. Tip more if you would like your car parked somewhere special.

Hotel Bellman:

$2 to$3 a bag more if they are heavy or if you have a lot of bags.

Maid Service:

$5 a night, more if you need extra service or leave a mess.

Any food service:

15% to 20% depending on the level of service you receive.

Bartenders:

If you are getting comp drinks, at least $1 each drink. If you are gambling at the bar 5% to 10% of your winnings. If you are paying for your own drinks 15% to 20%. More for excellent service.

Cocktail servers:

If the drinks are being comped then $1 to $2 for each drink. If you are paying for your own drinks 15% to 20%. More for quicker service remember they can get very busy.

Dealers and gaming employees:

These hard workers rely on tips as well, so if you are having a winning streak or session please tip your dealers. Ask the dealer if they prefer a straight tip or a bet. Simply place your tip of $1 or more in front of your wager on the table game you are playing and let the dealer know they have action, and it will be appreciated.

 

Race and sports ticket writers.

If you are winning, tip your writers $2 or more it will be appreciated as the casino workers are usually overlooked when it comes to tipping. Sometimes I’ll actually place a small $5 or $10 parlay for the ticket writers if they prefer as a tip, and it has always been appreciated, and they root for me to win as well.

Of course there are other casino and hotel workers who are overlooked, but deserve tips as well. One that stands out are the porters who are always cleaning the common areas of the hotel and casino, if you see one of these porters doing a good job, especially if responding to a mess you made, tip them $2 to $5 it will be appreciated and they deserve it. Do not forget front desk workers, pool employees, spa workers, etc. If you get exceptional service leave a tip.

Getting Comps in a Las Vegas Sports Book

by Chris Allen

Asking for and actually getting comps from Las Vegas Sports Books has changed dramatically over the past few years. In the past you could simply ask the supervisor or sports book manager for a food comp, or if you were a big bettor maybe even a room comp or more, and if they knew you played in their sports book frequently you would probably receive the comp.

The times are really changing, with the large mega corporations taking over most of the casinos every dime must be accounted for. One major casino used to give each of it’s managers and supervisors an allotted amount of funds to comp each month and when it was gone they had to wait until the next month to begin. Of course this is no longer the case, your comps are directly related to the amount of money you wager, and the casinos are very strict with this policy.

Almost every casino in Las Vegas uses a player’s card to track wagering in their sports books. If you do not have one simply ask the ticket writer or supervisor how to obtain one, and also ask what their comp rates and policies are, as these can vary greatly from casino to casino. Most of the casino sports books that take wagers on horses will give you 1% to 3% return in comps for your play. This simply means you get one to three dollars in comps for every hundred dollars wagered. For sports bets you make you usually only receive half of one percent or fifty cents in comps, for every hundred dollars you wager. One major casino in Vegas only gives twenty-five cents for every hundred dollars wagered, so asking about the comp return can be crucial.

Be sure to ask how to redeem your comp points. Some casinos just add the points directly to your player’s card which is used throughout the entire casino, or they require you to actually go the sports book where they will write you what is called a hard comp, a ticket, that you can use toward food, room, or other casino service. These casinos keep your available comps separate from the rest of the casino.

If you are a big player and acquire a lot points toward comps, be sure to ask the supervisor or book manager for a room comp, or at least how can you get that taken care of. Usually you can get your room comp for at least a portion of the bill if not free. If you are a big player be sure and introduce yourself to the book manager and let him know how much you intend to play, especially if you are betting horses. You may be able to negotiate a higher comp rate than the average player. I know some big horse players who regularly receive a six percent comp rate in Vegas. Usually sports books will work to keep their big players happy by giving them a few extra percentage points in comps.

You also need to find out how long your comp returns are good for, depending on the casino, they can expire in a certain period of time or inactivity from one month to a year. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions in comps are lost every year in Las Vegas due to expiration, so take advantage of the comps you earn.

Remember you must play to receive comps in Las Vegas. Always use your players club card. This is not old school Vegas anymore where they hand out comps left and right.

I remember one of the funniest moments I witnessed a guy ask for a free buffet comp he said to the book manager “Come on man I am here EVERY DAY” the sports book managers reply was swift and without emotion “We give out COMPS for play not attendance.”

David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/26/12

By David Rudolph

 

As a rule, I don't like laying more than six points in the NBA, because of the "Any given night" theory. It is 'possible' that Cleveland could show up tonight, like they did in Miami, only losing by 2, but in my opinion, not likely.

 The Cavs haven't played a home game since Wednesday versus Philadelphia, and have been traveling over the holiday weekend, and that will affect a team playing without their go-to man Kyrie Irving, and is out for at least three more weeks with a broken left index finger.

 Memphis on the other hand is healthy, something they haven't had the luxury of being the past couple of years. Memphis will not sneak up on anyone, but they will end up being in the conversation at the end of the year as a western conference title contender. They, more than any other fringe elite team, are a tough match-up come playoff time.

 The Grizzlies are in the midst of a home stand that spans almost two full weeks, and coming off a win against the Lakers, look to fatten up that 5-1 home record against the likes of Detroit, and Toronto before hitting the road. Last point on them, they are overall top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency so far this year, and that well rounded play will result in a shellacking of the Cavs tonight. Trust me, lay the twelve, and don't think once, "That's a lot of points!"

 NBA quick hitter: I've been asked to define my efficiency stats I refer to, here ya go! Offensive Efficiency is the number of points a team SCORES per 100 possessions. Likewise, Defensive Efficiency is the number of points a team ALLOWS per 100 possessions.

 

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Getting Free Drinks at Las Vegas Sports Books!

by Chris Allen

Getting a beer or a mixed drink in a Las Vegas Casino is a lot different than it used to be. Where the drinks used to flow freely and were as readily available as the oxygen in the air just about anywhere in the Casino. Currently at some Casino bars drinks can be sold from anywhere between $1 to $15 a drink. Bottle Service at one of the trendy night clubs can set you back anywhere from $100 to $1,500.

Even at most Casino Sports Books to get a drink you are required to have a drink ticket to get your favorite beverage. You can obtain a drink ticket by making a bet for anywhere from $2 to $100. Be sure to ask your ticket writer what the policy is as it varies from casino to casino. I was recently at the Venetian Sports Book and you could only receive one drink ticket for each $50 you wagered.

If you are betting horses most casinos will allow you free drinks if you are betting whether or not you play a minimum amount, because most horse bettors are usually there for several hours and spread their bets out over many races at different horse tracks. Usually there is a different seating area for the people betting horses where they have individual televisions, where the cocktail servers might ask you if you are betting horses.

If you only want to bet sports and want to drink for free, I recommend you sit in the horse racing section and make an occasional minimum bet of $2 to $5 on horse races. Be sure and tip the cocktail waitress a $1 or more per drink and she will keep returning and you will receive your free drinks.

One Sports Book in Las Vegas that currently does not require drink tickets to receive your free drinks is the Bellagio (for now). Simply sit down in the Sports Books area where all the televisions are located and the leather chairs are extremely comfortable. When the cocktail waitress comes around you can order whatever you like. I have often ordered premium brand liquors, or even doubles here without a problem. Be sure and tip your cocktail waitress, and she will return frequently to take your order.

David Rudolph's NBA Corner! - 11/19/12

By David Rudolph

 

It does not matter how well you're seeing things when it comes to betting, you still get nervous, sometimes extra nervous. I loved quite a few games yesterday. Ended up going 8-0 on all my personal bets in the NBA, but then I study the schedule for today. Then I study some more. I don't love anything and there's got to be a psychological reasoning for it. I must be thinking 'It won't get better than yesterday, why try!' No matter the psychosis, time to move on! I zeroed in on the only total I lean to at all today and will be releasing it as my free play for Monday.

Golden State is at Dallas, where the Mavericks are 4-1 to the OVER mainly because of how well OJ Mayo has played in those contests. He's averaging over 7.5 more points there and the team is really pushing the pace as a whole at American Airlines Center. They already are top 10 in pace factor overall, but it's much better at home.

The Warriors are in the midst of a three games in four night’s road trip, and the previous two have gone over the posted total. They may not be the Warriors of old under Coach Don Nelson, but they are currently top 3 in pace and really handling the offense different from a year ago. They seem to always be dealing with injury issues, Andrew Bogut is the one now with an ankle issue, and is out indefinitely. That doesn't affect my opinion on the OVER one iota.

The current total has settled in for our betting purposes today at 199 1/2, and the OVER is most definitely the right side IMO!

NBA quick hitter: Yesterday we gave out our biggest NBA selection of the year so far at chuckedel.com, the OVER in Houston/ Lakers game. It was never a sweat from the tip and the reasoning is very simple, the new coaching regime wants to completely change the offense and they're gonna push, push, push. It was an easy feat versus the Rockets, and if the total does not adjust enough in their next game, get on that OVER until they do eventually catch up to what the real number should be!

 

 

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/16/12

By David Rudolph

 

What team did I most undervalue at the beginning of the year? The New York Knicks. Are they for real? Can they contend? I did a lot of digging this morning, re-watched last nights game, and have a strong opinion about the rest of the regular season for them.

Basketball is just better when the big markets have good teams, it's not up for debate, it’s just the way it is. The Knicks are playing really, really good right now, that's also not up for debate. They rank 1st and 2nd in team offensive and defensive efficiency and they've played good teams like Miami and San Antonio. They can overcome their best offensive player only scoring 9 points, and they still have two all-star level players sidelined with knee injuries. Iman Shumpert from Georgia Tech, who was first team all-rookie last year, is participating in light workouts and should return in a little over a month. When players like he and Amare Stoudamire are looking for minutes to go along with a very successful lineup already, it will be fine. Well, it will be fine if they are winning. Shumpert is even quoted as saying exactly that, “As long as we win, we’re happy.”

The good news for Knicks fans is, in my opinion, they are for real, thus should keep winning and keep everyone happy (fans and players alike). They have great offensive options in Melo and JR Smith, defensive stoppers like Tyson Chandler and Ronnie Brewer, and a couple veterans to help both sides of the ball in Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby. Typing all these names means something else, they are deep too! When playing back to back games like tonight, their depth will be key. My point is, get excited Knicks fans, it's gonna be a fun ride to the playoffs, what happens when they get there may be another story, but for now - rejoice!

From a betting perspective, the Knicks are playing in Memphis tonight after a very big win for the franchise, catching six points, but I would lean to the OVER, just like the big bettors are, already moving the line three points from its opener. Currently 192, I see this as another big challenge for the Knicks, but a back and forth battle will be good for pace, which Memphis ranks top 10 in, and top 5 for offensive efficiency.

 

 

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Sports Betting Consultation, how does it work?

by Chris Allen

Whenever I talk to people about managing the website Chuckedel.com, often the first question I am asked is “should I just subscribe to the plays or go for the personal consultation?” My first response is always “It depends, what are you looking for?”

Neither Option is wrong you just need find the one that fits your complete needs. Sports Betting Consultation is usually for the premium player who is looking for that EXTRA advantage to make money!

When you purchase picks Chuckdel.com (and a lot of other sites), you will get several plays a day either emailed to you, or in a member’s area. It is then up to you to decide how much to play on each game, keep detailed records, manage your bankroll, etc...

There are quite a few people that offer sports betting consultations, but I work for Chuck Edel so I can only tell you how he works with his premium clients on a daily basis. I also have a deal with several handicappers on MyGuysInVegas.com where I schedule their initial free consultations, but I mainly work with Chuck so that is what I can help you understand better.

When you work with Chuck he will call you with his top premium daily plays, he will also work with you on managing your bankroll which can honestly be the hardest part of sports betting. Chuck will let you know when to “press” your bets and when to “back off” so you can maintain the advantage. Also depending on how and where you play the odds on a particular game could be an advantage or disadvantage for you! Take advantage of 2^nd half lines on certain games.

Steam Plays – Sometimes late information comes in on a game shortly before it starts, sometimes literally just minutes so if you phone rings and you see Chuck’s name on the caller id, answer it quickly, it could be very profitable!

Chuck also provides his clients with a private toll-free number that sits on his desk so you can call him on game days!

Getting Started – It’s real simple to get started and to find out if Sports Betting Consultation is for you, give me a call at 702.434.3735 and let’s go over what you are looking for, and if we both think you want to move forward I would set up a no obligation first time consultation with Chuck, he would simply call you (usually the same day – especially game days) and go over the service he provides. It’s really just that simple!

David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/15/12

BY David Rudolph

 

Tonight's NBA slate includes three really good games. Brooklyn Vs. Celtics, Spurs Vs. the undefeated Knicks, and the match up I'm gonna focus on, Heat at Denver.

The Miami Heat looks to be mailing it in early in a season where they are the defending NBA champions. I have to agree with what I heard from a fellow professional gambler, "they seem to be going through the motions, and thinking they can just turn it on late in the year." The main problem with the Heat isn't hard to figure out, defense. Last year they ranked in the top five in defensive efficiency, this year, the bottom five. In their championship season they allowed only 16 of 66 opponents to go over 100 points, this year already 6 of them have. The Heat are 2-3 on the road and only won the two by a small margin. They are coming off a 100-107 loss last night in LA.

The Denver Nuggets have only played two of their eight games at home, winning them both and scoring 107 per contest. They push the pace at home more than most teams because of the thin Colorado air, the thinking being the other teams will really tire out near the end of games, giving them a distinct home court advantage other teams can’t match. I'm really impressed by second year player Kenneth Faried from Morehead State. He is averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds in those 2 home contests, while playing an average of 26 minutes per game.

I could really make a case to go against Miami tonight, but am making my play on the OVER, as that's where I see value today. It is currently settled in at 202, but I assume that will inflate as the day progresses.

NBA quick hitter: Dwayne Wade is 0-8 lifetime at Denver, even though he owns a shooting percentage over 50% in those contests.

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner and FREE PLAY - 11/13/12

By David Rudolph

 

Every season I have to access as quickly as possible which teams are 'OVER' teams, and which aren't. The list changes daily for me as I'm presented new information. The information includes geeky stats like possessions per contest, pace factor, and of course offensive and defensive efficiency. I also look at the team’s opponents though, which is why I'm changing Brooklyn to an 'OVER' team and focusing on that total today.

Brooklyn has played two under games against an Orlando team that has averaged only 77 points the last four contests, partly because they are without 33 year old scorer Hedo Turkoglu. So I'm going to throw them out, then doing an eyeball test on their depth chart I think 'offense' first with players such as Gerald Wallace and Joe Johnson. After tonight's game, some of their team statistics will indeed regress to the mean. If the over is the play, you obviously next look at their opponent.

Cleveland is firmly planted on my 'OVER' teams, and isn't getting off of the list anytime soon. There are only three NBA teams worse in defensive efficiency, and only two that give up more per game. Don't forget they can score in bunches as well. Kyrie Irving now being 100% healthy and Rookie Dion Waiters scoring over 15 per contest in less than 30 minutes per game is the key. Their back court can take over a game, plain and simple. They also get a ton of second opportunities with offensive rebounding, mainly by center Anderson Varejao.

I thought this total would be right at 200 or above for the game, and in early betting I see it settling in at 196 1/2, the play is most definitely the OVER, as not just a free play, but my biggest personal NBA bet this year.

NBA quick hitters:

#1: Toronto travels to Indiana after a demoralizing loss to Utah in triple overtime last night. Talk about tired legs, now they have to face a very good defensive team in the Pacers. I am not playing the UNDER however, because if this game is one sided like I think it may be, you never know what's gonna happen to game pace in a blowout.

#2: Spurs at the Lakers will no doubt be the marquee matchup tonight, how will the Lakers put all their off court turmoil out of their minds and beat my personal pick for the new western conference favorite? Looks like they're gonna catch a point and be a home dog, I'll still go with road team as a slight lean.

 

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/9/12

By David Rudolph

Reigning rookie of the year Kyrie Irving has yet to play a game at 100% this year. That's scary, and he's just plain scary good. He started out the year feeling the effects of having his wisdom teeth pulled out, then developed a stomach virus, but now seemingly healthy, it's time for him to go full force at the league where he's undoubtedly a top 10 player. Also a top 5 most fun player to watch.

Irving leads an offense into Phoenix tonight that will be without rookie shooting guard Dion Waiters (Quad). They get back rebounding guru Anderson Varejao from a knee issue. Cleveland's team defense is allowing the league to shoot over 50% from the field, that's dead last of the 32 professional basketball teams.

Phoenix is also next to last in a category, allowing 105 points per game. When you look at their lineup, it's a pretty rag tag group, and I would guesstimate they'll have a very long year, losing quite a few more than they win.

If you needed more reason to play my free play this evening, both teams combined have had 7 straight overs, so unless you subscribe to the due theory (like, "their due to go under"), bet the OVER! (Side note, if you do believe in the "due", I'm due to win my blog play free pick!)

NBA quick hitter: 13 games tonight, but the game of the night will undoubtedly be the Lakers/Gold state, as everyone in the NBA world can't help but watch this train wreck that is currently the LA Lakers. Remember though that the Warriors just beat the other LA team at Staples, and with Steve Blake running the show, I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen to this LA team!

Basketball galore: NCAA Basketball starts tonight and Chuck Edel is more than ready for it, check out his season opening deals, and also I love 2 other totals besides this free pick, lot's of money to be made!

*** UPDATE ***  (added by Chris Allen)

After a disastrous 1-4 start the LA Lakers have fired Head Coach Mike Brown! It’s about time…

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David Rudolph's NBA corner - 11/8/12

By David Rudolph

 

It's the tenth day of the NBA season, so we have a very small sample size, but I'm looking at a couple interesting developing plots involving tonight's teams.

The Lakers issues will get worked out when and if Steve Nash gets healthy, so I don't want to blab on about them (like every single sports outlet is doing). The in-town rival Clippers broke out of their shell last night, pounding the previously unbeaten Spurs by 22. The clips pulled to 3-2 because of some seriously athletic play by center DeAndre Jordan from Texas A&M. Lob city was in full effect as Blake Griffin finally put it all together for 48 minutes as well, and both guys recorded double-doubles.

 

The Clippers could be very good this year, the one thing they'll need to avoid is team dissension however, because when Chauncey Billups and Grant Hill come back from injuries, they literally have 12 players that need minutes. We'll have to see how all that plays out, but I'd hope they would trade some excess for picks. They could also trade Lamar Odom for a bucket of rocks, they'd get about as much production. (12 minutes and 2 points per contest).

Portland plays the Clippers tonight, and they are a very, very interesting team so far. I wrote about rookie point guard Damian Lillard and his exciting play in my first post in October, and now you can't hear a rookie conversation without hearing his name right off the bat. I've even heard experts say he could soon be a top 5 point guard in the league, he's that good. He can really play, and with all the size they have up front, they are a match-up nightmare to most of NBA teams. Then there's the home court, which really can't be over stated, it's truly a huge advantage. They are a home dog tonight, catching one point.

I really don't know which team from LA will show up, they are very polarizing so far, thus I'm not playing the game. Chris Paul could show the rookie a thing or two from his crafty veteran bag of tricks, but he usually doesn't take over until the 4th quarter. I may play Portland in the first half for a few pennies, and move on to tomorrow's huge Friday night schedule.

NBA quick hitter: The only other game tonight is OKC at Chicago. If only Rose was playing, this would be the game of the week!

 

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/7/12

By David Rudolph

 

The sting of losing is felt by everyone who voted Romney yesterday, and who played the UNDER in my free play. Sure one affects us for the next 4 years (good or bad), but the other can be remedied by simply picking a winner today! The NBA season is exactly one week old and my free play record is 3-3-1, something has got to give! There are 13 NBA games today and I'm looking at the Indiana / Atlanta match-up.

Indiana gets horrific news today, that Danny Granger will miss three months after having an injection to treat his ailing knee. He was the heart and soul of a team that will now have to be carried by big men David West and Roy Hibbert. Darren Collison is now in Dallas running the show, and the duo of George Hill and D.J. Augustin seems to be a downgrade to a team that was the 3 seed in the East last summer in the NBA playoffs.

Atlanta is coming off a big win at Oklahoma City that they got without forward Josh Smith because of a sprained ankle. The Hawks look to get him back in the lineup tonight as he was at team practice Tuesday. Overall I'm bullish on the Hawks this year and played them to go over the season total posted at only 42 1/2. They get a great player back this year in Al Horford and if he stays healthy, they have a chance to exceed the spot they got in the eastern conference last year, 5th.

Atlanta was installed as a 3 1/2 point favorite at home, and I'm going with them as my free play winner tonight.

NBA quick hitter: I'm not saying anything we don't already know by stating Durant is a prolific scorer as shown by averaging 29 points per contest the last three years, but I think when this offense settles in following the new look, sans Harden, KD will average over 30, win the scoring title yet again, and at 4-1, if you can still get it, I like him for MVP too.

NBA Observation Theater: Neither Phoenix nor Charlotte have scored over 100 yet, and the total is 193 1/2. UNDER?

 

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/6/12

By David Rudolph

 

When I asked my crack research staff (it's me, just me) to find out the record on over/ under plays this year, I fully expected the under's to be coming in at a greater rate, not so. Over's are 26-21-1 so far this year. With only three games tonight, I set out to find the best value on a total because all three of the game lines are big ones, -8 1/2 to -10 1/2, and I don't like any of them whether it be big dog or favorite.

 

Orlando travels to Chicago with a perfect 2-0 record, while the Bulls are coming off a home loss to New Orleans and are 2-1. I used to have a betting philosophy that whenever the starting point guard was out on any team, immediately look at the Under. One of the best teams to do this with was Orlando and Jameer Nelson. He's out tonight along with a few other players on the Magic, including their main offensive threat Turkoglu. E'Twaun Moore from Purdue will run the point tonight. Whenever the main guy is out to run your team, things tend to develop on each offensive possession a bit slower.

 

Everyone who knows the slightest about NBA basketball knows Derrick Rose will miss most of the season with a surgically repaired ACL in his left knee . Even with him gone, Head Coach Tom Thibodeau is a defense first type of guy, and the Bulls have bought into his system since day one. They forced Orlando to shoot a paltry 35% last time the teams met, and the Magic went on to score only 59 points. That's not a lot, and it was a Chicago Bulls defensive record.

I like the Under tonight which is currently about 187 1/2 looking across the board, and thus is our free play here at Chuckedel.com.

 

 

David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/5/12

By David Rudolph

There are two ways to think when it comes to back to back games. The team has tired legs, slows it down and hits at a lower percentage most of the time, or the defense is more lackadaisical and they allow the other team easy baskets. I subscribe to the former.

Tonight in a home and home with the Knicks, Philadelphia will look to continue its terrific defense. The 76ers have allowed only 86 points per game in their last four, including yesterday and the preseason (including holding Denver to 37% shooting in their season opener). They also are only averaging 88 points per game as an offense in that same time. The Knicks are playing great half-court defense themselves and will play better against a Philly team they'll now be facing for the 3rd time in 5 games also dating back to the preseason. I really like Ronnie Brewers addition to the Knicks from Chicago this season, as his defensive prowess seems to be rubbing off on usual offensive stalwarts like Carmelo and JR Smith.

Both teams are also a little shorthanded and will not want to push the pace too much. Jason Richardson and Andrew Bynum will miss for Philly, whereas the Knicks will be without Marcus Camby and Amare Stoudamire again. Center Tyson Chandler will play, but may see limited minutes with some run of the mill illness.

All this being said, not like you couldn't figure out, yes the under is the play in my opinion, which is currently 185 everywhere, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it go down by game time at 4pm PST.

NBA quick hitter: The Lakers may have gotten off the schnide, but I can't remember the last time I saw an NBA team play defense that bad, but Detroit was truly horrible last night. If you missed it just watch any 2 minute highlight real and you'll see that for yourself.

 

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner 11/4/12

By David Rudolph

Toronto may be 0-2, but they've played two really good teams, tonight they play Minnesota, who in my opinion, is not even middle of the pack. Toronto will be on their home court and focusing on the paint where they've been outscored by 28 points. They have size with Bargnani and rookie center Jonas Valanciunas, so I think with that focus they can turn it around today.

Minnesota shot only 36% in their first game and Brandon Roys' knees felt the aches and pains of his first NBA game this year. Minnesota has lost 8 straight contests at Toronto, not having won since January 2004. Take Toronto -3 today in a 3pm Pacific game.

NBA Quick hitter: The Clippers/ Golden State game last night had 65 fouls, and 91 free throws, both numbers are way above average, so I may have to start following this officials team of Rodney Mott, Scott Twardoski, and Brian Forte.

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner - Saturday 11/3/12

By David Rudolph

I'll keep this short so you can get back to your football, it's Saturday, so I know everyone's focused on these humongous NCAA games like Oregon/ USC, and BAMA/LSU, but if you're a fan of the NBA in any capacity, there are two story lines that are as intriguing as they can be. The Lakers are off to an 0-3 start and of course this has twitter a buzz, and James Harden has YouTube working overtime with people adding videos of his extraordinary play.

I can't pile on the Lakers, but let's just say if Detroit comes in and beats them Sunday, the panic meter will have to be measured by the Richter scale! The James Harden story however, leads me to my free play today. With Jeremy Lin and James Harden in the back court, teams have no idea who will bring the ball up the court each possession. They both handle the ball very well, pass very well, move without the ball well, and can both shoot.

There is a thing in sports that can't really be measured though, WINNING! Both these guys just seem to be winners, so I like Houston's prospects of keeping it up and making the playoffs. Houston starts the season 2-0, with both games being road victories, and now returns home to play another exciting young team I've already written about, Portland. I love both back courts and their ability to pass and score, so I'm leaning to the OVER. The line opened 201, quickly inflated to 205, and settled in at 204 1/2.

NBA quick hitter: Rookie standout Anthony Davis will not play today for New Orleans, as he's already been ruled out with a concussion.

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 11/2/12

By: David Rudolph

 

When the lines first came out last night, I was shocked to see the Lakers installed as a 4 point favorite, at 2 different casinos, over the in town rival Clippers. That was a bad line. I knew it, and apparently so did the casinos. It's now across the board 1 1/2 the other way. What does this mean for my bet? It means I'll enjoy the best game on the board without any action on it tonight!

The game I am focusing on is the polar opposite of the best game on the board. Sacramento visits Minnesota tonight and I'm going to be on the total. I give the Kings the award for most dysfunctional looking lineup, and I don't want to watch too many of their games for now. I heard on a local radio show interview that Coach Keith Smart said it's all about defense, and "If you don't play defense, there's the door". Sure it's an empty threat, do I really think he'd tell Demarcus Cousins to go home at half time if he's not locking down the paint tonight? Nah, but the point remains, they aren't trying to speed up the flow of the game, they're slowing it down.

Minnesota's lineup leaves a lot to be desired with newcomers Kirilenko and Brandon Roy being the "names". Someone reading this is saying to themselves "Isn't Roy retired?" He was, but he's got 10.4 Million reasons to push his bum knees for the next two years. Until Rubio and Love come back to help 2nd year player Derrick Williams make this Wolves team a contender, I'm thinking they'll be pretty hard to watch also. Yep, I'm going with 'hard to watch' equals 'UNDER', looking at anywhere from 196 to 197 in early lines. That's too high.

NBA Quick Hitter: Yes, Kevin Durant became the 2nd fastest player to reach 10,000 points, however if you didn't watch it, this Kawhi Leonard is a defensive beast! He held Durant to 23 points and had the big steal with 7 seconds left that led to Parkers game winning shot with the game tied at 84.

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner 11/1/12

By David Rudolph

 

It does not matter whether you buy into the "look ahead" theory in sports or not, the fact remains, San Antonio was definitely looking ahead from New Orleans to tonight! The Spurs travel home overnight, and after Tony Parkers last second shot helped beat the Hornets by 4, to face the team that knocked them out of the Western Conference Finals in early June. When I say knocked out, I mean it. Up two games to none, the series looked to be all but over for Oklahoma City, but alas, Kevin Durant and company took over, won four straight and we all know the rest. (If you live under an "I don't care about the NBA" rock, Lebron and the Heat won the NBA championship in 5 games).

Spurs/ OKC is the only NBA game tonight after the cancellation of Brooklyn/ Knicks due to the ongoing flood cleanup in the area affected by hurricane Sandy. The Spurs will have plenty to play for in front of their home crowd fans in dreaming of just a sliver of redemption. They will have to fight off the tired legs that come due to a back to back, and they will have to overcome an OKC team playing their first contest of the year. Manu Ginobli probably won't play tonight (downgraded to doubtful this morning) after sitting out last night, and 4 of 8 preseason games, with a back issue, although Tony Parker was quoted as saying "I wouldn't be surprised if he did end up playing".

 

It may sound like I'm leaning towards OKC, but that is incorrect! Very few NBA arenas’ give a bigger home court advantage than the AT&T center. The Spurs only lost 5 games there all of last year. OKC was the "sexy" pick to possibly stop the Miami/ Lakers dream NBA Finals matchup, but traded away one of their "glue" guys in James Harden. We'll have to see how all that plays out over the next few months, but for now the fact remains they'll have to get used to a new type of game not having a second unit boasting one of the NBA's top 20 guys. That all being said/ written, I like the Spurs -2 as my free play of the night in the NBA.

 

NBA Quick Hitters:

#1: There is a new twitter account you might want to check out for a laugh, https://twitter.com/FireMikeBrown24

#2: If you're a stat geek, check out who's number one on John Hollingers page (http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics) in Player Efficiency Rating, Spoiler alert, it's Leandro Barbosa. Wonder if I could find someone to take the bet he won't finish top 100?

 

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David Rudolph's NBA Corner - 1st Blog Post

By David Rudolph

In this day and age of 140 characters and short text messaging back and forth, my blog posts will also be short and hopefully sweet. (By sweet, I mean chalk full of information!) This first ever blog post by me however will give you just a little background.

I'm by no means a writer, in fact my minimal college was used to become a better poker player (Psychology and probability courses) and my life experience was mainly in the sports betting world when I was fresh from high school here in Las Vegas. At age 18 totally by fluke circumstances I saw an ad for a sports service in the classified section and here we are 21 years later, and I've never left the business. I have worked for and next to Chuck Edel for exactly 15 years this week. I became the official NBA handicapper in 2004 for chuck after winning a private season long handicapping contest that year by a very large margin.

My love for the NBA has been there my whole life and I really feel I have a good grip on the inner workings relating to lines as I've shown by never posting a sub-500 record in any year. I'm often asked who my favorite team is, and the answer is always (besides the pattern response, "whoever my money is on!") I don't have one. Grew up watching the Celtics, Pistons, and dominant Bulls, but never really glommed on to any of them as #1 favorite.

Anyhow, what I'm going to try and get across in my sporadic blog posts is "what to watch for", or "interesting sub-plots", and of course money making free play selections!

Today I'm looking at the Portland/ Lakers game. It would be very easy to say "I'm going against the Lakers until they win!" They've lost 11 in a row counting the preseason and last postseason, and last nights season opening shellacking against Dallas was darn right hard to watch, Lakers fan or not. Tonight on a back-2-back they face a young Portland team with a ton of upside and a frenzied fan base behind them cheering (loudly). New head coach Terry Stotts obviously has a long way to go to bring Portland back to the playoffs after missing them last year, but the team’s youth looks VERY exciting early! Oakland's own Damian Lillard from Weber state (Pick #6 in this years draft) has a skill set that seems to me will be more than fun to watch.

 

 

 

With Lillard at the Point, JJ Hickson is listed to start at center versus Dwight Howard, but I think 7foot 1inch rookie Meyers Leonard will get plenty of playing time. The Lakers may have a big 3 but let's take a look at them. Kobe - playing with an injury that is more than likely going to keep him out some games, so on a back to back, he'll probably get less playing time tonight. Speaking of less playing time we have Dwight who coming off major back surgery appeared to have no lift and looked worse than Blake Griffin at the free throw line! Steve Nash is getting a lot of mention today in the bloggisphere, because he just didn't look comfortable, only posting 4 assists. In summation, I'd take a shot with Portland tonight as a small dog, and this will be our free play which you can sign up for at ChuckEdel.com and get sent to you via email daily!

 

* NBA quick hitter: Hornets guard Eric Gordon out to start the year with a right knee issue for who knows how long. It's really a shame, he has the potential to be a top 30 or so player in the NBA IF ever healthy, but IF is the key word so many times.

 

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