Monday Night Football and College Basketball Betting Notes

It’s ESPN Monday Night football between the Ravens and Browns. Sportsbooks have Baltimore as an 11-point favorite with a total of 39. However both the side and total vary at different books.

The professional handicappers have today’s sports picks but now it’s time for the official betting preview. Baltimore is 4-4 straight up and 5-3 against the spread while Cleveland is 1-7 straight up and 3-5 in the back pocket.

Baltimore has a prohibitive advantage in every key category used by football handicappers as they average .7 more yards per rush and 1.6 more yards per pass.

On defense, the Ravens allow 1.4 fewer yards per rush than the Browns and .4 fewer yards per pass.

Against the spread records: The Ravens have covered eight straight versus teams with a losing record yet are just 2-9 their last 11 as road favorites.

The Browns are horrific under just about any parameter. They are 3-12 on grass, 2-9 off a straight up loss and 1-8 following a contest in which they allowed more than 150 rushing yards last game. One angle in Cleveland’s favor is that the home team has covered 8-of-11 in head to head competition.

Handicapping notes: Baltimore should have plenty of reason to make a statement as they enter on a 1-4 straight up skid. Baltimore had the best run defense in the league statistically but they’ve allowed three 100-yard rushers over the last four games.

In the first four games, Baltimore QB Joe Flacco averaged 275 passing yards per game and had eight TDs. In the last four those numbers drop to 235 and four scores.

Brady Quinn resumes as starting QB for Cleveland, with a passer rating of 62.1. He has won one of five career starts.

Top expert pick on this game: World Champion sports handicapper Stevie does what he does: wins in every sport. Remaining two-plus decades ahead of the oddsmakers, this groundbreaking superstar in the handicapping science is now 42-22 the last 64. He’s 10-2 with Level 5.

Get the Monday Night football over/under and side plus Level 5 and Level 3 plays in collegiate basketball. Click now to purchase

Other notes of interest in sports betting for today’s card, now to college basketball:

·        St. Mary’s hosts San Diego State and it will be a coming out party for St. Mary’s super frosh Matthew Dellavedova. In his debut against New Mexico State he has 19 points, four assists, a steal and no turnovers

·        Kentucky’s DeAndre Liggins missed both of the Wildcats exhibition games for reasons coach John Calipari would not discuss. He is probable tonight against Miami Ohio. As a freshman he averaged 16 minutes per game and 2.8 assists.

·        Arizona State will not have star recruit Victor Rudd because of eligibility issues. They host Texas State tonight.