Got swept with my two plays yesterday and neither of them really had a chance. There will be days like that and quite frankly once you know that there will be losing days, losing right out of the gate can be less stressful than having a bet look good the entire way only to lose it in the final minutes. Losing still sucks no matter what, but those blowout losses are easier to move on from though.

Tonight I’ve got one free NFL pick and an NHL free pick as I look to get back on track.

All lines taken from Pinnacle Sports with bet amounts ‘to win’ on favorites and flat on underdogs

Play of the Day in Bold

Free Play Records

CFL YTD: 6-8 (-$266)

NCAAF YTD: 18-20 ATS (-$899) 

NFL YTD: 9-12 ATS (-$932)

NHL YTD: 7-4 (+$1918)

NBA YTD: 5-2 (+$557)

Free NFL pick

Cincinnati Bengals -6.5 (+100) $200 to win $200

I’m seeing some money come in on the Browns now to push this line to +100, but I’ve got a long history of watching this rivalry every season and typically the home team dominates. I haven’t hid the fact on this site that I’ve been a Bengals fan for years now and while some may call this a homer play, I’m fine with that.

Cincinnati needs this game to stay atop the AFC North and Cleveland might be 5-3 SU but who have they beat? Yes, they caught a Pittsburgh game before Roethlisberger and company decided to become the 1999 Rams and beat the Saints, but both of those wins were at home. The Browns are 1-2 SU this year on the road and their last road contest was an embarrassing 24-6 loss @ Jacksonville. After three straight weeks of seeing the Jags, Raiders and Bucs (a combined 2-23 SU), this is a huge step up in class for Cleveland and I don’t believe they will be ready for it.

If this game was in Cleveland I’d be on the Browns (and likely will be when they do play in Cleveland), but I’ve got to ride with the home team here in a spot that’s more of a “must-win” for Cincy as their schedule starts to get tougher. Offensively the Bengals have the better talent and although they are banged up a bit on defense, they’ll frustrate Brian Hoyer enough to prevent him from having a good game.

NHL free pick

NYI/LA Over 5.5 (+120) $300 to win $360

2nd game of a back-to-back for the Islanders after they beat Anaheim 3-2 in OT last night and they are starting former Bengals WR Chad Johnson in net.

All joking aside, Johnson has been a career backup in this league and one guy who when I see starting I tend to lean to the over (Curtis McElhinney is another) because he’s shown me time and time again that he’s typically good for 3+ goals allowed per game. LA is back at home after a disastrous 1-4 SU road trip and should be able to light the lamp numerous times tonight.

New York will do their part to keep up as they aren’t short on offensive talent either and L.A’s defense has been far from stellar of late. The Kings have allowed 3+ goals in four of their last five overall, and I believe we see a 4-2, 4-3 type game here.