gambling

Andrew’s Play of the Day: 1/9/20

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

RECORD: 7-1

My conversation with Gino Buccola went online Wednesday afternoon. In it, we went point-by-point through my 50-item plan to improve horse racing, and we wound up talking for nearly an hour and a half. It’s available at the 41-minute mark of the full “That’s What G Said” podcast, which I’ve conveniently skipped to in the YouTube upload below.

If you prefer to access it on SoundCloud, it’s available there, too. When we wrapped, I remarked that it may be the best thing I’ve ever done, and I meant it. If you like horse racing and the podcasts that cover it, give it a listen. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULT: UConn was up seven at the half against Tulane and stretched the lead to double-digits after the break. However, the Green Wave showed some fight and made the Huskies sweat before falling 67-61. That was well within the 11-point spread, so it’s another win.

THURSDAY’S PLAY: The College of Charleston Cougars played a brutal non-conference schedule. However, they’ve won five straight ahead of a road game at fellow Colonial Athletic Association squad Elon Thursday night. The Phoenix are 4-12, have lost five straight, and are only getting 9.5 points. That doesn’t hit me as anywhere near enough. I’m taking Charleston to cover, as I don’t think this one will be close.

Andrew’s Play of the Day: 1/8/20

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

RECORD: 6-1

I’m a proud graduate of Ithaca College, having earned my degree from there in 2010. In my time there, I got to meet some really cool people, from fellow students who became some of my best friends to professors who are some of the most knowledgeable, giving people I’ve ever met (I still talk to several of them regularly).

One of my classmates was a woman named Samantha Matt. She was a fellow TV/Radio major, and she’s since turned to the writing world. She’s got a new book out titled, “Average is the New Awesome,” and the excerpt that’s available online knocked me on my rear end.

Go read the excerpt, and then spend $17 to buy the book, especially if you’re in our age group and have ever felt some degree of apprehension about the choices you’ve made and the way you’ve lived your life. Chances are you’re doing just fine, even if you think otherwise.

Sam, you did a really nice job. From one Bomber to another, well done!

MONDAY’S RESULT: I said I wouldn’t be surprised if Virginia Tech, a 4.5-point underdog at Syracuse, won outright. That’s what happened, and while I’m able to notch another winner, I can’t help but feel like I should’ve given out the money line instead.

TUESDAY’S PLAY: For the first time in this exercise, I had a little bit of trouble landing on a game. If I could pass, I would, but I won’t resort to that as a cop-out. Instead, I’ll ride my hot streak into Connecticut, where the UConn Huskies host Tulane as 11-point favorites. UConn certainly deserves to be favored, but that spread hits me as several points too large. Like the Huskies, the Green Wave boasts a 9-5 record, and Tulane has averaged 77 points per game over their last three, so they won’t be intimidated if this turns into a shootout. UConn likely wins, but I’ll take Tulane getting 11 points, because I think this will be a pretty close game.

Andrew’s Play of the Day: 1/7/20

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

RECORD: 5-1

Like Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” I don’t have a lot of very close friends, so I’ll fight for the ones I’ve got. Gino Buccola’s one of them. I came into TVG right as he was exiting stage left, and we quickly realized we had a lot in common. We’ve bonded over the years, and he had me in for a podcast to discuss my recent article detailing a 50-point plan to save horse racing.

We talked for 90 minutes. It felt like 10, and it may be the best piece of racing-related content I’ve ever had a hand in producing. At around the 60 or 70-minute mark, the wrestling fan that I am, I thought to myself, “is this what Ric Flair felt like?”

Gino says the finished product will be online late-Tuesday or Wednesday. I’ll have it on all of my social media channels, and if any one of podcasts, horse racing, or my irreverent brand of humor strike a chord with you, you’re going to want to check it out. I’m grateful to my friend for allowing me the chance to talk about my work and my passion, and hopefully that shines through in the discussion.

MONDAY’S RESULT: The college basketball game between West Virginia and Oklahoma State didn’t win any beauty contests. While West Virginia shot a paltry 38.8% from the floor and 55% from the foul line, Oklahoma State was even worse in scoring 41 points on 48 shots, and the Mountaineers easily covered the one-point spread in a 14-point victory.

TUESDAY’S PLAY: It’s a great night for college basketball, but I’ll focus on a game being played in upstate New York (shocker, right?). Syracuse hosts Virginia Tech and is a 4.5-point favorite as of this writing…but why? The Orange are 8-6 with one win over a power-conference team (a drubbing of Georgia Tech). Meanwhile, Virginia Tech is 10-4 with no bad losses and wins over Clemson (on the road) and Michigan State (on a neutral floor). I’m taking the Hokies getting four and a half, and I wouldn’t be stunned if they won outright.

Andrew’s Play of the Day: 1/6/20

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

RECORD: 4-1

A little less than a year ago, I took up the game Off And Pacing, which can be played on Apple and Android devices. I got into it for a variety of reasons, not the least of which being that I’m insanely competitive and enjoy bludgeoning several friends who also play the game into submission.

Essentially, you manage a harness racing operation, which includes racing, breeding, and claiming standardbreds. It’s quite fun once you know what you’re doing, and I’ve been blessed with easily the best 2-year-old I’ve ever had. Named King Elliot (after my feline partner-in-crime), he qualified for my stable’s first-ever final Sunday night…where he promptly received the worst drive of his career.

I am sure driver Mike Wilson is a very nice man in real-life. However, after taking a speed horse back to seventh or eighth and leaving him with way too much to do, I hate his Off And Pacing likeness more than my Twitter trolls hate me when I pick a 5-1 shot that goes wire-to-wire. If you heard someone rampaging around in Northern California around 6 pm Sunday night, it was me, and I kind of, sort of, apologize.

SUNDAY’S RESULT: Vegas likely got killed. Philadelphia was favored by three over Seattle when betting for the NFL wild card playoff game opened last week. When the game kicked off, the Seahawks were favored in some books because they took so much money. I was among the bettors who backed Seattle, and as a result, another one goes in the left column.

MONDAY’S PLAY: I’ll turn to college basketball and focus on some Big 12 action. West Virginia heads to Oklahoma State, and the Cowboys are reeling. They’ve lost four of their last six games after a 7-0 start to the season, and they now get a two-loss West Virginia team that gave Kansas all it could handle at Allen Fieldhouse. The Mountaineers are favored by a point, and I’ll take them to cover.

Andrew’s Play of the Day: 1/5/20

Posted on by Andrew Champagne

RECORD: 3-1

As you may have read yesterday, a friend challenged me to handicap a two-day Pick Five carryover at Turf Paradise Saturday. I did just that, came up with a $60 ticket, and promptly ripped it up as my opening-leg single finished off the board as a heavy favorite.

That’s not really the story, though. Those who were alive to #4 Ficety Lady in the finale saw her come up the rail, engulf tiring pace-setter #10 Baby Rose, and get nailed at the wire by #2 Faith in Excess, who went off at 32-1 and, for my money, should’ve been double that.

Those horseplayers were nosed out of $16,000 and some change on a 50-cent bet. If you’re one of them and you feel like quitting gambling, I can’t say I blame you. On the other hand, if anyone out there fits this description and wants to talk about it, by all means shoot me a tweet or an email.

SATURDAY’S RESULT: The Texans and Bills made me sweat by going to overtime, but when Ka’imi Fairbairn’s chip shot field goal split the uprights to make it a 22-19 final, the number snuck in under the 43.5-point total.

SUNDAY’S PLAY: Oddsmakers who installed the Eagles as three-point favorites over the Seahawks last week have to be sweating. Money has poured in on Seattle, and the spread has shifted so much that the Seahawks are now a one-point favorite. Philadelphia’s a great story considering how many Eagles have gotten banged up this year, but I think the ride ends here. I’ll take Seattle giving a point.