Shane Jackson
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Web Content Writer for @BetMGM, covering MLB, NBA & WNBA. Views/opinions don't represent the company. Bets tracked on Action Network/Betstamp: ShaneThurston
Articles by Shane Jackson
Zack Wheeler passes Paul Skenes as BetMGM's 2025 NL Cy Young Award favorite
This article was contributed by BetMGM. For more sports betting insights, check out BetMGM.com. For the first time all season, a player other than Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes is the betting favorite to win the National League Cy Young award. Phillies righty Zack Wheeler is the new NL Cy Young favorite at the BetMGM online sportsbook. Wheeler’s -125 price tag gives him an implied probability of 55.56% to win his first Cy Young Award. For comparison, he started with a +800 value in the preseason.
Judge lidera probabilidades para ganar el JMV de la L.A.; más reñido en la L.N.
Este artículo fue contribuido por BetMGM. Para más información sobre apuestas deportivas, visita BetMGM.com. Menos de un mes después de iniciada la temporada 2025 de MLB, la estrella de los New York Yankees, Aaron Judge, tiene una ventaja dominante en la carrera por el Premio Jugador Más Valioso de la Liga Americana. Judge está -450 para repetir como JMV de la L.A. en la casa de apuestas en línea BetMGM, lo que le da una probabilidad implícita del 81.82% de ganar un tercer trofeo de este tipo.
How Boston’s odds have moved to start the 2024 season
This article was contributed by BetMGM. For more sports betting insights, check out BetMGM.com. Through 35 games (or roughly 21%) of the 2024 MLB season, the Boston Red Sox have played winning baseball. They are 19-16 on the year. While it’s certainly too early to watch the scoreboard, Boston is third in a competitive American League East. The Red Sox are 4 1/2 games behind the Baltimore Orioles and just one game out of the final Wild Card spot.
Elly De La Cruz, Reds welcome Orioles for weekend series
By Shane Jackson, BetMGM via MLB.com, This article was contributed by BetMGM. For more sports betting insights, check out BetMGM.com. Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds return home for a weekend series against one of the best teams in the American League when the Baltimore Orioles come to town on Friday. This weekend's three-game set is an excellent opportunity for De La Cruz to continue a stellar start to his second MLB season.
Elly De La Cruz, Reds welcome Orioles for weekend series
This article was contributed by BetMGM. For more sports betting insights, check out BetMGM.com. Elly De La Cruz and the Cincinnati Reds return home for a weekend series against one of the best teams in the American League when the Baltimore Orioles come to town on Friday. This weekend’s three-game set is an excellent opportunity for De La Cruz to continue a stellar start to his second MLB season.
Wheeler an early favorite for NL Cy Young
This article was contributed by BetMGM. For more sports betting insights, check out BetMGM.com. Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler has assembled an impressive resume during his 10-year MLB career, but the closest he has come to securing a Cy Young Award was a runner-up finish in 2021. If the early sports betting odds are any indication, Wheeler’s best chance at claiming his first Cy Young honor might be in the 2024 MLB season.
Red Sox continue to thrive as early-season betting underdogs
This article was contributed by BetMGM. For more sports betting insights, check out BetMGM.com The Boston Red Sox still have three games remaining on their 10-game road trip to start the 2024 MLB season, but the results have been promising thus far. Boston began by splitting a four-game set with the Seattle Mariners, winning the opener and series finale.
49ers vs Ravens prediction: Which No. 1 seed stakes their claim as the Super Bowl favorite?
The final game of the Week 16 schedule might just be the biggest matchup of the entire regular season. In the second game of Monday’s Christmas Day doubleheader, the San Francisco 49ers are set to host the Baltimore Ravens. It is a potential Super Bowl preview, as both the Ravens (11-3) and 49ers (11-3) currently sit atop their respective conferences.
Army vs Navy odds preview: Will the total continue to finish under?
One of the most storied rivalry matchups in the sport will close out the 2023 college football regular season on Saturday. Army and Navy will meet for the 124th time during Saturday’s showdown in Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on CBS. This marks the first time that Army and Navy will ever face off in Massachusetts, as they play in the same stadium that is home to the New England Patriots.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Commonly known as the “winter blues,” Seasonal Affective Disorder – or SAD – is a regular depression disorder with symptoms that begin in the fall and continue into winter months. Sometimes, SAD symptoms appear in the spring or early summer and cause an unhappy mood with low energy. Those most likely to have it are younger females and those with family histories of depression, bipolar disorder or SAD. Sufferers experience increased appetite and needing to sleep for longer periods.
Pelicans vs Kings prediction: Will Sacramento exact revenge in New Orleans?
The Sacramento Kings stayed in town for a second consecutive matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday. Monday’s head-to-head meeting finished in favor of New Orleans with a 129-93 victory. It might be a rare scheduling quirk, but this is an opportunity for the Pelicans to climb up the Western Conference standings. The West is a log jam in the middle once again, with the No. 4 seed and the No. 10 seed separated by 2.5 games.
Fantasy football start vs. sit: Line-up advice for the Week 5 NFL slate Original
If you started the Chicago Bears stack of Justin Fields and DJ Moore, then congrats on your fantasy football victory in Week 5. The rest of us will try to make sense of the rest of the board ahead of Sunday. Fields threw four touchdown passes, three of which were to Moore, in a 40-20 victory over the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. Both members of the Chicago duo scored at least 40 points in fantasy football, snapping a 14-game losing skid for the Bears in the process.
Fantasy football start vs. sit: Line-up advice for the Week 5 NFL slate
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College Football Player Props Week 1: Predictions, Picks for Thursday
Week 1 of the college football season has arrived, and Thursday's slate should serve as the perfect kickoff to the opening weekend as Shane Jackson is ready to dive into his favorite college football player props for Thursday's Week 1 games based on the best NCAAF odds. College football takes center stage for the next five days for what should be a doozy of a Week 1 slate.
NFL Worst to First Picks & Predictions 2023: Who Will Keep the Improbable Streak Alive?
Perhaps the best example of the NFL's parity is the recent streak of teams going from worst to first in their division. But which clubs stand the best chance of continuing that run? Shane Jackson shares his favorite picks, using the latest NFL odds from the best sports betting sites. Predictions for the upcoming campaign can be a lot of fun at this time in the offseason, but nothing feels more satisfying than calling a team to make a massive jump.
Fantasy Football Implications of Derek Carr in New Orleans
Free agent action has begun for the 2023 offseason and we start with something we all pretty much knew was going to happen. QB Derek Carr signed a 4-year, $150M deal with the New Orleans Saints on March 6th after spending nine seasons with the Raiders. While Carr isn’t the most exciting QB free agent on the market, this appears to be a solid move for both parties, reuniting the 31-year-old with former Head Coach Dennis Allen, who drafted the QB in 2014.
NBA Player Prop Bets: Walker, Utah Rebounder
A smaller slate on deck with six-night games to work through. All of the props today are related to matchup-specific plays that have become attackable due to injury or roster change from the deadline. While the samples are smaller than usually preferred, if the results match the logic that would be assumed with the change in circumstance, it can bring more credence to the results. Check out all the tools 4for4 has to aid in your daily prep.
Championship Sunday Afternoon Single-Game NFL DFS: Top FanDuel & DraftKings Plays
One team will punch a ticket to Super Bowl LVII (57 for you Roman numeral n00bz) when the Cincinnati Bengals head west to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. It is vital to remember that single-game slates are not simply a “max salary, play as many big names as possible, and submit” format, especially in larger tournament fields.
Draftkings Reignmaker Core Strategy: Divisional Round
The Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs is nearly upon us, and we can only hope it will contain as much drama as the Wild Card round did. The Reignmakers Core strategy rundown for this week's games returns and will continue to deliver through the Superbowl. Matt Price and I took a quick look at the three games on Make It Reign, our weekly pack opening and strategy show, and welcomed Scott Smith back on the show to open a UFC Reignmakers pack and preview this week's UFC matchups.
Week 18 Saturday Night Single-Game NFL DFS: Top FanDuel & DraftKings Plays
Mediocrity reigns Saturday night as the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars square off for the AFC South division title. It is vital to remember that single-game slates are not simply a “max salary, play as many big names as possible, and submit” format, especially in larger tournament fields. We need to identify players that can be pieces in their offense’s success, whether in the lead or trailing, as well as the players that could be focal points in a neutral game script.
FanDuel & DraftKings NFL DFS Week 15 Cash Game Breakdown
In this space each week will be the top cash plays on DraftKings and FanDuel with strategies on how to build a profitable cash lineup. The backbone of 4for4’s cash game approach is our proprietary value metric, which goes beyond simple point-per-dollar projections. That value calculation extends to a player’s odds of hitting cash game value based on their implied volatility according to their floor, median, and ceiling projections.
Daigle's Top NFL DFS Picks: Week 14
I begin my research for DFS tournaments every week by sifting through what our opponents are doing and engineering lineups backward from there. These top plays, though viable for cash games (which will be noted throughout), are suggested specifically for tournaments and are weighted for ceiling projection, matchup, ownership, and value. I will include any thoughts on game theory within my reasoning for each player.
Draftkings Reignmaker Core Strategy: Week 12
It's Thanksgiving week, which means everything from big meals to increased stress levels to family bonding to family tiffs. We get the gift of three Thanksgiving NFL games, but that removes a chunk of players from the main slate, and yet the main slate still features 11 games because there are no Week 12 byes.
Yan vs O'Malley Picks and Predictions
Petr Yan will look to recover from his loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 263 with a win over Sean O'Malley on Saturday. Find out why we're backing Yan, despite public money continuing to back his opponent. Read more in our Yan vs. O'Malley betting picks. Last Updated: Oct 19, 2022 7:28 PM ET Read Time: 4 min Petr Yan vs. Sean O'Malley is on a stacked main card for UFC 280 betting on Saturday.
Bears open as touchdown underdog against Patriots ahead of Monday Night Football
The Chicago Bears will have plenty of time to prepare for their next matchup, but they will still be an underdog the next time they take the field. Caesars Sportsbook, the official odds partner of Bet Chicago Sports, released betting odds for the entire Week 7 slate on Sunday. The Bears opened as a 7.5-point underdog in their road meeting with the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football.
Eagles vs. Cowboys betting preview: Best bet for Sunday Night Football on Oct. 16
A NFC East matchup will take place under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football later this evening, and it figures to have a big impact on the division race. The undefeated Philadelphia Eagles (5-0) will host the Dak Prescott-less Dallas Cowboys (4-1) in a Week 6 battle. The Cowboys have fared well with Cooper Rush under center, and have won four games in a row since dropping the season opener. But is this the week that they get a reality check? Oddsmakers seem to think so.
Blackhawks-Sharks odds, betting preview: Which team will earn their first win of the year?
The Chicago Blackhawks will wrap up their three-game West Coast trip to open the season with a matchup against the San Jose Sharks tonight. The contest will begin at 9 p.m. CT and be broadcasted on NBCSCH and ESPN+. Year 1 of the Luke Richardson era has started with a 0-2 start, but that was to be expected given who the Blackhawks have faced. They started the year with a 5-2 loss to Colorado Avalanche in the opener, following that up with a 1-0 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday.
NBA betting odds: Chicago Bulls’ futures prices entering 2022-23 season
The 2022-23 NBA regular season is nearly here, which is a welcome sight for Chicago sports fans. The Chicago Bulls are coming off a 46-36 campaign and were one of the bigger surprises in the NBA last year. Now the key will be building on that momentum, even if Lonzo Ball remains sidelined to start the season. Let’s take a look at the Bulls’ futures prices entering the new season and what to make of it.
Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan: Betting against season trends with this total pick
The Northern Illinois University football team will be desperately looking to get back in the win column this weekend against Eastern Michigan. The Huskies have dropped five in a row since defeating Eastern Illinois in the season opener, which includes a 52-32 loss to Toledo last weekend. NIU is 1-5 on the year, including 0-2 in league play. Caesars Sportsbook, the official odds partner of Bet Chicago Sports, at least gives the Huskies a chance this weekend.
Chicago Bulls win total set at 42.5 entering 2022-23 season, can we take the over?
Real basketball will start for the Chicago Bulls next week. The Bulls ended the preseason on a three-game win streak to conclude the exhibition slate with a 3-1 record. That should give this Eastern Conference squad plenty of confidence entering the 2022-23 campaign, which officially begins in Miami at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. But oddsmakers still aren’t quite sold on the Bulls, who have a regular-season win total of 42.5 at Caesars Sportsbook.
Bears vs. Commanders betting splits: Bettors backing home team on Thursday Night Football
The Chicago Bears will take center stage in tonight’s Thursday Night Football matchup against the Washington Commanders at Soldier Field. With the whole world watching on primetime, there will likely be more betting interest than usual for a Bears’ game. And the betting public appears eager to back the Bears to take care of business at home. Max Meyer, who is the Editorial Content Writer for Caesars Sportsbook, released betting splits for the Week 6 slate on Thursday.
Blackhawks-Golden Knights odds, betting preview: Bet on the under in Las Vegas
The Chicago Blackhawks began their 2022-23 campaign last night in Colorado, and it went as well as expected. The Avalanche, who won the Stanley Cup a little over three months ago, took care of business with a 5-2 victory over the Blackhawks. Prior to the game, the Avs had their championship banner raising ceremony with the whole world watching on TNT. It was always an unfair start for a rebuilding team, but things don’t get any easier for the Blackhawks.
Final card for Bears vs. Commanders on Thursday Night Football
The Chicago Bears will be on primetime tonight, when they host the Washington Commanders for a Thursday Night Football matchup to kick off the Week 6 slate. Let everybody make their jokes about how ugly this game will be — because it doesn’t really matter. The whole world will be watching on Amazon Prime, and it will be a good opportunity to cash some more tickets. After a 3-1 showing on last week’s picks, my best bets for Bears’ games are now 11-6 on the year.
Touchdown scorer picks for Bears vs. Commanders in NFL Week 6
The Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders will square off in a Thursday Night Football matchup at Soldier Field. Caesars Sportsbook, the official odds partner of Bet Chicago Sports, currently lists this game as a pick ‘em, so it is anyone’s guess on which team will ultimately prevail. The total opened at 40, but has been bet down to 38. With points being hard to come by, that will make it even more difficult to correctly predict this week’s touchdown scorer.
Illinois bettors can play our boosted parlay for Bears vs. Commanders Thursday Night Football
Don’t watch this week’s Thursday Night Football game without playing a boosted same-game parlay. Our friends at Caesars Sportsbook are back with another special boost for this week’s matchup between the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders. Get +380 odds on this three-leg parlay for Thursday’s matchup: • Bears win • David Montgomery TD • Under 249.5 passing yards for Carson Wentz At +380 for this parlay, a $10 bet would net a $38 payout. Just make sure to play this boost before kickoff.
Commanders vs. Bears: Best Bet for Thursday Night Football on first-half Washington moneyline
The Chicago Bears broke the huddle in plenty of time on the first offensive play during last week’s 29-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. They just didn’t have everybody they needed on the field. Fullback Khari Blasingame came rushing on the field with about seven seconds left on the play clock, forcing the officials to intervene. The Bears were charged with a delay of game and moved back five yards before their first offensive snap.
The Carson Wentz experience: Bet on the Commanders QB to throw an INT vs. Bears
Week 6 begins with a matchup between the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders at Soldier Field on Thursday Night Football. Oddsmakers consider this game to be a toss-up, as Caesars Sportsbook has had this game as a pick ‘em all week. The total is currently 38 points, which is by far the lowest on the slate. According to this tweet from Action Network, Thursday Night Football games with a total between 37 and 40 are 18-4-1 (82%) to the under.
Blackhawks-Avalahnce odds, betting preview: Back the defending champs in the opener
Well, the schedule makers certainly didn’t make it easy on the Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks will begin Year 1 of the Luke Richardson era with a trio of road games this week, starting with an opener against the defending champs tonight. The Blackhawks will face the Colorado Avalanche at 8:30 p.m. CT in a game that will be broadcasted on TNT for the whole world to see.
NFL Week 6 picks against the spread: 3 best bets including Ravens at Giants and Chiefs vs. Bills
We turn the page to Week 6 of the NFL season, and it already feels like this year is flying by. There are four teams on bye, meaning there isn’t a full slate of games for the first time all season. That, along with the fact there are many close spreads on the slate, made this a difficult week to navigate from a best bets perspective. Fear not, though, as I’ve narrowed down a shortlist of spread picks to consider this weekend.
There is only one futures bet worth considering ahead of 2022-23 Chicago Blackhawks campaign
Expectations are low for the Chicago Blackhawks entering the 2022-23 NHL season. They went 28-42 last year and have missed the playoffs in four of the past five seasons. They have a new head coach, with Luke Richardson leading the way after spending four seasons as an assistant for the Montreal Canadiens. They are 200/1 to win the Stanley Cup at Caesars Sportsbook, which is the second-lowest odds in the market.
This betting trend doesn’t bode well for Bears’ chances against Commanders on Thursday Night Football
Matt Eberflus and the Chicago Bears will have a short week to prepare for a home meeting with the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. And recent history would suggest that we should be concerned about the Bears’ chances of ending their two-game skid. Dating back to 2015, rookie head coaches are 8-18 (30.8%) against the spread on Thursday Night Football via this article from 4for4.com.
Low total in Bears vs. Commanders continues to fall ahead of Thursday Night Football
A low total is now even lower ahead of Thursday Night Football. This week’s matchup between the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders had an opening total of 40 at Caesars Sportsbook, which is the official odds partner of Bet Chicago Sports. The total is now 38 at the same shop, which is in line with the rest of the market. It goes without saying, but this is obviously the lowest total on the Week 6 slate as of Tuesday morning.
How to bet on hockey
The 2022-23 NHL season is just around the corner, as the Chicago Blackhawks will have three games this week to begin a new campaign. The Blackhawks will travel to Colorado on Wednesday to take on the defending champions in the season opener. They will then head further west to face the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday and the San Jose Sharks on Saturday. Our readers will want to have action on the Blackhawks all year, so make sure to do that at Caesars Sportsbook.
Bet Chicago Sports Podcast, Episode 14: What we learned in NFL Week 5 and previewing Chiefs vs. Bills
In this episode of the Bet Chicago Sports Podcast, Shane Jackson is joined by Alex Gold of 610 Sports Kansas City. Alex and Shane recap the week that was in the NFL Week 5 and how they plan to bet next week’s slate of games. They also share a few favorite picks for tonight’s Monday Night Football matchup between the Chiefs and Raiders. First-time bettors in Illinois, register today with Caesars Sportsbook to get their new user offer.
3 takeaways from NFL Week 5, including why we have concerns about the NFC contenders
There is just one game left on the Week 5 slate, but this past weekend taught us a lot about the current state of the league. Fans of the NFL know that this is a week-to-week league, and we tend to overreact to what we just saw. That’s why it is important to sleep on it, and then take a fresh look at everything that transpired before assessing what mattered and what didn’t.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Best bet for Monday Night Football matchup between AFC West rivals
Week 5 will wrap up with a Monday Night Football matchup between a pair of AFC West rivals. The Kansas City Chiefs (3-1) are slated to host the Las Vegas Raiders (1-3) in a game that could help Andy Reid and company create some cushion from the rest of the division. The Chiefs have won the AFC West six years in a row, so I don’t expect them to overlook any divisional matchup, even if they have a meeting with the Buffalo Bills on deck.
Chicago Bears vs. Washington Commanders opens as pick ‘em ahead of Thursday Night Football
The Chicago Bears won’t have to wait long to return to the football field. Fresh off a 29-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears will be back in action on Thursday Night Football with a home meeting against the Washington Commanders. And oddsmakers don’t really know what to do with this game. The spread for this Week 6 matchup opened as a pick ‘em at Caesars Sportsbook, which is the official odds partner of Bet Chicago Sports.
Sunday Night Football betting preview: Best bet for Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals
This week’s Sunday Night Football matchup figures to have a strong impact on the AFC North race. Both the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals are 2-2 through the opening month, but a win tonight could go a long way in determining which team will capture a division crown. The Ravens, who were the preseason favorite to win the AFC North, are a 3-point favorite as of Sunday morning at Caesars Sportsbook.
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