Week 6 NFL Doctor and the Dude Show

It's another crazy week of sprots betting fun, as the boys cover football, baseball, hockey, cricket, and...wait, what?  CRICKET?!  Who bets on cricket?  The Doctor and Dude, that's who!

Direct download: DoctorandDude10_12.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:04pm CDT

Game

Doc

Dude

St. Louis at Green Bay -15

Green Bay

Green Bay

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh -12

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Philadelphia at Washington +1.5 to Pick

Washington

Washington

San Francisco at Detroit -4.5

San Francisco

Detroit

Carolina at Atlanta -4

Carolina

Atlanta

Indianapolis at Cincinnati -7

Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Buffalo at NY Giants -3.5

Buffalo

Buffalo

Houston at Baltimore -7.5

Baltimore

Baltimore

Cleveland at Oakland -6

Cleveland

Oakland

Dallas at New England -7

Dallas

New England

New Orleans at Tampa Bay +4.5

New Orleans

New Orleans

Minnesota at Chicago -3

Minnesota

Chicago

Miami at NY Jets -7

NY Jets

Jets

Category:general -- posted at: 9:55pm CDT

The Dude is rasping and raving this week about the Steelers finding their mojo, Buffalo getting no respect, and people waking up to Philly being a nightmare team. He breaks down the early NFL and college lines and all the gambling goodness that is coming up.  Check it out now as the Dude Presents!

Direct download: D_and_D_10_10_F.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:14pm CDT

Let’s keep the baseball picks rolling into the League Championship round!

Detroit (+120) vs. Texas (-140)

Hitters: Both of these teams feature stacked lineups that are hitting the ball well right now.  For that to continue in the ALCS, each side will have to step up their game against very tough starting pitching.  The Tigers would love to see Miggy Cabrera warm up and Delmon “Yankee Killer” Young stay hot in the second round.  And speaking of hot, Adrian Beltre was scorching against the Rays.  EDGE: EVEN

Starting Pitching:  Again, both sides have very strong rotations (it’s no coincidence these teams are playing deep into October), so we need to look at the matchups.  C.J. Wilson is a solid ace at the top of the Rangers rotation, and he’ll be followed by capable starters in Derek Holland and Colby Lewis.  But the matchups seem to favor the Tigers in this series.  It starts at the top with the best pitcher in the AL, Justin Verlander.  Then comes Doug Fister, who followed his breakout regular season with a Game 5 gem against the Yankees.  The Tigers are also solid at the back of the rotation with Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello, though this is where the advantage may swing in the Rangers’ favor.  Still, Detroit is so tough at the top that I have to give them the nod.    EDGE: TIGERS

Bullpen: Tigers closer Jose Valverde made good on his guarantee and shut down the Yankees for the series win.  That said, Detroit’s bullpen just can’t stack up against their counterparts from Texas top to bottom.  Feliz is the hard-throwing closer that gets all the attention, but Uehara and Adams bridge the late innings as well as any setup men in the business. EDGE: RANGERS

Other Factors: Ron Washington is a by-the-books guy, but at this point you have to give him some credit for getting his team to back-to-back ALCS appearances.  As for Jim Leyland, he’s cut out of the Tony La Russa mold with his constant lineup tinkering.  Neither guy is likely to make a big difference in this series.  The Rangers have home field advantage, though that’s at least partially mitigated by the fact that they’ll be facing Verlander in the first game.

The Pick: There are a lot of potential heroes in each of these lineups, but for me it comes down to the starting pitching matchups.  With a big pitching edge in Game One, Detroit has a great chance of taking this series home with at least one win, which would flip home field advantage in their favor.  While I do think the Rangers will ride their potent offense and dominant bullpen to a couple wins, the starting matchups line up perfectly for a Tigers upset.  The positive overlay on your wager is just the icing on the cake.  DETROIT +120

St. Louis (+125) vs. Milwaukee (-145)

Hitters: St. Louis led the NL in runs scored in 2011, so there’s no doubt they bring great bats into this series.  Pujols and Berkman were big for the Cardinals in their divisional matchup with Philly, while newly acquired Rafael Furcal had some big hits to fuel the upset.  The big question surrounding St. Louis is the status of Matt Holliday and his injured finger.  Holliday was basically a non-contributor against the Phillies. The Brewers are no slouches on the offensive side, with two of the best in the game in Braun and Fielder.  As we’ve mentioned before, the Brewers have a gaping hole in their lineup at the shortstop position, but otherwise are fairly solid.  If Holliday is healthy, the Cardinals have a pretty clear edge.  If not, things get a lot murkier. The current reports out of St. Louis are that Holliday is back to regular batting practice, so we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. EDGE: CARDINALS.

Starting Pitchers: The Cardinals are very solid throughout their rotation, though none of their starters was dominant in the regular season.  Chris Carpenter looked like his former Cy Young self against the Phillies, including a gem for the ages in Game 5.  If that continues, St. Louis may have the ace they need.  I mentioned in the divisional preview that Zach Greinke came alive in the second half, and he’ll be starting Game 1 for the Brewers.  Gallardo and Marcum are very capable starters as well.  EDGE: BREWERS

Bullpen: This was an area of weakness for both teams at the start of the season, but developed into a strength by the end.  The Cardinals ‘pen has the versatility that La Russa enjoys, and that will come in handy against the Braun/Fielder combo.  Milwaukee had a couple late meltdowns in their series against Arizona, but will likely have those issues straightened out coming into this matchup. EDGE: EVEN

Other Factors: The managerial matchup is a huge edge for the Cardinals, as La Russa has been under the bright lights of October many times in the past.  But that advantage is countered by Milwaukee’s home field advantage, which showed up again in the divisional playoffs (3-0 at home, 0-2 in Arizona).  Milwaukee just needs to hold serve at home to take this series.

The Pick: I’ve gone back and forth on this one.  The Brewers are great at home in general, and even tougher when Greinke takes the hill (11-0 at home) as he likely will in Games One and Five.  But the Cardinals are one of the few teams that can get to Milwaukee in Miller Park, as evidenced by their road sweep of the Brewers in August.  This has the potential to be a chippy series, because these teams don’t like each other much.  With an experienced manager, a veteran lineup, and a potential ace in Carpenter that seems to be rounding into form at just the right time, the Cardinals can ride their momentum to a World Series rematch with the Tigers.  ST. LOUIS +125

 

 

Category:2011 -- posted at: 3:00pm CDT

Doctor and Dude Show - Week 5 NFL Lines

With a quarter of the NFL season in the books, the Dude tries to keep his Survivor streak going.  Plus teasers, college picks, a baseball update, and some hot German soccer action!

Direct download: DoctorandDude10_5.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 10:37pm CDT

Game

Dude

Doc

Kansas City at Indianapolis -2

Kansas City

Indianapolis

Arizona at Minnesota -2.5

Minnesota

Arizona

Philadelphia at Buffalo +3

Buffalo

Buffalo

Oakland at Houston -6

Oakland

Houston

New Orleans at Carolina +6

New Orleans

New Orleans

Cincinnati at Jacksonville -2.5

Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Tennessee at Pittsburgh -3.5

Tennessee

Tennessee

Seattle at NY Giants -10

Giants

Giants

Tampa Bay at San Francisco -3

Tampa Bay

San Francisco

NY Jets at New England -9

Jets

Jets

San Diego at Denver +4

San Diego

Denver

Green Bay at Atlanta +5.5

Green Bay

Green Bay

Chicago at Detroit -6

Chicago

Detroit

Category:general -- posted at: 9:52pm CDT

The Dude is back at you to recap a great weekend of football, which the Doctor owned.  There's weird rulings for the Giants, Clemson showing consistency, and the Buffalo bandwagon hitting the off ramp.  Add in a rundown of all the NFL lines and the best of the NCAA, and it's pure goodness!  Check it all out now and enjoy the knowledge of the Dude Presents!

Direct download: D_and_D_10_4.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:19pm CDT

We didn’t get a chance to talk about the impending playoff matchups on our last show, since they were still being decided by one of the most exciting nights of baseball in recent memory. So here’s a quick breakdown of each matchup and where we think the smart money will fall.

Tampa Bay (+145) vs. Texas (-165)

Hitters: Despite health issues, Texas holds a big edge here. Beyond Longoria and Zobrist, the Rays have been a light hitting squad all season. Whether you consider Upton or Jennings their third best hitter, either guy would rate only about seventh best for this deep Rangers group. EDGE: RANGERS

Starting Pitching: The Rays have maybe the best 1-2 punch on the AL side in Shields and Price. They will certainly have a pitching advantage in Games 1 (Shields vs. Wilson) and 2 (Price vs. Harrison). After that it gets tricky, because it isn’t entirely clear who will pitch for the Rays. But regardless, the advantage will likely swing to the Rangers with Ogando taking the hill. EDGE: RAYS

Bullpen: Tampa’s bullpen has been an issue all season, but it’s hard to say how they’ll look in the playoffs with Wade Davis moved out of the rotation and the phenom Matt Moore added to the postseason roster. Texas has made great strides since last year in the ‘pen, though it’s worth noting that Neftali Feliz saw a spike in his walk rate and a reduction in his strikeout rate this year…not a great sign. EDGE: RANGERS

Other Factors: Joe Maddon is one of the best managers in the majors. He’s not afraid to think outside the box when it comes to deploying his personnel, which is a big advantage in the playoffs where every at bat counts for so much. Ron Washington is fine…he doesn’t really add or subtract much from his team. The Rangers enjoyed a substantial home field advantage (as most teams do) this year, posting a 52-29 record in Arlington.

The Pick: The Rays are a great story, coming from behind to grab a playoff spot on the last day while eliminating the rival Red Sox. At +145, they’re a tempting pick. But it’s hard not to think that they used up their magic just making the playoffs, and the run differential advantage for Texas (+178 compared to +93 for Tampa) indicates that the Rangers are really the better team here. TEXAS -165

Detroit (+130) vs. NY Yankees (-165)

Hitters: The Yankees are known for big name veteran hitters like Alex Rodriguez and Mark Texeria, but it’s been Robbie Cano and Curtis Granderson leading the way in 2011. New York is definitely blessed with a deep lineup, but the question is whether some of the older hitters will contribute against playoff pitching. Hold on to your drawers, because I’m about to drop a knowledge bomb on you: the Tigers’ top three hitters have been more valuable than the Yankees’ top three this season. Seriously. Look up the season Alex Avila is having...the guy is a stud. Throw in Cabrera and Peralta and you have one of the best middle of the order groups in the playoffs. Where Detroit is lacking is depth, as they get very little production at the bottom of their lineup. EDGE: YANKEES (but not by much).

Starting Pitchers: You may have heard about this Justin Verlander guy. He’s good. Really good. As in maybe AL MVP good. The Yankees sport the second best pitcher (Sabathia) in the AL postseason, but he’s second by a WIDE margin. The Tigers will also start the astonishing Doug Fister and the slightly disappointing Max Scherzer in this series, while the Yankees will counter with Ivan Nova and Bartolo Colon. Translation: Detroit will have the better starter in every game of this series. EDGE: TIGERS

Bullpen: The Yankees bullpen was in shambles earlier this season but has come around of late, and they still have Mariano Rivera, who has attended this little postseason dance once or twice before. Detroit’s bullpen is more of an unknown commodity given manager Jim Leyland’s penchant for using his starters until their arms fall off, though Valverde remains one of the best closers in the business. EDGE: YANKEES

Other Factors: Girardi and Leyland are mostly “by the books” guys, so don’t expect any surprising tactical decisions. Girardi is just hoping his team doesn’t blow this series so he doesn’t get blasted by the New York press, and Leyland is too busy applying Nicotine patches to care what’s happening on the field. Like the Rangers, the Yankees were 52-29 at home, so having the home field advantage will be big.

The Pick: A lot was made of the Red Sox collapse, but this Yankees team is slumping into the postseason as well. The only effective starter in their rotation will be matched up against Verlander twice, and the veteran lineup is looking old and gimpy right now. I have a lot of respect for Cano and Granderson, but they’ll need help against a tough pitching staff and I don’t think they’ll get it. New York was the better team in July, but the Tigers are the better team now (and the worst possible matchup the Yankees could have drawn). DETROIT +130

Arizona (+135) vs. Milwaukee (-155)

Hitters: Arizona features a young nucleus in Upton, Montero, and Parra that should keep the future bright in the desert for quite some time. But for the Milwaukee hitters, their time is now. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder constitute the best middle of the order of any team in baseball, and yes that includes the Cardinals. Throw in the rest of this deep lineup (minus an even replacement level shortstop…yikes!) and it’s not hard to see which offense is more potent. EDGE: BREWERS

Starting Pitchers: If you’re looking for a reason for the Diamondbacks enormous improvement this season, look no further than their starting rotation. Kennedy, Hudson, and Collmenter all took huge steps forward this year despite pitching in a tough home park. As for the Brewers, Greinke and Gallardo got off to tough starts but have been huge for Milwaukee in the second half, while Marcum and Wolf remain very steady options for Games 3 and 4 of this series. EDGE: DIAMONDBACKS

Bullpen: The Arizona fans are wincing at this point, because they know what’s coming. This has been a major problem area all year for the Diamondbacks, as their main strategy has been to get leads early and then hold on for dear life in the late innings. J.J. Putz is a capable closer though. Bullpen issues hurt the Brewers in the first half of the season as well, though the acquisition of K-Rod to pair with John Axford have solved those to some extent. Regardless, expect some late game heroics in this series. EDGE: BREWERS

Other Factors: Kirk Gibson and Ron Roenicke are the postseason noobs this year, so it’s a bit ironic that they’re matched up against one another. More importantly, the Brewers sport baseball’s biggest home field edge (57-24 in 2011), so Arizona will need to steal one in Milwaukee to win this series.

The Pick: The turnaround in Arizona has been impressive this year, and Gibson gets my vote for Manager of the Year (even despite the second half that Tony La Russa coaxed out of the Cardinals). But the Diamondbacks feel like the “happy to be here” team in the NL, and as impressive as their young pitchers have been in the regular season, they saw a steady diet of terrible lineups from their NL West counterparts. We’ll hear more from Arizona in the future, but with Fielder headed to the free agent market, the Brewers need to win right now before their window of opportunity closes for good. MILWAUKEE -155

St. Louis (+245) vs. Philadelphia (-290)

Hitters: You’ve probably heard of these St. Louis guys – Pujols, Berkman, and Holliday are a productive trio in the middle of the lineup. Not surprisingly, the Cardinals rode their Big Three to the highest run production in the National League. As for Philadelphia, the dirty secret about this team is that their offense has been in decline for years. Shane Victorino posted a career year, but the rest of the team had major issues, including more injuries for Chase Utley and a career worst on base percentage for Ryan Howard. The addition of Hunter Pence is the wild card for Philly. Still they were only 5th in the NL in runs scored, despite playing in one of the best run-scoring parks in the majors. EDGE: CARDINALS

Starting Pitchers: Do I have to do this? Really? Carpenter continues to be a workhorse for St. Louis, while Lohse and Garcia are above average pitchers. But the Phillies counter with Halladay, Lee, and Hamels, who would all be the staff ace of the Cardinals (and many other teams). The Phillies will have the edge in starting pitching against any team they face in the 2011 postseason. EDGE: PHILLIES

Bullpen: The Cardinals have improved their ‘pen markedly in the second half, which is a good thing considering they traded away their best young player to do so. Salas has looked good in the closer role and they’re deep with a variety of arms, so expect plenty of pitching changes as Tony La Russa engages in his textbook over-managing. Like the Tigers, it’s hard to say much about the Philadelphia bullpen since they rarely need it. Expect to see a lot of Charlie Manuel sitting calmly with his arms crossed while his starters pitch deep into games. EDGE: CARDINALS

Other Factors: While we’re not overly enamored with Tony La Russa’s managerial style here in Doctor and Dude land, it’s hard not to admit that he seems to get the most out of his teams. But really, both the Phillies and Cardinals are veteran squads…they know what they need to do, so this series will mostly be decided on the field. The Phillies posted a 52-29 home record, though they also won 50 games on the road so it’s hard to tell whether they have a home field advantage or are just an awesome team no matter where they go.

The Pick: This is actually the easiest series to analyze for one specific reason: the lines. -290 is just a stupidly high number for a five game baseball series. Are the Phillies the best team left in the postseason? Yes, definitely. But that line implies that Philadelphia would win this series over 70 percent of the time, and there’s no way that’s right. Strange things happen in a short series...the Cardinals just swept Philly earlier this month. It makes no sense to bet on Philadelphia, so either give this one a pass or make the gutsy move and take St. Louis. ST. LOUIS +245

Category:general -- posted at: 8:51pm CDT

Game

Dude

Doc

Detroit at Dallas -1

Detroit

Detroit

New Orleans at Jacksonville +7

New Orleans

New Orleans

San Francisco at Philadelphia -7.5

Philadelphia

San Francisco

Washington at St. Louis Pick'em

St. Louis

Washington

Tennessee at Cleveland -1

Tennessee

Tennessee

Buffalo at Cincinnati +3

Buffalo

Stay away

(under 44)

Minnesota at Kansas City +1.5

Kansas City

Minnesota

Carolina at Chicago -6.5

Chicago

Stay away

Pittsburgh at Houston -4

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Atlanta at Seattle +4.5

Atlanta

Seattle

NY Giants at Arizona +1.5

NY Giants

NY Giants

Miami at San Diego -7.5

San Diego

San Diego

Denver at Green Bay -13

Green Bay

Denver

New England at Oakland +4.5

Oakland

New England

NY Jets at Baltimore -3.5

NY Jets

Stay away

Indianapolis at Tampa Bay -10

Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Category:general -- posted at: 8:35am CDT

Doctor and Dude Show - NFL Week 4

Nearing the quarter pole of the NFL season, the Dude sees a glimmer of hope for the Bears this weekend while the Doctor is disgusted with the Jets' recent performance.  Plus college football picks, the Dude's signature teasers, and a look at who just might be hoisting the World Series trophy in a month.

Direct download: DoctorandDude9_28.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 10:40pm CDT

The Dude recaps a week that saw winners, losers, and bums fighting it out.  He recaps the Patriots losing, LSU winning, and the Steelers struggling.  He breaks down the early lines for the NFL and college, highlighting some great match ups for the week to come and college lines going wild.  Check out this show and start getting ready for your weekend of action early!

Direct download: D_and_D_9_26_F.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:50pm CDT

Doctor and Dude - NFL Week 3 show

The boys look at some road favorites in the NFL for week 3 and dip into the mailbag for the upcoming LSU vs. West Virginia matchup.  Plus dudes who kick ass and have strange nicknames...it must be the UFC!

Direct download: DoctorandDude9_21.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 10:33pm CDT

Game

Doctor

Dude

49’ers at Bengals (-2.5)

49'ers

49’ers

Patriots at Buffalo (+8.5)

Patriots

Patriots

Texans at Saints (-4)

Texans

Saints

Giants at Eagles (-7.5)

Stay Away

Giants

Dolphins at Browns (-2.5)

Dolphins

Dolphins

Broncos at Titans (-7)

Titans

Titans

Lions at Vikings (+3.5)

Vikings

Vikings

Jaguars at Panthers (-3.5)

Jaguars

Jaguars

Chiefs at Chargers (-14.5)

Chargers

Chargers

Jets at Raiders (+3)

Jets – LOCK!

Jets – LOCK!

Ravens at Rams (+3.5)

Ravens

Ravens

Falcons at Bucs (-1.5)

Falcons

Bucs

Cardinals at Seahawks (+3)

Seahawks

Cardinals

Packers at Bears (+3.5)

Packers

Packers

Steelers at Colts (+10.5)

Steelers

Steelers

Redskins at Cowboys (-6.5)

Redskins

Cowboys

Category:general -- posted at: 9:38pm CDT

The Dude is on his own again, taking a quick run through the highlights of NFL week two and week three of the NCAA.  He then runs down the early lines for all the hottest action, insults Notre Dame and Cris Collinsworth, and takes joy in the Steelers showing some life.  Down load and enjoy your early week D and D action!

Direct download: D_and_D_9_19_F.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:06pm CDT

The Doctor and Dude Show - NFL Week 2

The boys try not to overreact to week 1 NFL blowouts, particularly after a tough opener for the Steelers.  Plus college football, baseball, and Grand Prix racing!

Direct download: DoctorandDude9_14.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:21pm CDT

Game

Doctor

Dude

Chicago at New Orleans -7

Chicago

New Orleans

Kansas City at Detroit -8

Stay Away (but love Detroit -7)

Kansas City

Jacksonville at NY Jets -9.5

Jacksonville

Jets

Oakland at Buffalo -4

Buffalo

Oakland

Arizona at Washington -4

Washington

Arizona

Baltimore at Tennessee +6

Baltimore

Baltimore

Seattle at Pittsburgh -14.5

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Green Bay at Carolina +10

Stay Away

Green Bay

Tampa Bay at Minnesota -3

Minnesota

Tampa Bay

Cleveland at Indianapolis +2.5

Browns

Browns

Dallas at San Francisco +3

San Francisco

Dallas

Houston at Miami +3

Stay Away (but Miami if it moves to +3.5)

Houston

San Diego at New England -7

New England

San Diego

Cincinnati at Denver -4.5

Cincinnati

Denver

Philadelphia at Atlanta +2.5

Philadelphia

Atlanta

St. Louis at NY Giants -4.5 (lines vary widely due to injuries)

Stay Away (but you can try to middle it with the widely ranging spreads

NY Giants

Category:general -- posted at: 9:40pm CDT

The Dude is all by his lonesome, looking at the past week in NCAA and NFL action.  He's hating Notre Dame, lamenting USC blocking kicks, and crying over the Steelers.  He breaks down the most interesting of the early lines and gives an early preview of this weekend's upcoming action.

Direct download: D_and_D_9_12_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:35pm CDT

Doctor and Dude's Full Slate of NFL Picks!

Feast your eyes on the Doctor and Dude's complete slate of NFL picks!  Shoot us an email if you have a question or comment at doctoranddude@gmail.com!

Game

Doc

Dude

Saints at Packers (-4.5)

Saints

Saints

Bills at Chiefs (-5.5)

Bills

Bills

Lions at Bucs (-1)

Stay Away

Lions

Falcons at Bears (+3)

Bears

Falcons

Eagles at Rams (+4.5)

Eagles

Rams

Colts at Texans (-8.5)

Stay Away

Texans

Bengals at Browns (-7)

Browns

Browns

Steelers at Ravens (-1 to -3)

Steelers

Ravens

Titans at Jags (-3)

Jags

Titans

Panthers at Cards (-7)

Panthers

Cards

Seahawks at 49ers (-5)

49ers

49ers

Giants at Redskins (+3)

Stay Away

Giants

Vikings at Chargers (-9)

Stay Away

Chargers

Cowboys at Jets (-4)

Jets

Cowboys

Patriots at Dolphins (+7)

Stay Away

Patriots

Raiders at Broncos (-3)

Stay Away

Raiders


Category:general -- posted at: 10:49pm CDT

9/7/2011 - Gambling on the NFL Opening Week

It's football overload for the Doctor and Dude.  NFL week 1 action, survivor pool picks, the Dude's teasers, and a healthy dose of college pigskin...this show is brimming with football goodness.  Plus, the Dude prepares for Dragon's Gate wrestling!

Direct download: DoctorandDude9_7.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 10:44pm CDT

8/31/11 - College Football Opening Weekend

The guys open the college football's season in style, debating the relative merits of LSU, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame, and more.  Plus the Doctor and the Dude are riding an amazing hot streak in baseball...can it last?

Direct download: DoctorandDude8_31.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:28am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 2011 NFL Preview

The NFL is almost here, so it's time to do our annual pro football preview.  The Dude gives his opinion on EVERY team in the NFL, and the guys pick early conference champs.  Get all the NFL betting action you can handle from the Doctor and the Dude!

Direct download: DoctorandDude8_28.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:50pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 8/24/11: Pac 12 and Big 12 football preview

The final college football preview focuses on the Pac 12 and Big 12 conferences, with a cameo from the party crashing Mountain West.  Plus the death penalty, Hurricane style!

Direct download: DoctorandDude8_24.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:12am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 8/17/11

Special guest and LSU Tigers fan Rachel joins the boys as the college football preview continues.  This week: SEC and ACC conference picks!

Direct download: DoctorandDude8_17.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:25am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 8/10/11

The boys welcome Joe D. to the show for a Big 10 and Big East college football preview.  Will Ohio State overcome the distractions?  Will Notre Dame make a BCS bowl?  Will any team step up in the Big East?  Find out this week!

Direct download: DoctorandDude8_10.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:16pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 8/3/11

The Doctor and Dude discuss Heisman futures, baseball picks, and the future of Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton.  Plus, a little love for NASCAR!

Direct download: DoctorandDude8_3.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:22pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 7/27/11

The NFL is back!  The Dude can't contain his excitement as football draws near.  Get ready for NFL, college, and even Arena League action!

Direct download: DoctorandDude7_27.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 10:37pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 7/20/11

After some ribbing from Harry Potter fans, the Dude responds in his typically fair and even-measured fashion.  Plus baseball picks and college football futures.

Direct download: DoctorandDude7_20.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:32pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 7/13/11

The Doctor and Dude cover second half baseball action, the British Open, and Austrian soccer.  Plus...Harry Potter?!?

Direct download: DoctorandDude7_13.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:06pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 7/6/11

Buckeye Bryan helps the guys preview baseball's second half action.  This week it's the National League breakdown!  Plus baseball bets and Formula One racing.

Direct download: DoctorandDude7_6.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 1:53am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 6/29/11

Special Guest Buckeye Bryan helps the Doctor and Dude break down second half baseball action in the American League.  Who do they like to take the AL Pennant?  Plus Dude's lines around the world for both the French and American fans!

Direct download: DoctorandDude6_29.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:45pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 6/22/11

The Doctor and Dude talk all things MLB, except for one team that shall remain nameless (cough Pittsburgh).  Plus football talk, both domestic and abroad, and Ring of Honor wrestling.

Direct download: DoctorandDude6_22.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:34pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 6/15/11

With the NBA and NHL playoffs finished, the Doctor and Dude give their final impressions.  Hint: Dirk was great, Lebron less so.  And for those who prefer sports betting picks to armchair psychology, baseball rolls on with the Pirates threatening the sunny side of .500.  Plus, more mailbag questions answered, and a Dude's Lines Around the World potpourri!

Direct download: DoctorandDude6_15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:16am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 6/8/11

Is Lebron choking in the NBA Finals?  Is Boston seizing the momentum in the NHL Finals?  Can the boys rally from their worst baseball week of the season?  Will Congressman Weiner have a job this time next month?  All these questions and more will be covered this week!

Direct download: DoctorandDude6_8.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:36am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 6/1/11

As the NBA and NHL playoffs come to a close, the boys try to squeeze in a few last bets.  Plus baseball continues to be a hot proposition for the Doctor and Dude.  And betting on...electronics trade shows?  What an age we live in!

Direct download: DoctorandDude6_1.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:31pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 5/25/11

In a special show dedicated to the late Randy Savage, the Dude discusses his great admiration for the wrestler they called "Macho Man".  Plus NBA and NHL conference final wrapups, baseball picks, and UFC.

Direct download: DoctorandDude5_25.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:30am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 5/18/11

The Doctor and The Dude cover all the sports gambling action in the NBA and NHL conference finals.  Plus baseball picks and the World Series of Poker!

Direct download: DoctorandDude5_18.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:51am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 5/11/11

As the second round of the NBA and NHL playoffs come to a close, the Doctor and the Dude look at potential conference final matchups.  Plus, will their hot baseball streak continue?

Direct download: DoctorandDude5_11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:16pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 5/4/2011

This week the boys cover second round playoff action in the NBA and NHL, more baseball picks, and the Dude plays the ponies!

Direct download: DoctorandDude5_4.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:13pm CDT

Heading into the second round of the NBA and NHL playoffs, the Doctor and Dude take a look at which teams are crumbling under the pressure.  Plus more scorching hot baseball picks and a little UFC from across the border.

Direct download: DoctorandDude04-26-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:19am CDT

It's time for more playoff picks in the NBA and NHL, plus it's only April but the MLB action is already sizzling!

Direct download: doctoranddude_4-20-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:38pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 4/13/11

The NHL and NBA playoffs are upon us!  This week the Doctor and the Dude give playoff picks, hit some more MLB highlights, and answer another mailbag question.

Direct download: DoctorDude04-13-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 1:19am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 4/6/11

This week the Doctor and the Dude cover their favorite picks from the NBA, MLB, and NHL.  Plus it's a tradition like no other: debating the merits of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson!

Direct download: DoctorDude04-06-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 10:27pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 3/30/11

Down to the Final Four, the Dude celebrates a great week of college weekend betting and gives the scoop on who he likes for the final weekend of the Tourney.  Plus the guys break down baseball futures...will the Phillies, Red Sox, and Giants be as good as advertised?

Direct download: DoctorDude03-30-11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:04am CDT

Wrestlemania Contest!

It's here, the very first Doctor and the Dude contest!  The rules are simple, pick your winners, email them to doctoranddude@gmail.com.  We'll tally the points and the winner will get a super awesome Wrestlemania prize.  Here are the matches:

Rey Mysterio (65 points) vs. Cody Rhodes (180 points)

                                      

Randy Orton (85 points) vs. CM Punk (140 points)

                                            

Sheamus (90 points) vs. Daniel Bryan (110 points)

 

Morisson/Stratus/Snooki (120 points) vs. Ziggler/Lay-Cool (90 points)

                                  

The Undertaker (10 points) vs. Triple H (1000 points)

                                      

Jerry Lawler (65 points) vs. Michael Cole (180 points)

 

Will Steve Austin give Cole a stunner? Yes (85 points) or No (140 points)

                                            

The Miz (160 points) vs. John Cena (70 points)

 

Will The Rock give Cena a Rock Bottom? Yes (70 points) or No (130 points)

 

Edge (130 points) vs. Alberto Del Rio (110 points) vs. Christian (140 points)

Tie Breaker:  How long will the main event go in minutes and seconds? 

Category:general -- posted at: 9:10am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - Wrestlemania Special 2011

It's the biggest pro wrestling event of the year!  The Dude handicaps every Wrestlemania match and the guys introduce their first contest.  All this plus Ring of Honor, Dragon Gate, and Lucha Libre!

Direct download: DoctorDudeWrestlemania2011.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 2:12am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 3/23/11

With the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in the books, the Doctor and the Dude look at the lines for the Sweet Sixteen.  Also on tap: NBA title futures and the NHL playoff push!

Direct download: DoctorDude03-23-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 2:01am CDT

It's that special time of year filled with last second shots and bracket busting everywhere.  The Doctor and The Dude break down every line in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.  Plus, the guys try to stay hot in the NBA and the Dude gives some love to the ladies.

Direct download: DoctorDude03-16-11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:14am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - March Madness 2011

It's time to fill out your bracket.  The Doctor and the Dude go game by game through the NCAA Tournament and give their advice about which teams will go deep into March.  If you're thinking about entering an office pool, definitely check this one out!

Direct download: DoctorDudeMarchMadness2011.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:59pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 3/9/11

On the eve of Selection Sunday, the guys tab potential conference winners in the ACC, SEC, and Mountain West.  Meanwhile, as Britain eagerly anticipates an upcoming union, the Dude looks for a way to turn all that romance into profit!

Direct download: DoctorDude03-09-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:52pm CDT

Get Us on ITunes!

You can now subscribe to The Doctor and the Dude Show on ITunes.  Go to http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-doctor-and-the-dude-show/id422774526 and sign up today.  It's free and it's awesome, so what are you waiting for!

Category:general -- posted at: 7:32pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 3/2/2011

It's conference tourney time in the world of college basketball.  The guys discuss who will be dancing this year...in more ways than one.  Plus, a first for The Doctor and The Dude Show: a mailbag question!

Direct download: DoctorDude03-02-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 12:31am CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 2/23/11

The guys continue their look at over and undervalued college basketball teams by examining the SEC, ACC, and Pac10.  Plus, there's a conference ranking shakeup after Bracket Busters and the Dude handicaps the Academy Awards.

Direct download: DoctorDude02-23-11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:12pm CDT

The Doctor and The Dude Show - 2/16/11

In their inaugural online show, the Doctor and the Dude discuss over and undervalued college basketball teams from the Big East, Big Ten, and Big Twelve conferences.  Also, the guys make Bracket Busters picks and the Dude makes some bold predictions in the world of competitive darts.

Direct download: DoctorDude02-16-11.mp3
Category:2011 -- posted at: 11:16pm CDT

Confused by some of the jargon we use on the show?  Check here for an explanation of some commonly used sports gambling terms.  And don’t forget to let us know if there are any other entries you’d like to see added.

BOOKMAKER:  Someone who works in the field of setting lines and payouts for sports gambling.  Also sometimes used to describe sportsbooks themselves, particularly ones that make their own lines.

MONEY LINE:  If you don’t like betting against a spread, you’ll often have the option of taking the money line instead.  A money line is usually expressed as a plus or minus followed by a three or four digit value (examples +125, -400, +1400).  The number indicates the payout if that side wins, so a team that is listed as +200 will pay two dollars for every dollar you wagered, while a team listed as -200 will pay 50 cents for every dollar you wagered.  The advantage of a money line wager is that you don’t need to concern yourself with the margin of victory – just pick a winner!

POINT SPREAD:  When we talk about a game and mention something like “The line is Cleveland -3 for this game,” we’re talking about the point spread.  In this case, Cleveland is expected to win by three points.  So if you’re betting against the spread and want to take Cleveland to win, then you need them to win by MORE than three points.  If they win by exactly three, it’s a push and you get your money back.  If they win by 2 or less (or lose the game outright), then you lost the bet.  It’s important to note that while the point spread generally reflects the expected final score, other factors come into play when sports books set the spread, including the popularity of the teams involved and the amount of action that the book is expecting.

PROP BET:  Short for “proposition bet”, a prop bet is simply a bet that something will or won’t happen during a game.  This can be anything from a certain player hitting a home run in a baseball game to the singer of the national anthem going over a certain amount of time.  Prop bets often have lower maximum bets so sportsbooks don’t get burned by people with inside information.

 SHARP:  An experienced gambler who makes decisions based on a number of factors, including the teams involved, the spread or line, and the distribution of bets in the contest (to name a few).

SIDE BET:  This is confusing to a lot of people, because most of us think of a side bet like if you’re playing golf with a buddy and bet him or her that you’ll sink a long putt or something.  You know, a little side action.  But in sports gambling a side bet is when you’re PICKING A SIDE.  So if the Steelers play the Ravens and you put 20 bucks on the Steelers, you’re making a side bet.

SPORTSBOOK:  Also known as “books” for short.  A sportsbook is pretty much any institution that accepts wagers on sporting events.  This can include anything from a dedicated area of a casino to a simple website. 

SQUARE:  An inexperienced gambler who places largely uninformed wagers.  Squares are usually strongly influenced by media trends and recent results, and will often wager on well-known popular teams.

THE VIG:  Also known as “juice”.  Casinos like to make money, and this is how they do it in sports gambling.  The Vig (short for vigorish) is like a small “tax” applied to your winnings that goes to the casino.  It assures that even if a bet is a 50-50 proposition, the sportsbook has an advantage.  Typically the Vig is 10 cents on every dollar, which is why most bets pay -110.  Consider a game between two teams in which The Doctor bets 100 dollars on one side and The Dude bets 100 dollars on the other side.  If the Dude wins, the Doctor loses 100 bucks, but the Dude only gets paid about 91 dollars.  The book keeps the other 9 dollars as their take.  Note that this illustrates how advantageous it is for the books to take in a similar amount of money on each side of a contest, as it guarantees that they will make money.

TOTAL BET:  A “total” is a prediction of the total number of points or goals that will be scored in the contest.  Usually you can find these offered for individual teams or for both combined.  When you place a bet on either the “over” (more points will be scored than predicted) or the “under” (less points than predicted), then you are making a total bet.

 

Category:general -- posted at: 7:29pm CDT

How to Read a Betting Line

Next to a craps table, the sportsbook can be one of the most confusing places to put down a bet in a casino.  It seems like it should be pretty straightforward – you just need to go in and say, “I want to put 50 bucks on Dallas!” and they hand you a ticket, right?  But that approach isn’t going to get you very far.  What sport?  Money line or against the spread?  Did you want to buy points or just go with whatever the board is offering?

And even more difficult to comprehend is that board displaying available wagers.  What the heck do all those numbers mean?  Well, worry not because this page is meant to help you decode the mystery and understand the basics of placing a wager on a sporting event.

First thing’s first: this is a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons.  Since Atlanta is the second team listed, they are the home team for this contest.  The first number on the board identifies which team you want to bet.  That way instead of asking the teller for New Orleans and forcing them to clarify who you want, you can just say that you want your money on #205.

Now, in this game, the Falcons are favored by three points (see Point Spread in the Glossary).  This is indicated by the -3 next to Falcons.  If the Saints were favored, the -3 would be next to them instead.  So if you say to the teller, “I want 206 against the spread,” then you mean that you’re picking Atlanta to win the game by more than three points.  Remember that ten cent lines (-110) are pretty standard in sportsbooks, so you will win ten dollars for every eleven dollars you bet if Atlanta is successful.

OK, that’s the spread, but what about the rest of the numbers?  Well, “45.5” is the Total Bet, meaning the combined score of the two teams at the end of the game is predicted to be 45.5.  You can bet over or under that total and, like bets against the spread, get paid -110.

The last two numbers (+140 and -160) are the Money Lines for the game.  If you want to bet on one team winning the game without messing around with the point spread, you can bet the money line instead.  From the previous example, you could instead say, “I want 206 on the money line.”  In that case, you’d be a winner if Atlanta wins the game by any score.  The advantage is that you don’t need to worry that you’ll push or lose your bet if the Falcons win a close game.  The disadvantage is that you’d only be paid at -160…that’s $6.25 for every $10 you wagered.  On the other hand, if you correctly picked the Saints to win at +140, you would be paid $14.00 for every $10 bet.

One item to note is that if the spread is really high, there may not be a money line available.  Most sports books would rather avoid putting up bets with ridiculously high payouts (+5000, for example) because bettors could invest small amounts and win a lot of money on an upset.

So there you go…everything on the board explained.  If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask us on doctoranddude.com! 

 

Category:general -- posted at: 7:26pm CDT

About the Doctor

 Once a promising young scholar and all around math whiz, the Doctor’s life changed forever when he was challenged by friends to come up with a statistical model to predict the outcome of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.  His model was an overnight success, resulting in an NCAA pool victory and a sweet cash prize.  They say money changes people - it makes them AWESOME.  Since then, the Doctor has eschewed a life of honest work in favor of the fast paced world of designing algorithms to make sports picks with, at best, sporadic success.  But he’s constantly tinkering and remains convinced that one day he’ll hit on the secret formula to predict games perfectly.  Until then, he’ll be right here tossing out crazy picks and even crazier theories alongside his co-host the Dude on doctoranddude.com!

 

Category:general -- posted at: 7:23pm CDT

Your long wait is almost over....

Category:general -- posted at: 8:23pm CDT