Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.
Aaron Rodgers takes centre stage this weekend when the Pittsburgh Steelers host his old team, the Green Bay Packers, on Sunday Night Football.
The latest: Rodgers has been spinning it in his age-41 season, and he can become the fifth player to beat all 32 NFL teams with a win in prime time. Pittsburgh is a home underdog against Jordan Love and the Packers. Elsewhere, the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills look to get right following their bye weeks.
Rodgers entered this Sunday with a share of the NFL lead in passing touchdowns (14). Crazy, right? He threw for four in Pittsburgh’s TNF loss to Cincinnati, and he’ll aim to stay hot against one of the league’s best defences.
Lamar Jackson is back under centre for the Ravens, and he’ll need to hit the ground running. Baltimore is 1-5 and will need to rattle off wins to creep back into the AFC playoff picture. The Ravens are home favourites against the Bears.
Another team looking to shake some bad juju is the Bills, who lost back-to-back games heading into their bye week. Buffalo’s four wins are against teams with a combined 3-24 record. Can it get back in the win column against the 4-3 Panthers?
Surprise, surprise: The Chiefs are looking like the team to beat in the AFC right now. KC has won four of its last five games with a +71 point differential. It hosts the Commanders, who might be without Jayden Daniels (hamstring), on Monday Night Football.
Soccer fans are treated to another heap of midweek action, with 18 Champions League matches scattered across Tuesday and Wednesday.
The pregame narrative: Manchester City is in fine form ahead of its battle with Spanish side Villarreal, making the Citzens a strong pick to do damage on the road. Elsewhere, look for Real Madrid to hammer a Juventus side that hasn’t scored in back-to-back games.
Check out the best Champions League predictions for the Matchday 3 fixtures, plus a schedule for all the matches.
Everyone who wrote Manchester City off after a slow start must be getting nervous.
Pep Guardiola’s side is on an eight-game unbeaten run across all competitions (6-2-0). Both of its draws came on the road, and one was against EPL-leading Arsenal.
Erling Haaland has kicked it into high gear, scoring 14 goals in 10 appearances so far.
He’s fresh off a brace against Everton on the weekend and shouldn’t have much trouble against Villarreal.
The Spanish side currently sits a respectable third in La Liga but is well behind Real Madrid and Barcelona. Villarreal hasn’t won in three fixtures, with a pair of 2-2 home draws against Juventus and Real Betis and a 3-1 loss to Real Madrid.
Man City played that same Juventus team in the FIFA Club World Cup, smashing it 5-2 on neutral ground.
The club is stacked with elite offensive talents beyond Haaland, and all of them are avaiable for this midweek fixture (save for midfielder Rodri, who has a hamstring injury).
Key stat: Man City leads the Premier League in match rating (7.20), per FotMob.
Real Madrid half time/full time (+110): Not long ago, Real Madrid and Juventus were level as European powerhouses.
But the Spanish giants have stayed on top, while Italy’s most successful historical side has faltered.
Juventus hasn’t finished above third in Serie A in five straight years. For a team that’s won a record 36 Scudettos — nine of which came consecutively before this drought — that’s a serious disappointment.
Igor Tudor’s squad currently sits seventh in the table with a 3-3-1 record. It has three draws in a loss in its last four games.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, tops the La Liga table with an 8-0-1 record. It also tops Spain’s top flight La Liga in match rating (7.32) and clean sheets (four) while ranking second in xG (19.8).
These clubs are equal only in terms on name recognition. Madrid has better talent throughout its lineup and should smash Juventus at home.
Two red-hot forwards on Canadian teams, Cole Caufield and Mark Scheifele, make up Monday’s NHL goal picks.
The pregame narrative: Both players are on fire to start their respective seasons, and they have favourable matchups against bottom-tier competition. Caufield has netted five goals for the Montreal Canadiens, and Scheifele has done one better for the Winnipeg Jets.
Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for Oct. 20.
NHL anytime goal picks
Best Bet: Caufield to score a goal (+133)
Caufield has been a consistent scorer from the moment he stepped into the league, but he’s taken things to another level lately.
The skilled winger logged career highs in goals (37) and points (70) last season, and seems poised to smash both of those marks in his sixth campaign.
He’s got five goals and eight points through six games and is leading the Canadiens in several important underlying statistical categories (via Natural Stat Trick):
Shot attempts (33)
Scoring chances (23)
High-danger chances (9)
xG (3.01)
The Canadiens have won four of their last five games, and they host the Buffalo Sabres, a team that has been a walkover for the last decade, tonight.
Buffalo is fresh off back-to-back wins — including one against the reigning champion Florida Panthers — but that doesn’t worry me one bit.
Caufield has had his way with the Sabres lately, scoring four goals in his last four games against his Atlantic Division foe.
Key stat: Buffalo has given up the third-most xG per 60 (3.43) since the start of last season.
Scheifele to score a goal (+163): Dustin Wolf was a stone wall for the Calgary Flames in his rookie season, posting a .910 SV% and 2.64 GAA while finishing second in Calder Trophy voting.
But the sophomore slump has hit the netminder hard.
Wolf has a 4.30 GAA and .854 SV% through five starts.
He has allowed 3+ goals in every start and 12 goals in three home games.
Calgary might opt to give Wolf a breather in favour of Devin Cooley, but that’s hardly an upgrade. The 28-year-old has started seven total NHL games and had an .870 SV% with the San Jose Sharks last year.
With all that said, backing Scheifele to score sounds pretty nice to me.
The veteran centre has been on a tear to start the year, with six goals in five games. He also leads Winnipeg in xG (3.2), high-danger chances (120) and scoring chances (20).
NHL anytime goal picks made at 11:35 a.m. ET on 10/20/2025.
Two red-hot forwards on Canadian teams, Cole Caufield and Mark Scheifele, make up Monday’s NHL goal picks.
The pregame narrative: Both players are on fire to start their respective seasons, and they have favourable matchups against bottom-tier competition. Caufield has netted five goals for the Montreal Canadiens, and Scheifele has done one better for the Winnipeg Jets.
Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for Oct. 20.
NHL anytime goal picks
Best Bet: Caufield to score a goal (+133)
Caufield has been a consistent scorer from the moment he stepped into the league, but he’s taken things to another level lately.
The skilled winger logged career highs in goals (37) and points (70) last season, and seems poised to smash both of those marks in his sixth campaign.
He’s got five goals and eight points through six games and is leading the Canadiens in several important underlying statistical categories (via Natural Stat Trick):
Shot attempts (33)
Scoring chances (23)
High-danger chances (9)
xG (3.01)
The Canadiens have won four of their last five games, and they host the Buffalo Sabres, a team that has been a walkover for the last decade, tonight.
Buffalo is fresh off back-to-back wins — including one against the reigning champion Florida Panthers — but that doesn’t worry me one bit.
Caufield has had his way with the Sabres lately, scoring four goals in his last four games against his Atlantic Division foe.
Key stat: Buffalo has given up the third-most xG per 60 (3.43) since the start of last season.
Scheifele to score a goal (+163): Dustin Wolf was a stone wall for the Calgary Flames in his rookie season, posting a .910 SV% and 2.64 GAA while finishing second in Calder Trophy voting.
But the sophomore slump has hit the netminder hard.
Wolf has a 4.30 GAA and .854 SV% through five starts.
He has allowed 3+ goals in every start and 12 goals in three home games.
Calgary might opt to give Wolf a breather in favour of Devin Cooley, but that’s hardly an upgrade. The 28-year-old has started seven total NHL games and had an .870 SV% with the San Jose Sharks last year.
With all that said, backing Scheifele to score sounds pretty nice to me.
The veteran centre has been on a tear to start the year, with six goals in five games. He also leads Winnipeg in xG (3.2), high-danger chances (120) and scoring chances (20).
NHL anytime goal picks made at 11:35 a.m. ET on 10/20/2025.
The Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners close out an epic ALCS with a Game 7 at Rogers Centre on Monday night.
The pregame narrative: Toronto hasn’t been to the World Series in 32 years. Seattle hasn’t been to the World Series ever. The stakes couldn’t be higher in this winner-take-all matchup, which the Jays are favoured to win behind their deadline acquisition arm Shane Bieber.
Check out my Mariners vs. Blue Jays predictions for ALCS Game 7, featuring George Kirby and Nathan Lukes.
Parlay: Blue Jays over 3.5 runs | Kirby over 2.5 strikeouts | Lukes 1+ hits (+300)
Blue Jays over 3.5 runs (-137): I think Toronto will win this game. And it will because of the bats.
But backing the Blue Jays to win carries nearly identical odds as backing them to score over 3.5 runs. So in an effort to drive my thesis home (and to avoid having my heart ripped out while also losing the SGP), I’ll roll with this team total.
Just take a look at what Toronto’s offence has done this postseason:
The Jays clawed their way back into the ALCS by hammering Kirby for eight runs over 4.0 innings in Game 3, and there’s reason to believe they can do that again.
Toronto is batting .310 with a .535 slugging percentage against Kirby in 76 combined plate apperances. He has an 8.38 ERA against the Jays in five starts.
Kirbv over 2.5 strikeouts (-186): Toronto is the hardest team in the majors to retire on strikes, but Kirby shouldn’t have an issue clearing this number — even if he gets shelled.
Case in point: He had four strikeouts in Game 3 while giving up eight hits.
Kirby has cleared this mark in six straight games dating back to the regular season, averaging 8.2 Ks in those outings.
His 26.1% K rate during the regular season ranked in the 76th percentile, per Baseball Savant.
Lukes 1+ hits (-205): Finally, I’ll turn to Lukes to record a hit.
The 31-year-old is having a moment this posteason, batting .343 with seven RBI. He’s recorded a hit in five straight games, and he went 2-for-5 last night with a pair of singles.
If you have ever wondered how to bet on soccer, you’ve come to the right place.
A sport played around the world, soccer reaches its highest level in European club play and International tournaments. Whether it’s Canada’s Alphonso Davies, Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, or England’s Jude Bellingham — the best players find their way to Europe’s top leagues.
-> New to soccer wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
-> New to soccer wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
There are extremely talented leagues in every country but soccer’s biggest event is undoubtedly the World Cup, which will be coming to Canada in 2026.
How to bet on soccer
There are many ways to bet on soccer, from game outcomes to player-specific results. When betting on a match, there are plenty of variables to consider. Is a starting player injured? Who holds the tactical advantage? Which club is in better form? These are all important questions to ask.
We will cover the many different markets available to soccer bettors and how to capitalize on them in this piece.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets account to explore live odds and daily soccer markets.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets accountto explore live odds and daily soccer markets.
Full-time result
Betting on the full-time result is the most popular way to wager on soccer. Think of it as three-way moneyline betting since games can end in a tie — something seldom seen in North American sports.
There are three possible bets for you to choose from under this scenario: Team A, Team B, and Draw.
Since a draw is possible, the favourite will not always be denoted with a minus (-) symbol but can also be labelled at plus (+) money.
Typically, in an evenly matched contest, the odds are skewed in favour of the home team, while a draw sits slightly higher than either team to win.
–> Want to see current soccer full-time result prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
-> Want to see current soccer full-time result prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
This, of course, changes based on who is competing. For example, if Manchester City were playing at home versus Everton, they would surely be favoured around -1,000 on the moneyline.
A draw, meanwhile, could sit at +600, and an Everton win at +800.
Sportsbooks are placing a 90.91% implied probability of Manchester City winning the match at -1,000. You would have to wager $1,000 to win $100.
Here are some other examples of how odds work:
Odds
Wager
Win
Implied Probability
-250
$250
$100
71.43%
-110
$110
$100
52.38%
+175
$100
$175
36.36%
+300
$100
$300
25.00%
When deciding what to bet, some important factors could include injuries, team form, location, and weather.
Draw no-bet and double-results
If you wish to bet on a soccer moneyline without the option of a tie, choose the draw no bet option. This returns your stake if a draw occurs, but also lowers the odds on either team to win.
Let’s use a match between Arsenal (home side) and Tottenham (away side) as an example of what these odds could look like with two teams competing.
Betting Market
Arsenal(H)
Draw
Tottenham (A)
Three-way
-106
+290
+260
Draw no bet
-230
N/A
+180
This removes the risk of losing your bet on a last-second tying goal or a 0-0 snoozefest.
You can also bet double results, which would look something like this:
Arsenal or tie (-350)
Tottenham or tie (+105)
Wagering a double-results allows bettors to capitalize on underdogs when they’re confident the team will at least tie a game.
How to bet on soccer: Goal line
Goal line betting isn’t as popular in soccer as result betting. Similar to the puck line in hockey, or run line in baseball, the goal line allows bettors to capitalize on markets where one team is significantly favoured. Think of it as betting against the spread (ATS).
Let’s use the Manchester City vs. Everton example again. City were -1,000 for a full-time result win, so there’s very little value in betting them on the moneyline.
However, their goal line may be set at -2.5, meaning if they win by three or more goals, they would cover. If Everton, on the other hand, lost by two or fewer goals — or won straight up — they would cover.
Goal lines are generally set at even -110 odds, but there can be some variance.
If you believe Man City was going to blow out Everton, taking the goal line at -110 odds would make far more sense than betting it to win at -1,000.
-> Ready to try goal line betting?Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily
-> Ready to try goal line betting? Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily
Totals
Betting totals in soccer is extremely popular and is the simplest of all wagers. You are choosing the total amount of goals scored in a contest. This can also be referred to as the O/U or over/under.
Let’s say the O/U is set at 2.5: If three or more goals are scored, the over wins. The under would require two or fewer goals to cash.
The total for most matches is commonly set at 2.5 but can vary from 1.5 to 4.5 at the high end depending on who is playing.
In other sports, the O/U is typically set at even -110 odds per side.
In soccer, however, there’s more variance. For example, an over set at 1.5 could be -175, while the under would be listed at +140. A 3.5 total could be presented at +150 for the over, and the under at -160.
There’s also an option to move the total higher or lower. This is known as an alternate total. If you believe a match will be a shootout and the over is set at 2.5, you could move the line to 3.5 or even 4.5 — and the odds would similarly change.
Total
Over
Under
1.5
-450
+300
2.5
-130
+105
3.5
+175
-250
4.5
+450
-700
In addition to game totals, you can bet team totals, which follow the same principles but only apply to one team.
For the most part, props can be divided into two categories: player props and game props.
Player props are relatively straightforward, let’s use Lionel Messi as an example. You can bet on how many shots or shots on target he would have. Beyond that, there are props on his chances to score a goal, make an assist, or receive a card, among others.
The odds for Messi, a forward, to score a goal would be significantly higher (around -125) than his teammate Sergio Busquets, a defensive midfielder (+900).
Game props involve both teams, and you can bet on anything from the number of total cards to how many free kicks or offsides there will be.
As mentioned, the props market is extensive, so familiarizing yourself with what you’re betting on is key to success.
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals to much more
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals to much more
Parlays
Parlays are a way to combine multiple selections into one larger ticket for a greater payout. A parlay consists of two or more bets, each of which is known as a leg. For the parlay to be successful, each leg must win or else the entire parlay loses.
This drastically increases payout possibilities while the bettor assumes more risk.
You can parlay props, full-time results, totals, and more into one ticket. Here is an example:
Draw full-time result, Juventus v. Roma +280 Liverpool full-time result, Liverpool v. Chelsea -105 Son Heung-min anytime goalscorer +160
Odds of combined selection: +1,728 ($100 bet would win $1,728).
Outside of multi-game parlays, our sportsbook has the option for same-game parlays where you can combine multiple props and markets from the same game into one ticket.
Live betting is a way to wager on a game after it has started. While you can typically find all of the aforementioned markets when live betting, the odds could drastically change.
Let’s say Toronto FC was playing Inter Miami. Prior to the game beginning, Inter Miami was priced at -350 full-time result, while TFC was listed at +300 and a draw at +325.
If Toronto went up 1-0 before halftime, the odds would shift and TFC would become favoured. If you believed Miami had a chance at coming back and winning, you could likely find their live full-time result odds at +150 or more.
Live betting player props are also a popular option. If Messi was -125 to score a goal before the game and went into halftime without finding the net, his odds to score would rise to around +250.
-> Experience live soccer betting as it happens – sign up with NorthStar Bets and get in on every minute
-> Experience live soccer betting as it happens – sign up with NorthStar Bets and get in on every minute
How to bet on soccer futures
The soccer futures market is incredibly robust. When placing a future, you are essentially predicting an event that will take place further down the line.
Since global football is comprised of so many leagues, we’ll just stick to the Premier League for this section.
You can bet on who you believe will win the Premier League before the season starts. The usual suspects such as Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal will likely be favoured in odds, while mid-table clubs would have a much lower chance of winning.
Liverpool opened the 2024-25 season with +800 odds and won.
Perhaps the most famous futures bet in soccer history is when Leicester City won the Premier League in 2015-16, having opened at +500,000. Yes, you read that correctly, 5,000-to-1.
You can place similar bets on who will win the FA Cup, as well as multi-league competitions such as the Champions League.
Furthermore, the futures market has options to bet on if teams will finish in the top-half, top-six, or top-four of their respective league tables. These odds are great opportunities if you think a team will be competitive but are not yet good enough to win the league.
There are also futures markets available for player props. One popular bet is who will win the Golden Boot (top goal scorer) in the Premier League. Players such as Erling Haaland and Salah would sit atop the odds here.
-> Ready to put your soccer knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
-> Ready to put your soccer knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Detroit Lions meet for the third time in as many seasons when they battle on Monday Night Football.
The pregame narrative: Detroit bounced Tampa Bay from the playoffs in 2024, and the Buccaneers responded in kind with a win at Ford Field last year. This rubber match will be decided in Detroit, and the Lions are favoured to win against a shorthanded Buccaneers offence.
Check out my Buccaneers vs. Lions same-game parlay predictions, featuring Baker Mayfield and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Buccaneers vs. Lions SGP predictions
SGP: Buccaneers +10.5 | Mayfield 20+ rushing yards | St. Brown 80+ receiving yards (+370)
Buccaneers +10.5 (-235): How can you not love the Buccaneers at this number?
Tampa Bay is 4-1, and its only loss was a six-point defeat to the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles. The defence is strong, and the offence, led by MVP candidate Mayfield, has been elite.
Mayfield ranks inside the top five in passing yards (1,539) and passing touchdowns (12).
Tampa Bay is averaging the sixth-most PPG (27.5) and ranks seventh in EPA per play, per RBSDM.com.
That unit is banged up, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Mike Evans is likely to play and Emeka Egbuka “has a real chance to play.”
Mayfield has performed with backups all season, and I think he can keep things close against Detroit’s elite offence even without all of his best weapons.
Detroit has failed to cover a -10.5 spread against all three opponents who made the playoffs last year (Packers, Ravens, Chiefs).
Mayfield 20+ rushing yards (-135): Mayfield is atop many tangible leaderboards, but I’d also venture to say he’s leading the league in “having that dog in ’em.”
The journeyman quarterback has thrown his body around in do-or-die situations, rushing for 26.3 yards per game.
He’s gone 3-3 against this line, and rushed for 34 yards in last year’s Week 2 victory over the Lions.
Detroit ranks top 12 in blitz rate (24.8%) and pressure rate (22.1%), so I anticipate Mayfield will have to use his legs if things get dicey.
St. Brown 80+ receiving yards (+114): St. Brown is capable of going for 100 yards on any given Sunday (or Monday).
The all-pro wide receiver is 2-4 against this line, logging 100+ yards twice with two 70+ yard performances mixed in.
His 8.5 targets per game are tied for 10th in the NFL. Last year, St. Brown had the eighth-most targets (141) in the league.
The Buccaneers’ defence is mostly equipped to stop the run game, and I expect St. Brown will have his number called often.
He blew by this total last year, catching 11 of 18 targets for 119 yards.
And in the playoffs the year before, he caught 8 of 14 targets for 77 yards. That type of volume is staggering, and gives me confidence he’s in for a huge game.
Buccaneers vs. Lions predictions made at 11:15 a.m. on 10/19/2025.
NBA opening night is rapidly approaching, so let’s try to map how this season will play out.
The preseason narrative: San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama enters his third season and appears poised to take a massive leap. Among teams I’m most intrigued by: the on-the-rise Detroit Pistons, and the Dallas Mavericks, who will look to put the Luka Doncic era behind them by ushering in Cooper Flagg.
Check out my favourite NBA futures bets for the 2025-26 season, featuring a Finals pick and a 40-to-1 most improved player bet.
Maybe I’m being hyperbolic, but this feels like buying Bitcoin in 2015.
Wembanyama has a skill set unlike anyone in the NBA. The 7-foot-4 centre averaged 24.3 points and 11.0 rebounds in his sophomore season, where he shot 35.2% from deep on 8.8 attempts a night.
Having that type of 3-point production at that height is downright unfair.
Wemby would have also almost certainly won the defensive player of the year award had his season not been cut short due to blood clots. He averaged 3.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.
Assuming he’s healthy, I envision a massive leap in production.
San Antonio has done a fantastic job of surrounding him with the talent necessary to contend in a deep Western Conference, which, right or wrong, is top of mind for MVP voters.
De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper make up a formidable backcourt trio, and that should stretch the floor for Wemby.
Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are going to put up gaudy numbers on great teams. But I really don’t think Wemby is far off from joining the elite of the elite.
You likely won’t see him priced like this to win the MVP before the season ever again.
The squad played with dogged intensity, ranking 10th in defensive rating and fifth in rebounding rate.
The Pistons have room to grow on offence. Three of their top five scorers (Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren) were younger than 25 last year.
Assuming the team continues to buy in on the defensive end, I can see marginal improvements on offence leading to an even better 2025-26 season.
Mavericks to make playoffs (-134): Nico Harrison should be thanking his lucky stars that Dallas lucked backwards into the first overall pick and Cooper Flagg.
And no, it wasn’t a conspiracy, because Kyrie Irving had to tear his ACL for the Mavericks to fall outside of the playoff picture and into the draft lottery.
That’s partially why we can get these favourable odds, given Irving’s uncertain timetable.
But I’m confident the Mavs can tread water with D’Angelo Russell at point guard before Kyrie is back in the mix, likely around the new year.
Anthony Davis is a top-10 player in the NBA when healthy, and he’ll spearhead a bruising front-court trio alongside Flagg and Dereck Lively III.
Making the play-in has become far too easy in this league, but that’ll only help Dallas’ chances.
NBA Finals future pick
Thunder to win NBA Finals (+200)
This is as square as a pick can get, but if it hits, it hits.
The Thunder are fresh off one of the greatest seasons of all time. They won 68 regular-season games and posted the second-best net rating (+12.8) behind only the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls.
And much like that Michael Jordan-led Bulls team, OKC won the NBA Finals.
Gilgeous-Alexander is the best scorer in the league, but the Canadian is just the tip of the iceberg.
Sam Presti’s pick-hoarding rebuild strategy has led to players like Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort, all of whom were integral pieces of the title run. And all of whom returned for the 2025-26 season.
The scariest part is that OKC’s 2024 first-round pick, Nikola Topic, didn’t even play last year. He should add another element to the squad, in addition to two 2025 first-round picks (Thomas Sorber, Nique Clifford).
Depth wins championships, and no team is deeper than the Thunder.
That’s because he only played 53 games, which is below the league minimum of 65 required to qualify for awards.
Is it risky backing a player coming off a torn rotator cuff in his shooting arm to win this award? Sure. But Murphy was trending toward being an elite bucket getter last season, and I think that can continue.
The New Orleans Pelicans traded away Brandon Ingram, meaning Murphy will continue to have a heavy shot volume behind Zion Williamson.
If he can stack up a few more assists and get into 25-5-5 territory, I love his chances of being in the hunt for this award.
NBA futures picks made at 4:30 p.m. ET on 10/17/2025.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ season is on the line ahead of Sunday’s ALCS Game 6 at Rogers Centre.
The pregame narrative: An eighth-inning bullpen meltdown cost the Blue Jays Game 5, and has the Seattle Mariners one win away from the World Series. Toronto is a slight home favourite behind rookie sensation Trey Yesavage, who is pitching opposite Logan Gilbert.
Check out my Mariners vs. Blue Jays picks for Oct. 19, featuring predictions on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Mariners vs. Blue Jays picks
Best bet: Yesavage over 4.5 Ks (-138)
Yesavage wasn’t at his best when he faced Seattle in Game 2, giving up five runs with four Ks over 4.0 IP.
But he was the victim of a few questionable calls and wasn’t getting the typical swing-and-miss we’re used to seeing from his splitter.
I’m betting Yesavage will have that punchout pitch dialled in today, because why wouldn’t he?
The righty had a 69% whiff rate with his splitter against the New York Yankees in the ALDS. In that game, he struck out 11 over 5.1 hitless innings.
In the regular season, he had a 57.1% whiff rate with his spitter. For context, Tarik Skubal’s changeup (which led MLB in run value) had a 46.8% whiff rate.
Seattle batted .200 against splitters with a 34.6% whiff rate this year.
Yesavage has been a strikeout machine at every level of the game, posting an absurd 14.7 K/9 rate in the minor leagues this year.
He made one of baseball’s best lineups look foolish in the ALDS, and I’m confident he can do that again in the biggest start of his career.
Key stat: Seattle has the seventh-highest K rate (23.6%) in MLB and is averaging 10.7 Ks per game in the postseason.
Guerrero to score (+105): Guerrero got the full Aaron Judge treatment on Friday, logging a pair of intentional walks after belting a first-inning double.
I want to back Vladdy in some capacity, and think this is the safer option than his bases total. It also carries better odds.
Toronto’s lead man has been a beast this postseason, posting a .457/.524/.971 slash line with nine runs in nine games.
He’s also had Gilbert’s number, going 6-for-17 against the righty with two home runs.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks made at 11:35 a.m. on 10/19/2025.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ season is on the line ahead of Sunday’s ALCS Game 6 at Rogers Centre.
The pregame narrative: An eighth-inning bullpen meltdown cost the Blue Jays Game 5, and has the Seattle Mariners one win away from the World Series. Toronto is a slight home favourite behind rookie sensation Trey Yesavage, who is pitching opposite Logan Gilbert.
Check out my Mariners vs. Blue Jays picks for Oct. 19, featuring predictions on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Nathan Lukes.
Mariners vs. Blue Jays picks
Best bet: Yesavage over 5.5 Ks (+123)
Yesavage wasn’t at his best when he faced Seattle in Game 2, giving up five runs with four Ks over 4.0 IP.
But he was the victim of a few questionable calls and wasn’t getting the typical swing-and-miss we’re used to seeing from his splitter.
I’m betting Yesavage will have that punchout pitch dialled in today, because why wouldn’t he?
The righty had a 69% whiff rate with his splitter against the New York Yankees in the ALDS. In that game, he struck out 11 over 5.1 hitless innings.
In the regular season, he had a 57.1% whiff rate with his spitter. For context, Tarik Skubal’s changeup (which led MLB in run value) had a 46.8% whiff rate.
Seattle batted .200 against splitters with a 34.6% whiff rate this year.
Yesavage has been a strikeout machine at every level of the game, posting an absurd 14.7 K/9 rate in the minor leagues this year.
He made one of baseball’s best lineups look foolish in the ALDS, and I’m confident he can do that again in the biggest start of his career.
Key stat: Seattle has the seventh-highest K rate (23.6%) in MLB and is averaging 10.7 Ks per game in the postseason.
MLB prop picks
Guerrero to score (-110): Guerrero got the full Aaron Judge treatment on Friday, logging a pair of intentional walks after belting a first-inning double.
I want to back Vladdy in some capacity, and think this is the safer option than his bases total. It also carries better odds.
Toronto’s lead man has been a beast this postseason, posting a .457/.524/.971 slash line with nine runs in nine games.
He’s also had Gilbert’s number, going 6-for-17 against the righty with two home runs.
Lukes over 1.5 bases (+175): Toronto has gotten production out of a few unlikely names this postseason, and Lukes is right atop that list.
The outfielder is batting .333 and has a hit in four straight games, going 2-2 against this line in that span.
Batting from the left side, he’ll have a platoon advantage against the right-throwing Gilbert, who has struggled on the road.
Gilbert has a 4.74 ERA away from T-Mobile Park this season. Lukes had two hits off him in Game 1.
Blue Jays vs. Mariners picks made at 11:35 a.m. on 10/19/2025.
