![]() |
Ben Burns |
|
---|---|---|
It's official. Burns is the #1 COLLEGE HOOPS CAPPER ON THE PLANET! 6-1 Thursday, PERFECT 4-0 with hoops. Going for a PERFECT SWEEP FRIDAY. Action starts E-A-R-L-Y and includes *GAME OF THE YEAR! |
FREE PICKS | ||
---|---|---|
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NHL | Jan 15, 2021 Maple Leafs vs. Senators |
Maple Leafs -190 at LINEPROS |
in 3h |
At first glance, this line probably looks pretty steep. However, when you consider that the Leafs were favored by more, six of the last seven meetings, -280 or greater in four of those, it doesn't seem nearly as bad. Once again, there's a big class difference between the two clubs. The Leafs are thinking that "this is their year" while the Sens are unlikely to make the playoffs. For tonight's game, facing an Ottawa team playing for the first time, the Leafs will benefit from having played a game. Wednesday's thriller against Montreal allowed the Leafs to work off some of the rust. The fact that they rallied for a comeback victory provides positive momentum. The Leafs have beaten the Sens three straight times. Consider Toronto. Very few MLB players are part of the "50-20 Club," having hit 50 HR's in a season while also stealing at least 20 bases. Not many 'cappers can say they're 50-20 with their basketball 'sides,' either. Ben Burns can. After going a PERFECT 3-0 with Thursday's college, 6-1 overall, Ben is now 66-32 with all this season's college hoops, 14-12 with totals & 52-20 with his sides. Friday sees Burns fire with one of his BIGGEST GAMES OF THE ENTIRE YEAR, his top-rated CUSA play. Make sure you're on board! |
YESTERDAY'S PLAYS | ||
---|---|---|
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NHL | Jan 14, 2021 Wild vs Kings |
Wild -120 at Mirage |
Won $100 |
Play Type: Premium | ||
I'm playing on MINNESOTA. This game was already going to be a tough one for the Kings. However, its made a lot tougher by the fact that they're short-handed, as they'll be without a few fairly important players, due to Covid-protocol. The Wild have a chip on their shoulder after getting bounced in the first round last year. Still, that allowed them to play more recently than the Kings, who haven't played a game in more than 10 months. As LA coach Todd McLellan noted. " ... we haven't played for 10 1/2 months, it's not going to be easy ... " The Wild will be facing the Kings a lot to start the season. I say they take advantage of the Covid-situation and draw first blood tonight. |
||
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NCAA-B | Jan 14, 2021 Tennessee State vs Jacksonville State |
Tennessee State +7 -110 at all |
Won $100 |
Play Type: Premium | ||
I'm playing on TENNESSEE STATE. If looking at the pointspread, or the W/L records, one would assume that there was a fairly significant talent gap between these teams. I don't believe that to be the case though. The Tigers got off to a slow start but they're better than their record indicates, in my opinion. They're off a double-digit victory last time out, the type they'll be able to build positive momentum from. On the other hand, the Gamecocks are off b2b deflating losses. After a 3-point OT loss on 1/7, they lost by a single point on 1/9. Those type of losses can be deflating. The Tigers won the two 2020 meetings by score of 75-65 and 62-52. Take the points but don't be surprised if they score the outright upset here. |
||
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NCAA-B | Jan 14, 2021 UCF vs Temple |
UNDER 137 -110 |
Won $100 |
Play Type: Premium | ||
I'm playing on UCF/Temple UNDER the total. The last two meetings between these teams both had O/U lines in the high 130s. Yet, those games both stayed below the number with 120 and 129 points. I believe that this afternoon's game will also prove lower-scoring than some will be expecting. The Knights are off b2b low-scoring games, each of which fell below the total. Last time out, they lost 68-61. Their previous game was even lower-scoring, a 63-54 setback against Houston. Temple just played a pair of fairly high-scorng games, both against SMU. However, before facing the Mustangs, the Owls had seen five consecutive games fall below the number. Points won't come easily in this one. |
||
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NHL | Jan 14, 2021 Capitals vs Sabres |
Sabres +1½ -196 at pinnacle |
Lost $196.0 |
Play Type: Premium | ||
I'm playing BUFFALO on the puck-line (+1.5 goals) These teams will face each other again tomorrow night. Both are going to be hungry and I expect a close one, the Sabres having an excellent shot at the outright win. Off a disappointing season, the Capitals have a new coach and a lot of new faces. The value of getting an extra +1.5 goals can't be understated. The only 2020 meeting saw the Sabres win 3-2 and that made it three of the last five meetings, between these teams, which were decided by a single goal. Looking just at Buffalo home games, since 2017, the Sabres are 3-1 against the Caps, the lone loss coming by a single goal. Expect AT LEAST another "puck-line cover" this evening. |
||
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NBA | Jan 14, 2021 Warriors vs Nuggets |
Nuggets -4½ -109 at pinnacle |
Won $100 |
Play Type: Top Premium | ||
I'm playing on DENVER. I believe that the Warriors are in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Denver lost at Brooklyn on Tuesday. However, that loss notwithstanding, the Nuggets have been playing well of late. Jokic is the "straw that stirs the drink" for this team and he's found his groove. He was two rebounds and three steals short of achieving a "quadruple double" last time out. He entered that game as just the second player in NBA history to average 20/10/10 in his team's first 10 games. He's going be an unstoppable force again, tonight. Denver has still won four if its past six games and responded to each of its last two losses with a double-digit win next time out. While both teams had yesterday off, note that the Nuggets also have tomorrow off while the Warriors play at Phoenix. In fact, the Nuggets have the next two nights off. In other words, there's no holding back in this one. The Nuggets are 66-22 when listed as the home team the past 2+ seasons. Expect them to improve on those stats, covering the small number along the way. |
||
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NCAA-B | Jan 14, 2021 Arizona vs Oregon State |
Arizona -7½ -110 at Draft Kings |
Won $100 |
Play Type: Top Premium | ||
I'm playing on ARIZONA. The Wildcats already know that they won't face Oregon, as originally scheduled, on Saturday. That's because of Covid issues with Oregon. They will still get a chance to face Oregon State though and I expect them to make the most of it. The Beavers have been dealing with their own Covid issues and have been out of action since Jan. 4th. That won't help them here. Not against a superior opponent which almost always gives them trouble. Arizona has won eight of the last nine meetings. The most recent meeting saw the Cats crush the Beavers by 26 points. With the Beavers rusty from their layoff, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Cats jump all over them and never look back. Even if OSU does survive the initial onslaught, Arizona's superior talent will ultimately lead to another double-digit win. |
||
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NHL | Jan 14, 2021 Canucks vs Oilers |
Oilers -120 at Mirage |
Won $100 |
Play Type: Top Premium | ||
I'm playing on EDMONTON. I lost with the Oilers last night but I'm coming right back with them again tonight. Edmonton has underachieved in recent seasons and is absolutely determined to get off to a strong start. Getting swept, at home, in two games by the Canucks is NOT what they had in mind. We may only be one game in but they're going to be a highly motivated team tonight. While the visiting team won last night, the home team has still had the advantage in this series in recent season. Even without fans, its going to be important to win at home. The Canucks did some good things last night and fans in Vancouver are already loading up the bandwagon. Its only one game though. Yes, the Canucks have some talented young players. They've also still got some issues though. Expect the revenge-minded Oilers to remind everyone of that tonight. |
||
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
Soccer | Jan 14, 2021 Crystal Palace vs Arsenal |
Arsenal -178 at pinnacle |
Lost $178.0 |
Play Type: Free | ||
Arsenal is finally rolling and should take care of business against an overmatched Crystal Palace squad. The Gunners have a chance to win four in a row for the first time since Oct. 2018. With Palace short-handed, I fully expect them to make the most of the opportunity. Palace may be without as many as eight players, including Sahko and Kelly. While they've had a bit of recent success, Palace still has just five wins in 47 alltime matches in this series. That's a 5-14-28 record. Consider Arsenal |
PICKS IN PROGRESS | ||
---|---|---|
Matchup | Selection | W/L |
NCAA-B | Jan 15, 2021 Old Dominion vs Rice |
Old Dominion -3 -110 at linepros |
|
Play Type: Premium | ||
I'm playing on ODU. While Rice has the slightly better record, ODU is favored for good reason. Remember, that ODU has faced the likes of Maryland and VCU, more than Rice can say. Indeed, the Owls' strength of schedule is just 330th in the nation. The Monarchs have found their groove. They've won three straight and five of their past six. The Monarchs have beaten the Owls six straight times. I expect them to make it seven in a row, on Friday afternoon. Note that the road team is 8-2 ATS the past 10 meetings in this series. While ODU won by only three here last season, I believe that the gap between the teams is even wider now, than it was then. Look for the tougher schedule to pay dividends for the Monarchs and expect another win and cover for the road team. |
SERVICE BIO |
---|
Age: 45 Background In "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell asks the question: "What makes high achievers different?" Gladwell suggests that those at the top of their field have a number of similarities - that their upbringing (culture, family, what generation they came from, experiences) had much to do with their success. As a professional sports handicapper, Ben Burns is widely recognized as being "at the top of his field." A look at Ben's upbringing shows that he fits Gladwell's model to a tee. Exposed to the world of point spreads early and often as a child, Burns reached adulthood as the Internet was first beginning to explode, just as the first offshore sportsbooks were springing up. By that time he'd already spent thousands of hours learning and studying stats. From an early age it became apparent to family and friends that Ben wasn't a "typical" fan. At age 11, he was mentioned in a major newspaper (Toronto Star) for correctly predicting a high profile trade before the Major League Baseball trading deadline. (Winner of the contest got tickets to the All Star game.) Ben's father and uncles were always involved in a weekly NFL (ATS) pool. Some of Ben's earliest memories included that pool and his fascination with it. As soon as he was allowed to play, Ben demonstrated an uncanny ability to surprise the adults. Around this time, one of his uncles moved his casino business to the Caribbean. This was the environment which he came from. The caption underneath Ben's high-school graduation photo references Ben's love for betting on football. That's because he was famous throughout his school for annually winning the local football contest, along with the $1700 per year which was awarded to the champ. Coming of age right as the first sports books were coming online, Ben was fortunate to enjoy some success with his some of his early online sports betting endeavors. He did so well that the first shop he ever played at ended up refusing to take his hockey bets. Also, in the very early days of the Internet, Ben won an NBA playoff contest, put on by a company which was called NSS.net. The contest victory awarded him a trip for two to Las Vegas, $1000 cash, a limo at his disposal, free shows, hotel and live sports odds for a year. Not a bad prize for a kid in his early 20s. However, the bigger prize was that Ben was exposed to the world of "professional sports handicapping." Inspired by his personal success and encouraged by his peers, Ben first made his picks available to the public in 1998. Achievements in Handicapping/Sports Top Ranked NFL Handicapper From the years of 1998-2007, Ben's selections were independently documented at one of the Internet's earliest and most respected sports monitors, Big Guy Sports. During that time, Ben earned literally dozens of documented Top 3 finishes in football, basketball, baseball AND hockey, including numerous #1 titles. Competing against a field of 150 of the biggest names in the industry, he ranked as the #1 NFL handicapper in the existence of that sports monitor, in their All-Time rankings. No competing handicapping service ever came close to matching his NFL record. In fact, Ben also ranked as the #1 combined NFL/NCAA football handicapper. 10 Straight Super Bowl Winners A big part of the reason for Ben's #1 NFL titles was his annual success in the playoffs. He fared particularly well with his Super Bowl selections. In fact, from 1999-2007, he released 10 Super Bowl picks (3 Sides, 7 totals) and went a perfect 10-0. (All selections independently documented.) In the middle of that 10-0 streak, in the 2002-2003 season, Ben won with both the Bucs and the "over" the year that they beat the Raiders. That win was particularly sweet as he predicted that Tampa would win the Super Bowl in a number of national magazines, prior to the season even starting. Fantasy Legend Ben got pretty seriously into the DFS world in 2014 and 2015. Recently, he was featured as "The High Roller" in the 2015 documentary, "Living the Fantasy." A regular fixture at Fan Duel and Draft Kings live championship events, Burns has taken down 6-figure scores in football, basketball AND baseball. While many of the other prominent DFS players come from a poker background, two decades as a sports handicapper provide a unique perspective. Biggest Win of 2016 The year has just begun but Ben has already enjoyed some notable wins. His "Bowl Game of the Year," which happened to be a total (WVU/ASU "over") saw the teams combine for 85 points and 1196 total yards, all of them in regulation. Closing out the campaign with wins on Clemson AND the "over" in the championship game was also rewarding. Systems Used For Handicapping Bruce Lee noted: "Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style of system." Lee was known to talk about being shapeless, formless (like water) and ready to adapt to any situation. Likewise, Burns doesn't rely on any one particular methodology. Rather, he combines fundamental, technical and situational techniques, making use of any and all data, which he deems relevant to the situation. Ben does tend to pay particular attention to the 'situational' side of things. Among numerous other factors, this includes trying to determine when (and why) a team will be extra motivated ("pumped up") to play its best and also when a team may be ripe for a "letdown." Burns has a contrarian nature and this trait is often revealed in his selections. Betting Philosophy Ever adapting, Burns is just as likely to take points as he is to lay them. Over the years, he's played more "unders" than "overs" but that doesn't mean that he won't pull the trigger on an "over" when the time is right to do so. While many handicappers shy away from playing MLB/NHL favorites on the money-line, Ben has proven that one can be highly successful by doing so. For him, it’s all about value. If he can get a team at -130 that he likes and that believes should be -160, than that's a play.
Rating and Titles of Plays Ben uses a scale of 5-10 to show his level of confidence with each play. Plays may include "titles" in order to give users a better idea of what to expect. Some of those titles include: Personal Favorite - Strongest favorite (or pick'em game) in that sport for the day. Best Bet - Strongest underdog (or pick'em game) in that sport for the day, occasionally can be a total. Blue Chip Total - Strongest rated total in that sport/category for the day. Main Event - Big play which is featured on national television. Game Of The Week/Month/Year - Top rated side or total for that particular week/month/year. |