All I can say about Wednesday is that I had a better day than the Dodgers, who have mismanaged their way into a 3-1 hole in the NLCS. Los Angeles really should have known better, given that they won the World Series last year because Tampa Bay mismanaged Game 6 of the World Series with its pitching. But the Dodgers learned the wrong lesson, and their season might be about to end.
I’m talking about the Dodgers because I frankly don’t want to think about Wednesday’s picks. That day is past; here are my best bets for October 21.
FOOTBALL PARLAY: LOUISIANA -18, BRONCOS +2, UNLV +4, +575
Look out, Spartans. Nick Starkel is banged up and UNLV has been in almost every game it’s played this season. Even though the Rebels are 0-6, they’re 5-1 ATS and have played teams like Fresno State and Texas-San Antonio fairly tough this year. The only blowouts on the resume are to Arizona State and Iowa State, both of which are understandable. Denver’s facing Cleveland without Baker Mayfield and on a short week, and Louisiana appears the class of the Sun Belt after blasting App State last time out. There’s a lot to like here.
INTERSTATE 85 PARLAY: HURRICANES ML, HAWKS -2.5, BRAVES ML, +670
Full disclosure: I’m a road geek and can probably tell you which interstates go through any city. Along I-85, we’ve got two games out of Atlanta, as the Braves have all the momentum against the Dodgers and Max Fried on the mound and the Hawks appear in prime position to build off their run to the Eastern finals. The NHL hasn’t been good to me in 2021 (better than it ever was to Atlanta, but that’s not the point), but the Hurricanes are off to a great start and Montreal appears lost without Carey Price in goal. I think Carolina comes through.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY PARLAY: ISLANDERS ML, CAPITALS ML, SENATORS ML, +500
Nothing else has worked for me in hockey betting this year, so let’s try a play of teams I want to see have success. The Islanders (friend) are better than they showed against Florida and Carolina and should start to prove it on this road swing, the Capitals (family) have covered three straight to open the season and I don’t think my Senators are losing to a Sharks side that has faded badly ever since the Erik Karlsson deal.
MRS. ANGELL’S PARLAY: SMU ML, UNLV +4, CHARLOTTE +7, +325
Full disclosure: My wife does not put any strategy into her picks whatsoever. Her picks consist of me asking her a game and her saying the first thing that comes to mind, and she wants it that way. The one time she tried to make a pick knowing anything about the teams, her team lost by 27. So this is her gut play. As Pace knows full well, tailing Mrs. Angell has worked before.
