Daily tips for November 13

Note: Bets are listed in three categories – 1) Suggested (likely bet but yet to be finalised); 2) Confirmed (locked in at the price listed); and 3) Leans (tips, but not recommended bets); all times quoted are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).


Racing for November 13

Horse racing: Ballarat (Vic), Warwick Farm (NSW), Eagle Farm (Qld), Murray Bridge (SA), Ascot (WA), Launceston (Tas – night). Harness racing: Bathurst (NSW), Redcliffe (Qld), Mildura (Vic). Greyhound racing: The Meadows (Vic), Angle Park (SA), The Gardens (NSW), Richmond (NSW), Bendigo (Vic), Albion Park (Qld), Cranbourne (Vic), Ballarat (Vic), Bulli (NSW), Rockhampton (Qld), Cannington (WA).

Ballarat is known as one of the coldest places in Victoria and, despite summer being less then three weeks today, the mercury will probably not reach double-figures for the running of today’s $80,000 City of Ballarat Spring Cup. The track is still rated a dead (4) but the rain is still falling so keep an eye out for a likely downgrade. One horse that won’t mind a bit of sting out of the track in the feature is #4 Hannaford out of the form stable of Robbie Laing (pictured with Nash Rawiller after Polanski’s win in the VRC Derby) with three of his four wins coming on heavy tracks. The 4yo gelding was beaten less than half-a-length at Moonee Valley last start over 2040m after a fourth at Caulfield behind Backbone over this trip two starts back. Second in that race, beaten a nose by Backbone, was English galloper Ruscello. He went on to win the Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at his next start. Before the Caulfield run, Hannaford strung a couple of wins together in a row at Mornington with preferred hoop Dwayne Dunn back in the saddle for this.

Confirmed bets

Ballarat R5 #4 Double Dee (win) 1st ($2.40)
Ballarat R6 #7 Eureka Pulse (E/W) LOSE (4th)
Ballarat R7 #4 Hannaford (E/W 1x4) 3rd ($1.30)
Warwick Farm R4 #2 Made To Order (win) 1st ($1.60)
Eagle Farm R7 #5 L’entrecote (win) LOSE (2ND)

Leans

Ballarat R1 #2 Cobden (win) 1st ($1.80) 

Ballarat R4 #11 Shattered Dreams (E/W 1x2) 3rd ($1.80) 

Ballarat R5 #2 Miss Matty (place) LOSE (U/P)

Ballarat R8 #1 Textiles (win) SCRATCHED

Warwick Farm R3 #3 Kencella (win) 1st ($1.80) 

Warwick Farm R5 #1 Runhardasun (E/W) LOSE (4th)

Warwick Farm R6 #6 Megathink (win) 3rd (NTD) 

Eagle Farm R5 #5 Buakaw (E/W 1x4) 2nd ($1.40)

Eagle Farm R8 #5 Kentucky Woman (E/W 1x3) 2nd ($1.60)

Murray Bridge R6 #6 Elgirana (E/W) 1st ($9.20/$2.90)

Murray Bridge R8 #4 Brimarvi Due Face (E/W 1x3) 3rd ($1.50)

College Basketball for November 13

(2) Michigan State Spartans (1-0, 0-0 away) v (1) Kentucky Wildcats (2-0, 2-0 home), United Center, Chicago, IL, Wednesday, November 13, 11.30am

The Wildcats and Spartans may already be looking to March on Tuesday night in Chicago as they face each other for the first time in eight years. Julius Randle (pictured) and the latest dream team at Kentucky got off to a strong start over the first weekend but things get much tougher here, when the top-ranked Wildcats host No. 2 Michigan State in the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago. Randle posted a double-double in each of his first two games but will be going up against a tough, experienced front line in Adreian Payne and the Spartans. The biggest question for coach John Calipari and the Wildcats coaching staff was how fast they could get all of their talented freshmen on the same page and working the offence. A pair of easy wins over the weekend showed that Randle, at least, had made a smooth transition to the college game with 22.5 points and 14.5 rebounds against Northern Kentucky and UNC-Asheville, and he made a habit of getting to the free throw line with a total of 27 attempts.

Michigan State sophomore guard Gary Harris is one of the few non-freshmen in the country getting attention as a lottery pick in the 2014 NBA draft and did nothing to hurt that stock with 20 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in the Spartans’ season-opening win over McNeese State. Michigan State blew past that smaller team and will take on a Wildcats squad much bigger and just as fast. Harris and Payne expect to get more help this season from swingman Branden Dawson, who is fully healthy after battling back from knee surgery last season. The junior joined Payne (10 and 10) and Harris with a double-double against McNeese State, marking the first time the Spartans had three players record double-doubles in the same game since 1988. Kentucky leads the all-time series 12-10 but the schools have not met since Michigan State took a 94-88 double-overtime thriller in the 2005 Elite Eight. The Wildcats are 6-1 ATS in their past seven against the Big Ten while the Spartans are just 1-5-1 ATS in their last seven games following a win.

Confirmed bets

Michigan State @ Kentucky +4 (one unit @ $1.91) PUSH (78-74)
VA Commonwealth @ Virginia -3 (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (59-56)

Quinnipiac +12 @ La Salle (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (67-73)

Leans

Ohio +19 @ Ohio State $1.91 WIN (69-79)
Fordham @ Syracuse -19 $1.91 LOSE (74-89)

Fresno State @ Pittsburgh -16 $1.91 WIN (54-75)

Kansas @ Duke -5 $1.91

VA Commonwealth @ Virginia +142 $1.91 LOSE (59-56)

Florida @ Wisconsin -6 $1.91 PUSH (53-59)

Manhattan -4.5 @ Columbia $1.91 LOSE (71-70)


College Football (week 12) for November 13

MAC: Ohio Bobcats (6-3, 3-2 MAC) @ Bowling Green Falcons (6-3, 4-1 MAC), Doyt Perry Stadium, Bowling Green, OH, Wednesday, November 13, 11.30am

Second place in the Mid-American Conference's East Division will be on the line here when the Bowling Green Falcons host the Ohio Bobcats. Bowling Green kept its division championship hopes alive a week ago, trouncing Miami (Ohio) 45-3 behind 252 passing yards and three TDs from quarterback Matt Johnson. The Bobcats saw their two-game winning streak come to an abrupt halt with a 30-3 drubbing at the hands of the Buffalo Bulls. Ohio is in a tough spot here with two of their most important players battling injuries.  Top receiver Donte Foster and starting cornerback and the team's top kick returner Devin Bess are banged up. Foster has 728 receiving yards and six TDs this year while Bass has two interceptions and 319 kick-return yards. Quarterback Tyler Tettleton has had a remarkable season but couldn't get anything going against Buffalo. Tettleton completed just 14 of 31 passes for 126 yards while failing to throw for a touchdown for the first time since the Bobcats' season opener. Feature back Beau Blankenship managed just 68 yards on 20 carries with a longest rush of nine yards.

Following a pair of narrow losses to the Mississippi State Bulldogs and Toledo Rockets, Bowling Green returned to the strategy that made it a division favorite – stifling defensive pressure. The Falcons limited Miami (Ohio) to just 228 total yards and 16 first downs while forcing three turnovers – one of which the remarkably-named BooBoo Gates returned for a touchdown. Ohio has had little trouble putting up points this season but ran into a brick wall against the formidable Bulls. Johnson needed a strong effort against the winless RedHawks after being held without a scoring pass in each of his previous two games. The sophomore QB completed 20 of 26 passes while overcoming his first interception since a 48-7 triumph over Murray State back on Sept. 21. Second-year running back Travis Greene (pictured) finished with 14 carries for 112 yards against Miami (Ohio), moving him past the 1000 mark for the season. The Falcons are 7-0 ATS in their past seven games following a SU win of more than 20 points while the ‘under’ is 8-2-1 in Ohio's last 11 games. Temperatures will be in the icy high-20s at game-time.

Confirmed bets

Ohio Bobcats @ Bowling Green Falcons -9.5 (two units @ $1.87) WIN (0-49)

Buffalo Bulls @ Toledo Rockets -3.5 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (41-51)

Leans

Ohio Bobcats @ Bowling Green Falcons -51 $1.91 WIN (0-49)

Buffalo Bulls @ Toledo Rockets -56.5 $1.91 LOSE (41-51)

NBA for November 13

Milwaukee Bucks (2-3, 1-1 away) @ Miami Heat (4-3, 3-1 home), AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami, FL, Wednesday, November 13, 11.40am

I’ve put the Heat on ice in recent weeks – they’re not playing at 100 per cent and clearly have eyes on the bigger picture this season. I’m also not keen on 10-point-plus favourites but the numbers don’t lie and I’m happy to take Miami at the line against a banged up Milwaukee here. With only one game over a five-day stretch, LeBron James (pictured) is hoping some rest is enough to shake off his nagging back problem but following a rare home loss, the Heat might not need James to be at his best. He’s played in all of Miami's games and done so at a high level despite his discomfort. James, however, finished with a game-high 25 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the one-point loss to Boston on Sunday. The four-time MVP averaged 24.5 points on 62.7 per cent shooting in Miami's first-round sweep of the Bucks in April. Dwyane Wade sat out the clincher after averaging just 13.7 points in the first three games, and Chris Bosh averaged just 12.8 for the series, but the Heat still won each game by double digits.

Including that sweep, the Bucks (2-3) have dropped six straight and eight of nine to Miami, and they enter this season’s first meeting banged-up. Frontcourt starters Larry Sanders (thumb) and Ersan Ilyasova (ankle) have missed the last two games. The Bucks announced on Monday that Sanders will miss six weeks after having surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb sustained in a November 3 fight at a nightclub. Sanders had 16 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks in Milwaukee’s only win over Miami last season. Guard Luke Ridnour remains out with back spasms and there is no specific timeline for his return. The Bucks have alternated wins and losses through their first five games. They shot a season-high 50.0 per cent from the field in Wednesday’s 109-104 win over Cleveland before hitting a season-worst 38.3 per cent in Saturday's 91-83 home loss to Dallas. Milwaukee was down by 18 points early in the second half Saturday and could get no closer than three after that. The Bucks trailed by a combined 41 points at the half in their two road games.

Confirmed bets

Milwaukee Bucks @ Miami Heat -13.5 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (95-118)

Washington Wizards @ Dallas Mavericks -5.5 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (95-105)

New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Lakers -200 (one unit @ $1.91) LOSE (95-116)

Leans

Washington Wizards @ Dallas Mavericks +206 $1.91 LOSE (95-105)

Detroit Pistons @ Golden State Warriors -9 $1.91 WIN +201 $1.91 WIN (95-113)

New Orleans Pelicans @ Los Angeles Lakers +3 $1.91 WIN (95-116)

NHL for November 13 

Columbus Blue Jackets (6-10-0, 12pts) @ Washington Capitals (9-8-1, 19pts), Verizon Center, Washington, DoC, Wednesday, November 13, 11.10am

After just one game yesterday, the NHL is back today with a stacked card of 11 games, with hot road favourites in several games making for some good betting opportunities. For my best of the day, I’m heading to Washington where the Caps have amassed a respectable record given the majority of their games so far have come against strong Western Conference teams. The Capitals begin a stretch in which they play nine of 10 against the East here when they meet the Columbus Blue Jackets, losers of four straight on the road. Washington (9-8-1) fell 4-3 in a shootout at Phoenix on Saturday and 4-1 at Colorado the next night. The Capitals are 5-6-1 against the West. The power play went 2 for 4 in a 4-1 victory over Columbus (6-10-0) on October 19 that started the Capitals’ current four-game home win streak. That contest featured three assists from Martin Erat (pictured), who has 56 points against the Blue Jackets for his highest total against any opponent. Washington has gotten a team-high 20 points apiece from Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Ovechkin is averaging an NHL-best 5.9 shots and has four points in the Capitals' four-game win streak over the Blue Jackets. Columbus ended a five-game slide Saturday thanks to a new line combination of Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan Johansen and Cam Atkinson. The unit had seven points in a 5-2 victory over the New York Islanders that precedes this two-game trip that finishes Thursday against Boston. Dubinsky also had a goal and two assists after he questioned Columbus’ effort in a 4-1 loss to the Rangers on Thursday. The Blue Jackets captured their first two road games before allowing six power-play goals in 16 chances while dropping the next four. Columbus is still searching for offence from Marian Gaborik, who has one assist during a six-game goalless streak. He has gone seven straight regular-season games against Washington without scoring. While Sergei Bobrovsky figures to start in goal for Columbus, the Capitals will choose between Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth. Holtby has started 14 games, and each player started once over the weekend.

Confirmed bets

Columbus Blue Jackets @ Washington Capitals WIN (two units @ $1.68) WIN (3-4)
Colorado Avalanche WIN @ Carolina Hurricanes (two units @ $1.68) LOSE (1-2) 
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Montreal Canadiens -5.5 (one unit @ $1.68) WIN (2-1) 
Anaheim Ducks WIN NT @ Florida Panthers (one unit @ $1.87) LOSE (2-3)

Leans

Los Angeles Kings @ Buffalo Sabres -5 $1.91 WIN (2-3)
Nashville Predators WIN $2.00 @ New York Islanders LOSE (1-3)
Columbus Blue Jackets @ Washington Capitals TT +2.5 $1.66 WIN (3-4)
New Jersey Devils @ New York Rangers WIN $1.57 LOSE (3-2)
Philadelphia Flyers @ Ottawa Senators -5.5 $1.72 WIN (5-0)
Winnipeg Jets @ Detroit Red Wings WIN NT $1.93 LOSE (2-2)
Phoenix Coyotes @ St Louis Blues -5.5 $1.80 LOSE (3-2)
San Jose Sharks @ Calgary Flames WIN $2.38 LOSE (3-2)

• Prices with thanks to Centrebet (except where markets are not available), correct at time of publication – for most people gambling is an exciting and fun recreational pursuit. For others it can become a problem with devastating consequences for them, their families and friends. We want you to enjoy your gambling experience. We want you to stay in control of your gambling and not allow your gambling to control you.