Olympics Week 2, The NCAA’s New Proposal, and NFL Preseason Week 1

We've got a lot to cover, so let’s hop right in.

Men’s Soccer: Quarterfinals

• Morocco 4 - USA 0

As we mentioned in our Olympics betting guide, Team USA simply making it out of the group stage was a “win.”

But Morocco winning this game by 4 goals wasn’t a fluke - they have a chance to win more than just 1 game in this tournament.

Morocco will face Spain in the next round.

• Egypt 1(5) - Paraguay 1(4)

A lot of people were surprised when Egypt topped Spain in the group stage, putting them at the top spot in their group.

Most bettors were on Egypt in this game because of that.

3-way bets missed, and draw no bets on Egypt cashed at lower odds.

• Spain 3 - Japan 0

Japan's men's soccer team dominated their group stage, winning all three matches without conceding a single goal.

Despite arriving as favorites, doubts lingered after Spain failed to win their group, following a loss to Egypt.

Spain took that personally, dominated Japan, and reached their second consecutive Olympic semifinal.

Fermin Lopez had an incredible performance, scoring a goal in each half.

Morocco will certainly be a tougher opponent for the Spaniards.

• France 1 - Argentina 0

France secured a nail-biting 1-0 win to advance to the semifinals, but the tension was palpable both before and during the match.

The reason why?

A video surfaced of the senior Argentine men's team, recorded by a player, singing racist chants towards French players after winning the Copa America.

Adding fuel to the already intense fire, Argentina had beaten France in the 2022 World Cup final, sparking an intense rivalry that’s still burning.

While this Olympic match featured mostly under-23 players who weren’t part of the Copa America squad, it was the first meeting between the two nations since the incident.

In case you missed it on social, things got scrappy after the final whistle sounded.

Semifinals

The semifinals kicks off today, August 5th, starting with Morocco and Spain.

Morocco vs. Spain: 12 p.m.

Spain boasts brilliant individual talent, while Morocco brings a powerful team dynamic.

Spain defender Pau Cubarsi anchors the backline, and Spain’s success hinges on Fermin Lopez scoring big and Gomez making an impact.

Morocco is riding high from their 2022 World Cup semifinal run and is hungry for a rematch with France.

We think Morocco’s cohesive team play will outmatch Spain’s individual talent, but it may take more than the allotted 90 minutes.

It’s why we like Morocco To Advance at +130.

The Other Odds

• 3-way

  • Morocco +260

  • Spain +115

  • Draw +225

• Total Goals

  • Over 2.5 (+100)

  • Under 2.5 (-130)

• Both Teams To Score

  • Yes -135

  • No +105

France vs. Egypt: 3 p.m.

France had the advantage of getting top overage players released for this home-soil tournament, and they made the most of it.

Jean-Philippe Mateta and Alexandre Lacazette bring athleticism and experience to France’s attack, working alongside U-23 star Michael Olise.

24-year-old Loic Bade pairs with the athletic 21-year-old Castello Lukeba to set a formidable backline.

After eliminating Argentina, France is expected to reach the final.

In this game, the question is how many goals they will win by.

The Odds

• 3-way

  • France -285

  • Egypt +800

  • Draw +400

• Total Goals

  • Over 2.5 (-130)

  • Under 2.5 (+105)

• Both Teams To Score

  • Yes +110

  • No -140

Men’s Basketball

Group play has finished, and the quarterfinal matchups are set for August 6th.

5:00 AM | Germany v. Greece

Germany breezed through Group B with an undefeated record, showcasing their dominance and setting themselves up as strong contenders moving forward.

Meanwhile, Greece secured their qualification with a 1-2 record in Group A, managing to advance despite a rocky start.

The Odds

Germany is currently a 7.5-point favorite and -310 on the moneyline to win straight up against Greece, who come in as a +250 underdog to advance to the semifinals.

• Game Total: 161.5

  • Germany’s Average: 163 PPG

  • Greece’s Average: 158 PPG

Schröder is having a standout Olympics, averaging 19.7 PPG on 54.8% shooting and 9.0 assists per game.

Schröder and Franz Wagner both scored 26 points in Germany’s 85-71 victory over host France, securing their undefeated run in Group B and keeping them on the opposite side of the bracket from Team USA, the quarterfinals favorite at -600 to win gold.

This team has shown time and time again that they are a force to be reckoned with - and it’s why we like them to cover 7.5.

8:30 AM | Serbia v. Australia

Australia had a rough group stage in the "group of death" with Canada, Greece, and Spain.

Despite their struggles they’ve made it out of the group stage.

Serbia’s Edge

Nikola Jokić has been a beast, averaging 18.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game.

Serbia’s team chemistry is top-notch, and the individual matchups in this game will be crucial.

Jock Landale’s tough defense could test Jokić - but Jokić remains the game-changer, especially with heavy minutes expected in the knockout phase.

Serbia is looking strong, and their key players need to shine for them to move on.

The Odds

• Serbia -7 (-105)

• O/U: 174.5

• Serbia ML: -298

• Australia ML: +240

12:00 PM | France v. Canada

Canada went undefeated in the "group of death" and boasts one of the tournament's top non-US players, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

This matchup with France promises to be one of the best in the first round, despite the entertainment value of the other games.

Canada relies on driving the ball, scoring inside, and getting to the free-throw line.

While France has defensive strengths to match that, Canada's firepower and versatility make them the favorites to advance.

But make no mistake, a hot night from Wembanyama or Evan Fournier could be the push this France team needs.

The Odds

• Canada -8 (-105)

• O/U: 163.5

• Canada ML: -340

• France ML: +270

3:30 PM | Brazil v. United States

While Brazil's journey to the knockout round is commendable, Team USA's overwhelming talent and depth make them heavy favorites to advance.

To give you a peek at just how lopsided this matchup really is, Brazil’s best player is Bruno Caboclo, who played his last NBA game in the 2020-21 season and averaged 4.2 points per game.

The real question in this game is whether or not Team USA will be able to cover -27.

The Odds

• Team USA -27 (-110)

• O/U: 185

• USA ML: -10000

• Brazil ML: +3000

Men’s Tennis

In yet another incredible showing, Djokovic won his first Olympic Gold Medal beating out Carlos Alcaraz 7⁽⁷⁾ -6⁽³⁾ , 7⁽⁷⁾ -6⁽²⁾ .

No other player has ever clinched Olympic singles gold, a major, and all nine Masters 1000 events.

The Serbian sensation holds the exclusive men’s records for:

• Grand Slam titles (24)

• Nitto ATP Finals wins (7)

• Masters 1000 championships (40)

The Olympics have been elusive for Djokovic’s elusive white whale for years, but he finally got his win.

Cincinnati Open

The preliminary field for the 2024 Cincinnati Open, taking place from August 11-19 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, is stacked with talent.

• The lineup boasts eight past champions, including last year's winners Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff.

• All Top 40 ranked players will be competing, featuring WTA No. 1 Iga Swiatek and ATP No. 1 Jannik Sinner.

Djokovic's 2023 victory over Carlos Alcaraz, in the longest match in tournament history (three hours, 49 minutes), and Gauff's triumph over Karolina Muchova, which marked her fifth career title, set high expectations for this year's competition.

Odds haven’t opened up yet for this tournament, but it’s going to be hard to bet against Djokovic.

Check in next week for odds, analysis, and our picks for this tournament.

New NCAA Proposal: Good or Bad?

In mid-July, the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Oversight Committees put forth a proposal to alter the start dates for regular-season games.

If this interests you, be sure to read the end of this section…

The changes (if passed) would go into effect starting with the 2025-26 season.

Final approval by the Division I Council is in October 2024.

Currently, the Men’s 2025-26 season is set to start on Tuesday, November 11th 2025.

• Proposal: Start season on Wednesday, November 5.

The Women’s 2025-26 season is set to start on Tuesday, November 11th 2025.

• Proposal: Start season on Monday, November 3.

Why the Changes?

The committee states the main reason for this change is that both start dates will be exactly 22 weeks from the beginning of their respective March Madness tournaments.

Here are the other key benefits this proposal offers:

• Season Standardization: The new schedule would standardize the length of the season, which currently varies between 21 and 22 weeks.

• Focus on Women’s Basketball: By setting the first allowed game for women's basketball on a different day, the change would provide separate attention to women’s basketball both in general and on campus.

• Easier Scheduling: Schools where both men's and women's teams use the same arena would find it easier to schedule games and events, reducing logistical conflicts.

Will It Get Passed?

By now, you’ve probably got an idea of whether or not you like this proposal.

What are the chances it gets passed?

Pretty high.

Though officially a proposal, the Division I Council generally approves recommendations from the oversight committees.

It’s almost certain that this change will happen for the 2025-26 season.

• Not that this shift will not add more games to the schedule.

Instead, it’ll give teams more time to play the same number of games - hopefully decreasing injuries.

So what do you think?

Luckily for you, there’s a comment section at the end of this page.

We may or may not share some of the responses in a later newsletter 👀

Would you pass this proposal or stop it dead in its tracks?

Highlighting NFL Preseason Week 1

It’s been 176 days since the Chiefs beat the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

In 39 days, the Chiefs will kickoff against the Ravens in the first game of the regular season.

Until then, we’ve got preseason. Let’s make the most of it.

Week 1 Schedule

Thursday, August 8 (EDT)

• Lions @ Giants - 7:00 PM

• Panthers @ Patriots - 7:00 PM

Friday, August 9

• Texans @ Steelers - 7:00 PM

• Falcons @ Dolphins - 7:00 PM

• Eagles @ Ravens - 7:00 PM

Saturday, August 10

• Commanders @ Jets - 12:00 PM

• Bears @ Bills - 1:00 PM

• Raiders @ Vikings - 4:00 PM

• Packers @ Browns - 4:25 PM

• Chiefs @ Jaguars - 7:00 PM

• Buccaneers @ Bengals - 7:00 PM

• 49ers @ Titans - 7:00 PM

• Seahawks @ Chargers - 7:00 PM

• Saints @ Cardinals - 8:00 PM

Sunday, August 11

• Denver @ Colts - 1:00 PM

• Cowboys @ Rams - 4:30 PM

Each team's preseason schedule offers fans a first look at returning players, 2024 rookies, and offseason additions.

Unlike the precisely determined regular season, the preseason schedule is partly decided by the teams, featuring matchups between NFC and AFC teams, regional games to limit travel, and intrastate rivalries.

What To Expect

Training camp sets the stage, but the preseason extends practice into real game situations.

Early games feature basic plays and a mix of veterans and rookies.

By the final week, playbooks get more complex, rosters solidify, and starters emerge.

Starters generally play a quarter or two in preseason games, limiting the chance of any injuries before the season kicks off.

Teeing Up the Wyndham Championship

Purse: $7,900,000 / Winner’s Purse: $1,422,000 / 2023 Winner: Lucas Glover

Held in North Carolina, this tournament is the final event on the PGA TOUR calendar.

From August 7-11, players will battle not just for the trophy but for spots in the FedExCup Playoffs, a share of the $40 million Comcast Business Tour Top 10, and qualification for future elevated events.

The tournament also helps decide team captains for the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup teams.

FedEx Cup Bubble Players

This is the second year that only 70 players enter the first playoff event, instead of 125 players like in past years.

• The top 50 players following the FedEx St. Jude Championship (Aug. 15-18) will advance to the BMW Championship (Aug. 22-25)

• From there, the top 30 will proceed to Atlanta's East Lake for the Tour Championship (Aug. 29-Sept. 1)

Ahead of the Wyndham Championship, here’s what the bubble looks like:

66. Jhonattan Vegas

67. Emiliano Grillo

68. Seamus Power

69. Brendon Todd

70. Victor Perez

71. Davis Riley

72. Andrew Putnam

73. Kurt Kitayama

74. Luke List

75. Lucas Glover

Lucas Glover - 75

The 2023 champion at both the Wyndham and the FedEx St. Jude Championship sits just outside the top 70.

With a strong performance, he can make the leap.

Davis Riley - 71

Despite finishing T-46 at the 3M Open, Riley fell outside the top 70 due to strong performances by Greyserman and Vegas.

If the playoffs began today, Riley would be the first man out.

Victor Perez - 70

The last man in has been on a rollercoaster lately.

In his last 6 starts he’s had 3 top 12 finishes, but missed the cut in two of them.

Kurt Kitayama - 73

Kitayama slid into the 73rd spot after a T-6 finish at the 3M. In order to crack the top 70, he’ll need a similar finish.

Peek At Next Week

In our next newsletter, we’ll be doing a deep dive into a pretty cool sports betting tool that a subscriber shared with us.

It offers:

• Player & Team Trends

• Matchup Data

• Public Sentiment

• Line Movement

• And more!

Stay tuned for the reveal…

MLB Snapshot

The MLB Postseason starts in less than 60 days (believe it or not).

As of August 4th, here’s what the seeding looks like.

2024 MLB Playoff Schedule

• Wild Card Series — Oct 1-3

• Divisional Series — Oct 5-12

• League Series — Oct 13-22

• World Series — Oct 25-Nov 2

As the Olympic torch dims, we’ll be turning up the heat on MLB and preseason football.