The sixth season of the annual Play of the Day betting competition between the Sun's sports staff is now under way, effective July 1.
Bankrolls start at $10,000 for each of the four participants, with the objective to increase it as much as possible over the next year. The minimum daily wager is $300, with a $200 penalty assessed for failing to place a bet on an assigned day.
Past winners are Case Keefer in 2018-19 and 2017-2018, Ray Brewer in 2016-2017 and 2015-2016, and Taylor Bern in 2014-2015.
Ohio minus-1 vs. Western Michigan: $440 to win $400
This looks like an extremely evenly matched game. That means Ohio should be laying 3 points at Peden Stadium. Two extra points isn't exactly a treasure chest of value, but it's enough to get the nod in the Tuesday Play of the Day considering the other college football option is Eastern Michigan at Akron.
The Zips are going for historical infamy as the first team to start 0-10 against the spread, and I hate to do it, but I've got to bet against it. I'll take Akron plus-17.5 over Eastern Michigan as a guess — the Ohio pick will also be graded as a guess — in my season-long promise to handicap every Football Bowl Subdivision game.
The MAC games get better on Wednesday, but only slightly. I'll take Northern Illinois plus-2.5 at a beaten-up Toledo, and Bowling Green plus-18.5 versus Miami (Ohio) as another pair of guesses.
Thursday at least offers a couple decent betting spots to finish off the midweek menu. Buffalo has been stifling the worst teams in the MAC, but Kent State has broken out of that class this year.
The Zips have enough firepower to score on offense, especially playing at home, so Kent State plus-6 hosting Buffalo is a lean. For sitting through all the MACtion, you deserve the first play of the week, which will come in the Thursday's ACC nightcap.
Play on North Carolina plus-5.5 at Pittsburgh. Both teams are pretty even and coming out of a bye, but keeping that in mind, I think the better-coached team has an edge.
To me, that's the Tar Heels — no question. North Carolina offensive coordinator Phil Longo has made the Tar Heels a joy to watch all season and probably led them to winning more games than they otherwise had any business doing.
This will be one more. Start the midweek slate with Ohio, end it with North Carolina and hopefully go into the weekend slate with a little boost in your bankroll.
Current Standings: Grimala (10-3, $11,345), Keefer (17-12-2, $9,945), Brewer (8-9, $7,975), Emerson (8-12, $7,960)
Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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