September has passed, and the first month of the NFL season is in the books. 

We have arrived at week 5 of the campaign, and to update last week’s note, we are down to two undefeated teams remaining. We went into week 4 with six undefeated teams, and only the Eagles and Bills survived last weekend to stay unblemished in 2025.

Week 5 starts tonight in Los Angeles, with the Rams hosting the 49ers, and the home team is heavily favored at -8. Hey, in the NFL, 8 points is quite a spread, and only two other teams have that kind of chalk on the board this upcoming weekend. 

The Lions are the biggest favorite of the weekend at -10.5 points, as they go to Cincinnati to face a Bengals team going in the wrong direction. With Joe Burrow down, the Bengals’ season could start to fall to pieces, and back-to-back losses could turn into three straight and a 2 - 3 record.

The Bills are the other squad laying -8 points this weekend at home against New England, but the Patriots don’t look scared this year! Division games always bring another level of intensity and meaning to the final score, so that might be the best Sunday night game of the year!

The Baltimore Ravens had seven starters exit last weekend’s game against Kansas City, and an already battered defense might be on the field a bit more with Lamar Jackson likely out this weekend. The hamstring injury has held Jackson out of practice to start the week, so we have to see how much time he could miss for a team already struggling to stop anyone!  

The polls look a lot different after week 5, and I have given you all you need to know about the current top-10 ranking situation heading into week 6.

The schedule kicks off on Thursday, with a Conference-USA clash between Sam Houston and New Mexico State. Amazingly, Sam Houston is 0 - 4 and favored on the road against the 2 - 2 Aggies, but our playmaker EJ begs you to plow that Over 53!! So many points expected by the Rainmaker, so take advantage of that tip to start your week.

A handful of Friday games are about as exciting as doing laundry, because there really aren’t any thrilling games before Saturday on that schedule.

Saturday, Alabama will host 5 - 0 Vandy, and College Gameday will be in town for that SEC clash. The Tide is a double-digit favorite against a team that upset them last season in Nashville, so this is must-see TV.

Miss State and Texas A&M will also battle this weekend, as two teams fight for supremacy in the SEC. The Aggies have jumped out to a 4 - 0 start, and a 4 - 1 Bulldogs program is getting +14.5 points in College Station! 

After a thrilling finish to the regular season this past weekend, the wildcard round of the postseason has been just as thrilling.

Cleveland and Detroit will play the rubber game with another afternoon showdown in Ohio. Detroit earned a game 1 win to open the series, and the Guardians responded with a win on Wednesday to force a third and deciding game headed to the Divisional round.
The Guardians are slightly favored at -115 on the early line. Jack Flaherty is scheduled to face Stade Cecconi for the right to advance to the Division Series.

After losing game 1 of the series against the Cubs. 3 - 1, the Padres responded on Wednesday with a 3 - 0 shutout to force a third game in that wildcard series. A 3:08 ET first pitch there will feature Yu Darvish against Jameson Tallion with the season on the line at Wrigley Field. Chicago is listed at -115 on the early line to progress to the Division Series.

Boston won the opening game of this rivalry battle on Tuesday, and the Yankees responded with a 4 - 3 win to bring a third game on Thursday at 6:08 ET. The Bronx Bombers are heavily favored at -150 to win the series and advance to the Division series. Rookie Connelly Early will get the start for Boston at Yankee Stadium, and rookie Cam Schlittler gets the nod for the Yanks. Signs point to runs being scored according to our Playmaker EJ Garr, so that Over 8 should be a play on your card for Game 3 from the Boogie Down Bronx.

The Dodgers and Reds series is over after Los Angeles pounded their to the sweep of Cincinnati on Wednesday night. 

We’re going to Vegas, baby!

T-Mobile Arena will play host to UFC 320 on Saturday night, and the entire card can be watched on FX or ESPN+.

Two belts will be on the line in the final two bouts of the night.

Bantamweights Merab Dvalishvili (20-4) and Cory Sandhagen (18-5) will square off with the Georgia native heavily favored over the American at -450.

In the main event, Russian Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1) will put his light heavyweight title up against Alex Pereira (12-3), and the Brazilian is a +220 underdog to take the hardware.

WTA / ATP Season’s Winding Down:

With only a handful of events remaining before the end-of-year finals, the last WTA1000-level event of the year gets underway next week in Wuhan, China.

Be on the lookout for EJ’s WTA Finals preview, which will be posted on Friday, and he will update you on everything you need to know heading to the end-of-year finals in Saudi Arabia in November.

The men are competing in one of the last two ATP 1000-level tournaments of the season in Shanghai this week, and the Paris Masters, which will conclude in October, will lead to the ATP Finals in November.

NHL Preseason Underway:

The NHL preseason has officially began, and players are already dropping the puck with early bets. 

Watch for our playmakers to be posting hockey bets all through the year when the regular season begins!