The Yankees are rolling, having cracked triple-digits in wins and securing the AL East title. New York has won six straight games as it prepares for the playoffs. Sportsbook bettors have watched Kansas City, meanwhile, continues its losing ways. The Royals have dropped six of their last 10, and they’d like to take something positive into the offseason. Beating the Yankees would be a start, but it isn’t going to happen.

Anthony Lerew (0-1, 3.86) vs. A.J. Burnett (12-9, 4.19)

Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 7:05 p.m. ET

Lerew pitched for the first time since 2007 last Thursday, facing the playoff-bound Red Sox. The right-hander allowed seven hits and four runs (two earned) in 4.2 innings of work. He also walked three batters while striking out two. He’s obviously just a stop-gap measure and not much should be expected of him.

A.J. Burnett has delivered a solid season for the Yankees. No, he probably wasn’t worth every penny, but he’s not supposed to carry the rotation either. The hard-throwing righty has allowed just three runs in his last two starts and is coming off an 11K performance against the Angels (in just 5.2 innings). He hasn’t faced K.C. while wearing the pinstripes but he got the job done with Toronto, going 2-2 with a 3.67 ERA in five starts. If you’re betting online, this matchup heavily favors Burnett and the Yankees.

Robinson Tejada (4-2, 3.41) vs. Joba Chamberlain (9-6, 4.72)

Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7:05 p.m. ET

Chamberlain’s numbers have steadily declined since he was put on a strict inning-limit a few months ago. After posting an 2.73 ERA in five July starts he’s had a hard time keep that number below eight. At least he pitched well against Kansas City earlier this year, giving up three runs (one earned) and four hits in six innings. Still, we’re betting management hoped for more this season.

Tejada, normally a reliever, has pitched well this season. He won three straight games this month before coming apart against Minnesota, when he allowed five earned runs over 4.1 innings. Control was a major issue, as he walked seven batters. Expect to see the bullpen lots in this one as neither of these guys goes deep in games. That said, Chamberlain is still easily the more talented of the two pitchers, plus he’s got the powerful Yankees’ lineup backing him up. Go with New York on your sports picks.

The Broncos (2-0) have surprised just about every observer with a quick start to the season, while the Raiders (1-1) are trying to ride the moment they built up from a last-second win against Kansas City last week.

Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders

Sunday, September 27 at 4:15 p.m. ET

NFL Week 3 odds: Denver -2.5

The Broncos suffered through an incredibly disastrous offseason, from the Jay Cutler trade, to the Brandon Marshall fiasco, to new head coach Josh McDaniels winding up on the hot seat before he’d even coached a game. We’re betting management was surprised to see a 2-0 start. Of course, the Broncos haven’t exactly run a gauntlet of tough teams—they barely scraped by the Bengals in Week 1 (thanks to a fluky tipped pass) and whipped Cleveland 27-6 in Week 2.

Rookie running back Knowshon Moreno is coming along nicely after recovering from a knee injury. He ran for 75 yards on 17 carries last week and could be used even more heavily on Sunday. Denever needs a great running game to relieve pressure from Kyle Orton. The quarterback was solid last week, throwing for 263 yards with a touchdown and zero turnovers.

Denver has allowed just 13 points this season and, luckily for this defense, it gets a crack at another porous offense. The Broncos are at least beating up on teams they should after recording four sacks and three takeaways against Cleveland. It’s a good NFL bet they can do similar things against Oakland.

That’s bad news for JaMarcus Russell, who struggled badly last week before leading Oakland on a game-winning drive. His 7-24 effort dropped his completion percentage to 35.2 per cent through two games. If the Raiders are going to do any damage on offense it will be with the running game. Darren McFadden and Michael Bushed played very well in Week 1 but last week things fell apart (combined 70 yards on 21 carries).

The Raiders bent but didn’t break against the Chiefs last week. They were torn up on the ground (173 yards) but forced two interceptions, which probably saved the day. Richard Seymour was quiet after a strong debut for the Silver and Black, and he’ll have a tough go against Denver’s fine young tackles.

As shocking as it is, the Broncos should improve to 3-0. Denver hasn’t done much to impress, but it is proving capable of beating bad team—and believe us, Oakland is a bad team. Considering how unreliable Russell is, you should bet horses before you bet on the Raiders. Take Denver.

Not so fast, NFL betting fans. Baseball ain’t over and the Red Sox and Yankees have unfinished business. Let’s make picks for Friday and Saturday’s games.

Friday, September 25, 7:05 p.m. ET

Jon Lester (14-7, 3.33) vs C.C. Sabathia (18-7, 3.31)

The series kicks off with a doozie of a matchup as each team sends its top power lefty to the mound. Not only has Jon Lester rattled off nine straight quality starts, he saves his best stuff for the Bronx Bombers. He’s faced New York three times this season, going 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 20 innings. In fact, the Yankees have never beaten him in seven tries.

C.C. has matched Lester with nine straight quality starts of his own. He’s a ridiculous 10-1 since the All-Star break and, like Lester, steps it up in these big rivalry games, going 2-1 with a 2.95 ERA this year. The matchup is tougher to call than the Titans Jets odds. In the end, we’ll use hitter track records as the tiebreaker. The only Boston slugger with any success against Sabathia is David Ortiz, and Papi can’t be trusted anymore. Meanwhile, Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter each bat .333 or better off Lester all-time. Maybe they’ll get on base and score a run or two – which will be enough to clinch this tight contest.

Betting services recommend: Yankees

Saturday, September 26, 4:10 p.m. ET

Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-5, 6.80) vs Joba Chamberlain (8-6, 4.72)

Now it’s time for baseball picks experts to find out if Dice-K is really back. A home win over L.A and a road win in Baltimore don’t compare to visiting the Bronx. Then again, Joba Chamberlain is absolutely useless right now. Horribly mishandled with his “Joba Rules,” he’s pitched four or fewer innings in seven straight starts. He can’t find a rhythm on that tiny pitch count so the Red Sox could rock him.

Betting services recommend: Red Sox

Ready to handicap NFL odds for Week 2? With a game under each team’s belt, we had a small preview of what to expect this season. Let’s make some educated guesses about this week’s results.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Green Bay Packers (-9.5)

Sunday, September 20, 1:00 p.m. ET

Those poor Bengals! They had a win over Denver all but sewn up only to get the ultimate gut punch on a tip-pass touchdown to Brandon Stokley. Life doesn’t get easier for the Bengals in online betting this week, as they travel to Green Bay. The Packers’ “D” looked ferocious in Week 1 and could have its way with a faulty Bengals O-line. While the Cincy defense is better than most bettors realize, it still has its hands full with Aaron Rodgers, Greg Jennings and the potent Packer passing game. Expect a rout.

Handicapping software recommends: Packers -9.5

New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles (PK)

Sunday, September 20, 1:00 p.m. ET

Thanks to Donovan McNabb’s rib injury, this matchup won’t be the high-flying passfest we hoped it would be. Now, the matchup is more about the Eagles’ stellar defense against the Saints’ stellar offense. My thinking: the Saints can top 20 points even on an “off” day against a great defense whereas the Eagles will struggle to score that much. Kevin Kolb sucks and, even if McNabb plays, his pain may hinder his performance.

Handicapping software recommends: Eagles

Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons (-6)

Sunday, September 20, 1:00 p.m. ET

After Jake Delhomme’s Week-1 performance, a six-point spread for Atlanta almost feels like stealing. It’s tough to imagine Jake doing anything but turn the ball over, so how could Carolina come anywhere near the six-point spread? The Falcons were surprisingly solid against Miami’s running game last week and shouldn’t be horrible against DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Eagles torched Carolina for 38 points and the solid all-around Falcons offense should do the same. Matt Ryan will take another step toward the Pro Bowl; the Falcons are good NFL picks again.

Handicapping software recommends: Falcons -6

If you’re betting NFL, you have a couple more days to do your research. In the meantime, check out the midweek MLB series featuring Boston and the Los Angeles Angels, which is a rematch of a playoff matchup from 2008, and it could very well happen again in 2009.

John Lackey (10-7, 3.53) vs Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5, 8.23) – Tuesday, September 15, 7:10 PM ET

Matsuzaka hasn’t pitched in the big leagues for three months, when shoulder problems put him on the disabled list, and then he was sent to the minors to work out his troubles. Lackey has never fared well against the Red Sox with a 3-6 record in 13 starts, but he’s coming off a five-hit complete-game shutout of Seattle. The Angels are the online betting pick here.

Joe Saunders (13-7, 4.81) vs Paul Byrd (1-1, 6.08) – Wednesday, September 16, 7:10 PM ET

The 38-year-old Byrd is 4-2 in nine career starts against the Angels with a 4.94 ERA, and he played in Los Angeles in 2005, posting a solid 12-11 record. Saunders has never lost at Fenway Park, going 3-0, and he’s given up five runs in his last 24.1 innings of work. The 28-year-old southpaw has benefitted from some great run support, but he’s really pulled it together lately, which is why you should go with the Angels in your gambling software.

Ervin Santana (7-8, 5.52) vs Josh Beckett (15-6, 3.82) – Thursday, September 17, 7:10 PM ET

Beckett had a tough August, going 2-1 in six starts with a 5.03 ERA, and he was taken deep 12 times last month. However, he’s one of the great September pitchers, going 19-9 in 40 games with a 2.95 ERA in the last month of the season. He’ll be facing Santana, who has showed glimpses of the pitcher that went 16-7 last year. He’s 6-3 on the road with a 4.39 ERA, but Beckett is 9-1 at Fenway Park with a 3.42 ERA. This could be the lowest scoring game of this three-game series, but the Red Sox are the play in Thursday’s MLB picks.

Sunday’s football odds will be hot play of the week, and Brett Favre’s regular-season debut for Minnesota will be one of the many storyline of Week 1. The Vikings head to Cleveland to face the Browns, who had their own quarterback controversy this summer.

Vikings vs Browns odds – Sunday, September 13, 1:00 PM ET

Favre looked good during the preseason, but he made some comments alluding to his commitment, and he went so far as to say that he wouldn’t play every week. Let the saga begin. Elsewhere, the Vikings still have the best running back in the league in Adrian Peterson, and Favre would do well to hand the ball off, and throw only when necessary. The Vikings released Bobby Wade, who led them in receptions over the last two seasons, which means more touches for rookie Percy Harvin. The defense is one of the best in the league and will always give them a chance in your offshore sportsbook. Pat and Kevin Williams are allowed to play while their drug suspensions are appealed, and the Vikings should be in the top three in terms of run defense, which is important in the rugged NFC North.

Brady Quinn has apparently taken the starting quarterback job, and it’s about time. The team had gone as far as possible with Derek Anderson, and Quinn is the pivot of the future. The Browns have no hope as far as Super Bowl odds go, so they might as well get him some reps. Kellen Winslow is gone, leaving drop-happy Braylon Edwards as the main target for Quinn, while Jamal Lewis leads the backfield. But it’s the defense that has to improve: the Browns were 26^th last year, and there are a few injuries to begin the season, including nose tackle Shaun Rogers.

The Vikings are a four-point favorite this week, and they beat the Browns 24-12 at home in 2005. This could be even worse. If Rogers can’t go, that weakens an already-soft interior defense, and Peterson will have a field day. Favre couldn’t have asked for an easier debut. Go with the Vikings in Sunday’s NFL picks.

While NFL Week 1 odds are dancing in our brains, baseball’s pennant races rage on. Do the Braves have any fight left in them?

Wednesday, September 9

Tommy Hanson (9-3, 3.07) vs Wandy Rodriguez (13-9, 2.82)

If Philly’s J.A. Happ isn’t careful, he’ll have the National League Rookie of the Year Award stolen out from under him by Atlanta’s Tommy Hanson. The powerful rookie hurler seems totally unflappable, sporting an ERA below 3.00 in three of his four months in the big leagues. He also doesn’t pick his spots, having beaten – shut out, actually –teams like the Red Sox and Yankees.

But can Atlanta muster enough run support to help Hanson? It’s tough enough that the Braves are facing underrated Wandy Rodriguez, who is 8-2 with a 1.60 ERA at home in 2009. Their bats are also slumping badly and are the main reason why Atlanta is fading fast in the NL Wildcard race. That said, I think the Braves will do just enough to win on Wednesday. Go under the total in your online betting and pick Atlanta.

Betting services recommend: Braves

Thursday, September 10

Derek Lowe (13-9, 4.36) vs Roy Oswalt (8-5, 3.77)

Think it’s time for Houston to get revenge? Think again. As good as Roy Oswalt is year to year, he can’t beat the Braves. That’s no exaggeration – he’s literally winless all-time against Atlanta. Derek Lowe, meanwhile, has a 3.10 lifetime ERA against the ’Stros. While he hasn’t been a total revelation for Atlanta, as his .294 opponents’ average suggests, he’s still a serviceable innings eater at worst.

Since Lowe handles the Astros just fine and since Roy Oswalt may not be 100 per cent after dealing with back tightness last week, make the Braves your pick again.

Betting services recommend: Braves

Friday’s NFL odds matchup between San Diego and San Francisco is the final game of the preseason before the regular season begins next Thursday between Tennessee and Pittsburgh, and these two Californian teams may take it easy. However, it’s the visitors who have more to play for.

49ers vs Chargers odds – Friday, September 4, 10:15 PM ET

The 49ers came away with a 20-13 win in Dallas, scoring 10 points in the last four minutes of the contest. Rookie Glen Coffee continued his impressive camp by averaging 4.3 yards on eight carries, while fellow first-year back Kory Sheets added a pair of scores for the 49ers. San Francisco must be excited about the depth they have in the backfield, as that could allow them to keep Frank Gore fresh throughout the season. Nate Davis, another rookie, went 10-of-15 for 132 yards, and he could be pushing Alex Smith for the No.2 spot behind starter Shaun Hill. Smith knows the offense better than Davis, but he’s also been there since 2005 and still hasn’t locked down the starter’s role.

The Chargers lost 27-24 on a late touchdown pass, but they had some positives to come out of the game. Shawne Merriman moved around alright after missing all of last year with knee surgery, which dropped the Chargers in most sportsbook software across the country. Philip Rivers went 10-of-15 for 185 yards and a touchdown, while receiver Vincent Jackson broke out for a pair of big plays. You can’t read too much into giving up the game that late, as most of the defense were second-string players, at best.

Your offshore sportsbook is favoring the Chargers by 3.5 points, and at most, their second-string defense will want to redeem themselves after giving away the Atlanta game. But you should pay attention to the 49ers, who many are calling a sleeper pick this year, in the same vein that Arizona was, although that may be pushing it a little. Davis, Coffee and Sheets could be playing for the future, but a solid performance could at least get them in the lineup, where they could learn some valuable experience. Go with the 49ers in your NFL picks on Friday.

If you’re an NFL betting player waiting for the regular season to start, the race for the American League wild card should be enough to tide you over. Tampa Bay goes into their series with Boston trailing the Red Sox by five games, and they’ve won five of six so far this season against the Red Sox at Tropicana Field.

Tuesday, September 1, 7:08 PM ET – Jon Lester (10-7, 3.60) vs Andy Sonnastine (6-7, 6.61)

Lester has struggled badly against the Rays this year, going 0-2 in three starts with an 8.22 ERA, and he has an ERA of 5.00 in three career starts at Tropicana Field. Sonnastine gets his callup because of Scott Kazmir’s trade to the Los Angeles Angels, and strangely in an inconsistent season, one of his best outings came against the Red Sox when he scattered a pair of runs on six hits in 5.2 innings in a 6-2 victory, albeit with four walks and a single strikeout. Sonnastine is also 5-0 in six appearances at Tropicana this year, but the Rays are still a +138 online betting underdog at home. We don’t have any faith in Sonnastine, either.

MLB betting pick: Boston

Wednesday, September 2, 7:08 PM ET – Josh Beckett (14-5, 3.80) vs Matt Garza (7-9, 3.95)

Beckett has a 1-0 record in three starts against the Rays this year, but he also comes with a 5.60 ERA. He’s never fared that well at Tropicana, posting a 1-3 mark in five starts with a 3.58 ERA. Garza has been almost lights-out against the Red Sox in 2009, going 2-0 in four starts with a 1.88 ERA, boosting his career record to 5-1 in 10 starts against Boston with a 2.93 ERA. He did give up six runs in five innings in his last start, but given his numbers while facing the Rays’ AL East foes, your gambling software should give Garza the benefit of the doubt.

MLB betting pick: Tampa Bay

Thursday, September 3, 7:08 PM ET – Clay Buchholz (3-3, 4.38) vs David Price (7-6, 4.63)

This is a meeting of two of the more highly-touted young pitchers in the game, and they’ve been thrown right into the fire. Buchholz has split both of his starts against the Rays in his career, posting a 2.03 ERA, and he’s won his last two decisions. However, the edge in these MLB picks has to go to Price, who has a 6-2 mark in nine starts at Tropicana this season. He gave up a pair of runs on six hits over six innings of a 6-4 win over the Red Sox a month ago, and facing another young prospect should get him fired up, so place your sports bet online pick with Tampa Bay.

MLB betting pick: Tampa Bay