JULY 23 COFFEE CLUB

[Thomas]

WHAT'S BREWING TODAY Saturday, July 23 On Today's Scorecard Betting The NFL Preseason

You will hear people say "Don't bet on NFL Preseason Football." Big Mistake! So says resident Playbook Expert Jeff Hochman of JH Sportsline. He contends that it's actually easier than capping the regular season. In most cases, you can read ahead of time the exact game plan for each team. That doesn't mean you're guaranteed to win. Rather, we are just constantly looking for edges as bettors. He also feels the NFL preseason is a great opportunity to start and build a nice bankroll for the upcoming regular season. By knowing the built-in edges you can gain a tremendous advantage. For instance, Sean McVayof the Los Angeles Rams clearly hates the preseason. He uses August to scout his younger guys while keeping his starters and key backups healthy. The Rams went 0-3 ATS last year. McVay is 5-10 ATS in his career and now comes off a Super Bowl victory. The odds-makers are going to inflate the Rams' opponent lines this August. To read Jeff's entire take on handicapping the NFL preseason click here.

Trending Today Do As I Say, Not As I Do

Georgia's Kirby Smart agreed to a new 10-year, $112.5 million deal that makes him the highest-paid coach in college football – or an average annual value of $11.5 million. Last winter Michigan State gave Mel Tuckera 10-year, $95 million extension in November. The next month, LSU lured Brian Kelly with the same deal and USC lured Lincoln Riley with even more money. Last summer Alabama's Nick Sabansigned an extension that will pay him an average of $10.6 million through 2028, and Texas A&M's Jimbo Fisher signed one that will pay him $90 million over 10 years. It's funny, but on Tuesday, Smart said he doesn't think college football players should make $10,000 a month. He will now make over $930,000 a month.

Grinding Out The Profits Red Birds Rejoice

The St. Louis Cardinals are a league-best 12-4 on Saturdays this season. The Cincinnati Reds are a league-worst 3-15 on Saturdays this season. Better yet, Cards left-hander Steven Matz is 3-0 in his career starts against the Reds, while Cincinnati's Mike Minor is 0-3 in his starts against St. Louis since 2014. You know what to do.

[Chamblin]