OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers free pick winner for Monday is on the Astros (+120) to Atlanta.

Reasoning: I have been on the Braves a bunch recently and definitely do feel that Atlanta is much better than Houston but it’s really tough to sweep a team in a four game series and that is the situation here. Freddi Gonzalez’ squad is ridiculously beat up right now but yet continues to chug along. Heyward, Prado and McClouth are all missing in the outfield and at some point it is going to catch up with them. That point hasn’t happened yet but Wandy Rodriguez is a quality lefthander who completely shut down the Braves at Turner Field about a month ago and I can see a semi repeat performance today on his comfortable home mound. Granted the Astros bullpen blew it as Brian McCann hit a pinch hit game tying home run in the ninth and then won it with a long ball in extras but don’t blame Rodriguez in that game.

Derek Lowe is coming off of a great start down in Florida where he had a no-hitter into the seventh inning. When the sinker is on the guy can be extremely tough to hit but it’s not like Lowe has been consistently great as evidenced by allowing 11 earned in his previous 15 or so innings before that last start. It’s a 50-50 proposition whether the Atlanta righthander is on his game or not and I’m willing to fade him here with this home dog.

The Astros are a bad team with a bad record, I get that. They are going nowhere as the franchise has been regressing mightily since the Biggio and Bagwell days but they are still a professional team with decent enough guys like Pence, Bourne and Wallace. The losing streak is at four after falling in the first three here at home to the Bravos but Atlanta is a team that is ridiculously beaten up and due to lay an egg with the bats and Rodriguez is capable of helping carry that out.

Top expert pick on this game: Houston +120

For more information: It really doesn’t get much easier than the 400,000* Mavericks last night as they took care of business going away in yet another winning day. The run is now 60 of 99 winning days, as in 60 winning days compared to only 39 losing ones and a cool 6 million* of profit.

I’m raising that bar to the highest of high proportions as I once again release an ultra-rare highest rated 500,000* bomb on the ice between the Canucks and Bruins. The last time I gave out such a play was in game three of this same series and watched the Bruins win in shutout fashion, 4-0. I’m back at it here either eating some rare chalk on the Bruins one more time or believing that what has been the best team in the NHL up to this point is going to wrap this thing up in six games, ala the Mavericks. Bonus 300,000* Brewers-Cubs as I round out another amazing winning day. Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a Sunday is on the Seattle Mariners (-100) to Detroit.

Reasoning: I don’t love Seattle as they are not the most talented of teams but the Mariners have been playing well with that surprising over .500 record and I love Felix Hernandez. Yes King Felix has not been great of late at all and just allowed a whopping five earned runs in only six plus innings but the guy is great and should get back to being great once again today.

Rick Porcello is a solid young hurler who has an upside himself but the guy is no Felix Hernandez and I’m not very high on Jim Leyland’s Tigers. I will give Detroit some credit for getting right back in the AL Central race and catching Cleveland thanks to playing some solid ball but the Tigers are not a team that I trust at all and besides Migual Cabrera are fairly weak. Yes Boesch and Perralta and Martinez have an upside and are pretty good at times but they are really nothing more than that.

If you look at the recent numbers the Tiger right-hander has actually outpitched the reigning Cy Young award winner but that truly doesn’t concern me. Hernandez is a superstar and a guy who should be able to rebound nicely in this spot at pitcher friendly Comerica Park.

Ichiro has struggled and the Mariners offense is not much of anything but Seattle has been playing a whole lot better than expected and Justin Smoak is actually a kid that has been pretty solid with those 11 long balls. There probably won’t be many crooked numbers in this thing and even though this is a road game without a takeback, I’ll hitch my wagon to the King and expect a solid rebounding effort leading to a Seattle victory.

Top expert pick on this game: Seattle

For more information: The run is now 59 of 98 winning days, as in 59 winning days compared to only 39 losing ones and 5.8 million* of profit another 400,000* winner yesterday on the Braves. I have been smacking around that Crookie all year long as per usual and today will be just another example of that. Two more plays and two more winners led by a fourth consecutive 400,000* on the hardwoods in this game six between the Mavericks and Heat. Bonus 200,000* from Miller Park involving the Cardinals and Brewers. Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a free pick Friday is on the Toronto Blue Jays (+126) to Boston.

Reasoning: It’s a little crazy to back a kid who just failed to win in something like 28 straight games against Clay Buchholz and the great Red Sox but at this home dog price that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

Do I fully trust the former Brave lefthander? No certainly I don’t but after just playing that huge series in the Bronx against the rival Yankees and with Dustin Pedroia suddenly injured and going up north of the border against the very capable Blue Jays led by a budding superstar in Jose Bautista and an offense that can be very good I will take my chances fading Boston and backing Toronto. It’s not a bad spot at all to believe we could see an upset.

I have made it abundantly clear of late how much I believe in today’s visitors. To put it bluntly Terry Francona’s team is great and has a legitimate chance to win the World Series this season. They can bash away as good as any offense and the pitching is nothing to sneeze at even with guys like Dice-K and Lackey doing next to nothing.

The Jays are not a team with nearly the upside of the boys from Beantown but Bautista has been superb proving how last season was not a fluke and others like Lind, Hill and Arencibia are definitely dangerous. I have seen these AL East type games with Toronto a ton and the Jays are able to overachieve and hold their own in spots such as this one. Toronto manager John Farrell is the former Boston pitching coach and should be able to have a quality scouting report on his former club making me believe that this home dog can win for a third straight against the big bad Sox.

For more information: Yup I rocked the Crookie’s world yesterday and did so with ease. The highest rated play that I have ever released, a 500,000* came through with flying colors on the Bruins in shutout fashion 4-0 and the 200,000* on the Red Sox plus money cashed that ticket going away as well. The run is now 57 of 95 winning days and 5.4 million* of profit.

Two more winners today including at least another 500,000* of profit as I get right around the 6 million* mark. 300,000* Heat-Mavericks and a 200,000* Red Sox-Yankees. Here we go again baby, up, up and away. Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a free baseball pick Thursday is on the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bud Norris had another outstanding performance against St. Louis yesterday in the Houston upset victory but I don’t see lightning striking twice. Certainly I can’t fully trust young Lance Lynn in only his second start after getting hit fairly hard by the Giants at home in his first but this price is just too cheap on the definite better team.

Let’s face it, the Astros may not be the worst team in the history of the major leagues but they also are not good and to get a surging Pujols, a former Astro who should be more than motivated in Berkman and the far better overall team at around a pick or so is more than fine with me. I don’t even mind JA Happ as the former Phillie lefthander has a solid upside and can be very good at times. But the Astros are just not good and at this price, even in Houston, makes me more than alright with Tony LaRussa’s Redbirds.

By the way Lynn did allow five runs in five innings in that last start but he also showed a lot of promise as evidenced by the five strikeouts and no walks. This kid may not become Cy Young but he isn’t bad at all and to get the much harder hitting ballclub that is deserving of being in first place at this price is a deal and a total must play, period.

Top expert pick on this game: St. Louis

For more information: Matt Rivers rocked the Crookie’s world yesterday and did so with ease. The highest rated play that I have ever released, a 500,000* came through with flying colors on the Bruins in shutout fashion 4-0 and the 200,000* on the Red Sox plus money cashed that ticket going away as well. The run is now 57 of 95 winning days and 5.4 million* of profit.

Two more winners today including at least another 500,000* of profit as I get right around the 6 million* mark. 300,000* Heat-Mavericks and a 200,000* Red Sox-Yankees. Here we go again baby, up, up and away. Click now to purchase

The Game 5 spread for the Mavericks-Heat NBA Finals is up. Dallas is a small 1.5 point chalk and just -113 on the moneyline at the sportsbooks

The series line has gotten much tighter as well, though for a final round tied at 2-2, Miami is still a large chalk.

There are many player prop bets as well. Fantasy NBA players have thrived on these the entire NBA Finals 2011.

As always the best sports picks are on the OffshoreInsiders.com Network.

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a Wednesday lock is on the Arizona Diamondbacks (+104) to Pittsburgh.

Reasoning: Zach Duke is facing his old team and that should provide a ton of motivation today. I have no issues with the Pirates and in fact admit how this Pittsburgh team is pretty good at PNC Park. Walker, McCutchen, Jones and the Bucos are better than the 65 or so win team that Vegas believed in the beginning of the season and Paul Maholm is a professional pitcher who should be alright as well.

But with the above said Duke is going to be beyond fired up and ready to get after it against his old mates. I remember when the southpaw came up in 2005 and was amazing in that first season. He had an era in the 1’s and basically shot through from nowhere into a great pitcher early on. Things tailed off a bit since but this guy has always been capable and pretty good despite the seasons with sub .500 records and now is still potentially very good. He is familiar with PNC as well as with his opponent and was brilliant in his lone road start this season in Houston shutting down the Astros.

I expect Duke to be really good today and for the surging snakes to continue to play well here. Arizona was pretty much said to be dead and buried and going nowhere but as you look up they are now an amazing 33-28, even with the loss last night, and up there in the division. It probably won’t last as Diamondbacks don’t have the horses in the end but with Duke in this spot and Upton, Young, Johnson, Drew and a few other solid bats I’m fine with the D-Backs to win another one today.

Top expert pick on this game: Arizona

For more information: Wow do I love this hockey game.  I have literally never had a play on the ice higher than 200,000* and today I more than double that! I won that last 200,000* game on the Bruins on Monday and I think you could say they won going away. Certainly this thing will not end up 8-1 as that was far from the norm but what does that blowout mean today? A steaming angry Vancouver team that will prove just why they had the most points in the regular season and come out with passion and determination or a Boston team that at home is undervalued and will even up the series?

It’s been 56 of 94 winning days after I took care of business on Tuesday and 4.6 million* of profit. Two plays today, 500,000* Canucks-Bruins plus a bonus 200,000* Red Sox-Yankees and a ton of more profit as I go well over the 5 million plus star mark in the past three plus months! Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a winner Tuesday is on the NY Mets in the first five innings to Milwaukee.

Sure it’s going to be tough for the well undermanned Mets to go into Miller Park and beat the far superior Brewers with a pair of stars in Braun and Fielder plus a borderline great pitcher in Shaun Marcum but at this price I am going to take my chances with the big dog from New York in the first half of the contest.

I readily admit that Terry Collins’ team is behind the eight ball from the get go in this thing. The contrast in talent is huge and that could be enough for Milwaukee to win the game. But let’s not forget how Chris Capuano is a former Brewer and I can see the still capable southpaw be extremely focused and muster up his best performance of the season. I love when guys go up against former teams like this because you pretty much know that you are going to get their best effort. It may not seem like much but there has been an arrow on this start for Capuano for a long time and over the last five days this is probably all the lefty has been thinking about. Plus knowing the hitters and their weaknesses in its own right isn’t a bad thing.

Marcum has been an All-Star this season and the beat up Mets without David Wright, Ike Davis and maybe Jason Bay are probably not going to explode in this spot. But New York just took two out of three against the Braves and if not for the bad Jose Reyes error it would have been a perfect sweep. I’m not dumb and do realize how the Mets are half a disaster but this is a spot that is conducive to success because of Capuano going back to Milwaukee where he spent a bunch of seasons.

I don’t like the Mets bullpen as they have blown game after game after game after game after game after game, pretty much literally. That’s why I am going to avoid the full 9 innings and take my chances with a sweet takeback on Capuano and the visitors in the first five.

Top expert pick on this game: NY Mets first five innings.

For more information: I had the 200,000* Bruins who literally won by seven goals. The 300,000* home dog Angels though couldn’t muster anything in the smallest of small losing days. It’s all good though as today is a phenomenal 3-0 sweep, that I can tell you. I’m still well north of 4 million* ahead of the Crookie in the past three plus months and today have a 400,000* between the Red Sox and Yankees plus a 300,000* Twins-Cavaliers and a 200,000* Heat-Mavericks. Bang, bang and bang! Click now to purchase

The Dallas Mavericks are the favorites to tie the NBA Finals 2011 series against the Miami Heat. Dallas is laying three points.

Miami’s win and cover in Game 2 not only made it 19-3 the last 22 sides for GodsTip, but also returned them to prohibitive favorites to win the series. GodsTips of OffshoreInsiders.com is 19-3 with NBA sides, 15-2 with NBA Wise Guys and 31-12 overall in the NBA.