ATP World Tour Finals Day 8 Picks 2024- Men's Final (Sunday 17th November)

The last big Singles match in the 2024 season will decide the Champion of the World Tour Finals and it is a match that we have already seen in Turin.

Both Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner were playing in the same Group and they will meet with the title on the line on Sunday in what is also a repeat of the US Open Final from September.

Jannik Sinner - 4.5 games v Taylor Fritz: After wins over Alexander Zverev at Wimbledon and the US Open, Taylor Fritz dug in to see off the German in a very close, competitive Semi Final on Saturday.

This means Taylor Fritz has surpassed his own expectations of the tournament and he has certainly gotten the mental edge over Zverev, but backing that up and winning the biggest title of his career is going to be another significant challenge for the American.

He may have had a bit more time to rest and recover ahead of the Final, but Jannik Sinner made very easy work of Casper Ruud in his own Semi Final and so that is not expected to be a factor.

There is no doubt that the toughest win that Sinner has had in this tournament was against Taylor Fritz in the Group- he has broken the other three opponents at least three times, but Jannik Sinner was 'only' able to do that twice against Fritz in that match.

What should be noted is that Jannik Sinner had considerably more success on the return of serve against Taylor Fritz than anyone has managed in Turin. Taylor Fritz has won at least 70% of the service points played in each of the three wins this week, but that number dropped to 62% against Jannik Sinner and there is no doubt that the underdog will be under more pressure to hit his marks.

At his best, Taylor Fritz can do that, but he invested a lot into the Semi Final win over Alexander Zverev and the scoreboard pressure could be tough to deal with.

Jannik Sinner has served at a high level all week and he will likely keep Taylor Fritz contained on this side of the court, while building the pressure with his return.

Covering this spread will not be easy, especially if Taylor Fritz wins the toss and decides to serve first.

However, the Italian World Number 1 has found a way to get on top of the Fritz serve for long enough to create the Break Points and, ultimately, move into a position to win the title with a good looking win on the scoreboard. Last season Sinner had to face an opponent he had beaten in the Group Stage in the Final of this tournament and was beaten by Novak Djokovic, but twelve months on and Sinner is the best hard court player in the world who can round out 2024 with yet another strong win on the surface.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 4.5 Games @ 2.25 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Tour Finals Update: 10-4, + 4.46 Units (14 Units Staked, + 31.86% Yield)

College Football Week 12 Picks 2024 (Saturday 16th November)

The last couple of weeks have been rough to say the least.

A poor run with plenty of poor Picks have disappointed, but there is still some time to turn things back around.

The same thing will be thought by players and teams that are underperforming, although the margin for error is beginning to fade for those that have suffered two losses. One of those teams is the Georgia Bulldogs, but they have still been given enough respect by the Playoff Committee to believe they can force their way into the top twelve by bouncing back and winning out.

It would help if some of the top Big Ten teams lose games in the next couple of weeks, but teams have to focus towards the end from here and that means winning games and not worrying about how the final Rankings will come out.

Week 12 has a number of big games set to be played and the scene can change very quickly in College Football with an upset or two and so there will be drama, as there is every time games are played through the nation.

Texas Longhorns @ Arkansas Razorbacks Pick: We are getting closer and closer to the end of the regular season and there are still some big things to achieve for the Texas Longhorns (8-1). They have bounced back from the home loss to the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas looked strong out of their Bye Week when crushing the Florida Gators to move to 4-1 within the SEC.

Winning out will put the Texas Longhorns into the SEC Championship Game and they are 3rd in the latest College Football Playoff Rankings already. Reaching the Final with an 11-1 record would see the Longhorns almost certainly playing to reach the National Championship, even if they were to lose the SEC Championship Game.

Two of the remaining three games in the SEC are on the road, but the Longhorns will be strong favourites over the next two weeks before taking on upstart Texas A&M Aggies over Thanksgiving Weekend to round out the season.

Overlooking the Arkansas Razorbacks (5-4) would be a mistake with the team holding a 3-3 record in the SEC and who have already upset the Tennessee Volunteers at home. The Razorbacks have been blown out in home defeats to the LSU Tigers and Mississippi Rebels since upsetting the Volunteers and so the Bye Week will have given them a chance to reset and to prepare really well for this game.

Motivation will be easy for the home fans with Arkansas and Texas holding a historic rivalry that has been put aside in recent years as they have played in different Conferences. That is not the case now, while it has only been a little over three years since Arkansas crushed Texas at home as a relatively big underdog.

This has not been forgotten by the Longhorns either, but this Texas team is stronger than the one that last visited Arkansas and the Defensive unit look like they could be capable of making the plays to contain the home team.

Having the Bye Week last week means the Razorbacks could have both Quarter Back Taylen Green and Running Back Ja'Quinden Jackson in the lineup. Both are going to be very important for Arkansas in any upset bid they think they can put together, but running the ball against this Texas Defensive Line has been challenging for most teams this season.

Taylen Green had been putting up some decent numbers of late, but again the challenge is facing a Longhorns Defense that is playing at a high level and with a place in the College Football Playoff in their sights. He may have a bit more time in the pocket than he has been used to in recent games, although the Longhorns will always cause problems in the backfield if a team is playing from third and long against them.

Arkansas have struggled for consistency against the better teams faced on this side of the ball, while the pressure will ramp up on the Razorbacks Defensive unit to produce better than they did against the Tigers and Rebels. Unfortunately, the Razorbacks are facing a Texas team that have plenty of playmakers on the Offensive side of the ball and it is going to be a huge test for them, even out of a Bye Week.

One area where Arkansas have played well is containing the run and they may have some success doing that in this game too, although the Secondary have really had major problems when facing the pass. Now they have to deal with Quinn Ewers, who had five Touchdown passes and well over 300 passing yards in the win over Florida in Week 11.

Quinn Ewers is expected to have his way with this Razorbacks Secondary, although it is never easy playing on the road in College Football.

However, the Longhorns have a long winning run in true road games and it does feel like Texas will be able to fight through a potential shoot out and eventually pull away like the Rebels did against Arkansas.

Rivalry games can produce plenty of upsets so you have to be aware of the potential of the Arkansas Razorbacks... But with a College Football Playoff place to be earned, Texas can push through some rough moments and eventually produce the kind of statement win that will give the Committee plenty of reason to keep the Longhorns Ranked very high in the Playoff places.

Utah Utes @ Colorado Buffaloes Pick: Both of these teams moved to the Big 12 from the Pac-12 at the end of last season and there was always a feeling that one of them would potentially challenge for a spot in the Championship Game and eventually the College Football Playoff.

In saying that, most would have expected that to be the Utah Utes (4-5) rather than the Colorado Buffaloes (7-2), although injuries have decimated the hopes of the former.

Take nothing away from Colorado and the performances they have been able to put together as they go into Week 12 as the Number 17 Ranked team in the latest College Football Playoff picture. The margin for error is pretty slim and you would think the Buffaloes need to win out to take their place in the Big 12 Championship Game, while Colorado will likely need to win that to earn a place in the top twelve when the regular season is concluded.

It means there is still some pressurised football for Colorado to play, but the performances will have built the confidence of an already confident team.

Three straight wins have given the Buffaloes momentum, but it has been a really different story for Utah who were incredibly upset with the late flag that led to a very narrow loss to the BYU Cougars last time out. They looked certain to end a four game losing run, but the Utes were downed by a single point in Week 11 and you do have to wonder how much they have left having invested so much to down a rival.

It is the injury to Quarter Back Cam Rising which has begun the slide, but the Utes may actually be down to a third string player in the position this weekend. Brandon Rose will have to take the call if Isaac Wilson is ruled out and this is an incredibly tough spot to be in considering the vastly improved Colorado Defensive unit that will be in front of them.

Running the ball against the Buffaloes Defensive Line has been a tough task for teams and it will be that much harder for the Utah Utes if Colorado do not respect the Quarter Back they are facing. There is faith in the ability of the Buffaloes Secondary, who have restricted teams to under 200 passing yards per game during their three game winning run, while the pass rush has found a way to get home.

After putting in such an effort to beat the Cougars, the Utah Utes may struggle for any kind of consistency when they have the ball in their hands and that could allow the surprising Buffaloes to pull clear for an impressive win.

Head Coach Deion Sanders deserves a lot of credit for the work done in his short time with Colorado and some believe it is an inevitability that he will move into a role in the NFL sooner rather than later. He has some very talented players on the roster, who are expected to be First Round Draft Picks and high ones at that, although Sanders has a huge amount of respect for the Coaching that is being done in Utah and how tough that could make things for his team.

Like the Utes, it may not be easy for the Buffaloes to have a lot of consistent success on the ground which means the onus will be on Quarter Back Shedeur Sanders to try and make plays against a tough Utah Secondary. His numbers during this winning run have been impressive, but Colorado will know only too well how touch Utah can make things with seven defeats in a row to this opponent.

The last time they met in Boulder, Utah crushed Colorado by 42 points, although you can imagine that scoreline has been spoken about a lot this week to just remind the home players to redeem themselves. Shedeur Sanders did not face Utah himself though and he will feel he can use the quality playmakers around him to make the plays needed to win this game.

This is a big spread, but it is an easy argument to make that 24 points could be all that Colorado need to cover, especially if the Defensive unit can just bamboozle a potentially inexperienced Quarter Back heading out for Utah. Deion Sanders will point out how well Kyle Whittingham Coaches with the fact that Utah have not really been blown out during this five game losing run, but the team have not scored a lot of points in those games and Colorado have reached at least 28 points in seven straight games.

Virginia Cavaliers @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pick: Being an Independent means the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-1) will not have a Conference Championship to show the College Football Playoff Committee and earn a spot in the final twelve team Rankings. However, they are being given plenty of respect already with teams falling to two losses around them and the Fighting Irish are Number 8 in the last Rankings released.

The schedule has not really been one that could help the Fighting Irish, although they are set to face the unbeaten Army Black Knights in Week 13, which could be a huge game for both teams.

First up is a home game with the Virginia Cavaliers (5-4) who upset the Pittsburgh Panthers last weekend after an injury to the young Pittsburgh Quarter Back. One more win is still needed to earn Bowl eligibility, but the upset will give the Cavaliers a real boost in confidence ahead of a tough end to the season.

Producing enough consistency on the Offensive side of the ball will be the challenge for the Virginia Cavaliers, who have been struggling to run the ball in recent games. They are now facing a Fighting Irish Defensive Line that have really been very strong at the Line of Scrimmage and who will be looking to make Virginia as one-dimensional as possible as they continue to not only look to win games, but to win impressively.

One of the key Notre Dame Linemen will be missing on Saturday, but there is still every chance that the Fighting Irish can give this Virginia Offensive Line fits. Protecting Anthony Colandrea is the key for the Cavaliers, but that has been a hard task to achieve of late and Notre Dame have a Secondary that will not allow anything to be converted easily.

It should mean the Fighting Irish avoid another big upset having suffered one earlier in the season, but covering the spread will not be easy.

The Fighting Irish will want to run the ball and use that to open things up for Quarter Back Riley Leonard and there is a balance to this Offensive unit that Notre Dame will want to maintain. You have to credit the Virginia Defensive Line in the way they have played the run, although they will not have faced too many Offensive Lines like the one that Notre Dame are going to be running out onto the field.

For much of the season, Notre Dame have worn opponents down on the ground and this has allowed Leonard to show off some of his talents when it comes to throwing the ball down the field. The Quarter Back has an ability to tuck the ball and run for First Downs on his own, and he will have time in the pocket to expose the Virginia Secondary which has had issues stopping the pass.

Picking up turnovers is where Virginia could make things interesting, but the Fighting Irish have momentum and the strength at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball cannot be ignored.

Three seasons ago, Notre Dame won by 25 points on the road against Virginia and the feeling is that they match that margin in South Bend in Week 12 of the 2024 season and just keep themselves firmly in the mind of the Playoff Committee.

Oregon Ducks @ Wisconsin Badgers Pick: The current top four teams in the Big Ten Conference have all been given top five Rankings in the latest College Football Playoff picture and there is a real scenario where the two teams missing out on the Championship Game are going to be feel incredibly hard done by.

Out of the four teams, the Oregon Ducks (10-0) look to be in the best position.

They are not just unbeaten, but the Ducks finish this season with two teams that have a combined 10-9 record and they will have two weeks to prepare for the game with the Washington Huskies.

Despite that, Oregon dare not lose focus in the last road game at the Wisconsin Badgers (5-4) who are chasing one more win to become Bowl eligible. Being at home will always bring motivation to the table, while the Badgers are playing after a Bye Week as they look to snap a two game losing run.

The crushing loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes two weeks ago really stung, and it is never easy for a team that were expected to be getting veteran play out of the Quarter Back position only to have to deal with injuries which means an inexperienced player is being used instead. Braedyn Locke has thrown for 1400 yards, but he has 8 Touchdown passes along with 8 Interceptions and avoiding mistakes to hand over extra possessions is the key to this game.

It is going to be a tough day for the Badgers Offense and that is because they may not have a lot of success when it comes to running the ball, which in turn places a lot more pressure on Braedyn Locke at Quarter Back. The sophomore will be tasked with finding spaces to exploit against an Oregon Secondary that has found a way to step in front of passes and who have restricted the abilities of opponents to move the chains with any great efficiency through the air.

Throwing the ball might not be that much easier for Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon Ducks, but they will benefit from being able to churn out some big yards by running behind this Offensive Line. Dillon Gabriel broke the College Football record for career Touchdowns that had been held by Case Keenum, so there is no doubt he can have success if plays are dialled up for him to throw the ball.

However, the Oregon Offensive Line have really thrived in pounding the ball on the ground and stopping the run has been a weakness of Wisconsin in recent games. The Quarter Back can be used in designed runs and being in third and manageable should mean Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon Ducks can have their way Offensively as they move another step closer towards the Big Ten Championship Game and eventually the Playoff.

It should be noted that Wisconsin have struggled to remain competitive when they have been beaten in 2024 and it may be tough for the Badgers to avoid being blown out in this one. The Ducks just have to win to keep the Playoff Committee on their side, but there will be a pride in wanting to match the big wins that others have had over Wisconsin and Oregon can pull away by turning the ball over from a young Wisconsin Quarter Back.

MY PICKS: Texas Longhorns - 12 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Colorado Buffaloes - 13.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish - 22 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oregon Ducks - 13.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Louisville Cardinals - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Penn State Nittany Lions - 29.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Kansas State Wildcats - 7.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Tennessee Volunteers + 9.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.15 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.17% Yield)

Week 10: 1-6, - 4.05 Units (7 Units Staked, - 57.86% Yield)

Week 9: 4-2, + 1.82 Units (6 Units Staked, + 30.33% Yield)

Week 8: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 7: 6-3, + 2.55 Units (9 Units Staked, + 28.33% Yield)

Week 6: 3-2, + 0.82 Units (5 Units Staked, + 16.4% Yield)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

ATP World Tour Finals Day 7 Tennis Picks 2024 (Saturday 16th November)

After exiting the World Tour Finals, Carlos Alcaraz has admitted he hopes to still play alongside Rafael Nadal at the Davis Cup in what is the final tournament Nadal will be playing in his professional career.

Illness has proven to be too difficult to overcome for Alcaraz who finished behind Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud in the Group Stage of this tournament.

Losses to both of those opponents will have disappointed the Spaniard, but his attention will soon turn to 2025 and the Australian Open which begins in less than two months time. He might have won the French Open and Wimbledon, but Carlos Alcaraz will be looking to have a much bigger impact at the two hard court Grand Slam tournaments played next year.

Four players remain in contention for the title here in Turin and the two Semi Final matches are scheduled to be played on Saturday.

The home favourite, Jannik Sinner has to be the favourite to win the title, but Alexander Zverev, Taylor Frtiz and Casper Ruud will all be playing with some confidence having won at least two of the three matches played over the last week.

Alexander Zverev-Taylor Fritz over 23.5 games: The first Semi Final at the World Tour Finals is featuring two players that have been used to playing one another in big settings already in 2024.

The media have been pushing Alexander Zverev's credentials this week after a strong run through the Group Stage, but the German himself has been trying to cool down the growing expectations around him. He has previously won the Tour Finals and Zverev is one of the better indoor hard court players in the world, but the match up with Taylor Fritz is one that has frustrated him.

The defeat at Wimbledon will have really stung considering Alexander Zverev won the first two sets, and Taylor Fritz franked that victory by beating this opponent at the US Open on his way to the Final in New York City. A win at the Laver Cup means Taylor Fritz has beaten Alexander Zverev in three matches in a row and his own efforts here in Turin have been impressive enough to suggest the underdog could give Zverev all he can handle.

Both players will be keen to bring their best serving abilities onto the court for this one and it does feel like it will be a match where Break Points will be hard to create.

Alexander Zverev has been really impressive behind serve throughout the tournament- he 'only' won 71% of his service points in the last match against Carlos Alcaraz having won at least 80% in each of his first two matches, but that number against the Spaniard meant Zverev only allowed 2 Break Points in the entire match.

It has certainly allowed Alexander Zverev to play with some freedom on the return, although he had not been at his best in that side of his tennis before the victory over Carlos Alcaraz.

Improving on the return will be a huge test for Alexander Zverev considering he has won just 28% of points played on the Taylor Fritz serve in four matches in 2024. The American has perhaps not served as well as he can at his best, but it is clearly a shot that bothers Alexander Zverev who has not really found consistent answers to deal with it.

Since beating Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz has also had issues on the return of serve, while his returning numbers in the head to head with Alexander Zverev are not that much stronger than the higher Ranked player.

It all points to a tight match that could feature two very competitive sets at the very least.

The underdog is appealing considering how well he has matched up with Alexander Zverev, but the latter deserves respect for putting together the stronger week so far. Both players could serve well enough to see this one surpass the total games line set, even in a two set match, and that looks the best approach to what could be a really good Semi Final.

Casper Ruud + 5.5 games v Jannik Sinner: It would be foolish to suggest that anything other than a win for Jannik Sinner is the most likely outcome of this Semi Final.

However, that does not mean that the handicap does not look a little too wide and not giving Casper Ruud enough respect.

It is far from ideal having to play the second Group match on Friday and then the Semi Final on Saturday, especially as Casper Ruud will have twenty-four hours less than Jannik Sinner to prepare for this match. He was dragged into a three set match with Andrey Rublev, although the win will have given Ruud some confidence that he may have been lacking before the tournament began.

Casper Ruud was able to beat Carlos Alcaraz in the Group too and he did give Alexander Zverev a test before going down so there is every chance that the Norwegian can at least test Jannik Sinner.

Beatng the World Number 1 is a different challenge than merely trying to keep things competitive and the home crowd are going to be firmly behind their player. So far it has helped Jannik Sinner come through his three matches very impressively and the Grand Slam titles won in Melbourne and New York City have just underlined the very strong performances Sinner has put together on the hard courts.

His serve has been very impressive and that has been evident through the week in Turin, where Jannik Sinner reached the Final twelve months ago. The likelihood is that Jannik Sinner will dominate on the serve here, but the conditions should allow Casper Ruud to at least try and dictate the points behind his own serve and that should mean he has an opportunity to keep this one close on the scoreboard.

Two previous matches between these players have both been played on an indoor hard court at the same event in Vienna in 2020 and 2021. Both were won by Jannik Sinner, although the second was easier on the scoreboard, and he is capable of blowing any opponent away on this surface.

That will always be a concern when you are on the other side of the net when opposing the World Number 1, but Ruud has played well enough to perhaps go down in a couple of competitive sets. Despite the impressive performances from Sinner, he has not been able to cover this handicap mark against Alex De Minaur, Taylor Fritz or Daniil Medvedev and it may be another relatively comfortable, but not a blowout win.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev-Taylor Fritz Over 23.5 Games @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Casper Ruud + 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Tour Finals Update: 9-3, + 4.46 Units (12 Units Staked, + 37.17% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Gilberto Ramirez vs Chris Billam-Smith (Saturday 16th November)

While there have been some decent Boxing cards put together over the last couple of weekends, the reality is that those have featured big names in what many perceived as largely forgettable fights.

A prime example is the card last week in Philadelphia as Jaron Ennis beat Karen Chukhadzhian for the second time in a little under two years.

The first fight was pretty poor and, while the second was better, there was very little clamour to see Boots go in with this opponent again. Unfortunately it was a mandatory defence of the IBF World Title he holds and it was a fight forced upon him as Ennis continues to tempt the other Champions or a big name in either the Welterweight or Light-Middleweight Division in with him.

Boots faced some criticism for the performance last week as he settled for another win on the cards, but you cannot underestimate the importance of motivation. The fans were barely interested in the rematch so it is no surprise that Ennis was a little flat, especially after putting Chukhadzhian down relatively early, and so the overall performance has to be set in that light.

There is little doubt that plenty more is to come from Boots and the rumoured fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr will really earn the interest of all who love the sport.

On the same card, Bam Rodriguez certainly did give the fans something to talk about and he continues to pursue a big fight with Roman Gonzalez. Clearing out the last generation of stars in the weight class would be a huge point on his resume and Bam may then think about whether it is worth putting on some more weight to take on The Monster, Naoya Inoue.

The lower weight classes have long brought together some special nights and both of those events would be special for Rodriguez and his growing reputation.

Riyadh Season are promoting a pretty big fight card this weekend with the top of the bill featuring a Cruiserweight World Title that could see the winner move onto a massive Unification with Jai Opetaia next year.

'Latino Night' sees Golden Boy join the mix as promoters happy to work with the Saudi authorities to put the big cards together and there are some good looking fights to take place.

Of course we cannot speak about Boxing without addressing the elephant in the room with Netflix streaming a live event on Friday evening that features Iron Mike Tyson, albeit an almost 60 year old 'Baddest Man on the Planet'.

The reality is that the casuals will lap that up, which in turn is hugely positive news for the promoters and broadcasters, but it is the undercard that appeals most with the standout being the rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

Gilberto Ramirez vs Chris Billam-Smith

There will be a few thoughts on the Tyson-Paul card below, but it is this Cruiserweight World Title fight that tops 'Latino Night' that should be the real focus for fight fans.

It is a Unification with both the WBO and WBA World Titles up for grabs.

Chris Billam-Smith, the WBO Champion, won the Title from former stable-mate Lawrence Okolie in a scrappy fight, and has defended it two times including redeeming the one loss that has been on his record.

He is the naturally bigger man and the British fighter is someone who does everything pretty well, but perhaps nothing at a special level. It is perhaps why he is regularly under-rated and why the team have taken some offence to the talk being whipped up by the other side.

There have been a couple of performances where Chris Billam-Smith has not been at his best, his first defence of the WBO World Title was one when he turned things around with big shots in the second half of that win over Mateusz Masternak, but in the main Billam-Smith does exactly what it says on the tin.

He will be fundamentally strong, will pick his shots and execute the game-plan of the corner and Chris Billam-Smith will want to impose himself on a fighter that began his career at Middleweight.

Gilberto Ramirez has long been one of the leading names in and around the Middleweight and Super-Middleweight Divisions, but the resume is perhaps a tad disappointing.

Wins over Arthur Abraham and Jesse Hart, twice, are decent, but there isn't a lot more before he made his move up into the Cruiserweight Division. Zurdo was beaten pretty comfortably by Dmitri Bivol at Light-Heavyweight, which is no disgrace, but has bounced back with Decision wins over Joe Smith Jr and an unbeaten Arsen Goulamirian to take the WBA World Title.

He was largely untroubled in both wins, but Smith Jr was coming up in weight having been out of the ring since being crushed by Artur Beterbiev, while Goulamirian had been inactive with the fight with Zurdo being his first in eighteen months.

It feels much different when facing someone like Chris Billam-Smith who was out in June and is a natural at this weight class.

Maybe the weight class suits Ramirez that much better too, but he was pretty listless in the defeat to Dmitry Bivol, although it has to be repeated that it is a defeat to a truly elite World Class fighter.

He will not be given a lot of room to breathe by Chris Billam-Smith and the heavier hands should be with the British fighter, although Ramirez is capable of out-boxing him at times. However, there is a feeling that Billam-Smith is perhaps a touch underrated here and he looks a big price to upset the Mexican WBA World Champion.

Close Rounds are likely going to edge in favour of Gilberto Ramirez as the 'A' side of the card, but Chris Billam-Smith is capable of hurting him if Zurdo is not moving as much at this weight as he has previously.

In saying that, Zurdo will be dangerous when he sits down on his punches and we have seen Chris Billam-Smith hurt before, although the recovery has also been impressive.

It looks a really good fight on paper and a solid Unification ahead of a potentially massive night against Jai Opetaia.

Gilberto Ramirez is someone that deserves a lot of respect, but Chris Billam-Smith might just have the tools to derail the Mexican standing in front of him and looks worthy of a small interest to become the next Unified World Champion representing Great Britain.

The undercard looks a solid one as some of the fighters under the Golden Boy Promotional banner are given an opportunity to impress.

We should see Oscar Collazo find a way to break down his unbeaten opponent, Thammanoon Niyomtrong in this Unification bout and the former can secure that through another Stoppage.

He is bidding to steal some of the limelight from those fighting higher up on the card, and Oscar Collazo can certainly provide a big statement in a weight class that is not one that will always capture the attention of the fight fans.

The expectation is that William Zepeda is going to move onto some huge fights over the next several months, but he will want to avoid slipping up against a veteran.

Tevin Farmer made things awkward for another fringe World Title contender, Raymond Muratalla in July, but the latter was perhaps not as active as he should have been to break down the former World Champion.

Activity is not going to be an issue for Zepeda and he can invest in early body work to slow down and break down Tevin Farmer and go a little better than one of his rivals in the weight class by ending this fight before the judges are needed.

The chief support on the card looks a really good one when Jose Ramirez faces Arnold Barboza Jr- these two fighters have had 60 fights combined and the only loss is the Ramirez razor-thin defeat to Josh Taylor with all of the marbles up for grabs in the Light Welterweight Division.

Inactivity has been an issue for Jose Ramirez, but he was out earlier this year and is fighting twice in a calendar year for the first time since 2019. The rust should have been shook off in his win over Rances Barthelemy and Jose Ramirez is a considerable step up for Arnold Barboza Jr who is perhaps a touch fortunate to still hold an unbeaten record.

The winner will be in line for some big nights ahead, but the feeling is that Arnold Barboza Jr has not really been developed in the manner that he and his handlers might have hoped. He is a quality fighter, but Jose Ramirez is very good and the latter can come away with a win on the cards after Twelve tough Rounds are in the books.

On Friday night, Netflix will get involved in the Boxing world with the main event featuring Jake Paul and Mike Tyson.

It is completely understandable that so many have become invested in the fight, even if Iron Mike was far from his best when he sat down and decided to end his career against Kevin McBride.

At 58 years old, it is only really nostalgia that perhaps has prickled the interest of fans who will be tuning in- can Mike Tyson turn back the clock and Knock Out Jake Paul?

The reality feels much more simple with Paul pursuing a Boxing career by beating up faded UFC fighters in an unfamiliar sport. His sole fight against another 'boxer' was the defeat to Tommy Fury, so there is that feeling that he is finally taking on a 'live' opponent at a higher weight class than he has been operating.

You have to be careful when it comes to discussing Mike Tyson- he is a former Heavyweight Champion and a legendary, iconic name, but there is no doubt that he hasn't been the Tyson people talk about for over thirty years. The huge age gap and the medical issues that Mike Tyson has been dealing with makes it very, very unlikely that this is anything more than an opportunity for Jake Paul to pay the former 'Baddest Man on the Planet' enough money to have his name plastered on Paul's resume.

It is a hard fight to judge as to how it will end mainly because of the two minute Rounds and the gloves being used being heavier than you would have for a truly professional contest. The fight is going on the records, which is fair enough, but it feels like there could be some 'deal' in place that allows Jake Paul to come away with a victory, but Mike Tyson's reputation avoiding any unnecessary dent.

IF there was a play, Jake Paul to win on the cards might be the one, but there are too many uncertainties and doubts about the competitiveness to warrant that.

Jake Paul may not be everyone's cup of tea, but he has tried his best as a Promoter for Amanda Serrano and his charge will be the chief support to the main event when she finally rematches Katie Taylor.

Both fighters may be passed their best and two and a half years have been and gone since these two shared a ring for a very good contest.

Katie Taylor earned the nod on the night, but she is clearly not the same fighter as she once was even if she was able to beat Chantelle Cameron in a rematch in November 2023. She outworked her rival that day, but Taylor is slowing and another twelve months has passed through without the Irishwoman being back in the ring.

Amanda Serrano is not much younger than Katie Taylor, but she has won five straight since the loss to this rival and has been much more active. This is going to be the fifth fight Serrano has had since February 2023 and that should mean she can get into a rhythm pretty quickly, while also having the power edge.

In reality she will need to be a bit more active in the closer Rounds to turn the cards back round in her favour, while Amanda Serrano may be able to put Taylor down this time having hurt her terribly in the first meeting. That Knock Down could be all it takes to turn the tide and perhaps set up a trilogy and Amanda Serrano looks the play.

The money has seemingly poured in on Amanda Serrano who is now the strong favourite to win- the most likely method will be on the cards, although Serrano has shown she has the power to hurt Katie Taylor and a Stoppage cannot be completely ruled out at this stage of their respective careers.

Another undercard bout features a legit World Title when Mario Barrios faces Abel Ramos and it is a chance for the Champion to just show why he deserves to be in with some of the other Champions and big names in the Welterweight Division.

It is a fight where neither will want to take a backward step, but Barrios has momentum behind him and may just find the finishing punches against the veteran.

MY PICKS: Chris Billam-Smith @ 3.20 William Hill (1 Unit)

Oscar Collazo to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.30 Paddy Power (1 Unit

William Zepeda to Win Between 6-10 @ 2.37 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Jose Ramirez to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.25 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Amanda Serrano to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Mario Barrios to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.75 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 30-53, + 9.44 Units (109 Units Staked, + 8.66% Yield)

ATP World Tour Finals Day 6 Tennis Picks 2024 (Friday 15th November)

We are down to the final two Group matches at the World Tour Finals and both Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz will be resting up and waiting to see who will be facing them in the Semi Final.

The second match is going to be the key, but the first on Day 6 looks full of quality before we get down to the business end of the event in Turin.

Alexander Zverev-Carlos Alcaraz over 22.5 games: When the Groups were drawn out for the ATP World Tour Finals, the meeting between Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz would have been one that was expected to decide the top spot in the section.

This may yet be the case, but Carlos Alcaraz is still fighting his way back from the upset defeat to Casper Ruud in his opening match. He admitted he was not feeling his best prior to the match with Andrey Rublev to save his tournament, but afterwards Carlos Alcaraz stated he had been able to move better than in his opening match as he beat Rublev in straight sets.

It gives him a real chance to still make the Semi Final and Carlos Alcaraz will go a long way towards progression if he is able to win this one in straight sets.

However, Alexander Zverev will be doing all he can to at least secure one of the first two sets as he still has a potential path towards elimination, despite beating both Rublev and Ruud in straight sets. A heavy defeat to Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud winning the other match in straight sets could see Zverev eliminated so the focus for the German will be on securing at least a set against Carlos Alcaraz that will push him through.

Confidence should not be an issue for Alexander Zverev who beat Carlos Alcaraz at the World Tour Finals last year and who followed up by eliminating the Spaniard at the Australian Open. The two meetings since Melbourne have both been won by Alcaraz, including that epic French Open Final, but the indoor conditions suits Alexander Zverev.

Those conditions have certainly helped the ball fly from the serve and Zverev has dominated behind that shot with over 80% of points won and the German yet to face a Break Point. The serve is certainly working well enough to help Alexander Zverev rattle through some games and keep the scoreboard pressure on an opponent that has to win well to give himself the best chance of earning a spot in the next Round.

After a sub-par serving day against Casper Ruud, Carlos Alcaraz was much better next time out with 78% of points won and containing the Andrey Rublev threat. You have to credit Alexander Zverev for the wins produced this week, but he has not overwhelmed opponents with the return of serve and there are likely going to be some very tight margins to deal with when these top players meet.

We saw our first three set match in the Singles tournament on Day 5 and it would bot be a surprise if this one follows that route.

There is a definite case to be made for the total games line to be surpassed if both Zverev and Alcaraz continue to serve as they did last time out. Break Points might be hard to find and tie-breakers are looming, which should go a long way to getting passed this total line set, even if the third set is not needed.

Casper Ruud v Andrey Rublev: This is the very last match of the Group Stage at the 2024 tournament and all will become very clear in terms of permutations for both of these players before they head out onto the court in Turin. Neither will want to overburden themselves with the numbers, but it will be much clearer what they need to do in order to progress to the Semi Final.

Things are much tougher for Andrey Rublev, which is no surprise considering he has lost both matches played in straight sets. He needs Alexander Zverev to beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets in the other match in the Group played earlier in the day and Andrey Rublev would then have to win in straight sets and there is no other pathway for him to make his way to the Semi Final at this event again.

For Casper Ruud the picture will only really clear up fully at the end of the Zverev-Alcaraz match too, but his focus has to be on winning this match in straight sets. Doing that should be good enough to progress no matter what has happened earlier in the day, although there will still be some permutations to work out just in case Ruud was to drop a set.

As mentioned, there is actually a pathway for Casper Ruud to progress even after a three set defeat, but no tennis player will be thinking about trying to do anything other than winning this match.

Casper Ruud had been in miserable form in the lead up to the World Tour Finals, but the win over Carlos Alcaraz, even a limited Alcaraz, will have provided him a boost. He did not play badly against Alexander Zverev, but Ruud was not really able to have a decent impact on the return of serve and that ultimately proved costly when Zverev took the one and only Break Point he created.

Serving like that will put Andrey Rublev under pressure and the Russian has just shown a bit of fragility in both of his two losses. While there have been times when he has looked good, Rublev has dropped serve twice in each defeat and he is always likely to throw in one or two bad service games to give an opponent a chance.

This will be very much in the Casper Ruud thinking, while the Norwegian may also hold a mental advantage knowing he has beaten Rublev at this event in both 2021 and 2022.

The first of those meetings was very competitive and Andrey Rublev may count himself unlucky to lose, but Casper Ruud dismissed his challenge easily in the 2022 Semi Final and is serving well enough to find an edge in this one.

The odds feel reflective of the overall form of the two players heading into this event in Turin, but Casper Ruud has served well enough this week to stay with Andrey Rublev until what will feel like an inevitable poor service game. If the Russian is officially eliminated, it may be tough to really put in the work to turn around the match if things begin to go wrong and Casper Ruud looks a decent underdog to get behind as he hopes to unexpectedly reach the Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Alexander Zverev-Carlos Alcaraz Over 22.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Casper Ruud @ 2.50 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

World Tour Finals Update: 7-3, + 2.24 Units (10 Units Staked, + 22.40% Yield)

NFL Week 11 Picks 2024 (Thursday 14th November-Monday 18th November)

It was the week that I had been fearing for a while, but in each of the last few weeks I have mentioned that continuing to produce winning efforts week after week in the NFL was simply not going to be a run that could be sustained.

Through the first nine weeks of the NFL season, eight had ended with a positive number behind the selections, but Week 10 was a huge blow.

Despite that, the season totals are still very much in a strong position, and that is what has to be remembered as we reset and try and go again.

Some of the selections were poor, which can happen- the Giants proved to be a team chasing the top Draft Pick when losing in Munich and they never looked like covering as a big favourite, that was simply a poor Pick. Matthew Stafford must have missed a number of wide open Touchdowns on Monday Night Football, but again, it felt like a poor Pick pretty early as the Los Angeles Rams kept getting bogged down.

However, it still amazes me to think that Minnesota, San Francisco and Atlanta all failed to cover last week.

The former two both ended up winning, but the Falcons were beaten outright, although all three made so many mistakes that prevented them getting over the numbers set.

Sam Darnold didn't throw one, or two Interceptions inside the Red Zone, but three of those in what ended up being a five point win to miss the cover by just three points.

And the less said about the San Francisco and Atlanta kickers the better with both combining to miss multiple efforts from reasonable distance to the point that even Deebo Samuel decided to let Jake Moody know what he thought of his efforts. These are kicks that really won't be missed too often and on another day all three teams would have returned winners, so it is best not to move too far away from what has been successful so far this season.

Kickers proved to be the difference makers for Kansas City too as the last unbeaten team of the season moved through another week after the Special Teams blocked Denver's chip shot Field Goal to win the game in Week 10.

Maintaining that unbeaten run through Week 11 looks to be a huge test for Kansas City when they visit the Buffalo Bills in what many feel could be a game that ends up being replayed to decide the Super Bowl participant from the AFC.

This is the standout game of Week 11, especially on Sunday, but there are other big games beginning with a top looking NFC East battle on Thursday Night Football with the lead of the Division on the line. Moving into November means the intensity is picking up and Thanksgiving is now a couple of weeks away, which usually signals the turn into the home run for those hoping to have extended post-season runs.

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles Pick: Week 11 begins with a big NFC East game featuring the top two teams in the Division on Thursday Night Football.

In reality, it would be a huge disappointment if both the Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) and Washington Commanders (7-3) were not able to secure enough wins to earn a place in the post-season, although there is also little doubt that winning the Division would be a huge boost towards having a deep Playoff run.

It is the Philadelphia Eagles who continue to produce wins, despite the noise around the team- the fans have simply been on edge far too much this season and Head Coach Nick Sirianni may feel that he has to win the Super Bowl if he is going to be retained in the job, which really does not help.

Despite that, Sirianni has led the Philadelphia Eagles to the top of the Division after a crushing win over the injury hit Dallas Cowboys in Week 10 and that makes it five wins in a row for the Eagles. In reality, we can't really know too much about Philadelphia considering who they have beaten this season, although the thumping of the Cincinnati Bengals a few weeks ago looks the most impressive.

Washington were beaten on Sunday by the Pittsburgh Steelers and like the Eagles, the schedule has not exactly been the most taxing. There is no doubting the improvement with Jayden Daniels leading the team at Quarter Back, but the Commanders's best win came early in the season at the Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals and they have struggled to beat too many good teams since then.

This is a real prove it moment for the rookie Quarter Back and the rest of the team with Washington playing on the short week and looking to reclaim top place in the NFC East.

The Commanders will be hoping Brian Robinson Jr is able to suit up having struggled to really get the ground going as it had been earlier in the season. Jayden Daniels is another threat when it comes to running the ball, but the Commanders will need all of their weapons in their bid to break down a Philadelphia Defensive Line that have really taken pride in clamping down up front.

We have seen enough from the rookie Quarter Back to expect him to make some big plays and extend drives on the ground or through the air. Jayden Daniels is facing one of the Defensive units in really good form though and he did have some issues when facing the Pittsburgh Defensive unit last week, which suggests this could be another challenging night for him.

Jayden Daniels has been well protected in the main part, especially with his capabilities of shifting the pocket, and that should help as he looks to find holes in this improving Philadelphia Secondary. It is very important for the Commanders to establish the run and see if that can open up things down the field, but overall it looks another tough match up for Washington after the tough test faced in Week 10.

At the same time, Philadelphia have to be expecting a lot more resistance from Washington than they ended up getting from Divisional rivals Dallas last Sunday. However, Nick Sirianni has to be very pleased with what he has been seeing Offensively with the team really looking a lot more confident now they have someone like Saquon Barkley running the ball as efficiently as he has been.

While there are some doubts about what Washington are going to be able to do on the ground, the same may not be true for the Eagles. The Philadelphia Offensive Line have been cracking open some big lanes for Barkley, while Jalen Hurts continues to offer a threat to tuck the ball and make plays with his legs and this is going to be a massive test for Washington's Defensive Line.

Throughout the course of the season, the Commanders have had some issues shutting down the run and recent outings have not been any different.

It should mean Philadelphia are playing in a comfortable down and distance, which will open up the playbook and the Washington Secondary may be without Marshon Lattimore again after his trade from the New Orleans Saints. The passing numbers have not looked so bad, but that may be down to the fact that teams are capable of running the ball very well against the Commanders.

They will also be dealing with AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith on Thursday Night Football, as well as trying to contain Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts on the ground and that balance is going to give the Philadelphia Eagles the edge in this Divisional game.

Going against Jayden Daniels, even as a rookie, is not easy considering his ability to make big plays and the backdoor cover is open, even in a losing effort. However, Washington were beaten by a Touchdown at Baltimore and were blown out at Tampa Bay, while they were pretty much second best in the defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10.

A short week is a new test for the rookie Quarter Back and the Eagles are playing very well Defensively, which should mean there is enough room for the talented playmakers to win this game and cover the mark set.

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: It is the quirkiness of the regular season schedule that AFC North leading Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) have yet to play any of their six Divisional games in 2024. That does mean six of the remaining eight games will be against those opponents, but the foundation laid down by the Steelers means that they could kick on and win the Division.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin gave a reporter short shrift when questioned about the schedule and made it clear his Pittsburgh team are always ready to face those within the Division no matter where the NFL places them during the eighteen week regular season.

Four wins in a row have really pushed the momentum behind the Steelers, although the teams beaten are perhaps not amongst those that will be hoping to reach the Super Bowl.

In Week 11, that changes significantly when the Baltimore Ravens (7-3) come to town having swept the Cincinnati Bengals in 2024 thanks to a narrow win on Thursday Night Football. It means the Ravens have had something of a mini-Bye, which is important for a team that doesn't have the official Bye Week until early December.

The extra preparation time is going to be important with Baltimore hoping to turn things around in this series with their big rivals in Pittsburgh. Despite the recent seasons seeing Baltimore more likely to push towards a Super Bowl, it is the Pittsburgh Steelers who have won seven of eight games against this Divisional rival, including sweeping them in 2023.

However, the one exception in that run was a Baltimore win here in Pittsburgh two seasons ago and the road team do look the superior of the two.

It hasn't counted for much in the recent head to head, but this time the Ravens will be bringing Derrick Henry to town and that could be important in just shifting things around. The Ravens have been able to run very well under John Harbaugh, but the Offensive Line this season is boosted by the power of Henry in the backfield behind Lamar Jackson and that is going to be really important as they look for the road win to move ahead of the Steelers in the Division race.

As is the case with a lot of Divisional rivals, teams are built to stop the others doing what they want to do the most and the Steelers have long prided themselves on being a team that can stop the run. For much of the season they have been strong up front, but during this four game winning run, there have been one or two missed assignments and that would be a massive mistake against this Baltimore Offensive Line.

Lamar Jackson's dual-threat has always been something for the Steelers to focus on, but it is much more difficult knowing a power Back like Derrick Henry could be given the ball. Some may have thought his race had been run in Tennessee, but Henry has shown there is plenty left in the tank and the late Bye Week for the Baltimore Ravens could be crucial for how effective the Running Back remains to be in January and beyond.

We should see Baltimore have success on the ground and that should mean Lamar Jackson has a more comfortable day finding his Wide Receiver options. Diontae Johnson will certainy want to remind Pittsburgh of what was let go having arrived in Baltimore in a trade from the Carolina Panthers, but there are plenty of other weapons around him which will give Jackson an opportunity to have a decent passing day.

Being ahead of the chains should mean Lamar Jackson has time to move the pocket and then attack this Pittsburgh Secondary, which has allowed some solid passing numbers in recent outings.

Games between the Ravens and Steelers have tended to be very low-scoring and there has been fewer than 31 points combined in each of the last five games played.

However, there is a feeling that this one will be quite different with Baltimore likely going to be moving the ball with some consistency, but Pittsburgh also looking a lot more effective since Russell Wilson took over from Justin Fields at Quarter Back.

The difference between the two teams might be at the Line of Scrimmage with the Ravens Defensive Line continuing to clamp down on the run very effectively. This may make things very tough for Najee Harris, especially as Pittsburgh have not really been a team that has ripped off big runs consistently this season, and it may mean Russell Wilson is having to make more plays with his arm.

The Quarter Back is likely going to be faced with some pass rush pressure, but Wilson should also have some success against a Baltimore Secondary that continues to struggle against the pass. There is little doubt that this could be the weakness that eventually costs them a chance to win a Super Bowl, and even as Baltimore get healthier, it is an issue that will need to be addressed when the Bye Week comes around.

Russell Wilson has Receivers who can get open and make plays for him down the field, but being a little more unbalanced Offensively compared with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens could prove to be the difference between the teams on the day.

These are always going to be tough, grind it out games, but the feeling is that we could see more successful passes than usual and both Quarter Backs may have decent stat lines. However, the edge has to be with Baltimore to snap the three game losing run in the Series with the Offensive Line likely to offer out more solid runs compared with the Pittsburgh O-Line and the Ravens can do enough to win this one by around a Touchdown.

It will need the Defensive unit to make a late stand to do that, but they have been able to find those plays at significant times through the course of the season and another on Sunday may lead to a big road win for Baltimore.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Detroit Lions Pick: The Interceptions piled up for Jared Goff last week in a primetime spot, but the Detroit Lions (8-1) rallied for their Quarter Back and made some big Defensive plays to turn things around at the Houston Texans. They continue their path through the AFC South with another non-Conference game in Week 11, and it feels like a big chance for Goff to bounce back.

Instead of a match up against Trevor Lawrence, the Detroit Lions will be facing a Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) team led by Mac Jones at Quarter Back. He was behind Center for the narrow loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week, but Jones will have to be a lot better in this game unless he wants to lean on the Defensive unit to make massive plays to keep the Jaguars competitive.

The Offensive stats made for poor reading, but the Jaguars Defensive unit stepped up and picked up a couple of key Interceptions in the End Zone against the Minnesota Vikings. They were able to keep that NFC North Offensive unit from scoring a Touchdown, but the game was in Jacksonville and it is going to be much tougher indoors against this Detroit team looking to make amends for what was an underwhelming performance in Houston.

Winning might be what matters most, but Head Coach Dan Campbell and Quarter Back Jared Goff have set certain levels of standard here.

In reality, it may not be a game in which the Lions need their Quarter Back to dominate with the Offensive Line paving the way for the two quality Running Backs to pick up big yardage on the ground. This is going to be an area where the Lions should be able to hand off the ball for some big gains and that should ensure the team is playing out of third and manageable for much of the game.

Of course Jared Goff will want to erase the memories of the performance on Sunday Night Football in Week 10, but having the team run the ball will open things up in the passing lane for the Quarter Back to have the successes he wants. He will be without Sam LaPorta for this game, but Detroit have other weapons and they should be capable of moving the ball up and down the field.

Covering the spread will come down to how well the Lions do Defensively and they will certainly believe they can feast on Mac Jones, who barely helped the Jaguars move the ball last week.

The Lions might not be as dominant as the Minnesota Vikings have been at times, but this is a team that is very good at slowing down the run and allowing a ball-hawking Secondary to take over and create turnovers. Tank Bigsby will be missing for the Jaguars, who have a struggling Offensive Line, and it might mean the road team have to really focus on trying to get Mac Jones going.

He can have some success throwing against a Secondary that has a bend, don't break kind of approach, but Mac Jones could have a banged up Receiving corps travelling to Detroit with him. It will make it that much tougher for the Quarter Back and the Lions might just be ready to make the plays that help them pull away for a big win at home.

The last time Detroit played at home, they crushed Tennessee from the AFC South and the feeling is that this big line will still not be enough to prevent the Lions produce a dominant win both outright and at the window.

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears Pick: At one stage people were wondering whether the NFC North could potentially be the first Division to provide four Playoff teams, but those thoughts have disappeared over the last month. The top three are all looking like they are moving in the right direction, but the Chicago Bears (4-6) have lost three in a row and simply not recovered from the Hail Mary throw converted by the Washington Commanders, which will be replayed for years to come.

Like the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chicago Bears have yet to play a Divisional rival and you can understand why the team have decided that some changes need to be made.

The first NFC North team that the Bears will face on their schedule is the Green Bay Packers (6-3), who are coming into this one out of a Bye Week which should have given key players a chance to rest. The most notable to earn that rest should be Jordan Love with the Quarter Back looking a little limited in his movement and the Packers feel Love is going to be close to full health for the big run coming up.

Two weeks ago, Green Bay saw their four game winning run ended by the Detroit Lions, but they remain in contention in the NFC North and in the Wild Card Race too.

Josh Jacobs has come into the Packers lineup in place of Aaron Jones and he has looked like he has been a part of the Green Bay teams for several years. The Offensive Line continue to bully teams up front and Jacobs should be able to pick up right where he left off before the Bye Week when facing a Chicago Defensive Line struggling to stop the run.

This should be music to the ears of Jordan Love who can work his way into the game and try and hurt a Bears Secondary that has been having health issues. With the Receivers available to Jordan Love, playing from third and manageable could set Chicago up for some big plays down the field, which is something the Packers love to bring onto the field.

Green Bay have dominated this Divisional series and have won ten in a row against the Bears and it is hard to imagine that streak is broken at Soldier Field.

After losing last week and scoring just three points, Chicago have changed Offensive Co-Ordinator in a hope of sparking things for Caleb Williams. The Head Coach, Matt Eberflus has to be on the very hot seat at this point with the fans turning on him again, and it is going to be difficult for the Bears to find consistency on this side of the ball.

Caleb Williams has hit a rookie wall, but he is getting very little time in the pocket with the Offensive Line looking more like a turnstile, and it is going to be very difficult to play from behind. The Bears might have hoped they can at least run the ball to give the Packers something to think about, but Green Bay's Defensive Line have played pretty well going into the Bye Week and they will certainly want to dare Williams to beat them.

Throwing against this Green Bay Secondary is fraught with danger anyway, never mind when a Quarter Back is under immense heat from the pass rush every time he steps back to throw the ball. That is the situation for Caleb Williams, who looked lost in the defeat to New England in Week 10 and it is very difficult to imagine this changing too much.

In recent years the Packers have not only beaten the Chicago Bears, but dominated within games and this team coming in off a Bye Week have to believe they can do the same. Jordan Love will want to show he is healthy and ready to take the Green Bay Packers forward after the successful end to 2023, and the road team can win and cover here.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers Pick: It has been an inconsistent first half of the season for many in the NFC West, but the important note is that all four teams are within touching distance of one another in a Divisional race that should go right down to the final week. Divisional games become that much more important with that in mind and the San Francisco 49ers (5-4) have dominated this series as they look to complete a sweep.

It has been a little over a month since the Seattle Seahawks (4-5) were beaten at home by the San Francisco 49ers, but they are facing them out of a Bye Week. Five losses in six games has seen the Seahawks slump below 0.500 and it is very important to turn things around considering Seattle are already 0-2 within the Division.

Having the Bye Week will have allowed Seattle to get some bodies back, but they have lost Connor Williams on the Offensive Line after he decided to retire unexpectedly. This is going to make things a bit more challenging considering the issues Seattle were having when trying to establish the run going into the Bye, while Williams being the Center will be a big loss for the passing game too.

Running the ball has been a problem for the Seahawks in recent games and they cannot expect to have a lot of success in this one against a tough San Francisco Defensive Line. That only places more pressure on the shoulders of Geno Smith at Quarter Back, who has not really had many clean pockets to operate from of late and now is going to have perhaps a couple of inexperienced players on the Line.

His numbers are still decent enough and DK Metcalf is a big threat, but Smith is going to have some challenges throwing against the 49ers Secondary if the pass rush is getting close to him. Add in the fact that the 49ers have picked up their level defending the pass and have players willing to take the risks to step in front of passes, and it could be a tough day for Geno Smith against a team that has beaten Seattle in six straight NFC West games.

The 49ers returned from their own Bye Week to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10, but it was important to also have Christian McCaffrey back from an injury that has kept him out all season. It gives San Francisco another crease to their Offensive play-calling, and only poor kicking made that win over the Buccaneers much closer on the scoreboard than it actually should have been.

No one is expecting Christian McCaffrey to dominate from the off, but he is a threat as a catcher as much as a runner and that gives opponents pause for thought. There is every chance he can have a big impact on the ground against this Seattle Defensive Line, which will just open things up for Brock Purdy at Quarter Back.

Tyrel Dodson was the Seattle leading tackler before surprisingly being let go and that is not going to help the Seahawks either against the run or the pass.

Brock Purdy should have enough Receiving weapons to spread the ball around and dissect the Seattle Secondary, especially with the Offense likely to be in third and manageable spots. He should have time when he does step back to throw the ball, although Brock Purdy will just want to clean up some of the mistakes to make sure his team are in control of this game.

In the six game winning run, Seattle have not been able to get closer than 8 points to the San Francisco and it might be tougher to do a lot better than that. The 49ers have the balance Offensively that may just see them have too much for a Divisional rival that may struggle to run the ball and it could end up seeing San Francisco come through with a solid win and a cover of this mark.

MY PICKS: Philadelphia Eagles - 3.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Baltimore Ravens - 3 Points @ 1.86 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Detroit Lions - 13.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Green Bay Packers - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 6.5 Points @ 1.92 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 10: 1-6, - 5.05 Units (7 Units Staked, - 72.14% Yield)

Week 9: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 8: 4-2, + 1.72 Units (6 Units Staked, + 28.67% Yield)

Week 7: 4-3, + 0.73 Units (7 Units Staked, + 10.43% Yield)

Week 6: 4-2, + 1.67 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.83% Yield)

Week 5: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 4: 6-2, + 3.45 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.13% Yield)

Week 3: 3-3, - 0.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.83% Yield)

Week 2: 4-2, + 1.62 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27% Yield)

Week 1: 5-2, + 2.67 Units (7 Units Staked, + 38.14% Yield)

ATP World Tour Finals Day 5 Tennis Picks 2024 (Thursday 14th November)

The ATP World Tour Finals look to be building towards a potentially special ending, but it has not been the best four days for the fans.

Very little drama has been seen within matches and we have yet to have one match go the distance in the Singles draw.

Big matches are coming up with places in the Semi Final still open to all eight players that have begun this event and that is perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the end of the Group Stage. Things could change very quickly as matches continue to be completed, but it should mean we have focused players heading onto the Turin courts with so much still to play for as the season winds down.

Taylor Fritz - 2.5 games v Alex De Minaur: The situation is pretty clear for Taylor Fritz with a single match left in the Group and that begins and end with winning this match.

He cannot secure passage into the Semi Final until the result from the other match in the Group is confirmed, but Fritz can put himself in a strong position if he is able to win this one in straight sets. The 'easier' the scoreboard win looks, the more likely he is to make it through to the Semi Final, which was the minimum ambition the American set for himself when the World Tour Finals began.

However, this is far from a foregone conclusion and that is because Taylor Fritz has had a tough time when facing up to Alex De Minaur.

The Australian has won their last couple of matches, both on the hard courts, and Alex De Minaur has not been eliminated from the tournament despite losing both matches in the Group in straight sets. His margin for error is much smaller than Taylor Fritz in the fact that Alex De Minaur needs to win this one in straight sets and hope Jannik Sinner is able to beat Daniil Medvedev in straight sets and even then it will come to percentage of games won.

The maths takes a bit of working out, but De Minaur's sole focus has to be winning in straight sets and you do have to wonder how he will be able to pick himself up if he is to drop either of the first two sets played. It is a sport in which the focus is on the court once a player is there, but you have to believe it is a potential factor that Alex De Minaur will perhaps fade if he is not able to progress.

His performances in Turin have been a little disappointing with Alex De Minaur really struggling to have much of an impact on the return, which is a key part of his tennis. Only ONE Break Point has been fashioned in two matches and De Minaur has won less than 21% of return points played, which is a problem when facing someone with the serving capability of Taylor Fritz.

In recent matches between the players, Alex De Minaur has been able to get enough back into play on the return to frustrate his opponent and extract errors from the Taylor Fritz side of the court. You have to think this will be the game plan again, but Alex De Minaur also needs to really pick up his level on the serve if he is going to upset the odds against the American again.

The head to head has to give anyone pause for thought.

However, Taylor Fritz has played the stronger tennis in Turin this week and he should have enough to work his way past this awkward opponent and move into a decent position to Qualify for the Semi Final on Saturday.

Jannik Sinner - 3.5 games v Daniil Medvedev: The big question on Thursday has to be 'which Daniil Medvedev is going to be heading out onto the court for this vital last Group match?'

He did not play badly against Taylor Fritz, but was pretty well beaten at the end and looked like he was not having any kind of fun on the court. A lingering injury had been bothering Daniil Medvedev and his behaviour suggested he might already have checked out of the World Tour Finals after a single Group match had been played.

Two days later, Daniil Medvedev dominated Alex De Minaur and was a very comfortable winner against the Australian, which has also reignited his push to make the Semi Final at this tournament.

Of course he is facing the World Number 1 and the home favourite in this final Group match and a player that has really dominated the head to head between these two in recent times.

Jannik Sinner has won both matches in straight sets, but surprisingly that has not been enough to confirm passage into the Semi Final. By the time this match is scheduled to be played, Sinner's place in the next Round may be secured and both of these players will have eyes on the other match in the Group played earlier in the day.

For Sinner the scenario is pretty clear- no matter what happens in the other match, winning one set in this final match would take him through and as Group Winner. Of course winning this match makes for the easiest scenario, while there is a chance that a heavy, straight sets defeat in this Group match would potentially eliminate Jannik Sinner if Taylor Fritz has crushed Alex De Minaur in straight sets earlier in the day.

Those game permutations are much more convoluted than the sets breakdown, but it may be something Daniil Medvedev is also working on. He can progress with a straight sets win as long as Taylor Fritz has not won in straight sets too, while a loss may still give Medvedev an opportunity if Alex De Minaur has beaten Taylor Fritz earlier in the day, although the World Number 4 will likely need to win a set.

It is all a little messy with each match in the Group won and lost in straight sets, but Jannik Sinner looks very focused this week and he can beat Daniil Medvedev in this last Group match, even if a Semi Final spot has been achieved.

Jannik Sinner has been serving at a very high level in this event and that will build pressure on Daniil Medvedev if the shoulder is still feeling a little sore. There has also been a definite edge with the World Number 1 when it comes to the return of serve, while the multiple wins racked up over Medvedev, including in very big settings, will only aid the confidence further.

He beat Daniil Medvedev in four sets at the US Open and since then Jannik Sinner has crushed the same opponent in Shanghai and in the exhibition tournament held in Saudi Arabia (exhibition in terms of being a Ranking event, the money on offer made it plenty serious).

In his current form, it is really hard to look past Jannik Sinner franking those hard court victories with another in front of the home crowd, even if a place in the Semi Final has been secured by the result from the other Group match.

Daniil Medvedev had a bit more focus in his win over Alex De Minaur, but that has been a better match up than facing the World Number 1 and we may see the Russian quickly lose hope in this one. He does become very motivated when the crowd get on his back, but there is every chance that Medvedev will fall away in this one and Jannik Sinner can secure a third straight win to really push his credentials as a potential Champion of the event this weekend.

MY PICKS: Taylor Fritz - 2.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Jannik Sinner - 3.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

World Tour Finals Update: 5-3, + 0.92 Units (8 Units Staked, + 11.50% Yield)