In the course of the concluding 45 years, the biggest advancement in handicapping has probably been the emergence of speed figures.

What is commonplace now was in its infancy back then when speed variants ruled the land.

The variants were simplistic. They were averages based on how many lengths to a higher place or below the track record the races on that mean solar day were.

Speed figures took that process to a new and infinitely more helpful level.

Though he was non the founding father of speed figures,Washington Post turf writer and handicapper Andy Beyer made them pop through his 1975 book "Picking Winners." In it, Beyer explained his take on speed figures and how he developed numbers that could reflect horses' performances at different distances.

For case, times of ane:12 at half dozen furlongs, 1:25 at 7 furlongs and one:38 at a mile all equaled a 94 to Beyer, who used a numeric system in which the college the speed figure, the better the performance.

Across that, a horse with a Beyer Speed Figure of 104 ran faster than a horse with a 94, even if those figures were earned at different distances.

Then Beyer established a tabular array of pars, which was the expected speed figure for a winner at each level in the condition book. Let's say the par for a maiden special weight sprint was an 84 and the winner ran an 86, that would hateful the rails was fast past ii points.

Beyer applied that process to all of a card's dirt races and turf races (keeping the dirt and turf races separate) and and so he would boilerplate the pluses and minuses to determine whether the track was ho-hum or fast. That means if the average for the day was minus-2 and so the same MSW winner who ran an 86 would get credit for an 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

Horses who finished behind the winner had their figures calculated by how many lengths backside they finished, taking two points off for each length backside in a route race and three points per length in a sprint.

It takes time, only handicappers can arts and crafts their ain speed figures.

They can also salvage fourth dimension by purchasing speed figures from a multifariousness of outlets.

Nigh of these providers use the aforementioned basic methodology as Beyer but summate the information differently and offer different bells and whistles, so speed figures will be different on a company-to-visitor ground – and some are besides more accurate than others.

Equally an introduction to speed figures, here's a quick look at some of them:

Daily Racing Form: www.drf.com

TheDaily Racing Form is the exclusive outlet for the Beyer Speed Figures, listing them in its past performances that also include running lines, a step figure, some pertinent stats, info on turf and mud breeding, workouts, and a couple of sentences nearly the horses chances. DRF sells past performances via impress and online, and electronically also offers Formulator past performances which offer more than stats and the power to customize your searches for data and stats.

Equibase: www.Equibase.com

They offer like by performances but create their own speed figures. They also include Step ratings, Race ratings and Class ratings to broaden their speed figures. They can be found in many rail programs, and can be purchased online, where yous'll detect the speed figures categorized and boosted statistics provided. Electronically, Equibase also offers Stats RaceLens, which allows handicappers to test theories and angles using Equibase's in-depth database.

Brisnet: www.brisnet.com

Has the standard past performances and their own brand of speed figures. Their past performances likewise offer a wealth of stats, including percentage winners by running style at the race's altitude, a prime number power number, average class figure. They also offering some helpful hints by pointing out a couple of primal stats for each equus caballus – if in that location are any.

TimeForm Us: www.Timeformus.com

Is an centre-pleasing online product that offers speed figures plus extras such equally a Pace Projector, Running Styles with Early on/Belatedly Ratings, Race Ratings, Trainer Ratings, and color-coded fractional times that point whether the pace was fast or boring.

Ragozin Thoroughbred Data: www.TheSheets.com

The father of speed figures is generally considered to be Len Ragozin, who teamed with Len Friedman to create and sell highly popular and constructive speed figures in the years before Beyer's book. Aside from the basic speed effigy principles, the Ragozin Sheets (a.k.a. The Sheets, because they are printed on sheets of newspaper a little larger than a notepad) incorporate wind, weight carried and, virtually importantly, ground loss into their speed figures. Their numbers are based on a organization of a lower number existence the ameliorate number. A 0 can win you the Kentucky Derby, while a xx means your equus caballus belongs in challenge races. Aside from the actual figures, the Ragozin system is congenital on projecting how a horse will react to its terminal race. By using The Sheets, a handicapper looks at a horse's final few races and then projects whether the design of those numbers indicates it volition move forrard, regress, or duplicate its concluding figure. The Sheets do not provide standard past performances lines as found with the other companies or accompanying stats.

Thoro-Graph: www.Thorograph.com

Thoro-Graph was founded by Jerry Brown, who used to work for Ragozin, and so the figures are constructed akin to The Sheets. One difference between the two is that Thoro-Graph offers a condensed running line and also plenty of trainer, jockey, and breeding stats to complement the speed figures. Thro-Graph's speed figures are generally a few points lower than Ragozin and so it's non unusual to see a equus caballus get a 0 on Ragozin and minus-iii on Thoro-Graph and it will say the same thing about how that horse stands in regards to its rivals.

Possibly no squad has been more than fun to follow during the NHL playoffs than the Vancouver Canucks, and hockey bettors can however get the Canucks at +1,300 to hoist Lord Stanley'due south cup. Vancouver is coming off a thrilling series win against the defending champion St. Louis Blues, but now a much more difficult challenge awaits. The Vegas Golden Knights are +350 favorites to win it all, and they've certainly looked the office while dropping only one playoff contest.

Game one of this series gets underway Sunday, and so we're hither to bring yous our NHL picks and predictions in this Western Conference semifinal showdown.

Vancouver Canucks vs Vegas Golden Knights betting preview

Starting Goalies

Canucks: Jacob Markstrom – playoffs – 7-3, 2.44 GAA, .929 SV% (season – 23-16, 2.75 GAA, .918 SV%)

Gold Knights: Robin Lehner – playoffs – v-1, 2.44 GAA, .904 SV% (season – 19-ten, 2.89, .920 SV%)

If this game was really played in Las Vegas, then Markstrom could easily spend a few hours performing with Cirque du Soleil. The xxx-year-old dazzled against Blues with an eye-opening array of acrobatic saves and an impressive seven-three record. He'll need to provide more than of the same confronting a dangerous Vegas squad.

The Knights will probable coil with Robin Lehner, who has taken over the spot as Vegas's starter in the crease—and rightfully and so. Nonetheless, the Knights have the luxury of having Marc-Andre Fleury as their "fill-in." The v-time All-Star matched an NHL record this season with his 14th consecutive playoff advent.

Injuries

Vancouver: Tyler Myers D (out), Tyler Toffoli RW (out), Micheal Ferland LW (out), Josh Leivo LW (out)

Vegas: Tomas Nosek LW (out)

Betting Trend to Know

Canucks are 0-half-dozen in their last six Sunday games. Discover the latest NHL betting trends for Canucks vs. Golden Knights.

MONEYLINE Selection

The Canucks take been a strength with the extra man during the postseason, converting 26.ii% of their power plays. While the Knights are known for their offensive firepower, it's their stingy defense that allows them to suffocate opponents—as evidenced by an 86.iv% penalization kill during their playoff run. Vancouver is the only squad in the league to never trounce Vegas in regulation, going 0-11 all time. That'southward something I only tin't ignore.

PREDICTION: Vegas ML (-175)

OVER/Under Choice

Each team is filled with loads of offensive talent. Vancouver's Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller have combined for 11 goals thus far. Elias Pettersson has racked up 13 points, tied with Colorado'southward Nathan MacKinnon for the playoff lead.

The Knights can match Vancouver's scorers, but they're more counterbalanced—Shea Theodore, Alex Tuch and Mark Stone have each lit the lamp four times during the postseason. The difference is on defense, where Vancouver has allowed the most loftier-danger chances of all remaining playoff teams.

PREDICTION: Over 5.5 (-110)

PROP Choice

Though I like Vegas to win, I wouldn't be surprised if the Canucks kept it close and continued their offensive success. I'll take a flyer on Vancouver scoring at least three goals.

PREDICTION: Canucks total goals Over 2.five (-100)

Canucks vs Golden Knights Betting Menu

  • Vegas ML (-175)
  • Over 5.five (-110)
  • Canucks total goals Over 2.five (-100)

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MLB betting got a milkshake-upward Sunday afternoon, specifically on World Series odds and AL pennant odds, with news that Astros star pitcher Justin Verlander could miss the rest of the season – or at least a significant chunk of information technology – with an arm injury.

Initial reports suggested Verlander had an elbow disquiet, merely both he and manager Dusty Baker chop-chop denied that. Bakery called it a forearm strain and said that Verlander would be re-evaluated in "a couple of weeks." The reigning AL Cy Immature winner pitched a solid six innings in an viii-2 Opening Day rout of the Seattle Mariners on Friday.

Verlander's injury led oddsmakers to shuffle futures volume odds on the defending AL champions. Covers checked in on the MLB odds moves with a couple of Las Vegas sportsbooks.

How does Verlander's injury affect Astros' World Series odds?

At CG Applied science books, take chances analyst Rich Zanco said the Astros apace moved from +1,200 to +i,800 in World Series futures. The SuperBook at Westgate also had Houston pegged +1,200 prior to Lord's day's news and initially went to +ane,600, and so dialed it a fiddling further to +ane,800.

However, there were apparently buyers on the Astros at that point, prompting the SuperBook to reel the price in to +ane,400.

How does Verlander's injury affect Astros' American League odds?

In AL pennant futures, the Astros initially moved from +600 to +800 at The SuperBook, then ticked back to +700.

World Serial odds

Team Odds to win
Los Angeles Dodgers +350
New York Yankees +350
Houston Astros +600
Atlanta Braves +ane,600
Minnesota Twins +1,600
Tampa Bay Rays +1,800
Washington Nationals +2,000
Cleveland Indians +2,000
New York Mets +2,000
Chicago Cubs +2,000
Oakland Athletics +ii,000
St. Louis Cardinals +2,500
Cincinnati Reds +two,500
San Diego Padres +2,500
Philadelphia Phillies +3,000
Chicago White Sox +3,000
Los Angeles Angels +3,000
Milwaukee Brewers +iv,000
Boston Ruby-red Sox +5,000
Arizona Diamondbacks +six,000
Colorado Rockies +8,000
Toronto Blue Jays +10,000
Texas Rangers +10,000
Pittsburgh Pirates +20,000
Detroit Tigers +20,000
San Francisco Giants +30,000
Seattle Mariners +30,000
Miami Marlins +thirty,000
Baltimore Orioles +30,000
Kansas City Royals +xxx,000

Odds courtesy The SuperBook