There is a growing sport you’ve probably never heard of. To win, you either need to knockout your opponent, or put them in check-mate. No, this isn’t some Chris Farley bit from the 90s; chess-boxing is on the path to being an Olympic event.

The sport emerged from the pages of a French graphic novel and became an overnight sensation in Europe, particularly Russia. Now in its seventh World Championship, the competition has exploded across eighteen countries. This year in Serbia marked a watershed moment: an upstart American team arrived to challenge the dominant Russians.

Coach of the American team, Matt Thomas, assembled an unlikely collection of competitors. Lawyers who left their firms, Ivy League math majors, and even a former Harlem Globetrotter. They funded their own flights. There was no prize money and no sponsorships. Just the chance to represent their country in a sport most people think is satire.

The format is simple but merciless: three minutes of boxing, three minutes of chess, back and forth until someone gets knocked out or checkmated. The sixty-second transition in between is where fighters must force their spiking heart rates down, dump adrenaline from their systems, and shift from primal violence to cold calculation.

As Mike Tyson said, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face. It’s just now you have to sit down and play chess after.

The Americans were massive underdogs. Russia had dominated every championship. But when Detroit native James Canty stepped into the ring for the super heavyweight final, he had a strategy to just survive the Russian’s fists long enough to beat him on the board. Canty absorbed punishment, dancing and dodging, and then ultimately sat down and delivered checkmate.

Team USA walked away with nine medals and a shocking second-place finish.

🎯 Train Jaxon to Talk Your Language

What if Jaxon knew exactly how you want your answers?

Not too long. Not too short. Focused on your teams, your players, and delivered your way.

That's the power of Chat Preferences. Start getting insights tailored to how you bet.

Here's what you control:

• Response Length - Need quick hits between bets? Jaxon keeps it short. Want deep dives? He'll break down every angle.

• Favorite Teams & Players - Tell Jaxon who you follow, and he'll prioritize the intel that matters most.

• Custom Instructions - Want star ratings on every pick? Love charts? Need straight-to-the-point prop bets? Tell Jaxon once, and he adapts forever.

It's not one-size-fits-all. Jaxon learns you.

🏈 MNF Preview and Player Props

by Tony Reyes

Finding the Sweet Spot: Cowboys -3.5 and Under 50.5 Is the Smart Middle Ground

Listen, this Cowboys-Raiders matchup on Monday Night Football is setting up to be one of those games where the public gets absolutely COOKED.

Dallas comes in at 3-5-1, Las Vegas sits at 2-7, and the betting lines are practically BEGGING you to take the bait. Cowboys -3.5, total sitting at 50.5 points. Seems simple, right? Take the better team, watch them roll, cash your ticket.

But here's where it gets interesting. The public is absolutely POUNDING Dallas to cover. We're talking 90% of bettors backing the Cowboys -3.5. Another 85.8% are smashing that Over button like it's going to disappear. Everyone sees Dallas averaging 29.2 points per game and assumes this turns into a Tuesday morning highlight reel.

Meanwhile, the sharp money is moving in the opposite direction.

They're taking the Raiders +3.5 and the Under 50.5. And when you dig into the numbers, you start to see why. Las Vegas ranks dead last—31st in the league, scoring just 15.44 points per game. Their offense is an absolute DISASTER, ranking 30th in Offensive DVOA. Geno Smith is leading the entire league with 12 interceptions thrown.

Here's the reality: For that total to hit Over 50.5, the Raiders need to contribute at least 21 points if Dallas scores their average. The Raiders have hit 21 points ONCE in their last five games. The math just doesn't add up.

Now, here's my take on this game.

I'm taking the middle ground. Cowboys -3.5 and Under 50.5. The Unders have been absolutely PRINTING money on Monday Night Football this season, and this screams that same game script. Dallas wins, but it's not some 38-24 shootout the public is dreaming about.

I'm projecting something like 27-20 or 24-17. The Cowboys' offense does enough to cover that short spread, but the Raiders' offense is so historically bad that they can't push this total anywhere near 51 points. Even against Dallas's bottom-tier defense (ranked 31st), Las Vegas just doesn't have the firepower.

Final Pick: Cowboys -3.5 (-102) at BetMGM and Under 50.5 (-120) at ESPN BET.

Dallas gets the win they desperately need to keep their playoff hopes alive, but this remains a low-scoring game. The Raiders' offense ensures that.

Top Player Props: Fading the Star QBs for Maximum Value

​Let me tell you about the most obvious player prop bet you'll see all week.

Geno Smith Over 0.5 Interceptions at -145

And before you roll your eyes at the juice, let me show you why this is practically printing money.

Smith has thrown 12 interceptions this season. That's DEAD LAST in the entire league. He's averaging 1.12 picks per game, and he's hit this Over in 75% of his games this season. But here's where it gets absolutely ridiculous...

When playing at home? He's hit Over 0.5 interceptions in 100% of his games. Every. Single. One. He's averaging 1.67 interceptions at home.

Dallas ranks 3rd in QB pressure rate and 2nd in QB hit rate, and you've got a quarterback who's already turnover-prone facing constant pressure in his own building. This isn't a prop bet. This is a statistical inevitability.

CeeDee Lamb Over 6.5 Receptions at -117

This fits a game plan where Dallas controls possession.

Lamb is the top target, ranking 2nd in targets per game at 10.8 and averaging 7.0 receptions. Hitting the Over in 80% of recent games shows his high involvement and makes this bet logical in a Cowboys win.

The Raiders rank 29th in defending wide receiver receptions. This is a statistical mismatch where the Cowboys' best weapon meets the Raiders' biggest weakness. If Dallas is covering that -3.5 spread, they're doing it through sustained drives, and that means feeding Lamb.

Now, let’s tie this all together and look at the Under 50.5 total. 

Dak Prescott Under 272.5 Passing + Rushing Yards at -114.

Prescott averages 271.11 yards per game, but when you isolate road games? That number drops to 237.2 yards, and he's hit the Under in 100% of his away games this season.

If Dallas gets a lead and leans on the run game to chew clock—exactly what we need for the Under 50.5, Prescott's yardage gets capped. He's hit this Under in 80% of his last five games overall.

 🌲 The Pine Line

🏀 The NBA gambling probe is escalating. I hope everyone uninstalled DraftKings first.

💵 Los Angeles isn’t letting this star go anywhere. He’ll get eight years and a bunch of cash.

⛳️ Drama in Dubai. McIlroy’s season ends with a roar.

🏈 Sanders’ NFL debut probably wasn’t as magical as he imagined. Even worse when the opponents do your own dance.

⚾️ Ohtani joins one man in MLB history. We’ve never seen a run like this.

🏒 Two Can't-Miss NHL Matchups

Monday night delivers premium hockey highlighted by two compelling Conference battles.

Carolina Hurricanes @ Boston Bruins

The Hurricanes roll into Boston as the superior five-on-five team. Carolina dominates shot generation with 33.7 per game compared to Boston's 26.8, while simultaneously keeping opponents to just 25.9 shots against.

One X-factor here is Charlie McAvoy's status. He's listed as day-to-day after taking a puck to the face, and if he sits, Boston's already-leaky defense that's allowing 3.30 goals per game gets exponentially worse. Carolina's ability to generate high-volume offense against a weakened Bruins backend makes the Hurricanes Moneyline the smarter play.

Logan Stankoven Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-159)

Stankoven presents a strong betting opportunity, especially considering Boston ranks 26th in the league defending his position. He averages 2.22 shots when playing on the road and overall has cashed this line in 14 of 18 games this season. Logan has averaged 4 per game against the Bruins over four previous meetings.

Utah Hockey Club @ Anaheim Ducks

Utah arrives in Anaheim with a 5-6 road record, facing a Ducks team in that has defended home ice well with just 1 loss in 6 games. However, just last week, Anaheim was the league's highest-scoring team. Now they've managed only four goals in their last three games and will be happy to return home.

Nick Schmaltz over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+100)

At even money, this is a high value bet for tonight. Anaheim ranks dead last in the league, 32nd out of 32 teams, defending against his position. Schmaltz has already torched the Ducks in recent seasons too, averaging a ridiculous 4.67 shots in his last three meetings.

Barrett Hayton Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-102)

Like Schmaltz, he benefits from that same 32nd-ranked defensive weakness. Hayton's been aggressive lately, hitting the over in 80% of his last five games, and he averages 2.67 shots when facing Anaheim. With him centering the second line and generating consistent offensive zone time, 1.5 shots should clear comfortably.

Join the conversation!

Let us know if you’re tailing or who you think is due to find the endzone tonight! Tag us on X @PineSports_AI or join the Discord server so you don’t miss out!