California Views

January 5th, 2026

Alright, here’s Mr. Pat…

Fresh cup of coffee in hand, wallet a little lighter, smile still intact. I’ve officially reached that point in the season where I’m considering calling my old friend Shanking Shady to see if he’s still running those “friends-and-family” specials. Because if a few winners don’t start landing soon, things may get… let’s say inventive.

Venmo already benched me last week after I shipped five dimes to God-only-knows-who just to settle up. Nothing quite screams “living right” like an automated email gently suggesting you take a breather. So today, I’m letting BookmakersReview do the heavy lifting while I poke around for the best California sportsbook and pretend this is all part of a disciplined plan.

The good news? The boys over at The RX Forum actually put some thought into the Indiana vs. Oregon rematch—an unexpected but welcome development. Everyone keeps waving around that 30–20 Indiana win from earlier in the year, but that score is about as honest as the three-putt I always call “good.” Oregon gifted them two brutal turnovers. Clean those up and the Ducks are quacking their way to a cover. Oregon +4 feels like a gift, and it arrived just in time to stabilize my delicate financial ecosystem.

Between bets, I wandered over to AbacusNews.com and read about how AI is quietly taking over the planet. Naturally, I reacted like a seasoned professional: bought QQQ—watched it fall off a cliff. Then I grabbed MSFT, because that felt responsible. It cratered too. Flawless execution, Pat. Absolutely textbook.

Still, this first week of the year actually matters. Big money has a way of telling on itself early. You watch what keeps getting bought when the market gets shaky—that’s where real conviction lives. So I’ll keep one eye on the screens, one eye on the odds board, and both feet planted somewhere scenic in California—preferably within wedge distance of a golf course.

Winners are coming. Markets turn. Ducks cover. And worst case? I still own a camera, a plane ticket, and a sense of humor— which, so far, hasn’t been margin-called.

— Mr. Pat