Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
04/05/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - You know there's parity in the National Hockey League when the New York Islanders might make it to the playoffs this season, while the Boston Bruins might not.
With a week left in the 2009-10 regular season, Montreal, Boston and Philadelphia hold down the respective sixth, seventh and eighth spots in the Eastern Conference, but the Rangers, Thrashers and Islanders - currently on the outside looking in - could end up holding down those berths if the former lose their remaining games, and the latter win theirs.
Nobody wants a first-round match-up with the high-flying Washington Capitals, but the Thrashers, they of the one playoff appearance in franchise history, and the Isles, with four playoff stints in the last 14 years, will take any post- season play they can get.
Over in the Western Conference, the Calgary Flames, holders of the not-so- important ninth place position, lost a huge game to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, while the Colorado Avalanche, with whom the Flames began the day tied for the final playoff spot, beat the San Jose Sharks 5-4 in overtime to move a deuce clear of the Calgarians for eighth spot.
Truth is, both Calgary and Colorado could miss the playoffs and any two or even all three in the group of Anaheim, St. Louis and Dallas could slip into the final spots in the West, such is the tight packing of teams near the 85-to-89 point mark.
All we really know for sure is that the Washington Capitals are the President's Trophy winners and that the Edmonton Oilers will finish in 30th place this season.
The playoff picture is muddier than Lake Ontario at the moment. What is clear is that Canadian teams being at the bottom of both conferences may just be coincidental, but is still pretty darn embarrassing.
CROSS-CANADA CHECK-UP
MONTREAL CANADIENS: So much for the goaltending controversy in Montreal.
Jaroslav Halak posted back-to-back shutout wins on Friday in Philadelphia and Saturday at home to Buffalo, leaving little doubt as to who will get the call Tuesday on the road against the New York Islanders.
Both goalies are RFAs at the end of the season. If I'm general manager Pierre Gauthier, I'm thinking of keeping Halak and trading Price.
OTTAWA SENATORS: The Senators clinched a playoff spot last week, but had a mental letdown on Saturday, losing 4-1 to the surging New York Islanders.
Forward Milan Michalek has not played since suffering a knee injury in a 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers on March 18. Defenseman Filip Kuba (back) has also not played since March 18. Michalek could be back for the playoffs, while Kuba good be gone for the season.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: As the Maple Leafs' marketing department says, "Spirit is Everything." Yes, when the team doesn't do a lot of actual, you know, winning, then spirit is indeed everything.
The Leafs have lost three of four, with the only bright spot being a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres last Thursday.
The Leafs lost 2-1 to Boston in overtime on Saturday, helping to keep the Leafs in the 29th spot overall in the standings. The Bruins, of course, own Toronto's first-round pick in this year's draft in the Phil Kessel deal, and it could be as high as second overall.
The NHL draft lottery is held each year for the 14 teams that don't make the playoffs, but only the bottom five teams can land the top overall pick since no club can move up more than four spots or move down more than one place.
CALGARY FLAMES: The Flames lost their seventh straight game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, 4-1.
The Flames had won six of nine before Sunday's debacle in the Windy City, so credit the team for pulling back into the race for the final Western Conference playoff spot. The Flames sit two points behind the Colorado Avalanche for eighth place.
That makes Tuesday's home game against San Jose huge. In addition, if the Flames sneak in and the Sharks finish tops in the Western Conference, then Tuesday's game is a first-round playoff preview.
Hey, the Sharks have pulled some early playoff el-foldos before, so the Flames would do well to focus on this game - and hope like heck the Avs lose to Vancouver and Edmonton on the road this week.
EDMONTON OILERS: The Oilers lost 3-2 to the Phoenix Coyotes in a shootout on Saturday, but it wouldn't be a complete game for the Oilers without another catastrophic injury.
This time, Gilbert Brule is done for the season with a sprained ankle. Brule joins Ales Hemsky, Sheldon Souray, J-F Jacques, Ladislav Smid and Nikolai Khabibulin on the "out for the season" list.
If it's true you have to learn how to lose before you can appreciate winning, then the 30th-place Oilers should have learned plenty of lessons for 2010-11.
Prospect Jordan Eberle should provide a spark of speed, sass and scoring next season. And the Oilers have a decent chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the June entry draft. We're certain Oilers fans think Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin would look great in Edmonton colors.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Twenty-two-year-old rookie Michael Grabner grabbed headlines last week with his first career hat trick, which took him all of 17 games to register, in a 5-4 win over Anaheim.
The Austrian right-winger was the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2006 NHL entry draft and was called up on March 17.
The Canucks won a wild one Sunday night against Minnesota. After Alex Edler scored an empty-netter to make it 3-1 for the Canucks with 55 seconds to play, the Wild proceeded to score two goals in 23 seconds to tie things up with 19 seconds left.
A Greg Zanon high-sticking penalty led to Sami Salo's slapshot winner at 2:15 of overtime.
The Canucks are home and cooled out at Northwest Division champs. The only question that remains is who their opening round playoff foe will be. If you're a Canuck fan, you're hoping to avoid Detroit in the first round. Although the Red Wings have looked merely human this season, they are a different beast in the playoffs.
<< Greinke takes ball for KC in opener vs. Tigers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two of the best pitchers in baseball square off this
afternoon when Zack Greinke and the Kansas City Royals lift the lid on their
2010 season against Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman
Stadium
<< Dodgers head to Pittsburgh for season lid-lifter
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers will commence the 2010 campaign
across the country, as they will begin a three-game series against the
Pittsburgh Pirates in the season opener Monday afternoon at PNC Park.
The two-time defending NL
<< Phils set to unveil Halladay in matchup with Nationals
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of National League East inhabitants open the 2010
season Monday afternoon from the nation's capital, as the Philadelphia
Phillies begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.
President Barack Obama wi
<< Angels, Twins begin 2010 campaign in Anaheim
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The new-look Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim kick off the
2010 season this afternoon against reigning American League Most Valuable
Player Joe Mauer and the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium.
The Angels managed to wi
Western Hockey League Playoff Preview - Round 2 >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eastern Conference Semi-Finals:
(1) Calgary Hitmen vs. (5) Medicine Hat Tigers
Season series: Hitmen, 4-2
Round one: After falling behind three games to one, Calgary stormed back with
three straight w
Arsenal's injury woes continue as Song ruled out >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arsenal's injury crisis has worsened after
Alex Song was ruled out of Tuesday's Champions League game against Barcelona
with a groin injury.
The Cameroon international limped out of Saturday's 1-0 Premie
Ancelotti confident Cole will sign new deal >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has again
revealed his confidence that Joe Cole will agree to a new contract to remain
at Stamford Bridge beyond the summer.
The 28-year-old midfielder is out of contract
Malone, Pippen and Dream Team highlight 2010 Hall of Fame class >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen headline
the 2010 class for the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Malone and Pippen were both members of the original "Dream Team," the 1992
U.S. Olympic squad that easily w
Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."
When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules.
The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.
The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.
“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”
The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.
“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”
The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.
“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”
Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.
“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."
So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?
“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.
Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.
Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.
“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.
Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.
The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.
“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.
Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.
Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.
Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.
Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.
All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.
A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.
For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.
2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1
Ron Brace (NE) 25/1
Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1
Darius Butler (NE) 40/1
Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1
Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1
Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1
Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1
Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1
Larry English (SD) 15/1
Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1
Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1
Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1
Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1
James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1
Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1
Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1
Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1
Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1
Roy Miller (TB) 20/1
Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1
Fili Moala (IND) 30/1
Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1
Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1
B J Raji (GB) 7/1
Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1
Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1
David Verkune (CLE) 20/1
Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1
Field (Any Other Player) 6/1
To visit this internet sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting