BetOnline's Blog
Posted Thursday, October 29, 2009 01:47 PM
World Series odds are getting a lot of attention
right now, so you may have missed the beginning of the NBA season, which tipped
off Tuesday night with a massive matchup between Boston and Cleveland. Last
year’s MVP, the Cavaliers’ LeBron James, got off to a big start, and everyone
figures that the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant and the Heat’s Dwyane Wade will be the
ones to challenge James, but who are the darkhorses?
Carmelo Anthony,
Denver
Chauncey Billups is probably the MVP of the Nuggets, but if
Anthony can continue to learn from Billups, his talent will have him in the MVP
running. There may not be a better offensive talent to watch than Anthony, who
was eighth in the league in scoring last year and makes it look so effortless.
He just needs to show more consistently on the glass and the defensive end of
the floor to boost his NBA MVP odds in your sportsbook.
Chris Paul, New
Orleans
After finishing second to Bryant in the 2007-08 MVP race,
Paul’s Hornets were hurt by injuries and last year didn’t go as planned. But
Paul could be an annual candidate for this award because, quite frankly, the
Hornets will not do ANYTHING without him on the floor. Paul led... [More]
Posted Tuesday, October 27, 2009 11:26 AM
NBA betting players remember the old Portland
“Jailblazers”, the ones who were being arrested and convicted of various criminal
activities all the time. Well, this year’s Portland team is the top squad who
could elbow their way into the upper echelon of the NBA. Here’s how the NBA
sleeper picks stack up this year.
Portland (+1500)
The pickup of Andre Miller could very prove to be the
acquisition of the summer, as the veteran point guard will handle the ball,
freeing up Brandon Roy for more heroics. Heading into his third year, he could
be ready to join the likes of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and company at the top.
The Trailblazers re-upped with LaMarcus Aldridge, and if Greg Oden can stay
healthy and out of foul trouble, Portland could have a deadly frontcourt. With
only three players above 30, inexperience could hurt the Trailblazers.
New Orleans (+4000)
Only two years ago, we were talking about the Hornets’
chances to challenge the Lakers. Last year, injuries killed their chances
early, and it all went downhill from there. The Hornets are built around
All-World point guard Chris Paul, and they brought in Omeka Okafor from Charlotte
to play alongside another All-Star, David West. The Hornets are lacking depth
though, especially up front,... [More]
Posted Thursday, October 15, 2009 02:53 PM
With the Cincinnati Bengals being 4-1 with three credible
wins that NFL betting fans can’t nitpick with, it might mean that
there is a changing of the guard in the NFL. Sure, the Bengals could lose this
week in typical Bengal fashion and lose their credibility, but they are a
favorite in the sportsbook and they are expected to move to 5-1 with a
win over the hapless Houston Texans.
So that begs the question: who are the new Bungles? Who are
the new lovable losers of the NFL that find new ways to lose? Here are four
options:
Houston Texans
People making their NFL predictions are going to start hating this
team. The Texans are 2-3 on the year but could easily be 4-1. They lost at home
to Jacksonville when they were stuffed for a last-second, game-tying field goal
on their one-yard line. And then against the Arizona Cardinals last week, the
Texans scratched and clawed to climb back from a 21-0 deficit only to throw a
pick-six with less than three minutes to go, and then again get stuffed on the
goal line for a game-tying touchdown. This team is a pain to watch.
Oakland Raiders
0 comments
|
Add a comment
Posted Thursday, October 15, 2009 02:52 PM
Offshore sportsbook sharps who wager on futures
have to keep a close eye on the oddsmakers throughout each season of every
sport. In the NHL, for example, the top-five Stanley Cup favorites get shuffled
every week as teams get hot and cold. Here’s a look at the current top five at
most books.
1. Pittsburgh
Penguins (+500)
BOOM: They’re the defending champs, so it doesn’t
take a rocket scientist to know they have excellent hockey odds. Any team
with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will compete every season; it also helps
that Marc-Andre Fleury has established himself as a big-game goalie. And does
any team get more from its checking forwards than Pittsburgh does?
BUST: It’s the Crosby/Malkin show but Pittsburgh’s
offensive depth isn’t great. An injury to either of the Dynamic Duo would
almost certainly derail the Pens’ Cup hopes, especially since they compete with
some deep offensive teams in the East.
2. Detroit
Red Wings (+500)
BOOM: I have to be honest – I think the oddsmakers
are mistaken here. The Wings are the top favorites for the same reason the
Patriots were in ... [More]
Posted Thursday, October 08, 2009 03:29 PM
Everyone is paying attention to the Florida vs LSU lines, waiting to see how the
health of Gators’ star Tim Tebow affect the betting spread for this massive SEC
showdown that takes place on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium, as known as Death
Valley. These two have won the last three national championships and four of
the last six overall. Here’s a look back at their last five meetings, three of
which was well worth the price per head for fans who went to the games.
1) Tigers get Swamped
– 2008
Last year’s matchup was a beating, as the then-No.11 Gators
racked up 265 rushing yards en route to a 51-21 mauling of the then-No.4 Tigers
in Gainesville at “The Swamp”. Jeff Demps had 129 yards on just 10 carries,
while Tebow had 210 passing yards and a pair of scores, along with a rushing
touchdown.
2) “The Greatest Game
Ever Played” – 2007
In the run-up to this game, LSU fans got Tebow’s phone
number and flooded him with calls the night before the game. When Tebow scored
in the second quarter, he made a telephone gesture to the LSU fans at Death
Valley. But the Tigers fought back from a 17-7 halftime deficit in this clash
of unranked teams, and LSU ra... [More]
Posted Thursday, October 08, 2009 03:28 PM
Last Monday's Packers-Vikings game offered tons of
drama and excitement. Monday Night Football doesn't necessarily deliver the
goods week-in and week-out, but sportsbook bettors usually get treated to one or two
instant classics every year. Let's review some of the more epic Monday Night
Football games of the past few years.
Cowboys 41,
Eagles 37
September
15, 2008
This was a wild one that included lead changes,
highlight reel efforts and ridiculous bloopers. The first 17 minutes saw a
70-yard touchdown by Terrell Owens, a 98-yard kick return touchdown by Felix
Jones and back-to-back Philly scores just 14 seconds apart. The most memorable
moment came when DeSean Jackson raced toward the end zone for a would-be
touchdown. His celebration came prematurely, however, as he dropped the ball in
celebration just before he crossed the goal line.
Cowboys 25,
Bills 24
October 8,
2007
When heartbreak is involved, the Bills usually
aren't far behind. Thanks to a positively absurd six turnovers by Tony
Romo—including two picks for touchdowns—Buffalo held a 24-13 lead entering the
fourth quarter. Yet Romo rallied, leading the Cowboys to nine points in the final
20 seconds. He drove Dallas 80 yards fo... [More]
Posted Thursday, October 01, 2009 02:47 PM
The sportsbook odds makers know that the MLB season is winding
down and the eight World Series contenders are pretty much set. For the online sports
betting contingent, let’s separate the contenders from the pretenders and
pick some winners.
Pretenders:
Los Angeles Dodgers
While the Dodgers may end up with the best record in
baseball, they haven’t been impressive in the second half of the season. Since
starting 56-32, the Dodgers are just 37-34 the rest of the way. Their starting
pitching is very questionable and their bullpen has some concerns. This team is
shaky.
Colorado Rockies
No team will be taken less seriously in the playoffs than
the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies are easily the weakest in the pitching
department and we all know that it takes pitching to win it all.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are pitted up against the New York Yankees in
round one and not many people see them getting by. MLB predictions
all favor the Yankees to advance rather easily. The Tigers would need a miracle
to get into the second roun... [More]
Posted Thursday, October 01, 2009 02:47 PM
A team’s sportsbook odds are indirectly related to….its mascot.
Now before you laugh, you have to know that a good mascot fires up the crowd,
which fires up the team, and so on and so forth. It’s not essential, but it
doesn’t hurt, either. Here’s a look at the top five mascots in college sports
right, and you’ll find that they come in all shapes and sizes.
Stanford Tree
I dare you to look at the Stanford Tree and not laugh. But
watch out or he’ll turn on you, especially if you go to California. When the
Cardinal met their bitter rivals from Cal on the basketball court in 1995, the
Tree beat up Cal’s mascot, Oski. More recently, the Stanford Tree was found
guilty of public intoxication in February 2006, and the next month, the
replacement was kicked out of the NCAA Tournament. It may not boost their online betting
odds, but the Tree sure is entertaining.
Ramblin’ Wreck From
Georgia Tech
This is just cool because it’s a 1930 Ford Model A Sports
coupe that leads the Yellow Jackets out onto the field. Being “The Driver” of
the Ramblin’ Wreck is a massive honor that gets you noticed on the Georgia Tech
campus. The originals were owned by students, but the current vehicle was
donated in 1961 and is ... [More]
Posted Thursday, October 01, 2009 02:45 PM
NFL Week 4 matchups are upon us and, while the
season is still very young, we’ve seen some interesting surprises so far this
season. Let’s examine the top five out-of-nowhere stories of 2009 through three
weeks.
5. The New
York Giants wide receivers
Wasn’t Eli Manning supposed to struggle without
Plaxico Burress and Derrick Ward in the passing game? Instead, plucky Steve
Smith and Mario Manningham have blossomed into uber-reliable targets. Each guy
already has a 10-catch game under his belt. Looks like the Giants will be
rock-solid NFL picks
after all.
4. Cedric
Benson’s rebirth
So much for Cedric Benson, laughing stock. The
versatile back has morphed into an every-down guy for the surprising Bengals
and ranks third in the NFL in rushing through three weeks. There’s nothing to
suggest his solid play won’t continue.
3. The
rough, tough San Francisco defense
We knew Mike Singletary would stamp his
fingerprints on the team and maximize its defensive potential, but the 49ers
may be ahead of schedule. Patrick Willi... [More]