BetOnline's Blog
Posted Thursday, April 30, 2009 03:46 PM
While
most people have turned their focused to the Kentucky
Derby odds and basketball
betting, since the playoffs are in full swing, we’ve still got our eye on
the NFL Draft. Although it’s passed, let’s take a look at the results and which
teams turned the biggest losers:
Oakland Raiders
The
Oakland Raiders have been one of the biggest losers on the field in the NFL for
most of this decade, and that’s often because they are the biggest losers in
the draft annually. With the seventh overall pick in the draft, the Raiders
drafted Darius Heyward-Bey, who is the fastest receiver in the draft but not
likely to be the best. NFL
betting fans know that the Raiders could have easily traded back about 10
spots and still had Heyward-Bey.
In
the second round, the Raiders also reached for another player, safety Michael
Mitchell, who was considered a fifth or sixth round pick by most teams. The
Raiders reached for talent everywhere.
Carolina Panthers
The
Carolina Panthers, who were already without a first-round pick because they
traded into the first round last year, traded away their 201... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 30, 2009 02:22 PM
More so than basketball betting,
which is usually predictable (save for this season), hockey betting is an
interesting beast, particularly in the playoffs. Some teams are pleasant
surprises, more put-together than expected, while others are disappointments,
Stanley Cup odds contenders that fell flat on their faces. Let’s forecast the
remaining sportsbook chances of each squad.
ANAHEIM
DUCKS
Stanley Cup odds: +650
Is it just me or do those puck betting odds look pretty damn
generous for a team about to face the Red Wings? Sportsbook oddsmakers are
hopping on the Ducks odds bandwagon after they broke San Jose’s heart, but the
defending champs aren’t chokers. The Ducks’ savvy really shone through in round
one and Ryan Getzlaf is a world-class player, but the Ducks don’t have the
horses to run with Detroit.
NHL betting
forecast: I just can’t see the Ducks surviving round two, even if Jonas
Hiller stands on his head again. Avoid them, especially since they don’t even
offer good sportsbook value.
BOSTON
BRUINS
Stanley Cup odds: +300
Here’s a team that really turned heads in round
one of the ... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 23, 2009 02:31 PM
In hockey betting, the
Stanley Cup is a special trophy, known in many sports bettor circles as the most
recognizable in sports. In no sport is a trophy more closely tied to victory;
can you name the World Series trophy or NBA Finals trophy? Didn’t think so.
It’s fitting, then, that NHL also seems to be the only sport with famous
trophies for each individual award. Let’s preview the NHL Awards. They take
place this June in Vegas. Think Rick Tocchet and Janet Gretzky will go?
CALDER
TROPHY (Rookie of the Year)
Nominees (Announced April 22): Steve Mason, Bobby
Ryan, Kris Veersteg
With respect to Ryan and Veersteg’s solid rookie
campaigns, the fact that Mason is getting serious Vezina and Hart consideration
should virtually guarantee this award for him. He deserves it, as he was the
first rookie goalie since Tony Esposito (!) to lead the NHL in shutouts. Mason
had 10, by the way.
Online betting pick: Steve Mason
NORRIS
TROPHY (Best Defenseman)
Nominees (Announced April 23): Zdeno Chara, Mike
Green, Nicklas Lidstrom
Hockey betting legend Nicklas Lidstrom owns this
award, having won it six of the last seven years, bu... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 23, 2009 02:30 PM
Kentucky
Derby betting players know the importance of a fast start out of the gate,
and this also translates well to the 2009 MLB season, as there are a few teams that
have raced out to a solid beginning. However, baseball betting players will
notice one squad that is limping out of the gate rather than running after
entering the season as a World Series betting favorite in your offshore sportsbook.
Toronto
Blue Jays
The Jays’ problem in 2008 was hitting, as in there
wasn’t enough of it going on. However, Toronto has scored more runs than anyone
in the majors, led by Aaron Hill and Adam Lind. Vernon Wells and Alex Rios
haven’t even gotten going yet, which makes for a frightening prospect. Roy
Halladay hasn’t had his best stuff, but he’s still better than 98% of the
American League’s pitchers, but the real surprise has been rookie Ricky Romero,
who has stepped up huge since Jesse Litsch went on the disabled list. There’s a
major concern at closer with B.J. Ryan, and if the Jays can fix that, why not
take a baseball
betting chance on them?
Florida
Marlins
You can never count the Marlins out, as they always
stay competitive ... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 23, 2009 02:28 PM
Boxing
betting fans know that the time is nearing for a true fight. Even casual
fans are getting tired of seeing boring UFC cards where the main events
involves one guy laying down and the other guy dancing around, but when the
sport of boxing is on display on Saturday, May 2nd there will be no
waltzing in the ring.
The battle between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton is one of
the most anticipated fights that boxing betting fans
have been talking about in a long time. Pacquiao is one of the best fighters of
all time while Hatton is among the best British boxers ever. Both camps have some
differences in their training routines, though, which is sure to have an impact
on the fight.
Hatton, who was in the dumps after his horrendous loss to
Floyd Mayweather, has made a change. Hatton had a really tough time getting
over his loss to Mayweather and that was evident when he stepped into the ring
the next time against Juan Lazcano. Hatton is now trained by Floyd Mayweather
Sr., whom boxing
betting fans know as a cocky but sharp trainer. Mayweather Sr. is teaching
Hatton some defense, which is something the aggressive Hatton hasn’t employed
in his game before.
For Pacqui... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 16, 2009 11:42 AM
The baseball season is well underway, and even though the
weather hasn’t warmed up fully quite yet, some teams have come out of the gate
flying hot.
Last week we took MLB betting
handicappers on a tour of the American League rookies who we projected will
make the biggest impact on their sport and now we’ll put the shoe on the other
foot and examine the top NL rookies:
Cameron Maybin, OF –
Florida Marlins
Cameron Maybin isn’t even 22 years old yet, but the world is
expected from him. Maybe was the key centerpiece in the Miguel Cabrera trade
and if he pans out, he could be a Rookie of the Year candidate this season. MLB betting fans
should be aware that Maybin has a very unique blend of power and speed, that
should place him among the best fielders in the game. He’s still pretty young
but if he gets full-time hours with the Marlins, don’t be surprised if he
finishes with more than 20 home runs and steals.
Colby Rasmus, OF –
St. Louis Cardinals
Hardcore baseball
betting fans are familiar with Rasmus, who is a potential five-tool
All-Star. The Cardinals have already shifted around Skip Schumaker in the field
t... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 16, 2009 11:41 AM
It’s not too early to start thinking about this year’s Indy 500 odds,
as the IndyCar Series recently began its 2009 campaign. The 93rd
edition of the biggest open-wheel race in the United States runs on May 24th
at venerable Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and sportsbook players
should know that the winner of the Indy 500 has gone on to win the championship
for four straight years.
Defending series champion Scott Dixon is favored to
repeat at +200, and he continued the winning tradition of drinking milk in
Victory Lane in Indianapolis last year. The Indy 500 was one of six wins on the
year for Dixon, but he should be warned: no one has gone back-to-back at Indy
since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002, and the last six have been first-time
winners.
Dario Franchitti and Castroneves are next at +300, but
Castroneves is awaiting the verdict of his tax-evasion case, so he may not even
make it to Indy, much less win the championship. Franchitti will be near the
top of the racing betting
odds as he won in 2007, and he’ll be looking to rebuild his reputation after an
unimpressive and short stint in NASCAR. Franchitti has finished in the top 7 of
the last three Indy 500s.
Tony... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 09, 2009 03:30 PM
It’s almost time for NHL betting players to
start thinking about the season-ending awards, in particularly, the Conn Smythe
Trophy which is awarded to the league’s Most Valuable Player. The top
contenders for this award are the league’s top sniper, a brilliant playmaker
who happens to be his rival, and a 34-year-old who had a career year.
Alexander
Ovechkin, Washington
“Ovie” has made headlines over the year for his
boisterous personality, especially for his back-and-forth with Canadian
broadcaster Don Cherry. However, Ovechkin had an NHL-leading 55 goals with two
games remaining, which has powered the Capitals to a probable No.2 seed in the
East. Ovechkin is also second to Malkin in points, and he has his highest
assist total since his rookie season. Then there’s the hitting, the goal
celebrations and the energy he brings to the team. The Capitals are good, but
with Ovechkin, they have a great shot to go far into the postseason, which is
why he should be the NHL
betting favorite for this award.
Evgeni
Malkin, Pittsburgh
The 22-year-old just keeps getting better, and he’s two
points up on Ovechkin for the NHL scoring lead. If he has Ovechkin’s passion,
he’d be even scarier as he has all the physical tools to ... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 09, 2009 11:47 AM
The MLB season is just under way and with 162 games in front
of us, there is plenty of action to look forward to this summer. MLB betting
handicappers know that as prospects become bigger, taller, stronger and faster
than ever before, they are also prepared to play far sooner. The Tampa Bay Rays
and their young roster proved exactly that last season as they went all the way
to the final. On that note, let’s take a look at the top five American League
rookies from this season who figure to make a big impact right away.
Matt Wieters, C –
Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters is the most highly
regarded prospect in baseball. He’s a power-hitting, switch-hitting catcher who
is patient at the plate. He projects to be among the best catchers in the game
and considering how thin the position is, he could shine very early. Baseball betting fans can
expect around 20 home runs and nearly a .300 average right off the bat with
Wieters as he’ll be an All-Star for many years to come in Baltimore.
Travis Snider, OF –
Toronto Blue Jays
Travis Snider is young, but he already looks to have the
tools of one of the better hitters in baseball. Considering what type of bats
the Jays have on their team, ... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 02:10 PM
MLB
betting is about to get underway, and the usual suspects are the sportsbook
favorites this year: Boston, both New York teams, the Cubs, etc. But there are
a few teams that are capable of staging a repeat of Tampa Bay’s 2008 Cinderella
season, led by…..Tampa Bay.
Tampa
Bay Rays
The Rays have MLB odds of +900 to win the World Series
after losing to Philadelphia last year, and their young core returns with even
more experience and depth. The starting rotation can stack up with anyone in
the majors, the only question is whether the Rays can score as many runs as
last year. Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria will be counted on to lead the
offense. Also, in a division with the Red Sox and Yankees, it’ll be a battle
just to make the playoffs. Still, after last year’s experience, the Rays will
contend once again.
Atlanta
Braves
The Braves are listed at +1500 according to MLB odds,
and they added Derek Lowe and Javier Vasquez to bolster the rotation. A return
to form by Jeff Francoeur is essential for the offense, which was 16th
in the majors in runs scored, and an improvement on the road would be nice, as
the Braves were only 29-52 away from home. If the Braves can get off to a good
start, it’ll be a... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 12:15 PM
With Opening Day rapidly approaching, there’s no time better
than the present to examine some MLB betting. Before
the season starts, bettors can examine the sportsbook regular
season win totals for each and predict whether they will go over or under the
total.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the regular
season totals for the five teams in the American League East division:
New York Yankees
Regular Season Win
Total: 95.5
The New York Yankees won 89 games in 2008, which was
considered a down season for the team. This offseason, they spent $423.5
million in free agents, bringing in C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark
Teixeira. More importantly, they cut ties with some dead weight, like Jason
Giambi.
The Yankees have a starting rotation that has the potential
to be the best in the league. With Sabathia, Burnett, Chien-Ming Wang, Joba
Chamberlain and Andy Pettitte, this is a very deep and talented unit. The hitting will always be there in New York
so if they stay healthy, the baseball
betting fans should see them top 95.5 wins.
Pick: Over 95.5
Boston Re... [More]
Posted Thursday, April 02, 2009 12:14 PM
April means a lot for online sports betting fans, as it brings
the March Madness betting national title game, the Masters odds and, of course,
the Stanley Cup betting playoffs. In a tough league like the NHL, only 16 of 30
teams make the postseason. As a result, the eliminated teams are thinking about
two things right now: golf and the draft.
Who are the most desired prospect entering June’s
NHL draft? Let’s look at the top five.
5. Brayden
Schenn – center, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
The younger brother of 2008 top-five NHL betting draft pick
Luke, Brayden doesn’t have the same size and strength, though it’s not too late
for him to fill out. He has good goal-scoring touch for a center and could
develop into a power forward in the mold of Eric Staal.
4. Evander
Kane – center, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
The fast, slick-skating center was a late addition
to Canada’s World Junior Championship team a few months ago and didn’t
disappoint, notching six points in six games. A gifted sniper and physical
forechecker despite his relatively small build, he’s the kind of player every
team would want.
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