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
11/03/2011 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The richest weekend in racing comes our way at Churchill Downs this weekend as the BC Classic highlights 15 total Breeders' Cup races The $5 million Classic pits the filly Havre de Grace against last year's two-year-old champion Uncle Mo and 10 possible upsetters.
Havre de Grace has lost just once this year - by a nose to Blind Luck in the 1 1/4-mile Delaware Handicap. Her only real threat comes in the form of So You Think, who will be performing in his fourth race in just over two months. The son of High Chaparral has won nine of his 13 starts over the last two years, including victories this season in the Eclipse and Irish Champion Stakes, as well as a fourth-place finish in the Arc de Triomphe.
Uncle Mo has looked fabulous since returning to the races but he is a question mark at 10-furlongs.
Look for either Havre de Grace or So You Think to win the Classic with To Honor and Serve holding on for third.
Six of the 15 races will be on Friday, Nov. 4 beginning with the fifth race on the card - the $500,000 Juvenile Sprint.
Secret Circle was installed as the 6-5 favorite after two straight wins by a combined 12 1/2-lengths. The Bob Baffert-trained two-year-old showed he can rate when he sat off the two speeds in his last start and should dominate this weak field.
The Juvenile Fillies Turf event is highly contentious that is sure to produce a longshot winner. The two expected favorites - Elusive Kate and Somali Lemonade - have lost just one race between them. However, the former will be making her first start in North America while the latter starts from post 14.
The choice here is Dayatthespa - runner-up in the Natalma Stakes on the weeds at Woodbine in her last appearance.
The Filly and Mare Sprint is next with Turbulent Descent set as the morning- line favorite. The three-year-old hasn't raced since early August, which might be cause for concern since she has never started off a layoff this long.
I lean to a pair of four-year-olds. One is the possible second choice while the other is one of five 20-1 shots on the morning line.
Since finishing second in this race last year, Switch has yet to finish out of the money despite only two victories. Her recent third-place effort in the Thoroughbred Club of America Stakes should propel her in the right direction come Friday.
Tanda has also finished in the money in her last four starts with only one winner's circle appearance. Trainer Mike Mitchell prepped her for this on the grass so expect a solid performance.
The Juvenile Fillies is another wide-open affair but the favorites should have the edge. Weemissfrankie is on the list of three undefeated potential winners that also includes Grace Hall and the probable favorite - My Miss Aurelia.
Look for a couple of fillies to run with My Miss Aurelia early on, which will soften her up for the late coming charge of Weemissfrankie.
The Filly and Mare Turf features a pair of foreign fillies - the undefeated Nahrain and Announce. However, Stacelita will more than likely be favored after back-to-back victories in the Flower Bowl and Beverly D.
The choice here is Dubawi Heights. She has lost only once this year, a second- place finish to Stacelita on a yielding turf course at Arlington Park. There's not much speed in the race so look for her to control the pace and hang on for the gate-to-wire victory.
The final Friday event is the $2 million Ladies' Classic. With Havre de Grace running in the Classic, there really isn't a single standout in the field. The top pick is Ultra Blend, who will be making her first start at nine-furlongs. She is ultra-consistent with six straight first or second-place finishes.
A pair of pre-Breeders' Cup selections for Friday are Katz My Song in race two and the John Sadler-trained Gladding in race three.
BREEDERS' CUP SATURDAY
The Marathon opens up Saturday's Breeders' Cup card and the choice here is Giant Oak.
The Juvenile Turf follows with State of Play taking on the role as morning- line favorite. However, the two-year-old, trained by Graham Motion, was saddled with the 14 post. In what should be a wide open race, take a shot with Fantastic Song, who ran third in the Pilgrim Stakes over a very soft turf course at Belmont Park six weeks after breaking his maiden at Saratoga.
Big Drama looks to make it two straight Sprint wins but this time he comes in with only one prep since mid-January. Nevertheless, he is the class of a race that is lacking in quality horses. Amazombie will be his main competition.
Chamberlain Bridge tries for a repeat in the Turf Sprint but the seven-year- old gelding drew the far outside post position in a field of 14. As is the case in the Juvenile Turf, don't be shocked if a longshot prevails as the morning-line favorite, Regally Ready, has won just one of his last three races.
The choice here is Great Attack for trainer Wesley Ward. The four-year-old colt drew a solid post position (five) and should sit right behind Rapport early on. If that filly doesn't handle the turf, look for Great Attack to inherit the lead and surprise the field at huge odds.
The Dirt Mile is a fantastic race but imagine how much better the Sprint would have been if this race was never created. Who wouldn't have loved to see Big Drama go up against The Factor and Trappe Shot.
The Factor should have the early lead but don't be surprised if Tapizar runs him down into the stretch. From there, look for Trappe Shot, Wilburn, and Caleb's Posse to make it a four-horse photo at the wire with Trappe Shot defeating the three-year-olds.
The Turf will showcase the European contingent of Await the Dawn, Midday, St Nicholas Abbey, Sarafina, and Sea Moon. The pick is Await the Dawn.
The Juvenile could be the best race of the day with undefeated Union Rags taking on Mine That Bird's brother Dullahan; the possible freak Hansen, who has won his two starts at Turfway Park by a combined 25 1/2-lengths; the Florida Stallion Series champion Fort Loudon (four-for-four with lasix); Royal Lodge Stakes winner Daddy Long Legs; and the two California standouts, Creative Cause and Drill.
The longshot choice is Alpha. The son of Bernardini won at first asking by six lengths going seven-furlongs at Saratoga and followed that up with a well- beaten, second-place finish behind Union Rags in the Champagne. It might be difficult to improve over five-lengths on Saturday but the well-bred two-year- old picks up Garrett Gomez, and with a better break from the gate, could turn the tables on the expected favorite.
As previously mentioned, there are a couple of horses searching for back-to- back Breeders' Cup victories but nothing compares to what Goldikova could accomplish in the Mile. She'll be looking for her fourth consecutive win in this event. Surprisingly, American-based horses have finished second in her previous three wins and two of them (Gio Ponti and Courageous Cat) are back at it here.
The play is another foreign-based horse - Byword.
A half-brother to multiple Grade I winner Proviso, Byword comes into the Mile off two straight wins, and even though Goldikova has beaten him twice, both of those races were run at nine-furlongs - one-furlong more than this race.
<< Bradley continues amazing season with lead in China
Shanghai, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Keegan Bradley couldn't have possibly
imagined his rookie season on the PGA Tour would go quite like this.
He won the first major championship in which he participated and is the only
rookie on tour
<< Seattle falls short despite edging RSL
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Seattle Sounders FC put forth a valiant effort
in the return leg of the Western Conference Semifinals on Wednesday, defeating
Real Salt Lake 2-0 on the night, but ultimately falling short on aggregate
after s
<< Vrbata, Coyotes down Avalanche
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Radim Vrbata scored twice as the Phoenix Coyotes
took down the Colorado Avalanche, 4-1, at Pepsi Center.
Taylor Pyatt and Lauri Korpikoski both scored for the Coyotes, who have won
three straight. Mike Smith
<< Set pieces help Sporting punch ticket to Conference Final
Kansas City, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two goals from set pieces helped Sporting
Kansas City claim a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the Eastern
Conference Semifinals on a rainy Wednesday night at Livestrong Sporting Park.
With
Reigning champ Ivanovic, Petrova reach semis in Bali >>
Bali, Indonesia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last year's winner Ana Ivanovic and former
top-10 star Nadia Petrova posted upset victories on Thursday to reach the
semifinals at the season-ending Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions
tennis
NCAA's sweeping reform is 'Change You Can Believe In' >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - So, this is what hope and change really
looks like.
Any organization that recognizes its deficiencies and swiftly (relative term)
acts to correct them gets a standing ovation in my book. Comcast sho
Swiss will host U.S. on clay in Davis Cup >>
Basel, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Switzerland has decided to host the
United States on an indoor clay court in Fribourg in their 2012 opening-round
Davis Cup clash.
The best-of-five tie will be held from February 10-12 at the 7,20
Penguins try to exorcise demons in San Jose >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh's string of five straight victories is a thing
of the past and there is now only one streak the club is concerned about: A
nine-game winless drought in San Jose.
The Penguins hope to put the break on that
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.
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
To visit this sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sports betting
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