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College Basketball Betting: Kentucky, Syracuse Look For Big Road Wins This Saturday

2012-02-01T22:37:00.001-05:00

While the anticipation for this Sunday’s Super Bowl continues to build, NCAAB sports betting fans understand there is one more stop before the big game, with college basketball Saturday offering a promising lineup of games once again. 21 of the top-25 teams in the country will be in action on Saturday, including three matchups featuring nationally ranked teams, with the Kentucky Wildcats owning the spotlight at No. 1.

(1) Kentucky Wildcats @ South Carolina Gamecocks

Saturday, 6:00 PM ET

The Wildcats will look to continue their assault on the SEC with a trip to South Carolina, where they will undoubtedly be favored once again by the pay head bookies. After a tough one-point loss at Indiana, Kentucky has won 14 straight games including a perfect eight conference-wins, and has an excellent chance to extend that run against the team with the worst record in the SEC. The Gamecocks have lost four of their five games in SEC competition, including a 79-64 blowout loss in their first meeting with Kentucky, and barely scraped past the Alabama Crimson Tide 56-54 in their only win at home. The Wildcats’ tandem of Anthony Daivs and star freshman Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been among the best in the country, and until they face some stiffer competition it is unlikely they will slow down in the SEC.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Kentucky Wildcats

(2) Syracuse Orange @ St. John’s Red Storm

Saturday, 12:00 PM ET

It is almost unfair to Syracuse that the minute they finally lost a game they were pushed down to No. 2, especially considering that the Big East is so much better than the SEC, and that the Orange has played much tougher contests. Syracuse didn’t cover the Betonline spread at West Virginia in a two-point win last Sunday, but the time off should help head coach Jim Boeheim to rally his troops and get them focused. St. John’s has lost four of it’s last five against SEC competition and has lost all eight games against nationally ranked opponents, so look for Syracuse to bounce back with a big win.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Syracuse Orange

(6) North Carolina Tar Heels @ Maryland Terapins

Saturday, 4:00 PM ET

The Tar Heels have bounced back with four straight wins following that surprising blowout loss at Florida State, and will look to avoid the same fate they faced against the Seminoles when they travel to play Maryland on Saturday. North Carolina has a ton of talent, which is illustrated in that it ranks first in the country in points per game and rebounds per game, and fourth in assists per game. Being at or near the top of the country in all three of those categories is an impressive accomplishment, but consistency will be the key for the Tar Heels as they continue to shoot for No. 1 the day before the biggest game of the NFL season.

College Basketball Betting Pick: North Carolina Tar Heels

NHL Game Preview for Saturday February 4, 2012: Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators

2012-01-30T20:44:00.002-05:00

Sports Btting Overview

There are three NHL teams that always seem to bring the best out of the Toronto Maple Leafs; the Buffalo Sabres, the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators. Regardless of what else is going on in the Maple Leafs’ season, a game against one of these three opponents will always be a barn-burner. The fans in Toronto hate these opponents and the players hate these opponents as well. Although, it can be said that the fan hatred is a little deeper than that of the players. The price per head sports experts point out that it has been a long time since the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs have been in a heated playoff race in the same season. The current playoff race is another thing that makes this game so interesting.

The Ottawa fans are just getting over hosting the All-Star game where the fans were very accommodating to Toronto All-Stars like Phil Kessel. However, the fans will not be so accommodating when Kessel and the rest of the Leafs roll into town for this game. The fans in Ottawa are watching to see what happens with the Super Bowl odds, but they are more interested in seeing if the Senators can get into the playoffs. The Ottawa team has been up and down all season long. The Senators have been at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference and now it has risen towards the top. It has been a very difficult season for the fans and players in Ottawa.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Last year, goaltender James Reimer was seen as the future of the Maple Leafs’ franchise. He was often credited with single-handedly keeping the Leafs in the playoff hunt late into the season. Reimer got his big contract over the summer and started out the season fairly strong. But when Reimer suffered a serious injury in December, back up Jonas Gustavsson took over as the starter. Reimer tried to jump back in when he was healthy, but Reimer just could not win like he used to. Now Gustavsson is the starter in Toronto. It sounds like a typical sports story, but it is also a microcosm of the Leafs’ problems for the past few years. Toronto cannot settle on a starting goaltender and cannot develop an identity on defense. The lack of an identity is breeding inconsistency and causing problems in Toronto.

Ottawa Senators

Sportsbook reviews of the games that the Ottawa Senators have played this season show that the Senators win and lose in streaks. That is because the Ottawa starting goaltender Craig Anderson wins and loses in streaks. Anderson can have a night where he makes 40 saves and gets the shutout and then follows that up with a game where he gives up five goals on 20 shots. The Senators have been hot lately because Anderson was hot, but the Senators also rode a three-game losing streak into the All-Star break where Anderson was in goal for all three games.

The Bottom Line

Neither of these teams have the consistency to remain a top contender in the Eastern Conference. But the Leafs play a bit more consistently than Ottawa does and that should help the Toronto Maple Leafs to pull out the road win in this game.

BSNblog Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs

College Basketball Betting: Blue Devils, Tar Heels Fighting For No. 1 Spot In ACC

2012-01-25T21:58:00.002-05:00

One of the most highly scrutinized conferences heading in to this college basketball betting season was the ACC, which had the preseason No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels looking to unseat the Duke Blue Devils at the top of the conference. While the Tar Heels haven’t been awful, they do already have three losses including a blowout loss against Florida State that has pushed them down the ladder to No. 8 in the nation, the Blue Devils may not be ahead of them at No. 6 for very long unless they can bounce back from a loss of their own to FSU when they host the St. John’s Red Storm this Saturday.

St. John’s Red Storm @ (6) Duke Blue Devils

Saturday, 12:00 PM ET

The Blue Devils seemed on track to set a new school record with their 46th straight home win before Michael Snaer hit a game-winning three-point shot for Florida State as time expired, and the door was slam shut on Duke’s chances at that per head run. As the players from the Seminoles stormed the court in celebration, there had to have been a sense among Blue Devils’ players that they had allowed FSU to stay with them for too long, and were being made to pay for it in the end. Look for Austin Rivers and Duke’s 10th-ranked offense to avoid making the same mistake in this game, as they will attack St. John’s early and often and try to build a big lead early on. There is often a sense that teams develop when they go on long winning streaks where they attempt to do different things and experiment believing that they have the talent to overcome any shortcomings, but now that that’s out of the way look for the Blue Devils to blow the roof off of the Cameron Indoor Stadium in this Bet online contest.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Duke Blue Devils

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets @ (8) North Carolina Tar Heels

Sunday, 6:00 PM ET

Despite that they beat Virginia Tech by 14 after the loss to FSU, there are even more question marks surrounding the Tar Heels now than their were then after Donald Strickland was lost for the season with a torn ACL in that game. There is no denying that North Carolina has the talent to be the pay head bookies favorites in the ACC this season, but they have not executed the way they are capable of, and have struggled in situations where they were supposed to excel. The Tar Heels rank first in points per game, first in rebounds per game, and fifth in assists per game, and teams with numbers like those don’t tend to lose much. Look for North Carolina to come together with another big win from beginning to end, keeping pace with Duke in the ACC.

College Basketball Betting Pick: North Carolina Tar Heels

Super Bowl XLVI Preview: New England Patriots (-3) vs. New York Giants

2012-01-23T22:31:00.002-05:00

Super Bowl Betting Overview

When the playoffs started, the New England Patriots playing the New York Giants in the Super Bowl would not have been considered one of the most unlikely possibilities. Considering the road each of these teams had to follow in order to get to this point, it did seem unlikely that the Patriots and Giants would survive to play in the big dance. The Giants had to get past the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay and then the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco. After having a week off against the Denver Broncos in the divisional round, the Patriots had to dispatch the Baltimore Ravens. Both of these teams fought some pretty tall odds to get to this point.

The price per head sports experts have given the Patriots the upper-hand when it comes to odds of winning this Super Bowl and that is another surprise to the NFL fans of the world. The Patriots’ defense hardly seems equipped to stop the Giants’ offense and the Patriots’ offense will not be able to dominate the Giants’ defense. Still, the magic that seems to exist between head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady appears to be unstoppable. But the Giants may have the solution to the puzzle that is the New England Patriots’ offense.

New York Giants

The Giants won what was surely an exciting NFC Championship game by kicking the winning field goal in one of the few championship games ever decided in overtime. The pay per head sports experts did not expect the Giants to roll into Lambeau Field and beat the Packers much less watch the Giants go into Candlestick and beat the 49ers. The Giants’ defense is what won that championship game for New York, and it will be the defense that has to stand up again in the Super Bowl. The Patriots beat a very good defense in the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game. But the Giants are much more aggressive than the Ravens on defense, and the Giants have an offense to go along with that defense.

New England Patriots

There is no way that the 31st ranked defense in the NFL should be playing in the Super Bowl. Sportsbook reviews of the New England defense showed a unit that could not stop the run or the pass in the regular season. Yet, in the playoffs, the Patriots’ defense responded with solid pressure on the quarterback and good linebacker play to stop the run. But the Patriots did not play an offensive line like the one the New York Giants have. The Baltimore offensive line had problems blocking throughout the playoffs and it was bad blocking that prevented Baltimore running back Ray Rice from being a factor in the championship game. The Patriots’ defense is going to have to find a way around this Giants’ offensive line if it wants to win a fourth Super Bowl in the Belichick-Brady era.

The Bottom Line

Whether you write football blog or a soccer betting blog, you can see the advantages that each team has in this game. The Giants’ have an offense unlike anything that the Patriots have faced so far in the playoffs. That will be the difference in this game.

BSNblog Pick: New York Giants

College Basketball Betting – Baylor Faces Tough Task Trying To Bounce Back Against Missouri

2012-01-20T22:31:00.002-05:00

The majority of the attention this college basketball season has been on the No. 1 Syracuse Orange, which has set a school record with 20 straight wins to open the year. For a while, the No. 3 Baylor Bears maintained their ground with 17 straight wins before falling on the road to the No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats on the road in a 92-74 blowout that really exposed some of their flaws. The Bears won’t have much time to regroup with the No. 5 Missouri Tigers up next this Saturday, and how they respond in the face of adversity will go a long way in determining the outlook for the team going forward.

(5) Missouri Tigers @ (3) Baylor Bears

Saturday January 21, 2011 – 2:00 PM ET

Ferrell Center, Waco, Texas

College Basketball Betting Line: Baylor – 2.5

The Tigers have looked just as strong as Baylor all year, with a tough road loss to Kansas State the only blemish on their otherwise perfect record. Missouri is right there with Baylor and Kansas fighting for the top spot in the Big 12, and they should be eager to prove that their status as sports betting underdogs for this game is incorrect.

College Basketball Betting Preview: Missouri

The atmosphere around the Big 12 is starting to heat up, and the Tigers will look to make their case as the team most qualified to take down Kansas when they travel to the Ferrell Center this weekend. Senior guard Marcus Denmon has been absolutely dominant for Missouri so far this season with an average of 17.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, and at 6-3 has shown his ability to both attack the rim and defend at his own end of the floor. The Tigers have an excellent blend of size and speed throughout their lineup, and rank fourth in the country in average points with 83.1.

College Basketball Betting Preview: Baylor

Nothing seemed to go right for the Bears when they played the Jayhawks, but the majority of the blame can be placed on the players for a lack of focus and intensity. Part of the problem was the raucous atmosphere at the Phog Allen Fieldhouse, so Baylor should feel more comfortable in its own building. Perry Jones III helped keep his team hanging around with 18 points and five rebounds, but Quincy Miller and Pierre Jackson combined to shoot just 8-for-21 from the field, and both of them will need to be better as the favorites on Betonline.

College Basketball Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

There is no denying that with Jones III leading the way the Bears have the potential to do some big things in the Big 12, but any chance they have at the top will require beating the top teams that they will face. Missouri comes in to this game with a ton of momentum behind them and feeling confident, and they should be able to at least keep it close down to the wire as the underdogs according to the pay head bookies.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Missouri Tigers + 2.5

NFC Championship: New York Giants vs. San Francisco 49ers (-2 ½)

2012-01-17T22:20:00.002-05:00

Online Betting Overview

Very few people outside of New York or San Francisco expected this season’s NFC Championship game to be played in San Francisco and feature the Giants and the 49ers. The price per head sports experts were sure that the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers would walk into the Super Bowl unscathed. It seemed like a logical bet. The Packers were rested and healthy going into its divisional game against the Giants. But under Tom Coughlin, the Giants have this Jekyll and Hyde thing going on. In the regular season, the Giants are ugly and barely make the playoffs. But once New York is in the playoffs, they turn into a football machine.

The San Francisco 49ers got to listen to people say all week how the New Orleans Saints were going to come into San Francisco and just run up the points on the 49ers’ defense while the San Francisco offense sat by and helplessly watched. But the price per head bookie experts were shocked to find out just how much of a team the 49ers really is. While the San Francisco defense did its best to keep the best offense in the league under wraps, the 49ers’ offense went score for score with the Saints and wound up striking the last blow. It sets up a very interesting NFC Championship game.

San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers is well-coached, disciplined and hungry for a championship. It also helps that San Francisco has one of the most talented defenses in football. The schemes that the 49ers ran on defense did a good job at keeping Drew Brees and the New Orleans offense under control. A sportsbook review of the Giants’ offense shows that New York does not have near the same amount of fire power that New Orleans does, but the Giants attack is very balanced. The 49ers will have its linebackers up more in the play in this game to try and combat the running game of the Giants, while the San Francisco defensive line will do its best to keep quarterback Eli Manning under control. If the 49ers can disrupt Manning, then the Giants can be beaten.

New York Giants

The New York Giants did something that no one thought it could do. It went into Lambeau Field and defeated a Packers team that was supposed to be ready. The Packers did its part to give the game to the Giants, but the Giants also did its part to take advantage of those Green Bay miscues. The 49ers will not make the same mistakes that the Packers did, which means that the Giants will have to play a flawless game to make it into the Super Bowl.

The Bottom Line

Whether you are an NFL writer or you own a soccer betting news blog, there is no way that you could have anticipated this NFC Championship matchup. The New York Giants just seem to know how to win in the playoffs and these 49ers are still new to the idea of having success. This San Francisco team will be around for a long time, but this year will be one more step in the learning experience for this young team.

BSNblog Pick: New York Giants

College Football To Have Split National Championship?

2012-01-05T11:27:00.000-05:00

The college football betting bowl season is underway, and we are now only five days away from one of the strangest National Championship games in recent memory. Despite playing in the same conference, and one team not playing for that conference’s championship, LSU will take on Alabama in a rematch of a game earlier this year. However, if Alabama pulls off the win against LSU, price per head fans may see the rare feat of a split National Championship.

Essentially, thanks to their thrilling Fiesta Bowl victory Monday night, the Oklahoma State Cowboys would technically have the same record, as the Alabama Crimson Tide should the latter win the National Championship. In other words, even though they were placed in the biggest bowl game of the year, Alabama may end up a co-national champion with Oklahoma State, based on win loss record, and final AP rankings.

The last time bookie software agents witnessed two National Champions in the same season, was 2003. That season, LSU took home the BCS National Title, while USC was named AP National Champion after their victory over the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl. During the 2003 season, the Trojans ended the year as the number one team in the nation according to writers and media in the AP polls. Yet, LSU was put in the National Title game, because the computers awarded the bids to the second and third placed teams overall.

As it relates to this betting season, the Oklahoma State Cowboys could technically be named co-National Champion, if they win and Alabama Crimson Tide win, based on how the two teams finished in the standings. Looking at the points system, NFL handicappers will notice, that the Cowboys were only 18 points behind Alabama. Meaning to say, if Alabama wins against LSU by a close score, Oklahoma State may tie them in the final standings, because each won a Bowl game.

What’s interesting to note, is that even if LSU loses to Alabama, they could still technically finish off the season as the top team in the nation. Yes, they lost the National Title game, but given the Tigers body of work throughout the season (only team to be undefeated) and who they defeated (Alabama, Oregon, Arkansas) the poll creators could still acknowledge them as the best overall team in the standings. If this were to happen, fans and other media alike may wonder if the NCAA is about picking the best team as champion, or the most deserving team.

NFL AFC Wild Card Playoffs: Pittsburgh Steelers (-9) @ Denver Broncos

2012-01-04T22:53:00.003-05:00

Online Betting Overview

The line on this game will keep going up as the action on the Steelers continues to increase. There is no magic in Denver. There is no “Divine Intervention” that will take the Broncos to the Super Bowl. In weeks 16 and 17, Denver quarterback Tim Tebow went from miracle man to well below-average quarterback. The Broncos were blown out by the Buffalo Bills in week 16, and then the Broncos lost an important game in week 17 to the Chiefs. According to the price per head sports experts, the Broncos made the playoffs because the Oakland Raiders lost in week 17 to the San Diego Chargers. To ask a team to back its way into the playoffs and then have to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers is almost impossible. But that does not mean that this will be a boring game to watch.

The Pittsburgh offense will be the deciding factor in this game, but it is not going to be easy. When the Broncos were rolling on its seven-game winning streak earlier in the season, the defense played some of the best football in the league. If it were not for the Denver defense and place kicker Matt Prater, there would not have been any magic in Denver. As the pay per head experts see more of the Broncos under Tim Tebow, they are starting to realize that the Broncos were a very good football team winning games despite the shabby play of a mediocre quarterback. Many of those games that were won in the fourth quarter should have been well in hand by then. Heading into the playoffs, Tim Tebow will see what a real defense looks like and it will not be pretty.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Aside from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s high ankle sprain, the Steelers come into the playoffs healthy and with everyone ready to play. But even Big Ben’s ankle is not going to be a problem in the playoffs. Roethlisberger has learned to play through the pain and looked relatively decent against the Cleveland Browns in week 17. With another week of rest, Roethlisberger should be able to face the Broncos.

A 5 dimes review of the Steelers’ defense shows a unit that is first against the pass and eighth against the run. The Pittsburgh defense should be able to contain Tebow in the pocket and neutralize the Broncos’ running game. With safety Troy Polamalu roaming the middle of the field, the Broncos will have nowhere to go.

Denver Broncos

The NFL fans in Denver thought they were in heaven when Tim Tebow was winning football games. But as reality sets in, the prospects of facing the Steelers in the wild card round are not so appealing anymore. The Denver defense should be able to keep things relatively close, but there is no guarantee that Tebow won’t throw the game away with four or five key interceptions and maybe a fumble or two.

The Bottom Line

If Tim Tebow and the Broncos win this game then Tim Tebow deserves all of the accolades that befit a starting NFL quarterback. But, once again, reality can be hard for football fans to accept.

BSNblog Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

College Bowl Games Preview for Saturday December 31, 2011

2011-12-30T19:22:00.002-05:00

The college football betting has reached the point where it is now bowl season and fans are in a frenzy. Teams from all over the country are gathering in neutral sites to determine which team will have bragging rights and which team will have to try again next year. The price per head sports experts are usually pretty accurate with their odds for these games and that always helps to add a level of interest to each contest. Let’s take a look at the games that are scheduled for New Year’s Eve and see who has the best chance to walk away as bowl champions.

Texas A&M (-10) vs Northwestern – Meinke Car Care Texas Bowl

Unfortunately for Northwestern, this is one of those games that the pay per head odds makers have gotten right. Northwestern has had a good season and deserves its bowl bid, but the Northwestern defense is just not going to be able to stop the Texas A&M offense. The running game in Texas will knock Northwestern right over and allow Texas A&M to win this game by a sizeable margin.

Pick: Texas A&M

Utah vs Georgia Tech (-2 ½) – Sun Bowl

It is hard to understand how a team like Utah winds up in the Sun Bowl when it should have been competing for a bowl with just a little more prestige. But Utah has most definitely earned its shot at a Sun Bowl title and will face a Georgia Tech team that will put up a good fight. Tech is favored because of its defense, but this game will be a shootout from start to finish. A betting sports news

review of the Utah season shows a potent offense that will turn this bowl game into a track meet. But the Utes should be able to put up the points to win. Pick: Utah

UCLA vs Illinois (-2 ½) – Fight Hunger Bowl

This is the bowl game with a message. UCLA has always relied on its quarterbacks to pull out late-season wins and win bowl games. But this year the Bruins are going to rely on its two-pronged running attack to stay with the Illini for as long as possible. In the end, Illinois has too much on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball for UCLA to remain in this game for very long.

Pick: Illinois

Cincinnati vs Vanderbilt (-1 ½) – Liberty Bowl

NCAA football fans love the Liberty Bowl because it is so much fun to watch each year. The Liberty Bowl always puts two evenly-matched teams together to battle it out. This year is no exception. This year is no exception as Vanderbilt will win by a nose.

Pick: Vanderbilt

Virginia vs Auburn (-3) – Chick Fil-A Bowl

Everyone was wondering if Auburn would be able to grab a bowl bid the year after Cam Newton left. Newton left behind a pretty good team that was able to work its way into the Chick Fil-A Bowl this year. Virginia has had a good season, but it won’t be able to withstand the offensive barrage that Auburn will throw at it.

Pick: Auburn

NFL Week 17 Preview: Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants (-3)

2011-12-27T20:11:00.003-05:00

NFL Betting Lines Overview

For the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys, the entire 2011 season comes down to this one game. This is the game to see who wins the NFC East. The loser may be able to make the playoffs with a wild card, but there would need to be a long list of conditions that would have to take place for that to happen. According to the betting sports news experts, winning the NFC East is probably the best chance either of these teams has for making the playoffs. The Cowboys come into this game one of the luckiest teams in the NFL as it keeps finding replacement running backs for the backs that get hurt. Right now, Felix Jones is carrying the load in the Dallas backfield, but he is getting pushed by veteran Sammy Morris who was signed when DeMarco Murray was injured. But Jones is nursing a sore hamstring and his contribution to this game may be limited.

The Giants come into this game fairly health, although it is still missing Osi Umenyiora and Mario Manningham from the starting lineup. But the Giants have more to put into this fight than the Cowboys do. The key area where New York remains relatively healthy is the offensive line. Quarterback Eli Manning has shown that, when he is given time, he has been extremely effective this season. But what has been a real bonus for the Giants and helped the Giants pound the New York Jets in week 16, is the resurging Giants’ running game. The bookie software has the Giants’ running game ranked last in the league, but the Giants racked up 116 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Jets. The Giants running attack will make a significant difference in this game.

Dallas Cowboys

On that short list of things the Cowboys absolutely wanted to avoid was a week 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys did not put up much of a fight against the Eagles and, as a result, Philly won the game 20-7. Quarterback Tony Romo banged his throwing hand on the helmet of an Eagles’ pass rusher and wound up coming out of the game in the first offensive series. Backup Stephen McGee did a decent job throwing for 182 rushing yards and one touchdown. But the Cowboys could not generate anything on the ground and that could be a big problem for this week 17 game against the Giants. Another important question is the status of Romo. A 5 dimes review of the injury shows that the impact looked pretty significant but the Cowboys are claiming there was no serious damage done. Romo is expected to play, but his effectiveness will need to be seen.

New York Giants

The Giants were extremely happy to see its running game come back to life in the last couple of weeks. A balanced attack has been lacking in New York for some time, and Ahmad Bradshaw finally started to bring some of the swagger back to the New York running game. With the Giants’ defense relatively healthy and the rest of the team wanting to avoid missing the playoffs again, this could be the Giants’ chance to shake that monkey that has been on its back for three years now.

The Bottom Line

The NFL schedule could not have come together any better for the fans and players. Now the fate of the NFC East gets to be decided by the two teams in the running. This will be a good game, but the Cowboys inconsistency will prevent it from being able to mount much of an attack.

BSNblog Pick: New York Giants

College Basketball Betting: Cardinals Ready To Entertain Visiting Hilltoppers

2011-12-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

It is still early on in the college basketball season, but considering that only four of the top-10 ranked teams in the country are still undefeated, head coach Rick Pitino has to be proud of what his fourth-ranked Louisville Cardinals have done so far. The Cardinals overcame their only challenge from a nationally ranked opponent so far when they were able to hold off the Vanderbilt Commodores in overtime at the KFC Yum! Center, and with two more tough challenges in the No. 16 Georgetown Hoyas and No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats right around the corner, Louisville will attempt to remain focused this week against unranked Western Kentucky as 10-point sports betting favorites.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers @ Louisville Cardinals (4)

Friday December 23, 2011 – 7:00 PM ET

KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, Kentucky

College Basketball Betting Line: Lousiville Cardinals – 10

The Hilltoppers come in to this game on the heels of consecutive losses, and while they haven’t played a nationally ranked opponent yet this season, they did lose back-to-back meetings against VCU by a combined 28 points.

College Basketball Betting Preview: Western Kentucky

This game won’t be as much about winning and losing as it will be keeping it respectful for Western Kentucky, a Sun Belt team that has struggled just to remain out of the basement in the Sun Belt conference early on. After registering three wins in four games as they entered the month of December, Derrick Gordon and the Hilltoppers have dropped back-to-back games by at least eight points, and will have a tough time rebounding against the toughest challenge on their schedule so far.

College Basketball Betting Preview: Louisville

Pitino has liked what he has seen from his team early on, particularly with senior Kyle Kuric, who leads the team in points per game with 12.7, and junior Peyton Siva, who is second in scoring and first in assists with averages of 10.6 and 6.8. There is a lot to like about a Cardinals’ team that has been able to score points while taking care of business at their own end of the floor, especially on the board where they rank 12th in team rebounding. Louisville is one of a handful of unbeaten teams remaining in the top-25, but there is no doubt that they will be tested over the next couple of weeks, so they will need to remain focused.

College Basketball Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The pay head bookies have the Cardinals listed as 10-point favorites, and as long as they don’t get caught looking ahead to their back-to-back games against Georgetown and Kentucky they should be fine. Unlike with some of the other surprise losses we have seen early on this year, Louisville appears to be at an even keel, and ready to take every game one at a time along with what comes with it. The Cardinals have a chance to gain some momentum and confidence heading in to their tough doubleheader, and they likely won’t give up that chance if taken on betonline.

College Basketball Betting Pick: Louisville Cardinals - 10

NFL Week 16 Preview: Denver Broncos (-3) vs. Buffalo Bills

2011-12-22T10:12:00.000-05:00

NFL Betting Lines Overview

It looks like the good Lord is not interested in the Denver Broncos when the Broncos play the best offense in football. The Denver loss to the New England Patriots in week 15 was not so much a matter of any failure by Tim Tebow; the Broncos just lost a shootout to Tom Brady and the New England offense. Tebow and the Broncos should not get discouraged because a lot of teams lost in shootouts to Brady and the Patriots’ offense in the last few years. That week 15 loss was actually a great thing for the Broncos because the team learned how to face real adversity. It looks like a blow out on the score sheet, but there were a lot of positive things that the Broncos took from that game.

According to the price per head sports experts, Miami running back Reggie Bush racked up 203 rushing yards against the Buffalo Bills in Miami’s week 15 win in Buffalo. The Buffalo Bills could not stop the run last year and the Buffalo Bills cannot stop the run this year. The Bills sign quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a six-year, $59 million contract and Fitzpatrick instantly becomes ineffective. No matter what the Bills do, it just cannot seem to get the winning part of football right. The Buffalo Bills are about to face an offense in the Denver Broncos that thrives on running the ball early in the game. If the Bills cannot stop Tim Tebow and running back Willis McGahee, then it could be a long day in Buffalo.

Denver Broncos

Tim Tebow remained optimistic after the 41-23 shellacking the Broncos took at the hands of the Patriots in week 15, and he should. The pay per head sports experts noticed that Tebow’s passing is getting better and that this game against the Patriots could be Tebow’s best passing performance of the season. Tebow has showed enough improvement to warrant serious consideration for the full-time starting quarterback job in Denver. More than likely, John Elway and head coach John Fox will wait until the season is over to make that determination. The Broncos’ defense was shredded by the Patriots’ offense and that is something that should be a concern as the Broncos stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Buffalo Bills

A bodog review of the Bills’ season shows that injuries, once again, plagued the team. The Bills lost players in the defensive secondary to injury all season long. The team’s top offensive player, running back Fred Jackson, is missing the rest of the season with an injury. But the Bills don’t need excuses; it needs a win. After a strong start, the Bills fell apart and have lost seven in a row. Something is going to have to change in Buffalo, but no one is really sure what that something would have to be.

The Bottom Line

The NFL scores the Broncos have been posting have steadily increased over the past few weeks. The Denver defense seems to have problems containing an accurate passer like New England’s Tom Brady. But Buffalo’s Ryan Fitzpatrick has been anything but accurate as of late and should not give the Broncos any problems at all.

BSNblog Pick: Denver Broncos

College Football Betting: Ducks Look To Slow Down Ball, Badgers in Rose Bowl

2011-12-21T22:46:00.004-05:00

It seems as though with the BCS Championship game projected to be a defensive battle between the top two teams in the nation, the BCS has done everything in its power to make sure that its other BCS bowl games feature a ton of offense, as they have done with the Rose Bowl Game Presented By Vizio. The No. 5 Oregon Ducks and No. 10 Wisconsin Badgers rank third and fourth in the nation respectively in scoring offense, and it should be another high-scoring affair when the two programs clash on the national stage.

Rose Bowl Game Presented By Vizio

(10) Wisconsin Badgers @ (5) Oregon Ducks

Monday January 2, 2012 – 5:00 PM ET

Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

College Football Betting Odds: Oregon Ducks – 6.5

The Ducks will be sound sports betting favorites for this game, even though Wisconsin has won five straight including the Big Ten Championship game. Oregon will bring back several of the big name stars that fought in the BCS Championship game a year ago, while the Badgers introduce a couple of new stars, including Heisman trophy candidate Montee Ball.

College Football Betting Preview: Wisconsin

Ball was the third runner-up in the Heisman voting simply because he started out late in one of the most stacked classes to ever compete for the award, but the job he did leading the nation’s fourth-ranked offense cannot be overlooked. Ball averaged 6.4 yards per carry to reach 1,759 yards on the ground with an unbelievable 32 touchdowns, proving that he could become a superstar with his will and determination after shedding weight in the offseason to become lighter on his feet. Senior quarterback Russell Wilson showed incredible improvement with the emergence of Ball, and with a defense that ranked 6th in the country in points against, the Badgers became one of the most complete NCAA football teams in the country.

College Football Betting Preview: Oregon

That defense will be tested by a powerful Oregon offense, which returns to bowl season with Darron Thomas under center and LaMichael James at running back. Thomas threw for 2,493 yards and 30 touchdowns, while James rushed for an average of 7.4 per carry, with 17 scores on the ground as those two players combined to once again form one of the most dangerous backfields in the game. The Ducks ranked fifth in rushing yards, and as they proved against Stanford’s front-seven, are a load to handle at the line of scrimmage. Oregon’s defense struggled in losses to LSU and USC this season, and will need to tighten things up front to give the Ducks’ offense a chance to win this game as the favorites according to the pay head bookies.

College Football Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

There is expected to be a ton of fireworks when these two teams meet in Pasadena, and rightfully so given the strength of the respective offenses. However, if there is one difference in the makeup of these teams, it will be the Badgers’ ability to slow down Oregon up front, and whether or not the Ducks will be able to contain Ball in the ground game.

College Football Betting Pick: Wisconsin + 6.5

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin` Cajuns vs. San Diego State Aztecs Odds

2011-12-14T10:03:00.000-05:00

The Aztecs program made a great move when they hired head coach Rocky Long to replace the departing Brady Hoke.

The man worked wonders with nothing at New Mexico, going 65-69 SU in 11 seasons with the Lobos (UNM has gone 3-33 since fi ring Long), and Long made an immediate impression when SDSU opened the gambling season 3-0 for the first time since 1981.

Likewise, the hiring of Mark Hudspeth by La-Lafayette paid major dividends: the Ragin’ Cajuns enjoyed their first winning season since 1995 and, amazingly, qualified for their first bowl in 41 years!

In fact, a win today would match La-La’s only previous 9-win season in school history (1976). Spread history ‘points’ us toward the Cajuns as they’re 3-0 ATS versus bowlers this season and all Sun Belt dogs are 4-1-1 ATS as bowlers since 2005.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, San Diego State has cashed only once in four bowl appearances since 1986 and bowl favorites with fi rst-year coaches are 11- 21-1 ATS (Long himself is just 1-4 SU and ATS in the postseason).

Look for the bayou dwellers to do it with defense – their 7 interceptions returned for TD’s ties the FBS all-time record established in 1971.

The Aztecs also seem to fare better against weaker foes.

They’ve gone 6-1 SU versus .600 or less opponents this year while going only 1-3 SU versus greater-than .600 foes. And with today’s game taking place in the Superdome, you know there will be a LOT more crawdad-eatin’ Loozie-annans in the stands than sun-tanned Californians.

With the LSU game still three weeks away, this matchup is reason enough to throw a party in the Crescent City – and all that positive mojo should propel the Cajuns to a crowd-pleasing upset here.

Sportsbooks currently have the Aztecs listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Ragin` Cajuns, while the game's total is sitting at 60.

NFL Week 15 Preview: New England Patriots (-6) vs. Denver Broncos

2011-12-13T21:29:00.003-05:00

Online Betting Overview

The price per head sports experts obviously feel that Tebowmania has its limits. Even though this week 15 contest between the Broncos and the New England Patriots is taking place in Denver, the odds makers are still not willing to give in to Tebow’s magic. But there may be more than magic at work in this game. The Broncos’ defense was able to hold the Chicago Bears to only 10 points in the Broncos’ overtime win in week 14. The Bears are without its starting quarterback, but the Bears have a very powerful running game. The Denver defense was able to step up and neutralize the Chicago offense until, once again, Tebow pulled the trigger and put his magic to work. It is important to remember that Broncos field goal kicker Matt Prater had to make a 59-yard field goal to tie the game and then a 51-yard field goal to win it. The entire Broncos team plays to the last whistle with Tebow in at quarterback.

About the only thing that the Patriots can do is get into a shootout with Tebow and the Broncos’ offense. The Patriots’ defense has not shown any ability to sustain a pass rush or pick off even the most errant passers. A look at the bookie software stats for week 14 shows that New England quarterback Tom Brady threw three interceptions but was still able to win over the Washington Redskins. As opportunistic as the Broncos’ have been in this six-game winning streak, the Patriots do not want to give the Broncos any chance to win this game.

Denver Broncos

Regardless of how you feel about Tim Tebow’s mechanical abilities as a quarterback, the simple fact is that the guy wins football games. But he gets a lot of help, and he is the first to acknowledge that help. A bodog review of the week 14 win over the Bears shows that kicker Matt Prater was actually the hero of the game by using the thin Denver air to his advantage and kicking two 50+ yard field goals at critical moments. The Broncos’ defense should also be credited with picking up a key turnover late in the game that gave Prater the chance to kick for the tie. However they are doing it, the Broncos just keep winning and the team has built a significant amount of momentum.

New England Patriots

The thing that prevents a lot of the sports betting blog experts from getting completely on the Patriots’ Super Bowl bandwagon is the New England defense. The Patriots have the second-best offense in the league but the worst defense. A good offense can only carry a bad defense for so long before something has to give. This game will be more of a test that the Patriots and its fans are expecting.

The Bottom Line

The Denver Broncos are on a roll unlike any roll the fans in Denver have seen in a very long time. While many fans want to give credit to Tim Tebow, the truth is that the entire team is playing very desperate and inspiring football. In this game, fans will get a chance to see if the Broncos are able to exploit a weak defense like the one in New England.

College Football Picks: LSU Looks To Close Out Incredible Season With BCS Title

2011-12-10T10:05:00.000-05:00

Considering the support that a potential SEC rematch between the No. 1 LSU Tigers and No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide has gotten since that memorable field goal at Tuscaloosa back in November, it is no surprise that they are the two teams that will clash at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans this January. The BCS got it right this time around with the top two teams in the country set to face one another with the national title on the line, and it has all of the makings of a sports betting classic.

Allstate BCS Championship Game

Alabama Crimson Tide vs. LSU Tigers

Monday January 9, 2012 – 8:30 PM ET

Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

College Football Betting Lines: LSU Tigers – 1.5

Although the two teams didn’t do much scoring in their first meeting, a 9-6 overtime decision in favor of the Tigers, that doesn’t necessarily mean things won’t break open in the rematch. Both NCAA football teams have scored at least 41 points in each of their final two games, and an early score could break things open.

College Football Betting Preview: Alabama

Even though the first result didn’t go in their favor, you have to think that the Crimson Tide would like to rely on their top-ranked defense when they make the trip to New Orleans. Alabama allowed an average of just 8.8 points per game, an incredible accomplishment considering some of the competition they faced in the SEC. It looks as though running back Trent Richardson will continue to be asked to handle the majority of the offensive burden as he has all year, after compiling 1,583 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns as the focal point of the Tide offense. Quarterback AJ McCarron has shown improvement, but it’s unlikely head coach Nick Saban will ask him to open things up unless they fall behind early.

College Football Betting Preview: LSU

While Alabama ranked first in points allowed, the Tigers were right behind them with an average of 10.5 points allowed per game, so it isn’t much of a surprise that their first meeting was so low scoring. But LSU’s offense did come alive in their final two games with wins over then No. 3 Arkansas Razorbacks and the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC championship game, with Kenny Hilliard scoring three combined touchdowns. What makes the Tigers that much more dangerous is the ability for their defense to score, which we saw in the SEC title game with Morris Claiborne’s 45-yard interception return.

College Football Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The pay head bookies have this spread listed at just 1.5 points, and the truth of the matter is that with two evenly matched teams that are so similar in style anything can happen. The problem for Alabama is that the Tigers have been able to dictate the pace of a lot of supposedly evenly matched games, including the first meeting between these teams. This game should be close until the end once again, but look for LSU to close out their perfect season in style by bringing home the BCS championship as undoubtedly the best team in the nation this year.

BSNblog Betting Pick: LSU Tigers – 1.5

NFL Week 14 Preview: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins

2011-12-06T10:19:00.000-05:00

Sports Betting Overview

The Philadelphia “Dream Team” nightmare is finally over. The Eagles will not be making the playoffs this season and now the speculating begins over what changes will be made in the off-season. The Eagles’ management spent a lot of money to put together the team that the Eagles have. Some would argue that a better coach would have used the parts better to create a more effective machine. But the Eagles’ investments were not all in key need areas. The Philadelphia offensive line is terrible. Michael Vick has been injured most of the season due to injuries and now back-up Vince Young is forced to run for his life on a regular basis. A closer look at the Eagles shows that a couple of good offensive linemen and the Philadelphia season may have turned out differently.

The Miami Dolphins are playing to not get coach Tony Sporano fired. When the price per head sports experts were declaring the Dolphins one of the worst teams in football and the seats in Miami’s stadium were empty, Sporano’s head was definitely on the chopping block. But the Dolphins have gone 4-1 in the last five games and suddenly look like one of the better teams in the league. There were questions about the teams that Miami was beating but those questions were laid to rest when Miami pummeled the AFC West leading Oakland Raiders by a score of 34-14. Things are very interesting in Miami and they look to get more interesting when the Dolphins travel to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles will play this game without Michael Vick, who is still nursing a rib injury. The bookie software gives some interesting numbers for back-up quarterback Vince Young. But the most interesting stat for Young so far in his three-game stretch as the Eagles’ starter is the eight interceptions he has thrown in three games. It doesn’t matter how well an offense or a defense is playing, a quarterback that throws eight interceptions in three games is not going to win a lot of games. The Eagles just cannot protect the quarterback and if the Miami pass rush gets to Young then the Eagles may have to look to its third string quarterback to finish the season.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins have been winning with great defense and a running game that has suddenly come to life. The NFL schedule looked to be a little tough for Miami when the season first started, but running back Reggie Bush and the rest of the Dolphins have seemed to pick up their game as the season wears on. The team would probably have to finish 8-8 to save Sporano’s job, and it looks like it could very well do that.

The Bottom Line

The Eagles don’t play well at home or on the road, but the team is much more unpredictable on the road. This does not look like a good matchup for the Eagles as the persistent Miami pass rush could be getting to Vince Young all day. This should be another long day for the “Dream Team.”

BSNblog Pick: Miami Dolphins

NFL Betting: Disappointment Surrounded Eagles, Bucs in NFC

2011-12-02T10:05:00.000-05:00

While the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, and Dallas Cowboys have all lived up to expectations and in many ways exceeded them in the NFC this season, the same cannot be said about a handful of teams that were expected to contend but have struggled through the first 12 weeks. Then Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were all expected to challenge for a title in their respective divisions this season, but as we enter the final sports betting stretch, neither of the three are on track to even make the postseason.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3) @ Seattle Seahawks

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

A season that many projected would finish with the Eagles fighting for a spot in the NFC Championship game has turned in to a year where Philadelphia is not only destined to miss the playoffs, but where fans are already calling for head coach Andy Reid to be fired. In fairness to Reid, the Eagles’ defensive front seven has been an absolute mess, and it doesn’t help that Michael Vick has missed the passed two games with broken ribs. As slim as their playoff chances are the Eagles will still be expected to win on the road this week against a Seattle team that has played just as poorly minus the lofty expectations, and unlike the way things have gone for most of this NFL season Philadelphia should be able to deliver.

NFL Betting Pick: Philadelphia Eagles - 3

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (- 3.5)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Buccaneers have lost five straight and at 4-7 won’t be competing for a playoff spot this year, yet they are still 3.5-point favorites at home against a Carolina team that has proven they have the offense to win games this pay head season. Panthers’ rookie quarterback Cam Newton has been incredible both with his legs and with his arm, and there is no reason to think that he won’t be pumped up for a divisional game as he looks for his best chance to win against an NFC South opponent in his rookie year. The Buccaneers have looked sloppy and undisciplined for most of this season, and that won’t change suddenly this week against a determined Carolina squad.

NFL Betting Pick: Carolina Panthers + 3.5

Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints (-8.5)

Sunday, 8:30 PM ET

The 5 Dimes reviews changed this game to Sunday night after it was originally scheduled for the afternoon, so they won’t be happy when the Saints run away with it in a blowout. Drew Brees and the New Orleans offense proved against the New York Giants that they can score at will on Monday Night Football, and it’s scary to think of what they will now to do the Lions, who will be without their best defensive player as Ndamakong Suh serves the first of a two-game suspension. Matt Stafford and the offense have been inconsistent all year, and while they may go through solid stretches, they won’t be able to keep pace with the Saints for four quarters.

NFL Betting Picks : New Orleans Saints – 8.5

New Mexico Lobos vs. Boise State Broncos Odds Preview

2011-11-30T09:08:00.000-05:00

The New Mexico Lobos and the Boise State Broncos will fight on Saturday at Bronco Stadium.

Yes, we’ll admit to suggesting a lean earlier on TCU laying 40 points against a team (UNLV) whose road supporters are so broke they couldn’t even afford to get arrested.

However, did you seriously expect to find us laying more points in this game (48) than the Broncos are averaging this betting season (40.9)? In fact, the Blue Man Group has only surpassed that number once in its last fi ve games (52-35 at San Diego State) and stands 2-4 ATS as favorites of more than 40 points.

However, with that being said, the Broncos are 6-2 ATS as LHG chalk while the ‘Wobos’ are 1-6 ATS in the BSNblog stats figured the Bulldogs might not get a friendly sendoff as they bid adieu to the WAC for the MWC.

It’s rather ironic that this season-ender takes place in Mountain West Country as the Aztecs get a fi rst-hand look at their new neighbors.

These two California natives haven’t met in nine years and we’re not sure that Hill is happy to see the Aztecs again as he has yet to grab the cash in three career matchups (1-2 SU, 0-3 ATS). Fresno’s 1-5 ATS log in LRG’s compared to Diego’s 6-2 ATS mark in LHG’s mark sure has us giddy, though.

With the Bulldogs’ four-year bowl streak snapped, and the Aztecs needing two more wins to match last season’s 9-4 record, we can only look one way tonight – and that’s to the south of California. No fun in the sun for the Bulldogs today.

Sportsbooks currently have the Broncos listed as 48½-point favorites against the New Mexico, and the game's total is sitting at 61.

New Mexico most recently:

When playing in December are 1-6

When playing on turf are 0-10

After being outgained are 1-9

When playing within the conference are 2-8

Boise State most recently:

When playing in December are 6-4

When playing on turf are 9-1

After outgaining opponent are 9-1

When playing within the conference are 8-2

NFL Week 13 Preview: Denver Broncos vs. Minnesota Vikings

2011-11-29T09:16:00.000-05:00

Online Betting Overview

Tebowmania keeps rolling right along as Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos found a way to beat the San Diego Chargers in week 12. But you have to look a little deeper at the Tebow magic to uncover its secrets. With the notable exception of the incredibly impressive victory over the Oakland Raiders in week nine, the Broncos have been riding a streak against sub-par teams with terrible offenses. Nowhere in the Tebow lineage will you find the Packers, Lions or Saints. Tebow actually faced the Lions in week eight and was pounded 45-10. It is the Denver defense that is winning these games. A quarterback with ability would have made everyone of these wins a blowout. Tebow turns them into overtime thrillers.

The price per head Vikings’ fans are curious to see where the Minnesota fortunes lie after the 2012 draft. Christian Ponder will be given a second chance at being the Minnesota starting quarterback in 2012 if only because of the conditions under which he won the pay per head starting job in the first place. After an incredibly abbreviated training camp, Ponder watched as veteran Donovan McNabb started the season. After four weeks of less than great play from McNabb, the Vikings turned to Ponder. After an extended stint as the Vikings’ starter, it is easy to say that Ponder is a bust. But Minnesota will give the kid an entire offseason and training camp to improve before making that determination.

Denver Broncos

The Denver offense is 31st in the league in passing and 25th overall. No matter how much magic a team has going for it, those numbers will eventually start to cause problems. Despite a quarterback that can only play effectively for five minutes a game and a head coach that won’t battle for a half yard in overtime, the Denver defense has managed to get better and better each week. A 5 dimes review of the Bronco’s defense shows a unit that has continually set up Tim Tebow for game-winning drives and Tebow can only capitalize some of the time. Tebowmania will die out when Tebow starts losing. But that won’t be this week.

Minnesota Vikings

People forget that the Vikings are getting hammered by injuries. Things are so bad that defensive end Jared Allen had to take over as the long-snapper when regular long-snapper Cullen Loeffler was injured. It is just one in a long list of injuries that have conspired to make the Vikings non-competitive. All-pro running back Adrian Peterson is gone for what appears to be the rest of the season, but the Vikings still battled in week 12 against the Falcons. But, in the end, there just isn’t enough in Minnesota to stop Tebow and the Broncos.

The Bottom Line

The NFL is seeing a lot of surprises in the AFC this year and the Broncos are definitely one of them. Tebowmania could be a fixture this season in the AFC, but don’t look for it to change the course of NFL history.

BSNblog Pick: Denver Broncos

NFL Betting: Contenders Look To Establish Themselves in AFC

2011-11-24T08:22:00.000-05:00

While there has been some separation in the NFC, it remains a mystery which teams in the AFC are ready to contend for a playoff spot, and which teams are destined to miss out on the big dance. The Buffalo Bills, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals have all looked like contenders at one point or another, but as we reach week 12 of the NFL regular season, they still haven’t managed to distinguish themselves from the rest of the sports betting pack.

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets (-8)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

While the Jets’ struggles are undoubtedly the bigger surprise of the two AFC East rivals set to clash this Sunday, that doesn’t mean that Buffalo’s collapse isn’t significant. A Bills’ team that opened the year with five wins through their first seven games has now lost three straight, including two against division rivals, and a second loss to New York will all but eliminate them from postseason contention. Unlike at the beginning of the season when Buffalo was forcing turnovers and capitalizing with an efficient offense, Ryan Fitzpatrick and company are now the ones turning the ball over while the defense has had trouble stopping anyone with 79 points allowed in their past two games alone. Meanwhile, the Jets’ supposedly elite defense has struggled to remain a top-10 unit, and their inability to prevent Denver Broncos’ quarterback Tim Tebow to score a late touchdown in a 17-13 loss last Thursday was the exclamation mark on a tough year. The fact that quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets’ offense wasn’t able to put that game away earlier is another story altogether, and while New York should be able to get the job done this Sunday at home, it is hard to ignore such a big sportsbook reviews spread for a team that has been so inconsistent this year.

NFL Betting Picks : Buffalo Bills + 8

Cleveland Browns @ Cincinnati Bengals (-7.5)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Making the postseason in the NFL often comes down to being able to win the games that you are expected to, and that is something that the Bengals have been able to do all year. While consecutive losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers are proof that Cincinnati is not ready to compete with the best in the AFC, they have put themselves in position to have a chance by winning games they are favored in, including a 27-17 win against the Cleveland Browns in their season opener. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton has progressed well as the unquestioned leader on offense, but it is the Bengals’ defense that has allowed them to remain competitive in every game. Cincinnati currently leads the AFC Wild Card race but cannot afford a third straight loss against a division rival, but that shouldn’t be an issued against a Cleveland team that has lost three of their last four and haven’t recorded a pay head victory against a team with a winning record so far this season.

NFL Betting Pick: Cincinnati Bengals – 7.5

NFL Week 12 Preview: Arizona Cardinals @ St. Louis Rams

2011-11-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

Sports Betting Overview

Neither the Arizona Cardinals nor the St. Louis Rams are in the running for the Andrew Luck sweepstakes as the Indianapolis Colts have a lock on that first draft spot at 0-10. The Cardinals came into this season with some very high expectations. Even though starting running back Tim Hightower was lost to the Washington Redskins, the Cardinals still have running back Beanie Wells. New quarterback Kevin Kolb was supposed to create a prolific duo with wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. But a weak offensive line has kept Kolb injured for part of the season and running for his life the other part. Beanie Wells has also had injury problems that have limited his effectiveness. It has not been the year the Cardinals were expecting.

The St. Louis Rams fell even further than the Cardinals in 2011. The price per head sports fans in St. Louis were genuinely excited about the prospects of improving on a 2010 that saw the Rams challenge for the NFC West title. But quarterback Sam Bradford has not developed as hoped, and the St. Louis offensive line is even worse than Arizona’s. The price per head bookie action in St. Louis was supposed to see the Rams threatening the 49ers for the NFC West divisional title. But the Rams are averaging only 12 points a game on offense while giving up an average of nearly 25 points a game on defense. That difference is not going to win you a lot of games in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals

A bodog review of the Cardinals’ offense shows a unit that is capable of moving the ball but incapable of scoring points. Kevin Kolb’s injury problems have limited him to only seven games this season, and in those seven games Kolb has thrown only eight touchdown passes. To make matters worse, Kolb has also thrown eight interceptions. Back-up quarterback John Skelton has three starts this season and he has thrown four touchdowns and five interceptions. The Cardinals want to believe that Kolb is the answer at quarterback. But until Kolb can show a sustained ability to put the ball into the endzone, he remains part of the problem as opposed to being an answer.

St. Louis Rams

Second-year quarterback Sam Bradford is definitely suffering from the sophomore jinx. He has started eight out of the Rams’ 10 games so far, and only has five touchdown passes. Last season, Bradford gave all of the NFL fans in St. Louis a reason to hope by throwing 18 touchdown passes in 16 games. But St. Louis fans conveniently forget that Bradford also threw 15 interceptions last season and has thrown five interceptions this season. The Rams are going to need more production from the quarterback position if it wants to win games this year.

The Bottom Line

When the Arizona Cardinals are playing well, it can be a good football team. The St. Louis Rams have not given any indication that it is capable of being a good football team under any conditions. This will be a mess to watch, but the Arizona fans should enjoy the outcome.

BSNblog Pick: Arizona Cardinals

NFL Betting: Lions among NFC Teams That Must Win Now

2011-11-17T08:42:00.000-05:00

The NFC playoff picture has changed dramatically over the past four weeks, and while teams like the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys have really struggled at times this season, they still have the time to turn things around just as quickly as they fell in to their current slumps. With so much power at the top there is little room for error the rest of the way for the true contenders, and if a team like Detroit is going to be classified in that group, they simply have to break out of their sports betting funk this weekend.

Carolina Panthers @ Detroit Lions (-7)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Lions were battered and bruised by a physical Bears’ team last weekend, ironically in a similar fashion to the way that their defense had beaten up some of the opposing teams earlier in the year. At 6-3, the Lions are technically still the frontrunners for an NFC Wild Card position, but after losing three of their last four betonline games they cannot afford to slide any further, especially with how tough their upcoming schedule is. Detroit will host the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers before making the trip south to face Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, so this Sunday’s home date against the 2-7 Panthers is a must-win situation. Carolina’s offense can score a ton, so it will be up to Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson to make sure that they win what should be an offensive battle.

NFL Betting Pick: Detroit Lions -7

Dallas Cowboys (-7.5) @ Washington Redskins

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Cowboys and Redskins are two teams heading in opposite directions at this point in the season, as Washington has lost five straight while Dallas has put together consecutive wins to climb above the .500 mark and to within reach of the division-leading New York Giants. The Cowboys will look to extend their winning streak to three after blowing away the Buffalo Bills in their strongest performance of the year, and this one could provide a similar NFL result considering how poorly the Redskins have played.

NFL Betting Pick: Dallas Cowboys – 7.5

Seattle Seahawks @ St. Louis Rams (-2)

Sunday, 4:05 PM ET

In a division that features three teams with three wins or less, it’s hard to figure out how all four teams are coming off wins. That will change this week for at least one as the Seahawks look to extend their string of consecutive wins against St. Louis, who overcame the Cleveland Browns 13-12 for a hard-earned road win. Many feel that the Rams are better than their record indicates, and while injuries and inconsistent play have hurt them this season, they have the chance to prove they can still compete with consecutive home dates against the Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. While Seattle has somehow managed to put together consecutive pay head wins, they have never been a great team away from home.

BSNblog Pick: St. Louis Rams - 2

NFL Week 11 Preview: Buffalo Bills vs. Miami Dolphins (-1)

2011-11-15T10:20:00.000-05:00

Online Betting Overview

Buffalo Bills fans knew that, eventually, the lack of a quality defense would catch up with the team. The Bills got off to a great start but, as seems to be the custom, as the season wears on the Bills fall further and further out of the playoff hunt. The difference is that, this season, the Bills were at least in the playoff picture up to mid-season. But the Buffalo Bills defense is completely incapable of stopping the run or defending the pass. When the defense is unable to stop the other team’s offense then that puts the Buffalo offense in a desperate situation. The Bills’ offense is forced to abandon its game plan to compensate for the lack of a defense. That is usually when the wheels start coming off for the Bills.

The Miami Dolphins hate these kinds of seasons. Last year, the Bills traveled to Miami for the annual Buffalo-Miami December football game. But this year, the Dolphins have to travel to snowy Buffalo in December. But between now and the December game, the two teams meet for the Miami home game right before Thanksgiving. The Miami Dolphins have won two games in a row and are feeling pretty good about itself. The Buffalo Bills fit the profile of a price per head team that is destined to lose to the Dolphins. The Bills are struggling, unable to play good defense and are out of its offensive rhythm. While the Bills need this game to cling to its slim playoff hopes, the Dolphins need this game to hold on to head coach Tony Sparano’s job.

Buffalo Bills

The price per head bookmaking services are quick to blame Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick for the Bills recent troubles because the guy with the brand new $10 million per year contract is an easy target. But none of the Bills’ recent woes can be laid on Fitzpatrick or anyone else on the Buffalo offense. The offense is trying to compensate for the fact that the defense is unable to stop the run or the pass. In week 10, the Dallas Cowboys played offense as though the Buffalo defense was not even on the field. The Buffalo offense is forced to change its game plan to try and hold on to the ball when that is not how the Bills’ offense is most successful. The Bills will have the same problem in this game.

Miami Dolphins

It is a betonline scam to assume that quarterback Matt Moore is the reason why the Dolphins have started winning. The Dolphins just needed a quarterback that did not give the ball away to the other defense. Chad Henne caused turnovers and Matt Moore does not. Right now, that is why the Miami Dolphins are able to win football games.

The Bottom Line

The NFL schedule is not being kind to the Bills for the next two weeks as Buffalo has two tough divisional games on the road in a row. If the Bills lose these two games, the playoffs are pretty much out of the question. But, then again, the Bills’ fans are getting used to not seeing post-season football.

BSNblog Free Pick: Miami Dolphins

NFL Betting: AFC Division Rivalries Hold Varying Impacts Week 10

2011-11-10T10:21:00.000-05:00

As we pass the midway point in the NFL season, the line between the contenders and the pretenders is still somewhat blurry, as it is uncertain which teams will be able to build on their strong starts and which teams will eventually fade away. Heading in to week 10, there are a couple division rivalries in the AFC that may fall under the radar to bigger contests, and while one is in fact irrelevant to the overall playoff picture, the other should have major postseason implications.

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs (-3)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

NFL fans once again watched in amazement as Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos surprised the world again with a huge 38-24 win over the Oakland Raiders in a road game that many had projected that they had no business even showing up for. The Broncos have installed the read-option that made Tebow so successful when he was winning a national championship with the Florida Gators a couple of years ago. The plan worked perfectly with the sophomore quarterback throwing for 124 yards and two touchdowns while also running for 118 more on an average of 9.8 yards per carry on the ground. While he may never be a top conventional quarterback, there is no doubt that he can still be an effective option in this league if used to his intertops abilities. Meanwhile, the Chiefs are going to need to find a rhythm of their own after having their four-game winning streak come to a sudden halt against the previously winless Miami Dolphins. Kansas City has the weapons on both sides of the ball to get the job done, which they proved during their winning streak, but in this case they may not have enough time to prepare for everything that Tebow brings and rebound from such a poor overall performance the week before in a disheartening loss.

NFL Betting Pick: Denver Broncos + 3

Jacksonville Jaguars (-3) @ Indianapolis Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

While this sports betting meeting between the Jaguars and Colts won’t hold the same playoff meaning as the aforementioned AFC West rivalry, it does feature two teams that have developed a rivalry of their own competing in the AFC South over the years, and may represent one of those team’s last shot at avoiding a winless season. It may still be too early to call that, but the fact Indianapolis is back home where they lost a couple of close games earlier in the season and playing against the team with the worst win percentage left on their schedule means that this is a game they must win. Of course, just don’t tell that to the Colts’ fans that have forgotten just how good of a quarterback Peyton Manning is and are already calling for his pay head successor in Stanford quarterback and top NFL prospect Andrew Luck.

NFL Betting Pick: Indianapolis Colts + 3

NFL Betting: Chargers, Raiders Kick Off Thursday Night Slate

2011-11-08T18:58:00.002-05:00

The NFL schedule is now going to include Thursday games for the rest of the season, and it begins this week with an AFC West rivalry as San Diego hosts Oakland in a matchup of two teams that desperately need a win. All four teams are within a win of each other in a mediocre division, so every game means a little more in the West.

Raiders Chargers Odds – Thursday, 8:20 PM ET

The Raiders (4-4) had a terrible second half in a 38-24 loss at home to Denver, as they were outscored 31-7 after halftime, and sportsbook reviews of this game would tell you that the Raiders beat themselves with three turnovers, 15 penalties and poor special teams that gave up the go-ahead score on a punt return. Carson Palmer was 19-of-35 for 332 yards and three touchdowns, but he was also picked off three times and the Raiders really missed the injured Darren McFadden as they may have gone to the air more than they wanted to. But the defense allowed 299 yards on the ground and that allowed Denver to take pressure off Tim Tebow, which is the opposite of what Oakland wanted to do.

The Chargers (4-4) made their own mistakes in a 45-38 loss at home to Green Bay, as Philip Rivers had three picks to spoil an otherwise great performance. Rivers went 26-of-46 for 385 yards and four touchdowns, but when two of your three touchdowns are run back for scores, your price per head odds are going to drop. The defense had no answer for Aaron Rodgers, but not many teams have as of late. It’s tough to put this loss solely on Rivers, but after he fumbled away a likely win in Kansas City last Monday, San Diego fans may be starting to panic.

Per head odds aren’t up for this game yet as the Raiders are awaiting to hear if McFadden can play this week, but the Chargers should be favored at home with records of 4-1 SU and 2-3 ATS in their last five meetings with the Raiders at Qualcomm Stadium, with four games falling under the posted total (along with a push). If you’re looking for an SU bet, take the Chargers to recover at home as the Raiders make too many unforced errors to make up for an offense that is trying to get Palmer up to speed. The Chargers will also be able to run with Mike Tolbert, and that limits Rivers’ mistakes. Between turnovers and penalties, the Raiders constantly shoot themselves in the foot and that will be the difference on Thursday. Take San Diego in your sports betting picks.

Kansas State Wildcats vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys Fighting at Boone Pickens Stadium

2011-11-05T14:29:00.002-04:00

The Aggies sure have put their fans through a rollercoaster ride in 2011: all three of Texas A&M’s defeats have come after blowing substantial halftime leads.

It happened again last week against Missouri as the Tigers overcame a 28-17 deﬁcit to stun A&M in overtime.

Can Mike Sherman’s men bounce back and hang with the resurgent Sooners? Sure, they can.

For openers, Oklahoma unloaded a season’s worth of frustration in their 58-17 humiliation of phony Kansas State and we question whether they can bring the same sort of intensity to this matchup.

The ‘revenge’ players will be all over OU here after A&M shocked the Sooners at College Station last year, winning 33-19 as a 3.5-point dog.

But we’re not about to lay doubles with erratic Oklahoma into a quality foe that’s going to be pretty angry and frustrated themselves after seriously jeopardizing their shot at the league title.

The Aggies also dress up as one of Marc’s ‘Lay Lady Lay’ plays from this year’s BSN Sports News – namely a dog that’s been favored in each of its last seven games in a row.

Not many meaningful numbers to compare – Oklahoma is a weak 5-12 ATS playing at Norman with Big 12 revenge while A&M’s Sherman is 2-0 SU and ATS after losing SU as a favorite of 5 or more points – so we’ll go with our gut here.

The visitors may suffer another ‘Aggie-nizing’ loss on the scoreboard but we think they’ll grab the cash.

Tulane Green Wave vs. Southern Methodist Mustangs Sporting News

2011-11-05T14:15:00.002-04:00

Three weeks ago, SMU’s 5-1 start was summoning up memories of years gone by when the feared ‘Pony Express’ ran roughshod over foes.

But back-to-back shocking defeats have dropped SMU to 5-3 for the season and seriously impaired its chances of returning to the CUSA championship game in December.

The Ponies were outgained by 313 yards in that pair of setbacks (outscored 65-10 by Tulsa and Southern Miss) and have now lost the stat battle in their last three sports news contests.

Hence, where June Jones and company were winning the stats by an average of 192 YPG in their ﬁrst four games of season, they’re now losing the stats by 81 YPG over the last four contests.

Yikes! The problem lies at the quarterback position where J.J.

McDermott has stepped in for the injured Kyle Padrone. McDermott’s initial success – he enjoyed strong outings in wins over TCU and UCF -– has disintegrated into back-to-back nightmares where he went a combined 33-for-69 with no touchdowns and six interceptions.

Fortunately for Jones, a possible cure has arrived in the form of the porous Tulane defense… though not enough to spark our interest.

Normally, we’d wave ‘goodbye’ to a Green Wave team playing its 10th straight game without rest behind an interim coach, but with the Mustangs a Homecoming favorite – and having tossed a shoe in each of their last two races – we’ll be content to observe from the grandstand.

Another team to avoid until they get back on a winning track…

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Wisconsin Badgers Latest News

2011-11-05T13:53:00.003-04:00

We wonder what’s going through the mind of Wisconsin defensive coordinator Chris Ash this week after seeing his charges (Ash also coaches the team’s defensive backs) give up back-to-back Hail Mary completions for game-winning TD’s – a 40-yarder by Ohio State and a 55-yard bomb to Michigan State.

As a result, the Badgers have dropped two straight Big Ten games and plummeted from No. 6 in the BCS rankings down to No. 20.

However, we don’t look for lightning to strike for a third time against shell- shocked Wisconsin here: Bret Bielema’s Badgers have pocketed the cash in the last ﬁve series get-togethers with Purdue and they also own a solid 4-0 ATS mark as conference chalk of 17 or more points.

However, we can’t let such good numbers blind us to the fact that ‘Bubble Bursters’ riding a two-game losing skid are usually bad ATS propositions.

The Boilermakers got derailed at Michigan last week, jumping out to a 7-0 lead before failing to dent the scoreboard again until just 15 seconds remained in the 36- 14 setback.

Purdue got whipped ‘In The Stats’ as well, gaining 311 yards compared to the Wolverines’ 535-yard explosion – and things won’t get easier against this pissed-off bunch of Badgers.

The Boilers need two wins in their ﬁnal four games to garner their ﬁrst bowl invitation under head coach Danny Hope but this won’t be one of them.

Still, we think we’ll let Wisky get healthy on its own before jumping back on the Badgers… especially with UW laying almost four touchdowns today. Pass.

Northwestern Wildcats vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Game Preview

2011-11-05T13:48:00.003-04:00

If you tuned in to see Michigan State get suffocated by Nebraska last week, you’ll probably equate this pick with being asked to run naked through a briar patch.

But after Northwestern snapped an ugly ﬁve-game losing streak with Saturday’s 59-38 bombardment of Indiana, we think the Wildcats are poised to make a strong season-ending run.

Pat Fitzgerald’s felines need wins in three of their last four games to bag their 4th straight bowl appearance – and with home games versus Rice and Minnesota all but assuring two of those victories, NU will need to win here today or against Michigan State in the season ﬁnale to keep the streak alive.

Our tireless database says the purple people eaters have a good chance. Fitzgerald is a perfect 3-0 ATS when taking points on the road if his club resides under the .400 win percentage mark, winning two of those games outright – including a 21-17 victory at Iowa as a 20-point dog.

The ‘Cats are also 4-1 ATS in the second of back-to-back road games while Nebraska weighs in with a 0-4 ATS mark playing the second of consecutive homers.

Even worse for the Huskers, head coach Bo Pelini owns an awful 2-11 ATS log as double-digit home chalk off a SU win, including 0-5 ATS if the opponent shows up with a sub .500 record.

With No. 1 quarterback Dan Persa struggling through injuries all season, Fitzgerald has managed to create a two-headed QB tandem – pairing Kain Colter with Persa – that’s actually produced results on the scoreboard.

No doubt Nebraska will be looking for another stiﬂing performance from its defense but we think the hungry Wildcats will bring enough offense to trap the corn boys in a back-and-forth shootout.

Our BSNblog cements it as the schizoid Huskers get caught looking ahead to next week’s showdown with Big Ten-leading Penn State.

Like gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello once sang, it’s time to “start wearing purple”!

NFL Betting: Eagles, Bears Take Spotlight From Division Rivalry Week Nine

2011-11-03T11:13:00.000-04:00

When it comes to the NFL regular season, there is no such thing as a guarantee other than at the end of the day the result does one way or the other change the outlook in the standings. The New Orleans Saints were the closest thing to a guaranteed winner last Sunday when they played the winless St. Louis Rams and lost 31-21, and will now have to defend their home turf against the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers as eight-point favorites. While the Saints look to bounce back, the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears are both on the right track with each team coming off consecutive wins, so something has to give when they meet under the Monday Night Lights at the Lincoln.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints (-8)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

One week after absolutely blowing away the Indianapolis Colts 62-7, the Saints were baffled by a St. Louis team that looked as though they would need a miracle just to keep it close in a game where they were outmatched in pretty much every area. Somehow, New Orleans managed to allow backup quarterback AJ Feeley to throw for 175 yards and a touchdown, while failing to slow down running back Stephen Jackson as he rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns as the obvious big threat on the opposing offense. While Tampa Bay was downright awful in a tough loss to the Bears overseas last week, they did beat the Saints in their first meeting of the season and have plenty more weapons than the Rams did. New Orleans should be able to bounce back and put a terrible performance behind them, but they will have trouble covering a big sports betting number against a talented Buccaneers’ team that is also looking to bounce back.

NFL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers +8

Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (-8)

Monday, 8:35 PM ET

It is no secret what Andy Reid has done with the Eagles coming out of their bye week over the pay per head years, which makes it even less of a surprise that Philadelphia dominated the division rival Dallas Cowboys so thoroughly last week. Now comes the even tougher test of preparing for that primetime spotlight once again, with a visit from a Bears’ team that has played pretty well in registering consecutive wins. Neither team can afford a loss right now as they look to re-enter the list of contenders in the NFC, but something has got to give. Philadelphia is still just 1-2 at home and should be the more desperate team to get back to .500. Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler has struggled with turnovers over the past couple of seasons in big NFL picks contests, but even though they won’t win, it’s hard to imagine the Bears not at least keeping it close in an important road game.

NFL Betting Pick: Chicago Bears + 8

Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Central Florida Knights Betting Odds

2011-11-02T11:30:00.000-04:00

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane and the Central Florida Knights will fight on Thursday at Bright House Networks Stadium and the betting game will be televised on CBSC.

We know Tulsa can score (154 points over their last four games) but it’s unlikely that the Golden Hurricane will be able to duplicate the offensive show that Case Keenum and the Cougars put on Rice when we last saw Conference USA in primetime action one week ago.

Not against Central Florida’s 3rd-rated stop-unit! Nonetheless, Tulsa is tied with the Cougars atop the West and this inter-league clash should show the country if they’re ready for that November 26th date in Houston.

Our sports betting news site says they are: after being outgained by 314 yards in their ﬁrst four contests (don’t forget that Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State dotted that schedule), the Hurricane own a positive 507-yard advantage in their past four games.

Tulsa and UCF have also faced two common foes this college football betting season (SMU, UAB) and it’s the visitors that hold a 258 YPG net edge in these contests.

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We’re not saying that this trip to Orlando is going to be easy but ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ is over and we just can’t ﬁnd any reason to back George O’Leary’s disappointing, money burning Knights (4-4 SU, 2-5 ATS).

Even a once promising regular season 7-1 ATS weekday log has fallen by the wayside with a pair of SU and ATS weekday losses already this season (BYU, UAB).

Simply put, we’re not going to outthink ourselves; give us the better team getting points as another Hurricane hits Central Florida.

Central Florida is -1½ point favorites against Tulsa Golden Hurricane and the total is set at 48½.

NFL Week 9 Preview: Cincinnati Bengals vs. Tennessee Titans (-3)

2011-11-01T10:45:00.000-04:00

Sports Betting Overview

The Cincinnati Bengals are 5-2 on the season and 4-1 in its last five games. After dismal showings for the past several seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals find itself battling for first place in the AFC North and right in the thick of a playoff hunt. The Bengals’ defense is essentially the same unit that played last year. The biggest differences for Cincinnati are rookie quarterback Andy Dalton and rookie wide receiver A.J. Green. Fans should keep in mind that the Bengals have yet to play the Baltimore Ravens or Pittsburgh Steelers this season. Those four divisional games will decide the Bengals’ fate for this season. But for now, Cincinnati has to deal with a very hungry Tennessee team.

The Titans were not expected to accomplish anything this season. The price per head sports fans in Tennessee watched as the Titans got rid of all of its starting quarterbacks and its head coach in a single off-season. But when the Titans brought in veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, some fans started to take an interest in the team’s chances this year. When the AFC South was thrown up for grabs at the announcement that Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning would not be playing this season, the Titans players and fans started to get a little hopeful. The Titans have, for the most part, exceeded expectations for this season. But at 4-3, Tennessee needs to start winning more games if it wants to have a shot at the playoffs.

Cincinnati Bengals

The bookie software has revealed that, under all of the drama created last year by the Cincinnati offense, there was a pretty good defense brewing. With prima donnas such as Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer no longer in Cincinnati, the offense has dramatically improved. That means that the defense is not on the field nearly as much as it was last year, and it is being utilized like it should be. The defense is rested and potent, which has allowed it to become a top five NFL defense. The offense looks more coherent this season than it did last season. But the scary thing about the Bengals’ offense is that it still has a couple of years to go before it full matures.

Tennessee Titans

The success story in Tennessee is all about quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The Titans have the highest paid running back in football in Chris Johnson but the worst run offense in the league. After seven games played, Johnson has only been able to manage 302 rushing yards. The NFL picks for this game will be determined by how well the Bengals defense can contain the Tennessee offense. Since Hasselbeck is the Tennessee offense, it becomes a battle between the Titans’ quarterback and the extremely fast and athletic Cincinnati defense.

The Bottom Line

The intertops odds makers have the Titans favored in this game. But the Bengals’ defense is more than capable of shutting down Tennessee’s one-dimensional offense. Andy Dalton and the Cincinnati offense will be able to score points on the Titans’ defense and put this game away by the end of the third quarter.

Pick: Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Seattle Seahawks Free Picks and Odds For Week 8

2011-10-29T10:21:00.000-04:00

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Seattle Seahawks will try to pick up a win on Sunday, October 30th, 2011 at CenturyLink Field.

Who died and made Cincinnati road favorites? Maybe the next picture that the Daily News shows of Gadhaﬁ, he’ll be standing in a freezer wearing a Bengals’ cap!

We know that Cincy already came through in this role once this year (at Jacksonville) and we used them as a best bet.

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However, at the time of that writeup, the striped ones were installed as 1-point dogs and we’re not about to push our luck with this bungling bunch.

For starters, Cincy is 0-7 ATS away with rest (a perfect ﬁt to this season) and 1-6 ATS in Game Seven while the Seahawks are a comfortable 10-1 ATS at home versus non-conference opposition.

Our sports betting news database also tells us that: home teams that scored 3 or less points in their last game if playing off a Bye in the previous week are 11-4 SU and ATS.

What more needs to be said other than the Bye Week bites another unsuspecting foe. Editors note: With the line now up to 3 points, grab it ASAP.

NFL Betting Pick: Seahawks over Cincinnati by 1

The Bengals are listed as 2½-point favorites against the Seahawks, and the game's total is sitting at 38½.

Cincinnati Bengals vs. Seattle Seahawks trends to consider on the NFL Week 8:

The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 6 games

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 5 games when playing Seattle

Cincinnati is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Cincinnati's last 6 games when playing on the road against Seattle

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle's last 5 games when playing Cincinnati

The total has gone OVER in 13 of Seattle's last 17 games

The total has gone OVER in 6 of Seattle's last 8 games at home

Seattle is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games when playing Cincinnati

NFL Betting: AFC South Looks Much Different Without Manning This Season

2011-10-27T11:09:00.000-04:00

If someone had argued at the end of last season that the only team out of contention in the AFC South by week eight would be the Indianapolis Colts, most sports betting critics would have laughed and wrote them off. Heading in to this Sunday’s divisional showdown weekend in the AFC South that is exactly the case with the winless Colts struggling to find any semblance of an identity without their franchise quarterback Peyton Manning leading the way. Following their worst loss of the season, Indianapolis will travel to the Music City to take on the Tennessee Titans in a crucial NFL game for the home side, while the Jacksonville Jaguars look to build on a surprising Monday Night Football win as they take on the division-leading Houston Texans.

Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans (-9)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

It is hard to imagine after a 62-7 loss to the New Orleans Saints that the Colts actually came close to winning a couple of games this year, but it wasn’t that long ago that games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers went down to the wire. Perhaps the failure to capitalize on those chances has ruined the morale in Indianapolis, but whatever the case, head coach Jim Caldwell will need to find a way to bring out a lot more passion and intensity from his pay head team before his seat gets any hotter. The Colts are on the road this Sunday to take on a Tennessee team that is also coming off of a blowout loss, and it is hard to figure out which team was stung more. While Indy was crushed on the scoreboard, the hometown Titans’ fans watched on as a win that would have moved them into first place turned in to a devastating loss that could play on the team’s mindset as far as confidence is concerned going forward. Tennessee should be able to clinch this game in a must-win situation, but it will come down to the wire as the Colts show a much better effort.

NFL Betting Pick: Indianapolis Colts + 9

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans (-9.5)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

As good as it must have felt for the home fans to celebrate a Monday Night Football win over the Baltimore Ravens, it’s hard to imagine the team not suffering a letdown as they travel following their most emotional win of the year. The Jaguars did a lot of things right on defense against the Baltimore attack, but the Texans represent an entirely different monster and can score in more ways than one, as they showed against the Titans. Houston has the perfect opportunity to capitalize on the Colts missing Manning and lock up their first division title and playoff spot this season, and these are the intertops wins they need if they are going to get to that point.

Picks NFL : Houston Texans – 9.5

NFL Week 8 Preview: New Orleans Saints vs. St. Louis Rams

2011-10-26T22:49:00.003-04:00

BSNblog Overview

The Breeder’s Cup betting is getting a lot of attention in New Orleans because they love horse racing in the Big Easy. But the anticipation of the New Orleans Saints playing another sub-par defense in week eight after completely dismantling the Indianapolis Colts in week seven is getting even more talk. The Saints played the Sunday night game against the Colts in week seven and wound up winning the game 62-7. It was a dominating performance by New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees that could easily be repeated in week eight.

The St. Louis Rams gave a little preview of their pending week eight defensive break down in its week seven loss to the Dallas Cowboys. In a game that should have been close, the Rams disappointed the price per head bookmaking crowd by giving up 287 rushing yards to just two Dallas running backs which featured rookie running back DeMarco Murray picking up 253 rushing yards. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who has been largely ineffective all season long, picked up only 166 passing yards for the game but he threw two touchdowns and no interceptions. Things were supposed to be challenging in St. Louis this season, but they were not supposed to be so outwardly bad.

New Orleans Saints

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing to the Chicago Bears in London, England in week seven, the Saints were able to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC South with a 5-2 record. Head coach Sean Payton called the game from the press box after having surgery to repair a broken leg and ACL injury he suffered in a sideline collision in week six. But the Saints just keep on rolling and it looks like the New Orleans defense has finally caught up to the offense as far as being in mid-season form. The Saints’ defense was superb against the Colts, which makes this NFL betting picks easier.

St. Louis Rams

Instead of taking a few more steps forward this season and building on a decent end to last year, the Rams have regressed horribly and are in definite danger of going 0-16. In the week seven loss to the Cowboys, the Rams showed that its defense has no teeth. It could not stop the run and it was not effective enough to prevent a relatively ineffective Tony Romo from throwing two touchdown passes. With starting quarterback Sam Bradford out and veteran back-up A.J. Feeley starting, the Rams’ offense looks lost. Running back Steven Jackson was only able to gain 70 rushing yards at a time when the running game needed to pick up the passing game. It is not a pretty sight in St. Louis right now.

The Bottom Line

The only thing that NFL fans in St. Louis can hope for in this game is that the Saints do not run up another 62 point embarrassment. But, judging by the way the Rams’ defense has been playing, 62 points is a definite possibility.

Pick: New Orleans Saints

NFL Betting: Week Seven Spotlight Shines On NFC North

2011-10-21T09:28:00.000-04:00

While the NFC East and NFC South seem to be getting the most attention, perhaps the most competitive division in the conference right now is the NFC North, where the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers lead an impressive trio of teams that will contend for a playoff spot this season. While the Packers remain the NFL’s lone undefeated team, the Detroit Lions will look to rebound from their first loss this weekend, while the Chicago Bears look to make an NFL statement that they should not be overlooked.

Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (At London)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

One week after dismantling the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears will look to close the gap between them and the Lions even further with a trip to London, England, where they will clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers bounced back from their worst defeat in franchise history against the San Francisco 49ers to beat the New Orleans Saints and move into first place in their division last week, but they remain one of the teams that Chicago will likely battle for a Wild Card spot. While the Bears should be able to continue to beat some of the inferior opponents that they face in the NFC, Tampa Bay is a legitimate playoff team and should be able to cause price per head matchup problems for Chicago on both sides of the ball.

NFL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1

Atlanta Falcons @ Detroit Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Many were shocked that the Lions weren’t able to continue their strong start against the 49ers, but they won’t have much time to reflect with another hungry team coming in to town in the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons bounced back from a loss to Green Bay with a win over the Carolina Panthers, and unless Detroit is able to create some disruption in the Atlanta backfield they could be in trouble. The Lions should be able to move the ball a lot easier this week with Matt Stafford and Calvin Johnson looking to bounce back, but any sports betting victory will begin with a better effort from the defense.

NFL Betting Pick: Detroit Lions – 3.5

Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings

Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

Only a year ago this would have been considered a marquee matchups, but instead this Sunday it is a chance to see how well rookie Christian Ponder will hold up against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Packers are trucking through every opponent that they face, and unless Ponder can operate at a Pro Bowl level in his first career NFL start, this one shouldn’t be close. Green Bay is once again a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and so far they have showed no pay per head signs of slowing down.

NFL Betting Picks: Green Bay Packers – 8.5

NFL Betting: Redskins, Cowboys Look To Bounce Back With NFC East Wide Open

2011-10-20T08:18:00.000-04:00

Through the first six weeks of the NFL season the NFC East remains wide open, with just two games separating first from last in the division. While the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles both enter their respective bye week on the heels of crucial wins, the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys will both look to bounce back from tough losses this Sunday in week seven of the regular season.

Washington Redskins @ Carolina Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

After a quick NFL picks start, the Redskins couldn’t hold up against the Eagles at home in a tough 20-13 loss that could mark a potential turning point in their season. Washington won three of their first four games with Red Grossman as the starting quarterback, but after he threw four interceptions against Philadelphia, head coach Mike Shanahan is reassessing his options. Shanahan could very well go with John Beck, who ran for the Redskins’ lone touchdown against the Eagles, although a couple of players have already voiced their support in favor of continuity. Wide receiver Santana Moss has gone on record saying that there is “no doubt” that Grossman should be the team’s starter, but if he is going to continue to handle that role he will need to be more careful with the football and avoid the turnovers that have plagued him throughout his career. The schedule doesn’t get any easier for Washington with games against Cam Newton and the Panthers and then the surprising Buffalo BIlls, and it will take a greater sense of urgency if they are going to bounce back from last week’s loss regardless of who gets the sports betting start.

NFL Betting Pick: Washington Redksins + 2.5

St. Louis Rams @ Dallas Cowboys

Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Cowboys made the mistake of giving Tom Brady and the New England Patriots the ball in the dying minutes of a game they led, and it came back to haunt them as Brady marched down the field and delivered the game-winning touchdown. Dallas has now surrendered fourth quarter leads in each of their three losses, and if they are going to have any chance at making a push for the playoffs they are going to need to avoid those costly mistakes late in games. The Cowboys will match up well against the winless Rams, but like any other game they will need to protect the football. St. Louis has had a tough time moving the ball, and it won’t get any easier against Rob Ryan’s defense. Dallas head coach Jason Garrett prefers to move the ball through the air, and it will be interesting to see if they go to the ground more often against the league’s worst run defense. The Rams will have a tough pay head time remaining competitive against any team on the road, and if the Cowboys are going to be contenders this year they will have to make a statement in this game.

NFL Betting Pick: Dallas Cowboys – 13

College Football Betting Picks: N.C. State vs. Virginia Odds

2011-10-19T10:08:00.000-04:00

The North Carolina State Wolfpack and the Virginia Cavaliers will fight on Saturday when they meet at Scott Stadium.

The Cavs upset of previously unbeaten Georgia Tech puts them in prime ‘Brilliant Disguise’ mode this afternoon in Charlottesville reminds us to play against any college football betting favorite who won SU as an underdog against a 5-0 or better opponent in their last game.

A 4-21 ATS tightener to this system ties in nicely to NC State and Tom O’Brien’s 17-4 ATS log versus an opponent off a SU dog win compliments the Boss’ tune.

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The veteran head coach is also a well-prepared 13-5 ATS as a dog with rest and we’ll need to lean on that to offset a not-so cozy 0-5 ‘ITS’ record this season. We can also rely on a series history that shows the Wahoos just 2-3 SU in these meetings since 2001 with those wins coming by a combined 12 points (5,7).

In fact, the last time that Virginia laid this many points to the Pack (1998), then-President Bill Clinton was ‘not having sexual relations’ with Monica Lewinsky and the cost of a gallon of gas was $1.15! Like Hillary’s husband, you can lay it if you want but we say take what you can get and ‘know just what you’ve got in this new thing you’ve found.’

To us the 4-2 Cavaliers, with close wins over pathetic Indiana (3 points) and Idaho (1 point), are nothing more than a ‘Brilliant Disguise.’

Free Betting Pick: Virginia over NC State by 1

The Cavaliers are listed as 5½-point favorites against the Wolfpack, while the game's total is sitting at 52.

North Carolina State most recently:

When playing in October are 3-7

When playing on grass are 7-3

After being outgained are 5-5

When playing within the conference are 5-5

Virginia most recently:

When playing in October are 5-5

When playing on grass are 5-5

After outgaining opponent are 4-6

When playing within the conference are 2-8

Hawaii Warriors vs. San Jose State Spartans Odds

2011-10-14T07:03:00.000-04:00

The Friday night lights have already seen a couple of WAC teams in non- conference action (Utah State dropped a close one to BYU, Fresno State got drilled by Boise) so why not show a conference clash in this wide- open league.

Sportsbooks currently have the Warriors listed as 5½-point favorites versus the Spartans, while the game's total is sitting at 56.

Well, after checking our betting database, the more apropos question becomes: why? The Warriors are 1-6 ATS on the road in regular-season weekday affairs since 2003 and just 1-2 SU and ATS on the mainland this season, including an embarrassing loss in Vegas less than a month ago.

Hawaii did open league play with a 44-26 win in Ruston as 4.5-point dogs and that ﬁgures to bode well against a Spartans’ squad that is a sword-less 1-7 ATS against conference foes off a SU dog win, including 0-4 ATS at home.

Nonetheless, we still can’t get that 20-point loss to UNLV out of our minds.

Here’s hoping that the NLCS goes at least ﬁve games or it will be Friday Night Lights for us… the one on NBC, that is (hey, maybe Minka Kelly will make another guest appearance). Next.

L Betting: AFC North Looks To Flex Its Muscle Over Injury Plagued South This Sunday

2011-10-13T09:24:00.000-04:00

Things would look a lot different heading in to week six of the NFL regular season if there wasn’t so many injuries plaguing the AFC South, but with Peyton Manning, Mario Williams, and Andre Johnson all injured there is no doubt about which division in three AFC matchups. The Baltimore Ravens find themselves one-half game ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North coming off their bye week, and will look to remain north of both of those teams in the standings with all three teams heavy favorites for this Sunday.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers (-12)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Jaguars’ 32nd ranked passing offense will go up against the Steelers’ top-ranked pass defense this weekend, and that shapes up as a nightmare for rookie quarterback Blaine Gabbert and a team that has struggled with four straight losses. Jacksonville’s schedule doesn’t get any easier with trips to Pittsburgh and Baltimore in consecutive weeks, and while the defense has kept them competitive for the most part this season, things could get ugly in a hurry for a franchise lacking much of an identity. The Steelers have won two of three against the AFC South, and after finally putting it all together against the Tennessee Titans in their biggest pay head win of the year will look to flex their muscle against an inferior opponent.

NFL Betting Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers - 12

Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals (-7)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Even despite an 0-5 record, the Colts have managed to remain competitive in their last four sports betting games, losing each of them by a single score. Indianapolis may have already had its best chance to get in the win column however, and after blowing a 17-point second quarter lead against the Kansas City Chiefs, they will now travel on a season-high three-game road trip. While the Colts have struggled without their franchise quarterbacks, the Bengals have graduated to a new leading man in rookie Andy Dalton, who continues to progress as a legitimate starter. Dalton won’t be asked to do too much with Cedric Benson back in the game, and as long as they don’t turn the ball over Cincinnati should be able to cover.

NFL Betting Picks : Cincinnati Bengals - 7

Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens (-7.5)

Sunday, 4:05 PM ET

What was considered two weeks ago to be a marquee matchup that would feature two key AFC contenders is now one of the more lopsided contests of the week, with the Texans limping in to Baltimore missing both Mario Williams and Andre Johnson. While Houston has been decimated by injuries, the Ravens return from their bye well rested and looking to extend their winning streak with a statement game at home. How well Matt Schaub and the remaining pieces are able to come together will determine how close this game ends up, but in the end the Texans simply don’t have the pay per head weapons to keep up.

NFL Betting Pick: Baltimore Ravens – 7.5

NFL Odds: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

2011-10-12T11:48:00.000-04:00

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet on Sunday at Heinz Field.

The Steelers got back on the win track with a convincing 21-point romp here last week over Tennessee.

More important, its defense is beginning to assert itself once again as they have held each of their last four foes to season low – or 2nd low – yardage. The good news is Pittsburgh is 9-3 ATS at home in games off a home win of more than 20 points.

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The bad news – and there is almost always bad news for teams off easy wins – is the Steelers’ 2-8 ATS mark as favorites of 13 or more points in games off awin.

Meanwhile, the Jags from Jacksonville enter on a 0-4 SU and ATS slide knowing they are 4-0 SU and ATS in games off four losses in a row. They are also 5-0 ATS as dogs in this series.

With that, look for the Steel City crew to slip to 1-9 ATS as double-digit chalk in games against anyone outside the AFC North off a SU and ATS loss. By the book, the Jags are worth a look.

NFL betting picks: Steelers over Jacksonville by 10

Jacksonville most recently:

When playing in October are 5-5

When playing on grass are 5-5

After outgaining opponent are 5-5

When playing outside the division are 3-7

Pittsburgh most recently:

When playing in October are 7-3

When playing on grass are 8-2

After outgaining opponent are 8-2

When playing outside the division are 7-3

College Football Betting: Utah Utes vs. Pittsburgh Panthers

2011-10-12T08:52:00.000-04:00

The Utah Utes and the Pittsburgh Panthers will meet on Saturday at Heinz Field.

Free at last – from the MAC, that is – and much like Marty King, we also have a dream.

However, it’s probably not the same dream the Utes had when they thought they could be a competitive force in the realigned Pac-12.

Utah simply can’t fi nish: in consecutive home losses to conference foes Washington and Arizona State, the Salt Lakers were outscored in the second half by 21-7 and 25-7.

Granted, it may do Kyle Whittingham’s team visitors own a solid 7-2 ATS mark when playing with conference revenge but that stat is largely negated by Oregon’s 5-1 ATS series mark of late.

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The Ducks own more good numbers but the loss of star RB LaMichael James to a dislocated elbow last week cannot be underestimated (James rushed for 239 yards in 30 carries before leaving in the fourth quarter against Cal).

Even if James remains on the sidelines, the presence of ESPN’s College GameDay crew at Autzen Stadium will guarantee an electric atmosphere.

Erickson’s ‘D’ has allowed more than 22 points just once in six games this year so even a lukewarm showing from the offense means ASU has a good chance of hanging within the 2-TD spread.

Don’t expect either team to fold in the late going as both squads staged big second-half comebacks last week to turn potential losses into wins and covers. Devils get the call here.

The Panthers listed as 7-point favorites versus the Utes, while the game's total is sitting at 47.

A few trends to consider:

Utah is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games on the road

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Utah's last 7 games on the road

Utah is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games

Pittsburgh is 17-4 SU in its last 21 games at home

Pittsburgh is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games

NFL Week 6 Preview: Key NFC Matchup: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Redskins

2011-10-10T20:57:00.003-04:00

Sports Betting Overview

After the way that the New York Giants lost to the Seattle Seahawks in week five and the nose-dive that the Philadelphia Eagles took against the Buffalo Bills, the Washington Redskins are becoming the NFC East favorite by default. The Dallas Cowboys are extremely inconsistent, and the Redskins are proving to be the only team in the NFC East that is capable of putting two wins together. But the Redskins are not doing these things by accident. Washington has a very good defensive front and an active defensive secondary. The offensive line is opening up holes for running back Tim Hightower and giving quarterback Rex Grossman time to find open receivers. The Redskins are second in lowest points allowed and in the bottom half of the league in points scored. It is an interesting mix that is holding on to the NFC East lead right now.

The “Dream Team” has gone beyond nightmare straight to embarrassment. When the Eagles promoted offensive line coach Juan Castillo to defensive coordinator, the moved raised some eyebrows. The Eagles spent a lot of money bringing in a lot of top defensive talent and it was going to put someone who had never called a defense in charge of it. The experiment is failing, and the big names from the Eagles’ defense are hardly ever heard from during the course of a game. The price per head sports fans in Philadelphia just got rocked by the loss of the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs, and now they face the possibility that the Eagles will have a losing season. All is not well in the city of brotherly love.

Washington Redskins

The pay per head football fans in Washington, DC are amazed at how good the Redskins’ defense has become. Mike Shanahan was right in his decision to cut ties with Albert Haynesworth, and Shanahan was right in his decision to change the Washington defense to a 3-4 configuration. The Washington secondary is aggressive and opportunistic, and the front seven have been able to stand up to almost any opposing passing or rushing attack. Rex Grossman is not a great quarterback, but he really has not hurt the Redskins just yet. Grossman still has to prove that he can perform well in big games, and as regular season games go, this is a big one.

Philadelphia Eagles

The sportsbook reviews on the Eagles’ season to this point all show how important coaching really is to a football team. The Eagles’ defense is awful and can be traced back to a poor use of quality players by an inexperienced defensive coordinator. The Eagles’ offensive line is still unable to protect quarterback Michael Vick, yet very few changes have been made on the offensive line. The Eagles knew it had some serious deficiencies on its roster coming into this season. But the team has made all of the wrong moves to try and compensate for those deficiencies, and it is showing up on the field.

The Bottom Line

NFL fans in Washington are starting to believe that their team is well-coached, while Philadelphia fans still have no answers to the team’s poor start. When week six is over, things will not have gotten any better in the Philadelphia locker room.

NFL Betting Picks: Washington Redskins

NFL Betting: Little Room For Error in Talented NFC South Division

2011-10-06T10:45:00.000-04:00

Following a three-year span in which the NFC East was consider the dominant division in the conference, it seems as if that label has now been placed on the NFC South, where the reigning division champion Atlanta Falcons are looking up at the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers heading in to week five. Right behind them is a talented Carolina Panthers’ team, and although they may not contend for a playoff spot this year, they will certainly have an impact on the postseason landscape this NFL season.

New Orleans Saints (-6) @ Carolina Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Panthers will allow rookie first overall pick Cam Newton to continue to do his thing, as they give him even more leverage to make plays both on the ground and through the air. The New Orleans defense could have a tough time containing the former Heisman trophy winner in their second road game in as many weeks, and defensive coordinator Greg Williams is sure to come up with some funky blitz schemes to try and confuse him. The Saints’ offense was held to just 23 points last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, their lowest total of the season. But considering that Carolina hasn’t been able to stop anyone through the air or on the ground, it shouldn’t be a problem for Drew Brees and company to put up some big sports betting numbers and force the rookie to try and keep up once again.

NFL Betting Pick: New Orleans Saints - 6

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ San Francisco 49ers (-3)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

After a tough loss at home to the Detroit Lions in week one, the Buccaneers have bounced back with three straight wins to take over first place in the division, including a close pay per head win over the division rival Falcons two weeks ago. If Tampa Bay is going to keep up with Atlanta and New Orleans this season, they will need to find a way to win the games in which they are favored on the road. The 49ers proved in their win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week that they won’t roll over for anyone, but the Buccaneers are a much different team than the one that San Francisco beat last Sunday.

NFL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers + 3

Green Bay Packers (-5.5) @ Atlanta Falcons

Sunday, 8:30 PM ET

The pay head problem with the Falcons is that they don’t have the defense to slow opponents down, so even though they score a ton of points, they can’t stop anyone. The same cannot be said about a Green Bay defense that has struggled more than expected this year, but has still made plays. The defending Super Bowl champions are rolling as one of two undefeated teams still remaining, and they should have no problem extending that run against an Atlanta team that they roughed up last NFL betting picks postseason.

NFL Betting Pick: Green Bay Packers – 5.5

NFL Week 5 Preview: Oakland Raiders vs. Houston Texans

2011-10-03T11:06:00.000-04:00

Online Betting Overview

The Oakland Raiders are not playing very consistent football, but they are fun to watch. New head coach Hue Jackson often has unique outlooks on life and football that he passes on to his players. He also passes on his unique views in post-game press conferences which make for some very interesting sound bites. The Raiders have been trying to live off of running back Darren McFadden and the running game for the first four weeks of the season and wound up finishing 2-2. That is not a bad start, but if the Raiders want to keep pace with the San Diego Chargers in the AFC West, then Oakland is going to need to develop its passing game and open up the field just a little more. Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell seems to be thriving under Jackson’s system, but it is taking time for the team to adjust.

The Houston Texans are in a battle with the Tennessee Titans for the lead in the AFC South. But the price per head football fans in Houston are all anxiously awaiting the results of an MRI on the hamstring of all-pro wide receiver Andre Johnson. A strained hamstring is a week or two off and then Johnson can contribute again. A torn hamstring will follow Johnson for the rest of his career. One thing is for sure, even if Johnson forces himself to play against the Raiders, he will not be nearly as effective as he normally is. That takes a lot of pressure off of the Oakland secondary, that is until Arian Foster and Ben Tate start running the ball.

Oakland Raiders

The pay per head defense in Oakland is off to a rough start for the 2011-2012 season. The Buffalo Bills exploited the Oakland secondary for a win in week two, and Tom Brady and the New England Patriots shredded the Oakland secondary in week four. The loss of cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha is proving to be more formidable than Raiders fans had anticipated. The problem is that Oakland does not have a pass rush to compensate for the lack of a secondary. That will be a huge problem against the Texans who love to get running backs and tight ends into the opposing secondary.

Houston Texans

The bet online difference between this year’s Houston Texans team and last year’s, aside from the improvements on defense, is the options available on offense. If Andre Johnson cannot play this game, then the Texans will play a two-back set with Foster and Tate along with getting the tight ends more involved in the long passing game. Once the Texans get past the Oakland linebackers, there is little to stop Houston from scoring.

The Bottom Line

NFL betting picks fans know that the Raiders are a scrappy bunch that never give up at any point in a game. But with Nnamdi Asomugha leaving a huge hole in the secondary and the Oakland pass rush being less than expected this season, Oakland is going to have a problem stopping Houston. The Texans have so many weapons on offense that it can handle the Raiders without Andre Johnson.

Pick: Houston Texans

2011 NFL Week 4 Betting Patriots vs. Oakland Raiders Odds

2011-10-02T11:59:00.000-04:00

The Oakland Raiders coach Hue Jackson does not seem very concerned that his team could not have two starters in the secondary for four week's game against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Since taking office that belonged to Tom Cable, Jackson did not allow his players to make excuses and not willing to use them.

That faith will be tested if the free safety Michael Huff can not play. Huff suffered a concussion in week three victory over the New York Jets and was listed as questionable on the team injury report.

With cornerback Chris Johnson sidelined with a thigh injury, the Raiders will have to seek help from their bench to try to stop the offensive number one Brady led the NFL, the best quarterback in the AFC.

"He who follows," said Jackson. "We can not worry about that. If you are outside is outside and that between the follower ".

Johnson hurt his thigh in the opening minutes of the victory over Jets 34-24 and did not practice throughout the week. Joe Porter and substitutes were divided Chimdi Chekwa to replace Johnson played in that game until the defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan decided to stay with Chekwa, who was a fourth-round pick.

Jackson declined to say who would be the starter in place of Johnson.

The coach said Huff passed the test required of the players after suffering concussions, although he admitted not know if Huff had fallen or not.

"Once you pass the test, there are still other factors that have to happen that are not included," he said. "We just have to keep pushing those."

Tyvon Branch likely will move to free safety in the event that Huff can not play.

The good news for Oakland is that their potent offense would be enhanced by the return of wide receiver Jacoby Ford, who has not played since the season opener and is listed as questionable, but has said he expects to play.

Sportsbooks currently have the Patriots listed as 6-point favorites versus the Raiders, while the game's total is sitting at 55.

And Then There Was 1 Wild Card

2011-09-29T09:11:00.000-04:00

It was nearly a month ago, that MLB betting enthusiasts felt that the 2011 season was the most predictable, as all of the playoff spots including the Wild Cards in each league appeared to be decided. Now on the final day of the season, the Tampa Bay Rays have stung their way back to a tie with the Boston Red Sox for the American League Wild Card. Meanwhile, in the National League, the Atlanta Braves have gone on a cold streak, while the Cardinals have been hot, as a result, fishing games enthusiasts are also witnessing a tie in the National League wild card race. Today being the final game of the regular season, it all comes down to this.

The Tampa Bay Rays have been a feel good story in sports betting circles since 2008, when they went on an improbable run to the World Series and lost to the Philadelphia Phillies. Now nearly three years later, the Rays and their low budget of $41 million, have fans and analysts from across the nation, hoping that they out gun the super team known as the 2011 Boston Red Sox.

A month ago, the Tampa Bay Rays were 10 games out of a wild card spot. Entering tonight’s final game of the season against the MLB leading New York Yankees, Tampa must at the very least win to force a one game playoff with the Boston Red Sox. At the same time, the Boston Red Sox, experiencing a meteoric collapse similar to the 2007 New York Mets whom blew a 12 game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies, are hoping that their pitching gets its focus together. If Boston fails to win the wild card, they would become one of only 11 teams in the history of the league to have the best World Series betting odds prior to the season, only to lose the first six games of the season, and then fail to make the playoffs.

On the other hand, the Atlanta Braves are basically begging the St. Louis Cardinals to take the wild card spot from them. Since the beginning of September, the Braves have gone nine and 17 including a seven to one loss to Philadelphia yesterday. At the same time, St. Louis has accumulated a record of 17 and eight this month, including a five to nothing victory over the lowly Houston Astros last night.

Theoretically, if all four wild card teams remain in sync after tonight’s action, it would be the first time ever, that both the AL and NL played a one game playoff in the same year. With a rumored second wild card team being added to each league as early as next year, fans should expect to see a 163rd game almost every season, to determine the final entrants in the playoffs.

If each league’s wild card comes down to a one game playoff, expect the scores to go under the total, as each game will have great pitching matches. In the AL Josh Beckett takes on James Shields, and in the NL Edwin Jackson takes on Jair Jurrjens.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Syracuse Orange: College Football Betting

2011-09-28T09:08:00.001-04:00

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Syracuse Orange will meet on Saturday at Carrier Dome.

We’re not sure which was more blatant. The phantom holding call on a punt return in the final minute of the Green Bay-Chicago game that cost the Bears a backdoor cover or the blown extra-point call in regulation that gave the Orange the cover as they eventually outlasted Toledo in overtime (maybe it IS time to bring Tim Donahue on our staff).

However, despite a 6-2 ATS mark at home in this football betting series, we feel they’ll be no such ‘luck’ today for Doug Marrone’s men.

Rutgers’ offense fi nally awoke in its win-and-cover over the Bobcats last Saturday and that’ll serve as a buy sign in this contest.

And despite the Knights’ poor road record in the Free NFL Picks series, two of their last three trips to the Carrier Dome have resulted in a pair of SU wins and covers.

With the Scarlet Lettermen a red-faced ‘Mission Dog’ seeking revenge from a 13-10 home loss last season, we expect an A-type effort this afternoon in the Dome.

Grab the points early in the week and Fuggedaboutit as Schiano and company squeeze out the ‘W.” No ex-‘Cuses.

Current betting lie is: Syracuse listed as 1-point favorites versus the Scarlet Knights, while the game's total is sitting at 49½.

Sportsbook betting pick: Rutgers over Syracuse by 3.

NCAA Football Betting: Wake Forest Demon Deacons vs. Boston College Eagles

2011-09-27T21:53:00.003-04:00

The Demon Deacons and the Eagles will both be trying to pick up a win on Saturday when they battle at Alumni Stadium.

Another coach taking a leave of absence for health reasons is Boston College fi rst-year offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers. Our college football betting database tells us that the Eagles’ offense has been on leave all season (13 PPG versus FBS foes) so we’re honestly not sure that Mr. Rogers will be all that missed in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood.

Don’t be fooled by last week’s 45-point outburst against Division 1-AA UMass – the Minutemeneked out single-digit wins over Holy Cross and Rhode Island prior to last week’s visit to Alumni Stadium.

And while we’re not willing to back the feeble Eagles and their 0-3 SU and ATS record against Division 1-A competition this season, there’s just no value in making a pledge to the Demons in this pick ‘em affair, as they arrive with an 0-4 ATS series record since 2007 (as well as a dog role in all four of their previous visits).

Wake’s 1-5 ATS mark with revenge versus .400 or less opposition also keeps us in bed for this 12:30 kickoff. Like AT&T, we’ll let you make the call in this snooze-fest.

Sportsbooks currently have the Demon Deacons listed as 1-point favorites versus the Eagles, while the game's total is sitting at 50.

Trends to consider:

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Wake Forest's last 6 games when playing Boston College

Wake Forest is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games

Wake Forest is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games

Wake Forest is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston College

The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Boston College's last 10 games

Boston College is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Wake Forest

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Boston College's last 5 games at home

Boston College is 16-7 SU in its last 23 games at home

NFL Week 4 Preview: Carolina Panthers vs. Chicago Bears (-6 ½)

2011-09-26T23:50:00.000-04:00

Sports Betting Online Overview

Carolina rookie quarterback Cam Newton finally won his first NFL game in a rain-soaked week three affair against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The remaining hurricane conditions swept into Carolina and made it difficult to see the game, much less play it. But even in the muddy slop that he was forced to deal with, Newton still threw for 158 passing yards and a touchdown. Nothing that the Panthers experienced in its week three win over the Jaguars will prepare it to meet the Bears in week four. The Jacksonville defense was assisted by the weather conditions and still could not stop Newton and the Carolina offense. The Bears will not have that sort of problem in week four.

The NFL betting picks fans in Chicago are still not warming up to starting quarterback Jay Cutler. But what Chicago fans should really be worried about is the Bears’ offensive line. In its week three loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Bears were only able to manage 13 total rushing yards and Cutler accounted for 11 of those yards. The Bears’ offense could not stay on the field due to turnovers and a series of three-and-outs. The boos were cascading down on Cutler as he threw two interceptions that stalled Chicago drives and handed the ball back over to Green Bay. Cutler should have an easier time of it in week four, but if the offense does not pick up the pace then offensive coordinator Mike Martz may be bass fishing next year instead of coaching the Chicago offense.

Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton appears to be the real deal at quarterback for the Panthers. He faced some seriously bad weather in week three and was able to pull out the win. In the first two games of the season, the Panthers were hampered by a bad defense. The bad weather seemed to really help the Carolina defense keep the Jacksonville offense under control. That bad defense will come to the forefront again in week four as the Chicago Bears are just waiting for a defense to tee off on and the weather conditions in Chicago rarely approach hurricane force winds and rain. Jay Cutler may be called upon to win this game for the Bears, and there may be little that the price per head Carolina defense can do about it.

Chicago Bears

The betonline reviews of the Chicago Bears defense this season have been extremely impressive. Veteran linebacker Brian Urlacher is playing like a man possessed and picking up interceptions at a frightening pace this season. But that Chicago defense will have its hands full with the elusive Cam Newton. The Bears’ secondary may not be able to keep up with the Carolina receivers and Newton could very well have another 300 to 400-yard passing day. But the Bears will keep the Panthers out of the endzone just enough to allow the Chicago offense to win this game.

The Bottom Line

The Carolina defense will get better as the season goes along, but it still lacks any kind of sustained pass rush that can give the Panthers a real chance at winning games. This one might be close, but it will be a Chicago win in the end.

Pick: Chicago Bears

Football Betting: Spotlight On NFC East Rivalries Week 3 in The NFL

2011-09-22T10:11:00.000-04:00

With the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, and “Dream Team” Philadelphia Eagles all considered to be among the contenders to win their division, it may come as a surprise to some that it is the Washington Redskins at the top of the NFC East heading in to week three. The Redskins have escaped with two close wins at home and will look to parlay that in to success on the road this Monday night, but not before the Giants and Eagles clash at Lincoln Financial Field as the NFC East rivalries take the NFL betting lines spotlight this weekend.

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles (-5.5)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Despite escaping with a sports betting win over the St. Louis Rams on Monday Night Football, the Giants looked like a shadow of the team expected to compete for a division title this season with the injuries that have ripped through the roster. With starters missing on every level of the defense, quarterback Eli Manning and the offense have done the best they can to keep New York competitive through two weeks, and they could be in trouble with a trip to Philadelphia. The Eagles were exposed against the Atlanta Falcons after Michael Vick went down with a concussion, and that one potential injury for Philadelphia could outweigh all of New York’s if he isn’t able to go on Sunday. The Eagles have the best cornerbacks in the league but their front-seven was exposed by Atlanta, and could be again if they don’t go fishing to tighten things up front. Philadelphia should win, but the Giants will keep it close if they can establish a running game.

NFL Betting Pick: New York Giants + 5.5

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys (-4)

Monday, 8:35 PM ET

The Redskins scored 10 straight points late in the fourth quarter to rally against the Cardinals at home, but they will need to be better overall to escape Dallas with a win this week. That is unless Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo cannot go after suffering cracked ribs and a punctured lung in his heroic comeback sportsbook odds win over the San Francisco 49ers, a game in which he literally willed his team back to prevent consecutive losses to open the year. The extra day off could help Romo and company in this matchup, and regardless of whether he plays or not, head coach Jason Garrett will need to get more out of his running backs. Felix Jones has not gotten enough touches early on this season and that has left Romo exposed, so the entire offense should benefit from a better running game. Washington quarterback Rex Grossman has been good through two starts but did toss a pair of interceptions in his last start, and that should have Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Rob Ryan salivating at the possibilities of what his units can do this NFL picks week.

NFL Betting Pick: Dallas Cowboys - 4

NFL Week 3 AFC Matchup Preview: Patriots (-9 ½) vs. Bills

2011-09-20T21:27:00.003-04:00

Sports Betting Overview

For the first time in a very long time, the football fans of Western New York have a lot to cheer about. The Buffalo Bills are 2-0 after blowing out the Kansas City Chiefs in week one on the road, and then coming back to beat the Oakland Raiders at home in week two. Now the Bills face the ultimate AFC test as the 2-0 New England Patriots come to town. The most impressive part of the Bills’ game is its offense. After scoring almost 80 points in the first two games of the season, the Bills have shown an unforeseen ability to adjust to an opposing defense and put up points. While some will argue that it was not the New England defense the Bills were facing in week two, there are enough similarities between the Raiders’ defense and the Patriots to make this upcoming game interesting.

The NFL betting lines on the Patriots still have New England as the favorite to win the AFC East. But there are still cracks in the New England armor that head coach Bill Belichick sees and that the Buffalo Bills can try to exploit. The Patriots just got done dismantling the San Diego Chargers’ defense and pressuring the San Diego offense into the ground. The question that this game raises is whether or not the Buffalo Bills defense can do what Miami and San Diego failed to do; stop Tom Brady. Brady has had his problems in Buffalo early in games, but he usually comes out the winner. The online sportsbooks fans in Buffalo may have to sit and watch as Brady finds a way to beat the Bills yet again.

Buffalo Bills

If you are fishing for ways to give the Bills an edge in this game it would have to be at running back. Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller are proving to be a potent running combination, and the Bills’ offensive line is finding all kinds of ways to give the two running backs room to operate. But, even with some new players on the defensive line, the Buffalo Bills still cannot get consistent pressure on the quarterback. The Bills got to Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell enough time to pull out the win. But if Buffalo wants to stop Tom Brady, it will need consistent pressure on the New England quarterback. That was something that not even the San Diego defensive line was able to do.

New England Patriots

The New England offense is so potent that it could strike at any moment. If Wes Welker does not catch a timely pass in the slot, then Chad Ochocinco will take you deep. If you manage to somehow catch little Danny Woodhead, then the next play you will have to deal with the power of BenJarvus Green-Ellis. The only weakness on the Patriots’ team that may affect it in this game is the defensive secondary. If Buffalo quarterback can consistently get the ball past the front defensive seven, then the Bills can score points. But will the Bills be able to stop Tom Brady and the offense?

The Bottom Line

This is one of those NFL picks where you want to believe the upset could happen but you know it probably will not. It is conceivable that the Bills could hang with the Patriots for three quarters of a shoot-out. But, eventually, the Pats will pull away and put the Bills in second place in the AFC East.

Pick: New England Patriots

MLB Teams Looking To Spoil Dream Seasons Of Other Teams

2011-09-15T06:49:00.000-04:00

With the MLB betting season winding down for another year, hardcore handicappers are having a difficult time finding much value. For the first time in nearly five years, every division winner and wild card winner is pretty much set. However, looking closer at the AL West and AL wild card, fans sports betting on the MLB, will see several teams still in the thick of making the price per head playoffs. Today we will be looking at a few teams that have inherited the role of spoiler.

Toronto Blue Jays – The youthful Blue Jays have pretty much been out of the playoff picture since the middle of May. After officially being eliminated from fishing games contention yesterday, the Blue Jays became just another team looking to spoil a team’s shot at the playoffs. In 2010, Toronto found themselves in a similar situation, as they went 12 and four in their final 16 games, including a nine and two record to close out the MLB season.

Last week, the Blue Jays (74-74) took three of four from Boston, before taking two of three from Baltimore. Yesterday, Toronto was killed by Boston 18 to five. However, today they send ace Ricky Romero to the mound against John Lackey. Lackey has been an Achilles heel to any momentum Boston has built this season. With that in mind, a split with Boston and then a series win over the LA Angels later this month, would go along way in spoiling both teams World Series betting chances.

Los Angeles Dodgers – One of the most storied franchises in professional sports, the 2011 edition of the LA Dodgers, houses both an MVP candidate in Matt Kemp and a possible CY Young winner in Clayton Kershaw. Regardless, the Dodgers, who are currently run by the MLB betting , find themselves in the basement of the NL West division. Nevertheless, the Dodgers have embraced the role of spoiler over the last few weeks, as they have hampered the plans of NL wild card hopefuls the St. Louis Cardinals, and 2010 World Series winner the San Francisco Giants.

Despite losing the last two games to the NL West leading Arizona Diamondbacks, the Dodgers have gone 15 and three in their past 18 games. Theoretically, the Dodgers may have a bounce back game in them tonight, as they look to prevent the Diamondbacks from clinching their first division title in nearly five years.

If LA is able to avoid the sweep, they could have a huge influence on the outcome of the NL West division in a couple of weeks, when they face the Giants and the Diamondbacks in back to back series.

Washington Nationals – Considered by many casual and hardcore baseball fans alike to be one of the worst teams in the MLB, the Washington Nationals have a wealth of young talent, that could help them finally contend in the ever daunting NL East. With games against Atlanta and Philadelphia, Washington has a shot at playing spoiler.

NCAA Football Odds: Akron Zips vs. Cincinnati Bearcats

2011-09-14T09:43:00.000-04:00

Akron Zips will face the Cincinnati Bearcats this Saturday September 17th, 2011 at Nippert Stadium.

Our price per head betting readers realize the Zips are in ‘Dire Straits,’ starting the 2011 campaign 0-2 SU, ATS and ITS while losing both games by double digits (combined score of 83-3).

Sportsbooks odds currently have the Bearcats listed as 31-point favorites versus the Zips, and the game's total is sitting at 56.

And while these avenging squads (lost 17-15 at home to Cincy in 2008) are usually reliable play-on teams, the problem for Akron this afternoon in the Queen City is they’re facing a ‘Mission Team’ that heard Rocky Top for all four quarters last Saturday in Knoxville.

You can bet – though we won’t – that the Bearcats are itching to get back on the win track after that 45-23 thumping. And though they’ve averaged more than 52 PPG in their five wins under head coach Butch Jones, we can’t lay this kind of wood… not with an NC State revenger on deck and the Zips in that aforementioned ‘Dire Straits’ situation.

We’re also not ready to grab the points with Akron second-year man Ron Ianello (1-13 SU, 5-8 ATS), whose tread is wearing awfully thin in the Rubber City. Another nooner that just doesn’t pique our interest.

Trends:

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Akron's last 6 games

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Akron's last 6 games on the road

Akron is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games on the road

Akron is 1-13 SU in its last 14 games

Cincinnati is 17-5 SU in its last 22 games at home

Cincinnati is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games

Cincinnati is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games

College Football Lines: Maryland vs. West Virginia

2011-09-14T07:11:00.000-04:00

Saturday, September 17

Maryland over West Virginia by 6

The meeting between the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Maryland Terrapins si this Saturday at Byrd Stadium.

The current pay per head betting line is Terrapins listed as 1-point favorites against the Mountaineers, and the total is sitting at 53½.

Danny O’Brien and the Maryland offense looked good – though their uniforms did not – in their season-opening win over Miami. In fact, according to BSN Sports, “you couldn’t even ‘pay’ Miami players to wear those outfi ts.”

What does look good (and SMART) is the Terp’s 12-day respite. They’ll certainly need it as the Mountaineers are 10-2 ATS away before back-to-back homers, not to mention a perfect 4-0 SU and ATS in this series since 2005.

First-year head coach Randy Edsall will also be battling a nasty 0-6 ATS Game Two log as well as a 0-4ATS mark in the second game of three straight home contests. Yes, the trends all point to West Virginia but the handicappers warns otherwise and we’ll heed that advice.

One more word of caution: watch this line. Should the Hillbillies turn to chalk, they own a 0-9 ATS log as Game Three favorites of less than 10 points.

Whatever the case (pick, plus or minus), it’s venom over denim this afternoon in College Park as the Terps exact some revenge.

West Virginia most recently:

When playing in September are 8-2

When playing on grass are 3-7

After outgaining opponent are 6-4

When playing outside the conference are 7-3

Maryland most recently:

When playing in September are 6-4

When playing on grass are 7-3

After outgaining opponent are 3-7

When playing outside the conference are 6-4

NFL Week 2 Preview: Top NFC Teams Get Ready for Week 2

2011-09-13T08:15:00.000-04:00

The opening week to the 2011-2012 NFL season was full of surprises. Some of the results even have the online betting world rethinking the odds for who will make the playoffs and who will not. There were several contenders that came through in week one and teams that showed significant improvement over their performances last year. Week two promises to be just as interesting as the top NFC teams try to shake off the rust that an abbreviated training camp created.

Philadelphia Eagles (-1) @ Atlanta Falcons

The preseason NFL betting lines had been very favorable for the Atlanta Falcons. After all, the Falcons had added wide receiver Julio Jones in the draft to add to veteran receiver Roddy White as deep passing threats. But for all of its offensive prowess, the Falcons forgot to address their defense. That lack of defensive ability was on display in week one as the Bears ran through and around the Atlanta defense. The Eagles looked much better in its regular season opener than in any of the preseason games played this year. Michael Vick threw and ran the ball effectively while the Philadelphia defense shut down the upstart St. Louis offense. All of this does not bode well for the Falcons as they prepare for what should be one of the better games in the NFC for the first half of the season.

Pick: Philadelphia Eagles

Chicago Bears @ New Orleans Saints

The Saints looked much better in this year’s season opener than it did in last year’s, but the results were different. The Saints won its season opener last year and lost it this year to the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. But the price per head football fans in New Orleans should not give up hope. The Chicago Bears are not coming to New Orleans to enjoy the great bass fishing in the area, the team is coming to win. The Saints do not have the same kind of defense that the Falcons have which the Bears torched on opening day. If this turns into a shootout, the Bears are in trouble.

Pick: New Orleans Saints

Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers

Are the Cowboys that bad? Are the 49ers that good? The Cowboys were barely beaten by a very good Jets team while the 49ers clobbered a sub-standard Seattle ball club. The strength of the 49ers is its defense, but that may not be enough to carry them to a win. The thing working against the Cowboys is injuries. If the Cowboys cannot get some of their injured cornerbacks back by this game, then it could be another close game and very long week for the Dallas Cowboys players and fans.

Pick: San Francisco 49ers

St. Louis Rams @ New York Giants

This game is incredibly important to the final NFC standings for several reasons. The Giants were one of the popular NFL picks to compete for a playoff spot in the NFC this year. But Eli Manning and the Giants offense looked absolutely terrible against the Washington Redskins in week one. The St. Louis Rams made a lot of mistakes in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Rams may have just enough defense to keep the Giants off the scoreboard.

Pick: St. Louis Rams

NFL Betting: NFC Playoff Teams Look To Open New Season With A Win

2011-09-08T08:16:00.000-04:00

Every sports betting bonus year the division standings realign, and while some make a push and compete for a playoff spot, others fall and are left on the outside looking in. Here is a quick look at the matchups for four NFC playoff teams from a year ago, as they look to open up their NFL betting lines season with a win.

Atlanta Falcons (-3) @ Chicago Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

A loaded roster and consistent approach led to the Falcons winning an impressive 14 games last season, finishing with the best record in the NFC and clinching home field advantage for the playoffs. Unfortunately, their first postseason game was against the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, a home loss that left a bitter taste in their mouths through the offseason. Head coach Mike Smith’s group is back this year and with the addition of a playmaking wide receiver in Julio Jones, which the Falcons moved up in the first round to grab in the top-10. A dynamic receiver, Jones has looked good with Matt Ryan this preseason, and teamed with Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta isn’t lacking firepower. The Bears ended last season with a loss to the Packers as well, only in the NFC Championship game with their starting quarterback watching from the sidelines after a knee sprain. That didn’t go over well with Chicago fans then, and as soon as he falters in this NFL picks game it’s likely he is going to hear about it.

NFL Betting Pick: Atlanta Falcons - 3

Philadelphia Eagles (-5) @ St. Louis Rams

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Eagles have already been labeled the “Dream Team” for the upcoming sports betting season, but now it is time for Philadelphia to be the “Nightmare” team for a young Rams’ team with a ton of potential week one. St. Louis enters this season with several reasons to believe that they can contend for a division title after falling one game short in Sam Bradford’s rookie season a year ago, but it won’t be easy to get that first victory this week as the Eagles look to load up once again. The Rams’ defense showed improvement as last year wore on, but now they will be asked to defend Michael Vick.

NFL Betting Pick: Philadelphia Eagles - 5

Detroit Lions @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1.5)

Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Both the Lions and Buccaneers are expected to contend for an NFC playoff spot this season, but only one can emerge with the win in week one. Considering that Tampa Bay has done it before and they are playing at home, it could be Josh Freeman and the boys that come out on top. How the Buccanners’ slow the Detroit pass rush and protect Freeman in the pocket will be a key, as well as how the Tampa Bay defense is able to slow down Matt Stafford by fishing for some pressure of their own up the middle.

NFL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1.5

NFL 2011 Season Week 1 Preview: Key AFC Games

2011-09-06T09:30:00.000-04:00

The sports betting world finally gets to see NFL football for real when the 2011-2012 season starts this Thursday. There are some exciting questions to be answered such as the condition of Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning and whether or not the Patriots can turn around a less than impressive preseason when the ball kicks off for real. The NFL betting lines are now open, and the AFC starts its quest to take back the Lombardi Trophy after two consecutive years of NFC dominance.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens (-2 ½)
What will be considered the epic struggle for domination in the AFC North between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers gets kicked off early with the first of two meetings taking place in week one. Last year, it took the Ravens a few weeks to get rolling and start dominating opposing teams. It could be the same situation this year as the Ravens are still shifting their offensive line around and getting used to new receivers like veteran Lee Evans. The Steelers looked sharp on offense and defense all preseason, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger looks ready for the season to begin. The Steelers lost some depth at quarterback with the injury to Byron Leftwich that could end the veteran quarterback’s season. But as long as Big Ben is in the pocket, the Steelers will be very tough to beat.
Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans
It looks more and more like Indianapolis Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning will not be able to start week one. It ends a streak of over 200 consecutive starts that began prior to the turn of the millennium. Without Manning, the Colts are not nearly as effective. There has been speculation that veteran backup Kerry Collins would start this game, but the other backup Curtis Painter is getting support from the Indianapolis locker room. The Texans are in no hurry to have Peyton Manning back on the field because Houston is still trying to figure out new defensive coordinator Wade Philips’ new 3-4 defense. It is a work in progress, but it already looks like an improvement over the past few seasons. The Houston offense is healthy and ready to go, and that sets up a very interesting opening game. The NFL fans in Houston would love an upper hand in the battle for the AFC South title.
Pick: Houston Texans

New England Patriots (-7) @ Miami Dolphins (Monday Night Football)
This is one of the more interesting NFL betting picks in the AFC in week one. In a perfect world, the Patriots should dominate this game and blow out the Dolphins in week one. But the world is far from perfect, and the Patriots had a lot of question marks going into this regular season. The Patriots secondary is suspect while the Dolphins have enjoyed success throwing the ball in the preseason. The Patriots’ offensive line has been weak while the Dolphins’ pass rush has been effective. The Patriots will be in Miami fishing for answers to the pressing questions for the season. This is a hard one to call because New England has been known to lie dormant in the preseason and then destroy teams in the regular season. If that is the case, then this game will be played in a perfect world.
Pick: New England Patriots

Can The Toronto Blue Jays Contend In The AL East?

2011-09-01T06:02:00.000-04:00

The American League East is the toughest fishing games division in the big four sports in North America. Made up of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles, the playoffs essentially begin at the start of the season for the five AL East teams. The MLB is also the only league without a salary cap, leaving many to wonder, how can anyone compete fairly? Today for your sports betting pleasure, we will be assessing whether the Toronto Blue Jays can contend in the world’s toughest division.

Toronto Blue Jays fans are some of the most patient in the history of sports. The last time MLB betting Jays fans saw a playoff game, was the 1993 World Series when Toronto defeated the Philadelphia Phillies. In the 18 years since the World Series victory, Blue Jays fans have had little to cheer for. Whether it is the daunting task of winning the division, or poor management, Jay’s fans have been messed around on multiple occasions.

Since the 2010 season, the Toronto Blue Jays have provided their fans with a false sense of hope that they can contend in the next couple of seasons. Essentially, Jays GM Alex Anthopolous has revamped the entire minor league system, which in turn has allowed him to deal away veteran players and fill the current roster with youth. While the man known as AA is praised by the media for building up the youth of the roster, the rare veteran pieces he has added have been more then suspect.

For the reason that the 2010 and 11 Toronto Blue Jays have more or less appeared to be their own worst enemies, fans are really questioning if there is light at the end of the tunnel. AA’s Achilles heel has been his lack of attention spent on the bullpen. As a result of his neglect, Toronto has lost many games that they otherwise should have been in.

What’s more, in any other division in baseball, it takes roughly 90 wins to make the playoffs. Yet, in the AL East, it takes a minimum of 105 wins. Which means, that AA’s inability to fix the bullpen has caused the team to constantly hover around a 500 record, when really; they could be performing more consistently.

Now, some will argue, that the Blue Jays would have the proverbial smack down laid on them regardless of who is in the bullpen, but we disagree. As we noted earlier, the Blue Jays farm system has been revamped dramatically. This in turn should allow the team to not only deal from an area of strength for bullpen help, but also reveal to Jays fans, that a youthful bullpen can get the job done. By using homegrown talent, AA and the new look Toronto Blue Jays, should be able to contend for an MLB highlights playoff spot sooner rather than later.

College Football Betting: Kentucky vs. W. Kentucky Mobile Odds

2011-08-31T00:22:00.002-04:00

Kentucky over W. Kentucky by 13

Despite a bowl effort in his fi rst season with the Wildcats last year, Joker Phillip’s squad petered out down the stretch, going 2-4 SU and 1-4 ATS in its final six games.

Will the Bluegrass Cats open like last year’s 3-0 SU and ATS debut under Phillips or will they continue to underperform? We won’t lay substantial points to fi nd out, especially against a ‘Toppers team that made huge strides last season, winning their fi rst two conference games in school history.

WKU also snapped a 20-game ITS (In The Stats) losing skein when it outgained fi ve foes overall. Not onlydo the Sun-Belters return 17 starters overall (10 on defense), RB Bobby Rainey is back after rushing for 1,649 yards and 15 TD’s.

By comparison, UK’s loss of big-time playmaker WR Randall Cobb to the NFL represents just the tip of a troubling offensive iceberg: the Wildcats must replace 80% of their total rushing attack, 92% of their passing yardage and two receivers that combined for 1,942 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Kentucky is -19½ point favorites at Luxbet Mobile and the total is 51½.

Granted,Kentucky may have won and covered all three games as a big favorite last year – including a 35-point pounding of the Hilltoppers – but they’re about to run headlong into a revenge-minded bunch that boasts a 5-1 ATS mark of late as dogs of more than 17 points.

Yes, the game takes place at LP Field in Nashville (home of the Tennessee Titans) instead of WKU’s home turf in Bowling Green.

NFC Preseason Week 4 Game Preview: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Redskins

2011-08-30T08:06:00.000-04:00

Online Betting Overview

Most teams have made their important regular season decisions by week four of the preseason. Teams know who their starting quarterback will be, the starting running back and who will be playing on the offensive line. But the Redskins are not quite so sure just yet. Head coach Mike Shanahan, who has drastically altered his coaching style since arriving in Washington to something more chaotic than fans are used to, still has not settled on a starting quarterback. In a game where coaches should be looking to make final decisions on second and third-string players for special teams and the depth chart, the Redskins are still trying to figure out their starting line up. The offensive and defensive lines are still in a state of transition as well. Shanahan has some decent players to choose from, but he needs to make up his mind soon.

The Buccaneers have been ready for the regular season for a while now. The NFL betting lines have the Bucs contending for a playoff spot this season based on the team’s strong play last year. But this is still a young Tampa Bay team with a lot to learn about winning big games. The Bucs have been very reserved in this preseason. There has been a lot of generic offensive schemes and the constant cycling in and out of second and third-string players. Tampa is methodically getting ready for a season in which it hopes to dominate. This game will be a preview of the special teams and depth chart players for the Bucs that fans may still find very interesting.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL fans were more than a little entertained when Tampa head coach Raheem Morris announced that his team was one of the best in the NFC. In a conference dominated by the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons, Morris put his young squad out there with the best of them. Morris was jumping the gun a little, but that did not stop him from making the same statement in an interview during this preseason. Confidence from the head coach is one thing, but the Bucs need to start putting together the play on the field to back up those strong words. Quarterback Josh Freeman has been very reserved in this preseason along with the rest of the Tampa offense. This game will solidify the second and third-string players and give Freeman a rest. But it will be interesting to see what the real Tampa offense looks like on opening day.

Washington Redskins

Quarterbacks John Beck and Rex Grossman have both put on stellar preseason performances. But both quarterbacks have been NFL picks to be a starter in the past based on preseason performances, and both failed in the regular season. Mike Shanahan still has chaos reigning in Washington, and the fans are curious to see what kinds of final decisions Shanahan makes for the Redskins in this last preseason game.

The Bottom Line

The bass fishing around Tampa Bay is some of the best in the country, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have their sights set on the NFL playoffs. This game will probably feature a lot of Washington starters in the first half, which is why the Redskins should be able to win this final preseason game.

BSNblog Pick: Washington Redskins

NFL Betting: Rams Look To Bull Through Chiefs at Arrowhead Friday

2011-08-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

The preseason will continue this weekend with the most crucial game on the exhibition schedule, as starters look to play at least three quarters of action with the regular season just two weeks away. There will be a little added sports betting incentive this Friday at Arrowhead Stadium, as the St. Louis Rams clash with the Kansas City Chiefs in the Missouri Bowl.

St. Louis Rams @ Kansas City Chiefs

Friday August 26, 2011 – 8:00 PM ET

Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

NFL Betting Lines : St. Louis Rams – 2

These in-state rivals rarely see eachother in games that matter, but that could change in the near future as both are projected to be trending upward. The Rams fell just short of a division title a year ago with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks on the final day f the regular season, while Kansas City made no excuse in taking the AFC West.

NFL Betting Preview: St. Louis Rams

The Rams have shown significant progress over the past couple of years, and with a perfect start through the first two games of the preseason they aren’t looking to slow down anytime soon. The offense is finally coming together with a healthy Sam Bradford looking to make the most of the lack of weapons around him, although he does have running back Stephen Jackson rumbling on the ground. Meanwhile, with the addition of rookie first round pick defensive end Robert Quinn, St. Louis may have one of the most underrated defensive lines in the NFC. The Rams will need that line to generate pressure in order to avoid having their secondary exposed, and will face a good test this week against Matt Cassell and the Chiefs.

NFL Betting Preview: Kansas City Chiefs

With Dwayne Bowe continuing to emerge as one of the league’s better playmakers and Jamaal Charles making the chains move on the ground, Cassell has some quality weapons around him to make his job a lot easier. The biggest question mark for Kansas City heading into this season is whether or not the defense can make things work enough to keep them on top of the division, and if the preseason is any indication that may be a negative. The Chiefs have allowed an average of 28 points through two betonline preseason games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens, and will need to show more intensity against the Rams.

NFL Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The Chiefs have to be very careful not to become too complacent after winning the AFC West a year ago, especially with both the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders improved. Kansas City will get another good test against the Rams this week in an in-state battle, and it will be crucial for the team to respond with a much better effort with just two weeks to go before their sports betting bonus regular season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

BSNblog Pick: St. Louis Rams -2

NFL Betting Preseason Week 2: Upcoming Matches Preview and Free Picks

2011-08-18T06:36:00.000-04:00

With week one of the preseason now in the books, the chains will be relieved somewhat as the starters get a little more playing time to show what they can do in the second week of the 2011 NFL betting lines preseason. The focus for this week will be on the AFC with a couple of key matchups to look forward to, beginning with a couple of playoff teams from a year ago clashing on Friday night.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens

Friday, 7:30 PM ET

The Ravens have managed to keep the Super Bowl window open for years, and with Joe Flacco finally reaching a Pro Bowl level, this could finally be the year that everything comes together in Baltimore. The Ravens’ defense had no answer for Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense in week one, but should have a much easier time against a Chiefs’ team that was shutout 25-0 at home, especially if Matt Cassell doesn’t see much time. Baltimore was the team that knocked Kansas City out of the playoffs a year ago, but this game will be more about building for the sports betting bonus season than getting revenge.

NFL Betting Pick: Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos

Saturday, 8:30 PM ET

The Bills have the best pass-rush in the NFL after week one of the preseason, and they will look to let their motors loose once again with veteran Shawne Merriman leading the way against Denver. Buffalo has a ton of question marks on both sides of the ball, but the one spot that is locked in is at quarterback, where Ryan Fitzpatrick is the unquestioned starter. The Broncos are now in a stage where it appears as though Kyle Orton is also a lock to start at quarterback, but that doesn’t mean that Tim Tebow won’t make things interesting over the next couple of games. Tebow will have every opportunity to prove his merit with three preseason games remaining, and he could make the betonline difference in front of the home crowd at Mile High Stadium in week two.

NFL Betting Pick: Denver Broncos

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets

Sunday, 8:00 PM ET

The Jets were somewhat humbled in week one of the preseason as the Houston Texans beat them up on both sides of the ball, and a return trip home will mean getting back to the basics. With fullback John Connor penciled in as a starter, New York will play to the run more than ever on offense this season, allowing Mark Sanchez to go over the top on play-action passes. The Bengals were blown away 34-3 by a Detroit Lions’ team that isn’t considered to even be in the same class as New York, and with head coach Rex Ryan’s defense looking to dial up some blitzes to make life difficult for Cincinnati rookie Andy Dalton, things could get ugly in a hurry as the favorites look to make a sports betting statement.

NFL Betting Pick: New York Jets

Can The 2011 NFL Preseason Foreshadow an Awesome Regular Season?

2011-08-11T21:20:00.002-04:00

Tonight, NFL betting lines enthusiasts will finally get their first taste of football action for the 2011 – 12 seasons, as the preseason kicks off from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, and Gillette Stadium in New England. If you ask any football sports betting fan, the 2011 offseason has felt longer than any other in years past. With less than 24 hours remaining until kick off, we wonder if the preseason will set the groundwork for an outstanding regular season!

If all reports are accurate, expect the preseason to be one of the most intense in recent memory. Essentially, due to the college football betting NFL lockout, training camp was limited to roughly a few days rather than a month. What this means, is that all the auditions and new systems teams would have learned during training camp and tested out in practice, will be moved to preseason. This also means that teams using new free agent or rookies in their starting lineup will take extended looks at what they have.

For instance, in Jacksonville and Cincinnati, rookie quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert and Andy Dalton, will be thrown into action right away. Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis has already stated, that due to the short training camp, his starters, and in particular, 2011 second round draft pick Andy Dalton, will see a ton of action, during Friday’s preseason game. In Jacksonville on the contrary, Blaine Gabbert is receiving his reps by circumstance, as normal starter David Garrard is out with an injury.

With fans and experts alike curious about a variety of team’s offseason moves, and how they will gel, the preseason will provide a small sample size of what they can expect this year. One game on everybody’s preseason calendar is the Thursday night opening game featuring the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles. On the one hand, the Ravens will be introducing fans to a new look offense, that has both a whole new rushing contingent and a whole new wide receiving corp. On the other hand, the Eagles will be displaying the new look defense, that includes free agent prize Nnamdi Asomugha.

Conversely, fans will expecting blowout wins during the preseason, need look no farther than Friday’s preseason opener featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. In an ironic twist, Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman claimed his team would lay the smack down on the NFC this season, however on Friday Pittsburgh will most likely put the cleats to the Redskins.

Through the aforementioned games, fans and media alike have plenty of games over the next few days to look forward too. What’s more, the short training camp has opened the door to plenty of competitions during the preseason. This in turn, allows fans and handicappers the opportunity to research each team individually, and form an idea on who to back before placing Super Bowl future wagers for Super Bowl 46 in February 2012.

NFL Preseason Game Preview for Thursday August 11, 2011: Baltimore Ravens vs. Philadelphia Eagles

2011-08-09T01:15:00.000-04:00

Sports Betting Overview

It’s only preseason, but it is something that many football fans and players thought they would never see. The Baltimore Ravens come into this season with some high expectations. The offense has questions that need to be answered such as the consistency of the offensive line and the leadership abilities of quarterback Joe Flacco. The NFL betting lines do not have the Ravens as a top favorite to win it all, but there is enough curiosity on the part of the betting public to make this Ravens team something to watch. The real pressure to win for Baltimore will come for inside the organization from leaders such as linebacker Ray Lewis and defensive secondary specialist Ed Reed.

The Philadelphia Eagles made a few moves in free agency that turned a lot of heads in the NFL. The most notable move was getting cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, but quarterback Vince Young and running back Ronnie Brown were quieter signings that could make a difference in 2011. NFL fans in Philadelphia do wonder why the Eagles would take a back-up quarterback that plays a similar style to the starter, but the Eagles are more interested in winning that in a change of pace in their quarterbacks. The Eagles are happy that disgruntled wide receiver DeSean Jackson ended his holdout and reported to training camp, but the team is not getting a lot of support from fans on this one. Jackson is scheduled to make $565,000 this year, and for the player that carried the bulk of the offensive load for his team in 2010, that number does not sit well with anyone.

Baltimore Ravens

Because of the shortened training camp due to the lockout, fans may not get the chance to see many of the Ravens veteran starters in this game. However, it is very possible that Joe Flacco and the first offensive unit could see two or more series in this game before being taken out. The offense is a primary concern in Baltimore, and the coaching staff wants to get the first unit as much time as possible together in this preseason to make up for lost practice time. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will see very limited action if they are even allowed to get on the field at all. But the Ravens also want to see their second and third string players as those units may get called on frequently during the regular season.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles fans should get ready to see a lot of second string players in this game. More than likely, Michael Vick may get a couple of snaps, maybe even a full series, but he will be quickly replaced by Vince Young. Ronnie Brown could start at running back to get some time behind the first-unit offensive line. The Eagles seemed to lack depth on their roster last season, so betonline football fans can expect head coach Andy Reid to take a good, long look at his second and third string players in this game.

The Bottom Line

The Ravens and Eagles are expected to be top contenders in their conferences this season. But one of the things that both teams need is depth. The shortened training camp and the need to look at second and third string players could be something that plays into the hands of the Eagles in this game.

BSNblog Pick: Philadelphia Eagles

Can The Winner Of The AFC West Win The Super Bowl?

2011-08-04T00:47:00.001-04:00

Made up of the San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos, the AFC West has gone from one of the most infuriating sports betting divisions to a rather intriguing division. From 2004 to 2009 NFL betting lines makes could be assured of a divisional crown for the San Diego Chargers, as to put it lightly, they dominated the AFC West. As a result of their dominance, fans and experts were getting annoyed, because San Diego could get the job done during the regular season, but constantly disappointed in the playoffs. With the success of the Kansas City Chiefs and emergence of the Oakland Raiders last year, we got to thinking, could an AFC West team actually win the Super Bowl this season?

In 2010, the AFC West had a changing of the guard, as the Kansas City Chiefs led by quarterback wide receiver tandem, Matt Cassel and Dwayne Bowe, came out of seemingly nowhere to win the division. Kansas City was one of the highest scoring teams in the NFL last season, as they literally lit up opponents in a similar fashion to AFC rivals the Indianapolis Colts.

Another team with much success last season was the Oakland Raiders, who for the first time in roughly eight years, were able to finish with a 500 record. The Raiders, a team with one of the biggest fan bases in sports, finally gave their loyal patrons something to cheer about, as they went undefeated against the AFC West last season. The only issue was, similar to CFL team the Toronto Argonauts, the Raiders stunk against the rest of the league, going a measly two and eight.

San Diego and Denver by all accounts took steps back in 2010, but look to be improved heading into this season. The Chargers led by quarterback Philip Rivers, had one of the best defenses in the league, but one of the worst offenses. Rivers himself had an impressive season, but his wide receivers were nothing to write home about.

Denver had plans of building on the 2009 season, in which they won the first six games of the season. However, due to several locker room issues that affected team chemistry, Denver would have a disastrous 2010 campaign.

Entering the 2011 – 12 seasons, the AFC West has the potential to be one of the most exciting divisions in all of football. Kansas City and Oakland showed a ton of progress in their team’s development and will look to go from middle of the pack to contender status this year. San Diego should have an improved offense which should keep them competitive. Denver is the wildcard of the division, as anything will be better than last season.

In theory, the AFC West could have two teams qualify for the playoffs this year, one of which should be able to make it to the Super Bowl. Will this be the year San Diego finally parts ways with the choke artist label, or will Kansas City, Oakland or Denver make it back to the Super Bowl?

NFL 2011 Preview: NFC East

2011-08-02T10:37:00.001-04:00

It is amazing what a difference a week can make in the fortunes of NFL teams. The sports betting world was convinced that the Philadelphia Eagles were going to run away with the NFC East when the 2011 season got underway. In a whirlwind of activity in two days during the condensed 2011 free agent signing period, the Eagles managed to erase any doubt that they will be the NFC East regular season champions by season’s end. But there are still questions to be answered in Philly, and the Giants and Cowboys are not going down easily.

Philadelphia Eagles – Predicted finish: First

Fans of the Philadelphia Eagles felt pretty good about the team’s chances of winning the NFC East even before free agency. What made Eagles’ fans nervous was the team’s collapse in the playoffs. While some of the Philadelphia signings made sense in improving the team, others are more interesting to examine.

Vince Young will not be part of the NFL betting lines results for the first time in a couple of years as he backs up Michael Vick in Philadelphia. Considering Young’s tremendous ego, and his divisive ways in the locker room, it is interesting to see him agree to become a back up at a time when he should be peaking as a starter. This dynamic will be one to watch, and fans will be looking to see how head coach Andy Reid handles Young.

The Eagles had a pretty good defense, and it just got better with the signings of cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That leaves cornerback Asante Samuel’s future in doubt but any team could use three high-quality cornerbacks.

Dallas Cowboys – Predicted finish: Second

The Cowboys are the best of what will prove to be a bad bunch of football teams in the NFC East. The owners of the teams in the NFC East have systematically taken what used to be one of the best divisions in football and made it one of the worst. When Asomugha went to the Eagles, the NFL fans in Dallas cringed. The Dallas offense will now have a difficult time keeping up with the Philadelphia defense. The release of wide receiver Roy Williams now puts the Cowboys’ offensive fate in the hands of Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. It will be interesting to see if any kind of chemistry develops between quarterback Tony Romo and his two wide receivers.

New York Giants – Predicted finish: Third

The Giants will bolt out to an early lead in the NFC East and look like they may even grab home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. But in the second half of the season, the Giants will bumble and stumble their way out of the playoff race. How do we know this? It has happened for two consecutive seasons in New York and the same people that let it happen those last two times are still in place for 2011.

Washington Redskins – Predicted finish: Fourth

The Redskins are a mess. They have no quarterback thanks to head coach Mike Shanahan’s inexplicable behavior last season, and their defense is questionable as well. If the Redskins do not start some sort of rebuilding process this year, then it could be a long time before betonline Washington fans see the playoffs again.

MLB Betting: Blue Jays See First Hand What It Takes To Become Contender This Weekend

2011-07-27T23:38:00.002-04:00

With all of the mixed emotions that will come with another season plagued by inconsistencies, the Toronto Blue Jays can take solace in the fact that there is hope for the future with such a talented young roster. The Blue Jays will get to take an up-close look at what can happen with an organization when they build internally and complete the puzzle with a few solid free agents, as they battle the defending AL champion Texas Rangers at home this MLB betting weekend.

Texas Rangers @ Toronto Blue Jays

Friday, 7:07 PM ET

The Blue Jays liked what they saw from Brett Cecil at Texas last week, and hope that they can get a similar effort this weekend as they open up the three-game set on Friday in front of their home fans at the Rogers Centre. The 25-year old Cecil went the distance and allowed just four hits while striking out seven to earn the complete-game shutout against one of the best offenses in baseball. Cecil will get the call against Alex Ogando for the Rangers, and although he wasn’t bad against Toronto last week there is definitely room for a stronger performance. The last time he lost a game Ogando lost three in a row, and Texas has been very streaky at times this MLB season.

MLB Betting Pick: Toronto Blue Jays

Texas Rangers @ Toronto Blue Jays

Saturday, 1:07 PM ET

Brandon Morrow hasn’t been nearly as good as Cecil was in his last start since he got back from injury, and although he has shown flashes of what has made Toronto management believe that he is an integral part of the future, he needs to be much more consistent. Morrow didn’t start against Texas a week ago, but he did give up six earned runs on nine hits in just 3.1 innings of work against the Baltimore Orioles in his last start. The Rangers’ offense has looked good all year behind the 9-4 Derek Holland, and they should again as they look to even the sports betting bonus weekend series.

MLB Betting Pick: Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers @ Toronto Blue Jays

Sunday, 1:07 PM ET

The series finale will feature the aces for both sports betting teams, as Ricky Romero gets the call for the home side against CJ Wilson for Texas. Romero has been just okay this season as he has dealt with a ton of inconsistency, and the Blue Jays are looking for more from the man that they have pegged to lead them into the future from the rotation. Meanwhile, the Rangers have gotten exactly what they had expected out of Wilson who is 10-4, although he did get roughed up a little bit in his last start, allowing six earned runs in just 4.0 innings of work against the Minnesota Twins. Wilson has been the more consistent of the two all year, and he should get enough support from a powerful Texas offense to bounce back in the win column and earn the Rangers the series-clinching win.

MLB Betting Pick: Texas Rangers

MLB Game Preview for Tuesday July 26, 2011: Seattle Mariners vs. New York Yankees

2011-07-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

Sports Betting Preview

It is easy for baseball betting fans to tell which teams are in a slump and which ones are playing well. Aside from looking at the records, all you have to do is watch the teams play. The Seattle Mariners made MLB baseball news by losing a franchise record 15th game in a row when they were beaten by the Boston Red Sox 12-8 over the weekend. The MLB scores should go your way when you have a future pitching ace on the mound, you score eight runs and someone on your team hits a grand slam. But even with the show of offensive power, the Mariners played like a team that was waiting to get beaten again. The Mariners could very well break their losing streak in Yankee Stadium, but it will be difficult in this opening game of the series.

The New York Yankees would be leading most other divisions in the majors with their 59-40 record. But they just happen to be chasing the second-best team in all of baseball in the Boston Red Sox. That means that if the Yankees want to remain a factor in the AL East pennant race, they will have to keep winning games. The Yankees have won six of their last 10 games, but that was not enough to close the gap on Boston. In reality, Boston picked up two games on the Yankees in that stretch. The Yankees will be looking to take three important games from the struggling Mariners.

Seattle Mariners

The AL schedule makers must have been in extremely bad moods when they put together the Mariners’ late-season schedule. The Mariners had a stint in Boston before swinging over to New York to play the Yankees. That is not the way for a team to try and combat jet lag. For this game, the Mariners send Doug Fister to the mound. Fister is 3-11 on the season but sporting an impressive 3.30 ERA. He has been a perpetual victim of the Mariners’ power outage at the plate. As an example, on July 2nd against the San Diego Padres, Fister went nine innings, gave up one earned run and lost the game.

New York Yankees

The Yankees will extend the Mariners’ losing streak to 16 games, and the reason for that will be New York starter C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia is 14-5 this season with a 2.62 ERA. He is 8-2 in his last 10 games, and lost his most recent start when he allowed two runs in eight innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. Needless to say, C.C. Sabathia did not like having his seven-game winning streak broken. The Yankees’ ace is making a statement for off-season contract negotiations as there are still rumors that he could opt-out for next year. With the way Sabathia is pitching compared to the rest of the Yankees’ staff, New York will open the vaults to keep Sabathia around.

The Bottom Line

The Seattle Mariners are not beating C.C. Sabathia.

BSNblog Pick: New York Yankees

NFL Betting: Patriots Should Be Able To Hold Off Jets Once Again in AFC East

2011-07-21T07:17:00.001-04:00

Any talk about the NFC East this sports betting season has to begin and end with the division’s most dominant team from the past decade. The New England Patriots are coming off of a 14-2 season in which they beat nearly every one of the top teams from around the league, and on paper it actually appears as though they are going to be a better team this coming year. The usual suspects are back with head coach Bill Belichick and franchise quarterback Tom Brady leading the way, but it is the revitalized supporting staff that should make the difference this coming season.

The Patriots’ young defense made strides a year ago, with Jerod Mayo, Brandon Meriweather, and Devin McCourty all earning Pro Bowl nods. That core group of young talent is complimented well by veterans such as nose tackle Vince Wilfork in the middle, and they should all be better with another year of experience in Belichick’s system. On offense, Brady was ranked first in a poll by his peers of the top 100 players in the league regardless of position, and will be another year removed from major surgery on his knee. Brady found chemistry with Deion Branch in his return to New England, and will have some solid weapons again as young tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski continue to develop and Julian Edelman and Wes Welker also return.

The biggest threat to New England’s chances at the top of the division is the upstart New York Jets, which have guaranteed a Super Bowl under head coach Rex Ryan this season. Ryan has transformed Gang Green into a monster on defense, but the offense will need to make strides this season with Mark Sanchez leading the way under center for a third straight season. Sanchez will likely be without either Braylon Edwards or Santonio Holmes as both are free agents, and will need to be more than an online casino game manager going forward.

Things are unclear in South Beach where the Miami Dolphins are expected to go forward with Chad Henne under center, although they could go after a veteran that can challenge him for the No. 1 job. The Dolphins’ have a strong front seven and some depth in the secondary, but until Henne and the offense can produce with consistency this NFL picks team will struggle just to finish .500.

The final stop in the AFC East is the furthest north, as the Buffalo Bills look to claw their way out of the division basement. The Bills were very competitive with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center and lost several close games to playoff teams including the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if they bump off Miami for third spot. There are still too many holes on the Buffalo roster to think that they can compete for a playoff spot, but they are clearly building in the right direction and their record should improve in head coach Chan Gailey’s second sports betting bonus season.

MLB Game Preview for Tuesday July 19, 2011: Boston Red Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles

2011-07-19T06:11:00.000-04:00

Sports Betting Overview

The MLB betting world is pretty familiar with the situation the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles are in right now. The Red Sox are fighting for the AL East pennant while the Orioles are languishing in the AL East basement. But the early season MLB baseball news was telling a much different story. The Orioles looked like they may be the team to beat in the AL East as the Yankees and the Red Sox were faltering early on. But the MLB scores slowly turned in favor of the Red Sox and against the Orioles, and now the Red Sox lead the AL East by a game and a half over the Yankees.

The Orioles could not sustain their early success and have fallen to a pace that is 18 and a half games out of first place in the AL East. Where there used to be visions of a playoff spot in Baltimore, there is now the familiar despair of a losing season. The Orioles pitching gave out only a month or so into the season, and now Baltimore is left with a team that can hit but cannot sustain leads on the mound. The Red Sox are trying to put even more distance between themselves and the rest of the AL East, and have come out of the All-Star break in fine fashion. The Orioles had problems after the break, but have started to turn things around a bit.

Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox are starting to watch the Tampa Bay Rays fade out of the AL East pennant picture and are left with just the New York Yankees. Boston has won eight of its last 10 games, and is currently on a two-game winning streak. Taking the mound for the Red Sox in this game will be knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. Wakefield is 5-3 this season with a 4.74 ERA, but he is chasing 200 career wins. If he can win this game, it will be win number 199. His last start was a win over the Toronto Blue Jays in which he struck out seven batters and only allowed three runs.

Baltimore Orioles

Brad Bergensen starts on the mound for the Orioles in this game. He is a young pitcher that has spent most of the season in the bullpen. At this point, Baltimore will be taking a look at young players to see if they can improve their starting rotation for next year. Bergensen is 1-6 on the season with a 5.65 ERA. He last faced the Red Sox on July 8th and threw three scoreless innings. His last start was a nine-inning shutout of the Tampa Bay Rays on May 14th. Bergensen has promise, and the Orioles are going to need promise if they want to improve their pitching.

The Bottom Line

The Orioles may be able to hit Wakefield’s knuckleball, but Bergensen may find the powerful Boston batting order a little much to handle. The Orioles need pitching that can stand up to the offense of the Yankees and Red Sox, but this may not be the time they find it.

BSNblog Pick: Boston Red Sox

Are All Star Games Losing Their Appeal?

2011-07-13T23:45:00.001-04:00

In North American big four major sports, All Star games at the halfway point or just after the season concludes, has become a staple for betting expert enthusiasts to wager on. However, over the last few years, the All Star games have become rather stale, as new ideas to spice up the games do more to deter fans from watching. Last night was the MLB All Star Game, and with so many MLB betting stars skipping the game, the end result was nothing to promote. Today we will be looking at what to do exactly with the All Star game.

For baseball handicappers, the MLB World Series plays a huge role in the quality of teams sent to the All Star Game. Essentially, baseball is the only one of the four major North American sports leagues, to entice players to play hard, as the winning league receives home field advantage in the World Series. In the other three sports leagues, the NFL, NBA and NHL, more and more of each league’s top stars are finding ways to get out of playing in the All Star Game, as they would rather spend time with family rather than their peers.

Are All Star Games losing their appeal? Absolutely, as we just noted most players try to avoid going to their league’s midway event. Meaning to say, if the players don’t want to go, then why should the fans even care about the game? Now it should be noted, that while many athletes attempt to skip the games, others are thrilled to go and are attempting to spice things up.

A betting expert example, the NHL and MLB both used unique concepts to entice fans to tune into the 2011 All Star Games. The NHL selected two captains for each squad, and allowed them to choose the players that were voted into the All Star Game for their respective teams. With the game’s best players picking the teams, fans from all 30 franchises were able to see where their favorite stars ranked in their peers eyes. Unfortunately for the Toronto Maple Leafs, star winger Phil Kessel was picked last. But Kessel was awarded a car and $20,000 to charity for being the last selected.

On the other hand, in the MLB, two captains were also selected in order to put together teams for the Home Run Derby. As a result of both of these ideas, fans tuned in thus allowing for the ratings for the events to go up. Nevertheless, many of our sports writing colleagues would argue, that the NHL All Star draft and MLB Home Run Derby super teams, is an acknowledgement that the All Star Games itself is losing appeal.

In our opinion, rather than have an All Star Game, the big four should make each half of their seasons more enticing. For instance, in the Florida State League for baseball, the season is broken into two 70 game halves, with the divisional leaders at each half way point automatically qualifying for the playoffs. If the big four adopted a similar concept, fans would be more intrigued to watch the games, in the first half of the season, since there is something at stake.

MLB Game Preview for Thursday July 14, 2011: San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres

2011-07-11T23:56:00.002-04:00

Sports Betting Overview

The San Francisco Giants are in a much different situation this year compared to the same time last year. None of the MLB betting experts were expecting much out of the Giants at the 2010 all-star break because the Giants were so far removed from the NL West pennant. San Francisco turned on the after-burners in the second half of the season and won the World Series. The Giants’ meteoric rise in the MLB standings had a lot to do with its pitching. As the Giants enter the all-star break in first place in the NL West, its pitching could be the team’s undoing as September arrives.

What a difference a year makes. At the all-star break last year, the San Diego Padres were posting some impressive MLB scores that had them in the middle of the NL West pennant hunt. But after the all-star break, the Padres fell apart and dropped out of the pennant race. This season, the Padres enter the all-star break in last place in the NL West looking up at the rest of the division. Now baseball fans in San Diego are wondering if the Padres can pull off what the Giants did last year and surge to the top of the standings in the second half of the season.

San Francisco Giants

The biggest problem for the Giants is the pitching that won them the World Series last year is not performing at a championship level this year. Madison Bumgarner was not an ace on the mound for the Giants last year, but he did not hurt their chances either. This year, Bumgarner is certainly not helping the Giants stay in first place. He is 4-9 with a 3.87 ERA, but he has been playing well as of late. Bumgarner is 4-3 in his last 10 starts and is only giving up an average of 2.5 runs a game in that stretch. But he has been wildly inconsistent. He has games where he has given up only one earned run sandwiched between an eight-run game and a five-run effort. The San Francisco bullpen has not been much help as the bearded Brian Wilson has had problems closing out games.

San Diego Padres

The Padres send one of their more consistent pitchers to the mound in this game in the form of Aaron Harang. Harang is 7-2 this season with a 3.45 ERA. In his last three starts, he is 2-0 and has given up only four earned runs. The problem for the Padres is run support. San Diego is at the bottom of the league in home runs hit, and near the bottom in team batting average. This is the same issue that caused the Padres’ decline last season. They could pitch, but they could not hit.

The Bottom Line

Could this be a complete reversal of last season? Will the Giants be the NL West-leading team that disintegrates after the all-star break while the Padres ascend to the top of the division? It could. But it didn’t look that way as each team entered the all-star break. The Padres lost seven of their last 10 games before the break. But, still, anything can happen.

Pick: San Diego Padres

MLB Betting: Brewers Look To Open Second Half Strong On Road Against Rockies

2011-07-11T23:27:00.002-04:00

The Milwaukee Brewers reached the MLB score All Star break in first place in the National League Central, tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the best record in the division. It won’t be easy for the Brewers to hold on to top spot with the Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates right there with them, and with eight straight games on the road to start the second half they will look to open on a positive note against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday.

Milwaukee Brewers @ Colorado Rockies

Thursday July 14, 2011 – 8:40 PM ET

Coors Field, Denver, Colorado

MLB Betting Odds: Milwaukee Brewers - 120

The good news is that the Rockies haven’t been very good at home this season, battling through inconsistencies to reach the All Star break at .500. The bad news is that the Brewers have the worst win total as the visiting team in the NL this season.

MLB Betting Preview: Milwaukee Brewers

Milwaukee will turn to young Yovani Gollardo to get the job done in their first game back. The 25-year old is 10-5 with a 3.76 ERA this season, and had won two of three heading into the break, but a closer look at his numbers tell a much different story. Gollardo is 7-1 at home this year, but just 3-4 on the road and his ERA in visiting ball park’s is 4.39. The Brewers will need to lean on their offense down the stretch regardless, and if they can get him some run support early Gollardo should be able to get the job done at Colorado. Milwaukee’s offense entered the All Star break at the top of the NL in home runs, and with a postseason spot within reach Prince Fielder and company will look to open the second half strong.

MLB Betting Preview: Colorado Rockies

While Gollardo has struggled, Colorado’s starter for Thursday night’s game offers an entirely different perspective. Ubaldo Jimenez has been awful at home in 2011, going 1-5 with an awful 6.24 ERA. The 27-year old was brilliant in his only start against Milwaukee this season, allowing just two earned runs in eight innings of work. The Rockies offense has done enough to get the job done at home this season, but it will be a tough sports betting challenge against a powerful Brewers’ offense. The Rockies have done a good job of manufacturing runs, but will likely need to provide plenty for Jimenez to get him the win.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The Brewers have been awful on the road this season, but they understand that they will have to be better in the second sports betting bonus half if they are going to clinch a suddenly crowded NL Central. Jimenez has struggled at home, and with the elevation at Coors Field Fielder and company should be able to ride the long ball and do enough to get Gollardo the win as long as he pitches to his ERA.

MLB Betting Pick: Milwaukee Brewers - 120

MLB Betting: Defending World Series Champions Look To Help Keep National League on Top

2011-07-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

Although they haven’t performed as well in 2011 as they did during their 2010 World Series championship run, the San Francisco Giants will be well represented at this year’s All Star game. Former Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum will be flanked by Giants’ closer Brian Wilson and Ryan Vogelsong at this year’s midsummer classic, as the NL pitching looks to make sure they do what they have to do to put together consecutive MLB All Star game wins.

2011 MLB All Star Game

American League vs. National League

Tuesday July 12, 2011 – 8:00 PM ET

MLB Betting Odds: American League – 110

The NL side ended their skid of 13 straight losses at the All Star game a year ago, allowing just one run in a close 3-1 decision that surprised more than a few fans in attendance that day. Pitching will once again by the key to their success in 2011, and they undoubtedly have the arms to get the sports betting job done.

MLB Betting Preview: American League

The American League will be led by a heavy dose of the AL East, with Toronto Blue Jays’ slugger Jose Bautista at the front of the line after setting a record with 7.4 million votes. The reigning home run king was back out in front of the pack again in 2011 with 28 home runs with a week to go before the All Star game, and has shown no signs of slowing down. Six of the other eight starters are from the AL East as well, including four players from the New York Yankees. Mark Teixeira and Curtis Granderson blasted their way into the voting, while Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter’s appearances may be based more on their sports betting bonus resume.

MLB Betting Preview: National League

Lincecum will be among the top NL starters, with three pitchers from the Philadelphia Phillies flanking him, including reigning NL Cy Young award winner Roy Halladay. Halladay is joined by teammates Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels as members of what is undoubtedly the deepest and most talented pitching staff in baseball. The offense will come largely from a trio of Milwaukee Brewers, with Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks joined by Ryan Braun. The NL side has one of the game’s hottest hitters in New York Mets’ shortstop Jose Reyes, and they should be able to muster enough offense to compliment the strong MLB pitching.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

One year after ending their 13-game skid, the NL is looking to flex its muscle again with Lee back on their side. Last year’s team scored just enough runs to help out a pitching staff that was dominant in the sports betting win, and that will undoubtedly be the goal again as a talented group looks to slow down a powerful side from the AL.

BSNblog Pick: National League + 110

MLB Game Preview for Tuesday July 5, 2011: Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates

2011-07-04T23:55:00.000-04:00

Betting Overview

The MLB betting dream continues for baseball fans in Pittsburgh. The MLB standings has the Pirates only one and a half games out of first place in the NL Central. Not only has it been a long time since the Pirates were in the pennant race this late in the season, it has also been a long time since Pittsburgh was above .500 in July. With a 43-41 record, the Pittsburgh Pirates are keeping pressure on the NL Central leading Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals while trying to stay ahead of the hard-charging Cincinnati Reds. The Reds trail the Pirates by only a half a game, and it makes for one of the best pennant races in all of baseball.

The Houston Astros occupy that place of infamy as the worst MLB team in all of baseball. The Astros’ 29 wins is the lowest in baseball and its 56 losses are the highest. In the last 10 games, the Astros have only won two games and that includes getting swept by the Boston Red Sox at home. The Astros have reached the point where, even though almost half of the season is still left to be played, they are now trying out new players to see if they have anyone that can help for next season. No one on this Houston roster is immune to being cut, and when you are 16 games out of first place before the all-star break, that is the way it should be.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The very consistent Jeff Karstens takes the mound for the Pirates in the first game of this series. Karstens is 6-4 this season, but his recent play, and his 2.65 season ERA, indicate that he is a bit more valuable to the Pirates than his record may indicate. Karstens is 3-0 in his last six starts. He is not the kind of pitcher that will throw a lot of complete games, but he consistently pitches into the seventh inning to get to the bullpen’s set-up man. His last three starts were interleague games where he went 2-0. He beat the Boston Red Sox and the hard-hitting Toronto Blue Jays while pulling a no-decision against the Cleveland Indians. Prior to interleague play, Kartsens’ last NL start was a six and two-thirds inning masterpiece against the Houston Astros where he allowed no earned runs and only three hits.

Houston Astros

The Astros will send one of their more consistent pitchers, Wandy Rodriguez, to the mound against Houston. Rodriguez is 6-4 on the season with a 2.97 ERA, but his record has been improving steadily in the last few weeks. In his last 10 starts, Rodriguez is 5-2, and one of those wins was a two-run effort against the Pittsburgh Pirates. During this most recent 10 game stretch, Rodriguez has held the opposition to no earned runs five times. He has had impressive control, and he gives the Astros a chance to win whenever he takes the mound.

The Bottom Line

The Astros just do not have the hitting to compete with the Pirates. Rodriguez gives Houston a chance in this game, but Karstens can shut the Houston offense down and keep the game close until it has to go to the Houston bullpen. That is when the Pirates will take this game over.

BSNblog Pick: Pittsburgh Pirates

Baseball Picks: Halladay Finally Makes His Return to Toronto This Saturday

2011-06-30T09:25:00.000-04:00

The long anticipated return of former staff ace and Cy Young award-winner Roy Halladay to Toronto will finally take place this weekend, as the Toronto Blue Jays host the Philadelphia Phillies for the first time since trading their franchise player more than a year ago. The Blue Jays received some young talent in exchange for Halladay, but while that may work in their favor over the next couple of MLB betting years, Philadelphia has benefited from one of the most dominant arms in the game leading the way for its staff.

Philadelphia Phillies @ Toronto Blue Jays

Saturday July 2, 2011 – 1:07 PM ET

Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada

Online Sports Betting Odds: Philadelphia Phillies – 130

Halladay has been outstanding since making the move to the National League last season, earning Cy Young award honors in his first year with the Phillies and now following that up on pace for another. Toronto will send young arm Carlos Villanueva to the mound to counter the Doc in Saturday’s matinee game.

MLB Betting Preview: Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are absolutely loaded on the mound, with Halladay and Cole Hamels leading the way for a staff that potentially owns four aces. They key to Philadelphia making an extended postseason run now is the play of the offense, which has ranked in the bottom-half of the league but has shown flashes of strong play. Shane Victorino and Placido Polanco have done well to get on base, while Ryan Howard continues to be the force that drives in runs, but the Phillies are looking for more from players such as Raul Ibanez and to an extent Chase Utley. Halladay is 10-3 with an incredible 2.40 ERA, and he should have no problem against a Toronto offense that has struggled with consistency all sports betting bonus year.

MLB Betting Preview: Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have shown flashes of being a team that could one day compete in the talented American League East, but there are still a few missing pieces on both sides of the ball that the team will need to acquire to get there. The offense has gone stale behind home run and All Star voting leader Jose Bautista, and Toronto will need key players such as Aaron Hill and Juan Rivera to do better from the batter’s box. Carlos Villanueva is 5-1 with a 3.15 ERA and has looked very good at times this MLB season, but he is simply outmatched against Halladay in this one.

MLB Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

Despite their success, the Phillies have struggled on the road this season and will look to turn things around beginning with their trip to Toronto. Halladay will look to put on a show in the stadium in which he became one of the best in baseball, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the reigning NL Cy Young award winner go the distance.

BSN Sports Pick: Philadelphia Phillies - 130

Baseball Betting: Red-Hot Rays Welcome Reds to Town

2011-06-28T00:40:00.002-04:00

Those following the MLB standings have seen Tampa Bay go on a roll, winning eight of their last 10 heading into their series opener with Cincinnati on Monday. The two will resume the series on Tuesday at Tropicana Field.

Reds vs. Rays Betting –Tuesday, 7:10 PM ET

Johnny Cueto (5-2, 1.63) allowed a run for the first time in three starts in a 10-2 romp over the Yankees at home, but that was about it as he scattered a run on two hits over seven innings, with six strikeouts and three walks. Some baseball betting players didn’t know what to think after Cueto started the season on the disabled list, but he has been fantastic as of late and there is no reason to believe he’ll slow down, even on the road. The 25-year-old righty is making his first start against the Rays, and he is 3-1 in five starts away from home with a 1.32 ERA, which is an absolutely ridiculous number.

The Rays will counter with David Price (8-6, 3.51), who reached double figures in strikeouts for the third time this season, whiffing 10 batters in a 6-3 win in Milwaukee. Price allowed a pair of runs on five hits over eight innings, and he registered a walk as well, which is encouraging as he had walked five in his previous start against Boston. Price tossed a season-high 120 pitches against the Brewers, and he just needs to get a little consistency in his game to find the form that made him a Cy Young candidate last season. The 25-year-old lefty has never faced the Reds before, and he’s 3-4 in eight home starts in 2011, posting a 3.40 ERA.

Look for the Rays to be favored at home, where they were swept in three straight by the Reds in 2003, with two games falling under the posted total. However, we all know that the “Devil Rays” of 2003 aren’t even close to the “Rays” of 2011. Even though Cueto may be remembered for his WWE Monday Night Raw-style flying kick in a brawl last year against the Cardinals, he is quickly gaining credit for his performances this season, and he’s been remarkably steady for a player who missed the first part of the season. Price has been up and down this season, and it seems like a five-run outing is just around the corner, which is why the nod has to go to Cincinnati. Cueto has been almost perfect as of late, and if he can keep his walks down on Tuesday, the Reds should be able to cool off the Rays. Wager on the Cincinnati Reds in your best online sportsbook.

Breaking Down The Top Five Contenders To Win Wimbledon

2011-06-23T02:27:00.000-04:00

The tennis spotlight will land on the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club this summer, as the best in the world compete for the third major of the betting season at Wimbledon. The competition has never been so fierce at the highest level, and the tennis grand slams are no longer just about an eventual final between Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer. Here is a quick look at the top five contenders for this year’s Wimbledon tournament.

Rafa Nadal

The No. 1 ranked player in the world proved his merit once again at Roland Garros, but Nadal has constantly complained about how the long season has been tough on his legs and fatigue may start to take its toll on him at Wimbledon. Nadal faces one of the toughest roads to the finals with potential matchups against Marin Cilic and Robin Soderling before any showdown with his nemesis Federer, and if he makes it the distance it will take an incredible amount of determination for him to close out his second grand slam win of the season.

Roger Federer

Even those in the MLB world seem to pay attention whenever Roger competes in the finals at a grand slams tournament, mainly because that elusive 17th grand slam win has eluded him over the past couple of years. Not since he took the Australian Open in 2010 has Federer been at the top of his game, but he looked very good in pushing the clay court king Nadal in the finals of the French Open and it may have been a sign that he is ready to get the job done on his own turf at Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic

Djokovic conceded his 41-win streak to Federer in the semi finals at Roland Garros, but there is every reason to think that he will bounce back as determined as ever at this year’s Wimbledon. It may have been a blessing in disguise for the Joker to avoid Nadal at the French Open, as he now sets out on a new sports betting bonus goal with the chance at his second grand slam title of 2011.

Andy Murray

England’s greatest hope will once again look to break through with his first Grand Slam title, but he has never reached the finals at Wimbledon. Semi final appearances the past two seasons have been quite the tease for the home fans, and with one of the tougher roads to the finals once again it appears as though he will have to wait at least one more year before his streak of futility ends.

Robin Soderling

Soderling has one of the easier roads to the Wimbledon final, but the problem is doing something if he gets there. Soderling has never beaten Federer or Nadal in a major, and with both playing at such an incredible level heading into this tournament it is unlikely that online casino trend will end anytime soon.

MLB Free Pick for June 21, 2011: Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals

2011-06-21T06:23:00.000-04:00

Sports Betting Overview

The St. Louis Cardinals are just happy to still be in the playoff hunt in the NL Central after the rash of significant injuries they had to start the season. But now that some of the key Cardinals are coming back, the MLB betting world if the Cardinals will be able to stand with the Milwaukee Brewers and compete for the NL Central pennant. Even with most of their major parts back in place, the Cardinals are still struggling and their spot in the MLB standings atop the NL Central is in jeopardy.

For a little while there, it looked like the Phillies would actually have to deal with the Atlanta Braves as Philadelphia marched towards another NL East pennant. But as the MLB scores roll in on the way to July, the Philadelphia Phillies are opening up a lead on the Atlanta Braves and the Braves do not seem able to respond. There is still more than half the season left to go, but the Phillies look like they have hit their groove and are in command of their game.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals have lost seven of its last 10 games and are currently tied with Milwaukee for the top spot in the NL Central. The Cardinals managed to pull out wins in the last two games of their series with the Kansas City Royals, otherwise St. Louis would be looking up at Milwaukee by a few games.

Kyle McClellan takes the mound for St. Louis in this game with his 6-3 record and 3.96 ERA. McClellan just finished a rehab stint in the minors and this will be only his second start since coming back up to the Cardinals. He had gotten off to a good start to the season, but his injury really put him off track. He did not seem to have much control in his last outing, but the Cardinals attribute that to rust from the injury. In this game, McClellan needs to start getting his stuff back.

Philadelphia Phillies

Cole Hamels had the chance to be the first pitcher in the majors to get 10 wins this season, but he blew it against Seattle. In this game, it will be Roy Halladay’s turn to try and win his 10th game of the season. Halladay is 9-3 with a 2.56 ERA on the year. Halladay has not played the Cardinals yet this year, and he is coming off a bad outing against the struggling Marlins. St. Louis is a good hitting team, and that may give Halladay problems.

The Bottom Line

Something is going on with the super-hyped starting rotation for the Philadelphia Phillies. This is actually Halladay’s second shot at getting his 10th win of the season. His first try was the Florida game where he gave up four runs in seven innings. This would be a good time for the Phillies’ starting rotation to snap out of whatever funk they are in.

BSNblog Pick: Philadelphia Phillies

Baseball Betting: Yankees Will Get The Job Done Against Cubs With Or Without Jeter

2011-06-16T08:57:00.000-04:00

While the MLB news spotlight has remained on Derek Jeter and his quest for 3000 hits as a member of the New York Yankees, the team has quietly pulled off one of the most impressive offensive runs in recent history. The Yankees have dominated the majors in home runs with Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixera, and Alex Rodriguez leading the way, and now have the chance to flex their muscle in the Windy City while Jeter rests with an injury.

New York Yankees @ Chicago Cubs

Sunday June 19, 2011 – 8:05 PM ET

Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

MLB Betting Odds: New York Yankees – 130

The Cubs have been absolutely awful this season regardless of where they play, and will be hard-pressed to avoid the sweep at the hands of the powerful Yankees. New York comes into this game in the midst of an intense battle for the American League East division with the rival Boston Red Sox, and can’t afford to lose games against opponents that they are this heavily favored to beat.

MLB Betting Preview: New York Yankees

New York will have ace CC Sabathia on the mound on Sunday for the series finale, and the hope is that the former Cy Young winner can bring his best stuff and close out the series on a winning note. Sabathia has been excellent this season with an ERA of just 3.28, and will look to bring his best stuff under the bright lights of Sunday night baseball on the national broadcast. With the drive for 3,000 on hold the Yankees offense will have the MLB chance to show just how strong they are, and if they get to Cubs’ starter Randy Wells early on this one could get ugly in a hurry as New York pulls away.

MLB Betting Preview: Chicago Cubs

Wells is just 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA on the year, and has allowed 10 runs in his last 13 innings of work without making it past six innings in any of his starts this season. Pitching has been a sore spot for Chicago all season with 331 runs allowed through their first 66 games, and it is unlikely that one of the NL’s worst defenses will fare any better against the powerful pinstripes. The Cubs’ offense hasn’t been much better with little to rally around beyond Starlin Castro’s incredible sports betting play, and runs will be tough against Sabathia.

MLB Betting: Outlook & Pick

The Yankees will add to their league-leading home run total by roughing up Wells at Wrigley, while Sabathia continues to pace New York’s pitching staff as the pinstripes keep pace with the Red Sox in the tough AL East. The Cubs have been in tough to produce on both sides of the ball all season, and with another unfavorable pitching matchup they could be in big trouble on Sunday in the series finale.

MLB Betting Pick: New York Yankees - 130

Bet On MLB: Tigers Host Struggling Indians in The Motor City

2011-06-13T23:52:00.002-04:00

If you bet on MLB odds, you have been surprised all season by Cleveland, who stormed to the top of the American League Central with a blazing start, but they have fallen back to earth, losing nine of their last 10 ahead of Monday’s series finale in New York. It won’t get any easier as they head to Detroit to take on the Tigers, who were tied with the Indians at the top of the division as of Monday.

Indians vs. Tigers Betting – Tuesday, 7:05 PM ET

Justin Masterson (5-4, 3.18) has lost four of his last eight starts and hasn’t won since April 26th after a 3-2 extra-inning loss at home to Minnesota, allowing a pair of runs on nine hits over eight innings, striking out three without any walks. This was an improvement over his previous two starts in which he gave up 10 runs in 11.1 innings, and even those who check out the NHL standings will tell you that the cream usually rises to the top at some point, which is why the Indians are slowing down. The 26-year-old righty is 0-2 in seven games (four starts) against the Tigers with a 5.20 ERA, and he is 0-1 in two appearances at Comerica Park with a 6.75 ERA.

Justin Verlander (7-3, 2.89) has won three starts in a row after a 4-1 victory at home against Seattle, scattering a run on five hits over eight innings, striking out 10 with a single walk. Verlander is now 6-1 in his last 10 starts and has allowed more than three runs only once in a start, and the Detroit ace is looking like he’s in midseason form. The Tigers will need him to be, because their starting rotation leaves a lot to be desired. The 28-year-old flamethrower is 10-11 in 24 starts against the Indians with an ERA of 5.11, and he is 4-2 in eight starts at home with a 2.97 ERA.

The Tigers should be the MLB betting favorites in your sports bookie software, and they’ve dominated the Indians in Cleveland, winning nine of the last 10 meetings between the two at Comerica Park, with seven of those games falling under the posted total. The Indians are in a freefall right now, and the Tigers look to pounce. Having Verlander start off the series is a stroke of luck when it comes to the rotation, as the Tigers would like to put their best foot forward and put even more doubt in the heads of the Indians. Masterson is a microcosm of Cleveland’s team: he isn’t awful, but he definitely isn’t as good as their start had people thinking. Go with Detroit in your online sportsbook.