Wow, it’s been awhile! The world of sports gambling is such a roller coaster that it is difficult to do the proper amount of DD as it relates to sports wagering, work a full-time job, and concurrently maintain a blog. With that being said, after an almost 3 month hiatus, here are my Week 12 NFL picks:
- New England Patriots -24 at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. Boy, I hate giving up 3 TD’s and a FG, but I can basically buy a new car on the money I’ve made backing the Patriots this year. I don’t see how Philly will score more than a few points in this one.
- Denver Broncos +1 on the road against the Bears. Amazingly, Denver is tied for first in the AFC West. It looks like their run defense has solidified over the last 2 weeks. Throw into the mix that the Bears running back, Cedric Benson, has been a monumental disaster for the 4-6 Bears.
- Carolina Panthers +2 1/2 at home against the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers have dropped 4 in a row and are now 0-4 at home this year. Somehow, they are a respectable 4-2 on the road. I just can’t see the Panthers dropping to 0-5 at home, even with a fossil (Testaverde) or a sack-waiting-to happen (Carr) at quarterback, though I wouldn’t bet much on this game.
Written by Jon on November 25th, 2007 with no comments
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Notre Dame is getting 10 points at home against 3-0 Michigan State Spartans. Notre Dame, 0-3, has yet to score an offensive touchdown. The upcoming schedule for the Fighting Irish becomes ridiculously difficult after today’s game, with games against Purdue, UCLA, Boston College, and USC in the next 4 weeks. If they don’t win today, the Irish may have to wait until Navy, Air Force, or Duke in November for their first win. I’m backing the Irish at home. Michigan State isn’t exactly a college football juggernaut, having beaten some lower level talent in the last 3 weeks. Hopefully Notre Dame can keep it close. Notre Dame +10.
Written by Jon on September 22nd, 2007 with no comments
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The Brewers are only 1 game behind (0 in the loss column) the Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central. Milwaukee opens up a huge series in Atlanta against the Braves tonight. Big game pitcher Jeff Suppan (10-11 record, 4.72ERA) will get the start for the Brewers. Atlanta will counter with right-hander Jeff Bennett, who hasn’t thrown a pitch in the majors since 2004. The Brewers, with 11 games remaining, need to win as many games as possible in order to stay in the playoff picture. This happens to be a very winnable game for the Brewers. My money is on the Brew Crew. At -105, the line is cheap. Hammer it.
Written by Jon on September 20th, 2007 with no comments
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The New York Mets are doing their best to choke away first place in the NL East, a spot they have occupied for almost 2 years now. The Phillies, once a wildcard long shot, now find themselves only 1.5 games behind the Mets and knocking on the door. New York has lost 5 games in a row (for the third time this season - they haven’t lost six in a row in a few years). Tonight’s game against the Washington Nationals in Washington is THE single biggest game of the regular season for the Mets in years. The youngster Mike Pelfrey will go against the Nationals Matt Chico. As the Mets bullpen has imploded in recent weeks, we find out that Moises Alou (and his current 22 game hitting streak) may be out for the season due to a re-injury of the quadriceps. Despite the Mets recent problems, they HAVE to win tonight. Plain and simple. Backing the Mets straight up costs -149, but backing them on the runline boosts the payout to +115. I don’t like to bet large amounts on baseball games, but I have a pretty sizable bet on the Mets tonight. Good luck.
Written by Jon on September 19th, 2007 with no comments
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The 0-1 Philadelphia Eagles are favored by 6 1/2 points at home against the 1-0 Washington Redskins. The Eagles, coming off a subpar performance against the Packers last weekend, look to rebound against a team they have dominated in recent years. The Eagles have won 9 of the last 11 meetings between these two teams, including a 27-3 blowout win last season in Philadelphia. Since that loss, Jason Campbell has taken over the starting QB position for the Redskins and has posted a record of 3-5, including an overtime win against the Dolphins last week. The Eagles are generally overrated as is their quarterback, but I believe they have enough firepower and defense to cover the spread at home against a below-average opponent. The Redskins were 1-5 against the NFC East last season. I don’t see much improvement this season. Take the Eagles -6 1/2.
Written by Jon on September 17th, 2007 with no comments
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This is the game everyone has been waiting for! Fresh off their videotape spying incident, the New England Patriots look to improve to 2-0 as they face the 1-0 San Diego Chargers at home. The Patriots are 3 point favorites in a re-match of last season’s playoff matchup. In that playoff game, NE came from behind and won in improbable fashion as San Diego absolutely choked the game away. In the offseason, New England added key offensive players and look to be legitimate Super Bowl contenders. San Diego, meanwhile, still a Super Bowl contender, has remained relatively unchanged from last season. They are coming off a win at home against Chicago, but were not overly impressive. If the game were in San Diego, I’d give the Chargers the nod, but this game is in New England. The Patriots have too much firepower. Until San Diego proves they can win a big game, I’ll have to fade them in these situations. New England -3.
Written by Jon on September 16th, 2007 with no comments
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The New Orleans Saints were shelled by the Indianapolis Colts 41-10 in their opening game. Despite the result of that game, there were two positives to take away from that game: (1) they already played the best team in the NFL - it only gets easier from here and (2) they received two extra days of rest thanks to playing on Thursday. The Saints travel to Tampa Bay this afternoon, where they are 4 point favorites against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If the game last week against Indy had been closer, this line would certainly be much greater than a measly 4 points. I still believe New Orleans is a playoff team and the line “appears” very low here. Tampa Bay hasn’t proven anything yet and showed nothing in last week’s 14 point loss to Seattle. Look for a Saints bounce-back this week and take New Orleans -4.
Written by Jon on September 16th, 2007 with no comments
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It’s a big secret. Will Eli Manning start for the NY Giants today or will he be deactivated? Initial reports indicated Manning will be out a month due to a shoulder injury suffered in last week’s game against the Cowboys. Just as soon as those reports hit the newswires, the Giants denied the reports and claimed Manning was merely day-to-day. The 0-1 Giants are favored by 2 1/2 points at home against the 1-0 Green Bay Packers. The total is set at 38 points. If Eli Manning does not play this game for NY, there is virtually no chance of Big Blue winning this game. The Giants backup, Jared Lorenzen, aptly nicknamed the “Hefty Lefty,” has attempted less than 5 passes in his NFL career. He is quite large and immobile - probably a sack waiting to happen. The Giants will also play without starting running back Brandon Jacobs. Instead, Jets reject, Derrick Ward will get the start this afternoon. The Giants defense was atrocious against Dallas last week. The secondary was burned on every big play and the linebackers non-existent. Tony Romo passed for more yards per completion against the Giants tissue-paper defense than any other quarterback in over 30 years. The 38 points is a gift. Due to the uncertain nature of Eli’s status and the inherent risk of a 2 1/2 point line, I would tease this game to Green Bay +8 1/2 and over 32, with the juice at the standard -110. Good luck!
Written by Jon on September 16th, 2007 with 3 comments
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My, how perceptions change week to week. The betting lines appear completely different in Week 2 as compared to the Week 1 lines. Before the NFL kicked off play last week, the majority of teams were unproven. You had a hunch, but you didn’t really know who was going to shine and who was going to stink up the joint. The narrowness in spreads reflected this uncertainty. Now, with one week of NFL action already in the books, linesmakers have a better sense of who is good and who is not (yes, Oakland still sucks). Spreads have jumped more than 50% this week, with the average spread in Week 2 standing tall at 6.28 points. In fact, five games feature spreads of 10 points or more. These large favorites include Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Denver, and Chicago - all home teams. The big question becomes: Can the favorites cover these large spreads? Looking back to Week 1, we find that:
- The favorites were 9-5-2 ATS and 13-3 straight up.
- Home favorites were 7-3-2 ATS and 9-3 straight up.
- Road favorites were 2-2 ATS and 3-1 straight up.
The dominance of the favorites in Week 1 is apparent. Backing the dog resulted in financial loss, unless you were able to identify the strong dogs and bet accordingly. Another interesting tidbit from Week 1 was the dominance of the Under bet. Playing the under won an astounding 11 of the 16 games. The average total line for Week 1 coming into play, across all 16 games, stood at 40.65 points. That number has dropped significantly to 37.59 points this weekend. So, in effect, the linesmakers are telling us that the games, on average, will be lower-scoring affairs, with the victors winning by more significant margins. As always, we will have to see how it plays out!
For updated NFL lines, check out:
Written by Jon on September 15th, 2007 with no comments
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There are three top 25 games on tap for today. Here they are, along with the current lines:
- (22) Tennessee at (5) Florida. Florida -7 1/2, O/U 55.
- (21) Boston College at (15) Ga. Tech. Ga. Tech -6 1/2, O/U 48.
- (1) USC at (14) Nebraska. USC -9 1/2, O/U 51.
To monitor these odds and others throughout the day, check out:
Written by Jon on September 15th, 2007 with no comments
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Perennial powerhouses Notre Dame and Michigan meet today in the Big House to see which team is actually worse. Both teams come into play with a record of 0-2, leaving their fans and players embarrassed, and respective coaches on the hot seat. Michigan has lost to Appalachian State (how pathetic) and Oregon - both at home. Notre Dame has lost to Georgia Tech by 30 (at home) and Penn State by 21 (on the road). In assessing this matchup, Notre Dame has no rushing game to speak of. Michigan, behind Mike Hart, has a rushing game, but no passing game to speak of. Notre Dame has not shown the ability to stop the rush. Michigan is favored by 9 points and the total is running at 44 points. I think Michigan wins this game big and gives the Wolverines fans something to cheer about in a season marred by disappointment. Charlie Weis, in my opinion, will be back in the NFL in a few years.
Written by Jon on September 15th, 2007 with no comments
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NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has fined Patriots head coach Bill Belichick $500,000 for his role in stealing defensive signals from the NY Jets in last Sunday’s 38-14 road victory. In addition, the New England Patriots will be slapped with a $250,000 fine and will be forced to give up a draft pick in next year’s draft. It has been rumored for some time that New England has been playing unfairly. In November of last season, New England was accused of spying on the Packers in a game that resulted in a 35-0 win for the Patriots. In that game, Green Bay officials removed the same man, Patriots video assistant Matt Estrella, after they witnessed him filming the Packers defensive personnel from the sidelines.
You have to wonder how many other Patriots games employed the use of videotape-spying and what effect, if any, these tactics had on the results of the games. In my opinion, Goodell came down rightfully hard on Belichick and hit him square where it hurts - in the wallet. Poor Matt Estrella. He will probably be available to photograph your wedding or Bar Mitzvah sometime in the near future.
Written by Jon on September 13th, 2007 with no comments
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In the early game, the Cincinnati Bengals are giving up 3 points at home to the Baltimore Ravens. The two teams split the season series last year, with the home team winning each game. I have to go with the home team again this year. In the late game, the San Francisco 49ers are 3 1/2 point favorites over the visiting Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals actually swept the 2 games last season against the 49ers. I will buck that trend and bet on the 49ers. Frank Gore is going to have a huge season and I think San Francisco may surprise some folks. Cincinnati -3 and San Francisco - 3 1/2.
Written by Jon on September 10th, 2007 with no comments
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A full day of NFL action is upon us, so let’s get right into it with my top 2 picks for the early games today:
- St. Louis Rams -1 (-110) over the Carolina Panthers. Carolina, for the first time in years, isn’t expected to go to the Super Bowl. That is good, because I’m not even certain they are a .500 team. Although the Panthers beat St. Louis 15-0 at home last season, I don’t see St. Louis losing this opening game at home. The Rams, behind Bulger and Jackson, have the best offense in the NFC. Stephen Jackson is a load to bring down and Bulger has multiple weapons in the receiving corps. The Rams defense is not very good, but it doesn’t take much defense to stop the impotent Carolina offense.
- Miami Dolphins +3 (-110) over the Washington Redskins. I’m picking the road dog here as I am really unimpressed with the Washington Redskins. Their players don’t instill fear in their opponents on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. I like Miami’s defense and think the offense will be vastly improved under Trent Green and the new management. There is big pressure on Miami to sniff the playoffs this season. I’m looking for the Dolphins to get off to a fast start in 2007.
Written by Jon on September 9th, 2007 with no comments
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You really can’t go wrong here. Deposit $250 and you get $125 worth of free plays in return. Deposit $500 and get $250 worth of free plays. Deposit $1000 and get $500 back and so on. This book also offers a generous 30% reload bonus. Nice, clean user interface and generous with the bonuses. WW is moving up on my list of favorite books. The 50% bonus is for new accounts only and the offer expires October 1. Click here for details:
Written by Jon on September 8th, 2007 with no comments
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The Oklahoma Sooners are running at 11 point favorites over the visiting Miami Hurricanes. The Sooners are coming off a 79-10 blowout against North Texas. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are coming off a 30-3 victory over Marshall. If Miami is to make this game competitive, their quarterback is going to have to step up. Kirby Freeman, the third year junior, was only 9 for 21, 81 yards, with 1 TD and 1 INT against the not-so-vaunted Marshall defense. Miami is running at +450 on the moneyline if you are so inclined. I, however, like Oklahoma -11 at home. Randy Shannon may be cleaning up the program at Miami, but I am not sure they are talented enough to hang with the big boys.
Other key matchups today include:
- (19) TCU at (7) Texas. Texas is favored by 7.
- (9) Va. Tech at (2) LSU. LSU is favored by 11 1/2.
- Notre Dame at (14) Penn State. Penn State favored by 17 1/2.
Written by Jon on September 8th, 2007 with no comments
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Week 1 in the NFL began with a bang as the Indianapolis Colts annihilated the New Orleans Saints by 31 points, easily covering the 6 point spread. Hope you were on the Colts or at least teased the bet like me. After scanning the lines for Week 1, it is interesting to note that all 16 games have spreads set to within 1 touchdown. In fact, linesmakers have set 9 of the 16 games to within a field goal! The teams can’t be this similarly matched, can they? Of course not! The linesmakers, just like you and me, don’t really know what to expect out of the 32 teams at this point in the season. With great research and savvy money management, a skilled handicapper can destroy the lines in Week 1 and make some serious cash. My hypothesis, formulated while watching Peyton Manning torch the Saints secondary last night, is just that: the linesmakers are no more knowledgeable than the average bettor at this point in the season. To collect evidence supporting my theory, I went back and glanced at the Week 1 lines of the 2006 NFL season. What I found was a gross disconnect between the spreads set by linesmakers and the actual results of the football games:
- The average spread in Week 1 of the 2006 NFL season was only 4.125 points. This included 2 games that were set at 9.5 points each. Eliminate those two games from the mix and the average spread was barely a field goal.
- The average margin of victory in 2006 Week 1 was a whopping 11.19 points, including 7 games (44%) determined by more than 10 points.
- The favorites were only 8-8 straight up and a horrible 5-11 against the spread.
So let’s turn to Week 1 NFL betting for 2007. The average spread for the 16 games this week is a mere 4 points, a bit lower than even last year. And true to form, the Colts covered a 6 point spread with about 3+ touchdowns to spare. The games will not be as close as the lines indicate. Remember that as you place your wagers. We will see if the dogs dominate like they did last year. Good luck!
Written by Jon on September 7th, 2007 with no comments
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The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints will kick off the 2007-2008 NFL season tomorrow night in Indianapolis. But even more importantly, the game will signify the official start of the NFL betting season. The majority of decent sportsbooks currently have the Super Bowl champs as 6 point favorites against the Saints, with the total set at 52 1/2 points. Indy is running at -260 on the moneyline, while New Orleans is paying out +220 straight up. Indianapolis was a perfect 8-0 last season at home and have gone 15-1 over the last 2 seasons at home. New Orleans was a very respectable 6-2 on the road last season. I obviously like the Colts in this game as they have excelled at home in recent years, but the 6 point spread is a bit high. The Colts won 3 of their 8 home games (37.5%) last season by less than 6 points - to lower quality teams (Miami, Buffalo, Tennessee) than the Saints. I could see this game being close and perhaps lower scoring than one would think. Although not a big proponent of the teaser bet, I am going to be teasing this bet to Indy at PK and under 58 1/2, with the standard juice of -110. I’m keeping this bet small as you never know what to expect during week 1. Good luck!
Written by Jon on September 4th, 2007 with no comments
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Forty-five year old fossil Roger Clemens was forced to leave Sunday’s game against the Seattle Mariners after only 4 innings due to elbow tightness. The Yankees dropped a key game at home to Seattle by the score of 7-1 as the Rocket allowed 5 runs and 8 hits before hitting the showers. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday. This was a must-win game for the Yankees and the Rocket fizzled in a big spot. Entering play, the Yankees commanded a two game lead over Seattle for the wildcard spot. The Yankees had the chance to step on the necks of a reeling Mariners squad, but came up way short. At this point, it is reasonable to ask whether Clemens’ most recent tenure with the Yankees has been a bust.
Consider that the Rocket’s salary this year is a whopping $28 million - his cut, on a pro-rated basis, is $18.7 million. He has started 16 games thus far and sports a 6-6 record with a 4.45 ERA. The Yankees have won 7 of his 16 starts (44%). Let’s do some math. To date, Clemens’ price tag has been $1.17 million/start and $2.67 million/win. No wonder ticket prices are through the roof! Upon further scrutiny, one notices that in three of Clemens’ wins, the Yankees hammered out 9 runs per game. In effect, the Yankees, with their potent offense, were “destined” to win these games, regardless of who pitched. So basically, whoever would have pitched in place of Clemens for 16 starts, would have been spotted 3 victories. This mystery pitcher would then have to go 4-9 in the remaining starts to match Clemens’ output. Obviously Roger Clemens is headed to the Hall of Fame and is probably one of the top 5 pitchers of all time. But let’s be honest, Clemens has not added much to the win total of the New York Yankees in 2007. It is probably too early to tell whether Clemens has been a total bust. That will largely depend on his playoff performance if the Yankees make the playoffs and if he pitches in it. In the meantime, I’ll just label him as a very expensive antique.
Written by Jon on September 3rd, 2007 with no comments
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In scouring today’s MLB lines, there was one sure win on the docket. That would be the New York Yankees at home against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. By now, we all know that Andy Pettitte rarely loses in the second half, especially against a team with a minor league pitching staff. Today, TB will trot out Jason Hammel and his fancy 7.44 ERA. There is an excellent chance that NY will win this game. Unfortunately, the moneyline is at -335 and the reward is not worth the risk. I have parlayed the Yankees at -335 with the Los Angeles Angels at -235 to get the payout closer to even money. This two-team parlay actually pays out approximately 17-20. Lay $100 on these large favorites in a parlay bet and get back $85 in profit. The Angels will have Lackey on the mound, at home, going for his 17th win of the season. Having lost to Texas yesterday, I can’t see the Angels losing today, behind their ace, and dropping 2 out of 3 at home to the Rangers. Yankees -335/Angels -235 two-team-parlay is the play. Good luck!
Written by Jon on September 2nd, 2007 with no comments
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With the NFL set to kick off this week, it is worthwhile to take a quick gander at which teams the linesmakers respect and which teams they disrespect. Clearly the lines are heavily influenced by last years results. But as we have seen in recent years, teams can make dramatic jumps from crap to quality in a single season - and vice versa. Perhaps you know something these linesmakers don’t know. The four favorites to win Superbowl XLII this year are:
- New England Patriots +300
- San Diego Chargers +500
- Indianapolis Colts +635
- New Orleans Saints +900
The 4 lowly teams who are expected to watch the Super Bowl from home this season are:
- Oakland Raiders +14000
- Buffalo Bills +8900
- Houston Texans +8200
- Cleveland Browns +8100
The Chicago Bears are the favorites to win the NFC at +455, while the New England Patriots are +230 favorites to win the AFC.
For updated futures odds, along with regular-season-wins betting odds, check out:
Written by Jon on September 1st, 2007 with no comments
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Can USC cover a whopping 46 1/2 point spread? That is about the only question that will be answered as the Idaho Vandals head to Los Angeles to face the No. 1 ranked USC Trojans. USC will win this game. That is about as undeniable as Charlie Weis’ weight problem. The question, and really the only source of drama will surround USC’s ability to outscore Idaho by a huge spread, 46 1/2 points (7 touchdown’s and 2 field goal’s). Consider that USC has a record of 59-6 in the past 5 seasons, while Idaho went 14-45 over that same period. USC will start a Heisman Trophy candidate in quarterback John David Booty, while Idaho will start a redshirt freshman who has never played a college game. USC has won 34 straight home games and will be playing in front of 90,000 raucous fans. Idaho is used to playing in front of 19,000 empty seats. I expect USC to score at will on both offense and defense and easily cover the spread. It will be akin to a WNBA team playing against an NBA team - except without the lesbians.
Written by Jon on September 1st, 2007 with 2530 comments
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Let’s be realistic, the Baltimore Orioles are not a good team. They are 58-72 and come into tonight’s game against Tampa Bay having lost 7 in a row. In those 7 games, they have been outscored by their opponents 87-28. Of course that alarming margin of defeat includes the 30-3 annihilation at the hands of the Texas Rangers exactly one week ago today. In the six games following that blowout, the Orioles have still managed to lose by an average of 5 runs per game. New Orioles manager Dave Trembley should probably be placed on suicide watch right about now. The Orioles just may have hit rock bottom last night when they allowed 11 runs in the 8th inning to Tampa Bay, blowing a 6-2 lead and proceeding to lose 15-8. It doesn’t get much worse than that. Tonight, it will be Steve Trachsel against James Shields. Somehow, some way, the Orioles will find a way to win this game. The Orioles are +118 underdogs at home. If you take them on the reverse runline as I have, the payout is +195. Orioles +118 is the play. Good luck!
Written by Jon on August 29th, 2007 with no comments
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The greatest rivalry in all of sports is renewed tonight as the Boston Red Sox head to the Bronx and battle the New York Yankees. It will be Dice-K up against Andy Pettitte. Backing the Yankees on the runline is currently paying out +150 and I’m locked in on that. Pettitte is a huge money pitcher and damn near unhittable between the months of July and October. The Yankees, despite losing to Dice-K earlier in the season, knocked him around for 6 ER’s in 7 innings. While the Yankees have little shot at catching the Red Sox in the AL East (Yanks are 8 games back), they need little motivation to get up for this game tonight. The Yankees are coming off an embarrassing 16-0 loss last night to the Tigers and the Sox may receive some punishment tonight. Yankees (-1 1/2) +150 at home.
Written by Jon on August 28th, 2007 with no comments
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The cost to back the Mets is only -106 tonight as they open a four game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia. The Mets are 28-14 in first games of series and an MLB best 38-26 on the road this season. The pitching matchup will be Brian Lawrence for the Mets (1-1, 5.57ERA) against J.D. Durbin (5-3, 5.44 ERA). The Mets whacked Durbin earlier in the season, pounding out 6 runs in 4 2/3 innings. The pitchers are similarly skilled, but the Mets are the better team. They are a seasoned road team and I like the cheap cost of backing them. Give me NY -106.
Written by Jon on August 27th, 2007 with no comments
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Brett Myers is at it again. Blowing saves, opening his big mouth, and being restrained from fighting. The amateur boxer refused to take credit for blowing the save last night against the Padres. He gave up two HR’s in the ninth inning, turning a win into a loss against the San Diego Padres. Myers, after the game, explained that the two homers were really “just popups.” When a reporter challenged Myers remarks, the pitcher called the reporter “retarded.” The reporter, in turn asked Myers if he could spell “retarded.” That prompted Myers to approach the reporter. Pat Burrell had to restrain Myers from turning the reporters face into a punching bag. Moral of the story - Myers has a temper and is a little insecure about his spelling ability. Take the Phillies at -150 today. They usually win the day after after clubhouse drama.
Note: Myers is 6′4″ and 215lbs. As an amateur boxer, he had a record of 12-0. He threw it down with Drew Henson (the ex-QB) in the minors and allegedly punched his wife in the face in 2006.
Written by Jon on August 26th, 2007 with 470 comments
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I was screwing around with my Bookmaker account last weekend and noticed that the sportsbook now offers a Contest section. By entering a contest, you compete against other bettors for cash prizes. Bookmaker hosts a bunch of racing contests daily, but I am only interested in the MLB contests (seemingly offered during the weekend only). Last weekend, I entered the MLB Moneyline contest against 21 other bettors and kicked their ass and took first place. The contest was only $5 to enter and the winner (me) got paid $56. The prize increases with the number of participants. If nothing else, this contest helps to sharpen one’s handicapping skills. This week, I jumped to the $25 contest. The more players, the bigger the pool, so hop on in!
Written by Jon on August 25th, 2007 with no comments
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I have placed my bets on the two New York baseball teams tonight :
- The Mets are rare home underdogs (+130) as they face the Padres and Jake Peavy. New York has had some success against Peavy this year, defeating him 7-0 in mid-July. Offensively, the Mets have scored 5 or more runs in 9 straight games. Brian Lawrence will be on the mound for the Mets, hurling against his former team. While Lawrence is no Peavy, San Diego is the worst offensive team in baseball, with a putrid team batting average of .245.
- The Yankees (-118) are looking to avoid the sweep to the LA Angels as their three game series comes to a close in California. I like Andy Pettitte over John Lackey in this situation. Pettitte is one of the best second-half pitchers in baseball (6-1 record this year) and the go-to guy when the Yankees need to stop the bleeding. The Yankees were embarrassed yesterday and I think they will exact some revenge tonight.
Written by Jon on August 22nd, 2007 with no comments
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I know I claimed a few weeks ago that preseason betting is silly and efforts to successfully handicap the games were an excercise in futility. Having said that, I am bored tonight and need some action. As the Indianapolis Colts host the Chicago Bears in a rematch of last year’s Super Bowl, I have opted for a 6-point teaser. I’m locked and loaded with the Colts +9 and Over 31 1/2. The cost is -110.
Written by Jon on August 20th, 2007 with no comments
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Mastering the stock market can greatly increase one’s wealth and financial well-being. Successful stock trading requires great skill, tactical patience, superior research skills, and years of experience. You are competing against other investors on both the retail and institutional level for a piece of the pie. You are also competing within yourself on both an emotional and psychological level. Sports betting is really no different. Actually, there are two major differences: (1) You don’t have to pay taxes on wins and (2) The pay-offs and losses are almost immediate, but generally speaking, the same skill-sets are required to master both the stock market and the wonderful world of sports betting.
While the stock market has been tanking the last two months, Sports Gambling Blog has been riding high. In the month of August, we have publicly posted 7 plays and all 7 have hit (See Link). In fact, if you had funded a sportsbook account with only $100 and layed that same $100 on all 7 plays, it would be worth $823.55 now. If you blindly let your winnings ride after each successive win, that original $100 would be worth a whopping $32,227.79 right now. As you can see, sports betting can yield incredible returns on investment. We at SGB will continue to post plays and hopefully continue to make our readers loads of money.
Written by Jon on August 19th, 2007 with no comments
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Remember that French dude Zinedine Zidane? He was the soccer player who head-butted the Italian defender during the World Cup a little over a year ago. The skull attack would lead to the Frenchman’s ejection and the teams subsequent defeat. Well, the Italian, Mr. Marco Materazzi finally disclosed the magic words that he uttered to Zidane that preceded the famous head-butt. The words were: “I prefer the whore that is your sister.” Unfortunately for Materazzi, it was Zidane and not his sister that ultimately gave him head!
Written by Jon on August 18th, 2007 with 1 comment
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Matt Cain is the best 13-game loser in the majors this year. It is unfortunate for him that his team absolutely blows from an offensive standpoint. Nonetheless, I will be backing Cain and the Giants at -130 against the Marlins in Florida. Rick VandenHurk gets the nod for the lowly Marlins. He sports a ridiculous 7.46 ERA and has been absolutely shelled in his last 4 outings. The Giants, meanwhile, have scored a pathetic 18 runs in Matt Cain’s last 8 starts. This is why Cain continues to accumulate losses at a rapid pace. If the Giants can just score 3 or 4 runs for Cain, I think he will avoid loss number 14. SF Giants -130 is the play. Good luck!
Written by Jon on August 18th, 2007 with no comments
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A much-anticipated four game series begins tonight as the Detroit Tigers pay a visit to the Bronx and the NY Yankees. The two teams are battling for playoff spots in the AL and the result of this series could have huge playoff implications. The Detroit Tigers are paying out +140 on the moneyline and I will be plunking down some change there. Justin Verlander will be facing Mike Mussina. I have to go with Verlander (6-2 record on the road with a 3.13 ERA) over the Moose (better lately, but I still don’t trust him). This is the game for the Tigers to win. They will face Pettitte, Clemens, and Wang in the next 3 games. Win this one and they will be OK. Lose it and they will be looking at a possible sweep. I’m looking for Sheffield to break out against his old mates tonight. Detroit +140.
Written by Jon on August 16th, 2007 with no comments
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Jose Offerman hasn’t made much use of his bat in recent years. That all changed last night when the former major league infielder of 15 years attacked the opposing catcher and pitcher after being plunked with a pitch. Offerman, playing for the Long Island Ducks, hit a home run in his first at-bat and was subsequently drilled by Bridgeport Bluefish starter Matt Beech in his next at-bat. Offerman charged the mound with bat in hand and took out the catcher and pitcher. The catcher sustained a concussion and the pitcher suffered a broken middle finger. Offerman is being charged with 2 counts of second-degree assault and faces possible jail time. While Offerman’s playing days may have come to a conclusion, he has managed to rake in over $32,000,000 in his playing career. Not bad for a mediocre player with 57 career home runs. If he plays his cards right, he could add to his net worth by becoming Louisville Slugger’s next spokesman.
Written by Jon on August 15th, 2007 with no comments
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Backing the San Diego Padres at home against the Colorado Rockies on the runline (-1 1/2) is paying out +195. That is one enticing payout and I will take the bait. Greg Maddux goes for SD against Colorado’s Jeff Francis. The Padres have scored 12 runs two times in the last 3 games. Francis, a 13-game winner, was hit hard by the Padres in his last outing against San Diego. Good luck!
Written by Jon on August 14th, 2007 with no comments
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Written by Jon on August 13th, 2007 with no comments
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I’m laying -124 on the Phillies tonight as they close out their three game home series with the Atlanta Braves. It comes down to a trust factor. I simply trust the veteran Jamie Moyer at home over journeyman Buddy Carlyle on the road. Moyer has dominated the NL East this season (5-1 record, 2.50 ERA). Although Carlyle has been equally as impressive in his past 8 starts (6-1 record), I think that trend ends tonight. I like the Phillies to break through offensively, win the game, and gain sole control of second place in the NL East.
Written by Jon on August 12th, 2007 with no comments
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Once pegged as a can’t-miss phenom, the career of one-time flame-thrower, Rick Ankiel, has taken more twists and turns than a season of 24. Almost 7 years after imploding during the 2000 Playoffs, a postseason marred by 11 walks, 9 wild pitches, and 7 earned runs in 4 innings, the lefty has finally made it back to the majors. This time as an outfielder. Much credit should be given to the St. Louis Cardinals organization, who despite his playoff meltdown and subsequent failure in the 2001 season (24 IP, 25H, 19ER, 25 BB, 5 wild pitches, 7 HR’s allowed, 7.13ERA), have allowed Ankiel to keep pursuing a big-league career. Since returning to the big show this week, Ankiel is hitting .417 with 3HR’s and 6RBI’s in 12AB’s. Hollywood can’t script a story better than this. In a day when major sports are being stained by rampant steroid use, referee gambling, dog fighting, and “making it rain” strip club shootings, Ankiel’s story is one of determination, endurance, grit, and class. It is too early to tell how Ankiel’s story will eventually end, but we should all enjoy the story is it continues to unfold.
Note: In AAA Memphis, Ankiel blasted 31 homers and 86 RBI’s in just 100 games this season before being called up to the Cardinals.
Written by Jon on August 12th, 2007 with no comments
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