NBA Odds – Saturday Triple-Play

Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz

The Houston Rockets made a bold move to acquire Kevin Martin at the NBA trade deadline but the move has not worked out as first viewed.

The Rockets are mired in a big slump that has landed them in last place in the Southwest Division. Houston has lost three straight and seven of their last 10 games, which is not what they had in mind when they bolstered their roster with Martin.

Meanwhile, the Jazz have been heading in the opposite direction. They had a bad start to the season but have won 34 of their last 49 games and are one of the hottest teams in the league. During that time, they have climbed to third in the West and are just one game out of second.

This is a mismatch and the Jazz should take advantage.

NBA Odds Pick: Jazz

Portland Trail Blazers @ Minnesota Timberwolves

The Portland Trail Blazers have been snake-bitten by injuries this year but they still don’t give up. No matter who goes down, they still scrap and fight.

The Blazers have won two straight games and are sitting in eighth in the Western Conference playoff standings. They get an easy matchup on Saturday but playing on the road is never easy in the NBA.

Portland will face Minnesota, who is dead last in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves have just 14 wins on the year and are just 9-20 at home.

It’s tough to bet against Portland in this matchup given the difference in caliber and given the difference in motivation. Minnesota is already playing for a high draft pick while the Blazers are aiming for the playoffs.

Sportsbook Reviews Pick: Trail Blazers

Detroit Pistons @ Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons are two of the more disappointing teams in the NBA this season as both have combined for just 36 wins and 77 losses.

While most people remember the Pistons as a proud franchise, the reality is that they have been an embarrassment this year considering their talent and they can’t be trusted in any betting scenario.

They have just seven road wins this year while the Warriors are somewhat decent at 12-18 at home. The Warriors like to run and gun at home and they should be able to outrun the Pistons as they venture out to the West Coast.

NBA Betting Pick: Warriors

NASCAR Odds – Burton should end run at Las Vegas

NASCAR betting players have been waiting for a team to step up and consistently challenge Hendrick Motorsports, and over the first two weeks of the season, it looks like Richard Childress Racing is ready to step up after a terrible 2009 season. The Shelby American takes place this Sunday at Las Vegas, and one of their drivers will end a 43-race winless streak at a place he’s already won twice.

Las Vegas Odds – Sunday, February 28, 2:00 PM ET

Jimmie Johnson (+400)

Last week’s winner at California won this race three times from 2005 to 2007, and he probably would have won last year if not for wall contact late in the race which dropped him back into the pack.

Kyle Busch (+700)

Last year’s winner took the checkered flag from the pole, setting a track record in the process, but an engine change made him go to the back of the pack at the start. But Busch was determined to win at his hometown track, and he pulled out the victory. Busch seems more mature so far this year, as he got engaged, and he owns his own truck team. Last week, his car was terrible, but he willed it to a 14th-place finish.

Jeff Burton (+1500)

Burton won this race in 1999 and 2000, and bookmakers (sportsbook reviews) may have issues putting faith in the No.31 driver as he hasn’t won since October 2008, which was the second Charlotte race of the year. Burton’s 9.8 average is the best finishing average among active drivers, and he’s one of four racers (Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Bobby Labonte are the others) to have driven in all 12 Las Vegas races. Burton finished third behind Johnson and RCR teammate Kevin Harvick at California last week.

Matt Kenseth (+2000)

The No.17 driver switched crew chiefs after just one race, but he got a seventh-place finish out of California as the defending champion after no one heard anything from him all day long. Kenseth won this race in 2003 and 2004, and he was going for three wins in a row last year before a blown engine sent him to the garage in just the seventh lap.

Joey Logano (+3000)

This is the guy you want to back if you like risks, and the No.20 driver finished 13th here in his first Las Vegas race last year. Logano finished fifth last week at California, and he carries himself with a confidence he didn’t have last year as a rookie. He could win a couple of races this season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise.

Pick: Jeff Burton is the play here after his performances in the first couple of weeks. He’s my sports handicapping pick of the weekend.

New Orleans Hornets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview

As the NBA season winds down, the games become more important as teams try to vie for playoff spots or seeding. This Tuesday we have an interesting matchup between two teams looking for different things. The Cleveland Cavaliers have dropped three straight for the first time this season and are trying to right the ship, while the New Orleans Hornets are trying to stay alive in the playoff race in the west without their star, Chris Paul.

New Orleans Hornets (30-26, 9th in Western Conference) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (43-14, 1st in Eastern Conference)

Sportsbook

Spread: Cavaliers -5.5

Over/Under 198

Money Line: Cavaliers -200, New Orleans + 150

Key Matchups

Bronze Medal: Can the Cavs adjust to Antawn Jamison and no Illgauskas

• Since the trade to get Antawn Jamison at the deadline, the Cavs have dropped three straight. Jamison has only played in two of those games and was terrible in the first (0-12) and very good in the second (19 points 8 rebounds). Jamison will be a great fit for this Cavs team, however without Big Z on the team, the Cavs will need to find away to replace his presence. LeBron looked a little out of sorts in the fourth quarter against the Magic Sunday. He was only 1-5 and settled for jump shots. Perhaps not having Big Z spreading the floor and hitting deep 2’s has inhibited LeBron’s usual driving to the lane ways. The Cavs expect to get Illgauskas back after the 30 day period is up for players traded, but they may be inconsistent offensively until then.

Advantage: Hornets

Silver Medal: How can the Hornets win without Chris Paul leading the way?

• Chris Paul has been sidelined after having arthroscopic knee surgery a couple weeks ago. Replacing a player of Paul’s caliber is impossible to do, however the Hornets have had an impressive fill in with rookie G Darren Collison. Collison is averaging 24 points and 9.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds and a whopping 3.4 steals over his last five games. Those are Paul like numbers. His 5.8 turnovers a game however, are not. The Hornets have been staying afloat without Paul, but the team just doesn’t runs as smoothly without him. The Cavs have no one that can guard Chris Paul, and Collison will likely have a great game, but this is still a road game against the best team in the NBA with a rookie PG.

Advantage: Cavs

Gold Medal: How do the Hornets stop LeBron?

• They don’t. It’s not going to happen. The Hornets are not setup to defend against a player with James’ size or speed. Then again no one is, but New Orleans will really be up against it. What the Hornets will need to do is play real tight on the other players on the Cavs. Peja Stojakovic has no chance of guarding LeBron and Marcus Thornton and James Posey will not fair much better. Expect a 30+ point triple double out of the likely MVP.

Advantage: Cavs

Online Sportsbook Review: Prediction

• LeBron isn’t going to lose four in a row. I refuse to believe that is going to happen. The Hornets have an interesting team but have not been able to matchup with the better squads in the league. This game will be more of the same.

Final: Cavs 105 - Hornets 93. Take the Cavs and beware of the Total.

Game Advantage NBA Preview: Washington vs. Toronto

After a wild NBA trade deadline and with the playoffs rapidly approaching, US Sportsbook Review odds are the hot topic for many NBA fans. There are several key match ups in the NBA this Saturday. Here is a preview of the Washington Wizards versus Toronto Raptors game.

Washington Wizards @ Toronto Raptors

Saturday, February 20, 7:00PM (ET)

Eastern Conference rivals meet as the red hot Raptors hit the hard court against the basement dwelling Washington Wizards. After remaining dormant on trade deadline day, the Toronto Raptors are hoping to continue their recent streak and close the gap between division leading Boston. Washington, who is well outside the playoff picture looking in, is in desperate need of a win against the Raptors.

What Toronto needs to do to win

Sportsbook Odds: NO LINE YET

Play Strong Defence: Throughout the 2009-2010 season, the Toronto Raptors have not struggled to score. What this team has struggled with, is defending against their opposition. Although the Raptors are averaging more than 104 points per game, they are allowing on average more than 105 points per game. One of their weakest defenders this game has been Jose Calderon. Calderon, along with Raptors big man Chris Bosh, must step up their defensive coverage in order for this team to succeed.

Get scoring from the bench: With three solid scoring threats from Chris Bosh, Andrea Bargnani, and Hedo Turkoglu, the Raptors have a wealth of primary scoring. To continue their recent winning ways, the Toronto Raptors need secondary scoring from their bench. The Raptors need scoring from bench players including Jose Calderon, Sonny Weems, and Amir Johnson. If the Raptors can receive scoring from their bench, they will likely be too powerful for the Washington Wizards.

What Washington needs to do to win

Online Sportsbook Odds: NO LINE YET

Find a new team cohesion: Following a wild NBA trade deadline, the Washington Wizards are a brand new team. The trade deadline saw the Wizards ship out a half dozen players and welcome in many new faces. If the Wizards want to succeed against the Toronto Raptors, they will need to find some instant team cohesion. Playing with unfamiliar faces will cause confusion in both the offensive and defensive zone. Coach Flip Saunders must find a way to pull his team together if they want to have any chance of finishing the season strong.

Shut down the Raptors top scorers: For the first time in years, the Toronto Raptors are a legitimate offensive threat. With so many new faces on the Washington roster, defensive coverage might be an issue. Shutting down star Chris Bosh must be the top priority for new faces Josh Howard and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. These two big men will have their hands full with Bosh, Bargnani, and Turkoglu. Bosh is averaging close to 25 points per game while Turkoglu is averaging almost 18 points per game.

With a completely new roster, it is hard to say what the new Washington Wizards will look like. The roster changes are definitely a step in the right direction and could make the difference against the surging Toronto Raptors.

Champions League Betting News - Bayern Munich beat Fiorentina 2-1

Bayern Munich beat Fiorentina 2-1 today with a goal from Miroslav Klose in the 89th minute in the first leg of the knockout stages of Champions League football, which also won its thirteenth consecutive victory.

The wards of Louis Van Gaal hits in recent weeks, it had very serious approach to the complicated defensive Italian rival, which came as a "victim" to the tie, after accumulating five defeats in six matches thus far.

The local first goal came in stoppage of the first half, in a move that ended in a local invalidated both Mario Gomez, who converted a penalty moments later before the Dutchman Arjen Robben in the 48 '.

Just after the restart, the Fiore reacted with both the Danish Per Kroldrup (50 '), the network headed in a corner after a Bavarian defensive error, but the local fair at the end got the victory thanks to Klose, who took area up the rebound after a shot by Robben.

The late both "saved" the night for Bavarians, who will play the return on Tuesday March 9 in Florence with advantage, though aware that the short range leaves open the tie.

Boxing Betting – Mosley finally gets Mayweather in Ring

US sportsbooks (US sportsbook reviews) were banking on a fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao as being the biggest fight in the history of the sport. But that fight broke down, and Mayweather will take on Shane Mosley instead. Fight fans and online betting players alike will be treated to a match between two of the best welterweights on the planet, and this is a fight Mosley has wanted for a while.

Mayweather vs Mosley odds – Saturday, May 1, 2010

“Money” Mayweather (40-0-0, 25 KOs) was due to fight Pacquiao in a megafight, but Pacquiao wouldn’t agree to Mayweather’s demands for Olmypic-style testing. Mayweather returned to the ring after a 10th-round knockout of Ricky Hatton in December 2007, after which Mayweather decided to retire, but he then came back for what most people thought was a shot at Pacquiao. Mayweather destroyed Juan Manuel Marquez, who has drawn with Pacquiao as well as taken a loss in a highly controversial split decision, but to be fair to Marquez, he was really a lightweight moving up to fight Mayweather, who looked much bigger (and was indeed bigger after he failed to meet the official weight of 144 points, fighting instead at 146 points, for which he paid a $600,000 penalty) than Marquez.

Shane “Sugar” Mosley (46-5-1, 39 KOs) has won titles in three weight classes, and currently holds the WBA’s welterweight title, which he’s putting up in this fight. He’s bounced back since a pair of losses to “Winky” Wright, and even his loss to Miguel Cotto was a very good fight. Mosley still has his famous hand speed, although he’ll be pressed to show it off against the lightning-quick Mayweather. Mosley took the WBA belt from Antonio Margarito, dominating the former champion in January 2009 to show that he’s still one of the best.

Early sports betting odds are backing Mayweather at -130, and this fight got started when Mosley stormed the ring after Mayweather’s beating of Marquez and asked for a fight. Mosley has been looking to fight Mayweather for years, and there’s always been a stigma of Mayweather avoiding the world’s best welterweights so he can keep his perfect record. It’s not like Mayweather has been fighting bums, beating Oscar De La Hoya, Hatton and Marquez, but let’s be real: De La Hoya was on his way out of boxing, and Hatton and Marquez were well overmatched, while Mosley has gone to war with the Cottos, the Margaritos, and he also beat De La Hoya in his prime. People thinking that Mosley has no chance haven’t watched boxing, because he hasn’t lost that much hand speed, and he has enough experience to offset Mayweather’s defense. Mayweather may have to actually let his hands go, which will make for an exciting boxing betting experience.

Arsenal Won and Continue on the Premier League

Arsenal is reluctant to abandon the fight for the Premier League. The whole 'gunner' got to suffering a victory by the minimum cut against Liverpool and Chelsea and United points, unable to win this time. A head of Diaby both proved that Wenger's gunpowder still have to do battle.

Precisely what you are required to Liverpool. The Rafa Benitez, who arrived after seven games chain without defeat, were presented at the Emirates with the intent to put Arsenal in the Champions
mess. However, following the results of this day, things are clear. Three of the four positions of privilege have, except a miracle, owner.

And that the whole 'red' did not complete a bad game. Gotta cancel much of combinative play Arsenal and disposed of their chances to take the match. Benitez took the shock to your site with the usual pair flanked by Leiva-Mascherano Gerrard's work and Maxi.

He did not play comfortably Wenger's team, this time chose to present a clear offensive reference to the input of Bendtner. Walcott was killed in an eleven who played with all the usual.

NCAA Basketball Odds – Illini look for another upset win in Big Ten

When you think of March Madness betting, you don’t think much of Illinois, who hasn’t had much success in the Big Dance since winning it all in 2005. But the Fighting Illini has been showing signs of life this year, and are coming off a big win as they head to Wisconsin, another surprising team that just completed a Michigan sweep.

Illinois vs Wisconsin odds – Tuesday, February 9, 7:00 PM ET

The Illini (16-8, 8-3) took advantage of a short-handed Michigan State team to beat the Spartans 78-73 on Saturday, as the Spartans were missing star guard Kalin Lucas, who was out with a sprained ankle. Demetri McCamey took advantage of Lucas’ absence to lead the Illini with 22 points and 11 assists, while Mike Davis came off the bench with 16 points. The Illini shot 52.5% from the field, and they countered a 34-21 deficit on the glass with 18 forced turnovers out of the Spartans, compared to only nine of their own.

After beating Michigan State last Tuesday, the No.11 Badgers (18-5, 8-3) went wild in a 62-44 win at Michigan, hitting 11 of their 21 attempts from three-point land. Jason Bohannon led a balanced attack with 18 points, and Trevon Hughes had 14 points for the Badgers, who held a 28-16 edge on the boards. Wisconsin was deadly efficient against the Wolverines, jumping out a 14-point halftime lead, and they never took their foot off the gas. When it comes to sports betting darkhorses in the NCAA Tournament, Wisconsin may be a good time to look at.

The odds in your offshore sportsbook (sportsbook reviews) should favor Wisconsin at home, where they are 13-0 this season. The Illini has lost seven of their last nine trips to Madison, and while they have a 4-3 record away from home, their last two road wins came at Penn State and Iowa, who are the worst two teams in the Big Ten, and they’ve already lost at Michigan State, their biggest test away from Assembly Hall. The Illini has a size advantage in the post with Mike Tisdale and Davis, so they would do well to go into their big men to slow the game down. McCamey had a field day against Michigan State without Lucas in the lineup, but how will he react with a full-strength Wisconsin team with Hughes and Bohannon in the backcourt? With both teams at 8-3 in the Big Ten, this is a huge, huge matchup. Go with Wisconsin due to the homecourt advantage.

Internet sports betting pick: Wisconsin

NBA Betting – Will Kobe make it to Portland on Saturday?

It’s not quite as big as Super Bowl odds, but anytime the Los Angeles Lakers are involved in an NBA betting matchup, it’s bound to raise some eyebrows. The defending NBA champions will head to Portland on Saturday night, and the jury is still out on whether their leader will be there.

Lakers vs Trailblazers odds – Saturday, February 6, 10:00 PM ET

The Lakers (38-12 as of Friday) still have to host Denver on Friday night at the Staples Center, and they may be without Kobe Bryant, who is finally considering taking a game or two off. This time it’s an ankle injury, but Bryant has been dealing with back and finger injuries all season, and that’s just what we know about. This has to mean more touches for the rest of the Lakers, and mainly Pau Gasol, who has grumbled from time to time about his role in the offense, and more to the point, Bryant’s domination of the triangle offense. In their lone meeting with the Trailblazers this year, Bryant lit Portland up for 33 points, while Lamar Odom had a stat-stuffing day with 15 points, 13.0 boards, five assists and four steals.

You don’t have to tell the Trailblazers (30-22) about injuries, as there are few teams in the NBA that could complain about that than Portland, who are still missing Brandon Roy. LaMarcus Aldridge is trying to step up in his absence, and he’s averaged 22.6 points and 8.8 rebounds over his last five games. Aldridge was thought by many to be a star coming out of Texas a few years ago, but he’s seemed happy to let Roy take over the offense. But Aldridge is very similar to another former Longhorn, Kevin Durant. Aldridge doesn’t have Durant’s explosiveness, but he can score in a lot of different ways, and he’s better on the glass. Roy had 32 points when the Trailblazers won 107-98 at home on January 8th, and Jerryd Bayless added 21.

The Trailblazers should be the favorites at home according to your gambling software, and the Lakers have lost a staggering nine in a row at the Rose Garden. The Lakers are a spectacular 9-3 in the second half of back-to-back games this season, but that’s with Bryant in the lineup, and he’s been known to take over when he feels the rest of the Lakers are tiring. They’ll be facing a tough Denver team on Friday, while the Trailblazers had a day off after beating San Antonio in a close game on Thursday night. Look for the Trailblazers to come out with more engery and try to push the pace on the Lakers from the opening tip-off. We’re also betting on Bryant not being in the lineup.

Free sports betting pick: Portland

Super Bowl Betting – Super Bowl XLIV Preview

The Super Bowl betting odds are up for the big game, so here is a preview of Super Bowl XLIV:

Super Bowl XLIV – New Orleans Saints @ Indianapolis Colts

Sportsbetting.com Odds (Sportsbetting.com reviews): Colts -5.5

Super Bowl betting is at a fever pitch as the game is only a few days away. One of the things driving this year’s betting activity is that the teams that reigned as the best two in football made it to the big game. There is not underdog, no Cinderella (although the Saints could be considered a Cinderella story) and there are really no surprises. The one surprise we do find is that the Saints are so heavily favored to win.

To me this game was a pick ‘em until the super bowl betting x-factor reared its head. Your x-factor for the outcome of this game is Colts’ defensive end Dwight Freeney. If Freeney plays in Super Bowl XLIV, he will do so on a limited basis and he will not be effective at all. His bad ankle is causing him to wear a protective boot, and he risks long-term injury if he plays on Sunday. When the Colts play without Freeney the games become a shootout because Freeney is the Colts pass rush. This time the QB on the other end of that shoot out is Drew Brees.

On the Saints side of the ball, they are clicking on all cylinders. The Saints are checking in with no injuries leading in to the Super Bowl, and they looked very impressive in remaining resilient enough to fend off Brett Favre and the Vikings in the NFC Championship game. The Saints defense can be dicey and unpredictable, but their offense is lethal if left unchecked.

Comparing the numbers the Saints defense in the regular season had 35 sacks while the Colts had 34 with Dwight Freeney having 13.5 of those sacks. On special teams both the Colts and the Saints have a kick-off return for a TD while the Saints add a punt return TD to their side of the ledger. As you would expect from teams with such great QBs neither team had a rusher go for over 1,000 yards during the season, however Colts’ RB Joseph Addai poses a threat as he scored 10 rushing TDs in 2009. Both Drew Brees and Peyton Manning threw for over 4,000 yards and 30 TDs in 2009 as well.

This game comes down to intangibles. The Saints are new to this kind of spotlight while the Colts are old hands at being champions. Drew Brees is a great leader and precision quarterback, but there is a reason that Peyton Manning is the 2009 NFL MVP. Manning knows how to get the most out of his offensive line and his receivers, and Peyton Manning has proven that he knows how to win in almost every circumstance. However the absence of Dwight Freeney turns Super Bowl XLIV into a shoot out, and the Colts secondary was only able to pick up 16 interceptions this season. There will not be nearly the needed pressure on Drew Brees, and the Saints receivers will be running the Colts’ secondary ragged. Peyton Manning, on the other hand, will have the full fury of the Saints pass rush in his face and a secondary that snagged 26 interceptions this year. Peyton is a warrior and a hall of famer, but even he has his limits.

NFL Picks: Saints 35 - 24