Michigan State vs. Butler Betting Odds Preview

As exciting as the 2010 installment of the March Madness tournament has been, perhaps with the storylines centered on the “Cinderella” underdogs and top-seed upsets, the Bulldogs and Spartans have not rendered the attention they deserved. That has changed now that the fifth seeds from both the Midwest and West have advanced to the Final Four odds games.

What: NCAA Basketball Betting

When: Saturday April 3rd – 6PM ET

Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN

The Road To The Final Four: Michigan State

After a stunning upset overtime loss to Minnesota in the Big Ten quarterfinals, the Spartans have done their best to make their fans forget about their early conference tournament title exit by advancing to the March Madness Final Four. It seems however that Michigan State has played to the level of its competition, as with the exception of a 59-52 win over Northern Iowa in the regional semi finals, the Spartans have won their three games by a combined six points. That includes a close 70-69 win over Tennessee in the Midwest finals in which the Volunteers’ Scotty Hopson couldn’t hit both of his free throws with less than 15 seconds to go to give his team the lead. That led to the Spartans’ going the other way and Raymar Morgan drew a foul, hit one of two free throws with two seconds left, which was enough for the win. Michigan State is in the Final Four for the eighth time in school history, and the sixth since 1999, which leads the best online sportsbook
NCAA over that span.

The Road To The Final Four: Butler

The Bulldogs did it all on the way to the March Madness picks’ Final Four. After encountering little resistance in their first round win over UTEP, Butler shut down any idea of number 13 Murray State going on a “Cinderella” run, topping the Racers 54-52 in the second round. From there, the Bulldogs would eliminate the top two seeds in the West region, bouncing top-seed Syracuse 63-59 in the Sweet 16, and then bumping Kansas State 63-56 in the Elite Eight. Butler has not lost in 2010, extending their phenomenal win streak to 25 straight games, sweeping through the Horizon conference and all the way to Indianapolis. With four players averaging over 10 points per game, the Bulldogs are probably the best team in the nation to receive such little attention heading in to the Final Four.

Who Will Advance To The National Title Game: Michigan State vs Butler

As is often the case with March Madness odds, it is unlikely that many prognosticators had these teams making an improbable run to the Final Four to play one another. Now that Michigan State and Butler are one game away from the big game, the college basketball betting picture is becoming clearer. The Bulldogs have beaten better competition to get to this game, then again it is hard to think that any one team, never mind from the Horizon conference, will be able to win 27 straight and a national title. Butler has the better team, but that doesn’t mean they are anything more than just a favorite.

Gambling Advisor blog Pick: Butler

NBA Odds – Still no love for Mavericks in Golden State

Golden State fans may be watching March Madness odds to see how the possible top picks are faring, but they’ll definitely be watching their Warriors on Friday night, as the Dallas Mavericks come to town, and they’ve had problems, to put it mildly, in Golden State lately.

Mavericks vs Warriors odds – Saturday, March 27, 10:30 PM ET

The Mavericks fell 101-89 in Portland on Thursday night for their third loss in four games, and they wasted a great effort from Caron Butler, who dropped 25 points, but it’s clear that the Mavericks are still trying to play with Butler in the lineup with Dirk Nowitzki, who had 15 points. Jason Terry also had a rough night, going 4-of-14 from the floor for 11 points for the Mavericks, who went to the foul line just nine times, making eight of their attempts. The Mavericks have now given up an average of 106 points in their last three losses, and for a team that is allowing 99.6 points on the year, that is a quick way to watch your sports betting odds go down the drain.

The Warriors stopped their losing streak at three games with a 128-110 win over Memphis at home on Wednesday, and Stephon Curry overcame his seven turnovers with 30 points, 11 assists, five boards and four steals on the night. Curry has a better assist-to-turnover ratio than Monta Ellis, who had 21 points, eight assists, six boards and three steals for the Warriors, who have to make a decision: are they going to stick with Curry and Ellis in the backcourt, or will they try to move one, likely Ellis? They should also have a solid pick in the draft, and things could be looking up in Oakland soon.

The Warriors should be favored at home by sportsbook odds (sportsbook reviews), given the Mavericks’ recent struggles in Golden State, where they’ve lost eight of their last 10, although they did win 127-117 in Oakland on December 8th. They’ll also remember their 2007 playoff series with the Warriors in which they became the first top seed to lose to a No.8 seed in the first round. The Mavericks have to get their act together going into the playoffs, especially on defense, but they’re going up against a Golden State that practically forces you to play an up-and-down game, and they’ve scored 100 points or more in nine straight games. Look for them to push the pace with Dallas’ Jason Kidd trying to keep up with Ellis and Curry, who will have big nights against the Mavericks. Take the Warriors at home on Saturday before checking in on your college basketball betting odds.

NASCAR Drives Into Martinsville

NASCAR bosses must be screaming at the idea of fighting with March Madness odds coverage for an audience after having their ratings fall in each of the first three races while battling the Olympics including the Canada-USA mens hockey gold medal game. That’s the reality however as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drives in to Virginia, and Martinsville Speedway for the sixth race of the season. The shortest track on the Cup schedule has an even shorter list of winners over the past few years. Only five different racers have captured the checkered flag at Martinsville since 2003, with three of them capturing 12 of 14 first place-finishes.

Online betting enthusiasts already know that two of those three price per head winners belong to Hendrick Motorsports including who else but four-time Sprint Series winner Jimmie Johnson and teammate Jeff Gordon. The list of winners becomes even shorter when looking at the last seven races. The 48-car has won five of the last seven races at the half-mile paper clip the other two were won by Denny Hamlin including the most recent race there last October. Beyond Johnson, Gordon, and Hamlin, only Rusty Wallace and Tony Stewart have sped to victory at the only original track still on the schedule, over the past seven years.

JJ48 has already accomplished something that no driver ever has in winning four-consecutive Sprint Cup Series titles since 2006, and is looking like the favorite to win again this year. Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus have already captured the checkered flag at three of the first five races including last week at Bristol Motor Speedway, a track comparable to Martinsville in regards to contact, although not nearly as fast. Johnson is in the lead on the list of this year’s money list, and in third place in points, just 17 back of the lead.

Kevin Harvick currently leads the sportsbook Sprint Cup Series standings despite having not one a race this year. Harvick has placed in the top-10 in four of the first five races, but holds just a one point lead over Matt Kenseth, who has yet to finish outside of the top-10 this year. While Harvick placed ninth in points earned at Martinsville last season, Kenseth has driven to an average finish of 16.6 in 20 races. Both could fall down a spot after Johnson earned 365 points in two races combined at the 526-mile oval in 2010.

This race couldn’t come sooner for Hamlin, who has not finished in the top-10 in any of the first five races. Joe Gibbs Racing’s top dog was expected to contend with Johnson for the Cup title after an excellent 2009, but has struggled with his best finish coming back at the opener in Daytona where he placed 17th. Hamlin ranks 19th in the standings, but after registering the most points at Martinsville a season ago could benefit from driving on one of his favorite courses.

Still, Jimmie Johnson will be the favorite to win his fourth race of the season this weekend at Martinsville Speedway, in the midst of NCAA March Madness.

College Basketball Betting – Kansas State Will Send Xavier Packing

No. 6 Xavier Musketeers vs No. 2 Kansas State Wildcats

Thursday, March 25th – 9:37 PM ET

Energy Solutions Arena – Salt Lake City, UT

West Region

March Madness Odds: Kansas State -4.5

There are many sports betting enthusiasts who have been ensconced in college basketball betting for the last week. The NCAA Tournament started on Thursday and after a weekend of crazy upsets, we’re left with 16 teams of the sweet variety.

Two teams that were semi-expected to still be there - Xavier and Kansas State – will meet up in the West Region for a berth in the Elite Eight.

Xavier knocked off Minnesota rather easily in the first round but then had a close shave in a 71-68 win over Minnesota. Meanwhile, the Wildcats have been rolling as they had a 20-point win over North Texas in the opening round followed by a 12-point win over BYU in round two.

Speaking of that matchup against BYU, this should be a similar matchup for the Wildcats as they are dealing with a similar opponent.

The Cougars were led by Jimmer Fredette, who scored a whopping 34 points in the first round but couldn’t come close to that in the second round. With Wildcats guard Jacob Pullen on him, Fredette managed just four field goald.

The same can’t happen to Xavier or they won’t even be in this contest. The Musketeers are led by guard Jordan Crawford, who has scored 55 points in the first two games of this tournament. He needs to have another big game for the Musketeers to pull the upset and if the lock down defense wins, so will Kansas State.

The Musketeers are not a team with a ton of depth, so they rely on their leaders more than most teams. They also don’t play a signature brand of defense, so they will need to fill it up regularly to win this game.

If that’s the key matchup for the Wildcats on defense, the key matchup when their on offense will be the perimeter. Against BYU, Pullen and guard Denis Clemente feasted. Pullen had 34 points, including seven three-pointers, and he could have another big game as Xavier doesn’t cover the perimeter very well.

The Musketeers have been to the Sweet Sixteen for three straight years but this is as far as they’ll get this year as the Wildcats will send them packing.

Sportsbook Reviews Pick: Kansas State -4.5

NBA Betting – Bucks wrap up West Coast swing in Denver

Online betting players have been stunned by Milwaukee’s emergence in the Eastern Conference, and even though they probably won’t get homecourt advantage, they’re hanging on to the fifth seed very tight. The Bucks will be out west this weekend and on Saturday, they’ll head to Denver, who will be rested and waiting.

Bucks vs Nuggets odds – Saturday, March 20, 9:00 PM ET

The Bucks had a six-game winning streak snapped in Los Angeles on Wednesday when they fell 101-93 to the Clippers, and Brandon Jennings led the way with 21 points and five assists, although he had five of Milwaukee’s 13 turnovers. Andrew Bogut had another solid game in the post with 18 points, 11 boards and four blocks, and he really has come into his own this season. The former No.1 pick has always been good defensively and on the boards, but he’s showing an ability to put the ball in the hoop this year, and having a point guard like Jennings has to help. Chances are Bogut won’t be looking at how to bet March Madness this year, as his Utah Utes won’t be dancing, but we’re sure Bogut will take a playoff trip instead.

The Nuggets recovered from a disappointing loss in Houston with a 97-87 win over Washington on Tuesday, and Carmelo Anthony followed up a 45-point performance against the Rockets with another 29 points on the Wizards. Anthony also added 12 rebounds for the Nuggets, who shot 50.7% from the floor, although they were terrible from the three-point line, going 3-of-18. J.R. Smith provided a spark off the bench with 17 points for the Nuggets, who had coach George Karl back on the bench after he missed four games due to his cancer treatments.

You would probably get better odds in a super casino than on Milwaukee to beat the Nuggets in Denver, as they’ve lost three in a row and eight of their last 10 trips to the high altitude of the Pepsi Center. The Bucks beat the Nuggets 108-102 on Remembrance Day in Milwaukee, with Jennings and Anthony scoring 32 points apiece for their respective teams. The Bucks outrebounded the Nuggets 46-37 and held Denver to 39.8% from the field, but it’s doubtful they’ll be able to do that in Denver, especially as they’ll be coming off a game in Sacramento on Friday night, while the Nuggets will be waiting after hosting New Orleans on Thursday night. The altitude will start to wear on the Bucks in the second half, while the Nuggets will use it to their advantage. Go with the Denver Nuggets on Friday before you head to your March Madness bracket contest.

NASCAR Odds – Harvick is “Happy” At Bristol

Online betting players watched Kevin Harvick go through the worst year of his career last year, and there were rumors of the driver they sarcastically call “Happy” being ready to leave Richard Childress Racing, where he’s been since replacing Dale Earnhardt in 2001. But Harvick is on a roll to start the 2010 season, and the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway is the perfect place for him to officially signal his return to the title chase.

NASCAR Betting – Sunday, March 21, 2:00 PM ET

Harvick isn’t the favorite for this race because that honor goes to Kyle Busch at +600, and with good reason: the younger Busch brother has won this race in two of the last three years, and he swept the Bristol races last year. Busch routed the field last year, leading 378 laps along the way, and he’ll need some good memories as he has yet to notch a top-10 this year. But sportsbook players shouldn’t worry about Busch, as he can rattle off a winning streak faster than anyone in the series.

Busch’s teammate at JGR, Denny Hamlin, is right behind him at +700, and that’s fitting because he finished second to Busch in this race last year. Hamlin also needs something good to happen, as he’s struggled badly this year after being tipped as the next challenger to Jimmie Johnson’s throne. With some bad luck, Hamlin is 22nd in the standings right now and with Martinsville, one of his best tracks, coming up next week, Hamlin would like to get on a roll.

Kurt Busch will also be a factor at +1200 after winning last week at Atlanta, but at the spring race at Bristol, the No.2 driver has been doing his best Jekyll and Hyde impression. In nine spring races, Busch has four wins (every year between 2002 and 2006, except for 2005), but those are his only top-10s. He just missed last year, coming in 11th, so he’ll be looking for a return.

Keep an eye on Greg Biffle’s sportsbook odds at +1600, as the No.16 driver is one of three drivers, with Harvick and Roush-Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth, to finish in the top 10 in all four races so far this year. He has five top-10s in seven spring races at Bristol, and although he finished 39th last year, he did bounce back nicely to finish fourth in the summer race.

Still, we’re going with Harvick at +1000, as he broke Kurt Busch’s hold on this race with a win in 2005, and he has a 9.2 finishing average in nine spring races, which includes seven top-10s. He didn’t crack the top 30 in either race last year, but that will change. Take Kevin Harvick before checking out your college basketball odds.

NCAA Basketball Betting – The best of the first-round matchups

2010 March Madness odds are the first sign of spring, and with the NCAA Tournament on the horizon, there’ll be a lot of action in your online sportsbook. Here’s a peek at the best matchups to watch during the first two days (roughly 24 hours of basketball).

Houston vs Maryland odds – Friday, 9:40 PM ET

The No.4 Terrapins are favored by nine points in this Midwest region matchup against No.13 Houston, who upset UTEP in the Conference USA championship game for their first trip to the big dance in 18 years. This will be an explosive clash between top individual players as Maryland’s Greivis Vazquez will go against Houston’s Aubrey Coleman, so it’ll be a matter of which supporting cast steps up more.

Florida vs BYU odds – Thursday, 12:20 PM ET

The No.7 Cougars are a 4.5-point favorite in this West region clash against the No.10 Gators, who are back in the Tournament for the first time since winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. BYU is powered by Jimmer Fredette, who scored 75 points in two games during the MWC tournament. The Gators are balanced and tough defensively, and they have a great coach in Billy Donovan. This has upset written all over it, especially when you consider that the Cougars have gone out in the first round of the dance three straight years and haven’t won a Tournament game since 1993.

Washington vs Marquette odds – Thursday, 7:20 PM ET

NCAA March Madness odds have No.6 Marquette as a 2-point favorite in this East region contest between two teams that went out in the second round of last year’s big dance, and the Golden Eagles are a much better team than the one that was belted by Georgetown in the Big East semifinals. No.11 Washington won the Pac-10 tournament to get here, and they’ve gotten hot at the right time of year with seven straight wins. This could turn out to be the best game of the whole first round.

Siena vs Purdue odds – Friday, 2:30 PM ET

No.4 Purdue is a 4-point favorite in this South region contest, but some are calling for Siena to be favored after winning their third MAAC tournament in a row. The Boilermakers were rolled by Minnesota in the Big Ten semifinals, scoring 11 points in the first half. Purdue lost their leader, Robbie Hummel, to an ACL injury and he was the glue that kept this team together, and they looked all out of sorts against Minnesota. Siena, led by Alex Franklin, is balanced and they’re very disciplined, ranking first in fouls with 12.2 turnovers. Don’t be afraid to take the Saints’ March Madness odds.

NBA Betting Odds – Pistons’ road woes should continue in Atlanta

You won’t get good NBA betting odds for Detroit heads to Atlanta on Saturday night, as the Pistons are terrible on the road, while the Hawks are excellent at home. The Pistons also have the added burden of a Friday night game, while the Hawks will be at home and waiting after a win against the team Detroit will face on Friday.

Pistons vs Hawks odds – Saturday, March 13, 7:00 PM ET

The Pistons (22-42 as of Friday) will host Washington on Friday, and on Wednesday, they were beaten 115-104 at home by Utah, which was the 10th straight time that the Pistons had lost to the Jazz. Six Detroit players reached double figures, paced by 19 points off the bench form Charlie Villeneuva, but the Pistons were outrebounded 44-33, and they shot 43.5% from the field, as opposed to 56.3% by the Jazz. The Pistons were only 5-of-26 from the three-point line, but they did go 25-of-27 at the foul line.

The Hawks (41-23) made their own trip to Washington on Thursday night, coming away with a 105-99 victory on the road over the Wizards. Jamal Crawford came off the bench to hit 29 points for the Hawks, who were only 15-of-25 at the charity stripe. Joe Johnson and Al Horford dropped 18 points each as the Hawks shot 51.9% from the field, and forced 20 turnovers to overcome a 42-29 deficit on the boards.

The Hawks will be favored at home in this contest, and we’re betting management in Atlanta aren’t sweating this game too much. The Hawks are 25-7 at home, while the Pistons are 9-20 on the road and have lost two straight in Atlanta. These two have met just once this year, with the Pistons pulling out a 94-88 win at home on November 29th, led by 23 points from Rodney Stuckey. The young point guard hasn’t been in the lineup since he collapsed against Cleveland on March 5th, which means more minutes for Will Bynum. Josh Smith led the Hawks with 23 points while super sub Crawford added 20 points off the pine, but Atlanta will need to be more aggressive against the Pistons. The Hawks went to the free-throw line just eight times, making seven of them, and they were outrebounded 53-29. Look for that to change in Atlanta on Saturday, where the Hawks are a much better team and they’ll look to go to the foul line. The Pistons will also have to travel on Friday night from Detroit to Atlanta, where the Hawks have been waiting since beating the Wizards on Thursday, so look for a fast start from them. Take the Hawks on Saturday night before checking out the odds on college basketball on Selection Sunday.

NCAA Basketball Betting – Jayhawks look to wrap up overall top seed in big dance

March Madness betting players have had their eye on Kansas all season, and the Jayhawks have rarely disappointed, ended the season as the No.1 team in the country. The Jayhawks could probably clinch the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament by winning the Big 12 tourney, which they had won four years in a row before Missouri took the crown in 2009. They should start a new streak this weekend.

Kansas is the favorite at -300, and they recovered from their lone Big 12 loss at Oklahoma State to stomp Kansas State and Missouri in the final week of the season, and you may not find a team that is more well-rounded and suited to the rigors of the postseason than the Jayhawks. They have leadership with Sherron Collins, and a dependable big man in Cole Aldrich, and these two were on the 2008 team that beat Memphis in overtime to win the NCAA Tournament. However, the x-factor is freshman Xavier Henry, who picked up his game in the last month of the season.

Their biggest threat is Kansas State at +350, and Frank Martin may win the Big 12 Coach of the Year award for the job he’s done. The Wildcats have wildly overachieved this year, but losses at Kansas State and at home to lowly Iowa State isn’t a good look heading into the playoffs. A better bet would be Baylor at +500, as the Bears won seven of their last eight. They have a free-scoring pair of guards in LaceDarius Dunn and Tweety Carter, and they have Ekpe Udoh in the middle. Udoh is fourth in the country in blocks, and he can score when he gets touches.

Stay away from Texas at +650 according to sportsbook odds, and the Longhorns were No.1 before a loss at Kansas State, and it was all downhill from there. The Longhorns have been bitten by inconsistent guard play, but they’re all freshmen. Avery Bradley, J’Covan Brown and Jordan Hamilton have been all over the map over the second half of the season, which is a shame when Texas has Damion James, one of the premier post players in the country.

You’re looking for a matchup between Baylor and Kansas in the final, and the Jayhawks defeated the Bears 81-75 at home on January 20th. The Bears have the depth to rotate players on Dunn and Carter, while Udoh and Aldrich should battle to a stalemate in the post. However, the Bears don’t have an answer for Henry, who didn’t play well in the first meeting, and with his recent form he should be near the top of the list for the MVP award in this tournament. Take the Kansas Jayhawks’ odds on college basketball this weekend.

NBA Odds – Lakers out for revenge against Raptors

Sportsbook players know how dangerous the Los Angeles Lakers can be, but they could be more dangerous when they’re wounded. The Lakers have lost three in a row, and they’ll be out to avenge an earlier loss in Toronto when the Raptors head to Los Angeles on Tuesday to begin a four-game Western road trip.

Raptors vs Lakers odds – Tuesday, March 9, 10:30 PM ET

The Raptors (32-29) couldn’t give Chris Bosh a victorious return to the court on Sunday, as they fell 114-101 to Philadelphia at home. Bosh played 33 minutes, racking up 12 points and 12 boards, but he wasn’t as aggressive as usual as he was coming back from a sprained ankle and a stomach virus. Jarrett Jack had 20 points and nine assists to lead the Raptors, who were just 8-of-12 at the free-throw line, and none of those attempts came from Bosh, who is second in the league in that category. Once he gets his legs back underneath him, the Raptors should be in good shape.

The Lakers (46-18) weren’t in a good mood during or after their 96-94 loss in Orlando on Sunday, as Kobe Bryant was involved all day with Matt Barnes. Bryant scored a game-high 34 points for the Lakers, but he needed 30 shots to do it as Los Angeles shot a miserable 37.5% from the field. It’s definitely a stretch to say that the Lakers’ sportsbook odds would be better without Bryant, but the Lakers were 4-1 when Bryant sat out five games with an ankle injury, and they move the ball around. With Bryant in the lineup, he dominates the Lakers’ triangle offense, and the rest of the team are sometimes left standing around, watching him go one-on-five.

The Lakers will be the sportsbook favorites in this contest, and they’ve won seven straight at home over the Raptors. This is the second meeting of the season for these two, and the Raptors came away with a 106-105 win over the Lakers in Toronto on January 24th. Andrea Bargnani led six Raptors in double figures with 22 points, while Bosh added 18 points and 13 boards. Bryant just missed a triple-double with 27 points, 16 boards and nine assists, but he missed what would have been the game-winning shot, just as he did against the Magic on Sunday. The Lakers will be hungry to end their losing skid, and they’ll be hungrier to avenge that loss to the Raptors, who allowed the 76ers to shoot 55.6% from the field and are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. They have a 10-19 mark away from home, and unless they can come up with their effort of the season, they’re not getting past an angry Lakers squad.

NBA betting pick: Lakers

NBA Odds: Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat Betting

This Saturday a potential playoff preview will take place in sunny Miami when Dwayne Wade and the Miami Heat host Joe Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta Hawks (39-21, 3rd in Eastern Conference) @ Miami Heat (31-31, 8th in Eastern Conference)

NBA Odds

Spread: Atlanta -1.5

Over/Under: 191.5

Money Line: Atlanta -135, Miami +110

Key Storylines

Bronze Medal: Michael Beasley

• While Dwayne Wade was out with an injury, Michael Beasley stepped up and filled in admirably as the primary scoring option. Now with Wade back, Beasley hasn’t just been replaced as a scoring option, he has been benched in 4th quarters of the past three games. The reasoning has been Beasley’s poor defense and decisions with the ball. Udonis Haslem has taken his place as he is a better defender and foul shooter. It is hard to tell a guy to take over the offense and when Wade is back for him to go back to giving the ball up and play second-fiddle again.


• Beasley, the second overall pick last year, will be a very good player in this league and has shown flashes of brilliance and extreme athleticism. His inability to be counted on late in games significantly hurts the Heat, especially against a team that is physical like Atlanta.

Advantage: Hawks

Silver Medal: Jamal Crawford

• Jamal Crawford is the odds on favorite for NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Coming off the bench, Crawford is playing 30.8 minutes a game averaging 17.3 points (2nd on the team) and just fewer than three assists. Crawford is shooting 45% from the field and 37% from three point land.


• Crawford will be big in this bout as he is the both the leader of the second unit and a lethal clutch performer at ends of games. The Gregg Popovich theory of starting one of the team’s best players on the bench (like he has done with Manu Ginobili for almost a decade) and have him come in when the other team’s starters are tired or out of the game, has worked wonders for Crawford this year. Miami does not have a strong second unit, in fact without Wade; they are below average in general. Wade will play most of the game, but look for Crawford to takeover in those periods while he rests.

Advantage: Hawks

Gold Medal: Dwayne Wade vs. Joe Johnson

• Coming off a duel with Kobe Bryant in Miami where Wade and the Heat came away with a 114-11 OT victory. Wade had 27 points, 5 rebounds and 14 assists including a big assist to Quentin Richardson with Kobe guarding Wade in the final seconds to give the Heat a two point lead (Kobe tied it on a sick fade away J to go to OT). Wade is in a pantheon of stardom in the NBA that really only includes the likes of him, LeBron and Kobe with Durant and Dwight Howard at the doorstep.


• One more step down the stoop is Joe Johnson. Johnson is a free agent at season’s end and is expected to get a lot of big money offers for his services. Johnson has averaged 21.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists a game this year and was named to the All-Star team. Johnson is a strong defender and an excellent shooter and is the main cog in the Hawks offense.


• This battle will likely be close, but Wade is the better player. Johnson however, has a significantly better supporting cast and Wade may have trouble driving to the hole against the likes of Al Horford and Josh Smith. Even so, you have to like Wade over Johnson

Advantage: Heat

Prediction:

The Heat has beaten the Hawks twice this season by more than 15 points, with the Hawks having an early season 15 point victory of their own. I feel this game will be a bit closer, but with Wade leading the way at home, expect the Heat to win and take the season series.

Sportsbook Rating: Final: Heat 91 – Hawks 85

NASCAR Betting – Can anyone stop Jimmie Johnson?

NASCAR betting players are used to seeing Jimmie Johnson dominate in the Chase, which he’s done during his four-year run as the Sprint Cup champion, but he’s off to a blazing start to the year, winning the last two races. Johnson will go for a third straight win at Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Kobalt Tools 500, and Kobalt is the sponsor of….you guessed it, Jimmie Johnson.

NASCAR Betting – Sunday, March 7, 2:00 PM ET

Jimmie Johnson (+400): the No.48 team is just out of control good, and you’ve seen why over the last couple of weeks. In California, it was Johnson’s skill to a late-charging Kevin Harvick and some luck in the pits not to get caught a lap down as they went on to win. In Las Vegas, it was a call from crew chief Chad Knaus to get four tires, which allowed him to take over the lead from teammate Jeff Gordon. Oh yeah, Johnson’s 8.8 average (and a win) in the Atlanta spring race is the best among active drivers.

Jeff Gordon (+800): Gordon was a sitting duck with two tires last week, and it was just a matter of time before Johnson went past him. Still, that was the best the No.24 car has looked in a while, leading 219 laps along the way, so that must be encouraging. His 10.5 average in 17 Atlanta spring races (nine more than Johnson) is second only to Johnson, with wins in 1995 and 1999.

Kevin Harvick (+1000): Harvick has had chances to catch Johnson in the last two weeks, but he ran into the wall in California, and he ran out of laps in Las Vegas after passing Gordon for second place. We’re betting management at RCR is preparing for a return to Victory Lane soon, and Harvick is the most likely driver to get them there. He has three top-10s in nine spring races here, with a win in 2001.

Tony Stewart (+1400): Stewart won this race in 2002, and he has a 10.8 average in 10 spring races at Atlanta. He’s also great at Atlanta any time he races here with a 9.2 average in 18 races, which is tops among active drivers. His seventh-place run last week at Las Vegas makes it two in a row.

Matt Kenseth (+1400): It won’t be a good week for longshots, so it looks like it’s Stewart and Kenseth, who has finished in the top 10 in half of his 10 Atlanta races. Kenseth finished fifth at Las Vegas last week, and he’s one of four drivers to finish in the top 10 of all three races so far this season.

Pick: Honestly, Kenseth was going to be picked, but Johnson is great in this race, and he’s great in Charlotte at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, who also sponsors him. Johnson loves to entertain his sponsors, so look for him to be a popular handicapping pick this week.

NBA Odds for Tuesday Betting Games

This Tuesday four games are on the slate in the NBA and each one appears to be a mismatch. This usually leads me to throw an extra glance at a four-team parlay. Of course nothing is a sure bet, and for parlays of this size and larger I recommend using money lines rather than the spread. That being said let’s take a look at the games on the docket.

Boston Celtics (36-21, 4th in Eastern Conference) @ Detroit Pistons (21-38, 12th in Eastern Conference)

Spread: Boston -9

Over/Under: 185

Money Lines: Boston -330, Detroit +245

Boston lost to the now 6-53 New Jersey Nets last week, at home. Boston has been without all-star forward Paul Pierce since February 18th and has gone 2-3 without him. Celtics Coach Doc Rivers said he is optimistic about Pierce practicing Monday and Pierce will likely play in this one. Even without Pierce, I like the Celtics in this game. Boston is actually a better road team (20-10) than they are at home (16-11).

Final: Boston 96 – Detroit 83

Sports Betting: Take the Celtics Money Line and the under.

Golden State Warriors (17-41, 14th in Western Conference) @ Miami Heat (29-31, 9th in Eastern Conference)

Spread: Miami -5

Over/Under: 206

Money Line: Miami -190, Golden State + 150

The Miami Heat slipped out of the last playoff spot by a half a game with a loss to Orlando on Sunday 96-80. Miami did get G Dwayne Wade back from injury in that game but his 21 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds not nearly enough in a game that was totally dominated by the superior Magic. Golden State however, is not superior to Miami with Wade back. Take Miami in this one as Golden State is a 4-23 road team.

Final: Miami 109 – Golden State 92

Bodog review: Take the Heat Money Line

Sacramento Kings (20-39, 13th in Western Conference @ Oklahoma City Thunder (35-23, 6th in Western Conference)

Spread: OK City -8.5

Over/Under: 208

Money Line: OK City – 225, Sacramento +170

Kevin Durant had his streak of consecutive games of 25 or points snapped at 29 games last week at San Antonio. He has since started a new streak in 2 games in consecutive blowout wins against Minnesota and Toronto. The Kings have added Carl Landry at the trading deadline for Kevin Martin and he may be helpful in guarding Durant. Durant however has looked unstoppable for most of the season now and the Thunder should be prohibitive favorites and should be able to win big.

Final: Thunder 116 – Sacramento 108

NBA Betting: Take the Thunder Money Line and the over.

Indiana Pacers (20-39, 14th in Eastern Conference) @ Los Angeles Lakers (45-15, 1st in Western Conference)

Spread: Lakers -15.5

Over/Under: 202

Money Line: Lakers -800, Pacers +480

The Lakers are coming off an impressive victory against the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night. Ron Artest was able to get Carmelo Anthony into foul trouble and Carmelo fouling out helped as the Lakers with Kobe struggling mightily (3-17 FG). Don’t expect the light defending Pacers to be able to defend quite like J.R. Smith did on Kobe as the Lakers will cruise.

Final: Lakers 115 – Pacers 99

Parlay

Four-team Parlay: Heat, Lakers, Thunder and Celtics on the money line.

March Madness Battle - Illinois vs. Ohio state Predictions

Red hot teams from the Big Ten square off in Tuesday night showcase NCAA basketball betting battle from Champagne, IL where the Ohio State Buckeyes will go to war with the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Ohio State is 13-4 in league play after winning 12 of its last 13 games following a 1-3 start to the league schedule. A win vs. the Illini will ensure Ohio State at least a share of the NCAA Tournament Projections , the third in six years for head coach Thad Matta at Ohio State.

Is there any hope for our beloved Illini after such an overall dud performance against Minny?

Not since Coach Fred Taylor led Ohio State to five-consecutive titles from 1960-64 has an Ohio State coach led the Buckeyes to three titles in a six year span. Matta has led Ohio State to a school record six-consecutive seasons with at least 20 March Madness Picks wins and five years in a row with at least 10 conference wins, which ties Taylor's stretch from 1960-64. Overall, Ohio State has won 17 Big Ten titles, 12 outright.