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08/31/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Week nine of the CFL season belonged to Alberta, as both Calgary and Edmonton found the win column. Calgary's victory was expected, but the Eskimos' three-point win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders was, quite possibly, the shocker of the season. Whether Edmonton has found its form remains to be seen, but it suddenly makes the West division more interesting heading into the classic Labor Day weekend showdown.
EDMONTON ESKIMOS
All signs pointed to a Saskatchewan blowout, but credit the Edmonton defense for its dominating performance in a 17-14 win. Everything clicked for the Esks, as the Riders failed to score a single point over the final three quarters. After a shaky first, Edmonton settled down and pressured Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant on seemingly every possession. Durant was picked off three times, and fumbled once against Edmonton's d-line wall. Ricky Ray started the game despite nursing a rib injury he suffered against Calgary on August 15th, but Jared Zabransky stepped into action in the second quarter. Ray returned late in the game and is expected to start again in Week 10. Edmonton doesn't have much time to enjoy its victory as it travels to face the league's best team in Calgary next.
Offensive key to the next game (Calgary Stampeders): The Eskimos will need to score more than 17 points to beat Calgary. More consistency at quarterback this week is the only shot Edmonton has for a second straight upset.
Defensive key to the next game: As good as Saskatchewan can be offensively, Calgary is at an even higher level. However, Edmonton's game plan should be the same - force the quarterback to scramble, and the Esks may see the wild side of Henry Burris rather than the calm and cool of recent weeks.
Look ahead: Edmonton fans looking at the future schedule must think their team is being punished severely for something. A home-and-home series with the Stamps followed by a road game in Montreal is not a pleasant thought. Needless to say, this stretch will determine Edmonton's chances of making the playoffs.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS
The first quarter of their week nine game against Edmonton was a microcosm of what the rest of the season has been like for the Riders: an entertaining and powerful start getting overshadowed by a lapse in quality of play. The Riders opened the season 3-0, but have gone 2-3 over the last five. Even in those two victories, Saskatchewan has not looked as promising as it did in its first game. Football is a team sport, so placing all the blame on one person isn't fair. However, the Riders have to be concerned about their chances to make it back to the Grey Cup when their quarterback, Durant, throws three interceptions and zero touchdowns against the league's worst defense. The Riders are fading, and fans of the Green Nation are growing restless. Playing prairie rival Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Labor Day Classic may just be the remedy.
Offensive key to the next game (Winnipeg Blue Bombers): Durant obviously needs to be better and remains the key to victory, but the Riders would do well to keep trying running back Wes Cates. He leads all CFL players with nine touchdowns, including eight on the ground.
Defensive key to the next game: Running back Fred Reid is Winnipeg's most dangerous offensive weapon. Logic dictates he should be the focus, but instead the Riders should feast on the weakness of Winnipeg's passing game. You need to go to the air in the CFL to win, and if Steven Jyles can't produce at QB, Reid alone is not enough for the Bombers.
Look ahead: Two straight games against Winnipeg is always a cause for celebration among Saskatchewan fans, but the real game to celebrate takes place in two weeks time. A rematch against the Stampeders in Week 12 may turn out to be the most important game of the season.
CALGARY STAMPEDERS
Even when Calgary doesn't look good, it still finds a way to win easily. A 48-35 win over the BC Lions in week nine sounds impressive, but there is room for improvement in Cowtown. Quarterback Henry Burris did throw two touchdowns and ran one in for a major, but he also tossed three interceptions. On defense, the Stampeders had a rare bad day at the office when they allowed 35 points against the league's worst offense. More importantly, 15 of BC's points came in the fourth quarter, resulting in a final score that was much closer then it should have been. On the plus side, the Stamps did put up 499 yards of offense against just 266 for BC, showing the league that they don't have to be perfect to be the best.
Offensive key to the next game (Edmonton Eskimos): This home game will come down to whether the Stampeders' receiving corps can carry the load. Sure, Burris needs to be a little more cautious in his decisions, but it is not crucial given the difference in talent level between the Edmonton secondary and Calgary's receivers. Ken Yon Rambo is heating up, and Nik Lewis will be looking to rebound after a lackluster 25-yard performance in week nine..
Defensive key to the next game: The best defense is a good offense in this one: keep possession as long as possible, limit Edmonton's chances to find its rhythm, especially when Ricky Ray has yet to fully recover from injury.
Look ahead: Calgary faces nothing but West opponents for four straight weeks. Winning three all but ensures first-place in the West.
BC LIONS
The Lions no longer share the worst record in the league. Putting up 35 points against Calgary is a positive, but to utterly break down on defense and allow 48 is a new low in a season of lows. BC's inexperience on the o-line has received the most flak for the offensive woes, and deservedly so. But a close second has been the non-existence of any kind of running game. The Lions have averaged just 100 yards rushing per contest and only Montreal has averaged less, but since they have Anthony Calvillo and a well-oiled passing game, this is not as detrimental as it is for the Lions. In week nine, BC rushed for just 44 yards. While running backs can blame the lack of blocking of the line for not opening the holes, the backs themselves also need to shoulder some of the blame.
Offensive key to the next game (Montreal Alouettes): The Lions have to be perfect in all aspects of their game to have a hope of even competing. The most important? Giving kicker Paul McCallum a chance to kick field goals early and often. The kicker is the most accurate in the league this season, and while it seems silly to rely on a kicker to win a game, the Lions have to play a gritty, blue-collared and tightly-contested game if they want to complete the upset.
Defensive key to the next game: The Lions do have one outstanding turn of events they can capitalize on: Anthony Calvillo's absence. He is out with injury, leaving third-stringer Chris Leak to come in and try and fill the shoes of one of the CFL's best-ever quarterbacks. This is the Lions' best chance to beat the Als this season, and to do it, they must rock Leak whenever possible. Prevent Leak from getting confidence and the Lions have a legitimate shot.
Look ahead: BC's best chance of making the playoffs is to cross over to the East. Considering its next three games are against eastern opponents, the time is now for BC to make a move.
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MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds
With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.
Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season. Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money.
This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy. A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.
Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:
| Brady Quinn (QB, Notre Dame) Adrian Peterson (RB, Oklahoma) Troy Smith (QB, Ohio State) Michael Bush (RB, Louisville) Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia) Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville) Chris Leak (QB, Florida) Mike Hart (RB, Michigan) Ted Ginn (WR, Ohio State) Darius Walker (RB, Notre Dame) Drew Tate (QB, Iowa) Marshawn Lynch (RB, Cal) Kenny Irons (RB, Auburn) Chad Henne (QB, Michigan) Kyle Wright (QB, Miami) Drew Stanton (QB, Michigan State) Kenneth Darby (RB, Alabama) JaMarcus Russell (QB, LSU) Drew Weatherford (QB, Florida State) Blake Mitchell (QB, South Carolina) Reggie Ball (QB, Georgia Tech) |
5-2 7-2 7-1 10-1 10-1 12-1 12-1 18-1 18-1 20-1 30-1 35-1 35-1 40-1 50-1 50-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 |
For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.
Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."
When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules.
The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.
The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.
“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”
The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.
“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”
The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.
“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”
Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.
“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."
So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?
“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.
Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.
Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.
Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.
“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.
Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.
The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.
“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.
Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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