Wmavs Basketball Betting News

<< Canadiens sign Desharnais
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward David Desharnais to a one-year contract. Desharnais led Hamilton, Montreal's American Hockey League affiliate, in scoring last season with a franchise-reco

<< Spurs, Clippers to play preseason game in Mexico
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers will square off against one another in a preseason game in Mexico City on October 12, 2010, the NBA announced Thursday. The event will mark the 19th time

<< Rondo, Chandler and Robin Lopez named to USA Basketball team
Colorado Springs, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo was among three players added to the 2010-12 USA Basketball team, chairman Jerry Colangelo announced on Thursday. Also selected were centers Tyson Chandler of th

<< In the FCS Huddle: Stony Brook intriguing on, off the field
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When the NIT came to Stony Brook in March, the Seawolves' football players were in attendance. Similarly, when Stony Brook hosted NCAA men's lacrosse in May, the football players were there. The Seawolves,

Montana State adds JUCO pair >>
Bozeman, MT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Montana State has added junior college transfers Grayson Galloway and Tyler Potter for the upcoming season. Galloway, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound quarterback, played the last two seasons at Santa Rosa (Calif.) Junior

Wild second half could be on the way >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the National League's first All-Star Game win over the American League in 14 years now in the books, we turn the page to the second half of the season, when teams really start to kick it into high gear. History tells

Twyner to coach Western Illinois receivers >>
Macomb, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gunnard Twyner, a former all-conference wide receiver at Western Illinois University, will coach the position at his alma mater this season. Twyner will serve as wide receivers coach under head coach Mark Hendri

Nuggets re-sign Carter, add Shelden Williams >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets brought back guard Anthony Carter on Thursday and also added free agent forward/center Shelden Williams. The 35-year-old Carter posted 3.3 points and 3.0 assists per contest in 54 games

Betting Football

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.

Academy Award Betting Odds for Best Picture Offer Great Value

If there is any category that is not an obvious win for any one nominee in this year's Academy Awards, it would be for Best Picture.  Sure the Departed is a 5/7 favorite, but that's hardly anything when we look at Helen Mirren and her "out-of-reach" 1 to 40 odds (which means you would win a whopping $1 for every $40 bet).

For value, take a look at MySportsbook.com Oscars betting odds on my personal favorite, The Queen - a remarkable 12 to 1 long shot.  The film hasn't won any pre-awards for Best Picture (compared to The Departed and Little Miss Sunshine), but there is a tremendous following and it is a strong enough film to warrant a surprise win.

TV Guide advises Oscar watchers should be cautioned not to discount the  drama "Babel" with its strong social themes about overcoming communication gaps among people of different cultures.

"While 'Babel' lost several guild awards to 'Sunshine' and 'Departed,'  it still enjoys loyal support, and historically Oscar voters favor dramas with social messages over comedies like 'Sunshine' and violent crime movies like 'Departed'."

"It hasn't done well in the guilds, which means there isn't much industry support," said Tom O'Neil of awards site TheEnvelope.com, "But several critics are expecting it to win, and that gets my attention." Babel had 7 to 2 odds at press time.

Who is to say independently produced Little Miss Sunshine won't be this year's Crash.  Last year, Crash won for Best Motion Picture, shocking those who bet on gay cowboy flick, Brokeback Mountain, as the favorite to win. 

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.