NFL - Week 1 preview
From: SBRForum.com
Football will be here before you know it, so let's skip over the preseason for a second and look ahead to Week 1. Are the NFL odds offering up anything enticing for the first week?
The biggest favorites of the week are the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.
The Saints will be happy to have Drew Brees content and ready to lead the offense as they open the season at home to Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. New Orleans is currently favored by 11 points.
For Detroit, they'll host Sam Bradford and the St. Louis Rams as 10-point chalk in the odds. The Lions were one of the pleasant surprises of 2011, but can they maintain that high level?
The Bears should be in for a very successful season and it helps that they get to start out against the weakest team in the entire league. They've opened as 11-point favorites over the Indianapolis Colts, who are in straight up rebuilding mode.
If you're looking for the best games of the week, look no further than Green Bay's meeting with the San Francisco 49ers at Lambeau Field.
Aaron Rodgers was unstoppable last season, especially at home, but the 49ers had arguably the best defense in the league. Something's got to give in Week 1.
Another great matchup sees Peyton Manning open his Denver account with a tough home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The odds are at a PK right now, showcasing just how close this one should be. We'll see just how healthy Manning really is as he tries to beat the most physical defense in the NFL.
Dallas/New York and Baltimore/Cincinnati should also be hard-fought contests.
At last football has returned and we can't wait to see what ends up happening this season.
Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants - Week 1 preview
From: SBRForum.com
In just under two months, the NFL season kicks off in New York, as the champion Giants host their divisional rival - the Dallas Cowboys. This game should have no shortage of great drama, and fans from all over the country will be tuning in to get their football fix after a long spring and summer. NFL odds have the Giants favored in this one by -3 ½ points, and even though the game won’t be played for months, NFL bettors have already been hitting the line. Nearly 70% of the public is taking the Cowboys on the road in this one. Who do you think will win on opening night?
Both teams haven’t done much adding to their roster, but that won’t diffuse the fact that this will be a huge game. These two played each other twice late in the season, and the Cowboys had their playoff dreams ripped right out of their grasp by the Giants, who of course went on to win it all. Dallas has only won three of their last ten meetings with the Giants, and the Giants have won three of their last five meetings against Dallas when playing in New York.
Even though a lot of the public agrees, at this point, I like the Cowboys in this game. I think they have the motivation, and even though they are on the road, the Cowboys ares till very capable of winning. As long as they play good in their secondary, and DeMarcus Ware can get pressure on Eli Manning, I like the Cowboys’ chances. One of these seasons, the Cowboys are going to compete for a Super Bowl with all the talent they have, and it might just be this season.
Rosco's MLB picks
Written by: Jeff Williams (@SLIMrosco)
During the MLB season, there is no rest for the bettor. After a big weekend it's right back on the grind Monday. So here we go, some more information to help you make some early week bets. Good luck and enjoy!
TEXAS RANGERS @ BALTIMORE ORIOLES
TEX Scheduled pitchers: Monday- HARRISON Tuesday-FELIZ Wednesday- LEWIS Thursday- (N/A)
BALT Scheduled pitchers: Monday- MATUSZ Tuesday- ARRIETA Wednesday- CHEN Thursday- HAMMEL
The Rangers are 2-4 on their current road trip and possibly showing some signs that they are slightly human. After this four game series in Baltimore they head back to Texas for a weekend series with the Angels. Yes the team is 2-4 on this road trip so far, but I see a huge opportunity for them to end this trip with three, if not four wins here in Baltimore. First of all, I really like how the pitching matchups stack up. Over the weekend, Baltimore was forced to use a bunch of pitchers against the Red Sox because two of the three games went 13 innings or more. Over the three games, the Baltimore bullpen pitched 23 innings. That sounds like a real bad combination with the potent Ranger bats coming into town. I like it even more that Texas has been struggling a little bit their last six games and this could be just the series they need to grab some wins. Now don’t get me wrong, Baltimore has been playing great and they have showed they can swing the bats with anyone. They have won five games in a row; taking 2 of 3 from the Yankees and then a sweep of the Red Sox. However, this Texas team and hurt you in a hurry and if your pitching staff is slightly depleted, this could turn into a long series for the O’s.
ROSCO’S LEANS: As most of you may know by now, I love playing games ‘OVER’ the total. This series has all the makings of a possible run fest. Obviously the weather, lineups and the number the sports book posts will be the final determining factors. If everything checks out, I feel betting the ‘OVER’ in most if not all of these games will be smart bets.
ROSCO’S MONDAY PICKS:
ST. LOUIS @ ARIZONA (Lynn vs. Saunders)
MLB weekend matchups
Written by: Jeff Williams (@SLIMrosco)
Here is a little look into a couple matchups for this weekend’s MLB action. Hopefully this provides you with a little knowledge that can help you either place a series bet, or individual game bets. Either way, let’s make some money.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS @ HOUSTON ASTROS
STL scheduled pitchers: Friday- LOHSE Saturday- GARCIA Sunday- WAINWRIGHT
HOU scheduled pitchers: Friday- HARRELL Saturday- NORRIS Sunday- HAPP
It is no surprise that the Cardinals are playing really good baseball right now. However, what most of you may not know is that the Astros may be one of the hardest playing teams in the league. It just seems that this collection of young guys and veterans comes to play every night. Their 11-14 record may say otherwise, but they are 7-5 at home. The Cardinals may be the most balanced team statistic wise in the majors so far this season. They have a team ERA of 2.83 and team batting average of .286, both #2 in the league. On the other hand, the Astros have a team batting average of .266, which is 4th in the majors. Their pitching staff is not quite as solid, but I feel that being at home could give them a boost in this series. Yes the Cardinals are a tough team to bet against, but look for good underdog prices on the Astros all weekend that could potentially offer some massive value. If you don’t have the stones to take some underdog value, I have something for you: Look into betting these games ‘OVER’ the total. Houston is 8-4 ‘over’ the total and averaging 5 runs per game offensively at home this year.
ROSCO’S LEANS: Look into taking HOU at a nice underdog price on a game by game basis. HOU plays hard and being at home with a nice price tag attached to it is always a good bet. Also, I feel there will be a good amount of runs scored in this series. I would look towards going ‘OVER’ the total in possibly all 3 of these games.
MIAMI MARLINS @ SAN DIEGO PADRES
MIA scheduled pitchers: Friday- JOHNSON Saturday- BUEHRLE Sunday- NOLASCO
SD scheduled pitchers: Friday- BASS Saturday- RICHARD Sunday- WIELAND
I really hope I don’t regret saying this, but I think that the Marlins going to the west coast may have been exactly what they needed. After sweeping the San Francisco Giants, they now head to San Diego to take on the Padres. Now, going over stats may show you that statistically these teams are pretty equal. With that being said, the “eye” test tells me that these two teams are not really that close. I have watched a ton of baseball, and the Padres almost seem like they don’t want to score runs. Both teams are near the bottom of the league in team batting average, but the Marlins have a much better collection of players that is on the verge of breaking out. What really catches my eye in this series though is the pitching matchups. The Marlins are throwing three quality starters while the Padres are running out some young kids that really haven’t proven themselves yet on a consistent basis. With the Padres struggles to score runs, I expect the Marlins pitching staff to feast on this lineup.
ROSCO’S LEANS: It appears that the Marlins could possibly be favorites in all three games of this series. I don’t think the prices will be too big on them though, so I suggest that you take full advantage. An early line for Fridays matchup has the Marlins -120. I feel that is a great price and suggest you jump on that as soon as you can. Keep an eye on this series and take the Marlins as long as the price stays reasonable. I got a feeling that the Marlins may pull off the sweep again.
A love letter to sports betting
Dear Sports Betting,
Sports betting can change the way you watch and follow sports. If you have a read on an otherwise listless game, you can not only add some sizzle to it - you can profit from it. Therein lies the beauty of sports betting. Betting on your team is generally unwise, but if you happen to believe they will come out on top, it makes the victory much sweeter.
The gambling world is seemingly all connected. Sports betting and poker are very much related. In fact, most sportsbooks in Las Vegas are located near the poker rooms. And most poker rooms have TV screens with various sporting events on. Sports betting and poker are both quite cerebral, and are much more than just "gambling."
As technology improves, so does your ability to bet on the go. This brings me and sports betting even closer. I am sports betting's clingy boyfriend and I can't get enough. Of course, you have to be good at it to not lose all of your money. The best way to get a leg up on the sportsbooks is to find niche writers who are dedicated to betting a specific sport (much like our betting section *wink *wink). This allows you to get insight that isn't the copy and paste stats and opinions you find elsewhere. If you are interested in betting sports, check out our betting section or if you like to bet yourself (and you're any good) write for us. Other casino games work the same way, such as poker. You need a well thought out poker strategy to beat your opponents. I used to play some poker in college and that was my intro into gambling.
Sports betting, you make watching Sunday Night Football or the NBA playoffs that much sweeter and I thank you for that.
Love,
Rosco's Betting and Waffles: Marlins vs Cardinals
Written by: Jeff Williams @SLIMrosco
Yes, the season technically started off in Tokyo on Wednesday, March 28th. However, from this game forward, it is officially baseball season. This marquee match-up offers some very intriguing storylines, and should set the tone for a tremendous season to come.
To begin with, Miami enters the season with a lot of changes; from the name switch to Miami Marlins, the new logo, brand new fancy ballpark, the signings of controversial manager Ozzie Guillen, an All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes, and a cast of new players to add to an already solid roster. The Marlins will be an interesting team to keep an eye on to say the least. On the other hand, the St. Louis Cardinals also begin the season with a very different look; no Albert Pujols, no Tony LaRussa and their ace pitcher, Chris Carpenter, will likely be on the disabled list for the first couple months of the season. Even after all that, I still see the Cardinals as a very legit contender. Now here is a deeper look into each team and some handicapping advice and picks for the game. Enjoy!
A guide to betting MLB - Spring Training
Written by: Jeff Williams
Do you love baseball? Do you love to bet on baseball? Well if you do, then let me explain why spring training games are way more important than you may think.
While most people have been caught up in the NCAA March Madness and grueling NBA schedule for the last month, I have been hard at work watching any spring training game I could get my eyes on. Yes, you read that right, spring training. March 3, the first games of baseball’s exhibition season, was when my “madness” began. Don’t get me wrong, I have watched the hoops action also, but watching those “meaningless” spring MLB games is a great way to start the baseball season off for multiple reasons. Not many games are televised, so taking advantage when they are may give you an edge when the regular season begins.
NFL Conference Championship Picks
Written by: Gary Vass
AFC Championship Game
Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots (-7 50)
A couple years ago this was the wild card matchup and the Ravens beat the Patriots 33-14. This year we have one of the top defenses against Tom Brady and his tight ends, two 1,000 yard tight ends. Rob Gronkowski broke the single season record for a tight end with 17 touchdowns. Brady looked unstoppable last week against Denver, with six touchdown passes. It’s been over a decade since the Ravens won the Super Bowl. John Harbaugh has a chance to coach against his brother, Jim, in the Super Bowl. That said, I am going with Billy Belichick and the offensive juggernaut of the Patriots.
My Picks: Patriots, Over 50
NFC Championship Game
New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers (-2 ½ 41 ½ )
Gary's Picks 12/18
Last Week's 10 Parlay Picks vs Spread This Week's Parlay 10 Pick______
Date W-L Sport Pick Date Sport Pick
12/11 WIN NFL Falcons -3 12/18 NFL Giants -6 ½
12/11 Loss NFL Ravens -16 ½ 12/18 NFL Saints -6 ½
12/11 WIN NFL Saints -3 ½ 12/18 NFL Bears -3 ½
12/11 WIN NFL Eagles +3 12/18 NFL Panthers +6 ½
12/11 Loss NFL Patriots -9 12/18 NFL Titans -6 ½
Gary's Picks 12/11
Last Week's 10 Parlay Picks vs Spread This Week's Parlay 10 Pick
Date W-L Sport Pick Date Sport Pick
12/3 WIN NCAAF Oklahoma St -3 ½ 12/11 NFL Falcons -3
12/3 WIN NCAAF Southern Miss +14 12/11 NFL Ravens -16 ½
12/3 Loss NCAAF Kansas St. -10 ½ 12/11 NFL Saints -3 ½
12/3 Loss NCAAF Wisconsin -10 ½ 12/11 NFL Eagles +3
12/2 Loss NCAAF Oregon -19 12/11 NFL Patriots -9
12/4 WIN NFL Ravens -6 ½ 12/11 NFL Broncos -3 ½
