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03/08/2010 - Wigan, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hugo Rodallega's 35th-minute goal allowed Wigan to claim a surprising 1-0 win over Liverpool at the DW Stadium on Monday, putting a dent in the Champions League hopes of the Reds.
Rodallega scored the lone goal after a cross from Emmerson Boyce, which moves the Latics four points clear of the bottom three, while Liverpool remains in sixth with the defeat.
Fernando Torres had plenty of chances to find the net for Liverpool, and his first opportunity came eight minutes into the game when Maxi Rodriguez flicked on a Steven Gerrard corner kick. The ball ended up on the foot of Torres at the back post, but his volley struck the outside of the post.
Rodallega went close with a 20-yard free kick, but it was a bad pass in his own end by Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt that allowed the home side to take the lead.
Boyce intercepted the pass near the edge of the penalty area on the right and served up a pinpoint cross to the front of goal for Rodallega to volley home.
Torres tried to respond before halftime when he headed over the net from six yards after a cross from Rodriguez, while his best chance in the second half came from a 25-yard volley that skipped inches past the post.
It was as close as Liverpool would come on the night as they failed to generate any clear-cut chances and could only pick up a few late yellow cards.
<< Roethlisberger investigation continues
Milledgeville, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Milledgeville police chief Woodrow Blue
said Monday at a brief press conference that arrangements are being made to
interview Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was recently accused
of sex
<< Texans retain WR Walter, P Turk
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Texans made it official on Monday
by re-signing wide receiver Kevin Walter and punter Matt Turk after both
become unrestricted free agents on Friday.
Terms of the contracts were not disclos
<< Lions re-sign TE Heller
Allen Park, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Lions on Monday re-signed tight
end Will Heller to a three-year contract.
Heller played in all 16 games (nine starts) last season, his first with the
Lions after spending the three previous y
<< Rams add DT Robbins
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Rams on Monday bolstered their
defense with the signing of tackle Fred Robbins. Per club policy, terms of the
deal were not disclosed.
Robbins, 32, spent the last six years of his career with
NASCAR needs to control on-going Edwards-Keselowski feud >>
Hampton, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Prior to the start of the 2010 season, NASCAR
essentially told Sprint Cup Series drivers, "Boys, have at it and have a good
time." Perhaps NASCAR should redefine its new rules on allowing more on-track
freedom for
Senators sign D Lee to two-year contract >>
Ottawa, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Ottawa Senators have signed defenseman Brian
Lee to a two-year contract.
The 22-year-old Lee has split time this season between Ottawa and Binghamton
of the American Hockey League. In 18 NHL games, Lee h
Chiefs bring back WR Chambers >>
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Kansas City Chiefs re-signed wide
receiver Chris Chambers on Monday. Details of the contract were not
announced.
The 11-year veteran started the last nine games in 2009 and had 36 catch
Bills sign OL Green >>
Orchard Park, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Buffalo Bills have signed offensive
lineman Cornell Green to a multi-year contract.
Green, who will turn 34 years old this August, spent the last three seasons
with the Oakland Raiders and made 3
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.
Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup
September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com. The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans.
Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to name a few. Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR. They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.
The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer. Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your golf sportsbook needs.
Ryder Cup Odds| Europe Tie USA |
4-5 10-1 6-5 |
| Tiger Woods Jim Furyk Phil Mickelson Chris DiMarco David Toms Stewart Cink Chad Campbell Scott Verplank Zach Johnson Vaughan Taylor JJ Henry Brett Wetterich |
9-4 4-1 5-1 7-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 |
| Sergio Garcia Luke Donald Padraig Harrington Colin Montgomerie Darren Clarke David Howell Lee Westwood Paul Casey Henrik Stenson Jose Maria Olazabal Paul McGinley Robert Karlsson |
5-1 5-1 6-1 13-2 8-1 9-1 9-1 11-1 12-1 12-1 20-1 25-1 |
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com
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