College Teams you Should Bet on – Valparaiso at Butler

Valparaiso Crusaders (6-15 SU, 8-10 ATS) at Butler Bulldogs (18-1 SU, 11-5-1 ATS)

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Sports Betting Odds: BUTLER -17, Total 121.5

Here are some of the NCAA basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* VALPO has lost four of its last five games SU

* VALPO has covered one of its last five games

* VALPO has lost its last six road games SU

* BUT is 8-2-1 ATS in its last 11 games

* BUT has won its last ten games SU

* BUT has played four of its last six games UNDER the total

* BUT has won its last 14 home games SU

Also…

* BUT has won nine of the last ten meetings SU

* VALPO has had the rebounding edge in four of the last five meetings

* BUT has made more three-pointers in four of the last five meetings

Butler has been on a roll since its conference season began, and has run up some very impressive scores in the process of creating a lot of distance between itself and the competition. They’ve lost just two games against the number in conference play thus far.

Matt Howard, who had a such a great freshman season a year ago, can’t miss from the field, shooting 67% over the last eight games. Shawn Vanzant came off the bench to score 20 points against Wisconsin-Milwaukee, indicating more playing time could be in store for the sophomore from Tampa. In that game, which was against a team that was one of the Horizon League’s contenders, the Bulldogs, who made 15 three-point shots, allowed only four baskets from outside of four feet, which is kind of amazing. Milwaukee shot just 24% overall in the 78-48 Butler victory.

Perhaps the previous meeting between these teams can be instructive. That contest was won 75-62 by the Bulldogs, with Valpo hoisting up a lot of three-pointers but not making many of them (just 32%). Brandon McPherson had 22 points for the Crusaders, but he’s out for the season with a knee injury which required surgery and will in fact be applying for a medical redshirt.

That severely reduces scoring options for Homer Drew’s club, which is looking for someone dependable to join Urule Igbavboa, who is the only double-digit producer. No luck just yet. Inasmuch as they are not making nearly as many three-pointers as they did a year ago, this is a team that is easier to defend and will have problems making up big deficits. Defensively-stout Butler (37.7% shooting allowed) seems to be in a mood lately to create those big deficits on the part of opponents.

At the Hinkle Fieldhouse, where they have won fourteen straight games, we like the rested (five days to prepare) Bulldogs, the 17-point favorite in the BetOnline NCAA college basketball sports betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: BUTLER -17 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)

Super Bowl XLIII – Everything You Need to Know

It’s been a relatively uneventful buildup to Super Bowl XLIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers (14-4, 11-7 ATS) and the Arizona Cardinals (12-7, 12-7 ATS). Most of the major storylines have dissipated: Hines Ward is going to play, Anquan Boldin is in a good mood, there’s been nothing in the way of bulletin board material, even action on the NFL betting board has been predictable.

Barring any breaking developments before Sunday’s showdown at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, bettors are well prepped to place their wagers before the game kicks off.

Line movement

Oddsmakers opened the Steelers as 6.5-point favorites following the conference championship games, and the spread is back at that number heading into the weekend. Pittsburgh was giving a full converted touchdown to Arizona for much of last week, but money on the Steelers pushed the line back to its original number.

The total is currently set at 46.5 points, down slightly from the 47-point over/under posted when betting opened. It appears as though bettors are leaning towards the under because of Pittsburgh’s stellar defense, and because of the unusually high number for the Super Bowl.

Steelers’ defense vs. Cardinals’ offense

Pittsburgh sports the best defense in the NFL, and it is one of the top ranked units in historical terms. The Steel Curtain is first in points allowed (13.9 points per game), total defense (237.3), pass defense (157.1), and is second in run defense (80.2).

Particularly important for both spread and total bettors is the Steelers’ defense in the red zone. Pittsburgh allowed opponents to find the end zone only 33.3% of the time when they advanced the ball inside the Steelers’ 20-yard line. By contrast, the Cards gave up a touchdown 63.6% of the time when teams made it into the red zone. The key is even if Arizona has success moving the chains against one of the best defenses of all-time, it could have trouble punching it in for six.

The Cardinals are third in the league in scoring at 26.7 points per game, in large part because of their passing game. Behind quarterback Kurt Warner and the dynamic receiving trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, Arizona averages 292.1 yards through the air per game, good for second in the NFL. The running game leaves much to be desired, as the Cards were dead last on the ground (73.7 YPG).

Video games matter

Not only has technology changed the game on the field, it has altered handicapping as well. Accuscore ran 10,000 simulations on Super Bowl XLIII and found the Steelers winning by an average score of 27.1 to 20.6; keeping the numbers there, the game results in a push and an over. Thing is, we know the result won’t include decimals, so by rounding up the Cardinals barely cover the 6.5-point spread.

Lower seed magic

The strongest trend on the game involves the lower-seeded team and the spread. In 12 of the last 13 Super Bowls, the team coming into the matchup with the lower seeding from their playoff bracket covered the number. To refresh your memory, the Steelers received a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the AFC, while the Cardinals entered the NFC playoffs as the No. 4 seed.

Ward’s bad wheel

Steelers’ WR Hines Ward suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament to his right knee in Pittsburgh’s win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship, but is expected to play against Arizona. Ward is on record saying if this was the regular season he would likely sit out, but because this is the Super Bowl, he’ll be in the starting lineup. Don’t read too much into Ward’s absence from practice on Wednesday, as the 2006 SBXL MVP has skipped the first day of preparation all season.

What does Whisenhunt know?

Adding a twist to handicappers’ deliberations for Sunday is Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt’s history with Pittsburgh. Whisenhunt was the Steelers’ offensive coordinator when they won the Super Bowl over the Seattle Seahawks three years ago, but was passed over for the top job for Mike Tomlin when Bill Cowher stepped down.

Normally, bettors wouldn’t put much stock in Whisenhunt’s potential knowledge of the Pittsburgh offense or QB Ben Roethlisberger’s tendencies, but everyone remembers what happened when Jon Gruden coached against his former team in Super Bowl XXXVII.

Super Bowl XLIII – And the Winner is…..

The biggest sports betting event of the year takes place this Sunday when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals meet on the grid-iron to determine the winner of the 2008-2009 Super Bowl.

The Cardinals are the surprise team after garnering a 9 and 7 straight-up record during the regular season. The Pittsburgh Steelers, my pre-season pick to win the Super Bowl at the BetOnline online sportsbook betting odds of 20 to 1 in the pre-season, quickly solidified themselves as a contender after the first month of the season.

Both teams fought hard to get here but only one team will be crowned the best in the NFL.

Let’s take an in depth look at the against the spread line in this game as well as analyze each team’s particular strengths and weaknesses.

BetOnline online betting odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6 ½, -115 vs. Arizona Cardinals +6 ½, -105.

Steelers’ offense vs. Cardinals’ defense: The Steelers are a terrific offensive team with Big Ben Roethlisberger, who already has a Super Bowl victory under his belt, having a plethora of weapons to throw to. Hines Ward might be too hurt to be effective in this game but it shouldn’t hurt Big Ben who can toss the pig skin to Santonio Holmes, tight-end Heath Miller, Nate Washington or Limas Sweed. Ben can also hand the ball off to Mewelde Moore and the brilliant Willie Parker. With so many weapons the Cardinals defense is going to have to really get to Ben in order to slow that Steelers’ offense down. There’s no chance of that, though, because Pittsburgh’s offensive line is absolutely fantastic.

The Cardinals’ D is good but not great. Pitt has already shown the ability to beat-up a great defense. They beat the Ravens three times this season. The Cardinals D has no chance.

Edge: Steelers

Cardinals’ offense vs. Steelers’ defense: The Cardinals’ offense is exceptional with future hall-of-famer Kurt Warner playing in his third Super Bowl. Warner rarely makes a mistake and can do some fantastic things against the blitz. He’s a mind reader out there and always, always makes the right throw. Both Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald are masters at the wide receiver position and Fitzgerald is arguably the best wide receiver in the league. Tim Hightower has become a very, very good running back.

But as good as the Cardinals’ offense is, the Steelers’ D is better. With James Harrison coming off the edge or up the middle on blitzes, and Troy Polamalu roaming the middle of the field, Warner is facing the toughest defense he has faced all season. The Cardinals did play the Steelers tough early on during the regular season but this Steelers’ D has gotten better. The Steelers’ defense is playing at too high of a level for the Cardinals to overcome.

Edge: Steelers

Special Teams: The Steelers have a huge, make that a massive, advantage in this department with Santonio Holmes returning punts. How massive? Holmes could easily turn this game around, hell, bury the Cardinals with one or two good run backs. Because Holmes is so adept at returning punts that NFL betting fans might as well give up on the idea of the Cardinals winning the field position battle. This is another category where the Steelers’ have an edge.

Edge: Steelers

Coach: Mike Tomlin has to be congratulated for taking his team to a Super Bowl at the age of 37. The man is very good at allowing his coordinators to do their jobs. He’s an excellent manager who delegates and uses his people skills to get his players to work at an optimum level every time they step onto the field. Ken Wisenhunt for the Cardinals worked as the Steelers’ offensive coordinator and pretty much created Ben Roethlisberger. Wisenhunt knows what Ben does on the offensive side of the ball. That gives the Cardinals a slight edge in this category, but it might not be enough.

Edge: Cardinals

Final Analysis: That sound you hear coming through your computer screen? That’s me running, not jogging, running to the BetOnline online sportsbook betting window to throw a bunch of money down on the Pittsburgh Steelers!

The ½ point swing that just occurred this morning, the Steelers were at -7 just yesterday, makes me giddy. It’s a huge ½ point in this game. I just don’t see how the Cardinals don’t lose by at least a touchdown in this game.

Defenses win Super Bowls. The Pittsburgh Steelers have that.

Furthermore, the Cardinals meltdown in the second half of the NFC Championship game, they gave up 19 straight points to the Philadelphia Eagles, tells me that Big Ben and the Steelers’ offense could rack up tons of points.

The Steelers have been impressive all season long while the Cardinals got hot in the playoffs. Arizona has had two weeks to ponder how good the Steelers are while Pittsburgh knows they are good.

I’m going with the confident, experienced, better team in this game. That’s Pittsburgh.

Pick: Pittsburgh at -6 ½ in the BetOnline online sportsbook.

Good Luck!

Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal – Living Legends in the Dream Matchup

Melbourne, Australia – We have arrived at the stage of the tournament we were bound to from the start – the finale; that it is to be such a pivotal moment not only for the tournament but also for the history of the sport, even the most arduous optimist could not have predicted. But after the historic semi-final yesterday – an epic five set thriller that lasted five hours and fourteen minutes (the best match in the history of the Australian Open eclipsing the 2005 Federer –Safin semi-final) – between Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco, we knew. Knew the inexorable truth. Knew that we were destined to witness another instalment of the greatest rivalry in tennis (of all sport actually) – one of legend vs. legend. And, knew it had to be this way.

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are the greatest warriors the sport has ever seen intertwined in a ballet of superiority and after the last compelling duel they conjured on the hallowed lawns of the All England Club they are about to conclude the Australian Open in another battle of attrition, a breathtaking coup for one or the other. For Federer, a victory in Melbourne will mark his 14th Grand Slam title and earn him entrance into elitist company – alongside the great Pete Sampras. But if Federer were going to lose the crown, it has to be fitting that it will be to Nadal. For Nadal, a victory would mark his first-ever hard-court Grand Slam title. But if Nadal were going to lose the crown, it has to be fitting that it will be to Federer.

I am a long time tennis fan and I have seen many memorable matches – but nothing even comes close to the matches played between these two cornerstone players. I just hope that after last night’s semi-final extravaganza at Rod Laver Arena – wherein Nadal left everything out on the court (as did Verdasco)he has enough left to bring against Federer in this the most pivotal match of the tournament.

Tennis Betting Line:

Rafael Nadal +2½ -120 +135 40½ O -125 U -115

Roger Federer -2½ -120 -175 40½ O -125 U -115

Match Time: 03:30 A.M. Eastern Time Sunday 1 February, 2009

Tennis Betting Prediction: Discussing Nadal and Federer individually is not needed. They have earned many accolades and then some and we all know them. Discussing their value on the tennis betting line is also not necessary. They are both a value bet. When did they ever step out on to a court and not give it their all? When did they ever not play to win? When did they ever not play brilliantly against one another? When did they ever not fight to the bitter end? NEVER.

So what this match comes down to is who will be the better play on that day. On that Sunday. Before the semis, if a Nadal-Federer final emerged, pundits gave almost a 50-50 chance of the match going either way. After last night’s classic semi against Verdasco though, one has to give a slight edge to Federer in terms of rest. Nadal left a piece of himself on that court last night and even his most diehard fans are struggling to keep hope alive for the final. NOBODY can recover from that kind of a match that featured so many momentum shifts and plot twists and turns to make even Sherlock Holmes proud. Or can they? IF there ever were a player I would bet money on to do so it would be Nadal. Against all odds, he has made the impossible possible and the result that much more wonderful before. We have savoured Wimbledon and while that match has been tucked away in the annals of history as the best ever, we are hungry for another delight. Let it be Melbourne. Oh say it is to be so. I would wager most of you will take Federer for the win and perhaps that is the smart play. He has the edge on this surface and the added edge with rest. The intangible is Nadal’s superhuman belief. If there is any of it left for Federer then the long touted mentally toughest player has a punters chance (as outside as it may be) to seize the day. Call me eternally optimistic but there it is. (I stand by my pick).

Tennis Free Picks: Nadal in five sets

Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetOnline.com Locker Room

College Basketball – Sunday Fun Day for Sports Bettors

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Sports Betting Matchup:

South Florida Bulls (7-13 SU, 11-8 ATS) at St. John’s Red Storm (11-9 SU, 6-8-1 ATS)

Carnesecca Arena, Jamaica, NY — 2 PM ET

Here are some of the NCAA basketball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* USF has lost four of its last five games SU

* USF has covered four of its last six games

* USF has played six of its last seven games OVER the total

* USF has lost nine of its last ten road games SU

* STJ has lost five of its last six games SU

* STJ has covered two of its last nine games

* STJ has played six of its last nine games UNDER the total

Gus Gilchrist was a controversial recruit who shined off a coupe of teams, including Maryland, to sign with USF. He’s still rough around the edges, but provides some much needed muscle to this Bulls lineup. He was held to five points against Louisville last time out, in what was an embarrassing 80-54 loss, but the drop in class ought to do the freshman some good. Sophomore guard Dominique Jones, who tallied 26 points against DePaul eleven days ago, is someone who will be hard for the Red Storm’s thinned-out backcourt (15.1 turnovers a game) to stop. There is a revenge angle here, as the Bulls want payback for the 72-58 loss St. John’s laid on them at the Sun Dome last February. Be careful, though, as the Bulls have posted one straight-up win on the road all season.

JAY’S PREDICTION: SOUTH FLORIDA BY 5 (cover)

—————

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Sports Betting Matchup:

Penn State Nittany Lions (16-5 SU, 10-4 ATS) at Michigan State Spartans (17-3 SU, 9-8 ATS)

Breslin Center, Lansing, MI — Noon ET

Here are some of the NCAA basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* MSU has won 18 of the last 20 meetings SU

* MSU is 7-2-1 ATS in the last ten meetings

* Five of the last six meetings have gone OVER the total

* MSU has won the last five meetings SU as the home team

* MSU has had the shooting edge in nine of the last ten meetings

* MSU has had the rebounding edge in nine of the last ten meetings

We anticipate that the Spartans will be laying double digits in this one, but Michigan State had better be on its toes. Penn State mounted a spirited comeback coming back from 17 down in the second half to within one point with a minute and a half to go in the previous meeting, but fell short 78-73. Michigan State certainly owns the better talent, but Penn State is playig hard for coach Ed DeChellis. Short, stout forward Jamelle Cornley will again be a pain in the neck to guard (had 26 points in previous meeting) and Talor Battle is a sure-handed point guard (2.6-to-1 ratio of assists to turnovers) who can compete with Spartan standout Kalin Lucas. Note that the Lions are not so quick to cough up the ball (10.8 TO’s/game) and that they’ve had a full week to prepare for this one.

JAY’S PREDICTION: MICHIGAN STATE BY 6 (no cover)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)

Super Bowl Cross Betting – Warner and Lebron in the Same Bet

The Superbowl ain’t enough, you say? How dare you! BetOnline is letting you bet on prop bets between the Superbowl and UFC 94, the PGA and even the NBA betting lines. So let’s break it down for you degenerates who simply can’t get enough. Lord knows that I can’t either!

SUPERBOWL XLII VS. UFC 94

What will have more: Tapouts or Touchdowns?

Don’t forget, this goes for tapouts on the card. There are a slew of dark matches that are going to factor in to this. We’re going to go with a soft mark and say that the Steelers-Cardinals put up three or four touchdowns in this game. Are you saying that that less than half the matches in the UFC card are going to go the distance or end in KO? Are you serious? Get out of here.

Furious Free Pick: Tapouts in UFC 94

What will have more: Fights Going The Distance or Field Goals?

Field goals. Easily. Both defenses will keep teams out of the endzone, and maybe two of these fights are going the distance at UFC 94. That’s the easiest money at the board at -120.

SUPERBOWL XLIII VS. THE BOSTON CELTICS

1st Half Superbowl XLIII vs. Kevin Garnett

Prop Line: Superbowl -6.5

The First half of the Superbowl is going to be tight. So take KG here to explode in the face of Al Jefferson. He’s getting 6.5-points! He’ll end that day with 17-20 points easily, and then he has a cushion to boot. I’m taking the Big Ticket to cash in at -120.

Kurt Warner TD+INT vs. Ray Allen 3 Point Shots Made

Prop Line: PK

I’m thinking that Warner puts up something like two touchdowns (maybe) and two picks. So we’re hovering around the total mark of four. Ray Allen has gone 14-of-21 in his last five games from beyond the arc, meaning he’s averaging just less than 5 per game. I’m going to bank on Ray Ray here since fumbles don’t count. It’s the Steel Curtain for god’s sake!

SUPERBOWL XLIII VS. NHL HOCKEY

Larry Fitzgerald Touchdowns vs. Alexander Ovechkin Goals

The Capitals play the Senators, and Ovechkin has the chance to get at least two goals in this game. Fitzgerald is going to be covered in a blanket of terrible towels and Pittsburgh Steelers secondary, so his chances of getting more than one touchdown are slim. I would side with Alexander The Great on this one, considering how porous the Senators’ defense is.

Punters vs. Canada

Basically what they’re saying is that there will be more punts in the Superbowl than goals combined by the three Canadian hockey teams in action. Those would be the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens. I’m going to go with punts here because everyone loves a kicker!

BEN ROETHLISBERGER / KURT WARNER VS. LEBRON JAMES

Completions vs. Field Goal Attempts

The line is set at -2.5 for Kurt Warner. And considering that LeBron averages 21.0 field goal attempts per game in his career, and Warner puts up 20.5 completions per game, this is going to be tight. I’d go with LeBron trying to steal the show on Superbowl Sunday instead of Kurt Warner against the best pass defense in the NFL, especially with that 2.5-completion cushion.

LeBron James Points + Assists over Steelers + Cardinals Points -12.5

Is that not the easiest money you’ve ever seen? At -115 you have to take it!

Check out all these and more at the BetOnline.com Sportsbook! Just clock on “Show Superbowl Props” and you’re set to go!

UFC 94 Possible Fight of the Night – Nate Diaz vs Clay Guida

The lightweight division is often home to the most exciting fights in the UFC, and the Clay Guida-Nate Diaz matchup at UFC 94 has the potential to be one of the fights of the year.

Styles make fights, and the stylistic matchup between the tall, wiry submission expert Diaz and the short, stocky, wrestler Guida makes for a compelling matchup to say the least.

Not only are the styles of these two fighters a perfect matchup, their personality difference makes this fight even more interesting.

Diaz is a trash-talker with a penchant for bizarre, almost Mike Tyson-esque ramblings after his victories and a guy who’s not above flipping off the camera while finishing opponents off with a triangle choke (see Kurt Pellegrino).

Guida on the other hand is an always-amped up wild man with an infectiously positive attitude; a guy who truly respects the sport and his opponent but still likes to have fun in the Octagon.

Diaz is listed as a -125 to +105 favorite in this fight, which is extremely tough to call for most people especially considering their rooting allegiances, as both fighters have a ton of hardcore supporters.

As for how this matchup will play out, let’s examine the strengths and weaknesses of each fighter. Guida’s high-octane wrestling style and compact build seems like a good counter to Diaz, who’s not the strongest guy around. Guida will have the opportunity to get inside Diaz’s guard and rain some punches and elbows in this one if he plays his game. Manny Gamburyan gave Diaz a hard time in their Ultimate Fighter Finale matchup using such a game plan before his shoulder gave out on him due to a previous injury. But Guida is more about energy and tenacity than pure strength like Gamburyan.

Diaz will try to out-point Guida on his feet because he has little knockout power. He will also look to set up Guida for a submission attempt by perhaps pulling guard or attempting to bait him into making a mistake.

It is here that the wild style of Guida might go against him because Diaz is a crafty fighter who always seems to get opponents into bad situations before finishing them off with submissions.

While this fight could go either way, Guida is the bet here to take home the win because of his wrestling and his continued evolution as a fighter. But Diaz has the ability to pull out a submission at any time, which is what makes this fight UFC 94 so enticing to watch.

UFC 94 Statement Fight – Fitch vs Gono

From Title Fight to Undercard: Jon Fitch Looks to Make a Statement at UFC 94

For years, Jon Fitch was one of the most underrated fighters in the entire UFC as he racked up win after win while staying in the shadows and never coming close to a title shot.

Then the gritty former Purdue University wrestler finally got the call and went into UFC 87 in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a man on a mission to prove himself against the best welterweight in the business, Georges St-Pierre.

Now, a little over 5 ½ months later, Fitch finds himself on the undercard of another UFC event that features St-Pierre title fight. Part of the reason for his perceived banishment to the lower rungs could be his dispute with the UFC over video game licensing rights.

Regardless, Fitch will likely come out motivated and looking to make a statement against his UFC 94 opponent, Akihiro Gono. He’s not the kind of guy who takes things personally and looks for revenge, but he is the kind of guy who has the ability to take negative things such as signs of disrespect and use them for motivation to improve as a fighter. Expect to see the best Jon Fitch we’ve ever seen at UFC 94. St-Pierre said that the loss to him would end up serving Fitch well in the long run by making him a better fighter and that could definitely turn out to be true both in this fight and in the future.

Gono is no slouch, however, despite the long odds he faces in this contest. He is an underdog in this one, as Fitch is favored at -600 to +350.

Gono is a PRIDE Fighting veteran with a ton of experience under his belt and a well-rounded fighter who is equally adept at scoring TKO’s and submissions, although most of his fights have gone to decision.

But the deciding factor in this fight might be his lack of size, as the 5’9 Gono gives up a good 3 ¼ inches to Fitch. Fitch is such a strong, gritty, technically sound wrestler that he should be able to control the action in this fight and punish Gono with some old fashioned ground-and-pound.

Despite the nice odds you’ll get by betting Gono at betus.com, it’s hard to bet against Fitch in this one with motivation and talent on his side.

Gono lost his last fight at UFC 89 to Dan Hardy and Fitch is a big step up in competition that he probably won’t be able to handle at UFC 94.

Parisyan vs Kim – Underdog Anyone?

In just a short period of time, it all seemingly came apart for Karo Pairsyan. The Armenian welterweight was perhaps one win away from a long-sought title shot against Georges St-Pierre going into his fight with Thiago Alves.

Pairsyan was fighting a competitive fight with the up-and-coming star, but he made a crucial mistake when he went in for a takedown and got drilled in the face with a knee, knocking him out cold.

Following that disappointing loss was the news that Pairsyan suffered from panic attacks, and later withdrew from a match against Yoshiyuka Yoshida and his future in the UFC was suddenly in question.

Now, Pairsyan is finally ready to test himself in the Octagon yet again and faces a tough task against fellow judo specialist Dong Hyun Kim. On top of that, Parisyan is battling what has the makings of a nasty cold going into the fight and might even decide to withdraw.

If Parisyan does fight, however, he is still most likely going to be the favorite on betus.com. The current odds have Parisyan at -350 to +250 for Kim.

Kim comes into the fight unbeaten but wasn’t too impressive in his last bout against Matt Brown at UFC 88, winning a split decision. The Korean will need to fight at maximum efficiency to defeat Parisyan.

While Parisyan is not known for knocking people out, he is always extremely competitive and usually does well on the judges’ scorecards with his impressive judo throws and powerful punches. His judo throws are often breathtaking and unique in the world of MMA and they score big points when executed properly even if they don’t always do a ton of damage. They do give Parisyan the opportunity to control the fight and stay in good position. Lately, Parisyan has attempted to work more ground and pound into his game but he still seems to be missing that extra element that would make him a true title contender.

Kim has had 4 of 11 fights go to decision with one draw thrown in during his MMA career, and he also prefers to ground and pound opponents, which might be his best chance of beating Parisyan and finishing the fight if Kim gets the opportunity.

The key in this fight might be the clinch game, and Kim has the ability to use reversals and takedowns to take Parisyan out of his comfort zone in this one, although it won’t be easy.

Considering the uncertainty and potential sickness of Parisyan, Kim seems like a solid upset bet at UFC 94 because he should come into this fight confident and eager to prove himself. He also seems to match up fairly well with Parisyan.

While Parisyan is worthy of being the favorite in this one if healthy, betting on Kim at UFC 94 seems like a smart idea this weekend because it could pay off big-time.

UFC 94 – BJ “The Prodigy” Penn vs. Georges “Rush” St Pierre

One of the most anticipated matches in UFC history takes place this Saturday night when B.J. Penn enters the ring to take on champion Georges St. Pierre.

St. Pierre actually beat Penn by a split decision in 2006. Since the bout in 2006, sports betting fans have been eagerly awaiting the rematch that will pit two of the best, if not the two best, fighters in the 170 lb weight division against each other.

St. Pierre goes into this bout off of four straight victories including a revenge match against Matt Serra whom St. Pierre knocked out in April of last year.

B.J. Penn goes into this bout off of three straight victories. He will be trying to avenge one of four losses he has suffered in his career.

Let’s take a look at each fighter and then analyze the bout according to the online betting odds in the BetOnline online sportsbook.

B.J. Penn

Strengths: He’s a good stand-up fighter, as he demonstrated in their first fight but Penn’s real brilliance occurs on the ground where he can force submissions from any angle. Penn’s style, a mixture of tae kwon do and jiu-jitsu, involves a lot of take-downs and wrestling submission type stuff that causes his opponents to either tap out or the referee to stop the fight. Penn has unparalleled balance and dexterity which makes him difficult to take down and very dangerous once you do.

Weaknesses: The knock on Penn has always been his conditioning and his heart inside the ring. He’s not slow, but he doesn’t have the speed or aggressiveness of Georges St. Pierre. Penn will last a long time in a fight but when facing a truly gifted opponent, he tends to have trouble.

Georges St. Pierre

Strengths: St. Pierre is a terrifically well-rounded fighter. He should be because he trains in Muay Thai, boxing and wrestling. He has the ability to strike, take his man down, or just beat him to a pulp with overall aggressiveness. St. Pierre is a fantastic athlete that can outclass almost anyone he faces.

Weaknesses: He doesn’t have a real weakness per se, but he has been known to eat a lot of leather on occasion, primarily in the last fight with Penn. He does have a good chin but he tends to focus too much on offense and not enough on defense. If Penn catches him with a great punch, St. Pierre could crumble.

B.J. Penn vs. Georges St. Pierre

BetOnline online betting odds: Penn +135, St. Pierre -175

Analysis: If B.J. Penn can get St. Pierre in a dominant position on the ground, then Penn has a shot. Nobody in UFC is as good as Penn is at causing submissions. He has a fantastic choke hold that he has used in two out of his three last bouts to tap his opponent out. But St. Pierre is much tougher than any fighter Penn has faced recently. St. Pierre is as good as a fighter can get at the 170 lb division and there’s no telling what might happen if St. Pierre enters the ring in fantastic shape, he usually does, and Penn enters the ring in bad shape, sometimes he does.

I want to take the long shot in this bout, but I really can’t. St. Pierre is the better athlete and has excelled since the first fight in 2006. Penn has looked impressive but against fighters that have not been on the same level as St. Pierre.

I’ll be making an online bet on Georges St. Pierre at the BetOnline online sportsbook betting odds of -175.

Good Luck!

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