Super Bowl XLIII Props Preview – Chasing Tail

I’m half way drunk and ready to rock for Friday night! What better time for me to rant on about the hilarious amount of Superbowl props that we have on the board! Between the coin toss, the National Anthem and the amount of penalty flags sailing through the Tampa skies, there’s plenty of you to make a quick buck on.

The Coin Toss – Steelers Chasing Tail

I’m feeling tails this year. I really am. And I think that the Steelers get the call. Don’t be surprised if they choose to kick and put their defense on the field either.

National Anthem Prop

I’m not trying to be insensitive here, but Jennifer Hudson is going to milk this anthem like a pregnant cow. I don’t even know what that last sentence meant. Between the tearful ovation she will get from fans across the nation, to the fact that she will struggle to tribute her slain family as much as possible, this is a mortal lock at OVER the 2 minute 3 second mark.

Lots and Lots Of Fumbles!

The fact that the you get an EVEN payout for the line on this is totally awesome. Only 1.5 fumbles? Really? Seriously? Between Adrian Wilson flying at Ben Roethlisberger, and the Steelers defense destroying Jesus Boy behind the line of scrimmage all day, the balls will be hitting the floor. Bet on it!

Who Needs Gatorade?

I’m going with Clear/Water at +650. You might think that Yellow or Blue have the lead as the two favorites, but I ‘m banking on the fact that the teams will burn through so much Gatorade throughout the game due to the Tampa heat, that all will be left is water. I know that’s a ridiculous thing to say but I don’t care. I’m down with the clear like Barry Bonds, baby!

First Commercial Is…

…always beer. First commercial to piss me off? Go Daddy.com, if and only if it will remind me at just how disgustingly average my girlfriend is and make me hate my life over and over again. Why did I give up my dream of being a rocket car driver?! Why did I become a writer??? WHY!!!

The Boss Has Spoken

And when he raises the mic, the words that spew from his mouth will be “BOOOORN IN THE USA!”. The outside chance is the “The Rising” at +500, but the EVEN money lies with his time tested favorite. I’d actually be stunned if he opened with anything but “Born in the USA’, but then again I’m still kind of shocked the Cardinals are playing in the big game too. I’m also surprised I haven’t gone back and decided to edit that part about my girlfriend being “disgustingly average”. Isn’t life full of these pleasant little surprises?

Bank On Jeff Reed!

The First score here is going to go to a field goal by Jeff Reed. So I would take “Pittsburgh on any other score” parlayed with Jeff Reed putting up the first points. Don’t be tricked by “Roethlisberger to score” at +fifty million because it’s not him “to throw a touchdown” it’s him to “rush for a touchdown”. So how that works? Yep. Your welcome for saving you from a gut wrenching call to our wagering department!

NHL Weekend Preview – 12 Games for Sports Betting Fans

There are a dozen games on the NHL betting schedule on Saturday highlighted by three top-notch matchups as Detroit takes on Washington, the Rangers head to Boston, and Chicago faces off against San Jose.

The Red Wings were shorthanded in their first game after the All-Star break against Columbus with Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk forced to sit out after skipping the weekend’s festivities. Detroit lost in overtime to the Blue Jackets 3-2 with Rick Nash scoring all three of Columbus’ goals. Marian Hossa and Brett Lebda scored for Detroit in the loss.

The Capitals faced Boston in their first game after the break and also lost 3-2 in overtime. Mike Green and Michael Nylander scored for Washington, while Jose Theodore made 25 saves.

The Red Wings and Capitals haven’t met since last season when Detroit edged Washington 4-3. That was the Wings’ third straight win over the Caps and sixth in their last seven games against them.

The Rangers had a poor start to the second half of the season with a 6-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. Nikolai Zherdev and Marc Staal scored for New York, while the Rangers blew any chance of picking up a win after allowing five goals in the third period.

Boston began the second half the same way they finished the first – with a win. David Krejci netted the game-winner against Washington. Marc Savard and Shawn Thornton also scored, and Tim Thomas made 34 saves to secure the victory.

The Bruins and Rangers clashed in November when New York got past Boston 3-2 in a shootout as a -125 favorite on the NHL odds. Boston jumped out to a 2-0 lead in that game, but third-period goals by Nigel Dawes and Markus Naslund sent the game into overtime.

Chicago continues a west coast road trip in San Jose on Saturday after playing in Anaheim on Wednesday and Los Angeles on Thursday. Against the Ducks Chicago escaped with a 3-2 win as Adam Burish, Patrick Kane, and Jonathan Toews all scored. Nikolai Khabibulin was strong in net in the win, making 36 saves.

The Sharks blanked Colorado 3-0 on Tuesday, as Evgeni Nabokov stopped all 31 shots he faced. Milan Michalek had a pair of goals, and Patrick Marleau scored his 26th goal of the season into an empty net.

In two previous meetings this season the Sharks picked up a pair of wins. In November San Jose defeated Chicago 6-5 behind a pair of goals from Dan Boyle, and two weeks later they clipped the Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime.

NHL Friday Night – Expert Puck Picks

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS -170 over Ottawa Senators

The Jackets, if you haven’t noticed, have quietly produced a respectable season. And their tenacious home wins are garnering respect to a coaching system that is maximizing the potential of the sordid roster that Columbus boasts. While Ottawa has been hot lately, they’ve always struggled with Columbus, and the Jackets are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games at home. Love the Jackets right now, especially with seventh best home defense at 2.5 goals against per game. Sick.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS -145 over Pittsburgh Penguins

The Devils look absolutely ridiculous right now, and a win in the shootout over the Boston Bruins is just what the doctor ordered. Now they get to host the Penguins, who have been more like lame ducks lately. Without Sid The Kid, the Devils have gone 1-4 SU on the road. That’s not good news when the Devils are 10-4 SU in their last 14 at home.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING +130 over Philadelphia Flyers

The Bolts are my new bandwagon team for the second half, and the Flyers are my choice to tumble from the top in the post-All-Star break part of the NHL betting season. Vincent Lecavlier looks rejuvenated already, and the Bolts have already defeated Montreal, and lost a close one to Carolina. The good thing? Philly is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games on the road.

CALGARY FLAMES -215 over Nashville Predators

The Flames are again the best home bet in the league alongside with the San Jose Sharks. Bet the farm on the Flames to dismantle the Predators. Do you really need betting stats to believe me? Ok how about this – the Flames are awesome at home, and the Predators suck? How’s that?

EDMONTON OILERS -130 over Minnesota Wild

In the long run, the Wild will be the team to watch in the playoffs. But right now, the Oilers are streaking with a 5-2 SU record over the past 7 games. On top of that they’re pushing the OVER in 4-of-6 games at home. I’ll take the Oilers to upset the Wild (I know they’re favored, but the Wild are far superior) to add to your bankroll heading in to Superbowl XLIII.

The Super Steelers – Pittsburgh’s Dynasty Team

Sports betting aficionados are inching closer towards Super Bowl XLIII between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. Though this will be the first Super Bowl appearance in the history of the Cardinals, there is no doubting that the Steelers are the most decorated franchise in the illustrious history of the NFL. They are now seven-point favorites on the football betting line to notch their NFL-record sixth Lombardi Trophy. Before logging into your BetOnline account and placing your NFL bets on the big game, consider these tidbits about the black and gold…

No team that has played in at least three Super Bowls has a better winning percentage or winning percentage against the NFL betting line than the Steelers. Pittsburgh is 5-1 both SU and ATS in its six Super Bowl appearances. Though times have changed quite a bit from the days of Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw, and the vaunted “Steel Curtain,” the formula for Pittsburgh championships hasn’t changed.

Defense, defense, defense! Though the 70s Steelers had some of the most frightening defenses in the history of the NFL, the ’08 edition of the Pittsburgh ‘D’ almost pulled off an accomplishment that no other team in the NFL had ever done. They finished first in the league in total yards per game (237.2), first in passing yards per game (156.9), and second in rushing yards per game (80.3). Had they finished first against the rush, they would have been the first defense in the NFL’s history to end a season tops against both the run and the pass.

WRs Lynn Swann and John Stallworth were both incredibly underappreciated in their time. Though both are now Hall of Famers, neither was ever considered one of the truly elite receivers in the game. WR Hines Ward is largely treated the same way. Ward just completed his fifth 1,000-yard season, and is just 220 yards short of 10,000 for his career. In addition to being one of the better pass catchers in Steelers history, he is also known for being one of the greatest run blockers at his position that the leagues ever seen.

But let’s get down to business. Comparisons are great, but the bottom line for football bettors is whether the Steelers will be able to beat the seven-point spread against Arizona this coming Sunday. Not only are the Steelers 5-1 ATS in their six Super Bowl appearances, they have averaged beating their five opponents by 8.4 points per game. If playing in the Sunshine State is any indicator, the Steelers are 2-0 SU and 1-1 ATS in Super Bowls played in Miami.

No matter whether you’re betting on the Steelers to win their sixth ring, or on the Cardinals to win their first, BetOnline Sportsbook has Super Bowl XLIII betting covered from every aspect you can imagine. Be sure to login to your account and place your football bets before the game kicks off!

Rafael Nadal – Spain’s Golden Boy

In the old days, Nadal was dismissed as a one-dimensional wonder in the eyes of many and none entertained the notion (at all seriously) he could ever challenge for a Grand Slam title other than the French Open. His Godliness on clay never put to question: his critics regard him as the greatest clay-court player of all time. Yet, in as much as they hold him sacrosanct on the red dirt, for them, his omniscience does not transcend to other surfaces. Disbelievers, hold fast to the idea he is a defensive one-surface wonder, refusing to concede anything to Nadal – even now, after the standout 2008 term he put forward that saw him win amongst many other titles the Wimbledon Championships. Wimbledon then must have been really played on a clay court. Oh and the Stella Artois Championships, Rogers Cup and the Beijing Olympics must have also been on clay accordingly – four of the eight titles Nadal picked up last year on surfaces supposedly not clay. And no, I am not bitter about this in the least. Why do you ask?

Let’s talk about the scion of clay. From April 2005 to May 2007, Nadal strung-together the longest single-surface winning streak in the open era, winning 81 consecutive matches on clay, including two French Open titles and six Masters Series titles (Monte Carlo and Rome, 2005-07). His run ended at the hands of the great Federer at the ATP Masters in Hamburg. A week later, undeterred, Nadal went on to pick up another French Open title (2007, his third in a row) and string together a mini-run on clay that lasted 22-matches and included four-peats at the ATP Monte Carlo Masters (2008) and Barcelona (2008). (His run was halted in the opening round of the 2008 Rome Masters by Juan Carlos Ferrero – albeit he had severe blisters on his feet and simply could not compete anymore.) Undeterred yet again, Nadal returned two win his subsequent two clay court events – the ATP Masters Hamburg (2008) and French Open (2008) – his fourth crown, equalling Bjorn Borg’s record.

So to recap: since 2005, when Nadal went on his incredible 81-match winning streak on clay, he is 115-2 on clay. Think how insane that statistic is? That is TWO matches lost on clay over four years – and counting!

A mind-numbing record like that puts things in perspective and one can see where the notion he is a one-surface wonder came from. But just because he is wondrous on the red stuff does not mean he is inviable on other surfaces. What about his improvements on other surfaces over the same years. Reaching the Wimbledon final in 2007 and losing it to Federer in an epic five-setter. Have we forgotten his accolades in 2008 already? The day after winning his fourth French Open title he competed at the Stella Artois Championships and won. Lest we forget, returning to Wimbledon and giving us, together with Federer, what might be the greatest tennis match of all time at a Grand Slam final. He won that one you know.

A little love-fest for Nadal please: Nadal composed one of the most wondrous individual terms in the history of the sport. He picked up eight titles including Wimbledon (a chart topping sports betting affair worldwide), the Gold Medal at the Beijing Olympics and ascended to the No.1 spot, deposing Roger Federer who sat lotus atop the rankings for over four years. His last term highlight reel also consists of a 32-match undefeated streak that saw him pick up five titles, spanning three surfaces – Hamburg, Roland Garros, Stella Artois, Wimbledon and Rogers Cup. He ended the year with marks of 46-10 (hard), 24-1 clay 12-0 (grass). He had essentially two seasons in one; he began the year with a 22-6 mark in the first six tournaments before going 60-5 for the rest.

If you are still not buying what he is selling, you should know he is out for the Australian Open title this week. And, he is two victories away from accomplishing the feat.

Point is, Nadal really stepped up his game last year and while he did succumb to knee tendinitis late in the term – after all, he is human what with all he had already achieved by then – he started a tidal wave last year and he could very well ride it through this term. He had his best Australian Open in 2008, his best clay court season, his best grass season and his best hard court season. He is a student of the game and his sole ambition is to improve. Think about that! Improve. Translation: He was the best last year and he is likely to even get better.

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

Washington State takes on Arizona State in the Desert

Washington State Cougars (11-8 SU, 6-11 ATS) at Arizona State Sun Devils (16-3 SU, 10-5 ATS)

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Betting Odds: ARIZONA STATE -11

Here are some of the NCAAB trends as they relate to this matchup:

* WSU has lost five of its last eight games SU

* WSU has covered two of its last eight games

* WSU has played three of its last four games OVER the total

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

* WSU has won seven of its last nine road games SU

* WSU has played five of its last seven road games UNDER the total

* ASU has won four of its last five games SU

* ASU has covered six of its last eight games

* ASU has played its last four games UNDER the total

* ASU has won its last nine home games SU

* ASU has covered five of its last six home games

Also…

* WSU has won six of the last seven meetings SU

* Five of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total

* ASU has covered five of the last seven meetings as the home team

* WSU has had the shooting edge in six of the last nine meetings

* ASU has had the rebounding edge in five of the last eight meetings

Last year Tony Bennett’s team managed to snuff out ASU’s offense, holding the Sun Devils to totals of 55 and 47 points. That’s the kind of thing that was bound to happen from time to time for Arizona State, which plays a Princeton-style offense that is somewhat deliberate and had freshmen playing key roles last season. You can do a slowdown on them, as Arizona did eight days ago, but ASU is more resilient to that, as they turned back the Wildcats 53-47, in a game where neither team reached 30% shooting or 20% from beyond the arc. James Harden had 21 of the 53 points, and he has obviously been the most consistent offensive performer (22 ppg), but USC put a shadow on him (in the person of Daniel Hackett) a couple of weeks ago and he was 0-for-8 from the field in the Sun Devils’ 61-49 defeat.

I bring up that game because I am almost certain that Bennett will try to orchestrate a strategy similar to that. There were mixed results last season. Harden tallied 25 points at Tempe in the first meeting, then was limited to just 10 points the second time around, hitting just three of 11 shots (one of seven from the arc). Granted, Harden had a wrist injury and was also bothered by a sore back, but he did come back two days later with 25 against arch-rival Washington. Surely there are other offensive weapons for ASU, namely Jeff Pendergraph (13.6 ppg) and Rihards Kuksiks (10.6 ppg), but the offense runs through Harden – there is no question about that.

Washington State has an awful time putting the ball in the basket, and they have scored just 103 points over the last two games (shooting 27.5% against USC). Those last two games, though, produced losses by just two points to both the Trojans and UCLA Bruins, and Wazzou has played defense this year, allowing less than 37% to opponents and only 52.5 points per contest. They’re no offensive juggernaut, that’s for sure, but they take care of the ball pretty well (11.2 turnovers per game). They have enough of a game plan to keep this one within the number. We’ll grab double digits with Washington State, the 11-point underdog in the BetOnline Sportsbook NCAA college basketball sports betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: WASHINGTON STATE +11 **

(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)

Two of ACC’s Finest – Clemson Tigers at Virginia Tech Hokies

BetOnline NCAA Basketball Wagering Odds: VIRGINIA TECH -1

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

* CLEM is 1-4-1 ATS in its last six games

* CLEM has played five of its last six games UNDER the total

* CLEM has won five of its last six road games SU

* CLEM has covered three of its last four road games

* CLEM has played its last four road games OVER the total

* VT has won its last five games SU

* VT has covered its last four games

* VT has played four of its last five games OVER the total

* VT has won eight of its last nine home games SU

* VT has played five of its last six home games OVER the total’

Also…

* CLEM has won four of the last five meetings SU

* VT has covered four of the last six meetings

* The last four meetings have gone OVER the total

* VT has had the shooting edge in four of the last five meetings

* CLEM has made more three-pointers in each of the last six meetings

When the post-season comes, everybody had better look out for this Virginia Tech team which is currently on a bit of an upset spree, having scored wins at Wake Forest and Miami in the last week. Sure, the Gobblers have lost some games, but the record could be a lot better, considering losses by one point to Xavier, four points to Seton Hall, two points to Wisconsin and one point to Georgia. Coach Seth Greenberg and his troops were understandably upset when they were left out of the NCAA tournament last year, and one has to wonder whether some of those close losses will come back and bite them in the end, or whether a win over the #1 team (Wake) will make up for some of that.

In the game on Sunday, Malcolm Delaney and A.D. Vassilo combined for 57 points as Virginia Tech toughed it out in overtime and beat Miami at the BankUnited Center. That duo is averaging over 35 points for the season. Delaney has been the most pleasant surprise, as he’s up eight points per game over the average he posted as a freshman.

The Hokies have shot 50% from the field over the last three games. In fact, there were only two other performances that were better than that all year. Virginia tech was the first team to shoot 50% from the field against Wake Forest. Meanwhile, Clemson has hit 33.8%, 35.3% and 37.5% in their last three games. And they haven’t been trustworthy behind the line, which is what they really want to do.

Five of the last six games in this series have been decided by two points or less. That would normally point us toward the underdog. In this case, the number for us is right, considering the directions these teams seem to be headed in. VT showed us that they weren’t caught looking at their press clippings after the win over the Deacons. That’s a good thing. Here they get some revenge for last year’s season finale, which Clemson won with seconds to go and which probably screwed the Hokes for the NCAA’s. Let’s take Virginia Tech, the one-point favorite in the BetOnline NCAAB gambling odds.

JAY’S PLAY: VIRGINIA TECH -1 ***

(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)

Horse Pick of the Day from Aqueduct – Lion By My Side

Aqueduct had to cancel their Wednesday card because of an amazing amount of freezing rain and sleet.

They’re picking it back up on Thursday with first post at roughly 12:30 p.m. eastern time. Sports betting fans looking to score in the BetOnline online racebook have to look towards Aqueduct.

Race-day: 1/29/2009

Race-time: 3:49 pm est.

Let’s get to the pick of the day!

Aqueduct – Race 8

Allowance $50000s

For Four Year Olds and Up

1 mile on inner dirt

Lion By My Side – - 4/1 online betting odds

Lion By My Side goes into this race having proven his ability over the Aqueduct inner dirt course. He gets the rail, which usually is a good place to be at the ‘Duct, keeps female jockey Anna Napravnik, and comes out of the barn of Steve Klesaris. He’s finished in the money in his last five starts and could clear this field and keep going.

Elixer – - 4/1 online betting odds

The biggest issue is that he’s coming off of a lay-off since March, but other than that, there isn’t a whole lot not to like about this son of Exchange Rate. He has a victory and three second place finishes over the Aqueduct inner out of four starts. That should get some online racebook fans thinking about dumping some dollars on him.

Greenspirit – - 7/2 online betting odds

He might not get to Lion By My Side in this race, but he’s definitely the class with Steve Asmussen training and Ramon Dominguez riding. This fella could easily win this. The lone knock is his lack of experience but numbers-wise, he’s just as solid as the rest of these.

Wagering Strategy

I believe that Greenspirit is going to be overbet which means that Lion By My Side deserves the win and place money. I will also use Lion By My Side, Greenspirit and Elixer in an exacta and trifecta box.

Good Luck!

Tennis Stars – The Rise of Fernando Verdasco

Melbourne, Australia – Each year (at least over the last few), the Australian Open has served up a surprise package: players that manage to chart their way deep into the tournament against all odds. This year the surprise parcel comes in the familiar form of Fernando Verdasco, who after beating last year’s wonder Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals reaches his first-ever Grand Slam semi-final.

Verdasco’s rise is more than just a great run by an unheralded player achieving something they have never yet achieved. It is more a feel good story, the mental transformation and complete makeover of a player that had long been one of the great enigmas in the game: super talented but a complete mental train wreck. It is more something fans of the sport and tennis betting that have been following the tour closely will appreciate, having the sepia-toned memories of Verdasco’s earlier matches to compare with his performance at the Australian Open.

Verdasco’s stats are not in tune to his rise over the course of the Australian Open – a rise that can actually be traced back to the Davis Cup final against Argentina in November last year. At the time, Spain was a long shot bet to win the cup. Nadal’s knees gave out towards the end of a long and arduous season and he was forced to withdraw from the Davis Cup final with tendinitis, as well as other ATP events. And Verdasco was a player who few took note of because for all his promising talent (and ferocious forehand) at the end of the day, he was only as good as his results – which were hardly anything to fawn over. He had a reputation for flinching under pressure, unable not only to close out matches but sets and games.

Bookies saw a Spanish contingent sans Nadal as a severely weakened force and their value in the market swooned. The underdogs really stepped up though against the Argentines, especially Verdasco, who with two significant victories in the third rubber (doubles w/ Lopez) and fourth rubber (singles against Jose Acasuso) helped clinch the Davis Cup for Spain. It wasn’t a pretty match (the fourth rubber) but it did not stop Verdasco from experiencing a meteoric rise to national fame. He became an instant hero in Spain. More importantly (and apparent more so now than ever before), the Davis Cup was a watershed moment – a moment in time when Verdasco felt an inkling of his yet unseen talent, arguably, one of the most important of all weapons in the repertoire of an elite player. He gained confidence and this newfound belief could see him ride the emotional wave right through the 2009 term.

While it has taken Verdasco a long time to find this attribute – he was 25 when he seized his career-defining triumph in Davis Cup action – it has been pivotal for his start to the 2009 season, not to mention his Australian Open campaign.

Already, he has had the best start to a season in his career. He reached the Brisbane final (l. to Stepanek) and clocked some extra time at the exhibition event in Kooyong where he finished in third place, beating Fernando Gonzalez 6-4, 6-3.

Come the Australian Open, Verdasco weighing in at No.15 in the world (his highest ranking ever was No.11 on 21 July 2008) opened his campaign under very little scrutiny. He beat Adrian Mannarino of France 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 (note: he dropped just four games). His second opponent was another Frenchman in Arnaud Clement and he dismissed him almost as efficiently 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 (again dropping only four games). In the third round, Verdasco avenged his loss to Stepanek in Brisbane with a 6-4, 6-0, 6-0 triumph (once again, he conceded only four games).

In the last 16, Verdasco came up against Andy Murray; surely, the stage where most pundits anticipated his run would end – after all Murray was their chosen one for the Australian Open title. To get right to it: Verdasco turned that notion on its head when he beat Murray in a five-setter that saw more swings in momentum than the American Jive. The 2-6, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory was a schizophrenic affair that saw flashes of mopey Murray but essentially a resolute Verdasco – a hereto unknown side of his on-court persona. And just the other day, Verdasco completed the coup de grace when he backed up his first big upset by another, taking out the big man Tsonga.

Next up for Verdasco is his biggest challenge of the tournament. A player he respects, a Davis Cup teammate, a compatriot and friend, Rafael Nadal. Fernando Verdasco has yet to get in the win column for the first time against Rafael Nadal and given their stats up to this point – 6-0 lifetime in favour of Nadal – the exceedingly one-sided association makes him for a long shot bet in their upcoming Australian Open semi-final billing. But that is exactly what the rising Spanish sensation Verdasco must do if he is to continue the Cinderella run Down Under that saw him pull off the double punch in taking out Andy Murray (Aussie Open odds on favourite) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in succession, en route to the final four.

Thinking back to last year’s French Open match between them, Verdasco overplayed every point and effectively played himself out of the match, going for too cute a shot off both wings. It is clear now though he is an altogether different player and he has shown doubters how to believe. So will he accomplish what he has yet been unable to accomplish in six tries or will he strike out against his third big opponent and toughest mental hurdle to date in Melbourne.

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

PAC 10 Game of the Night – Cal Golden Bears vs. UCLA Bruins

PAC 10 sports betting offers up one of the games of the night on the college hardwood when Mike Montgomery and his California Golden Bears (16-4, 11-6 ATS) invades Pauley Pavilion to take on Ben Howland’s 18th ranked UCLA Bruins (15-4, 8-10 ATS). These teams saw a lot of each other to close out the 2007-08 season when the Bruins beat them by a point in their home finale, and then crushed them in the PAC 10 Tournament just six days later. Cal is 4-3 SU and ATS in its seven road/neutral court games for NCAAB bettors this season, while the Bruins own an impressive 10-2 SU mark in their own house but have cost their betting backers by churning out a losing 4-6 mark against the closing pointspread.

The host Bruins currently sit as 9.5-point favorites in this contest with a game ‘total’ of 139.5. Cal’s managed a 4-2 SU & ATS mark the six times it was tagged an underdog as a visitor this season with impressive outright wins at UNLV, Utah, Washington State, and Washington. Each club boasts a 5-2 SU mark in conference play.

The Golden Bears bounced back from their humiliating home defeat at the hands of the Oregon State Beavers as double-digit favorites with a 76-69 victory against the Oregon Ducks. However, the seven point victory saw Cal fail to cover the 13-point closing spread, and it proved to be the third straight pointspread loss for its betting backers. Guard Jerome Randle stood out on the stat sheet compiling a game high 22 points to go along with five assists. The Bears shot a blistering 67% from the field on 30-of-45 shooting, but they only won the battle of the boards by two (25/23)and turned it over 15 times compared to the Ducks 12. They’ll need to drastically cut down the turnovers tonight if they expect to pull the shocker in Pauley.

After almost letting their game against Washington State get away from them in the second half, the Bruins couldn’t hold onto their one-point halftime lead and ended up losing by an 86-75 final count to close out their trip to the state of Washington last Saturday. The loss was the second suffered by the Bruins in their last three games, but only tonight’s opponent managed to upend the Huskies on their own floor this year. Josh Shipp tallied 25 of the Bruins 75 point output, but Darren Collison was the only other Bruin to post a double-digit mark in the road defeat.

UCLA is 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS the L/10 times it’s faced in state rival Cal. That said; the Golden Bears are 5-2 ATS their L/7 trips to Pauley Pavilion and the road team has cashed for CBB bettors in 5 of the L/6 meetings. This series has also been higher scoring of late with the ‘over’ cashing in 4 of the L/5 battles, and in each of the L/5 times they squared off at UCLA.

Can the Golden Bears build upon their impressive mark as a road underdog, or will the Bruins continue its dominance of the boys from Berkeley? Once you think you got the pointspread winner of this game pegged, login to your BetOnline Sportsbook account and put your money where your mouth is!

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