NFL Five Alive – The Top Five Most Improved Teams Heading Into 2010

In the modern age that is NFL free agency, pro football betting enthusiasts have heard the term, worst-to-first a multitude of times as weaker teams have often made astonishing one-year turnarounds, simply by often doing their due diligence during the annual NFL Draft and free agency periods and sometimes hiring just the right head coach to lead their respective franchises.

Last season, the Jets, Bengals, Texans and 49ers looked much improved on the field and each team has legitimate playoff hopes heading into 2010.

Here is a look at my top five most improved teams (at least on paper) heading into 2010.

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Washington Redskins

I’ve got to give credit where credit is due and Skins owner Daniel Snyder really appears to be trying to do things the right way in order to bring a winner back to Washington.

Snyder hired respected head coach Mike Shanahan, along with equally-admired GM Bruce Allen to completely run the franchise’s football operations and Shanahan’s frst order of business was to get a still-capable veteran quarterback.

Washington’s theft of six-time pro bowl QB Donovan McNabb from Philadelphia instantly transforms the Redskins into contenders, not to mention the hiring of former Saints head coach Jim Haslett as defensive coordinator.

Washington also added a pair of offensive tackles that could start in first-round draft pick Trent Williams and veteran Jammal Brown.

Call me crazy, but I believe a wild card spot is not out of the question in the first year of the Shanahan-McNab era.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns have wisely turned over total complete control of the franchise to new team president Mike Holmgren, who then turned around and stuck with head coach Eric Mangini after last season’s excellent finishing run.

Cleveland parted ways with quarterbacks Derek Anderson and Brady Quinn, though I think getting rid of Quinn could be a mistake. The Browns will go with veterans, Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace until new quarterback of the future, Colt McCoy is ready to play.

I think the Browns could reach eight wins this season, though they play in arguably the toughest division in the league with Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnti.

Detroit Lions

The Lions made a smart move by using the second overall pick of the draft on former Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, a player that will come in and contribute immediately.

Detroit also got another instant play-maker when they lucked up and nabbed former Cal running back Jahvid Best and also traded for former Broncos tight end Tony Scheffler.

Thanks to their upgrades, I wouldn’t say it’s out of the realm of possibility to think the Lions could reach six wins in 2010 if things go well for the young team.

Miami Dolphins

Miami brought in Mike Nolan, one of the most respected defensive minds in the game, to run what should be a solid unit at the very least. The Fins added pro bowl linebacker Karlos Dansby and veteran linebacker Tim Dobbins and upgraded their offensive line by acquiring veteran Richie Incognito and Cory Procter. The Dolphins also added more size and depth across the defensive line by drafting defensive tackle Jared Odrick with the 28th overall pick and following that up by selecting Koa Misi in the second round. The AFC East is not one of the easier conferences to win, but I believe the Dolphins have a shot to at least reach the wild card.

Oakland Raiders

Parting ways with head case bust, JaMarcus Russell and acquiring talented Jason Cambpbell was undoubtedly a step in the right direction. I also like Oakland’s additions of veteran running back Michael Bennett and backup quarterback Kyle Boller.

Oakland also retained veteran defensive end Richard Seymour and drafted former Alabama linebacker Rolando McClain with its first round pick before nabbing former Texas defensive lineman Lamarr Houston in the second round. I like Oakland to improve to seven or eight wins in an AFC West conference that isn’t very scary once you get past San Diego.

Honorable Mention

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs nabbed an instant starter by drafting former University of Oklahoma defensive tackle standout Gerald McCoy with the third overall pick in the draft and following that up by adding another tackle in the second round in former UCLA star Brian Price.

I also like the Bucs to be a bit better because of the evident maturation of gifted second-year quarterback Josh Freeman. No, the Bucs won’t reach 8- 8 in 2010, but six wins are looking about right for this rebuilding team.

Does Washington Have Enough in the Tank to Surpass its NFL Game Odds in 2010?

Change is finally here for the Washington Redskins. After years of wandering around looking for a starting quarterback and a head coach, owner Daniel Snyder landed both in the same offseason, trading for QB Donovan McNabb and luring HC Mike Shanahan out of a potential retirement to coach his team. The biggest question is whether or not the Skins are going to be more competitive this year than last. Here are our five questions for Washington for its NFL game odds in ’10.

1: Is QB Donovan McNabb washed up? The Eagles must think so. Why else would they trade McNabb within the division to face him twice a year? Still, we must remember that the Syracuse product, though clearly at the tail end of his career, is still good for 3,000+ yards and probably at least 20 total TDs every single season. He has a degree of mobility under center that Washington hasn’t seen in years from the quarterback position and should still be a force; at least for the 2010 campaign.

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2: What about HC Mike Shanahan? Even though the Broncos got tired of Shanahan and dismissed him two years ago, we know that the Skins are better off with the long time Denver man than they were with a man who was merely a glorified quarterbacks coach in Jim Zorn. If nothing else, Mike brought son, Kyle with him to direct the offense, and the Shanahan child has become a highly sought after commodity for a potential head coaching gig.

3: Are the Redskins capable of winning division games? The NFC East is clearly one of the toughest divisions in the game, and winning games against arch rivals is always difficult. Still, Washington went a winless 0-6 last season against its divisional foes, and that simply won’t cut it to get back to the playoffs. The tests start right away, as the Cowboys come to Landover Week 1 of the NFL betting season.

4: Will Washington be able to get consistent pressure off the end again this season? The Skins had better hope so. Their defense ranked No. 9 in the NFL last year, allowing just 207.2 passing yards per game. A lot of that was thanks to the combined efforts of LBs Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo, each of which had 11 sacks. Now in a 3-4 defense exclusively, both should be able to run free a lot more and cause a ton more havoc off both ends.

5: Bottom Line: How many games will the Washington Redskins win in 2010? The Skins should be an improved team this year, but 7.5 wins is a lot to ask them to exceed in the highly competitive NFC East? Yes, the lousy Lions, Bucs, and Rams are all on the schedule this year due to the fact that Washington had a nightmarish season a year ago, but playing the AFC South won’t be easy either. We tend to believe that 6-7 wins is a possibility, but asking Washington to go .500 is too tall a task for the first year of Shanahan calling the shots.

Value Found in Big D This NFL Season!

The citizens (or degenerates if you’re a Redskins fan) of Dallas, Texas could be shouting, “Yippee aye yo kie yeah!” this year because Big D has got themselves a football team!

The Cowboys are going off at the NFL football betting odds of +1000 to win this season’s Super Bowl. At those odds, I’d usually look for value elsewhere, but the ‘Boys appear loaded on both offense and defense.

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In fact, at this point, I have to believe that +1000 makes the ‘Boys an overlay in the sportsbook to win the Super Bowl.

Dallas Cowboys

• Odds to Win the NFC East: +130
• Odds to Win the NFC Championship: +600
• Odds to Win Super Bowl XLV: +1000

Reasons Dallas Can Win the Super Bowl

This is the best team that the Cowboys have had in a very long time. There seems to be strength at almost every position except for maybe left tackle.

The real question is whether or not the ‘Boys have what it takes mentally to beat teams like the Vikings, Saints and Packers in the NFC Conference.

Tony Romo – - Anybody who doesn’t believe that this guy is a legitimate #1 QB in the NFL had better check out these stats: 4,483 passing yards, 63.1% completion percentage, 8.15 yards per pass average, 26 TD’s and only 9 INT’s for a 97.6 rating.

More importantly, Romo turned into a fantastic leader last season. Earlier this year he qualified to play in a PGA Tournament.

He bypassed that to keep his mind on football. I used to be a huge Romohater. Not anymore.

Hey, stats like the ones Romo put up in 2009 will always spread love!

The offense is loaded – - Tight-end Jason Witten is one of the best in the NFL. Wide receivers Roy E. Williams, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin and rookie Dez Bryant make up one of the best WR corps in the NFL.

RB Marion Barber is fantastic and RB’s Felix Jones and Tashard Choice would start on most of the other teams in the NFL.

The lone issue might be at LT where Doug Free will start for the first time in his career. I’m betting he’s ready for it.

The defense should be much improved – - If Mike Jenkins has developed more at the CB position, then forget it. Jenkins and Newman at the corners and Keith Brooking, Bradie James, Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Ware in the linebacking corp will make this team formidable on the defensive side of things.

An easy schedule – - The ‘Boys play the NFC North and the AFC South this year. So, they get to beat-up on the Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.

They’re just as good as the Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings.

They also get to play the Redskins twice, although those games are always hard, the Eagles twice, Philly might have a down year, and the G-Men twice.

The Giants will be tough but Dallas is the better team. The Saints might be tough but the ‘’Boys should rack the Arizona Cardinals.

Maturity – - Getting trounced by Minnesota in last year’s NFC Divisional Playoff game might have been a blessing in disguise.

The ‘Boys weren’t ready to take the next step; they need to really believe in themselves before doing that. Now, it’s obvious that this team does.

You have to learn to walk before you can run. Dallas walked last season. This season they’re going to take off like Usain Bolt.

One other thing I didn’t add on this list, only because it’s even tougher to quantify than “maturity” is the fact that the Cowboys are hungry.

Getting Dez Bryant in the draft was huge for this team and Choice, Jones and Barber make up the toughest 3-pronged running attack in the NFL.

But the real fortunes of this team rest on the defense where Jenkins has to step into the role of a shutdown corner. If he can do that, then Dallas should waltz through the NFC East.

Are they worth a wager at the pro football odds of +1000? I’m going to say that they definitely are! Watch this team rack up 7 victories in a row before losing to the Green Bay Packers on the road November 7th.

The NFL is almost here! Log onto the NFL betting sportsbook and make your future bets on the NFL!

NCAA Football Futures – Can Penn State Win the Big Ten?

The Penn State Nittany Lions have been one of the Big Ten’s top programs for the past ten years and last year was another New Year’s Day bowl game season for the college football betting line favorites. The Nittany Lions are usually college football betting line favorites for most games because of their strong overall talent base and toughness.

This year they have similar advantages going into the Big Ten season with one major disadvantage: inexperience at quarterback, the most important position on the field. Freshman Kevin Newsome is a dual-threat QB with a lot of talent but it’s hard to see Joe Paterno and the PSU old-school coaching staff letting him start. Paul Jones might get the start instead but he has virtually no experience.

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That should spell doom for PSU in an unlucky bit of scheduling as they have a high-profile non-conference showdown with Alabama on the road against the defending national champs in Tuscaloosa that should be a loss. But if PSU can overcome that likely loss and get more experience for their young QB’s they have a chance to make a run at the top part of the Big Ten.

The Big Ten futures odds have the Nittany Lions listed at +650 to win the league making them an enticing underdog pick. The Lions have perhaps the best secondary in the league and a line-backing corps led by Sean Lee, one of the top prospects in the league if healthy. Evan Royster might be the best RB in the Big Ten as well, so PSU is not lacking in overall talent.

But PSU travels to Ohio State this year and has tough competition from a Big Ten that should be improved in 2010 with tons of returning starters back. If PSU had more experience they would be more likely to make a run at a league title according to the college football betting lines.

But the Lions are likely to be underdogs in Big Ten football betting lines until they get solid play at QB and that might not happen at all this season, making them a poor choice in the Big Ten futures odds this year.

MLB Betting Insider – Cash in on Baseball’s Coldest Ballclubs Heading into the Second Half

I always tell professional sports gamblers that when it comes to making winning wagers, betting on consistently bad teams is just as profitable as cashing in by wagering on winning ballclubs.

Having said that, MLB gamblers everywhere will set themselves up to cash in big when the regular season resumes this Thursday by perusing over this list of baseball’s coldest ballclubs heading into the second half.

Prior to the break, each of these ballclubs had lost at least four of their last five games prior to the annual Midsummer classic and several will almost assuredly continue to struggle over the remainder of the regular season.

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Pittsburgh 0-5
The Pirates lost six straight prior to the all-star break and head into the second half looking more like a Triple A ballclub than a big league one. Wagering against the Pirates on a daily basis will almost certainly be good for the health of your MLB betting bankroll.

Minnesota 1-4
The Twins snapped their four-game losing streak in their last contest before the all-star break but have lost seven of its last 10 games overall and needs to get their act together fast before the fall too far back in the AL Central.

Cincinnati 1-4
The Reds lost four straight to Philadelphia just before the break but I wouldn’t be too worried as the Reds have been one of the scrappiest, never-say-die ballclubs in all of baseball this season.

Texas 1-4
The Rangers were swept by the lowly Baltimore Orioles in a four-game set prior to the break, but have such a prolific offense that I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Now, when it comes to the Rangers’ pitching, I will remain skeptical until I see otherwise.

LA Angels 1-4
I thought the Angels were foolish for letting Vladimir Guerrero and John Lackey bolt in free agency and they certainly have been hurt by their losses. The Halos lost two straight before the annual break while losing six of their last seven games overall.

Cleveland 1-4
The Indians also lost two straight before the break while losing five of six and seven of 10 overall while ranking 25th in both, offense and defense.

Seattle 1-4
The Mariners are a complete mess MLB gamblers! The M’s lost their final contest prior to the break while dropping six of its last seven and eight of its last 10 games overall.

Tournament Matchup Bets for the British Open

Which golfers figure to be the best golf bets in tournament matchup wagering for the British Open?

Is Tiger a good bet to beat Lefty?  Is Rory McIlroy a good bet to beat Lee Westwood?  Who will prove best in tournament matchup betting for the British Open!

PGA Tour:  British Open

Where:  Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

When:  July 15th thru July 18th, 2010

Course Specifics:  Par 72, Yardage 7,279

TV:  ESPN/ABC

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Tournament Matchups

1. Phil Mickelson +145 vs. Tiger Woods -175 – - Tiger wasn’t the favorite versus Phil at the U.S. Open because Phil knew that course.  The tables are turned in this matchup.  Tiger knows St. Andrews and loves St. Andrews while Phil just doesn’t play as well in Scotland, as evidenced by him missing the cut at the Scottish Open last week, as he does everywhere else in the world.  Sure, Phil could post a Top 20 finish, but El Tigre should win.  Tiger all the way.

           Pick:  Tiger Woods -175

2. Rory McIlroy -105 vs. Lee Westwood -125 – - Lee’s got a bum leg and Rory chokes in big tournaments.  Well, Rory’s chokes in big tournaments in 2010.  I’m not sure whom to go with in this situation.  I suppose I’ll back Westwood because at least I know he’s not going to put himself into a bad position on the course while Rory can stink it up at times.

           Pick:  Lee Westwood -125

3. Justin Rose -125 vs. Luke Donald -105 – - Rose has been hot on the PGA Tour with 2 victories in his last 3 tournaments.  Donald has been hot on the European Tour with a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 11th in 4 out of his last 5 tournaments.  I have to weight the European Tour finishes more than the PGA Tour finishes because of the competition that Donald faced compared to the competition that Rose faced.  Donald, man…he’s the golf bet!

           Pick:  Luke Donald -105

 

4. Phil Mickelson -120 vs. Padraig Harrington -110 – -  Paddy’s game has started to come around with those two 64’s he shot at the Travelers Championship.  Phil blew it big time last week at the Scottish Open.  I’m going with Paddy to make a nice run at St. Andrews.  After all, he did win back-to-back British Opens in 2007 and 2008 and he finished 20th at St. Andrews in 2000.

            Pick:  Padraig Harrington -110

5. Rory McIlroy -115 vs. Ernie Els -115 – - Els finished 2nd to Tiger at St. Andrews in 2000 and hasn’t finished out of the Top 10 at the British Open in four straight years.  What’s more impressive is that he’s recorded 6 Top 5 finishes at the last 10 British Opens.  Need I go on?

            Pick:  Ernie Els -115

 

6. Kenny Perry -130 vs. Oliver Wilson Ev – - Perry’s 15th at the John Deere Classic last week was a huge step in the right direction for him.  Wilson is coming off of an 84th place finish at the Barclays Scottish Open.  In 2005 at St. Andrews, Perry finished 11th.  Wilson has never finished better than 24th at the British Open.  I have to back the American in this matchup.

           Pick:  Kenny Perry -130

 

This week is the 3rd major tournament of 2010, the British Open!  Log onto the golf sportsbook and bet the British Open!

 

Are Tiger and Phil the Best Bets to Make the Cut?

Are Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, the two favorites to win the British Open this week, the best bets to make the cut?

Often times the best players to bet to win a tournament aren’t always the best players to bet to make the cut.

Betting on favorites to make the cut requires a huge risk in order to turn a profit. For instance, the Golf betting odds on Phil to make the cut are -800. The odds on Tiger are -1200.

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But if El Tigre and Lefty aren’t “good bets” in the golf sportsbook to make the cut, then who are?

PGA Tour: British Open

• Where: Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
• When: July 15th thru July 18th, 2010
• Course Specifics: Par 72, Yardage 7,279
• TV: ESPN/ABC

To Make The Cut

Best Golf Bet A: Luke Donald -350

Donald hasn’t missed the cut in 5 straight tournaments.

This includes making the cut at the harsh U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in the last major of the year. Donald has also finished 2nd, 1st, 3rd, and 11th in 4 out of those 5 tournaments.

He should definitely make the cut at St. Andrews this week.

Best Golf Bet B: Graeme McDowell -450

McDowell has two 1st place, one 4th place, and one 21st place finish in his last 4 tournaments played on the European Tour.

He also finished 11th at the 2005 British Open on the Old Course.

The U.S. Open winner is a much better bet at his golf betting odds to make the cut than either El Tigre or lefty.

Worst Golf Wager: Rory McIlroy -800

If McIlroy’s form holds true, then he won’t make the cut at the British Open this week.

He missed the cut at the Masters and then missed the cut at the U.S. Open. Rory also missed the cut at the Shell Houston Open and The Players Championship.

He’s a tough bet at -800 to make the cut at St. Andrews this week.

Best Better Than -300 Golf Bet: Edoardo Molinari -250

He’s made the cut in his last 5 tournaments and is coming off of a victory at The Barclay’s Scottish Open.

That’s enough for me to say that he’s worth a bet in the golf sportsbook to make the cut at St. Andrews. Molinari has done well on the Isles this year with not only that victory at the Scottish Open but also a 4th at the Celtic Manor Wales Open.

Others to Consider

Justin Rose -550 – - He’s won 2 out of his last 3 tournaments and finished 9th in the other one. He should make the cut this week.

Retief Goosen -400 – - Goosen finished 5th at St. Andrews in 2005 and is coming off of a 5th place finish at the Travelers Championship.

Francesco Molinari -275 – - After missing the cut at the U.S. Open, Molinari has responded with a 2nd at the Open de France and a 4th at The Barclays Scottish Open.

This week is the 3rd major tournament of 2010, the British Open! Log onto the golf sportsbook and bet the British Open!

College Football 2010 – ACC Championship Odds

Who’s ready for some college football? Around the country, fans are salivating, as the season is weeks away, and the football betting odds have been released. And with kickoff right around the corner, it’s never too early to get in your wagers.

Today let’s look at the college odds, on who’ll win the ACC Conference Championship.

Miami (+240): Is “The U,” back? The football betting odds seem to indicate so, as the Miami Hurricanes open the season as favorites in this conference.

Head coach Randy Shannon welcomes back an explosive offense that features arguably this league’s best quarterback, in Jacory Harris. As a sophomore, Harris was phenomenal, throwing for 3,352 yards and 24 touchdowns, although his 17 interceptions need to be improved upon. Harris has a deep wide receiving group around him, led by Leonard Hankerson (45 catches), Laron Byrd (33) and Travis Benjamin (29). Allen Bailey anchors a defense which returns eight starters.

As was the case last year, the Canes open with a tough schedule, as they’ll play at Ohio State and Pittsburgh out of conference, and then Clemson and Florida State to open ACC play. After that though, the schedule is manageable with tough remaining games against North Carolina and Virginia Tech at home.

With depth and experience at key positions, there’s a reason that Miami is the favorite in this conference.

Florida State (+250): There is plenty of optimism around a Florida State offense which returns nine starters. But can this once proud progam win an ACC Championship with an inexperienced defense and a new coach?

We’ll find out as the Seminoles begin life after Bobby Bowden in Year One of the Jimbo Fisher era.

Luckily for Fisher, he returns a boatload of talent on offense, including senior quarterback Christian Ponder (14 touchdowns and 2,717 yards before a separated shoulder ended his season) and an offensive line which brings back all five starters.

While the defense is young, they do return All-American in waiting Greg Reid at cornerback, not to mention two of high school football’s top recruits last spring: Linebacker Jeff Luc and cornerback LaMarcus Joyner.

Virginia Tech (+400): The football betting odds do little justice to maybe the most talented team in this conference, the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Virginia Tech returns senior Tyrod Taylor under center, the best duel threat quarterback in this conference. Not that he’ll need to run much, as Ryan Williams returns after a 1,655 yard freshman season and Darren Evans comes back after a knee injury sidelined him for all of 2009. In 2008 he was a 1000 yard rusher himself.

The Hokies also have the benefit of a manageable ACC schedule, with Miami and North Carolina at home, while avoiding ACC Atlantic favorites the Florida State Seminoles.

Virginia Tech was the ACC champion in 2008, and there’s no reason to think they can’t make it two titles in three years.

North Carolina (+475): If you’re a believer that defense wins championships, than the North Carolina Tar Heels are the only wager to make in the football betting odds. They return eight seniors on the defensive side of the ball, including an astounding five that could be first round NFL Draft picks next spring.

However, there are two points of contention for making the Tar Heels your bet.

First, it is unknown what will become of superstar linebacker Quan Sturdivant, who was arrested over this past weekend for marijuana possession. Secondly, this offense was abysmal last year, as quarterback T.J. Yates threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (14). There is a belief that redshirt freshman Bryn Renner might end up with the starting job before long.

As for the rest of the conference…

If you’re looking for a long shot in the college football betting odds, here are the odds on the remaining teams in the ACC.

Clemson (+700)

Boston College (+800)

Georgia Tech (+900)

North Carolina State (+1500)

Virginia (+2000)

Wake Forest (+2500)

Duke (+5000)

Maryland (+5000)

Who Is in Danger of Missing the Cut at the British Open?

Is Tiger Woods in danger of missing the cut at the British Open?  And, if so, is it worth making a bet on him to do so?

After all, El Tigre did miss the cut at the 2009 British Open.  Who says that history doesn’t repeat this year?  I do, for one.  The chance of Woods missing the cut at St. Andrews at the Old Course, a place he dominated in both 2000 and 2005, is unlikely.

The golf odds on Tiger at +500 to miss the cut don’t warrant a wager because there are plenty of other likely candidates to miss the cut at St. Andrews this week going off at fair betting odds.

 PGA Tour:  British Open

Where:  Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

When:  July 15th thru July 18th, 2010

Course Specifics:  Par 72, Yardage 7,279

TV:  ESPN/ABC

To Miss The Cut

Best Golf Bet A:  KJ Choi +150

Since finishing 4th at the Masters, Choi hasn’t finished better than 13th in any tournament.  He’s coming off of a missed cut at the John Deere Classic and finished 41st at St. Andrews in 2005.  There’s a good chance that Choi’s game just isn’t where it should be for him to play on Saturday and Sunday this week.

Best Golf Bet B:  Ryo Ishikawa +125

The Japanese phenom missed the cut at the Masters and then came back with a 33rd at the U.S. Open and a 56th at the Scottish Open.  He also missed the cut at both the Transitions Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach earlier this year.  He could blow it on Thursday and Friday at the Old Course.

Best +300 or Higher Bet:  Rory McIlroy +350

McIlroy missed the cut at the Masters, the U.S. Open, the Shell Houston, The Players Championship, and the BMW PGA Championship this year.  For all of his immense talent, he has trouble mentally and the Old Course is a tough place to play.  At the golf odd of +350, McIlroy has to be considered a serious guy to back in this wagering category.

Worst Golf Bet to Make:  Ernie Els +350/Tiger Woods +500

The odds don’t justify making a bet on either Els or Woods to simply implode and blow it this week at St. Andrews.  Els loves the Old Course.  Woods loves the Old Course even more.  Both guys have been playing well enough in 2010 that betting on them to miss the cut would require golf odds of at least +1000 or more on either one of them.

Others to Consider

Paul Casey +225 – - I’m not convinced he’s 100% no matter what he’s been saying.

John Daly -110 – - Football betting odds can be found on Big John who, although great in 2005 at St. Andrews, has missed the cut in 4 tournaments and has withdrawn in 2 others this year.

Colin Montgomerie -130 – - One of the world’s greatest Tiger haters (although he’s been quiet in recent years!) knows St. Andrews very, very well, but he’s old and is coming off of 2 missed cuts one at the Scottish Open and one the Open de France.  Maybe, he just has trouble hitting the ball in his old age.

This week is the 3rd major tournament of 2010, the British Open!  Log onto the golf sportsbook and bet the British Open!

Tennis Betting Picks – Soderling Begins Title Defense Campaign at Swedish Open

Bastad, Sweden – Top seed Robin Soderling is set to get his title defence campaign underway at the Swedish Open when he takes on compatriot Andreas Vinciguerra. The all-Swedish affair is the marquee second round match at BetOnline Sporsbook. Also in action is Andreas Seppi who takes on compatriot Potito Starace. A spot in the quarterfinals is on the line. Here is a look at these aforementioned players in their respective matches, complete with BetOnline tennis betting lines and odds.

Tennis Betting Line: Andreas Seppi   +105         Potito Starace     -145
First Set Line: Andreas Seppi  -105        Potito Starace     -135   
Match Time: 05:00 AM Eastern Time (11:00 Local Time) Wednesday July 14, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Andreas Seppi got his bid off to a winning start over against Marcel Granollers of Spain, beating the Spaniard convincingly 6-4, 6-2. Seppi is hoping to book a spot in the Skistar Swedish Open quarterfinals at the expense of compatriot Potito Starace. BetOnline bookies are listing his chances at +105, a mere underdog bet.

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Truth of the matter is, Seppi and Starace match up rather well. They are 1-1 in head-to-heads lifetime on the ATP and 1-1 at the lower level. Though Starace won all encounters on clay between the pair,  giving him the edge over Seppi in the market.  

Starace topped eighth seed Florent Serra in the first round and is tipped as the firm favourite at -145. Starace earns the favourite mark because of those two clay-court victories but both were hard fought wins. Seppi is not without a shot in this match and methinks he will finally win a clay match off Starace.

Tennis Free Picks: Seppi in three sets

Tennis Betting Line: Robin Soderling  -2500        Andreas Vinciguerra     +900   
First Set Line: Robin Soderling     -1200        Andreas Vinciguerra     +600   
Match Time: 03:00 PM Eastern Time (21:00 Local Time) Wednesday July 14, 2010

Tennis Betting Verdict: Robin Soderling is the massive -2500 favourite to win outright over his compatriot Andreas Vinciguerra. Soderling is the top seed and the defending champion so it is understandable that he should be so solidly favoured. Further recommending his odds is a 1-0 edge over Vinciguerra, having  beaten him at this very event last year, in the semis 6-1, 7-6(6).

Vinciguerra replicating his 2009 run at Bastad, or better yet, going one better than the semis, seems unlikely seeing that he comes up against the very same player that derailed him last year. Soderling cuts and even more imposing figure than he did last year now that he is the world No.5 player and French Open runner-up two years running t hat it is hard to imagine Vinciguerra masterminding what would be a huge upset.

Tennis Free Picks: Soderling in straight sets

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