Super Super XLVI Props Are Up

Your Super Sunday XLVI Props Free Picks

There’s no way that you can say you love gambling on Pro Football without tossing some money around on the platter of Super Bowl XLVI prop bets that are being released soon. For everyone that’s interested, New England is already favored at -3.0 against New York but there’s plenty of time to speculate who will win that matchup in the coming weeks.

This is about the Super Bowl XLVI prop bets, which BetUS.com has served as an all-you-can eat buffet each and every year. There will be the standard bets, like who scores the first touchdown (Gronkowski Pot Pie, anyone?) or how many yards Tom Brady will throw for, but let’s get to some fun ones first.

Peyton Manning Shown on Live TV During The Game (OVER/UNDER 6.5 Times)
How fast can I take the OVER in this total? The Giants-Patriots is designed to be an astoundingly close game, and they showed Peyton scowling and fist pumping in the first Super Bowl matchup between Brady and Eli ad nauseum.

This Super Bowl is taking place in his house pitting his little brother against his arch rival. How can they not have a camera on this guy at all times? And how can you seriously think that single-digit shots of Peyton is a logical bet to make? You can’t.

OVER/UNDER on times they show highlights from 2004 Super Sunday (OVER/UNDER 4.5 Times)
I’ll have to check my dictionary, but highlights don’t include montages, which they’ll show lots of. There are three huge plays from Super Bowl XLII

1) The Helmet Catch
2) Moss’s touchdown in the fourth quarter
3) Plaxico’s touchdown to win the game

There’s no other highlight worth showing, and I’m not even sure that the Moss touchdown is deserving of revisiting for the production team. I’m sure they’ll show the helmet catch at least once, and Plax’s touchdown gets a nod as it sealed the victory. Beyond that? I’m not sure what stands out enough.

Honestly the safe bet is the OVER, but I just can’t conceive of a way they drag out footage of Laurence Maroney returning kicks or Amani Toomer catching an out route to make it the smart play on this prop.

How long will Kelly Clarkson hold the note “Brave” in the National Anthem (OVER/UNDER 5 seconds)
Before I saw her on Saturday Night Live, I would’ve thrown all my money at the OVER, but considering her current physical state, I’d say she wants to get off national television as soon as possible.

Another factor to think about is the whole Steven Tyler thing. The guy was killed by the public for singing too long, and scaring little children with gender confusion. Trust me. Kelly is no diva. She’ll go five second flat.

Gisele Bundchen will kiss Tom Brady during the broadcast (Yes +200)
The simple part of me is all like, “Of course she’ll be there!” but the more I think about it, the more I lean towards her giving her man the spotlight. She has enough of her own, and the last thing she wants to do to Tom during his record tying fourth Super Bowl victory is make it all about her. Hey, I’d love to see more of her as much as anyone, but I don’t even have the Patriots winning this game. You think Brady wants to be caught making out with Gisele after he loses the Super Bowl? Ok, she’s crazy hot, but still.

Bill Belichik Wears a Hoody in First Quarter (Yes -135 / No -105)
When doesn’t this guy wear a hoody? Well when he’s in Miami pretty much. I’ve never been to the new Indy stadium, so I can’t vouch for how hot or cold that place is, but stadiums are always colder than you think they’re going to be. Though he’s probably not that superstitious, I’d say that Belichik keeps the hoody on for at least the first quarter. You don’t mess with a good thing.

Madonna kisses another woman during halftime (Yes +500)
When she kissed Britney, it was so hot. When she triple kissed with Aguielra and Britney, it was kinda hot. Have you seen Madonna lately? She looks like my grandmother if she was alive and anorexic.

I’d like to say that Madonna’s PR team is smarter than letting her fool herself into thinking that kissing Kelly Clarkson on stage will be “hot” but I also saw how she was dressed at the Golden Globes. I’m just going against this happening because I don’t want to see it.

Whatever your Super Bowl XLVI wishes are, BetUS.com will definitely let you bet on them! Stay tuned to the sportsbook for all of the details.

1

2

NHL All-Star Weekend Preview

Pro Hockey All-Star Preview

While the best of the professional football world settle in to the digs in Hawaii, the NHL’s own All-Star weekend descends upon the metropolis of Ottawa this coming weekend. If you’ve been to Ottawa, you know it’s nothing to get excited about and it’s even harder to get pumped about this weekend’s NHL All-Star cavalcade without the sport’s two biggest attractions.
 
This entire season has been filled with drama, but nothing has been a bigger stain on the league than concussions and dirty hits. The untimely and unfortunate deaths of some league tough guys – namely Wade Belak – before the season squashed a lot of excitement about the NHL season. It’s only gotten worse.

The term “draw” is thrown around a lot, and it’s a big deal in the NHL because the sport desperately needs as much good publicity as it can grab. As awesome as Eli Manning and Tom Brady’s presence in next weekend’s Super Bowl is, gabillions of fans would be tuning in to watch the game even if Christian Ponder and Colt McCoy were the leading men.

For the NHL All-Star Weekend to be without the sport’s two biggest names is certainly a void that can’t be filled. Sydney Crosby, who has been missing in action for almost the entire season due to concussions, won’t be there.

Now, Washington’s own Alexander Ovechkin is taking the weekend off because he doesn’t feel that he deserves to be there, which has as much to do with his three-game suspension as his awful production this season.

It’s not like hockey isn’t without some big names. Jarome Iginla, Pavel Datsyuk, Patrick Kane and the Sedin twins will all be there, but those are big names within the sport. They barely resonate with non-hockey fans.

Still, there’s easy money to be made on the weekend because everyone’s favorite prop bet is here: the TOTAL of the NHL All-Star game. Even without Ovechkin and Crosby, there are bound to be an inordinate amount of pucks finding the twine in a game where defense is barely played and there is zero physicality. Bad news for the six goalies manning the net. Great news for degenerates.

As for the whole East versus West thing, it’s really a toss-up as always. Nobody ever cares about this matchup because there’s nothing real at stake, but for my money, I’m going with the Eastern Conference. Not only will Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and breakout star Milan Michalek be on their home turf as Senators, they’ll be blanked by guys like Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and Joffrey Lupul.

Crosby and Ovechkin’s absence from the weekend will be a bigger story than anything actually going on that weekend. Don’t get me wrong – I love hockey. But I love winning money just a bit more. If you absolutely can’t fill the black hole of actually betting with basketball or UFC this weekend, the NHL All-Star Weekend is the place to start. Go with whatever the OVER is and side with the Eastern Conference no matter the spread.

UFC on FOX 2 – Phil Davis Tries To Remain Undefeated Against Evans

MMA on Fox 2 Free Picks, Preview, and more

The UFC debuting on the FOX Network back in November marked one of the biggest moments in the sport, and not just because the heavyweight title changed hands. Dana White has done such a spectacular job of promoting the UFC to the mainstream, and with another free rendition of the UFC on FOX coming this weekend there’s sure to be a lot of people tuning in to fill the sports void left by the NHL and NFL this weekend.

This is a sport that has a tremendous public appeal to sports fans. At its very core, mixed martial arts is simply guys punching each other in the face. Approaching boxing’s insane financial numbers is priority one for the UFC, and offering awesome, free fights to the general public will only serve to increase the rapidly growing throngs of UFC diehards who salivate at each and every card the promotion rolls out.

UFC on FOX 2: Evans vs. Davis will be absolutely no exception and the main card is packed with big names and plenty on the line. Let’s get to the card, which will come off the board Saturday night at around 9:00pm, just so you know.

PHIL DAVIS (+155) over RASHAD EVANS (-190)
The main event of Saturday night’s unreal card pits the undefeated Phil Davis against Rashad Evans in what could very well be a light heavyweight number one contender’s fight. The polarizing Evans has torn through Thiago Silva, Rampage and Tito in a three fight streak that sees him on the precipice of a bout with the seemingly invincible Jon “Bones” Jones.

The 32-year old Evans gives up an age gap of five years, a three-inch height disadvantage and over a half-foot reach disparity to the meteor known as Phil Davis. Also known as “Mr. Wonderful”, which also happens to be the name of the submission maneuver he invented, Davis will have to take this fight to the ground to have a better chance of winning and could use his big reach in this fight to frustrate Evans and bait him to the mat.

Davis is a wrestling specialist, having won the NCAA Division I championship in his weight class while also being honored as a four-time All-American. Those that do not know Davis yet will certainly know him if he can build his win streak to double digits and earn his third submission in his sixth UFC fight.

The veteran Evans has been promised a championship match with Jones should he win, and he’s certainly no slouch on the ground. The problem with people backing Evans on the ground here is that he hasn’t won via submission since his first two fights back in 2004. People these days know him as a grinder which is why his TKO over Tito Ortiz was a bit of a stunner.

Evans will surrender every possible advantage in this match to Davis, and on top of that, the latter is a more tactical and creative mat wrestler. His odds are tasty at +140, and while Davis has no guarantees of a championship shot if he wins, he can certainly up the ante if he submits Evans. This is undoubtedly Davis’s biggest test in his entire career, but after going the distance and winning against Nogueira last March, I have all the faith in the world that the underdog can pull off what only the bookies will deem as an upset.

CHAEL SONNEN (-500) over MICHAEL BISPING (+350)
Most UFC bettors are of the opinion that Michael Bisping is a douchebag and Chael Sonnen is the voice of the people. I happen to go the other way. I’ve always liked Bisping, especially for his brash attitude (the accent helps). Chael is more the voice of the douchebags, but that has nothing to do with his skill in the octagon.

The convicted money launderer and alleged steroid abuser from Oregon is a highly regarded wrestler, but still has plenty to prove since he lost to Anderson Silva and beat an outmatched Brian Stann in October’s UFC 136. It’s not that I doubt Sonnen’s talent, because that’s not up for debate. But he’s honestly one loss away from becoming the Rex Ryan of the UFC.

It’s probably pretty easy to tell how I feel about Sonnen, but I can’t negate that this is a dream matchup for him. Bisping was vulnerable to both the ground-and-pound and takedowns against Jason Miller, and Sonnen is as sneaky as ninjas get in baiting his opponents before dumping them to the canvas.

What I hate about betting on Bisping after the Miller fight was his inability to put a gassed, bloodied and defenseless Miller away. Bisping’s four-fight winning streak has been fun for his fans, but there’s no way you can leverage a bet on his side of the betting line considering his vulnerability to takedowns and his lacking knockout power.

CHRIS WEIDMAN (-140) over DEMIAN MAIA (+110)
Weidman is another young name that the UFC is confident in building around, which his pretty much what we said about Demian Maia when he ascended up the UFC ladder with five straight submission wins between 2007 and 2009. Then he was decimated by Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 in one of my favorite knockouts of all-time, and things have never been the same.

Sure, Maia earned a shot against Silva a year later and went the distance at UFC 112: Silva vs. Maia but that’s also the fight where Silva took pity on his opponent instead of vanquishing him back to the mid-card. Truth be told, for a guy that is known as a submission specialist and a masterful wrestling architect, I find it alarming that Maia hasn’t won by submission since 2009 (over Sonnen, no less) and is teetering at the end of his 15-3 career at the age of 34.

Weidman is not only much younger at 27 years old; he’s an impressive 7-0 through his career and has earned two straight submissions in his past two fights. While Weidman hasn’t faced a big name ever, Maia simply isn’t the guy we thought he was. Frankly, we can’t be sure if Weidman’s as good as we think he is, but he’s certainly strong enough in the octagon to warrant an opening fight wager on his side.

1

2

It’s New York Versus New England in Super Bowl XLVI

Pro Footbal Super Sunday Preview

Just like in 2008 the silver trophy game comes down to New York versus New England.  In 2008, New York, because of a miraculous 4th down catch, provided the biggest upset in championship history over New England.  Four years later, and NY will be looking to provide fireworks again as an underdog.

New England goes into the game as a 3 point favorite.  At this point, although New England is favored, most Pro Football betting handicappers are backing New York, 60% to 40%, but the number is off for the simple fact that the game is still quite a ways away.  On paper, the two teams appear to be evenly matched meaning that another close, tough, game will be in the works at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on February 5. 

Things have changed for both the New York Giants and the New England Patriots since the 2008 Super Bowl.  The New England Patriots went 16 and 0 during the regular season in 2007.  The Pats sent eight players to the Pro Bowl that year including a wide receiver named Randy Moss.  Four years later and Moss is no longer with the team.  Neither is cornerback Asante Samuel nor linebacker Mike Vrabel.  The season ended with a 14 to 17 loss to the G-Men in Super Bowl XLII.

But the team that New England sends to Super Bowl XLVI isn’t all different.  QB Tom Brady, who will be playing in his fifth Super Bowl on February 5 and who has three Super Bowl rings already, will be under center at kick-off.  Brady, arguably the greatest quarterback to ever step onto an NFL football field, has thrown for 5235 yards and 39 touchdowns leading up to this season’s Super Bowl.  He has wide receiver Wes Welker, who played on the 2008 Super Bowl team, to throw the ball to.  Mr. Brady also has two of the most talented tight-ends in football, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, to deliver the pigskin to.  Welker, Gronkowski and Hernandez are a three-headed monster that teams had trouble containing almost every week during the regular season.

On defense, the Patriots, who ended the season allowing over 400 passing yards per game, appear to have rounded into form.  With linebacker Jerod Mayo now healthy, the Patriots can help left end Vince Wilfork pressure the quarterback.  Pressure on the QB forced Denver signal-caller Tim Tebow into a 9 out of 26 night in the Patriots’ 45 to 10 victory over Denver in the Divisional Playoffs Round and Baltimore QB Joe Flacco into an interception in New England’s 23 to 20 victory over the Ravens in the AFC Championship.

Like the Patriots, the New York Giants return some players from that 2008 Super Bowl victory.  QB Eli Manning has put himself into the elite category by leading his team to a second Super Bowl.  The younger Manning, who has thrown for 4933 yards and 29 touchdowns leading up to Super Bowl XLVI, is coming off of an 82.3 QB rating against the San Francisco 49’ers in the Giants’ 20 to 17 victory, but before that, he was stellar.  Eli produced QB ratings of 129.3 versus the Atlanta Falcons in the Wildcard Round and a QB rating of 114.5 versus Green Bay in the Divisional Playoffs Round.  Manning has his own three-headed monster to throw to in wide receivers Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Mario Manningham.  All three have been impressive.  Manningham has 3 touchdowns in the Giants’ three playoff games this season on only 7 catches.  Cruz caught 10 passes for 142 yards versus San Francisco’s stout defense and Nicks had 7 catches for 2 touchdowns and 165 yards against the Green Bay Packers.  The Giants’ rushing game is decent, as opposed to New England’s, which is close to non-existent.  Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are both serviceable and can break a long 20 to 30 yard run in certain situations.

The Giants’ defense, like New England’s, has gelled.  The G-Men allowed Atlanta to rack up only 247 yards.  The D gave up only 388 yards and 20 points to Green Bay, not bad considering that the Packers averaged 405 yards and 35 points during the season.  Then, in the NFC Championship, the Giants allowed San Francisco to score only 15 points.

Although there are many Super Bowl stories to discuss leading up to the game, good defenses, great pass-catchers and solid future hall-of-fame coaches in Bill Belichick for New England and Tom Coughlin for the New York Giants, the real story regarding Super Bowl XLVI will come down to the duel between Eli Manning and Tom Brady.  Can Manning, who hails from one of football’s most famous families, win his second Super Bowl?  Can Tom Brady, the former 6th round pick who took over for the Patriots in 2001 and led his team to a Super Bowl title as a decided underdog versus the St. Louis Rams, avenge his only Super Bowl defeat?

Football bettors had better get ready.  Super Bowl XLVI on February 5th promises to be one of the most exciting ever.

       

1

2

NBA Weekend Marquee Matchups

Pro Basketball Free Picks

Another incredible weekend awaits basketball betting handicappers.  The NBA will provide a ton of games for both hoops fans and hoop gamblers.  All of the major teams are in action this weekend and that’s great news to the ears of round ball fans.

The three best games on which to wager appear to be Chicago versus Miami, San Antonio versus Dallas and the other L.A. team versus Denver.  All three games will be played on Sunday, January 29.  Keep reading for a preview and free pick for all three of those games!

Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat

When:  Jan. 29 at 3:30 pm EST

Potential Betting Line:  Miami -4

Analysis:  Reigning MVP Derrick Rose is averaging 21 points, 4 boards and 9 assists per game.  He’s turning more into Magic Johnson and less into Michael Jordan every day.  That’s actually a good thing for Da Bulls since Chi-Town is one of the deepest, maybe the deepest, teams in the NBA this season.  D-Rose just laid the wood onto New Jersey with a 22 point, 8 assist game on Jan. 23.  It was his first game back since taking time off because of an injury.  The dude is back and Miami doesn’t appear to be all that much better this season than they were last season.  LeBron is still scoring 30 points per game while Bosh is dropping only 21 meaning that Miami is taking way too many jump shots.  Plus, D-Wade is questionable for the game on Jan. 25.  He may not be 100% on Sunday, but he will play, forcing the hand of the lines makers who will have no choice but to make the Heat a favorite north of 3 points in this contest.  I’m backing Chicago, Derrick, and the Bulls on Sunday. 

Pick:  Chicago Bulls

 

San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks

When:  Jan. 29, 6:30 pm EST

Potential Betting Line:  Even

Analysis:  Dirk is expected to miss the next Maverick game on Jan. 27 against Utah.  By the time Jan. 29 rolls around, Dirk will have not played in a game since Jan. 19.  That’s quite a bit of time to be off in the NBA.  To make matters worse, the Mavericks face the San Antonio Spurs, a team that put a 93 to 71 beat down on them on January 5th.  Dallas is 7 and 2 against the spread at home this season, but a returning to the court Dirk is not the same as a Dirk that’s been on fire.  San Antonio’s Tim Duncan was on fire in his last game, though, on Jan. 23, putting up 28 points and grabbing 7 boards.  There’s question as to whether T. Duncan can continue to be hot, however.

The Spurs will be favored, I think, depending on what Nowitzki says early Sunday morning, but my gut tells me that the Mavericks step it up.  Dallas has gone 3 and 0 in their last 3 since Jan. 19th meaning that they’ve won two in a row with Dirk on the bench.  Dallas should be very tough on Sunday at home and the line, because it will be Dirk’s first game back, will be more than fair.  I’m going with the Mavericks to turn the tables on the rival San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 29. 

Pick:  Dallas Mavericks

 

Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets

When:  Jan. 29 at 8:00 pm EST

Betting Line:  Denver -3.5

Analysis:  Chris Paul is expected to play against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday.  Pro Basketball betting handicappers should expect CP3 to be at full strength on Sunday.  He’ll need to be if the Clippers have any hope of covering the spread, much less beating the Nuggets, on Jan. 29.  Denver is a solid squad.  They’re 12 and 5 ATS overall and 5 and 3 ATS at home this season.  The Nuggets average 106 points per game, tops in the NBA.  They’re 6 and 1 straight up in their last 7 going into their Jan. 25th game and 4 and 2 against the spread in their last 6 going into their January 25 game.  The Nuggets are going to be very tough for the Clippers to handle this Sunday.  So, I’m not going to try.  Even with CP3, Blake Griffin, and a solid overall squad, the Clippers are proving to still be the Clippers.  I’ll back the more cohesive team, the Denver Nuggets, to cover the spread in this matchup on Sunday.  

Pick:  L.A. Clippers

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

1

2

Familiar Faces in Men’s and Women’s Draws Down Under

Women’s and Men’s Australian Open Free Pick

Familiar faces dot the final five players who remain in both the men’s and women’s tournament in the first Grand Slam tennis event of the year this weekend.  All of it adds up to what could be a fruitful weekend for Pro Tennis betting handicappers.  Keep reading for info on all of the final matches that remain in both the men’s and women’s tournaments in Australia this weekend.

2012 Australian Open

When:  Jan. 16 – Jan. 29

Where:  Melbourne, Australia

Women’s Final

Victoria Azarenka     -150

Azarenka is currently ranked 3rd in the world, but she’ll have her hands full in the finals with Maria Sharapova.  She’s rarely been in this position, making it to the semifinals at Wimbledon 2011 and the quarterfinals at both the 2009 French Open and the 2011 French Open.  Azarenka had to rally to beat 8th ranked Agnieszka Radwanska to get to the semis.  To me, that’s not exactly a great sign and she should not be the favorite in the match.

Maria Sharapova      +105

Arguably the world’s most famous female tennis player, only Serena Williams could stake claim to the title, Sharapova is back to where she was before suffering a tough shoulder injury in late 2008, on top of the female tennis world.  Sharapova is currently ranked 4th in the world and has 4 Grand Slam titles to her credit including winning the 2008 Australian Open.  Her powerful two-handed back-hand is still one of the best in the women’s game and she’s on fire, dropping a single set and losing only 21 games en route to her first Australian Open finals since 2008.  She’s the pick.

Best Bet:  Maria Sharapova

Men’s Draw

Novak Djokovic         -300

Djokovic comes in as a heavy favorite in his matchup against the number 4th ranked player in the world, Andy Murray.  The top player in the world, Djokovic, won Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian Open in 2011.  He’s gone only 11 and 4 since last year’s U.S. Open, but it’s obvious that he’s back on top of his game.  The four time Grand Slam winner won’t march into the finals unscathed.  He faces Andy Murray in the semifinals this weekend and that could pose a problem given his previous track record against his upcoming rival. 

Andy Murray            +200

Murray had a tough time versus Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals and that, more than anything, has to explain why the world’s #4 ranked player is at +200 in the sportsbook to defeat Djokovic.  Murray, whose got former great Ivan Lendl in his corner, is 4 and 6 against Djokovic, who he faces in the semis, overall, but has beaten Djokovic 4 out of the last 6 times that the pair have met.  That’s impressive.  It’s not only impressive, but it sets Murray up as the underdog with a shot to take home the trophy this weekend.  Murray is due to win a Grand Slam after finishing second at the Australian Open in 2010 and 2011 and making it to the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2009, 2010 and 2011.  The man’s got a great shot at better than fair odds.

Best Bet:  Andy Murray

Rafael Nadal              N/A

Rafa is coming off another victory in the Nadal-Federer rivalry, which is one of the best in sports.  Nadal has played brilliantly throughout this tournament considering that he’s injured.  Not going the distance against Federer will help Rafa recover, as will having an extra day to rest while he awaits his next opponent.  Expect Rafa to put up a great fight against either of his potential opponents in the finals of this year’s Australian Open.

*Odds in this article are subject to change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

1

2

Grading The Women’s Australian Open Futures

Grading The Women’s Australian Open Futures

The Australian Open has been overshadowed by political talk stemming from some of its biggest players about tour demands and overbearing schedules. Goddamnit can Pro Tennis Women’s betting be any more boring? Where’s a sex scandal when you need one?

For you tennis aficionados, the Australian Open is not only the first Grand Slam of the year, but it’s also the first real chance we have to bet on our favorite pros. The women’s futures has a couple key values in it that are worth throwing some cheddar at.

Strong Bets
Last year’s winner was Germany’s Kim Clijsters who is rated at +700 as the fourth favorite to win the Australian Open, and she has been as hot as anyone in the tournament. A decisive 6-0, 6-1 victory over Stephanie Foretz Gacon and I wouldn’t count her out of this tournament by any stretch. At just 28, the previously retired tennis force is trying to prove that her 2011 win in Sydney wasn’t an anomaly during an injury plagued season. If we know anything about Clijsters, it’s that she starts strong and the defending champion is proving early that she’s worth backing, especially with those 7-to-1 odds.

One of the favorite bets in the pool is China’s Li Na, who has slightly nerve wracking +1000 odds to take the trophy home. Last year’s runner up, Na has been cruising nicely at the tournament and also took home the French Open last year. She’s a nice underdog bet if you’re looking for a bit of a long shot without reaching too far back.

Petra Kvitova is the early favorite at +225 to win the Australian Open but she hasn’t exactly been wowing the crowds. The hard court should help the 21-year old’s playing style. She has looked strong throughout the tournament, but still has plenty to prove since being ousted at the US Open in the early rounds. Beware Kvitova until she’s more proven on the Grand Slam stage, but know that she’s the favorite for a very good reason.

Stay-Away Plays
Of course, world’s number one Caroline Wozniacki is a glaring +1500 in the futures market to win the Australian Open and that’s sure to garner some attention. For 51 weeks of 2011, Wozniacki was at the top of the women’s rankings but her struggles in the Australian Open have been quite the news. Her left wrist is holding her back and it’s not worth the gamble at this point.

Serena Williams is always going to get some votes, especially with Venus out with an injury for the time being. The American powerhouse is a sure bet through to the quarters, but at +400 I question her value especially as the tournament presses on. Her temper has seeped through in the form of unforced errors and her ankle remains a big question mark when you’re talking about banking on her through to the finals. No surprise if she gets there, but I’d be stunned if she’s able to hold off the younger guns.

Same goes for fan favorite (for various reasons), Maria Sharapova who has been out of serious action for enough time to warrant a stay-away play on her +1500 odds. Honestly, those odds would nearly be double if she wasn’t the big name she is.

Obviously I don’t have the room to go through every single candidate, so make sure to check out the Pro Tennis Women’s Futures on BetUS.

Dog’s Day When New York Battles San Francisco

Untitled Document

It’s all about the dogs when New York takes on San Francisco in Sunday’s second game during one of the year’s biggest Pro Football betting weekends.  Both New York and San Francisco won their respective playoff games last weekend as underdogs.  New York upset defending champion Green Bay in a fantastic 37 to 20 performance where they forced last year’s champs into three fumbles.

San Francisco beat New Orleans in one of the toughest, most emotional football games ever in a 36 to 32 victory.  The lead changed hands three times with less than 2:15 on the clock in the 4th quarter.  San Francisco came out on top in stunning fashion by scoring a TD with only 14 seconds left in the game.

Keep reading for more info on this Sunday’s exciting championship game!

NFC Championship:  New York Giants at San Francisco 49’ers

When:  Jan. 22 at 6:30 pm EST

Betting Line:  San Francisco -2.5, Total 42.5   

Offense

Offensively, the New York Giants have been absolutely brilliant in their last four contests.  The G-Men have averaged 30.25 points per game in their last four.  Although beating up on the Dallas Cowboys, by scoring 31, and the Green Bay Packers and their 32nd ranked defense by putting up 37 is understandable, putting up 24 versus Atlanta’s 12th ranked defense in the Wildcard Round and rocking the New York Jets’ 5th ranked D with 29 points on Christmas Eve was ultra-impressive.

It all starts with Eli Manning for the G-Men when they have the ball.  Peyton’s little brother is now in the elite class after taking his team to the NFC Championship game only four years after upsetting the New England Patriots as the quarterback for the largest underdog in the history of the Super Bowl.  Eli has been sensational in the Giants’ last three games.  He produced a 136.7 QB rating against the rival Cowboys.  That victory gave the Giants the NFC East title.  Against the Falcons, Eli threw 3 touchdowns and no interceptions.  He also threw for 277 yards.  He finished with a 129.3 QB rating.  Versus the Packers this past Sunday, Manning threw for 330 yards and 3 TDs with only 1 pick for a 114 QB rating.

The Giants’ rushing attack has gotten better although it’s still ranked 32nd in the NFL.  The G-Men produced 172 yards on the ground versus the Atlanta Falcons, but last Sunday, in the Divisional Round, NYG could only rush for 95 yards against Green Bay.  Both Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are capable of racking up yards on the turf for New York and Eli is quicker and has more moves with his feet than brother Peyton.  The wide receivers are exceptional.  Hakeem Nicks is one of the best in the NFL.  Victor Cruz has the speed to break catches for long gains and Eli trusts Mario Manningham who has become a very good possession receiver.

The San Francisco 49’ers offense has gotten better and better this season.  The 36 to 32 victory over the Saints this past Sunday proves how efficient Alex Smith has become.  His pass to Vernon Davis, with only 40 seconds left, to set up the game winning TD was absolutely perfect.  Smith doesn’t throw for a lot of yards or a ton of TD’s but he rarely makes a mistake.  He’s tossed only 5 interceptions this season and hasn’t thrown a pick since Week 12.  That’s amazing.  Not only that, but the man is incredibly coachable meaning that all he wants to do is what’s good for the team.  He’s got a fantastic target in Davis who is also an incredible blocker and the usually sure-handed Michael Crabtree has developed a nice rhythm with Smith.

San Francisco’s offense is all about the run.  The 49’ers average 128 yards on the ground.  Both starter Frank Gore and back-up Kendall Hunter are capable of busting a long one and the Niners are incredibly disciplined meaning that they will stick to the rush for the entire game even if it’s not working early on in the game.  San Francisco has the luxury of being able to trust their rushing attack because of their strong defense.

Defense

Both teams bring stellar defenses to Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.  The New York Giants’ D held the Atlanta Falcons to 64 rushing yards, 183 passing yards and no points, in their wildcard victory. Atlanta’s only 2 points came on a safety.  Then, the Giants forced Green Bay into 3 fumbles and Packers’ QB Aaron Rodgers into a pick and a 26 out of 46 night. That was easily the worst performance of the season for Rodgers.  The Giants’ defensive line is one of the best in the league.  Jason Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul and Chris Canty can all break double-teams meaning that the G-Men are very difficult to keep away from the QB.  The linebacking corp, led by Michael Boley and Mathias Kiwanuka, is very good, and safeties Kenny Phillips and Antrel Rolle are both exceptional playmakers. 

The most points that the Giants have given up since the victory over NYJ on Dec. 24th, was 20 to Green Bay last Sunday.  Since Green Bay had the best offense in the NFL this season, giving up 20 is nothing to worry about.  The Giants’ defense has simply been incredible in the past 4 weeks.

San Francisco’s defense is arguably the best in the NFL.  San Francisco’s D is ranked 1st in the NFL versus the rush, allowing only 77.2 yards per game, 16th against the pass, allowing 231 yards per game through the air, and 2nd in the league in scoring, allowing 14.3 points per game.  San Francisco’s 3-4 defense is very manageable. San Francisco’s coaches can switch to a 4-3 or even a nickel.  The defense is aggressive.  It forced New Orleans’ QB Drew Brees into two interceptions and RB Pierre Thomas into a fumble on the Saints’ first drive of the game.

Like the Giants’ frontline, the 49’ers can pressure the QB with three or four pass rushers.  Justin Smith was an absolute beast against the Saints in the divisional round victory while free safety Dashon Goldson had 11 tackles and a pick against the usually perfect Brees.

Betting Analysis

My first thought was that it’s going to be next to impossible for the San Francisco 49’ers to get motivated this Sunday after such an emotional game against the New York Giants.  Then, I suddenly realized that the San Francisco 49’ers are coached by one Jim Harbaugh and that the man could motivate a lemming to not jump off of a cliff.  Harbaugh won’t allow his team to take a seat back emotionally meaning that they’re going to be fired up to beat a Manning and get to the Super Bowl. 

The Giants are definitely no slouches, but as good as their defense is, I’m just not convinced that it matches up well with the San Francisco 49’ers offense.  The Giants’ D allowed the Jets to rush for 105 yards on the ground.  It allowed the Packers to rush for 147 yards.  Yes, the Giants shut down Dallas’s and Atlanta’s rushing attacks, but San Francisco won’t give up on the run in this game because they won’t get behind the Giants.  San Francisco’s defense is simply too good.  It can stop New York’s rushing attack without an extra man in the box, a luxury that the G-Men don’t have on D, and Goldson might be the best free safety in football.

My gut tells me that the San Francisco 49’ers are the team to back against the spread.  SF has the better special teams with kicker David Akers as good as it gets from 50 yards and beyond, punter Andy Lee averaging over 50 yards per punt, and the special teams forcing the Saints to fumble twice last Saturday. 

But the real reason I like the San Francisco 49’ers comes down to the play of the individual quarterbacks in this game, Eli Manning for the Giants, and Alex Smith for the Niners.  Eli has played very well lately, but he still threw 16 interceptions during the regular season and everybody saw how good the San Francisco 49’ers are at masking their defense in the secondary against Brees and the Saints.  Smith hasn’t thrown a pick since Week 12 and showed pinpoint accuracy with his passes to tight end Vernon Davis against the Saints.

Speaking of Davis, because he’s so good and so fast, Phillips or Rolle will have to guard him one-on-one when NYG is on D.  What it means is that the Giants, for all intents and purposes, might not be able to play 8 men in the box to shut down the 49’ers rushing attack.

All of the signs point to the San Francisco 49’ers marching on to the Super Bowl after beating the New York Giants and covering the spread on Sunday.  I’m backing the San Francisco 49’ers in the 2012 NFC Championship Game.

Pick:  San Francisco 49’ers -2.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         

 

1

2

3

New England’s Shot At Redemption

NFL AFC Divisional Playoff Betting – New England’s Shot At Redemption

Up until trouncing Denver last weekend, New England hadn’t won a playoff game since 2007. They haven’t won the Super Bowl since 2004. To say that those are eye opening factoids speaks volumes about the greatness of this franchise, but Sunday’s test against Baltimore will be one they have to pass before facing serious scrutiny. The NFL is a “what have you done for me lately” kind of league.

Ask the oddsmakers in Pro Football betting and they’ll have no problems backing the home team. The betting line on this game opened at -9.0 for New England, but quickly corrected down to a single touchdown with a bloated total that reflects both New England’s potent offense, and their spread legged defense. That number also factors in the fervent public backing a team like New England receives.

The Patriots are a team you know very well, because they get a lot of well deserved press. They’ve scored 37.3 points per game in a 9-0 SU and 6-3 ATS winning streak since Week 10. During that nine game run, they’ve allowed an average of 18.6 points against. That being said, they haven’t played great teams during that streak, unless you count the imploding Eagles in Week 12.

New England Patriots (13-4) vs. Baltimore Ravens (14-3)
Sunday, January 22nd —- Gillette Stadium, Foxboro — 3:00pm EST
NFL Payoff Betting Line: New England -7.0 (50.5)

I have had a lot of trouble toeing the line on Baltimore being a “great team” this season. Joe Flacco has been about as ordinary as you can be while leading his team to a division title (no offense to Alex Smith). He ranks well out of the top-10 in all the important statistical metrics for a quarterback. Despite playing with a “why doesn’t anyone think I’m good” chip on his shoulder, Flacco was bested by a Texans defense which limited him to just 176 passing yards last weekend.

Personally, Flacco is lumped in to a bevy of playoff tested quarterbacks that I doubt have “that switch” you need to go bananas in big moments. Matt Ryan, Mark Sanchez and Phillip Rivers are in that group. If he can pull the trigger against the Patriots, I’ll have a little more faith in him, but it should serve as a red flag that teammates like Ed Reed have also been critical of Flacco.

The betting trends don’t exactly favor the Ravens either, which might help explain the betting line. Baltimore is just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 game overall, and are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against the AFC. They’re also 1-4-1 ATS in their last 6 visits to Foxboro and are just 1-3-2 ATS in their last 6 meetings with the Patriots overall.

New England doesn’t instill incredible confidence given their defensive shortcomings. It doesn’t help much that they’re also 1-5 ATS in their last 6 home playoff games. What should help is that they’re 5-2 ATS in their last 7 tilts against the AFC. Even more startling is that they’re 45-21-2 ATS in their last 68 games when they total 350 yards of offense in the previous game.

Admittedly, I had to reach deep in to the bag of tricks for that last betting trend which, more than anything, should tell you that the gambling analytics for this matchup are basically all over the place.

For my money, I love the Patriots. Ray Rice will cause some serious problems for Belichik, but I’m not convinced by Flacco. Even when it comes to Ed Reed and Ray Lewis, I think that Gronkowski has the youth and physical tools to beat both of them in coverage. Nobody’s been able to stop that guy.

The x-factor in this game is pressure. Tom Brady is used to this kind of spotlight. For the most part, he’s thrived beyond belief in this type of situation. Joe Flacco not only isn’t used to it, he’s unproven. If you think that the Ravens defense can carry them in this one, then keep in mind that they haven’t really played that many raging offenses all season (San Diego and Pittsburgh aside).

When you find yourself waffling on either side of the line, go with the known and trusted commodity. There are a lot of little things going against the Ravens like their 2-5-1 ATS record on turf, and I’m not completely sold on their intangibles.

If we know anything about the NFL it’s that this is a quarterback’s league. So take the quarterback you can trust. Take Tom Brady and watch him earn his fifth berth in a Super Bowl while he covers the spread. I can’t back Joe Flacco against a defense like New England when the Patriots are employing the best possible foil to a weak defense: an offense that scores without remorse.

NFL Playoff Betting Free Pick: New England -7.0 (UNDER)

1

2

Friday’s Best NBA Bets

Friday’s Best NBA Bets

Friday night is quickly becoming a great basketball betting night for me, and you should enjoy all the profits available on the board. Pro Basketball betting is a grinder’s game, meaning that if you’re looking to win big like the NFL, this isn’t the place to do it. Tracking teams through a shortened 66-game schedule is no easy task but here are a few matchups to flag down on your way in towards the end of the week.

As always I’m writing these previews way ahead of Friday, this time on a Wednesday morning because that’s the deadline. Without betting lines and injury reports, it’s hard to precisely measure the trends but there’s still a handful of info we can dig in to about these matchups heading in to the weekend. So let’s get to it.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS over Atlanta Hawks
The Sixers are one of those teams that sink well below the radar of normal NBA betting fans. That’s because they usually suck, but this season they’re not only ripping through with an Atlantic division best 10-3 SU record, they’re also one of the hottest bets in the league at 10-2-1 ATS. This includes a 9-1 SU and ATS record in the month of January alone, with a 79-85 loss to New York on a +3.5 betting line as the only dent in the armor.

At home, they’re flawless against the betting line and to be honest I really don’t know where all this consistency is coming from. It could be based on their matchups. It could be that Spencer Hawes is way better than anyone thought. Maybe it’s because (surprise, surprise) they have a pretty deep rotation in a shortened season.

Atlanta garners a lot of favoritism because they have a few All-Stars, though it’s a stretch for me to refer to Joe Johnson or Josh Smith as such these days (I don’t want to get in to it, plus I don’t have the space). The Hawks are decent on the road at 4-3 ATS, but you can’t expect any type of consistency without Horford. Sure, they’re 6-1 SU in their last 7 games but they’re also 3-4 ATS during that run.

Hop on the Sixers and ride them during this betting streak. It’s a secret gold mine that nobody’s playing in Pro Basketball betting. The Sixers will get a modest line at home that is worth backing no matter what.

ORLANDO MAGIC over Los Angeles Lakers
Oh, Dwight Howard. Don’t you want to go to Los Angeles, where all the players play? Well they certainly need you when playing on the road. Los Angeles suffers from being a massive public bet, and it’s shows in their numbers. The Lakers are just 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games while going 7-3 SU. They’re also 1-4 ATS when playing on the road this season.

To be honest, I’m not sure what to make of the Orlando Magic. They’re 5-0 SU and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games and have been winning games pretty convincingly using their big man redux of Anderson, Howard and Turkoglu (Anderson used to be Rashard Lewis in this formula).

I’m almost positive with what the Lakers are this season: a good team that squashes average teams and can’t close out very good teams. Orlando is a very good team, and the Lakers are still adjusting to the combo of Kobe, Gasol and Bynum. Until Gasol plays like the monster he used to be in the paint, I’m not sold on the Lakers in big time matchups.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS over Minnesota Timberwolves
If Ricky Rubio wants to be counted amongst the point guard elite, there’s no better matchup than against Chris Paul, who should play Friday after straining his hamstring earlier in the week. If he does play, this is going to be a fast tempo game which is worth exploring the OVER because Ricky loves to run and so does Paul.

That being said, I’m going to make this easy on everyone. If Chris Paul plays, the Clippers are a no-brainer. Don’t buy in to the Timberwolves’ 4-1 ATS record on the road because that has been built on three losses to Milwaukee, Toronto and Atlanta along with a pair of wins against Washington and New Orleans. Whoop-de-doo.

If Paul doesn’t play, well, we all saw the 79-108 shellacking Utah handed Lob City on Tuesday night. That game reminded everyone that these Clippers are still the same losers without a star point guard. If Paul plays, go with the home team which will be heavily favored and willing to put memories of that Utah loss to rest. If Paul is still injured on Friday go the other way. That’s when you can bank on Minnesota’s 4-1 ATS road record because the Clippers are so terrible without Paul. It’s really that simple in this one.

1

2

Next Page »