The Sports Bookie Blog

Here’s the latest run down on the US Open Golf Open from the team at Bodog Sportsbook. 

Golf is for everyone.

That’s the message the United States Golf Association wants to get across this week as the 2009 U.S. Open Golf Championship makes its second visit to Bethpage Black on Long Island. This was the first publicly owned and operated course ever to host the U.S. Open back in 2002, and that event was a roaring success as Tiger Woods shot a three-under par to finish three strokes ahead of rival Phil Mickelson.

The same two men are back in their familiar spots at Nos. 1 and 2 on the Open odds list. Woods is the defending champion and the favorite at 3-2, with Lefty well behind at 14-1 and 2006 winner Geoff Ogilvy checking in at 16-1. That event was at nearby Winged Foot, where Mickelson double-bogeyed the final hole to finish one stroke behind Ogilvy. Four times Mickelson has placed second at the Open with a grand total of zero victories.

Can Lefty finally get over the hump this year? Here’s the skinny on all three of our top favorites heading into Thursday’s opening round.

Tiger Woods

U.S. Open victories: 2000, 2002, 2008
2009 victories: 2 (Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial)
2009 Money Ranking: No. 4 ($3.247 million)
2009 average score: 69.6

Phil Mickelson

U.S. Open victories: none
2009 victories: 2 (Northern Trust, WCG-CA Championship)
2009 Money Ranking: No. 3 ($3.251 million)
2009 average score: 70.7

Geoff Ogilvy

U.S. Open victories: 2006
2009 victories: 2 (Mercedes-Benz, WCG-Accenture)
2009 Money Ranking: No. 1 ($3.319 million)
2009 average score: 69.9

No point arguing against Woods’ superior resume. He won last year’s event at Torrey Pines in dramatic fashion, beating Rocco Mediate in a playoff despite a damaged left knee that would undergo season-ending surgery two days later. Woods also won two weeks ago at the Memorial, mounting a characteristic comeback with a final-round 65 to beat Jim Furyk by a single stroke. That’s six straight PGA events in the Top 10 for Woods. He is absolutely on his game and a proven commodity at Bethpage Black.

Mickelson’s body of work this year has been far less consistent. He was all over the map at the Players Championship (55th) and at last week’s St. Jude Classic (59th), coinciding with the bad news that his wife Amy has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Mickelson will be suspending his golf season after the Open to concentrate on family matters. It wasn’t even certain if Lefty would even get in a practice round this week, although he did play 18 holes on the black course last Tuesday.

Ogilvy is something of a third wheel in this situation. He’s at the top of the money list, but his 10th-place result at the Memorial was the first time the pride of Adelaide, Australia managed to crack the Top 10 in five attempts - and just the fourth time in 12 events this year. Ogilvy also wasn’t part of the 2002 Open at Bethpage Black where Woods and Mickelson finished 1-2.

What Ogilvy does have going for him is a very strong putting game. He’s second on the Tour with 1.710 putts per hole; Mickelson is No. 24 at 1.741 putts and Woods No. 43 at 1.753. Putting is going to be especially challenging this week as all four days are expected to bring rain to a course that Golf Digest already ranks as the sixth toughest in America. Long iron play is also going to be stressed as the golfers navigate the 7,426-yard, par-70 course.

Six different men have won the Open over the past six years, so it’s entirely within reason to look for more value among the likes of Furyk (20-1 and the 2003 champion at Olympia Fields) or two-time winner Retief Goosen (33-1). Or you can simplify by taking any of the top three favorites in head-to-head betting. For example, Woods is a -400 chalk to finish ahead of Mickelson (+300), or you can take Ogilvy as a slight -120 favorite over Furyk (-110).

Bodog Sports also have 3-ball action on the board, where you choose which member of each scheduled threesome will post the lowest score. Woods (2-3) tees off at Thursday 8:06 p.m. Eastern with double British Open champion Padraig Harrington (11-4) and 2007 U.S. Open winner Angel Cabrera (16-5). Make sure as well to have a gander at the props list; if you have deep pockets, Woods is a -6600 favorite to make the cut after the first two rounds.

For more on Bodog Sportsbook:

>>Bodog Sports Review at BookieLabRat.com
>>Review of Bodog Sportsbook at GoonersGuide.com

>>Compare Bodog to JustBet and Bookmaker.com, the other two online sports betting sites that offer safe, secure betting services for Americans and bettors from around the world.

Here’s this weekend’s round up of sportsbook stake back betting offers on the English Premier League Football. Get three options on your bets: win, lose or cash back. Great stuff! 

Late, Late Show!!

Barcelona v Man Utd  -  Champions League Final - Rome  -  Wed 27th May 7.45pm
If there is a goal scored after 85 minutes in normal time, Paddy Power will refund all losing 1st/last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast singles on the match. Max Refund €300/£200 per customer

Bore Draw

Place a pre-match correct score, double result or scorecast bet on ANY FOOTBALL MATCH and Bet365 will refund losing stakes if the match finishes 0-0.

Correct Score Cashback

Place a correct score bet on any match in one of the major leagues*. If there are 6 goals or more in the match and your bet loses, Globet will refund your stake up to a maximum of 250 Euros. *Major Leagues include Italian Serie A, English Premier, Spanish La Liga, German Bundesliga, Champions League and UEFA Cup matches.

Premier League Second Chance Specials

Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur  - Sunday, 24 May
If your bet loses and either side comes back from 2-nil down to win the match, Canbet will refund your bet (Correct Score Only).  Maximum bonus is £50 (€65)…enter the promotional code: EPL24MAY1

Hull City v Manchester United   - Sunday, 24 May
If your bet loses and Hull City scores the last goal of the match, Canbet will refund your bet (Correct Score Only).  Maximum bonus is £50 (€65)…enter the promotional code: EPL24MAY2

They Think It’s All Oba

Aston Villa v Newcastle  -  Sunday 24th May
If Obafemi Martins scores the last goal of the game, BetFred will refund all losing win single first/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast bets as a free bet.  Maximum refund is £100 (or your currency equivalent) per customer.

Child’s Play

Hull v Man Utd  -  Sunday 24th May
If Federico Macheda or Danny Welbeck score the last goal of the game, BetFred will refund all losing win single first/last goalscorer, correct score and scorecast bets as a free bet. Maximum refund is £100 (or your currency equivalent) per customer.

Don’t Pay the Penalty…

This weekend’s Play-Off Finals
If the match goes to a Penalty Shoot-out Victor Chandler will refund all losing Correct Score and First Goalscorer bets as a free bet! Max refund £100/100€ per person per match. Does not include in-running bets. Free bets credited within 48 hours. 

The Late Late Show …

Applies to all Sunday’s Premier League matches
If there is an Injury Time goal in any Premier League match Victor Chandler will refund all losing Correct Score and First Goalscorer bets on that match as a free bet! Max free bet £100/100€ per person per match. Free bets credited Monday 25th May. Does not include in-running bets. Injury time means any goal scored after 90 mins.  

The richest prize pool in golf is up for grabs this week at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The PGA Tour’s signature event is often called the sport’s fifth major; the winner gets $1.71 million of the $9.5-million purse, a five-year Tour exemption and 80 points in the World Golf Rankings, among other important goodies. Tiger Woods will be there as the 3-1 favorite, followed by Phil Mickelson (10-1) and Sean O’Hair (25-1).

Adding to the pomp and pageantry is the venue itself: the challenging TPC at Sawgrass, specifically the Stadium Course. The infamous “Island Green” 17th hole will be recognizable to any golf fan. Here are 10 other things every bettor should know about Sawgrass.

• The course (designed by Pete and Alice Dye) is a par-72 at 7,215 yards.
• In 2008, Sawgrass ranked No. 6 out of the 54 Tour stops in difficulty.
• About 13 percent of tee shots at No. 17 have gone into the drink over the past six events.
• Sawgrass was renovated in 2007 with over 2.6 million square feet of new sod.
• Four of the last five winners also led the field in greens in regulation.
• Mickelson is one of seven players to shoot a nine-under 64 in the first round (2002).
• Golf Digest ranks Sawgrass the ninth-best public course in America.
• No two consecutive holes play in the same direction.
• This is the local course for residents Jim Furyk (33-1), Vijay Singh (50-1) and Fred Funk (field, 10-1).

We’ve seen 17 different men win the 19 Tour events held so far in 2009 - the only two-timers are Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy (28-1), who are also the only two men to top $3 million in earnings this year. Woods (the 2001 TPC titleholder) finished first at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and has four Top 10 results in the five tournaments he’s joined; the only miss was back in February at the WGC-Accenture match play event. Woods also placed sixth at The Masters, which was won by 2007 U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera (100-1).

These are the Top 5 players on the Tour according to the World Golf Rankings, along with their most recent performances at Sawgrass.

Tiger Woods: No. 37 at the 2007 Players Championship (even par)
Phil Mickelson: No. 21 in 2008 (+4)
Sergio Garcia: No. 1 in 2008 (-5)
Geoff Ogilvy: T107 in 2008 (missed cut)
Kenny Perry: T15 in 2008 (+3)
Garcia (33-1) also finished second to Mickelson at the 2007 Players Championship, but 2009 hasn’t been kind to the Spaniard. He tied for No. 38 at The Masters and didn’t make the cut at last week’s Quail Hollow Championship - won instead by O’Hair, the 2005 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Perry (33-1) lost The Masters to Cabrera in a playoff after taking the FBR Open back in February. Since Woods is not on one of his winning streaks (he told Reuters on Tuesday that his distance still hasn’t returned following last year’s knee surgery), the betting value should be on one of the second-tier picks like Garcia and Perry.

The field of 145 golfers gets rolling on Thursday with coverage on Golf Channel starting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. NBC takes over on Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

Get caught up on all the Players Championship action at Bodog Sports today!

For the latest news and views on Bodog Sportsbook check out the Bodog Sports Review at BookieLabRat.com

To compare Bodog Sports to other top rating sportsbooks offering safe, professional betting services to American bettors see :  US Friendly sportsbooks compared

Ricky Hatton is at the peak of a brilliant career. But as far as the betting public is concerned, he’s a tomato can compared to Manny Pacquiao.

The northpaw from Manchester, England is the IBO and Ring Magazine light welterweight champion. There is one lone blemish on his 45-1 record: a 10th-round TKO loss to Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in the welterweight division, back in December 2007. Yet Hatton was priced at +210 as we went to press (for the latest lines, visit Bodog Sports) for Saturday’s massive title bout at the MGM Grand.

Pacquiao’s record is slightly less impressive at 48-3-2. And this will be the Filipino lefty’s first career fight at light welterweight, where Hatton faced all but a small handful of his opponents. But “Pac-Man” is easily the hottest commodity on the boxing market right now. He’s the consensus No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, a former title-holder at five other weight divisions and the man who sent Oscar De La Hoya into retirement with an eight-round beating last December.

That fight was at the welterweight limit of 147 pounds, with De La Hoya coming down from 150 pounds (where he also lost to Mayweather) and significantly larger than Pacquiao at the opening bell. But size meant nothing in this matchup as De La Hoya was beaten from pillar to post until his corner threw in the towel. Despite the general consensus among analysts that De La Hoya’s size and reach would be insurmountable in this matchup, the betting public threw its support behind the Pac-Man and pushed the Golden Boy from -240 in September to -165 the night before the fight.

They’re expecting another beating on Saturday. The props market has even odds for Pacquiao winning this 12-round bout by KO, TKO, or DQ. Hatton is 3-1 to achieve the same result after having knocked out 32 of his previous 46 career opponents. This man throws some serious lumber; Mayweather was quick to praise Hatton after their megafight, calling “The Hitman” one of the toughest competitors he’d ever met in the ring.

His Dad was impressed, too. The outspoken, yet respected Floyd Mayweather Sr. is Hatton’s trainer for this bout, his second since replacing Billy “Preacher” Graham and guiding his new charge to a convincing 11-round TKO over Paul Malignaggi last November. Hatton is a better technical fighter under Mayweather’s tutelage and is physically more up to the task at 140 pounds. His betting value appears solid in this situation.

The argument for Pacquiao at -270 to win is that he’s an even better fighter with an even better mentor in Freddie Roach, the reigning Trainer of the Year as deemed by the Boxing Writers Association of America. It’s also reasonable to expect punters from the United Kingdom to weigh in more heavily for their hero than Pac-Man’s legion of fans in the Philippines. And even though his legend has grown very quickly over the past two years, this is still the first time Pacquiao will be headlining a card. The betting public at large is unfamiliar with his earlier body of work in the ultralight divisions.

The clash of styles in the ring also appears to favor Pacquiao. As a southpaw, he threatens to frustrate Hatton the same way Eamonn Magee, Luis Collazo and others have in the past. Promoter Bob Arum told reporters that Hatton is “lost” fighting southpaws. Mayweather has countered by bringing in promising Cuban-born lefty Erislandy Lara (who will also fight Chris Gray on the undercard) to spar with Hatton in Las Vegas. And the Collazo fight from which Hatton barely escaped intact was at 147 pounds.

This is a very good matchup on paper between two dedicated and prepared fighters. Pacquiao’s speed advantage, stamina and stance point toward a victory, but Hatton is certainly no slouch and is very much worth a look at these prices - the props market has Hatton at 5-1 to win by decision on Saturday compared to 21-10 for Pacquiao. And since this event is an HBO pay-per-view, we bring back Harold Lederman’s Scorecard Props; Pacquiao is -125 to outscore Hatton by at least 4.5 points on Lederman’s unofficial scorecard.

HBO’s broadcast starts at 9:00 p.m. Eastern. The undercard features a WBC super featherweight title between champion Humberto Soto and challenger Benoit Gaudet; again, check Bodog Sports for current odds.

Don’t miss out on one of the most anticipated matches of the year, check out Bodog Sports today! (USA bettors welcome too)

If you’re NOT US-based check out these two great sportsbook offers on this boxing bout:

This Round’s On US!

Ricky Hatton v Manny Pacquiao  -  Sky Box Office, Sunday 3rd 3am
Money-Back Special: If Ricky Hatton wins in the first 6 rounds Paddy Power will refund all losing rounds bets on this fight. Max refund E300/£200 per customer.

Knockout Payout

Ricky Hatton v Manny Pacquiao  -  If either fighter loses within the first three rounds,  Betfred will refund all losing win single stakes on the Bout Win market as a free bet up to £250.

Have the Detroit Lions learned from history? Or are they doomed to repeat it?

The Lions are on the clock for this weekend’s NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Detroit’s draft-day misery over the past decade hangs over the franchise like a dark cloud:

2002: QB Joey Harrington, No. 3 overall
2003: WR Charles Rogers, No. 2
2004: WR Roy Williams, No. 4
2005: WR Mike Williams, No. 10

This collection of dubious picks eventually earned former President and CEO Matt Millen his walking papers - and kept Detroit in rebuilding mode on an annual basis. The Lions bottomed out last year at 0-16 (7-9 ATS). They’re last on the 2010 Super Bowl futures market at 150-1. And it appears they’re about to roll the dice again on a high-profile skill player. Reports from ESPN had the Lions trying to sign Georgia QB Matthew Stafford before Saturday’s opening rounds.

Who will the Lions pick first? Bet on the 2009 NFL Draft at Bodog Live.

The quarterback is the most important player on the field with the most difficult job. Drafting at this position is inherently risky, but also with a high reward, and last year’s successes with Matt Ryan in Atlanta and Joe Flacco in Baltimore appear to have emboldened front offices. Stafford is one of three QBs expected to come off the board early; USC’s Mark Sanchez and Kansas State’s Josh Freeman are the others.

Stafford certainly fits Detroit’s offense like a glove. His prime attribute is his arm strength, and scouts are drooling over the thought of Stafford airing it out to WR Calvin Johnson, who led the league last year with 12 touchdowns. Stafford is also fairly accurate with his throws, durable, and blessed with good leadership skills. But his focus and decision-making abilities are in question. If Stafford responds to coaching, he could blossom.

Think Stafford is the first to go? Bet on the 2009 NFL Draft at Bodog Live.

Those are the kind of “ifs” that often scare teams away - notice how former Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn slipped to No. 22 overall at the 2007 NFL Draft. Last year, the Miami Dolphins drafted conservatively, taking OT Jake Long with the first pick and later signing New York Jets castoff Chad Pennington to a free-agent deal. That approach worked brilliantly in 2008 as the Dolphins went from 1-15 to the AFC East title at 11-5 (8-8 ATS). Long was one of seven offensive tackles taken in the first round; this year could see another four OTs taken in the Top 10, starting with Baylor’s Jason Smith.

If Stafford is a deadbolt lock at No. 1, then it’s almost a given that Smith will become a member of the St. Louis Rams at No. 2. The Rams have ridiculously gaping holes in their offensive line, especially with seven-time Pro Bowl selection Orlando Pace going to the Chicago Bears as a salary-cap casualty. The Lions are also bereft of talent at left tackle and reportedly have Smith as their fallback choice should Stafford decide not to put pen to paper. Detroit has the No. 20 pick and could find Freeman available at that slot; the other premium OTs (Virginia’s Eugene Monroe, Alabama’s Andre Smith, Mississippi’s Michael Oher) should all be snapped up by then.

Is Jason Smith headed to St. Louis? Bet on the 2009 NFL Draft at Bodog Live.

On the defensive side, the general consensus is that the Kansas City Chiefs are going to take Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry with the No. 3 pick. Curry is ranked as both the best prospect at his position and the best overall by Scouts Inc. Conveniently enough, the Chiefs happen to need a rushing linebacker, although Curry would have been more useful in Kansas City’s “4-3 Under” system than the 3-4 front seven new coach Todd Haley plans to install. There’s every possibility the Chiefs will decide to trade down instead and pick up one of those aforementioned OTs instead.

Some of the other big names expected to hear their names called sooner rather than later: Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree (possibly to the Seattle Seahawks at No. 4), Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno, Ohio State RB Chris “Beanie” Wells and his Buckeyes teammate, LB James Laurinaitis. The last name on this list could turn out to be the biggest steal of the draft. He started his college career as a piece of trivia - his father is best known as “Road Warrior Animal” from the world of professional wrestling - but Laurinaitis enters the draft as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. He’s ranked behind only Curry at his position and could go anywhere from the middle of the first round to the top of the second.

Bet on the 2009 NFL Draft at Bodog Live.

KENTUCKY DERBY BONUS: A Special join bonus only available only until 2 May 2009:  100% Match deposit up to $50… details on the Bodog Sportsbook’s Kentucky Derby bonus (Punters from around the World can join Bodog Sportsbook - US bettors are welcome and safe at Bodog, sorry, no Canadians).

If you’re a hoops junkie, you’re in your element now. This is the last week of the regular season in college hoops; it’s been a lucrative season, as you can see in our Top 10 lists of the biggest moneymakers in the NCAAB and the NBA. If only they had 344 teams at the pro level, as well. We’ll have to make due for now with a paltry 30, two of which can be found in this week’s preview. As always, the most up-to-date betting lines are available at Bodog Sportsbook.

NCAAB

1. Weber State: 18-5
2. Auburn: 17-5
3. Kansas: 17-5-1
4. St. Peter’s: 15-5-1
5. The Citadel: 17-6-1
6. Louisiana Tech: 17-7
6. Northern Colorado: 17-7
8. Wisconsin-Green Bay: 18-8-1
9. Florida State: 15-7-1
10. Drexel: 18-9

NBA

1. Cleveland: 39-20
2. Orlando: 37-21-1
3. Oklahoma City: 37-22
4. Charlotte: 35-25
5. Milwaukee: 35-25-2
6. Indiana: 34-26-2
7. New York: 33-26
8. Utah: 33-27
9. Denver: 32-27-1
10. Boston: 33-28

NCAAB: Connecticut at Pittsburgh

Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh
Saturday, 12:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Connecticut: 27-2 SU, 11-12 ATS, Under 15-8
Pittsburgh: 26-3 SU, 14-8-1 ATS, Over 12-10-1

The Huskies took back the top spot in the AP poll after taking advantage of Marquette (+1) and putting away a pesky Notre Dame squad (+11.5). That’s three wins for UConn since last month’s loss to the Panthers, but only the one cover against the Golden Eagles. Pittsburgh is also 1-2 ATS since beating the Huskies (-2.5) 76-68 on the road, but that includes the shocking loss at Providence (+9) that knocked Pitt out of the No. 1 spot in the national rankings.

Bet on College Basketball at Bodog

NBA: Cleveland at Boston

TD Banknorth Garden, Boston
Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
Cleveland: 47-12 SU, 39-20 ATS, Under 33-26
Boston: 47-14 SU, 33-28 ATS, Under 33-27-1

The similar records of these two clubs – especially against the total – speaks to their standing as the two best defensive teams in the NBA. Boston leads with 98.1 points allowed per 100 possessions, followed by Cleveland at 98.5. These two teams are also closely matched on the offensive end: The Cavs are fourth in the league at 109.5 points per 100 possessions, and Boston is fifth at 108.3. But these are numbers for the full season, and Boston is in a mild state of flux with Kevin Garnett (knee) injured and Stephon Marbury (head) joining the team after reaching a buyout settlement with the Knicks. The C’s are 3-3 SU and 2-4 ATS in their last six games; Cleveland is 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS.

Bet on NBA at Bodog Sportsbook

NCAAB: Duke at North Carolina

Dean Smith Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Sunday, 4:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Duke: 24-5 SU, 14-13-1 ATS, Under 17-10-1
North Carolina: 25-3 SU, 11-15 ATS, Over 16-10

Who is Elliot Williams? The freshman shooting guard from Memphis is smart, athletic and can drive the lane, as we’ve seen in the last four games since he was promoted to the starting lineup. Duke won all four games at 3-1 ATS. Jon Scheyer has been better than either Greg Paulus or the injured Nolan Smith (concussion) since switching from 2-guard to the point. North Carolina is still on top in the ACC despite losing to Maryland (+12); the Heels took out their frustrations on Georgia Tech (+23) in Saturday’s 104-74 beat-down, covering for just the second time in February.

NCAA Betting at Bodog Sports

For more on popular online sportsbook BodogLife.com check out the latest bettor reviews onsite at BookieLabRat.com and GoonersGuide.com. - Compare Bodog to the other safe, fair and ultra-popular online sportsbooks for American based bettors here.

>>Bodog Sportsbook Review (BookieLabRat.com)
>>Bodog Sportsbook Review and Rating (GoonersGuide.com)

There’s a Free Cheltenham Tipping competition at BetFred.com that’s worth a look. (Cheltenham runs from March 10 to 13 so you’d better get a wriggle on if you want a chance to win a prize)

Prizes: The main prize for the 2009 Cheltenham Predictor is a VIP Day at the 2009 Grand National at Aintree including 2 nights in a 4 star hotel, complimentary bar through the day and guest tipsters.

BetFred is also giving away over £1,000 in free bets and a VIP day out at Haydock to the runners up.

How to Play: Simply sign-up (they just want an email address) and then go to BetFred’s Predictions page, enter your prediction for each race available and hit the “Save” button. You can go back and update your selection if you change your mind or if your selection is a non runner. Keep on top of your predictions to win prizes.

Bet on the Festival: You can keep up to date with all the latest odds and betting on the BetFred Cheltenham Predictor website.
There are direct links to their festival guide, expert tips and all the latest festival news so make sure you take advantage! Why not put your money where your predictions are?

Register to join the new free tipping competition - 2009 Cheltenham Predictor.

Need a little help with your predictions? Why not follow the advice of BetFred’s team of experts: Peter Scudamore, Angus Loughran and of course, Fred Done.

Check out more on BetFred.com online bookmaker here in BookieLabRat.com’s BetFred Review or read what the team at GoonersGuide.com thinks about BetFred Sportsbook here.

Training Camp: From the linesmaker - by the team at popular US-friendly online sportsbook Bodog Sports.

I can’t deny the fact that I’ve got a great job. But it’s not like I spend all day sipping mai-tais and browsing the swimsuit issue. I have to make sure that the betting lines I put up are an accurate reflection of the betting marketplace – one half-point in the wrong direction could take food off my plate.

Some people still think my job is to pull the wool over our customers’ eyes and take their cash. I think the informative articles you’ll find on Bodog Sports prove otherwise. We want our customers to make educated bets so nobody loses his shirt – us included. So let me play the Answer Man for a moment and give you an insight into the nature of what we do around here.

How are game totals set?

It’s common knowledge among bettors that the online gambling industry pays close attention to Las Vegas Sports Consultants, a private company that handles the odds for casinos and newspapers. But the totals I set have to reflect our customers’ preferences for betting the over or under on certain teams in certain situations. Also, because LVSC lines are published early, I have to keep on top of injuries and potential changes in coaching strategy leading up to the game in question before I release any totals. This is doubly important in basketball, where pace determines how many shots will be taken in 48 minutes.

Why do lines move?

Ideally, the lines I release will balance the action equally, so that the winners get paid out from the pockets of the losers and we take the vigorish. That’s an ideal that rarely happens – especially in sports without a pointspread, like NASCAR and golf. If Team A is getting too much action, I’ll move the line toward Team B to try to achieve that balance. My personal preference is to tweak the vig from –110 to –105 or +100 before taking the bigger step of moving the spread a half-point or more.

Are there ways to make money from line movements?

Absolutely. When the lines go up for the NFL, or for the first game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, there are several days in between the open and the game itself where movement can take place. You’ll find that the betting public tends to pile in on their favorite teams once they get home from work on Friday. You can anticipate these line movements and time your bet accordingly to take advantage.

Sometimes a line will move far enough to create a “middle” opportunity. Say the Texas Longhorns end up facing the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of March Madness. If you have Texas early as a 5-point favorite, and I move the line to Texas –7 later in the week, then you can also place a bet on Wisconsin +7. If Texas happens to win by six points, both your bets cash in. Texas winning by either five or seven gives you a win and a push. Any other result creates a win and a loss, so you’re only risking the vigorish.

What type of betting statistics do you recommend?

If you want to predict what will happen when Team A meets Team B, your best stats to analyze are those generated in their most recent head-to-head matchups at the same venue. The habits of the betting public are fairly constant, so ATS results in general have a longer shelf life, but don’t bother going too far back in time. The 2009 New York Yankees are going to look a lot different than the 2008 Yankees or the 2000 Yankees.

Do multiple deposits count toward special promotion offers?

Yes. If you receive a special offer from our marketing team, and you make several deposits adding up to X dollars before the expiry date, it qualifies the same as one big deposit of X dollars. We remind you, though, to be aware of our deposit method fees and take those into account.

Ready for some online betting?  Get started today at Bodog Sportsbook!

>>For more on Bodog, check out the latest Bodog Sportsbook Review here at BookieLabRat.com.
>>Compare Bodog Sportsbook to other online betting sites popular and safe for American bettors.

Here’s the latest round-up of stake-back betting promotions at the top online sportsbooks for European and UK sports betting. Win, Lose - or get your stake back!

Tuesday’s Champions Cashback

If Ronaldo Scores The Last Goal of the Inter Milan v Man United Game, Boylesports Will Refund ALL Losing Single Bets In ALL MARKETS Of ALL 4 Of Tuesday’s Champions League Matches! Max refund EUR300 or currency equivalent. (Applies to pre-match betting only).

Wednesday’s Champions Cashback

If Torres scores the last goal of the Real Madrid v Liverpool game BoyleSports will refund ALL losing single bets in ALL markets on ALL FOUR of Wedneday’s Champions League games. Max refund EUR300 or currency equivalent. (Applies to pre-match betting only).

The Special One?

Inter Milan v Man Utd  -  Tues 7.45pm ITV/RTE2. Ireland
Money-Back Special: If Ronaldo scores the last goal in this match Paddy Power will refund all losing 1st/last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast singles on the match. Max Refund €300/£200 per customer.  If Ronaldo takes no part in match special will revert to last goal from outside box. Own goals do not count.

All Champions League Matchs involving British sides

BetFred will refund your total stake as a free bet on any Champions League game involving a British side if… - You place a scorecast bet and you only get one half of your selection correct… OR - You place a first goalscorer bet and your selection doesn’t score first but scores last.

Maximum refund is £100 (or your currency equivalent) per customer. Own goals do not count. Applies to all Champions League games involving Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Celtic only

Last Chance Saloon Refund

Place a bet on the 1st goal scorer, or last goal scorer markets for any of the below games and if the selected player for that game scores the last goal Ladbrokes will refund all losing 1st goal scorer or last goal scorer bets for that game.

Arsenal vs Roma  -  Robin van Persie 
Atletico Madrid vs Porto  -  Diego Forlan
Inter Milan vs Man Utd  -  Zlatan Ibrahimovic
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Here’s another post from the team at popular US-friendly online sportsbook Bodog.

Training Camp: Betting Outside the Top 25

It’s the Year of the Upset – or is it?

It always causes a sensation when a big-name college basketball program gets its head handed to it on a platter by one of the lesser-known teams outside the Top 25. Case in point: Sunday’s 80-74 win by Boston College over then-No. 5 Duke (-7.5). Or even more amazing, the Eagles’ 85-78 defeat of then-No. 1 North Carolina (-23) back on Jan. 4 – in Chapel Hill, no less.

The culture of sharp handicapping, in college hoops and elsewhere, suggests that chalk is bad. But before we jump all over the AP sportswriters and college coaches who vote in the polls, let’s go back and take a look at the results. Here’s a week-by-week breakdown of how ranked teams have done against unranked teams this season in matchups with betting lines attached, using the ESPN/USA Today Poll (aka the coaches poll) as our guideline.

Non-conference

Week 1: 14-0 SU, 8-6 ATS
Week 2: 32-4 SU, 20-14-2 ATS
Week 3: 33-6 SU, 24-15 ATS
Week 4: 20-5 SU, 13-12 ATS
Week 5: 18-3 SU, 10-11 ATS
Week 6: 15-2 SU, 3-13-1 ATS
Week 7: 13-3 SU, 8-8 ATS

Conference

Week 8: 25-9 SU, 19-15 ATS
Week 9: 30-5 SU, 18-16-1 ATS
Week 10: 24-6 SU, 17-13 ATS
Week 11: 21-7 SU, 14-13-1 ATS
Week 12: 23-8 SU, 17-13-1 ATS
Week 13: 27-11 SU, 18-19-1 ATS
Week 14: 27-10 SU, 20-17 ATS

These numbers are anathema to the idea of fading the ranked teams as a whole. It is entirely possible to be undervalued and in the rankings at the same time – consider the No. 15 Kansas Jayhawks, who are contending once again for the Big 12 title at 20-5 SU and a very healthy 14-5 ATS. But Kansas is also one of only four teams in the coaches poll who are also in the Top 20 of the ATS rankings – the others are No. 4 Pittsburgh (13-6-1 ATS), No. 6 Memphis (16-8 ATS) and No. 11 Arizona State (14-7 ATS).

The key to betting on all those other lucrative unranked teams is to pick and choose your spots. You’ll notice the huge numbers the ranked clubs pulled in early, especially during the first three weeks at 52-35-2 ATS. This was during the cupcake portion of the non-conference schedule, when the big boys usually have no problem covering giant spreads against tiny programs that are happy to get humiliated in exchange for a wad of cash. The closer you get to the end of the non-con schedule, the tougher the matchups get and the more likely someone’s going to sneak away with a payday.

Once you get into conference action, the number of upsets goes up considerably – although few of these matchups involve those lucrative ATS teams from the mid-majors and lower. Ranked teams have still been profitable during this part of the season, but by being selective and supporting the clubs who can’t seem to get the respect or votes they deserve from the coaches, you can make some money. The Ohio State Buckeyes, for example, are 7-5 SU and 8-4 ATS in Big Ten action with upsets over Michigan (-5.5) and visiting Purdue (-2).

The trick with finding these teams is that the coaches usually don’t ignore winners for very long. Which makes OSU’s case particularly strange – the Buckeyes also pulled off non-con upsets of Miami-Florida (-8) and Notre Dame (-5) at the Hartford Hall of Fame Showcase. But it’s not surprising that there’s been value in both Ohio State and Kansas this year; these are two recent NCAA Tournament finalists that had their lineups gutted by the NBA Draft and were left for dead. Never forget that when betting on college hoops, you’re betting for or against coaches like Thad Matta and Bill Self. Those are definitely two winners.

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