Archive for January, 2011
The NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft will be held for the first time in NHL league history on Friday, January 28th 2011 in anticipation of the All-Star Game in Raleigh, Carolina two days later.
The fantasy draft is a new format for the NHL and one that has hockey fans excited about an All-Star game that has been growing stale for quite some time. The premise is simple and goes back to the schoolyard or backyard rink when teams were decided by two captains picking the players. The best player goes first, as captains pick players alternately.
Bodog have put together odds and betting lines on which player will be the first one taken and, also, who will be the last one drafted. Now, it is worth noting that the last selection must be a forward since all goalies and all defencemen have to be chosen before Round 15 of the draft.
The two team captains are Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings, so they’re out of the running for both categories. In addition, two alternate captains for each team will be named later and will assist the captains in the selection process.
So let’s get to which player is likely to go first. There are two favourites, Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin, the reigning MVP of the league, and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, a fairly decent player himself. Both Sedin and Ovechkin are getting 4/1 odds to be selected first overall. After that it’s Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby at 5/1, followed by the Lightning’s star sniper, Steven Stamkos, at 7/1.
It will be interesting to see how the captains play this.
You have to think that if Lidstrom gets the first pick, which will be determined by a coin toss, that he might be tempted to look at his fellow Swedish countryman Sedin.
And if patriotism plays any part, Staal, a Canadian, might be pressured into picking Crosby first. Of course, Sid the Kid is widely considered the best player in the world, so it’s not like anyone would accuse Staal of favouritism.
As for Ovechkin, the Capitals’ sniper is suffering through a rather disappointing season to date. One of the most dangerous goal-scorers in the game today, the Russian superstar has failed to match the torrid pace of his previous campaigns.
Get all your 2011 NHL All-Star Game odds and make your hockey bets at Bovada.
January 25th, 2011
The difference in quality between the NBA’s Eastern and Western Conferences is no secret.
This week we will see a handful of games that test the gap while simultaneously serving as perfect NBA betting opportunities for players looking to capitalize on some interconference action.
For a point of reference, the seventh best team in the East – currently the Indiana Pacers – would sit 12th in the Western Conference.
Although the East has its fair share of contenders, the sheer depth of the Western Conference is what makes it the more renowned of the two conferences.
Though emerging as conference champions in either will prove to be a monumental task, the simple daily grind of life in the West is a chore in itself.
Dallas Mavericks @ Chicago Bulls
This Thursday, the Chicago Bulls, one of the Eastern Conference contenders, will host the Dallas Mavericks. Although the Mavs have slid down the standings recently in the absence of star Dirk Nowitzki, the All-Star returned to the Dallas lineup this past weekend and hopes to be at full health in time for their next big challenge.
Will Derrick Rose and the Bulls pull off a big win, tightening their grip on the Central Division and continuing to gain ground on the Miami Heat? Bet on the NBA with Bovada.
New Orleans Hornets @ Atlanta Hawks
On Friday the Atlanta Hawks will host the New Orleans Hornets as each struggles to position themselves for home court in the first round of their respective playoffs. The Hawks have posted a better regular season record thus far, but it’s hard to consider them favorites against a Hornets club that has spent time at the top of the NBA standings this year.
Boston Celtics @ Utah Jazz
Not long after that, the Utah Jazz will host the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics. Though the Celtics have come out strong this season, proving that Miami to the NBA Finals is no guarantee, the Jazz are one of a select few teams to have taken down both the Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers so far this season.
We think that the Mavs, Hornets and Jazz can beat their Eastern Conference opponents this week.
Get all your NBA odds at Bovada’s online sportsbook.
January 19th, 2011
The NFL’s preliminary wild card round was a real doozy last weekend, taking a turn that nobody quite expected. Next up is the divisional playoffs, where those same first-week winners will try their luck on the road against the #1 and #2 conference seeded teams.
The Seattle Seahawks surprised the entire league with a 41-36 victory over the reigning champion New Orleans Saints just one week after becoming the first NFL team in league history to qualify for a playoff berth by leading their division with a losing record. Though they finished just 7-9 in regulation, the Seahawks now have 40/1 odds of winning the Super Bowl (but I don’t recommend it)
Pete Carroll and his team of overachievers will try to take the momentum of their historical wild card win and put it to good use against the Chicago Bears. The Bears finished the season with an 11-5 mark after getting out to a good start in 2010 and never looking back.
Chicago are 10 point favourites, just like the New Orleans Saints were last weekend, but this time the favourites are at home and I expect the Bear to win easily and cover the spread.
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Elsewhere in the NFC, the Green Bay Packers will look to try their luck against the first-place Atlanta Falcons. After downing the Philadelphia Eagles in an upset on Sunday, the team will hope that Aaron Rodgers’ recent return to health continues. Has Rodgers completely recovered from the two concussions he faced during the regular season?
Atlanta are slight favourites, not surprising given their 21-4 record SU in the last 25 home games, but this game is too close to call – especially if Green Bay bring their uncompromising defence to town. Atlanta won the regular season game between the two sides here by 20-17, and are giving up a -2.5 point start on the ATS betting line.
This time – it’s the playoffs – and this game is must-watch football !!
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Get all your NFL betting lines at Bovada Sportsbook.
January 13th, 2011