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Peter Hedblom fired a five-under 67 to win the Johnnie Walker Championship on Sunday, holding off fellow Swede Martin Erlandsson by a shot to capture his third European Tour title.
Hedblom, who lost a playoff at last week’s KLM Open, finished four trips around the Gleneagles course at 13-under 275 for his first victory since the 2007 Malaysian Open. The hard-charging Erlandsson, chasing his first tour win, made nine birdies in one 11-hole stretch Sunday and set the course record with a 10-under 62. But he fell one stroke short of his countryman at 12-under 276.Gregory Havret, last year’s champion from France, closed with a 67 to share third place with 1999 British Open winner Paul Lawrie (69) at 10-under 278. Gary Orr (64) took fifth place at nine-under 279.
Hedblom carried the lead into the final round for the second week in a row after posting the lowest 54-hole score on the European Tour this season at the KLM Open last week. He managed only a one-under 69 last Sunday, however, and lost to Simon Dyson in a three-way playoff. Hedblom said the difference this week was his confidence, which was high at the beginning of the round. He went birdie-bogey-birdie over the first three holes.
“I thought that was the key,” he said. Still, with Erlandsson scorching the course in front of him — he made nine birdies between Nos. 2 and 11 — Hedblom found himself playing catch-up. He birdied four consecutive holes beginning at No.7, capping the rally by holing a putt from off the green at the 10th, and pulled one shot in front of Erlandsson. Hedblom later bogeyed the 15th hole to fall into a tie with Erlandsson, who was already in the clubhouse at 12-under.
Knowing he needed a birdie, Hedblom took aim at the pin on 16 and spun his approach back to four feet.It was the shot that won him the tournament, setting up the go-ahead birdie. All that remained were two pars — including a knee-knocking four-foot putt at the 18th that was left when Hedblom ran his birdie try too far past the hole. He pumped his right fist after rolling it in to secure the win.
“It was so tough. I thought last week was tough, this one was even harder, especially since I had the lead,” said Hedblom. “I had to dig down so deep,” he added, “but I’m so happy now.”
Erlandsson made 10 birdies in a flawless round, breaking by one shot the previous 18-hole course record of 63 set by Pierre Fulke in 2000 and matched by Adam Scott in 2002. “What a round,” said Hedblom, who added with a chuckle: “He should have won.”
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August 30th, 2009
Here’s the latest round up on this week’s auto racing courtesy of Bookmaker.com.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is off for the final time this season, but there is still plenty of racing action this week, as the Nationwide Series heads to Montreal. The IndyCar Series and the Camping World Truck Series run under the lights at Chicagoland this weekend, while Formula One revs it up in Belgium.
NASCAR Nationwide Series NAPA Auto Parts 200 – Circuit Gilles Villeneuve – Montreal, Quebec, Canada
The Nationwide Series heads to Montreal for the second and final road course event on the 2009 schedule. Watkins Glen, NY was held earlier this month, with Marcos Ambrose defending his race title there. Montreal is now the only NASCAR national touring series event held outside the United States, since Iowa Speedway replaced Mexico City on this year’s Nationwide calendar. Canadian Ron Fellows returns to his home turf to defend his race title. Last year, Fellows endured wet track conditions on the 2.709-mile, 14-turn course and capitalized on an early-race pit strategy to claim his fourth career Nationwide victory. NASCAR ran its first-ever national series points event in the rain, but weather conditions deteriorated to the point where the race was cut 26 laps short of the 74-lap distance.
“I did just one race last year with JR Motorsports and Rick Hendrick in the 5 car,” Fellows said. “It was obviously a successful one. It was a wild day with certainly the threat of rain, getting an opportunity to actually race the Nationwide cars in the rain.”
Fellows will drive the No.5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet at Montreal once again this year. Patrick Carpentier, from nearby Ville Lasalle, Quebec, has finished second in the first two races at Montreal. Carpentier will drive the No.99 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota. He drove Waltrip’s No.55 Sprint Cup car at Watkins Glen and Sonoma, CA this year.Ambrose, Carl Edwards and Brendan Gaughan will pull double duty at Montreal. The trio will make their debut in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series. The Grand-Am race runs Saturday, the day before the Nationwide event. Edwards and Ambrose will share driving duties in the No.77 Doran Ford Daytona Prototype (DP) car, while Gaughan and Grand-Am regular Andy Lally will team up in the No.66 TRG Porsche GT3 (Grand Touring) entry.
Ambrose finished third in last year’s Nationwide event at Montreal. “I’ve got a chance to win two races this weekend at Montreal, and that is what I’m going there to try and do,” Ambrose said. “The racing at Montreal is always really good, and I’ve been so close to winning that Nationwide race for the past two years.” Kyle Busch is looking to rebound after he finished a disappointing 28th at Bristol. Busch, who was involved in an early-race crash with Chase Austin, saw his lead over Edwards shrink from 339 points to 248. Edwards finished second to his Roush Fenway Racing teammate David Ragan.Edwards finished 30th in the inaugural event at Montreal in 2007 and sixth there last year.
“Montreal is one of the most fun events of the year,” Edwards said. “I love going to places that are out of the norm. It was an adventure last year racing in the rain, and it was one of the neatest events that I have been a part of.” Busch has yet to compete at Montreal. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve has hosted Formula One, CART/Champ Car and NASCAR Canadian Tires Series events. The circuit, on lle Notre-Dame, a man- made island on the St. Lawrence River in Montreal, was named after the late Canadian driver Gilles Villeneuve, father of Jacques Villeneuve, who is driving the No.32 Braun Racing Toyota this week. Forty-five teams are on the preliminary entry list for Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts 200.
Camping World Truck Series EnjoyIllinois.com 225 – Chicagoland Speedway – Joliet, IL
Despite his winning streak of five races coming to an end last week at Bristol, Ron Hornaday Jr.continues to hold a sizeable points lead in the Camping World Truck Series. Hornaday has a 211-point advantage over Matt Crafton with 10 races remaining in the season.Chicagoland kicks off a two-week stretch of an inaugural race at a track new to the series.Iowa is scheduled for Labor Day weekend. Chicagoland has been on the Sprint Cup and Nationwide schedules since 2001.Kyle Busch, who snapped Hornaday’s streak at Bristol, won last year’s Sprint Cup and Nationwide races at Chicagoland. He is looking to complete the track’s national series triple.”The biggest thing I learned last year was the track didn’t change much,” Busch said. “It just got cooler and gained grip. Winning both races at Chicago last year – it was just a great weekend.”
Busch has victories in all three of NASCAR’s national series at five different tracks (Atlanta, Bristol, California, Dover and Phoenix). Hornaday has won nine inaugural races in the Truck Series since its inception in 1995. He has also competed in two Nationwide events at Chicagoland, finishing fifth in 2002 and 10th in ’04.”I’m really excited to go to Chicago,” Hornaday said. “We tested there some last year, and I really liked the track. We have run pretty well at the 1.5- mile tracks this season.” Hornaday has won two of the last three Truck races on 1.5-mile tracks. He took Kentucky last month and Charlotte in May.Busch and Roush Fenway Racing driver Colin Braun will attempt the Chicagoland- Montreal combo this weekend. Braun will make his first Nationwide start this season, and he’ll compete at Montreal for the first time. He has practiced there several times.”I feel like there’s definitely enough time in between to kind of transition in between those two different types of vehicles and types of racetracks,” Braun said.”I could see it would be really difficult to do it on the same weekend.” Forty teams are on the preliminary entry list for Friday’s EnjoyIllinois.com 225.
INDYCAR SERIES Peak Antifreeze Indy 300 – Chicagoland Speedway – Joliet, IL
Three races to go, and three title contenders remain in the show.After finishing second in last Sunday’s race at Sonoma, CA, Ryan Briscoe from Team Penske reclaimed the championship lead in the IndyCar Series. Briscoe holds just a four-point advantage over Dario Franchitti, who led all 75 laps at Sonoma for his fourth victory of the season. Briscoe won earlier this month at Kentucky and the season-opener in April at St. Petersburg, FL, but has finished second in seven other races this year.”We just have to keep getting these points,” Briscoe said. “Coming in second gets a little old after awhile, but we’ll win one of these someday.” Scott Dixon, also a four-time race winner this season, came to Sonoma with the points lead, but after a 13th-place finish there, he has fallen to 20 points behind Briscoe and 16 back of his Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Franchitti.
Dixon was one of those involved in a seven-car pile on the opening lap. He got caught in a jam and drove into the back of Tony Kanaan, sustaining damage to the nose of his car. Dixon remained on the lead lap and worked his way back to 10th before Marco Andretti spun him out on the final lap. “Hopefully, we’ll take this as our bad weekend and just move on and get a good result on our next three,” Dixon said. With Chicagoland, Motegi, Japan and Homestead, FL remaining on this year’s schedule, Dixon is confident he can repeat as the series champion. “We have a great run coming up with the three tracks at the finish,” he added. Dixon has finished second in the last two races at Chicagoland, which has been the site of the season-finale the previous three seasons. Last year at Chicagoland, Helio Castroneves nipped Dixon in one of the closest finishes in series history. While Castroneves captured his second win of the season, Dixon clinched the series title by 17 points.In 2007, Franchitti, who drove for Andretti Green Racing at the time, entered the season-finale at Chicagoland with just a three-point lead over Dixon. The two drivers battled all the way to the final lap, with Franchitti taking the checkered flag and the series title. Dixon held the lead on the last lap, but Franchitti passed Dixon, who suddenly slowed when he ran out of fuel. He managed to coast home in second.”It’s just so competitive that you can’t afford mistakes,” Franchitti said. “We’ve all made them this year. Actually, we’ve all had bad luck as well. When you get the chance, you got to score the points.”
Castroneves saw his championship hopes diminish significantly after an 18th- place result at Sonoma. The Penske driver got slightly airborne after he made contact with Kanaan heading into a corner late in the race. Shortly after, his right front suspension failed, causing him to run off course and into the dirt. He now trails his teammate Briscoe by 126 points.
FORMULA ONE Belgian Grand Prix – Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – Spa, Belgium
Brawn GP’s Rubens Barrichello revived his Formula One world championship hopes afterwinning lastSunday’s European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain. Barrichello, who recorded his first grand prix victory since 2004 when he drove for Ferrari. The Brazilian moved to within 18 points of leader and teammate Jenson Button, who finished seventh at Valencia.Barrichello, who is the oldest current F1 driver at age 37, benefited from Lewis Hamilton’s costly pit road mistake to take the European GP. Hamilton started on the pole and led early, but was delayed during his final pit stop when his McLaren team was not properly prepared for a tire change. The defending world champion made steady progress in the closing laps, but settled for a second-place finish. After the conclusion of the ’08 season, Barrichello and Button’s future in F1 were uncertain after their Honda team pulled out of the sport due to the world-wide economic slowdown. Ross Brawn acquired the former Honda team and has since revitalized both drivers’ careers.”Last year, people seemed to think that was it for me, but now I can show that it wasn’t. I have always thought I had it in me. I think I have just reached the peak of my speed, so I have more on me. I hope I can carry on,” Barrichello said.
Barrichello could very continue his march towards his first F1 title in Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix. The Belgian GP is held on the famed Spa-Francorchamps, one of the oldest courses on the F1 circuit. The track has also been good to Ferrari the last several years.Michael Schumacher drove a Ferrari to consecutive wins at Spa from 2001-02. Kimi Raikkonen won the Belgian GP back-to-back from 2004-05 and then again in ’07. Felipe Massa recorded the victory in last year’s race there. The event was not run in 2003 and ’06. One year ago, Hamilton crossed the finish line first in the Belgian GP, but Massa was credited with the win after race stewards penalized Hamilton for an infraction during his late-race battle with Raikkonen. Hamilton was originally declared the winner, but was later handed a 25-second time penalty after stewards decided he gained an advantage by cutting the final chicane during his duel with Raikkonen. The McLaren driver dropped to third place as a result, with Nick Heidfeld from BMW Sauber moving up to second.Hamilton said he is skeptical about his team’s chances of winning in Belgium this year.”I don’t think we’ll be as competitive as we’ve been at the last few races, because Spa is a circuit where you need a lot of downforce,” he said. “I think Brawn, Red Bull and even Ferrari will be fast there.It’s a high-speed circuit, and Ferrari has always been very quick there, so I’m expecting Kimi to be quick. It should also suit the Red Bulls, because it’s very high-speed and flowing and they have great downforce.”
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August 27th, 2009
Here’s the round-up of golfing betting action this coming week courtesy of top US sports betting site Bookmaker.com
PGA TOUR – THE BARCLAYS, Liberty National Golf Club, Jersey City, New Jersey
The 2009 FedEx Cup Playoffs begin this week in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty and the skyline of New York City. The top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings — Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson included — will be at picturesque Liberty National Golf Club for the $7.5 million Barclays, the first of four playoffs events. Those staying in Manhattan will arrive to the course by boat, an experience described by LPGA Tour player Morgan Pressel on her Twitter feed as “Truly amazing.”
This week’s Barclays will be the first big-time professional tournament hosted by the three-year-old course, which was built on a piece of contaminated land in Jersey City.Tom Kite, the golf Hall of Famer who was one of two course architects, “hated the site, but loved the location” when he first visited. The task of building the course included covering the property with something akin to a plastic bag, then several feet of sand on top of that. It’s a one-of-a-kind setting for the tournament that kicks off the third year of the PGA Tour’s playoffs.
Steve Stricker won the Barclays in 2007, the first year of the playoffs, but finished second to Woods for the inaugural FedEx Cup and its $10 million annuity. Last year, with Woods sidelined by knee surgery, Vijay Singh beat Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland at the Barclays and went on to win the FedEx Cup.
The four-tournament playoff swing will take five weeks this year. Next week is the Deutsche Bank Championship, also won by Singh last season, followed by the BMW Championship beginning Sept. 10. After a rare one-week break in the PGA Tour schedule, the playoffs conclude at the Tour Championship beginning Sept.24. Camilo Villegas won the BMW Championship and Tour Championship last year. By the time the Tour Championship begins, the playoffs field will have been whittled down to the top 30 players in the points standings — a truly elite field of golf’s hottest players. Golf Channel and CBS will split coverage of The Barclays this week.
EUROPEAN TOUR JOHNNIEWALKER CHAMPIONSHIPS AT GLENEAGLES, The Gleneagles Hotel (PGA Centenary Course), Perthshire, Scotland
Gregory Havret will defend his title this week at the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.Havret closed with a three-under 70 last year to beat hard-charging Graeme Storm (68) by a shot for his third European Tour win. The Frenchman sealed the victory with an up-and-down par save from a bunker beside the 18th green, celebrating with a right-fist pump and a customary champagne shower from his countrymen. Havret will be joined in the field this week by fellow Johnnie Walker champions Marc Warren (2007), Emanuele Canonica (2005), Miles Tunnicliff (2004). But because the first event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs is also on the docket this week, many of Europe’s top stars will be in the United States.
Golf Channel has coverage of all four rounds beginning at 10 a.m. (et) on Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. on both weekend days. Next week is the Omega European Masters, where Jean-Francois Lucquin won last year.
LPGA TOUR SAFEWAY CLASSIC, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Ghost Creek Golf Course, North Plains, Oregon
All 12 members of the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup team are scheduled to play in this week’s Safeway Classic, including defending champion Cristie Kerr. The players woke up Monday morning in Illinois, their 16-12 win over Europe only hours old, and immediately began preparing for the three-day tournament in Oregon.
“First class is going to be loud this morning!” Christina Kim said on her Twitter feed, preparing to take a flight to Portland with Kerr and some of her other teammates. Kerr fired a seven-under 65 in the final round last year, then beat Helen Alfredsson and Sophie Gustafson — two of her opponents at the Solheim Cup — in a playoff.She birdied the first extra hole to claim her 11th LPGA Tour victory — her first since the 2007 U.S. Women’s Open. Kerr picked up win No. 12 this season at the Michelob Ultra Open.World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, the 2007 champion, headlines the rest of the field.
ESPN2 has coverage of the first two rounds, while ESPN will broadcast Sunday’s final round. Next week is the CN Canadian Women’s Open, where Katherine Hull won last season.
CHAMPIONS TOUR BOEING CLASSIC, TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, Snoqualmie, Washington
Tom Kite won the Boeing Classic for the second time last year, shooting a six-under 66 in the final round to beat Scott Simpson by two shots. It marked the 10th win in Kite’s Champions Tour career, but first since he also captured this tournament in 2006. This will be an interesting week for the Hall of Famer.Not only will he defend his title at the TPC Snoqualmie Ridge, but the PGA Tour playoffs begin Thursday at a course (Liberty National) that Kite helped design. Kite will be joined in the field by fellow Boeing Classic winners Denis Watson and David Eger. It is the first time since July 10 that the Champions Tour will begin a non-major event.
Golf Channel has coverage of all three rounds beginning at 6:30 p.m. (et) the first two days and 7 p.m. on Sunday.Next week is the Walmart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, where Jeff Sluman won last season.
NATIONWIDE TOUR NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA CLASSIC, Elmhurst Country Club, Moscow, Pennsylvania
Last year, Scott Piercy shot a six-under 64 in the final round of the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic to win for the second time in three weeks. Piercy, playing this season on the PGA Tour, won’t get a chance to defend his title this week. But 15 of the 19 winners from this season will be on hand.This is the second time that Elmurst Country Club in Moscow, Penn., will host the tournament, which is the only PGA Tour-sanctioned event in the state.
There is no television coverage this week. Next up for the Nationwide Tour is the Mexico Open, where Jarrod Lyle won last season.
CANADIAN TOUR SEAFORTH COUNTRY CLASSIC, Seaforth Golf Club, Seaforth, Ontario
The $125,000 Seaforth Country Classic is on tap this week. Last year, Kent Eger fired a seven-under 64 in the final round to beat a trio of hard-charging players — Wil Collins (62), John Ellis (63) and Daniel Im (63) — by two shots. Eger, who captured his first win, finished at 26-under 258 to set a Canadian Tour record for lowest overall score. Next week is the Canadian Tour Championship, where Tom Stankowski won last year.
August 26th, 2009
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.
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June 17th, 2009
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!
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May 8th, 2009
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.
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March 5th, 2009
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.
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February 26th, 2009
Heres the latest contribution to BookieLabRat.com from the team at popular Irish Bookie BoyleSports.com.
Eduardo marked his return to Arsenal’s first team a year after the horror injury which threatened his career by scoring twice in his side’s FA Cup victory over Cardiff last night.
THE SUN: Eduardo Da Silva wept with joy as he capped an amazing comeback from his leg-break horror with a double strike. Also: Paul Collingwood hit a dazzling ton as England took command of the Third Test against the West Indies.
DAILY MIRROR: Arsenal striker Eduardo made an emotional return last night – a year after suffering a horrific broken leg. Also: Rafa Benitez has accused his Liverpool bosses of leaving him “dead” because of their agonising contract dispute. Also:
DAILY STAR: Eduardo ended a year of agony with a stunning double strike on his Arsenal return in the FA Cup last night. Also: Michael Ballack last night denied playing a key role in Big Phil Scolari’s sacking.
DAILY MAIL: Eduardo marked his return to Arsenal’s first team a year after the horror injury which threatened his career by scoring twice in his side’s FA Cup victory over Cardiff last night. Also: England centre Riki Flutey signed for French club Brive yesterday at the start of a cross-channel exodus of Premiership rugby internationals.
DAILY EXPRESS: The tears flowed for Eduardo at the Emirates last night as he marked his first Arsenal appearance in a year with the opening goal as the hosts outclassed Cardiff in their fourth-round replay. Also: Paul Collingwood’s third Test century in nine innings drove England into a position of total dominance in the third Test.
THE TIMES: England were in a dominant position after two days of the third Test at the Antigua Recreation Ground yesterday. Also: Some storylines in sport are simply meant to be.
DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Rugby Football Union are to consider setting up an emergency fund to help Premiership clubs fight off raids on elite England players by cash-rich French clubs. Also: Fifty-one weeks ago, Eduardo was lifted into a Birmingham hospital bed, his left leg mangled, his career in doubt.
THE GUARDIAN: Against strangely becalmed opponents this was the type of smooth and slick display with decisive end product that Arsenal have often struggled to find this season. Also: Manchester City are still hoping to persuade John Terry to join them in what would be one of the more astounding transfers of modern times.
THE INDEPENDENT: Last night, Arsene Wenger was given some of the evidence he needs to feel the rest of the season could be fruitful. Also: Michael Ballack has defended himself against accusations that he was part of a plot to oust Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was sacked as Chelsea manager eight days ago.
>>Here’s a round-up of the latest FA Cup 2008/2009 outright betting prices at BoyleSports.com.
13/8 Man United
10/3 Chelsea
4/1 Arsenal
5/1 Everton
22/1 West Ham
25/1 Fulham
25/1 Blackburn
40/1 Hull
40/1 Middlesbrough
90/1 Sheff Utd
90/1 Swansea
90/1 Burnley
125/1 Coventry
For more on popular Irish bookie BoyleSports check out the latest reviews and ratings:
>>BookieLabRat.com BoyleSports Bookmaker Review
>>GoonersGuide.com Review & Rating of BoyleSports
February 18th, 2009
Here’s the latest contribution to the BookieLabRat.com site from the team at popular US-friendly online sportsbook Bodog.
The NBA All-Star Game marks the unofficial halfway point of the regular season. College hoops doesn’t have the same kind of milestone event, but you know things are getting serious when the bracketologists start coming out with their projections for who will get invited to the NCAA Tournament. Maybe the Selection Committee should look at the following Top 10 ATS stats as well as RPI and SOS.
NCAAB
1. Weber State: 15-5
2. Princeton: 9-3
3. Kansas: 14-5
4. George Mason: 14-5-1
4. The Citadel: 14-5-1
6. Auburn: 13-5
7. Denver: 14-6
8. St. Peter’s: 12-5-1
9. Central Florida: 13-6
10. Pittsburgh: 13-6-1
NBA
1. Orlando: 33-17-1
2. Cleveland: 33-18
3. Oklahoma City: 33-20
4. Milwaukee: 31-22-2
5. Charlotte: 30-22
6. New York: 30-22
7. Denver: 30-22-1
8. Boston: 31-24
9. Atlanta: 28-24
10. Indiana: 28-24-2
NBA: Boston at Phoenix
US Airways Center, Phoenix
Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET, ABC
Boston: 44-11 SU, 31-24- ATS, Under 29-25-1
Phoenix: 28-23 SU, 17-31-2 ATS, Over 28-22
The Suns have three games to play between now and Sunday, including a home-and-home with the Los Angeles Clippers, but they should still be in good form after taking the extended break and hosting the All-Star Game. Those three games will also give them some time to get used to what new coach Alvin Gentry has up his sleeve – a return to former coach Mike D’Antoni’s methods. Gentry was the last connection with D’Antoni’s coaching staff after Terry Porter was brought in during the offseason. Rumors at press time had the Suns prepared to keep Amare Stoudemire and Shaquille O’Neal and give Gentry a chance to make it work. Make sure to visit Bodog Sportsbook for the freshest NBA odds on this and every matchup.
NCAAB: Washington at UCLA
Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles
Thursday, 11:00 p.m. ET
Washington: 19-6 SU, 15-8 ATS, Over 14-8
UCLA: 19-6 SU, 12-12 ATS, Over 16-8
The Huskies are on top of the Pacific-10 standings at 10-3, with the Bruins trailing by 1.5 games at 8-4. When these two teams met last month in Seattle, the home side pulled away in the second half to win 86-75 as a 2-point chalk. And yet it’s UCLA at No. 20 in the polls and Washington two spots behind. Home court is key; the Bruins are 14-1 SU and 8-6 ATS at legendary Pauley Pavilion, and they’ll be glad to be back in L.A. after dropping a pair at Arizona (+5) and Arizona State (+1.5). Washington is 5-4 SU and ATS on the road.
College basketball odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.
NBA: L.A. Lakers at Golden State
Oracle Arena, Oakland
Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Los Angeles: 42-10 SU, 27-25 ATS, Over 32-20
Golden State: 19-35 SU, 25-26-3 ATS, Over 29-25
Just like last year, the Lakers are doing just fine without injured Andrew Bynum, going 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS without their young prodigy at center. Having a full season with Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza in the fold makes a huge difference. Golden State knows all about injuries, having their season washed away before it even began, but the Warriors are 6-5 SU and 7-2-2 ATS with Monta Ellis back in the lineup. They should also have Andris Biedrins at center for this matchup after missing three games with a sprained ankle.
NBA Basketball lines at Bodog.
Don’t Miss
NBA: San Antonio at N.Y. Knicks (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.)
NCAAB: North Carolina State at North Carolina (Wednesday, 8:00 p.m.)
NCAAB: Duke at St. John’s (Thursday, 7:00 p.m.)
NBA: San Antonio at Detroit (Thursday, 8:00 p.m.)
NBA: Dallas at Houston (Friday, 8:00 p.m.)
NCAAB: Marquette at Georgetown (Saturday, 2:00 p.m.)
NCAAB: Oklahoma at Texas (Saturday, 9:00 p.m.)
For more on Bodog Sportsbook, check out the latest reviews for February here at:
>>BookieLabRat.com Bodog Sports Review
>>GoonersGuide.com Sportsbook Review of Bodog
>>Compare Bodog to other online sportsbooks popular with US based bettors
February 17th, 2009
Here’s the latest bet-blurb from the team at Bodog Sport: Bettor’s View: Super February
I’m still buzzing over Super Bowl XLIII. That might have been the best football game I’ve ever seen – but I’m biased, because I made some money in the end. Everything looks better when the bankroll is growing.
It started before the coin toss. I couldn’t help but to take the over on Jennifer Hudson’s version of The Star-Spangled Banner, even at the chalky price of –210. I personally don’t bet every single Super Bowl prop, but I always take the time to see what’s on the menu, and the total on the length of the national anthem was 2:01 – exactly how long it took Hudson to sing it at the Democratic National Convention. Of course Sunday’s version was going to be longer. It was a more dramatic moment in a much larger venue (Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, as opposed to Denver’s Pepsi Center).
As for the football itself, I was watching at home with the computer in front of me and the game on the big-screen. Most of my friends are either in the sports media or the handicapping business, so we had a UFC 94 party the night before instead – and what a card that was. But I digress. Sunday was a workday, and I was working the live betting.
This is a great way to make some cash. I stuck with a simple pass/run strategy, expecting the Steelers to use their standard run-heavy conservative approach and the Cardinals to be more creative, passing on running downs and vice-versa. John Madden even suggested this for Arizona during the NBC broadcast. The Cards went a little more pass-heavy than I expected (43 passes, 12 rushes), and in retrospect, I should have bet “pass” more often during the second half as Arizona was fighting from behind. I was just looking for more surprises than Ken Whisenhunt gave us – and how about Pittsburgh’s attempt at the Wildcat? Anyway, I still came out ahead in live betting by a small margin, enough to make it worth playing.
I’ll tell you where I did get burned: the “Will there be a safety?” prop. I bet “No” every year, and I win every year, because the last time it happened was in 1991. I barely had enough money to buy a hamburger back then, let alone gamble. Anyway, as you know, I didn’t win this year, which is a real kick in the pants when you pay –1000. But that’s OK; I’ll continue to bet against the safety and make that back in time. I’m a patient man.
I wasn’t feeling nearly as levelheaded about James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown at the end of the first half. I had Arizona +7 in this game, as did most of my friends. Harrison’s TD put Pittsburgh up 17-7 just when it looked like the Cardinals would at least tie the game 10-10, being on the Steelers 1-yard line and all. If I hadn’t been stunned about the enormity of the return, I might have thrown something I shouldn’t have at the big-screen. Like my computer.
Things turned out all right in the end, although I could have done without the last-minute Steelers win. I had the Cardinals on the moneyline at +170. I also bet the over on the total of 47, so it was a wash, but I would have made money if it had gone the other way. And being a bit of a Kurt Warner fan (so undervalued for so many years), I admit I was rooting for the Cards. At least Warner went over 265.5 passing yards.
Not a bad way to start the month. Now it’s time for some basketball, and I’m like a kid at a candy store with all the hoops games on the sked. The Lakers and Celtics are up this week; I’ll be on that one for sure, although I’m going to be waiting to see how Kevin Garnett is feeling before the game. Seems he didn’t take his flu shot this year. What?! I paid $30 for mine. Is he having trouble making ends meet? I could have loaned him the money until his next paycheck comes in.
I’m also going hard on NASCAR betting in February. And I’m betting Toyota early and often. I’m not making any grand statement about the quality of American cars here; I just don’t expect very many people in the sport’s betting demographic to put their money on a Japanese automaker. If I’m wrong, I’ll be happy to jump ship to Chevrolet next month – if they still exist, of course.
February 5th, 2009
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