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03/05/2010 - Newport Beach, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former PGA Champion Bob Tway, Mark Wiebe and Chien-Soon Lu each fired six-under 65s on Friday to share the first-round lead of the Toshiba Classic.
Fred Couples, already a winner after two Champions Tour starts and the leading money earner this year, Olin Browne, Lonnie Nielsen and Mike Goodes are knotted in fourth place at five-under 66.
Tway first broke into red figures with a short birdie putt at the par-five third. At the fifth, Tway hit a good seven-iron to 20 feet and poured in the birdie effort. He tapped in two more short birdie putts at six and seven to make three in a row.
Tway made another little birdie at the 10th, but dropped a shot at No. 11 when he missed a very short putt. Two holes later, Tway rolled in a 12-footer for birdie to get back to five-under par.
At the par-five 15th, Tway reached the green in two and two-putted for birdie. He had a good look at birdie at the 17th, but his nine-footer stayed above ground.
Tway missed the green at the par-five closing hole and "fluffed" his chip. He pitched his fourth to six feet and converted the par putt to stay atop the leaderboard.
"I played pretty well today," said Tway, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour. "I hit my irons exceptionally well. I hit a few wayward drives. I was able to kind of recover from those and get them on the green and take advantage of the good iron shots I had."
Wiebe, a Champions Tour winner in 2007 and 2008, started on the 10th tee Friday and promptly birdied his first two holes, both from around 15 feet. He rattled off back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 and the one at the par-five 15th was amazing.
He drove into a fairway bunker and had to choke down to the metal on a five- iron. Wiebe's ball was at waist-level and he punched it down the fairway. He hit an eight-iron to 10 feet and cashed in on the birdie putt.
"It was not looking very well," admitted Wiebe of the 15th hole.
Wiebe made a short birdie putt at the 18th and his lone birdie of the front side came from 25 feet at the third. He parred his last six for his share of the lead.
"I'm extremely happy," said Wiebe, who played sick with a sore throat on Friday. "I'm real, real happy to be bogey-free on this golf course. I kind of kept my game plan and kept it in the fairway and get it on the green."
Lu, a Champions Tour rookie who tied for ninth at the Allianz Championship, tallied five birdies and a bogey through his first 10 holes. He birdied the par-three 13th and par-five 18th for his piece of first.
Defending champion Eduardo Romero, Wayne Levi, Ronnie Black, Loren Roberts, Tom Lehman, D.A. Weibring, Bobby Wadkins and Gary Hallberg are knotted in eighth place at four-under 67.
NOTES: Bernhard Langer, who holed out for eagle to defeat John Cook in a playoff at the Allianz Championship, shot a one-under 70 and is tied for 26th place...Tom Watson, who won the season-opener in Hawaii, posted a two-under 69 and shares 20th.
<< Broncos sign RB Arrington
Englewood, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Broncos have brought back
running back J.J. Arrington.
Arrington originally signed a four-year deal worth a reported $10 million
with Denver last offseason, but was subsequently
<< Duke holds on down the stretch to edge Maryland
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jasmine Thomas scored a game-high 21 points,
and ninth-ranked Duke survived down the stretch to beat Maryland, 66-64, and
advance to the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.
Joy Cheek added 14 points, five r
<< Jets release Thomas Jones, Strickland
Florham Park, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Jets announced the
release of veteran running back Thomas Jones on Friday. The team also
released cornerback Donald Strickland.
Jones, 31, ran for a career-high 1,402 ya
<< Report: Wilfork signs long-term deal with Pats
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Patriots and defensive tackle
Vince Wilfork have reportedly agreed to a five-year contract worth $40
million.
According to Boston.com, which cites Wilfork's agent, the deal has $25 mil
Report: Texans retain Walter with multi-year deal >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Houston Texans wide receiver Kevin Walter has
reportedly re-signed with the team after becoming an unrestricted free agent
earlier in the day.
The Houston Chronicle reports the pact is for multiple years.
Boston College upsets No. 8 FSU in ACC tourney >>
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stefanie Murphy posted 14 points to lead all
scorers, and Boston College moved on to the semis of the ACC Tournament with a
67-60 upset over No. 8 Florida State.
Jasmine Gill added 13 points, while Carolyn
Ohio State fends off Illinois in Big Ten quarters >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jantel Lavender poured in 19 points and
pulled down six rebounds, as 10th-ranked Ohio State held off Illinois, 66-55,
in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
Samantha Prahalis added 13 points
Pistons' Stuckey taken off on stretcher >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey was
taken from the court at Quicken Loans Arena on a stretcher after possibly
suffering a seizure during Friday night's game against the Cavaliers.
The incident
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
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