Fantasy Football Week 8

Fantasy Football Week 8 is here and Cincinnati, Kansas City, New England, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Washington all have bye weeks.

A lot of fantasy owners will miss Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Randy Moss, Carson Palmer, Cedric Benson, Dwayne Bowe, Big Ben this week

To prepare you as best we have for your week of Fantasy Football Week 8

Quarterbacks
David Garrard vs. Tennessee Titans: consider him a big option for this week as he will face the worst passing defense in the league. In week 4 against the Titans Garrard threw for 3 TD without a pick for 31 fantasy points.

Jay Cutler vs. Cleveland Browns: Cutler has bounced back every time he had a poor game the week before. The Browns don’t stop nobody, expect big number from him.

Brett Favre vs. Green Bay Packers: Favre tends to put some enormous numbers in big games like this.
Also Phillips Rivers (vs. Raiders) and Matt Hasselbeck (vs. Cowboys) have favorable matchups this week

Running Backs
Steve Slaton vs. Buffalo Bills: Buffalo has the worst defense against the run in the league. Slaton is coming off a nice game against a good 49ers defense. He put 18 fantasy points and you can’t expect something similar this week.

Matt Forte vs. Cleveland Browns: Forte is having a difficult year so far but this week could be the beginning of a new start. He will face the second worse rushing defense in the league and you can also expect him to have a few looks through the air as well.

Steven Jackson vs. Detroit Lions: this will be the week for Jackson to score his first TD of the season. The Lions are allowing 21.9 fantasy points per game to running backs.
Also start Kevin Smith (vs. Rams) and LaDainian Tomlinson (vs. Raiders).

Wide Receivers
Mike Sims-Walker vs. Tennessee Titans: Titans rank 32nd in receiving defense, allowing an average of 325.8 receiving YPG. Sims- Walker had 21 fantasy points against Tennessee in week 4.

Miles Austin vs. Seattle Seahawks: Despite Seattle’s average passing defense, Austin playmaking skills make him a must start.

Lee Evans vs. Houston Texans: he had found the end zone in the last two games and seems to be Ryan Fitzpatrick number one choice.
Consider also T.J. Houshmandzadeh (vs. Cowboys) and Johnny Knox (vs. Cleveland). Read More!

NBA Basketball Odds - NBA Thursday Night Preview

After 16 games in the first two days of regular season action, NBA Basketball Odds takes it easy Thursday night for a pair of games featuring one home favorite (Portland) and one small road favorite when San Antonio tips off at Chicago.

The Spurs (-3) are already 1-0 on the season after a 113-96 home win Wednesday night against the New Orleans Hornets. NBA Basketball Odds at sportsbooks opened with the Spurs listed as high as four-point favorites but the Bulls have had support from bettors suggesting Chicago can build on a positive training camp. Chicago is 16-3 SU in its last 19 games at home and after a playoff appearance last season expectations are high in the Windy City.

Over/Under NBA Betting has led the total down one point from an opening total of 194, no doubt helped by a trend between these two teams that has seen five of the last six games land under the number.

In a game that tips off at 10:30 ET, a pair of 1-0 Northwest rivals will treat fans to the first of what promises to be a highly contested battle for the division title in 2010 when the Denver Nuggets travel to Portland (-7.5) to take on the Trailblazers.

Denver earned its first win of the season on 30 points from Carmelo Anthony which led the team past the Utah Jazz 114-105. The total has also stayed under in five of the past six meetings between these two teams but public money is calling for a reversal tonight as online wagering has inched the total above 200 at sportsbooks across the board.

Friday night the NBA Betting card goes back to full strength when 26 teams go into action, starting at 7 pm ET with the New York Knicks vs. the Charlotte Bobcats (-2.5) and the Milwaukee Bucks against the Philadelphia 76ers (-8).

Expect to see plenty of early line movement as bettors weigh in on the first full weekend of pro basketball betting of the season. Read More!

Houston Rockets Against Portland Trailblazers

The Blazers will look for an inch of revenge against the Houston Rockets after getting slammed out of the playoffs last year. The Rockets, who will be without Yao Ming as he returns to Monster Island to get Mothra to fix his foot, are entering this season with tons of questions surrounding their team. All-Star Tracy McGrady is back after having mircofracture surgery, but it’s only a matter of a time before McGrady quits this season as well.

Coach Rick Adelman, one of the more capable head coaches in the league, has his hands full. With Luis Scola as his only option under the rim, the Rockets won’t be the defensive juggernaut they were last year. Houston allowed just 94.4 points per game last season and averaged 43.0 rebounds with Yao Ming, but without the Great Wall of China, the Rockets are destined to get steamrolled this season. Scola is only 6-foot-9.

Almost every franchise is reasonably optimistic about the NBA season, but the Rockets are the real contender who remains genuinely and realistically concerned about what they’re going to be able to do. They certainly weren’t without some positive notes last year as Aaron Brooks enjoyed a breakout season, but this team has more things to worry about and almost nothing to be optimistic about.

The Blazers, on the other hand, are the fourth horseman in the Western Conference race. People have them pegged from anywhere from 6th to 3rd in the west, and rightfully so. They’ve locked up Brandon Roy, one of the best clutch shooters in the game, to a max deal and threw a bit (i.e. ‘a lot’) too much at LaMarcus Aldridge to serve as “Greg Oden Insurance”.

But the oddsmakers’ line should tell you all you need to know about the Houston Rockets. As nearly double-digit road dogs in Portland, the betting community feverishly believes that Houston is well on its way to missing the playoffs while Portland is a viable contender.

Any team that has the size is going to give Houston absolute fits. I want to be as hopeful as any handicapper for any team in the league, but Houston just don’t have the nuts to last the season. Read More!

NFL Betting Tips

A vote for Pedro

Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced Tuesday that Pedro Martinez will start Game 2 of the World Series. Martinez is 1-1 with a no-decision in his last three starts against the New York Yankees, all as a member of the New York Mets. In the 2004 ALCS with Boston, Martinez was 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in three appearances vs. the Yankees. He has made one start in this postseason, tossing seven scoreless innings vs. Los Angeles. By pitching Game 2, Martinez would be able to pitch Game 6 on an extra day of rest.

Ready for liftoff?

When the Houston Rockets visit the Golden State Warriors, they will be looking to extend a pair of streaks. The Rockets have won the previous six meetings, going 5-1 against the spread. Houston also is 4-1 against the spread in the second of back-to-back road games, dating to December. The Rockets are getting 6.5 points with a total of 216.5.

Grounded

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook may miss Sunday night's key NFC East game vs. the New York Giants with a concussion suffered Monday night at Washington, the Philadelphia Daily News reported. Westbrook sat out Week 3 with an ankle injury and has just 81 yards on 15 carries since. He would be replaced by LeSean McCoy, who actualy leads the Eagles in rushing yards. Philadelphia is giving one points with a total of 44.

Road warriors

The Buffalo Sabres put their 3-0-0 road mark on the line against the New Jersey Devils. The Sabres have allowed just four goals on the road this season, offsetting a road power play that ranks 29th. They also have won their last two visits to New Jersey. Buffalo is +112 with a total of 5.5.

Howling Wolf

The Minnesota Timberwolves will have center Al Jefferson for their season opener vs. the New Jersey Nets. Jefferson had been bothered by an Achilles tendon injury but has been pain free lately. Last season was shortened by a torn Achilles tendon. The Timberwolves are giving two points - just the second time in the last 20 games that they are favored - and are 9-2 against the spread in their last 11 meetings with New Jersey.

Notable quotable

"It’s just weird because a couple years ago we were talking about maybe pitching in a World Series together. Now we’re in different clubhouses. We’re close. You know, we always have been. We came up together." Read More!

Week 8 NFL Power Rankings

NFL Week 8 Power Rankings:

1. New Orleans Saints: Brees had one of the worst first 1st halfs of his career and the Saints still didn’t lose.

2. Indianapolis Colts: Another day at the office for Peyton and company.

3. Denver Broncos: After their bye week a matchup against the Ravens.

4. Minnesota Vikings: Favre is going home to where it started.

5. New England Patriots: Fit for a Queen…the Pats are returning to their glory days./

6. Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer threw for 5 touchdowns, one shy of his career high he set in 2007.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers: Polamalu seems to be more important than Big Ben right now.

8. Arizona Cardinals: One dimensional team? That’s old news.

9. New York Giants: Eli just had a bad night, don’t kid yourself, he’s for real.

10. Baltimore Ravens: Ravens D really needs to show up this week against the undefeated Broncos.

11. Atlanta Falcons: A lot questions here after losing that bad against the lowly Cowboys.

12. Green Bay Packers: Favre is coming home, Aaron Rodgers is looking to show him who the new sheriff in town is.

13. Philadelphia Eagles: Did you really believe they’re going to lose to 2 non-contenders in a row?

14. San Diego Chargers: LT is definitely not who he used to be, but this is Rivers team now.

15. Dallas Cowboys: After a win against a good team, Dallas is on a favorable schedule to help their winning ways.

16. New York Jets: Rex Ryan’s Defense spanked JaMarcus Russell every time he had the ball.

17. Houston Texans: Can you believe they finally have a winning record?

18. Chicago Bears: Their defense is overrated.

19. San Francisco 49ers: Alex Smith is back… is that supposed to be good news?

20. Buffalo Bills: The Fitzpatrick -Evans duo is going to get them a few more wins.

21. Seattle Seahawks: After a bye week they look ahead to face Dallas.

22. Miami Dolphins: I thought they knew 34 points was not going to be enough against Brees and company.

23. Carolina Panthers: Delhomme has to be benched. With DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Steve Smith in their line up the Panthers should be a top 5 team in the league.

24. Jacksonville Jaguars: Can you say LA Jaguars?

25. Oakland Raiders: How much more JaMarcus Russell will Raider fans take?

26. Detroit Lions: Second win of the season coming this week.

27. Kansas City Chiefs: Can anyone tell Larry Johnson to just shut up and play?

28. Cleveland Browns: I don’t think they would of played any better if the team hadn’t gotten the flu.

29. Washington Redskins: Jim Zorn, Jason Campbell…they don’t belong in the NFL…neither does owner Dan Snyder

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They are going on a bye week after an international whipping.

31. Tennessee Titans: Vince Young will not resolve their problems.

32. St. Louis Rams: 17 straight losses and counting… Read More!

NFL News : Larry Johnson's days with the Chiefs are numbered

Time For Chiefs To Part Ways With head Case Larry Johnson

After living in the Kansas City area for the better part of the last five years, I know all about the ongoing off-field antics of Chiefs’ running back Larry Johnson. It’s time for K.C. to part ways with their talented, but enigmatic head case running back who’s turning into the biggest head case in the NFL.

Larry Johnson is not only a huge head case whose perplexing actions often leave Chiefs fans and NFL followers spanning the globe slack-jawed, but the biggest ‘quitter’ in the game today.

Not only has Johnson’s often petulant act worn thin with me – and a bunch of Chiefs fans – but his on-field play has deteriorated immensely since he rushed for a whopping 1,789 yards during the 2006 season as he has put up 559 yards and 874 yards in the two full seasons he’s played since then.

Following Sunday’s 37-7 blowout loss to the San Diego Chargers, Johnson took time out via his Twitter account in order to rip first-year head coach Todd Haley – and one of his twitter followers – following a performance in which he carried the ball 16 times for a grand total of 49 yards.

"My father got more credentials than most of these pro coaches," Johnson said of his father, the defensive line coach at Penn State, as he began his Internet rant.

Johnson's first ‘tweet’ ended with "Google my father!!!!!!!" Johnson got a lot more personal and ripped Haley a new one, saying, "My father played for the coach from 'Remember the Titans.' Our coach played golf. My father played for Redskins briefly. Our coach. Nuthn."

Johnson doesn’t discriminate on what, where and when he’ll blow up as he has been accused on more than one occasion of getting violent towards K.C. area women. Read More!

UFC 104 Picks : Machida vs. Shogun

Machida's skill and mastery out-class Shogun's aggressive muay thai. Machida over Shogun. At -405 I won't be betting on this one.

- Rothwell is my dog pick for this event. Valesquez is a rising star, but Rothwell's experience may actually be the difference here. Underdog pick is Rothwell at +235.

- I like Stevenson's chances against Fisher. Although Fisher could win this standing up, Stevenson will likely get Fisher to the ground and control the fight. I expect this one to go to a UD for Stevenson. I'm with the odds makers here. Stevenson at -245 is a fair bet.

- Remember Yoshida eating Koschek's fists then being carried out of the cage on a stretcher? Johnson surely does. Many think this fight will be a replay as Johnson is being seen as a stronger, more physical fighter capable of KO'ing Yoshida. If it goes to the ground, Yoshida is favored. The problem is that Johnson is strong enough put off the takedown. I'm going with odds on this one. Johnson is -315. A small dog on Yoshida at +255 was being considered though.

- Okami's favored at -225 to Sonnen's +185 line. I believe this is Okami's third straight under card bout. He was once very close to getting a title shot with Silva until he broke his hand. Cote got the nod instead. Okami's winning again, but maybe not in a way that puts him in the "entertainment" column. Okami's got to dominate and destroy in order to get to the main card. Sonnen's a great match-up. Ultimately, this could end up in a decision.

- The Barry/Hardonk match-up could end with one of the fighters getting his walking papers. Reach and experience do go to Hardonk. Barry's 1-1 UFC, while Hardonk's 4-3 UFC. Lines are -110 for Barry, -120 for Hardonk. Barry's still fighting at heavyweight at 5'11". Personally, I'm staying away from this one. Barry should have too. (Sidenote: this could be a stand-up, leg-kick brawl - TKO on the way.)

- Darth Bader returns from a MCL and PCL knee injury from this April. The TUF 8 LHW winner, Ryan Bader, is heavily favored over Eric Schafer. At -435 for Bader and +355 for Schafer, you can see what the sportsbooks think of Schafer's chances. I agree. Read More!

2008 Heisman Winner Out For Season?

It hasn’t been the best of seasons for the Oklahoma Sooners, who were runners-up in the BCS championship game back in January.

With a record of 3-3, the team will miss out on the BCS title game and 2008 Heisman Trophy-winning QB Sam Bradford, who already missed the early part of the season due to a shoulder injury, could undergo season-ending surgery according to an ESPN report.

In the Red River Rivalry game last week, Bradford re-injured his shoulder and the Sooners lost 16-13 to the Texas Longhorns–Oklahoma was a 3-point underdog.

The Sooners are 8-point road faves for a game against the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday–the Total for that game is 56. Read More!

Angels Live To Play Another Day

The New York Yankees aren’t headed to the World Series, at least not yet, as the Los Angeles Angels edged them 7-6 in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series.

The two teams will now return to New York for Game 6 on Saturday–the Yanks are -170 faves and the Angels are +155 with a Total of 9.5.

Joe Saunders starts for the Angels and Andy Pettitte for the Yankees and Game 7 would go on Sunday if necessary.

In Pettitte’s last 12 home starts the Pinstripes have taken 9 Unders and 3 Overs while Saunders’ last 11 road starts have yielded the Halos 8 Overs and 3 Unders.

The Angels covered as -109 home faves in Game 5 and the combined score of 13 went Over the Total of 8.5. Read More!

NFL Betting odds for Week 7

NFL odds for Week 7 are posted already so there's no time for standing around. Let's make our picks!

Indianapolis Colts @ St. Louis Rams
Sunday, October 25, 1:00 p.m. ET
Online betting favorite: Colts -13

Remember what New England did to Tennessee last week? Expect more of the same in St. Louis this week. Arguably, the Colts are playing better football than the Patriots right now and, arguably, the Rams are even worse than the Titans. That means we could have a full-fledged massacre on our hands. The Colts pass the ball better than pretty much everyone, especially with Peyton Manning having perhaps his best season to date through five games. They'll torch the Rams secondary without trouble. Also, Indy defends the pass well and the Rams can't pass, so St. Louis won't score much. Pick Indy to cover with confidence -- even if the spread rises to 15 points.

Betting services recommend: Colts -13

Chicago Bears @ Cincinnati Bengals
Sunday, October 25, 4:15 p.m. ET
Online betting favorite: Bengals -1.5

Are the Bengals still for real or is a slide on the horizon? The Bears are a tough matchup for the Cardiac Cats this week. Chicago stops the run well, even without Brian Urlacher, so Cedric Benson may struggle a bit. That will put pressure on Carson Palmer and the passing game to put points on the board, and I'm not convinced they're up to the task. Palmer wasn't too effective over the last couple of weeks despite being sacked just twice over that span. He also seems to lack a true vertical threat; even Chad Ochocinco doesn't get separation like he used to. Also, with defensive end Antwan Odom gone for the year with a torn Achilles, Cincy's pass rush suffers dramatically. If they can't get to Jay Cutler, the Bears may pass on the Bengals all day. Make the Bears your NFL picks this week.

Betting services recommend: Bears +1.5 Read More!

Top Online Sport Bookmakers

There are currently hundreds of online sports books available on the net. Choosing the top online sports bookmaker can be very confusing, not to mention if you have just begun betting online. Clearly, you want to deposit your money in it that makes you feel safe, not only the one that offers you the best odds and fast payout. There are, however, several points to which bettors often pay attention before choosing their bookmaker.

* Easy and Fast Cash Out is a very important aspect as many bettors have complained about payout delay, which makes them uneasy while thinking about not being able to receive the money the have won.
* Credibility and Security. A sports book with high credibility and well established security allows bettors to rest assured as their money is safe.
* Attractive Bonuses/Free Bets are very important to some bettors and this offer can be very tempting to entice people to start betting online.
* Customer service shows how good and how credible a bookmaker is. Bad customer service tends to give bettors bad impression about it.
* Available Odds/Lines. Numbers are essential to betting, two or three points difference could mean a difference between winning and losing.
* Fund Transfer Methods. Various withdrawal and deposit methods give bettors many choices and make them feel more convenient because they will not worry too much about how to deposit and receive their money.
* Easy to Access Website. A magnificent betting interface allows bettors to place their wager comfortably without having to waste too much time on searching.
* Various Betting Coverage. Most have popular sports to bet on. A bookmaker with more various betting coverage introduces itself as a better bookmaker than others.

You would wish that a sport bookmaker has all those aspects covered in a package to offer. In fact there is no perfect one available. There is, however, several sports books that are close to being perfect. Read More!

How Do Bookmakers Calculate Odds?

Although there are a lot of materials on this topic around the Internet, I have found them a bit confusing and hard to understand. A good sports bettor has to know the real probabilities in order to make a good pick. Don't be surprised when I tell you that the coefficients you see when you bet on games, are actually far away from their "true" value.

Let's look at the following example, that I will use in this article, to make things more clear for you:

Say we have: TeamA and TeamB and their true probabilities are the following:

TeamA: 55% chance of winning
TeamB: 25% chance of winning
A draw between the two sides: 20% chance
When you sum up the above percentages you get 100%, which means that if the bookmaker offers you those odds they will neither win nor loose. So in order for them to profit they modify the original values to something similar:
TeamA: 54% chance of winning
TeamB: 32.4% chance of winning
A draw between the two sides: 21.6% chance
Now the sum is 108% which will guarantee the bookmaker a profit of 8%.
In European format, these odds are displayed as coefficients:
54% = 1.85
32.4% = 3.09
21.6% = 4.63
At these odds, the bookmaker pays out the player's stake multiplied by 1.85 or multiplied by 3.09 or multiplied by 4.63. Too keep things simple here's what I am talking about:
Using these figures, we can calculate back to 8%: the amount of profit the bookmaker will take:
For each $100 staked, $50 would be on TeamA to win, $30 on TeamB to win, and $20 on a draw.
If TeamA wins, the bookie pays out 50*1.85 = $92.50
If TeamB wins, the bookie pays out 30*3.09 = $92.70
If the two sides draw, the bookie pays out 20*4.63 = $92.60
This would be perfect for the bookmaker if everyone bets according to the odds. However we all know most people bet on who they favor.This is also called the "public opinion spread". This means that even though TeamB has only 32.4% chance of winning, its supporters would bet on it.
Let's say the actual "public opinion spread" is:
70% total money staked on TeamA to win
25% total money staked on TeamB to win
5% total money staked on a draw between the two sides
For every $100 staked, the bookmaker will take $70 on TeamA, $25 on TeamB, and $5 on a draw.
If the bookmaker offered odds as per the 'true' probabilities - and not as per the actual spread of bets, for each $100 they took, they would pay out (with profit margin accounted for):
If TeamA wins: 70*1.85 = $129.50
If TeamB wins: 25*3.09 = $77.25
If the two sides draw: 5*4.63 = $23.15
You see now that this is not a very good way to make profit, because in some cases the bookmaker will win money and some will loose money.So instead, the bookmaker aims to make a consistent profit by calculating its odds based not on the likely outcomes, but rather on the spread of bets that they expect to receive on the different outcomes.
So a bookmaker expecting the following spread of bets:
70% total money staked on TeamA to win
25% total money staked on TeamB to win
5% total money staked on a draw between the two sides
will adjust its profit margin at 8% profit, so the percentages will be - 75.6% / 27% / 5.4%
And converting these figures to odds:
1.32 TeamA to win
3.70 TeamB to win
18.52 for a draw between the two sides
So on each $100 staked:
If TeamA wins bookmaker pays out 1.32*70 = $92.40
If TeamB wins bookmaker pays out 3.70*25 = $92.50
If it's a draw bookmaker pays out 18.52*5 = $92.60
Thus the bookmaker's profit is between $7 and $8 = 8%. (Rounding of figures dictates that the profit is not always precisely 8%.)
Bookmakers employ further formulas to calculate adjustments to make to odds depending on the actual money flow on each outcome of an event.

Read More!

Bookmakers

The origins of bookmaking have vanished into the past, but betting, especially on horse racing, has been ingrained in the character of England for centuries. Originally betting would have been between individuals, with the largest sums of money wagered on the Classic races, such as the Derby and the St Leger. Betting was the domain of the wealthy, but betting contracts, where no money changed hands, often led to large debts and animosity. The Gaming Act of 1845 banned this practice and bookmakers began to insist on cash up front.

Betting shops started being set up around the country but were outlawed by the 1853 Betting Act, and were not legalised until 1 May 1961, after which 10,000 were set up within 6 months, with some of the illegal bookies making it through the new vetting procedures, established by the 1960 Betting and Gaming Act. However a lot of them found that entering into the business world was outside of their capability, being unable to set up premises, pay staff and 'go straight.' As well as this, betting tax was increased and the Government imposed a 33 per cent tax on the fixed-odds coupons issued by bookmakers. The number of High Street shops began to decline, and now there are just over 8,000.

Punters could listen only to an audio commentary on races in the betting shops, provided by the Exchange Telegraph Company, with each region having a 'local' commentator with a 'local' accent. In 1986 the regulation relaxed and television screens were permitted which would bring live racing via satellite to the majority of shops. Bookmakers were permitted to open in the evenings and on Sundays, but duty at 10 per cent was driving punters to illegal bookmakers, who, operating in pubs, clubs and factories, accounted for a 10 per cent of betting turnover.

Another two events have had a massive impact on bookmakers - the first when Frankie Dettori rode all seven winners at Ascot in 1996, which resulted in massive payouts. The second was the introduction of the National Lottery and particularly scratchcards in 1995, with the betting shops being denied the right to sell tickets. A Government survey on gambling revealed that 57% of gamblers use the lottery, 20% buy scratchcards and 17% bet on horseracing.


However in the past decade, measures have been taken to rebalance the nation's gambling impulses. Tax on betting-shop wagers was cut from 10% to 9% and abolished in 2002, in favour of a tax on the bookies' gross profits. Rules regarding betting on football were relaxed, allowing bets on single matches, and betting shops have been allowed to install fixed-odds betting terminals and fruit machines.

Online gambling is today's worry on bookmakers but the figures suggest that the world of internet gambling and betting shops could live side by side -the four biggest betting shop companies still seem strongly committed to betting shops. William Hill currently runs more than 2,250 shops; Ladbrokes has 2,350; Coral owns 1,600; and totesport manages 540. Paddy Power, which has 58 British shops, mostly in and around London, announced profits of £55.2m for 2007, half of this coming from online operations. But its UK shops also made money and it plans to have twice as many by 2011. Read More!

NFL Football Betting – Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* CHI has won six of its last eight games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven road games
* CHI has lost five of its last seven road games SU
* CHI has played eight of its last 11 road games UNDER the total
* ATL has won six of its last eight games SU
* ATL has played four of its last six games OVER the total
* ATL has covered eight of its last 11 home games
* ATL has won its last five home games SU
* ATL has played ten of its last 14 home games OVER the total

Also…

* CHI has covered six of the last seven meetings
* CHI has won eight of the last ten meetings SU
* The last five meetings have gone UNDER the total
* The last five meetings in Atlanta have gone UNDER the total

If you recall, Matt Ryan, then a rookie, burned the Bears in the final seconds in last year’s meeting, leading the Falcons to a field goal that turned back Chicago by a 22-20 score in the NFL football betting. Ryan has gathered more experience since then, and is completing passes at a 67% rate and seven TD’s. He has thrown only two interceptions. As far as his weapons are concerned, they are solid.

Roddy White had one of the best games of his career last Sunday against San Francisco, shredding the Niner secondary for eight catches and 210 yards, scoring twice. Tony Gonzalez has 19 catches in four games, Michael Jenkins has 187 yards, and Ryan has been sacked only twice. Frankly, the rushing game has not performed as well as hoped, with Michael Turner averaging only 3.7 yards a carry. Then again, after Turner’s All-Pro season last year almost anything would be a letdown.

For the Bears, Jay Cutler has rebounded from a tough opening game to start developing a connection with his corps of receivers. One of those guys is someone he already knew, and Earl Bennett currently leads the team in receptions with 15 and yards with 200. Johnny Knox has been a pleasant rookie surprise, and brought a kickoff back for a touchdown last time out. With speedster Devin Hester and tight end Gregg Olson rounding out the group, Cutler has made this team very competitive, and has had three straight weeks of QB ratings above 100.

Sure, Atlanta was able to wreak havoc against San Francisco last week, as the Niners have a rather simple offense that was missing Frank Gore, and the Falcons had a bye week to prepare. This Bears team now poses a different kind of problem, and if they can get Matt Forte (363 total yards) more involved this team is every bit as well-rounded as Atlanta.

The “elephant in the room” is Atlanta’s inability to put a clamp on most running games, as they allow 4.9 yards a carry (Glen Coffee, a rookie, was not able to exploit that last week). We like Chicago’s ability to control the ball and keep this close, and as such we’re taking the 3.5 points with the Bears in the BetUS NFL football betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: CHICAGO +3.5 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars) Read More!

NFL Week 6 Expert Picks – Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

It’s been downright ugly for the Steelers since their Super Bowl victory. They won a narrow game over the Titans to open the season, but then lost Troy Polamalu…up until today. The hard hitting Samoan safety is back after injuring his knee and that means that this Steelers defense can regain the identity it has lost in the fourth quarter.

The Steelers have been getting beaten down on the betting line by going 1-4 ATS this season, and pushing the OVER three times already. That’s the bad news. The good news is that with Polamalu healthy again, their defense won’t give up in the fourth quarter like it has against Detroit, San Diego and Cincinnati in recent weeks. The Steelers are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 against Cleveland, a trend you can certainly bank on this weekend.

Cleveland Browns (1-4) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

Sunday, October 18th
Heinz Field, Pittsburgh — 1:00pm EST

NFL Betting Line: Pittsburgh -14 (38)

The Browns are an absolute embarrassment right now. It doesn’t matter if Brady Quinn or Derek Anderson is under center because they both suck, and they both have nobody to throw to. With Kellen Winslow emerging as a top tight-end in Tampa, and Braylon catching miracles in New York, the Browns have left their receiving corps to a bunch of no names that only an idiot like Eric Mangini would want. Against Buffalo, they had two receptions last weekend. Two for the entire team!

The Browns never play well on the road, which their 1-5 ATS record in 6 road efforts will testify. Take the Steelers, don’t be scare of the points, and watch Pittsburgh push the OVER all by themselves.

Furious Free Pick: Pittsburgh -14 (OVER) Read More!

NFL Betting Picks: Bookies Report Card and ATS Summary

NFL Betting picks bookies report card and summary on ATS Roundups. Check out  NFL betting tips & picks, free nfl picks.

NFL Betting Picks is on its way in giving bookies report card and brief summary on ATS Roundups.

Minn @ St L: This was the number on favorite game of the NFL Betting public, getting mostly one-way action on Minnesota. Line opened at Minny -10 and closed at -11, with over 92% of the action on the Vikes. When the Vikings won by 28, it was a bad start to the day for the books. Line was off by 18 points and the house got killed on the game. GRADE: F

Dal @ KC: Line opened at Dal – 8 ½ and was bet all the way down to Dal -7. When the Cowboys had to come from behind to win in OT, the books took their second beating of the day. Line was only off by 2 ½, but with the Chiefs as the most popular dog of the day with the wagering public the house lost big again. GRADE: F

Wash @ Car: Line opened at Panthers -4 and closed at 5 ½. Carolina won, but only by 3 points so the house got a little back on this game. Line was off by only 1 point and the books made money on this one. GRADE: A

Oak @ NYG: Like the game above, the public did not think the dog was attractive at the opening number. Here, NY opened 15 ½ and closed -16’. Giants beat the NFL’s worst - the LA Raiders - by a whopping 37 points. Line was off by 21 ½. GRADE: F-

Ind @ Ten: Another bad number here. Indy opened at -3, the books too scared to go off that key number. The public jumped all over the visiting Colts against the winless Titans, and Indy won 31-9. Number was off by 19, the public, as is their tendency, jumped all over the favorite in the only game on the board, and the house got hit again. GRADE: F

NYJ @ Mia: Best game of the week for the bookies and the house, and it couldn’t come soon enough. The odds makers opened NY at -1 and the sports betting public was still buying into the Ryan-led Jets D as near-invincible theory – the Jets closed at -3 with a price on it! Miami was in control the whole way, emerging with a 4 point win. The opening line was off by 5, but the house, who could ill afford to end the week with another loser, profited nicely. GRADE: B

ATS Roundup - NFL Betting:

Four opening lines within 3 points of the final score. (Five week total at 13 of 76!)

SIX of fourteen games were off by ten or more points (five week total at 39 of 76.)

Favorites went 6-8 (five week total at 38-37-1.)

There were no flip-flops (games where teams opened as favs and closed as dogs). These are 4-0 on the season now.

Double digit dogs went 1-3 (five week total at 4-8.)

Home favorites went 4-4. (Five week total at 27-23-1.)

Home dogs went 4-2 (five week total at 13-12.)

NFC vs. AFC is 10-7 ATS

Totals: 7 overs 7 unders 1 push (five week total at 39 overs, 36 unders.) Read More!

NFL Sports Betting Picks & Tips - Team Fights

Continuing my previous post NFL Betting Picks here is the next NFL Betting Tips & Picks, Enjoy NFL Sports Betting

NFL Betting Picks - Teams

Raiders Vs Giants
The Giants outgained the Raiders 483-123 total yards. In their previous games, the Raiders have only accumulated 165 total yards against Houston, 137 against the Broncos, and even in their win against the Chiefs they were outgained 409-166. The Raiders need a makeover like no other team has ever before gone under the knife.

The Lions started to make their climb out of the basement by firing the coaching staff and ridding themselves of GM Matt Millen. The Raiders have the challenge of needing to get rid of its owner or at least his meddling influence. Al Davis is one of the great NFL owners of all time, but maybe it’s time he headed off to the lawn bowling courts and left his team up to some savvy football minds.

Vikings Vs Packers - NFL Betting Tips
There was some concern that the Vikings might have a letdown after getting two big wins against the Packers and 49ers. Letdowns are common in the NFL after big games, and teams that by all accounts would usually spank an inferior opponent, do well to squeak by with a win in this kind of matchup. The Vikings have covered in every game this season and were well prepared to play up to their talent and not the Rams.

The Rams have scored only one offensive touchdown this season and have given up at least 35 points in three straight games. The Vikings jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and cruised to a 38-10 win to easily cover the 10 ½. A bright spot for the Rams was Marc Bulger getting into the game in the fourth quarter after being out with an injury for the last few weeks and going 7-7 for 88 yards and a TD. Bulger will probably play next week in Jacksonville in a scintillating matchup.

The Vikings host the Ravens next week presenting their toughest test to date. The Bengals in Baltimore surprised the Ravens in a game to decide first place in the division. The Ravens were almost double-digit favorites with the line as high as 9 1/2.

The last second TD from Carson Palmer to Andre Caldwell could well have been a statement moment for Palmer. He is still trying to reclaim his status as one of the top quarterbacks in the league. He has now guided the Bengals to four wins in a ‘cardiac kids fashion.’ The Bengals have won their last three games by three points and have a penchant for last minute heroics. A bigger surprise than their defense or Palmer’s re-emergence is that running back Cedric Benson leads the league in rushing. The Bengals are for real having dispatched the Steelers and the Ravens and Pack on the road.

The Eagles got Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook back from the infirmary in time to torch the Buccaneers 33-14. McNabb finished 16 of 21 and his QB rating of 157.2 was the second highest in his career and also led the team with 30 yards rushing. If McNabb stays healthy, the Eagles will start to put up some big numbers in coming weeks. Philadelphia travels to Oakland next week in a game that you might want to keep the children out of the room.

All four teams that had a bye the previous week won their games in Week Five with the Panthers downing the Redskins 20-17, the Falcons throttling the 49ers 45-10 and the Cardinals hanging on to beat Houston 28-21. The Panthers were the only team that didn’t cover the line as they were posted as 3 ½ favorites. The Saints, Bears, Packers and Chargers had a bye this week and should be considered as good opportunities to win in Week Six.

The Denver Broncos still continue to stun the NFL after its last minute and overtime heroics against the Patriots. Josh McDaniels might not get a sniff at coaching in a lot of high school programs because of his age and relative lack of experience and yet he and his Broncos are the leagues biggest surprise and will be a force to be reckoned with before all is said and done. The Broncos should have had to play with leather helmets to match the pre-WWII uniforms. No matter what they’re wearing, McDaniels schooled his mentor and has surged to the front for Coach of the Year honors.

Jacksonville and the 49ers were both exposed this week suffering blowout losses. All is good in Seattle with the return of underrated QB Matt Hasselbeck. He threw four TD’s and looked in complete control against the Jaguars. The embarrassing loss by the 49ers to Atlanta allows both the Seahawks and Arizona back in the race in the West. As long as Seattle can dress Hasselbeck they have a shot at the division title.

The Colts and Peyton Manning finished off the Sunday card, putting on a clinic in their win over the Titanics. The only good news for the rest of the league is that Manning tweaked his knee. The bad news is that it isn’t serious and he has a bye week to fully recover. The Colts will get some starters back after the bye including Bob Sanders, just in time to face off against the Rams. Any bets on Manning getting his 6th straight 300-yard game?

The season is rounding into form and it’s starting to shape up like a Manning versus Manning Super Bowl. Let the hype begin.

Read More!

NFL Week 5 Review - NFL Sports Betting Tips

NFL Week 5 Review - NFL Sports Betting Tips

Looking at the updated NFL power rankings from ESPN.com, CBSSports.com and various other NFL focused sports sites, the top four teams are all the same across the board and the teams in that group, who played in Week 5, reinforced their standing at the top.

Week 5 in the NFL featured a number of games that had online sportsbooks serving up double-digit favorites. Advice from NFL sports betting handicapping veterans will often tell you to avoid NFL betting big favorites, but this season in the NFL, parity doesn’t seem to be ruling the league, as when you look at the bottom of the standings, there are truly some of the worst teams in recent NFL memory.

The New York Giants were favored by 16 ½ points, even with Eli Manning nursing plantar fasciitis, but had no problem covering against the Raiders. The online sports betting public didn’t blink laying the big points, as the Giants were one of the most wagered on teams of the week.

NFL Betting Picks - Teams

The team who were the biggest public favorites was the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikes went into St. Louis as 10 ½ point favorites and they easily covered the spread as well. Not to be outdone, the Eagles were listed as 14 ½ point favorites at home to Tampa Bay, a game that produced yet another cover for the heavy chalk. That left the Pittsburgh Steelers as the only double-digit favorite that didn’t cover the number, as they beat the Detroit Lions by eight points (28-20) laying 10 ½.

The Giants are as good as any team in the league and should have been limited to ten guys on the field against Oakland. If the NFL followed the lead of the English Premier League and promoted and relegated teams in and out of the league to different divisions based on team success, then the Raiders would start next season in the CFL West division trying to man up against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Read More!