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12/30/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An eerie silence pervaded Heinz Field as Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was being strapped to a backboard in the second quarter of Pittsburgh's eventual 31-0 thrashing of the Cleveland Browns.
There was concern for Roethlisberger, who it turned out had suffered a minor concussion and, luckily for all involved, not the more serious injury that a call for immobilization of the head and neck generally indicates.
There were also whispers about head coach Mike Tomlin's decision to use the oft-battered Roethlisberger in a game that meant absolutely nothing for the Steelers, who were locked into the No. 2 playoff slot in the AFC.
Generally speaking, the worst-case scenario when a star player participates in a meaningless game such as this one is just such an injury, and many Steelers fans may have wondered if the team's Super Bowl hopes were flashing before their eyes as Roethlisberger was being removed from the sandlot-quality Heinz Field playing surface.
Tomlin said after the Cleveland win that he was hopeful Roethlisberger would play when the team hosts a Divisional Playoff game on Jan. 11, and on Tuesday told reporters that the former Pro Bowler was "doing better."
Roethlisberger's status is bound to be a topic of conversation and media speculation in advance of the Steelers' playoff date with the Dolphins, Chargers, or Colts...though should it?
Sure, the former first-round pick has a Super Bowl win on his resume, has topped 3,000 passing yards in each of the past three seasons and is undeniably talented, but let's not pretend he's the first, second, or third reason that Pittsburgh is a 12-4 division-winner in 2008.
Though a weak offensive line is largely to blame, Roethlisberger hasn't posted a triple-digit passer rating since Week 7, threw a scant eight touchdown passes versus 12 interceptions over his final 10 games, and presides over the NFL's No. 22 offense (311.9 yards per game) and No. 17 passing offense (206.3 yards per game).
Does anyone think Byron Leftwich - who has looked at ease in two games of extended relief this season - would fail to live up to those lofty numbers?
The truth is that the Steelers continue to win in spite of their offense, not because of it, and it is the defense that will have to carry Pittsburgh if the team wishes to raise the Lombardi Trophy in a month's time.
The Black and Gold finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the league in total defense (237.2 yards per game), scoring defense (13.9 points per game), and passing defense (156.9 yards per game), and finished a close second in NFL rushing defense (80.2 yards per game) behind only the Minnesota Vikings.
Three Steelers defenders were named to the Pro Bowl (Troy Polamalu, James Farrior, James Harrison), one more should have been (LaMarr Woodley), and cases could be made for at least two others (Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith).
Meanwhile, neither Roethlisberger nor a single member of the Steelers offense either received or was worthy of a Pro Bowl citation.
That's not meant as a knock, but rather an illustration of how dominant the Steelers "D" has been this year, most recently in a game in which they allowed all of 20 passing yards, eight first downs, and 126 total yards to the hapless Browns offense.
In other words, Pittsburgh's loyal fan base need not fret as they ring in the New Year, as long as the only injury news they have to hear about involves a guy wearing No. 7, and not No. 43.
BENGALS: In years past, a large selection of Bengals fans might throw up their hands and bemoan how their team's jump from 0-8 irrelevance to 4-11-1 irrelevance had cost the franchise a top-five Draft pick.
But in the NFL circa 2008, and with signing bonuses for top-five picks being what they are, every win that the Bengals posted during their respectable late-season run meant a couple less million they would have to pay to an untested college superstar next summer.
And given the franchise's reputation for provoking player unrest due to a penchant for tossing around nickels like manhole covers, fans need to recognize that a spot outside the 2009 Draft's top five can only be a good thing.
With the No. 6 pick, Cincinnati should have no trouble finding the offensive or defensive lineman so sorely needed to help turn the organization's flagging fortunes around, and shouldn't find it impossible to locate the dollars to pay him, either.
With Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson presumably back and healthy in 2009, and with Cedric Benson coming in on the heels of a breakout half-season in the Bengals backfield, there is reason for optimism that the team can turn its fortunes around quickly next year.
The team's seeming stronger attitude during the second half of 2008 also speaks to the notion of a team on the cusp of good things.
"I think we found at the end of the season that guys who want to play are going to be better than guys who aren't quite sure whether they want to play," said head coach Marvin Lewis, who will be back for a seventh season in 2009. "If you have 11 guys out there wanting to play and wanting to get it done correctly, you have a chance to be more productive. I think that's important and a good lesson."
BROWNS: For a time, the 2008 Cleveland Browns were considered a disappointment because they failed to live up to the immense promise that followed them into the season.
Then, in the final six weeks of the campaign, the 2008 Cleveland Browns morphed from a disappointing team into one of the most punchless, uncompetitive clubs in the organization's long history, perhaps matched only by the team's "expansion" season of 1999.
The Browns, who entered the season with Pro Bowlers or former Pro Bowlers at quarterback, wide receiver, tight end, running back, and left tackle, somehow managed to go their final 24 quarters of the year without scoring an offensive touchdown, an NFL record for futility. Romeo Crennel's squad was outscored by a margin of 129-31 during its season-ending 0-6 stretch, with four different starting quarterbacks presiding over that run. The Browns were shut out in each of their final two games, against the Bengals (14-0) and Steelers (31-0), falling into sole possession of last place in an AFC North that many had them winning entering the year.
In all a dismal, confounding performance, one that cost both Crennel and general manager Phil Savage their jobs soon after the final second had ticked off the Heinz Field clock this past Sunday.
Team owner Randy Lerner called Crennel, who fashioned a 24-40 record in four seasons on the job, a "gentleman through and through" and did not rule out a future position for Crennel in the organization.
Of Savage, Lerner noted, "We talked about change and about strengthening the organization. It became very clear that our management styles were not going to be adequately compatible going forward."
Lerner immediately commenced the general manager and coaching search, receiving permission to interview Patriots' personnel executive Scott Pioli to start what is expected to be an extensive process.
The Browns are 54-107 (.335) since returning to the NFL in 1999, and have made only one playoff appearance (a loss to the Steelers in 2002) over that span.
RAVENS: As it turns out, a sprint to the finish is the only thing that would have put the Baltimore Ravens into the playoff bracket in 2008.
Two weeks ago, after a heartbreaking loss to the Steelers sent John Harbaugh's team to 9-5, team leaders such as Ray Lewis spoke of the need to get to 11-5 and not put the Ravens' playoff fate in anyone else's hands.
The team got the message, as wins over the Cowboys (33-24) and Jaguars (27-7) raised the mark to 11-5, and gave Baltimore the No. 6 and final seed in the AFC playoff bracket thanks to a better conference record than the similarly 11-5 New England Patriots.
The Ravens will travel to meet AFC East Champion Miami for a Wild Card round game this Sunday, and will have a chance to win the franchise's first playoff contest since it defeated the Dolphins back in the 2001 Wild Card round.
All for a team coming off a last-place, 5-11 finish a year ago, one with a rookie quarterback, head coach, and a ton of uncertainty in the eyes of those who failed to predict big things for Baltimore heading into 2008.
"That tells you what everybody who plays or coaches in the league already knows," said Harbaugh on Monday. "It's amazing to me that observers of the league don't realize this. Predictors and prognosticators make such bold statements about who's going to do what. There's no way to make those predictions in this league. Everybody in this league is really good. [Each team has] really good coaches, really good players, and any team from one year to the next can rise up and have a good year. There's a real fine line. It's different in college football. There's a fine line in the NFL because everybody is professional and they're at the top of the game, without question."
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Recently I had an email debate with an angry reader who said I did not understand "the science of oddsmaking", as he called it.
He said I was wrong for suggesting oddsmakers care about who wins or loses games.
"Oddsmakers only care about splitting the betting public 50/50 on both sides of the line and keeping the commission (a.k.a. juice)," he wrote.
He might have been right about not understanding "the science of oddsmaking". After all, I'm not an oddsmaker. That said, I stick to my assertion that oddsmakers (a.k.a. sportbooks) often do care about who wins games.
Granted, as a general rule, sportsbooks try to balance their action so that they're not exposed to big losses. However, there are times when this is difficult to pull off, regardless of how much a line has moved. There are also times when that general rule is ignored and a book pursues risk.
Generally speaking, it's safe to say the books in Vegas are risk-adverse. Unlike in the past when the wise guys ruled the town, Vegas is now corporate and the goal of most casinos is to make as much money as possible with as little risk as possible.
Thus, Vegas sportsbooks try everything in their power to balance the action. They're satisfied simply collecting the juice. But these profits are small, especially compared to the take from other casino games, namely slot machines.
Because the profits at Vegas sportsbooks are so small, you could argue that many casinos operate sportsbooks simply as a novelty to keep the tourists happy.
With a growing aversion to risk, it should come as no surprise that Vegas bookmakers have been panicking this NFL season.
Despite huge pointspreads, a disproportionate percentage of bettors are still laying their money on favorites like the Eagles, Colts, Pats and Vikings rather than the dogs (a common trend for the largely recreational bettors that visit Vegas).
And much to the dismay of the books, those favorites are finding ways to cover the thick chalk. In fact, prior to Week 7, the four teams listed above are a combined 16-2-2 (88 percent) against the spread. (The tables turned dramatically in Week 7, but more on that later.)
The result has been an early-season beating for the books, and a bonanza for bettors.
While Vegas increasingly hates risk, it's no longer a major player in the sports betting world. Most of the betting action now takes place offshore where sportsbooks are not as obsessed about balance. In fact, some books encourage exposure to risk because the rewards can be so much bigger.
Consider MySportsbook.com. On its website, the book has odds pages which actually display the amount of action it's getting on games. In other words, you can see how much action the book is taking on both sides of a pointspread, moneyline or over/under.
One look at these numbers and it's obvious MySportsbook.com does not balance every game. In fact, far from it.
Take last weekend's matchup between St. Louis and Miami. By game time on Sunday, 83 percent of the betting action at MySportsbook.com was on the Rams; only 17 percent was on Miami.
What's interesting is that MySportsbook.com opened the pointspread with Miami at +6 1/2. By game time, the spread had lowered to +5.
That goes contrary to the balancing theory. If MySportsbook.com had wanted to balance the action, it would have given Miami more points; instead, it took away 1 1/2. World Series odds are now up as well.
MySportsbook.com exposed itself to even more to risk, and rolled the dice on the underdog Dolphins. Why? I contacted a representative with the book to find out. His answer was simple.
"The line moved early based on 'smart money' from sharp players," said Jeff Gilroy, a spokesperson for the book. "We also knew from early in the week that we would need Miami, therefore (we dropped) the spread to encourage Rams money.
"At the end of the day, we liked the home team."
So the conclusion is this: MySportsbook.com respected the sharp action, and gambled that the sharp bettors had a better take on the game than the recreational bettors, who were hammering the visiting Rams.
In the end, the gamble paid off. Miami, desperate for a win in front of its home fans, pounded the overrated Rams, who are terrible on the road and even worse on grass. Final score: 31-14 Fish.
MySportsbook.com was also heavily exposed on numerous favorites in Week 7, including Philadelphia, Seattle and Denver. All three failed to cover.
The fact that sportsbooks are exposed to risk on certain games is really nothing new. The fact, that Sportsbook.com is willing to show the public where it's exposed is intriguing.
Armed with this type of information, bettors can make more educated wagers. They can get an idea where the sharp money is going and conversely where the public money is headed.
MySportsbook.com is opening up its cashbox, letting bettors look inside and challenging them to take their best shot at grabbing the cash.
To visit this online football betting got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting odds needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.
NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.
Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.
Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6
For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com
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