Azcardunals Basketball Betting News

<< Danks shines on mound as White Sox down Mariners
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Danks was nearly unhittable on the mound, as the Chicago White Sox blanked the scuffling Seattle Mariners, 4-0, in the middle installment of a three-game series at Safeco Field. Danks (10-7) scattered

<< Enright, D'Backs shut down Mets
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arizona rookie right-hander Barry Enright turned in eight solid innings following a shaky start, and the Diamondbacks beat the New York Mets, 3-2, in the second portion of a three-game series at Chase F

<< Lugo's RBI hit in 13th inning lifts O's over Rays
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Julio Lugo's RBI single in the bottom of the 13th lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a wild 11-10 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the second of three games at Camden Yards. The Orioles needed to score twice i

<< Phillies P Moyer leaves game, DL stint looms
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer left Tuesday's 7-1 loss to St. Louis after one inning with a left elbow strain and is headed for a stint on the disabled list. Phillies manager Charlie

Torres leads Giants to late win over Dodgers >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andres Torres sparked a three-run top of the ninth with a two-run double, as the San Francisco Giants rallied past the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-5, in a wild game between these NL West rivals. Holding a

Cubs look ahead after Piniella says he will retire >>
CHICAGO (AP) -Just like a long line of predecessors, Lou Piniella thought he could lead the Chicago Cubs to that elusive championship and end a drought that dates to 1908.Barring an epic turnaround, he can forget about that.General manager Jim Hendr

Report: Hornets to name Dell Demps general manager >>
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Orleans Hornets have reportedly found their next general manager. The Times-Picayune reported late Tuesday night that the Hornets are expected to name San Antonio Spurs vice president of bas

Rays OF Crawford leaves game >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford left Tuesday's game against the Baltimore Orioles following the top of the first inning after getting hit in the groin area with a pickoff throw. Crawford led off

Betting Football

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.

MySportsbook.com Posts Heisman Trophy Odds

With 3,919 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and a mere seven interceptions last season, combined with a powerful South Bend Heisman legacy, odds makers at MySportsbook.com have given Notre Dame senior quarterback Brady Quinn the best Heisman Trophy odds at 5-2.

Quinn isn’t the only big man on campus this season.  Oklahoma junior running back and 2004 Heisman runner-up Adrian Peterson, listed at 7-2, rushed for a combined 3,033 yards in his first two years as a college player and will give Quinn a run for his money. 

This online sportsbook has also listed Troy Smith, Ohio State senior quarterback, as another strong favorite to win the 72nd Heisman Trophy.  A 7-1 bet, Smith threw for 2,282 yards last season and also led the Buckeyes to a convincing 34-20 victory over Quinn and the Fighting Irish in last season’s Fiesta Bowl.

Current betting odds Heisman trophy are:

For complete NCAA Football odds visit MySportsbook.com.