Month: March 2011

As the week moves along, the excitement for the upcoming Final Four in this year’s NCAA Basketball Tournament builds, and along with it comes more exciting competition in NBA Basketball and NHL Hockey as the playoff race builds to a climax. On top of that, with tomorrow’s opening day for the 2011 Major League Baseball campaign set to kick off a whole other world of online sports betting for baseball fans in particular, right now is a great time to be a fan of online sports betting, as the action is expansive and the options for sports betting have never been better. With the looming start of another month, which will include the aforementioned playoffs in NBA Basketball and NHL Hockey, the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament, as well as the start of the MLB season, it’s a great time to check out one of the best online sportsbooks reviewed here, and saddle up for a few midweek wagers on available games across a variety of sports. For today, we’re hooking up our betting ticket with the Intertops.com sportsbook (read the review of Intertops.com), one I’ve personally used for going on 4 years, and continue to enjoy weekly for its grand selection of sports and non-sports betting choices, the simple, easy-to-use design of their long-standing website, and the solid support set-up, including prompt options for deposits and payouts whenever needed. Offering a great service and great bonuses to make you assured in your selection, the Intertops.com sportsbook is one of the prime places to place your wagers, with a longstanding reputation as one of the oldest sportsbooks on the web, with years of experience in the sportsbook market.

As the NBA is in full swing today and well on its way towards the post season, find the 13 games in store for betting on sports to have numerous combinations of wagers, and plenty of excitement between top teams at the Intertops.com sportsbook. Topping the action tonight, start with a look at the exciting match-up between 4th and 5th seeded teams in the Eastern Conference, as Atlanta hosts Orlando with only 6 games to play and 5 games separating the two teams. Though it’s unlikely either team changes position in seeding ahead of the NBA Playoffs, this match-up is a possible playoff preview that no doubt Atlanta will look to improve upon from last year’s routing in the second round. Atlanta has been building steam towards the playoffs with improved play especially at home, and could actually take the season series at 3-1 with a win tonight. With the Magic not playing at top form, and the Hawks building momentum, look for this to be a close match-up tonight, with Atlanta edging out Orlando at home. Other games to check out for NBA Basketball betting today include the Indiana Pacers hosting the Detroit Pistons with the Pacers needing to pick up a home win to stay in the 8th seed in the East, Philadelphia and Houston clash with the Rockets badly needing to pick up a victory tonight in their bid for the 8th seed in the West, and the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Hornets battle for 6th and 7th seeds out West with an opportunity for the Hornets to move above Portland to 6th with a win (which would put them tied by record, but give NO the advantage by way of winning the season series). Check out a plethora of other NBA games on tap as well for online sports betting, as with only a handful of regular season games left, and playoff atmosphere creeping in to every game played down the stretch, you won’t want to miss out on all the action before it’s gone!

The NHL Hockey season is winding down towards the playoffs as well, and if you haven’t felt like getting in to the game of hockey, the month ahead will be prime time for checking out one of the fastest, hardest hitting games around. With teams having less than 7 games left in the season, the playoff feel is with the NHL as well this week, and you’ll get to catch the fastest-paced games of the year as so many teams are in the hunt for the coveted 16 playoff spots yet to come. Tonight we’re eyeing a big game in the Eastern Conference as Buffalo hosts the New York Rangers, and with a win the Sabres could move into a tie with the Rangers for 7th in the East and help themselves hold back 9th position Carolina, who also are in action at home against Montreal tonight and desperate for a win themselves. Out West, a heated match-up takes place between surging Anaheim and the home-standing Calgary Flames, the latter team needing to pick up a win tonight in order to stay in the playoff race with only 4 games left after this evening. Anaheim is one of the scarier teams in the West right now, looking to win a 3rd straight at 8 of 10, and the Ducks could sweep the season series against Calgary and move into 6th position in the West with a win up north tonight. Check out a few games in the NHL tonight and squeeze some wagers in for the more exciting games featured on the betting lines at Intertops.com.

Lastly, we finally get to turn a focused eye towards Major League Baseball, and the start of the 2011 season, which as always is an exciting time for baseball fans and provides a consistency of wagering options each and every day throughout the long summer months. 6 games get underway tomorrow to start off the opening day festivities, with a couple of classic match-ups in tow, featuring an opening series between the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants and their in-state rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers, an exciting East coast showdown between the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals, and the Detroit Tigers heading to new Yankee Stadium to clash with the perennial favorites, the New York Yankees. Now’s the time to get focused on baseball, looking over all the roster changes and new permanent fixtures, as well as learning up on pitching rotations and offensive line-ups, as these keys to each and every game will be essential for making quality bets that pay off day-in and day-out. With plenty of online sportsbook betting choices on tap at Intertops.com today and into the future, get your wagers placed, prepare for plenty of sports excitement to come, and as always, good luck!

Aaron G.

While the lull in between the Elite 8 and Final Four in the NCAA Tournament, as well as the anticipation for the start of the 2011 Major League Baseball season has us sifting through smaller ranks of options for online sportsbook betting today, sports fans can still take a venture down to one of the best online sportsbooks and find at least a few great potential wagers as the NBA and NHL seasons wind quickly down towards the playoffs, and each and every night games get progressively more important and exciting. With a trip to one of the top reviewed sportsbooks featured on our website at Players Only sportsbook (read the review of Playersonly.com) we’re highlighting one of the best choices for online sports betting any day of the week, as Players Only is one of the fastest loading, easiest to use, and most importantly is one of the safest, most secure and dependable websites for betting on sports anywhere on the net. A winner in anyone’s book for great customer support, clean and easy ways to wager every day, and a great standard for lines, spreads and total points wagering, make sure that Players Only is bookmarked as one of your go-to sites for betting on sports any time, and day.

With featured sports action focusing mostly on the remaining games in the NBA and NHL seasons, we turn first to the NBA, which holds 4 games for a few good potential online sportsbook bets. The Oklahoma City Thunder today try to hold pace with 3rd seed Dallas in the West, while staying ahead of surging Denver behind them as they get a solid match-up at home against Golden State tonight. Not surprisingly, OKC is favored by 11 points on the evening, with an over/under at 214.5 to suggest this will be a fast-paced, exciting game to watch and wager on. With the Warriors trying to play spoiler after dropping out of playoff contention, this could be a closer game than expected, though no doubt the line is set on the fact that they’ve been outscored by over 15 points a game during their last 5 straight road losses. Nonetheless, there’s decent opportunity to expect a high scoring game in excess of the points total, as well as for Golden State to save some face and at least keep this game from being a blowout. Up next, find another trip for Miami to Cleveland, where earlier in the year the Heat dismantled and embarrassed LeBron James’ former team by almost 30 points, and we may likely expect a similar outcome once again tonight with Miami coming in a much better team than the one that played in Cleveland previously. Surprisingly enough, the line on the game is Miami by 13, which should be easily eclipsed even though the Cavaliers will try their hardest to keep this one much closer than the last two games. Rounding out the last two options for NBA Basketball bets, Houston is desperate for a win at New Jersey, and should get it having owned the series with the Nets with 10 consecutive victories, and Sacramento hosts Phoenix in what should be a high scoring, albeit meaningless contest with our wager on the Kings to further knock down any chance for the Suns to rally towards the playoffs.

With NHL Hockey left on the online sports betting plate today, check out a big dose of 11 games on tap with the season quickly winding down, and a playoff atmosphere throughout the league making for exciting wagers and exciting competition to watch each and every night. In the East tonight, check out the big match-up between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh as the Penguins can tie the Flyers for top spot in the Eastern Conference, as well as in the Atlantic division with a victory (note the Flyers are playing back-to-back as well, and the Pens are surging going 8-2 in their last 10). Buffalo looks to improve to 4 straight wins as they hit the road to stymie the hopes of Toronto, who is watching their playoff aspirations slip by at the hands of the Sabres, Montreal tries to fend off that same Buffalo squad from moving into a tie for 6th in the East as they host the Atlanta Thrashers tonight, and Carolina clings to hope for a playoff spot though faces a tough task against one of the hottest teams in the league, the Washington Capitals. Look for a second night of action for Original Six teams as Chicago tries to build on its’ victory over Detroit last night, heading to Boston for what should be a tight, low-scoring game, check out big Western Conference battles between Nashville and Vancouver as well as the Dallas Stars vs. Phoenix Coyotes as well, as both these games have serious implications for the exciting playoff race that currently finds only 7 points separating 4th seed Phoenix and 10th place Dallas (with Dallas having three more games to play than Phoenix as well). Players Only Sportsbook is a great place to capture all this great action on any given day where online ports betting is available, so put in your best effort, check out the excitement of betting on sports, and as always good luck from us at Casinoreview.org!

Aaron G.

Each and every year it’s hard to believe how quickly the NCAA College Basketball Tournament passes us by, with so many exciting games lumped into each day of the weekend, and before you know it the Final Four is upon us! With another exciting day full of surprises and unforeseen finishes, both sides of the Final Four bracket are now lined up, with the biggest surprise of the year, VCU, knocking off tournament favorite Kansas and becoming just the 3rd 11th seeded team to make the Final Four in history. In what will be a great match-up between a former underdog in Butler, and this year’s Cinderella story Rams, no doubt you’ll want to secure a wager or two on this exciting match-up, and there’s no place better to do it than at one of the best online sportsbooks reviewed right here. We can’t ever resist taking a first crack at sports betting ahead of the Final Four as soon as the betting lines are posted, so we’ll start the sportsbook wagers off at Oddsmaker sportsbook (read the review of Oddsmaker.com) by clicking through to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four odds for next Saturday’s games in Houston, Texas. Butler comes in as 2-point favorite, with VCU +110 on the Money and over/under posted at 132.5. While this might be one of the toughest games to call during the tournament, we simply can’t see past the continual dismantling of tough opponents that the VCU Rams have pushed aside with relative ease, and as always, love betting on the dark horse in the tournament. However, Butler has the experience, coming to the Final Four twice in two years, which can never be discounted. No matter how far behind they get, Brad Stevens’ well-coached team has to composure to pull out a win against all odds, as has been evident on a couple occasions already in this year’s NCAA Tournament. Going with the gut, we go with VCU in a tight one, and take them with an outright win as our opening Final Four prediction.

For the second 2011 NCAA Final Four game slated next Saturday, a more traditional match-up between Big East UConn and the SEC’s Kentucky will likely show off a more fast-paced style of play as youth and explosiveness mark this game’s highlights. Right away, the over/under at 141 presents itself as a tasty option for betting on sports this week, with both teams easily able to put 70+ points on the board regardless of opposition. While typically leaning towards a more balanced attack as the favorite (and in this case, UK is favored by 2 points with better depth and more scoring options), I simply can’t get away from UConn’s unwavering confidence from the Big East tournament all the way to the Final Four, as Kemba Walker continues to get more help from Freshmen Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier. However, in a Brandon Knight vs. Kemba Walker showdown, you just know this is going to be a tournament-best match-up, and no doubt you’ll want to have your say in the game as a wager at a top sportsbook like Oddsmaker.com as soon as possible. Who’s going to clutch up at the end of this game? My early money is on Walker to put up the better shots towards the end, as guarding this guy is as tough as it gets at the NCAA level. UConn 74, Kentucky 73 in a barn burner.

With the Final Four aside, we turn to action for online sports betting on Monday, with just a handful of games available between NBA Basketball and NHL Hockey. Check out 6 NBA games on the hardwood tonight, featuring a full plate of options with playoff implications. Indiana hosts Boston, with both teams in search of a win to avoid dropping a position in the playoff race (Boston is only a 1/2 game ahead of Miami, Indiana 1 game ahead of Charlotte for the 8th seed), Charlotte and Milwaukee, currently 9th and 10th in the East battle in a heated game as well, while Orlando heads to New York to face the Knicks and Chicago greets Philadelphia in other Eastern Conference playoff battles. Out West find the Spurs turning around to host the Trail Blazers tonight with Portland desperate for a win to stay above New Orleans, and may have a good shot with both Tim Duncan out and Manu Ginobli questionable for toinght’s match-up. With two other hockey match-ups tonight including Anaheim needing a win at home against the flailing Colorado Avalanche, as well as a classic game between Detroit and Chicago with the Blackhawks needing a win to stay seeded in the West, make sure to check out all your options at Oddsmaker.com today, one of the best online sports betting sites reviewed her on our website.

Aaron G.

Like always, the weekend has reached an abrupt conclusion all too soon, however not without leaving a bit of a mark after an all-too indulgent weekend of festivities. Nursing a lovely hangover this morning courtesy of a friend’s birthday party last night and celebrations all weekend long, this Sunday’s lineup of sports on the television will hopefully help to cure some of the pains of getting older and imbibing too much, as should some greasy food and Gatorade. Mmm. All personal things aside today, with great online sports betting action all weekend as the NCAA Tournament continues forward and the NBA and NHL playoff seasons approach in exciting fashion, we have to take note of even more great options for online sports betting, as the final two games of the Elite 8 take place today, featuring a huge underdog battle between VCU and Kansas, and a later clash between two tournament heavyweights, Kentucky and North Carolina. In the first of the two games in store for this afternoon, no one can rule out Virginia Commonwealth anymore as simply getting lucky to this point in the tournament. Coming from First Four to a possible Final Four by way of getting past USC, Georgetown and Purdue and Florida State (most in dominant fashion I must add), Kansas’ first test comes after a couple easy victories, and the Jayhawks will no doubt have bulls eyes painted on their backs by the Rams. In the second, even though North Carolina dominated in a surprisingly lopsided victory over Marquette, I remain confident that they lack the consistency to continue winning, and against Kentucky have met their match against a younger, more talented team. For opening picks at one of the best online sportsbooks reviewed here at Bodog Sportsbook (read the review of Bodog Sportsbook), it’s VCU to cover the point spread, and Kentucky to win outright in two close, exciting games. Make note you first-time visitors to Bodog Sportsbook; new users who sign up at anytime during the tournament by clicking the image link on our homepage to Bodog.com will get set up with an additional 10% instant bonus on your first deposit, just for using Casinoreview.org!

NBA basketball will provide plenty of great games before, during, and after the two Elite 8 games in play today, so make sure to check out and read up on the 9 NBA options for betting on sports today as well. Great games today include the Houston Rockets heading to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat, as the Rockets continue to fight for an 8th seed playoff berth in the Western Conference, and Miami tries to creep past a slumping Boston Celtics squad for 2nd seed in the East. Look for a high-scoring, fast-paced affair tonight, and with plenty at stake in the playoffs, a tight game down to the wire. Ahead of Houston in the Western Conference race, Memphis hosts San Antonio tonight in another great match-up for online sportsbook betting. A dominant home team, Memphis has been building confidence both at home and on the road, and with one of the West’s best home records, I certainly like Memphis to steal a victory over the conference leaders, who have been struggling a little without big veteran Tim Duncan in the lineup and could drop their third straight game tonight. Check into other great match-ups on tap tonight in the NBA as Oklahoma City hosts Portland as the Thunder can clinch a playoff berth with a win, the Lakers shoot for their 7th in a row as they match-up well against incoming New Orleans, and Dallas looks to add to their run of 3 straight visiting Phoenix.

Rounding out the weekend with more sports betting for NHL Hockey, check out the Vancouver Canucks shooting for their 50th win (a first in franchise history) against Columbus while simultaneously looking to pick up their 8th road win in a row. The Canucks come in best in the league on the power play, against the worst in the league power play of the Blue Jackets, in what could be a big difference maker tonight towards a 2 goal win for the Canucks. In the East, a big battle between Pittsburgh and Boston gets underway, with the Bruins trying to build ground against Montreal in the Northeast, and chase Washington for a second seed in the Eastern Conference. Check out Pittsburgh in the mix tonight as well against Florida, in a game the Pens need to try and pull within two points of division (and Easter Conference) -leading Philly. Check out all this great action as the regular seasons in NHL Hockey and NBA Basketball wind down, as well as the two great NCAA 2011 tournament games set for today for great betting choices at one of the top sportsbooks reviewed like the one at Bodog.com. Keep tabs as well on the upcoming Major League Baseball season, which commences its regular season in just a few short days, and should have all the fantasy baseball players waiting anxiously for Monday night. Enjoy the rest of the weekend and the rest of the online sports betting action today, and thanks as always for stopping by!

Aaron G.

After yet another surprising day in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, yet another #1 seed gets knocked off the table, and once more the Butler Bulldogs continue their wild run in an outstanding tournament appearance that will erase them from the ‘Cinderella’ standing they’ve held in the past. With Duke having no answer for the fast-paced, athletic approach of Derrick Williams and the Arizona Wildcats last night, the game with the largest point spread going in favor of Duke turned out to be the game with the biggest upset, as the Blue Devils went down in Purdue Boilmaker fashion, losing 93-77 and closing out hopes for a repeat championship. San Diego State failed to stop UConn runs led by Kemba Walker, who at one point scored 12 straight points down the home stretch while the Aztecs failed to answer. In a game SDSU should have won, the Huskies once again showed their resilience and ability to heat up, going on runs of 12-0 and 15-2 during the game to shut down the hopes of the mid-major Aztecs last night. Lastly, there may have been clips of Jimmer-time being rolled throughout the BYU-Florida showdown last night, however the Cougars star guard simply tried to do too much, failed to rely on his teammates down the homestretch, and for the first time in the tournament showed the void left by the absence of Brandon Davies as the Florida bigmen led by an outstanding effort by Alex Tyus seemingly gobbled up every loose board on either side of the court en route towards an eventual overtime victory. Whew! Another fantastic night, more upsets and unpredictable outcomes…and this is exactly why the NCAA College Basketball tournament is the most exciting championship in all of sport.

Licking a couple of wounds, throwing the brackets aside and moving towards another great day of online sports betting featuring Sweet 16 Basketball action at the top of the list, we turn to one of the best sportsbooks reviewed on our site at the Betus.com sportsbook (read the review of Betus.com), which features plenty of options for the best sports wagering possibilities on Friday. Once again baffled by the insane margins sportsbooks are placing for underdog teams, #1 Kansas pulls the biggest favorite on the day, in their match-up with #12 Richmond. The Spiders are indeed a better team than their 12 seed leads on, and while inexperience is certainly a factor for the Richmond team that has only made it to the Sweet 16 once, and that coming in 1988, if anything is being learned in this year’s tournament, it’s that every game can and will be close when not expected to be. Add to that big upsets with heavy favorites including Arizona over Duke, VCU over Purdue, and Florida State over Notre Dame, and the Kansas vs. Richmond match-up becomes all the harder to gauge the eventual winner. However, as Kansas faces the easiest tournament run to the Final Four getting a 16, 9, 12 (today’s match-up), and either a 11 or a 10 seed in the Elite 8, the Jayhawks no doubt will be on their ball to take advantage of their fortunes, and this may be the only #1 seed getting through to the final two games this year. While I like Richmond, and put them through to this match-up tonight, the Morris twins along with a well-balanced cast that can score at will, are simply too much for the upstart mid-major Spiders, though fully expect Richmond to put up a dog fight and cover the 10 1/2 points.

The next #1 seed up on the block is Ohio State, which has played extremely well dismantling their first two opponents by an average of 30 points. Facing #4 Kentucky is a whole different animal however, though the Buckeyes have historically owned the Wildcats winning 5 straight tournament games in a row. However, those losses come far out of context, the last meeting being in 1987, so expect no precedent to come into play tonight. Key to this game is the youth of Kentucky, which leads a fast-paced, athletic attack against any opponent and has the ability to win any night they are on point. If they can focus, and stay composed against a feverish attack from OSU led by David Lighty, Jared Sullinger, William Buford and Jon Diebler, UK stands a chance, and could be a good upset option at +220, or even to cover the 6 points as spread underdogs. Look for a high-scoring affair as both teams push the pace, setting sights for a good wager on over 141 points, however Ohio State looks poised enough to cover the -6 and push on to the Elite 8 after tonight’s showdown. Smartly, for the next match-up Marquette is only a 4 point underdog even as an 11 seed up against 2nd seeded North Carolina. UNC should have been dropped by Washington last round, however by luck and UW’s mishandling of the late stages of the game find themselves in a spot they don’t necessarily deserve to be in. The Tarheels have fluctuated in between moments of brilliance, and spots of ineptitude this season, showing they can compete with the best in the land, but can also melt down in the face of adversity. Meanwhile the Marquette Golden Eagles stand as one of only two Big East teams remaining, and after knocking off both Xavier and Syracuse to get here, have shown the poise needed to contend for the big prize in this year’s tournament. Erase thoughts of the season record and focus on the game at hand, and Marquette actually stands out as a favorite to win this game tonight, based on their recent consistency and team confidence coming in. Marquette with the +160 to win is our pick for this match-up, banking on a fast start for UNC, but poor shooting down the stretch to hand the ballgame to the Golden Eagles.

Last up for NCAA Tournament action on Friday is perhaps the toughest match-up to predict, with VCU surprising everyone showing they can put up big points against the best in the tournament, and Florida State, continually showing their defensive prowess can overcome any match-up and contain any star shooter in the league. In a great 11 vs. 10 seed match-up tonight. VCU has silenced all criticism by throwing down against USC, Georgetown and Purdue and winning by an average of over 16 points per game, however those margins of victory won’t be seen tonight against the stingiest defense in the land. Perhaps not one of the more exciting games in Sweet 16 action, as likely neither team will grace 70 points on strong defense being played on both sides, Florida State wins the defensive battle and the game. However, count on this one to be close down to the wire, with VCU holding strong enough to break into the +4 points as underdog and make this exciting to the end. As with every day of NCAA Tournament action, the options for online sports betting are as exciting as ever, and with fewer and fewer games remaining, now is the perfect time to check into a top sports betting site like BetUS.com, and put down your line in the sand for a couple of match-ups tonight!

Shifting focus over to the NBA for more top sportsbook bets on basketball, 13 games are lined up with a few key match-ups available across the betting lines at BetUS. Featured basketball games for betting on sports include a fun Eastern Conference match-up between Miami and visiting Philadelphia, with the 76ers trying to avoid facing Miami by chasing down Atlanta in the 4th seed, just 2 1/2 games ahead. With both teams hot on the chase of those above them in conference standings, this should be a heated match-up (no pun intended) which leads to a high likelihood of the 76ers keeping the contest within the 8 point underdog margin at BetUS. No doubt heavy underdogs due to the fact the 76ers have lost 11 of 13 at Miami, this is a different team bound for the playoffs and playing with more depth than the Heat tonight. Upset, perhaps not, but if you’ve got a small amount of cash to throw at the +300 for Philadelphia, it might be a worthwhile and exciting wager to make this the upset pick of the night. In other games with playoff implications, find Memphis traveling where no-one wishes to go these days, and that’s to Chicago to face the Bulls who have climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference and show no signs of slippage. Winning 14 straight at home is a daunting task for the best teams in the league, let alone the Grizzlies who while winners of 3 straight, stand fighting to hold their 8th seed in the West as the Houston Rockets nip at their ankles. 9 1/2 points goes to Chicago tonight, but the way both teams have played defense, the under bet on 186 total points could be the way to go tonight.

Checking out a few additional options for online sportsbook bets on basketball, the San Antonio Spurs and the Portland Trail Blazers meet in an exciting match-up that has Portland favored at home by 4 1/2 points, Phoenix and New Orleans clash with the Hornets locked in between Portland and Memphis as the 7th seed in the West and coming in 5 point underdogs for the contest in the desert, and finally a fun match-up at Staples Center as the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers do battle. Shift a little attention and perhaps a few dollars towards continuing action in the NHL Hockey race towards the playoffs, with solid match-ups between Vancouver and Atlanta, New Jersey vs. Pittsburgh, and Carolina vs. Tampa Bay to name a few, and as always playoff implications on the line each and every night, betting on Hockey is always an exciting addition to the plate of options for online sportsbook betting on any given day. For tonight, enjoy the final games in the Sweet 16, check out plenty of action across the NBA and NHL to make for additional excitement for sports betting, and have a lucky and fantastic weekend ahead!

Aaron G.