Posted on

ALDS Game 1: New York Yankees Host the Detroit Tigers

In what is likely to be the most-watched and wagered on set of games in the 2011 MLB Baseball American League Divisional Series, the first game of the postseason between the AL East Champion New York Yankees (97-65) and the AL Central Champion Detroit Tigers (95-67) is sure to bring plenty of excitement to baseball and online sports betting fans alike, as a pitching match-up of epic proportions marks the start of this 5-game series set to begin at Yankee Stadium. Add to the mix two of the most potent offensive line-ups in all of Major League Baseball, and we’ve got the making for a classic series between two historic teams that is certain to be worth wagering on at one of the best online sports betting sites reviewed right here.

Tonight’s opening pitching match-up pairs Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40 ERA) against C.C. Sabathia (19-8, 3.00 ERA) in a battle between two of the best pitchers in the American League, if not all of baseball. Verlander on one hand has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the game, coming in as a favorite to win the AL Cy Young award without much question, but has not had success in the win column against New York this season, sporting a 0-0 record through two starts with 6 runs allowed in 12 innings of work. Otherwise, Verlander has been simply outstanding; going undefeated in 4 out of the last 5 months of play (22-2 since May 7th), holding opponents to a sub-.200 batting average over the year and being equally good on the road as at home (10-3, 2.37 ERA home, 14-2, 2.43 ERA away), there is no question that the Tigers ace will be up to the challenge today.

C.C. Sabathia on the other hand has been much less dominant towards the end of the year, holding just a 4-3 record through August and September combined. The most shocking figure that could be of interest in this match-up with the Tigers is the huge batting numbers he’s allowed in those two months, allowing a .331 average in August, and a .291 average in September. In the two games against Detroit’s powerful lineup this season, Sabathia was 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA allowing 6 earned runs in 13 innings pitched. Oddly similar to Verlander’s figures against New York, it will be interesting to see which pitcher, if any, steps up and has a dominant showing for Game 1 tonight.

Betting Lines for New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

Bodog.eu Sportsbook sets tonight’s lines for the game in favor of the Yankees at home, giving the Bronx Bombers -125 odds on the money line while Detroit comes in as a slight +115 underdog. With two aces on the mound in this match-up, even with two Top 5 offenses the over/under stands at 7 runs, as the bookmakers are expecting one pitcher or the other (or both) to pitch well and contain the big bats in both the Tigers and Yankees lineups. Looking at the run line, the Yankees give up 1.5 runs at a +165 price, while Detroit takes 1.5 runs at -195 price.

Our Pick to Win

There’s no question that the New York Yankees at home are scary, especially when the bats get going. However, with Justin Verlander on the mound, I like Detroit in Game 1, considering that C.C. Sabathia will have a tough time with AL batting champion Miguel Cabrera, DH Victor Martinez, Catcher Alex Avila and shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who in combination have a collective .317 batting average on the season. No doubt the Yankees have power and more as well, with Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira in their lineup, but these being mostly big swingers vs. Detroit’s more small-ball oriented line-up, Detroit should have a slight advantage for Game 1 with Sabathia struggling to keep base runners off the base paths. Detroit wins on the road tonight 5-2 to take the early series lead.

Players to Watch, New York:

Alex Rodriguez, 3B – One of the bigger question marks for the Yankee’s lineup, coming in with knee soreness and plagued with injuries all season, A-Rod is the one who needs to improve and contribute the most for the Yankees to have success in this postseason. Playing in just 26 games since hitting the DL in July with a .212 average (also sporting a .222 average against Verlander), keep your eyes on whether A-Rod will factor into this series, or whether he becomes the guy to pitch to after walking Robinson Cano.

The Power Section of Teixeira (1B), Cano (2B and Granderson (CF) – I have to lump these guys in together, because of a striking number that stands out for these three plus A-Rod. The number is .178. That number is their combined batting average lifetime against Justin Verlander. Add in the fact that the 4-some together has just 3 homers and 8 RBIs lifetime against Verlander, and you can see where this match-up, and either the production or lack thereof from the Yankees power core, will likely determine the game’s outcome one way or another.

Players to Watch, Detroit:

Miguel Cabrera, 1B – The .344 average with 30 homers and 105 RBIs on the year speaks plainly enough to this guys’ ability. The 9-for-16 (.563 average) with 2 homers and 11 RBIs against Sabathia confirms this guy is a force to be reckoned with in this match-up tonight, and in the series to come.

Jhonny Peralta, SS – On the flipside, Peralta is the one who needs the most improvement against Sabathia, as he’s gone just 1-for-17 lifetime against the Yankee’s ace. With his production mostly based in the first half of the season, it’ll be crucial for Detroit to have Peralta contributing in this series, and get started with a good performance and a confidence boost against a pitcher who has given him lots of grief.

Posted on

MLB’s Last Call: Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles

The Boston Red Sox (90-71) take their playoff hopes down to the very last day of the season as they complete a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles (68-93) tonight at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. It’s the last chance Boston has at redeeming themselves from one of the worst Septembers in recent memories, as they’ve faltered on a 7-19 stretch to end up even with the Tampa Bay Rays for the American League Wild Card race, after having a 9 game lead in the Wild Card in early September. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles seek to end a once promising, yet in the end disappointing season, with their 11th win in 16 games while helping to knock out their AL East foes Boston from playoff contention this season.

Boston will turn to the arm of Jon Lester (15-9, 3.49 ERA), who has struggled mightily lately and comes into this match-up on just 3 days’ rest. If ever the Red Sox need Lester to return to form, right now would be the time to do so. Though Lester has simply owned Baltimore, going 14-0 against them in 17 starts including 7-0 in 9 starts at Camden, he’s 0-3 in his last 3 outings overall, posting a massive 10.24 ERA during that cold spell. In opposition today for Baltimore, Alfredo Simon tries to earn his first victory since August 23rd, and comes into this match-up off a solid performance against Detroit where he went 8 innings giving up 3 runs in a 4-3 loss to the Tigers. Consistency has been Simon’s issue all season long, and the Red Sox will certainly be hoping he returns to the less-consistent form he’s had on and off in tonight’s final game of the regular season.

Betting Lines for the Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles

Betonline Sportsbook has the Boston Red Sox as favorites at -183 odds to win on the money line, while Baltimore is a +173 option to win outright. For the run line the O’s get 1.5 runs at +105 odds, while Boston gives up 1.5 runs at -125 odds. The over/under on total runs for the game stands at 9, with +105 under, -125 over.

Our Pick to Win

Boston likely could not imagine a month ago that they would be in a fight with the Baltimore Orioles for their survival in the postseason. After leading the AL East division for a large chunk of the season, now their backs are up against the wall on the road, against a Baltimore team that has nothing to lose. It’s time for Jon Lester to earn his money in today’s favorable match-up on paper for the BoSox, and against Alfredo Simon, we’re predicting that the Red Sox bats finally get back into the groove, and hand the Orioles a big-time loss on the road tonight, 8-2.

Players to Watch, Baltimore:

Nick Markakis, RF – Having posted a solid season (.275, 15 homers, 73 RBIs) Markakis will look to finish the year strong, and inch his month totals up to .300 batting (currently .298). He’s knocked in 14 RBIs so far this month, and will look to improve his .254 average against Boston pitching on the final day of the season.

J.J. Hardy, SS – Hitting .370 in the last 7 games, Hardy will seek out a 30th homer tonight to cap off a solid power hitting season for the O’s shortstop. Hitting .267 with 29 jacks and 78 RBIs, look out for hard-swinging performance tonight from Hardy.

Players to Watch, Boston:

Jacob Ellsbury, CF – One of the few bright spots through September, Ellsbury continues his outstanding season, hitting .365 for the month with 8 homers and 21 RBIs. His line of .322, 32 homers and 105 RBIs and 211 hits is simply amazing considering he’s never had more than 9 home runs in a full season, or more than 60 RBIs. Ellsbury is hitting .413 on the year against Baltimore, and has gone 3-for-3 against Simon in his short history with him.

Dustin Pedroia, 2B – The Boston 2nd baseman continues to sustain a solid pace of hitting into the final day of regular season play, hitting .385 in his last 5 games and getting at least 2 hits in 4 of his last 5 games played. He’ll look to improve on his production though, having only generated 1 RBI in his last 7 games, and looks to finish the season strong against Baltimore, who he’s hit for a .348 average.

Posted on

Last Day for Major League Baseball Regular Season Sportsbook Betting!

It’s last call for the final day of the 162 game Major League Baseball season, and on such a day baseball fans are treated to a rare double-showdown as both the American and National League Wild Card races are dead even heading into the last day before the playoffs get underway. With exciting action ahead as the playoffs get underway in just a few days, take time to focus on a couple of key match-ups today, as once the  15 games played this afternoon and evening are done, we’ll have no more regular large doses of MLB action until next season starts in April! For today’s wagers on the MLB, we’ll head down to another of the top online sportsbooks, at the Betonline Sportsbook. Betonline Sportsbook offers all that you would expect from one of the best online sports betting sites, including huge bonuses on initial buy-ins, a quick and easy customer support channel, and outstanding customer support that should be the envy of all the other top sportsbooks available on the web. After over a year of constant play on this site, we happily use Betonline.com as one of the go-to websites for betting on sports in any given week.

Onto the sports betting options available for this fine Wednesday, there’s a dog fight happening in both the AL East and NL as the Tampa Bay Rays are deadlocked with the Boston Red Sox for the final playoff spot. First up, the Boston Red Sox send out Jon Lester, who was absolutely rocked last week against the Yankees (2.2 innings, 8 runs allowed) but will look to improve against Baltimore today and Alfredo Simon.  Though the Red Sox have had an epic collapse through September, a win tonight combined with a Rays’ loss would erase all bad memories of a month to forget, and punch their ticket into the first round of the playoffs. On the flipside of things, the Tampa Bay Rays look to continue their improbable run towards the post season, having won 16 of their last 24 games, and looking to win a 5th straight game against the New York Yankees tonight to get them into the postseason and even their record with the Yankees on the season at 9-9. With David Price on the mound against an as-of-yet unnamed starting New York pitcher, odds look good that the Rays will complete a final series sweep of the Yankees at Tropicana Field, and either secure a postseason bid or move into a 1-game showdown with the Red Sox to determine who gets into the playoffs this year.

For the National League race, it’s all knotted up between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves for the NL Wild Card spot, as the Braves continue their fall from grace during September, and stand on the brink of the biggest disappointment if they can’t secure a win today. However, at least the Braves have their ace pitcher Tim Hudson on the mound today against Joe Blanton and the Philadelphia Phillies, who just secured tying a record for the most wins (101) in a season in franchise history. A victory for the Phillies today would make sure they don’t face their division rivals in the first round, and would punch the St. Louis Cardinals’ ticket to the playoffs, provided the Cardinals win tonight as well. In their match-up, the Cards turn toward veteran Chris Carpenter, facing off against Houston’s Brett Myers, who has been outstanding in his last three outings despite his team being out of any playoff race for just about the entire season. Moving on to a few other interesting games impacting the playoffs, the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Milwaukee Brewers are in a fight for home field advantage on the final day of regular season play, with the Brewers securing that key component to the playoffs with a win today at home against Pittsburgh. With Zack Greinke on the mound, who’s 10-0 at home this season and facing the Pirates who are 4-37 at Miller Park since 2007, it looks like a good bet the Brewers will pick up the win today. However, if they don’t the Diamondbacks could be knocking on the home field advantage door, as they play host to the Los Angeles Dodgers on the final day of the season, and with a win and Brewers loss they will secure a very important piece to their 2011 playoff hopes. With Joe Saunders looking to win his 4th consecutive decision tonight, it looks like Arizona will likely secure their end of the deal, and hope that Pittsburgh pulls off a miracle in Milwaukee tonight as well.

With even more great action available for online sports betting on MLB Baseball, find plenty of other games in store at Betonline.com, all of which could be great opportunities for making a little added cash this Wednesday. Get ready as well for another solid edition of NCAA Football’s Thursday night action as the#16-ranked South Florida Bulls head into Big East play against the Pittsburgh Panthers, and plenty more NCAA action ahead this weekend with opportunities to take out early wagers starting right now. As always, good luck in your online sportsbook betting endeavors, thanks for stopping by for a visit to any one of the best online sportsbooks reviewed and tested here, and we’ll catch you on the flipside!

Posted on

NL Wild Card Race: Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies

With the Philadelphia Phillies (100-60) securing the NL East pennant and home field advantage for the playoffs, two items remain on their checklist before the start of the 2011 MLB Playoffs; 1). Match or beat the all-time Phillies win total at 101 games (set in 1976 and again in 1977) and, 2). Hand the Atlanta Braves their 4th straight loss and possibly a major setback in the NL Wild Card Race, where the Braves sit precariously today at just one game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals.

After appearing certain to stroll into the playoffs on a Wild Card bid with an 8 1/2 game lead on the Cardinals heading into September, everything has changed for the worse for Atlanta, who’ve watched their bats completely dry up while going 8-16 for the month, and posting a dismal .183 average over their current 3-game losing spell. The going may get even tougher tonight, with an unfavorable match-up on the mound, so Atlanta had best do some praying that Philadelphia reverts back to its 2-8 form in the past 10 games (though they’ve won 2 straight), and doesn’t eye the chase for their franchise record win total.

Tonight Derek Lowe (9-16, 4.92 ERA) gets one last shot to prove that he still has something left in the tank this season, despite all his detractors. Lowe has been nothing shy of plain awful down the stretch this season, dropping 4 straight decisions while posting an 8.24 ERA in September. To make matters even worse, Lowe has lost 6 of his last 8 starts against the Phillies, getting just 1.7 runs of support while posting a pedestrian 4.59 ERA. With the way the Atlanta bats have been swinging, it’s not looking good for any more production to come Lowe’s way this evening either.

In opposition of the wary Braves and their veteran starter is Roy Oswalt (8-10, 3.86 ERA) who looks to bounce back himself from a tough outing against the Nationals last week where he gave up 6 runs in 7 2/3 innings of work. While Oswalt has been fairly sporadic over the last month, he’s pitched well against Atlanta this season, giving up just 3 earned runs in 13 innings of work and getting a no decision on 7 innings pitched with 2 runs allowed in a 3-2 win over Atlanta on September 7th. Though the focus is most certainly on the playoffs for the Phillies, for Oswalt it’s also for finishing the season strong, and heading into the playoffs with plenty of confidence against the Braves, who could end up being Philadelphia’s first round opponent ahead.

Betting Lines for Philadelphia vs. Atlanta:

Sportsbetting.ag sportsbook has interesting odds on tonight’s game, giving Derek Lowe and the Braves -109 odds to win on the money line, while the Philadelphia Phillies just get a slight favorite to win at -111 odds posted. The Braves will get 1.5 runs at -170, while the Phillies give up 1.5 runs at +150. With both pitchers coming off rough outings, and Lowe particularly being terrible lately, it’s not a shock to see the over/under at 8 runs today, even with the lack of offense the Braves have put up in their past 5 games (averaging 2 runs per outing, going 1-4).

Our Pick to Win:

Atlanta is in an absolute must-win situation at home tonight. Knowing that the Braves cannot afford another blow-up by Derek Lowe, expect manager Fredi Gonzalez to keep him on a short leash, and turn to the bullpen early if needed. While Philadelphia has rested up for the postseason, and all of their starters have lost games in the past 10 days, I expect Roy Oswalt to buck the trend, give the Phillies their third straight win tonight, and tie the franchise record for wins as they hand a defeat to the Braves 4-3.

Players to Watch, Atlanta:

Alex Gonzalez, SS – Luckily for the Braves, they got Gonzalez back in the line-up last night against the Phillies, and although they didn’t win, Gonzalez immediately got back to his hot streak going 1-for-3 with an RBI double. Hitting .367 for September, he’s the only everyday player in the lineup hitting over .300 in the past week, or the past month.

Chipper Jones, 3B – The veteran Jones has been trying to motivate his team during their rough spell, hitting .294 in September with 4 homers and 10 RBIs, and has been playing through soreness as of late. Hopefully he can build on his 2-for-4 night last night with a solo shot, and continue his strong performance against Phillies pitching this year (batting .319).

Players to Watch, Philadelphia:

Shane Victorino, CF – While Victorino hasn’t been all that impressive in September (batting .185), he’s hit very well at Turner Field with a .542 average over his last six games there. On the season he’s hitting .378 against Braves pitching, and will look to improve on his .212 lifetime mark against Derek Lowe tonight.

Hunter Pence, RF – Pence came off a 3-game absence over the weekend, and hit 4-for-9 in the Phillies’ past two victories. Hitting .309 for September and .400 against Braves pitching, look for Pence’s production to be a good gauge of whether the Phillies win or lose tonight.

Posted on

Major League Baseball Final Week Tops Sportsbook Betting at Sportsbetting.ag

After another solid night of Monday Night Football in the NFL resulting in a close 18-16 win for the Dallas Cowboys over the Washington Redskins in a field goal-happy game, Week 3 of the NFL comes to a close giving way to more online sportsbook betting for Major League Baseball. It’s been an interesting run towards the playoffs this season, with divisional races wrapping up uncharacteristically early, but the fight still remaining through the last two or three games of play as a small handful of teams rally to fill in the final two Wild Card spots remaining in the National and American Leagues. As both the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves have faltered down the stretch to allow Tampa Bay and St. Louis a shot at the AL and NL Wild Cards respectively, the last few remaining games on the MLB schedule should be well worth a wager or two, with a visit to one of the top online sports betting websites reviewed here. For today, join me in venturing down to the Sportsbetting.ag sportsbook , one of the best sports betting websites reviewed over a period of 5 years, and a great place for beginners to quickly and easily get into the excitement of online sportsbook betting.

For online sportsbook bets on Tuesday, wagers on Major League Baseball are the way to go, with 15 games on tap, and a number of quality match-ups to take advantage of. Starting with the games that will influence the Wild Card races, first in the American League the Boston Red Sox try to avoid a complete and total collapse down the home stretch, going 2-8 in their last 10 and succumbing to Tampa Bay for a tie in the race with just 3 games left to play. After losing to Baltimore last night, Boston will look to bounce back with Erik Bedard on the hill against the Orioles’ Zach Britton in a must-win scenario for the BoSox. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has been cruising on three straight victories and looking for their third straight win over the New York Yankees today. With Bartolo Colon up against Jeremy Hellickson and the Rays on home turf, this is a great match-up to take advantage of a struggling Colon, and a Yankees lineup that will see some players get some rest ahead of the first round of the playoffs. In the last worthy wager for AL baseball today, though the series doesn’t matter now, catch the Los Angeles Angels looking to finish strong after a disappointing final run has dashed their hopes of the playoffs, but they should get a consolation victory tonight against the Texas Rangers, as Ervin Santana looks to finish his strong year on a good note against Colby Lewis.

Moving around the league to the National side of things, the Atlanta Braves continue to stumble towards the final few games of the season, and after losing their last 3 straight and 7 of 10, the Braves are now in jeopardy of being overcome by the St. Louis Cardinals, who while losing last night still look much better right now than the Braves. As Atlanta once again turns to Derek Lowe, who has been awfully rough to close out the season (losing his last 4 starts with a 8.24 ERA in September), while the Philadelphia Phillies will look to knock their NL East rivals off the playoff block with Roy Oswalt on the mound today. In the other game of choice for the NL Wild Card race, catch the St. Louis Cardinals at the Houston Astros as Jake Westrbook looks for another quality outing against Henry Sosa. Find a number of other good match-ups worth a wager on at Sportsbetting.ag today, and with plenty of great Major League Baseball for betting on sports, enjoy another great day full of great potential for top sportsbook betting, and get those wagers placed before the games get underway today!

 

Posted on

Monday Night Football: Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Redskins

It’s a classic match-up for Monday Night Football this week as the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) host the Washington Redskins (2-0) at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Dallas will try to win their first home opener in their state-of-the-art stadium, but will have to do so with a banged up starting quarterback in Tony Romo, who enters the game with a fractured rib and a slightly punctured lung, and also the absences of star wide receiver Miles Austin, and starting running back Felix Jones. With the hot starting Washington Redskins looking to go 3-0 for the first time since 2005, tonight’s match-up could be a great opportunity for the ‘Skins to take advantage of the Cowboy’s injuries, and extend their home-opening losing streak to three straight years.

Though Tony Romo is banged up coming into this match-up, we can all expect to see good things out of the Pro-Bowl quarterback, who helped Dallas rally late last week against San Francisco in a 27-24 win in overtime. Romo also has a lot to improve upon in home openers at the new Cowboys Stadium, as he’s 0-2 with 5 interceptions and just 2 touchdowns. However, even without Miles Austin, Romo has managed to put up strong numbers in the first two games, averaging 343.5 yards per game, 2 touchdowns and only 1 interception. He’ll look towards Dez Bryant and tight end Jason Witten as his key targets tonight, and hope that the return of LeRon Landry to the Redskins defense at safety won’t hamper his ability to deliver strikes to his receiving corps.

On the Washington side, quarterback Rex Grossman has surprised many through 2 games this season, but this should be a big test for him coming into Dallas, where he’ll be eyed by Pro Bowl linebacker DeMarcus Ware all night, who leads the NFL with 4 sacks, and 10 over the last 5 games played. Grossman will likely look to repeat his outstanding fill-in performance last year for Donovan McNabb, when he threw for 322 yards and 4 touchdowns, though instead will hope to exit with a win instead of the 33-30 loss experienced in that big game last December. With the Washington running game lagging a bit with Tim Hightower struggling at 3.7 yards per carry and facing pressure from rookie Roy Helu, the focus for Grossman will be hooking up with Santana Moss downfield, in the hopes that a couple of big plays will help the Redskins get over the hump against the Cowboys tonight.

Betting Lines for Dallas vs. Washington:

Betonline Sportsbook (<a href=”https://casinoreview.org/sports_betting/betonline.html”>read the review of Betonline Sportsbook</a>) has the Cowboys as favorites with -170 odds, while the Redskins enter the game as +150 underdogs. The point spread tells the tale that this game will likely be a close one, at -3 points for Dallas at -130 odds, and +110 odds for +3 points on Washington. With Dallas playing two consecutive 27-24 games, winning and losing one, while Washington comes off a 22-21 victory at Arizona last Sunday, we certainly should be looking at an exciting and close match-up that comes down to the wire. Lastly for online sports betting on tonight’s Monday Night Football match-up, the over/under on total points stands at 45, and looking at a more defensive match-up between these two teams with a few key injuries likely helping to keep the scoring down, the under wager at -110 odds looks like a solid option for you sportsbook betting fans tonight.

Our Pick to Win:

Just about every analyst and pundit points to Dallas picking up their first home-opener win at the new Cowboys Stadium in Week 3 of Monday Night Football, however I’m calling an underdog victory for the ‘Skins, with a number of notable Cowboys injuries, and a very likely possibility that Tony Romo could be knocked out of the game if the Dallas front line can’t protect him better. Washington wins this match-up 24-21 tonight, and remains one of the few unbeatens in the NFL.

 

Posted on

NFL Game of the Day: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

The NFL’s oldest rivalry gets set for kick off during Week 3 of the 2011-12 NFL Football season, as last year’s Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers (2-0) make their way back to Soldier Field in Chicago to take on the Chicago Bears (1-1) for one of the top match-ups for online sports betting on NFL Football this week.

To no one’s surprise, the Green Bay Packers have jumped out of the gates once again this year, with an impressive offensive attack led by Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers, and backed up by a stout rushing defense that has helped to offset their struggles in defending against the pass (dead last in the league at 400 yards per game through the first two contests). Green Bay certainly comes into this road match-up with some confidence, after earning their Super Bowl bid last year at Soldier Field in a 21-14 grudge match. A few things remain the same in this contest, but if one thing is for certain between these two teams it’s that anything can and likely will happen on Sunday in the 183rd meeting of this great sports rivalry.

Of initial concern for the Bears heading into today’s game, it’s been once again the inability of the offensive line to prevent serious pressure on quarterback Jay Cutler. He’s already been sacked 11 times in 2 games, to outpace last season’s league-leading 56 sacks by a hefty margin (they are currently on pace to allow 88 sacks during the year). Against the Pack’s 6th-ranked rushing defense, and the crew that has had 7 sacks in its first two games with a history of being able to get to Cutler, the Bears front line simply needs to step up in this game in order to exploit Green Bay’s one major area of weakness that has been exposed thus far.

That weakness for the Packers is stopping the pass, which has been awful through two weeks against New Orleans and Carolina. Allowing Drew Brees to throw for 419 yards can be admissible to an extent given Brees’ pedigree and receiving options, but giving up 432 yards to Cam Newton, a rookie starter for the Panthers? Totally unacceptable. Without Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins for this game, Chicago’s pass-heavy offense will need to be on point, and keep Green Bay uni’s out of Jay Cutler’s back pocket if they are to stand any chance of keeping pace with a balanced Packers attack (averaging 113 yards on the ground, 296 through the air while Chicago is at only 74 yards rushing and 237 passing).

Betting Lines for the Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers:

WagerWeb Sportsbook (<a href=”https://casinoreview.org/sports_betting/wagerweb.html”>read the review of WagerWeb Sportsbook</a>) has the Green Bay Packers at -220 odds to win, and favored by 4 1/2 points on the spread today. Chicago is a +180 underdog even at home against a pass-susceptible defense, but given their inability to protect their quarterback, it’s easy to see why Chicago doesn’t stack up so well in the betting lines against the more balanced Packers. The over/under on today’s game stands at 45 points, with -110 odds either which way you feel like wagering.

Our Pick to Win:

Green Bay has shown that while they have some issues to contend with in the defensive secondary, their talented offense led by Aaron Rodgers is as consistent as it gets in the NFL, and will be tough for the Chicago Bears to contend with. Chicago simply has to find a way to get more rushing going (11 rushes to a whopping 52 passes last week), but may find that tough if Green Bay chooses the same strategy of heavy blitzing like the New Orleans Saints brought to the Bears’ table last week. Look for lots of aerial offense in today’s game, but expect Green Bay to control the clock, and control the Bear’s run offense to make life on Jay Cutler once again difficult. Green Bay emerges victorious on the road today, 31-17.

Players to Watch, Green Bay:

James Starks, RB – Starks has had limited carries (21) through the first two games, but he’s made the most of them by averaging 6.8 yards per carry. With the Bears surprisingly allowing 114 yards a game against the run this year, the Packers could turn to Starks to help ease the pressure on Aaron Rodgers, and continue to use the Pack’s balanced offensive attack to win games and overcome defensive shortcomings.

Greg Jennings, WR – With just 9 receptions so far this year, I expect Jennings to see a lot more looks in this match-up, where he’s been very good over the past few years (23 catches for 407 yards and 2 TDs in the past 4 meetings). Expect Jennings to get into the end zone during the first half, as Green Bay works quickly on opening drives to set a precedent and control the game clock throughout the second half.

Players to Watch, Chicago:

Jay Cutler, QB – With so much dependent on the passing game in Chicago, it’s really up to Cutler to be mobile, make good passes, and try as best he can to avoid getting sacked. Expect a lot of looks to go Matt Forte’s way, with wide outs Roy Williams and Earl Bennett both questionable for today’s game, and hopefully Cutler can exploit a weak Packers’ secondary with a few downfield throws to Johnny Knox to help make a difference in the game.

Matt Forte, RB – The aforementioned running back is key to the Chicago offense getting on track in this game. If Chicago can’t establish a running game against Green Bay, the pressure will be too much for Cutler to take and the passing game will suffer greatly. Look for Forte to be in the flats for short, quick passes, and if you’re a Bears fan, hope he can generate some offense on the ground today to help balance out the Bear’s offense.

Posted on

Exciting NFL Football, MLB Baseball in Store for Online Sportsbook Betting on Sunday

After another huge day of College Football, an exciting set of bouts in UFC 135, and Major League Baseball excitement throughout an action-packed Saturday, it’s time once again for another great Sunday afternoon for betting on sports, and like every day Casinoreview.org has all the hottest action available at your fingertips with a quick click over to one of the best online sports betting sites we’ve reviewed right here! Checking out Week 3 of NFL Football action is a sure fire way to get excited about the sportsbook action on tap for today, so for all you sports fans, make sure to bookmark your bets at one of the top sportsbooks reviewed before the games start in just a few hours! With action underway shortly featuring some huge games to determine who the real deals are and who’s pretending in NFL play, take a little time to peruse the offerings listed at any one of the best sports betting sites and get involved on the action for one of the best days of sports during the week!

For Sunday’s sports betting at one of our top sportsbooks listed, I choose WagerWeb Sportsbook (<a href=”https://casinoreview.org/sports_betting/wagerweb.html”>read the review of WagerWeb Sportsbook</a>) for today’s wagers, squeezing in a few baseball games and a few football games to immerse myself in as much sports action as possible. To start off the action with NFL football, we’ll look to the early games in play, and amongst them, single out a few of the best contests between the undefeated teams in the league thus far. For starters, we’ll hedge a wager on the New England Patriots, who seem truly capable of living up to their hype as Super Bowl favorites, so long as no major injuries deplete their talented ranks. Facing Buffalo today, who have come out with a surprising 2-0 start and an impressive offensive attack, I have to call out my first legit vs. pretender match-up, and take New England to win, though not without giving up some serious points (making for a good over total points wager, set at 54 points currently at WagerWeb). Elsewhere, look for a fun match-up between the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles, with the Eagles a major favorite at -9 on the points spread at -400 on the money line, the upstart Detroit Lions look to go 3-0 for the first time since 1980, and could very well do it against the struggling Minnesota Vikings today, and look for a grinding, exciting classic match-up as the Green Bay Packers head to Soldier Field to take on the Chicago Bears. There’s plenty of great NFL Football action set for online sports betting, so head on down to WagerWeb Sportsbook right now, and get those wagers placed before the games get underway!

Major League Baseball should also be in your sights for betting on sports today at WagerWeb, as the Wild Card races still linger on with just a few games remaining in the season, and a number of great contests get underway this afternoon and evening. As Boston lost to New York last night to make their losing streak set at 3 games, Tampa Bay inches within 1.5 games with just 4 remaining to play, while the Los Angeles Angels also try to creep into the playoff picture just 2.5 games back of Boston today. Catch the Boston vs. New York series today as Tim Wakefield tries to stop the bleeding in the early innings that have plagued the Red Sox this past month, and could get some help if the Boston bats can get a hold of A.J. Burnett today. Tampa Bay once again takes on the Toronto Blue Jays this afternoon, hoping Wade Davis can overcome Brett Cecil, and the Los Angeles Angels host the Oakland A’s with Joel Pineiro on the mound against Rich Harden in the rubber match of the 3-game series between the two teams. Check out even more great online sports betting to be had on the National League Wild Card race, with the San Francisco Giants officially out of contention and a battle for the Wild Card set between St. Louis and Atlanta. Atlanta hopes Matt Minor can shut down the surging Washington Nationals, who are pushing towards even .500 for the season, while Edwin Jackson and the Cardinals take on the Chicago Cubs once more and try to close the gap today to only 1 game with a win and a Braves loss on the road. All this great sports betting action is just a few clicks away right now, so head on down to WagerWeb Sportsbook, or any of the best online sportsbooks available here, and as always good luck in whatever way your wager on today’s best games!

 

Posted on

Top 25 NCAA Football: #3 Alabama hosts #14 Arkansas

The #3-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) welcome in the #14-ranked Arkansas Razorbacks (3-0) for a big Top 25 SEC match-up in Tuscaloosa this afternoon for our featured NCAA Football match-up on Saturday. Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino brings his fiery attitude and a desire for his team to improve from a rocky 38-28 victory over Troy last week, and will certainly want to see his Razorbacks perform better against one of  defenses in the country, under one of the best head coaches in the land in Nick Saban. A classic match-up featuring Arkansas 8th ranked passing offense vs. Alabama’s 14th ranked run offense, as well as two very good defenses, this game should make for one of the best options for online sports betting and watching during a very good Saturday packed full of NCAA Football.

Alabama comes into this match-up having only allowed an average of 6 points per game over the first three games played, and has won the last 22 of 23 games played at home at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Getting their first Top 25 test today, Alabama will rely heavily on their shutdown defense, which so far has allowed just 2.52 yards per play thus far. That may be a tough task against one of the best offensive units in the country, led by the talented junior Tyler Wilson at QB. Throwing for 822 yards, 5 TDs and with a 163.4 passer rating this season, Wilson will be a much tougher test for the stout Crimson Tide defense, though if the Tide can control the Razorbacks run offense led by Ronnie Wingo Jr., they may be able to strictly focus on limiting the passing game, giving the Razorbacks a tough time this afternoon.

While Alabama’s defense is widely known as one of the best in the land, their offense is what is intriguing in this match-up, having not really wowed anyone so far this season behind sophomore QB A.J. McCarron. Having only generated 2 passing TDs against the likes of North Texas, Kent State and Penn State this season, this is certainly an area of improvement for Alabama in today’s match-up, even though the potent run game led by Trent Richardson (315 yards rushing, 8 TDs through 3 games) is churning along nicely. They’ll certainly need to lead a bit more balanced attack against a much improved Arkansas defense, which itself has only allowed 12.7 points per game this season, and is itching to get back at the Tide after last season’s tough 24-20 loss (leading 20-7 at one point in that game).

Betting Lines for #3 Alabama vs. #14 Arkansas:

Intertops.com sportsbook (<a href=”https://www.casinoreview.org/sports_betting/intertops.html”>read the review of Intertops.com</a>) has Alabama as a huge favorite to win this match-up today at home, getting -400 odds while Arkansas steps in as a +315 underdog. The over/under on the match-up stands at 50 points, relatively low for an NCAA College Football match-up, but not too surprising considering the talented defenses on the field this afternoon. Expecting Arkansas to pass and Alabama to feature the run as per usual, if Alabama controls possession time in this game, look for a very good chance that the under wager on total points (-110 odds) could be the best way to pick up cash on this match-up at the Intertops online sportsbook. Also take into consideration the very large 11 point spread at -110 odds for either +11 on Arkansas or -11 on Alabama, which could favor going with the Razorbacks to cover especially if they can generate some big passing plays this afternoon.

Our Pick to Win:

It’s very tough to wager against the Tide at home in any match-up, especially with the best head coach in the country calling the plays from the sidelines. Though Alabama has inexperience at QB, relying on their running back tandem of Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy (who combined for 328 yards last week alone) will likely just be too much for the Arkansas defense to muster. Look for a grind-it-out game today featuring stingy defense to give Alabama the edge at home, where the Tide will roll on with a 24-17 victory.

Players to Watch, Arkansas:

Tyler Wilson, QB – Coming off a 23-for-36, 303 yard and 2 TD game last week, Wilson’s numbers look good, except when you consider that was against Troy, who should have been blown out by much more than 10 points. The Razorbacks offense will need to be better today, and it starts with Wilson being more composed and exhibiting better passing form in clutch situations against an Alabama defense that will not be lenient to errors.

Ronnie Wingo Jr., RB – The Arkansas running back has seen his number of carries go up each week, and last week’s 20 rush, 109 yards and 2 TD performance is encouraging. Against the Tide however, it’s going to be much tougher sledding for Wingo, who will need to be at his best in order to help take some pressure off Tyler Wilson and the passing game. A big improvement over last season’s 64 yards rushing on 20 carries against the Tide is essential to keep this game close.

Players to Watch, Alabama:

Trent Richardson, RB – The combination of Richardson and Lacy in the backfield is simply devastating for opponents’ defenses. Richardson has already amassed 8 TDs in 3 games this season, and will find the end zone today one way or another. If Alabama can get its passing game in order and shift the Razorbacks’ defensive focus away from Richardson a bit, look for both him and Lacy to have big days.

Eddie Lacy, RB – The Tide’s offense is all about the running game, and with Lacy generating 10.9 yards per carry alongside Richardson, Arkansas has its hands full in the Crimson Tide backfield. Look for Lacy to be a factor in the passing game as well, if ‘Bama can lure the Razorbacks into covering just the run and sneak him outside for a big play.

 

Posted on

College Football, MLB Baseball Set for a Great Saturday of Sportsbook Betting

For Saturday’s online sportsbook betting, it’s a sports fans’ best dream come true, as online sports betting options range from the Major League Baseball games, with team streaking towards the playoffs, to NCAA College Football, as well as a host of upcoming NFL games, one NASCAR race, and tonight’s UFC 135 live from Denver, Colorado. With all this available action at any one of the top online sports betting sites reviewed on our website, I’m taking a little of everything under my wing today, and choosing a bit from each league or sport in action this weekend for wagers at the top sports betting website at Intertops.com sportsbook (<a href=”https://www.casinoreview.org/sports_betting/intertops.html”>read the review of Intertops.com</a>). Since it’s a day for football first and foremost, we’ll focus first on the games starting in just a short time in NCAA Football, and plant our first wagers on Top 25 action. Next, take a look to Major League Baseball, which continues action into the final week of regular season play, and round out the day with a look towards upcoming NFL bets set up for Sunday’s big NFL day.

Getting into today’s top betting action for NCAA Football, we’ll reiterate the great games in store for Top 25 teams, including #3 Alabama and #14 Arkansas, #2 LSU at #16 West Virginia, and the match-up I’m most looking forward to, between #7 Oklahoma State and #8 Texas A&M, which likely will be the most exciting game of the day with two very potent Big 12 offenses. If you haven’t yet had the chance to see OSU in action with Brandon Weeden at QB (the Cowboys are averaging 601 yards per game, 408 passing and 52.3 points), make sure to grab a piece of this game’s action, as it’ll be an exciting contest to watch and wager on. In another big match-up down south, #11 Florida State faces a tough challenge away at #21 Clemson, especially with Seminoles’ starting QB EJ Manuel questionable for the match-up. Seeking their first 4-0 start since 2007, look for the Tigers to take advantage of their blooming confidence and a banged up Florida State QB to keep moving up the ranks of College Football once again this week. With these great games and more in store for another awesome day of NCAA Football, check into the Intertops sportsbook, peruse all the betting lines available, and find the right picks to make you a winner today.

With even more action for online sports betting hedging on Major League Baseball, look out for the Texas Rangers trying to clinch home field advantage in the playoffs after clinching the AL West on Friday, as they match up with the Seattle Mariners for Game 2 of their weekend series.  With all the National and American League divisions officially wrapped up as of yesterday as Arizona, Milwaukee, Detroit and Texas clinched, we turn to the fight for the Wild Card in both leagues, which will undoubtedly make for great betting options on the teams still left in that hunt. Boston starts its weekend series with New York a bit late due to a rainout Friday night, and badly needs a win with Jon Lester on the mound to boost their 2 1/2 game cushion over Tampa Bay, and 3 1/2 games over the Los Angeles Angels. Check out the Tampa Bay Rays with a tough battle at Toronto against Ricky Romero, and the Angels starting Jerome Williams against Oakland, as they try to bounce back from losing 6 of 9 games, and last night’s series opener with the A’s which saw Jered Weaver get outdueled by Gio Gonzalez. Make sure to also catch the NL Wild Card race in action today as well, as Atlanta continues to hold a slim lead over St. Louis (3 games back) and San Francisco (5 games back). San Francisco’s loss last night to Arizona for the NL West title may have solidified their exclusion from the post season, but St. Louis is still hanging on with only 5 games left to make up the difference.

Check out all this great NCAA Football and MLB Baseball action available for online sportsbook bets at Intertops.eu today, and also make sure to take a gander over the best action available for tomorrow’s NFL Football Week 3, tonight’s UFC 135 featuring a great bout in the Light Heavyweight division between Jon Jones and Quinton Jackson, and even some quality NASCAR racing action in the Sylvania 300 set for Sunday. As always we wish you the best of luck in your online sports betting at the best online sportsbooks reviewed right here!