UFC – Casino Review

February 15, 2015February 15, 2015

Bullets Are Back for a Frigid Sunday

I’m not sure where you are on this Sunday in February but I hope you’re warmer than I am. It’s always a real eye-opener when you look at the digital readout on the counter and it says “minus.” Ya, that’s not good but let’s talk some sports.

-I stopped watching the slam dunk competition a long time ago because it got stale and rarely did any of the game’s top stars actually participate. With that thought in mind I give you last night’s Slam Dunk Champion Zach LeVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves. I just watched his dunks and I admit, they were pretty darn spectacular. The problem is that most casual NBA fans have no clue who LeVine is. He averages about seven points per game. I’d rather watch LeBron take on Kevin Durant in H-O-R-S-E.

-The New York Jets yesterday decided not to extend running back Chris Johnson who now becomes a free agent. Johnson becomes just another one of those running backs who had a couple of big seasons and then petered out.

-Major League Baseball is apparently toying with the idea of shrinking the strike zone for 2016. Since new MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred took over, he’s mentioned outlawing the defensive shift against pull hitters and now wants to make the already small strike zone even smaller. If you want more offense Mr. Commissioner then how about having umpires use the original strike zone? Then maybe hitters would be more apt to swing more often?

Petrino — If this man recruits your son, I'd look elsewhere.

-By trade, most college football coaches are salesmen. They have to sell themselves, their school and their program in order to get the talent they desire. That said, if Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino ever sent so much as a post card to my son I’d send it back express with a big middle finger on it. Many high schools in South Carolina have now banned Petrino after he pulled a scholarship offer promised to a player. Yes, it’s a business, but it doesn’t have to include people like Petrino. Just look at the way he’s conducted himself wherever he’s been.

-UFC President Dana White has a growing problem whether he is willing to admit it or not. More and more of his fighters are testing positive for everything from cocaine to performance-enhancing drugs. These aren’t his middle of the road fighters either. Guys like Jon Jones and Anderson Silva have tested positive after recent fights and White has to recognize that this isn’t a good look for his sport.

-NBA Commissioner Adam Silver addressed the state of his sport yesterday and he touched on a couple of issues that I think fans will like. First of all, he wants to tweak the schedule to get players more rest and that includes cutting back on preseason games. He also appears to be open to altering playoff seeding as well but that may take awhile. My hope is that Silver also decides to cut back on regular season games period. There are too many games that are meaningless especially ones where the top players are getting rest.

-I have no idea how the game of cricket is played in terms of rules but I can tell you that India defeated Pakistan in the 2015 Cricket World Cup. What I find most interesting is that these are two countries that politically, ethnically and religiously despise each other. Yet once again sports has shown that nations can get along for a little competition every once in awhile.

February 1, 2015February 1, 2015

Super Bowl Sunday Bullets From Across the Sports World

Super Bowl Sunday is upon us and I’m tackling a number of stories that have developed in recent days.

-If you haven’t placed a wager yet on Super Bowl XLIX, then you may want to add a bit of research before doing so. So much action has been coming the Seahawks’ way that most Vegas sports books have moved the game to a “pick’em” selection.

-Congrats to Serena Williams for her victory in the Australian Open. She is now three grand slam titles away from tying the great Steffi Graff.

-If you ever needed further proof about just what kind of person NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is then I give you his “State of the Game” Presser on Friday. CNN’s Rachel Nichols asked a very direct question related to the conflicts of interest regarding investigators the NFL has chosen to run its’ investigations. Goodell was clearly annoyed and couldn’t even look Nichols in the eye as he gave a condescending answer. He even badgered her at the end of the his diatribe.

-My dreams of an unbeaten NCAA Championship Game in college basketball went out the window last night. Duke went into Charlottesville and knocked off second-ranked Virginia 69-63. Now I can only hope that Kentucky gets there unbeaten to give the game just a little more added flavor.

Bus — Jerome Bettis was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame last night along with seven other worthy candidates.

-Congratulations to the eight men selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame yesterday. Junior Seau, Will Shields, Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown and Charles Haley were the modern-era selections. All in my opinion are worthy and should come with no debate whatsoever. Also elected were Mick Tingelhoff who was elected by the Seniors’ Committee and team executives Bill Polian and Ron Wolf.

-This is one of the rare Hall of Fame classes that should come with no debate across the board.

-UFC 183 saw Anderson Silva return from a 399-day layoff to defeat Nick Diaz in a unanimous decision. The bout was an odd one with Diaz taunting Silva throughout and even faking a knockdown at one point. Last we saw Silva, he suffered that horrible broken leg against Chris Weidman. At 39 years old, Silva is considering retirement but has announced nothing at this time.

-Tiger Woods shot a career-worst 82 Friday and finished dead-last and missed the cut at the Phoenix Waste Management Open. Heading into the tournament, Woods was very excited about his newly crafted swing and added length off the tee. To his credit, Woods didn’t give the typical excuses we’ve become used to after his poor rounds. He instead went with humor and even resorted to Marshawn Lynch’s “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” comment.

-Speaking of golf, how can you not love the atmosphere around the 16th hole? Golf purists of course find it to be a disgrace to the game, but the arena style par three is fantastic for fans and makes great television. Are there people a bit out of control at the 16th? Of course, but then again this isn’t a major so let’s just take a deep breath and enjoy it.

-Aaron Rodgers won his second Most Valuable Player Award last night and J.J. Watt became the first-ever defender to unanimously win the Defensive Player of the Year Award. I can’t argue too much with the selection of Rodgers but if Watt can’t win the MVP with the year he had then I don’t see a defender ever winning the award again. Watt wasn’t just a great defender though, he was a great player who probably deserved better.

December 29, 2013

Random Thoughts in the Sports World for Sunday

There’s nothing quite like waking up on a Sunday morning, grabbing a cup of joe and sitting down to write with a virtual smorgasbord of sports topics to discuss. Today is one such Sunday morning and I’ll try to be brief on each and every topic. Sometimes I find myself ranting a bit too much on certain topics thus missing a chance to discuss more stuff. See? I’m doing it already…

Last night may have proven to be the end of one of the great careers in sports. MMA legend Anderson Silva was defeated again by Chris Wiedman in UFC 168 by TKO in the most gruesome of manners. To say Silva suffered a broken leg would be nice. Most reports are that he shattered his lower leg. Coming back from such an injury is not impossible but should Silva even bother?

He really has nothing left to prove and will always be one of the all-time greats of mixed martial arts. Don’t be surprised to see him back though.

In light of this and other gruesome injuries MMA offers on many occasions, I can’t help but wonder why people aren’t as outraged by this as they are about injuries in the National Football League. Trust me, I know the millions or billions of reasons why but if Roger Goodell would just admit ‘player safety’ is a sham and it’s all about money then I’d sleep just slightly better.

Discussion has ramped up significantly in the last 24 hours about Penn State Head Football Coach Bill O’Brien becoming the next football coach of the Houston Texans. This would be a great ‘get’ for Texans’ owner Bob McNair as O’Brien has long been thought of as a potentially good NFL head coach. My question relates to not Houston but to Penn State. What happens to those kids who committed to play at Penn State for a coach that’s no longer there?

This is not a normal ‘coach takes another job’ situation either. You’ll recall that Penn State is in the midst of a four-year ban on playing for the Big Ten title and they may not go to any bowls in that period as well. If you really understand college football and recruiting then you know how tough it is to recruit top athletes with them knowing they won’t play for championships of any kind.

We all know the NCAA is a complete joke in almost every way and this is yet another, but something must be done to allow these players to have the same freedom their coach has.

If yesterday was in fact Teddy Bridgewater’s last collegiate game then he went out quite well. The Louisville signal-caller threw for over 400 yards and three scores in the Cardinals’ 36-9 rout of Miami. I think Bridgewater’s decision is an easy one and will be made even easier if his head coach, Charlie Strong, takes the top job at Texas as some think he will.

In my opinion, Bridgewater is the top QB that would be coming out this year. His accuracy is outstanding and his decision-making is very good as well. While I’m not sure if his overall game equates to being the number one guy on a team’s draft board, that doesn’t matter. Houston has the number one pick and a need at quarterback. Stay tuned.

Did anyone else find the NBA’s t-shirt style jerseys on Christmas Day to be as horrendous as I did? I felt like I was watching a European handball match rather than an NBA game. Selling gear is a top priority for any league but if you show up at the courts wearing one of those be prepared to be laughed back to the bench.

August 10, 2012August 10, 2012

NFL Preseason Action Lights Up, MLB Contests Set for Friday

Football fans can fully start rejoicing as the 2nd week of NFL preseason football is set to wrap up with a full slew of games available on Friday night, to add to the burgeoning collection of Major League Baseball games that can be typically found at the end of the week. There’s no doubt that after another long summer of little selection for online sports betting, the arrival of the NFL preseason is a much-welcomed change of pace, even if the action set to take place over the next 4 weeks leading into the regular season has a number of curve balls for betting on sports. Nonetheless, the though of NFL football in play is just about too tempting not to dive into the betting lines on, so for Friday we’ll open up the wagering with a few low-risk wagers on a couple of the better match-ups in play this evening. For today’s wagering, we’ll turn to the Betonline sportsbook, one of the best reviewed online sportsbooks found anywhere on the web today.

For the first NFL match-up on the day, we’re wagering on the New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals showdown, with the Bengals slightly favored at home with -120 odds. With Tim Tebow making his debut for the Jets tonight, this game should see some added attention, however with the Jets testing many areas of their game (including QB), expect to see more rust on the New York side, and a close victory coming for the Bengals at home tonight. For the other wager we’re looking into, we’re backing the Detroit Lions to come away with a win over the Cleveland Browns, who are in a major rebuilding process under new ownership. With tons of distractions to that organization, we expect them to fall flat against a Detroit team that even via reserves should have plenty of offensive firepower to take down the new-look Browns. Make sure to check out the other match-ups available tonight for betting on the NFL preseason, such as the Arizona Cardinals vs. Kansas City Chiefs, the San Fransisco 49ers vs. the Minnesota Vikings, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins, and the defending NFL Champion New York Giants vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, but keep in mind that this is preseason, where reserve players rule and officiating can be downright terrible. Bet with caution and small money amounts if you are to do so, and just enjoy working yourself back into betting on the NFL without putting yourself at any monetary risk early.

For the remaining items on the online sports betting docket for Friday at Betonline sportsbook, make sure to check out the weekend-starting games scheduled in Major League Baseball, with a number of great series just getting started today. Key match-ups include a great pitching duel between the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals (Kyle Lohse vs. Roy Halladay), the Detroit Tigers vs. Texas Rangers in a clash of division leaders, and an interesting match-up in the desert as the Arizona Diamondbacks host Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals. Also look out for a favorable pitching match-up for the Seattle Mariners, who send out ace hurler Felix Hernandez against the Los Angeles Angels and Ervin Santana. The Mariners play better offensive ball on the road this season, and with their best pitcher on the hill there’s a solid opportunity to take the slight road underdogs to cover +101 odds at Betonline sportsbook today. Find plenty of other top sports betting picks available on MLB Baseball, as the Tampa Bay Rays take on the Minnesota Twins, the Los Angeles Dodgers battle the Miami Marlins, and the Chicago White Sox bring in a tough competitor in the Oakland A’s for a series extending over the weekend.

Don’t forget that for you alternative sports fans, there’s one match-up in CFL Football tonight as the Saskatchewan Roughriders battle the Edmonton Eskimos in what should actually be a solid pairing between two teams tied for second in the West division this season, and also don’t forget to start looking at the weekend’s up and coming UFC 150 action set for Saturday evening in Denver. You can start with some teaser bets on MMA competition on Friday, as a few bouts will be available for online sports betting as MFC 34: Total Recall is set to get underway. All-in-all it’s a solid day for betting on sports at one of the top reviewed online sportsbooks like the one at Betonline, so jump on down, check out the most favorable options across NFL, MLB, CFL and MMA competition, and hopefully start piling up some cash in your account for added wagers over an exciting weekend of sports!

August 3, 2012

Week Closes Out With MLB Baseball, UFC and CFL Sports Betting

The week has dragged on long enough, and fortunately for all of us, Friday brings with it a host of great options for online sports betting at the top reviewed sportsbooks located right here at CR. For today’s foray into the top betting options, we’re taking a look at the usual dose of Major League Baseball action, and lumping in some wagers for tomorrow night’s UFC on FOX bouts in MMA competition, as well as some Canadian Football League action tonight in preparation for the upcoming NFL and NCAA Football seasons. With plenty of online sports betting endeavors to be had, join us today at the top-listed sportsbook at Bovada sportsbook, the leader amongst the best online sportsbooks reviewed at CR.

For Major League Baseball games on the betting lines at Bovada, the top action lies with the series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Baltimore Orioles, as the two AL East teams battle within the AL Wild Card standings. At Tropicana Field tonight, the Rays will seek a 3rd straight win behind Matt Moore (7-7, 4.01 ERA). Facing the O’s Tommy Hunter (4-6, 5.68 ERA), we’re backing the lefty Rays pitcher to help earn his team the win, and pick up +120 odds for Tampa to cover the spread. For the second favorable MLB wager on the day, turn to a solid pitching duel in the series between the Cleveland Indians and the Detroit Tigers, as Justin Masterson dukes it out with Annibal Sanchez, a recent import to the Tigers rotation from the Miami Marlins. After getting shelled in his first appearance with his new team, we’re looking for Sanchez to bounce back at home tonight, and send the Indians to a 7th consecutive loss in the process, as their offense continues to struggle through the second half of the season. Adding in a couple more wagers tonight for the showdown between the Washington Nationals and the Miami Marlins (backing Gio Gonzalez of the Nats at home), and the Cincinnati Reds vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (taking the Reds’ Mat Latos to pitch past Wandy Rodriguez for Cincy’s 4th straight win), we’ll dump these two into a tidy parlay wager, hoping to increase the earnings on a smaller wager at Bovada today.

For other top betting options available to you on Friday, make sure to prepare for the exciting upcoming bouts scheduled for UFC on FOX 4 taking place tomorrow at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA, as a number of great fights are on the card. Especially exciting will be the bout between Lyoto Machida and Wagner Prado, as well as Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua and Brandon ‘The Truth’ Vera. For you football fans out there that are itching to get a taste of the action with NFL preseason games starting in just two days’ time, check out tonight’s CFL action that pits the Montreal Alouettes against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. With Montreal able to produce offense, and Winnipeg struggling to stop any form of attack, we’re loving the -2 points against the spread going to the Alouettes this evening. Also don’t forget that there is plenty of 2012 summer Olympics competition up for online sports betting today at Bovada, with a massive listing of sporting events for both individual and team competition available. Make sure to catch a glance at all your options for Friday, as it’s sure to be a profitable day of online sports betting when wagering at the top online sportsbook at Bovada!

July 14, 2012

Major League Baseball Tops Sportsbook Bets at Bovada

Ah, the weekend. That wonderful time when you get to wake up late, ponder over the daily sports offerings on TV throughout the afternoon, and lounge around on the couch in your underwear eating cold pizza from last night. Okay, maybe that’s just me, but to each their own right? Right. Regardless of what state the morning finds you on Saturday, there is one thing for certain, and that is the fact that we finally have some great options for sports betting back on the table, with a full day of Major League Baseball, some CFL Football action up north, and some MMA fighting with Strikeforce action on the docket tonight. There’s no question that you’ll be able to find something to fit your online sports betting fancy throughout the day, so join us this afternoon with a look over the top betting lines at Bovada sportsbook, the top-reviewed sports betting destination here at CR. Let’s jump in to all the day’s action and spot the best looking wagers for the best opportunities to cash in on today’s sporting events.

For the early games getting underway shortly, make sure to take a look at the action starting up in the East, first with Game 2 of the New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Angels series. The Yankees now own the best record in baseball after last night’s clutch victory, and hold an eight-game lead over second place Baltimore in the AL East. Tonight, they’ll look to their bats once again to jump on Angels’ starter Jerome Williams (6-5, 4.46 ERA) who comes off a month-long sting on the DL. Chances are the Yankees will need another big night ala Mark Teixeira (2 home runs, 5 RBI last night), in order to support their starter Freddy Garcia (3-2, 5.23 ERA) who has been up and down this season. Fortunately for Garcia, he’s been outstanding against the Angels lately, going 6-0 with a 2.49 ERA in his last 9 starts against them. Trying to avoid a 4th consecutive loss on the road, the Angels will be desperate, which may play even further into a Yankees advantage today. We’ll go for the 1.5 runs the Yanks have to cover against the spread (+125 odds) for the first wager of the day at Bovada.

Picking out some other key match-ups early in the afternoon, the Chicago Cubs host an interesting game with the Arizona Diamondbacks, with a great pitching duel lined up between Arizona’s Joe Saunders (4-5, 3.44 ERA) and Chicago’s Ryan Dempster (4-3, 1.99 ERA). Dempster, a subject of trade rumors, has been flawless in his last 27 innings of work, and has won 5 consecutive starts…a true feat considering how awful the Cubs are this season. Chicago is also terrible against left-handed pitching, going 8-18 on the year against lefties, so count on this to be a low-scoring match-up that has us eyeing the under wager on total runs set at 8 1/2. Lastly for the early games in the MLB, turn to the series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Cleveland Indians, as Ubaldo Jimenez (8-7, 4.50 ERA) looks to slow down the Jays while Aaron Laffey (0-1, 2.67 ERA) makes his 4th start of the season, hoping to finally get some run support. After a 1-0 nail-biting win for Cleveland last night, once again we like the under wager on 10 runs for the over/under at EVEN odds.

Moving down the rest of the MLB list for the afternoon and evening games, check out a fantastic pitcher’s match-up in the New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves series, as R.A. Dickey (12-1, 2.40 ERA) looks to continue his amazing season into the second half, but will face a tough challenge taking on Tommy Hanson (10-5, 3.71 ERA) on the road this evening. Elsewhere, the Detroit Tigers look to stay hot in the second half, shooting for a 7th consecutive victory as they face the Baltimore Orioles with Max Scherzer (8-5, 4.72 ERA) taking on Wei-Yin Chen (7-5, 3.93 ERA). Another key series between NL Central foes finds the Cincinnati Reds facing the St. Louis Cardinals once again, with the Reds seeking a 5th straight win in a tough match-up pitting STL’s Kyle Lohse (9-2, 2.79 ERA) against Cincy’s Mike Leake (3-6, 4.01 ERA). Spot some other excellent pitching duels as the Washington Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez (12-3, 2.92 ERA) battles the Miami Marlins’ Mark Buehrle (8-8, 3.25 ERA), the Texas Rangers’ Yu Darvish (10-5, 3.59 ERA) faces the Seattle Mariners’ only hope Felix Hernandez (6-5, 3.13 ERA), and the Boston Red Sox’ Clay Buchholz (8-2, 5.53 ERA) tries to continue his lucky run against Tampa Bay’s David Price (11-4, 2.82 ERA). With some of the top pitching match-ups of the week taking place today, make sure to check out all the betting lines on MLB baseball, and pick out some key trends that will help to turn you into a winner this afternoon and evening!

Also, if you’re looking to change up the pace a little bit, take note of the pair of CFL football games on tap for this evening, with a great match-up between the undefeated B.C. Lions, last season’s CFL champs, and the undefeated Saskatchewan Roughriders, in a game that should be an excellent teaser for those missing College and NFL football. Catch one more game as well on the CFL schedule, as the Toronto Argonauts battle the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, with plenty of offense on tap as Toronto QB Ricky Ray looks to light up the scoreboard and drive a high-scoring game. Make sure to also check out the options for Strikeforce competition tonight, with a great main event featuring a middleweight bout between champion Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy, and a welterweight title fight between Nate Marquardt and Tyron Woodley. With a total of 4 solid fights lined up, even though there may be less attention than last week’s Silva vs. Sonnen UFC 148 clash, still there’s plenty of opportunities to watch some great MMA competition, and get a hold of some good betting lines for the fights at Bovada. Check out all your options for online sports betting on Saturday, and we hope you come out lucky with some added cash in your pocket!

July 11, 2012

UFC on Fuel 4 Main Event: Munoz vs. Weidman

With this week in sports extremely light on action for online sports betting, Wednesday ramps up the excitement with the 4th edition of UFC on Fuel TV featuring a great middleweight clash between Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Munoz (12-2, 7-2 UFC) and the undefeated Chris “The All-American” Weidman (8-0, 4-0 UFC). After this last weekend’s title defense by Anderson Silva, who emerge the clear owner of the UFC Middleweight crown after disposing of contender Chael Sonnen in just 2 rounds, the winner of tonight’s battle may indeed be next in line to get a crack at either Sonnen or possibly Anderson Silva. That should let you know just how much is on the line for these two fighters heading into this made-for-TV match-up this evening at HP Pavillion in San Jose, California, with the main card set for 8:00 PM ET.

This bout features an intriguing match-up of two former NCAA Division I wrestlers, with Mark Munoz being a national champion at Oklahoma State back in 2001, and Weidman coming from lesser-known Hofstra. The pedigree, both in wrestling and in the octagon definitely lies with Munoz, who has proven himself by moving to more of a striking fighting style with a ‘ground and pound’ approach that has seem him mow through some quality competition in the UFC. Munoz has thrown together 4 straight wins inside the 8-sided cage, but will present an upright approach to attacking his challenger this evening. Weidman on the other hand is much more reliant on his wrestling background as he comes into tonight’s fight looking for a 5th consecutive victory in the UFC. Weidman likes to go to ground, where he’s finished off half of his 8 opponents in MMA fighting via submission. While it should be expected that Munoz would try to keep this fight upright for most of the bout, Weidman’s advantage should lie with getting Munoz to the canvas and avoiding going toe-to-toe for too long. He’s a submission artist by trade, and has explosive quickness, which is certain to come in handy against the hard-hitting Munoz, who loves to do big damage with heavy blows in straight-up fighting.

What makes Weidman an intriguing pick for sports betting fans tonight is the fact that while he’s relatively unproven against top competition in the UFC, he’s coming up fast with some impressive recent wins and has the submission game down to an art. While Munoz is a great wrestler by background, he’s not as well versed at going to the canvas, preferring to trade blows stand up against his opponents. There is no question of who the better fighter is in an all-out brawl, but Munoz hasn’t really had to face a challenger who is so adept at getting opponents to the mat. Weidman could produce himself a victory if he can take Munoz out of his strongest element and force him into an early round submission. However, if Munoz is able to stay on his feet, and the rounds start to stack up, the odds have to start shifting in Munoz favor, as he’s proven to be a tough and cagey fighter that is able to withstand plenty of offensive onslaught. There’s no question that Weidman has to get away from going blow-for-blow with Munoz, and if he can use his skills that netted him two first-round stoppages in 4 of his UFC battles, this fight could be over in shockingly early fashion.

For the betting lines on tonight’s main event, Bovada sportsbook is currently given Weidman the odds as the favorite to win straight up, with -145 odds. Munoz, who in many people’s eyes should be the favorite by virtue of his stronger history in UFC fights (and who also has a 4-bout winning streak) is a tantalizing pick at +115 odds.

For the prop bets on these two fighters, much discussion has lay around whether this fight will end up going the distance, considering the two fighters’ background in wrestling, and a subsequently higher potential that a submission may come into play. For odds on the fight going the distance, Bodog offers -180 odds that it will be determined by a decision, and +130 odds that the fight will end before the final bell. With so much at stake between these two fighters, and both set to be careful through the earlier rounds, most MMA analysts have predicted this to be a bout decided at the final bell, and from what we’ve seen across the internets, most in the know are taking Munoz to be declared the victor.

That leads us to a very interesting wagering option taking Weidman inside the distance, which stands at a healthy +300 odds at present time, or by taking Munoz inside with +350 odds. With both fighters knowing they’ll need to make a statement tonight in order to fully lobby for a title shot against Anderson Silva in the future, will we see someone take some risks and go for a knock-out blow or a submission? We certainly hope so, as toe-to-toe fighting between two wrestlers who are both very capable striking fighters will only show off half the skills these two fighters have. We are beyond tempted, just due to the odds alone, to put a small money wager on Munoz as the harder hitter to finish off Weidman inside, and capture some great money with the +325 bet.

Make sure to also check out other match-ups on the card for UFC on Fuel TV tonight, as Aaron Simpson gets into a battle with Kenny Robertson, James Te Huna takes on Joey Beltran, and Rafael Dos Anjos fights Anthony Njokuani, all of which should bring their own intrigue into online sports betting tonight. Whichever way you wager, make sure to check out all the competitive odds at Bovada Sportsbook today, and good luck betting on the bouts!

July 7, 2012

MLB, UFC 148, NASCAR, CFL Football on Tap for Saturday Sports Betting

With the summer months come the usual drone of Major League Baseball on an everyday basis, which while always a great rock to rest upon for online sports betting, leaves a little to be desired as far as diversity goes. However, fear not sports fans, as this Saturday finally breaks out of the usual glut of MLB games for betting on sports, and opens up the doors with a host of alternatives from NASCAR Sprint Cup Series action, to CFL Football and UFA/MMA competition. For one of the most wide-stretching days for online sports betting so far this summer, we’re headed to one of our favorite all-encompassing sports betting destinations at Intertops sportsbook, which is known well for being one of the first sportsbooks to appear online, and has some of the most far-fetched betting options from everything from every day sports, to entertainment, politics and beyond. If you want to get into the wild and wacky wagering, Intertops is your best spot to do it!

Checking out today’s top options for sportsbook betting on Major League Baseball, there are a number of key match-ups that should suit your fancy right of the bat. While admittedly we’re a bit lazy getting at the first top match-up of the day (Yankees vs. Boston) which has already begun, there is still the 2nd game of the double header set between these two AL East powerhouses, which should be interesting to check out. With the Yankees up 6-1 currently and looking to be on pace to nab the first match-up of today’s double-header, we’re liking New York’s chances of grabbing both games, even despite Phil Hughes facing off against Felix Dubront, with Dubront certainly being the better pitcher heading into the match-up. With the way the Yankees jumped out in Game 1 today, expect them to stay strong with the bats, and be a good candidate as underdogs at+101 odds at Intertops. Another outstanding AL match-up to consider lies between the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Angels, as the O’s Jason Hammel (8-4, 3.43 ERA) battles the Halos’ Jered Weaver (9-1, 2.13 ERA). Though Hammel is a very capable pitcher, there just hasn’t been anyone that can touch Weaver’s nasty off-speed pitches and tremendous control, and at home we’ll back the Angels to cover the 1.5 runs at +130 odds today. Make sure to peruse options on both the AL and NL sides of the MLB spectrum today, as there are some great games taking place around the league to consider wagering on, such as the Toronto Blue Jays vs. Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Miami Marlins, Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks.

There’s no question that you’ll be able to find a number of other great betting options today at Intertops, with UFC 148 getting underway this evening featuring the main event match-up between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, which is certain to be a hard-hitting, exciting showdown to wager on. This grudge match should be an epic UFC battle of two great middleweights, with a good option taking the underdog Sonnen at +220 odds, considering these two fighters are very well matched up coming in. Make no mistake though that the Muay Thai/Brazilian Ju Jitsu master Anderson Silva is one of the most dominant UFC fighters in history with a 31-4 record, however if Chael Sonnen is able to get this match to the canvas and work his wrestling skills, the match could very well go either way. Make another note here of another important fight in the UFC world, as veteran Tito Ortiz is set to make his last stand in the octagon against Forrest Griffin, another very talented and formidable opponent. Ortiz hasn’t looked that great in his last couple of bouts in the octagon (1-4 in his last 5 fights), and will be an underdog tonight at +220 odds. Look out for Griffin to be in better shape, and more hungry to win this bout to send Ortiz off into family life with no thoughts of making a return to action.

Wrapping up the best options for online sports betting at Intertops today, check out the odds on the drivers racing in the Coke Zero 400 from the legendary Daytona Speedway, with Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart on the pole position to win getting -125 odds. However, we’re eyeing Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a great possible pick with -105 odds, even if he’s got to come from deep in the starting pack (24th in qualifying to do it). Looking to win his second race in three weeks, at a track where he finished second this year during the Daytona 500, this might end up being a solid pick for today’s gritty race in Florida. Never count out Jeff Gordon though, who has 6 wins at Daytona, or Matt Kenseth, who sits on the pole position with the fastest car in qualifying.

For you football fans out there, make sure to also get some teaser wagers in on CFL Football match-up tonight, as although most football fans don’t know too much about the game being played up in the Great White North, there’s always some quick learning to be had around the internets, and some exciting wagers on the games in play during Week 2 of the young CFL season. With the Edmonton Eskimos taking on the Saskatchewan Roughriders, this should be an interesting and possibly high-scoring match-up as the ‘Riders show off their impressive receivers Weston Dressler and Chris Getzlaf, who helped Saskatchewan to a 43-16 wipe out of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats last weekend. Favored at -180 odds straight up, we’ll go with our first CFL wager on the points spread, taking the offensively powerful ‘Riders to cover 4.5 points. If you’re interested in trying something new for online sports betting, now is the day to do it with CFL Football, NASCAR Racing and UFC action all on the betting lines to combine with MLB Baseball to make Saturday one great day for sports fans!

July 6, 2012

Weekend Approaches with Great New MLB Series for Sports Betting

As we head into another weekend, there’s no question that the focus for online sports betting will continue to revolve around Major League Baseball, which continues its run as the dominant sport over the summer months. However, with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series headed to Daytona this weekend, UFC 148 featuring Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen set to take place, as well as the Canadian Football league just starting off its’ 2012 campaign, there’s some budding opportunities to make some wagers on alternative sports that just might give you a fun break from the non-stop action of MLB Baseball. Especially as we look forward to the midway point in the MLB season with the All-Star break coming next week, it’s a great time to branch out to other sportsbook betting opportunities at one of the best online sportsbooks reviewed here at CR, and start cashing in while the getting is good. For Friday however, we’ll stick to our guns, and spot the best wagers across a fleet of great MLB match-ups taking place around the league this afternoon and evening.

For starters, no one can miss out on the classic showdown between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, as a 4-game series between the oldest AL East rivals gets underway at Fenway Park in Boston tonight. New York’s Hiroki Kuroda (8-7, 3.17 ERA) will shoot for a 6th win in his last 7 decisions, in a great match-up against Josh Beckett (4-7, 4.06 ERA), who has been held winless in his last 5 starts. With Boston on a 3-game losing skid, they’ll try and turn things around tonight against the heavy-hitting Yankees, but will have to provide Beckett with more support than they’ve mustered for him, and being unconvinced they’ll be able to do that against a red-hot Kuroda, our first bet finds us siding with the visitors to win at Bookmaker sportsbook, our featured online sports betting destination for Friday. New York stands at just -118 odds to win as favorites, which should be a worthwhile wager for many today at Bookmaker.

Heading into other great options for MLB wagering, we’re checking out the match-up between the Washington Nationals and the Colorado Rockies, due to the fact that the Nats’ Stephen Strasburg (9-3, 2.81 ERA) is back on the mound, winless in his last three outings. That simply has to change at some point, and at home against the flailing Rockies, who are at their worst record before the All-Star break since 2005, we can’t resist taking the odds on the Nationals to cover the 1 ½ runs against the spread at -115 odds. In other great National League series worth checking out, turn to the showdown in Philadelphia as the Phillies host the Atlanta Braves (Atlanta are -128 favorites behind Tim Hudson, Philly +108 underdogs behind the unlucky Kyle Kendrick), and also look for a great clash between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks as LA’s Clayton Kershaw duels with the DBacks’ Josh Collmenter. Expect a very low scoring game here tonight as the two solid pitchers will be tough to earn runs off of out in the desert in Arizona.

For the rest of the AL match-ups worth wagering on today, check out a Game 2 clash between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Indians, as the Tribe looks to win their 4th straight game with another victory at home. With the Rays putting out rookie Alex Cobb (3-5, 4.94 ERA) against Cleveland’s Justin Masterson (5-7, 3.92 ERA), the smart money definitely has to go with the Indians once again, who are -150 favorites straight up on the money line here tonight. Cobb has simply been too inconsistent as of late, and with Masterson quickly returning to the solid form we’ve seen from him in years’ past, count on his mark improving to 6-7 this evening. Make sure to also catch the battle between the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels, with our pick going on C.J. Wilson and the home team Halos tonight, expect a low-scoring affair between the Oakland A’s and Seattle Mariners out in the AL West, and we’ll keep chasing the Chicago White Sox, who seek their 4th straight win in a row after sweeping the Texas Rangers, and should be in a great position to win at home against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays behind ace Jake Peavy (6-5, 2.96 ERA). Enjoy all the MLB action set out for you on Friday, make sure to start spotting some great wagers across NASCAR, UFC action and the CFL to come this weekend, and we’ll catch you again tomorrow for our updates on the best online sports betting picks out there!

May 26, 2012

Weekend Kicks Off With NBA Playoffs, UFC 146, MLB Bets at Sportsbetting.ag

Saturday’s online sports betting action starts off with a bang at the Sportsbetting Sportsbook, where the first item up for wagering is the much-awaited Game 7 in the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals, with the Boston Celtics getting set to host the Philadelphia 76ers at the TD Garden. Though we’ve been over-anxious for this game to get started, having no NBA action on the docket for Friday and needing some kind of betting fix on pro hoops, we can’t resist making a return trip today for more exciting bets on this rare Game 7 showdown between the top two teams from the Atlantic division. Shifting wagers over to the top online sportsbook at Sportsbetting.ag, we see the lines have shifted just slightly, to give Philadelphia a half point more cushion against the spread as underdogs (+5 yesterday +5.5 today), and slightly better odds for underdog pickers with +235 odds on the Sixers straight up. Though this game should be Boston’s to lose at home with a veteran cast of players that is very familiar with do-or-die playoff games, we’re expecting the 76ers to step up their defensive efforts, bring the best play from Andre Iguodala, Jrue Holliday and Evan Turner, and hope to send Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen into free agency with a road win tonight. We love us a great underdog shot on the betting lines any day of the week, and with wagers on the spread taking the Sixers to cover yesterday, we’ll knuckle up and put more money where our mouth is, and take a wild card shot at Philadelphia to pull off an upset and score us a solid win at Sportsbetting Sportsbook.

Moving on to other top action on Saturday for betting on sports, UFC 146 is set to get underway tonight from Las Vegas, Nevada, with a full card loaded with heavyweight battles for every fight fan’s maximum enjoyment. Everyone’s attention is no doubt turned to the main heavyweight event between title holder Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir, with dos Santos getting his first title defense against a very capable veteran in Mir, who holds two heavyweight titles of his own. After weighing in, dos Santos has confidently predicted that the fight will end in a Frank Mir knockout, during the second round of action. The bookmakers seem to support his claims of winning tonight, with Sportsbetting Sportsbook giving up -550 odds straight up on Junior dos Santos, while Frank Mir is a +400 underdog. Expect this match-up to be fast-paced, as both fighters love to get out on a strong start and avoid going long distance, and for dos Santos to end Frank Mir’s streak of wins at 3 tonight. Make sure to also check out an unprecedented card of heavyweight fights this evening, with Cain Velasquez a -400 favorite over Antonio Silva, and Roy Nelson getting -200 odds to beat Dave Herman, despite Nelson getting destroyed in his last outing by Fabricio Werdum. Our last fight we’re looking to place wagers on is the undercard bout between Dan Hardy and Duane Ludwig. This is the last shot we’re giving Hardy to repair his status after 4 straight defeats, but we think the former number one welterweight will pull out a strong performance against the smaller, older Duane Ludwig.

Rounding out the day’s sports betting action with a taste of Major League Baseball, check out the 15 games on tap with a number of exciting pitching match-ups and trending teams to follow. A top pitching match-up takes place between the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals, as O’s ace Wei-yin Chen tries to bounce back from a rough outing against KC’s Felipe Paulino, who has two excellent starts under his belt. Next, find a great showdown between the San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins, as Madison Bumgarner duels with Mark Buehrle. Check out a slew of other worthy betting options as the Atlanta Braves try to halt their losing skid against the Washington Nationals, the Philadelphia Phillies clash once more with the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays try to settle things down after benches cleared last night, with David Price a favorite to beat Josh Beckett in tonight’s rematch.

With great action set for betting on sports throughout the weekend, stay up to date on all the news and for exclusive sportsbook bonus offers, sign up for our sports betting newsletter. Have a great weekend of wagering ahead at Sportsbetting Sportsbook or any one of the top reviewed sportsbooks found here, and we’ll hope to catch you back on our site again soon!