Belmont Betting Odds: Animal Kingdom Made Morning Line Favorite

Horse racing's Triple Crown does not draw the excitement that it used to in the US, but that does not mean that gamblers do not look forward to the three big races. There will be no Triple Crown winner this year, but there will still be plenty of excitement in New York tomorrow.

The Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, has seen several horses in the past decade come to New York with a chance at becoming the first horse in decades to win the Triple Crown. Unfortunately, none of the horses succeeded.

This year, Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom will be looking to capture at least two of the three races. Animal Kingdom has been made the morning line betting favorite, with odds of 2/1 to win the Belmont. John Velazquez will be the jockey attempting to ride Animal Kingdom to the win.

Nehro, who has been shut out of the first two Triple Crown race wins, is the second choice tomorrow, at 4/1. Shackleford was the horse that ruined Animal Kingdom's hopes by winning the Preakness, is the third choice, at 9/2. Jose Castanon will be on top of Shackleford, and Corey Nakatani has been called on to ride Nehro to victory.

Horse racing has slipped in terms of overall popularity over the past two decades. As the popularity has dropped, the race tracks across the US have started to experience financial trouble. Lawmakers in many states have created bills allowing slot machines at the tracks to help ease the financial burden created by the lack of attendance. Kentucky lawmakers have yet to pass a bill that would help legendary Churchill Downs with slots.

The Belmont cast of horses is better than any the race has seen in years. For the first time ever, the top seven finishers from the Kentucky Derby will all be running in the Belmont. Traditionally, some horses are held out of the Belmont because they are not used to running three races in the span of seven weeks.

Others are held out of the race due to the length. The Belmont is longer than both the Derby and the Preakness.

June 10, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

View the original article here

Gamblers Watch Helplessly As Heat Give Away Game And Wagers

When gamblers place money on an NBA game, the hope is that the game will be decided in their favor before the last five minutes of the game. That appeared to be the case on Thursday in game two of the NBA Finals.

The Miami Heat, one of the most talented teams in the league, went up by fifteen points with five minutes left when Dwyane Wade hit a three pointer from the corner. At that moment fans in Miami, and gamblers who had bet on the Heat, began to celebrate. What happened next game both the aforementioned groups heartache.

The Dallas Mavericks returned a favor the Heat had provided over five years ago. Dallas came storming back on the strength of strong defense and Dirk Nowitzki's seemingly unwillingness to lose. When Nowitzki made a left-handed layup with less than four seconds to go, Miami fans headed for the doors, and gamblers who placed wagers on Miami headed for the bathroom.

As unpredictable as sports can be, a fifteen point lead for a team that has Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh, is as close to a sure thing as there is in sports. Much like the New York Giants showed a couple of years ago, however, there is no such thing as a sure bet.

Now the question for gamblers will be whether or not the Heat can recover from this type of devastating loss. When Miami came back from thirteen down the last time these teams met in the finals, they went on to win the next three games and capture a championship. Dallas will be looking to do the same, with the next three games in the series being played on their home court.

The Mavericks will head into game three on Sunday as the betting favorites. Dallas is a 2.5 point favorite, and if Miami does not get something going early, they may have a difficult time against a team that has lost on their home floor only once during these playoffs. The total for the game is 189, suggesting another defensive battle is in store.

June 4, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

View the original article here

NBA Finals Game Five Betting Preview: Mavericks And Heat Battling

The Miami Heat have had the public scrutiny come at them the entire season, so there is no reason for that to stop now. With LeBron James' legacy on the line, Miami is preparing to play game five of the NBA Finals tonight in Dallas.

The Mavericks avoided the disaster of losing their first two games at home in the series when they rallied to win game four. The series is now tied at two, and has been reduced to a best of three, with the Heat holding the home court advantage. Before they move back to Miami for game six and possibly game seven, Dallas will have a chance to take the series lead at home.

Miami has been the betting favorite to win the NBA title since they assembled Dwyane Wade, James, and Chris Bosh last summer. After struggling early, the Heat started looking like a championship team once the playoffs began. Las Vegas sports books have installed Miami as a 1.5 point betting favorite in game five. The total for the game is 185.

While Wade has had a strong series, James has disappeared at times, causing the national media to again question whether King James has the intestinal fortitude to win the big game. James has had only nine points combined in the fourth quarter of the four games in the finals, and he himself acknowledged that he must step u starting tonight if the Heat are going to win a championship.

"I placed a bet here in Las Vegas when the season began, and I came back this week with the hopes of cashing in that ticket," said Barry Walter, who is in Sin City for the World Series of Poker. "I have to admit though, with the way Miami has melted down a couple of times in this series, and with the way Dirk (Nowitzki) is playing, there is no guarantee I'm holding a winning ticket."

No matter who wins tonight, the series will shift back to South Beach for a game six on Sunday. If necessary, game seven will also be in Miami, on Tuesday night. Analysts have asserted that Dallas must win game five if they are to have a chance of winning a title. Most analysts agree the Mavericks will be facing almost insurmountable odds if they must win the final two games in Miami.

June 10, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

View the original article here

Irving And Thompson Chosen To Change Cavaliers Betting Odds

The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers were in a position similar to the one they found themselves in Thursday night, Cleveland took a high school player by the name of LeBron James in the first round of the NBA draft. Now, many years later, Kyrie Irving was the name that came out of David Stern's mouth as the number one pick in the draft.

Irving was selected by the Cavaliers to become the new face of the organization. Unfortunately for Cavaliers fans, the NBA draft is not a science, and there is no guarantee that Irving will provide even a quarter of the highlights that James delivered in his seven seasons with Cleveland.

What James did when he arrived in Cleveland was change the perception of the Cavaliers franchise. Cleveland was no longer considered the bottom-feeders of the league, with odds makers even making them one of the favorites each year to win the title in James' later years with the team.

Irving will be joined on the court by forward Tristan Thompson, of Texas. The duo will be looked upon as possible saviors in the aftermath of what was one of the messiest divorces in NBA history. If Irving and Thompson can deliver on their potential, Cleveland once again could become a contender in the future in the Eastern Conference.

That is a lot of weight to put on the shoulders of two players who have played a combined two seasons of college basketball. Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert made a proclamation last summer that the Cavs would win a title before James did in Miami. He almost was proven wrong in James' first year with his new team.

Dallas gave Gilbert a reprieve, and bought the owner some time. Now, it will be up to Irving and Thompson to make good on that promise. Cleveland winning a title before Miami is still a long shot, but at least now the Cavaliers and their fans have hope, and that is more than they had when they woke up Thursday morning.

June 24, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

View the original article here

With NBA Draft On The Horizon, Gamblers Brace For Odd Changes

The NBA draft is only a few days away, and team executives are busy on the phones attempting to complete last minute deals that could alter the draft order. Two teams expected to be betting favorites next year, Los Angeles and Miami, have no number one pick.

That could change by the end of the week. Sources have confirmed that both the Heat and Lakers are looking to pick up a first round pick. The teams are in much different positions when it comes to trade pieces, with the Lakers having many players they could move, and the Heat limited in their assets.

With LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade all locked into long term deals, and the NBA labor negotiations not going well, it is unlikely Miami would make much of a splash on the trade market. If the Heat did pick up a pick, it would likely come at the expense of Mike Miller, unless they decided to move Bosh.

The Lakers have the opportunity to make a major deal if they choose to do so. L.A. has Andrew Bynum, a commodity that dozens of NBA teams would like to acquire. It would take a player such as Dwight Howard for the Lakers to even consider moving Bynum, according to league sources.

What is a definite for Thursday's draft is that the Cleveland Cavaliers have two of the top four picks. If they choose to keep the two picks, Cleveland would suddenly have one of the youngest and most exciting teams in the league. Owner Dan Gilbert has vowed that the Cavaliers would win a title before James, an assertion that almost was proven wrong in the first year of the Big Three in Miami.

The Heat are currently the top choice of odds makers to win the championship next year. The Lakers are the second choice of odds makers. The fate of gamblers this season lies not as much with the players, but with the league labor situation.

If players and owners do not reach an agreement by July 1st, a lockout would be put in place. A lockout would threaten at a minimum, the length of the regular season next year. In the worst case scenario, the entire year could be lost to the labor unrest.

June 20, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

View the original article here

MLB Betting Not Working Out As Planned For Twins, Dodgers, Bettors

One of the bets that is popular at Las Vegas sports books before the Major League Baseball season begins is which teams will win their divisions. The sports books place odds on all teams based on how strong they look on paper, and gamblers can take their chances with whichever team they wish.

This season, two teams that were picked to be near the top of their divisions are in last place. That means that thousands of gamblers are holding betting slips that will end up in the garbage if the Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins do not turn things around quickly.

The Twins have been perennial favorites to win the American League Central over the past decade, and this year was no different. Minnesota, along with Detroit and Chicago, were considered the favorites in 2011. Through the first two and a half months, Minnesota has played horrible baseball. The Twins are currently 10.5 games out of the division lead.

If Minnesota has shown anything over the past few seasons, it is that they can get hot when the summer months arrive. The Twins have not been a healthy bunch this year, with Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Joe Nathan all missing significant time due to injury. Mauer is expected back this week, and that is welcomed news for gamblers that are holding Twins division winner tickets.

In the National league, it has been the Los Angeles Dodgers that have been the biggest disappointment. The Dodgers are not in as bad a shape as Minnesota, mainly because nobody in the National league West has played very good baseball yet this year. The Dodgers are 7.5 games out of first, a lead that L.A. bettors hope dissolves over the next several months.

For all of the tough luck news there is this season so far for gamblers, there is also good news for those who bet the favorites. The San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers, and Boston Red Sox, all favorites to win their division before the year started, are sitting on top of their respective divisions.

Underdog gamblers also have reasons to be excited heading into the summer. Cleveland is in first place in the AL Central, while Arizona sits only two games behind the Giants in the NL West. In the NL Central, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Cincinnati, all teams expected to compete for the division title, are first, second, and third, respectively, in the division.

June 11, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

View the original article here

NBA Finals Betting Preview: Series Shifts To Miami For Finale

The NBA Finals have played out much like many analysts had predicted, with neither team being able to sustain long winning streaks in the series. The Dallas Mavericks became the first team in the series to win two straight on Thursday, and it has them within one game of their first championship.

The story lines for this year's finals have centered around LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, and Dwyane Wade. Throw in Jason Terry's mouth and clutch performances in games four and five, and suddenly this NBA Finals has become as riveting as any in recent history, including last year's Lakers. Celtics, seven game battle.

Nowitzki has never been this close to a championship. The closest he had been before this year was back in 2006, when Wade and the Heat turned a 2-0 series deficit into a 4-2 series win. This time, Dallas is looking to turn the tables on Miami, coming back from a 2-1 deficit to hold their current 3-2 lead.

The NBA Finals are set up to reward the team with home court advantage, so basketball purists will say that the series has gone exactly as scripted, and that Miami should win the series by holding serve on their home court. The Mavericks, however, are not looking at it from that view.

Instead, Dallas players understand that they were the best road team in the playoffs this season, and they have already won one game in Miami earlier in this series. To do so again, the Mavericks will have to get the same type of production out of Terry as they have in the past two games.

The Heat will return home as betting favorites. Miami is favored by five points in game six. The total for the game is 187, staying consistent with the rest of the series' totals. In game five, the two teams exploded offensively, but with the series back in Miami, nobody is expecting another offensive performance like the one the teams put up on Thursday.

June 12, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
Submit News!

View the original article here