Kentucky Derby Betting Preview: Favorite Dialed In Has Winning Post

The Kentucky Derby is only a couple of days away and as the horses are taken through final preparations, the betting favorite should be feeling good. Dialed In received the eighth post position on Wednesday, a place at the starting gate that has housed ten previous derby winners.

Dialed in was the morning line favorite, and on Thursday the horse remained the first choice of odds makers. The closest competitor to Dialed In, Uncle Mo, may not even run in the race. If that occurs, the favorite may have a clear path to the roses waiting at the end for the winner.

Uncle Mo has been battling a gastrointestinal infection for the past month. The horse has only lost once, at last month's Wood Memorial, and the gastrointestinal infection is being blamed for that loss. Now, the trainer and the owner of Uncle Mo are contemplating whether to run the horse should he be less than 100% going into the derby. That decision will be made late Thursday or early Friday.

Trainer Scott Pletcher is hoping that the blood work taken on Thursday afternoon comes back negative, and that Uncle Mo will be in top form, although he did tell ESPN he believes the horse can win even if not at full strength.

"But we're committed to bringing him over there at 100 percent," said Pletcher. "anything less than that, we won't accept."

Owner Mike Repole had previously stated that if Uncle Mo is not at 100%, then he will not run in the derby. Either way, nineteen other horse owners and millions of fans will be waiting for a decision on a horse that could end up as the favorite by post time should he run.

Further aiding Dialed In's effort to win the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby was Tuesday's revelation that Toby's Corner would not be running. Toby's Corner was the horse that ended Uncle Mo's undefeated streak at the Wood Memorial, and likely would have been one of the top three betting choices on Saturday.

May 6, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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NBA Betting Preview: Heat And Thunder Favored In Second Round

The second round of the NBA playoffs has arrived. On Sunday, the second round will begin with two monster match ups, one that analysts and fans have been waiting for since the Miami Heat pulled off their impeccable summer.

Dwyane Wade always knew he would be back in a Heat uniform this season. Despite being a free agent, Wade never asserted that he wanted to be anywhere but Miami. What he did not know was that he would be joined in Miami by the biggest NBA star on the planet, LeBron James, and a capable sidekick in Chris Bosh.

Tomorrow, James, Wade, and Bosh will take the court for the first game of their second round series, and the opponent on the other side of the floor will be a well-known foe. The Boston Celtics have won two of the past three Eastern Conference titles, and they have beaten James and his then-team, the Cleveland Cavaliers several times on their way to the title.

Analysts started touting this as a possible Eastern Conference finals match up before the season even began, but Miami and Boston allowed Chicago to slip by them and steal home court advantage. Finishing second and third meant the Heat and Celtics would meet one round sooner than anyone predicted.

Oklahoma City will be the other host on Sunday. The Thunder will face Memphis, a team that became only the fourth eighth seed in NBA history to knock off the top seed in the conference. The Grizzlies are playing with a lot of confidence, but Oklahoma City has been here before, losing to the Lakers last year in the second round.

The betting odds suggest that Oklahoma City and Miami will hold serve in game one tomorrow. The Heat are a five point favorite over Boston, while the Thunder are 6.5 point favorites against Memphis. The totals for the game are 182 and 196, respectively.

The Lakers begin their series Monday at home against Dallas, and Chicago will open up their series with Atlanta Monday as well.

April 30, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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NBA Betting Preview: Mavericks Looking To End Lakers Run

Before this NBA season started it was the Miami Heat, and not the two-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, that were the betting favorites to win the title. Gamblers jumped on the opportunity to get the Lakers a little cheaper than in the past, but now it looks as though the odds makers may have been right.

After the first two games of the Western Conference semi-finals, the Lakers are hanging on by a thread in their series with the Dallas Mavericks. Dallas has won the first two games in L.A., and the defending champions must win tonight to avoid a 3-0 fate, a deficit that no team has ever come back from in playoff history.

The Lakers are saying all the right things after their two losses. Kobe Bryant showed no panic in speaking about the deficit, even suggesting that he cannot understand what everyone is worried about. Bryant believes the Lakers can win the two games in Dallas and head back home with the series tied at two.

Odds makers are not that sure. Sports books have installed Dallas as a two point favorite against the Lakers in game three tonight. The total for the game is 188, and L.A. will be without their starting forward, Ron Artest. The Lakers defensive specialist was ejected from game two in the closing seconds when he picked up his second technical foul.

Over in the East, the Hawks and Bulls will play game three of their series as well tonight. Chicago was able to shake off a game one loss and even the series at one heading back to Atlanta. The Hawks are three point underdogs at home this evening, despite playing more consistent basketball than Chicago so far in the playoffs. The total for this game is 178.

The other two series' will resume on Saturday. Boston will head home as three point favorites against Miami. The Celtics are in a similar 0-2 hole to the one the Lakers find themselves in, but Boston will have the next two games in their series on their home court.

Oklahoma City will be in Memphis for the first time this post season on Saturday. The Thunder are three point underdogs for game three in a series that is tied at one.

May 6, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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NBA Betting Preview: Celtics Prepare To Make One Last Stand

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Bynum's Flagrant Foul May Haunt Gamblers Early Next Season

Andrew Bynum's future with the Los Angeles Lakers was in doubt from the time the Lakers started getting blown out in game four of their Western Conference semi-final series against Dallas Sunday. By the end, Bynum had given L.A. even more reason to trade him.

In the closing minutes of a blowout loss to Dallas, Bynum committed a flagrant foul on Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea. The foul was uncalled for to the point that Lakers great Magic Johnson showed his embarrassment after the game. Bynum knew there would be a punishment coming from the league.

On Tuesday, David Stern issued that punishment, a five game suspension to start next season. Now the question will be whether or not Bynum will serve that suspension as a member of the Lakers, or with another team.

Rumors have surfaced at several different times over the past couple of years as to whether or not the Lakers should trade Bynum. As the youngest star on the two-time defending champs, other teams look at Bynum as a player they can build a franchise around. With Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Derek Fisher getting older, the Lakers, too, must decide if Bynum is good enough to be the centerpiece moving forward.

Regardless of what Los Angeles decides with Bynum, odds makers will have to adjust their betting odds for the five games the center is suspended. Early in the year in any sport, the gambler has an advantage, with odds makers not knowing where to set the odds, and Bynum's suspension will only complicate that process.

The Lakers were one of the betting favorites this season to win their third straight championship. After surviving a first round series with New Orleans, many fans and analysts predicted L.A. would cruise past Dallas.

The Mavericks had other plans, winning the first two games in L.A., and then finishing off the improbable sweep by winning games three and four at home. Dallas will now meet the winner of the Oklahoma City, Memphis, series in the Western Conference finals.

May 11, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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NBA Betting Preview: Thunder Looking To Rebound In Memphis

The Oklahoma City Thunder were many analysts' pick as the team to watch in the Western Conference playoffs this season. After Memphis knocked off San Antonio in the first round, it looked as though the Thunder had a clear run to the Western Conference finals.

Now, after the Grizzlies have won two of the first three games, Oklahoma City must beware. It is the Grizzlies and not the Thunder who appear to be the up and coming, athletic team in the league. Game four in Memphis could provide a glimpse to which team will advance.

The Thunder have been one of the toughest teams to beat at home this season. If Oklahoma City can capture game four, the pressure would again shift to Memphis. If the Grizzlies should win, they would need just one win in the final three games to advance to their first-ever conference finals.

Memphis has been led by Zach Randolph. The team rewarded Randolph's strong play this season with a contract extension, and with each game the team wins in these playoffs, Randolph is becoming more of a fan favorite, and a trip to the finals would cement his place in Memphis sports history.

The Thunder, meanwhile, have been seen as the emerging team in the West. Kevin Durant won his second straight scoring title this season, but he will need to be adding some hardware to his trophy case before analysts start putting him among the best of all-time. As young as he is, there will be plenty of opportunities for the team to win championships in the coming years.

Memphis is a 1.5 point favorite in the game four match up tonight. The total for the game is 198, suggesting that both teams will be scoring at will. These playoffs have seen frequent totals of less that 190, but the Thunder-Grizzlies series has consistently been up over 195.

May 10, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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Phillies Living Up To Gambler Expectations So Far This Season

The Philadelphia Phillies have been the talk of the baseball gambling world ever since they swooped in and signed Cliff Lee this past off season. Lee was the prized free agent, and Philadelphia played coy through most of the winter.

At the least minute, however, Philly tugged at Lee's heart strings and got the ace left-hander to sign. Once that occurred, odds makers immediately made Philadelphia the team to beat in the National League.

Bettors were unfazed by the short odds they were given when it came to picking the Phillies to win the East and the pennant. With a pitching staff that, on paper, looked as good as any in the past twenty years, many analysts predicted Philadelphia would run away with the National league East.

Lee was added to a staff that already included Roy Halladay and Roy Oswalt. World series hero Cole Hamels is the fourth member of a group that could challenge some of the all-time pitching records for a starting staff. Joe Blanton is the fifth man in the rotation that includes several Cy Young award winners.

"This staff has been put together to do one thing, and that's win a World Series," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz. "Anything short of that will be considered a failure, and anything short of a World Series win could cost gamblers who paid big prices to bet on the Phillies this season."

So far, Philadelphia has lived up to the lofty expectations. The Phillies completed the seasons first month on Saturday with a 2-1 win over the New York Mets. The win was the eighteenth of April for the Phils, to go along with eight losses. The eighteen wins are the most ever for the Philadelphia franchise, and they send a message to other National League foes that this team is not resting on their laurels.

April 30, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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Gamblers About To Cash In When Derrick Rose Wins NBA MVP Award

Before the season began, there were all kinds of debates taking place over who the best player in the NBA was. Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant were all players that were on the top of the debate list. Derrick Rose's name was nowhere to be found in those discussions.

In addition, Rose was considered a betting long shot to win the league's MVP award. James, Bryant, Durant, and even Dwyane Wade were all players with shorter odds than Rose. Today, the Chicago Bulls guard will make underdog gamblers happy when the NBA announces him as the league MVP.

The NBA has never had a younger MVP than Rose, who is only twenty-two years old. Rose led the Bulls to the best record in the NBA this season, surprising analysts who had predicted the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics would be the top seed at season's end in the East. The Heat and Celtics finished two and three, behind Chicago.

"It would have taken a lot of courage to be a gambler before this season started and walk into a Las Vegas sports book to place money on Derrick Rose as the MVP," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz. "With LeBron winning the past two, and moving to a better team, most people would have went for the sure thing."

As is often the case of sports betting, there is no such thing as a sure thing. Underdogs often pull off big upsets, and the games have to played on the filed or on the court. Any gambler has a chance when betting on a sporting event or a prop bet such as who will win an MVP award.

An example of a major upset occurred in the first round of the NBA playoffs. San Antonio had the best record in the Western Conference in the regular season, but they were defeated in six games against the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. Memphis became just the fourth team in league history to be an eight seed that beat a one seeded team.

May 3, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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NBA Betting Preview: Lakers And Bulls Favored Big To Even Series'

The Los Angeles Lakers have come up with several different ways to keep teams in playoff series' the past several years. This season, the trend that is developing is the Lakers losing game one at home, it is a trend that continued Monday night versus Dallas.

The Lakers blew a sixteen point third quarter lead at home in one of their sloppiest performances in years, and the result is a 1-0 deficit in the Western Conference semi-finals against the Mavericks. L.A. will try to rebound in game two later tonight.

Before that game takes place, the Chicago Bulls will attempt to recover from a blowout loss at home to Atlanta. The Bulls are the number one seed in the East, but as San Antonio showed in the first round out West, the seedings do not mean much at this time of year.

The Lakers and Bulls are both considered heavy betting favorites for tonight's games. Los Angeles is favored by seven points over Dallas, while the Bulls are favored by 8.5 at home against the Hawks. The totals for the games are 187 and 179, respectively. If either of the favorites should lose, it would make it difficult for them to come back and win the series, going on the road for the next two.

The Lakers have been in this position before. In the opening round of the playoffs, L.A. spotted New Orleans the first game. The Lakers then went on to win four of the next five and capture the series. The difference in this series is that they are facing a team that was right behind them for the second seed in the Western Conference.

For Chicago, the defense will have to find a way to slow down Joe Johnson. The Hawks guard exploded in game one, and the opportunity to take a commanding lead in the series will be enough for Johnson and his Hawks teammates to be focused again in game two.

May 4, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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NBA Western Conference Betting Preview: Mavericks Favored

The Dallas Mavericks have been here before. Dirk Nowitzki and company have been as far as the NBA Finals, but after taking a 2-0 series lead against Miami, the Mavericks blew a big lead in game three and then were swept in the remaining games of the series.

This year, Dallas is looking to take that final step that has eluded Nowitzki and Jason Kidd for their entire careers. The two future Hall-of-Famers have both been to the finals once before, and each has lost. If they avenge those loses this season, owner Mark Cuban may be throwing the party of all party's in Dallas later this summer.

Standing in their way in the Western Conference Finals is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oklahoma City is led by Kevin Durant, a player who many consider to be the best in the game today. Durant has won two straight scoring titles, and now has his team on the cusp of the NBA Finals.

Odds makers are giving Dallas a slight edge in the series. The Mavericks are favored, with odds of -240 to win the series. The Thunder returns odds of +200. As far as winning the championship, the two Western Conference teams are behind both teams from the East.

The Miami Heat, who lost game one of their series with Chicago, are big favorites at 19/10. The Chicago Bulls, a team that had the regular season's best record, is a 2/1 choice. Dallas is next, with odds of 5/2, and the Thunder are considered the long shot in Las Vegas, with 11/2 odds.

Game one in the West is scheduled for later tonight in Dallas. The Mavericks are six point favorites, having had nine days off since their series-ending game four against Los Angeles. The total for the game is 193, a stark contrast to the low total that was offered for game one of the Heat, Bulls, series.

May 17, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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Kentucky Derby Betting Odds: Dialed In And Uncle Mo Favored

The running of the 137th Kentucky Derby will take place this weekend and the two betting favorites will be nowhere near each other at the start of the race. Dialed in and Uncle Mo will be starting in the eighth and eighteenth position, respectively.

The post positions were drawn on Wednesday, and the two favorites will have an opportunity to feel each other out before they likely will come together down the stretch. Jockey John Velazquez will have to make the decision on when to bring Uncle Mo from the outside.

Dialed In is in a position near the middle where it can feel out how the race unfolds. There is no chance of being pinned to the rail, or having to come from the far outside. There will be some clutter in the middle of the track, however, that could cause problems if Dialed in does not get out of the gates clean.

The morning line odds have Dialed in as a 4/1 choice to win the Derby. Uncle Mo is right behind, with odds of 5/1. Running next to Uncle Mo in the nineteenth position will be the third betting choice, Nehro, a horse with 6/1 odds. These three horses are the only ones in the field with odds of less than 10/1.

With twenty horses currently entered, Decisive Moment and Watch Me Go are the two long shots, with odds of 50/1. There are several horses in the 30-40/1 range, so gamblers will likely be looking to pair one of the long shots in the trifecta bets they make. In past years, the long shots have provided some shining moments at the Derby.

The Kentucky Derby was once one of the premiere sports events in the US. In recent years, horse racing in general has fell out of favor with the American public. Gone are the days where all Americans would gather in front of the television for the Run for the Roses. Churchill Downs, the legendary track where the Kentucky Derby is run, has been struggling, as have many tracks around the US.

States have been considering adding slots at race tracks in their jurisdiction to help ease the financial burden. As of yet, Kentucky has yet to authorize slots at Churchill Downs, although lawmakers have been discussing the issue in recent years.

May 4, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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Future NBA Betting Odds May Never Be The Same After Lakers Swept

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics have always been two of the teams where the most betting has taken place in the NBA. The Celtics and Lakers have been the darlings of the NBA for decades, and the latest run of good luck for bettors may have ended in Dallas on Sunday.

Los Angeles was swept by the Mavericks, the last lost Sunday being an embarrassing one. With a defeat by more than thirty points, questions quickly surfaced as to how the Lakers will look when they take the court next season. Most analysts believe a major shakeup is coming in Hollywood.

Despite having won the last two NBA championships, the Lakers have never been a team that gamblers could fully trust. In their championship runs, they have been brought to the limit by Houston, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans. In each of those series', L.A. was an overwhelming favorite.

If the Lakers front office does decide to break up the team, it may be a while before the team from California is again favored to win a title. With the Heat, Thunder, and Memphis Grizzlies all young and athletic, it would take an infusion of a big time player for odds makers to make the Lakers the favorites next season.

Dwight Howard is one name that has been rolling off the tongue's of analysts on Sunday in the aftermath of the debacle in Dallas. If L.A. can somehow wrestle Howard away from Orlando, they could become instant contenders next season, with Kobe Bryant still leading the way. If not, however, the days of penciling Boston and Los Angeles into the finals could be gone for a long time.

The Celtics are facing a similar situation in the Eastern Conference that the Lakers faced out West. The younger Miami Heat won the first two games against Boston, making the Celtics look old. In game three, Boston responded when they were back on their home court, and now it is the Celtics, not the Lakers, chasing history this season.

May 9, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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NBA Betting Preview: Thunder, Grizzlies Look To Wrap Up Series'

It is not often that young NBA teams become the darling of gamblers in the playoffs, but the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder have made themselves a betting favorite. Tonight, both teams will try to wrap up their first round series'.

It was expected that the Thunder would be in a position to clinch their series with Denver as Oklahoma City was the betting favorite coming into the series. The Thunder had a 3-0 series lead before Denver finally won a game, forcing the series back to Oklahoma.

The Thunder are again favored in game five, this time by seven points. The total for the game is 205. Should the Thunder wrap up the series this evening, they would then face the winner of the Memphis, San Antonio series in the second round.

Memphis was the number eight seed coming into the Western Conference playoffs, but anyone watching their first four games with the top seed, San Antonio, would have guessed differently. Memphis has been the aggressor for much of the series, and they will try to wrap up their series in San Antonio.

The Spurs, despite being down 3-1 in the series, are favored by seven for tonight's game. The low total of 190 shows how the Spurs have struggled to score points during the post season. San Antonio is attempting to avoid the fate of having the best record in the West and getting eliminated in the first round.

Miami will also be looking to end their first round series with Philadelphia in South Beach. The Heat were eleven point favorites for that game, and if they can finish off the 76ers, Miami would be on their way to a second round match up with Boston. The Celtics have beaten Miami three out of four games the teams have played this season.

April 28, 2011
Posted By Terry Goodwin
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NBA Betting Preview: Heat Move Closer To A Championship

The economical choice before the season began would have been to take a chance on the Los Angeles Lakers or the Boston Celtics. The two teams have combined for the past three championships, and both had longer odds to win a title than Miami.

Gamblers, however, are prone to stay with the front runner. Miami put together their own version of the big three, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, and odds makers immediately made the Heat the favorite. For those bettors who still decided to place money on the Heat, the time may be nearing to head to Las Vegas and collect on those bets.

Miami ousted Boston from the playoffs on Wednesday evening, winning their second round series 4-1. With the Lakers having been eliminated last Sunday, the path to the NBA title may go through Miami. Chicago, the number one seed in the Eastern Conference, is the only of the remaining teams that would hold home court advantage over the heat.

If Chicago can close out Atlanta in game six, Miami would start their championship series run on the road in Chicago. If Atlanta can somehow rally and win the Chicago series, the Hawks would head to South Beach for the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals.

Gamblers will keep a close eye on Miami from here on out. Dallas, a team the Heat defeated for their lone championship, is playing as well as any team in the league. Oklahoma City could also pose a threat to Miami, and there is always the Bulls, who had the best record in the league this season.

It is likely the way the Heat are playing that they will be the betting favorite in any series they are in the rest of this year. Miami has played nearly flawlessly in two series' so far, and they have three of the top players in the NBA.

The Bulls would counter with league MVP Derrick Rose, Carlos Boozer, and a slew of role players who have done the job all season long. Dallas and Oklahoma City, should they advance, have two of the top players in the game in Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Durant, respectively.

May 12, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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Oklahoma City Will Have Gamblers On Their Side In Game Seven

Over the years, gamblers have consistently gravitated towards the betting favorites in the NBA playoffs. When the stakes are raised, and game seven arrives in a playoff series, the bets come in to Las Vegas sports books even more overwhelmingly than the rest of the series.

History shows that the home team has a big advantage in game seven. The NBA has a long list of home teams that have played, and won, game seven in front of their home crowd. On the flip side, it is rare that a road team steals the final game of a series on the road.

Today, Memphis will have the task of performing that feat. The Grizzlies won big at home Friday in game six, and now a trip to the Western Conference finals hangs in the balance as they prepare to square off with Oklahoma City.

The Thunder have been one of the best home teams in the league this year. Facing a crucial game five at home in this series, Oklahoma City came up with a big effort, and ran Memphis out of the building. many analysts predicted that would be the beginning of the end for Memphis.

As they have done throughout the playoffs, the Grizzlies answered their critics in game six. With two of the youngest rosters in the NBA, the Grizzlies and Thunder will now play a game and see which group of young players can handle the spotlight in better fashion.

Odds makers have made Oklahoma City a 6.5 point favorite in game seven. The total for the game is 191, a full ten points lower than game one of the Eastern Conference finals between Miami and Chicago. The winner of the Grizzlies, Thunder, game will move on to face the Mavericks starting Tuesday night in Dallas.

May 15, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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NBA Betting Preview: Lakers Looking To Wrap Up Series Tonight

Gamblers who have chosen to jump on the Los Angeles Lakers bandwagon over the past couple of years while they were winning championships may not have been as impressed with the results as Lakers fans. The team has, more often than not, made a roller coaster out of their playoff runs.

Each season, the Lakers have played teams with inferior talent and infrastructure, and each year those teams have taken the Lakers to the brink of elimination. It happened a couple of years ago with the Houston Rockets, and it happened again last year with Oklahoma City.

This season, the Lakers drew New Orleans in the first round and most analysts predicted this would be no longer than a six game series. Tonight, the Lakers find themselves playing a game six in New Orleans, with the prospects of a game seven looming if they cannot close out the Hornets this evening.

"L.A. has made things very tough on themselves and on bettors over the past few years," said Gaming Analyst Brad Dawkins. "It seems as though the Lakers don't play their best until their backs are against the wall, and that can be frustrating for gamblers who have to lay a lot of points each game."

Despite being pushed, the Lakers have always found that extra gear to get the job done. Even in last year's finals, L.A. was able to win both games six and seven to capture their second straight title. This season, the team from Los Angeles may not have the luxury of relying on home court advantage in the finals.

The Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat had better records than the Lakers in the regular season. If either of those teams make it the finals, they would hold home court advantage. The Celtics would again be looking at Los Angeles having home court advantage if they come out of the East.

April 28, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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Gamblers Having A Hard Time Trusting Lakers And Mavericks

The Los Angeles Lakers have not been eliminated in the Western Conference playoffs in the past three years. Each season, the Lakers have gone on to win the conference, and the past two years they have won the NBA title.

That is the good news for gamblers. The bad news is that the Lakers have been anything but dominant in those playoff runs. It seems that every year, a different, inferior, team takes the Lakers to the brink of elimination before they get L.A.'s attention.

The Dallas Mavericks will be the Lakers opponent in the next round of the playoffs that begin today. The Mavericks have done their share of teasing gamblers as well, having had great regular seasons over the past several years, but then fizzling out in the playoffs. The frustration will reach a heightened level for gamblers with the teams facing off over the next two weeks.

"These have been two of the most confusing teams when it comes to betting in the playoffs," said Gaming Analyst Steve Schwartz. "The Lakers always win their series, but they don't always cover the point spread, while the Mavericks have lost series' outright that they were favored in."

The Lakers are the favorites in their Western Conference semi-final match up. Los Angeles still has the best closer in the game in Kobe Bryant, and L.A. has had little trouble with Dallas in the regular season. Had the Lakers lost their last game of the season, this series would have started in Dallas, and not Los Angeles.

The Mavericks will rely on Dirk Nowitzki to try and end the Lakers recent run of Western Conference championships. Dallas and Los Angeles have never met in the playoffs with their current stars leading their teams. The Lakers are six point favorites in game one, and the total for the game is 189.

May 2, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
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Australian Olympic Head Calls Gambling This Generation's Doping

Next year, the Olympics will be held in London, and officials from many countries are concerned with the rise of illegal gambling taking place at these events. Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates and the rest of the committee have sent a message to the country's athletes that illegal gambling will not be tolerated.

Coates is being backed by Federal Minister of Sports, Mark Arbib. Together, they have come up with regulations that they hope will discourage athletes from betting on themselves or their peers while at the Olympics. It is a string of regulations they hope will only be the beginning of eliminating the illegal gambling problem.

Back in the 1980's and 1990's, doping was the big problem in the Olympics. Coates and Arbib are concerned that gambling is this generation's problem at the Olympics, and they are actively searching for a way to ensure that Australian athletes are not at the center of any controversy's.

Coates has warned athletes that if they are found to be taking part in illegal gambling, they will be shamed by having their names released. Arbib wants to take it a step further, indicating he is seeking a possible jail sentence for those in violation of gambling rules and regulations.

The NSW Law Reform Commission have talked about penalties for up to ten years for match fixing. That is something I support," said Arbib. "This is a very serious crime and there are large sums of money involved internationally."

Athletes train their entire lives for the opportunity to compete in the Olympics. In recent years, several athletes have thrown that training away by the lure of a big cash payday. Illegal gambling operators are always actively seeking out athletes and officials who are willing to cheat in exchange for money.

The most famous case in recent years came in the US where former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was found guilty on charges of corruption, admitting to having relationships with bookies and mobsters. The Donaghy case brought to light a problem that many fans had long assumed, that NBA referees do their job with an agenda on certain nights.

May 14, 2011
Posted By April Gardner
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Bulls Already Betting Favorites In Eastern Conference Finals

The Chicago Bulls are less than three hours removed from winning their second round series against Atlanta, but that has not stopped gamblers from looking ahead. Several sports books have already made the Bulls the betting favorite in game one of the Eastern Conference finals.

Chicago will be facing the Miami Heat, a team that has cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Heat have knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics. The win over the Celtics has caught the eye of gamblers.

Before the season began, Miami was the betting favorite at almost every sports book. After a slow start, Miami fell out of favor with odds makers, and the Lakers became the favorites. Towards the end of the season, the heat regained their winning form and again were favorites heading to the playoffs.

The Bulls, meanwhile, have received far less publicity for what they have done this season. Chicago not only outplayed Miami head-to-head, but they also finished with the best record in the league. That record has assured Chicago of home court advantage against the heat and again in the finals should they reach that point.

For game one of their series, Chicago has been listed as a 1.5 point favorite. That is an early line that certainly could move once all of the gamblers who have been riding the Heat start to place their bets. Chicago is favored in game one, but it is Miami favored to win the series.

While Miami was busy stealing the spotlight last summer, Chicago made some moves of their own. The Heat brought in LeBron James and Chris Bosh, while the Bulls went after Carlos Boozer. The Bulls also have the now-reigning league MVP, Derrick Rose, and a bunch of young talented players.

May 13, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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NBA Eastern Conference Betting Preview: Heat Favored Over Bulls

The Miami Heat and their fans had one vision when they assembled a team that included LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. That vision was of the three of their new stars hoisting both the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals championship trophies.

Tomorrow, Miami can take the next step in achieving that goal. The Heat will face the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals, and it is Miami that is the betting favorite going into the series. Miami has odds of -195 to win the series, while Chicago returns odds of +165.

The series odds, however, have little bearing on the game one odds. The Bulls are favored in game one at home by two points. The total for the game is 181. The two teams have combined to play some of the best defense in the playoffs, and odds makers have reflected that defensive play in the low game total.

The Bulls have some unfinished business they would like to take care of in relation to the Heat. Last summer, it was Chicago that was the closest competitor to Miami for the services of James and Bosh. The Bulls also made a strong push to lure Wade away from South Beach, enticing him to go back to his roots in Chicago.

In the end, it was the heat that landed all three players. Chicago then turned their attention to Carlos Boozer, and the Boozer addition has paid off tremendously for the Bulls. The Heat may have the Big Three, but Chicago can lay claim to the league's MVP, Derrick Rose. It was Rose who led the Bulls to the best record in the NBA.

Chicago holds the all-important home court advantage over Miami. If the Bulls can win four games on their home court, they will return to the finals for the first time since the Michael Jordan days. If the Heat prevail, it would be the first, of what many analysts believe will be, many, trips to the finals for James, Bosh, and Wade.

May 14, 2011
Posted By Vincent Tapoglia III
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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Sports betting help comes in a number of styles. You can choose general betting guides, done up in a sports betting for dummies kind of way, or you can go for a sports specific guide, like a football betting guide or an insiders guide to tennis. Either way, you will find that bet help can answer questions and help inform good decisions.

There are good betting guides offline and a growing number of betting guide services online as well. In many cases, you’ll find it’s helpful to dabble in a bit of both. The online betting guide industry is booming, though, so don’t pay for anything offline that you would be able to find online for free.

Many betting guides are included as part of the online sportsbook experience. After all, it is certainly in the oddsmaker’s best interest to provide you with sports betting help if you have need because that will make you a more comfortable and more frequent punter. Some of these services will really be a difference maker in your wagering experience.

The sports specific betting guides typically include an explanation of the types of bets, the major tournaments, and the star players. This will ensure that you are well-grounded before you start wagering. You may also find that the player profiles help you connect more completely with the nuances of your favourite teams performance patterns. The betting odds guides will also keep you from making costly errors as you wager.