2009 is going to be a season with a big shift in MLB standings compared to last year. Some teams improved via trade and free agency and others didn’t change up much in the off season. There could be a couple teams with massive fire sales mid-year.
Here is how I see this division playing out in 2009.
Three important Kentucky Derby preps at tracks across the country on Saturday will decide the fate of many 3-year-olds hoping to make the 135th Run for the Roses.
It’s strictly a money situation. For example, Imperial Council must upset probable odds-on favorite I Want Revenge in the $750,000 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct to guarantee a trip to Louisville.
The New York Jets are the leading candidate to land current Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler according to Sportsbook.com.
The Jets, a +300 favorite to land the disgruntled QB, spent loads of cash on their defense this offseason but the need for a quarterback remains if they are to reach the playoffs in an improving AFC East division.
Not many people had UCONN winning it all after they lost key guard Jerome Dyson. Don’t look now they have not only recovered from his injury but are playing there best basketball of the season. Coach Calhoun is one of the best coaches at taking adversity and turning it into motivation. If one thing you can say about the UCONN program is they are fighters and they don’t go down easy.
Odds to Win MLB’s American League West
The AL West has been dominated by the Los Angeles Angels the last several seasons, winning their division four out of the last five years and in 2008 by a whopping 21 games. I do not see things being that easy for them in 2009 as the rest of the teams in the West have worked hard this past off season to try and close the gap.
The Betting Numbers
This game opened at LVSC with Baylor -3 and the total set at 136. It would not be surprising to see this line come down as Penn St. is once again likely to have the majority of fan support at the Garden. Surprisingly, Baylor is favored by more points in the NIT championship game than it was favored by in the semifinal game while Penn St. is getting fewer points this time around which does in fact make sense.
Looking at the National league’s baseball betting odds this season, you have to wonder…could the Big Red Machine be on the way back to glory?
Sure, the Cubs are unparalleled, but the next rung in the crowded NL Central is up for grabs. The Brewers may regress, the Cards should improve, and the Reds may sneak past both of them if everything goes right at the sportsbook. Even with the loss of Adam Dunn, they’ll score plenty of runs and their starting pitching may finally measure up to the young bats.
The Houston Astros were an MLB betting surprise in 2008, staying afloat in the tough NL Central division and winning 86 games. Even though 86 wins doesn’t scream “playoff contender,” I still think that total was a fluke. The Astros are thin on talent, particularly in the pitching department, and they’ll be hard pressed to match last season’s online betting “success.”
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The Final 4 is set with only three games to play to decide the National Champion of the 2008-09 college basketball betting season at BetUS Sportsbook. Without further ado, take a look at how these teams stack up against one another in this sports betting season’s final power poll…
North Carolina Tar Heels have all the pressure on them as the odds on favorite to win it all. This is the third year in a row that they have been the favorite for almost the entire season. Last year this UNC team fell short of winning the Championship losing to the eventual champion in the semifinal game. Coach Roy Williams and this experienced team have had a one track mind all year all focusing on winning the Championship in 2009. Now the Tar Heels are only two games away from realizing all their goals.
Villanova has had everyone tell them all year what they could not do but they have proven time after time they are worthy of this Final Four berth. The lesser known of the two Big East Final Four attendee’s, Villanova coached by Jay Wright will be ready for UNC come Saturday! You can bet that everybody will be rooting for the underdog Wildcats and it might feel like a home game by the end of the night.
Los Angeles Lakers (58-15 SU, 37-35-1 ATS) at Charlotte Bobcats (33-40 SU, 44-29 ATS)
BetUS NBA Betting Odds: L.A. LAKERS -5.5, Total 191
Here are some of the NBA betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* LA has covered four of its last five games
* LA has won five of its last six games SU
The AL Central should be the most wide open race in baseball as three maybe four teams have a legitimate shot to win this division. It will all come down to who has the best pitching late in the summer when there are those “must win” games on the line. Most likely there will be little margin for error, so every win becomes that more important.
BetUS NCAA Basketball Odds: NOTRE DAME -4, Total 138
Here are some of the NCAA basketball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* ND has covered four of its last six games
* ND has covered seven of its last 21 games
The cliché “Time flies when you’re having fun” is an old dusty one, but it really holds true when it comes to March Madness.
It seems like it was just Selection Sunday and with a blink of an eye, the Opening Round, the Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight are all in the rearview mirror…and now it’s the Final Four.
