In stark comparison to last year, this year’s Kentucky Derby – and along with it, the Triple Crown series – is up for grabs. With no monster standout like Big Brown leaving everyone wondering who to put second and third in their exotic wagers, choosing among the list of 2009 Kentucky Derby entries can seem daunting.
Baseball betting fans will get another chance to see the Washington Nationals get pummeled as the St. Louis Cardinals come to town. This will set up a matchup of the best in the National League versus the worst as the Cardinals have been a nice surprise. If you guessed that the MLB odds don’t favor Washington in this series, you would be correct.
Handicapper Craig Trapp is by no means an expert when it comes to horse racing. But that has not kept him from getting into the predictions for this year’s Kentucky Derby. The first Saturday in May is so exciting watching groups of three year olds trying to cement a future legacy for themselves. With the economy in a recession it’s nice to be able to get away from the negative press and focus on good stories.
Baseball season is now three weeks old and several longshot underdogs have put themselves in the talk for world series champions. Sports Handicapper Craig Trapp today is going to give you his three longshots that can win the 2009 World Series. Last year we had both of the World Series teams come from no where and end up in the promise land.
The first round of the NBA playoffs is winding down and, although some series have been easy knockouts, like the Pacquiao odds in his upcoming bout with Ricky Hatton, and there are others that have been a race down the wire, like the Kentucky Derby odds will be this Saturday.
Here’s a look at the upcoming games as well as some NBA playoff picks:
If the Kentucky Derby odds are among the toughest events to predict in all of sports betting online, NBA playoff picks are usually among the easiest. That’s what makes this year’s uncharacteristically unpredictable first round of basketball betting so refreshing and exciting. Let’s examine the landscape of the remaining series.
Check out the week to week schedule of your favorite NFL teams. Starting in Week 11, flexible scheduling comes into play for Sunday games. NBC has the Sunday night schedule and has the ability to move games from the afternoon to prime time. Keep your eye open for NFL network television games as well this year as the network will be in competition with Espn, and NBC for games as well.
Check out the week to week schedule of your favorite NFL teams. Starting in Week 11, flexible scheduling comes into play for Sunday games. NBC has the Sunday night schedule and has the ability to move games from the afternoon to prime time. Keep your eye open for NFL network television games as well this year as the network will be in competition with Espn, and NBC for games as well.
Have the Detroit Lions learned from history? Or are they doomed to repeat it?
The Lions are on the clock for this weekend’s NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Detroit’s draft-day misery over the past decade hangs over the franchise like a dark cloud:
Check out the week to week schedule of your favorite NFL teams. Starting in Week 11, flexible scheduling comes into play for Sunday games. NBC has the Sunday night schedule and has the ability to move games from the afternoon to prime time. Keep your eye open for NFL network television games as well this year as the network will be in competition with Espn, and NBC for games as well.
Cleveland (1) vs. Detroit (8)
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Key to series: Neither team attacks the boards too hard. If Detroit can talk Rasheed Wallace into joining Antonio McDyess inside every now and then, the Pistons could make it mildly interesting in what might be the final go-around for this group of veterans before the team is blown up.
Boston (2) vs. Chicago (7)
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Key to series: First Tom Brady, and now this? Garnett’s injury takes title No. 18 out of play, but the Celtics should have enough juice to get by the Bulls. The battle at point guard should be ferocious, with Rose and Rajon Rondo both at full throttle.
Orlando (3) vs. Philadelphia (6)
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Key to series: Orlando needs decent play from its perimeter players to clean things out a bit for Howard. Andre Miller is a smart point guard who should outplay Rafer Alston.
Atlanta (4) vs. Miami (5)
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Key to series: Someone, perhaps improving-by-the-minute Michael Beasley, has to step up and take heat off Wade. If that happens, the Heat move on. Hard to see Miami getting beyond Round 2, though.
The series are set, the NBA playoff odds are up on the betting board, the betting public is having their say and the teams are getting ready to make their runs at the Championship.
As it stands, the Los Angeles Lakers are big -400 favorites to take the Western Conference and ditto for the Cleveland Cavaliers who are -300 to do the same in the East.
Denver (2) vs. New Orleans (7)
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Key to series: Does Billups have much gas left in the tank?
Denver: 54-28
New Orleans : 49-33
Season series: Tied 2-2
Head-to-head:
Denver 101, (at) New Orleans 88
(at) New Orleans 94, Denver 81
(at) Denver 105, New Orleans 100
New Orleans 105, Denver 101
Playoff schedule:
Game 1 – Sun April 19 New Orleans at Denver 10:30PM TNT
Game 2 – Wed April 22 New Orleans at Denver 10:30PM TNT
Game 3 – Sat April 25 Denver at New Orleans 1:00PM ESPN
Game 4 – Mon April 27 Denver at New Orleans TBD
Game 5 * Wed April 29 New Orleans at Denver TBD
Game 6 * Fri May 1 Denver at New Orleans TBD
Game 7 * Sun May 3 New Orleans at Denver TBD
Playoff Gambling Trends: Denver closed the season on a 14-3 run, which started with a win in New Orleans. The Hornets limp in, knowing that just a few more victories would have bumped them up 3 or 4 notches and given them home-court edge in at least one series. The Hornets are still smarting over the 7-game loss to San Antonio last season.
How Denver wins: Chauncey Billups will be outplayed by Chris Paul, but if Billups can moderate the damage, the Nuggets should be OK. George Karl figures out a way to keep Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith focused for 10 days. The Nuggets can play decent defense for a series, but it’s hard to see them dig in for a couple of months.
How New Orleans wins: NO takes full advantage of their edge at the point and Paul turns in big numbers against a weary Billups. James Posey comes of the bench and makes Anthony work for every shot.
Prediction: New Orleans in 7
Props, Halftime, Quarter Line, player props and more. All the lines are at Bodog!
Lawrence Paul is a regular contributor to the Cappers Picks Blog, and is a free-lance gambling and travel writer from Massachusetts. He is personally responsible for the election of Barack Obama and has also taught himself how to juggle? He can be reached at newenglandhoops.net.
