Azarenka tops Sharapova for Stanford title

Tennis Betting Lines

08/01/2010 - Stanford, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eighth-seeded Victoria Azarenka made quick work of fifth-seeded Maria Sharapova in Sunday's final of the $700,000 Bank of the West Classic tennis event to win her first WTA title of the year.

Azarenka, of Belarus, broke the Russian three times in the first set, then three times in the second to take a 6-4, 6-1 victory on the hardcourts at Taube Family Tennis Stadium.

This is the fourth career crown for Azarenka, who took home $107,000 with the win. She lost in the finals at Dubai and Eastbourne earlier this year.

Sharapova, bidding to become the first player in 2010 to win three singles titles, fell to 22-10 all-time in finals.

Nikkansport Tennis Betting News

<< Liriano and Twins shut down Mariners, again
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Kubel hit a three-run double to break a scoreless tie in the sixth, and the Twins recorded their second straight shutout of the Mariners, 4-0, to complete a three-game sweep. Francisco Liriano

<< LaCrosse gets 2nd Duramed Futures win of season
Syracuse, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cindy LaCrosse shot a three-under 68 on Sunday to win the Alliance Bank Golf Classic for her second Duramed Futures Tour victory of the season. LaCrosse finished 54 holes on the East Course at Drumlins C

<< Michaels' slam helps Astros win, sweep Brewers
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jason Michaels hit a grand slam in the seventh inning to back Wesley Wright's solid performance on the mound, as the Houston Astros beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 5-2, to complete a three-game sweep at Minute

<< LaRoche leads D'Backs in rout of Mets
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam LaRoche homered twice and drove in a career-high six runs and Daniel Hudson had a successful Arizona debut in a 14-1 drubbing of the Mets in the rubber match of a three-game series. Hudson (1-0)

<< Cabrera, Donald homer as Indians take series from Blue Jays
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Asdrubal Cabrera hit a two-run homer and Jason Donald added a solo shot, as the Cleveland Indians held on for a 5-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the rubber match of a three-game series at Rogers Centre.

Rays beat AL East-leading Yanks again, move within a game of first >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Shields tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings to help the Tampa Bay Rays take a 3-0 win over the New York Yankees in the rubber match of a three-game set from Tropicana Field. Shields (10-9) gave up f

Red Sox down Tigers in ninth for second straight day >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Robbie Weinhardt's throwing error on a Marco Scutaro bunt in the bottom of the ninth was the difference, as Boston blew a late lead but recovered to top Detroit, 4-3, in the finale of a three-game set at Fenw

Floyd pitches White Sox over A's in rubber match >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gavin Floyd continued his dominant pitching with seven-plus strong innings and Brent Lillibridge delivered a three-run triple to push Chicago past Oakland, 4-1, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Wainwright pitches Cardinals past Pirates and to series sweep >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Wainwright continued his dominance at home and Albert Pujols clubbed a two-run home run as the St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 9-1 win. Wainwright

Royals nip Orioles for third straight win >>
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MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.


Betting Football

NFL Football Betting Online

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.