Cavs edge Spurs without LeBron

Basketball Betting Lines

03/08/2010 - Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mo Williams had 17 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, as the Cleveland Cavaliers edged the San Antonio Spurs, 97-95, in a matchup between shorthanded teams.

The Cavaliers rested LeBron James for a second consecutive game, and may have lost Antawn Jamison to injury. Jamison left the game nearly midway through the third quarter and did not return.

Jamison finished with 17 points, while Delonte West had 16 points and came up with a big steal in the final minute. Jawad Williams added 13 points for the Cavaliers, who rebounded from Saturday's loss at Milwaukee and became the first team this season to win 50 games (50-14).

Manu Ginobili had a huge night for the Spurs, sinking seven three-pointers on his way to 38 points. He appeared to hit a game-tying three with 14.2 seconds left, but it was ruled a two-pointer after review.

George Hill added 23 points for San Antonio, which had its four-game win streak broken and played its first game since losing guard Tony Parker to a broken hand on Saturday.

Wwwcyberbet Basketball Betting News

<< Grizzlies recall Thabeet after short stint in D-League
Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Memphis Grizzlies recalled center Hasheem Thabeet from the Dakota Wizards of the NBA Development League on Monday. Thabeet, who was drafted second overall in 2009, became the highest-ever draft pick to be

<< Lions trade for CB Houston; Falcons add sixth-rounder
Flowery Branch, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Falcons traded cornerback Chris Houston to the Detroit Lions for a sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft on Monday. The teams also agreed to swap fifth-round picks in the upcoming draft. H

<< UConn gets record 71st straight win
Hartford, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-ranked Connecticut won its NCAA-record 71st consecutive game Monday, a 59-44 victory over No.6 Notre Dame in the semifinals of the Big East Tournament. It is the longest winning streak in NCA

<< Bucs acquire WR Brown from Eagles for pick
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquired wide receiver Reggie Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday for a sixth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. After the Eagles selected him in the second round o

<< Cavs F Antawn Jamison leaves game
CLEVELAND (AP) -Cavaliers forward Antawn Jamison has left Cleveland's game against San Antonio in the third quarter with stiffness behind his left knee.The Cavaliers provided a vague update on Jamison, who was recently acquired in a trade with Washi

Old Dominion takes down William & Mary for CAA title >>
Richmond, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Darius scored 12 points and Kent Bazemore added 10 points and five assists, as Old Dominion held on to claim the Colonial Athletic Association tournament title with a 60-53 win over William

Raiders release injury-prone Walker; Ellis let go as well >>
Alameda, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Oakland Raiders released wide receiver Javon Walker on Monday, as well as veteran defensive end Greg Ellis. Walker inked a six-year, $55-million contract with Oakland prior to the 2008 campaign but

Turco, Stars snap Capitals' home streak in SO >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Loui Eriksson scored in the fifth round of the shootout and Marty Turco stopped a career-high 49 shots as Dallas rallied in the third and ended Washington's 13-game home-winning streak with a 4-3 win at Veri

Siena captures third straight MAA title >>
Albany, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Edwin Ubiles recorded a game-high 27 points along with seven rebounds to help the Sienna Saints past the Fairfield Stags in overtime, 72-65, to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Champio

Marion leads Mavs to 12th straight victory >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shawn Marion posted 29 points to go with 14 rebounds, pacing the Mavericks to their 12th straight victory in a 125-112 decision over the lowly Timberwolves. Dirk Nowitzki and Caron Butler added 24 a

Sportsbook betting odds favor Europe in Ryder Cup

September 19, – Despite holding a decided edge in the all-time series, with 24 wins, 2 ties and 10 losses, Team USA is the underdog again heading into the Ryder Cup in Kidare, Ireland this weekend, according to MySportsbook.com.  The Europeans have captured four of the past five editions, including their largest victory ever, an 18 ½ to 9 ½ thumping in Michigan in 2004. Current Ryder Cup betting odds favor the Europeans to continue their winning ways; they are a 4-5 bet to take the title, compared to 6-5 for the Americans. 

Despite being knocked out in the first round of World Match play by Shaun Micheel, Tiger Woods is predicted to lead the US charge and be their highest point scorer for the week, with odds listed at 9-4 that he outpoints all other American players, including Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Chris DiMarco to  name a  few.  Team USA has four relatively unknown players on the roster but all four are 2007 tournament winners and have posted some of season’s best performances, each earning over $1.5 million on the PGA TOUR.  They include Zach Johnson, Vaughan Taylor, JJ Henry and Brett Wetterich.

The experienced European squad includes the likes of Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Jose Maria Olazabal and Darren Clarke, who’s emotions will be tested after the passing of his wife to a battle with cancer.  Donald and Garcia are in particularly good form and each is a 5-1 bet to lead the European squad in the points race. Donald has proven he can go head to head with Woods at a major event after a run for the $1.2 million purse at the PGA Championship. Garcia’s Ryder Cup credentials prove he’s ready for battle too.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your golf sportsbook needs.

Ryder Cup Odds

Europe
Tie
USA		 4-5
10-1
6-5


Ryder Cup Top US point scorer
Tiger Woods
Jim Furyk
Phil Mickelson
Chris DiMarco
David Toms
Stewart Cink
Chad Campbell
Scott Verplank
Zach Johnson
Vaughan Taylor
JJ Henry
Brett Wetterich		 9-4
4-1
5-1
7-1
8-1
12-1
15-1
15-1
25-1
30-1
30-1
50-1


Ryder Cup Top European scorer
Sergio Garcia
Luke Donald
Padraig Harrington
Colin Montgomerie
Darren Clarke
David Howell
Lee Westwood
Paul Casey
Henrik Stenson
Jose Maria Olazabal
Paul McGinley
Robert Karlsson		 5-1
5-1
6-1
13-2
8-1
9-1
9-1
11-1
12-1
12-1
20-1
25-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com

Horse Betting

(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).

The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.

"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."

Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.

"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."

When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:

CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.

DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.

You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.

"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."

Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.

(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)

Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."

But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."

Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."

Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."

All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.

In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.

"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."

To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.