Hi Folks, my name is Carrie Stroup and I am so elated to be a part of the ever growing Sports911.com family via a unique and exclusive partnership with Sportsbook.com, the world's largest online sports betting company since 1996.
Be sure to bookmark this page for all the latest betting trends, which side of a game the public is betting on and the greatest matchup/team analyses on the face of the earth.
February 6, 2007
Dallas Cowboys New Coach, Dungy Not Leaving
Carrie Stroup here with some important Dallas Cowboys coaching news and a little shocker regarding Colts coach Tony Dungy.
Jerry Jones said the Cowboys could have a new coach as early as Tuesday, but sources have indicated that Jones wants to talk to Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and Colts quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell. Jones still is leaning toward 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner, according to the sources.
Meanwhile, Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy has all but put away speculation that he will not be returning in 2007.
Despite constant speculation in the media that Super Bowl XLI might be his last game, Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy sounds like a coach who is eager to earn another Super Bowl ring rather than ride into the sunset as a one-time champion.
"I'm fired up and looking forward to coming back," Dungy, 51, said. "I still have a lot of passion and enthusiasm for the game. After a night like last night, how could you not love it? I'm not burned out. I'm not tired at all. Still, I'll evaluate it and see where we'll go."
If the Colts pick up next season where they left off Sunday night, they'll have a chance to win a second Super Bowl. They finished 16-4 after losing three games in December to AFC South rivals Jacksonville, Tennessee and the Texans.
Because Dungy should have most, if not all, of his starting players back - including Super Bowl XLI Most Valuable Player quarterback Peyton Manning - as well as his coaching staff, the Colts should be in a good position to make a run at another championship.
"I look forward to helping these guys defend this title," Dungy said. "This past month has been a wonderful ride. We've got a tremendous team. We've got a group that's very unselfish and plays together no matter what the situation.
"That's what's so neat about this team. We've always had the great Pro Bowl players. But what we had this year was young guys ready to go when we needed them.
"And some of that was a growing process. Some of those guys had to play and learn, and we grew from it."
As of February 6, 2007, the Colts were listed with odds of 6/1 to win a second consecutive Super Bowl in 2008 atSportsbook.com (see website here)
----
February 4, 2007
Colts Win 2007 Super Bowl
The Indianapolis Colts have won the 2007 Super Bowl. It's been a long time coming for Peyton Manning who finally walks off with a Super Bowl ring. This is Carrie Stroup reporting for Sports911.com
This was a fairly tight game throughout despite the Colts seemingly having the edge throughout much of the game.
Carrie Stroup here with some great Peyton Manning Super Bowl betting props. This Sunday, nine year NFL veteran Peyton Manning, will attempt to finally shake a stereotype that has followed him for years: not being able to win when it matters most. He has gone a long way to shed this label over the last two seasons but if the Colts do not win this Sunday, Manning detractors will be quick to call Manning a “choker”. It appears as if Manning could very well be on his way to shaking this label. He has defeated his nemesis the Patriots in their last three meetings. This is a huge accomplishment considering how much the Pats have owned Manning and the Colts in recent years.
The Colts have made it to the Super Bowl despite Manning’s recent play. Through the regular season, Manning was among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, as usual. He led the league in passer rating (101), first in touchdowns (31), and second in passing yardage (4397). During the playoffs, Manning has struggled from a statistical standpoint. In their three playoff games, Manning has thrown only 2 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. With the Colts laying 7 points, Manning will definitely need to produce like he did during the regular season if he is going to help Colts’ bettors cash in.
Log on to
Sportsbook.com currently offering 10% signup bonus to check out the 250+ props, including Peyton Manning props, that are all available for download. If you want to use your Credit Card to bet on the Super Bowl, keep in mind that Sportsbook.com has the highest CC acceptance rate in the industry.
Sportsbook.com Peyton Manning props:
Total Passing Yards: 272.5, Over (-135) Under (+105)
Total Completions: 22.5, Over (-125) Under (-105)
Total Pass Attempts: 36, Over (-120) Under (-110)
Rushing Yards: 1.5, Over (+105) Under (-135)
Longest Completion: 37.5, Over (-130) Under (EVEN)
Total TD Passes Thrown: 1.5, Over (-195) Under (+155)
What will he throw first? TD (-180), INT (+140)
What will he throw first? Completion (-190), Incompletion or INT (+150)
Will he throw an Interception? Yes (-180), No (+140)
Total rushing yards on first attempt: 1.5, Over (+140), Under (-180)
Gambling site offers good payout odds on OVER 61.5 and other variations for Super Bowl
Carrie Stroup here. Including the playoffs, the Bears have covered the UNDER only four times all season.. This isn’t surprising considering they average 27.4 PPG. Despite averaging near the top of the league with 26.5 PPG, the Colts covered the OVER only 9 out of 19 times all season. The TOTAL (48.5) will most likely come down to which defense shows up for each team.
The Bears’ defense was absolutely dominant through the first 10 games yielding only 12 PPG and 153.6 yards through the air. Since week 10, those numbers have jumped to 21.6 PPG and 261.4 PYPG. Their passing defense will be put to the test this weekend as they face Peyton Manning and his league leading 101 passer rating. Manning has struggled during the playoffs; throwing 6 interceptions to just 2 touchdowns. In the three playoff games his passer ratings were unimpressive: 71.9, 39.6 and 79.1.
The Colts’ defense was atrocious during the regular season against the run. Colts’ opponents ran through the Colts’ defense for an average of 173 RYPG. Not once did the Colts hold any of their regular season opponents to under 100 yards rushing. The Colts’ defense has definitely gotten its act together at the right time though. All three of their playoff opponents failed to surpass the 100 yard mark and they averaged only 73.3 RYPG; almost 100 yards fewer than their regular season opponents. The Bears’ strength is definitely their rushing attack which averages 123.8 RYPG and has rushed for 100+ yards in 11 of the last 12 games.
With Super Bowl Sunday just a few days away, it appears as if the public feels as if the Bears rushing attack and Colts passing attack will each prevail as 67% of the money so far is on the OVER (48.5). Remember, Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” are an excellent way to gauge whether a line could move. If you like the OVER, you might want to pounce on it early to avoid any movement in the wrong direction.
Log on to Sportsbook.com to check out the 250+ props, including adjusted TOTALS that are all available for download. If you want to use your Credit Card to bet on the Super Bowl, keep in mind that Sportsbook.com has the highest CC acceptance rate in the industry.
President Bush State of the Union Address: Bet on Catch Words
Bush expected to say the word "Evil" under 2 1/2 times this year during this State of the Union Address
Carrie Stroup here and Tuesday evening will mark US President George W. Bush's seventh State of the Union address. And while Bush is not likely to mention the war on internet gambling, one online betting website had been offering odds on how many times the President uses important catch phrases like "Terrorism" and "Iraq".
In the 2006 State of the Union address, Bush repeatedly referenced the
word "terrorist" (or variations such as terrorism and terror) a total of 20
times in a speech that lasted just 51 minutes, a rate of about one
reference every two-minutes when you consider a large portion of the speech was dedicated to applause from the pro-Republican Congress. The speech wasalso littered with almost 20 references to "freedom".
In fact, in the five State of the Union addresses since September 11,
2001, Bush has used the word terror an average of 24 times per speech, with a record 36 mentions in the 2002 address. Freedom has been said an average of 13 times per speech in that same span while the word "evil" has been included an average of three times. By comparison, in his February 2001 State of the Union address, Bush used the word terror only once, freedom eight times and did not mention the words evil or "democracy".
Sportsbook.com odds on the number of times Bush will say these words
during his 2007 State of the Union address on January 23, 2007.
Many other political betting props are currently still available at Sportsbook.com (see website here) including the latest betting odds on who will win the 2008 Presidential Election. Sportsbook.com has proudly served the online gambling community since 1997.
January 20, 2006
Hilary Clinton 2008: Pays Even Odds
Carrie Stroup here with some important news related to Hilary Clinton who on Saturday announced her bid to run for US President in 2008. At
Sportsbook.com (see website here) Hilary Clinton is an even favorite to win the 2008 US Presidential race. Barack Obama continued to come in with 6 to 1 odds.
The former First Lady is expected to disclose plans to form a presidential exploratory committee on her Web site, according to Democratic officials familiar with the matter.
Clinton's planned announcement, coming days after Sen. Barack Obama shook up the 2008 race with his bid to become the first black to occupy the White House, establishes the most diverse political field. Clinton is considered the front-runner, with Obama and 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards top contenders. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who would be the first Hispanic, intends to announce his plans on Sunday.
With millions in the bank, a vast network of supporters and top status in nearly every poll of Democratic contenders, Clinton has launched the most viable effort by a female candidate to capture the White House. She is the first presidential spouse to pursue the office; her husband, Bill, served two terms in the White House from 1993-2001.
In her first run for the Senate from New York in 2000 -- a state where she had never lived and where she was branded a carpetbagger by many -- Clinton won a landslide victory. Through dogged campaigning -- including a "listening tour" of the state's 62 counties -- Clinton was able to convince voters even in the conservative upstate region that she would represent them effectively in Washington.
Clinton's 2002 vote authorizing military force in Iraq has become a significant political challenge -- angering activists who want her to repudiate her vote and aggressively seek to block Bush's proposed troop increase.
She has toughened her criticism of the conduct of the war and Bush's handling of the conflict, and she recently called for capping troop levels in Iraq at around 140,000. She has rejected calls from liberal groups and Edwards to cut off funds for Bush's planned increase in U.S. troops.
Sportsbook.com accepts Visa and Mastercard Here with the best acceptance rates in the business.
After monitoring Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” all week it appears if the public believes that the Saints and the Colts are the way to go. With the way the Saints have performed on the road this season along with the Bears’ recent defensive mediocrity, it isn’t a surprise that 64% of the early cash is siding with the Saints (+3). For the second game, it is a bit surprising that 68% of money thus far is backing the Colts (-3) given their playoff history and more importantly their opponent’s history.
Having covered 7 out of 8 games this season, the Saints have been just about a sure thing for gamblers this season. As an underdog, they are almost as impressive having covered 8 out of 10 times. For whatever reason, the Saint’s already potent offense is even more impressive when playing away from the Superdome. In those games they scored 29.5 PPG, which is 6.8 more PPG then they score at home. After starting out the season 10-3 ATS, the Bears have failed to cover in each of their last four games. The main reason for their recent covering slump has been their struggling defense. For most of the season the Bears’ “D” was absolutely dominant. Through their first 12 games, the Bears allowed only 12.5 PPG; ever since, opposing teams have scored 25.8 PPG. Their banged up secondary appears to be the main culprit for this recent trend in defensive mediocrity. Through their first 10 games, only one team was able to pass for over 200 yards on the Bears. Opponents only averaged 153.6 PYPG in those games. From week 11 on, they have given up 260+ passing yards in 5 of the 7 games they have played and opponents averaged 253.1 PYPG. The Saints’ weakness is definitely their rushing defense which yields 128.6 RYPG. In games in which they allowed over 100 RYPG, they were only 4-7 ATS. The Bears have a very consistent rushing attack that has been held to less than 100 yards only once in their last eleven games.
As great as the Saints were at covering on the road this season, the Patriots were even better. ATS the Patriots were 8-1 while playing away from home. This isn’t a new trend for the Pats who are 20-7 ATS in away games over the last three seasons. They, like the Saints, also relish in the role of underdog. Since 1992 they are 70-42 ATS when getting points. The Colts went undefeated at home this season and were a respectable 6-3 ATS. Although the Colts struggled late in the season mainly due to defensive woes, they seem to have gotten their act together. They held their playoff opponents to 8 and 6 points respectively, by far their two best efforts this season. Even more impressive has been their effort against the run. Over the last two weeks their opponents rushed for 44 and 83 yards. During the regular season, their opponents rushed for 173 RYPG, bad enough for last in the NFL. Even though the Patriots have had the Colts’ number over recent years, the Colts have won the last two meeting SU and ATS. Neither of those victories came during the postseason or at home. To accomplish both, the Colts will need to defeat Tom Brady’s 12-1 postseason record and his 10-0 dome record.
For all the latest lines and possible line changes, keep an eye on Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. These trends are an excellent way to gauge a possible movement in the line.
Cam Cameron New Miami Dolphins Coach: 40/1 Odds to Win 2008 Super Bowl
If you wanna bet the Miami Dolphins to win the 2008 Super Bowl with new head coach Cam Cameron, here's your chance with a locked in payout of $40 for every $1 bet
Carrie Stroup here and the largest online sports betting group, Sportsbook.com, has announced 40 to 1 odds of the Miami Dolphins winning the 2008 Super Bowl following the announcement that Cam Cameron has been named new Dolphins head coach. Cam who? And Cam he win?
Heck, we haven't even played the 2007 Super Bowl yet and here we are talking about whether Cam Cameron can guide the Dolphins to win the 2008 Super Bowl.
Cameron has served as San Diego Chargers' offensive coordinator the past five seasons.
He replaces Saban, who left for Alabama after a 6-10 season. Saban missed the playoffs in both years with Miami and left behind a roster that needs an overhaul because of an aging defense and a feeble offense.
Cameron went 18-37 as a head coach at Indiana, then directed a high-powered attack in San Diego. Led by the N-F-L's most valuable player, LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers ranked fourth in the league in offense this season and finished 14-2, best in the NFL.
Sportsbook.com Gives Obama Longer odds of 6/1 from 3/1 of becoming next US President
Carrie Stroup here.
Sportsbook.com (see website here) has given Barack Obama longer odds of becoming the next US President. This could have something to do with other potential candidates gaining steam (John Edwards for example).
Obama said Tuesday he is taking the initial step in a bid that could make him the first African American president of the United States.
Obama announced his intentions to file papers for a presidential exploratory committee on his website, www.barackobama.com. He said he would announce more about his plans in his home state of Illinois on Feb. 10.
"I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago," Obama said in a video posting. "I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics. So I've spent some time thinking about how I could best advance the cause of change and progress that we so desperately need."
January 15, 2007
Jennifer Hudson Golden Globe Win a Precursor to Oscar
Jennifer Hudson won for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture during Monday night's Golden Globe Awards.
This is Carrie Stroup reporting for Gambling911.com.
Accepting her award, an emotional Jennifer Hudson said “Oh my God, whoo, thank you so much. Wow, I have always dreamed, but never, ever this big, ever. This goes far beyond anything that I could have ever imagined. I just want to say thank you to the Hollywood foreign press for such an amazing honor, whoo baby give me one second…I’m trying not to cry…but you do not know how much this does for my confidence, because of this..oh my God, am I turning into Effie up here…because of this it makes me feel like I’m a part of a community, and it makes me feel like an actress and you do not understand how much that feels good to say.”
The former American Idol contestant who many believed got voted off prematurely is expected to be posted as a huge favorite for Best Supporting Actress once Oscar nominations are announced.
Jennifer Hudson was an early -285 favorite to win the Golden Globe Award Monday night.
January 9, 2007
2007 NFL Divisional Playoffs Betting Odds
Carrie Stroup here with some important news concerning 2007 NFL Divisional Playoffs Betting Odds.
With all four wildcard teams eliminated from the playoffs it appears as if the early bettors are finding extra value betting the underdogs for the Divisional Playoffs round. This is an aberration from the public’s usual betting trend. The Wildcard round was no different to the public’s usual betting habits as they sided with three out of four favorites.
The Colts were the only team that came through for Sportsbook.com’s betting public, as 61% of the action sided with the favored Colts (-7). The betting public had an equally tough weekend as far as TOTALS were concerned. Of the four games, only the Jets/Patriots TOTAL proved to be lucrative for members as an overwhelming 73% of the bettors pounded the OVER (38.5)
Here are some vital factors to know when reviewing 2007 NFL Divisional Playoffs betting odds.
As Sportsbook.com bettors hop on the early lines for the Divisional Playoffs round, one thing definitely sticks out; the public is siding with three out the four underdogs which is quite unusual. Surprisingly enough, the only favorite that the public is siding with is the Saints. The Saints definitely played their best football on the road this season as they were just 4-4 SU and 3-5 ATS at home. Add to the fact that the Eagles have been extremely successful in avenging a loss against an opponent in recent years. Since 1992, the Eagles are 42-22 ATS when playing a team they lost to in their prior meeting.
With the Colts strong showing the last couple weeks, it appears as if the public is jumping back on their bandwagon as 58% of the early action is backing the Colts (+3.5). Obviously the Patriots’ postseason rep is going a long way with the early bettors as 70% are betting against the Chargers (-4.5). Finally, the early bettors have taken note of the Bears recent ATS skid. 80% of the action thus far likes the Seahawks (+8.5).
Odds on Obama shortened from 10/1 to 3/1 this week
Carrie Stroup here! Wanna bet on Barack Obama to win the 2008 Presidential election? Unfortunately, you'll no longer be getting those 10 to 1 odds that would have paid $10 on every $1 bet if he were to win.
With almost two years until the next election, Barack Obama is now listed with 3 to 1 odds of becoming the next US President in 2008 and those odds are likely to be shortened further as well. That bet would pay out $3 on every $1 wagered at
Sportsbook.com (see website here) Like I tell everyone, LOCK THESE ODDS IN NOW BEFORE THEY CHANGE AGAIN.
Of course there are no guarantees that Barack Obama will win the election.
Democrats and Republicans focus on 2008 Presidential candidates
Sportsbook.com has odds on all the potential party leaders
The next Presidential election is 22 months away but the race by Democrats and Republicans to carry their party standard on November 4, 2008 is already hot according to the folks at Sportsbook.com.
Will Barack Obama challenge Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination? Will John Edwards slip up the middle? On the Republican side, will John McCain be pushed aside by the more liberal Rudy Giuliani, or will Newt Gingrich make a winning Hail Mary pass? Sportsbook.com, the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino, has odds on both the potential Democratic and Republican party nominees.
Ever since Hillary Clinton transformed herself from First Lady to the Junior Senator from New York, she has been tagged as the Democratic Party’s front runner. Sportsbook.com gives her 4-5 odds to win her party’s nomination. Across the United States polls show more Republicans think she will win that prize than Democrats. Still, other polls in key early primary states say she is the front runner among voters who get to elect delegates to the nominating convention.
Barrack Obama’s possible entry into the race is causing concern to other candidates. Almost 20 per cent of Americans think he will be nominated. Odds he will win his Party’s prize are 3-1. All the Obama excitement is taking some steam out of John Edwards’ campaign. The former vice presidential candidate on the 2004 Kerry Democratic ticket is mounting an aggressive campaign but odds makers give him a 7-2 chance he will be on the ballot in 2008. Those are the same odds for Al Gore who has kept his presidential ambitions alive through humor and his critically acclaimed and much viewed film, An Inconvenient Truth.
John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are tied with 6-5 odds to win the Republican Party nomination. Pollsters and analysts send mixed messages about both. Giuliani is favored by 34 per cent of his own party members, compared to McCain who pulls in 26 per cent of the support of Republicans. But McCain is way ahead of Giuliani when it comes to being perceived as the strongest candidate – both Republicans and Democrats agree on that. McCain is currently viewed as the front runner and Giuliani is hampered by the perception that he won’t stick it out.
Newt Gingrich has high name recognition, and the highest negatives. Odds are 4-1 he will capture the Republican presidential nomination. Mitt Romney’s odds are 6-1 and Sam Brownback’s are 8-1.
Odds on candidates winning their party’s 2008 Presidential Nomination:
Democratic Candidates
Hillary Clinton 4-5
Barack Obama 3-1
John Edwards 7-2
Al Gore 7-2
Tom Vilsack 6-1
John Kerry 8-1
Joe Biden 11-1
Wesley Clark 15-1
Bill Richardson 16-1
Republican Candidates
Rudy Giuliani 6-5
John McCain 6-5
Newt Gingrich 4-1
Mitt Romney 6-1
Sam Brownback 8-1
George Pataki 11-1
Condoleeza Rice 13-1
Mike Hucklebee 15-1
Colin Powell 35-1
Jeb Bush 50-1
January 2, 2007
Bowl Game Blues as Boise State Puts Nail in Coffin of Bettors
The Boise State Broncos vs Oklahoma Sooners Fiesta Bowl game was a classic for sports fans and a classic disaster from sports bettors
Carrie Stroup here. This season's Bowl games continued to destroy online sports bettors as well as those gambling in Vegas, and Monday Night's Fiesta Bowl did not help matters.
In what could be deemed the worst bettors bloodbath in recent memory, Boise State managed a miraculous last minute overtime victory after Oklahoma crept up from behind.
70% of the betting public had been on favored Oklahoma to cover but Boise State managed to win outright by one point. Some sharp action was observed on Boise State early on last month, thus a few wiseguys made out big on this game in addition to probably most of the population of Idaho. The rest of the nation was likely on Oklahoma according to the folks at
Sportsbook.com (see website here)
The ninth-ranked Broncos completed a perfect season with an exhilarating 43-42 overtime victory over No. 7 Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Monday night, leaving Boise State and top-ranked Ohio State as the only teams with perfect records.
Boise State blew an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter, then twice rallied from seven-point deficits.
"Yeah, another day at the office, huh?" said Boise State coach Chris Petersen, who remains undefeated as a head coach.
The Broncos appeared to be finished when Oklahoma cornerback Marcus Walker intercepted Zabransky's pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown to put the Sooners ahead 35-28 with 1:02 remaining.
"It would have been easy to give up on us with a minute left, but we had a lot of magic left," Zabransky said.
The magic came on a stunning 50-yard "hook-and-ladder" touchdown play on fourth-and-18 in the final seconds of regulation. Zabransky hit Drisan James at Oklahoma's 35, and James pitched the ball to Jerard Rabb, who raced into the end zone with 7 seconds to play.
Only three games have truly gone in favor of the bettors - Rutgers, Central Michigan and South Carolina. There have been 7 Bowl games played thus far where more than 75% of the betting action was going to the losing side, including five of the games that followed South Carolina's win over Houston.
January 1, 2007
Online Gambling: Bookies Make Out Big With Rose Bowl, Other Bowl Games
Carrie Stroup here and the online bookies continue counting the money all the way to the bank following an unprecedented number of Bowl games going against the betting public, including nearly all of the New Year's Day games.
Online gambling firm Sportsbook.com (see website here) may have had one of its biggest days ever following the demise of several favorites including Rose Bowl sweethearts the Michigan Wolverines. We'll no doubt see a lot of pouting sports bettors in offices across America come Tuesday morning. At press time, the Boise State/Oklahoma game was still in progress.
Prior to New Year's Day 2007, only three games have truly gone in favor of the bettors - Rutgers, Central Michigan and South Carolina. There were 7 Bowl games played up to that point where more than 75% of the betting action was going to the losing side, including five of the games that followed South Carolina's win over Houston.
Tennessee, West Virginia, Arkansas and Michigan all failed to cover their respective lines on New Year's Day. In a real shocker, USC beat road favorite Michigan by 14 points. This Rose Bowl game was widely believed to be one of the most bet on games of the weekend.
2007 NFC Wild Card Playoffs Betting Odds: Cowboys vs. Seahawks
Carrie Stroup here. In what will probably be the more sought after game Saturday December 6, 2007 NFC Wild Card Playoffs betting odds have the Seattle Seahawks favored by only -2 1/2 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Unlike the underdog Kansas City Chiefs - also playing that day - the underdog Dallas Cowboys are getting little love from the betting public. Heck! Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that everyone and their mother and their grandmother were drooling over new starting quarterback Tony Romo? Personal love life aside, he was being billed as the savior in Dallas. The Cowboys lost during Week 17 to the lowly Detroit Lions (at home no less) and now must face the team that got beaten in last year's Super Bowl.
Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia Game Line All Over the Place
90% of sports bettors on West Virginia at -11 in 2007 Gator Bowl
Carrie Stroup here. Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia is a game that's been all over the place since the line opened last month. The Gator Bowl matchup has seen the line move from West Virginia -7 all the way to where it sits now at -11
Georgia Tech may boast the most dangerous weapon in college football in WR Calvin Johnson, but unless it can get the ball in his hands more in the Gator Bowl, the Yellow Jackets could be in trouble. Tech struggled all year in pass efficiency, completing just 45.6%. Fortunately, West Virginia's strength is against the run, so perhaps subsitute QB Taylor Bennett, taking over for Reggie Ball can finally get it going offensively for his team.
When the Mountaineers have the ball, they've proven they can run on anyone (302 YPG, 6.7 YPR) behind Pat White & Steve Slaton, so even Tech's stout run defense will have its hands full. WVU, a 7-1/2 point opening favorite, will be bolstered by an impressive trend that has seen favorites go 9-0 SU & ATS in the Gator Bowl. However, because of the quarterbacking change, this line has ballooned to –11, so be sure to stay informed of all the key stats and trends by utilizing the resources offered by Sportsbook.com. Last check of the Betting Trends saw 89% of the public bets coming in on West Virginia.
This game has an unprecedented 90% of sports bettors siding with West Virginia.
December 26, 2006
Colts Dish Up Another Disappointment for Sports Bettors
Carrie Stroup here. Not only did the Indianapolis Colts fail to cover during Week 16 of the NFL, they lost outright to the Houston Texans. What the heck?!?!
The Colts have lost 5 of their last 7 against the spread. Overall, Indianapolis is 8-7 ATS this season, so the Colts loyalists in theory should be slightly ahead with their betting on this team.
It was pretty much a mixed bag for sports bettors and bookies this past weekend.
Sportsbook.com (see website here) enjoyed some big wins with losses that included the Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, and the San Diego Chargers (failing to cover the -4 1/2 line).
Sports bettors on the other hand pummeled online bookies like Sportsbook.com with big wins from the Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs.
Betting on the Bowl Games: The Only Reason to Watch?
Carrie Stroup here with important betting trends related to betting on the Bowl games.
Kansas State vs. Rutgers - Rutgers had a shot at going to one of the more prestigious bowl games, but ended up losing both their final regular season games. Instead, Rutgers Scarlet Knights will play in this Thursday's Texas Bowl. 80% of action was on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in this one.
Penn State vs. Tennessee - The Outback Bowl has Tennessee as the -4 favorite and about 77% of sports bettors are siding with Tennessee here. This one opened early at some online sportsbooks at -6 but has remained steady over the past week at Tennessee -4. Sportsbook.com (see website here) originally opened this game at -4 1/2.
College Bowl Game Million Dollar Contest (December 2006 - January 2007)
Think you can pick all the MUST SEE Bowl Games? It's Carrie Claus Stroup here and if you can, you could pocket a million bucks in the Sportsbook Million Dollar College Bowl Challenge. Even better, it's free to enter.
It’s Bowl season again and when the likes of Sportsbook.com (see website here) turn their hand at office pools, you just know that the jackpot is going to be colossal. On the back of their immensely popular free $100,000 Perfect Parlay Pro Football contest, Sportsbook offers up another unmissable pickem style contest for the College Bowls with a MILLION DOLLARS up for grabs.
Carrie Stroup here. Compared with other American Idol alumni, Taylor Hicks seems just a blip on the radar especially with all the focus on former Idol castaway Jennifer Hudson and her Golden Globes nominated performance in Dream Girls.
While his #2 chart entry wasn't shabby, Hicks hasn't proven himself to be the most sought-after "Idol" on the charts. The self-titled debut from Daughtry, the band fronted by "American Idol" finalist Chris Daughtry, achieved week-one scans of close to 304,000 following its release last month. Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts sold more than 314,000 copies its first week, and Clay Aiken's 2003 Measure of a Man racked up 613,000 in first-week sales, which was enough for the chart's peak position. That same year, Ruben Studdard's Soulful also opened at #1, selling 417,000 units.
According to Variety, The show, after five seasons, appears to have created a star in Clarkson and may have another one in Underwood, whose album is at No. 6, having sold 199,000 copies last week and boasting a cume of 4.3 million.
"Hicks, more than other finalists, had an air of sincerity and experience to him that has ingratiated him to other TV shows and media. And his choice of rock classics throughout the "Idol" competion endeared him to older rock fans.
"Yet a single from his self-titled Arista/19 debut has yet to chart in the top 50 -- a key reason Hicks didn't storm the chart last week. It wasn't for lack of promotion as Hicks has been making the TV rounds for nearly a month, appearing on "20/20," the American Music Awards, "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno," "Good Morning America" and "Live With Regis and Kelly." Since the album's release, he has been making the rounds in syndication and cable, appearing on "The View," MTV's "TRL," "The Martha Stewart Show," "Dr. Phil" and "The Megan Mullally Show."
Gambling911.com is in the midst of prepping for season 6 of American Idol, which will begin January 16, 2006.
Can the Dallas Mavericks and Stars Provide the Texas City with Two Championships?
Carrie Stroup here asking the million dollar question: Will the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars both win the championship in 2007, thus making Dallas a two-sport championship city?
My favorite place to bet,
Sportsbook.com (see website here) has posted odds on the never before done feat! Dallas, Detroit and New Jersey are all top contenders.
Carrie Stroup here with all your UFC Fight Night betting odds for this coming Wednesday, and I sure hope you all had a chance to check out the 60 Minutes piece on MMA. Great piece in fact!
60 Minutes called MMA the fastest growing sport in America and - yes - you can now bet on it.
Two of the International Fight League's (OTCBB: IFLI - News) legendary coaches, world Jiu-Jitsu champion and coach of the IFL's New York-based Pitbulls team Renzo Gracie, and Pat Miletich, coach of the IFL's Moline, Illinois-based Silverbacks team, were featured as part of Scott Pelley's report on the growth of Mixed Martial Arts.
"This is yet another example of how the sport of Mixed Martial Arts continues to gain traction in the mainstream," said IFL Co-founder and Commissioner Kurt Otto. "It is great that champions like Pat and Renzo, along with our other coaches and all the great athletes that they train, such as UFC Champion Matt Hughes (who is also feature in the segment) and others, are steadily getting more and more recognition for all their years of hard work and dedication."
Pelley trained with both Gracie and Miletich, and the 60 Minutes cameras were on site when their teams met at The MARK in Moline, Illinois, on September 23, the same night Gracie took on Miletich in the main event Superfight. The piece also looked at UFC champion Hughes, his career and his relationship with Miletich.
We anticipate Sportsbook.com updating odds on UFC Fight Night shortly. In the meantime, you can start placing your bets on UFC 66 to take place December 30 in Las Vegas.
New England Patriots and other favorites Pounded by Sports Bettors
Carrie Stroup here with an important overview of how sports bettors are behaving during NFL Week 14 with teams such as the New England Patriots and other favorites being pounded hard.
As the early action rolls in, it is obvious that the public is once again pounding most of the favorites, including the Patriots -3.5. Almost 67% of the early bettors aren’t concerned that over the past five games, the Dolphins are 4-1 SU and ATS nor do they seem concerned that the Patriots have only covered once in the last five attempts.
Despite the Patriots’ recent covering woes, they have been a good bet on the road all season long. Due to their remarkable 22.6 point margin of victory while on the road, the Patriots are a lofty 5-0 ATS. This isn’t a new trend for the Patriots who are 17-6 ATS on the road over the last three seasons.
A major concern for Dolphins bettors should be their recent performance against conference and divisional opponents. This season, the Fins are a miserable 1-7 ATS versus conference opponents. Even more unimpressive is the fact that they are 2-13 ATS over the past three seasons versus divisional opponents and 21-39 ATS since ’92 in December games.
Another major concern for the Dolphins will be how they will be able to muster up enough points against the Pats’ defense which only gives up 13.8 PPG. Joey Harrington will need another solid outing to keep this one close as the Dolphins offense will be without Ronnie Brown for the second straight week.
Other favorites the early bettors are siding with:
Do the Bookmakers Believe the Oakland Raiders can Beat the Bengals Outright?
Carrie Stroup here and you might have noticed my record on the season thus far stands at 4-2 after the Kansas City Chiefs went down in defeat last week. Now it's time to take a good hard look at the Oakland Raiders.
The Raiders go on the road to face the Cincinnati Bengals this week and this is a lopsided enough matchup to understand why the Bengals would be listed as -11 favorites. Close to 77% of sports bettors are siding with Cincinnati at -11 at Sportsbook.com (see website here)
I am going to let you in on a little secret though. Sportsbook.com's Scooby, who ever since waking up from a coma after a bad car accident, has been providing Ms. Stroup with some interesting insight.
With this game we discover that Sportsbook.com is not offering a money line. This tells us there is a possibility to that the bookmakers at Sportsbook believe the Raiders can win outright.
Let's not forget a few weeks back Sportsbook.com was forced to pay gamblers back thousands of dollars on the Raiders after they were shut during a Monday night showing. This was part of a refund special being offered each week by the company whereby they pay back bets placed on the moneyline for any team that gets shut out Monday night. Great promo I might add.
I am less inclined to believe that the Raiders can beat Cincy outright but looking at the historic trends, there is reason to believe Oakland can give the Bengals fits here. They are 7-3 in their last 10 in this series. Cincinnati's two home wins were within 6. Now granted this information is stretched out over a 20 year period. These teams simply do not meet often. The last two games were won by Oakland including one three years ago.
Let's look at the team ratings report which shows us that Cincinnati at most can win this game by 9 points.
Going against the public has been rewarding and the fact that the team ratings models show Oakland can cover here, I am on Oakland +11 at Sportsbook.com (see website here)
Apocalypto
Will Take in Over $13.5 mil Opening Weekend Say Oddsmakers
Carrie Stroup here. Online gambling website
Sportsbook.com (see website here) has announced opening weekend box office gross odds on the new Mel Gibson film Apocalypto.
Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com have made the film a -140 favorite to take in more than $13.5 million.
The jury is out on whether people will respond favorably to Mel Gibson’s latest controversial project, Apocalypto, which will release on December 8. After Gibson’s recent run-in with the law and distasteful anti-Semitic remarks, disgruntled moviegoers may opt to boycott the film and threaten its box office success.
AFC Wildcard Race: New York Jets pay 20-1, Bengals 8-1
Carrie Stroup here with your AFC Wildcard Race report. Theoretically, the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars or the Denver Broncos can still win the AFC, and the payout would be astronomical. The Jets for example would pay $2000 on a $100 bet at Sportsbook.com (see website here)
Logically - and I tend to be a girl who thinks
logically - The Chargers, Patriots, Ravens and those
good 'ol Colts have the best shot with the least
favorable odds, yet even the Colts pay out $2 for
every $1 bet.
Carrie Stroup here, stunned as ever that the gambling public is all over the Kansas City Chiefs. By how much you ask? Try 90%!
The Kansas City Chiefs are the -5 road favorite against a team that has tended to play close games up until last week when they were completely shut out by Cincinnati.
Prior to that game, the Browns nearly beat Pittsburgh at home, they did beat Atlanta on the road, they had a close one on the road against San Diego, and beat the Jets at home the prior week. This is somewhat of a better team than their 3-8 record suggests.
Sportsbook.com (see website here) has refused to move off the -5 all week, which suggests to me they really have a strong opinion on this game.
Interestingly enough our own team ratings have Cleveland able to beat the Chiefs by 1 point. At the very least we see the Browns able to cover here.
I am 3-2 in my picks overall this season and choose my spots wisely. This weekend I am going with the Cleveland Browns to cover the +5 at Sportsbook.com (see website here)
December 1, 2006
Sacramento Kings get no love verses Dallas Mavericks
Carrie Stroup here with three - count 'em - Three big NBA games to watch for sports bettors beginning with the Sacramento Kings verses the Dallas Mavericks. Here we have 82% of sports bettors on the Mavs.
If you are a regular readers of Sports911.com, you realize that the vast majority of games where one team is overwhelming favored by the betting public verses the other team ultimately end up with the team that is not getting all the public money winning. In this case we would have to seriously consider the Sacramento Kings at +7 (available at my favorite online sportsbook - what else? Sportsbook.com (see website here)
As of December 1, 2006, the Sacramento Kings were listed with 50-1 odds of winning the 2007 NBA Championship title. The Dallas Mavs had odds of 6-1. In other words, the Kings would pay out $50 for every $1 bet should they win the 2007 NBA Championship. The Mavericks would pay out $6 for every $1 bet. I was never great in math but these are numbers I can understand pretty good for darn sure.
Forget those worn out dried up previews we see each week for the upcoming football games. Thursday night's Cincinnati Bengals vs. Baltimore Ravens showdown has the Sports911.com babes - Destiney Bleu Lewis and Carrie Stroup - offering up their own critiques of this game.
Denver Nuggets: Heavy one-sided betting action against the Grizzlies
Carrie Stroup here with some late NBA action, specifically focusing on the Denver Nuggets who - let's face it - are playing just as well as any of the top Eastern Conference teams.
In the West though, their 8-4 record might not count for much. There are after all teams out there with double digit win records.
Heading into Tuesday night's game against the lowly Memphis Grizzlies we find that sports bettors are all over the Nuggets. 82% of the gamblers are betting Denver at -8 1/2. While the Mirage has this at -9, Sportsbook.com (see website here) has maintained a strong position at Denver -8 1/2.
"We have found that the heavily bet on public sides tend to lose more times than not this season," commented Sports911.com Senior Sports Handicapper, Tyrone Black. "When we see public betting in the 80% and up range by late day and the bookies not moving the line, a good rule of thumb is to bet the other side or don't bet it at all."
And where do the Nuggets stand in terms of odds to win the 2007 NBA Championship now that they seem to have come alive, winning their last five games after a terrible start?
The Denver Nuggets are listed with odds of 50-1 as of November 28. That's a $50 payout for every $1 bet at Sportsbook.com (see website here)
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills: All betting on Jaguars
Carrie Stroup here with one of the most lopsided games of the weekend: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills. Nearly 85% of all the betting action is on what has been a pretty inconsistent Jacksonville Jaguars teams.
Even more interesting is that the line has not moved off of Jacksonville -3.
This time of year, weather is often a major factor when handicapping games played in Buffalo. Such will not be the case Sunday as temperatures will hover in the mid 50's. Heck, it won't be much warmer down in Jax!
We pay a lot of mind here to games where the public is overwhelmingly on one side and the oddsmakers don't react. This usually offers a strong indication that the oddsmakers have an opinion that the other side will walk off with a victory. Hence, we go against the public.
Our team ratings model has Jacksonville just barely able to eek out a win by 1 point, but that is not enough to cover the spread.
Carrie Stroup here and we can't help but notice how impressive the Utah Jazz are looking. Sure it's still early in the 2006-2007 NBA season but here's a team that has only one loss and ten wins. Oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com (see
website here) have the Utah Jazz with odds of 15 to 1 to win the 2007 NBA Championship. Heck, that's $1500 paid out on every $100 bet. Where's my credit card? Where's my electronic check? Sorry folks, but Sportsbook.com has just eliminated the Western Union option as of today November 21.
Oh and these odds are going to change. I see the Jazz being listed with single digit payout odds by next week.
Chicago Bears vs. New York Jets: Who the gambling public likes
Carrie Stroup here! And one of the most anticipated games of the week is the Chicago Bears vs. New York Jets. Heck! There are so many great games I'm going to be glued to my sofa for sure.
On the Chicago Bears -6 1/2 line, close to 60% of the betting pubic has action on the Bears yet the money line shows a whole different story. 71% of those betting the money line felt the Jets can win outright.
The good folks at Sportsbook.com (see
website here) seem to be trying to get everyone betting on the Jets with a decent size line movement from Bears -5 1/2 to -6 1/2.
Mike Tyson to become male escort: Plus UFC 65 Bad Intentions betting
Carrie Stroup here with news of Mike Tyson joining
the ranks of male prostitute - Oh My! And UFC
65 Bad Intentions betting odds.
StarPulse.com is reporting that former boxing champion Mike Tyson is to become a male escort after agreeing to work at legendary Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss' new legalized brothel for women. Fleiss bought 60 acres of land in Nevada, and his work is scheduled to begin on Heidi's Stud Farm.
Dallas Cowboys New Coach, Dungy Not Leaving 
Colts Win 2007 Super Bowl 
Peyton Manning Super Bowl Betting Props 
Total Passing Yards: 272.5, Over (-135) Under (+105)
Super Bowl Adjusted Totals for Sports Bettors
Hilary Clinton 2008: Pays Even Odds 
NFL Conference Championships: Top Cash Bonuses for Bettors
Cam Cameron New Miami Dolphins Coach: 40/1 Odds to Win 2008 Super Bowl 
Jennifer Hudson Golden Globe Win a Precursor to Oscar 
2007 NFL Divisional Playoffs Betting Odds
Bowl Game Blues as Boise State Puts Nail in Coffin of Bettors 
2007 NFC Wild Card Playoffs Betting Odds: Cowboys vs. Seahawks
Betting on the Bowl Games: The Only Reason to Watch?
Can the Dallas Mavericks and Stars Provide the Texas City with Two Championships? 
Carrie Stroup here with all your UFC Fight Night betting odds for this coming Wednesday, and I sure hope you all had a chance to check out the 60 Minutes piece on MMA. Great piece in fact!
Utah
Jazz gaining early momentum from oddsmakers
Mike Tyson to become male escort: Plus UFC 65 Bad Intentions betting