08/21/2008 - New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain and last year's runner-up Mardy Fish were quarterfinal winners Thursday at the $708,000 Pilot Pen Tennis event, a final U.S. Open tune-up.
Verdasco held off German Mischa Zverev 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), while an eighth-seeded Fish handled lucky-loser and fellow American Jesse Levine 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) on the hardcourts at the Connecticut Tennis Center. Verdasco and Fish will do battle here in Friday's semifinals.
Fish was last year's New Haven runner-up to fellow American James Blake.
A Day-5 upset came when Slovenian qualifier Luka Gregorc overcame seventh- seeded Italian Andreas Seppi 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. The world No. 434 Gregorc, who upended second-seeded Croat Ivo Karlovic here on Wednesday and ousted 14th- seeded Argentine Jose Acasuso on Tuesday, will now appear in his first-ever ATP semifinal.
<< Chakvetadze charges into Pilot Pen semis
New Haven, CT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Anna Chakvetadze of Russia was
an easy quarterfinal winner Thursday at the $600,000 Pilot Pen Tennis
event, a final hardcourt U.S. Open tune-up.
Chakvetadze charged past Romanian Sorana Cirs
<< Benesova, Suarez Navarro reach Forest Hills semis
Forest Hills, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Third-seeded Czech Iveta Benesova
and fourth-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro were a pair of quarterfinal
winners Thursday at the $74,800 Forest Hills Tennis Classic, a final U.S.
Open tune-up.
<< Sizemore's big day gives Tribe sweep of Royals
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Grady Sizemore had a career-high seven runs
driven in and Cliff Lee became the first 18-game winner in the AL as the
Cleveland Indians pounded the Kansas City Royals, 10-3, to complete a three-
game sw
<< Royals' Gordon leaves game against Tribe
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kansas City Royals third baseman Alex Gordon
left Thursday's 10-3 loss against the Cleveland Indians with tightness in his
right quadriceps.
Gordon, who has been hampered by a lingering lower back injur
Lowe, Loney lead Dodgers past Rockies >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Loney was 2-for-3 with a home run and
two RBI and Derek Lowe silenced the recently resurgent Rockies to help the
Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over Colorado in the series finale of a three-game
set.
Toronto FC acquires Ruiz from Galaxy >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto FC acquired forward Carlos Ruiz from
the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for first and second-round picks in the
2009 Major League Soccer Supplemental Draft and salary budget considerations,
the tea
American Univ. gives head men's hoops coach new contract >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - American University rewarded head men's
basketball coach Jeff Jones with a new contract on Thursday.
Jones led the Eagles to a Patriot League title in 2007-08 along with a berth
in the NCAA Tournament
L.A. clears salary cap space then adds U.S. midfielder Lewis >>
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Galaxy signed U.S. national team
midfielder Eddie Lewis, the team announced on Thursday. To make room for Lewis
on the club's 18-man senior roster, the Galaxy traded forward Carlos Ruiz to
Toronto
In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.
It is called the "pointspread."
Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.
But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.
A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.
In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.
The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere.
Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.
Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook betting credit cards
It's less than a month until the NHL hockey betting season opens at MySportsbook.com and preparations are underway for another battle in the race to hoist Lord Stanley's mug in 2007.
As cup crazy fans prepare to place their bets, one online sportsbook ,MySportsbook.com, is offering hockey betting lines on the 2007/2007 Stanley Cup , who will bring it home this upcoming season.
Despite a poor showing in last season's playoffs and the loss of Steve Yzerman to retirement, the Detroit Red Wings are early favourites at this online sportsbook with wagering odds of 6-1. The Wings will look to offensive powerhouse Pavel Datsyuk and newly appointed captain Nicklas Lidstrom to lead one of the league's most prominent franchises.
Always a threat are the Ottawa Senators, with newly acquired goaltender Martin Gerber from the Stanley Cup champion ,Carolina Hurricanes. The Sens are second best in the rankings at a 7-1 bet, and odds makers at this sportsbook are optimistic that the Ottawa squad will fare better than last season's Eastern Conference semi-final upset to the Buffalo Sabres.
Also worth noting are the defending Stanley Cup champs Carolina Hurricanes, a 10-1 bet to repeat. Behind the Canes are the New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks all sit at 12-1. In the basement are the Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, and St. Louis Blues who all have 100-1 odds to win.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey betting needs.
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