Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting
06/09/2007 - Havre de Grace, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suzann Pettersen shot a five-under 67 Friday to take a one-shot lead over Karrie Webb midway through the McDonald's LPGA Championship, the second women's major of the season.
Pettersen finished two rounds at Bulle Rock at eight-under 136. Webb bounced back from a double-bogey with two late birdies and shot a three-under 69. She was at seven-under 137.
Birdie Kim (71) and Brittany Lincicome (69) were tied for third place at six- under 138.
Annika Sorenstam shot a 69 and was tied with Paula Creamer (68), Morgan Pressel (71) and Meena Lee (69) at 139.
Michelle Wie followed her opening round 73 with a two-over 74 and made the cut on the number at three-over 147. She made back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th holes, where she went bogey-double bogey in the first round.
"My wrist felt a lot better. I felt stronger. I felt like I actually played some pretty good golf out there today," Wie said.
Her withdrawal from the Ginn Tribute last Thursday with a wrist injury caused a stir this week when Sorenstam said Wednesday that the 17-year-old star lacked "respect and class" by showing up over the weekend to practice for the LPGA Championship.
Wie was two bogeys away from shooting an 88, placing her dangerously close to an obscure LPGA Tour rule that disqualifies any non-member for the remainder of the season if they shoot an 88 or worse.
Thursday, LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens joined the chorus of critics by saying Wie was "not very respectful" in her decision. Friday, Wie was asked if she's had a chance to speak with her most vocal critic.
"I haven't really seen her this week," Wie said, referring to Sorenstam.
By making the cut, she will have two more days of opportunities to speak with Sorenstam, who posted six birdies Friday to make up for a double-bogey at No. 2 and a bogey at No. 4.
Sorenstam is playing for the second straight week after missing two months with a ruptured disk in her back. She won this event three straight times from 2003-05.
"I'm a competitor and I might be a little injured physically, but let me tell you, mentally I'm not,' said Sorenstam. "I'm probably strong as ever. So that's really what keeps me going."
Pettersen played in the first morning tee time off No. 1 Friday and made birdie at the first hole when she knocked an 80-yard wedge shot within tap-in range. She followed that with a bogey from the bunker at No. 2, then didn't make another bogey until the 13th hole.
In between, Pettersen made three birdies. She added three more in a row from the 15th hole to take the early lead, including a 15-foot putt at 16.
Pettersen, who won Michelob ULTRA Open in May, was asked if her first two rounds this week are the best golf she's ever played.
"I don't think so, but it's solid," she responded. "You should never say you're in control because then the game will get you the next day. I hit some good shots. I hit some half-decent shots. There's room for improvement."
Webb spent most of her round flirting with Pettersen's lead. She left a birdie putt at the edge of the cup on the 18th -- her ninth hole -- and was one shot down around the turn.
She fell three shot back with a double-bogey at the par-three third, where she missed the green left with an eight-iron. But Webb made birdies putts from 10 feet on No. 5 and five feet on No. 7 to climb back within a shot.
Last year, Webb lost to Se Ri Pak in a playoff when Pak stuck her approach within inches for birdie at the first extra hole. She won this event in 2001.
"I shot two rounds in the 60s pretty easily I feel," Webb said Friday. "So, another couple of rounds like that would definitely give me a good shot."
World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa shot her second consecutive 71 and was among a group of five players who were tied at two-under 142, six shots off the lead. Ochoa has won eight times in the last 14 months, but is still looking for her first major.
Pak, a three-time McDonald's LPGA champion, was a shot behind Ochoa at one- under 143. She had a 70 on Friday.
Eight-four players made the cut. Among those who missed the weekend were Ai Miyazato, Beth Daniel, Julieta Granada and Grace Park and 1995 winner Kelly Robbins.
<< Thompson moves in front at Rex Hospital Open
Raleigh, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kyle Thompson, one of three overnight leaders,
carded a six-under 65 on Friday to move into sole possession of the lead after
two rounds of the Rex Hospital Open.
Thompson missed the 36-hole tournament record
<< Nebraska WR Purify suspended
Lincoln, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nebraska wide receiver Maurice Purify was
suspended indefinitely on Friday after being arrested for the second time in
just over a month.
According to the Lincoln Journal Star, Purify was cited for su
<< Cardinals, Percival agree to minor league deal
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals announced Friday they
have agreed to terms with right-handed reliever Troy Percival on a minor
league contract.
Percival spent the majority of his career with the Angels before
<< John Daly says wife assaulted him
Memphis, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Daly issued a statement Friday in which he
says he was assaulted by his wife while he slept.
Daly played the second round of the St. Jude Classic in Memphis with scratch
marks on his cheeks. News outl
Sixteen earn cards at Canadian Q-school >>
Langley, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thomas Petersson shot an even-par 70 Friday in
the final round of the Canadian Tour's Spring Qualifying School to lead a
group of 16 players who earned cards for the remainder of the season.
Petersson, o
Devil Rays' Upton leaves game with injury >>
St. Petersburg, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay center fielder B.J. Upton
left the team's game against the Florida Marlins on Friday night with an
apparent left leg injury.
Upton suffered the injury in the top of the first inning after grou
Mets blank Tigers to halt four-game skid >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jorge Sosa allowed only four hits over eight
innings and Carlos Delgado homered and drove in two runs, as the New York Mets
ended a four-game losing streak with a 3-0 win over the Detroit Tigers at
Comeric
Markakis homers as O's top Rockies; both managers ejected >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Markakis belted a two-run home run, as
the Baltimore Orioles downed the Colorado Rockies, 4-2, in the opener of a
three-game interleague series at Camden Yards.
Steve Trachsel (5-4) allowed two
American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies
It's that time of year folks. Betting on American Idol Season 9. And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below. With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.
No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.
Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.
Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.
Odds to Win
There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.
All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.
A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.
Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.
Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol.
Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.
If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.
Elimination Props
Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.
Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.
Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups
The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.
Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
(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.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | NFL Football Betting | College Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | College Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting