Surprising Kiwis hope to seize chance vs. Paraguay

Soccer Betting Lines

06/23/2010 - Polokwane, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Group F was widely considered to be the weakest group at this summer's FIFA World Cup, and while the action on the field has not always been scintillating, it has been unpredictable.

Italy was widely tipped to win the group, while Paraguay and Slovakia were expected to battle it out for second, leaving New Zealand buried at the bottom.

However, the Kiwis have been the surprise story of the tournament, and they have the opportunity to make their way into the next round, something that was unthinkable prior to the start of the competition.

After earning draws in their first two games, including a stunning 1-1 result against Italy, New Zealand needs a win over Paraguay at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Thursday and an Italy loss or draw with Slovakia to advance, while a draw with the South American side could also be enough if the Italy result is right.

A draw in the opener against Slovakia was big because it was New Zealand's first point at a World Cup, but the Italy result was something entirely different.

"It perhaps wasn't the game of the century in terms of spectacle, but we showed an enormous amount of hunger and determination," New Zealand captain Ryan Nelsen said following his team's draw with Italy. "It leaves me speechless when I think about what we've accomplished thanks to everyone's dedication to the team as a whole. We've given ourselves a chance of reaching the next round and that's an exciting challenge. All we can do now is give everything to seize that chance in the last match."

It might take everything for New Zealand to get a good result because Paraguay is coming off of a 2-0 win over Slovakia and will be trying to lock down the top spot in the group.

Many of the players on the Paraguay team felt that this was the best side the country has ever put together, and if it can move on to the next round with a chance at reaching the quarterfinals, it would be hard to argue.

Defender Paulo Da Silva assisted on the team's second goal against Slovakia, and he knows that his team is in an enviable position.

"We've taken a very big step and we've almost achieved our major objective," Da Silva said following the Slovakia match. "Against New Zealand we need to go in with the same attitude if we want to win.

"Qualification is in our hands now."

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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.