Olympic Odds and NFLX Pointspread

The 2008 Olympic Games (Olympic Betting Odds) finally get underway in Beijing on Friday, but they'll have to battle with golf, football, and baseball for attention. Here's your Daily Sports Roundup …

Event of the day . . .

For North American sports fans the marquee event of the Olympics is probably the men's basketball tournament, with its NBA superstars and Dream Team storyline. The United States, of course, are the big favorites to win the gold medal in hoops despite their failures in recent international events. Spain, Argentina, and Greece are the biggest stumbling blocks for the Americans.

There are big stars participating in the Olympic tennis tournament as well, with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal the top favorites to win the men's event. Maria Sharapova will miss the Olympic tournament on the women's side, leaving Ana Ivanovic, Venus Williams, and Serena Williams at the top of the odds list.

The soccer tournament is expected to go to either Argentina or Brazil if the oddsmakers have it pegged correctly, with Italy and the Netherlands lurking as well. The United States' Tyson Gay will be looking to outrun Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell to win the gold in the 100 meters. And all you javelin fans out there need to watch Finland's Tero Pitkamaki, the favorite to win the men's event.

Non-event of the day . . .

Of course, the first day of the Olympics means the opening ceremonies, and country after endless country parading its athletes around the stadium. About the only thing to watch for in that spectacle will be any sort of political statement by a renegade competitor, something that is being frowned upon by the IOC. Don't expect a Dalai Lama mask on anyone, although it would be fun to see him light the cauldron.

Betting events of the day….

The worlds top sports service is GodsTips and they just keep winning. just added four Wise Guy baseball underdogs and two Majors, one a bid underdog. Betcha by golly wow. The top NFL betting service is rolling along at, ho hum, 80 percent. Tonight we have two NFL sides: a Wise Guy and Major. Click now to purchase

Also on the schedule . . .

CC Sabathia (5-0, 1.88 ERA) gets the ball for the Brewers on Friday when they host the  Nationals and Collin Balester (2-3, 4.55 ERA). Other NL games on tap: St. Louis at the Cubs (in a 2:20pm ET matinee), Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, Florida at the Mets, Houston at Cincinnati, San Diego at Colorado, Atlanta at Arizona, and the Dodgers at San Francisco. Brad Penny is expected to return from the DL for Los Angeles. (baseball betting odds).

Over in the American League the Red Sox and White Sox begin a series in Chicago on Friday, with a pitching matchup of Jon Lester (10-3, 3.14 ERA) vs. Mark Buehrle (8-10, 4.07 ERA). The rest of the AL schedule: Texas at Baltimore, Oakland at Detroit, Cleveland at Toronto, Minnesota at Kansas City, the Yankees at the Angels, and Tampa Bay at Seattle.

There are three NFL preseason games on the Friday schedule (NFL preseason spread). The Eagles and Steelers (-3) will meet in Pittsburgh, while Seattle will play in Minnesota (-3), and San Francisco will go across the bay to battle Oakland (you guessed it, -3).  The Canadian Football League offers up a pair of contests on Friday: Montreal (-3) at Winnipeg, and Edmonton at British Columbia (-5).

News from the wire . . .

Brett Favre and the Packers finally parted ways, with the quarterback shipped off to the Jets . . . NBA stars Yao Ming and Dirk Nowitzki will carry the flags for their respective countries in Friday's Olympic opening ceremonies . . . Yankees starting pitcher Joba Chamberlain was placed on the disabled list with tendinitis in his rotator cuff . . . The Rockies got OVER bettors salivating when they claimed Livan Hernandez off waivers from the Twins.

Peek at the future . . .

Francisco Liriano will get the start for the Twins against the Royals on Saturday night . . . There are seven more NFL preseason games on Saturday, including Dallas at San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium . . . Round 3 of the PGA Championship gets underway on Saturday morning . . . Jeff Gordon is still the 5/1 Vegas favorite to win Sunday's race at Watkins Glen, with Tony Stewart at 7/1, and Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards at 8/1.