NHL Odds: Canucks vs. Kings

If Final Four odds have had you busy over the last couple of weeks, the NHL playoffs haven't started yet, but they're close, and there's a possible first-round preview on deck on Thursday as Vancouver heads to Los Angeles.

Canucks vs Kings odds – Thursday, April 1, 10:30 PM ET

Henrik Sedin led the way with three points in a 4-1 win at home over Phoenix on Tuesday, and he now leads the NHL in points with 104, three more than Washington's Alex Ovchekin. Brother Daniel also scored, along with linemate Alex Burrows and Mason Raymond, while Roberto Luongo stopped 33 shots for the Canucks, who sit in third place in the Western Conference and are on the verge of clinching the Northwest for the third time in four seasons. The emergence of the Sedin twins is something that hockey betting players didn't see coming, as we always knew they were solid players, but without the explosiveness they've shown this year. They have also improved immensely on the defensive end.

The Kings blanked Nashville 2-0 on the road on Tuesday, as Jonathan Bernier stopped 34 shots for the first shutout of his NHL career. Scott Parse and Sean O'Donnell lit the lamp in the third period for the Kings, who currently sit in seventh in the West, just one point behind Detroit and two points behind Nashville, and if the Sedin twins' breakout year was a surprise, the Kings making the playoffs is absolutely mind-boggling. Everyone knew that the Kings had a solid young foundation that would eventually come on, but not this year.

Sportsbook odds should favor the Kings at home, where they are 21-13-3, but the Canucks have won three of their last four in the City of Angels. The Canucks have also won five in a row overall against the Kings, including all three meetings this season, and the line of the Sedins and Burrows have combined for nine points, while Luongo has two wins and a 1.00 GAA. The Kings have managed just three goals against the Canucks, and they need to find a way to solve the Canucks' defense, which has some injuries heading into the postseason. The win in Nashville snapped a four-game skid for the Kings, and two of those came by a one-goal margin, so it's not like they are getting blown out. The Kings have a lot of players that are just figuring out how to navigate the stretch run into the playoffs, and they should be solid enough at home to avoid the season sweep at the hands of the Canucks. Take the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday before making some March Madness picks.  

Free Picks: Knicks vs. Blazers

Hotter than Heather McComb, Mindy Lawton, and even Sandra Bullock is super sports handicapper Matt Rivers says take the Knicks plus the number. They are getting 11 at Portland according to BetUs

Mike D'Antoni's Knicks are obviously going nowhere at all and are looking towards the offseason and the LeBron sweepstakes. But the New Yorkers do have some talent and pretty much when getting around double digits are a must play.

The Knicks were outplayed in Utah in that last game but still did enough to cover the contest in the end. David Lee is a stud and guys like McGrady, Gallinari, Chandler and Harrington can hold their own against any team anywhere.

Portland is a very solid team that at the Rose Garden should win this game led by a superstar in Brandon Roy and a a budding star in LaMarcus Aldridge. But with that said these Blazers are coming off of that upset win in Oklahoma City and after winning three straight and 8 of their last 9 could slip up a bit here. A few weeks back they were a similar home chalk against the dreadful Wizards and managed to pull that thing out, 76-74.

Portland is still a very young team that cannot be fully trusted. Andre Miller is a veteran point guard that has shown leadership but pretty much everybody else is young forming a quality team but one that has the potential to slip up in this big favorite type spot. These guys have risen up very nicely on the road of late and in games against high quality competition. Neither of those scenarios fit in this thing and in the end look for the Knickerbockers to steal the cash again in a game when the number is just a bit too steep. 

Free pick: New York at SportsBook

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NBA Odds: Lakers vs. Hawks

If Final Four odds have taken your attention away from the professional game, you may have missed the resurgence of the Los Angeles Lakers, who have led the Western Conference for the entire season, but their form was shaky coming out of the break. Despite a loss on Monday, the Lakers are still in good shape as they wrap up a five-game swing through the southern states in Atlanta, where the Hawks have been waiting since Sunday.

Lakers vs Hawks odds – Wednesday, March 31, 7:00 PM ET

The Lakers fell 108-100 in New Orleans on Monday, despite 31 points from Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol was a monster in this game, going for 26 points and 22 rebounds, but the Lakers shot 7-of-29 from three-point land, and 41.7% from the floor as a whole unit. If the Lakers have a true weakness for online sportsbook players to pick at, it's point guard: Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown combined for 17 points and five assists, while their counterparts in New Orleans, Chris Paul and Darren Collison, had 32 points and 16 assists. How much longer can the Lakers survive without a true point guard?

The Hawks won their eighth consecutive home game with a 94-84 victory over Indiana on Tuesday, and the duo of Josh Smith and Al Horford was just too much for the Pacers as they notched 39 points and 25 rebounds between them. Jamal Crawford also added 17 points off the bench for the Hawks, who outrebounded the Pacers 53-39, including 14-9 on the offensive end, and they outscored the Pacers by 10 in the paint, which was the difference in this basketball betting win.

The Hawks will be the favorites at home, as they've been good at Phillips Arena all season, and we mentioned before, they've won eight in a row at home. The Lakers have dropped four of their last six in Atlanta, including two in a row, and the Hawks will be out to avenge a 118-110 loss in Los Angeles on November 1^st, when Bryant lit them up for 41 points. The Hawks are a much more cohesive unit now, and with Andrew Bynum still out (he scored 21 points in the first meeting), the Hawks match up better with the Lakers in the post with Horford and Smith. Atlanta is looking to move past Boston, at least, in the East pecking order, and a win over the Lakers would turn some heads. As for the Lakers, a loss won't be the end of the world as they know what they have already, but they have to work the ball around more: they are 3-5 when Bryant takes 30 or more shots, and 25-9 when he takes 20-29 shots.

Sports betting pick: Atlanta 

Free Picks Hotter Than Kiana Kim

It's almost baseball season and OffshoreInsiders.com previews who will win the NLCS, the 2010 Masters preview from a betting odds standpoint is garnering interest and more free pick winners are up for today from services hotter than Kiana Kim.

Matt Rivers, who was the winningest handicapper ever—nobody came close—on a large network of sites has a free pick on Dayton in the NIT.

I love the way the Flyers have been playing of late and even though Ole Miss is probably the bigger program from the bigger conference I can't help but back the boys from the Atlantic 10 here up North at Madison Square Garden.

The regular season finish was not all that strong for Brian Gregory's boys but this team has caught fire in the NIT and to make things harder they have been looking great on the road. Dayton just pounded Illinois in Champagne and that came two days after pummeling Cincinnati on the road, 81-66. Chris Wright and Chris Johnson are semi studs to go along with solid helpers in Rob Lowery and Marcus Johnson and these guys are up against a good team but not a great team by any means.

I like Andy Kennedy and the Rebels are solid as Chris Warren has the potential to be a game changing stud. But Ole Miss won all three of their NIT games in the comforts of their own home gym and now have to step out a bit and enter the bright lights of the big city and some possible adversity. Let's not forget the issues that Kennedy had with the cab driver along with the comments from his wife about not being able to get it up. I'm not saying that will really make a difference here but New Yorkers can be cruel and have a little fun with that for sure.

Mississippi can win this game as Warren, Polynice, Holloway, White and Graham are very good but I don't think they are able to win it half the time as this near pick-em suggests. Ole Miss. is just not primed and ready for the road the way Dayton is right now.

The Flyers are reminding me of last season's Baylor Bears in this tournament. Scott Drew's team played one game after the other on the highway and it helped build up a ton of confidence going into the world's most famous arena.

This is going to be a tight game that should finish in single digits but it'll be the Flyers who are the more prepared team for a spot such as this one.

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Baseball Handicapper Previews National League Contenders

OffshoreInsiders.com columnist Shea Matthews takes a look at the best bets for NLCS champions.

Hard to believe MLB betting is almost back already. Now is arguably the best time to bet on futures for league crowns. Why? Because, if you think you have good inside knowledge, you can get major value on your bets. For example, if you bet on the Tampa Bay Rays' futures in 2008, you made out like a bandit.

Here are some picks to consider for the National League pennant.

ELITE

Philadelphia Phillies

Odds to win: +300

The Phillies remain as good a pick as any to win not just the NLCS, but the World Series. They have a dynamite one-two punch in Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels to lead their pitching staff. Halladay could win 25 games for all we know in his NL debut and Hamels was very unlucky last season according to his peripheral stats (like batting average on balls in play). Philly also has the National League's best offense by a mile; it had four players hit 30 or more homers last season. Sports betting picks don't get much safer than these guys.

St. Louis Cardinals

Odds to win: +500

If Chris Carpenter stays healthy for a second straight year, the Cards will seriously contend again. He joins Adam Wainwright to form an elite top of the rotation. Albert Pujols is the best hitter of the last decade (at least) and should be even more dangerous than usual with a full season of Matt Holliday distracting pitchers in the lineup. The Cardinals' lack of depth in the rotation is a minor concern, however.

CONTENDERS

Atlanta Braves

Odds to win: +900

Here I was ready to label the Braves my favorite "sleeper" and, as it turns out, the secret is out in books like Bodog. Everyone sees that the Braves' pitching staff is starting to resemble its 1990s heyday, with Tommy Hanson, Jair Jurrjens, Derek Lowe and Tim Hudson on board. If they can score enough, they'll contend.

Colorado Rockies

Odds to win: +900

These guys have plenty of power with the likes of Tulowitzki, Stewart, Gonzalez and Hawpe on board – not to mention a park that boosts offense. But it's the pitching that makes Colorado so intriguing. Ubaldo Jimenez is ready to become a bona fide ace thanks to his blazing fastball – the fastest on average of any major-league starter.

San Francisco Giants

Odds to win: +1000

The Giants arguably have the National League's best "top four" in a pitching rotation, with two Cy Young candidates (Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain), a cagey vet (Barry Zito) and a budding strikeout artist (Jonathan Sanchez). If only Pablo Sandoval had more help on offense.

SLEEPERS

Arizona Diamondbacks

Odds to win: +1500

It's not a question of talent; from Dan Haren to Justin Upton to Mark Reynolds to Miguel Montero, this team has it in spades. It's a question of health and maturity. If Brandon Webb returns in style and the likes of Stephen Drew and Chris Young find their swings, watch out for the D-backs.

Cincinnati Reds

Odds to win: +2000

Shhh! Here's your deep sleeper courtesy of your favorite sports betting blog. Cincy should score enough; Joey Votto is developing into a star and Jay Bruce will show major power if he plays a full season. The key is the pitching, which could be the Reds' best in years if Aroldis Chapman can find a rotation spot and Homer Bailey finally harnesses his talent.

BUSTS

Los Angeles Dodgers

Odds to win: +800

I think their reign is over. The rotation is very thin after Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley – and Billingsley isn't even guaranteed to rediscover his control after struggling in the second half of 2009. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier will keep driving in runs but Manny Ramirez is on the decline, Rafael Furcal is brittle and Russell Martin disappeared last season. Not a recipe for a pennant.

New York Mets

Odds to win: +1200

Bay Schmay. Snagging the star outfielder from Boston won't be enough. Other key contributors like Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, are already hurt as usual and Johan Santana can't pitch every game. The rest of the Mets' pitching staff is shaky at best.

Free pick: Philadelphia Phillies. Sure, it's boring, but there's no denying that the Phillies are head and shoulders above the rest of the National League.

Suns-Bulls NBA Odds Preview

Phoenix Suns (47-26) vs Chicago Bulls (36-34)

Sports Betting enthusiasts will know that the Suns are heading to Chicago on a seven-game winning streak and have moved to within striking distance of a home-court playoff position.

Chicago has won four of five however the wins were against Houston that sits at .500 and Philadelphia, Detroit and New Jersey that are a combined 103 games below .500. The Bulls have only won four of their last 15 games and have not beaten a team with a winning record since Portland on February 26. The Bulls are a half-game back of Toronto for eighth spot in the East and are looking to leapfrog them into a playoff spot with a win.

Primetime Performers 

Bulls: With March Madness Odds gearing up for the April 3 Final-Four, a former finalist in Derrick Rose will lead Chicago in the same manner that he led the Memphis Tigers. This Bulls team however is struggling to make the playoffs let alone a finals appearance. Averaging about 20 points and 6 assists a game; Rose is the unquestioned leader of this team and will get a lot of touches against a banged up Steve Nash.

Suns: Amar'e Stoudemire is coming off a huge 30-point, 17-rebound game on Sunday and could have another big performance as when he hits the court against the inexperienced Bulls frontcourt. The 6'10" forward has scored over 30 in seven games this month and has been held under 20 on only three occasions since January. In the one game against Chicago this year he led the team with 23 in a losing effort.

X-Factors 

Bulls: online betting experts know that it will be up to Taj Gibson to slow down Stoudemire; a tall order for a rookie forward. In his only game against the five-time All-Star, Gibson was held to just six points however he was able to gather eight boards and three blocks in the win. He will need more of the same if the Bulls are going to pull out this much needed win.

Suns: Steve Nash is battling a back injury but is still one of the best point guards in the NBA. With 16.6 points a game while shooting over 50 percent and being the only player in the league with over 11 assists per contest, Nash is always finding his teammates in a position to score. After having an off night, only eight points and seven assists, in the last meeting with Chicago, Nash will need to bring a better effort against one of the league's best young point-guards.

The Matchup 

An experienced sportsbook handicapper will know that in their last two home-games the Bulls have won by 23 over New Jersey and lost by 29 to Miami; not the level of consistency that is needed to push for a playoff spot. The Suns have won eight of 10 on the road but dropped a 115-104 decision to the Bulls back in January; still the Suns should win this game easily.

Pick: Suns

Free NBA Picks, Final 4 Spread Preview, Tiger Woods Tops Masters Odds

It's a great week for sports betting.  The official betting previews are up for MSU vs. Butler, the 2010 Masters odds where a fellow by the name of Tiger Woods returns.  Also Monday NBA Odds picks from ScoresOddsPicks and the real Matt Rivers are up for the Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs at New Jersey Nets in the popular free pick section of OffshoreInsiders.com.

Courtesy of OddsShark.com: Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Bruins play host to the Sabres, while the Spurs meet the lowly Nets, and the Lakers search for a road win in New Orleans.



Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA offers up five games Monday, with Toronto at Charlotte, San Antonio at New Jersey, Denver at Dallas, New York at Utah, and the Lakers at New Orleans. The Hornets will be looking to bounce back from a 112-101 home loss to the Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

Darren Collison led New Orleans with 22 points off the bench in that defeat, while Chris Paul was held to seven points. The Lakers picked up a road win in Houston on Saturday night, winning 109-101 behind 30 points from Pau Gasol. Kobe Bryant poured in 17 points in the contest.

As well, there's one college basketball game on the schedule for Monday, with Saint Louis taking on Virginia Commonwealth in the first game of the best-of-three CBI championship series.

Saint Louis topped Princeton 69-59 in their semifinal matchup last week, while VCU is coming off an 88-75 win over Boston University. VCU is listed as the 9.5-point favorite for Monday, with a total of 131.



Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are five games on the National Hockey League's schedule for Monday, with Carolina at Atlanta, Nashville at Florida, Los Angeles at Minnesota, Dallas at Anaheim, and Buffalo at Boston. The Sabres throttled the Lightning in their last game on Saturday night, winning 7-1 at home behind a hat trick from Derek Roy. Jason Pominville picked up three points in the win. The Bruins blanked the Flames 5-0 in their Saturday afternoon outing, with Tim Thomas making 31 saves. Patrice Bergeron had a goal and an assist in Saturday's victory.

Among the sports betting picks for tonight is the King of Offshore, Stevie Vincent. Sick and tired of losing on your own yet? Join the club—the Inner Circle Club that is. The King of Offshore has an Inner Circle Club burial tonight in pro basketball. It's a side. Pro basketball Inner Circle Club plays are 19-4 with sides. Also get the CBI Tourney over/under, a Level 4 lock. Click now to purchase

 

Monday Free Picks; 2010 Masters Odds

It's a big sports betting Monday, so no need to simply start focusing on Final 4 odds, though Michigan State vs. Butler certainly has top sports handicappers salivating.

Top sports service site OffshoreInsiders.com has two free winners for Monday. The first comes from ScoresOddsPicks.

Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks (-5.5) – Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET

Dallas (48-25, 29-42-2 ATS) has won two of its last three outings, including a 111-90 win at Golden State. The Mavericks haven't played especially well over the past few weeks, though, after winning just three of their last seven games. Dallas has essentially been a disaster at the sportsbook during that span; the Mavs are 1-6-1 in their last eight games on NBA odds, and the Golden State game was the first time they covered since March 8. The Mavericks are a pitiful 1-7-2 ATS in their last 10 games in Dallas.

Denver (48-26, 31-37-6 ATS) is also playing poorly. After Sunday's 103-97 loss to the Magic, the Nuggets have just one victory in their last five outings (four of those games took place on the road). Like Dallas, Denver has struggled to get the job done for sports betting fans. The Nuggets have failed to cover once in eight consecutive games, though they managed to get a push against Orlando. Playing in Dallas will be tough since Denver owns a 0-4-1 ATS record in its last five games away from home.

Both teams are playing lousy, but Denver has generally dominated this series (8-2 SU, 7-2-1 ATS in past 10 meetings). This is the perfect time for the Nuggets to get back on track.

Pick: Denver

Now to Matt Rivers, who was the winningest handicapper ever—nobody came close—on a large network of sites.

San Antonio Spurs (-8) at New Jersey Nets – Monday at 7:35 ET

Rivers sports betting pick says take Nets plus the number. They are getting eight points at home to San Antonio.

Sure I'll back the Nets in this spot as the solid home dog.

I certainly don't think New Jersey is exactly good but I also don't think they are as dreadful as that pathetic record indicates. Brook Lopez and Devin Harris are studs and Kiki Vandeweghe's team did just win two in a row at home before running out of gas in Chicago on Saturday night on that back-to-back and third game in four days.

Tonight though the shoe is on the other foot as the Nets host a San Antonio squad that just played a tough game in Boston last night and is traveling to the swamps to play a second straight day. It's also fairly easy for the Spurs to take a collective deep breath and say oh we're only playing the 9 win Nets today and have a bit of a letdown after that grudge match in Beantown last night with the Celtics.

Tony Parker is still out injured and Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are no longer young and spry and could be a step slow today in this situation.

New Jersey still needs one more victory in order to avoid tying that 76er team for the most losses in a season with 73 so the home boys should still feel motivated to not be honored with that dubious distinction.

The Spurs need every victory to assure themselves of a playoff spot with the way things are out west and probably are too good to not win this game. But San Antonio is not in a good spot to just lace em up and smack New Jersey here as the dreaded road chalk.

I fully expect Harris and Lopez along with Lee and Humphries and Yi and a few others to look alright tonight and be in this thing until the end. Who knows? Maybe even this fresher home dog will bark in the end and grab that elusive 10^th victory.

Sportsbook spread pick: New Jersey +8 at BetUs

In other news, the 2010 Masters betting lines have Tiger Woods as the favorite.  Here are the top contenders:

101	Tiger Woods	+300
102	Phil Mickelson	+650
103	Padraig Harrington	+1400
104	Rory McIlroy	+2500
105	Geoff Ogilvy	+2500
106	Lee Westwood	+2000
107	Jim Furyk	+2200
108	Retief Goosen	+2200
109	Paul Casey	+2200

 

Complete odds at any top sportsbook.

 

West Virginia vs. Duke Spread; 2010 Final 4 Men's Basketball Odds

The West Virginia-Duke line for the 2010 will be Duke -4.5 according to Leo Shafto of BetUs. Butler versus Michigan State has Butler -1.5 with a total of 126.

For picks: Stevie Vincent is literally 20-25 years ahead of the oddsmakers and they will be the first to admit. His forensic sports handicapping is groundbreaking and there is nothing the books have been able to do to stop him.  

 

MSU Basketball the Underdog To Butler in Final 4 Spreads Vegas

Butler has been bet up to a 1.5 point favorite over Michigan State at the sportsbooks Bodog has the total at 126. For the 2010 Final 4, Butler is -130 on the money line according to top sports handicappers  

2010 Final Four Odds: Butler vs. Michigan State

The top sports handicapper website OffshoreInsiders.com asked legendary oddsmaker Leo Shafto of BetUs for his projections for the 2010 Final 4 odds.

The Butler vs. Michigan State line is expected to be a pick, according to the sportsbook guru.

The college basketball matchups for the men's basketball NCAA Tournament semi-finals from Indianapolis will be posted Monday.

Sharp bettors will keep an eye on Stevie Vincent's picks, especially the over/under. He is accepted at the top totals handicapper against the NCAA Basketball Odds  

Rest assured for those bettors who only purchase Stevie Vincent when he has Level 5 plays, you are doing yourself a gross disservice. Flat out his Level 2, 3 and 4 plays always have and always will win at a much higher rate than Game of the Month or Game of the Year plays elsewhere. He is part of OffshoreInsiders.com   

Shafto says that West Virginia will be getting four to five points if they play Duke or it will be pick 'em to WVU -1 if the Mountaineers play Baylor.

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CBI Tournament Championship Series Game 1 between St. Louis vs. Virginia Commonwealth has VCU -1. They are the host if the first of this best-of-three series. 

Final 4 Pointspreads 2010: Butler, West Virginia In

It's time to start looking at the 2010 Final 4 picks and point spreads.

The madness continues in the NCAA Tournament as No. 6 West Virginia toppled No. 2 Kentucky 73-66 in the East Regional final Saturday to advance to its first Final Four since 1959. For Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins, this is his first ticket to the Final Four since taking Cincinnati in 1992.

"The first day I was here, I told them I came back to win a national championship," Huggins said. "I came back to win it for the university, having played there, and for the great people of our state."

West Virginia won the game as 4-point underdogs, and the 139 points made it OVER the posted total of 134 and will play the winner of Sunday's Baylor-Duke matchup.

Get your NCAA Basketball Odds at Bodog.

Butler Bulldogs 63, Kansas State Wildcats 56

And in other news, Butler beat Kansas State 63-56 in the West Regional final Saturday and advance to the Final Four. The Bulldogs will be the first team to play in a Final Four in its hometown since UCLA in 1972. (Gordon Hayward had 22 points and Shelvin Mack added 16 points and seven rebounds for Butler.)

Butler won the game as 4-point underdogs, while the teams played UNDER the posted total of 134.5 and will play the winner of Sunday's Michigan State-Tennessee game.

For more information: Get breakdowns used by covers experts to beat the scores and odds at BetUs and Bodog check out the OffshoreInsiders.com Network.

 

March Madness: NCAA Basketball Spreads Preview Tennessee vs. Michigan State

Sharps are winning, squares are hurting in betting the NCAA basketball odds. Luckily Bodog continues to pay pro bettors on time. They take a look at Michigan State vs. Tennesse.

If you had No. 6 Tennessee facing No. 5 Michigan State facing off in the Midwest Region final, well, you are a much smarter person than I am. Certainly Sunday's game in St. Louis is the most unlikely of the four matchups for spots in the Final Four this weekend, with the Vols opening as 2-point favorites on Bodog's NCAA Basketball Odds  

Many so-called experts expected Michigan State (27-8, 14-20 ATS) to lose to Northern Iowa on Friday night as the Spartans played their first game of the tournament without injured star point guard Kalin Lucas, who is done for the year. But Lucas' replacement, Korie Lucious, was excellent in the 59-52 win against UNI with 10 points (including a key late score), six rebounds, four assists and four steals. MSU's calling card under Coach Tom Izzo is rebounding and defense, and the Spartans killed Northern Iowa on the boards, 31-20, and held the Panthers to no field goals in the game's final 10-plus minutes Friday. This will be the seventh regional final for Sparty under Izzo, and his teams are 5-1 in the previous six.

Tennessee is in its first Elite Eight after upsetting Ohio State, 76-73 on Friday night. Wayne Chism was the star for the Vols with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Remember that the Vols are accomplishing all this without Tyler Smith, who was regarded as the team's best player but was kicked off the team earlier this season following an arrest. UT is certainly no fluke, having now beaten conference champions Ohio State, Kansas and Kentucky this year.

This game could well come down to which team wins the battle of the glass, as the Vols dominated Ohio State in rebounding and are plus-6.3 in rebounding margin in this tournament, but Michigan State is arguably the nation's best rebounding team. No doubt UT will try and pressure MSU whenever it can, especially with Lucas not on the floor. It's almost too bad that Michigan State wasn't ranked in the Top 5 of the final polls of the regular season, because the Vols have won four of their past six against Top 5 teams. Look for this to be a fairly low-scoring physical game. These two haven't met since 1994.

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NBA Spreads

The latest NYS unemployment stats are miserable. Then again, why is New York State Department of Labor different than the rest of America? Need good economic news? The sportsbooks are paying on-time and paying big time to pro bettors. It's been fantastic for pro gamblers and horrid for squares in March Madness betting.

In the middle of March Madness NCAA Basketball Odds, one of the top sports handicapper experts OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Handicapper Matt Rivers says take the Detroit Pistons at home against Chicago. 

There is no debating that the Pistons are an absolute debacle of a team right now. This franchise has gone from a great one to a pathetic one in pretty much no time at all but it's not like these Bulls are much of anything themselves these days.

The Pistons are at home and should win this game. They are the fresher team as da Bulls just had to bang with the Nets on Saturday night and then travel here to MoTown for this back-to-back. Detroit also has a guy named Ben Gordon who would like nothing better than shoving it up his former team's butts. Gordon has not had the kind of season that he would have liked but the guy is still very capable when motivated.

Chicago just had that 10 game losing streak and is flat out a terrible basketball team right now. Their talent level is just not that high with Luol Deng banged up and even though the Pistons stink Detroit still at least has guys that should be good in Hamilton, Prince, Stuckey, Maxiell, Villaneuva and a few others.

The Bulls have won all three meetings this season and I just can't see four for four from a bad team.

This is far from the lock of my life but at home and being the fresher and more talented team I can't help but make a small play on the Pistons. The Bulls stink, have stunk and will stink one more time.

The pick: Detroit -2 at Bodog  

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NCAA Tournament Tops Sunday Odds

Courtesy of OddsShark.com: Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Sprint Cup Series hits Martinsville, while the Nuggets meet the Magic, and March Madness wraps up its second weekend.



The NASCAR odds Jimmie Johnson at +225 to win the entire Sprint Car Series and he's the heavy favorite to win any of the Goodys Fast Pain Relief 500.

Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA has 10 games on its schedule for Sunday, with Sacramento at Cleveland, Memphis at Milwaukee, Indiana at Atlanta, Toronto at Miami, Chicago at Detroit, Phoenix at Minnesota, Portland at Oklahoma City, San Antonio at Boston, Golden State at the Clippers, and Denver at Orlando. The Nuggets and Magic met in Denver back on January 13, with Carmelo Anthony and company rolling to a 115-97 home win as a 6-point favorite. Anthony led the way with 27 points in that win for Denver, while Chauncey Billups was good for 24 points on the day. Matt Barnes scored a game-high 28 points in a losing cause for Orlando.



The biggest sports service picks are from GodsTips. The Lord of the Dance has our first side in the Big Dance since Friday night when Baylor as our Game of the Year was an easy winner. We also nailed Duke Today it's Baylor against Duke and we have that side as well as well as the Michigan State-Tennesee. Also, on an 18-7 tear in the NBA, we have an NBA Wise Guy and two Majors Click now to purchase 

As well, the NCAA Tournament clears up its Final Four picture on Sunday with its last two Elite Eight matchups: No. 6 Tennessee vs. No. 5 Michigan State in the Midwest Region, and No. 3 Baylor vs. No. 1 Duke in the South Region. Duke, which cruised past Purdue 70-57 in the Sweet 16 on Friday, is pegged as the 4.5-point favorite at Houston's Reliant Stadium on Sunday. Baylor beat St. Mary's 72-49 in their Friday outing. Over at St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome the Spartans knocked off Cinderella Northern Iowa 59-52 in the Sweet 16, while Tennessee got past Ohio State by a final score of 76-73 last round. The oddsmakers at BetUs are going with the Volunteers for Sunday, as they're 2-point faves.



Taking a trip around the rink . . .

The National Hockey League has six games on tap for Sunday, with Calgary at Washington, Toronto at Pittsburgh, Edmonton at St. Louis, New Jersey at Philadelphia, Colorado at San Jose, and Columbus at Chicago. The Blackhawks will be looking to bounce back from the 8-3 pounding they took from the Blue Jackets on the road on Thursday night; Hawks netminder Cristobal Huet was yanked after allowing seven goals on 27 shots in that defeat. Kristian Huselius and Antoine Vermette each picked up a pair of goals in that victory for Columbus.



Roaring around the track . . .

Finally, race fans get two events on Sunday, as the Sprint Cup Series stages the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway and Formula 1 offers up the Australian Grand Prix. Jimmie Johnson, who has won three of the five Sprint Cup events so far this season, is pegged as the 9/4 Vegas favorite to visit victory lane at Martinsville, with Jeff Gordon (51/10) and Denny Hamlin (7/1) behind him on that odds list. Tony Stewart (17/2) and Kevin Harvick (11/1) round out the top tier of contenders. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso will be gunning for his second straight win in the F1 race; Alonso won the season opener in Bahrain March 14, and he's at 5/2 to get the win on Sunday. Sebastian Vettel sits at 2/1 odds to win.

NCAA: Baylor Bears vs. Duke Blue Devils

Courtesy of OddsShark.com The Baylor Bears and the Duke Blue Devils will both be gunning for a victory on Sunday when they meet at Reliant Stadium. Oddsmakers currently have the Blue Devils listed as 5-point favorites versus the Bears, while the game's total is sitting at 139. Baylor advanced to the Elite Eight on Friday with a convincing 72-49 victory over St. Mary's. Baylor covered the 5-point spread, while the teams played UNDER the posted total of 141.5. LaceDarius Dunn netted 23 points to lead Baylor, and Tweety Carter had 14 points in the win. Kyle Singler poured in 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds as Duke defeated Purdue 70-57 on Friday in the Sweet 16. Duke covered the 8.5-point spread, while the 127 points went UNDER the posted total of 127.5. Jon Scheyer netted 18 points for Duke and Nolan Smith added 15 in the win. Current streak: Baylor has won 3 straight games. Duke has won 7 straight games. Team records: Baylor: 28-7 SU, 18-10 ATS Duke: 32-5 SU, 21-14-1 ATS Baylor most recently: When playing on Sunday are 5-5 After a win are 8-2 Duke most recently: When playing on Sunday are 8-2 After playing Purdue are 1-1 After a win are 9-1 A few trends to consider: Baylor is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games Duke is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

NCAA: Tennessee Volunteers vs. Michigan State Spartans

Courtesy of OddsShark.com - The Tennessee Volunteers and the Michigan State Spartans will both be trying to pick up a win on Sunday when they battle at Edward Jones Dome. Oddsmakers currently have the Volunteers listed as 2-point favorites versus the Spartans, while the game's total is sitting at 137. Tennessee roared back and came away with a 76-73 victory over Ohio State on in the Sweet 16 on Friday. Tennessee won the game as 4.5-point underdogs, while the 149 points sailed OVER the posted total of 137. Wayne Chism collected 22 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double in leading Tennessee. Michigan State roared back in the second half and defeated Northern Iowa 59-52 in the Sweet 16 on Friday. Michigan State won the game as a pick'em, while the 111 points went UNDER the posted total of 121.5. Durrell Summers led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds. Current streak: Tennessee has won 3 straight games. Michigan State has won 3 straight games. Team records: Tennessee: 28-8 SU, 15-16-2 ATS Michigan State: 27-8 SU, 14-20 ATS Tennessee most recently: When playing on Sunday are 7-3 After playing Ohio State are 0-2 After a win are 7-3 Michigan State most recently: When playing on Sunday are 8-2 After a win are 7-3 A few trends to consider: Tennessee is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games Michigan State is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

NCAA Basketball Odds

Bet the NCAA Tournament via one of our highly vetted sportsbooks. Among the highest rated: BetUs, SportsBook, and Bodog  

The sports handicapping services menu for: Sunday, March 28, 2010

Forensic Sports Handicapper Stevie Vincent Groundbreaking founder of forensic sports handicapping 11-5 RECENT BLITZ; PRO BASKETBALL SIDE NCAAB TOTAL BOTH LEVEL 5 The founder of forensic sports handicapping is on a recent 11-5 run. That's good for most, a bit subpar for him, but he will improve on that winning mark. Get a Level 5 O/U on Baylor/Duke and an NBA Level 5 side. Click now to purchase

Joe Duffy's GodsTips Sports Handicapping Service Scorephone legend for decades; now CEO of No.1 handicapping website DUKE VS. BAYLOR SIDE The Lord of the Dance has our first side in the Big Dance since Friday night when Baylor as our Game of the Year was an easy winner. We also nailed Duke Today it's Baylor against Duke and we have that side as well. Click now to purchase

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Elite 8 Bracket: NCAA Tournament Odds Are Set, Kentucky vs. West Virginia

The Elite 8 2010 is set and the NCAA Tournament brackets updates. The top sports handicappers are winning at a rate faster than the GMP Diecast.

Only one region in this year's NCAA Tournament has gone chalk and that's the East, where No. 1 Kentucky will face No. 2 West Virginia on Saturday night in Syracuse for a trip to the Final Four. UK has opened as a 4-point favorite on Bodog's NCAA Basketball Odds.

Other than a bit of a slow start, Kentucky (35-2, 20-15 ATS) didn't have much trouble with Cornell on Thursday night in a 62-45 victory. The Cats have yet to have a game this tournament that was decided by less than the 17 points they beat Cornell by. Kentucky hasn't been in the Final Four since winning its last national title in 1998.

West Virginia (30-6, 16-19 ATS) didn't miss injured starting point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant too much in its 69-56 over Washington on Thursday (it will Saturday). Kevin Jones stepped up with star Da'Sean Butler having an off night, with Jones scoring 18 points with eight rebounds. WVU committed an uncharacteristic 23 turnovers with different guys now handling the ball – the Mountaineers entered averaging just 11.6 turnovers per game. It was the first time West Virginia had committed more than 20 turnovers in a game this season.

If WVU's turnover problems show up again and Butler doesn't come up big against Kentucky, then WVU is toast. But the Mountaineers also are playing terrific on defense, not having allowed a team to score 60 points since the end of the regular season. WVU is 13-0 this season when holding a foe under 60. This is the fourth time a Bob Huggins-coached team has reached the Elite Eight, with Hugs going 1-2 in the previous three.

Saturday's game could well come down to rebounding. WVU, which is second in the nation in offensive rebounding, killed Washington on boards and is 25-3 this year when outrebounding its opponent. But with Patrick Patterson, DeMarcus Cousins and Daniel Orton, among others, Kentucky is a very good rebounding team and will have the size advantage in the frontcourt.

Get all your Elite Eight odds and props at Bodog

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College Basketball Spread, NCAA Tournament Odds

Superstar sports handicapper Joe Duffy of GodsTips nails the industry's biggest bet of the NCAA Tournament with Baylor routing St. Mary's. But Matt Rivers, who was the winningest handicapper ever—nobody came close—on a large network of sites, has one of this two biggest releases ever going today.

Rivers is the winningest college basketball sports service in history.  

Courtesy of OddsShark.com: Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Rockets play host to the Lakers, while the Elite Eight offers up Butler vs. Kansas State, and West Virginia vs. Kentucky.



Tipping off on the hardwood . . .

The NBA has just five games on tap for Saturday, with Utah at Washington, Portland at New Orleans, New Jersey at Chicago, Dallas at Golden State, and the Lakers at Houston.

The Rockets will be trying to shake off a three-game losing streak when they take to the hardwood against Los Angeles on Saturday; Houston fell 99-93 to the Clippers in their last game on Thursday night. The Rockets are just 1-2 against the Lakers so far this season, and they lost 88-79 in Los Angeles as a 7-point 'dog when the teams last met January 5. Kobe Bryant had 22 points for the Lakers that day. Carl Landry scored 19 points for Houston.



The top sports betting handicapper ever, GodsTips is the hottest. NBA ADDED!  We now have two NBA Wise Guys and an NBA Major—it's all night action. Come on. Did you really think there was a snowball's chance in Hawaii or a sportsbook chance in Costa Rica that Baylor would do anything less than win in a rout? The NCAA Tournament Game of the Year—we told you it was stronger than any sports service pick in the Big Dance. We don't screw around. We win. We can't lie. Today's card is not quite as easy. Only 15-25 opportunities a year like that come along, many MLB underdogs. Oh Thursday's night's only Wise Guy on Kentucky under covered by 36. Get both NCAA Tournament totals now.

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As well, the NCAA Tournament hits the Elite Eight round on Saturday, starting with No. 5 Butler vs. No. 2 Kansas State in a 4:30pm ET West Region matchup. Butler knocked off top-seeded Syracuse 63-59 in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night, while Kansas State is coming off a 101-96 double-OT win over Xavier. Oddsmakers have Kansas State as the 4.5-point favorite, with the total at 137.5. The second game then has No. 2 West Virginia taking on No. 1 Kentucky to decide the East Region. West Virginia beat Washington 69-56 on Thursday, while Kentucky cruised past Cornell in a 62-45 victory. The Wildcats are pegged as the 4-point favorites by the oddsmakers in that one, with the total set at 133.5.



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Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Finally, there are a dozen games on the busy National Hockey League schedule for Saturday, including a matinee matchup between the Flyers and Penguins in Philadelphia. The 37-31-6 Flyers are riding a four-game losing streak heading into Saturday's contest, and they were beaten 4-3 by the Wild in overtime in their last game on Thursday. The 42-25-7 Penguins have lost three straight games, as the Capitals beat them 4-3 in a shootout on Wednesday. Pittsburgh, though, has had Philadelphia's number this season, as they're 4-1 in five games vs. their rival.

Also on the ice on Saturday: Calgary at Boston, Atlanta at Carolina, the Rangers at Toronto, the Islanders at Columbus, Tampa Bay at Buffalo, Florida at Ottawa, New Jersey at Montreal, Detroit at Nashville, Colorado at Phoenix, Dallas at Los Angeles, and Vancouver at San Jose. The 45-25-4 Canucks got past the Ducks 4-1 in their last game on Wednesday night, with backup goalie Andrew Raycroft stopping 30 of 31 Anaheim shots. The 45-19-10 Sharks blanked the Stars 3-0 in their last game on Thursday, with Evgeni Nabokov stopping 27 shots in that win.