Fielder goes deep to give Brewers victory over Arizona

Baseball Betting Lines

06/02/2008 - Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Prince Fielder launched a game-winning home run in the eighth and the Milwaukee Brewers survived a sloppy ninth, pulling out a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game set.

Fielder finished with three hits and a heads-up stolen base, while scoring twice and Bill Hall had an RBI and scored for the Brewers.

Guillermo Mota (2-3) pitched a perfect eighth for the win, Milwaukee's fourth straight.

Chris Snyder doubled and homered, driving in two of the Diamondbacks three runs while Mark Reynolds had the other RBI and two singles for Arizona, which had a two-game win streak snapped. Arizona has now dropped six of its last eight overall.

Prince Fielder greeted Arizona's Doug Slaten (0-2) in the eighth with a leadoff homer to center, giving Milwaukee a 4-3 advantage heading to the ninth.

Salomon Torres came on to close out the game in the ninth but Reynolds dribbled a single and moved to second on Jason Kendall's errant throw to first. Justin Upton then reached on a Hall throwing error and Snyder moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt for the first out. Torres bared down and got Augie Ojeda to pop out and retired Stephen Drew on strikes to end the game, notching his sixth save of the season.

Jeff Suppan fanned six over seven effective innings of three-run ball for Milwaukee. The right-hander allowed seven hits and two walks. Doug Davis was equally effective over six-plus innings, allowing three runs - one earned - on six hits and two walks for Arizona.

Arizona got on the board first in the second inning. Upton singled to center with two out and Snyder brought him around on a double to right.

Milwaukee answered in the home half. Fielder singled to center, leading off, moved to second on a wild pitch, and stole third when Davis paid the hefty first-bagger no mind. It proved costly as Fielder came in to score on a Hall sacrifice fly.

The D'Backs went back on top in the third. Drew worked a leadoff walk and Chris Young singled to right before Reynolds brought home Drew on a two-out infield single. Young was thrown out trying to score from second on the play, ending the frame.

Snyder drilled a home run to center leading off the seventh, extending the D'Backs lead to 3-1.

The Brewers came back in the home half to tie the game at three. Hall singled and J.J. Hardy worked a walk, starting off the frame to chase Davis from the game. Chad Qualls came on for Arizona and promptly pulled Orlando Hudson off first with an errant throw on a sacrifice bunt offering from Kendall, leaving runners safe at every base. Pinch-hitter Gabe Kapler then reached on a throwing error by third baseman Reynolds, with Hall and Hardy coming around to score. Qualls came back to get Rickie Weeks on strikes but re-loaded the bases by walking Mike Cameron. Ryan Braun then hit into an inning-ending double play.

Game Notes

The Diamondbacks began a 10-game road trip Monday, starting with three in Milwaukee before heading to Pittsburgh and concluding with the Mets in New York...Hudson had an eight-game hitting streak snapped...Fielder stole his first base of the year and ninth for his career.

Veggas Baseball Betting News

<< Michaels hits grand slam as Pirates upend Cardinals
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Wainwright was well on his way to another dominant start, but Pittsburgh scored four runs in the seventh and added the game-winning tally on Jason Bay's RBI single in the eighth to post a 5-4 vic

<< Jones, Orioles double up Red Sox
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Jones' three-run eighth-inning double was the difference as Baltimore rallied late to top Boston, 6-3, in the finale of a four-game series at Camden Yards. Kevin Millar drove in a pair while Aubrey Hu

<< Escobar's blast in 10th lifts Braves over Marlins
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Yunel Escobar drilled a game-winning two-run homer in the 10th inning to give the Atlanta Braves a wild 7-5 win over the Florida Marlins, in the opener of a four-game set. Escobar had three hits, three

<< Pens tie the game late to force overtime in Game 5
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Maxime Talbot scored with just 34.3 seconds to play in the third period to tie the game, 3-3, for Pittsburgh and force overtime in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Detroit at Joe Louis Arena.

<< Young's three doubles help push Twins past Yankees
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Delmon Young smacked three RBI doubles, including the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth inning, and the Minnesota Twins rallied for a 6-5 win over the New York Yankees to salvage a split i

Ortiz to miss at least one month, may face surgery >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz will be out of action at least one month after suffering a wrist injury. The club confirmed following Monday's 6-3 loss to the Orioles in Baltimore, that Ortiz learn

Still tied after first overtime in Game 5 >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After 20 minutes of overtime play, Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals remains tied, 3-3, between Detroit and Pittsburgh at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit controlled play in the early part of the overtime and had

Nats' Zimmerman put on DL with tear in left shoulder >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Nationals placed third baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list with a slightly torn labrum in his left shoulder on Monday. An MRI performed on Monday revealed the t

Still tied after second overtime in Game 5 >>
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After 40 minutes of overtime play, Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals remains tied, 3-3, between Detroit and Pittsburgh at Joe Louis Arena. Pittsburgh got its second overtime power play in the second per

Padres recall Hampson; option southpaw Henn to Portland >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Padres activated 28-year-old pitcher Justin Hampson from the 15-day disabled list Monday and outrighted southpaw Sean Henn to Triple-A Portland. Hampson had been on the disabled list

Sportsbooks to bet on football

Recently I had an email debate with an angry reader who said I did not understand "the science of oddsmaking", as he called it.

He said I was wrong for suggesting oddsmakers care about who wins or loses games.

"Oddsmakers only care about splitting the betting public 50/50 on both sides of the line and keeping the commission (a.k.a. juice)," he wrote.

He might have been right about not understanding "the science of oddsmaking". After all, I'm not an oddsmaker. That said, I stick to my assertion that oddsmakers (a.k.a. sportbooks) often do care about who wins games.

Granted, as a general rule, sportsbooks try to balance their action so that they're not exposed to big losses. However, there are times when this is difficult to pull off, regardless of how much a line has moved. There are also times when that general rule is ignored and a book pursues risk.

Generally speaking, it's safe to say the books in Vegas are risk-adverse. Unlike in the past when the wise guys ruled the town, Vegas is now corporate and the goal of most casinos is to make as much money as possible with as little risk as possible.

Thus, Vegas sportsbooks try everything in their power to balance the action. They're satisfied simply collecting the juice. But these profits are small, especially compared to the take from other casino games, namely slot machines.

Because the profits at Vegas sportsbooks are so small, you could argue that many casinos operate sportsbooks simply as a novelty to keep the tourists happy.

With a growing aversion to risk, it should come as no surprise that Vegas bookmakers have been panicking this NFL season.

Despite huge pointspreads, a disproportionate percentage of bettors are still laying their money on favorites like the Eagles, Colts, Pats and Vikings rather than the dogs (a common trend for the largely recreational bettors that visit Vegas).

And much to the dismay of the books, those favorites are finding ways to cover the thick chalk. In fact, prior to Week 7, the four teams listed above are a combined 16-2-2 (88 percent) against the spread. (The tables turned dramatically in Week 7, but more on that later.)

The result has been an early-season beating for the books, and a bonanza for bettors.

While Vegas increasingly hates risk, it's no longer a major player in the sports betting world. Most of the betting action now takes place offshore where sportsbooks are not as obsessed about balance. In fact, some books encourage exposure to risk because the rewards can be so much bigger.

Consider MySportsbook.com. On its website, the book has odds pages which actually display the amount of action it's getting on games. In other words, you can see how much action the book is taking on both sides of a pointspread, moneyline or over/under.

One look at these numbers and it's obvious MySportsbook.com does not balance every game. In fact, far from it.

Take last weekend's matchup between St. Louis and Miami. By game time on Sunday, 83 percent of the betting action at MySportsbook.com was on the Rams; only 17 percent was on Miami.

What's interesting is that MySportsbook.com opened the pointspread with Miami at +6 1/2. By game time, the spread had lowered to +5.

That goes contrary to the balancing theory. If MySportsbook.com had wanted to balance the action, it would have given Miami more points; instead, it took away 1 1/2. World Series odds are now up as well.

MySportsbook.com exposed itself to even more to risk, and rolled the dice on the underdog Dolphins. Why? I contacted a representative with the book to find out. His answer was simple.

"The line moved early based on 'smart money' from sharp players," said Jeff Gilroy, a spokesperson for the book. "We also knew from early in the week that we would need Miami, therefore (we dropped) the spread to encourage Rams money.

"At the end of the day, we liked the home team."

So the conclusion is this: MySportsbook.com respected the sharp action, and gambled that the sharp bettors had a better take on the game than the recreational bettors, who were hammering the visiting Rams.

In the end, the gamble paid off. Miami, desperate for a win in front of its home fans, pounded the overrated Rams, who are terrible on the road and even worse on grass. Final score: 31-14 Fish.

MySportsbook.com was also heavily exposed on numerous favorites in Week 7, including Philadelphia, Seattle and Denver. All three failed to cover.

The fact that sportsbooks are exposed to risk on certain games is really nothing new. The fact, that Sportsbook.com is willing to show the public where it's exposed is intriguing.

Armed with this type of information, bettors can make more educated wagers. They can get an idea where the sharp money is going and conversely where the public money is headed.

MySportsbook.com is opening up its cashbox, letting bettors look inside and challenging them to take their best shot at grabbing the cash.

To visit this online football betting got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting odds needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined

Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.

"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."

Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)

According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.

As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).

Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.

Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at

17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.

*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007

New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers

By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.

"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."

While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."

About MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker
Since opening in 1997, MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker has been a leader in Internet wagering, providing single account access for sports and casino play. This sportsbook has a revolutionary payment method, Direct Bank Transfer, gives players a faster and more secure transaction option for both deposits and withdrawals. This Internet Sportsbook takes pride in offering an aggressive VIP rewards program, along with seasonal reduced juice specials and high parlay payout odds. MySportsbook.com has set new standards in the sports betting industry, from their fantastic customer service, industry leading bonuses, extensive selection of wager types and props, to the fastest payouts anywhere... MySportsbook.com is America's Sportsbook! Open an account today at MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker, or call toll-free 1-866-238-6648

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Master Card needs.