Bears visit 'Horns in Lone Star State showdown

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

02/20/2012 - Austin, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The suddenly struggling Baylor Bears head to the state capital to face the Texas Longhorns in Big 12 play at the Erwin Center.

Tonight will be the 238th meeting in the all-time series between Baylor and Texas, the most-played rivalry for both schools. Texas has a 157-80 record against Baylor and is 85-27 in contests placed in Austin.

Baylor has dropped three of its last four games and finally lost to a program not named Kansas or Missouri on Saturday as it dropped a 57-56 decision to the Kansas State Wildcats. The loss made Scott Drew's squad 22-5 overall and gives it a third-place position in the Big 12 standings with a 9-5 mark in league play. The Bears had a forgettable performance against Kansas State, as they shot just 38.5 percent from the floor and committed 18 turnovers in the loss. Baylor still is one of the top teams in the Big 12, as it has outscored its opponents by 11.1 ppg this season.

Perry Jones III paces the balanced attack for the Bears with team-best averages of 13.5 points and 7.5 boards per game. Jones has been hurting his NBA Draft stock as of late, as he has been held to five points or less in three of his last four games. Quincy Miller, Pierre Jackson, and Quincy Acy are all averaging just about 12 points per game to give Baylor unbelievable scoring depth. Jackson is also contributing 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Acy is knocking down 60 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Head coach Rick Barnes will try to rally the troops after the Longhorns' 90-78 loss to the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Saturday. The defeat dropped Texas to 17-10 overall and a fifth place standing in the league. Texas hit 49.1 percent of its field goals and converted 8-of-16 from tree point range against the Cowboys, but lost after OSU's Keiton Page erupted for a career-high 40 points. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Texas, which is sitting squarely on the bubble as the Selection Sunday slowly approaches.

J'Covan Brown is an elite scorer and leads the Big 12 with 19.7 ppg. Brown was efficient his last time out, as he went 6-of-14 from the field and 5-of-5 from the charity stripe to net 20 points versus Oklahoma State. Freshman Sheldon McClellan scored in double figures for the fifth straight game against OSU, as he chipped in 15 points. Myck Kabongo had an encouraging performance despite the loss to the Cowboys, as he poured in a career-high 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor. Jonathan Holmes is also a steady contributor on both ends, and made an impact his last time out with a career-high three steals.

Bigno NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Stoke to launch Delap appeal
Stoke-on-Trent, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stoke City confirmed on Monday that the club will appeal the red card received by Rory Delap in the team's FA Cup victory over Crawley Town over the weekend. Delap received his marching orders fo

<< Low scoring games are the norm in the NBA
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Thirteen of the 30 NBA teams averaged 100 points per game last season while more than half the clubs gave up 100 or more. Two years ago 18 squads topped the century mark with 15 allowing 100 or more on

<< Bryant, Lakers take on Blazers in LA
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to put some off-the-court turmoil in the rearview mirror tonight when they host the Portland Trail Blazers at Staples Center. Bryant wasn't happy after the Lakers

<< Magic and Bucks meet at Bradley Center
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After opening a five-game road trip on a sour note in Miami Sunday afternoon, the Orlando Magic are probably happy to see the Milwaukee Bucks on the slate tonight in a showdown at the Bradley Center. Orlando was blitzed by

<< Mavs try to bounce back vs. struggling Celtics
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Mavericks hope to bounce back this evening when they welcome the struggling Boston Celtics to the American Airlines Center. Dallas became the latest victim of Linsanity on Sunday, as it saw its six-game winning

Ibanez heading to the Bronx >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees and outfielder Raul Ibanez have reportedly agreed on a one-year contract. According to the New York Daily News, Ibanez must still pass a physical before the deal becomes official.

Jankulovski announces retirement >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Czech Republic and AC Milan defender Marek Jankulovski announced his retirement on Monday after struggling to overcome a knee ligament injury. Jankulovski returned to Milan from Czech side Banik last summ

Caio Junior out as Gremio manager >>
Porto Alegre, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gremio confirmed on Monday that the club has fired manager Caio Junior after just eight games in charge. Junior arrived at Gremio in December, and although the team has lost only three of its

Pens place Kennedy on IR >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Tyler Kennedy on injured reserve Monday, retroactive to February 7, with a high-ankle sprain. Kennedy sustained the injury late in the Penguins' 5-2

Raonic on the rise >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If you're trying to find young tennis stars from Canada (or anywhere else for that matter), look no further than Milos Raonic. Okay, Raonic (pronounced Rau-nitch) plays under the Canadian flag o

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.

Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.

NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.

Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.

Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.

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

NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
--------------------------------------------------

Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&amp;M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6

For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com