Buffalobolls Football Betting News

<< Washington fails to clinch playoff spot
Bridgeview, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Freedom failed to clinch the final playoff spot in Women's Professional Soccer on Sunday as they suffered a 2-1 defeat to the Chicago Red Stars. The Freedom entered Sunday's game needing a

<< Kuznetsova exits the Open
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova was a fourth-round upset victim Monday at the U.S. Open. Talented Slovak Dominika Cibulkova cut down the 11th-seeded Kuznetsova 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) at the USTA Billie

<< Rangers promote INF German, designate Cora
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers purchased the contract of infielder Esteban German from Triple-A Oklahoma City and designated infielder Alex Cora for assignment on Monday. The 32-year-old German has been with Oklahoma

<< Montana ascends to No. 1
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The move was only one spot, but it was a big one for the University of Montana football team as the Grizzlies advanced to No. 1 in The Sportsbook Betting Lines/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 on Monday. Montana was selected

Rockies reinstate Daley from DL >>
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rockies reinstated pitcher Matt Daley from the 60-day disabled list on Monday. Daley had been on the DL since June 16, retroactive to June 11, with right shoulder inflammation. He was transf

Kuyt sidelined by shoulder injury >>
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Netherlands striker Dirk Kuyt is expected to miss the next few weeks after he suffered a shoulder injury in training, Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk confirmed on Monday. Kuyt sustained the

Miyazato remains No. 1 in world rankings >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ai Miyazato remained No. 1 in the world rankings for women's golf for the third week in a row. Miyazato grabbed the No. 1 ranking from Cristie Kerr following a win on August 22, her third victory on th

Anelka confirms international retirement >>
Paris, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - France striker Nicolas Anelka confirmed his retirement from international soccer on Monday having been given an 18-match suspension by the French Football Federation for his conduct at this past summer'

Betting Football

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.