Top Shelf: Blue Jackets can't keep Nash forever
Hockey Betting Lines
02/14/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the NHL's trade deadline less than two weeks away, the rumor mill is churning faster and faster every day. On Monday, it finally spun out a name worth getting excited about.
For the most part, the deadline is used by some NHL teams to add depth needed for a playoff push, while teams who aren't in postseason contention try to sell off veteran assets to acquire cheaper prospects.
It's pretty rare that a bona-fide superstar is put on the block, but with the recent addition of Columbus forward Rick Nash to the mix, there could be a legitimate superstar to be had before the Feb. 27 deadline.
According to RDS, Canada's French-language equivalent of TSN, the Blue Jackets are open to trading Nash to a host of potential suitors. Of course, Columbus general manager Scott Howson will not confirm or deny the report, but the mere suggestion that Nash is available is enough to set off a race to acquire the sniper's services.
If the report is true and Columbus is seriously considering offers for Nash, it would seem that the New York Rangers would be one of the main suitors. The Rangers are the top team in the Eastern Conference, but the Blueshirts have done it more with defense and acquiring a big-time offensive talent like Nash could be the difference in winning a Stanley Cup or coming up short.
Landing Nash would most likely require New York to part with coveted forward prospect and current Boston College standout Chris Kreider. And that's just a starting point, as the Rangers would almost certainly have to include a player from their current NHL roster (Brandon Dubinsky's name has been mentioned already) and Columbus also will likely be seeking a first-round draft pick as well.
But, the Rangers won't be the only team dialing Howson's number in the coming weeks, and in the end, Nash's no-trade clause will ensure he has the final say on any potential trade.
Since being taken first overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2002 draft. Nash has become synonymous with Columbus hockey. However, through little fault of his own, Columbus hockey itself is synonymous with being a perennial doormat.
A five-time All-Star, Nash has averaged over 32 goals a season since breaking into the league in 2002-03. A one-man show, Nash has led the team in goals every year since his second season and that includes 2005-06, when he paced the Jackets with 31 goals despite playing in just 54 games. And, yes, the 27- year-old is leading Columbus in goals once again this season with 18 markers.
So what has changed now for the Blue Jackets that has reportedly led them to consider dealing Nash? In reality, the reason for his sudden availability is that nothing has ever changed in Columbus. The franchise has qualified for the postseason just once since entering the league as an expansion team in 2000 and with an NHL-low 38 points through 56 games this season, the Jackets are all but assured of going into the offseason early yet again.
For a franchise that has pretty much done nothing but lose since it came into existence, the club's failures this season have been especially hard to take. Columbus made waves in the offseason, signing defenseman James Wisniewski to a six-year, $33 million deal and acquiring centerman Jeff Carter in a blockbuster trade with Philadelphia.
Both Wisniewski and Carter have been dogged by injuries this year and neither is having a banner season. But, Carter has really been the fly in the ointment for Columbus. The former Flyer got off to an awkward start with his new club in the summer when he was unhappy with being dealt to Columbus and his 12 goals and eight assists in 35 games this season are a clear indicator that Carter has let his personal feelings get in the way of his play.
It's not surprising the Blue Jackets are actively trying to pass the disgruntled Carter onto another team before the trade deadline, but his failure to catch on in Columbus also has greased the wheels for Nash's potential departure. Nash was supposed to benefit from finally having a top- line centerman like Carter, but the two have obviously failed to develop chemistry, a fact that isn't all that surprising since Carter has always been better at scoring goals than setting up his linemates.
It's hard to keep a talent like Nash when Columbus seems to be forever stuck in a holding pattern. The Blue Jackets had full intentions of building a team around Nash, as evidenced by the eight-year, $62 million extension he signed in the summer of 2009, but it simply hasn't worked.
With the way the club has floundered again this season, Columbus is staring at yet another a rebuilding project and it just doesn't make much sense for the team or Nash to go through that process together. It's hard to rebuild what was never built in the first place and while dealing away the only game- changing piece the franchise ever had may seem counter-productive, both Nash and Columbus could benefit greatly from a fresh start.
Moscow, Russia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Fuster scored and Roy Carroll saved a penalty as Olympiacos kicked off the Europa League round of 32 on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Rubin at Luzhniki Stadium. Fuster scored the lone goal in the 72nd m
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Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The British Columbia Lions signed defensive
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racking up 222 tackles and seven interceptions in 53 g
<< Woods will play next three PGA Tour events
Jupiter, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tiger Woods announced on his web site Tuesday
that he will play the next three PGA Tour events, starting next week.
First up is the World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship,
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opening-round winner Tuesday at the $475,300 Brasil Open.
The Argentine Berlocq, a runner-up in Chile two weeks ago, blew past France's
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MySportsbook.com Favors Fighting Irish to win College Football betting odds
According to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, on January 8, the Fighting Irish faithful may be toasting their 14th national title in Arizona – Notre Dame’s first national championship in close to 20 years.
Although MySportsbook.com has listed Notre Dame as the 5-1 favorite to win thecollege football College Football betting, fans in Columbus do not need to cancel their tickets to Glendale just yet. The Ohio State Buckeyes, listed right behind the Irish at 7-1, are also heavy favorites to win college football’s most coveted prize, while West Virginia, USC and the 2007 National Champion Texas Longhorns - all listed at 8-1 – are strong contenders as well.
MySportsbook.com has also posted gambling odds on the conference championships for the ACC, Big 12 and SEC. In the ACC – it could be anyone’s title, particularly for the two schools from the Sunshine State. Florida State and Miami, both listed at 2-1, are favored to win the ACC Championship Game odds, with the ‘Noles hoping to finish in the nation’s top 10 for the first time in five years, and the ‘Canes looking to avenge their 10-7 loss against FSU in last year’s ACC Championship betting.
Moving west to the Big 12, MySportsbook.com has betting lines listing Texas as 7-5 favorites to repeat as conference champions, even though the Longhorns lost their national championship-winning quarterback Vince Young to the NFL. In the south, the Auburn Tigers – led by Heisman-hopeful senior running back Kenny Irons – have been given the best odds to win the SEC Championship odds at 5-2.
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ODDS TO WIN THE BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
| Notre Dame Ohio State West Virginia Texas USC Florida California Auburn Oklahoma Iowa Louisville Florida State Michigan Miami (FL) LSU Penn State Virginia Tech Nebraska Tennessee Georgia Arizona State Oregon Clemson Texas A&M Texas Tech Alabama Arkansas Boston College Michigan State Maryland South Carolina Colorado Purdue Georgia Tech TCU UCLA Arizona Pittsburgh Iowa State Wisconsin North Carolina State Virginia North Carolina Fresno State Hawaii Northwestern BYU Oregon State UNLV Field (Any Other Team) |
5-1 7-1 8-1 8-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 18-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 70-1 70-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 150-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 250-1 250-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 400-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 1000-1 1000-1 40-1 |
ODDS TO WIN ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
| Miami (FL) Florida State Virginia Tech Clemson Georgia Tech Boston College Maryland Virginia North Carolina State North Carolina Wake Forest Duke |
2-1 2-1 3-1 7-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 500-1 |
ODDS TO WIN BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
| Texas Oklahoma Nebraska Texas Tech Colorado Iowa State Texas A&M Kansas State Missouri Kansas Baylor Oklahoma State |
7-5 9-5 9-2 12-1 14-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 35-1 100-1 100-1 |
ODDS TO WIN SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
| Auburn Florida LSU Georgia Tennessee Arkansas Alabama Mississippi South Carolina Mississippi State Kentucky Vanderbilt |
5-2 11-4 4-1 6-1 7-1 7-1 9-1 20-1 28-1 75-1 100-1 300-1 |
For complete NCAA football odds please visit Mysportsbook.com.
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.
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