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College Hoops: Best of the SEC

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The SEC has a bunch of teams loaded with talent, depth and athleticism. Kentucky won national championships in 1998 and 2012, Florida knocked on the door in 2000 getting to the title game against Michigan State, then won it all with back-to-back titles. Here’s a look at some of college basketball’s best teams in the SEC.

Kentucky: The Wildcats have another powerhouse young team for coach John Calipari, who likes to groom them for one year before they head off to the NBA. Kentucky has a powerful frontcourt of 6-11 freshman Karl-Anthony Towns (8.5 ppg, 6 rpg), 7-0 junior Willie Cauley-Stein and 7-foot sophomore Dakari Johnson (8 ppg, 5.5 rpg).
Even the backcourt is huge with 6-6 sophomore Aaron Harrison (11 ppg) and 6-6 freshman Devin Booker (10.6 ppg). They flattened Kansas (72-40) and North Carolina (84-70) by double digits, and showed clutch ability with back-to-back overtime wins over Ole Miss and Texas A&M. The Wildcats are 7-3-1 ATS on the road and 16-7 run under the total with great defense. Just bring on March: This talented, deep group is ready.

Arkansas: The Razorbacks are getting it done by running, Top 15 in the nation in scoring and assists behind a backcourt of 6-5 senior guard Rashad Madden and 6-6 junior Mike Qualls (15.7 ppg). Arkansas leads the SEC in five categories, including scoring (80) & offensive rebounds (13.7).
The frontcourt has a force in 6-11 sophomore Bobby Portis (17.7 ppg, 8.7 rpg), and Arkansas is one of five teams in the nation with two top 30 RPI road wins. The Razorbacks have been great at home and at covering against weak teams, 17-8 ATS at home against a team with a losing road record. They play 5 of their final 8 games on the road, including a showdown at No. 1 Kentucky to end February.

Texas A&M: The Aggies are not an easy team to face with their attacking defense. They gave up just 70 points to No. 1 Kentucky in a loss — in double overtime. They held Kentucky to 28% shooting. 6-7 junior guard Jalen Jones (13.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and 6-7 junior Danuel House (13.8 ppg) anchor the backcourt and lead the team in scoring, with 6-9 senior Kourtney Roberson manning the low post.
Junior guard Alex Caruso is a terrific playmaker averaging 5.5 assists per contest. The Aggies are a great bounce back team, 51-25 ATS following a loss. And that great defense really helps on the road, where the Aggies are 46-21 under the total.

Ole Miss: The Rebels have impressed with another strong offense behind the backcourt duo of junior guard Stephan Moody (15.5 ppg) and senior Jarvis Summers (13 ppg). Like Texas A&M, they took top-ranked Kentucky to overtime, an 89-86 loss. They held Kentucky to 42% shooting. Ole Miss is now 13-102 against Kentucky! Kentucky had its worst defensive game of the season. The Wildcats allowed Ole Miss to shoot 49 percent from the floor and 53 percent from 3-point range. Kentucky was also outscored in the paint 30-26 by Ole Miss. Ole Miss has been on a recent 10-4 run over the total, including 7-2 over on the road.

LSU: It’s no secret how the Tigers win: Like the days of Shaq or Big Baby Davis they have a huge frontcourt with 6-10 sophomore Jarrell Martin (16 ppg, 9 rpg) and 6-8 sophomore Jordan Mickey (16.7 ppg, 11 rpg). Once again they are one of the top rebounding teams in the nation.
The backcourt has size, too, with 6-6 sophomore Tim Quarterman (12 ppg) and 6-4 junior Keith Hornsby (12.6 ppg). The Tigers have been better on the road than last season, pulling off victories at Ole Miss, Florida and Vandy, the latter in overtime. They even have a non-conference win at West Virginia building an impressive resume before March. LSU is 20-7 over the total in SEC play.

Georgia: Let’s call them the “Not-Quite Bulldogs,” because they haven’t quite been there when stepping up. Georgia lost to Gonzaga by 14, lost at home to Arkansas by 4 and lost in double overtime at LSU. 6-8 senior Marcus Thornton (13.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg) is a force at center but missed a few games recently with a concussion.
The backcourt is fine with 6-3 junior Kenny Gaines (11 ppg) and 6-5 junior Charles Mann (11 ppg). They had a showdown at Kentucky and covered as a +18 dog, but lost by 11 after falling behind at the half, 42-27. Georgia committed 16 turnovers leading to 18 Kentucky points. The Bulldogs are an impressive 30-12-1 ATS against the SEC and 19-7 under the total after a spread cover.

Written by Jim Feist for VegasTopDogs.com

December NBA Power Teams

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by Jim Feist of VegasTopDogs.com

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Preseason prognosticators and handicapping analysis focuses in on what they expect to happen, based on the draft and offseason moves, but there are always surprises at the start of each season. Here’s a look at some of the early NBA teams off to impressive starts.

Raptors: With LeBron leaving Miami and Indiana losing its best player to an offseason injury, there’s a vacuum in the East. A young Toronto team has gotten off to a fast start, top 10 in points scoring and points allowed. 25-year old 6-7 DeMar DeRozan and 28-year old Kyle Lowry lead the backcourt and the team in scoring.
The middle is being manned by 22-year old Jonas Valanciunas who has been scoring and rebounding giving this team balance. They are also top 10 as a team in free throw shooting, a key edge in close games (and for late spread covers). The team has been on a recent 18-8 run over the total, including 13-5 over at home.

Wizards: The young, athletic Wizards have battled injuries the last two seasons, but appear healthy and formidable early on. Guard John Wall pushes the team while newcomer Paul Pierce is trying to teach the kids how to get to the next level. The inside game looks primed for the long haul with 7-footer Marcin Gortat and Nene Hilario.
Washington is playing some defense early on, including Top 10 in field goal shooting allowed. The one weakness, though, is they are soft at defending the three-pointer. The Wizards had a nice stretch at 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games playing on one day’s rest.

Warriors: Steve Kerr inherited a good team and they have been playing even better. Golden State can run with anyone, Top 5 in the NBA in scoring behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. This team can play defense, too, Top 5 in field goal shooting from the field and from long range.
Young Draymond Green was forced in last year and play well in the frontcourt, while 7-footer Andrew Bogut has been healthy — knock wood. Golden State was on a recent 19-7 ATS run, including 16-5 ATS against a team with a losing record. And they are better on defense than many think: The under is 39-15 in the Warriors last 54 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.

Pelicans: 21-year old Anthony Davis has always been real good, but he appears to be developing confidence alongside his growing experience. All of which makes him an incredible inside force and this young New Orleans team is reaping the benefits.
With Omar Asik and Tyreke Evans, this team has been tough at rebounding and scoring easy buckets, Top 10 in scoring. Despite the shot blocking Davis this is still not an elite defensive team and note that the over is 35-15-1 in the Pelicans last 51 games vs. a team with a winning percentage below .400.

Grizzlies: Memphis continues to be a matchup nightmare in the low post, a defensive dynamo that is Top 5 in the league in points allowed and Top 10. Zach Randolph is a beast in the low post when his mind is focused on playing, Marc Gasol is a handful, while Tony Allen and Mike Conley anchor a deep and flexible backcourt. The Grizzlies started 9-3 over the total at home.

Blazers: Portland was all about running and gunning last year, but this year’s team looks better as they are focusing on defense augmenting a dynamite uptempo attack. This is a terrific frontcourt with LaMarcus Aldridge, Robin Lopez, Chris Kaman and Nicolas Batum, a group that can pound the glass with anyone.
They’ve been playing great defense at home, on a recent 7-2 under the total at the Rose Garden. However, are they ready for prime time? The Blazers started the season 3-9 ATS against a winning percentage above .600.

2014 NY Jets Preview

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Jets Preview by Rob Vinciletti:

Flying high or Stuck on the Run Way The 2014 New York Jets will be the franchise’s upcoming 45th season in the National Football League and the 55th overall. The Jets will attempt to improve their 8–8 regular season record after missing the playoffs for a third consecutive year. The Jets have made several moves this season to improve their team. New York was solid on defense with one of the youngest and most talented front lines. Their weakness which was addressed in the draft was in the defensive back area. They will need to be solid in that are as they have several games this season against teams who will look to throw the ball. So they must get pressure on the Opposing Quarterbacks so that their back field does not get exposed early on while they work out the growing pains. Especially with what looks to be the worst pass defense in the league. On Offense that Jets were a mess at times as they were turnover prone and suffered through the ups and downs of a then rookie Qb in Geno Smith. The Jets this season decided to stick with Smith as he downs have a strong arm and did shoe flashes of big play ability despite the lack of depth at the receiver position. This season in an attempt to limit his turnovers, the Jets brought in star running back Chris Johnson who will team with Chris Ivory to give the Jets the slasher and power back tandem that many teams covet. They will be able to stabilize the passing game with a solid run game. The Jets them brought in Eric Decker who was solid last season in Denver and drafted a bevy of receivers in the draft. The best addition and the hidden gem of the draft is Jace Amaro a high energy tight end out of Texas Tech who is a functional blocker and exceptional route runner. Amaro has been compared to Wes Welker when discussing his route running skills.

While he plays tight end he lines up like Saints Tight End Jimmy Graham in the slot where he caught over 90 of his 100+ receptions. He has break away ability and should rack up some nice yards after the catch numbers as well as giving the Jets another solid red zone option that they did not have last season. Coach Ryan who barely was able to hold on to his job last season, appears to be on more stabile ground right now as the Jets .500 record was mostly looked at as an over achievement. This year while he isn’t talking Super Bowl, he is commenting on the AFC East and his confidence that the New England Patriots could be passed for the Division crown. The AFC East appears to have a lot of parity so it remains to be seen if the Jets can Mesh well together and take off, of whether they will be stuck on the run way. Stay Tuned as this looks to be one of the more interesting teams in the NFL This season. Below is the Jets 2014 Schedule, roster, draft picks and player movement grids. 2014 Season Schedule Date Opponent Time/TV Thursday Aug. 7 Indianapolis Colts (Preseason) MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 7:00 p.m. ET CBS 2 NY Saturday Aug. 16 at Cincinnati Bengals (Preseason) Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH 7:00 p.m. ET CBS 2 NY Friday Aug. 22 New York Giants (Preseason) MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 7:30 p.m. ET CBS 2 NY Thursday Aug. 28 at Philadelphia Eagles (Preseason) Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA 7:00 p.m. ET CBS 2 NY Sunday Sept. 7 Oakland Raiders MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1:00 p.m. ET

CBS Sunday Sept. 14 at Green Bay Packers Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI 4:25 p.m. ET CBS Monday Sept. 22 Chicago Bears MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 8:30 p.m. ET ESPN Sunday Sept. 28 Detroit Lions MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1:00 p.m. ET FOX Sunday Oct. 5 at San Diego Chargers Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA 4:25 p.m. ET CBS Sunday Oct. 12 Denver Broncos MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Thursday Oct. 16 at New England Patriots Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA 8:25 p.m. ET CBS/NFLN Sunday Oct. 26 Buffalo Bills MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Sunday Nov. 2 at Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Sunday Nov. 9 Pittsburgh Steelers MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Sunday Nov. 16 — BYE — —

Sunday Nov. 23 at Buffalo Bills Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, NY 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Monday Dec. 1 Miami Dolphins MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 8:30 p.m. ET ESPN Sunday Dec. 7 at Minnesota Vikings TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Sunday Dec. 14 at Tennessee Titans LP Field, Nashville, TN 4:05 p.m. ET CBS Sunday Dec. 21 New England Patriots MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Sunday Dec. 28 at Miami Dolphins Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL 1:00 p.m. ET CBS Quarterbacks •3 Tajh Boyd •5 Matt Simms •7 Geno Smith •1 Michael Vick Running backs •40 Tommy Bohanon FB •23 Mike Goodson •25 Alex Green •33 Chris Ivory •21 Chris Johnson •29 Bilal Powell •35 Daryl Richardson •47 Chad Young FB Wide receivers •18 Michael Campbell •87 Eric Decker •82 Quincy Enunwa •81 Shaquelle Evans •19 Jacoby Ford •10 Clyde Gates •15 Saalim Hakim •84 Stephen Hill •11 Jeremy Kerley •86 David Nelson •17 Greg Salas •16 Jalen Saunders Tight ends •88 Jace Amaro •89 Colin Anderson •85 Jeff Cumberland •48 Terrence Miller •83 Chris Pantale •44 Zach Sudfeld Offensive linemen •75 Oday Aboushi G •65 William Campbell G •66 Willie Colon G •70 Dakota Dozier G/T •60 D’Brickashaw Ferguson T •61 Patrick Ford G •63 Dalton Freeman C •68 Breno Giacomini T •71 Ben Ijalana T •74 Nick Mangold C •79 Brent Qvale T •72 Caleb Schlauderaff G •67 Brian Winters G •76 Markus Zusevics T Defensive linemen •99 T. J. Barnes NT •78 Leger Douzable DE •93 Kenrick Ellis NT •92 Tevita Finau DE •64 Anthony Grady DE •94 Damon Harrison NT •62 Kerry Hyder DE •91 Sheldon Richardson DE •96 Muhammad Wilkerson DE Linebackers •95 Antwan Barnes OLB •54 Nick Bellore ILB •98 Quinton Coples OLB •55 Jermaine Cunningham OLB •56 Demario Davis ILB •58 Troy Davis OLB •48 Steele Divitto ILB •– A. J. Edds OLB •51 IK Enemkpali OLB •57 Tim Fugger OLB •53 Jeremiah George ILB •52 David Harris ILB •50 Garrett McIntyre OLB •97 Calvin Pace OLB •49 Trevor Reilly OLB •77 Zach Thompson OLB Defensive backs •39 Antonio Allen FS •32 Josh Bush SS •42 Brandon Dixon CB •34 Ras-I Dowling CB •38 Brandon Hardin SS •37 Jaiquawn Jarrett FS •31 Ellis Lankster CB •26 Dawan Landry SS •45 Rontez Miles SS •25 Calvin Pryor FS •43 Dexter McDougle CB •27 Dee Milliner CB •22 Johnny Patrick CB •24 Dimitri Patterson CB •41 Jeremy Reeves CB •36 Lowell Rose CB •30 Darrin Walls CB •20 Kyle Wilson CB Special teams •2 Nick Folk K •46 Tanner Purdum LS •4 Ryan Quigley P New Arrivals •The Jets signed Colin Anderson, T. J. Barnes, Tevita Finau, Michael Campbell, Dwight Jones, Dalton Freeman, Tim Fugger, and •Rontez Miles to reserve/future contracts on December 31, 2013. •The Jets signed Ras-I Dowling to a reserve/future contract on January 6, 2014. •The Jets signed Patrick Ford and Lowell Rose to reserve/future contracts on January 8, 2014.

•The Jets signed Jacolby Ashworth and Nick Taylor to reserve/future contracts on January 14, 2014. •The Jets signed Brandon Hardin to a reserve/future contract on January 15, 2014. •The Jets signed Johnny Patrick off waivers on March 5, 2014. •The Jets signed Breno Giacomini and Eric Decker on March 12, 2014. •The Jets signed Michael Vick on March 21, 2014. •The Jets signed Jeremy Reeves on March 28, 2014. •The Jets signed Jacoby Ford[16] and Dimitri Patterson on April 1, 2014. •The Jets signed Chris Johnson on April 16, 2014. •The Jets signed undrafted free agents Tevon Conrad, Steele Divitto, Anthony Grady, Kerry Hyder, Terrence Miller, Brent Qvale, •Zach Thompson, and Chad Young on May 11, 2014. •The Jets claimed Daryl Richardson off waivers on May 16, 2014. •The Jets signed A. J. Edds and Markus Zusevics on May 19, 2014 Departures · The Jets released Antonio Cromartie on March 9, 2014. ·

The Jets released Santonio Holmes on March 10, 2014. · The Jets released Mark Sanchez on March 21, 2014. · The Jets released Tevon Conrad on May 16, 2014. · The Jets released Dwight Jones and Jacolby Ashworth on May 19, 2014. Free Agents Position Player Free agency tag Date signed/released 2014 team Notes LB Nick Bellore RFA March 10, 2014 New York Jets CB Aaron Berry UFA June 2, 2014 Cleveland Browns G Willie Colon UFA March 19, 2014 New York Jets WR Josh Cribbs UFA TE Jeff Cumberland UFA March 7, 2014 New York Jets LB Jermaine Cunningham UFA January 13, 2014 New York Jets DE Leger Douzable UFA March 12, 2014 New York Jets G Vladimir Ducasse UFA March 24, 2014 Minnesota Vikings PK Nick Folk UFA February 28, 2014 New York Jets QB David Garrard UFA RB John Griffin ERFA WR Vidal Hazelton ERFA FB Lex Hilliard UFA T Austin Howard UFA March 12, 2014 Oakland Raiders CB Ellis Lankster UFA March 5, 2014 New York Jets LB Josh Mauga UFA LB Garrett McIntyre RFA April 9, 2014 New York Jets LB Calvin Pace UFA March 16, 2014 New York Jets S Ed Reed UFA TE Konrad Reuland ERFA RB Darius Reynaud UFA QB Matt Simms ERFA January 13, 2014 New York Jets CB Isaiah Trufant RFA March 12, 2014 Cleveland Browns CB Darrin Walls RFA March 5, 2014 New York Jets TE Kellen Winslow II UFA RFA: Restricted free agent, UFA: Unrestricted free agent, ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent, FT: Franchise tag Class of 2014- NY. Jets Draft Picks RD PK

Selection Player Position College Note 1 18 18 Calvin Pryor Safety Louiville 2 17 49 Jace Amaro Tight end Texas Tech 3 16 80 Dexter McDougle Cornerback Maryland 4 4 104 Jalen Saunders Wide receiver Oklahoma From Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Darrelle Revis. 15 115 Shaquelle Evans Wide receiver UCLA 37 137 Dakota Dozier Offensive tackle Furman Compensatory selection. 5 14 154 Jeremiah George Linebacker Iowa State 6 19 195 Brandon Dixon Cornerback Northwest Missouri State 33 209 Quincy Enunwa Wide receiver Nebraska Compensatory selection. 34 210 IK Enemkpali Defensive end Louisiana Tech Compensatory selection. 37 213 Tajh Boyd Quarterback Clemson Compensatory selection. 7 18 233 Trevor Reilly Outside linebacker Utah In closing we hope you enjoyed the MLB Preview. Check back weekly for insightful Previews, systems and Original content that wont be seen elsewhere. and In 2012 Rob was ranked #1 in MLB on some of the most prestigious Leader boards in and networks in the country and followed that up by hitting 73% on Top plays in Baseball last season which was another profitable season. This year MLB And NHL/NBA Playoffs have Cashed big again. In NFL +CFB Combined Rob is 56 games over .500 the past 5 seasons. Check Robs page daily for the finest Data and analysis in the industry RV

VegasTopDogs PAC 12 Preview

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We head on out to the west coast to check on the PAC 12 and breakdown who can challenge the Ducks of Oregon.

NORTH

OREGON DUCKS – Who knows how things would have played out last year if Marcus Mariota didn’t get injured. So we will take him at his word he is ready, and let the rest of the PAC 12 try to slow down this offense. October 11th is a huge road test vs South favorites UCLA. Ducks get Stanford at home with revenge and if they take care of business, a National Championship is possible.

STANFORD – Was as good as any team in the nation last year. But with just 12 returning starters, I don’t see 11 wins again. Tough schedule going on the road in the PAC 12 with 5 games where 4 of those teams combined to go 26-10 in conference play. They took care of Arizona State, Washington, Oregon and UCLA at home. They will all be licking their chops looking for revenge. Can’t leave out Notre Dame on the road.

WASHINGTON HUSKIES – I like where Sark has taken this program. I think new HC Chris Peterson will continue growing this team. What better coach to come in with a talented roster than a guy who went 92-12 at a mid-major, and had his Boise team get a pair of Fiesta Bowl wins. Normally I think teams lose a step when a new coach takes over, especially when they don’t even have their returning QB. But I feel this situation is different because of Peterson. The guy always get the most out of his players. Players who were probably a little below the talent he inherits here in Seattle. I can see them matching last years 9 wins.

WASHINGTON STATE – I’m putting the Cougars here. I like Mike Leach. He took over a crap program and looks like he has them on the right track. He won 3 games his first year with a garbage roster. 6 wins and bowl last year. Now in year 3 he has more of his scheme guys. 14 starters back, including 8 on offense. I think he can match LY’s win total and if things really go well, get 8 or 9 wins.

OREGON STATE – Sorry to say this, but I think it is time for HC Mike Riley to move on. 14 years is a long time. 5-7, 3-9, 9-4, 7-6. Not exactly setting the world on fire the last 4 years. The PAC 12 is getting to be a very deep, talented league. Maybe they catch fire and start 6-1 again and don’t lose 5 straight. I doubt it.

CAL BEARS – Can’t really get any worse for 2nd year man Sonny Dykes in Berkeley. They had a bunch of injuries on their way to a 1-11 season. They now have 15 starters back, 9 on offense. Granted their QB is a sophomore coming off a shoulder injury behind a poor OL. Bears have lost 16 of 18 in PAC 12 play so I really can’t see a huge jump here.

SOUTH

UCLA BRUINS – You know I like my HC’s entering their 3rd years. Jim Mora gets 17 starters back including Heisman hopefull QB Brett Hundley. This is a talented group. They lost back to back roadies last year to Oregon and Stanford. They get both at home here. They have to beat at least one of those teams if they think they are serious in their title hopes. The offense put up 37ppg and should be just as explosive and can make up for a weaker defense.

USC TROJANS – I do love me some Sark. I thought his hire to Washington was a great move, and coming home where he was a OC was just a matter of time. This is USC. There is NFL talent up and down this roster. Now they have a guy who will gel that together. It is his first season in LA, so I don’t expect perfection. The defense is always good and with Sark working his QB magic, the Trojans could steal the south.

ARIZONA and ARIZONA STATE – I will be honest. You can probably combine these two and not beat the teams above them here. I can’t really find a clear edge for putting one above the other. Logic says hey, Arizona State has a great QB who can put up points in a hurry (39.7ppg). In the next breath I see that the Wildcats have 2 returning defensive starters in a league that is getting some excellent QB play. Arizona is the more experienced bunch and should probably win more games. But I have zero faith in Rich Rodriguez as a HC. You will always get the truth with me. Maybe after watching some film I have find an edge or weakness here. For now, I think they are the second tier of the south.

UTAH UTES – Kyle Whittingham must be thinking why the heck did we come to this conference. Things haven’t been easy in Salt Lake in PAC 12 play. Back to back 5-7 seasons, 9-18 in league play the last 3 years. I think they Utes are in over their heads. I have said it before and will say it again. This conference is rapidly improving. The only reason Utah isn’t in the basement is because of the team behind them.

COLORADO – Oh the Buffaloes. Mike MacIntyre enters year 2 looking for more improvement. He took over a 1 win team and tripled that to 4. With 16 starters back, the roster is stacked with experienced players. I will tell you know that I see some real value betting these guys in spots this year.

Be sure to check VegasTopDogs.com  as we head to the SEC Conference next — SEAN HIGGS

2014 Masters Picks with Betting Odds and Expert Predictions

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Masters

I’m going to quickly recap last week’s picks at the Shell Houston Open instead of a more in-depth look back as usual because there are so many Masters props that I could write at least five stories alone on the season’s first major championship that begins Thursday at historic Augusta National.

For the first time I will head into the Masters having not picked a season’s winner yet. We had another first-time winner last week in Matt Jones, who beat Matt Kuchar in a playoff to earn the final spot in this week’s Masters field. Needless to say, I didn’t even mention Jones in my preview. I went with Hunter Mahan at 28/1 to win as he had previous success in Houston, but he finished T31. It’s the second time Mahan has let me down in the early season. I’m sure he’s crushed about that. It was a terrible tournament overall that wasn’t helped by Dustin Johnson, a guy I expected a lot from, withdrawing after a first-round 80.

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Frankly, the most interesting things to happen in Houston last week had nothing to do with Jones winning. Seeing Rory McIlroy shoot a final-round 65 to bring momentum into Augusta is a huge story line this week. That matched the low round of the week in Houston. Sergio Garcia looks ready to contend this week as well after his third-place finish, continuing his worldwide success since late last year. Phil Mickelson, whom I didn’t like at all last week because of his 2014 struggles and back issues, has to feel better about his game after a T12.

The Masters is by far the most-wagered golf tournament of every season at the sportsbooks. I doubt the absence of Tiger Woods will change that, although it could affect TV ratings a bit (unless Mickelson is in contention).

There are a few things to watch in picking a winner this week. One is previous success during that calendar year. According to the Golf Channel, in the past 23 years only one player who won the Masters didn’t have a Top-10 finish on the PGA Tour or European Tour in the current season before arriving at Augusta: Angel Cabrera in 2009. Having a previous Top-10 finish in the Masters is big, too. Don’t think the first round is important? No winner in the past nine years has been outside the Top 10 after his first round (the last winner to be leading after 18 holes was Trevor Immelman in 2008). You also have to be long off the tee, kill the par 5s and rank high in greens in regulation.

Three players have a chance to replace Woods at No. 1 in the world this week, and it would be a first for all three: defending champion and No. 2 Adam Scott, No. 3 Henrik Stenson and No. 4 Jason Day. A win would do it for each. The worst Scott could finish to get No. 1, which he has stated is a goal, would be a two-way tie for third.

Golf Odds: Masters Favorites

Scott and McIlroy are the co-10/1 favorites at Bovada . I’ll say flat out I give Scott, who served surf-and-turf off the barbie at the champions dinner, little chance because only three players have ever repeated at Augusta. He did fit all the criteria listed above for winning last year: Top 10s in 2013 heading in (two), previous success at the Masters (runner-up in 2011, eighth in 2012), a strong first round (T10), long off the tee (18th in distance at Augusta), hitting greens (No. 1 in GIR) and playing the par 5s well (5 under).

It’s fairly amazing that McIlroy still doesn’t have a Top-10 finish at Augusta. Of course, he dominated the 2011 tournament until he stepped on the 10th tee Sunday and ballooned to a final-round 80 and a 15th-place finish. He actually has more rounds of 76 or worse (five) than he does in the 60s (four) at Augusta. McIlroy seems over all his equipment problems that plagued him much of last year.

Mickelson is 12/1 to win his fourth green jacket to tie Woods. He needed a confidence boost last week and got it, but one wrong swing could re-aggravate that oblique muscle issue. Day is 14/1 and Kuchar 18/1 to each win their first major. Day won the WGC-Match Play earlier this year for his biggest win yet on the PGA Tour, but he’s been bothered by a thumb problem and hasn’t played a competitive round since. Scott was the first Aussie to win this tournament last year; could it happen twice in a row? Day was co-runner-up in 2011 and third last year. Kuchar didn’t start playing well at Augusta until 2012 when he finished third. He followed that with an eighth last year.

Golf Odds: Masters Picks and Expert Predictions

So many props to choose from. On the top debutant, I like Harris English at 7/1. What’s not to like? He’s long off the tee and leads the PGA Tour this season in GIR and ranks second in par-5 performance. Top American: Kuchar at 7/1. Top Englishman: Lee Westwood at 3/1. Top European: Garcia at 6/1. Top Australian: Marc Leishman at 12/1 (he was fourth last year).

I’m taking the field at -500 against the Big 3 of Scott, McIlroy and Mickelson (+330). I’m also rolling the dice on Kuchar/Garcia at 17/2 on two chances to win. I really wish Garcia was part of a “selected four” of Day, Johnson, Bubba Watson and Kuchar (+500) against the field (-900). I’d probably take that if Garcia was in it instead of Day, whom I think will be very rusty because of that thumb sidelining him. I don’t like the “selected five” of Garcia, Stenson, Jordan Spieth, Keegan Bradley and Graham DeLaet at +650 nearly as much against the field (-1400) as I would that previous selected four were Sergio in it.

Each of the past three Masters winners and 15 of the past 19 major champions were first-time major winners. So I’m going that route. I probably would have taken Johnson at 22/1 to win (and thus 8/1 as top American) if not for last week’s W/D, which he blamed on his troublesome back. He otherwise has been playing tremendously. My guy is Sergio at 20/1. It also seems perfect karma that he wins the year Tiger, his disliked rival, isn’t in Augusta. Garcia has improved his finish each of the past three years up to eighth last year. He would have been in the mix Sunday if not for a second-round 76.

Written by Doc Sports for VegasTopDogs.com

The 3 Best NCAA Tournament Games to watch this week

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LVille

The coming midweek section in the world of sports will be one in which college basketball will remain the hub of activity. The NCAA Tournament will be on everybody’s mind.

NCAA Tournament Second Round – Manhattan Jaspers vs. Louisville Cardinals (Thursday)

 Louisville is the hot team that nobody wants to play in the NCAA tournament. The Cardinals breezed through the American Athletic Conference Tournament in Memphis, winning three games by an average of over 30 points. Louisville is getting balanced contributions from its roster, but what’s particularly noticeable is that the best players are all getting better.  Russ Smith is at his best right now, and teammates Chris Jones and Montrezl Harrell are rapidly improving. Everyone in college basketball is taking Louisville seriously as a Final Four threat. This begins the Cardinals’ journey.

NCAA Tournament Second Round – Wofford Terriers vs. Michigan Wolverines (Thursday)

The Michigan Wolverines made the national championship game last season. They lost star guard Trey Burke to the NBA draft, and they also lost Tim Hardaway, Jr., to the pros as well. Early in the season, big man Mitch McGary was taken out of the lineup due to an injury that has never fully healed. This has been a shorthanded team throughout the Big Ten season, but the Wolverines have simply adjusted. They are tenacious, and they contest rebounds really well despite a lack of quality size in the paint. The three-point shooting of Nik Stauskas and Caris LeVert makes Michigan hard to defend on the perimeter. The Wolverines can spread the court. They’ll be hard to beat in March.

NCAA Tournament Second Round – North Carolina State or Xavier vs. Saint Louis Billikens (Thursday)

Saint Louis was headed for a very high seed in the NCAA tournament, and then everything fell apart for the team that still managed to win the Atlantic 10’s regular season championship. Saint Louis had only two losses heading into its final game in the month of February. The Billikens were the owners of a 19-game winning streak and had everything going their way. Suddenly, though, they have lost energy. They appear to be tired and worn down as a result of all the hard work they did in the middle of the season. Saint Louis has lost four of five games and crashed out of the quarterfinals in the Atlantic 10 Tournament against Saint Bonaventure. Will this team bounce back?

March Madness is here and we have your winning tips!

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This is the most exciting time of the college basketball season and the most anticipated and watched event in sports next to the Super Bowl.

I have correctly pegged 2 of the 4 teams who made it to the FINAL FOUR in eight straight years.
This year I am giving you some of my top advice on what it takes to be a champion. Of course, you can never foresee injuries, suspensions, foul trouble, poor officiating, etc. throughout the big dance.
Everyone likes underdogs and Cinderella teams but you have to look at the team records, their strengths and the conferences that they play in. There is usually one team that surprises everyone but fails to win it in the end, such as Utah in 1998 vs. Kentucky and Butler coming up short in 2010 and 2011.

Since 1998, the Championship team has not been seeded lower than a #3 and in 1997 Arizona was a #4 seed and won it all. As you can see in the past 15 tournaments, the top teams usually go all the way. Digging even deeper you have to go back to 1988 when a #6 seed Kansas team coached by Larry Brown won it all, but things were different back then as players didn’t bolt to the NBA after one season in college. As much as I like to select a solid #4 or #5 to go all the way, it’s not a smart idea. Nineteen of the last 22 National Champs have been a #1 or #2 seed.

Before I start to bore you with all of my numbers and trends, let me share some of my top tips for picking your brackets. Great teams do not lose more than 7 games in a season, so if a team has 8 or more losses, stay away from them. Also, each of the past 15 champs were from one of the major 6 conferences (Big East, SEC, PAC-12, BIG 12, ACC, BIG 10). The teams in these conferences play the toughest games night in and night out on a regular basis and have been more battle tested. Mid majors/small schools tend to make it to the Sweet 16 or Elite 8, but not the FINAL FOUR.

So, if you are like me and really like the way Gonzaga, SD State, St Louis, Memphis and Wichita Stare playing this season, you might want to think twice about advancing them deep in your brackets.
Looking at the teams who lost 7 or fewer games this season, play in a major conference, and are seeded #3 or better this year, you can narrow down your Final Four selections from this list of nine teams.

FLORIDA

ARIZONA

VIRGINIA

SYRACUSE

IOWA ST

CREIGHTON

WISCONSIN

MICHIGAN

VILLANOVA.

From here, I would look at how these teams faired on neutral courts and on the road during their season. It is also important to consider each team’s starting guards, their defensive strength, team rebounding, and if they can make their foul shots.

From my 21 years of experience, I offer you my professional advice and helpful tips. My hope is that this article has fed your excitement for the tournament while giving you a competitive edge to turn some heads in your company pools! Enjoy the tournament and remember, pick with your head, not with your heart!

Follow Tony Karpinski for more updates and information throughout the tournament at VegasTopDogs.com.

2014 College Basketball March Madness Contest

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The field for the NCAA Tournament will be announced on Sunday March 16th, as March Madness is about to take center stage for the next 3 weeks.  When you look for some extra excitement this time of the year, its best to visit VegasTopDogs.com.  College basketball frenzy will be crazy this week with the brackets and office pools.  There will be a huge amount of games to wager on starting this week which makes this a favorite time of year for casual fans, office workers and . . . sports bettors.

The top experts at VTD (VegasTopDogs.com) search across the Web for Basketball news stories about teams, players, injuries, or game results, and makes them available on the site. “VegasTopDogs” is a great idea for both the die-hard and casual sports bettor,” says Las Vegas expert, TonyK. “There is no question that VegasTopDogs.com is the hottest spot in the world for College & NBA action. In order to win you have to bet using their head and not their heart…  Let VegasTopDogs be your sports financial consultant and sports guide.

According to figures released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board, sports bettors annually wager $2 billion in Vegas. For the 2014 Super Bowl, $91.7 million was wagered (up from $71.6 million in 2001, $73 million in 2003 and $81.2 million in 2013) and average $85 million on the NCAA College Basketball Tournament (“ March Madness ”). These two events alone account for nearly 10% of the legal sports gambling action throughout the entire year.

The Gaming Control Board also estimates that more than $3.5 billion is illegally wagered on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament alone.

VegasTopDogs will help to better understand and increase your chances of winning on sports and in college basketball wagers during March Madness  They feature some of the Nation’s best handicappers from New York to Las Vegas. The gentlemen featured on this site were hand-picked professionals that have made a career in the sports gambling industry.
A recent study conducted by Directions Research, found that of the people who bet on sports, 78% said they gambled on the NFL, 45% on horse racing , 36% on NCAA football , 36% on NCAA basketball , 22% on Major League Baseball and 20% on the NBA.

“With so many major events tempting the sports bettor between now and the end of March Madness in April, it’s only fitting to declare this time period as ‘Gambling Season,’” said expert veteran handicapper at VegasTopDogs, Tony Karpinski, who also serves as Director of Operations. “The casual bettor is easily seduced by the opportunity to bet on the college football bowl games, Super Bowl or their favorite college hoops team. It’s important for any bettor to ‘know before you go,’ that VegasTopDogs is a great tool to learn how to play smartly without risking any mortgage payments.”

And, this is also the final shot that many players take at their favorite gambling outlet until next football season. It is also a last gasp for online sportsbooks who often suffer through the doldrums of summer and baseball. Thus, sportsbooks offshore offer March Madness bonuses and bracket contests galore so make sure you take advantage. VegasTopDogs.com has your answers with plenty of recommendations and college basketball game previews.

March Madness also means that the MLB baseball season is just around the corner and while baseball doesn’t attract the same betting attention as football or basketball, it is the most profitable betting sport for a number of gamblers. VegasTopDogs offers a lot of value for the baseball players.
Too many people just look at the starting pitchers and pick the team,
but there are many factors of picking winners of value.  Just look at
how much you could have won over the past several years by following one of VegasTopDogs expert handicappers Tony Karpinski.

Tony Karpinski from VegasTopDogs.com has held the #1 MLB ranking for several years and showing his dime players a season profit of over $64,800.  That title is just the tip of the iceberg, as Tony was the

2003 champ $28,380 net profit    Top-rated 10* gems= 47-38

 

2004 champ $11,678    Top-rated 10* gems= 54-48

 

2007 champ $16, 465  Top-rated 10* gems= 53-34

 

2010 champ $19,550

 

Tony Karpinski has won several handicapping contests especially in football, as he finished in the top 10 in the renowned NFL Las Vegas Hilton $500,000. SuperBook Contest. TonyK is the former odds-maker and also won the Ultimate Handicapper Challenge finishing #1 in College Basketball & Football. He also has several SportsNow Handicapping Contests Wins (baseball, football, hockey, and basketball) and at the Sports Monitor, which have made him a sought-after expert and a regular guest on several weekly sports talk radio stations throughout of the country. With over 21 years of experience providing sports information services to sports fans around the world.

Tony reviews scores, personnel, coaches, stats, trends, past history, game conditions and current strengths and weaknesses to create the most comprehensive picture of likely outcomes. As a former multi-sport college athlete, Tony Karpinski. Has a keen eye for, and understanding of, athletic performance. Tony uses this knowledge to publish a weekly newsletters, which has attracted a national following and led him to his success.

3 Great Sporting Events On The Menu This Week

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The coming week in the world of sports will feature lots of great college basketball, as the sport prepares to go into overdrive for the next few weeks of March mayhem and insanity.

NCAA Basketball: North Carolina Tar Heels @ Duke Blue Devils (Saturday)

This is an all-time college basketball rivalry, and it’s one in which North Carolina was able to land the first blow, winning in Chapel Hill two short weeks ago. Now, Duke gets to host the rematch in Durham, and the Blue Devils will not want to live in a world where they get swept by the Tar Heels. Duke likes to shoot the three-point shot, but it did not shoot well against North Carolina. This game will be a test of the Blue Devils’ ability to block out the memory of that loss.

NCAA Basketball: Georgetown Hoyas @ Villanova Wildcats (Saturday)

This is a game Georgetown will need to win in order to feel at least somewhat confident about its chances of making the NCAA tournament. Georgetown has lost a lot of games, but the Hoyas have also scored some really impressive wins (VCU, Kansas State, Michigan State). A win over Villanova would make it much harder for the selection committee to leave Georgetown out. Heading into the Big East Tournament, the Hoyas need to make a statement or two – they’ll get a chance here.

NCAA Basketball: Kansas Jayhawks @ West Virginia Mountaineers (Saturday)

This is a big game for West Virginia, a team with even more losses than Georgetown but not as many really big wins. Getting a victory over Kansas – a team that’s currently projected as a number one seed by a lot of publications and analysts – would give West Virginia the very thing it needs more than anything else. If the Mountaineers beat Kansas here, a few victories in the Big 12’s conference tournament might still be able to lift West Virginia into the NCAA tournament.

Michigan Wolverines making a serious run at the National title

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Michigan

After the amazingly first-class season last year, how much was genuinely expected from the Wolverines this year? Coming into the season, they had come off of a heartbreaking loss in the National title game vs Louisville last season, 82-76. Where Luke Hancock was preposterous in his scoring and shooting expertise. But in the end the Wolverines couldn’t handle the Cards and their explosive team.

The Wolverines came in, with pretty concrete expectations throughout all of it. Which is always challenging to deal with as a team. It’s a long season, and a season is far from decided in a 6-7 game span. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Last years success came mostly from the offensive side of the ball, putting in more FGs than any other team in the country last year. And of course, with Trey Burke playing impressively all season long.

Playing in the Big 10, the most challenging conference in the NCAA, with 5 teams ranked in the polls. Michigan coach John Beilein has to get the most out of this team each and every night they take the court. A hot streak put together, they can hands-down surprise folks again, and put them back in the snug drivers seat.

Led by sophomore guard, Nik Stauskas, who has been nothing short of fantastic this year, is knocking down everything he puts up, shooting 44% from behind the arc, scoring 17 a night and getting his teammates the ball, and keeping them involved as well with 4 dimes a night. Last year, he was known for the most part as the spot up shooter, coming off curls and popping up deep jumpers, this year he has greatly improved his ball handling skills and is creating a bit more for himself and his teammates off the dribble. Nik has to get to the next level and become the Wolverines leader on the court, be the man to take a team on his back and lead when the game gets tight.

Become the identity of the team. Much like Trey Burke did last year.

Despite losing 2 players to the first round of the NBA draft, with Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr.,The Wolverines still are a powerful offensive team. Based off of harmonious scoring, even with Stauskas being their leading scorer, its very essential for them to keep the likes of Glenn Robinson and even Caris LeVert involved as well. They need to go on doing the important things like out-rebounding opponents. Which the Wolverines have been good at on the year, keeping opponents off the offensive glass, allowing only 9 a game.

The Wolverines need to become more aggressive to make a serious push in the tournament. They have to take the ball to the paint and get teams in foul trouble. And when teams know most of your shots are coming from outside, they will change up and defend accordingly. They have to break it down and not count upon the outside shots so much.

They have dropped in the polls, and seem to be in free fall from the radar for many. But I think that many folks are overreacting to the losses a bit as well. Hot shooting, and shirking defense is what has hurt the Wolverines of late. Most teams in the NCAA go through stretch where they struggle.

Most, not all, *cough* Syracuse.

The Wolverines may have a “less than amazing” team, but they still have a very good team. They have some issues, as does pretty much every other team, as well. I believe they can work through those, and can make a strong late season push to credibly go deep in the tournament.