Tag: Sports betting

Super Bowl LIII-Playing the Popular Props

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With each Super Bowl comes a level of excitement for the NFL bettor. As fans we want our team to make it to the big dance but unfortunately that doesn’t often happen. Unless of course, you are a Patriots fan! If you happen to be a Patriots fan, then you are one of the lucky ones because this is Tom Brady’s 9th. Count them, 9! That’s a pile of Super Bowls and the even better news for Pats fans is the five wins. Brady has proven himself to arguably be the best quarterback to have ever played this game and he is going for number 6.

 

NFL Team Props – Betting for profit

 

What every fan wants to know is “how to bet”. There are literally dozens and dozens of ways in which to bet this contest and many folks feel as if they need to be a handicapper or have some kind of inside information. Now, let’s be honest, handicapping the game certainly goes a very long ways towards winning and if you are betting blind; that almost never works out. Do yourself a favor and don’t bet blind, come into this affair well-armed.

 

America’s Bookie, you’ll find a sportsbook that has a nice list of props that you can bet on

 

Betting the many props that are available from your online bookie is not only a fun and exciting way to go, it can be a huge money-maker. If you are tired of losing on the spread, money line or totals, then look to the great prop lines this year. Let’s take a look at some of the more popular proposition bets that are available.

 

  • Team to score first—This is a great one and this year the line is set at Patriots -120, now remember, any line can change so be sure to check with your favorite bookie for the latest odds and/or line movement. The Rams are -110. Who does score first? Typically, the Patriots are a slow starting team and they often are trailing at half time. This is certainly something to think about when betting on this prop. No matter who you chose, the one thing for sure, it’s going to make the first few minutes a very worthy watch.

 

  • Time of first score—This is a fun bet that goes hand in hand with the “team to score first”. If you play your cards right, you can kill two birds with one stone and win both bets in one shot. This bet is a yes or no. You will have the option to bet yes, there will be a score within the first five minutes, or no there will not be a score within the first five minutes. Any score counts so make your pick count. Yes +115, No -145.

 

  • First score of the game—How will it be scored? The first score is a TD, -180, any other score, +150. Plus 150 on any other score is a fantastic number and very attainable. There could easily be a field goal or even a safety for that matter.

 

Build Your Online Sportsbook Betting Plan for Super Bowl

 

These are a few of the popular prop bets that will be available for you to bet on. There are dozens and dozens more and you certainly have your pick from team props to player props and special props, such as special teams and defense, even the distance of field goals and the longest touchdown and longest rushing touchdown.

First and foremost, have fun. Make the Super Bowl something besides rooting for one side. That’s nerve racking. Live a little, put yourself in a position to win a stock pile of money. The Super Bowl only comes around once a year, make the most of it with prop bets.

 

Slow Season Got You Down – Find Value Betting WNBA

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The NBA Season has been in the books for well over a week now and in case you are finding yourself going through basketball withdrawal then take heart. The WNBA is an exciting brand of basketball that offers the same action as that of their big brother in the NBA. Now you may not know the players in the WNBA like you do in the NBA but that doesn’t matter, what matters is the action and it’s basketball action. These women are good and there are some high scoring games as well as some great defensive efforts. This is the time of year when we are all searching for something, anything. Baseball is baseball and it is always there for the taking if need be but it’s slow, it’s unpredictable and well let’s face it; it’s just not the same action as what basketball offers.

 

Becomes a Smarter Basketball Bettor – Basketball Betting Tips and Strategies

 

The online bookie services run their business with the WNBA in pretty much the same fashion as the NBA. The betting is the same, the wagering menu is close to the same, the totals are offered just the same and the moneyline and spreads work the same way as in the NBA. The big difference when it comes to betting the two leagues is the WNBA is a much smaller league. There are twelve teams in the WNBA and this is a good thing. Less is more in this case. With only twelve teams the ability to handicap is much better. If you are looking for some great wagering action and want to have just as much fun when betting the NBA, then you must give the WNBA a betting chance.

 

Bookie Software – Pay Per Head Real Time Bet Ticker Options

 

Betting the WNBA is not as tricky as the NBA. Covering the spreads in the NBA can be a battle and you most definitely need to be a fairly good handicapper if you expect to have any level of success. With only 12 teams, diagnosing who the teams to beat are, is a much easier task.

 

WNBA Teams

Los Angeles Sparks

Phoenix Mercury

Seattle Storm

Connecticut Sun

Washington Mystics

Dallas Wings

Atlanta Dream

Minnesota Lynx

New York Liberty

Las Vegas Aces

Chicago Sky

Indiana Fever

 

If you find yourself wanting to bet and you find an interest in the sport but you simply don’t have time to read up on it, get familiar with it and know the trends and what the state of the WNBA really is, then a great handicapping service is for you. Number one, they are free, number two, they offer a great service and they offer free picks. Why not take them?

 

Value betting the WNBA is something that is easier than in the NBA simply because the streaks are long and teams cover the spread. In the NBA the underdogs can win at any time and the real season starts in May. The playoffs are everything and although they are important in the WNBA; the regular season is taken just as seriously.

 

The Los Angeles Sparks tend to get big wins and they are on a roll. They are a great value both at home and on the road. They also score a ton of point be sure to check your sportsbook for great totals lines, and again; do your homework.

 

There are more than a few teams that are most definitely worth your time such as the Phoenix Mercury and the Seattle Storm. The beauty of twelve teams, you can bet against the rest of the pack and count on winning! Check it out, have fun and win some extra money.

Are you Serious about betting the NBA? Then Read This!

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goldst

Courtesy of Tony George of VegasTopDogs.com

I am using 2 different example of NBA results and line moves from Wednesday November 16th to make a point about how SERIOUS it is, especially in the NBA to get down bets early as possible. Yes, believe it or not, there are sports bettors who just like to have money on a game to make it more interesting to watch. Well I have never placed a bet personally to make a game interesting for entertainment value, I have placed bets to MAKE MONEY. Part of making money is getting the best line possible. In any sport line value is absolutely crucial, but unlike most sports, NBA lines can move anywhere from a single point to as much as 4 points in a 6-hour period. As I have preached on my national radio show, and in broadcasting for 14 years, you are betting into numbers and not betting into games guys!

You know the phrase; early bird gets the worm don’t you? Well on November 16th I put out Golden State at -5.5 vs. Toronto, and it opened at 5 and closed at 6 and the final score was 127-121. So if you waited to bet it you pushed. WHY WOULD YOU WAIT TO BET? Another interesting thing about November 16th was the fact that all NBA games on this night played were within a half to full point of the closing spread when the results were final. Now do you think a single point is not important? That is an amazing stat, and one the books love.

I have sat in Vegas in the past 12 months and cherry picked huge line swings in the NBA to prove a point to a buddy of mine. I went against the line move of 3 points or more in a 24-hour period on 6 games and went 5-1 ATS away from the opening line. I faded the line move, went against the grain of public momentum. To give you an example, San Antonio was playing another team on the road laying 3 at the open and it closed at -7.5. In my book there was no value on the line at 3 either way in the game and San Antonio won by 3. There was huge line value at 7.5 and yet the public was willing to lay it away from the opening line. It can go the other way too, but this is just an example of how volatile the line can be. I waited to bet until 5 minutes before tip off in all cases. Totals can swing 3 to 4 points regularly as well.

The moral of the story is simple. Handicappers handicap games and release games at a certain number based on an overlay on a power rating system. When plays are released, BET THE PLAY then, and get serious about winning with the best number. Bet good numbers guys, do not bet bad numbers. On my site plays are graded on the line they were locked in on and released on. You should bet the same way.

Is Andrew Luck ready to become the best QB in the NFL

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colts-11

Luck’s youth, his excellent durability and intelligence on the field absolutely make him the perfect player to build a franchise on. Most of the QBs with his sleek ability to scramble, oftentimes try to scramble out of the pocket, in a short moment or two, luckily and smartly he doesn’t always do that. Luck actually at times, seems to scramble into the pocket, to avoid getting pushed into bad situations. He often lets linemen end up corralling around the outside of him but he stays in the middle and fires the ball on a rope. Luck has that big strong arm and a very smooth and quick release. And on top of that, he does have some legs that can get him from A to B in a short period of time.

 

Luck has the strength to take hits and still stand big in the pocket and complete the pass, and has the power to run over pass rushers, he stands in the pocket differently than other, the only other comparatively, would be Roethlisberger.

Granted, his success, some critics say it could have something to do with playing in AFC South, the worst division in the league since he came barreling into the league in 2012. I do like statistics and I feel they absolutely are important in a players career, but of course, they cannot be used at all times. His poor division, has helped him greatly as well. When playing his divisional opponents since coming into the league has accounted for 32 TDs only 11 INTs and 4565 YDs, in 18 games, those numbers are awesome. The teams in that period have had a combined record of 45-97 between them all.
His one biggest issue to me, he has had many problems with his accuracy, having 26 games of completing 59% or less of his passes. And at times can try to do too much, and make some pretty bad decisions when under stress. But, his issues are fortunately coachable. He certainly has all the physical tools that you want from your franchise QB.

 

Luck, in his short career, he definitely has had way too many picks every year to be considered the best right now. Make no mistake, physical attributes can fall apart as well, look at Jay Cutler, who seems to have every needed physical aspect that you want from a QB, big laser arm, scrambling ability, but over and over, comes up with simply mind boggling mistakes no matter who is coaching him.
Can a QB be great, even with making a lot of bonehead plays?  I think historically we can say yes. Favre certainly is the first to come to mind. His ultimate faith in his cannon reminds me very similarly to Jay Cutler. Only difference, is that Favre played with passion, that has always been Cutlers biggest disappointment.
Russell Wilson will be in the comparison with his 2012 draft class buddy. They will always be linked now for the future. But realistically, Luck has never had even close to the backfield or the mighty defense that Wilson has had the opportunity to play with. And Luck, on top of that, has never had a superior O-line. But I think from his class, and the QBs from the 3 year “vets” he could be the best of the bunch.
A teams success cannot be solely judged on the QB. They are brought about by way more than just a quarterback. Think about it, realistically, Tom Brady would not have the ring run like he has had if not for some great FG kickers, and excellent defense as well. Football is, to me, the ultimate team sport, not a solo sport. Just winning a Super Bowl tells you how great and/ or lucky a team is, not how great a player is. Really, is Eli Manning better than Dan Marino? Imagine if we saw a quarterback who didn’t complete one pass go on to win the Super Bowl, would they then be in the discussion about being the best in the league?
C’mon now.
I don’t think currently that Luck is close to the best in the league, of course if he did lead his team to and was even fortunate to win
a Super Bowl, that would certainly help his case. His games in the playoffs have lacked fire , with 9 TDs and 12 INTs in 6 playoff games, isn’t a good thing. I am not sure if it’s the stiffer competition, or the pressure, or the team not always being that talented around him.
Truthfully, Andrew Luck is the real deal and I think he is going to be a great player for many years down the road.Currently, without question, Aaron Rodgers is clearly the best in the NFL right now. And honestly, Brady is at a distant 2nd in my opinion.
I just think it’s a bit premature to call Luck the best in the game now, and he’s taking a brutal pounding behind his lousy O-line every year
Eventually, he may be the best overall, but he has a long way to go to be in the same ballpark as Rodgers, Brady and Brees. Granted, over the next 3-5 years, it could be possible. If he stays healthy, Luck could be the best, he is the heir apparent to this title, but he is not quite their yet.
Written by Mike Anthony for VegasTopDogs.com

Betting the NFL preseason in 2015

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NFL Preseason

Betting the NFL Preseason in 2015
by Jeff Hochman of VegasTopDogs.com

The Hall of Fame Game is the first NFL preseason game of the year, which closes the annual Hall of Fame enshrinement festivities. On August 9th, 2015, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings will get the ball rolling.

You will hear people say “Don’t bet on NFL Preseason Football”. Big Mistake! It’s actually easier than capping the regular season. In most cases you can read ahead of time the exact game plan for each team. I feel the NFL preseason is a great opportunity to start and build a nice bankroll for the upcoming regular season.

Many handicappers have the opinion that the preseason games should be left alone and not bet on. I feel just the opposite. If you do your homework, the preseason offers the betting public a tremendous chance to make a lot of money. Here are some key factors to consider when betting NFL Preseason football in 2015.

1) Depth

 

This one is obvious. Jo public gets so worked up about the starters and skill position players on certain teams during the regular season. But they’re the same in the preseason. Teams that can go two- and three-deep at the skill positions have a decided advantage over a club that has a few stars that will be sitting after the first or second series. A perfect example of that is a team like the Philadelphia Eagles, who will have Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley, and possibly Tim Tebow. All four QB’s have NFL game experience and have a distinct advantage over a club like Detroit, who has a solid #1 in Matthew Stafford but a shakey #2 in Kellen Moore and #3 Dan Orlovsky. Orlovsky hasn’t thrown a pass since 2012. Another team that will sport three solid QB’s this preseason are the Dallas Cowboys with a healthy Tony Romo, Brandon Weeden, and Dustin Vaughan. The Cowboys are very high on Vaughan’s skill level.

Quarterbacks are key. NFL Preseason wagers, just like those during the Regular Season, often come down to the last eight minutes of a game. So find teams that have solid depth at QB and/or has some experience or success in the league. They’ll have a tremendous advantage in the closing moments of a game against a third or fourth-string defense.

 

2) Experience

 

I don’t necessarily mean which team has the most grizzled veterans on it. In fact, experience can be a detriment. Most Vets hate preseason games. And teams that have established players in certain positions or roles will often see those guys mail it in during the preseason because they know the games are “meaningless” and already have their “jobs” locked up.

However, experience is a key factor when it comes to coaching systems. Organizations that haven’t experienced much turnaround have a significant advantage over those that are easing in a new brain trust. For example, New England has been running Bill Belichick’s system for many years. They’re going to be much sharper than a team that is changing offenses. Take the Cleveland Browns for example. They are breaking in a rookie offensive coordinator in John DeFilippo. There is going to be a major adjustment period for the Browns this August. Keying on clubs that have familiarity & continuity, and finding clubs that are much less comfortable with their new systems is a big key when wagering on preseason games.

 

3) First-Year Head Coaches with new team (Full Season)

 

We have seven for the 2015-16 season. First year head coaches can be tricky but generally perform very well in their first August home game. A lot of expectations are put on these guys coming in. They want to show the Owner, General Manager, and fans that he is the right man for the job. Setting the tone early means playing to win in the preseason.

Atlanta Falcons: Dan Quinn

Buffalo Bills: Rex Ryan

Oakland Raiders: Jack Del Rio

Chicago Bears: John Fox

Denver Broncos: Gary Kubiak

San Francisco 49ers: Jim Tomsula

NY Jets: Todd Bowles

4) Competition/Philosophy

 

If you know how head coaches were raised and what their philosophies are than you will have a big advantage this August. I know all the personalities/traits of every single HC in the NFL which helps me beat the books in August. I will give you one HC that preaches competition from his players down to the ball boy. That would be Pete Carroll of the Seahawks. His philosophy at USC was to create competition along with a winning attitude. That has continued since moving to the NFL. Pete Carroll is 25-11 ATS in his career when playing in August. On the flip side, Ken Whisenhunt uses the preseason to scout his younger players. His 9-19 ATS career preseason record is very telling.

 

5) Motivation

If you watched the NFL for any number of years you should know that not every Head Coach cares about winning in the NFL Preseason. Different HC’s have different agendas when playing August Football and they all pretty much stick to their beliefs. I gave you two very good examples above that should hold true once again this upcoming season.

Each coach handles the preseason differently. Some put a premium on the second game. For some it’s the third or even the fourth. Some coaches just mess around and tinker with their lineups during the preseason and use it to evaluate their younger guys. But here’s the key – and this is a big difference between the regular season and preseason football – most coaches are forthright about what the game plan will be. All you have to do is a little research from the local beat writers.

 

6) Scheduling

 

The preseason schedule generally isn’t too taxing on the teams and players. But there are quirks. The two teams that play the Hall of Fame Game are a good bet to fade in their next game. If some players are a bit banged up then you can expect those guys to be watching in street clothes. Keep an a close watch on how the players from the Steelers and Vikings come out of the Hall of Fame game.

7) Jeff’s NFL Preseason system to consider

If you are looking for a very solid system/angle in the NFL preseason here is one to consider this year. Teams that begin 0-2 SU over the last ten years are 49-32 against-the-spread in their very next game. Head Coaches/owners tend to get very nervous when they get off to a bad start, even in the preseason, and they have their team ready for that third game. Most teams will take that 0-2 team lightly, thus making those winless teams a smart play by the Wise Guys.

 

Look for more Football articles in the coming weeks. Jeff was ranked No. 2 in the NFL last season at The Sports Monitor of OK, cashing just under 70%. Early Bird Football packages are now on sale.

Jeff Hochman of VegasTopDogs.

Getting Injured Players Back Can Be as Important as a Trade

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Injury

So who is ready to win the World Series? Well, relax , folks, it is only June and baseball is a marathon. Patience and consistency are keys to being the best in baseball, the same two qualities that are necessary in the world of sports wagering.
After all, it is not the hot teams in May and June that win the World Series, it is the team hottest in October. The 2002 and 2003 Angels and Marlins were great examples, along with the 2004 Red Sox and 2006 Cardinals. One year ago this week the San Francisco Giants were riding a six-game losing streak trying to hang on for first place. Cracks in the armor? No, just a short losing streak in the grind of a 162-game season. Or in the case of the 2014 Giants, more games than that as they rolled to another title in October.

Go back to 2010, the start of their title run, the San Francisco Giants (19 to 1 to win the World Series) were in third place in the NL West in mid-June, five games over .500 with a losing road mark. All those teams were less than stellar in the first half of the season before catching fire down the stretch and winning the World Series.
That 2010 Giants team really made their move in July, starting 15-4 after the All Star break. At the end of the first month of the 2002 season, the Angels were 11-14 and no one was talking about them as challengers in October. A year later, on June 1, 2003, the Florida Marlins were 26-32, looking up at the Braves, Phillies and Expos in the NL East. They were just one-game out of last place in the division and 100-to-1 shots to win the World Series. In October, they did.

Many times a roster a team currently has will not be the one they will be using in October, or even July. Managers are still tinkering with lineups, or practicing patience with slumping players hoping they will bust out of it. General Managers are reviewing team needs and plotting trades to upgrade positions and even minor leaguers can come up to help out.
This season, many talented teams have been waiting for key players to return from injuries or trying some new talent. The Reds have ace Johnny Cueto dealing with injuries, while the Detroit Tigers are hoping to get a boost from Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez.

The Miami Marlins probably won’t be repeating their incredible 2003 campaign from worst to first in a few months, but they have a lot of pitching talent banged up in Mat Latos and Jose Fernandez. A pair of hot, healthy arms in the second half of the season can change a pitching staff immensely. And while Ryan Braun’s thump ever get healthy to provide some offense to the punchless Brewers? The Mets would love to help their offense with a trade – or to simply get David Wright healthy.
Maybe we shouldn’t count out the defending champion Giants just yet, either, as former ace Matt Cain is making rehab starts. The Nationals are already a strong team but could get much better soon if Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister return to action.
Another factor is the minor leagues, with teams sometimes able to bring up rookie talent to plug into holes. Sometimes they can be key contributors in the second half, and other times it will be done to showcase the young talent because they want to use the kids as trade bait for an established player. Minor league surprised and getting injured players back can be as important as a trade.

Written by Jim Feist for VegasTopDogs.com

Who is the real leader on the surprising Atlanta Hawks

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AtlHawks
This season has definitely not looked the way many people, fans or expert analysts expected it to look this deep into the season thus far. I am more than certain no one had the Hawks, who were 38-44 in 2013 and crawled in at the 8 slot to be a playoff seed. To being a potential 60 game winning team that is scoring 103 a night and playing some great defense as well.
The Hawks have one of the deepest and most complete teams in the Eastern Conference. And with Mike Budenholzer coaching them, he has kept them motivated, playing great team ball. The Hawks have been making good teams look bad, by playing good basketball. Many naysayers have wanted to throw a lot of what they have done this season, as being a lucky team. But, after 50+ games it’s about that time to seriously look at this team as a title contender. I question if the Cavs can guard them, I don’t see the Wizards being able to outscore them. And on top of that, the Bulls have absolutely no continuity.
The sign of any good team is to handle your business vs the inferior teams as well. They have obliterated the inferior opponents they have faced. Taking down teams that the top 5 in the East should beat. And they have also compiled a pretty impressive win streak as well, with their big 19 gamer. If you have any question as if the Hawks are truly currently in the mix, do not dismiss them because of the schedule they have been handed, early in the season.
The East is wide open, so why not the Hawks this year?
They have had many guys on the team contribute, which reminds me of the Detroit Pistons in a weird sort of way, when they had Rip, Chauncy and Rasheed Wallace as their team in 2003, when they were a title winner. Where there biggest and baddest scoring threat was Rip, dropping 18 a night.
Paul Milsap has been excellent in his role. Jeff Teague has been fantastic, scoring the ball at 17 a game, and his ball distribution as well, 8 dimes. He has quick hands, making plays that are both smart and decisive. Teague has seemingly stepped in to play the “Tony Parker” type role, by his distributing the ball and scoring when needed.
They are showing some styles that are similar to some of the past great teams, playing a style like the Spurs have in the past, as well as the Pistons of the past. Playing with confidence and great teamwork. They change their game and they know the biggest threats on the court, and they then adjust to the biggest threats. And when on offense, they stay spaced out on the court, to make the right basketball play repeatedly.
As far as the team goes, the man who keeps the wheels going forward has been Al Horford, the biggest key to the teams success. Big Al has progressed from the one dimensional player from the past. He has bounced back after his torn right pectoral muscle that had him lose the majority of last season. Horford has returned this year as the anchor, on both the offensive side as well as the defensive side of things.
They would not be nearly this good without his solid shooting. He makes opposing defenses break down in the middle because of him, as well as his midrange game, spreads the court a bit as well.
Horford, has finally seemed to come into the game. He has played better than he has in 8 seasons. He gives the Hawks a big enough presence in the paint to disrupt opponents’ offenses. And, he has shown he can protect the rim as well, with his shot blocking ability.
The fact that the Hawks have so many playmakers, he may not always be able to showcase his importance, on the scoreboard and stuffing the stat lines. If he actually had the freedom to play loose every night, his numbers would be even more impressive. Al is not expected to get your typical center rebounding numbers, in the 10-12 range. They like to keep the team spacing, and rebounding has been a team effort, which is why 5 players are getting 4 or more boards a game.
Horford could easily average 24 and 10 if he played more on his own style of play, but that’s not the case. He has bought in full fledged, and is into the Hawks system. And he is with them 100%. The best players are willing to sacrifice their own stats for the team. unfortunately, it’s not often enough. Without Horford, the Hawks would be a very average team, and would not be nearly the team they are now. To put into perspective, Horford has scored in double figures all but a handful of games, including many 20 point games, this season. He has a multitude of double doubles.
Knocking down 54% from the field, which is currently at 9th best in the NBA. As far as a defender he is 21st in the league in blocks. If the Hawks keep going in this direction, with Big Al, healthy, and in the lineup, they truly are one of the most impossible teams to defend.
Written by TonyK for VegasTopDogs.com

College Hoops: Best of the SEC

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HottestLSUGirls1ACopy

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

Is the Patriots legacy tarnished for good

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Patss
With everything going on regarding the patriots on the “Deflategate” (dumbest term for a conspiracy ever, btw) we need to take a look at several directions in the situation overall.
 
The Patriots are and have been one of the most hated or disliked franchises for years upon years. They are, and will be more susceptible to emotion and anger over things than most other teams, except maybe the Dallas Cowboys, who also hold their own unusual grasp with fan hatred. Although both teams are consistently in the top 5 in sales for jerseys every year.
 
Strange, yea, I know. Anyway…
 
For whatever reason fans may or may not like the Patriots organization, Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, or whomever on the team, this just gives more fuel to their fire. And this gives them some rights to that.
 
 
In the thrashing of the Colts, the Patriots had 11 of their 12 balls under inflated, meaning essentially better gripping on the ball, and more control throwing the ball. And catching a ball with less air in it, is also more sure-handed, because it has less of a chance to squirt out of the players hands, because they can squeeze it harder. That’s the breakdown in a nutshell.
 
Luck threw 2 picks, this is obviously in no way the deflated balls faults, but he was playing with regulation inflated balls, could that have meant Brady could have chucked 2 as well? I personally don’t believe so, because the Pats ran the ball so effectively, passing wasn’t their number one way of moving the ball downfield.
 
When LeGarrette Blount ran for 150 and 3 tds, it could be seen as the ball deflation wasn’t an advantage, if the Colts stopped him, it would have helped their case, but they didn’t. If this also was a 28-24 game, it would be by far, a much larger issue, so no, the weight of the ball had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. I do think though there were things missed during their game that could have been huge factors to the situation in general.
 
 
 
When Green Bay played New England this year, the announcers openly discussed in much detail, how Aaron Rodgers purposely over inflates his footballs. Nothing came of that, which i find interesting, as well. An overinflated ball, could catch more airtime for deep throws, I would call that a certain advantage as well.
 
Nothing came of that.
 
Brad Johnson, altered his footballs, by scuffing them up before his big game for Super Bowl XXXVII. I, in many ways, think that this is done far more than many people want to think it is done, to give their QB and team a slight advantage in the game.
 
But, does it make it right?
 
Fact is, at this point, now Belichick is a repeat offender of being part of something shady. And should be punished more this time around, not just a slap on the wrist.
 
Does their Coach, advocate cheating? Maybe? Is it the thought that they cannot win without cheating? I find that a bit over the top, there’s no way this team has been so good for so many years simply by altering footballs, and watching teams defensive signals (which the majority of teams do, btw, it was the fact the Pats videotaped is what made it questionable)
 
You always want both teams on an even playing field. All the time, and let the best team win. Honestly, why cheat in this game at all? New England would’ve beaten them regardless.
 
However, it does raise issues, and simply goes against ethical standards. It is the principal of it now. What is unfortunate for Pats fans across the nation, is this absolutely further ruins their legacy now. Personally, I don’t think the deflated balls made a significant difference, enough to be the reason for the victory.
 
I look at the refs of the game. The league needs to possibly get better refs, we all love to bang on them, they test the footballs before the game, and they handle the balls all game long, did they not see anything unusual? Or was it science behind it? Because in cold weather, air condenses which could possibly cause the balls to deflate.
 
The focus of the deflated footballs should be more placed on the football officials that touch the ball before and after each and every single play. I expect the league office to question the officials of that game, did they notice anything odd? If so, why not mention it?
 
 
If this continues to grow around the Patriots organization, it, like many other “rules-mongers” then it may sadly become time to investigate the balls of every team, all the time, more throughout. Check them for everyone across the board, and have yet another annoying, damaging, negative press inducing, investigation for the entire NFL, not just the Patriots.
Written by TonyK for VegasTopDogs.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Which NFL QB would you want for the next 10 years:

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sexy-football-girls
Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater or Blake Bortles?
From the draft this year, we saw some names pop up that got great recognition early on, and we saw names pop out of nowhere later. Johnny Manziel has very good arm strength, loaded up with the natural athletic tools that can potentially become a danger in the NFL. He slings the ball with ease, but, right now it’s very hard to consider him a serious QB in the NFL. Saying things like he needs to ‘take this more seriously’, isn’t helping the cause for him at this point. Granted, if getting his game together, he does have the effortless arm strength to chuck the ball up and down the field. He can make all the throws, using odd angles and straight bombs going deep.
This season Johnny has only been a sideshow for the Browns, and until the Browns decide what they really have out of him, I question if he will be doing much in his career. Johnny is going to be watching, and waiting, unless he gets his act together. We know that his feet are game-changing, he can make people miss with his massive acceleration and explosive cuts to make defenders miss. He can move around and dodge with his instinctive-like athleticism to out-run defenders. Obviously, we know all about Manziel having the great mobility, and his danger to defenses when he is on the run with the constant threat to keep it himself or pass the ball. He also has the nifty ability to dodge tacklers in the pocket and chuck one that goes deep down the field for a big completion. He also is a tough kid, who is not afraid to finish a run. Which could also be a concern. He had proven his onfield leadership skills at the college level, so he was mentally tough, at that point.
 
What I also question for Johnny is his ability to go through his progressions. Looking off defenders, finding his 3rd option when need be, after 1 and 2 are not open, he then tends to move and dance, and scramble. Can he then make the oooh and ahhh play, yes, but can he also get himself into a heap of problems with that, yes. Only time will tell with that. He also has the tendency at times to release the ball while off-balance, which can potentially cause the ball placement to end up in a very tough place to make the grab, which brings to light the possibility that maybe his WRs in college helped him more than many may have thought. We saw that this year with his heave into the endzone vs Cinncinatti that got picked off, and was a terrible decision, welcome to the NFL Johnny.
He needs to focus on football, not the celebrity lifestyle, remember Matt Lienert, I do.
 
Teddy Bridgewater, this year has been a great shining spot for the Vikings that has been proven already like his very strong games vs the Jets and Miami, both top ended defensive teams. In 2011, he was amazing and seemingly came out of nowhere, being named the Big East Rookie of the Year. That season in college Teddy Bridgewater completed 65% of his passes for 2,129 YDs and 14 TDs. Also compiling 265 YDs on the ground running along with 4 TDs as well. He has a mental toughness that doesn’t waiver. He has patient dedication and an internal relentlessness that makes him push himself. He has the smarts and has shown the strong ability to read defenses prior to the snap, which his quick release has shown, and his patience. With his pocket awareness and being able to feel the rush, he has been a very nice find for Minnesota this season.
Teddy has shown an easy and very natural throwing motion when finding his targets. And completing 64.4% of his passes for the Vikes. He has had a soft touch on intermediate throws, and throwing the vertical pass, he had improved greatly, throughout the season, to say the least. He has been as impressive as any rookie QB in the league this season. He has been showing a quick set-up and release, and always places the ball so that his receivers can run after the catch and continue onward and get more yards. With his strong arm he whips the ball with velocity and the soft touch to make any throw. He shows the courage to throw the tough passes even when there are defenders in close proximity to his targets.
Teddy can run and is mobile enough to run when he needs to, 209 and a TD this year. But don’t compare him to running QB’s like Cam, Teddy uses his feet to move through the pocket, not to run. So can he exploit defenses with his feet, yes. Can he read defenses and set up teammates for success, he can do that also. He is smaller, and has suffered some injuries this year, but I think that he is smart enough to learn how to avoid certain situations and to take himself out of harms way if possible in the future.
 
Blake Bortles who has been the prototypical rookie QB for the Jags this year with 2908 YDs, 11 TDs and his 58.9% passing completion pct has been decent. He still obviously needs to continue his development as a pocket passer. He has the tendency to be hit or miss where he has the games like his 14-33 passing game vs Houston and games like 32-46 and 336 vs the Titans, when he fires the ball.
He may not throw the prettiest ball in the game, and has sometimes, struggled with late delivery.
Playing best when he feels protected in the pocket, and has some time to step into his throws and deliver. He obviously has the perfect NFL-caliber frame at 6-5 and 230, and does have the arm to make every throw that is needed. He is bottom line, a classic drop-back passer with some limited mobility. He has also shown he isn’t afraid to make some challenging throws through tight windows, even with receiving targets like Cecil Shorts and rookie Allen Hurns who, at this point, are neither top receivers on most teams. And getting Denard Robinson involved he has shown some good touch to loft passes out to his backfield as well. Bortles has the skill set to be a good starter in the NFL. Maybe he doesn’t have the cannon for an arm, but he has a good enough arm to make the throws. Blake will be an NFL starter for his career, in my opinion.
While playing in a pro-style offense in Louisville, with far less weapons around him, Teddy is going to be the real deal. He also came in with the availability of some pretty solid offensive weapons around him in Minnesota, and with Norv Turner calling the shots, he will continue to coach up this kid to very high levels. And being that he has been able to make a lot of pre-snap calls and adjustments, in college, he will eventually be a guy in the huddle who makes calls and knows what needs to be done, and had done so this year, at times. Teddy Bridgewater is undoubtedly the best quarterback, from these 3, in my eyes. He has a far higher ceiling with regard to success in the NFL, and I believe he has just begun his career in the NFL. He will be a QB who will make a difference. Bridgewater has slipped into the Vikes system with ease throwing for 2919 YDs, 14 TDs, and 6 wins for his team this season.
 
I look for him to, by far, have the most successful NFL career of the aforementioned rookie QBs.
Written by TonyK of VegasTopDogs.com