08/26/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros will try to continue their dominant edge over the National League Central-rival Cincinnati Reds tonight, when both clubs meet for the first of three straight games at Minute Maid Park.
The Astros swept a four-game series in Cincinnati from August 7-10 and have won eight of the nine matchups between the teams so far this season. Houston is 19-5 against the Reds since the start of the 2007 campaign.
Cecil Cooper's ballclub had a two-game overall winning streak halted in the finale of a four-game series against the New York Mets Monday at Shea Stadium. In the convincing 9-1 defeat, Geoff Blum and Darin Erstad each had two hits and Ty Wigginton drove in the lone run for the Astros, who have lost six of their last 10 games.
Astros starter Brian Moehler suffered the loss after permitting four runs on six hits and a pair of walks in 5 1/3 frames.
Cooper will hand pitching duties over to Wandy Rodriguez on Tuesday, and the left-hander has dropped two straight starts and three of his last four decisions. Rodriguez yielded three runs -- two earned -- in 5 1/3 innings of a 5-2 loss at Milwaukee on Wednesday to fall to 7-6 with a 4.11 earned run average this season.
Rodriguez is 1-1 in two starts versus Cincinnati this season, and 3-3 with a 5.77 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds.
Cincinnati will continue its nine-game road trip tonight, and is 2-4 so far on the trek and 25-41 away from home this season. The Reds took the opener of last weekend's three-game series at Colorado but lost the final two contests of the set, including Sunday's 4-3 defeat in 12 innings. Omar Quintanilla homered off of Reds reliever Mike Lincoln in the bottom of the 12th to give the Rockies the win.
Reds starter Johnny Cueto threw three hitless innings -- giving up an unearned run with three walks -- before leaving due to soreness in his right triceps tendon. Chris Dickerson homered and Edwin Encarnacion went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks for the Reds.
Bronson Arroyo gets the nod for the Reds on Tuesday, and he is 11-10 with a 5.32 earned run average in 27 starts this season. Arroyo ended a two-start losing streak his last time out Wednesday at Chicago's Wrigley Field, as he hurled seven strong innings of one-run ball to preserve a 2-1 victory over the Cubs. Arroyo won for the seventh time in his last 10 starts.
The high leg-kicking righty will try to beat Houston for the first time this season after losing the first three encounters. Arroyo is 4-6 with a 6.09 ERA in 19 career appearances (13 starts) against the Astros.
<< Red Sox try to stay in playoff hunt at Yankee Stadium
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox make what in all likelihood will be
their final visit to the current Yankee Stadium this evening, as they kick off
a critical three-game series with the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
Boston ente
<< Marlins resume road trip against battered Braves
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Florida Marlins will resume a nine-game road trip this
evening with the first of three straight meetings with the National League
East-rival Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
The Marlins are 3-3 so far on the trek a
<< Cubs try to overpower Pirates once again
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs try to continue their season-long mastery
of the Pittsburgh Pirates this evening, when the National League Central
rivals resume their three-game series at PNC Park.
Chicago, which leads the major
<< Mets put NL East lead on line in Philly
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Phillies trailed the Mets by seven games in mid-
September of last season before rallying to capture the National League East
title. Needless to say, they are trying to keep it closer this year.
Trailing th
Cards try to shuffle woes vs. Brewers at Busch >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Cardinals are unable to capture the National League
wild card, their inability to defeat the Brewers this season may be to blame.
St. Louis will try to halt a six-game losing streak to Milwaukee tonight in
the
Former Blazer Duckworth dies >>
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin
Duckworth died Monday. He was 44.
A member of the Trail Blazers from 1986-93, the 7-footer also played for San
Antonio, Washington, Milwaukee and the Los Angele
Webb shoots for 20th win as Diamondbacks resume set with Padres >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brandon Webb tries to become the National League's first
20-game winner since 2005 this evening when the Arizona Diamondbacks play the
second test of their three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Petco
Park.
Webb,
Seattle Seahawks 2008 Season Preview >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Things are starting to change in Seattle. However, for the
Seahawks and their fans, the hope is that the alterations the club is
undergoing won't affect what has been a very successful run.
The Seahawks enter this year kno
In terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.
It is called the "pointspread."
Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.
But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.
A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.
In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.
The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere.
Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.
Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking
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