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07/21/2007 - Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carlos Lee's first-inning, two-run home run proved enough for Houston to edge Pittsburgh, 2-1, and prevent the struggling Pirates from getting their seventh straight win versus the Astros this year.
Chris Burke finished 2-for-4 and scored a run for the Astros, who have won two of three. Mark Loretta and Morgan Ensberg both added a pair of hits in the win.
Astros starting pitcher Roy Oswalt (9-6) left in the seventh inning with a chest injury. After he gave up a lead-off double to Ronny Paulino, Oswalt complained of chest discomfort to manager Phil Garner and a trainer. Oswalt had been performing well from the mound prior to the exit, and allowed one run on seven hits with four strikeouts.
Adam LaRoche and Paulino both had a pair of hits for the Pirates, who lost their seventh straight, coming into this series having been swept in three games at Atlanta and then in three games at home against Colorado.
Tom Gorzelanny (9-5), shooting for his fourth straight winning decision, allowed two runs on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts over seven innings for the Bucs.
In the ninth, Pittsburgh loaded the bases on Brad Lidge, who actually received a payoff from having them each occupied. Paulino singled and got replaced by pinch-runner Rajai Davis on the basepaths. Jack Wilson then bunted him over to second before pinch-hitter Xavier Nady walked and Nate McLouth got hit by a pitch with one out.
Lidge then struck out Matt Kata swinging, and Freddy Sanchez but the ball got away from catcher Brad Ausmus, who gathered it just in time to step on home plate for the game-ending forceout and Lidge's second save of the season.
Houston put up two runs in the first when Burke singled and scored on Lee's two-run shot to left field on a 3-1 pitch.
Pittsburgh got on the board with a run in the fourth, as Sanchez lined a lead- off double before Jason Bay singled him home.
Game Notes
The Pirates got their season off to a promising start when they swept the Astros in Houston from April 2-4 to open the season. The club then hosted Houston from April 24-26 and took all three games of that set as well. It was a quick turnaround for a Pirates team that lost 13 of the 16 games they played against the Astros last season. That included seven losses in 10 home games in 2006...Oswalt has 107 wins, tying him with J.R. Richard for fourth place on the club's list. He's 11-5 lifetime against Houston.
<< Dolphins' Porter fined by NFL
Davie, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Miami Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter was fined
three game checks by the NFL for his part in a Las Vegas scuffle with
Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Levi Jones.
Porter punched Jones on March 1
<< Heat extend Pfund
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Heat signed general manager Randy Pfund
to an undisclosed contract extension on Friday.
Miami posted a 44-38 mark last season, winning the Southeast Division title
before losing to the Chicago Bulls
<< It was the Butler, with a bat at Comerica: Royals thump Tigers
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Billy Butler went 4-for-5 with four RBI as the
Kansas City Royals pounded the Detroit Tigers, 10-2, in the opener of a three-
game series at Comerica Park.
Mark Grudzielanek also had four hits and scored four
<< Ogilvie leads U.S. Bank Championship
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Ogilvie fired a seven-under 63 Friday to
take the lead after two rounds of the U.S. Bank Championship, the PGA Tour
event playing opposite the British Open.
Ogilvie was at 10-under 130, heading to th
Nebraska WR Purify suspended for first game >>
Lincoln, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nebraska wide receiver Maurice Purify was
suspended for the season opener in light of his second arrest in a month span.
Cornhuskers coach Bill Callahan met with the wide receiver on Friday and
disc
Lofton leaves in third inning >>
Arlington, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Texas Rangers center fielder Kenny Lofton
left Friday's game against Cleveland after fouling a pitch against his right
foot in the third inning.
Lofton then got replaced by Desi Relaford, who grounded into
O's activate Trachsel >>
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles activated pitcher Steve
Trachsel from the 15-day disabled list, and he's slated to start Saturday's
game against the Oakland Athletics.
Trachsel has been on the DL since June 30 du
Packers CEO resigns >>
Green Bay, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Green Bay Packers' executive
committee accepted the resignation of chief executive owner John Jones Friday.
Jones departs the organization after an eight-year career that began in
Febr
Recently I had an email debate with an angry reader who said I did not understand "the science of oddsmaking", as he called it.
He said I was wrong for suggesting oddsmakers care about who wins or loses games.
"Oddsmakers only care about splitting the betting public 50/50 on both sides of the line and keeping the commission (a.k.a. juice)," he wrote.
He might have been right about not understanding "the science of oddsmaking". After all, I'm not an oddsmaker. That said, I stick to my assertion that oddsmakers (a.k.a. sportbooks) often do care about who wins games.
Granted, as a general rule, sportsbooks try to balance their action so that they're not exposed to big losses. However, there are times when this is difficult to pull off, regardless of how much a line has moved. There are also times when that general rule is ignored and a book pursues risk.
Generally speaking, it's safe to say the books in Vegas are risk-adverse. Unlike in the past when the wise guys ruled the town, Vegas is now corporate and the goal of most casinos is to make as much money as possible with as little risk as possible.
Thus, Vegas sportsbooks try everything in their power to balance the action. They're satisfied simply collecting the juice. But these profits are small, especially compared to the take from other casino games, namely slot machines.
Because the profits at Vegas sportsbooks are so small, you could argue that many casinos operate sportsbooks simply as a novelty to keep the tourists happy.
With a growing aversion to risk, it should come as no surprise that Vegas bookmakers have been panicking this NFL season.
Despite huge pointspreads, a disproportionate percentage of bettors are still laying their money on favorites like the Eagles, Colts, Pats and Vikings rather than the dogs (a common trend for the largely recreational bettors that visit Vegas).
And much to the dismay of the books, those favorites are finding ways to cover the thick chalk. In fact, prior to Week 7, the four teams listed above are a combined 16-2-2 (88 percent) against the spread. (The tables turned dramatically in Week 7, but more on that later.)
The result has been an early-season beating for the books, and a bonanza for bettors.
While Vegas increasingly hates risk, it's no longer a major player in the sports betting world. Most of the betting action now takes place offshore where sportsbooks are not as obsessed about balance. In fact, some books encourage exposure to risk because the rewards can be so much bigger.
Consider MySportsbook.com. On its website, the book has odds pages which actually display the amount of action it's getting on games. In other words, you can see how much action the book is taking on both sides of a pointspread, moneyline or over/under.
One look at these numbers and it's obvious MySportsbook.com does not balance every game. In fact, far from it.
Take last weekend's matchup between St. Louis and Miami. By game time on Sunday, 83 percent of the betting action at MySportsbook.com was on the Rams; only 17 percent was on Miami.
What's interesting is that MySportsbook.com opened the pointspread with Miami at +6 1/2. By game time, the spread had lowered to +5.
That goes contrary to the balancing theory. If MySportsbook.com had wanted to balance the action, it would have given Miami more points; instead, it took away 1 1/2. World Series odds are now up as well.
MySportsbook.com exposed itself to even more to risk, and rolled the dice on the underdog Dolphins. Why? I contacted a representative with the book to find out. His answer was simple.
"The line moved early based on 'smart money' from sharp players," said Jeff Gilroy, a spokesperson for the book. "We also knew from early in the week that we would need Miami, therefore (we dropped) the spread to encourage Rams money.
"At the end of the day, we liked the home team."
So the conclusion is this: MySportsbook.com respected the sharp action, and gambled that the sharp bettors had a better take on the game than the recreational bettors, who were hammering the visiting Rams.
In the end, the gamble paid off. Miami, desperate for a win in front of its home fans, pounded the overrated Rams, who are terrible on the road and even worse on grass. Final score: 31-14 Fish.
MySportsbook.com was also heavily exposed on numerous favorites in Week 7, including Philadelphia, Seattle and Denver. All three failed to cover.
The fact that sportsbooks are exposed to risk on certain games is really nothing new. The fact, that Sportsbook.com is willing to show the public where it's exposed is intriguing.
Armed with this type of information, bettors can make more educated wagers. They can get an idea where the sharp money is going and conversely where the public money is headed.
MySportsbook.com is opening up its cashbox, letting bettors look inside and challenging them to take their best shot at grabbing the cash.
To visit this online football betting got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting odds needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
MySportsbook.com Favors Fighting Irish to win College Football betting odds
According to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, on January 8, the Fighting Irish faithful may be toasting their 14th national title in Arizona – Notre Dame’s first national championship in close to 20 years.
Although MySportsbook.com has listed Notre Dame as the 5-1 favorite to win thecollege football College Football betting, fans in Columbus do not need to cancel their tickets to Glendale just yet. The Ohio State Buckeyes, listed right behind the Irish at 7-1, are also heavy favorites to win college football’s most coveted prize, while West Virginia, USC and the 2007 National Champion Texas Longhorns - all listed at 8-1 – are strong contenders as well.
MySportsbook.com has also posted gambling odds on the conference championships for the ACC, Big 12 and SEC. In the ACC – it could be anyone’s title, particularly for the two schools from the Sunshine State. Florida State and Miami, both listed at 2-1, are favored to win the ACC Championship Game odds, with the ‘Noles hoping to finish in the nation’s top 10 for the first time in five years, and the ‘Canes looking to avenge their 10-7 loss against FSU in last year’s ACC Championship betting.
Moving west to the Big 12, MySportsbook.com has betting lines listing Texas as 7-5 favorites to repeat as conference champions, even though the Longhorns lost their national championship-winning quarterback Vince Young to the NFL. In the south, the Auburn Tigers – led by Heisman-hopeful senior running back Kenny Irons – have been given the best odds to win the SEC Championship odds at 5-2.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
| Notre Dame Ohio State West Virginia Texas USC Florida California Auburn Oklahoma Iowa Louisville Florida State Michigan Miami (FL) LSU Penn State Virginia Tech Nebraska Tennessee Georgia Arizona State Oregon Clemson Texas A&M Texas Tech Alabama Arkansas Boston College Michigan State Maryland South Carolina Colorado Purdue Georgia Tech TCU UCLA Arizona Pittsburgh Iowa State Wisconsin North Carolina State Virginia North Carolina Fresno State Hawaii Northwestern BYU Oregon State UNLV Field (Any Other Team) |
5-1 7-1 8-1 8-1 8-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 18-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 60-1 60-1 60-1 70-1 70-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 100-1 150-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 200-1 250-1 250-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 300-1 400-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 500-1 1000-1 1000-1 40-1 |
| Miami (FL) Florida State Virginia Tech Clemson Georgia Tech Boston College Maryland Virginia North Carolina State North Carolina Wake Forest Duke |
2-1 2-1 3-1 7-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 50-1 500-1 |
| Texas Oklahoma Nebraska Texas Tech Colorado Iowa State Texas A&M Kansas State Missouri Kansas Baylor Oklahoma State |
7-5 9-5 9-2 12-1 14-1 15-1 15-1 30-1 30-1 35-1 100-1 100-1 |
| Auburn Florida LSU Georgia Tennessee Arkansas Alabama Mississippi South Carolina Mississippi State Kentucky Vanderbilt |
5-2 11-4 4-1 6-1 7-1 7-1 9-1 20-1 28-1 75-1 100-1 300-1 |
For complete NCAA football odds please visit Mysportsbook.com.
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