10/06/2008 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sunday's wild but confusing finish in the Amp Energy 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway has sparked debate about NASCAR's rule that makes it illegal for a driver to advance his position below the yellow-line, or "out-of-bounds" line, at restrictor-plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega).
During the green-white-checkered finish, Tony Stewart held off Dale Earnhardt Inc. drivers Regan Smith and Paul Menard until Smith dipped below the yellow line and passed Stewart just before the finish line.
Smith crossed the line first, but NASCAR ruled his move illegal and awarded Stewart with his first Sprint Cup Series victory of the season.
Shortly after the race, NASCAR defended its decision.
"You cannot improve your position anytime you go below the yellow line," Jim Hunter, NASCAR's vice president of corporate communications, said. "In our judgment, (Smith) improved his position and the penalty for that is a pass thru, so he was moved back to the tail end of the longest line or 18th position. At the driver's meeting, we clearly state that you cannot improve your position by going below the yellow line. We do not feel he was forced below the yellow line."
The rookie driver was disappointed with NASCAR's judgment, claiming he was forced below the line and therefore robbed of his first Cup victory.
"I knew where I was going to make my move and was always told that the rule is if you get forced down there, then you are the winner of the race and on the last lap, anything goes," Smith said.
And Smith was right in saying, "anything goes on the last lap," following the 2007 season-opening Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona.
Coming out of the final turn of the last lap at Daytona, Jack Sprague moved to the outside of Travis Kvapil to take the lead, and then Johnny Benson drove below the yellow line to grab the second position from Kvapil. Sprague took the checkered flag, while Benson finished about a foot behind in second and Kvapil another four feet back in third.
NASCAR did not penalize Benson because "If you see the checkered flag on the last lap, anything goes," noted NASCAR spokesman Owen Kearns after the race.
However, in the Sprint Cup drivers' meeting at Talladega, NASCAR reiterated the rule and provided the same information to all drivers and crew chiefs in a hand out, as they have done in previous Daytona and Talladega events.
The verbatim language states:
"This is your warning: race above the yellow line. If, in NASCAR's judgment, you go below the yellow line to improve your position, you will be black- flagged. If in NASCAR's judgment you force someone below the yellow line (in an effort to stop him from passing you), you may be black-flagged."
But some drivers remain unclear about the rule.
"If it's anything goes, when you can see the flagman coming to the checkered, maybe that's just one of those little rules that they don't say you can do but you can, David Ragan said after finishing third at Talladega. I don't know. If I would have known that, I might have run down pit road and seen if I could have beat them that way."
The rule even has two-time defending series champion and current points leader Jimmie Johnson somewhat confused.
"I didn't know or think you could go below the yellow line at any point in time," Johnson said. "The rumor was circulating you can before the start- finish line if you can see the (checkered) flag. I didn't know what to really think about it or understood it or had seen it. It's ironic how it played out (at Talladega)."
As a result of Talladega, NASCAR needs to explain its rule thoroughly so as to avoid any confusion in future restrictor-plate racing.
<< Even warm water will keep you hydrated
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - I met an old Cuban boxer once at a
Frenchtown bar on St. Thomas. Locals called him "The Champ." It was around
two o'clock in the morning when I asked the aging fighter what his career
record had been. "One hu
<< Around FCS: Big Sky turned upside down
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tradition tells us that musicians in the
English army performed a popular little tune called "The World Turned Upside
Down" when they surrendered to American forces at Yorktown in 1781.
Montana's band
<< Packers to rest Rodgers until Thursday
Green Bay, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy said in
his press conference on Monday that quarterback Aaron Rodgers will not
participate in practice until Thursday at the earliest.
"I'm not going to practi
<< Hubel's record-setting effort earns player of the week honors
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Portland State quarterback Drew Hubel,
Yale linebacker Bobby Abare and William & Mary returnman Jonathan Grimes have
been named The Sportsbook Betting Lines's FCS national players of the week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER O
Toronto's Hollweg suspended for two games >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Ryan Hollweg
received an automatic two-game suspension on Monday after receiving his third
boarding or checking from behind major in a 41-game span.
The third penalty came
Report: Vikings' Henderson placed on injured reserve >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker E.J.
Henderson has reportedly been placed on injured reserve after dislocating two
toes on his left foot, ending his season.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported
Arizona State QB Carpenter questionable for USC game >>
Tempe, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arizona State quarterback Rudy Carpenter is
questionable for Saturday's game at No. 8 USC.
"We need to get the OK from the doctor, and then see how he moves out there
(in practice)," said Arizona State
Ching's brace earns him MLS Player of Week >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching was voted
Major League Soccer's Player of the Week for Week 28, it was announced on
Monday.
Ching scored two goals and an assist on Saturday, leading the Dynamo to a
New York, NY – October 3, 2007 – The dress rehearsal is over! The NHL preseason has ended and now that fans have had a glimpse of what is to come it is time to hit the book! Stanley Cup odds are live at MySportsbook.com, the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino.
The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings remain on top of the odds charts after an impressive start in the preseason. Betting lines opened for both teams at 6-1 in June. Since then the Sens have fallen to 7-1 and the Red Wings are now caught in a pack including the defending champion Carolina Hurricanes, the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks, all at 10-1.
MySportsbook.com has also posted props on each team’s point total for the regular season. The Senators lead the charge at 108.5 followed by the Ducks at 106.5. Detroit will attempt a repeat for the prize as the Red Wings are deadlocked with the Predators at 104.5 a piece. The temporary loss of highly touted rookie Evgeni Malkin puts a lot of pressure on the stick of assistant captain Sidney Crosby - his lowly Pittsburgh Penguins are listed at 71.5.
Even if bettors are not brave enough to put their money on the underdog, an early bet on the favorites at sportsbook.com tends to produce bigger payouts than a mid-season wager. Placing a $1,000 bet last summer on the Detroit Red Wings or Ottawa Senators would have paid out to $8,000 and $10,000 respectively, opposed to a $2,500 or $3,000 payout at the beginning of the playoffs.
| Ottawa Senators Detroit Red Wings Carolina Hurricanes San Jose Sharks Anaheim Ducks Philadelphia Flyers Calgary Flames New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Dallas Stars New York Rangers Nashville Predators Vancouver Canucks Colorado Avalanche Minnesota Wild Tampa Bay Lightning Boston Bruins Florida Panthers Montreal Canadiens Atlanta Thrashers Toronto Maple Leafs Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Los Angeles Kings New York Islanders Columbus Blue Jackets St. Louis Blues Pittsburgh Penguins Washington Capitals Chicago Blackhawks |
7-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 10-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 12-1 15-1 15-1 15-1 20-1 20-1 25-1 25-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 30-1 40-1 40-1 50-1 50-1 80-1 80-1 100-1 100-1 |
NHL Regular Season Points - Team Must Play 82 Games
| Team Ottawa Senators Anaheim Ducks Detroit Red Wings Nashville Predators San Jose Sharks Calgary Flames Philadelphia Flyers New Jersey Devils Buffalo Sabres Carolina Hurricanes Dallas Stars New York Rangers Minnesota Wild Atlanta Thrashers Montreal Canadiens Team Los Angeles Kings Tampa Bay Lightening Vancouver Canucks Boston Bruins Colorado Avalanche Edmonton Oilers Phoenix Coyotes Toronto Maple Leafs Florida Panthers Columbus Blue Jackets New York Islanders Chicago Blackhawks St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals Pittsburgh Penguins |
Over/Under 108.5 106.5 104.5 104.5 103.5 101.5 100.5 99.5 97.5 97.5 97.5 95.5 94.5 93.5 92.5 Over/Under 91.5 91.5 91.5 89.5 89.5 88.5 88.5 86.5 84.5 82.5 80.5 72.5 72.5 72.5 71.5 |
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your hockey sportsbook needs.
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 sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting odds needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
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