Online Sportsbook Overview

The Boston Bruins are the defending Stanley Cup champions that everyone expected to be at the top of the NHL standings again this year. With Boston’s physical style of defense, speed on offense and the goaltending of Tim Thomas, it is not hard to see why Boston keeps on rolling along. But the Toronto Maple Leafs was not expected to be a sustained element at the top of the Northeast Division standings. The Leafs had its goalie in James Reimer and that was all that Toronto was supposed to have. But general manager Brian Burke looks like a genius as his roster has gelled into becoming one of the top offensive teams in the league.

The problem for Toronto is that it feels like the team is playing on borrowed time. James Reimer has been out of the line-up since October 22 with an injury, but yet the Leafs keep on rolling. The price per head bookie websites are expecting the Leafs to start tumbling back down the Northeast Division standings without its goalie, but Toronto keeps putting up enough goals to keep on winning. The Leafs have a home and home series coming up with the Bruins where they play in Toronto on Wednesday and then in Boston on Saturday. These two games will give a good indication of where the Leafs are at without their goalie in net.

Boston Bruins

It was a rough start for the Bruins, but the defending Stanley Cup champions have finally risen to the top of the Northeast Division. However, Boston was only able to rise as high as second in the division. The very top spot in the Northeast Division is occupied by the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins play a tough style of defense and it has paid off for the team. In the last 10 games, the Bruins are 9-0-1 with the only blemish being a shoot-out loss to Detroit on November 25. The price per head fans in Boston are happy with the team’s start, and the team is finally rolling in a direction that puts it near the top of the NHL standings. The Bruins have finally become the test against which all other teams are graded.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Much to the surprise of the Maple Leafs’ faithful, back-up goalie Jonas Gustavsson has been instrumental in preserving the team’s three-game winning streak. A 5 dimes review of the play of Gustavsson shows that he has been keeping teams at three goals or less for four consecutive games and that Gustavsson himself is actually riding a four-game winning streak. But the Bruins will crash the net and make the Leafs earn this win, if that is what the Leafs wind up doing.

The Bottom Line

After more than a quarter of the season gone, it is safe to say that the Leafs can be considered playoff contenders this season. But before the Toronto faithful are convinced that they can stop throwing waffles on the ice, they will need to see Toronto compete against a team like the Bruins. The Leafs may not win either of these upcoming games, or the best it may do is a split. But if the Leafs can make a strong showing against Boston, then that sets up an interesting rest of the season.

Pick: Boston Bruins

NHL Betting News: Hunter, Muller To Make Coaching Debuts Tuesday

In a span of less than two hours on Monday, the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes both decided to make head coaching changes, in a pair of moves that ownership hopes will spark the team. Dale Hunter replaces Bruce Boudreau behind the bench for the Capitals following consecutive losses, and will make his debut on Tuesday night when Washington hosts the St. Louis Blues. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes will turn to former Montreal Canadiens’ assistant coach Kirk Muller, who will make his debut for Carolina when they host the Florida Panthers as they open a homestand.

NCAAB 5 Dimes Review News: Buckeyes Host Blue Devils Tuesday

While it may seem like forever before we get the chance to see the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats battle the No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels on Saturday, there are several key matchups to hold us over until then, including most importantly when the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes host the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils on Tuesday. While the Buckeyes are expected to contend for a national title with Jared Sullinger leading the way, the Blue Devils are expected to take a step back after winning an ACC title a year ago, and it will make for an interesting showdown Tuesday night. Meanwhile, the No. 4 Syracuse Orange will host the No. 10 Florida Gators Friday in another highly anticipated matchup.

NCAAF Pay Head News: Ducks Look To Clinch Spot In Rose Bowl Friday

The reigning national title finalist and current No. 9 Oregon Ducks will look to solidify their spot in this year’s Rose Bowl when they host the UCLA Bruins on Friday night. Oregon bounced back from a tough loss to the USC Trojans by dominating the Oregon State Beavers, and will have an excellent opportunity to finish strong against a UCLA team that has struggled to maintain a .500 record overall. Meanwhile, Ohio will battle at Northern Illinois in the only other game scheduled for Friday, one night after the No. 23 West Virginia Mountaineers attempt to end their season with a third straight win as they travel to face South Florida.

NFL Sports Betting News: Eagles Fly To Seattle For Thursday Night Showdown

In a midweek matchup that proves how hard it is to predict the outcome of an NFL season before it starts, the 4-7 Seattle Seahawks will host the 4-7 Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night in one of the most irrelevant contests of week 13. With both teams coming off of division titles, the NFL had to expect that they would once again be in contention for the postseason, which would have made this game another marquee matchup. Instead, both teams will need to win out and get a ton of help just to have a marginal chance, and at this point, it doesn’t appear as though either will happen. In related news, the NFL was able to change their Sunday Night Football game, which will now feature the Detroit Lions at the New Orleans Saints rather than the New England Patriots at the Indianapolis Colts.

The UFC has taken a weekend off, so it’s time to check out the odds from another promotion as Bellator 59 in Atlantic City, and here is a look at the main card.

Thiago Santos (10-1) vs. Eric Prindle (9-1) – Heavyweight Tournament Final

Santos has won his last four fights, including three in the first round and his last two wins came via rear-naked choke, while Prindle is on a nine-match winning streak after losing his first fight. Both have plenty of power, but some sportsbook reviews may be gravitating towards Brazilian fighters, given their success in the UFC and Santos is an accomplished jiu-jitsu artist, which gives him an edge against Prindle, who focuses on wrestling and boxing. Santos seems to be a little more well-rounded, so that is why he is a -205 favorite, while Prindle is rated at +175.

Alexis Vila (11-0) vs. Eduardo Dantas (12-2) – Bantamweight Tournament Final

Vila came through a tough split decision against Marcos Galvao in his last fight, but he has some juice with price per head players because of his undefeated record and a solid number of knockouts (seven). Dantas has won five in a row and also had to battle to a split decision over Ed West, and he is versatile as he has added boxing to his jiu-jitsu repertoire. Dantas also won’t feel overwhelmed by Vila’s wrestling if he gets taken to the mat because he can use his jiu-jitsu to slap on a submission. Vila is a world-class wrestler who aims to utilize his ground-and-pound skill, which we’ve seen be effective for a lot of fighters, but soon or later he is going to get caught, which makes Dantas a dangerous+145 underdog in your pay per head sportsbook.

Kurt Pellegrino (16-6) vs. Patricky Freire (9-2) – Lightweight

Pellegrino is making his Bellator debut after losing two straight in the UFC, and he had to undergo multiple surgeries to repair various knee injuries. Freire was beaten in his last fight, which makes him a serious threat as he’ll want to avoid a skid. Both are black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and both are very tough men who have never been knocked out, although Pellegrino has been submitted three times. It’ll be interesting to see who dictates the pace of the fight and how long will it take before it goes to the mat. Pellegrino is also an excellent wrestler, and he could use this to take the fight to the mat as Freire is a dangerous striker. Freire comes in as a -120 favorite, while Pellegrino is rated at +100 and this sounds about right in a match that will be tough for online betting players to call.

Sports Betting Overview

The Northeast Division is the most competitive division in hockey. Only four point separates last place Ottawa with first place Boston. That is why every divisional game between these teams is so incredibly important. It looks like the division is going to be like this all season, so every team will need to step up and play well in divisional contests. The Toronto Maple Leafs have a competitive team for the first time in several years, but it is hanging by a thread as long as starting goaltender James Reimer is injured. The Leafs win games by overwhelming the opposition with goals. The Boston Bruins do not get easily overwhelmed and are ready for the kind of game that Toronto plays.

The Bruins struggled when the season started, but now they have righted the ship and sit in first place in the division. The price per head sports fans in Boston could use some good news after the Red Sox’ epic September collapse and the basketball lockout. The pay per head problem in Boston when the season started was that the Bruins got away from the physical style of play that won it the Stanley Cup last season. Goaltender Tim Thomas was as impressive as he has been, but the Bruins were unable to keep teams from in front of the Boston net. With that problem solved, Boston has found its winning groove and it could be a long season for the rest of the Northeast Division.

Toronto Maple Leafs

As long as goalie James Reimer is sidelined with an injury, the Leafs are living on borrowed time. Toronto is one of the top scoring teams in the league with 70 goals scored, but it has also given up 70 goals against. The Leafs play top-notch offense but follow it up with horrible defense and goaltending. As much as bet online sports experts do not like to narrow a team game down to one player, the Leafs are a much different team with Reimer in net. Without James Reimer, it is highly unlikely that the Leafs will make the playoffs and it is certainly unlikely that Toronto will beat the Bruins in this game.

Boston Bruins

The Bruins are just a big, punishing group of hockey players that have speed on offense and a goaltending virtuoso in net. It is extremely difficult to repeat as a Stanley Cup champion, and not many experts give the Bruins a chance to repeat this year. But if the Bruins maintain its style of play and can manage to avoid major injuries, then there is no reason to expect that this team will fall short when the playoffs arrive. The Bruins will not allow Toronto to play its style of hockey in this game, which will be the deciding factor.

The Bottom Line

The Bruins will not allow the Leafs to play its run and gun style of hockey in this game. If Toronto wants to win this game, it will have to grind it out and rely on its goaltender for support. Since Toronto cannot do either of those things, then this game goes in favor of the Bruins.

Pick: Boston Bruins

Online Wagering Overview

The Los Angeles Kings should have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season. The addition of Mike Richards to the Kings should have helped to create an offensive powerhouse that would rule the Pacific Division all season long. While Richards is on pace to score 35 goals this season and Kings’ sniper Anze Kopitar is on his way to another scoring bonanza, the rest of the Kings just cannot seem to follow suit. The Kings have 49 goals this season and Kopitar and Richards account for 17 of them. The Kings are getting consistent goaltending out of Jonathan Quick. But if Los Angeles wants to make a run at a playoff spot, it is going to need to start scoring goals.

There was a point in time where the price per head bookmaking experts had the Dallas Stars rated as one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Considering how horrible the Stars were last season, the fans in Dallas would be happy just to see the team compete for a playoff spot this year. As was the case last season, the Stars are having problems getting consistent goaltending this year. Kari Lehtonen has definitely improved in the nets for Dallas this season and leads the league in wins. But he is also 2-3-0 in his last five starts, which shows the inconsistency that can sometimes plague the Dallas Stars.

Los Angeles Kings

The price per head fans in Los Angeles have watched the Kings start off strong and then fall by the wayside for years now. Los Angeles was a top Western Conference team when the season started, but a series of losses has dropped the Kings to fourth place in the Pacific Division. It is still early in the season, but the Kings have yet to show the ability to push forward and win big games. A betonline.com review of the Kings’ scoring punch shows very few of the forwards are contributing to the Los Angeles scoring efforts. Young defenseman like Jack Johnson are doing their part to pick up the slack, but the 4-1 loss to Detroit earlier in the week shows how the Kings are losing games and gives an idea of what the kings have to change to start winning.

Dallas Stars

NHL fans in Dallas can take heart in knowing that they have a good team this season. The Stars are showing some power on offense but have been slipping on defense as of late. But Kari Lehtonen has been there to bail the defense out on several occasions. The problem with Lehtonen is that he cannot carry the team by himself. He is good in stretches, but then he starts to slip. The Stars’ forwards need to learn to come back on defense and get the puck out of their end more often. If Dallas can learn to put in a total team effort, then this could be a very potent group.

The Bottom Line

The Kings are still struggling to find an identity on offense. It is the defensive play of Los Angeles, including its goaltending, that carries it from year to year. The Dallas Stars are looking to improve on last season’s results, and should have enough fire power to take down Los Angeles in this game.

Pick: Dallas Stars

It’s no BetOnline scam to see the highlight of the sports betting weekend coming on Thursday, where there are a trio of football games to occupy yourselves with. The week also begins with football, slips in some hockey and ends with some college football.

Monday

Chiefs Patriots Betting (8:30 PM ET): New England is a 16.5-point favorite at home, and some sportsbook reviews would be leaning towards the Patriots to cover that large spread; they’re at home, coming off a huge divisional win over their rivals, the New York Jets, and they’re facing a Kansas City team without former Patriot Matt Cassel; instead, Tyler Palko is under center for the Chiefs.

Tuesday

Leafs Lightning Betting (7:30 PM ET): Toronto has lost four of their last five in Tampa Bay, and they’ll be the underdogs at most price per head services on Tuesday against the Lightning, who have won six of their eight games at home this season.

Wednesday

Blues Penguins Betting (7:00 PM ET): It doesn’t seem like a big game, but it should be the second game for a Pittsburgh team that has Sidney Crosby on the ice. The captain is slated to return from more than 11 months off after suffering a concussion and while the Penguins have done well without him, they’re a contender for the Stanley Cup with a 100% Crosby in the lineup.

Thursday

Packers Lions Betting (12:30): The football bonanza begins with a massive matchup from the NFC North, and Green Bay is a 6-point road favorite according to your pay per head sportsbook.

Dolphins Cowboys Betting (4:15 PM ET): Dallas is a 7-point favorite at home in a contest of two teams that have won three in a row. The Cowboys may also be playing for the lead in the NFC East.

49ers Ravens Betting (8:20 PM ET): Jim Harbaugh has led a renaissance in San Francisco, but his 49ers are 3-point underdogs when they visit Baltimore, who happen to be coached by Jim’s big brother John.

Friday

Arkansas LSU Betting (2:30 PM ET): The top-ranked Tigers are 12.5-point favorites in Baton Rouge over the No.3 Razorbacks in a special Friday matchup that will not only affect the SEC standings, but it’ll have a say in the BCS standings as well. LSU is the unanimous No.1 team in the country, and they’ll bring arguably the best defense in the nation into a game where they’ll have to be at their best to slow down Arkansas’ high-flying attack. The Razorbacks are also 0-3 ATS on the road this season, and that may be a factor to think about before you bet on sports this Friday.

Tonight kicks off a slew of MMA events this weekend, that has both hardcore and casual sports betting enthusiasts chomping at the bit. After one of the most successful debuts in prime time sports history, the UFC is back tomorrow night for another PPV event, as the promotion puts on UFC 139. Before the UFC festivities begin, their rival company Strikeforce, which was recently bought by UFC parent company ZUFFA, will be putting on a card tonight. To finish off the weekend, independent MMA company Bellator will be finishing up their Lightweight tournament also tomorrow night. Here is a preview of each event.

For diehard MMA fans, this weekend’s three promotion fight cards represent a changing of the guard of sorts. On the one hand, the UFC and Strikeforce have switched places for the weekend. Meanwhile, Bellator which is soon to debut on Spike TV, is slowly climbing the ranks of national stardom. This weekend presents major implications for all three companies, as the ratings for each card could play out in the overall MMA v boxing debate. That is to say, with boxing currently in a state of flux, if all three MMA promotions can put on a price per head spectacular weekend, we may see the end of boxing in the national spotlight.

As we noted earlier, this weekend will represent a changing of the guard, as UFC and Strikeforce will each be running events this weekend. For casual fans, what is interesting to note, is that this will be the first time Strikeforce is in Las Vegas and UFC is in California during the same weekend. Historically, Strikeforce has been the MMA promotion of the West Coast, while the UFC has occupied Las Vegas, and the East Coast. Yet, since bookie software agents ZUFFA purchased Strikeforce, they elected to trade locations of their two subsidiaries.

Including Bellator in the weekend, MMA fans have plenty to choose from. All three main events, give fans more then enough incentive to stay in or go to a bar and catch any of the fights. For example, despite being owned by the same company, the UFC and Strikeforce will be in direct competition with one another, as they both have a Light Heavyweight main event. Conversely, Bellator will be concluding their Lightweight title tournament, with the tournament finals.

Looking at the Strikeforce and UFC main events, casual fight fans will likely tune into UFC 139 over Strikeforce Britt v Sayers. Not to say that Antwain Britt and Lumumba Sayers are necessarily a bad option, but rather the casual fan is more likely to want to watch two brand name fighters such as Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua duke it out in the octagon.

Strikeforce though may see more diehard MMA fans, as not only is the card headlined by Britt v Sayers, but also by a woman’s bout featuring Ronda Rousey and Julia Budd. Strikeforce is the only North American promotion that has a women’s division, thus making them unique from the competition.

Online Sports Book Overview

In the beginning of any NHL season, there are usually four or five teams that jump out a great start and show potential to win the President’s Trophy for the best regular season record. As the season wears on, there are usually a couple of teams that show the ability to stay at the top and continue to battle for regular season supremacy. It took the Chicago Blackhawks to get its game together, but the Blackhawks have been sitting at the top of the NHL standings for a couple of weeks and it does not show any signs that it will be letting up any time soon. The Blackhawks play a true team game and are winning because of the ability of the players to execute the system in place. The only thing that could really slow down the Blackhawks is injuries, and the season is still young.

The price per head bookmaking experts felt that the Calgary Flames had a good chance at making the playoffs this season. There is good goaltending in Calgary and plenty of veteran leadership in the locker room. But the Flames just cannot score goals, and that will kill a team’s chances at a playoff spot every time. When it comes to defense, the Flames do a good job at keeping the other team at bay. But the bookie software reveals a Calgary team that has scored only 36 goals in 17 games played. While the Flames show an adept ability at keeping the puck out of its own net, it cannot put pressure on the other team’s goalie.

Chicago Blackhawks

To be the top team in the league, there has to be something going very right. The Chicago Blackhawks score a lot of goals. In 19 games played, the Blackhawks have scored 67 goals. But a 5 dimes review of the Blackhawks’ defense gives an indication of what Chicago is giving up to score all of those goals. With 53 goals against so far this season, Chicago has developed a very bad habit of bringing the defense up on the rush and leaving goaltender Corey Crawford on his own. It hasn’t caused the Blackhawks any problems yet, but it could be the thing that knocks Chicago off the top of the league standings.

Calgary Flames

The trade rumors surrounding Calgary captain Jarome Iginla are getting stronger. Maybe it is time that Iginla moves on to a team that can bring him that elusive Stanley Cup championship. The Flames just cannot generate the offense needed to win consistently in the NHL. That has been the problem for the past few years. The only player capable of consistently scoring goals is Iginla. The move to younger players has seemed to work for the Edmonton Oilers and it may be the route that the Calgary Flames pursue as well.

The Bottom Line

The Flames’ defense will be severely tested in this game. While the Blackhawks do leave Crawford on his own a lot, Chicago has been able to utilize its offensive defensemen to win games. That system will be in full effect for Chicago in this game as the Blackhawks will prove to be too much for the Flames to handle.

Pick: Chicago Blackhawks

Sport Betting Overview

The Chicago Blackhawks have quietly climbed to the very top of the NHL standings with 25 points. The Blackhawks had a tough year last season because of the players lost to the post-Cup fire sale. It took a while for the team to adjust, and it also took time to find the right answers at key positions. Last season, the Blackhawks brought in former Dallas Stars goaltender Marty Turco to replace Antti Niemi who went to the San Jose Sharks. Turco was a bomb and retired when the season ended. The solution for the Blackhawks in goal was on the roster the entire time and it was Corey Crawford. With Crawford in net and forwards like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews scoring on a regular basis, it is no wonder that the Blackhawks are back at the top of the NHL standings.

The price per head bookmaking experts were cringing a bit when the season started in Vancouver. The Canucks got off to a bad start and, as is the custom in Vancouver, the bad start was blamed on goaltender Roberto Luongo. The Canucks are scoring goals without a problem, but the defense and Luongo were not keeping the puck out of the net on a regular basis. The price per head fans in Vancouver were growing impatient, but it looks like Luongo and the Canucks have started to turn things around again. Vancouver is 5-5-0 in the last 10 games and looking to put a little more stability in the defense. Luongo came up big in the team’s last game which was a 4-1 win over the Islanders. Now the Canucks return home to host the best team in hockey.

Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are second in the league in scoring with 62 goals. That puts it just three goals behind the Philadelphia Flyers. But a 5 dimes review of the play of the Chicago defense shows a goaltender in Corey Crawford that is often left on his own as the defense gets involved in the rush. Teams like Chicago live and die by the movement of the puck. To beat the Blackhawks, all a team needs to do is keep the puck in Chicago’s end and take shots at Crawford. But, as many teams have found out this season, that is easier said than done.

Vancouver Canucks

Roberto Luongo started feeling the heat long before this season started. Fans were livid at the way the Canucks lost the Cup to Boston at the end of last season and, even though Luongo played a great Stanley Cup Finals series, the fans are still blaming him for the loss. When the Canucks got off to a slow start, Luongo was the target. However, in this case, it was justified as Luongo was playing terrible hockey. Now that the Vancouver goalie looks like he has figured things out, the Canucks can start winning again.

The Bottom Line

This will be a game that features the Chicago offense against the Vancouver defense. But, as much as Luongo and the Vancouver defense have improved, this is still a game that the Canucks cannot win.

Pick: Chicago Blackhawks

NHL Sports Betting News: Sabres Push Forward Without Miller

The Buffalo Sabres have learned that netminder Ryan Miller will be out indefinitely with a concussion following a hit from Boston Bruins’ forward Milan Lucic in Saturday night’s 6-2 loss. Miller was hit by Lucic while attempting to play the puck outside of his crease, and while Lucic was assessed a two-minute charging minor, there has been no word from the league on suspensions or fines. With Miller out, Jhonas Enroth will move in to the starters role, with Drew MacIntyre called up from the AHL to back him up. The injury could not have come at a worse time for the Sabres, which play four games in six nights this week beginning on Monday against the Montreal Canadiens.

NBA Pay Head News: Labor Negotiations Continue With More Games Compromised

After meeting over the weekend and assessing the latest proposal from the owners, the NBA players are expected to meet on Monday and come together on an agreement to turn down the latest offer. While the BRI issues are closing in on what is acceptable for both sides, the latest deal is rumored to include a clause on escrow that essentially will take away from everything that has been bargained for in the past week. If this is true, it will serve as another major setback for negotiations, and likely force the cancellation of more games.

College Basketball Intertops News: Wildcats Face Tough Road Test Tuesday

While the No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels will not take to the floor this week, the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats will face a tough test traveling to face the No. 13 Kansas Jayhawks in a crucial early season matchup. Both teams are expected to contend in this year’s March Madness tournament, and an early win this week will be significant for either team in regards to both confidence and chemistry. That game will highlight a big night for college basketball in general, with other marquee matchups that include the No. 10 Florida Gators traveling to take on Jared Sullinger and the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, while the No. 6 Duke Blue Devils try and overcome a tough test from the Michigan State Spartans.

NFL Betting News: Tebow, Broncos Face Tough Test Against Jets

Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos have been all of the talk in the NFL over the past couple of weeks, perhaps even beyond what they deserve in terms of national coverage. But with another big road win this past Sunday against the division rival Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos are now 3-1 under Tebow and just one game back of the AFC West lead. While Tebow completed just two passes in the team’s most recent win, he is undoubtedly acting as a leader in the huddle and has also been a major threat on the ground. Denver won’t be able to escape the spotlight this week with a visit from the Jets on Thursday Night Football, the first Thursday game of the season.