Sports Betting Overview

The Washington Capitals and the Florida Panthers are the two best teams in what is turning out to be the worst division in hockey. The Capitals are in first place in the Southeast Division but would not have enough points to be in the playoff hunt if it was not a division leader. The Florida Panthers have the same amount of points as Washington, sit in second place in the division but are still out of the running for a playoff spot. The Capitals will take the first place status in the division, but this is hardly the dominating team that fans have been seeing for the past few years. This battle for the division lead could be where the Caps start to separate itself from the rest of the division.

Sports fans in Florida are probably doing a lot of Superbowl betting but very little hockey betting. Both Florida teams, the Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, are playing poor hockey and neither Florida team looks to be making a move towards the playoffs. The Panthers were riding the great play of goaltender Jose Theodore early in the season, but there is only so much that Theodore can do without a defense in front of him. The luckiest thing for the Panthers is that it plays in the worst division in hockey. That alone gives the Panthers hope for a playoff berth in April.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals do not seem to have any problems scoring goals, but the team is not getting the kind of play it expected to get from its goaltending. Newly acquired goalie Tomas Vokoun is doing well with a 20-12-0 record and a .916 save percentage. But Michal Neuvirth is obviously not enjoying the role of backup as he has posted a 6-7-3 record this season and has a .892 save percentage. The price per head bookie experts do not have a lot of faith in the Capitals when Neuvirth is in net and the Capitals seem to love to play its backup more than most other teams. As Vokoun plays more, the Capitals seem to gain stability. The fans are hoping that interim head coach Dale Hunter can see that and keep Vokoun in the nets.

Florida Panthers

The Panthers’ problems are not so much the lack of defense, it is more a lack of balance that plagues this team. Sportsbook reviews of games earlier in the season show a team that leaned way too much on a hot goalie. Once Theodore started to crack under the pressure, the offense could not pick up the pace. The Panthers need to start balancing their attack and bring their forwards back to start playing defense. If Florida does not make some changes to the way it plays, then other teams will just continue to skate around them.

The Bottom Line

NHL fans in Washington are frustrated and fans in Florida are apathetic. There is a feeling in Washington that the Capitals had its shot at the Stanley Cup but are past that and back into rebuilding. The Capitals players need to start picking up the pace to bring hockey excitement back to Washington.

Pick: Washington Capitals

Monday

Missouri Texas Odds (9:00 PM ET): The No.4 Tigers have dropped just two games this season, but Bet Online players will tell you that you have to win on the road in order to be a favorite for the national title and Mizzou have fallen at Baylor and Kansas State. They’ll head to Austin to take on a Texas team that is out to avenge a loss to the Tigers from two weeks ago.

Tuesday

Celtics Cavaliers Odds (7:00 PM ET): Speaking of revenge, those following Super Bowl odds will hear that a lot this week, but it’s also a theme in Boston’s trip to Cleveland as the Cavaliers stunned the Celtics in Beantown on Sunday night. The Cavaliers have played above expectations, but you know the Celtics will be eager to erase Sunday’s performance with a big home win on Tuesday night.

Wednesday

Penguins Maple Leafs Odds (7:00 PM ET): This will be the second part of a home-and-home after the two meet in Toronto on Tuesday night, and both of these teams are in the playoff hunt. The Penguins have managed to keep their heads above water, even throughout the Sidney Crosby saga, but they may have fallen out of favor among those that work with pay head systems. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs are on the outside looking in, but they aren’t far behind heading into the second half of the season.

Thursday

Bulls Knicks Odds (8:00 PM ET): Chicago and New York tip off the weekly doubleheader on TNT, and the Knicks have to be considered the biggest disappointments in the NBA. The Bulls will be on the second half of a back-to-back after playing in Philadelphia on Wednesday, but Madison Square Garden tends to bring out the best in visiting stars; in this case, the Bulls’ Derrick Rose, the reigning MVP of the league. It could be a big night for Rose in the Big Apple.

Friday

Heat 76ers Odds (7:00 PM ET): Philadelphia may be the biggest surprises in the league, but they’ve fallen well short when going up against quality competition such as Miami, who thumped the 76ers at home in December. If the 76ers are going to be considered a legitimate threat in the East, they’ll need to pull out wins against these types of opponents, especially at home, so this should be a matchup to check for at sports betting sites.

Monday

Thunder Clippers Odds (10:30 PM ET): Oklahoma City was thought to be the favorites in the Western conference this season if they could hold off teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas, but then the Clippers picked up Chris Paul and now they’re a contender at all sportsbooks from 5Dimes to BetOnline. The two meet on Monday night at the Staples Center for the first time this season.

Tuesday

Senators Bruins Odds (7:00 PM ET): The NHL season resumes in Boston, and many players that buy bookie software are still trying to figure out if Ottawa is for real. Meanwhile, the Bruins are still trying to work through the Tim Thomas/White House flap and it’ll be interesting to see if he is in nets when the game starts; the rumor is that Boston is shopping their two-time Vezina winner because of this distraction.

Wednesday

UConn Georgetown Odds (7:00 PM ET): If you work with price per head software, you know that the Big East is the toughest conference in the country and has been for a while now. The Huskies take their talents to the nation’s capital on Wednesday night, and rankings and records and everything can get thrown out the window when these rivals get together. It’s always fun when you see UConn-Georgetown on the schedule.

Thursday

Bulls Knicks Odds (8:00 PM ET): New York has been the biggest disappointment in the NBA this year, and it’s not even certain that Mike D’Antoni will still be in charge by the time the Knicks host Chicago in the opener of the TNT doubleheader. However, both teams have been hit by injury so far this season (and they aren’t the only ones, due to the congested schedule) and hopefully, they will be as close to full strength as possible.

Friday

Heat 76ers Odds (7:00 PM ET): On the other hand, Philadelphia has been the biggest surprises in the league, but some are skeptical because they say the 76ers haven’t had a tough schedule, and they were already blown out by Miami earlier in the season to bring them back to earth. The 76ers will try to avenge that on Friday night at home against the Heat, who will hopefully have Dwyane Wade back in the lineup, but don’t hold your breath as his ankle injury isn’t healing very quickly. This is an excellent matchup to take you into Super Bowl betting weekend.

Few teams were more disappointed to see the All-Star break than the Pittsburgh Penguins. After being hit hard by injuries that caused the Penguins to nose dive in the Eastern Conference standings, the Penguins found itself on a seven-game winning streak that the All-Star break effectively stopped in its tracks. While some sports fans in Pittsburgh were hoping to have a hometown interest in this year’s Super Bowl betting, others were wondering how the Penguins would do without superstar Sidney Crosby. Aside from that stretch of games that the Penguins just could not seem to win, Pittsburgh has shown that it can win without Crosby in the regular season. A Crosby-less Pittsburgh team did not fare so well in last year’s playoffs, but at least the team made the post-season.

The Toronto Maple Leafs were the toast of the Northeastern Division for the first part of the season. Toronto was battling with the Boston Bruins for division supremacy until the Bruins pulled away and the Leafs started to tumble. The price per head sportsbook experts were extremely surprised by the Leafs’ start and are even more surprised to learn that goaltender Jonas Gustavsson had wrestled the starting goalie spot from James Reimer. Nothing ever seems to be consistent in Toronto and the landscape is always changing. But as long as the Leafs keep winning, the fans do not mind needing a program to determine who is on the ice and starting the game.

Pittsburgh Penguins

A 5 dimes review of the Penguins’ season to this point shows a roller coaster ride that has seen extreme highs and lows. The team thought it was back on track when Sidney Crosby was able to come back around Christmas, but that was short-lived as Crosby was out again within 12 games and he has not returned. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury was also having issues for a stretch of games that saw him give up goals he does not normally give up. But the team has hung together and worked through the problems. After losing three consecutive games earlier in January, the Pens went on a 7-0-0 run to bring its record up to 7-3-0 in the last 10 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs have a two-game winning streak of its own going, but a record of 6-4-0 in the last 10 games shows that Toronto is having problems with consistency. The Leafs keep jumping back and forth between starting goaltenders which does not give the defense a chance to settle in to any kind of comfortable routine. The Leafs are a talented team that plays hard. But it will need to get back to the things that worked earlier in the season if it wants to make the playoffs.

The Bottom Line

Toronto and Pittsburgh were just starting to turn things back around when the All-Star break stopped them. The Penguins are the most likely to be able to pick up again and keep winning, but the Leafs won’t make it easy.

Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins

It would be a mistake to underestimate the Detroit Red Wings just because a game happens to be played outside of Joe Louis Arena. At home, the Red Wings have won 17 straight games and are approaching the all-time consecutive home win record of 20 posted by the 1929-30 Boston Bruins and the 1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers. Since the Superbowl betting in Detroit lost its luster when the Lions got knocked out of the playoffs, the sports attention of Detroit has been turned to the Red Wings. The Red Wings have had competitive teams for many years, but none of the recent teams has even approached the level of regular season success that this team is enjoying.

The Montreal Canadiens are the only team in the Eastern Conference with a losing home record at 8-9-7. Even the last place Buffalo Sabres have a home record of 11-9-5. Montreal’s problems at home and on the road have been well-documented, and the variety of solutions the front office has employed to get the team going have been mystifying. From trading a player in the middle of a game to firing an assistant coach for seemingly no reason during the morning skate, the price per head bookie experts are wondering if the Montreal Canadiens have the know-how and ability to pull themselves out of this slide it is in. As always, the pressure to win in Montreal is intense. But things get much worse when bad decisions are being made.

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings have lost only two games at home all season long, but it has lost 13 games on the road. The Red Wings are clinging to a 13-13-0 road record and trying desperately to make sure that the Western Conference playoffs have to go through Detroit for all of the rounds. The Red Wings do not want to have to rely on winning road games to win the Stanley Cup. A 5 dimes review of the stats for the regular season so far show that the Detroit Red Wings have a +48 in goal differential this season, which is second in the league behind Boston’s +71. Detroit has a balanced attack and plays a solid game. It just needs to learn how to translate that to road games.

Montreal Canadiens

When the wheels started coming off of the Montreal Canadiens’ train, it was a complete loss of wheels. Everyone from the head coach to the goaltender could not seem to do anything right. When the Canadiens brought in new head coach Randy Cunneyworth, he was criticized by the local Montreal media for not being able to speak French. It is a said and degenerative condition that pervades the Montreal Canadiens. The team needs to be completely re-tooled and the current front office may not be qualified to do that.

The Bottom Line

The Red Wings need a win on the road to boost its confidence and the Montreal Canadiens need a complete overhaul. This does not look like it will be a good night for the Montreal Canadiens in front of its home fans.

Pick: Detroit Red Wings

An Original Six showdown between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday will highlight a shortened week in the NHL. While the Red Wings are flying high at the top of the Western conference, the Canadiens are barely alive in the Eastern conference and fighting for something to hold on to. If Montreal is going to have any chance at turning their season around they will need to go on an extended run, and stringing together consecutive wins against Original Six opponents before the All Star break is a good place to start.

NBA Betting News: Lakers, Clippers Meet For Second Time Wednesday

The battle of Los Angeles has heated up in recent weeks with the Clippers emerging in the Western conference ahead of the Lakers, and with the two set to meet for a second time this Wednesday, it should get a ton of attention. Kobe Bryant’s 42 points weren’t enough for the Lakers in the first meeting between these teams, a 102-94 win for the Clippers, and Bryant will need his teammates to step up in a major way if they are going to have a chance to win the second meeting. A couple of other intriguing matchups for this week include the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics meeting for the second time this week on Thursday, and the New York Knicks heading to South Beach to take on the Miami Heat Friday.

Super Bowl Odds News: Patriots, Giants Rest With Pro Bowl Sunday Upon Us

While all of the coverage will be focused on a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and New York Giants, there will be over 100 of the most talented NFL players gathering in Honolulu, Hawaii for the 2012 Pro Bowl this Sunday. The Patriots and Giants will use this week to rest and get some practice in after New England opened up as three-point favorites for the biggest game of the year, and other than something noteworthy happening a those practices the line shouldn’t change much as weather conditions will not have an effect on the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. There should be more prop bets made available as the week progresses.

College Basketball Betting News: Tar Heels Host Wolfpack For In-State Showdown

The ACC schedule will feature an in-state showdown between the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels and North Carolina State Wolfpack on Thursday as two of the four one-loss teams in the conference meet for the first time this season. The Tar Heels bounced back from a devastating loss to the Florida State Seminoles with a win over Virginia Tech, but they lost Donald Strickland in that game with a torn ACL, and he will be out for the remainder of the season. North Carolina has the depth to push forward without him, and should be a good test for a Wolfpack team that has yet to play any of the other top four teams in the ACC.

Pat Barry (10-4) vs. Christian Morecraft (9-2) – Heavyweight

Barry is favored at -165 at BetOnline, while Morecraft comes in at +145 in a meeting of two heavyweights looking to avoid a pink slip; Barry has lost three of his last four, while Morecraft has dropped two of his last three. The odds are indicative of these two being very close on the UFC scale and it’ll probably be a short fight as well as Barry’s three losses as of late have come by KO or submissions (twice), while Morecraft has been knocked out twice.

Mike Easton (11-1) vs. Jared Papazian (14-6) – Bantamweight

Easton comes into this match as a -340 favorite, while Papazian is rated at +285 and players that use price per head sports services would likely chalk up these odds to the fact that it is Papazian’s UFC debut, while Easton has his debut in the octagon in October, even though it was his first fight in two years. This will be a huge step up in competition for Papazian, and sportsbooks are skeptical because he has only really fought in the lower levels of mixed martial arts, but that also makes him a dangerous underdog.

Duane Ludwig (21-11) vs. Josh Neer (32-10-1) – Welterweight

This is a close match to call for linesmakers, much like this weekend’s Super Bowl odds think it’ll be a tight game between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers. Ludwig is rated at -105, while Neer is listed at -115, and Neer is slightly favored because of a five-match winning streak, including his return to the UFC in October. Ludwig has won two in a row, both by decisions, while all five during Neer’s streak have come via stoppage (including four TKOs). The winner will likely get a shot on a pay-per-view in the near future.

Melvin Guillard (29-9-2, 1 NC) vs. Jim Miller (20-3) – Lightweight

The main event features two fighters looking to move up in a loaded 155-pound division, with Miller favored at -170 and Guillard comes in at +150. You would have to give Miller the edge simply based on styles; Miller is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with two “Submission of the Night” honors, while eight of Guillard’s nine losses have come via submission. Guillard is extremely explosive, but he can also be overconfident, which cost him dearly against Joe Lauzon in October. However, with his striking power, Guillard is a dangerous underdog in your online betting book.

Online Betting Overview

The Montreal Canadiens are having a very strange season. Earlier in the year, the Canadiens used one of its assistant coaches as a scapegoat and fired him during the morning skate. Then the Canadiens fired head coach Jacques Martin and replaced him with Randy Cunneyworth. The pay per head sportsbook experts in Montreal ignored the Canadiens’ desperate need for a better direction and focused solely on the fact that Cunneyworth could not speak French. That seemed like a big deal to the Montreal press. Then the Canadiens’ traded Mike Cammalleri in the second intermission of a game and pulled him from the locker room. Strange things are going on in Montreal.

The Capitals have not had an easier time this year. The Washington management tried to pin the team’s lack of success on head coach Bruce Boudreau and fired Boudreau earlier in the season. The problem is that rookie head coach Dale Hunter is not having any more success with the team than Boudreau did. But the sports bookie software is starting to notice a change in the Capitals that has not occurred with the Canadiens. Despite all of the personnel moves that Montreal has made, the Canadiens are still floundering in the basement of the Northeast Division. The Washington Capitals, on the other hand, is only one point out of first place in the Southeast Division.

Montreal Canadiens

The overriding problem in Montreal is not the coaching, even though the coaching staff has been taking the fall for the issues the team has been facing. A sportsbook.com review of the Canadiens’ roster shows small forwards and slow defensemen. Cammalleri was not traded because it made the team better, he was traded because he spoke out against the way the team was playing. Randy Cunneyworth is not going to have any success in Montreal so long as the Montreal front office remains more focused on the team’s image than the product on the ice. Goaltender Carey Price is struggling and the Canadiens cannot score goals. You need more than good coaching to solve those problems.

Washington Capitals

The Caps have suddenly come to life and seem to be responding to Dale Hunter’s system. In the last 10 games, Washington has gone 7-3-0 and that includes a three-game winning streak. But the Capitals are still being victimized by inconsistent goaltending. Tomas Vokoun was supposed to wrestle the starting job away from youngster Michal Neuvirth. Every time it seems like Vokoun has himself under control, he stumbles and Neuvirth needs to come in to save the day. That is something that the Capitals have seen before and it has hindered the team’s playoff success.

The Bottom Line

For all of its problems, the Washington Capitals are at least showing a glimmer of hope. The glimmer in Montreal is being clouded by insignificant bickering and decisions made based on emotion as opposed to what is best for the team.

Pick: Washington Capitals

Monday – Mavericks Lakers Odds, 10:30 PM ET

Lamar Odom returns to Los Angeles after a messy offseason split with the Lakers, and some sportsbook.com reviews will point out that this is the first meeting for the two since the Mavericks steamrolled the Lakers in a sweep en route to the title. Kobe Bryant has scored 40 points or more in four straight games, so the Mavericks have to figure out a way to slow down the Lakers’ superstar.

Tuesday – Michigan State Michigan Odds, 7:00 PM ET

These two may have been looking forward to this game as the Spartans lost at Northwestern, while the Wolverines were stunned at Iowa. Still, players that work with sportsbook software should check out this rivalry game as the Big Ten is up for grabs; Ohio State isn’t running away with the conference like most people expected, so not only are bragging rights on the line, but a chance to move up in the Big Ten as well.

Wednesday – Suns Knicks Odds, 7:30 PM ET

This matchup is interesting because New York coach Mike D’Antoni is under fire due to his team’s ineffectiveness, and he is also a former coach of the Suns. Phoenix’s Steve Nash is probably the only player in the league that could help the Knicks out of their funk as New York is falling out of favor with those that work with price per head sports software.

Thursday – Lakers Heat Odds, 8:00 PM ET

The game of the week comes from Miami, where there will be a slew of stars on the court, even though the Heat could be without the injured Dwyane Wade. It’s always an occasion when Bryant and the Heat’s LeBron James are on the court at the same time, and this will be advertised as a possible NBA Finals preview.

Friday – Lakers Magic Odds, 8:00 PM ET

Finally, the Lakers end a tough week in Orlando, where the storyline will surround Dwight Howard. The big center has been rumored to be on his way to Los Angeles for a while now, but the Magic held fast with their trade demands and now Howard is reportedly off the table, although we’re they could be talked into a deal if the Lakers made an offer. The matchup in the middle between Howard and the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum should decide this sport betting contest.

Monday

Mavericks Lakers Odds (10:30 PM ET): This will be the first time that the two clubs meet since Dallas swept the Lakers in humiliating fashion in last year’s playoffs. A BetOnline.com review would also tell you that it’s Lamar Odom’s return to Los Angeles after being traded in the offseason, so there is just one more subplot between these Western Conference rivals. Also, it’s the final game in a busy slate on Mart Luther King Day.

Tuesday

Michigan State Michigan Odds (7:00 PM ET): Neither team is being given much of a chance on the national stage according to those that work with price per head sportsbook services, but in the Big Ten they have a shot as the conference seems to be wide open. The Spartans weren’t even in the preseason top 25, yet find themselves at No.6 heading into the weekend, while the Wolverines are holding at No.13.

Wednesday

Capitals Canadiens Odds (7:30 PM ET): Washington was thought to be a Stanley Cup favorite by players that use price per head software, but they’re hanging onto the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as of Friday. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have fired their coach and traded arguably the best player, and along with the language issue that surrounds their head coach, these aren’t good times to be a Montreal Canadien fan.

Thursday

Lakers Heat Odds (8:00 PM ET): There isn’t much that needs to be said about this massive showdown; the Heat host the Lakers and there will be a ton of star power on the court with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh suiting up for Miami, while Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol will try to power the Lakers in the first game of the TNT doubleheader.

Friday

Lakers Magic Odds (8:00 PM ET): The Lakers then turn around and head to Orlando to face the Magic, who spent the offseason warding off their advances for center Dwight Howard, who is a free agent after the season and many feel he’ll end up in Los Angeles. Chances are, the Lakers would have to part with Bynum, who has been playing very well as of late, but he has a tendency to get hurt (and that is being generous). The center position will be a point of interest and a definite talking point in this matchup when you bet on sports on Thursday.