Sports Betting Overview

When the 2011-2012 NHL season started, the Anaheim Ducks and the Edmonton Oilers had high hopes. The Ducks were coming off an extremely successful season where the team made the playoffs and finished with 99 points in the standings. But with losses of key players and the mysterious decline of goaltender Jonas Hiller, the Ducks have plummeted to the bottom of the Pacific Division. The team fired its coach and brought in Bruce Boudreau and things improved for a couple of weeks. But when the honeymoon was over, the team sunk right back into the tank. Nothing seems to be going right in Anaheim, and there doesn’t appear to be any signs of it getting any better.

The Edmonton Oilers and its fans did not know what to expect this season. The pay per head sportsbook experts placed the Oilers at the bottom of the Western Conference in preseason polls. But the experts were shocked when the Oilers came flying out of the gate and started to rocket to the top of the Western Conference. After about a month, reality set in again and the Oilers started its climb back down the standings. Edmonton is that frustrating mixture of very young and veteran players that cannot seem to gel together. Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin started out with fantastic numbers, but then his performance fell off and the team followed him down the standings.

Anaheim Ducks

The price per head sports experts are wondering what has happened to Anaheim goaltender Jonas Hiller. In 35 games played this year, Hiller is 10-17-6. He is facing a lot of shots and that is causing his goals against average to balloon and his save percentage to drop. The Ducks need to put a defense around Hiller or else this season will be lost. There is only so much that Bruce Boudreau, or any coach, can do with a roster that is thin on defense. The Ducks are 4-5-1 in the last 10 games, but that does include a three-game winning streak. The team is hoping to extend that streak with this road game. The problem is that Anaheim is 3-10-5 on the road and not playing very good hockey away from home.

Edmonton Oilers

When the Edmonton Oilers crashed this season, it happened on the road. The Oilers are 6-16-1 away from home, which means that the World Juniors tournament that caused the Oilers to have to go on an extended road trip really hurt this young team. A sportsbook.com review of the season also shows that the team is missing the production of rookie sensation Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who has been injured on and off all season long. The goaltending in Edmonton is failing the team and the Oilers have gone 2-7-1 in the last 10 games as a result.

The Bottom Line

The NHL fans in Edmonton support their team no matter what. When Edmonton came bursting out of the gate at the beginning of the season, the fans were loving it. The fans did not get to see much of the collapse because it happened on the road. Edmonton is hoping to get its groove back with this home game.

Pick: Edmonton Oilers

Online Betting Overview

Those simultaneous hissing noises you hear coming from Washington, DC and Pittsburgh, PA are the air being let out of the Capitals’ and Penguins’ seasons. The Penguins used to be resilient. It used to be that Pittsburgh could at least be competitive without its captain Sidney Crosby. But the price per head bookie experts have watched the Penguins fall from the top of the Atlantic Division to fourth place. One of the more distressing thing for Penguins’ fans is that Pittsburgh is holding on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference by only one point. A little more stumbling and the Penguins could find itself on the outside looking in.

It has become extremely obvious by now that firing Bruce Boudreau as head coach of the Washington Capitals was not the answer to improving the team. The price per head sports experts would also like to point out that replacing Boudreau with rookie NHL head coach Dale Hunter was an even worse move. Hunter never had any leadership qualities when he was a player and that lack of leadership is spilling over into his head coaching style. The Capitals are afloat in a sea of mediocrity and it is hard to tell what can bring the team out of it. Even winning a couple of games last week did not seem to help. When things like this happen, fans look first at the coach and then the captain. The coach has been replaced, and team captain Alex Ovechkin is getting more and more disinterested by the day.

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins are still playing hard every night and it could just be going through a stretch where nothing is going right. A 5 dimes review of the Penguins’ last 10 games shows a record of 4-6-0. But that stretch includes a four-game losing streak where the Penguins cannot seem to do anything right. The fans in Pittsburgh need to be patient as Pittsburgh is only 10 points out of first place in the division. If there is a team in the NHL that has the capability to suddenly go on an extended winning streak, then that team would be the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Washington Capitals

For the first time in a very long time, the Washington Capitals have allowed more goals than it has scored. The other very noticeable attribute of the Capitals’ 2011-2012 record is that the NHL scores the Capitals are logging on the road are terrible. The Capitals are 7-12-1 on the road, but the team is 14-5-1 at home. The Capitals come into this game on a two-game losing streak and it is just one of many losing streaks the Caps have been on since Dale Hunter took over.

The Bottom Line

The Pittsburgh Penguins have shown an ability to fight back all season long despite long odds against them. The Washington Capitals have displayed signs of giving up at several points in the season. The goaltending with Tomas Vokoun has not panned out as it was supposed to and the Caps are not scoring. There is much more wrong with the Caps than just questionable coaching.

Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL Betting News: Injuries Take Away From Penguins, Capitals Rivalry

The outlook for this week’s rivalry game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals won’t have nearly the same fierceness to it with a handful of notable stars missing from the visitor side. Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby and defenseman Kris Letang remain out as they continue to battle concussion-like symptoms, with Jordan Staal and James Neal joining that group of injured players this past weekend. Despite the injuries the Penguins are still holding on to a playoff position in the Eastern conference in eighth place, while the Capitals are currently on the outside looking in from tenth. However, Washington can close the two-point gap between these teams with a win on Wednesday, as they continue to look for an identity under new head coach Dale Hunter.

NBA Pay Head News: Heat, Clippers Set To Explode Wednesday

While the talent assembled in South Beach remains one of the most interesting stories in the NBA today, the Los Angeles Clippers have broken through with a solid assembly of their own talent, as the additions of Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups have transformed them in to a legitimate contender. Paul is averaging over 15 points per game and close to 10 assists, while consistently making the highlight reel with some huge connections with Blake Griffin. Billups meanwhile is second only to Griffin in team scoring, and has been a calming influence on both sides of the floor. While it is still far too early to call a visit from the Miami Heat a preview of this year’s NBA finals, there should be a ton of explosive plays when Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh join Griffin, Paul, and Billups on the court.

College Basketball Betting News: Orange Attempt To Extend Undefeated Run Wednesday

After knocking off one of their toughest opponents so far this season in No. 20 Marquette on Saturday night, the top-ranked Syracuse Orange will have three days to prepare for their next game, as they travel to play the Villanova Wildcats on Wednesday. Villanova has just one win through its first four Big East games, and is .500 overall on the year, while Kris Joseph and the Orange have put together four straight wins to open the Big East portion of their schedule, and 17 straight overall. Meanwhile, the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats travel to Auburn on Wednesday in an SEC showdown, one day after the No. 5 Baylor Bears look to extend a perfect season of their own against No. 22 Kansas State.

Golf Betonline News: PGA Tour Lands In Hawaii This Thursday

The PGA Tour season will continue this Thursday in Honolulu, at the Waialae Country Club as Mark Wilson looks to defend his title. Steve Stricker looked good heading in to the final round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, with Webb Simpson not far behind, and both should be on hand and among the favorites with the $5.5 million purse up for grabs.

UFC fans will be familiar with the challenger in the main event of Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine on Saturday in Las Vegas, but he’s fighting in a lighter weight class. Here is a look at the odds for his match, although with three others from the main card.

Luke Rockhold (8-1) vs. Keith Jardine (17-9-2) – Middleweight

Rockhold, the Strikeforce champion at 185 pounds, is a massive -505 favorite, while Jardine comes in at +410 in his first match at this weight after fighting at 205 pounds in the UFC. It may seem like a BetOnline scam that Jardine is such a big underdog, but he earned a draw in his Strikeforce debut at 205 pounds and that was only because Gegard Mousasi lost a point. Rockhold took the belt from Ronaldo Souza in September, and he has won seven straight in Strikeforce.

Robbie Lawler (18-8, 1 NC) vs. Adlan Amagov (9-1-1) – Middleweight

Lawler may be familiar to some players that work with sportsbook software because he has fought in the UFC and Pride, and he is a teammate of UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. That has to be the reason why he is a -175 favorite against Amagov, who is rated at +155, and he is fighting on his first Strikeforce main card. Experience probably has something to do with the odds, but Lawler is 1-2 since returning to middleweight and he may be a gatekeeper for Amagov, who is looking to make a name for himself among MMA fans.

Muhammad Lawal (8-1) vs. Lorenz Larkin (12-0) – Light Heavyweight

This is a matchup similar to the Lawler-Amagov tilt as “King Mo” is a -500 favorite over Larkin, an up-and-comer who is listed at +405. Lawal is known to experienced players that purchase price per head software because of his accomplished wrestling background and MMA fans put a lot of stock into wrestling now. He was also the Strikeforce 205-pound champion for a few months, beating Mousasi before losing to Rafael Cavalcante, while Larkin (like Amagov) is fighting on a main card for the first time.

Tyron Woodley (9-0) vs. Jordan Mein (23-7) – Welterweight

Woodley is favored at -315, and this is likely based on his win over Paul Daley in July in which Woodley, who was known more for his wrestling, outstruck Paul Daley, who is known as one of the best 170-pound strikers in the world. Mein, from Canada, has a ton of experience, but this is his big shot as he knocked out Evangelista Santos in his first Strikeforce bout and this would definitely move him up in the standings. The welterweight title is vacant as Nick Diaz moved to the UFC, so this is a matchup that online betting players should watch for.

Online Betting Overview

There is something about the way that the New Jersey Devils play on the road that always has opponents concerned. In its last 10 games, the Devils are 7-2-1 but that does include an overtime loss on the road. But the Devils are a different team this year than last year. Jacques Lemaire is not behind the bench and it does not look like he will be ever again. That is just fine for the Devils because whatever Lemaire taught them last season seems to have stuck, somewhat. At this point last season, Lemaire had been behind the New Jersey bench for two weeks and the team was climbing out of obscurity. This season, under Peter DeBoer, the Devils sit in seventh place and are right in the middle of a playoff race. What a difference a year makes.

The Boston Bruins remain a defensive juggernaut with Zdeno Chara on defense and Tim Thomas in goal. According to the price per head sports experts, the Bruins have given up only 68 goals this season in 35 games played. The only other team that is even close to that kind of defensive play is the New York Rangers who have given up 79 goals in 37 games played. The Bruins struggled a little out of the gate, but it has turned up the heat and has become one of the price per head bookie favorites to win the Eastern Conference title this year.

New Jersey Devils

The Devils love to play that slow game that relies on the trap and the ageless skills of goaltender Martin Brodeur. But the Devils are finding that playing defense with an aging group that is slowing down is not easy when the rest of the league is picking up the pace. What has saved the Devils this season is that it has been able to keep games close while also scoring a little more than last year. Guys like Ilya Kovalchuk are starting to contribute a little more consistently than last season. The Devils will need to pick up the scoring pace if it wants to go deep into the playoffs, but the Devils’ style of play is perfect for playing a team like the Bruins. The patience that the Devils have will allow New Jersey to stand toe-to-toe with Boston in this game.

Boston Bruins

A sportsbook.com review of the Bruins’ season shows that the Bruins can score goals as well as prevent them. The Bruins have 123 goals scored in 35 games played, which puts Boston in the top-half of the league in goal production. The Bruins are a potent combination of defense and scoring that one would expect from a Stanley Cup champion.

The Bottom Line

NHL fans that are expecting a boring, defensive struggle in this game are going to be disappointed. This will be a hard-hitting game that will be a lot of fun to watch but probably won’ be too much fun to play. The Bruins’ ability to play defense and offense simultaneously is what gives Boston an edge over New Jersey in this contest.

Pick: Boston Bruins

NCAA football will receive the spotlight this week until the NFL playoffs starts on the weekend, and some hoops action on the college and NBA levels will take you into the weekend.

Monday

Rose Bowl Odds (5:00 PM ET): No.5 Oregon is a 4-point favorite at Bet Online in the “Granddaddy of Them All” in Pasadena, but No.10 Wisconsin has gained two points on them in regards to the spread in this meeting of the last two teams to lose the Rose Bowl.

Fiesta Bowl Odds (8:30 PM ET): No.3 Oklahoma State is a 4-point favorite over No.4 Stanford in a game that may be the most entertaining of the bowl season. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck is still being tipped to go first in the NFL draft, but he fell in the eyes of players that use bookie software and didn’t even win the Heisman, while the Cowboys feel they should be in the national-title game.

Tuesday

Sugar Bowl Odds (8:30 PM ET): No.13 Michigan is favored by 2.5 points over No.11 Virginia Tech, who are coming off a beating at the hands of Clemson in the ACC championship game, and the Wolverines have a much-improved defense, which has led them to the BCS in Brady Hoke’s first season as head coach.

Wednesday

Orange Bowl Odds (8:00 PM ET): The aforementioned No.15 Clemson Tigers are favored by a field goal over No.23 West Virginia, and this matchup features two coaches in Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and West Virginia’s Dana Holgorsen who are very aggressive in their play-calling, so this game could feature a lot of points.

Thursday

Michigan Indiana Odds (9:00 PM ET): The No.12 Hoosiers have to be moving up in the eyes of players that use price per head services after upsetting Ohio State, their second win over a top-two team this season. They should be the favorites at home against the No.16 Wolverines, who are on the ascent in the Big Ten, which has quietly returning to prominence with five teams in the top 25 this week.

Friday

Bulls Magic Odds (8:00 PM ET): Chicago has been touted as a team that should go after Orlando’s Dwight Howard, who is a free agent at the end of the season and will have to deal with questions about where he will play until the trade deadline, or he is moved. He will get a closer look at the Bulls when they come to town on Friday, and reigning MVP Derrick Rose is getting into the flow of the season. Expect a lot of discussion surrounding this game to be about the possibility of Rose and Howard pairing up in the Windy City, and it’s a game that should be checked out by online betting players.

NCAA football betting players and fans have a busy week ahead as the bowl season takes over, while a little hoops action from the NBA and NCAA ranks will keep you occupied as well.

Monday

Bowl Betting Madness: It all starts at noon as Houston takes on Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl, while 1:00 PM ET features three contests (that’s no BetOnline scam) as South Carolina and Nebraska meet in the Capital One Bowl, Michigan State and Georgia clash in the Outback Bowl, and Ohio State and Florida face off in the Gator Bowl. The Rose Bowl goes off at 5:00 PM ET with Wisconsin and Oregon, while Stanford and Oklahoma State wrap up the day in the Fiesta Bowl.

Tuesday

Sugar Bowl Odds (8:30 PM ET): Michigan is a 2.5-point favorite in the Sugar Bowl, and some players that use price per head software will point to the improvement of the Wolverines’ defense as the reason that they have returned to prominence under head coach Brady Hoke. However, Virginia Tech is coming off a terrible loss to Clemson in the ACC title game and they’ll be out to show they’re a better team than the one that got whipped by the Tigers twice in 2011.

Wednesday

Marquette Georgetown Odds (7:00 PM ET): Players that buy price per head software will tell you that the Big East is the toughest basketball conference in the country, and a pair of top-20 teams clash in the nation’s capital as Georgetown hosts Marquette. The Hoyas weren’t being thought of as a threat in the Big East, but a quick start has many jumping on their bandwagon.

Thursday

Heat Hawks Odds (8:00 PM ET): It seems that anytime Miami plays, it’s must-see-TV, and the Heat will be in Atlanta on Thursday night to take on the Hawks, who are the epitome of a mid-pack team. It doesn’t even matter if the Hawks beat the Heat on this night, Atlanta has struggled terribly in the playoffs and that should be their mission this season. With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in tow, the Heat will be fine.

Friday

Cotton Bowl Odds (8:00 PM ET): It’s not a BCS bowl, but the Cotton Bowl between Arkansas and Kansas State could end up being the best of the bunch. The Razorbacks are 7.5-point favorites in this meeting of top-10 teams, and the Wildcats still aren’t getting much respect around the country, so a win over an SEC team would be huge for their profile and they could end up cracking the top five with a victory over the Razorbacks. This will be an excellent contest for college football betting players.

Sports Betting Overview

If you like grudge matches, then you won’t want to miss this hockey game. When the Washington Capitals visited the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY last week, the team was still trying to adjust to the style of new head coach Dale Hunter. The team was also trying to slow its free fall in the standings as it now sits in third place in the Southeast Division, according to the price per head bookie experts. A team is a reflection of its coach, and Dale Hunter is remembered as one of the premier cheap shot artists in the history of the game. Hunter will always be remembered as the guy that seriously injured Pierre Turgeon after Turgeon had scored an important goal in the playoffs against the Capitals. Hunter was known more for his sneak attacks than his motivation and determination, which is why he is an interesting choice for the head coach of any NHL team.

The Buffalo Sabres are drowning as well. After new owner Terry Pegula all but promised Sabres fans the Stanley Cup when he bought the team, the price per head bookmaking stats show the Sabres currently out of the playoff race and falling fast. But the last time Buffalo played Washington, the Sabres were in complete control of the game for the first period and the third period. It frustrated the Capitals so much that they started taking Dale Hunter-like cheap shots at the Sabres’ players. The biggest offender was team captain Alex Ovechkin. Now the Sabres get a chance to address Ovechkin’s actions in the rematch. It could be that, or the Capitals get to avenge their loss to the Sabres last week. With these two teams, you never know.

Buffalo Sabres

There is nothing consistent about the Buffalo Sabres except for fan disappointment. The Sabres continue to lose games in bunches while throwing in the occasional win here and there. The Sabres’ defense is porous and the goaltending is indecisive. A betonline.com review of the Sabres’ record in the last 10 games shows a pathetic 3-5-2. It is hard to say what can turn this team around, but there are rumors floating around that changes could be in the air in Buffalo. The only problem is that there are so many issues to address that no one can guess as to what the changes will actually be.

Washington Capitals

The Caps look like they just don’t care. The players have already gotten one coach fired and look determined to get a second coach fired before the season is out. The NHL fans in Washington see the disinterested play of the team and that makes the fans disinterested. Dale Hunter was supposed to use his feistiness and energy to revitalize the team. The problem is that you can cheap shot a team into playing better. It requires real coaching skills.

The Bottom Line

These two teams have scores to settle and they both desperately need wins. The Capitals have been through change and it has not had any effect on its play. The Sabres know change is coming, but no one seems concerned. This could very well be the game that wakes both of these teams up.

Pick: Washington Capitals

Sports Betting Overview

The Washington Capitals are in trouble. As most people expected, firing head coach Bruce Boudreau and replacing him with rookie NHL head coach Dale Hunter was not the answer to the Capitals’ woes. The pay per head sportsbook experts do not seem phased by the recent challenges facing the Capitals as Washington is still a 6 ½ to 1 favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season. But anyone that has been watching the Capitals play lately has seen signs that this team is far from being a Stanley Cup contender. Team captain Alex Ovechkin is taking dumb penalties out of frustration and the Caps’ goaltending situation is not as stable as the team once thought. Tomas Vokoun is doing just fine, but Michal Neuvirth is not playing well at all. Vokoun cannot play every game this season, so Neuvirth is going to need to step up his game or get replaced.

By contrast, everyone has been able to see the Rangers play as of late thanks to the HBO series “24/7” that has been following the Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers as each team gets ready to compete in the 2012 Winter Classic. The thing that has been impressing the price per head sports experts about the Rangers is the consistency with which the Rangers play. The Rangers are tied for the lead in the Eastern Conference with those same Philadelphia Flyers mostly because the Rangers are a very well-balanced hockey team. The defense is steady and able to join in the offensive rush once in a while, and the offense is spreading the scoring around. When you back all of that up with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, then you have a very potent hockey team.

Washington Capitals

A betonline.com review of the Capitals’ last 10 games shows a record of 5-4-1. But it is the Caps’ overall road record that is raising eyebrows throughout the league. The Caps are 6-10-1 on the road and it looks like a completely different team when it is away from Washington, DC. At home, the Caps are 11-5-1 and play a completely different brand of hockey. The Caps score a lot of goals but it also gives up a lot of goals as well. If Washington wants to maintain its status as a Stanley Cup contender, then it will need to start playing better defense. This game against the Rangers is a chance for Washington to show that it can play the defense it needs to play to compete.

New York Rangers

The Rangers are riding a five-game winning streak and look like a John Tortorella coached team. They are aggressive but smart and always able to cover their mistakes in their own end. The Rangers have that level of discipline that the Capitals need. But the Rangers get their discipline from their coach. Henrik Lundqvist is having an all-star season and has to be considered an early candidate for the Vezina Trophy. But the Rangers are also getting some good play from backup Martin Biron as well. This is a very balanced hockey team that is able to lift itself up when it is having a bad night. It is up to the challenge of going into Washington and facing a good home team.

The Bottom Line

NHL fans in Washington really thought that they had a Cup contender on their hands the past few years. But now the frustration is starting to show on the players and the fans in Washington. This game is not going to help the demeanor of the hockey fans and players in Washington, DC.

Pick: New York Rangers

NBA Pay Head News: NBA Back In Full Swing This Week

With Christmas day, came a Christmas present to NBA fans that couldn’t wait to see their favorite superstars get back on the hardwood and show off their skill, and it didn’t disappoint. Carmelo Anthony put on a clinic in the clutch to help the New York Knicks knock off the Boston Celtics, while Derrick Rose was back in MVP-form as the Chicago Bulls squeezed past the Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, Lebron James and the Miami Heat destroyed the Dallas Mavericks in the moments after the defending NBA champions lifted their title banner, and for as small of a consolation prize as that might be it was nice to see them show some tenacity. Looking forward to the rest of the week and it should be another great game when the Heat return to Miami for their home opener against the Celtics on Wednesday, before traveling to Charlotte the next night. Meanwhile, the Lakers are back home on Thursday to host the Knicks, with the Mavericks continuing their home span on Friday against the Toronto Raptors to close out the opening week.

NHL Betting News: Canadiens Look To Find Identity As Road Trip Continues

With controversy ripping at the team from every angle, the Montreal Canadiens will look to quiet their critics somewhat as they continue their six-game road trip against the Ottawa Senators Tuesday, and then the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. The Canadiens lost five straight games heading in to the Christmas break and are now on the outside looking in for the Eastern conference playoff race. Montreal needs to break out of its funk and start winning games this week, and if they don’t it could spell the end for interim coach Randy Cunneyworth even before the Canadiens return home next week. Other key matchups for this week include a rematch of last year’s Western conference final between the Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks on Thursday, and a battle of two teams that could replace them in this year’s conference finals as the Detroit Red Wings play the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

NCAAF Betonline News: Belk Bowl Among Most Interesting This Week

Although neither the Louisville Cardinals or North Carolina State Wolfpack qualified for a BCS bowl, they both finished their respective years on fire and will fight one another in the upcoming Belk Bowl. Both teams have a ton of offensive flare and are red-hot, and it should make for an exciting and close contest. A couple of other key matchups include the North Carolina Tar Heels and Missouri Tigers in the Independence Bowl on Monday, and the California Golden Bears and Texas Longhorns in the Holiday Bowl on Wednesday.

NFL Sports Betting News: Looking Ahead To The Final NFL Sunday

With several playoff spots still open across the NFL heading in to the final weekend of the regular season, the setup for New Years day could not be more exciting. In the AFC, the Denver Broncos have lost two in a row, but could still clinch the West with a win over the Kansas City Chiefs at home on the final day. Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders are tied with them at 8-7, but host the San Diego Chargers and need a Broncos’ loss to pass them. If Denver doesn’t lose, then the Raiders still have hope in terms of a Wild Card spot, with the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans also still trying to catch the Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile in the NFC, it will be down to one game as the Dallas Cowboys face the New York Giants with the NFC East on the line.