The Great American Race is finally here! After months of waiting, the boys of NASCAR are finally back, and today, we’re going to be taking a look at the 2013 Daytona 500 odds and making our Daytona 500 race predictions and picks for what should be a remarkable start to the 2013 season.

The driver that everyone is going to be chasing after from the get go is the polarizing Danica Patrick (Current Daytona 500 Odds: 18 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). Love her or hate her, Patrick is going to be on the pole for the 500, and she is surely to be a fierce competitor. We have seen her win at the Indy Car level before, but never here with the big boys in the Sprint Cup. Patrick is the first woman to ever start on the pole for the Daytona 500, and she is trying to become the first woman to win it, too. Winning this race in her rookie season would be just about as shocking as when Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500. It’s been tough to win from the pole at Daytona in the past, but at least Patrick knows that she is going to be leading all of the boys to the start/finish line on Sunday afternoon in the Great American Race, which is a heck of a lot better than where she could have been starting, if she had even qualified at all.

2013 Daytona 500 Picks & Info
2013 Daytona 500 Date/Time: Sunday, February 24th, 2013, 1:30 (ET)
2013 Daytona 500 Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL
2013 Daytona 500 TV/Broadcast Coverage – Network: FOX

Last year’s champ of the 500 was Matt Kenseth (Current Daytona 500 Odds: 10 to 1 at 5 Dimes Sportsbook). Kenseth has had a great career here at Daytona, and he has already showed well at the Sprint Unlimited last weekend. He led 26 of the 75 laps, finishing in fifth place amongst the 19 drivers in the field. Kenseth has a pair of victories and a Budweiser Shootout victory to his name as well, and he is going to be a driver to watch for sure on the high banks of Daytona come Sunday afternoon for the Great American Race. Of course, do be aware that Kenseth only has an average finish of 19.8 in his 13 career 500s, but those two wins definitely speak loudly, especially since they have come in the last four years.

List Of Past Daytona 500 Winners (Since 2000)
2012 Daytona 500 Winner – Matt Kenseth (2)
2011 Daytona 500 Winner – Trevor Bayne
2010 Daytona 500 Winner – Jamie McMurray
2009 Daytona 500 Winner – Matt Kenseth
2008 Daytona 500 Winner – Ryan Newman
2007 Daytona 500 Winner – Kevin Harvick
2006 Daytona 500 Winner – Jimmie Johnson
2005 Daytona 500 Winner – Jeff Gordon (3)
2004 Daytona 500 Winner – Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
2003 Daytona 500 Winner – Michael Waltrip (2)
2002 Daytona 500 Winner – Ward Burton
2001 Daytona 500 Winner – Michael Waltrip
2000 Daytona 500 Winner – Dale Jarrett (3)

The one man that we haven’t spoken yet is the man that is favored to win the Daytona 500, Tony Stewart (Odds to Win the Daytona 500: 9 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). Stewart has never won the Great American Race, but he has come close on a number of instances. He has three Top 5 finishes and six Top 10s with an average finishing position of 17.9. Though none of that is particularly inviting, what does become interesting about Stewart is that he has won the Coke Zero 400 four times and has five Top 5 finishes. There really should be nothing all that different about the way the 400 is run from the 500 here at Daytona, save for the fact that it is later in the season and is a night race. The time might be here for the first owner/driver to get a win in the daylight at the Daytona 500.

1: #18 Danica Patrick
2: #24 Jeff Gordon
3: #29 Kevin Harvick
4: #4 Kyle Busch
5: #16 Greg Biffle
6: #5 Kasey Kahne
7: #42 Juan Pablo Montoya
8: #33 Austin Dillon
9: #48 Jimmy Johnson
10: #15 Clint Bowyer
11: #78 Kurt Busch
12: #20 Matt Kenseth
13: #14 Tony Stewart
14: #55 Mark Martin
15: #2 Brad Keselowski
16: #27 Paul Menard
17: #13 Casey Mears
18: #31 Jeff Burton
19: #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
20: #1 Jamie McMurray
21: #22 Joey Logano
22: #34 David Ragan
23: #47 Bobby Labonte
24: #9 Marcos Ambrose
25: #38 David Gilliland
26: #43 Aric Almirola
27: #87 Joe Nemechek
28: #17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
29: #26 Michael Waltrip
30: #7 Dave Blaney
31: #95 Scott Speed
32: #35 Josh Wise
33: #21 Trevor Bayne
34: #39 Ryan Newman
35: #11 Denny Hamlin
36: #99 Carl Edwards
37: #56 Martin Truex Jr.
38: #98 Michael McDowell
39: #32 Terry Labonte
40: #51 Regan Smith
41: #36 JJ Yeley
42: #83 David Reutimann
43: #93 Travis Kvapil

And then there’s the man that has a huge bone to pick after last year’s race, Jimmy Johnson (Current Daytona 500 Gambling Odds: 15 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Johnson was wrecked on the second lap of last year’s Daytona 500, and as a result, he finished 42nd. It was one of the six DNFs that Johnson had last year, but it certainly wasn’t the trend for the whole season. Remember that JJ also had five wins, which is why he is back in the saddle as the favorite to win the Sprint Cup this season. Johnson came back to Daytona last season and had another DNF, finishing 36th at the Coke Zero 400, and you can bet that he wants to leave a lot better impression on his fans here at Daytona this season than he did last season. Don’t count out the idea of the No. 48 driving into Victory Lane on Sunday.

2013 Daytona 500 Odds Courtesy of 5 Dimes Sportsbook (as of 2/24/13):
(Get a HUGE 50% Signup Bonus at 5 Dimes Sportsbook When Using This Link)
Kyle Busch 9 to 1
Matt Kenseth 9.50 to 1
Kevin Harvick 10.50 to 1
Tony Stewart 11 to 1
Jeff Gordon 13 to 1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 13 to 1
Jimmie Johnson 14 to 1
Greg Biffle 14 to 1
Brad Keselowski 14.50 to 1
Denny Hamlin 16 to 1
Clint Bowyer 20 to 1
Jamie McMurray 20 to 1
Danica Patrick 20 to 1
Carl Edwards 23 to 1
Joey Logano 23 to 1
Martin Truex Jr. 30 to 1
Ryan Newman 33 to 1
Jeff Burton 33 to 1
Juan Pablo Montoya 33 to 1
Mark Martin 40 to 1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 50 to 1
Paul Menard 80 to 1
Marcos Ambrose 100 to 1
Michael Waltrip 100 to 1
Trevor Bayne 100 to 1
Austin Dillon 125 to 1
Regan Smith 125 to 1
Aric Almirola 160 to 1
David Ragan 185 to 1
David Reutimann 185 to 1
Casey Mears 225 to 1
Bobby Labonte 225 to 1
Joe Nemechek 225 to 1
Scott Speed 225 to 1
Terry Labonte 225 to 1
JJ Yeley 225 to 1
Travis Kvapil 225 to 1
David Gilliland 275 to 1
Dave Blaney 275 to 1
Josh Wise 275 to 1
Michael McDowell 275 to 1

Daytona 500 Prop Bets & Matchups Courtesy of 5 Dimes Sportsbook (as of 2/24/13):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at 5 Dimes When Using This Link)
Winning Car Number Over 10.5 -560
Winning Car Number Under 10.5 +430

Winning Car Number Odds +155
Winning Car Number Event -175

Top 8 Driver Wins Daytona 500 -115
Bottom 35 Driver Wins Daytona 500 -105

Top 13 Driver Wins Daytona 500 -290
Bottom 30 Driver Wins Daytona 500 +245

Top 22 Driver Wins Daytona 500 -1800
Bottom 21 Driver Wins Daytona 500 +1150

Matt Kenseth Finishing Position Over 10.5 -120
Matt Kenseth Finishing Position Under 10.5 -110

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Finishing Position Over 12.5 +110
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Finishing Position Under 12.5 -140

Kyle Busch Finishing Position Over 12.5 +115
Kyle Busch Finishing Position Under 12.5 -145

Kevin Harvick Finishing Position Over 12.5 +140
Kevin Harvick Finishing Position Under 12.5 -170

Jeff Gordon Finishing Position Over 12.5 -115
Jeff Gordon Finishing Position Under 12.5 -115

Brad Keselowski Finishing Position Over 12.5 -125
Brad Keselowski Finishing Position Under 12.5 -105

Carl Edwards Finishing Position Over 14.5 -145
Carl Edwards Finishing Position Under 14.5 +115

Danica Patrick Finishing Position Over 22.5 -130
Danica Patrick Finishing Position Under 22.5 +100

Odds to Win 2013 Daytona 500 @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 2/24/13):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at Bovada.lv When Using This Link)
Tony Stewart 17 to 2
Kevin Harvick 9 to 1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 10 to 1
Jeff Gordon 10 to 1
Kyle Busch 11 to 1
Matt Kenseth 11 to 1
Jimmie Johnson 14 to 1
Brad Keselowski 15 to 1
Kasey Kahne 15 to 1
Denny Hamlin 16 to 1
Greg Biffle 16 to 1
Danica Patrick 18 to 1
Clint Bowyer 20 to 1
Carl Edwards 22 to 1
Jamie McMurray 30 to 1
Jeff Burton 30 to 1
Joey Logano 30 to 1
Martin Truex Jr. 30 to 1
Ryan Newman 33 to 1
Austin Dillon 40 to 1
Juan Pablo Montoya 40 to 1
Kurt Busch 40 to 1
Mark Martin 40 to 1
Paul Menard 45 to 1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 45 to 1
Trevor Bayne 45 to 1
Marcos Ambrose 60 to 1
Michael Waltrip 66 to 1
Aric Almirola 80 to 1
Casey Mears 100 to 1
David Ragan 100 to 1
David Reutimann 100 to 1
Regan Smith 100 to 1
Bobby Labonte 150 to 1
Terry Labonte 150 to 1
David Blaney 200 to 1
David Gilliland 200 to 1
JJ Yeley 200 to 1
Joe Nemechek 200 to 1
Josh Wise 200 to 1
Michael McDowell 200 to 1
Scott Speed 200 to 1
Travis Kvapil 200 to 1

Trying to make BracketBusters picks is always one of the toughest things to do of the season, as some of the top schools from the non-Big Six conferences engage in battle and they are tough to pit against each other. Check out the 2013 BracketBusters Schedule, along with the college basketball schedule on TV for this awesome event, as well as the most important college basketball matchups to watch out for as we head towards BracketBusters weekend.

North Dakota State @ Akron
(Friday 2/22, 7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
Neither the Bison nor the Zips are likely to get into the NCAA Tournament without their conference title in tow, which is a shame. We truly believe that these are both amongst the Top 50 teams in America. The Zips have a lot more to prove here, having to play at home for BracketBusters, and they are going to be the team to focus on. The MAC has had a good history in the NCAA Tournament of late, and this is a team that you are going to want to learn a thing or two about come March.

Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks @ Long Beach State 49ers
Friday 2/22, 9:00 p.m. ET, ESPNU)
This is an unfortunate matchup for the Lumberjacks. Had they picked up a massive matchup against a team like St. Mary’s, this could have suddenly become a team to watch out for as an at large bid to the dance. At 21-3, this is a team that has a chance to really make a great run in March out of the Southland, but in all likelihood, this is a game that the team will really want to win. LBSU has a chance to win the Big West this year, but this is a conference that isn’t nearly as good this time around as it has been in years past.

Iona Gaels @ Indiana State Sycamores
Saturday 2/23, 11:00 a.m. ET, ESPNU)
The Sycamores are right there on the cut line right now for the NCAA Tournament, and they really can’t be happy about this matchup. Iona is a high flying team that has the ability to take down anyone in America, but in the end, a victory will only look so-so, and a loss would look devastating. The whole Metro Atlantic is down this year, so don’t think that just because Iona made the dance last year as an at large team means that it is going to be the better side in this one. The Sycamores will be heavily favored on the college basketball odds and should win the game.

Detroit Titans @ Wichita State Shockers
Saturday 2/23, 4:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN2
All eyes have been on Valpo in the Horizon League, but after winning on the road at the Crusaders on Saturday, the resume for Detroit isn’t all that bad. Remember that the team does have a win over Akron and several close calls against teams like Valpo (the first time around), Syracuse, and St. John’s. It’s a shame that none of those games turned out to be wins, because this would be a serious at large contender if that turned out to be the case. Wichita State is the better of these two teams, but the Missouri Valley is a tough conference that has bred some very good teams over the years. The Shockers are going to have their hands full and they know it. The difference is that there is no doubt whatsoever that they are going to ultimately be dancing.

Creighton Blue Jays @ St. Mary’s Gaels
Saturday 2/23, 6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN2
Here’s the game that is the big daddy of them all. The Gaels were given a tremendous gift by getting a home game against the Blue Jays, as this win could make up for the team’s deficiencies against Gonzaga in two meetings thus far on the season. In the event that the high flying Gaels get this one, they will be in the dance in all likelihood regardless of what happens in the WCC Tournament. Creighton doesn’t need this game for the sake of dancing, but it would be really nice if the club ultimately had a win like this one to try to stay on the Top 5 lines of the bracket when push comes to shove.

Ohio Bobcats @ Belmont Bruins
Saturday 2/23, 10:00 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Ohio’s survival win over Kent State at least keeps it in the at large discussion, and if this is a game that turns out to be won, bubble dwellers are going to be a little concerned. The Bobcats have a respectable resume, but no real powerhouse wins to show for their work this year. Win this one and get Akron next week, and this could be a team to watch. Belmont though, is largely looked upon as one of the best non-Big Six schools in the game. The Bruins have a tremendously efficient offense, scoring 77.1 points per game, and they really cannot afford another slip in this one after losing to both Tennessee State and Murray State in a matter of just seven days. The Bruins might be on the right side of the bubble right now even without the OVC crown, but getting this one is a must if that is going to stay the case.

The NBA schedule just wrapped up its first half of the season, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are making our All-Star Game predictions for which man will beat the odds to win the MVP of the All-Star Game in Houston on Sunday night.

There really are only a handful of players that we think can legitimately win this award, and we would have no problem backing these four men that we are going to highlight against the field without hesitation. The man in the West that is going to be the most likely hero is the man that won the MVP award in the All-Star Game last year, Kevin Durant (Current All Star Game MVP Odds: 11 to 2 at Bovada Sportsbook). Durant never has fear putting the ball up, and he is one of the most respected shooters in the game. We’re inevitably going to see the Oklahoma City standout throw down some dunks and jack up tons of threes, and in the end, we expect to see him score somewhere in the neck of the woods of the 36 points that he had in last year’s game in Orlando to take the honor.

Next in line in the Western Conference is clearly going to be Kobe Bryant (Current Odds To Win All-Star Game MVP: 15 to 2 at Bovada Sportsbook). Kobe is the vet of this game, and he has made a tremendous habit out of being the man of the hour when push comes to shove. The argument could have been made last year for him to be the MVP of this game for the second straight season, as he scored 27 points and knocked down some huge shots. Bryant not only was the MVP in 2011, but he was the co-MVP in 2009 and the MVP in 2007. (For the record, Bryant won his first All-Star Game MVP award in 2002.) If you just keep following the “every other year” thing, Kobe could be in for a big time performance. If the Western Conference wins this game, it’s tough to see how either Durant or Bryant won’t ultimately win the MVP award.

List Of Past NBA All-Star Game MVPs (Since 2000)
2012 – Kevin Durant
2011 – Kobe Bryant
2010 – Dwyane Wade
2009 – Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant
2008 – LeBron James
2007 – Kobe Bryant
2006 – LeBron James
2005 – Allen Iverson
2004 – Shaquille O’Neal
2003 – Kevin Garnett
2002 – Kobe Bryant
2001 – Allen Iverson
2000 – Tim Duncan/Shaquille O’Neal

Shifting our attention to the Eastern Conference, it is clear again, that there should only be two teammates that have a chance at claiming glory. LeBron James (Up To Date All Star Game MVP Bettng Lines: 6 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook) is the obvious choice. He scored 36 points in last year’s All-Star Game, and he would have been the MVP had he stepped up and knocked down the three-point shot at the end of the game instead of dishing it off and watching as a teammate failed at a last ditch effort instead. The bottom line with James right now is that he is on such remarkable fire, it’s not even funny. He has seven straight games with at least 30 points scored, and he is shooting the daylights out of the basketball. If the basket keeps looking like a beach ball could fit through it, we wouldn’t put it beyond James to put up 40, or even maybe 50 points in this one in spite of the fact that his teammates are inevitably going to have to score a ton of points as well.

With Head Coach Erik Spoelstra calling the shots though, we know that we have to give at least a little bit of play to Dwyane Wade (All-Star Game MVP Odds: 12 to 1 at Bovada Sportsbook). There are others such as the hometown hero, James Harden and Russell Westbrook that have a shot on the Western Conference team, but if Carmelo Anthony really is slowed by a hand injury or cannot play in the game, we just don’t know where the scoring is coming from on the Eastern Conference team. Last season in the All-Star Game, Wade almost quietly had a triple-double in defeat, putting up 24 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists. He has the ability to do it all, just like LeBron does. We really do believe that a split MVP would be about as good of a chance as Wade has against his teammate from South Beach, but we still think that there has to be better than a one in 12 chance that the man from Marquette walks away with the MVP trophy from this game in the Lone Star State.

Odds to Win 2013 All Star Game MVP @ Bovada Sportsbook (as of 2/14/13):
(Get a HUGE 50% Bonus at Bovada.lv When Using This Link)
Kevin Durant 11 to 2
LeBron James 6 to 1
Kobe Bryant 15 to 2
Blake Griffin 14 to 1
Carmelo Anthony 9 to 1
Dwyane Wade 12 to 1
Chris Paul 15 to 1
James Harden 9 to 1
Kyrie Irving 15 to 1
Dwight Howard 18 to 1
Russell Westbrook 18 to 1
Kevin Garnett 20 to 1
Tony Parker 20 to 1
Jrue Holiday 25 to 1
Brook Lopez 25 to 1
LaMarcus Aldridge 25 to 1
Chris Bosh 30 to 1
Paul George 35 to 1
Zach Randolph 35 to 1
David Lee 45 to 1
Luol Deng 45 to 1
Tyson Chandler 50 to 1
Joakim Noah 50 to 1
Tim Duncan 60 to 1

The 2013 NBA Dunk Contest odds are posted all over the internet. This isn’t quite the spectacle that it once was when some of the biggest stars of the game were partaking in the event, but it is still one that we think is quite intriguing and has some great NBA betting possibilities. Join us today, as we analyze the 2013 NBA Slam Dunk Contest field and the dunk competition odds at this weekend’s All-Star Game.

2013 All Star NBA Dunk Contest Picks & Info
2013 NBA Dunk Contest Date/Time: Saturday, February 16th, 2013, 8:00 (ET)
2013 NBA Dunk Contest Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
2013 NBA Dunk Contest TV Coverage – Network: TNT

The favorite to win the dunk competition is little used New York Knicks’ James White (Slam Dunk Contest Odds: 5 to 4 @ Bovada Sportsbook). White was out of the NBA for a few years and was mired in the D-League, but now, he is back with New York and is averaging right around six minutes per game… when he gets on the court. He has only been active in 34 games on the campaign. Of course, this is a man that is talking big from the Big Apple, as he says that he has “five dunks that will get a 50.” Those are big words from a man who is just a 6’7″ guard/forward without all that much of an NBA career. We do give this much to White, though. At least he was a Rocket once upon a time in the 2008-09 season, and that can’t hurt his cause.

Next comes a man who claims that no one really “know what I’m capable of,” the Toronto Raptors’ Terrence Ross (Odds to Win the 2013 Slam Dunk Contest: 7 to 2 @ Bovada Sportsbook). We do know that Ross can jump out of the building, and we know that this is his biggest moment thus far in his professional career. Ross is only playing around 17 minutes per game for the Raptors, but at least he is a reasonable contributor. He’s averaging 6.4 points per game. Of course, he only has a handful of dunks on the season and isn’t necessarily known as a dunker, which is why people are really doubting what his abilities really are at the rack.

List Of Past NBA Slam Dunk Contest Winners
2012 – Jeremy Evans
2011 – Blake Griffin
2010 – Nate Robinson
2009 – Nate Robinson
2008 – Dwight Howard
2007 – Gerald Green
2006 – Nate Robinson
2005 – Josh Smith
2004 – Fred Jones
2003 – Jason Richardson
2002 – Jason Richardson
2001 – Desmond Mason
2000 – Vince Carter
1997 – Kobe Bryant
1996 – Brent Barry
1995 – Harold Miner
1994 – Isaiah Rider
1993 – Harold Miner
1992 – Cedric Ceballos
1991 – Dee Brown
1990 – Dominique Wilkins
1989 – Kenny Walker
1988 – Michael Jordan
1987 – Michael Jordan
1986 – Spud Webb
1985 – Dominique Wilkins
1984 – Larry Nance

Gerald Green (2013 Slam Dunk Odds: 4 to 1 @ Bovada Sportsbook) is up next at 4 to 1. We have seen Green throw down his share of dunks in his career, like this shot at the top of this article when he was with the Boston Celtics. This is his first chance to shine right now on this type of stage, and he is going to be representing his newest team, the Indiana Pacers. Green is only good for 6.6 points per game this year and is used in a reserve role for sure, but he is going to be a very interesting man to try to watch in this competition.

No one could convince the actual LeBron James to join the NBA Dunk Contest, so instead, the competition got the man known as “Mini LeBron,” Eric Bledsoe (Odds to Win the Slam Dunk Contest: 5 to 1 @ Bovada Sportsbook) of the Los Angeles Clippers. Bledsoe is clearly the best player of the bunch this year, but this isn’t a competition that is won and lost by great players. It’s won and lost by the flashiest man in the bunch. At just 6’1″, Bledsoe is clearly the smallest man in the competition. It worked for Nate Robinson for all those years though, and it certainly could be the factor that gets Bledsoe the crown as well. Of the six men in the slam dunk contest, Bledsoe is probably the one that we would want to back the most with the most value.

The biggest man with the most dunks on the campaign of all of the competitors is one of the two top underdogs as well. The Denver Nuggets are sending Kenneth Faried (Dunk Contest Odds: 8 to 1 @ Bovada Sportsbook) to the All-Star Game to be a part of the dunk contest, and for good reason. The man from Morehead State has really thrown down some massive dunks in his day, and he can absolutely leap out of a building. If anyone is going to be able to replicate some of the dunks that Dwight Howard has had from his days in the dunk contest, Faried is the man to do it. Faried ranks sixth in the NBA this year with 90 total dunks, and that experience should come in handy.

What’s most interesting is that the man that is the defending champion of this event, Jeremy Evans (Jeremy Evans Dunk Competition Odds: 8 to 1 @ Bovada Sportsbook) is tied as the longest shot on the board in this contest. He is the only man with any dunk contest experience, and he won the honor last year as a late entry in place of Iman Shumpert. Evans was the biggest underdog on the board last year as well though, and there is no doubt that he is going to be the man that has his eye on the prize in the biggest of ways. He threw down some awesome jams last year, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store this season.

2013 Slam Dunk Contest Odds @ Bovada.lv (as of 2/14/13):
(Get a HUGE $100 Free Bet at Bovada When Using This Link)
James White (New York Knicks) 5 to 4
Terrence Ross (Toronto Raptors) 7 to 2
Gerald Green (Indiana Pacers) 4 to 1
Eric Bledsoe (Los Angeles Clippers) 5 to 1
Jeremy Evans (Utah Jazz) 8 to 1
Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets) 8 to 1

The 3 Point Shootout odds are posted at some of our top sportsbooks, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to take our best long range shot on the contenders for the three point contest odds at this year’s All-Star Game!

2013 All Star NBA Three Point Shootout Picks & Info
2013 NBA Three Point Shootout Date/Time: Saturday, February 16th, 2013, 8:30 (ET)
2013 NBA Three Point Shootout Location: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
2013 NBA Three Point Shootout TV Coverage – Network: TNT

There are some tremendous sharpshooters that are going to be taking aim at the three-point shooting title this year, and the man that is the favorite is the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (Three Point Contest Odds: 5 to 2 @ UCA Bet Sportsbook). Curry is one of the top three-point shooters in the league, and he is averaging over three triples per game thus far in the regular season. The man from Davidson has always had a knack for shooting the long ball, and he can catch fire like few in the NBA can. This is the second time that Curry has been in the competition, and he is going to hope to make this a special competition. Neither he nor his father ever won a Three Point Shootout, and the hope is that this is a first for the family in its combined fourth try.

With defending champion Kevin Love on the shelf with a hand injury, there isn’t a man that has ever won this title shooting on Saturday night. That’s why it becomes interesting to back a man like Steve Novak (Odds to Win the 2013 Three Point Contest: 5 to 2 @ UCA Bet Sportsbook) of the New York Knicks. Remember that Novak does literally nothing but shoot three-pointers for the Knicks. Last year, he averaged 5.2 three-point attempts per game and 6.2 total shots per game. This year, the split is just about the same. He is averaging 1.1 shots per game from inside the arc and 4.4 shots per game from the outside. Novak can has knocked down well over 46% of his three-point shots over the course of the last three seasons, and that’s one of the highest percentages that you will see, not just now, but ever in NBA history.

Ryan Anderson (2013 Three Point Contest Odds: 4 to 1 @ UCA Bet Sportsbook) is back for the second straight season in this competition. He leads the NBA in three pointers made this year with 156, and he is sure to be one of the top guns in this one. Anderson has attempted a whopping 811 three-point shots in his last 113 games over the course of the last two seasons, and there really isn’t anyone in the NBA that comes even close to that mark. Don’t get fooled by the fact that Anderson is darn near seven feet tall. He is the real deal from long range, and that’s why he is such a terror to try to guard now that he is with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

List Of Past NBA Three Point Contest Winners
2012 – Kevin Love
2011 – James Jones
2010 – Paul Pierce
2009 – Daequan Cook
2008 – Jason Kapono
2007 – Jason Kapono
2006 – Dirk Nowitzki
2005 – Quentin Richardson
2004 – Voshon Lenard
2003 – Peja Stojakovic
2002 – Peja Stojakovic
2001 – Ray Allen
2000 – Jeff Hornacek
1998 – Jeff Hornacek
1997 – Steve Kerr
1996 – Tim Legler
1995 – Glen Rice
1994 – Mark Price
1993 – Mark Price
1992 – Craig Hodges
1991 – Craig Hodges
1990 – Craig Hodges
1989 – Dale Ellis
1988 – Larry Bird
1987 – Larry Bird
1986 – Larry Bird

The other man who is the third favorite in this contest along with Anderson is Kyrie Irving (Odds to Win the Three Point Contest: 4 to 1 @ UCA Bet Sportsbook). You don’t necessarily think of the second year man as one that shoots a ton of threes, but when you go back and look at his stats, you see a man that has knocked down 2.0 threes per game and is shooting 42.7 percent from long range. Over the course of his last nine games (coming into Wednesday night), Irving has knocked down 61.2 percent of his three-point shots, so we know that he can really get on fire in a hurry. The question is whether the stage is going to be too big for the Dookie. Irving can do it for his Cleveland Cavaliers, but he isn’t necessarily going to be able to light it up with no one guarding him.

There isn’t a hometown man from the Houston Rockets involved in this contest, so the Lone Star State crowd will probably gravitate towards the San Antonio Spurs’ Matt Bonner (Odds to Win the Three Point Contest: 5 to 1 @ UCA Bet Sportsbook). Bonner has been around in this league for a long time, but he has never been asked to be in this event in spite of the fact that it is what he does best for the Spurs. Over half of the shots that Bonner puts up are from long range, and this year, he is hitting 45.1 percent of those shots, one of the best percentages in the league. At 6’10”, Bonner is kind of a poor man’s Ryan Anderson, and he might be able to get the job done here in Houston to prove that he is one of the top three-point shooters in the whole league.

Finally, there is Paul George (2013 Three Point Shooting Competition Odds: 15 to 2 @ UCA Bet Sportsbook) of the Indiana Pacers. Here’s a very interesting case where a man was in the Slam Dunk contest last year and the three-point shootout this year. That’s a heck of a feat that not many have pulled off in the past. George is a great three-point shooter for the Indiana Pacers though, he is almost quietly hitting 5.8 triples per game in addition to the fact that he can leap out of the building and dunk the ball with ease. George is by far the worst shooter in this contest in terms of accuracy, as he is “only” knocking down 38.8 percent from downtown, but he still could be a force to be reckoned with come Saturday night.

Odds to Win 2013 NBA Three Point Shootout @ UCA Bet Sportsbook (as of 2/13/12):
(Get a big 170% NBA Betting Bonus at UCA Bet When Using This Link)

Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) 5 to 2
Steve Novak (New York Knicks) 5 to 2
Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers) 4 to 1
Ryan Anderson (New Orleans Hornets) 4 to 1
Matt Bonner (San Antonio Spurs) 5 to 1
Paul George (Indiana Pacers) 15 to 2

Complete List Of Current 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Odds Can Be Found Below

Any time the PGA Tour heads to Pebble Beach, you know that it is going to be a big weekend on the links. In one of the more fun events of the year, the top golfers and some of the more notable amateurs in the world will take on the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am odds and try to become the 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner!

After his remarkable performance last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the man that is clearly the favorite to win this week once again is Phil Mickelson (Current Pebble Beach Pro Am Odds: 6 to 1 @ SportBet / 100% Bonus if you click here). Lefty came out of the blocks firing a 60 last week in Phoenix, and he never looked back, ultimately shooting a whopping -28 to get the job done and claim his first tournament victory of 2013. This was the second time that Mickelson came out this year and fired a ridiculously low score, as he put up three rounds in the 60s in his first tourney of the year as well. It certainly looks like this is a man on a mission right now, and there is no doubt that Mickelson is going to have the goods to win anywhere he goes until further notice.

2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Picks & Info
2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Dates: Thursday, February 7th – Sunday, February 10th, 2013
2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Location: Pebble Beach Shore Course on Spyglass Hill, Pebble Beach, CA
2013 Odds To Win The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Favorite: Phil Mickelson (+600)
Defending AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Champion: Phil Mickelson
2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am TV Coverage – Network: Golf Channel, CBS

A man that has played incredibly good golf this year but hasn’t gotten that elusive victory quite yet is Brandt Snedeker (Odds To Win Pebble Beach Pro Am: 12.50 to 1 @ SportBet / 100% Bonus if you click here). Snedeker was the runner up last week behind Mickelson, shooting a -24. It was nothing to be ashamed of, nor was the fact that he ended up at -10 in the Farmers Insurance Open a week prior to that. There hasn’t been a tournament this year that Snedeker has entered that he hasn’t finished with at least a -10, and he has a whopping 12 rounds of golf out of his last 13 that have been in the 60s or better. Scores figure to be relatively low this week at Pebble Beach, and that has to play right into the hands of Snedeker, as he goes in search of his first win of the year after two second place finishes and a third place finish already this season.

List Of Past AT&T Pro Am (Pebble Beach) Winners (Since 2000)
2012 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Phil Mickelson
2011 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: DA Points
2010 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Dustin Johnson
2009 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Dustin Johnson
2008 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Steve Lowery
2007 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Phil Mickelson
2006 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Arron Oberholser
2005 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Phil Mickelson
2004 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Vijay Singh
2003 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Davis Love III
2002 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Matt Gogel
2001 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Davis Love III
2000 AT&T National Pebble Beach Pro Am Winner: Tiger Woods

In 2010 and 2009, Dustin Johnson (Current Pebble Beach Pro Am Odds: 8.50 to 1 @ SportBet / 100% Bonus if you click here) was the winner of this event. We’re wary of backing Johnson at this point in an event, knowing that he has had back to back terrible starts, including the fact that he withdrew from the Sony Open in Hawaii four weeks ago. However, the history here at Pebble Beach is undeniable for the youngster out of South Carolina. Johnson already has two wins here on this course, and he has a history of really playing well in California in general. Remember that Johnson did start out the year as well winning at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, and he could very well challenge for his second title this weekend at Pebble Beach, too.

He’s never won an event in his PGA Tour career, but we’re willing to take a stab this week on Charlie Wi (Odds To Win 2013 Pebble Beach Pro Am: 75 to 1 @ SportBet / 100% Bonus if you click here). We know that this is nothing more than a gut shot play here on the Korean-born golfer, as he has never won before playing with the big boys. However, he has really carded some respectable results thus far in 2013, not the least of which was the fact that he shot a 63 in the second round last week in Phoenix. Wi doesn’t have a Top 20 finish yet this year, but he does have a pair of finishes in the 30s, and that should serve him well this week. The time is coming when Wi is going to win his first PGA Tour event, and Pebble Beach has been the home of a lot of upset results in the past. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, but Wi’s needle is definitely shining a bit brighter to us than most are.

Current 2013 AT&T National Pebble Beach Odds @ SportBet Sportsbook) (as of 2/5/13):
(Get a HUGE 100% Bonus at SportBet When Using This Link)

Phil Mickelson 6 to 1
Dustin Johnson 8.50 to 1
Brandt Snedeker 12.50 to 1
Lee Westwood 16.50 to 1
Nick Watney 22 to 1
Padraig Harrington 26 to 1
Hunter Mahan 27 to 1
Jim Furyk 30 to 1
Webb Simpson 30 to 1
Robert Garrigus 32 to 1
Jason Day 36 to 1
Ryan Palmer 40 to 1
Aaron Baddeley 45 to 1
Brendon De Jonge 48 to 1
Jimmy Walker 48 to 1
Brian Gay 50 to 1
Tim Clark 50 to 1
Bryce Molder 65 to 1
Steve Marino 65 to 1
Brian Harman 70 to 1
John Mallinger 70 to 1
Charlie Wi 75 to 1
Harris English 75 to 1
Josh Teater 75 to 1
Matt Every 75 to 1
Vijay Singh 75 to 1
Kevin Na 80 to 1
Chris Kirk 90 to 1
Pat Perez 90 to 1
Fredrik Jacobson 95 to 1
Geoff Ogilvy 95 to 1
James Hahn 95 to 1
Seung Yul Noh 95 to 1
Ben Kohles 100 to 1
Billy Horschel 110 to 1
DA Points 115 to 1
Rafael Cabrera Bello 115 to 1
Sean O’Hair 115 to 1
Kevin Stadley 125 to 1
Rory Sabbatini 125 to 1
Kevin Streelman 135 to 1
Retief Goosen 135 to 1
Tom Gillis 135 to 1
Cameron Tringale 145 to 1
Casey Wittenberg 145 to 1
JB Holmes 145 to 1
Luke Guthrie 145 to 1
Tommy Gainey 145 to 1
Camilo Villegas 155 to 1
Bob Estes 165 to 1
Charley Hoffman 165 to 1
Patrick Cantlay 165 to 1
Kevin Chappell 175 to 1
Nicholas Thompson 185 to 1
Roberto Castro 185 to 1
Ricky Barnes 195 to 1
Brian Stuard 235 to 1
Jason Kokrak 235 to 1
Johnson Wagner 245 to 1
Matt Jones 245 to 1
Russell Knox 245 to 1
Scott Langley 245 to 1
Vaughn Taylor 265 to 1
Brian Davis 285 to 1
Davis Love III 285 to 1
Jerry Kelly 285 to 1
Ken Duke 285 to 1
Richard H. Lee 285 to 1
Rod Pampling 285 to 1
Jeff Maggert 295 to 1
Nathan Green 295 to 1
Steven Bowditch 295 to 1
Tag Ridings 295 to 1
William McGirt 295 to 1
Heath Slocum 315 to 1
Anders Romero 325 to 1
John Daly 325 to 1
Luke List 325 to 1
Nick O’Hern 335 to 1
Brendon Todd 345 to 1
Dicky Pride 345 to 1
Ted Potter Jr. 345 to 1
Chris Stroud 385 to 1
David Lingmerth 385 to 1
Greg Owen 385 to 1
Jordan Spieth 385 to 1
Matt Bettencourt 385 to 1
Robert Karlsson 385 to 1
Daniel Summerhays 415 to 1
Billy Mayfair 485 to 1
Brad Fritsch 485 to 1
Charlie Beljan 485 to 1
Erik Compton 485 to 1
Gary Christian 485 to 1
JJ Henry 485 to 1
James Driscoll 485 to 1
Jason Bohn 485 to 1
Joe Ogilvie 485 to 1
John Merrick 485 to 1
Justin Hicks 485 to 1
Kris Blanks 485 to 1
Mike Weir 485 to 1
Stuart Appleby 485 to 1
Alexandre Rocha 495 to 1
Alistair Presnell 495 to 1
Bobby Gates 495 to 1
Chez Reavie 495 to 1
Bill Lunde 585 to 1
Billy Andrade 585 to 1
Cameron Percy 585 to 1
DJ Trahan 585 to 1
David Duval 585 to 1
Joe Durant 585 to 1
Kelly Kraft 585 to 1
Lee Janzen 585 to 1
Morgan Hoffmann 585 to 1
Patrick Reed 585 to 1
Arjun Atwal 615 to 1
Scott Gardiner 645 to 1
Justin Bolli 655 to 1
Robert Streb 655 to 1
Tim Petrovic 685 to 1
Chris DiMarco 785 to 1
Darron Stiles 785 to 1
Peter Tomasulo 785 to 1
Doug LaBelle II 950 to 1
Lee Williams 950 to 1
Aaron Watkins 1,000 to 1
Andres Gonzalez 1,000 to 1
Bret Nutt 1,000 to 1
David Berganio Jr 1,000 to 1
Derek Ernst 1,000 to 1
Donald Constable 1,000 to 1
DH Lee 1,000 to 1
Eric Meierdierks 1,000 to 1
Fabian Gomez 1,000 to 1
Henrik Norlander 1,000 to 1
Jeff Gove 1,000 to 1
Jim Herman 1,000 to 1
Jin Park 1,000 to 1
Kevin Sutherland 1,000 to 1
Michael Bradley 1,000 to 1
Michael Letzig 1,000 to 1
Mitch Lowe 1,000 to 1
Neal Lancaster 1,000 to 1
Paul Haley II 1,000 to 1
Sam Saunders 1,000 to 1
Scott Brown 1,000 to 1
Scott McCarron 1,000 to 1
Shawn Stefani 1,000 to 1
Si Woo Kim 1,000 to 1
Steve Flesch 1,000 to 1
Steve LeBrun 1,000 to 1
Troy Kelly 1,000 to 1

The story for the 2012-2013 Los Angeles Lakers was supposed to be one of redemption and success. The team brought in arguably the most talented center in the league in Dwight Howard, and also added a future Hall of Fame point guard in Steve Nash, who is still chasing that illustrious first NBA title. Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace, Jordan Hill… It was all supposed to come together for a title in Tinseltown. However, as of February 3rd, the Lakers are just 21-26. They’re five games below .500 and are four games out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Bet Revolution has posted some great Los Angeles Lakers odds, including what their fate is going to be for the rest of the 2012-2013 season. Check it out!

Obviously, these NBA odds are showing just how bad of shape that the men in purple and gold really are. They went from a team that was once upon a time nearly the odds on favorite to win the Western Conference to a team that is -220 to miss the playoffs! Even if they do get in, the insinuation is there that -600 or so says that LA doesn’t get past the first round of the postseason. Getting in as one of the bottom seeds likely sets up a showdown with the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, or Los Angeles Clippers, all of which have played significantly better ball than the Lakers have this year.

So what’s the problem for the Lakers? Kobe is doing his scoring for sure. He is putting up 27.9 points, 5.4 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game, and he is knocking down a healthy 46.6 percent of his shots from the field. Over the course of the last several games, Bryant has proven that he can put the ball in his hands and get the job done as a distributor as well, something that Nash just hasn’t done this season. Granted, the numbers for Nash do look reasonable at 11.7 points and 7.7 assists per game, but the numbers just don’t tell the whole story of how he is really playing on the court, especially on the defensive end where he is truly a liability at this point in his career.

The numbers too, don’t suggest terrible things about D-12. It’s not like we didn’t know that he couldn’t shoot free throws before, though his 49.6 shooting percent from the charity stripe is just pathetic. However, what more could the Lakers ask for? Howard is averaging 16.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. The numbers just don’t show what he has really done on the court though, as he hasn’t come up with the big baskets when need be, and he clearly has gotten into it over and over again with Bryant, the undisputed leader of the team.

F Pau Gasol has basically been benched at this point by D’Antoni. He just doesn’t fit the high octane system, and F Earl Clark has replaced Gasol in the fold. Of course, with Howard out of the lineup injured, Gasol is playing the center position, where he is probably better served to play in D’Antoni’s system, just as F Amare Stoudemire did for years in Phoenix. The proof is in the pudding though, and the trade rumors have gotten to Gasol. He needs to be moved and moved for some younger pieces to the puzzle. The problem is that the market just isn’t entirely there for him, and trading Gasol will come at a discounted price for sure.

Now add into there that F Antawn Jamison has been spot, Hill is out for the year injured, and the rest of the bench features stiffs like Darius Morris, Steve Blake, and Chris Duhon, all of which are just terrible, and the equation just isn’t good for the Lakers.

We do ultimately think that they are going to get into the playoffs, as some of the teams that are holding onto spots right now just aren’t all that great. However, there is a clear divide between the Lake Show and the great teams in the Western Conference, and there is no doubt whatsoever that this team probably isn’t getting out of the first round of the playoffs, if it gets there at all.