Players Championship Betting – Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson Lurking

May 6th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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The Players Championship at Sawgrass in Ponta Vedra, FL started on Thursday afternoon, and plenty of questions surround the event.

The most notable is how Tiger Woods will do following his missing the cut with two brutal rounds of golf at the Quail Hollow Championship in his most recent appearance. Tiger’s most recent round of golf before coming to the TPC at Sawgrass was that woeful 79 at Quail Hollow in Round 2. Many felt as though Woods, who was only playing in his second event since returning to the course from his domestic disputes, was rusty and/or showing signs of decay in his game. However, no such rust was evident in the 2001 TPC champ in Round 1 on Thursday, as he shot two under par to finish the day four shots off of the pace.

That pace has been set by relative unknown J.B. Holmes and Robert Allenby, both of which fired -6 66s on the day. Holmes has only won on one golf course in his career on the PGA Tour, with that coming at the FBR Open. It’s a tournament that he has won twice, once in 2006 and once in 2008. Allenby, a veteran on the tour, hasn’t won an event since the 2001 Marconi Pennsylvania Classic. He has four career tour titles.

Eight golfers, including Kenny Perry, are tied at -5 for third place. There were 103 golfers that shot par or better on a day in which scores were very low at the TPC.

Phil Mickelson has an opportunity to become the #1 ranked golfer in the world if he can win this event, and he has gotten off to a great start as well, shooting a two under par to be tied with Tiger and a host of others in 37th position.

Last year’s champion of this event, Henrik Stenson shot a -3 69 to finish Round 1 in a great position just three shots off of the pace. There aren’t many multiple time winners at the TPC, as there are only five golfers that have ever pulled off the feat. Jack Nicklaus is the only man that has won three tournaments here at the TPC, while Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Davis Love III, and Hal Sutton are the others. Love shot -3 today and is the only multiple time winner that is playing in this event.

There are quite a few golfers that can join this elite list of multiple time winners at Sawgrass, including both Mickelson and Woods. 2006 champion Sergio Garcia went -3 on the day, while ’06 winner Stephen Ames is at -2 through 18 holes.

No matter who you plan on backing for your PGA Tour betting action at the TPC at Sawgrass, keep it locked to JustBet Sportsbook for all of the overnight lines prior to each day’s festivities.

Posted in Golf / PGA Tour   Comments Off on Players Championship Betting – Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson Lurking

Top 10 MLB Betting Money Makers (Through 5/4)

May 5th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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The Major League Baseball season is roughly 25 games old for most teams, and here at Bankroll Sports, we take a look at the top ten teams that have made your bankroll fatter during the first part of the MLB betting season.

1: San Diego Padres (+$810) – The Pads are still living off of the success of that eight game winning streak that they had two weeks ago. No one really believes that they are going to be able to contend this season. The time is going to come in the very near future that this squad becomes an automatic fade almost every time out, especially on the road where they won’t finish anywhere near the .500 that they’re at right now.

2: Washington Nationals (+$805) – The Nats are just a game back of the Philadelphia Phillies for the top spot in the NL East standings, and they’ve surprisingly now won 21 of their L/33 games overall dating back to last year. The bullpen is making the difference, as the unit has a 4.05 ERA, while closer Matt Capps is 11/11 in save chances. Until the oddsmakers catch on, this could be a sneaky team to continue backing, especially at home where Washington is 8-6 on the season.

3: Tampa Bay Rays (+$785) – The team with the best record in baseball is also amongst the top money teams as well. Thank Tampa Bay’s road efforts for that, as the Rays are 10-1 and +$1,040 away from Tropicana Field, which is a drastic switch from the year that they went to the World Series when they were just mutilating teams on their home turf. Tampa Bay is for real, but this money making opportunity might be gone by now, as it seems as though the books have figured it out, making it hefty favorites, particularly at home.

4: New York Yankees (+$650) – It’s amazing that the Evil Empire seems to find a way to make money every single season for MLB betting fans, and this year will probably be no exception. At 18-8 through 26 games, the Bronx Bombers are on fire, and if they keep up their 9-2 start at Yankee Stadium, it’s going to be very difficult to line their games this year.

5: St. Louis Cardinals (+$595) – Manager Tony LaRussa’s team already has its playoff travel plans booked, as it is five games in front of Cincinnati and Chicago in the NL Central standings. However, that doesn’t mean that this will be a money making team on a regular basis this year. The Cards are frequently overrated by the oddsmakers, and the reason that they are in such great shape right now is thanks to a 10-3 home record.

6: Minnesota Twins (+$585) – The Twins have been the model of consistency this year for MLB betting fans, as they are +$315 in their new home, Target Field and +$270 on the road. Considering just how weak the rest of the AL Central is, there’s no reason to think that Minnesota won’t continue to rack in the bucks for its bettors, especially if that pitching staff can keep it together without a legitimate #1 ace to turn to.

7: Toronto Blue Jays (+$355) – Don’t fall into this trap! The Jays are consistently a hot team until the calendar turns to May, where they inevitably will fall off the face of the earth once again this year. Toronto just doesn’t have the talent to stick around with the rest of the teams in the division over 162 games, and what will probably end up happening is that the oddsmakers will start to believe in the Jays just in time for their annual swoon.

8: San Francisco Giants (+$350) – It’s amazing that the Giants continue to make money, especially considering the fact that RHP Tim Lincecum’s starts almost always have -250 price tags attached to them at home. Even yesterday on the road against a competent Florida team, the G-Men were laying -175. Lincecum didn’t pitch well enough to warrant those odds, but San Fran survived. Buy with caution.

9: Detroit Tigers (+$330) – The Tigers have sort of flown under the radar this season, and the oddsmakers may not totally be on to the them just yet. It feels like every season, Manager Jim Leyland has these boys competing at the highest level, and as long as they are viewed as nothing more than an average team, they’ll continue to make money for us.

10: New York Mets (+$220) – Except for when LHP Johan Santana is on the mound, it feels like the Mets are underdogs every time that they take the field. That’s a great sign for MLB betting aficionados though, as New York has proven to be a decent club, even without OF Carlos Beltran in the lineup. If the center fielder comes back healthy and ready to go, the boys from the Big Apple could be a very dangerous money making team until the books start to figure them out.


Kentucky Derby Free Picks & Predictions: Top 5 Contenders

April 30th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)

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Our coverage of the 2010 Kentucky Derby betting lines continues here at Bankroll Sports with a look at the Top Five horses that you should have on your radar as potential winners for the Super Bowl of horse racing this Saturday afternoon!

Lookin At Lucky (4/1 at BoDog Sportsbook): Lookin At Lucky is going to try to become the first horse since 1986 to win the Kentucky Derby from the rail. Traditionally, what ends up happening is that the inside horses get shoved, bumped, and crammed early, which often makes for a very uncomfortable ride. This isn’t a colt that is going to burst right out to the front of the pack either, so navigating traffic could be difficult. However, there’s no doubt, with five stakes wins to his credit, Lookin At Lucky is most certainly the horse that is going to have the bulls-eye on his back no matter what post he is starting out of.

Sidney’s Candy (13/2 at BoDog Sportsbook): Here we have a horse that dominated out in California in all of his prep races, winning three times, including at the highly touted Santa Anita Derby. Many think that Sidney’s Candy has the ability to go wire-to-wire, but if that’s what he goal is, he has the worst post draw in the world. Unfortunately, the race could be over right at the gate for this horse, as he is going to try to race out to the front of the pack from the far outside position at gate #20. His only hope is that the horses to his immediate inside also don’t try to get out to the front of the field, but in all likelihood, Sidney’s Candy is going to be running a significantly longer race than any of these other horses are, as he could easily be pushed seven or eight wide in that first turn. If he does get to the front of the pack and to the rail without using too much energy though, Sidney’s Candy is going to be tough to run down.

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Conveyance (16/1 at BoDog Sportsbook): Though Conveyance hasn’t exactly run against the best crops of three year olds in the world in his prep races, it’s hard to argue with the fact that he has never finished worse than second in any race that he has run. Conveyance has a perfect starting gate right in the middle of the field at #10. He’s got a tremendous bloodline, with the great Holy Bull sitting there in his lineage. There have been a number of champion racers that have come through Holy Bull in one form or another, and Conveyance may be the next in line. Trying to weed his way through this field will be difficult, but there is no doubt that Conveyance has the tools and the stamina to be able to win the Kentucky Derby.

Ice Box (10/1 at BoDog Sportsbook): This is probably a great price on a horse with a lot of upside and potential. Ice Box won the Florida Derby and has a tremendous sire in Pulpit, who has both won and produced a number of champion horses. The question is whether or not he can make it the mile and a quarter or not. A rail post position at #2 won’t bother Ice Box that much, as he is going to be content to just fall straight to the back of the pack and stay out of trouble anyway. Trainer Nick Zito is a multiple time Kentucky Derby winning trainer, and he knows what it takes to get his horse the bed of roses at the end of the day. If you’re looking for a closer to make a huge move and try to steal this race at its conclusion, Ice Box is your colt.

Dublin (16/1 at BoDog Sportsbook): Trainer D. Wayne Lukas knows that he hasn’t seen the potential of Dublin quite yet in his prep races. Once a heralded young gun, Dublin is a horse that has come up short a number of times. He does have his necessary stakes win at the Hopeful as a two year old, but he hasn’t crossed the finish line first in any of his other prep races at this level. Of course, neither had last year’s winner, Mine That Bird, before he shocked the world at 50/1 and won the Kentucky Derby in 2009. 2010 could be the year for Dublin and for Lukas, as this horse just needs to find one more kick to best this field. At 16/1, this is a tremendous price for a colt that has never gone off at more than 9/2 in any race that he has run.

Posted in Horse Racing   Comments Off on Kentucky Derby Free Picks & Predictions: Top 5 Contenders

MLB Baseball Power Ratings (After 4/25/10)

April 26th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)

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*Baseball Records & Team Rankings are as of 4/25/2010
(Our Next Major League Baseball Power Ratings Update: 5
/10/2010)

1. Tampa Bay Rays (13-5) – The Tampa Bay Rays come into Sunday’s action tied for the best record in baseball; 13-5. Tampa Bay has been successful via their offense that has slugged 107 runs; tops in the major leagues. The Rays offensively have been led by Carl Crawford and his .319 batting average. B.J. Upton, Evan Longoria and Ben Zobrist have done their share to assault American League pitching thus far as well. Tampa Bay currently holds just a ½ game lead on the New York Yankees for the top spot in the American League East. The Rays, after finishing their series Sunday with the Jays, will take Monday off, then host Oakland and Kansas City to finish up the first month of the season.

2. New York Yankees (12-5) – The Yankees are in the midst of a nine game road trip; which is their longest this month. After winning two out of three in Oakland, the Yankees seek the rubber game of a three game series at Angel Stadium on Sunday. New York trails Tampa Bay by just a ½ game for the American League East lead. The Yankees have allowed just 59 runs on the season, led by their two left handed starting pitchers C.C. Sabathia and Andy Pettitte. New York will take Monday off, and then play a three game series in Baltimore. Following the road trip, the Yankees will come back home and play a weekend series with the Chicago White Sox.

3. Philadelphia Phillies (11-6) – The best team in the National League appears to be the Philadelphia Phillies. Charlie Manuel’s team has the combination of pitching and powerful and timely hitting that defines champions. After winning the 2008 World Series, and falling in 2009 – Philadelphia looks to get back to the October Classic for the third straight season. The Phillies have seen their ace Roy Halladay win all four of his starts to begin the season. Halladay, in those starts, has accumulated 28 strikeouts and has an ERA of 0.82. Philadelphia will continue their nine game road trip, after leaving Arizona on Sunday, as they head to San Francisco for three to start the week. Following the trip, Philadelphia will come back home and host the New York Mets over the weekend.

4. Minnesota Twins (13-5) – Minnesota, along with Tampa Bay, has the best record in all of baseball. The Twins won their second straight over Kansas City on Saturday night; in 12 innings. The Twins have a three game lead over Detroit coming into play on Sunday. Justin Morneau is leading the team in homeruns, with 3, as catcher Joe Mauer is batting a team high .381. Minnesota has out scored their opponents 98-66 through the first 18 games of the season. The nine game road trip will continue for Minnesota, after leaving Kansas City they will make their second stop in Detroit on Tuesday, and Cleveland on Friday.

5. San Diego Padres (11-6) – The biggest surprise in all of baseball to this point has been the San Diego Padres. Winners of eight straight games, San Diego holds a one game lead over San Francisco for the top spot in the National League West. The Padres have enjoyed three straight games where slugger Adrian Gonzalez has knocked one over the boards. San Diego has the best pitching statistics in the national league, ranking 1st in ERA and WHIP, and 2nd in batting average against. San Diego will look to finish the three game sweep in Cincinnati on Sunday, before heading south to Miami, to take on the Marlins. On Thursday, San Diego will be back home, in time to face the Brewers in a four game series, finishing up on Sunday.

6. St. Louis Cardinals (10-7) – The St. Louis Cardinals won their first five series of the season, winning 2 out of 3 in them all. The streak was snapped Saturday when the Giants blanked St. Louis 2-0. The win was the Giants second straight over the Cardinals. Albert Pujols and the Cardinals will look to avoid the sweep on Sunday. St. Louis has shown inconsistency in scoring runs, as they rank 12th in the National League. The pitching has been solid for the Cardinals, behind aces Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. The team’s 2.87 earned run average, ranks them second in the NL. After completing the series with the Giants on Sunday, St. Louis will start a seven game home stand on Monday, starting with four against the Atlanta Braves, followed by a visit for three by the Cincinnati Reds.

7. Oakland Athletics (11-8) – Oakland enjoys a 1.5 game lead in the American League West over the Seattle Mariners. The Athletics have enjoyed playing at home, winning 8 of 13 there, while going just 3-3 on the road. The Athletics will play the rubber match of a three game set with Cleveland on Sunday, and then hit the road. On Tuesday, Oakland will play in Tampa Bay, against the Rays, and then Friday the Athletics and Blue Jays meet north of the border. Oakland has seen a power surge from Kurt Suzuki, who already has four homeruns and 11 runs batted in.

8. Florida Marlins (10-8) – The Florida Marlins are getting a red-hot start out of second basemen Dan Uggla. Known more for his power, Uggla has kicked the season off with a .333 batting average, along with his four homeruns and 11 RBI’s. The Marlins offense ranks 5th in the National League with 87 runs. Florida, after being postponed in Denver on Friday played a doubleheader Saturday, splitting the two games. The teams will play the final game of the three game series on Sunday. Following the trip to Denver, the Marlins will be home Monday to host the San Diego Padres. After taking Thursday off, Florida will welcome divisional rival Washington Nationals to town on Friday.

9. San Francisco Giants (10-7) – With possibly the best pitching in the National League, the San Francisco Giants are off to a 10-7 start. After getting swept by San Diego, the Giants have held the Cardinals to just 1 run in 2 games, winning the first two. They will attempt the three game sweep on Sunday behind Matt Cain. The Giants rank 1st in the National League in batting average against (.219) and OPS (.617), along with 2nd in ERA (2.82). San Francisco will continue their nine game home stand, starting Monday, when the National League East leading Philadelphia Phillies come to town. The final three games of the home stand will be over the weekend, against divisional foe Colorado.

10. Detroit Tigers (10-8) – In an attempt to keep pace with the Minnesota Twins atop the American League Central, Detroit is off to a 10-8 start. The Tigers have played 12 of their first 18 games on the road this season. They have two more games in Arlington, before coming home on Tuesday to host Minnesota and the Angels for the week. The Tigers rank first in the American League in on base percentage, with a 3.72. They are 2nd in batting average, as they are hitting .278. Detroit’s main cog has been Miguel Cabrera. He leads the team with a .361 batting average, along with 4 homeruns, and 22 runs batted in. The Tigers, despite the 10-8 record, have been out scored by their opponents 85-84.

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11. Toronto Blue Jays (10-8) – The Toronto Blue Jays will look to win two of three in Tampa Bay on Sunday. The Blue Jays are making an effort to stay near the top with the two powers within the division; Yankees and Rays. Toronto has gotten solid offensive numbers from Vernon Wells, who is batting .306 with 7 homeruns and 13 runs batted in. The Blue Jays will head back home on Monday, to start a seven game home trip. Monday the Red Sox will come to town, and then on Thursday, a four game series with the Oakland Athletics will begin.

12. Boston Red Sox (8-10) – The Red Sox have struggled to start the season, with an 8-10 record. On Sunday, the Red Sox will look to pick up a three game sweep over the Baltimore Orioles. Boston has struggled both offensively and pitching, as the team is just 11th in earned run average, with 4.61.  Their team batting average is .250, which is 7th in the American League. Dustin Pedroia is leading the team with a .284 batting average, along with five homeruns and 13 runs batted in. The Red Sox will head north of the border on Monday to take on the Blue Jays. After taking Thursday off, the Red Sox will head to Baltimore to take on the Orioles.

13. Colorado Rockies (9-9) – The Colorado Rockies are hovering around .500 through the first 18 games of the season. Colorado split a doubleheader Saturday at home with the Florida Marlins. The Rockies and Marlins will finish up their series Sunday. On Monday, the Rockies will welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to town, and then on Friday will head to San Francisco to take on divisional foe – the Giants. The Rockies are 5th in earned run average, with a 3.54, led by Ubaldo Jimenez and his 0.95.

14. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (9-10) – The Angels, with their 9-10 record, are just two games behind the Oakland Athletics for the top spot in the American League West. They are hitting .257 as a team, as that ranks them 6th in the National League. The pitching has not been up to the usual standards for Angels baseball, as they rank 12th in the American League with a 4.63 earned run average. Joel Piniero, coming over from St. Louis has been decent for the Angels, with two wins and a 3.42 earned run average. The Angels, after finishing their series with the Yankees on Sunday will host the Cleveland Indians for three on Monday, and then play in Detroit for three over the weekend.

15. Los Angeles Dodgers (8-9) – The Dodgers, who come into Sunday ranked first in the National League in both batting average (.297) and runs (103) managed just 5 runs in the first two games of a series in Washington D.C., against the Nationals. The Dodgers will look to take two of three on Sunday. Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have been the main cogs in the Dodgers lineup, as Ethier is batting .356, while Kemp has 7 homeruns and 20 runs batted in. Los Angeles has struggled pitching, as they are 13th in the NL with a 5.12 earned run average. The Dodgers will stay out east and play at Citi Field against the Mets, Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, the Dodgers will host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first of a four game series.

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16. Chicago Cubs (8-10) – The Cubs are looking to get back on track, after winning just 6 of their first 16 games in 2010. Chicago beat Milwaukee on the road in the first two games of a three game series. The Cubs big news of the week was sending starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano to the bullpen. Ted Lilly came back to the starting rotation and pitched very well in the win over the Brewers. New comer Carlos Silva has been solid, compiling a 0.95 earned run average through the first three weeks of the season. The Cubs will host the Nationals for three and Diamondbacks for four this week at the friendly confines.

17. Milwaukee Brewers (8-10) – The Milwaukee Brewers will look to avoid a three game sweep at the hands of the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The Brewers have been out scored 13-2 in the first two games of the series. This comes after the Brewers pounding the Pirates 36-1 in three games on the road. The Brewers rank second in the National League with a .281 batting average, along with 99 runs. Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun is batting .366, with 5 homeruns and 20 runs batted in. The Brewers will host the Pittsburgh Pirates starting on Monday, before they head to San Diego for a four game set on Thursday.

18. New York Mets (9-9) – The New York Mets are looking to improve upon their 70 win season in 2009.  They are off to a better start, but still hovered around .500. The Mets rank 14th in the National League with a .230 batting average and 13th with 74 runs scored. New York’s offense sees Jeff Francouer lead the team in many categories, including batting average (.279), homeruns (3) and runs batted in (10). New York will look to complete a three game sweep of the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night baseball. Following that game, New York will host the Los Angeles Dodgers for three games starting Monday. On Friday, the Mets will play in Philadelphia, against the Phillies.

19. Atlanta Braves (8-9) – The Braves have lost four straight games, and will look to snap that streak on Sunday Night Baseball. Atlanta has been out scored 75-70 in their first 17 games. The pitching has been average for the Braves, as they rank 4th in the National League with a .237 batting average against. Rookie Jason Heyward has paced the offense, with 4 homeruns and 16 runs batted in. The team batting average for Atlanta is poor, at .227, ranks 15th. The Braves will finish up their series Sunday night and then head to St. Louis for a four game series with the Cardinals. On Friday, Atlanta will host the Houston Astros for the start of a three game series.

20. Washington Nationals (9-9) – Washington was pleased to see rookie Luis Atilano earn his first professional winning, shutting down the Dodgers offense on Friday night. The future looks bring for the Nationals, and 2010 has been a decent start to the season. At .500 on the season, Washington is tied with the Mets for third place in the National League East. Ivan Rodriguez, in his first season with the Nationals is batting .411, while Josh Willingham has pounded 3 homeruns and drove home 11 runs. The Nationals will head to Chicago on Monday to take on the Cubs, and then on Friday, in Miami, against the Marlins.

21. Seattle Mariners (9-9) – The Mariners have climbed back to .500, despite losing the first two in Chicago. The Mariners have made hay at home this season, winning seven of nine. On Sunday, the Mariners will look to avoid the three game sweep from the White Sox. Following that game, Seattle will head to Kansas City to face-off with the Royals. On Friday, Seattle will be back home, to host the Texas Rangers. Seattle ranks third in the American League with a 3.41 earned run average, along with fourth in quality starts; with 11.

22. Cleveland Indians (8-9) – Following a slow start, the Cleveland Indians have climbed back towards .500 within the American League Central. The Indians are led offensively by Shin-Soo Choo, who leads the team in batting average (.300), homeruns (4), runs batted in (13) and runs scored (10). The Indians offense, as a team has struggled, ranking 14th with a .223 batting average. Following the final game in Oakland on Sunday, the Indians will head to Anaheim to take on the Angels for three. On Friday, the Indians will host the American League Central leading Minnesota Twins.

23. Texas Rangers (7-10) – Despite a good start from Vladimir Guerrero, and his .371 batting average, the Texas Rangers have started the season 7-10. Texas is in last place in the American League West, trailing the front running Oakland Athletics by three games. Nelson Cruz has provided the power for Texas, bombing 7 homeruns and driving in 17 runs. The Rangers and Tigers are playing the third of a four game series on Sunday. On Monday, they will play the final game of the series in Arlington. On Tuesday, the Rangers will welcome the White Sox for a three game set. Over the weekend, Texas will head out West to Seattle to take on divisional foe – Mariners.

24. Arizona Diamondbacks (7-10) – Winners of just one of six games on the road this season are the Arizona Diamondbacks. After losing two of three at home to St. Louis, the Diamondbacks will look to win the 2nd of 3 over Philadelphia on Sunday. The Diamondbacks are led by Kelly Johnson, and his .327 batting average, along with 6 homeruns. The offense ranks fifth in batting average (.267), fourth in runs (90) and fourth in OBP (.792). Arizona will head to Denver on Monday for a three game series; followed by a trip to Chicago for a four game- weekend set.

25. Houston Astros (7-10) – After such a bad start, the Astros are moving their way back to the .500 point in the season. The Astros took two of three from the Marlins at home, and will look to sweep their divisional foe Pittsburgh on Sunday. Houston has gotten solid offensive numbers from Jeff Keppinger. He is hitting .327, with 6 runs batted in. The Astros have scored a league worst 50 runs on the season. Houston will take Monday off, then welcome the Cincinnati Reds to town for a three game set on Tuesday. Over the weekend, Houston will head to Atlanta, to take on the Braves.

26. Pittsburgh Pirates (7-10) – After getting off to a quick start, the Pittsburgh Pirates have lost five straight games. The worst of those losses came on Thursday afternoon, when the Milwaukee Brewers pounded them 20-0. Pittsburgh will look to avoid a three game sweep in Houston on Sunday afternoon. The Pirates rank last in the National League with an earned run average of nearly 7. They also rank last in batting average against, as opponents are hitting .304 against Pirate pitchers. Pittsburgh will play in Milwaukee for three starting Monday, and then head out west to take on the Dodgers for four.

27. Chicago White Sox (7-11) – The White Sox, after a 5-11 start, have found some energy over the weekend, winning two straight games via the walk-off homerun. Friday night it was veteran Andruw Jones, while Alex Rios did the honors on Saturday. Rios is batting .281 with 3 homeruns and 9 runs batted in for Chicago. The White Sox will seek a three game sweep of the Mariners on Sunday afternoon. After taking Monday off, the White Sox will head to Texas for a three game set, then a trip to the Bronx, to take on the Yankees.

28. Cincinnati Reds (7-11) – The Reds, at 7-11, are towards the bottom of the National League Central Division. They will look to avoid a three game sweep at home, from the Padres on Sunday. Following the Padres, Cincinnati will take Monday off, before heading out to Houston and St. Louis. The Reds have struggled offensively, batting just .238, ranking 12th in the National League. The pitching has also been poor, as they rank 15th with a 6.19 earned run average.

29. Kansas City Royals (6-11) – At the bottom of the American League Central, are the Kansas City Royals. The offense has been sharp for Kansas City, as they rank first in the American League with a .296 batting average. The pitching has been just as bad, with a 5.55 earned run average, which ranks last in the American League. Jose Guillen has mashed six homeruns and drove home 15 runs batted in, along with scoring 13 runs. The Royals are looking to avoid the sweep at the hands of the first place Minnesota Twins on Sunday. Following that series, the Royals will host Seattle for three, and then head to Tampa Bay for a four game series.

30. Baltimore Orioles (2-16) – The Baltimore Orioles have won just 2 of 18 games to start the season. Baltimore will look to avoid a three game sweep over the weekend in Boston on Sunday. Ty Wigginton has been the lone bright spot for the Orioles offense, batting .333, with 6 homeruns and 12 runs batted in. The pitching has been awful for Baltimore, ranking 13th in ERA, batting average against and OPS. After the road trip, the Orioles schedule will get no easier, as they host the Yankees for three and the Red Sox for three.

Posted in MLB Baseball   Comments Off on MLB Baseball Power Ratings (After 4/25/10)

2010 NFL Draft: Don’t be Surprised at these Surprises

April 21st, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)

Every single season, there are surprises that happen in the NFL Draft that just shock us all. Here at Bankroll Sports, we’re prognosticating about some of the potential surprises, and how you can cash in by betting on some of the props available to you at BoDog Sportsbook!

The Buffalo Bills are going to have their chance to grab Jimmy Clausen, but they’re going to pass… as will a ton of other teams: Now here’s a shocker! First of all, Clausen lasting all the way to #9 seems like a bit of a surprise, as the Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, and Oakland Raiders are all potential prospects for Clausen as well. But it seems as though Buffalo is the likely destination for the Notre Dame quarterback, right? Think again. The Bills may see value in grabbing RB CJ Spiller or WR Dez Bryant just as much and take one of them off of the board. At that point, the free fall could be on. It doesn’t seem like that Jacksonville, Denver, or Miami are great candidates for Clausen. That’s when the fall could stop. San Francisco would love to see Clausen fall to it at pick #13, its first of two first round draft picks. You can grab that to happen at 5/2 at BoDog Sportsbook right now! You can also wager on him to slip past pick #9 as well at -110.

The prospects of getting a franchise left tackle may be enough for the Pittsburgh Steelers to trade Ben Roethlisberger: Sure, these rumblings have been going on for awhile now that Big Ben will be dealt for a first round draft pick, and though you may find that concept crazy, don’t discount the idea. Roethlisberger has definitely fallen out of favor in Pittsburgh, and with the way that the Steelers play football, many in Steel Town feel as though backup QB Charlie Batch could lead the team to wins just as easily as Roethlisberger could. Are you paying attention Buffalo? What about you, Jacksonville? The blockbuster very well could happen, and if it does, expect to see the Steelers try to grab a left tackle to sure up an offensive line that was woeful at times in 2009.

After Sooners go #1 and #2, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to get the best player in this draft at pick #3: If the St. Louis Rams did this right, they’d draft Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh with the #1 overall pick in the draft. But they won’t… They’ll grab Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford. That would make the Detroit Lions foolish to pass on him. But really, they’re the Detroit Lions… For whatever reason, they seem to prefer Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy. If that’s the case, the Bucs should be running up to the podium with their selection right after Commissioner Roger Goodell start to utter “Ger-“. By all accounts, Suh was accepted as the top player in this draft after the Big XII Championship Game when he totally dominated a solid offensive line of Texas. Suh is a huge force in the middle of a defense, and he will anchor Tampa Bay for years to come at that position, where DT Warren Sapp made a living. Regardless of what else happens in this draft, if the Bucs end up with Suh, they’re going to be thrilled with their findings.

Tim Tebow Will be Drafted in the First Round: Ok, so maybe this isn’t that much of a surprise to all of you, but Tebow is a proven winner and he brings a ton of versatility to the table to the right team. There are a number of teams that have shown a tad bit of interest in the Florida Gator, but no one is ready to commit to him, particularly as the team’s top draft pick quite yet. Still, we think that the New England Patriots may be willing to take a flier on him at pick #22. If not then, at some point, someone is going to become enamored with the idea of having an arm and legs that strong on their team and will snare him before Thursday is complete. You can bet on Tebow to go in the first 29 picks right now at even money at BoDog Sportsbook.

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2010 NFL Draft: Top 10 Quarterbacks

April 20th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)
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The quarterback position has always been the make or break position for teams in the NFL. There aren’t a slew of signal callers that are most likely guys that are going to lead franchises to Super Bowls, but here at Bankroll Sports, we’re breaking down the top ten QBs available and projecting what teams that they might be suitable for.

1: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma Sooners: By all accounts, Bradford is most likely going to be one of the first names that you hear come off the board. The only question that surrounds him is whether or not he is able to stay healthy after suffering a pair of shoulder injuries at Oklahoma. We expect to see the St. Louis Rams take him with the top pick and make him the franchise’s QB for years to come.

2: Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish: Clausen could find himself being draft in the Top 5, but one must also remember that his predecessor at Notre Dame, Brady Quinn was once thought to be a Top 5 pick as well, and he ended up slipping all the way to pick #22. Things probably won’t be that bad for Clausen, but a drop out of the Top 10 is possible. Don’t be shocked if he’s playing in Buffalo next season with the Bills.

3: Colt McCoy, Texas Longhorns: If you’re looking for a guy who is just a proven winner, McCoy is your man. The Texas gunslinger had the most wins in the history of the Longhorns, which is saying something considering the fact that some guy named Vince Young started there for three seasons. There’s a chance that he could be drafted in the back end of the first round either via a trade from the top of Round 2 or by a team that is banking on the future, but don’t expect to see him suiting up too much in his first year in the pros. Perhaps the Washington Redskins could nab him as a project pick at the front end of Round 2.

4: Tim Tebow, Florida Gators: It’s anyone’s guess where Tebow is going to go in this year’s draft. We know he’s a winner and we know he can run Florida’s offense like none other, but he’s not a prototypical quarterback and rarely took snaps under center. Still, the Jacksonville Jaguars seem likely to snare him somewhere to try to boost ticket sales for a struggling franchise.

The rest of these quarterbacks are going to be mid to late round picks. If you’re looking for teams that may be in the market for these QBs in addition to the ones that are listed above, consider the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, and Denver Broncos as legitimate options.

5: John Skelton, Fordham Rams: The Baltimore Ravens hitting a home run with Delaware QB Joe Flacco is going to make Skelton an interesting project pick for someone in the late rounds. At 6’5″, there’s no doubt that Skelton is built like a legitimate NFL quarterback, but his lack of competition is always going to be scary. Someone may pull him off the board at the end of Round 3, but most likely, he’s slipping to Round 4.

6: Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan Chippewas: The Chippewas just aren’t going to be the same without LeFevour under center as he has been for the past four years. He’s a duel threat, having rushed for over 3,000 yards in his collegiate career. This is a great project pick for a team that is looking for a Wildcat quarterbacks, so LeFevour should hear his name called by Round 4.

7: Jarrett Brown, West Virginia Mountaineers: If Pat White made it in the NFL, Brown will probably get drafted at some point as well. His 40 time was an impressive 4.54, making him a Wildcat threat as well. A team that uses a lot of creative offensive sets would love to add Brown to the arsenal, especially since he could also be used as a wide receiver if need be. He may be a fourth round pick as well.

8: Jevan Snead, Mississippi Rebels: For whatever reason, Snead decided to forgo his senior season at Ole Miss and enter the draft. Many thought that he’d be a first round pick at this time a year ago, but now, he’ll be lucky to go in Round 5.

9: Tony Pike, Cincinnati Bearcats: Pike has a strong arm and a big upside, but his lack of time under center at Cincinnati is going to scare off a lot of NFL GMs. Still, he led a solid Cincinnati team to last year’s Sugar Bowl with a perfect record before getting whooped by UF, and he’ll get drafted most likely at some point in Round 5 or 6.

10: Max Hall, BYU Cougars: Just having the name “BYU” next to your name means that you know how to throw the football. The downside for Hall is that he is already going to be 25 years old by the start of next season, and he still needs some seasoning to be a legitimate NFL quarterback, even as a backup. Still, he’ll get drafted and could make an impact on someone’s roster in a few years.

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NFL Betting: 2010 NFL Draft Props by Position (4/19)

April 19th, 2010 by Adam Markowitz (Bankroll Sports Columnist)

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NFL Draft betting action kicked off this morning at BoDog Sportsbook, as a plethora of props opened up for us to pick apart. Here’s a few that we’re focusing in on for Thursday night’s first round!

Prop Bet #1: How many running backs will be drafted in Round 1?: Taking the over 1.5 at -350 odds seems like an absolute slam dunk, but maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to react this way. Sure, Clemson RB CJ Spiller is going to go at some point during the first round. However, beyond him, there really aren’t a ton of running backs that just scream first round talent. Unless someone is reaching, grabbing a guy like Fresno State’s Ryan Mathews isn’t going to be likely until the 20s. Yes, Cal’s Jahvid Best could also be a possibility, as could Auburn’s Ben Tate or Georgia Tech’s Jonathan Dwyer for real reaches. The Houston Texans at #20 could come out and draft a running back, and they could also do so by trading back into the back end of the first round as well. Aside from that though, perhaps Philadelphia could use some running back depth, as could Arizona at #26 or San Diego at #28. Though the prospects are good for another back to be taken, it’s probably worth the stab at the long price that Houston goes with a safety or a corner and everyone else in the draft decides to go with either linemen or defense.

Selection: Under 1.5 running backs drafted in Round 1 +275 at BoDog Sportsbook

Prop Bet #2: How many wide receivers & tight ends will be drafted in Round 1?: This may not be a slam dunk of a prop either, but it really may look like it when the round is said and done. Someone at some point is going to take Oklahoma State’s Dez Bryant in Round 1, and whomever that is will probably get themselves a steal, particularly if he lasts into the late teens or early 20s. Though there aren’t a lot of teams out there that are guaranteed to draft offense, there are some other fantastic playmakers that are going to be available at the back end of this round as well. Look for TE Jermaine Grisham to hear his name called in the 20s, which could set the stage for a guy like Notre Dame’s Golden Tate, Illinois’ Arrelious Benn or Georgia Tech’s Demaryius Thomas to fill out our allotment of pass catching options to cash a winning ticket for us.

Selection: Over 2.5 wide receivers & tight ends drafted in Round 1 -115 at BoDog Sportsbook

Prop Bet #3: How many offensive linemen will be drafted in Round 1?: Let’s just throw some names out there of absolute sure fire first round locks for the hogs up front. Oklahoma State’s Russell Okung, Iowa’s Bryan Bulaga, Oklahoma’s Trent Williams, and Maryland’s Bruce Campbell are probably all coming off the board in the first ten selections. It seems likely that Rutgers’ Anthony Davis and Florida’s Maurkice Pouncey will also be picked amongst the first 32. Beyond that six, USC’s Charles Brown, Idaho’s Mike Iupati, and Indiana’s Rodger Saffold are all possibilities. So basically what we’re asking for with this prop is to see the six should be first rounders go, and then just one more. It is becoming more and more trendy to spend first round picks on offensive linemen, and we expect that to continue with at least seven selected in Round 1.

Selection: Over 6.5 offensive linemen drafted in Round 1 -240 at BoDog Sportsbook

Be sure to keep it tuned to Bankroll Sports for all of our coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft!

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