The 140^th running of the Kentucky Derby takes place this Saturday from Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY. We’ll take a look at some of the contenders in the field that makes this the most exciting 2 minutes in sports.

California Chrome (3.1 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) is the current favorite to win the race and for good reason. With 6 wins in 10 starts, the chestnut is running at a high level that could win the race. He won the Santa Anita Derby is dominating fashion, running the last quarter mile in 24.2 seconds winning by more than five lengths. Should he replicate that performance, he will certainly be hard to beat.

Trainer Bob Baffert is no stranger to the Kentucky Derby, with 3 wins in his career. Baffert once again has a contender in Hoppertunity (15 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) with 2 wins in 5 starts. Hoppertunity didn’t look too impressive in the Santa Anita Derby, yet he did have a strong finish rallying from a slow start. How Baffert trains at Churchill should be interesting, and with his experience could be a major factor in the race.

With 5 wins in 6 starts, Samraat (21 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) looks like an attractive play. All of his wins have been in New York, and his last race was a second place finish to Wicked Strong (currently 9.5 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) in Aqueduct’s Wood Memorial. The 3-year-old colt runs hard no matter what, and his last race was the first time he was surrounded and covered up, yet showed a lot of determination in rallying a few times. This colt definitely should not be overlooked. Samraat’s trainer Rick Violette believes the last race will only make him better, should that be the case, Samraat is a contender.

Trainer Todd Pletcher’s colt Intense Holiday (currently 29 to 1 odds at 5Dimes Sportsbook) is showing some value with his lifetime 2-1-1 record in 8 starts. The colt has an effective kick, and he does have a good amount of starts under his belt. Some have said that his style is a perfect fit for the Derby this year. If he can stay in the pack and not get in trouble early, he has the ability to make a good stretch run.

The 2014 Major League Baseball season is upon us, and we’ll take a look at the odds to win the World Series and some teams that present some value. The complete listing of World Series odds can be found at the bottom of this post, courtesy of JustBet.

The New York Yankees are currently 14/1 (@ JustBet) to win the series, and wouldn’t it be a great sendoff for the future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter? The Yankees made some big off-season acquisitions, signing CF Jacoby Ellsbury, RF Carlos Beltran, C Brian McCann, and Japanese pitching prospect Masahiro Tanaka. The Yankees lost Mariano Rivera to retirement, and 2B Robinson Cano to free agency. Their lineup looks potent and could be a factor in the loaded AL East if 1B Mark Teixeira and Jeter can stay healthy. Their rotation looks respectable, with Tanaka, left-hander C.C. Sabathia, and the young Ivan Nova, who looks like he could have a breakout season. New York has been planning for departure of Rivera, and David Robertson has been groomed well for the closers role. In a loaded division, any team could win and it could very well be the New York Yankees.

I’m seeing some value in the Pittsburgh Pirates at 28/1  (@ JustBet). The Pirates made their first postseason appearance in over 20 years last season, and look to get back to the postseason with a very talented, yet underrated lineup. They are led by 2013 NL MVP CF Andrew McCutcheon, and have the key parts to make a postseason run. Also in the order are 3B Pedro Alvarez, who hit 36 HR’s last season, and young LF Starling Marte. They have the pitching, with left-hander Francisco Liriano, and the up and coming Gerrit Cole. They also have another hurler in waiting, in young right-hander Jameson Taillon, the 2010 second overall pick. The bullpen was one of the best in the majors last season, with Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli pitching magnificently. Can we expect a repeat performance? Maybe, but at 28/1 the Pittsburgh Pirates deserve some consideration.

The Seattle Mariners look like an attractive play at 33/1  (@ JustBet). The Mariners not only signed the superstar second baseman, but also added some key role players in DH slugger Corey Hart and RF Logan Morrison. They also have LF Dustin Ackley, who could be poised for a breakout season, and 3B sparkplug Kyle Seagar. The promising 24-year-old centerfielder Abraham Almonte could be the centerfielder of the future, and will more than likely be called up at some point this season. The rotation is of course led by none other than ‘King’ Felix Hernandez, and Hisashi Iwakuma. Iwakuma should be ready to go in mid-April, as him and Hernandez pose one of the better 1-2 punch combo’s in the American league. In a division that has teams struggling with injuries (A’s, Rangers), Seattle could be one of the surprise teams this season.

Current 2014 World Series Odds From JustBet Sportsbook (as of 4/1/2013)
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Los Angeles Dodgers      13/2
St. Louis Cardinals           15/2
Detroit Tigers                     9/1
Washington Nationals    10/1
Boston Red Sox                 12/1
Tampa Bay Rays                12/1
New York Yankees          14/1
Atlanta Braves                   16/1
San Francisco Giants       16/1
Texas Rangers                   16/1
Los Angeles Angels         20/1
Oakland Athletics             20/1
Cincinnati Reds                 25/1
Toronto Blue Jays            25/1
Pittsburgh Pirates            28/1
Baltimore Orioles             33/1
Kansas City Royals           33/1
Philadelphia Phillies        33/1
Seattle Mariners                33/1
Cleveland Indians             40/1
Arizona Diamondbacks  50/1
San Diego Padres             50/1
Chicago White Sox           66/1
Milwaukee Brewers       66/1
Chicago Cubs                     75/1
Colorado Rockies             75/1
New York Mets                 75/1
Miami Marlins                   100/1
Minnesota Twins             100/1
Houston Astros                 250/1

The Major League Baseball Season has taken over the spot light in the sporting world. The 2011 MLB season is nearing its All-Star Break, and we are starting to get a great idea of what to expect through out the rest of the year. One of the always interesting aspects of professional baseball is the league’s home run hitters. The guys who have been able to hit the long ball have always packed the stands and provided excitement for viewers. In today’s modern day game, nearly every player has the ability to hit a 400 plus foot home run during any game. However, there are still those who continuously find ways to knock the ball into the stands putting fear into opponents with every swing of the bat. One very interesting MLB Prop Bet for 2011 is which player will finish the season with the most home runs? We break down and rank the top power hitters in Major League Baseball while providing some insight on who may possibly end the season with the most home runs.

You will find odds next to each homerun hitter which are the current futures odds for that particular player to finish the season with the most home runs on the year. These are the current odds at Oddsmaker Sportsbook as of July 9, 2011.  Oddsmaker Sportsbook offers Bankroll Spots readers and customers a Free $100 Bet when you use any Oddsmaker link on the Bankroll Sports blog.

Top Home Run Hitters In Baseball

Jose Bautista (29)
Curtis Granderson (25)
Mark Teixeira (25)
Lance Berkman (24)
Matt Kemp (22)
Prince Fielder (22)
Paul Konerko (22)
Jay Bruce (20)
Mark Reynolds (20)
Nelson Cruz (20)

Top 5 Home Run Odds Picks Picks

No. 1 – Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays (1 to 4 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

A year after hitting 54 homers, Bautista is back on a clip to hit well over 50 bombs once again this season. We’re just puzzled as to where all of this power suddenly came from for the 30 year old out of the Dominican Republic. Bautista only had a grand total of 59 home runs under his belt in his entire career before last year. Now, he has 83 in his last 243 games, and he is probably the only man that can threaten the 60 home run mark this year.

No. 2 – Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds (50 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

We just love the MLB odds here on Bruce even though he is nine off of the pace of the league lead in homers. This is a towering man to say the least. Bruce is 6’3″, and he is only 24 years old with plenty of bright days in front of him. This is going to be his best home run production season of his career, and he’ll surely end up at least in the 30s, and probably closer to the 40s by the time the season is over with. If there is a man that has the home run stroke that can get back into the thick of things in a hurry, this is it. Bruce has a great lineup around him in Cincinnati as well, and he isn’t often pitched around. Sure, he’s got 82 strikeouts and has fanned far more than we’d like to see, but we know that Bruce is the type of man that really can get on fire in a hurry and start blasting balls out of the Great American Ballpark at a ridiculous clip.

No. 3 – Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees (Even Money at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Maybe Big Tex shouldn’t be even money at this point to lead the league in homers, but when push comes to shove, would you want to bet against him? Teixeira just hit the 300 home run mark for his career back on June 30th, and though he has been cool as a cumcumber in terms of home runs since that point, he could heat up at a moment’s notice again as well. Tex has a great swing for hitting homers at Yankee Stadium, and we know that he is going to take full advantage of his surroundings for the rest of the year and will post his third straight 30+ home run season with the Bronx Bombers.

No. 4 – Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (100 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

At 100 to 1, how can we pass on Pujols? Yeah, sure. He’s a dozen homers off of the pace and only has 17 for the season, and yes, he hasn’t hit a home run since coming back to the lineup after recovering from his wrist injury. However, this is a man that has hit 40+ home runs six times in his career and has never had a season with fewer than 32 home runs. As long as Pujols gets healthy over these next couple of weeks, we’re not totally throwing out his chances of leading the league in home runs this year, which makes that 100 to 1 a very tempting price even though it is an incredibly long shot.

No. 5 – Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees (Field, 2 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook)

Like him or lump him, Granderson just continues to get balls to fly out of Yankee Stadium. With 25 homers, we can’t discount the ability of Granderson to cash in on the field this year to lead the league in dingers. He doesn’t have the prettiest swing in the world, but we know that in his 221 games played in a New York uniform, he has 49 home runs to show for his work. A dozen of those homers have come at home this season, and with a ton of home games still on the slate, we aren’t counting out Granderson from maybe even reaching 50 home runs on the campaign.

2011 Home Run Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 7/9/11):
(Get a FREE $100 Free Bet W/ NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED at Oddsmaker.com When Using This Link)

Albert Pujols 100 to 1
Miguel Cabrera 50 to 1
Prince Fielder 3 to 1
Ryan Howard 20 to 1
Mark Teixeira Even Money
Adam Dunn 1,000 to 1
Jose Bautista 1 to 4
Adrian Gonzalez 20 to 1
Joey Votto 300 to 1
Carlos Gonzalez 200 to 1
Mark Reynolds 15 to 1
Josh Hamilton 300 to 1
Nelson Cruz 8 to 1
Ryan Braun 20 to 1
Alex Rodriguez 30 to 1
Jay Bruce 50 to 1
Evan Longoria 750 to 1
Kendry Morales 10,000 to 1
Mike Stanton 25 to 1
Jason Heyward 750 to 1
Justin Morneau 10,000 to 1
Robinson Cano 200 to 1
Carlos Pena 10 to 1
Dan Uggla 750 to 1
Troy Tulowitzki 40 to 1
Adam Lind 100 to 1
Jayson Werth 1,000 to 1
Paul Konerko 10 to 1
Pedro Alvarez 1,000 to 1
Buster Posey 10,000 to 1
Tyler Colvin 100 to 1
Chase Utley 1,000 to 1
Ian Kinsler 500 to 1
Shin Soo Choo 1,000 to 1
Carlos Lee 1,000 to 1
Adrian Beltre 80 to 1
Chris Young 250 to 1
Matt Kemp 30 to 1
Hanley Ramirez 1,000 to 1
David Wright 1,000 to 1
Carlos Quentin 25 to 1
David Ortiz 60 to 1
Justin Upton 200 to 1
Colby Rasmus 1,000 to 1
Andre Ethier 1,000 to 1
Ryan Zimmerman 10,000 to 1
Kevin Youkilis 1,000 to 1
Matt Holliday 1,000 to 1
Travis Snider 1,000 to 1
Field (Any Other Player) 2 to 1

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Click Here For A Full List of 2010 Superbowl Odds & Other Football Futures From Bodog

The 2009 NFL Football Season is in some cases upside down from the way the league looked in 2008. The Tennessee Titans who started their 2008 season a perfect 10-0 remain winless at 0-3. The same can be said for the Carolina Panthers who were tied with the Giants for best regular season record in the NFC just one year ago. At least the Panthers are just 2-0, but are pretty sizeable underdogs entering tomorrow night’s battle with Dallas. Still, if you look at some of the teams in the league who would have thought the Jets at this time appear to be the best team in the AFC East over the Patriots and San Francisco sits a top the NFC West at a perfect 3-0.

It just goes to show that no matter how much preseason predictions and reviews that nothing truly matters until teams actually step onto the gridiron. While the season is definitely going to have its twist and turns throughout the remaining 13 weeks of the regular season, we are going to break down some of the teams that may have a shot at the 2010 Super Bowl based what we have seen thus far in the year. Keep in mind that you will have teams that get cold and hot, and things will definitely change. However, it’s hard to pass up the chance to catch the Super Bowl odds while they are at their most profitable. Take a second to look at a few teams who are considered to be 2010 Super Bowl Champion contenders.

#5. New Orleans Saints – 9 to 1 (@ BetUS)

The New Orleans Saints quick 3-0 start may be a surprise to some, but if you paid attention to our preseason predictions we had the Saints to win the NFC South due to their potent offense. Well the season has a long way to go, but so far Drew Brees is proving us right. The Saints are 3-0 including an impressive win over Philadelphia in that stretch. Brees already has 9 touchdowns in just 3 games and is completing 70% of his passes while owning the highest quarterback rating in the league at 118.1. The Saints offense which is averaging 40 points per game remains one of the most prolific passing attacks in the NFL. Last season the Saints were extremely good on offense, but the defense was just as horrible giving up 25 points per game. The Saints defense definitely will not be the strong point of the team. However if they can have more similar performances like they did last Sunday holding Buffalo to 7 points and 243 total yards, then they are going to be extremely difficult to beat.

#4. Minnesota Vikings – 12 to 1 (@ BetUS)

Lets just first start off by saying “wow” to another Brett Farve classic last week. If you missed it, Farve threw a 50 yard laser from the 40 yard line to the back of the end zone finding WR Greg Lewis with 2 seconds to go lifting the Vikings over the 49ers in what has to be the play of the year by season’s end. Farve is the reason the Vikings could contend by the end of the season if he can stay healthy. The reason is not that he is the most important player on the field because that role goes to Adrian Peterson, but because he can make the plays when needed with his arm. The Vikings have struggled to find a quarterback that could move the ball without giving up 17 interceptions as they did in 2008. Farve has thrown just 1 pick this year even though he has thrown more than any other quarterback in his career. However, do not expect to see a lot of picks thrown by the 40 year old this year. The Vikings will keep the work load on running back Adrian Peterson who is undoubtedly the best rusher in the NFL fresh off a 1,760 yard season in 2008. The Vikings won the NFC North with all the troubles in the passing game last year. Imagine if they get consistency in the passing game and the defense continues to improve.

#3. New England Patriots – 8 to 1 (@ Oddsmaker)

First off let’s go ahead and state that the Patriots have looked absolutely nothing like a Super Bowl caliber team thus far this season. However, it’s hard to think a team this talented will not explode back to the dominating team that has ruled the NFL over the last decade. Tom Brady got off to a rusty start and perhaps has not looked as sharp as normal, but that can be expected following a knee injury. However, the offense has too many weapons to be contained. Sure, the New York Jets are playing well but the Patriots remain favorites to win the Super Bowl. New England bounced back last week beating up on the Atlanta Falcons 26-10 which should indicate even when they are not playing their best they are still among the best in the league. Brady has not been on target when the deep throws and the offense has yet to get the production needed from Wes Welker. However once those few misfires start sparking again, the Patriots are going to be tough to beat in the latter part of the season.

#2. Baltimore Ravens – 9 to 1 (@ BetUS)

It may be difficult to judge just how good the Ravens are considering they have yet to play any team with a winning record from 2008. However, we still have some high praises for this team. It all starts with the defense which is again among tops in the league. The Ravens defense ranked 2nd overall just a season ago and they could be well on their way to another strong year. We predicted the Ravens to pull of the upset over Pittsburgh in the preseason and they are going to have every opportunity. The reason the Ravens may be destined for more success in 2009 is due to the offense that has matured into a productive unit. QB Joe Flacco threw for a career high 342 yards in last week’s blowout over Cleveland 34-3. Flacco has looked sharp in just his 2nd year in the league and as a result 4 different wide receivers are already over 100 yards receiving. Add to the fact, Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are coming along nicely in the backfield and this team is going to be as dangerous as any in the AFC. The Ravens offense has slowly but consistently improved and they are going to be solid this season. As long as the defense does not fade, the Ravens could easily make a run at the AFC Championship.

#1. Indianapolis Colts – 12 to 1 (@ BetUS)

These odds are very inviting with the Colts sitting as +1200 to win the Super Bowl. Manning has been red hot in the opening games throwing over 300 yards in each contest. The Colts blew out the defending NFC Champions last week in Arizona 31-10. The Colts defense is playing extremely well holding opponents to just 15 points per game thus far in the season. The Colts defense will play a huge factor in the Colts success, but as of now everything seems to be on track. If Manning stays on fire, the Colts return to glory may be inevitable. Still, they are going to need Joseph Addai or rookie Donald Brown to get the running game going. The Colts are going to face some situations where they need their running backs to pick up first downs so it is imperative the rushing game come out of extinction. If that happens, there is not any other team in the league playing better right now.

Honorable Mention –

I’m sure some may wonder why the New York Giants are not on the list even though they may be Super Bowl contenders. The Giants are receiving 7 to 1 odds to win the Super Bowl and off to a solid 3-0 start. However, the Giants still are a concern because they way they fall apart last year. The Giants barely escaped a Washington team that was beaten by Detroit last week and hit a game winning field goal in their win over Dallas who many would consider as a bit over rated. QB Eli Manning has played well but that is nothing new for the Giants early in the year. Their biggest challenge is a lot like their biggest foes the Dallas Cowboys. The question is how will the team hold up later in the year? The big play threat at the receiver position is still in question. Steve Smith has played well and so has the emergence of Mario Manningham. However, it will be interesting to see how those young guys hold up. If they get better and do not fade, the Giants will be right in the mix. If not then it will be another disappointing story like the 2008 season.

Current odds to win the Super Bowl From BetUS (as of 9/29/09)
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At the Bottom of this Post is the List of Odds to Win the 2009 PGA Championship

The PGA Tour will make their stop at Hazeltine National Golf Club this Thursday for the final major golf event of the year at the PGA Championship. Located in Chaska, Minnesota, Hazeltine has hosted prior major golfing events including the 2002 PGA Championship. Rich Beem took home the title in that event in his only major victory holding off a strong charge from Tiger Woods in the final round. Hazeltine Golf Course will have a different look when the best players in the world roll back into town. The course which was already monstrous in length has been stretched out even more since 2002 and has also added plenty more bunkers making the course more challenging. The course will play at an insane 7,674 yards for this year’s PGA Championship making it the longest major in PGA history. The course’s tremendous length will include 3 different Par 5 holes over 600 yards. The course will not only be extremely long, but it also has very narrow fairways making it very difficult for competitors. Hazeltine will put every golfer to the extreme test demanding length and accuracy. To compete for the win at this year’s PGA Championship, players must be at the best in every aspect of their game.

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Of course everybody’s favorite to nearly every golf event is Tiger Woods. However, Woods has yet to score a major victory this year. If Woods does not win this week, it would be the first time since 2004 that Woods did not score a major championship during the year. Golf’s biggest superstar has played superb leading up to the majors this year winning an event two weeks before each of the 4 majors this season. Woods latest accomplishment come by victory at the Buick Open and is also in contention this weekend again at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational. However, the question is will Woods be able to carry that momentum to Hazeltine? Despite not contending at the previous majors this year, Woods is always a threat any time he tees it up and will enter the event as a +200 favorite to win the PGA Championship. Other notable contenders that many will have their eyes on are last year’s PGA Championship winner Padraig Harrington. Harrington actually leads the Bridgestone Invitational heading into the final round and his golf swing has been slowly coming around since the swing change. At one time this season, Harrington had missed 4 out of 5 straight cuts including the U.S Open. However, this week’s performance will have bring a lot of attention back to the defending champion as he stands at a +3000 long shot.

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Phil Mickelson had to take some time off and missed out on the British Open due to his wife battling breast cancer. Mickelson has returned to action, but his game seems to show the time off as his has not been at his best. Mickelson normally would be one of the favorites considering his ability to hit the long ball and premier accuracy. However considering how much “lefty” has had on his plate over the past few weeks, I don’t see the sentimental favorite doing much good this week. Mickelson will enter the event at +1500 odds to win at Hazeltine. Stewart Cink captured his first major tournament title by defeating the legendary Tom Watson in a 5 holes playoff at the British Open. Cink has played very well over the last few weeks finishing in the top 30 in 6 of his last 7 outings. Eyes will be on Cink to see if he can continue his impressive play and show that the British Open was not just a one hit wonder. Cink will be tremendous underdog receiving +5000 odds to win the tournament.

The longer hitters who are able to keep it in the fairway will definitely have an advantage will they tee it up at Hazeltine. Some of those long hitters to keep on your radar include Anthony Kim, Paul Casey, and even Sergio Garcia. Garcia has long waited for his first major championship and this could be a course that suits him well. The Spaniard earned a top 10 finish at the U.S Open and has played solid all season. Garcia is one of the longer hitters on tour despite struggling with accuracy issues over the past few years. Garcia enters as a +2500 odds to win. Anthony Kim is a youngster who is destined for success in the near future. After going heel to heel with Tiger Woods at the AT&T Invitational, Kim has continued to play well with a 3rd place finish at the Canadian Open. Kim who is another strong hitter should do very well this coming week. Kim will hold as a +3000 underdog to win. Paul Casey has been a guy we have kept our eyes on all year. Casey has played solid, but has yet to capture the breakout win we have expected. Casey will look to change that this week as he is another +3000 underdog.

One of the biggest names that you may not hear in the days leading up to the PGA Championship is David Toms, but he is a person who we think has a terrific shot this coming week. Toms is our dark horse pick considering he leads the PGA Tour in driving accuracy and can also has plenty of length with the package as well. Toms has not posted any wins in 2009, but has resulted in 3 different runner-up finishes. Toms who is an experienced former major champion has all the tools to make a run at this year’s PGA Championship at wonder +5000 odds to consider. What holds in store over the next few days? Well time will only tell, but we may be on the verge of another great story in golf. Will elder veterans make a run at the PGA Championship similar to how Tom Watson defied age at the British Open or will it be a new young face to take home the crown? One thing that is for sure is there will be plenty of hungry competitors ready to step their way into the spot light at Hazeltine National Golf Club as we anticipate the start of the 2009 PGA Championship.

Current 2009 PGA Championship Odds From BetUS Sortsbook:
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The countdown to the 2009 College Football Season is nearly just one month away. While the anticipation continues to build, college players around the nation prepare their first practices of the 2009 season which kicks off in the next two weeks. The weeks leading up to the season is the time when you can always find the biggest variety of preseason college football betting odds on the web. BetUS Sportsbook (100% match play bonus when using this link) and Superbook (50% cash signup bonus using this link) have nearly every preseason betting opportunity imaginable; from wins totals, championship odds, division winners, props, and more. Our writers here at Bankroll Sports have provided free picks along with some general advice on cashing in on these odds, and we will continue to do this over the next few weeks. In today’s addition, I will break down some of the best college teams in America and give my predictions on the amount of wins they will capture in 2009.

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#1. Illinois Fighting Illini (5-7 record)

Over 7 ½ Wins -140
Under 7 ½ Wins +125

Illinois had a big letdown season in 2008 with a dismal 5-7 overall record. However, the offensive production was among the best in the Big Ten and this year’s unit could be among the best in the nation. Quarterback, Juice Williams threw for 3,173 yards and also rushed for 713 yards a year ago. The offensive line looks to return a solid group, meaning that Williams could be in for another big year. The senior quarterback should provide the leadership to put this team over the hump. Standout wide receiver, Arrelious Benn could be on the verge of a huge season after racking up over 1,000 receiving yards last year as a sophomore. Expect this offense primarily the passing attack to be the best in the Big Ten. The defense definitely has some question marks, but if they can just be decent, the Illini should be able to make a lot noise flying under the radar this season. Coach Ron Zook’s 2009 class could be even more talented than the 2007 unit that produced 9 wins and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Anything less than 8 wins would simply be inexcusable.

Pick – Over 7 ½

Consensus:

#2. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-4 in 2008)

Over 8 ½ Wins -125
Under 8 ½ Wins -115

Is it just me or can you hear the nail biting over in Morgantown? The Mountaineers had a very promising approach to 2008, but the 9-4 record was a bit of a letdown in coach Bill Stewart’s first year. However, there are a ton of concerns this season on offense that could make matters a lot worse. Not only does West Virginia have to replace the elusive Pat White, but new quarterback, Jarrett Brown has very little experience despite entering his senior season. Brown has yet to attempt over 50 passes in one year in his previous 3 seasons and he will have to prove himself on the field. The biggest concern could be on the offensive front, which will nearly have an entire new appearance. Not only will that affect Brown’s level of comfort, but it will take away from the Mountaineer’s best offensive threat in tailback, Noel Devine. Offensive productivity could be in jeopardy here. The defense should be very solid and perhaps even the best in the Big East. There will be many who pick the Mountaineers to win the Big East, but this actually could be a disaster in the making on the offensive side of the ball.

Pick – Under 8 ½ Wins

Consensus:

#3. Ohio State Buckeyes (10-3 in 2008)

Over 9 ½ Wins -115
Under 9 ½ Wins -125

If you happened to catch some of our other preseason articles, then you will know we keeping the Buckeyes on the lookout alert. Ohio State really came on strong at the end of 2008, and nearly beating the Texas Longhorns in the Fiesta Bowl. Terrelle Pryor destroyed defenses with his legs last season, but we believe he will do a lot more with his arm in 2009. The youngster was able to keep defenses on their heels in his freshman season while only showing flashes of his passing ability. Giving the time he has had to work on his throws, there could be a big upgrade in the air assault, giving a huge lift to the offense this season. Many experts try to argue that the defense lost too many big players, but Ohio State has had very little problems reloading on talent over the last few years. Expect those guys that were not on the field last season to be very skilled players who will take to the gridiron come kick off time. While the defense may take a step back, don’t expect it to be a big step by any means. The Buckeyes biggest test will be the trip to Happy Valley late in the season. Outside of their showdown with the Nittany Lions, Ohio State should be favored in every game.  And, we don’t expect them to be upset more than once this season which is what will have to happen in order for them to finish under 9.5 wins.

Pick – Over 9 ½ Wins

Consensus:

#4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-4 in 2008)

Over 8 ½ Wins -120
Under 8 ½ Wins -120

The Yellow Jackets were the biggest surprise team in the Atlantic Coast Conference last season. New coach Paul Johnson implemented his famous rushing offense and the affects surpassed all expectations. Jonathon Dwyer is among the best running backs in the nation and he has good company. Backup tailback, Roddy Jones and quarterback, Josh Nesbitt are both very solid athletes who only making the rushing attack more dangerous. Look for WR Demaryius Thomas to become a bigger focus the few times Nesbitt drops back to pass. Thomas caught for just 39 passes last year for 637 yards, but there numbers could take a drastic impact as the Yellow Jackets will catch defenses off guard with a few more passing attempts. However, the offense main production will come from the rushing attack. The offense excelled on the ground as the year progressed in 2008 and as they continue to get accustomed to the new offense the improvements will only continue. Georgia Tech will also return one of the best defenses in the ACC as well. The Yellow Jackets defense ranked in the top 25 in college football during the 2008 season and they return 8 starters from that impressive unit. With all the ingredients for more improvement, Yellow Jackets fans should be anticipating making a legitimate run at an ACC crown.

Pick – Over 8 1/2 Wins

Consensus:

#5. USC Trojans (12-1 in 2008)

Over 10 ½ Wins +120
Under 10 ½ Wins -160

The USC Trojans will enter the 2009 season with a lot of question marks surrounding the most important position on the field. Quarterbacks, Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain will be fighting for the starting spot.  However, neither quarterback possesses any experience. The defense may have been the best in college football last season, but after losing 8 starters there are some legitimate concerns. The defense will likely be alright as the Trojans reload talent like no other team in the country. However, we just don’t see this team ending with the same record from 2008 with such a big question mark behind center. The offense will struggle at times and there will be some better teams in the Pac-10 ready to throw a big punch. The Trojans make some scary road trips to Notre Dame, Oregon, and California, giving a lot of opportunity for mistakes. The Trojans seem to give up one big upset a year, but this season they could let a few more slip away.

Pick – Under 10 ½ Wins

Consensus:

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As our expert handicappers continue to prepare for the upcoming football season, my fellow Bankoll Sports bloggers and staff writers will continue to find the best preseason odds and picks for all your football props and futures.  And, we will continue to offer up our picks.  My colleges have already broken down the conference previews and given you full explanations of what you might expect to see from the NFL in 2009. However, we will now take this a step further and make our over/under picks for how many wins some of these teams will accomplish this season, taking advantage of the odds that some of these books (including; Superbook / 50% cash signup bonus using this link & BetUS Sportsbook – 100% match play bonus when using this link) have posted.  As always, the Bankroll Sports website continue to bring to you free football picks picks that are sure to beef up your bankroll for the 2009 post season. 

You also can get the premium football picks from our expert handicapping team for the entire (regular & post) season along with every baseball release for the rest of the (regular & post) season for just $349.95 by checking out our 2009 Football Season Special Promo.  This is the lowest price in 15 years that our bosses have put on their complete football season special.  It’s also the earliest that they have ever offered this early bird season special as it includes all of our expert handicappers’ baseball releases for the entire second half of the season.  This is, by far, the best offer you are going to find for our complete football package.

Check our what the writers and I have come up with for our 2009 NFL team win totals.

Free Pick #1: New Orleans Saints

Over 9 Wins -115
Under 9 Wins -115

The New Orleans Saints return the NFL’s best offense from 2008. Drew Brees racked up over 5,000 yards to lead the best passing attack in the NFL. The Saints offense will again be among the best in the NFL this season, but they still have concerns on defense. The defense ranked in the bottom 7 in scoring defense last season allowing nearly 25 points per game. However, the defense should be much improved this season. Defensive ends, Charles Grant (triceps) and Will Smith (hernia) both played with injuries last year and the Saints struggled to get and pressure at all on the quarterback. Both of these key players should be healthy heading into the season, making the defensive front stronger. Also, the secondary will get the addition of Ohio State’s Malcolm Jenkins. Despite not having any experience, Jenkins will play immediately. The Saints also added CB Jabari Greer from Buffalo to their secondary that gave up 221 yards per game. New Orleans may not have one of the best defenses this season, but they should be highly improved. Even with the horrible defense in 2008, the Saints were a factor in nearly every game. Their 8-8 record can be a bit misleading considering 6 of those losses were by 5 points or less. Expect some things to fall their way this year and watch for a breakout season from the highly talented New Orleans Saints.

Pick – Over 9 Wins

Free Pick #2: Chicago Bears

Over 8 ½ Wins -140
Under 8 ½ Wins +110

Basically if you are going to try and get me to believe the Bears will win less games than they did in 2008 I would love to hear your explanation. Chicago landed one of the best young quarterbacks in the game over the off season in Jay Cutler. The problems that have plagued the Bears for the last few years are finally over behind center. Sure, the Bears may not have any big play-maker at wide out like most experts like to say or is that argument legit? Devin Hester has tremendous speed but we have never been able to see how effective his speed is because there has not been a quarterback that could hit him down field. Cutler can make all the throws on the field including the bombs down field so we will really get to see what the receiving core can do. Plus there are some talented young receivers in the stable as well. The Bears defense is popularly known for being strong every year. The defense did not have the season expected on paper in 2008, but a lot of that could be blamed on the offense which gave up 27 turnovers. There is just no way the Bears will be worse than last season with Cutler behind center. In fact they should be focusing more on the winning the NFC North than having to worry about improving their record.

Pick – Over 8 1/2

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Free Pick #3: Detroit Lions

Over 4 ½ -125
Under 4 ½ -105

This line maybe a sucker bet, but I will bite. The Detroit Lions will definitely be improved behind new coach Jim Schwartz. The Lions loaded up on talent during the NFL draft landing the number 1 overall pick with quarterback Matthew Stafford and also grabbing tight end Brandon Pettigrew late in the first round. However, they still have the worse offensive line in football and they are not going to be able to protect Stafford. The offensive line gave up 52 sacks in 2008 and they have yet to sign the first player that could turn that around. Plus the biggest problem last season was not only the offense, but perhaps even bigger the problem lie on the defensive side of the ball. The Lions allowed 404 yards per game last season by far the worse in the league. Detroit also ranked dead last in scoring defense allowing 32 points per game. The Lions added some players on defense like cornerbacks Phillip Buchanon (Tampa Bay) and Anthony Henry (Dallas). Detroit also drafted Louis Delmas (Western Michigan) to add support in the weak secondary. However, these players are not the ones that will turn things around. They still have major issues up front and stopping the run. I believe the Lions win a few games, but 5 wins may be a bit too optimistic.

Pick – Under 4 ½

Free Pick #4: Baltimore Ravens

Over 8 ½ -175
Under 8 ½ +145

The odds on this line may not be the most profitable, but I believe this bet is probably the best of them all. I had the Ravens to upset the Steelers this season in the AFC North despite getting beat 3 times by the Steelers in 2008. The Ravens defense ranked 2nd in nearly every category behind Pittsburgh last season. They may have some aging veterans on that side of the ball, but I would expect no less than a top 3 defense again this season. Rookie Joe Flacco had a tremendous season behind center and it will be interesting to see if he can continue to progress. Flacco really controlled the ball well towards the end of the season and you could also see the confidence building behind Flacco through the play calling. The Ravens attempted a good bit of deep balls towards the end of the season and I’m guessing they will attempt even more early this season. WR Derrick Mason is one of the best in the league even though he may not get the credit he deserves. LeRon McClain led the team in rushing with 902 yards in 2008. However, McClain will be making the move to fullback this season. Willis McGahee and Ray Rice will get the bulk of the carries in the backfield. However, having McClain in the back field as well should give defenses extra concern in the running game. The Ravens may become a much bigger offensive force this season and that is one reason I predicting them to take down the AFC North. The defense would have to fall apart and the offense become motionless for the Ravens to be held under 9 wins.

Pick – Over 8 ½

Free Pick #5 (Best Bet): Carolina Panthers

Over 8 ½ -105
Under 8 ½ -125

I have the Carolina Panthers listed as a team that could really be in some serious trouble this season. Do not get me wrong, they do have some talented personnel that can perform. However, they are a team with a lot of issues. One of these issues is quarterback Jake Delhomme. I have believed Delhomme has held this team back for years. My theory was backed up in the playoffs last year against Arizona when he threw 5 interceptions. If it wasn’t for the playmaking ability of Steve Smith, the passing game in Carolina would be non-existent. The Panthers strength last season was the ground attack led by Jonathon Stewart and DeAngelo Williams. The two combined for nearly 2300 yards as one of the best duos in the league. The offensive line should get a lot of that credit for the strong running attack. Carolina will have another strong front five again this season. However, the offensive line will have very little depth heading into this season, meaning if the big guys start going down, then so will the running game. Another reason the unit maybe heading for destruction in 2009, is their very poor run defense. The rush defense allowed over 120 yards per game ranking in the bottom of the NFL. Star defensive end Julius Peppers signed a one year deal even though it was obvious he wanted out of town. However, the Panthers franchised Peppers for a one year deal worth just under 17 million. Rookie Everette Brown will be the long term replacement for Peppers, but it will take him a while before he is terrorizing quarterbacks and turning heads. The defensive front could really take a step back this season which is a bad combination with the already shaky secondary. Those combinations on offense and defense will just be too much for the team to overcome this season. History shows that the NFC South usually flip flops every season. The Panthers may have won the division in 2008, but do not be surprised if they are at the bottom of the NFC South in 2009.

Pick – Under 8 ½