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The NASCAR version of the regular season is winding down as only 5 races remain before the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. A lot of well known faces find themselves on the border of the top 12 in the point’s standings who will qualify for NASCAR’s version of the playoffs. Names like Kyle Busch are on the outside looking in while drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya are sitting nicely inside the top 12. However, everything can change over the next few weeks of racing. We take a look at the hottest drivers in NASCAR and rank the best to bet on for the 2009 Sprint Cup Championship.

#1 Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson became only the 2nd person in NASCAR history last season to win 3 consecutive championships. Johnson could become the first person to win 4 straight this season and has looked very strong thus far this season. Johnson has won 3 races this season including a big victory at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis just two weeks ago. However, Johnson impressiveness comes with his consistency. Crew chief Chad Knaus is the best in the business and many wonder how good the #48 team would be without his presence. With Johnson at the wheel and Knaus calling the shots, the team will again be the favorite to win the championship. It is quite impressive to see any type of dominance as competitive as the sport is today. However, Johnson has proven that he is the best and will be chasing an historic 4th consecutive title.

Odds to Win Championship = +300

#2. Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart surprised most the racing world last year when he announced his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing where he had won 2 Championships. The decision to take over as owner of an unproven franchise raised even more questions. However, Stewart has flourished since taken over at Stewart-Haas Racing. The driver of the #14 Old Spice Chevrolet has captured wins on the biggest stages this season including making a big statement by capturing checkers at the All-Star Race in May. Stewart leads all drivers with 12 top 5 finishes on the season and also leads the points. Stewart is destined to make some noise in the race for the championship in his first season as owner giving a scary omen of what could come over the next few years.

Odds to Win Championship = +350

#3. Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon has really turned things around after struggling most of 2008. Gordon got off to a great start earlier this season earning 5 different top 5 finishes in his first 7 races. The driver of the #24 Dupont machine also led the points for a good portion of the early season before surrendering the lead to Tony Stewart. Gordon’s strong finishes tapered off during the beginning of the summer months. However, in the last few weeks Gordon has posted top 10 finishes in 7 of the last 8 races. Gordon dominated NASCAR in the late 90’s resulting in 4 championships even though he has not had equal success over the past few years. However, given notice to the way the savvy veteran has been running this season it makes the possibility for a 5th title more tangible.

Odds to Win Championship = +600

#4. Mark Martin

Mark Martin was a retired 50 year old at this time last year. However, when Martin was given the opportunity to drive the #5 Chevy for the best team in racing at Hendrick Motorsports the offer was too good to pass up. Martin entered this season with hopes of winning races, but most never imagined that he would lead all drivers with 4 victories at this point in the season. If the success were to continue, Martin may finally be able to capture the elusive championship that has avoided him his entire career. Without a doubt, Martin is the best driver to never win a Cup Championship. Martin is only ranked 10th in the standings despite the 4 wins. However, most of the trouble came early in the year from mechanical failures. Not only should Martin be one of the drivers in the Chase, but he would lead the points when the Chase begin due to his number of victories meaning he would be a big threat for his much younger competitors.

Odds to Win Championship = +400

#5. Kurt Busch

Kurt Busch is another driver who has really turned things around this season. Busch who is a former champion found himself 18th in the point standings at the end of last year well outside the top 12 fighting for the championship. However, Busch and the Penske Racing Team have fought back in 2009 recording 11 top 10 finishes and a win at Atlanta. Busch has been very consistent all year and has had very little trouble besides a few run ins with Jimmie Johnson. However, the big question is if anyone will be able to challenge the Hendrick Cars who have been so strong this year and rank 1-4 if you include Tony Stewart who is running Hendrick engines. The most coincidental headline of 2009 is if you were to guess that one of the Busch brothers would be in the hunt for a championship it definitely would not have been Kurt.

Odds to Win Championship = +1500

#6. Carl Edwards

Carl Edwards posted the most wins in the Sprint Cup Series in 2008 with an extremely impressive 9 victories. However, Edwards has yet to find victory lane this season despite running up front for most of the season. Edwards has consistently run around edge of the top 10 this season which is a big drop from where he was last year when the #99 Aflac Ford machine was contending for wins every week. In fact, the entire Rousch Racing stable has been down in terms of performance as the Chevrolet manufactured cars continue to shine. However even with the cars that may not be the strongest in the field, Edwards is one of the most talented young drivers in the sports and gets the most out of his race car. Edwards may not be in the position to legitimately make a run at the championship, but he will likely find a way to finish towards the top of the standings.

Odds to Win Championship = +800

#7. Juan Pablo Montoya

Juan Pablo Montoya is definitely the biggest surprise of the drivers who are currently in the top 12 in points. There were many who doubted the former open wheel driver would be able to continue his strong runs of the past few races. However, Monday’s rain postponed showing at Pocono likely locked him into the Chase despite any major collapse. Montoya has really shined over the last few weeks on some of the flat race tracks. If he can continue to show that kind of strength at the high banks, lookout for an underdog story in the making.

Odds to Win Championship = +3500

#8. Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin pulled of an emotional win at Pocono this past Monday. Hamlin who had stated he should not be racing at is at home with family after the passing of his grandmother, drove the best race of the season to win the Pennsylvania 500. The showing displayed Hamlin picking up a ton of spots in the final laps of the race including coming from 6th to 1st in the final restart to capture the victory. If you follow racing, it may have surprised you to see Hamlin drive the car so aggressively to the front. While it was possibly one of the best performances behind the wheel of his career, it should be little surprise as Hamlin is a very gifted driver. Hopefully, the win could spark the fire to get the #11 FedEx Toyota rolling. If Hamlin gives similar type of effort in the Chase, more wins are to come.

Odds to Win Championship = +1200

#9. Kasey Kahne

Kasey Kahne has perhaps made the least noise of any driver in the top 12 in the standings this season. However, Kahne comfortably sits in the number 7 position in the points. The driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge captured his only victory on the road course in Sonoma, California back in June. Kahne could build on his recent momentum this coming week as the NASCAR circuit takes on another road course at Watkins Glenn. Despite capturing top 10 finishes in 5 of the last 6 races, Kahne must find a way to capture more wins in the final 10 races to make a run at a championship. However, Kahne is known for performing better in the hotter summer months of the season and that has definitely been the case over the past few weeks.

Odds to Win Championship = +1200

#10. Ryan Newman

Ryan Newman was the lone ranger to travel over and team up with Tony Stewart at Stewart-Haas Racing this season. However, the change in teams for Newman has worked out for the best just like it has for Tony Stewart. Newman has failed to compete over the past few seasons with Penske Racing. However, Newman has been able to run up front for the majority of the season. Despite a few poor finishes, the #39 team is definitely on the upswing. Even though the team maybe a year or two away from being their best, Newman and company still have all the resources to capture a few wins before the season ends.

Odds to Win Championship = +1800

Complete NASCAR odds to win the 2009 Sprint Cup From BetUS (as of 8/6/09)
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At The Bottom of This Post is The Full List of Odds to Win the 2009 British Open

The PGA Tour will host the 3rd Major of the season starting this Thursday at the British Open. The spectacular links event will take place at Turnberry on the Ailsa Course in Turnberry, Scotland. The British Open has long been the oldest and most traditional major sporting event in the world. Dating back to the 1860s, the British Open has long held its reign as one of golf’s most prestigious events. The winner receives the infamous Claret Jug that has all the previous winners inscribed in the trophy. Padraig Harrington has won the last two British Opens and has the chance to become only the 2nd player in history to win 3 straight Open events. However, Harrington will have to hold off Tiger Woods and a hungry field of competitors all playing for one of golf’s most historic prizes.

Turnberry has hosted 3 previous British Opens over the last 30 years dating back to the first event in 1977. Tom Watson won that event posting 12 under par. Turnberry hosted two more events in 1986 and 1994. The two other winners included Greg Norman who shot even par back in 86 and Nick Price who also posted a 12 under in the most recent visit in 1994. The course has received a bad reputation for not being as challenging as other British Open courses. However, the course has received an upgrade in difficult over the last few years. The par 70 course has been added with 21 new bunkers and extended around 300 yards. The course now measures out at 7204 yards which is fairly lengthy for a par 70 style course. However to win at Turnberry, players do not have to hit bombing 350 yard drives. Instead the course is rewarding to good decision making and smart shots. Basically meaning that their will be plenty of competitors who will be in contention this weekend.

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Leading favorite Tiger Woods will seek his 4th Claret Jug and his first major victory of the season. Woods is no stranger to being a favorite at the majors, but has surprisingly yet to play extremely well in any major this year. Woods won the AT&T National just two weeks ago and will be riding momentum into the event. Woods has won every event this season (3) last player before a major this year. However, the results have yet to stick with him into the majors. Woods is a +200 favorite to win the event and we will give you a few reasons why this major could be different than the others this season. The main reason Tiger is rightfully such a big candidate to win this coming weekend, is he appeared to be a totally different golfer at the AT&T National. Unlike his other two wins where he blistered a final round 65 at the Memorial or grinded out a 5 under victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Woods was in complete control of his golf swing at the AT&T National. Woods placed shots where ever he wanted controlling his aggressiveness when only he needed. That type of control with his shots will be vital at Turnberry. Also, the Ailsa course has long rewarded great putting. If you have followed Woods over the years, then perhaps you know that no other golfer stands a chance if he gets the flat stick rolling. It’s easy to pick Woods as a winner, but we have warned you before taking bets on him in events so far this season. However, it looks like the pieces are starting to fall into place with his swing for the first time back from knee surgery.

Outside of Tiger, most would agree Padraig Harrington should have a great opportunity this weekend. Despite poor playing this season, Harrington has been tremendous in the Open Events. Surprisingly, the odds indicate how Harrington has been playing and he is a huge +3000 underdog. That may be just worth the smallest of bets heading into this Thursday. Phil Mickelson will not be playing in the event. Mickelson who is always a big name to bet on in the majors will miss the event as he will be with his wife who is trying to recover from breast cancer surgery. Anthony Kim stringed together some strong rounds of golf at the AT&T National. Kim was tied with Tiger going into the final round before losing his composure on Sunday. However, Kim is loaded with talent making him a promising figure in golf’s future. Kim will be a +2500 long shot at the Open Championship.

Other talented golfers who are bound to score big victories in the near future include Englishman Paul Casey. Casey has won 3 events this season once on the US Tour and twice more on the European Tour. Casey is ranked 11th on the money list this season even though he has kind of fell of the radar over the last few weeks after missing cuts at the AT&T and US Open. Casey will also be receiving +2500 odds to win the event. Other names to watch out for include David Duvall. That’s right Duvall made his presence felt at the U.S Open finishing tied for 2nd only 2 shots off the win. The turnaround in Duval’s career has been remarkable to watch, but he is swinging the club very nicely heading into the event. If there is any player in the field that is dangerous when swinging confidently it is David Duval. Ricky Barnes is another youngster to consider this weekend. After coming off his best major finish in history tied for 2nd place, Barnes is ranked 5th in putting on tour in 2009. Considering how vital putting will be this weekend, Barnes could make another strong run at victory. Finally one last veteran to have on your radar this weekend is 54 year old Greg Norman. As crazy as it may sound, Norman plays as well as anyone on the open links courses. Norman finished 3rd at last year’s British Open proving he can still contend with the youngsters on Tour. Norman won this exact event at Turnberry back in 1986 and at amazing +20000 odds he is definitely worth a small wager for the most unexpected of winners at the 2009 British Open.

Current odds to win the British Open From BetUS:
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Current matchup odds for the 2009 British Open From Sportsbook.com:

Sports fans do not worry, the 2009 NFL Football Season will be here in just a couple of weeks. If you may have taken the summer off from the betting world or just ready for football season you are not alone. Anticipation for the upcoming football season is at an all time high because there are so many big stories heading into 2009. Tom Brady makes his return under center in New England, the ongoing saga in Dallas, and Jay Cutler becoming the new quarterback in Chicago are just a few of the headlines. It is safe to say the 2009 NFL season will be one that will be fun to watch. The NFL training camps are only about two weeks away as we begin to learn a little bit more about the teams and what to expect. We have examined all the off-season transactions and draft selections and are ready to take advantage of all available betting lines. As we transition our focus to football we look forward to bringing you the best betting strategies on hand. The season odds are most favorable before the teams take the field and we will try to pinpoint the best prop bets available for 2009 NFL Season.

Prop Bet #1 – Winning the AFC North Division (Click here for AFC Divisional Odds)

Baltimore Ravens +320
Cincinnati Bengals +800
Cleveland Browns +900
Pittsburgh Steelers -225

The Pittsburgh Steelers dominated this division a year ago on route to winning their record 6th Super Bowl. The Steelers will again be big favorites to win the division over the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers beat the Ravens on 3 different occasions last season. Pittsburgh 3 wins may consider that they just blew down the division. However, the two regular season games were decided by a combined 7 points including an overtime game in the first meeting. The Steelers then battled in another great football game with Baltimore in the AFC Championship beating the Ravens by 9 points. We expect things to shape out differently in 2009. While this is still a two horse race in the division, we like Baltimore to extract some revenge. The Ravens passing attack improved tremendously in 2008 behind young quarterback Joe Flacco. Baltimore consistently tested the deep ball towards the end of the season proving how much trust they had in their young quarterback. Baltimore is anticipating another promising season. Both teams have the most dominating defenses in the league. Last season Pittsburgh come up with big plays at the right times mainly from WR Hines Ward. We expect the road will be more difficult as it always is when defending a Super Bowl winning season. Add to the fact, Baltimore won the last 6 out of 9 in the series before last season and the Ravens should be primed for the upset. Take advantage of Baltimore’s profitable pre-season odds and consider a wager.

Pick – Baltimore Ravens +320

Prop Bet #2 – Odds to win the AFC Championship

Notables:
Baltimore Ravens +900
Indianapolis Colts +650
New England Patriots +350
Pittsburgh Steelers +450
San Diego Chargers +650
Tennessee Titans +900

The AFC will sport a load of talent in 2009. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the defending Super Bowl Champions. The Indianapolis Colts won their last 9 games of the regular season and many are promising them to have a breakout season. Tennessee got off to a perfect 10-0 start before faltering down the stretch. San Diego came on strong during the playoffs and Baltimore is an up and coming contender as well. However, the team that has dominated the last decade will be amongst the biggest favorites and rightfully so. The Patriots had a perfect regular season at 16-0 in 2007 in what people will remember as one of the greatest teams ever. New England lost their superstar quarterback Tom Brady last year and the team struggled to return to dominance. However, many people were surprised to see how good the Patriots could contend with an inexperienced quarterback. New England finished 11-5, but this season promises to be much better with Brady back under center. Randy Moss and Wes Welker both eclipsed the 1,000 yard plateau in 2008 and we believe they will have even bigger season in 2009. Not a big surprise of a pick, but this team has the potential to flirt with their 2007 undefeated status. The Patriots return to dominance will be felt in 2009.

Pick – New England Patriots +350

Prop Bet # 3 – Who will have the most regular season passing yards?

The top 3 quarterbacks in terms of passing yards in 2008 were Jay Cutler, Kurt Warner, and Drew Brees. Brees dominated in nearly all passing statistics throwing for an amazing 5,000 plus yards in the New Orleans pass happy offense. Brees also led the league in passing touchdowns with 34 scores as well. Jay Cutler and Kurt Warner were both very impressive as both starts threw for over 4,500 yards. Warner will again be a threat as he has two of the most talented receivers in the game in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. However, it is unlikely the veteran quarterback can reach those impressive numbers again as age is should start taking a toll. Cutler is now in Chicago and that is anything but a 4500 yard passing type of offense. Meaning the only other contenders would be Phillip Rivers and Peyton Manning who both barely eclipsed the 4,000 yard barrier. Drew Brees should be just as big a threat in 2009. Backed by a solid offensive front, the pass happy offense will go to the air early and often. Do not be surprised to see very similar numbers from the Saints biggest star in 2009.

Pick – Drew Brees +250

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At The Bottom of This Article is The Full List of Odds For The 2009 US Open

The U.S Open will return to Bethpage Black Golf Course in New York this year as the top golfers in the world take center stage in the tour’s 2nd major of the season. The U.S Open has historically always been the toughest major for scoring amongst competitors. The PGA Tour made their stop at Bethpage Black back in 2002 and the course was extremely difficult for the world’s top golfers. Tiger Woods prevailed over Phil Mickelson by shooting a 72 hole 277 which equaled 3 under par. Woods was actually the only player to finish in red figures on the tough par 70 course. Phil Mickelson ended up at even par for the 4 round contest, but the rest of the field was well above par in scoring. The PGA Tour returns this year to a slightly different looking Bethpage Black. The course went through renovations and redesigns since the last time they hosted the U.S Open. The course is now even longer ranging at 7,496 yards making it one of the longest U.S Open’s in history. Bethpage Black will also host the longest Par 4 in history this year as number 7 will play an enormous 525 yards. The course has also undergone physical changes with restoration of nearly all greenside bunkers and reshaped greens. Despite all the changes in the course and difficulties these players will face; the true question is who will be able to conquer Bethpage Black?

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Tiger Woods would of course be the favorite considering he won the event back in 2002, but Woods has not exactly been Tiger like since his return from knee surgery earlier this year. Tiger has not exactly been playing poorly, but he has not been as dominate like the world has grown to expect either. Woods won the 2008 U.S Open off that heroic playoff with Rocco Mediate. The world’s number 1 golfer won the event with a badly injured knee which was possibly one of his best performances of his career. Woods will be a 5/1 favorite to win the event slightly ahead of Phil Mickelson who is receiving 8/1 odds to win the event. Mickelson is coming off a disappointing performance at the Players Championship, but did have a top 5 finish in Augusta at The Masters. Mickelson along with Woods both benefit from the long golf course consider they can carry the ball a good distance. Another player that could very well emerge from the crowd and take home a major title is Padraig Harrington. Harrington come on strong last year in Wood’s absence from the sport winning two major events in the British Open and the PGA Championship. Harrington is another player that is solid on the long courses and he proved back in 2002 that he can play well at Bethpage Black when he posted an 8th place finish. Harrington’s game is far more advanced at this point in his career and he would definitely be a bet to consider.

The U.S Open has historically has been subject to falling to the unknowns among the PGA ranks. The US Open has been the event to turn determined young players into household names. Michael Campbell is a prime example. Before the 2005 U.S Open at Pinehurst, Campbell failed to make the cut in his first 5 tournaments on the season. However, Campbell broke putting together the best 4 rounds of action conquering Pine Hurst at even par which earned Campbell his first major victory and turned him into a household name overnight. In 2007, Angel Cabrera was another lesser known name to finally capture the spotlight. Cabrera had been on the tour for numerous years, but had failed to win a major championship or truly contend. However, Cabrera posted a +5 over 4 round score that also earned him his first major championship in one of the toughest U.S Open’s in history at the Oakmont Country Club. Heading into the 2009 U.S Open we would like to pick out some names that could emerge into overnight success stories. Cabrera might be another pick worth consideration at very profitable 50/1 odds. Cabrera won the Masters back in April and are amongst one of the longest hitters on Tour which will be needed at Bethpage.

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One particular name that comes to mind when trying to locate a underdog would be Paul Casey. The 31 year old British player has had a great start to 2009 winning at the Shell Houston Open back in April and has also not finished outside the top 35 in event this season. Casey finished 20th at the Masters and was runner-up at the Accenture Match-Play Championship. Casey is a 33/1 long shot to win the event and this could just be the Tournament that he finally captures his first Major Championship. Another name that could finally breakthrough could be Camilo Villegas. Villegas earned some impressive finished with two top 10 in both the U.S Open and PGA Championship in 2008 which equaled his best finishes in a Major. Villegas has not exactly played poorly over the last few weeks finishing in the top 25 in 3 of his last 4 events. Villegas is another player standing at 33/1 odds for the event, and worth consideration for the U.S Open.

Also we found an interesting Prop Bet surrounding the PGA’s number 1 ranked golfer Tiger Woods. This prop bet is gaining a lot of popularity due to Tiger’s less than terrific start and we decided to make a play on this bet as well;

Will Tiger Woods win a major this year?
Current Prop. Odds: Yes -200, No +150

There maybe some people that will take their chances against Woods, but not us. Woods proved last year in the U.S Open that he finds a way to raise his level of play in the Major Championships even if the odds were against him with a bad knee. Woods may not have the wins at this point in the season to compare with previous seasons, but he is not playing bad golf. Woods may still need time to get back to the top of his game after not swinging a club for nearly 9 months, but no way he does not find a way to win a Major Championship in 2009. Tiger has geared himself for the Major events since his arrival to the PGA Tour and we will take the -200 that Woods brings home at least one Major Title this season.

Below are the current futures odds to win the 2009 US Open for the entire field.  Check back or save the page to your favorites for updates as the odds change for the 09′ USOpen. These are the current odds are from BetUS Sportsbook.  You can also check out BetUS and you will find a variety of other props and match-up lines for the 2009 US Open.  Bet the US Open at BetUS and get a 100% Signup Bonus (up to $500) courtesy of Bankroll Sports when clicking this link.

Current odds to win the US Open From BetUS:

Current matchup odds for the US Open from BetUS Sportsbook (Get a 100% Bonus Above):

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AFC East

Odds to win the AFC East:
Buffalo Bills +600
Miami Dolphins +1000
New England Patriots -400
New York Jets +700

The AFC East was among the most exciting playoff division races of 2009. Miami, New York, and New England all entered the last two weeks of the season with chances to make the playoffs and many were shocked when the Patriots dynasty failed to make the post-season. The Patriots lost QB Tom Brady early in the year and it quickly leveled the playing field among the division. Miami was among one of the biggest turnaround stories in recent memory and became the only team in the division to make the post-season. However, Brady is back and so are the expectations for the Patriots to return to dominance in 2010. The Patriots put together some depth through the NFL Draft and WR Brandon Tate could find away to fit into the air attack in the future. The Jets had a great draft as well landing Mark Sanchez to fill the shoes at quarterback. However, it will take Sanchez some time and the Jets need someone to make an immediate impact. Chad Pennington turned the Dolphins team around in 2009 throwing for over 3600 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Dolphins had an unexpected successful year, but that may have been more of a sign of how weak the division was instead of how well the Dolphins were playing. Buffalo struggled to move the ball last season as they only averaged 305 yards of total offense. The Bills addressed some defensive needs in the draft, but they are in desperate need for playmakers on offense. The Patriots appear to be a lock in the AFC East this year with their high power offense and solid defense. However, if Brady goes down again this year they will have a lot bigger problems as Cassel is not there any longer at backup.

Pick – Patriots -400

AFC North

Odds to win the AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens +250
Cincinnati Bengals +800
Cleveland Browns +800
Pittsburgh Steelers -200

The Pittsburgh Steelers wrapped up their NFL record 6th Super Bowl victory last season and they will of course be rather sizeable favorites to win the AFC North in 2010. The Steelers were involved in some hard fought battles with Baltimore throughout the season, but in the end the Steelers beat the Ravens in all 3 games played. Heading into next year it is fairly safe to say that the division will likely be a two horse racing again. Cleveland and Cincinnati ranked as the bottom two teams in the NFL in 2009 in terms of overall offense. Cleveland averaged 249 yards per game and the Bengals somehow were even worse at 245 yards per game. These two teams combined to only average 26 points per game last season. Seven teams averaged at least 26 points per game last season to just give an idea of how poor these offenses were. Do not expect any dramatic improvements next year. The Steelers and the Ravens were propelled by two very strong defenses in 2009. Pittsburgh’s defense was perhaps the best to take the field in the last decade as they were ranked number 1 in 3 out of 4 major defensive categories. Baltimore’s defense was ranked number 2 behind the Steelers in nearly every category and the two tangled for some low scoring defensive controlled games. The difference this year could be Joe Flacco ability to continue to mature at quarterback for Baltimore. The Ravens used Flacco’s arm to pursue the deep ball more often towards the end of the year and Baltimore could develop into a strong offensive team as well. We will pick the Ravens to play spoiler against the defending champions in the AFC North.

Pick – Baltimore +250

AFC South

Odds to win the AFC South:
Houston Texans +400
Indianapolis Colts +160
Jacksonville Jaguars +200
Tennessee Titans +300

The AFC South should without a doubt be the strongest division in the AFC next season from top to bottom. The Tennessee Titans started 2009 a perfect 10-0 as one of the breakout teams in the league. The Titans will look to stick to strong defense and an offense led by the legs of Chris Johnson. Draft picks Kenny Britt and Jared Cook could become potential weapons after time to develop. Cook has a lot of speed for a tight end that could present some big mismatches in the secondary. The Texans added a lot of focus to the defense during the off-season. Houston allowed 24 points per game last year and things must change for them to contend. Steve Slaton had strong year running the ball and will need similar efforts for Houston this year to keep the offense affective. Jacksonville did a wonderful job adding some premier talent to the offensive line with Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton during the draft. The offensive line allowed a miserable 42 sacks last season and these two young guys will change that. The question is how long will it take? The Jaguars defense is a work in progress and they could be a playmaker away on offense from shaping out to be a great team. The Indianapolis Colts got off to a horrible 3-4 start last year before rattling off 9 straight wins to close out the season. Indianapolis appears on the outside looking in to be primed for 2010. However, the release of Marvin Harrison along with major changes in the coaching staff after Tony Dungy retired and the Colts have a lot of question marks. However, Peyton Manning behind center is all anyone could ask for even when times are tough.

Pick – Indianapolis +160

AFC West

Odds to win the AFC West:
Denver Broncos +350
Kansas City Chiefs +600
Oakland Raiders +800
San Diego Chargers -225

The San Diego Chargers became the first team to enter the playoffs that did not have a winning record last season in nearly two decades. The Charges finished 8-8 on the season, but it was good enough as they held the tie breaker over Denver who was also 8-8. Darren Sproles made a big impact during the playoffs as the speedy running back will get his share of touches with LaDainian Tomlinson. San Diego’s late season success could be a good indication of what to expect in 2010. The Denver Broncos gave up star quarterback Jay Cutler. Does Kyle Orton come in to run the offense? If so we have seen the show before and it did not work out so well in Chicago. The Broncos did add Knowshon Moreno to the roster with the first pick. Moreno could be a solid back with unbelievable lateral quickness, but how much of an immediate impact he will make is the question. Oakland shocked the world by taking Darius Heyward-Bey in the first round over Michael Crabtree. However, the Raiders were going after an immediate big play threat. Heyward-Bey’s speed gives the down field threat on any given play. However, Oakland needs a lot more help to improve from the 16.4 points and 272 yards of offense from 2009 which were both among the worse in the NFL. Kansas City went after a few defensive needs with the draft selecting Tyson Jackson and Alex Magee for the defensive line. The Chiefs defense was flat frightening in all the wrong ways last season so any help has to be a plus. Kansas City still has a lot of question marks all over the field on the offensive side of the ball as well. The Chiefs should win more than two games this year, but perhaps not enough to consider contending for the division crown.

Pick – San Diego -225

While most of the world focuses on the new start of the Major League Baseball season and the NBA playoffs, the guys of the grid iron are hard at work during the off-season. Nearly two weeks after teams wrapped up the 2009 NFL Draft, teams are now holding the customary mini-camp and other off-season festivities. Betus.com has officially released the new odds to win the NFC Championship following the draft and we will take a look at some teams to consider in 2010. Take advantage of off-season odds at our sponsored sports books and consider placing a wager for next year’s Super Bowl contender. We break down who to watch out for in the NFC in 2010 and will follow up with a breakdown of the AFC during the middle of the week.

NFC East

Odds to win the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys +300
New York Giants +150
Philadelphia Eagles +160
Washington Redskins +700

The NFC East is possibly the most unpredictable conference of all-time. Last year all four teams had legitimate chances to win the division throughout the season. The Giants were the most consistent team finishing with a record of 12-4. However, New York really faltered down the stretch after Plaxico Burress was apart of the off the field trouble. The Giants either never got back focused mentally or suffered offensively from not having Burress. The Giants lost 4 of their last 5 games of the season due to the flat offense. New York is a team with a lot of question marks heading into 2010. Could Hakeem Nicks be the spark they need back at wide out to get the offense rolling again? One thing is for sure is that the Giants defense did play solid all year and should be a force again in 2010. Philadelphia caught fire during the 2nd half of the season after Donovan McNabb was benched for the first time in his career. The Eagles defense was another strong unit that played very well. The question this year will be again surrounding the offense and quite possibly McNabb. Will the veteran quarterback have his act together early or will he show more signs of inconsistency? The Eagles top pick Jeremy Maclin could make an immediate impact especially if he gets the chance to help out the special teams. Philadelphia has strong possibility to be strong again as they fell one game short of the Super Bowl last season losing to Arizona. The Dallas Cowboys landed a lot of depth through the off-season, but there are still a lot of question marks in the air. How will the defense play and will the offense be better or worse after Terrell Owens? The Cowboys definitely have the ability to be a front runner, but they late season stumbles have become an unwanted tradition. Washington first round pick Brian Orakpo has a bright future in the NFL. The Redskins simply had problems moving the ball last season and will need more explosiveness. The defense like the rest of the division had its bright spots, but the offense still needs some work. Clinton Portis had strong start to the season running the ball, but that dwindled away towards the end of the year. The Redskins were 5-1 when Portis reached the 100 yard mark and 3-9 when he was held to less than 100 yards.

Pick – Philadelphia +160

NFC North

Odds to win the NFC North:
Chicago Bears +200
Detroit Lions +1500
Green Bay Packers +160
Minnesota Vikings +150

The NFC North is another division that could be wide open in 2010. The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers are both moving in the right direction with their franchises, but how long will it take them to truly get there? The Bears landed a big fish during the off-season with Jay Cutler. Cutler should finally end all the question marks behind center and put the focus on another aspect of the field. The offense lacks the playmakers needed for them to be among the best in the NFC, but things could see an upswing with Cutler at quarterback. The Packers made some moves to fill the defensive side of the ball with the 2009 draft. The Packers were on the verge of having a great year last season. In their 10 losses, 7 of those defeats came by less than 4 points. Turn just half of those around and Green Bay would have been in the playoffs easily. With most of the offense returning and some more depth on defense, look for Green Bay to turn some losses into wins this time around. In this division, 10-6 could win the division again. Minnesota won the North last year behind the legs of Adrian Peterson. Peterson posted 1760 yards on the year and Minnesota developed into an offensive threat during the closing weeks. Percy Harvin could add to the explosiveness or could become a let down as well. The Vikings main concern may be behind center. Gus Frerotte threw 15 picks last season and Tarvaris Jackson just has not been what they have hoped. However, the Vikings will still grind out some wins through a talented running game and a defense that matured at the end of the year. As far as Detroit is concerned, do we really have to consider them for winning the division? The question for this team is how many games they will win this year. Better days are ahead for the Lions, but 2010 would be a success with as little as 4 victories.

Pick – Green Bay +160

NFC South

Odds to win the NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons +180
Carolina Panthers +200
New Orleans Saints +180
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +600

The Carolina Panthers closed out the 2009 regular season out very strong led by one of the best running back duos in the league. DeAngelo Williams had 1515 yards for the season while Jonathan Stewart added 836 yards as well and the two combined for 28 touchdowns. Carolina went out on a limb to draft Everette Brown as Julius Peppers made it public that he was exploring options out of Carolina. The offense will be another similar Panthers offense with Steve Smith at wide out and strong rushing attack. However, Jake Delhomme still has not convinced anyone that he is a true winner. Also, the Panthers will have to defend their NFC South crown from some talented up and coming teams. The New Orleans Saints could be one of the surprise stories this season. The Saints offense is a lot like the Cardinals offense that shined in 2009. However, New Orleans had one of the worse defenses in the league last year that allowed 24.6 points per game. The Saints drafted Malcom Jenkins in the first round that could start from day one in the weak secondary. If the Saints defense could just come together and improve, New Orleans offense could have the Saints marching again. Atlanta will be looking for superstar sophomore quarterback Matt Ryan to lead the Falcons back to the playoffs. The Falcons possess a solid balanced passing and rushing attack that keeps defenses on their hills. If Ryan can continue to impress the world, there is not much reason to bet against the Falcons as they are solid in all aspects of the field. Tampa Bay has finished at 9-7 the past two seasons and mediocrity appears to be the future. The Buccaneers drafted Josh Freeman with their first round pick who they hope can be the Matt Ryan type lottery pick. However, Freeman will need time to develop and nothing looks to immediately impact the struggling offense.

Pick – Atlanta +180

NFC West

Odds to win the NFC Wtst:
Arizona Cardinals +140
San Francisco 49ers +260
Seattle Seahawks +180
St Louis Rams +800

The Arizona Cardinals were the biggest surprise story of 2009. Kurt Warner return to the main stage was a great feel good story, but for the possibly Hall of Fame quarterback it will be another work in progress in 2010. The Cardinals had 3 receivers to reach the 1,000 yard plateau in that impressive offense last season. If Kurt Warner could just hook up with Larry Fitzgerald like they did in the playoffs that could be enough to win the division. After all, the Cardinals won the NFC West last season with only a 9-7 record. The St. Louis Rams completely fell apart last year as they lost their last 10 games of the season. The Rams drafted Jason Smith at the number 2 overall pick to try and help Steven Jackson at running back. Unfortunately, the Rams defense gave up 29 points per game last season which was among the leagues 2nd worse defense. The Rams just have not made enough changes to see a big difference this fall. Seattle sported another weak defense in 2009 that gave up 24.5 points per game. However, Aaron Curry was the best defensive pick in the draft and should give some help in the heart of that defense. The offense needs some playmakers as well before they can contend with the rest of the NFC. However, the Seahawks may have what it takes already to contend in this division. San Francisco actually finished the year fairly well despite only having a 7-9 record for the year. The 49ers lost 6 straight games through the middle of the season, but did finish winning 5 of their last 7. Michael Crabtree should add excitement at wide receiver and Glen Coffee is a downhill runner who may be very under rated. The 49ers could just focus on the NFC West wins and make some noise in the division race next season.

Pick – Arizona/San Francisco