Indians seek seventh straight win in finale at Minnesota

Baseball Betting Lines

07/21/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - One of the American League's worst teams during the season's first half, the Cleveland Indians, have suddenly become one of baseball's hottest clubs since the All-Star break. The red-hot Tribe will attempt to lock down a seventh straight victory and record a three-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins when the two AL Central inhabitants face one another today at Target Field.

Cleveland has won each of its first six contests of the second half, its longest win streak since a seven-game tear from September 15-22, 2008. The surge has come against pretty good competition as well, as the Indians won all four meetings with contending Detroit before their back-to-back bestings of the defending AL Central champion Twins.

"We're playing really good baseball," designated hitter Travis Hafner said after last night's 4-3 victory over Minnesota. "Our starting pitching has been really good, and our bullpen has been lights out. It seems like we're able to get some key hits, a lot of two-out RBI."

Hafner came up with a big hit on Tuesday, an RBI double off Twins reliever Jose Mijares (1-1) in the top of the eighth inning that snapped a 3-3 deadlock. Joe Smith then held Minnesota scoreless in the bottom of the frame before closer Chris Perez finished off the win with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Minnesota had knotted the score at 3-3 on consecutive run-scoring singles by Denard Span and Orlando Hudson in the seventh. Both hits came against Rafael Perez (3-0), who came on in relief of Indians starter Justin Masterson and wound up with the win despite failing to protect his team's lead.

Masterson was charged with three runs allowed over 6 1/3 innings and struck out seven batters in an otherwise-solid performance. Shelley Duncan had a two- run single for Cleveland, with both Hafner and rookie catcher Carlos Santana collecting a pair of hits on the evening.

Minnesota is tied with the Tigers at 3 1/2 games behind Chicago for first place in the AL Central after Tuesday's setback. The Twins had won three straight meetings with the White Sox over the weekend prior to this series.

Coming off very encouraging last start, Francisco Liriano will attempt to enable Minnesota to avert a series sweep when he takes the mound this afternoon.

Liriano recorded four losses and a no-decision over a rough five-start stretch to finish out his first half, while compiling a poor 6.75 earned run average during that period. A few extra days of rest seemed to benefit the talented southpaw, however, as he returned to the win column with a sharp performance against the division-leading White Sox this past Friday.

Chicago managed just two runs and six hits in 7 2/3 innings against Liriano, with the Minnesota hurler registering eight strikeouts in the 7-4 verdict. The strong effort lowered the Dominican native's ERA to 2.83 in nine starts at Target Field, where he's posted a 4-3 record thus far at the first-year park.

In his final outing prior to the break, Liriano was rocked for seven runs in 1 2/3 innings of a July 9 defeat at Detroit.

The 26-year-old owns a 4-3 mark with a 3.61 ERA over 10 career appearances (eight starts) against Cleveland, and bested the Indians twice earlier this season. In an April 21 clash at Target Field, Liriano fired eight scoreless innings in leading the Twins to a 6-0 win.

Jake Westbrook gets the call for Cleveland today and like Liriano, had a successful showing in his first start after the All-Star break. The veteran righty held Detroit to two runs and struck out five batters through 5 2/3 effective innings on Friday for his fourth victory in six decisions.

After making a mere five starts over the past two seasons due to Tommy John surgery, Westbrook has put up decent numbers for the last-place Indians and drawn interest from contending teams as the trade deadline approaches. The 32- year-old improved to 6-5 with a 4.67 ERA in 19 starts with Friday's result.

Westbrook will be facing the Twins for the first time since the 2008 campaign today and is 7-9 with a 3.62 ERA in 23 career encounters (17 starts) with Minnesota.

These divisional foes have now split eight overall matchups so far in 2010, with the Indians having won three of the five games played between the clubs at Target Field.

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Super Bowl 2009 Betting

Super Bowl 2009 Betting propositions

Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.

Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.

Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.

If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.

Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.

By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.

In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.

So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.

While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.

There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.

In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:

SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.

XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.

XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.

Get free 2009 Super Bowl Betting from top rated online sportsbook MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online Super Bowl betting VISA Mastercard

American Idol Betting Odds: Season 6  

The online gambling websites are in the process of deciphering each American Idol contestant and his or her chances of winning Season 6 to come up with the early American Idol betting lines.

Tim Dalton of MySportsbook.com has been locked away in a soundproof room coming up with all the latest tallies, we are told. "American Idol has become one of the most significant betting events of the year," claims Jack Black of MySportsbook.com.  "Last year, millions were bet during the season across the globe, not just in America.

It's tough early on since we really do not have a glimpse as to how well each of these individuals will perform solo on a week-to-week basis.  It's like Week 1 of the NFL.  Pre-season means nada!

We do know the 24 finalists however.

Sanjaya Malakar is the young man whose sister failed to make it into the Top 24.  He's very low key but - unless he totally flubs - will probably win over the young girlie vote for a few weeks anyway.  He's too young to go all the way, according to Payton O'Brien. 

Brandon Rogers - Who?

Phil Stacy is the military guy who missed his daughter's birth because of the Memphis audition.  He should go a good distance.

Chris Sligh - He's got the humor and in many ways he's the Anti-American Idol much like last year's winner Taylor Hicks was.  And this is why he'll probably get pretty far in this competition.  He's chubby, white with a big curly afro....but more importantly, a great voice!  People love "real", not "real cute" to go all the way. 

"Blake Lewis should go far because of his uniqueness and looks.  He's the boy next store with a twist - he beat boxes.  But on top of this, he's a great singer, and I adore him," Payton O'Brien relayed.

A talented beat-boxer Blake Lewis was a hit during the group sing in Hollywood but Simon explained that this is a singing contest just before he told him he was “in.”

Paul Kim has caught our own roving reporter, Jenny Woo's eyes. 

"I love the fact that there is a Korean American on the show and he is bound to get more Asians tuning into the show," Woo said from her Miami Beach estate.  "There has never been a major presence of Asian-Americans on American Idol in the past.  He's a hottie with a nice voice so that should help to take him far.  Expect heavy betting action from the Asian community."

Sundance Head - He's not perfect, but he's got the personality that will take him through a few weeks, plus he's got the lineage (son of Roy Head - whose 1965 single, "Treat Her Right," hit No. 5 in the charts) 

And the others:

Rudy Cardinas
AJ Tabaldo - the 5th time is the charm
Nicolas Pedro
Chris Richardson
Jared Cotter

The girls

"Melinda Doolittle has one of the best voices," says MySportsbook.com Reporter and an acclaimed dancer in her own right, Destiney Lewis.  "It is great to see a back up singer step out like she has.  The girl needs to gain more confidence but that can also be a positive.  I think she will go far."

Alena Alexander - Those tears (she never seems to stop bawling) should get her far.

"Single mom Lakisha Jones I suspect will be a pretty big favorite entering Week 1 of the competition," says Destiny Williams.  Jones is an excellent singer and down to earth.  "She'll have a wide appeal," echoed O'Brien.

Nicole Trellis - Seems to exert confidence.

Amy Krebs - a powerful singer.

Antonella Barba
Gina Glocksen
Hailey Scanardo
Jordan Sparks
Stephanie Edwards
Leslie Hunt
Sabrina Sloan

MySportsbook.com is offering a 20% signup bonus with an initial deposit (i.e. open your American Idol betting account with $300, receive another $60 in which to bet with). 

Last two contestants will be?

1 Male/1 Female +100 (a $10 bet pays $10 plus your initial $10)

2 Males +170 (a $10 bet pays $17 plus your initial $17)

2 Females +130 (a $10 bet pays $13 plus your initial $10)

MySportsbook.com is an online sportsbook accepts Visa Credit Cards and online sportsbook accepts Mastercard Credit Cards for easy American Idol betting lines.