Football Betting: Best Lines Oct. 11-13

No. 11 Gators home faves against No. 4 LSU

The No. 4 LSU Tigers visit the No. 11 Florida Gators in a clash on SEC rivals on Saturday night (8 pm ET, CBS).

Florida is a 6-point favorite, and bettors can get the best juice on the Gators (-105) at Sportsbook.com, which also has the best juice on the underdog Tigers (-105).

Sportingbet.com has the lowest Over/Under total at 46. Most books have the total at 46½ or higher.

Florida (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS) is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The total has gone under in five of the past six meetings. LSU (4-0 SU, 1-2 ATS) is 5-0 SU in its past five overall.

Do some line shopping for Cowboys-Cardinals

The Dallas Cowboys travel to the desert to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon (4:15 pm ET, FOX).

Dallas is a 5-point favorite at most sportsbooks. Bettors backing the Cowboys will get the lowest juice (-105) at Sportsbook.com, where those taking the Cardinals will also get the lowest juice at -105.

Sportsbook.com also has the best moneyline odds for the Cowboys at -210, while Arizona bettors will find +190 at BookMaker and Bet Jamaica. Most books have the Cards at +180 or +175.

Dallas (4-1 SU, 2-3 ATS) is 7-1 ATS in the past eight meetings. Arizona (3-2 SU, 3-2 ATS) is 5-0 SU in its past five at home.

Chargers favored in Sunday Night showdown

The New England Patriots battle the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football at Qualcomm Stadium (8:15 pm ET, NBC).

San Diego is a 5-point favorite and favorite and underdog bettors will get the lowest juice (-105) at Bet Jamaica. The best moneyline odds are the Chargers -230 at BetUS and the Pats +200 at Bet Jamaica.

The total is 44 (-110) at most sportsbooks.

New England (3-1 SU, 2-2 ATS) is 8-2 SU in the past 10 meetings, and is 5-0 SU in its past five on the road. San Diego (2-3 SU, 2-2-1 ATS) is 8-1 SU and ATS in its past nine at home.

Giants favored at the Dawg Pound

The New York Giants travel to the Dawg Pound for a Monday Night Football matchup with the Cleveland Browns (8:35 pm ET, ESPN).

New York ranges from a 7½- to 9½-point favorite depending on the book. The best juice on the Giants is at Bet Jamaica (-9) at +100. 

The best moneyline price for the Giants is -330 at BookMaker; for the Browns it’s +290 at Bet Jamaica.

The Super Bowl champions (4-0 SU, 3-1 ATS) have won four straight. Cleveland is 1-3 SU, 2-2 ATS. New York is 5-0 SU and ATS in its past five on the road. The total has gone under in all five of the Browns’ past five at home.

Football Betting: Best Lines this weekend

In NCAA College Football on Saturday night, the No. 23 Oregon Ducks visit the No. 9 Southern California Trojans in a battle of Pac-10 rivals at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (8 pm ET, ABC).

Oddsmakers are expecting the Trojans to bounce back from their upset loss to Oregon State last week, and have made the Trojans 16-point favorites. Bettors will find most sportsbooks are sticking to the 16-point spread, but Sportsbook.com is offering the lowest juice, -105.

USC, then ranked No. 1, was upset 27-21 by Oregon State Beavers last week, as 24-point favorites. The 48 points fell under the total of 55.

Oregon Ducks are 4-1 SU and 3-2 ATS. USC is 2-1 SU and ATS.

In the NFL, The Seattle Seahawks visit the New York Giants on Sunday at Giants Stadium (1 pm ET, FOX).

Nearly every sportsbook opened the Giants as 7-point favorites and the line hadn’t moved as of Friday, but bettors will find the best juice – by far – at Bet Jamaica, which is offering the Giants at +100 on the 7-point spread. All other books are -110 or -105.  

Moneyline bettors will get the best price (-300) on the Giants at BetUS, with every other sportsbook at -320 or more. Those taking the underdog Seahawks will get the best odds (+270) at Bet Jamaica.

The over/under total of 43.5 is consistent at every book.

New York (3-0 SU, 2-1 ATS) has won three straight. Seattle is 1-2 SU and ATS.

The Pittsburgh Steelers face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday Night Football at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (8:15 pm ET, NBC).

The Jags are 4-point favorites, and NFL bettors will find the lowest juice at Sportsbook.com, which is offering -105 on the spread.

Sportsbook.com and BetUS have the best moneyline odds for Jacksonville, at -210. Most other books have the Jaguars at -220. The best moneyline price on the underdog Steelers is +180 at Bodog.

Under bettors will find the highest total (36.5) at BetUS.

Pittsburgh is 3-1 SU and 1-3 ATS. Jacksonville is 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS and has won two straight.

NFL Football Betting: Redskins at Giants

The New York Giants head into the 2008 NFL season opener against the Washington Redskins on Thursday without their top defensive weapon, but that hasn’t stopped football betting fans from taking the Giants to beat the spread and win outright.

New York is a 4-point, -200 moneyline favorite against their NFC East division rival in NFL Betting Odds at Sportingbet.com.

The London, England-based sportsbook said Wednesday that about 61 per cent of wagers on the game are on the Giants.

The heavy action on the Giants comes despite the fact they’ll be without Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who is out for the entire season after undergoing surgery for knee cartilage damage suffered during a preseason game against the New York Jets.

Umenyiora’s 13 sacks last season helped the Giants lead the NFL in that category with 53, and his four tackles paced their surprising Super Bowl win over the heavily favored New England Patriots.

Combined with the retirement of defensive end Michael Strahan, the all-time NFL sack leader who called it quits in June, the Giants defensive line is a shadow of the one that shut down the Patriots last February.

The over/under total for Thursday’s opener is 41, which is up from the opening line of 39½.

Sportingbet.com will have Live Betting available for the Redskins-Giants game (7 pm ET, NBC).    

Bet NFL and NCAA Football at Sportingbet.com.

Sportingbet Plc, the world’s largest online betting and gaming group, is based in London and is listed on the London Stock Exchange AIM market (LSE: SBT). The company has over 2.5 million registered customers in 200 countries, who place over 1,000,000 bets (casino, poker, sports and virtual games) per day.

Bookies usually cautious on Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl is annually the biggest one-day event in the sports betting industry, and Super Bowl XLII should be no exception, as some are predicting that this will be the largest in its history with upwards of $95 million being wagered on the NFL’s championship game. Here is a look at how bookmakers and betters have fared in the big game, with the unbeaten New England Patriots coming in as 12-point favorites over the upstart New York Giants at BetOnline.com.

This is only the second time since 1998 that the point spread for the Super Bowl has reached double figures. In both of those occasions, it was the underdog that came out on top, when John Elway led the Denver Broncos to their first of back-to-back Super Bowls in a 31-24 win over the Green Bay Packers as 11-point underdogs in 1998. The Patriots were the second team to pull off the upset when they beat the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in 2002 as 14-point underdogs. This was the first of three Super Bowls for Tom Brady and the current New England dynasty, so you can be sure that head coach Bill Belichick will warn his team to beware of the underdog. Seven of the past nine Super Bowl winners have been favored, and of those seven winners, four have covered the spread. Ironically, two of the teams who have not been able to cover the spread in the big game are the 2004 and 2005 New England teams, winning each time by three points while favored with a 7-point spread. When it comes to the OVER/UNDER, it has been pretty even over the past nine Super Bowls, as the final score has gone UNDER the posted total in five of those games, including the past three.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super source.

One More Step

The New England Patriots have dominated headlines throughout the entire NFL season, for both good and bad reasons. But through everything, they have managed to reach the Super Bowl to face the New York Giants at the University at Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and there are a number of reasons they should come away with their fourth Super Bowl in seven years, primarily, their outstanding focus. BetOnline.com has the Patriots as 12-point favorites in this massive annual clash between the AFC and NFC champions.

Early in the season, the Patriots had to deal with “Spygate”, when they were caught stealing signals during their Week 1 38-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Patriots were deemed “cheaters”, and coach Bill Belichick was heavily fined. However, that only seemed to spur the Patriots, as they proceeded to beat their first nine opponents by at least 17 points in each game, including a 52-7 slaughter of the Washington Redskins. In the second half of the season, teams started to adjust to the Patriots’ high-powered offense, but New England still showed the poise to take close games, winning three games by three points or less. When the smoke cleared, the Patriots concluded their regular-season campaign with a 38-35 come-from-behind victory over the Giants in New York to become the first team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to finish with a perfect record. Quarterback Tom Brady was named the league’s MVP by throwing for a NFL-record 50 touchdowns, just one of many records that were broken by the Patriots in this historic season. Belichick also earned the NFL’s Coach of the Year award, as he managed to keep the Patriots on task and never let the shadow of their unbeaten season stand in the way of their common goal, which was to reach the Super Bowl. This is a trend that has continued throughout the postseason.

So, what are the keys for the Patriots when they take to the field in Arizona? First and foremost, the health of Brady is a major issue. It has been reported he is hurting after he was pictured with a cast on his foot following the AFC championship game against San Diego. Brady says he will be ready to go for the big game, while the rest of the Patriots have remained tight-lipped about the situation. Rest assured, Brady will play in this game, and he should receive ample protection from his offensive line, which is one of the best in the league. Another major factor will be the play of receiver Randy Moss, who broke San Francisco legend Jerry Rice’s touchdown-reception mark with 23. Moss has been quiet in this postseason, and matters were not helped when he had a restraining order placed on him by a woman in Florida. But Belichick is a master game-planner, and he is the best coach in the NFL at keeping his team focused in the face of numerous distractions. This should be the edge that will put the finishing touches on New England’s glorious season.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super source.

Super Bowl XLII will only provide a glimpse of Eli Manning’s future

Only a month ago New York Giants fans were panicking that the team would blow a 6-2 start and miss the NFL playoffs. Today, the team has rolled to three straight postseason road wins, not to mention an admirable performance in a Week 17 loss to the New England Patriots. Now, the Giants are ready to square off against those same Pats in Super Bowl XLII. The biggest surprise? Eli Manning.After throwing 20 interceptions during the regular season, Manning has yet to be picked off in three postseason games. Much like his Super Bowl counterpart, Tom Brady, Manning has been cool, calm and collected. Despite opening as 14-point dogs (a number that has since dropped to 12), many believe if Manning can maintain his efficient play, the Giants have a fighting chance of knocking off the undefeated Patriots.

And now that young Eli is ready to take center stage, many are wondering whether he belongs with the Montanas, Namaths and Elways of Super Bowl lore, or on the scrap heap with the Dilfers, Grossmans and Mortons.

Manning’s first fours years in the league are best described as erratic. He has led his team to gutsy, last-second comebacks. He’s also displayed as much emotion and enthusiasm as a first-time dad on diaper duty. It’s difficult to expect anyone to display the same intensity as Eli’s older brother, Petyon, but the younger sibling could at least pretend to look like he wants to be on the field.

His sulky demeanor and dopey face sometimes makes one wonder if he even likes football; maybe being born into the “First Family of Quarterbacks” was a curse. But Joe Montana – he of four Super Bowl rings, remember – wasn’t exactly Richard Simmons in the enthusiasm department either. Presently, Manning is winning games, and that’s all that matters.

Much of the debate leading up to the Big Game has – and will continue – to focus on what all this means for the fourth-year pivot. Is he finally reaching the lofty expectations pinned to him when he was chosen first overall in 2004? Or is this postseason a fluke, a sad tease bound to be sent crashing back to Earth by the mighty Pats?

The real answer probably lays somewhere in between. Eli is young and has much time to prove himself – or fall flat on his face. Maybe we’re seeing the maturation of the NFL’s next great quarterback. Or maybe we’re seeing “Trent Dilfer 2008,” a solid-but-unspectacular quarterback who avoided mistakes and rode a hot defence to a championship. Either way, at just 26 years old, there’s much more to come. Of what, we don’t know.

Super Bowl Sunday might provide a peek at Manning’s ultimate legacy, but it will be merely that – a peek.

New England is favored over New York by 12 points. BetOnline.com offers tons of wagers and props on the undefeated Patriots or surprising Giants.

Giants’ running game will be critical against Patriots in Super Bowl XLII

The New York Giants are significant underdogs to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. With the Patriots favored by 12, the Giants will have to do a lot of things right on Sunday to pull off one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. New York’s running game will be particularly important, and below we’ve listed four tasks it must achieve to hang with New England:EAT THE CLOCK

Tom Brady’s scoring prowess on the field is almost as impressive as off it (see: Bridget Moynahan, Gisele Bundchen). The Giants’s formidable pass rush will be instrumental in slowing Brady, but ultimately, if Brady’s on the field, he’ll find a way to rack up 30 points. That’s why it’s crucial for New York to keep him on the sidelines.

Running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw must tote the rock at least 40 times if the Giants are going to crush New England’s dreams of a perfect season. Eli Manning has impressed with his efficient play during playoffs, but he can’t win a passing duel with the two-time Super Bowl MVP.

GAIN POSITIVE YARDAGE ON FIRST DOWN

Why has Eli been so efficient as of late? Partly because New York’s ground game puts him into situations with higher rates for success (of course, it’s also partly because Giants receiver Plaxico Burress treated Packers corner Al Harris like his own personal amusement park in the NFC Championship game).

What’s easier to convert? Second-down-and-five or second-down-and-nine? If Jacobs and Bradshaw can chip away at New England’s front seven and gain four, five and six yards on first down, pressure on Manning – appearing in his first Super Bowl – will be considerably alleviated.

PROTECT THE PASSER

Giving Bill Belichick two weeks to watch film and pick apart your offence is like giving your spouse two weeks to write up a list of your flaws – maybe she won’t come up with everything, but either way the whole ordeal is going to end badly. The Patriots will undoubtedly unveil some new schemes and wrinkles to make Eli uncomfortable. Screen passes and draws will help counter New England’s rush to a degree, but New York’s backfield must be keenly aware of its assignments and keep bodies off its quarterback.

GAINING 200 YARDS RUSHING ISN’T CRUCIAL — GAINING IMPORTANT YARDAGE IS
The Giants have only averaged 108 yards per game in the postseason, down from 134 yards per contest throughout the year (fourth in the NFL). On Sunday, the Giants will need more than 108, but they don’t need to set any records – they just need to convert opportunities.

Though New England’s defence didn’t set the world on fire this year, it’s full of cagey veterans who “rise to the occasion,” the types of players who will let you drive 90 yards to their goal line before stuffing you on four straight rushing plays. New York must take advantage of short-yardage chances; it shouldn’t be a problem with the 265-lb Jacobs in the backfield.

If the Giants are going to knock off the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, their running game must enjoy great success on February 3.

BetOnline.com’s sportsbook offers tons of exciting futures and props for Super Bowl XLII, including how many yards and carries Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw will reach on Sunday. For those and other great bets, visit today!

Defense wins championships

Much of the talk surrounding Super Bowl XLII has to do with the quarterbacks, New England’s Tom Brady and his counterpart, Eli Manning of the New York Giants. But there is an old saying that pertains to sports, not just football, and that is “defense wins championships”. It is here where the winner of Super Bowl XLII will be decided, as the Pats are 12-point favorites in the big game.

Both of these Super Bowl-contending teams were impressive on the defensive side of the ball, as the Patriots finished fourth in yards allowed per game, while the Giants were not far behind in seventh place. The Patriots’ strength comes in their ability to prevent teams from scoring in the red zone, as they were fourth in the NFL in points allowed with 17.1 points. Experience has a lot of do with this aspect of New England’s play, especially from their linebacking unit of Tedy Bruschi, Junior Seau and Mike Vrabel. Bruschi and Seau’s veteran leadership comes in handy when the Patriots have their backs against the wall, while Vrabel’s versatility makes him very hard for opposing coaches to plan for. Some analysts will say that the age of this trio is the Patriots’ weakness, but when a play needs to be made, chances are one of these three players are around the ball. For the Giants, their pass rush is what sparks their defensive crew. Defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umeniyora combined for 22 sacks, while Justin Tuck contributed another ten sacks for the Giants.

There are many exciting prop bets available for Super Bowl XLII at BetOnline.com, and there are more defense-based bets than in recent years. Just as an example, the New England defense is favored at -150 to record the first sack of the game, and they are also favored at -170 to rack up more sacks than the Giants. Meanwhile, New York is favored in a less-desirable category, as they come in at -150 to commit the game’s first turnover.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super Bowl source.

Which players are padding their pockets the most in Super Bowl XLII?

During Super Bowl XLII, millions of dollars will exchange hands through various wagers and prop bets, but how much money do the players have on the line? For many, their Super Bowl shares are much lower than anything they’d make during a regular season game in September, long before games start to truly matter.Last year, each player on the Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts pocketed a cool $73,000. It sounds like a lot of dough for three hours work, but not when you’re making “Peyton Manning money.” Manning, Indianapolis’s starting quarterback and Super Bowl XLI Most Valuable Player, made a whopping $10,004,400 in 2006 – or about $625,000 per game.

The star’s $73k Super Bowl share is probably barely enough to cover tips he leaves at restaurants. In fact, 15 Colts made more per game during the regular season than they did in the Super Bowl. It’s even worse if you finish second. The bridesmaid Chicago Bears earned $38,000 a piece; 34 players earned less money in the biggest game of the year than any of their regular season contests.

Players are also paid for other playoff games. Last year, Wild Card winners earned $19,000 while losers picked up $17,000. In the Divisional and Conference Championship games, winners and losers were paid equally, at $19k and $37k, respectively.

Of course, the money is irrelevant if you wind up with the ultimate prize – a Super Bowl ring. Though manufacturers are reluctant to reveal costs of rings, estimates put them in the same range as a cheque from the Divisional round playoffs. The New England Patriots admitted their 2001 title rings, which were made with 14-karat white gold and had 104 diamonds each, cost more than $15,000 apiece.

The NFL pays up to $5,000 per ring for as many as 150 rings, so New England owner Bob Craft had to dig deep in his pockets to make up the difference. But does anyone doubt he wouldn’t mind doing the same thing again this year?

Players aren’t the only ones making money come Super Bowl time. The game kicks off at 6:20 ET in Glendale, Arizona. Visit BetOnline.com’s sportsbook or tons of bets and props for Super Bowl XLII.

Super Bowl XLII Unsung Heroes

Of course, we all know who are the big names participating in Super Bowl XLII this Sunday at the University of Phoenix Stadium: Brady, Moss, Manning, Strahan. But there are other players in this contest that could have an even bigger impact on the game, in which New England are 12-point favorites according to BetOnline.com.

The New England Patriots’ offense comes into this game with the spotlight directly on them, as they rolled to a historic and record-setting season. A huge reason for this would be receiver Wes Welker, who came out of nowhere to lead the NFL in receptions during the regular season. Welker was arguably the most important part of the offense with his ability to convert on third down, and his knack for gaining tough yards after the catch. Welker is rated at +650 by BetOnline.com to claim the prestigious Super Bowl MVP award. The ultra-quick Welker will feast on a linebacker or safety who dares to cover him one-on-one. Kevin Faulk is another underrated player ,but he is known as one of the best receiving running backs in the NFL. He proved this during the Patriots’ win over San Diego in the AFC championship, as he is a valuable outlet to Brady when all downfield options are covered. Faulk is listed at +1200 as a Super Bowl MVP darkhorse.

The New York Giants have gotten some recent help from a pair of rookies, as running back Ahmad Bradshaw and receiver Steve Smith have stepped up their games in the postseason. Bradshaw has emerged as a good change of pace from starter Brandon Jacobs, whose physical style of running softens up the opposing defense for Bradshaw’s shifty style. Bradshaw is listed at +1400 to win the Super Bowl MVP award. Smith should receive one-on-one coverage from the Patriots, who will be looking to contain Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer on the outside. Smith has good hands, and is becoming a dependable third-down receiver. Smith is a +4000 darkhorse for the MVP award, but it will definitely be interesting to see if the glare of the biggest stage in football is enough to throw these two first-year players off their game. Smith has been involved with big games before, coming out of college powerhouse USC, but Bradshaw, a graduate of Marshall, could have the final say in the Giants’ success.

For more incredible Super Bowl props and odds, make BetOnline.com your Super source.