Vobcats Basketball Betting News

<< Cano homers twice, Burnett sharp as Yankees shut out O's
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Robinson Cano hit a pair of solo home runs during a three-hit effort, and A.J. Burnett tossed eight shutout innings to lift the Yankees to a 4-0 victory and a series win over the Orioles. Burnett (3-0)

<< Sharks' Marleau late scratch for Game 1
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Jose Sharks center Patrick Marleau was a late scratch prior to the team's contest against the Red Wings in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series. Marleau, who is listed as day-to-day

<< Buck's three homers, five RBI power Blue Jays past A's
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Buck's first career three-homer game lifted the Toronto Blue Jays over the Oakland Athletics, 6-3, in the opener of a four-game series at Rogers Centre. Buck became the first Blue Jays player to hit

<< Miyazato fires 63; Ochoa three back in farewell
Morelia, Mexico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ai Miyazato fired a 10-under 63 Thursday to grab a two-shot lead after the opening round of the Tres Marias Championship. Miyazato, who is coming off a missed cut at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, won t

Chargers officially sign Novak >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Chargers on Thursday signed kicker Nick Novak to a one-year contract. Novak, who was out of football last season, joins his fourth NFL team, having previously kicked for Washington, Arizona

Pavelski scores twice as Sharks take opener over Detroit >>
San Jose, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Joe Pavelski scored a pair of goals, including the eventual game-winner early in the third period, as the top- seeded San Jose Sharks held off the fifth-seeded Detroit Red Wings, 4-3, in Game 1

Pirates send punchless Dodgers to fifth straight loss >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Doumit went 2-for-4 and tripled in the game's only two runs in the first inning, as the Pirates handed the Dodgers their fifth straight loss, 2-0, in the opener of a four-game series. Brian Burres

Padres knock around Brewers to stay hot >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Yorvit Torrealba went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in and two runs scored, as the San Diego Padres dominated the Milwaukee Brewers, 9-0, in the opener of a four-game series at Petco Park. Jerry H

Betting Football

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.