Wondolowski's early goal is enough for San Jose
Soccer Betting Lines
08/21/2010 - Santa Clara, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A goal from Chris Wondolowski in the fourth minute was enough for the San Jose Earthquakes to claim a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy at Buck Shaw Stadium on Saturday.
The goal came after Bobby Convey's cross skipped through the box and past Los Angeles goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, whose poor positioning allowed Wondolowski to slip the ball inside the near post for his eighth goal of the season.
The Galaxy still sits on top of the Western Conference standings, but the team has won just one of its last four games, and they lead second-place Real Salt Lake by only four points.
San Jose won for the second successive time to move the team into fourth place in a crowded middle of the Western table.
Convey's cross in the fourth minute looked innocent enough as it skipped in between Galaxy defender A.J. De La Garza and Ricketts. However, neither man made a play on the ball and it ended up on the foot of Wondolowski at the back post for an easy finish.
Landon Donovan created a good chance for Mike Magee, but he fired wide, while Donovan should have leveled the match before halftime when he was left alone with goalkeeper Jon Busch and fired straight at the keeper.
Ricketts did well to keep out a redirection from Cornell Glen at close range early in the second half, while the Galaxy created its best chance in the 74th minute with a Donovan volley that forced a good save from Busch.
New Earthquakes Designated Player Geovanni made his debut as a substitute in the 72nd minute, and he watched new teammates Arturo Alvarez and Ryan Johnson both miss good chances to extend the lead in the final 15 minutes.
Sunriver, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tom Lehman posted a three-under 69 on Saturday to move in front after the third round of the Tradition, the fourth Champions Tour major of the season. Lehman, who won one of those majors, the Senior PGA Cham
<< El Hamdaoui's double leads Ajax over Roda
Amsterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mounir El Hamdaoui scored twice and
Luis Suarez added a goal, leading Ajax to a 3-0 win over Roda on Saturday and
into first place in the Dutch Eredivisie.
El Hamdaoui scored the first goal at Ams
<< Alouettes QB Calvillo out of hospital
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony
Calvillo has been released from the hospital and is resting at home.
Calvillo was removed from Thursday's 39-17 rout of Winnipeg at Molson Stadium
with a bruis
<< A-Rod lands on DL with calf injury
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees placed third baseman
Alex Rodriguez on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf after
Saturday's 9-5 win over Seattle.
Rodriguez returned to the lineup as the designate
<< Padres activate Eckstein from DL
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Padres have reinstated
infielder David Eckstein from the 15-day disabled list among a handful of
moves prior to Saturday's game against Milwaukee.
Eckstein was placed on the disabl
Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mardy Fish rallied past fellow American Andy Roddick in the early rain-slowed semifinal matchup Saturday at the $3 million Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, a U.S. Open Series event. R
Blind Luck captures Alabama Stakes >>
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The two leading three-year-old fillies
in training met Saturday in Saratoga's $500,000 Alabama Stakes and it was
Blind Luck proving the better of the two in the 1 1/4-mile race.
Devil May Care, r
Feldman leaves Saturday's game >>
Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Texas Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman left
Saturday's game in Baltimore with an undisclosed injury.
Feldman took over for starter Cliff Lee and got the final out in the sixth
inning. He came out to take his
Marseille tops Lorient for first win >>
Marseille, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Gabriel Heinze and Taye Taiwo scored and
defending champion Marseille defeated Lorient, 2-0, on Saturday for its first
win - and points - of the French Ligue 1 season.
Marseille lost to promoted Caen an
Griff handed lead at Seaforth Country Classic >>
Seaforth, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Darren Griff posted an eight-under 63 on
Saturday to take first after three rounds of the Seaforth Country Classic, but
it was a huge error by someone else that gave him the lead.
Jose de Jesus Rodriguez
SPORTS BETTING
NFL Football Betting OnlineIn terms of sports wagering, the NFL is "the most popular game in town." The explanation behind that is easy.
It is called the "pointspread."
Many years ago, NFL games, as well as the more popular college games, used straight odds as a vehicle for betting. For example, if the Bears were playing the Giants, and it shaped up as a competitive contest, the Bears might be, say, a 7/5 favorite. If they were playing an also-ran, it might be 10/1. Well, there is a point where a line becomes prohibitive, as far as betting the favorite. And who would waste money betting an underdog that has virtually no chance? Such a setup did not contribute to promoting betting action.
But in modern sports betting, a "pointspread" is used.
A NFL pointspreads are exactly that, a pre-established point difference between the two sides that will, for all intents and purposes, create a handicap that evens things out, and in doing so, produces comparable wagering activity on both sides of that proposition. So in lieu of a odds figure in which to bet the team to win outright, the Bears might be a three-point favorite over the New York Giants, and a 17-point favorite over the also-ran. Now that the team that is the underdog can "get" points, there can be equal action on both sides.
In sportsbooks, this is usually done with efficiency by charging the losing bettors 10% extra - in effect, bettors are laying 11/10 on those games. So they are actually betting $110 to win $100. If they lose, they pay the "vig." If they win, they simply collect.
The establishment of the pointspread as the corner stone around which team sports like football can be wagered upon was truly what brought gridiron betting into the stratosphere for online football betting .
Don't believe it? Just take a look at what happens around the Super Bowl.
Stay with us here as we take you through the best in NFL action on a consistent basis, with advice columns as well as handicapping selections. If you're looking for college football betting, that's in our NCAA section, which you can reach by clicking here. And if you're looking for a different kind of football, such as the Canadian Football League, which we'll deal with occasionally, or the Arena Football League, which we really like, you can find it in our Miscellaneous section by clicking
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting odds .
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook betting credit cards
Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa
Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.
Should be in:
Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?
Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.
Work left to do:
Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.
Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.
Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.
Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.
For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com
Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com
To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.