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07/22/2010 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Casey Blake hit a solo homer and drove in another run with a single to back Chad Billingsley's second career shutout, as the Los Angeles Dodgers snuck past the San Francisco Giants, 2-0, in a pitchers' duel.
Billingsley (8-5) gave up five hits, walked two batters and struck out three to record his first shutout since July 30, 2008 against these same Giants.
The Dodgers avoided a three-game sweep and snapped a six-game skid.
Barry Zito (8-5) allowed two runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings to suffer the hard-luck loss for the Giants, who went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded seven. Zito also fanned four and walked three in his first loss since June 23.
Wednesday's game had a much different feel compared to Tuesday's heated contest, which saw the Giants rally in the ninth for a 7-5 win. Three batters were hit by pitches in that game, leading to three ejections. Prior to Wednesday's game, Major League Baseball suspended Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw along with manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer. Kershaw was given a five-game suspension, while Torre and Schaefer got one-game bans.
Blake's homer inside the left foul pole in the second inning proved to be all the runs the Dodgers would need.
The Giants' inability to score with runners in scoring position started in the third. A pair of walks put runners on first and second with two outs, but Freddy Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
San Francisco got a leadoff double from Aubrey Huff during its next at-bat. Billingsley, though, retired the next three batters to keep the visitors off the board.
Nate Schierholtz hit a one-out double down the right-field line in the top of the fifth. However, Zito and Andres Torres grounded out to end the frame.
The Giants got a pair of singles in the top of the sixth to put men on first and second with one out. Billingsley, though, settled down once again to work out of the jam.
Zito retired 10 straight batters before giving up a two-out single to Matt Kemp in the bottom of the sixth.
San Francisco didn't advance a runner past first base the rest of the way.
Zito was replaced by Sergio Romo in the eighth after putting runners on first and second with one out. Romo struck out Kemp before Blake hit an RBI single.
Game Notes
The Dodgers lead the season series with the Giants, 6-3...San Francisco has still won 11 of its last 14 games...The Giants haven't swept the Dodgers in LA since April 24-26, 2007...Buster Posey of the Giants extended his hitting streak to 15 games...Torre served his suspension on Wednesday, as hitting coach Don Mattingly played the role of manager. Kershaw, who is appealing his suspension, intentionally threw at Giants outfielder Aaron Rowand in the seventh inning of Tuesday's game...Zito fell to 6-6 in 16 career starts against the Dodgers...Billingsley improved to 5-2 in 17 lifetime games (12 starts) versus the Giants.
<< Isner wins another long match
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Second-seeded American John Isner needed a
little more than 2 1/2 hours to beat Luxembourg qualifier Gilles Muller, 4-6,
7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (9-7), in the second round Wednesday at the Atlanta Tennis
Champio
<< Padres rally past Braves in extras
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nick Hundley's pinch-hit, two-run double in the
top of the 12th inning lifted San Diego to a 6-4 win over Atlanta in the
middle game of a series at Turner Field between division leaders.
The National Lea
<< Holliday, Cardinals top Phillies for eighth straight win
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Holliday hit a tie-breaking home run in
the bottom of the seventh and Felipe Lopez supplied a two-run double the next
inning, as St. Louis defeated the scuffling Philadelphia Phillies, 5-1, in the
third i
<< Nats down Reds with hot bats
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cristian Guzman clubbed a two-run homer and
the Nationals also got two-run singles from Nyjer Morgan and Ian Desmond in an
8-5 win over Cincinnati.
Willie Harris added a solo homer in the ninth inning f
Rockets feel ready to contend in West >>
HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston Rockets think they are ready to contend in the Western Conference, even after striking out on the big names in this summer's free-agent bonanza.When their main target, Chris Bosh, opted to join LeBron James and Dwyane Wade
Struggling Tigers in need of deadline help >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the MLB non-waiver trade deadline fast
approaching and the post-all-star break blues in full effect, the Detroit
Tigers have some serious soul-searching to do before July 31st.
Heading into the Mid-Su
Henry not the solution as MLS seeks legitimacy >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Major League Soccer has long been hoping to
acquire a sense of legitimacy within the soccer world. The acquisition of
players with marketing appeal has long been a tenet the league has used in
order to gain su
Tigers hope to build a win streak versus Blue Jays >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After finally putting an end to their worst skid of the
season, the Detroit Tigers will turn to their ace pitcher in hopes of starting
a winning streak in this afternoon's opener of a four-game series with the
Toronto Blue Ja
Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds
Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.
The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.
The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.
Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.
MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:
Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)
Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)
Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.
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In 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
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