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08/19/2010 - Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two-time runner-up Novak Djokovic and former champion Andy Murray recorded third-round victories, while reigning titlist Roger Federer entered the quarterfinals via walkover Thursday at the $3 million Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, a U.S. Open Series event.
A third-seeded Federer had the day off Thursday after his scheduled third- round opponent, German Philipp Kohlschreiber, pulled out of the draw, citing a right shoulder injury.
The 16-time major titlist and former world No. 1 Federer has won three of the last five titles in Cincy (2005, 2007, 2009), including a victory over Djokovic in last year's finale.
The second-seeded world No. 3 Djokovic cooled off Argentine star David Nalbandian 6-1, 7-6 (9-7) in 1 hour 37 minutes, while a fourth-seeded Murray came from behind to best talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in just over 2 1/2 hours on the hardcourts at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. The oft-injured Nalbandian had won 13 of his previous 14 matches, including a quality title in Washington, D.C. two weeks ago.
Murray, who upset Federer in last week's blockbuster finale at the Canadian Masters event in Toronto and was this year's Australian Open runner-up to the Swiss icon, was the Cincinnati champ two years ago. The British Murray's quarterfinal opponent will be surging American Mardy Fish.
Djokovic has played in the last two Cincy finals, losing to Federer here last year and Murray in '08.
The hot Fish handled former top-10 Frenchman Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-2 on Day 5. The wild card Fish, who has now won 14 of his last 15 matches, including titles in Newport and Atlanta, was the Cincinnati runner-up back in 2003.
The 2010 Cincinnati titlist will claim $443,500.
<< G-Men sign QB Randolph; Sorgi out with sore shoulder
Albany, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Giants signed quarterback Dominic
Randolph on Thursday, to address a growing issue under center.
The move came after it was revealed that backup QB Jim Sorgi has an arm
injury, and, accor
<< Clijsters into QFs; Dementieva upended in Montreal
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters was an easy
third-round victor, while defending Rogers Cup champ Elena Dementieva was an
upset victim Thursday at this $2 million Canadian event, a U.S. Open tune-
up.
The
<< Sox C Saltalamacchia on DL with infection
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox placed back-up catcher Jarrod
Saltalamacchia on the 15-day disabled list Thursday after doctors discovered
an infection in his right leg.
The Boston Globe reported that Saltalamacchia wen
<< Clijsters charges into Montreal QFs
Montreal, QC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters was an easy
third-round victor Thursday at the $2 million Rogers Cup, a U.S. Open tune-
up.
The fifth-seeded former world No. 1 Clijsters pummeled Estonian Kaia Kanepi
6-2
Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, Murray reach Cincy QFs >>
Mason, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 superstar Rafael Nadal, two-time
runner-up Novak Djokovic and former champion Andy Murray recorded third-round
victories, while reigning titlist Roger Federer entered the quarterfinals via
walkover Thu
Broncos sign DL Hunter >>
Englewood, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Broncos added depth to their
defensive line on Thursday, signing free agent Jason Hunter.
The 26-year-old Hunter was released by Detroit on Monday. The Appalachian
State product enjoye
NBA fines Blazers' Fernandez >>
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National Basketball Association has fined
Portland Trail Blazers swingman Rudy Fernandez $25,000 for public statements
detrimental to the league.
Fernandez has made it public that he wants to be t
Atwal shoots 61 to lead Wyndham Championship >>
Greensboro, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arjun Atwal fired a nine-under 61 to take
the first-round lead Thursday at the Wyndham Championship.
Atwal birdied three of his last four holes to match the Sedgefield course
scoring record and take a two-sh
“You play to win the game!”
Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.
The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.
The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.
Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?
Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.
Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.
Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.
Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.
The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.
Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.
Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.
This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.
First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”
The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason.
Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.
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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.
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