Twente's Arnautovic still hopes to join Inter
Soccer Betting Lines
06/25/2009 - Enschede, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - FC Twente Austria international striker Marko Arnautovic remains confident that he will be able to complete a dream move to Inter Milan.
The 20-year-old is reported to be one of Inter's top targets, although a foot injury is currently holding up any potential deal.
Arnautovic told Corriere dello Sport: "I am waiting for the two clubs to reach an agreement. I would like to play for Inter in Serie A, a tournament that fascinates me.
"Inter is the best team in Italy and when I found out they were interested in me, I was delighted.
"Inter coach Jose Mourinho has contacted me and Twente know that I only want to join the Nerazzurri."
(Courtesy of sportbox.tv)
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Xavi Hernandez has urged Valencia striker David Villa to join him at Barcelona. The Spain midfielder has admitted he is excited by the prospect of his international colleague joining up with
<< Inter's Ibrahimovic relaxed over future
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists he remains focused
on Inter Milan despite the constant speculation surrounding his future.
The Sweden striker is reported to be at the center of a transfer tug-of-war
between
<< L.A. signs Patterson, promotes Zerboni
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Sol signed forward Lyndsey
Patterson to a developmental contract and promoted McCall Zerboni to senior
player Thursday.
Patterson played for both the Seattle Sounders and the Atlanta
<< D.C. United and goalie Crayton part ways
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - D.C. United will not exercise the option on
goalie Louis Crayton's contract, ending his one-year stay with the club on June
30, the team announced Thursday.
Crayton played in six games, all starts, for the
<< Hawks acquire Crawford from Warriors
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Hawks acquired guard Jamal Crawford
from the Golden State Warriors on Thursday in exchange for guards Acie Law and
Speedy Claxton.
"We feel we have gained tremendous flexibility with the addition
Mancheseter, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manchester City is interested in signing Maicon, according to the agent of the Brazil fullback. The 27-year-old is unsettled at current club Inter Milan and has been linked with Manchester U
Villarreal's Rossi open to Serie A return >>
Villarreal, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Americna-born Italian striker Giuseppe
Rossi would consider leaving Villarreal should a "great" club come calling,
according to his agent.
Federico Pastorello claims the Italy international w
Report: Nets agree to trade Carter >>
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Nets have reportedly agreed to
ship star forward Vince Carter to the Orlando Magic.
The Newark Star-Ledger reported on Thursday that New Jersey has agreed in
principle to deal Carter for
Stuttgart secures double deal >>
Stuttgart, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stuttgart has completed a double deal to
bring defender Stefano Celozzi and midfielder Matthias Schwarz to the club.
Twenty-year-old Celozzi joins from Karlsruhe for an undisclosed fee, having
agree
Harris, Mauer star as Twins down Brewers >>
Milwaukee, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brendan Harris and Joe Mauer each had two
hits and drove in a run, as Minnesota defeated the Brewers, 6-4, in the
rubber match of a three-game interleague series at Miller Park.
Reinstated from the
Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament odds
As of February 9, MySportsbook.com has released its coveted 2007 Mens NCAA Basketball Tournament betting odds. “March Madness betting ” only a month away, the top ranked Florida Gators are favorite at 7-2 to win it all. The defending champs have not disappointed at all this season and currently have a 22-2 record and are undefeated (9-0) in SEC play. The Gators’ thrive off of their extremely balanced, experienced and versatile attack. All five starters started in last seasons National Championship game. What is most impressive with this group is their balance; the five starters all average between 10.7 and 13.6 PPG. The Gators have been on an absolute roll having won 15 straight by an average of 16.4 PPG.
Right behind the Gators are the 5th ranked UNC Tar Heels at 9-2. The Heels (21-3, 7-2) are absolutely loaded with top notch talent and are as deep as any team in the country. A concern for the Tar Heels might be inexperience. Of their top four scorers/ minute earners, three are freshmen and the other is a sophomore. The rest of the regular season, the Tar Heels play only one team that is currently ranked (Duke). Their remaining opponents do combine for an impressive 107-58 record though.
Other teams that the MySportsbook.com members seem to believe will win it all include the west coasts’ top team #2 UCLA (6-1), #3 OSU behind man-child Greg Oden (8-1), and #4 Wisconsin (10-1) behind their defense which has given up 70+ points only three times all season.
Below is a list of some of the favorites to win the 2007 Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship lines. For the full list of teams and March Madness odds be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com. If you want to use your credit card to bet on college hoops or any other event, MySportsbook.com has the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry.
Arizona 20-1
Butler 20-1
Duke 30-1
Florida 7-2
Georgetown 30-1
Indiana 35-1
Kansas 15-1
Marquette 25-1
Maryland 40-1
Memphis 50-1
Nevada 50-1
UNC 9-2
OSU 8-1
Oregon 30-1
Pittsburgh 15-1
Texas 30-1
Texas A&M 18-1
UCLA 6-1
Wisconsin 10-1
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook betting needs.
Horse Betting
(This is an update of a sportsbook for the May 4th issue of ESPN The Magazine).
The Kentucky Derby's post-position draw happened on Wednesday. And, as is always the case, shortly afterwards, a buzz raced around Churchill Downs. It was a low rumble at first, nothing that the squares in the mint julep crowd pick up right away. But by the time the sun set over the twin spires, the chatter was impossible to ignore. Everyone -- sharps, trainers, owners -- was talking about one thing: the wise guy horse, the pre-draw long shot us mopes didn't have on our radar until it was too late.
"You think you're hearing the scoop," says handicapper Lane Gold. "Then you get to the window, the odds are short, and you missed it."
Recognizing a wise-guy horse early is as hard as picking a Derby bonnet. That's because handicappers don't like hype (see ya, I Want Revenge). They want Thoroughbreds who look good losing prep races like the Santa Anita Derby. They eye horses who ate up the field after starting wide or made an easy transition from synthetic tracks to dirt. They look for ponies who showed muscle gain race to race and those who ran hard after several weeks' rest.
"A wise guy," says John Avello, a bookmaker at Wynn Las Vegas, "looks for a horse who can improve."
When I first wrote Horse Betting for The Mag, which I turned in a three weeks before Wednesday's draw, I predicted these three horses had wise guy potential:
CHOCOLATE CANDY (15-1 in mid-April, currently 20-1 according to Avello): His second-place finish at Santa Anita, following a seven-week layoff, proved two things: He can run after resting, and -- by losing a high-profile prep race -- he wouldn't be overhyped.
DESERT PARTY (15-1; 15-1): He was upset in the UAE Derby by a horse he had beaten twice. The public remembers his loss, but the wise guys his wins.
PIONEEROF THE NILE (8-1; 4-1): The big favorite at Santa Anita struggled to win, so he initially got less hype than Quality Road and I Want Revenge.
You may have noticed that the odds on Pioneerof the Nile have been cut in half, from 8-1 to 4-1. Which means the wise guys took a shine to him long before the post-position draw. But, to be honest, this is one of those years with four elite horses getting everyone's attention, squares and sharps alike.
"You're not gonna get a lot of chatter about a horse that isn't in that group, which includes Pioneer, I Want Revenge, Dunkirk and Friesan Fire," Avello told me Wednesday. "We don't have a group of horses behind those top four who look like real legit contenders."
Come Derby week, the final two elements in picking a wise guy horse are how he's working out and what gate he's coming out of.
(By the way, picking a Preakness favorite is a whole different bale of hay, partially based on how horses finish in the Derby. You can see my analysis of who has the best shot at Pimlico on Insider Sunday morning.)
Well, early in the week I Want Revenge, Pioneerof the Nile and Friesan Fire were working out better than anyone. Some thought Friesan Fire, currently 6-1, might have run too fast, burning a five-furlong run in :57 4/5. "When you are running that fast you have the sense that it took something out of him," says Gold. "The Derby is longer than any horse has run, and if they need that extra surge you worry they won't have it because they burned it in the workout."
But, Gold points out, Friesan Fire's trainer is Larry Jones, Two years ago his horse Hard Spun did a five-eighths workout in :57 3/5 and then went on to finish second, behind Street Sense, in the Derby. "Every trainer has different methods," says Gold. "And clearly he knows what he's doing."
Now, as for starting position, Gold says to remember this: Churchill Downs traditionally has 14 starting gates. For the Derby, it brings out auxiliary gates and between the original 14th gate and the new 15th gate, there is a little more space than there is between gates 1-14. "That 15 position will give you a precious second or two to sort out what's happening to your inside," says Gold. "Sixteen is also okay because you can follow the horse in front of you."
Dunkirk, one of the race favorites, is coming out of gate 15. In 16 is Baffert's Pioneerof the Nile. I Want Revenge drew 13, where Smarty Jones won from in 2004, and Friesan Fire picked the sixth position. "He doesn't have a lot of speed to the inside of him," says Gold. "So he will get a clear shot to be near the front."
All the jibber-jabber means this: Pioneerof the Nile has leapfrogged from 8-1 to being the second favorite, along with Dunkirk, behind I Want Revenge. Meanwhile, Friesan Fire, with a good trainer, a strong week of training and a decent post position, is still at 6-1. "By Saturday, it's possible he could go from fourth to the favorite," says Gold.
In other words, meet Friesan Fire, your 2009 wise guy horse.
"Now," says Avello, "it's time for action."
To visit this horse betting site go to MySportsbook.com for all your horse racing betting needs.