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04/22/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wes Obermueller makes his first start since 2005 this afternoon when the Florida Marlins play the rubber match of their three-game series with the Washington Nationals at Dolphin Stadium.
Obermueller, who was 0-1 with a 2.45 earned run average in three starts for Triple-A Albuquerque, has not pitched in the majors since going 1-4 with a 5.26 ERA in 23 games (eight starts) for the Milwaukee Brewers two seasons ago.
The 30-year-old right-hander has had success against the Nationals, going 2-0 against them with a sparkling 1.93 ERA in two starts.
Washington will counter with 25-year-old righty Jerome Williams, who is 0-3 this season with a 5.63 ERA. Williams' latest loss came on Tuesday against Atlanta, as he surrendered four runs and seven hits in five innings.
Williams has faced the Marlins just once, but did not earn a decision in that one.
Florida stopped its six-game losing streak on Saturday, as Hanley Ramirez hit a two-run home run and Cody Ross knocked in a pair of runs to help the Marlins roll to a 9-3 victory. Dan Uggla went 2-for-3 with two walks and three runs scored and Josh Willingham went 3-for-5 with an RBI for the Marlins, who won for just the second time in 10 games.
Marlins starter Anibal Sanchez (2-0) gave up five hits and three runs -- two earned -- in five innings of work before leaving the game with tightness in his right hamstring.
Ryan Zimmerman went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Nationals, who have dropped three of their last five. Matt Chico (1-2) had a rough outing for Washington, walking seven batters and yielding six hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings. He did managed to strike out six batters.
On the injury front for the Marlins, star third baseman Miguel Cabrera missed his second straight game on Saturday with an oblique injury, while first baseman Mike Jacobs missed the contest with a bruised right thumb. Cabrera hopes to return today, while Jacobs will likely sit.
Florida took two of three against the Nationals to open the season and are 14-9 against them since the start of last season. Washington also lost six of nine in South Beach a year ago.
<< Sliding Mariners turn to ex-Angel Weaver in finale
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In his first start against the Los Angeles Angels of
Anaheim since his ill-fated tenure with the club ended midway through last
season, Jeff Weaver will attempt to help the Seattle Mariners avoid a three-
game sw
<< Reds hanging on in Central
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Reds are 9-9 and good enough for third place in the
National League's Central Division entering their series finale with the
Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday.
One last game with the Phillies remains and the Reds will se
<< Rangers, A's to play decider of weekend set
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - After receiving a much-needed boost in the starting
pitching department on Saturday, the Texas Rangers hope to get another shot in
the arm from Robinson Tejeda in today's rubber match of a three-game home
series
<< Orioles try to bury slumping Blue Jays
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles aim for their second consecutive
three-game sweep at home, while the Toronto Blue Jays hope to avoid yet
another loss when the divisional foes complete their weekend series today at
Camden
Phils shoot for back-to-back wins in Cincinnati >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Freddy Garcia tries to help the Philadelphia Phillies win
consecutive games for the first time this season this afternoon when they play
the rubber match of their three-game set with the Cincinnati Reds at Great
American Bal
Oswalt targets fourth win of season in finale with Milwaukee >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roy Oswalt tries for his fourth win of the young season
this afternoon when the Houston Astros play the rubber match of their three-
game set with the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
Oswalt has been great in four start
Maddux hopes to help Padres get the brooms out in Colorado >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux tries to help the San
Diego Padres complete a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies this
afternoon at Coors Field.
Maddux, who leads all active pitchers with 334 wins, picked up a no-de
Giants go for sweep against D-Backs >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Francisco Giants target their fifth straight win
this afternoon when they try and complete a three-game sweep of the Arizona
Diamondbacks at AT&T Park.
The Giants got back to .500 on Saturday, as Barry Zito pitch
Underdog bettors love the Super Bowl and, history suggests, the underdogs love them back. And the big dogs bite harder.
Even so, there is a warning in store for Super Bowl gamblers who must love dogs: The Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl betting lines might not be enough of a Cinderella to make it worth your while.
Although the Cardinals were widely panned as one of the worst division winners and least playoff-worthy teams in recent memory, their trip to Super Bowl XLIII Jan. 31 in Tampa against the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl betting lines comes with a little more respect from the oddsmakers than you might imagine. They are a 7-point underdog at most sports books.
If you count yourself among those who covet the big dog in the big game, this isn’t exactly great news. You should have been hoping for more points. This is because the facts show that the bigger the dog, the better the bet in the Super Bowl.
Case in point: Over the past 13 seasons, double-figure underdogs in the Super Bowl are 4-0-1 ATS and have won the past three outright. In fact, the last double-digit chalk to do the deed for bettors was the 1995 San Francisco 49ers, who managed to beat the astounding 19-point spot afforded backers of the San Diego Chargers in the 49-26 romp in Super Bowl XXIX.
By contrast, 7-point favorites are 2-1-1 ATS in the same span, the last such contest resulting a cover grinded out by the Colts in their 29-17 win over the Bears two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLI.
In 2004, the Patriots failed to cover the number in their 32-29 triumph over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl props while the Rams and Titans gave everyone a refund in 2000 after the Rams posted a 23-16 win as a seven-point favorite.
So while Arizona’s run has included impressive upsets as a 10-point road underdog to the Carolina Panthers and Sunday’s 32-25 win in the NFC championship game to the 4-point favored Philadelphia Eagles, their long-shot story lacks a bit of the David vs. Goliath storyline of past Super Bowl underdogs.
While the seven-point spread represents a significant gap in the perception of strength between the two teams, it is far from monumental. For example, last season the Giants were the wild-card afterthought turned road-warrior buzzsaw, with stunning wins over the Buccaneers, Cowboys and Packers to earn their place in the Super Bowl.
There, they played spoiler to New England’s bid to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history and cemented their place in sports betting lore with a 17-14 win as a 12.5-point underdog.
In other words, the Cardinals appear to have their work cut out for them as a mid-range underdog. But in homage to the spread beaters who have come before them, here is a brief look back at recent colossal upsets in the Super Bowl:
SB XLII -- 2008 -- New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14 (Giants +12.5) – Eli Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the final minute clinched the historic upset for the Giants, who used a masterful defensive plan to slow down Tom Brady and the previously undefeated New England Patriots.
XXXVI -- 2002 -- Patriots 20, Rams 17 (Patriots +14) – This was the coming out party for the aforementioned Brady, who went from obscure sixth-round draft pick to Super Bowl hero in one fell swoop. He led the game-winning drive in the final minute – eschewing analyst John Madden’s advice to take a knee and play for overtime – leading to Adam Vinatieri’s memorable 48-yard field goal that split the uprights as time expired.
XXXII 1998 Broncos 31, Packers 24 (Denver +12) – The first of John Elway’s two consecutive Super Bowl titles to put an end to his Hall of Fame career was an upset for the ages. The Broncos used the determination of Elway and a 157-yard, three-touchdown performance from Terrell Davis to turn back Brett Favre and the heavily favored Packers.
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