Add CommentMoney has been pouring in on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, making them the biggest line move in Major League Baseball MLB betting today.
LA opened as a -155 favourite at home to the Mariners but was as high as -195 at many sportsbooks by mid-afternoon eastern time.
What’s interesting about this move is it suggests an awful lot of faith tonight in Angels starter Joe Blanton — he of the 5.87 ERA and 1-10 record.
Seattle is countering with Jeremy Bonderman (1-1, 3.86 in 18.2 innings), who is 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in his last two starts.
Even though LA cracked out a season-high 21 hits last night in an 11-3 rout of the M’s, getting +180 odds on an underdog with this pitching matchup would be a no-brainer. It’s either Mariners or pass on this game in our opinion, and given the amount of money that is being bet on the Angels today, we’re willing to believe that someone knows more than we do about this one.
Other notable MLB line …
The Toronto Blue Jays are finally living up to some of the preseason hype, and the betting world has taken notice.
The Jays are the biggest mover in the sports betting marketplace today, moving from modest -131 favourites on the opening line to solid -155 chalk for tonight’s home game against the Colorado Rockies.
It’s not hard to understand the love for Toronto. The Jays are coming off a four-game sweep in Texas that extended Toronto’s winning streak to five games. The Blue Jays haven’t won six in a row since May of 2011.
Josh Johnson takes the hill for Toronto and has put up a 1.77 ERA in five career starts against the Rockies. That’s Johnson’s lowest ERA against any team he’s faced at least twice.
But… don’t forget Johnson hasn’t won a game since Sept. 6 of last year, and he’s coming off a blister injury that hampered him in his last start. Johnson is 0-2 this year with a 5.40 ERA, not exactly numbers you want to lay -155 juice with.
Then …
The Boston Bruins allowed four goals in the opening game of the Stanley Cup final, but it’s quite likely that won’t happen again tonight in Game 2.
The Bruins, who pride themselves on defence, have quite the track record of tightening the vices after allowing four goals or more in a game.
Boston gave up four-plus goals 10 times during the regular season. Eight of those times, the Bruins held their opponents to three goals or less the following game. Seven of those times, Boston allowed two goals or less.
Following a 4-3 loss March 5, the B’s didn’t allow four goals in a game for 11 straight contests.
The trend has held true in the playoffs as well. Boston has given up four goals three times this postseason, bouncing back to allow 1, 2 and 2 goals in their next contests — all victories.
There’s no doubt Claude Julien isn’t happy with the way his team played defensively last game, particularly the way they blew a two-goal lead in the third period. That just …
The Brooklyn Nets have rolled the dice, naming future NBA Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd as their new coach despite the fact that Kidd has no prior coaching experience.
Brooklyn made the announcement Thursday afternoon, just 10 days after Kidd announced he was retiring following 19 seasons in the NBA.
“I have a lot to learn about coaching. But when I played the game, I looked at myself as an extension of the coach. And now I look at Deron (Williams, the Nets point guard) to be that guy,” Kidd told reporters at Thursday’s press conference.
Kidd and Williams reportedly have a close friendship. Williams is viewed by many as the pivotal player to any success the Nets may have in the future.
Brooklyn went 49-33 last season under Avery Johnson and P.J. Carlesimo, but was upset in the first round by the Chicago Bulls.
The Nets are listed as +4000 longshots to win the 2014 NBA championship. Season over/under win totals for the 2014 campaign have yet to be released.…
If the Denver Br
oncos are going to exceed high expectations this NFL season, they’ll likely have to do it with an inexperienced backfield.
The Broncos released two-year starting running back Willis McGahee Thursday, apparently to create more opportunities for second-year pro Ronnie Hillman and rookie Montee Ball.
McGahee, 32, ranks fourth among active running backs in rushing yards since 2004 (8,097) and has scored 63 touchdowns during that span.
In 25 games for the Broncos, he racked up 1,930 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Denver’s over/under season win total is currently set at 11.5 at 5Dimes.…
If you are planning to bet on the Colorado Rockies tonight, you might want to rethink your decision.
The Rockies were snakebitten in Thursday’s game against the Nationals, losing three players — including All-Star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki — to injury.
Tulowitzki’s appears to be the most serious. He has been placed on the disabled list after breaking his rib fielding a ball in the eighth inning Thursday. Tulowitzki is hitting .347 with 16 home runs this season, a key cog in the Rockies’ offence.
Outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler also left the game against Washington. Gonzalez was hit near the ankle by a foul ball while on deck in the first inning and suffered a bruise foot. The slugger, who leads Colorado with 18 homers and 52 RBI, is listed as day to day.
Fowler was hit on the right hand by a pitch after squaring to bunt in the third, and exited the contest the following inning.
The Rockies opened as -137 favourites tonight at home to the Phillies but were bet down …
Tiger Woods +200
Rory McIlroy +900
Phil Mickelson +1000
Brandt Snedeker +1600
Justin Rose +2000
Charl Schwartzel +2200
Louis Oosthuizen +2200
Luke Donald +2500
Adam Scott +2500
Dustin Johnson +2500
Matt Kuchar +2500
Keegan Bradley +2500
Lee Westwood +2800
Hunter Mahan +3000
Sergio Garcia +3000
Bubba Watson +3300
Nick Watney +3300
Webb Simpson +3300
Ernie Els +3300
Jason Day +4000
Jason Dufner +4000
Graeme McDowell +4000
Ian Poulter +4000
Rickie Fowler +4000
Martin Kaymer +5000
Peter Hanson +5000
Steve Stricker +5000
Padraig Harrington +6000
Geoff Ogilvy +6600
K J Choi +6600
Bill Haas …
The Jays finally opened their wallets this past-offseason, bolstering their roster with the additions of R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera and others.
For the first time in a long time, Jays fans can legitimately dream of Toronto’s first World Series championship since those glory years of 1992 and 93.
Oddsmakers certainly think it’s a possibility. Toronto is one of five MLB teams who pay out less than 8:1 odds if they win the World Series in 2013.
The L.A. Dodgers are the overall favourite at Pinnacle Sports, which is offering the Dodgers at a +738 price to win it all. They’re followed by the Washington Nationals (+764), L.A. Angels (+766), Jays (+784) and Detroit Tigers (+793).
Just like there are some fresh faces at the top of the MLB futures board, there are some new World Series darkhorses. The New York Yankees (+1757), St. Louis Cardinals (+2102), Philadelphia Phillies (+2022) and Boston Red Sox …
1. Stay disciplined
The Major League Baseball season is the longest in professional sports. Over a 162-game schedule, even the top teams will lose four or five games in a row – and so will you. Be sure to stay disciplined and don’t chase your losses when things aren’t going well. If you consistently make good bets and don’t vary your wager sizes, you should come out ahead in the long run.
2. Starting pitchers
The starting pitching matchup is the biggest thing oddsmakers consider when setting the moneyline and total on a baseball game, and it should be the first thing you look at as well.
The win-loss records and earned-run averages of the starting pitchers are a good place to start, but there are more things to keep in mind. Take a look at each pitcher’s recent performances to see if they are on top of their games or in a slump. Also, baseball is a game of matchups, so research how each pitcher has performed against the other team in his career. …
1. Bet the runline
The runline in baseball is the equivalent of the point spread in football or basketball and the puck line in hockey. Basically, if you bet a favourite on the runline, you’re betting that your team will win by two runs or more. Having that extra handicap on your bet often means turning a heavy favourite into a slight underdog, so you’re risking less to win more.
Say, for example, the Phillies with their ace on the mound are a -215 home favourite over the Brewers and their fifth starter. Laying -215 means you have to bet more than twice the amount you’re hoping to win back, something that’s hardly ever a smart bet in baseball. But if you took the Phillies on the runline (-1.5 runs), you’re likely getting +100 or better at more sportsbooks. At that line, you’ll double your money or even get a bit more if the …
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