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04/24/2009 - Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Fire travel to take on the Columbus Crew in a Major League Soccer clash at Crew Stadium on Saturday. The fixture will be a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference final, although the teams are on the opposite sides of the table five games into the 2009 season.
The Crew are one of just two winless teams in MLS with an 0-2-3 record while the Fire (2-0-3) are one of only two unbeaten clubs, meaning their fortunes have changed since Columbus defeated Chicago route to the 2008 MLS Cup championship.
Chicago is coming off a 2-2 draw with Kansas City last weekend in which it gave up two late goals to settle for a share of the points.
"It was a great game for 75 minutes," Fire defender Bakary Soumare said. "And then we lost our concentration. We kept things tight and kept playing the way we had been playing. Being up 2-0, we didn't feel much pressure to score a third or fourth goal. You play hard for such a long time and then blow it at the end ... it's unspeakable."
Despite the fact that the team felt it gave two points away, Fire coach Denis Hamlett was very happy with his team's performance, especially in the first half when two Brian McBride goals gave his club the early lead.
"I think it was the best half the team has played this year," he said. "I think our mentality showed from the start. We were on the same page - playing one and two touch soccer, moving the ball and when we created opportunities to go one-on-one we did that.
"Brian [McBride] scored two good goals. It was unselfish soccer and I tell the group when we play like that, it looks good. I think the second half got away from that in terms of trying to get that third goal, we didn't really need it, we just kept pushing and we got caught in an open game."
The Crew, who haven't played since April 11, are coming off a 1-1 draw with Colorado that snapped a two-game losing streak. The team actually had an early lead, but gave up a late goal.
"I am proud of the team because they had a very good performance. We were better in every aspect of the game," Crew coach Robert Warzycha said. "We were just unlucky not to score some goals. We give up a goal at the end and we give up two points."
Columbus' bye week has allowed it to get a little healthier, but veteran back Frankie Hejduk will be out, and goalkeeper Will Hesmer is questionable for Saturday. Also out for the Crew are forward Jason Garey and midfielder Cory Elenio, while defender Chad Marshall midfielder Robbie Rogers are probable with injuries.
"I feel so much better. I don't even feel it [hamstring] at all," Rogers said. "I'm glad I took the rest. I was in more of a passing role . I really couldn't take guys on. Pressuring guys defensively was tough because it was hard for me to stop and cut but I was trying to help as much as possible. It's going to be a different me when I start playing again."
Chicago will be without forwards Peter Lowry and Calen Carr and defender Daniel Woolard, defender C.J. Brown is doubtful, defender Wilman Conde is questionable, and defender Gonzalo Segares is probable with injuries.
<< Spain coach Del Bosque sets out future
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vicente del Bosque has revealed his current
coaching role with Spain will be his last.
The 58-year-old tactician replaced Luis Aragones at the helm of the national
team last summer and does not envisage
<< Palermo's Carrozzieri fails drug test
Palermo, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Palermo defender Morris Carrozzieri has
tested positive for cocaine, according to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
CONI revealed that traces of Benzoylecgonine were found in tests carried out on
t
<< Deportivo signs coach Lotina to extension
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Deportivo has handed coach Miguel Angel Lotina
a one-year extension to his contract.
Lotina has guided Depor to the fringes of the European qualification places
this season and is now under contract at th
<< Ibrahimovic could leave Inter
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic has
hinted that he could leave Inter Milan this summer.
The striker is under contract at the San Siro for another four years but has
not ruled out the possibility
Galaxy, Colorado ready for Round 3 >>
Commerce City, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - When the Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles
Galaxy square off in a Major League Soccer fixture on Saturday, they certainly
won't be strangers. It will be the third time in all competitions that the two
Western
San Jose, Seattle hope to get back on track >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Jose Earthquakes travel to Seattle for
their first ever meeting with the expansion Sounders FC on Saturday night.
The 'Quakes will be aiming to get back in the win column after going 0-1-2 in
their l
Canada rolls past Belarus in World Championship opener >>
Zurich, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dany Heatley and Steve Stamkos each
scored a pair of goals, leading Canada to a 6-1 rout of Belarus in the opening
game of the 2009 World Hockey Championship.
Heatley added an assist for Canada, w
Gonzo ousts Verdasco to reach Barcelona semis >>
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fifth-seeded Fernando Gonzalez
upended second-seeded crowd favorite Fernando Verdasco on Friday to reach the
semifinals at the $2.6 million Barcelona Open.
In an all-Fernando quarterfinal he
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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