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08/31/2010 - Provo, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brigham Young University officially announced its resignation from the Mountain West Conference, effective June 30, 2011, in its quest to become a football independent next season.
The Cougars will re-join the West Coast Conference in every sport but football starting in the 2011-12 athletic season.
Rumors had been swirling about the possible move, which became official on Tuesday. Further information will be provided at a news conference on Wednesday at 2 p.m. (et).
BYU is no stranger to the WCC, having been a founding member of the conference in 1952. When the MWC formed in 1998, BYU defected to help form the new eight- member conference. The Cougars had until Wednesday to inform the MWC of their intentions.
The move is a continuation of a massive restructuring of college football's power conferences this summer. The blockbuster move occurred when Nebraska left the Big 12 to join the Big 10. Meanwhile, the Mountain West Conference and Western Athletic Conference have undergone several shifts, with preseason top-5 and WAC powerhouse Boise State announcing its intention to leave for the MWC starting next year among other changes.
Currently, there are only three schools which compete as an independent in major college football. The most notable, Notre Dame, was rumored to possible join the Big Ten but ultimately did not. The two other teams not affiliated with a football conference are the two most recognized service academies, the United States Military Academy and the United States Naval Academy, who of course play against each other every December in the famed Army-Navy game.
<< Ravens acquire CB Wilson from Seahawks
Owings Mills, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Ravens acquired cornerback
Josh Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a conditional 2011 draft
pick.
The 5-foot-9, 192-pound Maryland product was a second-round pick of th
<< Dolphins place OL Garner on IR
Davie, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Dolphins placed offensive lineman Nate
Garner on injured reserve and defensive end Philip Merling on the reserve/non-
football injury list.
Garner (foot) was competing for a starting role on Miami's o
<< Gophers suspend two for opener
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Minnesota has reportedly suspended senior
safety Kyle Theret and senior offensive lineman Dom Alford for Thursday's
season opener for a violation of team policy.
According to the St. Paul Pioneer
<< Titans DT Brown back at practice
Nashville, TN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Tony Brown
returned to practice on Tuesday after being removed from the physically unable
to perform list.
Brown, who had offseason surgery on his right knee, is expected to
Arena Football League commissioner Kurz to return in 2011 >>
Tulsa, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arena Football League commissioner Jerry B. Kurz
had his contract extended Tuesday and will return for the 2011 season.
"I couldn't be more pleased to continue to lead the resurgence of the Arena
Football Le
Soul name Mike Hohensee head coach >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Soul named Mike Hohensee
as the team's head coach for when they return to the Arena Football League in
2011.
The Soul, who won the ArenaBowl in 2008 before the AFL folded, will return t
Pierzynski's late HR lifts ChiSox over Tribe >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A.J. Pierzynski's three-run blast in the
ninth provided the difference, as the White Sox beat the Cleveland Indians,
4-3, in Manny Ramirez's first game in a Chicago uniform.
Pierzynski's seventh home
Ross' grand slam caps Braves' big inning in win over Mets >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Ross' first career grand slam capped a
seven-run fifth inning as the Atlanta Braves clobbered the New York Mets, 9-2,
in the second of a four-game set.
Derrek Lee went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run sco
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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Michael Vick is back, Brett Favre isn't and the NFC East remains the best division in the NFC, maybe in all of football.
As players start to gather for the start of another season, some things change and some stay the same in the world of the NFL.
The NFC East has been the dominant division in the National Conference for a while, despite limited playoff success, save for the New York Giants surprise Super Bowl win two seasons ago.
Hell, there's a generation of kids in Texas who have never seen the Cowboys win a playoff game (last win was in 1996).
But collectively, the Giants, Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins (well, maybe not so much the Redskins) are as good as a division gets in an NFC conference that has struggled to stay competitive with the AFC side.
Sports bettors have both acknowledged the NFC East's dominance, as one glance at the NFL future odds menu will show.
Looking over the NFL betting odds at online sports book MySportsbook.com we see the top three teams listed to win the NFC Championship are all from the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys - 7 - 1
Philadelphia Eagles - 13 - 2
New York Giants - 9 - 2
Slotting in behind these three are two teams from the NFC North: the Minnesota Vikings (15-2) and the Chicago Bears (10-1).
Again, despite the lack of recent playoff success, the Dallas Cowboys are popular with the sports betting community, as they hold 14% of all the money wagered on who will win the NFC Championship.
So far, the New York Giants are the bettors' favorite to represent their conference in the Super Bowl, as they have 24% of the overall NFC Championship betting volume.
And what about the Philadelphia Eagles? For the most part, the Eagles had a very productive offseason, the kind that could bring them back to the top.
They had a good draft adding the likes of WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy.
Unfortunately, the team received a blow when long-time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away on Tuesday.
But this team will make a real run at the division title this year. Going into the regular season, Philly is listed at +240 to win the division.
Last season the Eagles were 9-6-1 SU and 10-6 ATS.
Teams from the NFC East will play teams from the AFC West in the regular season and the Eagles haven't really been a good bet in the last 20 games against the likes of San Diego, Oakland, K.C. and Denver, only going 8-12 ATS.
Two seasons removed from that Super Bowl title, the New York Giants see themselves listed as the odds-on favorite in NFC East championship futures at +162.
Plaxico Burress is gone and with him all the bad publicity surrounding the gun in the sweatpants incident, but can they replace him in the offense?
Last season the Giants were a very reliable bet going 12-4 ATS.
In the Giants' last 20 games against fellow teams from the NFC East; they are 13-7 ATS.
Dallas is listed at +240 to win the division.
Dallas went 9-7 SU and 7-9 ATS last season and with the amount of talent the Cowboys have, a similar performance won't do.
The Cowboys have been atrocious against divisional rivals, going 6-14 ATS in their last 20.
The Washington Redskins are longshots to win the division at +550.
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