Anaheim picks up where it left off

Baseball Betting Lines

06/08/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim kicked off the month of June by winning five of their first six games. The Angels began the winning streak by taking three out of four games from the Baltimore Orioles, with their lone loss of that set coming on May 31.

Anaheim followed up the series win by taking two out of three games from the Minnesota Twins. The back-to-back series victories propelled the Angels to a 38-23 record, giving them a 5 1/2-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the American League West standings.

At this point in the season Anaheim is a force to be reckon with at home. Anaheim is 24-9 at Angels Stadium and has not lost a home series since dropping two out of three games to the Chicago White Sox between May 4-6. Anaheim has also been consistent on the road thus far, posting a 14-14 road ledger.

Anaheim recently finished off a seven-game homestand with a series win over the Twins. The Angels dominated the series, outscoring Minnesota 26-12 over the three game set. Monday night's 16-3 win set the tone for the series, as the Angels collected a season high 23 hits in the victory.

Five Angels collected three or more hits on the night, led by Gary Matthews Jr., who went 4-for-5 with five RBI and a run scored. Orlando Cabrera also had a big night, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and four runs scored. Starter Jered Weaver captured his fourth win in five starts, holding the Twins to just one run on five hits through seven innings.

Tuesday night brought more of the same for Anaheim, as it fought its way to a 5-1 victory. Right-hander Kelvim Escobar won his fifth straight start, throwing a three-hit complete game victory. The Angels put together another big night at the plate, collecting 10 hits in the win. Cabrera led the way again, going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Angels could not make it three in a row on Wednesday, as starter John Lackey was touched for six runs, four earned, over seven innings. The loss prevented Lackey from becoming the first pitcher in the majors to reach 10 wins this season.

LACKEY CONTINUES TO SHINE

Lackey has always been a consistent pitcher throughout his six-year Major League career. Over the years the right-hander has become known for his slow starts and strong second-half finishes. However, all that has changed this season, as Lackey has gotten off to a tremendous start.

The Angels ace is 9-4 with a 2.60 ERA in 13 starts this season. Although he has been effective before the All-Star break in previous seasons, the right- hander is just 37-30 lifetime in games pitched prior to the All-Star game. However, Lackey has been outstanding in the second-half, posting an impressive 32-23 ledger following the All-Star break.

A few more wins and Lackey is all but guaranteed a spot on the American League roster in this year's All-Star game. The trip would be the first for the right-hander, who is looking forward to the opportunity.

"If it happens, it'd be great," Lackey said. "It's definitely something I'd like to do in my career, although my focus is on making the playoffs.

Lackey's emergence into the Angels starring role began five years ago as a rookie. Lackey started perhaps the biggest game in franchise history when he took the mound for game seven of the 2002 World Series. His performance that night laid the foundation for things to come. However, it has been Lackey's work ethic and ability to adjust over the years that has separated him from the rest.

"You've got to keep adding to your game -- especially in our division with only four teams," he said. "For example, I started throwing the two-seamer away from righties. The more options you can put in your game, the more they have to think about. I haven't invented any new pitches, but I'll use the variety I have at any time."

BOOTCHECK ADDING QAULITY TO ANGELS BULLPEN

Right-hander Chris Bootcheck is a perfect example of how everything seems to be going right for the Angels this season. The 28-year-old reliever has become a solid option for Anaheim out of the bullpen. Although he has spent most of his professional career circulating through the minors, Bootcheck may have finally found a permanent home in Anaheim.

The right-hander has put together quite a stat line so far this season, posting a 1-0 record with a 3.80 ERA in 14 appearances. However, it is not Bootcheck's numbers that mean so much to the Angels, but yet the role he will play in the latter parts of the season. Bootcheck has proven to be a valuable asset as a multiple-inning reliever, pitching two or more innings seven times this season.

With Anaheim holding a 5 1/2-game lead in the AL West, it must begin to slowly prepare itself for possible postseason play. As history has shown, the team with the most reliable pitching staff is usually to team left standing in the end. The Angels already have an outstanding starting rotation and perhaps the AL's best closer in Francisco Rodriguez. Bootcheck may be the final piece to the World Series puzzle.

Manager Mike Scioscia has acknowledged Bootcheck's role and knows just how important the reliever will be as the season wears on.

"Right now, the role Boot has doesn't get as much credit as other roles on the staff," Scioscia said. "But it's certainly important to us. He's pitching himself into a better role, doing a terrific job.

"It's tough to sit six, seven days and come in. But his command and control enable him to do that. He's pitching far beyond, throwing very consistently. We certainly see an expanded role for him going forward."

INJURY NEWS

Outfielder Garret Anderson has finally returned to the Angels lineup after missing more than a month of action with a hip injury. Anderson was activated for Sunday's game against Baltimore, making his first start since April 27th.

Anderson's activation forced the club to option pitcher Joe Saunders to the minors.

WHO'S HOT

Outfielder Vladimir Guerrero continues to crush the baseball, batting .348 with 12 home runs and 51 RBI on the season. Guerrero has gone 15-for-37 at the plate over his last 10 games, knocking in 11 runs in the process.

Escobar has been exceptional this season, posting a 7-3 record in 11 starts. The right-hander has won six of his last eight starts, striking out 37 batters in the process.

WHO'S NOT

Second baseman Erick Aybar has struggled at the plate over the past two weeks, going just 5-for-27 in his last 10 games. Aybar is the only soft spot in the Angels line-up at this point, hitting just .246 on the year.

Reliever Darren Oliver has struggled as of late, surrendering three runs on four hits over his last three innings. The southpaw's recent setback has vaulted his ERA to 7.31 on the year.

ON DECK

The Angels will go on the road this weekend for a three game set against the St. Louis Cardinals. Bartolo Colon (5-2, 5.44) will face off against Kip Wells (2-10, 6.40) in Friday night's opener. Ervin Santana (4-6, 5.32) and Braden Looper (6-4, 3.72) will take the mound on Saturday, before Weaver (5-3, 3.88) and Todd Wellemeyer (1-1, 7.26) close out the Sunday's series finale.

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MySportsbook.com: NBA Championship Odds

With the playoffs about two months away, the top two teams in the Western Conference are the clear cut leaders to win the NBA Championship. The Dallas Mavericks have the best record in the NBA (44-9) and have been absolutely scorching since the second week of the season.  What makes the Mavs’ record more impressive is the fact that they dropped their first four games of the season.  Currently they have won 17 out of their last 18 and are MySportsbook.com’s favorite (2-1) to win it all.  Right behind the Mavs are the Pacific leading Phoenix Suns (39-13).  Last season, the Suns lost in the Conference Finals to non-other then the Mavericks four games to two.  Of course the Suns were without center Amare Stoudemire who has is averaging 19.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG since coming back from his knee injury.  Unlike the Mavs, the Suns have struggled a bit lately having lost their last three and four out of their last seven.  Of course the main reason for their three straight loses is due to the absence of two time MVP Steve Nash, who is out with a shoulder injury.  Heads-up, the Mavs have beaten the Suns in both of their meetings this season.

In the Eastern Conference, the Pistons (32-19) are the favorites to win it all at 6-1. The addition of Chris Webber seems to have been a good move for the Pistons.  Since coming over from the 76ers, Webber has averaged 13.1 PPG and 7.3 RPG and the Pistons are 11-4.  Even though the defending champion Heat are currently on the playoff making cusp, they are the Eastern Conference team that is getting the most action to win it all (9-1).  The fact that Shaquille O’Neal is back in the starting lineup after missing 39 games probably has something to do with this.  No doubt, Shaq makes a difference when in the lineup as their winning six out of their last seven would indicate.

Just because it is the All-Star break doesn’t mean that you can’t bet on NBA hoops this weekend.  Be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com to bet on who you think will cut down the nets this July. Also, be sure to check out all of the lines and props for All-Star weekend.  With the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry, there are plenty of ways to cash in on the NBA this weekend.

MySportsbook.com’s NBA Championship odds:

Atlanta Hawks 1000-1

Boston Celtics 5000-1

Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1

Chicago Bulls 20-1

Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1

Dallas Mavericks 2-1

Denver Nuggets 25-1

Detroit Pistons 6-1

Golden State Warriors 250-1

Houston Rockets 12-1

Indiana Pacers 60-1

Los Angeles Clippers 45-1

Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1

Miami Heat 9-1

Milwaukee Bucks 1000-1

Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1

New Jersey Nets 50-1

New Orleans Hornets 150-1

New York Knicks 150-1

Orlando Magic 75-1

Philadelphia 76ers 1000-1

Phoenix Suns 5-2

Portland TrailBlazers 1000-1

Sacramento Kings 250-1

San Antonio Spurs 9-1

Seattle Sonics 5000-1

Toronto Raptors 35-1

Utah Jazz 20-1

Washington Wizards 25-1

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

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