Official MMA Betting Previews For UFC 101

What a weekend. It’s the start of NFL preseason betting as the Titans take on the Bills in the Hall-of-Fame Game. Bodog has the odds as Tennessee -2.5 with a total of 31. The preseason primer with NFL exhibition quarterback rotations will be updated, but an early look is already up.

Kurt Pellegrino comes into UFC 101 on Saturday looking to push the pace with an aggressive wrestling attack. The 30-year-old New Jersey native is coming off two consecutive UFC wins over Thiago Tavares and Rob Emerson and is hoping to make good on an excellent opportunity in Philadelphia.

Pellegrino is 13-4 with two wins coming by way of knockout and nine wins coming by way of submission.

Josh “The Dentist” Neer is a guy that has fought some sturdy competition on the minor league circuit on his way to the big show. Neer has a reputation as being a strong puncher for the lightweight division but a close look at his record reveals that he is a balanced fighter.

Bodog has Neer listed as a -250 favorite and Pelligrino pegged at +190 to pull off the upset.

This is a tough one to call as both guys have looked solid in recent outings.

Another great matchup on the main card of UFC 101 on Saturday will pit Amir Sadollah against Johny Hendricks.

Sadollah has not been able to fight for more than a year due to a staph infection and broken clavicle. He beat the highly-touted CB Dollaway in the finals of the Ultimate Fighter and everyone wants to know if that was a fluke.

Dollaway was too into looking good to take fighting seriously. He probably lost because he thought the finals were just another audition for his reality show, the CB Dollaway show, which never got picked up by a network.

It appears that Hendricks has problems in the clinch and questionable endurance, which Sadollah should exploit with his great ground work and superior cardio.

Hendricks will rely on his wrestling skill, which is formidable but lacks the complete aspects of a real ground MMA game, that Sadollah has. Both fighters are currently listed at -115, so take your pick.

Get your MMA Odds in the Bodog Sportsbook!

Saturday night at UFC 101, Thales Leites will look to bounce back from a loss to Anderson Silva with a win over Alessio Sakara.

Leites, who is 14-2/5-2 in UFC, is the clear odds-on favorite at -500 to beat Sakara (+300).

Sakara (13-7/4-4 UFC) only took the fight at short notice after Rousimar Palhares was ruled out through injury. He may want to reconsider that choice after Saturday.

Leiteshas a strong jiu jitsu game and should take care of business in this middleweight bout.

This clash could be wasted on the undercard in Philadelphia. The chances of making it on to the pay-per-view card would have been greater if Leites would of put in a better performance last time out against Silva.

Sakara’s boxing skills make him a danger, but it won’t be enough for an upset. This one should be over fast.

But the MMA Odds previews aren’t done!

One of the first fights on the main card will be Ricardo Almeida against Kendall Grove.

This fight is going to come down to how well Grove can defend on the ground. Despite his much taller frame and how much longer his reach is, Grove is likely going to find himself on the ground a lot.

Almeida is on another level and is listed as the -160 favorite in this one. A third-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, Almeida runs his own academy in Hamilton and expects a big Central Jersey turnout at the Wachovia Center.

Grove is listed at +130 despite a six-inch reach advantage over Almeida.

This will be another good crossroads fight between two guys that could use a victory. Some say Almeida is planning on dropping down to welterweight after this fight and could be overlooking Grove as a worthy opponent.

These MMA UFC 101 previews are brought to you by Bodog sportsbook, one of the world’s best.

 

Online Betting: Ed Swiderski a Philanderer; Jeanine Mason & Jason Glover Winners Dating?

Are you a fan of Bill O’Reilly’s “Culture Quiz?” There is no question that Bodog Casino has some of the best entertainment and culture betting prop plays. Whether one is a fan of Graciela Beltran or “So You Think You Can Dance,” Bodog has something for every bettor. 

While Heidi Pratt on the Playboy cover, the Vanessa Hudgens leaked photos (Erin Andrews is off the hook for now) and the Sherri Shepherd bathing suit pictures following her weight loss are nice on the eyes, Bodog takes a look at pop culture easy on the wallet.

On last night’s finale, 18-year-old Jeanine Mason of Pinecrest, Florida was crowned season five’s “So You Think You Can Dance” winner. Yay. Kayla Radomski and Evan Kasprzak were the first to be given the boots, followed by Brandon Bryant. It pretty much unfolded as I expected. But what I didn’t expect to see was a parade of ‘best dance performances’ chosen by all of the judges.

And we have Mary Murphy to thank for letting us take another good, long, hard look at the magic created between Jeanine and Jason (Glover).

If you missed Jeanine Mason and Jason Glover’s totally hot, mouth-watering repeat performance of that now infamous Travis Wall contemporary piece — “If It Kills Me” — you can watch it (over and over again) on YouTube. (Pay no never mind to Jeanine’s hideous dress. That thing should be burned.)

So thanks again, Mary Murphy, you hot tamale, for choosing that delicious number as your favorite dance of the season. We really needed to see ‘that kiss’ again — the kiss that pretty much sealed the deal on the couple’s budding romance.

Whaaa…? Oh come on now! You don’t think these two are an item? You don’t think that they thoroughly enjoyed nailing that number? Mark my words. In between daily rehearsals and sometime after curfew each night…these two were getting to know each other in ways that  will surely surface in the days to come.

Look. When you’re an 18-year-old girl mixing it up with a smoking hot 19-year-old boy you just can’t fake that kind of passion. Sorry.

Get all your entertainment props at Bodog.  While we prefer free NFL spread picks making money off reality dating shows isn’t too bad either.

Yes – shock waves were felt throughout the Bachelorette community today as news broke that Bachelorette winner Ed Swiderski is a no good cheater! Gasp, ladies. Gasp!

Us Weekly is reporting that not only did Ed Swiderski lie to Jillian Harris when he said he had to leave the show to  keep his position with the Microsoft Corporation, but during his time away from Harris, Swiderski apparently slept with ex-girlfriend, Lindsey Johnson and cheated on the ex with another girl, Bethany Steffen.

Swiderski had been two-timing both Steffen and Johnson without their knowledge before his appearance on The Bachelorette. He told the two women he was apparently on a business trip – not on a National dating show. Ed then returned to the show, telling Harris he came back because he couldn’t stop thinking about her.

What do you think? Is Ed a dirty rotten scoundrel? Should Jillian go back to Reid? Let us know in the comments! Oh, and bet on the Emmys while you’re at it.

MLB Betting – Saturday Baseball Picks

While you warm up for the UFC 101 odds Saturday night, why not sit in the sun and listen to the ballgame? Better yet, why not bet on some ballgames? Let’s make some Saturday MLB picks.

Texas Rangers @ Los Angeles Angels

Saturday, August 8, 4:10 p.m. ET
Kevin Millwood (9-7, 3.39) vs Jered Weaver (11-3, 3.79)


There are difficult betting choices and easy ones in every sport, and Saturday afternoon’s Rangers/Angels tilt is one of those easy ones .Before we look at any numbers, it pays to know that Kevin Millwood has missed his last few starts with a strained glute. Thus, there’s no guarantee that he’s 100 percent. Now, we go to the numbers, and they seriously favor the Angels. Millwood is 2-6 on the road in 2009 and has a 7.79 ERA against
L.A. this season. Meanwhile, Angels starter Jered Weaver loves pitching at Angel Stadium. He’s 7-1 with a 2.79 ERA there this season. MLB predictions don’t come easier than this one.

Best betting management pick: Angels

Chicago Cubs @ Colorado Rockies
Saturday, August 8, 8:10 p.m. ET
Ryan Dempster (5-5, 4.09) vs Jason Marquis (12-7, 3.49)

The Cubs and Rockies continue to battle as wild-card hopefuls, and the Rockies have the edge Saturday night. Whether you like Jason Marquis or think he’s lucky, there’s no denying that’s he’s a rare pitcher who excels at Coors Field. In a solid sample size — 90 innings—Marquis is 8-3 with a 3.39 ERA and just three homers allowed. Cubs starter Ryan Dempster is a different story. Coors Field owns his soul, slapping a 15.23 ERA on him. If you believe in following the numbers, you have to bet on the home squad. Go with Colorado.

Best betting management pick: Rockies

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This will be the first year in some time without SportsCrew.com and the Sports Crew forums were generally the best source for flame free, intelligent viewpoints from the sharp fan.

SportsbookReview.com is a reputable and respected site for the good, bad, and the ugly when it comes to sportsbooks and we use it ourselves as part of our evaluation. The SBRforum is probably the best source for football betting discussion.   

CFL Game of the Year Starts Off Great Betting Weekend

The UFC 101 odds in Philadelphia and the opening of NFL preseason betting take center stage this weekend as the Bills battle the Titans. Tonight, the top CFL handicapper has his Canadian Football League Game of the Year.

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Red Sox and Yankees continue their set in New York, the Cardinals meet the Pirates, and the Braves take on the Dodgers.

The Twins acquired pitcher Carl Pavano from the Cleveland Indian for a player to be named later.

In a surprise to nobody, Florida is top ranked in the USA Today preseason coaches poll. They got 53 first place votes out of a possible 59. Rounding out the Top 5 is the Texas Longhorns, Oklahoma Sooners, USC Trojans, and Alabama Crimson Tide.

UFC 101 odds…

Who will win the Anderson Silva-Forrest Griffin fight? A leading expert from Bet Online as the winner and analysis.  

Colliding in the Junior Circuit  . . .

Josh Beckett (13-4, 3.27 ERA) will be matched up against A.J. Burnett (10-5, 3.89 ERA) on Friday night as the Red Sox and Yankees continue their series at Yankee Stadium. Righthander Beckett has managed to pick up the win in seven of his past 10 trips to the mound, with Boston 8-2 in those contests. Righthander Burnett has wins in five of his past seven starts, but he was pounded for seven earned runs on 10 hits over 4 2-3 innings in his last outing against the White Sox.

Elsewhere around the American League on Friday it’ll be Minnesota at Detroit, Baltimore at Toronto, Oakland at Kansas City, Texas at the Angels, Tampa Bay at Seattle, and Cleveland at the White Sox. The Tribe will turn to lefthander Jeremy Sowers (3-7, 4.97 ERA); Cleveland is 3-7 in his last 10 outings. Mark Buehrle (11-5, 3.79 ERA) gets the ball for the ChiSox; the lefthander has lost his last two outings since his perfect game, allowing 12 runs over his 10 2-3 innings.

 

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Clashing in the Senior Circuit . . .

The Cardinals will go with Chris Carpenter (10-3, 2.10 ERA) on Friday night when they play on the road against the Pirates and Paul Maholm (6-6, 4.75 ERA). Righthander Carpenter has been dominant over his past two outings, allowing just two earned runs over 16 innings in wins over the Astros and Dodgers. Lefthander Maholm hasn’t had the same level of success over his past two starts, losing to both the Nats and the Giants (eight runs over 12 1-3 innings).

Making up the rest of the NL schedule for Friday: Florida at Philadelphia, Arizona at Washington, Milwaukee at Houston, the Cubs at Colorado, the Mets at San Diego, Cincinnati at San Francisco, and Atlanta at the Dodgers. Jair Jurrjens (9-8, 2.85 ERA) will start for the Braves; the righthander fell to the Dodgers last time out, allowing four earned runs in five innings. Righthander Chad Billingsley (11-6, 3.82 ERA) will gun for a second consecutive victory over Jurrjens and his Braves.

Rounding out the Roundup . . .

The Canadian Football League kicks off Week 6 of its season on Friday night with Toronto at Montreal and Saskatchewan at British Columbia. The Argonauts sit at the bottom of the East with a 2-3 straight-up (2-3 against-the-spread) mark through the first five weeks of the season, and they’re big 13.5-point road ‘dogs against the Alouettes (4-1 SU, 3-2 ATS). The Lions are 1.5-point home favorites in the late game; B.C. is 1-4 SU and ATS, and Saskatchewan is 3-2 SU and ATS.

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Finally, there’s a trio of games on the WNBA schedule for Friday, with
Detroit at Washington, Connecticut at Minnesota, and New York at Sacramento. The Liberty are the coldest team in the league, as they’re riding a five-game losing streak into Friday’s matchup on the west coast; New York is 6-13 SU and 6-12-1 ATS on the season. The 5-16 Monarchs have the fewest wins in the entire league, and at 6-14-1 ATS they’ve also had problems paying off for bettors so far.

Hollywood news…

Rumors have it that displaced American Idol judge Paula Abdul may become a panelist on the old bitty show The View, lowering the IQ of the panelists even further. Meanwhile, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, the conservative ying to the constant yang of the other jabber jaws is about to exit on maternity leave and Sarah Palin is alleged to be the choice to replace her as token non-liberal. See entertainment and political betting odds.

Also many a sportsbook has paid out the winnings to those who bet Jeanine Mason would be the winner of “So You Think You Can Dance” finale.

Political betting news…

Florida GOP Senator is resigning from office citing personal reasons.

Bills-Titans Odds Preview

The NFL’s preseason schedule will open up on Sunday night at Fawcett Stadium when the Buffalo Bills take on the Tennessee Titans in the Hall of Fame Game.
Odds aren’t yet posted for this game, so check back later for the opening line and total.
2009 team records:
Buffalo: 7-9 SU, 7-9 ATS
Tennessee: 13-3 SU, 12-3-1 ATS
Next up:
Buffalo home to Chicago, Saturday, August 15
Tennessee home to Tampa Bay, Saturday, August 15

 

Reds-Giants Odds Preview

The Cincinnati Reds and the San Francisco Giants will both be trying to pick up a win on Friday when they battle at AT&T Park.
The Reds will pin their hopes on the pitching of righthander Homer Bailey in this game. Bailey has a 2-3 record and a 7.06 ERA this season.
The Giants will counter Bailey with ace Tim Lincecum. Righthander Lincecum has a 2.18 ERA to go along with a 12-3 record this season.
Oddsmakers currently have the Giants listed as 320-moneyline favorites versus the Reds, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
Justin Lehr tossed a four-hit complete game shutout on Wednesday, as the Reds defeated the Cubs 4-0. The Reds won that game as +180 underdogs, while the four runs went UNDER the posted over/under (8.5).
Scott Rolen drove in a pair of runs to lead the Reds, and Lehr picked up his first victory of the season.
Eli Whiteside launched a grand slam home run as the Giants defeated the Astros 10-6 in the series rubber match on Wednesday. The Giants won that game as +135 underdogs, while the 16 runs sailed OVER the posted over/under (9).
Pablo Sandoval went 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBIs and a couple of runs scored for the Giants. Joe Martinez allowed just three runs over five innings for his second straight victory.
Current streak:
San Francisco has won 2 straight games.
Team records:
Cincinnati: 46-61 SU
San Francisco: 60-48 SU
Cincinnati most recently:
When playing on Friday are 6-4
Before playing San Francisco are 5-5
After playing Chi Cubs are 5-5
After a win are 2-8

San Francisco most recently:
When playing on Friday are 7-3
Before playing Cincinnati are 4-6
After playing Houston are 5-5
After a win are 6-4

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Cincinnati’s last 5 games when playing San Francisco
Cincinnati is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Cincinnati’s last 13 games when playing on the road against San Francisco
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Cincinnati’s last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco’s last 5 games when playing Cincinnati
San Francisco is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games at home
San Francisco is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Francisco’s last 7 games at home
Next up:
San Francisco home to Cincinnati, Saturday, August 8

 

Rays-Mariners Lines Preview

The Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Mariners will both be trying to pick up a win on Friday when they battle at Safeco Field.
The Rays will trot Jeff Niemann out to the mound in this one. Righthander Niemann has a 10-5 record and a 3.48 ERA this season.
It’ll be Felix Hernandez toeing the rubber for the Mariners in this contest. Righthander Hernandez is 12-4 with a 2.78 ERA so far this season.
Oddsmakers currently have the Mariners listed as 135-moneyline favorites versus the Rays, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
The Rays completed a two-game sweep of the Red Sox 6-4 on Wednesday, as -150 favorites. That game’s 10 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (9.5).
Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford belted two-run homers to the way. David Price pitched six innings for the win, and J.P. Howell closed out the game with his 12th save.
The Mariners were defeated 8-2 by the Royals last time out, as a -110 pick’em. That game’s 10 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (9.5).
Adrian Beltre went 4-for-4 at the plate with a run scored, and Jason Vargas allowed nine hits and eight runs over seven innings in the loss.
Current streak:
Tampa Bay has won 3 straight games.
Team records:
Tampa Bay: 60-48
SU
Seattle
: 56-52 SU
Tampa Bay most recently:
When playing on Friday are 3-7
Before playing Seattle are 4-6
After playing Boston are 5-5
After a win are 5-5

Seattle most recently:
When playing on Friday are 3-7
Before playing Tampa Bay are 4-6
After playing Kansas City are 3-7
After a loss are 6-4

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Tampa Bay’s last 9 games on the road
Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Tampa Bay’s last 18 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Tampa Bay’s last 9 games when playing Seattle
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Seattle’s last 6 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Seattle’s last 9 games when playing Tampa Bay
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Tampa Bay
Seattle is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay
Next up:
Seattle home to Tampa Bay, Saturday, August 8

 

Braves-Dodgers Lines Preview

The Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers will both be gunning for a victory on Friday when they meet at Dodger Stadium.
Jair Jurrjens will be the starting pitcher for the Braves on this day. Righthander Jurrjens is 9-8 this season with a 2.85 ERA.
Starting this game for the Dodgers will be ace Chad Billingsley. The righthander has a 3.82 ERA to go along with a 11-6 record this season.
Oddsmakers currently have the Dodgers listed as 135-moneyline favorites versus the Braves, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
Andre Ethier belted a walk-off three-run homer to give the Dodgers a 5-4 series-opening victory over the Braves on Thursday, as -145 favorites. That game’s nine runs made it OVER the posted over/under (8.5).
Manny Ramirez and Juan Pierre drove in the other runs for the Dodgers. Scott Ebert recorded the final out and was credited for the win.
Chipper Jones homered in a losing effort for the Braves, who were +125 underdogs. Rafael Soriano surrendered the home run and was tagged with the loss.
Team records:
Atlanta: 55-54 SU
Los Angeles: 67-42 SU
Atlanta most recently:
When playing on Friday are 6-4
Before playing LA Dodgers are 8-2
After playing LA Dodgers are 6-4
After a loss are 8-2

Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Atlanta are 5-5
After playing Atlanta are 3-7
After a win are 5-5

A few trends to consider:
Atlanta is 1-4 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Dodgers
LA Dodgers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing
Atlanta
LA
Dodgers are 8-4 SU in their last 12 games at home
Next up:
LA Dodgers home to Atlanta, Saturday, August 8

 

Rangers-Angels Lines Preview

Divisional bragging rights will be on the line on Friday when the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels meet at Angel Stadium.
The Rangers will pin their hopes on the pitching of righthander Scott Feldman in this game. Feldman has a 10-4 record and a 3.42 ERA this season.
Feldman’s opponent in this one will be Joe Saunders. The Angels lefthander has a 5.07 ERA to go along with a 9-6 record this season.
Oddsmakers currently have the Angels listed as 135-moneyline favorites versus the Rangers, while the game’s total has not yet been posted.
Michael Young homered and drove in a pair of runs to help the Rangers defeat the A’s 6-4 on Thursday, as -120 favorites. That game’s 10 runs made it OVER the day’s posted over/under (9).
Hank Blalock also went deep for the Rangers, while Tommy Hunter went seven innings for the victory. C.J. Wilson closed out the game for his 14th save.
Jeff Mathis belted a two-run homer and three others went deep as the Angels pounded the White Sox 9-5 to avoid a three-game sweep on Thursday. The Angels won that game as +135 underdogs, and the 14 runs made it OVER the posted over/under (9.5).
Erick Aybar also went deep and drove in a pair of runs. Ervin Santana pitched six innings for his fourth win, allowing four runs off five hits.
Team records:
Texas: 60-47 SU
Los Angeles: 64-42 SU
Texas most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing LA Angels are 7-3
After playing Oakland are 4-6
After a win are 6-4

Los Angeles most recently:
When playing on Friday are 5-5
Before playing Texas are 5-5
After playing Chi White Sox are 5-5
After a win are 8-2

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Texas’s last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Texas is 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing LA Angels
Texas is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games when playing on the road against LA Angels
Texas is 12-6 SU in its last 18 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Angels’s last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of LA Angels’s last 5 games when playing Texas
LA Angels are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games at home
LA Angels are 18-5 SU in their last 23 games
Next up:
LA Angels home to Texas, Saturday, August 8