It’s Christopher Columbus Day 2008 and there are no federal holidays for sports bettors. The Giants and Browns will play in Cleveland on Monday Night Football, and there’s both ALCS and NLCS games on the schedule too as the Red Sox host the Rays and the Phillies again play at Dodger Stadium. Here’s your Daily Sports Roundup.

The Gridiron Spotlight

The Browns were supposed to compete for the AFC North division title this season, but after four games they’re just 1-3 (and 2-2 against-the-spread). Cleveland, though, is at least coming off their first victory of the season – a 20-12 road win over the Bengals. The Browns’ first three matchups were losses to the Cowboys, Steelers, and Ravens.

The Giants, on the other hand, are a perfect 4-0 (and 3-1 against-the-spread) on the season. New York completely crushed the Seahawks last time out, going up 27-6 by halftime and cruising to a 44-6 victory. Eli Manning went 19-of-25 for 267 yards passing in that game, with two TD strikes, while Brandon Jacobs ran for 136 yards and two TDs.

The oddsmakers opened the Giants as 7-point road favorites in this contest, but that line has increased to 9 points since the start of the week. The total is pegged at 43.5. If you are depending on Neel Kashkari to turn the economy around, it’s time you turn around your personal finances and invest in the sports betting market. Don’t sell your Jeremy Clarkson Paddington Bear on Swaptree.com, as the world’s best sports handicappers are winning big time. The USPS and bank holidays only mean your check clears a day later.

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Other Notable Events

The Rays/Red Sox series will shift to Boston for Game 3 on Monday, with the set tied at one win apiece. Boston will send Jon Lester to the mound on  Monday; the lefthander has given up just one unearned on 10 hits over 14 innings so far during the postseason. Tampa Bay will counter with Matt Garza; the righthander has had just one playoff start so far in 2008, getting roughed up for five earned runs on seven hits over six innings.

The Phillies and Dodgers will stage Game 4 of the NLCS on Monday. Derek Lowe will get the ball for Los Angeles in that contest; the righthander took the loss in Game 1 of the NLCS, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits over 5 1-3 innings of work. Countering for Philadelphia will be Joe Blanton; the righthander pitched against the Brewers in the NLDS, allowing just one earned run on five hits over six innings pitched. The power of 620 sports services behind every selection is hotter than Jenna Shea and has both the Rays/Red Sox and Phillies/Dodgers winners. See the home page of OffshoreInsiders.com for more details.

The Rest of the Schedule

The NHL has seven games on its schedule for Monday, including a pair of matinees: St. Louis plays in Toronto at 1:00pm ET, and the Islanders host Buffalo at 2:00pm ET. The other five games are all at night, and include New Jersey at the Rangers, Vancouver at Washington, Detroit at Carolina, and Nashville at Chicago. Also, the Flyers will be looking to shake off an opening-night defeat on Monday when they take on Montreal.

As well, there are three Canadian Football League on the schedule for Monday. Hamilton and Montreal get things started at 1:00pm ET; the Alouettes are 12-point home favorites, but the Tiger-Cats upset the Als 44-38 last week. In the 4:30pm ET game it’s Saskatchewan at Calgary (-5.5). That contest is also a re-match from last week – the Roughriders pulled out a 37-34 win over the Stampeders in that first game.

News from the Wire

LB Antonio Pierce is listed as QUESTIONABLE for the Giants on Monday night, while each of WR Domenik Hixon, DE Jerome McDougle, and T Kareem McKenzie are PROBABLE . . . S Sean  Jones, T Kevin Shaffer, DE Shaun Smith, G Ryan Tucker are all QUESTIONABLE for the Browns. Listed as PROBABLE are S Mike Adams, DT Shaun Rogers, WR Donte‘ Stallworth, and RB Jason Wright. TE Kellen Winslow was pegged as QUESTIONABLE for Monday night on the team’s official injury list, but reports out of Cleveland suggest that he won’t be in uniform when kickoff rolls around.

A Peek at the Future

Game 4 of the ALCS is set for Tuesday night in Boston, while Game 5 of the NLCS is on the schedule for Wednesday night in Los Angeles . . . early college football action this week includes Florida State at North Carolina State and BYU at TCU on Thursday night, and Hawaii at Boise State on Friday night . . . the Sprint Cup Series will return to the track on Sunday afternoon with the TUMS QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Nobel Prize

Did you think Andy Martin would win? Personally, we believe eating champion Joey Chestnut should win the Nobel Prize for Medicine or something.

As expected, the increasingly political Nobel Prize chose Paul Krugman, the New York Times columnist for the Nobel Prize in Economics. Krugman certainly benefited from his constant attacks on Republicans as recent winners, ala the Academy Awards, have had a socially progressive agenda. Krugman’s winning give him cache in his attempt to help Barack Obama defeat John McCain and the political betting odds say that the Republicans chances have all but faded.

Will McCain acknowledge he’s been “my own worst enemy” and swing for the fences in Wednesday’s Presidential Debate? Keep an eye on the odds and see it McCain/Palin can come up with a game changer.

The Patriots and Chargers will meet on the gridiron in San Diego on Sunday night to conclude a busy weekend in sports. Here’s a look at it all in your Daily Sports Roundup. While Lines-Maker.com will keep an eye or deactivations, right now check out breaking NFL injury report, the early game betting NFL notes, rundown of NFL betting picks and a free pick are all part of the famed Tailgate Party .

The Gridiron Spotlight

The Patriots will play their first game of the season as an underdog on Sunday night when they battle the Chargers. The Vegas oddsmakers opened San Diego as 6.5-point home favorites in that contest, a line which has since fallen to as low as 5 points at some books. New England is 2-2 ATS so far this season, while San Diego is 2-2-1 ATS.

The Ravens have managed to cover the spread in three of their four games so far this season, and they’re listed as 4-point road underdogs against the Colts on Sunday (that line opened at Indy -7). Peyton Manning and company are just 1-3 ATS on the season.

Other matchups on the schedule for Sunday include Chicago (-2.5) at Atlanta, Detroit at Minnesota (-13), Oakland at New Orleans (-7), Cincinnati at the Jets (-6), Carolina at Tampa Bay (-1.5), St. Louis at Washington (-13.5), Miami at Houston (-3), Jacksonville at Denver (-3.5), Philadelphia (-5) at San Francisco, and Green Bay at Seattle (-2). As well, the Cowboys are pegged as 5-point road favorites in their game against Arizona.

Other Notable Events

Game 3 of the NLCS will be played in Los Angeles on Sunday night, with the Dodgers down 2-0 in the series. Los Angeles will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound in that contest, and he’ll be looking to duplicate his success from their NLDS against the Cubs. Kuroda tossed 6 1-3 scoreless innings for a victory in that series, giving up just six hits.

The Phillies will look to Jamie Moyer to try and give them a stranglehold on the series. Moyer took a loss in their NLDS against the Brewers, giving up two earned runs on four hits over four innings of work. The lefthander had previously won his last seven outings.

The Rest of the Schedule

There are three NHL games on the schedule for Sunday, all of them involving Western Conference clubs. Edmonton will host Colorado and Phoenix will visit Anaheim in a pair of 8:00pm ET contests, while San Jose will meet the Kings in Los Angeles at 9:00pm.

As well, the Formula One circuit remains in Asia for Sunday’s running of the Japanese Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton has a seven-point lead over second-place Felipe Massa in the drivers championship heading into his event, with Robert Kubica 20 points back in third place in the standings. Hamilton won the Japanese Grand Prix by eight seconds over Heikki Kovalainen last year, while Kimi Raikkonen was nine seconds back in third.

A Peek at the Future

All four of baseball’s postseason teams will be back in action on Monday, with Game 3 of the Rays/Red Sox series and Game 4 of the Dodgers/Phillies series . . . it’ll be the 4-0 Giants travelling to Cleveland to take on the 1-3 Browns on Monday Night Football; the perfect Giants are pegged as 8-point road favorites, with the total set at 43 points  . . . the CFL will stage two matchups on Monday afternoon for Canadian Thanksgiving, with the Tiger-Cats playing a contest in Montreal, and the Roughriders visiting Calgary.

Here is the official sports info gameday. The NFL injury report, perfect for fantasy football players as well (fantasy football betting odds) will be up shortly, but here are key news and notes for football betting on the early card. If you are making predictions against the Vegas NFL odds, you must read the objective rundown of the top betting picks from the top sports betting services.

Panthers-Buccaneers

Tampa is 2-0 at home this year straight up and 8-2 since last year. Yet, Carolina has won five straight in Tampa Bay by an average of 10 points per game. The injury report will update, but it appears Jeff Garcia is about 55 percent to start at QB ahead of the injured Brian Griese.

Rams-Redskins

Going back to last year, the Rams have lost eight straight by a combined 288-110. The top football handicapper of all time, Mike Godsey of GodsTips reminds those who bet on sports, “Midseason coaching changes generally have positive short-term results” as the Rams play with interim head coach Jim Haslett. He takes over for the fired Scott Linehan.

The Redskins have won eight of their last nine contests going back to late last year. The Skins are tied with the Tennessee Titans in leading the NFL in turnover ratio.

Bears-Falcons

The home team is 14-7 straight up in Atlanta‘s last 21 games. For those who bet quarter lines, note that Atlanta is outscoring teams 48-14 in the first, but they are outscored 93-69 in the other three.

Dolphins-Texans

The nation’s top NFL handicapping service, GodsTips has a free winner on this game. Miami has 851 yards of total offense in their last two games, their best since 1995. Houston is 3-0 straight up all-time in the series. Miami has outscored teams 24-0 in the fourth quarter.

Houston will likely start Matt Schaub at QB. He was 3-2 straight up at home last year and this is his first home start in 2008.

Ravens-Colts

Baltimore has allowed the fewest first quarter points, just three. The Colts have scored just 44 points this year in the first three quarters, but 38 in the final frame. The Colts are last in rushing yards per game on offense and last on defense in rushing yards per game allowed. They face a Ravens team that has gone 23 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.

Lions-Vikings

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Detroit is 0-4 straight up by an average of 20.3 points per game. Will this be a big moneyline upset? Not likely as Minnesota is 11-1 straight up in the series, but remember that Minnesota is coming off the short week after beating the New Orleans Saints on MNF, another GodsTips Wise Guy winner.

Raiders-Saints

Oakland blew a 15 point lead to the Chargers two weeks ago, but had off last week. The Saints, off a short week, have lost 7-of-8 to the AFC.

Bengals-Jets

Cincinnati will likely not start Carson Palmer at QB, but the injury report is up coming. Brett Favre, the New York QB (you may have heard) is 6-1 straight up his last seven following a bye. The Jets average field position is tops in the NFL.