OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a free winner Wednesday on the San Antonio Spurs (-6.5) to Memphis.

Reasoning: I hesitate in laying half a dozen points with a team that has played as badly as the Spurs have but with their backs up against the wall I am going to do just that. Greg Popovich’ team is as experienced and professional of a team as there is out there making me feel that they will come through in this spot and at least live for one more day.

I give Lionel Hollins’ Grizzlies all the credit in the world for building this 3-1 lead. I definitely do not believe this is a fluke at all as Memphis has flat out played better basketball and right now may even be a better team. Zach Randolph is a beast and the young Grizz have manned up with guys like Conley, Gasol and others. But a closeout game is never easy no less with a young and very inexperienced team on the road. It’s just a tough tough spot for Memphis to be able to succeed in. I can see them taking care of business at home in a game six scenario but not here in this spot tonight.

Ginobili, Parker and Duncan have been there and done that. They aren’t going to panic and will not go down without a fight. The Spurs certainly have been regressing since the first 50 to 60 games of the regular season which were magical and there have been some recent leaner times for sure. But for this one night I do believe that San Antonio will reach deep and be able to muster a high quality effort as they are in survival mode.

It’s not going to be easy but the Spurs are not going down in five games and I see them being able to cover this game in the end.

For more information: Matt Rivers said Tuesday was the worst day I have had in a long, long time. It happens, now it’s time to look forward and destroy that Crookie as per usual with a pair of plays. The run is still beyond belief and I will prove it one more time. 400,000* Denver-Oklahoma City plus a matinee affair on the diamond involving the Braves and Padres. The winning ways are here for sure once again, that you can bet on! Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has an NBA winner Sunday is on the Miami Heat (-6) at Philadelphia.

Reasoning: It’s tough to lay half a dozen points on the road pretty much ever and that’s why I can’t make this a pay play in good conscience but the 76ers are done, absolutely done with a fork in them.

Miami has this thing wrapped up as Philadelphia just doesn’t have the horses. Doug Collins pretty much admitted that after the game two debacle and Lebron, Wade and Bosh are rested and confident and coming for the kill shot as they smell blood.

I don’t mind the 76ers and I have said that for a while. Iguodala, Holliday, Young, Brand, Williams and the boys from the City of Brotherly Love had a really nice season and are a building team that has a shot to do some good things in the future. But all hope has pretty much been snuffed out after playing very well in that last game and still falling in a non-cover

The Heat are not the perfect team and do have a few flaws at the point guard position and in the middle. Those deficiencies may come back to haunt them in the end but it’s not going to make a difference today as this thing is going to be an outclassing and probably a double digit Heat series clinching victory.

Top expert pick on this game: Miami from Matt Rivers

For more information: The 400,000* Thunder along with the 200,000* on the Phillies took care of business yet again. That’s now literally 35 winning days vs. 14 losing ones and the net profit is almost a gaudy 10 million*, that’s right 10 million. To put that in perspective my highest rated release is only a 500,000* and I rarely release more than two or three plays per day. What does that mean? It means that I pretty much win everything!

Two more fire hot locks are up and available for Sunday as I begin another insanely profitable week led by another insanely profitable 400,000* with the Magic and Hawks. Bonus 200,000* involving the Red Sox and Angels. Bang, bang, bang! Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has an NBA winner on the San Antonio Spurs (+2) at Memphis.

Reasoning: I love how hard this Memphis team is playing and do respect Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies overall. In fact I even had them in game two and cashed the ticket in a 200,000* play. But today I can’t help but grab whatever I can with what is still the far more experienced and superior overall squad in the Spurs.

I have been anti San Antonio for a lot of the season because I just felt they were not as great as their record indicated. The Spurs jumped out of the gate and pretty much never looked back but I still had no problem fading Greg Popovich’s team when the numbers were right. Here though as a dog in the playoffs is a bit to good to do anything but back Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the rest of the high powered Spurs.

The Grizzlies are a fun young team that are doing a ton without what seemed to be their leader in the injured Rudy Gay. These guys have overcome adversity and had a nice little season and then a great opening game outright in this series. But let’s face it the Spurs are still the elite squad on the court today and that game one did not have Ginobili playing, which clearly meant a ton.

I’m sure the Memphis fans will be out in full effect and the building will be loud but when push comes to shove it’s still not having to lay anything with the most professional team in sports in the Spurs and I’m just fine with that scenario.

Top expert pick on this game: San Antonio from Matt Rivers

For more information: A loser on the Hornets, certainly not the greatest call at all as they were outclassed. I am man enough to admit a loss, it happens to the best. Still an amazing 34 of 48 winning days and over 9 million* of profit.

A pair of winners today as I continue the sick winning ways with a 400,000* between Oklahoma City and Denver along with a 200,000* on the diamond involving the Phillies and Padres. 2-0? Heck yes! Click now to purchase at OffshoreInsiders.com

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a Major League Baseball winner for Friday is on the the Red Sox (+103) to Los Angeles Anaheim.

Jon Lester is an absolute superstar and the Red Sox are clearly better than the Angels. I have loved this southpaw for a while as he has the potential to win a Cy Young. Lester has beaten Cancer and won in high-pressurized spots including the final game of the World Series championship. This kid is a stud, plain and simple.

No doubt that Dan Haren has been on-fire this season and the Angels have been playing high quality ball of late, I get all of that. But to get Terry Francona’s 90 plus win team is too good to fully pass up today. The season has not exactly gone to plan thus far for the BoSox but don’t be fooled this team is still borderline great and with Lester on the mound they are great.

Haren is extremely due to get hit around and with all of the quality lefty bats the Sox have this could be that day. Boston’s lineup is awesome with Pedroia, Youkilis, Crawford, Gonzalez and on and on. These guys will click and they very well may do just that tonight.

The Angels have been hitting the ball and have had a nice start to the season but they are still not on the same level as their opponent tonight.

I’m really not all that worried about the Sox and the sluggish start. It’s just one of those poor runs that every team will go through. They just started the season like that which magnifies the situation that much more.

Lester plus the far superior team at about a pick constitutes a great value, period!

Top expert pick on this game: Boston Red Sox

For more information: The 400,000* on the Phillies yesterday won in shutout fashion and the 300,000* on the Pacers won for some and at the very worst pushed for others. That equals yet another victorious day of me destroying that Crookie.  The streak is now 34 winning days in 47 overall days and a beyond insane 9.8 million* of profit. By the way that’s with me calling Indiana yesterday a push for fairness sake as I do not inflate numbers, what you see is what you get, period.

One play and one play only today, well sort of. I have an NBA dog that very very well may win outright. Granted there aren’t any double-digit pups out there so I’m not exactly going all that much out of my way but a win will be a win and an outright is an outright. 500,000* NBA dog that is going to take care of business with ease and for that matter a bonus 200,000* on the moneyline as well! Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a free pick Thursday is on the Miami Heat (-4.5) to Philadelphia.

As I say often, laying points on the road is not the key to the mint but game two was very telling and even if the 76ers play hard and compete I’m hard pressed to believe they will stay within a handful by the end.

I played Philly plus the points in the first two games and looking back can say that I was fairly lucky to get one of them. Lebron, Wade and Bosh have really stepped up their game and appear to finally be having some fun out there. The regular season was a feeling out process and even though it at times appeared to be a disaster it still resulted in a phenomenal 58 victories.

Doug Collins made the statement after game two that the Heat are just the better team when they come to play. I like Collins and his candidness but I don’t think in any way shape or form that will help the Sixers, even back in the city of brotherly love. It’s almost a slap in the face to his franchise, even though he was being truthful and everybody knows it.

I do like this Philadelphia team and love how they improved greatly after the rough first month to the season. Iguodala, Williams, Holliday, Brand and the 76ers are all right and will fight in this thing but all right shouldn’t be enough after 48 minutes as the Heat flex their muscles once again in a win and a cover.

Top expert pick on this game: Miami

For more information: The 400,000* Hornets and 200,000* Grizzlies turn the trick in yet another winning day. This is the roll of a lifetime as I have now had 33 winning days compared to just 13 losing ones and the profit is almost an insane 10 million stars. Once again I say, just think about that for a second. My biggest play is only a 500,000* and that is released on extremely rare occasions. So to gain 9.4 million stars in about a month’s time when I play two or three plays max a day is virtually impossible. But when you are the best there is in an entire industry virtually impossible is possible.

Two more fire hot locks today as I hit that 10 million stars mark. 400,000* Phillies-Padres along with a 300,000* Bulls-Pacers. All I do is win and nothing at all changes today! Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers has a baseball pick Tuesday and for the second straight day is on the Tampa Bay Rays (-102) to the White Sox.

Reasoning: I like John Danks and the White Sox are the definite superior lineup with the bigger bashers but Ozzie Guillen’s team has gone south in a hurry and until they are able to come back up for air I’ll fade them at this price.

Chicago was embarrassed at home by the Angels in that last series and did absolutely nothing last night against David Price. The confidence level is pretty low right now and Guillen is about to blow a gasket with the way his bullpen has been performing and the team as a whole.

Tampa Bay certainly isn’t the team they used to be with Crawford, Pena and the injured Longoria in the mix but give them credit as the last week has been much much better. Joe Maddon’s team has been winning games of late and Johnny Damon has been showing some signs of life coming through in the clutch. I don’t think the home squad is going to be much of anything in the end as they can’t compete anymore with the Yankees and Red Sox but right now at the Trop there is no reason why they can’t beat the struggling and ice cold ChiSox.

James Shields has some good stuff and it’s not like this plodding White Sox club can do much on the Tropicana Field turf with their style of play. There are pieces with Konerko, Dunn, Pierzynski and others but it hasn’t amounted to much ove the last little bit and I don’t see much changing today.

Danks should hold his own as the southpaw is pretty darn solid but I don’t see him getting that much support and the surging Rays should come out on top for the seventh time in the last eight games.

Top expert pick on this game: Tampa Bay from Matt Rivers

For more information: I did it one more time yesterday. The bigger play even lost and I still came through in the end. This is the single greatest run in the history of handicapping and if anybody said any different they would be a fool. 32 winning days vs. 12 losing days and 9.1 million stars of profit when the biggest play that I release is only 500,000* and that is extremely rare. Plus I only play a couple of games a night proving my greatness. It’s not too late to jump on board as this train just isn’t slowing down!

A trio of winners today led by a 400,000* on the diamond between the A’s and Red Sox. A pair of bonus winners including a 300,000* Knicks-Celtics (won game one on New York) and a 200,000* Indians-Royals (won last night on the Indians). Please don’t miss out, for your sake, please don’t.  Rivers entire card is up at OffshoreInsiders.com

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers Monday is on the Tampa Bay Rays (-113) to the White Sox.

Reasoning: It was a rough last series for Ozzie Guillen’s White Sox against the Angels and in revenge today I’ll make a play on David Price and the somewhat improving Tampa Bay Rays.

I have been bashing Joe Maddon’s regressing squad for a while now and I am still not all that high on today’s home squad but all of a sudden Chicago has hit the skids and their bullpen is horrific.

Edwin Jackson just recently won fairly easily at US Cellular against David Price and it’s the second phenomenal Jackson outing against his former team when you include that wild no-hitter last season. So the guy does pitch very well against the Rays, I get it. But Jackson is still not the blue chip Cy Young type hurler that David Price can be and after losing that last matchup I can’t help but take my chances back at the Trop on Price and the at least improving Rays.

Johnny Damon has shown some signs of life and despite having a less that stellar offense with the departures of Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena and the injury to Evan Longoria I have a feeling that Tampa will get a very good pitching performance from Price and scratch across enough to get it done in the end.

The Sox are far from a confident bunch right now and Guillen exploding isn’t all that far off. Plus the “good guys” are not exactly a dome type team that can play some small ball on the fast turf and run the bases.

I expect both starters to look very good and the Rays to continue the recent Sox misery.

Top expert pick on this game: Tampa Bay from Matt Rivers

For more information: I’ve had 31 winning days and 12 losing days. Just think about that. Then think about 9 million stars of profit when the highest play that I release, and it is not very often, is only a 500,000*. There are a ton of clowns out there but I am the real deal and will continue to be that deal.

Both NBA plays today; 400,000* 76ers-Heat (won game one on Philly) and a 300,000* Pacers-Bulls. Bonus 200,000* on the diamond involving the Indians and Royals. Three more plays and three more winners, it’s just that easy. Click now to purchase

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers  has an NBA lock Sunday and it is on the San Antonio Spurs (-7) to Memphis.

Reasoning: It’s funny because I really do like Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies and have faded the Spurs a ton this season citing their age as a negative. I still believe both are true but I also don’t see it happening for the inexperienced visitors in this spot.

Rudy Gay is still injured and today should be a bit of a different beast for this Memphis team. It’s playoff time and I can see some jitters for the Grizzlies as they go up against a very seasoned team, with or without Manu Ginobili. Of course I hope Ginobili is able to go but I don’t think he will and I’m all right with that. Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have been there and done that and have enough in the tank right now to play at a world-class level. Throw in the likes of McDyess, Neal, Splitter, Jefferson, Blair and a few others and I just think this spot is going to be too much for the Grizz. In fact I can see the visitors be timid early and have that deer in headlights look as they fall behind in the vicinity of 32-15.

Don’t get me wrong, the series overall is not going to be a runaway four game sweep. San Antonio could have an issue or two with Conley, Randolph, Gasol and the rest of the talented 46 win Grizzlies. But game one in this particular spot is not the one that is conducive to a young Memphis team succeeding and overall this thing ends in a double-digit San Antonio victory.

Top expert pick on this game: San Antonio Spurs

For more information: Yup, that’s right, the only game I didn’t win was rained out. The 400,000* Braves minus 1 ½ runs in the first game plus 120 and the 300,000* on the 76ers once again buried that Crookie. It is truly just that easy. As I have been saying over and over and over again nothing at all changes today, nothing. Think about how large this sample has become, 30 winning days vs. 12 losing ones and a profit margin that is almost impossible to fathom!

And now to the biggest weapon in my entire arsenal, as in I’m hotter than the Burning Bush and today marks the highest rated play in the entire run. A 500,000* laugher is here in the NBA involving the Knicks and Celtics plus a pair of 200,000* on the diamond with the Mets and Braves and Marlins and Phillies. Here is what I am going to say in just a few hours, “bang, bang, bang, I did it again.” Are you? Click now to purchase

Odds are up for the 2011 NBA playoffs from BetUs. First it’s series odds.

Sun, Apr 17, 2011 EST

Now to the odds to win it all, the NBA Championship 2011. The Miami Heat edge out the defending champion LA Lakers as the faves.

More playoff odds such as for each game, to win each conference and more are up at several sportsbooks.

No question the top picks against the spread will be at OffshoreInsiders.com

We shall allow others to defend or mock the NBA zigzag theory ad nausea. For the few not familiar, it basically says bet a playoff team off a straight up loss. However, we will list which playoff teams are best against the spread off straight up wins and straight up losses in 2010-11.

The top teams to bet on off a straight up loss:

Now to the best teams to bet against off a straight up loss:

Here are the best teams against the spread to bet on off a straight up win:

Perhaps, not surprising, the best teams to fade off a win failed to make the playoffs (Washington, Houston, Sacramento, Utah), but these are the best postseason teams to bet against when coming off a straight up victory:

OffshoreInsiders.com has now added Bill Tanner to their arsenal of handicappers. Tanner is the all-time winningest NBA handicapper on Power of 620 sports services behind every selection, the MasterLockLine, tracing back to the scorephone days of the early 1980s.

“Renamed “sweat meter” in Chad Millman of ESPN’s column, Margin of Cover (MOC) is similar to scoring margin, but it is measured by how much a team covers or fails to cover the point spread.

Many sports handicappers believe MOC is invaluable in isolating under and overvalued teams.