The Boston Celtics (52-22) and the Atlanta Hawks (43-32) both played like hungry playoff teams in their last games and will look to continue that momentum on Friday when they square off in this ESPN matchup.  Boston (-1) has struggled mightily though when playing on back-to-back nights, which is the scenario here following a 107-97 victory at San Antonio on Thursday.

This will be the second consecutive nationally televised game for the Celtics, who are just 4-12 against the spread when playing with no rest this season.  They have also dropped five of their last six games straight-up in this situation due to their inability to play at a high level on consecutive days as an aging team.

However, Boston’s youngest star came through against the Spurs, as Rajon Rondo totaled a team-high 22 points and game-high 14 assists.  Rondo was 11 of 20 from the field and has scored as many points in his last two games (44) than he totaled in his previous seven combined.  The Celtics improved to 21-2 when he has at least 13 assists and stayed ahead of Miami for the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.  They wrap up a four-game road trip in Atlanta and improved to 23-14 away from home after beating San Antonio.

The Hawks have won their last three games despite failing to score 100 points in any of them and will try to beat Boston for the first time in three meetings.  They are coming off an 85-82 home win against Orlando on Wednesday behind a game-high 26 points from Josh Smith.  Leading scorer Joe Johnson also returned after missing one game due to a thumb injury and added 18 points.

Atlanta is locked into a 4-5 playoff matchup with the Magic and could possibly face the Celtics in the second round if Boston manages to overtake Chicago for the top seed and both teams advance.  Rondo missed the first two meetings with the Hawks this season, but his teammates picked up the slack to help the Celts win both games by a combined 35 points.

Boston had lost the previous four meetings with Atlanta both SU and ATS before this season, and the OVER has cashed in three of the past four games between the teams overall.  The UNDER has cashed in the last three games for the Hawks overall while the total has gone OVER in two straight for the Celtics after 10 consecutive UNDERs.

Top expert pick on today’s card: It’s no joke. America’s Greatest wins long-term more than anyone else. But for those simply wanting to ride the hot hand, we are at the beginning of another in a never-ending line of winning streaks. We are 4-1 our last five and yes it’s the same JD of the ACC you’ve known for decades going back to the scorephone days. So if you got crushed in hoops elsewhere, start anew and have a splendid summer of underdog and small favorites winning in MLB.

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Arguably, the National League has more hype than the American League entering 2011 MLB betting. After all, the Senior Circuit boasts the defending World Series champion in the Giants, baseball’s answer to the Miami Heat in the Phillies and hot sleeper teams like the Brewers and Braves. Here’s a sports betting blog breakdown of the NL.

National League East odds

Philadelphia Phillies: -325

Atlanta Braves: +375

Florida Marlins: +900

New York Mets: +1600

Washington Nationals: +3000

No team is a bigger sportsbook favorite to win its own division than the Philadelphia Phillies – which is pretty amazing considering they share the NL East with another serious World Series contender, the Braves.

But that’s how excited people are about the Phillies this season. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels could be the greatest pitching quartet ever to grace one team. They give the Maddux/Smoltz/Glavine/Avery 1993 Braves a serious run. Still, the Phillies aren’t a slam dunk. Chase Utley’s knee is a concern and Atlanta is a legit threat. The Braves have a budding ace in Tommy Hanson, a future superstar in Jason Heyward and an improved offense thanks to the Dan Uggla trade. They’ll stay in the hunt.

The Marlins have solid pitching but their offense isn’t up to snuff. The Mets are loaded with injury risks – Jason Bay is already hurt again – and have a weak rotation. The Nationals aren’t worth considering until Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are in their Opening Day lineup.

The Phillies will have to work for it but they may get 75-plus wins from their top four starters alone. They have to take the East.

Free pick: Phillies -325

National League Central odds

Milwaukee Brewers: +190

Cincinnati Reds: +200

St. Louis Cardinals: +300

Chicago Cubs: +450

Houston Astros: +2500

Pittsburgh Pirates: +4000

The Milwaukee Brewers’ hype train has zoomed them to the top of the divisional odds and I think the buzz in the sports betting community is justified. This team already had a potent offense; Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder are the studs and they have plenty of support from guys like Hart, Weeks and McGehee. But now the plot thickens for Milwaukee with Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum joining Yovani Gallardo in a revamped pitching rotation.

The defending NL Central champs, the Reds, will challenge again. Joey Votto is as good as any hitter on the planet and other young guns like Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce help pace a Cincinnati team that is potent offensively and also outstanding defensively. But will the Reds’ pitching hold them back?

Even though Albert Pujols has something to prove in his walk year, I don’t think he can carry St. Louis to the playoffs without Adam Wainwright, who underwent Tommy John surgery this offseason. The Cubs have some talent but also too many aging, slump-prone hitters. The odds for Houston and Pittsburgh are generous; neither of those teams has a chance. It’s worth noting that the Pirates could field an above-average offense this season.

With big power, a solid rotation and Prince Fielder playing for a new contract, the stars have aligned for Milwaukee this season.

Free pick: Brewers +190

National League West odds

San Francisco Giants: +130

Colorado Rockies: +185

Los Angeles Dodgers: +300

San Diego Padres: +1100

Arizona Diamondbacks: +1800

The National League West seems to be hotly contested every year but the gaps between teams seem to be widening. The Giants are still probably the class of the division thanks to their outstanding pitching. They’ll need Buster Posey to avoid the sophomore slump and Pablo Sandoval to recapture his 2009 form if they want to contend for the World Series crown again, though.

It looks like Colorado is the only team with a shot to unseat San Francisco. The Rockies have some amazing talents, like MVP candidates Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzales and Cy Young contender Ubaldo Jimenez. But do they have the depth? Up-and-comers like Dexter Fowler, Ian Stewart and Jorge De La Rosa have to step up.

The Dodgers, like Mets, look like high-profile frauds to me. Good pitching but I hate their offense. Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier can’t do it all on their own. The Padres were a total fluke last year and lost Adrian Gonzalez. Gulp. The Diamondbacks have a few good young players but are in rebuild mode. The division looks like San Francisco’s for the taking again.

Free pick: Giants +130

Wild Card pick: Atlanta Braves

National League Pennant pick: Philadelphia Phillies

MLB baseball odds are posted on who will win the National League pennant, American League pennant and of course the 2011 World Series. Despite the uncertainty of injuries to stars Chase Utley and Brad Lidge, the Philadelphia Phillies (+390) are prohibitive favorites according to baseball handicapping picks and predictions headquarters OffshoreInsiders.com. Here are the odds.

To Win AL Pennant
WINNER OF AL PENNANT
3001 Baltimore Orioles	+4104
3002 Boston Red Sox	+212
3003 Chicago White Sox	+1238
3004 Cleveland Indians	+7370
3005 Detroit Tigers	+1337
3006 Kansas City Royals	+8423
3007 LA Angels of Anaheim	+1439
3008 Minnesota Twins	+983
3009 NY Yankees	+403
3010 Oakland A’s	+1182
3011 Seattle Mariners	+7614
3012 Tampa Bay Rays	+1233
3013 Texas Rangers	+954
3014 Toronto Blue Jays	+3056
To Win NL Pennant
WINNER OF NL PENNANT
2001 Atlanta Braves	+1088
2002 Arizona Diamondbacks	+6120
2003 Chicago Cubs	+2172
2004 Cincinnati Reds	+1206
2005 Colorado Rockies	+1114
2006 Florida Marlins	+2167
2007 Houston Astros	+3958
2008 LA Dodgers	+1709
2009 Milwaukee Brewers	+975
2010 NY Mets	+2810
2011 Philadelphia Phillies	+197
2012 Pittsburgh Pirates	+11286
2013 San Diego Padres	+2526
2014 San Francisco Giants	+694
2015 St Louis Cardinals	+1140
2016 Washington Nationals	+5805
To Win World Series
WINNER OF 2011 WORLD SERIES
1001 Atlanta Braves	+2598
1002 Arizona Diamondbacks	+13060
1003 Baltimore Orioles	+8233
1004 Boston Red Sox	+468
1005 Chicago Cubs	+5311
1006 Chicago White Sox	+2836
1007 Cincinnati Reds	+2763
1008 Cleveland Indians	+16087
1009 Colorado Rockies	+2752
1010 Detroit Tigers	+3512
1011 Florida Marlins	+5599
1012 Houston Astros	+10170
1013 Kansas City Royals	+19836
1014 LA Angels of Anaheim	+3400
1015 LA Dodgers	+5034
1016 Milwaukee Brewers	+1810
1017 Minnesota Twins	+2379
1018 NY Mets	+7285
1019 NY Yankees	+783
1020 Oakland A’s	+3449
1021 Philadelphia Phillies	+390
1022 Pittsburgh Pirates	+30996
1023 San Diego Padres	+7451
1024 San Francisco Giants	+1303
1025 Seattle Mariners	+14912
1026 St Louis Cardinals	+2170
1027 Tampa Bay Rays	+2741
1028 Texas Rangers	+2011
1029 Toronto Blue Jays	+6230
1030 Washington Nationals	+14614

NCAA Tournament Spread Previews: Game of March 17, 2011

NCAA Tournament 2011 men’s basketball, AKA the Big Dance or March Madness is here. Get the spread betting preview and breakdown for games of March 17, 2011 with Grandmaster Sports Handicapper Joe Duffy, CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com, the top sports betting site in the world.

As soon as the Selection Sunday committee announces the matchup for the 2011 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the staff of sports handicapping site OffshoreInsiders.com will go into full work mode.

Podcasts, YouTube videos, and articles—game previews and more will be the focus. Senior Writer Shea Matthews will scrutinize the dark horses and likely early exits of the four regions.

“This will be instrumental to the March Madness point spread player as well as for filling out those office NCAA Tournament brackets,” says Matthews.

With the innumerable ways to win in sports betting: sides, totals, motivation, travel dynamics, line moves, scheduling, home/road performance, matchups, trends, angles, situations among others, the experienced staff of OffshoreInsiders.com will analyze from nearly every possible angle.

As soon as the opening Vegas line on the 2011 Big Dance schedule is posted, network website JoeDuffy.net will have all the college basketball odds.

Premium picks from handpicked sports services and sports handicappers will also be obtainable.

Proposition odds will also be examined; with Matthews regional previews the anchor of such coverage.

Matt Rivers, Stevie Vincent, Joe Duffy, the Canadian Crew, and the MasterLockLine will all present free picks against the spread as well.

The web version of the “Tailgate Party” will commence shortly after the selection committee announces NCAA Tournament schedule and will continue through the 2011 Final Four, exclusively on the OffshoreInsiders.com Network of handicapping websites.

OffshoreInsiders.com Senior Sports Handicapper Matt Rivers says your NBA spread pick winner for Tuesday is on the Golden State Warriors (-4) at Cleveland.

Reasoning: Golden State is certainly not a team that can fully be trusted laying points on the road to anybody but the Cavaliers are dreadful, save when they play the Knicks, and in the end tonight the Warriors talent should be too much.

Cleveland lost Antawn Jamison last week and traded away Mo Williams. They brought in an aging veteran in Baron Davis who really doesn’t want to be there and the team and franchise as a whole is just awful right now. Yes Ramon Sessions and J.J. Hickson are alright and the Cavs may not be the worst team in the history of the NBA and are a potential play when getting double digits but today they are way too outclassed in terms of sheer talent to be such a small dog.

The Warriors’ record (27-35) isn’t very good and they have lost six of their past seven games. This team is also probably not going to do much of anything this season but they definitely do have some talent. Monta Ellis can fill it up with the best of them and David Lee, Stephen Curry and Dorell Wright form a foursome that can compete with any, truly.

In that last game in Philadelphia the Warriors competed hard and took that thing to overtime across the country against a 76er team that has been playing some tremendous ball of late. The Warriors are far superior when compared to the horrific Cavs and are well undervalued at this dirt-cheap price, even in Cleveland.

In all honesty Golden State is giving a small handful and without a doubt could potentially win this game by 20. That’s enough of a deal for me.

The pick: Golden State from the real Matt Rivers.

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JoeDuffy.net will post the 2011 March Madness odds to win the big conferences such as the Big East, ACC, Big 12 and more as soon as they are up.

Already college basketball odds are posted for winning the top “non-BCS” conference tournaments.

Rot	To Win Mountain West Post Season Tournament	Moneyline
341	Air Force	+5000
342	BYU	+150
343	Colorado State	+1000
344	New Mexico	+600
345	San Diego State	+120
346	TCU	+10000
347	UNLV	+175
348	Utah	+5000
349	Wyoming	+10000
Rot	To Win Atlantic 10 Post Season Tournament	Moneyline
221	Dayton	+3000
222	Duquesne	+500
223	George Washington	+800
224	La Salle	+10000
225	Massachusetts	+5000
226	Richmond	+250
228	Temple	+150
229	Xavier	+125

OffshoreInsiders.com as always will have all the best picks.

Say what you want about the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards, the People’s Choice Awards, and so on, but there is no bigger award show in the entertainment betting business than the Academy Awards. It’s the crème de la crème. All the more reason to research our potential picks early.

Here are some wagers to consider. And remember – the Oscars don’t always follow the Golden Globe picks. The Hollywood Foreign Press, which makes the Globe selections, has lost a lot of credibility in recent years, so we can’t take its picks as seriously anymore.

BEST PICTURE

The King’s Speech -800

The Social Network +150

True Grit +1000

The Fighter +2000

Inception +2000

Black Swan +2500

The Kids are All Right +4000

Winter’s Bone +4000

127 Hours +5000

Toy Story 3: +5000

First things first: don’t get caught betting on anything, and I mean anything, other than The King’s Speech or The Social Network. This is absolutely a two-horse race. The Social Network took top honors at the Globes but the Globes are known for making more progressive, modern choices. The King’s Speech is more “Oscar-ish” as a period piece and led the field in overall nominations, which is often (though not always) a hint of the eventual winner.

Today’s free pick: The King’s Speech -800

BEST ACTOR

Colin Firth, The King’s Speech -10000

James Franco, 127 Hours +1200

Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network +1400

Jeff Bridges, True Grit +2000

Javier Bardem, Biutiful +3000

I know you get a ridiculously low return on your investment but there’s little use in avoiding Colin Firth here. He was fantastic in The King’s Speech, he got his heart broken in this category last year by Bridges, and he has won every possible acting award for this role so far. Whatever you do, avoid Bridges at all costs. He won last year for Crazy Heart and he essential lyplayed the same character in True Grit. He has no shot this time.

Today’s free pick: Colin Firth +10000

BEST ACTRESS

Natalie Portman, Black Swan -2200

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right +500

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone +2000

Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole +3300

Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine +5000

This is far less of a slam dunk than the Best Actor category, so online betting sharps beware. Most people believe it’s Natalie Portman’s year and she’s won plenty of awards on the circuit so far for Black Swan. But the Academy is sentimental; you never know if it might try to make up for Annette Bening’s past snubs and give her the win. The darkhorse is Jennifer Lawrence, so may have given the year’s best performance, but her relative anonymity will probably sink her. I think Portman takes it but it’s no sure thing.

Today’s free pick: Natalie Portman -2200

BEST DIRECTOR

Tom Hooper, The King’s Speech -200

David Fincher, The Social Network -180

Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan +1200

Ethan and Joel Coen, True Grit +3000

David O. Russell, The Fighter +3000

Hooper is the favorite here but I think he’ll be disappointed. All the critical praise for The King’s Speech has focused on the acting and writing, with very little talk of Hooper’s directing. David Fincher appeared to influence his movie, The Social Network, more. Christopher Nolan should win this award but, since he didn’t even get nominated, I like Fincher, who won the Golden Globe already.

Today’s free pick: David Fincher -180

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christian Bale, The Fighter -1500

Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech +350

Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right +4000

John Hawkes, Winter’s Bone +4000

Jeremy Renner, The Town +4000

If it weren’t for the highly respected Geoffrey Rush’s presence, Christian Bale would have this award locked up already. Still – Bale has dominated this award everywhere leading up to the Oscars. The Best Supporting victory usually goes to someone who “steals” the movie. Bale stole the show from Mark Whalberg in The Fighter. Rush didn’t steal it from Colin Firth in The King’s Speech.

Today’s free pick: Christian Bale -1500

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Melissa Leo, The Fighter -600

Hailee Steinfeild, True Grit +300

Helena Bonham Carter, The King’s Speech +400

Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom +2000

Amy Adams, The Fighter +2000

This should easily be the most hotly contested of the major awards. Leo is the clear favorite after picking up lots of hardware for The Fighter over the last couple of months. But her role was flashy, obvious even, and some other actresses are picking up steam. Youngster Hailee Steinfield’s breakthrough effort in True Grit makes her a sentimental favorite. In the end, I expect the sometimes-stuffy Academy to recognize Helen Bonham Carter’s subtle effort as the Queen of England in The King’s Speech.

Today’s free pick: Helena Bonham Carter +400

The Las Vegas odds are out for the 2011 Academy Awards at BetUs. The King’s Speech is the overwhelming favorite on the sportsbooks odds to win Best Picture, with only The Social Network given a chance at the upset.

The Oscars Awards betting line also has Colin Firth a virtual lock for Best Actor and Natalie Portman was the sure pick for best actress. Here are the odds on all the major awards.

Rot	Oscars Best Supporting Actress	Moneyline
301	Melissa Leo (The Fighter)	-600
302	Helena Bonham Carter (The Kings Speech)	+400
303	Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)	+300
304	Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)	+2000
306	Amy Adams (The Fighter)	+2000
Any wagers after event becomes public knowledge will be no action.
Rot	Oscars Best Supporting Actor	Moneyline
310	Christian Bale (The Fighter)	-1500
311	Geoffrey Rush (The Kings Speech)	+350
312	Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right)	+4000
313	John Hawkes (Winters Bone)	+4000
315	Jeremy Renner (The Town)	+4000
Any wagers after event becomes public knowledge will be no action.
Rot	Oscars Best Actress	Moneyline
321	Natalie Portman (Black Swan)	-2000
322	Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)	+400
323	Jennifer Lawrence (Winters Bone)	+2000
324	Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)	+3000
326	Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)	+5000
Any wagers after event becomes public knowledge will be no action.
Rot	Oscars Best Actor	Moneyline
330	Colin Firth (The Kings Speech)	-10000
331	James Franco (127 Hours)	+1200
332	Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)	+1400
333	Jeff Bridges (True Grit)	+2000
336	Javier Bardem (Biutiful)	+3000
Any wagers after event becomes public knowledge will be no action.
Rot	Oscars Best Director	Moneyline
340	David Fincher (The Social Network)	-180
341	Tom Hooper (The Kings Speech)	-200
343	Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)	+1200
345	Ethan and Joel Coen (True Grit)	+3000
347	David O. Russell (The Fighter)	+3000
Any wagers after event becomes public knowledge will be no action.
Rot	Oscars Best Picture	Moneyline
350	The Social Network	+150
351	The King’s Speech	-800
352	The Fighter	+2000
353	Toy Story 3	+5000
354	Black Swan	+2500
355	Inception	+2000
356	127 Hours	+5000
357	True Grit	+1000
358	The Kids Are All Right	+4000
359	Winter’s Bone	+2500
Any wagers after event becomes public knowledge will be no action.
Rot	Oscars Best Costume Design	Moneyline
370	Alice in Wonderland	+110
371	I Am Love	+1500
372	The King’s Speech	-200
373	The Tempest	+600
374	True Grit	+500
Rot	Best Foreign Language Film	Moneyline
360	Biutiful (Mexico)	-200
361	Dogtooth (Greece)	+700
362	In a Better World (Denmark)	+200
363	Incendies (Canada)	+250
364	Outside the Law (Algeria)	+1000

The founder of forensic sports handicapping, Stevie Vincent has been a professional gambler since 2002. His plays are now public and a must for totals bettors as mastering over/under is his specialty.