The silly season in baseball betting  isn’t quite over, as some good teams are still slumping and some bad teams are still winning. Online betting fans therefore have to tread carefully with MLB odds this month. Here’s some help for Tuesday night picks.

Tim Wakefield is effective for the BoSox when his knuckler is dancing and it’s doing just that if last week is any indication. He took a no-hitter into the eighth inning against Oakland and went the distance in a 9-2 victory. He’s hot right now, and Baker’s not, so don’t get sucked in by Minnesota‘s value tonight.

Online betting pick: Red Sox -165

Padres vs Giants odds – Jake Peavy (2-1, 3.98) vs Matt Cain (1-0, 2.08)
MLB lines: Padres -124, Giants +104

Here’s a nice baseball betting treat early in the year: two young aces going head to head, though Cain probably hasn’t quite reached that status yet (it’s hard to do it with the NL’s worst run support every year). You have to like the Giants’ value at +104 here. Sure, it’s risky betting against Peavy , but any time a pitcher like Cain is an “underdog,” it’s tempting to go with him. Cain has been stellar against the Padres in his career, sporting a 2.92 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, .197 opponents average and 94 strikeouts in 95 innings. That’s not a small sample either—it’s over 15 starts. Peavy has been solid against the Giants in MLB betting (12-8, 3.24) over his career, but online betting fans should take Cain for a spin tonight.

Online betting pick: Giants +104

There are tons of interesting props to bet on such as will the Detroit Lions give their first new uniform to Matt Stafford? Endless prop opportunities for the NFL Draft at many of the top ranked sportsbooks, which allow betting on anything from the will win each Pulitzer Prize to various Susan Boyle bets.

If the Boston Marathon results have you down—we thought Kara Goucher and Ryan Hall was each a lock—there is plenty of betting for tonight’s card.

So here is the objective rundown of who is hotter than Carlie Beck and Miss California and who has the big plays.

Of course we start out with the best, GodsTips led by Grandmaster sports handicapper Joe Duffy. The first Wise Guy of the postseason wins as the Atlanta Hawks cover by 21.5 points. The Center of the Handicapping Universe is 8-4 the last 12 MLB with the underdog winners outnumber the chalk losers 4-0. That included our NL Game of the Month Friday on Dandy Dog San Diego.

Get the NBA Wise Guy plus night MLB Wise Guy and Major plays from GodsTips. Click now to purchase for just $17.

Stevie Vincent is 15-5 with pro basketball plays. Since redefining that PERFECT PLAYS must include at least 12 games, Stevie is 6-1 with such selections. He has two pro basketball winners Monday including a PERFECT PLAY. Click now to purchase for yet another complete sweep of the board.

Statmaven Sports is No. 1 all-time on as far as plays that have risen to the level to be re-released. Rankings trace back to the 976-LOCK scorephone days through the SuperLockLine and are all-sports combined. In other words, their highest rated plays have proven since 1980 to be as good as any sports service. Our top angle in any sports applies for Bulls/Celtics. It’s +246.2 units on the plus side including the Sixers outright yesterday.

Bill Tanner is the No. 1 college and NBA handicapper combined since 1995. He’s from the basketball crazed state of Indiana and his Platinum Plays in hoops hit around 62 percent. He also hits above 60 percent in college football with “Plats”.   About a dozen years ago, he lapped dinosaur “Doc” as the top Big 10 handicapper in the land. He does it again with the Hawks in a rout yesterday. Dallas/Spurs side and total are both Platinum Plays. 

Authenticated Plays (explanation) has just the second ever MLB play. Click now to purchase sports betting picks from the top sports services or you can get more information and a free sports pick  

Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Celtics and Spurs look to bounce back, the Caps try to dig themselves out of a hole, and the BoSox and O’s meet early.

New Jerseyans want freedom of choice…

Here is a surprise to nobody: if given the choice, the residents of New Jersey want sports betting legalized in the state. Updates on that, plus Delaware sports betting updates as well as Barney Frank’s attempt to bring personal responsibility to online betting all updated in real-time in the betting news section.

Tipping off on the hardwood  . . .

There are just two NBA playoff games on the schedule for Monday night, with Chicago at Boston and Dallas at San Antonio.  The latest Vegas NBA odds has Boston as an eight or 8.5 point favorite, while the Spurs are -6.5 across the board at press time.

The Bulls pulled off the overtime upset in the opening game of the first-round series on Saturday afternoon, getting 36 points from Derrick Rose in a 105-103 victory. Ben Gordon added 20 points for Chicago in that win, while Rajon Rondo scored 29 points for the Celtics.

The Spurs also lost their series opener at home on Saturday, falling 105-97 to the rival Mavericks. Josh Howard led the Dallas attack with 25 points in that contest, while Dirk Nowitzki tossed in 19 points, and Erick Dampier contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds. Tim Duncan had a game-high 27 points and nine boards in a losing cause for San Antonio, and Tony Parker poured in 24 points.

Today’s best sports picks…

GodsTips is more than just the top NFL handicapper ever. The first Wise Guy of the postseason wins as the Atlanta Hawks cover by 21.5 points. The Center of the Handicapping Universe is 8-4 the last 12 MLB with the underdog winners outnumber the chalk losers 4-0. That included our NL Game of the Month Friday on Dandy Dog San Diego.

Get the NBA Wise Guy plus night MLB Wise Guy and Major plays. Click now to purchase GodsTips Monday card.

Susan Boyle…

Give credit to Irish sportsbook Paddy Power for humorous Susan Boyle bets. The overnight Britain‘s Got Talent Sensation is a 500-1 longshot to be a Playboy centerfold in 2009.

Check out the live Vegas odds on American Idol as Adam Lambert remains the prohibitive favorite. Sports Betting Sportsbook also has several proposition bets for Dancing With the Stars 8.

Meeting up on the diamond . . .

The Red Sox play their annual Marathon-induced morning contest on Monday as they conclude their series with the division-rival Orioles. Boston will send righthander Justin Masterson to the mound in that game; he replaces Daisuke Matsuzaka in the team’s rotation and sports an 0-0 mark with a 4.50 ERA. The O’s counter with lefthander Mark Hendrickson, who is 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA so far.

The only other American League contest on the slate for Monday sees the Yankees opening a home series against Oakland. Over in the National League on Monday it’ll be Atlanta at Washington, San Diego at Philadelphia, Florida at Pittsburgh, Cincinnati at Houston, and Colorado at Arizona. Rockies starting righthander Jason Marquis has a 2-0 mark and stellar 1.93 ERA on the season.

Taking a trip around the rink . . .

Three teams will be looking to take commanding series leads on Monday night when the NHL playoffs return to the ice. Leading things off is Washington at the Rangers, with New York coming off back-to-back upsets over Alexander Ovechkin and company. Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 35 saves on Saturday to give his team a 1-0 victory and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Bruins and Blackhawks also won on Saturday to go up 2-0 in their playoff series. Boston thumped Montreal 5-1, with Marc Savard picking up two goals and two assists and Tim Thomas making 30 saves. Habs netminder Carey Price was pulled after allowing five goals on 26 shots. Chicago, meanwhile, rallied for a 3-2 win over the Flames on Saturday, with Jonathan Toews scoring twice. Nikolai Khabibulin had 30 saves for Chicago; Miikka Kiprusoff had 30 saves for Calgary.

The first weekend of NBA playoff betting featured a few exciting road-team upset victories, while the two biggest sportsbook favorites cruised. What will Tuesday’s NBA betting action bring to the Jazz vs Lakers odds and the Rockets vs Trail Blazers odds?

Rockets vs Trail Blazers odds – Tuesday, April 21 at 10:00 p.m. ET

One game is hardly enough to make a team hit the panic button, but Portland has to be at least a bit nervous about the Blazers odds after the drubbing it took in Game 1. The key to the game was balance; the Rockets had four players score 17 or more points, led by Aaron Brooks’ breakout 27-point, seven-assist effort. Brandon Roy predictably did what he could in the Rockets vs Blazers line, scoring a team-high 21 for Portland, but none of his teammates scored more than eight points except Greg Oden. NBA betting fans should give the Blazers a mulligan on Game 1, as many of their young players were seeing their first-ever playoff action and may have been jittery. However, going forward, LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw simply must be better to keep Portland in this series.

Despite the loss, Portland was one of NBA betting’s best home teams in the regular season, so online betting fans should expect the Blazers to bounce back and triumph at the Rose Garden in Game 2.

Online betting pick: Trail Blazers

Jazz vs Lakers odds – Tuesday, April 21 at 10:30 p.m. ET

The Jazz vs Lakers line rivals the Cavaliers vs Pistons line for the least-exciting, easiest-to-predict matchup in NBA playoff betting. Game 1 went as scripted; the Lakers jumped out to a 22-point halftime lead and coasted the rest of the way. The Jazz were an awful road team in online betting this season and that problem should only be compounded in the playoffs. They’re simply not in the same league as the Lakers, even if Deron Williams (17 assists in Game 1) and Carlos Boozer (27 points) are bringing it. Don’t be surprised if the Jazz come out firing and jump to an early lead, but the Lakers will still take Game 2. Pick Los Angeles.

Online betting pick: Lakers

More basketball picks and live odds for the NBA