2010 World Basketball Championship update - September 1st

Basketball Betting Lines

09/01/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -

Group C: China vs. Russia, 9 a.m. (Ankara)

Group A: Serbia vs. Australia, 9:30 a.m. (Kayseri)

Group B: Croatia vs. Tunisia, 9:30 a.m. (Istanbul)

Group C: Ivory Coast vs. Greece, 11:30 a.m. (Ankara)

Group D: Lebanon vs. Spain, 11:30 am.m (Izmir)

Group A: Germany vs. Angola, 12 p.m. (Kayseri)

Group B: Iran vs. USA, 12 p.m. (Istanbul)

Group C: Turkey vs. Puerto Rico, 2 p.m. (Ankara)

Group D: Lithuania vs. France, 2 p.m. (Izmir)

Group A: Argentina vs. Jordan, 2:30 p.m. (Kayseri)

Group B: Brazil vs. Slovenia, 2:30 p.m. (Istanbul)

Group D: Canada vs. New Zealand, 4 p.m (Izmir)

Vagess Basketball Betting News

<< Tickets go on sale for NBA games in London
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<< Long-time Stamps physician Murphy passes away
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Calgary Stampeders physician Dr. Vince Murphy has passed away at the age of 87, the team announced Tuesday. Dr. Murphy was associated with the Stampeders since 1957. A release from the team said Murphy pass

<< Boiman getting crash course in Lions defense
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) - Rocky Boiman isn't going to get a chance to ease his way into the Detroit Lions' defense.It's going to be more like cramming for final exams in his days at Notre Dame.The veteran linebacker signed with the Detroit Lions earl

<< Moreno returns to Broncos practice
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - The Denver Broncos' injured backfield is beginning to get healthy.Knowshon Moreno was back at practice Tuesday, one month after the starting running back hurt his right hamstring on the opening live drill of training camp.Mor

<< Preseason finale a chance for Packers' backup QBs
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Aaron Rodgers knows from experience that it isn't easy to live life as an understudy in the NFL.Now that Rodgers finally has broken free from Brett Favre's shadow to become an elite starting quarterback, he sees a little bit o

Five-a-Side: Liberty coach Danny Rocco >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Danny Rocco has yet to picket outside NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, but if the third Sunday in November goes like the last three years, don't doubt that he and the rest of the Liberty football team will

Cardinals aim to stop skid, avoid sweep against Astros >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Cardinals are playing themselves out of postseason contention, but at least they'll be able to conclude a horrendous road trip today in the finale of a three-game series against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid

White Sox shoot for sweep of Indians; Manny expected to start >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The closest White Sox newcomer Manny Ramirez came to the field last night in Cleveland was the on-deck circle. Ramirez is expected to be the designated hitter in today's finale of a three-game series against the Indians at Pr

Alabama A&M linebacker to sit two games >>
Normal, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NCAA ruled that Alabama A&M's top returning tackler Afu Okosun must sit out the season's first two games because he played in one game in 2006 before he was redshirted that season. Alabama A&M coach

Iowa C Koeppel to miss opener after crash >>
Iowa City, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Iowa senior center Josh Koeppel will miss Saturday's season opener against Eastern Illinois due to injuries sustained in a crash on his moped. The Daily Iowan reported that Koeppel was hit head-on by

Sportsbooks to bet on football

Recently I had an email debate with an angry reader who said I did not understand "the science of oddsmaking", as he called it.

He said I was wrong for suggesting oddsmakers care about who wins or loses games.

"Oddsmakers only care about splitting the betting public 50/50 on both sides of the line and keeping the commission (a.k.a. juice)," he wrote.

He might have been right about not understanding "the science of oddsmaking". After all, I'm not an oddsmaker. That said, I stick to my assertion that oddsmakers (a.k.a. sportbooks) often do care about who wins games.

Granted, as a general rule, sportsbooks try to balance their action so that they're not exposed to big losses. However, there are times when this is difficult to pull off, regardless of how much a line has moved. There are also times when that general rule is ignored and a book pursues risk.

Generally speaking, it's safe to say the books in Vegas are risk-adverse. Unlike in the past when the wise guys ruled the town, Vegas is now corporate and the goal of most casinos is to make as much money as possible with as little risk as possible.

Thus, Vegas sportsbooks try everything in their power to balance the action. They're satisfied simply collecting the juice. But these profits are small, especially compared to the take from other casino games, namely slot machines.

Because the profits at Vegas sportsbooks are so small, you could argue that many casinos operate sportsbooks simply as a novelty to keep the tourists happy.

With a growing aversion to risk, it should come as no surprise that Vegas bookmakers have been panicking this NFL season.

Despite huge pointspreads, a disproportionate percentage of bettors are still laying their money on favorites like the Eagles, Colts, Pats and Vikings rather than the dogs (a common trend for the largely recreational bettors that visit Vegas).

And much to the dismay of the books, those favorites are finding ways to cover the thick chalk. In fact, prior to Week 7, the four teams listed above are a combined 16-2-2 (88 percent) against the spread. (The tables turned dramatically in Week 7, but more on that later.)

The result has been an early-season beating for the books, and a bonanza for bettors.

While Vegas increasingly hates risk, it's no longer a major player in the sports betting world. Most of the betting action now takes place offshore where sportsbooks are not as obsessed about balance. In fact, some books encourage exposure to risk because the rewards can be so much bigger.

Consider MySportsbook.com. On its website, the book has odds pages which actually display the amount of action it's getting on games. In other words, you can see how much action the book is taking on both sides of a pointspread, moneyline or over/under.

One look at these numbers and it's obvious MySportsbook.com does not balance every game. In fact, far from it.

Take last weekend's matchup between St. Louis and Miami. By game time on Sunday, 83 percent of the betting action at MySportsbook.com was on the Rams; only 17 percent was on Miami.

What's interesting is that MySportsbook.com opened the pointspread with Miami at +6 1/2. By game time, the spread had lowered to +5.

That goes contrary to the balancing theory. If MySportsbook.com had wanted to balance the action, it would have given Miami more points; instead, it took away 1 1/2. World Series odds are now up as well.

MySportsbook.com exposed itself to even more to risk, and rolled the dice on the underdog Dolphins. Why? I contacted a representative with the book to find out. His answer was simple.

"The line moved early based on 'smart money' from sharp players," said Jeff Gilroy, a spokesperson for the book. "We also knew from early in the week that we would need Miami, therefore (we dropped) the spread to encourage Rams money.

"At the end of the day, we liked the home team."

So the conclusion is this: MySportsbook.com respected the sharp action, and gambled that the sharp bettors had a better take on the game than the recreational bettors, who were hammering the visiting Rams.

In the end, the gamble paid off. Miami, desperate for a win in front of its home fans, pounded the overrated Rams, who are terrible on the road and even worse on grass. Final score: 31-14 Fish.

MySportsbook.com was also heavily exposed on numerous favorites in Week 7, including Philadelphia, Seattle and Denver. All three failed to cover.

The fact that sportsbooks are exposed to risk on certain games is really nothing new. The fact, that Sportsbook.com is willing to show the public where it's exposed is intriguing.

Armed with this type of information, bettors can make more educated wagers. They can get an idea where the sharp money is going and conversely where the public money is headed.

MySportsbook.com is opening up its cashbox, letting bettors look inside and challenging them to take their best shot at grabbing the cash.

To visit this online football betting got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting odds needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.