08/08/2008 - Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Buffalo Sabres re-signed defenseman Teppo Numminen to a one-year contract Friday.
Numminen, who had surgery done to repair a faulty heart valve in September of 2007, returned to play in Buffalo's regular season finale against the Boston Bruins last season.
In three seasons with Buffalo, Numminen has scored 69 points in 155 regular season games.
Over 20 NHL seasons, Numminen has amassed 620 points on 115 goals and 505 assists. His 1,315 regular-season NHL games are the most ever by a European NHL player.
<< Shorthanded Reds face rested Rapids at DSG Park
Commerce City, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rapids, coming off a bye
week, host a Toronto FC team that has just one win away from BMO Field this
season at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday.
Toronto FC have also won just onc
<< Holmes is clubhouse leader at Oakland Hills
Bloomfield Hills Township, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - J.B. Holmes bogeyed two of
his last four holes Friday, but still managed a two-under 68 and got into the
clubhouse lead during the second round of the PGA Championship.
Holmes finished two
<< Hibernian signs midfielder Yantorno
Edinburgh, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Gretna midfielder Fabian Yantorno
has signed a two-year contract with Hibernian after successfully overcoming a
serious knee injury.
The 25-year-old Uruguayan impressed during the first half
<< Orville Moody passes away at 74
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Orville Moody, the 1969 U.S. Open
champion, passed away in Texas on Friday. No cause of death was released.
Moody later claimed the 1989 U.S. Senior Open making him one of seven players
to captur
Ferguson predicts long career at Man U for Ronaldo >>
Manchester, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Manchester United manager Sir Alex
Ferguson is convinced Cristiano Ronaldo will enjoy a long career at Old
Trafford.
The 23-year-old Portugal international, linked with a transfer to Rea
Aberdeen completes Wright signing >>
Aberdeen, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aberdeen has finally completed the
signing of Darlington striker Tommy Wright on a three-year contract.
The 23-year-old has signed a three-year contract at Pittodrie, having seen the
move held up
Smith to start second preseason game for Ravens >>
Westminster, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Ravens will start Troy
Smith at quarterback in the second preseason tuneup against the Minnesota
Vikings August 16.
Smith will supplant Kyle Boller, who was an efficient 11-of-15
Aston Villa signs defenders Young, Shorey >>
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Aston Villa has made it a double by
sealing the signing of former England right back Luke Young from Middlesbrough.
The 29-year-old moves to Villa Park for an undisclosed fee, arriving at Villa
P
Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?
I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.
Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.
There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.
Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.
For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.
A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.
The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.
Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.
So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.
Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.
“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.
Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.
“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.
It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.
Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.
The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.
“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.
“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”
Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.
The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.
“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”
Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?
“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.
Sports Betting News: NFL Team History | Football Betting | Baseball Betting | Basketball Betting | Hockey Betting | Golf Betting | Tennis Betting | Auto Racing Betting | Horse Racing Betting | Soccer Betting