SBR Sportsbook Blog

So where is the sharp money going?

 

 

 

So here we are at the last stage of Euro 2012 in what will hopefully be a close contest and a great game of football. Spain has been typically strong in the tournament and will be looking for their second European Championship victory in a row despite criticism of their style of play.

You can’t knock their opponents Italy, who have emerged as a somewhat surprise force on the European stage through top performances by veteran Pirlo and super Mario Balotelli who has scored an array of spectacular goals in the contest.  Cesc Fabregas looks likely to start if Spain boss Vincent Del Bosque opts for an outright attacker whilst Italy should play strike duo Balotelli and Antonio Cassano.

As you would expect the bookies are being cautious with Italy being the lesser favourites at +275 and Spain at -105 at the SBR Sportsbook. It certainly seems that this game might be tight so what are the sharps predicting? Soccer handicapper Mike Richardson is picking Italy to get the job done with Balotelli first to score, read his pick and analysis in full here.

 

 

Current World Series Champions the Philadelphia Phillies face Miami Marlins in Florida tonight and many people would like to see Cliff Lee get his first win. Josh Johnson will take to the hill against Eastern rival Lee looking for Miami’s second victory in a row at Marlins Park. Lee has been in top form in his last two games against Miami, managing to throw a two-hit in 3-0 victory in June 2011. Oppositely, Johnson has gained rhythm of late, currently sitting on 4-2 with 2.56 ERA from his last 9 appearances. The teams are even on the moneyline at the SBR Sportsbook with the odds on both teams at -110. MLB Capper Chance Harper gives his pick and analysis here.

 

 

Old Allies meet today in the second semi final of the European Cup with the winners meeting Spain in the finals. Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger is fit despite suffering an ankle injury previously. German coach Joachim Loew has squad options and can call on the likes of prolific striker Mario Gomez and recent Arsenal signing Lukas Podolski after resting them against Greece. Italy will surely be feeling tired after just playing 90 minutes against England on Sunday and may revert to a 3 man back line after right back Christian Maggio got suspended.

Italy have a fantastic record against Germany and have not lost one of their 7 previous encounters in major tournaments. With Italy’s star player Andrea Pirlo claiming "They are afraid of us - we are at the level of Spain". Germany will have to stop playmaker Pirlo to defeat the Italians, but with the youngest squad they have ever fielded in the European Championships they should not run out of steam like England in the Quarters.

Germany are the favourites at the SBR Sportsbook and are currently on the under at -135 whilst Italy may be good value at +375. Read capper Steven Suarez's verdict here.

 

 

Portugal meet neighbouring country Spain tonight in the Donbass Arena for the first semi-Final of the Euro 2012 Competition. Portugal are without striker Helder Postiga who is out with a thigh injury and should be replaced with Hugo Almeida. The Spanish camp are reportedly 'drained' ahead of the match but are without new injury worries after the France game.

Portugal have certainly gained momentum in the tournament and apart from a lackluster 70 minutes in their opener against Germany have been as good as any in Euro 2012. Ronaldo has picked up in the competition and will be looking to further his legacy tonight but the Portugese are by no means a one man team. Spain have come under fire for their style of ‘tiki taka’ football which was once so lauded with cries of ‘really boring’ from various national press outlets.

Spain are the favourites to win tonight and have seen the most points bet on them at the SBR Sportsbook by a fairly considerable amount. This could be due to the special line of -102 you can get with Portugal on the over of +334. 

 

 

The Angels seem to have picked up in form after a slow start to the season with a lot of the victories being taken in away games. The Los Angeles team has now won 11 games out of 12 on the road and will be looking to make that 13 as the opener to a two game series against the Baltimore Orioles commences tonight in Maryland. Just last Sunday, the Angels beat the Dodgers and are 11-4 from their last 15 games, with manager Mike Scioscia claiming "We've been a better ballclub as the season has gone on, and that has to continue, it doesn't matter who we're playing or where we're playing, but how we're playing."

Whilst the Angels are flying, It would seem that Baltimore have struggled in comparison, largely due to the fact they have not been able to perform well at the plate. The Orioles have amassed 8 runs and dropped four from six, with them being locked out of the game until Matt Wieters saved the day with a 2 run homer in the eigth of a 2-1 win against Washington last Sunday.

The bookies fancy the Angels to take the win, they are currently -144 on the under at the SBR Sportsbook with Orioles on the over at 124. Chance Harper thinks that the Angels are the sharp choice, read his full analysis and preview here.

 

 

Detroit heads to Texas tonight in the majors and Tigers starter Rick Porcello knows he has been in bad form against the Texans in the past, particularly Josh Hamilton who hit a homer for 3 runs against him. Other Rangers players have also performed well against Porcello including David Murphy going 5 out of 7 with a home run and Ian Kinsler, who is 4 for 5. Despite this display of bad form against the rangers, Porcello will have gained confidence by giving up two runs as well as 10 hits against St. Louis on Wednesday.

The Rangers are the obvious favourites going into this and are currently -151 on the moneyline with Detroit at +131 at the SBR Sportsbook. Check out all today’s baseball picks and previews at in the baseball section.

 

 

Usually Germany are the ones keeping Greece in the Euro’s but it’s a different story today with all to play for and the Germans will be looking to knockout their European counterparts. Greece will be without their captain Giorgios Karagounis as well as Jose Holebas who are both serving one-match suspensions for receiving bookings earlier in the tournament. Germany will have the option of fielding defender Jerome Boateng who returns after his ban and Lars Bender, who scored in his last game will be looking to retain his place in the team.

The mood in Germany is clear with a national newspaper featuring a recent headline which ran with the headline "Be happy dear Greeks, the defeat on Friday is a gift. Against Jogi Loew, no rescue fund will help you."  Politics and Sport rarely mix well and there is certainly a lot of national pride at stake in this match and it is the Germans who are likely to advance to the semi-finals, they have never a quarter final in this tournament. It is also important to remember that Greece are no strangers to the beautiful game after being shock winners of the championship in 2004.

Germany are the clear favourites in this match, they are currently appearing on the under at -340 at the SBR Sportsbook with Greece the long shots at +1000. Steven Suarez has a full analysis and pick of the game here.

 

 

In nine seasons in the NBA, LeBron has never seen himself in the current situation, standing one win away from of clinching the much coveted NBA champions ring. He has seemingly achieved everything else in the league including winning the MVP award three times, reaching the NBA finals three times but it is victory tonight that will surely be the highlight in an already illustrious career for the 27 year old.  Despite exiting the last game with a knee, James is expected to appear tonight, "I have a job to do’’ said the Miami Small forward, ‘’and my job is not done’’.

In the Oklahoma camp, Kevin Durrant is remaining defiant, "We didn't get here just to make it here and say we did. We made it to the finals. We want to come in here and we want to try to get a title. It’s all about keeping competing until that last buzzer sounds, and that's what we're going to do. That's the type of city we play for, a city that never gives up. That's the type of team we are. We're going to keep fighting, keep fighting, and we'll see what happens tomorrow."

Does the Thunder have what it takes to come back in this competition? Well the Heat are the marginal favourites to seal victory tonight, currently appearing at the SBR Sportsbook at -450 with the OKC at +300. Steven Suarez, NBA Handicapper has a full preview and analysis here.

 

 

The game of the day see’s a local match in the Major Leagues tonight as the Cubs take on the Sox at Cellular Field in Illinois. Just last month, the Sox managed to outscore their crosstown rivals 16-6 in Wrigley Field but after Tuesday’2 -1 loss, they have now dropped 3 in a row taking their record of poor form to 6 losses in 7 games and find themselves below Cleveland in the standings. Jake Peavy the starting pitcher for the Sox addressed his team’s recent form after throwing a complete game on Tuesday, "I don't think by any means this team has lost any confidence. This team has shown it can play with anybody on any given day. The bottom line is we've been a little too streaky."

Despite their poor form of late the Sox are still favorites to win tonight and feature on the under of -179 at the SBR Sportsbook whilst the Cubs are on the over of +159. Read Baseball capper Ron Patrick's pick and analysis here.

 

 

England play Ukraine in their final game in Group D today in a crucial game for both teams  at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk tonight. England Manager, Roy Hodgson will be considering starting with Theo Walcott over James Milner and has what he calls the ‘classic managers headache’ of having a full squad to choose from. With the return of Wayne Rooney after suspension, Hodgson has insisted that he will start which also presents another dilemma over whether to pair him with Andy Carroll or Danny Welbeck after both have put in great performances thus far in the tournament.

Bad news for the Ukraine as star striker Andriy Shevchenko has been given just a 50% chance to start the game after having problems with his left knee. The 35 year old apparently picked up the injury in the Ukranian’s opener against Sweden and it persisted in the second game in France. Ukraine must win tonight if they are to advance to the next round where as England will go through with just a draw.

England are the favourites at the SBR sportsbook today, you can pick them up for the over at +106 with Ukraine at +314. Mike Richardson thinks that England will win 3-1 today, read his pick here.

 

 

Croatia face Spain today in the last of the group C games and a 2-2 score draw will be suffice for both teams to continue to the knockout stages. Croatia should be with their striker Mario Mandzukic after he suffered a knock in the last game and Spain will more than likely field their attacker Torres after he scored twice against Ireland.

Croatia Coach Slaven Billic has reiterated the view that Croats are a proud nation and that to settle for a draw is an insult. Spain would also want to uphold their status as champions and would not want their legacy tainted by a suspect result.

Spain are the favourites to win at the SBR Sportsbook and are on the under of -140 whilst you can get Croatia for +120. Steven Suarez thinks the Spain are going to win this, read his pick and analysis here.

 

 

Poland are in a must win situation today when they face the Czech Republic at the Municipal Stadium in Wroclaw, if they lose they will not advance to the knockout stages of the competition. On top of this crucial task, the Poles are also facing three injury fears with defender Damien Perquis, Dariusz Dudka and Eugen Polanski all potentially missing the game. The Czechs are also facing elimination in this game but a draw would suffice to see them continue with their only current injury concern is Thomas Rosicky who may be out through an Achilles injury.

Poland are the favourites to win this at the SBR Sportsbook, they are currently appearing as +120 with the Czech Republic at +215. Mike Richardson is picking a 1-0 Polish victory, read his pick and analysis in full here.

 

 

Sweden faces England in the second game from group D with France taking on Ukraine in the earlier match from the group.

It is believed that England manager Roy Hodgson will start with Liverpool’s 35 million strikers Andy Carroll up from in order to exploit the Swede’s weakness in the air. England opted to play Danny Welbeck for the first game and we could see him paired with Carroll upfront in this tie. Sweden will drop under-performing striker Markus Rosenberg for the now fit Johan Elmander and Jonas Olsson and Andreas Granvist should appear in the Swedish back four.

Sweden has been a thorn in England’s side a few times on the International stage and they have not claimed a competitive victory against them in 24 years. In England are off the mark with a solid display against Sweden but with the Ukraine boasting 3 points they will now need to turn on to attacking football to make their mark in the group.

As expected, England are the favourites to win the match and are currently on the over of +145 at the SBR Sportsbook with Sweden at +234. Resident SBR soccer capper Mike Richardson believes that England will beat the Swedes 2-0, read his analysis and pick here.

 

 

Second game for group C contender’s Spain and Ireland at PGE Arena today and it’s quite clear who are the favourites going into this match.  Spain might be without star man Cesc Fabregas who picked up a thigh injury in the Spaniards opener against Italy and it is expected that Fernando Torres will start up front after appearing as a sub in game 1. Republic of Ireland should be with central defender Richard Dunne who missed Monday’s training session due to blisters.

Ireland are facing a ‘must-win’ situation after suffering defeat at the hands of Croatia in their opener on Sunday and face the bookies favourite in current world and European title Holders Spain. Despite the massive feat ahead of them, 31 year old John O’Shea remains optimistic "We can beat Spain, but we are going to need a lot of luck along the way."

So will the Luck of the Irish prevail or will we see a drubbing by the champions? As expected Spain are the massive favourites, currently featuring at -425 in the SBR Sportsbook whilst Ireland are on the large over of +1200.

 

 

Can Holland repel the Nazi invasion this time round?

The latest set of games in the so called ‘group of death’ will see a faceoff between two teams believed by many to be the favourites to take the trophy. Opinions may have changed slightly since Holland suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at the hands of Denmark in their opening match whilst Germany was satisfied with a 1-0 victory against contenders Portugal.

Many have questioned Dutch Manager Bert Van Marwijk decision to continually play with a lone striker in the form of Robin Van Persie when he also has one of the best strikers in the world, Klaas-Jan Huntellar, at his disposal as well. We saw in the first game between the Danes that despite their strength on the attack they are lacking in defense. One player who will be sure to shine today for the Netherlands will be Wesley Sneijder who had a superb start for the Oranje’s.

With this being a game that Holland really needs to win, it may be no surprise that they are close on the moneyline – despite their initial upset against Denmark. The SBR Sportsbook currently features Germany on the over at +150 to win whilst the Netherlands are +207. Soccer Capper Mike Richardson believes that Holland is going to suffer another defeat today.

 

 

We’ve seen teams knocked out from star injuries and ‘sure things’ being eliminated along the way but now the time is upon us for the big one, the NBA conference finals. All eyes will be on two players who most would agree can lay a very strong claim to being the NBA’S best player.

LeBron James has without doubt kept the Heat in this tournament with amazing point scoring determination and is quickly notching MVP points to his credit. Then we have Oklahoma’s small forward Kevin Durant, the three time scoring champ who is looking to win his first championship ring at the age of 23.

This game will be the first time we have seen the MVP and scoring champion face off in a conference final since Jordan and the Bull’s beat MVP Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz in 1997. There has been much anticipation for basketball fans to see a Lebron/Kobe final in the past but it just didn’t happen; now we may be blessed with an even better face-off….even if it isn’t as glamorous.

So what are the resident handicappers at SBR saying? Well Steven Suarez thinks that this is going to be an historical series where the Thunder will take the initial lead. The SBR Sportsbook currently figures the OKC to both win the title with them offering Oklahoma at -175 on the series price and Heat at +155. Those who think that Miami have a shot at stealing the opening game might see some value in the Heat on the over at +195 whilst the Thunder is at -175.

 

England faces their first game in Euro 2012 against France at the Donbass Arena in Ukraine. Both teams are the best in their group but France arguably have the edge in this close tie.

Alex-Oxdale Chamberlain is expecting to start today for England in what will surely add a bit of style to an England team which mainly consists of Power. The 18-year old will replace out of form Stewart Downing who had a shocking season with Liverpool domestically. Ashley Young is expected to partner Danny Welbeck upfront with James Milner on the wing. Central defence will see the much hated and ever controversial John Terry appear with Man City regular Joleon Lescott.

England Manager Roy Hodgson has acknowledged France’s attacking strength ahead of the match. Les Bleus will certainly be looking to star striker Karim Benzema to net a winner in the highly anticipated Group D opening  game. The attacker has seen resurgence in form under the influential eye of Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. France are now unbeaten in 21 games and scored an impressive nine goals in 3 pre-tournament friendless.

The SBR Sportsbook currently features France as the slight favourites on +135 with England at +220 on the moneyline. Soccer Capper Mike Richardson believes that France will win the game by two goals and he explains why in his article..

 

 

The stage is set for one of the biggest fights of the year where we will see Manny Pacquiao take on Timothy Bradley to contest the welterweight Championship at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacman returns to the ring after a controversial majority decision win against Juan Manuel Marquez III in November 2011. In that fight some commentators believed that Pacquiao was distant, not his typical fighting self and did not deserve victory. Since then the Filipino pugilist has apparently found god and sought to leave behind the vices of superstardom that have been corrupting his life.

Timothy Bradley is considered to be in his prime years and is the first undefeated opponent for Pacquiao since Jorge Solis back in 2007. He is widely thought to be one of the best pound for pound boxers in the world and recently earned the shot at Pacquaio by beating Joel Casamayor. Bradley is a tough and compact fighter and has the ability to match the stamina and speed of pacman.

So what do the bookies say? The SBR Sportsbook is currently featuring Bradley on the over at +360 which could be good value considering many people believe that we will see an upset. Pacquiao is currently the obvious favourite on the under at -450, Boxing analyst Brian Mendez gives an analysis for SBR here.

 

 

 

Today sees the start of the much anticipated Euro 2012 soccer contest in Poland and the Ukraine with the game of the day involving Russia and the Czech Republic. It is still to be determined whether Russia will be without their goal keeper Igor Akinfeev for the group A opener which will surely be an issue for coach Dick Advocaat. He did not train with the rest of the team on Tuesday after a recurring knee problem reappeared for the CSKA Moscow number one which kept him out of much of last season.

The Czechs could be without ex Liverpool forward Milan Barros, which seems to be their only injury doubt ahead of the competition. The Galatasaray striker was absent in training earlier in the week but should feature in today’s game.

The SBR Sportsbook favours Russia on the moneyline with them featuring at +126 while the Czechs are at +273. Check out our Euro 2012 preview to get the lowdown on all the teams’ right here.

 

 

Will the Celtics win the Eastern Conference finals tonight? If you would have asked most people before the start of the tournament they would have told you that Miami would wipe the floor with the Boston outfit but now the tables have certainly been turned. The Celtics have beaten the Heat 3 times in a row and will of course be looking to take that total to 4 tonight to notch up the Eastern title and a date with destiny in the NBA finals.

The Miami boardroom must surely be disappointed with what they have achieved from the ‘Big 3’ LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh as they are facing their second straight year of an empty trophy cabinet. "We plan to win the ballgame. We've got to win. That's all we've got to do," said Dwayne Wade. "Can't listen to the noise. I'm not. I'm sure our team is not. We're just focused on winning this ballgame."

So what are the sharps saying about this one? NBA handicapper Jordan Sharp is picking the Celtics and he has a very interesting article and video explaining his reasons for this right here. The SBR Sportsbook currently has Miami as the favourites at -130 on the moneyline so some keen punters might see value in the Celtics at +110.

 

 

The Thunder have the opportunity to end this series tonight and take victory in the Western Conference finals at home in Oklahoma City. They currently hold a 3-2 lead, and rarely has there been such a dramatic series as this one between Oklahoma and San Antonio, with Spurs initially going 2 games up only to allow the Thunder to win the last 3 games and take the lead going into game 6.

It would seem that despite the strength of the Spurs, it is Oklahoma who has all the momentum to take the title. OKC’ coach Scott Brooks has warned however that it will take more than riding a positive to win these playoff’s, "We have a great opportunity, we're on our home floor but that doesn't guarantee automatic victory. They're not going to give us the game. They're not just going to say, `We've lost three in a row, we're going to give in.' We know we have a tough challenge ahead."

Many commentators have felt that San Antonio has been playing some of the best basketball they have seen in years, and only 3 games ago the talk was of 'how can the Spurs be stopped' as they were riding a record winning streak of 20 games in a row.

"It's not that we have a Game 8 or 9 to recover, so it's either win or go home," said Manu Ginobli of the Spurs. "So we have to. It's our job. So nobody is going to feel sorry about ourselves, we've just got to go compete. We know it's hard to beat them there, but it's what we have to do. We've got to step up and play the best game of the season."

A lot of pressure is on San Antonio and they are currently listed in the SBR sportsbook as the under dogs on the moneyline at +165 with Oklahoma at -195. NBA Handicapper Jordan Sharp thinks that the Spurs are going to come back in this series, read his pick and analysis here.

 

 

This is turning out to be quite an interesting playoffs. Most people would have pegged Miami to win the series in fairly convincing fashion however it would appear that it has actually the Boston Celtics who have been the better team in 3 of the 4 games. Tonight’s game however is in Miami and with the Celtics taking their two victories at home, the question is can they win on the road? That is what they will have to do if they are to win this series.

Miami Heat will certainly be given a boost by the return of star man Chris Bosh who was made absent from an abdominal injury earlier in the tournament. If Bosh plays tonight it will give Miami a greater presence offensively and will create more pressure on the Boston defence, freeing up LeBron James and Dwayne Wade.

The odds are certainly stacked against Boston, NBA Handicapper Jordan Sharp is unsure about the spread but likes the total, while Capper Steven Suarez has posted his pick in favour of Heat. The SBR Sportsbook thinks that Miami are going to win and has them on the under at -470 whilst some may see value in the Celtics on the over at +390.

 

 

The Stanley Cup final has moved to LA tonight for game 3 of the best of 7 series. The Los Angeles Kings currently hold a 2-0 lead in games and will be hoping to convert that lead to their first ever Stanley Cup victory since they were founded in 1967. We have yet to see a power play goal from either side in this series, and that seems to be affecting the Devils, they have scored 12 in these playoffs whilst the Kings have scored just 6.  New Jersey winger Ilya Kovalchuk ‘’I think we have to be simple. You know in that time of the year the powerplay has to be one pass and shot. Those kind of goals are going to go in, we tried the fancy stuff it’s not going to work’’.

It’s certainly been a tight series, with two overtime games but it would seem that the Kings are moving ever closer to sealing the deal in this tournament. They are playing at home which will be a major advantage with a pent up fan base that has seen 45 years of no Cup. The Money line at the SBR Sportsbook reflects this with the Kings on the under at -165 with the Devils on the over at +145. of NHL Handicapper David Schwab, who thinks that LA will clinch victory tonight and do just enough to take the win, read his analysis here.

 

 

San Antonio and Oklahoma meet again for Game 4 of the Eastern conference finals tonight with the Spurs currently holding the 2-1 series lead. Oklahoma was able to put an end to the Spurs’ record breaking 20 game winning streak in Game 3, and they once again find themselves as the favorites tonight.

The Thunder certainly proved that the Spurs are not invincible, as the Thunder rolled out a twenty point victory.  San Antonio is certainly not used to being on the losing side of the deal, as this was their first loss since mid April. How should we expect them to prepare for a very important Game 4 on the road?

The Thunder still have the uphill challenge of winning another three games to take the series, with Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks admitting that "They're a great team. They won 20 games (in a row). They're not going to push the panic button after one loss". If the Spurs do win tonight, it will be 3-1, and Oklahoma will face a deficit that only eight teams have been able to comeback from in NBA history.

Oklahoma are the favorites at the SBR Sportsbook on the under of -185, whilst San Antonio are +165. NBA Handicapper Jordan Sharp picks the Spurs to win, you can read his analysis here. The SBR Sportsbook are offering a special on the spread and total with the Spurs at +2.5 -110 and OKC Thunder -2.5 -110. Place your bets!

 

 

Miami heads to Boston tonight for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals in a tournament where Miami have certainly gained momentum despite losing star player Chris Bosh to an abdomen injury. The Celtics will be coming at the Heat with all they have tonight, as they hope to claw their way back into the series and keep their title hopes alive.

Miami lead the series by two games after holding off stiff competition by the Celtics. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo all combined for a total 96 points in Game 2, but still eventually lost to Miami 115-111 in overtime. Boston certainly has their work cut out for them now, and not many teams have bounced back from a 2-0 deficit at this stage and the Celtics themselves have not done it since 1969.

Rajon Rondo has been pivotal in the Celtics journey to the final and game 2 was no different. Miami have not really found a way of combating him with the point guard scoring 44 points with 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. Miami Coach Erik Spoelestra is under no illusions as to Rondo’s ability, simply declaring "Let’s be objective about it, he was sensational."

So what do the Handicappers think? Capper Jordan Sharp has decided to take a look at tonight's total with his betting selections, while Steven Suarez has decided that the Celtics at -1.5 will hold the most value. The SBR sportsbook also favours the Celtics and has them on the under of -145 with Miami at +125.

Who ya' got?

 

 

Oklahoma go into tonight’s matchup two games down, and despite their brilliance as a team, they look like they may succumb to the power of the Spurs. San Antonio has won a record 20 games in a row, and they show no sign of slowing down anytime soon. They have steamrolled their way through these finals, leaving some proclaiming that they are the best team since the 1995 Chicago Bulls.

One area that Oklahoma will need to focus on if they are to claw their way from elimination is to close down the Spurs’ offense. Oklahoma coach Scott Brooks insists that his team must take a more physical approach "We're a physical team’’ he said. ‘’We have to play that way. If we play free-flowing basketball, we can beat some teams but we're not at our best if we're not being physical on the defensive end.”

For two truly great teams, it looks as if it’s the Spurs who have found their stride.  They really turned it up in the fourth quarter of Game 2 by scoring a massive 39 points, and eventually they went on to win the game by 9.

The Bookies however are expecting Oklahoma to make something of a comeback, and they have given them the edge at -175 whilst the Spurs are at +155. Home court advantage is always a huge actor in the playoffs, but will it be enough to push Oklahoma City over the Spurs? SBR capper Steven Suarez seems to think so, and you can check out his pick here.

 

 

The LA Kings Kings travel to Newark tonight in the first game of the Stanley Cup Finals against the New Jersey Devils. In an East vs. West matchup. It’s an unlikely final given that not many would have predicted both teams to have made it this far in the competition but both teams undoubtedly deserve to be here.

New Jersey will be hoping to make this their fourth Stanley Cup victory since last winning the coveted trophy back in 2003. They start with home advantage fresh from eliminating Atlantic rivals, the New York Rangers in a six game series. One to watch for the Devils will be young rookie Adam Henrique who scored two series deciding over time goals in this competition and a total of 11 points in 18 games this postseason. 

This will be only the second Stanley Cup Final for L.A who once reached the final in 1993 and lost to Montreal. They will be counting on star goalie Jonathan Quick once again who has been instrumental in helping the Kings get this far and is arguably the best goalie in the competition. Quick has stopped an astonishing 95% of the goals gone his way and has conceded more than two goals in a game only twice in the playoffs.

It’s tight on the moneyline, with both teams on the under, New Jersey at -105 and LA on -115. NHL handicapper David Lawrence thinks that the Kings will take the lead in games tonight, you can read his analysis and pick in full here.

 

 

San Antonio goes into tonight’s game with not only a one nil lead in games for this series but also and a record equaling 19 wins in a row for the Spurs.

Despite having the lead in the fourth quarter, Oklahoma ultimately lost the game by three points at home, with the final score being 101-98 to the Spurs.  Despite this, Oklahoma knows that they can bring the game to the San Antonio and this is the only time the Thunder have trailed a series in these playoffs.

San Antonio gained confidence  through coach Gregg Popovich’s commands to play ‘nasty in game 1’, an incident that was caught on camera during a timeout which led to them coming back from a nine point deficit to win.

Some critics have been quick to point the finger at the Thunder’s Kevin Durant for not playing to his full ability, with the star himself admitting that he has some growing up to do and needs to know when to pass and when to take the initiative. Oklahoma point guard, Derek Fisher felt that ‘they found some rhythm. They were able to attack us through penetration’.

With defensive errors and missed opportunities in hindsight, Oklahoma knows they are not out of this series.  At the SBR Sportsbook the favourites are the Spurs with the under of -235 whilst Oklahoma are on the over of +195, with that, Handicapper Steven Suarez sees value in the spurs.

 

 

Miami Heat starts this series with home court advantage when they face the Boston Celtics tonight in the American Airlines Arena. Miami have had resurgence in form after suffering injury to star player Chris Bosh and initially stumbling against the Indiana Pacers to come back and win that series over six games.

Despite losing Bosh, Heat have counted on Lebron James and Dwayne Wade who have both found their game and helped the Heat advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. "Inevitable. It's the matchup the game of basketball wants," said Dwayne Wade. "Obviously, with the Chicago Bulls being out, this is the biggest matchup the Eastern Conference can have. So we accept the challenge and we look forward to the series."

Boston have relied on top notch performances from Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett to get this far and will surely be looking to them to steal the show in these playoffs. "This is a good time right now," Celtics forward Garnett said "This is the cream of the cream. This is what it's all about, you know, conference finals. We definitely didn't like the way we left last year. So we'll see what happens, man. We'll see what happens. Let's get it on."

So both teams are really up for it but who are the bookies pegging as the favourites?  At the SBR Sportsbook, Boston are currently on an over of +395 whilst Miami are the clear favourites with an under of  -475. Jordan Sharp thinks that the Heat are going to win, you can read his pick and analysis here and read a conference finals preview from Craig Tattan here.

 

 

Game 6 tonight in the NHL playoffs and New Jersey have the opportunity to eliminate the New York Rangers from the competition and advance to the finals. The scene is reminiscent of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals when New York faced a similar must-win game 6 at Madison Square Garden.  It turned out in New York’s favour with a hat trick from then Rangers star Mark Messier.

Eighteen years later and the stage is a little different. Tonight’s game will be in New Jersey and there is no Mark Messier or the star filled team of 94’ that managed to take the Stanley Cup back to New York for the first time in 50 years. New Jersey has proved themselves worthy opponents in this best of seven series, out playing and out hustling the Rangers in most periods and deserving the lead.

One player who is still on the ice from the original lineup is Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, now  40 years old he sees differences between the two events, saying "I don't see anything that is similar, I know if you guys look at it, it looks the same. But it's different teams and a different way of playing the game. That's 18 years ago. That's a long time. I know I'm feeling a lot different. I'm feeling a lot more appreciative of what's going on. Before, the Rangers were a good team when they beat us. We were not supposed to compete with them at all in '94. They made these trades and they had all these big guys at the end, and they pulled it off in a dramatic way."

John Tortorella New York coach is trying not to make a big deal of the similarities between the games, insisting his players are unconcerned.  "Not to disrespect what happened," Tortorella said, "but that has nothing to do with how we're preparing, I guess, is the best way to put it."

So can the Rangers force a game seven or do the Devils have a date with destiny in the final? NHL Handicapper David Schwab is insisting that the Rangers are once again on the brink and trusts the Devils to get the job done tonight in New Jersey. SBR Sportsbook currently has New York at evens on the moneyline with New Jersey on the under at -120.

 

 

Miami face Indiana again tonight in Game 6 of this series which could see the Pacers eliminated. Game 5 saw Indiana outclassed with Miami beating them 115-83 in on Tuesday night, in a game characterized by dirty play with three flagrant fouls with accusations of cheating. As a result the Miami Heat will be without Udonis Haslem in tonight’s game as well as Dexter Pittman who is suspended for blatantly fouling Lance Stephenson, Indiana’s back-up guard in the dying moments of the last game.

Tensions were certainly high, but Indiana’s power forward Tyler Hansbrough did not receive a suspension for his foul on Dwayne Wade. A decision that was later decided to be a flagrant foul by the league, a charge which, if called in the game would mean immediate ejection and a similar ban to that which the Heat’s Haslem received.

"It's very disappointing, obviously," said Miami Forward Shane Battier. "But we're a resilient group. ... The verdict process is a mystery to players, and so we don't get caught up in it. We can't control it. We know the NBA's going to do what they feel they need to do and we need to live with the consequences. So it's really out of our hands, not worth getting riled up. We're going to put together an effort that will make Udonis and Dexter proud."

So the Heat have the upper hand and could knock Indiana out of the competition with in-form players Dwayne Wade and LeBron James being impressive but do the Pacers have what it takes to force it to game 7? No matter what happens they can hold their heads high after reaching a point virtually nobody thought they would.

At the SBR Sportsbook the moneyline currently has Miami as -155 with Indiana on the over at +135. NBA Handicapper Jordan Sharp thinks that Miami have what it takes to close out the series, read his analysis and pick here.

 

 

The Celtics have the opportunity to finish the series off and eliminate the Philadelphia 76ers tonight in game 6 of 7 in these playoffs. The Sixers previously had a 3-a lead in games but have squandered the opportunity to advance whilst the Celtics have capitalized on their error. SBR's Jordan Sharpe is liking the Celtics moneyline tonight, but the oddsmakers seem pretty split on this one.

Rajon Rondo, Boston’s point guard has been instrumental in claiming back the advantage for the Celtics and had a total of 13points and 14 assists in game 5. It’s his ability to draw in Philadelphia players and then distribute the ball to his teammates that they will need to target, with this style of playmaking being the key to Boston’s strength.

Philadelphia will take strength in home court advantage and surely provide some sort of combatant to Rondo. When they review the tape of game 5, the Sixers will identify some mistakes that are easily correctable, they played careless in the third quarter, didn’t value possession enough and ultimately it ran away from them at that point.

Currently in the SBR Sportsbook, Boston are evens on the moneyline and Philadelphia are on the under at -120. NBA Handicapper Steven Suarez is going with the Sixers -1.5, you can read his analysis and preview here.

 

 

The Pacers play Miami Heat tonight in game 5 of the series that has been anything but predictable. The Heat were hotly tipped to take victory from the start, but injury to star player Chris Bosh has held them back in a conference tournament that has seen many giants fall from losing key players.

In game 4, LeBron James seemed to single handedly resuscitate the Heat back into this series with 40 points nine assists and 18 rebounds at a point where the Heat were down 10 points in the third quarter. Miami now go into this game with home court advantage but surely cannot rely on James to pull off that sort of performance again after a grueling series of games “It's definitely going to be a recovery and mental day for me." James said.

The Pacers may go into this game disappointed that they had the chance to take the upper hand in these play-offs but they will take comfort in previous victory over the Heat on the road. "I think we're really not worried about home-court advantage," said Pacers player Danny Granger. "We're a good road team, and we're going to go down there and try to get the win."

At -330 on the moneyline, Miami are the favourites to take this one home but some have argued that nobody expects Lebron to play that way again and the Pacers may be a good pick, especially with an over of +280. NBA Handicapper Steven Suarez has just posted a great pick and you can visit the SBR Sportsbook here.

 

 

The score currently stands at 2-1 in games to the New York Rangers who will meet the New Jersey once more in Game four of seven at the Prudential Center in Newark. It’s understood that Rangers forward Brandon Prust will miss tonight’s game after being suspended for Elbowing New Jersey Defender Anton Volchenkov. Rangers coach John Tortorella attributes this to Provocative behavior ‘’We tell all our players, ‘don’t stay down on the ice. Get up. I’ll leave it at that. If we start discussing officials with the media, I have a long list here.’’ He also went on to insist that the Rangers were on the receiving end of physical fouls against them that went unpunished, including an elbow to New York defender Anton Stralman.

Despite appealing to the NHL, Prust was unable to avoid the one game ban adding, "I was able to talk quite a bit and explain where I was coming from. I was just trying to get into that check, I was at the end of a shift, just skating over for a routine check, I just wanted to rub him out and get off the ice. "He bailed out of it and turned and kind of went low. It's just kind of a reaction. When you're off-balance, your arms go up, I didn't want to do a face plant into the boards. It was just kind of a reaction, I had no intent to hit him in the head there. There was nothing vicious about it."

Devils coach, Peter DeBoer dismissed the New York pleas as ‘headhunting. Plain and Simple.’ This is just another episode between the two coaches that has prevailed between the two Atlantic Division teams.

The Rangers might turn to Brandon Dubinsky, who has been absent from play since injuring his right foot in Game 7 of the Ottawa game, alternatively they have another option in Mats Zuccarello. The Devils may also look at introducing some new faces in the form of Jacob Jofeson who will feature in the lineup for the first time in the playoffs.

The Bookies think it will be an even tie, The Rangers are currently EVEN on the moneyline, with New Jersey having an under of -120. NHL Handicappers David Schwab and David Lawrence think that the under could be the attractive bet. You can read their analysis here at SBR's NHL betting picks page.

 

The Stage is set in Baltimore for what is turning out to be one of the most exciting years in horse racing for some time and the question on everyone’s minds in anticipation of the 137th Preakness stakes is will ‘I’ll have another…have another? We will have to wait and see but there is certainly a lot of buzz being generated about this year’s Kentucky derby winner as to whether he can pull off the first Triple Crown in over three decades, the greatest achievement in the sport of horse racing.

A fair few of the favourites from the Derby will be lining up at Pimlico race course for this grade 1 stakes race for three year olds and it will be incredibly tough for I’ll have another to win this race in a lineup full of horses that can win. This year’s glimmer of Triple Crown hope for racing enthusiasts certainly has what it takes to win but it will be difficult if he is to get stuck in traffic again. His win at the Derby will have earned him better odds going into the race but Bodemeister could be the favourite to seal victory in the second leg of the Triple Crown. He practically led the entire length of the way in Kentucky before running out of steam and being pipped at the post by a late bolting I’ll have Another, but the track in Baltimore however is shorter and will suit Bodemeisters fast paced ability.

Current odds at the SBR Sportsbook have Bodemeister as the favourite with +175 to win the race with I’ll have Another at +250. You can watch a great preview about the 2012 Preakness Stakes from Peter Loshak and Joe Freda by following this link.

 

 

Chelsea head to Germany on Saturday where they take on Bayern Munich in the Champions League Final. Bayern have benefited from the luck of the draw with a key home advantage and are arguably the better team. Chelsea will have to overcome any notions of stage fright in Germany and rise to the challenge if they are to win. Despite having mixed form in the Premier league, the Chelsea Blues do already have the FA Cup to their credit and knocked out Catalan giants Barcelona in the previous round of the tournament. Chelsea Manager Roberto di Matteo has stated he may field Didier Drogba and Fernando Torres up front, both players have found form with vital goals in recent games. Frank Lampard will appear in midfield but Chelsea will be without their captain John Terry, who misses a game after getting a red card in the previous round.

The fact that they have just lost out on taking the title in their home Bundesliga will be huge motivation for Bayern Munich, as will the home advantage when the two teams meet in Munich on Saturday. Bayern will play their star striker Mario Gomez up front who has scored 26 goals in 33 appearances for the club this season. World Cup star Arjen Robben has vowed to be fit despite his recent illness which has seen him absent from training sessions and French International Franck Ribery is expected to play on the wing.

SBR Capper Mike Richardson predicts Bayern to lift the cup. You can read his analysis and pick here, as you try to decide where you are going to lay your money.

Bayern Munich are the favourites and are currently -125 on the moneyline with Chelsea at +325 on the over. First Goalscorer and Correct score markets give odds of +600 for 2-1 to Bayern Munich at the SBR Sportsbook with Gomez currently being favourite to score first at +300.

 

The Miami Heat will feel like they’re starting again tonight when they face the Indiana Pacers in a series where both teams now have one game each. Indiana will take home court advantage in Indianapolis and surely be a more confident side after they snatched a 78-75 win in Miami on Tuesday in a playoff nobody thought would be tied at this point.

The young, up and coming Pacers showed that the Heat with their ensemble of superstars were not unbeatable, at least when Chris Bosh is injured. Both teams struggled to score in game 2 in a display of ugly basketball but that’ll suit Indiana just fine with their coach Frank Vogel commenting "We've got to keep our edge, we understand that we feel good about who we are as a basketball team and that we can win this series. But that means nothing. We've got to do it in between the lines.". 

Lebron James scored 28 points in the and Wade managed 24 the remaining members of the team got 23 in a game 2 where they seem ed to be really missing Bosh who should now be ruled out ‘indefinitely’ for the rest of the series after straining an abdominal muscle. "We're confident and we're looking forward to the challenge," said Heat forward Udonis Haslem ‘’We can do it. We know we can do it. But it's not going to be easy. So we've got to go in there, we've got to be armored-up and we've got to be ready to go."

Miami are still the favourites but naturally the odds will be more balanced after it became 1-1 in games. The SBR Sportsbook has Miami at -125 and Indiana at +105 on the moneyline and NBA Handicapper John Ryan thinks that the Pacers are worth a go in his pick.

 

For a club with the riches and tradition associated to the LA Lakers basketball team, Kobe Bryant must be frustrated with the setbacks they have had during this seasons campaign.They were unceremoniously defeated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in game one by a 29 point margin and it was up to Kobe Bryant to suggest defiantly that "We're a team that doesn't get down when we get blown out. We've been blown out a bunch of times this season, blown out last series a couple times," Bryant said. "We're used to dealing with that." Could be last call of a sinking ship or do the lakers have the ability to bounce back in this playoffs.

The first thing they will have to do is provide some sort of defence to Oklahoma’s tactic of ‘pick and roll’ which utilised NBA All-Stars Kevin Durrant and Russell Westbrook to devestating effect in the first game, combining together to make it 58 percent in the field. "The one thing we have to do, we have to make sure that we give multiple efforts when we're defending the pick-and-roll," coach Mike Brown said. "They do a great job of sprinting out to the ball screen and creating separation. ... When they're sprinting out, we've really got to get on our high horse, we've got to run with them and we've got to make sure that we affect the ball at the point of the screen as opposed for waiting for the ball to come to us."

It is still early days however and the Oklahoma City Thunder are not counting their chickens just yet. They will be dissapointed with the news that their center Kendrick Perkins is a game time decisión after straining a muscle in his right hip in game 1. "He is as tough as they come and he wants to play, but if he's not ready to play, we won't play him," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks, insisting that he would have not played the injury prone star had he known about his proness to injury.

The Lakers will need to deal with the perimiter but they have certainly shown resilience this season. Oklahoma will of course be the big favourites. They are currently -435 at the SBR Sportsbook with the Lakers on the over with +365. NBA Capper Jordan Sharp thinks that there is no way that the Lakers can win game 2 unless Kobe Scores 45 points, read what he has to say about the game here.

 

 

I don’t think anybody was too surprised that the Miami Heat took an early lead in games in the start of these playoffs against the Indiana Pacers but it was not without a couple of shocks on the way. The Heats all star forward Chris Bosh had to leave the court during the first half with abdominal pain, an MRI scan has now determined that he will most likely be absent from these playoffs indefinitely. This will be music to the ears of the Pacers who will want to even up the score in tonight’s game 2 away from home at the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Indiana looked like they had a chance to snatch victory from the Miami giants in the last encounter; they led by 6 points at halftime and looked strong in the first three quarters.

In the end it was the tried and tested formula of LeBron James and Dwayne Wade who sealed victory for Miami by combining to produce 42 points in the games second half. With this in mind the Pacers will need to be present for the whole game and not start to tail off towards the end of the matchup but the first game loss may have provided enough motivation for the Pacers to step it up a gear.

As you would expect, despite the loss of Chris Bosh, Miami Heat are still the clear favourites before tonight’s game with the under at -335 on the moneyline at the SBR Sportsbook. Steven Suarez thinks that the the Pacers might be worth a go and if you think so then you can get them for +285at the SBR Sportsbook.

 

The field continues to narrow in this year’s NBA Playoffs, and tonight’s game sees the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics square off in game 2 of the series in TD garden, Boston. The Celtics took an early lead in game one with Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett securing a comfortable win for the Boston outfit away from home.

Garnett has been on top form lately and does not appear to be slowing down any time soon, despite his 35 years and is averaging 20.1 points and 10.6 rebounds in the playoffs. Rondo had a slow start in game 1 but was ultimately there when his team needed him, scoring six points, four rebounds and five assists in the final quarter to secure victory for the Celtics.

Despite being hurt by an early defeat in the playoffs, the 76’ers can take some comfort in the fact that they started the same way against the Bulls and went on to eliminate the Chicago team in the previous round. Philadelphia are a younger team and may just have the stamina to go the distance with Boston. Boston are the clear favourites at the moment, the SBR Sportsbook currently has them at -190 and Philadelphia at +160.

 

 

We're at Game 7 in the Hockey playoff’s where it’s a decider between the Capitals and the Rangers, whoever wins will go through to the next stage whilst the losers will hop on a bus home.

The Rangers are 4-3 at home in the first two rounds of the playoffs against Ottawa and Washington. They then went on to defeat the Senators in a thrilling game 7 to setup the Eastern Conference semifinal series. Despite finishing first in the Eastern league, it will be a hollow victory for the Rangers if they don’t win tonight and go through to face Atlantic-Division rival New Jersey in the conference finals.

The Capitals are no strangers to elimination games; they knocked out defending Stanley Cup champions the Bruins in Game 7 of the first round in Boston.

It is as yet unconfirmed whether the Capitals will play center Jay Beagle in the game. He missed game 6 due to an injury and Jeff Halpern stepped in to play his first competition game of 2012. Dale Hunter, Washington’s coach was not fazed by the possibility of playing Halpern again with Beagle’s involvement still considered a game time decision.

Throughout the previous 6 games, the seventh-seeded Capitals and the Rangers have alternated through a pattern of wins and losses and have been tied within just a single goal most of the series. It has also happened whereby the club that has scored first has won the game. Again the goalkeepers will play a pivotal role in the match, the Rangers hold a 13-12 edge in goals and the experience of New York’s Henrik Lundqvist may prove to be an advantage over the youth of Capital’s goalie Braden Holtby.

In honour of this momentous tie, the SBR Sportsbook is offering a special money line of Capitals +155 and the Rangers of -175 with a full wagering limit accepted. 

 

 

The Memphis Grizzlies survived elimination from the playoffs in Game 5 of this serie when they crusised to a 92-80 win over the L.A. Clippers on Wednesday.

The Clippers were hit with injuries to Blake Griffin and Chris Paul for a period of time during Game 5, Paul suffered a strained right hip flexor and Griffin sprained his left knee.

Both players are game time decisions for tonight but will more than likely both appear in game 6. The inclusion of both players will certainly be a major influence on the final score.

Clippers are in a strong position to close out this series, with this being their final home game in STAPLES Center in this round of the playoffs.

On the other hand, if the Grizzlies win tonight they will be full of confidence going into a game 7 decider on homecourt as statistically home teams in Game 7s win right around 80 percent of the time.

The Grizzlies will need their frontcourt tandem of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph to step up their game—like they did in Game 5, when they combined for 42 points on 56 percent shooting—if the Grizzlies want to win this pivotal playoff matchup.

The current SBR moneyline odds are have Memphis as -140 and Clippers at +120.and both David Schwab and Jordan Sharp have picked the grizzlies, you can read their analysis and picks on SBR Forum's NBA Betting page. 

 

 

The Nuggets have managed to edge back into this series with a younger side, outrunning and outgunning their older opponents. The Nuggets will try to run them ragged again tonight in game 6 of this exciting play-off in Denver and we may see the star studded Lakers a little road weary from the journey and the mile-high altitude which can also be a big fatigue factor.

Nuggets coach George Karl is counting on the 5,280 feet height to help contain Bryant, Bynum and Gasol, "My hope, I don't know if this is true or not, is that fatigue will come our way," Karl said. "The running of the game, the tempo of the game, and the pace, the way we play. They're getting tired of hearing it, and you're probably tired of hearing it, but our only chance to beat them is run them and play with tremendous energy and intensity. Maybe somewhere along the way, we'll make some 3s."

The Nuggets held on in game with a 108-99 victory with Andre Miller and JaVale McGee combining well to produce a mind boggling array of dunks. McGee had 21 points and 14 rebounds and Miller scored 24 points with eight assists, not mention producing a stellar job of guarding the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant.

So will the youthful athleticism prevail over championship-caliber experience? "I've been in this position before," Bryant said. "I know a lot of guys on the team haven't been in this position before, so it's important to remind them, `Yeah, this (stinks), but it's not the end of the world."

The Nuggets have momentum on their side and they've got the deeper roster with fresher, younger legs. The Lakers have experience and talent, rings and All-Star resumes. The SBR Sportsbook has the Nuggets as the favourite at -125 and the Lakers are +105.

 

 

 

 

Focusing on tennis today and the current ATP Tennis open in Madrid is already under way and giving us some great tennis action.

Del Potro vs Youzhny

Today sees 11^th Ranked Argentine Juian Martin Del Potro take on 34^th Ranked Russian Mikhail Youzhny for the third time in both players’ careers. Del Potro has won both of their previous encounters, including a 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 decision in the 2011 Madrid first round. They also faced each other at the Miami Masters back in 2007, when Del Potro prevailed 7-6(2), 6-4.

Youzhny is a considerable underdog once again this season, but he could be rounding into form after missing significant time in 2012 due to injury. The 34th-ranked Russian, won the Zagreb title before his layoff, lost his Monte-Carlo opener but reached the Munich quarterfinals last week. He is 13-5 for the season after dismissing Javier Marti 6-3, 6-2 on Monday.

Del Potro kicked off his tournament campaign on Tuesday with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Florian Mayer. The 11th-ranked Argentine is an awesome 28-6 for the year and he has plenty of momentum on the heels of a second straight Estoril title.

The surface should not be much of a factor in this one, whereas a traditional clay court would favor Del Potro. This faster, lower-bouncing court will provide Youzhny with more a level playing field, but Del Potro in two tight sets is the pick.

Federer vs Raonic

World No. 3 Roger Federer will begin his run at the Mutua Madrid Open, as he squares off against rising star Milos Raonic. The players are set to contest their first clay-court meeting on Wednesday.

Two-time Madrid champion Roger Federer leads world No. 23 Milos Raonic 1-0 in the series, having won their only previous meeting at the 2012 Masters 1000 Indian Wells.

Federer makes his return to competition following a third-round loss to Andy Roddick at the Masters 1000 Miami. The 30-year-old Swiss has compiled a 23-3 season record behind title-winning runs in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells.

Raonic began the week with a straight-sets ousting of former world No. 3 David Nalbandian. The 21-year-old is bidding for his first round of 16 berth in Madrid.

You can bet on both of these games at the SBR Sportsbook NOW!

 

The Nationals were looking forward to the return of their star third baseman, hopefully to give them a boost in their shaky offense. Now with Jayson Werth out after suffering a broken wrist two days ago, Ryan Zimmerman’s return has become all the more essential and he expected to play in the opener of a three game set in PNC Park tonight.

The Nationals (18-10) have gone 7-6 with Zimmerman sidelined because of right shoulder inflammation, batting .228 in the games he missed as opposed to .246 with him in the lineup. Zimmerman took batting practice before a 9-3 loss to Philadelphia on Sunday that ended a four-game winning streak and said he felt good to play Tuesday.

On a positive note, the Nationals will feel safe in the knowledge that they have their star rookie Bryce Harper, who went 2 for 3 with a double Sunday and stole home after the Phillies' Cole Hamels intentionally hit him with a pitch. Harper has batted .308 in his eight games.

The current Moneyline at the SBR Sportsbook is WASHINGTON -124 PITTSBURGH +104. Place your bets now!

 

 

Tonight’s big game sees the LA Clippers take on the Memphis Grizzlies and going into this game, the Clippers need to put in a better performance at the free throw line. In the last game of the series, the Clippers missed 17 of 30 free throws and almost squandered a six-point lead in the final 23 seconds Saturday, beating the Grizzlies 87-86 only after Rudy Gay missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer.

The Clippers will be looking to capitalise on their 2-1 lead at the Staples Center tonight and know that they should not be feeling the pressure on home court. Nick Young of the clippers reflected "You've really kind of got like the game in your hands when you're at the free-throw line. That can be a lot of pressure, with everybody telling you, `We need this shot. We need you to make these free throws’’. On the other hand, the Grizzlies made 30 out of 39 free throws but they went nearly seven minutes without making a field goal until Rudy Gay netted a 3 with 12.9 seconds left to pull to 86-83.

Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro has stated that LA Clippers will be a great mental boost that their forward Caron Butler being able to play despite breaking his left hand in game 1. Butler missed the second game but played Saturday with a split, getting four points and three rebounds.

The Grizzlies canceled their practice on Sunday, opting to just watch film.

Gay said there were no secrets to why the Grizzlies have lost twice in this series, including the opener when they blew a 27-point lead at home.

"I think we know what we can be," he said Saturday. "The first game we got away from how we played basketball. When we play our way, I feel as though we are a better team."

Going into the game, the Clippers are placed at -120 and the Grizzlies are even odds at the SBR Sportsbook.

 

 

 

Game 3 of the Eastern Conference playoffs in the TD Garden where the Atlanta Hawks take on the Boston Celtics and even without their court general who was suspended after bumping the referee in the opener, Boston carried out a big road upset in the last game. After winning game 2 in the series and the return of Rajon Rondo, it’s fair to say that the Celtics hold all the cards in this, despite a poor performance in game 1. Tonight’s match also may also see the return of Rondo’s court mate Ray Allen and the bookies odds seem to be influenced by player returns for the Celtics. Boston are the favourites with -400 and Atlanta the under at +330.

Jordan Sharp feels that the return of Allen will be a decisive factor in tonight’s game, ‘When Allen is on the floor, it opens up Boston’s offense like no other player can. When Allen is running off screens, or even standing in the corner, he spaces the floor for Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce, so they can do what they do best.’’

It would also appear that whilst the Celtics are getting healthier in the series, the Hawks are going the opposite way. Sharp notes ‘Josh Smith not only missed a wide-open dunk in game two, he hurt his knee, and hasn’t even tried to run on it since game two. He will try and test the knee out in this morning’s shoot around, so keep a close eye on his status after the shoot around.’

So favourites are the Celtics tonight but The Hawks may be a good option at +330. If Smith doesn’t feature for the Hawks however, it should be a walk for Boston. Check the latest odds and read Jordan Sharps Article here.

 

 

Most trainers were in agreement to stay away from post no.1 in the position posts draw, that role was awarded to Daddy Long Legs resulting in applause from team Hansen. He may thrive in the position with other speed horses Trinniberg, Take Charge Indy, and Bodemeister to his inside. The jockey in control of the saddle for Take Charge Indy may hold back from the early lead but being situated in position 3 it may seem sensible to head towards the front.

Alpha received probably the least favourable post at number 11 where he will be the first to load with Daddy Long Legs. The two horses will have to wait until the remaining 18 are positioned and it’s well known that alpha has a history of being jittery in the gate, something he will have to overcome if he is to stand a chance in Saturday’s big race.

The favourite is Bodemeister for the Derby at 4-1, which is different to what many people predicted only weeks earlier when they had the horse at 7-1 in comparison to the stiff competition. He shined at the Churchill Downs over the weekend when he breezed along with Union Rags who will start from the 4^th spot. Rags’ trainer Michael Matz was none too pleased with the position as the colt did not look comfortable when forced to the inside n the Florida Derby.

In Summary, after a runaway victory in the Arkansas Derby, Bodemeister should be favored to give Bob Baffert his fourth Kentucky Derby win. But does he have enough seasoning? The last horse who won without racing at 2 years old was Apollo -- in 1882. At 6-1 Gemologist has won all five of his starts, most recently the Wood Memorial. His speed figures aren't dazzling, but he has room to improve. At 50-1 Rousing Sermon could be a suitable long shot, although the plodder hasn’t had much success this year longer distance and fast pace may help him.

 

 

 

Saturday is FA Cup Final Day as Liverpool look to take on Chelsea at 5.15pm (gmt) and comparing the two teams at the moment Chelsea are the clear favourties going into this. Liverpool´s league form has been nothing short of disastrous and although Chelsea have hardly been premiership contenders this season they seem to have had a late resurgence. They just knocked title holders Barcelona out of the latter stages of the Champions League and seemed to have gained a confidence in new current manager Roberto DiMatteo. They just smashed QPR 6-1 in their last league game and are brimming with confidence after reaching the champions league final.

Whilst Liverpool have had yet another nightmare season. Practically all their pre-season signings have failed to justify their price tags and they are are currently languishing in the doldrums in 9^th position of the premier league. Losing their last game against Fulham on Tuesday with a miserable performance, they are going into this final with their worst league form since 1953, incidentally a year they got relegated to the second division.

The safe money would certainly be on Chelsea although first goalscorer bets could be a tough call. At time of writing this the money line odds have Chelsea at +110 and Liverpool on -140 to win. The SBR currently rank Suarez and Drogba at +850 to score first.

You can check out all the odds on the players and score bets at the SBR Sportsbook, just follow the link below.

F.A. Cup Soccer Odds

 

 

May 5^th the stage is set for one of the biggest fights in the 2012 boxing calendar when the world will see Floyd Mayweather take on Miguel Cotto for the WBA Super Welterweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sure a lot of people will be pondering the now age old conundrum of ‘why not Manny?’ but as long as politics and money are a part of boxing let’s just relish this tie between a rejuvenated Cotto and one of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time.

Let's first start with the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto who is a four-time world champion in three weight divisions. He has suffered just two losses in an 11 year, 37 fight professional career. One of these losses to Mexican Antonio Margarito was avenged recently, which will surely have given Cotto a great psychological boost going into the fight.

"I’m Floyd Mayweather’s best opponent" proclaims the champion who has previous victories over top fighters Zab Judah and Shane Mosley respectively. Puerto Rico’s most exciting fighter has held a world title every year since 2004 while winning 16 of the 18 world championship bouts in which he has fought. He is a natural left-hander who fights orthodox and has the ability to switch-hit. He possesses an insatiable power jab which he so effectively used to counter Shane Mosley’s blinding hand speed and he likes to ‘tenderise’ his opponents with vicious shots to the body. There has been a great level of respect displayed between the two fighters, with Floyd saying “Cotto is a world class fighter who can never be taken for granted and continues to prove he is one of the best in boxing".

Love him or hate him, Mayweather is one of the all-time greats with little to no weaknesses in the ring, there is just no blueprint to beating Mayweather. Many have tried, all have failed in a professional career spanning 16 years including 42 fights, 42 wins not to mention a fair share of controversy. Mayweather's last fight included a double cheap shot to the face of Victor Ortiz causing him to crash down to the canvas, being eliminated by KO. Camps were divided, some argued that you always protect yourself in the ring, others went as far as to declare Floyd a cheat and branded allegations of a fix. Boxings resident hero and villain rolled into one, he even has a 90 day prison sentence looming that’s been put on hold so a Mayweather fight can inject $100 million into an ailing Las Vegas economy. Just another paradoxical trait of the Money Mayweather show….the ‘cheat’ that boxing needs.

So will this fight be value for money? Well, despite the criticism Money Mayweather receives for carefully selecting his fights and continually side stepping a certain Filipino warrior, this will be a real test for him. Cotto holds both belts and more experience in the division, having fought his last three bouts in the division compared to Floyd's solitary appearance against an ageing DeLaHoya back in 2007. Mayweather is an economical puncher who takes fewer hits in return and one thing that Cotto will struggle against is speed as evidenced from a previous defeat at the lightning hands of Manny Pacquiao. We previously saw a frustrated Cotto become disheartened at being unable to hurt Margarito, this time his will may become broken at being unable to strike Mayweather. Presumably flush with confidence after his recent revenge against Margarito, Cotto will probably come out guns blazing and be worn out by the pugilistic experience and mastery of Floyd, wearing him down with more accurate more counter punches. More than likely resulting in a controlled display, Mayweather once again being the victor on a unanimous points decision.

We caught up with resident boxing enthusiast SBR Lou to get his take on the big fight. Here’s what he had to say:

SBR Lou: There is absolutely no value taking Miguel “Angel” Cotto in this bout. Floyd is still, at 35 years of age, in another league than Miguel, and his hand-speed, ring generalship, defensive prowess will again be the difference. Miguel is a good fighter, but Floyd “Money” Mayweather is on another planet and will coast to a unanimous decision victory. Pinnacle Sports (SBR rating A+) currently offers -105 on a Mayweather win by decision; those who can afford to take the moneyline and profit more than $5 should lay the 1/7. I will also point out, in anticipation of the critics, that Manny Pacquaio defeated Cotto at a catch weight for the Puerto Rican, and that Mayweather is moving up to 154 lbs for the first time since 2007 to make this fight happen. I absolutely look forward to watching this fight, and also expect 21 year old Saul Alvarez to dominate Sugar Shane Mosley on the undercard and really put himself in the mainstream eye as the future of the light middle-weight division.

 

 

Tom Thibodeau has undoubtedly been dealt a great blow with his star player Derrick Rose tearing his ACL and being ruled out for the rest of the season, although he refuses to be pessimistic about it.

“It’s not a death sentence for him, it’s not a death sentence for our team’’ he has stated defiantly insisting that Rose will return a better player than before.

The Bulls star point guard injured his left knee with 1:22 left in the fourth quarter of Saturday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals series. Criticism has since arisen over Thibodeau’s decision to leave Rose in the game with his team in the lead, a decision which has the backing of the players and general manager Gar Forman. This is not the first time Chicago has been without Rose. 

They earned home court advantage throughout the playoffs again even though Rose and Richard Hamilton missed significant time because of injuries, which explains why they believe they can get through this. The news of Roses’ injury will be music to the ears of all 76’ers fans whose team goes into the next match of the series a game down. "Without Derrick Rose, it is a different team," the 76ers' Jrue Holiday said. "They don't really have that scoring and passing that Derrick Rose brings. At the same time, they've had an awesome record without him." Self belief aside, many believe that this loss has wiped out whatever chance the Bulls have at advancing to the NBA finals, much less winning it all.

Both teams are a pick'em on the SBR sportsbook with the odds currently pegged at -110 on both teams. Obviously Rose’s injury will have knocked the Bulls off their perch as favourites but many people still believe that they are not a one man team so they could still be good value, especially now they have a better line on them. Joe Freda thinks otherwise and is backing the Phillies to tie the series at one apiece. Although he notes that Rose’s absence did not affect the Bulls greatly during the regular season, a playoff affair with three days of rest for Philly should make this a tighter battle.

be sure to visit the SBR sportbook for any NBA props throughout the day for this and all the playoff games for today..

 

 

 

Two heavyweight rivals will compete tonight in one of the biggest and most eagerly anticipated matches in Premier League History. Manchester City will play host to local rivals Manchester United on home turf at the Emirates stadium in a crucial end of season clash that may well decide the title. United currently sit three points clear at the top of the table but a win would move the Sky blues to the top of the league on goal difference, if the Reds win then they are sure to take the title.

The race looked all but over when United took an eight point lead after the citizens suffered defeat 3 weeks ago at the hands of Arsenal. It was at this point that Roberto Mancini wrote his team’s chances off however they’ve since cut the gap with impressive successive wins over West Brom, Norwich and Wolves while United have faltered against Wigan and Everton. The Italian helmsman continues to state that there is no pressure going into the game as it is United’s for the taking, a stance that could’ve been taken right out of the Alex Ferguson mind games handbook. Sir Alex is under no illusions of the scale of importance, declaring that it is the biggest derby ever and a game that ‘means everything’.

So who is going to win? With so much at stake this is a very tough call. Mike Richardson points out that City’s form is better having won 21 of their last 22 home games, they are unbeaten in their last 27 games claiming 77 points from a possible 81. Earlier this season they gave United an absolute drubbing, beating them 6-1 at Old Trafford. However the reds have won seventeen more derbies since the two first met in 1894 and City have failed to score in their last three Premier league games at home to United.

The SBR Sportsbook will be having a 'points back' special for this momentous tie and the current money line soccer odds have City as the favourites with odds of +110 and United at +195. You can read Mike´s article and predictions in full here.

 

 

The Game of the Day here at SBR certainly has to be the match-up between the two biggest teams in major league baseball right now, the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers. Last fall the Yankees were eliminated by Detroit in the opening round of the playoff and will be looking to settle the score in what promises to be an exciting 3 game series.

One of the main stars of the show will be the Tigers’ Justin Verlander who was a key factor in Detroit’s victory last year. Verlander has not been nearly as effective in the Big Apple however and will be looking to win a third straight start with his first victory at New York in almost five years tonight. The reigning AL MVP and Cy Young winner returns as the winner of back-to-back starts after yielding an unearned run and four hits with eight strikeouts on 115 pitches in six innings of Saturday's 3-2 victory over Texas.

The Yankees will look to counter with Ivan Nova, a player who has won 15 consecutive regular-season decisions - a run he extended with a 6-2 victory at Boston last Friday. Also let’s not forget Derek Jeter who continues to be among the best hitters in baseball with current form that speaks for itself. Jeter's 15-game hitting streak is his longest since a 16-game run from May 17-June 2, 2009.

Moneylines have been fluttering and look set to continue to change, with New York taking most of the Action. At the time of writing we currently have Verlander and the Tigers at -131 with the Yankees and Nova at +111 in the SBR sportsbook. Chance Harper notes the fact that Verlander has yet to win a game at new Yankee Stadium so looking for a good prop on the Yankees may be what shrewd players look to do.

Will the Yankees exact revenge after last fall’s exit to the Tigers or will Verlander gain his first away victory in New York in half a decade? We will be including a prop in anticipation of the MVP’s return to NY so be sure to check out our MLB props by clicking the link below. Get involved in the game thread where I will have updates about any line movement and new props.

 

 

There has been a lot of buzz going about as to how this game may be decided by just 2 players – the goalkeepers. Henrik Lunquist has arguably been the star of the show in the series and rightfully is in for a shot of winning the Vezina Trophy for the first time. Let us not forget about Craig Anderson’s equally impressive form, the Illinois man stopped 19 of 22 shots in game 6 compared to Lundqvist’s 25 from 27.

With this sort of form we think an interesting prop has to be placed on these two powerhouse goaltenders. There has to be a winner but who will be the best shot stopper on the night? Check out our latest prop on which keeper will concede more points in the game….it’s certainly a close call.

 

 

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the latest member of the SBR sportsbook. My name’s Chris and I aim to take on board all your queries and hang-up’s and strive to make it a better gaming experience for everyone involved.

Ok, formalities out of the way, let’s get in to the action. Tonight we have the US sport of Ice Hockey, well maybe they’re just borrowing it right now, either way it may well be a question of pride at stake in game 7 of the NHL Eastern conference play offs in the form of the Ottawa Seantors vs. The New York Rangers. In a typically US dominated sport of late who are you going to pick? I for one am calling for all Canadians to get behind the Senators and bring Hockey home.

One interesting view from David Lawrence is that the Senators have gotten into the heads of the top seeded Rangers. The usually quiet Henrik Lundqvist spoke to the media claiming the officials were biased and questioned a Senators third period goal which incidentally had no impact on the final outcome. However Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson was not without his frustrations, the NHL's longest-serving captain blew up, smashing his stick on the bench and crushing a water bottle in Game 6. ‘’It was Bad’’ said Alfredsson who wasn't pleased with coach Paul MacLean's decision to keep the No. 1 power play unit off the ice and wasn't pleased he put himself in a position to take a hit from New York's John Mitchell.

Daniel Schwab believes the real key for Ottawa to pull-off the biggest upset so far in the Eastern Conference playoffs could lie with goalie Craig Anderson. He has a goals-against-average of 2.00 and a .933 save percentage through the first six games. He also goes on to state that despite this tie not being New York’s finest piece of work, they have a knack for coming up with big goals when they need them the most with Brad Richards and Derek Stepan stepping-up their games to get the job done in game 6.

And be sure to get into our sportsbook, check the lines and the props for this game and all the others and let me know any questions, or issues you might have that I can help with. 

No matter what happens it is sure to be one hell of a game in Madison Square Garden tonight, you can watch the action live on NBC with the puck due to drop at 4pm (PT). Remember to stay tuned for regular updates throughout the day on our facebook, twitter and of course the forum thread I have started for the game. As this is such a huge game we will no doubt be throwing up a few extra lines to entice you so get involved.