Indiana Victory Adds New Dimension to NBA Playoff Betting Line
The Indiana Pacers held on for a much-needed, albeit unexpected, victory in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal this week. Now they’ll head back home knotted with the NBA betting line favorite Miami Heat at one game apiece. Get odds for the best-of-seven on Bovada’s basketball futures list.
Despite the fact that the No. 3 seed Pacers have been defying expectations all season long, to have labeled them a legitimate threat to knock off LeBron James and the Heat at the beginning of the postseason would have been considered outright off-the-wall. Two games in, however, and they’re proving to be not such a bold bet after all.
Although the NBA odds may never fully support them, the Pacers remain a genuine threat where it matters: on the court. Can the combination of Indiana’s depth down low, along with their ability to slow the game down defensively help them keep the Heat in check?
It won’t be easy for Indiana to contain the Big Three when Game 3 tips off on Thursday night, but after Game 2, nobody really know where to draw the line.
Get your NBA Playoff odds at Bovada today
NHL Betting Line Favorite Rangers Take Early Lead Over Rival Devils
The New York Rangers are perhaps the only NHL team remaining that hockey fans expected to see in these Conference Finals and on Monday night they showed exactly why. Now up 1-0, New York will brace for Game 2 against the New Jersey Devils before taking their series on the road.
In a year of bracket busters and surprise contenders, the Rangers are the big man on campus. It’s an obvious notion on the NHL betting line as well as in the subconscious of those who have been watching the postseason unfold.
Can the Devils, who’ve already impressively knocked off the Philadelphia Flyers and, well, the Florida Panthers, continue to demonstrate that they’re not your typical No. 6 seed?
Weigh in for yourself before puck drop this Wednesday on Bovada’s Stanley Cup betting line.
Falling behind after Game 1 certainly didn’t help New Jersey’s case as they line up against Hart Trophy-candidate goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, but we saw them bounce out of a one-game hole just last series against Philly.
Can Hall of Famer-in-waiting Martin Brodeur climb back to the top of the mountain at the expense of the Eastern Conference’s top contender?
Bet on the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs today
MLB Betting: Underachieving Red Sox, Disappointing Phillies Clash
A pair of underachieving World Series contenders will clash in interleague play this weekend, as the Philadelphia Phillies look to shake off some of their rust against an equally-disappointing Boston Red Sox team. Get your MLB odds for the ugly affair at Bovada.
Though each has struggled mightily to start the 2012 campaign, the Phillies and Red Sox remain intriguing options on the MLB betting line. The question is, how long do they deserve such praise on the World Series futures list if they’re not producing results?
Heading into the weekend set the two clubs are dead last in their respective divisions, having shown no indication of crawling out of the basement any time soon. Could a strong showing against the other give at least one of them some momentum to climb back up the standings?
According to Bovada’s MLB odds makers, the Phillies still hold 11/1 odds of winning the World Series. The Red Sox, perhaps slightly more dysfunctional at the time, sit lower down the list at 18/1.
It might not be pretty, but there’s nowhere to go but up for both clubs. Weigh in the series with Bovada’s MLB betting line today.
Get all your MLB futures at Bovada’s online sportsbook
2012 Preakness Stakes May 19 at Pimlico Race Course
The 2012 Preakness Stakes will take place on Saturday, May 19 at Pimlico Race Course. Kentucky Derby champion I’ll Have Another is scheduled to start, but he will have to face some old rivals in the Preakness Stakes, including Bodemeister and Went the Day Well.
I’ll Have Another, piloted by Mario Gutierrez, is on everyone’s watch-list since his brilliant Kentucky Derby. His winning performance had him breaking from extreme outside post 19, but a strong start and perfect timing by Gutierrez had him in just the right position to make a run at the pacesetter and catch him late in the race. Find Preakness Stakes betting lines on I’ll Have Another at Bovada.
Bodemeister was the talk of the Kentucky Derby both before the big race and after – even though he didn’t win. The son of Empire Maker vaulted into the spotlight in his final Derby prep with a stunning 9 ½ length victory. With Mike Smith in the irons, Bodemeister nearly pulled off a history-making run in the Derby with a wire-to-wire effort that just fell short. With his great speed, Bodemeister may be primed to spoil I’ll Have Another’s Triple Crown bid. Make your 2012 Preakness Stakes bet on Bodemeister at Bovada.
Despite a strong performance in his final Derby prep, Went the Day Well was not seen as much of a threat. And his race did not go smoothly; the son of Proud Citizen was bumped near the start and was in 14th position with just a quarter-mile left to run. But with some savvy piloting by John Velazquez and a seven-wide swing entering the stretch, Went the Day Well finished fourth. Get horse racing odds on Went the Day Well at Bovada.
Bet on your Preakness Stakes picks at Bovada
NBA Odds Favor Well-Rested Spurs Against Underdog Clippers
The biggest question mark surrounding the San Antonio Spurs heading into these NBA playoffs was whether or not the aging veterans that make up the roster would be able to stay fresh throughout the entire postseason. Well, so far, so good, as the Western Conference’s No. 1 seed preps to collide with the Los Angeles Clippers on Bovada’s NBA betting line.
Thanks to a four-game sweep of the Utah Jazz in Round 1, the Spurs will have had more than enough rest by the time they tip-off for Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinal series on Tuesday.
The Clippers, in contrast, fresh off of a seven-game series with the Memphis Grizzlies that only ended on Sunday will have but one night off.
According to Bovada’s NBA betting line, the difference is significant. Not only are the Spurs overwhelmingly favored over the Clippers on the NBA futures list, they’re the favorites to come out of the West altogether – sorry OKC.
Can San Antonio make a genuine run at the NBA title this year? Though Tim Duncan and company will always be capable of making an impact in the postseason, it’s been five years since they last won a championship leading many to wonder if their window had shut.
Don’t have a Bovada account? Join now
Rangers Gather Momentum on NHL Betting Line, Eye ECFs
The New York Rangers and Washington Capitals have played each other about as evenly as anyone could ask so far in their second-round series, but the parity can’t last forever. After squeezing out of Game 5 with an overtime win, the Rangers will look to close the books on the Caps altogether in Game 6 and climb further up the NHL betting line.
With contenders dropping off left, right and center this postseason, a lot can be said of the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed if they manage to hold on into at least the Eastern Conference Finals. We’ve already seen the NHL odds turned on their head with the elimination of the Western Conference’s top two seeds and the East’s No. 2 (Boston).
Could the Capitals keep with the trend and send another favorite packing? According to Bovada’s NHL betting experts it’s not out of the question, but their odds of winning the Stanley Cup are steep at 16/1. In contrast, New York’s are 10/3.
Though they’ll have home ice advantage in Game 6, and are more than capable of forcing (and winning) a decisive Game 7, you can imagine the Capitals will have to be at their best.
NBA Odds Favor Celtics, But Skeptical of Hawks
Things may have gotten ugly in Game 4 but a glimmer of hope remains for the Atlanta Hawks in their matchup with the time-tested Boston Celtics. Can the return home give ATL the boost they need to claw back into their first-round series on the NBA betting line?
According to Bovada’s NBA odds makers, it won’t be so easy. The 3-1 stranglehold that the Celtics have run off to puts them in a more than comfortable position heading into the final half of the series.
But not all is lost for the Hawks, especially with the returns of Josh Smith and Al Horford to the lineups in Game 4. It may not have helped in the road blowout the Hawks suffered on Sunday, but they’re touted as All-Star calibre players, and more importantly – game changers, for a reason.
Could the combination of a return to Philips Arena plus successful games from Smith and Horford put the NBA odds back in Atlanta’s favor? Assuming a Game 5 win, the Hawks would be but one road victory away from returning home for a decisive Game 7.
Join Bovada Sportsbook for NBA Bets
After Knicks, Heat Face Long Road on NBA Betting Line
The Miami Heat can make it a four-game sweep this Sunday as they look to close the books on their first-round matchup with the New York Knicks and get ready for Round 2. There’s a reason they’ve topped the NBA betting line all season long and we’re seeing it in full force.
Over the course of Games 1 through 3, the Heat have made short work of their opponents – most recently in an 87-70 victory at Madison Square Garden. Can the Knicks win back their honor and extend the series to at least five?
According to Bovada’s NBA odds, the Heat are betting line favorites in a class of their own. With few teams even close to their level on the futures list, they’re a hard team to vote against.
Perhaps more pressing than concern over their inevitable victory over the Knicks is what comes next for Miami. With Derrick Rose out for the No. 1 seed Chicago Bulls, is there any team in the Eastern Conference that could even hope to challenge them in a seven-game series? In the West?
They may see resistance in the form of the endlessly youthful Oklahoma City Thunder at some point, or even the crafty San Antonio Spurs, but this kind of looks to be the year they come through on their promise. Of course last year did too.
Get your NBA odds at Bovada today
MLB Betting Line Takes Notice as Dodgers Regain Form
With no disrespect to the San Diego Padres, the battle for National League supremacy in the state of California concerns two teams and two teams only. This Monday the Los Angeles Dodgers will play host to the San Francisco Giants on Bovada’s MLB betting line.
Although the Dodgers may have the early lead in the standings (in fact, they sit first in the entire National League), Major League Baseball odds makers aren’t quite sure exactly what to make of the franchise in transition. As a result, with 16/1 odds of winning the World Series, they sit above, but not far above the 20/1 Giants.
Is it safe to say that, after back-to-back years of underachievement, management issues and coaching changes, the Dodgers are ready to reclaim their spot among the National League’s best? They’ll have to get through in-state rival San Francisco – the 2010 World Series champions – if they hope to.
Led by center-fielding wunderkind and perennial MVP candidate Matt Kemp, Los Angeles has come on strong to start the 2012 campaign. Though they’ll have their work cut out for them staying competitive in a grueling division, it’s more than a possibility.
With the summer approaching all eyes will be on the annual race for playoff positioning and how that impacts the MLB betting line. Can the Dodgers win some support with a successful showing against their rivals? The Giants might not be so kind.
Bet on Major League Baseball today
FA Cup and UEFA Champions League Finals
May sees the Soccer season reaching its climax and there are plenty of events that you will be looking forward to. On 5th May Chelsea play Liverpool in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, while the showpiece event of the season, the UEFA Champions League Final, will be contested by Bayern Munich and Chelsea on 19th May. Around these games the biggest leagues in Europe will be concluding their seasons, with excitement guaranteed. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the fantastic 100% Euro Soccer Bonus, which is sure to get you busy this month.
Bet on soccer with Bet365 Sportsbook
Casino – Match Day Money
Casino at bet365 is marking May’s big month of Soccer showpieces with a special event of its very own. Match Day Money is perfectly timed to coincide with the FA Cup Final on 5th May, the Europa League Final on 9th May and the Champions League Final on 19th May. On each of these days you can claim a bonus of 25% up to £250. But that’s not all, because if you deposit/transfer within a three hour match window, you can get a sensational 40% bonus up to £400! Work your way to Match Day Money now!
MLB Betting: Strasburg, Harper On Display as Nats Host Phillies
The kids will be on full display this weekend as the Washington Nationals play host to the geriatric Philadelphia Phillies on the MLB betting line. On the mound starting Friday will be fireball hurler Stephen Strasburg making his sixth start of the season while rookie phenomenon Bryce Harper sits behind the plate.
Will the dynamic duo of first overall picks be enough to push the young Nats past the reigning National League East Division champions? So far it has, despite uncertainty on the World Series futures list. In fact, Washington currently sits atop the division while the Phillies find themselves desperate and uncomfortable in fourth.
One of the major reasons behind Washington’s success has been Strasburg. Through his first six appearances of the year, the imperceptibly dominant right-hander has fastballed his way to a 1.12 ERA and a WHIP of 0.88.
Can even Hunter Pence or Jimmy Rollins find a way to keep up with his 100+ MPH weapon?
More than just an opportunity for Strasburg to shine, however, the weekend series will serve as an opportunity for young Harper to impress fans at the plate. Though limited in his production in his debut week, the expectations are through the roof for the burgeoning prospect.
Is a power shift brewing in the NL East? We might find our answer as early as this weekend.
Bet on Major League Baseball with Bovada’s online sportsbook
NHL Betting: Despite Lead, Phoenix Success far from Guaranteed
It will take a lot more than home-ice advantage to get the Nashville Predators back into their second-round series with the Phoenix Coyotes, but that’s exactly what the Stanley Cup playoffs are all about. Get your NHL betting line for Round 2 before it’s too late.
Down by a pair heading into Game 3, the Preds will have to find a way to stay relevant in the Western Conference semifinals. The Coyotes, fresh off of an impressive opening-round victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, wasted no time in taking command of their latest best-of-seven.
The jury is still out, however, on which of the two clubs would make a better championship threat. Though they trail 0-2, the Predators still have relatively impressive 10/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup. The Coyotes, in spite of their reassuring lead, sit at just 5/1.
Might Shea Weber and company claw back into the picture in Games 3 and 4? If they do, there’s reason to believe that they could represent the unpredictable west in the Stanley Cup Finals.
The NHL betting line may be reluctant to write off Nashville despite their deficit at this point in the series, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Is this the year that being a Coyotes supporter pays off?
Bet on the NHL today with Bovada
NBA Playoff Betting Heats Up as Grizzlies Face Clippers in Game 2
The Memphis Grizzlies may have let it all fall apart in their postseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers on the weekend. This Wednesday they’ll look to pick up the pieces in time to salvage at least one game from their two-game stand with home court advantage. Get NBA betting lines for the playoffs at Bovada.
After fighting out to a 27-point lead through three quarters, the wheels came off for the Grizzlies in the fourth. The result was an L.A. comeback that tied the NBA playoff record. The late-game heroics didn’t go unnoticed on the NBA futures list.
Now with 20/1 odds of winning the NBA championship, the Clippers are a legitimate threat in the Western Conference. The depth that they showed on Sunday will have to be in full effect for the remainder of the postseason, however, if they want to be taken seriously among the top tier of contenders in the league.
Is it too early to write off Memphis altogether? There’s a reason the NBA odds favored them to start the series after all, and with 25/1 odds, they’re not exactly pushovers in the eyes of basketball odds makers.
Can Blake Griffin and Chris Paul expect more support from their bench over the course of the season? And more importantly, will it be enough to keep the Clippers sailing past the scrappy, and deceivingly dominant, Grizzlies.
Kentucky Derby 2012 Odds and lines
The $2M Kentucky Derby (G1) will take place at Churchill Downs this year on Saturday, May 5. This year’s field is full of talented horses, each with a legitimate chance to win. Take a closer look at top contenders Bodemeister, Dullahan and Union Rags.
Bodemeister defeated several top rivals in his last race, the Arkansas Derby (G1) on April 14. Not only that, but he did so with ease, winning by an incredible 9 ½ lengths. Bodemeister has been looking sharp in his workouts at Churchill Downs and the potential for rain on the big day doesn’t seem to bother him at all. Jockey Mike Smith will retain the mount aboard this son of Empire Maker and will seek his second career Kentucky Derby title. Find Kentucky Derby odds on Bodemeister at the Bovada Racebook.
Union Rags, too, is a top Kentucky Derby contender. He was dominant as a 2-year-old, winning three of four races. He captured the Fountain of Youth Stakes (G2) on Feb. 26 by a 4-length margin. And jockey Julien Leparoux will be looking to redeem their last outing together where the pair got boxed in and unable to finish better than fourth. Make your 2012 Kentucky Derby bet on Union Rags with Bovada.
Another standout performer on the Kentucky Derby trail is Dullahan, who really broke out in his final Kentucky Derby prep race. In the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on April 14, Dullahan showed his excellent rallying ability when he mowed down another top contender to win by 1 ¼ lengths. Dullahan will also have the benefit of veteran jockey Kent Desormeaux, who has already won three Kentucky Derby titles. Make your online horse racing wager on Dullahan with Bovada!
Get great Kentucky Derby odds on all the top contenders at Bovada Sportsbook!
Stanley Cup Odds: L.A. Kings Throw Wrench in NHL Betting Line
The Los Angeles Kings find themselves in uncharted territory now having just cast aside Western Conference No. 1 seed and consensus NHL betting line favorite Vancouver in Round 1, but can the momentum gleaned from tossing the Canucks translate over into a second-round matchup against the St. Louis Blues? Get NHL odds for the matchup at Bovada.
The unexpected turn of events has sent the Stanley Cup futures list for a loop. Now matched up against the Blues in Round 2, the Kings, who were previously expected to exit early, have 6/1 NHL odds of going all the way.
More intriguing, however, is what this means for St. Louis. Though they got past a tough San Jose Sharks team with relative ease in the Western Conference quarter-finals, the LA-Vancouver result could be the best thing that’s happened for them.
Considering that the Blues will now face a “No. 8 seed” in Round 2, Bovada’s NHL odds makers have given them league-leading 7/2 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
Is St. Louis really the favorite heading into the second-round of the playoffs? Was Los Angeles’ victory over Vancouver a fluke? Could somebody not make the case for the Kings as the team to beat in the Western Conference?
NBA Odds: Can Spurs Domination Continue in Playoffs?
The San Antonio Spurs are the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the first time in five years, but will that be enough to propel the veteran club to its fifth title in 14 years? Weigh in on their first-round series with Bovada’s NBA betting line.
Matched up against the No. 8 Utah Jazz in a best-of-seven starting Sunday, the Spurs will be hard-pressed to rally deep into the postseason, but it’s more then possible. Worth nothing, however, is that they’ve either not made it out of Round 1 or been swept in Round 2 in each of the last three seasons.
This year, with 9/2 odds of winning the NBA championship, success may be a distinct possibility. Who said Tim Duncan and company were too old to compete at an elite level?
In contrast, with just 150/1 odds on the NBA betting line, the Jazz are not only underdogs of the series, but of the entire playoffs, meaning that it will take some surprising heroics from Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap to give the Spurs a scare.
Even with aging San Antonio’s lingering concern over player health and energy in the long stretch of the playoffs, Utah should be a manageable opponent. The question is, after the first round, are the Spurs legitimate contenders? Or has their window on the NBA betting line already closed.
Ball so hard.
Get your NBA odds at Bovada today.
MLB Odds: Favored Phillies Ride Into Three-Game Set at Arizona
National League fans will watch a pair of contenders collide early this season as the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks fight desperately for momentum in the early stretch of the 2012 season. It may pale in comparison to the action the two clubs saw on the MLB betting line last postseason, but it’s a necessary step if they plan to return in 2013.
According to Bovada’s MLB odds makers, each have a good chance of returning to the playoffs this spring, but they’ll have to find a way to shake off their April malaise first. Still, the Phillies lead all NL teams in the sportsbook with 7/1 odds of winning the World Series. The D-backs aren’t far behind at 20-1.
At this point however, as both teams flirt with the .500 mark, a three-game set at Chase Field could be enough to set one of the two clubs off on the right track. Will it be Cliff Lee and company jumping out to the early advantage on the road?
Expect the Diamondbacks, who have been ravaged by injuries to Justin Upton and more recently Chris Young, to band together and at least put a scare in their guests over the course of the series – it might be their only hope until their top hitters return to the lineup.
Get all your MLB futures at Bovada’s online sportsbook.
Lincecum-Halladay Headline NL Bash on MLB Betting Line
They may not hold the lofty defending champion title that the St. Louis Cardinals do, but nobody’s forgotten that the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants have taken turns of their own atop the MLB betting line recently. This Monday the two will embark upon a three-game set at AT&T Park.
Though their early season records might indicate otherwise, the Phillies and Giants are two of the National League’s teams to beat, the former leading the entire league on Bovada’s World Series futures list with 6/1 odds of winning the championship.
The Giants, who in 2010 last reigned supreme, have 20/1 odds on that same MLB betting line.
But before anybody gets too worked up about how the postseason might unfold, it’s crucial to get a handle on how the grueling regular season will play out. Can the Phillies keep up with burgeoning youngsters in Washington? Is it AL West title or bust for San Fran?
In the first of the three games this Monday expect aces Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum on the mound setting an impressive pace for what promises to be an intriguing set.
Armed and Ready. Get your MLB odds at Bovada Sportsbook today.
Red Sox Trying to Return to Winning Form on MLB Betting Lines against Rays
After helping the Tigers and Blue Jays with their home openers over the last week, the Red Sox will welcome fans back to Fenway on Friday afternoon when the Tampa Bay Rays come to Boston.
Boston’s 2012 season is starting eerily like last year, when they didn’t get their first win until their home opener; their seventh game of the season. This week has been similar, highlighted by a 10-0 loss to Detroit last Saturday followed by a 13-12 extra-innings loss.
The Rays, meanwhile, opened much better than they did in 2011, sweeping away the New York Yankees at home.
For the fifth time in his career, Josh Beckett will get the call to open up the home portion of the Red Sox schedule. He was beat up by the Tigers in that 10-0 loss, giving up five home runs in 4.2 innings. Rays lefty David Price will counter. He got the victory against the Yankees last Saturday, allowing two runs on five hits in 6.2 innings.
Tampa Bay has 15/1 odds to win the World Series this season. Boston’s MLB futures are set at 12/1. Bet on MLB now.
Armed and ready.
Bet on all the MLB action at Bovada.
Pacific Division Teams Battling Hard to Improve NHL Futures
You may argue that teams from the Pacific Division don’t deserve to be in the playoffs this season, let alone as a three-seed, but you can’t deny that when these rivals get together, we see some great hockey and some fire on the NHL betting lines.
That’s what’s on tap Saturday night when the San Jose Sharks host the Los Angeles Kings, with playoff seeding on the line. After meeting on Thursday night, these two will meet again to close out the regular season.
Kings goalie Jonathan Quick is one of the top candidates to win the Vezina Trophy. If not for him, Los Angeles almost certainly wouldn’t be where they are. He’ll be tasked with stopping Joe Thornton, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski, who have combined for over 100 goals and 250 points.
Going into the final day of the season, the Kings have 20/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup, while the Sharks odds are set at 25/1. The other team from the Pacific, Phoenix, has 40/1 odds. Bet on the NHL now with Bovada Sportsbook.