Cubs try to get back on winning track, visit Dodgers

Baseball Betting Lines

06/05/2008 - ((Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs will try to start up a new streak when the team with the best record in baseball continues a West Coast swing with the first of four straight meetings with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Chicago's nine-game winning run came to an end Wednesday in San Diego, where ex-Cub Greg Maddux helped shut down his old mates in the Padres' 2-1 victory.

Maddux worked the first seven innings and held Chicago's hard-hitting offense to one run and three hits before exiting with the contest tied at 1-1. The Padres moved ahead in the bottom of the eighth, when Brian Giles led off with a double and later scored on Kevin Kouzmanoff's sacrifice fly.

Ted Lilly (5-5) pitched very well in a hard-luck defeat for the Cubs. The left-hander was charged with two runs allowed and struck out eight Padres in his 7 1/3-inning stint.

Chicago's impressive streak began with a three-game sweep of the Dodgers at Wrigley Field from May 26-28. Los Angeles still hasn't recovered from those defeats, as Joe Torre's squad enters this series having dropped eight of its 10 most recent tests.

The Dodgers mustered just three runs in those three matchups with Chicago, and its offense continued to struggle in a recent home series with Colorado. After being shut out by the Rockies on Tuesday, Los Angeles managed only six hits in a 2-1 setback to the defending National League champs in Wednesday's rubber match of a three-game set.

Matt Kemp drove in the Dodgers' lone run with an infield single in the bottom of the sixth against Colorado's Aaron Cook (8-3), who dominated the Los Angeles lineup with eight stellar innings.

Dodgers phenom Clayton Kershaw was touched for a pair of runs in the second inning and lasted just five frames, with the 20-year-old walking four batters and throwing 104 pitches before exiting.

With its offense having major trouble scoring runs, Los Angeles will be counting on another strong start out of Chad Billingsley in tonight's opener. The stocky young right-hander delivered in Saturday's encounter with the Mets, as Billingsley held New York to just four hits over seven shutout innings.

Billingsley did not end up with a win that afternoon, however, as the Mets scored twice in the eighth inning off reliever Jonathan Broxton to tie the game and eventually rallied for a 3-2 decision.

Since April 30, Billingsley has posted a 4-2 record and a stellar 1.80 earned run average in seven starts. The 23-year-old has surrendered one run or less in five of those appearances.

Billingsley was a hard-luck loser to the Cubs on May 26, a game in which he gave up just two runs and fanned seven over six innings. He is 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA in three career games against Chicago, two of which have come in relief.

Ryan Dempster opposed Billingsley in that May 26 encounter and will do so again tonight. The Chicago hurler was the winning pitcher on that night after holding the Dodgers to one run and seven hits over a strong seven innings of work.

Dempster picked up another victory on Saturday, when the converted closer shook off a pair of home runs to defeat Colorado at Wrigley Field. The right- hander did allow three runs in that five-inning appearance, but gave up just three hits and struck out seven to improve his season record to 7-2.

The 31-year-old is 0-2 in four road starts this season despite having pitched to a 2.08 ERA away from the Windy City. Dempster owns a 4-3 career record with six saves and a 2.85 ERA in 18 overall appearances against Los Angeles, eight of which have come as a starter.

The Cubs lost two of three games to Los Angeles in their lone visit to Dodger Stadium last season. However, Chicago is 6-3 at Chavez Ravine since the start of the 2005 campaign.

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NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl

NFL Super Bowl Betting

The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.

Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.

The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.

Super Bowl XLIV Odds

Super Bowl XLIII isn't even a week old yet and oddsmakers have already released Super Bowl XLIV odds.

Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl 43, the New England Patriots are 8/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 44.

Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds

With their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers became the latest NFL champion. But believe it or not, oddsmakers from online sports book MySportsbook.com don't have the Steelers the favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV next season.

That honor belongs to the New England Patriots, who are 8/1 favorites to win despite not even qualify for the postseason in 2008. The Pats also have a major decision to make regarding what to do with Matt Cassel, who played well in Tom Brady's (knee surgery) absence last year but is also a free agent this offseason.

Ironically, the Steelers aren't even oddsmakers second choice to win Super Bowl 44, as the Dallas Cowboys are listed right behind the Patriots at 9/1 despite not making the playoffs themselves. Clearly oddsmakers think the public will hop back on the Cowboys' bandwagon considering the immense talent they have and the opening of a brand new stadium.

After Dallas, then comes Pittsburgh at 10/1, but they share those odds with the New York Giants, who won Super Bowl XLII. The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers round out the top six teams at 12/1, while the Baltimore Ravens (14/1), Tennessee Titans (16/1), Carolina Panthers (18/1) and Philadelphia Eagles (18/1) complete the top 10.

The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals got no love from oddsmakers as they were established as a 30/1 long shot to win next year's Super Bowl. They share those same odds with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that didn't even qualify for the postseason. Other long shots are the Kansas City Chiefs (100/1), Detroit Lions (100/1), St. Louis Rams (75/1) and Oakland Raiders (75/1).

To see a complete list of all the team's odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, check below.

NFL TEAM FUTURE ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV

New England Patriots 8/1

Dallas Cowboys 9/1

New York Giants 10/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1

Indianapolis Colts 12/1

San Diego Chargers 12/1

Baltimore Ravens 14/1

Tennessee Titans 16/1

Carolina Panthers 18/1

Philadelphia Eagles 18/1

New Orleans Saints 20/1

Atlanta Falcons 25/1

Denver Broncos 25/1

Green Bay Packers 25/1

Jacksonville Jaguars 25/1

Minnesota Vikings 25/1

New York Jets 25/1

Arizona Cardinals 30/1

Chicago BearS 30/1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30/1

Buffalo Bills 35/1

Houston TexaNS 35/1

Miami Dolphins 35/1

Washington Redskins 35/1

Seattle SeahawkS 50/1

Cleveland Browns 55/1

Cincinnati Bengals 60/1

San Francisco 49ers 60/1

Oakland Raiders 75/1

St. Louis Rams 75/1

Detroit Lions 100/1

Kansas City Chiefs 100/1

Odds as of: 2/2/09

Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds

To visit this online sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.