Daily Sports Minute

For the first time in nearly a month, the AP 25 rankings for college basketball betting had a different flavor atop the list, as Kentucky rather then Syracuse found themselves in the top position. The Syracuse Orange still owns the nation’s best record, but in the NCAA, you really are only as good as your last win. With January quickly coming to an end, conference tournaments will begin in short order. Today, we’ll be looking at not only the AP 25 rankings, but also the best gambles of the price per head week you should be taking.

Baylor Bears (6) v Oklahoma Sooners – This game features one of the highest ranked teams in the nation, taking on one of the most underrated teams in the nation. The Baylor Bears have come on strong the last couple of seasons, putting together fantastic runs in the March Madness tournament. This year, the sixth ranked Bears possess a record of 17 wins and two losses through their first 19 games of the season. Conversely, the Oklahoma Sooners own a record of 12 wins and six losses in 18 contests.  With the line set at five and a half in favor of Baylor, fans may be best to place their bookie software money on the Oklahoma Sooners.

Essentially, the Baylor Bears opened the season on a 17 game winning streak, appearing like a team that could go undefeated all season. Unfortunately, things have come crashing down the last two weeks, as Baylor dropped games first to Kansas and then a thrilling weekend loss to Missouri. As a result of the two losses, the Bears dropped from third in the nation to sixth. We like Oklahoma in this game for two reasons, firstly they are nine and one at home this season, and secondly they can knock off ranked opponents, as they beat Kansas State rather convincingly.

San Diego State Aztecs (12) v Wyoming Cowboys – As NBA fans, we like this game, because we can use the revenge betting system. The system requires that we take the underdog in the rematch after a huge defeat. Last season, the San Diego State Aztecs decimated the Wyoming Cowboys, winning the game 85 – 58. This season, SDST is relatively the same as a year ago, while the Cowboys are much improved. Entering the game, the Aztecs are 17 and two having won 10 in a row, while the Cowboys are 16 and three having won two in a row. But, the Cowboys own a record of 12 and one at home, while leading the Mountain West Conference in scoring defense, at 53.1 percent.

Meaning to say, bettors handicapping this game, should take the under, as the Cowboys defense should be able to handle the Aztecs offense. As well, because we are using the revenge betting system, we can bank on the fact that the Cowboys will be up for this game emotionally. In other words, the strong defensive play and the emotions going into the game, should allow the Cowboys to keep the score going under the total. Pick: Wyoming Cowboys.

As the online betting continues for this year’s Super Bowl, there are several NFC teams that are looking to challenge for the spot that the New York Giants earned this year in the Super Bowl. Some teams, such as the Green Bay Packers, we can expect to hear from in 2012 because it is still one of the best teams in the NFL. But there are a few NFC teams that had not made much noise prior to the 2012 season that should be sticking around and making next year even more interesting.

Detroit Lions

The Super Bowl betting enthusiasts wanted to see the Detroit Lions involved in this year’s big game because Detroit had worked so hard to become a playoff contender. But the Lions consistently shot itself in the foot with bad penalties and undisciplined play. The veterans were just as guilty of being out of control as the younger players. Someone needs to explain to Ndamukong Suh that his childish and dangerous actions have consequences that hurt his team. Even the normally calm quarterback Matthew Stafford started to show signs of immaturity in the playoffs. If the Lions can bring it together, then it will be a team to deal with in 2012.

San Francisco 49ers

The price per head sportsbook experts know that head coach Jim Harbaugh will not allow the 49ers to regress going into the 2012 season. Harbaugh’s coaching style is perfect for the team of players that he has in San Francisco. No one likes to point at one play or one player as a reason a game was won or lost, but the 49ers played a solid game in the NFC Championship but were undone by critical mistakes. The 49ers will be back and they will be a contender for many years to come. It is not out of the question to expect this 49ers team to win a couple of Super Bowls before Jim Harbaugh’s tenure as head coach is over.

Carolina Panthers

It is hard to imagine a team that was 6-10 in 2011 turning it around in 2012 to become a playoff contender. But sportsbook reviews of the 2010 San Francisco 49ers showed that it was 6-10 in 2010 before advancing to the 2011 NFC Championship game. The Panthers are not championship material yet, but the turn around in Carolina has already begun. The arrival of rookie quarterback Cam Newton ignited a fire in Carolina that helped the team to improve dramatically. Now the Panthers need to put more players around Newton to continue the team’s evolution.

Seattle Seahawks

Ever preview of a coming NFL season has to have something that seems to make no sense. The NFL scores that the Seahawks posted in 2011 were not impressive and the team was listless. But the mere fact that head coach Pete Carroll somehow got all of the pieces he had to work together so efficiently and finish with a 7-9 record is something of significance. The Seahawks had no passing game to work with and the running game did not start coming to life until late in the season. But people forget that the Seahawks finished with the ninth best defense in the NFL. The Seahawks need to cut its loses on the Tavaris Jackson experiment and draft the quarterback of the future. If the Seahawks can pick up some offensive linemen and a couple of receivers in free agency, then this could be a very interesting football team in 2012.

The online betting websites are taking action for the upcoming AFC and NFC championship games that will be taking place Sunday. Before you place your bets, you should spend some time analyzing the keys to each of the games and determine which team enters into your Super Bowl betting picture and which teams just do not have what it takes.

AFC Championship: Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots (-7)

The Baltimore Ravens picked an odd time to start questioning the team’s quarterback. First, Joe Flacco himself made statements to the media that questioned people’s perception of him and how he plays. Then pro bowl safety Ed Reed questioned Flacco’s abilities and called out the entire offense in a radio interview earlier in the week. That is bad timing because the Ravens need its offense to be clicking on all cylinders if it wants to win in Foxboro. The Baltimore defense may think that it can win the championship on its own, but without offensive points on the board the Ravens are going nowhere.

When you talk about the New England Patriots, it is inevitable that you talk about quarterback Tom Brady. But it would be a betonline scam to look past the Patriots’ 31^st ranked defense entering this AFC Championship game. The Baltimore Ravens’ defense is not the Denver Broncos. Brady and the Pats’ offense will not have carte-blanche over the Ravens like they did over the Broncos. The only question is whether the Ravens’ offense has enough to bowl over the 31^st ranked defense in the league. If the Ravens play this one right, then it could be in its second Super Bowl.

Pick: Baltimore Ravens

NFC Championship: New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers (-2)

The New York Giants are a difficult team to predict. The key to winning this game for New York is to protect the football and cause turnovers. The bookie software has the 49ers as slight favorites, but that is only because no one really knows what to expect from New York. The Giants appear to be as healthy as it can be going into the NFC Championship game and the Giants’ defense definitely has the players that can make plays on defense. The Giants need to make sure that quarterback Eli Manning does not give the ball away and that the New York defense does not give the 49ers’ offense any room to move.

For the 49ers, it is all about consistency. The 49ers post winning NFL scores because its offense and its defense are excellent at staying with the game plan. The 49ers offense is good on the line of scrimmage, at the linebacker level and in the defensive secondary. On offense, quarterback Alex Smith showed that he can make plays when he needs to, but it is unlikely that the 49ers will call on Smith to carry the game in the NFC Championship. More than likely, the 49ers will do what it has been doing all year which is run the ball and then ask Smith to get the ball downfield without turning it over. It is something Smith has done all season and something that he is very good at.

Online Betting Overview

The Montreal Canadiens are having a very strange season. Earlier in the year, the Canadiens used one of its assistant coaches as a scapegoat and fired him during the morning skate. Then the Canadiens fired head coach Jacques Martin and replaced him with Randy Cunneyworth. The pay per head sportsbook experts in Montreal ignored the Canadiens’ desperate need for a better direction and focused solely on the fact that Cunneyworth could not speak French. That seemed like a big deal to the Montreal press. Then the Canadiens’ traded Mike Cammalleri in the second intermission of a game and pulled him from the locker room. Strange things are going on in Montreal.

The Capitals have not had an easier time this year. The Washington management tried to pin the team’s lack of success on head coach Bruce Boudreau and fired Boudreau earlier in the season. The problem is that rookie head coach Dale Hunter is not having any more success with the team than Boudreau did. But the sports bookie software is starting to notice a change in the Capitals that has not occurred with the Canadiens. Despite all of the personnel moves that Montreal has made, the Canadiens are still floundering in the basement of the Northeast Division. The Washington Capitals, on the other hand, is only one point out of first place in the Southeast Division.

Montreal Canadiens

The overriding problem in Montreal is not the coaching, even though the coaching staff has been taking the fall for the issues the team has been facing. A sportsbook.com review of the Canadiens’ roster shows small forwards and slow defensemen. Cammalleri was not traded because it made the team better, he was traded because he spoke out against the way the team was playing. Randy Cunneyworth is not going to have any success in Montreal so long as the Montreal front office remains more focused on the team’s image than the product on the ice. Goaltender Carey Price is struggling and the Canadiens cannot score goals. You need more than good coaching to solve those problems.

Washington Capitals

The Caps have suddenly come to life and seem to be responding to Dale Hunter’s system. In the last 10 games, Washington has gone 7-3-0 and that includes a three-game winning streak. But the Capitals are still being victimized by inconsistent goaltending. Tomas Vokoun was supposed to wrestle the starting job away from youngster Michal Neuvirth. Every time it seems like Vokoun has himself under control, he stumbles and Neuvirth needs to come in to save the day. That is something that the Capitals have seen before and it has hindered the team’s playoff success.

The Bottom Line

For all of its problems, the Washington Capitals are at least showing a glimmer of hope. The glimmer in Montreal is being clouded by insignificant bickering and decisions made based on emotion as opposed to what is best for the team.

Pick: Washington Capitals

It’s no BetOnline scam if you find your sportsbook to be hoops-heavy this week as basketball takes over the landscape until the NFL playoffs resume on the weekend. The Los Angeles Lakers will bookend the week, while a state rivalry brews in college hoops and a few interesting storylines converge in New York.

Monday – Mavericks Lakers Odds, 10:30 PM ET

Lamar Odom returns to Los Angeles after a messy offseason split with the Lakers, and some sportsbook.com reviews will point out that this is the first meeting for the two since the Mavericks steamrolled the Lakers in a sweep en route to the title. Kobe Bryant has scored 40 points or more in four straight games, so the Mavericks have to figure out a way to slow down the Lakers’ superstar.

Tuesday – Michigan State Michigan Odds, 7:00 PM ET

These two may have been looking forward to this game as the Spartans lost at Northwestern, while the Wolverines were stunned at Iowa. Still, players that work with sportsbook software should check out this rivalry game as the Big Ten is up for grabs; Ohio State isn’t running away with the conference like most people expected, so not only are bragging rights on the line, but a chance to move up in the Big Ten as well.

Wednesday – Suns Knicks Odds, 7:30 PM ET

This matchup is interesting because New York coach Mike D’Antoni is under fire due to his team’s ineffectiveness, and he is also a former coach of the Suns. Phoenix’s Steve Nash is probably the only player in the league that could help the Knicks out of their funk as New York is falling out of favor with those that work with price per head sports software.

Thursday – Lakers Heat Odds, 8:00 PM ET

The game of the week comes from Miami, where there will be a slew of stars on the court, even though the Heat could be without the injured Dwyane Wade. It’s always an occasion when Bryant and the Heat’s LeBron James are on the court at the same time, and this will be advertised as a possible NBA Finals preview.

Friday – Lakers Magic Odds, 8:00 PM ET

Finally, the Lakers end a tough week in Orlando, where the storyline will surround Dwight Howard. The big center has been rumored to be on his way to Los Angeles for a while now, but the Magic held fast with their trade demands and now Howard is reportedly off the table, although we’re they could be talked into a deal if the Lakers made an offer. The matchup in the middle between Howard and the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum should decide this sport betting contest.

In the midst of all of the allegations that have ripped in to the Syracuse basketball program over the past couple of months, nobody expected that the team would respond the way that it has. Rather than allow the controversy surrounding the events that took place at the school over the past decade break the team apart and create separation amongst the players, the Orange have responded with the strongest possibly display of team unity, and risen above the negativity to string together an incredible 18 straight wins to open their season as the top college basketball betting option in the country.

When it comes to sports betting, the longer a winning streak continues the more likely that players are to bet against it continuing, as all good things must eventually come to an end. So when the Orange took to the floor at The Pavilion in Villanova, Pennsylvania, by nature it was a game that people looked for them to falter in. Syracuse responded with a resounding 79-66 road win against a talented conference opponent, and while the win was significant for the fact that it extended their winning streak and moved them one game closer to a Big East title, there was much more to the game than it being just another win.

As sophomore Dion Waiters motioned to the crowd in Philadelphia, and they came alive with a standing ovation behind them, it was easy to forget that there was a big, blue V right at the middle of the court. The hundreds of Orange faithful that had made the trip to Villanova to watch the game showed the Syracuse players that they were right behind them ready to make sure they could get the job done, whether or not they were favorites or underdogs on the road in the eyes of the pay head bookies.

While the fans haven’t held back their support one bit this season, the other aspect of Waiters’ gesture is just as important, as it has to be noted he has been one of the team’s biggest surprises this year with his strong performance. Waiters came off the bench to score 20 points in a return to his home city, going 8-for-13 shooting, and he has flourished this season for the Orange off of the bench. James Sutherland added 18 for Syracuse off the bench, as they continue to show their depth. One of the most important aspects of this Orange team is the ability to turn to the hot hand and run with them, and they will only continue to get better.

According to the sites listed on the sportsbook reviews, it’s unlikely that the Orange will be considered underdogs soon, and they won’t go undefeated forever. Finding them in a tough spot as substantial favorites against a worthy opponent could lead to a big score, just beware of how talented this team truly is, as they continue to roll at 18-0.

The Syracuse Orange set a college basketball betting record yesterday, when they became the first team to receive 60 votes from writers and media, to be named the top seed on the AP 25 poll. Currently, the Orange own a record of 17 wins and no losses, making them an obvious choice for the top seed in the country. However, are the Syracuse Orange really the best team in the nation, or have they been the price per head beneficiaries of a soft schedule? Today we’ll look at Syracuse and a few other teams that deserve top recognition.

As a result of having not only the most wins of any team in the AP 25 polls but also being one of only three remaining undefeated teams, the Syracuse Orange received 60 of a possible 65 first place votes by the AP 25 poll organizers. The other two teams that remain undefeated are the fourth ranked Baylor Bears and the 15^th ranked Murray State Racers. The preseason number one team in the nation, the North Carolina Tar Heels, received the other five first place votes, but ultimately are third in the nation, as the Kentucky Wildcats finished with more votes for second place.

When looking at the top 5 teams in the AP Polls, bookie software makers, can’t be surprised which five teams made the cut, as all five it could be argued are elite programs. But with that being said, you could also make an argument, that four of the top five seeds, could easily be put in the top seed overall. Meaning to say, why did Syracuse win by such a landslide when being nominated to repeat as the top seed for another consecutive week?

On the one hand, some may argue, that the Syracuse Orange are the leading vote receivers, based on the fact the NCAA feels sorry for the program, after they had a scandal earlier in the season. For those unfamiliar with the situation, former Syracuse assistant coach Bernie Fine was accused of similar crimes against children, that Penn State former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was accused of. As a result, many people believed that the Orange program might be tarnished. Instead, the Orange are the best program in the nation, thus making us wonder, do they really need anyone’s sympathy for such a high ranking in the AP polls?

The other argument, as we alluded to earlier, was that Syracuse might have been the beneficiaries of an easy schedule thus far in their season. For example, in only two of their first 17 games, the Orange faced a ranked opponent. When they faced ninth ranked Florida, Syracuse only won by four points. Then when they faced 20^th ranked Marquette, they only won by seven points. Over the course of the next two months, the Orange will face much tougher competition, as conference play and the conference tournaments get underway. In theory, if Syracuse really is the truth, they will be able to go undefeated the rest of the way, similar to the Ohio State Buckeyes of a year ago, who finished an NBA best 36 and two, despite not winning the National Title.

Online Sportsbooks Overview

The Green Bay Packers expect to win whenever it steps on the field. This isn’t just a matter of supreme confidence. When you listen to the Packers talk, you can hear how cocky they really are. As defending Super Bowl champions, the Packers have earned the right to be cocky. But the thing that makes the Packers different is that it is a hard-working and cocky team. The Packers take nothing for granted. It is well-coached and it is a talented football team. But it has some serious holes in its armor that need to be addressed if the Packers are going to successfully defend its title. The Packers are one major injury away from being an average football team.

At the midway point of the season, the bookie software did not give the New York Giants great odds to make the playoffs much less compete for a spot in the NFC championship game. But each time that it looked like the Giants would fall into its old habits and start losing in the second half of the season, someone would step up and have a great game. If it wasn’t quarterback Eli Manning having a great game, then defensive lineman Jason Pierre-Paul would dominate the opposing offense. Towards the end of the season and in the playoffs, defensive lineman Justin Tuck was looking healthy and dangerous again. The price per head sports experts are now very wary of the potential that the Giants possess.

Green Bay Packers

Nothing seems to rattle the confidence of the Green Bay Packers. When quarterback Aaron Rodgers was asked about the team’s only loss this season which occurred in week 15 to the Kansas City Chiefs, he did not display any of the dejected or panicked mannerisms that everyone was expecting. The Packers know how to win and it is expected that the team will win. Last season, the Packers dragged an injured and inadequate defense into the playoffs and won the Super Bowl. This year, the Green Bay Packers expect to do the exact same thing.

New York Giants

A wagerweb review of Eli Manning’s season shows that he set a record for most touchdown passes in the fourth quarter with 15. The Giants have slowly developed this resolve to never give up and that resolve was used to completely shut down the Atlanta Falcons’ offense in the wild card round of the playoffs. Manning is throwing accurate passes and the New York Giants’ defense is playing some of the best football it has played in a long time. This is exactly the kind of momentum that the Giants would want to carry into a playoff game against the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Bottom Line

Even the MMA blog writers want to pick the Giants in this game, but there is just something about the way that the Packers have shown the ability to win in big games that makes everyone stop and think. The Giants have all of the pieces it needs to pull off this upset, but it is highly unlikely that the Packers will allow that to happen.

Pick: Green Bay Packers

Even MMA blog writers have been surprised at Denver’s success this season, especially after they went all in with Tim Tebow, changing their offense to suit his skill set. But will it work for the AFC West champions on Sunday afternoon when they host a banged-up Pittsburgh team with plenty of playoff experience?

Pittsburgh Denver Odds – Sunday, 4:30 PM ET

The Steelers finished 12-4 in the AFC North, but a 5 Dimes review of their season would note that they lost to rival Baltimore twice, giving the Ravens the tiebreaker for the division title and dropping Pittsburgh to a fifth seed. In fact, all four of Pittsburgh’s losses came against division winners (Baltimore twice, Houston, San Francisco), and they did it with balance. The defense was the best in the league against the pass (players that work with sports bookie software will tell you how important that is in a pass-happy league like the NFL), and eighth against the run, but they were also 10^th offensively through the air and 14^th on the ground. Their major concerns are due to health as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has an ailing ankle and running back Rashard Mendenhall is out for the year because of a torn ACL.

This could play right into the hands of the Broncos, who were one of three 8-8 teams in the West, but they somehow won because of the tiebreak. Denver switched to a zone-read option offense to fit with Tebow, and while they are first in the league in rushing, they’re 31^st through the air and with each passing attempt, Denver’s profile will probably go lower in the eyes of those that purchase pay head systems. The defense was the key to their midseason surge, but they’ve allowed 32 points or more in three of the last five games (including two of 40 points or more) and rookie Von Miller has struggled mightily after receiving surgery on his thumb.

Pittsburgh is a 9-point favorite on the road in Denver, where four of their last five meetings against the Broncos since 2003 have taken place, and the Steelers are 2-3 SU and 3-2 ATS in those games with three games going over the posted total. Both of Pittsburgh’s wins came in Denver, and they have enough veterans to know how to pace themselves in the altitude of Mile High Stadium. Pittsburgh’s defense is going to have a field day with Denver’s offense as they’re fast and strong enough to deal with the option, and if Tebow starts to throw the ball, it’s all over. Meanwhile, Denver’s defense isn’t as good as they played in the middle of the season and the Steelers should be able to win comfortably. Pick the Steelers on the road in your Super Bowl betting picks this weekend.

Online Betting Overview

There is something about the way that the New Jersey Devils play on the road that always has opponents concerned. In its last 10 games, the Devils are 7-2-1 but that does include an overtime loss on the road. But the Devils are a different team this year than last year. Jacques Lemaire is not behind the bench and it does not look like he will be ever again. That is just fine for the Devils because whatever Lemaire taught them last season seems to have stuck, somewhat. At this point last season, Lemaire had been behind the New Jersey bench for two weeks and the team was climbing out of obscurity. This season, under Peter DeBoer, the Devils sit in seventh place and are right in the middle of a playoff race. What a difference a year makes.

The Boston Bruins remain a defensive juggernaut with Zdeno Chara on defense and Tim Thomas in goal. According to the price per head sports experts, the Bruins have given up only 68 goals this season in 35 games played. The only other team that is even close to that kind of defensive play is the New York Rangers who have given up 79 goals in 37 games played. The Bruins struggled a little out of the gate, but it has turned up the heat and has become one of the price per head bookie favorites to win the Eastern Conference title this year.

New Jersey Devils

The Devils love to play that slow game that relies on the trap and the ageless skills of goaltender Martin Brodeur. But the Devils are finding that playing defense with an aging group that is slowing down is not easy when the rest of the league is picking up the pace. What has saved the Devils this season is that it has been able to keep games close while also scoring a little more than last year. Guys like Ilya Kovalchuk are starting to contribute a little more consistently than last season. The Devils will need to pick up the scoring pace if it wants to go deep into the playoffs, but the Devils’ style of play is perfect for playing a team like the Bruins. The patience that the Devils have will allow New Jersey to stand toe-to-toe with Boston in this game.

Boston Bruins

A sportsbook.com review of the Bruins’ season shows that the Bruins can score goals as well as prevent them. The Bruins have 123 goals scored in 35 games played, which puts Boston in the top-half of the league in goal production. The Bruins are a potent combination of defense and scoring that one would expect from a Stanley Cup champion.

The Bottom Line

NHL fans that are expecting a boring, defensive struggle in this game are going to be disappointed. This will be a hard-hitting game that will be a lot of fun to watch but probably won’ be too much fun to play. The Bruins’ ability to play defense and offense simultaneously is what gives Boston an edge over New Jersey in this contest.

Pick: Boston Bruins