Fabiano signs Sevilla extension

Soccer Betting Lines

08/30/2010 - Seville, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luis Fabiano pledged his future to Sevilla through June 2013 on Monday when he signed a two-year contract extension, which brings to an end any speculation about a move away from the club.

Fabiano's previous contract was set to run out in June 2011, but since joining the club from FC Porto in 2005, he has developed into a prolific goalscorer while helping Sevilla win two UEFA Cups, a pair of Copa del Rey titles, and two European and Spanish Super Cups.

A number of big clubs across Europe were reportedly interested in the 29-year- old Brazil international, but he is now focused on getting Sevilla back into the Champions League.

"My first objective is to continue scoring goals," he told the club's official website, "and after be in the Champions League next season and win a title, which is very nice."

Pokerbattel Soccer Betting News

<< Wie up to seventh in world rankings
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michelle Wie's victory Sunday at the Canadian Women's Open vaulted the 20-year-old up to No. 7 in this week's world rankings. Wie, who collected her second LPGA Tour win, moved up five spots this wee

<< Ibrahimovic completes Milan move
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic completed his season-long loan move to AC Milan on Monday after passing a medical. Ibrahimovic will spend the upcoming season with Milan, which will then have the option

<< Monty did fine, though Ryder Cup system is flawed
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Monty couldn't win. There were five players vying for three spots on the European Ryder Cup team. Technically, there might have been six golfers for three spots, after Colin Montgomerie himself floated Ber

<< Ronaldo to miss three weeks with ankle injury
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to miss the next three weeks because of an ankle problem, the club confirmed on Monday. The 25-year-old Ronaldo sustained the injury in Real's 0-0 dr

<< Arizona Cardinals 2010 Season Preview
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With Kurt Warner having ridden off into the glorious sunset of retirement, the Arizona Cardinals were planning on once again handing Matt Leinart the keys to the Porsche. But as he has done twice before, Leinart is already

Baggies add Scharner on free transfer >>
West Bromwich, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - West Bromwich announced the signing of Paul Scharner on a two-year contract on Monday. The 30-year-old Scharner joined on a free transfer after leaving Wigan at the end of last season, and Baggie

Kuchar up to 10th in world rankings >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Kuchar's playoff victory Sunday over Martin Laird at The Barclays vaulted Kuchar up to 10th in this week's world golf rankings. Kuchar jumped up 13 places to his highest-ever ranking. Tiger Wo

Missouri running back charged with sexual assault >>
Columbia, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suspended Missouri running back Derrick Washington has been charged with deviate sexual assault. The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that official charges were filed Monday. Washington had been suspen

Silvestre joins Bremen on two-year deal >>
Bremen, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Werder Bremen announced on Monday that the club has completed the signing of French defender Mikael Silvestre on a free transfer. The 33-year-old Silvestre was left without a club after he departed Arsen

Richard's Kid joins top 10 with Pacific Classic win >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Richard's Kid's second straight win of the Pacific Classic catapulted him into 10th place in this week's NTRA National Thoroughbred Poll. The five-year-old had not received one vote the previous week.

How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

Betting Football

NFL Football Betting Online

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.