Astros, Cubs wrap set at Wrigley Field

Baseball Betting Lines

09/08/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Astros have to be thinking about returning home for an extended period of time. But first they have to take care of business in the Windy City, as the Astros shoot for a series win over the Chicago Cubs tonight in the finale of a three-game set from Wrigley Field.

The Astros will begin a 10-game homestand following Wednesday's tilt with the NL Central-rival Cubs and are coming off last night's 7-3 win in which outfielder Michael Bourn contributed three hits, including a triple, three RBI and two runs scored. Brett Wallace homered for Houston, which rebounded from Monday's series-opening loss to win for the sixth time in eight tries.

Nelson Figueroa turned in five solid innings on the hill, allowing six hits and three runs while fanning five and walking three for the win. The righty threw 111 pitches, 76 for strikes.

"Figgy worked through those five innings, but had to use a lot of pitches to do it," Astros manager Brad Mills said.

Before the 'Stros close out a six-game trek through Arizona and Chicago, Brett Myers will toe the Wrigley rubber this evening with hopes of continuing his career dominance of the Cubs. Myers is 2-0 in three starts against them this season and 9-3 with a 2.38 earned run average in 16 lifetime matchups (12 starts) with Chicago.

The right-hander has won his last two decisions, but did not factor in the outcome of Friday's 4-3 loss at the Diamondbacks. Myers allowed three runs, seven hits and walked three batters over six innings to remain at 10-7 this season with a 3.02 ERA in 28 starts. He is only 4-7 in 16 road starts in his first season with the Astros.

Chicago entered Tuesday's second portion of this series having won four of five games. However, starter Carlos Silva wasn't so sharp in his first action since August 1 because of a heart condition and was touched for six runs and nine hits in five innings of work.

"It's late, but you hope he'll go through more activity and his arm strength will be better," Cubs manager Mike Quade said of Silva.

Tyler Colvin finished with two hits and a pair of RBI, while Marlon Byrd drove in the other run for the Cubs, who will hit the road for nine games against Milwaukee, St. Louis and Florida after hosting the Astros.

Randy Wells will try to send Chicago on the road in positive fashion when takes the mound Wednesday. Wells is 6-12 with a 4.56 earned run average in 28 starts this season and is coming off a no-decision versus the New York Mets last Friday. In the 7-6 victory at home, Wells allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Wells, a righty, is just 1-5 in his past six decisions and looks to build on his 3-7 home mark in 16 starts. He has lost both matchups with the Astros this season and owns a 2-2 record in five career starts against them.

Houston has got the better of the Cubs for much of this season, having taken nine of 14 meetings between the clubs in 2010.

Gamblingriverboat Baseball Betting News

<< Angels try to avoid rare sweep at hands of Indians
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Angels haven't been swept by Cleveland at home in more than a decade. They'll try to avoid that distinction tonight in the finale of a three-game series from the Big A. Anaheim was previously swept in this series from

<< Injury-riddled White Sox resume set in Detroit
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Injuries are starting to pile up for the Chicago White Sox. Today, the short-handed White Sox will continue their push towards the postseason, as they play the third installment of a four-game series against the

<< Orioles aim for rare sweep of Yanks in the Bronx
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Baltimore Orioles have been the worst team in the American League all season. Today, though, the Orioles will have a chance to do something against the best team in baseball that they haven't done in more than 2

<< Red Sox, Rays ready for rubber match at Fenway
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tim Wakefield gets the call on short notice this evening when the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays play the rubber match of their three-game series at Fenway Park. After getting blown out in the opener of this set

<< Mets to wrap up long trip with matinee against Nats
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Apparently, winning four straight games just isn't the Washington Nationals' thing. After failing to win more than three games in a row for the seventh time this season, Washington instead seeks a series victory over the N

Rangers hope to lasso win over Jays up north >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Texas Rangers are doing their best to give away the lead in the American League West. Luckily for them, though, nobody else seems to want it. Tonight, the Rangers try to snap a five-game losing streak when they co

Twins close out homestand with Royals >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Twins will close out another successful home stand this evening, when the American League Central leaders take aim at a series sweep of the Kansas City Royals at Target Field. The Twins have gone 7-1 thus far

Rockies continue late playoff push against Reds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With the Colorado Rockies making a belated push for a playoff spot, Carlos Gonzalez has been enhancing his credentials for a possible National League MVP Award with his performance over the past few weeks. Gonzalez puts a

Padres go for sweep of LA >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The San Diego Padres were in serious danger of falling out of first place in the National League's West Division, but a couple of games against the fading Los Angeles Dodgers seems to have gotten the surprising squad back on

FCS championship game tickets to go on sale >>
Frisco, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tickets to 2010 Football Championship Subdivision title game will go on sale at 10 a.m. CT on Monday, Sept. 13. The championship game will be played Jan. 7, 2011 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. Tickets will be av

Betting the NFL preseason

Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."

When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules. 

The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.

The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.

“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”

The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.

“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”

The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.

“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”

Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.

“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."

So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?

“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.

Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.

Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.

Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.

“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.

Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.

The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.

“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.

Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.

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