Can favored Blackhawks come through with Cup?

Hockey Betting Lines

05/25/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sometimes a team has to be very bad before it can climb to the top of the mountain. Look at the Pittsburgh Penguins. They finished last or next-to-last in the two seasons surrounding the lockout and by 2008 were representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals. Obviously selecting Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby in back-to-back drafts accelerated the process, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to rebuild from the bottom up.

The Chicago Blackhawks were in the same boat as Pittsburgh, finishing in last place in the Western Conference in the 2003-04 season. However, unlike the Penguins, they still finished last in the Central Division three years later.

The Blackhawks missed the playoffs again the following campaign, but along the way drafted Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane to put them in position to challenge for Lord Stanley's Cup as the decade came to an end.

Many experts predicted great things this season, after Chicago reached the Western Conference Finals in 2008-09, and they were right. By the end of the Olympic break, the Blackhawks were the 2-1 favorites to represent the West in the Stanley Cup Finals.

They failed to get the conference's number one seed over San Jose, but still finished the regular season with 112 points, only one point behind the Sharks. They also ranked third in the league in scoring with 271 goals and fifth in goals allowed at 209.

After disposing Nashville, Vancouver and San Jose in the postseason, the Blackhawks have home ice vs. Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup Finals. However, they are only 5-3 at United Center in the postseason. That statistic could come back to haunt them if faced with a must-win situation in a possible game seven.

THE EASTERN CONFERENCE REPRESENTATIVE

Chicago has earned the right to be favored vs. Philadelphia, but favorites don't always hoist the Cup. Just ask the Detroit Red Wings who were beaten just last season by the Penguins.

Balanced scoring and the addition of Chris Pronger catapulted the Flyers from first-round losers in 2009 to Cup finalists in 2010. In fact, many prognosticators, including yours truly, predicted the Flyers to represent the Eastern Conference before the season began.

However, multiple goalie injuries and uninspired play plagued the club for most of the year. So much so that making the playoffs was not even a foregone conclusion. The oddsmakers even labeled them the sixth choice at 12-1 to win the East heading into March.

On the verge of being left out of the postseason, the Flyers rallied for a shootout victory over the Rangers on the final day of the regular season, securing the seventh-seed and a date with the New Jersey Devils.

Even though they were heavy underdogs, the Flyers were a confident bunch, especially since they had tremendous regular season success vs. New Jersey, beating Martin Brodeur and the Devils five of the six meetings. Philadelphia proceeded to win the series in five games.

The Flyers then faced Boston due to Montreal's upset of Washington.

Down three games to none, they bounced back with a miraculous comeback nailing the seventh game 4-3 after trailing 3-0. From there, they made easy work of the Canadiens, winning that series in five.

WHO HAS THE EDGE?

Chicago has been installed as the heavy favorite to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, bettors must wager $250 to win $100 if they pick Chicago to win the series.

On the surface, that line looks way too high but considering where each team was seeded in postseason play, it's obvious which club has the superior profile. In addition, the Flyers have yet to play a team with such a high- powered offense as Chicago. The Devils, Bruins and Canadiens were all offensively-challenged and Philadelphia took advantage by allowing just 36 goals in only 17 games.

Taking on the Blackhawks will be an entirely new confrontation. Joel Quenneville's squad scored four goals or more in eight of their last 12 "second season" contests. Will Flyers goalie Michael Leighton, who has been outstanding in the postseason, be able to withstand the pressure?

He did beat Chicago in the only meeting this year, saving 39 of 41 shots in a 3-2 home win on March 13. That was the contest in which Chris Pronger scored the game-winning goal with only three seconds remaining.

Both Chicago (Duncan Keith) and Philadelphia (Pronger) have a rock on defense, capable of seeing 30 minutes of action per game. The Blackhawks mostly played five defensemen against San Jose as Jordan Hendry saw fewer than 10 minutes in all four matchups. On the other side, Ryan Parent and Lukas Krajicek played a little over 20 minutes combined in the final two Eastern Conference Final games.

Offensively, each team has three scoring lines capable of putting pucks in the net. Six Chicago players have scored at least four playoff goals, and Marian Hossa, who has only two, can break out at any time. Seven different Flyers have scored at least four as well, while two more players have three.

Both squads have excellent special teams so it's hard to give either side the edge on the power play.

In between the pipes, both Antti Niemi and Michael Leighton have been outstanding in the postseason.

Niemi is 12-4 with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. He was instrumental in holding the Sharks to just seven goals in four games - twice facing 45 shots or more.

Leighton, since coming in to replace the injured Brian Boucher, has allowed only 11 goals in seven-plus games for a 1.45 GAA and a spectacular .948 save percentage. But once again, those contests came against the likes of Boston and Montreal.

For the Flyers to upset Chicago they need their defense to help out Leighton by blocking as many shots as possible and giving him square looks on the shooters. Philadelphia will not be able to win the high-scoring games.

For the Blackhawks to be successful, they must wear down Philadelphia's defense with the likes of Dustin Byfuglien, Troy Brouwer and Ben Eager throwing their weight around in the offensive zone.

Both teams are well-coached, so don't expect either squad to show signs of cracking under the pressure.

Four of the last six Stanley Cup Finals have been stretched to seven games and this one should be no different. Since Philadelphia is the heavy underdog, go with the Flyers to come away with a 3-2 victory in the seventh and final game, bringing the Stanley Cup back to Broad Street for the first time since 1975.

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2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds

The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year.

Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.”

“ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.”

MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards:

Odds to win the Achievement in Directing:

Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1

Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17

Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1

Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1

Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:

Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1

Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1

Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5

Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1

Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:

Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1

Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1

Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50

Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1

Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1

Best Animated Feature Film:

"Cars": 1/3

"Happy Feet": 2/1

"Monster House": 20/1

Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year:

"Water" – Canada: 22/1

"The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2

"After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1

"Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1

"Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10

Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film:

"Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5

"Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2

"Helmer & Son": 5/2

"The Saviour": 6/1

"West Bank Story": 7/2

Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay:

"Babel": 7/4

"Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1

"Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20

"Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4

"The Queen": 5/4

Best Motion Picture of the Year:

"Babel": 11/4

"The Departed": 1/2

"Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2

"Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10

"The Queen": 20/1

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10

Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1

Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1

Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5

Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:

Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1

Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1

Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1

Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8

Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1

Film To Win Most Oscars:

Dreamgirls: 2/3

Pans Labyrinth: 6/5

The Departed: 6/1

The Queen: 11/1

Babel: 15/1

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1

Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1


Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.