Redskibs Baseball Betting News

<< Sabres reach 2-year deal with RW Patrick Kaleta
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -Right wing Patrick Kaleta gave up an opportunity to go to arbitration by agreeing to a two-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres.Terms were not immediately available, but Kaleta was expected to earn a raise over the $522,000 he m

<< Earthquakes hope to shake up West against L.A.
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Jose slumped into the World Cup break last month on a three-game winless streak, but the Earthquakes have resembled their early-season form since Major League Soccer resumed in late June. In addition to tw

<< Timberwolves make Ridnour signing official
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Timberwolves officially announced the signing of guard Luke Ridnour on Wednesday. According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Ridnour agreed to a four-year deal worth close to $16 millio

<< Lukas has Mine That Bird work at Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird put in a one-mile workout Wednesday morning at Saratoga Race Course. The four-year-old gelding is being readied for a start in the Whitney Handicap next mo

Sabres sign Kaleta, avoid arbitration >>
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Buffalo Sabres have agreed to terms with winger Patrick Kaleta on a two-year contract. Kaleta had been scheduled for an arbitration hearing later this month. The 24-year-old scored a career-high

NL Central: All eyes now on Oswalt >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With a 38-56 record and a 14-game deficit to make up in the National League Central standings, it's safe to say the Houston Astros aren't going anywhere this season. But will Roy Oswalt? With the Seattle Mariners having sh

Nolan Ryan lobbies for auction of Texas Rangers >>
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -Nolan Ryan is urging a bankruptcy judge to auction off the Texas Rangers on Aug. 4 as planned, saying a delay could hurt the team and maybe even cost them slugger Josh Hamilton.The Hall of Fame pitcher testified Wednesday in

76ers sign free agent Battie >>
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -The Philadelphia 76ers have signed free-agent center Tony Battie.Team president Ed Stafanski said Wednesday that the 76ers want Battie to provide frontcourt depth and a ``veteran presence'' for younger players.Terms of his contrac

Football Betting

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

The 2008 NFL betting lines season is almost upon us! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well. Join sportbook today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLIII and beyond!

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