By Kevin Taylor

Handicapping Tips for Baseball - Travel is an important part of sports handicapping and with baseball’s lengthy schedule bettors need to stay ahead of the curve to gain an advantage. Several eastern based teams are still yet to play an extended west coast trip in 2009 so I thought we’d have a look at how to scout at spots where baseball bettors can find good opportunities for profits.

When it comes to discussing what factors are most important for breaking down a game, the sports betting public for the four major North American sports will argue up and down over things such as coaching, injuries, and trends – and never come to an agreement. There is one common denominator that everyone can usually agree on, though, at least to some degree, and that is travel.

For NFL betting purposes, early body clock games are often the first thing circled when the schedule is released in April. Basketball and hockey bettors look for back-to-back situations and 3-in-4 spots to back or bet against a team. And then there’s baseball betting.

Factoring travel into a 162-game Major League Baseball schedule takes an entirely different approach than what will work for any of the three other sports. With teams playing nearly every single day and bettors having access to overnight lines from online sportsbooks, handicappers looking to gain an edge need to be aware of the general mood surrounding a team well ahead of the spot where travel can be a major issue.

One way to help setup for placing wagers on sides or totals for a team that you follow is to circle lengthy road trips or abnormal travel situations well in advance and keep that team on your radar screen in the games leading up to the trip. Make sure you check the odds with a respected online sportsbook, like SPORTSBETTING.com.

Between the five California teams and the Seattle Mariners, ball clubs from the right side of the country can sometimes face a demanding travel itinerary since schedule makers tend to bunch these west coast swings into a package to cut down on the back and forth travel. Looking at the odds at SPORTSBETTING.com, you can often find some good baseball lines to bet when using travel to handicap.

Let’s use the Tampa Bay Rays for an example. After shocking the baseball world by winning the AL East last season, the Rays started off 2008 in a fashion that baseball fans were much more accustomed to. Tampa did face some tough competitors but when the Rays embarked on a nine-game road during the last part of April it looked as if there was going to be some value for the sports betting public going against Tampa.

Tampa lost all three series on that trip, losing twice each at Seattle, Anaheim and Minnesota. Betting against Tampa in all nine games of that trip would have yielded a profit of 5.8 units and while blinding fading a team game in and game out is not a strategy recommended by any professional gambler, the odds were in the home teams favor throughout the trip.

Perhaps the Rays learned something and will be better prepared for their next west coast swing in early August. At this point of the year, though, baseball bettors can still benefit from scanning schedules for teams that are yet to make an extended trip west.

The Baltimore Orioles are a prime candidate. The O’s are enjoying back-to-back series wins right now and have a four-game home stand on deck this weekend vs. Detroit. After that Baltimore will pack its bags for Seattle where they will play three games, take a day off and then head down the coast for three against Oakland.

Minus the Texas Rangers, the AL West has a very pedestrian home record in 2009 but Seattle and Oakland are both shooting towards better overall seasons than they had in 2008. Catching an Oriole team on its first extended west coast swing could be just what the M’s and A’s need to sway the tide up towards the coveted .500 mark.

The O’s are only 5-10 away from home in May but a decent performance against Detroit could set the table for some acceptable odds on the host team when Baltimore visits.

Check the baseball lines your online sportsbooks early and be sure to consider travel as a major factor when handicapping and making your picks.

Author: Kevin Taylor is a veteran sports handicapper and student of the sports betting world. He has written for several media outlets, focusing on sports, sports betting and online poker.

This three-game series began Monday night with Florida winning 5-3 despite Howard hitting two homers, doubling his total from his first 20 home games. He's still batting just .225 at home this season, but that's far from the worst among the Phillies. Jimmy Rollins is hitting .213 there, Shane Victorino is at .211, and Jayson Werth .188.

Andrew Miller, who will start for Florida, is 0-5 with a 9.73 ERA in 10 road games since winning on June 16. The lefthander is 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA in seven games against the Phillies.

Philadelphia counters with Joe Blanton. He's 0-2 with an 8.87 ERA in four home starts after going 3-0 with a 3.48 ERA in eight outings in Philadelphia last year.

For more details about MLB Betting check out Baseball odds.

By Kevin Taylor

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a tough spot, something not many predicted. When the NBA playoff odds first came out for this series, the Cavaliers were huge favourites and most online sportsbooks reported taking very little action on the underdog Orlando Magic.

Now the sports betting public who backed Lebron James and the Cavaliers are starting to sweat. Cleveland is playing Game 4 on the road, off a loss as a 1.5-point underdog in Game 3. If they lose Tuesday night and go down 3-1, this will be a very, very difficult road to come back and win.

However, a win for the Cavs in this critical game gives them new life and will put the Magic in a defensive position. Orlando and the bettors who backed them will have to feel like an opportunity has been lost if they head back to Cleveland tied 2-2. They are a desperation Lebron 3-point shot away from being up 3-0 and looking to close the series out at home in a sweep...but King James hit that amazing shot at the end of Game 2 to pull out an improbable victory for the Cavs.

Currently, online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com has the NBA odds on this game listed at Pick’em with an Over/Under number of 188.5.

Handicapping this game, the big issue for Cleveland is finding a way to stop the Magic’s frontcourt from dominating, which means Lebron is left on his own to combat them.

This Magic team boasts impressive scoring depth and when they get hot, forget about it. And how good is Hedo Turkoglu. He has the size of a power forward, he can move the ball around like a point guard and we know he can shoot the lights out. But even when he isn’t able to contribute as much with points, he creates matchup issues for Cleveland.

There are plenty of great NBA playoff prop bets available at sports betting sites. Bettors can wager on how many points Lebron will score, head-to-head matchups between Lebron and Howard, and other players, as well you can bet on the number of rebounds, assists, fouls, etc.....whatever you can think of, online sportsbooks have listed as betting propositions. SPORTSBETTING.com has one of the largest and most diverse NBA prop betting menu board of any online sportsbook.

Looking at where the money is going on this game, bettors are pretty evenly split with the early volume. SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting 54% coming in on the Cavaliers. The best way for them to win might be for Lebron to only have 25 points, but get him focused on defending more and taking double teams with the intent of dishing off. Even if he does get more fatigued due to the additional defensive responsibilities, it might be the best way to go.

I’m looking at playing the Cavs at pick’em to tie the game up.

Good luck with your betting on this game.

Author: Kevin Taylor is a veteran sports handicapper and student of the sports betting world. He has written for several media outlets, focusing on sports, sports betting and online poker.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- While the jockey status of Kentucky Derby winner and Preakness runner-up Mine that Bird remained in limbo, some other key jockey assignments for the Belmont Stakes were firmed up Friday morning. John Velazquez will ride Dunkirk and Garrett Gomez has taken the call on Chocolate Candy.

The ownership trio of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Susan Magnier, along with trainer Todd Pletcher, chose Velazquez over Gomez and Edgar Prado, both of whom had ridden Dunkirk previously. Velazquez won the 2007 Belmont for those connections aboard the filly Rags to Riches. Gomez had chosen to ride Pioneerof the Nile over Dunkirk in the Kentucky Derby, but Pletcher said that didn't play a role in the decision to ride Velazquez. Dunkirk finished 11th in the Derby under Edgar Prado.

"We didn't look any further other than we were just trying to figure out what our best chance to win the Belmont was," Pletcher said. "We got a lot of history with Johnny and have had success in this particular race and success in a lot of other big races. Close call; they're all three great riders."

Gomez, meanwhile, picked up Chocolate Candy, who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby. Gomez worked Chocolate Candy six furlongs in 1:13.47 on Monday at Belmont and told his agent, Ron Anderson, that he liked the way the colt finished.

The Indianapolis 500 is set to run this weekend and here are some notable odds:

Defending champ Scott Dixon is listed as the odds-on at +350,

Danica Patrick is listed at +1000 and

Helio Castroneves is listed at +400.

The race goes this Sunday.

By Chad Rogers

May 21 – The sports betting world was tuned in to the Staples Center in LA on Tuesday night, as Game 1 of the Western Conference Final in the NBA playoffs tipped off.

The NBA odds at online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com had the Denver Nuggets listed as a 6.5-point underdog all day before the line moved to +7 by game time. Right from the opening minutes it was clear the Nuggets were going to be a tough opponent for the Lakers to deal with. They came out hard and had more energy than LA for the first part of the match.

It was clear that Denver bettors were going to have a good night, as LA constantly had to battle to stay close. But in the end, the Lakers weren’t able to payoff for those who bet on them. They did win with some heroics late in the game by Kobe Bryant, but they only won by two (105-103) but did not cover the spread.

Those of you who are into sports betting and looking at the NBA odds for playoff betting on Game 2, obviously the big question is who will cover the points in this next game. I was looking at some great sports betting information at the SB blog, talking about the games.

Personally, I think Denver just played their best road game and although they didn’t win, again, for sports betting purposes, they did their job by covering the spread. Can they cover the spread in this next game? The NBA line is currently sitting at the Lakers as 5.5-point favorites at SPORTSBETTING.com.

Star Carmelo Anthony, who had been averaging under 15 points per game against LA in regular season matchups, came out and proved that he can and will be a big-time playoff performer. “Melo” scored 39 points, but it still wasn’t quite enough. As well, Kobe outdid him by one, scoring 40 points.

This should be another great game, but if Denver doesn’t come out with the same energy and same focus, it is going to be tough to stay within the pointspread. The Lakers are 7-1 straight up so far at home in the playoffs. I see them winning this game to go to 2-0 and I don’t think it will be as close as Game 1. The Lakers got their scare and now they should look after business in this next game. They might lose out on the road when they go to Denver, but the close call on Tuesday should inspire them to play hard from the start.

So I’m going to put in an NBA bet in on the LA Lakers in Game 2, laying the -5.5 points. Over/Under betting: well, you are on your own as I don’t have a feel for the Total at all.

Looking for great NBA odds? Check out my favorite online sportsbook, SPORTSBETTING.com.

You also might want to check out more NBA betting articles by me if you liked this one.

Good luck with all your NBA betting.

Author: Chad Rogers has been an avid follower and handicapper of North American sports for over 20 years and has written about sports and sports betting for the last decade. Chad specializes in articles focused on the NFL, NFL betting and overall "how-to" handicapping articles.

Nikolai Khabibulin will be looking to backstop the Chicago Blackhawks to a win in the Western Conference final tonight–evening his team up with the Detroit Red Wings in the process.

However, Khabibulin hasn’t done well in the Motor City.

In his last nine games in Detroit, the “Bulin Wall” has cracked, going 2-7 SU but 6-3 on the Over/Under at the same time.

The ‘Hawks are listed at +175 with the Total set at 5.5.

he NHL’s Eastern Conference final begins tonight with the Carolina Hurricanes and the Pittsburgh Penguins with the Pens listed at -200 and the Total set at 5.5.

In Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s last five home games against the ‘Canes, he has gone 0-5 on the Over/Under.

For more Details about sports betting check out NFL betting

Johan Santana has been good for the New York Mets going 4-2 with a miniscule ERA of 0.78.

The Mets are in San Francisco to play a four-game set against the Giants with Santana going in Game 2 on Saturday.

Santana is 7-5 in his last 12 Saturday games.

The defending champion Boston Celtics are still alive and kicking and going into Game 6 against the Orlando Magic, they are listed as a 6.5-point underdog.

The Celtics can advance to the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavs with a win tonight.

In the last 20 games when a ‘dog of 8-points or less, Boston is 14-5-1 ATS.

By Chad Rogers

May 13 - The Miami Dolphins and Jason Taylor have kissed and made up after a one-year break. After making “Dancing With the Stars” his focus in the 2007 off-season, new boss Bill Parcells wasn’t impressed and made his focus shipping Taylor out of town.

JT landed in Washington last season (traded for a second round pick) but never really got healthy enough to make an impact (big surprise that another high profile addition didn’t work out for the Redskins). The ex-Pro Bowler signed on with the Phins on May 13, agreeing to a one year 1.5 million dollar contract.

While he clearly isn’t the same player who won the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2006, Taylor can be a productive performer for the Fish this year.

Online sportsbooks have the Dolphins listed at NFL Future odds of 55-1 all the way to 70-1.

SPORTSBETTING.com has them listed at 60-1 for Super Bowl odds and 10-1 odds to win the AFC East division. They reported that money showed up on the Dolphins to win their division and some sports bettors put in longshot wagers on Miami to win the AFC and even grab the Super Bowl.

“As soon as the news broke that Taylor was back in the fold down in Miami, we saw Dolphin bets coming in. They had a real breakthrough year in 2008 so it looks like bettors think they are close to being a real contender in their division...and Jason Taylor can help them, so with the relatively longshot NFL future odds, bettors see value” said a SPORTSBETTING.com sportsbook manager.

Throughout the next few months as the new NFL season approaches, sports betting on NFL future odds will move the lines around, as players start to sign with new teams and rosters begin to solidify.

Miami has added a legitimate pass rusher (if healthy) who can disrupt an offense...and all indications are Taylor wants to play for coach Tony Sparano. Don’t look for him to be an every down player in 2009, but that should increase his effectiveness when he does lineup.

Sports bettors should look for opportunities to play the Dolphins early in the schedule where they could have some value on the pointspread. They face a very tough schedule, which will obviously be a factor in their final record, but this is a team that can be worth a look as an underdog in the first month or so. Also, bettors look to play on them in September in their home games, as they have always been a good team to bet on early in the year at home. It is still very humid and HOT in South Florida in September and many teams can’t hold up to those conditions, giving Miami an edge.

Good luck with all your online NFL betting and future odds betting.

Author: Chad Rogers has been an avid follower and handicapper of North American sports for over 20 years and has written about sports and sports betting for the last decade. Chad specializes in articles focused on the NFL, NFL betting and overall "how-to" handicapping articles.

They didn’t cover the pointspread in Game 4 of their playoff series vs. the Atlanta Hawks, but they also didn’t cost their backers any money. The Cleveland Cavaliers pushed as 10-point favorites for sports bettors in their 84-74 win. The victory made it four straight games and a clean sweep for Lebron James and the NBA future odd favorites to win the Championship.

The sports betting world has been betting the Cavs heavily for their entire playoff run in 2009, and bettors have been getting a nice payoff by putting their money on Cleveland. Led by the league MVP James, they have covered the pointspread in each of their games before the final one vs. Atlanta.

That made it eight straight pointspread covers in the playoffs so far, as they swept both the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks.

The NBA odds and lines on the Cavaliers keep going higher, but the big odds haven’t scared away sports bettors.

Online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com reported 83% of all the sports betting volume wagered on Game 4 was on Cleveland. It was the sixth time this playoff year that over 80% of all the sports betting action on a Cleveland game was on the

Cavaliers side.

Now the playoff basketball odds on this team will be even higher when bettors look to put some money on them for future odds betting. They were already favored to win it al, and the betting action was tilted considerably in their direction, but with the dominating performance in the first two series, it is going to mean sports bettors have to pay a higher price if they want to keep betting on Cleveland.

Also, the Lebron James prop bets have been hitting as well. SPORTSBETTING.comonline sportsbooks, as bettors like to make additional wagers after the games have already started. They can bet on hundreds of different options throughout a typical NBA playoff game. NBA playoff betting has been up over last year according to many online sportsbooks. This can be attributed to the great matchups, plus options like “Live Betting” at SPORTSBETTING.com contribute as well.

Now Cleveland will wait to see who they play next. The playoff odds for the series and for Game 1 will be posted as soon as the other Eastern Conference series is over.

The next series should be a great one, both for fans and for the sports betting world. You know the bettors will continue to put their betting action down on Lebron James.

Good luck with all your bets.

For more, check out SPORTSBETTING.COM

By Chad Rogers

Sports betting online allows bettors to start making wagers on the NFL odds long before the start of the new NFL season. The NFL odds have been posted up at sports books virtually right after the Pittsburgh Steelers were crowned the Super Bowl champs.

NFL Future bets can be a fun way to have action on every game, including the playoffs. If you are going to make a long-term investment, though, it should be well thought out.

This week I’m going to give you a little advice on how to shorten the list of Super Bowl hopefuls when looking at the Super Bowl odds for NFL betting.

So, this is how to shorten the list – some of the teams I cross off may surprise you…

After the roller coaster ride that has been the Denver Broncos off-season, team owner Pat Bowlen this week delivered even more of what fans in the Mile High city did not want to hear when asked if he thought his team was going to win the Super Bowl.

“Probably not,” Bowlen told the Denver Post. “But if we lose our first two games – and that’s a possibility – I’m not going to panic. I’m in this to win Super Bowls and we’re going to get back (there).”

First of all, let’s give Bowlen credit for being a realist. He’s right, Denver is very unlikely to win the Super Bowl. Sports books have the Super Bowl odds on Denver (online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com has them listed at 40-1). But then if we look down the list of the remaining 31 NFL teams, how many others can we cross off and move into the “Lombardi-Free Zone” as non-contenders?

One of the most obvious places to start is Buffalo. The Bills bolstered an offensive attack that ranked 22^nd in passing yards per game last year by signing Terrell Owens and now figures it will make the leap to greatness. Buffalo will surely increase its merchandise sales but as far as overcoming TO’s poisonous character flaws, good luck. In fact let’s just cross Dallas, Philly and San Fran off the list, too. Until any team TO has ever played for wins anything, these guys get a red flag.

Pittsburgh is being cut on the basis that only one team this decade has repeated as champs. The Steelers are only paying 10-to-1 future odds anyways and for a bet that’s going to sit on the shelf this long there has to be a substantial payout waiting as a reward.

For that matter, we may as well place the Arizona Cardinals on the shortlist of NFL teams in the Lombardi-Free zone since the last time a Super Bowl loser came back to win the big game in subsequent years was the Miami Dolphins – 35 years ago. Don’t think for a second that sportsbooks in Vegas haven’t looked that one up either. The Super Bowl odds on the Cardinals is 25-to-1 at the online sportsbook SPORTSBETTINGdotcom, Capt. Kurt has not kept his Cards on the table.

Minnesota should be X-ed of the list of hopefuls just for getting mixed up in the Brett Favre soap opera that gets more tiresome by the season. It’s like the TV series “24” that won’t go away. Really, how could one guy have that many bad days?

With sports bettors and horse racing enthusiasts being swept up in the Triple Crown fever that started at the Kentucky Derby, using an approach such as this one for whittling down the list of teams actually seems to make a lot of sense. Crossing off horses that aren’t going to win a big race is much easier than trying to pick the one from a large field that will win.

On that note we also need to bid adieu to the Carolina Panthers (Super Bowl odds of 20-to-1). Since realignment in 2002, the NFC South is the only division that has not featured a back-to-back winner at the end of regular season play. Sure, there’s always the Wild Card, but we don’t want to complicate things.

So there you have it. With this process of elimination the Top 10 list of Super Bowl favorites has been cut in half!

It’s hard enough for most people to predict the Super Bowl winner during the bye week that follows the Conference Championships so if you do make a ‘Futures’ play in May nobody’s going to hold you to your decision or make fun if it’s wrong. Getting a few ideas, though, and keeping closer tabs on the teams your gut is telling you have a shot is a sound strategy as the mini-camps open up.

Tracking the line moves for the Super Bowl winner at your online sportsbook can also be an indicator to how the oddsmakers are thinking and where the early money is going. The more you know, the better prepared you can be when the NFL betting really heats up in early September.

Good luck with all your NFL betting. You can check out all the NFL odds and all future betting odds at the online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com

Author: Chad Rogers has been an avid follower and handicapper of North American sports for over 20 years and has written about sports and sports betting for the last decade. Chad specializes in articles focused on the NFL, NFL betting and overall "how-to" handicapping articles.

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Ricky Hatton is a 4/11 chance with William Hill to beat Amir Khan should the two British fighters meet.

Hatton's dream of becoming the best pound for pound boxer in the world was brought to a shuddering halt by a thunderous left hook to the chin by Manny Pacquiao and his future has been the subject of intense speculation ever since then.



If he decides to continue then a clash with Bolton's Khan would spark huge interest in Britain.

Khan first fights for the WBA light-welterweight title against Andreas Kotelnik next month but Hills make him the 2/1 outsider if and when he takes on Hatton.

It's also a 2/1 chance with Hills that Hatton hangs up his gloves.

By Kevin Taylor

- Betting on baseball is really heating now that summer is approaching and baseball odds, baseball lines and baseball picks are starting to take center stage in the sports betting world.

One month into the baseball betting marathon that is the MLB regular season and there have been some surprises thus far.

Let’s have a quick look at this opening month from a sports bettor’s perspective.

1) Who is the best “money” team in the AL East?

The Boston Red Sox? No.

The Tampa Bay Rays? Wrong again.

It’s the Toronto Blue Jays and in fact, the Jays aren’t only the top team money team in the AL East, they are the top money team in the AL and second best in all the majors.

As of Wednesday, the Jays are 20-10 overall with a profitable 11-4 record at home and a healthy 9-6 record on the road.

A $100 a game bettor at an online sportsbook would have a profit of approximately $950 if they wagered on every Jay game this season so far (depending on the lines when they bet on Toronto).

Over/Under bettors can take note. The Jays have posted 19 overs and 11 unders so far this year.

Toronto hasn’t played many games against teams from its own division so far but it has played a three-game set against the Baltimore Orioles and it swept the O’s 3-0.

You can’t win in baseball without good pitching and the Jays have two pitchers who rank in the Top-10 MLB money pitchers.

As the ace of Toronto’s rotation, you expect wins from Roy Halladay and he hasn’t disappointed this year with a 6-1 record but Scott Richmond has been a pleasant surprise.

Last season, Richmond only started in five games all season, grabbing 1 win and 3 losses.

This season, Richmond has already pitched in five games and has paid off for those who backed him, racing out to a perfect 5-0 mark.

Toronto is coming off a 13-1 victory over the L.A. Angels last night, where they covered the moneyline odds of -153 and went Over the Total of 9.

The Jays play the rubber match of their current two-game set tonight sending Robert Ray to the mound against the Angels’ Jered Weaver. The sports betting public likes the Angels in this matchup, as online sportsbooks are reporting early betting action coming in at a clip of 65% on Weaver and the home team.

SPORTSBETTING.com currently has the Angels listed as a -162 favorite.

2) Who is the best “money” team in the major league baseball?

The Toronto Blue Jays are second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers when it comes to the MLB’s top money teams.

With an overall record of 21-8, the Dodgers have been profitable for the sports betting world who have followed them, but a closer look reveals lopsided results.

LA has made their money for their backers when playing at home. They are only .500 on the road at 8-8 but are undefeated at home at 13-0, their last victory coming in a 10-3 win over the Washington Nationals last night where the Dodgers covered the big moneyline number at -210 and the Total went Over 9.5.

Unlike the Jays, the L.A. Dodgers have played against divisional opponents a lot so far and dating back to April 11, they have gone 17-3 against divisional competition and are currently on a 6-0 run.

The Dodgers’ rotation features money pitchers such as righty Chad Billingsley who is a perfect 6-0 and southpaw Eric Stults who is 4-1.

After finishing a current two-game set against the aforementioned Washington Nationals tonight. Sportsbooks have LA listed at -160.

The Dodgers will begin another series against a divisional rival, this time hosting the San Francisco Giants.

In the last 20 games where the Dodgers have hosted the San Francisco Giants, L.A. has gone 11-9 and more recently, has gone 6-2 in its last eight games.

While we are only in the early goings of the MLB season, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays are the Top 2 money teams in all of the majors.

It remains to be seen if they can remain on top.

Enjoy your weekend.

For more, check out SPORTSBETTING.COM

Author: Kevin Taylor is a veteran sports handicapper and student of the sports betting world. He has written for several media outlets, focusing on sports, sports betting and online poker.

The Players Championship is taking place right now and Tiger Woods is nowhere near the top of the leaderboard.

As it stands, John Mallinger and Richard Johnson are tied for the lead, shooting 66 today and sitting at -6 after one round.

Tiger Woods shot 71 and sits tied for 31st at -1

By Kevin Taylor

The NBA has tried really hard to find a replacement for Michael Jordan.Fellow Tar Heel alums Jerry Stackhouse and Vince Carter were flashes in the pan.

Shaquille O’Neal is a shadow of his former self, Kobe Bryant, as of yet, has failed to win a title without the aid of O’Neal and then there is LeBron James.

James has been working his way up the NBA hierarchy and could be primed for the big breakout in this year’s playoffs.

‘Bron was just named the NBA MVP for 2009 and as it stands, he has his Cleveland Cavaliers in good position to win this year’s NBA title as well.

The sports betting community knows how popular Lebron James has become, the odds and lines on the Cleveland Cavaliers keep getting higher and higher. Betting on Cleveland means bettors have to deal with some pretty high lines, and that has been the case in the playoffs, as the NBA lines put up on the Cavaliers are often flirting with double digits.

There will also be extra incentive for Cleveland to win a title with James on the roster the next two years as the “King” is one of the deep crop of players who will be free-agents in 2010. Sports betting sites and online sportsbooks have some interesting NBA prop wagers on the betting board related to Lebron’s free agency.

One book, SPORTSBETTING.com, has James listed at -155 to be on the Cavs’ roster for the start of the 2010/2011 season and the prop odds are +115 that he’ll be playing somewhere else.

With only four teams left in the Western Conference, there are four possible opponents that Cleveland could face should they go all the way.

SPORTSBETTING.com also have a very unique betting option, called Prospective Bets. You can wager on any possible NBA playoff matchup. You can bet on Game 1 of the NBA final between the Cavaliers and the Lakers….and you can bet it today. If it doesn’t happen, no sweat, you get your money back.

If LeBron James and company make the finals and face Kobe and Lakers the prospective Game 1 line would see the Cavs listed as 4.5-point home faves.

If they played the Rockets for the NBA title, Cleveland would be a prospective 7.5-point home fave for the final series opener and ditto if they met the Denver Nuggets.

The prospective Game 1 line if the Dallas Mavericks and Cavs battled for the title would see Cleveland favored in double-digits at -10.

This is the only online sportsbook in the world offering these unique options.

The Cavs won and covered in Game 1 of their second round series vs. Atlanta.

While no one is giving Atlanta much of a chance, they might be able to cover a few of the NBA odds put up on them in these games.

The Cavs are also a very reliable bet at home ATS in the month of May going 9-4 ATS dating back to 1999 and more recently have gone 5-0 ATS in its last five games in that month.

However, the best team during the NBA’s regular season has struggled ATS against the Atlanta Hawks and their ilk, which would be teams from the Southeast division, going 4-12 ATS in their last 16 vs. SE division teams, including 1-5 ATS in the last six.

Jordan wasn’t fully given his props until he took home his first title and the same applies to LeBron James.

Will the King receive an NBA crown?

We’ll find out. Enjoy all the NBA playoff betting, be sure to check the NBA odds (future odds and the prospective bets) and the daily NBA lines.

Author: Kevin Taylor is a veteran sports handicapper and student of the sports betting world. He has written for several media outlets, focusing on sports, sports betting and online poker.

After Monday night’s classic game, Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals will hit the road for a pair of playoff games in Steel Town.

The Caps lead the series 2-0 but haven’t done well when visiting Pittsburgh going 5-15 in their last 20 road games against the Penguins.

In the last 19 games in Pittsburgh, Washington has seen the Over/Under go 12-7.

The Caps are listed at +150, the Pens at -170 and the Total is set at 5.5.

The Dallas Mavericks will look to even their conference semifinal series against the Denver Nuggets and Dallas is listed as a 6.5-point underdog with the Total set at 206.

In the last 20 games where Dallas is an underdog of less than 8-points, it has gone 5-13-2 on the Over/Under.

Sunday was a day of rest as Kobe Bryant missed practice due to a sore throat and although the L.A. Lakers’ star has played through worse ailments, the fact that he was absent “raised worries.”

Despite the circus atmosphere brought on by the feuding trainers, Freddie Roach and Floyd Mayweather Sr., the actual match between Ricky “Hitman” Hatton and Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao was business-like.

Pacquiao dispatched of Hatton in two rounds by TKO paying out at -240 in the process.