TIP OFF!!!

Alrighty, yesterday we spoke about a team with little chance, today why don't we run down the odds on team's who really do have a legitimate shot at winning the NBA Champhionship.

www.BetBug.com's Contencer Odds for the NBA TITLE:

CHICAGO +1000
CLEVELAND +900
DALLAS +400
DETROIT +800
LA CLIPPERS +2000
MIAMI +550
NEW JERSEY +900
PHOENIX +500 (here's your winner, btw)
SAN ANTONIO +450

Some small shot?

Well they're certainly not going to win the NBA Championship, but on the eve of the start of a new NBA season, the Toronto Raptors 75-1 at www.BetBug.com can at least point to a stellar pre-season record, the pick up of TJ Ford, and the continued maturation of their budding super star Chris Bosh, as a reason for some optimism about their chances to at least be competitive this season. Which would certainly be a whole lot more than last year.

WEEK 8

The Bears may be the talk of the league right now, but if you're looking for the team that has a real shot of going 16-0, you have to look to the other conference. Indy is an almost quiet 6-0 this year. Today they get a real test in Denver. But in the long run, they surely have a much better shot of running the table than do the Bears. Ironically enough, I think the Bears however might be the better bet for the SuperBowl, but at +300 at +500 respectively, at www.BetBug.com for Chicago and Indy, it's not like either one is going to make you rich.

Get Used To This Leaf Nation

Lest anyone in Maple Leaf Nation had visions of greatness this year, the last two games against the Sens ought to have nicely discouraged that.

Just your typical blowouts, just like last year.

Get used to it people. The trend will continue. All season long. Needless to say, this makes the +2700 at BetBug for the Leafs to win the Cup devastatingly bad value. Which if you think about it, is appropriate. Since the team itself is just devatintingly bad.

BASS PRO SHOPS MBNA 500

Ahh ya gotta love Nascar. What other sport can fit that many sponsors just into their event title, let alone during the race telecast itself when the announcers consistently genuflect to the great and glorious commercialism of the sport.

If the Masters or Wimbledon adopted a title sponser, I would claim it was the 7th sign of the apolcolypse. But somehow for Nascar it works!

So, four races to go, and look who finally, and once again, has the lead. Matt Kenseth. If anyone had bets on others to win this thing, I hope they hedged when you could get Kenseth at good money, because guess what, those days are gone.

Kenseth is +185 to win the Nextel Cup right now at www.BetBug.com.

If I wanted to bet him now, I'd be more inclined to back him in one of the final four races in all honesty. This week he's +1000 to win at www.BetBug.com.

Rain Rain Go Away

Last night's rain out gives everyone the chance to jump back on the Detroit bandwagon. I love the Tigers for the Series getting +145 at BetBug. They have the pitching depth to overcome the deficit they are now in.

Plus it's LaRussa. He NEVER wins.

Disgusting amounts of Talent

THIS is what happens when you draft first over all for what seems like every bloody year this millenium.

I mean really. No wonder they are so good. You can get the Pens at 30-1 at BetBug for the Cup and the way there talent is coming together, in a few months that might look like a steal.

Hail To the Victors!...that would be MICHIGAN!

Whew....THAT was a little too close for comfort.

We know return you to your regularly scheduled NFL Sunday...Spreads and Totals, all for you wagering pleasure right here at www.BetBug.com

Martinsville

Five down, five to go. Jeff Burton has a 45 point lead on the man everyone expected to win this thing, Matt Kenseth. Can he hold him off for the last half of the Chase?

I'm afraid I don't think so. As much as it would be just an outstanding achievement on Burton's part, considering where he started the season at, Kenseth really has been the best driver all year and I think he's poised to win this thing.

BetBug's NEXTEL CUP ODDS:

JEFF BURTON +160
MATT KENSETH +280
KEVIN HARVICK +400
MARK MARTIN +1300
DALE EARNHARDT JR +650
DENNY HAMLIN +1500
JIMMIE JOHNSON +750
KASEY KAHNE +1500
KYLE BUSCH +3500
JEFF GORDON +3500

Which one doesn't belong?

Well I know that ONE of these teams was certainly expected to make the World Series. The other one, however...

Detroit, at the begining of the year was available at 150:1 at www.BetBug.com. I trust everyone got down.

The Tigers

If you had used the word "playoffs" together with the Detroit Tigers just 6 short months ago, you would have sounded even crazier than Jim Mora does everytime they replay the greatest press conference of all time.

"PLAYOFFS!? PLAYOFFS!?, WE CAN'T EVEN WIN A GAME!"

ahhh god love it. It gets better every time.

The Tigers are in fact odds on at this point at BetBug to win the Series, and as much as it pains me to say this (as a Jays fan I will never, ever forgive them for 1987), I think they're a great bet.

Their young fireballers alone make them a great bet, plus it seems they have destiny on their side as well.

Your Calder Trophy winner

What's that saying about too much of a good thing. Well that is just what the Penguins have going for them at the center ice position. It's not enough that they already have the world's best player Sidney Crosby plus one of the top young players from the OHL in Jordan Staal, tonight they're getting back Evgeni Malkin as well.

They may not win the Stanley Cup this year, 50-1 at www.BetBug.com, but they are certainly going to win multiple Cups in the next few years.

And with this embarrasment of riches the city of Pitsburgh still claims it needs help to survive? PLEASE!

I just hope to hell that the Isle of Capri does not get that slot license.

Then it's goodbye Pens, hello Steelhawks.
And about bloody time too.

Da Bears...NOT

And THAT is why they play the games.

They may have won...but certainly not for anyone that bet them ATS.

WEEK 6 - When will the clock strike 12 for #8

Ok, so seriously. Which group of Aliens abducted Rex Grossman and replaced him with this dude. Because the player currently manning the QB position for the UNDEFEATED Chicago Bears bears no resemblence to the former Flordia Gators signal caller.

I still cannot allow myself to believe that Grossman is this good. I keep expecting him to revert to his former interception plagued self. No question their D is the best in the league (sorry Baltimore) but imagining them keeping up this sort of output on the offensive side of the ball seems a stretch.

Chicago are 10.5 pt faves at www.BetBug.com at faves this weekend in the desert, and while they may not have the ablity to be upset by the happless Cards, that first loss is coming.

The King is gone, Long Live The King

Well it had to happen sooner or later. At the ripe old age of 77, Arnold Palmer has finally called it quites for competitive golf.

EVERY single professional golfer from Jack to Tiger on down, owes this man EVERYTHING. Everything. Without Palmer (and Mark McCormick to market him), the PGA Tour as we now know it would not exist.

And in typical fashion, Arnie, even though he was not keeping score, finished his round on Friday because he knew that's what the fans would have wanted.

Imagine that, a pro athlete who actually cares about what the fans think. Who in fact realizes who has paid his freight all these years.

Have a good one Arnie, you have definitely earned it.

Uh...Can you say Goal Tending Controversy?

Way to go Muckler. Emery stops 27 of 28 last night and now your great summer signing of Gerber is the defacto backup. Typical.
That +800 on Ottawa to win the Cup at BetBug looks less and less likely to get there all the time.

R.I.P. Cory Lidle

Too bad he didn't have A-Rod in the plane with him, he'd never have hit anything then.

Slightly Improved?

Could the Toronto Maple Leafs actually not be the worst team in hockey this season?

Wellwood tied for the scoring lead. Raycroft playing like his Calder trophy self. The team playing an up tempo puck pursuit game constantly outshooting (and when did you ever see this under Quinn) their opponents.

Maurice really may be a miracle worker.

BetBug has Leaf Nation's favourite squad at 35:1 to win the Cup. Now I'm not about to reccomend you go against 40 years of history and futility here, but perhaps, just perhaps they may find a way to squeak into the playoffs. And as for what happens after that, well I just give you the Edmonton Oilers last year as exhibit A.

Then again, Kubina is probably out for the year which means #24 will be once again averaging 7 minutes per game too much and the slug like Hall Gill will be the 3rd d-man...what was that I was saying about optimism and improvement...

WEEK 5

Ah yes, yet another great fall day for football. And if all the games today aren't enough for you, or if all the odds from www.BetBug.com don't get your juices flowing enough, check out this book:



A behind the scenes look at our favourite pro league. Quite in depth, very stimulating, whole heartedly reccomended.

Wow...and it only took 1 month for this to occur

Dolphins deciding between Harrington and Culpepper for this weekend's game.

Story here

What a shock...or not. Some of us are a little surprised this didn't happen after week 1!

Culpepper survived off of Moss's accomplishments for years in Minny. And now that he is being exposed in Miami, everyone is shocked???

www.BetBug.com has the Dolphins at 10 point underdogs at the Patriots this week. And that is not even enough!

Pigs Clearly Flying Today

Leafs 6 - Sens 0

Wellwood 4 points? Kilger two goals? Raycroft a shutout. All this against their arch nemesis from last year. Unbelievable.

Except it did happen.

Personally I still think I'm drunk and have not woken up yet, because this just does not feel like reality.

I wouldn't want to be the Sabres tomorrow night. I imagine the Sens will, shall we say, display just a wee bit more effort than they did yesterday evening.

Just Because

So I'm partial to an alpha male. You would be too if his game winning drives had paid off your student loans.

Don't know whether they can do it again this year, but regardless of whether you find Mr. Brady as attractive as I do, I'm certain you can find some attractive prices in BetBug's Futures Odds for the NFL. Super Bowl, AFC, NFC, Divisions. If you can divine the winners, you can take the cash

And to help you come up with all those future winners, BetBug Stats, with some old fashioned diligence and hard work, can certainly prove useful in just that very endevour.

Lord Stanley's Oversized Beer Stein

That damned Cup does look big enough to hold a few pints doesn't it?

Tonight the puck drops on the NHL's 2006-2007 season and after previewing each conference the last two days, I have a few other predictions for the forthcoming season.

1 - Scoring, I'm sad to say, will decline this year. Last year they finished out at 6.1 goals per game. An almost full goal a game leap from the seaon prior to the lockout. But with the players having had a year of the new standard under their belts there will be fewer penalties and thus fewer power plays this season. Your job's not done Gary, you pint sized buffoon. BIGGER NETS!!!! They will not, as some say, destroy the integrity of the league, but in fact restore it. By simply restoring the ratio of goalie to net we had 20 years ago. With giants like Luongo now tending the twine, there is nothing to shoot at any more. Don't rest on your laurels from last season NHL, I demand an even more wide open game where skill predominates. Get on with it.

2 - My two Stanely Cup finalists, which of course you can bet on right here at BetBug: BUFFALO vs ANAHEIM. With Anaheim hoisting the trophy in 6 games. Remember that X-Files episode, Buffalo is not allowed to win anything...ever.

3 - And of course what would a hockey season be without another lost year (closing in on 40 now aren't they) for the Toronto Maple Leafs. This collection of no talent, slow footed, over paid bums have as much chance to hoist the Cup as my little cousin's peewee team. The sole reason for even the remotest bit of optimism is Paul Maurice, and to quote a good friend of mine, even if Maurice is a miracle worker: You cannot turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.

The 2006-2007 ODDS TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP at www.BetBug.com:

Anaheim 9-1
Atlanta 40-1
Boston 40-1
Buffalo 9-1
Calgary 13-1
Carolina 9-1
Chicago 80-1
Colorado 25-1
Columbus 50-1
Dallas 15-1
Detroit 8-1
Edmonton 25-1
Florida 45-1
Los Angeles 50-1
Minnesota 35-1
Montreal 30-1
Nashville 20-1
New Jersey 12-1
New York Islander 75-1
New York Rangers 20-1
Ottawa 8-1
Philadelphia 15-1
Phoenix 35-1
Pittsburgh 50-1
San Jose 13-1
St. Louis 50-1
Tampa Bay 25-1
Toronto 35-1
Vancouver 17-1
Washington 80-1

And one last little remark. While I do like the Ducks and the Sabres to contest the Cup this season, they and the other 27 teams in the league had better get in while the gettings good. Because in just a few short years, possibly even as early as next season, there is going to be a severe deficit of Championship rings to go around unless you reside in one particular city due to one particular player.

But don't let his Penguin passion fool you. As much as he cares about winning the Cup, and he will win many, I am quite certain he also realizes that Gold in 2010 in Vancouver is the only one true way to hockey immortality.

NHL Western Conference

Today we look at the other side of the league, the Western Conference.

Last season, I thought that all the power in the league resided in the East and basically that anyone could emerge from the West.

And that is just what occured. The top four seeds in the West all lost in the first round of the playoffs and Edmonton, who barely scraped into the top 8 ended up in the Cup Final.

This year, that is not what will be happening. Specifically, with Detroit picking up the best goalie in the league (just take a look at his stats before he was injured), with Anaheim (yes I like a team called the Ducks...God help me) now sporting what may be the best ever blue line tandem in the history of the league, with Calgary just being right pissed at losing early last year, and with Thorton out in San Jose for a full season, well it looks to me like those four teams are far and away the class of the Conference.

If you want a sleeper, I would look to Phoenix. I love JR to have a huge comeback year (he is in wicked shape and has much to prove) and they have completely overhauled their blueline. Plus Gretzky, I'm assuming, has picked up a couple of things in the last year and now may actually not be a complete gongshow behind the bench

Remember you can always go inside the numbers to check how your favorite team (and I'm assuming that is just whomever you have laid for the evening) is doing at BetBug Stats and of course if you disbelieve your humble narrator's theory that all the top teams will go through this year, then there is much value to be had in taking a few of the longshots to win the Conference.

Www.BetBug.com's NHL Western Conference Odds:

Anaheim 4.5-1
Calgary 6.5-1
Chicago 40-1
Colorado 12-1
Columbus 25-1
Dallas 7.5-1
Detroit 4-1
Edmonton 12-1
Los Angeles 25-1
Minnesota 17-1
Nashville 10-1
Phoenix 15-1
San Jose 6-1
St. Louis 25-1
Vancouver 8-1

NHL Eastern Conference

A fun week awaits as the hockey season is about to kick off.

www.BetBug.com has all your hockey wagering needs ready to be met and also this year you will be able to preview individually each matchup every single day of the season at BetBug Stats.

Today let's take a look at the NHL's Eastern Conference.

First things first. I do not think the Sens will be anything like they were last year. Losing Havlat, Charaa, and especially Hasek is going to hurt. Their goaltending position is just a fight waiting to happen. Yes, they still have the player I am calling to win the Art Ross Troyhy this season, in Spezza, but they have lost too many other integral parts. Carolina is still looking good again, but they have lost a few players and alredy are going to be missing Frantisek Kaberle for some time. They do get Cole back for the year and of course still have Staal, but I would just be surprised if they are still as hungry as last season.

The Rangers are going to take a big time fall I think. Jagr is already struggling with injuries and there is no way Mr. Lundqvist is going to reproduce the season he had last year.

The team I like to actually repeat their success from last season is the Buffalo Sabres. Let us not forget they had the lead heading into the third period in the Conference Final Game 7 against the Canes, and really only lost because they literally had NO defensemen left to play.

The Sabre's style meshes perfectly with the way the game is being called these days and I think Ryan Miller is about to become the next great goaltender in this league.

To check out who you like and more importantly, what price you can get on them, here are BetBug's 06/07 Odds To Win the Eastern Conference:


Atlanta 20-1
Boston 20-1
Buffalo 4.5-1
Carolina 5-1
Florida 25-1
Montreal 15-1
New Jersey 6-1
New York Islanders 40-1
New York Rangers 10-1
Ottawa 4-1
Philadelphia 7-1
Pittsburgh 25-1
Tampa Bay 12-1
Toronto 15-1
Washington 40-1

WEEK 4

Talk about a great Sunday of NFL football.

Start out at 1pm with the irresitable force of the Chargers offense meeting the immovable Ravens defense. www.BetBug.com has the Ravens +2 -110.

Then at 4pm, after you have consumed your body weight in chicken wings (and I plan to), look in on the Patriots heading to Cincy attempting to erase the memories of what surely was their worst home performance in nigh half a decade. You can get the former champs at +220 on the money line at BetBug.

Then, to top things off, possibly the game of the season so far, the Seahawks head to Soldier Field to take on the Bears in a matchup of NFC powerhouses. Bears +3.5 +105.

To help yourself handicap these and all the NFL matchups today, surf on over to BetBug's fabulous NFL Stats Site and go inside the numbers to your heart's content.

If Jimmie The Greek had access to this info, he'd probably still be alive!