March Madness Betting – Cougars Look To Carry Over Mountain West Magic In Sweet 16 Thursday

The Brigham Young Cougars are one of two teams from the Mountain West to make this year's NCAA national title tournament, and with the March Madness betting Sweet 16 upon us both are still alive. The Cougars and MWC conference champion San Diego State Aztecs have both advanced through their first two tournament games, but will be tested with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. BYU will be the first to put its title hopes on the line, as they take on the Florida Gators in the South East region on Thursday.

Brigham Young Cougars vs. Florida Gators

Thursday March 23, 2011 – 7:27 PM ET

New Orleans Arena, New Orleans, LA

Online Sports Betting Odds: Florida Gators - 3

The Cougars will battle a Florida team that finished first in the SEC East during the regular season, but are still looking to make a statement in the Madness after falling to Kentucky Wildcats in the SEC title tournament. The Gators had little trouble with the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos and the UCLA Bruins through their first two tournament games, and will need to be ready for a step up in competition.

March Madness Betting Preview: Brigham Young

Jimmer Fredette has taken the Cougars on his shoulders since the team lost Brandon Davies to a season-ending suspension in the final days of the Mountain West season. Fredette has been a one-man show through BYU's first two tournament games in registering a combined 66 points, and it will be interesting to see if he can keep it up against a tough Gators' defense. Jackson Emery has complimented Fredette well in Davies' absence, including the 16 points and four assist he put up against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the third round. Fredette will be the focal point to the Cougars' success, but the further BYU goes the more he will need his teammates to step up around him.

March Madness Betting Preview: Florida

The Gators haven't been tested much through the first two rounds, and the most important factor for their next game will be to expect a tougher challenge. Erving Walker has been the team's biggest star so far in the tournament, but he hasn't done it alone with Kenny Boyton and Vernon Macklin both playing key roles in the team's first two pay per head wins. Boynton's health will be one of the keys to Florida moving any further forward in the Madness, as the Gators will need their best defender to be able to at least slow Fredette.

March Madness Betting: Outlook & Pick

The Gators have cruised through the first couple of sports betting bonus tournament rounds, but will be in for a major wakeup call against BYU. Fredette will continue to perform at the highest level with the injury to Boynton keeping him from playing his best defense. Florida should be able to keep this game close down to the wire, but it will be the Cougars that advance to the Elite Eight.

Gambling Advisor blog Betting Pick: BYU Cougars + 3

Bet On March Madness – Thursday’s Quick Picks

Those who bet on March Madness are getting ready for the Sweet Sixteen to begin on Thursday, and all four matchups should be closely contested, so with no delay, let’s jump into some picks.

UConn San Diego State Betting – Thursday, 7:15 PM ET

In the first-ever meeting between these two, this game is a pick ‘em in Anaheim, and the second-seeded Aztecs are in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time. However, they have a coach in Steve Fisher who has been here before, and they have a big frontcourt that the third-seeded Huskies may have problems with. The Huskies may have the best player on the court in Kemba Walker, but San Diego State has more weapons and can slow the game down. Go with San Diego State.

BYU Florida Betting – Thursday, 7:27 PM ET

The No.2 Gators are a 2.5-point favorite in New Orleans against the No.3 Cougars, and those watching March Madness scores may remember last year’s 99-92 double-overtime win for BYU over Florida, who gave up 37 points to Jimmer Fredette, the favorite for national Player of the Year. But the Gators are a better team than last year, and revenge is a strong motivation at this time of year. Look for a big game from Florida’s Chandler Parsons, one of the best all-around players in the country, as he looks to pick up the slack for Kenny Boynton, who may not be at 100% because of an ailing ankle. Still, we’re taking Florida to go to the Elite Eight.

Arizona Duke Betting – Thursday, 9:45 PM ET

The last time these two met, it was in the 2001 title game, and the Blue Devils came away with the win. This time around, the defending champions from Duke are an 8.5-point favorite in Anaheim against the No.5 Wildcats, and that is far too high. Duke has the edge on the perimeter, but the Wildcats have a guy who can get to the foul line better than anyone in the country in Derrick Williams, and Arizona has some size that can give the Blue Devils some problems. NBA scouts are very high on Williams, and he’s already made some big plays. We think Duke will win the game, but Arizona will cover the spread in this matchup.

Butler Wisconsin Betting – Thursday, 9:57 PM ET

In the nightcap, the No.4 Badgers are 5-point favorites in New Orleans against the No.8 Bulldogs, who have won both of their games with plays in the dying seconds. Wisconsin also needed a big play to edge Kansas State, but we’re going to give the edge to Butler, who have made a living off being an underdog. The Bulldogs went to the title game last year, and they won’t fall under the pressure, while the Badgers may crack. We know the Bulldogs won’t, so take them as the underdogs in your online sportsbook.

Hockey Preview for Tuesday March 22, 2011: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Minnesota Wild Picks

Sports Bet Overview

The NHL playoff race is entering the last stages just as the 2011 March Madness betting starts to get interesting as well. There are teams that the sports betting bonus experts have not mathematically eliminated from NHL playoff contention, so those teams keep working towards their post-season goals. A 5dimes review of the Eastern Conference standings shows that the Toronto Maple Leafs are five points out of a playoff spot with nine games left to play. The chances are slim, but the Leafs keep playing for that final playoff spot.

The Minnesota Wild has a little higher mountain to climb. With nine games left on its schedule, Minnesota is seven points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Unfortunately for the Wild, its schedule does not have as many conference games as some of the teams it is chasing. That puts the Wild at a distinct disadvantage. Another element that is working against the Wild is the play of the team itself.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs are 5-4-1 in the last 10 games and sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Toronto trails the eighth place Buffalo Sabres by five points, and a road game is not exactly the ideal setting for the Leafs. Toronto has a 15-17-3 road record this year, which is not helping in the hunt for a playoff spot. Even with the emergence of rookie goaltender James Reimer, the Leafs cannot seem to score goals or play good defense on the road. The only thing that Toronto has going for it in this game is that the opponent is the Minnesota Wild. Other than that, this game will be a struggle for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild’s problems can be spelled out by the team’s record in the last 10 games. With a 2-6-2 record in the last 10 starts, Minnesota is not doing anything to help its chances of getting near the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Wild is in 11th place and it trails the eighth-place Anaheim Ducks by seven points. With only nine games to play, and an effort that is not helping the Wild win games, it does not look good for the team from Minnesota.

The Bottom Line

The Toronto Maple Leafs has a legitimate chance at a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The teams in front of the Leafs are playing inconsistent hockey, and a three or four-game winning streak by Toronto could catapult them into playoff contention. The Minnesota Wild, on the other hand, seems to be done for the season. They are playing with no emotion and are certainly not giving any of the signs that they are ready to fight for a playoff spot. This is exactly the kind of opportunity that the Toronto Maple Leafs need to take advantage of in order to jump-start its playoff hunt.

Gambling Advisor blog Free Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs