Kentucky Derby Betting – A Look at The Top Contenders At Churchill Down

Online betting for Kentucky Derby odds can start now, even though the “Run For The Roses” isn’t until May 7th at Churchill Downs. One horse could separate himself from the field this weekend, but it should be another exciting showdown in the 137th running of the Kentucky Derby.

Kentucky Derby Betting – Saturday, May 7th, 5:00 PM ET

Uncle Mo is the consensus favorite right now at +200, and his grip on this status could be strengthened by a solid performance in the Wood Memorial this weekend. He is a perfect 4-for-4 in his racing career so far, and 11 horses that have won the Wood Memorial have gone on to win the Derby, while four have gone on to win the Triple Crown. Many feel Uncle Mo has the potential to win the first Triple Crown since Affirmed did it in 1978. He’s also trained by Todd Pletcher, who won his first Derby in 25 tries last year, and John Velasquez is the only jockey Uncle Mo has ever known.

Dialed In is next with horse betting odds of +600, and he surged up the ranks with a phenomenal last-to-first romp in the Florida Derby with Julien Leparoux leading the way, and two-time Derby winner Nick Zito in his stable. Dialed In was patient before storming to the front for a major win, and the winner of the Florida Derby is usually given a good chance to win at Churchill Downs.

The Factor expects to be a factor at +800, and he still has to run the Arkansas Derby in a couple of weeks’ time, so that should be a better indication of his chances in Louisville. The Factor has three wins in four races, and he has a great team behind him with three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert as his trainer, while jockey Martin Garcia paired with Baffert and Lookin’ At Lucky to win the Preakness Stakes last year.

Two other horses to watch out for have varying odds, but they’re still worth a look with your sports bookie software. Premier Pegasus has odds of +1250, steered by Alonso Quinonez and trained by Myung Kwon Cho, and he has three wins in four starts as well. Another thing to factor in is that his sire, Fusaichi Pegasus, won the Derby in 2000, so he has a winning pedigree. Soldat is rated at +3000, and his odds dropped drastically after a fifth-place run in the Florida Derby, which should show the importance of that race. But prior to that, Soldat had finished either first or second in seven straight races, including three victories, so he could definitely be worth a bet at most online betting sites.

2011 Masters Picks and Betting Odds

Welcome to the drive for the green jacket. Yes its time for the first major of the golf season and everyone is very excited about the Masters. I am a professional golf handicapper and have been for the past 7 years. Masters week is easily my busiest week of the year and this year has been no exception. Everyone in the golf world is talking about Phil and Tiger, while there are 97 other golfers who would also love to win this week’s event. My job this week has been finding out the players to bet on so my clients and I can profit again on the Masters.

Let me first tell you a little about some recent success I have had…

Three weeks ago I had Webb Simpson as my long shot at 120/1. He looked like he was going to win the championship only to lose by 1 shot to Gary Woodland. Two weeks ago I had Martin Laird and hit him at 38/1. We were all very happy to hit this winner after such a heartbreaking defeat just one week prior. Our bankrolls are now ready to hit another solid winner this week at the Masters. Click Here To Get Steve’s Masters Picks

With the Masters being the most bet on golf event in North America, my reputation is built through my success at this tournament. Just two years ago I hit a winner that almost no one had on his or her radar. Angel Cabrera was paying 140/1 and won the 2009 Masters through a playoff. The celebrations that ensued were legendary. Then last year I had Phil Mickelson as my favorite at 11/1. He won the event and my clients were again happy after we hit a second straight Masters champion. This year we look to make it 3.

I utilize what I like to call a 6 pack of players for each tournament. Through my research and knowledge I compile a list of 6 players I feel have the best chance to win the tournament and are set with good value. I can assure you there is nothing better than hitting a 100/1 long shot on Sunday afternoon while watching a golf tournament. Well I suppose hitting Cabrera at 140/1 was better, but you know what I mean.

Augusta is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world. Playing at 7435 yards as a Par 72, the players will be forced to navigate through 18 holes that can make even a professional look foolish. Be sure to pay attention to the 12th hole as it has a history of making professionals look like amateurs. Measuring only 155 yards the 12th will force players to judge the wind more than any hole on the course. This hole will be fun to watch, along with all the drama the Masters always brings.

Whether you are entering an office pool or placing bets on the Masters, be sure to check out the picks I have compiled for the first major of the year. This is what I do for a living and I would love to see everyone profit come Sunday afternoon.

Click Here To Get Steve’s Masters Picks

Enjoy Masters week everyone,

Steve.

2011 Masters Picks

It’s time to give away the green jacket again in golf. Masters week is upon us and golf fans could not be more excited. As a professional golf handicapper this is my busiest time of the year. I have people emailing and calling it seems like 24/7 to ask questions about the odds they have on golfers.

CLICK HERE FOR 2011 MASTERS PICKS

To give my clients the proper answers, weeks of research have to be done on the tournament and its field. Golf can be the most fun you will ever have betting on a sport and the Masters is its pinnacle. Below I will give you the process I go through to making my Masters picks, along with a few storylines to follow. My exclusive picks for the Masters can be found at the bottom of the page by clicking the link.

Augusta is a course players dream about when they are small. For 19 players this year they will be getting their first taste of the historic grounds the Masters are played on each year. Will it be a rookie or will it be a favorite you bet on? To pick the correct golfer you must take everything from current mental state, golf statistics, recent play and history at Augusta into your decision. Through watching golf every week (PGA Tour and European Tour) you can compile a log on each player.

Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods will overshadow this week at the Masters. Woods will be vying for his 5th green jacket and looking to get a win under his belt for the first time in far too long. His issues with the driver have been well documented but I have never seen him miss more 7-foot putts than he has this year. Last year he was able to come to the Masters with little to no competitive golf leading up to it, and still found himself near the top of the leader board. He can do this because he owns Augusta. Tiger knows all the shots he needs to hit and maybe only Jack Nicklaus can read the greens better. Will the positives of Augusta outweigh the issues in Tigers golf game this week? Well isn’t that the million dollar question.

Phil Mickelson on the other hand comes in playing great golf. He used weekend rounds of 63 and 65 to win the Shell Houston Open last week. Mickelson won an emotional Masters last year, one he shared with his wife Amy. Phil will be looking to tie Tiger this week and win his 4th green jacket. Maybe most importantly for Phil, he has the confidence this week at Augusta to enter as the favorite and leave with the championship.

Phil and Tiger may absorb most of the attention leading up to Thursdays tee off, but there are 97 other players who would love to win a Masters championship. I have spent this entire year leading up to this tournament and am very excited with the 6 pack (6 players to win outright) of players I have selected to win the tournament. Through my years of golf handicapping I have learned the in and outs of the business. I hope everyone has an excellent Masters week and joins us with our winning pick.

If you want my winning picks please visit GolfBanker.com

Hockey Betting for Tuesday April 5, 2011: Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers

Sports Bet Overview

As the betting on March Madness winds down, the sports betting bonus hockey fans in Vancouver are excited about the post-season and a bit nervous as well. Once again, the Canucks enter into the playoffs as one of the best teams in the regular season. In this case, the Canucks go into the playoffs as the best team in the NHL in the regular season. The betting services are well aware of the poor track record that President’s Trophy winning teams have in the playoffs.

The other thing that is causing some concern for Vancouver fans is the way the team is playing out their last few games. Last season, the Canucks “mailed in” their last few games and wound up playing flat in the playoffs. This season, the Canucks are doing the exact same thing they did last season. They are sitting Roberto Luongo late in the season, and losing games to terrible hockey teams. Case in point is the most recent home loss for the Canucks which was a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers are an incredibly young hockey team with a bright future and nothing to lose. The Oilers went into the road game against the Canucks looking to use the game as an indicator to see which players would make the Oilers next season, and which players will wind up in the minors. The Canucks sat back and let the Oilers look like NHL all-stars. Edmonton is 1-6-3 in the last 10 games, but they are a very dangerous team for the Canucks to be taking lightly.

Vancouver Canucks

Any Vancouver Canucks fan that is having that “here we go again” feeling is justified in his concern. The Canucks have clinched the President’s Trophy and seem to have nothing to play for. But the fans have seen this movie before, and it did not end well last time. The Canucks are 8-2-0 in the last 10 games, and they only have three games remaining on the regular season. But throwing games away to teams like Edmonton is not the ideal way to bring your team into the playoffs. The Canucks third and fourth lines are getting a lot of ice time in these last few games to save the first and second line from getting hurt. How long will it take the first and second lines to get their scoring rhythm back when the playoff starts? Shouldn’t Roberto Luongo, a habitual playoff failure, be playing as much as possible leading into the playoffs? These are all questions floating around GM Place in Vancouver, and the buzz is getting loud.

The Bottom Line

The Canucks will be their own undoing again this playoff season. There is no switch you can turn on and off with hockey teams. Taking games like this one lightly will set the Canucks back when the playoffs start. Those young kids on the Edmonton team plan on taking full advantage of a sleeping Vancouver club.

Gambling Advisor blog Pick: Edmonton Oilers