Cubs top Dodgers to keep pace in NL Central

Baseball Betting Lines

09/06/2007 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mark DeRosa finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored, and the Chicago Cubs topped the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-2, in the third of a four-game set.

Ted Lilly (14-7) held the Dodgers to six hits and two runs through 6 2/3 innings, fanning three and walking one for the Cubs, who had dropped the first two games of the series. Chicago remained a half-game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. Milwaukee routed the Astros, 14-2, on Wednesday.

Aramis Ramirez homered for the Cubs, who will try to earn the series split on Thursday afternoon.

Eric Stults (1-3) fared better at the plate then he did on the mound, as he went 2-for-2, but gave up eight hits and four runs -- three earned -- in 4 1/3 innings, with two strikeouts and two walks. Mike Lieberthal went 1-for-3 and scored twice for the Dodgers, who saw their three-game win streak come to an end.

Los Angeles remained in a tie with the Phillies for second place in the wild- card race, 3 1/2 games back of the Padres and Diamondbacks, who are tied for the NL West and wild card leads. San Diego and Arizona played each other later Wednesday night.

The Cubs took the early lead in the second on Geovany Soto's RBI single to left. Ramirez extended the lead to 3-0 in the third when, with two outs and a man on, he ripped a shot to left, his 20th homer of the season.

Lieberthal doubled to right with one out in the fifth, moved to third on a single by Stults, and came home on Rafael Furcal's sacrifice fly. DeRosa roped a one-out double to center in the fifth, though, and Derrek Lee got one run right back with his RBI single to right.

Pinch-hitter Olmedo Saenz roped an RBI double to center in the seventh to make it a two-run game, but the Cubs broke it open with a four-spot in the eighth. Soto worked a one-out walk, and quickly came home on Ryan Theriot's pinch- double to right. Theriot then stole third, and was driven in by Jacque Jones' single to center. Alfonso Soriano kept the inning going with a double to left, and then DeRosa singled to left, plating two more runs to give the Cubs a six-run cushion.

Game Notes

Chicago improved to 5-4 on their 10-game homestand. Of the Cubs' 35 runs on the homestand, 21 have come in the sixth inning or later...Lilly is now one win shy of becoming the first Cubs lefty to record 15 wins since Greg Hibbard in 1993.

Speedwaygambling Baseball Betting News

<< Bonds homers as Giants hold off Rockies
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Barry Bonds hit the 762nd home run of his career, lifting the San Francisco Giants over the Colorado Rockies, 5-3, in the conclusion of a three-game series at Coors Field. Pedro Feliz had three hits

<< Schultz gets another shot at Senior Women's Amateur title
Sunriver, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Anna Schultz reached the final at the USGA Senior Amateur Championship for a second straight year by winning a pair of matches on Wednesday at the Sunriver Resort. Meanwhile, two-time defending cha

<< Brewers use 5 HRs to rout Astros
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Austin Kearns homered and scored three times to help compensate for the loss of Washington's pitcher, as the Nationals completed a three-game sweep of the Florida Marlins with a 6-4 win at RFK Stadium

<< Tigers' Rogers reinstated from DL
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers was reinstated from the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and started the club's 2-1 victory in 11 innings over the Chicago White Sox. Rogers went five innings an

<< Lee to meet Farlow in Senior Amateur final
Andover, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Sam Farlow and Stanford Lee both won a pair of matches on Wednesday to move into the final at the USGA Senior Amateur Championship. Lee, who is from Heber Springs, Arkansas, first beat Logan Jackson on

Paulino, Bucs top Cards >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ronny Paulino belted a three-run homer, and Jack Wilson drove in three runs in Pittsburgh's 8-2 win over St. Louis, spoiling Mark Mulder's 2007 debut and sending the Cardinals to another tough defeat

Federer beats Roddick again to gain U.S. Open semifinal berth >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roger Federer continued his domination of Andy Roddick, knocking the American out of the U.S. Open with a tight 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 quarterfinal victory Wednesday night. The three-time defendi

North Dakota extends Hakstol, assistants >>
Grand Forks, ND (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The University of North Dakota announced Wednesday the five-year contract extension for men's hockey coach Dave Hakstol, and extended associate head coach Cary Eades and assistant coach Dane Jackson

D'Backs reclaim first in NL West >>
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Young hit a three-run double in the fifth to help the Arizona Diamondbacks reclaim the NL West lead with a 9-6 win over the San Diego Padres in the finale of a three-game series at Chase Field. Miguel Mo

Report: Vikings, Williams agree to contract extension >>
St. Paul, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Minnesota Vikings are expected to sign Pro Bowl nose tackle Pat Williams to a three-year contract extension this week. According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the space-eater will ink the deal

Super Bowl XLIV Odds

Super Bowl XLIII isn't even a week old yet and oddsmakers have already released Super Bowl XLIV odds.

Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl 43, the New England Patriots are 8/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 44.

Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds

With their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers became the latest NFL champion. But believe it or not, oddsmakers from online sports book MySportsbook.com don't have the Steelers the favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV next season.

That honor belongs to the New England Patriots, who are 8/1 favorites to win despite not even qualify for the postseason in 2008. The Pats also have a major decision to make regarding what to do with Matt Cassel, who played well in Tom Brady's (knee surgery) absence last year but is also a free agent this offseason.

Ironically, the Steelers aren't even oddsmakers second choice to win Super Bowl 44, as the Dallas Cowboys are listed right behind the Patriots at 9/1 despite not making the playoffs themselves. Clearly oddsmakers think the public will hop back on the Cowboys' bandwagon considering the immense talent they have and the opening of a brand new stadium.

After Dallas, then comes Pittsburgh at 10/1, but they share those odds with the New York Giants, who won Super Bowl XLII. The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers round out the top six teams at 12/1, while the Baltimore Ravens (14/1), Tennessee Titans (16/1), Carolina Panthers (18/1) and Philadelphia Eagles (18/1) complete the top 10.

The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals got no love from oddsmakers as they were established as a 30/1 long shot to win next year's Super Bowl. They share those same odds with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that didn't even qualify for the postseason. Other long shots are the Kansas City Chiefs (100/1), Detroit Lions (100/1), St. Louis Rams (75/1) and Oakland Raiders (75/1).

To see a complete list of all the team's odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, check below.

NFL TEAM FUTURE ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV

New England Patriots 8/1

Dallas Cowboys 9/1

New York Giants 10/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1

Indianapolis Colts 12/1

San Diego Chargers 12/1

Baltimore Ravens 14/1

Tennessee Titans 16/1

Carolina Panthers 18/1

Philadelphia Eagles 18/1

New Orleans Saints 20/1

Atlanta Falcons 25/1

Denver Broncos 25/1

Green Bay Packers 25/1

Jacksonville Jaguars 25/1

Minnesota Vikings 25/1

New York Jets 25/1

Arizona Cardinals 30/1

Chicago BearS 30/1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30/1

Buffalo Bills 35/1

Houston TexaNS 35/1

Miami Dolphins 35/1

Washington Redskins 35/1

Seattle SeahawkS 50/1

Cleveland Browns 55/1

Cincinnati Bengals 60/1

San Francisco 49ers 60/1

Oakland Raiders 75/1

St. Louis Rams 75/1

Detroit Lions 100/1

Kansas City Chiefs 100/1

Odds as of: 2/2/09

Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds

To visit this online sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.

NFL Football Betting : Odds on NFL Division to Win the Super Bowl

NFL Super Bowl Betting

The AFC South and the NFC East are the favorite divisions to have the next Super Bowl champ among them in the NFL betting odds. But more down to the point, these football odds are in favor of the Indianapolis Colts, by far the strongest team in the AFC South, and the Dallas Cowboys of the NFC East.

Most sports fans would agree that these two teams top the list to win it all before the season even begins. In the BetUS Sportsbook football futures, the Colts are +800 in the odds to win the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys are sitting at +1000 and the Super Bowl XLIV champions New Orleans Saints at +900. In the AFC South, the Colts won the division for five straight years after the 2002 realignment, before the Tennessee Titans won it in 2008. But the Colts came back strong in 2009 to win the division again en route to the Super Bowl. The Cowboys are the favorite to win the NFC East, as well as to advance far into the post season. The Cowboys won the division last season before their horrendous loss in the NFC Divisional playoff to Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. But the ‘Boys will take that loss humbly and be ready for the playoffs this time around.

The NFC South is also very strong, at +600 in the NFL futures, considering that it is home to the defending Super Bowl champions. However, some predictions have the Atlanta Falcons with possibilities of claiming the divisional title this season in place of the Saints, as no team has won back-to-back division championships since the division realignment took place. Let’s not overlook the AFC North at +500. As TO goes to Cincinnati to join Chad OchoCinco and Adam “Pac-Man” Jones, this team looks to claim the division title again. And it is likely they will do so. The Bengals lost in the AFC Wild Card spot in a hard-fought battle against the New York Jets last season. Lest not forget the Pittsburgh Steelers, the XLII Super Bowl Champions… All these teams present interesting odds and matchups for the upcoming season, but the safest and surest bet seems to be with the Colts in the AFC South and the Cowboys in the NFC East. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.