Big Ten semifinals feature Buckeyes against Illini

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

03/13/2010 - Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Semifinal round action in the Big Ten Conference Tournament will begin this afternoon when the top-seeded Ohio State Buckeyes battle the fifth-seeded Illinois Fighting Illini at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Fighting Illini snapped a three-game slide with a quarterfinal victory over Wisconsin on Friday. Illinois, which finished with a 10-8 mark in league play, has won this event twice, with the last title coming back in 2005.

As for the fifth-ranked Buckeyes, they avoided a huge upset against Michigan, but grabbing a thrilling, 69-68 decision over the Wolverines. Ohio State claimed the first seed with a 14-4 mark in conference play, and will try to grab its third Big Ten tournament title, and the team's first since 2007.

The Buckeyes pounded the Illini by double figures in both meetings this season, but despite the losses, Illinois still holds a commanding, 99-60 edge over Ohio State in the all-time series.

The Illini overcame a 17-turnover performance by shooting 52.5 percent from the floor in their victory over Wisconsin. Illinois finished 6-of-10 from behind the arc and also won the battle on the glass by a 40-33 margin. Mike Tisdale led the way with 21 points and eight boards, while Demetri McCamey tallied 13 points, to go along with eight assists. D.J. Richardson finished with 12 points, while Mike Davis tallied a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. On the season the team is being paced by McCamey, who is netting 14.9 ppg, to go along with 218 assists. Tisdale is contributing 11.9 ppg and 6.1 rpg, while Davis is averaging 10.3 ppg, to go along with a team-best 8.8 rpg.

Evan Turner made another statement for his case to be named Player of the Year, as Ohio State's guard drilled a three-point basket as time expired to lift the Buckeyes to a thrilling, 69-68 victory over Michigan. Turner finished with 18 points and eight assists, while David Lighty and William Buford added 15 points apiece. Jon Diebler also got involved in the win by netting 11 points. Turner has been one of the best players in the nation and is currently leading Ohio State in scoring (19.5 ppg), rebounding (9.1 rpg), assists (154) and steals (47). However, Turner has not done it all by himself, as Buford is also contributing a healthy 14.3 ppg, to go along with 103 assists. Diebler and Lighty come into this game posting 12.6 and 12.5 ppg, respectively.

Www1luckygambler NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Jayhawks and Wildcats collide for Big 12 title
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bitter rivals meet in this evening's Big 12 Tournament Championship game, as the second-seeded and ninth-ranked Kansas State Wildcats take aim at the top-seeded and No.1 ranked Kansas Jayhawks at the Sprint Ce

<< Huskies and Coyotes square off for first-ever Great West title
Orem, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An automatic bid to the Collegeinsider.com Tournament is on the line tonight as the Huskies of Houston Baptist challenge the South Dakota Coyotes in the first-annual Great West Conference Tournament Championship Game

<< Hoyas and Mountaineers square off for Big East crown
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Big East Tournament title is up for grabs this evening, as the 22nd-ranked Georgetown Hoyas take on the seventh-ranked West Virginia Mountaineers at famed Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas were thought to b

<< Rams and Owls square off in A-10 semifinals
Atlantic City, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The top-seeded and 17th-ranked Temple Owls continue their run for a third straight Atlantic 10 Tournament title today, as they clash with the fifth-seeded Rhode Island Rams in the semifinals at Boardwalk Hal

<< Cougars and Miners duke it out for C-USA crown
Tulsa, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Two programs trying to claim their first Conference USA Tournament titles come together at the BOK Center in Tulsa, as the top-seeded and 25th-ranked Texas-El Paso Miners clash with the seventh- seeded Houston Couga

Bobcats battle Zips for Mid-American Conference crown >>
Cleveland, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Looking to claim their second consecutive Mid-American Conference Tournament title, the third-seeded Akron Zips will take the floor this evening against the ninth-seeded Ohio University Bobcats at the Quicken Lo

Bears set sights on Bulldogs in MEAC title game >>
Winston-Salem, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Back in the title game of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament for the third straight year, the Morgan State Bears try to repeat as champions this afternoon as they tangle with South Carolina State

Boilermakers and Golden Gophers meet in Big Ten semifinals >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A chance to play in the Big Ten Conference Tournament championship game will be on the line this afternoon when the sixth-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers take on the second-seeded Purdue Boilermakers in semif

Rebels and Aztecs seek MWC crown in Sin City >>
Las Vegas, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shooting for their third championship in the last four years and the fourth overall, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels are into the title game of the Mountain West Conference Tournament today and will face the San Diego S

Pac-10 title up for grabs in Los Angeles >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pac-10 Tournament title is up for grabs this evening, as the top-seeded California Golden Bears face off against the third-seeded Washington Huskies in the finals at the Staples Center. California, whic

Betting the NFL preseason

Rule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games."

When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules. 

The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night.

The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine.

“I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.”

The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark.

“We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.”

The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long.

“It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.”

Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play.

“You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt."

So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps?

“Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says.

Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins.

Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet.

Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter.

“If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says.

Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider.

The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason.

“We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003.

Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

Online Sportsbook Accepts Credit Cards

Credit Card Sports Betting: Sportsbook accepts U.S. credit cards

Tired of credit card deposit hassles? Then this is the place for you! MySportsbook boasts the best rate of acceptance for credit card deposits in the whole sports betting industry! They give you an instant 10% bonus for doing so as well, where as many other online bookies do not award a bonus for credit card transactioned deposits.

Welcome to MySportsbook.com the biggest and best sportsbook on the web! If you need a sportsbook accepting US credit cards for deposits you've come to the right place because they are the best.

Are you the type that needs lots of wager offerings? Then keep reading! MySportsbook is one of the best at offering everything gambling related that you can think of! Their sportsbook has all the current football and basketball odds as well as auto racing, horse racing, boxing and hard to find sports as well. Their casino boasts tons of different options as well such as blackjack, video poker, slots and virtual games such as hi-lo and virtual horse derby.

Reasons to Play There: A little tip for you all.. This is a sportsbook promotions that has a tremendous volume of players. They also offer an online poker room. Many of these sports bettors hop over to the poker room once the days games are over. Many of these sports bettors are just that and NOT good poker players. In summary, often times you'll be able to get into some lower limit games with some very ripe fish in the late evening hours resulting in some very easy pickin's and nice wins.

Speaking of poker, they offer satellite tournaments where you can win a free seat to the World Series of Poker! Be sure to check out their cycle, no hitter and slaughter rule refunds too! Open an account today by clicking here!