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12/05/2011 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - There's really only one way to look at the LPGA Tour in 2011:
The Year of Yani.
That means Yani Tseng, of course. Tseng began the year as the No. 5 player in the world, nearly a full point off the average of No. 1 Jiyai Shin. Shin's 10.60 point average then now pales in comparison to Tseng's current average of 18.16, nearly double that of her nearest competitor.
To put it in layman's terms: there's Yani Tseng, and there's everyone else.
Having already passed the status of the "Next One," Tseng dominated the LPGA Tour in 2011 like few have before. She has successfully taken the torch from Lorena Ochoa, who retired not long ago, and, at the young age of 22, figures to hold on to the torch for a bit of time.
It's rather early to speculate, but when all is said and done, Tseng could conceivably challenge Kathy Whitworth's record of 88 LPGA Tour victories. It's possible that we've witnessed the coming out party of the greatest female golfer ever.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Yani Tseng
Duh.
Tseng had seven LPGA Tour victories -- two majors -- and 11 overall wins in 2011, all while no other golfer got more than two titles. If Cristie Kerr, who finished second on the money list, doubled her earnings, she'd still fall short of Tseng's nearly $3 million.
Barely old enough to legally drink in the United States, Tseng is already a third of the way to the all-time major championship record of 15.
Tseng won her second LPGA Championship and second Women's British Open in 2011 and finished second to Stacy Lewis in an exciting Kraft Nabisco Championship. She made 21 cuts in 22 events, finishing in the top five in 12 of them and the top 10 in two more.
She led the tour in scoring average by almost a full stroke and was the only player who averaged under 70 strokes per round. Tseng had 58 more birdies than anyone else, five more rounds under par and led the tour in driving distance.
It was a historic year by any measure, and someday she'll complete the career Grand Slam with a U.S. Women's Open championship. It's quite possible we haven't seen the best of this superstar, and she should be a treat to watch for the next decade or so.
Runners up (but really, there was no competition): Lewis, Suzann Pettersen.
TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR - Kraft Nabisco Championship
It can't all be about Tseng, can it?
The Kraft Nabisco Championship was one of the rare points in 2011 where Tseng was beaten, but her presence all the way to the finish helped make this tournament the most exciting of the year.
In the season's first major, Tseng was looking to successfully defend her title and had a two-stroke lead heading into the final round. But Lewis lurked long enough to take the lead midway through the round, making some incredible shots down the stretch (one of which will be mentioned later) to hold on.
It's difficult to think that Tseng's year could have been more impressive if it weren't for Lewis' clutch play that Sunday. Lewis broke through after three previous top-10 finishes in majors and took the customary leap into Poppie's Pond. The jump wasn't all that successful, as her mother broke her leg, but that will heal, and Lewis rode the victory to quite a season.
She said afterward that beating Tseng reminded her that she could play with -- and beat -- the best in the world. Looking back after the year Tseng had, it may have been the most impressive performance of the year.
Tseng finished with an out-of-character, two-over 74 that day, so Lewis may have caught a break, but one particular putt at the end of the round helped her seal her first career victory...
SHOT OF THE YEAR
...Lewis headed to the 71st hole of the Kraft Nabisco Championship with a two- stroke lead, but was visibly nervous for good reason.
Here was Lewis, who didn't have an official win, battling what we now know to be one of the greatest female golfers ever. Even a two-shot lead, with two to play, has to feel like nothing, knowing what Tseng can do.
Lewis showed her nerves by hitting her tee shot into a greenside bunker, while Tseng had a birdie chance from the edge of the green. Oh no, Lewis must have thought -- the pressure seemed to be winning the battle.
Lewis wedged out of the sand trap to the fringe, about 25 feet away, and Tseng followed with a bad miss on her birdie chance, and the ball rolled just inside where Lewis was.
What followed was the shot of the year.
Lewis seemed to have no shot to save par and was resigned to make bogey, which still would have left her with a likely lead. It would have been okay, but a par would probably seal the tournament. The ball started out to the right, and Lewis could only stand and watch as it rolled perfectly right to left and into the cup.
It was an unbelievable moment, the dagger in Tseng's chances after the now-No. 1 missed her par putt and fell behind by three. After Lewis parred the last hole, history was made.
"I just couldn't believe I made it," Lewis said at the time. "I knew I had a good shot at winning from there, but I was just trying to control my emotions and stay calm."
She had a tough time doing that, but it would be hard for anyone who just accomplished what Lewis did. She went on to finish fourth on the money list, only $1,000 behind Na Yeon Choi for third.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Hee Kyung Seo
Seo won the Rookie of the Year award quite convincingly in 2011, more than doubling the points of runner-up Christel Boeljon. She didn't get a win, but managed to finish an impressive 21st on the money list in her first season with $619,428.
Seo nearly captured a major in her first stint on tour, going to a playoff at the U.S. Women's Open after tying So Yeon Ryu atop the leaderboard on the final day. A bogey on the second playoff hole ultimately doomed her, but it was one of the more impressive and surprising performances of the year.
In all, Seo had two top-five finishes and another top-10, missing only three cuts all year. She'll likely be heard from again in the coming years.
Runners-up: Boeljon, Tiffany Joh, Jenny Shin.
GOOD YEAR
Pettersen - She finished the year as the No. 2 player in the world, posting two titles in 2011 and finishing fifth on the money list. A year after being listed on the 'Bad Year' of this review, Pettersen finally made up for it with her first victory in nearly two years at the Sybase Match Play Championship. She followed with her first stroke-play win in just as long at the Safeway Classic, shedding the choke label she was beginning to receive.
Brittany Lincicome - Other than Tseng, there were three two-time winners in 2011, and Lincicome was one of them. She took the ShopRite LPGA Classic and Canadian Women's Open, adding to her Kraft Nabisco Championship title in 2009. It was the first year Lincicome had won multiple times in a season, and she didn't miss a cut all year.
Karrie Webb - The last of the four multi-winners in 2011, Webb finished only 14th on the money list, but at age 36 she keeps churning out victories. She managed to keep her career win total (38) ahead of her age and will look to become the 12th player to win 40 times on the LPGA Tour in 2012. Webb won consecutive events early in the year before fading, but she also did not miss a cut in 2011.
Lewis - Anyone who beats Tseng on a Sunday at a major has to have a good year regardless of whatever else happens, right? It was Lewis' only win, but she finished fourth on the money list and had five top-fives and 12 top-10s overall.
BAD YEAR
Jiyai Shin - She began the year at No. 1, but is now No. 7 after going winless in 2011. After posting multiple victories for three straight years, Shin couldn't add to her eight career victories and never cracked the top five in her last 11 events. She had a pair of runner-up finishes, but those came early in the year. Shin cashed only two six-digit paychecks all season.
Michelle Wie - She's still getting by on name value, but when does that end? After going winless for the first time since 2008, Wie needs to start performing before her star fades completely. She posted runner-up finishes at the season-opening LPGA Thailand and the Canadian Women's Open, but was mostly down the leaderboards at most events. Might people have expected too much from her too soon? For the record, Wie and Tseng were born in the same year.
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A graduate of
In part two of MySportsbook.com’s draft preview, we’ll take a look at a division that was extremely disappointing last season: the NFC South. Many “experts” predicted the Panthers to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, of course they could not even make the playoffs in an extremely weak NFC. The Saints definitely made up for the disappointing seasons of their NFC South brethren by exploding out of no where en route to the NFC Championship game. For the avid NFL gambler, it is imperative to pay attention to the NFL draft. Although free agency gets a ton of publicity, the successful franchises build their teams around the draft.
1. New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought this time last year that the Saints would be the favorites to win the NFC South for the 2007 campaign? New Orleans is loaded with firepower on the offensive side of the ball but with the exodus of Joe Horn they will most likely look to draft a WR on Day 1. Despite having the NFL’s 3rd ranked pass defense last season, the Saints will most likely upgrade their CB’s with one of their first two picks. Other possibilities for the Saints will be TE and DT. Because of where they will be selecting (27th), the Saints could go the “best available player” route which could net a LB.
Key additions: Eric Johnson TE, Troy Evans LB, David Patten WR
Key loses: Joe Horn WR,
Team needs: CB, WR, TE, LB, DT
Possible draftees: Aaron Ross CB Texas, Darrelle Revis CB Pitt, Ted Ginn Jr. WR OSU, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Chris Houston CB Arkansas, Greg Olsen TE Miami
2. Carolina Panthers
Carolina was one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season. With the signing of David Carr, expect the very first quarterback controversy to come out of Carolina if Jake Delhomme doesn’t rebound quickly from an average 2007 season. With veteran safety Mike Minter getting up there in age, they will look to draft a safety on Day 1 but probably not in the first round. LB is another need with the loss of Chris Draft to go along with Dan Morgan’s concussion problems. If TE Greg Olsen is still on the board, he might be too good to pass up despite their needs on the defensive side of the ball.
Key additions: David Carr QB
Key loses: Chris Draft LB
Team needs: LB, TE, S, OT
Possible draftees: Greg Olsen TE Miami, Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss, Paul Posluszny LB PSU, Levi Brown OT PSU
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were another NFC South team to have a disappointing 2007 season. The Falcons have been plenty busy during the off season with plenty of players coming and going including a new head coach. The Falcons were able to improve their draft position with the trade of coveted backup QB Matt Schaub. High on the list of Day 1 needs will be a defensive end to replace Patrick Kerney and a hard hitting safety since Lawyer Milloy is nearing the end of his career. With an additional 2nd round pick, the Falcons could attempt to trade up to acquire local product WR Calvin Johnson.
Key additions: Joey Harrington QB, Toniu Fonoti OG, Joe Horn WR
Key loses: Justin Griffen RB, Patrick Kerney DE, Matt Lehr OG, Ashley Lelie WR, Matt Schaub QB
Team needs: DE, S, OT, WR, DT
Possible draftees: LaRon Landry S LSU, Amobi Okoye DT Louisville, Levi Brown OT PSU, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas, Alan Branch DT Michigan
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Age really caught up to the Bucs last season. The Bucs still have plenty of household names on defense in Ronde Barber, Simeon Rice and Derrick Brooks but the one thing those three have in common is unfortunately age. It is imperative for the Bucs to get much younger, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Despite having bigger needs on the defensive side of the ball, WR Calvin Johnson is the most likely pick if he is still available when the Bucs pick at the four spot. This would suit Bucs’ faithful just fine as Johnson is widely considered the top talent in the draft and it is a position of need for the Bucs.
Key additions: Jeff Garcia QB, Kevin Carter DE, Torrie Cox CB, Cato June LB
Key loses: Dewayne White DE, Sean Mahan OG
Team needs: WR, LB, DE, CB (Youth on defense!)
Possible draftees: Calvin Johnson WR Georgia Tech, Gains Adams DE Clemson, Jamaal Anderson DE Arkansas
It is never too early to start betting on the NFL. Log on to MySportsbook.com to checkout all of the NFL futures for the upcoming season. On the clock: the NFC North
Odds to win the NFC South:
New Orleans Saints 8-5
Carolina Panthers 2-1
Atlanta Falcons 12-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-2
Odds to win the NFC:
New Orleans Saints 13-2
Carolina Panthers 7-1
Atlanta Falcons 20-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 25-1
Odds to win the Super Bowl:
New Orleans Saints 18-1
Carolina Panthers 20-1
Atlanta Falcons 50-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75-1
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Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends
We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS. Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned. For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go. As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190). Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”. By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet. For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction. On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later. Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick. Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com
New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors
Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season.
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls
Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times.
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons
Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season.
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers
In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS.
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”. With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit. Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.
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