Wwkcchiefs Football Betting News

<< Pirates send Snell to minors
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Pittsburgh Pirates optioned struggling pitcher Ian Snell to Indianapolis of the International League on Thursday. Snell has made 15 starts this season, compiling a 2-8 record with a 5.36 earned r

<< Andujar returns to Serie A with Catania
Catania, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Argentinian goalkeeper Mariano Andujar has returned to Serie A after joining Catania. The 25-year-old former Palermo shot-stopper has joined Rossazzurri from Estudiantes. Andujar made 21 appearanc

<< Santana outshines Carpenter as Mets edge Cards
Flushing, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Johan Santana was solid on the mound, and Nick Evans' two-run double in the fourth inning was the difference, as the Mets edged St. Louis, 3-2, in the finale of a four-game set at Citi Field. Fernando Tat

<< Bayern dismisses Lucio reports
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bayern Munich President Franz Beckenbauer has categorically dismissed rumors linking Lucio with a departure from the Allianz Arena. The Brazil defender's future in Germany has been thrown into do

St. Louis to host WPS All-Star Game >>
San Francisco, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Women's Professional Soccer announced Thursday that The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo., will be the site of the 2009 WPS All-Star Game on Aug. 30. The league will employ a unique format

Brazil advances to play U.S. in Confed Cup final >>
Johannesburg, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Daniel Alves scored in the 87th minute, helping Brazil edge South Africa 1-0 on Thursday in the Confederations Cup to set up a rematch with the United States in the final. Alves, who entered

Dundee aims to keep Gomis >>
Dundee, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dundee United manager Craig Levein is hoping to hold off interest in Morgaro Gomis this summer. Gomis, 23, is under contract with the Terrors until 2011, but has been the subject of interest fro

Berkman clubs two homers to help Astros crown Royals >>
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lance Berkman hit a pair of two-run homers and reached the 1,000 RBI plateau as the Houston Astros edged the Kansas City Royals, 5-4, in the finale of a three-game interleague set at Minute Maid Park.

Betting Football

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.