With 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament, the No. 1 overall seed, Louisville, remains the favorite to win it all. Updated odds from scoresandodds.com: Louisville 3/1 Indiana 9/2 Florida 5/1 Miami (Fla.) 7-1 Ohio State 8-1 Duke 8-1 Michigan State 12-1 Michigan 12-1 Kansas 12-1 Syracuse 12-1 Arizona 25-1 Wichita State 30-1 Marquette 40-1 Oregon 60-1 La Salle 75-1 Florida Gulf Coast 100-1
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With 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament, the No. 1 overall seed, Louisville, remains the favorite to win it all.

Updated odds from scoresandodds.com:

Louisville 3/1
Indiana 9/2
Florida 5/1
Miami (Fla.) 7-1
Ohio State 8-1
Duke 8-1
Michigan State 12-1
Michigan 12-1
Kansas 12-1
Syracuse 12-1
Arizona 25-1
Wichita State 30-1
Marquette 40-1
Oregon 60-1
La Salle 75-1
Florida Gulf Coast 100-1

Source: Yahoo!

Super Bowl odds from R.J. Bell of Pregame.com Broncos: 3 to 1 Patriots: 4 to 1 49ers: 6 to 1 Falcons: 7 to 1 Packers: 8 to 1 Seahawks: 12 to 1 Texans: 18 to 1 Redskins: 20 to 1 Ravens: 25 to 1 Bengals: 50 to 1 Vikings: 75 to 1 Colts: 80 to 1 Odds BEFORE season: Packers: 6 to 1 Patriots: 7 to 1 Broncos: 12 to 1 49ers: 13 to 1 Texans: 14 to 1 Ravens: 20 to 1 Falcons: 28 to 1 Bengals: 40 to 1 Seahawks: 50 to 1 Redskins: 60 to 1 Vikings: 100 to 1 Colts: 125 to 1
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Super Bowl odds from R.J. Bell of Pregame.com
Broncos: 3 to 1
Patriots: 4 to 1
49ers: 6 to 1
Falcons: 7 to 1
Packers: 8 to 1
Seahawks: 12 to 1
Texans: 18 to 1
Redskins: 20 to 1
Ravens: 25 to 1
Bengals: 50 to 1
Vikings: 75 to 1
Colts: 80 to 1

Odds BEFORE season:
Packers: 6 to 1
Patriots: 7 to 1
Broncos: 12 to 1
49ers: 13 to 1
Texans: 14 to 1
Ravens: 20 to 1
Falcons: 28 to 1
Bengals: 40 to 1
Seahawks: 50 to 1
Redskins: 60 to 1
Vikings: 100 to 1
Colts: 125 to 1

Source: deseretnews.com

Via R.J. Bell, Vegas odds on where free agent QB Peyton Manning will end up: Cardinals: 19% ($100 wins $250)Dolphins: 16.5% ($100 wins $300)Redskins: 13% ($100 wins $400)Jets: 9.5% ($100 wins $600)Chiefs: 7.5% ($100 wins $800)Retire: 6% ($100 wins $1,000)Seahawks: 6% ($100 wins $1,000)Texans: 4% ($100 wins $1,500)49ers: 3% ($100 wins $2,000)Broncos: 3% ($100 wins $2,000)Titans: 1.5% ($100 wins $4,000)Team Not Listed: 11% ($100 wins $500)
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Via R.J. Bell, Vegas odds on where free agent QB Peyton Manning will end up:

Cardinals: 19% ($100 wins $250)
Dolphins: 16.5% ($100 wins $300)
Redskins: 13% ($100 wins $400)
Jets: 9.5% ($100 wins $600)
Chiefs: 7.5% ($100 wins $800)
Retire: 6% ($100 wins $1,000)
Seahawks: 6% ($100 wins $1,000)
Texans: 4% ($100 wins $1,500)
49ers: 3% ($100 wins $2,000)
Broncos: 3% ($100 wins $2,000)
Titans: 1.5% ($100 wins $4,000)
Team Not Listed: 11% ($100 wins $500)

Source: news.daylife.com

Wacky Super Bowl XLVI Props

Via RJ Bell of Pregame.com…

Heads or Tails on coin flip ($101 wins $100 either way)

How long will it take Kelly Clarkson to sing National Anthem?
over/under 1 minute and 34 seconds

Will Kelly Clarkson in any way mess up Anthem lyrics?
If yes, $100 wins $250

Will Kelly Clarkson’s bare belly be showing during Anthem?
If yes, $100 wins $300

What color will Madonna’s hair be?
Blonde: 76% ($400 wins $100)
Any other color: 24% ($100 wins $250)

How many times will these people/events be shown:
(from kick-off to final whistle)
over/under …
Peyton Manning: 3.5 times
Robert Kraft: 3.5 times
David Tyree’s 2008 catch: 1 time
Giselle Bundchen: .5 times (half-a-time is same as yes or no prop)
Mitt Romney: .5 times (half-a-time is same as yes or no prop)

How many times will these topics be mentioned:
(from kick-off to final whistle)
over/under …
Andrew Luck: 1 time
Jim Isray: 1 time

What color Gatorade will be dumped on winning coach?
($100 wins … )
Clear: $200
Yellow $200
Orange: $225
Red: $550
Green: $600
Blue: $1000

How many average viewers will the game have?
over/under 117 million views

Now that the NFL lockout is over, let’s take a look at the favorites among Bodog’s odds to win the Super Bowl this season. Green Bay Packers 7/1 New England Patriots 7/1 San Diego Chargers 10/1 Pittsburgh Steelers 12/1 Atlanta Falcons 14/1 Baltimore Ravens 14/1 Dallas Cowboys 14/1 New York Jets 14/1 Philadelphia Eagles 15/1 Of course, these numbers may change quite a bit after the whirlwind of expected player movement is finished. Not a ton of huge game-changers on the open market, though.
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Now that the NFL lockout is over, let’s take a look at the favorites among Bodog’s odds to win the Super Bowl this season.

Green Bay Packers 7/1

New England Patriots 7/1

San Diego Chargers 10/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 12/1

Atlanta Falcons 14/1

Baltimore Ravens 14/1

Dallas Cowboys 14/1

New York Jets 14/1

Philadelphia Eagles 15/1

Of course, these numbers may change quite a bit after the whirlwind of expected player movement is finished. Not a ton of huge game-changers on the open market, though.

The final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event is set. Whittled down from 6,885 players, the November Nine will continue their quest of the $8.71 million first prize after four months of hype. The chip leaders heading in: Martin Staszko (40,175,000) Eoghan O’Dea (33,925,000)
 Matt Giannetti (24,750,000)
 Phil Collins (23,875,000) Ben Lamb (20,875,000)
 Badih Bounahra (19,700,000)
 Pius Heinz (16,425,000)
 Anton Makiievskyi (13,825,000)
 Samuel Holden (12,375,000) Once again, the final table lacks a big TV name from the mid-2000s poker boom. But that’s the state of the game. Top competition now springs from every corner of the globe, and part of the November Nine concept is to allow time to get to know the combatants well enough to gain a rooting interest. (Four-year history of November Nine on Wikipedia)
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The final table of the World Series of Poker Main Event is set. Whittled down from 6,885 players, the November Nine will continue their quest of the $8.71 million first prize after four months of hype.

The chip leaders heading in:

Martin Staszko (40,175,000)
Eoghan O’Dea (33,925,000)

Matt Giannetti (24,750,000)

Phil Collins (23,875,000)
Ben Lamb (20,875,000)

Badih Bounahra (19,700,000)

Pius Heinz (16,425,000)

Anton Makiievskyi (13,825,000)

Samuel Holden (12,375,000)

Once again, the final table lacks a big TV name from the mid-2000s poker boom. But that’s the state of the game. Top competition now springs from every corner of the globe, and part of the November Nine concept is to allow time to get to know the combatants well enough to gain a rooting interest.

(Four-year history of November Nine on Wikipedia)

Source: pokernews.com

What are online poker whizzes going to do now that the U.S. has shut down the industry at home? According to Daniel Negreanu, they’re going to take jobs from people outside of the poker industry. In an interview with Covers.com, Negreanu said: I think you’re going to see a whole bunch of young, 20-something guys who are really geniuses entering a job market that is already crowded and taking jobs from other people. So this isn’t just going to affect poker players, it’s going to affect other people who are going to be less qualified than some of these really intelligent guys.  We’ve really screwed up in a monstrous way; it’s not just the 100,000 people out of jobs in this country, it’s all the other people who are going to be shut out of jobs. No doubt that winning online poker players are smart dudes, and some of Negreanu’s logic works here. But I don’t know if it plays out with a bunch of poker nerds barnstorming office buildings and throwing has-beens out of their corner offices. I’ve played thousands of hours of poker, both online and in casions, and I want and expect online poker to be available to U.S. players in the future. But if these guys are so brilliant, maybe it’s not such a bad thing for them to produce in other areas.
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What are online poker whizzes going to do now that the U.S. has shut down the industry at home? According to Daniel Negreanu, they’re going to take jobs from people outside of the poker industry.

In an interview with Covers.com, Negreanu said:

I think you’re going to see a whole bunch of young, 20-something guys who are really geniuses entering a job market that is already crowded and taking jobs from other people.
 
So this isn’t just going to affect poker players, it’s going to affect other people who are going to be less qualified than some of these really intelligent guys. 
 
We’ve really screwed up in a monstrous way; it’s not just the 100,000 people out of jobs in this country, it’s all the other people who are going to be shut out of jobs.

No doubt that winning online poker players are smart dudes, and some of Negreanu’s logic works here. But I don’t know if it plays out with a bunch of poker nerds barnstorming office buildings and throwing has-beens out of their corner offices.

I’ve played thousands of hours of poker, both online and in casions, and I want and expect online poker to be available to U.S. players in the future. But if these guys are so brilliant, maybe it’s not such a bad thing for them to produce in other areas.

PokerNews takes a closer look at online poker’s Black Friday, a day that resulted in Department of Justice indictments against owners of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker. Matthew Kredell says that the short-term outlook for online poker in the U.S. is “grim,” adding: PokerStars already has stopped serving the U.S. market. I expect Full Tilt Poker and probably Absolute Poker to follow. I would not expect these sites to serve the U.S. market again until after online poker is officially legalized, licensed and regulated in the country. Even then, the chances of these sites obtaining a license have been severely impacted. Americans with money on the sites likely will get it back eventually but, as it did when the Neteller founders were indicted, it could take a while. I have around $9,000 on PokerStars, plus a ton of loyalty points that used to be redeemable for ~$1,500 in retail gift certificates. I’ve paid taxes on my winnings for a few years, and I don’t expect there to be any long-term issue getting my money back. There are a LOT more U.S. players with a LOT more money on the three services than me, and I don’t think the U.S. wants to piss us ALL off, just the owners of the sites who are making bank but not sharing with Uncle Sam. In the long run, I’d like to see online poker regulated in the U.S, as it could bring in a much-needed wave of new players. Short-term, I suppose we’ll see more action in the brick-and-mortar poker rooms around the country, but since online poker players are generally more skilled than live counterparts, the games might get even tougher. And they’re already flooded with grinders. I suggest following Poker News as well as the 2+2 Forums for more perspective as this situation develops.
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PokerNews takes a closer look at online poker’s Black Friday, a day that resulted in Department of Justice indictments against owners of PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker and Absolute Poker.

Matthew Kredell says that the short-term outlook for online poker in the U.S. is “grim,” adding:

PokerStars already has stopped serving the U.S. market. I expect Full Tilt Poker and probably Absolute Poker to follow. I would not expect these sites to serve the U.S. market again until after online poker is officially legalized, licensed and regulated in the country. Even then, the chances of these sites obtaining a license have been severely impacted. Americans with money on the sites likely will get it back eventually but, as it did when the Neteller founders were indicted, it could take a while.

I have around $9,000 on PokerStars, plus a ton of loyalty points that used to be redeemable for ~$1,500 in retail gift certificates. I’ve paid taxes on my winnings for a few years, and I don’t expect there to be any long-term issue getting my money back. There are a LOT more U.S. players with a LOT more money on the three services than me, and I don’t think the U.S. wants to piss us ALL off, just the owners of the sites who are making bank but not sharing with Uncle Sam.

In the long run, I’d like to see online poker regulated in the U.S, as it could bring in a much-needed wave of new players. Short-term, I suppose we’ll see more action in the brick-and-mortar poker rooms around the country, but since online poker players are generally more skilled than live counterparts, the games might get even tougher. And they’re already flooded with grinders.

I suggest following Poker News as well as the 2+2 Forums for more perspective as this situation develops.

NFL Week 1 Lines

The New York Giants dropped 8 of their last 11 games last season. Now they’re the biggest favorites of the NFL’s opening weekend, a touchdown favorite vs. Carolina as they open the New Meadowlands Stadium.

Eight of the 16 matchups have spreads of a field goal or less. And none, as mentioned, are more than a touchdown. That’s pretty much how the NFL would like it to be, right?

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