Matty O'Shea

Interesting MLB Props at the new M Resort in Las Vegas

Matty O'Shea — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 23:09:00 GMT

Sorry I haven't been around much lately guys, but I got to see the White Sox sweep the Cubs in two games here in Vegas on Wednesday and Thursday and have been trying to get a good handle on college basketball heading into the major conference tournaments this week.

We just finished off our sixth profitable weekend in hoops over the last seven thanks to a Triple Dime winner on Michigan State as my Big Ten Game O' the Year earlier today. Unfortunately, I lost my Big East Game O' the Year Saturday on Marquette, but at least that means my alma mater Syracuse is now a lock to get into the Big Dance for the first time in three years. I'll have my conference tourney package up shortly.

I also got to check out the new M Resort on Saturday and was very impressed. They have a bar right next to the sportsbook that has 96 beers on tap and the Vig Deli has all kinds of historical sports scores and spreads etched into the walls. It's really a must-see casino, and I will no doubt be spending a lot of time there over the next few weeks. They also offer wireless mobile gaming in the sportsbook where you can bet from your chair on a number of games like video poker and slots in addition to sports.

Anyway, I wanted to share some interesting baseball props at the M Resort for the upcoming season to let you know what's out there and see what you think...

Most Homers by any batter
OVER 46.5 -120
UNDER 46.5 EVEN

Most RBIs by any batter
OVER 144.5 -110
UNDER 144.5 -110

Most Hits by any batter
OVER 219.5 -110
UNDER 219.5 -110

Most Stolen Bases by any player
OVER 64.5 -110
UNDER 64.5 -110

Most Wins by any pitcher
OVER 21.5 EVEN
UNDER 21.5 -120

Most Losses by any pitcher
OVER 17.5 -110
UNDER 17.5 -110

Most Saves by any pitcher
OVER 50.5 -110
UNDER 50.5 -110

Most Strikeouts by any pitcher
OVER 255.5 -110
UNDER 255.5 -110

Most Wins by any MLB team
OVER 101.5 -110
UNDER 101.5 -110

Most Losses by any MLB team
OVER 101.5 -110
UNDER 101.5 -110

Will the New York Yankees win the World Series
YES +400
NO -500

Will the Boston Red Sox win the World Series
YES +700
NO -1000

Will the Chicago Cubs win the World Series
YES +800
NO -1100

Will the New York Mets win the World Series
YES +900
NO -1200

Total Wins (O/U) for MLB Pitchers
Brandon Webb 16.5
CC Sabathia 16.5
Roy Halladay 16.5
Johan Santana 16.5
Tim Lincecum 15.5
Cole Hamels 14.5
Cliff Lee 14.5
Jake Peavy 14.5

Total Homers (O/U) for MLB Hitters
Ryan Howard 42.5
Alex Rodriguez 36.5
Prince Fielder 36.5
Miguel Cabrera 34.5
Albert Pujols 33.5
Mark Teixeira 33.5
Adam Dunn 32.5
Josh Hamilton 30.5
David Wright 30.5
Hanley Ramirez 29.5

If anybody is in town during March Madness, just let me know and we'll try to get together and watch some games.

Finally, I just made one of my biggest bets ever last night, putting $500 on the Big East (+140) to win the NCAA tournament last night at Bookmaker and really can't wait for the Big Dance to finally get underway.

Best of luck everybody

Best Show in Las Vegas: Jersey Boys

Matty O'Shea — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:03:00 GMT

Last night I took my wife to see Jersey Boys at the Palazzo here in Las Vegas for Valentine's Day, and I must say this is the best show I have seen to date. I don't want to spoil it for anybody who wants to see it, but there is a lot of great music history I learned about regarding Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. For example, did you know Joe Pesci was partially responsible for bringing this supergroup together?

The song for our first wedding dance was Valli's Can't Take My Eyes Off You, so Jersey Boys had extra meaning for us. However, this show is so well done that I think anybody who appreciates music would enjoy it immensely. I would definitely recommend seeing it on your next trip to Vegas ahead of anything else.

The Palazzo itself is also a very fun place to hang out. My wife won over $100 playing slots, and we had dinner before the show at Mario Batali's Carnevino Italian Steakhouse. If you are going to hang out anywhere on the Strip, you have to check out the Palazzo and Venetian.

Joe Montana: "I wanted to be a Pittsburgh Steeler"

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:11:00 GMT

Let me set the scene by getting into the DeLorean and going back in time 14 years ago to the day. The Pittsburgh Steelers had just lost Super Bowl XXX to the Dallas Cowboys 27-17 in a game they could have easily won had it not been for Neil O'Donnell's three interceptions.

The year before in Kansas City, the Chiefs had earned what remains their last playoff victory with Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh native Joe Montana under center. Montana ultimately retired, although that is not how he wanted his NFL career to end.

Montana wanted to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they didn't want him. They wanted O'Donnell. Can you imagine Montana leading the Steelers against the Cowboys in the big game and then riding off into the sunset?

I realize this is one of those "what-if" scenarios in which we'll obviously never know what could have been, but consider this: Montana would have been almost the same age as Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner is now if he had played with the Steelers then.

Anyway, I just wanted to share this interview Montana did with Dan Patrick this morning and was curious what RJ and Marco think as their team prepares to win a record sixth Super Bowl title this Sunday. There is also a great interview with Falcons rookie QB Matt Ryan, who finds out for the first time that the Cardinals knew the snap count when they met in their Wild Card playoff game en route to the Super Bowl.

Good stuff - click below to listen to the Podcast

Best of luck everybody and don't miss my Super Bowl package at Pregame Pros

Matty's 3 Golden Rules for Betting Super Bowl Props

Matty O'Shea — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:41:00 GMT

Fitz has been unstoppable in the playoffs and is very popular in Super Bowl props

Believe it or not, I have more fun betting props on the Super Bowl than on the game itself because I love the action and the possibility of cashing multiple bets throughout. That is what makes the Super Bowl the single most exciting sports event of the year for me and why I put in some serious time following my 3 Golden Rules below...

1) SHOP around for the best line - this is really a no-brainer and can be the difference between betting a prop and not betting it at all. Your goal obviously is to beat the book every time you bet and take advantage of what you believe to be a bad line. Most props are set up for something NOT to happen, so getting the most bang for your buck is the most important rule of all. Make sure to check what every book is offering on props you are considering before putting your money down. Also, definitely consider signing up for a new book if you're not getting good lines because there's nothing worse than knowing you could have gotten 20/1 instead of 12/1 when your prop cashes.

2) STUDY postseason trends - you have always heard that the best players step up in the playoffs, and I really believe that. For example, Arizona WR Larry Fitzgerald has already broken Jerry Rice's postseason record for receiving yardage and has emerged as arguably the best in the game right now. I bet him to score the first touchdown in the NFC championship game at 6/1 after looking at the fact that he had scored the first TD against the Falcons in the Wild Card round and realizing how big of an impact he has continued to have with teammate Anquan Boldin hurting. Injuries are a huge factor in the playoffs and something to consider in the Super Bowl with Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward dealing with a sprained knee. Who steps up for the Steelers if Ward is just a decoy and unable to produce like he did when he was the MVP of Super Bowl XL?

3) BET realistic props with value - the player to score the first TD is somewhat of a sucker bet, and I could be the biggest sucker of all when it comes to betting it. I look to bet on one player for each team because you never know who will get the opening kickoff and have the better chance to hit paydirt first. However, in the Super Bowl you will have additional opportunities to wager on whether or not you think a player will simply score a TD or not. When I was shopping props on Saturday here in Las Vegas, I saw that Fitzgerald was 5/1 to score the first TD, +110 to score a TD in the game, +310 to score two or more and +205 to score in the first half. I ultimately settled on betting that he would score in the first half since all five of his TDs in the playoffs have come before halftime. Of course I'm not saying you shouldn't throw $10 on a safety happening at 9/1 odds, but don't go crazy with those types of bets. My main objective with props is to still make a profit on a game even if my big bet loses. Getting carried away won't accomplish that goal, but hitting a longshot like that could get your money back.

For more info on betting props, check out "Introduction to Props" in Pregame's Betting Basics section, where you will also find tips on "Betting Super Bowl Squares."

If you want to find out what I'm betting in the Super Bowl, don't miss my Best Bet & Props Package at Pregame Pros

Best of luck with your Super Bowl betting everybody

Pregame's Sports Betting Preview Show (12/11/08) - LISTEN NOW!

Matty O'Shea — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:56:00 GMT

This week's edition of Pregame's Sports Betting Preview Show is up and ready to roll. In this week's episode Matty O'Shea, The Godfather Marco D'Angelo, Vegas-Runner and special host RJ Bell discuss the following topics:

--NFL Playoff Picture

--Game of the Week (Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore)

--E-mail Questions of the Week

--Exclusive Podcast Selections from Pregame Handicappers

Click Here to Listen Now!

Pregame's Sports Betting Preview Show (12/4/08) - LISTEN NOW!

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:45:00 GMT

This week's edition of the Sports Betting Preview Show follows a special format featuring Matty O'Shea and The Godfather Marco D'Angelo, so make sure to tell us what you think...

--Marco & Matty break down the two BIGGEST games of the week

--Exclusive Weekly Selections

Click Here to Listen Now!

Matty's NBA Referee Report for 11/28/08

Matty O'Shea — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:51:00 GMT

Mike Callahan has seen a lot of OVERs cash for him this year

Well guys, I tried going back to the well once too many times on Wednesday with my NBA Total Play O' the Month, and fortunately most of us walked away with a push. As you can see below, there are two refs who have seen the OVER cash more than anything in their games this season. We rode Zach Zarba and Mike Callahan for the second straight time in the Magic/76ers game and would have pulled off the OVER if one of them called a foul with less than a second left in the game. Instead, they let it go and we got our money back. Keep in mind that there are also good times to go against strong trends like these if the situation is right, so make sure to study everything before you place your bets.

Following are the two picks I gave out in last week's NBA Referee Report leading up to that big play:

506 IND / 505 ORL UNDER 201.5 = WINNER

Analysis: This line hit 205 earlier after opening at 202 and has since fallen to the current number. Why the sudden drop? Well, we have two referees calling this game in Steve Javie and Kevin Fehr who have seen the UNDER cash in 14 of their 16 games so far, averaging 180 points between them. In addition, the third ref - Derek Richardson - has seen the UNDER cash in the last five Orlando games he has called and go 8-2 in the last 10 Indiana games he has been involved with. The UNDER is also 8-3 in the last 11 meetings between the Magic and Pacers, 12-4 in Orlando's last 16 road games and 7-3-1 in Indiana's last 11 home games. I'm following all of these trends and betting the UNDER as my Double Dime NBA Total Play O' the Week.

714 NOH / 713 OKL OVER 190.5 = WINNER

Analysis: Following the strong referee trends that benefit us on our UNDER play on Friday, we will go the other way here and take the OVER in a very similar situation. Refs Zach Zarba and Mike Callahan have seen the OVER cash in 14 of their 16 games so far this season. In addition, the third ref Rodney Mott has seen the OVER cash in six of his nine games. All three refs combined have seen an average of more than 203 points scored in their games. I also like the fact that this is the second game of a home-and-home series played on back-to-back days, so both teams should be a bit tired defensively. Bet the OVER as my Single Dime NBA Total Play O' the Day.

Remember you can always find the daily referee assignments by clicking here.

I have another total going tonight in my Friday Prime Time TV Double Play at Pregame Pros

Best of luck everybody

NBA Referee Report Based on OVER/UNDER Results

	Name	ATS	O / U	For	Agst.	Marg.	Total
1	Zach Zarba	4-7-0	9-2	103.09	98.36	4.73	201.45
2	Mike Callahan	6-6-0	9-2	107.17	98.92	8.25	206.08
3	Sean Corbin	5-5-0	8-2	101.70	99.80	1.90	201.50
4	Courtney Kirkland	4-8-0	9-3	99.83	98.33	1.50	198.17
5	Brian Forte	6-5-0	8-3	100.55	95.73	4.82	196.27
6	Leon Wood	5-6-0	8-3	104.45	100.55	3.91	205.00
7	Monty McCutchen	6-7-0	9-4	101.23	102.69	-1.46	203.92
8	Rodney Mott	5-7-0	8-4	100.92	98.50	2.42	199.42
9	Luis Grillo	5-3-0	6-2	105.25	97.12	8.12	202.38
10	Eric Lewis	3-7-0	7-3	101.10	98.10	3.00	199.20
11	Eli Roe	5-4-0	6-3	99.00	93.56	5.44	192.56
12	Jack Nies	5-4-0	6-3	106.22	98.33	7.89	204.56
13	Derek Richardson	3-7-1	7-4	98.27	101.64	-3.36	199.91
14	Ed Malloy	4-7-0	7-4	99.55	96.64	2.91	196.18
15	Bennett Salvatore	6-7-0	8-5	96.15	99.46	-3.31	195.62
16	Matt Boland	4-7-0	7-4	101.64	99.36	2.27	201.00
17	Joe Crawford	4-2-0	4-2	101.00	99.17	1.83	200.17
18	David Jones	9-3-0	7-5	102.67	91.50	11.17	194.17
19	Jim Clark	7-5-0	7-5	100.50	96.42	4.08	196.92
20	Scott Wall	2-8-0	6-4	97.00	96.80	.20	193.80
21	Derrick Stafford	5-7-0	7-5	101.08	102.58	-1.50	203.67
22	Tom Washington	6-6-0	7-5	101.25	98.67	2.58	199.92
23	Bill Kennedy	3-8-0	6-5	98.64	97.09	1.55	195.73
24	Ron Olesiak	3-6-0	5-4	96.22	100.44	-4.22	196.67
25	Phil Robinson	7-3-0	5-4	103.30	92.80	10.50	196.10
26	Derrick Collins	5-5-0	5-4	95.80	95.10	.70	190.90
27	Tommy Nunez Jr.	5-4-0	5-4	101.89	94.56	7.33	196.44
28	Tony Brown	2-9-0	6-5	99.27	103.09	-3.82	202.36
33	Scott Foster	5-7-0	6-6	99.50	95.67	3.83	195.17
34	Mark Lindsay	4-4-0	4-4	98.62	96.75	1.88	195.38
35	Mark Ayotte	8-3-0	5-5	100.00	94.18	5.82	194.18
36	Dick Bavetta	5-7-0	6-6	99.83	97.33	2.50	197.17
37	Eddie F. Rush	4-8-0	6-6	99.17	93.08	6.08	192.25
38	Joe Forte	5-5-0	5-5	98.20	93.30	4.90	191.50
39	Eric Dalen	3-6-0	4-5	91.44	95.89	-4.44	187.33
40	Joe DeRosa	4-9-0	6-7	97.77	98.38	-.62	196.15
41	Tony Brothers	4-8-0	5-6	98.08	95.58	2.50	193.67
42	Mark Wunderlich	7-6-0	6-7	101.77	95.69	6.08	197.46
43	Mike Smith	4-9-0	6-7	92.92	97.69	-4.77	190.62
44	Sean Wright	5-4-0	4-5	99.67	93.56	6.11	193.22
45	Ken Mauer	6-6-0	5-6	96.67	94.17	2.50	190.83
46	Gary Zielinski	3-8-0	5-6	98.55	97.27	1.27	195.82
47	Bill Spooner	7-5-0	5-7	98.92	92.42	6.50	191.33
48	Pat Fraher	4-6-0	4-6	97.80	100.10	-2.30	197.90
49	Dan Crawford	8-10-0	8-10	99.78	98.89	.89	198.67
50	Haywoode Workman	3-6-0	3-6	94.89	95.33	-.44	190.22
51	Jason Phillips	5-5-1	4-7	97.55	94.09	3.45	191.64
52	John Goble	4-5-0	3-6	97.22	99.78	-2.56	197.00
53	James Capers	3-10-0	5-8	95.00	101.46	-6.46	196.46
54	David Guthrie	3-6-1	3-7	92.40	95.00	-2.60	187.40
55	Greg Willard	6-5-1	4-8	98.00	96.08	1.92	194.08
56	Bennie Adams	5-5-0	3-7	94.70	93.00	1.70	187.70
57	Violet Palmer	7-5-0	4-8	95.33	95.67	-.33	191.00
58	Bob Delaney	5-6-1	4-8	96.00	94.17	1.83	190.17
59	Kevin Fehr	4-5-1	2-8	95.40	94.20	1.20	189.60
60	Leroy Richardson	3-4-1	1-7	91.75	87.88	3.88	179.62
61	Curtis Blair	5-5-0	2-8	98.70	97.50	1.20	196.20
62	Ron Garretson	4-7-1	3-9	97.50	90.75	6.75	188.25
63	Olandis Poole	5-6-0	2-9	96.09	97.18	-1.09	193.27
64	Marc Davis	6-7-0	3-10	95.08	94.38	.69	189.46
65	Steve Javie	3-8-1	2-10	93.00	91.58	1.42	184.58

Pregame's Sports Betting Preview Show (11/27/08) - LISTEN NOW!

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 04:37:00 GMT

This week's edition of the Sports Betting Preview Show is now up and ready to go. In this week's show, Matty O'Shea, The Godfather Marco D'Angelo, Vegas-Runner and Pregame.com President RJ Bell discuss the following topics:

--The BCS system and possible scenarios after this week

--Game of the Week (Oregon/Oregon State)

--E-mail Question of the Week

--Exclusive Weekly Selections

--Special guest RJ Bell

-- HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Click Here to Listen Now!

The Making of a "Game of the Year" Play from a Pregame Pro

Matty O'Shea — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:33:00 GMT

There has been a lot of talk around the Forums about how handicappers come up with Game of the Year plays, and we discussed this topic on a previous edition of the Sports Betting Preview Show thanks to a player693333's Question of the Week.

But in talking with GoodFella today, I realized some of you are so hungry for sports betting knowledge that you might like to know how a pro capper actually goes through the process of making a Game of the Year play.

Our special guest is a Pregame Pro who has revealed the following leading up to his Game of the Year college football pick on Saturday...

What factors do you consider when making such a big play?

I look at everything, from the injury report to key trends - both recent and historical - so I know how these teams have played against each other over the years and how they traditionally perform during this time of year. I also look at motivational aspects.

For example, is one particular team playing with big-time revenge, or does a team need to win in order to become bowl eligible or put itself in position for the conference championship game? The motivational angles must be thoroughly evaluated, and a great one will generally put a play over the top for me as far as becoming a GOY.

What's your take on the number of Game of the Year plays some guys put out?

I personally don't really have a problem with it because it's the capper himself who ultimately has to live up to the billing. If a guy throws out tons of GOY plays and doesn't do well with them, people will know he's a joke and fade him.

The key to me is whether or not a guy is riding a hot streak. It's all about confidence and how well he is seeing the board at that moment. The games will just jump off the page (or screen) when you are looking at the lines, and you can't wait to get your money down on them. This obviously translates directly to sports bettors as well regarding how you manage your bankroll. If you're not feeling that confident, it's best to stay conservative and not "bet the house" on something you can't afford to lose. That's why bettors trust us as handicappers, because we're doing the work for them.

How did you come up with your Game of the Year this week?

I don't want to get into too many details and give it away here, but it basically incorporated everything I talked about earlier, including a huge motivational factor. There is one conference that I have really enjoyed success with this season, and I have developed an insider network that has provided me with some key information on this game that could be the difference. At the same time, there are many other things I took into consideration when I selected this game, but this motivational angle made it a GOY.

> Get Matty's Triple Dime NCAA Game O' the Year at Pregame Pros!

Matty's NBA Referee Report for 11/20/08

Matty O'Shea — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:12:00 GMT

Road teams love Bill Kennedy this year

Sorry guys, but I don't have a lot to report this week but still wanted to get you the updated numbers through Wednesday's games. I've looked at playing sides more over the last week without too much success and should have incorporated some anti-homer refs into my picks (see below).

The top trends right now seem to be betting against home teams with Tony Brown or Bill Kennedy calling their games, as the road teams are a combined 15-2 ATS in that situation. I'll be looking more closely at these on Friday with the big schedule and return with a free play

Remember you can always find the daily referee assignments by clicking here.

Best of luck everybody

NBA Referee Report Based on HOMER Results

	Name	ATS	O / U	For	Agst.	Marg.	Total
1	Jim Clark	7-2-0	5-4	101.33	94.22	7.11	195.56
2	Phil Robinson	6-2-0	5-2	106.50	95.12	11.38	201.62
3	Mark Ayotte	6-2-0	3-5	97.88	92.38	5.50	190.25
4	David Jones	7-3-0	5-5	99.60	90.30	9.30	189.90
5	Mike Callahan	6-3-0	7-1	109.44	98.56	10.89	208.00
6	Tom Washington	6-3-0	6-3	105.67	98.33	7.33	204.00
7	Bob Delaney	5-3-1	3-6	97.44	93.33	4.11	190.78
8	Jack Nies	4-2-0	3-3	102.83	96.33	6.50	199.17
9	Joe Crawford	3-1-0	2-2	96.50	99.75	-3.25	196.25
10	Eli Roe	5-3-0	6-2	100.25	94.25	6.00	194.50
11	Tommy Nunez Jr.	4-2-0	3-3	97.17	93.33	3.83	190.50
12	Brian Forte	6-4-0	8-2	101.70	96.50	5.20	198.20
13	Sean Wright	4-3-0	3-4	98.00	93.86	4.14	191.86
14	Sean Corbin	4-3-0	6-1	101.71	98.71	3.00	200.43
15	Luis Grillo	3-2-0	3-2	102.40	95.80	6.60	198.20
16	Joe Forte	4-3-0	3-4	96.00	90.29	5.71	186.29
17	Monty McCutchen	5-4-0	7-2	101.00	100.11	.89	201.11
18	Ken Mauer	5-4-0	3-6	94.67	90.89	3.78	185.56
19	Bennett Salvatore	5-4-0	5-4	95.33	98.44	-3.11	193.78
24	Ed Malloy	4-4-0	6-2	102.38	97.62	4.75	200.00
25	Mark Wunderlich	5-5-0	4-6	99.30	94.70	4.60	194.00
26	Greg Willard	4-4-1	3-6	96.44	97.33	-.89	193.78
27	Mark Lindsay	3-3-0	3-3	97.50	95.83	1.67	193.33
28	Marc Davis	5-5-0	2-8	94.80	91.90	2.90	186.70
29	John Goble	3-3-0	2-4	95.00	94.00	1.00	189.00
30	Violet Palmer	4-4-0	3-5	96.00	98.12	-2.12	194.12
31	Bill Spooner	5-5-0	5-5	97.90	95.10	2.80	193.00
32	Bennie Adams	4-4-0	2-6	90.62	91.88	-1.25	182.50
33	Ron Olesiak	3-4-0	3-4	96.29	97.43	-1.14	193.71
34	Mike Smith	4-5-0	4-5	92.67	98.56	-5.89	191.22
35	Eric Dalen	3-4-0	3-4	92.43	96.29	-3.86	188.71
36	Zach Zarba	3-4-0	6-1	102.00	98.29	3.71	200.29
37	Kevin Fehr	3-4-0	1-6	91.86	89.71	2.14	181.57
38	Dick Bavetta	4-5-0	5-4	99.67	96.78	2.89	196.44
39	Curtis Blair	3-4-0	2-5	97.29	98.86	-1.57	196.14
40	Leroy Richardson	2-3-1	1-5	92.00	89.33	2.67	181.33
41	Derrick Collins	3-4-0	3-4	92.14	92.86	-.71	185.00
42	Jason Phillips	4-5-1	3-7	96.40	93.50	2.90	189.90
43	Haywoode Workman	2-4-0	2-4	96.33	92.83	3.50	189.17
44	Leon Wood	3-5-0	6-2	104.62	102.12	2.50	206.75
45	David Guthrie	2-4-1	2-5	90.00	94.71	-4.71	184.71
46	Rodney Mott	3-5-0	5-3	98.38	99.38	-1.00	197.75
47	Olandis Poole	3-5-0	2-6	94.75	100.12	-5.38	194.88
48	Pat Fraher	3-5-0	4-4	98.75	102.00	-3.25	200.75
49	Matt Boland	3-5-0	5-3	100.25	96.88	3.38	197.12
50	Ron Garretson	4-6-1	3-8	97.91	91.18	6.73	189.09
51	Eric Lewis	2-5-0	6-1	104.29	101.43	2.86	205.71
52	Scott Foster	3-6-0	4-5	97.67	95.33	2.33	193.00
53	James Capers	3-6-0	3-6	93.00	95.56	-2.56	188.56
54	Courtney Kirkland	3-6-0	6-3	97.00	95.89	1.11	192.89
55	Derek Richardson	3-6-0	6-3	97.78	100.00	-2.22	197.78
56	Eddie F. Rush	3-6-0	4-5	95.11	91.78	3.33	186.89
57	Joe DeRosa	3-7-0	4-6	96.50	96.70	-.20	193.20
58	Tony Brothers	3-7-0	4-5	96.50	96.50	.00	193.00
59	Derrick Stafford	3-7-0	6-4	100.60	103.20	-2.60	203.80
60	Gary Zielinski	2-6-0	4-4	97.00	97.75	-.75	194.75
61	Dan Crawford	5-9-0	8-6	99.43	100.64	-1.21	200.07
62	Scott Wall	1-6-0	4-3	95.86	95.57	.29	191.43
63	Steve Javie	2-7-0	1-8	90.44	88.89	1.56	179.33
64	Tony Brown	1-7-0	4-4	98.25	102.75	-4.50	201.00
65	Bill Kennedy	1-8-0	6-3	99.56	100.44	-.89	200.00

Pregame's Sports Betting Preview Show (11/20/08) - LISTEN NOW!

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:52:00 GMT

--Did Marco fix the Steelers/Chargers game?

--Game of the Week (Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma)

--E-mail Questions of the Week answered by JD & crew

--Exclusive Podcast Selections from Pregame Handicappers

Click Here to Listen Now!

Betting Props with Success from a Pregame Pro

Matty O'Shea — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 23:17:00 GMT

No, this isn't the real Vegas Prop King

This came up on the Forums recently, as I believe it was DenverMoney who asked what type of information people look at before betting props. I'd like to start this conversation by saying I have struggled with props lately but have certainly enjoyed success in the past as most of you know. I have discovered that the bigger the game, the easier it is to win when betting on a particular player's performance. That might explain why I have excelled during the playoffs and had a tougher time during the regular season.

In the NBA, I generally look at home/road statistical splits for players along with how they have performed against their opponent during their career. It's also important not to weigh the career numbers too heavily since the Boston Celtics were obviously not the same team a couple years ago before Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett got there.

Of course NFL games get increasingly important as the season goes on, with prime-time games on Sunday and Monday nights (and now Thursday) definitely the featured events. But certain players get up for these types of games more than others while others clearly struggle (i.e. Bills QB Trent Edwards against the Browns).

Football props can be handicapped similar to the games themselves, by studying each team's game plan and how they are going to attack the opposition. If a top passing team is going up against the worst secondary in the league, you can pretty much assume there will be a lot of passing yards involved. The lines will generally reflect that situation, but what I do beforehand is make the line myself on the player and then judge whether or not there is any value on the OVER or UNDER with the real numbers.

Stats are the biggest factor for me when betting props and really the only thing I look at. One of the best props I have ever seen posted on the Forums came from Jeff Bonds a couple years ago and involved former Ohio State QB Troy Smith going OVER 16 pass completions. Smith completed nine passes on the first drive, and Bonds cashed this prop by halftime. I watched this game with him at Green Valley Ranch, and there's nothing quite like knowing you can enjoy the rest of the game following an easy winner.

Since I'm an action junkie and simply love having money riding on something in virtually every big TV game, I have found prop bets to be a very fun way to add to my passion of watching sports. No matter whether I'm hot or cold with my other bets, I always seem to be cashing some type of ticket and getting money back in my pocket somehow.

> Get Matty's Triple Dime NCAA Game O' the Year at Pregame Pros!

Matty's Musings for 11/17/08: Send Donovan McNabb back to Syracuse

Matty O'Shea — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:50:00 GMT

I still can't believe that Eagles QB Donovan McNabb didn't know there was such a thing as a tie in the NFL

"I've never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book," McNabb said after the game. "It's part of the rules, and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately, with the rules, we settled with a tie."

Some of you have already talked about this on the Forums, and I think there is only one solution: Send him back to the 'Cuse. With Syracuse head coach Greg Robinson getting fired on Sunday, there is an immediate opening. The Eagles will reportedly save $9 million in 2009 by cutting him loose, so why not send him back to school?

After all, the Orange football program has not been the same since he left, and I believe he's already done everything he can in the NFL. Plus, I think he can still learn a thing or two in college

Time to send an email to Syracuse AD Daryll Gross

Tom Crean starring in his own reality show at Indiana

Matty O'Shea — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:36:00 GMT

Kudos to Tom Crean, who left a very talented Marquette team to replace the departed Kelvin Sampson as head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers. Crean was a guest on The Dan Patrick Show this morning and talked about how he was looking forward to resurrecting one of the nation's best college basketball programs despite the fact that he lost nearly the entire roster from a year ago after Sampson was dismissed as a repeat offender of NCAA rules prohibiting phone contact with recruits.

There is no doubt that Crean is an outstanding coach and will have this program competitive again and possibly among the nation's elite within a few years. Just listening to him talk about how a member of the baseball team will be playing basketball now because he won a 3-point shooting contest between the teams and shot better from long range than any of his current players really puts his challenge in perspective.

Crean was also quoted as saying "we're going to be our own reality show" due to all of the trials and tribulations this team is destined to endure throughout the season.

"If we don't smile and enjoy it a little bit," he said, "it's going to be a very disheartening experience."

Best of luck Tom. We'll be betting on and against you with our college basketball picks this season

Matty's NBA Referee Report for 11/13/08

Matty O'Shea — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:19:00 GMT

I wonder if Yao Ming knows Sean Corbin calls high-scoring games

It's obviously debatable whether or not you believe in referee trends enough to bet with them. You should know by now that I am a strong advocate of riding NBA trends and carefully picking my spots to go against them. Wednesday's game between the Raptors and 76ers was a perfect example of picking a spot to go against a team trend for Philly and looking at the refs as a potential difference maker and slump buster.

Granted, the refs did not award the 76ers a ridiculous amount of free throws, but I thought the 76ers would be allowed to run more against the Raptors and read that ref Sean Corbin had seen the OVER cash in all five of his previous games (averaging 204.4 points). That gave me the confidence to bet the OVER on a very low number (183.5), and the result ended up being a basket off of Corbin's season average.

This game had blowout written all over it following a 26-13 first-quarter advantage for Philly, but free throws in Toronto's favor actually helped the Raptors get back into the game and gave them a chance. That's why I didn't give up on the OVER even though the game was on pace for only 156 points after the first 12 minutes.

Here is my analysis on my NBA Total Play O' the Week for those who missed it:

702 TOR / 701 PHI OVER 183.5

Analysis: There's no doubt that the 76ers have struggled to score so far this season with the UNDER going 6-1 in their first seven games. However, they will get an opportunity to play their first repeat opponent of the season tonight in the Raptors, who beat them 95-84 at home in the season opener. The total had gone OVER in the previous five meetings between the teams, and the OVER remains 4-0 in the last four meetings at Toronto. The Raptors return home following a three-game road trip that was capped by a tough 94-87 loss at Boston on Monday, and they should be ready to explode in this spot against a Philly team that has surrendered an average of nearly 100 points in three road games. Finally, we have a ref calling this game in Sean Corbin who has seen the OVER cash in all five of his games this season, averaging 204.4 points. Bet the OVER as my Double Dime NBA Total Play O' the Week.

UNDERs cashed quite a bit during the first two weeks of the season until oddsmakers made their first real adjustments, and tonight you see the three games on the schedule all hovering around the 200 mark (two of which are nationally televised on TNT and inflated a bit toward the OVER).

My best advice is to look specifically at the average amount of points for the refs calling the games and use that info wisely. If a ref's scoring average is much lower than the posted total, bet the UNDER and likewise with the OVER if they have called high-scoring games and the number seems too low. I like for two of the three refs to have favorable trends unless one is dominant. Of course there are no guarantees, but following these early trends have helped me go 7-1 betting totals so far this season.

Remember you can always find the daily referee assignments by clicking here.

Don't miss my NBA TV Play O' the Week tonight at Pregame Pros

Best of luck everybody

NBA Referee Report Based on OVER/UNDER Results

	Name	ATS	O / U	For	Agst.	Marg.	Total
1	Sean Corbin	4-2-0	6-0	104.50	99.50	5.00	204.00
2	Brian Forte	3-4-0	6-1	100.00	99.29	.71	199.29
3	Leon Wood	3-3-0	5-1	106.33	99.83	6.50	206.17
4	Mike Callahan	3-3-0	5-1	110.17	99.83	10.33	210.00
5	Eric Lewis	0-5-0	4-1	101.40	101.60	-.20	203.00
6	Pat Fraher	1-4-0	4-1	105.20	108.60	-3.40	213.80
7	Eli Roe	3-2-0	4-1	104.20	94.20	10.00	198.40
8	Zach Zarba	2-3-0	4-1	102.60	98.80	3.80	201.40
9	Phil Robinson	4-1-0	4-1	110.40	96.20	14.20	206.60
10	Matt Boland	1-4-0	4-1	101.20	97.60	3.60	198.80
11	Courtney Kirkland	2-5-0	5-2	96.71	98.14	-1.43	194.86
12	Monty McCutchen	4-3-0	5-2	100.71	99.71	1.00	200.43
13	Dan Crawford	3-8-0	7-4	99.91	104.64	-4.73	204.55
14	Ed Malloy	2-4-0	4-2	99.00	95.33	3.67	194.33
15	Tom Washington	3-3-0	4-2	103.67	97.50	6.17	201.17
16	Derrick Stafford	1-5-0	4-2	101.67	104.50	-2.83	206.17
17	Bennett Salvatore	3-3-0	4-2	96.83	97.83	-1.00	194.67
18	Rodney Mott	2-5-0	4-3	97.57	99.86	-2.29	197.43
19	Bill Kennedy	1-4-0	3-2	105.20	100.80	4.40	206.00
20	Sean Wright	3-2-0	3-2	103.60	99.00	4.60	202.60
21	Ron Olesiak	2-3-0	3-2	98.20	102.20	-4.00	200.40
26	Scott Wall	0-4-0	2-2	94.25	96.25	-2.00	190.50
27	Luis Grillo	1-1-0	1-1	92.00	93.50	-1.50	185.50
28	Scott Foster	2-4-0	3-3	99.50	94.00	5.50	193.50
29	Jim Clark	6-0-0	3-3	98.67	91.83	6.83	190.50
30	Jack Nies	3-1-0	2-2	99.25	95.75	3.50	195.00
31	Derek Richardson	2-4-0	3-3	97.83	99.50	-1.67	197.33
32	Tommy Nunez Jr.	3-1-0	2-2	98.00	94.00	4.00	192.00
33	Gary Zielinski	1-5-0	3-3	96.17	98.33	-2.17	194.50
34	Eric Dalen	3-2-0	2-3	92.00	95.80	-3.80	187.80
35	Joe Crawford	2-1-0	1-2	92.00	100.00	-8.00	192.00
36	David Jones	5-2-0	3-4	100.29	91.00	9.29	191.29
37	Mark Wunderlich	4-3-0	3-4	102.43	96.00	6.43	198.43
38	Joe DeRosa	2-5-0	3-4	95.43	96.00	-.57	191.43
39	Tony Brown	1-6-0	3-4	98.71	102.29	-3.57	201.00
40	Haywoode Workman	1-4-0	2-3	94.80	93.20	1.60	188.00
41	Dick Bavetta	2-5-0	3-4	98.57	97.43	1.14	196.00
42	Eddie F. Rush	1-4-0	2-3	95.40	92.40	3.00	187.80
43	Joe Forte	3-2-0	2-3	98.40	88.20	10.20	186.60
44	Mark Ayotte	3-1-0	1-3	95.50	89.50	6.00	185.00
45	Mike Smith	3-3-0	2-4	91.67	98.33	-6.67	190.00
46	Bob Delaney	3-2-1	2-4	96.83	92.17	4.67	189.00
47	Bill Spooner	4-2-0	2-4	98.00	91.33	6.67	189.33
48	Mark Lindsay	1-3-0	1-3	90.00	91.50	-1.50	181.50
49	Derrick Collins	1-3-0	1-3	86.75	92.75	-6.00	179.50
50	David Guthrie	1-2-1	1-3	93.00	92.75	.25	185.75
51	Violet Palmer	4-2-0	2-4	95.33	92.50	2.83	187.83
52	Olandis Poole	1-4-0	1-4	91.60	103.20	-11.60	194.80
53	Leroy Richardson	2-1-0	0-3	88.00	81.67	6.33	169.67
54	John Goble	3-2-0	1-4	92.60	89.00	3.60	181.60
55	Tony Brothers	1-6-0	2-5	93.43	96.00	-2.57	189.43
56	Curtis Blair	3-4-0	2-5	97.29	98.86	-1.57	196.14
57	Ken Mauer	4-3-0	2-5	90.29	89.00	1.29	179.29
58	Kevin Fehr	2-2-0	0-4	96.75	87.00	9.75	183.75
59	Ron Garretson	3-5-0	2-6	94.88	91.75	3.12	186.62
60	James Capers	3-3-0	1-5	94.33	92.67	1.67	187.00
61	Steve Javie	1-6-0	1-6	92.29	91.14	1.14	183.43
62	Jason Phillips	3-4-0	1-6	90.14	90.71	-.57	180.86
63	Greg Willard	3-3-1	1-6	93.14	94.71	-1.57	187.86
64	Bennie Adams	2-3-0	0-5	87.20	89.20	-2.00	176.40
65	Marc Davis	4-4-0	1-7	95.00	90.75	4.25	185.75