Floridamatlins Football Betting News

<< Toronto signs "Monster" Gustavsson
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Maple Leafs are venturing outside the NHL in an attempt to land a top-flight goaltender, signing Jonas "The Monster" Gustavsson to a one-year contract Tuesday. Gustavsson, 24, played this p

<< 2009 Buchanan watch list candidates announced
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Christian Anthony of Grambling, Danny Batten of South Dakota State, Tommy Connors of Southeastern Louisiana and Dane Fletcher of Montana State were announced on Tuesday as the first four candidates on the 200

<< Edwards heads up Payton Award watch list
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Armanti Edwards, the Appalachian State quarterback who won the 2008 Walter Payton Award, heads up the first four names released for the 2009 Payton watch list. Also named to the watch list on Tuesday were

<< AL Central: White Sox seeking strong finish to first half
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago White Sox were reminded this past weekend how quickly things can change in a tight division race. Entering play Saturday against the Kansas City Royals, Chicago (42-40) had won seven straight and nine of its pr

Truex Jr. joining MWR in 2010 >>
Cornelius, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Waltrip Racing announced Tuesday that Martin Truex Jr. will drive the No.56 Toyota with NAPA as the team's primary sponsor in 2010. Waltrip will run a limited schedule next year, including the Day

Trezeguet's future still up in the air >>
Turin, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David Trezeguet's agent has hinted that the France international could be heading to either Inter Milan or AC Milan this summer. Antonio Caliendo says the Juventus striker, who has also been linked

Mavs sign first-round pick Beaubois >>
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Mavericks announced Tuesday that they have signed first-round draft pick guard Rodrigue Beaubois. Per team policy, contract details were not disclosed. Beaubois was selected with the 25th overall pi

Ducks sign Marchant for two years >>
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Anaheim Ducks brought back veteran forward Todd Marchant on a two-year contract Tuesday. "We're pleased that Todd will remain a Duck for the next two seasons," said Anaheim general manager Bob Murray.

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.