Sports betting aficionados, when considering the direction of the NFL’s AFC North Division in 2010, will have a difficult choice to make, that is if they are not watching UFC 116 Betting. Will the Cincinnati Bengals claim the division, or will it be the Baltimore Ravens?

Yes, that question might seem surprising, but at least for 2010, it will be hard to think otherwise. The Pittsburgh Steelers, winners of two of the past five Super Bowl titles, are simply not positioned well for the upcoming campaign, not with the departure of Santonio Holmes and the loss of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for at least one-fourth of the regular season, if not more. The Steelers have a lot of issues and deficiencies to deal with, so the debate in the Northbet concerns the Bengals and the boys from Baltimore.

The Ravens loaded up on defense in the 2010 NFL Draft and are trying to build a unit as nasty as the group that brought the franchise its one Super Bowl title back in the 2000 season. The Ravens didn’t win the North last year (the Bengals did, of course), but they advanced farther in the postseason than any other team from the North. They’ll be very tough to deal with, especially if quarterback Joe Flacco can cut down on turnovers and regain the form he exhibited in his stellar 2008 season.

If Cincinnati is to win the North, NFL betting gurus will need to see one thing in particular from coach Marvin Lewis’ team: a dramatically improved passing game. Despite the presence of Carson Palmer under center, Cincy’s aerial attack really never got going in 2009. In a home-field wild card playoff loss to the New York Jets, the Bengals’ vertical game was nowhere to be found. Yes, the Jets have the league’s best secondary, but Cincinnati’s lack of passing potency still rated as a notable disappointment. If the addition of downfield pass-catching tight end Jermaine Gresham can loosen up defenses, perhaps Cincy will come out on top in the North. The smart money, though, should rest with the Ravens.

Bucs get one-year tender for the Cadillac

Sports betting experts will react differently to various NFL transactions during the sleepy months of Spring. One of the events that might generate at least a little buzz is Tampa Bay’s signing of running back Cadillac Williams to a one-year tender. This happened on Wednesday, May 12. Williams is a rugged and insistent runner. He’s not a breakaway back or a home-run threat, but he runs with tenacity and toughness every time he gets the ball. Yes, it’s true that the Buccaneers are in dire need of a steady and reliable passing game, but the thought of keeping Cadillac around in the backfield is a generally pleasant one for the flagging NFC South franchise. The Auburn product gives Tampa Bay at least one problem for opposing defenses to solve.

Bills sign running back Mendenhall

Another running back firmed up his place on an NFL roster on May 12. Former Pittsburgh Steeler Walter Mendenhall signed with the Buffalo Bills last Wednesday. He walks into a situation where point production has been hard to come by. The Bills sputtered on offense in 2009, particularly in the fourth quarters of games and even against some of the other bad teams in the National Football League. It’s the hope of the new coaching staff, led by freshly-minted head coach Chan Gailey, that Mendenhall - given a change of scenery and a chance to start fresh - will be able to make a positive impact for this AFC East outfit. With the ball-hawking New York Jets lingering in the Bills’ division, it will be important for Buffalo to establish the ground game. There’s no way any AFC East team will want to challenge the Jets’ secondary on a regular basis.

Saints sign wide receiver Billings

NFL betting gurus won’t be drastically altering their Super Bowl odds based on this move, but for what it’s worth, the New Orleans Saints are trying to give even more targets to superstar quarterback Drew Brees. On May 12, the world champions of professional football signed receiver Montez Billings. The Auburn grad impressed coach Sean Payton in tryouts… enough, at any rate, to earn a shot as an undrafted free agent. Billings had academic issues during his senior year at Auburn, which led to a rocky an uneven season plus an expectedly rough time with NFL Draft evaluators. Perhaps, however, this pass catcher will find a way onto an NFL roster. If he can make it in New Orleans, Billings will have a very good situation on his hands. He’ll also have some accurate Drew Brees passes on his hands as well.

It may seem like a day where most people are focused in on horse racing in the sportsbook as the Preakness - otherwise known as the second jewel of the North American Triple Crown but consider this your update from NFLBet, your NFL betting guide (an occasionally college football betting guide).

This week - of all weeks - Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder decided to come out and voice his disappointment for last year’s prized free agent signing, Albert Haynesworth. No kidding. As a matter of fact, who in Washington isn’t disappointed with Haynesworth?

Let’s face it: he’s done as a Redskin. They don’t want to trade him at this point because (a) Snyder has already paid him so much year for just one year of services and (b) because his value is at its absolute lowest point. New head coach Mike Shanahan is a dictator and you don’t mess with this guy. You can rest assured that he is not going to soften his stance for Haynesworth and he’s going to expect he shows up for offseason workouts. If he doesn’t, he’s not going to force a trade this way. Given his track record and the sports betting odds, Shanahan will not be bullied and they will force Haynesworth to sit out on the sidelines until he is either ready to grow up or until the Redskins get fair value.

The Redskins are turning things around but this is one mess from last year that they’ll have to clean up.

NFL betting players are wondering if anyone is going to take a flier on Terrell Owens, the 36-year-old receiver with nine seasons of 1,000 yards or more, but he’s been known to cause some trouble in locker rooms.  Despite all this, not to mention a poor quarterbacking situation, Owens still caught 55 balls for 829 yards and five touchdowns last year in Buffalo, so there should be a team willing to take a risk.  Here’s a trio that could end up rolling the dice.

Jacksonville

David Garrard needs targets if he is going to improve, because no team with Mike Sims-Walker as their No.1 receiver is going to go to the playoffs.  At least Owens could keep him from getting double-teamed.  In addition, the Jaguars are having major problems selling tickets, and Owens would probably help with that.

Chicago

Owens would have had the most yards on the Bears, whose No.1 receiver is Devin Hester.  He’s improving as a receiver, but he’s not a top receiver in the NFL.  Jay Cutler has experience with troubled receivers, having played with Brandon Marshall in Denver, and he’s the best quarterback on this list, by far.

Oakland

It’s amazing that this hasn’t even been considered yet.  Owens would probably fit in well with the Raiders’ “outlaw” image, and Raider Nation would embrace him.  The problem is, for Owens anyway, the quarterbacking situation.  The Raiders did pick up Jason Campbell from Washington, but Oakland pivots have been terrible lately (ahem JaMarcus Russell), which bogs the entire offense down.  Even if Owens didn’t boost the team’s online betting odds, it may excite Raider Nation, which is a start.