Baseball betting players may stick to their sport, but there are a few things that could get them to switch over to a football game, and we’re guessing that cheerleaders would be on the list. Cheerleaders have been around the NFL since the late 1950s when Green Bay started using them (we’re also guessing that there were no bikinis because Lambeau Field isn’t the warmest spot in the world), and now 26 of the 32 teams in the NFL have a cheerleading team (although last year’s meeting between Green Bay and Pittsburgh was the first time that the Super Bowl had two teams with no cheerleaders). Here is a look at the top five squads in the game and if there was a league, these would be their sports betting odds.
Dallas (+100): The Cowboy cheerleaders are a brand and they’re so far ahead of the pack it’s not funny.
Miami (+500): Of course the Dolphins are on the list. Have you SEEN the women in Miami?
New York Jets (+600): The Jets Flight Crew make sure that you have a comfortable ride when the Jets are on the field.
Cincinnati (+800): The Ben-Gals are the sports betting darkhorse on this list and you probably didn’t even know they exist. Go check them out.
Atlanta (+1000): Finally, the Falcons are in the mix and the only team on this list to play in a dome, which means the cheerleaders can be dressed, let’s say, rather scantily. They may even boost the Falcons’ odds in your best online sportsbook.

Even those who play US poker sites know that it’s a risky proposition to wager against Indianapolis in the NFL’s AFC South, but can you pull the trigger in 2011 on a wounded Colts team?

The Colts (-180) are still holding out hope that Peyton Manning will be ready for the start of the regular season due to neck surgery, and it doesn’t matter what the MVP vote says each year: no player means more than Manning does to the Colts, who will hope to avoid a rash of receiver injuries like last year, and no one knows what the defense will do. Houston (+180) needs to only stop people some of the time, because they have one of the best offenses in the league, but that defense can’t be as bad as they were 2010….or can they? Jacksonville (+800) and Tennessee (+800) have to sort out a lot of things before they can challenge the top two, but you have to think that snagging Matt Hasselbeck gives the Titans an edge, which tells you something about the Jaguars’ David Garrard. This will also be Tennessee’s first year without Jeff Fisher coaching the team since 1994, although Mike Munchak has been in the franchise since 1992 as a Hall of Fame player and coach.

This will boil down to Indianapolis and Houston again, and it’s tempting to take the Texans, but their secondary is still very young and Manning is still one of the top three quarterbacks in the league. Their Week 1 sports betting matchup in Houston is huge in so many ways, but the Colts are the smart play in your sports book.

When it comes to NFL betting lines, the best race of the season could come from the AFC East, where New England is favored as they’ve dominated the division over the last decade, but the New York Jets are coming in a hurry.

New England (-140): The Patriots rolled through the East, winning the crown for the eighth time in 10 years, and they’ll be back again as long as Tom Brady is at the helm. But the defense is still improving, and the Patriots still don’t have a deep threat.

New York Jets (+135): The Jets have a top-three defense and that will take you a long way, but they also have a quarterback in Mark Sanchez that is gaining in big-game experience and a solid game to run down the clock, as well as minimize mistakes, which boosts their sports betting odds.

Miami (+700): The Dolphins have quarterback issues and Chad Henne may not be the starter when the season starts. Miami also has to replace Ronnie Brown or Ricky Williams, maybe both as they’re free agents. The defense is good, but not better than the Jets.

Buffalo (+1800): The Bills bring up the rear and again, they’re not going to go anywhere with Ryan Fitzpatrick under center, but they have bigger offensive worries, such as C.J. Spiller not getting many touches, a lack of receivers (although Stevie Johnson emerged last year) and a suspect offensive line.

Prediction: The Jets offer better value, and it’s their time to knock the Patriots off their perch, especially after last year’s upset postseason win in New England. It’s no betonline com scam, take the Jets in your online sports betting picks.

Even MLB betting players are starting to think about the NFL season, as some seem to think that we’re close to a conclusion of this lockout situation, and that means it’s time to start thinking about Super Bowl odds. Here are the top five quarterbacks that could take their team to the promised land.

Tom Brady, New England

If you needed one guy to win a Super Bowl, wouldn’t you take Brady? He would be even more efficient with a deep threat, but the New England quarterback still puts fear into the heart of opposing defenses.

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay

The defending Super Bowl winner has to prove that last year was no fluke, but he has the tools, including mobility, and he has a slew of weapons that make him look even better. You may not find a more naturally talented pivot in the league.

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis

This guy is a one-man coaching staff, and that Manning had the type of season he did with no running game and all of his receivers outside of Reggie Wayne getting hurt, shows that he’s still one of the best in the game.

Philip Rivers, San Diego

Speaking of injuries, Rivers had to deal with a ton last season; name another receiver outside of tight end Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson, who missed a lot of last year with a contract dispute. Rivers may be the grittiest quarterback in the NFL.

Michael Vick, Philadelphia

Vick’s mobility adds a different aspect to this danger, but he’s also improved a lot as a throwing quarterback. If the Eagles can keep him upright and improve their offensive line, watch their odds soar in your sports betting book.

Later this week, NHL betting online sites will be taking wagers on which of the league’s top free agents will be signed for the most money. Each year, the NHL free agency period helps the 30 teams discover whether or not they stand a chance at making the playoffs for the upcoming season. With a few big name betting free agents already off the market, here is a look at remaining stars.

Brad Richards C – If there was ever a need for a top line center in today’s NHL; Brad Richards would define the center teams are looking for. At 31 years of age, Richards is scoring at a point a game pace, as he quarterbacks the power play and takes key face offs. Richards has had a history with concussions; however that shouldn’t intimidate teams from taking a run at him. Expect Brad Richards to receive an increase from his current $7.8 million deal. With teams such as Philadelphia, New York Rangers, Toronto, and even Florida and Tampa Bay in the mix, Richards could earn close to $10 million over the next eight years.

Christian Ehrhoff D – After quarterbacking the Vancouver Canucks power play and defense corps for the last couple of years, Ehrhoff will be seen as a hot commodity for many NHL teams heading into next season. Ehrhoff has both, an absolute cannon from the point and good vision on the ice, making him a deadly number one defenseman in the NHL. With rumors that the Canucks can only keep one of he and partner Kevin Bieksa, Ehrhoff may be sought after by close to 10 teams.

Brooks Laich C/W – The versatile second center for the Washington Capitals will have many suitors this off season. While he has yet to break out and score at a point per game pace, Laich offers intangibles, like the versatility to play all over the ice, along with excellent penalty kill skills. Look for up to 15 teams to try and acquire the speedy star’s services.

PayPerHead.com, an online sportsbook service provider for local agents, today unveiled a new campaign featuring Vince Curatola, Johnny Sack of The Sopranos fame.

The campaign leads with Vince asking “Five bucks per head, that’s what I wanna pay…” and the website, featuring video and voice overs by Vince, walks you through the product, the process and the competition.

“Five bucks a head is really an industry first given our level of service,” a spokesman from PayPerHead.com explained. “And we very carefully and in great detail delineate on the website exactly what you get and at what price level at PayPerHead versus the other serious players, such as ABC Per Head.”

You get a great deal of sports betting services, including not only the traditional online sportsbook but an optional casino, live poker, in game live betting, mobile betting, tools for managing players and their funds, layoff and scalp accounts, even a “sharp check.” “We have the sharpest lines out there and one of the most experienced stages anywhere offshore,” the spokesman said, “so if we start seeing sharp action from one of your players, we can give you a heads up. What you want to do with him is up to you.”

The choice of Vince Curatola was an interesting one. “We always liked Vince’s character on The Sopranos, as John “Johnny Sack” Sacramoni,” the PayPerHead spokesman said. “He had a certain style, classy, but not over the top; there’s a calmness and authority about him that we really admire.  He brings that serious business demeanor to PayPerHead.com, the first sportsbook-service to EVER feature any kind of celebrity in its marketing.”

With post-up books like BetUS, Sportsbook.com and SportsInteraction stopping taking US players, Bodog and others struggling with “Ecom” processing problems, the street scene is heating up and players are posting daily in forums looking for a “local out.” Most players want the huge selection of markets, including live in-game betting, and the convenience of anytime betting online or via a mobile device, but more and more, we hear players say “they want to bet online but want to settle in cash on Monday.”

Many in the industry think this is the future of online sports betting – and it very well could be. And with firms like PayPerHead.com investing in marketing in an unprecedented way (celebs, who’d have thunk it?!) and in product (they also offer live poker, casino and in-game betting), expect to see this sector grow significantly this season.

For more information, see PayPerHead.com.

While MLB betting players are getting ready for spring training, NFL football betting players are getting ready for the draft whether or not there is a lockout, and here is a look at the top five quarterbacks who will be picked in New York City in April.

Blaine Gabbert, Missouri

Gabbert stands to benefit the most from Stanford’s Andrew Luck staying in school, and he has a big arm that is very accurate. The only questions arise from playing in a spread in college, but look at how Sam Bradford (from Oklahoma) turned out.

Cam Newton, Auburn

Newton had one of the best Heisman seasons in recent memory, and he probably has the most upside of any pivot here. The recruiting allegations shouldn’t scare anyone off; Newton is a smart kid who is willing to learn.

Ryan Mallett, Arkansas

Mallett reportedly has a weird attitude which puts some off, but our bigger concern is that he depends too much on his big arm, sometimes making terrible decisions. That being said, Mallett has an absolute cannon.

Jake Locker, Washington

Locker probably should have come out last year as he had a terrible year at Washington, and while he’s not awful at one thing, he’s not great at anything either. He looks like a game-manager, which is decent.

Andy Dalton, TCU

Dalton is the darkhorse of the draft, and he reminds us of Colt McCoy, the former Texas pivot who is now starting in Cleveland. Dalton doesn’t have the biggest arm and doesn’t move as well as McCoy, but he’s deadly accurate and he has a ton of intangibles. When it comes to late first-rounders, Dalton is a solid bet.

With one game to play in the betting on NFL season, there isn’t much left to be determined as far as the playoff picture for either conference, and that will likely mean that at least a few players rest this week. While in the past a variety of stars have sat out the final game of the season, or rested following limited action, that won’t appear to be the case this week with many teams still fighting for their spots.

The entire NFC sports betting playoff picture is still wide open except for the Chicago Bears’ spot atop the NFC North, and despite the fact that the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints will both participate in this year’s postseason, they have yet to determined who will advance as the division winner, and that will mean that the Falcons’ defensive end Jamaal Anderson will likely play, as well as Saints’ running back Reggie Bush. Even though the New England Patriots are the only team in the AFC that have clinched their spot and a bye, it appears as though many players will still play, including wide receiver Wes Welker, who was injured in the final game a year ago. Welker missed last year’s playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, but will likely dress this week and says he wants to play this week regardless of the past. Expect players that practiced this week to play.

Online Sports Betting offers sports fans an exhilarating and secure means to make money and have some fun. Here are a few basic concepts you need to understand before you start making sports wagers online.

Sports Betting 101 - Opening an Account

Now that you have made the decision to wager on sports, like when you play video poker online, you need to create an online sportsbook account. The Internet is littered with sportsbooks looking for new customers. Many, if not all, offer sign-up bonuses and incentives for fresh registrants. Just find a popular online sportsbook, take advantage of their sign-up bonus and you’ll be good to go.

Sports Betting 101 - Depositing Money

It is relatively easy to deposit funds into your online sportsbook account. The most common payment method is the credit card. However, some credit card companies prevent funds from being dispersed in sports book accounts. Other methods include bank wires, Western Union and e-checks.

Sports Betting 101 - Straight Bets

A straight bet is the most frequent type of bet in sports wagering. The potential bettor puts their money on either the favorite or the underdog. In straight bets, you risk $11 to make $10. In basketball and football, the straight bet takes into account a point spread. For example, the Arizona Cardinals are hosting the Seattle Seahawks. You bet on the Cardinals, who were favored by two points. Arizona must defeat Seattle by at least three points in order for you to win the bet.

Sports Betting 101 - Money Line Bets

A money line bet does not factor in the point spread. You bet on either the favorite or the underdog to win. The odds are higher that the favorite will win, so you must risk more money, same as placing your bets in a casino slots online. In contrast, betting on the underdog to win will yield a higher payout because their odds of the underdog winning were lower.

Sports Betting 101 - Betting on the Totals or Over/Under

Betting on the total score of a game between two teams is known as a total or over/under bet. For example, it is predicted that the total points scored in a college basketball game between the Michigan Wolverines and Duke Blue Devils will be 144. If you bet on the under, the two teams would have to combine for 143 points or less for you to win the wager.

Sports Betting 101 - Parlay Bets

The parlay provides potential bettors with an opportunity to earn a huge payout without having to risk a great amount. It involves at least two games and as many as 12. The more games are involved, the lower the odds will be, and higher the payout will be. In the event that one of the games in a parlay is a tie, the payout decreases. If you lose any game in a parlay, you do not win anything.

Throughout the 2010 sports betting NFL season, there has been much speculation on who will be the league’s MVP by season’s end. Will it be a quarterback again? Or will a different position player finally win the most prestigious betting title in the world of sports? While many of our colleagues appear to be on the Michael Vick bandwagon, we feel the MVP title should go to a future hall of famer instead.

Almost every year Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Tom Brady of the New England Patriots are considered the NFL’s MVP. However, this season in an attempt to strengthen the NFL’s image as a league of second chances, Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles is likely to receive the MVP honor.

As it currently stands, Vick has the highest passer rating and pass completion rankings of any starting pivot in the NFL. While Vick has had a handful of exceptional games this season in helping the new look Eagles accumulate a record of eight and four, the real MVP of the year is Tom Brady.

To start the season, Brady and the Patriots had one of the best offenses in the league. Alongside Brady, the Pats also had wide receivers Randy Moss and Wes Welker and a competent run game in Keith Faulk. However, with a season ending injury to Faulk, the trade of Moss, and an apparent off season for Welker, many felt that the Patriots with their youthful defense would be one of the bottom feeders of the NFL.

Instead, over the last six weeks, Tom Brady has proven that you or we could be his offense and he’d still guide us to a 10 and two record. After pulling off the incredible come from behind victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, Brady followed it up with a blowout win over the rival Jets. Every week Brady breaks a new NFL record. What’s more, Brady still remembers dropping the ball against the Giants in the 2008 Super Bowl. We can all but guarantee that en route to his fourth Super Bowl title, Brady will also be named the NFL’s top player.