Dallas Sports Fan – Mavericks Return To Finals, Hamilton Back For Rangers
May 26, 2011 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
Even Belmont Stakes betting will have to take a back seat to the Mavericks in the Dallas area right now, as the Mavericks are on their way back to the NBA Finals for the first time in five years. On the baseball diamond, Texas gets their slugger and MVP Josh Hamilton back in the lineup, and he returns with a bang.
The Mavericks could very well be out of the NBA playoffs right now, but instead they came out on top in their Western Conference finals matchup against Oklahoma City, claiming a game 5 win to set up a return to the Finals. Game 4’s 112-105 overtime win wasn’t the series clincher, but it was the straw that broke Oklahoma City’s back as the Mavericks were down by 15 points with less than five minutes left, but they managed to claw their way back and force a slew of mistakes out of the young Thunder. Dirk Nowitzki continued to hit shots that no other big man in the league could hit, and once the Mavericks managed to take it to an extra period on the road, you could see the Thunder’s spirit snapping in half. Now, the Mavericks will likely face Miami in a rematch of the 2006 Finals, which some would compare to an episode of WWE Smack Down with the calls that Dwyane Wade was getting back then. With LeBron James now in Miami as well, it could be even worse.
MLB betting players watched the Rangers drop two of three in Philadelphia in a clash of World Series contenders, and they couldn’t get their offense going as they scored a grand total of six runs in three games, including a 2-0 loss in a reunion with Cliff Lee, who led the Rangers to the World Series last year before returning to Philadelphia. However, business started to pick up on Monday when Josh Hamilton came off the disabled list and hit a homer in his first at-bat in a 4-0 victory. Lost in the shadow of Hamilton’s return was Nelson Cruz coming back, and he also went deep in his first game back with the Rangers, who proceeded to win two of three at home against the White Sox. The Rangers will stay at home this weekend as they welcome Kansas City to town on Friday for a three-game set, and then they’ll head out on the road on Monday for a three-game set in Tampa Bay. The Rangers’ offense lacked pop while Hamilton and Cruz were on the sidelines, but with them in the lineup, they’re much scarier, which bodes well for their sports betting odds next week.
Dallas Sports Fan – Mavs Three Wins Away From NBA Finals, Rangers Prepare For Phillies
May 19, 2011 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
While 2011 Preakness Stakes betting will get most of the attention this weekend, it’s a big weekend for Dallas’ professional sports teams, particularly in the NBA and MLB as the Mavericks look to continue their brilliant play against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals, while Texas gets ready to face another team (and their former ace) in interleague play in a clash that features clubs with World Series aspirations.
With no NFL picks on the horizon, Cowboys fans have likely migrated to the Mavericks, and what a time to do it as the Mavericks have been the most impressive team in the playoffs to date. They kept it rolling with a 121-112 win over Oklahoma City at home in Game 1 of the West finals, and they got a record-setting performance from Dirk Nowitzki, who made all 24 of his free throws to set a new benchmark en route to 48 points. But while Nowitzki’s performance made all the headlines, the key to the game was a bench that outscored their Oklahoma City counterparts 53-22 on the night. If the Mavericks are going to make it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006, they’ll need more from their bench because Nowitzki isn’t going to score 48 points a night….at least we think he’s not going to, but he has been spectacular in the postseason. The Mavericks will look to take a 2-0 series lead when they host the Thunder on Thursday, before heading to Oklahoma City for games on Saturday and Monday. The Mavericks will return home on Wednesday for Game 5, if it is necessary.
The Rangers gave MLB betting players reason to have faith in them after an inconsistent period by winning four of six games ahead of a game in Kansas City on Thursday night, starting with two of three at home against their American West rivals from Los Angeles. The Rangers then went to Chicago to split a two-game series with the White Sox before moving on to another mini-series with the Royals, taking the first game in extra innings on Wednesday. The Rangers will kick off interleague play on Friday in Philadelphia as they take on the Phillies in a matchup that should have happened in last year’s World Series, if not for San Francisco’s upset of the Phillies. The Rangers will also see a couple of familiar faces in Philadelphia as they faced Roy Halladay a lot when he was in Toronto, and he’ll be on the hill on Friday. On Saturday, Cliff Lee gets the ball after leading the Rangers to the World Series last year, so that will be an emotional game, and even on Sunday, Texas fans will be familiar with Roy Oswalt, who spent nine years in Houston. Following this massive series, the Rangers welcome the White Sox to town in a midweek sports betting matchup.
Dallas Round-Up – Mavs Streaking, Stars Flopping, Rangers Starting Season, Bryant Making Waves
March 31, 2011 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
Those looking to bet on March Madness will have a lot to distract them while waiting for the Final Four to tip off on Saturday as the Dallas area is loaded with stories in all four major professional sports. The Mavericks is aiming to improve their playoff position, while the Stars are just trying to get into the postseason. Texas will begin their defense of their American League pennant on Friday, and a Cowboys’ receiver can’t keep his name out of the headlines.
The Mavericks are a half-game behind the Lakers for second place in the West, which makes Thursday’s showdown in Los Angeles that much more important. The Mavericks have won five in a row heading into this game, including the first three of their six-game road trip in Utah, Phoenix and the first part of their Los Angeles doubleheader against the Clippers. Dallas looks to be getting everyone back and healthy at the right time of year, and they’ll finish out the week at Golden State and Portland on Saturday and Sunday, respectively and then they’ll return home on Wednesday to host Denver as they look to improve their NBA odds.
The Stars are slumping badly heading into their Thursday visit to San Jose, and they’ll take a four-game skid into that matchup. They’ve lost three of those games via a shootout or overtime, and if they miss the playoffs, the Stars will undoubtedly look back at this stretch. It won’t get any easier for the Stars as they stay in California for the weekend, going to Los Angeles on Saturday and Anaheim on Sunday, before Columbus and Colorado come to town on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively, for a pair of NHL betting matchups.
The MLB season is finally upon us with Opening Day on Thursday, but the Rangers don’t start their 2011 campaign until Friday, when they welcome the Boston Red Sox to the Ballpark in Arlington, giving the ball to C.J. Wilson. The Red Sox will counter with Jon Lester, and this figures to be a big three-game series as Boston looks to be one of the main challengers to Texas’ American League crown. Not many are picking the Rangers to repeat, especially with Cliff Lee heading to Philadelphia, so Texas will want to make an early statement. After the Red Sox, Seattle will come to town for three games from Monday to Wednesday.
Of course, there is no football action to report and the lockout is still going, but receiver Dez Bryant continues to make headlines. Last week, it was the saggy-pants fiasco in a mall. This week, it was reported that the second-year wideout has major debt problems, totaling in the six-figure amount. And again, it’s nothing for Cowboys fans to worry about. If anything, when the season starts, Bryant will be motivated to play even harder, and that will boost the Cowboys’ sports betting odds.
Dallas Sports Fans – It’s A Busy Time In The Dallas Area
March 10, 2011 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
March Madness betting players don’t have a team to ride in the Dallas area, but there is plenty of action in the pros where the Mavericks face a big week, the Stars are getting back on track, the Rangers have some pitching questions to answer, and who will the Cowboys draft?
The Mavericks have dropped two of their last three games, falling by a point at Memphis and at New Orleans, along with a three-point win at Minnesota. Dallas is still second in the West, but the Los Angeles Lakers are surging and could overtake them on Thursday night as both teams are involved in the NBA doubleheader on TNT. The Mavericks will host another hot team as New York comes to town on Thursday, then the Lakers will visit Dallas on Saturday night, while the Mavericks then head to Portland and Golden State on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
The Stars had a busy week, splitting their four games with three of them going to overtime or the shootout as they fell in Anaheim (overtime), won at San Jose and Los Angeles (overtime), and finally a home loss to Calgary (shootout). The Stars got Brad Richards back from a concussion for the Calgary game, and it’s not a moment too soon as the NHL gets ready for the stretch run. A seven-game homestand continues on Friday as Minnesota comes to Dallas, followed by Los Angeles on Sunday, San Jose on Tuesday and Chicago on Thursday.
The Rangers’ big question this season comes in their rotation, where they have to find a way to make up for the loss of Cliff Lee, who returned to Philadelphia. Brandon Webb threw to live batters for the first time on Wednesday, and the Rangers will be keeping a close eye on him after pitching four innings in the last two seasons because of an elbow injury. The Rangers have also been tinkering with the idea of moving Neftali Feliz to the rotation, but then you’re toying with a guy who had 40 saves and was the AL Rookie of the Year. That will be the main question for MLB betting players looking at the Rangers’ odds.
The Cowboys will pick ninth in the draft on April 28th, and while many say they’ll move up to try and get Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, Dallas’ major need is in the secondary, where they got lit up last season. LSU’s Patrick Peterson will likely go in the top five, but Nebraska’s Prince Amukamara should be available when the Cowboys are ready to pick. Amukamara may not be as athletically gifted as Peterson, but he’s not far behind, and he may be more sound technically. Either way, the Cowboys have to improve their secondary to boost next year’s sports betting odds.
Mavs, Stars Going In Different Directions; Rangers Likely To Lose Young
February 11, 2011 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
College basketball betting players won’t find many options in the Dallas area, but there is plenty of news surrounding Dallas sports teams, featuring a streaking basketball team, a slumping hockey squad, and a veteran that is likely leaving the baseball team.
The Mavericks are rolling ahead of their NBA showdown in Denver on Thursday night, taking a 10-game winning streak into the Pepsi Center. Half of those wins have come by five points or less, and three have been by double digits, so the Mavericks are proving that they can win in any type of fashion. The Mavericks have some tough games heading into their last week before the All-Star break, beginning with the trip to Denver, followed by a visit to Houston on Saturday. The Mavericks will be off until Wednesday, when they host Sacramento, then they’ll make their second straight appearance in the nightcap of the TNT doubleheader when they head to Phoenix to face former Maverick Steve Nash and the Suns on Thursday night.
The Stars haven’t fared so well since coming back from the All-Star break, dropping four in a row and they’ve been outscored 16-7. With the NHL trade deadline coming up, it’ll be interesting to see if the Stars, who are now tied with San Jose atop the Pacific Division, will make any moves to strengthen their squad for a playoff run. Therefore, this is a crucial week coming up for the Stars, who will host Chicago on Friday night before Columbus comes to town on Saturday. Next week, the Stars will start a tour of Western Canada when they travel to Calgary on Tuesday, then they’ll be in Edmonton on Wednesday.
The Rangers are having quite the offseason, taking a chance on former Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, who has four innings under his belt form his final two years in Arizona. Then, they began to work on a new deal for American League MVP Josh Hamilton, which is a good look. But they were rocked by the news that veteran Michael Young wants to be traded because the team wants him to become a designated hitter/utility player after Texas acquired Adrian Beltre to play third base. Young, who is 34 and has $48 million left on the last three years of his deal, has a no-trade clause, with the exception of eight teams: Colorado, both Los Angeles teams, the New York Yankees, Minnesota, San Diego, Houston and St. Louis. But Philadelphia has apparently reached out to Young as well, and they just picked up Cliff Lee, who played with Young in Texas. The Rangers seem resigned to losing Young, one of their leaders and one who has been in Texas since his career started in 2000, and that could definitely shake up their online sports betting odds.
Dallas Round-Up – Cowboys Finally Win, Mavs Streaking, Rangers Begin Lee Chase
November 19, 2010 by Matt Lawrence · Leave a Comment
There was a high pay per head price for tickets to last weekend’s Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight, which is probably the best action in Cowboys Stadium yet this season. But the Cowboys finally made a change and ended up with a victory, which is a start. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are off to a fast start, while the Rangers are trying to hold onto their ace, among others.
Dallas Cowboys
NFL betting players were wondering how long it would take Jerry Jones to put Wade Phillips out of his misery, and the writing was on the wall after a 45-7 humiliation at Green Bay. Phillips was out the next day, making offensive coordinator Jason Garrett the interim head coach. Garrett’s first order of business was to institute a dress code and have the players practice in pads. The extra intensity must have worked as the Cowboys came out on fire in a 33-20 win on the road against the New York Giants in a game that wasn’t even that close. Dez Bryant had his first 100-yard game, and the defense forced three turnovers in their best performance in weeks. The talent has always been there, but the Cowboys actually cared this week, and that’s all it takes. They’ll have to bring that same attitude into Week 11, when they welcome an improved Detroit team to Dallas early on Sunday afternoon.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have won seven of their first nine games ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with the Hornets in New Orleans, and the Hornets will have their stingers out after the Mavericks became the first team to beat them. Dallas ended the Hornets’ unbeaten run at eight games with a 98-95 win on Monday night at home, getting 26 points from Jason Terry. That was the third straight game in which Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t the leading scorer, and that bodes well for the Mavericks’ NBA betting odds because we all know Nowitzki can score at will. If this keeps him fresher for the playoffs, the season will be a success. The Mavericks have won four straight going into their Wednesday showdown with New Orleans, then they’ll host Chicago on Friday, head to Atlanta on Saturday, followed by another back-to-back when they welcome Detroit on Tuesday, then travel to Oklahoma City on Wednesday.
Texas Rangers
Texas closer Neftali Feliz was named the American League Rookie of the Year after a phenomenal 40-save performance, and the Rangers are officially in offseason mode. The first order of business is to re-sign ace Cliff Lee, who has no shortage of suitors, including the deep-pocketed New York Yankees, who could barely hit Lee in the ALCS. They also are trying to re-sign slugger Vladdy Guerrero, and word is the Rangers are after catcher Victor Martinez to upgrade that position. If they can pull off this trio of signings, look for the Rangers near the top of next year’s betting odds.
Dallas Round-Up – Mavs Hope To Make Up For Rangers, Cowboys
November 4, 2010 by Guest Contributor · Leave a Comment
World Series betting players are already gearing up for next year, and Texas has a lot of questions to answer after their run to the Fall Classic ended in disappointment, which is a word that doesn’t begin to describe the Cowboys. Hopefully, the Mavericks will lift the spirits of fans in the area.
Where to even start? The Cowboys are now 1-6 after an awful 35-17 loss at home against Jacksonville, and Jaguars quarterback David Garrard said that the Cowboys didn’t even look into the game. No one has answers, but you have to think that Wade Phillips’ time is almost up in Dallas (you could probably find decent odds on that prop if you’re betting on NFL lines). How far can they go with Jon Kitna? They’ll find out soon since Tony Romo is likely gone for the year. There hasn’t been an implosion of a team like this in, well, it’s hard to even think of one. It gets no better for the Cowboys, who head to Lambeau Field to face Green Bay on Sunday night.
The Rangers’ bats were silent in their five-game loss to San Francisco in the World Series, hitting an anemic .190 against the Giants. Possibly more surprising was that ace Cliff Lee was beaten twice by San Francisco counterpart Tim Lincecum, and although he pitched far better in Game 5 than he did in Game 1, when he didn’t make it out of the fifth inning, that performance must leave a bad taste in the mouth of Lee (and MLB betting players who wagered on the Rangers). Now, the Rangers have a couple of major decisions to make in the offseason. Will they bring back Vladdy Guerrero, as they declined his option but are hoping to re-sign him at a cheaper price? The bigger question is Lee, who is a free agent and will command $20 million a year. Can the Rangers afford to keep him? Can they afford to let him go?
The Mavericks have won three of their first four of the gate in the NBA season, rolling over Charlotte before a one-point loss to Memphis, with both games coming at home. The next games were on the road and the Mavericks passed their tests with flying colors, romping to a win over the Los Angeles Clippers before edging Denver in a one-point win on Wednesday. The usual suspects are leading the way as Dirk Nowitki has averaged 26.5 points and 9.8 rebounds, while Jason Terry has 17.5 points, and Caron Butler isn’t far behind with 16.5 points. Jason Kidd is still steering the team with 11.8 assists. The Mavericks are off to a great start, but it’s going to take some more convincing of the sportsbooks if they want to boost their betting odds this year.
2010 ALCS Preview Rangers vs Yankees
October 14, 2010 by Matt Lawrence · Leave a Comment
After dispatching the Rays in the first round of the 2010 MLB Playoffs, the Texas Rangers will face the New York Yankees in the 2010 ALCS. Both line ups are loaded with talent and both have capable pitching staffs. As a Rangers fan I am not used the restrictions that MLB puts in place to make you buy their stupid At Bat application if you want to listen to the games at work (without a radio). Usually I listen to radio over the web, but not during the playoffs, how dare anyone listen to their team over the internet with out paying Bud Selig and the MLB buffoons $10 – $20. MLB has even gone so far as to tell the tenants of the Rangers outfield office suites that they have to pay extra to use them during the playoff games, read more on that: Texas Rangers Suites. Enough about MLB’s iron fist, let’s preview the TV Channel, Game Information and pitching match ups between the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees in the 2010 ALCS.
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Dallas Round-Up – Cowboys Finally Win, Rangers Finally Clinch
September 30, 2010 by Matt Lawrence · Leave a Comment
Online betting players should run to their betting services in Dallas as they are entering a very important time of the year as the Mavericks and Stars are starting their camps, the Cowboys have shaken off the rust and look like they’re ready to get going, and the Rangers are getting ready to go back to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
The Cowboys played like a team with their backs against the wall in their 27-13 win in Houston in a Lone Star showdown, forcing three turnovers and generally shutting down the high-powered Texan offense. Tony Romo was 23-of-30 for 284 yards, a pair of touchdowns and no picks, and while the ground game wasn’t great, it was better, and that’s fair. The biggest surprise to NFL betting players was Roy Williams, who had five catches for 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and he has to be feeling the pressure of rookie Dez Bryant coming for his spot. Williams came up with arguably his best performance in a Dallas uniform, which is encouraging. Now the Cowboys can go into their bye week with a little bit of breathing room, because some (mostly in the media) were ready to hit the panic button if they would have went into the bye week 0-3. Now they have a week and a half to prepare for a visit from Tennessee and Chris Johnson, one of the top two backs in the league.
MLB betting players knew it was only a matter of time before Texas clinched, and they did last Saturday with a 4-3 win in Oakland, and now they can get down to the business of getting ready for their first playoff appearance since 1999. The first order of business is to get Josh Hamilton back and healthy, and he’s aiming to come back for the Rangers’ season-ended series at home against Los Angeles, the team they’ve supplanted as the dominant force in the American League West. Hamilton is sure to garner some MVP votes even though he’s been out for the last three weeks, and if he managed to play the full season, he’d probably be a shoo-in. The Rangers would also like to give Cliff Lee some rest as the ace wasn’t that sharp down the stretch. The Rangers are going to need him to be at his best because the rest of the staff doesn’t have any postseason experience, while Lee went to the World Series with Philadelphia last season. That the Rangers have done this with all of the questions surrounding their ownership is one of the great stories of the season, but it’s not over: Texas could make some noise in your best online sportsbook this fall.
With Hamilton sidelined, Rangers’ offense struggles
September 26, 2010 by AdamCrouch · Leave a Comment
Without All-Star Josh Hamilton in the lineup, the Rangers have stumbled to a 2-5 start on their current West coast road trip. On full display Thursday were the Rangers offensive struggles in a 5-0 loss at Oakland, in which Dallas Braden (10-13) and Brad Ziegler limited Texas to 1 hit in a dominating shutout. Though Cliff Lee wasn’t spectacular, surrendering 4 ER over 5 innings, the Rangers once again failed to do anything productive at the plate.
Since leaving Arlington, the Rangers offense has produced only 14 runs over their past 7 games. In their previous 7 games in Arlington, all of which were wins, Texas scored a grand total of 51 runs, or 7.3 runs/game. Their offensive struggles can’t be pinned on 1 individual, as Ian Kinsler (4 for 26), Michael Young (4 for 29), Vladimir Guerrero (6 for 28) and Nelson Cruz (6 for 24) have all been dreadful. If not for the Rangers pitching staff, which has a respectable 2.80 ERA on the current trip, things could be much worse for the club. In a span of 5 days, the Rangers once untouchable 10 game lead has withered to 7 games with 10 remaining.
With Josh Hamilton targeting the final 3 games of the season for his return, the current Rangers lineup will have to improve upon their poor production. If the Rangers can salvage a 4 game split this weekend, the team can relax knowing they have clinched their first AL West crown since 1999. A sweep at the hand of the Athletics would surely make things interesting as Texas returns home for a 7 game home stand against the Mariners and Angels.
With Tommy Hunter (12-4) on the hill Friday, the Rangers can put themselves in position to seal the division this weekend with a win. Stay tuned.
