Sun Devils roar past Cal

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

01/26/2007 - Tempe, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jill Noe poured in a season-best 19 points and added seven rebounds to pace 10th-ranked Arizona State past No. 20 California, 66-54, at Wells Fargo Arena.

Emily Westerberg scored 15 points and Briann January donated nine points for the Sun Devils (19-2, 9-1 PAC-10), who outrebounded their opponent 41-29.

Ashley Walker netted 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Golden Bears (15-5, 6-4), who trailed just 28-24 at the break. Devanei Hampton added 15 points in defeat.

Wwwastronet NCAA Basketball Betting News

<< Sessions, Nevada rout Louisiana Tech
Reno, NV (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ramon Sessions dropped in 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting to guide No. 18 Nevada past Louisiana Tech, 84-67, at Lawlor Events Center. Sessions also had seven rebounds and six assists while Nick Fazekas scored

<< No. 9 Stanford downs Arizona
Tucson, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brooke Smith scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as ninth-ranked Stanford held on to beat Arizona, 86-76, to remain perfect in the Pac-10 standings. Candice Wiggins and Jayne Appel each scored 18

<< UCLA tops Cal
Berkeley, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arron Afflalo scored 25 points to lead the third-ranked UCLA Bruins past the California Golden Bears, 62-46, at Haas Pavilion. Afflalo made 7-of-13 shots from the floor and was a perfect 9-for-9 fro

<< Cubs release Rusch
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Cubs released pitcher Glendon Rusch on Thursday after a blood clot in his left lung cut short his 2006 season. The left-hander, 32, was 3-8 with a 7.46 earned run average in 25 gam

<< Graves leads Butler past LCU in OT
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A.J. Graves scored 10 points in overtime, connecting on a game-winning, three-point shot with 56 seconds to play, as 14th-ranked Butler edged Loyola-Chicago, 70-66, at the Joseph J. Gentile Center.

Washington upends No. 7 Oregon >>
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Justin Dentmon scored 24 points and dished out six assists as Washington toppled seventh-ranked Oregon, 89-77, at Bank of America Arena. Ryan Appleby donated 16 points while Spencer Hawes ended with 1

Mobley's late three lifts Clippers over Nets >>
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cuttino Mobley hit a three with .6 seconds to play, as the Los Angeles Clippers bested the New Jersey Nets, 102-101, at the Staples Center. Elton Brand and Corey Maggette each netted 18 while Mobley f

Stanford upsets USC >>
Stanford, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brook Lopez easily had the best game of his young career, recording a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and a school-record 12 blocks to lead Stanford to a 65-50 upset of 25th-ranked USC. Lawre

Cougars drop Beavers >>
Pullman, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Robbie Cowgill scored 18 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as 20th-ranked Washington State defeated Pac-10 foe Oregon State, 70-55. Kyle Weaver scored 12 points and Ivory Clark chipped in with 11

Gonzalez blasts Haas to reach Aussie Open final >>
Melbourne, Australia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Fernando Gonzalez earned his first trip to a Grand Slam final with a straight-set victory over Tommy Haas on Friday in the semifinals of the Australian Open. The 10th-seeded Gonzalez rolle

How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.

Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

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