Pafres Soccer Betting News

<< Bolton acquires U.S., New York defender Ream
Harrison, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - English Premier League club Bolton has signed U.S. defender Tim Ream from Red Bull New York, although the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ream, 24, agreed to personal contract terms with Bolton, earned

<< Fielder joins Tigers with nine-year deal
Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers and Prince Fielder have put the finishing touches on a nine-year contract. Financial terms were not disclosed, but multiple reports earlier this week indicated the pact for the former M

<< Gay, Grizzlies pay a visit to Clippers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Memphis Grizzlies leading scorer Rudy Gay was averaging more than 20 points during his team's season-high seven-game winning streak, but was held in check the last time out in a loss at Portland. Gay and the Grizzl

<< Celtics try to shut down Magic again
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shooting for just their second three-game winning streak of the season, the hobbled Boston Celtics will take on the Orlando Magic for the second time this week Thursday in central Florida. The Celtics defeated Orlando t

Barca's Iniesta out three weeks with hamstring tear >>
Barcelona, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta will be sidelined three weeks with a left hamstring tear, the European champions announced Thursday. Iniesta was injured just before the half-hour mark in Wednesday

Lille adds Argentine Cetto on loan from Palermo >>
Lille, France (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Lille acquired defender Mauro Cetto on loan for the rest of the season Thursday from Italian club Palermo. The 29-year-old Argentine started his career with Rosario Central, but later played in France wit

Nationals add Lidge to bullpen >>
Washington, DC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Nationals have agreed to terms with reliever Brad Lidge on a one-year contract. Lidge, 35, has been a closer for much of his career, but has struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness in recen

Gronkowski to miss practice time >>
Foxboro, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is expected to miss practice time this week in preparation for next Sunday's Super Bowl because of the ankle injury he sustained during last Sunday's AFC Champio

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.