Bulldogs battle Utes in Salt Lake City

NCAA Basketball Betting Lines

12/31/2008 - Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The 16th-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs will try to get back on track tonight, as they close out 2008 with a non-conference bout against the Utah Runnin' Utes at the Huntsman Center.

The Bulldogs have been idle for over week now and the break couldn't have come at a better time. After starting off the season 7-0, Gonzaga has hit a bit of rough patch, dropping three of its last four outings, including two straight. Two of those setbacks came to elite programs in Arizona and UConn, but the team's most recent loss was a shocking one, as Gonzaga was upended by Portland State, 77-70, on its home floor on December 23rd. It was just the Bulldogs' third home loss since the McCarthey Athletic Center opened in 2004, and it was also Portland State's first victory against a ranked foe since its basketball program was reinstated for the 1996-97 campaign.

As Utah, it wrapped up a short two-game road trip with a 60-52 triumph at UC Irvine on Saturday. The victory was the second in three games, as the team improved to 7-5 on the year. The Utes are now set to play three straight games at the Huntsman Center, where they have gone a modest 3-2 thus far.

Utah and Gonzaga met last New Year's Eve as well, with the Bulldogs notching a 61-59 victory in Spokane.

With four players averaging in double figures and the team shooting a solid 47.8 percent from the field, Gonzaga has been able to generate a hardy 77.7 ppg on the year. Josh Heytvelt currently tops the roster in scoring at 15.4 ppg and he is tied with Austin Daye for the team-lead in rebounding, with 6.1 rpg. Daye ranks second to Heytvelt with 12.9 ppg, while Matt Bouldin contributes 11.5 ppg and 4.0 rpg. Steven Gray has provided the team with a spark off the bench and he rounds out the double-digit scorers, with 10.1 ppg. In the team's prior outing, Bouldin tallied 18 points and registered four steals, but that wasn't enough for Gonzaga in a loss to Portland State. Heytvelt posted 13 points and eight boards, and Daye finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in the losing effort. The Bulldogs were outscored from long distance, 36-21, and outrebounded, 39-30, in the defeat.

Much like Gonzaga, Utah has four players scoring in double figures and is shooting 47.8 percent from the floor, only it is netting a little less 71.7 ppg. Luke Nevill paces the team in both scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.3 rpg) and he is also making 61.4 percent of his attempts from the floor. Lawrence Borha is next in order at 10.8 ppg and he is trailed by Shaun Green and Tyler Kepkay, whom contribute 10.5 and 10.4 ppg, respectively, off the bench. On Saturday. Borha netted 18 points and Nevill notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds to power the Utes over UC Irvine. The Utes drained 41.5 percent of their field goal tries and limited UC Irvine to just a 35.7 percent shooting effort from the floor.

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American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 9.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.