While we are one day away from the 2011 NBA Draft, a lot of NBA fans will have their eyes peeled to see which player their team selects.  A lot of analysts have said that the 2011 NBA draft is one of the weaker drafts in the past few years, but this doesn’t mean that there aren’t some great NBA prospects out there.  The NBA Draft also offers something on top of just excitement for fans, it also offers some great prop bets.  The NBA Draft has a ton of players who have entered their names in, and a few prop bets that really stand out on some of those players as well.  Lets get right into it.

NBA Draft Prop Bets

Kawhi Leonard Over/Under Pick 6.5

Over: -155

Under: +115

Well, the reason why the OVER is a favorite here, is because I don’t think I’ve seen Leonard projected as above 8 in almost any mock draft.  His most common projection is at 9 to the Charlotte Bobcats, and while there is a shot he could definitely jump a bit from his strong pre-draft workouts, only 1-2 teams are in any need of a small forward.  I like the over.

Pick: Over 6.5 at -155

Kemba Walker Over/Under 6.5

Over: -160

Under: +120

This one shocked me a bit.  Walker has been projected above 6 quite a bit lately, and three of the top five teams are in need of a point guard as well.  I think Walker is probably the second best point guard in this class and will be taken at 5.

Pick:  Under 6.5 at +120

Player to Get Drafted first:

Alec Burks: -175

Jimmer Fredette: +125

While Burks has the potential to be a great player, Fredette’s stock has risen an incredible amount and he is even being projected in some places as a top 8 pick.  Burks is projected between about 8-20.  I’m shocked Fredette is the underdog here.

Pick:  Jimmer Fredette at +125

Kyle Singler:  When Will He Be Drafted?

1st round: -160

2nd round or not at all: +120

Whatever “it” is that basketball players have, Singler has “it”.  He just makes things happen when he has the ball, and there have been rumblings that he’s had some strong pre-draft workouts.  He’ll be a first round pick.

Pick:  1st round at -160

What do you think about the 2011 NBA Draft Prop Bets?  Let us know!

Leading up to the big match between the United States and Panama, yesterday we did the prediction and pick article and today will be the game and player prop bet picks.  There are quite a few to choose from, and I’m going to narrow it down to a few that stand out to me.  The match will be played Wednesday night at 7:00pm ET on Fox Soccer Channel.

Game Props

Halftime Score- This is a bet that can be tough to call at times, but also gives good payout if you hit.  Based off of the last game for both teams, and the United States already losing once to Panama, I see it going into halftime either tied at 0-0, or the United States up 1-0.  While the US is a slow starting team, I think the 0-0 draw is a safe bet.

Pick: Draw 0-0 at +240

Correct Final Score- Another interesting bet.  I feel pretty good about the United States 2-0 after their impressive performance against Jamaica.  I’m going to put my bet on USA- 2 Panama- 0 with great odds.

Pick:  USA- 2 Panama- 0 at +550

Time of 1st Goal- The time of first goal bet is broken down into every 10 minutes, which can make it a tough bet; but it is also very profitable if you can hit it.  If you believe that the USA/Panama game can go into the second half as a tie, with the USA winning 2-0, that puts the chances of USA scoring somewhere fairly soon after halftime, to the middle of the half.

Pick:  Between the 51st-60th minute at +1200

Half With Most Goals- Another great bet if you believe in the 2-0 score with the goals coming in the 2nd half.  You’ll get even money on this bet, but in my spot, I’m confident that they will be late goals; as all of the goals for both teams in their last game came in the 2nd half.

Pick: 2nd half at even money

Winning Margin- This one again falls under the “I think it’ll be a 2-0 win”, except this bet pays out nice odds for thinking that.  A bet on the USA to win by 2 goals (regardless of the score) offers odds of +300, that’s a solid bet.

Pick:  USA to win by 2 goals at +300

Prop bets can be a lot of fun, and if you have a strong feeling on one or two, check out even more odds today and place your bet before the game tomorrow!

We’re going to go a bit of a different route today with a huge upcoming soccer game for the United States Men’s National Team against Panama.  While Panama and the USA already played once in the group stage of this Gold Cup, this will be a rematch of the first loss in the group stage for the USA in over 5 years.  Panama won that first game 2-1, and the United States looked disoriented the entire game.  Both teams have played well from that point on though, with the USA dominating Jamaica in a 2-0 win in the Quarterfinals, and Panama winning against El Salvador in penalty kicks on Sunday night.  Coach Bob Bradley for the United States went a different route in the must win game against Jamaica on Sunday, and sat his star Landon Donovan until the middle of the second half.  It was said that the reason behind this was to conserve Donovan and that he would only play if needed.  This semi-finals match-up of the Gold Cup will take place on Wednesday night June 22nd at 7pm EDT.

Odds for United States vs. Panama

United States: -263

Tie (sending it into overtime): +350

Panama: +525

Free Prediction

This is a tough spot for Panama.  After knocking off the United States once, it’s unlucky that they had to run into them again.  The United States finally seems to be putting it all together, and looks to be in position to make a real push to win this tournament.  The USA will come out strong against this Panama team, especially knowing that they’ve already lost to them just two weeks back.

Prediction: United States- 2 Panama- 0

Free Pick

This free pick comes with a little something extra since you’re having to give up a little with the United States odds at -263.  First off, although the USA is a fairly big favorite, it’s still a solid bet giving the situation.  On top of that though, I like the UNDER 2.5 here (at -111 odds). I’m picking the United States here.

Free Pick:  United States -263

Bonus Pick:  UNDER 2.5 at -111

The United States Men’s National Team has been up and down since their 2010 World Cup appearance.  Up until about 4:05pm eastern time on Sunday, they were down.  Then it all turned.  In a huge match-up against Jamaica in the Quarterfinals of the 2011 Gold Cup, the United States jumped all over Jamaica in the first half; but came away with nothing but a 0-0 tie and a few shots on goal.  The second half was a different story though, they broke through on a deflected goal from Jermaine Jones to give them a 1-0 lead against one of the top goalies and top defenses in CONCACAF.  After that, it was all United States.

The USMNT began stringing together excellent passes, playing strong defense, and finding openings in a tough Jamaican defense.  Then came goal number 2 on a beautiful beginning pass from Landon Donovan to Juan Agudelo, who found Clint Dempsey in front of the goal, who then maneuvered around Jamaican goalie Donovan Ricketts to put it in the back of the net.  Tim Howard played another excellent game for the United States National Team, and made a strong save to hold on to the 2-0 shutout late in the game.

Jozy Altidore Injured in USA Win

One main negative that the United States did take away from this game was the loss of Jozy Altidore to a strained hamstring.  While it’s too early to tell exactly how long he’ll be out, or if he’ll possibly be able to return for Wednesday nights game against Panama; it’s definitely never good to not know the status of your starting striker for a big game.

The United States Men’s National Team will take on Panama in a rematch of the 2011 Gold Cup group stage (a 2-1 Panama win) on Wednesday night at 7:00pm ET.  This is one of the two semi-final games for the 2011 Gold Cup, and the winner will move on to play in the Gold Cup Final against the winner of Mexico vs. Honduras.

While the Major League Baseball season has gone through around 70 games so far, it’s time to start checking out the odds for the 2011 MLB World Series.  While the odds on teams range between +250 (Philadelphia Phillies) to +10000 (Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, and San Diego Padres), mathematically no team is out of the race.  While the Phillies are the front runner in odds, there are a few teams right on their heels.  Lets take a look at a few possible teams who could potentially contend for this year’s World Series.

Contenders

Boston Red Sox- While this team had an awful start to the regular season, they’re currently 41-27 and are playing very well.  This team is looking to turn the corner and could be trouble in the playoffs if their pitching keeps up how it is.

Philadelphia Phillies- How are the Phillies not contenders?  They have the best pitching staff in baseball, and their offense is producing at a pretty consistent rate.

Texas Rangers-  While the Rangers finally got Josh Hamilton back in the lineup, their starting pitching staff is hitting it’s stride as well.  If the relief pitchers can keep up with the starters, this team could be a tough out.

Milwaukee Brewers- No one wants to believe in the Brew crew, but I do.  The addition of Zack Greinke has been solid, and the pitching staff around him is holding it down.  Don’t look now but the Brewers are in first place in their division.

San Francisco Giants- We all know Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, but have you heard of Ryan Vogelsong?  He’s been excellent this year with a 1.92 ERA and a 4-1 record.  The Giants names on the field don’t blow you away, but they get the job done, don’t sleep on them.

Who do you think has a shot to take down the 2011 MLB World Series?  Let us know!

For any fan of the NBA or NFL, the time after the NBA playoffs can be tough.  There’s a lot of baseball, but if you’re a big fan of those two sports; baseball just isn’t in the competition.  So all of us fans need to hold on to what we have left from the NBA; the 2011 NBA Draft.  This year’s NBA Draft has been called one of the weakest in years, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some top prospects who could turn into excellent NBA players available.  Below I’ve listed the top 5 players (in order) who I think will be the best NBA players down the road.

Kyrie Irving- Maybe it’s not fair for me to pick the number 1 pick to be the best player, but he’s going to be a stud.  He has it all, he can pass, shoot, drive, run the floor, and play defense.  He’s going to be an excellent leader for the Cleveland Cavaliers and will be a prime-time player as Dickie V says.

Kemba Walker- Would you really bet against this guy?  Connecticut was projected to be in the bottom half of the Big East last year, and Kemba put them on his back from the Big East Tournament on, and won the 2011 NCAA Tournament.  He’s an incredible leader.

Kawhi Leonard- Leonard isn’t a dominant offensive player yet, but he’s an exception defender, and an outstanding rebounder.  A team in the top 10 is going to be incredibly happy with his consistent production in the NBA.

Chris Singleton- No one seems to remember how powerful this guy was before he got hurt.  He wasn’t exceptional in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, but after his injury; it’s hard to imagine he would be.  He’s polished his game and has looked great in his pre-draft workouts.

Kenneth Faried- I definitely won’t be the one to doubt this guy.  He’s a 6’8 power forward who made every other player look ridiculous on the boards.  The guy dominates down low on defense, and is an excellent defender.  He works hard all game, and isn’t scared of anyone.  He’ll be a very solid NBA player.

The NBA Draft is set to take place on Wednesday June 23rd, at 7pm.

On Friday night, the Toronto Blue Jays travel to Cincinnati to take on the Reds in an interleague match-up.  The Blue Jays are coming off of a tough stretch losing 5 of their last 7 games, and this being the first game of a 10 game road trip for Toronto.  The Reds on the other hand are coming off of a big road sweet of the Los Angeles Dodgers, which gives them a three game winning streak right now.  Both teams are fighting to be in early playoff talks for their respective leagues.  The Toronto Blue Jays are currently 7 games back in the incredibly tough AL East with a 34-35 record, while the Cincinnati Reds are currently 2.5 back, and are behind the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central with a 37-33 record.  Both teams have been a bit surprising this year with their records, and this sets up an interesting mid-season match-up between the two clubs.  Toronto has Jo-Jo Reyes taking the mound with a 2-5 record with a 4.30 ERA.  Cincinnati will put Mike Leake on the mound with a 6-2 record and a 4.06 ERA.

Odds and Sports Betting Line

Toronto Blue Jays: +135

Cincinnati Reds: -155

Free Prediction

While the Reds are pretty heavy favorites here, it’s for a good reason.  The Reds head back home after an impressive road series sweet, while the Blue Jays have struggled as of late and are starting a long road stretch.  I see the Reds taking this one down pretty convincingly.

Prediction:  Cincinnati Reds- 6 Toronto Blue Jays- 3

Free Pick

The odds won’t blow you away, but they’ll definitely make you some money.  With the prediction comes the pick.  I’m picking the Cincinnati Reds here.

Pick:  Cincinnati Reds -155

What’s your opinion on the Blue Jays vs. Reds match-up?  Let us know!

Some of the best bets offered in sports are futures bets.  If you can find a good futures bet, you’ll have the potential to make some serious money.  This is why I think it’s a great time to check the 2012 NFL Super Bowl odds.  Last year’s NFL Super Bowl Champions, the Green Bay Packers, come in tied at the lowest odds offered.  The odds currently range from +600 (Packers and New England Patriots), to +30000 (Carolina Panthers).  While it is a good idea to take a look at futures bets in this situation, it’s not the best idea to place a bet on a team like the Panthers at +30000.  Sure, the Panthers may be much better than in 2010-2011, but it’s hard to imagine that they’ll make a turn around from the worst record in the league to Super Bowl champs.  Here’s a few other interesting odds to look at for the 2012 NFL Super Bowl Betting:

Dallas Cowboys- +2000 – The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most talented teams in the NFL, and played exceptional under new coach Jason Garrett; and that was without their starting quarterback.  At these odds, they are worth a look for a futures bet.

Atlanta Falcons- +1200 – Excellent quarterback, excellent runningback, excellent wide receiver.  On top of all that, they added a stud rookie wide out to support Roddy White, and their defense has been improving.  The odds are there, and they are definitely a potential 2012 Super Bowl winner.

New England Patriots- +600 – Do you want to bet against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick?  Because I don’t.  The Patriots are always contenders and if you want to bet on them; do it early.

New York Jets- +1200 – Rex Ryan wants a Super Bowl more than anyone in the NFL, and they’ve come close with a young Mark Sanchez.  The more experience Sanchez gets, the more I like the odds of the Jets winning it all.

Philadelphia Eagles- +1200 – Michael Vick was awesome last year, and they Eagles are working at improving their offensive line to give him more time.  If he can get more time, they’ll be tough to stop in the playoffs.

Check out the rest of the odds, and let us know what you think about the 2012 NFL Super Bowl betting odds!

The Vancouver Canucks have been awful on the road in the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Finals, and the Boston Bruins haven’t been able to get a win on the road either.  The 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Finals are all even at 3 games a piece, with both teams winning all three of their home games.  This now forces a huge game 7, and the match-up to decide the Stanley Cup that all of the fans want.  Game 6 showed the tale of the home ice advantage, as Tim Thomas was a force again in goal; and Roberto Luongo was pulled after giving up 3 goals out of 8 shots to start the game.  If only the Bruins could get this type of production on the road.  They had 10 players with at least 1 point, and 3 players with more than two.  Mark Recchi had three assists in game 6, while Michael Ryder posted a goal and an assist.  The Canucks on the other side, ended up stumped by Boston on the road once again, and were able to manage just two goals in the 3rd period.  Game 7 is set for Wednesday, June 15th at 8:00pm EDT on NBC in Vancouver.

Odds and Sports Betting Lines for Game 7

Boston Bruins: +130

Vancouver Canucks: -150

Free Prediction

What a spot.  The Bruins have lost by a combined 3 goals in 3 games on the road, while the Canucks have lost by a total of 14 goals on the road.  But game 7 is played in Vancouver thanks to the home ice advantage for the Canucks.  There’s something to be said about not only how close Boston has been when playing in Vancouver; but also how well Tim Thomas is playing.  This has upset written all over it.  I think this game stays close throughout with the Boston Bruins pulling the close upset in the third

Prediction:  Boston Bruins- 2 Vancouver Canucks- 1

Free Pick

You’re getting some great odds if you bet on the Bruins to get the upset on the road, and I think they get it done.  The Bruins have the hotter goaltender right now, and their defense has been strong throughout this ENTIRE series, not just at home.  I think the defense makes the difference and that the Bruins score just enough to knock off the Canucks.

Pick:  Boston Bruins +130

What’s your opinion on the big game 7?  Let us know!