The sports betting world is getting busier and this weekend we have some key MLB matchups, a pair of NFL Preseason tilts, and the last golf major of the year. In MLB action Friday, the Boston Red Sox open a three-game set against the Texas Rangers, and the Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks for the opener of a three-game series between the NL West rivals. In the NFL, the Chicago Bears play their first preseason game when they visit the Buffalo Bills Saturday, and the New York Giants and Carolina Panthers open their NFL preseason slates at Giants Stadium on Monday night. In Hot Props, the 2009 PGA Championship is on now at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
TRIVIA:
Which PGA golfer has won the most major tournaments without ever winning the PGA Championship?
1. Arnold Palmer
2. Bobby Jones
3. Tom Watson
ANSWER AT BOTTOM
MLB:
Friday
BOSTON RED SOX @ TEXAS RANGERS
8:05 pm ET, FOX
Two second-place teams desperately trying to salvage fading playoff hopes clash Friday when the Boston Red Sox open a key three-game set against the Texas Rangers.
Lefty Jon Lester will get the call for the Red Sox while righthander Kevin Millwood will start for the Rangers.
Lester is 9-7 with a 3.67 ERA this season. His last start was Aug. 9 against the New York Yankees, a 5-2 loss. Millwood also is 9-7 this season, with a 3.38 ERA.
In their last game, the Red Sox were shut down 2-0 by the Detroit Tigers, as a -110 pick'em in the series finale.
And Josh Hamilton went 4-for-4 at the plate and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Rangers over the Cleveland Indians 4-1 on Thursday. The Rangers won the game as -115 favorites.
Boston is 65-48 and Texas is 63-49.
The total has gone under in all five of the past five meetings, and in five of the past six meetings in Texas. Boston is 16-8 SU in the past 24 meetings.
betED Line: Red Sox (-145) (-1.5)(+110) Total: 8.5
Bet this Game!
Friday
LOS ANGELES DODGERS @ ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
9:40 pm ET, FOX
The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks for the opener of a three-game set between the NL West rivals Friday.
The Dodgers will start lefty Clayton Kershaw, who is 8-6 this season with a 2.73 ERA. He?ll face righthander Dan Haren, who is 11-7 with a 2.57 ERA.
In their last game, the Dodgers were doubled 4-2 and failed to complete a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, as +180 underdogs.
The Diamondbacks were defeated 6-4 by the New York Mets in their series finale on Wednesday, as -170 favorites.
Los Angeles is 69-46 SU and Arizona is 52-63 SU.
The Dodgers are 6-1 SU in the past seven meetings overall, and 4-1 SU in the past five meetings in Arizona. The total has gone over in six of the past seven meetings in Arizona.
betED Line: Dodgers (-110) (-1.5)(+145) Total: 7.5
Bet this Game!
NFL PRESEASON:
Saturday
CHICAGO BEARS @ BUFFALO BILLS
7 pm ET, NFL
The Chicago Bears play their first preseason game when they visit the Buffalo Bills Saturday.
The teams have played each other evenly over the past four head-to-head, each going 2-2 SU and ATS. They last met on Oct. 8, 2006, when the Bears destroyed the Bills 40-7 as 9.5-point home favorites.
Buffalo lost 21-18 to the Tennessee Titans in the NFL Hall of Fame Game last Sunday in Canton, Ohio, which officially kicked off the preseason schedule.
Last season, the Bears went 9-7 SU and 6-8-2 ATS. The Bills were 7-9 SU and ATS.
betED Line: Bills (-3) Total: 32.5
Bet this game!
Monday
CAROLINA PANTHERS @ NEW YORK GIANTS
8 pm ET, ESPN
The New York Giants and Carolina Panthers open their NFL preseason slates at Giants Stadium on Monday night.
The Panthers have the edge over the past five meetings, going 3-2 SU and ATS. The teams last squared off on Dec. 21 last season, when the Giants prevailed 34-28, covering the 4-point home spread.
Both teams had identical 12-4 SU records last season, but the Giants were much better against the spread, going 12-4 ATS compared to the Panthers? 9-6-1 ATS.
Four of the past five meetings have gone over the total.
betED Line: Giants (-3) Total: 32.5
Bet this game!
Hot Props:
The 2009 PGA Championship - the last major golf tournament of the year - started Thursday at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
The par-72 course plays over 7,674 yards and has drawn 97 of the top 100-ranked pro golfers in the world.
betED.com will have PGA Betting Odds available throughout the weekend.
Bet the PGA Championship
TRIVIA ANSWER:
3. Tom Watson
Watson has won eight major championships ? five British Opens, two Masters, and one U.S. Open ? but no PGA Championship titles.
TRIVIA:
Which PGA golfer has won the most major tournaments without ever winning the PGA Championship?
1. Arnold Palmer
2. Bobby Jones
3. Tom Watson
ANSWER AT BOTTOM
MLB:
Friday
BOSTON RED SOX @ TEXAS RANGERS
8:05 pm ET, FOX
Two second-place teams desperately trying to salvage fading playoff hopes clash Friday when the Boston Red Sox open a key three-game set against the Texas Rangers.
Lefty Jon Lester will get the call for the Red Sox while righthander Kevin Millwood will start for the Rangers.
Lester is 9-7 with a 3.67 ERA this season. His last start was Aug. 9 against the New York Yankees, a 5-2 loss. Millwood also is 9-7 this season, with a 3.38 ERA.
In their last game, the Red Sox were shut down 2-0 by the Detroit Tigers, as a -110 pick'em in the series finale.
And Josh Hamilton went 4-for-4 at the plate and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Rangers over the Cleveland Indians 4-1 on Thursday. The Rangers won the game as -115 favorites.
Boston is 65-48 and Texas is 63-49.
The total has gone under in all five of the past five meetings, and in five of the past six meetings in Texas. Boston is 16-8 SU in the past 24 meetings.
betED Line: Red Sox (-145) (-1.5)(+110) Total: 8.5
Bet this Game!
Friday
LOS ANGELES DODGERS @ ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
9:40 pm ET, FOX
The Los Angeles Dodgers visit the Arizona Diamondbacks for the opener of a three-game set between the NL West rivals Friday.
The Dodgers will start lefty Clayton Kershaw, who is 8-6 this season with a 2.73 ERA. He?ll face righthander Dan Haren, who is 11-7 with a 2.57 ERA.
In their last game, the Dodgers were doubled 4-2 and failed to complete a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, as +180 underdogs.
The Diamondbacks were defeated 6-4 by the New York Mets in their series finale on Wednesday, as -170 favorites.
Los Angeles is 69-46 SU and Arizona is 52-63 SU.
The Dodgers are 6-1 SU in the past seven meetings overall, and 4-1 SU in the past five meetings in Arizona. The total has gone over in six of the past seven meetings in Arizona.
betED Line: Dodgers (-110) (-1.5)(+145) Total: 7.5
Bet this Game!
NFL PRESEASON:
Saturday
CHICAGO BEARS @ BUFFALO BILLS
7 pm ET, NFL
The Chicago Bears play their first preseason game when they visit the Buffalo Bills Saturday.
The teams have played each other evenly over the past four head-to-head, each going 2-2 SU and ATS. They last met on Oct. 8, 2006, when the Bears destroyed the Bills 40-7 as 9.5-point home favorites.
Buffalo lost 21-18 to the Tennessee Titans in the NFL Hall of Fame Game last Sunday in Canton, Ohio, which officially kicked off the preseason schedule.
Last season, the Bears went 9-7 SU and 6-8-2 ATS. The Bills were 7-9 SU and ATS.
betED Line: Bills (-3) Total: 32.5
Bet this game!
Monday
CAROLINA PANTHERS @ NEW YORK GIANTS
8 pm ET, ESPN
The New York Giants and Carolina Panthers open their NFL preseason slates at Giants Stadium on Monday night.
The Panthers have the edge over the past five meetings, going 3-2 SU and ATS. The teams last squared off on Dec. 21 last season, when the Giants prevailed 34-28, covering the 4-point home spread.
Both teams had identical 12-4 SU records last season, but the Giants were much better against the spread, going 12-4 ATS compared to the Panthers? 9-6-1 ATS.
Four of the past five meetings have gone over the total.
betED Line: Giants (-3) Total: 32.5
Bet this game!
Hot Props:
The 2009 PGA Championship - the last major golf tournament of the year - started Thursday at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.
The par-72 course plays over 7,674 yards and has drawn 97 of the top 100-ranked pro golfers in the world.
betED.com will have PGA Betting Odds available throughout the weekend.
Bet the PGA Championship
TRIVIA ANSWER:
3. Tom Watson
Watson has won eight major championships ? five British Opens, two Masters, and one U.S. Open ? but no PGA Championship titles.
