The first week of the year is a very special time on the betting calendar. Business is brisk on the football odds for the BCS Championship Game and the Wild Card round of the NFL postseason. College basketball also heats up as it enters the second semester with key conference matchups. Plus, we always have the NBA and NHL offering up daily bets.
Let?s get 2010 off to a profitable start with a look at the Top Four betting games of the week.
1) BCS Championship (Thursday, 8:00 p.m. EST)
No. 2 Texas vs. No. 1 Alabama
Our college football odds have the Crimson Tide favored by 4.5 points (-105) in Pasadena, where the weather looks great for Thursday?s title game. The Tide (13-0 straight up, 8-5 against the spread) roll into this contest with a healthy roster and a 5-1 ATS record in their last six games against Big 12 foes. Texas (13-0 SU, 5-7-1 ATS) might have an ace up their sleeve: safety Christian Scott, a strong run defender who has rejoined the team after being ruled academically ineligible in August. However, gamblers should be aware that the 'Horns are just 3-7 ATS in its last 10 bowls.
2) Round Three from the Lone Star State (Saturday, 8:00 p.m. EST)
Philadelphia at Dallas
This NFC Wild Card game was made possible when the Cowboys blanked the Eagles 24-0 in the season finale at Cowboys Stadium. That left the two NFC East rivals tied at 11-5 SU and 9-7 ATS but the Cowboys earned the division title with two wins over Philadelphia. Dallas looked pretty healthy going into the postseason, although DB Terence Newman took a hit to his left knee on Sunday and left the game. The Eagles have a handful of injuries, most recently to center Jamaal Jackson (torn ACL). Dallas has been made a four-point favorite and everybody knows how tough it is to beat a team three times in a season.
3) Hardwood Heat from Hot-Lanta (Friday, 8:00 p.m. EST)
Boston at Atlanta
The Eastern Conference has four of the best teams in the NBA and not much else. We?ll see two of them in action when the Celtics (24-8 SU, 14-18 ATS) visit the Hawks (21-11 SU, 22-10 ATS) in a rematch of their classic seven-game playoff series in 2008, where Atlanta swept all three of its home games but lost all four in Boston. The Hawks struck first blood this year with a 97-86 victory at the Garden in November, doing so as heavy nine-point 'dogs. Three of their starters (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo) are considered day-to-day with various injuries.
4) Big East Battle (Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EST)
No. 10 Connecticut at No. 13 Georgetown
Head coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies (10-3 SU, 4-7 ATS) may be higher in the polls than the Hoyas (11-1 SU, 5-3 ATS) at press time, but that might not last beyond Monday?s rankings. UConn lost its Big East opener 71-69 at Cincinnati before coming back to Storrs and drilling Notre Dame by a dozen points on Saturday. Georgetown is one of four Big East teams at 2-0 SU after picking off St. John?s and DePaul last week. Total players should note that UNDER is 4-1 in the last five games for the defensively minded Hoyas.
Let?s get 2010 off to a profitable start with a look at the Top Four betting games of the week.
1) BCS Championship (Thursday, 8:00 p.m. EST)
No. 2 Texas vs. No. 1 Alabama
Our college football odds have the Crimson Tide favored by 4.5 points (-105) in Pasadena, where the weather looks great for Thursday?s title game. The Tide (13-0 straight up, 8-5 against the spread) roll into this contest with a healthy roster and a 5-1 ATS record in their last six games against Big 12 foes. Texas (13-0 SU, 5-7-1 ATS) might have an ace up their sleeve: safety Christian Scott, a strong run defender who has rejoined the team after being ruled academically ineligible in August. However, gamblers should be aware that the 'Horns are just 3-7 ATS in its last 10 bowls.
2) Round Three from the Lone Star State (Saturday, 8:00 p.m. EST)
Philadelphia at Dallas
This NFC Wild Card game was made possible when the Cowboys blanked the Eagles 24-0 in the season finale at Cowboys Stadium. That left the two NFC East rivals tied at 11-5 SU and 9-7 ATS but the Cowboys earned the division title with two wins over Philadelphia. Dallas looked pretty healthy going into the postseason, although DB Terence Newman took a hit to his left knee on Sunday and left the game. The Eagles have a handful of injuries, most recently to center Jamaal Jackson (torn ACL). Dallas has been made a four-point favorite and everybody knows how tough it is to beat a team three times in a season.
3) Hardwood Heat from Hot-Lanta (Friday, 8:00 p.m. EST)
Boston at Atlanta
The Eastern Conference has four of the best teams in the NBA and not much else. We?ll see two of them in action when the Celtics (24-8 SU, 14-18 ATS) visit the Hawks (21-11 SU, 22-10 ATS) in a rematch of their classic seven-game playoff series in 2008, where Atlanta swept all three of its home games but lost all four in Boston. The Hawks struck first blood this year with a 97-86 victory at the Garden in November, doing so as heavy nine-point 'dogs. Three of their starters (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo) are considered day-to-day with various injuries.
4) Big East Battle (Saturday, 12:00 p.m. EST)
No. 10 Connecticut at No. 13 Georgetown
Head coach Jim Calhoun and the Huskies (10-3 SU, 4-7 ATS) may be higher in the polls than the Hoyas (11-1 SU, 5-3 ATS) at press time, but that might not last beyond Monday?s rankings. UConn lost its Big East opener 71-69 at Cincinnati before coming back to Storrs and drilling Notre Dame by a dozen points on Saturday. Georgetown is one of four Big East teams at 2-0 SU after picking off St. John?s and DePaul last week. Total players should note that UNDER is 4-1 in the last five games for the defensively minded Hoyas.
