This past weekend's action from a bookmaker's point-of-view
By Jimmy Mason, Director of Sportsbook Operations, www.betcom.com
This weekend saw some big interleague chalk winning, lot?s of unders coming in and one basketball game that stood to make or break the weekend.
Saturday saw four big favorites of -200 or up win (Toronto and Roy Halladay opened -200 and won 7-0, the Marlins were -240 and nipped Tampa Bay 4-3, the Cardinals were -230 and squeaked past K.C. 6-5, and the Texas Rangers were -200 and stomped the powerless Astros 18-3.) which were all good for the players. Sunday was more of the same as the Marlins again were big favorites at -200 and won 8-5, and Cy Young winner Johan Santana and the Twins beat the Brewers 6-5.
The favorites hurt us this weekend, but in an interesting twist the unders helped us out. Our players played over on nearly every game this weekend as the totals were set seemingly low. The totals were set low, but as many players learned there was a reason for those low ball numbers. Handicappers know that interleague play means teams face pitchers they may have never seen before, or at best have not seen in a year or two. Interleague also means spastic looking pitchers flailing away like three year olds at a birthday pi?ata. Lastly, and this has nothing to do with interleague play, managers like to rest their players on Sundays. It all added up to the interleague unders going 18-8-1 this weekend.
Then came the whammy. Game one of the NBA Conference Finals. The Suns opened at -2 ? and climbed to -3, before finally closed at -3 ?. When we factored in the money line, first half line, second half line, quarters, props, parlays and teasers we were staring at a decision that would ensure either a big weekend or a small loss. The Spurs showed their depth and experience in beating the Suns on their home court 121-114 and the books had another good weekend.
Until next week, when we?ll ?wrap? it up again?..
Jimmy Mason
Get in on the action: www.betcom.com
By Jimmy Mason, Director of Sportsbook Operations, www.betcom.com
This weekend saw some big interleague chalk winning, lot?s of unders coming in and one basketball game that stood to make or break the weekend.
Saturday saw four big favorites of -200 or up win (Toronto and Roy Halladay opened -200 and won 7-0, the Marlins were -240 and nipped Tampa Bay 4-3, the Cardinals were -230 and squeaked past K.C. 6-5, and the Texas Rangers were -200 and stomped the powerless Astros 18-3.) which were all good for the players. Sunday was more of the same as the Marlins again were big favorites at -200 and won 8-5, and Cy Young winner Johan Santana and the Twins beat the Brewers 6-5.
The favorites hurt us this weekend, but in an interesting twist the unders helped us out. Our players played over on nearly every game this weekend as the totals were set seemingly low. The totals were set low, but as many players learned there was a reason for those low ball numbers. Handicappers know that interleague play means teams face pitchers they may have never seen before, or at best have not seen in a year or two. Interleague also means spastic looking pitchers flailing away like three year olds at a birthday pi?ata. Lastly, and this has nothing to do with interleague play, managers like to rest their players on Sundays. It all added up to the interleague unders going 18-8-1 this weekend.
Then came the whammy. Game one of the NBA Conference Finals. The Suns opened at -2 ? and climbed to -3, before finally closed at -3 ?. When we factored in the money line, first half line, second half line, quarters, props, parlays and teasers we were staring at a decision that would ensure either a big weekend or a small loss. The Spurs showed their depth and experience in beating the Suns on their home court 121-114 and the books had another good weekend.
Until next week, when we?ll ?wrap? it up again?..
Jimmy Mason
Get in on the action: www.betcom.com
