NFL Week 1 Best Bet

With training camp underway, NFL betting enthusiasts are foaming at the mouth in anticipation for the season to get underway. In week one there are many games on Sunday that one can look forward too. However, the best bet in week one is on the Monday night as the new look Ravens face the ever improved Jets. Here is a breakdown of the game.

Baltimore Ravens v New York Jets

On Monday September 13 in the first game of a Monday night doubleheader the AFC’s two wild card teams of a year ago will clash. During the offseason, both teams were part of a handful of squads that were rather busy.

The Jets added future hall of fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson and 2009 Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes to the wide receiving core. Adding them to an already stacked Jets offense could be the final puzzle pieces to making it back to the Super Bowl.

Conversely, the Baltimore Ravens added Antoine Boldin from the Arizona Cardinals. Although a ground and pound offensive team, the acquisition of Boldin makes the Ravens just as dangerous when quarterback Flacco decides to air out the ball.

Aside from how both sides key offseason acquisitions will fare, a few other interesting storylines for NFL bettors to consider will be coming out of the New York Jets. For instance, although the Jets are a three point favorite, how will quarterback Mark Sanchez knee hold up after offseason surgery? Secondly and more importantly, will disgruntled cornerback Darrelle Revis be wearing a Jets uniform come the start of the season or will he be on a different team altogether?

With two of the NFL’s premier defenses facing off, we expect this game to be low scoring. Nevertheless, this will be the best bet of week one as both are exciting squads to bet upon.

Will Kovalchuk Become Richest Russian Ever?

The KHL Russian super-league appears have become an enticing option for NHL players not believing they are getting the money they deserve. Earlier this week, reports began to surface that SKA St. Petersburg the KHL franchise owned by league owner Alexander Medvedev, has offered disgruntled NHL phenom Ilya Kovalchuk a three year $42 million contract, which would see him make $14 million a season. Fans betting on Kovalchuk to stay in the NHL and turn down the offer, follow one of two thoughts, either Kovalchuk is in the league to win a championship or he feels he can receive a better offer in the NHL.

When betting on where athletes will end up playing, one should take media rumours under advisement, as they are not always accurate. Nevertheless, Medvedev and the KHL have a goal of becoming the next best option for NHL players, as many stars have had to settle for less than they are worth, due to the NHL being the only ticket in town. However, if Kovalchuk signs with the SKA St. Petersburg franchise, he will set the groundwork for more superstars leaving the NHL. As a result, the NHL owners will have to meet the demands of their players and may end up running into financial trouble. Or as a result of the high contract demands of many superstars around the league including Kovalchuk, basement dweller teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers, two teams which unloaded previously heavy contracts, will be able to turn their franchises around.

Conversely, Medvedev, supposedly offering Kovalchuk the three year $42 million deal, comes as an ironic twist for the Russian league, as a few of its franchises have gone bankrupt as a result of promising large contracts and not being able to pay. Storied franchise Dynamo Moscow was forced to fold because of poor attendance and a ton of debt. If Kovalchuk leads a wave of NHLer’s to the KHL, it may also be a bad thing as more teams may go bankrupt.

All Signs Point To Castroneves at The Brickyard

Since World Cup betting moves around from continent to continent, it’s difficult to get a read on how certain teams play in certain places, although six teams have won in their home country.  Indianapolis Motor Speedway must feel like home to Brazilian Helio Castroneves, who is aiming to join some elite company.

Castroneves won his fourth pole in the Indy 500, his second straight, and he’s going for his fourth checkered flag at the Brickyard, which would put him in a group that includes Al Unser, A.J. Foyt and Rick Mears.  Castroneves won last year after being acquitted of tax-evasion charges in the highlight of the IndyCar year, and while he’s still aiming for his first series title, the Brickyard still holds a dear place in his heart, and history is on his side.

Drivers of the No.3 car have won at Indy 11 times, the most of any number, and he happens to pilot the No.3 machine.  The winner at Indy has also come from the front row 41 of 93 times, and 20 of those wins have come from the pole, where Castroneves sits for this weekend’s big event.  Castroneves just seems to have a connection to this place, and even if he weren’t in the front row, you would have to still watch out for him.  But putting Castroneves on the pole is almost not fair, and it’s going to take an accident or a mechanical problem to keep this betting favorite from the win on Sunday.

Canadiens Cut Power In Washington

In one of the biggest sports betting upsets in NHL playoff history, the Montreal Canadiens completed their upset of the Washington Capitals with a 2-1 road win on Wednesday night. They did more than advance to the second round with the win however, as the Canadiens became the first eight seed in NHL history to come back from down three-games-to-one in a best-of-seven series and beat a Presidents trophy-winning team. In terms of regular season points differential, Montreal’s win ties them for fifth largest upset in NHL history, as the Capitals finished with 33 points more in the Eastern conference standings.

The story of the series was the performance of 24-year old goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who helped Montreal complete the comeback with another excellent performance, stopping 41 of 42 shots in the Game Seven win. Halak improved to 10-0-1 in games where he has faced 40 or more shots, and raised his total to 131 saves on 134 shots combined in three straight Canadiens hockey betting wins. Halak didn’t do it alone however, as players in a Montreal uniform combined for 41 blocked shots, which combined with the shots that missed the goal, puts Washington’s shot total for the final game at over 100. Alex Ovechkin led the Capitals with 10 shots, compared to 16 Canadiens’ shots total, the fewest for a winning team in a Game Seven since the Tampa Bay Lightning had 15 shots in a 2-1 win to take the 2004 Stanley Cup over the Calgary Flames.

The Canadiens will face another difficult task in the second round, where they will face the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

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