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<< Johnson, Giants vie for another win over reeling Cards
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ageless lefty Randy Johnson seeks a third straight win and a fifth in six decisions tonight, when the San Francisco Giants visit Busch Stadium for game two of four against the host St. Louis Cardinals. The Giants won the o

<< Brewers aim to extend Mets' recent misery
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - While the Milwaukee Brewers are improving their stance in the National League Central, they're making it very difficult for the New York Mets to climb the NL East standings. The NL Central-leading Brewers will resume a thr

<< Phils head to Atlanta for NL East clash
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Philadelphia Phillies will close out the last portion of their current road trip with the first of three straight games against the NL East-rival Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. Philadelphia is 2 1/2 games ahead of the

<< Rookies square off in Marlins-Nationals tilt
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of rookies face their respective opponents - and each other - for the first time tonight, when the Washington Nationals visit the Florida Marlins for the middle test of a three-game series at Land Shark Stadium. Th

Yankees acquire Hinske from Pittsburgh >>
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees have acquired utilityman Eric Hinske and cash considerations from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a pair of minor leaguers. Hinske appeared in 54 games for the Pirates this season and was b

Brazilian Melo extends deal with Fiorentina >>
Florence, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo has pledged his immediate future to Fiorentina by signing a one-year contract extension which ties him to La Viola until the summer of 2013. The 25-year-old has been li

Chelsea closing in on Zhirkov >>
London, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Reports suggest Chelsea is on the verge of sealing an $30 million deal to acquire CSKA Moscow winger Yuri Zhirkov. Sportsmail is reporting that Blues owner Roman Abramovich has agreed a deal with CSK

CFL Previews - Week One - July 1-3 >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - TORONTO ARGONAUTS (0-0) AT HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (0-0) DATE & TIME: Wednesday, July 1, 7:00 p.m. (et) GAME NOTES: The 2009 Canadian Football League season kicks off Wednesday evening, as the H

Betting Football

Is there such a thing as a trap game in the NFL?

I once asked that question to Pete Korner, who at the time was office manager and a senior linesmaker for Las Vegas Sports Consultants.

Korner almost ripped my head off. There is no such thing as a trap game, he loudly berated me. It’s a myth. The numbers are made using power ratings, he said.

There are trap games, though. They just might not be what you think. The perception is of a good team, say Philadelphia, laying a small number against New Orleans.

Using the highly-respected power ranking from The Gold Sheet, you’d find the Eagles with a power rating of 4 and the Saints at 8. When you factor the game being played in New Orleans, you could see why the line opened so short at less than a field goal.

For some, this makes it enticing to take the Eagles. That’s not a real trap game, though.

A real trap game, says professional gambler Dave Malinsky, is thinking you’re getting value betting a bad team, which brings us to the Oakland Raiders-Denver Broncos matchup.

The Raiders are +15 in this long-standing division rivalry. Denver is on a short week having dispatched Baltimore Monday. However, the Raiders haven’t covered the spread their last 10 games.

Many bettors don’t trust the Raiders to give a full effort. Few think much of Art Shell and his Oakland’s coaching staff.

So oddsmakers have to do something to make Oakland attractive if they hope to get equal action.

Now Malinsky is a value shopper. But he won’t touch the Raiders even getting more than two touchdowns.

“I try to eliminate the undisciplined, unfocused teams because they’re the ones most likely to suffer the bad beats,” he said.

Near the top of Malinsky’s list of stay-away teams is the Miami Dolphins, who have yet to cover a spread this season.

“Whatever you think of Nick Saban, you have to look at the penalties and turnovers,” Malinsky said.

It’s easy to point out the Dolphins failed to get the money this past week against New England because Olindo Mare missed a field goal and had another field goal blocked. But even though the Dolphins outgained the Patriots, 283-213, they committed eight penalties.

Bad teams not only cost themselves victories, but pointspread covers as well. The Arizona Cardinals and Green Bay Packers are two more examples.

The Cardinals couldn’t have been in a better position this past Sunday, up 14-0 at home against a mediocre Kansas City Chiefs squad. But they couldn’t hold it. The Packers got a push against St. Louis, but also could have won losing by three when Brett Favre fumbled at the St. Louis 11-yard line with 44 seconds left.

“The Packers were in a position to beat Philadelphia, too,” Malinsky said. “But they couldn’t even cover double digits.

“These teams just make mistakes and it costs you … they always will look good from a value standpoint. They really will. But that’s the trap.”

Houston and Tennessee rank among the six-worst teams. Malinsky wouldn’t be afraid to take either of these teams, however, if the price were high enough.

The Texans are bad, Malinsky said, but they have some discipline. The Titans showed they could not only come up with an outstanding game plan, but execute it as well, losing by one to the Colts on the road as an 18 ?-point underdog this past Sunday.

“Jeff Fisher is a worker,” Malinsky said of the Titans coach. “I’m not sure how hard Art Shell wants to work when he gets out of bed.”

Fisher, though, could be out as Tennessee coach after this season. Is he still worth backing in the right spot, with the right price, as a lame duck coach?

“It’s in his nature to keep working hard and not worry about any possible lame duck status,” Malinsky said. “He’s coaching for his resume.”

Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines.